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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  As a new member of their family was about to come into the world, tragedy struck in a single-family home in Mariners Harbor Monday afternoon, killing parents-to-be Alafia Rodriguez, 46, and his seven-months pregnant girlfriend, Ana DeSousa, 33.

The couple already had a 2-year-old daughter, who was present when Philip Moreno, 45, allegedly entered the home at 376 Granview Ave. and shot Rodriguez and DeSousa multiple times, police said.

The toddler was unharmed, according to police, but the sibling DeSousa was carrying did not make it.

Alafia Rodriguez, 46, (right) and his girlfriend, Ana DeSousa, 33. (Facebook)

Moreno is now facing several charges, including murder in the second degree, criminal use of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, acting in a manner injurious to a child, and assault, according to a spokeswoman for the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Because of New York State laws, Moreno is not facing murder charges for the murder of the unborn child.

On Jan. 22, 2019 Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) into law ensuring New Yorkers can make personal healthcare decisions and medical professionals can provide crucial services without fear of criminal penalty.

While the decision was welcomed by those in favor of abortion, many opposed the governors decision, arguing that it put pregnant women at greater risk.

Intellectually honest people know that when a pregnant woman is killed, something different has happened than when a woman who is not pregnant is killed,'' Charles Camosy, a theology professor at Fordham University, wrote in an opinion piece in the New York Daily News shortly after the RHA was signed into law. "Both situations are incredibly tragic, but in the former situation, two human beings are killed, not one.

In the United States there are currently 38 states that have fetal homicide laws and New York is not among them.

Fetal homicide laws, however, dont entirely protect women, Lynn Paltrow, founder and executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW).

Theres no evidence that when New York had its criminal abortion law or in any of the 38 states that have feticide laws, that violence against pregnant women has has been reduced at all even slightly, Paltrow said.

And in fact, theres evidence that when these laws are in place, violence against women, pregnant women, actually increases, because what these laws do is characterized by a loss of a fetus, fetal death as murder. Paltrow continued. And women have been assaulted, attacked and even murdered as retribution for having an abortion.

Paltrow argues that the best way to protect pregnant women is a law that should should focus on creating an enhanced penalty for the attack on the woman.

In other words, if a woman is pregnant, you can enhance the penalty as a way of acknowledging the additional loss and harm and tragedy, Paltrow said. The assault is on the pregnant woman herself, which is one of the reasons to keep the focus on her. And another is that any law that is used to suggest that the fetus is separate ends up being used against pregnant women.

In June of last year Paltrow and 91 individuals and 32 organizations signed a letter further explaining how abortion criminalization laws do not prevent gender violence.

In May 9, 2019, State Sen. Andrew Lanza J. (R-Staten Island) introduced a bill in the State Senate that would add feticide in the criminal law as a class A felony.

A person is guilty of feticide when with intent to cause the death of an unborn child at any stage of gestation, he or she causes the termination of a womans pregnancy, resulting in the death of such unborn child at any stage of gestation, except when such termination occurs in accordance with section twenty-five hundred ninety-nine-bb of the public health law, the bill explains.

Lanza is the main sponsor of the bill and State Sens. Fred Askhar, Rich Funke, Patrick M. Gallivan and Pamela Helming are co-sponsoring it.

HOW THE TRAGEDY UNFOLDED

At around 5 p.m. police responded to a 911 call about shots fired inside the Grandview Avenue home. As officers entered, they found Moreno exiting the residence and a bloodbath inside.

In the living room of the house were the lifeless bodies of Rodriguez and DeSousa, police said.

Police say they recovered a loaded, black .22-caliber Ruger firearm from Morenos cargo pants as well as a silencer, two magazines and a Leatherman knife.

They immediately took Moreno into custody.

A 22 caliber police recovered following the double homicide in Mariners Harbor on Monday, May 11. (NYPD)

A third woman, whom law enforcement sources identified as Erica Johnson, 43, was also found shot in the torso in the house and was transported to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton, where she underwent surgery and remains in critical condition.

Defense lawyer Mario Gallucci said Rodriguez was his very first client and that he was devastated and heartbroken to hear about what happened.

Gallucci said he started representing Rodriguez when he was 16.

He became a very good friend, Gallucci said. He used to call me Mr. President and I used to call him the Mayor of Mariners Harbor. Everybody knew Laf.' Any time there was anybody with a problem, Laf would help. He was one of the guys that was trying to make sure that these young kids didnt kill each other.

Gallucci said Rodriguez was excited to have another child with DeSousa and start over again, adding that the man had turned his life around since he first started representing him.

Police are investigating whether the invasion was fueled by drugs.

There were narcotics and narcotics paraphernalia found in the home, police said.

Moreno has been arrested at least seven times, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

He is on parole until May of 2022 after being released from prison in May of 2017 for his most recent felony conviction, according to public records.

Defense attorney Mark Fonte has been retained to represent Moreno.

The situation at this point is fluid," Fonte said Monday night. "I have shut down the interrogation of my client. My office is attempting to assess the facts and determine what happened.

1992 SLAYING

Moreno was sentenced in September 1993 to eight to 16 years in prison for the fatal shooting on July 12, 1992, of Theodis Watson, 22.

According to court records, Watson was shot in the left side of his chest in front of the Mariners Harbor Houses at 168 Brabant St. at 5:25 p.m. That location is just around the corner from where police say Moreno shot Rodriguez and DeSousa on Grandview near Brabant.

Phillip Moreno is shown in this Facebook photo.

Authorities said the 1992 shooting was sparked by a feud between the two men, according to Advance records.

Moreno was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon following his arrest. He pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter. At Morenos sentencing, Watsons mother pleaded with state Supreme Court Justice Norman J. Felig to give Moreno the maximum prison term, according to Advance records.

Moreno was paroled in March of 2007, but a few months later, in August of that year, he was arrested again when parole and warrant officers paid a surprise visit to his then residence on LaForge Place in Port Richmond. Authorities were acting on a tip that Moreno had a gun, according to Advance records.

As Moreno was leaving his home, they stopped him and asked about the gun. Moreno admitted to having the weapon, which prompted a search. Inside, police recovered a loaded handgun and seized about 8 grams of the hallucinogen PCP from a lockbox in Morenos closet, law enforcement sources said, according to Advance records.

Moreno pleaded guilty in March 2008 to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and was sentenced to 10 years on the drug charge and three and a half to seven years for weapons possession, to run concurrently, according to Advance records.
sacw.net - 13 May 2020

How does one make sense of a still-nascent democracy that has been rapidly hijacked by majoritarian chauvinists, forcing its minorities into siege-like conditions; a situation where social, economic, and political predicaments continue to feed upon and strengthen each other in a noxious symbiosis, while those who struggle are at a loss on how to find their way out of this imbroglio? It is a crucial challenge of our times to understand how the RSS can be prevented from using problems within the Muslim community to vilify them and use these as means to push its toxic Hindutva agenda, while at the same time, encouraging the urgent need for societal reforms which is thwarted by external threats that minorities in India undeniably face today.

The short-lived but immensely meaningful life of Hamid Dalwai might provide some clues to these questions, and it is only fitting to remember Hamid bhai on his 43rd death anniversary and to ruminate about the man, his invaluable work, how he would have perceived todayas India, and what we might learn from his courageous efforts in the 1970s when the country was in the midst of a similar political upheaval. Hamid bhai spearheaded the cause of radical reforms within the Muslim community, specifically the arbitrary practice of teen-talaq, and the question of the communalization of the Urdu language, which sought to impose upon the Indian Muslim a monolithic and essentializing cultural identity. It is these very issues that have been hijacked by the RSS today to serve its virulent communal agenda. Hamid bhai had even argued for a uniform secular civil code at the time, which ironically, the RSS chief, MS Golwalkar had been staunchly opposed to.

Unfortunately, before he had had an opportunity to live out his life, Hamid Dalwai passed away due to kidney disease on 3rd May 1977. Yet, in a short lifespan of merely 45 years, he had dedicated nearly 25 years to promoting social reforms, even endangering his life on several occasions with little thought for his own well-being. Inspired by the work and ideals of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and the reforms carried out by Kemal Ataturk Pasha after assuming power in Turkey, Dalwai led the struggle for societal reforms within and outside Indiaas Muslim community. There have been very few reformers like him in the 1500-year long history of Islam.

Hamid Dalwai was born in a small village called Chiplun in Maharashtraas Konkan region, which was also the birthplace of another stalwart social reformer, Vishnu Shastri Chiplunkar. At 14 years of age, Hamid joined the Rashtra Seva Dal, a nascent organization that had been formed only five years prior. In that impressionable age, he was exposed to the values of democratic socialism, secularism, scientific temper, and nationalism which would go on to guide him in his journey. While in the lifespan of an organization, it has several members, there are usually only a few who are truly able to pursue the path of their conviction and ideals, and Hamid was one of those few.

Hamidas teenage years witnessed the political transformation of India from a colonized nation to an independent state, and the several struggles of nation-building that accompanied its political independence. The period, when Hamid was about 15 years old, also saw the horrific humanitarian crisis engendered by the partition, which had resulted from the adivide and rulea policy of the British colonialists a of promoting the Muslim League on the one hand and the RSS on the other. The partition brought with it widespread bloodshed and displacement of millions of people, and also left a deep wedge between Hindus and the Muslims, leading to Gandhias martyrdom in its wake. I feel a shiver run down my spine when I imagine how tumultuous a period it might have been for the innocent and impressionable Hamid Dalwai. The communal pulls and pressures and deep-seated hatred had made it difficult for most Indians to continue to believe in the innate humanity and goodness of the aothera; perhaps Dalwaias induction into the Rashtra Seva Dal helped him to continue to have faith in the ideals of secularism even in the face of the unprecedented barbarity that prevailed all around. It is important to remember that oneas worldviews and faith in being liberal, secular and anti-caste depends to a large extent on the prevailing milieu. Personally, I believe that even I might have been influenced by the RSS and even been its functionary, had I not encountered the Seva Dal when I was 13-14 years of age; my favorite school teacher who taught me Geography had been relentless in trying to persuade me to join the RSS.

Alternately, Hamid would perhaps have taken to theology, and trained to become a maulana as was his fatheras desire, had the Rashtra Seva Dal not entered his life at the time that it did. In one of our several conversations, Hamid bhai himself shared these thoughts with me in the 1970s when he had invited me to Amravati. I remember with great fondness his warm and informal conversations, even as he was bed-ridden in Jaslok Hospital struggling against the disease that had inflicted his kidneys, and even the times that I met him at Sharad Pawaras residence which he frequented. I have rarely come across a man with such an unparalleled zest for life and a light-heartedness even in the face of the most pressing circumstances.

Hamid bhai served as a socialist activist in his early years and also worked as a journalist for the aMarathaa newspaper run by Acharya Atre. In those years, he penned a novel titled aIndhan( fuel)a which has been translated into English by Dilip Chitre. Later, he also published a collection of stories and both these works won awards and accolades. His literary instinct was later overtaken by the passion for contributing to social reforms. Perhaps he could no longer remain a bystander as he saw the several internal and external crises engulfing Indiaas Muslim community. While one political force was hell-bent on demonizing them, others thought no more of them than a captive vote-bank. Issues such as Muslim men marrying multiple women arbitrarily and then subjecting them to forced divorces were plaguing the community and Hamid bhai was so deeply bothered by this that at 34 years of age, he led a massive protest march of divorced women on 18 April 1966 a a brazen form of protest for his times.

With such an intense beginning of his activist life, in the Pune office of aSadhna Saptahika weekly founded by Sane Guruji, Hamid Dalwai started his own organization that he named aMuslim Satya-Shodhak Samaja after Jyotiba Phuleas Satya Shodhak Samaj. When orthodox religious clerics were only concerned with herding the community in the name of the Quran and Hadith, it was nothing short of a revolution for Hamid Dalwai to spearhead such radical reforms a he remains unrivaled even after 43 years of his death. The Shah Bano episode appeared on the scene nearly 20 years later, which became a watershed moment in the history of the decline of secularism in the country. That religious faith had trumped the law of the land, emboldened the Sangh Parivar and paved the path for it to make newer advances and stronger inroads into Indiaas social and political landscape.

The RSS has harboured a vile hatred for Muslims which has driven its socio-political agenda ever since its inception. However, Indiaas politics experienced a dosage of its noxious agenda in a substantive way with the formation of the Janata Party in 1977, which incidentally was the same year when Hamid bhai fell terminally ill. Since Mahatma Gandhias murder, RSS had found itself isolated in Indian politics, but 1977 marked the beginning of its legitimization in Indiaas political mainstream. During the emergency, I traveled across India with my political co-travelers, S M Joshi and Nana Saheb Goreji, to consult friends imprisoned in various jails. I shared my reservations with them in unambiguous terms: how could we have an alliance with a communal outfit like the Jan Sangh which did not subscribe to our core values of secularism and socialism, and when the party remained firmly wedded to capitalists, landlords and old Maharajas, and most objectionably when it brazenly supported Brahminism? Electoral seat-sharing was still thinkable, but being merged with the same party? I was reassured to know that George Fernandes, the national president of Indian Socialist Party, who was in Tihar jail at the time, and whom S M Joshi had met, was of the same opinion. However, S M Joshi told me that Jaiprakash ji had put a condition that he would not come for the election campaign until all opposition parties had merged. I participated in the formation of the Janata Party which had been formed under those uncomfortable conditions, at Pragati Maidan where I went accompanied by Acharya Kelkar. I have also been witness to the merger of the Socialist Party of India in a convention chaired by George Fernandes, who at that time was a hero to many like me. The turn proved to be historic for the RSS which enjoys a completely different political fate today, than ours.

Hamid Bhai is not alive today to see how communal majoritarian politics has spread its tentacles over the past 43 years. Had he been alive, he would have been among the staunchest critics of Narendra Modias discriminatory Citizenship Act, and even other measures that Modi has forcibly pushed through under the pretext of aempoweringa Indiaas Muslims, especially Muslim women. Among other things, what exposes Modias faAade, is the fact that in Gujarat, he presided over the genocide of innocent Muslims that saw violent mobs slitting open womenas wombs and raping them, which has been documented on video by Mrunal Gore and Suma Chitnis. It is sickening therefore, to watch the same Modi shedding tears for Muslim women today. Even as Modi speaks of a Uniform Civil Code, I believe it is yet another ploy to threaten an already vulnerable and cornered Muslim community. I am certain that Hamid bhai would have understood and exposed this agenda and the numerous machinations that the Sangh Parivar has adopted over the past decades to further marginalize the community.

Hamid Dalwai is an especially important person to know, understand, and celebrate for not only was he a Muslim social reformer, but also one of the founders of the Indian Secular Society. My reading of the Societyas literature makes me believe that the Sangh agenda would have been opposed tooth and nail by its leaders like Hamid Dalwai, Narhar Kurundkar, and A B Shah. Never in the 73 years since Indiaas independence has the Muslim community experienced the kind of deep insecurity that it is confronted with today. This is an outcome of the RSS incessantly widening the wedge between communities through issues like the temple-mosque row, politics around the cow, Kashmir, Pakistan, and now, by threatening even the Muslim claim to Indian citizenship. Since Golwalkar, RSS has believed that Muslims can only live in India at the mercy of Hindus, else they must resign themselves to accepting the status of second-class citizens. All such hideous designs would have been courageously resisted by Hamid bhai were he alive today a having watched his work closely in Amravati, I can say so with complete conviction a Hamid bhai would have boldly spoken out against both, political Islam being propagated internationally as well as Hindutva fascism, as he understood the dangers of both. Perhaps he would have been our leader in this struggle as he commanded respect among all communities.

In todayas age of unprecedented political turmoil, it is crucial that we revisit the legacy of leaders such as Hamid bhai both, for inspiration and to think of ways through which we can renew our resolve to continue our struggle to protect the founding ideals of this diverse and multi-faceted nation. Why did Hamid Dalwai name his organization Muslim Satya-shodhak Samaj? According to Sant Tukaram Maharajas Abhang in Marathi a satya asatyashi man kele gwahi. Mahatma Gandhi called his autobiography an experiment with truth, and Jyotiba Phule named his group, Satya Shodhak Samaj a hundred years ago. Hamid bhai, inspired by these legacies, chose a Marathi name for his organization given that he was born in Konkan where most people speak Konkani Marathi, and some can only speak the Konkani dialect. There is an adage in India that dialects change after every ten miles. So, while Kannada in the neighbouring state of Karnataka, Telugu in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil in Tamil Nadu, Malyalam in Kerala etc. are major languages, most states also have multiple dialects. Take for instance, Bihar which has Maithili, Angika and Bhopuri, or Jammu and Kashmir, which has Dogri, Mirpuri, and Kashmiri, or my own district of Dhulia which has the Ahirani dialect a personally, I cannot speak any language properly as I do not belong to a single place after all.

This detailed aside on languages finds place in my remembrance of Hamid Dalwai, because he was always particular about emphasizing that Indian Muslims must speak and work in the language of the place where they were born. He would often say to Muslim friends and community members that even though they could choose to learn Urdu or Arabic for their knowledge or interest, he cautioned them against believing that these languages could ever become their own or replace those languages they had been born into. So, for a Muslim born in Maharashtra, his advice would be to embrace Marathi as their primary language; chasing Urdu, Arabic, or Persian he argued, would not help the community as Marathi would be more prudent for both, social and economic reasons. He was opposed to the Maulanas who prioritized religious education above other skills. In 1971, Pakistan, that was built on a religious slogan had to be further divided on linguistic basis as Urdu was not acceptable to the people in East Pakistan which then became Bangladesh. Hamid Dalwai never lost sight of this reality about languages and local cultures.

I have had an opportunity to visit Pakistan twice. On my second travel, I entered through the Atari-Wagha border and traversing Punjab, Singh and then Balochistan, I traveled up to Zahedan in Iran by road. I saw first-hand the reality of the supposed respect that Urdu enjoyed in Pakistan a just 50 kms from Amritsar, communities speak Punjabi in Pakistan, and further on, Sindhi becomes the main language in Sakkar, Atak, Sindh, and Hyderabad right up to Karachi a beyond these regions, people speak Baloch. The intense internal strife over languages within Pakistan, could put the India-Pakistan rivalry to shame and expose the hollowness of the Pakistani stateas decision in 1973 to impose Urdu on disparate communities of the country. Still, both the pan-Islamists and the RSS cling to monolithic imaginations about Muslims. This pluralist discourse was central to the thought and work of the 45-year-old Hamid Dalwai when I first met him.

The Indian subcontinent is today marked by pan-Islamist orthodoxies, especially of the Salafist and Wahabist kind, which have been pushed by vested interests often funded by the US, Britain, France and other Western countries whose real intention is to control the flow of oil and dominate the regionas geo-politics. Over the past 40 years, they have deployed the rhetoric of the so-called aclash of civilizationsa to raise spectres of Boko Haram, Al Qaida and now, the ISIS. If Hamid Dalwai were alive today, he would be among leading figures denouncing this nexus, along with prominent names like Mahmood Madani, Noam Chomsky, Edward Said, and Samir Amin.

Therefore, the path that Hamid bhai showed us in 1977 remains especially relevant since the 1990s, when India was hijacked by the hydra-shaped Sangh Parivar, and when vulnerable sections like minorities, Dalits and women are proving to be its worst victims. As the Muslim Satyashodhak Samaj has entered its 5th decade, we all must think seriously about these challenges.

It was due to his articulate opposition to the clergy that Hamid bhai invited upon himself repeated attacks by Islamists. But Hamid Dalwai must be remembered for his unflinching conviction and courage with which he kept traveling across all parts of India until he was diagnosed with serious damage to his kidney when he was just 43 years old. Although his kidney was replaced and he traveled to an international conference with Jaiprakash Narayan, his body did not adapt to the replaced kidney and he eventually succumbed.

I remember with great affection the last few days of Hamid bhaias life when I would visit him at Jaslok Hospital. Under both his eyes, his skin was swollen like water bags. Mehrunnisa ji, his wife, was attending to him and despite his serious condition, he never complained about his deteriorating health. Even as his life ebbed away, he kept his well-wishers enthralled with the many interesting anecdotes from his life and the endless supply of jokes. On one such visit, after seeing his condition, I knew that his end was near; within roughly a week of my last visit, I read the news of his demise in the newspapers a the eminent social activist and thinker, Hamid Dalwai had taken his leave.

The valuable work that he undertook in the 45 years of his life has been carried forward by his followers. As a mark of my deep affection and respect for Hamid bhai, after I had assumed the role of the National President of the Rashtra Seva Dal in April 2017, I offered free working space to run the office of the Muslim Satyashodhak Samaj in our headquarters in Pune. I personally regard the Muslim Satyashodhak Samaj as a key constituent of the Rashtra Seva Dal a we are together in the struggle for freeing India of the shackles of caste and religious discrimination, without seeking recourse to electoral politics. Those whose sole agenda is to seek votes are bound by the compulsion of keeping everyone happy and in a bid to do this, they indulge in acts that are unimaginable for us. Those who love to see themselves as harbingers of progressive change in India must take forward Hamid bhaias legacy and refuse to bow before both, Muslim and Hindu parochialisms. In the 50th year of MSSa foundation, fighting communalism in all its hues has acquired an urgency for our society. If we proclaim secularism, we must oppose both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalism. If we do not denounce Muslim communalism, we have no moral right to speak against fundamentalists of Hindu or other religions.

Objecting to Hamid Dalwaias reformist work, the orthodox Mullahs of his time abused him, and there were also physical attacks on Hamid bhai. However, unlike the murders of Gandhi, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, Prof. Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh by Hindutva fanatics, the Muslim fanatics did not kill Hamid no matter how savage they are painted by the RSS. In the RSS shakhas, the swayamsevaks are served a barbaric image of Islam to produce murderous cadres and foot-soldiers like Nathuram, Pragya Singh, Aseemanand, Kalsungra, Babu Bajrangi, and Colonel Purohit, and militant outfits like Shriram Sene, Bajrang Dal, Abhinav Bharat, and Sanatan Sanstha have been created for such purposes.

Two major Muslim reformists a Hamid Dalwai and Asghar Ali Engineer, both died due to their illnesses, unlike Prof. JS Bandukwala who faced a brutal attack during the Gujarat pogrom and his whole house was set on fire. Fortunately, his neighbours saved him and the family by sheltering them even as his house was burnt to ashes. On the 43rd anniversary of Hamid Bhaias death, being surrounded by a normalized aggressive Hindutva makes me think even more keenly of these nuances that we should not lose sight of. Gujarat 2002 inaugurated this naked and institutionalized cleansing of minorities, as it has been brought in open by journalists like Rana Ayyub, Siddharth Varadarajan, Manoj Mitta as well as conscientious officers such as R B Sreekumar and Justice Krishna Ayyar. General Padmanabhan of the Indian armed forces has said it on record that he deployed 3000 personnel under General Zahiruddin but the troop was not allowed to leave the Ahmedabad airport for three days by the state government headed by Modi. Mr. Shah has written about the episode in detail in his book aSarkari Musalmana. Now the Nanavati Commissionas clean chit is being cited in favour of Modi. However, Nanavati was an old-time devoted sanghi whom I met five times with Adv. Mukul Sinha when the Gujarat proceedings were ongoing. In the first sitting itself, I could foresee the fate of the Commission and asked late Mukul ji why he was wasting his time. Mukul bhai responded that Narendra Modi would like the Commission to produce a clean-chit at the earliest as he harboured ambitions of becoming Prime Minister, and we are trying to at least delay it. As luck would have it later, Mukul bhai succumbed to cancer just two days before Modi became the PM. Similarly, Hamid Dalwai could not see the ascension of Hindtuva right-wing, otherwise he would have spoken vociferously against it.

In one of the meetings in Amravati where Hamid bhai spoke, there was not a single Muslim. Our meetings used to take place in Joshi Hall and after seeing the audience I whispered to Hamid Dalwai that all the sanghis of Amravati were present there. That day, he delivered quite an impressive speech on Hinduism and Hindtuva, which unsurprisingly disappointed the sanghis who had been thinking of using Hamid bhaias genuine critique of the Muslim society for their own communal Islamophobic agenda.

It is sad to see that since Hamid Bhai passed away, Indian politics has undergone a gradual virulent toxification which has reached its zenith in the present, making our responsibilities bigger than ever. We must ponder over the delicate issues concerning both majoritarian communalism and the fear psyche that has engulfed the minorities. While reforms in the community are essential, they can best be done only after the Muslims are made to feel safe and confident. Since the Bhagalpur riots of 1989, my own personal experience tells me that once you win their trust, it becomes easier for them to open up about these issues themselves. From the North-East to Kachchh, I have wandered across India to observe communal problems and violence for the past 30 years.

In this 50th year of the foundation of the Muslim Satyashodhak Samaj and on the occasion of Hamid bhaias death anniversary, I feel both sad and inspired to take their legacies forward in the best way I can. At 67 years of age myself, with several diseases of the heart, sugar etc. and the angioplasty I underwent in 2018, I have continued to travel for the most part in the past ten years. At my stage, rather than feeling tired, surprisingly I feel the zest to do everything I can in the remaining years of my life a I draw inspiration and resolve from the invaluable work started by Hamid Dalwai, Narhar Kurundkar and A B Shah. How else can one pay oneas tribute to these luminaries? Their entire lives were dedicated to these struggles.

If Hamid bhai were alive today, he would have been 88 years old. But he lived only half that duration and still managed to do what others cannot achieve even in 100 years. The only way to pay our homage to him would be to continue his work in these turbulent times. As his comrade and co-traveler, I have often thought about Hamid Dalwai, and his death anniversary seems an important occasion to share my thoughts on this peopleas leader; I apologize if my words or ideas end up hurting some friends.

(The author is former president, Rashtra Sewa Dal (RSD)
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-14 00:04:03

Rio Tinto supporting WA jobs as COVID-19 recovery phase ramps up

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Category: general

Rio Tintos iron ore business in Western Australia is continuing to recruit for skilled roles, apprentices, graduates and Aboriginal trainees to fill vacancies as the company progresses its development plans in the Pilbara.

There are more than 300 jobs currently available including skilled operational and maintenance roles such as frontline supervisors, experienced operators of excavators, haul trucks and graders as well as experienced maintenance staff such as heavy diesel fitters. The roles are a mix of fly-in fly-out from Perth and the companys regional hubs in Western Australia as well as residential positions in Perth and the Pilbara.

Rio Tinto is maintaining its commitment to the development of skills for the future through the hiring of around 160 apprentices, graduates and Aboriginal trainees from the Pilbara, Perth and other regional centres. The 2020 intake of apprentices and graduates is up 25 per cent from last year with gender diversity also significantly increased.

On top of this recruitment effort, the companys medical provider for COVID-19 screening at Perth Airport has recently hired more than 100 staff including out of work nurses.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said, Throughout this challenging period we are committed to keeping our people and our communities safe and supporting Western Australians with employment opportunities to help deliver on our plan to invest A$10 billion in the Pilbara over the next three years. This will help ensure we can continue to operate while making a strong contribution to the State and national economies.

In addition to direct employment opportunities at Rio Tinto, the company remains committed to skills development for current and future workers in the resources industry.

To allow apprentices and trainees to enhance their qualifications, Rio Tinto has committed funding toward the upskilling of out of work apprentices across various industries by covering their fees for a course in automation. This will allow for the enrolment of up to 200 apprentices who have had their apprenticeships suspended or cancelled due to COVID-19.

Commencing in June, successful applicants will complete the recently accredited micro credential Course in Working Effectively in an Automated Environment qualification, which Rio Tinto developed in partnership with South Metropolitan TAFE (SM TAFE) and the Western Australian Government last year. SM TAFE is leading plans to double the intake in the future through expansion to regional TAFEs.

SM TAFE Managing Director Terry Durant said, Working alongside Rio Tinto on this important initiative, SM TAFE will be delivering future-focussed skills to Western Australian apprentices during a critical time in our economic recovery.

Rio Tintos Chris Salisbury said, We believe this is an important time for Rio Tinto to deliver on skills for those apprentices and trainees whose future employment prospects would benefit from extra training. Our strong partnership with SM TAFE and regional TAFEs in Western Australia will increase the number of apprentices in the State with the skills and knowledge to work in an automated environment, thereby increasing the likelihood of their employment in the resources sector.

Anyone interested in applying for these roles should visit https://www.riotinto.com/careers.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005
As the new season for tomato draws closer, the Techiman North District Chief executive Hon Peter Mensah has distributed over 20,000 branded reusable cloth nose masks to the vulnerable in the district as part of the assemblys efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to Hon peter Mensah, the free distribution of the mask was to ensure that traders from other regions entering for trading activities do not come up with excuses as the Techiman North District assembly begins the enforcement of the wearing of face masks in the country as directed by the President Akufo-Addo and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in line with section 14 of the Public Health Act, Act 851.

From today, the wearing of nose mask is going to be mandatory and we intend to enforce it, but we know that there are a lot of vulnerable people who cannot afford, so we as an Assembly has taken it upon ourselves to go round and distribute it for free so that when we are enforcing no one can say they cant afford it, the DCE told newsmen.

Hon Peter Mensah noted that even though Bono East Region yet to record its first positive case of the novel Coronavirus disease but due to the booming tomato business in the district which is set to begin next week, hence, enforcement of these directives taking immediate effect, commercial drivers have also been charged to ensure passengers are wearing their nose masks before they allow them to board their vehicles.

All public and private institutions are to ensure the wearing of face masks by all staff and visitors. Commercial drivers are to ensure that passengers wear face masks before they board vehicles. Market women, traders are to ensure that passengers wear face masks before they board vehicles, the Techiman North DCE announced.

He advised that, I want to encourage you to wear a mask wherever you go, as it will help you not to contract the virus, and keep it clean If you own a business or are providing a service, i.e. a barber, a hairdresser, a tailor, a taxi driver, a trotro driver and his mate, a shop keeper, a food seller, please do well to use a mask.

He indicated that the Assembly has embarked on a sensitisation drive and invested in the purchase and sharing of the nose masks stressing that after a series of public education, those who refuse to wear masks would be sanctioned by the Police as stipulated in the Act.

The DCE said the assembly has placed Veronica buckets, soap and tissues at vantage points of the markets to ensure proper hand washing of traders. He advised the people to adhere to the social distancing safety protocol to avoid contracting the virus.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) announced on Tuesday, 12 May 2020 that Ghana has recorded 427 new coronavirus cases, increasing the country's case count to 5,127.

The Director-General of GHS, Dr Patrick Aboagye, announced this at a media briefing.

Obuasi has recorded 272 new infections in the latest figures. In all the Ashanti Region has recorded 207 new cases.

Below is the list of COVID-19 hotspots in Greater Accra and Ashanti Region:

Tema Metropolis

Korle-Klottey

Accra Metropolis

Kpone Katamanso

Kumasi Metropolis

Kwadaso

Suame

Oforikrom

Aboaso

Obuasi

Regional breakdown

Greater Accra -3, 981

Ashanti region -662

Central region  154

Western region  52

Eastern region  99

Volta Region  32

Upper East Region  26

Oti Region  24

Upper West Region  21

Northern Region  16

North East Region  2

Bono Region  1

Savannah Region  0

Ahafo Region  0

Bono East Region - 0

Source: Ghana/otecdmghana.com
Macquarie University Hospital has launched a hunt for a whistleblower who called attention to orthopaedic surgery performed during the elective surgery ban, demanding clinicians in the hospital's orthopaedic department front a panel of external investigators.

The federal Health Department warned private hospitals it would use Medicare data-matching to detect any suspicious surgical activity during the ban on most types of elective surgery, after concerns were raised about surgeons doing procedures normally classed as non-urgent.

Governments provided private hospitals with a $2.6 billion viability guarantee to gain their support for the elective surgery ban. Credit:iStock

The hospital defended hip and knee replacements by its high-profile orthopaedic surgeon Munjed Al Muderis after The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age questioned a surgical list he supervised in mid-April, when governments were paying private hospitals to halt non-essential procedures.

Its management has appointed a forensic investigation firm, Warfield and Associates, to investigate the leaking of the surgical list.
Mr Bismarck Dinko, a Scientist at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mr Edem Mahu, and Mr John Kuumuori Ganle, a scientist at the University of Ghana, and Mr Philip Antwi-Agyei, a Scientist at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology received the award.

As second cohort FLAIR Fellows, they would have the opportunity to undertake cutting-edge scientific research that will address global challenges facing developing countries such as Ghana.

It would also enable the outstanding early-career African scientists to build an independent research career in a sub-Saharan African institution and ultimately, lead their research groups.

The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and Royal Society, supported by the UK's Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), made the announcement today in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency.

It said the 2020 cohort of FLAIR funded scientists were selected from a competitive pool of more than 400 applicants and their research was diverse, ranging from new techniques for sustainable agriculture and fisheries, managing water shortages to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, improved methods to store cleaner energy and targeting health conditions that were most acute for people living in Africa.

The statement said Mr Dinko research will investigate the growth processes of the malaria parasite using new molecular and histological tools, including its proposed development location in the human bone marrow.

It said Mr Mahu's studies would provide scientific advice on Oyster fisheries in the Gulf of Guinea and its sustainable management and adaptation while Mr Kuumuori Ganle will implement interventions to connect women with these services and assess the benefits.

The statement said the research of Mr Antwi-Agyei will seek using mapping tools, soil samples and a community approach to determine how Climate Smart Agriculture might be best applied to Ghana and West Africa, with a focus on soil viability.

The statement quoted Professor Nelson Torto, Executive Director of the African Academy of Sciences, as saying, The AAS welcomes the new cohort of FLAIR grantees to our growing postdoctoral family. Postdoctoral programmes are vital in training and developing early career researchers into research leaders whose scientific leadership will influence policies that will promote the socio-economic development of the continent.

Dr Judy Omumbo, Programme Manager, Affiliates and Postdoctoral Programmes, says, The announcement of this second cohort of FLAIR fellows is a significant milestone for the postdoctoral programmes team at the AAS. We anticipate that they will find the opportunities for networking and collaborations with other African scientists unique in supporting them in their pursuit of excellence in science for the benefit of mankind.

Professor Richard Catlow, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, says, On behalf of the Royal Society, I would like to offer heartfelt congratulations to this year's FLAIR fellows.

Climate change, food sustainability, emerging disease, these are challenges facing us all, but the risks they pose to individuals and ecosystems across Africa are especially pronounced. That is why we're proud to be part of a programme that is investing in the next generation of African scientific leaders, as they research solutions and adaptations to these challenges.

This programme extends well beyond the grant recipients themselves. Our first cohort of FLAIR fellows is forging partnerships across institutions and disciplines, supporting young African PhD candidates and postdocs, and helping strengthen the research economies in countries such as Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and the wider continent. We know this second cohort of talented FLAIR researchers will match their success.

The next round of FLAIR applications is currently open and will close on 27 May 2020.

---GNA
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San Francisco and at least two other Bay Area counties plan to partly relax restrictions aimed at preventing spread of the coronavirus. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

At least three Bay Area counties  San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin  plan to incrementally ease their social distancing restrictions starting Monday, a departure from Santa Clara County, which on Tuesday said it would not be easing its current restrictions.

San Mateo previously issued some of California's most stringent shelter-in-place orders, but county health officials said Wednesday that conditions had improved enough to modify the requirements.

I want to remind everyone these modifications are not being made because it is safe to be out and about, said Scott Morrow, the countys public health officer, in a statement. The virus continues to circulate in our community, and this increase in interactions among people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate.

In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday that all curbside retailers would be allowed to reopen as of May 18 for pickup and delivery.

She had cautioned for weeks that San Francisco would be slow to reopen. But at a news conference, she said the city's next phase meant that 95% of San Franciscos retailers would be allowed to open starting Monday. Warehouses and manufacturers are also allowed to reopen, but the city has imposed a limit on the number of employees allowed in each business.

We do see the numbers flattening, Breed said. They have not declined, but the fact is we are in a better place. She said hospitalizations for COVID-19 remained flat and hospital capacity was stable.

Dr. Grant Colfax, director of health for the city, said San Franciscos mortality rate was four times lower than that of Los Angeles and 35 times lower than New York City's.

Thank you, San Francisco, for doing everything you can to slow the spread of the coronavirus here in San Francisco and the Bay Area as well, he said.

Retailers open for curbside pickup are allowed to have no more than 10 employees on site; if the store is small, no more than five. Manufacturers and warehouses may have no more than 50 workers on site, he said.

Story continues

All open businesses must ensure social distancing, mask-wearing and have in place a health and safety plan, he said.

On Tuesday, Dr. Sara Cody, a key architect of the nations first regional shelter-in-place order, told Santa Clara County officials it was too soon to move to a Phase 2 reopening along with much of the rest of the state.

"The conditions really havent changed in our county, she said. We dont suddenly have herd immunity; we dont have a vaccine. We have exactly the same conditions as we did in March.

Cody described Santa Clara County as precariously balanced. The outbreak is steady  neither seeming to grow dramatically or reduce considerably. For every one person infected, that person on average infects one other person. If that number, known as the basic reproduction number, rose slightly to 1.1 or 1.2, that would cause a significant rise in deaths, Cody said.

Contra Costa County is also not ready to weaken its stay-at-home order, Dr. Chris Farnitano, health officer for the Bay Areas third most populous county, said Tuesday.

We are not yet where we want to be before a fuller opening up of the stay-at-home order, Farnitano told the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, which governs a county of 1.1 million people east of Oakland.

Farnitano said hed like to have a few weeks pass to observe the effects of an earlier loosening of stay-at-home orders that went to effect on May 4, which lifted restrictions on all construction projects and allowed certain businesses that do work outdoors to resume, like gardeners, landscapers and nurseries.

We wanted to  see the effect of this increased business and social activity on the spread of COVID-19 across the Bay Area before substantial loosening of additional business sectors, such as allowing local retail businesses to be opened up for curbside pickup, Farnitano said.

Dr. Matt Willis, health officer for Marin County, said earlier this week Marin County is prepared to allow retail businesses to open for curbside pickup on Monday. But Willis, who was previously infected by the virus, warned that Marin County may need to reverse course if it sees a surge in cases.

Marin County has reason to be worried  the average age of its residents is the oldest of any California county, with almost 1 in 3 residents older than 60 years of age, Willis said.

Marin County, with a population of 260,000 people, tied for ninth place in terms of the most numbers of deaths per 100,000 residents of Californias 58 counties, Willis said Monday, which showed a rate of 5.4 of every 100,000 residents dead from COVID-19. Thats a worse rate than in San Francisco and Alameda counties.As of Wednesday, 14 people in Marin County had died from the virus.

The most important thing is that we recognize that reopening does not mean the virus has gone, Willis said. It means that we think we are prepared to take the next step: Knowing the virus is here and that we remain at risk. We have no zero risk options.  We will define success in this next stage as finding the balance between the harms of an ongoing restricted shelter-in-place [and] the harms of COVID-19 spread.

The Alameda County Public Health Department said in a statement released Tuesday that its possible the agency would allow additional approved activities for local businesses starting Monday.

Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties last week implemented the relaxations allowed by Newsom and have allowed nonessential retail business to make sales by curbside pickup, while easing restrictions on manufacturing, supply chain and logistical support businesses.

Gov. Gavin Newsom outlined the guidance for Phase 2 reopening, which allows for curbside pickup at strip malls and outlet malls, as well as the opening of car-washing facilities, pet-grooming services, and landscaping businesses  as long as social distancing rules and other guidelines are put into effect. Outdoor museums can also begin to reopen.

Los Angeles County has already allowed some portions of local economy to reopen as Newsom has allowed, allowing stores selling books, clothes, flowers and sporting goods to open for curbside pickup on Friday. On Wednesday, L.A. County continued easing restrictions, allowing more retailers to open for pickup service and manufacturing companies that supply those stores.

Twelve of Californias 58 counties, most of them rural,, have been certified as meeting stricter state criteria to allow for an even broader reopening of businesses faster than the statewide standard, like restaurant dining rooms and allowing in-store customers at shopping centers, including strip malls and outlet malls, while operating with additional safeguards.

Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Tuolumne, Yuba, Sutter and Shasta have been certified as meeting the states conditions for additional businesses to reopen.

Times staff writers Hannah Fry, Patrick McGreevy and Colleen Shalby contributed to this article.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  The Philippine National Police will look into possible violations of social distancing measures during the birthday celebration of National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas last May 8.

PNP chief PGen. Archie Gamboa already ordered an immediate investigation on the matter, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac told CNN Philippines on Wednesday.

"Ipinag- utos na ni PNP chief PGen Archie Francisco Gamboa sa Internal Affairs Service ang agarang imbestigasyon upang alamin ang buong pangyayari at maging babala 'that no one is above the law' at hindi na maulit muli ang pangyayari sa ating hanay," Banac said.

[Translation: PNP chief PGen. Archie Francisco Gamboa already ordered the Internal Affairs Service to conduct an immediate investigation on what fully transpired in the gathering so that this may serve as warning that 'no one is above the law' and that no one else within their ranks will do the same thing.]

However, Gamboa himself said in a virtual presser on Tuesday that the celebration was just a simple mananita for the NCRPO chief and that policemen still observed social distancing when they held the party.

Even former PNP chief and Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa did not agree with what seemed to be an untimely merriment of his former colleagues.

"It could have been better if they just delivered the food packs at the doorsteps of every household to avoid mass gathering and violating the social distancing protocol," he said in a statement.

Opposition lawmakers earlier slammed the "insensitivity" and "double standard" of the NCRPO for holding the celebration amid the strict enforcement of social distancing measures under the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bayan Muna Partylist called out the "audacity" of authorities to display their "apparent exemption" from the rules by holding a mass gathering for Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa.

"Aren't they ashamed of themselves? First, they were insensitive enough to have a huge birthday party amidst the lockdown," Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite said in a statement. "Second, they had the audacity to flaunt it in official social media pages of the PNP (Philippine National Police), putting in full display their apparent exemption from several lockdown measures including social distancing and prohibition of mass gatherings."

Photos of policemen holding a surprise celebration for Sinas made the rounds on social media this week. The NCRPO's public information office even uploaded an album of the gathering on Facebook, but deleted the photos early Wednesday following backlash.

Policemen of the National Capital Region Police Office hold a surprise birthday celebration for Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa. Policemen of the National Capital Region Police Office hold a surprise birthday celebration for Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa. Policemen of the National Capital Region Police Office hold a surprise birthday celebration for Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa. Policemen of the National Capital Region Police Office hold a surprise birthday celebration for Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa. Policemen of the National Capital Region Police Office hold a surprise birthday celebration for Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa. Previous Next

As seen in the photos, police officers were giving Sinas roses and cakes, while Metro Manilas top cop mingles with people seated at different tables who took turns to greet him. Other photos showed him and his men closely seated on a round table full of cans of beer, despite a liquor ban in Metro Manila.

Sinas issued an apology following the controversy, but stressed that some of the photos were "edited" and outdated.

"Some of the pictures circulating in the social media were edited and grabbed from old posts. The pictures may depict itself however it does not define the totality of what really had happened," he said.

"Nevertheless, I apologize for what transpired during my birthday that caused anxiety to the public. It was never my intention to disobey any existing protocols relative to the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine," Sinas added.

No 'delicadeza'

The Department of Interior and Local Government said the celebration may just be part of the usual tradition, but the police could have at least shown "delicadeza" while the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 crisis.

"During this time, it is uncalled for. We should be aware of what they call 'delicadeza,' let's refrain from conducting such activities," Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said in Filipino during the briefing in Malacanang.

'Double standard'

For Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, the incident shows how authorities appear to be above the law they are supposed to implement.

"Under this administration, that has been the norm - double standard. That is the continuing normal as far as treating those ordinary, marginalized mortals who, just recently, have gathered to seek for much needed relief, but, they instead landed in jail!" Zarate told CNN Philippines.

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen also took a swipe at the incident.

"The Supreme Court held a retirement ceremony of a justice with 40 years of service via a private videoconferenced ceremony," he tweeted. "He deserves more but we had to do what was ethical while our people suffer. #NoBirthdayParties"

Surprised

Although he is not in favor of the traditional party thrown for Sinas, Dela Rosa said the Metro Manila police chief may have been surprised himself.

Siguro hindi niya alam na magkakaroon ng ganun na mananita, he told CNN Philippines News Night.

[Translation: He maybe unaware that a mananita will happen.]

Nakausap ko siya about this incident, meron siyang instructions na mag-social distancing. Pero kahit na ganun pa man, somehow, magkakaroon talaga ng proximity ng tao lalo na kung maliit yung lugar, he added.

[Translation: I talked with him about this incident, he gave instructions to observe social distancing. But still, people would still be close with each other especially if the place is small.]

Sinas himself said in the past that they will arrest those who violate lockdown regulations in Metro Manila.

The Department of Health has repeatedly advised the public to avoid crowded places and refrain from holding mass gatherings among other measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The PNP has recorded 164 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date, along with four deaths and 52 recoveries among police personnel.

The Philippines now has 11,350 infections, with 2,106 recoveries and 751 deaths, the DOH said.

CNN Philippines Correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
With the uncertainty around lockdown measures in India last month, the pressing question on most peoples mind was whether it would be extended. In fact, this was the most trending question related to the novel coronavirus on Google in April.

As the pandemic spread, so have the fears and uncertainties around it. Many have turned to Dr. Google for answers: What are the symptoms of coronavirus?", Is headache/sneezing a symptom of coronavirus?".

Others have turned to Google on life hacks to survive the pandemic and endure the lockdown. Among the most asked how-to questions were, how-to: make a mask? make hand sanitizer? use Zoom?" and like never before, how to cut your own hair?"

View Full Image Source: Google Trends

Globally, Google searches for coronavirus" (including related terms such as covid-19", wuhan virus" and corona") peaked on 16 March, five days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic.

Starting January, most searches on this topic have come from Italy, one of the worst-hit nations.

For India, virus-related searches saw a smaller peak first on 30 January, when the first confirmed case was reported. It peaked into a bigger wave on 27 March, two days after the nation-wide lockdown was announced.

Within India, searches for coronavirus have been higher in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have seen relatively fewer searches. Searches till 8 May have been considered for this analysis. A search interest of 100 on Google Trends implies the keyword to be most popular relative to all searches in the area.

Aprils top trending questions on coronavirus in India also featured What is plasma therapy for coronavirus?". Globally too, searches for medical terms related to treatment and cure have gained traction. As the world awaits a vaccine, the quest continues online. Starting January, top search terms for vaccine" include phrases such as covid-19 vaccine update", corona vaccine news today" and coronavirus vaccine trials", betraying frantic desperation for an end to the pandemic. Online searches for the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine" and related terms (its use, availability, price etc.) have also gone up, but were searched fewer times than vaccine-related terms.

Worldwide, online searches for masks (protective, medical, surgical, n95) were four times more than those for hand sanitisers. Searches for social distancing peaked during this period but overall saw less traction than those for protective gear.

Studies on covid-19 suggest that the presence of comorbidities such as diabetes, asthma and cardiac problems raise death risks.

The searches online reflect those fears. Terms such as coronavirus diabetes", coronavirus asthma" and other risk factors such as coronavirus smoking/obesity" are among the most searched relating to the virus. Searches for comorbidity" as a topic also peaked in end-March, the data shows.

South Asian countries appear to be searching most on topics related to prevention. The highest number of searches for hydroxychloroquine were from India and the US, as they entered a deal for India to export the drug to the US. The highest searches for ventilators" come from Nigeria as the African continent grapples with ventilator shortages.

The glossary of coronavirus has revived many words such as quarantine" and asymptomatic" which are used more frequently than ever now. As our realities have changed over the past couple of months, so have our searches online.

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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 16:05 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7cadfe 1 Politics house-of-representatives,legislative-body,puan-maharani,mining-law-revision,disaster-mitigation,COVID-19,coronavirus Free

While the House of Representatives has claimed it focused on regulations related to the COVID-19 outbreak in the recently concluded legislative session, activists have criticized lawmakers for passing contentious bills instead of prioritizing disaster management.

House Speaker Puan Maharani claimed that in the 150 meetings during the recent session, which began on March 30, lawmakers worked on legislation regarding COVID-19 handling and its impacts.

In Tuesdays plenary session, the House approved a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) that will expand the government's authority to allocate emergency COVID-19 funds and endorsed a bill revising the Disaster Management Law, which will give more authority to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and increase the minimum budget allocation for disaster management in the state budget.

However, it also passed a controversial Mining Law revision that civil groups fear will adversely impact the environment.

After the recess, the House is set to continue deliberating three non-emergency bills that have been widely criticized by the public, namely the omnibus bill on job creation, the controversial Criminal Code bill and a revision to the 1995 Correctional Center Law.

Indonesian Parliament Watch (Formappi) researcher Lucius Karus said the House had not been quick enough to reorganize its priorities in the wake of the public health crisis.

He argued that in the current circumstances, the Houses performance should be judged not on how many priority bills it passed, but how quickly it responded to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The House is supposed to work on regulations responding to disaster in various sectors to ensure the needs of the people are met during the pandemic, he said.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has slammed the passing of the Mining Law revision in particular, saying the law was full of articles that benefited business and elite interests, and conveniently coincided with the expiry of several contracts held by major mining companies.

Lucius also criticized the Houses decision to put the Mining Law revision ahead of revising the Disaster Management Law.

The disaster management bill has yet to be deliberated with the government. It will take time. Im afraid that it will be too late, he said.
Description

GIS  13 May, 2020: Government is determined to complete the implementation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan so as to be removed from the FATF list and from the European Union (EU) list of High Risk Third Countries at the earliest, in order to protect the economy.

The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, made this statement, this morning, at the National Assembly in reply to a Private Notice Question pertaining to the inclusion of Mauritius in the list of High Risk Third Countries issued by the European Commission.

Minister Seeruttun highlighted that the EU listing is a direct consequence of the listing of Mauritius by the FATF on its list of Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring. However, the FATF did not call for application of enhanced due diligence to be applied to jurisdictions on the list and the EUs decision to go beyond the FATF decision is therefore unclear, he pointed out.

This matter, underlined the Minister, has been given highest level of priority by Government and a dialogue is to be initiated with the EU Commission, through a teleconference with a technical team from Mauritius on 13 May 2020. In addition, he mentioned that under the FATF action plan, Mauritius has to demonstrate an increased level of effectiveness of its Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) systems. To this end, four factors, namely political commitment, national coordination, additional human and other resources are all being addressed.

Moreover, stated the Minister, Mauritius has obtained technical assistance from the EU funded AML/CFT Global Facility and the German Government, through the German Development Agency, to support the implementation of the FATF action plan. He also pointed out that, even during the sanitary curfew, Mauritius has continued to work extensively with the technical assistance providers.





#ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris



Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov
Catholic churches will open across NSW from Friday for private prayer, confession and small-scale Masses as part of the first stage of the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

St Marys Cathedral will open at 6.30am before the first of four Masses for the day is celebrated at 7am. Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher said many Catholics would welcome returning to Mass after two-months since churches closed on March 23.

Mass will be held for small groups at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral and other churches around the state from tomorrow. Credit:Louise Kennerley

"The celebration of Mass is the highest form of Catholic worship and to not be able to physically gather these past two months has been very difficult for Catholics," Archbishop Fisher said.

"Whilst livestreaming of Mass has helped people to continue to pray along at home it is no substitution for being able to be physically present and receiving the Eucharist. While it will take some time to return to larger celebrations, this first step will offer comfort to many Catholics who have been deeply missing attending Mass.

"The celebration of the Eucharist is an integral element of our faith and for many Catholics, especially those who have never missed the celebration of weekend Masses, these past months have been a real struggle. While it will take some time to return to larger celebrations, this first step will offer comfort to many Catholics who have been deeply missing the practice of their faith."

Catholic worshippers have been asked to register their attendance at church on a national website to allow churches to notify parishioners if a member of the congregation tests positive for COVID-19.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the country's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, as Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teen in a clash with stone-throwers in the occupied territory.

Pompeo's brief visit to Israel came at a tense time, as Israeli troops searched for the killers of a soldier killed a day earlier by a rock dropped from a rooftop during an army raid of a West Bank village.

With President Donald Trump facing election in November, Netanyahu and his nationalist base are eager to move ahead quickly with annexing portions of the West Bank. Annexation is expected to appeal to Trump's pro-Israel evangelical supporters, but is also bound to trigger widespread international condemnation.

It would crush already faint Palestinian hopes of establishing a viable state alongside Israel, on lands Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

Pompeo landed in Tel Aviv early Wednesday, donning a red, white and blue face mask, and headed directly to Jerusalem, receiving an exemption from Israel's mandatory two-week quarantine for arrivals due to the coronavirus outbreak. He is the first foreign official to visit Israel since January, before the country largely shut its borders to curb the pandemic.

Standing alongside Pompeo, Netanyahu said the eight-hour visit is a testament to the strength of our alliance. The two said their talks would focus on shared concerns about Iran, the battle against the coronavirus and Israel's incoming government.

Netanyahu and his new coalition partner, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, postponed the swearing-in of their government until Thursday to accommodate Pompeo's visit. Before departing back to the U.S. later Wednesday, Pompeo also met with Gantz and with his fellow retired military chief Gabi Ashkenazi, the new government's incoming foreign minister.

Neither Netanyahu nor Pompeo mentioned Wednesday's violence in the southern West Bank. The Palestinian health ministry said a 15-year-old boy was killed in confrontations with Israeli forces near the city of Hebron. It said four others were wounded by live fire.

The Israeli military said troops had responded with live fire to a violent riot and that it was aware of the reports of a casualty. On Tuesday, an Israeli soldier was killed in the northern West Bank after being struck in the head with a rock thrown off a rooftop. The military said it had arrested 10 suspects.

Pompeo expressed his condolence on the soldier's death and said Israel has the right to defend itself and America will consistently support you in that effort. One of the key items on the agenda in Pompeo's talks Wednesday was expected to be Israel's stated intention to annex parts of the West Bank.

Pompeo said there remains work yet to do and we need to make progress on that. Ahead of the visit, Pompeo told the Israeli daily Israel Hayom on Tuesday that he was coming to hear Netanyahu and Gantz's views on the matter.

Netanyahu and Gantz struck a power-sharing deal last month after three parliamentary elections over the past year resulted in stalemate. Under the deal, Netanyahu would remain prime minister for the next 18 months, even as he goes on trial on charges of fraud, accepting bribes and breach of trust. After a year and a half, Gantz will serve as prime minister for 18 months.

The agreement also stipulates that Netanyahu can advance plans to annex West Bank land, including dozens of Jewish settlements, starting July 1. The deal says such a move must be coordinated with the U.S. while considering regional stability and peace agreements.

Under Trump's Mideast plan unveiled in January, the Palestinians would have limited statehood contingent on a list of stringent requirements while Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  North Bay Rep. Mike Thompson is once again a clean-shaven man.

The St. Helena Democrat made good on his pledge to ditch his corona beard, shaving it off in a video posted Wednesday. He also announced that his efforts had helped Community Action of Napa Valley raise $20,000 to support its mission of feeding those in need in the area.

In the video, 69-year-old Thompson first removed most of the white beard with an electric razor, then lathered up for a close shave to remove the last vestiges of the whiskers.

I feel better already, he said halfway through. He said his wife, Jan, was even happier than he was to see the facial hair go.

Thompson grew the beard while sheltering in place amid the pandemic, and his constituents could see its progress during online town halls and pictures of him working from home.

The North Bay native had posted a video on Facebook on Friday asking people in his district to chip in for the nonprofit by Sunday.

With his face returned to its smooth state, Thompson thanked constituents for their contributions.

There you go, he said. I still have a face for radio.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan
"Now that we're in reopening mode, we're getting a lot of questions from folks who are still unable to work for one or more reasons, or concerned about going back to work, given certain health-related reasons, Dinan says.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have created guidelines for workplaces to follow for the important questions that people have during the coronavirus outbreak. While the answers may vary based on your personal circumstances and the conditions in your workplace, here are responses to key questions on what your employer can do during the pandemic.

Can my company take my temperature when I arrive?

Yes. Usually, taking your temperature would be considered a medical examination, which would be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But because the coronavirus can pose a direct threat to your coworkers and others, employers may take your temperature, according to EEOC guidance.

"Employers will be able to take temperatures, however, only for as long as the EEOC, working with the Centers for Disease Control, deems these otherwise prohibited medical inquiries are necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, says Jay Rosenlieb, an employment lawyer in Bakersfield, California.

Though thermal scanners are one option companies have used to check their employees for symptoms of the coronavirus, workplace safety experts note that this type of screening alone may not be sufficient.

"We know there is significant risk of infection from individuals who are presymptomatic or asymptomatic  no fevers, says Deborah Berkowitz of the National Employment Law Project. So this is just one small measure  but not one that is really protective for workers."

I've been working from home, but my company is about to reopen its offices. Can my employer force me to come back to work there?

This one is complicated, but generally, if your company says you have to return to the workplace, you have to go back if you want to keep the job. Workers have a very limited right under the law to refuse work they consider to be hazardous to their health, Berkowitz says.

There may be options, however, based on your circumstances. At the federal level, and broadly speaking, I'm not aware of any protection that allows you to stay home with job protection or to collect pay simply because you are concerned about exposure to COVID-19 without sort of an underlying health condition, Dinan says. However, if you are immunocompromised or if you have a certain health condition that makes you more susceptible to serious complications, you may be entitled to continue teleworking as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act."

And under the recently passed Families First stimulus legislation, you may qualify for paid family medical leave or paid sick leave under certain conditions related directly to the coronavirus pandemic.
Pune, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global homeland security and emergency management market is likely to gain momentum from the rising utilization of cloud-based services and applications. Besides, the outdated equipment and infrastructure are being upgraded persistently. This information is published by Fortune Business Insights in a recent study, titled, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Market Size, Share and Industry Analysis, By System (Modeling And Simulation, Communication System, Rescue And Recovery Systems, Intelligence And Surveillance System, Detection And Monitoring System, Weapon System, Command And Control, And Others), By End-Use (Cyber Security, CBRNE Security, Aviation Security, Maritime Security, Law Enforcement and Intelligence Gathering, Critical Infrastructure Security, Risk and Emergency Services, and Border Security), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027 The study further mentions that the homeland security and emergency management market size was USD 549.40 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 777.0 billion by 2027, thereby exhibiting a CAGR of 4.43% during the forecast period.

Worldwide COVID-19 Impact Analysis:

The emergence of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. We understand that this health crisis has brought an unprecedented impact on businesses across industries. However, this too shall pass. Rising support from governments and several companies can help in the fight against this highly contagious disease. Some industries are struggling and some are thriving. Overall, almost every sector is anticipated to be impacted by the pandemic.

We are making continuous efforts to help your business sustain and grow during COVID-19 pandemics. Based on our experience and expertise, we will offer you an impact analysis of coronavirus outbreak across industries to help you prepare for the future.

To get the Short-Term and Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on this Market,

Please Visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/covid19-impact/homeland-security-and-emergency-management-market-102743





This Report Answers the Following Questions:

What are the homeland security and emergency management market trends, growth drivers, and hindrances?

How will the market be affected in the near future?

Which vital strategies are implemented by key companies to boost sales?

Which region is likely to remain in the dominant position in terms of revenue?

Which segment would lead the market by generating the largest share?

Market Driver:

High Demand for Situational Awareness to Propel Growth

There is a high demand for situational awareness as it is capable of analyzing and identifying complex data regarding the battlefield scenarios. It is very helpful for decision-makers and hence, a significant factor in land, naval, and air-based operations. Cutting-edge technologies also provide maritime, ground, and air solutions with unique command, control, communication, computers, combat, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) services for providing access to the real-time database. However, in the field of cybersecurity, lack of proactive measures may obstruct this market growth in the coming years.

Segmentation:

Rising Usage in Military System to Favor Growth of Detection and Monitoring System Segment

In terms of system, the market is divided into intelligence and surveillance system, modeling and simulation, command and control, rescue and recovery systems, weapon system, communication system, detection and monitoring system, and others. Out of these, the detection and monitoring system segment held 25.87% homeland security and emergency management market share in 2019. This growth is attributable to their increasing usage in various military equipment and systems.

Browse Detailed Research Insights with Table of Content:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/homeland-security-and-emergency-management-market-102743





Regional Analysis:

Upgradation of Conventional Equipment to Favor Growth in North America

Based on geography, the market is fragmented into South America, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. Amongst these, North America procured USD 208.77 billion homeland security & emergency management market revenue in 2019. This growth is attributable to the rising military expenditure and up-gradation of airborne, air, and land systems in the U.S. In addition to that, the country houses several prominent companies, namely, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Company, and Northrop Grumman Corporation. It would also contribute to the growth of the market in this region.

Asia Pacific, on the other hand, would remain in the second position owing to the military modernization programs and spendings in the developing countries, such as South Korea, India, and China. Also, the increasing rates of cybercrime and cross-border conflicts would boost growth. Europe is set to hold the third position backed by the presence of many renowned homeland security manufacturers in this region.

Competitive Landscape:





List of Key Companies Operating in the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Market are:

BAE Systems

CACI International Inc.

Collins Aerospace

Elbit Systems Ltd.

General Dynamics Corporation

IBM

L3Harris Technologies Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Northrop Grumman Corporation

SAAB AB

Thales Group



Key Companies Aim to Win New Contracts to Strengthen Positions

The companies are following inorganic and organic strategies, such as novel product launches and mergers and acquisitions to intensify competition. They are also trying to get new orders and contracts from reputed firms to deliver their products and gain a competitive edge. Below are a couple of the key industry developments:





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Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Key Industry Developments Contracts & Agreements, Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships Latest technological Advancements Porters Five Forces Analysis Supply Chain Analysis

Global Homeland Security and Emergency Management Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By System Modeling and Simulation Communication System Rescue and Recovery Systems Intelligence and Surveillance System Detection and Monitoring System Weapon System Command and Control Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By End Use Cyber Security CBRNE Security Aviation Security Maritime Security Law Enforcement and Intelligence Gathering Critical Infrastructure Security Risk and Emergency Services Border Security Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia pacific The Middle East and Africa South America



TOC Continued!





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Major Industry Developments of the Market include:

January 2019 : General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) bagged the Navy Cyber Mission Engineering Support contract from the U.S. Navys Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center. The total value of this contract is worth USD 898 million. It consists of one six-month option-to-extend-services option, one two-year option ordering period, and a five-year base ordering period. GDIT will be able to provide innovative solutions catering to the warfighting needs of the Navy and Marine Corps.





: General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) bagged the Navy Cyber Mission Engineering Support contract from the U.S. Navys Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center. The total value of this contract is worth USD 898 million. It consists of one six-month option-to-extend-services option, one two-year option ordering period, and a five-year base ordering period. GDIT will be able to provide innovative solutions catering to the warfighting needs of the Navy and Marine Corps. January 2018: Serco Inc. acquired BTP Systems, a technology services contractor for USD 20 million. It would help the former in broadening its defense sector and include new federal consumers.



Have a Look at Related Research Insights:

Automotive Infotainment Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By System Type (Dashboard, Rear Seat), By Vehicle Type (Passenger Car, Light Commercial Vehicle, Heavy Commercial Vehicle, Electric Vehicle), By Market Type (OEMs, Aftermarket), and Regional Forecasts, 2019-2026

Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) Market Size , Share & Industry Analysis, By Brake Type (Disc, Drum), By Technology Type (Crash Imminent Braking, Dynamic Braking Support) By Vehicle Type (Passenger Cars, Commercial Vehicles), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026



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New Jersey will get more than $613 million in federal funds to expand testing for the coronavirus, a key part of Gov. Phil Murphys effort to reopen the states economy.

The funds were included in recently passed legislation that also provided $310 billion more for the small business paycheck protection program, and were added by congressional Democrats over Republican objections.

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the figures on Wednesday.

We cannot successfully defeat this virus and safely reopen our economy without increased testing for COVID-19," said Pallone, D-6th Dist. "This funding will help New Jersey increase testing capacity as we work together to lower transmission rates.

In a recent Pew Research Center poll, 61% said it was a federal government responsibility to ensure there was enough testing, with 37% saying the burden should fall on the states.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

The allocation came as Murphy on Tuesday talked about the ongoing efforts to ramp up testing for the coronavirus in the state, which has the second largest number of cases in the country.

More testing means more people will know their health status, and that means more peace of mind, Murphy said at his daily coronavirus press conference. And more testing creates more data, and more data allows us to take more steps forward.

Murphy said the state would be testing at least 20,000 people a day by the end of May, and at least 25,000 people a day by the end of June.

The $3 trillion stimulus bill introduced by House Democrats Tuesday includes another $75 billion for testing.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Global smart machines market is expected to expand at an impressive CAGR of XX% over the forecast period 2018-2025. The market will reach US$ XX Bn by 2025 end, up from US$ XX Bn in 2018 in revenues. Asia Pacific will continue to be the largest market globally.

Rising need for information and data access on any device, anywhere, and any time will continue to fuel the demand for smart machines in the near future. In addition, (Sample Copy Here) growing significance of processing and analysis of huge, unstructured data is expected to propel the demand for smart machines in various verticals, including healthcare, automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, and defense. With advent of operational intelligence technology, an increasing number of businesses will adopt smart machines for intelligent, more efficient, and more precise operation.

Request For Report sample@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/3422

A few key players in the global smart machines market include Apple Inc., Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation, BAE Systems, Creative Virtual Ltd., Digital Reasoning Systems, Inc., IBM Corporation, Narrative Science Inc., Rethink Robotics, ABB Limited, Rockwell Automation, Inc., and General Electric Co.

Based on a component, the global smart machines market is segmented into hardware, software, and service. On the basis of machine type, autonomous cars will continue to capture a dominating market share than robots, drones, wearable electronics, and others. Based on technology, the market for smart machines is segmented into big data, cloud computing, robotics, Internet of everything (IoE), effective technology, and cognitive technology. Effective technology is however anticipated to witness substantial growth during the forecast period.

Request For Report Discount@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/3422

On the basis of geography, Asia Pacific will continue to be the largest market for smart machines globally. APEJ accounted for the highest market share  around xx% in 2015, and is expected to gain 232 BPS by 2024 end. Market in North America is anticipated to register high growth rate during the forecast period, led by the U.S., which accounted for almost XX% of the revenue share in 2018. Latin America will also represent a promising market for smart machines.

The market in Europe is expected to gain substantial market share in terms of revenue. Owing to high demand for smart machines from manufacturing and automobile industries, the European market will be dominated by France and Germany, accounting for notable market shares. Australia is estimated to witness strong smart machine sales, following rapid adoption by commercial and agriculture sectors. MEA is expected to be a significant market from smart machines due to growing digitization of government services.

Covid 19 Impact Analysis@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/3422
By Akbar Mammadov

Head of Nagorno-Karabakhs Azerbaijani community Tural Ganjaliyev has said that Armenia imitates the peace negotiations with Azerbaijan and is not interested in the resolution of the conflict.

"As the Azerbaijani community of Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region, we have repeatedly invited representatives of the Armenian community to a dialogue to discuss peaceful coexistence. However, we have not received a positive response yet, Ganjaliyev said in Facebook post on May 12.

"It is not a negotiation for the sake of negotiations that can draw the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict closer to the final peace, but a dialogue between the two communities that will co-exist within Azerbaijans internationally recognized borders in the future ", the head of the community noted.

Ganjaliyevs remarks came after Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyans claims on Azerbaijans human rights record.

Speaking about human rights, Tatoyan forgot to talk about the rights of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani IDPs who were subjected to ethnic cleansing in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan as a result of the occupation of his country".

Ganjaliyev stressed that the aim of the Armenian ombudsman, like most Armenian officials, is to support his country's "negotiation for the sake of negotiation" tactics.

Furthermore, Ganjaliyev called on Armenian Ombusdman Arman Tatoyan to support the inter-communal dialogue.

"However, if the Armenian ombudsman wants to identify those who do not respect the basic principles of human rights in Armenia, then he can start by prosecuting the perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide, war crimes and other crimes against humanity", he said.

"The Armenian ombudsman must also work to restore the violated rights of Azerbaijanis who have been subjected to ethnic cleansing in Armenia and expelled en masse from their ancestral lands. This issue was raised against Armenia during the periodic reports of the process of UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review", Ganjaliyev concluded.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
MUSKEGON, MI - West Michigans job seekers may head online for a virtual job fair this month.

At a time when many Michiganders have lost work because of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Michigan Works!, which facilitates hiring in Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon and Ottawa counties, will host an online job fair on Wednesday, May 20 and Thursday, May 21.

Job seekers will be matched with prospective employers for 15-minute phone interviews. They must register in advance, and employers will call candidates at their allotted time.

The sessions will take place in the morning, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and afternoon, from 1-4 p.m.

Open positions include nurses, accountants, cleaners, youth support workers, forklift operators, bank tellers, and more.

Interested participants must register online, where they also can view available openings, by 5 p.m. Friday, May 15.

Read more on MLive:

Hispanics at higher risk to suffer health, economic consequences from coronavirus, University of Michigan professors say

More than 600 jobs open in Jackson County despite coronavirus pandemic

Muskegon health worker on front lines of coronavirus fight: Theyre 'declining so fast

Kalamazoo County hiring temporary nurses at coronavirus quarantine facility for homeless
COVID-19 has spread around the planet, sending billions of people into lockdown as health services struggle to cope.

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The disease which was first recorded in November 2019 in China, has spread around the world and been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

However, differences in testing mean that the number of cases may be understated for some countries.

READ ALSO: I dont need COVID-19 to extend my tenure - Akufo-Addo

In Ghana, the first two cases relating to the pandemic were confirmed on March 12, 2020, when two people returned from Norway and Turkey respectively.

The West African country has since recorded over 5,000 positive cases.

According to data from the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the country as of Tuesday, May 12, 2020 has recorded 5, 127 cases with 494 recoveries and 22 deaths.

The Ghana Health Service has also named areas considered as hotspots in the country.

At a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Aboagye, said the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions have the most cases and they also have all the COVID-19 hotspots.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: 100-bed isolation centre nears completion

With the rise in cases in Ghana, YEN.com.gh shares with you the 10 hotspots in the country, according to the GHS.

Find below the list of hotspots

Tema Metropolis Korle-Klottey Accra Metropolis Kpone Katamanso Kumasi Metropolis Kwadaso Suame Oforikrom Aboaso Obuasi

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Ghanas High Commissioner to the United Kingdom has fully recovered from COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus weeks after getting infected.

It would be recalled that YEN.com.gh reported on April 10, 2020, that the Commissioner had tested positive for COVID-19 three days earlier.

President Akufo-Addo has extended the ban on public gatherings till the end of May | #Yencomgh(opens in new tab)

READ ALSO: My friends warned me not to come & sell anymore - Recovered COVID-19 patient shares story

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Hollywood star Robert De Niro has reopened his feud with Donald Trump and said the president 'doesn't care' how many people die from coronavirus.

The Oscar-winning actor, 76, is one of Mr Trump's most vociferous critics and has now taken aim at his handling of the health crisis.

As of Tuesday evening, the United States death toll has reached 82,653 - more than any other country - and nearly 1.4 million people have been infected with coronavirus.

Hollywood star Robert De Niro has reopened his feud with Donald Trump and said the president 'doesn't care' how many people die from coronavirus

During an appearance on Newsnight, De Niro described the situation at the White House as 'Shakespearean,' saying 'you've got a lunatic saying things that people are trying to dance around'

During an appearance on Newsnight, De Niro described the situation at the White House as 'Shakespearean,' saying 'you've got a lunatic saying things that people are trying to dance around'.

Mr Trump, who is up for re-election in November, has frequently been accused of contradicting the advice of his scientific advisers throughout the pandemic and refuses to wear a mask.

He was widely mocked last month for suggesting research into whether coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

Challenged by Newsnight host Emily Maitlis that Mr Trump's fanbase would disagree, The Irishman star said: 'No, he doesn't care for those people. And the people who he pretends to care about are the people he has the most disdain for because he could care less about them

De Niro added: 'It's appalling, it's appalling. He wants to be re-elected, he doesn't even care how many people die.'

Challenged by Newsnight host Emily Maitlis that Mr Trump's fanbase would disagree, The Irishman star said: 'No, he doesn't care for those people. And the people who he pretends to care about are the people he has the most disdain for because he could care less about them.

'They might like to tell themselves or delude themselves, but he doesn't care about them.'

De Niro is isolating at his home in New York, the state hardest hit by the pandemic.

He said: 'It's been very strange because New York is kind of like a ghost town, it's surreal then you see other parts of the world, other great big cities of the world, are also in the same situation.

'It's interesting, it's kind of like a science fiction movie but it's real.'

De Niro and Mr Trump have sparred frequently during the president's time in office.

After De Niro, who played boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's 1980 biopic Raging Bull, yelled 'f*** Trump' at the Tony Awards in 2018, the president responded on Twitter.

He said: 'Robert De Niro, a very Low IQ individual, has received too many shots to the head by real boxers in movies. I watched him last night and truly believe he may be 'punch-drunk'.'
Thailand has reported no new confirmed cases of the coronavirus for the first time in more than two months.

There also were no new deaths reported on Wednesday, leaving the country's total at 3,017 cases with 56 fatalities.

Since the beginning of May, Thailand has reported single-digit daily increases with the exception of May 4, when a cluster pushed the number to 18.

The last time Thailand reported no new cases was on March 9, when there were 50 cases in total with a single death.

Thai authorities have been selectively easing restrictions meant to combat the coronavirus. Bangkok restaurants were allowed to reopen last week for sit-in dining with social distancing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Before the arrival of



flights carrying stranded people of Odisha from three countries to Bhubaneswar, the state government on Wednesday laid down a standard operating procedure (SOP) as a measure to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in the state.

At least four repatriation flights - two from Dubai and one each from Malaysia and the USA - are scheduled to land in the airport here within the next fortnight, sources in the Biju Patnaik International Airport here said.

"We are expecting an Air India flight at 9.15 am on Thursday from Dubai taking about 150 repatriated passengers," a senior AAI official told PTI.

Another flight from Dubai has been planned on May 19, while a flight from Kuala Lumpur is expected to land here on the next day, he said.

"On May 28, a flight from Chicago in the USA is scheduled to land in Delhi. From there, another flight will bring the passengers here," the official said.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has decided that passengers boarding an aircraft will be allowed to carry in his/her hand baggage or on his/her person "liquid hand sanitizer" as they need to sanitize hands frequently to contain the spread of coronavirus, the official said.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena said the returnees from abroad will also have to register their names on the state government's COVID-19 portal.

The details of the passengers will be scrutinised and lists will be segregated district-wise, Jena said adding that list would be shared with district collectors for preparedness.

In order to conduct smooth health screening, the passengers will disembark the plane in groups of 20. If anyone is found with COVID-19 symptoms, he or she would be separated from the group and taken for further medical examination, he said.

Passengers with no symptoms can complete immigration and come out of the airport, Jena said and added that they have to use their own vehicles to go home.

After reaching their native places, these people will have to undergo quarantine for 28 days at home or a hotel, he said.

Those who violate the 28-day quarantine will be liable to face action.

The screening will be carried out for train passenger coming to Odisha also and they will have to undergo quarantine for a period of 28 days at home or paid facilities, he said.

A train would come from Delhi and arrive in Bhubaneswar - with a halt in Balasore - on May 15, the SRC said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A joint UK-US research team is applying a pioneering artificial intelligence system to map for the first time how the COVID-19 virus attacks the heart with such deadly impact.

The coronavirus has been found to kill more than one in ten victims with heart disease and also to significantly weaken the hearts of other sufferers.

This week, British health-tech company Ultromics and Mayo Clinic in the US will use AI software, EchoGo Core, to analyze echocardiograms of COVID-19 victims, for clues about how the virus affects the human cardiovascular system.

Their findings will produce, for the first time, a map of the novel cardiac features of COVID-19 and help physicians rapidly triage and treat high-risk patients, potentially saving countless lives.

To date, there is no way of linking the impact of the virus to predicted patient outcomes. By applying our technology to the evaluation of COVID associated echocardiograms, we can help understand the characteristics of cardiac involvement. We hope that by discovering a way to do this, patient management can be optimized  this is incredibly important where resources are scarce. Most importantly, we can give physicians the gift of time to treat those most in danger. Ross Upton, CEO, Ultromics

Mayo Clinic is one of the worlds leading centers of cardiology and its extensive cardiac knowledge will assist Ultromics in the development of an image analysis application to help clinicians in the fight against COVID-19. The collaboration will be led by Gary Woodward, CTO of Ultromics and Patricia A. Pellikka, M.D., cardiologist, and clinical researcher at Mayo Clinic.

The COVID-19 coronavirus has considerable potential for cardiovascular impact including COVID induced microvascular disease and myocarditis, and side-effects from some treatments, known as therapy-associated cardiotoxicity.

The multi-site study will look at 500 COVID-19 positive men and women, aged between 18 and 89. These participants will have undergone a clinically indicated echocardiography exam during a three-month period. The primary objective is the assessment of automated cardiac measurements, ejection fraction and Global Longitudinal Strain, for the classification of COVID-19 patient outcomes.

EchoGo Core can provide physicians with an alternative streamlined solution for monitoring and identifying heart disease, enabling healthcare providers, no matter what experience level, to perform analysis with ease. This could be hugely important in giving physicians freed time to provide high quality, patient-centric care.

Echocardiograms have a proven role in the identification and assessment of virtually all cardiac disease entities. The non-invasive method is cost-effective and widely available, ideal for bedside assessment of patients with suspected cardiac complications of COVID-19.
Report by top commission comes as Taiwan and US step up efforts to get the island included in World Health Assembly.

A top US government commission has said the World Health Organizations (WHO) exclusion of Taiwan and refusal to allow it to share best practices on tackling the coronavirus pandemic have jeopardised global health, causing deaths across the globe, and imperilled the territorys 23 million people.

The report (PDF) on Tuesday came as the United States and Taiwan stepped up lobbying for Taipei to be allowed access to next weeks meeting of the WHOs decision-making body, the World Health Assembly.

The document, titled Beijings Deadly Game and produced by the US Congresss US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, praised Taiwans effective response to the pandemic and said its exclusion from the United Nations health agency contributed to critical delays in the timely receipt of accurate guidance for other countries in the early stages of the outbreak.

The self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own, has reported only 440 coronavirus cases and seven deaths, thanks to early and effective prevention work. Taiwan began screening travellers from Wuhan, the city at the centre of Chinas outbreak, on December 31, the same day Chinese authorities informed the WHO of cases of pneumonia in the central city.

Had the WHO allowed Taiwans health experts to share information and best practices in early January, governments around the world could have had more complete information on which to base their public health policies, said the US report.





Such information could have prompted a faster and more effective global response to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new virus.

Global health compromised

The lives lost as a result of these missteps offer a tragic reminder of how global health is compromised by the WHOs politically motivated exclusion of Taiwan, the report said, adding that the move also limits timely, complete, and reliable access to Taiwans research, best practices, and expertise.

Taiwan has long accused the WHO of failing to respond to its requests for information on the coronavirus. But the WHO strongly disputes the claim, saying Taipei has been given all the help it needs.

In recent weeks, the territory has intensified a campaign demanding its observer status be restored at the World Health Assembly. China barred Taiwans participation in 2016 after the election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who Beijing views as a separatist. She rejects the charges.

The US has strongly backed Taiwans WHO effort, with the Senate on Monday approving a bill backing the restoration of Taipeis observer status at the assembly. On Tuesday, the US State Department also urged social media to tweet in support of the islands participation in the body.

.@WHO will host the World Health Assembly (WHA) on May 18. We strongly support Taiwan's participation & encourage everyone to #TweetforTaiwan! Spread the word that #Taiwan deserves to share the success of their #TaiwanModel w the world in the fight against #COVID19. #WHACountdown  IO Bureau @ State (@State_IO) May 12, 2020

The WHO said it has no mandate on its own to invite Taiwan. The agencys lawyer, Steven Solomon, told an online news briefing on Monday that only member states could decide who attends the assembly.

China has denounced Taiwans attempts as a political stunt aimed at promoting the islands formal independence.

The state-owned Global Times lambasted what it called US support for Taiwanese separatism, saying on Tuesday: The only consequence that may ensue is the mainland considering ending this senseless game by solving the Taiwan question once and for all via non-peaceful means.

US-China tensions

The row has added yet another dimension to US-China tensions already heightened by a trade war and heated discussions over Chinese policies in Hong Kong and the South China Sea.





The US report, meanwhile, said China has used the pandemic to intensify military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan. Chinese military aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait three times in the early months of 2020, after only one such incursion in 2019, it said.

Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) forces participated in a joint air and maritime drill over two days in February involving back-to-back circumnavigating flights around the island, while a Chinese aircraft carrier and attached group of warships sailed near Taiwan in April.

Beijing also continued its efforts to isolate Taiwan, by threatening to cut off all economic ties with the African kingdom of Eswatini if it did not break off relations with Taipei.

Separately, China also berated New Zealand for its support for Taiwans participation at the WHO, saying Wellington should stop making wrong statements on the issue to avoid damaging bilateral ties.

It also called on France on Tuesday to cancel a weapons contract with Taiwan, warning that the deal could harm diplomatic relations between Paris and Beijing.

Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu criticised Beijings efforts on Wednesday.

Those who pressure always get their comeuppance in the end. Like-minded friends that stick together & remain true to the principles of justice & fairness will prevail. JW https://t.co/4xveAPCvbg   Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan)  (@MOFA_Taiwan) May 13, 2020

Those who pressure always get their comeuppance in the end. Like-minded friends that stick together & remain true to the principles of justice and fairness will prevail, he said in a Twitter post.

Todays Taiwan was the result of the Chinese civil war, which brought Mao Zedongs Communists to power on the mainland in 1949. The rival Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan, located about 160km (100 miles) off Chinas east coast, and set up their government there.

The territory has never declared independence, although in many ways it acts like a nation, with its own foreign ministry and military. A poll by the US-based Pew Research Center on Tuesday found about two-thirds of Taiwanese do not identify as Chinese, highlighting the challenge China would face in bringing the island under its control.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address her second press conference in as many days, on Thursday evening.

After unveiling a range of relief measures  primarily targeting the MSME and business segment  on Wednesday, she is expected to, in her second tranche of financial stimulus, focus on the poor and farm sector.

The relief package is part of the Rs 20 lakh crore measures Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday in a televised address to the nation.

Watch Finance Minister Sitharamans press conference LIVE, here!
The concept of Pan Africanism came to the fore in the late 19th century due to the efforts of Marcus Garvey and William Edward Blyden Du Bois, the first black man to graduate from the highly prestigious Harvard University. Through their fiery lectures and prolific writings, they helped light the spark of the movement which would later engulf the United States in the 20thcentury and provide the pivot for which the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, Rev Jesse Jackson etc anchored their voices on.

Two names stand out as firebrand Pan Africanists and they both passed on to eternal glory on this day in 1996 and 1981. They are Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Bob Marley and it is necessary to appreciate their efforts on their post humous birthdays.

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe a.k.a Zik of Africa as his comrades in arms in the nationalist and Pan Africanist movement fondly called him caught the bug when he heard about the Ghanaian educationist and Pan Africanist, Reverend James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey while in his final year at the Methodist Boys High School. He got a book written by his mentor and his father warned him to read it in secret as the colonial authorities wouldnt find it funny if they caught him with the highly censored book. The decision to proceed to the United States rather than the United Kingdom which was the more popular educational tourist route was fired on by the writings of Aggrey. He spent nine challenging years there in the pursuit of the Golden Fleece and survived a suicide and deportation attempt. He had the distinction of being the first Igbo graduate and motivated many of his fellow Igbo brothers to go to Uncle Sam for their higher educational needs. He also inspired Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah to go to the US for his higher education while serving as the Editor of the widely read African Morning Post. He returned to the country in 1937 and set up the Zik Group of Newspapers with the West African Pilot as the flagship. He revolutionized journalism practice in the nation through his hybrid of a nationalistic newspaper that was a commercial success that stood the test of time for three decades before it was forced to stop publishing as a result of the Nigerian Civil War which broke out in 1967. His Pan Africanist ideals saw his opposition to the war as he was miffed that his close to three decade struggle as a nationalist was being thrown up in flames in less than a decade of political independence. His support of Nigeria was viewed by his tribesmen as an act of betrayal but he was undeterred in his quest for a united Nigeria. His Pan Africanist stance was well reflected in his numerous writings and support for many African States that were under the yoke of colonial rule. He was extremely sacrificial as he deliberately allowed the northern part of the country to delay independence by three years so that they could catch up with the more progressive southern part. When independence finally came, he turned down an offer which Chief Obafemi Awolowo proposed to make him the Prime Minister while he served his government as the finance minister. He did the unthinkable by agreeing to be the ceremonial Head of State despite the fact that the north which produced the Prime Minister in the person of Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa wasnt part of the independence struggle.

Robert Nesta Marley a.k.a Bob Marley was mixed race son of a British Naval Officer and a Jamaican mother. He grew up in Jamaica and lent his voice to the Pan Africanist movement through his revolutionary songs that gave the verve to the black man to rise above racial discrimination. His songs spread like wildfire all over the world and he had the status of a living legend and was the pride of the black man the world over. His songs gave the much needed confidence to the emotionally battered and scarred African to hold up their shoulders high and walk with confidence. He died at the tender age of 36 after being diagnosed with skin cancer at 32 and some of his songs were released post humously and went on to greatly top the charts.

It is a shame that the successive governments have played nauseating politics with the building of his mausoleum which is supposed to be a tourist attraction to greatly preserve his legacies. Despite his heroism and the sacrifices he made for this nation, it is tragic that there is no place that students of history can congregate to learn first hands about what made him to be of sterner stuff apologies to William Shakespeare during his lifetime where he had a larger than life image.

Marley was luckier as he got a state funeral and some monuments have been built to keep his legacies evergreen. His songs will also remain eternal as his contributions to the reggae genre of music can never be forgotten.

As we are currently enmeshed in the battle against the deadly covid 19, let us spare some time no matter how miniscule, to commemorate these two sons of Africa that did the continent proud both at home and abroad. Their contributions to the development of the African continent would be an interesting subject of study by the generations yet unborn as they live in the hearts of Africans both domiciled in the continent and in the Diaspora.

11thof May would forever be a red letter day.

Tony Ademiluyi wrote from Lagos and edits www.africanbard.com
Greys Anatomy Season 16 has officially dropped on Netflix, which means more members of the fandom have access to Alex Karevs (Justin Chambers) grand exit. The episode titled Leave a Light On answered what happened to the character. However, viewers were left heartbroken for Alexs wife, Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington), and his person, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). Of course, its safe to assume Jo is on her way to moving on. But are Meredith and Alex still friends after Greys Anatomy Season 16? Heres where the two left things.

How Alex left Meredith in Greys Anatomy Season 16

In Greys Anatomy Season 16 Episode 16, Alex sent Meredith, Jo, Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.), and Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) letters to explain his departure. Then in his letter to Meredith, Alex admitted his person could have talked him out of leaving  but thats not what he wanted.

The thing is, I cant come back, Alex wrote. I cant face you. I deserve the guilt and to be called an a**. But I dont want to be set straight. I dont want you to say the right thing because the one perfect thing isnt in Seattle, not anymore.

Later, Alex revealed he was with Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl). Apparently, when the pediatric surgeon called his ex-wife about Merediths medical license hearing, he found out Izzie used their embryos that were made when she had cancer. Now she lived in Kansas with their twins. So Alex realized he was still in love with Izzie and moved to be with her and the kids.

For the most part, Merediths face as she read the letter looked like everyone watching from home  confused. But then Meredith lit up once Alex gushed over his children. And finally, Alex told her she could be her own person.

You always said Cristina was your person. Then I was your person. But youve always been your own damn person, a force of freaking nature, Alex wrote. Youve never needed anyone but you  Mer, you are my best friend and I will miss the hell out of you. But Im finally exactly where I should be.

Despite the heartwrenching goodbye, it seems the door is still open between Meredith and Alex on Greys Anatomy. When he signed off his letter to his former person, Alex hinted he still wanted Meredith in his life.

I hope you do come here one day, but not to ask me to leave, Alex wrote. I hope you come to meet my kids and they get to call you Auntie Mer because youll love them and theyll love you. And until youre ready to do that, try not to hate me too much.

Greys Anatomy showrunner discusses the possibility of Alexs return in the future.

Justin Chambers as Alex Karev and Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey on Greys Anatomy | Richard Cartwright/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

All of the flashbacks of Meredith and Alex in Greys Anatomy Season 16 Episode 16 showed the strength of their relationship. And while ditching his person without a word could have potentially destroyed all that development, it seemed Alexs final remarks in the letter indicated the two friends will be just fine with time.

Meanwhile, Alexs ending on Greys Anatomy leaves the door open for the characters return in the future. And in an interview with Deadline released in April 2020, showrunner Krista Vernoff answered whether there was a chance Chambers or Heigl would reprise their roles.

When I left the show in Season 7, people asked me if there was any chance of me ever coming back, and I was smart enough to say, Never say never, Vernoff said. Here I am, so who knows?

Now, if Meredith and Alex can maintain their friendship on Greys Anatomy, fans hope the peds surgeon will turn up via text. This is something weve already seen with Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh). However, when asked about Alexs virtual presence during an interview with Variety, Vernoff stated things still need to be discussed as the show moves into its 17th season.

Oh, gosh, I just dont know, the showrunner said. I think we should talk again in May after Ive had a few weeks with the writers.

Well, its been a month and Vernoff recently spoke with TVLine, confirming pre-production for Greys Anatomy Season 17 will start soon. Im going to start up the writers room in May, but its going to be Zoom room, Vernoff said. 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.

As the Greys Anatomy team prepares for next season, itll be interesting to see whether they continue Meredith and Alexs friendship going via text. But no matter what happens, were excited to see what the medical drama has planned moving forward.

Read more: Why Greys Anatomy Fans Believe the Series Finale Will Pay Tribute to Meredith and Derek
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The executive chairman of the National COVID-19 Co-ordination Commission, former Fortescue Metals chief executive Neville Power, is being paid almost $300,000 for the six-month full-time role.

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet associate secretary Stephanie Foster told the COVID-19 Senate inquiry the amount was calculated to cover Mr Power's travel and accommodation costs.

Neville Power, Chair of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Asked by Labor senator Katy Gallagher about Mr Power's decision to make his trips between Perth and Canberra by private airplane, Ms Foster said the costing was based on commercial airline prices.

"We base our costs around commercial flights, Mr Power then travels, how he uses the funding is not our concern," she told the hearing.
The getaway might be on hold, but you can still get that holiday feeling with our favourite summer hue

Pale blue suits warm skin tones, while a statement dress stays standout with minimal accessories

Dress, 995, sportmax.com

A classic suit gets a reboot in this brightest of blues. Tie details up the elegance

Jacket, 165, and trousers, 115, Iris & Ink, theoutnet.com

Earrings, 75, missoma.com

Proving that blue can be headturning too, cobalt is your go-to shade for evening glamour

Dress, 79, stories.com

Earrings, 75, missoma.com

Add drama by mixing and matching tones: pale blue with electric who knew!

Top, 95, casaraki.com

Skirt, 70, frenchconnection.com

Earrings, 75, missoma.com

Bracelet, 300, deborahblyth.com

Cut-out details are coming your way this summer. Flattering, modern and, in pale blue, peek-a-boo pretty

Dress, 390, marysia.com

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Bold in colour and cut, the co-ord ups its game for evening

Top, 405, and skirt, 405, Georgia Alice, selfridges.com

With its chic neckline and belted waist, this dress is smart and standout

Dress, 149, whistles.com

Earrings, 95, missoma.com

Sandals, 55, dunelondon.com

The glamorous way to keep cool when the temperature rises

Dress, 99, cosstores.com

Earrings, 75, missoma.com



Styling: Sophie Dearden

Photographs: Andres de Lara

Fashion assistants: Joanne Toolan and Stephanie Sofokleous

Make-up: Lisa Valencia at Carol Hayes using Sisley

Hair: Alex Szabo at Carol Hayes

Model: Maggie Jablonski at Muse

Production and casting: Lucy Coghlan

Shot before lockdown on location at Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Mexico

( loscabos.nobuhotels.com ).

A deluxe king room starts from 350 per night inclusive of taxes and charges. TUI (tui.co.uk) has return flights to Los Cabos from London Gatwick from 579 per person. All prices are for selected dates during October 2020
In almost every way, Lisa Wilkinson's childhood was the polar opposite of her mother's.

While The Project co-host was raised in a tight-knit family, the late Beryl Wilkinson endured a miserable home life. Her peers taunted her for being the 'bastard' daughter of a man whose name she didn't know. Her mother drank too much and became addicted to Bex, a now-banned analgesic powder. Often, Beryl wasn't sure where she'd be sleeping at night.

The Project co-host Lisa Wilkinson appears in an episode of the SBS genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? Credit:SBS

"She was thrown into orphanages at the drop of a hat," Wilkinson says. "When you're as deprived of love as my mother was, it's difficult to unlearn a lot of that upheaval and unrest."

Beryl died in 2018. The following year, Wilkinson signed up to the SBS genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?, which took her from Sydney to Brisbane to India. What she discovered only strengthened her admiration for her mother.
Iran has been under various arms embargoes since the 1980s and has become quite proficient at taking older vehicles and weapons and adapting them to new, and often unexpected, uses. Iran is not alone in this sort of improvisation and they encourage their allies to do the same. Iranian technical advisors are sent to pass on the knowledge, often with some tools and components brought in as well. A recent example of this was a picture of Iran-backed Shia rebels in Yemen using a captured American hummer vehicle with a BMP-1 turret and its 73mm cannon added to the top of the vehicle.

The BMP-1 is a 1960s era design. It is 13 ton armored vehicle with a cramped one-man turret armed with a 73mm low-recoil cannon and four ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles). This turned the BMP-1 into the first IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). This BMP-1 turret was always a source of user complaints but, when that turret was mounted on a truck or similar vehicle, those complaints went away. While the turret was not all that bulletproof it did offer some protection and was better at stopping shell fragments and similar debris flying around during combat. When not on a BMP the one-man turret did not require the vehicle commander, who often stuck his head and shoulders out of the turret to get a better view, to duck down inside the turret to operate the 73mm gun, which had a range of 4,500 meters and was pretty accurate, especially when using high-explosive shells.

The turret alone weighs about a ton and the usual armament, a 73mm gun, weighs 115 kg (253 pounds). The turret rotation uses 24-volt electric motors for traversing and raising and lowering the gun barrel. It is possible to improvise a slower manual rotation and gun movement system. While the cramped and thinly armored BMP vehicle was never very popular, the turret and its 73mm gun were. That 73mm gun was designed as an anti-armor weapon but by the early 1970s the Russians realized that it was more often used for infantry support and provided high-explosive rounds. These were a little heavier (4.5 kg/10 pounds) but much more effective against troops or structures. The 73mm gun had a 40 round magazine below the turret which provided ample ammo for combat.

There were other ways to improve the BMP-1 turret. In 2016 a Ukrainian firm modified its Shkval RWS (remote weapons station) to be used on older BMP-1s. That sort of thing takes these older vehicles that are still in service and makes them useful again. Since the 1990s Ukraine has prospered by providing refurbishment and upgrades for these older vehicles. One popular upgrade was the Shkval RWS, which was introduced in 2012 for more recent wheeled armored vehicles. Putting it on BMP-1s seemed like a good idea and it was. While Shkval weighs 1.9 tons, it allows the operator to sit below the turret and more easily handle the many weapons packed into Shkval. These include a 30m autocannon (with 225 rounds ready to fire), a coaxial 7.62mm machine-gun (with 2,500 rounds), a 30mm grenade launcher (with 29 rounds), two modern ATGMs and six smoke grenade launchers (using grenades generating a mist that confuses laser-guided missiles). Shkval uses a modern computerized fire control system that includes a weapon stabilizer. The operator has a thermal sight available as well as a laser rangefinder.

No one has yet tried to mount a Shkval on a hummer but that is an option because the hummer has used lighter RWS turrets that the U.S. Army bought with hummers in mind.
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By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan is open to cooperation with France for the country's transformation to digital economy, Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov said during the French-Azerbaijani business meeting in a webinar format on May 12.

"Currently, the world economy is in the process of digitalization, which promises new opportunities. Therefore, the digitalization of the economy is a long-term goal. In this context, the establishment of a branch of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Center of the World Economic Forum in Azerbaijan is of particular importance," Jabbarov said addressing the webinar

Jabbarov stressed that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to international cooperation, including relations with France.

"Our countries are determined to take the partnership to a higher level, even in the face of a global pandemic. In this regard, the efforts of MEDEF and the Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry to develop business relations between the parties are commendable", he added.

The Minister of Economy gave comprehensive information to the participants of the webinar about reforms implemented in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, measures to liberalize the economy, favorable business and investment environment, a new draft law on investment activities with the participation of experts from the International Finance Corporation, a foreign direct investment promotion strategy, among others.

Speaking about the Azerbaijani-French economic cooperation, Jabbarov noted that 65 French companies operate in various sectors of the Azerbaijani economy, including industry, energy, trade, services, agriculture and others.

"Our countries also successfully cooperate in the field of investment. So far, Azerbaijan has invested $2.1 billion in the French economy, whereas $2.2 billion was invested from the French side to Azerbaijan. French companies also participate as contractors in non-oil projects in Azerbaijan funded by public investment and worth $ 2.1 billion," Jabbarov said.

Mikayil Jabbarov also said that the Azerbaijani government reacted promptly to the pandemic and the global crisis amid dropping oil prices, and took systematic and operational measures to maintain macroeconomic stability.

"As a result of timely preventive measures taken under the leadership and direct control of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, the number of coronavirus cases in our country have been limited. In addition to protecting human health, a relevant Action Plan has been approved to reduce the impact of the pandemic on the national economy", the minister stressed.

The minister noted that according to the Action Plan, the country is also taking measures to provide financial support to entrepreneurs and employees working in the affected areas, to protect jobs and to strengthen the social protection of the population.

Furthermore, Jabbarov said that along with ensuring economic stability in the Action Plan, the application of a new model of economic growth is one of the main goals.

Thus, Azerbaijan's GDP grew by 3 percent in January-February 2020, by 1.1 percent in the first quarter of the year, by about 7 percent the non-oil sector in the first two months of the year, and by more than 3 percent in the first quarter. Azerbaijan pursues a targeted policy to diversify and develop the non-oil economy, as well as to increase the economy's resilience to global shocks, in order to build a stronger non-oil sector and reduce dependence on oil.

In turn, noting that his country attaches great importance to the development of ties with Azerbaijan, MEDEF CEO Philippe Gauthier reminded that the official visit of the delegation of his organization to Azerbaijan in July 2019, where the delegation was received by President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijani-French business forum, as well as the signed documents.

Philippe Gauthier stressed that Azerbaijan has favorable business and investment environment, is an attractive tourist destination, a producer of a number of competitive products, and he shared his views on combating the pandemic and expanding cooperation in various sectors of the economy.

Other participants of the meeting expressed their views on economic diversification and strengthening resilience in the current context of the pandemic and the sharp drop in oil prices, non-oil projects that can ensure sustainable economic development, and expanding cooperation with French companies.

Thus, during the webinar, the participants held discussions on the prospects of partnership development in the banking and financial sector, agriculture, ICT, innovation, transport and transit, and other areas.

The ambassadors of Azerbaijan and France also attended the meeting.

The webinar was organized by the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), the French Entrepreneurs Organization (MEDEF) and the Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
It remains to be seen whether Formula 1 will be driven at Silverstone in a few months time. According to information from AutoHebdo, the continuation of the British Grand Prix is highly uncertain. This has everything to do with the British government and how the circuit is set up.

According to the French medium, Hungary, Belgium and Italy would have already informed FOM that Formula 1 is welcome, but this does not apply to Silverstone. It is said that additional requirements have been introduced. The legendary track would like to be financially compensated by Formula 1 for organizing two Grands Prix.

Liberty Media is not cooperating

Every year more than a hundred thousand tickets are sold to fans, but because the races now have to take place behind closed doors, the circuit is losing a lot of money. However, Liberty Media would not (yet) be willing to meet this requirement and AutoHebdo calls it 'probable' that Silverstone will only return to the calendar in 2021.

Also the situation regarding the coronavirus in Great Britain does not contribute to this issue. For the time being, the government does not seem to intend to give permission for the organisation of a large (sports) event. This has everything to do with the fact that the death toll is now higher than in Italy.

Entry requirements still unclear

In addition, anyone who wants to enter Silverstone is expected to be quarantined first. It is not yet clear exactly how this should be done and more information is not expected before the end of May.
Bechu S By

Online Desk

When Kerala native Sangeetha who works at England's Basildon University Hospital spoke to The New Indian Express in March about how she was forced to attend to fever patients and collect their swab samples despite being a regular nurse at the cardiac ward, the UK had reported 300 COVID-19 deaths. But now she feels like it was a long time ago as a lot has happened since.

Her work became more demanding as the UK's death toll shot up to cross the five-digit mark and a few of her close acquaintances fell sick. It was only a matter of time before the 24-year-old nurse tested positive for COVID-19 as well and had to take a month's break from work.

What got to her more than the disease was the stigma attached to it, as she was condemned for going public about her condition. Even as she was bedridden and struggling with breathlessness, many "wellwishers" provoked her for being vocal about having COVID-19.

ALSO READ | Coronavirus and Britain: A nurse from Kerala shares her experience



However, as the world observes International Nurses Day, Sangeetha has long recovered and is back in service to fight the pandemic at her hospital in Essex.

Recollecting those hard times, Sangeetha said she saw it coming and was ready. "My swab sample was collected on April 18 and the result was out on April 22. Here the practice is that the testing centre calls up the patient and directly conveys the result."



"They asked me to take rest. I wasn't shocked, to be honest, as I was almost certain that the result would be positive. I had all the symptoms and a few of my closest companions had tested positive already," she said.

"The minor symptoms started to show in the first week of April. In a few days time, I developed wheezing and body pain as well. I lost my sense of taste and smell soon and contacted my hospital manager who made arrangements to get me tested," she said.

The Kottayam native, who got the job soon after completing nursing from a premier institution in Bengaluru, said she was never scared of death as her professional experience had taught her she was much outside the vulnerable category.

Paracetamol was prescribed for a week at a gap of six hours along with Cetirizine to treat the cold. But she developed a chest infection and her general practitioner gave her an antibiotic which provided much-needed relief.



"I was lucky that my roommate works with the respiratory unit. She was very supportive and equipped to handle a COVID patient up close," Sangeetha said.

The hospital authorities too were cooperative and allowed her paid leave for a month with all benefits.

But the real challenge was only ahead of her. Sangeetha was open about her health to everyone back home with whom she was in contact. The youngster could think of no reason why she should hide from the world that she was one among millions infected by the virus.

On her Facebook wall, she mentioned how relaxed she felt while binge-watching shows on Amazon Prime during her quarantine. The post was not well-received among many back home.

"Some of them sent me voice notes saying how foolish it was of me to state that in public. My parents and sister were very supportive. A COVID warrior getting infected isn't a black mark to be ashamed of," she said.

Sangeetha said she was frustrated and taken aback to hear the displeasure of many who otherwise compare nurses to angels. Many messages she received expressed hatred towards NRIs returning home from foreign lands.

"They said the returnees will increase the number of cases in Kerala again. It was frustrating at first but then I made up my mind that I don't have time for this nonsense," she said.

She was cleared to join duty again on April 28. Sangeetha says she isn't scared to go back to the COVID ward though she hasn't been asked to do so yet.

"In March, the staff of all departments were expected to attend virus cases. But now certain departments including cardiology have been made 'cold wards' where COVID cases aren't attended. However, everyone is screened and if tested positive, they will be shifted to speciality wards.

"The first patient I attended on was a merchant from Italy and I was a little tense. But then the infections started to multiply so fast that there was hardly any time to worry about ourselves. But it was always hard to see critical patients on the ventilator," she said.

When asked about International Nurses Day, she said though people needn't treat medical professionals as angels or gods, they should be sensible enough not to ostracise them during hard times like these.
Q. My husband and I file income taxes every year and we owe money, so we send a check with our tax form. Why did we not receive our stimulus check?

 Waiting

A. For starters, whether or not you qualify depends on your adjusted gross income level.

Married couples who earn up to $150,000 qualify for $2,400, while those earning up to $198,000 will get a partial payment. If you earn more, you wont get a benefit.

Singles would get $1,200 if they earn up to $75,000, and those who earn up to $99,000 would get a partial benefit.

The timing is the issue for many.

If you mailed a check to the IRS to cover your taxes, the agency may not have your direct deposit banking information on file.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Many of those for whom the IRS has banking information have already been paid.

For people in your situation, the IRS has a tool on its website that will allow you to enter your banking information. The IRS has created a deadline of May 13 at noon, so you need to hurry.

If youre unable to get to the tool in time, you will eventually be mailed a paper check.

The IRS is following a schedule where it sends five million checks a week, starting with the lowest income Americans. It will continue to make payments through early September, it said.

Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com.

Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.coms weekly e-newsletter.
Anderson Cooper has revealed he asked his ex, Benjamin Maisani, to help raise his newborn son because he thinks 'it's good to have two parents'.

Anderson, 52, dated nightclub owner Benjamin, 47, for a decade before they split in 2018 - but the former couple will be co-parenting Anderson's son, Wyatt, who was born through a surrogate in late April.

'I don't really have a family, and so my friends become my family,' Anderson explained Tuesday during an interview on The Howard Stern Show. 'This is somebody that I was involved with for 10 years, he's a great guy.'

Anderson Cooper opens up about why he asked his ex Benjamin Maisani to help raise his son: 'My friends become my family'

'My ex is a great guy': Anderson, 52, dated nightclub owner Benjamin Maisani, 47, for a decade before they split in 2018. The pair are pictured in 2015

Anderson welcomed son Wyatt via a surrgoate late last month

Anderson has no full siblings. His brother, Carter, committed suicide in 1988.

Anderson's mother, fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt, passed away last year at the age of 95.

She became a single mom when Anderson was just 10, after her husband, Wyatt, died during open heart surgery.

'When I was a little kid, it was just my mom and my brother, but my mom she was not the most parental person,' Anderson told Howard Stern Tuesday.

'I wish some adult, after my dad died, had stepped in and just been like 'I'll take you to a ballgame, lets go out to lunch, let's just talk'. But no one ever did that'.

Anderson explained that experience helped him to realize he wanted his newborn son to have more than one parent.

'If something happens to me or even if something doesn't happen to me, the more people love my son and are in his life, I'm all for that,' he stated.

'My ex is a great guy and I think it's good to have two parents, if you can'.

Anderson (bottom left) has no immediate family members left. He is pictured in a 1972 family portrait with father Wyatt, mother Gloria Vanderbilt, and older brother, Carter

'I wish some adult, after my dad died, had stepped in': While Anderson was close to mom Gloria, he told Howard Stern 'she was not the most parental person'. The pair are pictured in 2016

Anderson went on to reveal that he will be called 'dad', while Benjamin will called 'papa'.

'My ex is French, so he's gonna speak in French to the kid,' Cooper explained.

Last week, Anderson revealed that Benjamin was in the delivery room with him when the surrogate carrying Wyatt gave birth.

While Anderson told Howard Stern that they 'didn't work out as a couple', Us Weekly recently reported that the pair are trying to rekindle their romance.

'They very quietly got back together and are planning ahead. Ben is selling one of his clubs and cutting back on how much he does at night so he can spend more time at home with Anderson and the baby,' a source told the magazine.

Benjamin and Anderson are pictured together in New York back in 2013. They split in March 2018 after a decade together

Benjamin was in the delivery room when the surrogate gave birth to Anderson's son Wyatt (pictured) late last month

Anderson announced he had become a first-time father in a heartfelt Instagram post penned on April 30.

'As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and Im grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son's birth,' he wrote.

'Most of all, I am grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, and watched over him lovingly, and tenderly, and gave birth to him. It is an extraordinary blessing - what she, and all surrogates give to families who cant have children.

'My surrogate has a beautiful family of her own, a wonderfully supportive husband, and kids, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support they have given Wyatt and me. My family is blessed to have this family in our lives.

'I do wish my mom and dad and my brother, Carter, were alive to meet Wyatt, but I like to believe they can see him. I imagine them all together, arms around each other, smiling and laughing, happy to know that their love is alive in me and in Wyatt, and that our family continues.'
MEDNAX, Inc.s MD affiliate, Jefferson Radiology, recently announced its tie up with Center for Diagnostic Imaging (CDI). Notably, MEDNAX had declared affiliation with Jefferson Radiology in 2017.

The collaboration with CDI is aimed at providing enhanced patient care services in the Springfield city, MA. Best known for their strong network of outpatient imaging centers and sub-specialized radiologists, the collaboration is likely to provide a competitive edge to both the companies.

As part of this tie up, CDI will have access to more than 60 sub-specialized radiologists of Jefferson Radiology, who are well-equipped to provide a diverse range of sub-specialized radiology services. Apart from going through advanced imaging cases of CDI, a physician from Jefferson Radiology will also be staffed at CDIs Springfield location for processing complex exams and procedures.

With operations in Connecticut and Massachusetts already, this latest move of Jefferson Radiology will only reinforce its presence in the region. Being an affiliate of MEDNAX, such initiatives also bode well for the company.

Moreover, this announcement comes at a time when the United States is grappling with the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, the new tie up is likely to provide better health outcomes for the Springfield community amid the pandemic.

Furthermore, MEDNAX has been focused on strengthening its global foothold on the back of affiliation with private radiology practices. In January of this year, it announced affiliation with Southeast Floridas Boca Radiology Group, P.A. This initiative clearly underlines efforts of MEDNAX to establish presence in Florida. Such efforts, in turn, are likely to boost the companys top-line results in the days ahead.

However, MEDNAXs first-quarter 2020 results were negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, which dented patient volumes and revenues. Nevertheless, the healthcare provider has recently completed the sale of its American Anesthesiology to North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA), primarily to avoid losses. The decision to get rid of loss making units and avert the impact of pandemic bode well for MEDNAX.

Story continues

Also, shares of this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) company have lost 52.5% in a year compared with the industrys decline of 19.4%.

Stocks to Consider

Some better-ranked stocks in the medical space are Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ALXN, The Ensign Group, Inc. ENSG and Humana Inc. HUM, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Ensign Group and Humana surpassed estimates in the last reported quarters by 19.26%, 24.19% and 11.57%, on average, respectively.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>





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Designing a blank wall may seem like a daunting task. A bland space doesn't inspire productivity. Blank walls don't really offer much to look at. However, they can become the perfect canvas for your next masterpiece. An empty wall can easily be transformed into a space that expresses your inner artist and represents your Latin community.

If you're looking to make an impact with your decorations, why don't you try wall tapestries? These wall hangings offer some of the most colorful and most vivid features that's sure to turn heads. The tapestries will allow you to add art and color to your room without breaking the piggy bank.

From a rainbow of colors to abstract art, there are a variety of wall tapestries available that would fit your style. Here are 4 pieces to help you get started on decorating.

Unleash your inner rock star with this unique, handcrafted Mariachi Band tapestry. Take a nod to the famous musical group that's unique to the Mexican culture. Fans of Disney's Coco will surely love this design that stay true to the Dia de Muertos spirit.

Shrahala's wall decorations are made of 100 percent polyester to give the product a smooth and colorful surface that doesn't fade. All designs are handcrafted and painted by local artists. The tapestry is machine washable and can be ironed under low temperatures.

If you're the sort of person who loves the heat and deserts, Arbear's Cactus Tapestry full embodies the rich and ethnic feel of the sands. Immerse yourself in nature with this watercolor printed wall decoration. The tapestry is a great conversational piece of art that can help bring an element of wonder that's both stunning and soothing.

The tapestry is made of polyester fiber that is friendly to the skin and extremely durable. It can also be used as a tablecloth, bed cover, or a couch cover. Best of all, it's machine washable.

Immerse yourself in the powerful world of the Aztecs with this satin wall tapestry. The Quetzalcoatl was a feathered serpent that was said to be the connection between Earth and the sky. It was believed to symbolize resurrection and creation by the Aztec civilization. The story has transcended in various cultures since ancient times.

Ambesonne's satin tapestry uses a lightweight fabric with hand-sewn finished edges. It's machine washable and is durable for indoor and outdoor use.

The Chicken Itza was one of the most powerful capital within the Mayan civilization. It was believed to have served as a religious center for pilgrims for over a thousand years. It was classified as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Chichen Itza is one of the most visited locations in Mexico.

The tapestry is made of lightweight material that makes it suitable as a wall decoration, tablecloth, or even a quilt. It is comfortable, durable, and machine washable.
According to latest reports, Salman Khan has returned to Mumbai after being quarantined with family and friends at his farmhouse in Panvel in the outskirts of the city. The Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor had been stuck at his farmhouse for two months, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which began on March 25, 2020.

As per the latest reports published in a leading daily, Salman Khan wanted to spend more time with his family at the farmhouse, but now he is back to his Galaxy Apartments home in Bandra, Mumbai, to stay with his parents amid the lockdown.

The report further stated that Salman Khan was earlier going to shoot for his film Radhe, directed by Prabhu Deva, in Mumbai till May end. However, because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the schedule was called off. After that, Sallu went to his farmhouse with his family and fraternity friends to enjoy some quality time.

However, Salman Khan's spokesperson rubbished the reports of the Bollywood superstar having returned to Mumbai. While speaking to FilmiBeat, the actor's spokesperson said, "Salman Khan is still in his Panvel farmhouse. All the reports which are surfacing are not true." ALSO READ: Salman Khan Working On Third Song After Tere Bina And Pyaar Karona?

Salman Khan is at his Panvel farmhouse with sister Arpita Khan Sharma, her husband Ayush Sharma and their kids, and other family members and friends, including Waluscha De Sousa, Daisy Shah, Iulia Vantur and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Recently, Salman Khan released a music video titled Tere Bina, which featured Jacqueline Fernandez. The song received a good response from the masses. In the three-part interview of Tere Bina, Salman told Waluscha, "I was wanting to spend quality time with family, my family was here with me, Arpita, her kids, mummy, all were here. But now they have returned home."

Also Read : Video: Salman Khan Starts Food Truck Called 'Being Haangryy' To Feed The Less Privileged

On a related note, Radhe is the official Hindi remake of South Korean film, Veteran. The film also stars Disha Patani, Pravin Tarde, Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff, Bharath, Gautam Gulati, Zarina Wahab and others in key roles. Jacqueline Fernandez will be seen in an item number in Radhe.

Also Read : When Rani Mukerji Gave A Shocking Reply On Being Asked About The Fate Of Salman's Hello Brother
The state already provides a lot of support for cities and counties. And so, I would just suggest there are a number of enforcement mechanisms that are available to us and I dont want to utilize those. Ive asked people to do the right thing. And I want to point out the vast majority of people in Illinois have been doing the right thing, he said.
Samantha Wagensommer expected to finish her last semester on Stockton Universitys campus and walk in her graduation ceremony this month.

Instead, shes been back home in Manahawkin since March, finishing her degree remotely and taking on the role of helping teach her little brother Dean, an 18-year-old who has autism spectrum disorder.

Dean normally goes to school nearly year-round at Southern Regional High School. He had a teacher and peers, as well as a personal aide and therapists who guided him through occupational therapy exercises, vocational training and speech therapy to learn nonverbal communication skills.

Then the coronavirus pandemic upended life in New Jersey.

Now, on a good day, Wagensommers family can get Dean to sit down with an iPad and go through stories read by a teacher. His teacher and therapists check in regularly, and try to keep up with him, but Dean is nonverbal, which makes any communication thats not taking place in person a challenge. And without the structure of the classroom, getting Dean to focus is difficult.

I do understand, of course, having online school, Wagensommer said. I think that the people that are making decisions are looking out for the public interest. When it comes down to it, nothing replaces the education that he was getting beforehand."

New Jersey has more than 200,000 students in special education programs. They include those with intellectual disabilities, those on the autism spectrum  like Dean  and those with physical limitations or in need of emotional support. Within even those smaller classifications, kids have different needs and abilities, and the support their families can provide varies.

It is why experts, teachers and caregivers contend special education students stand to lose the most as remote learning continues.

In April, the state Board of Education voted to allow virtual services and tele-health appointments for students with disabilities under the state of emergency after advocates petitioned Gov. Phil Murphys office. The exception followed a mad dash to restructure schooling, sometimes with only 48 hours notice, as educators distributed laptops to students and organized school lunch pickup as the state pivoted to home instruction.

Advocates also asked the state to recognize that not all services, like physical therapy, can be given electronically or safely. While a step forward, some worry that the closing of schools for the remainder of the academic year will take a significant toll on special needs students, especially those with lesser means.

Special education looks so different for a privileged family than it does in other places, said Jessica Bacon, a professor of teaching and learning at Montclair State University. I think this is going to reveal some of those deeper issues within our systems around equity. Theres some basic things, therapies that cant be done.

Educators know they will have to address the gaps created by remote learning when they return to the classroom. But many worry those chasms will be greater among children who had difficulty accessing online learning, or who did not have parents readily available to take on the burden of becoming stand-in teachers.

I think some of that will require some compensatory services and support," Bacon said. "I think a lot of people really do fear that kids will regress in a lot of ways.

As students return to a new normal, officials will have to juggle social distancing in schools and ramp up cleaning procedures. But they may also need new programs to support students. All of this will come as the state budget tightens, and school districts grapple with the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis.

Wagensommer, who plans to start graduate school in the fall to become an occupational therapist, said she will try to help Dean with assignments, like coloring in the lines or dressing himself. But overall, she guessed Dean might be getting only an hour of instruction a day.

But he has lots of energy and needs constant supervision. Wagensommer said the family cant explain to Dean why hes not in school each day or how the outbreak has transformed their lives.

Its stressful. All of us are trying to take on a role, she said, explaining her mother left her job as a pharmacy tech to care for Dean full time and to avoid the risk of contracting the virus and spreading it to him. Its been hard overall. Were doing the best we can.

Wagensommer wishes more officials would address the challenges students with disabilities  and their families  have faced over the past two months.

My school district is lucky enough that they have the occupational therapists, the physical therapist, the teachers that are caring and connecting to their job, she said. They reach out to Dean. Theyre worried about him. I do know that other schools, they might not have the same staff.

Progress could depend on students needs. In particular, some students with autism have thrived at home, while others struggle without routine and recede socially.

I think well see a wide range of outcomes for kids who are returning back to school, said Arianna Esposito, the director of Lifespan Services and Supports at Autism Speaks, a national advocacy group for autism research and awareness. It wont be a total loss, because whats being learned right now are things like adapting to very uncertain times.

But while teachers and parents try to adapt, channeling effective online learning techniques remains an experiment.

All of those things come from best practices, Esposito said. When youre in a situation like the one were in, where there are some best practices, but not nearly the depth and breadth of evidence-based approaches, its difficult to know.

Teachers around the state feel the strain, too. In classrooms, individual education plans, known as IEPs, require teachers to provide differentiated learning for each special education student. Many teachers have tried to continue these plans remotely through video and reading assignments as well as calls, but cannot recreate all of the tactile learning and emotional and social collaboration a classroom fosters.

I think its definitely more of a challenge for a special education teacher to teach online than for a general education, said Therese Squicciarini, who teaches seventh graders with language and learning disabilities at J.P. Case Middle School in Flemington. All the differentiation that we do every day with our students, that is sometimes hard to translate in an online version of school.

So she gets on a Zoom call with students each morning, checking in to see how theyre handling the crisis and answering questions. When she gave a recent reading assignment, she provided an audio recording, but also read the book herself over Zoom to a student who needed extra help.

One student, she said, has a single parent who must still leave the house to work. So she tends to talk with him on Zoom for longer periods, knowing hes alone in the house during the day.

In regard to special education students, were hoping to keep them growing and learning, she said. Always, our concern is regression.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Amanda Hoover may be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj.
Haivision Introduces Latest Version of Haivision Media Platform with New Features to Reach Employees Anywhere

Live Multi-Site Distribution Capabilities Now Extended to Securely Reach Employees Working from Home with Microsoft Stream

Montreal, Canada( )

Haivision, a leader in video streaming solutions, today announced the latest version of the Haivision Media Platform for secure, multi-site live video distribution for streaming enterprise video content including all-hands webinars and IPTV to employees anywhere inside and outside the corporate firewall.

The latest version addresses a key challenge as enterprise communications teams seek to scale their video delivery capabilities from focusing on inside the corporate network to securely extending their reach to surging numbers of employees who are working remotely and who need access to content across the public internet.

Enterprises worldwide are adapting their video delivery workflows to ensure that all their employees, no matter where they are located, are able to receive live video addresses from leadership, said Brian Henry, SVP Defense and Enterprise Sales Americas, Haivision. With new support for embedded video players from platforms such as Microsoft Stream, Haivision Media Platform ensures that enterprise viewers anywhere have a secure, high-quality video experience across web, mobile devices and even set-top boxes.

Haivision Media Platform now provides administrators with a flexible approach to how they build their network topology. Haivision Media Platforms enterprise content delivery network (eCDN) makes it possible to efficiently deliver live content and IPTV to internal screens across office locations. The integration of a scalable CDN-based service, such as Microsoft Stream, enables remote audiences to watch reliably from anywhere. Regardless of how the content is delivered, all authenticated users access the streams securely through the Haivision Media Platform portal or associated Haivision Play apps on mobile devices or set-top boxes.

A core tenet of Microsoft Stream is delivering live events, such as company meetings and CEO updates, to employees wherever they are  working remotely from home, in an office, or on the go, said Chris Knowlton, Principal Program Manager, Microsoft Corp. The ability to combine Stream playback with Haivision Media Platform provides added flexibility for enterprises that need to deliver live video to large numbers of remote employees while also distributing it efficiently behind the corporate firewall.

Key new features of Haivision Media Platform include:

External Session Player Support  Embed third-party video players such as Microsoft Stream within live sessions for playback directly in the Haivision Media Platform user interface to efficiently reach employees working from home or remotely.

Source Location Filtering  Allows administrators to limit what content is available based on a viewers location. This is important when adhering to IPTV distribution agreements for multi-location organizations, or for enabling CDN-based delivery to employees outside the firewall.

Simplified User Experience  Manage and simplify the HMP user experience with role definitions that specify which toolbar menu items are available to different user types.

About Haivision

Haivision is the leader in live video streaming technologies, providing more than 25,000 organizations globally with video solutions that help them stream broadcast-quality, low-latency video from anywhere. Founded in 2004, Haivision is a privately held company with headquarters in Montreal and Chicago, and regional offices located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. To help solve the worlds most difficult video streaming challenges, Haivision open sourced its award winning SRT low latency video streaming protocol in 2017 and founded the SRT Alliance, which now has over 350 industry leading companies supporting this new standard. Awarded an Emmy for Technology and Engineering from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Haivision is also recognized as one of the most influential companies in video by Streaming Media and one of the fastest growing companies by Deloittes Technology Fast 500. Learn more at haivision.com.
A Conversation with N.K. Jemisin

6:30 p.m. on Facebook

The science fiction and fantasy writer N.K. Jemisin  the only author to win the Hugo Award for best novel three years in a row, all for her Broken Earth trilogy  introduced the first book in her new The Great Cities trilogy in late March. The book, The City We Became, follows six characters as they come together to defend New York from annihilation. Jemisin will discuss the novel and how it resonates amid the current crisis with Whitney Hu, a Brooklyn-based housing and immigration activist. The event is presented by the Museum of the City of New York.

When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: The Museum of the City of New Yorks Facebook page. Registration is suggested.

Bobby Cannavale and Allison Williams Perform

7:30 on YouTube

The actors Bobby Cannavale (The Irishman, Boardwalk Empire), Allison Williams (Get Out, Girls), Maulik Pancholy (30 Rock) and Emily Skeggs (Fun Home) will join Symphony Spaces long-running series Selected Shorts, in which actors bring works by well-known and emerging writers to life. Wednesdays theme  best laid plans  is particularly resonant. The event will include works by Aimee Bender, Carmen Maria Machado, Simon Rich and Jess Walter. The evening is hosted by Pancholy.

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: The Symphony Space YouTube channel.

In Performance Art, a Climate Change Tale

1:30 on Facebook

Holoscenes, a performance and installation piece by the artist Lars Jan that embodies humanitys troubled relationship to water, will be streamed in its entirety (all four and a half hours of it) by New York Universitys performing arts center in Abu Dhabi. Holoscenes is performed inside an aquarium-like sculpture with rising and lowering water levels to  as Jan put it to The New York Times in 2015  make people feel climate change in their guts, rather than just understand it. The performance was filmed at N.Y.U. Abu Dhabi in its Middle East premiere in November 2016.

When: 1:30 p.m.

Where: The N.Y.U. Abu Dhabi Arts Centers Facebook page.
A top Amazon executive is calling on Congress to establish a federal price gouging law so that the U.S. can more effectively combat the kinds of unfair pricing of face masks and sanitizer witnessed on its site during the pandemic.

In a blog post Wednesday, Brian Huseman, Amazon's vice president of public policy, said the company "stands ready" to work with officials on developing comprehensive price gouging legislation.

Price gouging legislation would help "protect consumers" from bad actors who have sought to profit off of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as any other national crises in the future, Huseman added. Currently, there are state price gouging laws in about two-thirds of the U.S.

"While each state is unique and has the ability to enact individual legislative price gouging triggers and remedies, a federal price gouging law would ensure that there are no gaps in protection for consumers," Huseman said. "This would also help retailers like Amazon more effectively prevent bad actors and ensure fair prices."

During the pandemic, Amazon, Walmart and other e-commerce companies struggled to curb third-party sellers who overcharged for products that spiked in demand. Sellers inflated prices for face masks, hazmat suits and hand sanitizer, among other products. For example, before Amazon ran out of stock, N95 face masks were priced at $13.28, but CNBC found examples of face masks being sold for as much as $195.

Huseman said Amazon has removed "well over half a million offers" believed to be gouging customers and suspended nearly 4,000 selling accounts in the U.S. for violating its fair-pricing policies. Amazon has also turned over to federal prosecutors and state attorneys general nationwide information on sellers it suspects engaged in coronavirus-related price gouging.

Huseman laid out several provisions he feels should be added to a federal price gouging law, including giving the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the power to go after price gouging, allowing for "more expeditious enforcement." He added that the pricing standards should take into account any unavoidable rises in supply, transportation and labor costs that businesses face during a crisis.

"Put simply, we want to avoid the $400 bottle of Purell for sale right after an emergency goes into effect, while not punishing unavoidable price increases that emergencies can cause, especially as supply chains are disrupted," Huseman said.

Previously, Amazon faced wide-ranging criticism for its failure to crack down on price gouging and products that made misleading claims about the coronavirus. Some third-party sellers exploited fears about the virus by incorrectly marketing face masks with specific keywords like "coronavirus face mask."

Amazon's call for regulation echoes similar recent calls from Facebook. In February, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said governments should create regulations for harmful online content instead of relying on social media companies to tackle the problem on their own
Turkey Central banks and UAE sign agreement worth almost $5 billion

Blinken: Western countries need unity to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine

Iranian President performs evening namaz in Kremlin after talks with Putin

Turkish police detain women protesting price hikes in hygiene products

Delegation headed by Chief of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff has meetings in Armenia

Merkel refuses job in UN structure

Greece receives the first batch of French Rafale fighters

NEWS.am daily digest: 19.01.22

Azerbaijan hopes Pope to mediate in relations with Armenia

Talks between presidents of Russia and Iran start in Kremlin

Armenian FM: This is not first time Baku makes nonconstructive statements

Ombudsman: I urge not to give in to Azerbaijani manipulations, to visit Artsakh

Armenian FM: Armenia passes a package of proposals to Azerbaijan

France names the main favorite of presidential election

Garo Paylan concludes address in Turkey parliament in Armenian

Russian Foreign Ministry believes there is no risk of large-scale war in Europe

Dollar goes up in Armenia

Sharmazanov: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan did not decide to hold press conference, he did not change his mind

Blinken: Russia has plans to increase force on Ukraine borders

:       

Azerbaijani military participate in Turkish drills

Taliban say all conditions for recognizing legitimacy of government are met

Azerbaijan MFA statement distorts events of Armenian massacres in Baku 32 years ago

Karabakh ombudsmans office: Azerbaijans anti-Armenian, genocidal policy has clear chronology

US official, Barzani are photographed against backdrop of Greater Armenia and Kurdistan map

Armenia ex-defense minister, army General Staff chief, some others criminal case court hearing kicks off

FM: Most important direction continues to be international recognition of Artsakh

Armenia revenue committee chief on opening of Turkey border: Shall we live with closed borders? In fear?

US selects Los Angeles to host Summit of the Americas in summer 2022

Karabakh Foreign Minister: Return of refugees can only be like mirror

Iranian president arrives on official visit to Moscow

All CSTO peacekeepers leaves Kazakhstan

Artsakh Foreign Minister: Unacceptable to bracket NKAO and NKR together

Karabakh FM: Format of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs' visits needs to be restored

Media: Air communication between Turkey and Armenia will start on February 2

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan attack on Karabakh will mean attack on Russia

Gold prices hardly change

American professor angers Erdogan's son-in-law

Hovhannes Khachatryan is elected Armenia Central Bank Deputy Governor

15 years pass since Hrant Dink assassination

563 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Guterres offers Merkel job at UN

Armenian church revamped in Iran

World oil prices going up

Newspaper: ECHR rulings increase after Armenia revolution in 2018

Newspaper: Armenia ex-President Sargsyan to give interview instead of press conference

Azerbaijan MFA falls into hysterical rage by France FM statement

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
Ellie Kemper returns as the "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" in an interactive special, "Kimmy vs. the Reverend," on Netflix. ( Netflix)

Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," which ended a four-season run on Netflix last year, in a trademark flurry of absurdity and good feeling, has fashioned itself a lovely origami crane of a coda. In the interactive episode  or, one might say, episodes  "Kimmy vs. the Reverend," the viewer is called upon to choose his own path, making crucial and less crucial and seemingly unimportant decisions that change the shape of the story. (You can also choose not to choose, in which case the show will do it for you.)

The dark sci-fi anthology series "Black Mirror," also on Netflix, produced a similar interactive episode at the end of 2018, "Bandersnatch," whose references were to the text-based, floppy-disk adventure games of the 1980s; it was itself a game one played with interest but not much feeling. Experiencing "Kimmy vs. the Reverend," by contrast, is a more emotional experience, very much a matter of helping out characters you know and care about, acting as their proxies, thinking like they think, doing what they'd do. That it deals out gags at its customary cartoon pace  stalling a little while a choice is to be made, also to fine comic effect  is also in its favor. Whatever you choose, something funny's coming.

Kimmy (Ellie Kemper), former kidnapped "mole woman"  whom we left as a super-successful author, with her own amusement park  is being fitted for a wedding dress in the company of friends Titus (Tituss Burgess), Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski) and Lillian (Carol Kane), four distinct voices that comprise a kind of Spike Jones chamber quartet. (The fancy dress or the fun one is the first choice you are asked to make.) We are here to put a cherry on top of what was already a fairy-tale ending: Kimmy is about to be married to Prince Frederick (Daniel Radcliffe), 12th in line to the British throne, whose own strangely sheltered life has left him as clueless about the world as Kimmy is. They are perfect for each other, in other words, and will spend much of the episode apart. (He will have significant scenes with Lillian, however.)

Story continues

Jane Krakowski, Tituss Burgess, Daniel Radcliffe and Carol Kane in "Kimmy vs. the Reverend," an interactive special on Netflix. (Netflix)

Here, the meta-reference is to a "choose your journey" paperback novel, "The Mystery of the Mysterious Spy," that Kimmy discovers in a pocket of Jan, her sentient talking backpack. The book, not being hers, makes her wonder if there are other kidnapped young women out there, and this sets her on a path to meet again the man who stole years of her life, Jon Hamm's still disturbing Rev. Dick Wayne. (It is very much a journey, taking her from New York to Indiana to West Virginia, with an increasingly hungry Titus in tow.)

Not surprisingly, that sympathy provides the "best" way through the story. If you choose the honorable path  for our four heroes are, on their own self-involved terms, honorable people  you will come to the perfect ending, of several possible. Sometimes the dishonorable choice will seem the more apt, or potentially fun, but whatever you decide, you will be eventually nudged back in line; inferior conclusions send you back to choose again. You can't go wrong, really.

The series, which included a different-future "Sliding Doors"-themed episode in its final season, adapts well to this engine, because its characters are often called upon to pick among competing options; and every one of them  even Titus, who feels put out by the necessity of responsible action, or any action at all  is defined by what he or she chooses. It's a moral show, about learning who you are and what you need. When you get to the endgame of this epilogue, and it really is Kimmy versus the Reverend, there is only one choice Kimmy would make, and it is of course the right one. It's a surprisingly powerful moment and satisfying somehow to feel that one helped her get there.
Over three lakh migrants have returned to Uttar Pradesh in 268 special trains so far, the highest in the country, a senior official said on Wednesday.

All migrants are medically screened and given food packets before being sent to home quarantine, Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Awanish Awasthi told reporters.

Of the total 3,26,040 migrants, the maximum of 44,574 returned to Gorakhpur in 43 trains followed by Lucknow (3,3894) in 29 trains, Jaunpur (18,358) in 15 trains, Prayagraj (17,162) in 14 trains, he said.

The special trains also ferried migrants to Bareilly, Pratapgarh, Gonda, Agra, Ballia, Raebareli, Varanasi, Agra and Kanpur.

Besides, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation has brought back over 72,000 migrants to the state, the additional chief secretary said.

He informed that 188 more special trains carrying migrants from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Goa and Tripura are likely to arrive in UP in the next few days.

At present, trains from other states are arriving in 45 railway stations in UP, he said.

Over four lakh labourers have been brought back systematically in the state, Awasthi added.

To strictly implement the coronavirus lockdown, police have checked 37,28,266 vehicles and seized 39,679 of them, he said, adding that Rs 17.64 crore fine has been realised.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Turning out mostly cloudy and not as cold. There might be a rain or snow shower late..

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Mostly cloudy with some rain and snow showers. Any rain will be early in the night.
Wamkele Mene was recently appointed Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. Because of the effects of COVID-19, free trading for countries that have ratified the agreement cannot begin on 1st July 2020, as was originally scheduled. In this interview with Africa Renewals Kingsley Ighobor, Mr. Mene explains the way forward, and how increased intra-African trade can help lift economies post-COVID-19. These are excerpts:

Describe the impact of COVID-19 on AfCFTA so far?

The African economy was set to grow at about 3.4 % in 2019 and projected to increase to 3.9% in 2020, but COVID-19 has had a very negative impact. We know that over 53% of Africas exports go to countries, particularly Europe, that are themselves suffering from the pandemic. That has had a subdued effect on our export markets. Our services sector is set to fall by between 20% and 30%, particularly travel and hospitality. We must find ways to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, but the primary focus for now is to save lives.

Given the current situation, any idea when free trading can begin?

We have recommended to the AU Assembly of Heads of State, which is the body with the authority to delay the trading date, that given the current public health crisis and the need for some technical work to be concluded, that we cannot meaningfully trade [under AfCFTA] on 1 July.

Does this mean free trading will not begin until the pandemic is defeated?

We are exploring other ways of continuing our technical work if the pandemic continues. Trade negotiations are very technical. We negotiate in four languages (English, French, Arabic and Portuguese). We must make provision for the different time zones in Africa. And there are requirements for confidentiality. All these have to be taken into account before we can continue the negotiations, if at all we are able to continue the negotiations on virtual platforms. We would like to resume our work as soon as the pandemic is contained. But if for whatever reason, the pandemic continues, which we hope it will not, we are exploring other ways of advancing our negotiations.

The pandemic could potentially decimate African economies. How will you regain momentum?

We have short and long-term tools. A short-term tool is that our Heads of State agreed to establish trade corridors to enable the transit of what the African Union Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) refers to as essential goods or germ-killing products such as soaps that are essential to combat the pandemic. These products get priority transit through the borders, particularly in landlocked countries. Second, the African ministers of trade are exploring the possibility of reducing duties on these essential products so that they become affordable and accessible to people. This is a temporary measure.

In the long-term, it is our view that accelerating Africa's industrial development is very important for reconfiguring our supply chains, establishing regional value chains and boosting the manufacturing of essential value-added products.

There is a review of our intellectual property rights; the extent to which our intellectual property regimes enable Africa to have a generic drug industry to ensure that we have access to affordable healthcare.

Finally, we are looking at the actual AfCFTA agreement. Many countries in Africa do not have the monetary policy space, the fiscal policy space to provide large bailouts in the trillions of dollars for economic recovery. Therefore, for Africa, the stimulus package is the actual AfCFTA, the implementation of this agreement. Increased intra-African trade is what will drive economic development post-COVID-19.

Free trade in Africa was expected to boost intra-African trade from 18% to about 50% within a given timeframe. Is your original timetable still valid?

We have an objective of reaching 50% intra-African trade between now and the year 2030. There is not much time remaining. Apart from COVID-19, reaching 50% intra-African trade, and hopefully above that, depends on our capacity to accelerate regional value chains and the manner and pace in which we implement the agreement.

Will COVID-19 encourage or discourage the more than 20 countries that have not ratified the AfCFTA from doing so?

We hope it encourages them to ratify the agreement. Governments need a stimulus package in a time of an unprecedented crisis as well as tools of trade such as this agreement to accelerate economic recovery. Countries that are outside of the agreement, of course, will not enjoy the benefits of liberalized trade. I think the countries that have not yet ratified are engaged in domestic consultations and processes. So, I would hope that they will look at it very, very positively. The AU Assembly of Heads of State encourages all countries to ratify the agreement.

Are there fears that the pandemic could lead some countries to adopt protectionist policies?

The AfCFTA makes provisions for countries to take temporary measures to protect or advance public health in times of crisis. Our job as the Secretariat will be to ensure that where there are measures in place that have created protectionism, and where they do not meet the necessity for public health, that those measures are removed. So, it will be our job to undertake that monitoring function. This has been the fastest ratified trade agreement in the African Union because countries recognize the importance of an integrated market as opposed to isolationism and autarky.

You have said that digital trade is the next big thing in Africa. Given that most trading in Africa is informal, mostly carried out by women, how does digital trade fit in?

Digital trade is possible by mobile phones that enable access to distant markets. Africa has one of the fastest-growing mobile phone penetration rates. It is a question of leveraging technological innovations that already exist for trading.

Secondly, even in countries where women traders are most active and contribute significantly to the economyI am thinking here of Kenya, Nigeria and other countries that have many neighboursthere are examples of women in informal trade who use mobile telephones for trading. So, we seek to establish the requisite regulatory environment, legal architecture, for example, for trade to be further harnessed. Also, we need to digitize our customs capabilities to make them seamless across the continent.

Are there any plans to capture the imagination and innovation of young people and bring them on board?

Young Africans and women traders must benefit from the implementation of this agreement, otherwise it will have failed. If it benefits only the big multinational corporations in Africa, it will have failed. We are going to create a platform for engaging young Africans and women in trade. We don't have all the answers. We know that if you go to Kigali, you will find young African software engineers at the forefront of innovation. We want to establish conducive regulatory frameworks within the context of the AfCFTA for young people to benefit from the agreement.

Do you encourage countries to sensitize young Africans many of whom may not be aware of AfCFTAs lofty goals?

It will be a joint effort between the Secretariat and the individual countries. We will perform advocacy and outreach functions. The Secretariat is only one month old. We take advocacy and awareness raising very seriously. We will engage each of the five regions of Africa. We will have regional outreach and advocacy programs. We will complement the efforts of national governments to raise awareness of the benefits of the agreement, the potential risks, because there are risks, and advise populationsyoung people, women in tradeon how to take advantage of this agreement.

Do you discourage countries from entering into bilateral trade agreements?

Under the agreement, countries can enter into agreements with third parties provided they give African countries similar or better treatment than they are giving to the third party. So, in terms of AfCFTA law, it is allowed. But as a political objective, it is obviously desirable that countries desist from doing so.

What's your idea of success?

In the short term, success is having an institution that functions smoothly. Building a Secretariat on behalf of 55 countries is not easy. Establishing a dispute settlement mechanism to signal to African investors that they should have confidence in the market. Operationalizing a credible dispute settlement mechanism will be a short-term success. In the long term, on industrial development, having value chains in priority sectors, critical areas such as agro-processing and automobiles would directly impact job creation and economic growth.

What is your message to potential investors and traders outside of Africa?

My message is that we have established an agreement for a single marketfrom Egypt to South Africa, from Senegal to Djiboutiof 1.2 billion people with a combined GDP of over $2.5 trillion; we have a young African population and a growing middle class whose purchasing power is increasing. Investors will be able to do business on a single set of trade and investment rules across the African continent. Investors will achieve economies of scale and overcome the challenges of market fragmentation.

What is your message to Africans across the continent and in the diaspora?

I think that since the end of colonialism, Africa has not had such a big opportunity as we do now. I think all Africans see this, including myself, of course, as an opportunity to turn a new page on Africa's economic development, on Africa's growth trajectory.

We want to succeed for Africa. It is not going to happen overnight but I think Africa is moving rapidly toward an integrated market. I want to tell the doubting Thomases that we will implement the agreement. This will be a shining example of how a trade agreement is negotiated in that it takes on board the segments of society that have been left behind before. We are determined to ensure that the biggest and the smallest countries benefit from this agreement.

For more information on COVID-19, visit www.un.org/coronavirus

Africa Renewal
No yeast? Heres the easy way to start a sourdough starter from a baking expert
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 13 accused Iran of using its resources to "foment terror" even as its people suffer through one of the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreaks.

The top U.S. diplomat arrived in Jerusalem earlier on May 13 for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other members of Israels new government on Irans activities in the Middle East, the conflict in Syria, the COVID-19 pandemic, and other issues.

Before heading into closed-door talks with the Israeli leader, Pompeo, on his first trip abroad in nearly two months amid the COVID-19 pandemic, did not address Israeli plans to annex Jewish settlements and other territory in the occupied West Bank, but he did offer a fresh condemnation of Iran.

"Even during this pandemic, the Iranians are using the ayatollah regime's resources to foment terror across the world, even when the people of Iran are struggling so mightily," Pompeo said ahead of talks with Netanyahu.

"It tells you a lot about the soul of those people who lead that country," he added.

Pompeo also held talks with Netanyahus new coalition partner, Benny Gantz. The discussions focused on ways to strengthen U.S.-Israeli coordination in the fight against the coronavirus and our continued line of efforts to counter Iran's dangerous activity in the region and around the world," the secretary of state tweeted.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have heightened since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, especially after he pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed crippling sanctions on the Islamic republic.

Pompeo wore a red, white, and blue face mask as he descended from his plane in Tel Aviv.

However, both he and Netanyahu were without masks when they met at the prime minister's office.

Netanyahu said that Pompeo's one-day visit was "a testament to the strength of our alliance."

He also praised Washington's continuing pressure on Iran, a country he claimed was persisting with its "aggressive designs and its aggressive actions against Americans, Israelis, and everyone else in the region."

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa
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New Delhi: After trains, domestic and international flights are now set to begin. Flights may resume after the Lockdown 3 ends on May 17. A meeting regarding this was held with the states. The DGCA had on Sunday inspected the Delhi airport to review the preparations.

FlightA meeting of several departments, including the Civil Aviation Department, was held on Monday. The Department of Civil Aviation wants flight services to be started in the same way as trains. But the states have not started their public system.

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Preparations are being made to start the airline only after making solid arrangements so that such a situation does not arise during the flights.

The draft of the rules to be followed by the passengers after the opening of the airport has been prepared by the Airports Authority of India which has been sent to all the airports.

FlightSocial distance rules will have to be followed in all areas of the airport. Everyone has to wear a mask. Only those who do not have corona symptoms will be allowed to go. Airports will initially operate at only 30 per cent capacity. If you have to sit, you have to leave one seat so that the distance of one and a half meters remains.

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All arriving and departing passengers will be screened. Doctors and paramedical staff will be arranged at each airport in case a suspected corona patient comes.

PhotoThere are no plans to open a spa and massage center after the airport opens. Some restaurants will only open after security checks, but social distances will also have to be taken into account.

Screening will be done at the airport as well as during boarding. Efforts will be made to promote online boarding passes. All travelers must have the Aarogya Setu app in their phone.
The presidency has released the statement below as the official bio-data of Ibrahim Gambari.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Gambari, 75, assumed office as President Muhammadu Buharis Chief of Staff on Wednesday.

Mr Gambari replaces Abba Kyari, who died from coronavirus complications last month.

Read the profile below.

Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, CFR, OCORT, a scholar-diplomat, is the Founder/Chairman of the Board of Directors of Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, a non-governmental think-tank on research, policy studies, advocacy and training on the nexus between conflict prevention and resolution, democratisation and development in Africa.

He has had an illustrious career, spanning academia, government and international diplomacy, culminating with his appointment as the first United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005). He was the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid (1990-1994) and on Peace-Keeping Operations (19901999). He was Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (2005-2007) and also operated as UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and Special Representative in Angola.

Earlier, he was Minister of External Affairs (1984-1985) and subsequently Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (1990-1999). Professor Gambari also served as Joint AU/UN Special Representative in Darfur and Head of UNAMID (2010-2012). He is currently a Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

Professor Gambari attended the Provincial (now Government) Secondary School, Ilorin before proceeding to the Floreat Collegium Kings College, Lagos. He received his BSc (Econs) degree from the London School of Economics (1968) and his MA and PhD in Political Science/International Relations (1970, 1974) from Columbia University, USA. He has taught at universities in the United States, Nigeria and Singapore and has to his credit the authorship of a number of books.

He has received several academic and national honours, including the Commander of Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR), and the Order of the Champion of the Oliver R. Tambo (OCORT) of South Africa. He is the Pioneer Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Ilorin, Nigeria, as well as the current Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano (BUK). He is married with children and grandchildren.
A community church in Newbridge has donated 200 'care packs' to healthcare workers in Naas Hospital.

The Open Arms Church, which has a membership of about 1,000 people, was established in the year 2000 in Newbridge and has gone from strength to strength.

With the onset of Covid 19 the Church had to close its physical doors temporarily and instead went online in small groups and met using Zoom technology.

During those meetings it was proposed that the Church should do something practical to support local Nurses working on the Frontline.

The Church came up with the idea of making care packs for Nurses containing items like lip balms, hand sanitizer, shower gels, bottled water and snacks.



The Church team then got to work and contacted businesses, sold T shirts and raised funds online and to date over 1,000 care packs have been delivered to nurses throughout County Kildare and Dublin.



A spokesperson said: "It has been humbling and a privilege to see the response from nurses as they received the packs.

"200 packs went directly to Naas General Hospital and several packs went to nursing homes all over the county.

"Open Arms Church is grateful to the business community throughout County Kildare who supported us so well.

"See our Facebook page "OA Frontline services support group" for photos of all goods donated to the Church, deliveries of the packs and even a celebratory Tik Tok dance!

"We would also like to thank Lillian from the Great Wok takeaway in Naas who partnered with the Church and delivered food to Nursing homes in the Naas area.

"A fantastic collaboration on support of the Frontline nurses."
By 11 May, when lockdown restrictions were eased in France, about 4.4% of the French population had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, a new modeling study suggests. These estimates are well short of what would be required for herd immunity, say the authors. Understanding the level of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 will be key to avoiding a rebound in the epidemic as populations around the world ease lockdowns. Serostudies - which detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients' blood - are important to informing questions of immunity, but growing evidence suggests that many people, especially those who are asymptomatic, take a while to seroconvert. During this time, researchers seeking to understand virus immunity need to rely on indirect measures, including data on hospitalizations and deaths. France has been heavily affected by the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic and went into lockdown on March 17, 2020. Following the expected reduction in cases, the French government announced it would ease restrictions on 11 May. To better understand the underlying level of population immunity and infection at this time, Henrik Salje and colleagues studied de-identified hospital records of COVID-19 patients from all hospitals in France, along with surveillance data from these hospitals and from the Diamond Princess cruise ship. About 3.6% of infected individuals in France were hospitalized and 0.7% of those infected died, they say, with 10.1% of infected people over 80 dying. Across all ages, the authors report, men were more likely to be hospitalized than women. Applying their data to national models of disease transmission, Salje et al. estimate the lockdown in France resulted in a 78% reduction in transmission. By 11 May, when restrictions were eased in France, 4.4% of the population was likely infected, though infection rates were closer to 10% in two French regions most affected. However, because around 65% of the population would need to be immune for the epidemic to be controlled by immunity alone, population immunity appears insufficient to avoid a second wave, say the authors. Efficient control measures need to be maintained. The authors note their model projections can support healthcare planning of the French government by forecasting hospital bed capacity requirements.

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2008 Bombardier/Challenger 605 1999 Cessna Citation Bravo 1994 Cessna Citation Jet 1980 Beechcraft B55 Baron 1978 Cessna 421C 1977 Beechcraft King Air 100 2016 Beechcraft King Air 350i 1981 Dassault Falcon 50 1997 Cessna Citation Jet 1998 Cessna 182 Skylane Amphibian 1980 Cessna 421C 1988 Cessna Citation II 1982 Fairchild Merlin IIIC

"Like many businesses globally, we have had to pivot our business model due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as a result we are hosting the world's first and largest live virtual luxury aircraft auction. We have found that bidders still want to bid, and sellers still want to sell, so we are adding a virtual component to our capabilities while providing an exceptional experience for our clients and partners with the same level of expertise and service that they would receive at an in-person auction house event. The $18.9MM auction lineup will make for an exciting auction," said Jake Banglesdorf, Vice President of Assent Aeronautics. "With the digital research tools from our valuable partnerships, our attendees will have immediate and streamlined access to the data they need to make educated bidding decisions."

Powered by Controller.com and Hi-Bid, along with strategic partner Conklin & de Decker, a JSSI Company, Assent Aeronautics ensures that this first-of-its-kind auction will provide buyers with transparent knowledge and pricing power that they have never before had in the market.

For more information on the auction, to register to bid, or to view the inventory, visit: www.assentauctions.com.

About Assent Aeronautics

Assent Aeronautics is a family owned company, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Assent Aeronautics' distinct business units include luxury aircraft auctions, aircraft transaction advisory consulting, aircraft management and aircraft maintenance. Able to trace the company's heritage back to a private family flight department established in the 1940s, Assent Aeronautics has a proved track record of success. After numerous requests from companies and individuals to manage their aircraft, Assent Aeronautics was founded to help aircraft owners and operators maximize dispatch reliability and safely while saving money through more efficient expense forecasting and full-time expert technical supervision. For more information, visit assentaero.com.

SOURCE Assent Aeronautics

Related Links

http://assentaero.com


By Joseph White and Ben Klayman

DETROIT, May 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. factories that make Fords, Chevys and Jeeps are coming back to life this week as workers install new safety equipment and wake up machines ahead of the high-stakes restart the Detroit automakers plan to launch on Monday.

Ford Motor Co, General Motors Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV all plan to reopen North American factories on May 18. The reopening of the U.S. auto sector will be a closely watched test of whether workers across a range of industries can return to factories in large numbers without a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. How well the automakers do will be significant for the U.S. economy, as nearly 1 million workers are employed in the sector.

Executives at Ford and GM said separately this week the companies have not recorded any cases of COVID-19 transmission in plants outside the United States since adopting new safety protocols. Those procedures include mandatory face masks, separation of workers on assembly lines, frequent cleaning of work areas and requirements that workers pass through temperature monitors and report any symptoms before entering a plant.

The Detroit Three have taken unprecedented steps to share information about coronavirus safety practices and develop a common set of workplace standards for their restarts, working with the United Auto Workers union, executives said.

"We thought it was critical that we did it together," Ford manufacturing and labor chief Gary Johnson told Reuters. "We've never done this as an industry."

The Detroit automakers will restart U.S. plants without regular testing of workers, because they do not have access to sufficient testing capacity, executives and UAW officials said. They will test workers who report COVID-19 symptoms or have fevers discovered by temperature scanners installed at factory entrances.

"We have to continue to push for this testing," United Auto Workers union Vice President Cindy Estrada told Reuters on Wednesday. "Unless we have testing weekly to keep sick people out of the plant there is always a risk."

Story continues

Adopting new safety practices is just part of the work the companies must do to reopen after an extraordinary shutdown that has lasted two months.

WAVE ZERO

At Ford, workers going in to ready factories are part of what Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley calls "wave zero." The work of wave zero employees "is really important for success of the startup," he said in an interview.

The machinery used to build cars and trucks - welding robots, stamping presses, painting equipment, computer controlled metal cutting machines - is designed to be run almost constantly. Restarting requires more than throwing some circuit breakers.

Lubricants used in engine machining systems must be checked. Fluid tanks in paint shops have to be filtered for bacteria and other contaminants.

Aluminum that was sitting in plants waiting to be turned into exterior panels for the company's best-selling F-series trucks has to be formed into parts within a certain period of time, Ford's Johnson said.

During the shutdown, some Ford workers went into the automaker's Dearborn, Michigan, pickup plant to build aluminum parts and apply protective coatings so the metal did not have to be scrapped. Some aluminum doors were then trucked out to the homes of quality inspectors who tore them apart in their garages to check that adhesives had not failed, Johnson said.

Ford has had finished vehicles sitting in lots and at rail heads for two months, which means the batteries could be dead. "We can now ping the vehicle and get a reading back - has the battery drained?" Johnson said.

Along assembly lines, UAW skilled trades workers at Fiat Chrysler's Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio, worked during the shutdown to install shields to separate workers who would otherwise get too close.

At one point on the line, one worker is supposed to install a windshield washer fluid bottle while another installs fuses. Now, those workers are separated by an orange plastic sheet that descends from a hanger installed over the vehicle, said UAW Local 12 President Bruce Baumhower, whose local represents about 6,000 hourly workers.

"Our UAW skilled trades guys have worked through this entire shutdown developing those kinds of systems, those kinds of brackets and tooling," he said.

The automakers are learning daily from their operations in China, which are weeks ahead of the United States and Europe in terms of reopening. As the weather has gotten warmer, Chinese workers are getting hot under their masks and want more breaks, Farley said.

"We've found lots of hacks," he said. "People are putting lavender oil in the masks."

(Reporting by Joseph White and Ben Klayman in Detroit Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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San Francisco, 13 May 2020: The Report Natural Oil Polyols Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Soy Oil, Castor Oil, Palm Oil, Canola Oil, Sunflower Oil, Others), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, CSA, MEA) And Segment Forecasts, 2016 - 2024

The global natural oil polyols (NOP) market is expected to reach USD 11.30 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing demand for environment-friendly polymers on account of volatile prices of conventional plastics/polymers is expected to drive global NOP market.

Regulatory support in the form of financial incentives from European Commission for the adoption of environment-friendly polymers is estimated to augment market growth. The growing use of NOP for metallic & plastic coatings and door foams & headliners in the transportation industry coupled with its increasing acceptance for cushioning in footwear, and for concrete & wood coatings in the construction sector is also projected to drive the NOP market growth over the forecast period.

Access Research Report of Natural Oil Polyols Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/natural-oil-polyols-nop-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:

Global natural oil polyols market demand was 1.89 million tons in 2015 and is expected to reach 3.57 million tons by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2016 to 2024

Soy oil polyols emerged as the leading product segment and accounted for 36.2% of total market volume in 2015. The ease of processing and abundant availability of raw materials on account of increasing soy acreage particularly in the U.S. and Brazil is expected to drive this segment over the forecast period.

Castor oil polyols and palm oil polyols are expected to witness above average growth rates over the forecast period. Increasing demand for high purity NOP at lower prices coupled with advancements in extraction technologies is expected to lead to the development of castor & palm oil-based polyols.

North America was the leading regional market and accounted for 44.4% of global demand in 2015. The growing demand for bio-based polyurethane coupled with the availability of key raw materials such as soy in the U.S. is expected to drive the regional market.

Asia Pacific is projected to witness the highest growth of 7.7% from 2016 to 2024. Increasing infrastructure spending in China and India coupled with the abundant availability of raw materials such as palm oil and castor oil in South East Asian countries is expected to have a positive influence on the regional market growth.

Some leading companies operating in the global natural oil polyols market include BASF SE, The Dow Chemical Company, Cargill Inc, Huntsman Corporation, Jayant Agro Organics Ltd, BioBased Technologies LLC, Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc., Stepan Company, IFS Chemicals Group, Bayer MaterialScience, and Emery Oleochemicals.

Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/renewable-energy

Grand View Research has segmented the natural oil polyols market on the basis of product and region:

Global Natural Oil Polyols (NOP) Product Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024)

Soy Oil Polyols

Castor Oil Polyols

Palm Oil Polyols

Canola Oil Polyols

Sunflower Oil Polyols

Others

Global Natural Oil Polyols (NOP) Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Central & South America

Middle East and Africa

Access Press Release of Natural Oil Polyols Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-natural-oil-polyols-nop-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For More Information:www.grandviewresearch.com
The Victorian Labor government has taken a swipe at its federal Liberal counterparts over their dealings with China in the COVID-19 crisis, blaming inelegant interventions for this week's loss of trade in barley and meat.

Treasurer Tim Pallas backed pursuit of an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus on Wednesday but warned that the "vilification" of China would be "dangerous, damaging and irresponsible".

Tim Pallas says the government has no intention of ending Belt and Road links with China. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Fronting the inquiry by Parliament's public accounts and estimates committee into the states response to the COVID-19 crisis, Mr Pallas said Victoria had no intention of pausing its infrastructure agreement with China under the controversial Belt-and-Road initiative.

Mr Pallas was quizzed about the decision to open up a $24 billion line of credit to fund extra spending required by the emergency.
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
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
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The legislation will provide a one-year extension for financial advisers who are required to complete the FASEA (Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority) exam by the end of 2020.

Kewin stated: The AFA reminds the Senate that at this stage, fewer than 30% of current advisers have passed the exam, leaving 70% who would be forced to cease providing financial advice if they cannot pass the exam by the end of this year.

This leaves the hundreds of thousands of clients of these financial advisers exposed, the same clients who are now increasingly reliant upon their adviser for support and guidance.

The CEO pointed to how the coronavirus crisis has affected financial advisers seeking certainty on the extension. With Parliament closed, the necessary debate in the Senate has been delayed while face-to-face exams are cancelled because of the pandemic.

According to Kewin, the financial advice community had previously received confirmation that there was bipartisan support for the exam extension legislation but that this backing has now been withdrawn and the ALP wants to include an unrelated amendment that will most likely prevent it being addressed in the Senate this week.

Meanwhile the AFA official described the legislations passing as a simple request from a sector that is essential particularly during this challenging time.

Kewin declared: We request that the Senate take action to pass this Bill this week and avoid jeopardising the future and wellbeing of the financial advice profession, and their clients.
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released early Wednesday morning from the central Pennsylvania prison where he had been serving a seven-year sentence for tax fraud and conspiracy stemming from the Mueller investigation into the Trump campaign. Manaforts lawyers submitted a request last month for the 71-year-old to be moved from the minimum-security Loretto Federal Correctional Institution and allowed to serve out his sentence under home confinement because his age and health history put him at risk during the coronavirus pandemic.* Manaforts lawyers say he suffers from a host of preexisting conditions, including high blood pressure, liver disease, and respiratory problems. Since his sentencing in March 2019, Manafort has been hospitalized for a cardiac event in December, and contracted influenza and bronchitis in February, before the coronavirus outbreak. Its unclear if Manafort would be required to return to prison when the outbreak subsides.

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The move comes as part of a larger effort by the Department of Justice to reduce the prison population to combat the spread of the coronavirus by allowing people to serve out their sentences at home. The bar for early release, however, has been a moving target, as the DOJ continually updated the eligibility requirements. The result is that far fewer federal prisoners than ones in the state system have been released early. The latest DOJ guidance says it is prioritizing vulnerable inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes who have either served more than half of their term or have less than 18 months remaining on their sentence. Manafort fits neither of those criteria and was set to remain behind bars until November 2024.
New York  A new study from the University of Rochester and Cornell University shows social distancing is working to slow the spread of coronavirus  but wont stop it.

WHEC reports researchers at the two Upstate New York colleges released results this week showing that social distancing reduced the rate at which confirmed COVID-19 cases doubled in all but three U.S. states. Research began in mid-March, before non-essential business were closed and stay-at-home orders were issued in most states.

There was a significant reduction in the spread of the disease. The bad news is it doesnt help as much as you would hope, Aaron Wagner, who led the research at Cornell, told WHAM.

According to their findings, the number of COVID-19 cases doubled every three days before social distancing practices began. But when people started staying at home and staying at least six feet apart when out in public, the rate slowed down dramatically, doubling every 100 days.

However, the doubling rate stopped improving at that point, hitting a plateau.

Worse yet, the numbers never started going down  every infected person would still infect one person at a rate of transmission, or Rt, of 1. In other words, the virus continues spreading as the number of people getting sick is equal to the number of people recovering.

Youd hope that number would go down, Wagner said. But thats not what we found.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in Syracuse two weeks ago that regions couldnt start reopening unless it had a transmission rate below 1.1. He said this week that at least three regions can begin phase one of the states restart plan, after slowing the rate of infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

Elaine Hill at the University of Rochester told WHAM that the slow, regional re-openings may help refine their research to see which social distancing policies are more effective and which may be unnecessary. For example, their initial findings did not account for newer safety measures like wearing masks in public and increased testing.

These are blunt tools that we have, she said. We may be able to do better.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Coronavirus in NY: New deaths rise, but stay below 200 for a 2nd day

Syracuse site sees tremendous demand on first day of asymptomatic testing

Wear a mask? Even with 20,000 dead from coronavirus, some New Yorkers dont

Someday restaurants in CNY will reopen. What will that look like?
Senior High/Techical Vocational and and Special Schools in the Western North Region are being fumigated and disinfected against bedbugs, bacteria and viruses to free their environment for safe living.



The Ghana Education Services (G.E.S) has engaged Zoomlion Ghana Limited to provide fumigation and disinfection services to all senior high secondary, technical, vocational and special schools (public and private) in Ghana.



Today marked the turn of the Western North to benefit from the service as programmed by Zoomlion.



The schools that are being fumigated are, Bibiani Secondary/Technical, Queens Girls' Secondary, Chirano Secondary, Sefwi Wiaso Sec/Tech, Sefwi Wiaso Senior High, St. Joseph Senior High, Asanwinso Senior High and many more.



The Headmaster of Bibiani Secondary/Technical School, Mr. Stephen Kojo Dandey who spoke with media men expressed gratitude to the Ghana Education Service, the Minister and Ministry of Education and the government for the onerous support of fumigation and disinfection to the schools in Ghana.



He was optimistic that when the Coronavirus pandemic melows down the students and the teachers will all enjoy a conducive environment in the schools.



Mr. Dandey appealed to the authorities of G.E.S to sustain the kind gesture to reduce the financial pressure on the schools.



He was happy that he himself and the other staff monitored the exercise and the Zoomlion workers have done a fantastic job and urged them to keep it up.

Source: Peacefmonline









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

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China-linked hacker group Naikon APT has been found to target government agencies in Vietnam and neighboring countries. Photo by Envato Elements/Rawpixel.

A ransomware attack targeting government systems in Vietnam and several neighboring countries has been discovered by an Israeli cybersecurity firm.

Check Point Research said in a report last Thursday the cyber espionage operation has been going on under the radar for years and is connected to Naikon Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) group, which cybersecurity firms like Kaspersky, ThreatConnect and Defense Group exposed in 2015 as having links to China.

The group's goal is to gather geo-political intelligence from government entities in Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, and the Philippines. Its specific targets are ministries of foreign affairs and science and technology besides government-owned companies.

For instance, the group disguised one of its attacks as an email sent from a government embassy in Asia Pacific to the Australian government. Inside the malicious email was a file called "The Indians Way.doc" containing the backdoor Trojan, Aria-body.

Check Point said the Trojan can "not only locate and collect specific documents from infected computers and networks in government departments, but also extract data from removable drives, take screenshots and log keys, and of course harvest the stolen data for espionage."

Vietnam cybersecurity company VSEC said Naikon still uses the popular attack method of sending a decoy email with a malicious file. When the victim opens the email, the computer automatically installs the malware, helping hackers collect information, steal sensitive documents and attack other computers in the same system and elsewhere.

Naikon also turns victims' malware-infected devices and servers into a C2 server to launch new attacks targeting other government agencies.

Truong Duc Luong, a VSEC cybersecurity expert, said Naikon's return represents new threats to cybersecurity since it has likely silently studied and developed new, sophisticated and more dangerous attacks during the last five years when it was absent.

In the past hacker group APT30 also used malicious software to access computers "containing important political, economic and military intelligence" in Asia, mainly Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and India. The espionage campaign lasted 10 years before being discovered by security company FireEye in 2015.

The Department of Information Security said in the first four months of this year it recorded a total of 1,056 cyberattacks on Vietnam, a 51.4 percent year-on-year drop.
A son who has raised 26,000 for Pieta House since his father died by suicide less than a fortnight ago has appealed to farmers to be mindful of their mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Father of four Paddy McCarthy of Ballinadee, Co Cork died on May 1.

His son Thomas (24) said that there were no warning signs leading up to the suicide of his beloved father who was aged just 59.

Thomas had to made the lonely journey back from Whistler north of Vancouver in Canada for the funeral mass for his late father. 23 hours and three flights later he arrived back in the family home near Kinsale to reunite with his mother and siblings.

Four days ago Thomas and the family set up a Go Fund me page in memory of Paddy with the response exceeding their wildest hopes. He said his dad had a passion for the farm and for music.

"He loved Bruce Springsteen. He loved music. He loved dancing. He just loved life. That is why it is such a shock. He really loved the farm. You think 'how could he leave behind something he loved so much.' It is surreal."

Thomas has urged farmers to be conscious of their mental health during the Covid-19 crisis.

"It is such an isolating job anyway. They might have the mart once a week or some social event once a week. Now they don't have that it might make them feel even more lonely. It is important that they go speak to someone or talk to someone.

"The ones who don't speak or talk they are the ones who do it (suicide). You think 'how could I not have seen it? How could I not have done anything? But sure there is no way you could have known."

The McCarthy family got up for the Pieta House Darkness in to Light event and walked down to the local church and back in memory of Paddy.

Thomas said that the Covid-19 restrictions which curtailed the size of the funeral added to their grief. Whilst they understand the need for such measure funerals are "surreal" in the current environment.

"The funeral was very different. There was only 10 of us in the crematorium. Because of social distancing people couldn't really come over to the house or come to the church.

"But we are very lucky that we have a great support system with great family and neighbours and friends and cousins we are close to. Not being able to see them adds another layer along with everything else."

Thomas has asked the public to continue to donate to Pieta House in this challenging time.

"Thursday night we were outside on the patio and having a drink and when it went to 10,000 we said 'Cheers' to Dad. I know how good they are. We are delighted with all the donations."

Mr McCarthy is survived by his wife Ann and his children Anna, Thomas, Rachel and Niall. Donations can be made here.

The Mind Our Farm Families is a dedicated suicide and self-harm phone line 1890 130 022 between IFA and Pieta House. The phone line for IFA members will put farmers and their families in direct contact with a Pieta House trained therapist.

The high rate of suicide, particularly among men in rural areas, is the driving force behind IFAs involvement in setting up this dedicated service.

Last year West Cork farmer Tommy Moyles urged farmers who are feeling under strain to reach out to others to discuss feelings of depression and isolation in what at times can be a difficult livelihood.

Mr Moyles, who operates a beef farm in Ardfield, Clonakilty, Co Cork said that it was vital for farmers show solidarity with each other.

"I would say (to farmers) that they should keep the heads up and talk to people. One of the challenges of farming is that you are dealing with uncontrollables.

"Weather, plants, animals and markets. It is important for people to keep talking to people."
For Trump, defeat is never legitimate. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In what sure sounds like a rehearsal for contesting an election loss in November, President Trump is squawking loudly about (undocumented) voter fraud in advance of a May 12 special congressional election in California. In part hes just following up on his recent (evidence-free) tirades about voting by mail  Californias increasingly predominant method of voting in recent years  being somehow inherently fraudulent and/or unfair to Republicans. Even as Trump rages, political scientists have been touting massive evidence that on average voting by mail benefits the GOP in some states and overall has no net effect on partisan turnout.

Its hard to avoid the impression that Trump simply wants to undermine confidence in any election Democrats might win. Thats particularly true in the run-up to the special election in Californias 25th Congressional District, where the presidents complaints are contradictory, as Dean Obeidallah points out:

Last month, President Donald Trump told us that voting by mail is rife with fraud, tweeting, Mail in ballots substantially increases the risk of crime and VOTER FRAUD! But then on Saturday, Trump slammed efforts to make in-person voting easier in advance of Tuesdays special election for Californias 25th congressional district as a SCAM!, demanding that These votes must not count.

Does Trump support any type of voting? After all, if you rule out in person and by mail, whats left?

Like in most states that have been moving toward universal voting by mail, theres a backup in-person voting system for voters in areas with poor mail delivery or who have requested but not received ballots. (In California, the rising majority of voters registering to vote by mail are automatically sent ballots as long as they keep voting, a procedure Governor Gavin Newsom temporarily expanded to include all registered voters in this pandemic-haunted cycle.) There arent remotely as many polling places as in an old-school Election Day system, obviously, but county election boards typically open them up if local officials make a case they need then. In Californias 25th District, the Republican mayor of the majority-minority town of Lancaster requested the addition of a polling place and got it, triggering a Trump temper tantrum:

So in California, the Democrats, who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots, and succeeded, have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State. They are trying to steal another election. Its all rigged out there. These votes must not count. SCAM!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2020

In-person voting centers were earlier set up in Republican-leaning Ventura County, which didnt seem to bother the president. Generally, California consistently errs on the side of expanding, not contracting, voting opportunities, which is precisely what upsets Trump and his allies: Making it easy to vote just isnt fair!

There is one partisan difference in Californians voting behavior that we may hear more about when the returns from the 25th District come in: The younger and minority voters who tend to vote Democratic typically send in mail ballots later than the older white voters who lean Republican. Since mail ballots are counted in order of receipt, with many meeting the Election Day postmark requirement but arriving days later, Republicans tend to do better in Election Night returns in California than in the final results. In 2018 House Republican leaders found something sinister in the fact that several candidates in Orange County who led in early returns later (predictably) lost. So if, as is likely, GOP candidate Mike Garcia leads Democrat Christy Smith in early returns in the 25th District, you can expect Republicans from Trump on down to claim victory and scream to high heaven if the lead doesnt hold up.

Garcia may win anyway. Hillary Clinton narrowly won Californias 25th District in 2016, and Democrat Katie Hill won easily in 2018 over incumbent Republican Steve Knight before resigning last fall in the wake of a messy sex scandal. Garcias Latino identity is helpful (the district is nearly one-third Latino), and his attacks on Smiths support for state legislation aimed at making employers give gig workers benefits (which wound up affecting a broader swath of independent contractors than intended) seems to be gaining traction. Going into the special election, registered Republicans have returned more mail ballots than Democrats  though again, that could change at the last minute. Certainly a Garcia win would be hyped to high heaven by win-starved Republicans, although Smith could easily take the seat back in a higher-turnout November regular election.

But all the before-the-fact shrieking by Trump is a very bad sign of how he might approach his own reelection bid in November, by claiming the election is rigged in advance in order to rile up his base and delegitimize any possible adverse results in advance. Its actually what he did in 2016 even in victory, claiming he was robbed of a national popular vote win by millions of illegal votes in  you guessed it  California. Its a heads-we-win, tails-you-lose kind of proposition, in which there is only one legitimate outcome: MAGA!
Now here's an interesting GDPR complaint: Is Google illegally tracking Android users in Europe via a unique, device-assigned advertising ID?

First, what is the Android advertising ID? Per Google's description to developers building apps for its smartphone platform it's -- [emphasis added by us]

The advertising ID is a unique, user-resettable ID for advertising, provided by Google Play services. It gives users better controls and provides developers with a simple, standard system to continue to monetize their apps. It enables users to reset their identifier or opt out of personalized ads (formerly known as interest-based ads) within Google Play apps.

Not so fast, says noyb -- a European not-for-profit privacy advocacy group that campaigns to get regulators to enforce existing rules around how people's data can be used -- the problem with offering a tracking ID that can only be reset is that there's no way for an Android user to not be tracked.

Simply put, resetting a tracker is not the same thing as being able to not be tracked at all.

noyb has now filed a formal complaint against Google under Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), accusing it of tracking Android users via the ad ID without legally valid consent.

As we've said many, many, many times before, GDPR applies a particular standard if you're relying on consent -- as Google appears to be here, since Android users are asked to consent to its terms on device set up, yet must agree to a resettable but not disable-able advertising ID.

Yet, under the EU data protection framework, for consent to be legally valid it must be informed, purpose limited and freely given.

Freely given means there must be a choice (which must also be free).

Thus the question arises, if an Android user can't say no to an ad ID tracker -- they can merely keep resetting it (with no user control over any previously gathered data) -- where's their free choice to not be tracked by Google?

Story continues

In essence, you buy a new Android phone, but by adding a tracking ID they ship you a tracking device, said Stefano Rossetti, privacy lawyer at noyb.eu, in a statement on the complaint.

noyb's contention is that Google's 'choice' is "between tracking or more tracking" -- which isn't, therefore, a genuine choice to not be tracked at all.

"Google claims that users can control the processing of their data, but when put to the test Android does not allow deleting the tracking ID," it writes. "It only allows users to generate a new tracking ID to replace the existing one. This neither deletes the data that was collected before, nor stops tracking going forward."

It is grotesque," continued Rossetti. "Google claims that if you want them to stop tracking you, you have to agree to new tracking. It is like cancelling a contract only under the condition that you sign a new one. Google's system seems to structurally deny the exercise of users' rights."

We reached out to Google for comment on noyb's complaint. At the time of writing the company had not responded but we'll update this report if it provides any remarks.

The tech giant is under active GDPR investigation related to a number of other issues -- including its location tracking of users; and its use of personal data for online advertising.

The latest formal complaint over its Android ad ID has been lodged with Austria's data protection authority on behalf of an Austrian citizen. (GDPR contains provisions that allow for third parties to file complaints on behalf of individuals.)

noyb says the complaint is partially based on a recent report by the Norwegian Consumer Council -- which analyzed how popular apps are rampantly sharing user data with the behavioral ad industry.

In terms of process, it notes that the Austrian DPA may involve other European data watchdogs in the case.

This is under a 'one-stop-shop' mechanism in the GDPR whereby interested watchdogs liaise on cross-border investigations, with one typically taking a lead investigator role (likely to be the Irish Data Protection Commission in any complaint against Google).

Under Europe's GDPR, data regulators have major penalty powers -- with fines that can scale as high as 4% of global annual turnover, which in Google's case could amount to up to 5BN. And the ability to order data processing is suspended or stopped. (An outcome that would likely be far more expensive to a tech giant like Google.)

However there has been a dearth of major fines since the regulation began being applied, almost two years ago (exception: France's data watchdog hit Google with a $57M fine last year). So pressure is continuing to pile up over enforcement -- especially on Ireland's Data Protection Commission which handles many cross-border complaints but has yet to issue any decisions in a raft of cross-border cases involving a number of tech giants.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aviation Week Network , serving the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries, today announces the rollout of a month-long interactive, digital content program focused on business aviation in Europe, launching on May 26. The program was created in conjunction with the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) in light of the current COVID-19 crisis, which has forced the cancellation of EBACE, originally scheduled to take place May 26-28 in Geneva, Switzerland.



Led by ShowNews Editor-in-Chief John Morris, along with contributions from industry experts including Business & Commercial Aviation (BCA) Editor-In-Chief William Garvey; Graham Warwick, Managing Editor, Technology, Aviation Week Network; Guy Norris, Senior Editor, Aviation Week Network; Molly McMillin, Editor-in-Chief, The Weekly of Business Aviation; Angus Batey, contributor, Aviation Week Network; and Fred George, Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor, Aviation Week Network, the program will deliver an in-depth special report launching the week of May 25, providing a deep-dive into the post COVID-19 outlook, with content that includes:

Survey results with more than 130 responses from business aviation CEOs across Europe on the impact of the crisis

Key technologies that could reshape the industry, supported by EBAA Insights on Europes vital role in the industrys future

A webinar entitled European Business Aviation  Strategies for Recovery, which will be hosted by Morris on May 27 at 10 a.m. EDT/ 4 p.m. CEST. Click here to register .

The cancellation of EBACE makes it even more imperative to keep the European business aviation community informed on the current and upcoming regulatory and policy updates surrounding the safe re-opening of air travel and specific health and safety measures, to the humanitarian and advocacy support for the medical missions and the front-line heroes, said EBAA Secretary-General Athar Husain Khan.

Aviation Week Network is a long-established partner to the business aviation community, connecting through virtual events with its on-going webinar series, as well as intelligence, marketing services, fleet, data and forecasting tools. Its commitment to the business aviation community is to provide situational awareness to its customers to help them navigate beyond the crisis, understand how the industry is responding, and what the future holds.

Business aviation is forecast by many to lead the recovery of air transportation after the crisis, and it may indeed bounce back robustly. Our special report will help prepare the industry with valuable news on markets, new products and services, and strategies that may be helpful in the coming months, said ShowNews Editor-in-Chief, John Morris.

If your company has news to share for the European Business Aviation Special Report, send your news before May 21 to John Morris, Editor-in-Chief, ShowNews at +1 860-316-8650 or John.morris@aviationweek.com .



For more information about sponsorships, contact Elizabeth Zlitni, Director of Sales, Business Aviation at +1 (913) 967 1348 or Elizabeth.zlitni@aviationweek.com.

ABOUT AVIATION WEEK NETWORK

Aviation Week Network is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace, and defense industries, serving 1.7 million professionals around the world. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week Network to help them understand the market, make decisions, predict trends, and connect with people and business opportunities. Customers include the world's leading aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, airlines, airports, business aviation operators, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this worldwide marketplace. Aviation Week Networks portfolio delivers award-winning journalism, data, intelligence and analytical resources, world-class tradeshows and conferences, and results-driven marketing services and advertising.



Aviation Week Network is part of Informa Markets, a division of Informa PLC.

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Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio is comprised of more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the worlds leading exhibitions organiser, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com .

ABOUT EBAA

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is the leading organisation for operators of business aircraft in Europe. Our mission is to enable responsible, sustainable growth for business aviation, enhance connectivity and create opportunities. EBAA works to improve safety standards and share knowledge, to further positive regulation and to ease all aspects of closely tailored, flexible, point to point air transportation for individuals, governments, businesses and local communities in the most time-efficient way possible. Founded in 1977 and based in Brussels, EBAA represents +700 members companies, corporate operators, commercial operators, manufacturers, airports, fixed-based operators, and more, with a total fleet of +1,000 aircraft. Follow EBAA on Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook , or visit our website on www.ebaa.org .

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Aviation Week Network

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A container ship is docked at Maher Terminals in Elizabeth, N.J., on May 11, 2020. (Mark Lennihan/AP Photo)

Worlds Largest Shipping Company Expects 25 Percent Drop in Container Demand

COPENHAGENThe worlds biggest shipping company, Denmarks A.P. Moller-Maersk, said Wednesday that it expects its transport volumes to drop by up to 25 percent in the second quarter as the world economy slides toward recession.

As global demand continues to be significantly affected, we expect volumes in the second quarter to decrease across all businesses, possibly by as much as 20 percent  25 percent, Chief Executive Soren Skou said in a statement.

Skou said that the group was strongly positioned to weather the storm but that the COVID-19 crisis had a significant impact on its activities.

The group said its full-year outlook contained high uncertainties, and the global container demand is expected to contract in 2020 due to COVID-19. It previously was for growth of 1-3 percent.

The shipping group presented its first-quarter results, which showed revenue edged down to $9.6 billion from $9.5 billion for the same period last year. It booked a profit of $209 million, up from a loss of $656 million.

Maersk said it had cancelled more than 90 sailings, or 3.5 percent of total shipping capacity in the first quarter to deal with the slowdown in trade and keep freight rates from falling. It expects to cancel some 140 sailings in the April to June period.

The group reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at $1.52 billion, slightly above company guidance provided in March when it suspended full-year guidance due to uncertainty caused by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Illinois had its deadliest day yet from the coronavirus, with state officials reporting 192 deaths on Wednesday.

The second highest single-day death toll was reported on May 5 with 176 deaths.

Data shows that Wednesday also marked the state's 16th day with more than 100 deaths from the virus.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the death toll in the state is now at 3,792. The department also reported an additional 1,677 new cases, bringing the states total to 84,698.

In the United States, confirmed cases of the virus have surpassed 1.4 million and at least 84,934 people have died.

Illinois had its deadliest day yet from the coronavirus, with state officials reporting 192 deaths on Wednesday. Illinois National Guard members return a body tray to be sanitized on the loading dock at the Cook County Medical Examiner's storage center on May 5

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the death toll in the state is now at 3,792. The department also reported an additional 1,677 new cases, bringing the states total to 84,698. A healthcare workers is seen handing out testing information in Chicago on May 6

Earlier this week, Gov J.B. Pritzker maintained that his stay-at-home order and social-distancing practices have slowed the spread of the disease, saving the health care infrastructure from being overwhelmed with a peak in cases at first pegged for late April.

The peak now won't come until next month, making it easier to provide care for fewer people who become sick at the same time.

He remained optimistic that by the May 30 end of his current stay-at-home order, much of the state will be able to move into the third phase of his five-stage reopening plan, which allows for manufacturing to start up, offices and hair salons to open with limits on capacity, and some small gatherings.

It's not fast enough for some, the latest being mayors of border cities who are concerned that neighboring states are opening sooner.

'I understand that people may cross over the border,' Pritzker said.

Earlier this week, Gov J.B. Pritzker (pictured) maintained that his stay-at-home order and social-distancing practices have slowed the spread of the disease, saving the health care infrastructure from being overwhelmed with a peak in cases at first pegged for late April

Healthcare workers are seen working at a drive-through COVID-19 testing site in Chicago on May 6

'But I think they should take into account the ... spread of the virus and their ability to carry that virus back over the border, and they come back, bringing it to their family and their community.'

Pritzker also called on lawmakers  who have been kept from the Capitol by coronavirus restrictions since early March  to act 'expeditiously' to put together a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 and compile aid packages for those struggling financially.

'It's a common concern for us to make sure that we're addressing the needs of families and small businesses,' Pritzker said.

'And I would just add that the size of the package will be significantly dependent upon whether or not we are able to get relief from the federal government for the lost revenues.'

Already hounded by tens of billions of dollars in overdue bills and pension obligations, the pandemic stripped Illinois of sales and income tax and other expected revenue, causing a projected deficit of $7billion in the next two years, Pritzker said last month.

But he stopped short of saying he would call the legislature into special session, preferring instead to encourage legislative leaders to call their members to Springfield.

In the US, confirmed cases have surpassed 1.4 million and at least 84,934 people have died

Democrats who control the House and Senate have been conducting business in 'working groups' to craft a budget and handle other key issues.

The state public health director, Dr Ngoze Ezike, acknowledged skepticism about the numbers.

Some people are claiming they're inflated, some that they're under-reported.

She said the Illinois Department of Public Health is attributing deaths to the coronavirus only when a laboratory test is positive.

Deaths from COVID-19 before the pandemic spread were likely under-reported, Ezike said.

IDPH has been careful to separate cases where a person tested positive for COVID-19 but the cause of death was unrelated, she said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel revealed that she is the target of an outrageous cyber espionage campaign carried out by Russia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel revealed that Russia-linked threat actors were targeting her in an outrageous cyberespionage campaign.

I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this, she told parliament.

The news is not surprising, in several occasions, the German intelligence blamed Russia-APT groups of spying on lawmakers or leading politicians.

Germanys intelligence service has repeatedly called out attempts by Russian hackers to spy on lawmakers or leading politicians.

According to the German news agency the Bild, the Merkels computer was one of the first systems to be infected with the malware used by the hackers to target other members of the Parliament in 2015 the Bundestag hack.

The attackers used Merkels PC to target other German politicians by sending malicious messages.

Merkel confirmed that investigation conducted on the 2015 incident allowed to identify the suspect.

Unfortunately the conclusion I have reached is that this is not new, she said, noting that cyber-disorientation, the distortion of facts were all part of Russias strategy.

Obviously this doesnt make it easier to foster a better relationship with Moscow, she said, calling such spying tactics more than uncomfortable.

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  Merkel, hacking)
In recent weeks, the White House and its allies have aimed much of their rhetorical fire at China. What started as repeated praise for Chinese President Xi Jinping by President Donald Trump has morphed into blame - most of all for Beijing's supposed obfuscations about the initial spread of the coronavirus.

"What happened should never, ever have happened," Trump said on the South Lawn last week. "China should have informed us that they had a problem." This talking point even made its way into Trump's fundraising copy. "China has been lying and doing everything they can to cover up the spread of Covid-19 in their country," read a recent Trump campaign email. "It's absolutely disgraceful and we can't stand by and do nothing."

Meanwhile, denialism has been a centerpiece of Trump's pandemic response since the arrival of the coronavirus in the United States. In March, he suggested he would prefer potentially exposed (and overwhelmingly American) cruise ship passengers not disembark in the United States because "I like the numbers being where they are" - and their arrival on shore would have increased the totals meaningfully. That tendency held even after cases ticked up, with the Daily Beast reporting Wednesday, "The White House has pressed the CDC, in particular, to work with states to change how they count coronavirus deaths and report them back to the federal government, according to two officials with knowledge of those conversations." These are the hallmarks of an administration that would rather not know the facts and would prefer not to share those it cannot help but learn.

The reality remains ugly and terrifying. In the past few days, at least two White House staffers tested positive for the virus, three members of the federal response team placed themselves in self-quarantine or partial isolation, and the number of U.S. fatalities topped 80,000. But it's hard to forget the blustering dismissals ("Coronavirus is very much under control in the U.S.A.") and dubious statistical handwaving ("The risk is very, very low") that have accompanied its spread - not least of all because they keep coming.

The irony here should be obvious: Even as the president and his pals criticize China for its clear lack of transparency and honesty about the virus, several figures inside the administration and outside are engaged in the exact same game. For months, the American public has been told not to believe the severity of the risks around us. The strategy from the White House and the president's supporting cast on the right has been to deny, distort, deflect and obstruct the real picture. That this is entirely in keeping with what they accuse China of doing seems to escape them.

The latest twist in this saga centers on the coronavirus death toll, which, having sprouted from dozens to tens of thousands in just two months, has become a target of right-wing attacks. According to many of the president's enablers, the death we see isn't the death we think it is. Echoing a conspiracy theory about the CDC's statistics, former Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka wrote on his "America First" blog last week, "Not only does this prove that the Chinese virus is not nearly as deadly as originally believed, but it also most likely confirms that many of the deaths previously attributed to the Coronavirus were actually caused by other underlying factors . . . "

In a prime time segment with fellow death toll skeptic Brit Hume, Fox News host Tucker Carlson also cast doubt, suggesting: "There may be reasons people seek an inaccurate death count. When journalists work with numbers, there sometimes is an agenda." And in one model released by the White House Council of Economic Advisers last week, coronavirus deaths were forecast to drop to zero by the middle of May.

These efforts to understate and confuse are having an impact. A recent Axios/Ipsos poll found 40 percent of Republicans surveyed think that the coronavirus death count is overreported, 17 points higher than the average. Meanwhile, public health experts repeatedly contend that the true lethality of the pandemic is actually much higher than what's being reported. In testimony delivered from isolation to the Senate on Tuesday, Anthony Fauci explained, "Most of us feel that the number of deaths are most likely higher." (Notably, the panel's chair, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., presided over the hearing from quarantine after one of his staff members was confirmed positive for the coronavirus.)

Simply put, statistical prevarication may have fatal consequences - much as the administration rhetoric warned it did when China was supposedly perpetrating it. As communities move to reopen for business, local officials and armed protesters demand life return to normal, and individuals begin to resist social-distancing mandates, the cumulative effect of downplaying the pandemic is likely to cause more damage. On Tuesday, Fauci also warned of "suffering and death that could be avoided," along with "really serious" consequences, should the country move to ease restrictions too soon and without the proper infrastructure in place. Among those to discount his testimony were noted nonexperts on infectious diseases Laura Ingraham and Ben Shapiro.

Americans aren't just trying to live through a viral catastrophe or gauntlet of unforced errors. They also are battling a dangerous suppression of data and truth from the highest levels in a manner reminiscent of an authoritarian state. As the damage intensifies for communities, front-line and factory workers, the economy and the most vulnerable people, it's tempting to point the finger elsewhere. But if we're actually going to preserve the health of Americans, we need to recognize some of our worst problems start at home.

- - -

Chandler is a New York-based writer and the author of "Drive-Thru Dreams," a book about the fast-food industry.
Schools will no longer have to give students an A to E grading for each subject in this year's mid-term reports, with federal Education Minister Dan Tehan waiving the controversial rule because of the huge disruption caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Principals and teachers welcomed the decision, saying grading students would be difficult when most have spent a significant proportion of the school year doing lessons at home.

All Australian schools are required to write bi-annual reports with an A to E grading for each subject, a condition of Commonwealth funding that has long been contentious. But Mr Tehan wrote to education authorities this week to grant them an exception for first semester.

School reports to go ahead, without controversial grading system. Credit:Tanya Macheda

School sectors could "choose ... to report on student progress and achievement largely as usual, but without the usual requirement to report on an or equivalent five point scale for each subject studied," Mr Tehan wrote.
Nigerias tally of confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 4,787 as 146 new infections were announced Monday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

It is the lowest in the last seven days when the country on May 6 recorded 148 cases.

Nigeria also recorded additional six deaths on Tuesday, NCDC reported.

The agency in a late evening tweet said the new cases were reported from 20 states.

They are 57-Lagos, 27-Kano, 10-Kwara, 9-Edo, 8-Bauchi, 7-Yobe, 4-Kebbi, 4-Oyo, 3-Katsina, 3-Niger, 2-Plateau, 2-Borno, 2-Sokoto, 2-Benue, 1-Gombe, 1-Enugu, 1-Ebonyi, 1-Ogun, 1-FCT, 1-Rivers.

The number of infections in the country has been increasing at a rapid rate.

So far, no new state has reported a case. Cases have been reported in 34 states and the FCT. Only Kogi and Cross River States are yet to report any case.

Till date, 4787 cases have been confirmed, 959 cases have been discharged and 158 deaths have been recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

READ ALSO:

While Lagos State remains the epicentre for the disease in the country, cases in Kano and Borno States have continued to increase significantly.

Breakdown

A breakdown of all the confirmed cases so far shows that 4, 787 infections have been reported in Nigeria since the index case in February. Of that number, 3,670 cases are still active, 959 have recovered and have been discharged, and 158 deaths have been reported.

A breakdown of the 4, 787 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 1,990 cases, followed by Kano  693, FCT  360, Katsina  208,Borno  188, Bauchi  190, Ogun  127, Gombe  119, Jigawa  118, Kaduna  111, Sokoto  108, Edo  88, Zamfara  73.Oyo  69, Osun  39, Kwara  44, Nasarawa  25, Kebbi  28, Rivers  23, Delta  17, Plateau  21,Adamawa  21,Akwa Ibom  17, Taraba  15, Ondo  16, Yobe  20, Ekiti  15, Enugu  11,Ebonyi  8, Niger  6, Bayelsa  6, Benue  3, Imo  4, Abia  2, Anambra  1.

Based on global trajectory, cases of the virus in Nigeria will keep increasing as Nigeria is yet to get to the peak of the outbreak. The country is currently witnessing community transmission and as such the government has announced mandatory precautions including wearing of face masks in public and social distancing.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, during the Presidential Taskforce briefing on Tuesday pleaded with Nigerians for their support and understanding, especially in complying with the advisories and guidelines issued.

He also urged the state governments to align their actions and enforcement with the guidelines provided.

He said the virus does not respect boundaries, neither does it respect status as such all State Governments are therefore urged to strengthen their monitoring and enforcement machineries in collaboration with the security agencies.

I wish to use this medium to once again underscore the imperative of collective survival because the lack of compliance by any person or group of persons poses a threat to all of us, he said.
When Michelle Brocks grandmother passed away in early April, it wasnt due to COVID-19 complications. But the global pandemic kept her family from filling her hospital room with loving presence the way they longed to.

I wasnt able to travel back to Florida to where my grandparents live, and it was a really hard time knowing that even my grandpa couldnt be there, Brock said.

This desire to prevent anyone else from feeling alone in their final moments prompted Brock to join a COVID-19 hackathon hosted by FaithTech, a platform focused on bridging the gap between faith and technology.

Though Brock is a graphic designer and documentary filmmaker who doesnt consider herself tech-savvy, the hackathon connected her with a team whose skills complemented hers. Together, they dreamed up a solution to the predicament Brock and so many others had encountered during the pandemic.

The result of their teamwork was Sound of Your Love, a service that collects voice recordings from friends and family that can be played with a single tap, which is easier than accessing voicemail or arranging FaceTime calls.

Even if you get to the point in your illness where youre too weak to hold a screen up or have a conversation, we still wanted there to be a really easy way for people to leave a message, Brock explained.

With Sound of Your Love, friends and family can dial in and leave a voice message that will be looped into a soundtrack of love. Its interface makes it simple for caretakers or medical professionals to hit play one time rather than navigate individual recordings or calls from loved ones.

While its a simple solution, it represents just one way that Christians are combining compassion and technological know-how to address the unique challenges brought on by the coronavirus. Rather than using business acumen to fatten their own wallets in the midst of the crisisas currently some titans of industry are doinga few Christians are instead thinking like entrepreneurs to provide services to others at little or no cost.

Beyond the hackathon, which generated a dozen winners and 55 projects to connect neighbors, the elderly, health care workers, pastors, and volunteers, Christians are starting grassroots projects to meet needs from a distance.

Christian author and speaker Jefferson Bethke, who has half a million followers on Facebook, created a public spreadsheet at the beginning of the pandemic to connect followers in need with financial gifts from strangers.

The project ended up helping over 700 people and drew in fellow leaders to get involved with creating a new platform. Now Bethkein partnership with activist Christine Caine, author Ann Voskamp, photographer Esther Havens, and entrepreneur Jessica Kimhas evolved the initiative into Show Up Now, a website, app, and social campaign that encourages peer-to-peer generosity just like the original spreadsheet did, but with an added layer of prayer and outreach. Since launching, the Show Up Now website has fielded 1,157 requests for financial help and a few hundred requests for prayer.

A lot of times in pandemic or crisis moments, the world operates out of scarcity, Bethke said. But Christians are meant to operate out of abundance.

The movement taps into a wider trend of people using peer-to-peer fundraising to get their needs met in this moment of economic distress. Popular crowdfunding site GoFundMe is in more demand now than its ever been in its 10-year history, with coronavirus-related campaigns on the site raising over $60 million at the end of March. Though it offers an imperfect answer to complex problems, crowdfunding remains a popular option for people who need help immediately and cant wait for more systemic solutions to emerge.

In addition to a financial component, Show Up Now encourages other forms of practical action by partnering with Ianacare (which stands for I Am Not Alone Care, but is pronounced like eye on a care), an app developed by Kim and her business partner Steven Lee. Originally launched last summer as a way to support family caregivers, Ianacare is designed to rally a social network to help check in emotionally, send gift cards or meals, volunteer to get groceries, provide pet care, and more.

The pandemic has made this mission feel all the more pressing, Kim said. In addition to the surge of medical needs around the virus, those offering care for non-coronavirus illnesses are still doing so. Ianacare has tailored some of its options for caring without contact responses.

COVID-19 has increased the demand for care at home, because we cannot go into the hospital, she said. A lot of organizations and nonprofits are no longer operating. So people who are caregiving need help, but their resources have become even more limited. Thats where friends and family need to really show up. Because we are the only option right now for people who are caregiving.

Float Me Through is another platform connecting people who have pandemic-induced financial needs with those willing to give a little spare cash.

Put together by a team at Useful Group, a marketing and advertising agency that frequently works with Christian publishers, Float Me Through was born from a small coalition of people wanting to do more to help those around them. According to chief creative officer Nick Rynerson, the agency was lucky to escape the financial hardships hitting many other small businesses. And though the company took on some pro bono work for nonprofits addressing the crisis, Rynerson and his coworkers wanted to do more.

We almost immediately started thinking, What can we do that would actually be helpful to other people? Rynerson said.

Though the government and nonprofits have provided some avenues for financial relief, Rynerson loved the idea of a no-strings-attached form of giving that would be more immediate and personal. His first thought was like Bethkes: create a simple Google form where people with needs could ask for help and people who wanted to help could sign up to donate. It soon evolved into a slightly more sophisticated website where people could enter their needs in dollar amounts, with the option to add comments, and they would be matched in the back end with someone willing to help.

We just wanted to make it so that if people needed help, they could get help without red tape, he said. And if somebody wanted to help another person but didnt know where to start or everybody in their network was doing okay, it would be a place where they could jump in and help people.

For now, the site is limited to Illinois residents to keep the initiative local and encourage neighbors caring for neighbors. But if theres enough interest from other locations, the Useful Group team could create sister sites that accomplish the same function in other places, Rynerson said. Hes not invested in whether the project lasts a few weeks or a few yearshe just hopes it facilitates generosity in new ways.

A lot of people who have resources arent super used to direct giving, he explained. If this spurs them to help people they know outside the platform better and then they never use the platform again, great.

These sites and apps might look like straightforward tech solutions to coronavirus-created problems. But theyre all driven more by a desire to connect people to one another than they are by a propensity for slick bells and whistles.

And the faith and empathy driving the people who created them provide useful insight for church leaders or anyone looking for creative ways to serve their communities in a time of crisis.

From Bethkes perspective, the key is collaboration. He highlights his experience working with a team to come up with creative solutions as more meaningful than what he might have done on his own. Brock believes Christians have a unique call to be a non-anxious presence in the context of a world fighting panic. And Kim thinks getting as close as possible to the person youre trying to serve is the best way to make sure any solutions you offer actually address the most pressing pain.

Though no person will balance all of this perfectly, Rynerson believes that Christians have been prepared for moments just like this one to serve and love a hurting world.

As a faith community, both liberal and conservative, weve been talking about these things for 2,000 yearswhat it means to love your neighbor and to sacrifice for them, he said. I think the church can be champions of the call to love each other and to love our communities in this unique time.
West Bank: demonstrator killed in clashes with soldiers Israel army says soldiers were attacked with explosives

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MAY 13 - A Palestinian adolescent was killed on Tuesday night in al-Fawar (near Hebron in the West Bank) during clashes with Israeli soldiers who were engaged in a raid, said Palestinian news agency Wafa.



It said the young man - Zaid Fadel Qaysia - was 15 years old and was hit by a bullet to the head.



Military sources confirmed that clashes took place in al-Fawar.



"During an operation conducted last night in the al-Fawar refugee camp for the capture of suspects, violent riots broke out during which terrorists launched rocks, large stones, incendiary bottles and explosives at soldiers. In addition, firearm shots were heard," said the Israeli military spokesman in a statement.



"Our soldiers used dispersion methods on the demonstrators as well as firearms. One soldier was injured by the rocks but not in a serious way," the spokesman said.



He added that the army later learned of the death of a Palestinian and the injury of four others.



On Tuesday, an Israeli soldier was killed in another incident in the West Bank.(ANSAmed).




By Trend





Despite a number of political disagreements between Ankara and Paris, the economic relations between Turkey and France have been always steadily developing, at least such a situation was observed before the coronavirus pandemic.

But as is known, the difficult epidemiological situation that arose in the world primarily negatively affected the trade and economic relations of most countries.

This trend also affected the cooperation between Turkey and France.

To understand the scope of impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economic relations of the two countries, it is necessary, first of all, to pay attention to the indicators of the trade turnover.

As of the first quarter of 2020, the trade turnover between Turkey and France decreased by $243.4 million compared to the same period of last year, amounting to $995.01 million.

Turkeys export to France amounted to $463.7 million while import from France - $531.3 million in March 2020.

Moreover, there is also a sharp decrease in the volume of a number of goods which are exported from Turkey to France.

For example, over four months of 2020, export of steel from Turkey to France decreased by 17.26 percent compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $47.4 million.

In April 2020, the export of steel from Turkey to France decreased by 8.60 percent compared to the indicator for April 2019 and amounted to $15.1 million.

The value of export of goods from Turkey to France is as follows:

Goods April 2020 Difference in percent (April 2019) From January through April 2020 Difference in percent (From Jan. through Apr. 2019) Amount Amount Cement $6.5 million -29.55 percent $40.8 million +7.33 percent Iron and metals $18.2 million -44.51 percent $109.9 million -15.84 percent Leather Products $1.2 million -74.48 percent $13.4 million -23.99 percent Electrical goods $26.2 million -66.09 percent $187.4 million -29.35 percent Yachts $41.6 million -99.91 percent $3.7 million -91.90 percent Carpets $673.4 million -49.61 percent $5.1 million -24.80 percent Ready-made clothes $21.04 million -69.64 percent $216.05 million -24.44 percent Chemicals $27.9 million -39.69 percent $120.5 million -8.25 percent Furniture $5.8 million -34.47 percent $33.4 million -1.79 percent Cars $47.7 million -82.24 percent $790.2 million -27.91 percent
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has filed a case against the county of its headquarters Alameda, California  after local health authorities prevented him from restarting operations at the electric car makers manufacturing plant in Fremont last Friday, May 8.

The lawsuit states that Alameda County, where Tesla is based, unconstitutionally forced businesses to shut down by threatening them with fines and other penalties, even after these businesses have been deemed essential by the federal government.

The lawsuit also argues that Teslas facilities in San Joaquin  a county that lies just to the east of Alameda  hasnt implemented such restrictions, despite the two counties having markedly similar COVID-19 statistics.

Im not messing around. Absurd & medically irrational behavior in violation of constitutional civil liberties, moreover by *unelected* county officials with no accountability, needs to stop, Musk said in a Twitter post, with an accompanying copy of the lawsuit.

twitter.com/elonmusk

Prior to Alameda Countys actions, Musk had already announced the reopening of the Fremont plant to his employees via email.

Unfortunately for him, Dr. Erica Pan, the interim public health office for Alameda County, announced that the factory where they made the infamous Cybertruck prototype did not have the go signal to resume business in a public meeting that Friday.

The following morning, Musk announced his plans to move the company in a tweet using his personal Twitter account.

Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant Interim Health Officer of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense! the Tesla CEO added, most likely referring to Dr. Pan.

twitter.com/elonmusk

Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen (sic) on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA. went Musks rant on Twitter.

Story continues

Despite Alameda Countys decisions, Lily Mei, the mayor of Fremont, expressed her support of Tesla restarting operations as long as they implemented certain precautions against COVID-19 infection.

Also after Musks tweets, Neetu Balrum, a public information manager for Alameda County, said in a news segment that theyve been in contact with the Tesla CEO and are now working on a strategy to reopen the automotive manufacturing plant.

Photos from Elon Musk's Twitter account

Also read:

Tesla Easter Eggs: The Missing Link Between Flatulence and Romance

Tesla Cyberquad ATV to Go on Sale Alongside Cybertruck
Photo: Unsplash

You can leave your umbrella at home for today, but light rainfall is in the forecast for Miami starting on Thursday, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone. Saturday's forecast shows the highest chance of rain at 95 percent, while the most rainfall is predicted on Friday at 0.85 inches.

The next few days will also bring warm temperatures, due to stick around through Tuesday. The weather will bring a high temperature of 91 degrees on Saturday, then equal that on Tuesday.

Skies will be cloudy today and mostly cloudy on Tuesday. Winds will reach a modest high of 17 mph today but will get calmer beginning on Sunday.

This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
By Akbar Mammadov

Armenian local media has recently revealed that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans grandfather collaborated with Nazis during the WW2.

On May 9, PM Pashinyan shared a photo of his grandfather, Nikol Pashinyan on Facebook noting that he fought for the homeland during the Great Patriotic War. "Nikol Pashinyan, 1913-1943. He served in the 554th Infantry Regiment of the 138th Infantry Division," the PM minister wrote.

Shortly after Pashinyans post, the Armenian media published material about Nikol Pahinyan (grandfather), revealing that he fought in the ranks of Nazis against the Soviet Union.

The material in question was late Pashinyans German registration document.

It is shown in the document that Nikol Pashinyan (grandfather), born on December 23, 1913 in the Yenokavan village of the Armenian SSR, cooperated with Nazis and was killed. As the initial burial location, Zviakhel (Ukraine) is shown in the document.

Collaborated with the enemy, died," the Armenian website wrote, with reference to Pashinyan.

"It is also supplemented by information that he is the only Nikol Pashinyan in the village", the report reads.

Armenian PM's link to Nazi collaborator is not surprising given this country's track record to glorify Nazism and fascism.

Armenias current authorities have refused to demolish Armenian Nazi collaborator Garegin Nzhdehs monument erected in Yerevan in 2016. Nzhdeh collaborated with the Third Reich and was involved in Holocaust, based on documented evidence.

Garegin Nzhdeh was also former general of the Dashnak army that was responsible for massacring hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis and Jews in Azerbaijan back in 1918.

In 2016, the former Armenian authorities unveiled a monument to Garegin Nzhdeh as the hero of the national liberation movement in the center of Yerevan, opposite one of the government buildings. In addition, a street and a metro station are named in honor of Nzhdeh in Armenian capital. Armenians also have built memorial and tombstones to honor their most famous Nazi activist Garegin Nzhdeh.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Ukrainian parliament failed the appeal on the occasion of the end of the war and this is an assessment of the failed foreign policy of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform - For Life Party and MP Viktor Medvedchuk said this to reporters of 112 Ukraine TV channel.

You know, on March 1, our Opposition Platform - For Life faction has proposed a draft resolution on celebration and honoring the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, combatants, and all veterans, I emphasize, the veterans of Great Patriotic War. It has not been put on the agenda. It is symbolic that today the last issue that Verkhovna Rada voted for, is the issue of the resolution of the appeal to the parliaments of other states honoring the end of World War II, which was miserably failed. We voted against it. We believe that such decrees divide our society. These are incorrect political assessments of historical events. Historical events should be presented in the light of how it happened, he said.

This is why even half of the Servant of the People faction, did not support this resolution, which states that Russia is an aggressor and that the only course is the NATO course, stating also that today Kyiv government, Servant of the People authorities are trying to implement this in foreign policy. That is, the non-voting and failure of this resolution is an assessment of Ukraines foreign policy. Because it was proposed by the Committee on Foreign Policy with a list of all these declarations, slogans about the direction Ukraine should move. And the MPs of the Verkhovna Rada, who did not vote despite the mono-majority, demonstrated their attitude to this foreign policy, the politician summed up.

Earlier, Verkhovna Rada failed to vote for the appeal to the parliaments of other states in honor of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The MPs in the appeal urged to honor the memory of all the fighters against Nazism and the victims of Nazism who deceased during the Second World War and bow to all those who restored peace and gave the world the right to develop democratic and free societies.
Former Sinn Fein TD for Louth Gerry Adams says he has welcomed this mornings judgement by the Supreme Court in London which ruled that he was unlawfully interned in 1973 and that consequently two convictions - in March 1975 and April 1975 - for two attempted escapes from internment in December 1973 and July 1974 are quashed.

Mr. Adams added that he has now called on the British government to identify and inform other internees whose internment may also have been unlawful.

He said: "I want to thank my legal team Seamus Collins, PJ McGrory & Co Solicitors, Sean Doran SC and Donal Sayers for their diligence in pursuing this case over the last decade.

"I also want to commend and thank the Pat Finucane Centre which in October 2009 uncovered communications from July 1974. The then Director of Public Prosecutions had provided a memorandum to the British Attorney General that 'I (and other detainees) held under orders which have not been signed by the Secretary of State himself may be unlawfully detained.' This was prior to the institution of proceedings against me in March 1975 in respect of the December 1973 incident.

"Subsequently, I understand that on 17 July 1974 this issue was discussed by the British Attorney General with the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson, so the knowledge of my unlawful detention was known at the most senior level of the British system.

"Of course internment, later described as detention by the British, was never lawful. In fact it set aside the normal principles of law and was based on a blunt and brutal piece of coercive legislation.

"I have no regrets about my imprisonment except for the time I was separated from my family. However, we were not on our own. It is believed that around two thousand men and women were interned during its four and a half years of operation.

"I consider my time in the Prison Ship Maidstone, in Belfast prison and in Long Kesh to have been in the company of many remarkable, resilient and inspiring people.

"Internment like all coercive measures failed.

"There is an onus on the British government to identify and inform other internees whose Internment may also have been unlawful."
State regulators on Tuesday told insurance companies they have to cut premiums for motorists and other types of policy holders retroactive for two months and refund the difference, thanks to the lower risk of traffic accidents or other kinds of payouts amid the restrictions and economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The move by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance essentially mandates what the industry began doing voluntarily last month, when Allstate announced that it would cut auto insurance premiums and provide refunds to policy holders. They were quickly joined by competitors.

The bulletin New Jersey issued to the industry applies to premiums paid since March 9, when Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, and directs to provide premium refunds or similar forms of relief to policyholders.

A letter to insurers from Banking and Insurance Commissioner Marlene Caride said empty roads, vacant workplaces and other areas less prone to claims, have caused the projected loss exposures of many insurance policies to become overstated or misclassified.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

This is especially true for policies where premiums are based partly on measures of risk such as number of miles driven, revenue, and payrolls, which have all been reduced significantly as a result of COVID-19, Carides letter states.

In an announcement of the mandate, Caride acknowledged that insurers had already began taking similar steps voluntarily, but that the mandate sought to benefit all policy holders appropriately.

While various insurers have provided premium reductions to their policyholders, this action provides consistent direction to the insurance industry for the period the public health emergency is in effect, Caride stated. I appreciate the industry adhering to the directives issued by the department to assist residents and businesses during this extraordinary time.

Under the mandate, insurers must make an initial premium refund or other adjustment to all policyholders whose premiums had not been commensurate with real risk levels, no later than June 15, and that the reduced rates should remain in effect as long as the state of emergency lasts.

The rate cut and refund applies to policies including: private and commercial automobile insurance; workers compensation insurance; commercial liability and medical malpractice insurance; any other coverage whose risk has become overstated due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky.
(Newser)  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a new coronavirus relief package Tuesdaybut Republicans say it will never pass the Senate. The $3 trillion "Heroes Act" includes around $1 trillion for state, local, and tribal governments, as well as a second round of direct payments to Americans of up to $6,000 per household, a $175 billion housing assistance fund for people struggling to pay rents or mortgages, and an extension of the $600-per-week boost to unemployment benefits, the Washington Post reports. The 1,815-page bill also includes $200 billion in "hazard pay" for frontline workers, another $75 billion for coronavirus testing, and $25 billion for the US Postal Service. The House is expected to vote on the bill Friday. More

"Not acting is the most expensive course." "We must think big for the people now because if we dont it will cost more in lives and livelihood later," Pelosi said Tuesday "Not acting is the most expensive course," she said. "We are presenting a plan to do what is necessary to deal with the corona crisis and make sure we can get the country back to work and school safely." Progressive caucus members, however, complained that the bill doesn't go far enough, Politico reports.

story continues below

Republican rejection . Republicans argued that it could be too soon for another round of coronavirus relief, and they wouldn't support this bill in any case, the AP reports. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described it as collection of pet priorities that doesn't deal with "reality." "What Nancy Pelosi is proposing will never pass the Senate," said GOP Sen. John Barasso.

. Republicans argued that it could be too soon for another round of coronavirus relief, and they wouldn't support this bill in any case, the AP reports. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described it as collection of pet priorities that doesn't deal with "reality." "What Nancy Pelosi is proposing will never pass the Senate," said GOP Sen. John Barasso. Schumer invokes Hoover . Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likened McConnell, President Trump, and other Democrats to Herbert Hoover in the early days of the Great Depression. "What is it going to take for Mitch McConnell to wake up and see the American people need help, and they need it now?" the Democrat said. Earlier this week, McConnell said they had "not yet felt the urgency of acting immediately."

. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer likened McConnell, President Trump, and other Democrats to Herbert Hoover in the early days of the Great Depression. "What is it going to take for Mitch McConnell to wake up and see the American people need help, and they need it now?" the Democrat said. Earlier this week, McConnell said they had "not yet felt the urgency of acting immediately." Election backup plan. The Hill reports that the bill also includes a backup plan to ensure all voters can vote by mail if in-person voting is still unsafe in November. Republicans are strongly opposed to universal postal voting and the measure is expected to be a particularly tough sell when House and Senate negotiations begin.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC on Wednesday he believes U.S. colleges could welcome students to campus in the fall, even as the coronavirus brings uncertainty about the next academic year.

"I think we'll be in a position where we're going to give a try at opening schools, opening residential college campuses in the fall because I'm hopeful that coming off of July and August, we're going to see some declines in cases in the summer," the former FDA commissioner said on "Squawk Box." "I think there will be a seasonal effect here."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, warned on Tuesday that colleges and universities should not bank on a vaccine or effective therapeutics for Covid-19 being available by the fall. "The idea of having treatments available, or a vaccine, to facilitate the reentry of students into the fall term would be something of a bit of a bridge too far," Fauci said at a Senate hearing.

Higher education institutions across the U.S. shifted this spring from in-person classes to online instruction as the threat of the coronavirus outbreak grew. But there is now significant focus on how  or whether  in-person classes can safely resume in the coming months.

University leaders across the U.S. have told CNBC that testing capacity and robust contact tracing plans will be critical in bringing students back to campus. Even then, many have cautioned that large, in-person lectures are unlikely to be part of the academic plan.

On Tuesday, the 23-campus California State University System announced that most classes for the fall semester will be held online, with some exceptions for research labs.
On May 1, 2020, the Parliament of Ghana passed the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to exempt from income tax, certain withdrawals from the statutory voluntary pension scheme.



On that same day, Parliament designated donations of goods to the COVID-19 fight as emergency relief items for VAT purposes and granted powers to the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, to waive taxes on the employment income of health workers.



Prior to this, on April 27, 2020, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) issued a public notice to outline new measures introduced in response to the pandemic.



In this article, we will elaborate on the tax measures approved by Parliament and announced by the GRA, which aim at mitigating the impact of COVID-19.



Income tax specific measures



The approved income tax measures are explained as follows:



 Withdrawals of non-qualifying accrued benefits under a third-tier (statutory pension/provident fund) scheme usually attract income tax at 15 per cent.



Income tax will be waived for withdrawals made by employees who have lost their permanent employment and self-employed persons who have lost their business capital;



 Health workers are subject to the income tax regime in Ghana. However, to provide compensation for additional risks, the employment income of health workers for the months of April to June 2020 is exempt from income tax;



 Generally, donations made by a taxpayer will not qualify as reductions against income when determining how much of the taxpayer's income should be taxed. However, all COVID-19 donations will be considered as deductible expenses for income tax purposes and so will reduce the amount of income used to determine the taxpayer's income tax liability; and



 The deadline for filing annual income tax returns has been extended by two months. As a result, June 30, 2020 (and not April 30, 2020) will be the new filing deadline for the 2019 income tax returns for individuals and partnerships and the 2019 Annual P.A.Y.E.



Deductions Return filed by employers. Companies and trusts have six (instead of four) months after the end of their financial year to file their income tax returns.



Value Added Tax (VAT) specific measure



The VAT measure is explained below:



 Under normal circumstances, supplies of goods made by VAT-registered businesses are subject to the imposition of VAT and allied levies (together referred to as VAT). Donations of goods for charitable purposes may trigger VAT liability for the donor.



However, no VAT should be effectively charged by a donor and paid on goods contributed in support of efforts against COVID-19. This is because Parliament has approved such taxable donations as emergency relief items under the VAT laws.



General tax measures



For the administration of taxes in general, the following measures have been introduced:



 Penalties on principal debts will be cancelled upon payment of outstanding debts due to the GRA up to June 30, 2020; and



 The GRA has disseminated information to aid the payment of taxes by bank transfer and the filing of returns by email.



Other compliance measures



In related news, the Registrar-Generals Department has extended the deadline for filing annual company returns.



Companies with year-ends up to December 31, 2019 will have until June 30, 2020 to file their returns.



Companies with 2020 year-ends up to June 30, 2020 should submit their returns by December 31, 2020.



The way forward



We recommend that appropriate, preferably third party, documentation should be maintained for any donations made to support the COVID-19 fight in order to benefit from the above-mentioned tax incentives and the tax exemptions on withdrawals from the voluntary pension funds. Businesses are encouraged to carry out tax health checks to assess tax exposures and settle those debts by June 30, 2020 to avoid future sanctions for non-compliance.

Source: Daily Graphic









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

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The problems of high temperature superconductor (HTSC) are important for the physics community and even the whole science area. Ever since its discovery, many researchers have conducted various studies, still lacking of widely accepted solutions. Recently, Prof. Jiangping Hu from Institute of Physics, Chinese of Science, proposed the "gene" theory of high temperature superconductivity based on the electronic properties of existing quasi-two dimensional HTSCs, and used it to search for new families of HTSCs. According to this theory, their group further explored the conditions of expressing of the "gene" in high symmetric three-dimensional structure and predicted cobalt compounds in the zinc-blende structure as new families of HTSC.

This work is titled as Unconventional high temperature superconductivity in cubic zinc-blende transition metal compounds, recently published in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy. The researchers used the group theory, electronic band and slave-boson mean-field method to analysis the symmetries of electron motion and to predict the properties of superconductivity. This is a d-wave superconducting state spontaneously breaking time reversal symmetry and maintaining nodes in diagonal directions.

To be specific, the structure considered in this work is the zinc-blende structure as shown in Figure 1. Under this structure, the local symmetries are the same to the global symmetries, which keeps the degeneracy of the t2g orbitals from the three-dimensional representation of Td group. When the electronic configuration is close to d7, those three orbitals are isolated near the Fermi surface, with strong hopping and antiferromagnetic super-exchange in all the directions, triggering the expression of HTSC "gene". The pairing wave under this environment is d+id, breaking time reversal symmetry. This pairing wave vanishes at the bulk diagonal direction in the Brillouin zone, as the direct analogy of quasi-two-dimensional superconductivity in cuprate. By adopting band structure and mean-field calculation, the electron doped zinc-blende cobalt-oxygen-nitrogen compounds may realize such physics.

This result further enriched the prediction of families of HTSCs according to the "gene" theory. If verified by the following experiments, the "gene" theory would be justified and more HTSCs materials would be found.

###

More information:

Q. Zhang, K. Jiang, Y. H. Gu, and J. P. Hu, Unconventional high temperature superconductivity in cubic zinc-blende transition metal compounds, Sci. China-Phys. Mech. Astron. 63, 277411 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11433-019-1495-3

http://engine.scichina.com/publisher/scp/journal/SCPMA/63/7/10.1007/s11433-019-1495-3?slug=fulltext
Cops shot dead an armed Navy veteran on Tuesday after he fled a traffic stop in Florida.

Four deputies opened fire on the 37-year-old man outside his home in Deltona, which is located between Daytona Beach and Orlando.

The man, who was medically discharged from the Navy in 2012, had pointed an AK-47 rifle at them, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a news conference.

He had initially been pulled over in neighboring DeLand by a patrol officer for a traffic violation, Chitwood said.

Cops shot dead an armed Navy veteran on Tuesday after he fled a traffic stop in Florida

The man drove off after the officer discovered he had a suspended license and ordered him out of his truck. The sheriff's office was called to help with the pursuit.

Deputies deployed stop sticks to flatten at least one of the truck's tires, Chitwood said.

The man continued to drive, eventually arriving at his house with deputies right behind him.

Deputies surrounded the truck with their own vehicles, and at least 20 shots were fired by the cops, Chitwood said.

'He was fidgeting around in the door jam when he [a cop] asked him to step out of the car. And we know what was in that door jam now,' he said.

Four deputies opened fire on the 37-year-old man outside his home in Deltona, which is located between Daytona Beach and Orlando

Investigators didn't know whether the man fired his gun.

No deputies were injured, Chitwood added.

After revealing the veteran's military past, the official added that his military training had been a concern when confronting him.

'It's always a concern because they train just as good as our officers do and in some cases they are better trained than the average patrol officer is.'

Witness Trisha Negron said: 'You don't come home and expect to see this. It's alarming. You just never know who your neighbours are.

Witness Trisha Negron said: 'You don't come home and expect to see this. It's alarming. You just never know who your neighbours are

'He is literally the neighbour that lives behind me.'

The four officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave while state law enforcement officials investigate the case.

Officials haven't released the names or races of the deputies or the man who was shot.

Daytona Beach police arrested the man on a weapons charge earlier this month, Chitwood said.

The man also matches the description of someone connected to an Orange City shooting last month, officials said.
TOKYO, May 13, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) today announced the development of a learning-based communications analysis technology for private radio communications networks, including local/private 5G networks (local 5G).This technology ensures that the quality of communications is constantly sufficient, even without the assistance of a network specialist, avoiding quality degradation caused by congestion and competition.Companies and local governments are considering the introduction of local 5G as a private radio communications network that can be used individually according to their needs.In order to consistently enjoy the benefits of local 5G, such as high throughput, massive connectivity, and low latency, it is essential to avoid communications congestion and competition.This cannot be achieved simply by installing local 5G equipment. In the commercial mobile networks operated by telecom carriers, when communications quality degrades, network specialists spend considerable time to adjust the priorities and data rate of communications based on the analysis of communication conditions. However, such analysis and operation is difficult in private mobile networks without such experts.NEC has developed a technology that offers real-time analysis through artificial intelligence that matches the analytical know-how of trained specialists. This technology facilitates optimal operation of networks that fully demonstrates the capabilities of their performance. The technology achieves this by reliably estimating the amount of communications in real-time by communication type, such as video, still image, and text data, based on the features of the current communications traffic.In addition, the technology automatically tracks changes in usage conditions by learning without human intervention. As a result, even users who do not have network expertise can operate a large number of various devices and applications through local 5G with high performance and stable utilization.NEC will develop this technology not only for local 5G, but also as a technology that facilitates the optimization of networks operated by a wide range of businesses, thereby contributing to the simplicity and quick realization of flexible and secure communications infrastructure.Technology Features:1. Hierarchical communications analysis enables high-precision estimation in real-timeConventionally, variations in communications traffic caused by a mixture of application types, such as video, still image, and text data, and the effects of wireless communications, have taken time to analyze and made the results less accurate.This new technology uses hierarchical clustering to first identify the wireless communications among the current communications traffic and to then identify the application types.This has resulted in highly accurate estimations of communications in real-time.2. Learn autonomously and track changes in usage conditions automaticallyThe method for learning beforehand requires enormous amounts of training data every time there is a change in the installation environment and the use situation of communications. This new method is based on unsupervised learning. The technology automatically updates model parameters based on the similarity between the past and the most recent model, allowing changes in usage conditions to be tracked.The results of this study were presented at IEEE/IFIP Network Operations and Management Symposium (NOMS) 2020, held from April 20 to 24, 2020.Part of this technology results from NEC's joint research with Professor Akihiro Nakao of The University of Tokyo, Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. The NEC Group globally provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security, efficiency, and equality of society. Under the company's corporate message of "Orchestrating a brighter world," NEC aims to help solve a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value for the changing world of tomorrow. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.Source: NEC CorporationCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Marion County will begin to slowly reopen starting May 15, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced in a press conference May 13.

Hogsett said the county will begin partially moving into Phase II of the reopening plan, which will allow gatherings of up to 25 people, including at churches.

Hogsett said churches can still have drive-in services.

Non-essential retail outlets, including shopping malls, will be able to operate at 50% capacity.

Starting Memorial Day weekend  May 22  restaurants can begin allowing dine-in services only with outside seating. Employees will be required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

Hogsett announced an initiative to help local restaurants expand their outside seating, and the city government is working to create a stockpile of PPE, which will be free of charge for Marion County residents.

Learn more about dining online.

Hogsett also announced the creation of a $5 million grant to reimburse local businesses for PPE expenses up to $5,000. Learn more about the program online.

To help Marion County residents understand the reopening process, Paul Babock, director of the Office of Public Health and Safety, announced the Safe Start to Summer campaign.

Hair and nail salons, as well as non-essential manufacturing and industrial work, are targeted to reopen June 1. Also starting June 1, restaurants with indoor seating are expected to be able to reopen at 50% capacity. Hogsett said these restrictions are based on the analysis of data and working to prevent a second wave from occurring.

Bars, theaters, museums, gyms and other establishments will open in future phases and dont yet have target phases.

Most of Indiana is ahead of Marion County in reopening, and Hogsett has said the countys reopening phases will basically mirror what Gov. Eric Holcomb has laid out for the rest of the state.

Hogsett said the city is not providing target dates for when to move to future phases.

If numbers such as hospitalizations begin to rise again, Hogsett said, well have to make adjustments accordingly.

Dr. Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Public Health Department, said current data shows a decrease in positive test results, COVID-19-related hospitalizations and mortality. Caine praised an increase in testing, but urged that contact tracing is necessary to ensure Marion County can flatten the curve.

Social distancing is critical, and its working, Caine said.  We have to be vigilant, we cant ease up on these restrictions.

Caine urged Marion County residents to continue to wear PPE and frequently wash their hands.

While Hogsett acknowledged some in the county think he is moving too slowly in the reopening process, Caine reminded county residents that failing to practice social distancing could lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases, which could lead the county to have to revert to the first phase of the reopening process.

Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick. Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.

COVID-19
According to an article, there is a total of 44.4 million immigrants living in the United States of America in 2017 which accounts for 13.6 percent of the population of the country.

Based on an article, 17.6 percent of the total population of the United States are Hispanics in 2015. Compared to only 6.5 percent of the total U.S. population in 1980, this proves that the Hispanic community in the United States is continuously growing.

Out of the total Hispanic immigrants in the United States, there are more or less 2.3 million Latino business owners, says an article.

With the growing number of Latino immigrants in the country, it is not difficult for Latino entrepreneurs to find a suitable market to match their business ideas.

Here are some successful Latino entrepreneurs you need to know:

Carlos Castro

This Latino entrepreneur has his roots from El Salvador. Before he migrated to the United States, he was working as a factory worker in El Salvador.

Castro entered the United States as an illegal immigrant. After being deported, he went back to the United States. The second time was through legal means, says an article.

When he finally moved to the U.S., he was able to get jobs such as toilet cleaning, washing dishes, and cooking.

After a few years of investing in learning the English language and planning his way of starting a business, he was able to establish the first branch of Todos Supermarket, says an article.

Tony Jimenez

Tony Jimenez is born in the United States but with Puerto Rican descent. His interest in numbers, science, and business had pushed him to establish MicroTech, says an article. Also, the article revealed Jimenez's entrepreneurial interest at a very young age such as his lemonade business, newspaper delivery, and car washing gigs as a child.

Jimenez is the CEO, chairman, and founder of MicroTech. MicroTech is focused on providing IT-related services. This IT business empire started operating in 2004. With Jimenez's skills in technology and entrepreneurship, he was able to earn multiple awards, says an article.

Check these out:

Maria Contreras-Sweet

According to an article, Maria Contreras-Sweet was born in Mexico and was five years old when she went to live in the U.S. with her family. She is the founder of ProAmerica Bank, the first commercial bank in California established by a Latino.

It was founded in 2007 to provide support to small to medium-sized businesses. Also, it aimed to support not-for-profit organizations and professionals offering services. This local community bank had offered help to these various types of business ventures by providing financial help, according to the Linkedin account of ProAmerica Bank.

Also, she was granted the position as the 24th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Additionally, she became a cabinet member of former President Barack Obama.
A document pharmaceutical giant Bayer Vietnam circulated internally was found to contain Chinas illegal and infamous nine-dash line.

The document, titled "Covid-19 - Lessons from China," was reportedly sent by Bayer Vietnam's managing director, a Malaysian citizen of Chinese origin, to the company's department heads via email late last month.

Under the company's working procedures, the department heads would subsequently share the document with lower-level employees. The document aims to share China's success story in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Vietnamese employees however protested the document after discovering that it included a map of China with the infamous nine-dash line, a demarcation line used by China to represent its illegal claims in the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, violating Vietnam's sovereignty.

"We cannot accept having to share a document that contains the illegal image, especially when the company is operating in Vietnamese territory. Our nationalist spirit will not allow us to do it," a Bayer Vietnam employee told VnExpress.

A company representative said the document was shared with a small number of employees internally for the purpose of experience sharing in supporting the medical community within Asia.

"The document was recalled immediately with actions taken to avoid any further communication. Bayer Vietnam deeply regrets what has happened over an image within a group internal document which drew attention from employees and the public," the rep added.

Inspectors from Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Information and Communications have reasserted that the circulation of maps containing the nine-dash line is a violation of Vietnamese law. They said the department had received reports of Bayer Vietnam's violation and will take follow-up action.

China's nine-dash line, which claims 90 percent of the 3.5-million-square-kilometer East Sea, has been opposed strongly by the international community. Apart from violating Vietnams sovereignty, it overlaps with claims by Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Bayer AG is a German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company operating in the fields of healthcare and agriculture. In Vietnam, the company has been present for over 25 years, employing about 700 people.
Fran Tirado is producing queer content and only queer content. Im just so uninterested in making anything that is not for queer-trans audiences, he said.

At Netflix, his job title is brand and editorial strategy lead for L.G.B.T.Q. content. That means developing concepts for shows like I Like to Watch, in which two drag queens watch and talk about Netflix programming; working with a group of content creators for the companys @Most social channel; and keeps tabs on the promotional campaigns for shows and movies. He also has a podcast, Food 4 Thot, about sex, identity, culture, what we like to read and who we like to read.

Mx. Tirado  who previously worked in magazines as the deputy editor of Out and the executive editor of the now-defunct Hello Mr.  once split his time between New York and Los Angeles, but is riding out the coronavirus pandemic on the West Coast. Trying to fabricate a kind of intimacy digitally with talent, and with our content, is tough, he said.

Queer and marginalized people are historically resilient and have a proven track record of thriving in the face of adversity, pandemic and crisis, Mx. Tirado added. I know that we will come out of this thing stronger than ever, and it will be the most marginalized that lead the charge on creative ways we used our time and produced digitally despite it all.
DEVELOPMENT

PRE-LAUNCH

CONTENT

Losing my fucking MIND at this Quibi show where actual Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan plays a woman obsessed with her golden arm pic.twitter.com/rSfqCv75SG  Zach Raffio (@zachraffio) April 15, 2020

FALL OFF

its pretty funny that venture capitalists poured billions into quibi not realizing the fundamental truth that people want to look at their phone while a show is on their TV  Perry Kittles (@Yelix) May 12, 2020

what are you talking about, quibis doing great https://t.co/NseI53DKjz pic.twitter.com/P3nqkwqi5P  Caroline Darya Framke (@carolineframke) May 11, 2020

I have enough faith in us as a people to believe that even in regular times we'd have made Quibi fail.  Eric D. Snider (@EricDSnider) May 12, 2020

YES. A quick story: at the beginning of 2019 I was trying to pitch a few things and every room I was in, the execs would say, Have you heard of Quibi? Theyre looking for a lot of content right now! Like 2 months later I couldnt get Quibi meetings bc I wasnt a celeb. Oh well! https://t.co/OzocZFTL5E  Clarke Wolfe (@clarkewolfe) May 12, 2020

he's right, a pandemic resulting in millions of people with short attention spans stuck at home all day bored and desperate to be entertained was EXACTLY the scenario Quibi didn't want https://t.co/QZHWcxJWrW  Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) May 12, 2020

Quibi feels like, and in a way is, a parody of a content provider. In a parallel universe, Quibi isnt an actual thing you can spend money on, its the show-within-a-show of a TV sitcom. The idea of quick bites (or as their marketing insists on saying, quibis) for young people on the go, who are always on their darn phones, feels like a caricature of what an out-of-touch CEO would say. Yet here we are, living in a world where executives dont realize that for millenials with busy schedules there is already a solution to longer content - the pause button.How did we get to this point, where even in the midst of a global pandemic giving a lot of people tons of downtime, when streaming is more popular than ever, that Quibi can barely stay in the public consciousness? Join me for a story of Petty Assholes and failed gubernatorial elections, for $1.8 billion-dollar investments and no foresight, and for content so basic it hurts.Quibi, or as it was originally named, NewTV (cool), is the brain child of Jeffrey Katzenberg. Katzenberg envisioned original programming, meant to be shorter than 10 minutes, that would be available on a mobile-only streaming service. Even as early as 2018, Katzenberg was cocky about the project, We dont consider this competitive with Hulu, or HBO, or Netflix, or the networks, he said, its a completely different use case. [1]Lets pause for a moment - who is Jeffrey Katzenberg? Jeffrey Katzenberg, noted petty asshole [2], was once the studio chairman at Disney, overseeing the much-lauded Disney renaissance of the mid 80s to mid 90s before being ousted in a coup/leaving in a huff to co-found Dreamworks animation. Katzenberg has been described as Machiavellian with an ego and almost pathological need to be important. [3]Katzenberg tapped Meg Whitman for the CEO position not too long after founding the company, and she is a whole other can of worms. Whitman gained notoriety as the CEO of Ebay over the course of a decade, which saw the company make such baffling decisions as acquiring Skype, a move which eventually lost over $1 billion dollars [4]. She then went on to fuck up Hewlett Packard, I guess having figured Carly Fiorina hadnt done a thorough enough job. Like Fiorina, Whitman also ran a vanity campaign, running as a Reublican for Governor in California in 2010. This is especially hilarious, considering she had not voted in 28 years. [5]Katzenberg and Whitman were able to shore up $1.8 Billion USD in funding from major studios for Quibi [6], a figure which is truly baffling. One has to wonder if the money is pledged by executives who live in the 30 Rock universe and were once thrilled by Devon Bankss pioneering of 10-second TV.Quibi poured between $400 - $500 Million USD in to marketing [7], including an expensive superbowl spot. In doing my research, people told me these ads were ubiquitous. I have adblock and no cable so IDK \_()_/A big part of the marketing push is in trying to make quibi not just a brand, but a descriptive unit of time. Because we all know what people love is when trends are pushed on them, and corporate sounding buzzwords are forced into situations where they dont belong. See also: Bing it!But that isnt to say there was no hype at all. For a while, it seemed like every day some new A-Lister was inking a deal to produce content for Quibi, and the Reno 911! Reboot drew some interest - although cynically, one commenter noted hopefully once whatever Quibi is fails they get picked up by Netflix or Hulu. [8]Quibi saw a fan-made podcast, produced by seemingly the only two stans the platform will ever have, called Quibiverse pop up, which covered news on recent announcements of new shows and content. In March just weeks before launch, Quibi went ahead and sent a cease-and-desist to the duo imploring them to remove Quibi from their title and not to use any artwork deemed too similar to their branding. It just felt so surreal to get a cease-and-desist from a billion-dollar company, about our fan podcast, in the midst of a global health crisis [9]. The podcasters quickly rebounded, renaming their show Streamiverse and declaring it a podcast rooted entirely in spite [10] where they regularly dunk on Quibi content.Quibi is going for short-form content, but most of the shows offered are just longer stories with the commerical breaks built in. They are banking on their core demographic being 25-35 year olds [11], a move which confuses me as someone smack in the middle of that age range. My eyes are too tired for small screens and my attention span is too long for Tik Tok. The question that comes up over and over again is who is this for?At least, I figured, it was free. You can imagine my surprise when I signed up in preparation for this ONTD original and it asked for TEN OF MY HARD EARNED CANADIAN DOLLARS. Yes, there is a free trial and yes, I will be cancelling before Im charged. Where I live, Quibi is the same price at Netflix and Crave, and more expensive than Prime, Disney+, Apple TV, and oodles more expensive than CBC Gem which is free (thank you and please continue to pay your taxes so I get Schitts Creek content thanks yall).The limitations of Quibis platform are readily apparent. Their gimmick of being able to hold your phone vertically or horizontally to stream shows loses its appeal after trying it once or twice (and even then, the main menu to browse shows only works vertically). There are other tacky attempts at novelty, like the upcoming Spielbergs After Dark which will only allow users to stream content after the sun goes down [12]. Can you imagine going to university four or five years, earning a degree in computer science, only to graduate and be asked to program a clock that lets users watch a lackluster 8 minute show? What a bummer.Katzenberg, who is notoriously anti-piracy [13], has extended this as far as anti-sharing - it is not possible to screen record or even screencap their content. The most viral moment any of their shows has had was recorded on another phone and posted to Twitter. That being said, it doesnt even seem like anyone is trying to pirate their content - take from that what you will.Want to watch a show on your laptop instead of phone? Too bad. Want to Chomecast to your TV? Too bad. Quibi is built solely for tablets and mobile devices, an unbelievably stupid oversight that still hasnt been fixed five weeks after launch.Quibi has quickly and quietly plummeted from the top-downloaded apps lists, currently sitting at number 125 on the iTunes chart and their daily active users is about 1.3 million, about a third of their total downloads [14]. If you consider their marketing budget, it means each of those people probably cost them hundreds of dollars to acquire. Time will tell how many will drop off after their free trial ends, but Google trends indicates things are not looking good.Users arent the only ones unsure about Quibi. Over the past few months executives have been dropping like flies [15], and the company is facing legal trouble as a company called Eko sues them over screen rotation technology [16]. And while no legal actions are currently being taken, the makers of Everything is Terrible! sure have noticed some similarities.Recently, Katzenberg granted an interview with the New York times in which he proclaims all of Quibis shortcomings are due to the current situation with COVID 19. I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus, he says, its not close to what we wanted. [17]Public ridicule of Quibi has been swift and delightful, with users noting not only how disappointing the platform is, but its enormous cost as well.





I ACTUALLY WATCHED THIS FOR YOU



I figured it was only fair to give this content a try. This is time in my life I will never get back, when I am lying on my death-bed one day I am sure I will have regrets about what else I could have done with these precious moments (sorry, precious quibis) instead of watching these dumb shows.





50 States of Fright

From Sam Raimi comes this anthology show so blissfully tone deaf that it circles right back around to hilarious. It is unbelievably bad horror - Ive seen some Raimi defenders claim it is supposed to be camp/B horror, but all the marketing plays it straight. The first story did remind me of Graph vs Host from Arrested Development, though, so that was fun.



 Unironically

 Ironically





Chrissys Court



The nicest thing I can say is that her mom is the bailiff and thats cute I guess. Other than that its just like Teigens twitter feed came to life - you can decide for yourself how much that appeals to you.









Dummy



This project, based on the relationship between Cody Heller and Dan Harmon, starts out strong with the charming joke that Anna Kendrick is too ugly (????) to be sexually harassed, and just keeps going downhill from there. This felt like it was meant to be a movie, Quibi acquired it, so now it is a show I guess.







Most Dangerous Game

You know what, I did not hate it. It was dumb and predictable, but it was enjoyable enough to throw in the background while I formatted the sources of this post. Liam Hemsworth stars as Dodge Tynes (do you get it?? because he is dodging death???), a terminally ill man who doesn't want to leave his wife "penniless" when they clearly live a middle-class life and, like, own a home which is a lot more than most people.









Murder House Flip

Here is my guess - Jeffrey Katzenberg has a 14 year old granddaughter or niece or something who loves My Favourite Murder, and a wife who loves HGTV, and figured he was on to something. The premise is actually kinda interesting, but the show itself is surface level on both the murder and home reno content which makes it pretty dull.









Reno 911!

Ive never watched the original (sorry), but this was probably the best thing I watched on Quibi. The shorter format actually works pretty well for this kind of sketch/improv and I did chortle.









When the Streetlights Go On

The soundtrack is great. The show is okay. No further comments.







WORKS CITED

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17



IMAGE SOURCES

1 + me on photoshop, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11



EMBEDED SOURCES

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Comedian Tom Gleeson has reignited his feud with TV veteran Kerri-Anne Kennerley, a year after she called him a 'wimp' for failing to show up for a Studio 10 interview following his Gold Logie win.

Tom, 45, shockingly compared the 66-year-old to a 'hungry python' while hosting his hit game show The Hard Quiz, on Wednesday night.

Firing a set of questions at a contestant called Darren, footage of a snake flashed up on the screen as Tom quizzed him on how the reptile digests food.

Ready to strike! ABC comedian Tom Gleeson, 45, (pictured) has reignited his feud with Studio 10 star Kerri-Anne Kennerley when he compared her to a snake on Hard Quiz on Wednesday

'The left and right side of a python's lower jaw can move independently, allowing them to drag food down their throats through a process known as the what walk?' Tom asked.

As Darren struggled to answer the question, Tom used the awkward silence as the perfect moment to strike.

'It's like watching Kerri-Anne eat dinner!' he exclaimed.

Angry: The snarky remark has reignited the pair's long-running feud after Kerri-Anne called Tom a 'wimp' following last year's Logie Awards. Kerri-Anne had been a vocal critic of Tom's joke campaign in the lead-up to the awards, prompting him to pull out of a Studio 10 interview at the last minute

The studio audience burst into nervous laughter while Darren appeared slightly off-put by the snarky comment.

The shocking remark has reignited the pair's long-running feud after Kerri-Anne called Tom a 'wimp' following last year's Logie Awards.

Kerri-Anne had been a vocal critic of Tom's joke campaign in the lead-up to the awards, prompting him to pull out of a Studio 10 interview at the last minute.

'He has turned into 'Gold Logie winner Tom'. 'Wimp Tom'. You're supposed to be here!' Kerri-Anne said, looking visibly angry during her Studio 10 broadcast at the time.

Kerri-Anne added: 'You've turned into a winner now. And now you're a wimp, you're far too good for us little people, Tom.'

'I'm so disappointed. You wanted a hard chat? I could give you a hard chat,' she added, referencing the funnyman's roast segments on The Weekly.

Kerri-Anne blasted Tom after it was confirmed he was a no-show for the interview, saying: 'He has turned into 'Gold Logie winner Tom'. 'Wimp Tom'. You're supposed to be here!' she added

Kerri-Anne's co-host Sarah Harris said Tom could possibly make an appearance later in the program, prompting another wave of insults.

'No, he's too good for us. I know the ABC type. He's now so far 'there' where he wants to be,' Kerri-Anne raged.

Taking a swipe at ABC personalities, she added: 'Well they are like that!'

Pulling no punches! Kerri-Anne continued: 'We'll chat about the Gold Logie winner controversy because not many people are happy that he's won it.'

She continued: 'We'll chat about the Gold Logie winner controversy because not many people are happy that he's won it.'

Last year Tom was accused of running a divisive campaign for the Gold Logie, including using smear tactics against his rivals Waleed Aly and Amanda Keller.

Despite the industry backlash, he said after he got the gong it was a controversial 'victory for quiet Australians'.
Well, you asked. Thats basically what Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, told Republican senators who had called him to testify on Tuesday before the health committee. In his first appearance before Congress since the president declared a public health emergency, Fauci warned about the deadly risks of reopening the economy too soon. The consequences could be really serious, he said, particularly if proper precautions arent taken to head off a second wave of infections in the fall. Faucis remarks  delivered from his home, where he is self-quarantining after possible exposure to the virus  were echoed by Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are not out of the woods yet, Redfield said, but we are more prepared. (He largely avoided discussing the set of guidelines on safe reopening that the C.D.C. is expected to release soon, but that the White House has sought to influence.)

But it was not a message Republicans particularly wanted to hear. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky pointed to statistics showing relatively low infection rates in rural states and among children. I dont think youre the end-all, Paul said. I dont think youre the one person that gets to make a decision. To which Fauci replied: I have never made myself to be the end-all and only voice of this. Im a scientist, a physician and a public-health official. I give advice according to the best scientific evidence. Paul may be picking a fight thats tough to win: Polls have consistently shown that amid the outbreak, Americans overwhelmingly trust the C.D.C. and other government scientists; when asked about the job Congress is doing, theyve got much less positive things to say.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: In a major administrative decision, the Uttar Pradesh government has banned all transfer of officers and employees in view of Covid-19 pandemic.

A circular, undersigned by additional chief secretary, appointment and personnel, Mukul Singhal, specified that all transfers would remain banned in the state till further orders. He said only transfers due to unavoidable situation could be effected with the CMs prior approval.

In the circular forwarded to all additional chief secretaries/principal secretaries/secretaries, state chief secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari said that thought the transfer policy of March, 2018 was valid till 2021-22 but in the wake of COVId-19 pandemic, there would a ban on all types of transfers of officers and employees during 2020-21.

According to the circular, posts falling vacant due to death, medical emergency, promotion, resignation, suspension etc could be filled through transfer with the condition that the consequent vacancy would not be filled.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet recommended to extend the lockdown till May 31 barring industry and retail sectors.

In a meeting presided over by CM Yogi Adityanath, the ministers said that while precautions were imperative, especially in light of the returning migrant workers, it was crucial to open up industry and retail to set the economy rolling.

Sources said that the CM took suggestions and feedback from all ministers and the proposal to extend the lockdown till May 31 was almost unanimous. However, they all were of the opinion that recommendations by the Centre should be followed.

State industry minister Satish Mahana suggested to reduce the number of containment zones. He claimed that in Noida, for instance, if everything was shut down in a radius of 1 km around a confirmed case, it would affect a lot of industries.

An opinion over rebooting retail business was also floated in the meeting. Many of the ministers were of the view that it was necessary to create demand and thereby provide a push to the economy. However, everyone favoured opening of the shops with health protocol in place and closure of schools, cinema halls, multiplexes, and restaurants.

One of the ministers also proposed that to ensure physical distancing and prevent crowding, shops could be opened in a staggered manner or allotted numbers corresponding with the day of the week and allowed to open.
BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court has upheld the life sentence of ethnic Uzbek human rights activist Azimjon Askarov, despite calls by domestic and international rights groups for his release.

The Sweden-based group Civil Rights Defenders swiftly condemned the May 13 ruling and called on President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to "intervene and free [Askarov] immediately."

Marie Struthers, Amnesty Internationals Eastern Europe and Central Asia director, said the court decision "compounds 10 years of deep injustice inflicted on a brave human rights defender who should never have been jailed."

The activist, who turns 69 this month, has been behind bars for nearly 10 years on what human rights and media-freedom watchdogs described as trumped-up charges.

The Supreme Court initially began the appeal hearing in February, but quickly adjourned to have more time to get acquainted with new materials in the case.

Ahead of the court ruling, Human Rights Watch reiterated its call for the activist's release, saying his health had dramatically deteriorated.

The New York-based watchdog said Askarov "suffers from cardiac and respiratory conditions and has not received appropriate medical attention in prison," and warned that he was at high risk of contracting COVID-19, which disproportionately affects older people and those with underlying illnesses.

"There is also one more compelling reason: It is the right and just thing to do," the New York-based watchdog added, as Askarov was sentenced to life following "a deeply flawed trial and credible allegations of torture which were never investigated."

Prominent Kyrgyz rights activist Tolekan Ismailova said it was "heartbreaking to see him -- at high risk due to his declining health and having endured torture -- losing hope for a fair trial and release."

In 2010, a Kyrgyz court sentenced Askarov to life in prison after finding him guilty of creating a mass disturbance and involvement in the murder of a police officer during deadly ethnic clashes between local Uzbeks and Kyrgyz.

More than 450 people, mainly ethnic Uzbeks, were killed and tens of thousands more were displaced during the violence.

Struthers said Askarov's conviction "is a blatant example of the disproportionate prosecution of and unfair trials against Uzbeks after the violence."

The UN Human Rights Committee has found that Askarov was arbitrarily detained, denied a fair trial, and tortured, and ruled that he should be released immediately and his conviction quashed.

However, Askarovs conviction was upheld after several previous appeals in lower courts.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:56:17|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A man accused of damaging facilities at a railway station in Hong Kong pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge in court on Wednesday, and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

On Sept. 6 last year, over 100 rioters stormed Mong Kok station of Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway. They vandalized facilities inside the railway station, including turnstiles, ticket machines and glass doors.

At around 10 p.m. of the day, the defendant, a 30-year-old waiter, as captured on surveillance cameras, was pulling out two fire hoses to spray water to turnstiles, ticket machines and other facilities. He was also accused of using a trekking pole to damage a surveillance camera and a fluorescent tube.

The defendant was arrested and confessed to damaging those facilities.

According to West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, a total of 1.1 million Hong Kong dollars (around 141,900 U.S. dollars) were needed to repair the damages to the Mong Kok station of that day, while the damages caused by the defendant were worth 267,000 Hong Kong dollars (34,447 U.S. dollars). Enditem
Halil Hasani is convinced his four missing sons are imprisoned somewhere in Serbia, and that local authorities are not trying hard enough to find them.

Hasani lives with his wife and niece in the village of Caber, in the ethnic Serb-dominated part of Mitrovica, 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Pristina.

He says he will never forget the 8 June 1999, a day before NATO signed the deal with Serbia to withdraw its forces from Kosovo, when at 7.30 a.m. Serb police and paramilitary forces took his sons Fadil, 32, Gazmend, 24, Armend, 20, and Hasan, 15, from Zhabar, a nearby village.

For years they were in contact with two separate Serbs, who insisted Hasani's sons were imprisoned in Pozarevac, then Belgrade, back to Pozarevac and finally an unknown location.

Fadil's daughter, Agnes, then only a few months old, stays close to her grandfather.

Twenty-one years after the 1998-1999 war that left more than 10,000 dead in Kosovo, 1,641 are still missing. Mostly ethnic Albanians, but also Serbs and other local minorities too.

Kosovo was Serbia's province until winning independence in 1999.

Serbia refuses to accept Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence and their relationship remain tense.

Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, head of the European Union rule of law mission, or EULEX, acknowledges that the missing persons crisis is "one of the most devastating legacies of the conflicts in former Yugoslavia."

In about ten years, EULEX has conducted 651 field operations resulting in the identification of 456 individuals, including 311 missing persons.

This summer, work is expected to be completed in Kizevak, a large quarry site in southern Serbia, where the satellite photography is implemented to locate the remains of missing persons.

ent included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.
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Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was asleep in her Kentucky home just after midnight on March 13 when police entered with a search warrant in a drug investigation and opened fire, killing her. Now, a lawsuit filed by Taylor's family accuses the officers of wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence.

Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officials said officers engaged in the shooting after Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot at them first. But the lawsuit alleges that police did not identify themselves and that Walker, a licensed gun owner, thought someone was breaking in. Neither Walker nor Taylor had a criminal history of drugs or violence, the suit says.

Taylor had been working as an EMT at emergency rooms at two hospitals, helping with the coronavirus response, her family said. "Breonna loves life and she loved to help people and she loved her family. She didn't deserve what they did to her," Tamika Palmer, her mother, told CBS News correspondent Jericka Duncan.

"I was more concerned for her washing her hands than her dying at home," Palmer added.

Breonna Taylor

The lawsuit, obtained by CBS News, says LMPD officers Myles Cosgrove and Brett Hankinson and Sergeant Jonathan Mattingly, who are named as defendants, arrived at the home in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles.

According to the lawsuit, they had a "knock and announce" search warrant for Taylor's apartment, and were looking for a man who lived in a different part of Louisville who had already been apprehended by LMPD the previous day.

The search warrant, obtained by CBS News, named two men: Adrian Orlandes Walker and Jamarcus Cordell Glover, and said they had been observed transporting packages suspected to be drugs from the address. The search warrant does not name Kenneth Walker.

The family's lawsuit alleges, "The officers then entered Breonna's home without knocking and without announcing themselves as police officers. The Defendants then proceeded to spray gunfire into the residence with a total disregard for the value of human life." Breonna Taylor was struck eight times.

Story continues

The lawsuit states Walker and Taylor "believed the home had been broken into by criminals and that they were in significant, imminent danger."

Police, on the other hand, say the officers knocked on the door and announced themselves, and that when the officers forced entry they were "immediately met by gunfire."

Mattingly was shot in the leg, police said. Walker has been charged with first degree assault and attempted murder of a police officer.

Mattingly, Cosgrove and Hankison have been placed on administrative reassignment during an internal investigation. "The Public Integrity investigation into this case remains ongoing, therefore it would be inappropriate for us to comment beyond what we already have said immediately following the incident," the LMPD said Monday in a statement to CBS affiliate WLKY.

The lawsuit brings up Cosgrove's and Hankinson's history of use of force as officers. Cosgrove, the lawsuit claims, shot a Louisville resident seven times in a different case, and Hankinson allegedly had "dozens of situations where he has sent citizens to the hospital for injuries from being tased, pepper sprayed and struck repeatedly in the nose and eyes."

The family's attorney, Ben Crump  who also represents the family of Ahmaud Arbery  told "CBS This Morning" that Walker and Taylor "thought they were being burglarized."

"Does the Second Amendment not apply to African Americans?" Crump said. "This was a completely unnecessary and unjustifiable killing of an innocent woman."

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said in a statement that he is awaiting the outcome of the LMPD investigation into the case. "As always my priority is that the truth comes out, and for justice to follow the path of truth," Fischer said.

Governor Andy Beshear said in a statement posted on Twitter Wednesday that reports about Taylor's death are "troubling." "Her family and the public at large deserve the full facts of her death," he said, and called for state legal officials to review the findings of the police investigation "to ensure justice is done."

Gov. Beshear issues statement on Breonna Taylor: pic.twitter.com/ttiO856BdA

 Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) May 13, 2020

Editor's note: This article and the headline have been updated based on additional information from the search warrant indicating why police went to Taylor's address.

Driven! The rise of RVs

Canned wine surges in popularity and shakes up the industry

Chanel Miller: The full 60 Minutes report on the author and sexual assault survivor
Republicans are running ahead in two special elections for congressional seats that are viewed as bellwethers for November.

In Wisconsin, Republican Tom Tiffany easily won Tuesday's special election, while in California preliminary results showed the GOP leading in a race to recapture a seat vacated by a Democrat.

In California, Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot endorsed by President Donald Trump, was ahead of Democratic California state legislator Christy Smith by 55.9 percent to 44.1 percent in the state's 25th congressional district north of Los Angeles, preliminary results from the California Secretary of State's office said.

If his lead holds up as the results are tallied, Garcia, 44, will fill a seat that became vacant after Democrat Katie Hill resigned last year.

In Wisconsin, Republican Tom Tiffany (left with Mike Pence) easily won Tuesday's special election, while in California preliminary results showed Republican Mike Garcia (right) ahead

Democrat Katie Hill resigned from Congress last year to spend more time with her family

But it could take several days for a winner to be declared, because the election was conducted largely by mail-in voting to avoid novel coronavirus exposure at the polls.

As long as they are postmarked by election day, California will accept ballots arriving up to three days later.

Dave Wasserman, editor of the Cook Political Report, wrote on Twitter that it would be 'very tough' for Smith to close the gap in votes.

If Garcia's lead holds, he will become the only House Republican from a district Hillary Clinton won in 2016 with more than 50 percent of the vote, Wasserman said.

'It is looking extremely good,' Garcia said on a conference call. 'I won't give a victory speech tonight. We'll save that for hopefully tomorrow night as the data comes in.'

Smith, in a statement, said the outcome was too early to call.

'With so much at stake in this election for families across this district, from access to quality healthcare, to putting the needs of the middle class at the center of future economic relief packages passed in Congress, it is critical that every ballot cast is counted and the voice of every CA-25 voter is heard,' she said.

People in California wait to cast their votes at a polling station for the special election between Democratic state assemblywoman Christy Smith and Republican businessman and ex-Navy pilot Mike Garcia to replace former Democratic Congresswoman Katie Hill

President Trump accused Democrats in California of attempting to 'steal another election' by adding a last-minute polling place in a Democrat-heavy area

The contest was being watched for clues to which party Americans believe can better handle the coronavirus epidemic and how they think Trump is dealing with it. Smith had challenged Trump's handling of the crisis.

The election was also seen as a test of mail-in voting. Because of the continued threat of the coronavirus, more states are expected to move to vote-by-mail in the general election in November.

Hill was the first Democrat to represent the district in 25 years when she was elected in 2018.

Garcia, a political newcomer, has described her tenure as 'an embarrassment.'

A victory by Garcia would not threaten the Democrats' control of the House of Representatives, but would be a boost for Republicans, who have worried whether the staggering public health and economic cost of the coronavirus outbreak will hurt their standard-bearer Trump's re-election chances in November.

Voters wait in line to get checked in during a special election for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District on Tuesday at Wausau East High School in Wausau, Wisconsin

Poll worker Eric Boson submits absentee ballots during the Wisconsin 7th District special election on Tuesday in Marshfield, Wisconsin

Tiffany, a state senator endorsed by President Donald Trump, easily won a special congressional election Tuesday in a heavily conservative, rural Wisconsin district, cheering Republicans even as Democrats argued the victory revealed vulnerabilities for the president among his base.

Tiffany's win over Democrat Tricia Zunker in northern Wisconsins 7th District comes in the states second election amid the coronavirus pandemic the past five weeks. Tiffany will replace former reality TV star Sean Duffy, a Republican who retired in September. The district has been vacant since Duffys retirement.

Trump won Wisconsin by less than a point, but carried the district by 20 points, in 2016. Tiffany's win over Zunker was about 6 points less than that, based on preliminary results. Tiffany rejected Democrats' argument that the smaller margin was a sign that Trump's support was waning.

'Any time you lose by 14 points, I don't think that's a moral victory,' Tiffany said. 'This is a decisive victory here.'

The win is in a district that Trump will need to once again win big if he hopes to again carry Wisconsin, a state he won by less than a point in 2016. Tiffanys big victory also helps to erase the taste of a loss by a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice in last months election, a race that boosted Democrats confidence.

'Tonight was a win for President Trump and Tom Tiffany that demonstrates the enthusiasm behind our president across Wisconsin,' said Trump campaign spokeswoman Anna Kelly.
Oct. 12, 1977  May 2, 2020

Joshua Josh Joseph LaBau, 42, of Polson, passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at his home. He was born October 12, 1977 to Val and Sally LaBau in Miller, SD.

Throughout his upbringing Josh lived in Miller, SD, Thousand Oaks, CA, Seattle, WA and Helena and Missoula, MT. Josh went to Helena High School and graduated in 1996. In 2011, he graduated from the University of Montana Pharmacy Program with High Honors after receiving his undergrad from UM. On June 24, 2011, he married Colleen Tone in Missoula. The couple lived there until Josh got a job with CSKT Tribal Pharmacy and relocated to Polson in late 2012.

Josh loved spending time with his dog Riley, being out on his paddleboard and mastering wake surfing on Flathead Lake. He was an avid Bills and Flyers fan. Josh found joy keeping busy with his next project out in the yard, socializing with friends over video games or pulling a prank on a buddy.

Survivors include his wife, Colleen; sisters and brothers Kari (Ron) Weber, Helena; Pat Andersen, Helena; Michael (Sylvia) Andersen, Minnesota; Ralph Andersen, Oklahoma; Rob Andersen (Pamela), South Dakota. Josh held his nephew Jon (Jennifer) Andersen, Helena dear to his heart, who grew up alongside him as a brother. Josh loved spending time with his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Shannon LaBau.

Services are pending due to the COVID-19 environment. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Mission Valley Animal Shelter in Polson, MT.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari (Image: Reuters)

Union minister Nitin Gadkari expressed confidence that the MSME, village and cottage industry will grow to new heights on the back of Rs 20 lakh crore package announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The minister for MSMEs and Road Transport and Highways said, "through this historical package, the Prime Minister has fulfilled the expectations and aspirations of the MSME, village and cottage industry sector."

Gadkari said, with abundant resources, superior technology and raw materials, India can soon become self-reliant in all sectors. He said, the Prime Minister has also envisioned India as a super economic power in global economy.

The minister said that the economic slowdown due to COVID-19 pandemic should be taken as a blessing in disguise and strive to maintain positivity and self confidence to take India ahead.

Gadkari said the nation will remember this gesture of the Prime Minister for a very long time.
[May 13, 2020] Infosys Selected as the Digital Transformation Partner for GLOBALFOUNDRIES' Digital Leadership Program

BENGALURU, India, May 13, 2020 /CNW/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been selected by GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF), the world's leading specialty foundry, as its partner for the company's Digital Transformation program. Through this partnership, Infosys will provide expertise and analytical solutions to optimize the overall efficiency and agility of GF's manufacturing and business operations. The partnership will enable GF to seamlessly transform its legacy solutions and adopt advanced cloud capabilities to rationalize existing workloads, thereby realizing GF's digital strategy through process automation while achieving lower cost of ownership and ensuring compliance requirements. It will also help GF derive value and insights from the data generated across its globally dispersed operations. GF will leverage Infosys' domain expertise and industry experience to transform and optimize GF's IT assets to scale its digital capabilities. Infosys will also enable GF's internal teams with next-gen digital skills to help co-deliver great user experiences across the enterprise. Anand Swaminathan, EVP and Global Industry Leader - Communications, Media and Technology, Infosys, said, "Together with GlobalFoundries we are embarking on an industry leading digital transformation program. By harnessing the power of private and public cloud, we will assist GlobalFoundries in transforming their manufacturing and corporate operations to deliver more value to their clients while lowering cost of ownership. We are excited to partner with them on this digital leadership program which we believe will set a new benchmark for the industry." Thomas Weber, SVP Global Supply Chain and Integrated Manufacturing Information Technology, GlobalFoundries, said, "As the leading specialty foundry, with a global footprint, we are committed to accelerating our digital trasformation to differentiate and create more value for our clients. Partnering with Infosys will equip our teams with next-gen skills and accelerate our transformation journey through automation and innovation."



About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/infosys-selected-as-the-digital-transformation-partner-for-globalfoundries-digital-leadership-program-301058419.html SOURCE Infosys

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[May 13, 2020] Modulus Discovery Closes $25.5M USD Series B

Modulus Discovery, Inc., a preclinical-stage technology-driven drug discovery firm, announces the successful closing of its series B funding round in the amount of 2.71 B JPY (approximately $25.5M USD). Series B investors include SBI Investments Co., Ltd., Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd., JAFCO Co., Ltd., Keio Innovation Initiative, Inc., SMBC Venture Capital Co., Ltd., The Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company, Limited, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd., Mobile Internet Capital, Inc., Medifuture, Co., Ltd., Essential Pharma, Co., Ltd., and existing shareholder, Fast Track Initiative, Inc. Modulus has raised to date, a total of 3.51B JPY (approximately $33.1M USD) across its series A and B rounds. Modulus will use the proceeds to further its unique small-molecule lead programs in oncology and inflammatory / immune disorders and expand its portfolio of early programs and collaborations including those with its strategic partner, PeptiDream, Inc. Comment from S. Roy Kimura, Cofounder and CEO of Modulus Discovery, Inc.

"As the climate and needs for the healthcare industry continue to rapidly evolve, we are extremely grateful to our existing investors, partners, and new investors who have joined us in our work to discover breakthrough medicines for patients and their families in need. To date, we have successfully identified and characterized several of our own unique lead molecules in our oncology and inflammation/immune disorder programs and we are excited to now be in a position to bring these a step closer to clinical testing through partnerships with major players in the industry." Comment from Koki Hirota, SBI Investments, Co., Ltd.

"We are honored to work with the Modulus team led by CEO, Dr. Roy Kimura, consisting of drug discovery simulation experts and pharma industry experienced researchers with a track record of delivering multiple drug candidates to the clinic. Operating a novel drug discovery business model that involves lacking ownership of any experimental lab space, and leveraging the latst supercomputing technologies to discover and optimize active material ingredients that make up pre-clinical therapeutic candidates, we are excited to work with Modulus to open up brand new markets in small-molecule discovery. We hope to support Modulus' business expansion by making full use of SBI Group's rich industry relationships."



Comment from Yoshiaki Kodoi, Mizuho Capital Co., Ltd.

"In January of this year, Mizuho Capital just launched a new fund specializing in the life sciences, and Modulus is our first investment from this new fund. Modulus is developing a promising business with the potential to continuously and sustainably produce multiple breakthrough drug candidates through a revolutionary approach based in part on its world-class computational drug discovery platform. We believe the firm's superior portfolio strategy prioritizing discovery programs with the greatest potential value-add and shortest delivery time to licensing markets is in agreement with its mission "to accelerate the discovery of new medicines for patients and their families". The business also poses a challenge to the industry as a successful example of a next generation virtual pharma model. We fully support Modulus and its outstanding management team poised to take huge leaps on the world stage." Comment from Miwa Toyoda, JAFCO Co., Ltd.

"With rich experiences in drug discovery and computational sciences, the Modulus team holds deep insights in computational technology and biology and the ability to develop and expand its business globally. As therapeutic modalities continue to diversify and proliferate in the industry, we are confident that Modulus will achieve breakthroughs in small-molecules therapeutics, the original modality, and create revolutionary medicines. Through this investment, we are excited to be able to work together with Modulus toward this challenge. We are fully committed to working diligently to support further growth of Modulus."

Comment from Kotaro Yamagishi, CEO, Keio Innovation Initiative, Inc.

"Although drug discovery is an area traditionally dominated by American and European biotechnology ventures, we decided to invest into Modulus based on our evaluation of the company's management that integrates its strong scientific approach, spearheaded by its computational technology with potential for global success, with a logical business strategy. We hope that Modulus will not only create a large social impact through the discovery of multiple revolutionary medicines, but also that it will grow to become a globally respected company and create a new model for drug discovery ventures from Japan." About Modulus:

Modulus Discovery, Inc., is a preclinical-stage technology-driven drug discovery firm with offices in Tokyo and Boston. The company is pursuing its proprietary portfolio of small-molecule discovery programs and collaborations through integration of its unique core biology insights, cutting-edge discovery platform, and scalable networked operations. Modulus is focused on the efficient delivery of breakthrough medicines for patients and their families with unmet medical needs in areas including oncology, chronic inflammation / immune disorders, and rare genetic conditions. For further information, please visit www.modulusdiscovery.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005230/en/

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Nevertheless, a mass outflow of leaseholders has not yet been observed

Financial losses of Ukrainian malls have reached 261 million dollars due to lockdown restrictions 24 Channel

Over the last two months, the financial losses of Ukrainian shopping malls have reached 261 million dollars in rental income, and tenants have lost more than 1,8 million dollars in turnover. Interfax-Ukraine reported that, citing information provided by the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers.

"According to our estimates, Ukrainian malls have lost about 261 million dollars in rent over the last two months of lockdown. Leaseholders of Ukrainian malls have lost more than 1,8 billion dollars in turnover during the same period. All service companies have also been affected. Those tenants who worked during the quarantine (grocery stores, means of communication) have lost from 15% (supermarkets) to 50% in turnover and more (means of communication, pet products, household chemicals, etc.), the operational director of Budhouse Group Maksym Havriushyn stated.

Nevertheless, a mass outflow of leaseholders has not yet been observed.

Havriushyn predicts that 2020 will be a difficult year for weak shopping centers in terms of vacancies and rental rates. The share of free space in such shopping centers can increase to 10-20%, while successful shopping centers will remain full.

As we reported earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky asked EBRD to support Ukraine's state programs of funding small and medium businesses - as well as the activity of state companies.
Help India!

MAHESH TRIVEDI, TwoCircles.net

GUJARAT: The Gujarat police are under fire for their alleged high-handedness during a violent clash in a Muslim-dominated locality in Ahmedabad on May 8.

Support TwoCircles



The 120,000-strong Gujarat police, who have been on toes by strictly enforcing lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, are facing criticism over their use of force in Shahpur area of Ahmedabad.

Reacting to the incident, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has written a letter to the Director-General of Police Shivanand Jha demanding strict legal action against the uniformed men who assaulted a young pregnant woman after the violence.

A Public interest litigation has sought Gujarat High Courts directions to restrain the cops from beating up citizens found on streets during the shutdown.

The NCW, which has asked the state police chief to probe the attack on the expectant mother, had come across a viral YouTube video showing sobbing women complaining how men in uniform gate-crashed into their homes, smashed doors, beat up the occupants and collared the menfolk.

Gyasuddin Shaikh, a lawmaker representing and living in the communally sensitive area, confirmed the Iftar-eve incident believed to have been sparked by a heated exchange between patrolling policemen and three men sitting outside their homes in the containment zone.

Soon, the scuffle attracted others and the people accused the law-enforcers of harassing the minority community in the holy month of Ramadan blaming them for enforcing a stricter lockdown than elsewhere in the city  where a sudden ban on the sale of fruits and vegetables was announced two days ago with only milk and medicines available.

According to the FIR lodged by the Shahpur police, in no time heavy stone-pelting erupted from nearby Mohallas in which three policemen and four locals were injured. When the situation worsened, teargas shells were lobbed to disperse the crowds and more policemen were called in to cordon off the area.

However, the next day on May 9, the police went berserk in the narrow by-lanes of Shahpur before arresting some 20 people, but the sorry plight of the cash-starved occupants was shown in a YouTube video and reported only in Muslim-owned Gujarat Today daily.

According to the newspaper, the incident was triggered by harassment of two Muslim women who had come out on road in search of fruits and vegetables but were forced by the police to return to their homes.

Narrating his tale of woe, Atik Kagdi, a Shahpur resident, said that policemen broke open the strongly-built powerful door of his home and baton-charged his mother reading a religious book as well as his wife, who was breastfeeding a kid, was also injured in the assault.

They also picked up my innocent brother. Instead of behaving in a friendly manner with peaceful citizens, they rode roughshod over us, said Kagdi.

In another incident reported in Gujarat Today, Jenul Shaikh said his infirm 65-year-old father was beaten up and dragged out of the house after accusing of being involved in stone-pelting.

My old mother tried to stop the cops but she was also caned. Children in our areas are now so scared that they just dont step out, he said.

Gujarat High Court advocate Iqbal Masud Khan, whose kin stay in Shahpur, told TwoCircles.net that the police atrocity had not surprised him as the cops are under orders from above to use brutal force.

A YouTube video that went viral shows, Muslim women, in tears while recalling the police atrocities on their families during Iftar timebreaking open doors, locks and cupboards, crushing fruits under their feet and threatening to kill them. One housewife is seen pointing at a young woman saying she is three-months-pregnant but was hit twice with a baton by a policeman but she snatched the baton when he tried to wield the heavy stick for the third time. I was beaten when I tried to prevent the police from arresting my brother and father. I was even slapped, she says showing the scar on the right cheek in the video which also has two old women claiming they were also thrashed by the police. While the video captures a crying seven-year-old boy who says his father was beaten black and blue, a woman complains that her fasting husband was not allowed to drink even water before being hauled up. The government wants us to stay indoors. We are starving at home but it has not bothered to provide us with food or cash, laments a middle-aged woman, venting her anger. On their part, the police seem to have launched damage-control measures. Dharmendra Sharma, the deputy commissioner of police, told TwoCircles.net that he had already made a long list of dedicated volunteers from each and every lane who will visit homes to find out the grievances and requirements of each family and the police would do the needful. The eager volunteers will not only explain the importance of obeying lockdown rules but will also brief them on the important and difficult role played by policemen for citizen safety and fulfil their needs of food and medicines as also guide them even on employment, he said. According to Congress legislator Shaikh, who has drawn the attention of the Ahmedabad police commissioner about police excesses in Shahpur, the authorities can use the CCTV camera data to nab the culprits who pelted the police with stones but innocent citizens, especially women, cannot be harassed as had happened. Some 30 people have been arrested for the Shahpur stone-pelting under the Disaster Management Act as well as the Epidemic Act and IPC sections have been invoked against a 2,000-strong mob even as the death roll in the coronavirus pandemic in Ahmedabad district rose to 421 with 21 deaths in the city alone on May 12, and the number of COVID-19 cases rising to 6,353. Though the Ahmedabad police have so far helped distribute 1.1 million food packets and 11,000 ration kits to the poor, the state police chief Jhas latest warning that those who attack policemen will be jailed under PASA will certainly keep Gujarats six million terrified, innocent Muslims on tenterhooks.
Tanzania has run short of sugar over the last three weeks causing frustration among traders and consumers.



Most shops have not stocked the commodity - and those selling it are charging nearly double the normal price.



The government attributes the shortage to the coronavirus pandemic, which it says disrupted importation schedules.



But it also blames some business people for hoarding sugar to create a false scarcity so that they can sell it at a higher price.



Tanzania imposed price controls for the commodity last month after local production fell because of poor weather conditions, Bloomberg reported.



The price of a kilogramme for domestic consumption was set at 2,700 Tanzanian shillings ($1.17; 0.94), but traders said it was unprofitable.



On Monday, around 1,500 tonnes of sugar arrived at the port of Dar es Salaam.



The director of the Tanzania Sugar Board, Kenneth Bengesi, said the consignment would soon start to be distributed across the country.



Tanzania consumes 590,000 tonnes of sugar annually for both domestic and industrial consumption, according to data from 2016. But the country produces an average of 300,000 tonnes every year.



Sugar shortages are not rare in the East African country.



Poor rains and price disagreements between the government and traders have in the past caused scarcity and sharp increases in prices.

Source: BBC









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

Featured Video
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan's State Border Service (SBS) has prevented the smuggling of the total of 55 kilograms and 360 grams of narcotics from Iran in the past few days, SBS press service said on 12 May.

Thus, on May 11, border guards prevented a trespasser from crossing the Azerbaijani-Iranian border in the service area of the border post near Ahmadli village of Southern Beylagan district, the SBS reported. The trespasser disobeyed the border guard's command to stop and fled back to Iran, leaving behind narcotic substances in the amount of 37.9 kg.

The drugs found in cellophane packages include 19,180 grams of "opium", 16,305 grams of "heroin", 2,415 grams of a "marijuana"-like drug.

Earlier, on May 10, border guards found 11.9 kg of drugs in a bag containing 4,900 grams of "marijuana", 3,450 grams of "heroin", 1,550 grams of "opium", 2,000 grams of "metafetamine", 3,800 units of "methadone M-40" in three pacakges in the service area of the border post located near Astara districts Orujmahalla village.

In yet another development on May 10, the border guards found 5.56 kilograms of a "heroin"-like drug in the service area of the border post near the village of Pelikash, Astara region in a joint operation carried out with the Ministry of Interior.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Unidentified people desecrated an idol of Lord Hanuman at a temple in neighbouring Shamli district in western Uttar Pradesh, following which tension prevailed in the area, police said on Wednesday.

Residents of Tana village under Pukhta Garhi police station staged a protest after the matter came to light on Tuesday, prompting authorities to enhance security in the area.

According to police officer Sandeep Balyan, a case has been registered against unidentified people and investigation taken up.

As a precautionary measure, police personnel have been deployed in the area, the police officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
KIGALI, RwandaBurundi is kicking out the World Health Organizations top official in the country just days before the presidential election and after the WHO raised concerns about crowded political rallies.

A foreign ministry letter seen by The Associated Press says the WHO representative to Burundi, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, has been declared persona non grata and must leave the East African nation by Friday. The letter says three WHO experts also must go.

The letter gives no explanation for the expulsions. Reached by phone and asked for details, Foreign Minister Ezechiel Nibigira hung up Thursday morning. The WHO representative, Mulombo, did not immediately respond to phone calls.

The WHO Africa regional chief, Matshidiso Moeti, described Mulombo as an extremely competent person and said the WHO was communicating with Burundi to clarify and understand the reasoning for the decision they have taken.

The day that election campaigning in Burundi began late last month, images circulated online of crowded political rallies with President Pierre Nkurunziza in attendance. Moeti messaged the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about it, the Africa CDC chief has said.

The Africa CDC chief, John Nkengasong, on Thursday called Burundis action unfortunate and said any differences should be addressed by dialogue instead of actions that affect the pandemic response.

We dont have the luxury of kicking out the WHO, he told reporters. This war has to be won in a co-ordinated fashion, and co-ordination is key. Were in dire need of expertise. ... We encourage countries to do the right thing.

Burundi has 27 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but some citizens and others have raised concerns that more exist. Authorities have been accused of downplaying the virus and relying on divine protection, while rights groups have alleged squalid conditions and lack of access to quarantine facilities.

Burundi is using virus restrictions to limit election observers, however, telling the East African regional bloc that any arriving foreigners would face a 14-day quarantine. The election is May 20.

Holding a vote that allows the virus to spread could make it extremely difficult for a country to contain it later, the Africa CDC chief said. If an election is conducted that limits space for people to come together, its OK. But if you cannot ensure that ... then its gonna put you in danger.

Burundis previous election in 2015 sparked deadly political turmoil as Nkurunziza successfully ran for a third term that some said he had no right to pursue. This time hes not running, but critics have accused the ruling party of targeting the leading opposition party and its supporters ahead of the vote.

Some fear further unrest if this elections results are disputed over allegations of rigging.

This is not the first time Burundis government has expelled a United Nations official. It kicked out the U.N. human rights office a year ago after the U.N. repeatedly raised concerns about killings and other alleged abuses following the 2015 vote.

Burundi also became the first country to leave the International Criminal Court after ICC judges authorized an investigation into allegations of state-sponsored crimes including murder, rape and torture.

 Cara Anna in Johannesburg contributed.
Comparison of symptoms of COVID-19, asthma and allergies Because allergy and asthma symptoms can appear like some of the symptoms of COVID-19 it is very important to control your allergies and asthma.

In the best of times, it can be hard to tell the difference between symptoms of allergies, asthma and a viral respiratory illness. With the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding what these symptoms are is even more important than ever.

The virus causing COVID-19, called SARS-CoV-2, is part of a family of viruses called Coronaviruses. This is a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe respiratory illnesses. Coronaviruses can develop in animals and, through mutation, come to infect humans. SARS-CoV-2 is a mutated coronavirus that emerged in China in late 2019. It can cause severe respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and can be fatal. Yet, in some people the symptoms can be mild.

You should seek immediate medical care for any of the following:



Trouble breathing

Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

New confusion or inability to arouse

Bluish lips or face

Because allergy and asthma symptoms can appear like some of the symptoms of COVID-19 it is very important to control your allergies and asthma.

Remember the following tips:

Avoid allergy triggers: During the current pollen season keep windows closed and avoid outdoor activity when pollen counts are high

Take your medications: Taking your daily controller inhaler and other allergy and asthma medications as prescribed by your allergist will minimize your symptoms of allergy and asthma

Follow your Asthma Action Plan

Most importantly, keep in contact with your Allergy Partners physician. Our offices remain open and we are offering Telemedicine services to make sure you and your family remain well during this challenging time. We are anxious to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about COVID-19 and how we can best manage your allergies and asthma together.

Authors:

Dr. William McCann | Allergy Partners of Western North Carolina

Dr. Richard Wasserman | Allergy Partners of North Texas

Sources:

ACAAI: https://acaai.org/news/important-covid-19-information-those-asthma-andor-allergies

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

AAN: https://www.allergyasthmanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Distinguishing-the-Difference-COVID-19-Allergies-Flu_4-20.pdf

PR: NOVA MedMarket
May 13, 2020

Philips' ultrasound portfolio, including Lumify with Reacts handheld tele-ultrasound solution, provides valuable diagnostic insight for front-line care providers

Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Royal Philips to support clinicians using its systems and software for patients affected by COVID-19. The clearance applies to Philips ultrasound systems including the EPIQ series, Affiniti series, Lumify, CX50 and Sparq diagnostic ultrasound systems, and to off-cart solutions like QLAB Advanced Quantification Software.

Ultrasound has shown value in imaging peripheral lung tissue affected by pneumonia, which is closely tied to COVID-19 lung complications. As respiratory strain can also lead to cardiac dysfunction, COVID-19 patients are at increased risk for cardiac complications. A cardiac ultrasound exam can help in evaluating the effects that disease progression may have on heart function. By imaging COVID-19 patients at the point of care, such as in the Emergency Department (ED) or Intensive Care Unit (ICU), clinicians can diagnose and monitor patients without the need to move them around the hospital, helping to reduce the risk of virus transmission to other patients or to healthcare professionals.

"Many healthcare providers have told us that our handheld and portable ultrasound solutions are playing a valuable role in their efforts to combat COVID-19," said Bich Le, Senior Vice President and General Manager Ultrasound at Philips. "With this regulatory clearance we can offer clear guidance to ensure safe and effective use of ultrasound to manage COVID-19-related lung and cardiac complications. At the same time, we are investing significantly to ramp up production globally, including at our ultrasound manufacturing plants in the US."

With its broad portfolio, leadership in areas including cardiac ultrasound and the unique capabilities of the Lumify with Reacts handheld tele-ultrasound solution , Philips is well positioned to support healthcare providers with ultrasound solutions as they combat the pandemic. The Lumify with Reacts point-of-care ultrasound solution, which works in conjunction with a compatible smartphone or tablet, is the world's first ultra-portable ultrasound device with advanced telehealth capabilities. The Reacts communications platform enables two-way audio-visual calls with live ultrasound streaming, so both parties can simultaneously view the live ultrasound image and probe positioning, while discussing and interacting at the same time. In the context of COVID-19, this solution can help minimize the risk of virus transmission for the medical team.

The new guidance highlights the specific presets, transducers, quantification tools and other capabilities available on Philips' ultrasound systems that are relevant in assessing and managing COVID-19-related lung and cardiac complications. For example, the EPIQ CVx premium cardiology ultrasound system includes automated applications for 2D assessment of the heart, as well as robust 3D right ventricle volume and ejection fraction measurements.

The regulatory clearance includes the following Philips ultrasound systems: EPIQ series, Affiniti series, Lumify , CX50 , and Sparq diagnostic ultrasound systems and off-cart solutions like QLAB Advanced Quantification Software. More information on how Philips is responding to COVID-19 can be found on the company's global newscenter .

For further information, please contact:

Mark Groves

Philips Global Press Office

Tel: +31 631 639 916

Email: mark.groves@philips.com

Twitter: mark_groves

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips .





Attachments
TORONTO, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xanadu Mines Ltd (ASX: XAM, TSX: XAM) (Xanadu or the Company) is pleased to report that on-ground exploration activities have commenced at the highly prospective Red Mountain Joint Venture (JV) with the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC).



HIGHLIGHTS

On-ground exploration activities have commenced at Red Mountain

On-ground program is designed to collect baseline data over the large district to prepare drill targets

Red Mountain JV with JOGMEC is focused on discovery of a Tier-1 copper-gold porphyry deposit

Red Mountain JV builds upon Xanadus other active exploration program at Kharmagtai in the South Gobi

ABOUT RED MOUNTIAN

The Red Mountain JV project located within the Dornogovi Province of southern Mongolia, approximately 420 kilometres southeast of Ulaanbaatar (Figure 1), is a joint venture between Xanadu and JOGMEC. The project covers approximately 57 square kilometres in a frontier terrane with significant mineral endowment and has a granted 30-year mining licence. Red Mountain comprises a cluster of outcropping mineralising porphyry intrusions which display features typically found in the shallower parts of porphyry systems where narrow dykes and patchy mineralisation branch out above a mineralised stock. This underexplored porphyry district includes multiple porphyry copper-gold centres, mineralised tourmaline breccia pipes copper-gold/base metal skarns and high-grade epithermal gold veins.

JOINT VENTURE WITH JOGMEC

JOGMEC may earn up to 51% beneficial interest in the project by sole funding up to $US7.2 million in exploration expenditure over the next 4 years. Exploration objectives of the earn-in deal are to discover Mongolias next world-class copper-porphyry deposit.

Xanadus Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew Stewart, said We are thrilled to have exploration underway again at our Red Mountain JV with JOGEMC, less than one month after signing the earn-in agreement. The fact that we can commence operational activities now, during the global COVID-19 crisis, is testament to the proactive and effective approach by the Government of Mongolia in managing the pandemic.

Red Mountain offers a rare opportunity to access a large, under-explored porphyry district. In the coming months, we will deploy a systematic exploration program, including deep penetrating geophysics, that we expect will provide a new perspective on the mineral potential at Red Mountain district. A steady stream of new geological information will help advance and refine several large-scale drill targets ready for testing in Q3 in 2020.

FIGURE 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/29ab4cd1-a90b-4856-b26c-d2a23079449f

EXPLORATION PROGRAM

A staged exploration program has been designed to test the numerous porphyry centres, help drilling phases to mesh and reach clear decision points.

The first phase of the exploration program is designed to gather the remaining background data for targeting large-scale copper-gold porphyry deposits. The program will primarily focus on providing an even coverage of each data type across the entire mining lease (geophysical, geochemical & geological); followed by detailed conceptual 3D modelling and integrating data at all levels into a common environment for interrogation and drill hole targeting. Approximately 2,100 metres of diamond drilling has been designed in first phase to test the highest priority drill ready targets.

The second phase of exploration focusses on testing the best targets developed out of the 3D models generated from combining the complete geological, geochemical and geophysical dataset. The process will be iterative, as each drill hole will be analysed with its data combined with the models and the targeting refined.

HIGH PRORITY TARGETS

Several drill ready targets exist across the lease, where previous work is sufficient to provide robust drill targeting. Diorite, Stockwork, Oyut Ovoo, Stairy and Target 10 (Figure 2) all provide compelling drill targets with substantial scale and historical drill holes intersecting high-grade copper and gold and mineralisation open at depth and along strike.

Porphyry mineralisation at Diorite, Stockwork, Stairy and Target 10 is hosted within narrow stockwork zones that have been focused around several narrow structurally controlled monzonite porphyry dykes. Emplacement of mineralisation appears to be controlled by intersection of northeast and north-northwest trending structures. The quartz-chalcopyrite-bornite stockwork mineralisation is associated with strong reddening albite-sericite-biotite-magnetite (potassic) alteration assemblage in the host lithology. The thin nature of the mineralising dykes, their irregular intrusion geometry, and the patchy distribution of stockwork mineralisation are all features typically found in the shallower parts of porphyry systems, where narrow dykes and patchy mineralisation branch out above a mineralised stock. Similar orebody geometries are found in the shallower parts of the North Parkes porphyry copper-gold (Cu-Au) deposits in NSW, where porphyry mineralisation has also been tightly focused along a controlling structure adjacent to a felsic pluton. Like North Parkes, there is the potential for further mineralisation along the main structures at Diorite Hill and Stockwork Hill, and the likelihood that mineralisation extends (and could amalgamate) at depth.

Historically significant drill results from Diorite include:

OUDDH087 intersected 185.4m @ 0.51% Cu and 0.84g/t Au from surface including 108m @ 0.70% Cu and 1.26g/t Au from 38m

including OUDDH003 intersected 134m @ 0.46% Cu and 0.90g/t Au from surface including 106m @ 0.53% Cu and 1.05g/t Au from surface and 44m @ 0.74% Cu and 1.59g/t Au from 8m

including and OUDDH005 intersected 188.6m @ 0.34% Cu and 0.55g/t Au from surface including 104.65m @ 0.48% Cu and 0.82g/t Au from 7.35m and 8.1m @ 0.60% Cu and 1.43g/t Au from 27.9m

FIGURE 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8864aeb9-6d6a-4524-9d02-682aeb3e7af6

The tourmaline breccia complex at Oyut Ovoo has similarities to the very strongly mineralised tourmaline breccia dyke complex at Kharmagtai, in that it appears to be a large (several km long), variably mineralised breccia complex. Drill testing is required to determine whether it is indeed a single, continuous breccia complex, or a series of isolated breccia pipes and dikes localised along a favourable structural corridor. The large areas of tourmaline breccia that crop out throughout the Oyut Ovoo area, are yet to be drilltested and if they are mineralised at depth, then a significant increase in the resource potential of the district is predicted.

Historically significant drill results include:

OUDDH036 intersected 92m @ 1.50% Cu and 0.02g/t Au from surface including 65m @ 2.09% Cu and 0.03g/t Au from surface

including OUDDH088 intersected 84m @ 1.49% Cu and 0.01g/t Au from surface including 58m @ 2.00% Cu and 0.01g/t Au from 8m

ABOUT XANADU MINES

Xanadu is an ASX and TSX listed exploration company that seeks to discover and define globally significant porphyry copper-gold assets in Mongolia. We give investors exposure to large scale copper-gold discoveries, and we create liquidity events for our shareholders at peak value points in the mining life cycle. Xanadu delivers this through a low cost of discovery, inventory growth, and by progressing projects from Discovery towards Pre-Feasibility.

FORWARDLOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this Announcement, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of Xanadu and its projects may also include statements which are forwardlooking statements that may include, amongst other things, statements regarding targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of mineral reserves and mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, production and prices, recovery costs and results, capital expenditures and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions. These forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Xanadu, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forwardlooking statements.

Xanadu disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, circumstances or results or otherwise after the date of this Announcement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than required by the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The words believe, expect, anticipate, indicate, contemplate, target, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements.

All forwardlooking statements made in this Announcement are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantee of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

COMPETENT-QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

The information in this Announcement that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled by Dr Andrew Stewart, who is responsible for the exploration data, comments on exploration target sizes, Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) and geological interpretation and information. Dr Stewart, who is an employee of Xanadu and is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists, has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to qualify as the Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and the National Instrument 43-101. Dr Stewart consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears.

COPPER EQUIVALENT CALCULATIONS

The copper equivalent (CuEq) calculation represents the total metal value for each metal, multiplied by the conversion factor, summed, and expressed in equivalent copper percentage. Grades have been adjusted for metallurgical recoveries based off previous metallurgical work performed on the mineralisation in question. The copper/gold equivalent grades are of an exploration nature only and intended for summarising grade. The copper/gold equivalent calculation is intended as an indicative value only. The following copper equivalent conversion factors and long-term price assumptions have been adopted:

Copper Equivalent Formula eCu or CuEq = Cu + Au * 0.62097 * 0.8235.

Gold Equivalent Formula eAu = Au + Cu / (0.62097 * 0.8235).

Where:

Cu - copper grade (%)

Au - gold grade (g/t)

0.62097- conversion factor (gold to copper)

0.8235 - relative recovery of gold to copper (82.35%)

The copper/gold equivalent formula was based on the following parameters (prices are in USD):

Copper price - 3.1 $/lb (or 6834 $/t)

Gold price - 1320 $/oz

Copper recovery - 85%

Gold recovery - 70%

Relative recovery of gold to copper = 70% / 85% = 82.35%.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Stewart

Chief Executive Officer

T: +61 2 8280 7497

M: +61 409 819 922

E: Andrew.stewart@xanadumines.com

W: www.xanadumines.com

This Announcement was authorised for release by Xanadus Board of Directors.





APPENDIX 1: RED MOUNTIAN TABLE 1 (JORC 2012)

Set out below is Section 1 and Section 2 of Table 1 under the JORC Code, 2012 Edition for the Red Mountain project. Data provided by Xanadu. This Table 1 updates the JORC Table 1 disclosure dated 18 September 2017.

1.1 JORC TABLE 1 - SECTION 1 - SAMPLING TECHNIQUES AND DATA

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.

Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report.

In cases where industry standard work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay). In other cases, more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. The resource estimate is based on diamond drill core samples, RC chip samples and channel samples from surface trenches.

Representative  core samples were split from PQ, HQ & NQ diameter diamond drill core on site using rock saws, on a routine 2m sample interval that also honors lithological/intrusive contacts.

The orientation of the cut line is controlled using the core orientation line ensuring uniformity of core splitting wherever the core has been successfully oriented.

Sample intervals are defined and subsequently checked by geologists, and sample tags are attached (stapled) to the plastic core trays for every sample interval.

RC chip samples are  splits from one meter intervals using a 75%:25% riffle splitter to obtain a 3kg sample

RC samples are uniform 2m samples formed from the combination of two  split 1m samples. Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc.). The Mineral Resource estimation has been based upon diamond drilling of PQ, HQ and NQ diameters with both standard and triple tube core recovery configurations, RC drilling and surface trenching with channel sampling.

All drill core drilled by Xanadu has been oriented using the Reflex Ace tool. Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.

Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.

Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Diamond drill core recoveries were assessed using the standard industry (best) practice which involves: removing the core from core trays; reassembling multiple core runs in a v-rail; measuring core lengths with a tape measure, assessing recovery against core block depth measurements and recording any measured core loss for each core run.

Diamond core recoveries average 97% through mineralization.

Overall, core quality is good, with minimal core loss. Where there is localized faulting and or fracturing core recoveries decrease, however, this is a very small percentage of the mineralized intersections.

RC recoveries are measured using whole weight of each 1m intercept measured before splitting

Analysis of recovery results vs grade shows no significant trends that might indicate sampling bias introduced by variable recovery in fault/fracture zones. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies.

Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography.

The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. All drill core is geologically logged by well-trained geologists using a modified Anaconda-style logging system methodology. The Anaconda method of logging and mapping is specifically designed for porphyry Cu-Au mineral systems and is entirely appropriate to support Mineral Resource Estimation, mining and metallurgical studies.

Logging of lithology, alteration and mineralogy is intrinsically qualitative in nature. However, the logging is subsequently supported by 4 Acid ICP-MS (48 element) geochemistry and SWIR spectral mineralogy (facilitating semi-quantitative/calculated mineralogical, lithological and alteration classification) which is integrated with the logging to improve cross section interpretation and 3D geological model development.

Drill core is also systematically logged for both geotechnical features and geological structures. Where drill core has been successfully oriented, the orientation of structures and geotechnical features are also routinely measured.

Both wet and dry core photos are taken after core has been logged and marked-up but before drill core has been cut. Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.

If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.

For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.

Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. All drill core samples are  core splits from either PQ, HQ or NQ diameter cores. A routine 2m sample interval is used, but this is varied locally to honour lithological / intrusive contacts. The minimum allowed sample length is 30cm.

Core is appropriately split (onsite) using diamond core saws with the cut line routinely located relative to the core orientation line (where present) to provide consistency of sample split selection.

The diamond saws are regularly flushed with water to minimize potential contamination.

A field duplicate  core sample is collected every 30 th sample to ensure the representivity of the in situ material collected. The performance of these field duplicates are routinely analysed as part of Xanadus sample QC process.

sample to ensure the representivity of the in situ material collected. The performance of these field duplicates are routinely analysed as part of Xanadus sample QC process. Routine sample preparation and analyses of DDH samples were carried out by ALS Mongolia LLC ( ALS Mongolia ), who operates an independent sample preparation and analytical laboratory in Ulaanbaatar.

), who operates an independent sample preparation and analytical laboratory in Ulaanbaatar. All samples were prepared to meet standard quality control procedures as follows: Crushed to 75% passing 2mm, split to 1kg, pulverised to 85% passing 200 mesh (75 microns) and split to 150g sample pulp.

ALS Mongolia Geochemistry labs quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2008.

The sample support (sub-sample mass and comminution) is appropriate for the grainsize and Cu-Au distribution of the porphyry Cu-Au mineralization and associated host rocks. Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.

For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc., the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc.

Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision have been established. All samples were routinely assayed by ALS Mongolia for gold

Au is determined using a 25g fire assay fusion, cupelled to obtain a bead, and digested with Aqua Regia, followed by an atomic absorption spectroscopy ( AAS ) finish, with a lower detection ( LDL ) of 0.01 ppm.

) finish, with a lower detection ( ) of 0.01 ppm. All samples were also submitted to ALS Mongolia for the 48 element package ME-ICP61 using a four acid digest (considered to be an effective total digest for the elements relevant to the MRE). Where copper is over-range (>1% Cu), it is analysed by a second analytical technique (Cu-OG62), which has a higher upper detection limit ( UDL ) of 5% copper.

) of 5% copper. Quality assurance has been managed by insertion of appropriate Standards (1:30 samples  suitable Ore Research Pty Ltd certified standards), Blanks (1:30 samples), Duplicates (1:30 samples   core duplicate) by XAM.

Assay results outside the optimal range for methods were re-analysed by appropriate methods.

Ore Research Pty Ltd certified copper and gold standards have been implemented as a part of QC procedures, as well as coarse and pulp blanks, and certified matrix matched copper-gold standards.

QC monitoring is an active and ongoing processes on batch by batch basis by which unacceptable results are re-assayed as soon as practicable.

Prior to 2014: Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn, As and Mo were routinely determined using a three-acid-digestion of a 0.3g sub-sample followed by an AAS finish (AAS21R) at SGS Mongolia. Samples were digested with nitric, hydrochloric and perchloric acids to dryness before leaching with hydrochloric acid to dissolve soluble salts and made to 15ml volume with distilled water. The LDL for copper using this technique was 2ppm. Where copper was over-range (>1% Cu), it was analysed by a second analytical technique (AAS22S), which has a higher upper detection limit (UDL) of 5% copper. Gold analysis method was essentially unchanged. Verification of sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.

The use of twinned holes.

Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.

Discuss any adjustment to assay data. All assay data QAQC is checked prior to loading into XAMs Geobank data base.

The data is managed by XAM geologists.

The data base and geological interpretation is managed by XAM.

Check assays are submitted to an umpire lab (SGS Mongolia) for duplicate analysis.

No twinned drill holes exist.

There have been no adjustments to any of the assay data. Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.

Specification of the grid system used.

Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Diamond drill holes have been surveyed with a differential global positioning system ( DGPS ) to within 10cm accuracy.

) to within 10cm accuracy. The grid system used for the project is UTM WGS-84 Zone 48N

Historically, Eastman Kodak and Flexit electronic multi-shot downhole survey tools have been used at Red Mountain to collect down hole azimuth and inclination information for the majority of the diamond drill holes. Single shots were typically taken every 30m to 50m during the drilling process, and a multi-shot survey with readings every 3-5m are conducted at the completion of the drill hole. As these tools rely on the earths magnetic field to measure azimuth, there is some localised interference/inaccuracy introduced by the presence of magnetite in some parts of the Red Mountain mineral system. The extent of this interference cannot be quantified on a reading-by-reading basis.

More recently (since September 2017), a north-seeking gyro has been employed by the drilling crews on site (rented and operated by the drilling contractor), providing accurate downhole orientation measurements unaffected by magnetic effects. Xanadu have a permanent calibration station setup for the gyro tool, which is routinely calibrated every 2 weeks (calibration records are maintained and were sighted)

The project DTM is based on 1 m contours from satellite imagery with an accuracy of 0.1 m. Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.

Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.

Whether sample compositing has been applied. Holes spacings range from <50m spacings within the core of mineralization to +500m spacings for exploration drilling. Hole spacings can be determined using the sections and drill plans provided.

Holes range from vertical to an inclination of -60 degrees depending on the attitude of the target and the drilling method.

The data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish anomalism and targeting for porphyry Cu-Au, tourmaline breccia and epithermal target types.

Holes have been drilled to a maximum of 1,300m vertical depth.

The data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish geological and grade continuity, and to support the Mineral Resource classification. Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.

If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material. Drilling is conducted in a predominantly regular grid to allow unbiased interpretation and targeting.

Scissor drilling, as well as some vertical and oblique drilling, has been used in key mineralised zones to achieve unbiased sampling of interpreted structures and mineralised zones, and in particular to assist in constraining the geometry of the mineralised hydrothermal tourmaline-sulphide breccia domains. Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. Samples are delivered from the drill rig to the core shed twice daily and are never left unattended at the rig.

Samples are dispatched from site in locked boxes transported on XAM company vehicles to ALS lab in Ulaanbaatar.

Sample shipment receipt is signed off at the Laboratory with additional email confirmation of receipt.

Samples are then stored at the lab and returned to a locked storage site. Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. Internal audits of sampling techniques and data management are undertaken on a regular basis, to ensure industry best practice is employed at all times.

External reviews and audits have been conducted by the following groups:

2012: AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. was engaged to conduct an Independent Technical Report which reviewed drilling and sampling procedures. It was concluded that sampling and data record was to an appropriate standard.

2013: Mining Associates Ltd. was engaged to conduct an Independent Technical Report to review drilling, sampling techniques and QAQC. Methods were found to conform to international best practice.

2018: CSA Global reviewed the entire drilling, logging, sampling, sample shipping and laboratory processes during the competent persons site visit for the 2018 MRe, and found the systems and adherence to protocols to be to an appropriate standard.

1.2 JORC TABLE 1 - SECTION 2 - REPORTING OF EXPLORATION RESULTS

(Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections).

Criteria JORC Code (Section 2) Explanation Commentary Mineral

tenement

and land

tenure

status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.

The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a license to operate in the area. The Project comprises 1 Mining Licence (MV-17129A).

Xanadu now owns 90% of Vantage LLC, the 100% owner of the Oyut Ulaan mining licence.

The Mongolian Minerals Law (2006) and Mongolian Land Law (2002) govern exploration, mining and land use rights for the project. Exploration

done by

other

parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties.



Previous exploration was conducted by Quincunx Ltd, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd and Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd including extensive drilling, surface geochemistry, geophysics, mapping. Geology



Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. The mineralisation is characterised as porphyry copper-gold type.

Porphyry copper-gold deposits are formed from magmatic hydrothermal fluids typically associated with felsic intrusive stocks that have deposited metals as sulphides both within the intrusive and the intruded host rocks. Quartz stockwork veining is typically associated with sulphides occurring both within the quartz veinlets and disseminated thought out the wall rock. Porphyry deposits are typically large tonnage deposits ranging from low to high grade and are generally mined by large scale open pit or underground bulk mining methods. The deposits at Red Mountain are atypical in that they are associated with intermediate intrusions of diorite to quartz diorite composition; however the deposits are in terms of contained gold significant, and similar gold-rich porphyry deposits. Drill hole

Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes:

easting and northing of the drill hole collar.

elevation or RL Reduced Level  elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar.

dip and azimuth of the hole

down hole length and interception depth

hole length.

If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. Diamond drill holes are the principal source of geological and grade data for the Project.

See figures in ASX/TSX Announcement. Data

Aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g. cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated.

Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.

The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. A nominal cut-off of 0.1% eCu is used in copper dominant systems for identification of potentially significant intercepts for reporting purposes. Higher grade cut-offs are 0.3%, 0.6% and 1% eCu.

A nominal cut-off of 0.1g/t eAu is used in gold dominant systems like for identification of potentially significant intercepts for reporting purposes. Higher grade cut-offs are 0.3g/t, 0.6g/t and 1g/t eAu.

Maximum contiguous dilution within each intercept is 9m for 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.6% and 1% eCu.

Most of the reported intercepts are shown in sufficient detail, including maxima and subintervals, to allow the reader to make an assessment of the balance of high and low grades in the intercept.

Informing samples have been composited to two metre lengths honouring the geological domains and adjusted where necessary to ensure that no residual sample lengths have been excluded (best fit).

The copper equivalent (eCu) calculation represents the total metal value for each metal, multiplied by the conversion factor, summed and expressed in equivalent copper percentage with a metallurgical recovery factor applied. The copper equivalent calculation used is based off the eCu calculation defined by CSA in the 2018 Mineral Resource Upgrade.

Copper equivalent ( CuEq or eCu ) grade values were calculated using the following formula:

or ) grade values were calculated using the following formula: eCu or CuEq = Cu + Au * 0.62097 * 0.8235,

Gold Equivalent ( eAu ) grade values were calculated using the following formula:

) grade values were calculated using the following formula: eAu = Au + Cu / 0.62097 * 0.8235.

Where:

Cu - copper grade (%)

Au - gold grade (g/t)

0.62097- conversion factor (gold to copper)

0.8235 - relative recovery of gold to copper (82.35%)

The copper equivalent formula was based on the following parameters (prices are in USD):

Copper price - 3.1 $/lb (or 6834 $/t)

Gold price - 1320 $/oz

Copper recovery - 85%

Gold recovery - 70%

Relative recovery of gold to copper = 70% / 85% = 82.35%. Relationship between mineralisation

on widths



and intercept

lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.

If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.

If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (eg down hole length, true width not known). Mineralised structures are variable in orientation, and therefore drill orientations have been adjusted from place to place in order to allow intersection angles as close as possible to true widths.

Exploration results have been reported as an interval with 'from' and 'to' stated in tables of significant economic intercepts. Tables clearly indicate that true widths will generally be narrower than those reported. Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. See figures in ASX/TSX Announcement. Balanced



Reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results. Resources have been reported at a range of cut-off grades, above a minimum suitable for open pit mining, and above a minimum suitable for underground mining. Other

substantive

exploration

data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples  size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances. Extensive work in this area has been done and is reported separately. Further

Work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).

Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. The mineralisation is open at depth and along strike.

Current estimates are restricted to those expected to be reasonable for open pit mining. Limited drilling below this depth (-300m RLl) shows widths and grades potentially suitable for underground extraction.

Exploration on going.

1.3 JORC TABLE 1 - SECTION 3 ESTIMATION AND REPORTING OF MINERAL RESOURCES

Mineral Resources are not reported so this is not applicable to this report.

1.4 JORC TABLE 1 - SECTION 4 ESTIMATION AND REPORTING OF ORE RESERVES

Ore Reserves are not reported so this is not applicable to this report.


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The United Kingdom is set to witness a collapse in its gross domestic product in the second quarter due to the lockdown imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, or Covid-19, pandemic, the National Institute for Economic And Social Research predicted on Wednesday.



Earlier in the day, data from ONS showed that GDP dropped 2 percent in the first quarter of 2020, which was the worst fall since the global financial crisis of 2008.



'In light of the preliminary release, we forecast growth in the second quarter to decline sharply by about 25 to 30 per cent,' NIESR said.



In the month of March, GDP fell 5.8 percent driven by record falls in construction and services, ONS said.



'In a period of radical uncertainty, the short-term economic impact of Covid-19 is becoming clearer with the publication of GDP data for March, where output is expected to be lower by about 25 per cent in months when the lockdown is in place,' NIESR Senior Economist Kemar Whyte said.



'Restarting the economy by promoting activities in upstream sectors such as construction, some manufacturing and the government will increase overall activities via helpful spillovers.'



Whyte warned that without a vaccine, there is significant risk of a second wave which could trigger a further setback in the economy.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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The government on Wednesday threw a lifeline to Indias stressed shadow banking sector with an announcement of a Rs 45,000 crore liquidity infusion through a Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) 2.0 for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs)

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made the announcement as part of the governments package to boost the economy that has slowed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The scheme is designed to boost NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs with low credit ratings that require liquidity for fresh lending to MSMEs and individuals.

The existing PCGS scheme will be extended to cover borrowings such as primary issuance of bonds/CPs of such entities.

Under the scheme, the first 20% of the loss will be borne by the government which will be the guarantor.

The scheme is expected to result in a liquidity of Rs 45,000 cr.

In the last few years, NBFCs have been struggling with bad assets and corporate governance issues.

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One of the most high-profile cases was Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services whose operations the government took over last year it defaulted payments in 2018.

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On Jan. 28, 1922, the roof collapsed at the Knickerbocker Theatre in Adams Morgan. (Library of Congress)

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Reynolds said test results indicate the virus is moving from areas of Eastern Iowa that now are decreasing and becoming manageable to the central and western parts of the state. She said testing has increased from 300 a day at the start of Iowas pandemic to about 3,800 per day now. She said she expected machines supplied by a contractor under the Test Iowa Initiative to be validated by the State Hygienic Lab as of Tuesday  a development that would speed up getting test results.

For now. we must learn to adjust life and business accordingly, so that we can live, work and play the way that we want while continuing to prioritize the health of Iowans and to get our economy back on track, the governor said.

Reynolds said Tuesday the recent rise in cases is the result of more testing and should not impede the reopening of the states economy.

Lifting restrictions is not a mandate that businesses must reopen but for those that are ready its an opportunity to get back to business, bring employees back to work and get Iowas economy moved ahead, Reynolds said, noting that since May 1 both businesses and churches have taken a very cautious approach as they considered how best to reopen.
Research data from the pivotal phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial of ENHERTU to be presented along with phase 2 DESTINY-Lung01 and DESTINY-CRC01 research data

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Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced that it will present new research data across its DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) portfolio at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Scientific Program to be held May 29 to May 31 (ASCO20).

Highlights include research data presentations from four trials in the DESTINY program of ENHERTU (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki), a HER2 directed ADC, in several types of HER2 expressing cancers. Results will be reported from the pivotal phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial, which demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) for patients with HER2 positive metastatic gastric cancer who progressed after two previous regimens treated with ENHERTU compared to investigator's choice of chemotherapy (irinotecan or paclitaxel monotherapy). ENHERTU was recently granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients in this setting.

Interim phase 2 data from the DESTINY-Lung01 trial in patients with HER2 mutant metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the DESTINY-CRC01 trial in patients with HER2 expressing advanced colorectal cancer will be presented during two oral presentations. Research data including objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) as well as safety and tolerability from each of these trials will be reported. Findings from DESTINY-Breast01 evaluating clinical and molecular variables as possible predictors of efficacy also will be shared.

Updated phase 1 results with DS-1062, a TROP2 directed DXd ADC, will be presented in patients with advanced NSCLC who are refractory to or have relapsed following standard treatment or for whom no standard treatment is available, including research data for additional patients enrolled into both the dose escalation and dose expansion parts of the trial.

"We look forward to sharing updates from the DESTINY development program including pivotal data from DESTINY-Gastric01, which represent the first research data from a randomized controlled trial evaluating tumor response and overall survival for ENHERTU compared to investigator's choice of chemotherapy," said Antoine Yver, MD, MSc, EVP and Global Head, Oncology Research and Development, Daiichi Sankyo. "The body of research data to be presented at ASCO demonstrates significant development progress for two of our lead ADCs, as we remain committed to translating our DXd ADC technology into new treatment options for as many appropriate patients as possible."

The overall safety and tolerability profile of ENHERTU in DESTINY-Gastric01 was consistent with that seen in the phase 1 trial in which the most common adverse events (=30 percent, any grade) were hematologic and gastrointestinal including neutrophil count decrease, anemia, nausea and decreased appetite. There were cases of drug-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumonitis, the majority of which were grade 1 and 2 with two grade 3 and one grade 4. No ILD-related deaths (grade 5) occurred in patients with gastric cancer in the phase 1 trial or in the DESTINY-Gastric01 trial.

Daiichi Sankyo will hold two ASCO conference calls for investors and analysts: on Sunday, May 31, 2020 from 6:30 PM-8:00 PM EDT (in Japanese/English) and on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 from 8:00 AM-9:30 AM EDT (in English). Company executives will provide an overview of the ASCO research data, updates for the oncology portfolio and address questions from investors and analysts.

Following is an overview of the research data from the oncology portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo to be presented at ASCO 2020:

ASCO Virtual Scientific Program Abstract Title Presentation Details ENHERTU (HER2 ADC) Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd; DS-8201) in patients with HER2-expressing advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma: A randomized, phase 2, multicenter, open-label study (DESTINY-Gastric01) Poster Discussion (Abstract 4513): K. Shitara, et al.Gastrointestinal Cancer: Gastroesophageal, Pancreatic, and Hepatobillary; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd; DS-8201) in patients with HER2-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Interim results of DESTINY-Lung01 Oral Presentation (Abstract 9504): E. Smit, et al.Lung Cancer: Non-Small Cell Metastatic; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET A phase 2, multicenter, open-label study of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd; DS-8201) in patients with HER2-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) (DESTINY-CRC01) Oral Presentation (Abstract 4000): S. Siena, et al.Gastrointestinal Cancer: Colorectal and Anal; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET Trastuzumab deruxtecan for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: DESTINY-Breast01 subgroup analysis Poster Presentation (Abstract 1036): S. Modi, et al.Breast Cancer Metastatic; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd; DS-8201) in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced/metastatic breast or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): A phase 1b, multicenter, study Poster Presentation (Abstract TPS1100 Trial in Progress): H. Borghaei, et al.Breast Cancer Metastatic; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET Multicenter phase II study of trastuzumab deruxtecan (DS-8201) for HER2 positive unresectable or recurrent biliary tract cancer: HERB trial Poster Presentation (Abstract TPS4654 Trial in Progress): A. Ohba, et al. Gastrointestinal Cancer Gastroesophageal, Pancreatic, and Hepatobiliary; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET A basket trial of trastuzumab deruxtecan, a HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate, for HER2 amplified solid tumors identified by circulating tumor DNA analysis (HERALD trial) Poster Presentation (Abstract TSP3650 Trial in Progress): M. Yagisawa, et al. Developmental Therapeutics-Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET Real-world effectiveness of post-T-DM1 treatments in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: KBCSG-TR1917 observational study Online Publication (Abstract e13020): S. Masuda, et al; May 13 at 5:00 PM ET Real-world study of the treatments following trastuzumab-emtansine for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: A multi-central cohort study (WJOG12519B) Online Publication (Abstract e13019): S. Kurozumi, et al; May 13 at 5:00 PM ET DS-1062 (TROP2 ADC) Updated results from the phase 1 study of DS-1062, a trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP-2) antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), in patients (pts) with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Visual Presentation in Poster Session (Abstract 9619): A.E. Lisberg, et al. Lung Cancer-Non-Small Cell Metastatic; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET DS-7300 (B7-H3 ADC) A phase I/II, two-part, multicenter first-in-human study of DS-7300a in patients with advanced solid malignant tumors (Trial-in-Progress) Visual Presentation in Poster session (Abstract TPS3636 Trial in Progress): J.C. Bendell, et al. Developmental Therapeutics-Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology; May 29 at 8:00 AM ET TURALIO (CSF1R inhibitor) Patient journey and quality of life among diffuse-type TGCT in the U.S. Online Publication (Abstract e23565): N. Bernthal, et al. May 13 at 5:00 PM ET Evaluation of Patient and Healthcare Provider (HCP) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior for Safety and Use of Pexidartinib Online Publication (Abstract e23580): M. Salas, et al. May 13 at 5:00 PM ET

About the DXd ADC Portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo

The DXd ADC portfolio of Daiichi Sankyo currently consists of seven novel antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with four in clinical development across multiple types of cancer. These include ENHERTU, a HER2 directed ADC, which is being jointly developed and commercialized globally with AstraZeneca; DS-1062 (TROP2); U3-1402 (HER3); and DS-7300 (B7-H3). Each ADC is engineered using Daiichi Sankyo's proprietary and portable DXd ADC technology to target and deliver chemotherapy inside cancer cells that express a specific cell surface antigen. Each ADC consists of a monoclonal antibody attached by a tetrapeptide-based linker to a novel topoisomerase I inhibitor payload (chemotherapy) with a customized drug to antibody ratio (DAR) to optimize the risk-benefit ratio for the intended patient population.

ENHERTU(formerly known as DS-8201; trastuzumab deruxtecan outside the U.S.; fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki in the U.S. only) has been approved for use only in the U.S. and Japan. ENHERTU has not been approved in the EU, or countries outside of the U.S. and Japan for any indication. It is an investigational agent globally for various indications. Safety and effectiveness have not been established for the subject proposed uses. TURALIO (pexidartinib) has been approved for use only in the U.S. TURALIO has not been approved in the EU or Japan, or countries outside of the U.S. for any indication. DS-1062 and DS-7300 are investigational agents that have not been approved for any indication in any country. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

U.S. FDA-Approved Indication for ENHERTU

ENHERTU is a HER2-directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting.

This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

WARNING: INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE and EMBRYO-FETAL TOXICITY Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumonitis, including fatal cases, have been reported with ENHERTU. Monitor for and promptly investigate signs and symptoms including cough, dyspnea, fever, and other new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in all patients with Grade 2 or higher ILD/pneumonitis. Advise patients of the risk and to immediately report symptoms.

Exposure to ENHERTUduring pregnancy can cause embryo-fetal harm. Advise patients of these risks and the need for effective contraception.

Contraindications

None.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Interstitial Lung Disease Pneumonitis

Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pneumonitis, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. In clinical studies, of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU, ILD occurred in 9% of patients. Fatal outcomes due to ILD and/or pneumonitis occurred in 2.6% of patients treated with ENHERTU. Median time to first onset was 4.1 months (range: 1.2 to 8.3).

Advise patients to immediately report cough, dyspnea, fever, and/or any new or worsening respiratory symptoms. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of ILD. Promptly investigate evidence of ILD. Evaluate patients with suspected ILD by radiographic imaging. Consider consultation with a pulmonologist. For asymptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 1), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 0, then if resolved in =28 days from date of onset, maintain dose. If resolved in >28 days from date of onset, reduce dose one level. Consider corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., =0.5 mg/kg prednisolone or equivalent). For symptomatic ILD/pneumonitis (Grade 2 or greater), permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Promptly initiate corticosteroid treatment as soon as ILD/pneumonitis is suspected (e.g., =1 mg/kg prednisolone or equivalent). Upon improvement, follow by gradual taper (e.g., 4 weeks).

Neutropenia

Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, can occur in patients treated with ENHERTU. Of the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU, a decrease in neutrophil count was reported in 30% of patients and 16% had Grade 3 or 4 events. Median time to first onset was 1.4 months (range: 0.3 to 18.2). Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.7% of patients.

Monitor complete blood counts prior to initiation of ENHERTU and prior to each dose, and as clinically indicated. Based on the severity of neutropenia, ENHERTU may require dose interruption or reduction. For Grade 3 neutropenia (Absolute Neutrophil Count [ANC] <1.0 to 0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less, then maintain dose. For Grade 4 neutropenia (ANC <0.5 x 109/L) interrupt ENHERTU until resolved to Grade 2 or less. Reduce dose by one level. For febrile neutropenia (ANC <1.0 x 109/L and temperature >38.3C or a sustained temperature of =38C for more than 1 hour), interrupt ENHERTU until resolved. Reduce dose by one level.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Patients treated with ENHERTU may be at increased risk of developing left ventricular dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decrease has been observed with anti-HER2 therapies, including ENHERTU. In the 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received ENHERTU, two cases (0.9%) of asymptomatic LVEF decrease were reported. Treatment with ENHERTUhas not been studied in patients with a history of clinically significant cardiac disease or LVEF <50% prior to initiation of treatment.

Assess LVEF prior to initiation of ENHERTU and at regular intervals during treatment as clinically indicated. Manage LVEF decrease through treatment interruption. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU if LVEF of <40% or absolute decrease from baseline of >20% is confirmed. When LVEF is >45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, continue treatment with ENHERTU. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is <10%, continue treatment with ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. When LVEF is 40-45% and absolute decrease from baseline is 10-20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF has not recovered to within 10% from baseline, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. If LVEF recovers to within 10% from baseline, resume treatment with ENHERTU at the same dose. When LVEF is <40% or absolute decrease from baseline is >20%, interrupt ENHERTU and repeat LVEF assessment within 3 weeks. If LVEF of <40% or absolute decrease from baseline of >20% is confirmed, permanently discontinue ENHERTU. Permanently discontinue ENHERTU in patients with symptomatic congestive heart failure.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. Verify the pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of ENHERTU. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months after the last dose of ENHERTU.

Adverse Reactions

The safety of ENHERTU was evaluated in a pooled analysis of 234 patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who received at least one dose of ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg in DESTINY-Breast01 and Study DS8201-A-J101. ENHERTU was administered by intravenous infusion once every three weeks. The median duration of treatment was 7 months (range: 0.7 to 31).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 20% of patients receiving ENHERTU. Serious adverse reactions in >1% of patients who received ENHERTU were interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, vomiting, nausea, cellulitis, hypokalemia, and intestinal obstruction. Fatalities due to adverse reactions occurred in 4.3% of patients including interstitial lung disease (2.6%), and the following events occurred in one patient each (0.4%): acute hepatic failure/acute kidney injury, general physical health deterioration, pneumonia, and hemorrhagic shock.

ENHERTU was permanently discontinued in 9% of patients, of which ILD accounted for 6%. Dose interruptions due to adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose interruption were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, upper respiratory tract infection, fatigue, nausea, and ILD. Dose reductions occurred in 18% of patients treated with ENHERTU. The most frequent adverse reactions (>2%) associated with dose reduction were fatigue, nausea, and neutropenia.

The most common adverse reactions (frequency =20%) were nausea (79%), fatigue (59%), vomiting (47%), alopecia (46%), constipation (35%), decreased appetite (32%), anemia (31%), neutropenia (29%), diarrhea (29%), leukopenia (22%), cough (20%), and thrombocytopenia (20%).

Use in Specific Populations

Pregnancy: ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU.

ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise patients of the potential risks to a fetus. There are clinical considerations if ENHERTU is used in pregnant women, or if a patient becomes pregnant within 7 months following the last dose of ENHERTU. Lactation: There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose.

There are no data regarding the presence of ENHERTU in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in a breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with ENHERTU and for 7 months after the last dose. Females and Males of Reproductive Potential: Pregnancy testing : Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. Contraception : Females : ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 7 months following the last dose. Males : Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months following the last dose. Infertility : ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility.

: Verify pregnancy status of females of reproductive potential prior to initiation of ENHERTU. : : ENHERTU can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 7 months following the last dose. : Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with ENHERTU and for at least 4 months following the last dose. : ENHERTU may impair male reproductive function and fertility. Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients.

Safety and effectiveness of ENHERTU have not been established in pediatric patients. Geriatric Use: Of the 234 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 26% were =65 years and 5% were =75 years. No overall differences in efficacy were observed between patients =65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged =65 years (53%) as compared to younger patients (42%).

Of the 234 patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with ENHERTU 5.4 mg/kg, 26% were =65 years and 5% were =75 years. No overall differences in efficacy were observed between patients =65 years of age compared to younger patients. There was a higher incidence of Grade 3-4 adverse reactions observed in patients aged =65 years (53%) as compared to younger patients (42%). Hepatic Impairment: In patients with moderate hepatic impairment, due to potentially increased exposure, closely monitor for increased toxicities related to the topoisomerase inhibitor.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. at 1-877-437-7763 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, and Medication Guide.

U.S. FDA-Approved Indication for TURALIO

TURALIO (pexidartinib) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) associated with severe morbidity or functional limitations and not amenable to improvement with surgery.

WARNING: HEPATOTOXICITY TURALIO can cause serious and potentially fatal liver injury.

Monitor liver tests prior to initiation of TURALIO and at specified intervals during treatment. Withhold and dose reduce or permanently discontinue TURALIO based on severity of hepatotoxicity.

TURALIO is available only through a restricted program called the TURALIO Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Program.

Contraindications

None.

Warnings and Precautions

Hepatotoxicity

TURALIO can cause serious and potentially fatal liver injury and is available only through a restricted program called the TURALIO REMS. Hepatotoxicity with ductopenia and cholestasis has occurred in patients treated with TURALIO. Across 768 patients who received TURALIO in clinical trials, there were 2 irreversible cases of cholestatic liver injury. One patient with advanced cancer and ongoing liver toxicity died and one patient required a liver transplant.

In ENLIVEN, 3 of 61 (5%) patients who received TURALIO developed signs of serious liver injury, defined as ALT or AST =3 ULN with total bilirubin =2 ULN. ALT, AST and total bilirubin improved to <2 ULN in these patients 1 to 7 months after discontinuing TURALIO.

The mechanism of cholestatic hepatotoxicity is unknown and its occurrence cannot be predicted. It is unknown whether liver injury occurs in the absence of increased transaminases. Please see Adverse Reactions.

Avoid TURALIO in patients with preexisting increased serum transaminases, total bilirubin, or direct bilirubin (>upper limit of normal [ULN]) or patients with active liver or biliary tract disease including increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Taking TURALIO with food increases drug exposure by 100% and may increase the risk of hepatotoxicity. Administer TURALIO on an empty stomach, either 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal or snack. Monitor liver tests, including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, ALP, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), prior to initiation of TURALIO, weekly for the first 8 weeks, every 2 weeks for the next month, and every 3 months thereafter. Withhold and dose reduce, or permanently discontinue TURALIO based on the severity of the hepatotoxicity. Rechallenging with a reduced dose of TURALIO may result in a recurrence of increased serum transaminases, bilirubin, or ALP. Monitor liver tests weekly for the first month after rechallenge.

TURALIO REMS

TURALIO is available only through a restricted program under a REMS, because of the risk of hepatotoxicity.

Notable requirements of the TURALIO REMS Program include the following:

Prescribers must be certified with the program by enrolling and completing training.

Patients must complete and sign an enrollment form for inclusion in a patient registry.

Pharmacies must be certified with the program and must dispense only to patients who are authorized (enrolled in the REMS patient registry) to receive TURALIO.

Further information is available at turalioREMS.com or by calling 1-833-887-2546.

Embryo-fetal toxicity

Based on animal studies and its mechanism of action, TURALIO may cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use an effective nonhormonal method of contraception, since TURALIO can render hormonal contraceptives ineffective, during treatment with TURALIO and for 1 month after the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with TURALIO and for 1 week after the final dose.

Adverse Reactions

The safety of TURALIO was evaluated in ENLIVEN, in which patients received TURALIO without food at a dose of 400 mg in the morning and 600 mg in the evening orally for 2 weeks followed by 400 mg orally twice daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Serious adverse reactions were reported in 13% of patients who received TURALIO. The most frequent serious adverse reactions (occurring in >1 patient) included abnormal liver tests (3.3%) and hepatotoxicity (3.3%).

Permanent discontinuation due to adverse reactions occurred in 13% of patients who received TURALIO. The most frequent adverse reactions (occurring in >1 patient) requiring permanent discontinuation included increased ALT (4.9%), increased AST (4.9%), and hepatotoxicity (3.3%).

Dose reductions or interruptions occurred in 38% of patients who received TURALIO. The most frequent adverse reactions (occurring in >1 patient) requiring a dosage reduction or interruption were increased ALT (13%), increased AST (13%), nausea (8%), increased ALP (7%), vomiting (4.9%), increased bilirubin (3.3%), increased GGT (3.3%), dizziness (3.3%), and abdominal pain (3.3%).

The most common adverse reactions for all grades (>20%) were increased lactate dehydrogenase (92%), increased AST (88%), hair color changes (67%), fatigue (64%), increased ALT (64%), decreased neutrophils (44%), increased cholesterol (44%), increased ALP (39%), decreased lymphocytes (38%), eye edema (30%), decreased hemoglobin (30%), rash (28%), dysgeusia (26%), and decreased phosphate (25%).

Clinically relevant adverse reactions occurring in <10% of patients were blurred vision, photophobia, diplopia, reduced visual acuity, dry mouth, stomatitis, mouth ulceration, pyrexia, cholangitis, hepatotoxicity, liver disorder, cognitive disorders (memory impairment, amnesia, confusional state, disturbance in attention, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), alopecia, and skin pigment changes (hypopigmentation, depigmentation, discoloration, and hyperpigmentation).

Drug Interactions

Use with hepatotoxic products : TURALIO can cause hepatotoxicity. In patients with increased serum transaminases, total bilirubin, or direct bilirubin (>ULN) or active liver or biliary tract disease, avoid coadministration of TURALIO with other products known to cause hepatotoxicity.

: TURALIO can cause hepatotoxicity. In patients with increased serum transaminases, total bilirubin, or direct bilirubin (>ULN) or active liver or biliary tract disease, avoid coadministration of TURALIO with other products known to cause hepatotoxicity. Moderate or strong CYP3A inhibitors : Concomitant use of a moderate or strong CYP3A inhibitor may increase pexidartinib concentrations. Reduce TURALIO dosage if concomitant use of moderate or strong CYP3A inhibitors cannot be avoided.

: Concomitant use of a moderate or strong CYP3A inhibitor may increase pexidartinib concentrations. Reduce TURALIO dosage if concomitant use of moderate or strong CYP3A inhibitors cannot be avoided. Strong CYP3A inducers : Concomitant use of a strong CYP3A inducer decreases pexidartinib concentrations. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers.

: Concomitant use of a strong CYP3A inducer decreases pexidartinib concentrations. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers. Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) inhibitors : Concomitant use of a UGT inhibitor increases pexidartinib concentrations. Reduce TURALIO dosage if concomitant use of UGT inhibitors cannot be avoided.

: Concomitant use of a UGT inhibitor increases pexidartinib concentrations. Reduce TURALIO dosage if concomitant use of UGT inhibitors cannot be avoided. Acid-reducing agents : Concomitant use of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) decreases pexidartinib concentrations. Avoid concomitant use of PPIs. Use histamine-2 receptor antagonists or antacids if needed.

: Concomitant use of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) decreases pexidartinib concentrations. Avoid concomitant use of PPIs. Use histamine-2 receptor antagonists or antacids if needed. CYP3A substrates: TURALIO is a moderate CYP3A inducer. Concomitant use of TURALIO decreases concentrations of CYP3A substrates. Avoid coadministration of TURALIO with hormonal contraceptives and other CYP3A substrates where minimal concentration changes may lead to serious therapeutic failure. Increase the CYP3A substrate dosage in accordance with approved product labeling if concomitant use is unavoidable.

Use in Specific Populations

Pregnancy: TURALIO may cause embryo-fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus.

TURALIO may cause embryo-fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Lactation: Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in the breastfed child, advise women to not breastfeed during treatment with TURALIO and for at least 1 week after the final dose.

Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in the breastfed child, advise women to not breastfeed during treatment with TURALIO and for at least 1 week after the final dose. Females and males of reproductive potential: Verify pregnancy status in females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of TURALIO. Advise females of reproductive potential to use an effective nonhormonal method of contraception, since TURALIO can render hormonal contraceptives ineffective, during treatment with TURALIO and for 1 month after the final dose. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with TURALIO and for 1 week after the final dose.

Verify pregnancy status in females of reproductive potential prior to the initiation of TURALIO. Advise females of reproductive potential to use an effective nonhormonal method of contraception, since TURALIO can render hormonal contraceptives ineffective, during treatment with TURALIO and for 1 month after the final dose. Advise male patients with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with TURALIO and for 1 week after the final dose. Renal impairment: Reduce the dose when administering TURALIO to patients with mild to severe renal impairment (CLcr 15 to 89 mL/min, estimated by Cockcroft-Gault [C-G] using actual body weight).

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Daiichi Sankyo, Inc, at 1-877-437-7763 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, and Medication Guide.

About Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise

The mission of Daiichi Sankyo Cancer Enterprise is to leverage our world-class, innovative science and push beyond traditional thinking to create meaningful treatments for patients with cancer. We are dedicated to transforming science into value for patients, and this sense of obligation informs everything we do. Anchored by our DXd antibody drug conjugate (ADC) technology, our powerful research engines include biologics, medicinal chemistry, modality and other research laboratories in Japan, and Plexxikon Inc., our small molecule structure-guided R&D center in Berkeley, CA. For more information, please visit: www.DSCancerEnterprise.com.

About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical therapies to improve standards of care and address diversified, unmet medical needs of people globally by leveraging our world-class science and technology. With more than 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 15,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for cardiovascular diseases, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo is primarily focused on providing novel therapies in oncology, as well as other research areas centered around rare diseases and immune disorders. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com.

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Contacts:

Media Contacts:

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Jennifer Brennan

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

jbrennan2@dsi.com

+1 908 992 6631 (office)

+1 201 709 9309 (mobile)

EU:

Lydia Worms

Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH

lydia.worms@daiichi-sankyo.eu

+49 (89) 7808751

Investor Relations Contact:

DaiichiSankyoIR@daiichisankyo.co.jp
Photo credit: Photography by Flatiron Books; Designed by Victor Maze

From Veranda

We're thrilled to announce the VERANDA Sip and Read Book Club! Each month, well dive in to a newly released book and offer exclusive conversations with the authors behind each tale over on Instagram, along with a perfectly matched cocktail. Our first pick is Alex George's spellbinding story of four people living in Paris in 1927 and the 24 hours that change their lives forever. (Pair it with our Summer 75, a fresh take on a French 75 that's perfect for poolside reading.) George is also the author of A Good American and the owner of independent bookstore Skylark Bookshop.



The slim novel came to me by way of suggestion. In this case, from my most knowledgeable of sources: Jake Reiss of the Alabama Booksmith. I needed something to read, and Jake, ever eager to supply my unwieldy literary habit, suggested I give Alex Georges latest, The Paris Hours, a try. (This is as much a lesson in finding friends in the right places as it is a review of a very, very good read.)





On the surface, The Paris Hours is the story of four unrelated figures living in Paris in 1927. Through alternating points of view, we get to know the cast of characters who weave us through the streets of the City of Lights: Souren Balakian, Guillaume Blanc, Jean-Paul Maillard, and Camille Clermont. It was Sourens story that caught me first. An Armenian immigrant who fled his homeland to escape the Turkish invasion, his is the story that opens the book, as Souren works deep in the night by candlelight, stitching new clothes for a set of puppets. Souren works with ferocious deliberation, as if it is his very life that he is stitching back together.



But Souren isnt the only one grasping at the threads of his life. Each of the others is, too. Camille, a woman who once worked for Marcel Proust, is now on a desperate quest to keep the dead writers secrets hidden  along with her own. Guillaume is a painter whos made a bad bargain and is frantically searching for a way to save his neck.



Story continues

Our final main character, Jean-Paul, is a journalist traipsing across the city in search of Americans to interview (a clever plot point, as it gives us reason to meet Josephine Baker and Ernest Hemingway, two of a handful of historical figures and places sprinkled throughout the text with deft purpose). Paris itself becomes a character, giving us a backdrop of everyday life amid the hustle and bustle of a city brimming with redemptive magic, to the point that none of our characters can shake the final speck of optimism that sends them on their respective quests.



It took me some time to ease into the jumps between each of these seemingly disparate journeys. As such, the beginning of the book took its time for me, but I wasnt turned away. This was a story steeped in emotion, in yearning, in the desperate wish to change the past, and who among us cant relate to such a thing?

When I read Guillaumes passages, I shook my head at his fumbling while rooting for him to persevere, his desire to do right grating against his inability to get out of his own way. Camille is a woman with such drive that I had to know what fueled it  the answer would shift the entire narrative in an instant, so expertly hidden within the previous pages that I had to stop reading to marvel at the authors craftsmanship. Indeed, with a third of the book left, I decided I had to set it aside or risk blowing through it into the wee hours of the night because I was desperate to know how these four peoples journeys were going to be resolved. The final few chapters hummed with just the right amount of tension to keep me turning the page, racing forward, Jean-Pauls story binding the final threads of plot together in a heart-wrenching conclusion.



By shifting through both time and character with each chapter, George requires us to pay attention to the details  an effort in the beginning, as I committed each characters stories to memory. And yet, I found myself relishing the small challenge of this and the delight it gave me each time a carefully woven link between each character surfaced, as if Id uncovered a hidden gem within the text.

In this way, George is having a conversation with us  look here, the text whispers. Remember this for later. Our efforts are rewarded with Georges expert stitching of these four journeys into a seamless ending, taut with emotion, not a word spared.



When I finally let myself, I raced through the final third, breathless to find out how it would conclude. Even the ending spares no expense, stopping at just the moment weve been building toward as the clock strikes and our final hour in Paris comes to a bittersweet close.

Have you read The Paris Hours? Be sure to follow VERANDA on Instagram for our Q&A with author Alex George later in May, as well as to be the first to know about our next Sip and Read Book Club pick. Grab the Summer 75 recipe here!

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When Vanessa Banks-Gonzales, an experienced acute care nurse practitioner and spouse of Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Gonzales III, heard about Maastricht University Hospital's need for volunteers with medical experience, she answered the call.

In the past six weeks, Banks-Gonzales has been working alongside Dutch colleagues at the Maastricht COVID-19 intensive care unit, where she takes care of severely ill patients: people who depend on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)  artificial lungs  for respiratory support.

Operating an ECMO requires an advanced degree, for which Banks-Gonzales had right credentials. She obtained her bachelors degree in nursing and a masters degree as an acute care nurse practitioner after receiving two Jack Kent Cooke scholarships.

"After the COVID crisis started in the Netherlands, we had a great shortage of ICU personnel," said Dr. Jan-Willem Sels, the intensive care specialist Banks-Gonzales works with at the hospital. "When Mrs. Banks came to us with her credentials, we didn't hesitate for one moment."

The Gonzales Family moved to Maastricht when Gonzales received orders to serve with the Coastguard at the NATO base in Brunssum. Daughter Jillian joined, and son Caleb lives in New York City.

Before the crisis, Banks-Gonzales regularly returned to the U.S. to work at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she holds a particular employment status.

"I am very lucky with my job in Washington," she said. "It allows me to maintain my personal identity and independence. I have an incredible boss and support system in America, and I'm very grateful that I get to practice, stay relevant. Some spouses don't have that opportunity."

As the crisis hit, her immediate desire was to go back to America and support her colleagues and people affected. When it became clear that a return journey would be impossible, Banks-Gonzales felt guilty.

"I was staying at home when I could help, she said. I didn't want my work family to suffer, to go through that alone. We always go in together."

With no option than to stay in the Netherlands, she turned her attention to local initiatives and organizations. Finally, it was an English news report by RTV Maastricht that caught her attention: Maastricht University Hospital was looking for help from volunteers with any medical experience. On a Thursday, she met with the hospital staff, on the Monday after that, she started.

"When Vanessa came and offered her help, we gladly accepted," said Sels. "What we're experiencing now with the coronavirus is unlike anything we've ever encountered. We're used to very sick people, but the sheer volume of patients in the ICU, especially in the first weeks, was overwhelming. A sizeable number of these patients die in the ICU, so it made a big impression on all of us."

Banks-Gonzales kept up with the literature and had heard about the protocols from her colleagues in America, so she came prepared.

"It was what I expected," she said. "People were very sick, almost everybody in the ICU was on a ventilator. There were no visitors allowed, and nurses at the bedside were working diligently to get the patients better. It was really scary, because people were really sick."

Her work evolved quickly. Initially, she was asked to help the nurses care for ECMO patients. Then, she also started working with the medical team as a provider, developing plans of care and monitoring patients throughout the day.

Working at the COVID-19 unit does come at a cost  a personal sacrifice that remains mostly unseen.

"I'm going to be exposed to a virus that's potentially very dangerous. My priority as a mother and a wife is to protect my family," Banks-Gonzales said. "We have set up a separate sleeping space, with a private bathroom, to prevent the spreading of germs. I now sleep separately from my husband of 24 years."

She also thinks twice before going out in public, to make sure other people don't fall sick.

Whenever possible, my husband and daughter go out for errands, she said. And the Coast Guard Family has been very supportive, they get our mail on the base."

The sacrifices of nurses don't end when they leave the hospital; they carry on into their everyday life.

It's an enormous testament to what a nurse is and what nurses do: we run headfirst into situations no matter how scary they are, whether it's corona, language barriers, or practice differences," said Banks-Gonzales.

Banks-Gonzales is no stranger to sacrifice; she grew up as a military child and was, herself, on active duty in the Coast Guard for five years.

"I think that's what we as a military Family are accustomed to, making sacrifices for the greater good, she said. Its not foreign to us."

The actions of Banks-Gonzales elicited admiration from her colleagues.

"She is willing to make personal sacrifices for the greater good, which is admirable, said Dr. Sels. Of course, we, too, do our best, but we get paid for it. Mrs. Banks does it because she feels she has to help. That's intrinsic motivation, thats something inspiring and admirable.

On her side, Banks-Gonzales is grateful for the sacrifices made by people in the community.

"Thank you for following the measures and continuing to follow the measures until the government says it's safe, she said. It really sends a positive message to us healthcare professionals that the work we're doing is appreciated and supported."

She is optimistic about the easing of the measures, while also concerned.

"I'm happy that the Netherlands is taking an eased, step-by-step approach, showing great care and concern and a willingness to listen to medical experts, Banks-Gonzales said. And I'm also happy to go out and get a haircut."

Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life

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Three Brazilian novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients linked to a bar in Ho Chi Minh City, who retested positive for the virus after recovering, have recovered following their second round of treatment, the Ministry of Health said Tuesday.

The three Brazilian nationals, a woman and two men aged 39 to 45, have recovered from COVID-19 after their treatment at a makeshift hospital in outlying Cu Chi District, the ministry said.

They have tested negative for the novel coronavirus twice since restarting their treatment.

The patients no longer exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms and will continue to be quarantined and monitored for another 14 days.

The three cases were originally traced to a COVID-19 cluster at Buddha bar in District 2, Ho Chi Minh City.

They made a recovery in mid-April after being treated at the Cu Chi hospital, but retested positive for the coronavirus later the same month during an isolation period following their first treatment.

Coronavirus patients declared recovered who later test positive for the disease are still expelling dead lung cells rather than getting a new infection, the World Health Organization (WHO) told AFP on Wednesday last week.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 4.34 million people and killed more than 292,800 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam has confirmed 288 cases so far, with 252 having recovered. No deaths from the disease has been recorded in the country.

Among the 36 active cases, nearly 20 are being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi.

Two of the active patients are still in critical condition, including a 43-year-old British pilot in Ho Chi Minh City

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Imphal, May 13 : In a pioneering community effort, villagers in Manipur have set up over 80 huts as quarantine centres to accommodate people as thousands of stranded have started returning to the state from various parts of the country, officials said on Wednesday.

According to the district administrations, the villagers without taking any financial assistance from the government have made more than 80 thatched bamboo huts in Senapati district's Tungjoy village, about 115-km from state capital here.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Union DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Minister Jitendra Singh and many other people have appreciated the villagers' efforts.

The Chief Minister tweeted: "My salute, Tungjoy village authorities have set up 80 huts for quarantine of their villagers who are going to come from outside the state. Each hut is fitted with a bed, separate toilet, gas table and electricity with charging socket. Water supply is provided at various locations." Both the Chief Minister and the DoNER minister in their tweets attached photographs of these huts in a valley.

District administration officials said that the essential commodities were also stocked in nearby huts.

In a different "Good Samaritan initiative, another remote village in Manipur had set an example by distributing free vegetables to thousands of people. Cutting across religious divides, residents of Christian dominated Konsakhul - a small village in Kangpokpi district - had recently distributed various vegetables in the neighbouring villages inhabited by Hindus and Muslims.

Under the initiative of Konsakhul village Chief Alyson Abonmai, and the villagers collected the vegetables from and around the village and gifted them among people of various villages dominated mostly by tribals, migrant workers and daily wagers.

Thousands of stranded people are returning to Manipur mostly by buses and small vehicles. Since it is mandatory to keep the people in quarantine after their return to the state, all the 60 assembly segments have opened at least one quarantine centre.

All the MLAs concerned, Deputy Commissioners, district Superintendents of Police and health officials would be supervising the accommodation during the 14-day quarantine period.

While a young woman in Manipur have recovered from COVID-19 another died from it in Mumbai. Eight Manipuri nurses have contracted the COVID-19 in Delhi.
I f your lockdown brain has turned to mulch, you may simply need to refresh your reading list.

Take your cue from model Kaia Gerber, whose book club has been delighting her Instagram followers  besides excellent reads, shes had visits from Jia Tolentino and recommendations from Lena Dunham and Gerbers mum, supermodel Cindy Crawford.

Join the club: this is Kaias reading list.

Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

This weeks book is selected in honour of her mother  wholl be appearing on Instagram Live to discuss it on Friday. Where The Crawdads Sing, a 2019 New York Times bestseller, is a brooding literary mystery set in North Carolina, featuring shifting timelines (and a protagonist called Kya).

Buy it here.

Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind

A left-field choice: written in 1890/91 by the German playwright, this progressive drama about teenagers and sexuality takes aim at conservative mores. Gerber selected it to raise awareness for the performing arts industry in New York, currently imperilled by the pandemic.

Buy it here.

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

A zeitgeist 2017 novel about parenting a transgender child. Reese Witherspoon also picked it for her influential book club. Its a tear-jerker (lets all cry together, warns Gerber).

Buy it here.

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino

New Yorker staff writer Tolentino is the millennials Cassandra: this collection of sharp essays explores the mores and neuroses of a generation who grew up mostly online.

Buy it here.

Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan

Teenage angst, but elegantly written and oh-so-French. This intense Sixties novel by Sagan  who was only 18 when she wrote it  centres on the mechante Cecile, who takes a dislike to her fathers planned marriage. Will make you dream of the French Riviera.

Buy it here.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Probably one of the most famous books in the world right now, thanks to its sexy BBC3 production. But the novel came first: a yearning story about first love and heartbreak. Clearly, it has second-generation supermodel pedigree: Kate Mosss daughter Lila Grace tells Gerber she loved it too.

Buy it here.
The Artist Talks are part of 'Un/Controlled Gestures?', an initiative launched by Goethe in 2019 and bringing together eight dancers and choreographers from the MENA region

Using their Facebook page, the Goethe-Institut has started hosting live Artist Talks with choreographed dancers from the MENA region.

The artists are participants in the institutes Un/Controlled Gestures? Project, which provided an opportunity for young MENA dancers-choreographers to create and present new performances reflecting the autonomy of the body and the social control exercised over bodies, in its political, economic and interpersonal dimensions.

As the Goethe-Institut website explains, the starting point of the project was questioning Kafala, a concept which corresponds to different practices in the region, and which tackles the different dimensions of protection and control of the body.

Eight dancers and choreographers from the MENA region were selected from around 30 applicants, with each developing a play around the question of body control.

Launched in 2019, one of the main objectives of the project was to allow artists from four different countries in the MENA region to compare their experiences in their specific social and political contexts and discuss their artistic practices. The project included a few residencies and meetings between the artists.

Now presented online, the Un/Controlled Gestures? live encounters will take place between 10 and 21 May with discussions held in English and French.

The curators of the project are Brussels-based playwright specialised in the performance arts Nedjma Hadj Benchelabi, Anna Multer specialised in dance and theatre (Berlin) and playwright Anna Wagner (Berlin).

The first Artist Talk was live-streamed yesterday featuring the Cairo-based choreographer and dancer Salma Salem in a discussion hosted by Nedjma Hadj Benchelabi.

The Artist Talk revolved around the artists solo dance titled Anchoring?, which, as the Goethe-Intitut Facebook page reveals reflects on the expectations and unrealistic illusions that societies place on women every day.

The video of the meeting can be watched here.

Programme



Tuesday 12 May: Palestinian dancer and actress Sama Wakim in a discussion about her "I am losing it" dance performance. Follow this link to view the discussion.

Thursday 14 May: Manal Tass (Casablanca) talking about her solo dance Acceptance in a discussion with choreographer Malek Sebaei (Tunisia).

Saturday 16 May: Mohamed Essawi (Tunisia) will talk about working on Khatawi dance show in a meeting and discussion with the dancer and choreographer Mohamed Ben Fury (Brussels).

Monday 18 May: The Alexandrian dancer Qamr Elkady will talk about her dance show IIIIIEzaha (Offset) with choreographer Malek Sebaei (Tunisia).

Tuesday 19 May: Sahar Al-Damoni will talk about the solo performance titled Eat Bananas and Drink Grains, hosted by Nejma Elhaj Benchalbi.

Wednesday 20 May: The Cairo-based dancer Islam Al-Nubaishi will be hosted by dancer and choreographer Mohamed Ben Fury (Brussels).

Thursday 21 May: The series will end with Saeed Al-Hadaji presenting the Sarakh dance in a discussion with Nejma Elhaj Benchalbi.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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The subsidiary of the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, ADY Container LLC, will import cargo on favorable terms, a source in the ADY Container told local media.

According to the source, it is offered to transport cargo from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, as well as by transit from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to Georgia and Turkey through Azerbaijan.

Aiming at prevention of problems arising from the movement of other vehicles during the cargo transportation by entrepreneurs, importers and exporters in the country within the current pandemic situation, ADY Container LLC, as a state-owned company, offers cargo transportation services on more favorable terms.

Cargo transportation from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be carried out via multimodal transportation of 20, 40 and 45-foot containers of the company, the source noted.

ADY Container LLC has begun expanding cooperation, mainly with countries in the Far East region - China, Japan, South Korea, as well as with Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Iran and India, in order to increase the volume of cargo transportation along the international East West Transport Corridor, North-South Transport Corridor and Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

ADY Container LLC is engaged in the storage, maintenance and transportation of containers in accordance with international standards.
Russian trolls have been widely calling on Ukrainians to ignore quarantine restrictions, urging people to take to the streets to protest bans.

Cyber experts with the SBU Security Service of Ukraine have recorded an increase in the activity of Russian intelligence and their human asset networks in Ukraine.

Since the start of quarantine, the SBU has blocked over 2,300 Internet communities with a total audience of over 980,000 users, as well as exposed 323 online agitators who distributed various fake news about the COVID-19 epidemic, according to the SBU press center.

At least sixteen of the identified agitators acted on the instructions of the Russian side.

According to SBU operatives, such activities have been on the rise recently. The aggressor state is trying to apply a variety of manipulation techniques to sow chaos and panic, the SBU stresses. In particular, pro-Russian agitators spread fake news about the events marking Victory Day over Nazism in World War II, forced quarantine, and other measures related to compliance with safety rules imposed to tackle the COVID-19 spread.

Read alsoSecurity agency prevents provocations of pro-Russian forces in Odesa

Russian trolls have been widely calling on Ukrainians to ignore quarantine restrictions, urging people to take to the streets to protest bans.

With respect to 16 agitators acting on the instructions of the Russian side, the SBU launched criminal proceedings for actions aimed at infringing on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, forcibly changing or overthrowing the constitutional order or seizing state power.

The perpetrators exposed had been operating from in Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Lviv, Kherson, Poltava, Kropyvnytsky, Konotop, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Khmelnytsky.

The SBU urges netizens to remain vigilant and pay special attention to cybersecurity and online hygiene measures. Also, they call on Ukrainians to only trust information coming official sources.
An abandoned shopping cart lies between empty paper towel aisles at a Target store in Culver City.

Reuters

Two men refused to wear masks during their trip to a Los Angeles Target store, according to the LAPD.

Phillip and Paul Hamilton were being escorted out of the store when one of the men punched an employee before a fight broke out among the group, according to a department statement published alongside a video of the incident.

While on the ground, a store employee broke his left arm, the LAPD said.

The incident comes as the latest clash between retail employees and customers refusing to abide by face-mask policies.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Two men who refused to wear masks in a Los Angeles Target store were arrested for felony assault after one of them punched an employee, causing him to break his arm, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.

The men, Phillip Hamilton, 31, and Paul Hamilton, 29, visited a Van Nuys Target on May 1 with no masks on in violation of the store's mask order, police said.

A video posted by the department shows that when the Hamiltons were being escorted out of the store, one of them turned around "suddenly without provocation" and punched an employee, causing them both to call on the floor, according to the statement, before a fight broke out between the three employees and the men.

While on the floor, the employee broke his left arm, the police statement said.

Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics transported the store employee to a local hospital where was treated for his injuries, according to the statement. The Hamiltons were arrested and charged with felony battery, according to police, and are being held on $50,000 bail.

This isn't the first incident to break out in a retail store over mask policies.

Insider previously reported that a Family Dollar security guard was fatally shot and died on May 1 after getting into a fight with a woman over Michigan's face-mask policy, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that Calvin Munerlyn stopped a mother and daughter from trying to enter the store because the daughter wasn't wearing a mask. After 45-year-old Sharmel Lasse Teague yelled at Munerlyn and left, she returned with two men, one of whom shot the security guard in the back of the head, according to prosecutors.

Even as most US states have announced initial reopening policies for some businesses that will be gradually expanded, anti-lockdown protests have popped up across the country from armed demonstrations in North Carolina to squats and push-ups for an open gym in Florida.

Read the original article on Insider
Michael Ryan Warburton (pictured) - who was the friend of notorious bikie enforcer Bronson Ellery known as the 'Lizard Man' - has said he 'doesn't like' jail as he begged for parole on Tuesday

The friend of a notorious bikie enforcer dubbed 'Lizard Man' who murdered his ex-girlfriend before killing himself has begged for parole because he 'doesn't like jail'.

Michael Ryan Warburton has pleaded guilty to nine charges including evading police, forgery, unlawfully using a motor vehicle and possessing a dangerous drug.

The alleged member of the Bandidos bikie gang was granted parole at Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to the charges - most of which stemmed from a police chase in the Gold Coast's north last July.

Warburton was jailed that month over the dramatic chase in the suburb of Arundel - when he refused to stop for police before being stalled by road spikes.

He was found with stolen bank cards and steroids after police pulled a taser on him.

Shelsea Schilling (left) was murdered by Bronson Ellery (right) - who then killed himself - in November 2016

Warburton (pictured) was jailed in July over a dramatic police chase in the northern Gold Coast suburb of Arundel - when he refused to stop for police before being stalled by road spikes

Appearing in court via video link, Warburton took exception to a magistrate suggesting his criminal history made it look like he enjoyed life in jail.

'No I don't - I don't like it. That's the God honest truth,' he said according to The Gold Coast Bulletin.

He added 'you don't want to come out here' when the magistrate said she hadn't been to his prison.

Warburton claimed his criminal past was behind him as he was given a nine-month jail term with immediate release on parole - to which Magistrate Pamela Dowse responded 'I think you told that to the judge the last time you were sentenced'.

It comes more than three years after Warburton arrived at the scene of a Southport apartment to find Shelsea Schilling, 20, the ex-partner of his friend Bronson Ellery, lying dead in a pool of her own blood on November 11, 2016.

Warburton said he held his best friend for about an hour before watching him take a lethal dose of drugs to take his own life.

Warburton claimed his criminal past was behind him as he appeared in court via video link. More than three years ago, he arrived at the scene of a Southport apartment to find Shelsea Schilling, 20, (left, Ellery right) dead in a pool of her own blood

Bronson Ellery, 24, (pictured) whose face and body was plastered with tattoos, killed Schilling before taking his own life

Ms Schilling (left) was slain by her ex-boyfriend Ellery (right) at his Gold Coast apartment

Warburton said Ellery told him 'I promised her I would go with her' before he died.

His defence barrister had told a court Warburton was defenceless to do anything.

Last year, Warburton injured his ankle when the van he was driving was rammed over an alleged drug debt by a ute at a shopping centre on the Gold Coast.
Williams told NBC News he believed that giving women answers about the cause of their miscarriage could help provide peace of mind that it wasnt their fault. Consequently, the test could also help reduce mental health issues, such as depression, that can arise from miscarriage. Loading The device used for genetic testing resembles a miniature stapler and was initially developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies in the UK. Since 2015 its been used commercially for research, including on the current coronavirus epidemic. In order to test for chromosomal abnormalities, tissue is taken from the placenta or fetus. The DNA from the tissue sample is then analaysed. If abnormalities are found, a simple blood test on the parents can rule out any chromosomal issues that might make the genetic problem reoccur. If this is the case, screening of embryos via IVF could resolve this, by ensuring only healthy ones are placed in the uterus.

Conversely, if the test shows no chromosomal abnormalities, it can help health professionals to explore other reasons why the miscarriage might have occurred and work to correct the cause sooner. In the minority of cases where the cause of the loss was not genetics, it allows us to look for the cause sooner  before waiting for the women to have multiple more losses, Williams said. Williams currently has a patent on the method of preparing the testing samples and is presently trialling it with a small number of patients at Columbia University Fertility Centre. Following this he anticipates offering it to doctors more widely. Hes also begun publishing research on his technique, and more is expected to appear shortly in the peer-reviewed journal BioTechniques. Dr Joe Sgroi is a Melbourne obstetrician, gynaecologist and IVF fertility specialist who regularly sees women who have suffered miscarriages. He notes that they often feel isolated and vulnerable and carry an element of self-blame.

Loading Sgroi believes anything that helps reduce such feelings is a positive thing and would fully support a test such as this in Australia. Approximately 80 per cent of miscarriages will be the result of chromosomal abnormalities, and whilst we as clinicians might be able to tell patients that, a test result proving this will help women realise the miscarriage was not related to them, but more related to the pregnancy itself, he says. It may help them accept and understand that a miscarriage caused by chromosomal abnormality is natures way of not bringing a child into the world who may have suffered. It may provide them with great comfort and empower them to continue their journey to pregnancy. Despite this, Sgroi notes that the test is not without limitations and issues. Doctors may not always be able to gather tissue from the pregnancy to test, especially in early miscarriage. Similarly, a test that shows no genetic abnormalities could result in more self-blame.

Chromosome analysis post miscarriage is currently available in Australia. However its a long and, undoubtedly, stressful process. Loading Were able to send the sample of tissue for chromosome analysis, but it can take up to four weeks to get the result, says Sgroi. Because miscarriage is so common, its generally not offered or done until a woman has had at least three miscarriages. While its too early to tell if Williams' particular test will reach Australia, Sgroi is hopeful that similar options wont be too far away here. There are rapid developments happening in the genetic testing and genetic therapy space for both obstetrics and health in general, he says.
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.
Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
GST on textiles will not be increased from 5 to 12 per cent: FM Sitharaman

It is not BJP money: Nirmala Sitharaman on IT raids on 'Samajwadi perfume' trader

Budget Session 2022 to commence on January 31; Union Budget to be tabled on February 1

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to address press conference at 4:30 pm, likely to clear air on Antrix Devas issue

FM Sitharaman on Devas-Antrix issue: Cong has no moral right to speak about crony capitalism

Rs 20 lakh crore project: All that the FinMin said at the briefing

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 13: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled details of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She said that essentially this is to spur growth to build a very self-reliant India and that's why this initiative is called 'Atmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan.'

Highlights of the full briefing:

Aatma NIrbhar Bharat rests on five pillars: Economy, Infrastructure, Technology-driven systems, Demography, and Demand.

Prime Minister Modi laid out a comprehensive vision, and that vision was laid out after wide consultations with several sections of the society

You've been seeing that the government led by Prime Minister Modi since 2014 has been a listening, sensitive and responding government.

A self-reliant India does not mean that our country will be an isolationist country. It will be a confident country.

So far, Rs 52,606 crore has been transferred to 41 crore Jan Dhan account holders, Rs 18,000 crore grain transfers; Ujjwala, divyang and old age have also benefited.

Beginning today, over the next few days we will come before you with our team to put forth Prime Minister's vision of self-reliant India.

We should not forget that we also have a responsibility towards the poor, needy, the migrants workers, divyang and the aged of the country.

There is a collateral-free MSME loan that is being provided. This will give a facility of 3 lakh crore.

Collateral free automatic loans to be provided to MSMEs worth Rs 3 Lakh Crore. These have a 4-year tenor and will be valid up to October 31, 2020.

Rs 20,000 crores subordinate debt for stressed MSME. Two lakh MSME's are likely to benefit from it. Our government will provide support of 4,000 to CGTMSE.

Global tenders to be disallowed in Government procurement up to Rs 200 crores. Indian MSMEs and other companies have often faced unfair competition from foreign companies, this will make self-reliant India, will also then be able to serve 'Make in India'.

To ease financial stress as businesses get back to work, Our government has decided to continue EPF support for business and workers for 3 more months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crores.

Government will also launch a Rs 30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme. Under this scheme investment will be made in both primary and secondary market transactions in investments graded debt paper of NBFCs, HCFCs and MFIs.

Discoms today are facing unprecedented cash flow problems. In all states, they are in serious crisis. In order to help them, liquidity infusion of Rs 90,000 will be done.

Extension of up to 6 months to be provided to contractors by all central agencies.

In order to provide more funds at the disposal of the taxpayers, the rates of Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) for non-salaried specified payments made to residents and rates of Tax Collection at Source (TCS) for the specified receipts shall be reduced by 25 per cent of the existing rates.

Payment for contract, professional fees, interest, rent, dividend, commission, brokerage, etc. shall be eligible for this reduced rate of TDS. This reduction shall be applicable for the remaining part of the FY 2020-21 i.e. from tomorrow to 31st March, 2021. This measure will release Liquidity of Rs. 50,000 crore.

Due date of all income-tax return for the financial year 2019-20 will be extended from 31st July, 2020 and 31st October, 2020 to 30th November, 2020 and Tax audit from 30th September, 2020 to 31st October,2020.

Period of Vivad se Vishwas Scheme for making payment without additional amount will be extended to 31st December, 2020.
The Indian Point nuclear power plant, which opened more than 50 years ago, is finally in the process of closing under a landmark agreement struck in January 2017 by New York state, plant owner Entergy and Riverkeeper.

The need to close Indian Point to protect public safety is well documented: In one 12-month period, just before the 2017 closure agreement, Indian Point suffered seven major malfunctions  pump and power failures, a transformer explosion, radiation leaks, a fire and an oil spill. Then, as if to put an exclamation point on the case for closing Indian Point, inspection results released just after the closure agreement was announced showed that more than 30 percent of the bolts holding the plant's two operating reactor cores together had become impaired, by far the worst result of any such tests at any reactor worldwide. A 2011 Nuclear Regulatory Commission study rated Indian Point number one for risk of meltdown due to earthquake, and a 2003 study commissioned by then-Gov. George Pataki concluded that the plant's evacuation plan would fail to protect the public in an emergency.

Given the long litany of safety problems posed by this aging, increasingly dangerous and no longer needed plant, New York made the right move in mandating Indian Point's shutdown.

Since Indian Point's closure was announced, annual renewable generation and energy efficiency savings have increased 6,550 gigawatt hours statewide, equivalent to energy generated by one of the two reactors at Indian Point. Indian Point 2, the first of these reactors, closes this month; Indian Point 3 will close in April 2021.

Unfortunately, some pro-nuclear advocates opportunistically attempt to link the imminent closure of these reactors to the region's response to COVID-19, warning of potential blackouts. This cynical fearmongering is wholly devoid of any factual support, is impractical, runs contrary to law, and is the opposite of what we need right now, which is solutions-oriented forward thinking.

First, far from threatening blackouts, the current crisis has actually driven power demand in New York City down by 12 percent. In addition, study after study shows that there is plenty of power without Indian Point and that the grid will be as reliable as ever. The latest study by PSE Healthy Energy confirms that even without any new gas plants, reliability would not be an issue. The same study shows that since the closure was announced in 2017, the state has added enough renewable energy and energy efficiency to replace Indian Point 2. In short, we have a public health crisis, but we do not have an energy crisis.

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Clean resources now in operation or under development will contribute 20,000 GWh annually by 2024, exceeding Indian Point's annual generation of 16,334 GWh. By 2025, New York's landmark 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act is poised to drive an additional 23,600 GWh in solar energy and efficiency savings. Put together, that's enough green power and demand reduction to close Indian Point more than 2.5 times over. And that's before we add another 1,700 MW in offshore wind capacity, which the state contracted for in 2019.

Renewable energy, energy efficiency and battery storage will not only provide well more than twice the energy of Indian Point by 2025, they're a COVID-19 economic recovery program waiting to happen and a boon to efforts to reuse the state's brownfields, former industrial sites, landfills and other abandoned or underused areas. Legislation enacted recently in Albany provides additional incentives to foster renewable energy projects on such sites.

Indian Point's time has come and gone. The risks associated with this plant, designed before most Americans alive today were even born, are too great. The opportunity to replace it with job-creating, community-revitalizing renewables and efficiency projects offers a tailor-made engine for economic recovery that's ours for the taking.
New Delhi :

Terrorist Bahadur Ali who was arrested during Kupwara encounter by security forces on July 26 was remanded to National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody for 12 days by a Special NIA court.

Two of Alis accomplices were killed in the encounter. Army had recovered three AK-47 rifles, two pistols and Indian currency worth Rs. 23,000 from his possession.

Ali has confessed that he had received terror training at Lashkar camp in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

NIA on Wednesday addressed a press conference in Delhi on the captured terrorist Bahadur Ali:

#We have collected all kinds of evidences. Bahadur Ali was directed to take advantage of current situation in Kashmir.

#Recovered articles show that terrorist was provided great refs in codes. It shows very highly trained people trained him: NIA on Bahadur Ali.

# Future investigation is continuing in regards with Bahadur Ali's disclosure of the role of LeT in the current unrest in Kashmir.

# Bahadur Ali was recruited by Jamaat-ud-Dawa, subsequently LeT radicalised him.

# Bahadur Ali underwent all three training process organised by LeT.

# Bahadur Ali said that there were 30-50 trainees at training camps of LeT from different parts of the countries including Afghanistan, Pak.

#Bahadur Ali said that there were a few army officers in civilian clothes who checked their preparedness with a check-list.

# Bahadur Ali crossed into Indian side on either 11th or 12th June along with two LeT cadres.

#When Haider was approaching LOC, barbed wire fencing, he was constantly communicating with somebody.

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The other night, midway through watching a clip from Plandemic  a documentary that went viral on social media last week, spreading baseless lies and debunked nonsense about the coronavirus to millions of Americans overnight  I had a terrifying thought:

What if we get a Covid-19 vaccine and half the country refuses to take it?

It occurred to me that all the misinformation weve seen so far  the false rumors that 5G cellphone towers fuel the coronavirus, that drinking bleach or injecting UV rays can cure it, that Dr. Anthony Fauci is part of an anti-Trump conspiracy  may be just the warm-up act for a much bigger information war when an effective vaccine becomes available to the public. This war could pit public health officials and politicians against an anti-vaccination movement that floods social media with misinformation, conspiracy theories and propaganda aimed at convincing people that the vaccine is a menace rather than a lifesaving, economy-rescuing miracle.

Scariest of all? It could actually work.

Ive been following the anti-vaccine community on and off for years, watching its members operate in private Facebook groups and Instagram accounts, and have found that they are much more organized and strategic than many of their critics believe. They are savvy media manipulators, effective communicators and experienced at exploiting the weaknesses of social media platforms. (Just one example: Shortly after Facebook and YouTube began taking down copies of Plandemic for violating their rules, I saw people in anti-vaccine groups editing it in subtle ways to evade the platforms automated enforcement software and reposting it.)

In short, the anti-vaxxers have been practicing for this. And Im worried that they will be unusually effective in sowing doubts about a Covid-19 vaccine for several reasons.

First, because of the pandemics urgency, any promising Covid-19 vaccine is likely to be fast-tracked through the testing and approval process. It may not go through years of clinical trials and careful studies of possible long-term side effects, the way other drugs do. That could create an opening for anti-vaccine activists to claim that it is untested and dangerous, and to spin reasonable concerns about the vaccine into widespread, unfounded fears about its safety.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrapped up a three-hour meeting in Jerusalem this morning, the day before the swearing-in of Israels new government. Greeting Pompeo upon his arrival, Netanyahu set the tone by introducing three main topics on the agenda: the global battle against the novel coronavirus, the Iranian threat and President Donald Trumps proposed peace plan.

"The first thing is the plague.  The second thing is that theres something else plaguing our region, which is unremitting Iranian aggression and terror.  The third point is that now were about to form a national unity government, tomorrow, I am  I think that this is an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings that I reached with President Trump in my last visit in Washington, in January," said Netanyahu.

Pompeo responded, "Well get a chance, too, to talk about the Vision for Peace. Were now some months on from the day that you came to Washington when President Trump announced that Vision for Peace when you were there. There remains work yet to do, and we need to make progress on that."

Neither Netanyahu nor Pompeo mentioned Israel's West Bank annexation plans at the press conference. In a May 12 interview with the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper, Pompeo refused to say outright whether Israel was being given the nod on West Bank annexation or being told to hold off. The secretary of state insisted, "This is a decision that the Israelis will make. I want to understand how the new leadership, the soon-to-be new government, is thinking about that." Pompeo said that the issue would surely come up in his meetings in Jerusalem.

Pompeos refusal to openly endorse the annexation plan was surely the reason Netanyahu did not mention the issue when speaking to the press. The Israeli prime minister needs American support for the launching of his new government. Insisting annexation now would serve nothing, as Netanyahu can in any case bring such a proposal for a vote no earlier than July 1, as the April 20 unity deal with Blue and White stipulates.

Netanyahu clearly feels that he need not insist on the annexation issue at each opportunity. Three weeks ago the prime minister expressed his confidence that the Trump administration would support his annexation plan, and his associates say that little has changed since. On April 27, Netanyahu stated, President Trump pledged to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Jewish communities [in the West Bank] and in the Jordan Valley. A couple of months from now, I am confident that that pledge will be honored."

But with or without annexation, his meeting with Pompeo offered Netanyahu an excellent photo op and brought back to the agenda the security issue of Iran and its entrenchment in Syria. It also brought up an issue less comfortable for Netanyahu: American objection to Chinese investment in strategic infrastructure. Pompeo acknowledged these concerns, stating, "Youre a great partner, you share information, unlike other countries that obfuscate and try to hide that information  and well talk about that country, too. Israel announced yesterday it intends to reconsider Chinese participation in the tender for a large desalination plant in the south of the country. Evidently, that statement did not appease the Americans.
A ground crew at the Los Angeles International Airport unloads pallets of supplies of medical personal protective equipment from a China Southern Cargo plane. (Richard Vogel / Associated Press)

Federal regulators offered new details Wednesday about problems that have delayed a $1-billion deal between California and a Chinese automaker for respirators, saying they denied certification of the masks after inspections of the companys factories in China and a review of critical documents belonging to the project.

In a statement to The Times, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health said it notified electric car maker BYD on May 4 that on-site visits to the company's manufacturing and production facilities in China had resulted in a rating of "Not Acceptable." The agency also said its "review of documentation provided to NIOSH for the design, manufacturing and quality inspection of the device was concerning."

NIOSH said it denied BYD's bid for federal approval of its N95 masks "based on a number of factors" but declined to elaborate, saying that information is confidential under federal rules.

The company has submitted a total of four applications of N95 respirators, according to a letter from the regulatory agency. Three of the applications were denied and a fourth was withdrawn, a NIOSH official told The Times.

There is no BYD application for N95 approval currently pending, and the company hasn't yet submitted another application to NIOSH, agency officials said, raising questions over whether the company will be able to meet a May 31 contract deadline to obtain the certification.

California has agreed to pay $990 million to the company for 300 million N95 protective masks at a cost of $3.30 apiece. The price is considered high for N95 masks  the city of Los Angeles recently inked a deal with an American manufacturer for N95s at less than a dollar a piece  but BYD promised to deliver the masks more quickly.

Frank Girardot, a BYD spokesman, said the company expected to "resubmit, if not today then by the end of this week," and that the only issues flagged by federal regulators were minor changes to engineering drawings that would be "easily fixed."

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They have no issue with our quality or production lines, Girardot said, adding that the masks had passed the agency's laboratory testing.

The new details add to the uncertainty surrounding California's massive deal with the Chinese company. The masks are highly coveted by frontline workers in the novel coronavirus pandemic because they filter 95% of particles, providing crucial protection to nurses and other essential workers.

The masks have been notoriously hard to come by, and nurses have staged protests demanding the gear before they're forced to interact with patients who test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

BYD's contract with the state had been shrouded in secrecy since it was signed in early April. The governor's office initially refused to disclose the contract to lawmakers and journalists  even though government contracts are public under state law  citing concerns that the masks might somehow be seized if that information were released.

The state relented earlier this month amid mounting pressure for more details about the deal. The contract showed that BYD had missed its initial April 30 deadline to obtain NIOSH certification of the masks, and needed to reimburse the state half its nearly $500-million upfront payment. The state agreed to extend the deadline for certification to the end of this month.

Despite the setbacks, Brian Ferguson, a spokesman with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, said the BYD deal "has already proven to be successful" because the company had delivered 18 million surgical masks, which don't offer the same degree of protection as the N95 but have still "been key to the state's ability to reopen the economy and protect public health and safety."

Ferguson said state officials "remain optimistic" that BYD will obtain NIOSH certification of the company's N95.

"Should the contractor fail to meet that high standard, we have built in strong provisions to protect the state," Ferguson said.

Dan Glucksman, director of government affairs for the International Safety Equipment Assn., or ISEA, the trade organization for personal protective equipment and technologies, said he could not comment specifically on the BYD mask deal.

But he noted that N95 masks submitted to NIOSH for certification must undergo rigorous testing for filtration efficiency, breathing resistance and multiple other factors. NIOSH also reviews design elements and the components used in making the masks, as well as the manufacturers own test results and a raft of other documentation it must submit.

All of this is factored into the final certification, Glucksman said, noting that paperwork aspects are critical to securing NIOSH approval for N95 respirators.

They are simple, disposable items, but there is a lot of science and engineering, and a lot of industrial quality control, that goes into them, he said.

One issue that emerged with Chinese-made masks, generally, involves how they are held in place, Glucksman said. Many are turning up with ear loops, rather than elastic bands. While federal regulations do not mandate elastic bands, they generally make for a tighter fit  and better protection, he said.

It is unclear if that is an issue with BYD masks.

Charles Johnson, ISEA president, said the COVID-19 crisis also has sparked a proliferation of fraudulent masks that have been mislabeled one way or another, which has complicated the task of ensuring that personal protective gear meets standards.

Some masks bear FDA labels, which are never used, Johnson said, or claim to be approved for children, for which there is no such thing. Others completely fail to meet the provision of the standards to which they attest, he said.

It is a major concern, Johnson said. The FDA has revoked some prior approvals for some Chinese masks because of worries that those masks are not meeting the standards for which they attest.
Some parts of an explosive whistleblower complaint against the Health and Human Services department are beyond dispute.

Rick Bright, the departments ousted vaccine expert, has assembled a 63-page complaint filled with damning allegations: that Trump appointees pressured health officials to rush unproven malaria drugs; that his warnings about mask shortages were ignored; and that senior leaders repeatedly missed opportunities to grapple with threats posed by Covid-19. Those claims are backed up by emails released by Bright, interviews conducted by POLITICO and, in some cases, President Donald Trumps own public statements.

But some colleagues say Brights complaint leaves out the full context for the pivotal malaria drug episode, which two current and two former officials say paints a murkier picture of Brights claims. Some of his allegations about department decisions on Covid-19 dont match officials statements or the public record. And Brights central claim that he was ousted for battling Trump appointees over science is less than certain given that some of his own staff spent months raising concerns about his leadership, including a complaint filed by a person in Brights office last summer.

As Bright prepares to testify before a House committee on Thursday, his credibility will be a key issue  as will the credibility of Trump appointees like Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response who on April 20 abruptly transferred Bright, his top vaccine deputy, to a new role working on coronavirus diagnostics at a different division, the National Institutes of Health.

Bright has yet to accept the transfer, and the Office of Special Counsel on Friday said that Bright should be temporarily reinstated during an investigation. Meanwhile, HHS officials have spent days going line-by-line through Brights complaint and are preparing to release a rebuttal by Thursday morning, said two current administration officials.

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The episode has reignited frustrations inside the health department and forced people to choose sides between Bright and the Trump administration.

I think they wanted to get rid of Dr. Bright from the moment they got there, said a former HHS official, who said that Bright was viewed as an outsider by a tight-knit cadre of Trump appointees who had worked in biodefense, but who declined to be identified to avoid being drawn into the dispute. They set out on a mission to make his life miserable.

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. Hes 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)

But less than a month ago, Bright was sharing praise for the Trump appointee that he and his allies now say was determined to destroy him. Bob Kadlec is in the right spot at the right time for our country, Andrew Weber, a former assistant Defense secretary during the Obama administration, wrote on Twitter on April 15 as he touted a pro-Kadlec op-ed  a message that Bright retweeted at the time but quietly took down this week.

POLITICO spoke with 12 current and former staff in HHS emergency response division, as well as other administration officials and outside advisers, and they painted a picture of a demanding boss who inspired some staff but alienated others, unrelated to his dealings with the White House. But they also confirmed the unusual and excessive political pressure put upon the department by Trump and his high-level appointees to ignore questions about the malaria drug hydroxychloroquines effectiveness on Covid-19 and its possible dangerous side effects.

The health department did not respond to specific questions on Brights leadership or claims in his complaint. Nor did spokespeople allow interviews with top officials such as Kadlec or the departments top lawyer, Bob Charrow.

This is a personnel matter that is currently under review, said Caitlin Oakley, HHS spokesperson. However, HHS strongly disagrees with the allegations and characterizations in the complaint from Dr. Bright.

Bright, through his lawyers, declined a request for an interview, but defended his record.

In filing this whistleblower complaint, he was prepared for unnamed sources in the administration to try to ruin his reputation, said attorney Debra Katz. He stands by his claims.

A hero to many health officials

As a whistleblower, Bright has quickly emerged as a hero to many career health officials and even some Trump appointees, who are despondent over how the Trump administration has handled the pandemic response. Three current officials said that the emergency division  known as the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, or ASPR  missed planning opportunities in January, February and March. Instead, Kadlec and other top officials focused on evacuating Americans from coronavirus-infested cruise ships and bringing hundreds of others back from China  missions that strained the team and did little to prepare for the looming pandemic.

ASPRs not really preparedness and response these days, said one senior official in the division. Its just response. It should be ASR, not ASPR.

Two of Kadlec's defenders say that he was focused on rescuing Americans from dangerous situations, a priority that appealed to the retired Air Force officer.

Brights complaint and accompanying emails also provide a remarkable window into real-time planning for Covid-19, or lack thereof. For instance, the vaccine expert in January recognized that masks and other key supplies would soon face major shortages  and Bright eventually enlisted White House support in an effort to obtain products like testing swabs when Kadlec failed to act on his warnings, according to emails in his complaint and news reports.

The most damning part of the complaint is the description of the systematic disregard of all the warnings about the pandemic, said Nicole Lurie, a Bright defender who preceded Kadlec as the divisions assistant secretary during the Obama administration and tapped Bright in November 2016 to lead the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

But some of Brights claims dont line up with or mischaracterize the work conducted by other health officials. In his complaint, the vaccine expert says that on Jan. 10, he began pushing HHS leadership to obtain sequencing and virus samples from China, to no avail  one of several allegations where Bright says he acted with urgency to begin to address this pandemic but encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Secretary [Alex] Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic threat.

Yet by Jan. 10, HHS leaders had already spent a week trying to engage the Chinese government in order to send scientists and obtain virus samples, an effort that would stretch on for more than a month. Meanwhile, Chinese researchers had announced on Jan. 9 they had sequenced the virus and publicly posted those sequences on Jan. 11  a development that raises questions about why Bright felt that leaders were ignoring his concerns on Jan. 10 about the need to obtain the viral sequence.

The health department also had alerted the White Houses National Security Council about the risk of the novel virus on Jan. 2, and a high-level team quickly began meeting to address the possibility of a pandemic. Meanwhile, Azar's attempts to privately warn Trump in mid-January were seen as so dire that some Trump aides dismissed them as "alarmist," POLITICO previously reported.

Brights lawyer said that the scientist was pushing for greater access to sequences and samples because they were necessary to do his work.

It is critical to be able to analyze multiple viral sequences and multiple virus samples to determine if the virus is mutating or remaining stable, Katz said. To Dr. Brights knowledge, HHS never received a viral sample from China, and did not have virus samples until [it] obtained them from U.S. cases in late February.

A push for a malaria drug

By mid-March, Trump was promoting the use of malaria drugs as a possible game changer in the coronavirus fight, despite scant evidence that the drugs could rein in Covid-19 and over the increasingly deep concerns of career health officials who wanted the administration to pursue the standard process of clinical trials. The drugs had been promoted on Fox News and by some of Trump's political allies.

At my direction, the federal government is working to help obtain large quantities of chloroquine, Trump said at a March 23 press briefing, which HHS officials say understated the frantic efforts to meet the presidents demands.

Bright alleges that the departments top lawyer, Charrow, applied pressure to rush the malaria drugs and was personally involved in writing aspects of the plan  a point backed up by several emails included in his complaint  even as career health officials worried about the lack of evidence that the drugs could help treat Covid-19 and the potential risk to patients. According to Bright's lawyers, it was the first time that he recalls the department's top lawyer calling him directly to discuss a drug donation.

Two current officials confirmed Brights claims that Charrow directly drove the project after Trump spent days in March publicly stumping for his health officials to expand access to the drug. The move radically subverted how FDA was supposed to operate, independent of political influence. Studies have increasingly found that the malaria drugs have no positive effect for Covid-19 and may in fact have negative consequences.

As a result, Bright acknowledged in his whistleblower complaint that he was a source behind a Reuters story about Trump administration officials pursuit of the drug. But the email chain that Bright leaked to Reuters was just a partial snapshot of the discussions, and Bright himself entertained the idea of using hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 patients in other emails, according to three people who have seen those messages and described them to POLITICO.

Brights defenders have acknowledged that he tried to compromise with his bosses over hydroxychloroquine. Katz, his lawyer, emphasized that the scientist only supported the use of the drugs in a controlled, rigorous environment  not the broad plan pursued by the Trump administration.

He did not support the distribution of these drugs without appropriate controls in place, said Katz. And given the latest studies on these drugs, he has been proven right, she added, an allusion to recent findings that hydroxychloroquine shows no benefit against Covid-19.

Some officials in the division and elsewhere in HHS said that Bright was trying to raise appropriate concerns about the rush to allow an unproven drug  although he wasn't yet ready to make a public stand and put his future employment at risk.

He was definitely tapping on the brakes, if you read the emails, said a senior administration official. He may not have slammed them.

A toxic work environment

Bright has since maintained that his concerns about hydroxychloroquine were a key component of his ouster.

I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit, the vaccine expert said in an April 22 statement.

But Trump administration officials detailed a series of management challenges, such as how Bright allegedly treated the people who worked for him, that they claim helped convince them that a change was needed well before the Covid-19 outbreak.

Two current and three former staff who worked closely with Bright described a difficult dynamic of frequently changing demands, which they argued manifested in staff turnover; two of Brights assistants abruptly left the same week in August 2019, and another assistant left the year before.

This type of abuse creates a highly stressful and toxic work environment that ultimately ruins productivity towards the BARDA mission, one staffer wrote in a complaint about Bright that was shared with division leaders in August 2019 and obtained by POLITICO. I only feel relief once I leave for the day.

To the outside, you cant see what we see working for him, said one person who worked closely with Bright last year. We would get yelled at when we didnt provide him with documents that didnt exist.

Other current and former members of Brights team were much more positive about his leadership and said that his personal drive was sometimes misunderstood. Rick is a passionate, visionary leader, not without flaws, but who always kept the American peoples best interests at the forefront of his decision-making while striving to modernize and improve BARDA," said one HHS official who worked for him at BARDA.

Hes a very intense person, said another HHS staffer who worked with Bright. Hes a perfectionist. He expects levels of perfection with people.

A person who works closely with Bright disputed that the departures of his assistants was unusual, saying that they stemmed from new opportunities and, in one case, inadequate job performance.

Brights lawyer also said that he had no knowledge of any workplace complaints. Neither his boss nor anyone else ever discussed this with him, and it was certainly not reflected in his 2019 performance appraisal, which was stellar, said Katz, adding that Bright has received multiple compliments from HHS superiors, colleagues at agencies like CDC and members of Congress.

Indeed, Kadlec extensively praised his deputy in last years review. Dr. Bright continues to lead change in BARDA with deftness and enthusiasm, Kadlec wrote in the 2019 review obtained by POLITICO. One current and two former officials said that Kadlec had been resistant to moving Bright and was hoping that the good review would help them patch up their relationship.

But, according to some officials, by late 2019, there was growing consensus among HHS leaders that Bright should find a new role.

Bright treats staff poorly. Goes around his boss. Tries to undercut his leadership. Hires outside contractors without permission, a former Trump appointee alleged in a text to POLITICO on Jan. 2, explaining why there was talk of replacing the vaccine expert  six days before the CDC would issue its first alert on a mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China.

Years of fault lines, exposed

Brights whistleblower complaint illuminates fault lines that have been present for years inside the health departments emergency division but have cracked open during the extreme pressures of the pandemic.

One problem: a long-running cold war between current assistant secretary Kadlec and his Obama-era predecessor, Lurie. The two leaders have no relationship, said four current and former officials  unlike how some Trump officials like Medicaid chief Seema Verma and former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb cultivated cordial relationships with their Obama-era predecessors. Luries offers to provide help or guidance ahead of the pandemic were rebuffed.

We are honored to host @SeemaCMS for a conversation with @ASlavitt at our leadership dinner. The current and most immediate past @CMSGov leaders sharing thoughts on challenges, opportunities and the future of healthcare. #USofCare2019 pic.twitter.com/d0bYS5Tvtz  United States of Care (@USofCare) November 19, 2019

Current and former career staff who have worked with both officials said that the two assistant secretaries were quite different in management style and priorities. Kadlec, the former military officer, was heavily focused on biowarfare. Lurie, whos now counseling Washington, D.C., officials on how to reopen the local economy, steered the office more towards public health investments.

Kadlec and others in the Trump leadership team viewed Bright as effectively an Obama holdover  a career staffer picked by Lurie and others to lead the biomedical team just days after the 2016 election ushered Trump into office. A former official involved in Brights hiring said that he had been the unanimous choice for months and that bureaucratic hold-ups delayed his selection until after the election.

We had gone through a very deliberate and thoughtful process to choose Dr. Bright, Lurie said in an interview. I had seen so much pressure on the funding process over the eight years that I was there, I was quite committed to finding someone who could stand up to it.

Meanwhile, Kadlec won the support of senior leaders inside the Trump administration, particularly after his team was tapped in 2018 by Azar to reunify thousands of migrant families that the administration had separated at the border. Azar came to view Kadlec as one of his top fixers, even as the HHS secretary tried to contain his own fight with a deputy.

Kadlec frequently clashed with Bright because his biomedical team had been allocated the lions share of funding for the division  $1.6 billion of the total $2.6 billion in funds that the department initially requested for the current fiscal year, before Congress more than tripled BARDA's budget in its recent stimulus packages. That perch gave Bright an outsize role in dealing with members of Congress and industry leaders, even as he battled with Kadlec on decisions to fund certain products.

The resulting fights have partially spilled into the press, as Bright and his allies have traded allegations with Kadlecs camp, as each accuses the other of preferential treatment for favored contractors and inappropriate spending decisions. Kadlec also has been heavily scrutinized for shifting the offices focus toward preparing for bioterror attacks and whether he had an undisclosed conflict of interest when he did so.

Kadlec bet on bioweapons  and he bet wrong, said one senior HHS official. But that doesnt necessarily mean Ricks right about everything either.

Brights own decision to work with a Democrat-aligned publicity firm, SKDKnickerbocker, and hire the legal team that represented Christine Blasey Ford, the accuser of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, has fueled anger that his whistleblower complaint is politically motivated.

I have known Dr. Rick Bright for more than fifteen years, countered Katz, his lawyer, saying that she represented a family member of Bright in a whistleblower case years ago. This whistleblower case isnt about politics or what political party the wrongdoers are from.

High stakes for a pressure-packed hearing

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers have sparred ahead of Thursdays unusual hearing, which Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) has rapidly convened over the frustration of her Republican counterpart, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas). Brights testimony is expected to capture a national viewing audience, with so many Americans deeply invested in the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic  and still stuck in lockdown.

Democrats are hoping that the spotlight on Bright will reveal ways that Trump botched the outbreak, with some touting him as a star witness to the administration's failures.

Dr. Bright is a man of integrity, Lurie said.

Here is a guy who laid out processes and actions to fight a pandemic, she added, pointing to details in the complaint. Those processes were disregarded and actions werent taken.

Inside HHS, officials said that leaders dont see Brights testimony as a referendum on their Covid-19 work and are confident that their pending rebuttal will raise questions about his claims. Kadlec has outwardly projected calm and said he wants to stay focused on fighting the outbreak, not Brights allegations, said two people who work with him.

He's still zeroed in on the mission, said one official.

Meanwhile, those who know Bright worry that the increasingly intense coverage is distorting the issues he was trying to raise in the first place.

He understood that the statistics about the pandemic were not just numbers. They were people with families, friends, and names, said an HHS staffer who worked with Bright. I think thats important for people to know about him.
My concern that if some areas  cities, states or what have you  jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks, Fauci testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
A swimmer cries out for help. The lifeguard races to the rescue. And before they reach the water, the coronavirus risk calculation begins.

Every lifeguard reckons with the knowledge that to save a life they could lose their own, that the person they are trying to rescue can potentially pull them down, as well.

But in the age of the coronavirus there is an extra level of danger, lifeguards say, because staying six feet away from a person who is drowning is not an option.

When we swim out to a victim in distress, it depends on their condition, said Patrick Brafford, the longtime lifeguard supervisor at Clearwater Beach, Florida. If they can manage, we will hand them a flotation device for them to hold onto and then we can swim them into shore while keeping a safe distance.

Image: Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Climate Of Anxiety And Changing Routines In America (Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)

But if theyre in dire condition and cannot keep themselves afloat, were going to have to make direct contact with them and secure them onto the rescue can, he said. That is something all lifeguards have to understand and assume that risk.

Clearwater Beach, a popular 1.5-mile jewel of white sand and blue water, made headlines for all the wrong reasons in March when images of revelers frolicking in the midst of the pandemic were broadcast nationally -- and after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis initially balked at banishing the throng from the beach.

Brafford said that his team of 10 full-time and 21 part-time lifeguards havent had to do any water rescues since Clearwater Beach reopened May 4. But as the sand fills with beachgoers, the lifeguards have been training for what he calls the new norm.

For us, thats the biggest thing, he said. Were used to going up and touching and talking to people who need our help. Weve got to slow it down now.

Tom Gill, a spokesman for the nonprofit United States Lifesaving Association, agreed.

At the end of the day, there are going to be times when you have to get really close, he said. But there are lots of ways to minimize the impact.

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In response to the pandemic, the USLA issued new suggested guidelines which recommended, among other things, to avoid touching other people, including your fellow lifeguards, unless necessary.

It does not ensure prevention of disease transmission, but lessens the likelihood, the directive states. Universal precautions should include at a minimum - gloves, N95 mask, and eye protection.

Gill said many of these common sense recommendations had been put into place before the pandemic when HIV and other communicable diseases were the main threats.

Image: Clearwater Police (Chris O'Meara / AP file)

Also, Americans who grew up watching Baywatch might be surprised to find out that lifeguards rarely have to rescue people from the water and that the biggest part of their job is preventing people from getting into trouble.

The USLA reported that in 2018, beach attendance topped an estimated 340 million, which is more than the total U.S. population, and that lifeguards issued more than 8.1 million verbal warnings.

Lifeguards were involved in 85,475 rescues and there were 25 drownings on guarded beaches, according to the USLA.

And those are just the USLA certified beaches, Gill said. That doesnt include the beaches that are not guarded.

Since the start of the pandemic, masks, gloves and eye protection have become part of the uniform for lifeguards patrolling Clearwater Beach, Brafford said.

Up in the (lifeguard) towers, they are self-isolated from the public so the PPE is optional, he said.

The minute they hit the sand, however, the PPE is on, he said.

In an emergency, Brafford said, all patients are addressed from a six-foot bubble from which we will determine whether this is a life, or non-life-threatening emergency.

If there is an immediate emergency, lifeguards will wear gloves, N95 masks and eye protection, break the bubble and make contact with the patient, he said. But we still have to be disciplined. We have to slow things down a bit to protect ourselves and others. We dont want to risk the chance of exposure to our staff unless it is absolutely necessary. We concentrate on better incident management by being more efficient with the resources we have at our disposal while still giving the best possible care to the patient."

But if the emergency means hitting the water, the mask is gone.

By the very nature of our profession, PPE does not work well in aquatic rescues, Brafford said.

That said, the lifeguards in the water coordinate closely with fire rescue teams to make sure they are on the sand and ready to provide first aid once the stricken swimmer is brought to shore, he said. Lifequards in the water will use hand signals to communicate with the team waiting on the beach.

The Clearwater Police Department patrols the beach and enforces the social distancing rules, although the lifeguards are also expected to instruct beachgoers to stay six feet apart, Brafford added. When the beach was closed, lifeguards helped the police guard the entry points to keep people out.

Since weve opened most people have been very cooperative, but there have been fewer than normal people out there, he said.

Even before the pandemic, lifeguards were taking preventative steps against communicable diseases like not using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and following American Heart Association guidelines, which put the emphasis on chest compressions.

Now, rescuers use plastic barrier devices to safely blow air into a victims lungs, Brafford said.
Its crucial to give your children the opportunity to talk about the death if they want to  and to gently help them understand what happened and why. Dr. Judith Cohen, M.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Drexel University College of Medicine and the medical director of the Allegheny General Hospital Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents in Pittsburgh, witnessed her sisters sudden death when she was 6, and no one engaged with her about it afterward. I have a strong belief that when parents dont talk about it, children develop negative beliefs about what they should have done, what they could have done, and why it happened. That can be very difficult, if not damaging, to their understanding of themselves and the world around them, she said.

Share Coping Strategies

Funerals arent possible for many families right now, so its helpful to come up with other ways to remember and memorialize the person who has died. (If a funeral is taking place, you still might want to give your child the option of staying home  not all children like to attend funerals, and thats OK, Dr. Goodman said.) Maybe you plant a tree in the backyard to remember them, bake their favorite bread, watch their favorite movie or make a special photo album.

Remember, too, that grief doesnt follow a schedule. American culture expects people to mourn quickly  to cry at the funeral and then feel a sense of closure and move on  but these expectations arent particularly healthy or appropriate. Ultimately, the purpose of mourning and memorializing is to foster an ongoing sense of connection with the person who died, Primo said, and that means we can memorialize and remember as often as we want.

Its also OK for your kids to see you feeling sad and to engage with them about your grief, according to Robyn Silverman, Ph.D., a child and teen development specialist who hosts the podcast How To Talk To Your Kids About Anything. When you talk about your own feelings about anything, it opens the door for the child to talk about theirs  it gives them that permission, she said.

If your children are having trouble talking about their feelings, Dr. Kennedy-Moore suggested getting out a pack of index cards and asking your child to help you brainstorm various emotions, writing one emotion down on each card (and making sure to include feelings like sad and lonely.) Then, ask your child to sort the cards into three piles: A yes pile (for feelings theyre feeling right now), a no pile (for feelings they arent experiencing), and a maybe a little bit pile. Then, ask them to go through each of the cards in the yes and maybe a little bit piles, pausing on each one to explain why they believe they are feeling that way. Dr. Kennedy-Moore said that parents should try not to fix their childrens feelings or talk them out of having them, but just to briefly acknowledge them. This approach encourages kids to name and engage with their emotions, which makes those big, messy feelings seem more understandable, and therefore more manageable, she said. (Sesame Street also has online resources to help children understand and talk about their emotions when they are grieving.)

Support Your Grieving Child

Children often grieve differently than adults  and on a different schedule. They might be upset for a few minutes, and then seem totally fine, and then a few hours later feel sad again. They grieve deeply, but they dont hold on to those feelings forever, Dr. Cohen said. Also, kids may not mourn all that much after they have lost a relative they only rarely saw, and thats fine. This doesnt mean they didnt love them.

If you sense that your child is doing things to avoid engaging with their grief  refusing to talk about grandma or the memories they have of her  therapy can be helpful, Dr. Cohen said. Reach out to your pediatrician, a child therapist or a grief counselor for recommendations.
One of the best parts about a trip to the hair salon is kicking back while a stylist blows out your hair. But blow-dry services may look different across the country as salons begin the reopening process.

Last week, Connecticut governor Ned Lamont announced that local hair salons could reopen on May 20, but would not be allowed to use blow dryers. The reason? To ostensibly prevent the circulation of germs. But blow-dry services are a huge part of the salon business, and local stylists expressed concern over the new guidelines.

Just days later, the Connecticut government reversed their decision, and said salons will indeed be allowed to use blow dryers.

Download the TODAY app for the latest coverage on the coronavirus outbreak.

Each state will have their own unique guidelines for reopening salons in the coming weeks, but the guidelines Connecticut initially proposed do raise a few questions: Can blow dryers spread germs? Are other states banning blow-dry services? And should you take any extra precautions while getting a blowout at your local salon? TODAY Style spoke to health and beauty experts to find out.

Hairdressers allowed to reopen in Tatarstan, Russia (Yegor Aleyev / Getty Images)

How one salon is preparing to reopen

When Salon O owners Omar Roth and Rocco Palermiti first heard that salons in Connecticut were preparing to reopen, they were over the moon  until they heard that blow-dry services were off the table.

"We were a little shocked because thats how we finish our work and the blow dry usually makes everyone feel amazing after a haircut, especially when they are paying top dollar," Roth told TODAY Style. "We feel like theres also a lot of speculation and at the end of the day, theyre just trying to figure this all out as we go."

Once the blow-dry ban was lifted, the owners of the Greenwich salon were relieved, but they also felt conflicted.

"As a business we have decided not to do blowouts until we have more information as to why they were initially banned," Roth said.

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The salon is requiring clients to wear face masks and only enter when they are called in for their appointment. They will also do temperature checks when clients arrive, offer clean robes for each person and take payment over the phone whenever possible to minimize contact. Staff will wear face masks and shields, and will sanitize all tools in between clients.

Like other salons in Connecticut, Salon O will also have to follow additional guidelines, including:

Placing workstations at least 6 feet apart

Offering hand sanitizer/wipes at the salon entrance

Providing increased ventilation and airflow whenever possible

Operating at only 50% capacity

The added safety measures will undoubtedly make operating Salon O a bit more difficult than normal, but Roth said he's feeling very grateful nonetheless: "This is the new normal. We are just happy, even in the midst of this situation, to be able to go back to work. We feel blessed that we can afford to reopen. Im sure a lot of salons as well as barbershops wont be able to do that."

Hairdresser blowing beautiful woman's hair (Getty Images)

Do blow dryers really circulate germs?

You've likely heard that those hand dryers in public restrooms circulate germs throughout the air, but do blow dryers work in a similar way?

"There are some similarities with hand dryers in bathrooms, although many of the issues with hand dryers are bacteria/pathogens being transmitted from one individual to another with each use. Specific to blow dryers, there is concern that blow dryers may circulate pathogens or enable them to spread more quickly," said Dr. Lechauncy D. Woodard, a professor at the University of Houston College of Medicine.

Blow dryers can potentially circulate germs, but the risk is not on hair specifically, according to Dr. David M. Aronoff, director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Division of Infectious Diseases. Aronoff stresses that research is still limited.

"Shampoo and water will remove any SARS-CoV-2 virus from hair. Drying clean hair poses minimal risk for aerosolizing or dispersing virus from the scalp or hair," he said.

Even so, both clients and stylists should follow proper precautions like wearing a mask during a blowout. "They should cover their nose and mouth when hair dryers are in use, to limit the dispersal of respiratory secretions," Aronoff said.

Stylists can also help minimize any potential risk by disinfecting blow dryers in between clients, pointing it toward the floor rather than upward (and never pointed at the nose or mouth) and running it for a short period of time before using on each client.

Unfortunately, there's no data comparing the use of handheld blow dryers and hooded hair dryers, but Woodard said it's possible that hooded dryers could be a bit less risky since the air flow is more contained.

"However, regardless of how services are provided, it is important that proper safety precautions, including social distancing, masks, physical barriers where possible and appropriate sanitation, are consistently used," she said.

BELGIUM-HEALTH-VIRUS (THIERRY ROGE / Getty Images)

How are other salons handling blow-dry services?

Salons in New Hampshire are reopening, but they are not allowed to offer blow-dry services. Other than that, most states haven't provided specific guidelines requiring salons to abstain from using the popular hot tool.

Georgia has also allowed salons to reopen with no mention of blow-dryer concerns, and many local businesses have begun offering the service all while following CDC, WHO and local regulations closely to ensure the safety of both clients and stylists.

"While I am not an expert and everyone has a different opinion, we are taking every precaution in our Georgia location and throughout the country as we pursue our reopen plan," DreamDry CEO Jennifer June said.

DreamDry salons across the country are implementing more frequent salon cleanings, mandatory training prior to returning to work and staggered/limited appointments in addition to requiring the use of personal protective equipment by clients and stylists.

Since it still isn't fully clear if blow dryers pose a risk, many beauty experts warn that banning these services prematurely could pose an additional financial burden for salons that have already had to close for weeks on end.

"As a franchise business, all of our locations are locally owned and operated by small business owners. Those franchise owners have already been impacted by having to close down and a further shut down would just amplify that impact," Blo CEO Vanessa Yakobson said. The salon chain focuses on blowouts and doesn't offer cuts or hair coloring. "We are bound by rigorous state regulations for hygiene and sanitation. We have armed our franchise owners with additional resources to help them operate under the safest measures possible for our guests and staff alike."

Still, safety measures are being enforced on a case-by-case basis. Georgia-based Van Michael Salons announced their decision to pause all blow-dry services in a recent Facebook post, writing: "Temporarily, we will not be doing any blow-drying in the salon in order to prevent forceful airflow of any germs. Please know how important the best possible luxury service for you is to us. Any adjustments in your service regarding shampoos and blow-drys will be temporary."

Even though they aren't required to ban blow-dry services, some major salons, like Sally Hershberger in New York City, plan to limit them when they reopen.

Though blow-drying has become an almost essential service in a salon, it has potential to spread virus throughout the space. If a client or staffer were to sneeze or cough, the blow dryer could quickly propel droplets," Sally Hershberger said.

For the time being, the salon has decided to limit the use of blow-dryers to private "blow-dry rooms" where only one stylist and one client will be allowed at any time. The salon's protocols also include temperature checks for all staff and clients upon arrival, weekly staff testing for coronavirus, cashless payments and PPE (face masks, gloves, gowns, visors) for staff and clients.
Hope Amid Suffering for Assyrians in Iraq

A statue of the Virgin Mary decapitated by ISIS. At a live-streamed Mass for Aid to the Church in Need, the charity's UK chaplain invited ACN's friends and supporters to draw strength from the Virgin Mary during this time of pandemic and to reach out in acts of compassion -- especially for persecuted Christians.

At today's Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima -- to whom the Catholic charity is dedicated -- Father Dominic Robinson recalled a recent visit to Batnaya, a Christian village in northern Iraq overrun by Daesh (ISIS) and how he saw a decapitated statue of the Virgin Mary.

Describing how the families he met there highlighted their struggle to rebuild their lives and forgive their persecutors, he said the desecrated statue he saw offered fresh hope.

Speaking during the Mass at Farm Street Church, in London, where he is parish priest, Father Robinson said: "[The statue of] Our Lady may have lost her head but her heart was reaching out to the Christians, calling them to constant conversion, to reconciliation, to work for a better world, to bring the kingdom of her son back to this sorry place when the evil one had to flee."

The Jesuit priest said just as the villagers he met in Iraq had offered to pray for him so persecuted and other suffering Christians today have pledged to pray for us in the West during the COVID-19 crisis.

Father Robinson said: "So many of our brothers and sisters have said they pray for us now as we take the brunt of this pandemic."

He added: "Our communion with our brothers and sisters in Iraq teaches me about what it is to be a Christian and how much we, as Christians, need to shed rays of light in a world often darkened by the evil inflicted on fellow human beings, the freedom stolen from whole generations, yes, in the false name of religion."

And, in a message especially relevant during the COVID-19 lockdown, Father Robinson said Our Lady offers great hope.

He said: "She protects each one of us as does a mother because she loves us as only a mother could.

"And she teaches us to become authentic disciples, responding to [God's] call as she did."

Stating that Christianity is the world's most persecuted religion, he called on people to support ACN whose work he described as "important" and "prophetic".

The charity has announced a a5m (A4.38m) COVID-19 aid programme.
DALLAS

May 13, 2020

Dallas

USA

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Shaji Ravi

India

India

the Philippines

India

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David Tassoni

India

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India

the Philippines

India

the Philippines

Anurag Jain

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ ---based Access Healthcare ServicesLLC, specialists in healthcare revenue cycle management and IT services, with more than 12,000 employees worldwide, achieved the seemingly impossible task of mobilizing their employees inandto both home and remote work environments in less than 48-hours at the onset of nation-wide mandated office shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Company executives credit the swift execution of their 4-stage emergency action plan to the company's culture of strong leadership, client service conviction, employee dedication, and proprietary technology solutions.As early as February,, Access Healthcare's President and Managing Director based inwas convinced that work from home orders were imminent in bothand. This requirement would have a significant negative impact on the economies ofand, as these countries are home to a large number of offshore delivery centers for many global companies. In mid-March,, President of U.S. Operations for Access Healthcare, initiated discussions with senior management about the company's emergency action plan that would mitigate the looming client service delivery and continuity of business challenges due to the expanding COVID-19 pandemic. Management concern was two-fold: the continuing delivery of high-quality services to their healthcare clients; and, to support and maintain the company's 12,000 person workforce (in 13 delivery centers inand 4 centers in), both while being productive and compliant under COVID-19 restrictions.The Access Covid-19 Action Plan prioritized frequent communication and engagement with all clients worldwide, mobilizing the workforce to new locations in less than 48 hours and deploying a virtual-office hierarchical management strategy. The work-from-home blueprint is atypical in these countries, especially in the revenue cycle management industry, due to asset security, legal concerns, HIPPA constraints, mobility of computer hardware, and availability of internet service in rural areas. Access Healthcare's legal teams worked closely with clients to communicate steps being taken under the company's COVID-19 action plan, the impact on existing terms and conditions, if any, and related mitigation plans.Heartwarming stories of perseverance and innovation emerged amidst the new remote working mandate. The populations ofandoften live in multi-generational homes consisting of 800 to 1000 square feet of living space. Some of the remote workers in rural locations would strategically locate their home workspace where they could attain best internet service, which could often times disrupt the typical household routine. Family members graciously adjusted their own schedules to accommodate the Access Healthcare security requirements. The company compensated remote employees for power and internet services at home, as well as providing data cards to those areas with limited broadband connectivity.andwere impacted enormously," said Ravi, "A new way of conducting business was conceived and executed within 48 hours. Contrary to what many businesses fear when considering offshoring their revenue cycle management, we experienced order, concern, dedication, and employees rising above and beyond our expectations. We want our clients and prospects to know this is a reliable, safe and effective business model."Currently 99% of the production staff is remote access capable and are operating at over 90% of normal production capacity. The next and final step to operation mobilization will be the gradual and phased return to the delivery centers in the large cities once the lockdown mandate expires.Access Healthcare's senior management sees their proprietary technology, systems and loyal workforce as their strength. Interestingly, the firm has experienced growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and has even continued their recruitment process, conducting new-hire interviews and testing via Zoom. The newest class of recruits is currently onboarding and training virtually.Chairmananticipates increased capital investment in technology and automation for many companies on the near horizon. Following this crisis, he believes the nimble companies will consider their core capabilities, and outsource many secondary functions."There will be other crises, no doubt," says Jain. "Pandemics, severe weather events, unstable governments  I'm very pleased with our company's response to COVID-19, and believe we are well positioned for the future." http://www.accesshealthcare.com # # #SOURCE Access Healthcare
Australian universities will negotiate campus by campus with their staff over wage cuts of up to 15 per cent after agreeing on a national framework with the higher education union to help save jobs in the sector.

The sector estimates it will lose up to $4.6 billion this year because of the coronavirus, which has caused lucrative international student enrolments to plummet, but no university is eligible for JobKeeper as a result of changes made by the Morrison government.

Australia's universities have agreed on a framework for cutting staff pay and hours in exchange for saving jobs. Credit:Monash University

In a deal struck on Wednesday between the National Tertiary Education Union and the universities' industrial association, the union agreed to exchange temporary wage cuts for rules forbidding universities standing down staff without pay and other protections.

Each university will decide whether to implement the deal on its campus, with some including the University of NSW already considering it.
[May 13, 2020] Pivot Technology Solutions, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2020 Results

AND DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND TORONTO, May 13, 2020 /CNW/ - Pivot Technology Solutions, Inc. (TSX: PTG), ("Pivot", "Company"), a full-service information technology provider, today announced financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020. All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. Prior to January 1, 2020, the Company reported its results in U.S. dollars. Effective January 1, 2020, Pivot's Board of Directors elected to change the Company's presentation currency from U.S. dollars to Canadian dollars. The change in presentation currency is to improve investors' ability to compare the Company's financial results with other Canadian publicly traded businesses. FIRST QUARTER OVERVIEW Adjusted EBITDA (1) increased 21.4% to $5.4 million , compared to $4.4 million in Q1 2019.

increased 21.4% to , compared to in Q1 2019. Revenue was $376.8 million , compared to $389.9 million in Q1 2019.

, compared to in Q1 2019. Pivot-provided services revenue grew 19.9%.

Gross profit increased 7.0% to $52.1 million , compared to $48.7 million in Q1 2019.

, compared to in Q1 2019. Gross profit margin was 13.8%, compared to 12.5% in Q1 2019.

Net income attributable to shareholders was $0.8 million , compared to a net loss of $4.8 million in Q1 2019.

, compared to a net loss of in Q1 2019. Diluted earnings per share ("EPS") was $0.02 in Q1 2020, compared to a loss of $0.12 in Q1 2019.

in Q1 2020, compared to a loss of in Q1 2019. The company paid dividends of $1.6 million during Q1.







1 Non-GAAP Measure. See Non-GAAP Measures section of this news release

"We are pleased with our performance in Q1, which is the strongest Adjusted EBITDA(1) the Company has ever reported in a first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA(1) grew 21.4% when compared to Q1 of 2019. Gross profit dollars and gross profit margin percent both grew in the period as well. In addition, we are encouraged to see Pivot-provided services deliver solid growth in the quarter. The 19.9% increase in Pivot-provided services was driven by a number of wins with a major U.S. customer," said Kevin Shank, CEO. "We continue to focus on building our core products and services portfolio, while enhancing our services and solutions capabilities from the Edge to the Cloud. By executing our strategy, we have improved the efficiency of the business, lowered our Adjusted Debt(1) levels, and the trending results are a testament to the hard work of our team." "Although it's difficult to predict long-term implications, Pivot has managed well through the impacts of COVID-19 thus far, with 93% of our employees working remotely and 7% being identified as essential workers. Our highly remote workforce, diverse customer base, and variable cost structure are helping us navigate effectively through this unprecedented environment," added Mr. Shank. Q1 2020 BUSINESS AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS Commencing January 1, 2020 , the U.S. wholly-owned subsidiaries merged and began operating as a combined entity.

, the U.S. wholly-owned subsidiaries merged and began operating as a combined entity. The Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB") was utilized to repurchase 824,115 shares during the first quarter at a cost of $1.4 million .

. The Company paid dividends of $1.6 million during Q1 2020. DIVIDEND

On May 12, 2020, the Board declared a dividend of C$0.04 per share payable on June 15, 2020 to common shareholders of record on May 29, 2020. This dividend has been designated as an "eligible dividend" for Canadian tax purposes. FIRST QUARTER RESULTS SUMMARY First quarter 2020 revenue was $376.8 million, a 3.3% decrease from the comparative period. This decrease was primarily attributable to lower product sales to major customers, partially offset by a favourable foreign exchange effect, increases in Pivot-provided and third-party services, and increased sales to non-major customers during the quarter. Sales to non-major customers increased by 9.7% in the period. Product sales of $327.5 million for Q1 2020 decreased 5.7% as compared to Q1 2019. The decline in product sales is primarily due to decreased sales to major customers. Pivot-provided services of $28.7 million for Q1 2020 increased by $4.8 million or 19.9% as compared to Q1 2019. The improvement in Pivot-provided services is primarily due to additional contract wins with a major U.S. customer. Third-party services of $20.5 million for Q1 2020 increased by $2.1 million or 13.7% as compared to Q1 2019. The increase in third-party services is primarily driven by the timing of certain contracts and renewals. Gross profit of $52.1 million for Q1 2020 increased by $3.4 million or 7.0% as compared to the same period in the prior year. Gross profit margin was 13.8% in Q1 2020 as compared to 12.5% in Q1 2019. The improvement in gross profit for Q1 2020 is mainly driven by the change in the customer mix and services making up a larger portion of the Company's revenue. During Q1 2020, the continued favourable shift in the customer mix resulted in less revenue being generated from major customers, partially offset by increased revenue from non-major customers. Since the gross profit margin from non-major customers is generally more favourable, Q1 2020 gross profit margins continued to benefit from this shift. The growth in services revenue also helped improve gross profit margins, as services generally have higher margins than product sales. Selling, general and administrative expenses ("SG&A") of $46.7 million for Q1 2020 increased $2.4 million or 5.5% as compared to the same period in the prior year. There were a number of factors that impacted SG&A including: higher commissions and variable compensation associated with higher gross profit and Adjusted EBITDA(1), increase due to the foreign exchange effect, costs associated with integrating the business, including training, travel and marketing costs as well as increased spend in growth areas of the business, partially offset by cost reductions due to the sale of the Smart Edge business in Q4 of 2019. Adjusted EBITDA(1) was $5.4 million in the first quarter, an increase of 21.4% over the prior period. IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON OUTLOOK COVID-19 has affected industries in different ways. While some customers have been negatively impacted, others have seen an increase in demand. Independent of how a company is performing, governments around the world have required that non-essential offices be closed. As Pivot moves further into 2020, management has been able to delineate which operations and resources will remain in demand and which areas will be idle or less utilized. As a result, Pivot has taken specific actions associated with resources that have become idle and has furloughed a small percentage of employees through June 30, with the intention of bringing them back when the business returns to a more normal pace. Outside of the COVID-19 situation, management's outlook is that some customers remain cautious in their approach to IT investments. This outlook is consistent with the Company's outlook for the past several quarters. In the future, if the pandemic were to cause prolonged disruption to the Company's supply chain or its services capabilities, it would have a negative impact on revenue, which could be material. In addition, any significant negative impact on revenue would impact profitability, as well as liquidity and capital resources. Management is closely monitoring how COVID-19 is affecting Pivot's operations and is taking measures and precautions to help protect and inform its employees. In addition, the Company is monitoring trade discussions between the U.S. and China and the potential impact of tariffs; however, the long-term impact of these discussions has not yet been determined. To date, the current conditions related to COVID-19 have not had a material impact on the Company's overall business, although as noted above, certain services that require direct access to customer locations will be impacted. The situation is dynamic and the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's future results of operation cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. Management continues to monitor and evaluate the situation and its impact on the Company's business. The Company's outlook is contained in its Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") for the three months ended March 31, 2020, which is available at www.pivotts.com and at www.sedar.com. SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND OPERATING RESULTS (unaudited) Three months ended March 31, (in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) 2020 2019



(re-presented in

Canadian dollars) Revenue 376,807 389,861 Cost of sales 324,717 341,170 Gross profit 52,090 48,691 Selling, general and administrative expenses 46,699 44,251 Income before depreciation and amortization, finance expense, change

in fair value of liabilities and other expenses 5,391 4,440 Depreciation and amortization 4,691 4,995 Finance expense 1,744 2,216 Change in fair value of liabilities 9 308 Other expenses 447 4,145 Loss before income taxes (1,500) (7,224) Income tax recovery (2,484) (1,907) Net income (loss) for the period 984 (5,317) Other comprehensive income (loss)



Items that may be reclassified subsequently to income (loss):



Exchange gain (loss) on translation of foreign operations 1,167 (313) Total comprehensive income (loss) 2,151 (5,630) Attributable to:



Shareholders 1,964 (5,076) Non-controlling interest 187 (554) Total comprehensive income (loss) 2,151 (5,630) Attributable to shareholders:



Earnings (loss) attributable to shareholders 797 (4,763) Earnings (loss) per common share



Basic ($) $0.02 ($0.12) Diluted ($) $0.02 ($0.12) Certain comparative information has been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. The following is a summary of selected consolidated financial information for the past eight quarters. (in thousands of Canadian dollars 2020

2019

2018 except otherwise noted) Q1

Q4 Q3 Q2 Q1

Q4 Q3 Q2





(re-presented in Canadian dollars) Revenue 376,807

402,477 352,404 459,902 389,861

395,872 417,094 489,589 Gross profit 52,090

56,646 52,209 60,105 48,691

56,063 53,208 52,425 Gross profit margin 13.8%

14.1% 14.8% 13.1% 12.5%

14.2% 12.8% 10.7% Adjusted EBITDA(1) 5,391

9,868 8,319 12,939 4,440

6,271 5,424 6,545 Adjusted EBITDA(1)margin 1.4%

2.5% 2.4% 2.8% 1.1%

1.6% 1.3% 1.3% Net income (loss) 984

21,676 502 1,341 (5,317)

(33) (3,205) 311 Net income (loss) attributable

to shareholders 797

21,574 (412) 2,133 (4,763)

571 (3,639) 243 Earnings (loss) per share

attributable to shareholders:



















Basic ($) $0.02

$0.55 ($0.01) $0.05 ($0.12)

$0.01 ($0.09) $0.01 Diluted ($) $0.02

$0.54 ($0.01) $0.05 ($0.12)

$0.01 ($0.09) $0.01 Cash dividends declared on

common shares 1,556

1,585 1,586 1,579 1,579

1,579 1,579 1,596 Certain comparative information has been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. The following is a reconciliation of "income (loss) before income taxes" to "Adjusted EBITDA(1)".

2020

2019

2018 (in thousands of Canadian dollars) Q1

Q4 Q3 Q2 Q1

Q4 Q3 Q2





(re-presented in Canadian dollars) Income (loss) before income taxes (1,500)

29,622 507 4,540 (7,224)

841 (2,921) 889 Depreciation and amortization 4,691

4,576 4,862 4,978 4,995

3,670 3,741 3,695 Finance expense 1,744

1,841 1,922 2,018 2,216

1,989 1,997 2,283 Change in fair value of liabilities 9

725 294 279 308

301 293 201 Other expenses (income) 447

(26,896) 734 1,124 4,145

(530) 2,314 (523) Adjusted EBITDA(1) 5,391

9,868 8,319 12,939 4,440

6,271 5,424 6,545 Certain comparative information has been reclassified to conform to current year presentation. Key metrics on consolidated debt Adjusted Debt(1)







March 31, December 31, (in thousands of Canadian dollars) 2020 2019 Current liabilities 599,049 492,330 Other financial liabilities  long-term 15,553 14,999 Less: Lease obligations  total (19,667) (18,769) Less: Current assets (516,997) (415,626) Adjusted debt 77,938 72,934 Adjusted Debt(1) is a non-GAAP measure. This measure normalizes the impact of the changes in working capital. Management believes it is a more relevant indicator of the Company's debt position and is a more comparable metric with industry peers. The increase of Adjusted Debt(1) in 2020 was mainly due to foreign exchange; excluding the foreign exchange effect, Adjusted Debt(1) was $72.0 million as at March 31, 2020. Below are the key metrics of our consolidated debt as at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.







March 31, December 31,

2020 2019 Adjusted Debt(1) to Adjusted EBITDA(1) 2.13 2.05 Net interest coverage(1) 4.85 4.45 "Net Interest Coverage" is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by finance expense on a trailing twelve-month basis. The change in Adjusted Debt(1) to Adjusted EBITDA(1) at March 31, 2020 was due to foreign exchange; excluding the foreign exchange effect, Adjusted Debt(1) to Adjusted EBITDA(1) was 1.98 as at March 31, 2020, reflecting an improvement in this metric. The improvement in net interest coverage reflects the higher Adjusted EBITDA(1) and lower net finance expense as at March 31, 2020 on a trailing 12-month basis as compared to the same trailing 12-month period in the prior year. NON-GAAP MEASURES The Company evaluates and measures its performance based on measures referred to as "Adjusted EBITDA", "Adjusted Debt", "Adjusted Debt to Adjusted EBITDA", and "Net Interest Coverage". These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and; therefore, may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Such non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP such as net income (loss), cash flow, or other measures of financial performance and liquidity reported in accordance with GAAP. Detailed descriptions of these terms can be found in Pivot's disclosure documents, including its Management's Discussion and Analysis, filed with the securities regulatory authorities; these documents are available at www.sedar.com or on Pivot's website www.pivotts.com. FIRST QUARTER CONFERENCE CALL At 8:30 a.m. Eastern Thursday, May 14, 2020, the Company will host a conference call featuring management's quarterly remarks and a follow-up question and answer period with analysts. The conference call can be accessed live by dialing (416) 764-8659 five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. A telephone recording of the call will be available for one week (until midnight May 21, 2020) by dialing (416) 764-8677 and entering passcode 846207 followed by the number sign. ABOUT PIVOT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Pivot is an industry-leading information technology services and solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies, including members of the Fortune 1000, as well as governments and educational institutions. By leveraging its extensive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partnerships and its own fulfillment, professional, deployment, workforce and managed services, Pivot supports the IT infrastructure needs of its clients. For more information, visit www.pivotts.com. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Information in this release contain forward-looking statements, including statements concerning anticipated financial events, results, performance or expectations relating to the Company operations, financial condition, business strategy and the IT market in 2020 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's results of operations. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions of future events that the Company believes are reasonable based upon information currently available, and Pivot assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable securities law. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and actual results could vary significantly from those expressed or implied in these statements. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information may prove to be incorrect. Further information with respects to the risks and uncertainties can be found in the MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2019, available at www.sedar.com and on Pivot's website at www.pivotts.com. SOURCE Pivot Technology Solutions, Inc

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New Delhi: A 94-year-old woman from Sangli district of Maharashtra has won battle against coronavirus COVID-19. The oldest coronavirus patient in the state was accorded a warm send-off by doctors and nurses of Miraj Hospital, Sangli where she was admitted after coming in contact with a COVID-19 positive patient.

The elderly woman was admitted to the government hospital in Miraj and was treated in an isolation ward for about two weeks.

Despite her old age, she showed her undaunted spirit woman and valiantly fought against the deadly disease, following all the medical instructions, and came through with flying colours.

As the last two reports of the 94-year-old woman came out to be negative, the doctors decided to discharge her.

The doctors and nurses at Miraj Hospital were so impressed by the elderly woman's undaunted spirit that the entire hospital staff decided to give her a warm send-off amid cheers.
Although the maximum sentence for the crime she is charged with is 14 years, it is seldom imposed, and then only in cases of serious negligence resulting in death, such as speeding or texting while driving. If the court found that Harrys death was an accident (which it surely was), and given that Anne has three children to look after, it would be possible for her to receive a noncustodial sentence if Harrys father and I were prepared to forgive her and ask for mercy. Months ago, our lawyer told hers that we were prepared to do just that. So why didnt Anne come back to Britain?
Some five Burkinabes who were apprehended by Immigration personnel for attempting to enter Ghana illegally have been repatriated.

The five were apprehended at an unapproved route in the Upper West Region.

This brings to 204 the number of foreign nationals arrested on the Ghana-Burkina Faso border in the Upper West Region.

Speaking to Citi News, the Upper West Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Immigration Service, Ibn Yussif Duranah indicated the arrests include foreign nationals who also attempted to cross unapproved routes to their home country.

They were arrested immediately at the point of entry. What we did was that we took them to the Hamile border post where they were screened by the port health personnel and they were handed back over to their country's authorities, that is the Burkina Faso authorities. So, they have been repatriated. Most of these arrests have been done in the Upper West Region. We don't only arrest those who are coming in but also those who are going out.

There was an incident where we arrested some 39 Burkinabes who were resident in Sampa before the border closure and in the course of it they, knowingly or unknowingly, were trying to travel back to Burkina Faso. So when they got to one of our in-land check posts we detected that they were Burkinabe's and their final destination was into Burkina Faso. Knowing that the border had been closed, we quickly had to send them back to Sampa until the border is opened then they can be allowed to go home, he added.

The all-male ECOWAS nationals whose ages ranged between 15 and 34 were ceased on two motorbikes with Burkina Faso registration numbers.

Investigations revealed that they were destined for Kumasi and Techiman for farming and trading activities.

There have been several attempts by Burkina Faso nationals to cross into Ghana for greener pastures through unapproved routes in the Upper West Region after the closure of the countrys borders to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

President Akufo-Addo following the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ghana announced the closure of Ghana's borders-Land, Sea and Air.

Following the extension of the closure of the borders, it will expire on May 31, 2020.

citinewsroom
The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Tuesday regarding whether congress can subpoena eight years of President Donald Trump's personal financial records, including tax returns.The New York Post reported that the courtTrump requested the Supreme Court take the case after the Second Circuit Court of Appeals - which covers six districts in liberal New York, Connecticut, and Vermont - declared congress does have a right to subpoena the president's personal financial records.Trump obviously wants to keep these records away from House Democrats, who want to use them to find dirt on the president. Democrats used a claim from proven liar Michael Cohen - Trump's former "fixer" - that the president lied on his tax returns as the basis for one subpoena.the Post reported.The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments via conference call due to the coronavirus shutdown, The Washington Post reported. The Post reported that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alitoduring oral arguments, saying that if the House can subpoena anything related to any legislation, there isn'tHouse General Counsel Douglas N. Letter argued that there was "ample protection" and that House Democrats weren't simply trying to harass the president, adding that four lower courts - in liberal New York - all agreed with Democrats.Letter said,Chief Justice John Roberts also disagreed with Letter's attempts to say congress can subpoena records for anything relating to legislation that might be written.Roberts said.Letter suggested the subpoena power could be limited if it interfered with the president's ability to do his job, but insisted this was not the case, as the subpoenas were to third parties and not to Trump himself, even though the documents pertained to Trump.The Justice Department argued House Democrats simply wanted to find something to attack Trump, not to create legislation.Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey B. Wall said, according to the Post.
Oprah Winfrey has revealed that one of her dogs is currently being quarantined.

During an Instagram live edition of The OG Chronicles, a video series in which Winfrey and her friend Gayle King give advice to fans, the media mogul said that her cocker spaniel, named Sadie, is self-isolating in her guesthouse as she is concerned the dog might have coronavirus.

Winfrey said that Sadie had recently visited the vet because of an eye infection and that she became concerned while watching the examination through a video call.

The vet started out with her mask on, but then took the mask off while she was doing Sadies eye...literally talking directly into her eye, Winfrey explained. I may be going too far, but Im just being extra, extra, extra careful.

The 66-year-old added that she is taking extra precautions because she suffered from pneumonia last year and is still recovering from all the bronchial stuff.

While King explained that she did not think pets can infect their owners, Winfrey interrupted and said: I heard about a pug in New York! We dont know that! And I heard about two cats!

Winfrey also revealed that she has cancelled all of her plans through the remainder of 2020 in a bid to protect herself from the virus.

I have cancelled everything on my calendar outside my gates through the rest of the year, including O Magazines 20th-anniversary party, she said. I just dont think its going to be safe to be in large group settings until this virus is over, in every form.

I will not be leaving these gates this summer. I might poke my nose out in the fall...but Im going to wait and see.

Winfreys concerns follow the news that in February a pet dog in Hong Kong tested weak positive for coronavirus and was placed into quarantine.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) in Hong Kong confirmed that repeated tests suggested the dog had a low-level of the virus and that it was likely to be the case of human-to-animal transmission.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is currently no evidence to think that any animals, including pets, might be a source of infection with this new coronavirus.

On 13 March the World Health Organisation (WHO) agreed, adding that at present there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus.

However, WHO later advised people to wash their hands with soap and water after contact with pets.

This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans, it stated.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced Monday that the Palo Alto, California-based automaker would restart production at its Fremont, California assembly facility in defiance of orders from local health authorities for the plant to remain closed to protect workers from COVID-19.

Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules, Musk said on Twitter. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Tesla production lines had been operating over the weekend. At full capacity, the plant employs 10,000 workers.

Musk is well aware that he will face no serious consequences for endangering the lives of thousands of people. On Tuesday, local officials merely sent a letter to Tesla telling the company to cease production until they come to terms on a plan to reopen. The greatest penalty Musk potentially faces is a fine of up to $1,000 a day or up to 90 days in jail, the latter being highly unlikely.

The global auto industry is restarting production across North America and Europe, sanctioned by state governments and the Trump administration. Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has allowed automakers in Michigan to restart production this week.

The bipartisan campaign to force workers back on the job risks a major upsurge of the pandemic. Testifying before the US Senates health committee yesterday, Dr. Anthony Fauci cautioned against a premature reopening of the economy, saying that without adequate preparations we run the risk of having a resurgence.

California, as across the US, is nowhere near prepared to conduct mass testing or implement the contact tracing and quarantining necessary to contain any outbreaks of the virus. The state has conducted roughly 992,000 tests out of a total population of 40 million.

The dire situation facing meatpacking workers underscores the inherent dangers of spreading the virus in workplaces such as Tesla that involve assembly lines, which move products through the hands of dozens of workers before reaching their final state. At the Tyson meat plant in Logansport, Indiana, nearly 900 employees tested positive last month, of whom three have died.

With his decree reopening Tesla, Musk is compelling workers to return to work or face economic destitution. In an email, the company threatened workers: Choosing not to report to work may eliminate or reduce your eligibility for unemployment.

Over 4.5 million Californians, or 23.5 percent of the states workforce, have officially filed for unemployment. Only one in eight of those who filed in March has had his or her claim processed, placing immense pressure on workers to return to work.

Musks hypocritical claims to speak for the economic interests of Tesla employees are belied not only by his endangering of their lives. He has threatened to permanently shut down the Fremont facility, destroying the livelihoods of its 10,000 employees, unless his demands are met.

Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately, Musk warned last week. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen [sic] on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.

Throughout his career, Musk has built up a personality cult around himself as a brilliant engineer and self-made billionaire. In reality, his father owned an emerald mine in Zambia.

His ascent to stratospheric levels of wealth, rapidly becoming one of the richest people in the world, is inseparable from the massive run-up in asset values after the 2008 financial crisis.

Musk is the very personification of the type of venture capitalist spawned by a capitalist economy ever more dependent on increasing levels of debt.

Tesla has lost money nine of the past 10 years, during which it has maintained a negative price-to-earnings ratio. Yet its share value has soared. Just one year ago, Teslas share price was under $200, but its valuation has since then increased five-fold, hitting $917 earlier this year. It is currently priced at $809, with a market capitalization of $150 billion.

This has made Musk unfathomably rich. Since the start of this year, he has amassed an additional $12.6 billion, making him the worlds 22nd richest person, with a total of $40.1 billion. His executive pay package, the largest in history, is entirely contingent on the rise of Teslas stock value.

This fortune rests upon a mountain of debt, which can be serviced only through the extraction of surplus value from the working class.

It is entirely fitting that Musks demand for workers to get back to work has been hailed by US President Trump, who embodies the predatory interests of the American financial oligarchy. California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW, Trump tweeted on Tuesday. Musks actions have underscored that Trump is not an aberration, but rather personifies a ruling class whose wealth is based on the vast expansion of fictitious capital, debt and social plunder.

Musk, and executives like him, are continuously compelled to demonstrate their utter ruthlessness to the investors who have bought into the massive Ponzi scheme of the American stock market. The only thing real about any of it is the labor of workers, whose ever greater exploitation forms the basis of the fantastic enrichment of Musk and his fellow oligarchs. It is this social dynamic that leads Musk to demand that his workers lives be sacrificed for profit.

An appropriate response to Musks actions would be to indict him for criminal endangerment of his workers and the regional population, impound Tesla facilities worldwide, and expropriate the vast bulk of his wealth to pay for the inevitable health and social consequences caused by his negligence and willful indifference. His individual actions affirm the need for the broader demand of the Socialist Equality Party, which calls for the expropriation of all large financial and corporate institutions and their conversion into democratically controlled public utilities.
ALBANY  A state Supreme Court justice ruled this week that New York's Child Victims Act, which has given survivors of sexual abuse the ability to file decades-old complaints against their alleged offenders, is constitutional.

The decision was a loss for the Rockville Centre Catholic Diocese on Long Island, which had filed a motion to dismiss Child Victims Act cases lodged against the institution in November. The diocese, facing more than 40 claims under the law, argued that the act violated due process rights afforded in the state Constitution  but Justice Steven M. Jaeger of Nassau County disagreed.

"The court finds the Child Victims Act is a reasonable response to remedy the injustice of past child sexual abuse," Jaeger wrote.

In August, the act opened a one-year "look-back" period temporarily eliminating the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recently extended the window to January as civil courts have come to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic, though more than 1,700 lawsuits were filed under the act before New York courts stopped accepting non-essential filings.

"We disagree with the courts ruling on the due process challenge to the Child Victims Act, and we are analyzing our options with respect to appeal of this and other issues," Rockville Diocese spokesman Sean P. Dolan said in a statement.

Though the legal challenge was filed in Nassau County, the decision  applauded by advocates on Wednesday  has statewide implications.

Todays ruling is further proof that the Catholic Churchs efforts to subvert justice and escape accountability simply wont work," said attorney Jennifer Freeman of Marsh Law Firm, which has represented dozens of sexual abuse survivors. "This is a victory for the survivors, their families, and all of those fighting back against decades of abuse."

State Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, who sponsored the legislation, said the decision is "a reminder of the many factors that prevent survivors from coming forward."

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

"Legal challenges and constitutional debates continue to prevent some survivors from being heard," he said in a statement. "That's why it's more important than ever to extend the Child Victims Act's look-back window for a full year, allowing as many survivors as possible to seek justice."

Longtime child victims advocate Gary Greenberg called again on all bishops across the state to release long-secret records of priests who have been accused of sexually abusing children. When the motion to dismiss was filed in November, Greenberg resigned in protest from a local task force on sex abuse established by Albany Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger.

The church is harming itself and bringing new pain to victims with these lawsuits," he said.
[May 13, 2020] Lieff Cabraser and Longtime Restaurant Business Attorney Alexandra L. Foote File Lawsuit Against Berkley North Pacific Group and Related Insurers on Behalf of Beast for Denial of Its Business Insurance Claims

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP and the Law Office of Alexandra Foote, and the Portland, Oregon firm Stoll Berne announce the filing of a nationwide federal class action breach of contract lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon against Berkley North Pacific Group, Berkley Insurance Company, W.R. Berkley Corporation, and Continental Western Insurance Company. The action is filed on behalf of James Beard award-winning chef Naomi Pomeroy's celebrated restaurant Beast and all similarly-situated restaurants with business interruption insurance from the defendant insurers. The complaint alleges that after Pomeroy's Beast restaurant suffered catastrophic financial losses in the wake of government-ordered shutdowns, the restaurant's business interruption policy claims were wrongly denied coverage by Berkley North Pacific Group and the related insurers. "We are honored to have the opportunity to represent Naomi Pomeroy as she courageously takes action as a class representative on behalf of all other restaurants that were also wrongly denied insurance coverage despite having faithfully paid their premiums for years," said Lieff Cabraser partner Robert Nelson, who represents the plaintiffs in the case. "This is the third lawsuit we have filed in the last two weks on behalf of some of the country's finest chefs, including Pim Techamuanvivit and Daniel Patterson, and we anticipate filing additional actions against other insurance companies in the very near future on behalf of chefs, independent restaurant groups, and others."



An Oregon native, Pomeroy is celebrated in Portland for her contributions to the city's renowned culinary culture, receiving the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northwest in 2014. She is also a Food & Wine "Top 10 Best New Chef in America" alum and a "Star Chefs" Rising Star, and on the leadership team of the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), a grassroots movement to secure vital protections for the nation's independent restaurants and the millions of restaurant workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In mid-March 2020, Beast was forced to shut down in anticipation of the order of the state of Oregon. The closure and the accompanying loss of income forced Pomeroy to lay off her employees. Beast was covered as a policyholder under insurance from Berkley North Pacific Group and the other defendants which provided coverage for business interruption. Pomeroy anticipated re-hiring her staff once defendants began providing the contracted insurance coverage for Beast's business shutdown, particularly as the restaurant's insurance policy expressly provides coverage for "Lost Business Income" and the consequences of actions by "Civil Authority."

Contrary to the coverage provisions in its policy with Beast, and the obligations defendants undertook in exchange for receiving years of insurance premium payments, defendants summarily denied Beast's business interruption coverage claim. The complaint alleges that this denial was part of a premeditated strategy by defendants to deny all claims related to the "shelter in place" orders associated with COVID-19. The complaint further alleges that defendants' decision to deny coverage was untethered to the facts of Beast's claim, which defendants did not adequately investigate, or the specific coverage provided by Beast's policy, and was therefore illegal. "Pomeroy's claim is not unique, but her restaurant certainly is, and her leadership here is a clarion call to action. Her voice is one of the strongest in the independent restaurant and sustainable food movement nationwide, and she is standing up for all chefs, asking for their courage to join her," notes Alexandra Foote, who also represents the plaintiffs. "The loss of Beast would be tragic forever, and wholly avoidable, if only the insurance industry would simply honor the basics of its policies." Plaintiffs' complaint alleges that this total denial of valid and justified business interruption claims constitutes a breach of contract, a breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and unlawful trade practices, and seeks declaratory relief including specific performance of the insurance policies as well as general, compensatory, and treble damages. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005537/en/

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Women's AFL star Moana Hope and her model wife Isabella Carlstrom are expecting their first baby.

The former Collingwood and North Melbourne AFLW player announced Carlstrom is 13 weeks pregnant, after three unsuccessful rounds of IVF.

'I dont yet have the words to fully explain how happy we are. Its a dream come true for us and in November we get to meet our little person,' Hope wrote to her 92,000 Instagram followers.

The 32-year-old went on to thank the team at Monash IVF clinic.

'We're staying positive': AFLW star Moana Hope won't let coronavirus ruin her plan to have a baby with model wife Isabella Carlstrom after three unsuccessful IVF treatments

Carlstrom proposed to Hope at her father's graveside in October 2018

'You have helped make this dream a reality,' she said. 'Holding this in for 13 weeks has been so bloody hard. My heart is exploding.'

The newlyweds got married in a lavish Melbourne wedding last August - 10 months after Carlstrom popped the question.

But in March this year Hope announced Carlstrom hadn't been successful 'a couple of times' in falling pregnant.

'It is completely normal. We reset after every time we give it a go and then we try again,' Hope said at the time.

'I think what if you let what is going on [with COVID-19] get to you I think mentally you are already putting yourself in a bad, negative place. We are staying positive.'

Hope has previously revealed she hopes to have three or four children, with Carlstrom planning to carry at least the first two.

Carlstrom proposed to Hope at her father's graveside in October 2018.

Sharing the moment with her Instagram followers at the time, Moana explained: 'I told (Isabella) that if she ever wanted to marry me she had to ask my dad.

'So she asked me to marry her at my dad's tombstone, so he was there when she asked me. It could never, ever get anymore perfect than this... I said yes.'

The newlyweds got married in a lavish Melbourne wedding last August - 10 months after Carlstrom popped the question
Ontario residents need to guard against a wave of global health-care scams that are accompanying the COVID-19 crisis, police warn.

Of particular concern are sites mimicking legitimate Canadian health-care sites.

Its quite easy for them to mimic an Ontario website, Det. Sgt. Ted Schendera of the Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets Branch said in a telephone interview.

The OPP issued a public alert on Wednesday warning the public to be wary of giving out any personal information online to strangers.

The best defence is to question websites, emails or phone calls that appear to be legitimate, the OPP bulletin says.

Just say NO if anyone contacts you and asks for any information regarding your health card number and/or your health card version code, bank account number, credit card information, drivers license number or any other personally identifying information, the bulletin continues.

Simply end all contact with any companies or individuals who ask for this information.

Of particular concern are bogus health information harvest sites designed to trick people out of sensitive personal information. Such sites often mimic health care sites created by legitimate health services, the OPP warns.

Some of them are popping up online as GTA virtual care sites, Schendera said.

The OPP bulletin says that some websites use sophisticated malware to trick people to supply personal information.

This information can be used to fraudulently bill for healthcare services and commit identity theft, the OPP statement continues. Fraudsters are also attempting to extort money from victims, asking for upfront money before providing a service or for an administrative fee.

Members of the public should also never download unfamiliar attachments in emails or on websites and realize that even websites and emails from familiar organizations can be imitated by criminals, the OPP warns.

The OPP also warns members of the public to beware of any companies claiming to have a cure or prevention for COVID-19.

Schendera said that the sophisticated Ontario attacks are extremely tough to trace.

They could be generated from all around the world, including Canada, Schendera said.

His comments were similar to those in a new report by the international policing agency Europol.

Cybercriminals have been very quick in devising modi operandi and tools to exploit the current crisis, the report says.

Organized crime is highly adaptable and has demonstrated the ability to extract long-term gains from crises, such as the end of the cold war or the global economic crisis, it states.

While the OPP bulletin did not identify specific crime groups behind the scams, the Europol report said that many of the attacks are from well-established crime groups.

The scale of some of the criminal operations carried during the pandemic as well as intelligence from criminal investigations point to the involvement of organized crime structures in these activities, the Europol report states.

The report notes that cybercriminals are also hawking bogus health protection equipment, such as masks, sanitizers and vaccines.

Efforts to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 are ongoing around the world, the report continues. Scammers are already offering versions of such a vaccine online. However, once the development of a genuine vaccine has been announced, it is expected that counterfeiters and fraudsters will invest heavily in offering ineffective counterfeits of this vaccine especially online via different platforms and on social media.

The Europol report says that criminals are targeting businesses and institutions as well as individuals and offers a bleak prediction for the future.

Demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies will remain high, which means pharmacies, hospitals and suppliers of such goods will continue to be targeted, the report states. OCGs (organized crime groups) could increasingly try to target or infiltrate healthcare institutions to procure or divert medical supplies in high demand.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Northeast Ohio shoppers arrived at malls and other retail outlets on Tuesday, May 12, after being forced to stay away for nearly two months because of the states coronavirus shutdown orders.

As Ohios economy gradually reopens, retail outlets -- from big malls and shopping centers to independent boutiques and bookshops -- have been added to Gov. Mike DeWines Responsible Restart Ohio mix.

The big malls in Greater Cleveland, from outdoor lifestyle centers like Crocker Park, Legacy Village and Pinecrest, to indoor operations like SouthPark, Beachwood Place and Summit Mall, were all open for business yesterday. Crowds were small and many stores were still closed.

But it was a start, with retailers following the states guidelines for safely reopening. Employees were wearing face masks. Hand-sanitizer stations were plentiful. Stores followed social-distancing requirements, some going out of their way to try to make customers feel safe.

There were very few lines to be seen at the outlets. Shopping was affected in a few key ways -- most notably, with protective gear like masks and gloves. Most Northeast Ohio shopping centers have encouraged customers to wear face masks while shopping. At Beachwood Place, free face masks were even given out to many customers.

To help prevent the spread of coronavirus, social distancing is now in full effect at the malls. Floor markings and signage remind shoppers to maintain a six-foot spacing. Some malls even took it a step further. Westlakes Crocker Park, which normally allows shoppers to walk on the sidewalks on either side of the street, has now designated each sidewalk as one-way walking zones with directional stickers on the ground, to prevent congestion.

The nature of shopping itself has radically changed, moving away from slow, gradual browsing and deal-hunting, and toward quick, organized retrieval. For example, to reduce extensive browsing, some stores have reorganized all of their clothing racks by size so that customers dont have to search out items that fit.

Stores have also spread out racks, shelves and stands in their stores, enabling easy social distancing for multiple shoppers at a time. Some stores are enforcing their own occupancy limits, driving the number of shoppers down to about half of what they would normally welcome

For some boutiques and clothing shops, employees duties now include steam cleaning and removing clothing items from the sales floor after they had been tried on by a customer in a changing room. Some shops also require all customers to wear masks upon entrance.

Though many stores at shopping malls chose to reopen on Tuesday, some will continue to wait for the days and even weeks for a comeback. Pinecrest, a shopping district in Orange Village, opened just 11 retail shops. Other centers, like SouthPark Mall and Crocker Park, had opened about 50% of their businesses on Tuesday.

We visited a handful of Northeast Ohios biggest shopping centers and malls to see what retail looks like in the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more about our experiences at each shopping center in links below:

Crocker Park welcomes shoppers to retail stores today

Summit Mall reopens as retail wakes up in Ohio

Beachwood Place mall offers free masks for shoppers on first day of retail reopening during coronavirus pandemic

Small crowds at outdoor Pinecrest shopping center in Orange Village as retail re-opens

SouthPark Mall reopens for business with social distancing measures in place

Restoration Hardware requires masks, Dicks Sporting Goods draws most shoppers at quiet Legacy Village

Where you can buy masks online:
Chairman Randy Ramsey of the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors speaks during the Jan. 17, 2020, BOG meeting. | Photo: UNC-TV

Beaufort businessman Randy Ramsey has been elected permanent chairman of the University of North Carolina System's Board of Governors.It's a welcome development for a board that's weathered years of tumultuous relationships and high turnover in leadership, BOG member Marty Kotis told Carolina Journal.The 24-member body has been led by four people since 2015. The board's most recent chairman, Harry Smith, was a controversial "change agent," who often didn't seek board cooperation or approval when making decisions, Kotis said. Known by many of his associates as aSmith resigned as BOG chairman in October 2019. Weeks later, he left the board altogether, citing the demands of his growing business. Ramsey, then vice chairman of the body, stepped into Smith's shoes as a temporary replacement.On Monday, May 11, the board voted, 21-1, to keep Ramsey in the job until 2022. Wendy Murphy , who served as the board's vice chair since October, was also permanently installed. Board Secretary Pearl Burris-Floyd was re-elected for a second term.Ramsey told CJ in an emailed statement.BOG member Bob Rucho, a dentist and former state senator from Matthews, was the only member to vote against the placements. CJ phoned Rucho for comment, but didn't get an immediate response.Ramsey, Murphy, and Floyd are servant leaders, Kotis said, and bring a much-needed combination of passion and teamwork to the BOG.Kotis said. For too long, board leaders failed to strike that balance, he said, but Ramsey has been a stabilizing force.The UNC System, which is seeking a permanent president, in five years has cycled through leaders at nearly the same rate as the board. In 2015, former UNC President Tom Ross was fired, and Junius Gonzales, then UNC's chief academic officer, served as interim president for a few months. In 2016, former UNC President Margaret Spellings took office. Her administration had a strong alliance with BOG Chairman Lou Bissette. But when Smith took up board chairmanship in July 2018, conflict ensued . Spellings resigned a few months later. In January 2019, former UNC Health Care CEO Bill Roper became UNC's interim president. He planned to leave UNC by June 30, but recently signaled he may keep the job until the system hires a permanent leader.UNC's presidential search committee will meet Wednesday to consider candidates. The timeline for hiring may be delayed because of COVID-19.The board is scheduled to meet in regular session next week.
Pune district administration on



Wednesday sent 80 stranded persons from Jammu & Kashmir including 65 students back.

District Collector Naval Kishore Ram said three buses will take them to Nagpur, from where they will go to J&K by train.

"Before boarding, the passengers were given food packets and water bottles and all the social distancing norms were followed while sending them in the buses," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kath and Kim is an iconic Australian series that is still popular among fans, despite ending back in 2007.

And now actor Peter Rowsthorn - who played Kim's husband Brett Craig - has spilled a number of behind-the-scenes secrets from the hit show.

Speaking to News.com.au this week, the 57-year-old said that some guest stars were surprisingly 'insecure' on set, revealed that the cast had bodyguards for the shopping centre scenes and even recalled a nude scene that went hilariously wrong.

From guest stars being 'insecure' on set, to hiring bodyguards and even a nude scene that went wrong: Kath and Kim star Peter Rowsthorn (back right) spills the behind the scenes secrets of the hit show

Peter said that he was starstruck working with guest star Barry Humphries, 86, as he was his 'idol' growing up.

But Peter revealed that Barry - who is known for his alter ego Dame Edna Everage - was 'insecure' when shooting scenes.

'But I was surprised how insecure he was in terms of, "was that OK? Did I do that the right way? Was that funny?" He was really strange like that,' Peter said.

Who would have thought! Peter said that he was starstruck by guest star Barry Humphries, 86, (pictured) on set as he was his 'idol' growing up, but said he was 'insecure' while filming

Other guest stars on the show included the likes of Kylie Minogue and Shane Warne.

Pop sensation Kylie played Brett and Kim's daughter Epponnee-Rae on the show.

Peter's character Brett had a job at 'Computa City' in a mall, which was actually filmed on location at Harvey Norman at Westfield Southland in Melbourne.

He recalled that they would actually film in the store during opening hours and he'd often have customers going up to him, thinking that he was a store employee and not an actor.

Peter also revealed that for some of the show's shopping centre scenes, security guards had to be hired as the show's fan base grew.

But he said that in reality, 'no one cared' about the cast and no one came up to them.

Fancy that! Brett had a job at 'Computa City' in a mall, which was actually filmed on location at Harvey Norman at Westfield Southland in Melbourne. He recalled that they would actually film in the store during opening hours, and he'd often have customers going up to him

Speaking about the nude scenes in the show, Peter said that he once stripped off for a scene that went completely wrong.

He explained that he filmed a scene where he had to come in the back door of Kath's home naked, where he was left 'humiliated.'

'There was a little bridge nearby and a crowd gathered and could see in the backyard as I was standing nude with my d**k and balls in a pouch and they were cheering. There was no sheet to cover me, nothing  just humiliation,' Peter said.

Spilling the beans: Peter also revealed that for some of the show's shopping centre scenes, security guards had to be hired as the show's fan base grew. But he said that in reality, 'no one cared' about the cast and no one came up to them

He also revealed that he and co-star Glenn Robbins (who played Kel Knight) showed off their 'natural a**es' on camera, but Jane Turner and Gina Riley used 'stunt bums.'

The popular show ran from 2002 - 2007 and is still a hit among fans.

It is now being aired in Australia on Netflix.

The show was created by stars Jane Turner and Gina Riley, who played mother and daughter duo, Kath and Kim.

On set memories: He explained that he filmed a scene where he had to come in the back door of Kath's home naked, where he was left 'humiliated'

Awkward! 'There was a little bridge nearby and a crowd gathered and could see in the backyard as I was standing nude with my d**k and balls in a pouch and they were cheering. There was no sheet to cover me, nothing  just humiliation,' Peter said

It also starred Magda Szubanski, who played Kim's 'second best friend,' Sharon Strzelecki.

After the huge success of the show there was a telemovie in 2005, called the Da Kath & Kim Code.

In 2012, there was a feature film, called Kath and Kimderella.
In working to address the coronavirus pandemic, Fortenberry has said his goal will be to protect the nation's health care system, families and small businesses.

Speaking to supporters Tuesday night after her victory was secured, Bolz said: "What we need is confidence and belief in one another, that our goodness and ingenuity will prevail, that today's challenges don't have to be tomorrow's struggles, that instead they can be a part of our story of overcoming adversity, changing for the better and continuing to build our collective American Dream."

Fortenberry issued a statement declaring that "together we're working non-stop, particularly during this crisis, to protect health care, fight COVID-19 and support Nebraska families, farmers and small businesses."

Metropolitan Omaha's 2nd District is always closely contested and there will be added attention by both parties in November as their top-of-the-ticket candidates battle in the district for one of Nebraska's five presidential electoral votes.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon will be seeking a third term in November and a Bacon-Eastman contest will be a rematch of the 2018 race.
File image: Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah

The Modi government takes decisions in the interest of the country and the just announced Rs 20 lakh crore relief package will help the poor, farmers and middle class, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said.

In a series of tweets in Hindi with the hashtag 'AatmanirbharBharat', Shah said the time has come for everyone to take a pledge to use more and more local products.

The home minister's remarks come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the package in a televised address in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In every decision of the Modi government, the interest of the country and the countrymen has been at the centre. A special package of about Rs 20 lakh crores announced by the Modi government is reflective of this," Shah said.

This includes the interests of the poor, farmers, middle class and business class of the country and "this will empower every section and make the country self-sufficient", he tweeted.

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

Shah said the prime minister has noted that in this odd situation where everything is closed, locals became companions in this hard time and supported."So now the time has come that we pledge to use more and more local products and make our local global," he said.

Shah said the way India has fought the novel coronavirus pandemic under the leadership of Modi, the country has given a new direction to the whole world.

In this challenging time, new India not only handled itself vigorously but also helped the whole world. This has changed the way the world views India today, he said.

The home minister said the prime minister has said that the 21st century should be the century of India and the time has come to convert this sentence into reality.

"This is possible only with the resolve of 'self-reliant India' of 130 crore Indians. We have to take a pledge that now #AatmanirbharBharat will lead the world," he said.

Shah said if India is determined with the power of 130 crore people, then every determination is possible.

"Under the visionary leadership of Modi ji, now every Indian will have to take a pledge that he will make his best contribution to make India self-reliant without pause. The welfare of the whole world lies in India's self-reliance," he said.
Lucknow, May 13 : The Yogi Adityanath government has transferred health officials from districts where the coronavirus spread has not been contained.

According to the government spokesman, principal of Agra Medical College Dr G.K. Aneja has been shifted to the Directorate of Medical Education and Training, here.

Agra has emerged as a major Covid-19 hotspot in recent weeks. The Chief Minister had to send a high-level team of officials to control the situation.

Dr Aneja has been replaced with Dr Sanjay Kala, principal of the Kanpur Medical College. Dr Jitendra Singh from the Jhansi Medical College has also been sent to Agra to assist Dr Kala for controling Covid-19.

The government has also removed Mathura Chief Medical Officer Dr Sher Singh. Dr Sanjiv Yadav will be the new Mathura CMO. The health officials of Bulandshahr and Moradabad have also been changed.
Safer at Home Order Extended to July

L.A. County Director of Public Health Highlights the Concern in Testing Capacity.

Los Angeles County Officials provided more information regarding the gradual progression in post pandemic stability. Tuesday, May 12, The L.A. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced the Safer at Home Order is looking to be extended through the end of July. Los Angeles City leaders discussed the current status of the outbreak, without the proper testing capacity L.A. would be in danger of uncontrollable widespread of coronavirus. It will decimate the present work towards flattening the curve. However, with certain businesses and communal spaces still looking to open, Los Angeles continues to inch its way into a new space of recovery.

The main principles upheld by all L.A. public officials are the numbers extracted by the data and testing of COVID-19; testing has been the predominant factor in moving forward into recovery. According to reports by the L.A. Times, in the Los Angeles Board of Supervisor meeting held on Tuesday, May 12, Ferrer stressed the concern in the lack of widely available COVID-19 testing accessibility or accommodating rapid at-home testing kits. It would be unlikely in this stage to lift the Safer at Home Order. Ferrer shared the social distancing directives are looking to be extended through July.

The Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti addressed Ferrers concern by stating, While the citys Safer at Home order will remain in place beyond May 15, we will also continue to adjust the order gradually  to safely allow more activities, more businesses to operate, and more Angelenos to get back to work, Mayor Garcetti continued, Were not moving past COVID-19, were learning to live with it  and we will keep taking measured steps toward a new, safer reality in the days and weeks ahead.

This report came out shortly after California State Governor Gavin Newsom announced the golden state is approved to reopen malls for curbside pickup service. Newsom released new guidelines for restaurants and other brick-and-mortars such as outdoor museums, malls, strip malls, and offices where remote work is not possible are now approved to be open. However, Governor Newsom disclosed local governments have the option to be more restrictive.

Although the L.A. Board of supervisors are working towards the extension of the safer at home directives, the Los Angeles coast prepares to open beaches in the following weeks. A few noted safety guidelines will be a requirement for masks, when not in the water. Lounging on the sand will be prohibited, the beach will be available for surfing, swimming, and exercise along the bike and walking trails.

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The County reported 33,180 total positive cases and 1,613 COVID-19 related deaths in the L.A. region. According to the L.A. County website, the Safer at Home Order was updated on May 8, adding within the directive the approval of Lower-risk Non-Essential Retail Businesses that can reopen, can only provide goods to customers via curbside. Released by the city Mayors Office, Garcetti reiterated the Emergency Safer at Home Order currently requires city of Los Angeles residents to remain in their homes except for the most essential activities.

The order is proposed to stay effective throughout July, but recent patterns in extended directives project it will stay in place until public officials see a drastic change in testing capacity, death rates, and positive cases. Along with the extension of the social distancing directives, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors deliberate the resources that will be extended as well, such as the renting freeze and the eviction moratorium. There must be a balance within the directives in social distancing and the resources available, to counteract the disruption in financial stability that every working class Angeleno is facing. There is anticipation of what will be offered to combat the exhausting struggle current L.A. residents face within the following weeks.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:04:07|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has prepared strides to offset major risks of forthcoming drought which is forecast to be dryer than normal time.

Among the major impacts of the unusual weather phenomenon are the potential of forest and bushfires in areas vulnerable to such a disaster on Sumatra Island and Kalimantan Island, and disruption of cultivation of plants including oil palm and rice, officials said.

In countering regular forest and bush fires, artificial rains would be created to prevent hot spots from emerging on peatlands and keep soils wet, according to them.

The operation to create artificial rains would kick off in the provinces of Riau and Jambi on Sumatra Island, Head of the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology John Arifian said on Wednesday.

Dozens of tons of salts will be poured onto clouds with high water content above the two provinces, he said.

"The operation will take 30 days, 15 days in South Sumatra and the rest in Jambi," the official told an online press conference here.

Meanwhile, the Environment and Forestry Ministry's Director-General for the Climate Change Ruandha Agung Sugardiman said the move would be persistently carried out in some provinces on Kalimantan Island.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency forecasts this year's drought would be dryer than those previously happened and it was expected to peak from June to August.

Forest and bush fires have regularly stricken Sumatra Island and Kalimantan Island, sending thick smokes to some neighboring ASEAN nations, as well as triggering health problems and a huge economic loss.

Another potential risk of the dryer drought is the disruption of food supplies as it may disturb plantations and paddy cultivation, making President Joko Widodo order authorities to anticipate such risks and ensure that food supplies for over 260 million people in the country is undisturbed. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Decisions on placing certain barangays under lockdown during the quarantine period must be based on science, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) advised local authorities in a Laging Handa virtual briefing on Wednesday.

Under the zoning scheme announced by the government on Tuesday, local government units (LGUs) under modified enhanced community quarantine may declare a lockdown on select barangays or areas depending on the number of COVID-19 cases there to contain the spread of the disease.

RELATED: Quezon City places 20 areas in five barangays under 'special concern lockdown'

DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said local government chiefs may declare such restrictions without seeking the approval of the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) nor permission from the department.

However, he requested that they consult first with health officials as they make their decision. Provincial authorities, meanwhile, must seek the guidance of the regional IATF, he added.

"Ang gusto po natin mangyari sa ating quarantine, especially if it's going to be a lockdown of a barangay, eh based po kailangan ito sa science; data-driven," Malaya said. "So kung ano po ang lumalabas sa datos ng DOH, yun po sana ang maging guide ng ating mga mayor at gobernador."

[Translation: What we want to happen during our quarantine, especially if it's going to be a lockdown of a barangay, is that it has to be based on science; data-driven. So whatever comes out from DOH data, I hope that will serve as a guide for our mayors and governors.]

High-risk areas Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City have been placed under modified enhanced community quarantine from May 16 to May 31.

Moderate-risk provinces are placed under general community quarantine until the end of May, while a modified general community quarantine has been declared on low-risk provinces.

The Philippines currently has 11,618 confirmed cases of COVID-19. A total of 772 have succumbed to the deadly virus, while 2,251 have recovered from it.
MIAMI - The promise of an amendment to Florida's state constitution seemed huge when it was overwhelmingly approved in November 2018: As many as 1.5 million felons previously barred from casting ballots in the state would soon be able to vote.

Two years later, those expectations have shriveled, with proponents estimating that fewer than 50,000 felons have registered.

Since March, the coronavirus pandemic has ground efforts to a near-halt, reducing the prospects for a burst of registration before the November election. Even before the shutdown, however, Republican-backed legislation circumscribing the reach of Amendment 4 had made it virtually impossible for most felons to participate, according to those who have tried to register and court testimony.

That law requires felons to pay all court-related fines, fees and restitution before registering to vote - and to swear, under penalty of perjury, that the debts are paid.

But a vast number of felons are too poor to pay their fines, according to evidence presented in a lawsuit challenging the restrictions. And even if they can afford to do so, a patchy system of court records does not always allow them to know what they owe or whether they've paid.

"They kept sending me from office to office to office to office," Jamall Williams, 38, who runs a car-detailing business in Tallahassee, recalled about his months-long inquiry with the Leon County court clerk's office, which keeps the record of his 2009 conviction for grand theft auto.

Williams said he was eager to vote - both to set an example for his children and to please his wife, a regular voter-registration volunteer. "That's how I met her," he said. "She tried to register me to vote, and I wasn't able, because I'm a convicted felon."

His enthusiasm faded when he realized he could risk a new arrest if he inaccurately swore that he had no court debts. "I kind of quit. I don't want to go to jail for that."

State officials promised to set up a process for felons who are unable to pay to be allowed to vote anyway, as well as a streamlined system for determining what is owed.

But 11 months after Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, signed the legislation, and with the fall presidential election inching ever closer, that system still doesn't exist.

A spokeswoman for DeSantis did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The red tape encountered by convicted felons in Florida has deflated the buoyancy that many felt after Amendment 4 passed - and reinforced suspicions that the subsequent restrictions were put in place to keep felons from the polls.

"The governor's office and the Republican legislature are continuing to put up roadblock after roadblock after roadblock for the individuals who want to get their rights reinstated," said state Sen. Perry Thurston Jr., D,, who represents part of Broward County. "This is clearly not an effort to help with the will of the people, but to thwart the will of the people."

At the time of its passage with 65% of the vote, Amendment 4 was hailed as the largest re-enfranchisement of voters since poll taxes and literacy tests were banned during the civil rights era.

The ballot measure restored voting rights to felons who have completed "all terms of their sentence, including parole or probation." It excludes those convicted of murder or sexual offenses.

Republicans who supported the legislation detailing who is eligible to vote under Amendment 4 said at the time that their goal was only to help implement a sparsely worded ballot measure.

And DeSantis has disputed that having to pay off fines is equivalent to a poll tax, telling reporters last year, "The only reason you're paying restitution is because you were convicted of a felony."

Mohammad Jazil, a lawyer defending state officials in the legal challenge, said in court this month that lawmakers, who approved Senate Bill 7066 on a strict party-line vote, had an obligation to be "faithful stewards" of Amendment 4 by clarifying how it would work.

"The 'all terms of sentence' language is clear," said Jazil, who represents Secretary of State Laurel Lee in the case. "That language is unambiguous. That language includes the payment of fines, fees, costs, restitution and all other financial terms of the sentence, before the restoration of voting rights."

The approach differs vastly from those of other states that have restored the voting rights of felons in recent years. In Kentucky, for instance, Gov. Andy Beshear, D, established a website where nonviolent felons can immediately check their eligibility status. Many newly released defendants automatically receive a certificate granting them the right to vote. And the state takes on the responsibility of determining whether a fine is owed, rather than leaving it to people to sort through.

Florida, in contrast, imposed requirements - but did not lay out a path for felons to meet them, critics say.

That is the crux of the lawsuit 17 felons filed against DeSantis and other state officials. The plaintiffs argue that Republicans effectively established a poll tax, a practice banned in 1964 with the ratification of the 24th Amendment. The suit also argues that the law discriminates against African American Floridians, who make up a disproportionate share of felons.

During the eight-day trial, which concluded last Wednesday, the plaintiffs introduced evidence that the state had not created a system to help felons find out how much they owe.

"The authors of Senate Bill 7066 knew that Florida lacked the data to know whether returning citizens are eligible to vote," said Sean Morales-Doyle, a lawyer for the Brennan Center for Justice who represents the plaintiffs, referring to the coalition's term for felons who have completed their sentences.

The state "did nothing" to fix that, Morales-Doyle said - even after U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle found the requirement unconstitutional in a preliminary ruling in the case. "They let important local elections and a presidential primary go by while hundreds of thousands of citizens faced the choice of forgoing their right to vote or facing potential prosecution," he said.

Hinkle, who promised a speedy ruling on the case, expressed disapproval of the lack of a state system.

"You can't vote unless you know something you don't know, and the only way you're going to be able to vote is to sign a false affidavit," he said during closing arguments.

"We were talking about having this all done and in place where people could vote in the 2020 election," he added. "But this suggests that they wouldn't even be able to vote in the 2024 election."

It is hard to predict which party would benefit from a mass infusion of felons into the Florida electorate. One expert witness called by the defendants testified that Republican lawmakers passed Senate Bill 7066 in part because of their perception that the preponderance among felons of African Americans, who tend to vote Democratic, would give that party an advantage. Data shows that one in five felons is black.

Nevertheless, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, a nonprofit that led the effort to pass Amendment 4, attracted support from across the political spectrum, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the League of Women Voters, groups backed by the libertarian Koch network and the Christian Coalition.

And after the Senate bill passed, the coalition tried to avoid a political battle and got to work raising money to help felons pay off their fees.

"We knew that there were going to be some financial obligations that were directly connected to the completion of sentences," said Desmond Meade, a coalition founder.

According Daniel Smith, a politics professor who studies voting issues at the University of Florida, as many as 775,000 felons in Florida owe court-related debts - and about 70% are indigent. The average felon owes about $1,500, Meade said.

The coalition has raised more than $600,000 and has been contacting felons to help them pay off their fines and fees. It also began working with local prosecutors, court clerks and public defenders to seek sentence modifications wherever possible to eliminate or reduce debts. That task has grown more challenging amid the pandemic, with phone calls taking the place of door-to-door canvassing.

Even before the spread of the coronavirus, Meade and other advocates found that it would prove impossible for many to meet the obligations, even with money in hand.

Fees are recorded by different agencies - prosecutors, court clerks and in some cases collection agencies. There is little clarity about what qualifies as a "legal financial obligation."

"How is an individual supposed to know what the rule is if even the courts and elected officials can't explain it?" asked Jessica Younts, the coalition's vice president.

The exhausting nature of the task was clear one day in early March, when Younts accompanied half a dozen people to the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami to pay off their fines and fees.

Figuring out how much each person owed had required hours of phone calls and weeks of record collection. Some clerk's offices don't take calls after 12 p.m. Some required a case number that the individuals didn't have. Some couldn't find older cases in their computer systems. And none could look up records from other jurisdictions.

These six had made it - but only with the help from the coalition's team.

Angela Calloway, 50, who was seeking to pay off $500 in court fees after numerous felony convictions, was fortunate to have had a copy of one of her court filings on her mobile phone, because the clerk had been unable to find her file without it.

"You don't know how much of a relief this is to me," said Chequilla Gandy, 27, standing at a customer window in the clerk's office as her debt of about $800 was paid for a 2016 conviction for discharging a firearm from her car. With her fines paid, Gandy, a mother of two who works the graveyard shift at a Dunkin' doughnut shop, was able to get a driver's license and apply for higher-paying jobs.

"To have any rights in the United States feels good," Gandy said, adding: "I want to be able to make decisions. It's just about having dignity for yourself."

Younts counted the day as a victory - yet also an illustration of the challenge of qualifying felons on a mass scale across the state.

The coalition has received about 5,000 requests from felons for help paying fines and fees but has paid debts for fewer than 1,000 of them so far. Thousands more, advocates said, probably don't even know where to turn for help.

Even state and local officials acknowledged the hurdles felons face. In the federal trial, they testified that determining a person's financial obligation sometimes requires sifting through different computer systems that don't talk to one another, and in some cases paging through old paper files.

Douglas Bakke, the chief operating officer of the Hillsborough County court clerk's office, testified that he and four employees took 12 to 15 hours to research the obligations of a single felon. Even then, they were not able to confirm the exact amount owed, he said.

Bakke said newer cases are easier to research. But researching the cases of tens of thousands of convicted felons in Hillsborough, which includes Tampa, "would be quite an overwhelming task."

Maria Matthews, the director of the Florida Division of Elections, said figuring out how much restitution someone owes can be even harder, and her office still hasn't established a process for doing so. Matthews also said her office will be able to process only 57 registration applications from felons per day.

In an interview, Andrew Warren, the state attorney in Hillsborough County, said systems for finding out how much a felon owes vary by county. There is no statewide database, meaning each case can take hours and even days to research, especially if the person has multiple convictions in different counties.

"We don't have the staff to manage that," he said.

Warren supports Amendment 4 and is working with the coalition to create a "rocket docket" in his county to allow cases to be heard swiftly and financial obligations to be reduced, eliminated or turned into community service hours.

"People want those who fulfilled their sentences to be able to vote," he said.

That view is not shared among prosecutors and clerks statewide, however. JD Peacock, the court clerk in Okaloosa County, said that kind of program would not go over well in his community. "You're talking about the most red county in the state," he said.

In court this month, state officials said they have a plan that would allow a felon to satisfy his or her obligation with proof of payment to any court-related entity, even if it's not clear what the payment is for, and even if the money is going toward fees and collection agencies and not toward the original debt.

In court, Julie Ebenstein, a lawyer for the ACLU representing the 17 felons, said the concept undermines the rationale for the law by allowing restitution and other fines to go unpaid.

Hinkle, the presiding judge in the lawsuit, temporarily blocked Senate Bill 7066 as it applied to the 17 named plaintiffs in a preliminary ruling last fall that was upheld by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in late March, and he repeatedly warned the state to get to work on a remedy.

Hinkle's final ruling will apply to all felons in the state.

Toward the end of closing arguments, the judge said there was "no doubt" that Senate Bill 7066 discriminates against African Americans, and he rejected the defendants' "faithful steward" argument, saying the law goes far afield from the language of Amendment 4.

"I don't think I'm going to surprise you," he said.

- - -

Rozsa reported from Broward County, Florida.
Search giant Google, which also runs the Android smartphone operating system, appears to be testing emoji reactions to messages  similar to that on Apples iPhones and its iMessage platform.

The feature, which was discovered on Reddit before being reported on by Android Police shows reaction emoji appearing in a small circle in the bottom-right corner of messages sent between Android users.

A long-press on a message lets users select a reaction out of seven different emoji: a thumbs up, a thumbs down, a smiling face with heart-eyes, a crying-laughing face, a shocked face, a crying face, and an angry face. It is currently unclear if more emoji are available.

Those that do not currently have the feature enabled would receive a different message, rather than seeing the emoji reactions. A thumbs up reaction to the message "Hello", for example, would be conveyed as  to Hello. The feature is also currently unavailable in the web version of Messages.

Although the feature is available on Googles Messages app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and is the default text application on its Pixel smartphones, it will only be activated to users that have registered to RCS messaging.

RCS messaging is the replacement for standard texts (SMS messaging), available in countries including the UK, France, and the USA. RCS messages include features that are found in many other messaging applications - read receipts, typing indicators, full-resolution video and images, and group texts  but that were unable to be implemented in standard texts.

However, unlike iMessage, RCS messages are not end-to-end encrypted by default, a decision that has led to criticism.

Googles developer conference, Google I/O, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, so it is expected that more announcements that were previously intended to be made at the event will be unveiled through other means.

Android Police reports that even through a beta version of Googles Messages application has begun to roll out, the feature was not available to them. It is possible that the reactions are limited to a test, or whether there are as-yet unknown requirements.

We have reached out to Google for clarification, and when users should expect the feature to be announced.
Paige Turco may have only appeared in two episodes of NCIS: New Orleans but her place on the show is an important one. Turco plays Linda Pride, the ex-wife of Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula). The experienced actress had taken on quite a few challenging roles in the past. In fact, for one project, Turco went above and beyond to make sure she got it right.

Who is Paige Turco?

Paige Turco as Linda Pride and Scott Bakula as Special Agent Dwayne Pride | Sam Lothridge/CBS via Getty Images

NCIS: New Orleans star, Paige Turco, didnt always have her sights set on acting. The former ballerina performed with the New England Dance Conservatory, the Amherst Ballet Theater Company, and the Western Massachusetts Ballet Company before a broken ankle changed her trajectory.

By 1987, Turco snagged her first role as Dinah Morgan on Guiding Light before picking up steam as Melanie Lanie Cortlandt Rampal in All My Children. More notable projects trickled in and before she knew it, Turco was a bonafide working actress.

The star has appeared in everything from Party of Five to American Gothic before landing a spot in the 2014 backdoor pilot for NCIS: New Orleans. The episode, encased in NCIS 11th season during sweeps week, paved the way for the spinoff.

Its been years since Turco first played Linda Pride on the series in the first episode of season 1, Master of Horror. Since then, anything Linda-related came from updates via she and Prides daughter, Laurel (Shanley Caswell). This is likely because Turco was busy on shows like The 100 and Person of Interest.

The return of Linda came on April 19 in the episode, Predators, where she was reunited with her ex-husband, [Dwayne] Pride, as the two helped plan Laurels wedding.

Heres how Turco once prepared for a role

From 2001-2003, Turco portrayed CIA operative, Terri Lowell, on the CBS drama The Agency. Lowell is described as a by-the-book computer expert who works too much.

Before landing the role, Turco previously told Quad City Times she trained with real-life CIA operatives to prepare for the intricate ways of Lowell. Turco admitted to being rebellious and not well-educated on all the things Lowell should know for her job.

The series didnt last long and had two controversial storylines that involved anthrax and Osama bin Laden  both of which were written prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Will Turco return to NCIS: New Orleans?

Lucky for fans of NCIS: New Orleans, the show has been picked up for season 7. Production shut down around initial coronavirus pandemic rumblings, much like most other shows. Its unclear when season 7 will begin filming.

With that, it hasnt been confirmed whether Turco will return to pester Bakulas Pride when the show returns. Considering fans have yet to see Lauren get married, wed be willing to bet on Turcos Linda coming back at least long enough to attend the wedding.
Detectives in New South Wales, Australia have arrested and charged a man with the 1988 hate crime murder of American math scholar Scott Johnson.

The 27-year-olds body was discovered on December 10, 1988 near Manlys Blue Fish Point in Sydney. At the time, Johnsons death was seen as symbolic of authorities willingness to overlook hate crimes in the gay community after the PhD students death was initially ruled a suicide.

Today, Sydney has a thriving and prominent gay community., but in the 1980s, however, packs of young men roamed popular meeting places for gay men, intending to beat and rob them. Gay men were told to carry whistles to call for help if they were attacked.

Detectives arrested 49-year-old Scott White at Lane Cove about 8.30am on Tuesday, before a search warrant was executed at a nearby home.

Steve Johnson said in a statement that his brother symbolizes those who lost their lives to homophobic-inspired violence.

Its emotional for me, emotional for my family, my two sisters and brother who loved Scott dearly, my wife and three kids who never got to know their uncle, Johnson said.

On Tuesday morning, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller praised the Johnson family for their determination, which he said inspired his officers.

Making that phone call this morning is a career highlight  Steve has fought so hard for so many years, and it has been an honour be part of his fight for justice, Commissioner Fuller said.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman press conference live updates: Provident Fund contribution of employers and workers is being reduced from 12% to 10% each of wages for the next 3 months, announced FM Nirmala Sitharaman. She added that the EPFO benefit will lead to more take home salary. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will unveil the mega stimulus package in her media briefing at 4 pm on Wednesday. Expectations are running high, especially for the country's MSME sector. The finance minister will also focus on MSMEs, labourers, farmers and cottage industries. According to source, FM Sitharaman may announce loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore for MSMEs to give respite and liquidity push to restart small businesses. The Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package announced by PM Modi on Tuesday is the fourth-highest in the world. PM Modi said that the economic package will be around the 10% of the GDP and is aimed at solving the problems of several bleeding sectors as well as migrant labourers.

Also Read: Nirmala Sitharaman to address media on economic stimulus today: Time, when & where to watch live streaming

Follow BusinessToday.In for all the updates on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press conference:-

5.48 pm: NBFC liquidity push

Rs. 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee.

Rs. 90,000 crore infusion of liquidity.

5.47 pm: Govt's EPFO relief

Liquidity relief to EPF companies.

Govt support extended to 3 months.

5.44 pm: Govt announces steps to help MSMEs

Definition of MSMEs changed.

Micro units can have Rs 5 crore turnover.

No global tender for upto Rs 200 crore.

Pending payment to MSMEs in 45 days.

5.40 pm: Stressed MSMEs bailout

Rs. 20,000 crore liquidity for 2 lakh units.

Rs. 50,000 crore equity infused into MSMEs.

5.36 pm: Big boost for MSMEs

Collateral-free automatic loans.

Rs 3 lakh crore loans for MSMEs.

12-month moratorium on MSME loans.

100% credit guarantee cover given.

45 lakh MSMEs to benefit from loans.

Loans will be given till October 31.

5.28 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman speech highlights:

Major tax relief

TDS, TCS rates reduced by 25%.

Rates reduced till March 31, 2021.

Rs 50,000 crore benefit to taxpayers.

FY20 income tax returns extended to November 30

5.24 pm: Govt's Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Income

Among other measures, due date of all income-tax return for FY 2019-20 will be extended from 31st July, 2020 & 31st October, 2020 to 30th November, 2020 and Tax audit from 30th September, 2020 to 31st October,2020, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

Among other measures, Due date of all income-tax return for FY 2019-20 will be extended from 31st July, 2020 & 31st October, 2020 to 30th November, 2020 and Tax audit from 30th September, 2020 to 31st October,2020. #AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyanpic.twitter.com/R4ZWRgss9x - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

5.18 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman announces major tax relief

Government to infuse Rs 50,000 crores liquidity by reducing rates of TDS, for non-salaried specified payments made to residents, and rates of Tax Collection at Source for specified receipts, by 25% of the existing rates: FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

Government to infuse Rs 50,000 crores liquidity by reducing rates of TDS, for non-salaried specified payments made to residents, and rates of Tax Collection at Source for specified receipts, by 25% of the existing rates. #AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyanpic.twitter.com/LR1jhG9ovY - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

5.14 pm: Government reduces TDS and TCS rates reduced by 25% till March 31, 2021

Rs 50,000 crore benefit for taxpayers by TDS and TCS cut.

5.12 pm: Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Relief for Real Estate sector

Will advise States/UTs and their Regulatory Authorities to extend the registration and completion date suo-moto by 6 months for all registered projects expiring on or after 25th March, 2020 without individual applications, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

5.10 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman speech: Relief to contractors

In a major relief to contractors, all Central agencies to provide an extension of up to 6 months, without cost to contractor, to obligations like completion of work covering construction and goods and services contracts.

In a major relief to contractors, all Central agencies to provide an extension of up to 6 months, without cost to contractor, to obligations like completion of work covering construction and goods and services contracts. #AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyanpic.twitter.com/bR2CShuddl - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

5.08 pm: Govt injects Rs 90,000 crore into DISCOMs

To give a fillip to DISCOMs with plummeting revenue and facing an unprecedented cash flow problem, Government announces Rs. 90,000 Crore Liquidity Injection for DISCOMs.

To give a fillip to DISCOMs with plummeting revenue and facing an unprecedented cash flow problem, Government announces Rs. 90,000 Crore Liquidity Injection for DISCOMs. #AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyanpic.twitter.com/EVqz8nsm4p - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

5.05 pm: Govt's Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

Government announces Rs 45,000 crore liquidity infusion through a Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 for NBFCs.

5.03 pm: Govt's liquidty push for NBFCs

Government launches a Rs 30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFCs/HFCs/MFIs.

4.59 pm: Government's big EPFO relief

Over 70 lakh employees will benefit from the announcement to reduce the providend fund contribution of employers and workers from 12% to 10%.

In order to provide more take home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, EPF contribution is being reduced for Businesses & Workers for 3 months, amounting to a liquidity support of Rs 6750 crores. #AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyanpic.twitter.com/VSysfvk4KU - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

4.58 pm:Provident Fund contribution of employers

Provident Fund contribution of employers and workers is being reduced from 12% to 10% each of wages for the next 3 months, announced FM Nirmala Sitharaman. She added that the EPFO benefit will lead to more take home salary.

4.53 pm: Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

To ease financial stress as businesses get back to work, Government decides to continue EPF Support for Business & Workers for 3 more months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crore: FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

4.50 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman announces big push for MSMEs

Unfair competetion from foreign companies to become a thing of the past; Global tenders to be disallowed in Government procurement upto Rs 200 crores.

Unfair competetion from foreign companies to become a thing of the past; Global tenders to be disallowed in Government procurement upto Rs 200 crores#AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyan#atmanirbharbharatpic.twitter.com/voj3hstdOR - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

4.48 pm: Relief for MSMEs

For viable MSMEs that need hand-holding due to coronavirus pandemic, they will be given support through fund of funds worth Rs 50,000 cr. The money will be infused as equity. The fund of funds will be operated through a Mother Fund and few daughter funds; this will help to expand MSME size as well as capacity, announces FM Nirmala Sitharaman

4.43 pm: Major rejig in qualification norms for msmes.

Limit of investment for micro units raised to Rs 1 crore

Micro units can have a turnover of Rs 5 crore now

4.40 pm: Finance Ministry redefines MSME to help companies which lose benefits after expanding.

4.37 pm: Definition of MSMEs gets a revision

Investment limit to be revised upwards, additional criteria of turnover also being introduced

Definition of MSMEs gets a revision, Investment limit to be revised upwards, additional criteria of turnover also being introduced#AatmanirbharBharatpic.twitter.com/euRNgiPJeB - PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

4.33 pm: Rs. 20,000 crore as subordinate debt for MSMEs

To provide stressed MSMEs with equity support, Government will facilitate provision of Rs. 20,000 crore as subordinate debt.

4.29 pm: Economic push for MSMEs

For MSMEs with outstanding loan of Rs 25 crore or with Rs 100 crore turnover will get these loans. These loans will have 100 per cent credit guarantee and a moratorium of 12 months: FM Nirmala Sithraman.

4.26 pm: FM's MSME Push

15 measures to be announced today, 6 of them related to MSMEs, 2 to EPF, 2 to NBFC, HFC and MFI, 1 to contractors, 1 to real estate, and 3 are for real estate, says FM.

3 lakh crore for collateral-free automatic loans for businesses, including MSMEs, announced

4.22 pm: Rs 52,000 crore dircet transfers into 41 crore accounts: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

4.19 pm: Numbers of Garib Kalyan Yojana have to be mentioned here because we have to build up on that, says FM.

4.16 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman speech live:

If you look at migrants and poor, DBT helped us put money directly into their accounts, and they didn't even had to go to banks, says FM.

PSB clean-ups happened, ease of doing business reforms, IBC reforms, GST reforms undertaken, FM says.

Highway reforms, TOT, airport privatisation, power reforms, solar power, and cleaning up of the coal mine, is what I would like to talk about before what we are offering in the Atma Nirbhar Bharat, says FM.

4.15 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman announcement today

Various reform-based steps undertaken. DBT-based reforms for the poor, micro-insurance schemes, Ujjwala Yojana, Awas Yojana, Swacchh Bharat Abhiyan and Ayushman Bharat: FM

4.15 pm: FM Sitharaman speech live updates

If you look at migrants and poor, DBT helped us put money directly into their accounts, and they didn't even have to go to banks, says FM.

4.15 pm: Rs 20 lakh crore economic package

PSB clean-ups happened, ease of doing business reforms, IBC reforms, GST reforms undertaken, FM says.

4.13 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman speech on economic package

Manufacturing of PPEs and N95 masks growing rapidly, says FM

4.11 pm: FM Sitharaman on Rs 20 lakh crore economic push

In Atma Nirbhar Bharat, our focus would be on those factors of production which are land, labour, liquidity and law, says FM Sitharaman.

4.09 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman lays out outline of Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package

5 important pillars of economy- Infra, tech-driven system, demography and demand. Trying to build Aatma Nirbhar Bharat on these pillars. Land, labour, liquidity and law - the factors to build Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.

4.07 pm: Finance Minister Sitharaman media address

Stimulus to spur hagrowth and make India self-reliant, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

4.05 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman speech live

FM begins her media briefing on unveiling the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package announced by PM Modi on Tuesday.

3.59 pm: Nirmala speech today: Target groups

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her presser at 4 pm on Tuesday is expected to focus on MSMEs, labourers, farmers and cottage industries which are the worst-hit sectors in the wake of coronavirus induced lockdown.

3.53 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman speech live updates: Rs 3 lakh crore stimulus package for MSMEs likely

Expectations are running high, especially for the country's MSME sector. The finance minister will also focus on MSMEs, labourers, farmers and cottage industries. According to source, FM Sitharaman may announce loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore for MSMEs to give respite and liquidity push to restart small businesses.

3.45 pm: Sitharaman speech live: Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package 4th-highest in the world

The Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday is the fourth-highest in the world. PM Modi added that the economic stimulus package will be around the 10% of the GDP and is aimed at solving the problems of several bleeding sectors as well as migrant labourers. Japan has the highest economic stimulus package in the world at 21.1% of GDP, the United States package stands at 13% of GDP, Germany at 10.7% of GDP, followed by India at 10% of GDP, France at 9.3% of GDP. Italy at 5.7% of GDP and the last one on the list is the UK with the stimulus package at 5% of the GDP.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 12:07PM

Disney was all set to release its recording of hit stage musical Hamilton in theatres on October 15, 2021. But Disney has decided to bump up the release to this year, specifically July 3, 2020, and it'll be exclusively released on Disney+. It's a significant move for the company since it effectively cancels the theatrical run for the recording. Disney reportedly paid a record-breaking US$75 million for its worldwide rights.

But as The Verge points out, this move also emphasizes how much Disney needs to have content on Disney+ right now to keep customers interested in the streaming service. Some of its most hyped original shows had to shut down production because of COVID-19, so aside from the October release of The Mandalorian's season 2, Disney needs new, popular titles to keep current and potential subscribers interested. One other film coming exclusively to the streaming service is Disney's adaptation of Artemis Fowl.
The Ghana Statistical Service has rescheduled the 2020 Population and Housing Census due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Annim disclosed the postponement at a press conference, adding that the GSS will announce a new date after consulting all stakeholders.

Prof. Annim said 75,000 enumerators and supervisors are being trained through electronic means in preparation for the exercise.

June 28, 2020, as the Census Night has been rescheduledWe need to put together over 75,000 enumerators and supervisors and train them [for the exercise].

The census was initially set to begin on March 15, 2020, with the first two weeks expected to be used for listing, a process that comprises the zoning and coding of the number of houses and structures to be covered in the census.

However, observations from the completed field census mapping exercise necessitated the change in date to June 28.

The GSS had already begun recruitment of field personnel and other persons required for the census before the pandemic set in.

The GSS is not the only institution that has suffered a set back in its activities as a result of the pandemic.

The EC was equally forced to suspend its plan to compile a new voters' register for the December 2020 general elections in the wake of COVID-19.

The Commission has indicated that it will strictly observe safety protocols when it begins the compilation of a new voters register.

The National Identification Authority was also compelled to suspend its Ghana card registration exercise in the Eastern Region over the same issue.

---citinewsroom
As a police state rolls across America, former Iraq veteran and Seattle police officer Greg Anderson is speaking out. Boldly.

Anderson posted a powerful video addressing his concerns about police officers following orders that criminalize Americans for going to work, going to the park, and so forth.

He places the Constitution above all else and says there is no reason or excuse for any law enforcement officer to be following orders that defy it.

He expresses uncertainty about whether officers who are enforcing these directives are in the minority or not. Increasingly, he sees evidence that perhaps not.

He warns of blood in the streets if this continues, as Americans rise up in the face of tyranny.

He is angry and sounding the alarm. And he challenges all police officers to take a hard look at what they're doing.

This man is the heart and soul of America and deserves all of our respect and support.

Hat tip: Red State.








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The government is hiding a lot of information about the COVID 19 pandemic and the public needs to start digging up this information if they ever want to know the truth, says licensed emergency medicine doctor, Rashid. A. Buttar, who has been practising medicine for about 30 years.

The first coronavirus that was discovered in the 1960s and has been studied over 14, 000 times since then. In all these studies, the virus has never been seen to cause much of a problem and often been described as not a big deal and very self-limiting.

However, in 2010-2011, patents of replications of the virus started to be discovered. Dr.Buttar, in an interview with TheDeenshowTV, notes that one can onlypatenta virus if its been changed, adulteratedor mutated, which means that the coronavirus was altered. The medical process used for adulterating such viruses is called gain-of-function. Of viruses, gain-of-function means, taking a virus with lower resistance and making it worse.

In 2013, the government passed a law to discontinue any gain-of-function studies, arguing that there is no reason to make a virus more resistant than it already is, however Dr. Anthony Fauci, the current director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases came along and made it possible for the research money on gain-of-function research to be diverted to Wuhan. Buttar believes that it is the continuation of this research that led to the formation of COVID 19.

According to Dr.Buttar, if you check the European Union patent database, youll find multiple patents of the coronavirus that has already been made, one of those patents were found and granted in Nov 2019, which was just before the first case of COVID 19 in Wuhan.Interestingly, this 2019 patent and other class of patents are owned by Pirbright, an institute funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It is quite interesting, how Bill Gates, who is by no means a health or medical officer, has always been involved with virus research. According to Buttar, Gatescouldnt keep viruses out of Microsoft but tries to keep viruses out of the human body. As if viruses need to be kept out of the human body. Humans depend on viruses to evolve.

Bill Gates has given a lot of money to the CDC, WHO and many global health organizations in a bid to have a say in their research. He believes in population control and has talked about how vaccines are necessary to decrease the population.

Buttar accuses Gates of paying scientists to make the coronavirus worse, then being at the forefront of finding a cure and trying to force people to adopt this cure.

The UK changed its legislation on the 27th of April to reflect mandatory vaccines for everyone and the entire world would follow suit in no time.

It has become apparent that the cycle is to create a problem, try to find a solution to the problem and then force this solution on everyone.

Worse still, the truth about the COVID 19 virus is getting taken off the internet, and the government is making it hard for the public to have access to this information.Right now if you say anything about 5G on Facebook and Youtube your post would get taken down. These 5G-coronavirus videos hit millions of views before they get taken down because people feel the truth in these videos.

Buttar believes that there is a link between the 5G technology and the novel coronavirus and that the more the government rolls out the 5G technology, the more people are going to get sick, and then they would use mandatory vaccines to make people even sicker and continue to decrease the worlds population.

Obama had predicted that the 2009 HINI pandemic, was going to kill 60 million Americans but the real number of deaths ended up being 12,469 because no one took the vaccine. The public must also resist mandatory COVID 19 vaccines to prevent the governments population control agenda.
German firms plan to charter a flight to China this month, business leaders said Wednesday, as Beijing appears ready to further ease a ban on foreigners imposed over coronavirus fears. The idea is to eventually extend a similar plan to other European countries, Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber in China, told AFP. Talks are under way for "a fast-track procedure" allowing employees of German companies to re-enter China on the special flight, said Jens Hildebrandt, executive director for the German Chamber of Commerce in North China. The aim is to help companies bring back "urgently required personnel", with the German embassy and German chamber working with Chinese authorities to make it happen as soon as May 25. "We hope that this can serve as a blueprint to get more foreign employees back to China," Hildebrandt told AFP, adding that this process generally applies to staff who hold valid residence permits. There may be more charter flights later, if the first proves to be successful, he said. In late March, China drastically cut flight routes to and from the country, and imposed a ban on most foreigners -- even those with valid residence visas. The move underlined its growing concern over imported cases of the coronavirus, as well as fears of a second wave of infections as the virus epicentre shifted beyond China where the deadly pathogen was first reported. Wuttke told AFP that Chinese officials approached the German embassy after he wrote to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi requesting assistance to ease entry restrictions on foreigners. He said German flag-carrier Lufthansa is expected to handle the first flight and as the Swiss and Austrian airlines belong to the Lufthansa group, a similar flight model would be easy to replicate for both countries. A first charter flight with 200 seats could leave Frankfurt for Shanghai Pudong airport on May 25, with passengers subject to mandatory COVID-19 tests before departure. But a list of those boarding the aircraft will have to be approved by Chinese authorities, and travellers will need to have their visas issued or reinstated. Passengers will also need proof of a negative COVID-19 test result valid for 48 hours before their departure, issued by their company doctor, local health authorities or an institute providing commercial tests. Upon arrival in China, they will need to take another COVID-19 and antibody test, and have to undergo a mandatory quarantine for 48 hours in Shanghai. Foreign nationals eligible to apply for the flight include those needed for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities -- or those who have to travel due to emergency humanitarian needs. A notice circulated to member companies, seen by AFP, said the expected economy-class ticket price is around 2,500 euros ($2,700). The cost for COVID-19 testing, accommodation and transport involved in the return to China will be borne by companies. China has reached an agreement with South Korea to set up a "fast track" for businesspeople to return, following the entry ban aimed at curbing the spread of the deadly pathogen. Beijing is also in talks with other countries such as Singapore to set up a similar channel to stabilise economic cooperation and ensure supply chains run smoothly. Wuttke said China has a "strong self-interest" in getting engineers and specialists back into the country. A first charter flight could leave Frankfurt for Shanghai on May 25, with passengers subject to mandatory COVID-19 tests before departure
TEL AVIV , Israel, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- KELA Targeted Cyber Intelligence, a global Dark Net threat intelligence provider, announces today the addition of Featured Queries to DARKBEAST  their proprietary Dark Net search engine and investigation platform  helping their users stay informed on the most relevant underground threats.

KELA's DARKBEAST search engine helps enterprises and law enforcement agencies perform real-time researches and investigations straight from KELA's data lake of highly qualified and curated sources, saving them the time of locating and accessing those sources on their own. DARKBEAST gives users one place to safely search and retrieve intelligence straight from the Dark Net with zero latency. Sources are cached into KELA's data lake and accessible through DARKBEAST, where users can search through underground forums and markets, information sharing sites, instant messaging platforms, hacking repositories, and much more. Everything is perfectly structured for the users so that they can pivot through various data points and indicators and fine tune their searches, providing them immediate access to the most relevant and up-to-date intelligence.

DARKBEAST is used for a number of purposes both internally, by KELA's intelligence analysts, as well as by partners. David Carmiel, KELA's CTO, explains the motivation behind this development. "Our partners use DARKBEAST to support them in investigating threat actors or supply chain threats, enriching vulnerability data, incident response, and much more. We wanted to come up with a way to guide our partners in their research and investigation processes by sharing some of our Dark Net and intelligence expertise with them, without having them rely solely on our analyst services," Carmiel said. "We then realized that creating a set of 'featured queries' through DARKBEAST, could be something very relevant to many of our partners and would also give us a way to push intelligence that is trending in the Dark Net at the moment. We're leveraging this now to keep our partners up to date on COVID-19-related campaigns."

Currently, some of our Featured Queries include: COVID-19-related campaigns; latest ransomware victims as discussed in the Dark Net; and chatter regarding CVE exploitations. These Featured Queries are rapidly changing in accordance with trends that our analysts are monitoring daily. Carmiel continues, "As a team of primarily intelligence experts, our main goal is not just to provide our technology, but also to be a partner of all of our clients and assist them in their intelligence processes along the way. The Featured Queries essentially allows us to do just that: share our knowledge and make sure that our partners are getting the most out of our technologies."

To learn more about DARKBEAST or request a demo, visit us at https://ke-la.com/contact-us/

About KELA

A leading Dark Net threat intelligence firm, KELA's mission is to provide 100% actionable intelligence on threats emerging from the Dark Net. Our success is based on a unique integration of our proprietary automated technologies and qualified intelligence experts. For more information, visit www.ke-la.com.

Contact Information

Sharon Bitton

+972-3-970-2720

[email protected]

SOURCE KELA
News

Washington, DC - As President Trump has said, the United States is working with our friends and partners around the world to coordinate our efforts on stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States values our cooperation with allies and partners in combatting the pandemic and in planning for our collective recovery.

In addition to the leadership of the President and Secretary of State with their G7, G20, and other counterparts, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun has led weekly coordination calls since March 19 with Canadian Deputy Minister Marta Morgan and Mexican Deputy Secretary Julian Ventura, as part of our close partnership as neighbors.

These calls have allowed the United States, Canada, and Mexico to discuss challenges and share best practices in responding to the unique and complex challenges presented by the global pandemic and planning for safely re-opening our economies and commerce. Through collaboration among North American partners, we have:

Enabled tens of thousands of citizens of our respective countries to return home from around the world to their families and loved ones, even as borders have closed and commercial flights options have in many cases disappeared;

Facilitated the maintenance of critical supplies of vital protective equipment and medical supplies to strengthen our respective public health systems abilities to respond to and combat the pandemic;

Ensured foreign citizens employed in essential economic sectors in our respective countries have been able to continue working under clear sanitary guidelines;

Identified opportunities in multilateral meetings and fora to respond to and address challenges the pandemic has posed, including the G7 and G20;

Exchanged views on the unprecedented challenges posed to diplomatic work by the pandemic, and;

Shared best practices on how free and open societies can respond and combat the pandemic while continuing to uphold democratic principles.

As we begin to re-open our societies and restart the global economy, the United States and our North American partners will continue to collaborate on:

Sharing best practices and lessons learned as our societies, business, and governments return to work;

Mitigating the effects of border closures and diminished transportation links on global supply chains;

Maintaining necessary aviation and transportation links to allow essential movement of people and cargo;

Efforts to develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics and once developed, make them available, accessible, and affordable to all;

Strengthen the ability of multilateral institutions and fora to respond to the pandemic and future crises;

Actions to bolster North American competitiveness, and reenergize global growth and economic prosperity;

The United States and our North American partners welcome coordination with partners and international organizations who share our common objectives and principles and are capable of contributing to our efforts to foster global peace, security, and prosperity.
13.05.2020 LISTEN

MOGADISHU, Somalia 12 May, 2020  Somali media fraternity: Somali Media Association (SOMA), Somali Independent Media Houses Association (SIMHA), Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ) and Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) express their dismay by the recurrent incidents where some Somali government officials have faked invoices carrying logos of certain independent media houses to scam funds from international organizations, who are involved in the fight against Covid-19 in Somalia.

Following a meeting in Mogadishu on Monday 11 May, representative organizations of local media stations  which represent more than 50 media houses across Somalia - have expressed their concern that their media stations were targeted with fraudulent invoices with the aim to divert funds allocated for Covid-19 media awareness messages while these media houses have voluntarily disseminated public service announcement messages without charge.

We are concerned that these fraudulent actions have now posed new threats- not only financially but also security-wise- to the media houses and their journalists as their brand names and addresses were illegally used.

We call for the Somali Federal Government to immediately launch an investigation into this new trend of threats and take appropriate actions against individuals involved.

We applaud the courageous role played by the Somali local media houses during this critical time of Covid-19 including the media and journalists role of raising awareness and dissemination of WHO-approved health awareness to change public attitudes and behaviors towards Covid-19 in Somalia.
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There is a website known as Medpagetoday.com that correctly identifies itself as a trusted and reliable source for clinical and policy coverage that directly affects the lives and practices of health care professionals. It is a very popular website for people like me who write about health-related matters, particularly in the COVID-19 era where the key is to distinguish between truth and Internet hogwash. On Tuesday, there appeared a question-answer piece about the effect of the coronavirus has had on trauma medicine in emergency rooms. It featured Dr. Manny Sethis views on how the ravaging disease has affected our nations trauma efforts.

The question-answer project was done by two post-graduate medical students at the University of Missouri, Sarah Townsley and Audrey Wagner, under the direction of medical school professor Albert Hsu, MD.

Dr. Sethi, obviously, is acknowledged as an expert in orthopedic trauma.

Ironically, Dr. Sethi has just taken a two-month leave of absence to pursue a surgical approach to become the next senator from Tennessee, replacing the retiring Lamar Alexander. Manny, who was born in the United States to husband-wife immigrants from India, has a Tennessee heart. His parents moved to Hillsboro, Tn. (pop. 240) in Coffee County (county seat Manchester), as rural physicians where, in the next 30 years, they became legendarily loved. Manny attended high school in rural Coffee County High School and, due to his upbringing, founded a nonprofit Healthy Tennessee long before he had political aspirations. Healthy Tennessee has now benefited all the states 95 counties with its preventative medicine approach. Manny has our state in his soul and in his heart, believe me.

Here is the question-answer from a physicians view of COVID-19 from the frontlines, as it appears on Medpagetoday.com:

* * *

YOURE A SOLDIER, YOU KNOW THE RISKS

In an interview conducted about two weeks ago, this is Dr. Sethis discussion on his vantage point and hopes for the future:

Question: We are very curious, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, how has your practice and your patient care changed?

Dr. Manny Sethi: Honestly, for me, I'm an orthopedic trauma surgeon and Vanderbilt is the third-busiest level 1 trauma center in the country. So, for us, what I've seen around me, most elective orthopedic surgeons have had their surgeries canceled. But our volume, in fact, has gone up because most rural hospitals around us are not doing cases. I'm noticing an increase in violent crime here, we're seeing more stuff come in -- robberies, etc. So, it's busier, but obviously the "cold trauma" is less. So, a thing like bones that are not healed or things like that -- we're only doing what we call hot trauma. (NOTE: A hot trauma involves an urgent, life-saving procedure; a cold trauma is a surgery that can be put on hold without the patient being endangered. Think: a broken ankle where surgery has been performed and must be repeated.)

What are your thoughts on what the hot trauma is related to? Perhaps financial motivations, or a general state of panic?

I think people are just at home, and you know ... could it be related to the economy? Sure. But I just think there's more time for altercations and more time for different bad things to happen than when we have a normal bustling world.

That makes sense. So, when you are taking people to the OR for hot trauma, how have the protocols in the OR changed in terms of intubating the patient, number of people in the OR, staff, etc.?

The anesthesia folks are taking increasing precautions when they are intubating. We have a policy here of N95 masks, protective gear. Our problem is, when I'm in the operating room, or on Saturday at two in the morning when I got called in to an acute trauma, I'm running into an ER bay trying to control bleeding out of a near-complete amputation above the knee. The problem is you just don't have time for protective gear. You've got like 30 seconds, and you have to intervene. From our standpoint, when you have a minute to do that, it's good, but it's a problem because [when] you're in the heat of the moment, it's hard to stop for protective gear.

Have you received any guidance from your hospital system or the national organizations like AAOS [the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons], or other state or national organizations about how to handle surgical patients? For instance, like who to take back to the operating room or not?

My chairman and our CEO of the hospital are acutely involved in reviewing the cases that we're doing, that everybody has a sense of what's going on. I think it's to our discretion about what is reasonable to take to the OR. And, I haven't really seen much guidance from the academy or others. But, within our department, we're having active, ongoing discussion about what cases are critical.

As a trauma surgeon right now, what are some of your biggest worries about this pandemic? And, have any of those worries that have developed over the past few weeks actually started to come to life?

Yes. My biggest worry right now is that I get this thing and get very sick. And, I'm seeing that happen in my trauma colleagues. I have one colleague in Atlanta that is very sick right now, who was hospitalized. I believe he got out of the hospital now and is home. My mom is elderly, and she lives with us, I've got two very small children. But I think we are soldiers in a war right now, and when you're called to war you know the risk. When you're a soldier you know the risk. I think this is the battle of a generation for our doctors, nurses, healthcare providers. We're on the frontlines, it's an occupational hazard.

I think one thing that people forget about is that traumas, heart attacks, even things like bowel obstructions -- they still happen even though the coronavirus is going on.

That's right. I think this is really our time to shine as a profession right now. To remind America and remind the world of the power and the compassion of American medicine.

That's a great perspective. You mentioned you are nervous about possibly getting the coronavirus and what might happen if you brought it back to your family at home. Are you taking any extra precautions when you do go home? And, is there anything set up in the hospital or in the community to help prevent that?

What I'm doing is that when I'm coming home, I'm taking all my scrubs and everything, putting them in a plastic bag, and then changing before I walk in. In terms of the hospital or the city, nobody is really trying to help out -- they've got bigger problems! I can't reasonably expect that. I think it's safe to say -- I was talking to one of my partners this morning -- one or two of us is going to get this thing. You got to keep on keepin' on.

As a trauma surgeon working closely with the emergency departments as well, how has the trauma surgery team and then the emergency department been coming together or even been divided over this pandemic?

I think we're working smarter. So, for example, all of our rounds now are done via Skype. And, we're trying to stay away from -- I have five partners -- and we're trying not to be in the same area at the same time. We have two fellows, now we've kind of separated them. And, we have a PGY5 (5th-year resident) and a PGY2 (2nd-year resident) and they are basically taking a week on, a week off. Obviously, the physical or social distancing, all those things we are doing. I am trying to limit going down to the ER myself. But, in the settings of an acute trauma like the one on Saturday morning, you've got no choice.

What is the personal protective equipment access like? You said previously sometimes there just isn't time to use gear, but is this being compounded by a lack of access as well?

It's difficult to find N95 masks. We're being very thoughtful and careful about the gowns and gloves situation here. There is a national shortage. So, by us shutting down all the elective surgery I think that's going to help us. But the key thing I think that this shows you, is our dependence on the Chinese government or foreign sources for our PPE. I think, once this thing is over, we gotta bring all that stuff stateside -- immediately.

That's an interesting perspective. I really hadn't thought about that before, about where our sourcing is coming from.

I think it shows you how our entire healthcare system is sort of predicated on this supply chain that is in another country. And, that's insane. We gotta change it.

What do you think could be done to change that?

I think, I'm a strong supporter right now of the Defense Protection Act (DPA), to make sure that we're producing these things [masks] here immediately. You're seeing with masks, that people are coming to the conclusion that South Korea has such a lower rate of transmission because they did have masks and were all using masks. You see us pivoting that, where we don't have enough. I think with the Defense Protection Act, we will be doing that [making Personal Protection Equipment domestically]. But I think in the longer term, there is an opportunity in our country to have a second industrial revolution. This time it's going to be around healthcare tech. And that we make gowns, masks, the 20 vital drugs that you cannot make in the United States because of the compounding or what have you, that we need to make that stuff in America.

Absolutely.

And, I think the way we do that is we tax incentivize for any company that's willing to do this. We don't pick winners and losers, but we offer every corporation the opportunity to come back to America and produce stuff.

That is interesting. I think in light of the pandemic, if we could do that, that would be a positive that would come out of this and help us to be more prepared next time.

In my world of trauma (I gave this speech on Saturday afternoon to somebody), and you'll see this in your residency, some of these trauma patients -- they really get mangled. It's hard that first day of what you're gonna say. After 10 years, I've kind of got a speech I give to everybody. "This is probably the worst of your life. But the thing is, you're going to look back on this in 6 months, a year -- and it's going to be a turning point for you. Did you spiral downward? And did you use this as a point where everything went bad? Or, is it where you took a turn to be uplifting? And, to move forward?"

I think in our country, this coronavirus issue has devastated our economy, it's going to kill a lot of people. We've got to determine what it's going to do to us as a nation. I believe one thing: that it could teach us that this is the moment where we realized our dependence on China and others was too much. And that we brought a lot of our manufacturing back in-state.

In the event that additional providers are needed to fulfill critical care and ICU roles, what training or preparation are you and your colleagues undertaking to fill those roles, if needed?

I am doing modules right now for ventilator management. I am reading a couple of chapters about ICU management, vasopressors, and a couple of things I did as an intern. At Vanderbilt, we have a closed trauma ICU, we're one of the few in the country who have that. The general surgeon is responsible for managing those patients, but after being around it for so long, you have a gestalt for what to do. So probably, what I would imagine is a lot of us will end up doing more critical care management. But having said that, the trauma is not going to stop. So, I think we are in a little bit of a different place. (Definition: GESTALT is a word used in psychology circles that means a unified whole)

From a resident standpoint, are you maintaining the same number of residents on your trauma service, or are you taking more from other elective services?

Because all the elective cases are canceled, a lot of residents are volunteering to do COVID diagnosis clinics and volunteering in the ER to help out. Residents are also available to do trauma cases if there is need. We also have one fellow. So, we have a good amount of manpower and residents are able to participate in trauma cases if they so desire.

How have mid-levels, like NPs and PAs, been contributing to the workflow during the pandemic?

I cannot speak enough to the quality of our advanced practice nurses and physician assistants. They carry the ball for us in the management of patients. We could not do it without them. They have been key. Overall, in Tennessee, as our numbers of COVID increase, I think you will see more of the advanced practice nurses get involved. So, I cannot say enough about them. Our nurses are on the frontlines, they really are.

In your experience, how have patients adapted to this?

We are doctors and medical students but imagine most people don't know and understand what is going on here. All they can do [to inform themselves] is watch TV and listen to the radio, so people are really freaked out. With my patients, I am trying to explain it to them. But I'm also getting tons of calls, as I'm sure you are, from friends for whom I am their "doctor in the family" [so to speak]. [They're asking me questions such as] "Hey is this a real problem? What is this?" I would say in the hospital also, people are really worried, people are on edge.

In an effort to keep people away from the hospital itself, what have you and your colleagues been doing in terms of telehealth or telemedicine from an outpatient standpoint?

I did five telemedicine visits today out of 20. Our problem in Tennessee is that rural broadband is an issue and some of our trauma population is not the most tech-savvy. We are increasingly doing that. One of the positives is that you are seeing different states reduce barriers to telemedicine that we have been trying to deal with for a decade, and overnight, they've fixed them! I think that's one thing you'll see is more virtual visits from now on. And I think that's a good thing. Our problem in orthopedics, specifically, is that with telemedicine we cannot get x-rays. For a lot [of the telemedicine] people today, it's more like: "Hey, how are you feeling, how's your leg doing?"

The five visits that you did today, were they convenient for you? Did you find that they were effective enough in terms of diagnostics and plan management? Or were you still kind of thinking, I really wish I had X, Y, and Z to be able to do this effectively?

You know the x-ray part is hard. And when you're in a room with a patient, you can get a feel for how they feel by their body language. I tend to notice how someone walks into a room. So, I am missing those things.

Do you feel like there are areas where you are liking telemedicine?

I think the visit is faster and patients tend to address their problems more quickly. It centers them more quickly to discuss the issue that they're seeing you about. And maybe it's because they're more comfortable or because they're at their house.

Beside changes to medical supply chains, how else do you think healthcare will change as a result of this pandemic?

I think we're going to do more virtually. I think that we are going to be facing an overload. People are talking about overloading hospitals with this coronavirus. I'll tell you where another overload is about to happen: it's going to be after this quarantine is over. Because you have millions of people who have delayed procedures, mammograms, colonoscopies, or their total knee replacement. So, we're going to have to figure out as a healthcare system, how are we going to deal with this onslaught? And then I think we're going to have a real resource limitation in the months to come, and that's going to impact how we deliver care. I think we're also going to have to change our ability to respond to a pandemic. For example, our ability to adapt to rapidly changing health conditions in a surrounding population, our ability to effectively quarantine, etc.

As more rural hospitals close and telemedicine becomes more widely adopted, what can we do to ensure that rural populations are not left behind?

I think it shows you, number one, how integral a role internet plays in society, and I think we have to focus on the national structural broadband issue. But then I think we have to also give thought to how important rural hospitals are in our statewide healthcare system and our national healthcare systems. I don't think that we reflect that in terms of our federal policy towards reimbursement. The Medicare wage index gives places like San Francisco 1.5-2 times the amount of money for the same thing that's done at a hospital in Grundy County, Tennessee, 20 minutes from where I grew up. I think we're really going to have to think about that.

Tennessee recently suffered a natural disaster when a tornado came through. How has the COVID-19 response been similar and different?

I think with the tornadoes, you saw communities across the state come together. I was on trauma call the night the tornado happened. I think you're seeing the same level of community togetherness. What's different is, that tornado hit Putnam County. It was devastating; you lost lives, you lost kids, it was horrible. That was a disaster that we had to recover from and are still recovering from. This virus is a disaster that we are still in, and do not know when we will be able to start recovering from.

The question-answer session was conducted by two medical students at the University of Missouri, Sarah Townsley and Audrey Wagner, and medical school professor, Albert Hsu, MD, who is a reproductive endocrinologist.
Who would want to be a home buyer or seller at this time?

Hundreds of thousands of families have been stuck in limbo since the property market was all but frozen at the end of March.

Only those who stood to lose vast sums of money if they reneged on their contracts, and those moving into empty properties, have been allowed to push ahead. But now the buyers and sellers forced to put their plans on ice want answers.

Many have growing families and desperately need more space, some are relocating for work, or are first-time buyers whose extra rent bills are eating into their deposit.

Lockdown delay: The housing market has been all but frozen since buyers and sellers were ordered to postpone completion dates at the end of March

No doubt they were bitterly disappointed not to hear even a whisper of how we might get the housing market started in the Government's lockdown exit plan announced on Monday.

The good news is that ministers are finally waking up to the fact that they must take action.

And, as we report today, with some careful social distancing we could easily get people moving again  even if it means wearing a mask and gloves to view a house.

Some estate agents have been trying to keep the market alive by offering virtual viewings. But most of us wouldn't even think about purchasing a property without seeing it in person.

Crucially, we need physical valuations to resume in order to clear a vast backlog of mortgage applications. And removal firms must be confident that they can get people from A to B safely.

In March, banks pledged to extend mortgage offers for at least three months. Perhaps more should be following in the footsteps of Barclays and TSB and extending offers for six months.

Given the importance of the 7 trillion housing market to the UK economy, keeping it alive must be a priority.

If you are a buyer or seller who is stuck in limbo, please write to us at moneymail@dailymail.co.uk and share your story.

Rate betrayal

As Britain's biggest building society, Nationwide is expected to set a good example  not betray loyal customers by slashing savings rates to as little as 0.01 per cent. Its cuts go far beyond the Bank of England's reductions in March.

Even worse, in its letters setting out the changes it conveniently failed to mention more generous accounts open to new customers.

Our reader Gordon Turnbull blasted its actions as 'deplorable'. He tells us: 'I have been a customer for 20 years.

As a pensioner, I need all the help going when it comes to savings. I have voted with my feet and gone elsewhere.'

And it's clear he's not the only one, if the complaints from furious customers facing Isa transfer delays are anything to go by.

Chief executive Joe Garner may have accepted a temporary 20 pc cut to his salary, but given that his pay and perks could still tot up to around 1 million a year, is it too much to ask that he remembers those clinging to the lowest branches of the financial tree?

Policy palaver

With foreign holidays seemingly off-limits for months, why aren't insurers offering even a partial refund to customers who bought policies they now can't use?

These can be quite cheap, but for those with medical conditions, annual policies may cost hundreds of pounds.

Surely it can't be right that insurers are allowed to cling on to this cash when they know you won't be claiming for costly overseas accidents?

Save our cash

Last week we exposed how cash could end up a victim of the virus, with many stores now refusing to accept it over hygiene fears.

Money Mail reader Mary Hetherington says: 'Has anybody considered that the best way of dealing with cash in the crisis is to wash it? New plastic notes can also be washed, just don't iron them!'

If this sounds like too much effort, don't fret. Experts say that washing your hands carefully after handling cash should be precaution enough.

Cash is still a vital lifeline for thousands of people. They must not be abandoned.

v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk
OWOSSO, Mich. - Armed members of the Michigan Home Guard stood outside Karl Manke's barber shop, ready to blockade the door if police arrived. They were determined to help Manke, 77, reopen his shop Monday, in defiance of state orders, and dozens joined them, wearing Trump sweatshirts and Trump cowboy hats and waving Trump flags.

They gathered not because they desperately needed haircuts but to rail against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's approach to fighting the coronavirus outbreak in Michigan, one of the nation's worst hot spots. They were channeling President Donald Trump's support of such protests, but some also were taking aim at the state's Republicans, who they say have not done enough to "liberate" the state from safety measures that have ground life to a halt.

Michelle Gregoire, a 29-year-old school bus driver from Battle Creek who is running as a Republican for a seat in the state House, waved a yellow "Don't tread on me" flag at passing traffic. She derided Whitmer as "a tyrant." But she also urged Republicans "to get in line and get it together."

The protest and others like it - including two last month that included demonstrators with swastikas, Confederate flags and some with long guns inside the capitol - have alarmed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. But after Trump appeared to urge the militia members on, tweeting that they are "very good people" who "want their lives back again," they have forced Michigan's Republican lawmakers to strike a delicate balance, managing a deadly virus while also being careful not to contradict Trump or alienate their conservative supporters.

Though the coronavirus has infected more than 48,000 people in Michigan and has killed 4,674 as of Tuesday - the fourth-highest total in the nation - many of the protesters live in areas that have barely been touched by the virus but have been struggling with economic collapse because of it. GOP state lawmakers, who hold narrow margins in both the state House and Senate, have tried distancing themselves from the most vocal protesters while being careful not to appear to hew too closely to Whitmer's shutdown policies.

"The less partisan we can be through this entire process, the sooner we'll get out of it," said Lee Chatfield, a Republican, the 31-year-old speaker of the House who was working on the floor to adopt some of the governor's restrictions when armed militiamen entered the capitol building. "There are people who want to take covid-19 seriously but believe the governor's approach is the wrong call for our state," he said, referring to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Generally, residents of Michigan agree with Whitmer's approach, according to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll released Tuesday, in which 72 percent approve of her handling of the outbreak, and 25 percent disapprove. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, got the highest marks - 86 percent approval - but in general, Republican governors did not fare well in the poll, with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who moved to open the state early, getting an approval rating of just 39 percent.

Whitmer said in an interview Tuesday that she worries Republican state lawmakers, who have said she does not have the authority to continue her coronavirus executive order, are pushing people to violate it.

"They are feeding a lot into the behavior," Whitmer said. "We would be so much better off if everyone with a platform focused on the science and less about politics."

Protesters in Michigan have sought a radical turnabout in the state's response to the pandemic, with some demanding that Whitmer lift all restrictions. Many come from fringe movements and harbor deep suspicion of health officials and their warnings; the activists insist that the government has inflated the death toll and blown the dangers out of proportion. The event's main organizer, Ryan Kelley, a real estate agent from outside Grand Rapids, said he invited members of a local militia to the protests in Lansing as "security."

Chatfield, who appeared onstage with Trump at a rally in Battle Creek in December, said he disagrees with protesters who believe the death toll reported by the state is inflated. He worries that the activists are making it difficult for Republicans pitching more-pragmatic reopening plans to be heard.

"Those voices are getting drowned by those who are being over the line and derogatory," Chatfield said.

Mike Shirkey, a Republican, the state Senate's majority leader, was more direct, condemning protesters who "used threats of violence to stir up fear and rancor." Some lawmakers, frightened by the heavily armed demonstrators, wore bulletproof vests during the protests April 30.

"They do not represent Senate Republicans," Shirkey said in a statement. "At best, those so-called protesters are a bunch of jackasses."

Kelley, the organizer of the protest, said he was disappointed that many Republican lawmakers did not want to lift all restrictions immediately.

"You're elected to serve the people," he said. "You're not elected to serve yourself."

- - -

The coronavirus response debate in recent days here encapsulates the state's political dynamics, which traditionally have gravitated toward the center, with moderates on both sides.

While Trump won the state by 10,700 votes in 2016, there are signs Michigan is shifting to the left as it again stands to be a major battleground in 2020. That shift is apparent in Kent County, which encompasses the late president Gerald R. Ford's hometown, Grand Rapids. The county has the fourth-highest number of virus cases in the state and is the epicenter of the outbreak in western Michigan, where Trump performed well in 2016. Two years after Trump beat Hillary Clinton by three points in Kent County, Whitmer bested Republican Bill Schuette, who had been the state's attorney general, by four percentage points.

Moderate Democrats also won two congressional seats that had been occupied by Republicans in 2018.

Now, some see signs that Trump's attacks on Whitmer - and his support of hard-line protesters - could further endanger his prospects. Trump has railed against the first-term governor on Twitter and on television, at one point calling her " 'Half' Whitmer" in a tweet. At a news briefing in late March, after Whitmer criticized the federal response as inadequate, Trump insinuated that Whitmer was ungrateful and said he had instructed Vice President Mike Pence to not call her. He did not use her name, referring to her as "the woman in Michigan."

Rep. Fred Upton, a moderate Republican who represents a slice of western Michigan and faces a tough reelection challenge, has been working nearly round-the-clock from the side porch at his home in St. Josesph, helping constituents affected by the pandemic. He declined to comment on Trump's attacks on Whitmer, who he communicates with regularly via text messages.

"I'm focused on what my people want me to do, and that is continue to solve problems," Upton said. "That's where my focus has been, rather than point fingers. That's just not my style."

Shortly before Trump's attacks began, Michigan's entire congressional delegation - including six Republicans - had written a letter to the vice president pressing him to give the state more personal protective equipment. What the state had received, they wrote, was "inadequate given the circumstances."

"We urge you to immediately approve Michigan's pending requests for PPE and testing materials to the extent feasible," they wrote in the March 25 letter, which was first reported by the Michigan Advance.

Whitmer has capitalized on the attention drawn from the attacks, steadfastly backing her cautious approach to the virus and reveling in being anti-Trump. She wore a T-shirt emblazoned with "That woman from Michigan" on an interview with the "The Daily Show's" Trevor Noah on April 1. Her response to the pandemic has aided her rise and has put her in contention to be a possible running mate for Joe Biden.

Anita Kruschinska, a 46-year-old who owns a rabbit-and-poultry farm in northern Michigan, voted for Trump in 2016, and for Whitmer's Republican opponent, Schuette, in 2018. But she supports Whitmer's approach to the pandemic and wishes the governor would have extended restrictions that discouraged city dwellers from heading to vacation homes in her part of the state. She has an autoimmune disorder, and she believes the virus could be a death sentence for her.

She was critical of the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic and said it could influence how she will vote this year.

"They downplayed it too much," Kruschinska said. She was waiting to see "how it all plays out" before she decides.

- - -

Several leaders, including Whitmer, have expressed fear that the protests endanger efforts to curtail the virus, in part because they involve large crowds of people who are disregarding recommendations to socially distance. Sandy Baruah, who heads the Detroit Regional Chamber and previously led the U.S. Small Business Administration under President George W. Bush, said those who disobey the restrictions could spread the virus.

"It's something we're concerned about because it has really accelerated the political dynamic in what really is a public health emergency," Baruah said. "The governor and the legislative leaders have not found a way to work together during this crisis."

Baruah worries that the growing partisan rancor could become its own public health emergency. State lawmakers began challenging the governor's authority to extend her emergency declaration at the end of April and last week sued the governor. Activists saw an opening, and some groups began urging members to reopen their businesses.

State Rep. Mark Huizenga, a Republican, whose district includes Kent County, said he did not want to see business owners defying the governor's orders, even though he backed the lawsuit challenging her authority, saying that he is "operating under the direction that this is the law."

But at the barbershop in Owosso, the local sheriff has said he will not enforce Whitmer's orders. Republican lawmakers have not backed Whitmer's efforts to get businesses to comply. Chatfield's spokesman, Gideon D'Assandro, called Whitmer's orders "legally questionable at best."

The conflict has left business owners such as Bill Mansfield, who owns a lavender farm that draws tourists from around the world during the summer season, in a tough spot. Mansfield said he wants more clarity on when restrictions for public gatherings might change. The farm rents out its finished barn for concerts, parties and weddings, and he is unsure what to tell his customers.

"We have brides and their families who are calling and saying, 'What's the story here? What's the refund policy?' " he said. "We're prepared to move forward with whatever rules, but we just don't know what the rules are."

Mansfield, a Republican, said his views also do not align with protesters who want to see the state reopen immediately. He worries what that could mean for his staff who interact with the public, selling lavender face masks and cookies at the gift shop, and giving tours of the farm.

"I love my employees," he said. "I'm not interested in the crazy side of that, where I just want to open up no matter the cost."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:18:58|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Britain published its negotiating objectives for a free trade agreement with Japan, with talks beginning shortly via video conferencing, the Department for International Trade (DIT) said Wednesday.

The agreement, based on the existing (European Union) EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), could benefit Britain with a 1.5 billion pounds (1.8 billion dollars) boost -- around 0.07 percent of its GDP -- while increasing trade flows between the two countries by 15.2 billion pounds (around 18.6 billion U.S. dollars), according to the department.

British manufacturers of textiles and clothing, and professional and financial service providers are expected to be among the biggest winners of lowering trade barriers with Japan.

The DIT also views the trade talks with Japan as "the first logical step" towards joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a replacement pact after the United States exited the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

"Negotiations with Japan are an important step in CPTPP accession, a key UK priority, which will help us diversify our trade and grow the economy," said International Trade Secretary Liz Truss.

David Henig, director of the UK Trade Policy Project at the European Centre for International Political Economy, pointed out that a UK-Japan deal is forecast to deliver less to Britain's economy than the comparable forecast for the EU-Japan agreement, although the government said it would be "a deal that goes even further than the existing agreement".

Struggling in crucial talks with the EU after its departure from the bloc on Jan. 31, Britain started the negotiation of a free trade agreement with the United States last week amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The DIT said it will also set out its negotiating objectives for Australia and New Zealand shortly, with the aim of having 80 percent of total Britain's external trade with countries covered by free trade agreements by 2022. Enditem
Saudi Arabia has identified about 11,600 Nigerians reportedly stranded in the country, many due to the coronavirus disease, and is making plans to airlift them back home, an official has said.

The Nigerian embassy official, who is privy to the development but asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to journalists, said the Saudis decision was contained in a letter addressed to the embassy a few weeks ago.

The source added that the list, according to the Saudis, includes Nigerians who had visited the country for umrah  a lesser hajj  and were held up by the movement restrictions introduced by Saudi authorities as part of containment measures.

The kingdom, which recorded its index coronavirus case on March 2, had initially imposed a travel ban on some neighbouring countries before extending it to include European countries and 12 others, on March 12.

Minister confirms

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, confirmed the development. He said Nigerias logistics challenge has been responsible for the delay in the repatriation.

Speaking on Tuesday shortly after taking part in the daily media briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVId-19, Mr Onyeama told PREMIUM TIMES that some of the stranded Nigerians would have landed about a week ago, but that the country does not have enough facilities to accommodate them all for the 14-day quarantine period.

He said; We are aware of this In fact, they wanted to land last week, but they couldnt because there was no arrangement to receive them.

As you heard, we have a capacity we can absorb. The medical people have to monitor them for two weeks for quarantine. But there is only a certain number of port health authority staff who are able to monitor all these people as they come in.

As the SGF said, we have to finish the ones we have, then allow some more to come in. We cant allow everybody to come in because we dont have the capacity to house them and also to monitor them medically.

Saudis quoted figure surprises embassy

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia was surprised by the huge number of Nigerians contained on the Saudis list of Nigerians to be repatriated, and has responded to the letter by seeking clarification on how the kingdom arrived at such.

Our source said in the letter, the Saudis noted that only 340 Nigerians have indicated their willingness to return home. The Saudi authorities, therefore, wrote to seek the embassys cooperation in the search for the remaining 11,260.

The Saudi authorities officially stated that they will be taking charge of airlifting all Nigerians who came into the Kingdom for Umrah and or visit and got stranded here as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the official said.

He added that the embassy has requested the Saudi authorities to furnish it with more detailed information on what they have to enable it know how to play its own role accordingly.

Earlier, when contacted, the consular officer of the Nigerian mission in Saudi Arabia, Muhammed Aliyu, refused to speak on the issue.

In a message shared on WhatsApp with our reporter, Mr Aliyu said the embassy has no right to speak to the media on such matters.

He, however, directed this newspaper to Nigerias foreign affairs ministry, saying the approval to communicate with the media would have to be conveyed in writing to the embassy by the ministry.

Mr. Alabi, professionally, Embassy has no right to speak to the media directly or indirectly, except with express approval from MFA (ministry of foreign affairs) Headquarters in Abuja. The approval will be communicated in writing to the Embassy, with clear instructions, he said.

Mr Aliyu, however, confirmed that every official correspondence received by the embassy has been forwarded to the ministry.

The Embassy has forwarded every official correspondence received from Saudi Government to Abuja. Please, contact the appropriate department in the ministry for more information. Best wishes, please, he added.

In his response on Tuesday, the foreign affairs minister clarified that those on the list as identified by the Saudi authorities are not only those who had travelled to the country for spiritual or tourism purpose.

The minister said they include those who are illegally living in the kingdom without having necessary documents.

They are not just students but some people living there illegally and all kinds of people, Mr. Onyeama said of the composition of more than 11,000 Nigerians on the list.

Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigerian foreign minister says South Africa must act decisively.

Stranded students seek intervention

PREMIUM TIMES has also learnt that Nigerian students studying in various universities in the kingdom have appealed to the Nigerian government to approve a waiver for a Saudi Arabia airline that is meant to bring them back home to be able to touch down in the country.

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Hundreds of Nigerians who are mostly on scholarships sponsored by the Saudi government and who have rounded off their final examinations, have been asked to vacate hostels by their various university authorities.

In a letter addressed to the Nigerian ambassador in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a copy of which was shared with PREMIUM TIMES, the Association of Nigerian Students in Saudi Arabia, Imam Universitys branch, noted that the institutions department of scholarship has directed that they seek approval from the embassy to return home.

The correspondence, which was shared with our reporter by the associations president, Abdul-Hakeem Adesokan, listed the required assistance needed from the embassy to include letter from the embassy addressed to Saudi Arabias foreign affairs ministry voiding all hindrances and resistance for the safe return of the students back to Nigeria and carry out a COVID-19 test before departure.

The letter, which was dated May 3, also requested; A letter from the embassy directed to Saudi Arabia airline in order to conclude on a fixed date for the travelling.

Ministry, PTF in charge of such matters Diaspora Commission

When contacted, the chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the commission is not directly involved in all matters relating to evacuation and repatriation due to the coronavirus disease.

In a short message to our reporter, Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said the foreign affairs ministry and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF), which is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, are in charge of such matters.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

All issues regarding the above will be handled directly by the minister of foreign affairs and the PTF, she said.

Efforts in top gear

Although the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia refused to speak officially on the matter, a senior official at the embassy told PREMIUM TIMES that efforts were being made to evacuate Nigerians willing to return to home.

According to the source, the Saudi authorities have, however, not notified the embassy of any separate plan to take the students back to Nigeria.

The source disclosed that as instructed by Nigerian government, the embassy had continued with the compilation of the lists of Nigerians willing to be evacuated home.

As for the Nigerian students, we dont know of any special arrangements made for them by the Saudi authorities. The students, we are aware, especially from Islamic University in Madinah; King Saud University, Riyadh; Imam University, Riyadh; King Khalid University; Dammam University, among others, all applied to be beneficiaries of the proposed evaluation being made by the Nigerian government for all Nigerians in diaspora who are willing to return to Nigeria within this trying time of COVID-19.

In that respect, the embassy worked tooth and nail, day and night to get necessary data from those interested and is in communication with the concerned authorities in Nigeria for necessary lines of action.

The official could not give the exact figure of the Nigerian students in the country, saying the universities do not go through the embassy in offering the students admission, and so it is difficult to know the Nigerians studying in the country except few ones who have something to do with the embassy.

The Embassy has tried many times to get an exact figure of Nigerian students in the Kingdom, but due to the fact that these students are admitted directly from the Saudi government without any known recourse to aligning with the Nigerian end, we do not have the figure, the source said.

For your information, admission to Saudi universities are granted directly to the students after applying online through the individual university portal. However, we have roughly 200 Nigerian students willing to be part of the proposed evacuation exercise, and over a hundred of them are from Islamic University in Madinah, which has close to 500 Nigerian students studying in it in all levels of studies.

Pandemic

Since March 2 when it recorded its index case, Saudi Arabia as of May 13, has recorded a total of 42,925 confirmed cases, which is reported to be the highest of the states of the Arabian Gulf.

The country has also recorded 15,257 recoveries and 269 deaths.

Apart from shutting down its airspace, the Saudi authorities have also embarked on massive evacuation of the countrys citizens across the world, while also seeking cooperation of other nations for the repatriation of their own citizens.
Keep your eyes in the sky this weekend for a glimpse of a vintage military transport plane that played a major role in World War II.

The National Warplane Museum will be conducting flyovers in Western New York and Central New York on Saturday, May 16. The mission called Operation Thanks From Above, will honor first responders, health care professionals and essential workers. Two aircrafts will be flying over hospitals, Veterans Affairs locations, city centers, parks and other venues.

The museums very own Douglas C-47, also known as the Whiskey 7, will lead the mission along with one other plane, the MadMax, which is a P-51 Mustang with a Merlin engine. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, has called the Whiskey 7 one of the most vital pieces of military equipment used in winning World War II. It was one of the lead aircraft during D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, near the French village of St. Mere Eglise, Normandy.

The National Warplane Museum will hold a flyover mission "Operation Thanks From Above," led by a Douglas C-47, along with "MadMax," a P-51 Mustang with a Merlin engine. It will take place Saturday, May 16th in Upstate NY.Courtesy of the National Warplane Museum

During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has been forced to change their way of life. On the front line, health care professionals, first responders and essential personnel are working to keep everyone safe and healthy. According to the museum, the Whiskey 7 symbolizes bravery, sacrifice, hope and honor, which reflects these individuals.

This mission is one of many that are taking place across the country and we are honored to be a part of showing our gratitude and support for those on the front lines, says Todd Cameron, a member of the team organizing the mission and director of flight operations at the museum.

The National Warplane Museum will hold a flyover mission "Operation Thanks From Above," led by a Douglas C-47, also known as the Whiskey 7. It will take place Saturday, May 16th in Upstate NY.Larry Tetamore

Flyovers have occurred nationwide as a way for aviators to support and encourage their communities during the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels have recently saluted New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The morning flight route for the Whiskey 7 and MadMax starts at Geneseo to Fredonia, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Batavia and Rochester. Their afternoon flight route includes Dansville, Canandaigua, Sodus, Oswego, Syracuse, Auburn, and Geneva. The tentative scheduled fly over time for Buffalo and Rochester is 10 a.m. to noon, while for Syracuse area, its 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the museums Facebook page for updates. Check the full flight schedule in a document below the story. Organizers say viewers should begin looking to the sky 10 minutes prior to the listed time, in case of any changes.

The National Warplane Museum will hold a flyover mission "Operation Thanks From Above," led by a Douglas C-47, also known as the Whiskey 7. It will take place Saturday, May 16th in Upstate NY.National Warplane Museum

Residents in designated areas should be able to see the flyover from their homes. Just a gentle reminder for folks who are traveling  follow social distancing guidelines and wear a face mask.

Here are some facts about the Douglas C-47, according to Boeing:

Carries up to 6,000 pounds of cargo.

Holds a fully assembled jeep or a 37 mm cannon.

As a troop transport, it carries 28 soldiers in full combat gear.

As a medical airlift plane, it can accommodate 14 stretcher patients and three nurses.

Every branch of the U.S military and all the major allied powers flew it.

By the end of World War II, more than 10,000 had been built.

For all of its official and unofficial names, it came to be known universally as the Gooney Bird.

It remained in active military service after World War II with the 1948 Berlin Airlift and Korean and Vietnam wars.

The National Warplane Museum will hold a flyover mission "Operation Thanks From Above," led by a Douglas C-47, also known as the Whiskey 7. It will take place Saturday, May 16th in Upstate NY.Courtesy of the National Warplane Museum

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Opinion Article

13 May 2020

Due to increased globalization, the ripple effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has reverberated through every corner of the globe, causing loss of lives and jobs as well as a slump in general economic activities. The domino effect of the virus has brought untold pain and hardships to many individuals and organizations from all corners of the world. Apart from the loss of over 280,000 lives (as at 10th May, 2020), Bloomberg has projected that this pandemic could cost the world $2.7 trillion, equivalent to the UK economy. However, the impact has not been even across all industries. For instance, information communications technology (ICT) and its related industries have not felt the pinch as much as other industries.

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Impacts of pandemics and crises on tourism

The tourism industry has always been one of industries hardest hit by pandemics and crises. Throughout history, the industry has borne the brunt of major pandemics and plagues, notably, the Black Death (1346-1353), Spanish Flu (1918-1920 ), SARS (2002-2004), H1N1 Swine Flu (2009-2010) and Ebola Virus (2014-2016). The Spanish flu for instance, restricted travel for four months and killed 21 million people during that short period. Also, the swine flu pandemic led to the Mexican tourism industry alone losing almost a million overseas visitors over a five-month period which translated into losses of about US$2.8 billion.

The tourism industry is in a unique situation because transport serves as a vector for spreading the virus therefore it is usually targeted for breaking the chain of spread of the virus. Tourism has a dynamic element which involves movements and this invariably fuels the spread of viruses. The movement of people via air travel increases the risk of the spread of viruses at a much faster pace than normal. Thus, tourism is both a catalyst for the spread of viruses and a victim of the spread.

Pandemics and outbreak of diseases render destinations unattractive to tourists who are risk averse. Usually, travel restrictions, border closures, quarantine and social distance measures are instituted by governments to minimize or curtail the spre ad of viruses. The World Health Organization also issues travel advisories to discourage travel to destinations with cases of pandemics. These measures coupled with media sensationalism in news reports render destinations affected by pandemics unattractive. These result is fear of travel to those destinations and cancellation of flights, hotel reservations and other scheduled events.

During the outbreak of pandemics, almost everything connected to tourism is affected perhaps with the exception of the environment. In Italy, one of the countries hardest-hit by COVID-19, popular tourist destinations like Rome, Venice and Milan are deserted and occupancy rates have slumped to as low as 6%. On 26 March, the World Tourism Organization predicted a 20-30% loss in international arrivals in a press release. Meanwhile, the World Travel and Tourism Council has indicated that 50 million travel and tourism jobs are at risk due to COVID-19.

In spite of the monumental impacts on t he tourism and hospitality industry, it appears tourism's loss could be the environment's gain. There has been a concomitant fall in greenhouse gas emissions especially in industrialized countries as evident from satellite images of coronavirus hot spots around the world. This has been widely circulated on social media. In China for instance, emissions fell by 25% when factories were shut and cities were on lockdown. Also, the use of coal fell by 40% in the six largest power plants in the country. Whiles there is a lot of panic about the pandemic, nature is undergoing a healing process. It is expected that by the time we are done with the pandemic, nature would have been troubleshooted. Since the environment is the base product of tourism, destinations would become more attractive.

Airlines, tour operators, travel agents, attraction sites, car hire, restaurants and hotels have all been adversely impacted. All businesses and service providers along the tourism value chain including the farmer who supplies vegetables to a restaurant and a taxi driver who shuttles tourists from the airport to hotels are all affected.

Impacts of COVID-19 on hotels

Undeniably, hotels are one of the hardest-hit industries by COVID-19. As a result of massive cancellations of flights, tours, events, hotel reservations and a resultant decline in inbound travel, hotel occupancy rates and average room rates have dropped sharply causing unprecedented declines in profit margins. In Italy, 90% and 80% of all hotel bookings in Rome and Sicily respectively have been cancelled and for a relatively small tourist destination like Ghana, hotel occupancy rates are down from 70% to under 30%, with some hotels recording as low as 5%. Also, it has been reported that hotel industry REVPAR in the United States fell 11.6% for the week ending 7th March 2020. The problem is compounded by lockdowns and other social distance protocols announced by governments in an at tempt to 'flatten the curve'. Governments are in a dilemma as to how to flatten the curve without flattening their economies. Though hotels are experiencing substantial revenue losses, utilities, wages and salaries as well as other recurrent expenditure and statutory payments have to be made. From all intents and purposes, the hotel industry is headed for an unprecedented slump from COVID-19. According to experts, the pandemic will linger on for about two years. However, the fear of travelling and enforcement of social distance protocols will not go away soon after the pandemic subsides.

COVID-19 will leave the hotel industry badly bruised and there is a general agreement that the industry will not be the same long after the lockdowns and travel restrictions have been lifted. But hoteliers cannot afford to follow the existing model of operations. Hotels must adopt survival strategies against COVID-19. This calls for repackaging the hotel service to make it more attractive in this CIVID-19 era. After all, desperate situations require desperate measures.

It must be emphasized that the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on the entire economies of destinations and along the tourism value chain, requires government to provide leadership in managing the situation. Indeed, in most destinations, governments have instituted a number of austerity measures to help cushion businesses including hotels and restaurants off the debilitating effect of the pandemic. This has been in the form of relief funds, tax cuts, subsidies, credit facilities and employment support.

Survival strategies of hotels against COVID-19

However, hotels must also take their destiny into their own hands. The road to recovery is going to be a long one and hotels must start today. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Hotel managers must take steps to institute crisis management plans which must embody survival strategies namely, Cost-cutting, Orderliness, Virtualization, Integration and Domestication (COVID).

Photo: University of Cape Coast

Cost-cutting: Decline in demand for hotel accommodation resulting in decline in REVPAR requires hotels to embark on cost-cutting measures. Managers must identify non-essential services and areas with significant declines in demand during this period and mark them for cost-cutting in order to minimize or eliminate losses. This could be carried out by first shutting down unnecessary or redundant equipment in order to reduce utility bills. These include reducing the number of elevators and escalators in use, closing down some guest room floors and restaurants as well as stopping the use of some expensive but under-utilized facilities like washing machines. Another area to be targeted for cost cutting is labour cost. Specific measures in this area include laying off some of the temporary employees, negotiating salary reductions, requesting employees to clear their outstanding leave and take no-pay le ave as well as initiating no-pay leave and advance leave.Temporal staff could be laid off; however, care should be taken when dealing with permanent staff as management could be caught on the wrong side of the law for salary cuts and layoffs. Management could however hold discussions with labour unions and individual employees to agree on solutions that are mutually acceptable. Additionally, due to the low occupancy rates being experienced by hotels, managers can train their staff to multitask because of reduced work load in all departments. In a typical hotel, labour cost and utilities account for approximately 50% and 10% respectively of total operational costs. Therefore, implementing these cost-cutting measures will help reduce costs and improve the bottom line.

Orderliness: Indeed, we are not in normal times and we cannot afford to take chances or continue to live our lives the way we used to pre-COVID-19. COVID-19 has brought about a new nor mal. The new normal includes social distance and health protocols which must be religiously adhered to. Orderliness here includes sanitation, health and safety as well as operational procedures. Guests will now place more premium on their health and safety than service quality. The new standard for hotel operations includes measures instituted to curtail the spread of the virus. Hotels must strive to balance the need to reduce unnecessary expenses in order to improve the bottom-line and the moral responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their employees and guests.

The logical first step in ensuring that sanitation and health protocols as well as operating procedures are adhered to, is to involve employees in safety, security and health awareness training programs. This is referred to as the software approach. After training, management must institute measures to ensure that hygienic standards and social distance protocols such as frequent cleaning of surfaces, use of disposable materials, washing of hands and wearing of PPEs are adhered to by both staff and guests. The hardware approach involves installation of new hygiene equipment and facilities including chemical sterilizers, special air filters, sanitizers and sinks as well as procurement of thermometers for daily temperature-taking of employees and guests. Hotels have to demonstrate a strong commitment to providing services under strict hygienic standards in order to reassure customers and build guest confidence.

These measures must be instituted and enforced across all departments of hotels to prevent and decrease the spread of the virus because a hotel could easily serve as a medium for the spread of the virus. For instance, the SARS outbreak in 2003 was spread in a hotel by a physician from Guangdong who travelled to Hong Kong and while he was there, he stayed in a local hotel and infected other guests from Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Canada. These guest s subsequently spread the virus upon return to their respective countries and this sparked off the international spread of SARS. Strict adherence to sanitation, health and safety protocols must be ensured because any reported incident of spread of the virus in a particular hotel will seriously affect the brand image of that hotel in particular and the destination as a whole.

Virtualization: Another aspect of the new normal is that we must as much as possible avoid social contacts and live in a virtual world. Fortunately, advances in ICT makes this possible. For instance, apps like zoom, skype and zoho have facilitated videoconferencing. The reality is that there will be less people willing to go to a travel agency to book a hotel or a tour. Patronage of online channels, including online travel agents like bookings.com, expedia and priceline has become the order of the day. Also, hotels must leverage technology to fulfil social distance and lockdown requirements. U nder the new normal, robots, automated systems and digital systems will have to be deployed by hotels. The use of robots to sanitize and disinfect guestrooms and other public areas helps to avoid the spread of the virus through humans. Hotels should also integrate Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) systems into their websites and automate their revenue management systems (RMS) as this will help to collect and analyse customer data which could be used to tailor the hotel product to the needs of customers. Also, since the majority of people are staying at home in conformance to isolation and social distancing protocols, hoteliers should ensure that their hotels and activities are active on social media platforms. Social media should be used to engage with guests and relay vital information on services and other product offerings to them.

Certain functions such as reservations, digital marketing, sales and customer service support could be undertaken at home. Ho tel managers must ensure that some of their staff, including administrative staff work from home. Meetings could be held online. Hotels must also adopt digital marketing strategies including social media marketing, e-reservations and search engine optimization. Even in pre-COVID-19, 60% of guests did online search when booking a hotel. It is expected that this percentage will increase with COVID-19 through the post-COVID era.

Integration: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every hotel. To deal with the pandemic, there is the need for hotels to integrate their efforts and embark on common programmes that will benefit all hotels at a destination. The hotels association at the destination should unify the efforts of its members towards finding a common solution to the problem. The hotels association is in a better position to negotiate with government and the national tourism authority for austerity packages like tax cuts that will help reduce the burden on members. H otel associations can also provide technical and financial support for members.

Hotels must work closely with other stakeholders to develop recovery strategies. There is the need for hotel managers to recognize that though the efforts of individual hotels towards recovery from the loss of business is essential, co-operation with other stakeholders is even more important to overcome challenges confronting the entire industry. This is even more imperative considering the fact that tourism is multisectoral and multidimensional, as such the success of hotels hinges on the efforts of other segments of the tourism industry and other industries. Integrated efforts should however not be considered as a substitution for the individual efforts of managers. A hotel manager who simply banks all his/her hopes on other hotels or stakeholders, will be shirking his/her responsibilities.

Domestication: The reality is that the tourists are no longer coming because borders and airports have been closed, cities are on lockdown, flight restrictions have been imposed and travel advisories have been issued. As a result of the pandemic, coupled with lockdowns and flight restriction, the inbound tourism market is almost non-existent, so for hotels to survive, they must reach out to the local residents through innovative promotional packages. Hotels, including upscale hotels and resorts which traditionally cater for the inbound market should reorient their marketing strategies towards the domestic market. For hotels to succeed at this, they should discount their rates and repackage their products. For instance, hotels could enter into arrangements with local health authorities and come up with 'quarantine packages' for local residents who have to be isolated. In the same vein, there could be special packages for frontline health workers who may want to detach from their families for a while due to the risk if infecting them. Already, some hotel s are collaborating with government to serve as isolation centres. Care should however be taken under such circumstances so as not to endanger staff and other guests. Human contact should be reduced as much as possible and social distance protocols should be strictly adhered to. Meals should be delivered to guestrooms on trolleys or by robots. Housekeepers should be provided with PPEs and trained on how to clean the rooms of guests who are under quarantine. Protocols on how to monitor guests under quarantine should be developed and enforced in collaboration with medical officers.

Conclusion

The tourism industry has always proven to be resilient in times of pandemics and crisis and it is expected that post-COVID-19 will not be any different though the road to recovery could be long. With the outbreak of coronavirus and the resultant impact on hotels, we can only say that the industry is down but not out. Hotel managers must institute a crisis management plan ba sed on the COVID model outlined above to ensure that they keep their heads above water.
An aerial view of the Tesla Fremont Factory in Fremont, Calif. on May 12, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Tesla Can Reopen Next Week If Conditions Are Met: County Officials

Teslas factory in California can reopen next week if certain conditions are met, county officials said late Tuesday.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk reopened the factory on Monday, defying local officials who refused to let work resume.

In the new statement, Alameda County officials said they received Teslas plan for changes required due to the COVID-19 pandemic and responded to the company with additional safety recommendations.

If Tesla incorporates the recommendations, we have agreed that Tesla can begin to augment their Minimum Business Operations this week in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week, the statement read.

Tesla publicly released a 38-page plan (pdf) that includes guidelines for personal protective equipment, employee screening, and increased cleaning.

Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk speaks during the unveiling of the all-electric battery-powered Teslas Cybertruck at the Tesla Design Center in Hawthorne, Calif., on Nov. 21, 2019. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

California is under lockdown from executive orders issued by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The orders are aimed at slowing the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.

Manufacturers were allowed to reopen across the state Sunday, per a new order from Newsom. But Alameda County officials blocked the reopening.

An unelected county official illegally overrode Newsoms order, Musk said on social media. Also, all other auto companies in US are approved to resume. Only Tesla has been singled out. This is super messed up!

Scott Haggerty, the Alameda County supervisor for an area that includes Teslas Fremont plant, told The New York Times that health officials wanted Tesla to reopen no sooner than May 18. After he was informed that Musk was thinking about filing a lawsuit against him, Haggarty said, negotiations slowed down.

He could have spent time enjoying his new baby and given me and my staff a couple more days and his plant would have been open on May 18, Haggarty said. Am I somewhat sympathetic with Tesla? Yes I am. Am I sympathetic to the way Musk is treating people? No.

Tesla filed a lawsuit on May 9 asking for a judge to block the countys stay-at-home order. Hes been in discussions with Texas officials about potentially moving production to the Lone Star state.

A worker exits a Tesla Model 3 electric vehicle at Teslas primary vehicle factory after CEO Elon Musk announced he was defying local officials CCP virus restrictions by reopening the plant in Fremont, Calif. on. May 11, 2020. (Stephen Lam/Reuters)

Fremont Mayor Lily Mei said in a statement that she supported manufacturing companies reopening if they followed social distancing practices.

The City encourages the County to engage with our local businesses to come up with acceptable guidelines for re-opening our local economy, she said.

Newsom told reporters Monday he wasnt aware that Tesla had reopened.

The Alameda County Sheriffs Office said Monday that officials notified Tesla that they can only maintain Minimum Basic Operations until we have an approved plan that can be implemented in accordance with the local public health Order.

Musk, who hasnt yet responded to the countys Tuesday statement, said in an email to employees that he appreciated them bringing the factory back to life.

An honest days work spent building products or providing services of use to others is extremely honorable. I have vastly more respect for someone who takes pride in doing a good job, whatever the profession, than some rich or famous person who does nothing useful, he wrote.
A west Clare farmer arrested by Gardai the same day his mother was buried last week arising from a property dispute with a brother is set to face a new charge and celebrate his 53rd birthday behind bars.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, John Morrissey of Clonreddan, Cooraclare appeared via video link from Limerick prison.

Sgt Aiden Lonergan told the court that a further charge is to be brought against Mr Morrissey.

Mr Morrissey has spent the past week on remand at Limerick prison after Judge Patrick Durcan refused bail to the man and he is now set to spend another week on remand at the prison after he was further remanded in custody today.

Morrissey celebrates his 53rd birthday next Tuesday, May 19 and is charged with causing criminal damage to a fuse box at the home of his brother, Tom Morrissey at Alva, Cooraclare on May 5.

The Morrissey brothers mother was buried the same day and John Morrissey was arrested after the alleged criminal damage incident on the same day.

Sgt Lonergan told the court today that John Morrissey is also facing a number of unrelated traffic offences from a previous date.

One relates to a charge of dangerous driving and solicitor for John Morrissey, Stiofan Fitzpatrick stated that the alleged driving offences are to be contested.

Sgt Lonergan stated that the road traffic matters are listed for Friday and Judge Durcan stated that Judge Mary Larkin could list those for hearing at an early date.

In keeping with Irish Prison Service (IPS) protocol, Mr Morrissey appeared from a room at Limerick prison wearing a face mask.

Mr Morrissey laughed on a couple of occasions during the brief hearing via video link.

Sgt Lonergan suggested that the new charge could be brought against Mr Morrissey at the traffic court on Friday.

However, Judge Durcan stated that there was no need to bring a prison service van specially for Mr Morrissey and stated that he could be brought to court next Wednesday for that.

Mr Morrissey is already charged with damaging the door of the fuse box and smashing the fuse from the fuse box at the home of Tom Morrissey and left the house with no electricity on Tuesday, May 5.

Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution in court last week Sgt John Farmer stated that after charge and caution, John Morrissey replied: Thats not Tom Morrisseys f**king home.

Mr Fitzpatrick told the court last week: It is obvious that this is a family dispute and a family matter and there is a lot of tension and strong feeling in relation to that.

He added: Obviously, the reply after caution isnt one that you would normally expect but it is obviously what my client believes and he is being up-front about it.

He stated: My client believes that this isnt the property of his brother who is the complainant and he believes that this will be borne out in time when the estate is dealt with.

Mr Fitzpatrick stated that the property is owned by Mr Morrisseys late mother.

He stated: We dont know who that property has been passed onto. There is no information in relation to that.

Sgt Farmer told the court: The alleged injured party, Tom Morrissey has made a statement stating that he has resided by himself in the property for the past 12 years.

Mr Fitzpatrick stated that this will be strenuously disputed by John Morrissey.

Mr Fitzpatrick stated that John Morrissey farms all of the land surrounding the house.

Judge Durcan further remanded Mr Morrissey in custody to appear before the court next Wednesday, May 20.
The Q1 finance reports released by enterprises in nearly all business fields, from manufacturing and real estate to aviation and oil and gas, show big losses. Large enterprises have reported huge losses of trillions of dong.

As the state-owned enterprise (SOE) that runs the Dung Quat Oil Refinery, the first oil refinery in Vietnam, the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR) has reported a post-tax loss of VND2.332 trillion.



Because of the pandemic, the oil and petroleum inventory level increased rapidly. The Brent oil price plummeted by 70 percent from $68.34 per barrel on January 3 to $17.68 per barrel on March 31.



Clients have asked for delivery delays and payment deadline extensions. Skypec informed that it wouldnt receive Jet A1 from March 13 to the end of April because of the sharp fall in domestic and international flights.

Meanwhile, the crude oil output from White Tiger oil field increased by 2 million in the first five months of the year.



PV Oil also reported a net loss of VND537 billion in Q1 (it made a profit of VND38 billion in Q1 2019), raising the accumulative loss to VND1.2 trillion as of the end of Q1

The Q1 finance reports released by enterprises in nearly all business fields, from manufacturing and real estate to aviation and oil and gas, show big losses. Large enterprises have reported huge losses of trillions of dong.

In the real estate sector, Lideco reported modest profit of VND10 billion, down by 72 percent, because of slow sales.



Hoa Binh Construction and Coteccons, the two big contractors, also reported low profits  VND5.5 billion, z 7-year low, and VND123 billion, a 5-year low, respectively.



While the epidemic ate into the profit of enterprises in many business fields, it helped pharmacy and food companies earn more money. The pork price has been escalating because of the short supply. The herd of pigs has declined since 2019 because of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak.



In Q1, Vissan saw revenue increasing by 20 percent to VND1.453 trillion and post-tax profit increasing by 19 percent to VND46.4 billion. Dabaco reported the record profit of VND340 billion in Q1, increasing by 17 times compared with the same period last year.



Similarly, Mitraco had revenue of VND93 billion, an increase of 34 percent over Q1 2019. Vilico reported revenue of VND633.4 billion, up by 13 percent.



Regarding pharmacies and drug companies, Hau Giang Pharmacy reported post-tax profit of VND177 billion, up by 31 percent thanks to the higher drug demand during the epidemic. Meanwhile, Imexpharm saw pre-tax profit of VND51 billion, up by 13 percent.



Nguyen Dinh Cung, a respected economist, commented that Vietnams enterprises, especially private ones, have high flexibility but low endurance.

Thanh Lich

Petrol firm Petrolimex reports a loss of VND1.9 trillion The Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) reported a loss of nearly VND1.9 trillion (US$80.75 million) in the first quarter of 2020 as consumption was dampened by the coronavirus outbreak.
A prominent civil rights and personal injury attorney has been hired by the family of a black woman who was fatally shot by Kentucky police in her home.

Attorney Ben Crump has represented the families of other high-profile black shooting victims, including Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery.

He was hired Monday by the family of Breonna Taylor, who was 26 when officers entered her Louisville home early March 13 as part of a narcotics investigation and fatally shot her, outlets reported.

Police said they were returning fire after one officer was shot in the apartment and wounded.

A defense attorney for Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, has said in court filings that Walker fired in self-defense because police did not announce themselves and he thought officers were breaking in.

The police department has declined to answer several questions about the case, citing an ongoing internal investigation.

Taylor's family filed a lawsuit last month police that says the officers were not looking for Taylor or her boyfriend, but for a suspect who was already in custody.

"Breonna Taylor was shot at least eight times by the officers' gunfire and died as a result. Breonna had posed no threat to the officers and did nothing to deserve to die at their hands, reads the complaint, which was filed by two local attorneys. Crump called the killing inexcusable in a statement to outlets.

"We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department," Crump said.

"Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, the Department has not provided any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred, nor have they taken responsibility for her senseless killing.

Louisville Metro Police Department spokeswoman Jessie Halladay said in an email that the internal investigation continues. She declined to comment further.

Crump also represents the family of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was fatally shot in February in a coastal Georgia town. A white father and son were arrested last week after video emerged of them confronting Arbery, which led to a struggle with punches thrown, three shots fired and Arbery collapsing dead.

The men told police they suspected Arbery was a burglar and it took more than two months for the arrests, which is fueling calls for the resignation of local authorities who initially investigated the case and reforms to Georgia's criminal justice system.

Crump also was involved in the 2012 case of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black Florida teenager shot and killed by a neighbourhood watch volunteer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Visitors wearing face masks take selfies at Shanghai Disney Resort after the coronavirus pandemic on May 11, 2020 in Shanghai, China.

Shanghai Disneyland may have been able to reopen, but Disney could be on track to lose around $1 billion in earnings before interest and taxes each month from the rest of its parks being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this month, Disney revealed that its parks, experiences and consumer products segment took a $1 billion hit in revenue during the second quarter because its parks, cruises and stores were forced to shutter. That loss has been the baseline for analysts to forecast future losses in the third quarter and beyond.

"We intend to continue doing work to refine this estimate, but we don't have much to go on," Todd Juenger, analyst at Bernstein, wrote in a research note Wednesday. "Disney did not provide nearly as much information as we had hoped with respect to the burn rate of Parks while they are closed, or the economics of opening at reduced capacity."

During the second quarter, Shanghai Disneyland was closed for more than half of the quarter, while domestic parks, Paris Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland were closed for only a few weeks.

So far in the third quarter, all parks remain closed except for Shanghai Disneyland, which reopened on May 11 with reduced capacity. Juenger said it's hard to gauge what the impact is of running the park with fewer guests in attendance. Currently, it is allowing less than 30% of its typical capacity into the park.

Meanwhile, Disney is saving on labor costs elsewhere, as its parks employees were furloughed in mid-April and executives took salary reductions.

"Balancing the offsets, for now we estimate the approximate monthly impact on [earnings before interest and taxes] will remain in the $1 billion range," Juenger wrote.

When Disney reopens its other parks, it is likely they will also welcome fewer guests for a period of time. Expectations are that Disneyland and Walt Disney World will operate at well under 50% capacity.

Despite these headwinds, Juenger said his firm remains "unconcerned about liquidity, refinancing, or even covenants," when it comes to Disney.

"To extent Disney trips any financial covenants, we are quite confident the banks would grant them an exception," he wrote.

This week, Walt Disney raised nearly $11 billion in an offering of senior notes, with maturities ranging from 2026 to 2060. On March 28, it had around $14.3 billion in cash on hand.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended detention of former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) by three months, official said on Wednesday.

Faesal, who has been under detention after scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was booked under the PSA in February this year.

His detention was extended barely hours before it was to come to an end on Wednesday.

The PSA has two sections, 'public order' and 'threat to the security of the state'. The former allows detention for three months which can be extended to a year and the latter for two years.

Faesal was stopped from taking a flight to Istanbul at the Delhi airport during the intervening night of August 13 and 14 last year and flown back to Srinagar, where he was detained.

The former bureaucrat from Jammu and Kashmir had floated the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement party after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
It's "hammerhead" time according aerial drone footage of blacktip sharks fleeing to shallow waters when confronted by a huge predator along the coast of southeast Florida. Footage from the drone provides the first evidence of adult blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) using shallow waters as a refuge from the great hammerhead shark, (Sphyrna mokarran) - proving you "can't touch this."

Several juvenile shark species use shallow water nursery sites where the young can grow with a reduced risk of predation. However, prior to a study by Florida Atlantic University, no documentation was available to show that large adult sharks also swim in shallower waters to avoid predation.

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) enabled FAU scientists to unobtrusively observe and allow natural behaviors to be documented in the wild, providing insight into seldom-seen predator-prey interactions. Results of the study are published in the Journal Fish Biology.

The blacktip shark is both an agile predator of teleost fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans and a prey for larger sharks, such as the great hammerhead, which can get as big as 18 feet long. Despite their large size, hammerheads are often found in relatively shallow waters that are likely an important area for their feeding. Their prey typically includes stingrays, bony fishes and other sharks, so it is no surprise that they have been spotted in and around the blacktip shark aggregations, which provide an abundance of possible prey.

On three separate occasions, a UAV recorded footage of a hammerhead shark approaching an aggregation of blacktip sharks in the nearshore waters of Palm Beach County. The average length of the blacktips captured in the area is under 6 feet, which the researchers used to calibrate the scale in the video footage to estimate the distance from shore for these interactions. Based on this estimate, all videos were recorded less than 150 feet offshore of the beach, in water no more than waist deep.

In all three events, blacktip sharks used the shallow waters close to shore as a refuge from a great hammerhead. The hammerhead sharks in the videos were at least twice the size of the blacktip sharks making them approximately 12 feet long. The three separate videos were recorded during the day on Feb. 28, 2018, Feb. 28, 2019 and March 3, 2019.

"In two of the three videos, the hammerhead shark actively chased one or more blacktips toward the shore but was unsuccessful at capturing its prey," said Stephen Kajiura, Ph.D., senior author, a professor of biological sciences and director of the Elasmobranch Laboratory in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. Kajiura co-authored the paper with his undergraduate student and lead author, Melanie D. Doan. "The chases ended with the hammerhead making a sharp turn away from its intended prey and the shore, back into deeper waters. The chasing events showed the hammerhead struggling as it experienced difficulty following the blacktips into the shallow waters."

Hammerheads are known to possess an exceptionally tall first dorsal fin, longer than their pectoral fins. Their large dorsal fin is proposed to generate lift when swimming on their side, instead of facilitating propulsion and precise turning, as seen in every other observed shark species. The caudal fin thrusts and propels the shark forward, but both the dorsal fin and upper lobe of the caudal fin are seen breaching the surface in each of the videos in the study.

"When the dorsal and caudal fins of hammerhead breach the surface, they are neither generating lift, providing thrust, nor helping to facilitate turning as efficiently as when they are completely submerged," said Kajiura. "The shallow water thus constrains the locomotion of the hammerhead, which provides the blacktip shark with a functional refuge because their smaller size allows them to continue to swim and maneuver effectively away from their larger predator."

Some of the footage analyzed in this study was generously provided by a local citizen scientist and film maker, Joshua Jorgensen. The increasing popularity of UAVs will likely lead to additional fortuitous observations that can further inform the understanding of behaviors that are difficult to observe or have been previously undocumented.

"The predictable seasonal occurrence of large numbers of blacktip sharks in clear, shallow waters close to the beach in Palm Beach County, Florida, provides an excellent opportunity to employ unmanned aerial vehicles to quantitatively explore the collective behaviors and swimming kinematics of large sharks during natural predator-prey interactions," said Kajiura.

###

Funding for this study was provided by the Colgan Foundation.

About Florida Atlantic University:

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU's world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU's existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit fau.edu.
Police disguise as food delivery drivers to arrest drug suspects

PHUKET: Unable to apprehend drug suspects speeding through Phuket Town on motorbikes and running red lights, police disguised themselves as food delivery drivers in order to catch the culprits, Muang District Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Danai Jaikaeng has revealed.

policedrugscrime

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 13 May 2020, 11:21AM

Border Patrol Police arrested two men with 7.62g of ya ice they said they ordered from Bangkok. Photo: Border Patrol Police

Border Patrol Police arrested two men with 7.62g of ya ice they said they ordered from Bangkok. Photo: Border Patrol Police

Border Patrol Police arrested two men with 7.62g of ya ice they said they ordered from Bangkok. Photo: Border Patrol Police

Border Patrol Police arrested two men with 7.62g of ya ice they said they ordered from Bangkok. Photo: Border Patrol Police

Border Patrol Police arrested two men with 7.62g of ya ice they said they ordered from Bangkok. Photo: Border Patrol Police

Border Patrol Police arrested two men with 7.62g of ya ice they said they ordered from Bangkok. Photo: Border Patrol Police

The officers apprehended five suspects, four men and one woman, starting at 5pm last Saturday when officers arrested Annopa Muek Nakhet, 22, and Thanathorn Fluke Khiew-in chan, 22, at Wichit Nom Klao Rd in Phuket Town.

The pair were found in possession of 21.1 grammes of crystal meth (ya ice), Mr Danai explained.

Both men were charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, he added.

At 9:40pm that night, officers arrested Praerawee Prae Songnam, 27, in Soi Paneang 1, Rassada. She was found with just 0.9g of ya ice, but was also charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, Mr Danai said.

The next day (May 10) officers arrested Warodom Arm Niranwirote and Watsana Kus Trirattanakorn, both 18, in Anuphas Phuket Kan Rd Soi 9 in Phuket Town at 6:30pm.

The teenagers were found with 100.2g of ya ice, Mr Danai said.

Warodom and Watsana were both charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, he added.

All five suspects were charged at Phuket City Police Station, Mr Danai said.

News of the five arrests came as Border Patrol Police announced that they had arrested two drug suspects, also last Saturday (May 9).

Capt Amphon Samothai of Border Patrol Police Company 425 reported that his officers had been informed that Santi Ood Linanon had been selling drugs to teenagers in Phukets Muang District and that he carried drugs with him.

Officers on Saturday followed Santi and Chanapai Sam Thanapatpanyaphon, 40, originally from Samut Prakan, to where they parked their vehicle/s (not defined in report) in front of a shop near Nimit Circle (also called the Seahorse Circle) in Phuket Town at about 10am

The officers presented themselves and searched the men, but found no drugs.

However, for some reason, according to Capt Amphons report, both Santi and Chanapai admitted to the officers that they used drugs.

Then officers detained them for further investigation, Capt Amphon said in his report.

While in custody, Santi apparently admitted that he had hidden drugs at his home. A subsequent search of his accommodation found 7.62g of ya ice, Capt Amphon reported.

Santi was then taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, Capt Amphon noted.

During questioning, Santi told police that he bought the drugs from Chanapai, Capt Amphon also reported.

Chanapai then admitted that he had given the ya ice to Santi.

He said he had drugs in his own room at one of the condominiums on Phra Phuket Kaew Rd, Kathu. Officers searched the room and found 146.6g of ya ice, a digital scale and drug equipment, Capt Amphon said in his report.

Chanapai also told police that he had ordered the drugs from a Mr Dun or a Mr Ball in Bangkok, who had the drugs delivered by a private transportation company, Capt Amphon said.

Chanapai was taken to Kathu Police Station, where he was charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, Capt Amphon noted.

Border Patrol Police in Phuket, where the only land crossing border is at the Phuket Check Point at Tha Chatchai, are often involved in drug arrests on the island and appear to operate independently.

However, Border Patrol Police Lance-Corporal Jakkrit Sangsaart, 23, from Chachoengsao, assigned with Company 425, was charged with shooting dead Theerasak Sae-Ong on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd near Saphan Hin at about 3:30am on Jan 19 last year.

Mr Theerasak was the 30-year-old son of Rassada Municipality councillor Charoen Sae-Ong.

Jakkrit presented himself at Wichit Police Station late the next day and initially denied the murder charge against him.

Nearly a week later, on Jan 26, Pol Col Nikorn Somsuk, Wichit Police Chief at the time, confirmed that Jakkrit had admitted to the murder charge and to a charge of carrying a firearm in public without a permit.

Of note, the victim Mr Theerasak had a bullet wound on his left temple and an exit wound on his right temple. Police initially reported finding at the scene seven bullet casings, but no firearms were reported as found.

No further details about the slaying, including what sentence was handed down to Jakkrit for the murder, have been made public.
Former Trump national security adviser seeks to withdraw 2017 guilty plea in which he admitted to lying to the FBI.

A federal judge in the United States made it clear on Tuesday that he would not immediately rule on the Justice Departments decision to dismiss its criminal case against former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying he would instead let outside individuals and groups weigh in with their opinions.

The move suggests US District Judge Emmet Sullivan is not inclined to automatically rubber-stamp the departments plan to dismiss the Flynn prosecution.

Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general who served as an adviser to then-Presidential candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 election campaign, had been seeking to withdraw his 2017 guilty plea in which he admitted to lying to the FBI about interactions with Russias ambassador to the United States in the weeks before Trump took office.

Flynns lawyers, both in court and in public, had argued that he was ambushed as part of a plot by biased investigators and that the case should be dismissed. Trump said in March that he was considering a pardon for Flynn, who briefly served as the presidents top in-house adviser on national security concerns.

Last week, the Justice Department said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had insufficient basis to question Flynn in the first place and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.





The department said that dismissing the case was in the interest of justice, and that it was following the recommendation of a United States attorney who had been appointed by Attorney General William Barr to investigate the handling of the Flynn investigation.

The decision must first go through Sullivan, who said in a written order on Tuesday night that given the current posture of this case, he anticipated that individuals and organizations will seek leave of the Court to file briefs expressing their opinions.

That is probably a reference to the considerable debate the Justice Departments action has prompted over the last week, with some former law enforcement officials who were involved in the investigation expressing their dismay over the planned dismissal through public statements and newspaper opinion pieces.

Objections to Justice Department order

The judge said he expects to set a scheduling order governing the submission of such briefs, known as amicus curiae  or friend-of-the-court  briefs.

In a court filing on Tuesday night, lawyers for Flynn objected to an amicus brief that a group identifying itself as Watergate Prosecutors had said it intended to submit, saying the brief and others like it have no place in this court.

A criminal case is a dispute between the United States and a criminal defendant. There is no place for third parties to meddle in the dispute, and certainly not to usurp the role of the governments counsel, Flynns attorneys wrote.





It is also possible that Sullivan could ask for additional information from the department about its decision, including more details about why it was abruptly abandoning a case it had pursued in court since 2017, when Flynn pleaded guilty.

In an interview on Tuesday evening with Fox News, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said the departments position was clear in the motion to dismiss the case.

We do not believe this case should have been brought, we are correcting that and we certainly hope that in the interest of true justice, that the judge ultimately agrees and drops the case against General Flynn, she said.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference on Wednesday at 4 pm at National Media centre to give details of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore.

Zee Media sources have said that Nirmala Sitharaman will hold 3 press conference over the next 3 days. Sources have said that the economic package will be announced by FM Sitharaman in 3 parts.

On Wednesday, the FM will announce details of economic package related to the poor. On Thursday (May 14) details related to MSME sector will be announced, while on Friday (May 15), FM will announce detailed measures for bigger companies, sources said.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a massive new financial incentive on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore. This package of Rs 20 lakh crore is expected to give a new impetus to sagging economy.

As per sources, the Finance Minister may give maximum benefits to the struggling MSME sector by announcing Rs 2.50 lakh crore for the sector. It may also announce PF relief to MSME sector employees. Government may give extra money to the EPF account of employees of MSME sector. Government will also help with loans taken by the MSME sector, sources said. ESIC has a fund of over Rs 30 thousand crores. This can be used for MSME, which the FM may announce.

It may be noted that PM Modi in his speech had emphasised that bold reforms are needed to make the country self-reliant so that the impact of crisis such as COVID can be negated in future that ranges from supply chain reforms for agriculture, rational tax system, simple and clear laws. He also pointed that measures must be in place to attract investment and further strengthen 'Make in India'.
S Lalitha By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Passengers on board the first repatriation flight from London to Bengaluru were relieved to have touched down on Monday, and expressed confidence they were safe from the COVID-19 virus here. This is the first passenger flight landing at KIA since March 24, and had 326 passengers on board, including three infants, apart from a 12-member crew.

Aditya Shetty, an M.Sc student in International Business Management, reached Bengaluru with four of his friends. I am very happy. I was trying to return to India since March, due to the terrible scenario in the UK. The kind of precautions people seem to be taking here are lacking there. India feels safe, he said. He will be quarantined at a hotel for the next 14 days, and is fine with it too.

Pawan, a software engineer, had just one word for the UK situation. Its horrible. No one is following the lockdown and you feel really unsafe. So I decided to return with my wife and kid. Pawan said the booking process was smooth. Priyanka Dasari, into her seventh month of pregnancy, was allowed to travel because of her condition, but her husband was not.

The flight was heavily overbooked. My parents are in Andhra Pradesh and I am employed in Bengaluru. I have to manage everything on my own here, so I have mixed feelings about reaching India, she added. Chirag MG came here to do a one-year course and his thesis is still pending. Great care was taken to ensure social distance as soon as we reached Bengaluru and all checks are being done, he said.

Live blogger



Bengalurean Meghana (twitter handle @GoingMeghana) tweeted her entire journey from London to Bengaluru -- from the packaged food and water, lack of protective gear for a few rows, and other trivia. Slightly anti-climatic as no one clapped this time... she tweeted.

Pregnant woman rushed to hospital



A 27-year old woman from Bengaluru in the third month of pregnancy, who landed at Kempegowda International Airport on the first repatriation flight from London on Monday morning, was rushed to KC General Hospital at Malleswaram in an ambulance after she started experiencing severe pain.



A source in the hospital said the woman experienced spotting (light vaginal bleeding during pregnancy). Both mother and baby are fine now and recuperating in hospital.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 12:08 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7b59ca 1 National rice-field,electric-rat-trap,farmers,Central-Java Free

Six farmers in Sragen regency, Central Java, have been electrocuted to death in the past month by electric rat traps installed in rice fields.

Sragen Regent Kusdinar Untung Yuni Sukowati warned farmers against installing electric rat traps, saying that it violated the law.

If someone dies [because of the electric rat traps], we will sue the owner of the rice field who installed the traps. Criminal law will apply, Yuni said on Tuesday during a COVID-19 education program conducted in Kicik village of Tanon district, Sragen, as quoted by kompas.com.

Yuni also told the subdistrict heads present during the program to tell farmers about the ban on electric rat traps.

Read also: Sukoharjo farmers wage war on rats in extermination contest

Sragens Office of Agriculture and Food Security head Eka Rini Mumpuni Titi Lestari also issued a circular regarding the ban, which has been disseminated to village heads and respective military and police officers.

We issued a circular to the field agriculture instructors in each district so they can forward it to their counterparts in villages, Eka said.

She advised farmers to use harmless and environmentally friendly rat traps in addition to fumigating rat nests and keeping owls as a natural predator instead of using electric traps.

The use of electric traps for rat control is not recommended because they are very dangerous and can result in the death of animals and people in rice fields, Eka said, adding that the use of electric traps was especially dangerous in cases of floods.

We ask all parties to educate and inform the public that the use of electricity to kill rats is not recommended and is banned, she went on to say. (mfp)
By Laman Ismayilova

Baku Children's Theater will host the 4th Festival of Solo Performances as part of "One Theater - One Festival" project.

The festival is planned to be held after the end of the quarantine regime under the motto "Stay at home, but do not stay without a theater".

The main goal of the festival is to provide a creative platform for actors to demonstrate their acting skills as well as to expand festival traditions in Azerbaijan.

At the moment, every actor who works in the Baku Children's and Youth Theater at home is preparing his own play for the festival.

Those wishing to take part in the festival are not limited by its genre. Only performances that have passed the first stage (internal review) will be allowed to join the festival.

Founded in 2001, Baku Children's Theater successfully cooperates with relevant international organizations including International Committee of the Red Cross and the Office of the Council of Europe.

Over the past years, the theater has implemented projects such as "Our Theater Festival I", "Our Theater Festival II", and "The Turkish Peoples Theater", etc.

In November 2009, a theater studio for children with special needs in Baku Children's Theater was established.

The theater studio performed within the framework of the 4th National Festival of Contemporary Performances of Children's and Youth with Disabilities which was held in Azerbaijan and at the 2nd International Youth Festival for People with Disabilities in Moscow, where it was awarded a diploma.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
iStock / Getty Images

En espanol | If you're a representative payee for someone who receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you have plenty of jobs to do. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has added one more: offering assistance to your beneficiary with his or her $1,200 economic stimulus payment.

Representative payees are appointed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help certain Social Security and SSI recipients manage their benefits. They also keep records of all payments received and how they spent or saved them on behalf of the beneficiaries. Every year most representative payees have to file a report to the SSA on how the money was used. (Parents and legal guardians of a minor who lives in the house are exempt, as are parents and spouses of a disabled adult beneficiary.)

Social Security and SSI beneficiaries who filed a tax return in 2018 or 2019 should receive, or have already received, a $1,200 stimulus payment directly to the bank account indicated on their return. If no direct-deposit information was included on the return, a paper check will be mailed to the address the beneficiary listed on it. The payment will go directly to the beneficiary, not the representative payee.

For Social Security and SSI beneficiaries who didn't file 2018 or 2019 tax returns, the IRS will use information the SSA provides to generate stimulus payments. In this case, representative payees will receive the stimulus payments on behalf of their beneficiaries in the same way they get monthly benefit payments  namely, by direct deposit, Direct Express debit card or paper check. SSA says the IRS started issuing stimulus payments electronically on May 22 to approximately 1.4 million SSI recipients with representative payees and 10.4 million Social Security beneficiaries with representative payees. Paper checks were scheduled to go out in the mail starting May 27.
A court in Yerevan on Wednesday rejected fresh demands for former President Robert Kocharians release from prison which were backed by three former Armenian prime ministers.

Former Prime Ministers Vazgen Manukian, Khosrov Harutiunian and Karen Karapetian appeared before the court last Friday to guarantee in writing that Kocharian will demonstrate proper behavior and not go into hiding or obstruct justice if set free. A former Karabakh premier, Anushavan Danielian, also signed such a statement and handed it to the presiding judge, Ann Danibekian.

In addition, Kocharians lawyers submitted two petitions demanding his release on health grounds or on bail. They insisted that he risks being infected with coronavirus in a Yerevan prison.

Danibekian rejected all of those petitions, effectively siding with prosecutors strongly opposed to the release of the 65-year-old ex-president prosecuted on coup and corruption charges.

One of Kocharians lawyers, Aram Orbelian, condemned the judges decision, saying that it has nothing to do with justice and represents further proof of his clients political persecution ordered by the Armenian government. He said he and the other defense lawyers will likely appeal against the decision.

Danibekian had repeatedly refused to free Kocharian pending the outcome of his ongoing trial since taking over the high-profile case from another judge, Davit Grigorian, last August.

Grigorian was controversially charged with forgery and suspended in July 2018 two months after ordering Kocharians release. The ex-president was arrested again in June.

Kocharian, who governed Armenia from 1998-2008, was hospitalized on April 28. He underwent surgery at Yerevans Izmirlian Medical Center on Tuesday for the second time in seven months.

The hospitals director, Armen Charchian, told RFE/RLs Armenian service that is was connected with what he described as a more difficult operation which Kocharian had in October. He did not go into details.

Kocharians son Levon said after the October surgery that the ex-president had a benign tumor.

Kocharian and three other former senior officials stand trial on charges mostly stemming from the 2008 post-election unrest in Yerevan. He rejects all charges leveled against him as politically motivated.
Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered coronavirus testing for all Texas nursing home residents and staff after the White House urged the nations governors to do so as deaths mount nationwide.

The directive by Abbott, a Republican, to state health officials came hours after Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the White House coronavirus task force, told governors on a video conference call that it was the federal governments strong recommendation to test all nursing home residents in the U.S. in the next two weeks.

It also came as San Antonio officials announced the first death of an employee at a nursing home that in April was struck by one of Texas first major outbreaks. More than 100 people tested positive for the virus at Southeast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and 18 residents have died.

The employee was a woman in her 60s with underlying medical conditions, said Laura Mayes, a spokeswoman for the city.

More than 26,000 residents and staff have died from outbreaks of the virus at the nations nursing homes and long-term care facilities, according to an AP tally based on state health departments and media reports. That is about a third of all 76,000 deaths in the U.S. that have been attributed to the virus.

Texas has more than 39,000 cases and at least 1,100 deaths related to the virus. State health officials on May 11 announced there had been an additional 10,000 cases and 12 new deaths. The true numbers are likely higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

Gov. Greg Abbott has said he is focused on hospitalization rates that remain steady and infection rates that have dropped since mid-April.

Barbershops and hair salons were allowed to start reopening in Texas on Friday. Last week, restaurants and retailers in the state were allowed to begin reopening with limited capacity.

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.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Texas Homeowners
Covid-19 is set to see a surge in applications for the Basic Payments Scheme (BPS) according to the IFA and Department of Agriculture which both have urged farmers to apply before this week's deadline.

IFA President Tim Cullinan said its very important that all farmers make their BBPS application to the Department of Agriculture before the closing date of Friday.

He said the BPS is the most important application for the year and farmers should double check with their adviser/planner to ensure their application has been lodged.

So far, over 90% of farmers have applied for the Basic Payment Scheme. Eligibility for most farm schemes is dependent on a BPS application. It is expected that 130,000 farmers will make an application.

Mr Cullinan also said suckler farmers need to ensure they have made their online application for the BEEP-S scheme before Fridays closing date.

"So far, over 20,000 farmers have applied for BEEP-S. We need a final push on applications ahead of Fridays deadline. The payment at 80/90 per suckler cow is significant and the conditions are reasonable.

In the context of IFAs ongoing campaign for further supports for the beef sector, its vital that the 35m is fully drawn down, he said.

IFA National Livestock Chairman Brendan Golden said IFA has set a goal to secure direct targeted support of 300 per cow.

We believe there are sound economic arguments for supporting the suckler herd based on their importance to the rural economy. A study by Prof Thia Hennessy from UCC commissioned by the IFA shows that for every 1 in direct payments, over 4 is generated in the rural economy, he said.

These payments are worth up to 1.8bn to Irish farmers.

ICSA Suckler chair Ger OBrien has urged farmers not to miss out on the new and improved BEEP-S scheme, and to get their completed applications in before Fridays deadline (15 May).

Applying is simple; once you log in to your AgFood account the whole process should take a few minutes at most. A hard won extra 35m was pumped into the scheme in last years budget, so all suckler farmers need to get on board and secure this payment for their farms, he said.

The mandatory component of the scheme involves weighing cows and calves and will provide a payment of 50 per cow/calf for the first 10, and 40 each for the remainder. Through the optional actions, an additional 30 is available for either a pre-weaning meal feeding programme or for vaccinating stock. On top of this, another 10 is available for doing faecal egg testing on dung samples.

Suckler farmers who complete all the mandatory and optional actions under the scheme can therefore receive a total payment of 90 per cow for the first 10 cows and 80 for the remainder, up to a limit of 100 cows.

All in all, the measures required are sensible ones, and ones that will lead to less stress for calves at weaning time which in turn will benefit buyers, including Irish finishers and live exporters. Taking samples will also assist in ensuring that dosing is much more targeted and will help counteract immunity from dosing products.

In the face of relentless bad news, this is a scheme not to be missed, he said.

The Department of Agriculture also urged farmers to apply now if they have not already done so.

The rate of submission of applications for 2020 BPS continues to be significantly ahead of last years rate and the BEEP-S applications are going well also, it said.

The Department said it has been assisting farmers in making their applications in recent weeks through its telephone helpdesk services. The Minister announced that this Lo-call telephone service will be available to farmers for extended hours in the run up to the deadline.

The helpdesk service telephone 0761 06 44 20 will now be available as follows

 Between 9.15 am and 9.00 pm from Monday 11 May to Thursday 14 May

. Between 9.15 am and 12 midnight on Friday 15 May.

The Minister for Agriculture urged farmers to get their applications in. Michael Creed commented: The financial support provided under schemes is a key support for farmers. I would urge all farmers to lodge their applications as soon as possible before the 15 May deadline. Should any farmer require guidance in making their application, they should ring the Departments helpdesk where a member of staff will be able to assist them.

Go to www.agfood.ie and helpdesk 0761 064424.
"Our investment in this space reinforces our commitment to deepening the relationships we have with the Big 4 advisory firms and wider strategic partners across the globe."

Aptitude Software, specialist provider of powerful financial management software to large global businesses, is excited to announce three new hires to look after global and regional partnerships and alliances. From providing guidance around accounting standard interpretations to working alongside Aptitude Professional Services teams on implementations, partners play an essential role in the business, and its reflected in this latest investment in growing the team.

Matt Edwards will be based in London and will drive the alliance program across the EMEA & APAC business. He joined from BAE Systems Applied Intelligence where he was responsible for global strategic alliances for the financial crime and cyber security solutions portfolio and headed up their Financial Services consulting business. Matt brings with him over 20 years of enterprise software delivery and business transformation experience across the Financial Services, Media, and Telco industries.

Carl Gern is the new Strategic Alliances Manager for North America and brings over 20 years of experience in the software industry working with alliance partners, systems integrators, resellers and OEM partners. Carl states, Aptitude has proven to be a partner-centric company to the core. Im looking forward to continuing to improve upon an already world-class partner function.

Supporting Matt and reinforcing Aptitudes continuing commitment to APAC, Jack Kao, who will be based in Singapore, recently joined as an Account and Partner Manager for the region. He brings 20 years of experience from IBM, Cisco, Vodafone, and NCR and will build upon the momentum Aptitude has in APAC.

Alex Curran, Aptitude EVP for North America, is deeply invested in the success of the partner strategy at Aptitude and remarks, our investment in this space reinforces our commitment to deepening the relationships we have with the Big 4 advisory firms and wider strategic partners across the globe. These close working relationships have allowed us to scale our business and maintain focus on the building powerful financial management software solutions focused on the office of the CFO.

For more information on Aptitude Softwares partnership program, please visit https://www.aptitudesoftware.com/partners/.

Aptitude Software provides software solutions that enable finance professionals to run their global businesses, forecast decision outcomes, and comply with complex regulations. Uniquely combining deep finance expertise and IP rich technology, Aptitude gives finance leaders the tools they need to transform their business and achieve their ambitions.

Aptitude is proud to have served the offices of finance for over 20 years, delivering financial control and insight to create a world of financial confidence for our global clients.

Aptitude Software supports businesses with combined revenues approaching $1 trillion and over 500 million end customers. Headquartered in London, Aptitude Software is an operating company of Aptitude Software Group plc.
Follow updates on the trial over the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.

ATLANTA  An autopsy report released Tuesday showed that Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old unarmed African-American man pursued by two white men and fatally shot in Glynn County, Ga., in February, was shot twice in the chest and had a third wound on a wrist.

The reports release came amid growing concern that Mr. Arberys case was mishandled from the beginning, by both police and prosecutors, and as the states attorney general asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to weigh whether the first two district attorneys involved in the case engaged in prosecutorial misconduct or other crimes.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr also has said he would conduct a review of the players involved, and has asked the Department of Justice to do the same.

On Monday, Mr. Carr appointed to the case Joyette M. Holmes, the district attorney in Cobb County, a populous Atlanta suburb. She is the fourth prosecutor assigned to lead a case that has bounced among district attorneys and law enforcement agencies.
Taiwan decries WHO's statement of 'no mandate' for invitation

ROC Central News Agency

05/12/2020 06:51 PM

Taipei/Brussels, May 12 (CNA) Taiwan on Tuesday took issue with a statement by the World Health Organization (WHO) the previous day, which said that it had "no mandate" from its members to invite Taiwan to the annual meeting of its decision-making body this year.

Based on precedent, the WHO has two avenues for inviting observers to attend the annual World Health Assembly (WHA) -- through a resolution passed by the WHA or an invitation issued by the WHO director-general, Taiwan's foreign ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou (said at a press conference.

She was responding to comments by WHO principal legal officer Steven Solomon, who told reporters Monday that the WHO director-general could not invite Taiwan to join the WHA meeting this year as an observer without the consent of its members.

"To put it crisply, director-generals only extend invitations when it's clear that member states support doing so, that director-generals have a mandate, a basis to do so," Solomon said in an online press conference. "Today however, the situation is not the same. Instead of clear support, there are divergent views among member states and no basis there for -- no mandate -- for the DG to extend an invitation (to Taiwan)."

He said that from 2009 to 2016, the then WHO director-general had invited Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer because it was a "diplomatically agreeable solution" reached and supported by member states.

At Tuesday's press conference, however, Ou took issue with Solomon's comments, saying that "in fact, the WHO Director-General does have the discretionary power to invite observers to the WHA."

She also disputed the WHO's interpretation of a 1971 United Nations General Assembly resolution, which Solomon had said was "still applicable" to the WHO today.

The resolution recognized Beijing as the only legitimate representative of China to the U.N., which resulted in Taiwan's departure from the U.N. and all its special agencies, including the WHO.

Ou said, however, that the resolution did not authorize China to represent the people of Taiwan in the U.N. and its special agencies."

"The U.N. Resolution only addressed the issue of China's representation, and did not touch on the issue of Taiwan," she said, calling on the WHO to maintain "neutrality and professionalism" and to recognize the fact that Taiwan and China are separate jurisdictions.

Ou also said Taiwan continues to protest against "a secret memorandum of understanding regarding Taiwan," which allegedly was signed in 2005 by China and the WHO to establish protocols and set limitations on the participation of Taiwanese medical personnel in WHO technical meetings.

"Considering that it was a secret agreement between China and the WHO, without Taiwan's consent, it is not binding on Taiwan," she said.

Meanwhile, Solomon said Monday that the success of a series of proposals submitted to the WHO by 13 member states for Taiwan to join the WHA as an observer is dependent on the "political will and political engagement" of the member states.

According to Taiwan's foreign ministry, the proposals were sent by 13 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, namely Nicaragua, Palau, Eswatini, Saint Lucia, the Marshall Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Haiti, Nauru, Paraguay, Tuvalu, Guatemala and Honduras.

(By Tang Pei-chun and Emerson Lim)

Enditem/pc

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A tradie has come up with a creative way to make money during the coronavirus pandemic by turning himself a 'human billboard'.

Justin Mason, from Townsville in Queensland's north, is offering businesses to tattoo their logo on his body for an annual fee and calls himself 'The Human Billboard'.

The 22-year-old came up with the idea because he loves tattoos and wants to make money off of getting them.

'I'm renting my body for lifetime advertisement,' the tradie told Daily Mail Australia.

Justin Mason (pictured), from Townsville in Queensland's north, is offering businesses to tattoo their logo on his body for an annual fee and calls himself 'The Human Billboard'

'I'm thinking of an annual subscription, I will be advertising their business.'

The tattoo enthusiast claims to have 20,000 followers on social media and will charge businesses a starting fee of $1,000 per year to ink his body.

But he said he probably wouldn't let any businesses pay for tattoos on his face.

'It'll be a lifetime advertisement and I'll post them on my social medias and as I'm walking down the street everyone will see them,' he said.

Mr Mason is also hoping to promote the businesses on his growing social media accounts.

When asked why he decided to venture into the business, Mr Mason said it's purely because he loves tattoos.

'It all started when I thought about an idea of getting paid from what I like doing which is getting tattoos,' he said.

'I messaged a major fashion brand and they confidently replied to me so I thought what else can I do?'

'Maybe free flights, accommodation...anything.'

The 22-year-old came up with the side-hustle because he loves tattoos and wants to make money off getting them

The tattoo enthusiast claims to have 20,000 followers on social media and will charge businesses a starting fee of $1,000 per year to ink his body

'I'd obviously stick to brands that benefit me and I benefit them but I'm always open to new things and different offers.'

No one is yet to take him up on his offer but the 22-year-old claims to have received some positive feedback.

His Facebook account details his journey with the business showing Mr Mason reaching out to companies such as Uber, Menulog and Culture Kings.

'I messaged Culture Kings and asked if they'd sponsor a tattoo of their logo and they replied with a confident response,' Mr Mason said.

'They said if I got the tattoo they'd work something out with me and the idea kind of bounced from there.'

He claims to have also already spoken to Westpac, Jetstar and local businesses in Townsville about the possibility of getting a tattoo for them.
CLOs: ground zero for the next stage of the financial crisis? FT

JPMorgan Is Now Banking for Bitcoin Exchanges Coinbase, Gemini Bloomberg

Americas digital Sputnik moment The Hill

Wall Street Bets Virus Meltdown Gives Landlords a Chance to Grow WSJ

If Landlords Get Wiped Out, Wall Street Wins, Not Renters Bloomberg

European investment plunge raises fears for future growth FT

More than 300 lawmakers urge IMF, World Bank to cancel poor countries debt Channel News Asia

Citigroup Turns to Mediating Cheap Loans as African Deals Dry Up Bloomberg

Manhattan Faces a Reckoning if Working From Home Becomes the Norm NYT (Re Silc). The norm for PMC symbol manipulators, that is. Its hard to fill a shelf with groceries from home.

How the Coronavirus Could Permanently Cut Near-Retirees Social Security Benefits Andrew Biggs, Wharton Pension Research Council Working Papers. Yikes:

[D]ue to how the Social Security benefit formula interacts with the sharp economic downturn due to the Coronavirus, some groups of near-retirees are likely to suffer substantial permanent reductions to their Social Security retirement benefits. Assuming a 15 percent decline in the Social Security Administrations measure of economywide average wages in 2020, a middle-income worker born in 1960 could have his annual Social Security benefits in retirement reduced by around 13 percent, with losses over the retirement period in excess of $70,000.

Thats terrible. How can we fund nursing home Petri dishes if Social Security benefits are cut?

#COVID19

China?

Philippines extends coronavirus lockdown in Manila and two high-risk areas South China Morning Post

India

Syraqistan

EXCLUSIVE: British propaganda efforts in Syria may have broken UK law Middle East Eye

EU/UK

Putin Withdraws From the Coronavirus Crisis in a Political Abdication Moscow Times

About the Wise Monkey Who Came Down from the Mountain Russian International Affairs Council

RussiaGate

Trump Transition

Trump orders federal pension fund not to invest in Chinese stocks FT

Democrats in Disarray

2020

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Health Care

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

If Your Boss Is Putting Your Life at Risk  Read This Tribune. From the UK.

How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer Smithsonian

Antidote du jour (via):

Twiggy is watching the hens from a safe distance.

Bonus antidote:

Still having the company meetings online. pic.twitter.com/aR3LfuSdKl  Andrew Cotter (@MrAndrewCotter) May 11, 2020

Try herding cats into a video conference!

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Classes sizes should be limited to 15 children, desks and pupils kept two metres apart, and drop-off and pick-up times staggered when primary schools return, new government guidance says.

The Department for Education (DfE) has set out its ambition for all primary-aged children in England to go back to school for a month before the summer holidays, including guidelines on how to implement social distancing.

The advice also includes introducing a one-way system or placing a divider down the middle of corridors, frequent handwashing, staggering break times, and removing soft furnishings and toys that are difficult to clean.

However the wearing of face masks are not recommended, unless a child falls unwell with symptoms of coronavirus.

The guidance states class sizes should be no more than 15 pupils with one teacher, or a teaching assistant if necessary, and that it would be sensible to rearrange classrooms to keep desks as far apart as possible  although the government acknowledged it may be difficult to keep young children separate at all times.

Children and staff should also only mix in a small, consistent group that stays away from other people and groups where possible.

Any setting that cannot achieve the guidelines set out is told to speak to its local authority or trust about other options  which could involve sending children to a nearby school.

The government hopes primary schools will be able to reopen to nursery, reception, Year 1 and Year 6, alongside priority groups, from 1 June at the earliest.

However this will only happen if the government is satisfied it is safe to do so, and will be kept under constant review.

The plans, published on Monday night as part of the governments 50-page Covid-19 recovery strategy, have faced a backlash from teaching union chiefs, including Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), who branded them as nothing short of reckless.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), meanwhile, said it seemed wildly optimistic to the point of being irresponsible to suggest the country will be in a position to return all primary children to school within the next seven weeks.

Concerns over PPE (personal protective equipment) in schools and keeping young children socially distant have previously been raised by Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL).

The same rules on halving class sizes will normally apply to secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges once they return, the government said.

Until then, they are being asked to offer some face-to-face support to Year 10 and 12 students who are due to take key exams this year, alongside remote learning.

Alternative provision settings should mirror the approach being taken for mainstream schools and also offer some face-to-face support for exam-year students.

Nurseries and other early year providers, including childminders, are being asked to begin welcoming back all children.

From 1 June, childminders can look after children of all ages, in line with usual limits on the number of children they can care for, if safe to do so, the advice stated.

Special schools, special post-16 institutions and hospital schools will work towards a phased return of more children and young people without a focus on specific year groups, it added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 02:42:13|Editor: huaxia

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Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus, in Washington D.C., the United States, May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

A key member of the White House coronavirus task force, Anthony Fauci said he thinks the nation is "going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have, by any means, total control of this outbreak."

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Anthony Fauci, a top expert on infectious diseases in the United States, said on Tuesday that the nation has not had the ongoing coronavirus outbreak under "total control" yet.

"If you think we have it completely under control, no we don't," said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus.

"If you look at the dynamics of the outbreak, we are seeing a diminution of hospitalizations and infections in some places -- such as in New York City, which has plateaued and is starting to come down -- but in other parts of the country, we are seeing spikes," Fauci noted.

A key member of the White House coronavirus task force, Fauci said he thinks the nation is "going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have, by any means, total control of this outbreak."

Fauci also warned that there could be more infections and deaths if there is not an "adequate" response by the United States in the fall.

"We run the risk of having a resurgence. I would hope by that point in time in the fall that we have more than enough to respond adequately, but if we don't, there will be problem," the expert added.

Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, also provided testimony during the hearing.

More than 1.3 million people have been infected with the coronavirus in the United States, with more than 81,000 deaths, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. 
It's going to be a while before anyone sees Hamilton onstage again.

But there's now another option: Disney announced on Wednesday that it plans to stream a filmed version of the stage production from July 3 on Disney+.

A movie version of the successful Broadway musical will debut on Disney+ in July. Credit:Joan Marcus/The Public Theater via AP

The plan is a pandemic-prompted push: just three months ago, Disney announced that it was preparing the film for release on October 15, 2021.

But the cancellation of all live performances, as well as the uncertain appeal of cinema, led the company to fast-track the film, moving up the release date by 15 months.
In his 30-minute long televised address to the nation yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the term Atmanirbhar meaning self-reliance at least nineteen times. The Prime Ministers push for Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) amid coronavirus pandemic is being seen as an opportunity for RSS constant pitch for 'Swadeshi' model of development in the country.

Many top functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), including its chief Mohan Bhagwat, have been discussing since long about a post Covid-19 world order, which Prime Minister Modi also mentioned in his speech yesterday.

On April 26, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called the push for self-reliance and swadeshi, the next stage of national reconstruction.

'Self-reliance is the new mantra of development which implies economic system that is employable, energy efficient, and environment-friendly  this will be next stage of national reconstruction. Even during the crisis, some fundamental truths are being tested. We should also take the project of national reconstruction with the fundamental principle of self-reliance, Bhagwat said, while talking about the need to inculcate Swadeshi Sanskars.

The RSS affiliated magazine named Organiser had Swadeshi depicted on the cover of its May 2 edition with a headline We all have a role in converting corona crisis into opportunity, a line picked from Bhagwats address to the nation. The second piece in the magazine was published with a title India Must Lead the New World Order.

A background note circulated by the Sangh just before the interaction of RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale with foreign media reads, 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.

Later, during his interaction with the foreign media, Hosabale had reportedly talked about integrated world where local will be equally important as the global, the same topic which Prime Minister Modi discussed yesterday with the nation.

In the latest edition of the Organiser, RSS joint general secretary Manmohan Vaidya has quoted many writers including Rabindranath Tagore to make an emphasis on the importance of Swadeshi model. He says, "For every nation, production and promotion of indigenous (Swadeshi) products is necessary. The 'one size fits all' approach of globalisation is not suitable for everybodyMutually accepted, complementary and cooperative economic agreements between countries is a far better model."

As India steps into the fourth phase of lockdown, the revival of its economy will be shaped by Rs 20 lakh crore vision for the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan' (mission self-reliant India), announced by Prime Minister Modi. How well India does may depend not just on the officials sitting on Raisina Hill but on the top brass of the Sangh which has clearly helped shape this vision.
Children are seen social distancing within a school in France - @lioneltop/Twitter

Around the world school gates are reopening after months of lockdown which left playgrounds empty and classrooms forlorn.

But where there were once excited shouts as children arrived for a new day, there are now instructions to keep your distance and regularly wash your hands.

As children return to class in countries that have begun to ease their lockdown measures, new school regimes have been introduced to minimise the risk of renewed infections leading to a second wave of Covid-19.

How countries manage the return of pupils is being watched closely in Britain, where the Government has asked primary schools to reopen on June 1 for reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

France

Parisian nursery teacher Dominique Sicard has been pouring over a 57-page protocol from the French education ministry on how to respect social distancing with a class of five-year olds and is categorical.

If the people who govern us think we can respect all this to the letter, theres no point in re-opening at all, said the 53-year-old.

Ive already warned parents that while children will have a table and chair with their name on, it is impossible for them to remain at that desk all day. Most are happy with it.

As France slowly re-emerges from two months of confinement, the Ecole des Trois Bornes in Paris is one of tens of thousands of the countrys nursery and primary schools opening its doors to around 1.5 million pupils this week, roughly a quarter of the total.

While nursery and primary schools in Frances greenlow-infection areas began classes on Tuesday, those in Paris - deep red given ongoing contagion levels - only start widening intake beyond the offspring of essential critical workers on Thursday.

Among a long list of sanitary measures, teachers must wear face masks and the children's chairs be separated to avoid spreading the disease.

One Ms Sicard and colleagues have already written off is to coop children inside a metre-square enclosure in the playground far from their classmates.

Story continues

Its inhuman and impossible. Five-year-olds need to be able to run around and let off steam otherwise they lose the plot, she said.

Pupils are not supposed to touch teachers and vice versa. But what about a child that hurts itself and requires treatment, cant hang its coat up or goes to the toilet and cant do its trousers up?, she asked.

We cant turn them into adults just because the context dictates they should act as adults. If they see their friends, theyll want to go and play with them, she said.

That said, she said many of the rules will be applied, including disinfecting toys and surfaces.

Despite her reservations, she said she approved of France re-opening schools in particular out of solidarity for families whose parents have to work.

Paris town hall expects 600 of its 652 primary and nursery schools to open this week to welcome a quarter of its 130,000 pupils. Nation-wide, most will re-open but classes will be small - a maximum of 10 in nursery schools and 15 in elementary schools.

There are more risks in staying home than going to school, insisted education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer.

The return to school is on a voluntary basis and the vast majority of children remain at home. Teachers are supposed to juggle with real and remote teaching.

Secondary school children are not due back until May 25.

Unions have criticised the decision to reopen the schools calling it premature" and pointing out that the government overruled its scientific committees advice to keep them shut until September, like the UK.

"Why have we started with the youngest children to end the lockdown when we know they'll be the hardest ones to make apply protective measures?" said Francette Popineau, chief of the primary school union, on FranceInfo radio.

Parents have mixed feelings.

A pupil wearing a facemask attends a class at the private school Institut Sainte Genevieve in Paris - AFP

Bruno Timsit, 41, is keeping his three children away from nursery, primary and secondary school for now.

It wasnt an easy decision but we decided there is no rush. We werent sure how schools were going to cope and were a bit worried about the kids contaminating each other and us, he said.

I also with the idea of leaving it to parents to decide whether to take risk of sending they kids back to school. The government should have taken responsibility and either called everyone back or no.

However, Tarek Elachkar, 45, said he decided to trust the official guidelines. His nine-year old daughter Olivia will return to primary school on Thursday.

She misses school. We tried to tell her it would be different but she said she was happy to go back. That nailed it for us, he said.

Nursery headmistress Pascale Chartier said she was not worried about infections. We have been looking after children of high-risk health workers throughout the confinement period and have had no infections of teachers or pupils, she said. Studies suggests transmission from children under 10 is very low.

We are being careful but we are confident it will be alright, she said.

The Netherlands

Dutch parents have been instructed to kiss and go at the school gates, as primary children in the Netherlands began a staggered return this week.

It would be normal for parents in primary school to take their kids into the classroom in the morning. But most schools are now asking parents to drop their children at the school gates or at the doors and stay out of the premises to minimise the risk of spreading infection.

Audrey Verschuren, principal of the Leonardo Da Vinci school in Amsterdam, which admits half its children in the morning and half in the afternoon, said: The parents have had to get used to it. It's a bit nerve-wracking for them to see their four-year-old child who has been with us for just two months walk into the classroom on their own! But children get used to new situations quickly and always find the fun side."

Each school has come up with its own solution to keep the required 1.5m distance between staff and pupils.

Ribbons mark out one-way routes and there are separate entrances for different age groups.

Older or vulnerable teachers do not have to return to work, while some schools have taped off a safe area for teachers at the front of the class, while children sit at a greater distance at their desks and play outside in their half-class groups.

Some parents are still anxious. At the British School of Amsterdam a third have kept their children at home.

But Paul Morgan, the schools Principal, told The Telegraph of the joy of welcoming back those who came.

It has been so heart-warming to see the children back in school: smiling and enjoying seeing their teachers and friends again, he said.

Denmark

Denmark pioneered the start of the European return to school from May 4 by keeping its primary school children in small groups and with as little contact with others as possible.

These micro-groups arrive at a separate time, eat lunch separately, have their own zones in the playground and are taught by one teacher.

Dom Maher, head of the international section of St Josef's school in Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, said: "There was anxiety in the community. A large percentage of parents were in two minds."

But the Danish experiment appears to have been a success, so much so that the insistence on children washing their hands frequently has led to problems with skin irritation and eczema.

Germany

Schools began to reopen in Germany last month, but parents and teachers have voiced frustration with measures to contain the virus.

Most schools have reduced class sizes so social distancing can be observed, but many can only achieve this by dividing classes and teaching children on alternate days.

Its an absolute farce, one parent in Berlin said, complaining that her child will only get four days of lessons before the summer holidays under the new timetable.

Many parents say employers expect them to be able come back to work because the schools are open and dont realise theyre still stuck taking care of their children three days a week.

Pupils are expected to wear facemasks while entering and leaving but most schools allow them to be removed in the classroom.

One school in a remote part of north-eastern Germany has won plaudits for coming up with an alternative solution.

Henry Tesch, headmaster of the Carolinum School in Neutsrelitz, says dividing classes and teaching on alternate days isnt an option because of the long distances his pupils have to travel, with some travelling as far as 40 miles each way.

So the school is offering coronavirus tests to pupils twice a week, in partnership with a local company.

Switzerland

Switzerland has taken a radical approach to reopening schools because its government is convinced children are not at risk from the virus.

Swiss authorities recently announced it was safe for grandparents to hug their grandchildren and they have taken the same attitude to reopening schools.

Young children very rarely get infected and transmit the virus to others even less, Alain Berset, the Swiss interior minister said.

Primary and secondary schools were allowed to reopen this week and in most regions they are teaching full classes as usual.

Switzerland has begun its second phase of reopening - FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images

A notable exception is Zurich, where classes have been divided in two to prevent overcrowding.

Regions have been given considerable autonomy in deciding what measures to take.

Authorities in Basel said dividing classes would not solve the problem of childcare for families and would pose additional challenges for teachers.

But there has been resistance to the government advice in areas which have been harder hit by the virus.

Taiwan

In Taiwan, which has avoided a lockdown due to its successful pandemic strategy, schools were closed for the month of February, but have since functioned in a relatively normal fashion with some social distancing restrictions.

Children have had to wear masks in disinfected classrooms, sit at least 70cm apart and wash their hands after every break. School assemblies were restricted and parents were not permitted to attend sports days but activities like swimming lessons have now resumed.

Fergus Meiklejohn, a British filmmaker who lives in Taipei with his wife and two primary school age daughters, said: For us parents we are happy that the school and government are doing their best. If we had the infection rates currently in the UK, wed still be scared kids would bring infection back to the family even with these precautions..

Sean Kramer, an American teacher based in Taiwan, said: Kids will be kids and interact with each other, their lives havent changed that much. But the school wont take any chances if a student has a temperature. Ive had noticeably more absences in my classes this semester.

Teachers wearing face masks line up to receive nucleic acid testing in China's Shanxi province - Zhang Yuan/China News Service via Getty Images

China

China - where the coronavirus pandemic began - has been reopening its schools cautiously and in phases, running classes with a maximum of 20 pupils to allow children to sit a safe distance from each other. Some schools are even using video calls so that teachers can instruct classes from a separate room.

Students now have shorter lessons and have been told to avoid public transport to and from school.

In Hangzhou, children at one elementary school made their own bespoke social-distancing hats with metre-long wings to remind them to help them avoid getting too close to each other.

Greece

In Greece, students in the final year of high school returned to school on Monday, with all other high school students, as well as middle school pupils, going back next week.

Each class is limited to 15 to ensure social distancing regulations and break times will be staggered so classes.

Schools are livestreaming classes so that they can rotate student attendance and keep classrooms at 50 per cent capacity or below.

That decision has been criticised by a national teachers' union, which says it could infringe on children's privacy rights.

By swiftly implementing a national lockdown, Greece managed to contain its coronavirus outbreak. So far the death toll is just 151  compared with more than 30,000 in nearby Italy. Around 2,700 people have been infected.

Greek teachers protest against government plans to allow remote teaching with use of a camera - AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

Austria

Austria was one of the first countries in Europe to lift its lockdown but it is taking a cautious approach to reopening schools.

Classes resumed on May 4 for those facing school leaving exams, but for others they do not resume until May 18. Sixth formers who do not have exams will have to wait until June 3.

Austria has formalised the practice of dividing classes to limit numbers with a clear and simple system to be used across the country.

All classes will be divided in two, with one half attending lessons from Monday to Wednesday, and the other on Thursday and Friday. Each week the two groups will swap over, so all children get the same number of lessons.

Austria has also taken steps to get round the problem of childcare for parents returning to work.

On the days they do not have lessons children will be able to study under supervision in school gyms, if parents wish.

Facemasks will be compulsory while moving around the school but not in classrooms. Schools will be issued with emergency masks for pupils who forget to bring theirs.
Description

GIS - 13 May, 2020: - 13 May, 2020: The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill, and tourism has been the worst affected of all major economic sectors. Against a backdrop of heightened uncertainty international tourism could decline by 60-80% over the whole year as predicted by the UNWTO.





This statement was made today in the National Assembly by the Minister of Tourism, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard, during his intervention on the introduction of the Covid-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Quarantine Bill.

Minister Lesjongard underpinned that the two proposed Bills will allow Government to restart the economy which is currently at a standstill. He stated that no Government worldwide was prepared for such a disaster.

He recalled that Government had already come forward with its Programme earlier this year and it was never its intention to change any laws but the country being hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and with thousands of people risking losing their jobs in the coming days, weeks or months, these measures are deemed necessary.

Mr Lesjongard pointed out that some want to make people believe that this was planned and Government strongly reject the premeditation argument. We have an obligation to do what we do to save lives and save jobs, he highlighted.

As for the Quarantine Bill, underscored the Minister of Tourism, it is a law that goes back a long time, therefore it has to be changed and adapted to modern times although the amendments toughen the penalties but it is being done to protect the population.

He also dwelt on the Work From Home Act with reference to clause 17 (A) and underlined that the proposed clause is not new while stressing that 48 hours is a sufficient for notification.

Minister Lesjongard underpinned that it is very important that necessary measures be brought forward to ensure the safety and well-being of each citizen as well as that of tourists who will be coming into the country in the future. The welfare of the country is and will remain the main priority of the Government thus it is a nonsense to say that Government has a hidden agenda, he added.

#ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris


A deserted terrace on the Croisette beach is pictured empty due to measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus in Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 12, 2020. The Cannes Film Festival wont kick off as planned on Tuesday. The festivals 73rd edition has been postponed indefinitely, part of the worldwide shutdowns meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

The European Union has unveiled its plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer holidays after months of coronavirus confinement in hopes of resurrecting Europes battered tourism industry.

Around 150,000 people have died across Europe since the virus surfaced in northern Italy in February, but with the spread of the disease tapering off, people in many countries are cautiously venturing out of confinement to return to work and some schools are reopening.

A question on the minds of people, tour operators and the thousands of small businesses that depend on the tourism industry is whether the summer months this year will be reduced to a home-style staycation.

We propose new guidance on how to safely resume travel and reboot Europes tourism in 2020 and beyond.

Tourism is vital to the Single Market as well as a key contributor to the EU's economic, social and cultural way of life.



More in the thread  #StrongerTogether #EUtourism  European Commission  (@EU_Commission) May 13, 2020

European Commission executive vice-president Margrethe Vestager told reporters: This is not going to be a normal summer, not for any of us. But when we all work together, and we all do our part then we dont have to face a summer stuck at home or a complete lost summer for the European tourist industry.

In a series of guidelines, the European Commission laid out its advice for lifting ID checks on hastily closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels to reassure clients.

But a big question remains: will the countries of the worlds biggest trading bloc follow the advice?

Faced with a disease about which much is still unknown, national capitals have tended to go it alone, and they  not the commission  have the final say over health and security matters.

The commissions over-arching advice is that EU countries with similar rates of coronavirus infections and comparably strong health care systems should begin lifting border measures between each other. Tourists from outside Europe cannot enter until at least June 15.

The move comes amid deep concern that Europes ID check-free travel zone  the 26-country Schengen Area  is being strangled by controls, further harming virus-ravaged economies by limiting the movement of goods, services and people that are essential to business.

On Wednesday, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that from Friday 15 there will only be random checks at the German border, and from June 15 the border will be opened again.

He said his government is looking to do the same with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and neighbouring countries in eastern Europe, provided the infection numbers allow it.

Even with restrictions easing, social distancing rules would apply, and the EC is recommending that robust disease monitoring measures are put in place  including good testing capacity and contact tracing  so that people have the confidence to return to hotels and camping sites abroad.

With airlines and travel operators buckling under a liquidity crisis after governments ordered the cancellation and grounding of many flights and limits on public life, the commission is hoping for a greater use of air travel vouchers, which would be more flexible than tickets and could limit the need for refunds.

That would save time for consumers and spare airlines and operators the cost of refunds in some cases.

Vouchers would be protected against the company going bankrupt, and valid for at least a year, with trips remaining refundable if the vouchers are not redeemed. The vouchers would also be transferable to another traveller, under the guidelines.

Tourism-reliant Greece, which handled coronavirus better than most of its partners but whose economy had already been severely weakened by its debt crisis, has thrown its weight behind the commission plan, and is calling for the resumption of travel between EU countries by June 15.

It says prospective travellers should be tested three days before departure.

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Greece is allowing the reopening of some beaches on Saturday when a heatwave is expected.

The Civil Protection Agency said the measure will affect 515 beaches, where shade umbrellas must be planted at least four metres apart, and a maximum of 40 people will be allowed per 1,000 square metres of beach.

German foreign minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but did not specify when. Germanys warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.

It will certainly be possible to lift the travel warning earlier for Europe than for other destinations  so long as the current positive trend in many countries solidifies, he said. Freedom to travel is part of the foundation of the European project, but in times of corona, Europe must ensure more: the freedom to travel safely.

The border shutdowns have hit the travel industry hard. German-based tour and hotel operator Tui said on Wednesday that it expects to cut thousands of jobs due to the pandemic.

Tui said it was prepared for a resumption and its first hotels on the German coast would reopen in the coming days. It also sees the possibility of offering holidays in Spains Balearic islands and in Greece starting in July, the German news agency dpa reported.

As long as new infections remain relatively low, there is no reason why one shouldnt be able to travel there, chief executive Fritz Joussen said, but local companies and hotels need to be open.

Norway said on Wednesday it was opening its borders to people from other European countries who have a residence there or have family they want to visit.

Justice minister Monica Maeland said Norway, which is not an EU member, is opening up for EU citizens, seasons workers and people from the UK, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Future Apple Store may fail to bite into retailers, photo Afp

The local market last week was sent into panic after Apple posted a string of recruitment notices in Vietnam on LinkedIn in clear indication that it is expanding operations.

This is not the first time Apple has had personnel recruitment in Vietnam. Over past years, the tech giant has employed a handful of staff specialised in retail or business management. However, the latest recruitment notices advertised 12 management and technology positions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Apple is even recruiting senior management positions such as government relations and office management in Hanoi. These signs indicate that Apple may be planning to open a representative office in Vietnam.

According to newswire Techcrunch, Apple has been focusing on Southeast Asia and selected Thailand as its second market (following Singapore) in the region to open an Apple Store two years ago. A similar move would not be out of line in Vietnam where the company already has a major consumer base who would welcome an official channel to buy authentic goods at more reasonable prices.

Local media revealed that in recent months, Apple has been in talks with several mobile phone stores to set up partnerships to sell authentic Apple products in the country.

Currently, Mobile World Investment Corporation and FPT Digital Retail JSC are the two most popular electronics retailers for genuine Apple products. However, both trade the devices at a significant premium and prices are hundreds of US dollars higher than in other markets. In contrast with stores specialised in parallel imports which only pay the licence tax, Mobile World and FPT Retail officially import from Apples distributors with the tariff of 10 per cent in Vietnam, higher than Singapores rate of 7 per cent. Moreover, larger corporations are shouldering larger and more numerous kinds of taxes such as corporate income tax (CIT), natural resources tax, and land use tax.

A representative of Mobile World asserted to VIR that the news will not disrupt the sales of local retailers because even if Apple enters Vietnam, it is unlikely to open more than one or two stores. This is reflected by big markets like Singapore where it has only two. Mobile World has more than 2,000 stores across the country so we do not expect Apple Stores to have a big impact on our sales, the representative said.

Despite not expecting much of an impact from Apples entry, tech retailers cannot deny slowing business in mobile devices. Indeed, the local demand for new gadgets is not as high as before, so retailers have been looking for new directions.

FPT Retail also feels that the market is reaching saturation. To date, it has 541 FPT shops and 14 Apple Premium Retailer (APR) stores named F.Studio over the country. Thus, as the market has reached the saturation point, F.Studios sales will likely be affected by a new Apple Store in Vietnam, which will also likely ruin its reputation as an official distributor partner of Apple.

Since early 2018, Mobile World has also reined in the expansion of thegioididong stores, with no new stores opened and 40 closed to focus on developing the Dien May Xanh electronics chain.

Dang Quoc Tuan, director of iShop Vietnam Ltd., one of the largest parallel Apple products distributors, told VIR that Apple might open an official store in Vietnam. However, I think it is a move to realise its plan to open more than 600 stores in its global markets instead of directly targeting to conquer Vietnam.

In reality, there is little to convince customers to switch from parallel imports to Apple Store devices because both have the same guarantees and the price of the former is usually lower. Additionally, when customers buy a device at an Apple Store, they will not likely receive assistance in setting up their devices like they do at parallel import shops due to security concerns, which Tuan believes will be a great disadvantage for any Apple Store in Vietnam. Moreover, these parallel import products could make up 60 per cent of all Apple products on the market, according to Tuan. As a result, he said the dominance of parallel products will not be challenged.

A case demonstrating the slim chances for success of APRs is eDiGi. In 2018 it officially launched in Ho Chi Minh City to provide Apple products and services. Speaking at the launch ceremony, Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, chairman of Imex Pan-Pacific Group, said that at first, eDiGi would not focus on profit but on increasing the number of its stores and market share to compete with parallel imports, which he said currently make up 40 per cent of the market.

However, since then, the operations of iShop Vietnam and other parallel import sellers remained unaffected. Also, although we dont know the business results of eDiGi, they have not opened a single store in the past two years, which may give us a measure of the efficiency of tss business model, Tuan said.
/ -- As India enters into Lockdown 3.0, Work from Home (WFH) has triggered new working culture in the country. Since the COVID-19 crisis has brought industries and businesses to a standstill, the concept of WFH has been widely embraced by organizations, and India is no exception. As companies adapt to this transition, WFH is likely to become permanent imperative in the future.

In the current scenario, WFH seems inevitable and it is going to stay. But are Indian businesses ready to adapt to the new working culture on a larger scale? Mr. Rajesh Goenka, Director, Sales & Marketing, RP tech India, highlights various aspects of WFH and how India Inc. and employees can get best out of it.

Positive aspects of WFH



1. Most effective in the fight against COVID-19



Since WHO has declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, it has brought huge disruption in the global economy. The worldwide lockdown has forced businesses to shut their operations indefinitely in the absence of an immediate solution to the crisis. In this scenario, WFH has proven to be the most effective way to maintain social distancing and ensure business continuity. In India, many big companies were quick to adopt WFH for their employees' safety and cut down losses. At the same time, it has brought huge relief to the workforce against employment loss during these uncertain times.

2. Enhances Productivity



Another advantage of WFH is it improves the performance and productivity of employees. Since WFH allows employees to save crucial time and energy spent on hectic commute, they can utilize this time to improve their output and achieve targets. It is also seen that employees are more creative and innovative in WFH environment. Hence, home working concept is win-win for both employer and employees.

3. Ensures Work-Life Balance



Work-Life balance is another important aspect of WFH. Staying at home, employees can make better time management and prioritize tasks. It is also a boon for working mothers and people with the responsibility of elderly parents. While working from home, employees can be stress-free and concentrate better on their office assignments. It also ensures privacy, which is otherwise not possible in the shared working space.

4. Cost-effective for Organizations



Considering the benefits of WFH, several small and medium scale organizations are now contemplating to switch to the new business model to save cost on office space and overheads. As industries have incurred huge losses due to the global crisis, organizations will look aggressively on cutting expenditure until businesses are back on track. Hence, WFH will continue to be the preference of employers, and will see massive adoption.

While WFH is the new normal and brings a host of benefits, it has certain limitations and drawbacks in terms of large scale implementation.

On the flip side of WFH



1. Not Suitable for all Sectors



WFH is mostly suitable for occupations at the managerial level, which requires minimal physical contact with the team and end-users. However, it is not viable for blue-collar jobholders and consumer-facing businesses like hospitality, retail, travel and tourism etc. Connectivity issue is another hindrance in WFH, especially in upcountry cities/towns and remote places.

2. Data Protection & Security



Data security has emerged as the major concern in a WFH scenario. While companies can have state-of-the-art security infrastructure at the offices' computing system, it is not always possible to provide the same security to employees for their home broadband networks. Hence, there is a great threat to a security breach and data theft. Also mostly, employees use their computing devices for official work. These devices can be shared by other family members and may make critical data vulnerable to cyber fraudsters. India Inc. is yet to find a concrete solution to this issue, which makes WFH not a choice of all.

Undefined Boundaries



WFH concept is highly demanding where employees are expected to be available online 24X7. Since there are no defined boundaries of WFH culture, it may lead to anxiety and stress among employees. With the domestic place being utilized as a workspace, it may also negatively affect family dynamics. In Indian family systems, women are expected to fulfil their family duties even if they are virtually on the job, which may affect their productivity.

Not always a win-win situation



WFH is not always a win-win for employer and employee.

It is difficult for companies to track the number of work hours, leisure breaks, leaves of employees at the home working environment. The performance tracking apps may help but they may also lead the debate of privacy and trust. Also, WFH may lead to boredom, uncertainty and complacency among employees due to lack of discipline. Here the HR plays a critical role to keep them motivated and focused on their assignments.

It is a fact that Work from Home is going to stay even after COVID-19 is kicked out from India. Corporate India is going through a significant transition, which should be embraced and adopted for future relevance. Here are few tips to make the maximum out of WFH.

1. Schedule: Prepare a proper schedule of the day with dedicated breaks. It is advisable to start early so that one can finish assignments in given deadline. Also, decide a time to log off.

2. To do list: Draft a To-do list and prioritize tasks. This is important when the job requires multitasking. One may take help of performance tracking apps for maximum output.

3. Fitness is non-negotiable: Fitness and mental balance are very important in WFH scenario as employees perform dual responsibility at the home front as well as at job front. Make sure one has dedicated time for physical activities, leisure and also not skipped meals.

4. Motivational Webinar: No doubt COVID-19 has caused fear of job loss among people, it is important to keep their morale high. HRs should periodically organize motivational webinars for their employees to keep them positive and productive.

5. Smart use of Tech: Make smart use of apps for performance improvement and time management. Stay connected with co-workers on different messaging platforms and have fun with them apart from work discussions.

About the Author



Mr. Rajesh Goenka is responsible to formulate and drive the overall business operations and lead value-added programs at RP tech India. An Engineering and Management graduate, Mr. Goenka is a proven leader with a profound proficiency in building outstanding teams for execution of successful long-term business strategy.

A true Leader & Marketer in the ICT & Mobility business with over 20 years of industry experience, he is the catalyst for RP tech India's consistent double-digit growth YoY. Prior to starting his inning in RP tech India in 2001, Mr. Goenka had the successful stint in various MNCs including NVIDIA where he served as the Head of Marketing - India, Middle East & Africa.

One of the most popular IT Channel Chiefs in India, Mr. Goenka is the recipient of many coveted appreciations for his exemplary contribution to the growth of IT channel business from leading media publications. Mr. Goenka has been conferred one of the "Top 10 IT Channel Heads" in India by IT Nations. DQ Channels featured him among the 'Top 16 Distributor Chiefs' in 2016. He was also shortlisted among the BEST CMOs in the Indian ICT industry in 2017 by VAR India. SME Channels recently featured him amongst the "Top CMOs in India in 2019."



About RP tech India



Leading technology brands have put their trust in RP tech India (a division of Rashi Peripherals Pvt Ltd), to penetrate the vast Indian market. Being one of the top 5 distributors in India, the company has partnered with over 9000+ partners, retailers, and customers in over 750 towns & cities. To cater to this vast customer base, RP tech India has branch & service operations in over 50 locations in India. The company has created a strong IT infrastructure and unique marketing platforms that have helped to put their partners on a pedestal. At 20+ % CARG YoY, RP tech India is one of the fastest-growing companies in India. Their vendor names include Audio-Technica, AMD, APC, ASUS, Belkin, Google Chromecast, Crucial by Micron, Dell, ECS, Fitbit, HP, Intel, Lenovo, Logitech, NVIDIA, Plantronics, SanDisk, Toshiba, TP-Link, Western Digital and many other world-renowned brands.

To know more, please visit www.rptechindia.com



Follow us:



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rptechindia/ LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/rp-tech-india



Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1167552/Rajesh_Goenka_RP_tech_India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Joey on SQL Server

Getting Started with Dbatools for SQL Server

An open source project gives DBAs the ability to channel PowerShell for automating and scaling complex SQL Server tasks, starting with the most basic: database backups.

I've been working with SQL Server for over 20 years now, Generally, I limit my tools to the things I might expect to find in a given client environment. My toolbox typically includes the tools that Microsoft ships to manage SQL Server, like SQL Server Management Studio and Azure Data Studio, Windows Performance Monitor (perfmon) and a selection of curated T-SQL scripts that can help me analyze the performance of a server or database.

While I have used PowerShell extensively in working with the Windows operating system and with Azure, my interactions with SQL Server had been limited, mainly because of the complexities of the system management objects (SMO) that lie beneath the native SQL Server PowerShell (SQLPS) cmdlets.

The SMO is a collection of .NET objects that are designed for programming against SQL Server. In the early days of the SQLPS module, using PowerShell against SQL Server required development skills beyond what most DBAs and sysadmins possessed. Among the data platform MVP community, there were a few folks who really understood PowerShell and used it for a lot of tasks, but most people were turned off by the inherent complexity.

A Note from Joey I started writing this column before the COVID-19 pandemic became prevalent. I didn't intend for it to be one of those "lose 20 pounds, learn another language and get a promotion while working from home" articles. The current reality is challenging all of us throughout the world to adapt to different ways of working and stressors. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

A group of enterprising DBAs led by Chrissy LeMaire in Belgium and Rob Sewell in the United Kingdom realized the capabilities that PowerShell provided for automating and scaling complex tasks, as well as the usability challenges of the native solutions, and started down the path of building an open source project called dbatools.

LeMaire started dbatools in 2014 as a project to migrate her SharePoint SQL Server instances. Out of that, the project has grown to accepting community contributions in 2016, to a version 1.0 release in 2019. The project now has over 160 contributors and 550 commands.

Now that we've had a bit of a history lesson, what can it do?

dbatools is a designed to be a tool for end users -- in this case, DBAs, not developers. The commands are broken down into a number of categories, starting with one of the most basic operations a DBA does: backup their databases. Backing up all of your databases on a server is as simple is this one line of code:

Backup-DbaDatabase -SqlInstance sql1 -Path \\backups\sql1\ -FileCount 8 ` -CompressBackup 'yes' -Verify -Type Full

That command will back up all of the databases on your instance to (in this case) \\backups\sql1 while optionally creating subfolders for each database. There are other tools that offer similar functionality. However, the magic of the backup commands is that you can easily restore all of those databases with a similar single line of code.

Do you have additional differential and transaction log backups? That's not a problem, as the restore-dbadatabase command will scan the folder and the headers of each backup file to generate a restore script to be executed on the service, and it offers the option of just outputting the T-SQL statements required to execute the restore process manually.

In addition to backup and restore, there is a command to test your last backup called test-dbalastbackup . Testing the restore process is something that should be done regularly, but it does not happen as frequently as it should. This command automates the process of doing that testing and restores the backup to a remote (or local) server. In addition to doing the restore, it performs a consistency check on the newly restored database, which ensures the full validity of the backup.

While dbatools covers much of the surface area of SQL Server, the other place where it really shines is migration and server configuration. Migrating user databases has never been that challenging, but the process of setting up transaction log shipping or mirroring represents a significant effort toward restoring databases on the target server. Building on the strength of the backup and restore process that is defined, dbatools has commands to automatically configure database mirroring and log shipping, requiring minimal manual intervention from the DBA.

Another challenge of doing server migrations is moving the SQL Server Agent jobs and log-ins from one server to another. I've used SQL Server Integration Services to do this in the past and, at best, it was a messy, ugly process. dbatools allows you to migrate each element of the server's settings and metadata in a very granular fashion. For example, if you just wanted to move your SQL Server Agent jobs but not your alerts, you have that level of control.

Typically, when performing a server migration, you want to bring over everything at once. Using the Copy-DBAAgentServer command, you can bring over everything in the SQL Server Agent, including jobs, notifications, operators and alerts. Log-ins work in the same easy manner. A couple of months ago, while my team was at a customer repairing a development server, we lost the master database and didn't have a backup handy. We were able to quickly copy all of the log-ins from the production database using the copy-dbalogin command.

Automating your regular processes has a number of benefits. It frees you from doing tedious, repetitive tasks. It also provides better quality across your environment because you are far less likely to have misconfigurations that cause problems. And if you do, you have an automated framework to check them (that happens to be a dbatools side project called dbachecks that you should look into) and easily fix configuration issues.

Even if you don't build a large automation pipeline, having an easier process for backups and restores and for moving users from one server to another can benefit even the smallest SQL Server shop.
L ondon private hire car giant Addison Lee today said it would be installing partition screens to protect staff and customers after three drivers in the capital died of coronavirus.

The company, which claims to be the first in the industry to make such a move, told the Evening Standard it would be fitting screens to separate the front of its cars from passengers in the rear to all of its 4000 vehicles in a move set to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Drivers of passenger vehicles have been among the worst affected group from the disease.

Work begins next week with the fleet expected to be completed by the end of May as more people are expected to use cabs in fear of travelling on public transport.

Paying tribute to his staff, chief executive Liam Griffin said: "Every day during this crisis, our drivers have made extraordinary efforts to support the capital's fight against the pandemic and make essential journeys and deliveries for Londoners. That's why their safety is our number one priority, and why we're investing in screens to protect them and their passengers."

The coronavirus pandemic hit just as Addison Lee was taken over by a consortium led by Griffin with the backing of financier Cheyne Capital. Griffin, the son of founder John, had left when he sold the business for 300 million to the private equity firm Carlyle Group in 2013. Carlyle reportedly lost all of its investment as the rise of Uber hammered its sales and it handed the business over to Griffin and Cheyne.

While the collapse in people moving about London due to covid made the latest takeover appear spectacularly unluckily timed, Griffin said he hoped employers would be making more use of private hire cars to keep employees off the tubes and buses.

He said: "If London is to gradually get moving again as the government adjusts its advice, it is vital to ensure that the public transport network is not overwhelmed, and that people have a clean and safe way to travel as they go back to work."
A professional violinist braved through her brain surgery by playing complex music scales as doctors operated on her massive tumor all in an attempt to minimize the risk of losing her skills.

When Dagmar Turner, who plays in Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra, England, was told that her brain tumor had become more aggressive, she was at risk of losing her ability to play the violin. However, with the support from a consultant neurosurgeon, who is also a pianist, the experts planned an unusual approach to saving their musician patients fine talent: waking her up mid-operation to play the violin.

Turner, 53, told The Epoch Times via a text message that the surgery proved to be a fantastic success for all involved.

It was way back in 2013 when Turner suffered a seizure during a symphony and was later diagnosed with a slow-growing tumor, according to a press release by Kings College Hospital, one of the United Kingdoms largest brain tumor centers, which made this groundbreaking operation a success.

In an attempt to control the tumor, the committed musician went for biopsy and radiotherapy. However, in 2019, Turner learned that her tumor had grown and she needed surgery. Doctors found that the tumor was located in the right frontal lobe of Turners brain and was close to an area that controls the fine movement of her left hand.

As a violinist, Turner was concerned that the surgery would affect her music skills, and the thought of not being able to play the instrument was heart-breaking to her.

The violin is my passionIve been playing since I was 10 years old, she said in the press release. The thought of losing my ability to play was heart-breaking.

Knowing that her consultant neurosurgeon, Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, is an accomplished pianist and has a degree in music, Turner revealed her worries to him.

The hospital said in a statement that to prepare for the surgery, Professor Ashkan and the neurosurgical team spent two hours mapping Turners brain to identify areas that were active when she played the violin and planning the position she needed to be in to play the instrument mid-surgery. The team wanted to ensure the operation would not damage any crucial areas of Turners brain that controlled her delicate hand movements specifically when playing the instrument.

We knew how important the violin is to Dagmar, Professor Ashkan said in the statement, so it was vital that we preserved function in the delicate areas of her brain that allowed her to play.

The operation was a success. Surgeons woke Turner up during the operation and handed her a violin, and she started playing. The Kings hospital said the team of surgeons removed over 90 percent of Turners tumor while retaining the full function of her left hand. The hospital being a major brain tumor facility in the United Kingdom performs around 400 tumor removals every year, which involves waking patients during the surgery for language tests.

Professor Ashkan said this was the first time he had a patient play an instrument during the surgery. Turner was well enough to return home three days later.

Currently, she is self-isolating like many during the lockdown restrictions amid the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

Because of coronavirus I cannot go to my Pilates club and other fitness classes, Turner told The Epoch Times. So my physical recovery is certainly a bit delayed.

With regards to updates on her music, she said that everything is on standby, and due to the spreading pandemic, its uncertain whether there will be a concert this season. The passionate violinist and the mom of a teen son said though her left leg is a bit wobbly and headaches are a common visitor, she is still optimistic and is looking forward to the day when society opens up and she will be able to continue her passion of playing her violin again.

When the virus is over, she added, it would be wonderful if any musical society in the country would play the Mozart requiem to mourn.
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Its time for everyone to take a deep breath and pause the raging debate over when and how to reopen Pennsylvania.

For weeks now theres been a simmering dispute between the Wolf administration and those who are eager to start allowing businesses to reopen. In the last few days it has come to a boil.

Gov. Tom Wolf has established a reopening plan that designates counties as red, yellow or green. While some counties are being moved to yellow, which loosens some restrictions, those listed as red have to live under the strictest rules until at least June 4.

Leaders in some red counties have had enough of the tight restrictions, which make it difficult or impossible for many to pursue their livelihoods. Several counties announced last weekend that they would move from red to yellow on their own.

The governor responded Monday with harsh words and stern warnings. He said it would be cowardly for people to reopen before state health officials believe its safe, and that doing so would lead to serious regulatory, legal and financial repercussions.

The Berks County commissioners stepped into the middle of all this last weekend by declaring that they would gather input from business and health care leaders to develop a safe plan to restart the local economy. The commissioners did not say that they were going to start reopening without Wolfs permission.

It would be a mistake to defy the governors order, which would create a chaotic situation and new headaches for businesses. But we dont see any harm in talking about the path forward and having a plan ready when the time comes to start to reopen.

We were heartened to hear the commissioners say that they want to act in a unanimous, bipartisan fashion. One of the most troubling aspects of the debate lately is that its turned into yet another front in the ongoing political war.

The disheartening piece of these disagreements is their adherence to party lines. So much for the together while apart theme we hear on TV commercials. The effort on the Berks board to remain nonpartisan is to be commended.

In Montgomery County, the commissioners majority and leadership has been steadfast in its adherence to the science of reopening, recently drawing the ire of some for applying those strict standards to flag distribution for Memorial Day. Minority Republican Commissioner Joseph Gale has become increasingly vocal this week in objecting to the flags decision and calling for relaxing of the restrictions.

Instead of beating up one another, lets stipulate a few things. The governor and others who favor a cautious approach to reopening are quite conscious of the economic impact and do care about those they affect. They just believe the situation will be worse all around if they act too early and wind up having to reimpose restrictions.

People who are eager to restart the economy more quickly are not greedy or dismissive of health concerns. Any counties that reopen would still have most restrictions in place in an effort to ensure that its done as safely as possible.

As long as theres no vaccine or therapeutic solution to COVID-19, were going to have to tread carefully. We cant afford to keep things clamped down indefinitely, nor can we resume life as it was.

We respect and support the governors commitment to saving lives. But we encourage him to engage in a dialogue with communities that have concerns about his strategy, and to avoid demonizing those with whom he disagrees. The same goes for the other side. The path Berks has chosen could serve as an example.
Johnny Depp's ex-partner Vanessa Paradis has said he is a 'kind, attentive, generous and non-violent person and father', according to court documents in his libel claim.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star is suing the Sun newspaper's publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article which referred to the 56-year-old as a 'wife-beater'.

The article related to allegations made against Mr Depp by his former wife, actress Amber Heard - which the actor strenuously denies.

Mr Depp and Ms Heard split in 2016, and are now fighting in two separate legal actions on both sides of the Atlantic.

Ms Heard, who previously alleged Depp beat her, said she feared for her life during their relationship and that he choked her and ripped out her hair. His side insist her allegations are 'a hoax', that she hit him and went so far as to 'paint on' her bruises.

Lawyers for Mr Depp are seeking to admit evidence from Ms Paradis, who has two children with the star, as part of his case against the publisher - which is due to be tried at the High Court in London in July.

David Sherborne, representing Mr Depp, said in court documents that his relationship with Ms Paradis ended in 2012, shortly before he and Ms Heard were together, 'and when he is first alleged to have been violent'.

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis 80th Annual Academy Awards Arrivals, Los Angeles, America - 24 Feb 2008

Amber Heard attends the screening of 'Pain And Glory' during the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2019

Timeline of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's relationship February 3, 2015 Johnny Depp and Amber Heard marry in a private civil ceremony at their LA home, four years after they met as co-stars on the set of The Rum Diaries. The couple celebrate with a lavish reception on an idyllic private island in the Bahamas that Depp bought in 2004 for $3.6 million. April 21, 2015 Heard breaches Australia's biosecurity laws after she and Depp fail to declare their two Yorkshire terriers when they arrive Down Under on a private jet for the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Charges of illegally importing animals are dropped but Heard admits falsifying quarantine documents and is placed on a $1,000 one month good behavior bond. May 23, 2016 Heard files for divorce after 15 months of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Four days later a judge issues a temporary restraining order against Depp over domestic violence allegations. Pictures of Heard's alleged injuries hit the tabloids but the LAPD finds no evidence of a crime. August 16, 2016 Heard retracts her allegations as she and Depp reach a $7 million divorce settlement. Their marriage was 'intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love,' the former actors say in a statement. 'There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm'. December 18, 2018 The Washington Post publishes an op-ed by Heard, an ambassador for women's rights at for the American Civil Liberties Union, urging support for women who suffer domestic violence. 'Two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out,' Heard writes. March 1, 2019 Despite not being named in the article, Depp files a $50 million defamation suit in Fairfax Circuit Court, Virginia saying it insinuated he was an abuser and got him fired from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Depp dismisses Heard's allegations as a 'hoax' and claims he was actually the victim of her violence. April 10, 2019 Heard files a motion to dismiss the complaint, cataloging more than a dozen instances of abuse between 2012, when she moved in with Depp, and the May 2016 bust up that preceded their divorce. She refers to him as 'the monster' in the 300-plus page filing. May 20, 2019 Depp hits back against the motion to dismiss claiming Heard painted bruises on her face, scrubbed metadata and fabricated evidence against him. He denies ever abusing any woman and says of her allegations: 'I will continue to deny them for the rest of my life.' Advertisement

In a witness statement, Ms Paradis said: 'I have known Johnny for more than 25 years.

'We've been partners for 14 years and we raised our two children together.

'Through all these years I've known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous, and non-violent person and father.'

She added: 'He was never violent or abusive to me.'

At a hearing conducted remotely over Skype today, Mr Depp's lawyers also said they wish to adduce evidence from actress Winona Ryder, who was in a relationship with the star in the 1990s.

In her statement, Ms Ryder said: 'I cannot wrap my head around (Ms Heard's) accusations.

'He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me.'

Mr Depp's lawyers also wish to call evidence from a former personal assistant to Ms Heard, and a mechanic who worked for the couple before their acrimonious divorce.

A spokesperson for Ms Heard said: 'The evidence from Mr Depp's mechanic and a disgruntled former employee is tangential and does not speak to whether Mr Depp is the perpetrator of domestic violence against Ms Heard.

'In relation to Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder's evidence, we are glad they did not have the same experience as Ms Heard. However, one woman's experience does not determine the experience of another woman.

Mr Depp's attorney Adam Waldman said: 'Today's pre-trial review was largely a hearing of the Sun's attempts to first publicly smear, and then seek to exclude the testimony of multiple witnesses against their friend Amber Heard. Seeking to hide the truth is ironic because ''truth'' is the Sun's defense. The defense of truth is also ironic because the Sun's own reporter and fellow Defendant Dan Wootton refuses to testify in support of his own story.'

A two-week trial was due to start in London on March 25 at which the actor, Ms Heard and a number of Hollywood figures would have had to give evidence, but it was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The trial is now set to take place at the Royal Courts of Justice over three weeks from July 7, with strict social distancing measures in place.

Mr Justice Nicol, hearing the case, previously ruled that parts of Ms Heard's evidence, relating to allegations of sexual violence, will be heard in private.

He made his ruling following an application by lawyers for NGN, saying the orders sought by the publishers were 'necessary and proportionate'.

The exact nature of the allegations was not disclosed to the press or public and remain unknown.

The judge is now being asked to deal with a number of directions ahead of the planned trial date.

Mr Sherborne said Mr Depp denies that he has ever hit any woman, and that he accuses Ms Heard of being 'abusive and physically aggressive' - which she vehemently denies.

The libel claim against NGN and Mr Wootton arises out of publication of an article in The Sun in April 2018, under the headline 'Gone Potty - How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife-beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?'

Mr Depp has brought separate libel proceedings against Ms Heard in the US, which the court has previously heard are 'ongoing'.

The pair met on the set of 2011 comedy The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

In May 2016, Ms Heard obtained a restraining order against Mr Depp after accusing him of abuse, which he denied.

The couple settled their divorce out of court in 2017, with Ms Heard donating her 5.5 million settlement to charity.

Winona Ryder and actor Johnny Depp attend 'The Silence of the Lambs' Century City Premiere on February 1, 1991, Cineplex Odeon Century Plaza Cinemas in Century City, California

At a hearing conducted remotely over Skype on Wednesday, Mr Depp's lawyers also said they wish to adduce evidence from actress Winona Ryder, who was in a relationship with the star in the 1990s

The American lawsuit is due to be heard in August.

Mr Depp has always argued that he was the victim of an 'elaborate hoax' instigated by his ex-wife, who 'faked' her injuries with makeup after a blowout May 2016 fight that finally ended their toxic marriage.

Ms Heard responded with a lurid 300-page filing of her own, cataloging the 'horrific' abuse she claims to have suffered at Mr Depp's hands, describing him as 'the monster' and recalling many of the allegations she made during their divorce.

The filing included photos of bruises and scars, clumps of hair apparently torn from Ms Heard's head and pictures of smashed up furniture to illustrate the violence she was allegedly subjected to.

Ms Heard had a restraining order slapped on Mr Depp following an altercation on May 27, 2016, during which she claimed the actor threw a mobile phone at her face at their downtown Los Angeles condominium.

Ms Heard claimed police had evidence of the attack but two LAPD officers later said in a deposition that they found nothing to suggest a crime took place.

DailyMail.com obtained exclusive tape recordings which were made in 2015, around a year before the alleged fight, as the pair tried to talk through their caustic marriage problems.

Their heart-to-heart quickly descends into bickering as Ms Heard accuses Mr Depp of taking her for granted, behaving like a 'vacation husband' and 'splitting' every time they have an argument.

Mr Depp complains he's forced to leave when she becomes 'manic and angry', telling Ms Heard: 'I'm not going be in a physical f**king altercation with you... you f**king hit me last night.'

He goes on to add: 'I'm not the one who throws pots and whatever the f**k else at me.'
Rental markets across Australia continue to reel under the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak, with vacancy rates in CBD locations rising substantially in April, according to the latest figures from SQM Research.

Over the month, the national vacancy rate rose to 2.6%, up from 2% in March and from 2.3% last year.

On a monthly basis, only Darwin recorded a decline in vacancy rate. Sydney, on the other hand, reported the highest rate at 3.9%, a significant jump from 2.9% in March.

Also read: Assessing Property Risks During COVID-19

The table below shows the vacancy rate in each capital city:

Capital city CBD locations reported steep increases in vacancy rates. Sydney CBD, in particular, reported the highest vacancy rate at 13.8%. Brisbane CBD also reported a sharp rise to 11.3%.

Louis Christopher, managing director of SQM Research, said the sudden increase in vacancies in CBD locations could be attributed to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The blowout in rental vacancy rates for the major CBDs suggests a mass exodus of tenants occurred over the course of March and April. This might be attributed to the significant loss in employment in our CBDs plus the drop-off in international students," he said.

The table below shows the monthly and annual difference in vacancy rates across each capital-city CBD location:

Christopher warned that a sustained increase in rental vacancies could result in deeper declines in rents.

"This will be good news for tenants but a disaster for landlords. There will also be economic consequences, with further sharp falls in building approvals likely, thereby risking a major depression in our residential construction sector as well as the rather obvious risks for housing prices," he said.

Asking rents across capital cities have already decreased by 1.3% for houses.

Sydney, Melbourne and Perth recorded decreases in asking rents for both houses and units over the month while Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart recorded declines in house asking rents but minor increases in unit asking rents.

On the other hand, Adelaide defied the trend and reported rent increases for both houses and units.

The table below shows the weekly rents in each capital city as of 12 May:
A view of St George's Municipal Hospital after a fire, five patients dead on ventilator support in the intensive care unit. The hospital was one of the first in St Petersburg to be repurposed as a medical centre to treat infectious diseases like pneumonia, including that caused by the novel coronavirus.

The U.S. has said it will not use the Russian ventilators sent to it by Moscow while an investigation is carried out into their safety, following a deadly hospital fire in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) told CNBC Wednesday that it would not start using the "Aventa-M" ventilators after they were cited as the possible cause of a fire in the St. George Hospital, in St. Petersburg, that killed five patients with Covid-19.

The victims were in an intensive care unit and on ventilators at the time of the incident, Russian news agencies reported; 150 other people were evacuated from the hospital. Sources at the hospital were reported as saying that the fire could have been caused by one of the these ventilators short-circuiting.

The St. Petersburg hospital fire follows a similar incident last Saturday in a hospital in Moscow that was also treating coronavirus patients and also using the same model of ventilator; the fire killed one and forced hundreds of others to evacuate.

Russia has now suspended the use of Aventa-M ventilators throughout the country, Russia's health-care regulator Roszdravnadzor confirmed Wednesday. It said Aventa-M ventilators were used to provide medical care to patients at both the Moscow and St. Petersburg hospitals.

FEMA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, confirmed to CNBC that the same model of ventilator had been sent to the U.S. from Russia in early April, during a scramble for medical equipment as the coronavirus pandemic raged in the New York area.

"At the beginning of April, Russia sent a shipment of medical supplies, including Aventa M ventilators, to the U.S.," a FEMA spokesman told CNBC.

"At the time, a severe ventilator shortage was projected in New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ), so the ventilators were delivered to warehouses owned by the two states."

The spokesman said that a flattening of the infection curve meant the ventilators were not needed, but were held in reserve in case the situation worsened. "The ventilators have not been deployed to hospitals," he added.

FEMA told CNBC that "out of an abundance of caution, the states are returning the ventilators to FEMA" and added that "the conclusion(s) of the investigation being conducted by the Russian authorities into the fire in St. Petersburg will help inform our decision regarding any future use of the ventilators."
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, have congratulated Ibrahim Gambari on his appointment as Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Ibrahim, a former minister of External Affairs between 1984 and 1985, is replacing Abba Kyari who died of COVID-19 complications in April.

The retired diplomat hails from Ilorin, Kwara State. His appointment was officially announced by the Presidency on Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Mr Abubakar, in his congratulatory message, expressed hope that Mr Gambari will deploy his varied skills to the service of the country.

Congratulations Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR on your appointment as Chief of Staff to @MBuhari. It is my hope and expectation and those of millions of Nigerians that you will deploy your varied skills garnered over the years in the service of our nation, Mr Abubakar posted on his social media handle.

Also, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, Governor AbdulRazaq said Mr Gambaris appointment is a befitting development that is rooted in dedication, loyalty, and history.

The appointment is clearly fit for purpose and is deserving for our own Professor Gambari whose record of service as a diplomat and global statesman is unblemished.

He congratulated the new presidential aide on behalf of his family, the government and people of Kwara State.

We pray the Almighty Allah to guide and protect Professor Gambari on this delicate national assignment and to not stop his blessings and protection for President Muhammadu Buhari whose administration continues to impact positively in the lives of the masses, he added.
On May 07, 2020, Johnson, his son Nathan Johnson, and Ethan McGregor were arrested after the owner of the restaurant Wicked Cantina said that the three appeared at the establishment drunk. The restaurant owner also alleged that the three were instigating arguments with other customers. When the restaurant owner asked the three to leave, they reportedly refused.

A Sarasota Police Department report said that when authorities tried to escort the three off the property, they became physically aggressive.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune said that Johnson was arrested and charged with battering officers, resisting arrest and trespassing. His son was similarly charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and trespassing  Nathan allegedly punched a police officer twice.

The third individual, McGregor, was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest.

Johnson and his son were released from jail on $1,000 bail, while McGregor was released on $2,000 bail.

Both Johnson and McGregor are scheduled for arraignment on June 19, 2020.
Wash. allows 1-on-1 Bible studies during COVID-19 pandemic after lawsuit

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Attorneys for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee told a federal judge last week that the state can't enforce a ban on one-on-one Bible studies as it faces legal action over a stay-at-home order that prohibits faith-based gatherings of any size.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Joshua Freed, who has held one-on-one Bible classes while respecting social distancing standards, is now in the clear to hold Bible studies at his home.

An attorney for Inslee told Freed and a federal court last Friday that the government had agreed to allow him to resume in-person Bible studies on a one-on-one basis.

Freed, a former mayor of Bothell, has held weekly Bible studies at his home for over two years. He said that moving the studies online is not a substitute for in-person meetings.

I stared down the Governor and he blinked, Freed wrote in a tweet. After more than two weeks of stalling and 146 pages of legalese, Inslee was forced to concede (under pointed questioning by a federal judge) that he cannot enforce his own order banning religious gathering regardless of size.

Freed is represented by the religious freedom legal nonprofit First Liberty Institute and an attorney with the Bothell-based North Creek Law Firm.

Mark Lamb, the founder of North Creek Law, said in a statement that religious community and one-on-one Bible study is essential to many people of faith.

We are grateful that, in this challenging time for our country, Gov. Inslee was willing to concede that the ban does not apply to Joshua Freeds home Bible study, Lamb said.

On March 23, Inslee issued Proclamation 20-25, an amended version of an earlier proclamation aimed at having people stay home to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Among other things, the proclamation barred all people in Washington state from leaving their homes or participating in social, spiritual and recreational gatherings of any kind regardless of the number of participants.

Additionally, the proclamation barred all non-essential businesses in Washington state from conducting business, within the limitations provided herein.

All people in Washington state shall immediately cease participating in all public and private gatherings and multi-person activities for social, spiritual and recreational purposes, regardless of the number of people involved, except as specifically identified herein, continued the proclamation.

Such activity includes, but is not limited to, community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based, or sporting events; parades; concerts; festivals; conventions; fundraisers; and similar activities. This prohibition also applies to planned wedding and funeral events.

The order included an exemption for any activities, including faith-based ones, solely including those people who are part of a single household or residential living unit.

According to First Liberty Institute, the state government did not respond to two requests by the legal group for an exemption for one-on-one Bible studies.

In response, Freed sought a temporary restraining order from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington that could allow him to hold the in-person studies.

First Liberty Executive General Counsel Hiram Sasser said in a statement that he considered the ban an outrageous overreach that stifles religious liberty and violates the First Amendment.

The Constitution forbids the government from singling out religious Americans for restrictions that are not imposed on other entities, stated Sasser.



According to The Seattle Times, Freed has dropped his request for a court order but his larger lawsuit against Inslee's order banning religious gatherings will continue.
Offices of Cutera Inc. in Brisbane, Calif. Google Earth

The largest public companies that tapped the government's emergency relief fund for small businesses nearly all had ready access to other forms of capital, according to a CNBC analysis of filings. Even amid the upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic, these companies raised millions of dollars by selling stock or had idle credit lines they could've used, factors that likely should've prompted them to return loans they got from the federal Paycheck Protection Program. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned of "severe consequences" for companies that shouldn't have participated in the program. But just hours before a May 14 deadline to return PPP loans with amnesty, most public companies made no mention of giving back the funds, which become grants if used for approved expenses like payroll. Of the $1.32 billion tapped by public companies across 407 loans, only 61 loans making up a combined $411 million are being returned, according to data analytics firm FactSquared.

One example: Cutera, a California-based maker of devices like laser-powered hair removers, raised more than $26 million last month by selling shares on the open market, according to filings. It had also applied for a PPP loan days before the Treasury Department had explicitly discouraged public companies with access to the capital markets from doing so. Cutera received the money from stock sales on April 21, the very same day that its application for a $7.1 million PPP loan came through. On top of that, the company had $19.5 million in cash and liquid investments as of March 30, and an untouched $25 million credit line from Wells Fargo to fund its operations. Cutera, run in part by San Francisco-based hedge fund manager Daniel Plants, is just one example of dozens of PPP applicants found by CNBC that were large and established enough to have relationships with bankers and sophisticated investors.

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After the initial $350 billion round of the small business relief fund was quickly disbursed, a backlash grew against companies including Shake Shack and Ruth's Hospitality Group that had tapped the fund despite having other options. Those two companies returned the money, and were eventually followed by other firms with well-known consumer brands like AutoNation. But many public companies have so far escaped scrutiny because they aren't household names. CNBC found 49 companies with a market capitalization of at least $100 million that took PPP loans and hadn't disclosed plans to return the money as of May 12. Of those firms, 13 sold shares this year, and many of the rest had unused credit lines good for tens of millions of dollars in borrowing power, according to filings. Last month, the Small Business Administration issued guidance in response to the public uproar over the loans, saying that it was unlikely that a "a public company with substantial market value and access to capital markets" could make a good-faith certification that it needed the PPP funds. The agency gave companies two weeks to return the money if they suspected they may no longer qualify, and later extended the deadline to May 14. On May 13, Treasury issued an updated FAQ saying that PPP loans under $2 million would likely not be examined and that the deadline to return funds was moved yet again to May 18. "The purpose of this program was not social welfare for big business," Mnuchin told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin on April 28, adding that the government would audit PPP loans over $2 million to make sure they were valid. "The purpose of this program was to help small businesses." Many of the companies found by CNBC are in the technology, health tech and pharmaceutical sectors, which are often the types of businesses that need to regularly sell stock to fund operations while developing new products.

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One example is OncoCyte, which develops early detection cancer tests. The California-based company secured a $1.14 million PPP loan through Silicon Valley Bank on April 23. The next day, it filed a prospectus to issue shares, and ultimately raised $10.75 million last month from stock sales. Another is Xeris Pharmaceuticals, a maker of diabetes medication, which reaped $39.9 million from share sales in February. The Chicago-based company got $5.1 million from the PPP on April 22, and later decided to return $900,000 of that, keeping the rest for payroll and other expenses, the firm said. Applied Optoelectronics, a Texas-based maker of fiber-optic networking products, is another company that has ready access to capital markets. The company had $28.8 million in unused borrowing lines and $62.5 million in cash and liquid securities as of March 31, as well as a deal with Raymond James to sell $55 million in shares. Despite its solid financial footing, the firm applied for a $6.2 million PPP loan through Truist Bank, which it got April 17. In a May filing, the company said that despite the latest SBA guidelines, it still believed it met "all the requirements" for the program but that the loan could subject it to "additional scrutiny which could adversely affect our financial condition."

Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, center, walks through the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Sarah Silbiger | Bloomberg | Getty Images
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The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday it has detained a man suspected of preparing terror attacks in the Tver region.

The suspect, born in 2001, is believed to have been plotting arson on government buildings as well as armed attacks against law enforcement personnel, according to the Russian security agency.

The FSB added that at the suspect's home in the town of Kimry, its officers seized a pistol with improvised ammunition, three Molotov cocktails, a machete and diaries containing plans for crimes.
https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Sky-High-Anti-Semitism-and-Increased-Jewish-Pride.html

2019 saw the highest levels of anti-Semitism in the US on record. American Jews are responding with Jewish pride.

Anti-Semitism has been steadily increasing in the United States for the past decade, a new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) shows, and in 2019 it reached a record high. Anti-Jewish incidents in 2019 were the highest on record, exceeding all records since at least 1979, when the ADL first began keeping track.

In 2019 well over 2,100 attacks on Jews were recorded, an 18% increase since 2018 and fully a doubling in anti-Jewish attacks since 2015. Many of the anti-Semitic incidents were horrifically violent, including the murder of Lori Gilbert-Kaye in the Chabad of Poway synagogue on April 27, 2019, the murders of Mindy Ferencz and Moshe Deutsch, as well as Douglas Miguel Rodrigues and Det. Joseph Seals, in Jersey City on December 10, and the violent knife attack on Jews at a Hanukkah party in Monsey, New York, on December 28. (Rabbi Josef Neumann died of his injuries three months later.) The report also details over a thousand cases of threats and harassment directed Jews and over 900 cases of the property of Jews being intentionally destroyed or damaged.

The ADLs report is shocking in its mind-numbing tally of examples of anti-Jewish hatred but for too many of us its hardly surprising. For the first time in recent memory, the ADL records, a majority of American Jews have been victims of anti-Semitic incidents  or have witnessed someone else being attacked for being Jewish. Our sense of security as American Jews has shattered.

For the first time in a generation, American Jews are discovering what many Jews in Diaspora communities all over the world experience, realizing that we are a minority within our own countries and not always welcomed. For some Jews, this is acting as a powerful catalyst, encouraging many of us to explore what it means to be Jewish, and leading countless Jews to embrace their Judaism.

Here are four inspiring recent trends of Jews choosing to live fuller Jewish lives, even in the shadow of increasing anti-Semitism.

1. Young Adults Embracing Shabbat

In recent years, increasing numbers of Jews have been rediscovering a central component of Jewish life: Shabbat. This is part of a trend of living a more fully Jewish life in general, and in some communities, its young Jewish adults who are showing the way.

A recent article in The Atlantic highlighted the growing, vibrant Shabbat scene among Millennials living in Houston: On a typical Friday night in Houston, many young people are out drinking in bars or curled up watching Netflix But in a few Houston homes, Jews in their 20s and 30s have opted to fill these evenings with a different kind of obligation: strictly observing Shabbat, or the Jewish Sabbath. The young professionals featured in the article described how they had chosen to celebrate Shabbat as adults, and took turns inviting each other to Shabbat meals in their homes, and even held informal Shabbat services for their friends and guests in their apartments on Friday nights.

Data about just how many young adults are choosing to celebrate Shabbat are hard to come by, but one indication that Shabbat observance is catching on is the rapid proliferation of Moishe Houses, informal homes where small groups of Jews rent together and which function as central hubs for Jewish activity for young adults, hosting Shabbat lunches and dinners as well as other events. From the founding of the first Moishe House in Oakland, California in 2006, the movement has grown rapidly to over 100 Moishe Houses around the world today, hosting Shabbat dinners for young adults. This fits into a pattern: more Jews in their 20s and 30s are rediscovering the joys of Jewish rituals  so much so that a greater proportion of young Jewish adults describe themselves as religiously observant than older American Jews today.

2. Growing Jewish Community

Many Jews are used to reading dire predictions of the future of American Jewry  yet contrary to some dark predictions, the number of Jews in the United States is growing. Researchers at Brandeis University near Boston found in a major 2018 that the US Jewish population was 7.5 million that year  and growing each year.

Fueling that is a birthrate thats much higher than the US average of 1.77 children per family. Orthodox American Jews tend to have larger families  an average of just over 4 children per family. Even among secular American Jews, the desire for larger families seems to be motivating many couple to have larger families. While most American Jews who describe themselves as secular do have families about the size of the average American family, many do join their Orthodox brethren in choosing to build larger families  nearly 10% of secular American Jews also have an average of four children or more. Jewish children ensure the future of a vibrant Jewish community  the fact that so many Jewish families are raising larger families is helping build the next generation of American Jews.

3. Increasing Numbers of Students Visiting Israel on Birthright

The past several years have seen a broad upward trend of Jewish college students and young adults visiting Israel, many for the first time, on Birthright Israel trips. Birthright was formed in 1999, and since then the program has revolutionized Jewish life in America and beyond, bringing young Jewish adults to Israel on free (or almost free) trips, so they can experience Israel and gain familiarity with the Jewish homeland. Tens of thousands of Jews have traveled to Israel with Birthright; many have found themselves transformed by the experience.

In recent years, the numbers of American Jews going on Birthright trips has trended broadly upwards. From 13,593 students participating on Birthright in 2015, that number rose to 15,043 in 2016 and to 15,570 in 2018. In 2017 Birthright widened the pool of participants, raising the maximum age of visitors to 32 and instituting Israel trips geared towards newly-married couples.

Birthright trips have an outsized impact: participants are 45% more likely to marry Jews after their trip than others. It was a spiritual experience I didnt expect to get explained Sam Paul, an 26 year old insurance broker from Manchester, New Hampshire, on his trip, echoing many other American Jews whove got the chance to learn about the Jewish homeland through this unique program.

4. Jews Give Highest Levels of Charity in the United States

Jews consistently are in the lead when it comes to charitable giving in the United States  American Jews donate more money to charity than any other ethnic or religious group: they give at levels higher than other religious and ethnic groups, and a greater percentage of American Jewish families give charity than families of other faiths. This phenomenon is true at all levels of income  one recent study found that even among households making less than $50,000 a year, (which is less than the national mean in the US), Jews are significantly more likely to donate funds to charity (60% of low earning Jews donate versus only 46% of non-Jewish low earners.)

Demographer Hanna Shaul Bar Nissim studies charitable giving and she notes that theres something unique about American Jews generosity: Expressed in Hebrew, the Jewish concepts of tzedakah (charitable giving), tzedek (justice) and chesed (mercy and kindness) instruct and compel all Jews to give charity and treat people who are less fortunate with compassion. The generosity of American Jews is another reason to be proud of our community  and yet another way that our faith shapes and strengthens us and our faith.
Tuesday was the deadline to send ballots in a historic election that was conducted almost entirely through vote by mail amid the coronavirus across 33 municipalities in New Jersey  and already one city in Passaic County is facing some counting issues.

The Passaic County Board of Elections commissioners decided to not count 800 ballots, a county spokesman said. The decision comes after the federal Office of the Inspector General began to investigate ballots that were left on the floor of an apartment building in Paterson, U.S. postal service spokesman George Flood said.

Another incident involved Paterson ballots that were found bundled together in another municipality. The Record reported that 400 Paterson ballots were found in Haledon, 300 were found in South Paterson and another 100 were found elsewhere.

U.S. Postal authorities informed the Passaic County Board of Elections about bundled vote-by-mail ballots within their possession, said Passaic County spokesman Keith Furlong. These ballots have been delivered to the county and set aside. Board of Elections Commissioners decided not to count 800-plus of these ballots yesterday.

Any potential irregularities will be handed off to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, Furlong said in a statement. A spokesman for the state Attorney Generals Office said it could not confirm or deny its involvement in any investigations.

The Paterson race will decide six ward seats.

The vote by mail method was ordered by Gov. Phil Murphy through an executive order, which also moved several elections that were supposed to take place in March and April to May 12. Residents in 33 municipalities in 10 counties cast ballots for council, school board, and, in one instance, a local fire district election.

Murphy stopped short of saying whether counting issues in cities like Paterson, which has a history of alleged voter fraud, would impact his decision on how to conduct the upcoming primaries. Those elections, which are more widespread, were pushed from June 2 to July 7.

Its largely too early to give you a full answer, but we need to make a decision on the July 7 election," Murphy said in a daily press briefing on Wednesday. "So you can imagine were digesting yesterday pretty aggressively.

Tossing 800 ballots could soon spark a legal battle. Gregg Paster - an attorney for Paterson candidates Alex Mendez, Ramon Joaquin, Eddie Olivares and Mosleh Uddin - said he was drafting an injunction to ask a judge to not certify the election until those 800 ballots are counted.

Frankly every vote should be counted, said Paster.

Passaic County has not yet posted results online, although multiple counties began to post preliminary, unofficial counts of ballots that had already been received through the mail. Several counties began to mail out ballots around April 24 and began to receive them before May 12.

Superior Court Judge Joseph Portelli, in an order given Tuesday, allowed the Passaic County Board of Elections to cease counting mail-in ballots received by May 12 and to resume the tally at a later date. Furlong, the county spokesman, said the count will continue next Tuesday.

The Passaic County Board of Elections said it has considerable space constraints due to social distancing guidelines, according to court records. The board received 17,688 ballots, Portellis order said, and 11,179 were received after May 8.

Election officials in other counties will accept ballots that were postmarked May 12 until May 14, so additional results will be posted online throughout the week.

That will likely not affect the results in Montclair, where New Jersey Education Association Vice President Sean Spiller already received 450 more votes against his challenger for mayor. The additional ballots that stream in will decide close races in Orange, where an at-large council candidate received one more vote than another.

There were some exceptions to the ban on in-person voting. Disabled voters, including blind residents who may need to be read a ballot, were allowed to vote at polling stations in county buildings or online through Democracy Live.

A decision about how the July 7 primaries will be conducted in New Jersey should likely come by Friday, Murphy said.

I will be surprised if we dont have a more comprehensive answer, especially as it relates to July 7, by the end of this week, the governor said.

Voters in the May 12 election can see if the board of elections accepted or rejected their ballot in an online tool from the New Jersey Department of State.

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Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
Typhoon Vongfong is the first named storm of the 2020 Western Pacific typhoon season. The Philippines is bracing as the intensifying system churns ominously closer to the archipelago.

The 2020 Western Pacific typhoon season began relatively quietly, but things changed quickly Sunday into Monday when an area of low pressure east of Mindanao approached tropical-depression status. It was declared a tropical storm on Monday local time, named "Ambo" by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and "Vongfong" by the Japan Meteorological Agency.

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Vongfong currently stands at Category 1 status, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and gusts to 125 mph. It's moving west-northwest at 7 mph. Typhoon Vongfong has been showing signs of rapid intensification.

- - -

Satellite imagery of Vongfong early Wednesday showed strong thunderstorms indicative of rapidly rising air.

The JTWC wrote Wednesday that "the environment remains very favorable for additional rapid intensification," with warm water and high-speed winds feeding the storm.

Studies have shown increases in the occurrence of rapidly intensifying storms in some parts of the world, defined as an increase in a storm's maximum sustained winds of 35 mph or greater in 24 hours. One study of rapid intensification in the Atlantic that was published last year found that this is occurring due to climate change-induced changes in the ocean and atmosphere.

Vongfong's eye briefly clouded over early Wednesday U.S. time, signaling a short pause in intensification. However, tropical cyclones usually strengthen in a sort of stair-step pattern, with spurts of intensification interspersed with periodic pauses as the storm reshuffles and organizes again. The JTWC anticipates that the typhoon may strengthen, peaking as a Category 3 storm by Thursday afternoon local time, with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and gusts to 130 mph. Vongfong probably will head northwest, skimming the Philippines' eastern Visayas and the Bicol region.

That probably means a very close shave of the western eyewall on the eastern shores of the island of Samar, where winds ranging from tropical storm to hurricane force and a storm surge of several feet are likely. Up to half a foot of rainfall is possible.

Vongfong is headed directly over the Philippine island of Catanduanes, home to about a quarter-million people. Sustained winds of 115 mph are possible if the eyewall passes overhead - as is currently forecast - along with 6 to 10 inches of rainfall. Close to a foot is possible in the island's hilly terrain.

- - -

Vongfong is expected to continue its northwestward trek through the Philippine Sea east of Lamon Bay. On Saturday afternoon, current projections show a low-end Category 2 Vongfong in Luzon, near the Casiguron Sound.

Mountainous terrain on the island's southeastern side will intensify wind and heavy rain, with potential flooding and mudslides.

The typhoon probably will maintain strength and pass east of Japan while feeding off the lukewarm waters of the Kuroshio Current.

About 20 tropical cyclones approach the Philippines each year. On Nov. 7 and 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6,000 people, making landfall near the city of Tacloban, with winds of 190 mph. It was recorded as the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall.
Nebraska has stopped reporting on confirmed coronavirus cases in the state's meatpacking plants, after the state revealed more than 1,000 workers were infected.

Governor Pete Ricketts announced the change at a press conference last week, saying state health officials would no longer share figures about how many workers have been infected at each plant.

Ricketts said Thursday more at least 1,005 meatpacking workers in Nebraska had tested positive for COVID-19. Three have reportedly died.

But he said the numbers can be unreliable because some people who have tested positive have given misleading information about where they work, and said that totals from individual plants would no longer be announced by state officials.

Ricketts recommended that local health departments withhold the case counts unless they get permission from the plants.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts said state health officials would no longer share figures about how many workers have been infected at each plant

On Tuesday, Tyson Foods and Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department said that 212 out of 1,467 workers at the Tyson pork plant in Madison had tested positive

Some of the companies have cooperated with local health departments in releasing data on individual plants.

On Tuesday, Tyson Foods and Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department said that 212 out of 1,467 workers at the Tyson pork plant in Madison had tested positive for coronavirus.

Of those, 74 people did not show symptoms. Those who tested positive received paid leave, and they may return to work after meeting CDC and Tyson guidelines.

Before suspending state-level reporting on individual plants, Nebraska reported 237 cases at the JBS plant in Grand Island; and 123 arising from the Smithfield plant in Crete.

Nationwide, at least 10,000 meatpacking workers have tested positive for the virus, and 30 have died, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents many meat plants.

Before suspending state-level reporting on individual plants, Nebraska reported 123 cases arising from the Smithfield plant in Crete (above)

Nebraska previously also reported 237 cases at the JBS plant in Grand Island

The union blasted Nebraska's move to halt reporting on individual plants.

'Governor Ricketts is taking steps to conceal testing results from the communities and workers that need it the most  this is a wrong decision at the wrong time,' union spokesman Mark Lauritsen told the Washington Post.

'Workers, communities and companies all deserve this information so that we can make these essential workers as safe as possible. Transparency and honesty builds trust, ensures safety and keeps the food system functioning.'

As of Tuesday, Nebraska reported a total of 8,692 positive cases and 103 deaths.

Ricketts, a Republican, took heat for remarks last month about 'people concentrated together' after a meatpacking plant virus outbreak in his state.

Meatpacking worker advocates disputed Ricketts' suggestion that an outbreak could have happened because of crowded worker households at the Tyson Foods beef plant in Dakota City, where hundreds were infected.

It comes after the Waterloo plant reopened from a two-week shutdown. Many processing plants and slaughterhouses across the US have been forced to close in recent weeks due to outbreaks among workers (above)

According to Nebraska Health and Human Services spokesperson Leah Bucco-White, three of the state's deaths are meatpacking workers. Pictured: A sign limiting customers to four items of fresh meat at a Hy-Vee supermarket in Omaha, Nebraska, May 6

'The governors statement that this is a community issue is completely untrue,' said Rose Godinez, legal counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, and the daughter of retired meatpacking workers.

She said plant workers told her that most employees who tested positive own or rent their homes and in general do not live in crowded, small dwellings.

Godinez said Ricketts' comments appeared aimed at 'trying to deflect some of the companies failures.'

President Donald Trump last week ordered meat companies to stay open, and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue on Friday issued a statement applauding 'the safe reopening' of major plants in 10 states.

The United Food and Commercial Workers said in response that the administration is rushing to reopen plants without assuring worker safety, citing at least 30 worker deaths and more than 10,000 workers infected.

A Centers for Disease Control report last week cited 20 deaths and nearly 5,000 infections, while noting that some states didn't provide data.

The union is calling on the White House to mandate a range of safety recommendations by the CDC for meat plants and monitor them to make sure they're enforced.
A group of tiny RNA that should attack the virus causing COVID-19 when it tries to infect the body are diminished with age and chronic health problems, a decrease that likely helps explain why older individuals and those with preexisting medical conditions are vulnerable populations, investigators report.

MicroRNAs play a big role in our body in controlling gene expression, and also are a front line when viruses invade, latching onto and cutting the RNA, the genetic material of the virus, says Dr. Sadanand Fulzele, aging researcher in the Department of Medicine and Center for Healthy Aging at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.

But with age and some chronic medical conditions, the attacking microRNA numbers dwindle, reducing our ability to respond to viruses, says Dr. Carlos M. Isales, co-director of the MCG Center for Healthy Aging and chief of the MCG Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.

Much like not having enough troops on the ground in an actual war, the coronavirus is then better able to do what it does naturally, which is hijack our cell machinery so it can replicate, say the researchers who report in the journal Aging and Disease what appear to be key microRNA involved in responding to this virus. They have a longer-term goal of identifying the biggest hitters and replenishing those troops.

They looked at the RNA sequence of actually two coronaviruses, SARS, which surfaced in 2002, and SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and the sequence of the microRNAs that appeared to be attacking the virus, then used computer simulation to figure out which would logically fit together like puzzle pieces. Their perusal included four samples of SARS and 29 samples of SARS-CoV-2, taken between January and April 2020 from five continents covering 17 countries from the United States to Germany to Thailand.

They found 848 microRNAs that target the SARS genome and 873 microRNAs that target SARS-CoV-2 genome. They found 558 of the microRNAs fighting SARS also present in SARS-CoV-2, while 315 microRNAs were unique to SARS-CoV-2, and 290 were unique to SARS. MicroRNAs most proficient at attacking SARS-CoV-2 showed more than 10 target sites and might ultimately be found to be the most proficient at fighting the virus, which, in a few months, has changed much of the way the world functions.

They also found the microRNAs targeting SARS-CoV-2 were associated with more than 72 biological processes -- from the production of molecules to the immune response -- and that many are known to become dysregulated and/or diminish in number with age and with underlying medical conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a likely factor in the increased disease presentation and death rates seen in these individuals, the investigators say.

An example is microRNAs like miR-15b-5p, which has a high affinity for SARS-CoV-2, but is downregulated in coronary artery disease, says corresponding author Fulzele. In healthy, younger people, these microRNAs whose nature is to bind to the virus, are more apt to do as they should and prevent replication, he adds.

In the 29 worldwide samples of SARS-CoV-2, 19 had identical microRNAs, which indicates the virus has a fairly uniform presence internationally and that any effective treatments or vaccines should have broad impact, Isales says.

Next steps include studies in culture and lab animals to ensure findings are consistent with the computer analysis of human microRNAs in this study.

"The most important and striking feature of COVID-19 is the increased case fatality rate in aged individuals," the investigators write, with the CDC reporting that nearly half of patients requiring hospitalization are age 65 and older, and these more senior individuals account for about 80% of the deaths. Fulzele, Isales and their colleagues wanted to know more about why.

"My perspective is there is a key set of microRNAs that are important in triggering this abnormal response, in making older patients more susceptible," says senior author Isales. "We are looking at microRNAs in general dropping, but there is a specific subset that is key. The question is whether we can we target those as a therapy."

Cocktails of multiple key microRNA, potentially given through the nose, might help restore sufficient levels of the key virus fighters, the investigators say.

They already are moving toward producing synthetic microRNA that could supplement this frontline weakened by age or disease, Fulzele says. Future studies also include pinning down which microRNA would be most impactful as an adjunct therapy, for example with the drug remdesivir, under study now for COVID-19, which works to stop the virus' pirating of healthy cell machinery.

Another question to pursue is whether some younger people, who also are seriously sickened by SARS-CoV-2 infection, already don't make sufficient numbers of some of the key protective microRNA, Isales says.

The microRNA present in the cells of our body typically target both the 3'-UTR (three prime untranslated region) region of the virus, the section of messenger RNA that contains regulatory regions that influence gene expression and protein function, as well as the coding region that ultimately produces a protein, unless they are outnumbered.

"Normally your immune cells would go in and destroy them but you have this large viral load as they continue to replicate and you have all this abrupt inflammatory response," says Isales, which ultimately results in the cytokine storms that help destroy rather than protect organs. He thinks the reduced number of key microRNA critical to the body attacking the virus is an enabler of the disaster than can follow.

SARS and SARS-CoV-2 sequences used in the study were received from the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the GISAID, an international initiative to share data from the influenza viruses and the SARS-CoV-2 strain. The genome sequence of SARS and SARS-CoV-2 were retrieved from GenBank, the National Institutes of Health's genetic sequence database. The scientists used the whole viral genome sequence for microRNA target analysis.

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, first surfaced in China and spread worldwide but while it was more deadly than the current coronavirus, it was not as infectious so less people ultimately died than are succumbing to COVID-19, Isales says. Worldwide, 8,098 people were infected with SARS and 774 died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Near the end of the first week in May, there were nearly 1.3 million SARS-CoV-2 cases confirmed in the United States alone and more than 76,000 deaths.

People age 65 and older and people of any age with underlying medical conditions, are considered at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Underlying medical conditions include problems like serious heart conditions, chronic lung disease and moderate to severe asthma, and people with a compromised immune system such as individuals with cancer or who have had an organ transplant, the CDC says. Obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis and liver disease are among the other conditions.

###

Other key collaborators include Dr. Bikash Sahay, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida; and Drs. Ashok Sharma and Tae Jin Lee from the MCG Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine. The research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.

See the full study here.
Five Oregon counties are pushing full speed ahead to reopen at the end of this week despite sudden surges in their reported coronavirus cases.

Clatsop, Jefferson, Polk and Umatilla counties each have seen their known COVID-19 infections more than double in the last two weeks, even as statewide restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the virus remained in place.

Marion County, which has Oregons highest rate of coronavirus infections, reported nearly 270 new cases during that time  more than any other county, including the Portland metro areas three counties.

Yet elected and public health officials in all five counties said they meet the infection criteria issued by Gov. Kate Brown to enter the states Phase 1 for reviving public life and the economy, which begins Friday.

On their own, the states guidelines are weaker than the Opening Up America guidance circulated by the White House and promoted by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations leading infectious diseases expert who on Tuesday warned U.S. senators against moving to open the country too quickly.

Oregons criteria, for example, require a declining level of COVID-19 hospitalizations or a lower percentage of emergency department visits for COVID-19-like illnesses than the average for flu at the same time of year.

The national guidelines are broader  and seemingly stricter. They dont focus solely on hospitalizations or emergency room visits, but on a downward trajectory of documented cases and positive tests as a percentage of total tests within a 14-day period.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

All five counties would not meet those guidelines.

But in an irony, they may meet one more state benchmark  a threshold to halt reopening.

Browns so-called stop, wait and redirect guidelines govern when counties may need to halt further opening, or perhaps close back up, including if theyve seen a greater than 5% increase in their overall positive case counts in the previous seven days.

Its unclear where the states evaluation process will end up, but a spokesman for the governors office said the determinations will be made holistically, taking all factors, including infection rates, into account.

The worst-case scenario would be for us to have to backtrack, said Joe Fiumara, the public health director for Umatilla County. Im pretty confident that we wont.

PEOPLE ARE GETTING A LITTLE STIR CRAZY

That countys recent coronavirus data paints a less optimistic picture.

Though a three-hour drive east of the states population center in Portland, Umatilla County reported one of Oregons first known cases back on March 2  an employee at the Wildhorse Resort and Casino in Pendleton.

Additional known infections in the county, home to about 78,000 people, continued to trickle in over the next eight weeks, reaching 37 cumulative cases on April 27, figures provided by the Oregon Health Authority show.

In the last two weeks, however, that number has more than doubled.

As of Tuesday, Umatilla County reported 85 coronavirus cases  or 110 confirmed cases per 100,000 people.

Thats now Oregons third highest COVID-19 infection rate, trailing only Marion (215 per 100,000) and Multnomah (115 per 100,000) counties, an Oregonian/OregonLive analysis of statewide data shows.

Fiumara said increased testing has helped public health officials identify more coronavirus infections in Umatilla County. But he also said residents are beginning to shelter in place less.

Several confirmed outbreaks, Fiumara said, were traced back to small family gatherings where one participant wound up infecting several others.

Were starting to see people less interested in complying with the states restrictions, Fiumara said. The weathers been nice and people are getting a little stir crazy. Theyre out and about.

Polk and Clatsop counties, with 86,000 and 40,000 residents respectively, also reported dramatic increases in coronavirus cases since the last week of April.

During that time, Polk County saw its known infections rise from 38 to 89, a 134% increase, while Clatsop Countys infections jumped from six to 34, a more than five-fold uptick.

At least 17 of the new Clatsop County cases were workers at Bornstein Seafoods, a food processing plant in Astoria that briefly shuttered its facilities due to a coronavirus outbreak, county health officials said.

Health and elected officials in Polk County said their recent coronavirus increase was because of an outbreak at a nursing home, which have been hotbeds for COVID-19 infections throughout Oregon and the rest of the country.

State officials on Tuesday identified the facility as the Prestige Senior Living Orchard Heights in West Salem, where at least 41 people tested positive. Four of them have died.

This is an isolated incident and not indicative of a greater prevalence of cases within the population as a whole, the Polk County officials wrote in their proposal submitted to the governors office.

In Jefferson County, where coronavirus infections rose from six to 24 in the last two weeks, nearly two-thirds of the cases are tied to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, said the countys public health director Michael Baker.

About 25,000 people live in Jefferson County.

I DONT THINK WE CAN AFFORD TO KEEP OUR ECONOMY CLOSED

Marion County has the second highest number of cases in Oregon and pockets of the highest infection rates in the state.

ZIP code-level data released Tuesday showed that Gervais, a small town in northwest Marion County, had the highest rate of infection in Oregon with about 100 cases per 10,000 population and 38 total infections. The neighboring ZIP code for Woodburn, 97071, has the second-highest infection rate in the state, at 60 infections per 10,000 people. It has recorded the highest number of infections statewide, at 174.

Over the past 14 days, Marion County had seen 267 new positive cases, a 37% spike in its overall case count, now at 723. Only Multnomah County has more cases total, at 908.

On Saturday, Marion County reported 43 new cases, its largest daily increase to date, as well as one of the highest rates of positive tests in a day  21%. On Tuesday, it had 28 new cases, its second highest daily total.

[See map of Oregon coronavirus infections mapped by ZIP code]

Katrina Rothenberger, the countys public health director, said she doesnt want to read too much into a single day event and that the percentage of positive tests has jumped around quite a bit.

In fact, the countys seven-day rolling average case count is at a new high and its seven-day rolling positive test rate of 12.3% is near its high from April 26.

By comparison, Oregons positive test rate is 4.2%.

Its hard to pinpoint why Marion County cases are so high, Rothenberger said, while acknowledging that there is something definitely happening in Marion County.

Marion County had an early case, so transmission was taking place well before the governor issued her stay-home order on March 23, Rothenberger said. The county has lots of industry and congregant care sites and its incidence of cases appearing in clusters versus through community transmission is higher than the state average.

Northern Marion County, with a concentration of Latino residents, also has higher incidence rates, highlighting the need for the county to work with community partners and make sure its providing culturally appropriate information to residents, she said.

Despite the trend in cases and positive test rates, Rothenberger said shes comfortable with the countys plan to reopen May 15. Local health care providers have certified that they have capacity to handle a surge, and the county can meet the governors hospitalization criteria.

Weve been ramping up since March 8. COVID-19 is going to be in our community for a very long time and I dont think we can afford to keep our economy closed until its eliminated, she said.

Im comfortable with the plan that was submitted by our commissioners, understanding that its up to OHA and we need to meet those gating criteria.

WERE ALL TAKING A CHANCE

Browns office said the governor, senior staff and policy advisers will evaluate plans submitted by individual counties in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority and let county officials know their decision before Friday.

Charles Boyle, a spokesman for the governors office, said science, data and the recommendations of health experts will dictate the decisions.

Oregons prerequisites were based on the White House guidelines, but with significant input from the Oregon Health Authority and the Governors Medical Advisory Panel, a group of doctors, infectious disease experts and medical professionals from across the state.

It is incorrect to infer that counties will be judged solely on a decline in hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients to meet the first prerequisite, Boyle said. Each countys metrics will be analyzed holistically to determine if they have satisfied the requirement of showing a decline in the prevalence of COVID-19.

He added that the Oregon Health Authoritys approach will not be to immediately close a county that shows a growth in cases after reopening, but to stop, watch and redirect resources to address the increase.

A growth in positive cases connected to a single community event that can be effectively traced and contained, for example, calls for a different level of intervention than a growth in positive cases that shows community spread, Boyle said. They will use that same approach in evaluating county applications for reopening.

Other criteria for opening up in Phase 1 include minimum levels of testing and contact tracing capacity; adequate hospital surge capacity, quarantine facilities and personal protection equipment; and finalized sector guidelines from the state to communicate to individual businesses.

In the end, public health officials said its tough to pinpoint why counties have such a variable experience with the virus.

Jackson County, with 220,000 residents, is one of Oregons most populous counties, but it has also been experiencing one of the lowest rates of infection, with no new cases reported since April 20, barring a resident that moved home from another county this week.

Jim Shames, the medical director for the county, said the bottom line is, I dont know why, but I can tell you what I think weve been doing well.

He said community organizations have had especially good communications as a foundation. They promptly set up testing and screening, with a well-staffed nurse triage line, a telemedicine clinic and drive-through testing capability. That testing identified positive cases quickly and the county was able to promptly launch its contact tracing team to follow up.

He said a good deal of it is probably luck. The county hasnt had an outbreak in a nursing home or jail and is working hard to maintain that status quo. If it does, it could change Jackson Countys numbers overnight.

Shames said the day-to-day statistical deviations mean less to him than the bigger picture message to residents about how to safely open up while convincing them that this is not business as usual.

Were all taking a chance,  he said. Were going into unchartered territory, so well see how it works out for all of us.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; skavanaugh@oregonian.com; 503-294-7632; @skavanaugh

-- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-2218505; @tedsickinger

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In his speech on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on boosting domestic demand. He spoke at length of making India self-reliant. But on May 13 when finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman lifted the veil on the Rs 20 lakh crore mega stimulus package, there was no mention of a demand revival.

All that Sitharaman announced was the government will pump in money to small firms through various schemes. Government, Sitharaman said, will give credit guarantee to banks and non-banks to lend to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).

This includes Rs 3 lakh crore collateral free loans for a period of four years and one year-moratorium fully backed by the government and liquidity measures worth another Rs 75,000 core to NBFCs and MFIs. Rs 20,000 crore subordinated debt and Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion through an MSME fund of funds are also part of the plan.

Liquidity support is essential. But the question is this: With no road map to stimulate demand on the ground, isnt the government ultimately pumping in about Rs 4 lakh crore to small companies, including unrated ones, in a broken economy to create a bunch of over-indebted companies? Unless people go out to spend on goods and services, there wont be any improvement in economic activities. This is what is missing so far in the jamboree.

How do governments create demand? In simple words, it needs to put money in the hands of people to spend. This will help consumer spending to revive. The government can do this through direct cash transfers to economically weaker sections in rural India, where demand revival is key. Merely stating that demand revival is key isnt enough. The government will have to infuse money into the bottom of the pyramid to revive demand. Any such mention was absent in the finance minister press conference on May 13. This will have to be focused before the show gets over.

Secondly, while the government has announced liquidity measures for MSMEs through collateral free loans, backed by government guarantees and special liquidity facilities, very little attention has been paid to the monitoring of the use of this money. There are no conditions attached.

This is an unwise thing to do given the present economic situation. There have been massive job losses in MSME sector, which employees at least 11 crore people in India. Has the government stipulated that companies availing the liquidity boost under the central government package shouldnt sack their staff? It has not.

One way of protecting the demand on the ground is to make sure there are no mass job losses. The government could have attached a condition to the liquidity package linking it with retention of staff. This was also absent in the May 13 presser. What if companies availing money begin cutting staff?

Third, MSMEs were already in a bad shape even before the COVID-19 outbreak happened in the economy. What has been given now is too little. These companies had faced severe cash flow issues in a slowing economy leading to large defaults and staff lay-offs. Their cash flows have dried up totally due to the prolonged lock-down.

What the government has announced now through liquidity package hardly cushions these companies from the COVID-19 shock. Clearly, this package isnt enough as a liquidity cushion to cover the economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic. For instance, of the Rs 75,000 crore announced for NBFCs, how much will actually go to small NBFCs and MFIs is doubtful.

Banks always prefer better rated companies. They are likely to use the Rs 30,000 crore for which there is full government guarantee. But Rs 30,000 crore isnt a big amount, considering that NBFCs have about Rs 7 lakh crore loans outstanding to banking sector.

The interlinkage in the financial system is huge. In the absence of demand on the ground, much of these loans will go bad after a while putting pressure on banks and the guarantor (the government).

To sum up, the Modi-governments liquidity measures for MSMEs and NBFCs can be termed as meaningful only if there is a roadmap to revive demand on the ground by directly putting money in the hands of people in rural India, which has been impacted most by the COVID-19 lockdown through measures like direct cash transfer and boosting minimum employment guarantee schemes. Else, the liquidity measures alone dont make sense.
Amid the continuous effect that the coronavirus pandemic has caused families around the world, there is a letter that allegedly came from California authorities noting they will deny state assistance benefits to any residents that do not undergo COVID-19 testing.

The letter also stated that parents who do test positive for the disease will be separated from their coroanvirus-free children. The kids will be placed into temporary foster care until the recovery of their parents.

Fake news regarding coronavirus testing

Snopes reported that earlier this year, a letter went around on various social media platforms, which looked to be released by the California Health and Human Services Agency, Department of Social Services (CDSS). The letter itself quickly circulated online through various media and contained information that affected state benefits recipients.

The document contained a fake signature of Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary for the state's Health and Human Services Agency. It also included an authentic-looking letterhead from the CDSS and had the correct numbers for reference.

It read that coronavirus testing is declared mandatory for household members that are receiving assistance. Also stated in the fraudulent message is that the testing will be free of charge and even included a fake website where residents could register.

According to Merced Sun-Star the notice gave residents until June 1 to get tested, and failure to do so would result in the denial of their state assistance benefit starting July 1 until they comply with the requirements. It also gave instructions that you can get tested in any of the various sites in Merced County, California, between Monday to Friday at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

The document further stated that if a household member tested positive for coronavirus, any child below 18 years old that lived with them and tested negative for the virus would be taken by the Humans Services Agency of Merced County and transferred over to foster care up until the point their parent or guardian recovers from the disease.

Also Read: China's Deadly Legacy: Mystery and Cover-ups of COVID-19

Official agencies release their statement

The CDSS has announced its take on the matter by saying the letter is false and that all members will receive their benefits whether or not they have been tested and that children will never be taken from their parents or guardians other than in the case of abuse or neglect.

While the letter provides a link to a website that citizens can register for the testing, it leads to Logistics Health Incorporated, which provides healthcare services to government and commercial organizations. The "About LHI link, however, redirects you to LogisticsHealth, which a different site.

The CDSS also reassured residents that their health status would never be requested by state departments and county human services departments for their health status for the sake of receiving benefits.

The state and Merced Country officials advise residents to disregard the letter should it show up on their feed. And if there is any information regarding the source of the letter, residents are asked to contact CDSS.

Related Article: 7 Signs to Look Out for If a Child is Afflicted With COVID-19

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Joe Biden and the last rival he bested to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Bernie Sanders, on Wednesday announced the members of joint task forces their campaigns will use to promote party unity by hammering out consensus on six top policy issues.

They include New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will provide input on combating climate change and potentially become a key conduit between strong progressives who supported Sanders and backers of the more centrist Biden.

Each committee has eight members and will be focused on health care, immigration, education, criminal justice reform, climate change and the economy, which has taken a sharp downturn amid shutdowns to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Biden and Sanders differed throughout the primary on a number of issues, particularly whether a government-run system should replace private health insurance.

Biden has continued to resist Sanders' Medicare for All plan and has instead promoted a public option that would operate alongside private coverage.

The former vice president has taken steps to embrace some policies favored by the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party, aware that he will need those voters to turn out for him against President Donald Trump.

That includes embracing proposals backed by Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren to expand health coverage eligibility through Medicare, cancel student debt for millions of Americans and overhaul the nation's system for individuals to declare bankruptcy.

A united party is key to defeating Donald Trump this November and moving our country forward through an unprecedented crisis, Biden said in a statement.

The work of the task forces will be essential to identifying ways to build on our progress and not simply turn the clock back to a time before Donald Trump, but transform our country."



Sanders, a senator from Vermont, endorsed Biden within a week of leaving the race in April unlike in 2016, when he waited until just before the party's convention to formally back Hillary Clinton. He originally urged supporters to keep voting for him in upcoming primaries delayed by the coronavirus outbreak so that he would be able to influence the policy platform unveiled during the Democratic National Convention an event already delayed until August because of the pandemic.

But Sanders and Biden later announced they'd be forming joint committees on key issues, potentially helping Biden win over progressives who viewed him as too moderate. The groups will meet ahead of the Democratic convention and prepare recommendations for its platform committee as well as Biden.

One of Sanders' highest-profile supporters, Ocasio-Cortez, will be co-chairwoman of the climate change committee along with former Secretary of State John Kerry, who was a visible Biden surrogate.

The economy committee will be headed by Karen Bass, a congresswoman from California, and Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants who has become a visible advocate for labor rights during the pandemic.

Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott is co-chairing the criminal justice committee, which also includes Eric Holder, former attorney general under President Barack Obama.

Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge is helping lead the education task force; California Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard is co-head of the immigration committee; and the health care group will be overseen by Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal and former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

Also in the name of Democratic unity, some of Sanders' top former campaign advisers have already formed a separate, outside political group to promote Biden and progressive ideals.

In his own statement announcing the task force members, Sanders advocated for creating an agenda the working class of this country desperately needs and a more just society amid the pandemic.

The Democratic Party must think big, act boldly, and fight to change the direction of this country, Sanders said. "I commend Joe Biden for working together with my campaign to assemble a group of leading thinkers and activists who can and will unify our party in a transformational and progressive direction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday that the country will remove most of its remaining lockdown restrictions on Thursday, allowing almost all businesses to reopen. Once again, the Labour Party-led government is brushing aside calls from scientists for the lockdown to be further extended.

The country has recorded 21 deaths from coronavirus and a total of 1,497 confirmed and probable cases. This is much lower than the appalling death tolls seen in the US and Europe. However, new cases are being reported nearly every day, raising the possibility of a resurgence of the disease.

South Korea, China and Germany recently reported significant new outbreaks after easing restrictions. In Australia, the government is telling the population to expect more cases of the virus as it proceeds recklessly to reopen the economy.

New Zealand will drop from alert level 3 to 2 in the governments four-level system of COVID-19 alerts. Schools and early childhood centres will reopen on May 18, if they havent already, to enable the vast majority of people to return to work. Although schools officially reopened on April 29, after the strict level 4 lockdown was lifted, a number of scientists and thousands of teachers opposed the decision. Large numbers of parents kept their children at home, and many early childhood centres refused to open due to the ongoing health risk.

Tomorrow, most businesses will be allowed to reopen, with some social distancing requirements. Gatherings of more than 10 people are still banned. Shopping malls, cafes, restaurants and gyms will open, but bars will remain closed for an extra week, with Ardern saying they posed the most risk for spreading the virus. The government rejected advice from the Ministry of Health to keep bars closed for two weeks.

Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles told Newstalk ZB on Sunday: I would like to see us be at level 3 for another week because it was unclear whether the level 3 restrictions have effectively suppressed the virus. She said while daily case numbers were low, there could still be silent transmission of the virus among asymptomatic people.

Infectious diseases specialist Professor David Murdoch told Stuff there was concern that the drop in levels would encourage some complacency, when more than ever its a time to be vigilant.

University of Otago epidemiologist Dr Michael Baker told Newstalk ZB on May 11 that the government should pause a few more days at level 3. Baker has urged the government to release more data to show the origin of new cases of COVID-19, including how many are from overseas and from healthcare settings.

Baker has also called for facemasks to be made compulsory on public transport, something the government has rejected.

Another government advisor, Professor Shaun Hendy from Auckland University, told the Spinoff that we havent ruled out that there could still be undetected chains of transmission. This may have increased following the drop to level 3, which allowed hundreds of thousands of people to return to work. My gut reaction is we should go a bit longer in level three. Probably add another week, he said.

The government has refused to be swayed by such concerns because its priority is not public health, but rather the profit interests of big business. Its main response to the pandemic has been to hand out tens of billions of dollars to businesses in the form of subsidies, bailouts and tax cuts. With the assistance of the trade unions, major corporations have sacked thousands of workers and slashed wages, even while receiving government money.

Charities and social service providers are pleading for increased welfare payments and housing assistance, as unemployment is expected to soar well above 10 percent. The government will announce its annual budget tomorrow.

Government ministers, however, have warned that generations of workers will have to pay back the debt being incurred by the state due to the worst crisis of capitalism since the 1930s. Finance Minister Grant Robertson told a business audience on May 7 that spending in many areas would be slowed or postponed or put on ice.

Meanwhile, there are many warnings that a new outbreak of COVID-19 could occur. According to the Ministry of Health there are 12 clusters of 10 or more cases where there is potentially ongoing transmission, including four aged care facilities.

The countrys second-largest cluster, with 95 cases, centres around Marist College in Auckland, raising concerns that schools could become centres for the spread of disease once students return.

Auckland medical school associate professor Matire Harwood told Radio NZ that poor areas in the countrys largest city would be at greater risk of a flare-up of the virus, due to overcrowded housing and homelessness.

Over 150 healthcare workers have contracted COVID-19. Nurses have spoken out about inconsistent procedures in hospitals, which have put staff and patients at risk.

A Newsroom report on May 12 described Waitakere Hospital in Auckland as a cluster waiting to happen. Seven nurses and at least three close contacts have tested positive for the virus, but the article said authorities [had] repeatedly tried to downplay concerns.

Staff expressed alarm at being made to work in both COVID and non-COVID hospital wards, increasing the chances of transmission. The Waitemata District Health Board (DHB) waited four days after the first nurse tested positive before making a public statement on May 1, by which point two others were confirmed to have the virus.

Contrary to assertions from the DHB that adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) was provided, one nurse told Newsroom that nurses working with coronavirus patients were told to wear ordinary surgical masks, which are known to be inadequate protection against COVID-19 in close nursing situations. There is no national protocol on the use of PPE, with each hospital essentially making its own rules.

Such cases highlight that the health system, which has been starved of funding and resources for decades by Labour Party and National Party governments, is completely unprepared to deal with a major outbreak of COVID-19.
San Francisco prosecutors have charged two men with murder in connection with the fatal shooting last week of a 19-year-old man who died on a sidewalk in the citys Portola neighborhood.

The suspects, Fagamalama Pasene, 26, and Zion Young, 19, were arrested earlier this week and booked into San Francisco County Jail on Tuesday.

The city medical examiners office identified the victim as Kelvin Chew.

Just after 8 p.m. on May 7, San Francisco police responded to Felton and Colby streets after a report of a shooting. Officers located Chew on the sidewalk, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.

The incident marked the citys 17th homicide this year.

Investigators said Chew was likely shot and killed during an attempted robbery.

Assistance from members of the community and other evidence helped police identify the suspects, officials said.

Pasene was charged with murder and attempted robbery, and Young was charged with murder, attempted robbery and firearm charges, according to Alex Bastian, a spokesman with the San Francisco district attorneys office.

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.

Bastian said prosecutors will be filing a motion to hold the pair without bail.

Authorities did not release photos of the suspects Wednesday due to pending identification matters. The case remains an open investigation.

Anyone with information can call the Police Departments 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
The China International Water and Electric Corporation has presented a cheque for GH800,000 to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund to support its activities.



Officials of the company, led by Mr Du Honglai, the Project Manager, were at the Jubilee House last Monday to present the cheque, which was received by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the fund, Justice Sophia Akuffo.



Mr Du said it was an honour for the company to be part of Ghanas efforts at containing the spread of the virus.



Company concerned



He said the company was concerned about the current situation of the disease in Ghana and other parts of the world.



The current situation in Ghana and across the world is of grave concern and needs support from everyone of us, he said.



In this difficult period, we of the China International Water and Electric Corporation stand together with Ghanaians and will try our best to help Ghanaians win the fight against the COVID-19 to strengthen Sino-Ghana relations, he added.



He indicated that the initiatives put in place by the government of Ghana to contain the spread of the virus were worth commending.



I sincerely hope that with all our efforts, we can combat the virus quickly and get our peaceful and lovely Ghana back on track, he said.



Support



Mr Du said the company had established a strong presence in Ghanas development efforts, adding: We have completed quite many projects in Ghana, most of which are in rural electrification and roads.



According to him, the success story of China International Water and Electric Corporation in Ghana could not have been possible without the support of the government and the people of Ghana.



Appreciation



Justice Akuffo expressed appreciation to the company for the donation and called for continued support from corporate institutions and individuals, so that the fund could extend its reach.

Source: Daily Graphic









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

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Rana Daggubati who is a leading actor and well-known film actor in Telugu, Tamil and Bollywood has announced on social media that he is all set to marry event planner and designer Miheeka Bajaj.

Rana took to his Instagram page to post a lovely picture with Miheeka and wrote "And she said yes." There were many rumors on Rana's relationship status in the past and now with the actor himself confirmed his lady love to the world, the rumor mongers can take rest for a while.
Sudan reportedly made female genital mutilation illegal in late April, drawing praise from the international community. But some female activists in the African country say this will not lead to the end of the harmful practice.

One Sudanese leader of a civil society organization working for womens rights said that the state is duping the outside world on the issue in the same way it did under deposed former ruler Omar al-Bashir.

This is a way to maneuver and raise expectations, Hala al-Karib, regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, told Al-Monitor. Its misleading the international community with the same tools as Bashir.

Several female activists in Sudan feel the law is not sufficient to stop female genital mutilation in the country, where it is still widely practiced.

Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision or FGM, is the physical removal of a womans external genitals. It is usually done to girls before puberty. The practice leads to health issues for victims, including chronic pain, difficulty urinating and menstruating, childbirth complications and deadly bleeding, according to the World Health Organization.

The practice occurs in Sudan and other African and Middle Eastern countries. It is particularly prevalent in Sudan, where 86.6% of women underwent the procedure in 2014, according to the United Nations. The Sudanese media outlet Dabanga reported in 2018 that 65% of Sudanese females were subjected to the procedure.

Sudan is not the only country where some demand its prohibition. Many Egyptians voiced support for stricter laws regarding female genital mutilation after a girl bled to death there following the procedure in January.

Sudan received praise and significant international media coverage after news broke it had outlawed female circumcision. The UNs organization for children, UNICEF, called it a landmark move in a press release.

The outlawing took the form of an amendment to Sudans Criminal Law Article 141 and was endorsed by both of Sudans executive councils, according to UNICEF.

A transitional government took power in Sudan last year after Bashir  who ruled the country for 30 years and has long been wanted by the International Criminal Court  was overthrown via a coup amid protests.

Karib said she is skeptical the law will succeed because nobody actually knows what the law is. Basically, we havent seen law, she said. Nobody seems to be aware of the content of the law. The transitional government is using the same piecemeal approach rather than actually reforming the overall legal framework, which is based on discrimination.

Sudan has many laws that restrict womens rights. For example, women cannot travel with their children without the fathers permission. The legal marriage age is set at 10 years.

There have been past laws against female genital mutilation in Sudan, and the overall legal framework discriminating against women needs to be reformed for the practice to stop, according to Karib. The most important thing is to fundamentally reform the legal framework, she noted. Women in Sudan cant get birth certificates for their children without a male guardian. Reform it so it is more respectful and treats women with dignity.

The Sudanese government had signaled it would stop female genital mutilation before. In 2003, it signed the Maputo Protocol alongside other African nations that pledged to stop the harmful practice.

Al-Monitors efforts to contact the Sudanese government about the law were unsuccessful.

Karib is not alone in her thinking. Maimona Fator is a Sudanese activist working to stop violence against women. She said the law will not be able to stop female genital mutilation, especially in rural communities where the authorities are not present.

It continues in many parts of the countryside and villages where people move from place to place in search of pastures, Fator told Al-Monitor. They are far from police stations. The presence of young girls in places of displacement and remote villages makes it hard to punish the offending parties or apply the law to them.

Families practice female circumcision in secret, likewise making it difficult to prosecute, according to Fator.

To stop the practice, the Sudanese must work to educate the public on female genital mutilations harmful impact, she said. We must continue to spread awareness on the dangers of female genital mutilation and its negative health and psychological effects, Fator said.

The UN also warned the law would not be enough to end female genital mutilation in the country. The UNICEF statement on the law said it needs to be enforced and that awareness needs to be spread in communities to actually put an end to female circumcision.

It is possible there have been changing attitudes in Sudan on female genital mutilation in recent years. A UNICEF report from 2013 noted more women recognizing its dangers. Khatib said the practice actually increased over the past 30 years, especially in rural communities.

Many Sudanese remain skeptical the law will succeed. Walaa Salah is an activist in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. She said the public has not been made aware of the laws exact nature. While the concept of criminalizing FGM in itself is important, we need to know who is criminalized by the current amendment, she told Al-Monitor. "There is still a lot of information that is missing for a Sudanese citizen to form an informed opinion."
India and Pakistan tacitly took a dig at each other during a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi joined the Foreign Ministers of the six other SCO nations in a video-conference to lay the ground for the next summit of the SCO.

Jaishankar pointed out that while the world was fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, some were still busy spreading other deadly viruses like terrorism and using fake news and doctored videos to divide communities and countries. His comment appeared to be targeted at Pakistan which continued exporting terrorism to India and flouting truce along the Line of Control even during the global fight against the pandemic.

For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here

He underlined that the security challenges the world was facing now were not linked by physical or political boundaries. Terrorism continues to be the overwhelming threat to security and stability in the SCO region and would require collective action, said the External Affairs Minister, without directly blaming Pakistan for exporting the menace to India.

Qureshi said that tackling terrorism and extremism must continue to be a priority, but terrorism-related allegations must not be used as a political tool to malign and victimize any country or religion. He also called upon the SCO to reject xenophobic ideologies, including Islamophobia.

The comment by Pakistan Foreign Minister too was apparently targeted at India. He too did not directly name India.

The summit is proposed to take place at Saint Petersburg in Russia in July, although the Covid-19 pandemic cast a shadow of uncertainty over it.

The video-conference was convened and chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The SCO Foreign Ministers discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and coordination of the efforts to deal with its trade, economic and social consequences. They also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of World War II.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:12:52|Editor: huaxia

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TAIYUAN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- At a solar panel plant in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, workers are busy packing equipment and readying a shipment bound for Spain.

LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd., located in the heartland of China's coal hub, will expand the company's capacity to catch up with orders.

"We deliver on average six containers a day," said Ren Yonghong, the company's production manager.

He said the company plans to build another factory with a capacity of 3 GW of monocrystalline silicon batteries.

With a raw coal output of 100 million tonnes a year, Datong is a major coal production base in the coal-rich province. The pillar industry, however, developed at the cost of environmental degradation. An industrial transformation has been underway.

Ren, a local resident in Datong, returned to his hometown in 2018 after working in south China's metropolis of Guangzhou.

"Datong has changed with a boom of high-tech projects," he said.

He said in the past, the city only eyed coal-based industries such as coal chemical industry and thermal power plants. However, under a new development philosophy, the "coal capital" has begun to focus on a high-quality economic development mode.

Dubbed as "Oriental Ruhr," Shanxi has produced more than 19 billion tonnes of raw coal and sent it to 26 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities since the founding of the People's Republic of China. As the saying goes, half of the lamps in China were illuminated by thermal power plants using coal from Shanxi.

In 2018, Shanxi's raw coal output was 893 million tonnes, more than 340 times the output in 1949.

However, the fast growth has left "scars." There is a subsidence area of at least 3,000 square km as a result of coal mining in the province, which also triggered disruption of ground rivers.

In May 2019, the central authorities required Shanxi to pilot comprehensive reform to improve the quality and efficiency of the energy supply system, build a clean and low-carbon energy consumption model, promote energy science and technology innovation and expand energy cooperation with foreign countries.

"Shanxi had relied on resource-based economic growth. If it can find a path of transformation, its experience can be shared elsewhere in China," said Lin Boqiang, president of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy.

Since 2017, Shanxi has designated a reform demonstration zone with an area of 600 square km, cultivating new industries such as advanced manufacturing, new energy, new materials and electronic information.

The province boasts China's first production chain of a biological resin, which is a new synthesized material using lignin extracted from corn straw for making high-pressure gas cylinders, which are ultra-light and can be applied in fields such as firefighting and diving.

Figures from the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Statistics show that in the past three years, the added value of new tech-driven industries in the province has increased by more than 10 percent annually, seven percentage points higher than that of the coal industry.

Meanwhile, in the coal mining sector, Shanxi has also led the country in innovations. China's largest hard coal producer Yangquan Coal Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. in Shanxi has finished building a 5G network in one of its mines, heralding the coming of the 5G era in the country's coal industry and paving the way for intelligent mining based on 5G technologies.

The 5G network in Yangquan's subsidiary, Xinyuan, is the country's first commercial 5G service under a coal mine shaft. It is built in partnership with China Mobile and Huawei.

Wang Haigang, deputy manager of Xinyuan, said the 5G network had been in stable operation for a week after its inauguration and optimization.

With the integrated 5G coverage, the data upload rate is above 800 Mbps and the transmission latency is less than 20 milliseconds in the mine, enabling a variety of applications such as high-definition audio and video communications and remote intelligent control of equipment to protect workers from the dangerous working environment, according to Yu Beijian, deputy general manager of Yangquan Coal Industry Group.

Yu said the company plans to further enrich the 5G application scenarios in coal mining. Enditem
Sydney Fish Market could soon be demolished to make way for luxurious waterfront apartments and towering office buildings.

Infrastructure New South Wales is looking to develop a new precinct around Sydney's Blackwattle Bay in a bid to kickstart the state's economy which has been rocked by the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the proposal the ever popular fish market could be turned into thousands of new apartments and high rise office blocks.

Sydney Fish Market (pictured) could soon be demolished and turned into homes and offices

The once-bustling hub of seafood buyers and sellers could become home to thousands of new apartments and office blocks with some forecast to tower up to 45 storeys high

The New South Wales government has already cleared the way to move the iconic marketplace to the head of the bay and reopen the foreshore for pedestrian access.

This would pave the way for a continuous waterfront promenade to connect up pathways for a 15 kilometre stretch of footpaths from Wooloomooloo to Rozelle.

In its place, a new precinct could be built up to try and recover some of the $750 million being spent to relocate the marketplace.

Three options are being proposed by the state's planning body after a six year planning process involving environmental risk assessment and community consultation.

The new south wales government has already cleared the way to move the iconic marketplace to the head of the bay and reopen the foreshore for pedestrian access

Development would aim to make use of up to 250,00 sq m of existing space in prime waterfront location.

This would enable the construction of between 1,000 to 1,700 new homes ranging from three to 45 storeys high.

Infrastructure New South Wales says it would not only create much needed economic growth but drive up housing opportunities and leisure space.

'This will go towards providing the homes and jobs that Sydney needs while also ensuring there is an activated and vibrant ground plane full of restaurants, cafes, cultural facilities and the services that support the precinct,' the proposal reads.

Infrastructure New South Wales is looking to develop a new precinct around Sydney's Blackwattle Bay in a move aiming to reinvigorate the state's economy rocked by the coronavirus pandemic

Three options are being proposed by the state's planning body after a six year planning process involving environmental risk assessment and community consultation

The body believes the project would create 4,000 to 7,000 jobs.

One plan is a residential focused scheme, while another is based off a mix of residential and commercial opportunities and the third option would aim to develop the site as an innovation hub - with a hotel.

Previous attempts to rebuild the prime Sydney waterfront over the past decade have failed including a $3billion scheme by Chinese company Dahau and a proposal by Brookfield Multiplex.

The Berejiklian government also suffered a blow when plans to construct a 60 storey luxury hotel and apartment tower at the Star Casino in Pyrmont were knocked back last year.

(Pictured: an artist's impression of the new Sydney Fish Market development at the head of Blackwattle Bay)
Bengaluru, May 13 : Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in combating the coronavirus battle, industry captains in the manufacturing and services sectors on Wednesday termed his Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package visionary.

"The prime minister's economic stimulus package is visionary, as it will bring relief to several stressed sectors and industries," said leading motorbike maker TVS Motor Company chairman Venu Srinivasan, in a statement here.

Welcoming the initiative, Srinivasan, however, said the federal government must prioritise micro, small and medium industries (MSMEs) and facilitate a direct benefit transfer to employees in unorganised and small scale sectors.

"The government should ensure credit backstop for the MSMEs so that they do not go into cash crunch when the stimulus propels demand, which is key to drive the market as much as it is essential to infuse confidence in the economy for the people to come out and buy," asserted Srinivasan.

Echoing Srinivasan, leading diversified engineering firm Greaves Cotton's chief executive Nagesh Basavanhalli said the special package would revive the Covid battered economy as it focuses on 'Make in India' for achieving self-reliance and hard-selling products in domestic and overseas markets.

"The quantum of package has potential to jump start the manufacturing sector. Self reliance will insulate the country from the impact of the Covid like situation. We are waiting for details in the print," said Basavanahalli in a statement here.

On Modi's new mantra 'Vocal for Local', the regional social media platform ShareChat's public policy director Berges Malu said there was no place better than India to be vocal about local, as this century would be India's, with dominance in the global digital economy.

"PM's call to make #AtmanirbharBharat will play a major role in achieving self-reliance in all spheres of life, including the economy in the post-Covid times," said Malu in a statement here.

Pledging to contribute to Modi's call for promoting local brands, the director said the company would strive to realize the prime minister's dream of making India the global hub of supply chain.

Leading realtor Sobha vice-chairman J.C. Sharma said the mantra of self-reliance and make India 'atma nirbhar Bharat' would empower different sectors of the economy.

"The special package will focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws besides helping small businesses, migrant labour and farmers. The drive to make the country self-reliant by supporting local manufacturing and becoming vocal for local is commendable," said Sharma.

On the 5 pillars of India, Sharma said economy, infrastructure, technology-driven system, vibrant demography and demand would support the nation's mission in playing a major role in the global supply chain.

"Infrastructure has played a key role in driving the economy and generating employment across the country. In this unprecedented crisis for humanity, the government's initiatives and the people's support have enabled the country to turn the challenge into an opportunity," added Sharma.

American commercial real estate services and investment firm Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis' (CBRE) India chief executive Anshuman Magazine said the package would not only help the country to tide over the economic impact of Covid-19, but also ensure a faster turn-around.

"The emphasis laid by the prime minister on a 'self reliant' India brought to fore the potential and the inherent strength of the country's domestic demand. The 5 pillars will position the nation on a strong footing in the long run," said Magazine.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 03:02:25|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki on Tuesday touted that the spread of COVID-19 is under control in most parts of the country, though the rise in new infections continued.

Through the collaboration of officials and people, "we have achieved this success" in controlling the novel coronavirus in most parts of the country, Namaki said at a press conference.

"We have reached a better situation in the whole country. On the earlier days (of the virus outbreak in the country), I said that we have three phases to respond to the novel coronavirus: the disease management phase, the control phase, and then the containment phase," Namaki said.

Even in some regions, the COVID-19 has been contained, he noted.

However, in a few provinces the situation remain worrisome, the Iranian minister acknowledged, referring to the reports about a sharp rise in the coronavirus infections in the southwestern Khuzestan province over the past week.

The biggest strategic mistake is to think that the disease is over, he said, warning that the return of outbreak is likely at any moment if the social distancing plan is not respected.

"I request people to further observe the health protocols," he said.

On the same day, Iranian Ministry of Education announced that all the country's schools will reopen as of May 16, after almost three months of closure in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.

Iranian Education Minister Mohsen Haji Mirzaee said that the teachers and school staff will be available at schools in the working hours.

It is not obligatory for the students to attend the schools, but they can partake in classes to ask their questions and get prepared for the exams, Haji Mirzaee said.

The schools can also run the final exams as of next week as soon as the students' problems with the lessons are addressed, the minister noted.

All schools across the country have received the health protocols and instructions from the health ministry and will be obligated to observe the health rules when the students return to classes, he said.

The educational centers in Iran have been closed since late February following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

The health authorities have also agreed to partially reopen the mosques during the remaining days of the holy month of Ramadan, which began on April 25.

This came despite that the rise in COVID-19 infections continued in Iran. On Tuesday, Iran announced 1,481 new infections, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 110,767, of whom 6,733 have died.

Iran's number of recovered patients rose to 88,357, while 2,713 people were still in critical condition at hospitals as of Tuesday. Enditem
Planning Minister Richard Wynne is being urged to intervene to protect unique mid-century heritage in the City of Bayside  home to some of the best post-war architecture in the state  following the "devastating" demolition of two homes last week.

The National Trust has called for urgent action after the "tragic and unnecessary" demolition of the award-winning Breedon House in Brighton, which was designed by architect Geoffrey Woodfall and built in 1966.

Beaumaris Modern president Fiona Austin in front of The Abrahams House. Credit:Simon Schluter

Chief executive Simon Ambrose said the modernist house had been left unprotected due to the "deplorable actions" of Bayside Council, which had "for many years abrogated its responsibilities  to ensure the conservation of places of heritage significance".

A mid-century home in Nautilus Street, Beaumaris, that was designed by architect Charles Bricknell was also demolished last week, despite objections from the National Trust and community association Beaumaris Modern.
WASHINGTON - Earlier this year, the Tonic family planned to gather in the District of Columbia for a reunion. It was an event planned for dozens of people from branches of the family living as far away as New Jersey, Atlanta and Florida.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the family has since lost two members. The Tonic patriarch and his son - Leroy Tonic Sr., a 96-year-old lauded World War II veteran, and Leroy Tonic Jr., who was reconnecting with family after a long stretch in prison - died within days of one another this month after contracting covid-19 in District-area nursing homes.

"It was going to be a huge celebration and feels as though covid took it from us," said Jacqueline Tonic, daughter of Leroy Tonic Jr. "I just don't understand how it happened."

Leroy Tonic Sr., the youngest of 11 children, was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He was drafted into the Navy, serving at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and training facilities in Washington state, then was honorably discharged in 1946.

Tonic last year was honored by the District Council after his name appeared among more than 1,800 others painted in gold on a plaque honoring District government employees who served in World War II. Once on display outside the John A. Wilson Building, the plaque was broken during a renovation and stored in a closet without the topmost panel explaining what it was for. Officials only solved the mystery four years ago.

At the time of the ceremony, Tonic, who suffered from dementia, was living in the Prince George's County nursing home where he would contract covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

After Tonic's wife, who lived with him in the home, died in 2017, family members expected his condition to deteriorate, but the music lover surprised them. "He would be up and dancing and doing things that a normal 95- or 96-year-old wouldn't be doing," said Haleem Tonic, a grandson who accompanied him to the D.C. Council ceremony.

He remembered his grandfather as the man who taught him how to play cards and pool - and who looked after him when his own father, who died of a brain aneurysm in the 1990s, wasn't around.

"He definitely was a role model for me," Haleem Tonic said. "He was my hero. He was my best friend and I loved him to death."

Leroy Tonic Sr. died of covid-19 on May 2, five days before his 64-year-old son.

Leroy Tonic Jr. spent much of his life behind bars, according to daughter Jacqueline Tonic. She said her father was released in 2016 and set about rebuilding the relationships he left behind.

Family members weren't familiar with details of his criminal history. Public records show convictions for armed carjacking and drug charges by someone with his name and age.

"We all make decisions in life that we wish we hadn't," she said. "We're dealing with them and overcoming them and taking new strides to be better people. I feel like my father did that. He paid whatever his price was."

After her father's release, Jacqueline Tonic said her relationship with her father had improved. She helped him navigate dialysis appointments at the District nursing home where he lived and readjust to society. When he wanted to get potatoes at a chicken restaurant, she was the one to break the news it no longer existed. He had to settle for fried fish boxes and crab balls.

She was also with her father in his final months, during which he was hospitalized twice before his death on May 7. She said she struggles to understand how a person can contract the virus in a nursing home where staff are supposed to take precautions.

"You think they are safer than we are," she said. "They're protected by a sterile environment. They are professionals. . . . In these instances, it failed."
A victim of a recent cult war in Ebonyi State has narrated his ordeal in the hands of the cultists.

Sunday Oji, a 20 years old student of Comprehensive Secondary School, Ogwuma Edda in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on Wednesday, said he was saved by hunters from being buried alive by the cultists.

He said the cultists had already covered him with soil to his head level, burying him alive before the intervention of the hunters.

A cult war in the council area had claimed at least three lives in the past one month.

Speaking from his hospital bed in Afikpo, Mr Oji said he was mistaken by a cult group as a member of a rival group.

He said they pounced on him in his village, Ogwuma, beating him thoroughly before dragging him to the bush where they had already dug a grave for him.

Mr Oji said his cry for help attracted the attention of the local hunters who eventually rescued him.

According to him, the hoodlums took to their heels when they heard the movement of people approaching the scene.

Mr Orji said the thugs claimed they were avenging the killing of one of their members who was shot dead recently in the area.

While I was in our compound, one of my friends came and told me to escort him to buy something. When we reached the store, we saw three boys with three bikes destroying and looting the shop of one guy called Imo Orji. One of them came to me and asked me where is Imo, is Imo around and I told them that I didnt know.

Before I could know what was happening, they started beating and matcheting me, saying that I was the one that carried the gun and shot the guy that day. I told them it is not me and I have not carried a gun before in my life.

They said it is not true, that I was the one. When they noticed that people had started noticing them, they bundled me on one of the bikes and zoomed off and took me to the bush where they dug ground and put me and covered me with sand up to my chest. I was inside there suffocating, shouting before they heard footsteps of people coming and they ran away.

Reacting, the traditional ruler of Umunna Autonomous community, Ezeogo Dickson Obo, described the security situation in the area as terrible.

He called on the security agencies and government to intervene

Security situation here in my community Umunna Community is very challenging and bad. We are calling the state government and other security agencies to come to our rescue. Suspected cultists usually beseige us, causing problems because they know that we dont have somebody to speak for us.

This is not the first time they have been attacking us. The community is feeling bad and sad on the attack of Sunday Orji. Were telling the government to intervene, he said.

The police spokesperson in Ebonyi, Loveth Oda, said nine suspects had been arrested in connection with the recent killings and violence in the communities.

Initially we arrested 36 of them, but they were screened and nine of them are in detention. Investigations are ongoing and more will be arrested, she added.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of London-listed company director and manager changes announced on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd - non-life legacy insurance investor - Hires Eamonn Flanagan as an independent non-executive director from June 1. Flanagan co-founded Shore Capital Markets and currently is a non-executive director of Shore peer AJ Bell PLC.







Zegona Communications PLC - investor in European telecommunications, media and technology - Mark Watts steps down as director from Tuesday after five years.







Manx Financial Group PLC - financial services - Appoints John Spellman to board of group and of subsidiary Conister Bank Ltd, effective immediately. Spellman has been an advisor to the government of the Isle of Man on finance and foreign direct investment. He also was managing director of HBoS Financial Services.







Brunner Investment Trust PLC - global growth investment - Lucy Macdonald steps down as portfolio manager, replaced by colleague Matthew Tillett. The move is result of the decision by Allianz Global Investors, the trust's investment manager, to create a new Global Growth team. Tillett will be supported by global equity manager Jeremy Kent and Marcus Morris-Eyton, a member of the European Growth team at Allianz.







Distribution Finance Capital Holdings PLC - lending to manufacturers - Stephen Greene and Haakon Stenrod appointed as non-executive directors, effective from Wednesday. The pair will represent Distribution Finance's two largest shareholders, with Greene selected by Arrowgrass Master Fund Ltd and Stenrod by Watrium AS. Greene is an investment banker, having held positions at Deutsche Bank AG and Keel Harbour Capital Ltd, as well as at Arrowgrass. Stenrod is an investment director at Watrium.







By Tom Waite; thomaslwaite@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
DFKI location Saarbrucken on the campus of Saarland University.

DFKI employees in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrucken and Bremen are already conducting research on various topics. Now the institute wants to establish a branch office in Lubeck - with the aim of advancing AI research in the field of medicine.

The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), which is based in Kaiserslautern, Saarbrucken and Bremen, plans to establish another branch office in Lubeck. The decision confirms the great development potential for the computer science department at the University of Lubeck. The establishment of the new DFKI branch office is supported by the state of Schleswig-Holstein with three million euros for the next three years.



Representatives of DFKI had previously convinced themselves of the profile and performance of Lubeck's computer science department on site. One of the main reasons for choosing Lubeck as a location was the university's success in the federal AI innovation competition. This was accompanied by the founding of the AI Space for Intelligent Health Systems, a North German research association for the use of AI methods in medicine under the leadership of Lubeck. The new location's focus on artificial intelligence in medicine and medical technology thus fits well with the university's profile and at the same time complements the profile of DFKI.

Partnership on trial

Over the next three years, DFKI plans to establish two to three working groups on different sub-themes of AI in medicine and medical technology. The state of Schleswig-Holstein will primarily finance the necessary scientific personnel, while the University of Lubeck will mainly provide the rooms and working hours of professors. However, the new partnership is first put to the test: after three years, an evaluation will take place to determine whether the approach was successful and whether the location will be established permanently. The university stated that it intends to concretize its plans for the cooperation in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the state of Schleswig-Holstein emphasized that the university wants to become the world leader in the use of AI in the field of medicine.



DFKI projects address the entire spectrum from application-oriented basic research to the market- and customer-oriented development of product functions. Currently, about 1,100 employees from more than 65 nations are researching software applications with different focuses such as Smart Data & Knowledge Services, Cyber-Physical Systems or embedded intelligence.
P rime Minister Boris Johnson has paid tribute to a railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty.

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on the station concourse in March when a member of the public claiming to have Covid-19 spat and coughed at her and a colleague, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said.

Within days of the assault, both women fell ill with the virus and Ms Mujinga, who has an 11-year-old daughter, died in hospital in Barnet 11 days after the attack on April 5.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Johnson described the death of Belly Mujinga as "tragic".

He said: The fact that she was abused for doing her job is utterly appalling.

My thoughts, and Im sure the thoughts of the whole House, are with her family.

The Prime Minister described the death as 'tragic' / Sky News

A police investigation is under way, launched more than a month after 47-year-old Ms Mujinga and a colleague were attacked by a man claiming to be infected with Covid-19 on the concourse at the London transport terminal on March 22.

Ms Mujinga, a mother to an 11-year-old daughter, was said to have told her bosses at Govia Thameslink Railway about the incident, but police were not called at the time.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Ms Mujinga's cousin, Agnes Ntumbas said the mum-of-one was a "lovely woman, happy and caring".

"It's disgusting. How could a human being react in that way to another human? It's insane - it's not right," said Ms Ntumba

Ms Mujinga moved to the UK in 2000 from The Democratic Republic of Congo / PA

Piers Morgan condemned the attack saying: "I would say tragedy but it's worse than that, this seems to be a murder. That's murder to me."

He added: "It's one of the most sickening stories I can remember from this entire crisis."

It has not been confirmed that the spitting incident is directly linked to Ms Mujinga contracting the virus.

However, TSSA has reported the incident to the Railways Inspectorate, the safety arm of the Office for Road and Rail (ORR), for investigation and is taking legal advice on the situation.

Belly Mujinga was a caring and lovely woman, says her cousin

As of Wednesday morning, a fundraising page set up for Ms Mujingas family has raised 11,075, surpassing its initial target of 1,000.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said around 50 transport workers have died during the crisis.

He told BBC Breakfast: My heart goes out to Bellys family. Nobody should be spat at. This is not a question of PPE, its just disgusting and I know that the British Transport Police are investigating.

So very, very sad, her death and indeed the deaths of around 50 transport workers is something I take particularly seriously.

A BTP spokesman said: British Transport Police have now launched an investigation into a report of two members of rail staff being spat at while working at London Victoria station on 22nd March.

"One of the victims, a 47-year-old woman, very sadly died in hospital on April 5th. Enquiries are ongoing, they added.

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 359 of 11/05/20.
An Oregon man with distinctive face tattoos was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly trying to break into a Snack Shack at a railway station.

Transit officers who were called to the location saw the man in action and quickly gave chase.

The suspect darted inside a nearby supermarket before attempting to hide in the stockroom.

Matthew Joseph Medlin, 36, was caught after allegedly breaking into a snack shack and then threatening to shoot officers, although he did not have a gun on him at the time of his arrest

Matthew Joseph Medlin, 36, was caught after his only escape from the storage area was the way he came in.

When officers confronted him, he turned towards the cops holding his hands under his jacket and threatened to shoot them.

Police were forced to taser the man in order to bring him into custody, only to find that he did not have a weapon on him at the time.

Medlin has a long criminal history and was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of burglary, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Medlin remains held in the Multnomah County Detention Center on $16,500 bail.

A series of mugshots shows how Medlin's look has changed through his career as a criminal

A series of mugshots shows how Medlin's look has changed over the years.

Tattoos and face markings appear to have slowly been added to his face over time.

Initially his good looks could have seen him land a modeling career but over a period of almost 20 years his face slowly becomes marked with jagged and sharp poorly-administered eyebrow tattoos and tears.

In 2013, he was jailed for sex abuse, burglary, and assault charges but just days before he was due to be released in May 2014, he escaped.

He was spotted a short time later and was charged with second-degree escape before being sent straight back to prison.

The 36-year-old has spent almost 20 years in and out of prison and his more than a dozen mugshots show his descent into addiction through scabs and tattoos on his face. Pictured on the left and center at the age of 18 in 2002 and on the right in October 2002 at the age of 19

Left: October 2006 at age 23; Center: December 2006 at age 23; Right: February 2007 at age 23

Left: June 2007 at age 23; Center: January 2013 at age 29; Right: February 2013 at age 29

Left: March 2013 at age 29; Center: April 2013 at age 29; Right: July 1, 2013 at age 29

Left and right: Both in July 2013 taken a few weeks apart

Left: July 20, 2013 at age 29; Center: April 2014 at age 30; Right: December 2015 at age 32

Left: December 2015, Center: January 2016 and Right, August 2016

Two years later, in 2016, he was caught climbing on top of trains in Portland.

Medlin's record stretches back to his 18th birthday in 2002, and one of his earliest mugshots shows him as a clean shaven young man.

But as the years wind on, his photos become more menacing. In a 2007 mugshot he is pictured with his eyes locked in a narrow glare, and what appear to be bruises and scrapes on his left ear and nose.

And in 2013, Medlin's infamous tattoos  two pointed 'eyebrows' and four roughly inked tears  appear for the first time.
Harrowing images from Mexico reveal the despairing conditions families are enduring as they farewell those who have died from the coronavirus outbreak.

Mexicos coronavirus statistics continue to soar, recording a total of 36,327 cases and 3,573 deaths by Tuesday (local time).

Yet those numbers, a product of the countrys highest growth rate of cases yet, are feared to be a vast underestimate due to the low levels of testing.

One disturbing photo from Mexico City, the worst hit area in the country, shows workers moving a coffin into one of many newly dug graves at a graveyard in San Lorenzo Texonco.

Two family members film the makeshift funeral in Mexico City. Source: Getty

Due to social distancing restrictions, only two family members, both wearing plastic face coverings, were allowed to watch on, filming the coffin as it is dragged into a grave on their phones for family to watch.

Despite its sharp increase in cases over the past two weeks, Mexico's government said it will on Wednesday set out plans to reboot the economy after weeks of disruption.

"Tomorrow we will lay out the plan to return to the new normal," President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters on Tuesday.

"It's not going to be a return to normal because there have been changes. Reality has changed.

Workers at the San Lorenzo Tezonco pantheon wear safety suits to bury a COVID-19 victim. Source: Getty

Mexicans more vulnerable to virus

Such a move has prompted concern from medical experts due to the populations vulnerability to the virus.

Mexicans are more vulnerable due to "the epidemic of chronic disease induced by poor nutrition and the excessive supply of unhealthy industrialised food," said Hugo Lopez-Gatell, the deputy health minister in charge of the country's coronavirus response.

To date, seven in 10 deaths attributed to the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus have been linked to patients diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension or obesity, according to government data.

More than 10 per cent of Mexicans over the age of 20, or more than 8 million people, are diabetic, according to 2018 government data.

Coronavirus cases continue to surge in Mexico. Source: Worldometers

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is more prevalent with around 18 per cent of the over-20-year-old population affected, or some 15 million Mexicans.

Story continues

Meanwhile, the country boasts one of the world's highest incidence of obesity.

"You see the combined effect of these three elements in the death toll statistics," said Josafat Camacho, a medical doctor and president of the Mexican Diabetes Federation.

President desperate to save economy

Lopez Obrador signalled last week that manufacturing industries like car making, as well as mining and construction, would likely be among the first to restart operations.

Mexico sends some 80 per cent of its exports to the US marketplace and became the United States' biggest trade partner last year, with bilateral commerce worth well over $600 billion.

Service sector businesses like tourism would follow later, he said.

Mexico's government has been studying the experience of other countries that have been emerging from strict lockdowns and believes that highly mechanised factories offer better conditions to control the risk of contagion, officials say.

Mexican auto output fell by nearly 99 per cent in April, and the government is under pressure from the United States to synchronise its restart with American companies that rely on supply chains from south of the border.

Still, Mexico's government has stepped up efforts to coordinate the re-opening with the United States in order to ensure the economy benefits from a US recovery, a Mexican official said.

Restrictions could start to be eased in parts of the country as soon as May 18, while harder-hit areas may have to wait until the start of next month, the government says.

With Reuters

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
A one-seat restaurant serving three-course gourmet meals has opened in a field in Sweden.

Located in the middle of a field in the small town of Ranseter, Bord for En (which means table for one in Swedish) sets up a single table with a single chair every day so that one person can be served without breaking social distancing guidelines.

The restaurant is owned by chef Rasmus Person and his partner Linda Karlsson, who serves diners their meal using a rope and a basket to ensure no waiting staff are required to work there.

The food is cooked by Pearson in his and Karlssons kitchen before being sent to the table down the rope.

Instead of charging diners a fixed price, the couple have adopted a pay-what-you-can model that will allow people to pay whatever amount they feel is appropriate for the service.

The couple are planning to keep the restaurant open for the duration of the summer.

I think one of the things many of us miss the most in these times is traveling, and since we cant geographically travel far, I think at least by our minds we can travel, Person told Euro News.

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

One of the best methods of having an inner travel is, at least I think so, is by food and nature.

So, I think this combination and this experience will hopefully transport him somewhere. Well see where that is.

In contrast with most of Europe, Sweden has not enforced a lockdown on its citizens.

However, people are being advised to abide by social distancing guidelines where possible, despite several bars and pubs remaining open.

In the UK, its not yet clear when pubs and restaurants will be allowed to reopen.

In the prime ministers speech on Sunday, he didnt specifically mention pubs and restaurants but he did briefly talk about the hospitality industry as a whole.

In describing step three of the lockdown-easing plans, Mr Johnson said: At the earliest by July  and subject to all these conditions and further scientific advice; if and only if the numbers support it, we will hope to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places, provided they are safe and enforce social distancing.
Melbourne Storm player Josh Addo-Carr will contest his fine and NRL sanctions for breaching social-distancing rules.

Addo-Carr joined South Sydney Rabbitohs player Latrell Mitchell at his farm near Taree in New South Wales last month.

Photos posted by Addo-Carr showed the pair with 10 other men around a fire, mountain biking and shooting guns prompting the NRL to label the pictures disappointing and unacceptable.

The men were fined for their actions as Addo-Carr was in breach of the social distancing rules for a second time.

However the 24-year-old has hired high-profile lawyer Elias Tabchouri to fight the fine and any potential sanctions from the NRL, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The NRL have proposed a $50,000 fine, of which 60 per cent would be suspended for the 2020 season, and a one match ban for Addo-Carr and Mitchell.

Melbourne Storm player Josh Addo-Carr will contest his fine and NRL sanctions for breaching social distancing rules

Addo-Carr's legal team insist their client did not break the law as restrictions related to being in a public place, not private properties.

He also said his family were going through a tough time so he wanted to take them to the farm to get away.

At the time NSW government said you could not leave your home unless it was for an essential reasons such as care, exercise, going to work or school or collecting essential items such as groceries.

Photos posted by Addo-Carr showed the pair with 10 other men around a fire, mountain biking and shooting guns prompting the NRL to label the pictures disappointing and unacceptable

Addo-Carr's legal team insist their client did not break the law as restrictions related to being in a public place, not private properties

Gatherings of more than groups of two were banned.

Addo-Carr's legal battle has forced a delay in the NRL's decision.

Last month, despite insisting there had been no wrong doing, Addo-Carr apologised.

At the time, a repentant Addo-Carr said 'nothing was intentional or deliberate' as he tried to 'put a smile on the faces' of family members going through a tough time.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Josh Addo-Carr for comment.
LONDON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- dotdigital [DOTD], the leading omnichannel marketing automation platform today announced that Forrester Research has positioned dotdigital as a strong performer in its report, The Forrester Wave: Email Marketing Service providers, Q2 2020.

Forrester has researched, analysed, and scored 13 email service providers in the market, each categorised as either challenger, contender, strong performer, or leader. Vendors were scored based on their current offering, strategy, and market presence.

The report states that dotdigital is one of two "tech-first options" with a "capable service if needed, and holds its own with enterprise marketing cloud competitors." dotdigital received the second highest score in the strategy category, scoring 3.9 out of a possible 5. According to Forrester, "dotdigital presented itself for the first time in this study as earnest, honest, and winning clients at a rate unmatched by all of its larger competitors... Marketers who sell direct in their emails should consider this marketing cloud alternative."

dotdigital received the highest score possible in the 'vision' criterion, within the report's strategy category. The report states that the omnichannel marketing platform "offers an expected visual interface for query creation, message design, and multichannel orchestration. Like other vendors, it can integrate some data formats on a batch-based basis or in real time via API or customer integrations. And it has a capable AI for predicting customer tendencies or recommending products. Integrations with commerce platforms like Magento and Shopify, plus its native commerce intelligence functionality, help retailers drive profitable repeat purchases."

Milan Patel, CEO at dotdigital, cited his company's vision as the bedrock to its strong performance and continued customer satisfaction.

"I'm delighted that dotdigital has been named as a strong performer in The Forrester Wave for Email Marketing Service providers. Our clear vision, dedicated roadmap, and world-class integrations continue to empower marketers to sell more through data-driven email marketing. In my opinion, the report highlights that dotdigital's native omnichannel orchestration, AI capabilities, and commerce intelligence tool help all our customers grow their brand and business."

https://dotdigital.com/

Contact:

Mark Jervis, Marketing Director, T: +44(0)20 3953 4508, E: [email protected]



SOURCE dotdigital

Related Links

https://dotdigital.com/

https://learning.dotdigital.com/resources/report/the-forrester-wave-email-marketing-service-providers/


A 30-year-old Louisiana man has been arrested for choking his ex-girlfriend's dog, Ruby Jean, after he was captured on a Ring doorbell camera, police said Tuesday.

According to officers from the Slidell Police Department, Shane Mitchell showed up to Rachelle Fassy's new home on Sunday after she had ended their relationship.

Fassy said she eventually let him in after he threatened her but he grabbed her three-year-old Doberman and wouldn't give her back.

Shane Mitchell, 30, of Louisiana has been arrested for choking his ex-girlfriend's dog, Ruby Jean (pictured with Mitchell), after he was captured on a doorbell camera, police said

Police said Mitchell (left and right, during arrest) was caught on Rachelle Fassy's doorbell video yanking the dog's leash until she started choking

Police said Mitchell was then caught on Fassy's doorbell video yanking the dog's leash until she started choking. Fassy is heard in the video screaming: 'No, no, stop!'

Slidell police said after Mitchell choked the dog, he fled the scene and took Ruby Jean with him.

Fassy reported Mitchell to the police who then opened an investigation into the incident on Monday.

'Mitchell refused to cooperate with authorities, so several undercover detectives set up surveillance in an attempt to locate Mitchell,' police said in a statement.

Police finally located Mitchell around 11am Tuesday morning at an apartment complex on Oak Harbor Boulevard and took him into custody without incident.

Authorities also located Ruby Jean and reunited the canine with her owner. The dog didn't sustain any injuries.

Ruby Jean (pictured with an officer) was returned to her owner safe and sound on Tuesday

Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal said: 'I was sick to my stomach watching that video. How someone can do hurt a defenseless animal is beyond me. I had the opportunity to meet Ruby Jean this afternoon, and she was as sweet and well-mannered as could be.

'We are glad this had a happy ending for both the dog and her owner.'

Fassy also thanked police on Facebook for helping get her beloved dog back.

'I want to personally thank each and everyone of yall who made every attempt to lead me to my ruby!' she wrote.

'I esp want to give my biggest thank you to the Slidell police department for retrieving my dog and everyone that helped bring her back in the matter! Praying and having faith came a long way! Ruby is with me! Thankful no one was hurt anymore than what was!'

Mitchell has been charged with animal cruelty and is currently being held at the Slidell City Jail.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges could follow in reference to other incidents.
Rana Daggubati's father Suresh Babu has confirmed that the Baahubali actor might tie the knot with his fiance Miheeka Bajaj by December or even before that.

Love is in the air for Baahubali star Rana Daggubati and his fiance Miheeka Bajaj. Amid the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus, Rana proposed Miheeka on Tuesday and she said yes. The actor shared the good news on Twitter by sharing an adorable photo of the couple. Ever since the confirmation, social media has been flooded with congratulatory wishes and questions on when the wedding is going to be.

Putting an end to speculations around the wedding date, Rana Daggubatis father Suresh Babu has spilled some beans on the impending wedding in an interview with a news portal. Suresh Babu said that they finally have a reason to celebrate amid these grim times. Rana and Miheeka have known each other since a long time and the entire family is very happy for them.

Confirming that the wedding will happen this year, Suresh Babu said that they were thinking of a December wedding but it can also happen before that. They will share the details once everything is finalised. He jokingly added that the kids have given them a nice reason to stay busy amid the lockdown. They will now utilise their time in planning the wedding.

Also Read: Shehnaaz Gill reacts to Keh Gayi Sorry song trending on Youtube, says she trusts her fans completely

Also Read: Sanjivini 2 star Sayantani Ghosh opens up about her wedding plans with beau Anugrah, says might get married virtually during lockdown

On the professional front, Miheeka Bajaj is an interior designer and has her own decor business. Meanwhile, Rana Daggubati is awaiting the release of his anticipated films like Haathi Mere Saathi, Virata Parvam, Madai Thirantu and Hiranya Kashyapa.

Also Read: Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan: Parth Samthaan, Niti Taylor reunite for a dance video amid coronavirus lockdown

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BANGKOK, May 13 -- According to the official website of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand, at the request of the Thai military and with the approval of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) sent its Air Force Y-20 transport aircraft to Thailand on May 12 for an emergency delivery of materials for epidemic prevention and control. Heads of Thailand's Ministry of Defense and Chinese Embassy in Thailand greeted them at the airport and attended the handover ceremony.

The head of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand said at the ceremony that the virus respects no borders and solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon against the pandemic. The people and militaries of both China and Thailand have always helped each other and shared a common fate. The Chinese military is willing to strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation with all armed forces from across the world including Thailand.

On behalf of the Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-ocha, Thai Deputy Defense Minister General Charnchai Changmongkol said that the Thai side thinks highly of China's anti-epidemic achievements. In the fight against the epidemic, the people and militaries of both countries have shown deep understanding and support for each other. He sincerely thanked the Chinese government, people, and military for providing valuable materials and experience in support, and expressed his willingness to further strengthen the cooperation with the Chinese side in epidemic prevention and control.

The shipment includes ventilators, electrocardiogram monitors, nucleic acid test kits, medical masks, protective gears, and so on. This is the second overseas mission for China's self-developed Y-20 transport aircraft to deliver anti-epidemic materials abroad since last time to Pakistan in April.
Now on air: 5G research network on Aachen campus goes live

Posted by Publisher Telecommunication

The 5G-Industry Campus Europe switched on its radio network on May 12, 2020: Through an area of almost one square kilometer, 19 antennas and a bandwidth of ten gigabits per second, we will run the largest 5G research network in Europe. The network at the RWTH Aachen Campus, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), connects the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL of the RWTH Aachen University, the FIR (Institute for Industrial Management) at the RWTH Aachen University and, in the future, other University departments with the new mobile radio standard. Together, the partners at the 5G-Industry Campus Europe can now research and test in detail the areas of application of 5G in industrial use.

Only in March, the 5G-Industry Campus Europe was awarded a first 5G license in the 3.7 to 3.8 Gigahertz range, and now the network is up and running. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is funding the ambitious project with around six million Euros. Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer: \With the 5G-Industry Campus Europe we have created the largest 5G research network in Europe. It will help us to link 5G research and Industry 4.0. I am firmly convinced that projects like this are the future of German industry.\

The aim of the involved partners is to open up new fields of application for 5G mobile communication technology in production: \This is where we create the future for innovative production. Joining companies and research partners, we are creating a completely new infrastructure with the 5G-Industry Campus Europe, where we can test and try out different 5G applications in production and logistics. This will completely redefine the previous requirements for the industries,\ says Niels Konig, who is leading and coordinating the project on behalf of the Fraunhofer IPT.

Together with the project partners from WZL and FIR, the Fraunhofer IPT will develop and implement applications and solutions for digital and networked production over the next three years. Partners for the development of the 5G infrastructure are the mobile network supplier Ericsson and the IT Center of the RWTH Aachen University. \We are delighted that the project presented jointly at Hannover Messe 2019 is now becoming reality, and that the 5G-Industry Campus Europe is creating a worldwide unique ecosystem for research, development and adaptation of 5G technologies for Industry 4.0,\ explains Jan-Peter Meyer-Kahlen, Head of the Ericsson ICT Development Center Eurolab in Herzogenrath near Aachen.

The research infrastructure of the 5G-Industry Campus Europe covers about one square kilometer of the Melaten campus of RWTH Aachen University as well as a total of 7,000 square meters of machine hall space, thus providing a generous area for researching various application scenarios ? from 5G sensor technology for monitoring and controlling highly complex production processes, to mobile robotics and logistics and cross-location production chains.

Another target of the Aachen scientists is to test the use of modern edge-cloud systems for fast data processing in order to exploit the further potential of 5G for fully networked and adaptive production. \With the intelligent interaction of the 5G network and local edge-cloud systems, we are able to implement end-to-end real-time applications in a scalable way ? from the sensor to the cloud. We create a unique ecosystem in Aachen, in which forward-looking concepts and architectures, such as real-time process analyses or closed-loop applications, can be implemented and validated holistically,\ explains Sven Jung, who heads the technical side of the setup.

The 5G-Industry Campus Europe is being developed in a research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and is directly focused on the introduction of the new mobile communications standard in the manufacturing industry. Interested companies and research partners, who would like to inform themselves or participate, can contact the consortium via the project website: www.5G-Industry-Campus.com

Project Consortium

Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT, Aachen (Project Management)

FIR (Institute for Industrial Management) at the RWTH Aachen University

Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL of the RWTH Aachen

IT Center of the RWTH Aachen University

The research project \5G-Industry Campus Europe\ is funded for three years by the BMVI (reference number: VB5GICEIPT).

Das Fraunhofer-Institut fur Produktionstechnologie IPT vereint langjahriges Wissen und Erfahrung aus allen Gebieten der Produktionstechnik. In den Bereichen Prozesstechnologie, Produktionsmaschinen, Produktionsqualitat und Messtechnik sowie Technologiemanagement bietet das Fraunhofer IPT seinen Kunden und Projektpartnern angewandte Forschung und Entwicklung fur die vernetzte, adaptive Produktion. Das Leistungsspektrum des Instituts orientiert sich an den individuellen Aufgaben und Herausforderungen innerhalb bestimmter Branchen, Technologien und Produktbereiche, darunter Automobilbau und -zulieferer, Energie, Life Sciences, Luftfahrt, Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, Optik, Prazisions- und Mikrotechnik sowie Werkzeug- und Formenbau.
BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Glucose Health, Inc. (OTC: GLUC)  the manufacturer of GLUCODOWN branded diabetic nutritional beverages  today reported April 2020 revenues were the best single month sales performance in the Company's history. For the period April 1, 2020 through April 30, 2020, sales at Amazon and Walmart, were $42,074.05. This sales velocity preliminarily indicates that $500,000 in potential annual revenue, from Walmart and Amazon sales of GLUCODOWN, is achievable. These record revenues were generated despite GLUCODOWN supply on Walmart superstore shelves dropping below target for the entire month, in part because of challenges receiving, delivering and restocking, due to the impact of COVID-19.

The Company also announced GLUCODOWN advertising is expanding to satellite TV, for the first time, beginning this month. Expansion to DISH and DIRECT TV means the GLUCODOWN brand will reach a total potential audience of 35 million households that have never before seen GLUCODOWN TV advertising. Additionally, pre-production work has been completed for three all-new TV commercials. Final production, including filming on-location at a Los Angeles area pharmacy, will be completed upon the lifting of COVID-19 work restrictions in California.

Murray Fleming, CEO of Glucose Health, Inc., stated "our three most important objectives for the balance of fiscal 2020 are:

More Pharmacy Retailer Distribution. The Company is in active pursuit of more on-the-shelf distribution of GLUCODOWN at additional brick & mortar pharmacy retailers. More Amazon Sales. The Company will increase TV advertising to generate more customer awareness of GLUCODOWN and to particularly, increase online sales revenue at Amazon. Improve Gross Margin. The Company will improve gross profit margin through better accounting control of retailer payments and claims and modest product price increases."

About Glucose Health, Inc. (OTC: GLUC)

Manufactured by Glucose Health, Inc., GLUCODOWN nutritional beverages are specifically formulated for the diabetic/adult nutrition retail category. More than 100 million Americans are estimated to be diabetic or pre-diabetic, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.1 GLUCODOWN provides these consumers, and increasingly many other health-conscious consumers generally, with a nutritious, efficacious and delicious beverage option. Glucose Health, Inc. is a publicly traded company with the ticker symbol OTC: GLUC.

For more GLUC news visit www.glucreport.com

1 National Diabetes Statistics Review, 2020; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services.

SOURCE Glucose Health, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.glucreport.com/


Vancouver transit police say the suspect in a violent attack on a woman who stood up for two Asian passengers on a bus last month has died from an apparent drug overdose.

Authorities appealed for public help in identifying the man Tuesday, and on Wednesday said he had been identified.

The suspect in this incident has been identified, thanks to tips from the public, as a 48-year-old Vancouver resident, of no fixed address, who was well known to police, transit police said in an online statement.

The investigation determined that the suspect passed away from an apparent drug overdose approximately one week after this incident.

The original incident took place on the afternoon of April 15, after the man had boarded a bus at Main Street and East Hastings in Vancouver.

The suspect allegedly attacked a woman, punching and kicking her multiple times and pulling her hair so hard he removed a significant amount.

The woman was sitting across from the man on a bus, and spoke up after he verbally berated two Asian women who were wearing protective masks, officials said Tuesday. They said he shouted something to the effect of, Go back to your country; thats where it all started.

That was when the female bystander spoke up to defend the two women, telling the man to leave them alone.

Moments later, the suspect allegedly jumped up and kicked the victim in the leg. As the woman stood up to defend herself, he allegedly reached over and violently grabbed her hair, pulling so hard that a large clump of hair was pulled from her head. He then allegedly punched the victim numerous times in the head and wrestled her to the ground, according to transit police.

While pinned to the floor of the bus, the victim was able to fight the suspect off. The suspect left the bus and was last seen running away near Commercial Drive and East Hastings, the statement read.

Vancouver councillor Pete Fry on Tuesday raised the issue of why officials waited weeks to request help identifying the suspect.

Fry told the Star on Tuesday that he was disgusted to hear of racialized violence in the city.

In the interests of community safety, I think we should be hearing about these sorts of violent predatory assaults in a more timely manner, not a month after the fact.

I appreciate the policing authorities will have their reasons for withholding information identifying alleged attackers, but I have to ask if public interest wouldnt be better served with more proactive warnings of potentially violent, racists at large  especially when they are preying on random and vulnerable members of the public.

Since the coronavirus first appeared in Wuhan, a city in central China, waves of xenophobic and racist attacks have happened around the globe.

In recent weeks, Vancouver police said they have seen a spike in reports of anti-Asian hate-motivated incidents and crimes.

Police say of the 20 anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police this year, 11 occurred in April. In comparison, police say there were 12 such crimes reported in all of 2019.

The BC Coroners Service said earlier this month that there has been an increase in overdose deaths since February. In March, 113 people died of suspected illicit drug toxicity, which is a three per cent dip from the same month last year, but represents a 61 per cent increase from February.

The B.C. government declared a public health emergency in 2016 when overdose deaths began to spike. Since then more than 5,000 people have died of illicit overdoses.

With files from The Canadian Press

Joanna Chiu is a Vancouver-based reporter covering both Canada-China relations and current affairs on the West Coast for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu

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D ubai-based airline Emirates has announced it's resuming its scheduled flight service to nine global destinations from next week, May 21.

The destinations include London Heathrow Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne, including connections in Dubai for those travelling to Australia.

However, travellers will only be accepted on these flights if they comply with the eligibility and entry criteria requirements of their chosen destination.

Emirates is also looking to minimise interaction on-board - passengers can only bring on essential items and all cabin baggage will need to be checked in, too. Emirates cabin crew, boarding agents and ground staff who interact directly with travellers will also wear personal protective equipment including a protective disposable gown and safety visor.

If customers are passing through Dubai, they will have their temperatures checked via thermal scanners, and the aircraft cabins have been fitted with advanced HEPA air filters which claim to remove 99.97 per cent of viruses and eliminate dust, allergens and germs from cabin air.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer, said: We are pleased to resume scheduled passenger services to these destinations, providing more options for customers to travel from the UAE to these cities, and also between the UK and Australia. We are working closely with the authorities to plan the resumption of operations to additional destinations. We have implemented additional measures at the airport in coordination with the relevant authorities in respect to social distancing and sanitization. The safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and communities, remain our top priority.

Yesterday, Ryanair announced it was restoring 40 per cent of its flight schedule from the beginning of July.

The budget airline said: Ryanair today announced plans to return to 40 per cent of normal flight schedules from Wednesday 1 July 2020, subject to Government restrictions on intra-EU flights being lifted, and effective public health measures being put in place at airports.

Virgin Atlantic has, this week, also released its flight schedule for summer 2021 following its closure at Gatwick.

The airline will operate 24 routes next year from London Heathrow, Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast and it expects to steadily increase flights in the second half of this year, before a further, gradual recovery in 2021.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  The countrys coronavirus cases climbed to 11,618 on Wednesday, after the Department of Health confirmed 268 new infections.

Metro Manila recorded the most number of new infections with 165, followed by Central Visayas with 58.

A total of 2,251 patients have also recovered from COVID-19, as 145 more people have survived the viral illness. Total recoveries currently account for around 20 percent of the total number of cases.

The Health department also announced 21 more fatalities, raising the death toll to 772.

Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said the surge in the tally of confirmed cases is due to the country's increased testing capacity. To date, the DOH has accredited 28 laboratories to perform coronavirus testingstill 50 facilities short of the governments goal to operate 78 by the end of May.

Vergeire also reiterated that the basis to determine if the spread of the virus has slowed is the positivity rate, or the ratio of those who test positive for COVID-19 out of the total number of tests performed.

She added that the DOH will make available to the public a real-time positivity trend chart starting Wednesday to show whether or not the rate of infections has been slowing.

On Tuesday, high-risk areas Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City were placed under "modified" enhanced community quarantine from May 16 to May 31.

The government announced a list of industries which have been cleared to reopen on partial operations, as it hopes to gradually reopen the economy after a two-month shutdown.

READ: LIST: Businesses allowed to reopen in Metro Manila, areas under modified ECQ by May 16A

Infected healthcare workers

The DOH also confirmed that 58 more healthcare workers have contracted the virus, bringing the total number of infected to 2,125.

This means around 18 percent of COVID-19 patients in the country are medical frontliners.

There are also now 669 health workers who have recovered, while the death toll remains at 35.

Despite the increase, the DOH maintained that the rate of infection among health workers continues to follow a downward trend since April 11, adding that the agency's prevention methods have been "effective" in protecting frontliners.

Based on the departments data, the top five medical professions infected with virus are nurses, physicians, nursing assistants, medical technologists, and radiologic technologists.

Cases among Filipinos abroad

Meanwhile, recoveries among Filipinos abroad have reached 757, after the Department of Foreign Affairs announced 88 more recoveries.

An additional 77 more have been infected, bringing the new total to 2,310. Eight more have died, for a total of 269 fatalities.

Filipino COVID-19 cases have been reported in 46 countries or regions worldwide. Europe has the highest number with 682 cases. Next are the 673 cases in the Middle East/Africa, 534 in the Americas, and 421 in Asia Pacific.

Globally, over 4.2 million people so far have been infected with the viral illness. More than 290,000 of these cases resulted in death, while nearly 1.5 million patients have already recovered.
Microfinance institutions (MFIs), which have micro enterprises and daily wage earners as its borrowers are happy that the fund disbursement process can now get restarted. The process has been severely hampered and has almost come to a standstill since the lockdown. "The demand of MFIs to enhance the liquidity flow from the banks to the MFIs has been met to some extent with the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing the special liquidity scheme and the partial guarantee scheme, though our only hope is that a reasonable part of this will be for the MFIs because the non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and housing finance companies (HFCs) have also been included in this," says P Satish, executive director of Sa-dhan, the leading association of MFIs and Self Help Group (SHG) promoting institutions. He says, the MFIs of all types today make monthly disbursements to the tune of around Rs 18,000 crore and less than 10 per cent of it has been possible since the lockdown. "Now there is hope that the process will get restarted."

MFIs share the similar view. Take, for instance, Spandana, a leading microfinance institution headquartered in Hyderabad. It has not been able to make disbursement since March 25 and is now hopeful of restart the process and provide the much needed funds its clients need. About 40 per cent of its borrowers are micro enterprises with disbursements to the tune of Rs 300 crore to Rs 350 crore per month and the balance 60 per cent of its portfolio is made up of borrowers who are either self employed, labourers, dairy farm labourers and construction labour, getting total disbursements to the tune of around Rs 500 crore to Rs 550 crore.

Overall, the MFI makes monthly disbursements of between Rs 800 crore to Rs 900 crore. She feels the impact would proportionately be much larger for the MFI sector as a whole. Particularly, MFI sector hailed the move of making it available to the MFIs rated below AA. Many MFIs, she says, including Spandana, have rating of either A-minus or below that. However, their big concern of lack of clarity on their share in the package still persists. One of the founding members of Sa-dhan and a veteran micro-credit sector expert Jayshree Vyas, who is also the managing director of SEWA Bank in Ahmedabad, is happy that on the first day of the announcement of the financial stimulus, at least the MFI sector has been taken note of and has figured in the government's package of support measures.

Also read: 1st tranche of Rs 20 lakh crore package doesn't hit government exchequer; here's why

Also read: What is the new definition of MSMEs?
Pharmacies in California can now test for the coronavirus, bringing the state in line with most states across the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday.

The waiver issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs paves the way for thousands of pharmacies in California to begin collecting swab samples and ordering tests that have received clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It follows similar moves by 32 other states, including New York, Florida and Texas, that have tried to increase testing as they look to relax restrictions and begin to reopen their economies.

The Chronicle reported earlier this month that California had not tapped its pharmacies to begin testing despite the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services having clarified in April that licensed pharmacists could order and administer FDA authorized coronavirus tests.

We have been under-performing as a nation, and as a state, to provide adequate testing for all that seek it and all that need it, Newsom said during his daily coronavirus media briefing. The good news is we are now going to increase additional sites with our pharmacies in the state of California and we hope to start seeing those pop up very, very soon. So thats also, we think, an important milestone and an effort to broaden coverage for testing.

In California, pharmacies can only administer tests that are explicitly referenced in state regulations, or are considered to be low-complexity, like a blood glucose test where a pharmacist analyzes a drop of blood taken with a finger prick.

The waiver and guidance issued Tuesday specifies that trained pharmacists can also order coronavirus tests and collect specimens without having to coordinate with a patients primary care doctor. The analysis or testing of the specimens must still be done by a public health, commercial, or clinical laboratory, according to the guidance.

California is now averaging about 35,000 tests a day with a goal of reaching at least 60,000 tests per day. The state has also moved to create dozens of new community testing sites with OptumServe, a Minnesota health services company, and Verily, the life sciences division of Googles parent company, Alphabet.

But there are nearly 6,500 pharmacies in the state and tens of thousands of licensed pharmacists who already perform blood and swab tests, including for cholesterol, flu and strep.

Newsom cautioned Tuesday that not all of these sites would necessarily opt to offer tests. In states that have allowed pharmacies to conduct testing, pharmacies have set up outside testing areas and drive-through sites. Similar to other pop-up sites, pharmacists and other volunteers have been outfitted in protective gear, including gloves, face shields, masks and gowns.

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.

Ken Thai, president of the California Pharmacists Association, said it was not immediately clear how many pharmacies would begin offering tests. But large pharmacy chains in other states have already begun.

Any way that we can expand testing capabilities is a good thing, Thai said. We are very, very excited, and grateful that we are finally at a place where we can do our part.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores, which includes CVS and Walgreens, also lauded the move in a joint statement with the California Retailers Association. But the groups urged patience as pharmacies implement the necessary procedures.

Participating pharmacies will work with the state to develop and execute their plans for testing in a safe environment, while testing supplies and personal protective equipment also will need to be in place, according to the joint statement. Please do not go to a pharmacy today for a test, but rather ensure that you know and follow the information about availability and procedures that will be announced.

Cynthia Dizikes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @cdizikes
A Florida teacher was arrested on charges of video voyeurism on Tuesday for allegedly setting up a camera in his bathroom after inviting students over for a 2011 pool party. The same teacher is facing a charge for a separate incident in 2018 where he allegedly secretly recorded a student while she was changing for yearbook photos.

Thomas John Kovack, 41, told detectives he filmed several of his students at the time in his bathroom during a party in June 2011, according to the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office. Kovack allegedly invited a number of his journalism students to his Palm Harbor residence for a pool party while he was a teacher at J.W. Mitchell High School.

Thomas John Kovack. (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)

Kovack provided the students with alcohol and offered for them to spend the night, the sheriffs office said. While no students stayed the night, several were captured on the hidden camera without their knowledge or consent.

Kovack was arrested by the neighboring Pasco County Sheriffs Office on Tuesday, where he told detectives he stored the videos on a hard drive.

In 2018, a student said she was changing for yearbook photos in a classroom closet when she found an iPhone filming her. She told authorities she saw Kovack setting up the phone to record after watching the video from the beginning, according to a complaint affidavit.

Kovack, then a teacher at Fivay High School, told authorities he knew the student would be undressing and that he did set up the phone to record her. He also said that he regretted his actions and deleted the video, according to the affidavit.

Court records show Kovacks 2018 case for video voyeurism in Pasco County is still pending. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.

Kovack was in custody at the Pinellas County Jail as of Wednesday afternoon, according to inmate records. He had an initial appearance in court for the 10 charges stemming from the 2011 pool party on Wednesday and is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing at 10 a.m. May 19.
UPPER THUMB  Tuscola County confirmed 23 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, an increase reported to be linked to an outbreak at a child care center.

The center has been identified as Wolverine Human Services in Vassar. Ann Hepfer, the health officer for Huron and Tuscola counties, told the Tribune Tuesday the outbreak has been contained.

Hepfer at this weeks Huron County Board of Commissioners meeting that 30% of the cases were asymptomatic, meaning they did not show any signs or symptoms.

With that increase, the number of confirmed cases in Tuscola County is now at 162. No new deaths were reported, with its death toll still at 17.

Neither Sanilac or Huron counties saw increases in confirmed cases Tuesday. Sanilac County remains at 38 confirmed cases and five deaths, while Huron County has 36 confirmed cases and one death.

Statewide, the number of confirmed cases and deaths both continued upward, with 90 deaths and 469 new confirmed cases.

Michigans case number now stands at 48,021 with 4,674 deaths.

As of May 8, 22,686 infected people in Michigan have recovered from the virus.

Hepfer also reported that as of May 11, Tuscola County has had 1,022 people tested and Huron County had 552 people tested. Tuscola County had 11 deaths attributed to outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

The Huron County Health Department has provided the following information for businesses who wish to reopen:

 The Michigan COVID-19 Business Response Center: https://www.blmcovid19.com

 The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Associations Roadmap to Reopening: www.mlra.org/open

 The Michigan Manufacturing Associations resources for reopening: https://view.joomag.com/mma-publication-mfg-tools-for-safe-productive-operations

 OSHA guidelines and PPE: www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19
[May 13, 2020] Chegg Announces Virtual-Only 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Chegg, Inc. (NYSE: CHGG), a Smarter Way to Student, today announced that it will be holding its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") as a virtual-only meeting due to public health concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As previously announced and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)") on April 17, 2020, the Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. To participate in the Annual Meeting, please visit: http://web.lumiagm.com/299143484. The meeting passcode is: Chegg2020. As described in Chegg's proxy materials for the Annual Meeting, Chegg stockholders of record at the close of business on April 6, 2020 are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting. To attend and participate in the virtual Annual Meeting, participants must enter the 16-digit control number included in the proxy card, voting instruction form or notice previously received. Stockholders holding their shares through a bank, broker or other nominee must contact their bank, broker o other nominee to request a control number.



Online access to the webcast will open 15 minutes prior to the start of the Annual Meeting to allow time for participants to log-in and test devices. We encourage you to access the website in advance of the designated start time. Stockholders may vote during the Annual Meeting by following the instructions available on the virtual meeting website.

Whether or not you plan to virtually attend the Annual Meeting, all stockholders as of April 6, 2020, the record date, may also vote in advance of the meeting until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on June 2, 2020 at http://www.proxyvote.com or by one of the methods described in the Annual Meeting proxy materials filed with the SEC on April 17, 2020. Stockholders who have already voted, and who do not wish to change their vote, do not need to vote again. Further information regarding this change to the location of the Annual Meeting can be found in the supplemental proxy materials filed by Chegg with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 13, 2020. About Chegg Chegg is a Smarter Way to Student. As the leading direct-to-student learning platform, we strive to improve educational outcomes by putting the student first in all our decisions. We support students on their journey from high school to college and into their career with tools designed to help them pass their test, pass their class, and save money on required materials. Our services are available online, anytime and anywhere, so we can reach students when they need us most. Chegg is a publicly held company based in Santa Clara, California and trades on the NYSE under the symbol CHGG. For more information, visit http://www.chegg.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005743/en/

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Like the rest of the UK, she's been cooped up at home amid the global coronavirus crisis.

And Chloe Ross coped with lockdown boredom by posing up a storm for an impromptu photoshoot on Tuesday evening.

In snaps shared to Instagram, the TOWIE star, 27, caught the eye as she slipped into a full lingerie set, complete with lace detailing throughout.

'Quarantine Bae': Chloe Ross coped with lockdown boredom by posing up a storm for an impromptu photoshoot on Tuesday evening

The Ann Summers model highlighted her slender figure in a black bralet, teamed with high-waisted briefs.

Amping up the sex appeal, the reality star rounded off underwear with a suspender belt and a pair of matching stockings.

Georgia Kousoulou's close pal added a touch of colour to her dark look with a pop of vampy red lipstick as she played with her lightly-curled tresses.

Setting pulses racing: In snaps shared to Instagram, the TOWIE star, 27, caught the eye as she slipped into a full lingerie set, complete with lace detailing throughout

'Back in January before all this madness': Last week, Chloe appeared to pine for happier times as she uploaded a sizzling snap from her January trip to South Africa

Back in January, a TOWIE spokesperson confirmed Chloe's exit from the long-running show, sharing: 'We review our cast every series to ensure we're keeping the show fresh and relevant.'

After being axed, the honey-blonde beauty insisted to OK! that viewers may see her return to screens in the near future.

The media personality said: 'They've said to me that the door's always open so never say never.

In January 2019, the series axed 10 stars including Myles Barnett, Jon and Chris Clark, Chloe Lewis and Adam Oukhellou.

The year before that Amber Dowding and Mike Hassini parted ways with the ITVBe favourite, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October.

Long-standing cast members such as Chloe Sims, Gemma Collins, Bobby Norris and Georgia Kousoulou remain on the series.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked the State Emergency Service for the liquidation of all wildfires in the Chornobyl exclusion zone and the majority of fires in Zhytomyr region.

"First of all I would like to thank our firefighters and rescuers. The wildfires subject has lost its popularity for some media and gradually disappeared from the media landscape. However, our firefighters and rescuers continued their daily work. As of today, the majority of fires in Zhytomyr region and all wildfires in the exclusion zone have been extinguished. Thank you for your hard work!" he said in a video message to the Ukrainian people on Wednesday.
9 Months with Courteney Cox Season 2  Official Trailer 10 new families share their extraordinary pregnancies. Season 2 of 9 Months with Courteney Cox is now streaming on Facebook Watch. Posted by 9 Months with Courteney Cox on Friday, May 1, 2020

A Facebook Watch series on pregnancy hosted by actress Courtney Cox will feature a double -- or maybe that should be triple -- connection to Alabama on Thursday.

The Alabama connections start with Cox: The star known for her roles in Friends, Cougar Town and the Scream movies was born in the Birmingham area and graduated from Mountain Brook High School. They continue with twin sisters from Loxley who are featured in Coxs newest series.

9 Months with Courteney Cox is a documentary series structured and distributed unlike anything in her history on the big screen of the movies of the smaller ones of TV. The first season, which debuted in January 2019, consisted of 20 episodes averaging about 15 minutes long, airing on Facebook. While Facebook Watch isnt quite on the same level with Netflix and Amazon Prime, it has been funding and presenting a slate of original content since 2017.

9 Months was renewed in summer 2019 for a second season. That run opened on Mothers Day with an introduction from Cox that spelled out the mission:

Last season on 9 Months we embarked on a groundbreaking social experiment where we asked people all across America to document their pregnancy, Cox says. This season, another group of hopeful parents have invited us to document their pregnancy journey. And the stakes couldnt be higher.

Like the first season, this one is a brisk mix of narrative segments featuring Cox, combined with footage apparently shot by the couples themselves. Like the first, it will feature 10 couples struggling with various issues that complicate their pregnancies. The premiere introduced four of them. The second episode, which is to premiere Thursday, May 14, will present twin sisters in Foley who find themselves pregnant at the same time.

The second season of the Facebook Watch series "9 Months with Courteney Cox" will feature twin sisters Tiesha and Dienesha of Loxley, Ala. (Courtesy of Beck Media)

Tiesha and Dienesha are 28-year-old twin sisters living together and are both pregnant with boys with the same due date, according to information provided by the shows producers. Tiesha became pregnant via IUI, and Dieneshas is an unexpected pregnancy and theyre both very excited to share their pregnancy journeys together.

The two will be featured in a number of episodes through the finale on July 2, according to information provided by show producers.

Tiesha & Dienesha Backstory | 9 Months | Facebook Watch Twin sisters. Two incredible blessings.  Tiesha & Dienesha share their story on episode two of 9 Months with Courteney Cox, premiering tomorrow at 6 pm PST / 9pm EST, only on Facebook Watch. Posted by 9 Months with Courteney Cox on Wednesday, May 13, 2020

New episodes are shown at 8 p.m. Central time every Sunday and Thursday at https://www.facebook.com/9monthswithcourteneycox. After their initial showing, videos remain available for viewing on the page.
G erry Adams has won a Supreme Court appeal against two historic convictions for trying to escape from the Maze Prison in the 1970s.

The former Sinn Fein leader claimed that the 1975 convictions are unsafe since his detention was not personally considered by a senior government minister.

Mr Adams attempted to escape from the Maze, also known as Long Kesh internment camp, on Christmas Eve 1973 and then tried again in July 1974.

He was later sentenced to a total of four and a half years.

The former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams whose appeal against historic prison escape convictions will be ruled on by the UK's Supreme Court later Wednesday (file photo) / PA

At a hearing in November, Mr Adams' lawyers argued that, because the interim custody order (ICO) used to initially detain him in July 1973 was not authorised by the then-secretary of state for Northern Ireland Willie Whitelaw, his detention was unlawful and his convictions should be overturned.

Announcing the Supreme Court's judgment at a remote hearing on Wednesday, Lord Kerr - the former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland - said the court had unanimously allowed Mr Adams' appeal and had quashed his convictions.

The judge said Mr Adams' detention was unlawful because it had not been "considered personally" by Mr Whitelaw.

The judge said: The making of the (interim custody order) in respect of the appellant was invalid since the Secretary of State had not himself considered it.

In consequence, Mr Adams detention was unlawful, hence his convictions of attempting to escape from lawful custody were, likewise, unlawful.

Lord Kerr added: The appeal is therefore allowed and his convictions are quashed.

Mr Adams later urged the British Government to identify and inform others whose internment may also have been unlawful.

Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams (file photo) / PA

I have no regrets about my imprisonment, except for the time I was separated from my family. However, we were not on our own.

It is believed that around 2,000 men and women were interned during its four-and-a-half years of operation.

I consider my time in the prison ship Maidstone, in Belfast prison and in Long Kesh to have been in the company of many remarkable, resilient and inspiring people.

Internment, like all coercive measures, failed.

There is an onus on the British Government to identify and inform other internees whose internment may also have been unlawful.

Mr Adams said the issue was discussed by the attorney general with then-British prime minister Harold Wilson on July 17 1974. (file photo) / REUTERS

Mr Adams said the issue was discussed by the attorney general with then-British prime minister Harold Wilson on July 17 1974.

So the knowledge of my unlawful detention was known by the most senior level of the British system.

Of course internment, later described as detention by the British, was never lawful.

In fact it set aside the normal principles of law and was based on a blunt and brutal piece of coercive legislation.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 13:53:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SUVA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has held talks with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the latest developments of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) on Wednesday, Bainimarama spoke with Trudeau earlier this week, and they agreed that international coordination and information sharing is critical to respond effectively to COVID-19.

They shared information on the spread of the virus in their countries, and measures taken to protect the health, safety, and economic well-being of the people in their countries.

While discussing the impact of COVID-19 in the Pacific region at large, and the unique challenges posed by its isolation, the two leaders discussed the need to support more vulnerable countries in fighting the pandemic.

They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to combatting climate change and economic security.

Currently, Fiji has reported 18 confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which, 14 have fully recovered and the remaining four active patients are still in isolation and in stable condition.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Canada recorded 71,100 COVID-19 cases, including more than 5,000 deaths. Enditem
(CNN)  In January this year, Kerala became the first Indian state to report a coronavirus case. Now, four months later, it claims it has flattened the curve.

Although India has been under a strict nationwide lockdown since late March, cases have continued to rise  the country of 1.3 billion now has more than 74,000 confirmed cases, including more than 2,400 deaths.

But Kerala, a thin strip on the country's southern coast, has appeared to buck that trend.

Although its has a population of around 36 million  almost as big as Canada  it has reported just 519 cases and four deaths. As of Saturday, it had only 16 active cases, according to the state's finance minister, Thomas Isaac.

For comparison, Maharashtra, the worst-affected state in India, has reported more than 23,000 cases, including more than 860 deaths.

Even accounting for their different population sizes, the states have very different outbreaks. Maharashtra has around 19 cases per 100,000, while Kerala has about 1. By way of comparison the United States, which has the world's highest reported death toll, has around 415 cases per 100,000 people.

Experts say part of Kerala's success is thanks to swift action and learning from past outbreaks. But Kerala also shows how disparate India is  and how much a person's chances against the virus depend on where in the country they live.

What Kerala did right

At the center of Kerala's response was woman who has been nicknamed "the coronavirus slayer."

In the second week of January  before the state, and by extension India, had reported its first coronavirus case  Kerala's Minister of Health and Social Welfare, KK Shailaja, noticed reports of a virus spreading in Wuhan, China.

With many students from Kerala studying in Wuhan, KK Shailaja suspected it was just a matter of time before the virus arrived in the state. In late January, the ministry set up 18 expert groups for different facets of the outbreak control, covering everything from contact tracing and screening, to logistics and mental health. "We planned everything," she says.

From January 24, the government screened all passengers returning from China, and sent all symptomatic patients to designated isolation facilities. On January 30, Kerala confirmed its first coronavirus patient  a student who had been studying in Wuhan.

Authorities identified the first patient by screening all 172 passengers on a plane from Wuhan, and isolating three students who had minor symptoms in hospital. They were also able to trace more than 70 people who had been in close contact with the students, Shailaja said.

And even when there were no new cases, the state continued being vigilant.

"Some asked us why we were being so overactive because there were no cases now in Kerala," she says. "We were told we over reacting but we didn't withdraw our teams because we were reading about this virus going to other countries."

As Oommen Kurian, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, put it: "(Kerala) reacted as if it's a very deadly disease from the beginning when people were actually doubtful across the world about the deadliness of the virus."

Back in 2018, the state was hit by an outbreak of Nipah virus, which killed 18 people within a few weeks. There is no treatment or vaccine for Nipah, which has a fatality rate of between 40 to 75%  much higher than Covid-19.

Kerala managed to contain the disease in a short space of time  and the most important thing was contact tracing, Shailaja said.

"We understood that for any contagious virus, the first thing we have to do is contact tracing and to break the chain," she said. "If we trace the contact properly, we can isolate the person from others and we can break the chain and flatten the curve of the epidemic. This is the same thing we applied here."

"Kerala acted from the beginning ... and has not lowered its guard yet," said Rajeev Sadanandan, Kerala's former health secretary and the chief executive of non-profit Health Systems Transformation Platform. "No other Indian state did anything remotely comparable."

How Kerala compares

Hundreds of miles north in the state of Maharashtra, health authorities haven't seen the same success. The state  which has roughly the same population size as Japan  has the largest number of cases of anywhere in India. Many of those are in Mumbai, one of India's most populous cities, which is home to a number of slums.

According to Amey Ghole, Health Committee Chairman of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, the city took the outbreak seriously "from day one."

"On February 19, we found our first patient and admitted them to hospital. We were the first to stop flights from China. Maharashtra was the first state to lockdown the cinemas and malls," he said.

The state took other measures. On March 16, the state health minister, Rajesh Tope, announced that it would use indelible ink to stamp the hands of individuals who have been asked to self-quarantine at their own homes to prevent them from going out.

The state created containment zones and cordoned off areas, Ghole said. Authorities have been testing in slums  which have been a big concern in India  and increased the number of beds in quarantine facilities, he said.

But according to Kurian, Maharashtra didn't act as quickly as Kerala. Like much of the rest of the world, they were biding their time. "Maharashtra was reactive," he added, rather than proactive.

Sadanandan said Maharashtra had no contact tracing system, so when cases showed up at hospitals, they had no way of using information about their contacts to prevent further spread.

Once infection reaches the community, prevention doesn't work, said Sadanandan. In places where community spread has taken hold, it's already too late to put in place Kerala's strategy of quarantining high-risk people, testing and treating them, and tracking everyone they have had contact with.

"Slums or any community are the endpoints. The battle is lost when it has reached the community," he said.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has repeatedly denied any community transmission across India.

Unlike Kerala, Maharashtra hadn't dealt with a recent viral outbreak, so they weren't as prepared for the onslaught, Kurian said. Now, it's too late to bring in strong contact tracing, he said. If Maharashtra were to start contact tracing now, it would have an uphill task  it now has more than 23,000 confirmed cases, who have likely each been in touch with a number of people.

"The thing about contact tracing is that it is very easy to get overwhelmed if you go over the threshold," he said. "The silent spread has already happened in Maharashtra."

Why Kerala's success isn't a surprise

In a way, it's no surprise that Kerala has had success against the coronavirus  it already has some of the best healthcare outcomes in India.

According to government statistics, Kerala has a comparatively high number of public healthcare centers. It also has the lowest maternal mortality rate, one of the lowest infant mortality rates, and the highest life expectancy at birth of any Indian state, at 74.2 for a man.

According to Sadanandan, Kerala has a good primary care system and well-trained health workers. Those things, in turn, meant the government health system had credibility and trust with the public, Sadanandan said.

It also helped that Kerala's literacy rate is high, with around 94% of the population literate, according to the 2011 Census, compared with the national average of 73%. That improved the state's ability to communicate the risk, said Kurian.

"Education was seen as an investment in Kerala for a long time," Kurian added.

And Kerala is relatively well-off. In 2017-2018, the latest year for which statistics are available, it had a per capita GDP of 184,000 Indian rupees, compared with a nationwide average of 114,958.

Kerala's health outcomes are not the norm. Healthcare  and social indicators such as access to safe drinking water that influence healthcare outcomes  vary widely between different states, Sadanandan said.

Maharashtra's health outcomes fall far behind Kerala. Male life expectancy is 69.9, and its infant mortality rate is almost twice as high as Kerala's, with 19 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with 10.

Although Maharashtra has some of the best hospitals in India, according to Kurian, some of those have been compromised because the virus has spread to health care workers and within hospitals. Last month, the Indian Medical Association said doctors in India faced challenges of being attacked and had a lack of personal protective equipment.

"Many doctors have tested positive for the virus already and those of us working on the frontlines at government hospitals live in hostels where effective social distancing is not possible," a Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors spokesperson said.

What the future holds

While Kerala has flattened the curve for now, the challenges aren't over. "We are bracing ourselves for the 3rd wave," Isaac, the state's finance minister, tweeted. Kerala's chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, has a similar sentiment: "Til those who are undergoing treatment are fully cured and those under observation complete their quarantine period, we cannot let our guard down one bit."

India's lockdown is set to lift later this month, and some experts expect cases to increase.

India stopped commercial flights into the country in March, but last week it began repatriation flights for Indians overseas who are stranded or lost their jobs. Kerala has large numbers of people working and living overseas, meaning many of those being repatriated will be headed for Kerala.

And Kerala has the oldest population in India, making its population potentially more vulnerable  13% of the population are aged 60 or older, compared with the nationwide average of 8.2%. In Maharashtra, for comparison, 9.1% of the population are 60 or older.

Kurian warns that it's not the time to be complacent.

"The real fight is just coming. Once the international travelers come back and the migrants come back and the local economy starts operating again, That is when the next wave will hit Kerala, and if they're caught napping, it will look a lot like Mumbai."

In 2017, Indian workers around the world sent $69 billion back home  and 19% of those remittances went to Kerala, the highest proportion of any state, according to India's Central Bank. But Kurian points out that if some of Kerala's overseas workers have now lost their jobs, that could impact Kerala's overall economy.

"Kerala is best practice sponsored by the rest of the world," he said. "The money that is supporting Kerala's public sector response, that tap has been turned off."

But Sadanandan is more optimistic  he thinks the same prevention strategy that worked before can continue to work now.

"If prevention works with one, it can work with millions," he said. "There would be hiccups but I expect the inherent strength of Kerala to survive the threat."

This story was first published on CNN.com "The way these Indian states handled coronavirus shows where you live matters"
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
PM Modi to chair high-level meet at 4.30 pm to discuss lockdown 4.0

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a high-level meet to discuss lockdown 4.0. The PM will meet top ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at 4.30 pm today.

PM Modi on Tuesday announced massive new financial incentives on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

Modi outlined a Rs 20-lakh-crore which is 9.7 per cent of GDP support package, of which new allocations could only be 50-60 per cent of the offer.

Coronavirus outbreak: West Bengal govt to divide red zone into three; No quick relief

PM Modi in his address stressed on self-reliance and also the Make in India campaign. He also said that Indians must go for products that are Indian rather than those produced abroad.

He also said that self-reliance will prepare the country for the tough competition ahead. It is important that the nation wins this and stays ahead of the competition, the PM also said.
Tri-Star Resources PLC / AIM: TSTR / Sector: Natural Resource



13 May 2020

Tri-Star Resources plc ("Tri-Star" or the "Company")

Sale of first Antimony and Update



Tri-Star Resources plc (AIM: TSTR), the minerals processing company, announces an update on its investment in Strategic & Precious Metals Processing LLC ("SPMP"), an antimony and gold production facility in the Sultanate of Oman in which the Company holds a 40% equity interest. The other joint venture partners are The Oman Investment Fund Holding Company LLC ("OIF") (40% equity holder) and DNR Industries Limited, part of Dutco Group in Dubai (20% equity holder).

First sale of Antimony

SPMP has sold and on 6 May SPMP shipped its first consignment of antimony comprising 60 tonnes of antimony metal ingots. This is an important step in the ramp-up of operations at SPMP. The management of SPMP expects the plant to be operating at 50% of capacity by the end of Q2 2020 and 100% by the end of the year.

Update on COVID-19

Following the diagnosis of an employee operating in the roaster section of the plant having tested positive for COVID-19, SPMP executed its COVID-19 mitigation protocol successfully in accordance with Ministry of Health's published guidelines. In accordance with these guidelines, a number of employees have been placed in isolation for a period of 14 days, which will have a consequent short-term impact upon production. SPMP's management is developing a plan to resume production on the roaster on a limited basis with the personnel allowed to remain on site.

Financing

As announced on 8 April 2020, SPMP is continuing its discussions with local banks to provide a USD60m term loan facility who expressed an interest in providing a working capital facility of up to USD45m (out of a total required of USD 60m, as announced on 3 January 2020) subject to meeting certain criteria. It should be noted, however, that until such facilities are agreed, the future financing of SPMP remains uncertain.

Arbitration

As also announced on 8 April 2020, OIF has issued a Request for Arbitration, commencing an arbitration proceeding with Tri-Star, DNR and SPMP as Respondents. A Sole Arbitrator has now been appointed but has yet to make contact with the parties.

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.



**ENDS**



For further information, please visit www.tri-starresources.com or contact:

Tri-Star Resources plc

David Facey, CEO/ CFO c/o SBP

Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177 St Brides Partners (Financial PR)

Isabel de Salis / Beth Melluish

Tel: +44 (0)20 7236 1177 SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nominated Adviser) Jeff Keating/ Caroline Rowe

Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470 finnCap Ltd (Broker)

Scott Mathieson / Camille Gochez

Tel: +44 (0)20 7220 0500





Notes to Editors:

Tri-Star's principal interest is in an antimony and gold production facility (the "SPMP Project"). The SPMP Project is based in Sohar, Sultanate of Oman, and is being developed by Strategic & Precious Metals Processing LLC ("SPMP"), an Omani company in which Tri-Star has a 40% equity interest.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies (HFCs) and micro-finance institutions (MFIs).

Speaking to the media here, Sitharaman noted that these finance institutions are finding it difficult to raise money in debt markets and many institutions have not been able to take advantage of the recent relaxations given by the government and the Reserve Bank of India.

Under the scheme, investments will be made in both primary and secondary market transactions in investment grade debt paper of these institutions.

She said that the scheme will support the previous initiatives of the government and the central bank to boost liquidity.

The securities under the scheme will be fully guaranteed by the Central government.

As per the government, the scheme would provide liquidity support to mutual funds along with NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs and create confidence in the market.

Further, the government has also announced Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme for NBFCs.

Under the scheme, first 20 per cent loss will be borne by Cenre, and even unrated papers will be eligible for investment, enabling NBFCs to reach out even to MSMEs in far-flung areas.

The step has been taken as NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs with low credit rating require liquidity to do fresh lending to MSMEs and individuals.

The measure is a part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening.
Read what is in the news today.

Society

 Vietnam logged no new cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Wednesday morning, marking the 27th day of no community transmission. The national tally remains at 288, with 252 recoveries and no deaths.

 The Road and Rail Traffic Police Division under Ho Chi Minh Citys Department of Police said on Tuesday traffic police officers can pull vehicles over for inspection from May 15 until the end of June 14, without the need for a probable cause, as part of a major campaign to monitor vehicles in the southern metropolis.

 Vietnamese and Russian authorities, in coordination with national carrier Vietnam Airlines, on Wednesday morning flew home 340 Vietnamese citizens from Moscow. All of them were quarantined upon arrival at Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

 Three Brazilians were announced recovered from COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday. They were all linked to the Buddha bar infection cluster in District 2 and all three had previously retested positive for the virus that causes the respiratory disease after having been discharged from the hospital.

 A medical council of senior doctors from Vietnams largest hospitals in the north, central and southern regions on Tuesday reached an agreement that there is an indication for a lung transplant for a 43-year-old British man who is critically sickened by COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. He will be transferred from the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases to Cho Ray Hospital in the same metropolis as doctors search for a compatible donor.

 A Vietlott jackpot of over VND192 billion (US$8.25 million)  the second-largest jackpot in the history of the Vietnamese lottery firm  has been won by a buyer who bought the winning ticket from a vendor in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, the company announced on Tuesday.

 The Saigon  Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) on Tuesday proposed applying anti-reflection film on its dazzling building, the SHB Da Nang Service Office and Shopping Center, in Da Nang to fix a reflection problem that has made the building an eyesore on sunny days to local residents.

 The High Peoples Court in Hanoi on Tuesday announced the verdict of an appeal trial for a case in which two former top leaders of Da Nang and their accomplices were linked with the illegal acquisition of state-owned housing and land in the central city.

Lifestyle

 Bo Mon Preschool in Tu Nang Commune, Yen Chau District in the northern province of Son La has been ranked by The Guardians Rowan Moore among the worlds top ten new architecture projects.

World News

 The novel coronavirus has infected over 4.33 million people and killed more than 292,400 around the globe as of Tuesday morning, according to statistics. More than 1.59 million patients have recovered from COVID-19.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
parkhydel wrote:

A certain company consists of three divisions, A, B, and C. Of the employees in the three divisions, the employees in Division C have the greatest average (arithmetic mean) annual salary. Is the average annual salary of the employees in the three divisions combined less than $55,000 ?



(1) The average annual salary of the employees in Divisions A and B combined is $45,000.

(2) The average annual salary of the employees in Division C is $55,000.





DS87910.02

Kinshook Chaturvedi

Email: kinshook.chaturvedi@gmail.com Signature Read More

Given:1. A certain company consists of three divisions, A, B, and C.2. Of the employees in the three divisions, the employees in Division C have the greatest average (arithmetic mean) annual salary.Asked: Is the average annual salary of the employees in the three divisions combined less than $55,000 ?(1) The average annual salary of the employees in Divisions A and B combined is $45,000.Since the average annual salary of the employees in Divisions C is unknownNOT SUFFICIENT(2) The average annual salary of the employees in Division C is $55,000.Since, of the employees in the three divisions, the employees in Division C have the greatest average (arithmetic mean) annual salary.The average annual salary of the employees in Divisions A and B combined is less than $55,000.The average annual salary of the employees in the three divisions combined is less than $55,000.SUFFICIENTIMO B_________________
This article is part of our Remembering Lives Lost project to honor victims in the Houston region whose families have chosen to publicly disclose their cause of death as COVID-19.

People could tell Mary Dennard Hungerford anything.

The founder of a Stephen Ministry at Houstons First Methodist Church, she listened for decades, also training other leaders to minister confidentially to people struggling through personal crises.

She had a knack for letting people talk about themselves. She knew how to talk to people, says Ed Hungerford, her husband. That included him, a prominent particle physicist. Think about what youre doing, she would tell him if she thought he was off track on something.

She knew what was right and what was wrong; she could see it when I didnt, he said. She was my compass. They were married 58 years.

Mary Dennard grew up in southern Georgia and earned a bachelors degree in early childhood education at the University of Georgia. She met Ed Hungerford by default, after her date for a sorority party shipped out overnight with the Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Ed Hungerford, a Marine stationed in North Carolina, was the cousin of a friend. He persisted, staying around for the weekend. They were married within a year.

Mary taught first grade in Atlanta while Ed finished his Ph.D. After a few years in Oakridge, Tenn., their family life blossomed in Houston, where they raised their son and daughter and renovated a Mid-Century modern home near Braes Bayou. They loved that home. Mary made friends quickly, first as a Sunday school teacher for professional women (some of whom remembered her in their wills). She also served on First Methodists pastor parish relations committee.

For many years the family spent holidays and several weeks each summer at a getaway home in Los Alamos, N.M., where the views stretched 100 miles. Mary liked to travel, so vacations also took them to Alaska and Montana. Her father was a gentleman farmer, and she always liked getting outside and doing things, Ed said.

Hurricane Harvey and Marys diagnosis of Alzheimers disease upended it all. The Hungerfords couldnt save their home, and Mary just never really recovered, Ed said. In a memory care facility for the last 18 months of her life, she developed sepsis and other infections after COVID-19 swept through this spring. After two weeks in intensive care, she died April 27. She was 78.

Along with her husband, her survivors include her children, Mark Hungerford and Catherine Scott, her grandchildren Chloe and Owen Scott and her brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Marie Dennard. Mark Hungerford is a State Department official in Ecuador; a memorial will be held after he can return home.

molly.glentzer@chron.com
San Mateo County will soften its shelter-in-place order and join the rest of the state of California in Stage 2 of Governor Gavin Newsom's reopening plan on May 18.

In a statement released Wednesday, the county announced that health officer Dr. Scott Morrow will release a new order this week that allows for the return of retail and manufacturing with new physical-distancing measures. The rest of the state moved into this phase at the end of last week, but six Bay Area counties  San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin  continue enforcing a stricter order.

I am encouraged that data about COVID-19 cases, hospital capacity, and other indicators show some stability so that San Mateo County can now enter the early stages of Phase 2," Morrow wrote in a statement. "I want to remind everyone these modifications are not being made because it is safe to be out and about. The virus continues to circulate in our community, and this increase in interactions among people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate."

It is unclear if other counties will also branch off of the main order and move into Stage 2 on Monday. Officials in San Francisco and Marin counties had previously stated they were eyeing May 18 as a potential date to join the rest of the state, but Santa Clara County health officer Dr. Sara Cody  the architect of the region's original shelter-in-place order  said her county was not close to hitting testing and contact tracing metrics needed for reopening.

Morrow stressed that businesses must do their part to comply with guidelines to ensure employee and customer safety.

"Whether these modifications allow the virus to spread out of control, as we saw in February and March and resulted in the first shelter in place order, is yet to be seen," Morrow wrote. "The social distancing and face covering directives, along with the prohibition on gathering, will remain in place since the risk of exposure to COVID-19 looms large for all of us. The public and open businesses need to fully do their part to minimize transmission of the virus."

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Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
Two migrants coming back from Gujarat died after the truck in which they travelling rammed into a stationary truck at the National Highway under Akbarpur Kotwali in the Kanpur Dehat area of Uttar Pradesh.

A woman and a child succumbed to the accident, while 60 others were injured. Some of them are reported to be in a critical state.

Additional SP Anoop Kumar rushed to the spot after the accident, accompanied by a police force.

The injured were sent to District hospitals in ambulances with the assistance of locals, and they have been referred to Kanpur for further treatment.

The DCM truck carrying the migrants rammed into the stationary truck. Two people have been killed in the accident while many were seriously injured. The police force has reached the spot and the relief and rescue operation is underway, Kumar said.

Gyan Prakash Pandey, in-charge at the Lalpur police outpost, said - "The deceased woman has been identified has Hiraman Ali, 50, wife of Akbar Ali, and was a resident of Panwapur, Utraula in Balrampur District in UP. The migrants injured in the accident belonged to different districts of the state.

Earlier, 18 migrant labourers on their way home to Kaushambi District in Uttar Pradesh from a quarantine center were injured in a road accident.

The accident had taken place when the pick-up truck in which the migrants were travelling in turned turtle after the driver lost control near Selraha under Manjhanpur police station.

They had come back from Kalyan in Maharashtra after travelling for four days in a truck.

Meanwhile in another incident, a migrant couple was crushed to death and their two children were critically injured after being hit by an unknown vehicle in Lucknows Shaheed Path.

The migrant family was headed to Chhattisgarh on a bicycle after they reportedly ran out of resources during the ongoing lockdown.
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  The family of Breonna Taylor, a decorated Louisville EMT who was fatally shot by police, has hired a prominent civil rights attorney with the Black Lives Matter movement in their lawsuit against three officers.

Taylor, 26, was shot eight times by Louisville Metro Police officers who entered her apartment around 1 a.m. March 13. Police have said the officers were serving a search warrant as part of a narcotics investigation, but no drugs were found at the home.

Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and officers Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove entered Taylor's residence without knocking or identifying themselves as police, according to the family's lawsuit, which cited statements from multiple neighbors.

Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were awakened by the officers' entry and believed their home was being broken into, the suit says.

Police say Walker shot Mattingly. Walker faces criminal charges of first-degree assault and attempted murder of a police officer, but no drug charges. The suit states that Walker has a license to carry and kept firearms in the home for protection.

Taylor had no criminal record.

The lawsuit alleges that police fired more than 20 rounds into Taylor's home, striking objects in the living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, both bedrooms and into an adjacent residence where a 5-year-old child and pregnant mother were present.

Photos of Breonna Taylor were displayed during a vigil for her outside the Judicial Center in downtown Louisville, Ky. on March 19.

"Breonna had committed no crime, posed no immediate threat to the safety of the defendants and did not actively resist or attempt to evade arrest prior to being repeatedly shot and killed by the defendants," the suit says.

The suit alleges wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence on the part of the officers. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as legal fees through a jury trial.

Demanding answers from the police

Taylor's family is calling on lawyer Benjamin Crump, a Tallahassee, Florida-based attorney who has become known for his involvement in high-profile cases of black Americans killed in controversial shootings, including Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Tamir Rice.

Story continues

Crump also is representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man who was shot and killed by two white men in Georgia in late February. The case has drawn national attention after a video of Arbery's death surfaced online last week.

In an announcement Monday morning, Crump called Taylor's death "inexcusable" and said no one from Louisville police has been held accountable for her death.

We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department," Crump said. "Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, the department has not provided any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred, nor have they taken responsibility for her senseless killing."

Crump joins local attorneys Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker in representing the family.

Aguiar told The Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Monday that people across the country are "demanding justice on this case, and they have good reason."

A spokeswoman for LMPD declined to answer Courier Journal questions about the case, citing an ongoing internal investigation.

"We held a press conference about this shooting when it occurred to detail what we were able," spokeswoman Jessie Halladay wrote in an email. "The Public Integrity investigation remains ongoing, therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment."

According to the lawsuit, LMPD executed at least two search warrants  including one at Taylor's home  in the early morning of March 13 in an attempt to locate a suspect named Jamarcus Glover.

But police had already located Glover at his home and detained him before executing the warrant at Taylor's residence, the suit says.

Glover's home is more than 10 miles from Taylor's home on Springfield Drive, records show. He faces drug and gun charges.

Calls for mayor, governor to act

Taylor's family members said she was kind, hardworking and honest and that they were angry she was dead at age 26. The Jefferson County coroner confirmed she was killed in the shooting.

"She really did not deserve to end her life so horrifically," Taylor's aunt, Bianca Austin, said in an interview.

She said Taylor became a certified EMT in 2017 and loved her work as a part-time nurse at Norton Healthcare and an ER technician at University of Louisville Health Jewish East.

After the shooting initially occurred, police described Taylor as a suspect.

No body camera footage is available because officers in the Criminal Interdiction Division who conducted the search warrant do not wear cameras, LMPD Chief Steve Conrad previously said.

Mattingly, the injured officer, underwent surgery. He and the two other detectives have been placed on administrative leave as police conduct an investigation into the shooting, according to Conrad.

Though Taylor was killed nearly two months ago, her case gained national attention over the weekend after prominent activist Shaun King posted her story on social media.

King called on charges to be filed immediately against the officers and for Mayor Greg Fischer to intervene in the investigation, writing "It's shameful that he hasn't."

King also called on Gov. Andy Beshear, whom he called a "good man," to break his silence on the case and "step up since nobody else will."

A Change.org petition supporting Taylor and demanding charges against the officers had collected more than 2,000 signatures before 4 p.m. Monday.

Representatives for Beshear did not return a request for comment Monday.

Fischer called for a "thorough investigation" on Tuesday and said he would monitor the case closely.

"Police work can involve incredibly difficult situations. Additionally, residents have rights," Fischer wrote in a statement posted on Twitter. "These two concepts will and must be weighed by our justice system as the case proceeds."

Other city officials, including Metro Councilwoman Jessica Green, D-1st District, have called for leaders to condemn what occurred.

"The reality is, LMPD was wrong in this situation. An innocent woman was murdered in her home," Green said. "If that isn't the type of thing to sicken somebody, then I don't know what would be."

"Leadership requires getting out in front of things, and not just acting like it never happened or letting it play out," she added.

Another councilwoman, Keisha Dorsey, D-3rd, posted on Facebook that she's calling on the prosecutors to drop all charges against Walker, and on Fischer to demand that LMPD create a clear policy on executing warrants and police identification, as well as for all police divisions to wear body cameras.

Green said she took her 10-year-old son, who loves running, out on Friday to run 2.23 miles in honor of Arbery, who was killed Feb. 23.

"It is not easy to be a black person in this country, even in Louisville, Kentucky. People sometimes forget that," she said. "The idea that you can be killed, even when you are doing everything right, is just sickening."

Follow Tessa Duvall on Twitter: @TessaDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Breonna Taylor killing: Family hires attorney from Ahmaud Arbery case
This Phase 1 study will evaluate setanaxib at doses up to 1600 mg/day in up to 54 subjects

The study will support higher doses for future setanaxib trials including in IPF and PBC

Genkyotex is currently discussing the registration strategy for setanaxib in PBC with FDA and EMA

Regulatory News:

Genkyotex (Euronext Paris Brussels: FR0013399474 GKTX) (Paris:GKTX) (Brussels:GKTX), a biopharmaceutical company and the leader in NOX therapies, today announced the approval from the French Medicines Agency (ANSM) to initiate a Phase 1 clinical study to investigate setanaxib at doses up to 1600 mg/day. Study initiation is anticipated in Q2 2020 with full results expected by the end of Q3 2020.

The evaluation of doses up to 1600 mg/day will support higher doses for future setanaxib trials, including in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Genkyotex is currently discussing the registration strategy for setanaxib in PBC with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). The end of Phase 2 (EOP2) meeting with the FDA was not delayed due to COVID-19 situation and took place, at the end of April 2020, as planned.

This new Phase 1 study will investigate the safety, pharmacokinetics of setanaxib, as well as its potential for drug-drug interactions, at doses up to 1600 mg/day in up to 54 healthy adult male and female subjects. Taking into account the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemics, Genkyotex anticipates the initiation of the study in Q2 2020 with full results of both Single Ascending Dose (SAD) and Multiple Ascending Dose (MAD) by the end of Q3 2020.

The ANSM approval highlights setanaxib's favorable toxicology and clinical safety profile. To date, over 275 human subjects have been exposed to setanaxib in five Phase 1 and three Phase 2 clinical studies, and no safety signal and no dose limiting toxicity have been observed. The recent successful Phase 2 trial with setanaxib in PBC showed that the compound was safe and well-tolerated at all doses tested, including 400 and 800 mg/day. This Phase 2 trial demonstrated dose-dependent effects on markers of liver inflammation and fibrosis, and on quality of life measures including fatigue.

Furthermore, Genkyotex has also successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical study in healthy subjects to support the transition from the previous capsule formulation to the new high dose 400 mg tablet formulation.

"Regulatory approval to evaluate setanaxib at doses up to 1600 mg/day attests to the excellent safety profile of our lead compound. Successful results of this Phase 1 study will allow us to include higher doses in future setanaxib trials and reach the full efficacy potential of setanaxib. In addition, we are progressing with our regulatory agency discussions and will communicate the final outcome in the near future", said Philippe Wiesel, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Genkyotex.

Next financial press release:

Q2 2020 business update and cash position: July 23, 2020 (after market)

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 2 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 the course 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

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, 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/20200513005572/en/

Contacts:

GENKYOTEX

Alexandre Grassin

CFO

Tel.: +33 (0)5 61 28 70 60

investors@genkyotex.com

NewCap

Dusan Oresansky

Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 92

genkyotex@newcap.eu
He sustained minor injuries during the arrest, believed to be from a collision with a mirror, and was taken to Concord Hospital for treatment. NSW police said officers from their robbery and serious crime squad, with the help of the tactical operations unit, approached Mr Barbaro at the Amalfi Drive complex shortly before 11pm on Wednesday and he was later arrested "following negotiations and a brief physical altercation". Victoria Police said detectives were not searching for anyone else. Footage of Mr Barbaro being helped out of a police car and led into Burwood police station following his arrest has since been released. In the video, a handcuffed Mr Barbaro appears calm and is wearing socks and a black tracksuit.

Campbell MacCallum, Mr Barbaro's lawyer, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that his client had received "significant injuries", including large lacerations to his head and bruising during his arrest, despite advising police that he had planned to "surrender peacefully". "Arrangements were made for him to appear before Parramatta Local Court at 11.20am. He provided instructions he did not wish to appear in any capacity," Mr MacCallum said. "There was an application by the Victorian homicide squad for his extradition. He provided instructions that he did not wish to oppose it. Accordingly, an order was made to extradite him to Victoria where he will face Melbourne Magistrates Court on May 16. I am personally close to the Barbaro family. I know they are very distressed at this time and they dont wish to make any comment.

The housing complex where Mr Barbaro was arrested has been described as a sprawling development with seven buildings. The Wentworth Point apartment complex where Mr Barbaro was arrested during the early hours of Thursday. Credit:Edwina Pickles One resident of the Wentworth Point development, who did not want to be named, said the newly built complex was popular with families due to its relative affordability. "It's a very quiet, very nice place," the resident said. "There's never any trouble here, I'm shocked to hear there was an arrest."

Police believe Ms Price, an aspiring dancer and mother of one, had been in an "on again, off again" relationship with Mr Barbaro since about October 2019. Cousin Jay Bradford said Ms Price would be remembered as an important part of their family, a woman who was always in high spirits. Homicide detectives outside Ms Price's Park Street property. Credit:Luis Ascui He said his family were struggling to come to terms with what had happened to the 26-year-old, with a funeral date yet to be set. I was in disbelief when Ellies sister rang up, we could hardly talk. I just said, 'Is it true?' and she could only manage a 'yes'," Mr Bradford said.

Theres just six weeks between me and Ellie, and we were pretty close growing up." Ricardo Barbaro was questioned at the Burwood police station in Sydney's western suburbs. Credit:Peter Rae Mr Bradford said his cousin always had a smile on her face. I spent a lot of time away for stuff I did wrong, but every time wed catch up for Christmas wed just talk about growing up and how wed ride motorbikes and had a bush basher, he said. She always spent time down at the horses too, that was a big part of our families growing up.
New Clusters Pop Up; Europe Debates Summer Tourist Season

BRUSSELSNew CCP virus clusters have appeared as nations struggle to balance reopening economies with preventing a second wave of infections and deaths, while in Europe, a debate erupted over the summer travel season.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly were pressing ahead on May 13 to test all 11 million residents for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, after a handful of new infections were found. The tests are to be completed within 10 days.

In Lebanon, authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints from officials that social distancing rules were being ignored.

A woman wears a facemask as she walks in the Market Square in Bruges, during a partial lifting of a lockdown to prevent the spread of the CCP virus, Belgium, on May 13, 2020. (Virginia Mayo/AP Photo)

Despite the risk that loosening restrictions could lead to infection spikes, European nations have been seeking to restart cross-border travel, particularly as the summer holiday season looms for countries whose economies rely on tourists flocking to their beaches, museums, and historical sites.

The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of CCP virus lockdown and resurrect Europes badly battered tourism industry. The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights.

A man takes photos of pigeons in downtown Duomo Square, Milan, Italy, on May 13, 2020. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)

The EUs executive arm, the European Commission, laid out its advice for lifting ID checks on hastily closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries, and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels to reassure clients.

Its not clear whether EU nations will follow that advice, since they, not Brussels, have the final say over health and security matters.

Some European countries have sought bilateral agreements with their neighbors.

People walking past a sign on a shopping street that says Show love  Keep distance in Cologne, Germany, on May 12, 2020. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15, and that border checks would be reduced starting Friday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and its eastern neighbors as long as the infection figures allow.

But he said its too early to talk about such measures with Italy, one of the worlds hardest-hit countries, with more than 220,000 infections and 30,000 deaths.

Theres no perspective for opening the border soon, Kurz told reporters Wednesday.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but didnt specify when. Germanys warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer speaks to the media to announce new policies regarding Germanys borders during the CCP virus crisis in Berlin, Germany, on May 13, 2020. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

It will certainly be possible to lift the travel warning earlier for Europe than for other destinationsso long as the current positive trend in many countries solidifies, Maas said. Freedom to travel is part of the foundation of the European project, but in times of corona, Europe must ensure more: the freedom to travel safely.

The border shutdowns have hit the travel industry hard. The Germany-based tour and hotel operator TUI said Wednesday it expects to cut thousands of jobs due to the pandemic.

TUI said it was prepared for a resumption and its first hotels on the German coast would reopen in the coming days. It also sees the possibility of offering holidays in Spains Balearic Islands and in Greece starting in July, the German news agency dpa reported.

Norway said Wednesday it was opening its borders to people from other European countries who have a residence there or family they want to visit. Justice Minister Monica Maeland said Norway, which is not an EU member, is opening up for EU citizens, seasonal workers, and people from the UK, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

As the UK continues in lockdown to help stop the spread of the CCP virus, a traveler walks through a quiet Waterloo Station during rush hour, London, Britain, on May 13, 2020. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP Photo)

The tension in balancing peoples safety from the CCP virus against the severe economic fallout is playing out across the world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed CCP virus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into local markets as restrictions were eased.

In some countries the situation remains unclear. The United States says Tanzania has not publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks. The World Health Organization also has expressed worry about Tanzania, whose president has questioned his own governments CCP virus testing and refused to close churches in the belief that the CCP virus cant survive in the body of Christ. A new U.S. Embassy statement warns that the risk of being infected in Tanzanias commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, is extremely high and says many hospitals in the city have been overwhelmed.

Migrant workers from other states, desperate to return to their homes, wait for transportation to a train station in Ahmedabad, India, on May 13, 2020. (Ajit Solanki/AP Photo)

In the United States, the countrys top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning that cities and states could see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage if they lift stay-at-home orders too quickly.

There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control, Dr. Anthony Fauci said in Senate testimony Tuesday after more than two dozen U.S. states began to lift lockdowns.

His comments were a sharp pushback to President Donald Trump, who is pushing to right a free-falling economy that has seen 33 million Americans lose their jobs. The United States has the largest CCP virus outbreak in the world by far: 1.37 million infections and over 82,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

A mother holds her son next to Yangtze River in Wuhan, in Chinas central Hubei province on May 12, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)

China, the first nation to put a large number of citizens under lockdown and the first to ease those restrictions, has been strictly guarding against any resurgence. In January, it put the entire city of Wuhan and the surrounding region, home to more than 50 million people, under a strict lockdown. A cluster of six new cases recently emerged, the first local infections in Wuhan since before the lockdown was eased in early April.

Worldwide, the CCP virus has infected more than 4.2 million people and killed some 292,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. Experts say the actual numbers are likely far higher.

Some countries have shown real progress against the CCP virus: New Zealand reported no new cases Wednesday for the second consecutive day.

People wearing face masks wait to take a test for the CCP virus at a testing facility in Incheon, South Korea, on May 13, 2020. (Yun Tae-hyun/Yonhap/AP)

Thailands health authorities also reported no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 for the first time in more than two months and no new deaths. Thai authorities have been gradually easing lockdown restrictions with restaurants in Bangkok allowed to reopen last week under social distancing rules.

South Korea said Wednesday there were no immediate plans to revive strict social distancing rules despite a spike in infections linked to Seoul nightclubs, which it has ordered to reclose.

By Lorne Cook, Elena Becatoros, and Chris Blake

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
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.
Disclaimer: The future of media is by no means, 'virtual'.

Source: GlobalWebIndex custom recontact survey fielded March 16-20 among 1,004 (Australia), 1,001 (Brazil), 1,003 (China), 1,016 (France), 1,010 (Germany), 1,010(Italy), 1,079 (Japan), 1,008 (Philippines), 1,008 (Singapore), 573 (South Africa), 1,005 (Spain), 1,040 (UK) and 1,088 (USA) internet users aged 16-64.

Clare Trafankowska

Unsplash.com Photo credit to: Kon Karampelas

A recent GWI survey uncovered that over 70% of South Africans are spending more time on their mobile devices. If my average screen time of 6h38m is anything to go by (up 16% from the previous week), and with mobile devices being used to bridge the physical gap created by social distancing, more-time translates into a massive shift in unfragmented attention.It should be no surprise then, that the Top Trending Apple Apps in South Africa (according to SimilarWeb  22 April 2020) are Zoom, TikTok, Houseparty, Microsoft Teams and Netflix. The commonality of course being the ability to transcend location, bridge time andsocial divides, allowing us to connect, reconnect and potentially be introduced for the very first time.As a brand, now is not the time to potentially reinvent yourselves, but an opportunity to invent a more relevant and empathetic persona, reintroducing yourselves to your consumers, with more authentic intent and based on a more valuable exchange.In a recent podcast with Audrey Naidoo on Lets Talk Digital, Monique Claassen of Kantar , says that you should be revaluating your communication strategy and using elements of responsible marketing (employees, customers and brands)." Also stating that its important to: Be targeted and relevant. Be considered and continue to keep in mind, the role of the brand and the channel in the mix. Now is the opportunity to be more creative and more interesting.To remain relevant and show up as more interesting - more interesting than the latest number of positive cases and/or fatalities - will indeed be your greatest challenge. But one that consumers will be appreciative of because if we are honest with ourselves, we are likely to be fully absorbed and more obsessive around the reams of updates available, than we should be.Essentially, now is not the time for inaction; nor is it the time for a knee-jerk reaction as seen across the globe in major brands pulling most, if not all, advertising budgets. With the shifts in media and content consumption habits, now is the time to do your absolute best in meeting your customers where they are today. Today, we find ourselves consuming more TV and online content, adopting new platforms where we may have had a lesser reason to have previously interacted with them (such as TikTok, Houseparty and the increased penetration of Netflix). Today we find ourselves inside  looking out, searching for meaningful interaction and connection.Take the time to listen and to learn; to adapt and create. If you had an annual strategy; adjust it, adapt and be available when consumers seek you. If you find yourselves without a strategic direction and purpose, start today, ready yourselves for market entry and you will be better prepared for the tomorrow.With this view towards the future, however far along in 2020 that may be, we can expect Covid-19 to have escalated the pace of e-commerce adoption. The necessitation of digital payments will leapfrog the barrier to e-commerce entry that has largely been driven by distrust and unfamiliarity. This opens a plethora of opportunity for swifter resurgence for those brands already e-commercially viable; but also creating new possibilities for previous non-contenders. Where entire stores were wholly available online or not at all, herein lies the opportunity to develop virtual showrooms to further support of social distancing; or, to move departments or individual product lines into what will be a more accessible, economical and socially viable e-market space.
Kajal Aggarwal has carved a niche for herself in the South film industry and has won several awards and accolades. The actor kickstarted her career in acting in Bollywood with Kyun! Ho Gaya Na... and in Telugu with Lakshmi Kalyanam. She has delivered several superhit films including Magadheera, Mr Perfect, Darling, Singham, Businessman, Baadshah, Thuppakki, and many more.

Apart from being known for her acting skills, she is also an avid traveller and has also been quite active on social media. The actor is often seen spending time travelling across the world to rejuvenate and have fun. The actor's trip to Cambodia grabbed massive attention from her fans. With all that said now, here are pictures and videos from Aggarwal's trip to Cambodia.

Kajal Aggarwal's trip to Cambodia

Kajal Aggarwal seems to be giving her fans some major travel goals. The picture she uploaded from her trip to Cambodia is stunning. She can be seen enjoying the pleasant weather in the Temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia. She is posing alongside the beautiful architecture of the temples.

ALSO READ | Kajal Aggarwal's 'Ranarangam' Has Some Memorable Moments; See List

Kajal Aggarwal's Instagram feed is loaded with her pictures from various trips. In one of the posts from her trip to Cambodia, she can be seen posing along with her family members. The actor seems to have enjoyed the trip with parents enjoying nature and in another post, she can be seen enjoying the nightlife in Cambodia with her parents.

ALSO READ | Kajal Aggarwals Three Best Scenes With Mahesh Babu From 'Brahmotsavam'

This post shared by the actor took the internet by storm. In the post shared below, the actor can be seen holding a huge python snake. The actor looks scared here but seems to be in an adventurous mood. Kajal Aggarwal captioned the video, ''What An Experience''.

ALSO READ | Kajal Aggarwal's Pictures With Mother Suman Will Leave You All Warm And Cosy; See Pics

ALSO READ | Kajal Aggarwal's Best Moments From 'Arya 2' | Take A Look

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Up to 100 children have been hospitalised with a mysterious 'inflammatory syndrome' thought to be caused by the coronavirus.

Doctors today revealed that dozens of children, most aged between five and 15 years old, have become seriously ill with the condition that seems to appear up to a month after catching the coronavirus.

They say it is extremely rare and does not appear to have directly killed anyone in Britain but can lead to intensive care for a small proportion of those who get it.

The illness has been likened to Kawasaki disease, a rare disorder which causes rashes and a red mouth and eyes.

At least 18 children in London have been diagnosed with it since doctors first started noticing the syndrome last month.

Most troubling experts is that the illness is almost definitely caused by COVID-19 in some way but scientists can't prove it.

The young patients' lungs are not affected by it - in adults the coronavirus's main target is the lungs - and many test negative when they are swabbed for the disease.

All of the patients studied so far, however, have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, meaning they have been exposed to the virus in the past. Scientists now believe it could be the consequence of the immune system going haywire after it has fought off the coronavirus infection, causing a second illness weeks later.

The same illness has been seen in Italy and China and around 100 children are known to have been diagnosed with it in New York.

Medics have likened the illness to toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease, which can cause redness of the tongue (pictured left) and rashes (pictured right), but it is unclear whether this illness is having those effects

Speaking in a briefing this afternoon, Dr Liz Whittaker, a paediatrician in London who has treated children with the illness, said: 'There is likely an iceberg effect and were only seeing only the very, very sick children.'

Dr Whittaker said the peak of admissions related to the illness appeared to have happened last week.

Explaining the disease, Dr Whittaker said: 'These children are usually presenting when they've had a high fever for a few days.

'A large proportion of them have had severe acute abdominal pain and diarrhoea and some have them have had the rash, red eyes and red lips.

'A very small group of these children develop something we call shock, which is that small group of children for whom the heart is affected.

'And those children become very unwell - they get cold hands and feet and they breathe very fast. Those are the group who absolutely need to be in an intensive care unit getting supportive care rapidly.

'Most children seem to be very unwell for four or five days but then get better.'

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE SYNDROME? WHAT SYMPTOMS DOES IT CAUSE? The majority of the children being hospitalised with the condition have suffered from a high fever for a number of days, severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Some develop a rash and red eyes or red lips, while a very small group go into shock, in which the heart is affected and they may get cold hands and feet and have rapid breathing. The symptoms are similar to those caused by Kawasaki disease, a rare but treatable condition that affects around eight in every 100,000 children each year in the UK. WHEN DID OFFICIALS FIRST START TO SEE CASES? The NHS sent an alert to doctors on April 27, warning them to look out for signs of the syndrome. At the time they said cases had been appearing in tiny numbers in London for about three weeks. Since then they have spread further across the country and between 75 and 100 children are known to have been infected. IS IT CAUSED BY SARS-COV-2, THE CORONAVIRUS? Doctors are almost certain the illness is being caused by the coronavirus but they haven't yet been able to prove it. Cases began appearing as the UK's coronavirus outbreak hit its peak and similar conditions have been reported in China and Italy during the pandemic. However, not all children with the Kawasaki-like syndrome test positive for the virus. Swab testing has suggested some of the children have not been infected with COVID-19 at the time they were ill. But all patients have tested positive for antibodies, doctors said, meaning they have had the coronavirus in the past. They said this suggests it is a 'post-infectious phenomenon' which is caused by a delayed overreaction of the immune system, which may happen weeks or even up to a month after the child was infected with COVID-19. IS IT TREATABLE? Yes. All but one of the children who have been diagnosed with the syndrome have survived. The only child known to have died with it, a 14-year-old boy, died of a stroke that was triggered by the life support machine he was on. Doctors are currently treating the condition by using medications to calm down the immune system and dampen the overrection. Dr Liz Whittaker, a paediatrician at Imperial College Healthcare in London, said the sickest children are usually very ill for four to five days and begin to recover a couple of days after starting treatment. Advertisement

It is not clear exactly how many children have needed intensive care for the Kawasaki-like syndrome, but a surveillance study has now begun in Britain and early results may be available next week.

Professor Russell Viner, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said knowing about the syndrome had not changed the 'basic arithmatic' of COVID-19.

He said: 'In general, children get no symptoms or very mild symptoms. They rarely present to hospital.

'In fact across the whole of the UK there's been under 500 admissions to hospital for COVID-19.'

The experts described the illness as a 'post-infectious phenomenon' because it seems to appear weeks or even up to a month after the child caught the coronavirus.

And, unusually, it seems not to affect their lungs. COVID-19 is considered a respiratory infection in adults, meaning it focuses almost entirely on the lungs.

The Kawasaki-like syndrome being seen in children, however, seems to affect the heart in serious cases. It still causes a high fever, as in adults, but apparently not coughing or shortness of breath.

Dr Whittaker explained: 'These children don't have really bad lung disease. The adults that we're mostly seeing on the wards are presenting with really bad breathing problems.

'These children; their lungs aren't affected... We know that some of these children have had their heart tissue affected, maybe we would find the virus in other parts of the body which are harder to access.'

She said this could account for why children appeared to be testing negative for COVID-19, despite having the syndrome.

Swab tests currently rely on collecting cells from the nose and throat and testing those to look for signs of infection in the airways.

Dr Whittaker added: 'There is the possibility that we're taking samples from the wrong place.'

The illness also differs from COVID-19 in adults in that the children who have developed it have not had underlying health conditions.

The coronavirus seems to most badly affect adults who have other illnesses, such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. But the children developing this condition appear to have been otherwise healthy.

There are, however, ways of working out which children might get most seriously ill, scientists say.

Professor Michael Levin, an expert in international child health at Imperial College London, said: 'In the very short period of time that we've been trying to study this problem we have learnt that there are some markers in the blood that, if we measure them, they seem to predict which patients are going to do badly and need more support and more treatment.

'Just knowing that does help us quickly know if a child is likely to need more support and more treatment.... We need to study this at much bigger numbers.'

The illness first came to public attention when NHS England in April circulated a warning urging doctors to look out for the condition.

In an alert sent to GPs on April 27, health chiefs said: 'There is growing concern that a [COVID-19] related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK.

'Over the last three weeks there has been an apparent rise in the number of children of all ages presenting with a multi-system inflammatory state requiring intensive care across London and also in other regions of the UK.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock at the time said he was 'very worried' by the reports.

But experts say learning about the illness does not mean children are at any more risk from the coronavirus, and it does not mean they will be at risk when schools go back.

Schools will not continue to open if there is a risk of mass transmission of the virus, and cases are 'exceptionally rare', only beginning to appear after the darkest days of Britain's outbreak when huge numbers of people were getting infected and dying of the virus.

Professor Viner added: 'Fears about this syndrome shouldn't stop parents letting their children exit the lockdown.

'But parents do need to do is have some knowledge and have some understanding so they can recognise this and seek help very early.'
European markets recorded mostly losses at the end of trading Tuesday. London's FTSE 100 index closed up 1 percent, while the DAX in Frankfurt dipped slightly at 0.05 percent. The CAC 40 in Paris ended down 0.39 percent.

The Nasdaq was down more than 2 percent, or close to 190 points, closing at 9,002, as was the S&P 500, which ended at 2,870 after losing 60 points.

U.S. markets posted losses at the closing Tuesday, with no end to the COVID-19 pandemic in sight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.89 percent, or 457 points, to end at 23,764.

Asian markets sustained significant losses earlier Tuesday amid growing concerns over a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak. Hong Kong lost 1.45 percent of its value by the closing bell, and the Nikkei was down 0.12 percent. The indexes in Sydney and Taipei were both down just over 1 percent. Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai were all slightly lower.

The price of the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude is $26 per barrel, a gain of 1.7 percent, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, is trading at $30.15 per barrel, up 1.7 percent.

 Consumer Prices Drop

U.S. consumer prices declined for the second straight month in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The steady drop is led by the falling prices of oil and energy. The demand for oil has seen a record decline, with people forced to stay at home, while the growing jobless rate and closure of stores pushed sales to an unprecedented low.

Economists warn that falling prices could cause deflation, which they say would be very bad news for manufacturers. It could force them to stop producing goods and lay off workers, adding to the unemployment rates.

Although economies around the world are beginning to reopen, experts say U.S. markets will have a tough time making a full recovery if coronavirus testing isn't improved.
Vedanta Limited shares pared gains after surging 10% in early trade on Wednesday as the company said that its holding group is looking to delist the company from the BSE and NSE.

Vedanta informed the stock exchanges its promoter group has offered to buy out all the public shareholders in the company at an indicative price Rs 87.50 per share, at roughly 10% higher than the stocks closing price of Rs 79.60 on Tuesday.

The company would have to pay Rs 16,200 crore to public shareholders at the offer price.

The stock rose 10% to Rs 98.20 apiece on the S&P BSE Sensex. At 9:43 am, the stock pared gains and was trading 2.7% higher at Rs 91.70.

And at 11.46am, Vedanta share was trading 0.22% lower at 89.10.

The sharp correction in commodity prices due to an impact on demand from the COVID-19 pandemic does not bode well for the near-term earnings outlook, brokerage firm Motilal Oswal said in a note.

Focus on reducing the cost of production, particularly in the aluminum business through higher captive bauxite and coal linkages, should help partially cushion the adverse impact on margins from lower prices. High debt at VEDLs parent entity continues to raise concern. Maintain Neutral with an SOTP-based TP of INR85/share, it added,

The promoter group, including Vedanta Resources, owns 50.14% of Vedanta Ltd and the remaining 49.48% is held by the public.

The company has received a letter dated May 12, 2020 from one of the members of the promoter and promoter group of the company, Vedanta Resources Ltd. In the letter, VRL has expressed its intention to, either individually or along with one or more subsidiaries, acquire all fully paid-up equity shares of the company held by the public shareholders and consequently voluntarily delist the equity shares from the BSE and NSE, Vedanta said in its filing to the stock exchanges.

Vedanta share prices have fallen more than 40% this year, giving the company a market value of about $4.4 billion.

The companys board will be meeting on May 18 to consider the delisting proposal.

It was delisted from the London Stock Exchange by its promoters in 2018.
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SACRAMENTO  With a ferocious and challenging wildfire season looming, California Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to hire hundreds of new firefighters Wednesday  but acknowledged that his new budget will curtail some of his previous funding proposals to help the state respond to emergencies.

As the state falls into a multibillion-dollar budget deficit because of the coronavirus pandemic, Newsom said hell work with the Legislature to secure more than $200 million in new funding for Cal Fire and the Office of Emergency Services (OES).

We are not going to step back despite the economic headwinds, Newsom said at a press conference at a Cal Fire station in Cameron Park.

But a few moments later he acknowledged that the deficit, projected at $54 billion, is having an effect on the initial budget proposal he unveiled in January.

We did pull back in certain areas to OES and Cal Fire, he said. We couldnt do everything we proposed in January. He declined to go into detail, saying the specifics will be released when he outlines his revised budget Thursday.

Fire safety has been a critical issue for Newsom, who took office two months after the Camp Fire killed 85 people and wiped out most of the town of Paradise in November 2018.

He beefed up the firefighting and fire-preparation budget last year at the same time he tangled repeatedly with PG&E Corp. over the rash of public safety power shutoffs the utility imposed across Northern California last fall.

His new budget includes funding for approximately 500 more employees at Cal Fire, and he said were going to hold the line on that ... . Theres no substitute for people. He added that the state is taking deliveries of previously ordered new equipment, including Black Hawk helicopters, despite the funding problems.

Despite rain showers this month, a dry winter has set the stage for a tough fire season. Were going to have a real challenge, UC Berkeley wildfire expert Bill Stewart said.

Although the wildfire season traditionally doesnt begin until summer, the state has already experienced 1,135 fires, Newsom said  about 60% more than the same time last year.

And the COVID-19 pandemic creates new problems. Because of the pandemic, the U.S. Forest Service, which patrols a wide swath of Californias land mass, has curtailed the so-called prescribed burns that are designed to reduce dangerous vegetation.

The coronavirus is also causing a labor problem. The state has been releasing inmates early to quell the spread of the coronavirus in its prisons  shrinking the pool of labor used to assist Cal Fire.

On a big fire, inmates can make up as much as 43% of the firefighting crew, mainly in digging firebreaks to contain the blaze, said Cal Fire spokesman Mike Mohler.

The overall inmate population is down 7% compared to a year ago, according to Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation data.

Mohler said that this loss of inmate labor will be at least partially offset by the increased use of personnel from the National Guard and California Conservation Corps.

COVID-19 will create other logistical headaches, such as how to deal with social distancing on the vehicles used to transport crews and on the fire lines themselves.

In recent years some fire experts have preached the idea of letting smaller, less-threatening forest fires burn to allow vegetation to thin out. But because of the virus, Cal Fire director Thom Porter said the agency will be even more aggressive than ever at containing fires quickly this year.

Initial attack is the key component to keeping fires small and keeping firefighters healthy, Porter said.

Mark Ghilarducci, the director of OES, said the state is talking to the Red Cross and other organizations about how to make evacuation shelters safe with a highly contagious disease present. Right after the Camp Fire, for instance, more than 200 evacuees were sickened with norovirus at shelters in Butte County.

Among other things, Ghilarducci said the state might set up partitions in shelters to separate evacuees, or rent hotel rooms when possible. The state is already using empty hotel rooms for the homeless population in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Newsom said he is continuing to press the investor-owned utilities such as PG&E, whose wires and poles caused many of Californias major fires in recent years, to ramp up their safety spending.

He also said he is proposing a $50 million fund to help counties deal with the consequences of wildfire-safety power outages like the ones that plagued much of Northern California last fall.

Among other things, the governor said he wants to make sure counties have backup generators and other equipment in place this fall because we want to secure the election.

It wasnt immediately clear how critical a role electricity will play in this falls election; Newsom last week ordered that every Californian be allowed to vote by mail this fall.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has called on the government to conduct mass testing of nurses and midwives at various levels of the healthcare system for coronavirus (COVID-19).

According to the association, per its analysis, majority of healthcare workers infected by the COVID-19 were those in other units and not those stationed at the treatment centres.



At an event to commemorate this years International Nurses Day which fell yesterday, the President of the association, Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, noted that currently there were about 32 confirmed cases and 259 who were in quarantine.



It, therefore, stands to reason that nurses and midwives everywhere are heavily exposed to contracting the virus and it will be imperative for the Ministry of Health and its agencies to never again assign the word frontline to only deployed staff but recognise that healthcare professionals, including nurses and midwives are all frontline healthcare workers, she said.



Anniversary



The International Nurses Day was celebrated on the theme Nursing the World to Health: Projecting the True Value of Ghanaian Nurses and Midwives.



The association also launched its 60th anniversary on the theme Striving for Universal Health Coverage, A Voice to Lead.



During the programme, the association also launched the GRNMA Credit Mall, GRNMA Stanbic Welfare Products and the Ruth Ama Eshun Memorial Education Fund to support the welfare of nurses and midwives and their families.



Psychological support



Mrs Ofori-Ampofo commended the government for its efforts to curb the pandemic but stressed the need for psychological support for healthcare workers, as well as the provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) at all levels.



The association further requested that governments invest in higher nursing and midwifery education and to also fast-track the process of financial clearance of graduate nurses to address the shortfalls in the staffing levels.



Nurses recruitment



In his remarks, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benard Okoe-Boye, said the government was looking at processing a minimum of 20,000 nurses for financial clearance and recruitment this year.



With regard to motivation and encouragement, he said the government would continue to engage stakeholders to provide good incentives for health workers.



Uphold ethics



In her keynote address, the Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery of the University of Ghana, Professor Lydia Aziato, urged health workers to uphold their ethics while treating COVID-19 patients to build confidence in the health system.



She noted that the healthcare system could not function without the work of nurses and midwives, therefore, any attempt to neglect or ignore them would be suicidal to society.









Source: Daily Graphic









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

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After the first Shramik Special



train carrying 1,200 people reached here from Bengaluru on Wednesday, a senior Tripura minister accused the West Bengal government of not cooperating with the state administration to send back the people stranded there.

Tripura has taken an initiative to bring back 39,799 people of the state stranded in different parts of the country, who have registered themselves with the state's COVID-19 control-room helpline, an official said.

"We are getting help from all state governments in bringing back our stranded people. But, we are not receiving any cooperation from the West Bengal government," Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath told reporters.

While 8,634 people of Tripura are stranded in West Bengal, the administration there have issued only 164 passes, he said adding that 141 people who received passes have already moved from there.

"Our officers earnestly requested the authorities of West Bengal for issuing more passes, but they did not pay heed to our appeal," Nath said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb posted a video of people stranded for nearly two months in Bangalore, disembarking from the Shramik Special train on his Facebook page.

"Shramik special train carrying around 1,200 stranded people has arrived in Agartala from Bangalore today. I am happy as they all returned to state safely. They are now undergoing proper screening as per health protocols. With the blessing of Mata Tripurasundari, all stranded people will be brought back soon. #TripuraCares4all," Deb said.

Another train is scheduled to leave for Tripura from Karnataka on May 15.

The first train from Chennai would leave for Tripura on Thursday and people are coming to Mumbai from different parts of Maharashtra to be brought back home, an official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
S ometimes, listening means just as much as watching when it comes to films.

There are plenty of podcasts dedicated to them, with the best full of accessible criticism, animated discussions and great recommendations.

No surprise they're as varied as cinema itself; there are the lighthearted laughs and those for serious, bespectacled types. Some go big on blockbusters, others are all about keeping it niche.

Below is our pick of them. Meanwhile, if you've ended up here looking for new things to watch online, make sure to check out our guides to the best films on Netflix and Amazon Prime, as well as the foreign-language movies to watch on streaming sites too.

Kermode and Mayos Film Review

What a pairing: Mark Kermode is among the UK's most respected film critics, while Simon Mayo is undoubtedly one of our favourite broadcasters. The pair have been hosting weekly film review shows together for 20 years now, with their BBC Radio 5 Live distilled into podcast form every week, full of entertaining witterings and correspondence, insightful and often acerbic reviews of new releases and interviews with A-list talents. Tune in and say Hello to Jason Isaacs now (you'll get it once you've had a listen).

Head here

Blank Check

Theres a very specific theme to this one  it focuses on directors who experienced early success in the industry, and were later given blank cheques by studios to make their passion projects  with the results just as often a disaster as a success. Still following? Its definitely one for aficionados, with each episode hosted by sticklers-for-detail, Griffin Newman and David Sims. Recently, the films of Jonathan Demme have come in for discussion, from Silence of the Lambs to the sublime Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. There have also been special episodes dedicated to high-profile releases like Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Joker.

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Filmspotting

The kind of things film buffs love  top five lists, interviews with stars, reviews and more  can be found in Filmspotting, which has been running for an impressive 15 years. Co-hosts and critics Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen draw from an impressive depth of knowledge, discussing their personal experiences and relationship with film. You get a sense that the pair would be having these conversations even if the microphones werent on; their infectious passion for the industry is evident. They also draw some top guests, including the likes of Josh and Benny Safdie, Ethan Hawke and Claire Denis.

Head here

The Rewatchables

Things dont get much simpler than The Rewatchables  members of the Ringer podcast network sit down with special guests to revisit not-so-recent releases, offering fresh insight into hidden gems and fresh takes on old films. The podcast strikes a celebratory tone, focusing on what makes each movie such an enjoyable experience. Recent highlights include a Groundhog Day episode with Issa Rae, and a King of New York discussion with Quentin Tarantino. Dig out one of your favourite films from their archives and give it a listen now.

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How Did This Get Made?

If The Rewatchables is celebratory, How Did This Get Made? couldnt be more different. Comedian Paul Scheer, actress and comedian June Diane Raphael and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Jason Mantzoukas are joined by guests to discuss some of the biggest duds in Hollywood history and their origins. The series focuses on movies that are so-bad-theyre-amazing, celebrating glorious failure and shining a light on movies that went under the radar but deserve more (negative) attention. Recent highlights include Daniel Radcliffe's deconstruction of Dragon Blade and a live dissection of Van Helsing with Seth Rogen.

Head here

Black Men Cant Jump (in Hollywood)

This mix of comedy and movie criticism is an absorbing discussion of race and diversity in film. Each week, hosts Jonathan Braylock, Jerah Milligan and James III take a closer look at films starring black actors in leading roles, considering how it indulges or avoids cliche and reflects Hollywoods wider race issues. Theres generally a serious societal and cultural discussion with each show, and the heavier themes are offset by the trios bouncy chemistry and comedic chops. Their special guests are well worth keeping an eye out for, with previous episodes starring the likes of Keegan Michael-Key and Phoebe Robinson.

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This Had Oscar Buzz

Take a look back at the films that at one time had Academy Awards aspirations, but missed out the top prizes and perhaps didnt get the attention they deserve. The episodes are in-depth experiences, with writers and hosts Joe Reid and Chris Feil deciphering why the films rightly or wrongly missed out on awards season acclaim. Theres plenty going on in each podcast  the recent episode on David Finchers Zodiac also included a ranking of the directors films and a discussion of the movies subtle but influential use of CGI to recreate an eerie San Francisco of the 60s and 70s.

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Represent

Writer and presenter Aisha Harris has been shining a light on the work of women, people of colour, people with disabilities, and people in the LGBTQ+ community on well over 100 episodes of Represent. There are in-depth discussions with talents from film and TV, including the likes of Dear White People creator Justin Simien, Wesley Snipes and director Leslie Harris. Listeners can also expect retrospective looks at classic movies and conversations on topics including the portrayals of ethnic groups in film. The most recent episode came in 2018, but the back catalogue is defintiely worth a listen.

Head here
Going by the words of the sage, the first opinion that is formed of a leaders intelligence is based on the quality of men he has around him. When they are competent and loyal he can always be considered wise, because he has been able to recognize their competence and to keep them loyal. But when they are otherwise, the ruler is always open to adverse criticism; because his first mistake has been in the choice of his subordinates.

Yet, beyond this common premise, difference in practical approaches may lead to contrast and sometimes oppositional-occurrences. If not, how can we describe a situation where things went wrong almost immediately between President Donald Trump and some senior military personnels in his government to the extent of visible tensions in the way each of the parties position themselves in the debate?

What shall we call a situation where ex-appointees announced to the world that the most powerful President in the whole world is allergic to reading long notes? That there is something deeply troubling about Trumps relationship to reason, his disdain for fact, and his lack for curiosity about any new information that might produce a deeper understanding of the problems and policies that he is supposed to wrestle with on behalf of the country? How did the promise of smooth civil-military relations betwen the President and his military appointees devolve into acrimony, backbiting, and bewilderment?

Finding answers to this absurdity is the purpose of this piece.

Adding context to this discourse, Max Boot, a columnist with The Washington Post, in a piece published by the Foreign Affairs Journals, dated April 6, 2020, and captioned; A Few Good Men, Trump, the Generals, and the Corrosion of Civil-Military Relations, among other things, told a story of political interplays in the white house documented in four new books. Two are journalistic accounts: Trump and His Generals, a fair and comprehensive overview of Trumps foreign policy by the journalist and think tanker Peter Bergen, and A Very Stable Genius, a work of first-rate news coverage and valuable insight by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig, reporters at The Washington Post.

The other two books are memoirs. Holding the Line, by Guy Snodgrass, a retired U.S. Navy officer who served as Mattiss Pentagon speechwriter, gives the impression of being hastily cobbled together and includes more interoffice politics than most readers will want to know. But it provides a few nuggets that have not been reported elsewhere. The accounts inter alia, noted that the only thing more alien to Trump than Mattiss military ethos is the former secretary of defenses love of reading. Call Sign Chaos was largely finished before Mattis joined the administration, but it reads as if J. Mattis is covertly addressing the president when he writes, If you havent read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate, and you will be incompetent, because your personal experiences alone arent broad enough to sustain you. Any commander who claims he is too busy to read is going to fill body bags with his troops as he learns the hard way. Trump is, of course, notorious for not reading long briefing papers, much less books.

By contrast, all the generals, the report added, who served at the top of the Trump administration were voracious readers, and it came as a shock to them to deal with a president so intellectually incurious and certain that he already knew everything-even though, Rucker and Leonnig report that Trump didnt even know that India shares a 2,000-mile border with China. Trump became disenchanted by McMaster because the national security adviser was too professional, trying to cram him with too much information.

While this piece in my views provides too short a space to explain and understand the above interplays, especially on a personality like Donald Trump, it is spaced enough to afford tentative answers to a key question; what is the impact of Donald Trumps presidency on the political and socioeconomic well beings of Americans?

To answer this question, it is important to recognize first that since his assumption of office on January 20, 2017, when he was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States, succeeding Barack Obama, Donald Trump has done a great deal of good for the country more particularly in the areas of economic development and job creation.

Within this space, he created over 4 million jobs; More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in history, created more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since election, Manufacturing jobs growing at the fastest rate in more than three decades, Economic growth last quarter hit 4.2 percent, Womens unemployment recently reached the lowest rate in 65 years, almost 3.9 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps since the election, helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Despite these achievements, the United States, through Trumps asymmetrical policies-boardering on foreign policies, hazy discourse on competition with other world powers, has become characterized as a nation daily confronted with both open and cold threats of wars, and its leadership decisions reputed as one often always arrived at without good judgement.

Take as an illustration, apart from the failure of the G-7 foreign ministers to reach agreement on a joint statement because the U.S. delegation insisted on calling the novel coronavirus the Wuhan virus,, Trumpss decision to draw battle lines without provocateur from any quarter, and his going into pointless renegotiation of the global trading system-a development that made foreign governments to believe that the United States was willing to abandon the established norms of trade policy, supports this claim. It was in the news that his administration was recently blamed for featuring a pitched battle between the so-called globalists (represented by Gary Cohn, the then Director of the National Economic Council), and the nationalists (represented by the Trump advisers Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro). And in the mid 2018, the leading globalists left the administration.

Besides, President Trump was fundamentally described by a notable organization as a leader with a highly distorted view of international trade and international negotiation. Viewing trade as a zero-sum, win-lose game, he stresses one time deals over ongoing relationships, enjoy the leverage created by tariffs and release on brink man ship, and public threat over diplomacy. The President had said that he likes tariffs (trade wars are good and easy to win) and that he wants more of them (I am a tariff man). Trump also went so far as to impose tariff on steel aluminum import from Canada, something that even the domestic industry and labour unions opposed. Over the last 30 years, the US steel and aluminum industry has transformed to become North American industries with raw steel and aluminum flowing freely back and front between Canadians and the US plants.

Take the U.S.-China relations as another example; going by history, the relationship took a promising turn in November 1999 when they agreed on the terms for Chinas entry into the World Trade Organisation. Chinas entry, members opinned, will greatly increase its economic links, based on a framework of set rules, with the United States and other member countries. This will lead to mutually beneficial relationships.

Presently, the United States is in the midst of the most consequential rethinking of its foreign policy.

Very recently, Chad P. Bown and Douglas A. Irwin, reported how Trump threatened to leave the WTO, something previous administrations did not do. He says the agreement is rigid against the United States. The administration denounces the WTO when the organization finds US practice in violation of trade rules but largely ignores the equally many cases that it wins. Although the WTOs dispute settlement system needs reforms; it has worked well to defuse trade conflicts since it was established over two decades ago.

His attack on the WTO, they argued, goes beyond rhetoric. The administration blocked appointments to the WTO appellate body which issue judgement on trade disputes. The dispute settlement system is not perfect. But rather than make constructive proposals for how to improve it, something Canada and others are doing, The United States is disengaged. The Trump administration may end up destroying the old system without having drafted a blue print for its successor.

Effective U.S. strategy in this domain, a report suggested, will require not just reducing the risk of unintentional conflict but also deterring intentional conflict. Beijing cannot be allowed to use the threat of force to pursue a fait accompli in territorial disputes. Yet managing this risk does not require U.S. military primacy within the region. As the former Trump administration defense official Elbridge Colby has argued, deterrence without dominanceeven against a very great and fearsome opponentis possible.

The world needs to keep these lessons in mind as we reflect on President Trumps leadership intelligence.

Utomi, Lagos, Nigeria.


A sweeping restructuring of the way care homes operate will be needed to avoid residents being kept apart from their families.

The DUP's Gregory Campbell said a long-term plan was required to address issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The way that future care homes are constructed will have to change, but measures could be put in place in the short-term to address the isolation, the MP added.

It came as a Stormont health committee member called for an inquiry into how care homes have been hit by the crisis.

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath said the public must be assured that all steps were taken to protect care homes, their staff and residents.

Around 45% of all coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland have occurred in care homes, according to official statistics.

There are 483 care homes across the region, caring for up to 16,000 old and vulnerable people.

Residents have not been able to receive visitors since the crisis began and are reliant on telephone or video calls to keep in touch. Mr Campbell said this cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely and is calling on the Health Minister and his department to address the way care homes are designed, including access to broadband.

He told the Belfast Telegraph: "So many people have contacted me who feel like their relative is virtually in prison because they can't go out and they can't get in to see them.

"In the short to medium-term, all you have to do is look at what shops have done in a matter of weeks. Almost every shop, and there are hundreds of them, has a Perspex shield up that allows people to conduct business and protects staff at the same time.

"It should be perfectly feasible and straightforward to do something like that in our care homes in the short-term until there was a permanent solution."

Mr Campbell said it was particularly important for relatives of residents receiving end of life care.

He added: "There have been heart-rending stories of people who haven't had the chance to spend the last minutes or hours with their parents or grandparents.

"A Perspex shield would at least allow relatives to hold the hands of their loved ones at the very end."

Mr Campbell said in the long-term the way care and nursing homes are designed and constructed will need to include provision for outbreaks of all life-threatening viruses, including the flu.

Meanwhile, Mr McGrath said that an inquiry into the support given to care homes in the early stages of the pandemic is needed.

Last month trade union Unison claimed its members who work in care homes had reported inadequate supplies of personal protective equipment.

The SDLP MLA said that lessons needed to be learned for the future.

He added: "The experience of care home residents, staff and managers throughout the Covid-19 crisis has been difficult to hear. Their pleas for assistance, support and PPE should have been heard and acted upon earlier.

"Everyone is doing their best to manage an incredibly difficult situation but we can only improve the response if we listen to the sincere accounts of those who feel left behind.

"It is clear to me from the experiences of front line staff that there must be an early inquiry into the treatment of care homes, their staff and residents.

"We must be assured that everything was done to protect them and that lessons will be learned."
The six-year-old boy who was found tied up in a Dallas shed told authorities that his grandmother would kick and grab his ears before locking him in her backyard shed overnight, using a hose to spray him down.

Esmeralda Lira and her boyfriend, 66-year-old Jose Balderas, have both been charged with felony counts of child endangerment.

During his forensic interview with Dallas abuse detectives, the minor shared that he had just been locked in the shed for roughly an hour when authorities arrived on the scene.

Esmeralda Lira and her boyfriend, 66-year-old Jose Balderas, have both been charged with felony counts of child endangerment

The boy told authorities that his grandmother would lock him up in the shed whenever she left her home on Coston Drive, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by CBS DFW.

Lira would tell the boy he was bad when she locked him inside, the minor told detectives.

When he needed to be bathed, the boy said that Lira would spray him down with a water hose.

The child also told police that he was not allowed to come in the house, even being locked inside the shed during the night. The boy was given a plastic bag to go to the bathroom, he told authorities.

The boy told authorities that his grandmother would lock him up in the shed whenever she left her home on Coston Drive

The child also told police that he was not allowed to come in the house, even being locked inside the shed during the night. The boy was given a plastic bag to go to the bathroom, he told authorities

According to the child, the shed also was infested with rats and insects. He said that Lira would also punish him by kicking him and grabbing his ears.

Balderas informed police that he had been aware of the treatment but did not want to be a part of the issue. He said that the child had been in the shed for at least two weeks.

Both Balderas and Lira have bonds set for $100,000.

Police were called to the home on Coston Drive at around 11.30pm on Sunday after receiving calls that the boy was locked in the shed, KTVT reports.

When asked about the boy's whereabouts, Lira explained to authorities that he was with his mom

Dallas police were called to the home at around 11.30pm on Sunday after receiving calls that the boy was locked in the shed

When asked about the boy's whereabouts, Lira explained to authorities that he was with his mom.

But authorities soon encountered Balderas, who directed them toward the shed.

Police instructed Lira to open the door, declaring they would break it down if she refused. Lira opened the door and the boy was found inside with his hands tied behind his back.

Lira told police that the boy was there for a one-time punishment but Balderas told them that the boy had been confined in the shed for two weeks for stealing food.

Police found the boy locked in the shed with his hands tied behind his back

Speaking with the minor, police say the boy told officers that the alleged abuse started since he 'got out of school for this corona thing.'

The case is being investigated by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, WCTV reports. They have taken the boy, his seven-year-old sister and his four-year-old brother from the home. All have been placed in foster care.

Students learning from home during the pandemic could be at a greater risk of abuse as they aren't protected by teachers who file abuse reports on parents.

'Our concern has always been children being with their abusers all the time and having no safe adult to confide in or a safe adult that can report that abuse,' Sarah Burns of the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center explained to the Dallas Morning News.

In the last six weeks, reports of child abuse from teachers has fallen some 50 per cent compared to the six weeks before the pandemic.
Requesting submissions from the general public to identify healthcare workers in need of a new HVAC system or water heater, individuals can make nominations for the ARS Cares Healthcare Heroes Program via ars.com/ars-cares .

"Everyday thousands of healthcare workers are confronting COVID-19, putting others first and making tremendous personal sacrifices," said Luis Orbegoso, President and COO of ARS. "Our brave healthcare workers deserve to have their homes be an environment in which they can recharge. The Healthcare Heroes Program will help to ensure those most deserving of appreciation are receiving a new HVAC system or water heater to make them as comfortable as possible during this stressful time."

Open immediately, the nomination period will close on Friday, May 29. ARS's national network of brands will then select the recipient in each market and complete installation of the new system the week of June 8.

The ARS Cares initiative was launched in 2016 to cultivate positive relationships with communities where we live, work, and play. Since that time, more than 90 home services makeovers have been completed, donating more than $500,000 of HVAC systems and water heaters to deserving recipients. To learn more about ARS Cares and view official Terms & Conditions, visit ars.com/ars-cares.

ABOUT AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Based in Memphis, Tenn., privately-owned ARS operates a network of more than 70 locally-managed service centers in 24 states, with approximately 7,000 employees. The ARS Network features industry-leading brands including, 4 Eco Services, A.J. Perri, Aksarben ARS, Allgood, Andy's Statewide, ARS, Aspen Air Conditioning, Atlas Trillo, Beutler, Blue Apple Electric, Blue Dot, Blue Flame, Bob Hamilton, Brothers, Columbus Worthington Air, Comfort Heating & Air, Conway Services, DM Select, Florida Home Air Conditioning, Green Star Home Services, Hauser Heating & Air Conditioning, McCarthy Services, Rescue Rooter / Jack Howk, Rescue Rooter, RighTime Home Services, RS Andrews, TempRite Air Conditioning and Heating, Unique Services, "Will" Fix It, and Yes! Air Conditioning and Plumbing. As an Exceptional Service Provider, the ARS Network serves both residential and light commercial customers by providing heating, cooling, indoor air quality, plumbing, drain cleaning, sewer line, radiant barrier, insulation, and ventilation services.

Press Contact:

Jennifer Hughes

[email protected]

Phone: (901) 271-9878

SOURCE ARS
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("TransCanna" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lyfted Farms, has recently executed a lease on property in Lemoore, California that has received approval for a 'rezoning' to 'Industrial.' The newly approved 'Industrial' zoning designation makes the facility eligible for cannabis delivery, along with distribution, manufacturing, and cultivation activities following the anticipated approval of a Conditional Use Permit and Development Agreement, applications for which are currently being finalized.

The company has also filed entity registration documents with the California Secretary of State under the name Lyfted Farmacy Inc., to create a new subsidiary with the intention of this business unit being dedicated to delivery. By doing so, TransCanna gains another important business component to complete the supply chain from grow operations to delivery in the California cannabis market (the largest legal market in the world), which is projected to expand exponentially.

"The city of Lemoore has been a great partner to work with. They have been highly responsive and professional partners, especially in this first step towards setting up a fully operational distribution and delivery hub," says Bob Blink, TransCanna CEO. "The city has really opened their door to Lyfted Farms and been welcoming of our business."

Creating this subsidiary with a focus on delivery, says Blink, is also part of the companies' strategy to service customers in the current environment and at a time when consumer behaviors are affected by potential store closures and safety measures aimed at avoiding the spread of the coronavirus.

"We wanted to make sure that we could get higher-quality products from our facility to our customer's doors in a safe manner," says Blink. "Having come from diverse industries and bringing this breadth of knowledge to TransCanna means that our management team will continue looking for opportunities to remain highly responsive to changing market demands, and our customers evolving needs."

This announcement follows news by the company released last week reporting the companies' quarterly results and record monthly revenue earnings, and a recent announcement that renowned cannabis and lifestyle brand, Cookies, will carry Lyfted Farms products in select locations.

About TransCanna Holdings Inc.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a California based, Canadian listed company building Cannabis-focused brands for the California lifestyle, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries.

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com or email the Company at info@transcanna.com.

Bob Blink, CEO

604-349-3011

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55789
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Signal No. 1 was raised in Northern Samar, northern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar, a day after 'Ambo' developed into a tropical storm.

In its 11 a.m. update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said light to heavy rains will prevail over Eastern Visayas, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate.

The agency warned that sea travel is risky over the seaboards in the affected areas due to rough seas.

The Office of Civil Defense asked local governments in areas that will be affected by 'Ambo' to prepare more evacuation sites.

OCD administrator Ricardo Jalad said Wednesday that LGUs must ensure physical distance can still be maintained to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in temporary shelters.

PAGASA forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said Ambo, the first tropical cyclone this year, is expected to intensify into a typhoon before making landfall in the Bicol area between Thursday night and Friday morning.

The weather specialist said the storm is seen to exit PAGASA's monitoring area by Monday.

The storm was last seen 360 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, carrying maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.

Meanwhile, most parts of Luzon will continue to experience hot and humid weather, with the heat index ranging between 40 degrees celsius and 50 degrees celsius, Aurelio told CNN Philippines' New Day earlier in the day.

Heat index is defined as the apparent temperature the human body feels, Aurelio said.
Twenty-five family and friends gathered along Barton Street East near Grays Road to wish 92-year-old Maria Karman a Happy Birthday on her big day Tuesday. Granddaughter Lisa Burns organized the celebration. Weve got to do something for her despite this COVID-19, Burns said. Family has been social distancing to keep her safe. Karman said later it was her best birthday ever and a total surprise and she felt like a queen.
Agartala/Guwahati, May 13 : After the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam, the Governor's rule would also be imposed in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) after May 17 as the polls have been postponed indefinitely due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of novel coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.

The 30-member TTAADC is currently governed by the opposition CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and its five-year term would expire on May 17.

"Though there is a provision in the constitution to keep the existing elected executive body for one more year in an emergency situation, but we would not request the Governor or the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) led government to do so," the Chief Executive Member of the TTAADC Radhacharan Debbarma told IANS on Wednesday.

Tripura Law and Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that as the elections could not be conducted in the present situations, the state government has decided to transfer the TTAADC's authority to the Governor. The politically important TTAADC, which constituted under the sixth Schedule of the Constitution in June, 1985, has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km are, home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribal.

In Assam, on the recommendations of the state government, the State Election Commission recently put off the 40-member BTC polls for an indefinite period.

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, who is the constitutional head of the Sixth Schedule areas like that of BTC, had also earlier suggested postponement of the council polls.

Mukhi on April 27 appointed Rajesh Prasad, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, as the administrator of the BTC following the promulgation of Governor's Rule.

The politically important BTC, which started functioning in December 2003, comprises four districts of western Assam -- Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri and is home to over 31,00,000 people, the majority of whom are tribal.
They have suffered the heartache of losing a close relative to coronavirus.

Yet in the midst of their grief, they made donations to help ease the PPE crisis.

Each said that the superb way that the NHS tended to their relatives motivated them to donate to Mail Force.

The Mail Force charity has now raised 6.9million with the money going towards making sure NHS staff have the personal protective equipment they need to fight coronavirus

HERE'S HOW TO DONATE Mail Force Charity has been launched with one aim to help support NHS staff, volunteers and care workers fight back against Covid-1 in the UK. Mail Force is a separate charity established and supported by the Daily Mail and General Trust. The money raised will fund essential equipment required by the NHS and care workers. This equipment is vital in protecting the heroic staff whilst they perform their fantastic work in helping the UK overcome this pandemic. If we raise more money than is needed for vital Covid-1 equipment, we will apply all funds to support the work of the NHS in other ways. Click the button below to make a donation: DONATE NOW If the button is not visible, click here Advertisement

The charity  backed by the Daily Mail is leading a campaign to make sure NHS and care staff have enough personal protective equipment.

Since its launch two weeks ago, more than 39,000 readers have pledged just over 1.9million to the charity.

By last night, a team of volunteers had opened more than 21,000 envelopes containing almost 1.1million in cheques.

A total of 18,000 of you have donated almost 750,000 through the online fundraising page and one generous reader has pledged 100,000 anonymously.

Pledges from philanthropists and corporate partners has helped the fund soar to 6.9million.

Those opening the envelopes containing your cheques have been moved by the letters of support in many of them.

Some of you have pledged money because you have sadly lost a close relative.

Alan Dension sent in a donation in memory of his brother Bob, who died last month from coronavirus.

He wrote: Thanks to all the NHS staff at the hospital for the great care and service which they gave him. I wish them all well.

Thousands of readers have been sending in donations and letters in support of the campaign, including those from grieving relatives of coronavirus victims

Pat and John Stawiaiski, from Dorset, pledged money on behalf of relative Lawrence Wright, who succumbed to the virus on Good Friday at the age of 68.

Mrs Stawiaiski wrote: He is my sister-in-laws beloved brother, a superb chap who leaves behind a heartbroken family and friends.

'We are so proud of your support for our care workers  our Government needed this huge boost and show of solidarity, thank you again, you are brilliant.

A few donations have come from war veterans, who marked VE Day by sending in cheques.

One reader, who wanted to remain anonymous, wrote: Just a small gift from a British Korean War veteran. Born in 1931 and still here, thanks to the NHS.

War veterans have also been sending in cheques and messages of support to help this important charitable cause

Valentine and Lina Orme, from Eltham, south London, added: Cant imagine where we would be without these fearless people who put their own lives at risk in order to help others  truly wonderful.

Echoing the sentiments of many readers, Chris Mason from North Devon, wrote: The NHS and care worker bravehearts on the front line deserve our support in the battle against Covid-19.

Your campaign is a vital element in the fight back. My late mother Bridget worked for the NHS in Hastings and Brighton for several decades, and Sarah, my wife, also served as a nurse in Warwickshire.

Mail Force chartered a jumbo jet packed with 20 tons of personal protective equipment from Shanghai to London.

Letters and cheques have been read by Mail reporters since the campaign launched a fortnight ago

The 1million cargo included 50,000 medical coveralls and 100,000 masks.

After passing safety tests, the equipment was delivered to a hospital, an ambulance trust, several care homes and a hospice.

Household names who have thrown their support behind the charity include Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Michael Caine and Dame Vera Lynn.

Plans are already under way to bring in further consignments of vital PPE.
Hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis, Ivorian women in artisanal fisheries also see it as an opportunity to address long-postponed issues

by Joelle Philippe

Since mid-March, social distancing and other restriction measures have progressively been applied by the Ivory Coast government to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Women in artisanal fisheries, organized via the Union of cooperatives USCOFEP-CI, have left no stone unturned to ensure the continuation of their activities so that food can be on the plate for their families but also for the Ivorian population. Fish accounts for an average of 22% of protein intake in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries, this exceeds 50%.



It is not possible for women in small-scale fisheries to stop their activities because, given their small means, they live from day to day, explains Micheline Dion Somplehi, president of USCOFEP-CI. Women fish vendors, for example, have to go out and sell the little fish they can buy every day, otherwise their families have nothing to eat.



Restriction measures to fight Covid-19 pandemic are taking a terrible toll on artisanal fisheries as the men and women involved have close contacts at all stages of the value chain. However, for USCOFEP-CI women, prevention is key and this is why, from the last weeks of March, they have been sensitizing in several landing sites for people to keep social distancing and to respect hygiene measures. We raise awareness so that people wash their hands when they enter the market, and wear gloves.



The demand for these hygiene products has increased in this turbulent period and USCOFEP-CI women several times had to contribute from their savings to buy the sanitary kits. In some landing sites, they control the access to reduce the amount of people interacting and forced every client to wash their hands.



For USCOFEP-CI women, this health crisis shows the lack of decent working and sanitary conditions in artisanal fisheries, and they see this pandemic as an opportunity to address these issues. After several discussions with the fisheries ministry, they have identified a series of recommendations, which include measures to fight against Covid-19, coupled with a long-term plan to improve their working conditions.



Cote dIvoire is a net importer of fish. Of the more than 400,000 tons of fish needed per year, approximately only 75,000 tons are landed by the local sector, including industrial and artisanal fishing; the rest, is imported from Mauritania, Senegal or China (cartons of frozen fish).



The current protocol of the EU-Cote dIvoire Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) encourages EU shipowners to sell a certain quantity of faux thon (damaged or undersized tuna, or by-catch which is not used by the canneries) directly to Ivorian cooperatives of women fish processors, and the SFPA sectoral support comprises a fund to assist them for the purchase of the fish.



At the beginning of March 2020, for Women International Day, when Covid-19 crisis was at their door USCOFEP-CI held a meeting to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the SFPA.



The non-availability of the faux thon sold directly to the women fish processors means that they only have access to raw material sold by middlemen at prohibitive prices. Women buy the fish at 325 CFA francs per kilo, and sell the processed product at 375 CFA francs per kilo. But the costs incurred by women are more than 5 times higher than the expected benefit. Women fish processors work at a loss. To face the challenges of the epidemic, the materialisation of the promise to make available faux thon, - we would need 10.000 tons annually-, would be a godsend, USCOFEP-CI notes. But the Covid-19 crisis has delayed the landing of faux thon further.



In its plan to improve women working conditions, the USCOFEP-CI reiterates its commitment to support the implementation of the EU-Cote d'Ivoire Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement, with the objective of improving the living and working conditions of its members, while contributing to food security and the job creation.



To that end, USCOFEP-CI requires the supervised landing of faux thon and its direct sale to women fish processors, to make it possible to have remunerative prices and bypass the abusive middlemen.



The organisation also wants the SFPA sectoral support to have a special focus on women fish processors needs, both on the short term for mitigating the impacts of Covid-19 on their communities, and on the longer term to allow them to work in better hygiene and health conditions, including by improving the fish landing and fish processing infrastructures.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
People who turn down a new job  or their old one  because of coronavirus concerns may be able to continue collecting unemployment insurance, according to new guidelines from the California Employment Development Department.

Normally people who turn down a job offer are denied unemployment benefits, unless the position is unsuitable. The EDD says a job could be deemed unsuitable if the workplace is not in an essential sector or has not met state or county requirements for reopening. Even if it has, a job offer could be deemed unsuitable if the employee is older than 65, has a weakened immune system or has a chronic health condition that means COVID-19, the coronavirus disease, poses more of a threat. It could also be deemed unsuitable if it pays significantly less than the prevailing wage.

While many workers are eager to return to work, for some it would entail taking the equivalent of a pay cut. Some people are earning more on unemployment than they did in their previous low- or middle-wage job, thanks to the extra $600 a week everyone on unemployment is getting from April through the end of July from the federal government under the Cares Act.

The $600 a week, added to the average unemployment benefit nationwide, was designed to replace 100% of the average workers wage. That means people making less than the average wage could get more on unemployment than they previously earned  and those above average could get less.

Of course, anyone who turns down an opportunity is taking a big risk, said Jesse Rothstein, director of UC Berkeleys Institute for Research on Labor and Employment. You risk not having a job when this all runs out. The maximum benefit in California is $450 per week, but the extra $600 from the federal government brings it to $1,050 per week through July.

The EDD explains that individuals are disqualified from unemployment insurance if they refuse to accept suitable employment. It will consider whether a job offer is suitable in light of factors such as the degree of risk involved to the individuals health and safety, and as a result whether the individual has good cause for refusing the work.

An individual would have good cause to refuse to return to work if the business does not provide an essential service and is not in one of the industries reopening now under the states Resilience Roadmap, the EDD says. This is because the stay-at-home order is still in effect outside of essential or reopened industries.

Even if your employer has complied with the states requirements for reopening, and any and all government safety regulations, you would have good cause to refuse to return to work if you are at greater personal risk due to higher risk factors as identified by the California Department of Public Health. These factors include being older than 65, having a weakened immune system or having certain serious chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes.

However, you may not have good cause for refusing suitable work if your employer was willing to allow you to telework and you still refused the suitable work. In this scenario, you could be disqualified from continuing to receive regular (unemployment) benefits, it said.

Workers can maintain unemployment benefits if they turn down a job that is substantially less favorable than similar local jobs, based on factors like wages, hours and working conditions.

For example, a person offered a position at $20 an hour that typically pays $30 an hour may have good cause to refuse the work. However, you would not have good cause for refusing the work solely because the wages you are offered are less than what you have been receiving in your regular (unemployment) benefits, according to the EDD.

Normally people who quit a job dont get unemployment benefits. However, they could be eligible if they show good cause for quitting, and the reasons are real, substantial, and compelling, the EDD says.

This could include: if your employer has not complied with the guidance for safely reopening in your industry; you had child care or transportation problems that you could not resolve; or you have a disability or condition that your employer could not reasonably accommodate. To show good cause, workers should document efforts they have made to preserve the employment relationship, such as showing they asked permission to telework and were denied.

Rothstein of UC Berkeley said the guidelines strike a reasonable balance, recognizing workers legitimate decisions not to go to work in unsafe conditions while making clear that workers need to be reasonable about this and cant simply decide not to work if the employer has made appropriate arrangements to ensure safety.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Nationally, there have been reports of employers having trouble luring back workers on unemployment, especially in states with higher benefits. Californias average benefit of $338 per week is lower than the national average of $378. Californias maximum benefit of $450 per week, which hasnt risen since 2005, is about average compared to other states.

The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce recently sent an email to members, most of whom are small businesses, asking whether their furloughed employees were reluctant to return because they are making more on unemployment. None replied yes. Their issues are around customers and social distancing guidelines. They havent run into this issue yet, chamber spokesman Jay Cheng said. They think employees know that unemployment benefits wont last forever. By the time they are ready to reopen, those employees will get back to work.

Joe Miglia is the general manager of Novacart, a bakery packaging company in Richmond with 45 employees in California and New Jersey. He said three workers at his New Jersey plant took voluntary layoff early on because they were just so nervous about the virus, and applied for unemployment. We recalled them this week and they have come back willingly. I am finding that even with my employees that are telecommuting, they are going a bit stir-crazy. Maybe having to deal with their kids 24/7 is adding to that.

Felicia Reid, an attorney with Hirschfeld Kraemer who represents employers, said the new guidelines are in line with what we have been advising employers who want to bring people back to work. They need to comply with government orders, perform a risk assessment of their workplace and adopt specific measures to address risk. This guidance makes clear that the government is very serious about employers going through this process and educating employees about it before opening, Reid said.

To see all the guidelines, visit https://bit.ly/eddbenefits.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender
HOLYOKE  The Soldiers Home in Holyoke will operate under new management and with fewer residents following the devastating toll the conronavirus has taken on patients and staff.

Up to about $2 million in improvements are also being made to the building to make it safer for residents and to improve infection control, said Daniel Tsai, deputy secretary of the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services, which oversees the facility.

The Soldiers Home board of trustees met on Tuesday with the interim director and Tsai to discuss how the home will move forward as the COVID-19 crisis stabilizes at the state-run home for elderly and infirm veterans.

We have been in quite a bit of a gauntlet, but we are not in the clear, Tsai said. We are working toward a path of stability.

Health and Human Services officials first learned COVID-19 was spreading throughout the home the weekend of March 28 and sent a team to inspect the home on March 30. By noon, they had put Superintendent Bennett Walsh on paid administrative leave and placed Val Liptak, a registered nurse and director of Western Massachusetts Hospital, in charge. They also called in about 160 members of the National Guard to augment the staff and set up a clinical team of experts to try to stabilize the home.

Walsh has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and mismanagement and called the deaths devastating. He has sought a court injunction to stop trustees attempts to fire him, according to court records.

Although many long-term health facilities have had serious problems with COVID-19, the Soldiers Home has had the worst outbreak nationwide. To date, 74 of the 210 residents who were living at the facility at the start of the crisis have died of COVID-19 and the cause of another death is unknown.

No new infections were reported last week, but on Tuesday 10 additional residents, most of whom are living in a satellite unit at Holyoke Medical Center, tested positive for the disease. Now 87 veterans have COVID-19, bringing the number of veterans who contracted COVID-19 at the home to 76% of the total population, according to state officials.

Most of the residents who have tested positive are not showing any symptoms. The remaining 49 veterans at the home have tested negative, officials said.

A total of 83 employees have also tested positive, although some have recovered and returned to work.

Staff continue to treat ill veterans and follow strict protocols to separate those who are not infected. Administrators are developing plans on filling at least three vacant administration jobs, including that of deputy secretary and director of plant operations. In addition, the medical director has announced he will resign from his position as soon as a replacement can be found, Liptak said.

Based on the vacancies, more than half of the executive team will have to be replaced, she said.

Trustees asked if state officials, who have the authority to hire replacements, will look for someone who has a nursing home administrator license to serve as deputy superintendent, which is typically required for Massachusetts nursing homes but was not for the Soldiers Home.

I would not consider it a top priority in the hiring for this position, Liptak said. The priority would be finding someone with strong clinical expertise and a management background, she said.

Officials are also studying the home to determine how many full-time equivalent nurses, certified nursing assistants and others are needed on each shift to provide adequate care for each veteran, Liptak said.

The home historically has been underfunded and short-staffed, officials have said. Members of the National Guard are currently augmenting the staff, many of whom remain out while ill, but they are expected to be phased out in the next month to six weeks, Liptak said.

We are getting to the point where we have enough clinical staff to manage six units, but not to run 10 units, she said, referring to the number of units filled before the crisis.

With 104 residents living at the home, officials are now working to renovate vacant units to prepare to find permanent rooms for veterans. Residents have moved multiple times as staff tried to quarantine those who were suffering from the virus, she said.

We are configuring the number of beds. Some beds are only 24 inches apart, Liptak said. You cannot take care of veterans safely with beds 24 inches apart. There were too many veterans in one room.

Trustees chairman Kevin Jourdain questioned how the home failed to follow safety standards, and then added he expects some investigations will likely come up with answers.

Five agencies are investigating the crisis, including those run by state Attorney General Maura Healey and U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

Trustee Christopher Dupont asked if the number of residents in the home will be reduced from the original capacity of about 210.

Liptak said it will likely drop to 160 or 170, and other changes are expected to be made to better separate resident rooms to give veterans more privacy. Officials are also considering creating a separate unit for women.

The refresh project has started on the vacant third floor with the removal of 70-year-old wallpaper, old curtains and stained wardrobes, none of which meet infection control standards, she said.

When the work is completed, residents will be moved there and the same will be done on the second floor, and residents living at Holyoke Medical Center will move back to the Soldiers Home, she said.

Related Content:
The USS Nevada, an iconic U.S. battleship that survived World War I, the attack on Pearl Harbor and even atomic bomb target practice, has been found in the Pacific Ocean. The ship's wreckage was located 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor more than 15,000 feet below the water's surface, according to underwater archaeology firm SEARCH and marine robotics company Ocean Infinity, which coordinated the mission.

40mm-dual-mount-antiaircraft-gun0.jpg

By the end of World War II,,Nevada carried thirty-two 40mm Bofors antiaircraft guns.This 40mm gun, still in its gun "tub," is mounted next to a partly fallen, standard-issue Mark 51 "gun director" used by the crew todirect the fire of these guns Ocean Infinity/SEARCH, Inc.

Commissioned in 1916 in Massachusetts, the USS Nevada sailed to the British Isles two years later for World War I service, according to the Navy. But it was on December 7, 1941 that the battleship's legacy would be made.

Stationed next to the USS Arizona, the USS Nevada was the only vessel able to pull away from a line of moored U.S. ships during the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Seaman Second Class Charles T. Sehe, who was 18 years old at the time, recalled "a tremendous, fiery explosion ripped the Arizona apart, showering the decks of the Nevada with hot, searing, metallic debris, burning many of them to death."

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Severely damaged and beached during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Nevada gets ready to leave her Hawaiian anchorage for permanent repairs at a U.S. port. The Library of Congress

"We got hit by eight bombs, but still got underway  the only battleship to get underway," he told the Associated Press in 2015. "Most of that crew was 17 to 23 years of age. But they were trained and able to carry out their duties."

The Nevada lost 60 of its 1,500-member crew in the attack, and more than 100 were wounded. But the crew was able to ground the vessel, preventing it from completely sinking.

Story continues

The ship was repaired, upgraded and put back in service. She ultimately took part in the D-Day landings, becoming the only battleship to be present at both Normandy and Pearl Harbor, according to Ocean Infinity.

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The USS Nevada provides artillery support for Allied ground forces in France by hammering enemy installations from her vantage point in the English Channel, June 6, 1944. AP

The USS Nevada also played a key role in the invasion of Okinawa, where a Japanese kamikaze attack on March 27, 1945 left 11 of the ship's crew members dead and 41 wounded. A shell attack just nine days later on Okinawa killed two of the crew and damaged the ship.

WWII Ships

A medical officer, left, and a corpsman, right, check casualties following a Japanese suicide attack on the USS Nevada off Okinawa on March 27, 1945. / AP

After the war, in 1946, the Nevada was among about 100 veteran warships used for target practice for atomic bomb experiments at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. On July 1, 1946, a 23-kiloton bomb dropped by a B-29 left the vessel badly damaged and scorched by fire  but still floating. A few weeks later, an underwater detonation sank many ships, but not the Nevada.

In 1948, the damaged vessel was towed to sea off the Hawaiian islands and used as target practice for a Navy gunfire exercise. The USS Nevada finally went down on July 31, 1948.

The warship was recently discovered by Pacific Constructor, an Ocean Infinity vessel that has been forced to remain at sea for about four months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. James Delgado, SEARCH's lead maritime archaeologist on the mission, said the warship "speaks to American resilience and stubbornness."

"It survived torpedoes, bombs, shells and two atomic blasts," he said. "This is why we do ocean exploration to seek out these powerful connections to the past."

uss-nevada.jpg

USS Nevada (BB-36) underway off the Atlantic coast of the United States, September 17, 1944. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, Naval History and Heritage Command

Coronavirus pandemic leads to spike in pet adoptions

Concern grows over super-spreaders infecting large groups of people

FBI warns China is launching cyber attacks to steal coronavirus research
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:18:55|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Controls at German borders are to be gradually relaxed from Saturday onwards, the Ministry of the Interior (BMI) announced on Wednesday.

The German government wanted to return to "free travel in Europe" by June 15, said Interior Minister Horst Seehofer at a press conference.

Since the introduction of border controls in mid-March to contain COVID-19 infections, travelers had to give a valid reason before entering Germany. Commuters, members of the medical professions as well as EU citizens who were on their way to their home country had been allowed to cross Germany's borders.

According to Seehofer, Germany had reached an agreement with France, Switzerland and Austria to act "in the same direction." Starting Saturday, controls at the borders between Germany and the three neighboring countries were to be relaxed, but not yet fully discontinued.

There would be a "significant relaxation and simplification" at the borders, Seehofer said. By mid-June, border controls should be returned to normal levels if the development of infection numbers would allow it.

According to the minister, Germany had furthermore agreed on a special regulation with its neighbor Luxembourg. Border controls between the countries would be completely eliminated as of Saturday. A similar solution was currently being negotiated with Denmark.

For entries from third countries such as China, the United States and Russia, current travel restrictions would remain in force until at least June 15, according to Seehofer.

In addition, the 14-day quarantine obligation for travelers to Germany from third countries should "maintained," added Seehofer, noting that the final decision would lie with the minister-presidents of the federal states. Enditem
With coronavirus rapidly spreading among the population of 148 million, Russia took the third position in the world. According to the official data provided on May 11, Russia had an aggregate total of 221,344 COVID-19 cases. The United Kingdom and Italy earlier reported 219,183 and 219,070 cases, respectively. Spain comes in second with 224,390 coronavirus cases, and the United States ranked first with nearly 1.4 million cases.

That are huge gaps compared to over 50,000 cases among 1.3 billion population of Africa, at a first glance, and readily offered an understandable story. South Africa and the Maghreb region are the hardest hit and worse affected by the coronavirus in Africa. As expected, the pandemic places diverse impact on the global economies and the society, recommended measures have been taken in a bid to prevent the coronavirus spread.

According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) report, Africa still behind European countries when it comes to the COVID-19 outbreak and is far from seeing its peak. While Africa has only reported more than 50,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus early May, the UNECA-released report COVID-19 in Africa: Protecting Lives and Economies said "anywhere between 300,000 and 3.3 million African people could lose their lives as a direct result of COVID-19, depending on the intervention measures taken to stop the spread."

According to the Regional Office for Africa of the World Health Organization (WHO), the hardest hit are South Africa and mostly Maghreb countries of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. These Maghreb countries have strengthened information controls, instead of upholding transparency during the health crisis, but generally reported to have more than 5,000 infections, while in Tunisia, there are 1,018 patients and 43 people have died. In sub-Saharan West Africa, Ghana and Nigeria are also among the top ten African countries affected the pandemic.

While Russia, for a time, appeared to escape a serious coronavirus outbreak, the situation there has changed drastically during these two months of April and May, - passing Germany and France to become the third most-infected country in the world, according to The Moscow Times. Russia now has the fastest rate of new cases in Europe, and second-fastest rate of new cases in the world behind the United States.

In an important part, Russian health workers are still reporting a shortage on protective equipment. With the picture getting highly scary, Russian President Vladimir Putin worries about any slightest missteps when, in one of his live television speeches, he warned: "We cannot jump ahead of ourselves. Any carelessness or haste may cause a setback."

Despite its internal difficulties, Russia has been offering coronavirus assistance to a number of Africa countries. Russia is using it bilateral and multilateral mechanisms in addressing these requests filed by African countries since March after the coronavirus pandemic had spread to the continent that consists of 54 countries. However, Lesotho and Comoros are free from the coronavirus.

Russian Foreign Ministry said a number of African countries have requested Moscow's assistance in combating the coronavirus. "A number of countries on the African continent have requested Russia's assistance in combating COVID-19. African nations need a wide range of medical equipment, including ventilators, as well as testing systems, individual protective gear, disinfectants and consumables. These requests are carefully studied and the situation in a particular country is taken into account," it reported, adding that coronavirus spread rates were relatively low in African countries, with the exception of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa.

"However, this issue is causing serious concern to many countries on the continent. The social and economic situations in many of these countries are complicated, while high population density, poor healthcare systems, various crises and conflicts, transparent borders and uncontrolled migration can lead to a sharp rise in cases and unpredictable consequences," the statement said.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the pandemic may negatively affect African countries' ability to carry out major tasks to overcome poverty, ensure sustainable development and implement integration projects. Russia had been assisting African countries in responding to natural disasters and the spread of infectious diseases, including the Ebola fever. "We will do what we can to help the continent combat the coronavirus pandemic, using bilateral mechanisms and those of international organizations," the ministry said, noting that "when making decisions, we will take a whole set of factors into account, including Russia's coronavirus spread rate."

Understandably, wholesale provision of coronavirus assistance is, absolutely and practically, impossible to Africa. Therefore, in the shadow of COVID-19, Russia is strategically choosing for its coronavirus aid destinations inside Africa, experts argued. Historically, Russia has had a high preference for the Maghreb region and southern African countries. Thus, in the months of April and May, aid was delivered to Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia in North Africa. Ethiopia and Djibouti in eastern Africa. In southern Africa, the beneficiaries included Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, according to various media reports inside Africa.

On May 11, at the National Institute of Biomedical Research (NIBI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), more than 28 thousand units of laboratory supplies and 8 thousand units of personal protective equipment including protective clothing, respirators, reusable full-face masks with a set of filters and gloves were delivered. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs media report, the cargo was sent by Russia's Rospotrebnadzor.

The delivery event was attended by the DRC Minister of Health, Dr Eteni Longondo, Advisers to the President, P. Muanda Congo and S. Sial Sial, as well as the Director of the National Institute of Biomedical Research (NIBI), Professor J.M. Muyembe Tampam and Russian Ambassador Aleksey Leonidovich Sentebov.

According to WHO, Congo confirmed its first case of coronavirus mid-March, and as of May 5, there were only 264 confirmed cases and 11 deaths in a country of some 80 million people. Therefore, the Russia's assistance provided is extremely timely, since epidemics of coronavirus, Ebola, Cholera and Measles broke out, at the same time, in the country. In difficult sanitary and epidemiological conditions, DR Congo is experiencing a sharp shortage of equipment, tests, medicines, vaccines, and there are not enough masks, gloves, and disinfectants.

In this regard, the Congolese are looking forward to the arrival of two mobile laboratories at the end of May this year, which, due to their versatility, can be used to combat the spread of a number of especially dangerous infections, including COVID-19. Russia plans to train Congolese personnel in these microbiological complexes.

In addition, as part of the provision of gratuitous anti-epidemic assistance, Rospotrebnadzor plans to send modern laboratory equipment, diagnostic preparations, vaccines against BVE, cholera, plague and measles, test systems for the detection of Ebola, dengue fever, malaria, cholera and coronavirus to Kinshasa.

Russian-Congolese health contacts are quite extensive and are backed by an agreement signed between the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Humanitarian Affairs and the DRC on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit in October 2019 in Sochi. Over the course of several years, Russian virologists have repeatedly visited this country in order to identify its urgent needs, held meetings with local specialists and, in the most difficult period of the global spread of coronavirus in the Republic of Congo.

Russia's Sputnik News, under the headline, "Tunisia Asks Russia for Respirators, Masks, Medical Equipment Amid Pandemic" quoted the Tunisian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Tarak ben Salem who said: "This request for assistance is a part of friendly relations between Tunisia and Russia. Tunisia, like many other countries, is facing an unprecedented health and economic crisis. We need respirators, masks and medical equipment that will help provide services in public hospitals."

"Tunisia, a country close to Italy, appreciated the assistance provided by Russia to this neighboring friendly country," Salem explained and added "Tunisia hopes for a step forward from Russia, which has promised to consider our request. This can only confirm the quality of friendly and fraternal relations between our countries and our peoples."

Nevertheless, Russia is also exploring the opportunities in Tunisia, and as part of its geopolitical expansion and influence in Maghreb region. According to the ambassador, Russia has pledged to look into Tunisia's request.

The United States had granted $500,000 in health assistance to address the coronavirus outbreak in Djibouti. Shortly thereafter, the Russian Foreign Ministry also posted to its official website that Russia had delivered humanitarian assistance to Djibouti in East Africa. Late April, Russian humanitarian aid to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Djibouti was delivered and was described as part of a joint project with the World Health Organization. It was financed by the Russian Government to enhance Djibouti's potential in the field of medical emergency readiness and response.

"This humanitarian action comes in response to an official request from the Djiboutian authorities in view of the serious deterioration in the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the country caused by heavy floods and the spread of the novel COVID-19 infection. A consignment of humanitarian aid weighing a total of 13.5 tons and consisting of more than 20 multi-purpose medical modules to fight dangerous infectious diseases was delivered to Djibouti's seaport. The shipment included tents and components to build two medical units for rendering skilled assistance to over 200,000 people," according to report of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The report indicated that "the ceremony was attended by Russian Ambassador to Djibouti Mikhail Golovanov, WHO Representative Dr Ahmed Zouiten and Djiboutian Minister of Health Mohamed Warsama Dirieh. The Djiboutian leadership expressed its sincere appreciation to the Russian side for the assistance amid such a complicated epidemiological situation."

Djibouti has seen a rapid spike in coronavirus cases with the Horn of Africa nation, as the population largely ignores measures imposed by authorities. As a tiny country, it shares borders with Somalia in the south, Ethiopia in the south and west, Eritrea in the north and the Red Sea. Djibouti is a multi-ethnic, with a population about one million, but strategically important country that hosts the United States and French military bases, has recorded 1,116 positive coronavirus cases -- small on a global scale. Only two (2) people have died to date, according to the report from the Ministry of Health.

With its burgeoning commercial hub, it serves strategically as the site for various foreign military bases. The hosting of foreign military bases is an important part of Djibouti's economy. The United States pays $63 million a year to rent Camp Lemonnier, France and Japan each pay about $30 million a year and China pays $20 million a year. The lease payments added up to more than 5% of Djibouti's GDP of $2.3 billion in 2018.

China has stepped up its military presence in Africa, with ongoing plans to secure an even greater military presence in Djibouti specifically. China's presence in Djibouti is tied to strategic ports to ensure the security of Chinese assets. Djibouti's strategic location makes the country prime for an increased military presence.

Undoubtedly, Russia has shown interest in strengthening its ties with the country. Russians believe it could take steps to overcome the impasses in the disputes between Ethiopia and Eritrea, between Ethiopia and Djibouti, as well as international support for Somalia's efforts to restore its statehood in the Horn of Africa. It has proposed an elaborate plan from maintaining peace and security to promoting socioeconomic development in the Horn of Africa and that includes Djibouti.

Over the past few years, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has had extensive discussions on investment in high technology and transport logistics in Djibouti and Eritrea, both neighboring countries in the region.

It is worth to note that Russia and Algeria have friendly sustainable relations. A Russian cargo aircraft has delivered personal protective equipment to help tackle the novel coronavirus pandemic in Algeria. Algeria's Minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform Abderrahmane Benbouzid and Russian Ambassador Igor Belyaev were at the air base of Boufarik, Blida (50-km south of Algiers), to take delivery of the cargo, Algeria Press Service reported April 30.

According to the information made available, the Russia's humanitarian aid, consists of medical protective equipment was purchased by the Rosoboronexport, the State Arms Exporter, it was done upon the Russian government's instructions in order to fight the coronavirus pandemic. "Among the medical items delivered to Algeria are infrared thermometers, suits, medical masks and other goods, needed by the friendly nation of Algeria and its healthcare sector," the media said. Cooperation in fighting COVID-19 strengthens the humanitarian aspect of Russian-Algerian relations.

Given this global scenario of COVID-19, it becomes a conduit to play some game cards. For instance, Russia's pursuit of playing a bigger role in global political realm is grounded on the consequences Russia faced in the aftermath of the collapse of USSR. That was followed by a huge political chaos and instability of its socio-economic space. However, Russia cling to it as the new game changer and now plays the catch-up. Russia seems to have neglected the potential opportunities in Africa, according to Punsara Amarasinghe, a former research fellow at the Faculty of Law, Higher School of Economics in Moscow, and now a PhD candidate in international law from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, Italy.

"Perhaps, Russia needs a lot more of efforts to revive old ties in African countries, to engage in a large scale investments and energy. Humanitarian assistance could be a strategic mechanism, the lack of Russian soft power in African states is another main trouble that continues to hinder Russia's realization of its policy projects," Amarasinghe wrote in his emailed discussion.

He further compares how Britain, France and even India are performing with the use of their soft power in African space, added finally that "Russia still has the opportunities, Moscow only needs to address more on African states beyond arms trade and offering assistance, but covering much important issues such as education, energy politics and investment. These have to be taken in practical terms, not just mere rhetoric."

On April 29, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), a powerful autonomous Russian NGO that focuses on foreign policy, held an online conference under theme "The Future of Africa in the Context of Energy Crisis and COVID-19 Pandemic"  with participation of foreign policy experts on Africa. Chairing the online discussions, Igor Ivanov, former Russian Foreign Affairs Minister and now RIAC President, made an opening speech. He pointed out that Russia's task in Africa following the pandemic is to present a strategy and define priorities with the countries of the continent, build on the decisions of the first Russia-Africa Summit, held in Sochi in October 2019.

On the development of cooperation between Russia and African countries, Igor Ivanov strongly reminded that "Russia's task is to prevent a rollback in relations with African countries. It is necessary to use the momentum set by the first Russia-Africa Summit. First of all, it is necessary for Russia to define explicitly its priorities: why are we returning to Africa? Just to make money, strengthen our international presence, help African countries or to participate in the formation of the new world order together with the African countries? Some general statements of a fundamental nature were made at the first Summit, now it is necessary to move from general statements to specificity."

The speakers presented scenarios of the development of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on the continent, the impact of the coronavirus on various industries, the economic and social development of African countries. Experts discussed the role of integration associations on the continent, the existing and the expected problems in the work of humanitarian missions and programs supervised by international organizations.

For many African countries, it is the time to reflect on African countries' responses to COVID-19. It is time to take the opportunity it offers to catalyze action on structural deficits. The current predicament triggers long-term shifts toward universal access to health and education. It is time to think of improving communities with the necessary infrastructure. Although it has abundant natural resources, Africa remains the world's poorest and least developed continent, the result of a variety of causes that include corrupt governments, and worse with poor development policies. It is time to prioritize and focus on sustainable development.

With its 1.3 billion people, Africa accounts for about 16% of the world's human population. Africa, comprising 54 countries, is the world's second largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. As the coronavirus spreads around the world, many foreign eyes, such as the United States and Canada, Europe, China, Russia and the Gulf States, are still on Africa.

Significantly, the global pandemic has exposed the weaknesses in Africa's health system, adversely affected its economic sectors, it is therefore necessary for African leaders, the African Union (AU), Regional organization and African partners be reminded of issues relating to sustainable economic development and subsequent integration. It sets further as a reminder to highlight and prioritize the significance of these in the context of tasks set out by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

Kester Kenn Klomegah writes frequently about Russia, Africa and the BRICS.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

The first meeting of the Parliamentary Commission on Control over Implementation of National Goals and Tasks in the Field of Sustainable Development of Uzbekistan for the Period until 2030 was held on 13 May 2020, Trend reports with reference to UzDaily.

Members of the Parliamentary Commission - chairmen of committees of the Senate and Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistans Parliament, permanent representatives of UN structures in Uzbekistan, heads of relevant ministries and agencies participated in the session.

The main topic of discussion was the draft of Voluntary National Review (VNR) on implementation of national goals and objectives in sustainable development sphere.

Uzbekistan is included in the list of 49 countries planning to present the Voluntary National Review at the high-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in 2020. It was noted that the adoption of the National Sustainable Development Goals and Tasks of Uzbekistan for the period up to 2030 has created a basis for a new global partnership to improve well-being through the development of national standards for sustainable development and harmonization of its economic, social and environmental aspects.

Uzbekistan, as a developing region of the world, has achieved tremendous success in liberalization of the economy and transition to the market over the past three years. An important step towards achieving these goals was the establishment of the Parliamentary Commission to monitor the implementation of national sustainable development goals and objectives for the period until 2030.

The work of the Parliamentary Commission will cover permanent control over the implementation of national sustainable development goals both at the national and regional levels, in regions and districts. The work of the Parliamentary Commission will involve the general public, civil society institutions and the media in order to ensure maximum transparency and openness.

The draft document contains an analysis of the implementation of state, sectorial and regional programs and strategies aimed at achieving long-term strategic development goals of the country, using statistical data on Sustainable Development Indicators.

Representatives of UN agencies that participated in the meeting expressed their views on the main aspects of enhancing cooperation during the pandemic. There was an exchange of views on priorities for cooperation in this area.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
In April, Ro Khanna, who represents parts of Silicon Valley in the House, introduced legislation to provide greater pay, health care and labor protections to workers deemed essential during the pandemic. When we talk about who are the essential workers, very few people are saying its lawyers or middle or senior management, Khanna said. Theyre saying, we want the person whos delivering our groceries, the person whos keeping the internet open, the electricity flowing, or the person whos taking care of our kids.

In a similar way, the crisis illustrated the importance of keeping everyone healthy  even people who lack a place to live. Housing is health care, explained Abigail Stewart-Kahn, director of the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. Thats something, in my field, that people have been saying for a long time. Now, the connection was inescapable  people who lacked housing were also outside of the health care system, and during a pandemic, their presence on the streets created a risk for everyone else in the city. What this has shown us all is that everyones health is intertwined, she said.

These were all officials and experts  people who might be biased toward finding silver linings in any crisis. But was anything really changing for homeless people around the Bay Area? I contacted several homeless people who have been placed in hotels during the pandemic. They spoke rapturously about their sudden fortune in an otherwise grim time.

Oh my God  I can really breathe and be myself. That was the reaction from a 33-year-old woman who had been living in a hotel for weeks with her 12-year-son. She asked me not to use her name. Before the virus, they had spent years bouncing from couch to couch around the Bay. Under lockdown, their lives were, in many ways, freer than before. For the first time in years, she no longer felt that crushing dependence on other people. I can move as the adult I am, and no one dictates what I do or how I move, she told me.

The hotel room has two beds and a private bathroom. It was starting to feel like a studio apartment  like a kind of home, she told me. I only wish we could have a deep fryer. It is only guaranteed for three months, but she has begun to see the possibility of a new life in the uncertain distance: I just know that I am on my way to my place.

As the weeks of lockdown dragged on, San Francisco began to break my heart again. While the number of coronavirus cases and deaths remained low, the full gloom of the coming recession began to descend into view, and with it, the same ageless, endless political squabbles. The basic problem is that despite the regions apparently limitless wealth, there were not enough ready resources available to public officials to reach everyone in need. And in the absence of more help from the state and the federal government, or from the regions billionaires, the Bay Areas needs simply outmatched its capacity to meet them.

Even after the huge effort to move people into hotels, there are still thousands of homeless people on the Bay Areas streets, and little prospect that many will be housed anytime soon. My hopes for inspiring leadership began to fall apart when a fight broke out recently between San Franciscos Board of Supervisors and the mayor over how many more homeless people the city could house.
More than 38,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 in Mexico, but health experts warn the number is much higher.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has unveiled a plan to reopen the countrys economy by June 1 as part of a new normality after several weeks of lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday the reopening of economic, social and educational activities would be cautious and gradual, beginning with regions of the country least affected by the disease. The plan includes a traffic light coding system that will inform the public in different states which businesses and activities are safe to resume.

Lopez Obradors announcement came less than 24 hours after the country reported its deadliest day during the pandemic, with 353 deaths recorded on Tuesday.

More than 38,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 in Mexico, and at least 3,926 have died, according to official figures. But experts say the true numbers are likely much higher, as the country has not collected sufficient data on the disease nationwide, and has not put in place effective mitigation measures  making plans to reopen in the coming weeks potentially dangerous.

With this crisis, Mexico has been essentially flying blind, said Tony Payan, director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at the Baker Institute.

Mexico just doesnt know the rate of progression of the disease, it doesnt know how many cases there are, it doesnt know how its been evolving, Payan told Al Jazeera.

Healthcare workers wearing protective suits transporting a man suspected of being infected with the coronavirus in Mexico City, Mexico [Edgard Garrido/Reuters]

Mexico has conducted 0.9 COVID-19 tests per 1,000 people, the lowest among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Christopher Wilson, deputy director at the Mexico Institute of the Wilson Center, says the lack of data is a result of an ineffective testing model that Mexico has put in place, rather than too few tests, whereby the goal of any testing model is to provide officials with an overall sense of trajectories in different places around the country to enable leaders to make decisions.

Their model for testing is designed to highlight basic trends without providing an accurate measure of the intensity of the pandemic in different places in Mexico, Wilson told Al Jazeera. The magnitude of the crisis in the hardest-hit areas of Mexico is huge and much more intense than what is being reported by the government officially, he said.

Despite insufficient data, Deputy Minister of Health Hugo Lopez-Gatell announced on May 5 that Mexico had flattened the epidemic curve.

Mexico was doubling the number of cases every five days, which is occurring every six days now, Lopez-Gatell said during his daily coronavirus evening news conference, so it is possible to say that the curve is flattening in the country.

He added that the governments healthy distance measures which encouraged citizens to stay at home, wear a mask in public and practise hygiene, had decreased cases by 60 to 75 percent.

Hugo Lopez-Gatell, Mexicos Undersecretary of Health Prevention and Promotion, speaking at a news conference with Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City, Mexico [Henry Romero/Reuters]

Health experts, however, have questioned the governments findings.

Their projections are very bad mathematics and they are very ambitious, said Laurie Ann Ximenez-Fyvie, head of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics at Mexicos National Autonomous University. They are based on what they wish was happening, not only actual data.

Its not alarmist to say that we are in a really tough spot, Ximenez-Fyvie told Al Jazeera.

Health experts also warn that the widespread presence of pre-existing medical conditions among Mexicans puts people at a higher risk to the virus.

About a third of Mexican adults are classified as obese, while some 16 percent suffer from diabetes and more than 30 percent have hypertension  three chronic diseases that make people more vulnerable to complications from the virus.

AMLO focused on economics

Lopez Obradors government has faced intense criticism for being slow to respond to the crisis and refusing to impose the strict lockdown measures that neighbouring countries have put in place, such as closing down borders and limiting domestic travel.

In the sprawling capital Mexico City, where cases have surged, the crowded transport system continued to operate, and much of commercial life, such as open markets and street food, remained open.

Lopez Obrador, who is known by his acronym AMLO and once said the disease is not even as bad as the flu, has argued that he wished to avoid the economic fallout associated with the lockdowns, which would disproportionately affect the countrys poor, his base.

People waiting for information about their relatives at the Regional General Hospital number 2 of the Mexican Institute of Social Security in Mexico City, Mexico [Luis Cortes/Reuters]

The consequences are especially dire for Mexico where 56 percent of workers are employed in the informal economy and where there are no federal unemployment benefits.

But as Lopez Obrador, like many leaders around the world, struggles to lay out plans to reopen the country, health experts concede that balancing the trade-off between limiting economic damage and saving lives, is no easy task.

The number of confirmed cases is only one piece of the puzzle, said Fernando Alarid Escudero an assistant professor at the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE) in Mexico, who developed a model in collaboration with scientists at Stanford University to chart the curve of the epidemic in Mexico.

The other pieces are economic, social and mental health costs, he told Al Jazeera. Decision-makers should come up with a strategy that comes up with the highest benefit at the lowest cost. That would be the ideal.
A Do not consume notice remains in place for all consumers on the Carrigmore Water Supply Scheme in East Limerick due to elevated levels of nitrate in the water supply.

The notice applies to approximately 180 customers supplied by the Carrigmore Public Water Supply Scheme.

It is especially important that mains drinking water is not given to bottle fed infants.

Irish Water drinking water compliance and operational experts are working with colleagues in Limerick City and County Council to resolve this situation as soon as possible. This includes works to optimise the nitrate treatment system at Carrigmore to cope with the elevated level of nitrates in the raw water.

In the meantime, a water tanker will be in place at the old creamery yard at Toher on the R507 south of Doon to provide an alternative water supply to customers. Customers are reminded to use their own containers when taking water from the tankers and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure. Members of the public are also asked to also observe social distancing advice when collecting water.

Mains water can continue to be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing of utensils. Customers should continue to follow HSE guidance on handwashing at this time.

This water should not be used for

Drinking

Drinks made with water

Food preparation, washing or cooking of food,

Brushing of teeth

Making of ice

In particular, children under 12 months old should not drink this water. This water should not be used for making up infant formula for bottled fed infants. An alternative source of water should be used. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. It is best not to use bottled water labelled as Natural Mineral Water as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. Natural Mineral Water can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated.

If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way

Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.

Domestic water filters will not render water safe to drink

Caution should be taken when bathing infants to ensure that they do not swallow the bathing water

Discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges

What can you use water for?

The water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing of utensils

Irish Water and Limerick City and County Council will continue to liaise with the Health Service Executive with a view to lifting this drinking water restriction as soon as practicable.
New anti-COVID-19 nanocoating surface developed at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

BEER-SHEVA, Israel - May 12, 2020 - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers are developing safe, new anti-viral nanoparticle coatings that demonstrate significant potential in preventing active surface infection with SARS-CoV-2.

The new coating could be used in hospitals and healthcare facilities as well as public locations such as schools, airports, trains, buses, and cruise ships, where it was shown that the active virus lasted 17 days on surfaces.

The coatings contain nanoparticles of safe metal ions and polymers combined with anti-viral and anti-microbial properties that will be effective for weeks or even months. In proof-of-concept experiments, the researchers assessed the effectiveness of surfaces coated with nanoparticles of various metals on the infectivity of HIV family lentiviruses in human cells. Findings showed that surfaces coated with copper nanoparticles significantly block virus infection of the cells.

The research team is led by Prof. Angel Porgador, of the BGU Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), and Dr. Mark Schvartzman, in the BGU Department of Materials Engineering, along with Ph.D. students Yariv Greenshpan, Esti Toledo and postdoc Guillaume Le Saux.

Prof. Porgador says, "The current coronavirus is transmitted not only through droplet spray but also via various surfaces that can transmit the virus from one person to another. It is important to remember that we are developing coatings that will be effective not only against the coronavirus but also against other viruses, as indicated in our proof of concept experiments, and also against bacteria, so they will be relevant for a wide range of applications."

The anti-viral coatings are based on polymers that contain nanoparticles of copper and other metals and can be painted or sprayed on surfaces. These nanoparticles 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 tenfold.

According to Dr. Schvartzman, "While current surface disinfection methods rely mostly on substances that are poisonous for people, such as bleach, or on substances that evaporate readily being based on alcohol, the coating that we are developing is based on metals that are toxic for viruses or bacteria, but completely human friendly.

"It should be noted that until now using such metals for anti-viral applications has encountered significant challenges due to the nature of the metals, such as the tendency to oxidize and corrode. Nanoparticles provide a solution to these obstacles. Another advantage of nanoparticles is the large surface area to volume ratio, which results in an efficient anti-viral surface area using a relatively small amount of metal."

The new approach is just one of some 70 initiatives underway as part of the BGU COVID-19 Response Effort. These each require financial support, and AABGU has announced its commitment to raise emergency funds, enabling BGU to participate fully in the world's efforts at mitigation and containment. Contributions can be made online at http://www. aabgu. org/ donate-covid-19

"As we get back to work, it will be imperative to leverage new solutions such as BGU's new nanocoatings to ensure that we limit surface to human transmission," says Doug Seserman, chief executive officer of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. It is another fast-developing solution to challenges of the coronavirus pandemic at BGU."

This technology is supported by the Israel Innovation Authority, in response to a call for proposals for coping with the coronavirus. The project is one of 27 proposals submitted to the Israel Innovation Authority by BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of BGU, based on innovative and diverse inventions for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 by researchers at BGU and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN).

###

About NIBN

The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Ltd. (NIBN) is the first self-organized, independent research entity established under the auspices of a university in Israel. NIBN conducts multidisciplinary applied research guided by a clear biotechnology vision, to bridge the gap between basic and applied innovative research and facilitate the commercialization of novel ideas and technologies. Research is focused in several key areas: cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune and metabolic diseases, human genetic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and applied biotechnology, including AgBio. For more information, visit the NIBN website.

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. As Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) turns 50 this year, AABGU imagines a future that goes beyond the walls of academia. It is a future where BGU invents a new world and inspires a vision for a stronger Israel and its next generation of leaders. Together with supporters, AABGU will help the University foster excellence in teaching, research and outreach to the communities of the Negev for the next 50 years and beyond. Visit vision.aabgu.org to learn more. AABGU, headquartered in Manhattan, has nine regional offices throughout the United States. For more information visit http://www. aabgu. org .

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
In mid-April, Mr. Manaforts lawyers asked the bureau to release their client to home confinement. The lawyers said he was at high risk of contracting the virus because of his age, 71, and pre-existing health conditions. Also, he was hospitalized in February after contracting the flu and bronchitis.

A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly about it said the Bureau of Prisons decided to release Mr. Manafort to home confinement because of his underlying health conditions, even though he did not meet a time-served threshold. The person said the bureau had the discretion to make these decisions.

The charges against Mr. Manafort stemmed from the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into possible ties between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign, but the cases did not involve his five months of political work for Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trumps former personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen, had also been told last month that he would be released to home confinement because of virus concerns. He had been expected to be home by May 1, but he remains in quarantine in a medium-security prison in Otisville, N.Y., said a person familiar with his situation. Another person familiar with Mr. Cohens incarceration said he would be eligible to be released to home confinement when he has served half of his sentence, which will be this month.

Mr. Cohen has been serving three years for violating campaign finance laws in part related to a scheme to pay hush money to two women who said they had affairs with Mr. Trump. The president has denied the affairs and publicly criticized Mr. Cohen, who once said he would take a bullet for Mr. Trump.
Aurora Cannabis (ACB) is one of the major players in the Canadian pot industry, but along with many other Canadian cannabis stocks, the hype has failed to deliver profits and meet investors expectations. As a result, the share price has collapsed by over 90% since early May last year.

On Monday, Aurora enacted a reverse stock split to comply with the New York Stock Exchanges regulations. Prior to the 1-for-12 split, the stock was trading for $0.66, and priced under a dollar for over two months, therefore no longer meeting the required listing criteria.

The split, though, does not increase the companys value. That will happen, if it can win back investors confidence, starting with this weeks (May 14) FQ3 earnings report.

Looking ahead to the statement and further down the line, Needham analyst Matt McGinley argues that in order to restore investors faith and achieve its goal of becoming profitable by F21, Aurora needs to deliver on several fronts. Over the next two quarters, SG&A (selling, general & administrative) needs to be trimmed by over 50% to $45 million and gross margins need to be kept over 50%. Additionally, to meet positive EBITDA loan covenants, Aurora must increase revenue by 33% to $90 million.

By 2H21, notes McGinley, It would need ~$120mn in revenue per quarter using the same cost assumptions to make its $20mn quarterly EBITDA covenant.

And while the current macro environment exerts additional pressure, the companys problems run deeper and require swift action to keep the business moving forward.

The analyst concluded, Disruptions related to COVID-19 are just an additional external complexity for an industry already struggling to reset amid slow market development and excess cultivation capacity in Canada. Reported cash balances imply some improvement in the rate of FCF burn in 3Q, but we believe substantial improvement is required over the next two quarters for this business to sustain itself.

McGinley reiterated a Hold rating on Aurora shares, yet hasnt set a price target. (To watch McGinleys track record, click here)

To find good ideas for cannabis stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.
Technavio has been monitoring the test preparation market in US and it is poised to grow by USD 10.72 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005043/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Test Preparation Market in US 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. ArborBridge Inc., Cengage Learning Holdings II Inc., Club Z! Inc., Edgenuity Inc., Instructure Inc., Kaplan Inc., McGraw-Hill Education Inc., Pearson Plc, Providence Equity Partners LLC, and TPR Education IP Holdings LLC. are some of the major market participants. The use of analytical tools in test preparations will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Use of analytical tools in test preparations has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Test Preparation Market in US 2020-2024: Segmentation

Test Preparation Market in US is segmented as below:

Product University Exams Certification Exams High School Exams Elementary Exams Other Exams

End-user Higher Education K-12

Market Landscape Blended Online



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=IRTNTR43435

Test Preparation Market in US 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 test preparation market in us report covers the following areas:

Test Preparation Market in US Size

Test Preparation Market in US Trends

Test Preparation Market in US Industry Analysis

This study identifies technological advances in test preparation services as one of the prime reasons driving the test preparation market growth in US during the next few years.

Test Preparation Market in US 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the test preparation market in US, including some of the vendors such as ArborBridge Inc., Cengage Learning Holdings II Inc., Club Z! Inc., Edgenuity Inc., Instructure Inc., Kaplan Inc., McGraw-Hill Education Inc., Pearson Plc, Providence Equity Partners LLC, and TPR Education IP Holdings LLC. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the test preparation market in US are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Test Preparation Market in US 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist test preparation market growth in US during the next five years

Estimation of the test preparation market size in US and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the test preparation market in US

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of test preparation market vendors in US

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

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

University exams Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Certifications exams Market size and forecast 2019-2024

High school Exams Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Elementary exams Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Other exams Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Product

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End-user

Higher Education Market size and forecast 2019-2024

K-12 Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End-user

Market Segmentation by Learning Model

Market segments

Comparison by Learning Model

Blended Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Online Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Learning Model

Customer Landscape

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

ArborBridge Inc.

Cengage Learning Holdings II Inc.

Club Z! Inc.

Edgenuity Inc.

Instructure Inc.

Kaplan Inc.

McGraw-Hill Education Inc.

Pearson Plc

Providence Equity Partners LLC

TPR Education IP Holdings LLC

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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It's another big day of oral arguments at the Supreme Court.

After the court on Tuesday remotely heard arguments concerning President Trump's effort to block subpoenas for his financial records, the court on Wednesday will hear arguments in two other highly-watched cases. These concern Electoral College members who cast their ballot for someone other than the person who won their state's popular vote.

In the cases the Supreme Court will look at at, one of these "faithless electors" in Colorado cast his vote in 2016 for John Kasich rather than Hillary Clinton even though she won the popular vote in that state, while three electors in Washington state voted for Colin Powell rather than Clinton, who was again the winner there, NBC News reports. The Colorado elector sued over the state scrapping his vote and replacing him with an elector who then voted for Clinton, while the electors in Washington sued over fines they were hit with.

These electors argue that the states' laws removing or fining "faithless electors" are unconstitutional, The Hill reports, and how the court comes down on whether electors must support the winner of their state could be highly significant heading into the 2020 presidential election. Previously, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decided in the Colorado case that electors are permitted to vote for any candidate, but in the Washington case, the law that says electors have to vote for the winner of their state was upheld by the state Supreme Court, per NBC.

These oral arguments will once again be heard remotely and take place over the phone, with viewers at home being able to listen in live. This is the Supreme Court's last day of arguments for May, according to The Associated Press, and a decision is expected in the summer.

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Texas bar owners, noting the success of scofflaw hair stylists, consider opening illegally


I think he could have chosen better words, Tracy Grimshaw said today.

Responding to comments by Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury she told 3AWs Neil Mitchell, Ive been around for a long, long time. Its my 39th year. So Im fairly hard to shock. But my first reaction yesterday was His poor members. If thats their representation in a very difficult, challenging time -and I recognise that travel agents are doing it tough right now- then theyre behind the eight ball. It was definitely a poor choice of words.

Its not the sort of language that flies these days. And .as I said, Ive been around a long time. I was a young reporter in the 80s and 90s which was frontier-land television. Ive probably heard worse stuff than that in my life.

During an online seminar last Friday Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury objected to ACA coverage of industry stories.

Telling his members not to watch the show, he said, I wont ever be watching it again. I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face, and I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldnt want to invoke any violence on anyone.

Grimshaw continued, Im not the type to be in a foetal position in the corner when things like that get said. But at the same time, it doesnt fly these days. You cant get away with that stuff. Its bad behaviour. Its bad language. You cant talk like that about women. As soon as blokes like Jayson Westbury realise that the better.

Its also classically bad management of a terrible problem. Travel agents need decent representation right now. A lot of them are getting it wrong, and theyre small businesses and theyre suffering through this pandemic as so many small businesses are. They need cool, rational heads advising them. They dont need someone who is so at a loss in this situation that he tries to pump himself up using language like that.

In a statement today, Westbury said, My comments relating to Ms Grimshaw involved a very poor choice of words. I apologise for that choice and accept the language used was completely inappropriate.
COVID-19: What you need to know now
SHEPHERD, Texas  When Jamie Williams decided to reopen her East Texas tattoo studio last week in defiance of the states coronavirus restrictions, she asked Philip Archibald for help. He showed up with his dog Zeus, his friends and his AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.

Archibald established an armed perimeter in the parking lot outside Crash-N-Burn Tattoos, secured by five men with military-style rifles, tactical shotguns, camouflage vests and walkie-talkies. One of them already had a large tattoo of his own. We the People, it said.

I think it should be a businesss right if they want to close or open, said Archibald, a 29-year-old online fitness trainer from the Dallas area who lately has made it his personal mission to help Texas business owners challenge government orders to keep their doors shut during the coronavirus pandemic. What is coming to arrest a person who is opening their business according to their constitutional rights? Thats confrontation.

Call it the armed reopening.

While Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this month allowed a wide range of malls, restaurants and other businesses to reopen after a coronavirus lockdown, bars, salons, tattoo parlors and other enterprises where social distancing is more difficult were ordered to remain closed for a longer period.

In at least a half-dozen cases around the state in recent days, frustrated small-business owners have turned to heavily armed, militia-style protesters like Archibalds group to serve as reopening security squads.

The showy displays of local firepower are creating a dilemma for the authorities, who face public demands for enforcement of social distancing guidelines but also strong pushback from conservatives in some parts of the state who are convinced that the restrictions go too far.

The broader political split came out into the open this week when the Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, issued a warning to three Democratic-led cities  Austin, San Antonio and Dallas  that their local COVID-19 restrictions were illegal under the statewide reopening order issued by Abbott, also a Republican.

The armed gatherings are in some ways a Texas thing  a combination of long-standing anti-government and pro-gun movements in an independent state where Come and Take It flags are commonplace and amateur warriors patrol the southern border with Mexico.

Similar situations have unfolded in other states  armed members of the Michigan Liberty Militia challenged Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-at-home orders recently inside the state Capitol, and armed members of the Michigan Home Guard helped reopen a barbershop in the town of Owosso. But Texas appears to be turning such goings-on into a cottage industry.

Around the state, groups of rifle-carrying demonstrators have volunteered their services to small-business owners and have taken to social media to urge people to defy the authorities where necessary and reopen with armed support.

Fridays reopening at Crash-N-Burn in the town of Shepherd unfolded quietly, except for Zeus. In the span of a few hours, the shop had 10 tattoo and piercing customers.

In recent days, Archibald has also brought his firearms to the illicit reopenings of a handful of bars, gyms and other businesses around the state. Days before the reopening in Shepherd, Archibald helped organize a protest outside an illegally reopened bar in the West Texas city of Odessa. That one ended with the authorities rolling up in an armored vehicle and arresting several of Archibalds armed friends, along with the bar owner.

Archibald also lent his services at the Dallas hair salon whose owner, Shelley Luther, was jailed for defying the authorities and became a national icon to conservatives opposed to state lockdowns.

Following the confrontations in Odessa and Dallas, police officials and local leaders have found themselves in a bind, especially after the governor spoke out on behalf of the Dallas salon owner and helped get her released by easing the punishment for violating his remaining lockdown orders.

Why put forth to law enforcement to enforce these orders if youre not going to have the backbone to stand up and back up what youve ordered? the county sheriff who led the raid on Big Daddy Zanes bar in Odessa, Mike Griffis, told The Odessa American newspaper.

The armed protesters are a varied lot scattered around the state, some of them with long-established groups, others forming new ones or acting as lone operators. J.P. Campbell, 45, a military veteran with the group Freedom Fighters of Texas, met Archibald face to face for the first time only during last weeks action at Crash-N-Burn.

Its not for looks, Campbell said as he stood guard with a shotgun draped across his chest. Were willing to die.

The groups walk a thin line between civil disobedience and political street theater in a way that has caused a split within the anti-lockdown movement, some of whose proponents oppose such brazen challenges to the authorities.

Gun control supporters have their own concerns about such tactics.

People are nervous enough as it is, and then to see people walking around with AR-15s in public places, gathered together like that, is unnerving and upsetting, said Ed Scruggs, the board president of the group Texas Gun Sense. The entire goal is intimidation and attention.

Some of the protesters say they are merely engaging in marketing  drawing attention to businesses so that their reopening attracts more customers  while others say they are part of a grassroots rebellion against oppressive government.

We go out there because we want peace, but we prepare for war, said C.J. Grisham, 46, a retired Army sergeant whose gun rights group Open Carry Texas helped the arrested owner of the bar in Odessa get a lawyer. I hope this never happens, but at some point guns are going to have to cease to be a show of force and be a response to force, he said.

Outrage followed the Odessa arrests. Griffis of Ector County has received numerous threats. Bomb technicians were summoned to his house to inspect his pickup truck after one threat.

Archibald, who had publicly called for Griffis to step down and for protesters to rally outside the sheriffs house, said he had no involvement in any threatening messages. I have no control over those threats, he said. I think a lot of that is just coming from people who have been angry at him and angry about police brutality for a long time.

The Odessa arrests and the jailing and release of Luther have energized the protesters and put them in the spotlight. Archibald said he plans to travel soon to California and New Jersey to help businesses reopen there  though he said he would go unarmed.

We arent going to take any heat because I personally dont know the California laws, he said. Texas is way more lenient.

Handguns are regulated under Texas law  a state-issued license is required to carry a handgun in a concealed or unconcealed manner. But the carrying of bigger weapons  rifles, shotguns and other firearms known as long guns  is largely unregulated, and no licenses are required to carry long guns out in the open. According to state law, a person can carry a rifle in a public place as long as they do not display it in a manner calculated to alarm.

And this being Texas, the alarm threshold is rather high.

The top elected official in San Jacinto County, which includes Shepherd, said he had no objections to the reopening of Crash-N-Burn, particularly after the governors apparent acquiescence in the Dallas salon case.

The powers that be came to their senses and said, Look, you cant do this, so the same things going to apply to a tattoo shop, the official, County Judge Fritz Faulkner, 61, a Republican, said. Now, my personal opinion is, if a barbershop can open, I dont know why a tattoo shop couldnt open.

Barbershops and hair salons were allowed by the state to reopen last week with restrictions. Critics of the lockdown orders, including conservative activists and some local officials, believe that the governors orders are so vaguely written that it is also legal for bars and tattoo studios to reopen, fueling the armed protesters belief that they are in the right.

Abbotts executive order states only that people shall avoid visiting those establishments.

The language is so open-ended, broad and subject to interpretation that its causing a lot of confusion amongst people who are trying to live under the order, said Jared Woodfill, a conservative activist and Houston lawyer who has sued Abbott claiming that the lockdown orders violate both the Texas and U.S. Constitutions, among other laws.

At Crash-N-Burn on Friday, the owner, Williams, 35, said she had been scared about the potential pushback from law enforcement if she reopened but had decided to try because she had lost between $6,000 and $10,000 after being closed for weeks.

Williams said she was inspired by the actions of Luther in Dallas and felt a peace of mind knowing the armed men were there in the parking lot.

I had a feeling that finally somebody had my back, Williams said. And its really sad that citizens are having my back as opposed to my government.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Bottom Line: An analysis of nearly 16,000 young patients with cancer in Utah revealed that exposure to fine particulate matter was associated with increased mortality at five and 10 years after diagnosis of certain cancers.

Journal in Which the Study was Published: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research; this paper will be featured in a forthcoming Environmental Carcinogenesis Focus section in the journal.

Author: Judy Ou, PhD, research scientist at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City

Background: "It is estimated that roughly 40 percent of Americans live in communities with unhealthy levels of air pollution," said Ou. "Currently, there are no guidelines for long-term cancer survivors that advise reducing exposure to air pollution, nor are cancer patients considered a population vulnerable to mortality or illness from air pollution. Our results suggest that limiting exposure to fine particulate matter may be important for the survival of younger cancer patients with specific cancers."

Studies have shown associations between increased exposure to fine particulate matter, defined as atmospheric particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, and cancer mortality among adult breast, liver, and lung cancer patients, yet the underlying biology of cancers in young patients potentially differs from cancers in adults, Ou explained. "Because the associations observed between exposure to fine particulate matter and increased cancer mortality in adults cannot be easily extrapolated to younger cancer patients, we wanted to study how continued exposure to fine particulate matter after diagnosis affected survival outcomes in this specific population," she said.

How the Study was Conducted: Using information from the Utah Population Database and Utah Cancer Registry, Ou and colleagues followed 2,444 pediatric (ages 0 to 14) and 13,459 young adult and adolescent (AYA; ages 15 to 39) patients diagnosed with cancer while living in Utah from 1986 to 2015. These patients were followed from diagnosis to the clinically relevant time points of five and 10 years after diagnosis.

To estimate cumulative exposure to fine particulate matter, the researchers used data from stationary monitors provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Using this information, the researchers could model the association between cumulative exposure and mortality from cancer and all-causes. The exposure to fine particulate matter was measured continuously (in increments of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air; g/m3) and categorically (if exposure was equal to/exceeded the EPA annual standard of 12 g/m3, based on the three-year average of annual mean concentration of fine particulate matter) for these models. Models were adjusted for sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, among other factors.

Results: Among pediatric patients, exposure to fine particulate matter was associated with an increased risk of death for the following specific cancers:

Lymphomas had increased cancer mortality and all-cause mortality at both time points, when exposure was measured continuously;

Central nervous system and intracranial/spinal neoplasms had increased cancer mortality and all-cause mortality at both time points, when exposure was measured continuously;

Lymphoid leukemias had increased all-cause mortality at five years post diagnosis, when exposure was measured both continuously and categorically;

Hepatic tumors had increased all-cause mortality at 10 years post diagnosis, when exposure was measured continuously.

Overall, among AYA patients, exposure to fine particulate matter was associated with an increased risk of cancer mortality and all-cause mortality at both time points when exposure was measured categorically. Exposure to fine particulate matter was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality at five years post diagnosis when exposure was measured continuously.

Further, among AYA patients, exposure to fine particulate matter was associated with an increased risk of death for the following specific cancers:

Central nervous system and intracranial/spinal neoplasms had increased cancer mortality and all-cause mortality at both time points, when exposure was measured both continuously and categorically;

Skin melanomas had increased cancer mortality at five years post diagnosis when exposure was measured categorically and increased all-cause mortality at both time points when exposure was measured categorically;

Carcinomas (excluding skin), when analyzed collectively, had increased cancer mortality and all-cause mortality at both time points when exposure was measured either continuously or categorically;

Lymphomas had increased all-cause mortality at five years post diagnosis when exposure was measured categorically.

Author's Comments: "Exposure to air pollution is preventable to a degree on an individual level, but the responsibility ultimately lies with government policy to protect the public from this major health hazard," said Ou. "We need patients and their caregivers to become informed advocates to support enforcing air quality policies at the local, state, and federal levels."

Study Limitations: As a limitation to the study, data for 1999 to 2015 were collected from stationary monitors measuring fine particulate matter throughout the state of Utah, but the data for 1986 to 1998 were collected from stationary monitors measuring coarse particulate matter, defined as atmospheric particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter, in four Utah counties that contain 80 percent of Utah's population. "While fine particulate matter was not measured directly from 1986 to 1998, coarse particulate matter and fine particulate matter measurements are highly related, allowing us to extrapolate measures of fine particulate matter during these years," Ou explained.

###

Funding & Disclosures: This study was sponsored by a grant from St. Baldrick's Foundation, grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI), and NCI's Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

Partial support for all datasets within the Utah Population Database was provided by the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute and the Huntsman Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support grant from the National Cancer Institute.

The Utah Cancer Registry is funded by the National Cancer Institute's SEER Program and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Program of Cancer Registries, with additional support from the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Ou declares no conflict of interest.

About the American Association for Cancer Research

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's first and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research and its mission to prevent and cure cancer. AACR membership includes 47,000 laboratory, translational, and clinical researchers; population scientists; other health care professionals; and patient advocates residing in 126 countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise of the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, biology, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer by annually convening more than 30 conferences and educational workshops, the largest of which is the AACR Annual Meeting with more than 22,500 attendees. In addition, the AACR publishes eight prestigious, peer-reviewed scientific journals and a magazine for cancer survivors, patients, and their caregivers. The AACR funds meritorious research directly as well as in cooperation with numerous cancer organizations. As the Scientific Partner of Stand Up To Cancer, the AACR provides expert peer review, grants administration, and scientific oversight of team science and individual investigator grants in cancer research that have the potential for near-term patient benefit. The AACR actively communicates with legislators and other policymakers about the value of cancer research and related biomedical science in saving lives from cancer. For more information about the AACR, visit http://www.AACR.org.
At yesterdays White House briefing on the Wuhan coronavirus, Weijia Jiang, CBS News White House correspondent, asked President Trump about his frequent statements that the U.S. is doing more testing for the virus than any other nation. Jiang didnt dispute the claim. Instead, she asked:

Why does that matter? Why is this a global competition to you if every day Americans are still losing their lives. . .?

The question was ridiculous. Jiang knows that the charge of insufficient testing lies at the core of Democrat and mainstream media criticism of Trump.

Moreover, critics sometimes compare the level of testing in the U.S. to that of other countries. In doing so, they tend to compare the number of tests per capita, rather than the absolute number of tests administered.

Arguably, thats an unfair way of looking at the matter. If a nations population is only ten percent the size of Americas, its much easier to test a relatively high percentage of the population.

In any case, Trump compares U.S. testing to testing elsewhere in order to defend his administration from his opponents (and the medias) main line of attack against him. Jiang understands this. If she doesnt, she isnt bright enough to be anyones White House correspondent.

Jiang topped off her question with a silly flourish by adding the words, if every day Americans are still losing their lives. . . Is Trump supposed to accept criticism he believes is unjustified because some Americans are losing their lives every day? Of course not.

Trumps initial answer to Jiang was the obvious one: Well, theyre losing their lives everywhere in the world. Then, he added:

And maybe thats a question you should ask China. Dont ask me. Ask China that question. OK? When you ask them that question, you may get a very unusual answer.

I dont know for certain why Trump invoked China, but it wasnt odd that he did. Blaming China is a standard, and reasonable, Trump response whenever someone talks about loss of American lives due to the virus. And, as Karen Townsend points out, Trump went after China several times during the press conference.

However, Jiang seems to have thought that Trump invoked China because she is of Chinese origin. Or maybe she just pretended to think that.

Jiang lowered her face mask and asked the president, Sir, why are you saying that to me, specifically  that I should ask China? Trump replied, Im not saying it specifically to anybody, Im saying it to anybody that would ask a nasty question like that.

Trump then called on CNNs Kaitlan Collins. She tried to yield her time to Jiang for a follow up. Trump moved on to another reporter, but Collins kept talking. At that point, Trump ended the press conference.

Jiang is a nasty piece of work. Townsend has the details, as well as video of yesterdays exchange. As he puts it, Jiang isnt interested in gathering information, she is more interested in publicly fighting with the most powerful man on earth.

Her question yesterday was a case in point.

I enjoy watching Trump fire back at the likes of Jiang, Collins, Jim Acosta, and Philip Rucker. However, Im surprised he takes as many questions as he does from these and other partisan clowns in the White House press corps. I assume he does so because he enjoys the sparring, because he thinks it helps him politically, or for both of these reason.

And when hes had enough, he can always pull the plug, as he did yesterday.
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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 20:47 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7dcd66 1 National coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,virus-korona-indonesia,virus-corona,Achmad-Yurianto,health-ministry,flattened-curve,outbreak Free

Indonesia reported yet another record high of new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, with the Health Ministry announcing 689 new cases.

The record comes only three days after its previous high of 533 new cases on Saturday, which in turn was only three days after the high of 484 new cases on May 5.

The death toll has exceeded 1,000, despite government officials earlier claims that the countrys curve of new cases had flattened.

Wednesdays rise brings the governments headline figure of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 15,438, the Health Ministrys disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, said in his daily press briefing. He added that 21 more people had died of the disease, bringing the death toll to 1,028.

"Meanwhile, the number of recovered [patients] has increased by 224, bringing the total number to 3,287," he said.

Jakarta continues to be the hardest-hit province with 5,554 confirmed cases and 449 deaths, followed by East Java with 1,722 cases and 163 deaths, and West Java with 1,556 cases and 98 deaths.

Read also: Flattening COVID-19 curve seen in weekly, not daily figures, govt says

Indonesia's COVID-19 task force announced last week that the number of new coronavirus cases in the country had declined by 11 percent, although government updates showed some rises in daily cases.

Experts, however, have been skeptical of the government's claims. They said Indonesia's low testing capacity--fewer than 1,600 tests a day since the country reported its first cases on March 3--made it likely that many cases were unreported.

Indonesia has conducted 169,195 PCR tests across the country as of Wednesday, a rate of about 628 tests per million people. Meanwhile, neighboring countries Singapore and Malaysia have carried out more than 30,000 and 7,500 per million people, respectively.
Office spaces could change post-coronavirus to support social distancing in the workplace. (Getty)

Many of us have become accustomed to working from home since the UK government introduced stringent coronavirus lockdown measures. Offices around the UK are sat empty as we send emails from the comfort of our sofas  but as workplaces begin to bring employees back, things are likely to look very different.

This week, the UK government announced people who are unable to work from home can return to their jobs. Workplaces that are allowed to open include those involved in construction, manufacturing, logistics, distribution and scientific research. Over time, people will gradually be allowed to work in offices again too.

The advice for workers is to stick to social distancing rules and to stay apart by two metres. But how will this work for employees in offices?

The trend towards open plan offices and maximising the number of people per square foot is likely to mean that we run out of space very quickly, so offices will likely need to run shifts or have groups who rotate through the office at different times, says Dr Sebastian Bailey, co-founder of Mind Gym, the psychology-based company which advises leading businesses on organisational transformation.

From Apple to Facebook, many of the global tech giants are in favour of open layouts for employees, but whether this will change in a post-coronavirus world remains to be seen. According to research by Savills, UK employees are more likely to work in open plan offices than any other European country. A separate study found 80% of US workplaces are open plan.

READ MORE: Why meaningful work is going to become more important post-coronavirus

Open work environments were introduced to encourage collaboration and communication among employees, but after the COVID-19 crisis, they may pose a risk to health.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is spread primarily through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. You can also become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands  which means workers who sit in close proximity will likely be at higher risk.

Story continues

According to a recent Danish study, occupants in open-plan offices with more than six people had 62% more days of sickness absence, as the lack of cubicles allow the easy transmission of illnesses.

After coronavirus, the cubicle may make a reappearance in UK offices as the government has said employers should look into putting barriers in shared spaces. In some cases, people could be required to face away from each other  which will likely feel strange for employees used to rubbing shoulders with their colleagues.

Creating workplace shift patterns to minimise the number of people in contact with one another may also become the new normal.

READ MORE: Does working from home help the environment?

Weve seen supermarkets place stickers on the floor two metres apart and put up screens, we need to take a similar approach in the workplace, Bailey adds. So for example, move workstations two metres apart.

Remote working will be here to stay for some firms. Before the coronavirus pandemic, working from home was a luxury afforded only to a select few employees and self-employed people. In fact, only 30% of UK employees ever worked from home during 2019, according to the latest research by the Office of National Statistics.

The cubicle may make a reappearance in UK offices as the government has said employers should look into putting barriers in shared spaces. (Getty)

Looking forward, however, many will be working remotely for the foreseeable future. Of course there are some roles that need us to be in the room, but post-lockdown I can see coming into the office being a tactical decision, rather than out of habit, says Simon Paine, co-founder and CEO of the PopUp Business School, which helps people start their own businesses.

Thousands of businesses have proved they can be just as productive  if not even more so by flexible approaches to work, he adds. Why on earth would anyone want to commute daily, poison our air any more than necessary and spend our hard-earned cash to go and sit in an unproductive environment?

Many people want coronavirus lockdown restrictions to be eased when it is safe to do so. But there is also increasing anxiety over what the future of work will look like  and whether rushing to return will lead to a rise in infections.

READ MORE: Will busyness stop being status symbol post-COVID-19

A survey of 2,075 UK adults by the Trades Union Congress revealed 39% are concerned about not being able to socially distance from colleagues when back at work, and over a quarter (28%) are worried about not being able to socially distance from customers or clients.

To address this, Bailey says businesses will need to be clear about the new rules  such as what a phased return to the office will look like. This means outlining how many people will be in the workplace at one time, as well as how sanitisation and disinfection will work. This will provide people with confidence and also creates some social pressure to do the right thing, Bailey says.
NPP Member of Parliament for Dormaa East, William Kwasi Sabi has admitted that Ghanas fast increase of coronavirus cases is worrying but the situation is under control.



He said on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie that, the high rise of the cases should not cause fear and panic  but rather, the populace must adhere to safety precautions announced by government to help control the spread of the virus.



Government is still tracing and testing people. Some are unwilling to test but situations are under control. Governments effective contact tracing is really helping. No one is happy about this but we should all adhere to precautions to help government, he said.



Ghana Records 5,127 COVID-19 Cases



The Ghana Health Service (GHS) announced on Tuesday, 12 May 2020 that Ghana has recorded 427 new coronavirus cases, increasing the country's case count to 5,127.



The Director-General of GHS, Dr. Patrick Aboagye, announced this at a media briefing.



The Greater Accra Region has recorded 89 new cases while the Ashanti Region has 307 new cases.



The Central Region has also recorded 27 new cases with the Western and Volta regions recording three and one, respectively.



Of the 5,127 cases, 1,474 were recorded from routine surveillance, 115 are travellers who were put into mandatory quarantine upon arrival and the remaining 3,538 were identified from enhanced surveillance.



Recoveries and deaths, however, still stand at 494 and 22, respectively, bringing the active cases to 4,611.



Our total recoveries as of yesterday are 494 and we have about 180 awaiting their second negative tests, which will increase the number of recoveries", Dr. Aboagye added.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

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LOS ANGELESWith online porn viewing up sharply during the global coronavirus lockdowns, the backlash against porn also appears to be ramping up. Last month, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr calling on the Justice Department to crack down on porn.

The bishops claim that porn viewing harms families and communities in perceptible ways. But an extensive new research study of approximately 15,000 self-reported porn viewers conforms the results of several previous studies, that the supposed harms of porn are largely non-existent.

Published in the April edition of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the study titled High-Frequency Pornography Use May Not Always Be Problematic found that only between three and eight percent of self-reported porn viewers said that they felt their use has become a problem.

And even among those who say that their high-frequency porn viewing is a problem, their issues stemmed not simply from their viewing of porn, but from interaction between their own personality traits and the social context in which they live, according to a summary of the study by the University of Montreal, where the studys lead author Beata Bothe is a postdoctoral researcher.

The finding is similar to the results if a 2018 study in which researchers found that porn users with deep religious backgrounds were much more likely to describe themselves as addicted than frequent porn users who did not grow up in religious, sexually conservative households.

In the University of Montreal study  which also involved researchers from Concordia University, Yale University and Stanford University, and covered three separate surveys  between 68 and 73 percent of respondents said that they viewed porn only infrequently, and experienced now psychological problems.

But between 19 and 29 percent called themselves high-frequency porn consumers, but also said that their porn viewing caused them no mental health issues  thats between three and six times as many people as say that frequent porn consumption is a problem.

But those problem porn users also reported that they also experienced a wide range of psychological issues, including hypersexuality, depressive symptoms, sensitivity to boredom, feelings of discomfort about pornography, lower levels of self-esteem, and less satisfaction of their psychological needs related to social belonging, sense of competency and overall autonomy, according to the study.

Photo By Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels
A group of unmasked shoppers attacked a Target employee escorting them from the store, reports the Mercury News, breaking his arm and earning themselves battery charges. It's the fourth such incident at the Van Nuys store, and the first to result in serious injury.

The incident occurred on the morning of May 1 in a Target in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Van Nuys, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The police released surveillance video of the incident on Monday. Two customers had been ordered to leave the store because they didn't have masks, and security guards were escorting them toward the exit. One of the customers then turned and attacked the guards.

I occasionally blog about the "exonerative tense", a style of news-writing that poses as impartial (or necessary to avoid legal liability) but echoes the weird, implicitly victim-blaming language of police reports. Here's a beauty from CNN today:
A 56-year-old woman became the seventh COVID-19 casualty in Bihar on Wednesday while a 20-day-old boy was among 53 people who tested positive for coronavirus, as the state's tally rose to 932, a top official said.

According to Principal Secretary (Health) Sanjay Kumar, the woman and the 20-day-old boy -- the youngest COVID-19 patient in the state so far -- were from Patna district, which is the second worst affected city in the state with 94 confirmed cases till date.

Of the 94 COVID-19 cases in Patna, about 20 are the personnel deployed at the Bihar Military Police's 14th Battalion in Khajpura locality, which accounts for nearly half of the cases in the district.

The 56-year-old woman, a resident of Alamganj locality in the city, breathed her last at NMCH hospital following a "cardiopulmonary arrest", the principal secretary said, adding that she suffered from multiple ailments like cancer of the gall bladder, acute renal failure, obstructive jaundice, hemorrhoids with active bleeding and sepsis.

She was recently diagnosed with cancer at the Mahavir Arogya Sansthan charitable hospital in the city from where she was referred to NMCH on May 8. Her sample was collected the next day and reports on May 10 confirmed that she was COVID-19 positive, Kumar said, adding that she had no travel history and no contact history.

The baby boy is a resident of Belchhi block in rural Patna, which is emerging as yet another COVID-19 hotspot.

Besides the child, a 49-year-old Belchhi resident and two women from Patna city are among the 53 people who tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday.

Other districts from where coronavirus cases were reported during the day included Nawada (nine), Bhojpur (seven), Bhagalpur (six) and Siwan and Banka (four each).

Buxar, which heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday when it was left with zero active cases, reported three fresh cases. Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, Rohtas and Khagaria reported three coronavirus cases each.

In addition, two cases were reported from Gopalganj and one each from Madhubani and Kaimur.

All 38 districts in the state have reported COVID-19 cases and Munger tops the list with a tally of 116. Significant number of cases have also been reported from Rohtas (75), Nalanda (63) and Buxar (59).

Patna district accounts for two deaths, the latest demise coming a few days after a middle-aged man from Belchhi had died at a hospital.

The state home department has issued a notification announcing that it is closing down one of its offices situated inside the Patel Bhawan, which also houses the Police Headquarters, for sanitisation after one of its staff members came in contact with a COVID-19 patient.

Munger, Vaishali, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Rohtas districts reported one death each.

Barring the 70-year-old victim from Rohtas, all were under 60 years of age and had comorbidities.

A steep hike in COVID-19 cases has been witnessed, of late, in the state which reported its first two cases on March 22. Much of the recent spurt has been attributed to the return of migrants from other parts of the country, by special trains running every day.

Nearly 1.5 lakh people have returned to Bihar from places where they were stuck during the lockdown.

The state health department has put the number of migrants testing positive for coronavirus between May 4 and May 12 to 190.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 290,000 people worldwide.

More than 4.2 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 1.3 million diagnosed cases and at least 81,805 deaths.

Today's biggest developments:

Violent crime has fallen during lockdown, authorities say Georgia extends some stay-at-home guidelines, relaxes others NY investigating cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome California releases guidelines for reopening of more industries Wuhan to test entire population after cluster of cases emerge

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.

8:16 p.m.: Violent crime falls during lockdown

Violent crime has gone down during stay-at-home orders in more than a dozen cities, a survey of 30 U.S. police departments finds.

The study, conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), surveyed agencies serving a mix of large and midsize cities during a 28-day period between mid-March and April.

In 18 of the 30 cities surveyed, violent crime was down slightly when compared to the same 28-day period last year, PERF found. Syracuse, New York, saw the largest drop among the cities surveyed.

Robberies declined across a majority of the departments, as did property crime, calls for service and arrests for serious crimes. Boston saw the largest drop in those arrests, down 66% from the previous year.

In more than half of the departments surveyed, burglaries also declined.

Story continues

5:52 p.m.: Georgia extends some stay-at-home guidelines, relaxes others

Three weeks after allowing some businesses to reopen, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is extending some of the state's stay-at-home guidelines while easing some other restrictions.

The governor has issued an executive order to keep live performance venues, bars and nightclubs closed through May 31. The state's shelter-in-place provision for residents 65 and older will also remain in effect through June 12.

At the same time, the order increases the number of people allowed in a single classroom of a childcare facility from 10 to 20 people, provided a designated staff-to-child ratio is maintained.

"I am proud of these hardworking Georgians for following the guidance, keeping both their employees and customers safe," Kemp said of his aggressive reopening plans, which were first announced on April 20. "I also stand with the small business owners who decided not to reopen their doors. These men and women have a choice, and I appreciate the incredible challenges each of them faces every single day."

"Many have warned of a 'second wave' and asked if we are willing to change course if conditions decline," Kemp added. "Let me be clear: We will continue to track the numbers and continue to heed [experts'] advice. We will take whatever action is necessary to protect the lives and livelihoods of Georgians."

3:50 p.m.: California releases guidelines for reopening of more industries

California Gov. Gavin Newsom released new guidelines for the reopening of industries like offices that cannot telework, malls for curbside pickup and outdoor museums.

Faces of the coronavirus pandemic: Remembering those who died

Before reopening, Newsom said all facilities are required to: "perform a detailed risk assessment and implement a site-specific protection plan"; apply physical distancing rules; start disinfection protocols; implement control measures and screenings; and train employees on how to limit the spread and how to screen themselves for symptoms.

PHOTO: A lone pedestrian passes by Madame Tussauds wax museum on the largely empty Hollywood Boulevard as shutdown orders continue in California due to the coronavirus pandemic, May 11, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

When all these steps are finished, businesses can post that checklist to show customers and employees that they're open, according to the state.

Does warmer weather slow coronavirus?

In Los Angeles County, officials are recommending another three months for the stay-at-home order, reported ABC Los Angeles station KABC. Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county's public health director, said Tuesday that the order will be extended "with all certainty" unless there's a "dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand," KABC reported.

California has over 69,000 cases of COVID-19 and 2,847 people in the state have died.

PHOTO: Customers wait for their order outside at the Park Bench Cafe, May 12, 2020, in Huntington Beach, Calif. California restaurants waiting for permission to reopen have been preparing for the 'new normal' in the age of the coronavirus. (Chris Carlson/AP)

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.

1:55 p.m.: Cuomo calls Pediatric Syndrome 'a truly disturbing situation'

New York state is investigating approximately 100 cases of the Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome associated with COVID-19, an inflammatory syndrome which has features that overlap with Kawasaki disease.

PHOTO: Playground equipment is taped off, March 30, 2020, in the Old Bethpage hamlet of Oyster Bay on Long Island, New York. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Three young people in New York state have died: a 5-year-old boy, a 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.

SLIDESHOW: Coronavirus outbreak sparks global health emergency

"This is a truly disturbing situation and I know parents around the state and around the country are very concerned," Cuomo said. "If we have this issue in New York, it's probably in other states and probably hasn't been diagnosed yet in other states because, again, these children don't present the usual COVID symptoms."

The governor urged parents to monitor their children for these symptoms:

New York State is now investigating about 100 cases of an inflammatory illness in children that may be related to COVID-19. The ages of these cases range from infancy to age 21. We ask parents to watch out for these symptoms: pic.twitter.com/lhzjproZYd  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 12, 2020

11:55 a.m.: Broadway to stay dark through at least Sept. 6

Those with tickets to New York City Broadway shows that were scheduled through Sept. 6 can now get refunds and exchanges, the Broadway League announced Tuesday.

Broadway went dark on March 12 -- and will stay dark until further notice.

PHOTO: Broadway stands closed and empty in Times Square, May 4, 2020, in New York City, during the coronavirus pandemic. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

11:07 a.m.: NYC has 52 cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome

In New York City, the latest tracking progress indicators are mixed, but show progress.

PHOTO: A MTA worker cleans subway trains at a station, May 7, 2020, in New York City. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

On May 10, there were 51 people admitted to New York City hospitals for suspected COVID-19 -- down from 55 admissions on May 9.

There were 550 patients in intensive care units on May 10, a slight increase from 537 patients on May 9.

And of those tested citywide, 14% were positive on May 10. Of those tested on May 9, 13% were positive.

Want to be a contact tracer? Johns Hopkins is offering a free course

New York City has 52 confirmed cases of the Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19, an inflammatory syndrome which has features that overlap with Kawasaki disease.

PHOTO: NYPD officers hand out free face masks on May 11, 2020 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Out of the city's 52 cases, 25 tested positive for COVID-19 and 22 others had antibodies, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.

One fatality has been reported, the mayor said. Ten more cases are pending.

Howard Zucker, commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, said last week that "most children with COVID-19 only experience mild symptoms, but in some, a dangerous inflammatory syndrome can develop."

Like 'stationary cruise ships': Prisons, factories emerging as deadly coronavirus transit hubs

De Blasio on Tuesday urged parents to call their pediatrician immediately if their child has symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain and vomiting.

"We want people not to hesitate here," the mayor said. "The quicker the parent reports it in ... the more chance of protecting the child."

10:45 a.m.: Buckingham Palace to remain closed to the public this summer

Buckingham Palace will not open to the public this summer due to the challenges of social distancing, The Royal Collection Trust said.

PHOTO: Cyclists rest in front of Buckingham palace, May 8, 2020, in London. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images)

Frogmore House and Clarence House will also not open in August.

Those who booked tickets will be refunded.

10:12 a.m.: Fire kills 5 coronavirus patients on ventilators at Russian hospital

A fire that broke out in a Saint Petersburg hospital early Tuesday killed five coronavirus patients, according to Russian state media.

Four of the patients were attached to ventilators in the intensive care unit of St. George hospital when the blaze erupted, while the fifth patient was on a ventilator in a neighboring ward, state media reported. The identities of the deceased were not immediately known, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Preliminary reports suggested an overheated ventilator had short-circuited and caught fire.

PHOTO: Russian emergency workers attend the scene of a fire at St. George Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on May 12, 2020. Russian state media reported that the blaze killed five coronavirus patients who had been put on ventilators at the hospital. (Dmitry Lovetsky/AP)

A source who worked closely with the hospital before it began treating coronavirus patients and wished to remain anonymous confirmed to ABC News what state media has reported on the incident.

A local emergency official told ABC News that firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.

Russia's investigative committee announced it has launched a criminal investigation into the incident.

9:36 a.m.: Data shows increase in proportion of coronavirus-related deaths at British care homes

The proportion of deaths occurring in care homes in England and Wales that involved the novel coronavirus is increasing, according to a report released Tuesday by the United Kingdom's Office for National Statistics.

"In the most recent days, the proportion of deaths occurring in care homes has accounted for 40.4% of all deaths involving COVID-19," the report states.

The latest data was from deaths registered in the week ending May 1. The proportion was up from 35.7% the previous week.

"Although we expect numbers of deaths to increase as more are registered," the report states, "it currently appears that deaths per day are decreasing."

8:43 a.m.: Russian president's spokesman reportedly hospitalized for COVID-19

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov reportedly has been hospitalized after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

"Yes, I've gotten sick. I'm being treated," Peskov was quoted as telling Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

PHOTO: In this file photo taken on June 15, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the media after his annual televised call-in show as his press secretary Dmitry Peskov (right) smiles in Moscow, Russia. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Peskov said he last met face-to-face with Putin a month ago and has since been communicating with him only by telephone or video call.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin also tested positive for the novel coronavirus last week and is still being treated for it in the hospital. Nonetheless, he chaired a cabinet meeting via video last week.

7:49 a.m.: New data shows coronavirus was in Ohio as early as January

New data shows that the novel coronavirus was present in Ohio as early as January, according to Dr. Amy Acton, director of the state's health department.

Acton revealed the new data during Monday's coronavirus briefing, explaining that antibody testing now shows at least five COVID-19 cases in five Ohio counties have a date of symptom onset in January. The earliest one dates back to Jan. 7.

Previous data showed an onset of symptoms as early as February.

The Ohio Department of Health is investigating these cases and looking to see whether they are linked to any recent travel, according to Acton.

As more antibody testing is conducted, Acton said health officials will learn more about how long the virus has been circulating in the Midwestern U.S. state. As of Monday, the state had reported a total of 24,777 cases of COVID-19 with 1,357 deaths and 4,413 hospitalizations, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX.

Meanwhile, retail stories across Ohio were allowed to reopen Tuesday so long as they adhere to the state's guidelines for social distancing.

7:12 a.m.: Hair salons and restaurants to reopen across Italy next week

Bars, restaurants, beauty salons and barber shops will be allowed to reopen across Italy this month rather than having to wait till June.

Regional governors got their way on Monday when Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte dropped his plan to keep restaurants and hair salons closed until June 1 and instead moved up their reopening to May 18. A list of coronavirus-related safety precautions for those businesses will be issued later this week.

While some Italian provinces move ahead with reopening businesses earlier than originally planned by the central government, Conte still has the power to overrule policy decisions made by governors if the number of COVID-19 cases start to climb again. Monday marked the first day that Italy's nationwide total of patients in intensive care units fell to under 1,000.

PHOTO: A young hairdresser and a customer wearing face masks and gloves to protect against the coronavirus in a salon in Brixen, Italy, Monday, May 11, 2020. (Matthias Schrader/AP)

Once the hardest-hit country in Europe, Italy was the first nation in the world to impose a nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, Italy began to slowly lift the strict lockdown by easing some restrictions.

Italy's Civil Protection Agency recorded the country's lowest daily death toll from COVID-19 on Sunday. The single-day rise of new infections also fell below 1,000 for the first time since early March.

Italy is one of the worst-affection nations in the world in the pandemic, with more than 219,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 and at least 30,739 deaths.

6:35 a.m.: Russia reports over 10,000 new cases for 10th straight day

Russia reported more than 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday for the 10th day in a row, as the country emerges as a new hot spot in the coronavirus pandemic.

There were 10,899 new cases and 107 new deaths confirmed in Russia over the past 24 hours, according to the country's coronavirus response headquarters.

PHOTO: A man wearing a face mask walks at Savyolovskaya metro station in Moscow, Russia, on May 12, 2020, on the first day of mandatory use of masks and gloves on Moscow public transportation amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images)

The latest daily tally is down from Monday's record of 11,656 new infections.

So far, Russia has reported a total of 232,243 confirmed cases of COVID-19, making it the second-largest national tally in the world, behind the United States. Russia also has one of the world's fastest rates of new infections in the coronavirus pandemic, second only to the U.S.

5:10 a.m.: Seoul works to trace clubgoers linked to cluster of new cases

The Seoul metropolitan government is ramping up its efforts to trace clubgoers at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus.

A police task force team of over 8,500 members are combing through mobile phone records, credit card bills and even surveillance footage to identify individuals who recently visited reopened clubs and bars in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon, after 21 new cases of COVID-19 linked to the area were confirmed on Tuesday.

So far, South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has counted a total of 102 confirmed cases tied to individuals who were at Itaewon bars or nightclubs that reopened after anti-virus measures were relaxed or who had come in contact with those who were. Authorities have since shut down more than 2,100 nightclubs, hostess bars and discos in the South Korean capital.

PHOTO: Quarantine workers spray disinfectant at a nightclub in the Itaewon district of Seoul, South Korea, on May 12, 2020, amid an outbreak of the novel coronavirus. (Yonhap/Reuters)

Seoul police have secured a list from mobile operators of 10,905 customers who were present in the Itaewon area for over 30 minutes between April 24 and May 6 and sent text messages asking the owners of those mobile phones to get tested for COVID-19. Police also tracked the credit card transactions of 494 people out of about 1,000 who paid tabs at the clubs and bars currently under investigation there.

"Messages have already been sent to everyone and will be sent once more this afternoon," Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said in a press briefing Tuesday. "Those who have received the messages should visit the nearby health center or screening clinic soon for the testing."

Some 10,300 people tied to the Itaewon area have been tested for COVID-19 so far. Many of the individuals are in their 20s and 30s.

South Korea has begun to gradually ease its strict social-distancing measures that were put in place to curb the spread of the virus. Last week, people resumed their daily routines while museums, libraries and other public facilities reopened under the relaxed rules. The number of new cases reported in the country have stayed low for weeks, but the sudden spike among the younger generation has raised concerns that the quarantine measures may have been lifted too soon.

PHOTO: People wait in line to be tested for COVID-19 at a testing station in the nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul, South Korea, on May 12, 2020. (Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images)

City health authorities have said that all testing will be free for those who come forward and no questions will be asked. But a number of clubgoers are still reluctant to get tested for fear of being stigmatized, as the Itaewon area caters to a large LGBT community.

"This is not a matter of being gay or not. This is a problem that arose unexpectedly to all young people," David Kim, an LGBT activist at the Sinnaneun Center in Seoul, told ABC News. "No one expected an outbreak. Even the government said it's OK to reopen the clubs after a two month break. It's just sad that we are being targeted by conservative media and social opinions as if we are the villains."

South Korea once had the largest outbreak outside China, where the novel coronavirus first emerged, but the country quickly implemented an extensive "trace, test and treat" strategy. A total of 10,936 people across the nation have been diagnosed with COVID-19, of which 9,670 have recovered and 258 have died, according to South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What to know about coronavirus:

How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map

4:34 a.m.: Wuhan to test entire population after cluster of cases emerge

Wuhan, the Chinese city that was ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic, plans to test its entire population for the novel coronavirus after a cluster of new cases emerged.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission issued an emergency notice on Monday announcing a "10 Day Battle" to ramp up its ability to conduct nucleic acid tests on the city's 11 million residents. Each district must submit a detailed plan by Tuesday on how they will test their respective communities, according to an official leaflet which has been circulated on social media and carried by state-run media.

The document did not state a timeline for the completion of the testing drive itself.

Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei province, reported its first cluster of coronavirus infections on Monday in over a month, stoking fears of a second wave. The five new locally transmitted cases arose from a previously asymptomatic patient who then spread the virus to four others in their residential compound, according to the official state-run Xinhua News Agency.

PHOTO: A worker wearing a face mask checks passengers' body temperatures as well as a health code on their cellphones before they take a taxi after arriving at Hankou railway station in Wuhan, in China's central Hubei province, on May 12, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

China's National Health Commission said Tuesday morning that no new cases had been reported in Hubei province over the past 24 hours.

Wuhan was the first city in the world to go under a coronavirus-related lockdown after the newly identified virus was thought to have first emerged there in December. The lockdown was lifted last month and life in the city has slowly been returning to normal. Last week, Chinese authorities decided to downgrade the entire country from high- to low-risk for the novel coronavirus as the number of new infections continued to hover just above zero and no new deaths had been reported for several consecutive days.

But Wuhan's Dongxihu district raised its risk level from low to medium after a new locally-transmitted case was confirmed there over the weekend, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Chinese mainland has reported 82,919 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 4,633 deaths. There are still 115 people with the disease in hospitals, according to the National Health Commission.

3:30 a.m.: Trump and Pence to maintain distance from each other

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence will maintain a physical distance from each other in the immediate future, a senior administration official told ABC News.

The decision was made in consultation with the medical unit at the White House, the official said. The change comes after two aides on the White House campus, including Pence's press secretary, tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Sources had told ABC News earlier that there were discussions over the weekend about keeping the president and vice president separated, but no decision on that had been made until now. It's unlikely the two will be attending meetings together unless necessary, sources said.

PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump turns to Vice President Mike Pence as they depart following a coronavirus response news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2020. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Pence spent all of Monday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where he maintains his ceremonial office and where most of his staff have offices, a senior administration official told ABC News.

The Eisenhower Executive Office Building is part of the White House campus and situated adjacent to the White House building itself. Pence did not go to the White House at all on Monday, the official said.

While in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Pence followed the guidelines for critical infrastructure workers laid out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the official told ABC News. The vice president qualifies as a critical infrastructure worker because he's a key member of a government entity that works to provide public health access, among other critical functions, according to the official.

Those guidelines call for people to take their temperature before going into work, monitor for any symptoms, wear a mask at all times in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure to an infected individual, maintain a six-foot distance from others and practice social distancing at work as much as possible, as well as disinfect and clean workspaces regularly.

Pence followed those guidelines as much as possible and wore a mask inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Monday, the official told ABC News.

ABC News' Luke Barr, Joohee Cho, Katherine Faulders, Ben Gittleson, Dragana Jovanovic, Aaron Katersky, Alina Lobzina, Zoe Magee, Phoebe Natanson, Patrick Reevell and Karson Yiu contributed to this report.

Violent crime down in many big cities amid coronavirus lockdown, police say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Grubhub (NYSE:GRUB) stock was flying higher Tuesday after Bloomberg reported that Uber (NYSE:UBER) had made an offer to acquire the online takeout marketplace.

Grubhub stock rose as much as 38.8% on the news with its market cap reaching $5.9 billion, while investors bid up shares of Uber as well, showing approval of the deal from both sides. Shares of the ridesharing giant gained as much as 8.9%.

It's easy to see why investors cheered the potential deal. Profits have been squeezed in the industry in recent years by intense competition among Grubhub, Uber Eats, privately-held DoorDash, and to a lesser extent, Postmates. The dogfight for market share was grueling enough to send Amazon packing up its own restaurant-delivery business, Amazon Restaurants, while Square bowed out of the race, selling Caviar to DoorDash for $410 million last August.

An Uber takeover of Grubhub would essentially make the industry a duopoly with Uber Eats and DoorDash facing off against each other. According to data from Second Measure, a data analysis firm, DoorDash had 42% market share in the U.S. in March, while Grubhub had 28%, and Uber Eats captured 20%. Grubhub also has a majority market share in New York, the biggest food-delivery and takeout market in the U.S., and leading positions in Chicago and Boston.

Consolidation generally lifts profits in a given industry, which seems to be why Uber stock gained on the news, but investors may want to ask if Grubhub deserves a price near $6 billion.

A troubled business model

Even before the pandemic, Grubhub was struggling.

In 2017, not long ago, Grubhub owned 70% of the online restaurant-delivery market. But cutthroat competition from Uber Eats and DoorDash -- employing a model that provided delivery for restaurants and which Grubhub later embraced -- quickly ate into Grubhub's leadership.

Customers who once had been loyal to Grubhub were now being lured by coupons and discounts from competitors. On its earnings call last October, Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney even complained about customers being "promiscuous" when profits unexpectedly tumbled. Since then, the company has taken the bizarre step of ramping up business with non-partnered restaurants, or eateries that have not agreed to be on the platform. Grubhub is doing that to give customers more choice, but the strategy seems to be a losing one as it has irked restaurants that don't want takeout orders and seems to have no path to profitability.

Grubhub seemed to get a second wind during the pandemic as the company saw a spike in restaurants listing on its platform as dine-in eating disappeared. But the takeout marketplace is spending heavily to keep the battered industry afloat. The company is targeting just $5 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) after spending more than $50 million on safety and marketing to increase orders, which it expects to generate $150 million in gross food sales. Given the challenges facing the restaurant sector, Grubhub and the rest of the online delivery industry is also going through a period of unprecedented uncertainty.

During the pandemic, restaurants have also increasingly protested fees from Grubhub and its peers, which could unravel the whole third-party delivery industry if customers choose to order directly from restaurants, as those restaurants would prefer. Seattle and San Francisco, for example, have both capped commissions that third-party delivery apps can charge restaurants at 15%, while the industry is shut down in those cities.

Does it make sense for Uber?

Uber Eats has been a rare bright spot for the ridesharing giant during the pandemic as demand in its core ridesharing business has plunged with rides bookings falling 80% in April.

Uber also booked an impairment charge of $2.1 billion related to investments in Didi and Grab, two Asian ridesharing companies -- an example of the prolific investments Uber has already made. While Uber's balance sheet is strong with $9 billion in cash and short-term investments, there's no question that it will take a hit during the pandemic, especially as the recovery in ridesharing is likely to be slow as businesses will continue to allow workers to stay at home and consumers avoid travel.

The company had a free cash flow (FCF) loss of $661 million in the first quarter, and it lost $4.9 billion in FCF in 2019, showing it's likely to burn billions in cash over the coming quarter.

Uber envisions itself as the Amazon of transportation, a sprawling business focused on the long term and building competitive advantages, but Uber has already over-leveraged itself with Uber Eats, selling out of a number of foreign markets in order to cut costs, and the company has run into regulatory problems multiple times, most recently in California where it could be forced to reclassify its independent contractors.

Taking over Grubhub would eliminate a competitor and expand Uber Eats' customer base, but most of Grubhub's value comes from its brand, and that has proven to be weak, having shed significant market share in recent years.

The restaurant industry will be severely challenged in the coming months. Even if stay-at-home orders are lifted and customers feel safe enough to dine in at restaurants, the country is sinking into a recession that will impact discretionary spending for the foreseeable future, and a significant percentage of restaurants could be forced to close their doors permanently. Given those circumstances, $6 billion right now seems like a rich price to pay for a competitor whose growth has slowed and whose profits have all but disappeared.

If Uber waits a little while longer, it could get a much better deal.
President Muhammadu Buhari has announced former Minister of External Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, as his Chief of Staff.

The 75-year-old Kwara-born diplomat replaces late Abba Kyari, who died of coronavirus complications in April.

The appointment of Mr Gambari was widely circulated on Tuesday but was however made official on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the new Chief of Staff arrived the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.

Confirming the appointment, the personal assistant to Mr Buhari on new media, Bashir Ahmad, broke the news on Twitter.

According to him, Mr Gambaris appointment was announced at the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by Mr Buhari.

President @MBuhari has appointed Professor Ibrahim Gambari, as his Chief of Staff, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, announced the appointment today at the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting, Mr Ahmad wrote.

President @MBuhari has appointed Professor Ibrahim Gambari, as his Chief of Staff, Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, announced the appointment today at the virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting.  Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) May 13, 2020

The new appointee also attended the FEC meeting.

Mr Gambari was the external affairs minister (1984-1985) when Mr Buhari led Nigeria as a military head of state.
Midland County added no new cases on Wednesday, according to the daily state report, and the county total remains at 67 cases and eight deaths.

No cases were added to the totals of Bay, Isabella and Gladwin counties, with their totals at 214 cases and 10 deaths, 61 cases and seven deaths and 18 cases and one death, respectively. Saginaw County added 20 new cases and two deaths.

The state added 370 new cases and 40 deaths. Overall, Michigan is at 48,391 cases and 4,714 deaths.

The average death age is 75.1, 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 27% age 70-79. State statistics show 53% of coronavirus deaths are male and 47% are female.

The state lists the total recovered at 22,686 cases, as of May 8, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to April 8, 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; 35% Caucasian and 18% 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 send an e-mail to: COVID19@michigan.gov. E-mails will be answered seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and feel you need to talk to someone, reach out to Community Mental Health for Central Michigan by calling 800-317-0708.
BRASILIA, May 12 (Reuters) - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he is not worried about an investigation authorized by the Supreme Court into his motives for replacing the federal police chief, adding that the federal police had never investigated his family.

Former Justice Minister Sergio Moro resigned last month, accusing Bolsonaro of seeking to interfere in federal police investigations. Moro's legal team on Tuesday said investigators had reviewed video of a cabinet meeting confirming the allegations. Bolsonaro said the recording should have been destroyed. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu)
Express News Service By

KOLKATA/PATNA/JAIPUR/RANCHI/BHOPAL: The coronavirus is slowly moving to the rural belt, with an increasing number of cases being reported from districts that were until recently untouched by Covid-19. In many states it has resulted in more districts coming under the grip of the virus.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his meeting with Chief Ministers on Monday, had also flagged the issue saying now the effort should be to stop the spread of the Covid-19 to rural areas.

The number of cases is not huge but it underlines a new threat the pandemic is posing.Take the case of Madhya Pradesh. Eight new districts have reported positive cases after May 1, these include Neemuch (27 cases), Anuppur (3), Satna (5), Bhind (4), Guna (1), Jhabua (2), Panna (1)and Sehore (4), Seoni (1), Mandla (1) and Sidhi (1), all predominantly rural districts.

In the Neemuch district that borders Rajasthan, the worst of the lot, the first case was reported on May 3. Members of a family that held a marriage function tested positive. The wedding was attended by relatives from Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In Rajasthan, Covid-19 infections have spread to two more rural districtsJalore and Sirohi in recent days. However, a health department official said, in rural areas, cases are much less and at best they constitute about 10% of all cases.

In Satna in Madhya Pradesh, which has reported one death, three migrants who returned from Gujarat and two others who came back to their village from Maharashtra, have got infected.

In last few days, up to 65% of the positive cases reported in Bihar were in rural and semi-urban areas. Until the first week of May, about 410 of the 766 total confirmed cases were reported from rural and suburban areas.

Districts like Sitamarhi, Begusarai, Nawada, Siwan, Gopalganj, Munger, Bhgalapur, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa, Supaul, Sheikhpura, Samastipur, Katihar, Madhepura, Araria and Sheohar which have positive cases during this month.

In West Bengal, the pandemic has turned green zones into orange in the past three days. The total number of infected migrants, who returned from other states and tested positive, jumped to 23 from seven in the past 72 hours.

According to sources in the Bengal government, around 2.1 lakh migrants, who want to return, have already registered with the state government. Eight trains designated for the migrants will arrive the West Bengal from four states in the next five days, said an official of the state government.

Rajasthan has also witnessed a similar trend in recent weeks and infections have spread to two more rural districts  Jalore and Sirohi  in the state. Now Jalore has 14 Corona cases while Sirohi has 11 cases. Moreover, Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Rajasmand and Barmer are some other rural districts of the state where recently a number of migrants have been found corona positive.

There are concerns the outbreak may spread further into rural areas, with trains being resumed to take workers to their native places. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday admitted that preventing the spread in rural areas following the return of lakhs of migrants will be the next big challenge for his government.

Jharkhand stats confirm the trend

In Jharkhand, about 75% of positive cases in recent days emerged from rural belts. Out of the total 50 cases registered in Jharkhand in the last 12 days, 38 are from rural areas

(Reported by Pranab Mondal, Rajesh Thakur, Rajesh Asnani, Mukesh Ranjan & Anuraag Singh)
HOUSTON  Texas will begin widespread coronavirus testing in state prisons where at least 30 people have died, officials announced Tuesday, and Houston will furlough about 3,000 workers as the economic shut down and unsteady oil prices wallops the nations fourth-largest city.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also said he tested negative for the virus after his visit last week to the White House came on the same day that a valet to President Donald Trump tested positive.

Heres the latest in Texas:

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MORE TESTS COMING TO PRISONS

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced that tens of thousands of COVID-19 tests are on the way to the states prisons, where inmates have tested positive at a dramatically higher rate than the rest of Texas.

The tests are designed to be self-administered and a dozen strike teams are receiving training this week, agency spokesman Jeremy Desel said. It was the second announcement of widespread testing in Texas in as many days: Abbott on Monday ordered coronavius testing for every nursing home resident and staff member in the state.

More than 1,700 prison inmates have tested positive, according to the agency. The sick has included include 10 inmates at the Pack Unit near Houston, where sanitary and health conditions are the subject of a federal class action lawsuit.

___

UNSTABLE TIMES IN HOUSTON

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said a city budget deficit of $169 million thats been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic will force the city to furlough around 3,000 workers and empty its rainy day fund, and warned that could be problematic with hurricane season starting June 1

Turner said Houston is expected to lose about $107 million in sales tax revenue this year and the same amount in the upcoming fiscal year, which begins in July. Houston is also being hit hard by the dramatic drop in oil prices due to plummeting demand from worldwide virus-related lockdowns.

I dont think theres any question with the advent of COVID-19, that these are some unstable times economically for the city of Houston, Turner said.

To close the budget gap, about 3,000 city workers will have to be furloughed for a maximum of 10 days within the upcoming fiscal year, Turner said. The city has more than 20,000 workers. Police officers, firefighters and sanitation employees will not be furloughed.

Turner said the city will also have to empty its rainy day fund, which typically has about $20 million for emergency spending. This will put the city in a precarious financial state as officials wont have the fund to help Houston respond if a hurricane hits, the mayor said.

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EL PASO ASKS TO PAUSE REOPENINGS

Leaders in El Paso are asking Abbott to delay more reopenings in their community amid worries over rising caseloads.

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego sent a letter Monday asking the governor to keep current restrictions in place around El Paso until numbers improve. Gyms have permission to reopen in Texas starting Monday, and Abbott could also allow restaurants to increase capacity. A spokesman for Abbott did not immediately return a message for comment.

El Pasos cases have climbed more than 60% over the past two weeks.

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ABBOTT TESTS NEGATIVE

Abbott told Wichita Falls television station KAUZ that he tested negative for the virus Monday. He had visited the White on Thursday, the same day a member of the military serving as one of Trumps valets tested positive.

Texas has more than 41,000 cases and at least 1,100 deaths related to the virus. The true numbers are likely higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.

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.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
On Wednesday morning, the southern steps of Laredos City Hall were the site of a liberty protest against many of the recent mandates passed by the city and a bid to reopen all businesses.

About 60 protesters gathered together with signs and T-shirts while a handful of speakers spoke about the need to end the curfew and allow all deemed non-essential businesses to reopen.

One of the main speakers at the event was Shelly Luther, a Dallas salon owner who gained fame after she was cited by city officials and sentenced to a week in county jail after refusing to close her business. She was later relieved of her charges by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and has since founded the the Courage to Stand Foundation to call for more businesses to reopen.

"I went from a nobody to still being a nobody who has just a little bit of publicity, so I will use that for good," Luther said.

At the event, Laredos own two beauticians who were arrested on April 15 for having their home beauty businesses open during the stay-at-home order were present as well. The duo had each faced up to a year in jail and fines of up to $1,000 before Abbott similarly also wiped out any potential consequences they could face.

Both Brenda Stephanie Mata, 20, and Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia, 31, emotionally spoke to the crowd about how the arrests affected them both personally and economically.

Due to this, Luther offered assistance to the two women and their families with a check from her GoFundMe account of over $1,000, as her account has made more than $500,000 in recent weeks since it was opened.

"I want to help as many people in this situation as possible as I have been blessed, and I want to share that," Luther said.

The event also featured many other speakers that voiced their concerns for the government continuing to crack down on businesses and not allowing them to open due to the continued pandemic.

Some claimed they believe government tyranny is ruining the lives of people as they are trying to block them from a decent living. Among the speakers were Col. Allen West  a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Floridas 22nd district  who stated the virus has a 99% survival rate.

Members of the gathered crowd during the rally shouted their support for the idea of reopening businesses, as they believe many continue to suffer at this time.

"Leave these people alone, Luther said. Let them earn their money. Let them take care of their kids, as they know how to do that as they did it before the lockdown, and they can do it now as well."
Myanmar & COVID-19 Different Laws Applied to Myanmar COVID-19 Restrictions Lead to Inconsistent Punishments for Violators

Downtown Yangon is nearly deserted in mid-April after the government issued a stay-at-home advisory to curb the spread of the coronavirus. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

MANDALAYMyanmars courts have been widely criticized on social media in recent days over punishments handed down to those who organize religious gatherings and weddings in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions, with critics saying different laws are being applied in different areas, and that offenders are not being punished equally.

After the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of COVID-19 to be a global pandemic in March, the Presidents Office on March 13 banned public events and mass gatherings, including weddings and religious events, until the end of April as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Depending on the location, those defying state and regional governments COVID-19 restrictions have been prosecuted under a range of laws including the Natural Disaster Management Law, the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Law and Article 188 of the Penal Code. The Natural Disaster Management Law has been invoked most often, with relatively few people being charged under the Penal Code.

Lawsuits have been filed against members of the Buddhist, Christian and Muslim communities across the country. While some are facing prison terms, others have been given moderate fines.

Recently, the Thanintharyi regional government fined officials of a pagoda trustee committee 100,000 kyats (about US$70) for organizing the funeral of a Buddhist monk in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions. In this case, authorities took legal action under the Penal Code.

In April, more than 200 residents of Sinthay Village in Dawei Districts Yebyu Township attended Buddhist funeral rites for the 83-year-old monk, despite the COVID-19 prevention measures and restrictions set down by the regional government.

The chairman and secretary of the pagoda trustee committee were fined 100,000 kyats under Article 188 of the Penal Code for defying an order issued by government officials, U Kyaw Min, the regional minister of immigration and human resources and the spokesperson for the Thanintharyi regional government, told The Irrawaddy on Monday.

In a separate case in Mandalay, 12 Muslim men were sentenced to three months imprisonment under the Natural Disaster Management Law for holding a religious gathering at a house in the Aung Pin Lae quarter of Chanmyathazi Township. Two minors who attended the gathering are awaiting the juvenile courts verdicts in their cases.

The courts use of different laws and the contrasting punishments handed down in the two cases have generated much discussion online, with critics saying the prison terms given to the group of Muslims were too harsh, while the fine imposed on the organizers of the monks funeral was too small.

A local official from Dawei Township told The Irrawaddy that the pagoda trustee committees fine was so low that locals will not be deterred from ignoring the law in the future.

The pagoda trustee committees fineonly 100,000 kyatsis too low. In Mandalay, the person who organized the religious gathering and all the people who attended it were equally punished with prison terms. In this time of pandemic, the punishment should be harsh enough that the public will not break the law in the future, he said.

He noted that a hotel that hosted a wedding in Thanintharyis Myeik Township on March 23 was placed in lockdown and the bride and groom were fined 50,000 kyats, after it was discovered on April 9 that the event had been attended by the countrys 25th confirmed COVID-19 patient.

The pagoda trustees and the wedding organizers, and the locals who attended, broke the law and they knew it. They may have earlier obtained local authorities permission [to hold the events], but they must have been aware of the [potential] impact, he said.

After two wedding ceremonies were held in Tamu and Kalay townships of Sagaing Region in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions, the grooms were sentenced to six months in prison and fined 100,000 kyats each under the Natural Disaster Management Law.

The inconsistent way in which local authorities apply laws to sue those who defy COVID-19 prevention measures has been criticized.

There are problems with the way laws are enforced in our country. How laws are used to sue people depends on the local authorities. And the degree of the punishment also depends on the courts discretion, said rights activist Ko Aung Myo Min, the director of Equality Myanmar, adding that either judges bias or pressure from upstairs may contribute to inconsistent decisions.

On April 14, the Yangon regional COVID-19 control and emergency response committee announced that a lawsuit had been filed against four people including a Christian pastor, Rev. Saw David Lah for holding a religious gathering in late March in defiance of the governments instructions.

They are being sued under Article 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law, which states that a person convicted of defying such instructions shall be punished by up to three years imprisonment or a fine, or both.

The religious gathering, which was held on March 22, has been linked to at least 80 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yangon, including two deaths, making it the largest cluster found in the country so far. Confirmed cases in this cluster began to be reported on April 12.

Saw David Lah was himself infected. He recovered and is currently quarantined at a hotel.

Lawsuits were filed against Rev. Saw David Lah and U Wai Tun at Mayangone Township Police Station, while lawsuits were filed against Pastor Saw Kwae Wah and Saw Raygandi at Insein Township Police Station.

Police Colonel Tin Hla of Insein Township station told The Irrawaddy that the lawsuits against Saw Kwae Wah and Saw Raygandi are ready to be submitted as soon as the two finish quarantine.

The accused pair are recovering and currently under quarantine in Phaung Gyi [treatment center] and Waibargi [Hospital]. Once they have finished their quarantine, we will bring them to the police station for questioning and will submit the cases to the court right away, the police colonel said.

When The Irrawaddy contacted the police station in Mayangone Township, the duty officer said Saw David Lah had recently been questioned regarding the case but refused to provide further details, saying he is not permitted to discuss the case with reporters.

According to rights activist and lawyer U Thein Than Oo, decisions about which laws to use to restrict public activities during pandemics are made by regional governments and their legal advisers.

A person who defies the restrictions could be charged under any related law. However, in this time of pandemic, the states and regional governments may apply any law that is deemed suitable to their respective region and situation. I think the Union government has given full authority to the states and regional governments during this COVID-19 period to take legal action against people who defy the rules, he said.

Under Article 188 of the Penal Code, anyone who defies a government order or instruction shall be sentenced to one to six months in prison or a fine.

Under the Natural Disaster Management law, a person who defies such an order faces three months to three years imprisonment or a fine, or both.

And under the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases Law, anyone who fails to comply with prevention measures issued by the Department of Health shall be punished with a fine or a maximum of six months in prison.

U Thein Than Oo said that in his opinion the most appropriate law under which to prosecute those who defy the COVID-19 restrictions is the Natural Disaster Management Law, even though the offenders may technically have violated Article 188 of the Penal Code.

Charging [a violator] under Article 188 of the Penal Code is quite lenient in the context of a global pandemic. COVID-19 prevention measures are a concern not just for our country, but also for the whole region and the world. So, everyone must follow the law strictly, he said.

In the case of the minors who attended the Muslim gathering in Mandalay, the lawyer explained that the childrens court would likely impose a light punishment such as a briefing on the need to follow the law.

There may be differences in the degree of the punishment because of the different courts, different regions and different situations involved. We cant say the sentences are right or wrong, because the decisions depend on the discretion of the court, the lawyer said.

You may also like these stories:

Yangon Extends Lockdown Measures for Myanmars COVID-19 Hotspots

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Malaysia Deports Nearly 400 Undocumented Myanmar Workers
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A retired Fresno officer received the surprise of a lifetime when his former coworkers and family surprised him with a drive-by parade that ended with a sweet military homecoming and reunion with his son.

Jesus Salinas had not seen his son Jordan since he was deployed overseas in July 2019. The 22-year-old is following in his father's footsteps and pursuing a career in the military as an army specialist.

Jordan had only been stationed in Iraq for a couple months when his 53-year-old dad was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease's in September 2019.

(MORE: FedEx delivery man surprises little girl with cupcakes to celebrate her birthday)

PHOTO: Jordan Salinas was deployed to Iraq three months before his father was diagnosed with ALS, where he has declined rapidly. (Joseph Facio Sr.)

"When Jordan was deployed, Jesus was still walking. He was able to talk but voice was a little raspy, but they just thought it was sinuses," Jesus' sister-in-law Stephanie Ocegueda told "Good Morning America."

The elder Salinas' health has rapidly deteriorated since his diagnosis. He has a specific form of the illness called Bulbar ALS, which progresses faster than other types of the neuromuscular disease. Along with his loss of speech, Jesus is bound to a wheelchair, has limited use of his right arm and forearm and uses a breathing machine. In January, he was medically retired after 20 years of working as an officer at the Fresno Police Department.

Since his diagnosis, Ocegueda said Jesus "has never once complained. He may have ALS, but ALS does not have him."

(MORE: Woman creates 'giving tree' with hundreds of homemade masks for local residents)

"My faith is very strong and I will fight this battle until the end," Jesus told "GMA." Although he can't speak, he types through an app to communicate.

PHOTO: Jesus Salinas worked at the Fresno Police Department for over 20 years until January 2020, when he was medically retired. (Salinas Family)

In late March, Jesus was taken to the hospital with high carbon dioxide levels and forced to stay in the ICU alone due to amended visitation policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"No one knew if he was going to make it," Ocegueda said. By April 2, they were allowed to take him home for in-home hospice.

Story continues

Ocegueda said she and Jesus' sister, Norma Facio, "sat down and decided Jesus and [his wife] Sara and the family needed to make good memories."

Facio and Ocegueda contacted the American Red Cross, with help from Veteran Affairs, to ask for Jordan to be brought home to surprise his parents.

PHOTO: Jordan Salinas homecoming was a surprise for his father, Jesus Salinas, who is battling an aggressive form of ALS. (Stephanie Ocegueda)

(MORE: Mom transforms home into aquarium to celebrate 2-year-old son's birthday in quarantine)

The women worked with the Fresno Police Department to help carry out the homecoming. Ocegueda said Captain Burke Farrah and Police Chief Andy Hall were eager to help cheer up the Fresno police officer of 20 years, especially after Jesus had to be retired from a hospital bed in January.

"We felt that he needed something special, a good memory. Jordan coming home was already going to be hard and we didn't want it to be sad, we wanted it to be really positive," said Ocegueda, who works as a nurse.

They planned to surprise Jesus with a drive-by parade of Fresno patrol vehicles with Jordan at the end of the line, waiting in a car. When Jordan got the green light to return home on a 28-day leave, the family members had to convince him to keep his homecoming a secret from his parents.

(MORE: 27-year-old in wheelchair spreads positivity with his dancing)

"It almost felt wrong not telling them, but I knew the surprise would make them so happy, so I had to fight the temptations so I could make the memory of a lifetime," the Army specialist told "GMA."

On the big day, May 2, Facio and Ocegueda convinced Jesus and his family members to gather outside his house to check out his brother's new motorcycle, while respecting social distancing guidelines. When the Fresno police department started their parade past the house, "it was a surprise for everyone."

PHOTO: The soldier was escorted home in a surprise parade by the Fresno Police Department. (Joseph Facio Sr.)

Jesus was already visibly emotional watching his old coworkers driving down his street.

(MORE: Family gives celebrates son's birthday with socially-distanced drive-thru movie party)

"On behalf of the men and women of the Fresno Police Department, it is my privilege to honor you today," an officer said via the intercom system before adding, "we brought you a present."

But the moment the final car slowed down and Jordan emerged, everyone burst into tears.

"I felt very emotional and blessed, as our lord had answered my prayers to have him home and see him again," Jesus told "GMA."

PHOTO: Jordans homecoming was coordinated with the Salinas family, with help from the Red Cross, the VA and the Fresno Police Department. (Stephanie Ocegueda)

The young soldier called the moment he finally saw his parents "unreal." "[For so long] all I had was FaceTime, so to see them once again means everything to me."

Since the heartfelt reunion, the father and son have been catching up on some much-needed bonding.

"We hang out in our family room and talk and reminisce about his childhood and all the kids growing up," Jesus said.

PHOTO: Mayor Jerry Dyer, who was the Fresno police chief for most of Salinas career, stopped by a few days after the parade to give the former officer one of his last police badges. (Jesus Salinas)

Although he admits some days are better than others, the dad has no plans of letting ALS win. With May being ALS Awareness Month, he wants to raise awareness about the disease and find a cure.

"I am a Marine and Marines never give up... I'm living life fully till the wheels fall off!" he said.

Retired police officer with ALS reunites with military son during surprise parade originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:38:43|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Thailand on Wednesday saw zero new COVID-19 case, the first time since Jan. 13 when the first case was recorded in the country, Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said Wednesday.

"This piece of news has delighted all of us for our joint efforts in the past days. This makes us proud that unity has made this figure a reality, thanks to all of us," said Taweesin.

He said that the achievement was also the result of the state emergency and night curfew imposed by the government since early April.

However, the spokesman urged all Thais not to let their guards down as there are still risk factors to watch in the next two weeks.

"You can feel relieved, but not complacent," he said, adding that a single day without a new infection does not guarantee that Thailand is ready for people to resume normal life.

Total COVID-19 cases remained at 3,017 while 117 are still at hospital and death toll remains at 56.

The CCSA indicated that 50 provinces have reported zero new infections for the past 28 days or more, while new infections have been reported in the other provinces in the same period.

Also, the Active Case Finding campaign found 90 people in state quarantine to have tested positive, with 63 percent of them having arrived from Indonesia. Enditem
All teachers and pupils in England will be tested for Covid-19 if they develop symptoms upon their return to school, Gavin Williamson has said.

The education secretary said the tests were one of several protective measures that would be rolled out by the government for the planned phased reopening of English schools.

Pupils in reception classes and year 6 are set to be the first to go back at the start of June.

Class sizes will be restricted and mixing between school groups will be limited, Mr Williamson said.

He also confirmed he was looking very closely at proposals for summer school catch-up tuition, following concerns that vulnerable children were not receiving the education they needed during lockdown.

The education secretary insisted that the reintroduction of classroom teaching next month was the right thing to do and the only reasonable thing to do, based on medical and scientific advice.

However, the governments strategy has been met with confusion and condemnation from teachers, with one union describing it as reckless.

Mr Williamson, speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, defended plans to start reopening schools next month.

The only consideration behind this decision is what is in the best interests and the welfare of children and those who work in schools, he said, responding to an urgent Commons question from Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Layla Moran.

And we all recognise the importance of children being able to return to schools and sometimes scaremongering and making people fear is really unfair and not a welcome pressure that is to be placed on families, children and teachers alike.

On testing, he said: We already have priority testing for all teachers and those who work in schools if they have symptoms of coronavirus. This priority testing will be extended to all children who attend school and, if theyre displaying symptoms, as well as their families.

This will enable a track-and-trace approach to be taken to any confirmed cases.

He promised the Department for Education would further consult with sector leaders over policy and procedures, having earlier this week published initial guidance on preparing schools for a June return.

I know that this will be challenging but I know that nursery, school and college staff will do everything in their power to start welcoming our children back to continue their education, Mr Williamson added.

Labours Mary Kelly Foy, the MP for the City of Durham, has meanwhile raised concerns about the mass reopening of schools.

Education unions are clear, there can be no compromise on health and safety, she said on Wednesday. These proposals are ill-thought-out and reckless. They will at best create a sterile learning environment for young children who wont understand why they are unable to interact with their friends.

At worst the proposals will set off a chain of new infections back into the households of working people.

How can it be right that without any scientific evidence, school staff and their pupils have to accept lower safety standards?

Shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said the guidance provided by the government on schools did not provide the clear assurances needed on safety.

We all desperately want schools to reopen for the sake of childrens education and well-being, she told the Commons.

But [Mr Williamson] must appreciate that the guidance provided so far does not yet provide the clear assurances over safety that are needed.

Earlier this week, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said that the announcement to reopen schools from 1 June is nothing short of reckless.

Coronavirus continues to ravage communities in the UK and the rate of Covid-19 infection is still far too great for the wider opening of our schools, she said.

The general secretary of NASUWT, The Teachers Union has also questioned the feasibility of the plan.

The fact of the matter is the government has announced a date but hasnt come forward with a plan about how schools will ensure that theyre safe for pupils and safe for staff to be in from 1 June, Patrick Roach said on Monday.

And the prime minister said that it would be madness to risk a second spike in relation to transmission of the virus. Well the profession has got very serious concerns about that announcement of 1 June, whether indeed it is possible to achieve it, but also how to achieve that in a way which is safe for pupils and staff.
New Delhi :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa on Wednesday jointly inaugurated Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. CM Jayalalithaa spoke at the joint inauguration via video conference. Russian President Putin also joined in via VC.

The nuclear power plant has riled in controversies from the very beginning. Now that the plant finally gets a green signal here are some of the important facts to know about it:

-The reactors at Kudankulam - India's largest  has been built jointly by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and a subsidiary of Russia's nuclear regulatory body Rosatom.

-The project was signed by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev in 1988 but construction started only in 1997 due to the turmoil after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Here are the highlights of what PM Modi said at the inauguration:

#In dedicating Kudankulam nuclear power plant we mark another historic tie between India and Russia: PM Modi

#Today's event is also a joyful occasion for the team of engineers in India and Russia, we salute them for their relentless work: PM Modi



#Long live India-Russia friendship-PM Modi while speaking at inauguration of Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant



#I look forward to meeting you (Russian President Putin) at G20 Summit in China: PM Modi







For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
BRASILIA: Brazil`s confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus passed Germany on Tuesday, as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fought states over his wish to reopen gyms and beauty parlours even as his country risks becoming a new global hotspot for the pandemic.

Brazil has confirmed 177,589 cases since its outbreak began in late February, passing Germany`s 170,508 confirmed cases and drawing nearly even with France`s tally of 178,225 confirmed and probable cases. Europe is beginning to lift lockdowns as the death toll in the region eases, but the outbreak is still accelerating in Brazil, where President Bolsonaro has played down the risks of the disease and criticized state governments` isolation orders.

On Tuesday, Brazil recorded its deadliest day yet, with 881 confirmed deaths in 24 hours from the COVID-19 respiratory disease caused by the virus.

Bolsonaro has ratcheted up his dispute with state governors this week, with a decree classifying businesses such as gyms and hair salons as "essential" services, exempt from lockdowns. The right-wing President has argued that the economic damage from closing businesses is worse than the disease.

"Governors who do not agree with the decree can file lawsuits in court," Bolsonaro wrote on social media. He later threatened to take his own legal actions against them if they do not comply.

At least 10 governors said they would not follow the decree. "Bolsonaro is walking toward the precipice and wants to take all of us with him," Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel said on Twitter. Bolsonaro`s popularity has suffered since the crisis began, recent polls have shown. Disapproval of the president rose to more than 55% in a survey released on Tuesday, from 47% in January.

An investigation authorized by the Supreme Court into Bolsonaro`s alleged efforts to meddle with police investigations has also eroded his support, distracted from the country`s pandemic response, and rattled markets.

Bolsonaro won election in 2018 on pledges to clean up politics and make sweeping market-friendly reforms to restore economic growth after a deep recession  plans derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to sources, the government may soon slash its 2020 economic outlook dramatically, predicting a more than 4% drop in GDP, down from a prior forecast for flat growth.

Brazil has passed France and Germany in confirmed cases even as its testing lags far behind both. As of Monday, Brazil had processed nearly 338,000 novel coronavirus tests in three months at official labs, said the Health Ministry. Another 145,000 tests are in analysis or the backlog.

By contrast, Germany`s certified labs tested more than 330,000 samples last week alone and have the capacity to test around 838,000 samples per week. France has also invested in testing to boost capacity to around 700,000 tests per week. Brazil`s health ministry had confirmed 12,400 deaths from the virus as of Tuesday.

Many worry that imposing mandatory lockdowns could hurt local leaders in this year's municipal election, decreasing support for incumbent governors in their 2022 campaigns, said Thiago de Arago, Director of Strategy of the Arko Advice political consultancy.

But as the death toll rose from less than 7,000 to more than 10,000 last week, local authorities began adopting stricter anti-virus measures.

Despite the new lockdowns, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo still don't have mandatory stay-at-home-orders at the state or city level, even though they are the hardest hit places in Brazil.

(With Reuters Inputs)
COVINGTON, Ky., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bexion Pharmaceuticals announced today that the following three abstracts submitted to the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) have been accepted for oral or poster presentation:

Oral Presentation

Tolerability and preliminary efficacy of BXQ-350 for refractory solid tumors and high-grade gliomas: First-in-human, first-in-class phase I trial.

Session: Developmental TherapeuticsMolecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology

Author(s): Olivier Rixe, John C. Morris, Robert Wesolowski, Emrullah Yilmaz, Richard Curry, Trisha M. Wise-Draper, Vinay K. Puduvalli

Abstract: 3505

Poster Presentation

A pediatric and young adult phase I dose escalation study of BXQ-350 for solid and central nervous system tumors.

Session: Central Nervous System Tumors

Author(s): Mohamed Abdelbaki, Bhuvana Setty, Mariko D. DeWire, Timothy P. Cripe, Richard Curry

Abstract: 2541

Poster: 32

Poster Presentation

BXQ-350 to target to the lysosome and kill glioblastoma (GBM) cells via activation of apoptotic caspases in vitro.

Session: Developmental TherapeuticsMolecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology

Author(s): Laura Felix, Timothy J. Stephens, Nikhil J. Wilkins

Abstract: 3639

Poster: 369

ASCO 2020 will be a virtual meeting held Friday, May 29 through Sunday, May 31.

The abstracts will be available on the ASCO website on May 13, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. ET. All posters, including poster discussions, will be available on the meeting website beginning Friday, May 29 at 8:00 am ET.

About Bexion Pharmaceuticals

Bexion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing BXQ-350, a first-in-class agent composed of the multifunctional, lysosomal activator protein Saposin C and phosphatidylserine. BXQ-350 has demonstrated pre-clinical antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo, particularly in brain and other solid tumors, including those that may lead to brain metastases. Bexion has completed a multi-site first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of BXQ-350 for solid tumors and gliomas. A Phase 1 Pediatric Trial enrollment was completed in late 2019.

Media Contact: Margaret van Gilse  859.757.1652  [email protected].

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause Bexion's actual results and experience to differ materially from anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward looking statements. Bexion has in some cases identified forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipates," "believes," "hopes," "estimates," "looks," "expects," "plans," "intends," "goal," "potential," "may," "suggest," and similar expressions. Among other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements are Bexion's need for, and the availability of, substantial capital in the future to fund its operations and research and development; the fact that Bexion's compounds may not successfully complete pre-clinical or clinical testing, or be granted regulatory approval to be sold and marketed in the United States or elsewhere. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Bexion undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to any such forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law or regulation.

SOURCE Bexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bexionpharma.com


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman briefed the media on Wednesday (13 May) to share details of the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday to tackle the impact of coronavirus.

The government will provide collateral-free automatic loan up to Rs 3 lakh crore for the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) with a time frame of 4 years with a 12 month moratorium period. 45 lakh MSMEs will benefit from this scheme. Eligible must have turnover of Rs 100 crore.

The government will facilitate provisions of Rs 20,000 crore as subordinate debt for stressed MSMEs.

FinMin also announced Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion for MSMEs (who may be doing viable business but need handholding because of current situation) through Fund of Funds; to be operated through a Mother Fund and few daughter funds. This will help to expand MSME size as well as capacity.

Government of India and Central Public Sector Enterprises will honour every MSME receivable in the next 45 days. Definition of MSMEs has been revised; investment limit will be revised upwards and additional criteria of turnover is also being introduced.

Indian MSMEs and other companies have often faced unfair competition from foreign companies. Therefore, global tenders will be disallowed on Government procurement tenders upto Rs 200 crore. Necessary amendments of General Financial Rules will be effected. This will be a step towards self-reliant India and support Make in India. This will also help MSMEs to increase their business.

FinMin announced a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking financial companies, microfinance companies, housing finance companies. Under this scheme investment will be made in both primary and secondary market transactions in investment grade debt paper of NBFCs/HFCs/MFIs. This will provide liquidity support for NBFCs/HFC/MFIs and mutual funds and create confidence in the market.

The government announces Rs 45,000 crore liquidity infusion through a partial credit guarantee scheme 2.0 for NBFCs.

Sitharaman also unveiled liquidity injection for power distribution companies. With demand reduction, DISCOMs are facing an unprecedented cash flow problem. PFC/REC will infuse liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore to DISCOMs against receivables.

In order to provide more take home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) contribution is being reduced to 10% from 12% earlier for businesses & workers for 3 months, amounting to liquidity support of Rs 6750 crore. This scheme will be applicable for workers who are not eligible for 24% EPF support under PM Garib Kalyan Package and its extension.

The government has also decided to continue the 24% employee provident fund (EPF) support provided to the business for 3 additional months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crore under the PM Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP). The business eligible for the PMGKP support employ less than 100 workers and 90% of their workers have a salary of less than Rs 15,000.

All Central agencies will be provided an extension of up to 6 months, without cost to contractor, to obligations like completion of work covering construction and goods and services contracts. Government agencies will partially release bank guarantees, to the extent contacts are partially completed to ease cash flow.

FinMin announced extension of registration and completion date of real estate projects under RERA. The Ministry of housing and urban affairs will advise States/UTs and their Regulatory Authorities will extend the registration and completion date suo-moto by 6 months for all registered projects expiring on or after 25 March 2020 without individual applications.

In order to provide more funds at the disposal of the taxpayers, the rates of Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) for non-salaried specified payments made to residents and rates of Tax Collection at Source (TCS) for the specified receipts shall be reduced by 25% of the existing rates. The move will result in Rs 50,000 crore liquidity.

Among other measures, the due date of all income-tax return for financial year 2019-20 will be extended from 31 July 2020 and 31 October 2020 to 30 November 2020 and Tax audit from 30 September 2020 to 31 October 2020. All pending refunds to charitable trust and non-corporate business and professionals including proprietorship, LLP and co-operative shall be issued immediately.

Period of Vivad se Vishwas Scheme for making payment without additional amount will be extended to 31 December 2020.

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The follow-up program on McKenzie Break will target lateral and depth extensions of hole MK19250, which returned 10.50 g/t Au over 11 metres, including 156.00 g/t Au over 0.6 metres, and the eastern extension of hole MK-19-249, which returned 5.28 g/t Au over 13.70 metres, including 58.17 g/t Au over 0.6 metres.Best results from the 2018 and 2019 drilling programs on McKenzie Break, by metal factor:MK-18-205Ext: 32.30 g/t Au over 7.1 metres (realized in 2019)MK-18-196: 61.20 g/t Au over 2.6 metresMK-19-250: 10.50 g/t Au over 11.0 metresMK-19-249: 5.28 g/t Au over 13.7 metresMK-19-241: 26.78 g/t Au over 2.1 metresThe program on the Swanson and Beacon properties will test new high-potential targets.MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION ("Monarch" or the "Corporation") (TSX:MQR) (OTC PINK:MRQRF) (FRANKFURT:MR7) is pleased to announce that it has started diamond drill programs on three of its wholly-owned gold properties, namely McKenzie Break, Swanson and Beacon. Drilling started on the McKenzie Break property, and will subsequently move to the Swanson and the Beacon properties, respectively.McKenzie Break is located 25 km north of Val-d'Or, near Monarch's Camflo and Beacon mills. In the fall of 2019, a total of 4,202 metres drilled in 10 holes and two extension holes returned impressive results, with visible gold in 7 holes (see press releases dated January 8, 2020, February 6, 2020 and February 26, 2020). This new program will allow Monarch to follow up on the excellent results from hole MK-19-250, which returned 10.50 g/t Au over 11 metres, including 156.00 g/t Au over 0.6 metres. Three new holes are planned at a 50-metre spacing to the east, south and west of hole MK-19-250. Another hole is planned 50 metres east of hole MK-19-249, which returned 5.28 g/t Au over 13.70 metres, including 58.17 g/t Au over 0.6 metres (see Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4).Swanson is located 45 km north of Val-d'Or, also near Monarch's two mills. The target is a geophysical magnetic high along the same geological stratigraphy as the Swanson and Manville deposits (see Figure 5). A resource estimate on the property completed for Monarch in 2018 (see press release dated August 3, 2018) identified an indicated resource of 1,752,100 t at a grade of 1.85 g/t Au (104,100 oz Au) and an inferred resource of 74,000 t at a grade of 2.96 g/t Au (7,100 oz Au). The property has promising potential and drilling to date has been limited. Monarch plans to drill one hole across the magnetic high conductor.Finally, Beacon, located about 12 km from of Val-d'Or, will be the last property to be tested. The Beacon property is underlain for the most part by the Bourlamaque batholith and is located 5 km south of Monarch's Beaufor mine. The planned hole is 900 metres from the Beacon Mill and mine and will aim to intersect a favourable NE trending structural fault zone that cuts across the northern part of the property (see Figure 6). This NE trending structure can be traced for 2 km westwards through the Callahan zone and Wrightbar mine."Each of these holes has been well planned by our technical team," said Jean-Marc Lacoste, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch. "We are pursuing our step-by-step approach with McKenzie Break and have so far obtained excellent results, as we are continuously expanding the size and confirming the continuity of the mineralized envelope. As for Swanson and Beacon, drilling in these new sectors could reveal new exploration opportunities." Sampling will consist of sawing the core into equal halves along its main axis and shipping one of the halves to the ALS Minerals laboratory in Val-d'Or, Quebec, for assaying. The samples are crushed, pulverized and assayed by fire assay, with atomic absorption finish. Results exceeding 3.0 g/t Au are re-assayed using the gravity method, and samples containing visible gold grains are assayed using the metallic screen method. Monarch uses a comprehensive QA/QC protocol, including the insertion of standards, blanks and duplicates.The technical and scientific content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Ronald G. Leber, P. Geo., the Corporation's Chief Exploration Geologist and qualified person under National Instrument 43101.ABOUT MONARCH GOLD CORPORATIONMonarch Gold Corporation (TSX: MQR) is an emerging gold mining company focused on becoming a 100,000 to 200,000 ounce per year gold producer through its large portfolio of high-quality projects in the Abitibi mining camp in Quebec, Canada. The Corporation currently owns over 330 km of gold properties (see map), including the Wasamac deposit (measured and indicated resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold), the Beaufor, Croinor Gold (see video), Fayolle, McKenzie Break and Swanson advanced projects, and the Camflo and Beacon mills. It also offers custom milling services out of its 1,600 tonne-per-day Camflo mill.Forward-Looking StatementsThe forward-looking statements in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Monarch's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied therein. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.FOR MORE INFORMATION:Jean-Marc Lacoste 1-888-994-4465President and Chief Executive Officer jm.lacoste@monarquesgold.com Mathieu Seguin 1-888-994-4465Vice President, Corporate Development m.seguin@ monarquesgold.com Elisabeth Tremblay 1-888-994-4465Senior Geologist - Communications Specialist e.tremblay@ monarquesgold.com SOURCE: Monarch Gold Corp.
An all-party meeting convened by Sri Lanka's election commission to decide whether to hold parliamentary polls in June remained inconclusive, party members said on Wednesday.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved the opposition-controlled Parliament on March 2, six months ahead of the schedule, and called a snap election on April 25 to elect a new 225-member House.

However, the election commission in mid-April postponed the parliamentary polls by nearly two months to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected 889 people and claimed nine lives in the island nation.

The new date clashed with the constitutional imperative that the new Parliament has to meet within three months since its dissolution.

Several opposition parties and civil society organisations have filed petitions in the Supreme Court, arguing that according to the Constitution the elections must be held and a new Parliament must be summoned within three months of the dissolution order.

The Elections Commission (EC) on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting to decide whether to hold parliamentary polls in June amid fears that the coronavirus could spread if movement curbs were lifted further.

However, the talks ended without an agreement, the participant said.

"There was representations that democratic rights must be ensured by holding the election," said Sagara Kariyawasam, general secretary of the ruling SLPP party.

Though COVID-19 restrictions are now being eased in the country, some argue that the election should be put off until the pandemic is under control.

"We are not against holding the election, but it must not be held over dead bodies," said opposition JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Several participants also raised concerns that if elections are to be held in June, political parties have to do poll campaigns which would violate all quarantine rules.

They also argue that in view of the health threat caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the conditions for a free and fair poll would not be available.

President Rajapaksa on Monday ordered easing of the lockdown, which was in force since March 20 to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

A 24-hour curfew was lifted on the island, except for Colombo district.

The state and private sector offices were asked to follow strict health guidelines under quarantine ordinance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Participants in the Russian-Azerbaijani online conference "Our Common Victory in the Great Patriotic War", organized by the Institute for Political Studies, spoke about Azerbaijan's contribution to the victory over fascism.

"All the peoples of the Soviet Union made a worthy contribution to the fight against fascism, Azerbaijan did not stand aside. The fascists rushed to Baku, they were only 450 km away from the capital of Azerbaijan, and if it was captured, the USSR would be left with 2 million tons of oil and two refineries in Saratov and Ufa. Therefore, the contribution of Azerbaijani oil companies, which supplied a large amount of fuel to the front line, is quite serious," chief of the Milli Majlis Administration's military legislature sector Nizami Safarov said.

He also noted that during the war years, 600 thousand soldiers from Azerbaijan went to war, while the republics population was about two million: "121 men awarded with the title of Hero of Soviet Union. Azerbaijanis heroically fought in partisan detachments in Belarus, the Baltic states, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia. Some of them were awarded the title of heroes of France and Italy. About 300 thousand people did not return from the war."

Nizami Safarov said that the memory of the war is carefully preserved in Azerbaijan: "On March 30, the parliament of our country instituted an anniversary medal '75 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War'. I emphasize - not in World War II, as it is called by individual states. We all lived in the Great Fatherland, we were part of this great Fatherland and together we defeated fascism through the efforts of all the Soviet peoples. Today we strongly condemn any attempts to rewrite history, distort the truth about the Great Patriotic War, attempts to glorify fascism and fascist criminals. Azerbaijan spoke openly on this subject and repeatedly voiced its position during all the forums. We cherish the memory of all those who died during the war. We need to protect this memory and keep it in our hearts."

State Duma deputy Alexei Zhuravlev recalled a well-known historical fact when Hitler was presented the cake on his birthday in 1942 with an oil rig and the inscription 'Baku': "Hitler bit off a piece and choked on it. He also choked on his treacherous plans to capture the Caucasus, stumbling upon the courage and heroism of the Red Army, in which Russians, Azerbaijanis, and representatives of other peoples fought side by side."

According to the Russian MP, there was no alternative for Baku oil in those days: "Four out of five planes, tanks, cars of the USSR were filled with gasoline made from Baku oil. The labor feat of the Bakuis is enormous. People worked around the clock, beating their own oil production records every month. Its no coincidence that author of the Russian anthem Sergei Mikhalkov devoted capacious lines to Azerbaijan: "And cars cannot move in a formidable tank regiment if there is no gasoline from distant Baku in the tanks." USSR Marshal Georgy Zhukov said: "Oilmen of Baku gave front and the country so much fuel, necessary for defense of our Fatherland and for quick victory over the enemy." Marshal of the USSR Konstantin Rokossovsky insisted: "In every raid of Soviet tankmen, in every victory over the German fascist forces, a considerable share of success belongs to the Baku oil workers." The people who fought on the front lines understood Baku's contribution to the common Victory."

Aleksey Zhuravlev noted that Azerbaijan was famous not only for labor feats, but also for military merits: "44 Azerbaijanis died in the first clashes for the Brest Fortress. In 1941, the population of Azerbaijan was 3.5 million, and 600 thousand went to the front, 300 thousand didnt return. Women fought as well - 10 thousand fragile creatures carried all the hardships of war on their shoulders. This cannot be forgotten. We also remember the heroes of the Soviet Union. The first hero was assistant commander of a rifle platoon of the 42nd rifle regiment of the 180th rifle division of the North-Western Front Israfil Mammadov. Fighter pilot Huseynbalf Aliyev shot down six enemy aircraft near Leningrad, being mortally wounded, landed the aircraft without giving it to the enemy. Gun commander in the 3rd Rifle Battalion of the 309th Guards Rifle Regiment Mirza Veliyev, near Budapest, destroyed alone three German tanks, an armored personnel carrier, and a troop-carrying vehicle, he continued to fire until he was killed. Legendary hero of the French partisan movement Ahmadiyya Jabrayilov received several French awards, as well as was entitled to march in parades ahead of the generals."

"For services to the Motherland, over 400 thousand Azerbaijani soldiers were awarded orders and medals. 123 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. 14 became cavaliers of the Order of Glory of various degrees. Baku was a front-line city for 1418 days and nights of the war. Without Azerbaijan and its contribution there wouldnt be this Victory. Therefore, we appreciate, respect and love the brotherly people of Azerbaijan," Zhuravlev said.
AKRON, Ohio -- Akron police are investigating a burglary at the law offices of attorney William T. Whitaker, police say.

Police received a call about the incident Monday morning about the burglary that happened sometime while the office was closed, Akron police spokesman Lt. Michael Miller said.

Police went to the office on East Mill Street near North High Street. The law office is in a building along with other businesses, Miller said.

The owner of the building told police someone broke a window of the closed business, Miller said.

Police say there was evidence of someone trying to steal computers and other electronics from the office, but its not clear if anything was stole. A police report was not immediately available.

No arrests have been made and the incident is under investigation.

A reporter left a message with Whitaker for more comment, but the call was not returned.

Anyone with information or who witnessed what may have happened is asked to call Akron police at (330)375-2490 or (330)375-2Tip.

Read more crime stories on cleveland.com:

Man dies two days after being found shot inside car in Cleveland, police say

Three shot at large house party in Cleveland, police say

Ex-employee of Cleveland daycare charged after 6-month-old boy falls out of high chair, hits head

Federal appeals court reinstates Akron mans conviction for selling fentanyl that caused womans overdose death
You can leave your umbrella at home through Friday, but light rainfall is in the forecast for Philadelphia later in the week, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone. The highest chance of rain is forecast on Monday at 60%, with the possibility of light rainfall of 0.87 inches.

The immediate forecast also has cool temperatures in store for today. Temperatures will fall to a high of 53 degrees on Monday.

Skies will be cloudy for the next few days. Winds are forecast to reach a modest high of 15 mph on Tuesday, with daily top speeds over 10 mph for the rest of the week.

This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
New Delhi: What is swadeshi? Hours after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will sell only indigenous products, a wave of confusion spread through the ranks.

"We are waiting for a detailed order from the Ministry of Home affairs about the definition of swadeshi. Would it mean only Indian brands or will it include even foreign brands which manufacture in India," DIG RM Meena, in-charge of Central Police Canteen told CNN-News18.

Referring to PM Modi's appeal on Tuesday, during his address to the nation, to make the country self-reliant and use products made in India, Shah said that the CAPFs  CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles  will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

CAPF officials said that if the order allows all India manufactured goods, including from multinational brands like LG, Samsung, Procter and Gamble and Nestle, then not much will change on the ground.

"Most of the international brands have their manufacturing plants in India. We source directly from them and even pay GST. Problem will arise only if we are asked to stick to Indian brands only like Haldiram or Patanjali. That would mean 70% of our inventory will be unusable," a ITBP officer said.

According to sources, top home ministry officials met on Wednesday evening to decide on these modalities.

Officials also pointed out that the deadline of June 1 is too close if any major change in existing items on sale has to be brought about. "If we are told not to stock international brands, then we will have to quickly think of how to procure Indian brands for those goods. In that case, the deadline is too near," an officer said.

CAPF canteens sell everything from grocery to electronic goods to even cars. Only liquor is not sold in these canteens. As per MHA estimate, the decision to go swadeshi would affect revenue worth Rs 2,800 crores, 10 lakh para military personnel and 50 lakh family members and veterans depend on para military canteens.

In October last year, Home Minister Amit Shah had first suggested that CAPF canteens go swadeshi, including food items, stationery, uniforms etc for use in households and offices. Then too swadeshi was defined as "country-made". The 1,700 CPCs are hoping the same definition would continue in the new order too, which is expected by Thursday.
In that case, the three authors continue, the lying demagogue claims to be an authentic champion of those who are subject to social control by the established political leadership.

At the same time, Trump and his critics in the liberal establishment enter into an intensifying conflict that serves to strengthen loyalists support for Trump:

The more Trump is willing to antagonize the establishment by making himself persona non grata, the more credible is his claim to be his constituencys leader. In a push-me, pull-you process, the more

his flagrant violation of norms makes him odious to the establishment, someone from whom they must distance themselves lest they be tainted by scandal. But this very need by the establishment to distance itself from the lying demagogue lends credibility to his claim to be an authentic champion for those who feel disenfranchised by that establishment.

A crucial element of the sense of disenfranchisement described by Hahl and his colleagues is the anger and outrage of those who believe that their interests are not represented by the political establishment.

Steven Webster, a political scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, and the author of the forthcoming book American Rage, wrote in an email that Trump attracts and maintains the devotion of his supporters because he is angry at the right people, institutions, organizations, etc.

This anger has been present for years, if not decades, but, Webster argued,

it is not the case that Trump is merely a vehicle for voter anger. On the contrary, Trump is also a perpetuator of the anger that we see. The relationship between Trump, his supporters, and anger, is circular in nature.

The difference between anger and anxiety, in Websters view, helps explain why so many of Trumps supporters simply disregard his many documented lies and distortions:

When people are anxious they tend to seek out new information. Anxiety rouses people from a sort of autopilot mode and causes them to re-evaluate their beliefs.

Anger, in contrast,

has the opposite effect. When people are angry they tend to mentally retreat and dig in on the things that they know and believe to be true.

The result?

The psychological nature of anger essentially precludes any sort of attitudinal change against Trump. Anger causes Trumps supporters to become more reliant on information they receive from him, the RNC, Fox News, etc.

In other words, they become ideal candidates to enter Trumps digital universe, the realm of suspended belief, a place where supporters are fully insulated from mounting claims of administration failures and mismanagement.

Trump not only taps into his supporters anger but he does so with exceptional confidence and a lack of self-doubt, further enhancing his persuasiveness.

I spoke by phone with Cristina Bicchieri, a professor of philosophy and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and the lead author of the January paper Its Not a Lie If You Believe the Norm Does Not Apply: Conditional Norm-Following with Strategic Beliefs.

One of Trumps strengths, Bicchieri said, grows out of the fact that people hate ambiguity, and if there is one thing Trump is not, its ambiguous. Trumps ability to convey conviction, even when saying things that are demonstrably false, is critically important in persuading supporters to believe and vote for him.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Heath, Zaid Qaisia was shot in the head and killed at the scene. Two other Palestinians were wounded, the ministry said. The IDF, which said one soldier received minor injuries from a thrown rock, did not confirm the fatality.
In this May 4 photo, Guatemalans deported from the U.S. wave from a bus after arriving at La Aurora airport in Guatemala City. Read more

HOUSTON  The young migrants and asylum seekers swim across the Rio Grande and clamber into the dense brush of Texas. Many are teens who left Central America on their own; others were sent along by parents from refugee camps in Mexico. They are as young as 10.

Under U.S. law they would normally be allowed to live with relatives while their cases wind through immigration courts. Instead the Trump administration is quickly expelling them under an emergency declaration citing the coronavirus pandemic, with 600 minors expelled in April alone.

The expulsions are the latest administration measure aimed at preventing the entry of migrant children, following other programs such as the since-rescinded zero tolerance policy that resulted in thousands of family separations.

Border agencies say they have to restrict asylum claims and border crossings during the pandemic to prevent the virus' spread. Migrants' advocates call that a pretext to dispense with federal protections for children.

In interviews with The Associated Press, two recently expelled teens said border agents told them they wouldn't be allowed to request asylum. They were placed in cells, fingerprinted and given a medical exam. Then, after four days, they were flown back to their home country of Guatemala. The AP is withholding the teens' last names to protect their privacy.

Brenda, 16, left Guatemala in hopes of reaching the U.S. to eventually work and help her family. Her father works on a farm, but it's not enough.

We barely eat, she said.

Her family borrowed $13,000 to pay a smuggler and months later she crossed illegally. Authorities later took her into custody in April at a Texas stash house, she said.

I did ask to talk to my brother because he wanted to get a lawyer, because he wanted to fight for my case, she said. But they told me they were not letting people talk to anyone. No matter how much I fought, they were not letting anyone stay.

She is now under quarantine at her family's home.

Similarly, Osvaldo, 17, said agents wouldnt let him call his father. He was held with other children in a cold room and issued a foil blanket as well as a new mask and pair of gloves each of the four days he was in custody.

Someone took his temperature before he was deported, but he wasnt tested for the coronavirus until he was back in Guatemala. Osvaldo was given no immigration paperwork, just the medical report from his examination.

I thought they would help me or let me fight my case," Osvaldo said, "but no.

A 10-year-old boy and his mother, whom the AP is not identifying because she fears retribution for speaking publicly, spent months at a squalid camp in Matamoros, Mexico, across from Brownsville, Texas, waiting for their immigration court dates under the Trump administration program known as Remain in Mexico.

When she lost an initial decision, she decided he would be better off temporarily with her brother in the United States. She watched him swim across the Rio Grande.

The woman expected he would be be treated the same as before, when such children were picked up by the U.S. Border Patrol and taken to Department of Health and Human Services facilities for eventual placement with a sponsor, usually a relative.

But the mother heard nothing until six days later, when her family received a call from a shelter in Honduras.

They had thrown him out to Honduras, she said. We didnt know anything.

The boy now lives with an aunt in the capital, Tegucigalpa. Another relative has agreed to take him back to the familys rural village, if the mother returns to care for him. But she fears her former partner, who abused and threatened both of them.

He doesnt want to eat. All he does is cry, the woman said. I never imagined they would send him back there.

Their case was first reported by CBS News.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Amy Cohen, a psychiatrist who works with the family and leads the advocacy group Every Last One, criticized the governments treatment of the boy and other children.

This boy has gone through multiple traumas, ending with the experience of being placed on a plane by himself and flown to a country where no one knew he was coming, she said.

Under a 2008 anti-trafficking law and a federal court settlement known as the Flores agreement, children from countries other than Canada and Mexico must have access to legal counsel and cannot be immediately deported. They are also supposed to be released to family in the U.S. or otherwise held in the least restrictive setting possible. The rules are intended to prevent children from being mistreated or falling into the hands of criminals.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection began the expulsions in late March, using the emergency as justification for disregarding the Flores rules. CBP said it processed 166 children last month as unaccompanied" minors, meaning they would be taken to HHS youth holding facilities and allowed to stay in the U.S. at least temporarily, and the remaining 600 were expelled.

But HHS says it received just 58 unaccompanied minors in April. Spokesmen for both agencies were not immediately able to address the discrepancy.

CBP says it exempts children from expulsion on a case-by-case basis, such as when return to the home country is not possible or an agent suspects trafficking or sees signs of illness." An agency spokesman declined to provide more specifics.

CBP acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said last week that the U.S. may keep expelling migrants even as states begin to ease coronavirus restrictions.

Meanwhile, as the virus has spread through immigration detention facilities, the U.S. has deported at least 100 people with COVID-19 to Guatemala, including minors.

Michelle Brane, director of migrant rights at the Womens Refugee Commission, said the virus is an excuse for expelling children, and the Trump administration could admit them and still counter its spread through measures like temperature checks and quarantines.

At the very heart of it," she said, "it has always been about trying to block access to protection for children and families and asylum seekers.
Three Senate Democrats want Trump administration officials to keep a closer eye on the banks handing out aid to small businesses after some companies said they had received less than they expected, without explanation.

In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza on Wednesday, three members of the Senate Banking Committee asked for more oversight of banks making loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. The program is designed to provide forgivable loans that help small businesses pay their employees and some of their overhead during the coronavirus lockdowns.

But some business owners told The New York Times that they had not received as much money as they had asked for, and said they had been told that the decision was made by the banks  not the Small Business Administration, which is funding the program.

Whether inadvertent or intentional, this troubling report warrants a response from your agencies, the senators, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Tina Smith of Minnesota, wrote in the letter.
In 1988, a group of South Fork naturalists formed a membership organization called the South Fork Natural History Society, better known as SOFO. The objective of this organization was to increase public awareness about the past, present, and future of eastern Long Islands natural history and to share their joyful experiences of exploring and learning with others in the community. SOFO used to operate out of a small building referred to as the Nature Clubhouse where children gathered to examine different species, research for school projects, and just hang out. The Clubhouse served as a prototype...
Enterprises worldwide are adapting their video delivery workflows to ensure that all their employees, no matter where they are located, are able to receive live video addresses from leadership, said Brian Henry, SVP Defense and Enterprise Sales Americas, Haivision.

Haivision, a leader in video streaming solutions, today announced the latest version of the Haivision Media Platform for secure, multi-site live video distribution for streaming enterprise video content including all-hands webinars and IPTV to employees anywhere inside and outside the corporate firewall.

The latest version addresses a key challenge as enterprise communications teams seek to scale their video delivery capabilities from focusing on inside the corporate network to securely extending their reach to surging numbers of employees who are working remotely and who need access to content across the public internet.

Enterprises worldwide are adapting their video delivery workflows to ensure that all their employees, no matter where they are located, are able to receive live video addresses from leadership, said Brian Henry, SVP Defense and Enterprise Sales Americas, Haivision. With new support for embedded video players from platforms such as Microsoft Stream, Haivision Media Platform ensures that enterprise viewers anywhere have a secure, high-quality video experience across web, mobile devices and even set-top boxes.

Haivision Media Platform now provides administrators with a flexible approach to how they build their network topology. Haivision Media Platforms enterprise content delivery network (eCDN) makes it possible to efficiently deliver live content and IPTV to internal screens across office locations. The integration of a scalable CDN-based service, such as Microsoft Stream, enables remote audiences to watch reliably from anywhere. Regardless of how the content is delivered, all authenticated users access the streams securely through the Haivision Media Platform portal or associated Haivision Play apps on mobile devices or set-top boxes.

A core tenet of Microsoft Stream is delivering live events, such as company meetings and CEO updates, to employees wherever they are  working remotely from home, in an office, or on the go, said Chris Knowlton, Principal Program Manager, Microsoft Corp. The ability to combine Stream playback with Haivision Media Platform provides added flexibility for enterprises that need to deliver live video to large numbers of remote employees while also distributing it efficiently behind the corporate firewall.

Key new features of Haivision Media Platform include:



External Session Player Support  Embed third-party video players such as Microsoft Stream within live sessions for playback directly in the Haivision Media Platform user interface to efficiently reach employees working from home or remotely.

Source Location Filtering  Allows administrators to limit what content is available based on a viewers location. This is important when adhering to IPTV distribution agreements for multi-location organizations, or for enabling CDN-based delivery to employees outside the firewall.

Simplified User Experience  Manage and simplify the HMP user experience with role definitions that specify which toolbar menu items are available to different user types.

About Haivision

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While the ongoing pandemic is taking a severe human and economic toll worldwide, deal-making activity in Vietnam is likely to maintain momentum as corporate leaders are being asked to make strategic decisions for hunting capital.

Park Jun-Yong, a South Korean lawyer from Linden Investment Co., Ltd. predicted, We will see more mergers and acquisitions (M&A) than before because of market restructuring, not just because prices will go down.

The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted supply chains, causing the closure of several manufacturing facilities worldwide and the restructuring of many industries. Clearly, decision-makers have no test playbook to navigate the unprecedented global health and financial crisis, pushing them into action quickly to survive the crisis and accelerate the eventual recovery. For companies with strong balance sheets, M&A will play a major role during that time.

According to data from the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the first four months of this year, 32.9 per cent of overseas investment, reaching $2.48 billion, was in capital contributions and shares purchased by foreign investors. This included around 100 cases of capital contribution and share purchase by the Chinese. Meanwhile, Thai and Japanese backers also made an impact with a number of deals.

Truong Thanh Duc, a lawyer from Basico Law Firm, said that the data only reflects the tip of the iceberg, as the number of actual deals could be higher, and there are more to come. He also predicted that some local companies may reduce in value significantly during the pandemic, allowing large-cap buyers to quickly buy in. He went on to say that for 2020, in terms of M&A attraction, real estate will continue to be a big magnet for investors. In addition, other industries and fields such as industrial production, services, construction, and energy are also attractive for M&A deals thanks to the relocation of production from abroad into Vietnam and the high demand.

The increasing domestic demand due to rapid population growth and urbanisation has had a big impact on M&A in the services and consumer goods sectors. The private equity industry, which is sitting on billions of US dollars, may be one beneficiary of the drastic de-rating across markets, but they will also have their hands full managing existing portfolios.

South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, China, and Japan should be willing to take up the opportunity, and competition among these powerful buyers will be fierce, thereby creating more opportunities for Vietnamese companies with a proven track record.

Michael Han, head of South Korean-backed SK Groups representative office in Vietnam spoke to VIR. The attractiveness of Vietnam and its tremendous growth potential is not new, he said. Singapore, Thailand, and China have been the traditional powerhouse investors in Vietnam, with South Korea and Japan being the relative newcomers. We have seen increasing competition in certain sectors and I would not be surprised if more deals are sold via an auction process.

Warrick Cleine, chairman and CEO of KPMG in Vietnam and Cambodia said that the types of investors looking at Vietnam are private equity funds and multinational corporations, especially from Japan and South Korea. They are more familiar with short-term economic shocks, and invest for the longer term. Vietnamese companies seeking foreign partners need to be realistic about valuation and flexible about the timing and process. It is a much more difficult market than it was three months ago, Cleine said.

While there will be winners and losers, observers are concerned that panic will lead to a raft of opportunistic M&A activity in the short term as smaller businesses struggle to survive. There is a valid concern that others may take advantage of market volatility to profit.

Global consulting firm FTI suggested in its COVID-19 M&A report that companies should also prepare for a potential unwanted approach by understanding the factors that make them vulnerable to such overtures. Beyond the financial incentive offered by a premium, shareholders may view the lack of a viable strategy or a reliable management team as good reasons to sell the company, it noted.

Amid the new situation, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry submitted various proposals to the prime minister late last week, in which it requested the government should delay M&A deals during the crisis in order to avoid leaving local businesses vulnerable to hostile takeover bids from foreign investors. The proposal is said to be necessary and urgent at this time while many other countries are seeking tighter scrutiny of acquisitions.

Duc from Basico Law Firm warned that Vietnam could face punitive tariffs, origin fraud, and illegal transshipment if they fail to regulate businesses activities after M&A deals are completed.

Some of Europes biggest economies have announced intentions to protect domestic companies by increasing scrutiny of foreign investments. These tactics typically involve tighter regulations at the deal screening level, including closer attention to industry-specific transactions, and relaxed thresholds for blocking cross-border investments entirely.

Some measures have been implemented in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but others are the result of long-planned reforms. VIR

Van Thu

Vietnamese enterprises at risk of being acquired by foreign firms Nguyen Kim home appliance distribution chain has been acquired by Central Retail of Thailand.
The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday



is likely to clear an ordinance aimed at bringing in reforms to facilitate market access for farmers after Governor Vajubai Vala reportedly returned it citing procedural reasons.

The government had earlier planned to take post-facto approval from the Cabinet for the ordinance, which, according to sources, seeks to usher in Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) reforms.

According to reports, the Governor citing procedures, wanted the cabinet to clear the ordinance first.

The ordinance, which has been opposed by Congress and JDS, was likely to placed before the cabinet on Thursday, official sources said.

Opposition parties Congress and JD(S) have vehemently opposed the ordinance, claiming that it would dilute the APMC laws and affect the famrers' interests.

The measure would only help big private companies as it will clip the powers of the APMCs, they charged.

JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had even said he will write to the Governor requesting him to use his discretion before approving it.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah on Wednesday telephoned Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and urged him not to bring in any amendment to the APMC Act citing its 'negative' consequences.

Siddaramaiah informed the Chief Minister that if multinational companies enter the agriculture market, government will not have any control like fixing price among others, his office said in a statement.

The proposed amendment to agriculture produce marketing laws aimed at removing restrictions on sale of farm produce and allowing farmers to sell their produce anywhere is said to be being brought following the Centre's suggestion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ONE of the more insidious side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the bending  in the wrong direction  of the international political rights curve. In fact, the novel coronavirus has provided repressive governments (and even democratic ones) around the world with an irresistible opportunity to abuse their own people.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

ONE of the more insidious side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the bending  in the wrong direction  of the international political rights curve. In fact, the novel coronavirus has provided repressive governments (and even democratic ones) around the world with an irresistible opportunity to abuse their own people.

Indeed, it is not particularly difficult in times of exceptional crisis to pass emergency powers. It is often more challenging, however, to dismantle them after the fact.

For instance, the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu has moved in the name of COVID-19 to close down the countrys courts for most cases and attempted to prevent the new opposition from ousting the speaker of the Knesset. It has also utilized sophisticated technology and cellphone data to engage in surveillance of its citizens.

Using the deadly pandemic as a cover, political leaders in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa have also moved recently to crush dissent in the public square, close their borders to migrants and to silence critical voices. All of these flagrant rights violations can now, in effect, be justified as necessary  or at least tolerable  given the ongoing war against the life-threatening virus.

Some commentors have even started to refer to these troubling illiberal actions as veritable "coronavirus coups."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invoked the lethal pathogen to fortify his already oligarchic and authoritarian regime. He is effectively ruling by decree indefinitely (and eroding parliamentary institutions) and investing himself with the power to go after independent journalists, to threaten minority communities and to jail those who are accused of publishing "false" information.

In the Americas, Brazils Jair Bolsonaro, known as someone who already harbours anti-democratic impulses, has taken full advantage of the situation. While dismissing the virus as "just a little flu or the sniffles," he has sought to discredit the media (and to thwart freedom of information requests) and to embolden his populist supporters.

Similarly, Venezuela has used the COVID-19 outbreak, and the imposition of a widespread quarantine, to crack down on political opponents, anti-government protests and public criticism. In Chile, which has been battling a determined opposition movement for months, the government has sent the feared military into the city squares to intimidate democracy protectors.

Under the guise of the coronavirus pandemic, Beijing has sought to further consolidate power and the grip of the Chinese Communist Party. It has ruthlessly silenced critics of its COVID-19 response, expelled journalists (and increased censorship) and significantly enhanced the reach of Chinas surveillance state.

Governments in Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia are also targeting their critics and cracking down on alleged rabble-rousers. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has dangerously singled out the countrys minority Muslim communities as the source of the coronavirus outbreak in Cambodia.

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Furthermore, mercurial President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has arrogated to himself extraordinary emergency powers to do as he wishes. As the Concerned Lawyers for Civil Liberties in the Philippines noted, "This limitless grant of emergency powers is tantamount to autocracy." No one will be surprised if he uses this enhanced executive authority to go after media critics, human-rights groups or political opponents who all disapprove of his harsh tactics to rid the country of drug-dealers.

Canada, for its part, has chosen this time of crisis to lift the current restrictions on new export licences for sophisticated LAV military vehicles to perennial rights-abuser Saudi Arabia. With Canadians understandably preoccupied by a dangerous public-health threat, the Trudeau government was hoping that Canadians wouldnt notice our legitimization of a repugnant Middle East state.

No one is disputing that we are living in extraordinary and trying times. It is equally true that international human-rights declarations and covenants allow for highly restrictive measures in periods of national emergency. But they need to be proportionate and seen as necessary (and certainly not driven by political motivations).

More ominously, very little of this authoritarian action has anything to with combating the spread of the respiratory disease. Its all about governments shrinking the democratic space and tightening their grip on political power. And we should not assume that these dictatorial measures will be quickly rescinded in a post-COVID-19 world.

The novel coronavirus pandemic is certainly a stark reminder of just how interdependent the world is  along with its susceptibility to border-defying diseases. But it also carries a powerful message about the fragility of human-rights protections and the reason why citizens need to constantly guard against governmental power grabs and creeping authoritarianism.

Peter McKenna is professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday lauded the Centre for Rs 20 lakh crore COVID-19 economic stimulus package, saying it would benefit over three crore people in state's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

He also said that keeping in mind the MSME sector, the state is going to organise a loan fair from Thursday.

"Tomorrow, over 36,000 entrepreneurs will be given Rs 1600-2000 crore in loans," said the chief minister according to an official spokesman.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the finance minister for the package. Presently, UP is the state with maximum MSMEs. Over three crore people of state are related to the sector directly or indirectly. This will make them strong," Adityanath said.

"My government with the help of One District One Product (ODOP) scheme tried to give a new life to MSME sector but due to coronavirus pandemic some hurdles came up. Announcement of Rs 3 lakh crore loan for MSMEs and other initiatives are welcome step," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
KABUL -- President Ashraf Ghani says Afghanistan's security forces will go on the offensive against the Taliban and other militant groups, following a violent day in which gunmen stormed a maternity hospital in Kabul and a suicide bomber targeted a funeral in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

The IS claimed responsibility for the attack that targeted the funeral, saying in a statement on the Telegram messaging app quoted by AFP that the bomber exploding a suicide belt, killing and wounding 100 nonbelievers.

The SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online jihadist activity, said the attack on the funeral was claimed by the Islamic State Khorasan, the Afghan affiliate of the IS.

IS made no mention of the attack against the maternity hospital. The Taliban denied involvement in either attack.

Ghani said in a televised address he was "ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to start their operations against the enemies."

He said a resumption of operations was necessary "to defend the country, safeguard our countrymen and infrastructure, and to repel attacks and threats by the Taliban and all other terrorist groups."

The Taliban, which has denied involvement in either attack, reacted to Ghani's statement by saying on May 13 that it was "fully prepared" to repel any military offensive.

Noting that the Taliban denied responsibility for the horrific attacks in Kabul and Nangarhar, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Afghan government and the Taliban to cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice.



"As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism," he said in a statement.

The Taliban signed a landmark deal with the United States in Qatar in February meant to pave the way for direct talks between the militant group and the Western-backed government in Kabul after more than 18 years of war.

But the Taliban has ramped up attacks in recent weeks despite a pledge to reduce violence, while IS militants also continued targeting Afghan security forces and civilians.

Earlier in the day in Kabul, three gunmen attacked the state-run hospital in the citys mostly Shi'ite neighborhood of Dasht-e Barchi, setting off an hours-long gunbattle with Afghan security forces.



The Interior Ministry said 14 people were killed in the attack, including two newborn babies, and 15 others were wounded.

Security forces eventually killed all three attackers, allowing the rescue of 80 women and infants from the hospital.

A witness, Jawad Amiri, told RFE/RL that one of the attackers "was wearing a military uniform and the other two were dressed as doctors."

"They came to the main entrance and opened fire at people everywhere around. They killed many innocent people," he added.

Afghan officials say work at the hospital was supported by the Nobel Prize-winning international nongovernmental charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).



In a message sent to RFE/RL on May 12, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that the militant group was involved in the hospital attack.



IS has claimed responsibility for numerous other attacks against Shi'ite Muslims in the western part of Kabul.



Meanwhile, in the Khewa district of Nangarhar Province, the provincial governor's spokesman, Attahullah Khogyani, told RFE/RL that 24 people were killed and more than 68 injured by a suicide bomber who attacked a funeral.

And in the southeastern province of Khost, a bomb planted in a cart at a market killed a child and wounded 10 people. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for that attack.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan expressed "shock and revulsion" at the attacks in Kabul and Nangarhar, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned them as "acts of evil" that showed "an appalling degree of inhumanity."

Human Rights Watch said the assault on the Kabul hospital showed "blatant disregard for civilian life and is an apparent war crime."

The New York-based watchdog said in a statement that attacks on health care in Afghanistan had increased sharply since 2017.

IS has claimed responsibility for a spate of violence in Kabul on May 11 that wounded a child and three adult civilians.



Those attacks included three roadside bombs as well as a fourth bomb placed under a garbage can in the northern part of the Afghan capital.



The Interior Ministry said on May 11 that Afghan security forces arrested the Islamic State group's regional leader for South Asia, Abu Omar Khorasani, during an operation on the northern side of the Afghan capital.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
'To put it bluntly: Dublin-based people generally fail to appreciate the importance of farming to our economy and culture, and the innovative nature of farmers in general'

I continue to be amazed that this paper, and Irish media more broadly, continues to repeat Fianna Fail and Fine Gael claims that the Green Party is out to destroy farming (Farming must not be sacrificial lamb in Greens coalition talks, May 12).

There is nothing in the Green Party platform which says the Green Party will reduce carbon emissions through severe cuts to our herd any more than there is something saying everybody will have to become vegan and walk or cycle everywhere.

The Greens have a very aggressive stance towards mitigating climate change, in line with EU targets, which will definitely involve collaboration with and innovation within a large number of carbon-intensive sectors. There are massive opportunities for Ireland to take a world leadership  our position as a small island gives us a great environment in which to incubate innovation.

It is also important to note the Green Party reflects the Dublin-rural divide we have. To put it bluntly: Dublin-based people generally fail to appreciate the importance of farming to our economy and culture, and the innovative nature of farmers in general. They also tend to fail to appreciate public transportation only works with dense populations, and things like rural broadband infrastructure are woefully lacking.

Journalists need to get out of Dublin and start paying closer attention to the news and views of those of us who do not live in Dublin. This is particularly true in coverage of climate change politics, where regurgitating partisan tripe does nothing but divide our nation further and hinder us from tapping into our full innovative potential.

Phil Miesle

Ennis, Co Clare

Johnson is out of touch to urge people back to work

Boris Johnson et al are living on a different planet. More than 30,000 people have died in the UK due to the coronavirus. Hundreds of thousands of people are infected, almost all countries are in lockdown and entire businesses are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy  and they ask people to go back to work as if nothing happened.

After two months of lockdown, the elderly, infirm, homeless and vulnerable will live a life of constant anguish, psychological torment and distortion. Our governments cannot continue to live in a cocoon spun around them with lies and deception.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London, UK

Lesser-spotted aeroplane trumps our local wildlife

About six weeks ago a nice lady we meet on our early morning walks told us to look out for a beautiful red squirrel which she had spotted outside her house. A very rare occurrence indeed.

So my wife and I have been on the look-out for our friend since. Then, last Monday, my wife suddenly exclaimed, Look Brian! She was looking upwards where a jet aeroplane was flying above us making a white mark right across the clear beautiful sky.

No red squirrel yet, but strange to think we probably witnessed an even rarer occurrence in these present strange times.

Brian McDevitt

Glenties, Co Donegal

Expert view  our expert is more expert than your expert

Confined as I am due to movement restrictions placed on all of us, I spend a lot more time listening to the radio and I am very conscious of the following.

The various radio programmes, vying with each other to convince listeners that they have something new to say, have adopted the tactic of bringing on a newer and more impressively titled medical expert than others. Consequently, on the introduction of yet another expert from another university, I find myself saying: I didnt even know they had a university there.

Who next? I ask. Archimedes Glockenspiel, senior fellow in non-specific medicine at the university of Terra Del Fuego?

Brendan Casserly

Bishopstown, Co Cork

Continuous assessment has its place in education system

In the broadest sense, the Leaving Cert exam has never been fair, as the outcome is dependent on a range of variables, but it has stood the test of time.

Big schools can provide quality teachers for as many as three top classes. High-profile schools attract the brightest students.

The school and home environment is hugely important and money counts when it comes to grind schools and grinds. Following this wake-up call, we should look at how the UK system provides a more embracing continuous assessment which incorporates some of these variables. There are risks, however, particularly if too much weight is given to environmental factors and with the caveat  never forget they voted for Brexit!

Dr Michael Foley

Rathmines, Dublin 6
NICOSIA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Embassy in Cyprus on Tuesday donated 1,200 face masks to the bi-communal committees in Cyprus, which is made up of Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

The contribution was "a special donation to the bi-communal technical committees for their better protection at work in facilitating the political process of the Cyprus problem as restrictions gradually lift," Chinese Ambassador Huang Xingyuan told Xinhua.

The donation was also announced by the United Nations mission in Cyprus, which said that the donation was handed by Ambassador Huang to the Coordinator of the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General (OSASG) on Cyprus, Sergiy Illarionov.

"The masks were donated by the Chinese Embassy in Nicosia to be used as protective equipment by the bi-communal technical committees. Mr. Illarionov thanked the Embassy for its generous support on behalf of the bi-communal technical committees," said a message posted on the UN Cyprus social media.
A South Korean doctor whose career took him to a Newfoundland outport  and where he had such an influence that a cottage hospital was named after him  has died.

Dr. Yong Kee Jeon, who was so renowned for his compassion and long hours of rural medical service that he was the subject of a CBC Land & Sea documentary in 2009, died May 10. He was 91.

Born in Korea in 1928, Jeon came to Newfoundland and Labrador in 1966 for what was supposed to be a short-term stint. He would spend the rest of his career working with residents of coastal communities.

Two years later, he settled in Brookfield, Bonavista Bay, working with patients in the New-Wes-Valley area. His dedication to medicine and his patients was recognized in 2015, when the Brookfield health centre was renamed the Dr. J.K. Jeon Kittiwake Health Centre in his honour.

Ken Hoyles, a lab technician who worked with Jeon for many years, called Jeon's arrival in the central Newfoundland town a "gift from God," and that the area was a perfect fit for him.

"He loved the place and he loved the people," said Hoyles. "It was a small outport cottage hospital where he enjoyed the outdoors and all those things that went along with it."

From the archives: Watch the Land & Sea profile, titled Dr. Jeon:

Jeon studied medicine at Severance Union Medical School in Seoul, South Korea in the 1950s. From there, he completed an internship and residency in orthopedics in New York City, before moving to Old Perlican with his wife Suk-Gue.

Hoyles said Jeon's dedication to patients was unsurpassed.

"He basically lived at the hospital  his residence was just across the yard. It was normal for him to spend a hundred or so hours a week in the hospital. There were times when literally he never went home for days," he said.

Garrett Barry/CBC

Hoyles said Jeon's way with people, and the way he treated everyone working at the hospital  no matter their role  was something that set him apart from many physicians of the day.

Story continues

Jeon was the recipient of many awards and accolades over the years, including being named the Canadian Family Practitioner of the Year in 1988, and an honorary lifetime membership to the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association in 2013.

Known as a kind, gentle doctor

Hoyles said that he spent long hours assisting Jeon, and his attitude towards his work and his patients never changed.

"He was such a gentle, humble, compassionate person and his demeanour never, ever changed whether it was 5:00 in the morning or 5:00 in the evening. He always had that little giggle in his voice and a little step that he had  dance step that he had. He was such a remarkable individual."

Hoyles is not alone in his admiration of Jeon.

Health Minister John Haggie, a retired surgeon who worked for many years in central Newfoundland, knew Jeon well as a colleague and friend. Haggie paid tribute to Jeon's contributions to medicine at Tuesday's COVD-19 briefing.

"He was a man who was loved by his patients, a great colleague, and a really sharp, clinical mind," Haggie said. "From a grateful province to a grieving family  we will remember him, too."

While a small, family funeral service has already taken place, Holyes said he hopes there will be a larger celebration of Jeon's life and legacy at a later date.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
She's a very close friend of Hollywood actor Brad Pitt - and actress Alia Shawkat was pictured going for a solo bike ride in LA on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old showed off her quirky sense of style wearing a bright orange shirt which was covered in a bold flower print.

She teamed it with a pair of clashing purple plaid trousers and put her safety first with a patterned face mask.

Solo trip: Actress Alia Shawkat wore a face mask and bright clashing prints for a bike ride in LA after it was revealed she and close friend Brad Pitt share a 'tight bond'

The outing comes after it was reported that Alia and close friend Brad, 56, have a 'tight bond' and live near to one another.

The Arrested Development actress was photographed leaving the Pitt's residence last week and is said to have met the actor in 2019 through mutual friends.

She is reportedly a frequent visitor of the Hollywood icon's home, as she lives just 10 minutes away.

Making her own style rules: She wore a bright orange shirt which was covered in a bold flower print and clashing purple trousers

'They're hanging out plenty,' a source told UsWeekly.

'They're only about 10 minutes away from each other, so Alia will bike or walk to Brad's place whenever they have time to chill.'

During her 'very organic and easy' visits, the pair enjoy ordering food in like 'burgers and pizza' or driving down the coast in one of his luxury automobiles.

It has been claimed that she inspires his art work and gives him direction, as she is an art aficionado.

Mutual interests: The actress, who was photographed leaving the Pitt's residence last week, reportedly met in 2019 through mutual friends

Brad, who was previously married to Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, and pal Alia, reportedly have a 'tight bond and trust each other implicitly.'

'Alias been a wonderful help for Brad during this major transition,' a UsWeekly source added.

Brad co-parents five of his six kids with Jolie as Maddox is an adult and off at college.

Their other children are Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 13, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 11. They share custody after a long battle with lawyers.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is set to make her first TV acting appearance since Fleabag, in episode five of the HBO thriller Run.

The actor plays the character of Laurel, a woman who encounters the two main characters, played by Merritt Wever and Domnhall Gleeson.

Run tells the story of two former lovers who both upend their lives and travel across the US to honour a mysterious pact made in college.

As well as playing Laurel, Waller-Bridge also executive produced the series, which is written and directed by Vicky Jones, who directed the original stage production of Fleabag.

In this exclusive clip from the episode, which airs in the UK at 9pm on Sky Comedy on 13 May 2020, Laurel is seen driving the runaway lovebirds and talking to them about roadkill.

Waller-Bridge affects a North American accent for the role  as viewers used to seeing her in Fleabag will no doubt notice.

You can catch up with the first four episodes of Run on Sky and NowTV on demand.
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Linkedin David Ljunggren and Kelsey Johnson (Reuters) Ottawa, Canada  Wed, May 13, 2020 07:30 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79b883 2 World Canada,justin-trudeau,coronavirus,virus-corona,SARS-CoV-2,COVID-19,COVID-19-death-toll,nursing-home,senior-citizen Free

The Canadian coronavirus death toll passed the 5,000 mark on Tuesday and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said major reforms were needed to seniors' residences, where more than 80% of the victims lived.

The public health agency said the number of deaths edged up by 2.9% to 5,049 from 4,906 on Monday, one of the smallest daily gains so far. Canada is the 11th nation to record more than 5,000 deaths from the outbreak.

Long-term care homes in Ontario and Quebec - the two most populous of the 10 provinces - have been particularly hard hit. Officials have detailed poor conditions in some residences, where employees earn just the minimum wage.

"We've seen heart-breaking tragedies in long-term care facilities and nursing homes right across the country - overworked staff, understaffed residences, grieving families," Trudeau told a daily briefing.

"There are serious underlying challenges facing these facilities and in the coming months the federal government will be there to help the provinces find lasting solutions."

Officials earlier announced Ottawa would give seniors living on a fixed income a one-time payment ranging from C$300 ($215) to C$500 to deal with increased costs linked to the outbreak.

Seniors Minister Deb Schulte said the tax-free payments would help seniors who need money for food deliveries and other services. It will also aid those taking taxis to avoid using public transport.

She side-stepped questions about whether Ottawa should call a national inquiry into seniors' homes.

"What we are experiencing in Canada is unprecedented and unacceptable," she told a briefing.

"Going forward there will be time to reflect on the lessons that we've learned and the work that needs to be done. But right now [we are] focused on dealing with the issue at hand."

The total value of the payments - which will help 6.7 million people - is C$2.5 billion. Ottawa has already committed more than C$160 billion in direct spending - more than 7% of gross domestic product - on a range of programs to help businesses and people deal with the outbreak.

Ottawa was focused on short-term measures to support people "so that we can come out the other side and restart the economy soon and we won't need to look at what we might need to do in six months if we're still, heaven forbid, all locked down", Trudeau said, adding that programs would be extended if needed.
HALIFAXNova Scotias premier is still not committing to a public inquiry into the shooting rampage that claimed 22 lives last month, saying the province is waiting to see what federal authorities ultimately decide.

Stephen McNeil says the province will wait to see what Ottawa commits to, other than an ongoing RCMP investigation.

He says provincial Attorney General Mark Furey is working with his partners at the federal level, but a step such as an inquiry hasnt been determined.

The premier was asked about news reports quoting a former neighbour of the gunman who said she reported his domestic violence and cache of firearms to the Mounties in the summer of 2013.

McNeil says he has read the stories, but wasnt previously aware of any of the details in them.

Domestic violence is being examined as a key aspect of the mass shooting, as police have said the rampage began after the gunman restrained and beat his common-law spouse in Portapique, N.S.

McNeil said Wednesday that people have to come to terms with the fact domestic violence is happening in Nova Scotia.

We need to have an open and frank conversation about how do we address this issue in our province, he said during a media briefing.

We as a government will continue down this path. It is just completely unacceptable in my view that in this day and age, women and children are still feeling afraid in their homes.

McNeil said a network needs to be created that gives victims a way out so they feel safe and secure.

If you are living in fear, reach out to one of our organizations to provide you with support, he said.

The Nova Scotia governments website advises anyone in immediate danger to call 911. Crisis services can be reached by texting 211 or calling toll free 1-855-466-4994.

The neighbour who spoke to The Canadian Press, Brenda Forbes, said she first learned of the gunmans domestic violence shortly after he moved to the Portapique area in early 2000s, when his partner came to her door and asked for help.

Forbes said she encouraged her neighbour to seek help, but recalled that the woman was frightened of Gabriel Wortman and of the repercussions of going to police due to threats hed made against her family.

McNeil said its up to government and the wider society to help women who are living in fear to understand they do have options.

When you hear that (violence) is still happening and people are not leaving that environment, we need to continue to do more, he said.

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In March, as the coronavirus gripped the nation, veteran emergency room doctor Ming Lin was growing concerned. Lin felt his facility, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington, was unprepared for the pandemic, so he went to his superiors for help.

Frustrated by their response, Lin took to social media, criticizing the hospital's operations in a series of posts.

Days later, the hospital removed Lin from the rotation in the emergency department. He had worked at PeaceHealth for 17 years.

Under typical medical industry practice, Lin's case would have been subject to peer review, experts said. But Lin's employer wasn't PeaceHealth. It was TeamHealth, a physician practice and staffing company that provides the hospital with emergency room services. TeamHealth is owned by Blackstone Group, a finance giant.

When a private staffing firm teams up with a hospital, the right to due process can disappear. Lin's case was never heard.

"One of the objectives is to point out any deficiencies in the system that may harm the patient," Lin told NBC News. "Because private equity has taken over health care, it has made that difficult."

Blackstone, which bought TeamHealth in 2016 for $6.1 billion, is what's known as a private equity firm, a type of financial entity that buys companies and hopes to sell them later at a profit.

Over the past decade, private equity firms like Blackstone, Apollo Global Management, The Carlyle Group, KKR & Co. and Warburg Pincus have deployed more than $340 billion to buy health care-related operations around the world. In 2019, private equity's health care acquisitions reached $79 billion, a record, according to Bain & Co., a consulting firm.

Private equity's purchases have included rural hospitals, physicians' practices, nursing homes and hospice centers, air ambulance companies and health care billing management and debt collection systems.

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Partly as a result of private equity purchases, many formerly doctor-owned practices no longer are. The American Medical Association recently reported that 2018 was the first year in which more physicians were employees  47.4 percent  than owners of their practices  45.9 percent. In 1988, 72.1 percent of medical practices were owned by physicians.

In some parts of the health care industry, private equity firms dominate. For example, TeamHealth, owned by Blackstone, and Envision Healthcare, owned by KKR, provide staffing for about a third of the country's emergency rooms.

Related: Advocates and analysts are still wondering how Joseph Schwartz's empire was allowed to grow so large so quickly without authorities sounding alarm bells.

This has been a seismic shift. During the 1900s, most hospitals were owned either by nonprofit entities with religious affiliations or by states and cities, with ties to medical schools. For-profit hospitals existed, but it wasn't until recently that they became nearly ubiquitous.

For the past 20 years, private equity has been a source of immense wealth for the executives overseeing the entities. Most of those who head major private equity firms are reported to be billionaires, like the two men atop Blackstone: Stephen Schwarzman, a close adviser to President Donald Trump, and Hamilton "Tony" James, a major donor to Democrats.

The impact private equity has had on employees and customers of the companies it has taken over, however, isn't always beneficial. To finance the purchases, private equity owners typically load the companies they buy with debt. Then they slash the companies' costs to increase earnings and appeal to potential buyers down the road.

In the business of health care, the drive for profits can run counter to the goal of helping patients and protecting workers, critics say.

Research shows, for example, that when private equity firms acquire nursing homes, the quality of care declines markedly. And when COVID-19 hit, hospitals associated with private equity firms were early to cut practitioners' pay and benefits because the operations could no longer generate profits on elective surgical procedures postponed during the pandemic. The heavy debt loads typically associated with private equity-owned businesses hinder their ability to withstand profit downturns.

Finally, some medical professionals say, private equity's growing involvement in health care in recent years has contributed to shortages of ventilators, masks and other equipment needed to combat COVID-19, because keeping such goods on hand costs money. And to private equity, that's like putting dollar bills on a shelf.

Private equity firms have jumped into health care with both feet. Apollo Global Management, a $330 billion investment firm overseen by Leon Black, owns RCCH Healthcare Partners, an operator of 88 rural hospital campuses in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and 26 other states. Cerberus Capital Management, a $42 billion investment firm run by Steve Feinberg, owns Steward Health Care; it runs 35 hospitals and a swath of urgent care facilities in 11 states.

Image: Barack Obama and Timothy Geithner (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP)

Warburg Pincus, overseen by former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, owns Modernizing Medicine, an information technology company that helps health care providers ramp up profits through medical billing and, to a lesser degree, debt collections. The Carlyle Group owns MedRisk, a leading provider of physical therapy cost-containment systems for U.S. workers' compensation payers, such as insurers and large employers.

Private equity's laser focus on cost cutting and operational efficiencies can benefit consumers, economists say, if lower costs are passed on to end users. Problems arise, however, when the push for profits reduces quality. That can be especially harmful in health care, in which patients' lives are on the line and it is difficult for consumers to comparison shop by analyzing quality of care.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Mark Reiter is residency program director of emergency medicine for the University of Tennessee and past president of American Academy of Emergency Medicine, an advocacy group for practitioners. "Private equity-backed health care has been a disaster for patients and for doctors," he told NBC News. "Many decisions are made for what is going to maximize profits for the private equity company, rather than what is best for the patient, what is best for the community."

Representatives of every firm identified in this article declined to respond to broad criticisms of private equity in the health care arena.

IMAGE: Mark Reiter (Courtesy Mark Reiter)

As for PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, spokeswoman Bev Mayhew said it removed Ming Lin from the emergency department rotation because "his actions were disruptive, compromised collaboration in the midst of a crisis and contributed to the creation of fear and anxiety among staff and the community." She said his case wasn't subject to peer review because he still has privileges at the hospital.

A TeamHealth spokesman said it continues to employ Lin and had offered to place him "in another contracted hospital anywhere in the country."

'Physician Extenders'

Private equity firms have targeted health care investments for an array of reasons, most having to do with their potential profits.

First, health care drives a huge part of the nation's economic output  almost 20 percent of gross domestic product. In addition, health care is a fragmented business with many small operators like physicians; private investors often find outsize gains in industries in which they can create economies of scale through consolidation.

Ever on the hunt for efficiencies, private equity has brought changes to traditional health care practices, experts say. One example: the use of so-called physician extenders, like nurse practitioners, to see patients instead of actual doctors.

Because such extenders have less training under their belts, their costs are well below those associated with physicians. In general, employing three extenders equals the cost of one physician, said Robert McNamara, professor and chairman of emergency medicine at Temple University and chief medical officer of Temple Faculty Physicians.

IMAGE: Robert McNamara (Daniel Burke)

Private equity-owned firms also use practitioners with less experience or training to save money, say doctors associated with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.

In February, a patient arrived at the Calais Regional Hospital emergency department in Calais, Maine, near the Canadian border. He required intubation  the insertion of a breathing tube down his throat  but the doctor was unable to perform the procedure and had to call in local paramedics for help. The patient recovered.

The doctor worked for Envision Physician Services, the KKR-owned company that had taken over staffing of the emergency department two weeks before the incident.

DeeDee Travis, the hospital's spokeswoman, said that the doctor is no longer in rotation at the hospital but that his move had nothing to do with the incident. She said rural medicine requires the use of all resources, including local paramedic staff.

Assessing the impact of private equity on the overall quality of care has been difficult, in part because ownership by the firms is relatively new. But in February, four academics at the University of Pennsylvania, New York University and the University of Chicago published an in-depth study analyzing care at private equity-owned nursing homes. The findings were stark.

"In the nursing home setting," the study said, "it appears that high-powered profit maximizing incentives can lead firms to renege on implicit contracts to provide high quality care, creating value for the firms at the expense of patients."

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Looking at data from 2000 to 2017 from over 18,000 nursing homes, the academics found "robust evidence of declines in patient health and compliance with care standards" after private equity concerns bought facilities. And when private equity firms' purchases of nursing homes were compared with those bought by other for-profit entities, such as nursing home chains, the private equity-owned properties resulted in greater quality declines, the study concluded.

On April 2, well into the COVID-19 crisis, Steward Health Care, owned by Cerberus Capital, created a firestorm. It suspended intensive care unit admissions at Nashoba Valley Medical Center, a hospital in rural northeastern Massachusetts, and redeployed equipment and staff elsewhere to meet COVID-19 demand, according to a memo from the president of the facility. Hospitals aren't supposed to close such units without first notifying state authorities and holding community hearings.

Audra Sprague, a longtime registered nurse at the facility, said the move "completely took out an entire level of service. Anybody that needed ICU care, we didn't have one, we couldn't keep you."

Darren Grubb, a spokesman for Steward, said that the suspension has "not impacted patient care" at the facility and that state officials had "validated that the ICU at Nashoba Valley remains adequately staffed and equipped to care for clinically appropriate patients."

Sprague said she is proud to serve patients in the same hospital where her grandmother was a nurse. She said that the facility had previously been owned by a private company but that patient safety and staff treatment had worsened since Steward took over. So she joined the nurses' union.

"Even when you say something is unsafe, there's little change that comes out of it," she said. "They're not going to do a single thing that doesn't benefit them first and foremost."

Grubb called Sprague's view a "baseless, selective, hyper-generalized claim."

Doctors as owners in name only

For more than a century, company ownership of doctors' practices was barred under the Corporate Practice of Medicine doctrine, which was enshrined in most state laws. The doctrine and the laws hold that only individual physicians should be licensed to practice medicine, not corporations. But in the years leading up to COVID-19, the laws were rarely enforced.

"The states realized a long time ago that this is a real problem  fiduciary duty to shareholders rather than patients," Reiter said. "These corporations are not taking an oath to do what's best for their patients, and they thought it would be better if doctors owned their own practices."

In response to the laws, private equity firms have structured their health care investments with physicians as owners, but in name only, McNamara said. Staffing companies like TeamHealth, for example, use what he called sham professional associations with doctors to get around prohibitions against the corporate practice of medicine.

Related: For millions of Americans, working at home isn't an option. NBC News identified seven occupations in which employees are at especially high risk of COVID-19.

McHenry Lee, TeamHealth's spokesman, said the company's "organizational structure is fully compliant with long established laws and precedents." Referring to the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, Lee said the company has prevailed while facing judicial scrutiny "initiated or funded by AAEM, where Dr. McNamara has made identical charges."

In a typical emergency room, McNamara said, the usual physician group charges three to four times the Medicare rate. TeamHealth is charging six times, he said.

Last fall, United Healthcare, the giant insurer, canceled coverage at 500 hospitals with TeamHealth-run emergency rooms, largely because of high costs, a company spokeswoman said.

"A small number of providers are driving up the cost of care for the people and customers we serve," she said. "This is particularly evident with private equity-backed physician staffing companies like TeamHealth."

United Healthcare provided NBC News with examples of TeamHealth costs far exceeding median charges for specific emergency department procedures. A patient visiting an emergency department with chest pains, for example, would face a median charge of $340, United Healthcare said, versus a TeamHealth bill for $976. Stitches on a minor cut would be $200 at the median rate, compared with $888 from TeamHealth. And the median rate for a broken arm is $665, while TeamHealth's charge is $2,947.

Lee of TeamHealth declined to comment on the figures.

Envision Healthcare is a physician staffing, emergency medicine and billing services company bought for almost $10 billion by KKR in 2018. Envision's website says it provides emergency medicine at 650 facilities in 40 states.

Before the acquisition, Envision acknowledged in a 2014 securities filing that its contracts with physician groups might run afoul of laws barring the corporate practice of medicine, as well as fee-sharing arrangements between doctors and companies. It could be subject to civil or criminal penalties, and its contracts with affiliated physician groups "could be found legally invalid and unenforceable," Envision said in the filing.

A flurry of such cases didn't arise. But today, Envision's business has collapsed, again a result of postponed elective operations. Carrying $7.5 billion in debt, the company recently hired restructuring advisers and may file for bankruptcy.

Aliese Polk, a spokeswoman for Envision, said the company is experiencing the same financial problems that many other health care providers are and is "focused on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, deploying significant resources to front-line clinicians caring for sick patients." She declined to discuss its previous warnings about possible legal violations in its business model.

Congress and private equity health care

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, private equity-owned health care operations had come under criticism from members of Congress and outsiders.

TeamHealth, for example, was featured last year in a report by MLK50 and ProPublica for aggressively suing poor patients who had been unable to pay their emergency room bills. After the report, TeamHealth said it would stop the practice. The TeamHealth spokesman didn't respond to a question from NBC News about why it sued patients.

Surprise emergency care medical bills have also emerged as a problem at private equity-run Envision. Patients can be ambushed by such bills when they visit an emergency department in a hospital that is in their insurance network but whose doctors work outside the network, charging separately for their services.

Polk of Envision declined to comment on the company's role in surprise billing.

Congress tried to address the problematic practice with legislation last year. But as the bill gained traction, Envision and TeamHealth quietly backed a purported grass roots organization called Doctor Patient Unity to advocate against the legislation, according to The New York Times. Doctor Patient Unity funded a $28 million media blitz against the bill, the report said, which didn't pass.

Doctor Patient Unity didn't respond to an email seeking comment. Representatives from TeamHealth and Envision accused insurance companies of causing problems for patients seeking emergency care and said they didn't support the legislation because it would have benefited insurers at the expense of patients.

Emily Maddoff and Chet Waldman, lawyers at Wolf Popper LLP, are fighting surprise medical bills in six class-action lawsuits in state and federal courts across the country. A unit of Envision is a defendant in three of the cases.

A class-action case involving a patient in California has a final settlement hearing scheduled for June. If approved, the deal would provide 100 percent relief to the plaintiffs.

"We should not be running our health care system as a profit-making operation on steroids," said Eileen Appelbaum, an authority on private equity and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a left-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C. "Health care is not so much anymore about taking care of patients. It's way more about making money."
After Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market in Vashi shut on Monday till May 17, migrant workers from Bangladesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have started going back to their hometown on their own, without waiting for special trains and busses.

While Navi Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Kumar requested them to avoid unsafe journey and wait for special trains, the migrants said that they want to return home at any cost as they were not certain about their livelihood.

Sunder Lala, 35, a migrant from Bengal, said, Earlier there used to be ample of work and we made good money. Since the first lockdown, things have changed and with a reduced number of trucks the work too has reduced.

I want to go back to my home town now even if it is a risky ride, said Lala, who stays at Sanpada along with four others from his hometown.

The migrants are in rush to claim a seat in overcrowded trucks even if they have to pay between 3,000 and 5,000 each. They are seen travelling in a risky situation with no masks and overcrowded trucks, but nothing is stopping them to take up this risky ride.

The infection, as well as uncertainty, is increasing here with every passing day. I tried to register myself for Shramik special train, but it seems it will take longer and we cannot wait long. Hence we have decided to go back via truck, van auto whatever option we get, said Bindesar Rai, 40, from Uttar Pradesh. Rai stays with his wife and 11-year-old daughter in Nerul.

Navi Mumbai, police commissioner, Sanjay Kumar said, Everyone will be sent back to their home safely. I again urge everyone who is talking risky ride to register themselves and opt for safe travel via trains and buses started by the government.

Most of the state governments have given permission, so more trains and buses will be rolled out. Patience is key, those stranded should wait rather than risking their and their family lives, said Kumar.

Many have exhausted their savings for getting a ride back to home and dont want to return back soon.

We came here for a better prospect but, there is a lot of uncertainty now. I will be leaving for my home town in Uttar Pradesh in a day, said Swayambhu Vibhuti, 32, he stays with his friends and brother at Sanpada.

Narendra Patil, Mathadi Kamgar leader, APMC said,  We did assure everyone that work will start after May 17, once the market reopens. While few were convinced others are scared of the virus and reasoned that they want to go back and will come back once the situation improves.

More than 75 people connected with the market, including traders, wholesalers, mathadi workers and members of APMC, have tested positive for Covid-19 since the outbreak.

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It is possible that my evidence is merely anecdotal, given that it has been gathered entirely from ancient stag-do WhatsApp groups and hurried chats with socially distanced delivery drivers, but there is a sense out there that the nation has had enough of the news.

Its always the same. Its too depressing. Whats the point?

Whats the point in finding out how many more hundreds of people have died today? I dont need Huw Edwards to tell me I cant go and see my parents. I already know.

I dont need to switch on the television to know that, at this unprecedented hour of national crisis, the country is being led by a shaved orangutan who appears to be biologically incapable of telling the truth.

It may even be a sensible psychological coping strategy to choose not to know how bad things are or, more specifically, how bad he is.

Indeed, I would personally advise that, come noon every Wednesday, the only safe thing to do is bury either yourself or all of your telecommunications devices in some sort of concrete bunker, for fear that you might catch even a glimpse of prime ministers questions.

It would be tempting to describe it as a national embarrassment, but that would be unfair on other, more serious national embarrassments, like having the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe. That became a matter of fact reality in the last few days, which, as Keir Starmer pointed out, just so happens to have coincided with the Powerpoint slide that tracks UK deaths alongside other countries now suddenly not being there. Before that, it had been displayed at every Downing Street press conference for 49 consecutive days.

He seeks to make comparisons that are premature, the prime minister told Starmer. Seven weeks after Boris Johnson began comparing the UK to other countries, it has now become too early to do so.

That really happened. Johnson jabbed his finger over the dispatch box, pointing at one of his own governments slides, that he has displayed, publicly, every day for seven weeks, and described it as premature.

The intimation was that this was somehow beneath him, that it was cheap. That what the nation didnt need to be told, right now, quite frankly, was that its prime minister is completely, unfathomably, irredeemably useless. Starmer, frankly, should know better.

The prime minister stopped short of quoting a professor called David Spiegelhalter, who has said that comparisons between countries are unhelpful. Because when he did that last week, Spiegelhalter had to publicly rebuke him for misrepresenting his work.

Starmer would again repeat the point that he made on Monday, that the prime minister is telling people to go back to work who dont have adequate childcare to do so because schools and nurseries are shut.

He read out a letter from a constituent, the kind of which every single MP in the country, including, one must assume, the prime minister, has received hundreds if not thousands of since the prime ministers mad, indecipherable statement on Sunday night.

The gist was that both the constituent and her partner had been told to go back to work. Theyve got no childcare and my boss is having none of it.

In response, the prime minister simply repeated his words from Monday: Employers MUST be understanding.

Johnson has done precisely one weeks work in what anyone would call a normal job, which was when he quit the LEK Consulting graduate trainee scheme, on the grounds that it was too boring, so it may be that he is personally unaware that there are some people out there who work for unreasonable bosses.

But it does make one wonder quite what happened when this was discussed at cabinet. Indeed, perhaps he would never have come out with this stuff if this had been a normal prime ministers questions. If, for example, hed have had his home secretary there to remind him that her most senior civil servant recently quit, accusing her of bullying. (That she has since been cleared has led not so much to the clearing of her name, but for ever-growing calls for reform of the process by which she was investigated).

Where was his foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, to point out that some people end up signing NDAs with work colleagues over allegations of bullying, and that those people sometimes end up as foreign secretary?

And though he wouldnt have been in the Commons itself, it is also unfortunate that Dominic Cummings wasnt around to remind the prime minister that before he based his entire de-lockdown policy on the hope that employers are reasonable people, there was, a few months ago, an ad for a job in 10 Downing Street that featured these words:

You will not have weekday date nights, you will sacrifice many weekends  frankly it will be hard having a boy/girlfriend at all.

Ill bin you within weeks if you dont fit  dont complain later because I made it clear now.

Still, none of that happened, course it didnt. It wouldnt have fitted in with the general theme of the hour, which is to say just one hyper-extended rolling s**tshow of utterly avoidable death.

All the prime minister could do, by the end, was thump the dispatch box and growl about the common sense of the British people!.

The British people are apparently bigger than all this cheap point-scoring. They can see right through you, holding up a seven-week-old graph that turned premature overnight.



They know they still have to obey the social distancing laws! he said.

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

And hes right, they do. So when hundreds and thousands of them are filmed, as they were on Wednesday morning, streaming off packed trains and buses, breaking social distancing laws to get back to work at the demands of their entirely reasonable bosses, the common sense of the British people is very much on display.

Its the common sense of the British people that tells them that they know its an absolute joke but theyve got no choice in the matter.

Dare one suggest it was the very same common sense that led them, last December, to vote in their millions for Johnson over Jeremy Corbyn?

What choice, really, did they have in the matter?

On this evidence, should Johnson get round to asking the British people to drop their common sense in the ballot boxes once again, he may well find it not on his side.
Her Golden Globe and Emmy wins for the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel gave her status in Hollywood.

And on Tuesday, it was announced that Rachel Brosnahan will headline The Switch for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Partners.

'Ive been trying not to spill the beans about this and can finally say...I cant wait to (someday soon I hope!) get cracking on #TheSwitch,' the actress, 29, wrote on Instagram.

'Also, look mum! Finally get to use that British accent!' she added.

New role: Rachel Brosnahan will headline The Switch for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Partners, it was announced on Tuesday. It's based on the life swap novel of the same name

Brosnahan's mom Carol was born in the UK and her dad Earl is an American of Irish descent. She was born in Wisconsin and raised in Illinois.

The Switch will be an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Beth O'Leary.

Set in the UK, it's the story of what happens when a 29-year-old consultant in London swaps lives with her 79-year-old grandmother who lives in Yorkshire in the north of England.

The consultant finds herself plunged into the life of a small village where she walks dogs and participates in neighborhood watch.

Her grandmother, meanwhile, has to adapt to a tiny flat, dating apps and starting up a social club for lonely Londoners.

In an official news release from the studio, Brosnahan said she 'was utterly charmed and deeply moved' by the novel and added she 'can't wait' to share the story with everyone.'

Set in the UK: Brosnahan, 29, will star as a London-based consultant who swaps lives with her 79-year-old grandmother who lives in a small village in the north of England

Happy: The actress, whose mom Carol is British, shared her excitement at her new project on Instagram and joked she'd finally to get to use a British accent

Brosnahan first got noticed for her roles in The Blacklist and House of Cards.

But her career really took off with the Amazon Original Series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in which she plays a late 1950's New York housewife with a bent for stand-up comedy.

The show debuted in 2017 and after three successful seasons, has been renewed for a fourth.
HOUSTON - (May 13, 2020) - Over the last decade researchers have become concerned about a possible link between a benign gynecologic lesion called endosalpingiosis (ES) and ovarian cancer. However, using a diagnostic method typically reserved for specimens suspicious for cancer, a team of researchers led by a Baylor College of Medicine physician found the prevalence of ES and other gynecological lesions was substantially higher than previously reported, even among women without cancer. This higher rate of occurrence led the researchers to believe that ES is not a direct cause of cancer as previously suspected. Their findings are published in the journal PLOS ONE.

"Recently, researchers started to wonder if ES could be a precursor to ovarian cancer," said Dr. Jan Sunde, associate professor and division director of gynecologic oncology at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor. "An association of cancer with ES would make ES a concerning finding. But pathologists weren't reporting benign ES lesions in all surgical cases, and the actual prevalence of ES was unknown."

Sunde led this research during his time at the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. He worked with pathologists there to use a more stringent analysis to determine the actual prevalence of ES in all gynecologic samples, those with cancer and without, at their institution. After implementing the new protocol, the reported prevalence of ES increased from 2.54 percent to 22.15 percent in all specimens over a one-year period. When sorting the data by age group, the researchers found an ES prevalence of 37 percent in women age 31-50 and 66 percent in post-menopausal women.

"This is a way more common finding than what people suspected," Sunde said. "If ES occurs so frequently, then it likely is not the first step in cancer development, and it's much less concerning."

Women with ovarian cancer do have ES at a higher rate, but Sunde said this could be due to sampling bias. Women with cancer undergo more thorough pathology testing, and studies of ES and cancer do not include a control group of ES patients with no cancer. Sunde said further study is needed to determine the true association between ES and cancer.

Next, Sunde and his team at Baylor will focus on what conditions allow ES to develop and whether any of those may also be linked to cancer.

"We know there are some benign ES lesions that have the same genetic mutations found in malignant lesions in patients who have an ovarian borderline tumor," Sunde said. "We hope to find a way to evaluate ES lesions that would tell us if a patient is at risk for developing either borderline or high grade ovarian cancer. If we figure that out, we can evaluate methods of preventing this deadly cancer."

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-12 23:54:29|Editor: huaxia

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DUBAI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Dubai Customs and Saudi Customs on Tuesday agreed on further trade cooperation and arrangements to develop customs procedures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the official WAM news agency reported.

In a video meeting between Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director general of Dubai Customs, and Ahmed Alhakbani, governor of Saudi Customs, they discussed lessons from the coronavirus experience which has led to coming up with innovative customs approaches and procedures.

Mutual trade between Dubai and Saudi Arabia reached 12 billion UAE dirhams (3.27 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter in 2020, said the report.

"Our regular meetings with customs organizations in brotherly and friendly countries are part of our endeavors to mitigate any impacts of coronavirus on the global supply chain," said Musabih. Enditem
A fire on Tuesday raced through a crowded camp housing Rohingya refugees in southern Bangladesh, destroying nearly 400 shanties and shops, a Bangladeshi official and the UNs refugee agency said.

No casualties were immediately reported, the refugee agency said in a Facebook post.

The agency, known as the UNHCR, said the fire broke out at the Lambashia camp in Kutupalong in Coxs Bazar district on Tuesday morning.

More than 1 million refugees live in the district bordering Myanmar, from where the refugees crossed the border into Bangladesh.

Mohammad Nikaruzzman Chowdhury, the areas chief government official, said firefighters rushed to the scene and extinguished the blaze in an hour.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, but local media said it may have been caused by an explosion of a gas cylinder kept in a shop in the area.

The Unhcr said it mobilised emergency response teams to provide the refugees with food and other items.

Most of the refugees fled their homes in Myanmar after its military launched a harsh crackdown in response to an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group in 2017. Myanmars security forces have been accused of committing mass rapes, killings and burning thousands of homes in the crackdown.

The Muslim Rohingya are not recognised as citizens in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, rendering them stateless, and also face other forms of state-sanctioned discrimination

AP
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:50:19|Editor: huaxia

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HEFEI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Experts used China's quantum satellite -- Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) -- to verify quantum-secure time transfer for the first time, which laid a foundation for building a safe satellite navigation system.

The study published on Nature Physics was jointly accomplished by Professor Pan Jianwei from the University of Science and Technology of China and his colleagues.

High-precision time synchronization plays an important role in fundamental science and real-life applications, including navigation and positioning.

The current time synchronization techniques have shown to be vulnerable to sophisticated adversaries. Therefore, there is a compelling need for new methods to distribute high-precision time information securely.

The quantum communication technology can bring new solutions, said Pan. Based on the principle of quantum "non-cloning," time transfer technology with a single photon as a carrier can fundamentally ensure the security of the signal transmission process.

In physics, the no-cloning theorem states that it is impossible to create an identical copy of an arbitrary unknown quantum state.

The research team led by Pan proposed a satellite-based quantum-secure time transfer (QSTT) scheme, in which a single photon is used as the carrier for both the time transfer and the secret-key generation, offering quantum-enhanced security for transferring the time signal and time information.

By using QUESS, experts performed a satellite-to-ground time synchronization using single-photon-level signals and achieved a quantum bit error rate of less than 1 percent and a time-transfer precision of 30 ps, Pan said.

China launched QUESS, nicknamed "Micius" after a 5th Century B.C. Chinese philosopher and scientist, on Aug. 16, 2016. Enditem
South Africa: Int Nurses Day: Health prioritises protective gear

As the number of health workers infected with the Coronavirus continues to rise, Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, says no nurse will work without the necessary protective gear.

Mkhize said this during an International Nurses Day commemoration event in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday.

International Nurses Day recognises the significant contribution that nurses make to society.

Mkhize was speaking as the world marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the foundational philosopher of modern nursing.

The Minister and his Deputy, Dr Joe Phaahla, together with MECs for Health in all nine provinces held a special candlelight ceremony for all nurses in the country.

He said of 11 350 confirmed COVID-19 infections in South Africa, 580 of those were health workers, including nurses, doctors both in public and private sectors.

Mkhize said nurses are in the frontline against the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the department, we recognise the need to prioritise the nursing profession, along with the wellbeing of the nurses and strengthening nursing education and training and practice.

At the ceremony, Mkhize also paid tribute to Cecilia Makiwane, who was born in Alice, Eastern Cape. Makiwane became the first black woman to be licensed as a nurse in 1908.

Mkhize said he also regrets that Coronavirus, which has infected over four million people across the globe, has cost the lives of health workers.

Their contribution towards the fight of the pandemic is immeasurable. May their families and their loved ones find strength in the shared memories and may their soul rest in eternal peace.

He said the World Health Organizations (WHO's) plan this is year is to improve the publics understanding of the contribution that nurses and midwives make in their communities.

The critical role that our nurse play in protecting our community could never be overstated, he said.

In many ways, theyre the face of our healthcare.

Mkhize also commended nurses on their efforts against the pandemic.

For most our communities, a nurse if the first to be seen at the time of birth, a heartbeat of the health system throughout a lifespan providing preventative, curative and rehabilitative care and often the last to help close our eyes at the time of the end of life.

He also recognised nurses compassion and comfort they have shown towards COVID-19 patients who often cannot be with their families at their bedsides.

Its the best gift to our patients that no amount of money can buy.

According to the WHO, nurses account for more than half of all the worlds health workers, yet 5.9 million nurses are still needed across the globe.

Mkhize commended President Cyril Ramaphosa for urging provinces to fill frozen vacant nursing posts during, and beyond the pandemic.

The Minister was resolute that health workers be provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the necessary tools of the trade.

Id like to affirm our commitment that no nurse will be allowed to care for patients without appropriate protective equipment be it at a community level, during screening or testing, or in the health facility.

He also said he understands that the job is emotionally taxing and that its mental impact will remain post-COVID-19.

Were committed to supporting them to deal with any immediate physical and mental health issues that may also emerge in the future.

The Minister thanked nurses for their contribution.

To all the nurses of South Africa and the world, we say a big thank you for carrying the burden of the COVID-19 outbreak and serving humanity and saving lives.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Rep. Nanette Barragan (D-San Pedro) speaks during a news conference after touring the federal penitentiary at Terminal Island to inquire about the high number of COVID-19 cases among inmates and prison staff. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

There are two places in California where, as the pandemic rages, you do not want to be.

Prisons and elder care facilities.

An astounding 49% of all COVID-19 deaths in California were linked to elder care facilities as of last week, with more than 1,200 cases, along with hundreds more infected patients and employees.

Meanwhile, 886 inmates at the federal prison in Lompoc (almost 70%) have been infected with the virus; 396 infections, including five deaths, were reported at the state prison in Chino; and there have been 709 infections and seven deaths at Terminal Island federal pen in San Pedro.

Family members protested at the San Pedro facility last week and Congresswoman Nanette Barragan, who represents the area, told the Times Richard Winton she felt the warden was not doing enough to protect inmates with medical conditions. She said she reported the situation to Trump administration health official Dr. Anthony Fauci, who seemed a little alarmed.

I think he might want to be a lot alarmed.

Tiffani Fortneys father was at Terminal Island serving a 26-month sentence for tax-related crimes, and she was biting her nails at her home in Arizona. Her dad had diabetes and heart issues that made him a sitting duck in the tight confines of a communal setting.

It was hell, she said about trying to get information on her fathers welfare. I talked to him on Easter and he told me one person there had the virus and they were separating everybody. He told me hed call in a few days and he never did.

Unbeknown to Fortney, her father, 70-year-old Scott Douglas Cutting of Apple Valley, got sick. Very sick. And Fortney said she did not learn until the end of last month that her father had been hospitalized in mid-April with COVID-19 symptoms.

I tried calling the prison but couldnt get answers. I left a message sometimes, but other times I couldnt even get to the message thing, she said.

On May 1, the federal public defenders office filed an emergency application for the release of medical records and for prison compliance with family notification policies. According to the filing, Fortneys brother Scott was informed on April 29 that their father had been hospitalized and intubated. The next day, Fortney got a call from a prison staff member saying her father was not doing well.

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Fortney told me she and her brother were able to speak to him by phone and say goodbye, thanks to the amazing staff at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. On Saturday, May 9, Cutting became the seventh inmate to die of COVID-19 while serving time at the aptly named Terminal Island.

No one deserves to die like that, Fortney said. I dont care if theyre criminals or not.

A spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons declined my request for an interview, but sent a long list of steps taken since the pandemic began.

We are deeply concerned for the health and welfare of those inmates who are entrusted to our care, and for our staff, their families, and the communities we live and work in, said the spokesperson, adding that the bureau is doing everything we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our facilities.

Across the country, thousands of prisoners have been released early to stem the spread of the virus to inmates and jail staff, and in L.A. County some jail inmates are even suspected of trying to infect themselves with the virus thinking that might get them sprung early.

Civil rights attorneys and relatives of inmates have argued for broader release of elderly or sick inmates, and for more testing and protective measures. But despite support from public health experts, thats not an easily winnable argument given resistance from top federal officials, says Mark Rosenbaum of Public Counsel.

The responsibility is mistakenly placed on the officials who run these facilities, but its the government that is defending the status quo, said Rosenbaum. It is punitive and it is a means of saying these are subhuman individuals and what happens to them and their communities does not matter.

That same societal judgment has been made about those living in some elder care facilities, which is one reason theyve become such deathtraps.

People are really shocked that this has happened, but Im not surprised, said Charlene Harrington, 78, an emeritus UC San Francisco nursing professor who has spent decades fighting for stricter nursing home regulations and more oversight. Even before the virus hit, three-fourths of nursing homes didnt have adequate staffing and did not meet what we would consider to be reasonable standards.

Youd think that with the virus being particularly deadly for older people, Harrington said, nursing facilities would have gotten a higher priority when it came to testing and doling out protective equipment for staff.

Part of the problem, she says, is a shift in the nursing home industry as independently owned mom and pop operations have given way to big chains and private equity investors.

They squeeze out every cent that they can, Harrington said, paying the lowest possible wages, often to minorities and immigrants, usually with no healthcare insurance and no sick leave. That raises the possibility of employees reporting to work when theyre sick, or getting sick at work and then infecting friends and relatives outside the facility.

So why cant a civilized society do a more humane job of caring for grandma and grandpa?

As weve been reminded in recent weeks, some people seem to think old folks  especially those already warehoused are expendable. But the more accurate answer involves money and politics.

The nursing homes wield tremendous influence over policymakers. And even though taxpayers cover the majority of the cost of care through Medicare and Medicaid, Harrington said, nursing homes have gotten away with minimal enforcement for over 20 or 30 years, so they were ripe for disaster.

And Harrington said that just as with the other COVID-19 hot-spots  jails and prisons  we cant be entirely sure whats going on behind closed doors. For nursing homes, she said, theres an incentive for under-playing the number of cases to families that are now barred from visiting facilities.

In fact, one source directed me to discrepancies between what one L.A. County nursing facility has acknowledged about COVID-19 infections and deaths among patients and staff, and the much larger numbers listed on the L.A. County Health Department website.

This virus doesnt play fair. It goes after the trapped, the poor and the elderly, and the mounting list of casualties is unacceptable.

If you know an inmate or prison staffer who got sick or died, or if you know an elder care facility patient or employee who got sick or died, Id like to hear your story.

Steve.lopez@latimes.com




South Korean chemical giant LG Chem Ltd. said Wednesday that it has sent a team to India to find out the cause of a recent gas leak that killed 12 people.







A team of eight officials, led by Noh Kug-lae, president of the petrochemicals business, also plans to check the safety of LG Polymers India to prevent the reoccurrence of such an accident.







The chemical giant's action comes six days after the deadly gas leak that sickened more than a thousand near the plant in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.







LG Polymers India said last week that its initial investigations suggested that the cause of the incident is prima facie the leaking vapor from the styrene monomer storage tank.







LG Polymers India, an affiliate of LG Chem, has created a special task force to help victims and families resolve any related issues and provide assistance to the bereaved families.







Noh is set to meet with local residents affected by the accident to explain the company's assistance measures. He also plans to meet with Indian officials.







On Friday, India's National Green Tribunal directed LG Polymers India to deposit an initial amount of 500 million Indian rupees (US$6.6 million) for the damage caused by the gas leak, according to The Hindu, an Indian English-language newspaper.







The LG Polymers plant, which LG Chem acquired from Hindustan Polymers in 1996, produces a wide range of polystyrene, including engineering plastic, an industrial raw material for automobiles and electronic parts. (Yonhap)


They are one of Hollywood's longest standing romances sharing two kids, Charlotte, ten, and Rocky, seven.

And Sarah Michelle Gellar shared a sweet selfie alongside husband Freddie Prinze Jr, 44, as they duo continue homeschool while isolating together.

Sarah, 43, sported faded pink locks in the selfie of the exacerbated pair along with the caption: 'Yup, this sums it up homeschooling quarantine day 63000 I think (and dont ask what day of the week)'

So sweet: Sarah Michelle Gellar shared a sweet selfie alongside husband Freddie Prinze Jr, 44, as they duo continue homeschool while isolating together

The actor couple met on the set of 1997 film, I Know What You Did Last Summer and wed in 2002.

They now reside in Los Angeles with their two kids and Sarah often shares candid posts on Instagram about how they are coping in lockdown.

The mum-of-two recently got candid with her followers about how she met the Hollywood-hunk and why they have a mutual friend to thank.

She shared: 'Yup, this sums it up homeschooling quarantine day 63000 I think (and dont ask what day of the week)'

Long standing: They are one of Hollywood's longest standing romances sharing two kids, Charlotte, ten, and Rocky, seven (pictured in 2002)

Alongside a side-by-side image showing the loving couple 20 years ago, she included a sweet caption about how their very first date came about.

The Buffy star penned: '20 years ago this week, my friend @realfreddieprinze and I were supposed to have dinner with a mutual friend from out of town.

'That friend missed her flight, but we decided to still meet and catch up. Now 20 years together, 17 plus married and two kids, we still go to that restaurant for dinner.'

Built to last: Sarah recently got candid with her followers about how she met the Hollywood-hunk and why they have a mutual friend to thank

Old times: The couple pose for a photo on the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards in 2000

The Cruel Intentions actress concluded: 'So thank you @sloaney77 for not showing up for dinner.'

As well as I know What You Did Last Summer, Sarah also had a brief uncredited scene in Freddie's 1999 rom-com She's All That.

The pair would then went on to headline another big movie together in 2002 when starring in Scooby Doo.

Looking back: They first worked together on the 1997 slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer (seen here with Ryan Phillippe, right)

Daphne and Fred: They would go on to headline another big movie together in 2002, Scooby Doo, which spawned a sequel two years later

The Scooby movie spawned a sequel in 2004, for which the couple returned.

Additionally, in 2006, Freddie and Sarah both voiced characters in the animated film Happily N'Ever After.

However, her husband isn't the only throwback costar that Sarah has kept in touch with.

Cute couple: They now reside in Los Angeles with their two kids and Sarah often shares candid posts on Instagram about how they are coping in lockdown

Actress Selma Blair, who costarred with Sarah in the 1999 film Cruel Intentions, has relied on the support of friends in her current struggles with multiple sclerosis.

Recently, both actresses posted shots to their respective Instagram accounts posing with an exercise machine known as a PlateFit, which Sarah gifted to Selma in order to help her with her recovery.

In Selma's post, she referred to Sarah as a 'forever friend' and an 'angel'

While Sarah wrote: 'The best friendships, are fierce lady friendships, where you aggressively believe in each other, defend each other, and think the other deserves the world.'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:48:58|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

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MOSCOW -- Russia has confirmed 10,028 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 242,271, its coronavirus response center said in a statement Wednesday.

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WASHINGTON -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday said it has received Chilean authorities' request for a 23.8 billion U.S. dollars Flexible Credit Line (FCL) over two years.

"The International Monetary Fund Executive Board met today in an informal session to discuss a request from the Chilean authorities for a two-year arrangement under the Flexible Credit Line (FCL) with the IMF," the Washington-based institution said in a statement, adding that the Chilean authorities intend to treat the credit line as precautionary.

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GENEVA -- The transformation of the global energy system could be derailed as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause economic and social damage, the World Economic Forum warned Wednesday in an annual energy transition report.

In its report titled "Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2020: from crisis to rebound," the forum said that the global energy transition from carbon fuels to climate-friendly energy sources has been moving at a slow but steady pace.

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SEOUL -- South Korea's job loss hit the worst in over 21 years in April as companies led employees to go on an unpaid leave or be laid off amid the COVID-19 outbreak, statistical office data showed Wednesday.

The number of those employed totaled 26,562,000 in April, down 476,000 from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea. It was the biggest reduction in more than 21 years since February 1999.

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia's economic growth eased sharply to 0.7 percent in the first quarter, dragged by the spreading of COVID-19 pandemic, the central bank said Wednesday.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the central bank, said in a statement that services and manufacturing sectors moderated while other sectors contracted. External demand and investment also declined while private consumption growth moderated.

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NANJING -- The city of Kunshan, east China's Jiangsu Province, has donated a batch of medical supplies to the city of Dire Dawa in Ethiopia to help fight COVID-19, local authorities said Wednesday.

The supplies, worth about 500,000 yuan (about 70,000 U.S. dollars), include five ventilators, 50,000 disposable masks, 5,120 KN95 masks and 600 protective suits. They were jointly raised by the Kunshan municipal government, a local charity foundation and several enterprises. Enditem
Amid clucking chickens and bleating sheep, the women of Gadbo, a small village in western Niger, gather around Zalika Issa and offer their condolences.

Her nephew, shot dead in front of a crowd near the village well, was one of 20 people massacred last Friday during a triple attack by armed men.

"I sent my nephew to fetch water but these bandits made him lie on his stomach with two other children and they shot them in the head," said Zalika, dabbing at her tears with a grey veil.

"His brains splashed over other people who were there."

Zalika's nephew and his two friends were not the only youngsters to die.

"We lost 10 teenagers in this hell," shouts Alfa Hamadou, another resident of Gadbo, one of three villages in the rural commune of Anzourou that came under attack.

Safi Ali, in her seventies, witnessed part of the massacre through her window.

In Gabda, the attackers surrounded the village before slaughtering seven villagers. By BOUREIMA HAMA (AFP)

"They came on motorcycles and the noise... was like the engines of big planes," she says.

"They divided into groups, then surrounded the village.

"The first group went to the south side where they met the paramedic and two other people that they shot."

According to reports, the executioners, who had come on "13 to 20 motorcycles", then went to Zibane Koira-Tegui, another village two kilometres (a mile) away, where they "coldly killed three men".

'I was never so afraid'

The worst of the slaughter was kept for Zibane-Koira Zeno, the third of the targeted villages, which lies at the end of a sandy track shaded by giant trees.

"As soon as they arrived, in the deafening noise of motorcycles, they started shooting at everything that moved," said Moussa Dano, a resident who lost a loved one.

"They tracked down the victims even down to under their beds."

Among the attackers were some who shouted "don't touch women!" Moussa says.

There were plenty of witnesses to the carnage but identifying the attackers is proving more difficult.

"They were almost all dressed in rags and it is difficult to identify them because of the turbans covering their faces," said Safi Ali. "You just see the tip of their nose."

Residents of Zibane-Koira Zeno, a village in the Tillaberi region of Niger, discuss the deadly attacks. By BOUREIMA HAMA (AFP)

Her neighbour Fati is still in shock. "I have never been so afraid," she says.

Before retreating to neighbouring Mali, the armed men carried off numerous heads of cattle.

Several days before the attacks, gunmen on motorcycles "sabotaged" the cell phone companies' relay antennas, a security source told AFP.

A local official said that many villagers fled into the bush after the attacks and have yet to return, fearful that the killers may come back.

"We are afraid," says Safi Ali. "They are not far away. They hide in caves, in the bushes and can resurface at any time."

A brief respite

An army detachment has already been dispatched to provide security for the area. The government has also promised food assistance.

Some of the young residents of Zibane-Koira Zeno who escaped Friday's attacks. By BOUREIMA HAMA (AFP)

In a visit on Tuesday to the three villages, Interior Minister Bazoum Mohamed denounced "the cruelty of the terrorists" and promised a "permanent military plan of action".

According to the minister, this "empty" area with forested valleys extending to the border with Mali is "very favourable to terrorists".

Anzourou, which is made up of 24 villages, is part of the immense and unstable region of Tillaberi, which covers 100,000 square kilometres (40,000 square miles) and runs into the three-border area of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, one of the jihadists' hideouts.

Three major attacks against the army, claimed by the Islamic State group, have been carried out in this region since December 2019, claiming the lives of 174 soldiers, according to an official report.

The first in Inates, a neighbouring town of Anzourou, on December 10 killed 71 while 14 died in Sanam on December 24 and 89 in Chinegodar on January 8.

Other murderous clashes have taken place since, albeit on a smaller scale.

Niger authorities have responded by restricting the use of motorcycles, closing down a number of food markets said to be supplying terrorists with fuel and grains, and extending a state of emergency in the region first introduced in 2017.

In March, Malian and Niger soldiers joined up with French forces in the area for an operation which mobilised around 5,000 troops under the ongoing Operation Barkhane deployment.

French general staff credited the counter-terrorism operation with eliminating "a large number of terrorists".

"We were enjoying the respite when the new attacks occurred," says one local official.

Soldiers of the French Army are helping in the fight against jihadists under the banner of Operation Barkhane. By MICHELE CATTANI (AFP/File)

To extend their influence in the Tillaberi region, jihadist groups levy a "tax" while increasing abductions, raids and targeted assassinations, especially of influential traditional chiefs.

In remote areas, they set up their black flag and force the inhabitants to listen to their nocturnal sermons. Thousands of residents have already deserted their villages, according to the UN.

Part of this area is also without a hands-on administration following the recent decision of several mayors, fearful of being murdered by the jihadists, to take refuge in the larger town of Tillaberi that gives its name to the region.

Jihadist violence, often interspersed with inter-community conflicts, left some 4,000 people dead in 2019 in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, according to the UN.
COLUMBIA  South Carolina civil-rights groups and prison-reform advocates scored an unexpected victory on Tuesday when House lawmakers used time in between their coronavirus related work to push through a measure barring state and locally run detention centers from shackling pregnant inmates.

Even the bills sponsor, state Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island, was surprised her proposal was plucked from the calendar for action. Its strong bipartisan support and unanimous backing in the Senate showed its worth, she said.

This is a really big one, Mace said. It took a lot of people coming together on both sides of the aisle to make it happen, and Im just really humbled to see that even during a crisis, in South Carolina, were getting things done in a nonpartisan way to make our state better.

South Carolina is one of six states without a law limiting the use of shackles during childbirth, putting it out of compliance with the federal First Step Act of 2018.

Tuesdays 117-0 House vote marked the second time in a year Maces proposal won broad floor approval, with lawmakers in April 2019 backing it 104-3.

But the provision didnt make it through the Senate before last years cross-over deadline. The Senate in March voted 42-0 to prohibit restraining of pregnant inmates.

Brian Symmes, a spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster, told The Post and Courier on Wednesday the governor has every intention of signing the bill when it reaches his desk.

Leg, waist and ankle restraints wouldnt be allowed to be used on pregnant inmates, and wrists cant be bound in a way that would prevent a woman from protecting herself in case of a fall, the legislation dictates.

Federal prisons are barred from restraining pregnant inmates as the result of a criminal justice reform package signed by President Donald Trump in 2018  unless the women pose a safety risk to themselves or others.

As of Wednesday, the state prison system has 1,163 female inmates; four are pregnant, according to state Department of Corrections data.

The bill headed to McMaster is broader in scope than Maces original version, with amendments added requiring availability of menstrual hygiene products, access to adequate nutrition, an end to solitary confinement for pregnant prisoners and weekly contact visits between incarcerated people with low- or minimum-security classifications and their children.

State-run facilities ended the practice of shackling pregnant inmates in early 2019, and Director Bryan Stirling fully supports the reform package, officials said.

State Sen. Mia McCleod, D-Columbia, said in committee talks in February she wanted to halt invasive cavity searches of pregnant inmates and a ban on moving women to restrictive housing within 30 days of giving birth.

Both amendments were added to Maces bill.

Youve got conservatives and left-leaning groups coming together to make this happen. This is one of those areas where we can really show some compassion as lawmakers, Mace said. I was just thrilled we were able to do it so clearly and concisely."
Developer Greg Kavanagh is being sued over the alleged removal of his brother as director of 19 companies.

Bernard Kavanagh, otherwise known as Hugh Kavanagh, was in an "unfortunate" and urgent commercial dispute, the High Court heard.

Relations between the brothers had deteriorated and the matter was urgent because Hugh learned last Thursday of his "clearly unlawful" removal as director of 19 companies, counsel Rossa Fanning said.

In broad terms, Greg Kavanagh was seen as the "front of house" of the business while Hugh Kavanagh had a hands-on role in terms of building and development activity, Mr Fanning said.

He was not bringing these proceedings lightly and believed he had been left with "no other option", Mr Kavanagh said.

The break-up of his relationship with his brother has caused "immense personal grief and distress", he said.

"We started out together in 2004 and from then on had shared everything. There was never a need to formally document our agreement, it was simply entirely natural. He always had my back and I always had his."

Hugh Kavanagh estimated the net value of Structured Marshalled Investments Ltd (SMIL), the main holding company for the business, was some 35m.

Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy agreed the matter was urgent, gave counsel leave to serve short notice of the proceedings on the defendants and returned the matter to Friday.

The proceedings are by Hugh Kavanagh and Simlur Ltd, a company of which Hugh Kavanagh is owner and sole director, against Greg Kavanagh and 20 companies, including SMIL, New Generation Homes Ltd and Isotonic Hotel Ltd.

Hugh Kavanagh claims he has been removed as a director of 19 of the 20 defendant companies but not of one firm, Bezzu Corporation Ltd.

In court documents, he said he had operated with Greg, his younger brother, for some 17 years and they had worked closely together to build up a very successful business.

Up until about six weeks ago, they had had a very close personal relationship as brothers, each were best man at the other's wedding and Greg was godfather to two of his three children, Mr Kavanagh said.

He said important decisions were made jointly and it was always agreed they owned the business equally. He said this was formalised in 2018 when 50pc of the shares in SMIL, the main holding company, were transferred to the plaintiff's holding company, Simlur.

In recent months, his relationship with Greg has deteriorated, he said - adding that Greg asserted Hugh has no ownership interest in SMIL or other group companies.

In the circumstances, he said he had no alternative except to bring proceedings in which he would be seeking various injunctions, pending trial, preventing his removal as a director of the companies, permitting him to continue to participate in managing the business, and ensuring the value of his stake is not diluted.
Norway wealth fund blacklists Glencore, other commodity giants over coal FILE PHOTO: The logo of commodities trader Glencore is pictured in Baar

By Gwladys Fouche and Terje Solsvik

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's $1 trillion wealth fund is excluding some of the world's biggest commodities firms from its portfolio for their use and production of coal, including Glencore and Anglo American.

Underlining the growing role of climate considerations for long-term investors, the fund is also excluding German utility RWE, South African petrochemicals firm Sasol and Australian company AGL Energy over their use of coal.

Norway's parliament agreed in June 2019 to toughen existing limits on coal investments by the world's largest wealth fund by excluding companies that mined more than 20 million tonnes of coal a year or generated more than 10 gigawatts of power from coal.

The fund held stocks worth $1.6 billion in such companies at the end of 2019, according to fund data. Wednesday's announcement is the first to show the tougher rules being applied.

The fund, set up in 1996 to save Norway's oil revenues for future generations, now holds about 1.5% of globally listed shares and its decisions are often followed by other investors. It sells holdings before announcing any exclusions to avoid excessive market moves.

The fund put another set of companies - BHP, Uniper, Enel and Vistra Energy - under observation for possible exclusion later if they did not address their use or production of coal.

The value of holdings in this group stood at $3.9 billion at the end of last year.

"This is good news that the biggest producers of coal in absolute terms are finally out of the fund," Else Hendel, acting environmental policy leader at green group WWF Norway, told Reuters.

EXCESSIVE EMISSIONS

The fund, which operates under ethical guidelines set by parliament, also said it was excluding four Canadian oil companies for producing excessive greenhouse gas emissions, the first time it has used that reason to blacklist firms.

Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil were excluded for "acts or omissions that on an aggregate company level lead to unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions", it said.

Story continues

The fund, which held stock worth $1.15 billion in these companies at the end of 2019, said the companies were excluded for their carbon dioxide emissions "from production of oil to oil sands".

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, in response to the fund's exclusion of the four, that many oil companies understood the investment climate was changing because of concerns about climate change.

Excessive greenhouse gas emissions became a criterion for exclusion four years ago. But the central bank, the fund's ethics watchdog and the finance ministry took time to agree on what constituted an unacceptable amount of emissions.

Wednesday's announcement opens the way for more companies to be excluded on those grounds.

The head of the fund's ethics watchdog told Reuters in March that, once the first ones were published, others companies would follow. Concrete and steel firms have also been probed, he said, without naming them.

COMPANIES RESPOND

Responding to the announcement, Anglo American said: "We are working towards an exit from our remaining thermal coal operations in South Africa, ensuring that we do so responsibly."

"We continue to examine suitable opportunities for our minority stake in Cerrejon," it said, referring to a Colombian mining venture with BHP, Anglo American and Glencore.

Sasol said it was implementing an "emission-reduction framework underpinned by short and medium-term targets," although it said coal would continue to play role in South Africa during a transition to lower-carbon energy sources.

Enel said it was developing its business in line with the Paris climate accords, which seek to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and cut emissions to zero by 2050.

Uniper said it was in a dialogue with the fund about being under observation for possible exclusion.

"Uniper in its strategic new focus has presented a clear exit plan from coal and aims for climate-neutral power production in Europe by 2035," said a company spokesman.

RWE said it had cut carbon dioxide emissions by 90 million tonnes since 2012 and committed itself to becoming climate neutral by 2040. It was investing around 5 billion euros in the expansion of renewables up to 2022.

"Instead of quantitative stock-taking, the speed with which a company changes should be considered in our view," said the company spokesman. "Already today, we are among the globally leading companies for renewable energies."

Glencore, BHP and AGL Energy declined to comment.

Vistra Energy was not immediately available to comment.

Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil did not respond to requests for comment after market hours.

(Additional reporting by Reuters bureaux worldwide; Editing by Jane Merriman/Pravin Char/David Evans)
According to CEO Jeff MacLean, "Verus has a long history of serving clients east of the Mississippi, and we've wanted to expand our national presence for some time. Now that we have achieved that, we are more than gratified to have built this around such a talented and highly respected consultant."

Mr. Brubaker has been part of the Pittsburgh community for most of his career and will bring decades of consulting experience to Verus from his 23-year tenure with Wilshire Associates and his most recent role as managing director at PNC Institutional Asset Management. While at PNC, he led the OCIO business for their large client segment. Mr. Brubaker was a consultant at Wilshire from 1997-2019 and a member of its Board of Directors from 2016-2019. He headed its OCIO business and served on its investment committee. He served some of Wilshire's larger clients, including public pension plans, endowments, foundations, and hospitals.

Mr. Brubaker said, "I'm truly honored to help achieve an important milestone for Verus. We plan to do a lot of exciting work for our clients in this office, and I look forward to working with the talented research and consulting teams at Verus."

Max Giolitti, Chief Risk Officer, managing director, and Verus management committee member, will relocate from Seattle to join Mr. Brubaker and the Pittsburgh team. Mr. Giolitti joined Verus in 2011 and is a well-renowned risk management expert who has served as risk director for Microsoft Corporation and the Alaska Permanent Fund. He developed the risk framework that distinguishes the Verus brand which, in the light of market uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, has become even more critical to plan sponsors today.

About Verus

Verus Advisory, Inc. (Verus) is an independent, employee-owned provider of non-discretionary consulting and discretionary management (OCIO) services since 1986.

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With the railways beginning its passenger services on May 12 for 15 pairs of trains between Delhi and major cities of the country, over 9,000 people left the national capital on Wednesday on board nine trains.

According to data accessed by PTI, of the nine trains from Delhi, eight which left for Howrah, Jammu, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Dibrugarh, Mumbai, Ranchi and Ahmedabad were booked beyond their capacity.

Only one train, which ran to Patna, the capital of Bihar, ran at 87 per cent capacity, the data showed.

Official data also showed that till Wednesday, 2,08,965 passengers had booked tickets for these special trains for journeys over the next seven days.

Of the nine trains that left on their journeys on Wednesday, the Howrah to New Delhi train which can carry 1,126 people at a time had a booking for 1,377 passengers which is 122 per cent of the train's capacity. While the New Delhi - Thiruvananthapuram special train was booked at 133 per cent of its capacity, the New Delhi-Chennai train ran on 150 per cent occupancy.

Similarly, the New Delhi - Jammu Tawi special ran at 109 per cent occupancy, while the New Delhi - Ranchi train ran at 115 per cent occupancy, the New Delhi - Mumbai Central train at 117 per cent, New Delhi - Ahmedabad at 102 per cent and the New Delhi-Dibrugarh train ran with an occupancy of 133 per cent.

"Overbooking does not mean that passengers are standing in the aisles, it just means that there is movement of people while the train is on the run. People are boarding and deboarding at halt stations and there have been multiple bookings, said an official.

Among the trains that departed from Delhi, the only train on Wednesday which did not run on full capacity was the New Delhi - Rajendra Nagar (Patna) train which had a capacity of 1,239, but carried only 1,077 passengers making it only 87 per cent full.

Officials said the reason behind low occupancy of the train could be that Bihar accounted for more than 100 trains which carried its workers home since May 1.

This also accounts for the rise in the data on passenger numbers that the railways had provided for the eight trains that left for their destinations on Tuesday.

While on Tuesday evening the ministry had said the number of passengers who travelled on the eight trains was 8,121, on Wednesday they revised the figure to 13,118.

On Wednesday, a total of 13 trains were operated. While nine departed from Delhi, four arrived here and together they carried 19,374 passengers to their destinations.

The trains which arrived in Delhi too had around 130 percent occupancy rate, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SAN ANTONIO  San Antonio and Bexar County can no longer require people to stay at home, wear masks or take several other steps to slow the spread of COVID-19, Attorney General Ken Paxton said Tuesday  the latest move in the states push to neuter local governments ability to implement their own emergency restrictions.

We trust you will act quickly to correct these mistakes to avoid further confusion and litigation challenging these unconstitutional and unlawful restrictions, Paxton, a Republican, threatened in a letter to Mayor Ron Nirenberg and County Judge Nelson Wolff.

But Nirenberg, an independent, and Wolff, a Democrat, largely wrote off Paxtons letter as a political stunt with little if any substance.

Now Playing: The mayor met with the Express-News Editorial Board to discuss the reopening of San Antonio after Governor Abbott announced reopening Texas. You can watch the full video of the 1-hour session on https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/ Video: mySA

On the merits, were not concerned, Nirenberg said. But it doesnt stop the AG from seeking a cheap political headline.

On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases

Both the city and county have strained to make sure their orders and Gov. Greg Abbotts are aligned, officials said Tuesday, and there are no plans to change their orders just because Paxton fired off a letter that has no legal authority on its own.

The orders are already compliant with the governors orders, Nirenberg said. They always have been.

The stay-at-home requirements are pretty much moot now that many businesses are allowed to reopen, Wolff admitted.

But lifting restrictions on social gatherings and nixing requirements that people wear masks would prove disastrous for containing the disease, Wolff said. Estimates show the local restrictions likely saved thousands of lives, officials noted.

His interpretation is, according to his letter, that anybody can do anything they want to do, Wolff said. With respect to masks and with respect to social distancing, thats a big mistake. We dont think thats what the governor wants us to do.

Nirenberg and Wolff have said repeatedly that the reason San Antonio hasnt been hit harder by the deadly virus is because its residents have honored their stay-at-home orders and the requirements to wear masks in public in most circumstances and to maintain a 6-foot social distance from others.

On ExpressNews.com: Ten ways to get others to keep that 6-foot social distance away from you

Abbott in recent weeks has limited the ability of cities and counties to set their own restrictions to combat the spread of the virus  a marked reversal from the onset of the crisis when the Republican left local officials to enact stay-at-home orders and close businesses.

Paxton also sent letters to Austin and Dallas on Tuesday  claiming, as he did in the letter to San Antonio, that many restrictions in those cities go beyond whats allowed under Abbotts own executive order.

San Antonio and Bexar County can no longer require people to stay at home, close businesses that arent essential or reopened or limit social gatherings, Paxton wrote.

Thats not City Attorney Andy Segovias interpretation of Abbotts order, which mandates that residents keep social gatherings and contact with people outside of their own household to a minimum  unless its to provide essential or reopened services.

Thats what our order does, Segovia said.

The city and county orders require essential and reopened businesses to provide face coverings and masks to their employees. Thats a no-no, Paxton said.

City and county officials cant restrict how many people attend religious services in houses of worship, Paxton said.

Unlike the governors order, which respects the robust constitutional and statutory rights protecting Texans free exercise of religion, your local orders unlawfully trample religious freedom and expose the county and the city to legal liability, Paxton wrote.

But neither the San Antonio nor the Bexar County orders caps attendance to religious services  though at one point they did, back when Abbott allowed such restrictions.

Under orders signed by Nirenberg and Wolff, the city and county require residents to wear masks when theyre in public situations where keeping social distance of 6 feet may not always be possible. But neither the city or county can enforce that requirement through fines or citations.

On ExpressNews.com: Governor eases mask restrictions; San Antonians urged to keep wearing them

Nonetheless, that requirement is out of step with Abbotts order, which only recommends that residents wear masks, Paxton said. Weeks ago, Abbott stripped local governments ability to fine people for not wearing masks in public.

Although your orders require individuals to wear masks when they leave their home, they are free to choose whether to wear one or not, Paxton wrote.

The county cant put people in jail for violating the order, Paxton said. Thats true; Abbott prohibited cities and counties from doing so last week. But neither San Antonio nor Bexar County ever put anyone in jail for violating the orders.

Abbotts own order allowed such a punishment until Thursday, Wolff noted.

Nonetheless, the moves by Abbott and Paxton are a far cry from the outset of the crisis when Abbott allowed local officials to take the heat for enacting restrictions on business and movement to try to stop the virus, Wolff said.

Nirenberg and Wolff sent their own letter to Paxton in response. But its unclear if the city or county will take any action beyond that.

Were not out to pick any fights, Segovia said.

Wolff quickly added, He picked the fight, not us.

Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Joshua, become a subscriber. jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports
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Linkedin Soe Tjen Marching (The Jakarta Post) London  Thu, May 14 2020

Never forget: A student walks past May 12 Reformation Park in Grogol, West Jakarta, on Wednesday. The park was built in memory of four students who were killed in a demonstration demanding reforms in May 1998, when riots also took place targeting those of Chinese descent. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)

This year, it has been 22 years since the horrific mass violence against hundreds of women, mainly ethnic Chinese, in Jakarta, Medan in North Sumatra and Surakarta in Central Java in May 1998.



I wasnt about to write anything about the 1998 mass rapes, simply because I felt tired; even if I had to say something, I would be repeating myself over and over again. And it would meet the same reaction: denial after denial by the sitting government. So, what is the point, if whatever we say is just going to be ignored?



However, later I realized the problem is with me. If we feel tired and no longer want to say anything, if we think that our efforts are in vain, if we turn mute, such apathy will allow people in power to do whatever they feel like; it is precisely this kind of reaction that those in power have been waiting for so that they can ignore any human rights violations and concentrate on expanding their power.



How can we remain silent if thousands of houses and shops belonging to ethnic Chinese were looted and/or burnt, hundreds of women and girls as young as 11 years old were repeatedly raped, many with their reproductive

organs destroyed with broken bottles or other blunt objects? One of the victims who had agreed to testify at the United Nations, Ita Martadinata Haryono, was murdered.



On Oct. 9, 1998, four days before she was about to leave for New York, Ita was found dead in her home in Jakarta. Her blood was splattered everywhere on the floors and walls, her body was found naked with her neck broken and slashed. The postmortem results stated she had been also stabbed several times in her abdomen, chest and right arm. No one has been convicted for the mass rapes and the gruesome murder of Ita.



Now, if we choose not to speak up about this injustice, there may be something wrong with us  we have consciously or unconsciously been subdued by the discourse of power to either forget about this or to stay silent.



Despite President Joko Jokowi Widodos promise to settle past human rights cases, this mass rape has not been addressed and discrimination cases against the ethnic Chinese have continued. Two of the big discrimination cases during the Jokowis period involved ethnic Chinese people who spoke against the injustice they experienced. At the end of July 2016, for instance, several temples in Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra, were destroyed and burned.



It started with the protest of a Buddhist ethnic Chinese woman named Meiliana, who complained about the loud noise of a nearby mosque. This exploded as a racial sentiment, and led to riots and burning of 14 Chinese and Buddhist temples. Meiliana was also brought to court and was charged with religious blasphemy. She was sentenced to 18 months in prison.



How about the people who burned and looted the temples? They were also charged, but all of them got much lower sentences than Meiliana. Seven of them were sentenced to 1.5 months in jail, and one of them two months 18 days. Apparently, complaining about loud noise is much worse than burning and looting if you belong to a stigmatized or minority group in Indonesia (in this case, those of ethnic Chinese).



Another slip of the tongue from an ethnic Chinese also became fatal, despite his popularity as then-Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama. At an election campaign event at the end of 2016, Ahok criticized religious leaders who were using an interpretation of the Surah Al-Maidah of the Quran, against him. These religious leaders had said that based on the Al-Maidah verse 51, non-Muslims was not supposed to become leaders of Muslims. Large protests against Ahok, full of anti-Chinese slogans, followed. Slogans such as Crush the Chinese people spread around Jakarta. Like Meiliana, Ahok was also charged with blasphemy and sentenced to two years imprisonment.



The above cases caused by the slip of tongue have indeed made many ethnic Chinese more careful and worried  for if they speak up and are considered wrong, they will be in trouble. Many have even said: It is safer for us to

stay silent and say nothing even if we have been discriminated against. Some of the ethnic Chinese even blamed Ahok and Meiliana for being careless.



For me, Ahok and Meiliana did not make a slip of the tongue. Meiliana had merely complained privately about the injustice she experienced: Loud sounds can really disturb ones health. There is also a regulation on loud noise, so as not to disturb people. Thus, Meiliana did not actually break the law. It is everyones right to demand people to control the noise they produce.



Similarly, Ahok did not criticize the Quran per se, but the religious leaders who used the Quran to vilify him. But this does not matter: their words were considered wrong and they had to go to prison.



This made me remember what my parents often said when I was a child if I witnessed some incident I considered unjust: You cannot say that, because you are Chinese. I have been trained by them to keep silent, because silence would make us safer.



It is for this very reason that now I push myself to write again about the mass rapes. Because by keeping quiet I may have been safe temporarily, but in the long run, complacency will only benefit the people in power. Silence will just lead to the comfort and impunity of these people to do whatever they like and the continuing abuse of human rights in Indonesia.

______

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Paul Drisgula is a lifelong Dodgers fan and married father of two who is retired after a thirty-five-year career as president and CEO of a network of Planned Parenthood health centers spanning the Mohawk, Hudson, and Saint Lawrence Valleys, and currently resides with his wife, Mary in Scotia, New York. He has published his new book Phaedra Cooper and the Half Boy: a fast-paced and entrancing literary debut.

In 1962, Mother Earth sent fourteen-year-old Xander Gadeski to a small village in upstate New York to uncover the truth behind the suspicious death of a Seneca girl, Pretty Flower.

At least, thats what Prettys girlfriend, Phaedra Cooper, comes to believe when she meets the minor seminarian at Prettys grave. She notices an odd connection between Xander and Skagedi, an ancient Seneca legend, who used an array of unusual powers, including splitting himself in half, to defeat evildoers.

The relationship between this naive boy, sheltered by a close Polish Catholic family, and a girl nurtured by her Seneca culture yet isolated on the fringe of white entitlement and intolerance forms the heart of the story in Paul Drisgulas debut coming-of-age mystery novel.

Xander is an unlikely and unwilling recruit to Phaedras cause. His father, Stary, just died. His immature brain still cant wrap itself around God letting the Dodgers slip out of Brooklyn. Before meeting Phaedra, he is bullied continually and suffers a vicious sexual assault at his new school.

The supernatural and natural worlds flow together like hot and cold from a tap as Phaedra and Xander forge an uneasy alliance to disprove the findings of the village police that Prettys death was a suicide. Phaedra suspects boys from Xanders school murdered the love of her life. Pretty Flower communicates with the two amateur detectives through dreams as they forge a dangerous plan climaxing in an outdoor trial on the bridge where death found Pretty Flower and where Xander must use his new powers if hes to avoid a similar fate. In Drisgulas novel, Xander tells his own story, often with a lighter touch, softening some of its harsher themes by unmasking the dark humor skulking in the shadows behind forbidden sex, bullying, death, rape, murder, and sin.

Published by Page Publishing, Paul Drisgulas engrossing book is a gripping work of fiction that keeps the pages turning until the satisfying conclusion.

Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchase Phaedra Cooper and the Half Boy at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating.

Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.
Mike Milinkovich Explains Eclipse Foundation's Move To Belgium

The Eclipse Foundation is moving its headquarters to Belgium, the organization has just revealed. One of the world's leading open-source software foundations, steward of the Eclipse IDE, enterprise Java, and the Eclipse MicroProfile, and the heart of a global ecosystem of developers, companies, and public sector entities, is pulling up stakes and heading for Brussels.

Well, figuratively speaking.

This "move" is more about establishing an official identity in a region poised to embrace open source in a big way than physically relocating. The Foundation offices in Ottawa, Canada, will still be there when the new legal entity in Europe is established later this summer; it should be finalized by July 2020. The Foundation will then be legally "domiciled" in Belgium as an AISBL (Association internationale sans but lucratif), which is the international version of the country's two forms of non-profits.

I asked the Foundation's executive director, Mike Milinkovich, who has led the organization since its founding just over 16 years ago (mostly from those offices in Canada) why the EF is doing this.

"From one perspective, we're just doubling down on the status quo," he told me. "Two-thirds of our committers are based in European countries, and we're already the largest open-source organization in Europe. But from another perspective, we're getting ahead of a kind of awakening in Europe about the true value of open source. Last year, we started to see the light bulb going off in the form of more and more publications and various governmental and industry organizations emerging with a focus on open source. Open source has gone from something that was tactical or perhaps interesting to something that's strategic and central to their thinking. It was pretty clear that if we didn't do this, someone else would."

"Don't get me wrong," he added. "There are open-source organizations in Europe, but they largely stick to single projectsthe Open Document Foundation, for example. And none of them have the scope of the Eclipse Foundation, which hosts hundreds of projects."

The Eclipse Foundation is already the largest open-source organization in Europe, with nearly 1,000 committers and a staff of about 10 mostly development staff spit between France and Germany. This move builds on that large international membership base and will almost certainly accelerate its growth. As the Foundation put it in a press release, "The Eclipse Foundation's new home will enhance all its global members' abilities to participate in European projects via open technologies. This will provide new opportunities for all, in a competitive global level playing field, to bring new solutions to the global market."

"This is a move motivated by a business opportunity, an opening to establish a truly global institution for open source," Milinkovich said.

When all this virtual rearranging is completed, the Eclipse Foundation will have headquarters in Belgium, Canada, and the US, though its official home will be in Europe. Consider that trifurcation in the context of the Foundation's mission to prove to the enterprise that the world of open-source solutions can be trusted and relied ona mission that spawned the annual simultaneous release of multiple Eclipse Foundation projects known as the Release Trainand the move makes even more sense. The industries that use the solutions developed and maintained by Eclipse committers (and those the Foundation wants to use them) are governed by the local laws. Europe-based companies are often more comfortable with Belgian law, Milinkovich pointed out.

"We're essentially creating a home that's more appealing to European industry," he said. "The number one reason we ended up in Belgium is that the country's legal structure is absolutely fit to purpose for an international organization like ours. But also, it's considered sort of the neutral country within Europe."

Not all of this ephemeral shuffling is going to be virtual. The Foundation is establishing a new GitLab-based forge hosted on servers in Europe. Currently, the Foundation offers projects a choice between its own original forge, which is based on Git, Bugzilla, and Garrett, and GitHub.

A team at IBM developed the original Eclipse Java-based IDE in the late 1990s. That IDE was the EF's first killer app. "The Eclipse Foundation is vital to millions of developers worldwide, as are Eclipse projects to companies in many industries," said Todd Moore, vice president of Open Technology and Advocacy at IBM, in a statement. "The Eclipse Foundation is taking steps to expand its global presence and reach. IBM welcomes the initiative and is providing support."

More information on the Foundation's plans and how interested parties can get involved can be found on the Eclipse Foundation website.
Following an attack that left at least 30 regime soldiers dead, heavy clashes have occurred in the al-Ghab Plain region, despite the existence of a ceasefire reports Al-Masdar.

A series of clashes broke out on Tuesday when jihadist rebels launched a new attack on the Syrian Arab Armys positions in the al-Ghab Plain region.

According to a field report from northwestern Syria, the jihadist rebels fired artillery shells at the Syrian Arab Armys defenses in the northern region of the al-Ghab Plain; prompting the Syrian army to return fire.

The two sides reportedly exchanged machine and light gunfire, despite an ongoing ceasefire that was brokered by the Russian and Turkish authorities on Mar. 5, 2020, in Moscow.

These latest clashes come a few days after the jihadist rebels of the Hurras al-Deen group launched a powerful attack that killed over 30 Syrian Arab Army soldiers in the town of al-Tanjara.

The jihadist assault on al-Tanjara was the deadliest attack launched on the Syrian armys positions since the ceasefire was reached at the start of March.

Prior to the jihadist raid, the two sides only exchanged artillery and rocket fire, with most of these attacks taking place along the southern front-lines in Idleb.

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.
Over 40,000 people from Jammu and Kashmir stranded in various parts of the country due to the coronavirus lockdown have been brought back home, officials said on Wednesday.

A total of 39,825 residents of the union territory were brought back to their home through buses, while 3,217 stranded people reached Udhampur on three special trains from Karnataka, Goa and Delhi, an official spokesperson said.

As many as 169 persons will reach Srinagar from Dhaka, Bangladesh, on a special flight, he said.

The administration has assured that all the residents of the union territory stranded in Bangladesh will be brought back to their homes.

"The first flight from Bangladesh with 81 students arrived in Srinagar on May 8 and the second flight with 169 students arrived on Tuesday. To date, 419 students from Bangladesh have arrived in J and K," the spokesperson said.

Upon their arrival in Srinagar, the students were screened and their samples were taken for COVID-19 testing, he said.

Of the total 39,825 returnees till date, 10,743 came from Punjab, 18,111 from Himachal Pradesh, 10,971 from other states and UTs including Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Madhya Pradesh, as per an official communique by Commissioner Secretary, Jal Shakti, Ajeet Sahu.

The fourth train from Goa carrying 697 stranded passengers is expected to reach Udhampur by this evening, the spokesperson said.

Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, who is also the Nodal Officer for management of return of stranded people at Udhampur, and District Development Commissioner, Piyush Singla are personally monitoring the facilities being extended to the passengers during their de-boarding and movement to their home districts at the Udhampur railway station, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A French court on Wednesday scrapped all charges against a man who helped migrants enter the country illegally, the final chapter in a groundbreaking case that defined so-called "crimes of solidarity". Cedric Herrou, an olive farmer in southern France who helped about 200 migrants cross the border from Italy, was given a four-month suspended sentence in August 2017. He had brought the destitute migrants home and set up a camp for them. He was also convicted of sheltering some 50 Eritreans in a disused railway building. France's Constitutional Council later said Herrou's actions were not a crime under the "principle of fraternity" as enshrined in France's motto "Liberty, Egality, Fraternity." The council, which evaluates the validity of French laws, ruled that people cannot be prosecuted for "crimes of solidarity". In December 2018, the Cour de Cassation -- France's court of final appeal -- overturned Herrou's conviction and sent the case back to the appeals court in the city of Lyon which on Wednesday voided all charges. "Reason and the law has triumphed," said Sabrina Goldman, a lawyer on the case. "Why focus on someone who did nothing but help? How can what he did be regarded as anything other than a humanitarian act?" Rights body Amnesty International said the ruling will have implications throughout Europe for the criminalisation of "acts of solidarity". "Cedric Herrou did nothing wrong, he simply showed compassion towards people abandoned in dire conditions by European states," Amnesty's Rym Khadhraoui said in a statement. "Whilst it is a relief that Cedric Herrous ordeal is now over, he should never have been charged in the first place." French law should now be amended to ensure only people smuggling, which entails a material benefit, is regarded as an offence, and not humanitarian assistance, Khadhraoui added.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Premier Oil plc. (PMO.L, PMOIY.PK) reported Wednesday that its production averaged 70.1 kboepd to end of April, impacted by a recent unplanned Catcher outage and cessation of Huntington production. For fiscal 2020, the company now expects production of 65-70 kboepd, down from previously expected production of 70-75 kboepd. The company noted that Tolmount schedule was impacted by COVID-19 with first gas now expected in the second quarter of fiscal 2021. The company projects broadly free cash flow neutral for full year 2020 at current forward curve. As previously announced, the AGM has been deferred to June 25 in light of the Government's public health instructions and stay at home measures regarding COVID-19. Tony Durrant, Chief Executive, said, 'We are proactively managing the business in these challenging times... We continued to generate free cash flow during the period and, based on the current forward curve, expect to be broadly free cash flow neutral for the full year, benefitting from our hedging programme and action taken to reduce our expenditure.' 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.
Americans will likely get Sanofis COVID-19 vaccine before the rest of the world if the French pharmaceutical giant can successfully deliver one.

Thats because the U.S. was first in line to fund Sanofis vaccine research, chief executive officer Paul Hudson said in an interview with Bloomberg News. He warned that Europe risks falling behind unless it steps up efforts to seek protection against a pandemic thats killed more than 290,000 people worldwide.

The U.S. government has the right to the largest preorder because its invested in taking the risk, Hudson said. The U.S., which expanded a vaccine partnership with the company in February, expects that if weve helped you manufacture the doses at risk, we expect to get the doses first.

Sanofi is one of the biggest players among the dozens of companies seeking a vaccine, which is needed to reboot economies after a lockdown-induced plunge in output. It has partnered with U.K. rival GlaxoSmithKline Plc on the project supported by the U.S. and says it could make 600 million doses annually  a capacity that Hudson said he aims to double.

Governments around the world are launching funding drives and research efforts, including the Trump administrations Operation Warp Speed, which resembles a program at the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Health advocates have warned that the race could leave out countries that cant afford protective doses, making them vulnerable to mass fatalities and economic wreckage from new waves of the coronavirus.

Ive been campaigning in Europe to say the U.S. will get vaccines first, Hudson said via a video link from his home in Paris. Thats how it will be because theyve invested to try and protect their population, to restart their economy.

While French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spearheaded an $8 billion (U.S.) fund drive to support equitable distribution, others have raised the prospect of a pecking order based on national support for research. Supplies of an experimental shot from the University of Oxford will be prioritized for the U.K. before other parts of the world, according to Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca Plc, which will make the vaccine.

Its important to have some of these discussions now, said Katherine Bliss, senior fellow in the global health policy centre at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to head off the threat of vaccine nationalism.

While BARDAs funding puts the U.S. first in line, the country may only be days or weeks ahead of everyone else, Hudson said.

Hudson described the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which has so far given $30 million for Sanofis program, as a model of how collaboration with industry should work. China has also mobilized efforts to develop a vaccine. So those two powerhouse economies will be vaccinated first, which is why it became so important to try to create a debate in Europe to say, Dont let Europe be left behind, he said.

BARDA has a long-standing relationship with Sanofi. The U.S. agency granted it a $226 million award in December to increase its pandemic influenza vaccine production capabilities.

The French company has been engaged in discussions with European governments about the potential to supply them with coronavirus vaccines, said Hudson, a Brit who took over as CEO in September. Were getting phone calls routinely, he said, with some countries offering to share the financial risk of producing a vaccine candidate before its proven to be safe and effective.

Many vaccine projects aim to deliver shots in 2021, with some targeting limited availability for health-care workers and other vulnerable groups as early as this fall.

Whichever country succeeds in bringing a coronavirus vaccine to market first is likely to claim ownership over some of the distribution process, said Krishna Kumar, a senior economist and director of international research at the RAND Corp. think tank.

We cannot even trade with each other without getting into questions of tariffs, and so on, he said. When it comes to a life-saving vaccine, its not going to be easy to come up with arrangements.

BARDA doesnt dictate how many doses the U.S. should receive or the price of the product, and has an expectation that Sanofi will be responsible, making any vaccine affordable, Hudson said.

The agency has deployed hundreds of millions of dollars to health-care giant Johnson & Johnson and biotech Moderna Inc. to develop, test, and mass produce inoculations against the novel coronavirus.

Sanofi has two COVID-19 vaccine projects under way. The one thats being funded by BARDA builds on past development work involving the SARS epidemic and technology it already employs in one of its flu vaccines. The French company and GSK plan to start human trials in the second half of this year and aim to have a vaccine available by the second half of 2021.

Sanofi also has a separate coronavirus vaccine candidate under development with Translate Bio Inc., which uses so-called messenger RNA technology to prompt the body to make a key protein from the virus, sparking an immune response.

Even if both vaccines prove successful, Sanofi likely cant meet global demand alone, John Shiver, senior vice-president of global vaccine R&D, in an interview earlier this month.

More than 100 other candidates are being developed in nations from the U.S. to Germany to China. Among those that have already begun human testing are experimental vaccines from CanSino Biologics Inc., Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Moderna and a partnership of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE.
Council, other groups will look at downtown parking concerns

There have been several downtown businesses requesting reserved parking spots prompting the council to make some changes to the parking ordinances.
A woman walks before moored fishing boats at a port in the central Vietnamese city of Danang, Nov. 10, 2017.

Vietnams government on Tuesday encouraged the nations fishermen to keep operating around the disputed Paracel Islands despite Chinas unilaterally-imposed fishing ban in the South China Sea, and directed provincial authorities to support Vietnamese fishermen at sea.

That statement of defiance from Hanoi, calling the ban invalid, came as an oil exploration ship contracted by another South China Sea claimant, Malaysia, ended a survey off further south, off the Malaysian coast. The ship has been shadowed by Chinese vessels for the past month.

The two developments highlighted the differing approaches of Vietnam and Malaysia in handling their maritime disputes with China. Beijing has been pressuring both nations as it looks to assert to sweeping claims over contested islands and ocean.

Vietnams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development directed provinces and cities to encourage fishermen to continue with their activities within Vietnam's territorial waters. It told local authorities to strengthen the management and supervision of fishing activities and monitor fishermens departure during the period of the ban, according to Vietnamese news outlet VNExpress. The ministry also directed provincial authorities to support fishermen at sea and said an emergency hotline would be set up with the Department of Fisheries Control.

Satellite imagery on Tuesday showed Vietnamese fishing vessels continuing to operate in the area covered by the fishing ban.

China announced its annual summer fishing ban on May 1, outlawing all fishing activity in an area north of the 12th parallel of the South China Sea that it claims to have jurisdiction over. Fisheries associations from both Vietnam and the Philippines immediately protested Chinas ban. Last week, Vietnams Foreign Ministry also rebuked China over the measure.

China responded Monday, saying it has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters in the South China Sea. It contended that the fishing ban was lawful, even over areas in dispute.

Vietnam has no right to make unwarranted accusations against China, not to mention encouraging its fishermen to infringe upon China's rights and interests and undermining the sustainable development of fishery resources in the South China Sea. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a news briefing.

Despite Chinas claim the ban is about environmental sustainability, satellite imagery and ship-tracking software indicates there is a large Chinese fishing fleet south of the 12th parallel, in an area not covered by the fishing ban. The area is also claimed by Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

Satellite imagery over Union Banks in the Spratly Islands, where Chinese fishing vessels are sailing south in an area not covered by Chinas annual summer fishing ban. Holiday Reef can be seen in the upper left of the picture, taken May 10, 2020. Credit: Planet Labs Inc. Among the various claimants in the South China Sea, China and Vietnam probably have the most visible rivalry, notwithstanding a measure of fraternal relations between their respective ruling parties.

In early April, a Vietnamese fishing vessel sank during a confrontation with a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship near the Paracels, prompting a strong protest from Hanoi and stiff criticism from the United States, which accused China of exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to expand its unlawful claims in the South China Sea.

China claims that the Vietnamese boat sank itself after ramming a CCG ship.

Further south, Malaysia has taken a lower-key approach to its own slow-burning, standoff-at-sea with China.

The West Capella, a drillship contracted by Malaysian state-owned oil company Petronas, has been operating in Malaysian waters for five months. Since April 15, a Chinese survey ship, Hai Yang Di Zhi 8, with CCG and maritime militia escort ships has been in the same area, conducting its own survey within Malaysias exclusive economic zone.

Thats been widely viewed as an attempt to pressure Malaysia to stop oil exploration in waters China claims. It prompted the U.S. and Australia to conduct naval exercises in that area, although no confrontation ensued.

On Tuesday, Seadrill, the company that operates the West Capella, said the drillship was leaving the region. The West Capella has finished its planned work and has left the area, Ian Cracknell, the companys communications director, said by e-mail.

The Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative had previously reported that the West Capella drillship was contracted by Petronas to search for resources until May 20.

The Malaysian government has yet to comment about the departure of the West Capella. On April 22, Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that he was privately consulting with both the U.S. and China, and urged all parties to refrain from sending more warships and coastguard ships to the area, as it may affect peace, security and stability in the region.

Ship-tracking software showed that as of Tuesday, the Chinese ship Hai Yang Di Zhi 8 and its escorts remained in place, continuing its survey activities as the West Capella was ending its mission.
(Reuters) - More than 3.89 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 269,840 have died, according to a Reuters tally, as of 1248 GMT on Friday.

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

* Russia's cases rose by over 10,000 for the sixth straight day, bringing the nationwide tally to 187,859. Around 100 central bank employees have been diagnosed, most of them in Moscow.

* A German intelligence report casts doubts on U.S. allegations that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory and says the accusations are an attempt to divert attention from U.S. failure to rein it in, Der Spiegel magazine reported.

* Ireland's unemployment rate shot up to 28.2% at the end of April including those receiving emergency assistance, the highest rate on record.

* Switzerland said it will further ease curbs on migration from Europe.

* Danish museums, amusement parks and cinemas will be allowed to reopen from June 8, the government said.

AMERICAS

* The U.S. economy lost 20.5 million jobs in April, the steepest plunge since the Great Depression.

* Mother's Day, considered one of the most important dates in the Mexican social calendar, coincides with what health officials have calculated as the peak of the spread.

* Residents in an impoverished part of the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, clashed with riot police after blocking the burial of a suspected coronavirus victim.

* Brazil's Health Ministry on Thursday registered 9,888 new cases, bringing its total to 135,106 with 9,146 deaths  the most deadly outbreak in an emerging market nation.

* The death toll in the worst hit part of Brazil's remote Amazon region may be three times the official count, as the pandemic overwhelms the public health system.

Story continues

* Peruvian miners are set to restart operations in coming days and ramp up to around 80% of normal production levels within a month, a senior official said, as the world's No. 2 copper producing country looks to rebound.

* Argentina will get $1.8 billion in loans from the Inter-American Development Bank this year to help create jobs and provide medical care to coronavirus victims, the government said. An IMF spokesman said it is hopeful Argentina can restore debt sustainability.

* The World Bank approved $506 million in emergency loans and grants for Ecuador to help it grapple with one of the worst outbreaks in Latin America.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* China is open to an independent investigation to determine the origins of the coronavirus, its ambassador to Berlin said amid U.S. allegations that it came from a laboratory.

* South Korean health authorities are investigating a small but growing outbreak centred in a handful of Seoul nightclubs, as the country moves to less restrictive measures.

* Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to cooperate on measures including the development of drugs and vaccines, Japan's government spokesman said.

* An Indian train killed 16 migrant workers who had fallen asleep on the track while heading back to their home village after losing their jobs during the lockdown, police said.

* Cases in Pakistan surged past 25,000 on Friday, just hours before the government was due to lift lockdown steps.

* Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will face a confidence vote on May 18.

* Two weeks after Indonesia banned air and sea travel, the transport ministry has confirmed that flights and public transport will conditionally resume.

* Australia will ease social distancing restrictions in a three-step process, its prime minister said as Canberra aims to remove most curbs by July and get nearly 1 million people back to work.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* The coronavirus could kill between 83,000 and 190,000 people in Africa in the first year and infect between 29 million and 44 million in the first year if it is not contained, said the World Health Organization.

* South Africa's president said some low-risk prisoners would be granted parole to help curb the spread in correctional facilities.

* Madagascar is putting its self-proclaimed, plant-based COVID-19 "cure" on sale and several African countries have already put in orders, despite WHO warning that its efficacy is unproven.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* Global shares rallied on Friday, hitting weekly highs, on signs of improving Sino-American relations and the prospect of more governments gradually reopening their economies. [MKTS/GLOB]

* Euro zone governments may need to borrow an additional 1.5 trillion euros this year to keep their economies afloat, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said.

* The ECB asked staff to study whether it should buy "junk" corporate bonds to fight the pandemic fallout, sources told Reuters.

* Japan will look into additional steps to cushion the economic blow, its economy minister said on Friday, signalling that more stimulus measures could be forthcoming.

* German exports fell by 11.8% in March, their steepest drop since current records began in 1990, the Federal Statistics Office said.

(Compiled by Sarah Morland; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
Technavio has been monitoring the automotive parts aftermarket market in US and it is poised to grow by USD 17.26 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 2% 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/20200513005044/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. 3M Co., Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Technologies Plc, DENSO Corp., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG are some of the major market participants. The benefits of original OE replacement parts will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Benefits of original OE replacement parts has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US 2020-2024: Segmentation

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US is segmented as below:

Distribution Channel Offline Online

Type Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles



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=IRTNTR43427

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US 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 automotive parts aftermarket market in US report covers the following areas:

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US Size

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US Trends

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US Industry Analysis

This study identifies the growing average age of vehicles and the higher number of parc vehicles as the prime reasons driving the automotive parts aftermarket market growth in US during the next few years.

Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the automotive parts aftermarket market in US, including some of the vendors such as 3M Co., Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Technologies Plc, DENSO Corp., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the automotive parts aftermarket market in US are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Automotive Parts Aftermarket Market in US 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive parts aftermarket market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the automotive parts aftermarket market size in US and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the automotive parts aftermarket market in US

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive parts aftermarket market vendors in US

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

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 Distribution channel

Market segments

Comparison by Distribution channel

Offline Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Online Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Distribution channel

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

Passenger vehicles Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Commercial vehicles Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Type

Customer landscape

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

3M Co.

Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd.

Continental AG

Delphi Technologies Plc

DENSO Corp.

Magna International Inc.

Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd.

Robert Bosch GmbH

Valeo SA

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

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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Queensland's opposition has called for the release of text messages between a senior bureaucrat and former deputy premier Jackie Trad as the pair face questions from a corruption probe.

Ms Trad resigned from cabinet at the weekend, after the state's corruption watchdog launched an investigation into her alleged role in the appointment of a school principal in her electorate.

Jackie Trad has resigned from her roles as deputy premier and treasurer. Credit:Dan Peled/AAP

Ms Trad has maintained she has not acted inappropriately.

In a short statement on Saturday, she reiterated she believed she had done nothing wrong.
Mighty Distributing System - Norcross, GA For more than 50 years, Mighty has served automotive businesses exclusively, states Mike Hudgins, Vice President of Sales. But making these supplies available to all who need them was a very easy decision. We were able to meet a true human need, not just a business need.

Mighty Auto Parts is donating 100K oil filters to automotive professionals servicing front-line workers and others affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these service facilities are already providing free or greatly discounted oil changes for these workers.

Weve always prided ourselves on our close relationships with the businesses we service through our network of franchisees and local sales representatives, explains Gary Vann, Sr. Vice President of Marketing at Mighty. So, when we began hearing stories of how these small businesses were stepping up to help their communities, we were eager to help them do that.

The goal is to supply 100,000 free oil filters to participating facilities by September 15. The oil filter giveaway is part of the companys larger Lets Get Going! Initiative aimed at helping automotive businesses ramp back up from the lull in business many are currently experiencing.

In addition to a vast array of auto parts, Mighty also offers a wide range of shop supplies that include cleaning and personal protection supplies that have become difficult to find as demand has surged during this crisis. In response to that need, many Mighty Auto Parts franchises have now made those critical supplies available to businesses and the general public outside of the automotive industry.

For more than 50 years, Mighty has served automotive businesses exclusively, states Mike Hudgins, Vice President of Sales. But making these supplies available to all who need them was a very easy decision. We were able to meet a true human need, not just a business need.

Doctors, nurses, first responders and other front-line workers are encouraged to contact their local automotive service locations and check social media for special maintenance offers in their area.

About Mighty Distributing System of America

Mighty is headquartered in Norcross, GA, and supports more than 100 U.S. distributors in 44 states as well as five international distributors. The Mighty System features local service, inventory management expertise, and training in conjunction with extensive offerings of OE quality underhood and undercar parts, chemical products, lubricants and shop supplies. The Mighty business model attracts independent repair shops, quick lubes, tire centers and new car dealerships across the nation and abroad. Mightys unique approach of dealing directly and exclusively with automotive professionals began in 1963.
BOSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of San Antonio, Texas, has created an application, using the Mendix low-code platform, to accelerate the delivery of much-needed emergency housing aid to citizens impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The new application brings the entire process online for rental, mortgage, utility, and relocation assistance, replacing a time-consuming manual process. Less than a day after deployment, residents initiated over 1,100 applications via the new app; during peak demand, the application has handled intake of more than 3,000 applications in a single day. Based on current allocations, the City of San Antonio's Neighborhood & Housing Services Department (NHSD) will process, approve, and distribute more than $25 million in emergency assistance via the new app.

San Antonians' need for financial housing assistance spiked rapidly in March when the pandemic triggered state-wide shutdown orders, causing widespread business closures and subsequent job losses. Applications for assistance skyrocketed from an average of less than 60 per week to over 2,000 per week. The situation at the NHSD quickly became critical as the sudden rush of applications overwhelmed the existing manual process. Without rapid help, residents faced imminent risk of eviction from their homes or having their utilities turned off.

App built and relief funds flowing in less than two weeks

With a first round of $14 million of emergency funds approved and applicants anxiously waiting to receive aid, San Antonio recognized the fastest way to disburse relief funds was to immediately move the process fully online. City officials passed an emergency amendment allocating funds to create a cloud-based tool and enrolled the support of Kinetech , a Texas-based provider of custom enterprise software, to digitize the existing manual system.

"As we faced a global pandemic and the increasing volume of applications for housing assistance, we knew that there was a better way to keep up with the demand of processing applications," said Edward Gonzales, assistant director for the City of San Antonio's Neighborhood & Housing Services Department. "We had previously worked with Kinetech in 2018 to build a utility assistance application for the city , so they already had the right security credentials, tools, skill-set, and agile processes in place to build this application.

"Within 12 days, the two-person development team built the new application and successfully deployed it. In less than a week, more than $2.2 million in assistance was requested. With the help of Kinetech and Mendix, our process is now fully digital, and our case workers can quickly provide feedback and help prevent residents from becoming homeless."

Process fully digitized, plus an added benefit

City residents previously applied online or in person  which became impossible during the lock-down  and had to follow up with supporting documentation separately, which often presented a challenge. Now, applicants can submit the entire application digitally 24/7 from their homes. Importantly, the application also includes the opportunity to report domestic abuse, which is automatically flagged for case workers. While reporting of abuse was offered on the paper applications, there was no way to automatically flag the notification, resulting in delayed responses.

Kinetech and the City of San Antonio built the new application in just 12 days using Mendix , the leading enterprise low-code application development platform. Low-code is a visual development approach that enables developers of varied experience levels to quickly create applications for web and mobile, using drag-and-drop components and model-driven logic.

"Everything we have done with low-code solutions has delivered on the promise," said Chief Technology Officer Kevin Goodwin of the City of San Antonio. "As opportunities for digital solutions arise, we lean toward the low-code platforms. Part of it is planning for the workforce of the future  we need to pivot the tools we use to make ourselves relevant for new generations of developers and the tools and delivery methods they understand."

Michael Guido, CEO of Kinetech, said, "Through Kinetech's strong relationship with the City, we were able to quickly understand the challenges San Antonians are facing and develop a bilingual, English-Spanish solution to serve our most vulnerable citizens. The application uses responsive design, so it works well on any kind of device  phone, tablet, or computer  which can help bridge the digital divide for residents who have limited access to the internet. We deployed a minimum viable product in eight business days, co-developing with the city's business and IT teams every step of the way."

Mendix Offers Free 90-Day License to Municipalities

Recognizing the need of other local jurisdictions to provide emergency assistance to their citizens in the U.S. and around the world, Mendix is offering a free, 90-day license of its low-code application development platform to local government entities around the world facing similar challenges, so they can quickly build and deploy their own applications to help people. Partner Kinetech will provide discounted expert development services if needed.

Mendix's low-code platform offers the public sector fast and secure ways to build a variety of applications to better serve people including:

Portals to submit requests for service or financial assistance with speed and transparency

or financial assistance with speed and transparency Native mobile solutions with features such as offline access and biometric identification to provide users the seamless experience they are accustomed to

Digital communication tools to reduce dependency on in-person or phone interactions

on in-person or phone interactions Workflow applications to streamline internal project management

Automated aggregation of data to support business decisions using various metrics from budget management to service usage trends

"We are honored to be on the team helping the City of San Antonio assist a greater number of its residents in need during this unsettling time," said Ben Mohlie, global director of alliances at Mendix. "We want to support as many government and municipal agencies as possible to respond to this crisis, so we are offering free 90-day licenses to those who need to build similar solutions for their residents in a hurry. There's no faster platform to build robust, scalable enterprise-grade applications without making any compromises. And the same advantages Mendix brings to crisis development  speed, collaboration, control  it brings to strategic digitalization initiatives as well."

For more information about Mendix's offering of a free 90-day license that is paired with discounted implementation services from partner Kinetech, please visit: https://www.mendix.com/it-government-leaders-speed-delivery-of-critically-needed-financial-assistance-with-low-code/ .

Connect with Mendix

Follow @Mendix on Twitter

Connect with Mendix on LinkedIn

About Mendix

Mendix , a Siemens business and the global leader in enterprise low-code, is fundamentally reinventing the way applications are built in the digital enterprise. With the Mendix platform, enterprises can 'Make with More,' by broadening an enterprise's development capability to conquer the software development bottleneck; 'Make it Smart,' by making apps with rich native experiences that are intelligent, proactive, and contextual; and 'Make at Scale,' to modernize core systems and build large app portfolios to keep pace with business growth. The Mendix platform is built to promote intense collaboration between business and IT teams and dramatically accelerate application development cycles, while maintaining the highest standards of security, quality, and governance  in short, to help enterprises confidently leap into their digital futures. Mendix's 'Go Make It' platform has been adopted by more than 4,000 leading companies around the world.

About Kinetech

Kinetech , a Mendix Platform partner, is a provider of custom enterprise software, delivered through the cloud with a focus on improved organizational productivity. The company focuses on cloud, mobile, and integrated technologies, using low-code / Mendix, that solve real client problems. Kinetech's service offerings are configured and integrated with other web services (APIs), platforms, and enterprise applications (CRM, ERP, HCM). The company delivers its offerings via internet browsers and on mobile devices. Kinetech designs, builds, and supports mission-critical applications, client/vendor portals, and modernizes legacy systems. Its cloud offerings include the Digital Factory (Manufacturing), Kinetech PM (Construction / Project Management), GovTech (Government Technology) Cloud, and other bespoke solutions (Enterprise Cloud).

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By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: A Special Operations Team of LB Nagar under Rachakonda Commissionerate raided a gutkha manufacturing unit and seized gutkha and raw material worth Rs 30 lakh at Balapur on the city outskirts.

The accused had been supplying gutka to traders at Balapur, Shamshabad and Mailardevpally, even during the lockdown. To avoid police, the accused would move on a scooter and deliver at night. The accused and seized material were handed over to Balapur Police Station for investigation.
After struggling to get pregnant for years, Zainab, 27, gave birth to a baby boy on Tuesday morning at a small hospital in the southwestern corner of Kabul. She was overjoyed and named the boy Omid, meaning 'hope' in Dari.

At around 10 a.m. (0530 GMT), an hour before she and her family were set to return home to neighbouring Bamiyan province a three-hour drive away, three gunmen disguised as police burst into the hospital's maternity ward and started shooting.

Zainab, who rushed back from the washroom after hearing the commotion, collapsed as she took in the scene. She spent seven years trying to have a child, waited nine months to meet her son and had just four hours with him before he was killed.

"I brought my daughter-in-law to Kabul so that she would not lose her baby," said Zahra Muhammadi, Zainab's mother-in-law, unable to contain her grief. "Today we'll take his dead body to Bamiyan."

No group has claimed responsibility for the massacre of 24 people, including 16 women and two newborns. At least six babies lost their mothers in an attack that has shaken even the war-torn nation numbed by years of militant violence.

"In my more than 20-year career I have not witnessed such a horrific, brutal act," said Dr. Hassan Kamel, director of Ataturk Children's Hospital in Kabul.

The raid, on the same day that at least 32 people died in a suicide bomb attack on a funeral in the eastern province of Nangarhar, threatens to derail progress towards U.S.-brokered peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attacks and ordered the military to switch to offensive mode rather than the defensive tactics it adopted while U.S. troops withdraw from the country after a long, inconclusive war.

The Taliban, the main militant group, has denied involvement in both attacks, although trust among officials and the broader public has worn thin. An offshoot of Islamic State is also among the suspects: it admitted it was behind the Nangarhar bloodshed.

WE NAMED HIM 'HOPE'

Muhammadi, the mother-in-law, said she saw one of the attackers firing at pregnant women and new mothers, even as they cowered under hospital beds.

"We gave him the name Omid. Hope for a better future, hope for a better Afghanistan and hope for a mother who has been struggling to have a child for years," she told Reuters by telephone in Kabul.

The gunmen then turned to target the cradle where Omid had been asleep. As the sound of bullets reverberated through the ward, Muhammadi said she fainted in fear.

"When I opened my eyes, I saw that my grandson's body had fallen to the ground, covered in blood," she recalled, as she wailed with grief.

The Kabul attack began in the morning when gunmen entered the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital, throwing grenades and shooting, government officials said. Security forces had killed the attackers by the afternoon.

The 100-bed, government-run hospital hosted a maternity clinic run by Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French name Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

Just hours before the attack, MSF had tweeted a photo of a newborn in his mother's arms at the clinic after being delivered safely by emergency caesarean section.

On Wednesday, the group condemned the attack, calling it "sickening" and "cowardly".

"Whilst fighting was ongoing, one woman gave birth to her baby and both are doing well," MSF said in a statement. "More than ever, MSF stands in solidarity with the Afghan people."

Deborah Lyons, head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, condemned the hospital assault in a tweet. "Who attacks newborn babies and new mothers? Who does this? The most innocent of innocents, a baby! Why?"

'LITTLE POINT' IN PEACE TALKS

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday condemned the two attacks, noted the Taliban had denied responsibility and said the lack of a peace deal left the country vulnerable to such violence.

Pompeo also described the stalled peace effort, which planned for intra-Afghan peace talks to begin on March 10, as "a critical opportunity for Afghans to ... build a united front against the menace of terrorism." Talks have yet to start.

The Pentagon declined to comment on Ghani's stated intent to restart offensive operations, saying only that the U.S. military continued to reserve the right to defend Afghan security forces if they are attacked by the Taliban.

Relations between the government in Kabul and the Taliban movement, which was ousted from power in 2001 by a U.S.-backed assault in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, are already frayed, and Tuesday's events will make any rapprochement harder.

"There seems little point in continuing to engage Taliban in 'peace talks'," Afghan National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib said in a tweet.

For Afghanistan, the hospital attack also risks further disrupting a healthcare network that is creaking amid the challenges of dealing with the new coronavirus pandemic.

More than a third of the coronavirus cases in Kabul have been among doctors and healthcare staff, Reuters reported in early May.

The high rate of infection among healthcare workers has already sparked alarm among medics and some doctors have closed their clinics. At least 5,226 people have been infected by the coronavirus and 132 have died, according to the health ministry.

KABUL MEDICAL COMMUNITY SHAKEN

The attack has shaken the small medical community in Kabul to its core.

Nurses and doctors who survived the hospital attack said they were in shock, and resuming duties would be an emotional challenge on top of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

"Last night I could not sleep, as scary scenes of the attack kept crossing my mind," said Masouma Qurbanzada, a midwife who saw the killings.

"Since yesterday my family has been telling me to stop working in the hospital, nothing is worth my life. But I told them 'No, I will not stop working as a health worker'."

Officials at MSF said they were working to try to normalise operations and had received support from other hospitals to treat dozens of infants and adults wounded in the attack.

Some medics at the hospital, however, said it would be hard to move on.

"The gunmen blew up a water tank and then started shooting women. I saw a pool of water and blood from the small gap of a safe room where some of us managed to lock ourselves," said a nurse with MSF, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"I saw patients being killed even as they begged and pleaded for their life in the holy month of Ramadan. It is very hard for me to work now."
WASHINGTON  Cities and counties across Texas would get more than $29 billion from the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package House Democrats want to pass as soon as Friday.

That includes more than $1.7 billion to Houston and nearly $1 billion to San Antonio as both cities stare down massive budget holes caused by the outbreak. Harris County's funding could top $2.6 billion and Bexar County could be on tap for more than $1 billion, as well. Texas, meanwhile, could get nearly $35.5 billion from a separate pool of funding to aid states.

ITS GOING TO HAVE TO BE BIG: Democrats unveil $3 trillion coronavirus relief package with billions for struggling cities

That's all according to estimates compiled by the Congressional Research Service, Congress public policy institute. The estimates, which cover the rest of 2020 and 2021, are based on some factors not yet known, such as unemployment and infection rates, so they're not exact.

House Democrats are sharing the city-by-city numbers as they try to overcome growing opposition from the Republican-led Senate to the 1,800-page stimulus bill, which is replete with partisan Democratic priorities. It provides $3.6 billion in elections funding as they push to expand mail-in voting during the outbreak, as well as $25 billion to bolster the U.S. Postal Service. House leaders aim to vote on it this week.

Republicans say Democrats are playing politics with the bill, which includes a slew of things they oppose, such as creating a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said hes not sure its time yet for another sweeping relief package and he would rather respond with a more targeted approach.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

At the top of the Democrats list is sending $875 billion to states, cities and counties to help plug huge budget deficits. Cities cant use the aid that Congress has offered so far to close those budget holes and cities across the country, including Houston and San Antonio, are starting to lay off employees and cut programs.

The bill would also for the first time offer coronavirus relief aid to smaller cities, as past relief packages have only directed funding to cities with 500,000 or more residents, meaning suburbs could get tens of millions. New Braunfels, for instance, could get nearly $30 million. Sugar Land could get more than $58.5 million.

A list of estimates for your city and county can be found here.

ben.wermund@chron.com
I established this website to help people with the information they need to navigate the system and get the assistance they need. I am passionate about affordable housing and dedicated to making sure that Ohioans, no matter their economic status, have a safe and comfortable place to call home.

REIProperties Columbus today announced the launch of a new website (http://www.REIPropertiesColumbus) dedicated to providing valuable information regarding low income, Section 8, housing. Founded in 2005 by Jeff Ihlenfield, the company has established a broad portfolio of single-family properties and works closely with local and national organizations to help secure homes that are safe and affordable for both individuals and families.

The site answers questions about how to apply for and obtain Section 8 housing, and points visitors to resources that can help identify the documents and forms needed. In addition, because the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on those receiving public assistance, the site also offers the latest information on the virus and links to various materials that can help explain and provide insight into the consequences facing the affordable housing market and those who depend on it.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is in charge of and oversees the Section 8 program through the local Housing Authority. The program assists millions of Americans by subsidizing the rent for their homes, said Ihlenfield. However, it can be complicated to understand. I established this website to help people with the information they need to navigate the system and get the assistance they need. I am passionate about affordable housing and dedicated to making sure that Ohioans, no matter their economic status, have a safe and comfortable place to call home.

REIProperties Columbus works with various community resources to help secure homes for those that are most challenged by life and circumstances. It is affiliated with the Community Housing Network, helping people from every walk of life, and Veterans Administration Services, dedicated to ensuring that our veterans are not overlooked and can receive the public assistance they need.

Ihlenfield, however, feels strongly that the pandemic currently sweeping the nation, while having an effect on everyone, is particularly troubling for those receiving housing assistance. Those Section 8 individuals and families understandably have questions about whether the government will continue to subsidize their monthly rent or whether the program will suffer from the recession that many predict is sure to come. There are legitimate concerns, and hopefully the website will help answer some of those questions and alleviate some of those apprehensions.

About REI Properties Columbus

Founded by Jeff Ihlenfield in 2005, REIProperties Columbus is committed to providing housing for low income individuals and families. The company specialize in Section 8 housing, providing single-family properties that are safe, modern and comfortable. REIProperties Columbus is affiliated with both local and national organizations to help navigate the requirements for Section 8 housing and stands ready with housing options for those who qualify for assistance. For more information visit http://www.reipropertiescolumbus.com
A woman in Chhattisgarh trekked



through a forest for four days, tracked down a group of naxals, and persuaded them to release her policeman husband.

When asked what made her undertake this perilous mission, Sunita Kattam's reply was that she decided not to sit on her hands and worry, but to act.

Santosh Kattam (48), a constable posted at Bhopalpatnam police station in Bijapur, was kidnapped from Gorana village in the first week of May.

"He left house on the evening of May 4 to buy groceries and did not return," Sunita (39) told PTI on Wednesday.

Two days later she learnt that naxals had abducted her husband. She was a little skeptical at first, as Santosh had left home without telling anyone on a few earlier occasions too.

But after it was confirmed that naxals were behind his disappearance, she informed police and also started contacting her acquaintances in the area to find his whereabouts.

"I decided not to think too much and make efforts on my own to free him," she said.

She was no stranger to the naxal menace as her family lives in Jagargunda area in the neighboringSukma district, a hotbed of rebel activities.

On May 6, Sunita, her 14-year-old daughter, a local journalist and some villagers entered a forested area to find her husband.

She left her two other children with their grandmother at their house in Bijapur Police Line.

"We rode on motorcycles and walked through rough terrain for four days before finding the naxals who had abducted my husband on May 10," she said.

Next day, Maoists held a 'Jan-adalat (kangaroo court) to decide Santosh's fate. That was when Sunita could see her husband for the first time in six days.

"The villagers and I persuaded naxals to release him," she said.

According to local sources, before releasing him, naxals warned Santosh that he will face consequences if he continued to serve in the police force.

When asked how did she muster courage to venture into the forest on the trail of naxals, Sunita said, "A woman can go to any lengths to safeguard her husband."



Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said after receiving information of Kattam's abduction, the police were trying to trace him through various sources but did not launch any operation to ensure that naxals did not harm him.

Kattam's family was also trying to secure his release, he said.

After he returned to Bijapur on May 11, his medical examination was conducted and his statement was being recorded, the IG added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Merrill C. Sandy Hall

Hall is the owner of Golds Gyms in Virginia, including one in Roanoke.

As a small business owner who has been self-employed since 1993, I certainly have experienced a lot of challenges related to owning and operating a small business. Catastrophic events like 9/11 and the 2008 economic downturn created large hurdles for small businesses throughout the United States. Those challenges, however, were insufficient preparation for the shuttering of businesses to combat COVID-19.

I am a partner in the ownership of health clubs located throughout Virginia, with over 1,200 employees. Our mission is to help our members achieve their fitness goals. Our franchise has won many national awards related to the health and well-being of our members.

The governments response to COVID-19 has effectively dismantled our small businesses. Specifically, Gov. Northams Executive Order 53 has shuttered our operations. As a result, we have had to furlough 1,100 of our employees. It has also created complications with our landlords, banks, and vendors with whom we have worked with for years.

As small business owners throughout Virginia have learned, having a business designated as non-essential does not relieve the business from the responsibility of meeting its obligations. Government has neither offered nor provided offsetting relief from real estate taxes, personal property taxes or business licensing taxes.

Like all businesses to which Gov.Northams Executive Order applied, ours worked diligently to comply. Being shuttered by the government for an entire month  from March 24 through April 24  would generate challenges we had never before experienced. We would work to endure the shutdown and be prepared to reopen when the Executive Order expired.

As April 24 approached, we hoped we would be permitted to resume operations, even if under strict limitations to comply with social distancing guidelines. This included increased cleaning procedures to supplement our existing vigorous cleaning protocol, modified operating hours, closure of every other piece of equipment for social distancing, facemask requirements, and significantly reduced occupancy loads. We submitted our new operating guidelines to the Governors office for review. We received no response.

Then, April 24 was extended through May 8, and then again until May 15. Surely then, our business would be allowed to resume at least partial operations. On Friday, we learned that expiration date, too, would be extended as Gov. Northam decided that health and fitness clubs would not be included in Phase I of his plan to wind-down the shutdown.

There is now no defined, identified, or prospective time when our health and fitness clubs will be allowed to open. The suspension of our business operations is effectively indefinite.

Like many businesses, we have applied for a PPP loan from the SBA. But unlike most businesses, we wont be eligible to have that loan forgiven. As we have been mandated to remain closed indefinitely, we cannot meet the current timeline requirements of the PPP loans to bring our employees back. Because Gov. Northams forced shutdown does not have an expiration date for health and fitness clubs, we are unable to take advantage of any of the federally backed relief available to most effected businesses.

Throughout the shutdown, we have continued to pay our essential management team and customer service departments to ensure we appropriately respond to our members inquiries. We are also continuing to pay for medical insurance for people that have been temporarily laid off.

With the survival of our business in the balance, Gov. Northams actions have left us with almost no avenues for relief. With our obligations accumulating and the uncertainty of retaining our employees to return to work, we ultimately filed suit against the governors actions.

The position we have taken is not political. We are simply trying to salvage our business by bringing back our employees and continuing to build upon what we have spent years developing. Health and fitness clubs can be part of the solution to COVID-19, as we work diligently to ensure our members avoid the secondary morbidities that have caused so many to be afflicted by this virus. But, we cant be part of any solution if we remain closed.

We trust our judiciary will ultimately adhere to the Constitution of Virginia and the Code of Virginia in reviewing our petition. We look forward to being reopened, allowing our employees and our members an opportunity to participate in the recovery that will lead to better health and well-being for us all.
FP Trending

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has revised the unlimited voice calling and SMS benefits on select Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) and Plan Vouchers (PVs). It has been done to include Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) roaming for existing and new customers.

The new STVs can be used in Chennai telephones and Tamil Nadu Circle under GSM prepaid mobile services from 12 May 2020.

As per a notification by the BSNL Chennai division, the unlimited voice calling benefits have been expanded on the MTNL network for BSNL customers using the Rs 99, Rs 104, Rs 349, and Rs 447 prepaid recharge plans.

These plans come with 250 minutes of voice calls on a daily basis. After the 250 minutes are exhausted, customers will be charged at base plan tariff.

The voice benefits (if any) under this voucher cannot be used for outgoing calls to premium numbers, IN numbers, international numbers and other chargeable short codes; the subscriber will be charged applicable tariffs for the same, BSNL said.

Along with the voice calling benefits, BSNL has provided 100 SMS messages per day for the MTNL roaming for existing as well as new customers using STVs including Rs 97, Rs 118, Rs 187, Rs 199, Rs 247, Rs 298, Rs 349, Rs 399, Rs 447, Rs 499 and Rs 1,098.

The messaging service is also for those using prepaid vouchers (PVs), and first recharge coupons (FRVs) priced at Rs 106, Rs 107, Rs 153, Rs 186, Rs 365, Rs 429, Rs 485, Rs 666, Rs 997, Rs 1,699 and Rs 1,999.

Last month, BSNL had extended the Rs 499 Bharat Fiber broadband plan that it had introduced on a promotional basis in February to 29 June. The plan, which offers 100 GB data benefits with up to 20 Mbps speeds, was originally scheduled to expire on 31 March.
For her 70th, nearly two years ago, her children threw her a surprise party, inviting the many friends and family members who loved her. Kelley remembers her mother sauntering down the stairs to greet the hundred or so people packed into the house. She had a twinkle in her eye, Kelley said, and a smile that said, Yes, you should be celebrating me. At the party, Lawrence Nokes stood tall in a corner, gazing at his wife.
US flag and presidential seal.

On May 13, the US Supreme Court hears debate in two strange and disconcerting cases about so-called faithless electors.

These rogue voters are members of the electoral college who cast independent ballots rather than going with their states chosen presidential candidate because they claim the Constitution gives them this power. Reading the electors arguments, you might marvel at the fact that there hasnt been more trouble with these unreliable voters historically.

Indeed, it seems a miracle that any electoral college voter does as told, frankly, and that elections havent been more chaotic. Yet they have not been, despite the fact that faithless electors have always existed and have throughout US history objected to directives to vote as told.

Of about 23,000 individual electoral college votes in more than two centuries, only 165 have been nonconforming. The most recent of these rogue votes arose during the 2016 election when electors out of Colorado and Washington wanted to exercise independent discretion. They say they were unjustly punished for failing to tow the line.

An outdated symbol?

There are 538 electoral college voters from 50 states nationwide who meet six weeks after the presidential election to cast ballots for their states. The electoral college system was created because in the late 18th century when the US became a nation communication was slow. This method ensured a certain efficiency to elections, guaranteeing results within weeks. It was also something of a compromise deal struck between those who wanted Congress to choose the president and those who believed the people should decide.

Now, of course, communication is fast. So gathering six weeks after an election to transmit state votes arguably serves no legitimate purpose. This is all the more true considering that winning the popular vote doesnt guarantee winning the presidency, depending on how many electoral college votes a candidate secures. For example, in 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but Donald Trump became the president.

Story continues

Electoral college voters are chosen by the party whose presidential candidate wins the popular vote in a state. They normally cast their ballots for that candidate.

These electors arent chosen for their wit, wisdom, or erudition, according to states, and they dont get to choose their vote. They are just folks in the winning party who happen to exist to manifest the will of the people. This is evidenced by the fact that electoral college voters ballots dont even disclose the voters names.

However, some electoral college voters dont follow instructions and say they cannot be told how to vote. Sure, the state has the right to choose the voters and authorities can suggest a desired vote. But it would be senseless, say the electors, to expect them to choose as told because that defies the meaning of the word vote and the role that the framers of the Constitution envisioned for electoral college voters.

The electors point to Federalist 68, an essay in the Federalist Papers in which Alexander Hamilton explained that the electoral college would hold men of information and discernment to safeguard the nations highest office. The process of election affords a moral certainty, that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications, Hamilton wrote. Thus, its the responsibility of independent voters to stand up for the presidency should it fall into the wrong hands, the rogue voters argue.

States, however, counter that this is just one founding fathers opinion and doesnt tell us how the electoral college really works. States must be able to dictate how an electoral college voter casts their ballot, they sayotherwise, a few bad apples could theoretically hijack a presidential election.

Now the high court must decide who is right, the rogue voters or the states. With a presidential election just around the corner, the justices decision could promptly become consequential.

Dictionary definitions

Rogue and wannabe rebel voters in two states present the court with the same question about exercising independent judgment. But their cases vary in the details.

In Washington, three electoral college voters cast ballots for Colin Powell for president, although he wasnt a candidate in 2016. As the electors brief explains:

The Presidential Electors in these cases determined to vote for a candidate other than the nominee of their party. Each believed that their vote, if joined by others across the nation, could move the election to the House of Representatives, and give the House a chance to select a President closer to the preferences of voters in their states than the presumptive winner, Donald Trump.

Washington state transmitted these votes to Congress, and they became part of the official tally. But the state then fined the electors $1,000 each for failing to vote for the nominee of their party, and the rogue voters challenged their punishment as unconstitutional.

In Colorado, meanwhile, electoral college voter Michael Baca had crossed out Hillary Clintons name on a pre-printed ballot with only one choiceClinton. Baca wrote in his vote for John Kasich for president instead. His vote was rejected and the state removed him as an elector, replacing him with a substitute elector who cast a vote for Clinton. Two other voters, who had indicated they would vote their own way previously, ended up casting their ballots for Clinton.

Baca claims that he was unjustly punished because he was replaced as a voter and was threatened with possible charges by the state. But Colorado says he has no standing to sue because he experienced no actual harm.

In both cases before the high court, the faithless electors claim they were exercising their constitutional rights and that choice is inherent in such votes. They want the court to declare that electoral college voters have a right of choice that cannot legally be controlled by states.

The faithless electors point out that Article II of the Constitution vests in electors the choice for President and Vice President. Based on their reading of the law and dictionaries of the 18th century, an elector necessarily had a choice. In their view, the electoral college voter cannot exist for purely symbolic reasonsthat doesnt make linguistic sense and is unsupported by the Framers interpretations of the voters role.

Meanwhile, states say there is no way that any electoral college voter can cast a ballot for whomever they choose. History, the states say, is on their side, and they want the high court to decide that electoral college voters play a purely symbolic role and have no personal agency. Deciding anything else is essentially throwing presidential elections to the wind, or more specifically, to a bunch of unreliable nobodies.

Notably, the two cases were initially consolidated for oral argument before the high court until it was discovered that justice Sonia Sotomayor is friends with one of the wannabe faithless electors of Colorado, Polly Baca. Although Baca ultimately cast a ballot for Clintonnot scratching out the candidates name like Michael Baca, who is unrelated to hershe had expressed a desire to vote independently. Sotomayor recused herself from that case but will participate in the Washington matter.

The justices are expected to decide these cases by terms end in late June. If they choose to see things the electors way, finding they were wrongly punished for exercising their judgment, it may well mean a chaotic 2020 presidential election ahead, leaving rogue electoral college voters more emboldened to rebel.

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Bangladesh is set to extend the nationwide shutdown for the seventh time as the country on Wednesday reported an alarming rise of COVID-19 cases with 1,162 new positive cases and 19 fatalities, the highest coronavirus deaths in a single day in the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given her nod to the proposed holiday extension until May 30, Junior Minister for Public Administration Ministry Farhad Hossain told media.

He said the official notification to extend the shutdown is likely to be issued on Thursday, simultaneously ordering stringent enforcement of health directives asking everyone in the Muslim-majority country to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr later this month staying indoors.

The holiday was set to be relaxed on May 16 but the rapid increase of the coronavirus cases prompted Bangladesh to revise the decision and extend the shutdown for the seventh time.

Bangladesh first declared a nationwide holiday from March 26 to April 4 while the country confirmed the first coronavirus death on March 18, ten days after the detection of the first three COVID-19 cases.

An official expert committee, meanwhile, predicted that coronavirus cases will increase further later this month and the situation will remain worse until late June.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) earlier Wednesday reported 19 deaths, including 12 from Dhaka, taking the death toll to 269.

During the period 1,162 have tested positive for COVID-19...as 7,900 samples were examined at 41 authorised laboratories across the country, additional DGHS chief Professor Nasima Sultana said at a media briefing.

She said the new positive cases too were highest in a single day, taking the number of COVID-19 cases to 17,822.

Around 3,361 patients have recovered so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mike Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City, speaks to media after touring the Wind Technology program at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, December 4, 2018.

Billionaire and former presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg's tech firm Hawkfish has been struggling to rack up clients six months before this fall's elections.

Some of the organizations that have had talks with Hawkfish are trying to determine how the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated the American economy, will weigh on their budgets. Others are still deciding how the relatively new company could help them in such a short period of time as most groups already have in-house digital aides or contracts with similar vendors.

The coronavirus has forced campaigns off the trail and into conducting their operations through virtual outreach. Outside entities, which often conduct grassroots door-knocking campaigns on top of their often expansive digital campaigns, are putting more of a focus on web-based efforts.

A representative for Hawkfish, who asked not to be named in this story, said they are still aiming to use their resources to help overtake President Donald Trump and Republicans come November.

"Hawkfish was created to help give Democrats the digital advantage that's crucially needed to beat Donald Trump and Republicans in 2020 and beyond," a Hawkfish spokesperson said. "We're committed to working with Democratic candidates, allies and causes to reach the right voters with the right messages in the right places. From climate change to gun safety, voter access, women's rights, education, health care and more, we're focused on the issues that matter most to the Democratic Party."

This representative declined to comment on any current or future clients.

Voto Latino, a nonprofit that focuses heavily on digital engagement to encourage young Latino voter participation, recently held virtual talks with Hawkfish. The sides are discussing a short-term, five-figure test investment that would allow Hawkfish to fight for a chance to work with them for a longer period of time.

Hawkfish, created in 2019, became the primary digital ad agency for Bloomberg's presidential bid. It crafted ads that mainly targeted Trump and received $60 million from Bloomberg's entirely self funded campaign. Bloomberg, who has a net worth of close to $58 billion, finished spending just over $1 billion on his campaign. He ended up winning 55 delegates, including a victory in the American Samoa caucuses on Super Tuesday. The former New York mayor dropped out of the race in March and has since endorsed former vice president Joe Biden.

Biden's campaign, as of early this week, has yet to officially decide whether it will hire Hawkfish, according to people familiar with the matter, who declined to be named as these decisions are being made in private. The Biden campaign is on a hiring spree that involves recruiting digital advisors who worked for the candidate's previous primary opponents. Biden's campaign is still determining whether to hire Hawkfish or at least two other digital vendors that are competing for a general election contract.

The Democratic Governors Association, a group dedicated to helping Democrats win their gubernatorial races, has decided it will have no immediate plans to sign Hawkfish, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told CNBC. Hawkfish representatives pitched the DGA earlier this year while Bloomberg was running for president, this person said. The DGA instead is keeping an eye on its own budget during the pandemic, the person said. The group is also going to continue, at least for now, to focus their digital work through an in-house team like they have done since 2019, this person added.

Bluegrass Values, an independent organization that was backed by the DGA during the 2019 governors race in Kentucky, paid Hawkfish just over $165,000 for their services, according to data collected by the nonpartisan National Institute on Money in State Politics. Though it's unclear what the tech firm did for Bluegrass, the group crafted ads backing Andy Beshear's successful race for the state's governors office.

When We All Vote, a nonprofit organization dedicated to voter turnout and founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama, hasn't decided whether to hire Hawkfish or any other potential new vendor, according to another person with direct knowledge of the matter. The Intercept previously reported that the group was being pitched by Bloomberg's company and that they had done previous work for the Obama led group during a Virginia state legislative race. This person noted to CNBC that they haven't had follow up discussions with Hawkfish since at least March.

Co-chairs for When We All Vote include celebrities Tom Hanks, Selena Gomez, Lin Manuel Miranda and Chris Paul.

A spokesman for DGA declined to comment. A representative for When We All vote did not return a request for comment.

Hawkfish recently pitched its services to Voto Latino, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that's dedicated to ramping up young Latino voter participation in the 2020 election, the group's founder told CNBC. Bloomberg donated $500,000 to Voto Latino two months ago.

Maria Teresa Kumar, the group's founding president, said in an interview that the virtual pitch took place close to two weeks ago between their organization and leaders of Hawkfish. They were left impressed, especially with the amount of consumer data files Hawkfish has on hand in the wake of Bloomberg's run for president. The group is open to possibly working with Hawkfish later this cycle.

"What was interesting about Hawkfish is that they have all these consumer data points and that would let us better explore our targeted voters," Kumar said on Wednesday. She has previously told CNBC they are looking to take aim at Latino voters in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

Hawkfish's leadership ranks include longtime Facebook Chief Marketing Officer Gary Briggs, and Jeff Glueck, former CEO of location-tracking firm Foursquare.

Voto Latino's Kumar said it is discussing with Hawkfish what she described as a "test investment," in which the firm could be paid up to $30,000 to see if it has the ability to enhance the voting group's already strong digital outreach program. The competition for a test like this is fierce, especially when, as Kumar said, the group sometimes has five or six tests going on simultaneously.

Voto Latino, like other organizations that have not signed Hawkfish, already has a digital team in place, including preferred outside vendors. In the case of Kumar's nonprofit, she said its vendor is Rising Tide Interactive, a group that's run by alumni of various congressional campaigns and helps their clients build digital ads and assist in get out of the vote efforts, among other initiatives. It recently spent just under $200,000 on a voter registration app titled VoterPal.
Baking soda is often used to clean kitchen appliances or bathroom floors, but now a clever mum has shared how to clean your mattress using the pantry staple.

The home hack involves combining baking soda, also known as bi-carb soda, with essential oil and sprinkling the mixture over a mattress to remove stains and smells.

An Australian woman demonstrated the cleaning method in a TikTok video, which has currently been viewed more than 279,500 times.

Scroll down for video

A clever woman has shared how to clean your mattress using baking soda and essential oil

'Treat yourself to a good nights sleep,' the woman said in the caption of the video.

As mattresses can become stale over time, the handy tip will deeply clean the bedding and remove dirt, dust, sweat and bodily fluids lurking beneath the surface.

While the cleaning hack seems to be new trendy tactic, Australian mums part of the popular Facebook group Mums Who Clean have already been using the unique approach for years.

As mattresses can become stale over time, the handy tip will deeply clean the mattress and remove dirt, dust, sweat and bodily fluids lurking beneath the surface

One woman part of the group said it's essential to wet the mattress first then apply the bi-carb soda and allow it to dry.

'You need to have whatever your cleaning wet first to lift the stain - dry bicarb won't lift it,' she said online.

'As it dries it will draw the stain out and you'll see [the] bicarb change colour.'

How did the woman clean her bed with baking soda? Strip bed and vacuum the mattress Mix baking soda with essential oil and sprinkle all over the mattress  leave for several hours Wash linen, sheets and pillow cases Vacuum the baking soda mixture and make the bed Finish with linen spray Source: TikTok Advertisement

Once the time had passed, she vacuumed the mixture and made the bed then applied a linen spray

In the TikTok video the woman stripped the bed and vacuumed the mattress before applying the mixture.

While waiting for the baking soda and essential oil to absorb into the mattress for several hours, she washed the linen and sheets  and reminded viewers to wash their pillows and doonas every three to six months.

Once the time had passed, she vacuumed the mixture and made the bed, then applied a linen spray for added freshness.
Im not gonna lie; I've never been the biggest fan of Batman. A billionaire playboy with terrifying gadgets and a somewhat fascist outlook is not my cup of tea. That being said, it was refreshing to hear the DC Universes current caped crusader, Robert Pattinson, discuss the role in his interview with GQ this week.

It wasnt the revelation that R Patz is worried about "being, like, arrested" while out running that caught my attention, however. It was the admission that, despite urging from his personal trainer to exercise, he had made a rare choice for a Hollywood leading man: to refuse to work out at all.

Why? Because actors who do "set a precedent. He said, I think if youre working out all the time, youre part of the problem, the problem being a relentless bombardment of a very specific, pretty-much unattainable body type.

Im an unashamed fan of superhero films and from a narrative perspective, a less chiselled Batman makes sense. Bruce Wayne doesnt need to be a gym rat when he can just throw money at his enemies. But Pattinsons comments speak to the very real pressures surrounding body image for men.

As part of my pledge to be productive during the pandemic, Ive re-visited the Marvel Cinematic Universe, studiously watching all the films in chronological order. This is a universe where fierce physiques are ubiquitous. Even Paul Rudds Ant Man, a hero who shrinks himself to the size of an ant by virtue of a special suit, displays his washboard abs in a textbook shirt-off scene. No wonder steroids are becoming increasingly popular, if all were seeing are impossibly ripped Hollywood stars, youd understand why those who want to look the same would reject regular methods of getting there.

The pandemic will deprive us of another equally muscle-packed universe this summer; Love Island has been cancelled. Despite doing my upmost to avoid watching the show, with every season came the guarantee of impossibly sculpted men flooding my social media feeds, and the impossible-to-resist comparisons Id make between those lads and my own reflection.

Its hard to argue much has changed since my childhood, where I spent an impressive amount of time flexing my humble biceps in the bathroom mirror while humming the Gladiators theme, or emulating my favourite wrestler by dropping the "Peoples Elbow" move on my little brothers face. Even the Action Mans and Street Sharks lining my shelves were seriously stacked. Can someone please explain why cartoon animals need to have six-packs, please?

So it makes sense that I believed an athletic frame was an essential facet of manhood. And despite now being the wrong side of 30, I still find that belief, and the pressures which accompany it difficult to shrug off.

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

A consequence of these pressures is a wildly unbalanced relationship with both exercise and food. When Im on it, and by on it, I mean on getting absolutely ripped and posting nothing but topless thirst traps on Instagram, Im training several times a week and fuelling those workouts with chicken breasts, creatine capsules and black coffee. Then I inevitably hit a wall; my body and mind violently reject the very idea of a workout and I go to the supermarket to buy myself a weeks supply of birthday cake, doubling down for a prolonged bout of comfort eating. Moderation is not an option when youre chasing the dream of being built like Thor. Its all or nothing.

Its telling that when Im on it and feeling bloody great about my physique, the women in my life generally express worries about the changes to my body. While they are concerned, my guys are impressed. From them, its all "Im trying to be like you, bro" and bicep-flex emoji comments on my Instagram posts. What does the fact that Im so dismissive of womens concerns, while greedily lapping up the approval of my guys say about me? Who sets the expectation of how my body should look? Who am I trying to impress?

Perhaps the pressures surrounding body image for men revolve around acceptance and wanting to belong, rather than wanting to be desired or even physically fit. If were keeping it real, when Im busy receiving compliments from my guys for looking cut, Im actually dehydrated, hungry and weak.

So Pattinson's decision to shun excessive working out is absolutely a good thing. If he goes all the way in with it and swoops across our screens in a regular-fit Batman suit next year, it will be a great thing. Brave, even. It will show us that while some heroes wear capes, not all heroes are ripped.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians fans have seen Khloe and Kim weigh in of their row with sister Kourtney at lunch with her ex Scott Disick.

A bonus scene from the show was released on YouTube, in which the duo spoke to Scott about the physical brawl between the seething sisters, which aired in the first episode of the new season of the show in March.

Kourtney, who split from her baby daddy Scott in 2015 after nine years of dating, was the subject of conversation between the trio yet fans weren't best pleased at the fact the sisters were airing their dirty laundry to her ex-partner.

'Dragging'? Keeping Up With The Kardashians fans have seen Khloe and Kim weigh in of their row with sister Kourtney at lunch with her ex Scott Disick

Kourtney and Scott share three children - Mason, 10, Penelope, seven, and Reign, five - and the intricacies of their tumultuous relationship has been documented on KUWTK, which debuted in 2007 and is now in its 18th season.

Kim and Kourtney engaged in a physical fight on the explosive season 18 premiere of their show. The siblings, aged 39 and 40 respectively, had to be separated by their younger sister Khloe in one of the most shocking rows to date.

They leaped at each other after Kim needled Kourtney about what she thought of as her big sister's inferior work ethic, before the latter threatened: 'I will f**k you up'.

In the new unaired scene, Khloe is seen arriving for lunch with Scott, where she said: 'I text Kourtney, I said 'Hey Mike' - Mike Tyson - I was like - how are you doing? She was like, 'Hey Tony'. I don't think she knew who Mike was...

Fuming: A bonus scene from the show was released on YouTube, in which the duo spoke to Scott about the physical brawl between the seething sisters, which aired in the first episode of the new season of the show in March

Shocker: Kourtney, who split from her baby daddy Scott in 2015 after nine years of dating, was the subject of conversation between the trio yet fans branded the sisters 'twisted' for airing their dirty laundry to her ex-partner (pictured in 2015)

'And I was like, so are we ever gonna talk about this? If I hadn't reached out to Kourt, she never would have reached out to me, which is crazy.'

As the family were due to fly to Armenia, Scott voiced concerns over potential awkwardness as he said: 'I'm just trying to understand about Armenia. Are you just gonna sit down one day prior and then get on a plane across the world?'

Khloe then said of her sister: 'I think she only apologising because there was like a deadline'. Kim then made comments about the physical fight, as she said: 'I hope I don't get scars. My mom has scars on her hand from Kourtney scratching her'.

Scott then joked: 'If I only took my shirt off, you'd know what scars are..'

Here come the girls: Kourtney, who split from her baby daddy Scott in 2015 after nine years of dating, was the subject of conversation between the trio yet fans branded the sisters 'twisted' for airing their dirty laundry to her ex-partner

Upset: 'And I was like, so are we ever gonna talk about this? If I hadn't reached out to Kourt, she never would have reached out to me, which is crazy'

Fans soon took to Twitter to criticise the discussion, as they penned: 'I just watched a clip of Kim & Khloe talking to Scott about their sister @kourtneykardash and while there are greater things to focus right now we all have time and this bugged me...

'I dont watch the show because of these moments when fame trumps family... Honestly, this talking behind the back with their sisters ex is horrible.'

Users also took to YouTube to write: 'It's horrible how they can sit there and talk about Kourtney like that , at one point I thaught it was only Scott laughing but it was kloe too she sounds like a man laughing...

'This show has given them so much money because of Kourtney and Scott without them it would of not made so much money, now that she wants to stay private and Kim and Khloe would have to work at it much harder and they are soooo boring.'

Keeping Up With The Kardashians S18 is available to stream on hayu now
Sean Mulryan's Ballymore Homes has won fast-track planning approval to build 435 apartments in blocks up to 13 storeys high on the site of the demolished Ormond Printworks in Dublin.

The 1.9-hectare site sits north of the Royal Canal, south of Tolka Valley Park and just 650m from the Broombridge train and Luas station to the east along the canal towpath.

An Bord Pleanala granted permission subject to 23 conditions. These included an order not to allow the final 135 apartments to be occupied until adequate sewage services for the development were confirmed; the need for an archaeologists analysis of the site; and installation of enhanced acoustic glazing for apartment windows facing the nearby Irish Rail line.

In the accompanying 65-page inspectors report, inspector Tom Rabbette found that the proposed development would deliver much needed rejuvenation. He noted that the demolished printworks employed 75, whereas the new development  with plans for offices, a primary health care facility, pharmacy, creche, gym and juice bar  was projected to create 295 jobs on site.

The apartments all will be one and two-bed units.

Mr Rabbette noted that, while two of the five blocks would reach 13 storeys, they would remain below the local area plans cap of 50 metres on building height. He said the Ballymore design would not have an adverse visual impact on the immediate or wider area and did not require height reductions.

The existing visual amenities the site offers are, at best, poor, he wrote. The proposed development is replacing a utilitarian brownfield wasteland with a new mixed-use urban block.

The plan includes 257 car parking spaces, all but 15 of them undercroft  that is, at ground-floor level within the blocks. Forty-eight spaces will be reserved for commercial use by the offices and retail outlets to be located on site.

The application generated 33 objections, including that the local Pelletstown primary school already was full and dependent on temporary buildings; local child care outlets have long waiting lists; existing rail and Luas services were overcrowded during peak hours; and the canal location suffers from anti-social behaviour and rats.

Mr Mulryan, a Roscommon native who founded Ballymore in 1982, exited Nama in 2016 after paying off debts totalling 3.2bn. He currently is ranked in 185th place on the Sunday Independent Irish Rich List with an estimated worth of 93m, up 11m on 2019.

His firm is heavily focused on urban regeneration projects, particularly in London and Dublin. It lists active developments with a projected gross development value of 5.5bn, and has a forward pipeline of more than 7,500 homes and 1.5 million sq ft of commercial space.
Several automobile dealerships across India have registered a large number of unsold Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) vehicles under proxy owners to sell them eventually in the pre-owned segment, said executives at several dealerships.

More two-wheeler dealers are resorting to this measure than car and commercial vehicle dealers due to the comparatively large number of unsold BS-IV scooters and motorcycles, the executives said.

The dealers were unable to clear their inventory before the Supreme Courts deadline of April 1 because of the nationwide lockdown, they said. The dealers now plan to sell the pre-registered BS-IV vehicles in the open market once the lockdown is lifted and the markets recover, the dealers said, requesting anonymity. The vehicles are however, likely to fetch the dealers around 30% less than new models because of their pre-owned status and other costs, suggested people Mint spoke to.

In October 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that no motor vehicle conforming to the BS-IV emission norms can be sold or registered in the country from April 1. In March, the SC provided relief by allowing dealers to sell 10% of the BS-IV stock after lockdown.

Re-registration of new unused vehicles to sell them as used vehicles adds up to a significant cost burden on the dealers, said a Hyundai Motor India dealer based in Pune. To re-register the vehicle, one has to pay the road tax again, which ranges from 8% to 21%, said a Jaipur-based dealer.
(CNN)  The night Miguel Moran died from complications of the coronavirus, his 23-year-old son and four other family members put on their face masks and rushed to a suburban New York hospital to be at his bedside.

One by one, they donned a hospital-issued plastic gown, a head covering and gloves. They spent a few minutes each saying an emotional farewell to the lifeless body of the 56-year-old immigrant from El Salvador, a Pentecostal church goer who washed trucks to provide for his family.

His only son, Daniel Moran, said a bedside prayer at St. Joseph Hospital on Long Island. He squeezed his dead father's hand.

"One day we'll join you in heaven," he cried.

Sixteen days later, father and son were buried together.

Miguel Moran died of acute respiratory failure from Covid-19 on April 16, according to his death certificate. Eight days after praying over his father's body, Daniel himself was dead from the disease.

The elder Moran's wife and daughter, who also lived with him and visited the hospital the night he died, later tested positive for the coronavirus -- as did two other family members who were also in the room that night.

The family's plight highlights the pandemic's many challenges. The wrenching separations of dying patients and loved ones who would normally be at their side as they drew their last breaths. Overburdened health care systems balancing that with mandates to protect visitors and staff. Hospitals struggling with access to personal protective equipment (PPE).

"It's incredibly heartbreaking this happened in the first place," said Dr. Cassandra Pierre, medical director of public health programs at Boston Medical Center. "But also that you have to hold your family member or you won't even get the opportunity to do that without having PPE in place is just so unnatural. This is where we are right now to continue to keep people safe."

The extraordinary measures to stop the contagion have touched the seriously ill, their vulnerable families and overtaxed hospital personnel.

"I really feel for that family," Pierre said. "I feel for the health care center who's trying to accommodate them. It's such a weird time where you can't even grieve appropriately for your family members."

The situation is 'painful for all concerned'

Hospitals across the country have suspended most visits. Many critically ill patients have been deprived the comfort of a familiar face in their final moments. Grieving happens from afar. Visitation policies are left to hospital administrators.

"I feel like everyone makes it up as we go along," Pierre said of visitor protocols. "Certainly, at the bare minimum, everyone should be wearing a surgical mask in almost all hospital spaces. But other than that I think it's kind of left at the discretion of the institution."

The New York Health Department has halted hospital visits statewide except for imminent end-of-life situations, labor and delivery and pediatric cases. For confirmed or suspected Covid-19 patients, visitors must don masks, gowns and gloves, practice "scrupulous" hand hygiene, and use eye protection if available.

This is in line with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which also includes training visitors on the proper PPE use and discouraging older adults and people with underlying medical conditions from visiting.

Catholic Health Services, which runs St. Joseph in Bethpage and other Long Island hospitals, declined comment beyond referencing its Covid-19 visitor policy. It, too, has suspended all but end-of-life, newborn delivery and pediatrics visits.

"Exceptions for visitation will be made on a case-by-case-basis by hospital and (skilled nursing facilities) leadership in conjunction with Infection Prevention leadership and will follow appropriate CDC guidelines for screening for COVID-19 infection BEFORE entry is allowed," the policy says.

Nancy Foster, vice president of quality and patient safety policy at the American Hospital Association, said health care centers have had to make tough choices.

"The extraordinary reality of COVID-19 has forced many hospitals and health systems to take extraordinary measures to keep patients and communities safe," she said in a statement.

"It is necessary for everyone's sake that we restrict visitors, and it is painful for all concerned, including the staff who have to insist on it. We do not take lightly the sacrifices we are asking individuals and their loved ones to make. We would not do so unless it was absolutely necessary."

Miguel Moran walked himself to ambulance and died two days later

Miguel Moran started to feel ill the week before his April 16 death. His boss at a company that washes fleets of trucks and ambulances sent him home one day with a fever. His daughter said she took him to a physician. Her father wasn't tested but the doctor was "100% certain" Moran had the coronavirus.

He self quarantined at home -- not coming out of his room, according to his daughter, Mercedes Moran, 31, and his wife, Reina Garay, 53.

"We were taking all the precautionary steps we heard on the news," Mercedes Moran said in Spanish from the family's Farmingdale home. "We didn't come near him. Dad was isolated. We left food at his door. My brother was always in his own room."

Two days before his death, Moran was sweating heavily, his fever increasing. His breathing was labored and he had trouble moving. Still, he walked himself to the ambulance that took him to the hospital, his family said.

The next day, he told his wife on the phone, "I'm going to die. The doctor says I'm not going to make it."

'Papi, wake up. Let's go home'

Moran died just after 10 p.m. on April 16. The hospital allowed five family members to individually say their goodbyes. They shared a plastic gown and head covering provided by the hospital.

Moran's wife went first. "I touched his head, his feet, his hands," she recalled.

Mercedes Moran was surprised her father had been intubated. After all, he had walked to the ambulance two days earlier. He wore a hospital gown under a blanket that was pulled to his neck. She stroked his face. His eyes were shut. She snapped a final photo with her phone.

"'Papi, wake up. Let's go home,'" she told his lifeless body. "I was in shock. He had to be sleeping. I kept telling him to get up."

Daniel Moran went next. He was obese, and the gown didn't completely cover his body, according to his sister. He later told her he had prayed and held their father's hand.

At the visit's end, hospital staff instructed them to shower once they got home. A week later, all five family members would test positive for coronavirus, according to Mercedes Moran and her mother.

Daniel didn't feel sick until two or three days after that hospital visit -- shortness of breath, fever, headaches. He had stopped going to his job at a Kentucky Fried Chicken when his father first became ill. His sister took him to a doctor. A chest x-ray revealed pneumonia, she said. He also tested positive for coronavirus. Daniel vowed to recover at home. He reminded her the pandemic had hit nonwhite Americans especially hard.

"He didn't want to end up intubated like our father," Mercedes Moran said. "He said, 'Most of the dead are Hispanics and African Americans. I don't want to die far from you.'"

On the afternoon of April 24, his condition worsened. His mother, sister and another relative helped him to the car for the short drive to the hospital. On the way, Daniel struggled to breathe.

"He was dying in the car," his mother recalled.

They stopped outside a local firehouse. When an ambulance arrived, Daniel climbed onto it himself, his mother and sister said. He fell face first -- unconscious -- onto the floor of the ambulance.

"My grandson was screaming, 'Please, help us!'" Reina Garay said. "By the time they turned him around, my son had already turned blue. His arm dropped to his side. He was dead."

At the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, family members were asked whether they wanted time alone with Daniel. Mercedes Moran declined, saying they had been with him when he died.

"I didn't want to put my mother at risk," she said. "We only have each other now."

Father and son are buried in the same grave

Most infectious agents do not survive long in the human body after death, according to the World Health Organization.

But much about the novel coronavirus is still unknown.

"In our hospital, we're very careful in the handling of people who have died from Covid to ensure there is minimal contact, especially contact without PPE," Pierre said.

Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious diseases physician and fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and other specialists said it's unlikely the son became ill from touching his father's body. He was more likely to be infected at work or at home or visiting a grocery store, they said.

Many hospitals have had PPE shortages. Some heath care systems limit end-of-life visits to one person. Others require face shields or goggles. Ideally gowns shouldn't be shared, experts say.

"Nothing is ever foolproof," Pierre said.

Saskia Popescu, a hospital epidemiologist and infection prevention expert with George Mason University, said most hospitals visitors are not properly trained to use PPE because there are so many other priorities.

"It's very challenging right now," she said. "We're very stressed in health care. Whether it's supplies or staffing or very critically ill patients. So then to really have to keep an eye on a family to make sure they're trained and educated and being safe is one extra layer."

Postmortem hospital visits have been uncommon during the pandemic, Popescu said.

"When they're in the room is where I have seen that cross contamination happen," she said of hospital visitors.

In the early afternoon of May 2, Miguel and Daniel Moran were buried in the same grave at Amityville Cemetery. A procession of cars, pickups and the hearses with their caskets drove by the Pentecostal church where they worshiped.

"Papi and Daniel are now saying goodbye to the church that brought them so much happiness," Mercedes Moran cried in a video posted to social media.

"And they brought us so much happiness," she said later.

This story was first published on CNN.com "He prayed at dad's bedside after coronavirus death. 16 days later, they're buried together"
In a heart-touching incident, the police in Assams Dibrugarh district gifted a bike to a girl who was struggling to make ends meet by selling vegetables door-to-door on a bicycle. Janmoni Gogoi was helping out her parents who are facing a tough time due to the coronavirus lockdown.

According to a report published in India Times, Janmoni belongs to Saphakati village of Dibrugarhs Bogibeel area. The police in a tweet said, Janmoni Gogo sells vegetables on a bicycle to fend for her family. Inspired by her self respect & guided by our visionary @DGPAssamPolice sir's direction to transform ourselves from police force to facilitators of economy, DYSP HQ gifted the little entrepreneur a moped / bike.

Janmoni Gogo sells vegetables on a bicylcle to fend for her family. Inspired by her self respect & guided by our visionary @DGPAssamPolice Sir's direction to transform ourselves from police force to facilitators of economy, DYSP HQ gifted the little entrepreneur a moped / bike pic.twitter.com/kncyhRQEr9 Dibrugarh Police (@dibrugarhpolice) May 11, 2020

In the photos shared on Twitter, one can see police personnel handing over the vehicle to the young girl. This gesture by the police was lauded by Twitterati.

One person wrote, Fully motivated by this girl. I heard lots of webinars but this tops them and gives lots of positiveness.

https://twitter.com/anandmehta45/status/1260472011941437441?s=20

Another Twitter user appreciated the police departments efforts in helping out the needy girl. I salute Dibrugarh police, he wrote.

Some reactions on the post were as follows:

A proverb on police in the past which we often heard in movies also"Police walo ki na dosti achi aur na hi dushmani".But in recent days I think the sentence is turned out to be false for many people. #salutetocoronafighters Himanish (@paul100785) May 11, 2020

This is what we call the true evaluation of the valued hard work... We the Assamese people are thankful to Jaanmoni Gogoi for her highly appreciated steps ... All the best for her successful future... Bhaskar Jyoti Barman (@barman_bhaskar) May 12, 2020

@assampolice @dibrugarhpolice Great gesture. It really feels too good to know that the humanity still exists in this crisis situation.And to @JanmoniGogoi, what to say!Salute !! Pranjal Prayash (@PranjalPrayash5) May 11, 2020

Thanks a lot @assampolice @dibrugarhpolice and DSP Ma'am for the wonderful gesture. This is really different than the usual police force we know.  Pratap Datta (@PratapDatta8) May 12, 2020

This the sign of a permanent solution to the problem. This is the main difference between politicians and bureaucracy. Great initiative ma'am. Sayeed Ahmed (@SayeedNETMR) May 12, 2020

The report mentions that Janmoni is the only breadearner of her family. She recently completed her schooling from Dibrugarh Government Girls Higher Secondary School. She had aspirations to pursue higher studies but was unable to do so due to the circumstances.

After the incident was widely reported by the local media, Sashi Kanta Saikia, the principal of Dibrugarh Hanumanbax Surajmall Kanoi College, has conveyed willingness to finance her education, said a report published in Guwahati Plus.
In a major relief to employee and employers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced that the government will continue to contribute towards Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) for selected businesses for another three months. This will be for the month of June, July and August.

The central government will provide liquidity support of Rs 2,500 crore to both businesses and workers for the next three months, said FM Sitharaman while addressing media.

"To ease financial stress as businesses get back to work, the government has decided to continue EPF support for business and workers for 3 more months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crore," she said.

Also Read: Nirmala Sitharaman Speech Live Updates: FM unveils Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free loans for MSMEs

The FM also announced reduction in statutory Provident Fund (PF) contribution by employers and employees from 12 to 10 per cent. In a bid to offer more take home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, EPF contribution is being reduced for 3 months, amounting to liquidity support of Rs 6,750 crore, said FM.

In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the FM had announced in March that the government will take care of EPF contribution of both the employer and the employee for the next three months. This scheme was applicable for organisation with up to 100 employees, where 90 per cent of employees draw less than Rs 15,000 salary.

Also Read: FM Sitharaman announces Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for MSMEs

The government has also amended the provident fund scheme regulations to allow workers under EPFO to draw up to 75 per cent of their non-refundable advance or 3 months of wages, whichever is lower. This scheme will benefit 4.8 crore workers registered with EPFO.

Till April 27, EPFO has settled a total of 12.91 lakh claims, including 7.40 lakh COVID-19 claims under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) package. This involves disbursal of a total amount of Rs 4,684.52 crore which includes Rs 2,367.65 crore COVID claims under PMGKY package.
The father of a 10-month-old child was killed in a shootout in a northeast Harris County apartment parking lot Tuesday night.

The gunfire erupted around 9 p.m. at the Timber Ridge Apartments in the 5300 block of Aeropark Drive, according to Harris County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Sidney Miller. What preceded the gunfire remains under investigation, but the man was struck as his 10-month-old child was present along with the childs mother, Miller said.

MORE FROM JAY R. JORDAN: Man killed crossing FM 529 in NW Harris County

The mothers brother was also struck in the arm but is expected to survive.

Paramedics rushed the man to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police are questioning the mother and her brother for any clues about the shooter, Miller said.

The child was left with other family members as the investigation continues.

Anyone with information is urged to call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com
Hyderabad: The opposition Congress and BJP held protests on Wednesday against the TRS government's alleged failure to stop an irrigation project reportedly proposed to be taken up by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on the Krishna river.

State Congress president and Lok Sabha member N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders sat on a protest at the party's headquarters here.

Addressing the gathering, Reddy alleged that lifting water from the Srisailam project, a joint irrigation project of the two neighbouring states, as proposed by Andhra Pradesh,would adversely affect supply of water for the drinking and irrigation needs in Mahabubnagar and other districts of Telangana.

He claimed Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is said to be in regular conversation with his AP counterpart Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, should come clear on the matter.

State BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar also held a protest at his party's office in the city in protest against the alleged failure of the TRS government to stop the increase in capacity of the head regulator which will reportedly draw the water from the Krishna river.

Former BJP MLA NVSS Prabhakar and other party leaders also held protests at different places in the state.

State Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar asserted that the TRS government would leave no stone unturned to safeguard the state's interests.

In an apparent reference to Congress leaders, he alleged that those who had hailed the increase in capacity of the head regulator in undivided Andhra Pradesh, are now organising protests.

The Telangana government, which has voiced opposition to the proposed project, on Tuesday sent a representation to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) conveying its opposition. "We have made a representation explaining our stand about the project," a senior official told PTI.

Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday alleged that the AP government "unilaterally decided" to take up the project which reportedly envisages lifting of Krishna River water from Srisailam project, a joint irrigation scheme of the two neighbours, and said it would affect the interest of his state.

According to an official release, Rao has said the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act clearly stipulates that any new project either in AP or Telangana requires clearance from the apex committee of the two states.

Hence, the decision to use water from the Srisalam project without consulting Telangana and taking up a fresh project without the approval of apex committee were mistakes made by AP, he maintained and asked the officials to lodge a complaint with the Krishna River Water Management Board.

According to the release, Andhra Pradesh has decided to take up the new project, proposing to lift three TMC water from the Srisailam project and issued a Government Order (GO).
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 07:01:02

The organisation of public or private events has been banned by European states until different dates. As a precautionary measure to reduce any risk of a new coronavirus, the Board of Directors of Eastern Property Holdings Ltd. (hereinafter the "Company") decided to only invite its two major shareholders to the physical meeting and ask all other shareholders to exercise their rights exclusively through the independent proxy. Please refer to the invitation under item 7 for information on how to authorize and instruct the independent proxy.

NOTICE is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held on 16 June 2020 at 11:00 AM at Sele Frommelt & Partner Rechtsanwalte, Meierhofstrasse 5, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein with only the chairman representative, auditor, independent proxy and the two main shareholders being present.

The Annual General Meeting will be held for the following purposes:

AGENDA

1) Election of Hans Messmer as Chairman Representative

Due to ongoing Covid-19 the Chairman of the Board, Olga Melnikova, might not be able to participate in the Annual General Meeting of the Company. It is proposed to elect Hans Messmer, member of the Board of Directors of the Company, as her representative for the meeting.

2) Election of Sele Frommelt & Partner Rechtsanwalte as Independent Representative

The Board of Directors proposes Sele Frommelt & Partner Rechtsanwalte, as independent representative for this year's Annual General Meeting.

3) Approval of the results for the year ended 31 December 2019

The Board of Directors proposes to approve the annual report, the annual financial statements of Eastern Property Holdings Ltd. and the consolidated financial statements as at 31 December 2019.

The annual business report and the auditors report are available for examination by shareholders (i) at the Companys head office at: Eastern Property Holdings Ltd., c/o Hauteville Trust (BVI) Ltd. P.O. Box 3483, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands; (ii) at the office of the representative of the Manager, Valartis International Ltd: Valartis Advisory Services SA, St. Annagasse 18, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland and (iii) on the Company website: www.easternpropertyholdings.com .

4) The Board of Directors proposes to decide not to pay a dividend from the 2019 results

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertain impact on the economy, the Board of Directors proposes not to pay a dividend for the year 2019.

5) Re-Election of Deloitte AG as Auditor for a period of one year

The Board of Directors proposes the re-election of Deloitte AG, Zurich, Switzerland as the auditors of the Company for a period of one year and to authorise the Board of Directors of the Company to fix their remuneration.

6) Re-election of Gustav Stenbolt as member of the Board of Directors of Eastern Property Holdings Ltd. to hold office until the close of the Annual General Meeting of the Company in 2023 (or any adjournment thereof)

The Board of Directors proposes the re-election of Mr. Gustav Stenbolt, as member of the Board of Directors until the close of the Annual General Meeting of the Company in 2023 (or any adjournment thereof).

7) Miscellaneous



Exclusion of any physical participation in the general meeting

As mentioned on the first page of this notice, the Board of Directors has decided to exclude physical presence of minority shareholders at the Annual General Meeting. Voting rights may only be exercised through the independent representative in writing.

How to exercise voting rights

In order to exercise their voting rights, shareholders must be entered into the shareholders register as of the close of business on the Record Date of 25 May 2020. The shareholder register is maintained and administered by Computershare Schweiz AG, Baslerstrasse 90, CH-4600 Olten, Switzerland.

Shareholders who wish to exercise their rights must first contact Computershare Schweiz AG, General Meetings Team, P +41 62 205 77 50, Baslerstrasse 90, Postfach, 4601 Olten, Schweiz; generalversammlung@computershare.ch in order to obtain a proxy (the "Proxy").

Shareholders must submit their votes in advance by signing and sending the Proxy to the attention of Sele Frommelt & Partner Rechtsanwalte in its capacity as independent representative (the "Independent Representative"), at the following address: Sele Frommelt & Partner Rechtsanwalte AG, Postfach 1617, Meierhofstrasse 5, FL-9490 Vaduz, Furstentum Liechtenstein, Tel.: +423237 11 55, Fax: +423232 00 06. The Proxy must be received by the Independent Representative no later than Friday, 12th June 2020. By returning the signed proxy directly to the Independent Representative, the shareholders authorize the Independent Representative to vote in favour of the proposals of the Board of Directors unless otherwise specified in written instructions in the Instructions to the independent proxy.

There will be no speeches by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the representative of the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the management, nor will there be a webcast of the General Meeting. Only the major shareholders and the Independent Representative acting on behalf of the shareholders will be able to vote on the proposals of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors of Eastern Property Holdings Limited

13 May 2020

Attachment
The Philippine National Police ordered an investigation Wednesday into the chief of police in Metro Manila over a large birthday party thrown in his honor, an apparent breach of the governments COVID-19 restrictions on mass gatherings.

Photographs of Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas party, who turned 55 last Friday, were widely shared on social media, sparking angry comments and calls for his resignation from Filipino citizens restricted to their homes during the past two months due to a coronavirus lockdown.

The PNP is not exempt from strict rules on mass gatherings and I am directing all unit commanders to prohibit any and all social gatherings, national police chief Archie Gamboa said in a statement.

Gamboa also strongly reiterated the strict observance of public health protocols and biosafety standards by police officers at all times.

He directed the internal affairs department to investigate Sinas for the party that took place at a police camp. I will look into possible violations, Gamboa later told reporters.

This was the second controversy that the police has found itself in weeks. Last month, policemen shot and killed a mentally ill former soldier when he tried to cross a checkpoint in northern Manila.

That incident occurred after President Rodrigo Duterte said police could shoot to kill anyone who fought back or insisted on crossing checkpoints. His statement was touched off by an impromptu rally staged by residents of an urban poor community that had not received aid promised by the government during the coronavirus pandemic.

In one of the photos during his birthday bash, Sinas, clad in an orange shirt, was seen with his staff and colleagues at a table with empty beer bottles underneath.

Sinas apologized on Wednesday, saying he never intended to violate any health protocols and alleged that some photos of the occasion that circulated on social media were edited and old. He did not elaborate.

However, he did not deny that the gathering took place, claiming that it was a surprise party hosted by his men and officers.

I apologize for what transpired during my birthday that caused anxiety to the public, he said.

Health authorities reported 21 more coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the nations toll to 772. Infections also surged to 11,618 after officials confirmed 268 new cases during the past 24 hours.

A big no-no

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he would order the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into possible violations of quarantine protocols committed during Sinas party.

I will ask the NBI to look into this too. There is already an existing order to the NBI to investigate violations of quarantine protocols, he said.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano slammed the birthday party, saying cops as the enforcers of strict quarantine measures should know better.

That is a big no-no, Ano told reporters. While under enhanced community quarantine, there shouldnt be celebrations like that, like organized dinners.

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, head of the Free Legal Assistance Group, a nationwide organization of rights attorneys, said the controversy over the generals birthday party was a reflection of the kind of uneven implementation of the law that we have been seeing during this time of public health emergency.

When you have officials allied or identified with the administration who are exposed to have been violating quarantine rules ... it would seem that the government is dragging its feet as far as going after them, Diokno told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines in Manila on Wednesday.

In comparison, he said, law enforcement officers would immediately visit the homes of ordinary citizens perceived to have violated government-imposed restrictions on mass gatherings and would sometimes make arrests without warrants.

Richel V. Umel in Iligan City, Philippines contributed to this report.
CBN to ensure orderly exits

Nigerias economy might be heading for a dramatic slump as the fallout from the oil price crash and the coronavirus pandemic have sent foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) scurrying to repatriate funds from the country.

Having already cut back its oil production in line with the revised OPEC+ agreement, the Nigeria also has to contend with a lack of buyers and storage facilities even as its crudes are now being traded at values lower than how much it costs to produce them.

Sensing difficult times ahead, FPIs have witnessed limited forex supply and have hedged the available funds for tactical plays or outright withdrawal.

Foreign investors have sold Nigerian assets at an accelerated pace since February as lockdowns to curb the coronavirus pandemic have stalled economic activity and triggered a crash in the price of oil, Nigerias main export.

That has put pressure on the naira currency and foreign exchange reserves. Nigerias dollar reserve has declined 24% to $34 billion over the last year.

Therefore, in a statement late on Sunday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced policies to ensure foreign investors that want to repatriate funds can exit the country in an orderly fashion, without giving any details.

The CBN weakened the naira currency on the futures market, mostly used by foreign investors to hedge against a fall versus the U.S. dollar, by an average of 73 naira across maturities, a signal it expects further depreciation.

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele said that where foreign exchange is available, strategic importation or service obligations would take priority, adding that the central bank wanted to galvanise local manufacturing activity.

The statement noted that the central bank had settled all dollar commitments in an orderly manner in 2015, when the last oil price rout created a similar dollar shortage.

Then, the bank introduced capital controls to avoid a mass exodus. It later created a multiple currency regime to manage pressure on the naira which culminated in a 15% devaluation two months ago as the central bank sought to converge the rates.

The naira has since hit a series of lows on the black and over-the-counter spot markets and the gap with the official market has widened, especially after the bank suspended dollar sales in the wake of a coronavirus lockdown. The oil price crash has exacerbated a shortage of dollars.

The central bank resumed forex sale to locals last week following the phased easing of a coronavirus lockdown but has yet to start sales to foreign investors, instead urging them to be patient and citing its new orderly exit policy.

Buying naira futures does not guarantee access to dollars if there is a hard currency shortage.

Analysts estimate there is pent up demand between $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion from investors looking to exit Nigeria, whose economy is now forecast to shrink by 3.4% this year.

Source: Marine & Petroleum Nigeria, Agency Report
"Americanos," introduces viewers to the cities, neighborhoods, and people behind the vibrant Latinx subcultures that make these towns one of a kind places to explore. The series showcases the intricacies of these destinations through the storytelling of influential Latinx personalities such as artists, chefs, musicians, athletes, and creators.

"'Americanos' marks a fresh take on destination travel content by celebrating the Latinx communities that define the culture of their cities. We want to give our viewers and potential travelers cultural insight from the many voices of people in America and bring new and exciting cinematic content to the travel marketplace," said Christopher L. Thompson, president and chief executive officer of Brand USA.

The series is authentically brought to life by a Latinx crew and creatives which include Emmy-nominated producer and Cannes Lion-winning director, Daniel Ramirez, and Mariana Blanco. Later this year, "Americanos" will be combined into a feature set to appear on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network.

"We are proud of bringing to life a series for Brand USA that redefines destination travel content through a storytelling lens. 'Americanos' speaks to the diversity of experience in our country, celebrates Latinx contributions to culture, and welcomes viewers to see the world through their eyes," said Omar Quinones, managing director of LA REYNA.

To celebrate the launch of "Americanos," GoUSA TV will host an exclusive YouTube Premiere on its YouTube channel on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 8:00 PM EDT. Viewers will have the opportunity to preview the first three episodes and participate in a live chat with featured talent.

About the "Americanos" Episodes

Episode 1: Austin, Texas

From the Wild West to a creative tech boomtown, Austin, Texas has kept its pioneer spirit alive, and it has done so against the backdrop of strong Latinx roots. In this episode, viewers explore the world of Tejanos, from Selena fandom and vaqueros (the original cowboys of Texas) to taco joints, barbeque, and the legendary independent film and music scene that spawned Austin City Limits and SXSW.

Episode 2: Los Angeles, California

From Compton to Highland Park, this episode traverses Los Angeles to meet three Americanos who are carving out a place for themselves within film, food, and beauty. Distinctly drawing on their diverse backgrounds and deeply influenced by the city they live in, audiences get a better sense of how Latinx culture has permeated the streets, runway, and silver screen.

Episode 3: Queens, New York

Queens is a world-renowned historic borough built by immigrants. This melting pot of cultures combines hard to find regional foods into a buzzing food scene. This episode explores the borough through nostalgic, genre-blending, and DIY music that presents a New York perspective on Latinx culture.

Episode 4: Tucson, Arizona

Surrounded by four different mountain ranges, the culture of Tucson is deeply influenced by Mexican roots and the Sonoran Desert landscape. From food cooked over native mesquite tree wood to dances that tell the stories of ancestors who once occupied the Sonoran mountains; get a glimpse at how Tucsonans are thriving out in the desert.

Episode 5: Santa Fe, New Mexico

The downtown square of Santa Fe was one of the first hubs of commerce for indigenous tribes before the Spanish set foot in the early Americas. The history of Santa Fe has created a beautiful melding of cultures, perspectives, and experiences. In this episode, viewers meet Americanos who have been drawn to Santa Fe  termed the "Paris" of the Southwest due to the Pueblo-style architecture, food, and music.

All five episodes will premiere on May 14, 2020 on GoUSA TV and will be available in English with Spanish subtitles at a later date.

Note to media: Link to high-res images here.

About GoUSA TV

Because every place has a story. Imagine a channel that features a constant source of authentic, compelling, and entertaining travel stories from across the USA. GoUSA TV is the premier destination to discover all the possibilities the USA has to offer told from the diverse perspectives of real people. Welcome to GoUSA TV.

GoUSA TV is powered by Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, and is available for download on your iOS or Android smartphone or on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and YouTube. Follow GoUSA TV on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About LA REYNA

Launched in 2018, LA REYNA is a full-service creative agency born out of a collaboration with Vice's Virtue and Robert Rodriguez's EL REY NETWORK. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, LA REYNA specializes in developing Brand Strategy, Trend Forecasting & Cultural Insights, Creative Campaigns & IP, Influencer Expertise & Experiential services that speak to the US Hispanic audience. We believe Latinx creativity is not assimilating into American culture, it's shaping it, true engagement requires a deep, committed, and authentic respect, understanding, and investment. LA REYNA is that intersection between the community and brands looking to invest in their energy and creativity. With Robert Rodriguez's production hub as an asset, the agency consistently brings cinematic content to the marketplace.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Brand USA

Monica Ceballos

Director, Consumer & Trade Public Relations

[email protected]

202.536.2060

FINN Partners

Representing Visit The USA

Helen Ames

Partner

[email protected]

212.715.1646

LA REYNA / VICE MEDIA

Hannah Benabdallah

Communications Director

[email protected]

774.270.0824

SOURCE GoUSA TV
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KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that all migrant labourers in the state will be screened and symptomatic patients will be tested for coronavirus. Migrant labourers will be screened, symptomatic patients will be tested. If tested negative, they will be allowed to go home, the West Bengal Chief Minister said this while addressing a press briefing.

Rejecting reports that the West Bengal government was not concerned bout the plight of migrants, the Trinamool Congress chief further informed that the she has ''already given 10 lakh insurance for front line workers.

''The Centre has said the mild symptomatic patients can stay home. Few people are trying to incite riots during Ramzan. Don't spread fake news. Some political parties are trying to incite riots. Don't share fake news. Law will take its course, the Trinamool Chief also warned.

Referring to the latest violence in Hooghly, she said, We will get the list of ones whose houses have been vandalised in Hooghly. Everyone is equal and will make sure that no one doing anything wrong is spared.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Tuesday said that an early relief from the COVID-19 crisis is unlikely and underscored the need for a three-month plan to deal with the situation. Targeting the BJP-led Centre, Banerjee said people were facing problems since the imposition of the lockdown on March 25 as the move was "poorly planned".

She also lashed out at the saffron party for allegedly instigating communal clashes in the state, amid the shutdown. Stressing the need to revitalise economy, she said more relaxations were in the offing for red and green zones in the state.

Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress chief, said areas in red zones will be divided into three categories.

"Red zones in the state will be further divided into categories A, B and C. Zone A will have no relaxations, zone B will have some relaxations with adherence to social distancing and zone C will comprise areas outside containment zones. Essential goods and services will be available in zone C," she said.

District magistrates, along with senior police personnel, will decide on reopening of shops and availability of services in red zones, the chief minister said, adding that buses and taxis will be allowed to ply only in green zones.

Talking about her interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his video conference with chief ministers on Monday, Banerjee said Bengal gained nothing out of the meeting and was left "empty-handed".

The Centre is yet to clear the "legitimate financial dues" of the state, she claimed. Clashes had erupted in Telinipara area of West Bengal's Hooghly district after members of one community were allegedly addressed as "corona" by a handful of locals belonging to another group.

Asserting that the Centre should have given "two-three days" before imposing the lockdown, she said migrants workers would not have suffered if the move was carefully planned.

This crisis could have been averted. In Bengal, we are dealing with the crisis with utmost sincerity, but there are reports that labourers from the state are being ill-treated elsewhere. They are being beaten up in Gujarat, Delhi and some other states. This is unacceptable," Banerjee said. Responding to allegation that Bengal was not doing enough to bring home workers, the TMC boss said the state will be sending nine trains for migrants stranded in other states and was planning to deploy more in a phased manner.

Steps would be taken to restart 100-day work scheme in the state for the labourers, she said.
Steve King is a disgraced congressman without committee assignments. But that could change, he says. Photo: Joshua Lott/Getty Images

Sometimes in politics all the noise of campaigning is drowned out by the clucking of chickens coming home to roost. That may be the case in northeast Iowa, where everybodys favorite bigot, Congressman Steve King, was thought to be looking a little toasty after being stripped of his congressional committee assignments in January of last year by House Republican leaders who got fed up with the exuberance of his white-nationalist sympathies. His fellow Iowa Republicans didnt rush to his defense, either, as I noted a bit later:

Iowa Republicans, including both U.S. senators and Governor Kim Reynolds, joined in condemning King, who for years strode through Iowa GOP politics as an iconic, if always edgy, figure of angry conservatism. These pooh-bahs sent an implicit signal to ambitious Republican pols in Kings conservative district that taking him out in a 2020 primary would be a welcome development.

Unsurprisingly, four Republican challengers entered the race to defenestrate King, with State Senator Randy Feenstra considered the strongest. All of these would-be congressmen chose not to run against King for being, you know, a bigot, but for being an ineffective bigot, as the Des Moines Register observes:

State Sen. Randy Feenstra of Hull, one of the challengers, said King cant help Iowas farming communities or advance President Donald Trumps priorities if hes not on committees 

The candidates agree on broad areas of policy, from prohibiting abortion to repealing the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare  and King says hes been a leader on those issues.

I think people know that Im the lead voice on the full 100% rip-it-out-by-the-roots repeal of Obamacare, King said at the April 26 Crawford County Republican forum. Im hearing my words echo back in my ears here, and I remember that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

He can talk all he wants about it, but what does he have to show for it? And that, to me, is black and white. Thats the difference, Feenstra said.

And now, just three weeks from the June 2 primary, King has sprung a surprise on his rivals (hes been hinting at it for a few weeks) that may just get him renominated. The Sioux City Journal has the story:

Northwest Iowa Congressman Steve King said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has agreed to a process by which the nine-term incumbent can get exoneration and back on committees that were stripped in January 2019 after Kings controversial published remarks about white supremacy.

On April 20, Kevin McCarthy and I reached an agreement that he would advocate to the steering committee to put all of my committees back, all of my seniority, King said at a forum Monday night. When Congress comes back into session, when the steering committee can (inaudible) together, I have Kevin McCarthys word that that will be my time for exoneration.

If thats true, then what is the remaining rationale for Kings Republican opponents?

The timing of this announcement is exquisite for King: Earlier this week, Feenstra (whose slogan, Feenstra Delivers, is an obvious allusion to Kings lost committee assignments) released a poll he commissioned showing him trailing the incumbent by three points (36/39). Both candidates, significantly, were running above the 35 percent threshold Iowa requires for party nominations; if no candidate hits 35 percent, the nomination is decided by a district convention (indeed, thats how King got nominated for Congress in the first place in 2002).

If King can credibly claim he will soon get back his committee assignments and regain his own ability to deliver, it could give him a boost while fouling up the effectiveness messages of his opponents.

The Sioux City Journal tried to get in touch with Kevin McCarthy to verify Kings claims of imminent exoneration, without success. If you had to guess, youd figure McCarthy will hedge, saying any restoration of Kings assignments and seniority are up to the steering committee. But anything short of a flat repudiation of Kings story probably leaves the old nativist in an enhanced position, given the campaign strategies of his GOP opponents.

The other northwest Iowa pol who may be cheered by Kings claim is Democrat J.D. Scholten, who came shockingly close to beating the incumbent in 2018. The conventional wisdom is that a presidential election year is not a good time for a Democrat to win in this heavily Republican district. But facing an opponent who (unlike Feenstra & Co.) is willing to call him out for his actual views could be a problem for Steve King, whose rhetoric and policy positions are a bit much, even for those who enjoy political incorrectness.
More than six people among protesters and police officers were killed during demonstrations on Tuesday in the Coyah, Dubreka and Kamsar areas of Guinea.

People in the streets protested against the lack of electricity and demanded the checkpoints installed by security forces to restrict movement be lifted.

The checkpoints were a measure aimed at reducing the spread of the new coronavirus.

Protesters said they were dispersed with tear gas and firearms.

In a statement the government said it regretted the deaths of both protesters and officers.

Several government offices were burnt and ransacked, including the police station in Coyah. The gendarmerie stations in Maneah was vandalised.

The protests took place as the Guinean government reported 2,374 COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths as of Wednesday.
The Times Union has lifted the paywall on this developing coverage to provide critical information to our community. To support our journalists work, consider a digital subscription.

Total COVID-19 cases:

 340,661 in New York state, including 27,477 deaths. 59,193 recovered. 1,258,907 total tested.

 1,390,361 in U.S., including 84,118 deaths. 243,430 recovered. 9,974,831 total tested.

 4,345,646 worldwide, including 297,108 deaths. 1,547,406 recovered.

Note: The figures include presumed COVID-19 deaths. The number of positive confirmed cases is cumulative and includes people who have recovered as well as those who died.

Additional resources:

Wednesday's latest updates:

4:38 p.m.: Rensselaer County reports one new death

Rensselaer County officials said an 88-year-old Stephentown man died from COVID-19 in a Massachusetss medical facility bringing the county's death toll to 26. Meanwhile, the county reported two new cases bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 441. The county has five residents hospitalized with two in the ICU. Overall, 4,998 residents have been tested. The county had 11 more cases cleared for a total of 267. There are 650 cases in monitor quarantine.

___

4 p.m.: Capital Region loses ground on reopening schedule

In the daily update from New York state about what metrics are reached to unlock seven requirements for reopening the economy, the Capital Region logged slightly more hospitalizations than what is required - 18 in a three-day average, when the number needs to be below 15. Earlier in the day Wednesday, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said he was confident that the region could reopen soon as a few hours earlier, the hospitalizations were still 15 or below.

___

3 p.m.: Schenectady County sees minuscule rise in coronavrius cases

The number of positive COVID-19 cases crept up by 4 t0 57o while people under quarantine dropped to 457 from 535.

Isolations are also down.

The report from the county indicates that 481 individuals have recovered from the virus and 20 have been hospitalized from it.

So far, 28 people have perished in the county from the coronavirus.

___

12:11 p.m.: Saratoga County cases slow to a trickle

COVID-19 positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Saratoga County continue to slow down. The county has 404 positive cases, up three from Tuesday. There is one new hospitalization, bringing the county total to nine, and there were no new deaths.

___

11:09 a.m.: Albany County officials are hopeful to reopen soon

There are 11 new positive cases in the county, bringing the total to 1,386. The county lost one resident to COVID-19 overnight, a man in his 70s, bringing the total death toll to 62. The hospitalization rate has slightly decreased from Tuesday to 2.23%, with 31 people in the hospital and seven in the intensive care unit.

County Executive Dan McCoy said the decrease in hospitalizations has allowed the county to now meet six out of the seven requirements the state laid out to reopen. He hopes to submit the regional plan for reopening by Thursday.

___

6:35 a.m.: Fauci warns: More death, economic damage if US reopens too fast

The U.S. governments top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning Tuesday that cities and states could turn back the clock and see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage alike if they lift coronavirus stay-at-home orders too fast  a sharp contrast as President Donald Trump pushes to right a free-falling economy.

There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned a Senate committee and the nation as more than two dozen states have begun to lift their lockdowns as a first step toward economic recovery.

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

The advice from Fauci and other key government officials  delivered by dramatic, sometimes awkward teleconference  was at odds with a president who urges on protests of state-ordered restraints and insists that day after day, we're making tremendous strides. Read more

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6:31 a.m. Capital Region one step closer to meeting benchmarks for reopening

The Capital Region is one step closer to meeting the seven benchmarks needed to begin a phased reopening of the local economy, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Tuesday during a briefing in the Southern Tier.

The Southern Tier was one of three regions in New York the governor had identified on Monday as meeting the criteria to begin reopening, with the Capital Region reaching five of seven benchmarks that day. But overnight the Capital Region reached 14 days of declining hospitalizations, Cuomo said from Binghamton University in Johnson City.

But under the Cuomo administration's guidelines for a phased reopening, one factor remains elusive here: Deaths remain higher than what has been deemed prudent for reopening. Read more

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6:20 a.m.: Jericho Drive-In opens Friday

There is a reason to get out on Friday: Jericho Drive-In will be showing movies again.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Monday that drive-in theaters are allowed to resume operations while regional municipalities submit their plans to reopen their economies. The Jericho Drive-In immediately took to Facebook to announce their plans to open Friday.

"We will be working tirelessly this week to make sure that we can open in a safe and secure manner," they wrote. Read more

___

Tuesday: Total COVID-19 cases and deaths reported throughout the Capital Region

Albany County: 1,375 cases, 31 hospitalized, 823 recovered, 61 deaths

Columbia County: 328 cases, 7 hospitalized, 136 recovered, 24 deaths

Fulton County: 135 cases, 12 deaths

Greene County: 228 cases, 3 hospitalized, 134 recovered, 14 deaths

Montgomery County: 59 cases, 1 hospitalized, 49 recovered, 1 death

Rensselaer County: 439 cases, 6 hospitalized, 256 recovered, 25 deaths

Saratoga County: 401 cases, 8 hospitalized, 322 recovered, 14 deaths

Schenectady County: 566 cases, 21 hospitalized, 473 recovered, 28 deaths

Schoharie County: 42 cases, 8 hospitalized, 39 recovered, 1 death

Warren County: 213 cases, 3 hospitalized, 133 recovered, 25 deaths

Washington County: 187 cases, 120 recovered, 13 deaths

___

Tuesday: Saratoga County appoints advisory panel Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Preston Allen announced the creation of an advisory group comprised of local officials, health and public safety experts and business leaders that will help to guide the countys efforts to reopen the economy once the region hits the seven metrics outlined by the state. ___ Tuesday: Warren County starts reopening panel A group of local business leaders and elected officials have formed the Warren County Economic Recovery Task Force to plan a safe reopening of the county's tourism and hospitality industry centered in Lake George. This new group is a partnership between the Warren County Lodging Association, local Chambers of Commerce, the Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau, Warren County Tourism Department and government officials. ___ Tuesday: Nursing home cases spike in Warren County The county reported 14 new cases on Tuesday, including 12 at a nursing home. The county did not say which nursing home. Of the county's 213 cases so far, 110 were found in nursing homes. ___ Tuesday: Schenectady County has 10 new cases The county now has 566 confirmed cases, up 10 from Monday. That includes 21 people hospitalized. Of those positive cases, 473 have recovered. ___ Tuesday: Churchill: Defying Cuomo mandate, gym owner opens doors Americans have always been a rebellious bunch. We're a nation formed from armed revolt, after all. Our continued unruliness is why we invented rock and roll. Its why we venerate Henry David Thoreau, James Dean and Bart Simpson. But rebellion and responsibility are often at odds. The rebel sometimes disregards the common good. Which brings us to the decision made by Alex Rosenstrach, 36, who owns ClubLife Health and Fitness, an independent gym in Columbia County. Read more ___

Read more updates from Tuesday
Motorolas Edge+ is the companys first smartphone flagship since the MotoMod-clad Moto Z series. This flagship, a Verizon-exclusive with a $1000 price tag, is set to release on May 14 on the US carrier and when initially launched, Motorola was only able to promise a single major OS update (Android 11) which was met with criticism and disappointment.

Motorola changed its stance and now promises at least two Android OS updates for the Edge+, in a brief statement to Droid Life.

Motorola Edge+

Android phones tend to have relatively shorter product cycles compared to iPhones, which often see major iOS updates for about five years. So the idea of an expensive flagship to only be supported with major OS updates for about a year and a half is something that fans and industry press were not happy about.

The Moto Z3 and Z4 were two devices that no longer felt like flagships. Verizon leveraged the 5G Moto Mod for Verizons 5G network as an add-on for the Moto Z3 (which felt like a refresh of the Moto Z2), and the Moto Z4 simply felt like an afterthought with its midrange CPU. With the Z4, Motorola no longer had a flagship until it unveiled the Moto Edge+ last month  and the Moto Razr 2019 (if you can count that as a flagship).

The Edge+ has a large 6.7 OLED screen with dual-curved edges and an in-display fingerprint scanner all in a sleek new design for Motorola. The quad-camera setup consists of a 108MP main camera, an 8MP telephoto camera with 3X zoom, and a 16MP ultrawide camera. Theres also a single ToF 3D sensor for portrait photos.

Theres a 5,000 mAh battery inside with Turbo Charge, and the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 865 with support for Verizons mmWave 5G network. The Motorola Edge+ is currently a Verizon-exclusive smartphone in the US with a release date of May 14.

Source
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has committed $3.6 million to assist India's efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

A US government statement said the initial tranche of funding will seek to further strengthen and support the Central government's efforts to increase laboratory capacity for SARS-COV-2 testing, including molecular diagnostics and serology.



The funds will also support the development of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) centers that can improve the ability of hospital networks to detect Covid-19 cases and strengthen local health systems through enhanced surveillance and monitoring systems.

The CDC will work with local partners to assist in the development of a strong public health workforce to support India's capacity to respond not only to this pandemic, but also to future threats as well, the statement said.





It will also include planning for health emergency operation centres. In addition, the statement said, the CDC India programme will provide technical assistance for the ongoing crisis emergency and risk communication efforts of the government.



Since early January, the CDC's India office has been collaborating with various government institutes to support the Covid-19 response in India.



According to the statement, the US government agencies, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, and the Department of Health and Human Services, have provided more than $1.4 billion in health assistance and nearly $2.8 billion in total assistance to India over the last 20 years.
In 2016, the Ukrainian government seized and then used a $5.5 billion bailout to prop up PrivatBank, a bank that had been co-owned by Mr. Kolomoisky. The bailout cost Ukraine more than the entire sum the state budget had received at that point from the I.M.F. after the countrys pro-Western revolution two years earlier.

Since then, Mr. Kolomoisky and his allies have been suing to reverse the nationalization and win compensation from the now state-owned, and no longer insolvent, bank.

Rather than trust Ukrainian courts to ensure no additional I.M.F. money vanished into Mr. Kolomoiskys business empire, the fund requested Parliament pass the bill prohibiting any reversals of bank nationalizations through the courts. The preamble to the bill, in fact, states plainly it was passed because of imperfections in the court system.

But it does not close off all access to public money. When it nationalized PrivatBank, the Ukrainian Central Bank accused Mr. Kolomoisky of embezzling money from the bank by lending to so-called related parties, such as offshore shell companies that regulators said he and associates owned. PwC, PrivatBanks auditor, is also contesting the central banks actions.

The government froze some accounts held by these companies. Now, even as Ukraine is asking for additional I.M.F. funding, Ukrainian courts have been awarding multimillion-dollar payouts to these companies and the business associates of Mr. Kolomoisky under proceedings that will not be stopped by the bill passed Wednesday, which only prohibits transfers of shares in banks.

For a poor country in pressing need of medical equipment to counter the coronavirus pandemic, the losses are significant.

The Kyiv Court of Appeals on April 15, for example, ordered PrivatBank to pay the $259 million to several offshore companies by deciding they were not, in fact, related parties. A company registered in the name of an ex-wife of one business associate was not related enough, the court ruled. In another instance, the court held that PrivatBank and an offshore company sharing a Cypriot lawyer was not evidence of any connection.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel during a bilateral meeting at the sidelines of the NATO summit in Watford, Britain, December 4, 2019.

Tensions between the U.S. and its NATO allies could flare up once again in the near future, as the coronavirus pandemic puts additional pressure on public spending, according to experts.

U.S. President Donald Trump has often criticized other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for not respecting the defense spending target of 2% of gross domestic product (GDP). However, the debate had somewhat dissipated over the last year, as NATO countries broadly stepped up their spending in this area.

However, the ongoing pandemic is putting pressure on public expenditure and experts fear this will lead to cuts in defense budgets.

"This crisis comes paradoxically when European countries were showing the Trump administration that they were spending more on defense," Jamie Shea, a former NATO official, told CNBC Wednesday.

"The danger now is that the upward trend will go downwards," Shea, who's now an associate fellow at Chatham House, added.

Nine of the 29 NATO members (NATO now has 30 countries after North Macedonia joined in March) met the 2% target in 2019, according to data from the organization. In comparison, only three countries achieved that threshold in 2014: the United States, Greece and the United Kingdom.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last month "there will be economic consequences of the Covid-19 crisis."

"We have seen forecasts about further reductions and of course, there will be budget consequences. At the same time, I think it's a bit too early to say how big those consequences will be, because that will not least depend on how long the crisis will last," he said at a press conference. He added that the alliance has used its military capabilities to support countries during the current crisis.

Germany, the largest economy in Europe, has been singled out by Trump for spending less than 2% on defense. Berlin has increased its contributions to NATO, but these still fell short of the target in 2019, coming in at 1.38%.

"There will be less defense spending" as a result of the ongoing health and economic crisis, Nicole Koenig, deputy director of the Jacques Delors Centre in Berlin, told CNBC Wednesday.

"It is tricky for NATO, because we already had a very heated debate on the 2% target."

At a NATO summit in 2018, Trump suggested that the spending target should be increased to 4% to force higher contributions. Koenig suggested that if Trump is reelected later this year, he could resurface that proposal.

There are other long-term implications from the virus on NATO also.

Both experts suggested that the alliance might have to refocus its operations and prioritize missions where all members have an interest, and redefine its mandate.

Meanwhile, Koenig highlighted "another low point in transatlantic relations," referring to the difference in opinions between the U.S. and the European Union over funding to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Trump last month announced that the U.S. would halt funding to the WHO, arguing the institution failed in its response to the coronavirus outbreak. EU leaders have criticized this decision.

NATO has survived previous crisis, Shea noted, but the current pandemic "will put pressure on solidarity," he added.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the current number of NATO members.
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




In early May, many states began loosening restrictions on business operations. In California, for example, Governor Newsom announced that bookstores, music stores, toy stores, florists and some other retailers could reopen for pickup service. While restaurants were not a part of this first wave of reopenings, if all goes well, we could see them open their doors for seating in the next few weeks.

Many eateries are operating on pickup or delivery service at the moment, but in order to truly reopen, restaurant managers will need to figure out how to handle a crowd of customers in a time of continued caution and social distancing. Its no easy task, but in anticipation of the coming reopening, owners should start planning now to facilitate the smoothest and safest transition back to business.

Here are five ways restaurant owners can prepare to reopen.

1. Train your staff online before they show up to work.

The industrys standards and operations have changed due to the pandemic, and it will be important to communicate new rules and methods to your restaurant employees. Before they come back to work, host a virtual training session for every team.

In these online training sessions, familiarize your employees with new mandates. Perhaps there will be disposable menus or contactless payment systems. Maybe silverware will be replaced with plastic utensils for the next few months. Consider videotaping a walk-through of the restaurant showcasing new items and policies, and play the footage during your training sessions. It's also important to send out new restaurant policies and guidelines so your team has a reference handy if they need to look something up.

Related: Real Talk About How Restaurants Can Survive

2. Put up safety guidelines and posters throughout the restaurant.

While your employees will be well trained to handle the reopening, your customers may not be at the start. Visual reminders will be crucial to not only keep them safe, but to protect your staff as well. If your cashier station is now contactless, put up signs with visual examples of the new process. Put marks on the floor six feet apart in places where lines may form.

In the bathroom, proper handwashing technique signs should be ubiquitous. Your bathroom policy itself might have to change to one-at-a-time, and signs should reflect that as well. This will inevitably be a learning experience for restaurant managers as the reopen progresses. Once you see patrons disobey a safety requirement multiple times, it may motivate you to create a sign specific to that behavior.

3. Limit the number of customers coming into the restaurant.

As long as some level of social distancing is mandated by your state or city, your restaurant will need to limit the amount of guests inside your establishment at one time. This may require a change of layout to accommodate a smaller number of seats and more room between tables. This may also affect how you handle a waitlist; instead of letting a crowd wait outside, more reservations might have to be taken ahead of time.

You will need to consider traffic through your restaurant as well. Are there bottlenecks where guests pass shoulder to shoulder? These areas might have to be restructured to avoid close contact between individuals.

Finally, pickup and delivery locations may have to switch to curbside when your restaurant reopens for seating, just to alleviate the amount of people congregating near the front door.

Related: Liquor Shops, Pan Shops, Private Offices to Open

4. Prioritize the safety of employees.

Your staff will have the most exposure to your rotating number of customers, so its important to make sure that they have all the training and gear they need to stay safe both for themselves and your guests.

Invest in the necessary protective equipment to keep your staff safe, and help them feel safe as well. From masks to gloves to sneeze guards around cash stations to thermometers, these items will pay for themselves a thousand-fold if they prevent any one from getting sick. For example, using the right type of sanitizer for restaurants to fight coronavirus can be very helpful, too. Just one case of coronavirus will shut down your restaurant for weeks, so do not skimp on the gear you need to keep your team protected and your business open.

5. Create three separate teams in rotation.

Finally, it might be best to divide your staff into two or three teams to rotate on different shifts. This way, in the unfortunate scenario in which an employee does get sick, you can put one team on leave while the other teams continue coming in to work. While it may be difficult to juggle schedules, this extra layer of insurance can keep your restaurant from having to shut down again for weeks on end.

Make sure each team completely cleans and disinfects the restaurant at the end of their shift, taking care to wash any and all used cleaning supplies. You should allocate additional time for shift changes for this new level of deep cleaning. This way, each new team can come in without worry of contamination from the previous crew.

Once the country reopens for restaurants, it will be a trying time of change and experimentation. Prioritize safety first, as any misstep may result in closure and lost revenue. Stay diligent and your restaurant should slowly be able to recover its customers and its profitability.

Related: How the Gig Economy Helps Boost Diversity

Related:



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SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Abl , developer of popular master scheduling software used by a growing number of U.S. schools and districts, today announced the appointment of Howard Bell as CEO. An engineer, public interest attorney, and executive with nearly two decades of experience in public education, Bell is a first-generation college student and proud graduate of Atlantic City Public Schools.

Founded in 2015, Abl works with states and school districts including Washington State OSPI, Denver Public Schools, Portland Public Schools, Washington D.C. Public Schools, and San Diego Unified School District, to generate insights that enable leaders to optimize resource allocation in order to improve equity, and avoid unintended consequences of scheduling decisions.

"The fallout from this year's closures will only compound the complexity of master scheduling as schools begin to re-open. But it will also heighten the risk of creating, or exacerbating, access gaps," said Bell. "Our work is about enabling equity-driven decision-making as schools tackle the challenge of rebuilding their course catalogs and staffing plans. It's about helping districts to understand and evaluate the inevitable tradeoffs as they work to allocate scarce resources across, and within, schools."

On May 18, Abl will expand on these issues by hosting a webinar entitled " COVID 19: Addressing Equity and Avoiding Unintended Consequences, " featuring Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Portland Public Schools Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero, and Los Angeles Unified School District Chief Academic Officer Alison Yoshimoto-Towery.

"Howard's educational journey from an urban district to the Ivy League instilled a sense of mission that is tightly aligned with our team's work and values," said Abl Founder, Adam Pisoni. "As an executive and engineer, he brings the knowledge and experience that we need to serve districts at scale. As an individual, he brings first-hand experience with the barriers that low-income students often face on their paths to higher education."

Schools and districts use Abl's Master Scheduler to create schedules that align with district goals while meeting the needs of students and teachers. Abl's District Scheduling Audit surfaces and visualizes district-wide scheduling, demographic, and academic programming data to help district leaders make strategic decisions about equity and access for students and staff. Abl's groundbreaking Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded analysis, "Time for Change? Findings from a Survey of Time Use in Schools" evaluated data from thousands of schools and educators to understand how time was used within their schools.

An electrical engineer and attorney, Bell is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Virginia Law school. He received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Prior to joining Abl, Bell held multiple leadership roles in the education technology sector, including general manager and senior vice president at Hobsons. He previously served as an administrator and educator at Wayne State University, and president of TechTown, an urban research and technology business park in Detroit.

About Abl

Abl is an education software and services company that is passionate about equity. Abl takes an operations-first approach, understanding access to courses, student equity, and teacher equity through the lens of the master schedule. Abl works with school district leaders to not only evaluate equitable opportunities, but use the results to take action through the school schedule to create systemic change. Learn more at ablschools.com .

SOURCE Abl

Related Links

http://www.ablschools.com


MBABANE  Eswatini Development Bank is demanding over E53 million from Lubombo Property Group Limited.

The bank has since instituted legal proceedings against the company where it is demanding a total of E53 212 734 which the latter reportedly borrowed at different instances during the construction of the Siteki Mall. Other defendants in the matter are Norman Sigwane, Timothy McSeveny, Nicholas Charles McSeveny, Mcebo Mbhuti Dlamini and Collin George Ries.

It is alleged that as security for the due performance of their (defendants) obligations in terms of the loans agreements, the defendants offered first mortgage over Portion 149 and 140 of Flame Free Park, Siteki and assured that upon completion of the mall, the property would have a market value of e86 794 000.

In its first claim, the bank alleges that on May 9, 2018, it lent the company a sum of E2 million and the facility was for the purpose of bridging finance for the payment of value added tax (VAT) while developing a commercial property in Siteki town. In breach of their obligations in terms of the loan payment agreement, Lubombo property group purportedly failed to maintain regular and punctual payments resulting in the account being constantly in arrears. These are allegations contained in particulars of claim whose veracity is still to be tested in court and the respondents in the matter are yet to file their papers in the event they are disputing the claim against them.

Arrears

The bank averred that the arrears were brought to the attention of the company by a letter dated January 23, 2020 and at that stage the arrears were E1 684 298. In the second claim the bank stated that on May 9, 2018, the parties entered into a written loan agreement in that the bank lent and advanced E25 million to the company and the facility was for the purpose of commercial housing loan for the development of a mall in Siteki town. Repayments were at the rate of E380 200 payable on or before the 30th day of each month. The client may within the repayment period redraw the facility for purposes of purchasing other assets.
In this June 27, 2019 file photo, Paul Manafort arrives at a court in New York. (Seth Wenig/(AP Photo)

Former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort Released From Prison Amid Virus Concerns

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from prison because of CCP virus concerns, his attorney said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, is one of thousands of federal prisoners who have been shifted to home confinement as federal officials try to blunt the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Kevin Downing, Manaforts lawyer, told news outlets that his client requested the release because the virus, which has a far higher mortality rate among the elderly, poses a threat to his health. In a letter sent to prison officials last month, Manaforts lawyers said their client takes 11 prescription medications on a daily basis, including eight relevant to the requested release.

It is only a matter of time before the infection spreads to staff and inmates at FCI Loretto, at which time it may be too late to prevent high-risk inmates, such as Mr. Manafort, from contracting the potentially deadly virus, they wrote.

Manafort was hospitalized late last year for an incident described as a cardiac event.

He will serve the rest of his sentence at home, Downing said Wednesday.

U.S. law permits the release of federal prisoners to supervised release of probation if a judge finds extraordinary and compelling reasons, or the prisoner is older than 70, has served at least three decades, and the Bureau of Prisons has determined the prisoner is not a danger to the safety of another person or the community.

Attorney General William Barr said in a memo in March that prison officials should move to increase the number of prisoners placed on home confinement.

Paul Manafort, President Donald Trumps former campaign chairman, leaves the Federal District Court after a hearing in Washington on May 23, 2018. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)

Criminals should only be granted such release if theyre incarcerated for nonviolent crimes, pose a minimal risk of recidivism, and might be safer serving their sentences at home rather than in prison.

Factors weighed when considering releasing prisoners to home confinement, according to the memo, includes the age and vulnerability of the prisoner to COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus; the security level of the facility where the prisoner is held; and the prisoners conduct in prison.

The Bureau of Prisons didnt immediately return a request for comment.

Manafort was released early Wednesday from LCI Loretto, a low-security federal prison in Pennsylvania.

Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in prison in March 2019 for tax and bank fraud and another 43 months about a week later for money laundering, unregistered lobbying, and attempted witness tampering.

Both convictions stem from indictments by the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, who was appointed in mid-2017 to probe Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections as well as allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with such interference.

Mueller indicted dozens of Russians, Manafort, and several others, but his teams final report did not establish collusion between Trump or his campaign and Russian actors.

Manafort worked as Trumps campaign manager for less than two months in 2016.

Petr Svab contributed to this report.
A five-episode documentary series entitled "Asian Americans" has launched in the U.S., with its first two episodes premiering on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on Monday.

The series delivers "a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever, as America becomes more diverse and more divided while facing unimaginable challenges," PBS said on its website.

Led by a team of Asian American filmmakers, the series examines the significant role of Asian Americans in shaping American history and identity, from Chinese rail workers' long-forgotten contribution in the 1850s to modern refugee crises in a globally connected world.

During a digital town hall recently organized by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) in connection with the series' premiere, U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu said that for many Asian Americans, it's not just the health risks of the coronavirus that are cause for concern right now, but also "the anti-Asian bigotry that this pandemic has incited."

"There's no better time to reflect on the history of contributions of the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community," said Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to U.S. Congress.

"This is especially true when it comes to addressing anti-Asian hate crimes," she added.

"We must continue to push back against the xenophobia every time it rears its ugly head ... Our history has shown us that Asian Americans have often been used as it goes in times of crisis," she noted. "We are seeing this again today, which is why it is more important now than ever that we stand united and make our voices heard."

The rest of the documentary's three episodes will air on Tuesday. The premiere is also a part of the films and performances program of San Francisco's Asia-Pacific American (APA) Heritage Month.

The month of May has been celebrated as APA Heritage Month for the past 15 years in San Francisco.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's APA events cannot take place as usual.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed called for the fighting of discrimination and hate amid the COVID-19 pandemic at the virtual opening of APA Heritage Month.

"During this global pandemic, the APA communities are facing unfair treatment, prejudice, and threats simply because of who they are," she said. "There is no place for discrimination and hate in our city or our country."
Staff at the Dublin People newspaper group are angry management has not used the Covid-19 wage support scheme to try to save their jobs.

That is according to the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), which represents editorial staff at the titles, which are partly owned by the Celtic Media Group.

The publisher of the Northside and Southside People told staff at the weekend it plans to apply for liquidation.

The union says 17 workers face compulsory layoffs with the group offering only the minimum statutory redundancy payment.

Former editor Joe Lowry says the liquidation of the Northside and Southside People will be a huge loss to local media in the capital.

"It's a real shame because things are getting back and the economy was starting to get going again

"I never actually thought that it would go under. I thought it would diversify somehow - it would go online or there would be some other business model that they could get into."

Mr Lowry said the papers made their mark since first going to print 33 years ago this month.

"We were young. I was 18 or 19, others were 21 or 22. We were young and we didn't know and that was great.

"We went out and really pushed things. I used qualified privilege at a county council meeting to run a headline saying 'Taoiseach sitting on a goldmine' referring to Charlie Haughey's lands in Clonsealy because that is what someone said.

"None of the other nationals dared to do that."
Amid the contagion and death of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippine bishops consecrated the nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Wednesday, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

By Robin Gomes

In a letter sent to all the dioceses on April 27, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced that the nation would be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on May 13.

CBCP president, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, who sent the letter said that the central event would take place at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Valenzuela City in the Diocese of Malolos.

However, because of a sweeping lockdown or Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and two other urban centres, the faithful were not be able to come together to celebrate the consecration at the national Marian shrine, which is in ECQ zone.

Hence, in keeping with social distancing norms, all the archbishops and bishops of the country, together with their clergy, religious, and families, were requested to participate in this event from their respective dioceses and homes, via the media.

A people in love with Mary

Father Gener Sta. Rita Garcia, the Rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, has been behind the preparation for the central event in Valenzuela City.

The Philippine bishops had earlier consecrated the nation to Mary in 2013. Fr Garcia explained to Vatican News that the consecration 7 years ago was in the Year of Faith, the first year of the 9 years of preparation for the celebration of the 5th centenary of the arrival of the Gospel in the Philippines.

Listen to Father Gener Garcia

The Filipinos, he said, are a people in love with Mary. We are a nation with great devotion to Our Lady, we call Her Mamma Mary, Our Mother.

Amid Covid-19

This year, under the Covid-19 pandemic, Fr Garcia explained, the nation is living in extraordinary times. We are again consecrating the country, our family and ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to remind us that Mama Mary is with us in this journey of faith, leading us to His Son.

Speaking on the eve of the consecration, the priest said, we are again consecrating the country, our family and ourselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to reminds us that Mama Mary is with us in this journey of faith, leading us to His Son amidst the Covid-19 of fear, helplessness, anxiety and hopelessness.

Nation linked by social media

Speaking about the preparations for the May 13 consecration at the national shrine, Fr Garcia said it was a big challenge, given the Covid-19 emergency. Amid limited movement and resources, the CBCP initiative, he said is a joint effort of Archbishop Valles, the world Apostolate of Fatima and Bishop Dennis Villarojo of Malolos where the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima belongs.

Fr Garcia said the organizers have also been in contact with the different dioceses across the Philippines in participating in the Rosary prayer and in sharing ideas and capacities for live-streaming and broadcasting events.

In this regard, the rector of the shrine said, the organizers have received help from Radio Veritas 846 for radio broadcasting, TV Maria for cable broadcasting and the Diocese of Cubao for Facebook live-streaming and cross-posting.

Consecration event

The national simultaneous consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary started at around 8.30 am on Wednesday at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.

All the dioceses and churches of the nations were linked up to the event on Facebook, radio and television.

It began with different bishops taking turns in leading the decades of the Rosary from their respective cathedrals and churches along with their communities linked with the national shrine via live-streaming.

Archbishop Valles led the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and delivered a message.

The event culminated with the Holy Mass by Bishop Villarojo at the National Shrine, as bishops and priests simultaneously preside over Masses in their own respective cathedrals and churches.
President Trump on Wednesday tapped venture capitalist and former pharmaceutical head Moncef Slaoui to head Operation Warp Speed, a White House initiative meant to quickly develop and distribute coronavirus vaccines.

Slaoui was named Wednesday, according to a senior administration official. He was chair of the vaccines division at pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline, a British multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in London.

He is now a partner at Medicxi Capital, a Philadelphia-area venture capital firm.

Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of Bio, the biotech industry organization, said Slaoui was an excellent choice and someone who has always stood for scientific excellence.

Moncef Slaoui is seen here testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, in a file photo.

"Over his long career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to public health, innovation and a public-private partnership that are vital to building the collaborations we need to bring new therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines to the American people," Greenwood said in an email.

Slaoui has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the Free University of Brussels (Universite Libre de Bruxelles), according to his LinkedIn page.

Operation Warp Speed is the initiative launched by the White House two weeks ago to aid in speeding production and later distribution of any COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition, the official said four-star Army Gen. Gustave Perna has been selected to serve as the chief operating officer overseeing logistics. Perna is the commanding general at U.S. Army Materiel Command in Huntsville, Alabama.

The goal of Operation Warp Speed is to make 100 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine available by November, 200 million doses by December and 300 million doses by January, an administration official told CNN.

Dr. Anthony Facui, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the public face of the government's response, has said that January might be a possible date but acknowledged that it would be a remarkable achievement and cannot be counted on.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GSK executive Moncef Slaoui to head coronavirus Operation Warp Speed
Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has lambasted those criticising Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for demolishing two hotels that flouted lockdown order in the state.

According to Kanu, those criticising Wike were asleep when Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State was demolishing property belonging to Biafrans, when he was Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Kanu said those criticising Wike were pretending to be dumb while el-Rufai was on rampage and therefore, should shut their mouths and go to sleep like they were doing during that era.

In a statement entitled, Wike Hotel Demolition and all the Furious Sanctimonious Humbug, personally signed by Mazi Kanu and made available by IPOBs Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, he said: Some of the raging hypocritical voices of righteous indignation we are hearing today were never heard when el-Rufai was busy terrorising and pauperising thousands of Biafran businessmen by demolishing their hotels, bars, restaurants and homes in Abuja.

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When el-Rufai was busy terrorising and pauperising thousands of Biafran businessmen by demolishing their hotels, bars, restaurants and homes in Abuja, some of the raging hypocritical voices of righteous indignation we are hearing today were never heard.

They never uttered a word nor made a sound because they were and still are afraid of the murderous tendencies of those who are still demolishing legitimate Igbo businesses in Abuja.

Today, he is being touted as the next President of Nigeria by the same people condemning Governor Nyesom Wike.

Current FCT Minister, Bello Mohammed, has simply carried on from where his predecessor, el-Rufai, stopped and has been busy demolishing far more expensive buildings in Abuja belonging to Biafrans than that destroyed in Igweocha by Wike.

Does it mean I condone or excuse Wikes administrative overreach? Of course not. I do not condone it because he went too far.

Read Also: Nigeria Has Lost De-Facto President: Nnamdi Kanu Reacts To Kyaris Death

But we must understand that operators of that very establishment risked the lives of thousands of people in Rivers State and beyond.

Potentially, they could have brought infections and death to thousands of people, either through Coronavirus infected Alimajiri or by inadvertently providing accommodation to Fulani killers streaming into our towns and villages from the North.

Either way, the proprietors of the hotel placed thousands of lives at risk, whereas the Igbo businessmen and families whose livelihoods were taken away by El-Rufai and Bello Mohammed in Abuja committed no offence known to law.

We hereby call on the States COVID 19 Task Force to do the needful by conforming to the universal best practice of assigning an Ambulance or any dedicated utility vehicle for transport of potentially infectious clinical specimens.
(All amounts in CDN$ unless otherwise indicated)

VANCOUVER, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Alexco Resource Corp. (NYSE American/TSX: AXU) ("Alexco" or the "Company") today reports financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 ("Q1 2020"). For Q1 2020 Alexco reported net income of $12.1 million ("M"), or $0.10 per share.

Q1 2020 Highlights

CORPORATE

Alexco reported net income of $12.1 M , or $0.10 per share for Q1 2020 compared to net income of $1.2 M for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 ("Q1 2019"). The net income for Q1 2020 included a gain on the sale of Alexco Environmental Group ("AEG") in the amount of $8.0 M and a non-cash fair value gain of $8.1 M on the embedded derivative offset by corporate overhead costs and mine-site care and maintenance costs. The net income for Q1 2019 included a non-cash fair value gain of $5.5 M on the embedded derivative offset by corporate overhead costs and mine-site care and maintenance costs.





, or per share for Q1 2020 compared to net income of for the quarter ended ("Q1 2019"). The net income for Q1 2020 included a gain on the sale of Alexco Environmental Group ("AEG") in the amount of and a non-cash fair value gain of on the embedded derivative offset by corporate overhead costs and mine-site care and maintenance costs. The net income for Q1 2019 included a non-cash fair value gain of on the embedded derivative offset by corporate overhead costs and mine-site care and maintenance costs. The Company's cash and cash equivalents as at March 31, 2020 totaled $22.3 M , while net working capital totaled $23.2 M . The Company's restricted cash and deposits at March 31, 2020 totaled $3.1 M .





totaled , while net working capital totaled . The Company's restricted cash and deposits at totaled . On February 14, 2020 the Company entered into a share purchase agreement (the "AEG Sale Agreement") for the sale of AEG, to AEG's executive management ("AEG Management"). Under the terms of the AEG Sale Agreement, AEG Management purchased all of the shares of AEG in consideration for payment to Alexco of $13.3 M . On closing of the transaction, AEG Management paid $12.1 M in cash, with the balance of $1.25 M payable pursuant to a promissory note that matures on February 14, 2021 .





the Company entered into a share purchase agreement (the "AEG Sale Agreement") for the sale of AEG, to AEG's executive management ("AEG Management"). Under the terms of the AEG Sale Agreement, AEG Management purchased all of the shares of AEG in consideration for payment to Alexco of . On closing of the transaction, AEG Management paid in cash, with the balance of payable pursuant to a promissory note that matures on . As part of the sale of AEG, Alexco retained ownership of its subsidiary, Elsa Reclamation & Development Company Ltd. ("ERDC"), and will continue to execute the clean-up of historical mines in the Keno Hill Silver District under its existing contractual arrangement with the Federal Government of Canada . In Q1 2020, the clean-up project continued in the permitting phase in Yukon .





. In Q1 2020, the clean-up project continued in the permitting phase in . On March 27, 2020 , the Company completed a public offering and issued 4,662,675 common shares at a price of $1.85 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $8.6 M for net cash proceeds of $7.8 M .

MINE OPERATIONS AND EXPLORATION

On March 30, 2020 Alexco announced the implementation of a COVID-19 response and management plan to protect the health and safety of its employees and contractors as well as the local communities in which it operates (see press release dated March 30, 2020 entitled "Alexco Provides Corporate Update"). The Company suspended underground mine development activities while continuing to maintain all areas at the Keno Hill site. Mill improvement and refurbishment projects were continued by Yukon -based employees while non-essential Keno Hill site-based employees transitioned to working remotely on a number of engineering and project planning assignments.





Alexco announced the implementation of a COVID-19 response and management plan to protect the health and safety of its employees and contractors as well as the local communities in which it operates (see press release dated entitled "Alexco Provides Corporate Update"). The Company suspended underground mine development activities while continuing to maintain all areas at the Keno Hill site. Mill improvement and refurbishment projects were continued by -based employees while non-essential Keno Hill site-based employees transitioned to working remotely on a number of engineering and project planning assignments. During the quarter the Company made steady progress on scale-up mine site activities including recruitment of key personnel and senior site management, securing long lead time orders for mine equipment and advancing capital infrastructure projects at the mill and across the project site.





The Company's 2020 surface exploration program, originally planned to include approximately 11,500 meters ("m") of surface drilling beginning in May, was deferred as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions. The revised surface exploration drilling program is expected at a minimum to include 4,200 m of surface drilling beginning in mid to late summer and will focus on the Bermingham "deep target", where exploration drilling in 2019 successfully confirmed the presence of wide, high-grade mineralization developed at depth below the Bermingham high grade silver resource.

2020 OUTLOOK

The Corporation's development strategy continues to be a two phased approach moving towards mine and mill operations. Phase 1 work commenced in June 2019 and focused on surface and mill capital improvements, along with operations planning and permitting, while Phase 2 will commence only once the Company makes a positive production decision, which is subject to granting of the pending Water Use License ("WUL") and market conditions. Phase 2 work will focus on underground development in preparation for initial production from the Bellekeno and Flame & Moth deposits, mill commissioning and final underground development and ore production of the Bermingham deposit.

Alexco is in the final steps of amending and renewing the primary WUL for mine-related activity in the District. A public hearing was held in February 2020 and the Company expects the granting of the WUL renewal in the second quarter of 2020. Once renewed, the WUL will authorize the use of water and deposition of waste from mining and milling operations at the Bermingham, Flame & Moth, Bellekeno and Lucky Queen (and Onek) deposits for a period of 15 years.

During Q1 2020, the Company continued exploration activities completing a planned extension (from 2018) of the district-wide detailed airborne geophysical program. The interpretation of results from these surveys has proved important in targeting mineralized structures in areas of cover and will be especially important for target generation and ranking for longer term exploration planning at Keno Hill.

Clynt Nauman, Alexco's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "The first quarter 2020 was very much one of adapting to the unprecedented conditions and restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Above all, we have focused on preserving the well-being of our teams and our communities. At the same time we cautiously moved forward with some planned mill refurbishment and surface capital projects. We remain confident that the Yukon Water Board will deliver a decision on our renewed and expanded WUL this quarter thereby clearing the way for a final production decision." Added Mr. Nauman, "In the meantime, we expect to launch a reduced scale surface exploration program in mid to late summer to focus on the Bermingham deep target, which returned exceptionally encouraging silver intercepts last year. Finally, we are hopeful that by the end of the second quarter the path forward at Keno Hill will be much clearer; at that point we should have our renewed WUL in hand, and our path toward production well outlined in context with appropriate health related protocols and market conditions."

Financial Report

Full details of the financial and operating results for Q1 2020 are described in Alexco's interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2020 with accompanying notes and related management's discussion and analysis. These documents and additional information about Alexco, including its annual information form, are available on Alexco's website at www.alexcoresource.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Conference Call for Q1 2020 Results

Alexco is holding an audio webcast conference call to discuss these results at 3:00 p.m. Eastern (Noon Pacific) on Thursday, May 14, 2020. To participate in the live call, please use one of the following methods:

Dial toll free from Canada or the US: 1-800-319-4610 Dial from outside Canada or the US: 1-604-638-5340 Conference ID#: Ask to join the Alexco conference call Live audio webcast: https://www.alexcoresource.com/

Participants should connect five to ten minutes before the call. The conference call will be recorded and an archived audio webcast will be available at https://www.alexcoresource.com/

Qualified Persons

The disclosure in this news release of scientific and technical information regarding exploration projects on Alexco's mineral properties has been reviewed and approved by Alan McOnie, FAusIMM, Vice President, Exploration, while that regarding mine development and operations has been reviewed and approved by Neil Chambers, P.Eng., Chief Mine Engineer, both of whom are Qualified Persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

About Alexco

Alexco is a Canadian primary silver company that owns the majority of the historic high-grade Keno Hill Silver District (the "District") in Canada's Yukon Territory. Alexco has a long history of expanding Keno Hill's mineral resources through successful exploration and is currently advancing a development plan for the District. In 2019, the Company published a positive pre-feasibility study that estimates production of 1.12 million tonnes of ore at an average rate of 430 tonnes per day at an average grade of 805 grams per tonne silver over an 8-year mine life from the Flame & Moth, Bermingham, Bellekeno and Lucky Queen deposits.

www.alexcoresource.com

Some statements ("forward-looking statements") in this news release contain forward-looking information concerning Alexco. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to payment to Alexco of future consideration for the sale, future mine construction and development activities. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development activities. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions that management believes are reasonable at the time they are made. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, Alexco has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, those matters identified in is continuous disclosure filings. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Alexco 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 otherwise required by applicable securities legislation.

SOURCE Alexco Resource Corp.

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www.alexcoresource.com


Three days prior to 12 May, when the world marks International Nurse Day, Egypt bade farewell  in grief, fear and uncertainty  to yet to another member of the nursing community.

Nurse Atiat Arboud, from the rural governorate of Damanhur, died after contracting Covid-19 in a country still in lockdown amid the unpredictable coronavirus outbreak.

Ahram Online talked with head of the Egyptian Nursing Syndicate, Dr Kawthar Mahmoud, about the profession of nursing in Egypt in such dire times, and the challenges that loom.

On the frontline

We are extremely proud of our nurses, who are at the forefront of efforts to combat the virus and who reach out with help and compassion to those struggling against their infection, were her first words.

Official numbers of the Ministry of Health indicate that 50 nurses have contracted the virus, with six fatalities among their number since the virus first appeared in Egypt in February.

We look highly upon the role played by nurses. Our nurses are the closest to patients at times when their families and friends are out of reach, amid isolation. The WHO has indicated that 59 percent of all medical service provision worldwide is given by the nursing sector, Dr Kawthar says.

Ahram Online spoke by phone to Nanees El-Samman, an engineer currently being treated for Covid-19 in the isolation quarters of Kasr Al-Aini Hospital in Cairo.

Words cannot express the role played by nurses here. Nurses are extremely committed; they are our connection to any help that reaches us during their shift, that lasts 14 days before another group of nurses replaces them. They are trained and professional  the true backbone of healthcare here, she said.

Dissecting numbers

Dr Kawthar stresses that numbers speak volumes in such dire times.

We have 300,000 registered nurses in the syndicate, 220,000 of whom work in the public sector, the other 80,000 are either pensioners, working abroad or workers in the private sector."

The number of nurses now might suffice, but we have to look ahead and be prepared with backup plans in case of further spread of the disease by recruiting members of the syndicate who are registered but do not practice, providing training and allowing the way for them to join forces with their colleagues, she added.

Challenges ahead

The syndicate inaugurated a crisis management delegation to look into the challenges that loom ahead.

We do our best to mentor all workers in the profession about proper means of protection against the virus. We are in constant contact with all members of local syndicates in all governorates to help in regards to any complaint they have amid this crisis, and we act as a medium between nurses and the hospitals they work in to provide solutions in such dire times, Dr Kawthar said.

At the onset of the pandemic, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed the government to increase the allowance for the medical professions, by 75 percent to a total cost of EGP 2.25 billion.

The syndicate says that more is required, especially concerning nurses.

Still, we are looking forward to further enhancements. The compensation given due to incidents of infection is still around EGP 20, and many nurses work nightshifts in exchange for very low earnings, Dr Kawthar said.

The annual subscription required by the syndicate of nurses, up until 2016 was EGP 15  a number that hasnt budged since 1976. In 2016, we raised this sum to reach EGP 60 annually, and the nurse receives in exchange EGP 150 as a pension monthly after retirement. But we know that these numbers have to change."

Nurses coming from far governorates to work must be provided with convenient accommodation for living as well as nurseries for their children."

Egyptian nurses are generally well educated and trained. We had to provide a minimal course for them at the onset of the pandemic, and they proved that they already had a solid basis of training and education that proved effective on the ground, she added.

Supporting role

The Nursing Syndicate is one of most important syndicates in Egypt. It was founded by Law 155/1976, published in the Official Gazette on 9 November 1976. It is the entity that represents Egyptian male and female nurses, with its headquarters in Cairo and branches across the governorates.

The syndicate aims to advance the scientific and professional standards of its members through training and conferences to keep them up to date with the latest developments in the profession. It aims also to maintain the dignity and traditions of the profession, and provide medical, social, economic and cultural care for syndicate members and their families, Dr Kawthar said.

At a time when nurses are on the forefront of the battle against coronavirus, the syndicate plays a pivotal role of support. We have been in continuous contact with hospitals that deal with corona cases, to connect with members of the profession in regards to their fears and sources of anxiety. We make sure that they are provided with the necessary protection equipment and gear, and convey all their requests and inquiries," Dr Kawthar added.

We give also monetary compensation to those suffering from diseases, including coronavirus. As a syndicate we make the best of the means we have, giving EGP 20,000 to the families of those deceased, and EGP 2,000 to those inflicted by the virus, she said.

Stigmatisation

Stigma and misconceptions around nurses has long been a problem to the nursing community.

For long we suffered from dramas and movies that offend nurses by presenting an erroneous image of them. This had never been acceptable. We asked that any drama depicting nurses should be approved by the syndicate, to avoid stigmatisation against our nurses, who should actually be treated with utmost respect. In a country like the Philippines nurses are considered national assets, with more than 10,000 of them working all over the world each year, being ambassadors for their country and contributing to its national income with foreign currency, Dr Kawthar said.

Education first

Dr Kawthar explained the strength of the education system in the field of nursing.

Huge progress was achieved in raising the benchmark when it comes to the nursing profession. In Egypt, we have 20 public nursing faculties and five private ones. We have 12 health institutes for nursing affiliated with the Ministry of Health, 17 institutes affiliated with university hospitals, in addition to 300 advanced nursing schools."

Years ago we terminated diplomas whose duration was three years and whose efficiency was compromised. We also have the nursing institute that was inaugurated by the armed forces. It has been doing a great job, and its graduates work primarily in the hospitals affiliated with the armed forces."

We have a solid and robust education system that certifies its graduates to be licensed by the syndicate, and we have prepared a draft law to be approved by the Egyptian parliament that requires those practicing nursing to be re-evaluated by the syndicate after five years of practice, to make sure that those who renew their licenses are up to date with new methods and practices in the field, Dr Kawthar said.

Gender role

There are five requirements for being a member of the Nursing Syndicate and thus having a license to practice: to be of Egyptian nationality; to be of good reputation and commendable conduct; to have never been sentenced for a felony or misdemeanour (i.e., no criminal record); to have attained an academic degree certified by the Egyptian education system in the field of nursing; and to be licensed by the Ministry of Health to practice in the profession.

Dr Kawthar said that although until a few years ago only females ventured into the field, males are becoming motivated to join the profession, comprising 10 percent of the nursing workforce since they were allowed to apply to the profession in Egypt in 2003.

We look forward to increasing this percentage in the future, Dr Kawthar said. There is huge demand for nursing education as it is a portal to a much needed profession. We look forward to changing the mindset of people so that this demand springs more from respect and passion for this profession, which is really the backbone of the health system, she concluded.

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Despite an election season unlike any before, Oregon voters so far are returning ballots at a rate that could bring turnout close to the high level from 2016, with its fevered primary race between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

As of the close of business Monday, 467,000 Oregonians, or 16% of those registered to vote, had returned ballots to county elections offices, state officials reported Tuesday. Thats in the same range for the same day four years ago.

Turnout in Oregons 2016 primary reached 54%, much higher than in 2012. The highly competitive race for president on the Democratic ballot was a big driver in Democrat-heavy Oregon.

High voter participation was achieved four years ago after voters turned in an avalanche of 385,000 ballots on Election Day as well as extra-large numbers in the two or three days before that. Oregon currently has 2.45 million registered voters.

Its unclear whether a final-days surge will happen this time around.

Elections officials are urging voters not to rush to potentially crowded ballot drop-off sites at the last minute this year.

Thursday is the final day to mail your ballot and be confident it will reach the elections office by 8 p.m. Election Day  the deadline to have your vote counted.

Elections offices are taking new steps to protect workers who open and process ballots. Multnomah County, for example, normally hires 250 temporary workers, many of them over 60, but it has reduced that number to 150 this year to allow for additional spacing, said spokeswoman Jessica Morkert-Shibley.

Many of those it has hired are younger than the usual crew, including county workers reassigned from other departments, said Multnomah Elections Director Tim Scott.

Most of our long-time on-call workers are in high-risk categories and have opted out of working in this election, he said

Workers handling the countys ballots this year wear masks and gloves as they do that work.

We got this, Scott said in a statement. Vote-by-mail is the perfect solution to administering an election while allowing people to stay physically apart. But we have had to make some changes to our processes to keep both employees and voters safe.

Voters who are registered as Republicans or Democrats will be able to choose not only a nominee for president but also candidates for Oregon secretary of state, for many competitive House and Senate races and, in eastern and parts of Central Oregon, a nominee for the most hotly contested race for Congress in decades.

All voters will be offered a say in city and county elections and may find an array of ballot measures, judicial races and contests for the Metro regional government.

-- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
By Express News Service

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Centres package of 20 lakh crore as a "big zero", mere eyewash to fool and mislead people. She accused the Centre of depriving the financially starved state governments of its rights.

"States are pillars of a countrys development. Nothing has been offered to the state governments in the package. Burning issues like waiving farmers loans, employment generation and ensuring liquid cash to poor people in distress were not mentioned in the package. The package is a big zero and it is nothing but a move to hoodwink people at this period of crisis," Banerjee.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech on Tuesday and Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharamans announcement on the economic package, Banerjee said, "Yesterday, when the Prime Minister announced the 20 lakh crore package, we were hopeful that the interest of the states would be looked into. But today, after the Union finance ministers announcement, everything that was said yesterday was a bluff."

She also accused the Centre of trying to "bulldoze" cooperative federalism.

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Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modis appeal of becoming "self-dependent", Banerjee said, "Now they are urging people to become self-dependent. West Bengal doesnt need to be because we are already self-dependent."

The Chief Minister announced the Bengal governments initiatives to ensure the flow of cash to the poor of Bengal. "The state government identified 50,000 acres of abandoned land drought-hit districts like Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram and West Midnapore districts where projects like hatchery and fishery will be initiated. It will create job opportunities for a large section of people living in the region. We have already generated 13.2 lakh man-days under 100 days job scheme. Works have been started on 6,000 acres of land," she said.

Castigating Banerjees remark labelling the Centres package as a bluff, BJPs Bengal president Dilip Ghosh said, "The central government will help the beneficiaries directly, without the state governments intervention. It has annoyed the chief minister because her state will directly receive money from the Centre and there will be no scope to earn cut-money by depriving the poor."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:47:06|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested Wednesday that China and Sri Lanka, while ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control, gradually resume practical cooperation in various fields, advance major cooperation projects in an orderly manner and promote the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road.

Xi made the remarks in a telephone conversation in the night with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Sources: Ethiopian Forces in Somalia Shot Down Kenyan Plane

By Harun Maruf May 12, 2020

An Ethiopian anti-aircraft missile brought down the Kenyan plane that crashed in the Somali town of Bardale last week, killing six people on board, multiple sources have told VOA Somali.

Ethiopian forces are stationed in Bardale to help their Somali counterparts retain control of the town, once controlled by militant group al-Shabab.

The May 4 incident began with the incoming Kenyan plane aborting a landing attempt because an Ethiopian military vehicle mounted with Zu anti-aircraft missiles was on the runway, officials say.

The plane then flew over the military vehicle to make a second attempt to land. The Ethiopian soldier operating the Zu fired several rounds, hitting the plane, according to witnesses and Somali officials.

Weydow Ali Hassan is the town's head of social affairs. Hassan was one of the officials waiting at the airstrip to receive medical supplies the plane was carrying.

"There was a technical vehicle mounted with a gun on where the plane was going to land. We thought it was going to collide into it," Hassan said.

After the missiles were fired, the plane burst into flames and crashed on the side of the airstrip, according to Hassan.

His account was confirmed by a regional minister and an aviation official who both asked not to be identified for security reasons.

A fourth official who was not in Bardale said a donkey on the runway forced the plane to abort the landing and not the Ethiopian military vehicle. Hassan disputed that account.

"There was no donkey present there," he said. "There were Ethiopian soldiers and their vehicles."

Ethiopian military officials acknowledged their soldiers shot down the plane but say their military didn't know the aircraft was due to arrive. They also say the soldiers feared the plane might "bomb" them.

Bardale, a small town about 60 kilometers west of Baidoa, lacks an air traffic control tower. Flight arrivals are conveyed by telephone to Somali officials on the ground.

"They were scared; it created fear," says a source close to the Ethiopian soldiers. The soldier who fired the missile has been in Bardale "about 20 days," according to the official.

A team of investigators from Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia has begun an investigation.

The team will visit the site of the crash near the Bardale airstrip. Their first task is to recover the black box and voice recorder of the E120 aircraft, owned by Kenyan company African Express Airways. The recorders were located the day after the crash, but officials chose not to retrieve them until experts arrived. The area has been sealed off since, according to an official.

Somalia suspended both international and local flights due to the coronavirus epidemic but the aircraft, charted by an NGO, had a one-day special permit to deliver the medical supplies to Bardale.

Another contentious issue is the status of the soldier who fired on the plane. Multiple sources including an AMISOM source say they were told the person is a "non-AMISOM" soldier.

Non-AMISOM soldiers are Ethiopians who operate outside the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia. Ethiopia has nearly 4,000 soldiers serving as part of the AU mission, but non-AMISOM forces are larger. According to a reliable official, 75% of Ethiopian troops in Somalia are non-AMISOM soldiers.

Somali and Ethiopian officials both say non-AMISOM soldiers operate under a "bilateral agreement." The Somali opposition is questioning the legality of the presence of non-AMISOM Ethiopian forces in the country.

The Somali government said it will await the results of the investigation being conducted.

"All the evidence is there [in Bardale]; we prepared ourselves, we saw the witnesses," says Somali Transport and Aviation Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Salat, who visited the scene last week. "We are waiting experts from Kenya and Ethiopia to join us so that we can do a transparent investigation in order to share with the families of those lost and the company on what happened, how it happened and how to prevent similar incidents."

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Phuket business powerhouses donate B10mn for Phuket Smart Check Point system

PHUKET: Phuket business leaders have donated B10 million for police to install a high-tech checking system at the Phuket Check Point in Tha Chatchai to help prevent any persons infected with COVID-19, or under observation on suspicion of being infected with the virus, from leaving the island.

COVID-19healthtechnology

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 13 May 2020, 01:34PM

Sombat Atiset addresses the press at the donation ceremony. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

A ceremony to mark the donation was held on Monday afternoon (May 11) at the Phuket Check Point, where all people leaving the island to return to their home provinces are screened and verified as authorised to leave Phuket with a Fit to Travel permit.

Present at the ceremony was Phuket Provincial Police Chief Maj Gen Rungrote Thakurapunyasiri and the six key donors, or their representatives: Sombat Atiset, CEO of Kata Thani hotels, who donated B5mn; along with Kata Group founder and President Pramookpisitt Achariyachai along with Tunyaratt Achariyachai, who has also previously served for years as the Chair of the Senate committee for Tourism, who together donated B1mn.

Also present were Wilaiporn Pitimanaaree, representing of Central Group; Benjawan Tampanuwat, President of the Phuket chapter of the Kusoldharm Foundation, and Natthakanya Saengpho, CEO of Paradise Group and Andara Resort Residence. All three also donated B1mn each.

A further B1mn was provided by the Phuket branch of the Police Audit and Monitoring Committee.

The project, branded Phuket Smart Check Point, will instill confidence that no people suspected of being infected with COVID-19 will be allowed to leave Phuket, Gen Rungrote said.

The project will see better body-temperature screening capabilities at the checkpoint, and will feature face and licence plate recognition capabilities to identify any persons identified as infected with the virus, or even recorded by officials as a Person Under Observation (PUI).

We have a group of officers to do the work, but it will take less time with more effective results by using the technology, Gen Rungrote said.

The mass exodus of people leaving Phuket to return to their home provinces has renewed fears of a resurgence of COVID-19 infections after four new infections were found on the island on Sunday (May 10), prompting the government to ramp up disease control measures to screen returnees heading to their homes from the island province.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman of the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said on Sunday that Phuket remains under close watch because between 10,000-20,000 people have left since the nationwide lockdown was eased on May 3.

Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana last estimated the number of people who have registered to leave the island to be about 50,000.
A pharmacist checks a bottle on a shelf at his pharmacy in Quebec City in this file photo. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Drug Shortages Mounting in Canada Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Chinas control of active ingredients for generic drugs is another warning to find alternatives

News Analysis

With most of the COVID-19 procurement attention focused on personal protective equipment (PPE), authorities and the pharmaceutical industry are closely monitoring another growing shortagevital medicines.

In particular, less expensive generic drugs have vulnerable supply chains. And considering that China dominates the global production of their active pharmaceutical ingredients, the risk is amplified.

As demand for treatment rises, drug shortages are picking up.

The Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) said on April 17 that the number of drug shortages being reported to the governments mandatory reporting website has increased dramatically in the last few weeks.

In the months leading up to March, the website had been listing about five new shortages a day. But from March 24 to April 7, it listed an average of 11.6 drug shortages per day. And from March 31 to April 7, that number climbed to 15.9 shortages a day.

There are mechanisms through which they [Health Canada and the provinces and territories] are monitoring this very closely, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam, said on May 12 during her daily press conference. And I think they are looking at different strategies.

The industry in Canada is preparing itself for absorbing greater stress.

Sandoz Canada, a division of pharmaceutical giant Novartis, said it has accounted for increased demand for all of its manufactured products.

The vast majority of Sandoz products are manufactured using active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and components from countries outside of China, said Stephanie Weinstein, internal communications and corporate affairs manager at Novartis Canada, in an email to The Epoch Times. At this time, we do not anticipate any disruption to our overall supply chain.

Apotex, Canadas largest generic drugs manufacturer and the countrys only maker of hydroxychloroquine, recently donated 2 million dosages to the government. The drug, used to treat COVID-19, was listed by Health Canada as one of three with a severe shortage, according to the CPhA on April 17.

Hydroxychloroquine tablets in a file photo. Canada experienced a brief shortage of the medicine used in treating COVID-19. (AP Photo/John Locher)

In addition, experts emphasize logistical adjustments and greater global cooperation to ensure vital medicines are safely available for all countries.

Generic and biosimilar medicines and medicines manufacturing inputs must be allocated priority air and ocean freight space at predictable and reasonable rates in order to avoid disruptions in supply, said Jim Keon, president of the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA), in an April 1 statement.

Canada relies on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its European counterparts for assistance with quality control. On-site inspections cant take place during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, pandemic.

The CCP Threat

The efforts being made by the pharmaceutical industry and policy-makers to prevent widespread shortages would also help minimize the impact of any potentially nefarious actions by the CCP.

Rosemary Gibson, a senior advisor at the Hastings Center bioethics research institute in New York and author of China Rx: Exposing the Risks of Americas Dependence on China for Medicine, has pondered what would happen in a pandemic if Beijing decided to keep medications for itself or even turned off the tap as a negotiating tool.

Cover of Rosemary Gibsons book China RX. (Courtesy Rosemary Gibson)

The CCP has previously ignited diplomatic tensions with Japan by restricting exports of rare earth elementsanother critical building block it monopolizes.

Totalitarian regimes like the CCP aim to destabilize democracies in a variety of ways. Propaganda is one tool. Controlling the worlds supply of medicines could be another, Gibson said.

Chinas position of dominance in active pharmaceutical ingredients is a result of the CCPs tried-and-tested strategy of using state subsidies to help flood the market with products so that prices fall and the competition is driven out of business. China skirts the environmental regulations needed to ensure the safe production of chemicals, which effectively gives it another cost advantage over North American production.

This is the playbook it [China] uses, and they dont operate in a free market system. What they did was a violation of international trade law and antitrust rules, Gibson told The Epoch Times.

China can then establish a quasi-monopoly and potentially impose its will on other countries.

Its not unlike the situation with the aforementioned rare earths, where the United States is trying to wrest control from China. The generic drug industry in the United States has been decimated by cheaper production in Asia.

Gibson has long been saying that China aims to be the worlds pharmacy and that it controls about 70 percent of the core chemicals and raw materials needed for the generic drug industry.

In 2018, generic drugs were dispensed to fill 72 percent of retail prescriptions in Canadajust over 500 million prescriptions, according to the CGPA.

According to La Presse, opinions differ on how dependent Canada is on China, as Health Canada didnt specify when queried in November 2019. But experts La Presse spoke to said it could range from 60 percent to 80 percent.

More Reasons to Diversify

Long-time pharmaceutical executive Vijay Sappani says Canada should explore long-term procurement opportunities with India to diversify its supply chains and foster closer ties. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been in touch with Indias leader Narendra Modi about a medical partnership.

Given Indias manufacturing capacity, our shared ideals of democracy and freedom, and mutual belief in a liberal rules-based order, this would demonstrate commitment to each other, Sappani wrote in an editorial for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

India is already a major manufacturer of generics, but it relies on China for the active ingredients.

The quality and integrity of Chinese manufacturing has been questioned repeatedly in recent years, and now production of PPE has been found to be defective by several countries including Canada. Gibson asks what might be the case with medicines Canada is getting from China.

According to a report from NTD, between 2007 and 2018, at least 13 major Chinese manufacturers were found to be producing defective vaccines.

Chinas pharmaceutical industry lacks accountability, since all the major players are state-owned or owned by people with close ties to high-ranking CCP officials.

Vaccine scandals are relatively commonplace in China, but the authorities are quick to take action to silence the reprisals. Parents demanding answers for children sickened or killed by defective drugs have been threatened. Journalists and whistleblowers have been punished.

La Presse reported that Health Canada rarely inspects Chinese factoriesjust 3 out of 45 inspections during fiscal year 201819 were done in China. They all passed.

But a fall 2019 investigation by STAT, a media company specializing in life sciences, found that Chinese factories were more often guilty of U.S. FDA violations than ones in Europe, India, or the United States. Chinese companies also falsified information more frequently.
RENO, NV / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Scandium International Mining Corp. (TSX:SCY) ("Scandium International" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will pursue copper industry interest in SCY ion exchange (IX) technology and knowhow to recover scandium, cobalt and other critical metals from solvent extraction (SX) raffinate and other acidic waste streams in certain acid leach copper operations.

Recovery metals targeted by this application include cobalt, copper, nickel, scandium, and zinc, and possibly other metals and rare earth elements, depending on recovery economics. The suitability of this IX technology, and the target metal opportunities, vary with the specifics of individual orebodies, and associated SX plant characteristics. Depending on specific project variables, and the value and volume of critical metals recovered, the end result economics are expected to be significant to the parties involved.

CONCEPT HIGHLIGHTS:

IX technology offers rapid deployment to existing Cu operation waste streams,

Recoveries target critical metals with transparent, established markets,

Includes potential for significant scandium production alongside other products,

Represents near term production sources that can address security of supply issues, conflict metal issues, and concentrated supply source issues, and

The concept has real potential to deliver positive economic benefits to both SCY and the established copper producers that can host this program.

DISCUSSION

The copper industry is fully aware of the opportunity to harvest valuable metals from copper process waste streams, and the industry does so with significant success today in precious metals. Other specialty metals recovery work has historically been considered un-economic, based on effective recovery costs and recovered metals pricing. The technology in this area has advanced, improving both operating costs and recoveries. New, technology-driven uses for critical metals are stressing supply channels. Traditional jurisdiction risk concerns are now multiplied by ethical sourcing issues, and long-term sustainability questions, all of which elevate the interest in broader, more localized sourcing. These issues are receiving heightened governmental and industry priority, and metals markets customers are now seeking and favoring new, economic, responsible solutions.

Story continues

On the basis of this dynamic critical metals opportunity, and the fact that SCY has a significant capability to apply advanced mineral recovery technologies to the separation of critical metals from both ores and waste streams, the Company began a search for a North American scandium production source. This effort immediately recognized an attractive economic value in secondary recoveries of other critical metals from certain copper operations, in addition to scandium, specifically from source systems employing solvent extraction techniques. Depending on orebody specifics, the residual metals content in raffinate can also include economically recoverable quantities of cobalt, nickel, additional copper, and other valuable metals.

The potential new revenue stream of the combined metals residual varies by orebody, and also by the specifics of the mineral processing systems in place, but collectively the metals basket is more instantly marketable and shows superior economics to the solo scandium target we had in mind at the start. This IX technology also represents a viable precursor for direct refining cobalt, nickel and potentially copper into high purity sulfate product forms, as required for battery manufacture, specifically in the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

This SCY program is led by SCY's Chief Technology Officer, Willem P.C. Duyvesteyn, who is the primary inventor of close to 100 US patents and patent applications in the field of materials processing and commercial recovery processes for base metals, specialty metals, and chemical compounds. The Company has filed for patent protection on various aspects of its relevant technical program ideas with the US Patent Office, using technical information from preliminary bench-scale testing with actual copper SX raffinate solutions.

The Company believes this work can be demonstrated with a working and successful copper plant installation, with proven know-how, and intends to pursue a copper industry partner to demonstrate the economic viability of this technology. It is the Company's intent to fully participate in the operation, ownership and production economics associated with a plant asset that is developed in concert with that partner.

SCY shareholders should note that this new critical metals recovery program contains a scandium component that utilizes the same technology applied to other targeted critical metals recoveries. This program is intended to allow SCY to benefit from early and attractive scandium production, in addition to producing a basket of other metals with currently established markets. The program has the potential to generate commercial-scale scandium production from the USA and the Americas, which produces little or no scandium today. Early scandium production can be expected to more quickly build the nascent scandium market globally, thus supporting the development of the Company's Nyngan and Honeybugle scandium assets in Australia.

George Putnam, CEO of Scandium International Mining Corp. commented:

"The copper industry enjoys a relatively well distributed global production footprint. Marry that with the idea that a number of copper orebodies have significant un-harvested critical metal content, and we see an opportunity to tap local' critical metals sources, and more value, specifically in North America. We are excited to pursue this opportunity, with a specific site and producing copper partner, and make an economic demonstration for the entire industry."

ABOUT SCANDIUM INTERNATIONAL MINING CORP.

The Company has completed a Definitive Feasibility Study1 on its 100% owned Nyngan Scandium Project, located in NSW, Australia, and has received all key approvals, including a development consent and a mining lease, necessary to proceed with project construction. The Company is currently seeking long term sales agreements with potential customers for scandium products, prior to finance and construction.

The Company retains a portfolio of minerals processing patents relevant to base metals and specialty metals recoveries. While the primary patent focus is fundamentally on scandium recoveries, the associated technology and knowhow has direct application for critical metals recoveries. In addition, the Company has done extensive market development, application engineering and metallurgy work with many of the world's leading companies to accelerate the adoption of scandium into manufactured products, some of which also utilize other critical metals as well.

1NOTE: The Company filed a NI 43-101 technical report in May 2016, titled "Feasibility Study - Nyngan Scandium Project" . That feasibility study delivered an expanded scandium resource, a first reserve figure, and an estimated 33.1% IRR on the project, supported by extensive metallurgical test work.

Willem Duyvesteyn, MSc, AIME, CIM, a Director and CTO of the Company, is a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release on behalf of the Company.

For inquiries to Scandium International Mining Corp, please contact:

Edward Dickinson (CFO)

Tel: (775) 233-7328

George Putnam (CEO)

Tel: (925) 208-1775

Email: info@scandiummining.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements about the Company and its business. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include, but are not limited to statements regarding any future development of the project. The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation: risks related to uncertainty in the demand for scandium, the possibility that results of test work will not fulfill expectations, or not realize the perceived market utilization and potential of scandium sources that may be developed for sale by the Company. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of the Company's management at the time they are made, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances, should change.

SOURCE: Scandium International Mining Corp





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/589644/SCY-Seeks-Copper-Industry-Partner-To-Demonstrate-Scandium-Cobalt-And-Other-Critical-Metals-Recovery-Technology








US President Donald Trump

Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Wolf, has dared United States President Donald Trump by rejecting his order to reopen business amid coronavirus pandemic.

Trump had approved that some categories of businesses could open under strict instructions.

The order went into effect May 1 but some States are calling for caution.

On Monday, Trump publicly supported calls by a section of Pennsylvania people demanding an immediate lifting of restrictions.

Proponents in counties in the eastern State are threatening to defy the governors orders and reopen their businesses.

The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now, and they are fully aware of what that entails. The Democrats are moving slowly, all over the USA, for political purpose. Dont play politics. Be safe, move quickly! Trump tweeted.

But the Democratic Governor has disagreed.

Wolf insists that the pandemic remains a threat and that he would follow the science and move carefully.

I dont know how you stay safe and move quickly. We are trying to move deliberately, he said.

Wolf further issued a stern warning that businesses violating orders could lose their health certificates and other licences.

America has recorded nearly 1.4 million cases of coronavirus and 81,000 deaths.
- Martha Karua said quotes making rounds on social media purported to be hers on the recent Senate leadership changes were fake

- Karua asked Jubilee operatives and Tanga Tanga to keep her off the messy divorce and further asked them to carry their own cross

- Murkomen and Kihika were ousted from Senate majority leader and majority whip respectively on Monday, May 11

Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has hit out at Deputy President William Ruto's allies for involving her in their messy Jubilee divorce with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Karua distanced herself from the ongoing fallout in the ruling party and told the Tanga Tanga faction to leave her out of it.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: US gov't says hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania are overwhelmed

Karua said she had not commented on the recently made Senate changes. Photo: K24.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: William Ruto tells Kipchumba Murkomen he will be a great leader in future

Taking to Facebook, she termed as fake news quotes on social media which were purported to be from her on the recent Senate leadership changes.

The former Gichugu MP said she had not aired her sentiments on the ouster of senators Kipchumba Murkomen and Susan Kihika.

READ ALSO: Watu 16 wa familia moja wawekwa karantini baada ya jamaa wao kuangamizwa na COVID-19

"Once again I must ask Jubilee operatives and especially Tanga Tanga to leave me out of their messy divorce.

"I have not made any public statement on the Senate leadership changes. To the warring Jubilee factions, I say carry your cross," she wrote.

Murkomen was ousted from Senate majority seat. Photo: Kipchumba Murkomen.

Source: Facebook

Murkomen and Kihika were ejected from the Senate majority seat and majority whip respectively during a State House meeting on Monday, May 11.

The embattled senators rubbished their ejection and insisted they would continue performing duties claiming the due process was not followed.

The ousted leaders sued the Jubilee Party and the case will be heard on Thursday, May 11. Susan Kihika.

Source: Facebook

They said they were being targeted because of their political inclination.

Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka approved the changes and said Samuel Poghisio and Irungu Kang'ata were the new majority leader and whip respectively.

The Ruto duo, however, contested their ejection in court and the case is set to be mentioned on May 11.

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.

I have to provide for my husband and seven children - Beatrice Ouma | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Westminster will have its say on Northern Ireland's new abortion regulations

Anti-abortion campaigners in Northern Ireland have urged Westminster to give the Stormont Assembly a say over new abortion laws.

It comes after confusion around the new regulations last week, when it was reported that they were being withdrawn.

Read More

However the regulations were temporarily withdrawn to amend "typographical cross-referencing errors" and were reintroduced this week.

New regulations on abortion introduced on March 31 continue to apply in the interim.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis is required to submit regulations for Parliaments approval after Westminster legislated to change abortion laws here last year.

MPs and peers will vote on the regulations sometime in the next month.

The introduction of the legislation sparked widespread condemnation from pro-life campaigners and the DUP, but attempts to prevent it with a one-day return to the then-collapsed Stormont Assembly failed.

The new regulations have been criticised for going further than abortion laws in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Expand Close CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education) NI Chief Executive, Nola Leach / Facebook

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Whatsapp CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education) NI Chief Executive, Nola Leach

CARE (Christian Action, Research and Education) NI Chief Executive, Nola Leach said she was disappointed the regulations had been re-tabled without being brought back to the Assembly.

The NI Assembly has been sitting now for months and abortion is a devolved policy area," she said

Therefore today we are calling on MPs and Peers at Westminster to reject these regulations and hand responsibility back to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Our view remains that these regulations are badly drafted and are the wrong approach for Northern Ireland."

Mrs Leech said any changes to the abortion laws should be decided by Northern Ireland's politicians.

While there might be a need for debate on abortion policy here in NI, the proper place for that debate is Stormont, not Westminster," she said.

We would urge Assembly members not to let this issue go unchallenged and to press for time to be given for this very important social issue to be debated in the Assembly.

Speaking last week a UK Government spokesperson stressed that the Government was legally obligated to introduce the new regulations.

The Government spokesperson said that reintroducing the regulations would give Parliament "an additional 28 sitting days to consider them".

The UK Government remains under a legal obligation to implement these regulations under section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019," the spokesperson said.
You are here: China

Chinese police have captured 967 fugitives suspected of gang and organized crimes, including 33 from abroad, since April 9, reported the national office against organized crime on Tuesday.

Of the 22 fugitives who were on a class-A wanted list, 14 have been captured, said the office.

China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) launched a special operation on April 9, aiming to arrest 1,712 fugitives suspected of gang and organized crimes.

The MPS said it would beef up efforts to capture all the fugitives.




Press Release

May 13, 2020 GORDON SLAMS LTO FOR FAILURE TO RELEASE IRR FOR MOTORCYCLE CRIME PREVENTION LAW, SAYS NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION Senator Richard J. Gordon slammed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for its failure to release the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Law, which he authored, despite numerous appeals for the immediate implementation of the law. In his privilege speech during Tuesday's session, Gordon stressed that more Filipinos are being killed by riding-in-tandem assailants than the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has done this year. He cited the recent killing of radio journalist Rex Cornelio Pepino, who was shot dead last week in Barangay Daro, Dumaguete City by unidentified riding-in-tandem hitmen. Gordon expressed dismay over government's failure to implement the law which was signed March last year. He said that the LTO and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the agencies that are supposedly on top of stopping the crimes in the country, are not doing anything to prevent and solve the killings. "It has been 14 months ago to be exact and yet, up to now, nothing has been done by the LTO. There is no order to come out with bigger plates for these motorcycles. We cannot tolerate this forever. It is beginning to really make us look very, very weak as a government. It shows that we, in Congress, is totally ineffective. Hindi na sinusunod ang batas natin," he stressed. Gordon also pointed out that non-implementation of the law violates Article 2 of the Civil Code that says that laws shall take effect after fifteen days following the completion of their publication. "If the Executive does not enforce laws, that is a violation of the Constitution. We, as a people, cannot just grin and bear it as there is a pandemic of motorcycle riding-in-tandem killings. If the LTO does not accept the job, we should ask for the resignation of all these people involved because if they cannot implement a simple law like that, then, we really are in trouble," he said. "I don't wanna pick a fight to anybody. I just wanna say, if you cannot do it, let somebody else do it. Let's stop the killings," he added.
Korean Air's passenger planes are parked following outbreak of COVID-19, at Incheon International Airport

By Joyce Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea's largest airline, Korean Air, plans to sell around 1 trillion won ($816.55 million) in new shares in its biggest rights issue in 20 years to raise funds amid mounting strains in the industry due to the pandemic.

Korean Air is the latest carrier to raise funds as travel restrictions imposed by governments around the world have led to airlines grounding their fleets worldwide.

Korean Air separately plans to receive 1.2 trillion won in support from South Korean state-owned banks.

About 79 million newly issued shares, to be listed on July 29, will be first bought by the carrier's shareholders, including holding company Hanjin Kal which has a 30% stake in the carrier, followed by general public, the company said in a statement.

"Korean Air will continue to carry out self-rescue measures to overcome the dismal business environment due to COVID-19," the company said.

Korean Air had 70% or more of its employees working in South Korea take a six-month leave of absence in April. Woo Kee-hong, the airline's president, warned in March that the coronavirus outbreak could threaten its survival if the situation becomes prolonged.

Korean Air also picked last month a preferred bidder to buy its real estate and non-core assets, which some analysts value at about 400-500 billion won.

Korean Air had a debt-to-equity ratio of about 870% as of end-2019. It is expected to announce January-March quarter earnings later this week.

A spokeswoman for Korean Air said it was operating just 10% of its previously planned international schedule, and 60% of its domestic schedule.

The airline said it expects its June international schedule to rise to 20% of its previous plan, as it announced the addition of more international passenger flights to prepare for increased travel demand once COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed.

United Airlines Holdings Inc said earlier this month it plans to raise $2.25 billion through a bond offering, after announcing a public offering to raise more than $1 billion in April.

Story continues

In March, Singapore Airlines said it would issue S$5.3 billion ($3.70 billion) in new equity and up to S$9.7 billion($6.78 billion) via mandatory convertible bonds in a rights issue backed by state investor Temasek Holdings.

($1 = 1,224.6700 won)

(Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Louise Heavens)
Astronomers have detected elusive pulsation patterns in dozens of young, rapidly rotating stars thanks to data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The discovery will revolutionize scientists' ability to study details like the ages, sizes and compositions of these stars -- all members of a class named for the prototype, the bright star Delta Scuti.

"Delta Scuti stars clearly pulsate in interesting ways, but the patterns of those pulsations have so far defied understanding," said Tim Bedding, a professor of astronomy at the University of Sydney. "To use a musical analogy, many stars pulsate along simple chords, but Delta Scuti stars are complex, with notes that seem to be jumbled. TESS has shown us that's not true for all of them."

A paper describing the findings, led by Bedding, appears in the May 14 issue of the journal Nature and is now available online.

Geologists studying seismic waves from earthquakes figured out Earth's internal structure from the way the reverberations changed speed and direction as they traveled through it. Astronomers apply the same principle to study the interiors of stars through their pulsations, a field called asteroseismology.

Sound waves travel through a star's interior at speeds that change with depth, and they all combine into pulsation patterns at the star's surface. Astronomers can detect these patterns as tiny fluctuations in brightness and use them to determine the star's age, temperature, composition, internal structure and other properties.

Delta Scuti stars are between 1.5 and 2.5 times the Sun's mass. They're named after Delta Scuti, a star visible to the human eye in the southern constellation Scutum that was first identified as variable in 1900. Since then, astronomers have identified thousands more like Delta Scuti, many with NASA's Kepler space telescope, another planet-hunting mission that operated from 2009 to 2018.

But scientists have had trouble interpreting Delta Scuti pulsations. These stars generally rotate once or twice a day, at least a dozen times faster than the Sun. The rapid rotation flattens the stars at their poles and jumbles the pulsation patterns, making them more complicated and difficult to decipher.

To determine if order exists in Delta Scuti stars' apparently chaotic pulsations, astronomers needed to observe a large set of stars multiple times with rapid sampling. TESS monitors large swaths of the sky for 27 days at a time, taking one full image every 30 minutes with each of its four cameras. This observing strategy allows TESS to track changes in stellar brightness caused by planets passing in front of their stars, which is its primary mission, but half-hour exposures are too long to catch the patterns of the more rapidly pulsating Delta Scuti stars. Those changes can happen in minutes.

But TESS also captures snapshots of a few thousand pre-selected stars -- including some Delta Scuti stars -- every two minutes. When Bedding and his colleagues began sorting through the measurements, they found a subset of Delta Scuti stars with regular pulsation patterns. Once they knew what to look for, they searched for other examples in data from Kepler, which used a similar observing strategy. They also conducted follow-up observations with ground-based telescopes, including one at the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii and two in the global Las Cumbres Observatory network. In total, they identified a batch of 60 Delta Scuti stars with clear patterns.

"This really is a breakthrough. Now we have a regular series of pulsations for these stars that we can understand and compare with models," said co-author Simon Murphy, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sydney. "It's going to allow us to measure these stars using asteroseismology in a way that we've never been able to do. But it's also shown us that this is just a stepping-stone in our understanding of Delta Scuti stars."

Pulsations in the well-behaved Delta Scuti group fall into two major categories, both caused by energy being stored and released in the star. Some occur as the whole star expands and contracts symmetrically. Others occur as opposite hemispheres alternatively expand and contract. Bedding's team inferred the alterations by studying each star's fluctuations in brightness.

The data have already helped settle a debate over the age of one star, called HD 31901, a member of a recently discovered stream of stars orbiting within our galaxy. Scientists placed the age of the overall stream at 1 billion years, based on the age of a red giant they suspected belonged to the same group. A later estimate, based on the rotation periods of other members of the stellar stream, suggested an age of only about 120 million years. Bedding's team used the TESS observations to create an asteroseismic model of HD 31901 that supports the younger age.

"Delta Scuti stars have been frustrating targets because of their complicated oscillations, so this is a very exciting discovery," said Sarbani Basu, a professor of astronomy at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, who studies asteroseismology but was not involved in the study. "Being able to find simple patterns and identify the modes of oscillation is game changing. Since this subset of stars allows normal seismic analyses, we will finally be able to characterize them properly."

The team thinks their set of 60 stars has clear patterns because they're younger than other Delta Scuti stars, having only recently settled into producing all of their energy through nuclear fusion in their cores. The pulsations occur more rapidly in the fledgling stars. As the stars age, the frequency of the pulsations slows, and they become jumbled with other signals.

Another factor may be TESS's viewing angle. Theoretical calculations predict that a spinning star's pulsation patterns should be simpler when its rotational pole faces us instead of its equator. The team's TESS data set included around 1,000 Delta Scuti stars, which means that some of them, by chance, must be viewed close to pole-on.

Scientists will continue to develop their models as TESS begins taking full images every 10 minutes instead of every half hour in July. Bedding said the new observing strategy will help capture the pulsations of even more Delta Scuti stars.

"We knew when we designed TESS that, in addition to finding many exciting new exoplanets, the satellite would also advance the field of asteroseismology," said TESS Principal Investigator George Ricker at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research in Cambridge. "The mission has already found a new type of star that pulsates on one side only and has unearthed new facts about well-known stars. As we complete the initial two-year mission and commence the extended mission, we're looking forward to a wealth of new stellar discoveries TESS will make."

###

TESS is a NASA Astrophysics Explorer mission led and operated by MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Additional partners include Northrop Grumman, based in Falls Church, Virginia; NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley; the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts; MIT's Lincoln Laboratory; and the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. More than a dozen universities, research institutes and observatories worldwide are participants in the mission.
ANN ARBOR, MI  University of Michigan law students are offering free legal assistance to groups facing legal issues during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Michigan Law COVID Corps, a group of 200 UM law students, is already providing pro bono help to Michigan organizations in the areas of prison decarceration, workers rights, business support, housing rights and voting rights, organizers said.

Medical staff are on the front lines, but lawyers are confronting the pandemics shockwaves, said Maiya Moncino, the groups founder. Most law students dont know much about epidemiology, but we do know about unemployment insurance, eviction proceedings, or civil rights litigation. COVID-19 has created a whole host of legal problems, and we want to show up for our communities.

The group was launched in April and is recognized by the UM law school as an official pro bono project. The COVID Corps has provided hundreds of volunteer hours on 15 projects so far, including a brief filed in federal court regarding ballot qualification requirements and legal research regarding the release of immigrant detainees, its leaders said.

Liz Ryan, president/CEO of Youth First Initiative, an organization calling for the release of incarcerated youth during the coronavirus pandemic, said the COVID Corps did an outstanding job with a number of projects.

The COVID Corps supported several of our high priority COVID-19 rapid response projects, including outreach, writing, legal analysis and data gathering, Ryan said. ... We were so impressed with their dedication, professionalism and high-quality work.

With the spring 2020 semester done and final exams over, COVID Corps leaders are hoping to get more work and recruit more UM law students to help.

I believe it is our responsibility as members of the legal community to provide support in any way we can, said Brooke Simone, a task force leader with the group. We hope to alleviate the burden many Michiganders are shouldering while mobilizing law students to get involved."

Those with legal or research needs related to coronavirus can request volunteers here and a COVID Corps leader will follow up to confirm details and connect interested law students, the release said.

READ MORE:

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Major societal upheavals such as 9/11, the energy crisis and previous pandemics such as the Black Death and the 1918 flu have left a permanent mark on the world. No one knows to what, if any, extent the current pandemic will revolutionize how we live.

But one area likely to undergo long-lasting transformation is the modern office, where large numbers of people work in close proximity for long periods of time  the perfect environment for infections to spread. And the office of the post-pandemic future is coming to a building just north of downtown San Antonio.

At the Sixth Street building that houses the Dado Group architectural firm and eight other companies, there will soon be a knee-operated utility sink outside so workers and visitors can wash their hands before entering the building, a touch-free thermometer to check that workers and visitors are not running a fever, hand sanitizers throughout and a UV light installed in the ductwork to zap any virus or bacteria trying to sneak in.

Once these and other features are installed it will look like the offices many of us will someday be working in.

Tom Sibley /Getty Images

Theres a lot of thinking going on about how this pandemic will change all kinds of work spaces, said Rives Taylor, principal and co-director of design resilience in the architectural firm Genslers Houston office. Office designers will be rethinking everything from the HVAC systems to the bathrooms.

Any predictions, short or long term, are pure speculation, of course. But the experts we asked all see big changes ahead.

Some see the pandemic leading to the end of the open-floor office, those hip, cool spaces designed without walls, where employees work side by side and share meeting and eating areas. Open offices have been the ascendant design since the dot-com boom of the 1990s.

On ExpressNews.com: Experts: Even without symptoms, many can spread the coronavirus

If they do lose favor, they may be succeeded by the return of the often-derided cubicle farm, where rows of workspaces are separated by partitions that offer a respite from noisy and nosy coworkers. The cubicles comeback may be spurred because they make workers feel safer. If one worker sneezes, the cubicle partition may help keep those germs from reaching their neighbor.

While cubicle partitions traditionally have stood 4 to 5 feet tall, they could be going higher.

Mint Images /Getty Images

I dont see companies marketing 80-inch high panels out there yet, but they will be coming, said Harry Spence, the regional manager for NDI Office Furniture, a wholesaler that represents 15 manufacturers. That might be what it takes to make people feel comfortable again.

A more social solution is sneeze guards, clear acrylic panels installed between work stations like the ones that have sprung up around supermarket checkouts. While providing a physical barrier, sneeze guards dont hinder collaboration because employees can still see and talk to one another. They also allow more natural light to penetrate deeper into the office space.

Until recently, most companies jammed as many bodies as could comfortably fit into an office. The new normal may be to locate desks further from one another to enhance social distancing.

Ive seen offices where workers sit only 2 feet apart, Spence said. Three months ago no one questioned that. Not anymore.

Where will this extra space come from? It will start with fewer people coming to work each day.

Before the pandemic, most managers would have told you that work from home would change their company culture, said Irby Hightower, a senior partner at Alamo Architects. Now theyre realizing that a large percentage of their employees can do it just fine. And they may be even more productive.

One sign that employers are getting behind the work from home trend is what Erik Darmstetter, the CEO and founder of Office Furniture Liquidators, called a second wave of home office upgrading.

Thomas Barwick /Getty Images

People who bought cheap chairs when the pandemic started are realizing that they might be working from home for a long time, he said. So now they want something nicer and more comfortable.

On ExpressNews.com: World War I, flu pandemic knocked out Fiesta for two years

But not everyone can or will want to work from home. When they do return, offices may look very different from when they left.

Adam Reed, vice president at Ford Powell & Carson Architects & Planners, said he foresees more doors that open automatically so workers dont have to touch them, more touch-free bathroom facilities such as faucets and toilets, and more signs on walls and markings on floors to indicate, for example, the maximum number of people allowed in an elevator at any one time.

There also may be efforts to keep people separated by having them share work spaces according to a schedule. One person could use a workspace on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while another uses it on Tuesday and Thursday. On their off days, theyll work from home or in the field.

This will require a change in office culture and policies, Reed said. There will have to be some sort of log, digital maybe, to make sure the spaces are cleaned and disinfected between users.

The architectural firm Gensler has imagined several new room and space configurations for the post-pandemic workplace. These include a mudroom near the entrance where employees can change their shoes and wash their hands before starting work; the officle, part office, part cubicle, that is private, but lacks a door to encourage impromptu collaboration; even a coffee bar, complete with barista, to replace self-serve coffee stations in the kitchen.

Building owners and tenants likely will put more emphasis on cleanliness.

Getty Images

I think well see an increase in hard surfaces because they just seem cleaner, architect Stephanie Eugster said. Cubicle partitions made of metal that is easier to clean and doesnt attract dust; floors of wood, concrete or laminate instead of carpeting; and easy-to-clean painted surfaces.

While no one really knows how this will all play out in the coming months or years, historians argue that past pandemics often led to permanent and unexpected changes to society.

On ExpressNews.com: With masks and Lysol cans, stores and malls in San Antonio prepare to reopen

The bubonic plague, or Black Death, killed one-third of the worlds population in the 14th century and, according to a recent New York Times story, helped trigger the Scientific Revolution by destroying faith in institutions such as monarchies, aristocracies and the papacy.

Many expected 9/11 to spell the death of the skyscraper. That obviously didnt happen, and tall buildings continue to be constructed. But it did spur passage of stricter building codes requiring additional exits, more robust fire suppressant and better communication systems within buildings.

Whether any of the efforts happening now will eliminate, or even reduce, workplace infections is still up for debate. Scientists are still trying to tease out to what extent the coronavirus can spread through the air, for example, so those higher cubicle walls may not be as effective as some think.

And enlisting UV lamps to kill the virus may not be as simple as those Facebook ads claim.

Now Playing: The mayor met with the Express-News Editorial Board to discuss the reopening of San Antonio after Governor Abbott announced reopening Texas. You can watch the full video of the 1-hour session on https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/ Video: mySA

Does the light have the correct spectrum to be effective? How long do germs need to be exposed? Whats the best place to install the light? said Dr. David Gude, chief operating officer for Texas MedClinic. And do we even know that these lights will be effective against the coronavirus?

Gude said that instead of jumping to complex and expensive technology, it would be better to follow simple established health guidelines.

Were talking washing your hands, decontaminating surfaces properly, practicing social distancing, wearing a mask in public, things like that, he said.

In other words, the same advice weve been hearing since the pandemic began.

Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Richard A., become a subscriber. rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini
Marc Puig, superintendent of the Beeville Independent School District, was named Wednesday evening as the lone finalist to head South San Antonio ISD.

The South San board of trustees voted six-to-one to approve Puig, with trustee Homer Flores voting no. By law, the board must wait 21 days after naming a finalist before making the hire.

Puig is slated to replace Alexandro Flores, who resigned in September amid board infighting after serving less than a year. Dolores Sendejo, the districts chief academic officer, has been the interim superintendent.

Homer Flores said he had wanted Henry Yzaguirre, executive director of operations in neighboring Southside ISD, for the superintendent post.

Hes a community member. I supported him. I appreciate all the other candidates but I will say on the record I was for somebody else, Flores said.

Board President Gilbert Rodriguez said trustees believed Puig shared their vision of making South San a leader and a role model for other districts.

I feel that this is the best candidate for our school district. Certainly his accomplishments to date speak for themselves, Rodriguez said.

Puig, 48, has superintendent experience at four rural school systems. Before becoming superintendent at Beeville in 2016, he led the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District for six months, the Culberson County-Allamoore ISD for nearly three years and Luling ISD for less than a year after serving as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction there.

He also is a policy advisor to Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

Puig joined the trustees on a virtual call and thanked them.

I am incredibly honored and humbled and thrilled to serve alongside you for the benefits of the children of South San, he said. Lets get to work.

The district, which had 8,934 in the 2018-2019 school year, is under investigation by the Texas Education Agency for claims that trustees acted outside their authority and impeded Flores, the former superintendent. Agency officials declined to comment on whether Puigs selection would have an impact on the ongoing investigation, but the TEAs deputy commissioner of governance and accountability, Jeff Cottrill, praised the choice, saying he expected Puig will be a unifier.

He is a passionate and strategic leader who brings hope for stability and improvement to South San Antonio ISD, Cottrill said via email. Dr. Puig has a deep understanding that the behavior in a board room permeates a school system. The mere fact that the SSAISD board of trustees named him  should bring encouragement to all stakeholders that this may well be a beneficial turning point.

If approved, Puig will be the districts seventh permanent superintendent since 2011. Over the years, South San ISD has been notorious for board factionalism, which seemed contained during the tenure of Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra but resumed with his departure late in 2018.

The board last fall replaced three trustees who resigned to protest the board majoritys insistence on rapidly reopening three formerly closed schools in time for the 2019-2020 academic year. The departing trustees criticized the move as an expensive experiment in attracting new students, made against warnings by Flores, the superintendent, that he needed more time and that parental interest should be surveyed first.

Flores resigned in September after some trustees blamed him for low initial enrollment at the newly reopened high school. In February, the board had to plug a budget shortfall with $6.2 million in reserve funds, saying it was caused by increased costs and lower than expected state funding.

Puig has written of having a hybrid background. He has been a teacher and principal and held upper level district positions. But he also worked in the corporate world for seven years, as an account executive, research analyst and project manager for a national marketing firm in Fort Worth.

Puig has bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington. He earned his doctorate in education from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2014, where he was awarded Outstanding Dissertation of the Year for his research on public school governance and student achievement.

Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Krista, become a subscriber. Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva
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B uzzFeed is set to end its news production in the UK and Australia.

The online media platform announced the move on Wednesday, citing economic and strategic reasons.

The website said it was cutting its local news coverage in both countries to focus on US output.

Twitter users have responded to the news by paying tribute to the website and its "first-class team."

A BuzzFeed spokesperson said: Both for economic and strategic reasons, we are going to focus on news that hits big in the United States during this difficult period.

Therefore, we will notify staff in the UK and Australia that we are not planning to cover local news in those countries.

We will be consulting with employees on our plans regarding furloughs and stand-downs in these regions.

The spokesperson added that the company will retain some employees who cover news with a global audience including social and celebrity news, in addition to investigations.

Guardian columnist Owen Jones and Sky News's Sophie Ridge were among the journalists to applaud the outlet's workers.

Jones tweeted: "Really devastating news for everyone working at Buzzfeed, not least at a time like this.

"They did some really brilliant work they should be proud of. Love and solidarity!"

And Ridge commented: "Really very sad news about Buzzfeed UK... there are a lot of exceptionally talented journalists there."

She also praised the UK site's political editor Alex Wickam for "knocking it out of the park" and always being one of her "must reads."

Meanwhile Wickham posted his own message, saying: "Look at twitter right now. Everything people are saying is true.

"So incredibly proud of the BuzzFeed UK team, which punched so far above its weight and did some really amazing journalism.

"Snap them up - theyre brilliant, you wont regret it."

His colleague, news editor Alan White, was bowled over by the response.

He wrote: "Overwhelmed by the things people have said about BuzzFeed UK News on here tonight.

"Quite apart from the scoops and the great writing, I think these things matter."

BuzzFeed, which was launched in the US in 2006, attempted a major overseas expansion in recent years but subsequently made some cutbacks.

Despite previous staff cuts, its London newsroom became a centre of excellence in British journalism, earning a number of major accolades, including a Pulitzer Prize nomination for international reporting in 2018.

In December 2019, the organisation was handed a notice from Companies House warning that it would be dissolved in two months if it failed to submit its financial data.

BuzzFeed UK subsequently said it would file its accounts before the end of the year.
MEDICC Review brings the voices and the science of Latin America to bear on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unpredictable as some of the leaders trying to tame it, COVID-19 has cut a swath through the Americas: from a high of some 1.4 million cases in the USA, on to Brazil, topping the southern cone at nearly 200,000, then to just 3 cases in the Caribbeans Anguilla. But more important: a few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cuba among them, seem to be doing a better job of flattening the curve. While the USA has 412 cases and 24 deaths per 100,000 population, Cuba and several others in the region hover around 15 cases and under 1 death per 100,000.

This is one reason why this issue of MEDICC Review brings the voices and the science of Latin America to bear on the COVID-19 pandemic. Heres a glimpse:

Against the backdrop of a sobering forecast, Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) says the crisis can only be overcome with solidarity-based policies with a rights-oriented approach to leave no one behind. A tall order for the worlds most unequal region.

Top Cuban biotech researchers detail the 15 projects in their pipeline to bring new diagnostics, therapies and vaccines into play.

Dr Jeanette Vega of Chile, member of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board whose report warning of a pandemic went unheeded last fall, discusses why health care should be a public good, not a commodity.

Dr Joaquin Morante, a pulmonologist and critical care doctor from The Bronx who was trained in Cuba, gives a personal account of his days and nights in a New York public hospital.

Key to Cubas low COVID-19 caseload and death toll: Cubans 20,000 family doctors and nurses, plus another 28,000 medical students are still going door-to-door, actively detecting cases and following up on released patients.

Leaders of Mexicos Council of Science and Technology look at human activity responsible for zoonoses and a call for greater scientific collaboration to influence policymakers.

And more.

For full Table of Contents, see http://www.mediccreview.org.

MEDICC Review is a unique platform for Latin American and Caribbean praxis addressing todays critical interactions between human health, development of sustainable societies, and the health of our planet. MEDICC Review is published by MEDICC, a US nonprofit organization founded in 1997 based in Oakland, California, USA, and dedicated to US, Cuban and global health cooperation and equity. Its peer-reviewed and all other online content are open access.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modis Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package, saying that preparing people mentally for challenges being thrown by coronavirus has assumed utmost importance all over the world nowadays.

He pointed out that by enforcing lockdowns strictly, it was possible for the government to effectively check the virus spread in the country. The world economy and peoples lives have turned upside down and unemployment has increased manifold, farmers suffering losses, industries fell sick, and livelihoods have been disrupted. Addressing the partys online politburo meeting here, the TDP Chief said that international studies would now look at how the world has changed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. If effective preventive measures are not taken, the deadly virus will cause greater damage and loss than expected, Naidu said.

He listed out how restrictions were being progressively eased from Lockdown 1.0 to the coming lockdown 4.0. On behalf of the Global Forum for Sustainable Transformation (GFST), five letters have been written to Prime Ministers Office and Niti Ayog. As a responsible political party, the TDP has been discussing with experts and making suggestions on public policies.

Also Read: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for businesses, including MSMEs

Stating that TDP has always put peoples wellbeing on top priority for the last 4 decades, Naidu said that the national level committee under the leadership of TDP during Vajpayees rule made such ground-breaking recommendations that brought about landmark developments in the telecommunications sector. He said big changes came in the insurance sector and micro-irrigation received a boost thanks to recommendations made by the committee concerned. The TDP chief asserted that their party had triggered a nationwide debate on the inter-linking of rivers and its contributions led to increased digital payments after the demonstration.

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In late April, NATO decided to prepare for another wave of COVID-19 outbreak in the fall of 2020.

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General along with the United Nations Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Tuesday addressed the EU Council of Defense Ministers via video link to discuss the security implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts of both organizations to respond to this challenge.

Stoltenberg welcomed the close cooperation between NATO and the European Union, saying this is "more important than ever to help our respective members and partners, strengthen the resilience of our populations and fight disinformation", the NATO press service reports.

Read alsoEU, NATO should work to counter Russia's hybrid passportization  U.S. strategy consultant

Security challenges have not diminished because of COVID-19 and potential adversaries will look to test NATO's resolve, the secretary general warned.

As NATO responds to the pandemic, "it is also preparing for the long-term effects of COVID-19 and working to help Allies bolster their resilience", stressed Stoltenberg.

In late April, NATO ambassadors held behind closed doors a meeting with Stoltenberg where a decision was made to prepare for another wave of COVID-19 outbreak in the fall of 2020. It is expected that the plan will be submitted to and approved at NATO's defense ministerial in late June.
A mutiny broke out on May 12 in a prison in Lome, but was quickly brought under control by the guards of the establishment who used tear gas to deal with the situation.

It all started on Monday when inmates of the remand center refused to take in new referrals. Guards had to take these referrals back to the brigades. The reason: 19 positive cases of coronavirus disease were detected on Sunday out of 283 inmates tested. Taken by fear, the detainees demand their release or at least their relocation in order to protect themselves from contamination.

The conditions of incarceration in Lome prison are regularly denounced. The Lome prison is an old colonial building supposed to accommodate only 600 inmates. Today, there are more than 1,500 inmates in this prison, repeatedly denounced by human rights organizations, including the United Nations Committee against Torture. This organization considers that this prison is inappropriate for the standards of detention.

It is also in this prison that Kpatcha Gnassingbe, the half-brother of President Faure Gnassingbe, is serving his 20 years in prison for offences against state security for more than 10 years.
(Bloomberg) -- Public health officials around the world have agreed that testing and contact tracing are vital to containing the coronavirus pandemic. But for many people, coming forward to get tested -- let alone revealing the personal information of friends, family and close associates -- is more terrifying than getting Covid-19.In South Korea, where gay marriage is illegal and homophobia is common, officials are struggling to reach thousands of people who may have been exposed to the virus at gay nightclubs in Seoul. In Malaysia, undocumented immigrants and foreign workers say they fear detention or deportation. In India, real and suspected virus patients say theyve become targets of on- and offline harassment.

Governments around the world have released unprecedented amounts of information about actual and potential Covid-19 cases -- ages, neighborhoods, travel patterns -- all in the name of public health. But its also emboldened a new kind of vigilantism and threatened personal privacy, and experts worry harassment and prejudice could undermine the goals of all the disclosure in the first place: containing community spread.Its all become too scary, said Deepak Saxena, a professor at the Indian Institute of Public Health in Gujarat. Health authorities across India say patients have fled hospitals ahead of their test results, fearing the physical abuse and social ostracism that might accompany a positive result. No one wants to be tested. People will do anything not to be on one of those lists that are circulating, Saxena said.

Vulnerable Groups

Even prior to the outbreak connected to Seouls nightlife scene, a positive coronavirus diagnosis carried deep stigma in South Korea. In a survey conducted by Seoul National Universitys School of Public Health, 62% of people reported they were more afraid of the social consequences of getting the virus than they were of the potential health risks.The number of confirmed cases linked to the Itaewon district, which is home to several gay clubs, rose to 119 on Wednesday, up from 109 the day prior. Mobile operators SK Telecom, KT and LG u+ have provided contact information for 10,950 people who were in the area between April 24 and May 6, so the city could text them to encourage them to go through testing. The government has promised that anyone who may have been in affected can get tested anonymously, no questions asked.

Story continues

The virus outbreak is bringing up many social issues that have been unresolved in South Korea for a long time, said Ki Moran, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Center. Homosexuality is one of them, and public disapproval is now testing the nations ability to get those who fear that stigma to be tested.

People have lots of reasons for wanting to remain anonymous. The Malaysian government has detained hundreds of undocumented immigrants and imposed stricter restrictions in areas that are home to mostly foreigners. The crackdown has also affected the 180,000 people recognized as refugees by the United Nations, though not by Malaysia, which isnt a party to international refugee agreements.

The news of mass arrests in early May was counter-productive and clearly a step backward in the ongoing public health response to the pandemic, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia said in a May 3 statement. As a consequence, one can expect these vulnerable people will be less willing to come forward for any tests or medical treatment, regardless of the argument or persuasion for them to do so.

Personal Attacks

Others fear vicious personal attacks. Varun Vig found himself a target within hours of landing in New Delhi on March 22. After the New York-based graphic designer arrived at the empty suburban apartment hed chosen for his mandatory home quarantine, neighborhood chat groups began reporting the surreptitious arrival of a coronavirus-positive patient.

That was the first thing the nosy Parkers got wrong -- Vig didnt have the virus -- but it wasnt the last. They said hed escaped from virus-ridden Rome with his infected Italian girlfriend. Hed reportedly evicted his grandparents to take refuge in their home. Maintenance staff soon refused to clear his contaminated trash, and police came knocking.

I want to spend these 14 days in peace, not being harassed by cops, not being harassed by security guards and by other building residents, the 23-year-old pleaded in an Instagram video post.

Still others have more pedestrian reasons for wanting to maintain their privacy. In the central Japan city of Gifu, at least 30 infections were eventually traced to one of the citys hostess clubs. While such clubs, where female employees flirt with and entertain the mostly male clientele, are entirely legal, discretion is part of their business model. Customers -- and employees -- may not be known by their real names.

World over, an unfortunate consequence of an event of this magnitude is that privacy is sacrificed in the name of public health, said Nikhil Narendran, a partner in the telecommunications, media and technology practice at the Indian firm Trilegal. Its going to be very difficult to regain lost ground.

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Falling Demand Has Forced Iran To Stockpile 'Unprecedented' Amount Of Gasoline

Radio Farda May 12, 2020

Iran's oil minister said Tuesday that stockpiling gasoline in his country has reached an "unprecedented historic level" due to falling demand.

Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, speaking at a meeting of oil industry officials in Tehran, explained that both foreign and domestic demand has fallen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Sanctions imposed by the United States have also substantially reduced Iran's crude oil and other exports. Except a limited amount of gasoline unofficially going to neighboring countries, Iran cannot hope to have large-scale exports.

Zanganeh also spoke of falling profits for refineries and the postponement of oil projects in the country. Apparently as a result of less oil production, petrochemical plants receive 40 percent less oil by-products needed for their own production.

Last year, the average daily consumption of gasoline in Iran was 97 million liters or around 25.5 million gallons. But after the start of the pandemic, consumption has fallen to 65 million liters a day in the last two months.

The pandemic has hit fossil fuel prices hard, with oil trading at half the price of three months ago. Iran was counting on reasonably high gasoline prices this year to make hard currency by exporting it to regional countries.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/falling-demand- has-forced-iran-to-stockpile-unprecedented -amount-of-gasoline/30608464.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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By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies and US-based "Cisco" IT company have discussed joint activities to determine future plans of cooperation, the ministry reported on May 13.

Speaking at the meeting held via video conferencing, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade said that the use of high technologies is a priority at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is spreading rapidly around the world and has a serious impact on global economic and trade processes.

The minister thanked the management of "Cisco" for their close cooperation and support in building relevant infrastructure for the video conference for the President and the government agencies.

He also said that the company's regional director for Azerbaijan Vladimir Orlov was awarded with Decree of Honor on April 21, 2020 for his support.

"It is important to further expand our cooperation in the application of high technologies in our country. We are currently working with your company on eight digital priorities. The implementation of these projects plays an important role in the development of innovative technologies in the country," Ramin Guluzade added.

Speaking about the implementation of the Connected Government project for video conferencing, which is an important tool during the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister noted that a number of important meetings have been organized using "Cisco" network technologies and the "Azcloud" platform.

"AzInTelecom, which operates under the ministry, has launched a video conferencing service known as "VCaaS" in the context of "Cisco Meeting Server" solutions for private companies and government agencies", the minister said.

Touching upon the important elements and priorities of cooperation, Ramin Guluzade said that work has actively been done together to effectively implement the issues of connectivity, as well as decriminalization, "smart" agriculture and cyber security.

"As for the "Smart City" project, the pilot project concept of the Coordinated Central Bus Stop has been successfully completed."

"It was presented to the Azerbaijani president and the first vice-president in December 2019. It is important to fully define the digitalization priorities of Azerbaijan and expand the application of innovative technologies in the development of the country's economy", the minister added.

Guluzade also spoke about the successful results achieved in the field of education.

"The Ministry's ICT Application and Training Center is certified by the "Cisco" Networking Academy Program. The Training Center also built the "Cisco" Training Lab with equipment provided free of charge by the "Cisco" office in Azerbaijan."

"The implementation of the Connected schools project is also developing in a positive direction", said the minister.

It should be noted that the video conference was attended by Cisco Vice President Guy Diedrich, Vice President for Russia and CIS Jonathan Sparow and Regional Director for Azerbaijan Vladimir Orlov, Head of the Digitization Program for Azerbaijan Ramil Eyyubov.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
KYIV -- Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has approved a banking bill that will help open up billions of dollars worth of aid to Kyiv from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).



The bill, approved by 270 lawmakers on May 13, prevents the former owners of banks that were nationalized or liquidated in recent years during a widespread financial sector clean-up from regaining ownership rights or receiving monetary compensation.



President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was at the parliamentary session, called the bill a "historic" document that "will help us to defend our economy."



Though the legislation also has other implications for Ukraine's banks, analysts say its main purpose is to prevent one of Ukraine's most powerful tycoons, Ihor Kolomoyskiy, the former co-owner of PrivatBank, from regaining ownership rights to the bank.



The IMF is said to have insisted upon approval of the banking law amid signs the government was considering returning PrivatBank, which is in the midst of a major legal and political fight involving

The bank was nationalized in 2016 when international auditors found a $5.5 billion hole in its balance sheet. Kolomoyskiy, who has close ties to Zelenskiy, has insisted that the bank was improperly nationalized by Ukrainian regulators.



Kolomoyskiy has denied any wrongdoing and maintains he is the rightful owner of PrivatBank.



Ukraine has been in talks with the IMF for months about a three-year, $5.5 billion loan tied to reforms to help the country meet a spike in debt repayments this year.



Matti Maasikas, the European Union's ambassador to Ukraine, hailed the bill as "a vital measure to protect public finances and Ukrainian taxpayers."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 04:47:21|Editor: huaxia

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Children wearing face masks play at a playground in Ankara, Turkey, on May 13, 2020. Children under 14 years old in Turkey were allowed outside on Wednesday for the first time in 40 days as part of the country's COVID-19 normalization plan. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey, rose to 143,114, while the death toll surged to 3,952 on Wednesday. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

CAIRO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's COVID-19 cases on Wednesday exceeded 143,000, while the tally in Iran crossed 112,000.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, rose to 143,114, while the death toll surged to 3,952 on Wednesday.

Turkey on Wednesday confirmed 1,639 new COVID-19 cases and 58 more deaths in the past 24 hours, according to Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

The minister also said Turkey is getting ready to implement tests for foreign tourists as the country plans to resume its flights for tourism in late May. Turkey would make PCR tests, not rapid tests, for foreign tourists arriving in Turkey, he said.

Meanwhile, Turkey's tourism sector has been planning to resume operations in a controlled way in June under the anti-COVID-19 measures, Culture and Tourism Minister Nuri Ersoy was cited by local media as saying on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, children under 14 years old in Turkey were allowed outside for the first time in 40 days as part of the country's COVID-19 normalization plan.

In Turkey, those who are 20 years old and under have been under lockdown since April 4 as part of the government's measures against the pandemic.

Iran on Wednesday confirmed 1,958 new COVID-19 infection cases, taking the total cases to 112,725.

It registered 50 new deaths over past 24 hours, bringing the total to 6,783 since the disease outbreak in the country in late February.

A total of 89,428 patients have recovered so far in Iran, while 2,735 of them are in critical condition.

The number of coronavirus patients in Israel has risen to 16,548, with 19 new cases, the Israeli Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, four patients have passed away since Tuesday evening, bringing the death toll to 264.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli Ministry of Transport announced that train operations in the country will be partially resumed starting Sunday, May 17.

Israeli researchers have developed a physical coronavirus breath test, providing results within one minute, Ben-Gurion University (BGU) said Wednesday.

This may help conduct tests at entrances of airports, factories and large companies and thus help countries restore their economies to full activity.

Saudi Arabia confirmed 1,905 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections in the kingdom to 44,830. The death toll of the pandemic rose by nine to 273 in the kingdom.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday announced 725 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 20,386.

The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention also confirmed three more deaths, pushing the country's death toll to 206.

Egypt confirmed on Wednesday 338 new cases and 12 deaths of COVID-19, raising the total infections in the country to 10,431 and death toll to 556.

The country also saw a record of recovered cases for the second day in a row, as 160 patients were cured from the novel coronavirus and discharged from hospitals on Wednesday, bringing total recoveries to 2,486.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Wednesday that the authorities will return more than 16,000 nationals stranded abroad in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Qatari health ministry on Wednesday announced 1,390 new infections of the novel coronavirus, raising the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 26,539.

Meanwhile, 124 more people have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 3,143, while the death toll remains at 14.

Kuwait on Wednesday reported 751 new cases of COVID-19 and seven more deaths, raising the tally of infections in the country to 11,028 and the death toll to 82.

The Moroccan Health Ministry on Wednesday announced 94 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 6,512. The ministry said 188 deaths from COVID-19 were reported so far.

Moroccan Finance Ministry on Wednesday said it will distribute stipends to about 4.3 million households to help them cope with the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Iraqi Health Ministry on Wednesday confirmed 119 new COVID-19 cases, the highest in one day since the register of first case of the disease, bringing the total number of infections to 3,032 in the country.

So far, 115 people have died from the disease in Iraq, while 1,966 have recovered, it added.

Lebanon's number of COVID-19 infections increased on Wednesday by eight cases to 878 while the death toll remained unchanged at 26.

Lebanon will shut the whole country down since Wednesday for the coming four days in an attempt to restrict the spread of the virus after witnessing an increase in infections in the past few days.

Yemen's pro-government health authorities on Wednesday confirmed five new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number in the war-ravaged country to 70.

A total of 12 patients have so far died from the virus in Yemen, while only one has recovered, the statement said.

A new COVID-19 infection was recorded in Syria on Wednesday, bringing the total number in the country to 48.

Syria has so far recorded 29 recoveries and three deaths from COVID-19.

Tunisia has reported no new COVID-19 cases for three days in a row as of Wednesday. The country has so far confirmed 1,032 coronavirus cases.

Tunisian President Kais Saied decided on Wednesday to reduce the duration of the nationwide curfew imposed to curb the coronavirus spread. Enditem
A Kean University student and his mother have filed a class-action lawsuit against the school, seeking refunds of tuitions and fees for in-person classes canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew Mueller, an undergraduate student, and his mother, Jacqueline Bernal Mueller, of Middletown, filed the class action lawsuit after Kean moved to remote classes in March.

Kean announced on March 10 that all classes would be held remotely beginning on March 16 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The university later extended the closure of the campus through the end of the Spring 2020 semester.

The lawsuit said Kean has not refunded any tuition or fees for the spring semester after moving classes online. The spring semester carried a $4,967.50 in-state tuition, plus $1,330 in mandatory fees. An out-of-state tuition cost $8,555.50 with $1,330 in mandatory fees. The lawsuit seeks pro-rated refunds for the duration of online classes.

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Andrew Mueller is pursuing a bachelors degree in biology, and the lawsuit said the lack of in-person instruction hindered the students ability to access all of the resources necessary to properly continue his education. It claims the lack of in-person instruction and student presentations, plus the inability to use laboratory equipment and facilities, could not be replicated in remote classes.

The online learning options being offered to Kean students are subpar in practically every aspect, from the lack of facilities, materials, and access to faculty, the lawsuit says. Students have been deprived of the opportunity for collaborative learning and in-person dialogue, feedback, and critique. The remote learning options are in no way the equivalent of the in-person education that Plaintiffs and the putative class members contracted and paid for.

The class-action lawsuit was filed by the Muellers on behalf of all people who paid tuition and fees for the Spring 2020 semester.

Kean has not been served with the lawsuit, nor do we usually comment on pending litigation. However, the University has clearly communicated with students on this issue, the university said in a statement. "Like all other educational institutions in the state, Kean was required to cease in-person instruction by a government order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The students will not receive tuition refunds because the University immediately shifted to remote education for all coursework, ensuring students would continue to earn credits and remain on a timely path to graduation.

Not only did the University establish a number of support services to provide technology and other resources to students, it waived late payment fees and established new scholarships to support students and their families during this difficult time.

Kean President Dawood Farahi said on Monday the university could reduce staff, eliminate academic programs and furlough workers to offset a humongous financial blow from the pandemic. Farahi estimated a $20 million setback for the current school year after the switch to remote learning, citing a freeze of some state funding and the cancellation of university events. He said the deficit for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, could grow as high as $15 million.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ.
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SEATTLE  An apartment building at 1250 Fifth Ave. N. sold for a little over $9 million, according to King County records.

The sellers were QAG Partners LLC, which acquired the property in 2012 for about $3.8 million.





. . .
President Muhammadu Buhari has now confirmed the appointment of Professor Agboola Ibrahim Gambari as his new chief of staff.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, made the confirmation at Wednesdays Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting on Wednesday.

Prior to official confirmation as Chief of Staff at the commencement of the FEC meeting, Professor Gambari had been welcomed into the state House premises by some Senior Presidency officials, led by the new State House Permanent Secretary, Mallam Tijani Umar.

Also Read: Ben Bruce Congratulates Gambari On His Appointment As Buharis Chief Of Staff

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Gambari who is a Nigerian scholar and diplomat hails from Kwara State.

He is to replace the late Abba Kyari who died on Tuesday, May 12.
Like many others, for Bobby Deol too, all his personal and professional plans have gone haywire because of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown in the nation.

The actor was supposed to start shooting for his web series and had planned a vacation to Maldives for his close friends 50th birthday. But amid all this, the best thing that has happened is its a house full of people as my kids and nephews are back home, says Deol.

Spending most of the time working out at his home gym, he shares, Its a great way to stay fit and keep our mind occupied because whats happening outside in the world is disturbing and you keep thinking about it over and over again.

Though he misses the company of his father, veteran actor Dharmendra, who left for the farms near Lonavala just before the lockdown was imposed. the actor is glad that he is safe there isolated from the rest of the people.

He (dad) is 84 and we do feel worried about his health, but I know by worrying all the time will only make us feel low. So, we are trying to think about the positive things. Hes in a safe zone away from outsiders reach, with my mother and chachi, says Deol, adding that they talk on FaceTime regularly and seeing him grow organic vegetables in his paradise makes us feel so happy.

While theres still a lot of uncertainty about how things are going to pan out after the lockdown gets lifted, Deol feels that this crisis has created a catch 22 situation for everyone to survive through.

There are two things which are going to destroy us  either the falling economy or coronavirus. So, we have to work on one thing to make the other work. In this case, eradicate this disease, and then go on to achieve whenever youve to, says the actor, who recently penned a poem, Chand Dino Ki Baat Hai Yaaron.

Staying hopeful that everything would soon come back on track, he points out, It might be a slow start and take more time, but we should continue following the preventive guidelines. The world has been through a lot of crisis many times before and has always come out stronger. So, Im sure that the showbiz business and the world will come out stronger.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that the Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical (KEAM) 2020 exam would be held on 16 July.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that the Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical (KEAM) 2020 exam would be held on 16 July.

Both the papers of the engineering  Paper 1 (Physics and Chemistry) and Paper 2 (Mathematics)  would be held in a single day. Paper 1 would be conducted in the morning, while Paper 2 in the evening.

The authorities would make necessary arrangements for social distancing and other norms, reported Hindustan Times quoting the chief minister.

KEAM is conducted for students who want to take admission to medical, agriculture, forestry, veterinary, fisheries, engineering, architecture and pharmacy courses in Kerala.

KEAM 2020 exam was earlier scheduled to be held on April 20 and 21, but was postponed due to coronavirus lockdown. The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) last month allowed students appearing for KEAM 2020 exam to change their exam centres, if they want to.

Exam Pattern

KEAM comprises two papers as mentioned above. Those who apply for B.Pharma need to qualify only Paper 1. Both the papers consists 120 questions which are of objective type.

Eligibility Criteria

Those appearing for KEAM should have passed Higher Secondary examination with minimum 50 percent marks. Students appearing for Class 12 exams are also eligible.

The minimum age limit for KEAM is 17 years. However, there is no upper age limit for engineering, architecture and BPharma courses. The upper age limit will be as per the Information Bulletin of NEET(UG)-2020 for Medical and Allied courses.

The online entrance test for three-year and integrated five-year LLB course will be conducted on June 13 and 14. Kerala Management Aptitude Test (KMAT), which is conducted for admission to MBA courses, will be held on June 21. The entrance exam for MCA will be conducted on 4 July.
With almost no economic activity taking place in first 20 days of April due to lockdown, and very little operations after that, power demand declined sharply by 24 per cent in the month, Crisil Research said.

The 21-day lockdown to fight spread of coronavirus, which was supposed to end on April 14, was extended till May 3 and later till May 17.

The government relaxed the lockdown in certain non-hotspot zones from April 20, but that did not help in boosting the demand.

According to the rating agency, states with highest industrial activities, especially in the manufacturing sector, including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu, witnessed a 30-50 per cent decline in demand in April.

"Electricity demand shrank nearly a quarter in April 2020 as commercial and industrial activity switched off majorly following the nationwide lockdown. The decline in demand by 30-50 per cent in these four states is like experiencing a total blackout every alternate or third day," Crisil said.

Maharashtra, which has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, witnessed a 20 per cent decline in demand.

"The impact is lesser in Maharahstra largely because the state enjoys a substantial domestic and agro base, which is helping compensate the fall a bit," Crisil Research Director Hetal Gandhi said.

The agency noted that there was some offset in the demand because about 1.4 billion people stayed at home, of which millions also worked from home, leading to a surge in domestic electricity consumption through more recharging of devices, streaming videos, online content consumption, and usage of electrical appliances.

"That cushioned the slack-demand blow for Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Haryana in particular, which have a substantial domestic-consumer base," the agency said.

Crisil further noted that lower demand from industrial users, who pay the highest tariffs and cross-subsidise domestic and agricultural users, would hit the revenues of discoms.

"Industrial users comprise a 41 per cent share in overall power demand, with a pan-India average of around Rs 7.5 per unit in terms of revenue for the utilities.

"With a sharp fall in demand from this consumer base, revenue generation for state distribution utilities is expected to be significantly lower this fiscal, as manufacturing activity comes back online only gradually," Gandhi said.

The domestic category has 25 per cent share in pan-India energy consumption, but on an average generates only Rs 4.3 per unit for utilities.

"Hence, the uptick from domestic consumers may cushion the fall slightly, but both demand and revenue are expected to be hit significantly this fiscal for the distribution segment due to lower industrial power demand. Sector recovery will be a function of how quickly economic activity replugs, reboots and resurges," Gandhi added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Franklin Graham praises Elon Musk for reopening Tesla factory in defiance of Calif. bureaucrats

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Evangelist Franklin Graham has expressed his support for Tesla CEO Elon Musks decision to reopen a California manufacturing plant despite local shelter-in-place rules.

The head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse took to his official Facebook page on Monday to voice his opinion on the decision.

I dont know Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, but I like that hes standing up for his rights, which are your rights too, wrote Graham.

Hes been trying to get his car manufacturing plant in California opened back up and get his employees back to work, but the bureaucrats want to keep him shut down even when his competitors in other parts of the country are able to go back to work.

Graham commended the 48-year-old engineer and entrepreneur on his stance, noting that the Tesla head is not afraid to defy these overreaching officials, and hes opening up anyway.

I like his stand!" concluded Graham. "I think the majority of Americans agree that its time to get the country opened back up, as long as its done with caution  dont you?

On Monday, Musk announced on his Twitter account that he was planning to reopen a plant in Fremont, California, despite not receiving authorization from local officials who've ordered most businesses to remain closed as part of the state's response to COVID-19.

Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules, Musk tweeted. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.

In response, Alameda County released a statement saying officials learned that the electric vehicle manufacturer had opened beyond Minimum Basic Operations.

The county told the plant that it can only maintain Minimum Basic Operations until we have an approved plan that can be implemented in accordance with the local public health order.

We are addressing this matter using the same phased approach we use for other businesses which have violated the order in the past, and we hope that Tesla will likewise comply without further enforcement measures, the county added.

On Wednesday, the county reported on its official Twitter account that officials reviewed Teslas plan and offered additional recommendations during discussions with Tesla representatives. The county expressed an openness to allowing the plant to reopen with certain health and safety conditions being met.

We reviewed the plan and held productive discussions today with Teslas representatives about their safety and prevention plans, including some additional safety recommendations, they said.

If Teslas Prevention and Control Plan includes these updates, and the public health indicators remain stable or improve, we have agreed that Tesla can begin to augment their Minimum Business Operations this week in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week.

Graham's support of Tesla comes he and others are calling for churches to be granted legal immunity from lawsuits that could come from their decisions to reopen. Churches nationwide are making plans for a soft reopening.

In California, a network of over 3,000 churches has vowed to resume services on Pentecost Sunday, May 31. An earlier nationwide initiative led by the conservative legal group Liberty Counsel encouraged churches to resume services on May 3.
The Afghan president asks military to switch to offensive mode against armed groups after two deadly attacks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has ordered the military to move to an offensive mode against the Taliban and other armed groups after dozens of people, including newborn babies, were killed in two separate attacks in the war-ravaged nation.

I am ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defence mode to an offensive one and to start their operations against the enemies, Ghani said in a televised address on Tuesday.

At least 24 people were killed  including newborns and nurses  when gunmen stormed a maternity hospital in the capital, Kabul early on Tuesday, officials said

Shortly afterwards, the ISIL (ISIS) armed group claimed it carried out a suicide blast at a funeral in the countrys restive east, which left two dozen mourners dead.

Today, we witnessed terrorist attacks by the Taliban and Daesh groups on a hospital in Kabul and a funeral in Nangarhar, as well as other attacks in the country, Ghani said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

The US-Taliban deal

The Taliban, which signed a peace deal with the US in February, denied its involvement in the attacks.

Ghanis move came months after Afghan forces pledged to only react defensively to Talibans attacks since the deal was signed in the Qatari capital Doha.

The Afghan president said offensive operations were needed to defend the country, safeguard our countrymen and infrastructure, and to repel attacks and threats by the Taliban and all other terrorist groups.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Taliban warned it was fully prepared to counter any offensive by Afghan forces.

From now onwards the responsibility of further escalation of violence and its ramifications shall fall squarely on the shoulders of the Kabul administration, it said.

People take injured victims of a suicide bomb attack at a funeral to a hospital in Jalalabad [Ghulamullah Habibi/EPA-EFE]

National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib said on Twitter: There seems little point in continuing to engage Taliban in peace talks.

The latest killings raise new questions about the fate of a hoped-for peace process that is teetering as Afghanistan grapples with a public health crisis due to the coronavirus.

The Taliban have largely refrained from launching major attacks on Afghan cities and American interests since the February deal meant to pave the way for peace talks with the Kabul government.

But the so-called intra-Afghan talks hit a wall as a prisoner swap  a key part of the Doha deal  was delayed as the Ghani administration refused to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in one go.

So far, the Afghan government has released nearly 1,000 Taliban prisoners while about 100 government prisoners have been set free by the Afghan armed group.

The accord will also see all US and foreign forces quit Afghanistan over the next year. Thousands of US troops have already pulled out, while a further 8,600 are expected within months.

Big blow to the peace process

In a statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the two horrific terrorist attacks in the strongest terms, and noted that the Taliban had denied responsibility and said the lack of a peace deal left the country vulnerable to such attacks.

The Taliban and the Afghan government should cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice, Pompeo said.

The violence came just a day after four roadside bombs exploded in a northern district of Kabul, wounding four civilians including a child. Those bombings were later claimed by the ISIL group.

Victoria Fontan, professor of peace studies at the American University of Afghanistan, said the latest violence was a big blow to the peace agreement.

It shows again that the Taliban cant deliver on their promises and so I would say that today marks a milestone towards the disintegration of the agreement unless drastic measures are taken immediately by all sides, especially the Taliban, she told Al Jazeera.

Mothers, newborns killed

Tuesdays first attack saw gunmen storm the Barchi National Hospital as parents brought infants and children for appointments.

The death toll rose to at least 24 people from 16 on Wednesday, Deputy Health Minister Waheed Majroh said, with 16 others wounded.

The three attackers were eventually killed in a lengthy clearance operation. Heavily armed security forces were seen carrying infants  at least one wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket.

200509133712531

The fatalities also include mothers and nurses, interior ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said.

More than 100  including three foreign nationals  were rescued, he said.

One of the wounded, Jamila, said she had taken a grandchild to the hospital for some vaccinations.

We were outside the hospital. I wanted to go inside when they shot me, and one of my grandchildren was killed, said Jamila, who only gave one name.

The hospital is in a neighbourhood that is home to Kabuls minority Shia Hazara community  a frequent target of the ISIL fighters.

An Afghan security officer carries a baby after gunmen attacked a maternity hospital in Kabul [Rahmat Gul/AP]

The hospital is supported by the humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF), and a number of foreigners work there.

It beggars belief that such a heinous act could be committed when Afghanistan is being ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Toby Lanzer said.

About an hour later, a suicide bomber killed at least 24 people at the funeral of a local police commander in eastern Nangarhar province, provincial spokesman Ataullah Khogyani said.

The attacker detonated explosives in the middle of the ceremony.

We were preparing [to stand in line for the funeral] when I heard a big blast and then saw hundreds of people on the ground, said Zabit Amir, a mourner at the funeral, which others said was attended by thousands.

I did not even know who was alive or dead there.
The Anambra State government, on Wednesday, donated over 400 bags of rice to the Muslim community in the state to cushion the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Solo Chukwulobelu, made the presentation to the Chairman of the Muslim Council in the state, Abdulrahaman Zuberu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rice was distributed to different Muslim groups in the state.

Mr Chukwulobelu said the state government was concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of both the indigenes of the state and non-indigenes.

He urged the leaders of the Muslims to sensitise their members on the need to observe all the COVID-19 precautionary tips in order to win the fight against the virus.

While receiving the item, Mr Zuberu commended the state government for the gesture, saying that Gov. Willie Obiano had given the community a sense of belonging in the state.

He assured government of the communitys readiness to join hands with it to curtail the spread of the deadly virus in the state.

Also speaking, Garba Haruna, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Muslim Affairs, who was part of the delegation that received the items, described the governor as a detribalised leader.

Gov. Willie Obiano is truly a leader with the heart of gold. We appreciate this gesture and pledge our support to his administration, he said.

(NAN)
Authorities have released the name of a man fatally shot in what they say was an altercation with a family member Tuesday night in north Birmingham.

Birmingham police on Wednesday identified the victim as Frank Davis. He was 53.

Davis was one of two men killed Tuesday night in separate shootings. Jessie James Johnson, 68, was shot to death just 20 minutes later in southwest Birmingham in what police also was a domestic incident. He was identified by police late Tuesday night.

In Davis death, North Precinct officers responded 10:02 p.m. to a call of a person shot in the 3400 block of F.L. Shuttlesworth Drive. When they arrived on the scene, they found Davis suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

He was rushed to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center by Birmingham Fire and Rescue where he was pronounced dead at 10:44 p.m. Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Rod Mauldin said Davis and the suspect were in a vehicle together when the altercation erupted. They pulled off the roadway, exited the vehicle, and then shots were fired.

One person is in custody. That person has not been identified.

Tuesday nights slayings bring the number of homicide victims in Birmingham so far this year to 42. Of those, five have been ruled justifiable and therefore are not deemed criminal. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 64 homicides, including the 42 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information on either slaying is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
The Linn County Board of Commissioners has finalized the sale of a mill site in Lyons for $525,000.
In the run-up to the 23rd Prism Awards to be announced virtually on Friday, 15 May, we chatted to this year's cohort of 'young voices' about their fresh approach to the judging process.

Nombulelo Fox

What does this recognition and opportunity mean to you?

Briefly tell us about your experience in the industry.

Comment on the judging process.

What has the response been to this years entries?

What makes winning work stand out?

Prisa also introduced the Student Campaign of the Year in 2016. Why do you think its important that PR students are included in such initiatives?

What do you think young minds bring to the table?

What have you learnt working alongside the cluster judges?

What would the title of Prisms Young Judge for the 2020 awards mean to you?

Comment on the current state of PR.

In this series of interviews, we find out what they've learnt working alongside the cluster judges (albeit remotely) and what their young minds bring to the virtual table.It is unfortunate that we won't get to meet the whos who of the PR industry at the Prism Awards this year, however, knowing that our industry is becoming and is currently quite digitally advantaged, it won't really impact the credibility of the Awards themselves. Perhaps thats where the future of the Awards should be going. It's great that these awards could still happen despite the Covid-19 outbreak and will allow people to normalise the digital way of working and socialising, even after the virus has disappeared. People just need to ensure that their workforce is trained well to keep up with all these changes so that they too can still remain employed, should another pandemic come about.  Content creator Nombulelo Fox, commenting on the cancellation of the physical Awards and the general impact of the pandemic on the industry.Here, our interview with Fox...This recognition means a lot to me because it is giving me a chance to be part of the Prisms and is shaping my understanding with regards to what our industry is doing and to keep abreast with how brands are helping solve issues across several sectors and developing strategies that can drive longevity in their impact.Having worked in the FMCG sector, its been interesting to see how people think and the solutions that come from problems and opportunities that people encounter on behalf of their brands and clients.Im in my fourth year of working in the PR industry, specifically agency work. I started my career off working as an intern at award-winning agency Atmosphere Communications, where I worked my way up to an account executive. I worked across several clients, such as Hasbro, Red Bull, PepsiCo, Spotify and Unilever. I then spread my wings and worked at Hill + Knowlton Strategies as a media relations specialist in the consumer and technology department. Although it was quite brief, I still wanted to work more closely with the brand. My move to Plato Communications was a great one and allowed me to be more involved with South Africas biggest confectionary brands. Serving as a PR account manager now at Plato, this experience has given me a chance to learn about other marketing disciplines and integrated ways of working alongside other agencies.The judging process has been quite interesting in that I was asked to judge categories that I had never worked on throughout my experience. It has allowed me to learn about what other people are doing for their brands and not be close-minded to the amazing work that people are putting into their entries. Judging isnt easy, especially when you see an amazing calibre of entries and you just want to make everyone win.Amazing! A bulk of the entries are nothing short of amazing. Its beautiful to see how innovative the entries are, especially for categories such as Health and Resources, where a lot of people wouldnt think theres many creative solutions to help drive impact in those sectors. I thoroughly enjoyed judging those entries because they shifted my expectation.A beautifully written entry (writing is important especially if it will be critiqued by someone who may not be familiar with your brand). Its important to keep your points straight and simple for us to understand. There must be a journey in the campaign from the problem or opportunity down to the evaluation of the campaign. Its what gives your campaign life and longevity, if all the processes are connected. More importantly, winning work needs to be something you believe in. If you dont have confidence in the work, itll reflect in your entry through the effort you put in, in justifying why your entry should win.Its important for PR students to get immersed in the work that they will be doing when working in an agency or respective companies. They get to see how much work it takes to execute a successful campaign, let alone plan one from conception. Most institutions dont provide the opportunity for students to work on real-life campaigns as a part of their practical experience, but this is incentive enough to not only understand how PR works, but to also help them network and help them find employment once theyre done with school.New perspective. The perspective is different because the generation is also different, as opposed to individuals who have been in PR for more than 10 years. Different generations get to learn from each other. We have to acknowledge that the future of PR is currently sitting in the minds of those who are coming up and are striving towards a different PR than that they knew from ancient textbooks.Working with the cluster judges was quite insightful as a first-time judge. I got to learn that you can't always make everyone win based on their idea alone. The more we unpacked all the entries, the more I was well aware of the standard that needed to be upheld. It was also very interesting to see what people thought of each entry based on their backgrounds coming in as cluster judges. Overall, I had such an amazing group of judges.The title means that Im responsible not only for learning about work done in other sectors of PR, but I have the job of using my knowledge through the judging process alongside my team to share this knowledge in defining what award-winning work looks like. Using the very same knowledge in my day-to-day work to better my ways of campaign management, planning and execution, so that I can submit more award-winning work that I can be proud of.PR is an amazing space to be in because it forces you to adapt to changes you were never ready for. I love that it allows for past PR practices to still play a role in the present and future practice of this industry. The more we move into the future, the more collaborative and integrated everything is becoming. The past concept of spray and pray has become outdated because people wanted personalised experiences with the brands and is allowing us to learn from the markets we serve and helps us strengthen our insights for future campaigns to come. PR is also not about sharing messages to favour a companys reputation but its also about how those messages are driving human behaviour. People are well aware of the impacts that campaigns have in communities, and make it a point to always follow up with the brands to ensure that theyre still working and making a different via the work theyre constantly putting out.
(Getty Images)

The federal government is promising more money to help seniors who are struggling to make ends meet during the coronavirus pandemic.

Anyone that qualifies for Old Age Security (OAS) will get a $300 one-time payment. Those that also qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) get an additional $200.

Ottawa says 6.7 million seniors will get $300 and 2.2 million will get $500, at a cost of $2.5 billion.

Theres no question that COVID-19 has been taking its toll on seniors, both emotionally and financially, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during his daily COVID-19 update.

And with todays announcement, our government is taking action to alleviate some of the stress they may be feeling, but theres a lot more work to be done. Not only to find short term fixes, but long-term solutions.

A date wasnt announced, but Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos said since legislation is not required he he hopes payments will be distributed quickly.

The Canadian Association for Retired Persons (CARP) says the supports are welcome, but arent a solution beyond the short term.

Seniors have been impacted by an increase in the cost of living, Marissa Lennox, CARPs Chief Policy Officer, in a statement.

Many low-income seniors depend on a variety of community support services, including food banks and volunteer tax preparation programs, many of which have closed their doors due to the virus. Its unclear how long this will last.

CARP is calling on the federal government to eliminate withholding tax on RRSP withdrawals for the 2020 tax year and allow two years to repay tax owing, as well as follow through with pre-election commitment to increase OAS and CPP.

Tax changes were also announced. The federal government will temporarily suspend GIS and allowance payments if seniors cant pay taxes on time. The deadline to file to receive the GIS was pushed to October 1st.

Previously announced measures for seniors include a GST top up, and the ability to receive the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) while still receiving benefits.

Story continues

The minimum RRSP mandatory withdrawal was reduced to 25 per cent and further changes could be coming.

Well be watching the market well be watching our economy and seeing how the recovery unfolds and I can assure you will be looking at all of these options as we move forward said Deb Schulte, Minister of Seniors, during a news conference.

CARP wants Ottawa to to waive mandatory RRIF withdrawals in 2020.

An additional $20 million will be spent on the New Horizons for Seniors program for community programs to help avoid isolation.

A lot of people, especially single seniors are feeling really lonely right now, said Trudeau.

So call your grandparents ask them how their day is going, how theyre doing and how you can help.

Jessy Bains is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jessysbains.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
PITTSBURGH, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- An inventor from Henderson, Tex., wanted to fulfill the need for a new type of antenna design.

The ANTENNA POLE AND LIFE DEVICE is easy to install and maintain. It is also simple to operate. It eliminates the need for a crane in order to do an installation. Additionally, it eliminates the need for any worker to climb an antenna for maintenance purposes. The patent-pending ANTENNA POLE AND LIFE DEVICE promotes peace of mind and enhances safety.

"I invented this device because we needed a 50 foot pole to get to our WISP radio so it could communicate with microwave towers," said the inventor.

The original design was submitted to the National sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-KOC-1162 InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on May 13, 2020

2020/05/13

China Daily: We noticed that the Chinese medical team on COVID-19 to Ethiopia and Djibouti have accomplished their mission and returned to China on May 12. Can you give us more details on their work overseas?

Zhao Lijian: The team of medical experts to Ethiopia and Djibouti was one of the first group of COVID-19 experts sent by the Chinese government to Africa.

The experts arrived in Ethiopia on April 16 and then traveled to Djibouti on April 30. In the past month or so, they shared anti-epidemic experience and know-how with WHO officials in the African Union, the Africa CDC and local medical institutions and health officials. The experts visited designated hospitals, quarantine centers and testing centers, discussed the epidemics with local medical workers and made calibrated propositions for containment and treatment. Their dedication and professionalism has been highly commended by the African side. On May 10, Djiboutian Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed awarded the Independence Day Medal of the Republic of Djibouti to the 12 members of the expert team for their contributions to the country.

After the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, China sent five medical teams to Africa and held nearly 30 video conferences with African countries. The more than 40 medical teams already working in Africa also took active action, carrying out about 400 training activities to share anti-epidemic experience and provided training to over 20,000 local medical workers. These numbers vividly demonstrate a closer China-Africa community with a shared future. China will continue standing firm with our African brothers and supporting their efforts to fight COVID-19 for the final victory against the virus.

CRI: According to reports, China and Caribbean countries with diplomatic relations with it held a special vice foreign ministers' video conference on COVID-19 yesterday. What does China think of the outcomes of this meeting? With the pandemic still wreaking havoc around the world, how does China plan to offer more support and assistance to Caribbean states whose national public health systems are relatively fragile?

Zhao Lijian: Yesterday, China and Caribbean countries having diplomatic relations with it held a special vice foreign ministers' meeting on COVID-19 via video link. Delegates from China and nine Caribbean states attended the virtual meeting co-hosted by Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang and Foreign Minister Kenneth Darroux of the Commonwealth of Dominica. They held in-depth exchange over issues including domestic COVID-19 situation and response, China-Caribbean cooperation in fighting the pandemic, and the two sides' coordination and cooperation in international affairs, reaching wide consensus.

This was an important meeting between China and Caribbean countries at a crucial juncture in the global fight against COVID-19. All sides expressed readiness to enhance cooperation in prevention and control and jointly uphold global health security. The Caribbean side also expressed objection to politicizing, stigmatizing and labeling practices under the pretext of the pandemic, and support for WHO's leading role in the global response. Caribbean countries reiterated their commitment to the one-China principle and to mutual assistance with China on matters concerning each other's core interests and major concerns. China highly appreciates this.

China and the Caribbean countries have been supporting and assisting each other in the fight against COVID-19, adding a new chapter to China-Caribbean friendship. This virtual conference served to steer the two sides' next-stage cooperation in fighting the pandemic.

Going forward, China will continue to firmly support the Caribbean side's efforts against COVID-19, share our containment experience and treatment solutions, offer material and technical assistance, and facilitate foreign purchase of medical materials in China. Meanwhile, we will actively expand all-round practical cooperation with the Caribbean countries in areas like trade and investment and strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional organizations to elevate relations to a new level.

The pandemic will pass eventually but what China and the Caribbean countries have is an enduring relationship. The friendship and cooperation between the two sides, after the test of this pandemic, will emerge stronger and more profound.

AFP: Regarding the French government's plan to sell weapons to Taiwan, I understand the foreign ministry firmly opposes that and demands the French side withdraw its plan, but the French company just refuted China's criticism. I wonder what's your response to that?

Zhao Lijian: Our position is consistent and clear: we firmly oppose other countries selling arms to the Taiwan region or conducting military exchange with it. We have expressed grave concerns to the French side.

Once again we urge the French side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and withdraw its arms sales plan to avoid more damage to China-France relations.

ABC Australia: Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has expressed that he is seeking talks with his Chinese trade counterpart to discuss both the suspension of four Australian beef companies export certification and also the potential barley tariffs. Would the Chinese side be willing to facilitate talks at the political level about these two issues?

Zhao Lijian: I stated China's position in the past couple of days on Australian beef exports and tariffs on Australian barley.

Like we said, China's position on its relationship with Australia is clear and consistent. Sound and stable China-Australia ties serve the common interests of both, but it takes efforts from both sides to ensure such a relationship. We hope Australia can work with us to uphold mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit and strive to advance bilateral cooperation and mutual trust, as is in keeping with the two sides' comprehensive strategic partnership.

On the specific matter your mentioned, I'll leave that to the competent authorities.

The Paper: According to reports, Canada's National Research Council said on May 12 that the Canadian side is working with China's CanSino Biologics Inc. to prepare the ground for future testing of vaccines in Canada. The company is planning to file applications for clinical trials with the Canadian health authorities. How does China see health cooperation between the two countries, including on vaccine development? And how do you see the two countries cooperation in fighting COVID-19 since it broke out?

Zhao Lijian: Since COVID-19 broke out, China and Canada have been supporting and assisting each other with robust anti-virus cooperation. The 32 tonnes of medical supplies donated by the Chinese government just arrived in Canada the other day. China has also been facilitating Canada's commercial purchase of medical supplies in China.

The virus poses a challenge to all mankind as it respects no borders. Development of vaccines is of vital importance to the prevention and control of the pandemic, and so holds the key to defeating the virus. China is actively pursuing international cooperation in research and development of drugs and vaccines with many countries, including Canada. We stand ready to work with the Canadian side and the rest of the world to accelerate the development and production of COVID-19 medical products and contribute to global public health security and the joint response to the pandemic.

Bloomberg: A London-based researcher named Benjamin Strick says that between April 25 and May 3, he identified more than 1,000 accounts on Twitter that were associated with an alleged Chinese disinformation effort. The accounts have been used to promote content attacking critics of the Chinese government and to spread conspiracy theories, according to this researcher. I wonder the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have any comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: Twitter has responded to some allegations about China spreading disinformation on this platform and denied the claims.

China opposes creating or spreading disinformation. Allegations in relevant reports of China spreading disinformation on Twitter are unfounded.

AFP: US Republican Senators on Tuesday proposed a new legislation, which will give US executive authorities the power to slap sanctions on China if it does not give a full account of the coronavirus outbreak or close all wet markets. Does China have any reaction to this move from the US Republican senators?

Zhao Lijian: This act sponsored by several US lawmakers shows no respect for facts. By pushing for investigations based on the presumption of guilt, it is meant to shirk responsibility for the US fumbling response to China. This is highly immoral. We are firmly opposed to it.

Since the outbreak began, China has been acting in an open, transparent and responsible way. We have maintained close communication and cooperation with WHO and supported its global efforts against COVID-19 with concrete actions. All these have been recognized by the international community. We also support assessing countries' response at an appropriate time to promote international health cooperation and global public health governance so we can react better to similar challenges in the future.

China has passed legislation banning all illegal hunting, trading, transportation and consumption of wild animals. There are no so-called "wildlife wet markets" in China. What you can find are farmers' markets and live poultry and seafood markets. Such markets not only exist in China, but are also commonplace sights in many other countries as well. There's no international law restricting their operation.

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. It stressed three main lines of assault, including attributing the spread of virus to China's cover-up. The memo boils down to attacking China whenever the outbreak is mentioned. The US may want to continue staging this show of blaming China, but their screenplay has been laid bare so badly that there is no point in going ahead with it.

A word of advice to those in the US: Don't get too deep in the show to lose sight of reality. These US politicians should focus their attention and energy on fighting the outbreak and protecting American people, do what they are supposed to do and contribute constructively to the global cooperation against COVID-19, instead of racking their brains to distract attention and deflect responsibility.

Bloomberg: The Paris Club chair has said that China is expected to provide debt relief as other nations that joined the agreement by taking part in a global drive to pause debt payment for poor countries that need the funds to combat the pandemic. We were wondering if this is true?

Zhao Lijian: China is not a member of the Paris Club. Since 2013, China has been attending its activities regularly in an ad hoc manner. Our communication with the Paris Club members flows smoothly.

Due to the outbreak, the global economy is facing greater downward pressure and increasing factors for uncertainty and instability. Many developing countries are confronted with economic development challenges and rising default risks. China, upholding a vision of building a community with a shared future for all mankind and putting fairness before interests, has contributed to the poverty reduction and development in other developing countries as its ability permits. Recently, China joined the G20 initiative to "support a suspension of debt service payments for the poorest countries" which freeze both principal repayments and interest payments for these countries from May 1, 2020 to the end of 2020. China will strengthen communication and cooperation with all sides to implement follow-on measures of this initiative. We also call on relevant multilateral financial institutions and private creditors to take corresponding measures to lessen debt burdens of strained developing countries.

We will continue to work with all sides to minimize negative impacts this pandemic has caused to the world economy and all countries' economies and realize development for all.

CNN: There are reports that debris from the Chinese rocket Long March-5B launched last week fell onto at least two villages in Africa's Ivory Coast. Could you confirm and offer more information?

Zhao Lijian: I have no information on that and refer you to the competent authorities.

Reuters: The US administration is pressing a retirement savings fund to not invest in certain Chinese companies, which it says violate human rights or threaten national security. What's your comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: Like we said repeatedly, in an era of globalization, the interests of all countries are highly intertwined. The nature of China-US economic cooperation is mutually beneficial. In recent years, China's capital market has attracted investors from all over the world, including the US. This demonstrates confidence in China's steady growth and bright prospects as well as recognition of its efforts in deepening reform and opening-up of the capital market.

It is inconsistent with the laws of the economy to obstruct or even politicize normal US investment in Chinese markets under the pretext of national security. It will only cost them business opportunities and undermine the interests of US investors.

Reuters: A US government commission has said that the WHO's exclusion of Taiwan has led to more lives being lost in the pandemic. Do you have any comment on this?

Zhao Lijian: I believe you were referring to the US China Economic and Security Review Commission. Its reports are always distorting facts and full of bias.

China's position on the Taiwan region's participation in WHO activities 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. The Taiwan region is never excluded from the WHO global anti-epidemic system.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the DPP authorities in Taiwan have been doing all they can to make reckless political maneuvers and hype up Taiwan's participation in WHO and the World Health Assembly. Their real intention is to solicit foreign support and seek independence under the pretext of the pandemic. We are firmly opposed to that. Their scheme will never succeed.

China urges relevant side in the US to abide by the one-China principle and stop backing the Taiwan authorities' political maneuvering to seek independence under the disguise of epidemic response, so as to avoid disrupting global solidarity and cooperation against the pandemic.
A property dealer, who was accused of killing his mother 33 years ago, was arrested for allegedly shooting his 28-year-old son dead in northwest Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

Om Pal Singh, 60, was sitting outside his house at Budh Vihar area of Rohini and drinking liquor when his wife, Pavitra Devi, told him to get inside the house. This resulted in a heated argument with his wife and he even abused her, the police said.

Balbir intervened and asked his father to not fight. Singh went inside the house to take his licensed pistol and shot his son, following which he escaped, according to the police.

The victim, who works at an insurance company, was taken to a nearby hospital, but he was declared dead, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Pramod Kumar Mishra said, adding that the suspect had been arrested.

Singh was earlier arrested in 1987 for allegedly killing his mother with a knife, but got out on bail after almost 10 months, police said.

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Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday welcomed the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modito revive the COVID-hit economy, saying it will go a long way in overcoming challenges posed by the pandemic.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday announced massive new financial incentives on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

"Bold reforms are the need of the hour to realise the dream of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)," Naidu wrote on Twitter.

The vice president said he is sure that the "timely economic package will go long way in overcoming challenges posed by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Authorities of some Senior High Schools in the Volta Region were full of praise for the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Zoomlion as their facilities were fumigated on Tuesday.



According to them, the decision to undertake the exercise was timely as most of them had to battle with bedbugs infestation over the years.



The GES in collaboration with leading waste management company, Zoomlion have kickstarted an exercise to fumigate and disinfects Senior High Schools in the region. The two day exercise is expected to cover 98 schools in various districts across the region.



Speaking in an interview with the media, the Assistant Headmaster of OLA Girls Senior High School, Pious Aweonam, said the exercise comes as a relief to the school especially in the wake of the deadly covid-19 pandemic and bedbug infestation. He commended Zoomlion for the gesture and appealed for the exercise to be conducted frequently.

 This exercise will make the teaching and learning environment conducive for students when schools are asked to re-open



On his part, the Assistant Headmaster of the Awudome Senior High School, Peter Kwame Nambia, called on GES to embark on the exercise more regularly as the school battles with bedbugs due to overcrowding. He appealed to the Ministry of Education to support the school with infrastructure as it struggles with the growing number of students each year.



The exercise saw classrooms, dining halls, dormitories, and administrative blocks disinfected and fumigated.



The Minister of Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, in April launched a nationwide exercise to fumigate and disinfect all Senior High Schools in the country in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly corona virus. Since its launch, over 500 Senior High Schools across 4 regions have benefited. The exercise is expected to also cover the Northern, Ahafo and Oti regions.

Source: Peacefmonline









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The information that the grandfather of the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan collaborated with the Nazis during WWII fits into the general model of behavior and decision-making by the new leadership of Armenia, Russian expert and TV presenter Yevgeny Mikhailov told Trend on May 12.

Information on collaboration of Nikol Pashinyan's grandfather with the fascists has previously appeared on Armenian media outlets.

If this information is reliable, this explains a lot. First of all, this explains Pashinyans reluctance to heed the calls of the world community and, above all, Russia about the inadmissibility of the glorification of fascist servants and the ideology of national superiority. This information also fits into the general model of behavior and decision-making by the new leadership of Armenia, which intentionally decided not to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the victory over fascism, said Mikhailov.

This sensation caused a shock also for the head of Armenia, who previously said that his grandfather was a war hero. In the current interpretation of the history, which is often presented to us by propaganda, the grandfather of the Armenian prime minister may be a hero for himself, but then it turns out that he is from the ranks of Roman Shukhevych, Stepan Bandera, Garegin Nzhdeh, Dro and so on, Mikhailov stressed.

I think that Nikol Pashinyan himself did not expect such a stir around the name of his grandfather, but why didn't the special services in Armenia check this information and inform Pashinyan before? Maybe it is the special services themselves who went for this provocation to overthrow Pashinyan, since he did not fulfill his promises to the people and damaged the local security forces as well," he said.

"And it can be assumed that there are forces in Yerevan that want peace with Azerbaijan, some of which are under the control of special services. Otherwise, I cannot assess such a hype around the biography of a relative of the Armenian prime minister, the Russian expert said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
* reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=cpurl://apps.cp./Apps/econ-polls?RIC=MYIP%3DECI poll data

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (Reuters) - Malaysia's industrial production index fell 4.9% from a year earlier in March, the sharpest decline in nearly a decade, government data showed on Tuesday, as curbs imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic severely disrupted activity.

The index measures factory output from the manufacturing, mining and electricity generation sectors.

The drop was just shy of the 5% fall forecast by analysts surveyed by Reuters and the steepest since May 2011, when it declined 5.2%. In February, the index had risen 5.8%, fastest in more than two years.

All three main sectors tracked by the index posted declines in March, with electricity output falling 7% from a year earlier, the Statistics Department said in a statement.

Manufacturing output fell 4.2% on-year, while the mining sector index was down 6.5%, data from the department showed.

Malaysia's exports had fallen 4.7% from a year earlier in March amid a global slowdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed last week. (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Kim Coghill)
In order for California to reopen its economy, Gov. Gavin Newsom has made it clear that active coronavirus cases need to be tracked aggressively.

To make that happen, thousands of newly trained civic workers, acting as pandemic detectives, will be required to follow the spread of the disease through widespread contact tracing and case investigation.

Last week, Newsom announced that he has tapped UCSF and UCLA to partner with the California Department of Public Health to dramatically scale up the states efforts with a new workforce training program that will recruit up to 20,000 individuals, including librarians, environmental health officers and city attorney staff not working their usual jobs at the moment.

The new UCSF Pandemic Workforce Training Academy opened May 6 with an $8.7 million state contract.

Based on a model UCSF developed with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the program will work with the states 58 county health departments to identify and employ a multitude of civil servants and volunteers to interview people who are newly infected, investigate existing coronavirus cases and make contact with people who have been exposed to the virus.

If we move beyond shelter-in-place, we need this resource, said Dr. Mike Reid, an assistant professor of medicine at UCSF who is leading the training effort along with colleagues at UCSFs Institute for Global Health Sciences. The scale gets big quickly.

The new program builds on UCSFs initiative to provide free statewide COVID-19 testing analysis and results, which began in April. In three weeks leading up to the state contract announcement, the UCSF team trained 240 contact tracers. That number will now expand significantly.

I am glad that my time is being put to good use, especially with the libraries closed, said Jensa Woo, a librarian at the San Francisco Public Librarys Merced branch, who is now working as a contact tracer for the state.

Contact tracing is a long-standing tool of public health to battle infectious disease outbreaks. It helped stop outbreaks of measles, HIV and Ebola, but due to a shortage of testing supplies it was not effective in controlling the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in the state in February and March.

UCSFs program involves training workers to interview people who are newly infected, investigate those cases, and make contact with people who have been exposed. The process is designed to protect the privacy of people who are infected and those who are at risk of becoming ill  names and dates of contact are not revealed along the chain.

People who are close contacts of the initial case and considered at high risk of becoming infected will be asked to quarantine themselves and be monitored over 14 days.

Contact tracing is working in other places, Reid said. The science is showing that it works.

The online academy is built around a 20-hour program, broken up into 12 hours of synchronous learning and eight hours of individual sessions, which will train workers to communicate with the states diverse population.

A sample of the training program, supplied to The Chronicle, reveals a variety of instructions for the remote workers, including trainees conducting practice calls with actors; listening in on real contact interviews by health care professionals; and finally conducting their own calls under supervision.

The primary duty of the new contact tracers will be to convey potentially upsetting, complex health information in a way thats sensitive and clear.

One of the first things we ask about is their preferred language, just to make that conversation more comfortable, said Lucia Abascal, who trains contact tracers for UCSF.

The tracers collect information about individuals living situations, to assess if the patient is able to self-isolate. If the person is homeless or living in a crowded space, tracers will refer them to municipal public health departments that will help them find better accommodations.

Overall, people have been receptive and grateful, Woo said.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

The trainees also receive instruction on ensuring that people who are being asked to quarantine are well supported with food and supplies.

More Information How this story was reported The Chronicle first reported on April 16 that UCSF had developed a contact-tracing program for the city of San Francisco that could serve as a model for the rest of California. On May 6, Gov. Newsom announced that he would deploy the online training course statewide for civic employees. To report this story, Aidin Vaziri spoke with officials at UCSF who are spearheading the project, as well as a city librarian who is now working as a contact tracer. He also sat through an abridged sample contact-tracing training program provided by the university. See More Collapse

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.

Asking people to quarantine at home is a big deal, said Reid. Part of that conversation is, Are you able to quarantine at home? Are you able to get food? Can we support you to stay somewhere for two weeks?

The program follows up with automated texts to monitor if they develop symptoms.

If they have symptoms, we want to connect them for testing very quickly, said Dr. Susan Philip, deputy health officer for the San Francisco Department of Public Health. This whole system is dependent on being able to test people who become symptomatic.

As part of the initial rollout of the training program in San Francisco, UCSF trained a dozen city attorneys, 24 librarians, five assessors, nine retired clinicians and 11 medical students; in addition to 44 internal staff members.

Testing is the backbone, Newsom said. But the tracing component requires a workforce, requires an element of coordination and collaboration. Building on the existing county supports and building capacity through this virtual academy will, I think, substantially help aid our efforts.

UCSF will initially train 10,000 repurposed state workers. After the first phase is complete, Newsom will re-examine needs with the California Department of Public Health and local health departments to examine the need to train additional people. It will be up to the state and the counties to determine whether to hire more experienced people, students or volunteers.

The goal is to conduct contact tracing for every single case in the state.

If we ever want to move beyond shelter in place, we have to have the capability that enables us to do that, Reid said.

The United States will need at least 100,000 contact tracers to prevent future outbreaks once social distancing measures are lifted, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, a nonprofit organization focused on research of infectious diseases.

Other public health experts say that number may need to be even higher.

Done effectively, these strategies will help to break the chain of transmission and enable people to return to a more normal life, said Dr. George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert at UCSF who will be the principal investigator on the state contract.

Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com
WASHINGTON  Authorities in Chile have asked the International Monetary Fund for a flexible line of credit of around US$23.8 billion over two years, the Washington-based institution said in a statement Tuesday.

IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva intends to recommend approval of the request due to Chile's "very strong economic fundamentals, institutional policy frameworks, and track record," it said.

A mass protest movement against Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and his government erupted last October, but has recently been tempered by the coronavirus pandemic.

"The Chilean authorities intend to treat the credit line as precautionary," the IMF said.

"This credit line helps safeguard against external shocks by providing countries with very strong policy frameworks and track records of economic performance with large, upfront access to IMF resources."

Chile last week ordered strict new quarantine measures on three districts in the capital Santiago after a sudden spike in coronavirus cases.

Curfews and quarantines imposed as part of measures against the pandemic have largely calmed months of protests initially triggered by a modest rise in metro fares in Santiago.

The IMF has warned that the economic downturn due to the pandemic could hit countries such as Chile with "new protests, particularly if policy actions to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis are perceived as insufficient or as unfairly favoring large corporates rather than people".  AFP
An Eritrean refugee mother and son shelter at the home of a Sudanese refugee in Tripoli, Libya, July 2019.  UNHCR/Mohamed Alalem

Conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic present a significant threat to life in Libya. The health and safety of the countrys entire population are at risk.

Close to 400,000 Libyans have been displaced since the start of the conflict nine years ago  around half of them within the past year, since the attack on the capital, Tripoli, started.

Despite repeated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, including by the United Nations Secretary-General, hostilities continue unabated, hindering access and the delivery of critical humanitarian supplies. Humanitarian workers face significant challenges every day to carry on with their mission. In March 2020, humanitarian partners reported a total of 851 access constraints on movement of humanitarian personnel and humanitarian items within and into Libya.

The situation for many migrants and refugees is especially alarming. Since the start of this year, more than 3,200 people have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya. Many end up in one of the eleven official detention centers. Others are taken to facilities or unofficial detention centers to which the humanitarian community does not have access. The United Nations has repeatedly reiterated that Libya is not a safe port and that persons rescued at sea should not be returned to arbitrary detention.

Women and children continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing armed conflict in Libya: over the past year, the United Nations verified 113 cases of grave violations, including killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools, and health facilities. Hospitals and health facilities have been targeted by shelling, further disrupting Libyas fragile health system. Since the beginning of the year, at least 15 attacks have damaged health facilities and ambulances and injured health care workers. These attacks are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and even more egregious during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The onset of the coronavirus in Libya poses yet another strain on the already overstretched health system, and further threatens the most vulnerable people in the country. As of May 13, there were 64 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including three deaths, in different parts of the country. This shows that local/community transmission is taking place. The risk of further escalation of the outbreak is very high.

Food security, already a challenge, is being compromised by the spread of COVID-19 and its socioeconomic impact on Libyan families. Latest market assessments show that most cities are facing shortages of basic food items coupled with an increase in prices. Limited market availability of goods and higher prices are impacting plans, as are supply chain disruptions. Continued support to food security inside the country is essential so that this health crisis does not worsen by becoming a food crisis.

We urge all parties to the conflict to protect vital water supply facilities. We are acutely alarmed that water facilities have been deliberately targeted or indiscriminately attacked. This affects thousands of women and children and impedes efforts to implement basic virus prevention measures, such as hand-washing.

We support the Secretary-Generals call for a global ceasefire and a humanitarian pause to save lives and enable the Libyan authorities and their partners to devote their energies to stopping the spread of COVID-19. The international community must not turn a blind eye to the conflict in Libya and its catastrophic effect on civilians, including migrants and refugees, across the country.

Despite enormous challenges, the UN and our humanitarian partners have continued to reach the most vulnerable people in Libya. Funds are urgently required, including for vital enabling services such as the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, if we are to continue meeting emergency needs. We look forward with anticipation to the pledged financial support to the Humanitarian Response Plan for Libya, as announced by the Government of National Accord. Donors have been supportive. We ask that they continue to show their generosity and stand by the people of Libya in their quest for peace and in this moment of great need.

Signatories:

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi

Executive Director of UNICEF Henrietta Fore

Executive Director of UN Population Fund Dr. Natalia Kanem

Executive Director of the World Food Programme David Beasley

Director-General of World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Director General of International Organization for Migration Antonio Vitorino

For further information, please contact:
DANBURY  Family members have identified Elisa Lissy Elida Annuzzi, of Stratford, as the woman killed in Sundays early morning fire.

Her mother, Johan Plaza Batista, woke up to the news of her 24-year-old daughters death on Mothers Day morning.

Batista said Annuzzi had been spending the night at a friends apartment when the fire broke out inside the multifamily house on 9th Avenue.

Firefighters were dispatched to a reported smoke detector activation at the home across from the Western Connecticut State Universitys midtown campus shortly after midnight.

There were no signs of fire from the front of the two-story dwelling, but firefighters discovered smoke and a smoldering fire inside a first-floor apartment upon further investigation.

A man and woman were rescued from the apartment and transported to Danbury Hospital.

Danbury Fire Department spokesperson Jamie Gagliardo said they were the only two people inside the apartment at the time.

Annuzzi was pronounced dead at the hospital. The state medical examiners office said she died from smoke inhalation and her death has been ruled accidental.

The man was transferred to Bridgeport Hospital, which has a burn unit, in critical condition. His current status is unknown.

Authorities have not released or confirmed either of the victims identities, but said they were both in their 30s. Batista, however, says they were in their 20s.

The Danbury Fire Department has provided no further details on Sundays fatal fire, and its cause remains undetermined.

Click here to read more at CT Insider.
In a post called Whats next in the Flynn case, I wrote:

[I]t would be extraordinary for Judge Sullivan to deny the governments motion to dismiss its case against Gen. Flynn. But then, this is not your average case and Sullivan has shown hes not your average judge.

True to his reputation, Judge Sullivan isnt letting go of the matter. Today, he put on hold the Justice Departments move to drop charges against Michael Flynn, saying he expects independent groups and legal experts to argue against the motion.

The expectation is reasonable, but Sullivans reaction to it is questionable. As the DOJ said in its motion:

[D]ecisions to dismiss pending charges lie squarely within the ken of prosecutorial discretion and at the core of the Executives duty to see to the faithful execution of the laws.

Independent groups and legal experts have no proper role in the process, it seems to me.

Nonetheless, Sullivan said he will, at the appropriate time, set a schedule for outside parties to argue against the Justice Departments claims. He wants the circus to continue. Send in the clowns.

What Sullivan will do once the clowns enter remains to be seen. The Washington Post speculates:

Sullivans invitation could set the stage for adversarial proceedings in which one or more attorneys argue against the Justice Department. It would also permit, if the judge chooses, to require sides to produce evidence and revisit the case for and against Flynn. In an evidentiary hearing, Sullivan could call witnesses, such as Flynn, his investigators or even prosecutors, to obtain more facts about how the case was handled and why Flynn and agents took the steps they did.

All of this might make for great theater. Imagine Sidney Powell cross-examining James Comey and Peter Strzok, for example.

However, the better move would be to bring down the curtain as soon as possible. Sullivan should have brought it down by granting the governments motion without further ado.
The World Bank and Germany will provide Ukraine with expert and financial assistance in the implementation of the project for the fair transformation of coal regions, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal.

"There are agreements with the World Bank regarding the promotion of the project ... Today there was a virtual meeting with Mrs. Merkel [German Chancellor]. She promised that Germany is ready to contribute and help us do, for example, a pilot project ... We will implement these projects with the support of experienced international experts who have already gone this way," Shmyhal said a sitting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Utilities Tuesday night..

According to him, it is about the development of mines, the maintenance of social infrastructure, the right approach to the conservation of mines that have completely exhausted their resources.

"This project is critical for Ukraine, where a part of the state mines are already nearing the end of their operational life. We need to take care of where the miners' children will work and how the social sphere will work," the prime minister stressed.

He also noted that the coal industry transformation project is "already in operation" and is a long-term one.
Regular church attendance lowers chances of 'deaths from despair': Harvard study

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A study of the well-being of healthcare workers in the United States found that those who regularly attend worship services are at a lower risk of deaths related to alcohol, drugs, or suicide, collectively known as deaths from despair.

Researchers with the T. H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University had a study published last week in the journal JAMA Psychiatry titled Religious Service Attendance and Deaths Related to Drugs, Alcohol, and Suicide Among US Health Care Professionals.

The research drew from a sample of 66,492 female registered nurses via the Nurses Health Study II of 2001-2017 and 43,141 male healthcare professionals drawn from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1988-2014.

According to the researchers, women who attended religious services at least once per week had a 68% lower hazard of death from despair compared to peers who did not, while men who attended worship at least once a week had a 33% lower hazard compared to men who never attended.

 this study suggests that religious service attendance was associated with lower risk of deaths from despair among both men and women, accounting for a wide range of potential confounders (including other aspects of social integration), stated the Discussion section of the study.

Findings of this study were congruent with previous evidence suggesting that religious service attendance was inversely associated with all-cause mortality and various factors associated with despair  positively associated with psychosocial well-being outcomes, such as greater purpose in life  and often more strongly associated with subsequent health compared with other aspects of social integration.

In noting its limitations, the researchers cautioned that their study examined a section of the country with higher than average educational background and that other religious practices were not considered.

The convergence of shared beliefs and enhanced social connection may be associated with health benefits, the researchers added.

However, other aspects of religious involvement also merit investigation, especially for religious traditions that do not convene congregational meetings on a regular basis.

They also noted that for religiously unaffiliated individuals, other avenues of social integration may likewise be pursued.

Although the magnitude of health associations may not be as substantial, other forms of social integration are also associated with health and well-being, they added.

Ying Chen of Harvards Institute for Quantitative Social Science and lead author of the study, told The Harvard Gazette that the results were especially striking amidst the present COVID-19 pandemic.

They are striking in part because clinicians are facing such extreme work demands and difficult conditions, and in part because many religious services have been suspended. We need to think what might be done to extend help to those at risk for despair, said Chen.

Over the past several years, several studies have been published indicating mental and physical health benefits for individuals who regularly attend worship services.

In 2018, researchers with the University of Texas at San Antonio found that people who attend religious services and pray often typically sleep better than their less religious peers.

More religious adults in particular tend to exhibit healthier sleep outcomes than their less religious counterparts, explained the Abstract of the study, which was published by Sleep Health: Journal of the National Sleep Foundation.

This general pattern can be seen across large population-based studies using a narrow range of religion measurements and sleep outcomes.
Courtesy of the Bay City Police Department

Abdul-Muhaymin Zaaki Adams, 27, has been arrested and charged with the murder of Tydarean Kobi Austin. The arrest stems from an investigative collaboration between the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office, the Texas Rangers, the Matagorda County District Attorneys Office, the Matagorda County Sheriff's Office and the Bay City Police Department.

According to Jessica Reyes of the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office, Adams was arrested in Katy and has been charged with murder and the unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
BRADY, Texas, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Texas Hemp Industries Association (TXHIA) announced today the appointment of three new members to the organization's board of directors, effective May 1, 2020.

"We are excited to welcome Justin Pinkus, Justin Fischer, and Cree Crawford as new members to the TXHIA board of directors. They bring decades of leadership in key areas of the hemp industry, such as farming, banking, testing and technology. These areas are vital to our future operations, strategy, and the development of best practices for the industry" said Coleman Hemphill, TXHIA President. These appointments bring TXHIA total board membership to seven.

Pinkus is the Contributing Partner, VP of Genetics & Agronomy Crown Grow Texas and owner at Tawakoni Plant Farm. As a third-generation commercial plant farmer in Wills Point Texas, Justin's propagation knowledge and "boots on the ground" experience is rivaled by few other plantsmen. With over 150+ years in combined plant experience, TPF propagates over one million plants per year and specializes in contract grows for large projects. Notable projects include: the Dallas Arboretum, the new Baylor Stadium, the George Bush freeway and HWY 121 in Dallas, Klyde Warren Park, SMU, and Deep Ellum in Dallas.

With over 20 years of financial technology experience, Fischer, CEO and co-founder of VeriLeaf, brings a heavy focus on community financial institutions and user experience. Prior to VeriLeaf, he founded Launchy Consulting, providing MSB and scale consulting to start-ups and financial institutions nationally. He worked with VC and PE groups for buy-side reviews of emerging technology companies. He served as the CEO and CPO for Student Loan Genius with clients like Voya, John Hancock, and NY Life as well as various executive roles with Q2ebanking including the SVP of Operations in the approach to their hugely successful IPO in 2014.

Crawford, President/COO of Ionization Labs, is a seasoned C-Level science and technology executive with over 25 years of documented success in developing, operating, and growing successful businesses from concept to successful multi-million dollar organizations. In 2016 Cree with Co-Founder, Alex Andrawes started Ionization Labs in an effort to create a standardized, cost-effective, and simplified cannabinoid potency testing solution for the hemp industry. He volunteers on the Board of Vet to Vet  US combat veteran support, United Patients Group; medical cannabis educational foundation, Tennessee Growers Coalition, and is a Pioneer Advisor for AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP). Mr. Crawford earned title of "Hon. Wing Commander" of 149th TX ANG Fighter Wing "Gun Fighters" Texas Air National Guard for his leadership and cooperative relationships with the USAF, Joint Base San Antonio 502d Air Base Wing (JBSA) Lackland. Cree has a number of scientific and technology application solutions as PI with USSOCOM, DOD and NSI. He is also a former US Congressional Staffer and Civil Service Commissioner.

Hemphill serves as the President of Texas Hemp Industries Association, and is the President and Co-Founder of Texagon LLC, specializing in compliance, logistics, and governmental affairs. Coleman has extensive experience navigating the DEA, USPS, USDA, TDA, DSHS, DPS, Texas Legislature, and local Texas District Attorneys and law enforcement issues.

The incoming board members are excited for the US and Texas hemp market's potential and see a tremendous economic development from this crop with the ability to support industry through its many applications.

About TXHIA

Texas Hemp Industries Association, a Texas 501 (c) (6) nonprofit trade organization, is a state chapter of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA). It was established to represent and educate on the economic and ecological benefits of industrial hemp and connect farmers, businesses, politicians, and consumers. We are committed to effective advocacy and membership services that promote hemp farmers, processors, retailers and consumers interests.

For more information, visit txhia.org. For ongoing news in the hemp industry, curated by TXHA, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. To review the many advantages of joining TXHIA, check us out on https://thehia.org/join-us/.

Media Contact

Coleman Hemphill

(325) 226-4538

[email protected]

SOURCE Texas Hemp Industries Association

Related Links

http://www.txhia.org


A nursing home that suffered a Covid-19 outbreak has been told there are no plans for retesting to have staff and residents confirmed negative for the virus.

Last week the HSE completed the mass testing of 28,000 residents and 30,000 staff across all 577 nursing homes in the State.

It found confirmed or suspected coronavirus outbreaks in 371 or 64pc of nursing homes.

In correspondence seen by the Irish Independent, one nursing home operator submitted a list of previously Covid-positive residents and staff for retests to make sure they no longer had the virus.

But a HSE community health representative said "the current algorithm does not include retesting of previously positive residents".

In a follow-up email, a specialist in public health medicine told the nursing home there is "no public health indication" for re-testing.

The specialist added: "Many tests remain positive due to viral shredding. In the event of patients remaining symptomatic I suggest they have a clinical review by their GP."

Several residents have died from Covid-19 at the facility, which is now "coming out the other end of the outbreak".

Tests were first carried out in the facility about six weeks ago and then more recently during the HSE's blanket testing blitz.

This week, however, when the nursing home asked to have staff and residents who had previously tested positive retested, the advice was for those who are still showing symptoms to go through a GP.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, the nursing home operator said he was now left with "no way of knowing if the positive resident with no symptoms has recovered or not".

The HSE was contacted yesterday but did not respond to queries regarding the correspondence, or the issue of retesting in nursing homes, at the time of going to press.

Earlier this week, health watchdog Hiqa said there needs to be "an articulated plan" for retesting to get staff confirmed negative and back to work as nursing homes were still experiencing details in getting results.

Last week Hiqa began on-the-ground assessments of nursing homes which have not yet had a Covid-19 outbreak.

The exercise was undertaken to "support nursing homes to prepare for an outbreak and put in place appropriate contingency plans to deal with same," according to the regulator.

On Monday, the HSE said outbreaks of the coronavirus in long-term residential settings, including nursing homes, are coming under control with the number in the "red zone" down to 56.

The red zone signals that the centre is an ongoing source of concern and in need of substantial extra supports.

Mass testing in nursing homes was rolled out last month in response to growing numbers of outbreaks.

However, testing turnaround times are still a huge issue for operators, according to a recent survey by Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI).

Some 233 private and voluntary nursing homes took part in the survey, which was undertaken by NHI on May 6.

Of the nursing homes surveyed about testing, only 1.5pc received their results within 24 hours, while 4pc received them within two days. Some 4.5pc were waiting longer than 10 days, while 24.5pc were waiting six to nine days.

"Timely turnaround of testing is absolutely vital to enable nursing homes to implement required contingency measures," said NHI chief executive Tadhg Daly.

"Mass testing has been a welcome development, but we cannot leave nursing homes in limbo as they strive to manage in unprecedented circumstances. Tests from nursing home residents and staff must be top of the queue."
New Delhi: The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) plans to launch an online platform for short but specialised courses on traditional Indian knowledge as people are confined to their homes because of the Covid-19 pandemic globally. The external cultural relations wing hopes the Universalisation of Traditional Indian Knowledge Systems (UTIKS) Platform will serve as a bridge between Indian culture and the global population.

The courses will include subjects like Ramayana and Mahabharata epics, traditional Indian dances, Panchtantra tales, arts like making sky lanterns, freedom struggle, Indian wildlife, temple architecture, folk arts, yoga.

Through the UTIKS Platform, for the first time, a structured attempt is being made to generate academic interest in various nuances of Indian culture and later an opportunity to enhance its understanding is being offered. Indias soft power is all about creating a sound understanding about our culture and this new initiative would go a long way in achieving this, ICCR chairperson Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said.

Sahasrabuddhe, a Bharatiya Janata Party member of Rajya Sabha, said not just foreigners but even those in India, who are ignorant about culture and diverse manifestations of the countrys unity, will be helped in enhancing their understanding.

An ICCR official said many were taking up short-duration courses offered by platforms like Coursera and edX especially with normal lives have been disrupted because of the pandemic.

It was felt that student-friendly courses related to traditional Indian knowledge system can serve as a strong bridge between India and those who want to study its culture, the official added. The official said the UTIKS platform will evoke greater curiosity in the minds of those, who know precious little about the Indian culture. It will also be for those introduced to the culture who want to know more. It would help India as an easy to understand civilisation and culture, doing away with the enigma that surrounds the idea of India in a more learner-friendly manner, said the official.

The ICCR has some content for the courses. It also plans to tie up with specialised bodies like the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts to create high-quality courses.

A list of proposed courses, accessed by HT, ranges from those on Indian traditional celebration practices like rangoli, mehndi, sky lanterns, cookery, tea and coffee varieties, kahwa, masala tea, pickles, snacks, deserts, traditional games, Indian epics, dances, constitution, social justice traditions, gender, sustainability philosophy, rural governance, temple architecture and traditional embroideries.
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe on Tuesday talked over the phone with the Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto.

Noting that China has taken resolute prevention and treatment measures against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and achieved major strategic achievements in stemming the spread of COVID-19, Wei said China will firmly support Indonesias efforts to fight against the epidemic.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of China-Indonesia diplomatic ties, therefore, Wei called for efforts to continue high-level communications and strengthen cooperation in all fields between the two armed forces.

Prabowo in return expressed his gratitude to the Chinese armed forces for its support and assistance, and said that Indonesia spoke highly of China's achievements in combating the virus and its contributions to global cooperation on fighting the pandemic.

The Indonesian side is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese armed forces, Prabowo noted.
Green shoots are beginning to re-emerge for farmers out of the Covid-19 crisis, according to the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

Yesterday one of the beef sectors major buyers,

Read More:

The IFA says up to 60,000 farmers will benefit.

It comes as the EU's agriculture ministers meet by videolink later to further discuss supports for the sector.

IFA president Tim Cullinan says while farmers still need more help, there are some signs a recovery is on the way.

"Hopefully what this will do is bring confidence back into the beef sector again," said Mr Cullinan.

"So already we are seeing some green shoots across Europe since the end of the lockdown across Europe.

"Some of the food services are starting to open back up again which is reflected in the price of beef here already.

"Obviously we want to see more of that."

Mr Cullinan while there are signs a recovery is on the way, additional support is needed.

"We are looking for a compensation package for beef farmers, a direct payment of up to 100 per animal that was slaughtered since the onset of Covid.

"We are negotiating a package for farmers with the minister at the moment because it has been a very difficult winter for those particular farmers."
New Delhi, May 13 : The one man the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an influential offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been at war with is Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

And the latest tiff is over the link between e-pharma companies and the government's contact tracing app Aarogya Setu, which Kant seems to be promoting.

On May 3, Kant had said in a tweet: "AarogyaSetu now brings to you Online Medical Consultations (call and video), Home Lab Test and ePharmacy. AarogyaSetuMitr, the stack powering this new feature, is developed in collaboration and partnership @NITIAayog and @PrinSciAdvGoI." It was one of the two tweets posted by the Niti Aayog CEO on the subject that day.

SJM's national co-convenor Ashwani Mahajan later tweeted in response, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging Kant was promoting e-pharmacies which Mahajan claimed were illegally functioning in India.

According to Mahajan, the link on the home page of the now popular app meant for Covid-19 contact tracing and to contain the spread of the virus, leads to multiple e-pharmacies.

Mahajan didn't stop at that, and to make a case for his argument of illegality, he tweeted a Delhi High Court order which was issued on December 18, 2018 that read, "The respondents are injuncted from the online sale of medicine without a licence and the respondents are directed to ensure that the same is prohibited forthwith until further orders." The SJM functionary said in his tweet: "Respected @narendramodi ji, Please see CEO @NITIAayog is promoting E pharmacies with #ArogyaSetuApp which are ILLEGALLY functioning in India. It's unfortunate that this App for fighting #ChineseVirus is made to serve foreign funded E Pharmacies. CC @PiyushGoyal @drharshvardhan." But this was not about an RSS affiliate firing a direct salvo at a top bureaucrat who seems to enjoy good credibility with the government. This was one among a series of attacks on the erudite bureaucrat who always found himself at odds with the influential RSS affiliate.

Earlier, in more ways than one, SJM had insinuated that Kant's words or works seemed to help private companies or endeavours. Back in 2017, the SJM wrote to the Prime Minister alleging that Niti Aayog was meddling in drug pricing by undermining the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Agency (NPPA).

The SJM has been generally supportive of the Aarogya Setu app and defended it against its critics. However, that has not stopped it from targeting Kant on the issue linking the app with e-pharmacies.

"We strongly protest this ill-intentioned recommendation which will increase the prices of essential medicines to further unaffordable levels and is revealing of the NITI Aayog's apathy towards the welfare of the poor people of the country," Mahajan had alleged in a letter back then.

However, there has been no direct mention of Kant per say. But he has been the face of the organisation ever since 2016 when the Modi government made him the Chief Executive of the tweaked Planning Commission, after his superannuation as Secretary in the then Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

Speaking to IANS, Mahajan recounted the letter.

In 2018, Mahajan and Kant came face-to-face over the issue of Lokpal. While Kant had suggested that Lokpal isn't needed in the country for curbing black money, Mahajan had dismissed the suggestion that simplification of rules instead of a Lokpal alone can solve India's black money problem, while addressing the issue during a panel discussion in the presence of then Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Fast forward to 2020, when the insinuations turned into allegations. Mahajan had lashed out at the Niti Aayog CEO in January, accusing him of being sympathetic towards e-commerce giant Amazon and its owner and global CEO Jeff Bezos, who was on a three-day visit to India.

He had targeted Kant, saying, "We are perturbed by your unending love for Amazon." This was after Kant had tweeted an article, claiming that Amazon will export $10 billion 'Make in India' goods by 2025.

The offensive came at a time when the Competition Commission of India (CCI) had ordered an inquiry into the business practices of e-commerce majors Amazon and Flipkart.

So why does the SJM love to hate Amitabh Kant? Mahajan explained, "Appointment is the prerogative of the government. But red flagging is our prerogative. We had also red flagged Arvind Panagariya's role. We at SJM expect all those appointed by the government to work in 'desh hit' (interest of the country). We will continue to criticise those who we feel are not working as per the expectations." (Anindya Banerjee can be contacted at Anindya.b@ians.in)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
This article was originally published on Undark. Read the original article.

A few weeks ago, I received an unsettling email. The staff at my daughters pediatricians officea family-run private practice in Brooklyn that serves more than 3,800 patientswas shifting to part time. The practice had applied for the Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program, meant to help small businesses weather the economic turmoil brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the money wasnt coming, at least in the initial round of funding.

To be honest and frank, we are exhausted, wrote Matteo Trisolini, the operations director at South Slope Pediatrics. The pandemic had taken its toll on office morale and we have seen a loss of revenue that came with fewer visits and still high bills to pay.

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The next day, Trisolini sent another email. At the urging of some of the other parents whose children are with the practice, he had set up two GoFundMe campaigns: one to help support the staff and another to help cover appointments and bills for families who had lost their jobsand their health insurancethanks to the pandemic. I donated. It felt dystopian, to say the least. How had this happened?

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I never thought Id have to do that as a medical office. Never, Hai Cao, the owner and founding doctor at South Slope Pediatricsand my daughters pediatriciantold me later, in an interview over Zoom.

Its not news that New York City has been hard hit with COVID-19. Some of the diseases effects on the citys health care system have been immediate and obvious: overflowing emergency rooms, shortages of protective gear, makeshift morgues, and confusing and changing rules over childbirth and other necessary non-COVID-19 hospital visits. Across the world, similar patterns have unfolded as SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the disease, has established and spread.

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But what was happening at South Slope Pediatrics felt differenta signal of another health care crisis waiting for us somewhere in the murky post-COVID-19 future. What did it mean for all the other small practices, not just in Brooklyn, but everywhere?

Medical crowdfunding isnt new, of course. GoFundMe, the most popular platform for raising money for health care, says it hosts more than 250,000 medical campaigns every year, mostly for people who need help paying astronomical medical bills. But now that the COVID-19 pandemic is here, there are also new types of medical fundraisersfor everything from masks and intensive care equipment to food and coffee for front-line hospital staff. Then theres the new wave of campaigns for small offices like South Slope Pediatrics. Theyre happening across the country, from primary care physicians in New York to pediatricians in California to family doctors in Texas to optometrists in Maine to dentists in Colorado.

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When I asked Thomas DAunno, professor of management at New York Universitys Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, about medical offices turning to crowdfunding, he said: In my 40-year career in this field, this is a first. Without a doubt.

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That COVID-19 is putting small medical practices, which are more financially vulnerable than consolidated practices and those at big hospitals, in such a precarious position doesnt bode well for the future of health care in the United States. I think the use of GoFundMe to pay for medical care is obscene and signifies how deeply broken our medical system is, said Stephanie Woolhandler, a distinguished professor in public health and health policy at City University of New York, Hunter College. Its broken if patients have to use it, and its broken if doctors have to use it.

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That COVID -19 is putting small medical practices, which are more financially vulnerable than consolidated practices and those at big hospitals, in such a precarious position doesnt bode well for the future of health care in the United States.

Many more small practices are struggling behind the scenes. And these small practicesalready on the ropes thanks to economic pressures that predate the pandemicplay a key role in our health care system. They are often in the neighborhoods that they serve, which means they are easier to access on a day-to-day basis. They typically provide primary carethey are the first doctors we see when we are sick and the doctors who monitor us on a regular basis to make sure we stay healthy. Small practices also provide a level of personal interaction that so often feels missing in modern medicineand in modern life in general. Before the pandemic, Id walk by South Slope Pediatrics on my way to the gym; Id sometimes see the staff in the neighborhood on their lunch breaks. And Cao and Trisolini, who are married, are adoptive parents like me. During office visits, Cao weaves anecdotes about their own adoption milestones as he asks about my daughters development, gently checks her over, and answers my endless lists of questions.

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Losing that wouldnt just be a problem for my familys health. It would give me the same ineffable sensation as when I see a favorite local restaurant shuttered, or a quirky shop replaced with a banka piece of a community gone forever.

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In a recent article in the Atlantic, journalist Derek Thompson described a David-versus-Goliath battle between big and small businesses in America. COVID-19, he suggested, has not been an equalizing force. Its a toxin for underdogs, he wrote, and a steroid for many giants.

Who will emerge intact from the pandemic purgatory, and who will not? Thompson asked. He was squinting at our future commercial landscape, particularly for cities. The outlook isnt great. Leaving aside grocery stores, only a third of small businesses expect theyll still exist if the pandemic lasts six months, according to a working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in April. Thompson argues that, at least in the short term, cities will get more boring and homogenous as mom-and-pop shops and small restaurants are replaced by big companies and chains.

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Thompson doesnt address health care, but his point applies there, too. The data from the NBER report arent so granular that they cover small pediatrician offices or family practices. But the report does include survey data from 449 small businesses that relate to health care, less than half of whom said theyll be in business if the COVID-19 crisis lasts four months. For six months, the number drops to 35 percent. And according to a briefing given to Capitol Hill staffers by the American Academy of Family Physicians and others at the end of last month, about 11 percent of primary care offices will close in the next few weeks without financial assistance.

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The situation at South Slope Pediatrics illustrates why small practices are at risk. Cao and Trisolini opened the office in 2012 with 275 patients. Its a pop-and-pop shop, Trisolini told me. Cao, who had been in a larger practice, was seeking more personal relationships with his patients, while Trisolini, who previously worked in photography and fashion, wanted to work in a field that felt more compatible with parenthood. The goal was never to create a big business or even a chain of pediatrician offices, they said, but to run a small, community-based practice.

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Today, the practice has 3,843 patients and 13 employees on payroll, including four doctors, three nurses, and administrative staff. The monthly overhead is between $200,000 and $300,000 for key expenses like payroll, rent, and a supply of vaccines. Living in New York is not easy, its not cheap, Cao said. We pay higher rent and we have to pay our employees more because they pay higher rent.

In order to pay that rent, South Slope Pediatrics relies on patient visits. The money comes from insurance companies and co-pays, and it depends on those in-person encounters. Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Caos office typically saw about 80 patients a daya mix of well visits and vaccinations and sick visitsand aimed to keep patients no more than five minutes in the waiting room. At the end of the typical year, the practice is able to put aside about two weeks of total operating expenses as a cushion.

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In March, the office had to rethink day-to-day operations. They shifted all well visits that didnt involve vaccinations to telemedicine. They cleared toys and books from the waiting room. They scheduled necessary appointments so no one was waiting for even a minute, allowing just one family to check in at a time. Cao and Trisolini say they did this, in part, to make the office safer for newborns and infants who must come in person for vaccinations and checkups. For newborns, this has been particularly important. Because of COVID-19, New York hospitals are often discharging new parents and babies just 24 hours after delivery. (In order to catch illnesses and other problems, the American Academy of Pediatrics normally recommends a hospital stay of 48 hours for vaginal births and 96 hours for cesarean sections.)

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Despite these safety measures, after COVID-19 struck, we saw a storm of cancellations, a storm of no shows, Trisolini told me. Appointments dropped to between 15 and 20 per day. Some newborns and infants did arrive for vaccinations, but those dont bring in much money because the office doesnt mark up the shots. The office was able to schedule some telemedicine visits, but insurance companies dont always pay as much for those. And many families temporarily left the city, which means they wont be in even for necessary well visits. (Im one of them. In order to get help from family with child care while my spouse and I work from home, among other things, we left Brooklyn on March 12before the travel restrictionsfor upstate New York. We thought it would be short-term, but were still here and had to make appointments for wellness checks and vaccines with a local pediatrician.)

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The practice applied for the Paycheck Protection Program as soon as possible, but on April 17, Cao received an email from his bank explaining that the initial round of funding had already been exhausted. Cao and Trisolini told me that they later learned the bank hadnt had time to even send their application. That is when I thought, this is how it ends, Trisolini said. That led to the email about the practice cutting hours as well as the patient-led push for the GoFundMe campaigns.

The story is the same even for practices that have been around much longer. Bent Tree Family Physicianswhich has a GoFundMe campaign that a patient launched when the offices initial Paycheck Protection Program application was declinedopened in Frisco, Texas, in 1987. Today, the practice has 85 employees and serves 30,000 people across North Texas. But Guy Culpepper, a family physician and the practices founder, said their overhead is between $400,000 and $500,000 a month. By the end of the year, he added, they have enough to cover just one month of operations for the following year and we always need a line of credit.

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Its not that different from someone running a mom-and-pop restaurant or busting their ass as an electrician or plumber, Culpepper said. The only difference is that the younger doctors are also still paying off $500,000 of debt.

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We need to change the model at a national level, he added.

Small private practices like Caos and Culpeppers have been disappearing from the medical landscape for decades. During that time, they have sold to larger hospital systems or private equity groups, or have joined together to form consolidated practices, said DAunno. Bigger groups have more negotiating power with the insurance companies, which means they can bring in more money and the margins are better. And they also have access to other resources and infrastructure, including social workers and support from big information technology and billing departments.

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While larger groups are also under financial strain right nowthere are even GoFundMe campaigns for staff from major hospital systems, which have seen massive furloughsthey tend to have deeper pockets, which means they have a better chance of coming out of the pandemic more or less intact. They can borrow money, or have large reserves, Woolhandler said. Some have multibillion-dollar endowments. Many hospital systemsparticularly those with a high number of patients who are privately insured and dont rely too heavily on Medicare and Medicaidhave surpluses thanks to lucrative procedures such as elective surgeries and diagnostic tests. Some of those hospitals are doing so well, theyre eyeing private practices even now. Culpepper told me that several approached him about selling his practice after the GoFundMe campaign went up, like vultures circling over us.

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Meanwhile, the private offices popping up on GoFundMepediatricians, family practices, even dentists and optometristsprovide basic care that simply doesnt bring in much money. But that care is vital. Specialties like these are on the front lines of keeping people healthy, said DAunno.

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What will we lose if COVID-19 accelerates the decline of the private practice? The quality of health care isnt necessarily better compared to bigger groups, although the research is mixed. But many of the doctors at private practices will get gobbled up by the hungry maws of consolidation. As that happens, Woolhandler said, research shows that the cost for patients and taxpayers will rise, in part because those bigger groups have more bargaining power with the insurance companies and can get better deals, which may translate to higher co-pays, deductibles, and employer premiums. Many people also simply prefer smaller practicesthey like knowing all the staff, and not getting bounced through a complicated and anonymous third-party message service just to leave a voicemail.

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DAunno agreed, and also pointed out other big losses. Not every doctor at a small practice will necessarily get hired by a bigger practice or hospital, he said, which could lead to an overall dip in primary care physicians. Plus, small practices like Caos provide access that larger practices and hospital systems simply dont: They are closer to the people who need them. These practices are also more likely to speak the same languages as those in their community, know the specifics of the culture, and provide access to patients who may not be able to participate in telemedicine, DAunno added.

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Many of these community-based practices may be well-placed to succeed at GoFundMe campaignsSouth Slope Pediatrics has raised more than $25,000 for staff and more than $7,800 to cover the kids whose parents lost their jobs, while Bent Tree Physicians in Texas raised nearly $96,000. But these offices serve well-off communities. According to Nora Kenworthy, an associate professor of public health at the University of Washington Bothell, 90 percent of GoFundMe campaigns for individual medical bills dont succeed. Those that do, she said, are usually launched by people who are well-connected in terms of money, resources, and education. When it comes to doctors offices, she added: Im even more concerned that crowdfunding could exacerbate existing health disparities. We already have vast differences in accessibility, with Medicare and Medicaid. If crowdfunding is used by communities to help specific officeswhich communities get that funding?

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At the Atlantic, Thompson argued that the loss of small businessesparticularly in cities, and particularly mom-and-pops, restaurants, and other unique places that contribute to the unique character of a neighborhoodwill make certain high-priced urban centers like New York less appealing to newcomers and encourage more residents to move out. But he concluded by describing a phoenix-from-the-ashes scenario: The near death of the American city will also be its rebirth, he wrote. When rents fall, mom-and-pop stores will rise againAmerica will need them.

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By the time that opportunity comes for private medical offices, it may be too late. While new shops and restaurants may open in the future, doctors could have trouble doing the same, particularly if there is more consolidation in the medical field in the meantime. With such thin margins, even extra funding only moves the problem from now to the near future.

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Last week, Bent Tree Family Physicians got approval through the latest round of the Paycheck Protection Program, and between that and the GoFundMe, Culpepper said theyll have just two to three months before they need patients to come back to survive.

This week, Trisolini told me that South Slope Pediatrics also received the federal funding, and between that and the GoFundMe, they have about two-and-a-half months of extra runway. Theyll be able to reinstate the staff at full time starting this week. But, Trisolini added, they dont expect visits to jump back to 80 a day within that time frame, since it will likely take much longer for the pandemic to wane. To be sustainable, the office needs to bring in about 60 patients a day, he said. I would pay the bills and I wont make a dime as a profit. But it will keep me alive.
"We're excited to expand our portfolio to provide service and product support for this additional platform to help our Navy warfighters achieve mission success," said Ed Boyington, Vertex Aerospace CEO and President. "Our long-standing record of making our customer's mission our mission is attributed to our full-service capabilities, responsive management, and highly skilled employees. We have operated with a high-quality culture for over 45 years and remain committed to delivering cost-effective and innovative solutions for today's multi-domain operations."

Work will be performed at two U.S. locations and two international sites and is expected to be completed by 2025. Vertex has a long history of successful CLS maintenance support to Navy platforms, including the C-9, C-12, CH-53E, E-6B, T-34, T-44, T-45, TH-57, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft programs.

About Vertex Aerospace

Vertex Aerospace offers a global capability and complete solution for aftermarket aerospace services for government and commercial customers. The Company's international presence and vast range of services has distinguished itself from competitors for over 45 years. Vertex is recognized in the aerospace industry for its high-quality services, depot reach-back, and responsive management. The Mississippi-based Company operates in over 100 locations worldwide and is proud to have a 50 percent veteran employee rate. Information about Vertex can be found at vtxaero.com.

NAVAIR Public Release 2020-357. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

POC: Rachel C. Henson

Corporate Communications Manager

[email protected]

Wk: 601-607-6552

Cell: 601-760-9297

SOURCE Vertex Aerospace

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This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Michael Armstrong, a longtime Democratic political reformer and the onetime publisher of a well-loved Brooklyn newspaper, lost his wife, Dnynia, to the novel coronavirus a month before he died from the same disease. She was 80 and he was 79; they had been married 45 years.

Dnynia Armstrong had been fighting a kidney disorder that put her in the Cobble Hill Health Center, a Brooklyn nursing home that has lost at least 55 residents to the virus; the home was locked down because of the outbreak.

Then the coronavirus struck her as well. She died on April 4.

Aram Bauman, a stepson, said that he had planned to take Mr. Armstrong out for a picnic on April 16, the day of his mothers cremation, but that when he got to the house Mr. Armstrong was incoherent and having trouble breathing. Mr. Bauman called for an ambulance; Mr. Armstrong died in the hospital on May 4.
"The drivers are so appreciative," said Wood. "They spend all day by themselves, and aren't used to receiving anything for free, let alone being recognized. They are thrilled to receive the kits."

Wood explained that because different states have different regulations, having the right PPE is critical: "There are over three million drivers out there. While we are only a drop in the bucket, every little bit helps."

According to DDC FPO's COO and President, Marissa Crotty, the company was seeking the most effective and quick way to help drivers stay safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. When they reached out to clients for insight into what would have the biggest impact, the responses were unanimous.

"Our clients reported that what the drivers need most is PPE. So, we were determined to find a way to do that," said Crotty.

After having conversations with several potential partners  from world-renowned distilleries to mask production companies and other nonprofit organizations  DDC found TEAR. Crotty explains: "What Desiree has done is remarkable. She inspires us, and we are thrilled to be able to help her in this effort. This partnership is an honor for us."

Each PPE kit includes masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, antiseptic wipes and snacks. The delivery process is well-coordinated and intentionally targets specific truck stops and rest areas to provide kits to as many drivers as possible nationwide.

"It's huge having DDC's support," said Wood. "We simply don't have the funding to make these kits, let alone to purchase the gas to drive the 120 miles a day to hand them out or even to cover the fee to print the Thank You notes."

In addition to DDC FPO's contributions, Stuckey's Corporation and Transfix have also played instrumental roles in TEAR's success.

"These partners help tremendously," she added. "Truckers are first responders, and people are seeing that."

Stuckey's Corporation wanted to do their part to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic. CEO Stephanie Stuckey shared that she specifically researched what organizations are providing trucker relief and connected with TEAR.

"We love partnering with an organization founded by truckers that's working for truckers," said Stuckey. "I admire and respect these drivers and know how important they are to our supply chain, which is under strain like never before." Stuckey's is providing the snacks that are placed in each PPE kit.

According to Lily Shen, President and CEO of Transfix, "The unfortunate reality is that while truckers are putting their health on the line to keep goods moving, many cannot access PPE and are being turned away from delivering essential goods because of it. We are excited to have partnered with TEAR to distribute resources to truckers nationwide." Shen said they continue to urge others to share PPE donations and advocate for policy changes that will help make these truckers' lives easier.

"From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank each and every truck driver for being an essential part of the frontline," said Crotty. "Thank you for the sacrifices you continue to make to keep delivering supplies to all parts of our country."

If you would like to support TEAR and help provide PPE kits to truck drivers, please click here to donate now or complete this webform to request contact.

About Truckers Emergency Assistance Responders (TEAR)

Truckers Emergency Assistance Responders (TEAR) is a non-denominational nationwide 501c3 charity relief fund to help truck drivers in distress that require immediate assistance due to carrier abandonment, wage theft, carrier retaliation, accident, weather, illness or injury that leaves a driver in sudden distress. To learn more, visit: https://cdltear.org/

About DDC FPO

With 30 years of business process outsourcing (BPO) experience, DDC FPO currently processes 30% of all LTL bills in North America and has delivered more successful freight back office solutions than any other company, including Freight Billing, Rate Auditing, POD Processing, Track & Trace, Carrier Onboarding, Customs Brokerage Data Capture and more. As the freight-focused unit of The DDC Group  a worldwide network of business process outsourcing experts  we are powered by a global staff of over 7,000 professionals to serve our clients in over 40 languages. To learn more, visit: ddcfpo.com .

SOURCE DDC FPO LLC

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Elisa Allen is Director of PETA UK, a charity dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of animals. This month marks her tenth year working for PETA. The views and opinions expressed in this article are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Yahoo UK and its affiliates.

Amid the storm clouds of COVID-19, there's at least one silver lining: we may emerge from this crisis knowing that a more compassionate world is possible.

Many cruel industries have been shut down, at least for the time being.

Life has gone on without them, and many animals are enjoying a respite from human tyranny for the first time in their lives.

If ever there were a "non-essential" activity, whipping horses and forcing them to jump dangerous obstacles, causing them to shatter their ankles and break their necks, surely qualifies.

So it's good news that weve turned to virtual horse races this year - meaning happy punters can still watch but no animals are injured or killed.

COVID-19 has put the kibosh on bullfighting, too. In Spain, hundreds of bullfighting events have been shut down already  including Pamplona's annual Running of the Bulls  preventing thousands of bulls from being stabbed to death.

Revellers run next to fighting bulls during the running of the bulls at the San Fermin Festival, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Sunday, July 14, 2019 (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

Read more: Latest coronavirus news and updates

More than 80% of Spanish people oppose cruel bullfights and bull runs, so why bring them back once the lockdown is lifted? Haven't we all seen enough suffering and death? Intentionally causing more is  and always has been  inexcusable.

Animals have suffered for human whims since time immemorial.

They've been displaced and their homes destroyed by our relentless developments. They've been crushed under our bulldozers, cars, and lorries. But much of the human population is staying at home right now, and wild animals are finally enjoying some peace in their rightful homes.

In Panama, raccoons are frolicking in the surf. With Mexico's resorts empty, jaguars and crocodiles have returned, and a leatherback sea turtle laid her eggs on a now-deserted beach.

Story continues

Lambs played on a roundabout in an empty playground in Lancashire. In North Wales, wild goats have been congregating in the streets and nibbling fresh grass, much to the delight of human residents watching from their windows.

Read more: The five things that need to happen for coronavirus lockdown to be lifted

There will be risks to manage when society reopens: birds such as little terns are building nests in areas that are currently deserted, and they'll be in danger of being disturbed and trampled when normal life resumes.

After seeing how nature flourishes when humans simply leave it alone, let's hope our species will resolve to tread lightly when we re-emerge from self-isolation.

All life on our planet is benefiting from the decrease in pollution levels brought on by the shutdown of non-essential services.

Satellite data showed a significant decline in nitrogen dioxide levels over China during Wuhan's quarantine.

But even when we go back to working, flying, and driving, we can help to maintain this climate-friendly trajectory by going vegan.

A University of Oxford study found that globally, the meat and dairy industries generate 60% of agriculture's emissions while providing only 18% of calories and 37% of protein. If all of us went vegan, we could reduce food-related greenhouse-gas emissions by two-thirds by 2050.

Elisa Allen is director of PETA UK

Read more: Yosemite releases footage of bears, deer and other animals roaming with no humans around

The pandemic may already be moving us in this direction: supermarkets have closed their meat and fish counters, and many of us have been eating healthily  and cheaply  using staples such as frozen vegetables, tinned beans and other vegan foods.

Quarantine cooking has proven that there's nothing essential about cruelly-produced, unsustainable animal-derived foods.

And as scientists race to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, the need for accuracy and speed is potentially sparing animals' lives: the US National Institutes of Health bypassed an animal testing phase and went straight to human volunteers.

Scientists in India are researching possible vaccines using advanced computer simulations, and researchers in Bristol are using cells  rather than mice  to study the spread of the disease.

This research is not only humane but also our best chance of success, considering that 90% of experiments on animals fail to lead to human treatments.

The COVID-19 crisis has also given many dogs, cats, and other animals a chance at a happier life.

More dogs have been adopted from organisations like Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (Getty - posed by model)

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home reported that in the week after the outbreak was declared a pandemic, more than double the number of cats and dogs were adopted than during the same week in 2019, and other shelters experienced a similar upsurge in interest.

Many animals who were previously left alone all day while their owners were at work are finally receiving the companionship, attention, walks, playtime, and love they deserve.

While we're all looking forward to the end of the pandemic, it would be a shame if we learned nothing from it.

Let's use this time to consider how we can be kinder global citizens  not just toward each other but toward all who live on this planet.

Compassion for animals can be our new foundation for a better world.

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
As the demand for COVID-19 diagnostic tests continues to soar, scientists have developed a blueprint to covert academic laboratories into facilities for testing patient samples for the novel coronavirus.

As with other basic biology labs across the country, we were forced to shutter operations due to the pandemic, said study senior author George Murphy from Boston University School of Medicine in the US.

Murphy and his team said they had extensive experience developing and running the type of quantitative, real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) tests that is used to detect the presence of viral genetic material, RNA, in patient samples.

They then adapted their lab to the strict policies required to run a certified, College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited diagnostic lab. The scientists requested and received emergency permission from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to re-purpose their lab, and they began operating in less than a week. As of April 20, 2020, the researchers said they have tested more than 3,000 samples, with a sample turnaround time thats under 24 hours. Nearly 45 per cent of those tests were positive, a large number due in part to the high-risk population served by Boston Medical Centre (BMC) in the US, they said.

Results from samples that were sent out to large commercial labs were taking up to a week, Murphy said. But even a wait-time of 24 hours delays the ability to make decisions about whether or not someone needs to be isolated and whether precious PPE (personal protective equipment) should be used, he added.

The test developed by the researchers could be done with technologies and reagents that are likely to remain available, they said, adding that there is also flexibility to use different reagents at each step of the process. Our home-brew assay is extremely flexible, allowing us to slot in various reagents at multiple points and eliminating potential supply-chain issues, Murphy said.

The scientists cautioned that the need for testing may not decline any time soon. Although we have gotten through the early stages of this pandemic, which involved the testing of critically ill and symptomatic patients during a time of acute need, everyone is going to soon need to transition into asymptomatic and surveillance testing, Murphy said. It may be extremely difficult for large commercial labs to contend with the enormous number of samples this will entail, he added.

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- Oil company, Kosmos Energy, made a loss of $183 million in the First Quarter of the year 2020

- For the same period in 2019, the company reported a loss of $52.9 million in the First Quarter

- The fall in revenue has been linked to the global fall in crude oil prices

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Kosmos Energy has reported a loss of $183 million in the First Quarter of the year 2020.

YEN.com.gh understands that the assets impairments of Kosmos Energy in the same period totaled $151 million.

The oil companys report comes at a time when the COVID-19 has led to a fall in crude oil prices on the world market.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: MTN Ghana announces postponement of AGM and suspension of payment of dividends

In the year 2019, the company reported a loss of $52.9 million in the First Quarter, classfmonine.com reports.

The impairments to assets, it has been revealed, are related to the Kodiak and Tornado fields in the Gulf of Mexico as well as the change in the oil prices since Kosmos acquired the assets in late 2018.

They reportedly represent about 10% of the total consideration paid for Deep Gulf Energy at the time.

Kosmos net production in Quarter One 2020 was 66,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), compared to the production of 79,799 boepd in the same period of 2019.

Meanwhile, energy giant, Total, has revealed that its net profit for the First Quarter of the year 2020 fell by 35%.

The company released a statement that showed its 2020 Q1 net profit was $1.8 billion, lower than the $2.8 billion during the same period in 2019.

YEN.com.gh understands that analysts had predicted a net profit of $1.4 billion for the company.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Local airline Passion Air calls on government for support

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"If you want to die, please die alone"  Health Minister to uncooperative Ghanaians | #Yencomgh

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Orange, Calif., May 13, 2020 -- UCI Health will initiate a clinical study of a drug to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients who face a high mortality rate because of acute inflammation that fills their lungs with fluid, a grave condition that even mechanical ventilation cannot improve.

Aviptadil, which has a 20-year history of use in human clinical trials for lung ailments, will be employed in a phase 2b/3 clinical study of COVID-19 patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome, a primary cause of coronavirus-induced death, said Dr. Richard Lee, interim chief of UCI Health's Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine.

"We're very pleased to be one of the first centers launching this clinical study," said Lee, principal investigator for the Aviptadil clinical trial. "This study will focus on patients for whom mortality is alarmingly high. If successful, we hope that treatments such as Aviptadil may change the chances of survival for these patients."

Up to 30 patients at UCI Medical Center will be included in the trial. Eligible participants will be hospitalized patients who have ARDS due to COVID-19 and require intubation and mechanical ventilation.

The leading role of UCI Health in advancing this clinical research during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates its unique and critical position in Orange County and beyond.

Part of the drug portfolio of Swiss company Relief Therapeutics Holding, Aviptadil has been used in trials for sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that attacks the lungs and lymph glands, as well as for pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.

A synthetic form of human vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, Aviptadil targets inflammatory molecules in the lungs called cytokines that COVID-19 whips into a storm, drenching the air sacs of the lungs in water and rendering them unable to deliver oxygen.

The drug could serve as one of the last lines of defense in cases where significant COVID-19 complications appear, often in the elderly and those suffering from other medical conditions, Lee said.

NeuroRx Inc., Relief Therapeutics' U.S. partner, with operations in Radnor, Pennsylvania, is leading the Aviptadil clinical trial. In a previous trial of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide for ARDS in eight patients with sepsis, seven people on mechanical ventilation showed substantial improvement and six ultimately left the hospital, said Dr. Jonathan Javitt, CEO of NeuroRx.

"If the early results can be replicated in ARDS caused by COVID-19, this treatment could have a major impact both on COVID-19 survival and on the availability of ventilators for those in desperate need," he said.

UCI is among three sites to launch the Aviptadil clinical trial - the others being the University of Miami and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia - and the only one west of the Mississippi River.

The trial will eventually grow to about 120 patients in all, with estimated completion later this year.

The Aviptadil clinical trial is among several COVID-19-related studies underway at UCI Health. On April 29, UCI Health physicians announced that trials showed that the antiviral drug remdesivir significantly slowed the progression of COVID-19. UCI Health began a clinical study of remdesivir in mid-March. A second phase of the remdesivir trial is pending.

###

For more information about this and other UCI Health clinical trials, please visit the UCI Center for Clinical Research, a premier clinical research organization that provides life-saving clinical trials by strengthening and accelerating the pathway of discovery from bench to bedside.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu.

About UCI Health: UCI Health comprises the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at primary and specialty care offices across Orange County and at its main campus, UCI Medical Center, in Orange, California. The 418-bed acute care hospital provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. UCI Medical Center features Orange County's only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and regional burn center. It is the primary teaching hospital for the UCI School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow UCI Health on Facebook and Twitter.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.
The FBI along with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a man for allegedly killing a 27-year-old Indian national seven years ago, an official said on Tuesday.

Manpreet Ghuman Singh, a native of Punjab's Majri Kishnewally village in Fatehgarh Sahib town, was working at a gas station in South Lake Tahoe in California when he was shot dead by an unknown assailant on August 6, 2013.

After years of investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the police on Tuesday arrested 34-year-old Sean Donohoe on charges of killing Manpreet.

Donohoe, who lives in Las Vegas, was a resident of South Lake Tahoe city in California at the time of the incident.

In a statement, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department said that on August 6, 2013, an unknown man wearing a face mask walked into the US Gasoline Station at 2470 Lake Tahoe Blvd, shot and killed the clerk, Manpreet Singh of South Lake Tahoe, California.

The killer then strolled out the front door and fled. The case eventually went cold with no leads, the police said.

Thereafter the case was assigned to the El Dorado County Cold Case Task Force, which is a collaboration between the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, California Department of Justice, Bureau of Forensic Science (BFS) and the FBI.

In July 2017, the El Dorado District Attorney's Office posted a video about the homicide in hopes that new leads would be generated.

A witness watched the video and contacted investigators in the summer of 2019. The witness told investigators that Donohoe was responsible for the killing, leading to his arrest.
This story was originally published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON  Charles Thayer has manned the polls in Bangor, Maine, for 18 years. But when the doors open at the city's sole polling place for the state's July 14 primary, he won't be there.

Thayer, 78, is staying home because his wife has a compromised immune system. "I would not take the risk of getting [COVID-19] myself and then giving it to her," he said.

Thayer has company in his isolation: Bangor City Clerk Lisa Goodwin said at least a third of her city's usual poll workers have said they won't work upcoming elections. Others are willing only if the city can provide personal protective equipment  equipment not readily available everywhere. One 93-year-old wants to work, and Goodwin is fretting. "I would feel horrible if anything ever happened to her."

Election officials across the country are facing similar staffing crises long in the making, now accelerated by the pandemic: in-person access to the ballot box rests on the vulnerable shoulders of a cohort of steadfast, but elderly, election workers at high risk of illness or death should they contract COVID-19.

More than half the country's poll workers in 2016 were 61 or older, according to data tracked by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. In some states, that number is far higher, a Center for Public Integrity analysis of EAC data found.

Click here to read the Center for Public Integrity's version of this story.

In Maine, for example, nearly two in three poll workers are in that age group. In Montana, Oklahoma and Alabama, the number of elderly poll workers is as high or higher.

Election officials nationwide are now often explicitly recruiting younger poll workers ahead of remaining 2020 primaries and November's general election.

Nonetheless, the acute shortage of election workers is prompting reductions in the number of in-person polling sites for upcoming primaries, fueling worries that some voters may face significant obstacles to casting their ballots.

Story continues

Image: Florida poll station (Elise Amendola / AP file)

Voting advocates have repeatedly argued that safe, adequate in-person voting locations, even if they must be scaled back or take the form of expanded early voting, are "very important," as Celina Stewart, the senior director of advocacy and litigation for the League of Women Voters, said recently on a media call about expanding vote-by-mail options.

Many elected and appointed officials want to supercharge the use of vote-by-mail systems  and they're girding for an exponential growth in the number of people who choose this year to vote from home. But Stewart said African-American voters especially don't always feel comfortable voting absentee or by mail, one reason it is important to preserve in-person options that don't force voters to contend with long lines, unsafe conditions or unequal access to the ballot box.

'If that dark day ever comes to us'

The poll worker shortage spans the country. State and local officials are tackling it in different ways.

For example, Pennsylvania's secretary of state is allowing local election officials to put fewer workers in polling places for the state's June 2 primary, citing staffing challenges caused by the virus.

In Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's office started a "Democracy MVP" campaign aimed at attracting healthy, able election workers to help process absentee ballots and other tasks. More than 1,800 people have signed up  a promising sign, said Tracy Wimmer, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office.

In Iowa, Secretary of State Paul Pate has also begun a marketing offensive aimed at attracting young people to oversee the polls. But in Woodbury County, near the Nebraska state line, Auditor Patrick Gill's plan to open only two in-person voting sites for the June 2 state primary  compared to the usual 44  provoked a lawsuit that he settled by agreeing to staff five polling places instead.

"My number one goal was to protect precinct election officials," Gill said, describing them as "the most vulnerable demographic." Gill said the sharp reduction in polling places was meant to encourage voters to cast ballots by mail.

In Nevada, Democrats and other groups sued over the number of polling places and other issues after the secretary of state's office said most of the June primary would be conducted by mail and each county would have one in-person polling place on Election Day. They settled the dispute last week. As part of the settlement, Clark County, home to the vast majority of Nevada's voters, agreed to open and staff three in-person sites.

Joe Gloria, the Clark County registrar of voters, said he began getting calls in early March from election workers who apologized, but said they wouldn't be comfortable committing to training and "quite honestly, they weren't willing to work, either."

That, he said, was a concern. For now, he said, "we're planning on supporting the general election the way we would have normally" but "I don't have a crystal ball."

In Alabama, state officials will use emergency federal money allocated for election costs related to the pandemic to pay poll workers an additional $25 for working during a U.S. Senate runoff in July and the general election in November.

Gary Dunavant, a poll worker who lives in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, said the extra money won't affect his decision. He's still wavering over whether to work the polls. Right now, he's more inclined to say yes during what he expects to be low-turnout elections in June and August. He's not so sure about November.

Dunavant, who described himself as a healthy 68 years old, feels some responsibility to work as he has during the past five years. "If I and others don't do it, there won't be anybody there to do it, and I think it's important," he said. On the other hand, "I'm a little nervous about it."

The polling place where he typically works is at an independent living facility, and "it's not a room where people spread out," he said.

In Haywood County in western North Carolina, a sylvan stretch near the Tennessee line that includes part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Elections Director Robert Inman is crafting a fallback plan, in case he needs it, for a June election involving a primary runoff for a congressional district.

It calls for 11 polling places rather than 29 "if that dark day ever comes to us," he said. Inman said his office tried to minimize travel time for voters whenever possible.

Image: Early voting in Chicago (Noreen Nasir / AP file)

In the meantime, he's trying to survey his usual poll workers about whether they're willing to work. So far, about 30 percent have said no.

In rural Wayne County, Indiana, Clerk Debra Berry is struggling with factors out of her control. She spent last week making a big push for poll workers, but she's also asked her board about potentially cutting the number of polling places for the June 2 primary.

"How do you project how many people are going to wait and call on Election Day and say, 'I just can't do this?'" she asks. "We don't know how many between now and Election Day are going to be exposed because we are opening our state up. It's a nightmare for any county clerk or election administrator."

'I was incredibly naive'

Voting advocates worried about the effects of reducing in-person polling places point to last month's Wisconsin primary election and the long lines in Milwaukee. There, election officials reduced 180 polling places to five  in no small part because of a shortage in poll workers willing to come in.

Riverside High School, in a densely populated part of Milwaukee, served as one of those five in-person vote centers.

On election day, it normally would have had nearly 3,000 registered voters assigned to it. It ended up with more than 70,000 instead, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of polling place locations provided by state officials and voter file data provided by Milwaukee election officials and L2, a national nonpartisan data provider. That contributed to long lines and difficulty social distancing.

Neil Albrecht, executive director of Milwaukee's election commission, described a weeks-long scramble for staff.

"Maybe because we'd never been through a pandemic before, I was incredibly naive," he said.

In February, the troubles started as a trickle. In addition to losing small numbers of election workers, he said, the city was losing election sites  senior centers and other places that weren't comfortable serving as polling locations. At first, Albrecht's staff worked to relocate the polling places and kept recruiting election workers. But the trickle became a torrent.

The week before the election, Albrecht was still hoping to have 10 or 12 voting sites. By the election, it was down to five, and that was with the help of the National Guard. The experience, and the lines of people who still needed to cast their ballots in person, taught him that the move to vote by mail is "not an overnight transition," he said. Reports of Wisconsin poll workers and voters subsequently coming down with COVID-19 have fueled concerns elsewhere, though it isn't certain where anyone contracted it.

Brook Soltvedt, 60, a longtime poll worker in Madison, chose to work that election. She worried most about contracting COVID-19, then infecting her husband, who is 78. But she knew, too, that many poll workers were backing out.

So before election day, she stocked a separate apartment in their basement with groceries and supplies  and with everything she needed to continue her work from home as a textbook editor. After the election, she quarantined herself for two weeks.

Only then, Soltvedt said, did she return to "living above ground again."

The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
SCHENECTADY  Police Chief Eric Clifford fears the city could again become addled by gangs, drugs and double-digit homicides if the department is forced to lay off about 40 cops because of a deepening fiscal crisis brought on by the coronavirus.

Quite frankly, we go to the bare bones minimum of what we do  protect life and property  and we have to start scaling back on what we do as a department, he said. What I see is that the long-term effect is that we might start seeing a rise in gangs, a rise in the dealing of drugs, a rise in crime, and thats unfortunate because we put in a lot of good work over the last seven to 10 years stamping that down.

Fire Chief Ray Senecal could find himself down about 33 firefighter/paramedics as well, which he recently said would make the already dangerous job of battling blazes even more perilous and hamper the department's ability to carry out other critical potentially life saving duties.

He described one potential scenario where the department might have only five fire trucks in service, with two on a call, leaving only three to respond to a structure or residential fire.

Its a scary thought because it would be a lot more dangerous to not only our firefighters but the citizens not having the (appropriate) response, Senecal said. If I start with five, and I have four pieces out, that leaves me with one, and I cant run a hazardous material operation with one piece of apparatus.

Mayor Gary McCarthy, who has previously said the city faces an $11.5 million revenue shortfall, said Wednesday that his administration is keeping a close eye on what's going on in Washington but must start making decisions about where to trim by the first week in June, keeping in mind what he described as the administrative process.

"I'll sit down and talk to the union leadership this week, go through that, and work out scenarios so people understand what we're doing and why we're doing it." he said. "At the same time, I'm talking to people and asking them to call people in Washington to try to get some rational minds to prevail."

Senecal said the roughly 114-member fire department, which has a few vacancies, currently responds to a working structure fire with a crew of about 20 firefighters because of the various roles they perform simultaneously at a fire scene, including fighting the blaze, rescues, treating victims, ventilation work and stretching the fire hose at the scene.

It takes roughly 18 to 20 people to do those all at the same time, added the chief, who has 31 years on the job and said he's never seen anything quite like this. If I had 12, some of that work doesnt get done, which will create a much more hazardous condition for us.

Senecal pointed out the county will also lose out since city firefighters also handle emergency calls for hazardous materials and, because of their training as paramedics, would be pressed into service if there was ever a mass shooting in the region.

The staff reductions would also mean that instead of 20, he would now only have 12 firefighters per shift, Senecal said.

Clifford said some of the city cops on loan as part of several federal task forces combating gun violence, gangs and other vices may be brought back in house.

He said he would still maintain the same level of patrol officers on the streets because he fully expects a surge in call volume once the city opens back up and more people get back into the normal rhythm of life.

On the force since 2002, Clifford recounted when the 140-member department was dealing with upward of a dozen homicides and the gang problem was rampant.

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

I have 160 officers and every year during the budget process I ask the mayor to give me 10 more, said Clifford.My fear is that short term cost savings for the pandemic will make it that I have to fight every year to build my numbers back up, he said.

Over the past three weeks, Clifford said he has all but cut overtime, which in part has led to a backlog of 20 calls, many of them quality-of-life issues during afternoon shifts on days when the weather has been nice.

As a result, the department has recently started experimenting with a new model for non-violent incidents, where an officer at the station calls back the complainant and or the perpetrator, sometimes through video conferencing, in a bid to try to get the dispute resolved.

Schenectady County District Attorney Bob Carney worries that a pared-down police force could be detrimental to more complex police probes that are sometimes required of violent crimes.

"If we're not getting a police response on the investigatory level, then we're going to have less of a robust prosecution," he said. "We would have fewer cases and the ones we have would be less-well investigated."

Carney said some of those aspects of the investigation that the police handle now would fall on his team of investigators.

Clifford said this looming financial calamity is daunting.

My intention with even saying all this is not to make people feel uncomfortable, uneasy, or unsafe, its simply transparency, its to let everybody know that this is a real situation that is not an easy fix, he added. The municipality, the city, which inherently is the people who live in the city because theyre the taxpayers need help in the same way that every small business got help from the federal government.
They called it The Rapport  the part of the show intended to demonstrate the incredible bond between man and big cat, as performer Roy Horn got a kiss and a hug from a 400lb Siberian tiger.

Mantacore, a seven-year-old male, had done this routine countless times. It was a showstopper and key to what made the Siegfried & Roy animal magic act the most successful in the history of Las Vegas (Siegfried Fischbacher was Horns partner and one-time lover).

Having led the tiger on stage, Horn would say Lets Dance!, the cue for Mantacore to rear up and put its huge front paws on the German-born illusionists shoulders, giving him a kiss and getting a treat in return.

Horn boasted that he was so close to his animals, he could read their thoughts. But on this night in October 2003, that telepathic link failed him.

Roy Horn (left) and Siegfried Fischbacher (right) found fame from the late 1960s for a Las Vegas magic act featuring white lions and tigers

Mantacore wandered away from his mark on stage  and when Horn placed a microphone near the tigers mouth and asked if it wanted to say hello, it snapped at him and caught his shirtsleeve in its mouth.

Horn backed away, repeatedly saying No and tapping the tigers nose with the microphone until it let go. Then the music stopped and the 1,500-strong capacity audience knew this wasnt part of the act.

Horn retreated again, but this prompted the tiger to leap at him and, knocking him to the floor, sink its huge jaws deep into his neck before dragging him offstage.

By the time assistants had forced Mantacore to drop Horn, whose 59th birthday was that day, his windpipe was crushed and an artery to the brain was damaged.

He had suffered a stroke, paralysing one side of his body. In hospital he flatlined  his vital signs disappearing  at least once.

Horn survived, but with life-changing injuries, able to walk only short distances and speaking with difficulty. For some, the incident  to be the subject of a new Netflix documentary  was a grim but salutary lesson in the madness of trying to mix showbusiness with dangerous wild animals.

'The Rapport' was a part of the show intended to demonstrate the incredible bond between man and big cat. Roy Horn would get a kiss and a hug from a 400lb Siberian tiger

Horns death, at the age of 75, this week after complications of Covid-19 was a humdrum ending for a man who had been dubbed the Original Tiger King.

Horn and his partner Siegfried Fischbachers show had come to define glamour  or at least, the camp, glitzy Vegas variety. They were regularly described as the ultimate showmen and dazzled visitors to The Strip for 35 years with an act that included disappearing elephants, levitating tigers and Horn turning himself into a python.

From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world, said Fischbacher, reacting to the death of his best friend with characteristic braggadocio.

Their arrival in Nevadas infamous sin city in the early 1970s with a family show proved instrumental in transforming Vegass hitherto tawdry, Mafia-run image.

Vegas veterans had scoffed that magic acts would fail, especially those lacking the raunch factor. But there had never been a magic act quite like theirs, a pyrotechnics spectacular with the production values of a Hollywood film, in which they could seemingly make animals disappear and reappear, change into women or fly through the air.

White lions and tigers became synonymous with the pair. Some white tigers  which are usually bigger than normal tigers  possess a recessive gene that means their fur lacks even a hint of orange. Others have a genetic condition that makes their stripes pale, too, so they look almost snow-white.

Horn was mauled and critically injured by a white tiger while performing onstage at the Mirage Resort October 3, 2003 in Las Vegas, Nevada

These animals were only a marginally more arresting sight than Siegfried and Roy themselves, permatanned and permanently stuck in the 1980s, with swept-back big hair and a wardrobe big on spangles. Horn wore his white shirts open almost to the waist.

On stage, they sported two-inch heels and lifts inside their boots to disguise their small stature.

Although  at least in later years  they had separate sleeping quarters, they shared a 100-acre Vegas estate that included two homes, Little Bavaria and the Jungle Palace. The latter has a replica of Michelangelos Sistine Chapel ceiling in the dining room. A local guidebook described the interiors of the homes as opulent to the point of vulgarity.

Their menagerie, which included elephants, donkeys and scores of big cats, had the virtual run of the place, with their own Olympic-sized pool and air-conditioned accommodation.

Horn would sleep with a tiger, leopard or panther each night, crediting a training method he called affection conditioning because he woke up in one piece every morning.

Roy clings to Siegfried above during what is believed to be the last time they were publicly pictured together in 2018

He believed the animals came to see him as one of their own. I dont have any battle scars, he bragged. They lick me raw.

Workaholics who did two shows every night for years, eschewed holidays and earned millions in the process, Horn and Fischbacher were raised in postwar Germany. Thanks to a family friend who was a founder of Bremen Zoo, Horn was a frequent visitor and became particularly close to a cheetah named Chico.

He met Siegfried when they were working on a German cruise ship in 1957. Siegfried, a steward, entertained passengers with magic tricks but Horn, a cabin boy, complained they were dull.

If he could make a rabbit or a dove come out of a hat, he challenged him, why couldnt he do the same with a cheetah? According to Horn (a man not averse to exaggerated self-promotion), he had been given Chico by his zoo friend and smuggled him on board in a laundry bag.

One night, Siegfried discovered he could indeed make a big cat vanish and their act was born.The pair went on tour, taking Chico around Europe, with mixed results until they performed at a 1966 charity ball in Monte Carlo, wowing an audience that included Princess Grace, Cary Grant and Sophia Loren. News of their act quickly spread in the right places.

They made their Las Vegas debut in 1967 and on their opening night Chico ran amok, stealing the toupee from the head of bandleader Ray Sinatra, cousin of Frank.

Siegfried sat vigil at Roy's hospital room day and night as he battled the condition at Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas

By 1989, when businessman Steve Wynn opened a new glitzy Vegas hotel and casino, The Mirage, Siegfried and Roy were international stars who, on a tour of Japan, had become the highest-earning performers in the countrys history.

Wynn wanted a big act to pull punters into his big casino and gave them a $57 million five-year contract (worth about 100 million today). Their show, the most expensive in the world at that time, redefined Vegas excess.

Besides the wild animals  including an elephant that Horn would ride on stage  it featured a fire-breathing mechanical dragon and a 30ft high pyramid that Horn would climb before it exploded.

At its peak, their show made $45 million a year.

The pair obtained their first three white tiger cubs from a U.S. zoo in 1982 and acquired dozens more.

Billing themselves as masters of the impossible, they attracted celebrity followers including Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbra Streisand and Bill Clinton. Michael Jackson, who sang the shows theme song, couldnt keep away, regularly pitching up at the pairs Vegas estate.

The pair secured a lifetime deal to stay at The Mirage but the show was closed after the tragedy in 2003.

Insisting Mantacore should not be put down, Siegfried and Roy claimed the tiger had actually been trying to save Horn after hed had a stroke.

But their reputation received another mauling last year when Chris Lawrence, one of Mantacores former handlers, accused the pair of lying about the attack to protect their brand. Lawrence said Horn had been spending less and less time in close contact with the big cats before shows.

On the fateful night, Lawrence said, he saw danger signs  the tigers ears were erect, its whiskers rigid and its pupils dilated.

Horn liked to give the impression that he worked with the animals alone but Lawrence said handlers were always lurking close at hand, while cables too thin for the audience to see usually kept the animals secured to the floor.

Reluctant to go on stage himself, Lawrence said he had to intervene when Horn made a series of handling mistakes, most crucially by failing to walk Mantacore to the correct position on stage. This made the highly trained tiger confused and rebellious, he said.

When Mantacore pounced, Lawrence  who had grabbed the tigers leash after trying to distract it by dropping meat on the stage  was dragged forward and onto the tigers back.

After Siegfried met Roy (pictured performing in 1983), they formed their animal and magic act and started on boats before moving to the European nightclub circuit. Once they incorporated tigers, promoter Tony Azzie asked them to come to Las Vegas in 1967

He thought he was about to die but Mantacore kept attacking Horn until another handler used a technique known as fish-hooking to jam his index fingers into its mouth.

This made Mantacore bite itself painfully, releasing Horn long enough for him to be pulled to safety.

With its quarry gone, the tiger calmed down, said Lawrence.

Fischbacher and Horn rejected Lawrences account but it was supported by an official investigation.

Horn liked to say that like everything with animals, you can take nothing for granted. That night, he may have forgotten his own maxim.
Republican Mike Garcia and Democrat Christy Smith were competing in a congressional race that both sides rated a toss-up. (Associated Press)

Democrat Christy Smith has conceded to Republican Mike Garcia in the election to fill former Rep. Katie Hill's seat, marking the first time the GOP has flipped a blue California congressional district since 1998.

Garcia, a defense industry executive, was ahead of Smith, a state Assemblywoman from Santa Clarita, by double digits in early returns.

"While it's critical that we ensure every vote is counted and recorded, we believe that the current tally shows Mike Garcia is the likely victor in the May 12 special election," Smith wrote in statement posted to Facebook. "As such, I'd like to congratulate him."

The final tally in the nearly all mail-in ballot contest won't be available for several days  ballots postmarked by Tuesday and received by end of day Friday will be counted. The 25th Congressional District includes Palmdale, Porter Ranch, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and part of Lancaster.

The district was in Republican hands for decades until the 2018 midterm election, when a blue wave netted Democrats 40 seats nationwide.

"I'm proud of the results so far, and look forward to hopefully declaring victory very soon," Garcia said on a call with supporters and the media on Tuesday night.

In the weeks leading up to the election, both parties acknowledged the race would be competitive, despite Democrats' 6.6-point voter registration advantage. Lower turnout elections like Tuesday's runoff tend to draw an older and whiter electorate, usually to the advantage of Republicans.

The coronavirus outbreak also put an end to traditional campaigning and get out the vote efforts such as door knocking and rallies. Both candidates have alluded to the pandemic in their ads: Garcia accused Smith of failing to use her position leading an emergency management committee in Sacramento to respond to COVID-19, and Smith criticized his opposition to the Affordable Care Act and tied him to President Trump, who endorsed him, and his response to the virus.

Story continues

Garcia will go to Washington to complete Hill's term, which ends in January 2021, while also campaigning for the Nov. 3 general election for a new term. Smith and Garcia are competing in that race as well.

Hill resigned in October 2019 after nude photos of her were leaked and she was accused of having an affair with a congressional staffer, a violation of House ethics rules. She has denied the allegation.

There were seven in-person vote centers in Los Angeles County and two in Ventura County, as well as more than two dozen vote-by-mail drop boxes. By mid-afternoon Tuesday only 200 voters had visited the in-person voting centers at the Simi Valley Public Library and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Ventura County.

Do you live within CA-25 district boundaries but youre not registered? Head over to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley to #registerthenvote! #VCElections will be here until 8pm. More than 100 voters have cast their vote curbside today.  pic.twitter.com/9VjhpLF1HN  VC Clerk Recorder (@VCClerkRecorder) May 12, 2020

Democrats say Smith will fare better in November, when the presidential election will boost turnout.

But even as Democrats expressed confidence about November, some said the party's complacency blew a chance to win the seat Tuesday and put Garcia back on his heels.

"No excuses," said Bob Mulholland, a veteran California political strategist and member of the Democratic National Committee. Democrats, he said, "were too full of themselves" and "they let Christy Smith down."

That said, Mulholland went on, the dynamic will be different come the fall, giving Democrats the chance for a do-over of sorts. "By October, Garcia will have a Trump tattoo on his forehead," Mulholland said, and  given the president's overwhelming unpopularity in the state  "Democrats had better not fail."

Smith, a former school board member, quickly became the party's favorite to take Hill's place. In 2018 she beat a Republican incumbent to win her assembly district, which overlaps with 60 percent of the 25th Congressional District. Despite a crowded Democratic field in the March 3 primary, she easily advanced to the May 12 runoff. Garcia beat Knight to come in second.

In the weeks leading up to the race, both candidates have been backed by prominent figures in their parties. Smith has been endorsed by former President Obama, Hillary Clinton and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. In addition to Trump, Garcia has been backed by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world's supply chain for pharmaceutical drugs comes under increasing scrutiny for safety and quality, Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) has introduced printable thermochromic technology that is free of Bisphenol A, F and S. The development meets the stringent regulatory standards for pharma packaging.

The spread of the coronavirus has refocused the world's attention on proper care of the supply chain for vaccines and drugs. Additionally, interest has surged in low-cost technology that monitors the cold chain, identifies temperature abuse and tampering and provides authentication.

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been labeled "an endocrine disruptor," though it is found in many plastics, the lining of food and beverage cans and carbonless paper. Several companies have attempted to limit Bisphenol A, F and S in order to be more cautious. CTI recognized that effort and has responded with its latest innovation now available to pharmaceutical packaging companies.

CTI's BlindSpotz technology is a portfolio of patented technology that created low-cost printable sensors for drugs that detects freezing, thawing, gradual warming, tampering and authentication.

Pharmaceutical printers, as well as food and beverage printers, are requiring CTI's innovative thermochromic inks to be free of Bisphenol A, F and S. Heretofore, printers have rejected traditional thermochromics for not meeting strict internal and external regulatory standards.

"We undertook the challenge of reinventing thermochromic technology to meet the high standards of pharmaceutical customers," said Lyle Small, CTI's chief executive officer. "Not only did we create CTI's products free of BPA, F and S, but we also installed a 21-step checklist to validate quality and performance." For full compliance information, visit www.ctiinks.com.

CTI is the world's largest supplier of smart, specialty, color-changing technology that responds to temperature, light and pressure. CTI, founded in 1993, exports to 55 countries and is an ISO9001/2015 production facility. CTI's ink technology is found worldwide on many of the most recognizable brands in the consumer marketplace.

About Chromatic Technologies Inc.

CTI is the world's largest producer of thermochromic ink and manufactures other environmentally reactive technology, such as photochromic, pressure activated, irreversible, reveal and glow-in-the dark. CTI is an innovation company that supports the world's biggest brands and package printers. www.ctiinks.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1166872/CTI_5_13_2020_vizirev_safeinject_prefilled_syringe.jpg
WASHINGTON - The highly anticipated Supreme Court arguments Tuesday over President Donald Trump's efforts to block disclosure of his income tax returns and private financial records suggested the possibility of a mixed outcome.

Moreover, several justices suggested there might be more work for lower courts to do, which could delay any turnover of the documents being sought by congressional Democrats and Manhattan's district attorney until after November's election.

In more than three hours of teleconferenced hearings, broadcast to all who wanted to listen in, the justices debated presidential authority and accountability from all angles, and now they will meet in private to try to reach consensus.

A few themes emerged.

In general, the justices seemed more troubled by subpoenas issued by three House committees than with the ones coming from New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. None indicated they agreed with the assertion from Trump's private lawyer Jay Sekulow that the president enjoyed immunity from investigation while in office. There was no discussion of whether the court lacked authority to decide the merits of the dispute, even though the justices themselves had requested briefing on the subject.

The court's previous major decisions involving presidential authority were unanimous: Richard M. Nixon was ordered to turn over White House tape recordings, and Bill Clinton was required to respond to a sexual harassment suit filed by Paula Jones.

A 9-to-0 ruling did not seem a possibility after Tuesday's proceedings. But some, led by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., seemed to be looking for middle ground that would avoid a deeply split decision in a highly charged political atmosphere.

In the congressional case, for instance, Roberts said Trump's lawyers recognized Congress has at least some right to issue subpoenas, and lawyers for Congress acknowledged there were limits.

"So it sounds like at the end of the day this is just another case where the courts are balancing the competing interests on either side," Roberts said.

Trump's two choices for the court, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, asked neutral-sounding questions of both sides. In the case involving Congress, Kavanaugh tried to frame the court's mission.

The question "boils down to, how can we both protect the House's interest in obtaining information it needs to legislate but also protect the presidency?" Kavanaugh asked. "How can the court balance those interests?"

Justice Elena Kagan displayed some agreement with both sides. On the one hand, she suggested the president's lawyers were asking for too much.

"What it seems to me you're asking us to do is to put a kind of 10-ton weight on the scales between the president and Congress and essentially to make it impossible for Congress to perform oversight and to carry out its functions where the president is concerned, Kagan, one of the court's liberal justices, said.

But later she suggested one of the congressional subpoenas was perhaps too much. "When the Congress doesn't seem to be looking into the president, but in a much broader topic, might there not be some heightened need for Congress to say why it is that they're focusing on presidential records for that purpose?"

Likewise, at times Kagan's fellow liberal Justice Stephen Breyer seemed to think the court's past decisions settled the matter. But he expressed concern, as he had more than two decades ago in Clinton v. Jones, that courts needed to be mindful of the demands placed on the president.

"My problem is there may be burdens," he said, adding that the requests from Congress go "way, way, way beyond just tax returns."

The congressional committee cases - Trump v. Mazars and Trump v. Deutsche Bank - involve attempts by three different House committees to get the president's business records from his accounting firm and financial institutions.

The congressional subpoenas followed testimony from Trump's former fixer, attorney Michael Cohen, who told lawmakers that Trump had exaggerated his wealth to seek loans. Two committees subpoenaed Capital One and Deutsche Bank as part of their investigation into Russian money laundering and potential foreign influence involving Trump.

Boston lawyer Patrick Strawbridge said the congressional demands were "unprecedented," and pose "an obvious problem with respect to harassment and infringement upon the ability of the executive to discharge his duties 24 hours a day."

Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, representing the Justice Department, picked up on the theme. "The potential to harass and undermine the president and the presidency is plain," he said. "It's not much to ask that before the House delves into the president's personal life, it explain in some meaningful way what laws it is considering and why it needs the president's documents in particular."

House General Counsel Douglas Letter said the House has explained how its investigation into Trump could inform legislation, but the justices did not seem satisfied.

"Your test is not really much of a test. It's not really a limit," Roberts told Letter.

In fact, added Justice Samuel Alito Jr., one of the court's conservatives, it is "no protection at all."

The court's liberal justices seemed more accommodating to Congress' position that it has an important job to do in investigating potential wrongdoing and then proposing legislation to correct it.

"For example, the Ethics in Government Act, Congress may decide that it needs to beef up that legislation," said Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "It may also decide that for financial disclosure purposes, there should be disclosure of tax returns . . . Investigate to see if you need legislation of that sort."

Ginsburg noted that only Trump has withheld his tax returns; every other president since Jimmy Carter has disclosed voluntarily.

In the third case, Trump v. Vance, the district attorney is also seeking records from the Mazars firm as part of an investigation into whether Trump business records were falsified to cover up a hush-money scheme just before the 2016 election to silence two women - adult-film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal - who alleged that they had affairs with Trump. Trump has denied their claims.

Justices on both sides found less to criticize when Carey Dunne, general counsel for Vance's office, spoke.

Sekulow made the bold claim of the president's immunity in that part of the argument. He warned of 2,300 district attorneys across the country with political agendas who would be emboldened to investigate Trump.

But Ginsburg pressed Sekulow about whether the president was the one person exempt from the grand jury's right to "every man's evidence" even when the information it's seeking is not confidential or privileged.

Courts have long recognized that "the president is not to be treated as an ordinary citizen," Sekulow said. "He has responsibilities. He is himself a branch of government. He is the only individual that is a branch of government in our federal system."

That prompted a follow up from Kagan: "But it's also true and, indeed, a fundamental precept of our constitutional order that a president isn't above the law."

Solicitor General Noel Francisco took a more nuanced position in his defense of Trump.

Because the president is not an ordinary citizen while in office, prosecutors must demonstrate a "heightened showing of need" to subpoena the president's private records, Francisco said.

In a brief to the court, the Justice Department said some factors include a showing that the information is "directly relevant to issues that are expected to be central to the trial" and that the evidence is "not available from any other source."

Dunne generally agreed there should be higher standards, but said his office essentially had already met them. A federal judge in New York has determined there is no burden on the official duties of the president because the subpoenas are directed at his accounting firm, and that "our investigation is well-founded and brought in good faith."

Dunne said the court's decision in the Clinton case means a president cannot be shielded from every sort of private distraction, including some forms of legal process.

Adopting the Justice Department's standard, he said, would just mean more delay and give the president the temporary immunity he is seeking.

Investigators examining the conduct of other people and businesses beyond the president risk losing evidence as memories fade and witnesses become unavailable.

"We've already lost nine months of time in this investigation due to this lawsuit," Dunne said.

Responding to Sekulow, Dunne said there was no reason to question the integrity of district attorneys.

"There's no historical support for this claim, which flies in the face of federalism," Dunne said. "The supposed floodgates have been open for generations and there's never been a flood."

The court heard the three landmark constitutional cases by conference call because of the coronavirus pandemic, making it possible for the public to listen to the justices' questions in real time.

The timing of the hearings means the high court's rulings will probably land this summer in the midst of the 2020 presidential election campaign.

- - -

The Washington Post's Jonathan O'Connell, David A. Fahrenthold and Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report.
- Gareth Bale could finally leave Real Madrid this summer

- The Welshman has been linked with a move to join Premier League side Newcastle United

- Los Blancos have identified Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman as a quality replacement for the former Spurs star

Real Madrid are reportedly planning to make a move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman once they offload Gareth Bale.

Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane has long declared the Welshman a surplus at the Santiago Bernabeu.

READ ALSO: Lionel Messi: Barcelona forward makes KSh 58 million donation for coronavirus fight in Argentina

Gareth Bale is considered surplus to requirements at Real Madrid. Photo: Getty Images.

Source: Getty Images

READ ALSO: Becky Lynch announces she is pregnant for Seth Rollins, relinquishes RAW title

Los Blancos were close to selling the former Tottenham star to China in a deal around 1 million-a-week, but the club's president Florentino Perez pulled the plug on the move.

Bale currently earns 600,000-a-week at Real and the Spanish League giants are looking for ways to reduce their annual wage bills, hence, the need for the winger to leave soon.

READ ALSO: Odion Ighalo joined by mystery female partner as Manchester United ace exercises

And the former Spurs man has been linked with a return to the Premier League side Newcastle United but this can only happen when the takeover is done in the summer.

Daily Star, however, reports that the Galacticos have already identified Frenchman Coman as the ideal replacement for Bale at the Bernabeu.

READ ALSO: Setback for FKF as Sports Disputes Tribual halts Gor Mahia coronation

The 23-year-old winger whose deal with Bayern expires in the summer of 2023 is said to have also attracted interests from Barcelona and Manchester City.

He has scored five goals and five assists in 24 appearances for the Bavarians across competitions this campaign having joined them from Juventus in 2017 for a fee around 21 million.

Coman spent his initial two seasons on loan at the Allianz Arena before making the deal permanent and has gone ahead to win four Bundesliga titles among others.

The winger also won league titles in France with PSG and Italy before joining the German League heavyweights.

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The UK music industry may not survive the dual threat of coronavirus and Brexit without government help, the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has warned (PA)

The UK music industry may not survive the dual threat of coronavirus and Brexit without government help, the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has warned.

The professional body for the UKs musicians has published a new report into the impact of the UKs exit from the EU on the music profession.

It said the sector was at a crossroads and in clear need of support from the Government to secure its survival.

Expand Close Glastonbury Festival was among the wave of music industry cancellations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Glastonbury Festival was among the wave of music industry cancellations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak (Yui Mok/PA)

The Covid-19 outbreak has had disastrous consequences for the music sector with cancellations, closures and the loss of work and livelihoods overnight, the body added.

It is calling on the Government to follow Germany and France in providing robust financial support for their cultural industries.

The ISM is also asking the Government to maintain support for musicians who are faced with hardship amid the crisis and calling for an extension of the transition period for two years beyond 2020.

Other suggestions include negotiating for cheap touring visas and ensuring UK copyright laws are not undermined in post-Brexit trade deals with the US or other countries.

Deborah Annetts, chief executive of the ISM, said: The UK music sector, which contributes 5.2bn to the economy each year, is facing ruin from the dual threats of Covid-19 and Brexit.

For many years, the ISM has been highlighting how essential it is for professional musicians to work easily across the EU. In this time of great uncertainty, musicians need to know that their livelihoods will be protected.

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Going straight from Covid-19 to the end of the transition period without ensuring enough time to negotiate new trading agreements will be devastating for the music profession and the wider music and creative industries.

Therefore, to avoid irreversible damage, we call for the Government to recover some of the time lost to Covid-19 by requesting an extension to the transition period.
Here are all COVID-19 updates you need to this Wednesday, May 11, 2020.

1. The number of cases in Kenya has hit 737 after 22 samples tested positive for the virus.

2. The death toll has hit 40 after four more people lost the battle to the disease while 22 people have also recovered bringing to 281 the total number of recoveries.

READ ALSO: Carry your cross: Martha Karua tells Tanga Tanga to leave her out of their Jubilee troubles

File photo. Global cases stand at 4.2 million. Photo: New York Times.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Madereva 25 kutokaTanzania wazuiwa kuingia Kenya baada ya kukutwa na coronavirus

3. The embassy of the United States (US) in Tanzania has warned its citizens of high cases of coronavirus in the country.

4. Reports have emerged that no testing of truck drivers has been going on at the Busia border by Kenya.

5. Four people have escaped from quarantine in Wajir after one of them tested positive.

6. Eight people have been arrested after secretly attending a burial in the coronavirus ravaged Tanzania.

7. More than 4.2 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded worldwide, including at least 291,000 deaths.

8. Russia has recorded more than 10,000 new cases of coronavirus in 11 consecutive days.

9. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health OrganiSation health emergencies programs has said coronavirus may never go away.

10. Ryan also said there was a long way before the virus ceased to be a pandemic.

11. Active cases in Italy have dropped below 80,000 for the first time since March.

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Brit Ltd. announced plans to launch Ki, the first fully digital and algorithmically driven Lloyds syndicate, in collaboration with Google Cloud.

Launching in 2021, Ki will be a follow-only syndicate, aiming to significantly reduce the amount of time and effort taken for brokers to place their follow capacity, creating greater efficiency, responsiveness and competitiveness.

Google Cloud will bring to Ki enterprise-grade cloud solutions powered by innovative technologies that enable rapid transformation at scale.

Kis algorithm will be able to evaluate Lloyds policies and will automatically quote for business through a digital platform which brokers can access directly. The selection process is performed using a proprietary algorithm developed with support from University College London and its Computer Science department.

Ki will follow several nominated lead syndicates across the Lloyds market, including Brit. Ki offers brokers a line on every risk in the selected classes led by these markets.

A standalone business, Ki will be backed by Brit, Fairfax and other private capital investors.

James Birch, head of Innovation at Brit, and the Brit Innovation team have led the incubation of Ki. Ki will be run by a dedicated team reporting to Mark Allan, group CFO at Brit, who will act as executive chair.

Ki is a significant milestone for our market, combining Brits heritage of underwriting outperformance and Google Clouds technology expertise. Over time, Ki will look to play a central role in the transformation of the specialist insurance market in London, creating a whole new and fully digital segment which operates seamlessly alongside the traditional marketplace, said Matthew Wilson, CEO, Brit, in a statement.

Recent events have demonstrated the importance of electronic trading, and I expect Ki to be at the forefront of the accelerated transition in how the Lloyds market transacts business. Through building a truly quantitative-based approach to insurance, Ki aims to do what quantitative hedge funds did to capital markets in the 1990s, Wilson added.

Adrian Poole, head of Financial Services, Google Cloud said: We are proud to be the cloud provider for Ki, and to collaborate with Brit to transform the London insurance market. As the first algorithmic syndicate, we see this as an exciting first step by Brit to support the Future at Lloyds vision and are delighted to bring our market-leading technologies to support this innovative venture.

Ki truly embraces all that is represented in The Future at Lloyds by bringing data, technology, innovation and artificial intelligence to the fore in the complex world of corporate and specialty underwriting. It is an exciting first for Lloyds and paves the way for others to follow, said John Neal, Lloyds of London CEO.

Source: Brit Ltd.

Related:

Topics Carriers Excess Surplus Lloyd's London
The number of COVID-19 cases in India has now gone up to 74,281, with 47,480 active cases. The death toll is at 2,415, while 24,385 patients have recovered.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has now gone up to 74,281, with 47,480 active cases. The death toll is at 2,415, while 24,385 patients have recovered. Maharashtra and Gujarat are currently leading in the number of fatalities caused by the novel coronavirus infection.

Indian firms sign deal with Gilead for Remdesivir

US Gilead Sciences was looking for partners all over the world to manufacture Remdesivir, its patented drug thats been identified as a potential therapy for COVID-19. The company has now signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with three Indian firms, Jubilant Life Sciences, Cipla and Hetero, to do so. Jubilant Life Sciences, a Noida-based company, also plans to produce the active pharmaceutical ingredient in-house to make it more low-cost and easily accessible to low and middle-income countries. Gilead has signed with two other firms, Mylan and Ferozson laboratories, and together all five companies with be producing the drug for 127 countries.

Thousands reach Delhi today as Indian Railways resumes limited services

The New Delhi - Bilaspur special train or 02441 Rajdhani Express became the first train to resume services as it departed the New Delhi railway station at 4 PM on May 12. It was the train departing from Ahmedabad at 6:30 PM that was the first to arrive at its destination in New Delhi with hundreds of passengers from Gujarat and Rajasthan. This was followed by the Rajdhani departing from Howrah, Patna and Mumbai. More trains are scheduled to depart and reach various destinations today. The Delhi government has assured all railway passengers that they will not need to be quarantined if they are asymptomatic, although thermal screening for all passengers is mandatory on arrival.

Vande Bharat Mission: 30,000 Indians to be evacuated from 31 nations in phase two

While the ongoing first phase of the Vande Bharat Mission involves evacuating Indian nationals from 12 countries via 64 Air India and Air India Express flights between May 7 and May 14, the second phase is already in the works as per the Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri. The minister announced that the second phase will be conducted between May 16 and May 22, and will involve 149 flights bringing 30,000 Indians back from 31 countries.

Agra Jail inmates test COVID-19 positive, all staff and prisoners to be tested

With more inmates testing COVID-19 positive at Agra Central Jail, all 1,350 prisoners and 112 jail staffers will now have to be tested for the infection too. After the death of a 60-year-old inmate, who tested positive on May 6, samples were collected from 12 more inmates, and 10 of them have tested positive for COVID-19. Jail authorities are still unclear as to how convicts got infected at all since visitors and outsiders have been banned since March 18. The Senior Superintendent of Agra Central Jail has assured that although the exact source of the infection cannot be determined, all staffers and convicts will be screened now.

For more information, read our article on All you wanted to know about Remdesivir.

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.
Republican voters, responding to Donald Trump's messaging about Covid-19, are less and less likely to fear getting sick from the sometimes-deadly virus  and, by large numbers, the president's supporters want their states to get back to business.

Those are some of the findings of a new poll that show, predictably, major splits among Republican and Democratic voters on the seriousness of the coronavirus and what should be the priorities of state governments and the Trump administration in responding to it.

Fifty-five per cent of Republicans surveyed in the new poll are more concerned about the ongoing US economic collapse than the any public health ramifications from the virus. What's more, 43 per cent of GOP voters said they feel it is more important for governments to address the spread of Covid-19 than fix the economy  down from 65 per cent in the last version of the poll, taken last month.

On the flip side, 72 per cent of Democrats responded they are more worried about public health than the state of the economy, according to the Morning Consult-POLITICO poll.

A majority (54 per cent) of independent voters, who will have a big say in November's election, say they are more worried about public health than the economy.

Overall, a majority of Americans surveyed (56 per cent) cited public health as a bigger concern than the cratering economy.

Yet, the poll uncovered a shift: That figure is an 8-percentage point drop from a version of the poll conducted one month ago.

Fifty-one percent of respondents said they are worried the country is opening too quickly. But when asked about their own state, 37 per cent responded too quickly, with an equal amount saying state leaders are moving at about the right speed.

The poll comes after Anthony Fauci, the federal government's top infectious disease expert, warned a Senate committee on Tuesday against opening states too soon.

He said governors should worry about "little spikes" that spawn outbreaks "you might not be able to control."

That puts him at odds with the president, who continues pushing governors to speed up their efforts to open their states. Mr Trump is banking on an economic recovery to help him win a second term come November.

"The people want to go back. The numbers are getting to a point where they can, and there just seems to be no effort on certain blue states to get back into gear. And the people aren't going to stand for it; they want to get back," Mr Trump told reporters during a Monday press conference.

"They're not going to stand for it. They want our country open," he added. "I want our country open too. I want it open safely, but I want it open."

As the virus continues to spread to rural areas, data compiled by The Johns Hopkins University shows the number of new cases each day had dropped this week before climbing to 84,500 on Tuesday, up from 75,900 new cases on Monday.
Whether the cuts eventually go deeper may depend on whether campus can reopen in the fall. Many college presidents are vowing to open, albeit with caveats. But this week brought news that California State University, the largest four-year college system in the country, will mostly continue online learning next semester. Georgetowns DeGioia said he will outline the universitys plan for the fall in the coming days.
(CNN) - The European Commission President on Wednesday outlined a plan to fund European recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, while warning that "we will not just go back to business as usual soon."

We have had economic slowdowns before but we have never had an economic shutdown like the last three months, President Ursula Von der Leyen said during an address to the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday.

The recovery instrument will be focused on those member states who have been most affected and where needs are the greatest, the European Unions top leader said, adding that the money for the recovery plan will be on top of the existing EU budget and will also be managed through rules of the budget.

That will give European lawmakers full scrutiny over how the money is managed and spent. Parliamentarians expressed concern last week over using rules where the Parliament would only be informed of decisions made on the recovery funds.

Von der Leyen did not mention exact numbers, but said she wants to present an ambitious relaunch plan for Europe.

In the plan presented by the EU leader, recovery will be financed across three pillars:

1. The bulk of the money will be spent in the first pillar which will, focus on supporting Member States to recover, repair and come out stronger from the crisis

2. Pillar two is for kick-starting the economy. The aim, the Commission hopes, is to make Europe more strategically resilient in key industries such as in the pharmaceutical sector.

3. The third pillar will bolster areas that have been critical to the blocs response such as the RescEU fund which has delivered humanitarian aid to EU member states as well as countries like the Central African Republic.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Europe "will not just go back to business as usual soon," top EU leader says"
VASSAR  The latest surge of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Tuscola County has been linked to the Wolverine Human Services Vassar treatment facility, where female residents and staff members have contracted the infection.

Upon completing COVID-19 testing of more than 175 youths and staff, as of May 11, testing showed that 25 of 38 girls tested were positive, with only three showing symptoms, according to a press release issued by the facility.

All of the female residents are now in a 14-day quarantine unit with staff members wearing full PPE.

Four staff members have also tested positive while showing no symptoms and are in quarantine for 14 days.

Meanwhile, 65 male residents have tested negative for COVID-19. Males and females reside in separate areas of the Vassar WHS campus.

WHS is a residential treatment facility helping teens that have suffered from drug abuse, mental issues, and physical trauma.

The facility actively follows all CDC guidelines, with employees having their temperatures taken before their shift begins, answering a COVID-19 screening questionnaire, washing their hands, and they are required to wear a mask at all times. Regular sanitizing and hand washing takes place in all buildings multiple times a day and everyone adheres to social distancing.

As we all work together through the COVID-19 pandemic, we are doing everything we can to keep our children and employees safe, said Judith Wollack, the CEO of Wolverine Human Services in a statement. We have isolation and quarantine units in place for the children and they are able to continue therapy and learning.

Tuscola and Huron County Health Officer Ann Hepfer said that WHS is working with the health department in containing the virus.

Wolverine Human Services has taken a proactive approach in combating this infection, Hepfer said in a statement. They were quick to identify it and took all the steps necessary to mitigate the spread. This is a highly infectious virus and in congregate settings such as these that have asymptomatic cases, it spreads very quickly. Testing, quarantine, isolation and strong infection control practices are in place and they are working in cooperation with Tuscola County Health Department.

As of May 12, Tuscola County has a total of 162 positive cases of COVID-19, with 17 deaths from the illness.
Suspect was in regular contact with Germany-based intelligence officer and passed on information, prosecutors say.

German prosecutors have charged an Indian man with spying on the Sikh community and Kashmir activists in Germany for Indias intelligence service for more than two years.

The federal prosecutors office said on Wednesday that espionage charges against the suspect, identified only as Balvir S in line with German privacy rules, were filed at a state court in Frankfurt.

He is accused of agreeing to pass information on Sikhs and the Kashmir movement and their relatives to an employee of Indias Research and Analysis Wing, the foreign intelligence agency of India, on or before January 2015.

According to prosecutors, the suspect was in regular telephone and personal contact with the Germany-based intelligence officer and passed on information in numerous cases until December 2017.

They did not specify whether he is in custody.

He allegedly provided information about figures in the Sikh opposition scene and the Kashmiri movement and their relatives in Germany, and passed this on to his handlers who were working at the Indian consulate general in Frankfurt, the higher regional court in the city said in a statement earlier this week.

The trial will open on August 25.

The same Frankfurt court convicted an Indian couple for spying on the same communities last December. The husband was handed a suspended prison sentence of 18 months for acting as a foreign intelligence agent and his wife was fined 180 days wages for aiding him.

India and Pakistan have disputed Kashmir since they became independent and split in 1947, with the nuclear rivals fighting two out of three wars over the region.

Tens of thousands of people have died in battles waged since 1989.
Sony posted its financial earnings from the previous quarter and the PlayStation 4 continues to move substantial numbers despite the global lockdowns and incoming successor. The company sold 1.5 million devices in just three months, reaching a total of 110.4 million consoles since its release. This includes all available configuration, including the Pro.

1.5 million sales in Q1 is a decline compared to last year, however, when Sony sold around 2.6 million consoles. Still seeing how the arrival of PlayStation 5 is just around the corner the number isn't as bad as it could have been. Also, Sony blames the overall weak console sales for the period along with the lower game sales.

For the fiscal year, Sony recorded a $3.8 billion revenue decrease compared to the previous 12-month period and the drop in consoles and game sales are one of the quoted reasons why.

Anyway, with the PlayStation 5 around the corner, it is highly unlikely that the current 4 will break any records despite the good run it had. PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS are still undisputed champions with roughly 157 and 155 million sales. Game Boy takes the third place with over 118 million units and PlayStation 4 takes the fourth position.

According to Sony, the PlayStation 5 launch is on schedule for this holiday season and remains unaffected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Source
"We are planning to resume on-campus instruction this Fall Term."

Those words certainly caught my attention when I was scrolling through my alma mater's email update the other day.

And today, the President of Washington & Lee University, William Dudley, will join us on the show to explain how and why the college intends to reopen.

A quick word about W&L: it's a 1,700-student campus situated in a 6,000-person town in the middle of rural western Virginia. This is not a dense urban environment at all. I expect that's partly why the college is able to go ahead with planning for classes on campus this fall, even as the entire California State University system just announced their classes will be "primarily virtual."

That's not to say it will be without its challenges, though. I'm curious what those classes will look like; fewer students, more spread out? What about the calendar? Fewer breaks to return home? Students encouraged to stay on campus instead of driving to larger nearby cities? What about the dorms? What about sports, and what about the dining hall?

The other day, Choice Hotels CEO Pat Pacious told us he's already heard from colleges asking about using his hotels for student living, in part because of social distancing, and in part because study abroad programs are likely to see way lesser participation this year, meaning lots more students on campus than usual.

None of this is ideal, obviously, but the alternative--virtual learning--could severely damage many of the colleges that go that route. The parents and students I know in my town are all saying they'll either defer their admission for a year or switch to a campus that is open. Very few people want to pay a ton of dough or take out huge loans for online learning while sitting at home.

And that's what President Dudley also referenced in announcing his decision to reopen campus: his commitment to preserve "continuity of employment" for W&L's faculty and staff.

I'm sure that's a huge relief to Lexington, which, like many towns and cities these days, depends heavily on its colleges for employment and economic growth. In fact, I wrote about this in The Wall Street Journal back in March 2009.

"Looking for a job? Try a college town," was our lede (that's newspaper-speak for "intro") during that economic crisis. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 recession is different. College towns--even the ones that do reopen--are likely to be among the hardest-hit.

See you at 1 p.m...

Kelly

P.S. The Exchange is now a podcast! Click to subscribe and never miss an interview.

Twitter: @KellyCNBC

Instagram: @realkellyevans
PITTSBURGH, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "While traveling to my fishing spot, my string guides were breaking which was becoming expensive," said an inventor from Corpus Christi, Texas. "This inspired me to develop a means to stabilize a series of fishing rods while traveling."

He developed the ANGLERS ROD HOLDER which allows numerous fishing rods to be transported on one device where they are equally spaced to prevent them from interfering with each other. This invention would reduce drag and stress on the rods while they were being transported. Additionally, it would feature a sleek appearance.

The original design was submitted to the national sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-KOC-1310, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

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Has a mighty swing of the political pendulum finally come in California? Has political sleaze finally flipped a Democrat stronghold? Have the blue-state lockdown orders finally snapped voters to their senses?

Sure looks like it  a red shockwave, as Breitbart News put it. Former Navy fighter pilot Mike Garcia, a Republican endorsed by President Trump, looks set for a huge upset win in California's special election for House District 25. At last count, he had a 12-percentage-point margin of victory.

According to the Ventura County Star:

Republican Mike Garcia assumed a commanding lead over Democrat Christy Smith in a nationally watched special election Tuesday for a 25th Congressional District both parties see as their turf. As of midnight, with more than 142,000 votes counted in an election conducted almost totally by mail because of COVID-19, Garcia held 56% of the vote. Smith had 44% and trailed by more than 17,000 votes.

That's in the race for the congressional seat vacated by scandal-ridden Democrat Katie Hill, who resigned in disgrace after introducing us all to the word "throuple," and getting herself under investigation for an affair with a young intern and a political operative, strictly forbidden by Congress's own laws. She also treated us to naked pictures of her tattooed self smoking a bong, which surfaced on the internet, something she said was the work of an embittered ex-husband. Seems that being that third one in the throuple is tough. The Democrat went out with a proud red dress, casting her last vote for President Trump's impeachment, and has since been ignored by other congressmembers, despite her insistence that she still matters.

So yecch, sure enough, the voters out in Reagan Country, places like Simi Valley and the Santa Clarita-Valencia Ranch in the district, went in sufficient numbers for the Republican, apparently putting Garcia not just over the top, but over by a wide margin.

He ran a stellar campaign, according to former Gov. Pete Wilson, the grand old man of once-red California (and a really nice guy) who's the emblem of what California used to be before the state turned itself into a one-party-state blue disaster. Good candidates matter. His opponent, a far leftist, actually insulted Garcia's military record:

Christy denigrating her Hispanic opponent for his military service was a death knell for her campaign. It surely didn't help that she didn't work the Simi Valley district well at all.  Marcus S. (@goodwillfiction) May 13, 2020

It always helps a good candidate to have a stupid opponent.

Did it help that the stupid opponent had the hearty endorsement of nearby Rep. Adam Schiff? Gonna guess no.

The implication was dramatic:

If Mike Garcia (R)'s lead over Christy Smith (D) in #CA25 holds, and chances look pretty good it will, he'll become the only House Republican from a district Hillary Clinton won with more than 50% of the vote.  Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) May 13, 2020

There's also reason to think the petty tyrannies of state and county officials over the coronavirus pandemic, supposedly temporary, but in reality extending, had something to do with this, as Thomas Lifson predicted earlier might happen:

LA Residents didn't listen to @MayorOfLA orders to STAY-AT-HOME. Instead they gave @realDonaldTrump a VICTORY. With 76% reporting Republican Mike Garcia in leading BIG in CA-25. DNC invested heavily in an expensive special election race in a district they won by 9% in 2018 pic.twitter.com/tjCASD6Zzw  Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) May 13, 2020

But Garcia didn't hold a victory party just yet. Here was his tweet:

We all know why. The odious prospect of ballot-harvesting, to acquire just enough ballots to flip the race, is now in the works. Ballot-harvesters working on behalf of the Democrats are going into overtime to turn in another 17,000-plus uncast ballots, and they have till Friday to "find" them. Back when Hill won her seat in 2018, extensive use of ballot-harvesting had been employed, much more than in many other races. The famous video of "Lulu," a ballot-harvester at work, happened in this very district won by Hill.

The New York Times is reporting that mail-in ballots, which had been touted by Gov. Gavin Newsom, also were likely a factor  elderly white voters tend to embrace mail-in voting, while other voters, including Hispanics, are less likely to mail theirs in. That's a golden opportunity for the harvesters, who are on the job now, "helping" such voters to fill those ballots out, maybe even now, given that nobody has to prove much of anything about when the votes were collected because the chain of custody is entirely broken.

Still, it's a huge threshold to beat, and it's made worse for them by the fact that Judicial Watch recently forced Los Angeles County (where District 25 is partly situated) to clean up its voter rolls. Though we expect they will try to make it happen, it's way tougher when the margin starts out high and the empty mailboxes full of live ballots are less plentiful. Worse still, the Democrats, still smarting from repeated failed efforts to Get Trump, and saddled with a Jurassic standard-bearer for president, have an enthusiasm gap these days anyway. Can they find enough people to "find" 17,000-plus-one extra votes? We know they are capable of anything. All the same, cheating's harder when the race isn't close, and this one sure isn't.

The Times already is trying to say it's a nothingburger, too, claiming that the seat will be held for only about a half a year before a rematch, and Democrats may try to play it down.

If the ballot-harvesters don't manage to reverse this result, though, it's not a small deal; it's a big one, proof that California may not be as blue as the pundits claim it is and, with the factors cited, likely to see some repeats in some of these other historically red districts that have fallen to ballot-harvesting in the past. Nothingburger? Rest assured that they will continue to downplay this. But let's see how small a deal this really is.

Image credit: Pixabay public domain.
With both red and blue states facing massive funding gaps due to the economic impact of the coronavirus, Republican and Democrat governors have called on Congress to pass legislation that would help address the problem.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, in their respective roles as chair and vice chair of the National Governors Association, voiced their support for the $3trn coronavirus relief package unveiled on Tuesday in a show of bipartisanship.

With widespread bipartisan agreement on the need for this assistance, we cannot afford a partisan process that turns this urgent relief into another political football. This is not a red state and blue state crisis. This is a red white and blue pandemic. The coronavirus is apolitical. It does not attack Democrats or Republicans. It attacks Americans, a statement from the governors said.

The bill includes nearly $1trn in long-sought assistance for state and local governments, though the top Senate Republican had already bashed the proposal.

At his daily coronavirus press briefing on Tuesday, Governor Cuomo said that New York alone needed $61bn in federal funding. He called on both Congress and President Donald Trump to support a bill that would address such funding gaps.

This economy has been damaged through no fault of anyone, he said. But to get this economy back up again and running, we are going to need an intelligent stimulus bill from Washington.

He stressed that funding is needed for police officers, teachers and other local and state employees and warned against repeating the corporate-focused bailouts following the 2008 financial crisis.

Dont do it again, said Mr Cuomo, referring to how 2008 federal bailouts were used by big banks in part to pay large bonuses to executives. No handouts to greedy corporations, no political pork, and no partisanship.

Without federal funding, New York could face spending cuts of 20 per cent to crucial services such as education, health and policing. The governor also called for funding for testing and tracing of the virus.

Mr Cuomo is also proposing what he referred to as The Americans First Law, which would state that if a corporation receives a bailout and then does not rehire the same number of employees, it must return any Covid-19 relief funds it received.

The governor reiterated a longer term goal about better investment in infrastructure, and highlighting how the last four presidents had made it a priority to address crumbling highways, airports and utilities, but failed to deliver.

This bill shouldn't just reopen America, it should reimagine America, Mr Cuomo said.

He would also like a repeal of the law that eliminated the state and local tax deduction  especially punitive to residents of states such as New York.

Since early March, Congress has passed bills allocating $3trn to combat the pandemic, including money for individuals and companies to blunt an economic impact that saw the unemployment rate surge to 14.7 per cent in April, as US job losses hit levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

To date the packages have not addressed the tax revenues lost by the individual states, many of which are facing huge budget shortfalls and are scrambling to find money to pay the salaries of police officers and other public workers, and to pay for schools.

With reporting from Reuters
Today's award for "Asshole in a Time of Crisis" goes to the man who was recently spotted wearing a Ku Klux Klan Hood to a grocery store in Santee, California. According to the man, it was meant as a mask to protect him from the coronavirus (or the KKKoronaviruSS as he would probably spell it) and was not to be taken as a racial statement.

This makes sense as wearing a KKK outfit only carries hateful, racist connotations when you are actively trying to be racist and hateful. Otherwise, it serves to be an effective mask, as this man would surely point out, or as an emergency tablecloth, or a spooky ghost costume for Halloween. Don't ask him why he had access to a Klan hood in the first place. That's not important. What's important is that the crossed-shaped pattern burned into your lawn wasn't meant to be taken as a racial statement. This guy was just trying to help you exterminate a cross-shaped pattern of ants.

The man in the hood was asked many times by Vons' staff to remove his "mask," though he refused, most likely confused by why so many people would want him to feel unsafe and certainly unaware of the concept of irony. He was never identified nor charged with a crime, but later did admit that "It was a mask and it was stupid." Stupid? Stupid is responding with "you too" when someone says "happy birthday." The word you were looking for was "racist" or perhaps "dangerous" or even "a wake-up call that I need to change my life to the point where I don't have so many KKK hoods lying around that I grab one in lieu of a mask."
Tee-Shirt Initiative Promotes Solidarity, Support for Healthcare Workers During Social Distancing Era

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Konrad von Walther

May 13, 2020







PORTLAND, Ore., May 13, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- The new "Catch This Heart" tee-shirt initiative seeks to promote unity among those having to socially distance as they weather the COVID pandemic. All of the profits go to charity or to support free mental healthcare services for those in need.



Launched by a mental healthcare provider, the tee-shirt program and the funds it raises are designed to: "bring people together through mission and purpose," according to Konrad von Walther, a licensed clinical social worker and the shirt's creator and designer. "The project's focus is building heart and hope bridges, transcending the boundaries brought on by social distancing. We are a community of many persons but of one heart, seeking joy, compassion, peace, and freedom from fear. We have an awareness that we are only here for a short time and that brevity gives life its beauty and value. Knowing this too shall pass makes each moment infinitely precious!"



The tee-shirt uses the word COVID-19 as an acronym for a message of hope:

Compassion

Observation

Values

Ingenuity

Day at a time

19 seconds at a time

The shirt sells for $16.95, 900 of this one time production left, and all profits are distributed as follows: 60% to Harbor of Hope, a non-profit that works to provide housing for those in need, 30% (15% to each of the following) to support free services at mental health practices: Blanchet House and Lines for Life, 10% to the Sandy Community Action Center.



The initiative has also been a lifeline to small Portland-area manufacturer BigFrog during this economic down turn.



catchthisheart.com


The head of convenience retailer and wholesaler Musgrave NI has said an increase in some stores' sales has not made up for a fall in other parts of the business since the start of lockdown.

The Cork-based business owns nearly 300 stores in Northern Ireland, with Centra, SuperValu, Mace and Daybreak all in its portfolio.

Musgrave NI managing director Michael McCormack said many stores had experienced a rise in business, particularly those in housing estates and rural areas.

He added that across such stores the average transaction value had risen by between 25pc and 30pc per visit.

But he said others, such as Centra stores in Belfast city centre, had closed due to their usual footfall from office workers being cut off.

The food-service part of the business, which supplies hospitality businesses like restaurants and bars, had suffered, he said. As did parts of the business which supply alcohol - including Drinks Inc, the distributor Musgrave took over last year.

Mr McCormack told the 'Belfast Telegraph' that as the year goes on and restrictions are lifted, he believes hospitality sales will go up.

"It's not clear how long will it take to get back to where it was but I think middle or end of next year," he said.

Musgrave employs around 1,500 people in Northern Ireland.

It is one of the island's biggest businesses, and reported sales of 3.9bn in 2018, with pre-tax profits of 85m. Out of that overall number, the company had sales of 0.1bn at its Mace stores.

In Northern Ireland, it has 96 Centras, 35 SuperValus, 88 Maces and 82 DayToday shops.

Mr McCormack was appointed managing director of Musgrave Wholesale Partners earlier this year but continues in his former role of Northern Ireland managing director for Musgrave, after the process of finding a successor was interrupted by the pandemic.

There has also been a push to keep staff and customers safe during the pandemic.

"We rolled perspex screens out across all our locations north and south. Management decided it was the right thing to do and we did that sooner than a lot of others," said Mr McCormack.

"We looked at our opening hours, we brought in a lot of hand sanitiser and introduced social-distancing. We've probably spent about 300,000 (339,477) at this stage but that's going to grow as you need to keep people safe and you'll need to continue buying sanitiser."

But that rush to fill cupboards at the start of the pandemic hasn't offset the losses elsewhere.

"We have our cash and carry business, Marketplace, supplying retailers and food-service - that's been severely impacted," he said.

Drinks Inc services the on-trade market of pubs and restaurants, as well as the independent off-trade market.

"What we're seeing is a rise in sales to off-licences but that doesn't compensate at all for loss of revenue into the on-trade business and obviously for the loss of revenue on food service with restaurants and hotels closed, though we would still have public sector business and nursing homes.

"In the context of our alcohol distribution turnover, we're seen the loss of over half of that turnover."

He sums it up as "a story of two halves".

"SuperValu and Centra food market stores are seeing significant sales uplifts in rural towns or housing estates. But if you then go to Centras or Mace stores on transient routes, they're being hugely affected. No-one is travelling, there are no fuel sales and deli operations have had to close," he said.

"So they've been severely impacted. And a number of city centre stores are closed. The future for those stores depends on how the restrictions are removed.

"Our city centre stores rely on people being in offices, so only when there's people back to work in the city centre will it be viable for those to reopen."

In his own business, he says that home working has worked successfully among the office-based colleagues.

"In the long term, does that mean will people in offices work differently? Probably, yes, even in next six months we don't see everyone coming back to the office, purely because we have to implement social distancing and it will be a changed process," said Mr McCormack.

"Further down the line, the focus will be on working with retailers in city centres and making sure when they reopen that they can attract customers and trade in a way that takes account of what's going on in terms of Covid."
The city of Mumbai, located on the west coast of India, was formerly known as Bombay or Bombay. Mumbai is also called the gateway of India and also the city of dreams. Do you know that this city is formed from seven small lava-forming islands and they are connected with major plots by bridges. Although the history of Mumbai is very old, but an interesting incident happened with this city in the 17th century, today we are going to tell you about the same incident about which very few people would know.

This banana tree will fill the stomach of the entire village, video goes viral

Ancient remains found near Kandivali in North Mumbai suggest that the Mumbai Islands have been inhabited since the Stone Age. People used to live here even in 250 BCE. Written proof is also available. This archipelago also became part of the Mauryan Empire in the third century BC, when Emperor Ashoka ruled. Later it was ruled by many kings of the empire. The Portuguese attacked it for the first time in the 15th century when the Mumbai Islands were under the occupation of the Gujarat Sultanate. However, he could not capture it at that time. After this, he once again attacked the Mumbai Islands in 1534 AD. Then the Sultan of Gujarat was captured by Bahadur Shah, who was captured by the Portuguese and took possession of this island group. After that, he ruled this island group for many years.

WoW! This lady rescued the lion from forest, see what happened when they met after a gap

When the British came to India for the first time in the early 17th century, they also got their eyes on Mumbai Islands, because by that time this island had become an important commercial center. They also say that there were many disputes between the British and the Portuguese on this island group. Later, the dispute between the two ended when the King of Portugal decided to marry his daughter Catherine to King Charles II of England. In 1661 AD, Princess Catherine of Portugal and King Charles II of England were married. Although Portugal gave a lot to England in this wedding, but the most important thing that it gave was the Mumbai Islands. Portugal gave Mumbai as dowry to the King of England. However later, King Charles II leased the Mumbai Islands to the East India Company at a rate of only  10 per year. In this way, the British occupied Mumbai, which remained till the independence of India.

This king had 365 queens and more than 50 children
In late March, when it seemed like nearly everything had closed, South Carolinians continued to come to the beach. It felt like one of the last things to do, and especially for people who live a quick walk or drive from the ocean, a day at the beach was the answer to their cabin fever.

But, as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state grew, so did the concerns about people congregating on coastline. In the Charleston area, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island established checkpoints that only allowed residents onto their islands.

On March 30, Gov. Henry McMaster made the call to close all public beach access points in the state.

That order was lifted a few weeks ago, on April 20, but some sections of the state's coastline are just reopening this week. Island communities in the Charleston area decided to ease up their restrictions more gradually.

This upcoming weekend will be the first one since closures began that Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island will not have checkpoints in place.

We sat down with reporters Chloe Johnson and Mikaela Porter to talk about how coastal communities enforced beach access rules, what restrictions still remain and why beach reopenings nearly led to a Charleston-area legal battle. Listen to find out.

How to listen:

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The Anti-Defamation League is warning that hatred against Jews could be another consequence of the coronavirus, with the deadly pandemic erupting against the backdrop of a 73% increase in the number of anti-Semitic incidents reported in New Jersey in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the entire country on edge, the ADLs national CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, said during a teleconference Tuesday morning to discuss the anti-Semitism watchdog groups annual report on incidents of anti-Jewish hate in the region and nationwide. As things get harder economically and socially, theres a real risk of Jews being scapegoated.

Greenblatt and others were referring to high-profile incidents during the coronavirus outbreak in which some members of the regions Orthodox Jewish communities have been cited for holding large gatherings in violation of social distancing orders.

In New Jersey, there have been several incidents in which members of the Orthodox Jewish community of Lakewood have been issued summonses for violating Gov. Phil Murphys executive order barring large gatherings.

The ADL defines an anti-Semitic incident as harassment, vandalism, assault or other forms of violence against individuals or institutions specifically because of their Jewish identity. The organization bases its annual count on police reports, on its own online complaint form, and on cases that come to its attention in other ways, including news articles that it then attempts to verify independently, said Alex Rosenberg, the organizations regional deputy director for New York and New Jersey.

Nationwide, the 2,107 incidents compiled by the ADL for 2019 marked a 12% increase over the previous year and an all-time high recorded by the organization, the ADL said.

A graph depicting trends for anti-Semitic incidents in New Jersey.Anti-Defamation League

In New Jersey, the 345 incidents in 2019 were up 73% from the 200 incidents the year before, Rosenberg said.

New Yorks total also rose more sharply than the nationwide figure, though less steeply than New Jerseys, with the 430 incidents recorded for the Empire State in 2019, 26% higher than in 2018. Combined, the two states made up 37 percent of all anti-Semitic incidents in the country. Thats a staggering number, Rosenberg said.

Greenblatt said some of the regions rise in incidents were likely attributable to an increasing willingness among victims and others to report incidents. In New Jersey  a state of about 9 million residents, including an estimated 590,000 to 600,000 Jews  Rosenberg said state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal had encouraged residents to speak out by expanding the definition of a bias-crime, overhauling how local law enforcement agencies investigate, track and report bias-related incidents state authorities.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Among last years incidents cited by the ADL was the Dec. 10 deadly shooting targeting a kosher grocery store in Jersey City, which left five people dead, including the stores co-owner and a customer, who were Jewish, a non-Jewish employee, and the two suspects, who authorities say had ties to one of the most extreme factions of the Black Hebrew Israelites group.

Authorities say the suspects also shot and killed a Jersey City police officer just prior to the raging gun battle at the store, which was next door to a Jewish school where more than 30 children were in class.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center likewise singled out the Jersey City shooting as one of the worlds worst incidents of anti-Semitism in 2019 in its annual survey in December.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019 - Clleanup at the scene of a shooting the day before at a kosher grocery store on Martin Luther King Blvd. in Jersey City.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A growing hot spot for anti-Semitic incidents in New Jersey is Ocean County, which went from having the fourth most incidents in 2018, with 21, to the most of any county in the state in 2019, at 54 incidents. Ocean, which is home to a large and fast-growing Orthodox Jewish community centered around Lakewood, displaced Bergen County as having the most anti-Semitic incidents. Bergen, which is also home to a large Jewish population, nonetheless saw an increase in the number of reported incidents last year, to a total of 52, up from 36 in 2018, Rosenberg said.

Part of why Lakewood has had so many incidents  including the slashing of 150 tires on 56 cars in one case last August  is the rapid growth of the Orthodox community, whose male members are highly recognizable in their distinct black apparel and head coverings, Rosenberg said. Greenblatt said social media has helped spread hate and he called on industry leaders to better police their platforms or agree to monitoring by third parties. And the now-defunct Rise Up Ocean County public Facebook page was a magnet for speech that many considered hateful, including Facebook, which took down the page in February, citing repeated violations of its hate-speech policy.

ADL officials acknowledged that the large gatherings organized by certain individuals in Lakewood during the coronavirus outbreak could provide an excuse for anti-Semites to act out against the Orthodox community there. But Rosenberg said Jewish religious authorities had encouraged strict compliance with social distancing orders, which are consistent with the Jewish principle of pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life above all else.

In New York City, Mayor Bill DeBlasio was widely criticized last month for being inflammatory when he tweeted, my message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is simple: the time for warnings has passed, a tweet DeBlazio defended as being about saving lives. Period.

But New Jerseys governor has consistently opted for the non-sectarian knuckleheads when condemning violators of his social distancing orders, and Rosenberg said Murphy had avoided using inflammatory language.

I dont think he has singled out any group, said Rosenberg.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat whose 5th Congresssional District includes parts of Bergen County, issued a statement in response to the ADL report, saying repeated incidents of anti-Semitism posed a threat to safety in communities everywhere.

This should be a wake-up call to every single resident of the magnitude of the crisis we are facing here in New Jersey and across the country," Gottheimer stated. We desperately need concerted action at all levels of government to ensure that there is truly no place for hate in New Jersey, in our local communities, or anywhere in our nation.

This map indicates a county-by-county breakdown of anti-Semitic incidents recorded by the Anti-Defamation League.Anti-Defamation League

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Jonathan Salant contributed to this article.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
The draft will be submitted for Duma consideration in the coming days.

The administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin has drafted a bill that will allow remote voting, including by mail, in elections at various levels.

The draft will be submitted for State Duma consideration in the coming days. New legislation will allow the Central Election Commission to introduce a voting mechanism amid quarantine "to protect the health of citizens," as reported by journalists with the Proekt publication.

The tools being offered include voting by post, online vote, and other forms of casting ballots beyond polling stations. In addition, the law may allow for an early vote in the elections to the State Duma, as well as presidential elections.

Read alsoKremlin spokesman Peskov confirms he has contracted COVID-19  Russian media

On the other hand, sources in the ruling United Russia Party claim this form of voting is generally beneficial to the authorities. It may allow "better control" of the result, the report reads, hinting at a massive rigging potential.

New forms of voting will also be needed during the nationwide poll on the Constitution amendments, which resets the count of Vladimir Putin's presidential terms, thus allowing his rule to be extended.
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In a sharp spike,



ten people, four of them who had flown infrom abroad recently, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Kerala on Wednesday as the numbers of those under treatment for the infection climbed to 41.

Of this, three are from Malappuram, two each from Wayanad and Palakkad districts and one each from Kottayam, Kannur and Kozhikode districts.

While four of the infected had come from abroad, two from Chennai and four had been infected through contact, a government press release said.

Two police personnel of the Manathavadypolice station in Wayanad have tested positveand are contacts of the truck driver who had returned from Koyambedu market in Chennai and infected 10 people.

Wayanad district collector Adila Abdulla said samples of all those who had come in contact with the truck driver would once again be tested.

The driver's wife and daughter and grand child were among those who were infected.His daughter's samples had earlier been negative.

The sample of a man from Kollam has returned negative on Wednesday.

According tothe release, 490 people have been cured in the state and 41 are presently under treatment in various hospitals.

At least 34,447 people are under observation, 494 in various hospitals,it said.

It said 39,380 samples (including Augmented samples) were sent for testing of which results of 35,509 samples received are negative.

Besides this, as part of 'sentinel surveillance', (health and migrant workers and those having high social contact) 4,268 samples were collected of which 4,065 were negative.

There are no new hotspots in the state on Wednesday.

The state has so far reported three COVID-19 fatalities, including a four-month old baby girl.

Kerala has been wintessing a steady increase in the coronavirus cases with non-resident Keralites, stranded abroad and other states, returning to the state.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said elaborate arrangements for testing those coming to the state by road, rail, flights and ships would be made.

"We are entering a new phase of COVID-19 prevention as 'Pravasi' (expatriates) Malayalaees are returning.It will be a big challenge to keep those coming from hotspots safe," Vijayan said on Tuesday.

For several days in recent weeks, the state had reported either nil or fresh cases in single digits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 13, 2020] Community Bank System, Inc. Announces Regulatory Approvals Received for Merger with Steuben Trust Corporation

Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) (the "Company") announced that it has received the regulatory approvals from its primary regulators, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, necessary to complete the proposed merger (the "Merger") with Steuben Trust Corporation ("Steuben"), as well as the approval from the New York State Department of Financial Services. The Merger is expected to close on June 12, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. Mark E. Tryniski, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, stated, "We are excited to have the approvals from the OCC and the Federal Reserve for our merger with Steuben. Steuben's and Community Bank's teams have been focused on integration planning for the Merger to insure a seamless transition for our customers. I would like to thank both teams for their efforts during these unprecedented times to continue to provide high quality and responsive financial services to our customers while navigating new measures to protect our employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to being able to provide a larger branch network and the full array of financial services Community Bank has to offer to our new customers in Western New York." On October 21, 2019, the Company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Steuben, the parent company of Steuben Trust Company, a New York State chartered bank headquartered in Hornell, New York. Steuben currently operates 14 branch locations in Western New York. The acquisition will extend the Company's footprint into two new counties in Western New York State and enhance the Company's presence generally in Western New York State. About Community Bank System, Inc. Community Bank System, Inc. operates over 230 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts through its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A. With assets of approximately $11.8 billion, the DeWitt, N.Y. headquartered company is among the country's 125 largest financial institutions. In addition to a full range of retail, business, and municipal banking services, the Company offers comprehensive financial planning, insurance and wealth management services through its Community Bank Wealth Management Group and OneGroup NY, Inc. operating units. The Company's Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. Community Bank System, Inc. i listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company's stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about Community Bank visit www.cbna.com or http://ir.communitybanksystem.com.



Important Information for Investors and Shareholders The Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)") a registration statement on Form S-4 containing a proxy statement of Steuben and a prospectus of the Company, and the Company will file other documents with respect to the proposed merger. A definitive proxy statement/prospectus was mailed to shareholders of Steuben. Investors and shareholders of Steuben are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus and the other materials that were filed with the SEC carefully because they contain important information. Investors and shareholders are able to obtain a free copy of the proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about the Company at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). You are also able to obtain these documents, free of charge from Steuben at www.steubentrust.com/about/investor-relations.html or from the Company by accessing its website at www.cbna.com under the heading of "Investor Relations" and then "SEC Filings & Annual Report." Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Steuben Trust Corporation, One Steuben Square, Hornell, New York 14843, Attention: Investor Relations, Telephone: (866) 783-8236, or to Community Bank System, Inc., 5790 Widewaters Parkway, DeWitt, New York 13214, Attention: Investor Relations, Telephone: (315) 445-2282.

Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the words "will," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "target," and words of similar import. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead express only management's current beliefs regarding future results or events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of management's control. The following factors, among others listed in Company's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings, could cause the actual results of the Company's operations to differ materially from the Company's expectations: the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the negative impacts and disruptions on the Company's colleagues, the communities it serves, and the domestic and global economy, which may have an adverse effect on the Company's business; the timing to consummate the proposed merger; the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed merger may not be satisfied; the parties' ability to achieve the synergies and value creation contemplated by the proposed merger; the parties' ability to successfully integrate operations in the proposed merger; the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on the ability of Steuben to maintain relationships with its key partners, customers and employees, and on its operating results and business generally; competition; changes in economic conditions, interest rates and financial markets; the successful integration of operations of its acquisitions; and changes in legislation or regulatory requirements. The Company does not assume any duty to update forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005502/en/

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1. Billeting:

During your stay at Ft Sill, you will be billeted in a Pre-designated BOQ. Room reservations will be made for you by the Pre-Command Course Manager. Fort Sill falls under the MTSS order; so ensure your orders reflect the "Lodging and Meals will be paid by MTSS"



2. Transportation:



From the Lawton Municipal Airport:

BOQ Shuttle Bus: This free service is available 24 hours a day. Just pick up the courtesy phone located in the south end of the terminal.

This free service is available 24 hours a day. Just pick up the courtesy phone located in the south end of the terminal. Taxi: Many to choose from, cost is approx. $6.00.

Many to choose from, cost is approx. $6.00. Rental Car: To the BOQ (bldg 5676), when exiting the airport turn Left on to 11th Street, right on Sheridan Road, right on Geronimo Road, then right on Fergusson Road.

From Oklahoma City: Travel west on I-44 towards Lawton, exit at Key Gate. To the BOQ (bldg 5676), turn right onto Sheridan Road, left at the first traffic light, then right on Fergusson Road.

Travel west on I-44 towards Lawton, exit at Key Gate. To the BOQ (bldg 5676), turn right onto Sheridan Road, left at the first traffic light, then right on Fergusson Road. From Wichita Falls: Travel east on I-44 towards Lawton, exit Key Gate. To the BOQ (bldg 5676), turn left onto Sheridan Road, turn left at the first traffic light, then right on Fergusson Road. To the Comanche House (bldg 460) turn left onto Sheridan Road, then turn right at the first traffic light.

Student Telephones: Student Telephones are located in the General Officer's Lounge.

Student Telephones are located in the General Officer's Lounge. Message Phone Numbers: Messages will be taken at the following DSN numbers; 639-4509 or Commercial (580) 442-4509. Messages will be forwarded to you promptly.

Messages will be taken at the following DSN numbers; 639-4509 or Commercial (580) 442-4509. Messages will be forwarded to you promptly. Fax Phone Number: Fax's can be sent to DSN 639-6800 or Commercial @ (580) 442-6800

Fax's can be sent to DSN 639-6800 or Commercial @ (580) 442-6800 To place a call:

Long Distance: Dial 97 + Area Code + number

Local on post: for 442 # dial 2 + Last 4 digits for 458 # dial 8 + last 4 digits

Off post: access class A line dial 99 + number

Student Rank/Name

Pre Command Course

745 Geronimo Rd

Fort Sill, Oklahoma 73503

A secret clearance is required for this course. Have your security manager ensure your signed Non Discloser Agreement is in JPASThe uniform for the Field Artillery Pre-Command Course is ACU's. If you are promotable, bring your next higher rank insignia for your command photograph. If you choose to do PT; please bring your PT Belt; as this is required when running on Fort Sill. Casual (open collar) civilian attire will be required to attend the social.Sick call is provided at Reynolds Army Community Hospital Emergency Room.GOVERNMENT RATIONS ARE AVAILABLE and FUNDED UNDER MTSS (If desired, students will be supplied with a meal card)MTSS Orders: Utilization of dining facility is requiredIf you will be receiving any mail, please notify the Course Manager; this will avoid any possible delay in delivery after arrival to FT Sill.Field Artillery Pre-Command Course: Mr. Michael Wright (580) 442-0997Air Defense Artillery Pre-Command Course: Mr. John M. Blankenship (580) 442-0646
The British Royal Family came together in a rare video call released Tuesday to pay tribute to nurses from across the world. The call marked International Nurses Day and was led by Queen Elizabeth II.

Also taking part were Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Prince William and his wife Catherine (the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), Princess Anne, and Sophie, Duchess of Wessex.

They were all seen chatting online with nurses from various parts of the world.

The video was posted on Kensington Palace's Twitter account. Members of the royal family have been sending messages of support to people working on the frontline during the coronavirus pandemic since the start of the outbreak.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:

Iran is able to fully provide for the import of necessary products, said Director General of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Abdul-Nasser Hemmati, Trend reports citing CBIs official website.

According to Hemmati, neighboring countries have taken preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus in Iran, as most border customs are closed, most exchange offices have been closed as well.

Hemmati added that despite these, over the past 50 days, the CBI and non-oil exporters have provided $2.5 billion worth of funds.

Hemmati said that about 50 percent of these funds have been provided through the NIMA system.

"With the gradual recovery of Iran's oil and non-oil exports, the Central Bank predicts that non-oil exports and foreign exchange reserves will bounce back," he said.

Hemmati said that Iranian citizens can invest in stock exchange, banking, real estate, currency, gold. However, the risk of investing in the foreign exchange market is high.

Iran's foreign trade turnover exceeded $3.5 billion in the first month of the current Iranian year (March 20-April 19, 2020). Iran exported $1.6 billion worth of product and imported products worth $1.9 billion in total.

Following the devaluation in Iran in 2018, the Central Bank of Iran applied the sale of part of the currency earned from exports at the rate set by the NIMA system, taking into account the difference between the black market and the official exchange rate. Iranian exporters sold 1.2 billion euros to banks at the NIMA exchange rate (the exchange rate created for exporters to sell a portion of their export earnings to banks) during March 20-May 10, 2020,

According to the currency exchange rate of the Central Bank of Iran, $1 equals 42,000 rials, 1 euro equals 46,000 rials, based on the exchange rate offered to banks, $1 equals 160,000 rials, 1 euro equals 176,000 rials (SANA), $1 equals 137,000 rials (NIMA) and 1 euro equals 169,000 rials.
- 6 immigration officers promoted for rejecting GHC1,900 bribe

- They rejected the money for some Burkinabes who wanted to enter Ghana illegally through unapproved routes

- The Ghana Immigration Service is the main security agency in charge of Ghanas land borders

- Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has promoted six junior rank officers for their dedication to duty and the fight against COVID-19 disease in Ghana.

According to a statement from the GIS, the five of the officers rejected a GH1,900 bribe offer and the sixth also put his life on the line while pursuing some smugglers.

The statement further narrated that the five, who were serving under the Northern Regional Immigration Command on May 3, 2020, intercepted and arrested the Burkinabes at the Savelugu inland immigration checkpoint after the foreign nationals entered Ghana illegally through unapproved routes.

READ ALSO: 10 COVID-19 hotspots in Ghana

The names of the officers were given as Assistant Inspector Lukman Tea Salifu; Immigration Control Officers (ICO) Christian Kobla Kekeli Zilevu; Robert Ahiatrogah; Assistant Immigration Control Officers Grade II (AICO II) Eric Kobby Kpogo; and Isaac Armah.

The sixth officer, ICO Lawrence Appiah Marfo of the Kasoa District Command was also promoted for putting his life on the line and sustained gunshot wounds while pursuing smugglers at the Hamile border post where he was deployed for Operation Conquered Fist.

He was airlifted by the Ghana Air Force to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra for medical attention.

The Immigration Service said ICO Appiah Marfo is currently in a stable condition and the 19 Burkinabes have since been repatriated to their home country.

READ ALSO: I dont need COVID-19 to extend my tenure - Akufo-Addo

The statement said the promotion of the officers took effect from May 8, 2020. The officers have since been decorated with the new ranks at their various commands.

Ghanas borders have been closed since March 2020 as part of efforts to stop the importation of new COVID-19 cases into the country.

There have however been several attempts by some persons, especially from Ghanas neighbouring countries to enter the country illegally through unapproved routes.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that ten inmates of the Ashaiman police cell in the Greater Accra region have tested positive to the novel coronavirus.

Authorities are awaiting results for 44 others who share the same cell with the 10 confirmed persons.

President Akufo-Addo has extended the ban on public gatherings till the end of May | #Yencomgh(opens in new tab)

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Ghana's case count now 5,408; deaths now at 24

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YEN.com.gh
The Commander of Iran's fearsome anti-riot police on Wednesday underlined the "unique support" and equipment provided to his force by the government to prepare it more than ever for suppression of "enemy threats" in urban areas.

In an interview published by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Brigadier-General Hassan Karami who since 2012 has commanded the anti-riot police said the force under his command has received the most support for its operations in the current Iranian year.

"This year we are at the height of preparedness, from training to equipment and knowledge of the enemy threats in various areas," he added.

Officials of the Islamic Republic routinely attribute popular protests to plots by "the enemies", which in their official jargon means mainly the United States and also its regional allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

"The support makes our burden of responsibility even heavier. Our preparedness must be so high that it puts the enemy off making any threats and unrest in the country," the Commander of the Special Unit said. At the same time he defended the performance of the forces under his command during the urban protests of 2017 and 2018 and other missions assigned to it as "acceptable".

Since 1992 when the Special Unit was first deployed to suppress an urban upheaval in Mashhad, the awe-inspiring force has been used on seven other major occasions to quell peaceful protests including union protests in 1995, student protests in 1999 and 2003, nation-wide protests to disputed election results in 2009 and protests in December 2017- January 2018 protests.

The deployment of the units in November 2019, presumably under the direct orders of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to suppress nationwide protests against the government decision to triple the price of gasoline claimed hundreds of lives. It is considered the most extensive operation ever undertaken by the Special Unit and other security forces. A regime insider told Reuters at the time that Khamenei had ordered the suppression of the protests at any cost.

Despite promises, the government has never officially revealed the number of people who were shot dead or arrested during the November protests. Some have estimated the death toll of the protests to be as high as 1,500 in less than a week of protests.

Twitter post with photos of Special Unit forces assaulting people during protests in Iran.

The brutal assault on thousands of peaceful protesters was documented and shared by many Iranians during the unrest that engulfed the country. The number of protesters who were arrested is estimated to be eight thousand.

Commanders of the Special Unit troops always deny the use of lethal force against protesters and destruction of private and public property and attribute it to "enemies" and distortion of the truth by foreign media.

The number of Special Unit troops has never officially been announced but is estimated at tens of thousands. Special Unit operates in all of the country's 31 provinces with four of their brigades stationed in the capital Tehran alone. Allegedly, foreign fighters from countries such as Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan are often deployed by the Special Unit to suppress protests in Iran.
The Adamawa State Government on Wednesday declared the councillor representing Vulpi Ward in Numan Local Government Council, Makana Enan Ngari, wanted for alleged cattle rustling.

The councillor was accused of involvement in illegal deals and cattle rustling in violation of his oath of office.

The Press Secretary to the State Governor, Humwashi Wonosikou, announced the development in a statement in Yola on Wednesday.

He, however, did not give further details of the allegations against Mr Ngari.

The action is coming at a time government has succeeded at stabilising the area after the incessant attacks on villages along the borders of Adamawa and Taraba, he said, warning that the government would not hesitate to deal with anyone found wanting no matter his position, the governors spokesperson said.

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Government is appealing to both headers and farmers not to take the law into their hands, but allow the law to take its course as government is doing everything possible to ensure that peace prevails between farmers and herders and all law-abiding citizens.

A responsible government will not sit back and watch criminals destroy the hard-earned peace it has been able to achieve.

 His Excellency is appealing to residents of the state to help the government towards building a just and egalitarian society where peace and tranquillity exists, he concluded.
Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2017, file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, leaves Federal District Court, in Washington. Manafort has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement over concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsel's Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, was let out Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney, Todd Blanche. Manafort, jailed since June 2018, had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates before a potential outbreak in the system. They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 metres) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

But Manafort did not meet qualifications set by the Bureau of Prisons for potential release in the pandemic, and the bureau did not answer questions about why Manafort was freed.

Under the bureaus guidelines, priority is supposed to be given to those inmates who have served half of their sentence or inmates with 18 months or less left and who served at least 25% of their time. The bureau has discretion about who can be released.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and preexisting medical conditions. Manafort was hospitalized in December with a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press at the time. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Other high-profile inmates such as Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and lawyer Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump, have been told they are getting out.

Kathy Hawk Sawyer, a senior adviser at the Bureau of Prisons who formerly led the agency, said in an interview in late April that to suggest that we are only identifying high profile white collar inmates for home confinement, is absurd.

A Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a home confinement memo, and more than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be released. But prisons officials will not give out any demographic information.

The bureau has given contradictory and confusing guidance how it is deciding who is released to home confinement in an effort to combat the virus, changing requirements, setting up inmates for release and backing off and refusing to explain how it decides who gets out and when.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the agency in March and April to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at FCI Loretto.

As of Tuesday, 2,818 federal inmates and 262 BOP staff members had positive test results for COVID-19 at federal prisons across the country. Fifty inmates had died.

Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation, which examined possible co-ordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election campaign.

Manafort, who was prosecuted in two federal courts, was convicted by a jury in federal court in Virginia in 2018 and later pleaded guilty in Washington. He was sentenced last March and was immediately hit with state charges in New York after prosecutors accused him of giving false information on a mortgage loan application. A New York judge threw out state mortgage fraud charges, ruling that the criminal case was too similar to one that already landed Manafort in prison. Prosecutors have pledged to appeal.
Ever since actors Smriti Khanna and Gautam Gupta have welcomed their baby girl, they have been bombarded with congratulatory messages from fans and loved ones. The couple regularly post pictures of their daughter since her birth on April 15 and have also revealed her name - Aanyka.

It took us 20 days to decide her name. Aanyka means powerful and complete and given the current scenario, I feel Aanyka is an apt name for our daughter. My wish to have a baby girl has come true and this made Mothers day special for me and my family, says Khanna, who tied the knot with her Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi co-star in 2017.

Due to the pandemic, the actor reveals that was she was scared to go to the hospital for her check-ups during her pregnancy. When I read about a pregnant woman tested positive for Covid-19, I panicked, she admits.

But Khanna decided to over come her fear and started to self-educate herself to burst all the myths. Of course, the doctors will tell you the basic things that we must do but it is important to know what questions to ask our doctor. After the delivery, I started getting a lot of questions on social media on how to take care of yourself and the baby amid this health crisis. Staying positive and taking all the preventive measures is very important, she says.

Amid the lockdown, the couple is spending quality time with each other and taking turns in taking care of the baby. However, some of their plans went down the drains. The nursery was getting ready for the baby but its half done. My parents, who are in Delhi, were planning to surprise me in Mumbai but they couldnt. Im glad that Gautam is here with me and helping me with everything. We keep clicking pictures with our baby and capture every moment, Khanna says.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Global insurance broker Hub International Limited has acquired Vestas Financial Services Firm Inc.

Located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Vestas is an independent firm providing commercial and personal insurance with a focus on various industries, in particular, construction and design professionals, which complements Hubs own specialty practices.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Phillipe Monette, president of Vestas, and Senior Vice Presidents Martin Brodeur and Patrice Gravel will join Hub International Quebec Limited.

Hub has been active in Canada thus far this year. In early March, Hub acquired LSM Insurance Services, a life and health agency headquartered in Markham, Ontario. In February, it acquired the assets of employee benefits consultant Azur Consulting Services located in Longueuil, Quebec. And in January, it bought personal and commercial lines agencies RHC Insurance Brokers and RHC Insurance Brokers, which are headquartered in Nelson, British Columbia.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International has more than 12,000 employees throughout North America.

Topics Mergers
Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch in 2017. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

To the editor: In weighing Catholic school administrators' alleged denials of civil rights protections to two teachers, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch posited the usual pious conservative precept: Courts should not question "any sincerely held religious belief."

Yet the high court never seems to articulate how such professed sincerity might reliably be gauged.

I have heard people confess that though lifelong agnostics, they had posed as religious adherents for a few decades. Why? Solely to induce preferred behaviors in their children.

My question for Gorsuch: Does an earnest desire to be viewed as sincerely holding religious beliefs suffice to constitute the requisite sincerity? Asking for an agnostic friend  plus, I can think of a preeminent politician who may want to know.

Sarah S. Williams, Santa Barbara

..

To the editor: If Gorsuch equally weights "any sincerely held religious belief," will we see the growth of what I might call "liberty churches" that recognize only the "sincerely held" beliefs of their founders?

Will we see the Church of Bob the Mechanic? How about Our Lady of Downtown Thousand Oaks? And will these sincere churches be able to claim tax exemption?

If this over-broad definition of protected religious activity stands, who will stop those who simply object to paying taxes from declaring themselves as churches?

Barry Davis, Agoura Hills




Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises can leverage growth opportunities to sustain their businesses in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era if they reinvent their business models, the Development Bank of Nigeria Plc has said.

This was part of the recommendations by panellists at the DBN Webinar session on the theme: Alternative Financing Options for Sustainable Growth Post COVID-19 Lockdown.

The DBN is a development finance institution established by the Federal Government in collaboration with global development partners to address major financing challenges facing MSMEs in Nigeria.

DBN functions by providing financial institutions, predominantly deposit-money banks, microfinance banks and other financial institutions, with funding facilities designed to meet the needs of MSMEs.

The session was part of a series to provide capacity-building and advisory services for MSMEs through digital platforms in the light of the prevalent economic impact of COVID-19 on businesses across the world.

The panellists included the immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Finance Corporation, who is currently the CEO & Partner, South Bridge Group, Andrew Alli, and the CEO of Emerging Africa Capital, Toyin Sanni.

The session moderated by Chief Economist, Development Bank of Nigeria, Joseph Nnanna, also had the Head SME, FCMB, George Ogbonnaya, and the MD/CEO, Urban Shelter, Hajiya Saadiya Aliyu Aminu, as panellists.

Reviewing the current implications of the coronavirus pandemic on the Nigerian economy, the panellists noted that the MSMEs are the hardest hit by the crisis.

They blamed the situation on the limited access the MSMEs have to capital and having to depend on a few customer base.

Although they were optimistic this difficult phase would pass, the panellists said SMEs with innovative thinking and clear vision would be able to take advantage of the new normal situation.

If you are an SME, the framework should be to survive the crisis period, have as much liquidity as you can and stem expenditure. You must stabilise the business by stabilising your cost and reconfiguring your operations, they said.

For instance, they cited the example of a five-star hotel in Lagos that has outsourced its laundry and restaurant services and now gives its customers the benefit of ordering takeaways and pickup of their laundry.

The panellists noted that although the crisis would end, businesses would experience a lot of change as a result of the pandemic.

The AFC CEO, Mr Alli, said while businesses must prepare for the new era, they must be innovative, have a clear vision, and be ahead of the curve to take advantage of the new normal.

On alternative sources of funding for MSMEs, Head SME, FCMB, George Ogbonnaya said investors would be more frugal in the post-COVID-19 era and would only be attracted to businesses whose purpose aligns with strategic direction.

He listed alternative sources of funding for MSMEs to include crowdfunding, venture lending, data-driven lending platforms and risk-sharing guarantees.

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The CEO of Emerging Africa Capital, Ms Sanni, on her part, admonished small business owners to COVID-Proof their business.

She said quality and branded digital presence would stand as distinguishing factors in the present and post COVID-19 era.

Quality and how you distinguish your brand from competitors will be very important. So, while saving as much as you can during this period, you should also invest in your brand and digitise your business.

Besides, she said MSMEs must redesign their businesses such that they were able to do an end-to-end client acquisition, provision of services, and monitoring and evaluation involving digital models.

For Saadiya Aliyu Aminu, being the major drivers, MSMEs would be crucial to reviving the Nigerian economy just like the sector did after the 2015 economic recession.

She called on the Federal Government to reaffirm the made-in-Nigeria policy to promote local production, patronage and curb capital flight after the pandemic.
Industry bodies have called for more support for British egg producers post-Brexit after a government statement again failed to commit to tariffs.

Egg producers are 'alarmed' after the government provided no commitment on the use of import tariffs, the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) said.

The group has urged Number 10 for more measures to limit the amount of imported egg products from low welfare systems in any post-Brexit trade deal.

Chief executive Robert Gooch said farmers have 'led the world' in high-welfare production but face the 'very real threat' of being undercut by eggs from hens kept in conditions which are illegal in the UK.

We again call on the government to reassure British free range egg producers that their livelihoods will be not be exported abroad during trade negotiations and ask for the current level of egg tariffs to remain post Brexit, he said.

Mr Gooch was responding to a press release from the British Egg Industry Council, Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).

The coalition wrote to the International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Defra Secretary George Eustice ahead of the announcement of the UK Global Tariff Policy.

The government said it remains 'firmly committed' to upholding the UK's high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards after leaving the EU.

"The EU Withdrawal Act has transferred all EU food safety provisions onto the UK statute book, including the high standards underpinning the British egg sector," the statement said.

"The government also remains committed to promoting robust food safety standards nationally and internationally, to protect consumer interests, and to ensure that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy.

The government will stand firm in trade negotiations to ensure any future trade deals live up to the values of farmers, consumers, and businesses across the UK."

The statement added: "As set out in our manifesto, we will drive a hard bargain with all of our trading partners  and, as with all negotiations, we will be prepared to walk away if that is in the national interest.

"In developing our approach to future trade and upholding domestic standards, we are mindful of the importance processed eggs and similar products play in the market.

While the UK egg industry operates to high standards, there is a risk that, without tariffs, eggs and egg products imported from third countries which do not meet basic hen welfare requirements could undercut domestic production.

Mark Williams, British Egg Industry Council chief executive, highlighted this issue: While we welcome the commitment to not compromise standards, this approach must also apply to imports, something which the government fails to make clear.

"We cannot allow the government to operate double standards where UK farmers have to continue to produce to high standards, yet allow imports produced to lower or no standards at all."

Mr Williams said this would be a 'moral outrage' for consumers and 'catastrophic' for farmers, supply chain and the UKs reputation for high standards.

David Bowles, RSPCA head of public affairs, added: Without trade and domestic policy acting in concert, there is every chance that battery caged eggs will be back on the menu and we risk a race to the bottom for our animal welfare and food safety standards.

Without tariffs to only allow imported products produced to UK standards, the 'doors would be wide open' for eggs from countries with lower standards, according to Dr Nick Palmer, Head of Compassion UK.

"This is not what UK consumers expect of our government, which promotes high standards of hen welfare, environmental protection and food safety.
Ranjini Roy, an MBA student, was looking forward to her summer internship at a private bank in India. But, with the coronavirus outbreak, it looks like her internship will be done from home.

While it is good that I am at least able to complete my internship, it wont be the same as a physical office. My institute has told me that the bank will be taking a decision by May 16, she added.

COVID-19 has forced India Inc into a lockdown with all business processes being managed from home. With this, special projects including summer internships have also moved online.

Among companies, OYO Hotels & Homes is among the first to begin the internship process online. In an interaction with Moneycontrol, Dinesh Ramamurthi, Chief Human Resources Officer - OYO Hotels & Homes, has said that the firm has more than 200 interns joining this summer.

Also read: Live updates from Coronavirus 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

The first batch of 50 plus interns joined us on April 2, 2020. The interns are divided into different batches and are being offered the flexibility of joining us based on their respective curriculums and classes. The duration of the internship varies from four weeks, six weeks, and eight weeks based on the requirements of the different institutes, he added.

Summer internships for college students are essentially a first step into the corporate world and an opportunity to learn how a professional workplace functions. While companies are trying to use the online medium to deliver a similar experience considering the pandemic, students will lose out on being physically present in an office setting.

OYO is hosting interns from management colleges such as IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, MDI Gurgaon, TISS - HRM & LR and XLRI Jamshedpur among others.

How will it work?

Ramamurthi said that the company is using internal communications channels, Slack and virtual video conferencing tools as well as email and phones to interact with the interns.

We are organising sessions with the senior leadership team and functional leaders depending on the teams that OYO interns are working with. Currently, we have interns learning about different aspects of OYOs business across functions such as conversion, finance, revenue management, operations, supply, sales, HR and transformation, among others. The interns will be working on live projects which have a business impact to ensure that they get meaningful work experience, he added.

OYO has also assigned group projects to the interns to promote team building. Further, discussions also happen between interns and the project mentors. Here, the teams discuss daily updates, agenda for the day and proactively define their work cut out for the day.

Summer internships also involve students solving live case studies for the companies they work in. These cases involve student innovative solutions through their research on current or future challenges at the workplace. Based on the summer internship performance, some companies also give out pre-placement offers (PPOs) to these students.

PPOs mean that a student does not have to sit for interviews during the final placements that begin from January onwards. The company they interned with offers them a permanent position if the team is satisfied with the work done by the candidate.

Ramamurthi said that, for assessment at OYO, the company has divided the review process into two parts - mid-review presentation and final review presentation. Here, the intern will present to the project mentor and functional head details of their project and learnings.

He added that the purpose of the mid-review presentation is to correct the course and provide feedback for the remaining duration of the internship.

What is the way forward?

Both institutes and corporates that Moneycontrol spoke to, said that online internships will be the way forward in 2020.

The course curriculum is treated as incomplete if a student does not complete a summer internship. Rather than the process being cancelled, online internships are better, said an IIM student placement coordinator.

However, companies said that not all students may have the necessary infrastructure at home to complete internships and hence only select candidates could be chosen for this.

The HR head at a mid-sized bank told Moneycontrol that they would be deferring the internships to June end rather than offer it online.

We would find it tough to assess students if they are working from home. Because they are not full-time employees whose past track record we have an idea of, he added.

Similarly, the vice president at an appliance firm explained that the company has decided to slash the internships by 10 percent to 80 so that students in green and orange zones can travel to the offices thrice a week.

Once the lockdown is completely lifted, students would get an opportunity to visit the offices. Ramamurthi of OYO also said that the company would love to host interns in the offices post lockdown but only if it is absolutely safe.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
WASHINGTON  In a symposium to benefit charities on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19, three visionaries will come together May 17 to discuss how the pandemic will indelibly change the country and affect the daily life of every American. The trio of renowned panelists are the historian Douglas Brinkley, the 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 Conversations On the Greens eighth season and will be interactive, allowing viewers to participate and pose questions for the panelists.

The May 17 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. The fall of the Roman empire is widely attributed to the Antonine Plague in the late 100s while Europes social order was upended by the Black Death in the mid 1300s.

More recently, even less deadly crises - such as The Great Depression, the fall of the Berlin Wall or the collapse of Lehman Brothers - sent shockwaves racing around the globe and provoked profound but previously unimaginable changes in the way we live and think.

Covid-19 is the latest in this long line of seismic shifts to shatter our preconceptions about our futures. Just as it has destroyed lives, disrupted markets and exposed the incompetence of governments, it inevitably will reorder society and lead to permanent changes in political and economic power.

But the crisis concurrently presents unexpected opportunities: more sophisticated and flexible use of technology, a new commitment to battling climate change, a realignment of the global order, renewed appreciation of personal responsibility, a reduction in materialism as well as fresh gratitude for the joys of rural lifestyles and other simple pleasures.

To help us make sense of these history shaping prospects, the symposium will be headlined by:

Douglas Brinkley, a 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, NY Times Columnist Nicholas 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, Dr. Ezekiel 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 begins at 3 p.m. May 17 and runs 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.

H.O.R.S.E. to hold spring open house

WASHINGTON  H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut will hold its annual Spring Open House, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 16, with a rain date of May 17.

Gates open at 10 a.m. with a maximum of 4 people per group, for hourly tours to meet Baron and his friends, from miniature ponies to giant drafts.

A bake sale will offer tables filled with a variety of home baked goods, from cup cakes to cookies, many beautifully wrapped and ready to be given as gifts. Other great gift options such as OMI Jewelry from the talented Lise, bracelets and necklaces by Amy, and tie-die T-shirts and bags will also be available. All proceeds go directly toward helping to care for the many horses.

A spring tack sale will feature a Wintec Isabell Werth dressage saddle in almost new condition, and a Travis Bohannon Western roping saddle, as well as a variety of other saddles, bridles, blankets, boots, helmets, grooming equipment and new and used equine clothing.

Several horses are available for sponsorship, a program that includes four visits a month during which you can groom, spend time with, and hand-walk the horse for only $50. In addition to horses for sponsor, several are available for lease and adoption.

H.O.R.S.E. of Connecticut is a non-profit, 501(c)3 rescue organization located at 43 Wilbur Road, Washington, CT. For more info about our event, or to make a tax deductible donation, go to www.horseofct.org or call 860-868-1960.
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Linkedin Hyunjoo Jin and Minwoo Park (Reuters) Seoul, South Korea  Wed, May 13, 2020 11:31 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7af4b6 2 Lifestyle South-Korea,chanel,Seoul,luxury-brand,wedding,coronavirus,COVID-19,luxury Free

More than a hundred shoppers waited in line to enter a store of French luxury brand Chanel in Seoul on Wednesday, as they rushed to buy products in the hope of beating price increases expected to kick in later in the week.

This came even after more than 100 new COVID-19 cases linked to nightclubs in Seoul have brought fears of a second wave of infections in a country held up as a coronavirus mitigation success story.

With some arriving as early as 5 a.m., the shoppers wearing face masks snaked around the Lotte Department Store in downtown Seoul ahead of the opening at 10:30 a.m., while store workers issued numbered tickets online to keep order.

Lee Ji-yeon, 54, said she arrived at the store about 7:30 am and that her future son-in-law is waiting at another department store to buy a Chanel bag for her daughter as a wedding present. There are several months ahead of the wedding, which has been pushed back from November to March because of the virus.

Read also: Luxury stores test the water in a Paris devoid of tourists

"We've been to the Chanel store several times before and agonizing whether to buy it or not. But since the prices are going to increase, we decided to buy it now," Lee said.

Many South Koreans gift luxury bags for weddings. Also in line was a man who said he would buy a Chanel bag for his girlfriend as a present for a wedding, which has been pushed back from April to late this year because of the virus.

"I wanted to buy before price rises. It is burdensome to buy it during the economic downturn, but I would not be able to buy it later because prices would rise every year," he said, asking not to be identified.

Chanel public relations in Seoul said its headquarters in France raised prices on Monday, and that prices will increase in all of its markets.
The findings about safe gatherings continue to be heavily shaped not just by partisanship, but also by persistent personal concerns about contracting the virus and becoming seriously ill as a result. Overall, 58 percent of Americans say they are very or somewhat worried about getting the infection and becoming seriously ill, down from 63 percent last week but similar to 57 percent three weeks ago. Among those Americans who worry about getting the virus, 80 percent say it will not be safe for gatherings of 10 or more people before July, with most of them saying it will be later this year or beyond. Among those not particularly worried, 51 percent say they think gatherings of that size will be safe by the end of June, and more than 1 in 3 say it will be safe by the end of this month.
A group of doctors with face masks looking at camera

By Jenny Gold, Kaiser Health News and Markian Hawryluk

Dinah Jimenez assumed a world-class hospital would be better prepared than a chowder house to inform workers when they had been exposed to a deadly virus.

So, when her boyfriend, an employee of a popular seafood restaurant in Seattle, received a call from his boss on a Sunday in late March telling him a co-worker had tested positive for COVID-19 and that he needed to quarantine for 14 days, she said she assumed shed get a similar call from the University of Washington Medical Center. After all, the infected restaurant employee worked a second job alongside her at the hospitals Plaza Cafe.

That call never came, she said.

Jimenez, 42, said she returned to her job as a cashier at the hospital cafeteria two days later, and it was like nothing had happened. They didnt say anything. She said the infected worker, a fellow cashier, was stationed just 2 feet from her during a typical shift and that neither had been wearing a mask. He was as close to me as the person sitting behind you in an airplane, Jimenez said.

Related: Download The Mighty app to connect in real time with people who can relate to what you're going through.

Word slowly spread among the cafeteria crew that a co-worker had the virus, she said. In the days that followed, two more workers fell ill. But communication about the outbreak was not broadly disseminated through the ranks, according to Jimenez and other employees interviewed. It wasnt until April, Jimenez said, that the hospital started providing workers with one mask per day. A few weeks later, workers said, they learned a fourth staff member had tested positive for the virus.

From cafeteria staff to doctors and nurses, hospital workers around the country report frustrating failures by management to notify them when they have been exposed to co-workers or patients known to be infected with COVID-19. Some medical centers do carefully trace the close contacts of every infected patient and worker, alert them to the exposure and offer guidance on the next steps. Others, by policy, do not personally follow up with health workers who unknowingly treated an infected patient or worked with a colleague who later tested positive for the virus.

Story continues

Related: Racial Status and the Pandemic: A Combustible Mixture

Its an enormous issue, said Debbie White, president of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, a union representing nurses and other health care professionals in New Jersey. When a patient is positive, our expectation is that the employer would go back and do their due diligence in terms of investigating who was participating in that patients care.

Instead, she said, union members often report there is very, very little follow-up to inform them after an exposure.

The disconnect between hospital policy and worker expectations often centers around the lack of clear, direct communication with individual workers who have been potentially exposed to the coronavirus. And when workers are informed about an infected colleague or patient, some say that the efforts to conceal that persons identity can make it difficult to gauge the level of risk.

Melissa Johnson-Camacho, a nurse at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California, said she was informed that another nurse in her unit tested positive, but not which one.

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I dont know who that nurse is. I dont know if I had lunch with that nurse. I dont know if I helped that nurse with a patient, said Johnson-Camacho, who is a chief nurse representative for the California Nurses Association.

UC Davis Health spokesperson Charles Casey said federal and state privacy laws prevent the hospital from identifying individuals who test positive. HIPAA, the federal privacy rule, does permit some disclosures of personal health information to health care workers during an outbreak of infectious disease, but only the minimum necessary, according to recent guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Other hospitals contend that because community transmission of COVID-19 is so widespread, workers should assume anyone they encounter, inside or outside the hospital, could be infected and adapt their behavior accordingly.

OHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center, a major provider outside Portland, Oregon, for example, recently sent an email to all employees saying that because COVID-19 is widespread in that community, you will no longer receive notification from [the Employee Health program] after caring for a patient with COVID-19. Instead, we ask that you serve as our eyes and ears and report any concerns for exposure to Employee Health as soon as possible.

Based on similar reasoning, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidelines in April to say hospitals should consider forgoing contact tracing for their workers  a fundamental of public health work that involves identifying people who have been exposed and asking them to quarantine  in favor of universal masking and screening for symptoms at the beginning of shifts.

While all hospital employees, from food service to custodial staff, are vulnerable to exposure, nurses and other direct-care providers who interact closely with patients are at greatest risk. Informing them of patient exposures is generally less important in intensive care units and wards designated for COVID-19 assessments, where patients are assumed to have the virus and proper protective gear should be used. But when providers care for a patient hospitalized for an unrelated condition who later tests positive, workers say the information can be crucial.

A lot of nurses are caregivers, too, and we have people at home who are in the high-risk group, said Johnson-Camacho, the UC Davis nurse. No one wants to take this home to their family or someone they love.

Knowing about an exposure might make the difference when deciding whether to hug your children or move out of the family home, Johnson-Camacho added.

At Stroger Hospital in Chicago, nurse Elizabeth Lalasz said she contracted the coronavirus after spending several hours with a patient who came in with what initially was believed to be a chronic respiratory condition, but who later was sent home with a presumed case of COVID-19. Lalasz said the hospital never followed up with her about the presumed exposure, even though she had not been wearing proper protective gear. She said she subsequently fell ill and tested positive for the virus  and that her co-workers were never informed about her condition.

The contact-tracing idea didnt even exist, Lalasz said.

Cook County Health, which operates Stroger, did not directly respond to questions about its policies on informing workers about exposure to the virus. But spokesperson Deborah Song said the system is following CDC guidelines.

At UW Medicine in Seattle, where the cafeteria outbreak played out, spokesperson Tina Mankowski said the hospital is not doing contact tracing when workers or patients test positive for COVID-19. She said that is because the medical center is not asking workers to quarantine at home following a potential exposure.

Under current policy, if an employee contracts the virus, that persons manager is notified in general terms, and is supposed to share that information with other staff members. Employees are asked to self-monitor for fever or upper-respiratory symptoms, and to stay home if they are ill.

Mankowski confirmed that four cafeteria employees had tested positive for the virus. She said employees were notified but did not provide specifics about how or when.

The safety of University of Washington Medical Center patients and employees is our top priority, Mankowski wrote in an email. If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, the manager is informed that one of their employees has tested positive and then discusses this with the staff in that area.

Jimenez and three other workers said that was not their experience and that communication about the outbreak was muted.

Luis Rios, a cook at the cafeteria for 17 years, said he was not informed after the first colleague tested positive, though he had chatted with the sick cashier in the staff locker room several times, no more than 2 feet away. A few days after that worker was diagnosed, Rios said, he was taste-testing a dish when he noticed his sense of taste was dulled, a symptom of COVID-19. He also felt cold, even in the warm kitchen. He was tested at an area medical clinic, and became the units second confirmed case.

Honestly, I dont know if UW or my managers care about workers lives, said Rios, 49, who spoke through an interpreter. They only care if we can go in and work.

Justin Lee, communications director for the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), which represents the cafeteria workers, said supervisors did post a copy of an email from the employee health department to cafeteria directors notifying them in general terms when the first worker tested positive. A printout was tacked near the employees time clock. But many workers did not see it or may have been unable to understand it because it was written in English, according to Lee. Information shared days later in a small huddle did not reach the whole staff, he said.

In early April, cafeteria workers delivered a petition to hospital management, with the support of WFSE and Service Employees International Union Local 925, with 450 signatures. They requested the hospital close the Plaza Cafe for a deep cleaning, install a temporary protective barrier around the cashiers and bring in a medical professional to educate all cafeteria staff about COVID-19, with translations in other languages.

The cafeteria was not closed, but Mankowski said the hospital has disinfected it and all workstations, and now requires workers throughout the hospital to wear masks. The hospital has declined to install Plexiglas barriers at the cafeteria, she said, because it believes the universal masking offers the necessary safety precautions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has no rule requiring that employers inform workers of exposures to infectious diseases. But Dr. Alyssa Burgart, a bioethicist at Stanford, said hospitals do have an ethical obligation. She acknowledged the challenges: With dozens of employees going in and out of a patients room each day, tracking every single one can be difficult, particularly with limited resources. Hospitals are trying to figure out in real time exactly what they need to disclose and how to do it.

Everything is a disaster now, and no one has time to answer anything. So youre seeing organizations fumble when figuring out how to do this in a way that meets their ethical obligation to protect employees but doesnt violate federal privacy laws, Burgart said.

The typical way these decisions would be made would be over a very long deliberative process, and that is a luxury we do not have right now. Some organizations are going to miss the mark the first time.

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South Africas National Command Council, the body overseeing the governments response to the coronavirus crisis, is considering easing lockdown rules more rapidly as the economy tanks and poverty levels soar, according to three senior officials with knowledge of the talks.

Curbs could be relaxed in some provinces or areas with low infection rates, and retained in hotspots such as Cape Town, according to two of the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they arent authorized to comment. While one official said a decision is likely to be taken within 10 days, another said no timeline had been set for adjusting the lockdown level.

Africas largest economy was brought to a near standstill on March 27 as the government sought to buy itself time to prepare the health system to cope with a massive influx of coronavirus patients. While restrictions were eased from May 1, many businesses remain partially or completely closed, job losses are mounting and the central bank has warned that the economy could shrink 6.1% this year.

The current restrictions are unworkable for many firms, according to Busi Mavuso, the chief executive officer of lobby group Business Leadership South Africa.

Some companies simply cant open with 50% of their staff - there are complex production lines that either all operate or none at all, she said in a weekly newsletter on Monday. Others cant function because they might be deemed able to open, but key suppliers are not, so they cannot access inputs to restart production.

South Africa has Africas highest number of diagnosed coronavirus infections. Of the 11,350 cases detected so far, 97% have occurred in four of the nine provinces, with Cape Town and the surrounding Western Cape province accounting for 54%. The numbers may be skewed by varying testing and screening approaches and capability.

The government is still reviewing its virus response, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

There are very different stages that different parts of the country are in, he said in a televised address. There are areas that have shown no new patients, no new cases, and therefore we have to approach the issues and levels very differently.

Nonceba Mhlauli, a spokeswoman for Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, declined to comment. Khusela Diko, a spokeswoman for President Cyril Ramaphosa, didnt immediately respond to questions seeking comment.
WASHINGTON  The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Friday on a massive bill for further coronavirus relief, including a second round of $1,200 checks for individuals, hazard pay for essential workers, more funding for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing and aid for people struggling to afford rent or food.

The legislation, called the Heroes Act, also includes $500 billion for states that would deliver $34.4 billion in new relief funds for New York over the next two years. A separate $375 billion local government fund would deliver $171.8 million for Albany County, $89.3 million for Rensselaer County, $87.3 million for Schenectady County and $129.3 million for Saratoga County over the next two years, along with millions more for local towns and cities, according to the Congressional Research Service.

"Our bill takes action not just to combat the raging COVID-19 health crisis, it also delivers vital aid directly to Capital Region families and communities, ensuring our state and local officials can continue to keep local firefighters, teachers, nurses and other essential workers on the job at this critical time, said U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam.

The huge bill outstrips the cost of Congress's $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was the largest economic stimulus bill in U.S. history.

Breakdown of Democrats' $3 trillion-plus virus relief bill

Many Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about the ballooning federal deficit and suggested that Congress should wait to pass further legislation because some of the funds from previous bills have not been distributed. Senate Republicans have not revealed alternative legislation yet, but have highlighted a priority to protect businesses from liability lawsuits related to coronavirus.

I dont think we have yet felt the urgency of acting immediately," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Monday. "That time could develop, but I dont think it has yet.

Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., argued that the federal government must deliver more relief fast.

"Tens of millions of American families and workers struggling to put food on the table, afford rent, and provide for their children need help from the federal government," Schumer said. "Sen. McConnell and Senate Republicans ought to heed the lessons of U.S. history and not repeat the mistakes made by President Hoover that helped lead to the Great Depression."

For individuals, the package would provide direct cash assistance of up to $6,000 per family. The bill would extend a $600 per week unemployment benefit supplement through January 2021. It would also increase the maximum food-stamp benefit, offer assistance with rent and mortgages and create a special enrollment period for health care exchanges.

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

For workers and businesses, the legislation includes $200 billion for hazard pay, an enhanced tax credit for businesses that keep their employees on payroll, new requirements for workplace infection-control plans and more loans for small businesses and non-profits. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo urged Congress to place further limitations on businesses receiving aid, requiring them to keep employment at pre-pandemic levels to get relief, he wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Post Wednesday.

The Heroes Act allows the new state funding and previous state relief from coronavirus bills to be used to cover lost revenue, something Cuomo has requested.

"Delivering urgent state fiscal relief must be a top priority," Cuomo said in a statement with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Wednesday. "Each day that Congress fails to act, states are being forced to make cuts that will devastate the essential services the American people rely on and destroy the economic recovery before it even gets off the ground."

New York lawmakers Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Schumer, and U.S. Reps. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, and Lee Zeldin, R-Shirley, authored the bill's formula for distributing local aid.

Our local governments here at home have managed our COVID-19 response, and have done so while confronted with a shrinking tax base," Delgado said. "Day in and day out, they have provided critical services to our communities throughout upstate, and the federal government cannot leave them behind."

The Heroes Act would also repeal several new tax provisions allowing businesses to carry back net operating losses  tax breaks approved in the last stimulus bill that are expected to give 43,000 millionaires an average tax cut of $1.6 million.

It also would eliminate a cap on state and local tax deductions currently placed at $10,000  something Democrats in high-tax states like New York have been pushing to do since 2017 tax reform legislation was approved.
In an attempt to woo investors in Maharashtra, the state government has planned to provide single permission named as Maha Parwana (mega permission) for the industries to invest in the state. It means that the investors do not need to get a number of permissions and clearances. The industries and their operations can be started instantly.

Subhash Desai, state industries minister, said industries ready to invest will not have to run around for permission, as they will get a single mega permission to start their operations. Applicants will be given a mega permission with the help of which, the units can be started instantly. Once, the industrial unit has started, the rest of the permissions can be obtained in the next two years, the industries minister said.

To deal with the shortage of workers, Desai also said that they would create a labour bureau with the help of state industries, labour and skill development departments. The labour bureau would be compiling a list of workers and grade them as per their skills, such as skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers. They will also be provided training as per the requirement of the industries, he said.

The state is also planning to appoint relationship managers to interact with companies to resolve their issues if any.

Meanwhile, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has appointed senior IAS officer Bhushan Gagrani as state coordination officer, for attracting new investment in Maharashtra. Gagrani has been asked to prepare a blueprint for government to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) particularly from Japan, US, Korea and Germany, said a senior official.

He said that they have formed a task force to attract foreign direct investment. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has also reserved 40,000 hectares of land for foreign investors. They are also working on a policy for pharmaceutical companies considering their willingness for investment.

The order issued by the state industries department enumerates a number of responsibilities entrusted to Gagrani. It states, Communication with various companies, business groups, consulates, trade organisations, associations, and prepare database; coordinate with industries department, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and other state undertakings and public sector units, in this context; produce required promotional material, arrange roadshows, meetings and conferences accordingly and coordinate with concerned ministries of the Government of India as per necessity.

State Industries development commissioner Harshdeep Kamble said that the state is also going to appoint relationship managers on the lines of private banks to interact with companies and solve their issues. We are rolling out the red carpet for the industries and would be appointing relationship managers so that their issues can be resolved in no time, said Kamble.

Since April 20, the number of industrial units operational in Maharashtra has reached over 36,000. We have given permission to 64,487 units to start their operations in the state so far. Of them, 36,383 units have started their operations with a workforce of over 10.26 lakh. We are expecting the rest of the industrial units will also start their operations in the coming days, said a senior official from the state industries department.

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The extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada is taking place on Wednesday

Open source

The Ukrainian government is making a report in the Parliament, revealing the current state of affairs concerning the measures taken against the spread of Covid-19. The report also includes an update on the course of overcoming the negative economic consequences caused by coronavirus.

112 Ukraine TV channel broadcasts the session of the Parliament live.

The extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada is taking place on Wednesday; it includes a question hour for the government, 24 issues for the MPs' consideration and the report of the Head of the National Bank of Ukraine. Specifically, the lawmakers will look into the draft bill that places an ultimate ban on the return of nationalized banks to their previous owners.

Previously, the Cabinet passed the decree that extends the lockdown in Ukraine until May 22 - with certain mitigations.

On May 11, the restrictions were lifted concerning parks, recreation zones, beauty salons, barber shops, summer stages in restaurants, libraries and museums. Civil lawyers, dentists, auditors resumed working.
ALBANY  U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko wrote a scathing letter to the head of the Federal Communications Commisson, claiming that the agency is denying New York state potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in broadband expansion funding amid the coronavirus pandemic that has exposed gaping holes in the ability of people to work and study online in the Capital Region.

Tonko's May 7 letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai included written statements by Capital Region constituents complaining that a lack of high-speed internet service where they live made their work and schooling difficult if not impossible amid the stay-at-home order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The testimonials came from residents from all over the region, including Ballston Spa, Glenville, Rotterdam, Schodack, Delanson, Duanesburg, Rensselaerville and the Hilltowns of Albany County, and the town of Florida in Montgomery County.

"During this pandemic, I have heard from parents, educators, students and workers that are unable to connect online from their homes," Tonko wrote in his letter to Pai. "I have heard from small businesses unable to operate remotely because they do not have broadband capable of processing payments. I have heard from families worried about isolated seniors and inability to access telemedicine. I implore you not to ignore these people whom we are meant to serve."

The head of technology for the Troy school district said 120 of its students didn't have internet service to participate in online lessons and submit homework, showing that poor internet access is not confined just to rural areas. In fact, many of the areas with high-speed internet problems are considered suburban communities, although the rural areas still suffer from a lack of reliable high-speed internet.

"Students without the internet are unable to receive and complete their schoolwork, they are unable to engage with their teachers, peers, and support staff," wrote Erin Sheevers, who is director of technology for the Troy City School District. "Students without the internet are not only missing out on opportunities for learning but their ability to receive interactions and services essential to their well being."

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The FCC says New York state can't receive broadband expansion funding through a new $20 billion fund. That's because the FCC previously promised New York state $177 million to fund its own broadband expansion program that serves as a model for states nationwide.

Kelly Brooks, a teacher who lives in Delanson, revealed to Tonko that her home internet service is so bad that she has to drive to the parking lot of the local Price Chopper to access its WiFi to run her Google Meet meeting online. She's also worried that her son, a seventh-grader, has struggled without reliable internet access at home. She says when she uses the home internet service "the video comes across blurry and the audio sounds distorted" when she tries to connect to her students.

I dont feel that people that have always had broadband access understand what it is like living without this modern necessity," said Brooks.

Joe O'Neil, the management information systems director for the Duanesburg Central School District said the school has had to buy Verizon's WiFi hotspot devices for students to take home with them so they could connect with the internet.

"Aside from a small public library offering free WiFi, students would have to travel outside of the district in order to take advantage of commercially available free WiFi," O'Neil relayed to Tonko. The result has been thousands of dollars in extra expenses to provide connectivity to them.
A man wears a mask as uses his cellphone at Times Square in front of an American flag on March 5, 2020 in New York City.

Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

Two universities have begun offering free online courses on how to become a contact tracer.

Health experts have said reopening the country will require a massive testing and tracing effort to minimize coronavirus infections, and at least 180,000 contact tracers will be needed.

Contact tracers' jobs include calling people who have been in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, interviewing them, and offering advice on self-isolating.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

At least two universities have begun offering free online courses to teach people how to become contact tracers  a role that cities across the country are desperate to hire for amid efforts to safely lift lockdowns.

Contact tracers will be tasked with identifying people who have been exposed to the coronavirus. The job consists of calling anyone who has come into contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, informing them they've been exposed to the virus, and instructing them on self-isolation.

Johns Hopkins University and the University of Houston have both begun offering free online courses  the latter program is currently open only to students and faculty, but is expected to become available to the broader Texas community in the coming weeks.

The courses come as cities and states launch efforts to reopen businesses and relax social-distancing guidelines so that residents can resume their daily lives and return to jobs. Health experts have said lifting these stay-at-home measures and reopening businesses will require a mammoth testing and tracing effort to minimize coronavirus infections until a vaccine is developed.

A medical professional works at a drive-thru coronavirus testing site at Cambridge Health Alliance Somerville Hospital on April 28, 2020 in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Getty Images/Maddie Meyer

Johns Hopkins' course will be hosted on the platform Coursera, and will take roughly five hours to complete. Enrollment is currently open.

The program includes modules on the basics of COVID-19 and its symptoms, infection and transmission details, the contact tracing process, ethics and privacy protections, and communication skills.

Story continues

Health experts have recommended that the US hire at least 180,000 contact tracers across the country over the next 18 months, though states have currently only dedicated some 36,000 workers to the task, according to NPR.

The work is done remotely, and typically pays between $17 and $22 an hour.

Read the original article on Insider
Springwatch has a new recruit  Chris Packhams step-daughter.

Zoologist Megan McCubbin will be among the guest presenters on the new series of the BBC Two show, which returns with regulars Packham, Gillian Burke and Iolo Williams.

The BBC recently announced that Michaela Strachan would be unable to present, as she was in lockdown in South Africa.

Michaela Strachan (Ian West/PA)

Guest presenters Steve Backshall, Ellie Harrison, Gordon Buchanan and McCubbin will be seen from their home patches.

Wildlife presenter Backshall will appear by the Thames, ecologist Harrison from her Cotswold base and wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan will cover nature stories from Scotland.

McCubbin will join her step-father  the pair have been self-isolating in the New Forest.

She will share her fascination with animal science and her observations on how this spring is developing for our wildlife, on the live series.

Recent content is being shot following self-distancing guidelines and the show will also feature prerecorded films, taken just before measures were put in place.

Story continues

Backshall said: Springwatch is a time for the whole nation to come together and plug into our wild world at its very best.

Its a chance to see the secret lives of our British animals and celebrate the grand and glorious natural canvas that makes our countryside so special.

This has been a spring like no other, but how has it affected our wildlife and wild places? This is a once in a lifetime chance to find out.

McCubbin said: In this challenging time of self-isolation, we have found ourselves engaging with the wildlife in our communities like never before.

This is an exceptional year for Springwatch and for UK wildlife, so I am incredibly excited to be part of the team bringing the latest science and stories to your screens.

Springwatch will return to BBC Two for three weeks from Tuesday May 26 at 8pm.
With the last update from government, Ghana had recorded over 5000 positive Covid-19 cases with the Bono Region being the recent region to join other affected regions which has made Ghana one of the countries with the highest recorded cases in Africa.



Last month, almost all institutions issued directive to their workers to stop using biometric clock in device. The rationale behind this directive was to prevent the spread of the Covid19.



This action by head of institutions has generated the debate on the use of the Biometric Machine during the purported Voter Registration journey the EC is still pushing to embark on.



According to both Dr. Elizabeth Hughes of the United States Infectious disease Center and Prof. Manfred Breckenridge of Boston Medical Laboratories, the use of biometric devices is one of the means by which the virus is fast spreading.



The non-usage of biometric devices is one of the measures adopted by across the world upon the advice given by Dr. Elizabeth and Manfred.



At a time even advanced countries have kicked against the use of biometric devices, Ghana Electoral Commission is gearing up to deploy biometric machines to polling stations across the country to register people in its planned compilation of new register.



The EC, especially its nonchalant head, Jean Mensah, must be told in the face that it cannot compile new voter registration in the midst of covid19. The reason is very simple  the biometric machines the Commission will use for the fingerprint verification has been identified as one of the prime means by which the virus is spread.



For instance, in a polling station of more than 500 people queuing to register, all of them must put their fingers on biometric machine. we have a looming calamity at hand if this is allowed.



The EC has said that it has plans to provide hand sanitizers at the polling stations for use by both its staff and registrants. It has also argued that the screens of the biometric devices will be cleaned regularly. It is truism that hand sanitizer is not a guarantee for killing the virus on the machine if it has virus on it. More so, if sanitizers will be used on the screen after each registrant, the possibility of the lense weakening is very high.



This will lead to breakdown of the machines frequently and itll cause delays at the polling stations and also the EC may have to spend more money to procure more machines.



Companies who use to have biometric machines have stopped using them so why would the EC venture into such dangerous arena?



Jean Mensah must be stopped before the EC become another source to spread the virus.



Lets come together and resist the EC before they push all of us into a pith of hell. Today it is clear that the agenda of the EC to compile the new register is no more about seeking the interest of Ghana but to help Nana Addo and the NPP to rig the elections.



Lets value our lives by resisting the Electoral Commission from becoming a new source of spreading this deadly virus.







Source: Ben Antwi, Political Science student, Dansoman









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Teleplan, a global provider of after-market electronic repair services, is closing its service center in Hampden Township and its operations will be transferred to a facility in Texas.

The company, which provides services for the computing, communications and consumer electronics industries, has filed a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

Teleplan intends to permanently cease operations at the facility on 6350 Brackbill Blvd. on July 10. The facility employs approximately 95 employees -- 61 employees directly employed by Teleplan and 34 people are employed by staffing agencies. The last day for 85 of the employees will be July 10, while the other 10 employees will handle shutdown operations at the facility, which are anticipated to be completed no later than August 10. Some employees may be reassigned to other Teleplan operations, the company said.

Teleplan was acquired by Texas-based Clover Wireless in December and the company is consolidating its operations and transferring its existing customer service programs in Hampden Township to its facility in Dallas.

The consolation and optimization of the global footprint of Teleplan and Clover Wireless service center locations are part of the ongoing integration process, a spokesperson said in an e-mail.

The current COVID-19 pandemic did have additional influence in the decision to transfer operations, the spokesperson. said.

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The 61 employees that were directly employed by Teleplan included two material handlers, two operations analyst, 20 operators, two program managers, one program director, three production supervisors, one supply chain manager, three team leaders, 21 technicians, one customer service representative, one engineering manager, one technician, one general manager, one HR manager and one information technician. The 34 people employed by staffing agencies that work at the service center include 23 operators, five security guards, four technicians and two material handlers.

The Hampden Township facility has 119,996 square feet of space, according to its website. The center has been in operation since 2013.

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 around May 11.

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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The commander in charge of Sasebo Naval Base in southwestern Japan began a recent Q&A session on Facebook Live with a sweeping update of the coronavirus pandemic.

Capt. Brad Stallings put the number of American lives the disease had claimed in terms of the wars the country has waged: 24 times more than the Afghan war, 11 times the Iraq conflict, twice as many as the American Revolution and nearly the same number of American servicemembers killed in Vietnam.

"That's sobering, and that's in under two months," he said April 23. "Our country is hurting."

During the pandemic, service members have been listening to their leaders in more relaxed settings via social media instead of morning formations or auditorium assemblies.

Commanding officers around bases in Japan are using Facebook Live, for example, to update base restrictions, quell rumors, upbraid rule breakers and inspire their troops to stay the course.

The exchange is two-way, as leaders like Stallings respond to questions coming at them, although often filtered by public affairs officers, in real time. Service members, their families and civilian employees meanwhile take in the show anonymously on their home screens, tapping out questions and hitting emoji buttons.

At Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, base commander Col. Lance Lewis said his team began preparing for the coronavirus in January.

Lewis said he quickly realized the pandemic would not just be a Marine Corps problem, it would affect 13,500 people within his responsibility -- Marines, Sailors, their families and civilian employees, including Japanese citizens, working on base.

He needed to communicate rapidly across 30 tenant commands, including a Marine air group and Navy and Japanese air wings.

Lewis focused on a social media campaign using the air station's official Facebook page to counter misinformation while providing frequent updates of timely, accurate information.

He borrowed a technique from U.S. military commanders in Korea and Europe who were first to confront the virus on U.S. installations, Lewis said during a May 1 interview with Stars and Stripes. He personally penned Facebook updates nearly every day during the first six weeks of the Defense Department's response to the pandemic.

Lewis employed a Marine Corps Communications Strategy and Operations team to produce his messaging. The shop employs public relations specialists, photographers, broadcasters and videographers.

Lewis said his priority was providing accurate information from credible, trustworthy sources right from the get-go.

Initially, Navy doctors at the base's Branch Health Clinic provided medical information, Lewis said. He said he used direct quotes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to refute rumors circulating on social media.

"We were very open and honest with our procedures, and the 'why' behind things," he said. "Instead of saying, 'Wear masks!' full stop. It was 'We need to wear masks because ...'"

In some cases, commanders used social media to confirm rumors. Stallings used the base Facebook page May 4 to announce that some sailors had violated movement restrictions over a previous weekend.

In other sessions, he, like other commanders, connected with his troops in more personal ways. During a livestream last month, Stallings shared that he had lost a cousin to the coronavirus and would be unable to attend the funeral.

"It's frustrating in so many ways to be stuck at home," he said.

Spontaneously or on cue, commanders also displayed flashes of wit.

Lewis, for example, in an April 20 post explained that the city of Hiroshima is off limits, take-out from off-base restaurants is not allowed and face coverings are required indoors.

"Finally, to put one of the longest standing arguments known to man to rest, 'The Empire Strikes Back' is and has always been the best Star Wars movie," he concluded.

Lewis said that just as the Marine Corps developed its communications strategy units from lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, the pandemic has added its own page to that story.

Disseminating accurate information and crushing misinformation is now a focus of military leaders, he said. Responding to coronavirus is teaching leaders up and down the chain of command how to do it with compassion, humor, and gravity to reach the widest possible audience.

Read more: Lawmakers Consider Blocking Some F-35 Deployments over Huawei 5G Network: Reports
People should be legally required to register the death of a loved one online within 24 hours after confusion exposed by the pandemic, the UKs statistics chief says.

Professor Ian Diamond said it was impossible to produce up-to-date information on deaths in the community under current rules  which allow five days for the task to be done, by post.

My view is strongly that we should get more timely data, the national statistician told MPs.

And the way to do that is to legislate for the deaths to be registered electronically within 24 hours.

The call comes after confusion over the true death toll from coronavirus, with hospital deaths reported much faster than those in care homes and other places.

More than 40,000 people are now known to have died  but the figure announced today by the Department of Health still stands at 33,186.

Prof Diamond also warned the pandemic was far from over, saying: What we are seeing is a reduction in the deaths  but not at the moment as speedy as we would perhaps like.

He estimated that 136,000 people in the community currently have Covid-19, where there was still an epidemic, adding: We need to be careful.

Asked whether the UK now had the highest death toll in Europe, Prof Diamond replied: I am not prepared to say that at this time  pointing to different measuring methods.

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

But he added: There is no doubt that we are at the higher level for deaths. I have got no problem about saying that.

At present, most deaths are registered at a district office, by someone taking in documents including a medical certificate.

It must be done within five days, but can be delayed for a further nine days in some circumstances  and, if a death has been reported to the coroner, cannot be done until investigations are completed.

Registration is typically done by a relative, but it can be someone else in a building where the death took place or the person arranging the funeral.

Intentionally failing to inform a registrar about a death can lead to a fine of 200.

The government has been criticised for dropping the release of daily slides, comparing death tolls in different countries, as the UKs total has grown.

But the decision was backed by Ed Humpherson, director general of the UK Statistics Authority, who told the Commons public administration committee: We welcome the change that has come in in the last few days.

Prof Diamond backed the new smartphone app, at the heart of the test and trace policy and to be extended across the country from next week.

However, he warned that people who are most vulnerable to the disease  older people and poorer people  would be least likely to download it.
Children wearing face masks for protection against coronavirus play on swings in Kugulu public garden in Ankara (Burhan Ozbilici/AP)

Turkeys parks filled with the sound of children as the government allowed people aged 14 and under to leave home for the first time in 40 days.

As the Turkish government continues to loosen some of its coronavirus restrictions, the countrys youngest residents may now venture out for four hours a day between 11am and 3pm.

People in the 15-20 age group will be able to leave homes for a few hours a day starting on Friday.

In the capital Ankara, young children wearing masks took turns on the slides and swings at Kugulu Park while an adjacent street teemed with pedestrians, and police urged the public to abide by social distancing practices.

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Since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic there have been many changes to employment and day-to-day life for the people of Ireland.

The Central Statistics Office has analysed changes to work/employment, emotional well-being, effect on finances, and the impact on families for the Irish population aged 15 and over.

Just under half of the population aged 15 years and over (47%) have seen their employment situation affected.

Employment effects due to Covid-19 include: loss of employment, temporary layoff, change in work hours, remote working from home or change to business model to online/takeaway etc.

The age groups with the lowest affected employment are the age groups 15-24 years and 65 years and over.

Employment impacts are most felt in the age group 35-44 years, where two-thirds report employment effects.

Employment affected rates are highest in the Eastern and Midland region where 51% of persons aged 15 years and over reported employment effects, compared to 44% in the Northern and Western, and Southern regions.

The oldest age group (persons aged 65 years and over) are experiencing the most loneliness (30%) and fears around shopping (41%).

The youngest age group (15-24 years) report the second highest feelings of loneliness at 27%. This age group report the least fears around shopping.

Of the 47% of the population who have had their employment impacted by Covid-19, just over a third (34%) have started remote working from home and 23% of these employment affected persons have seen a change to their work hours.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the emotional well-being of the population aged 15 years and over, in that 17% are worried about money, 24% are feeling lonely and 26% are afraid to go shopping.

Older people aged 65 years and over are the most afraid to go shopping (41%).

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen 46% of the population aged 15 years and over increasing positive family time, with 59% of the population increasing their contact with family via telephone, Skype, Face Time etc.

Females are experiencing loneliness and fear to go shopping more than men, with 27% of females feeling lonely (compared to 20% of men) and almost a third (32%) of females saying they are afraid to go shopping (compared to a 20% of men).

Men exhibit marginally more money worries than females (18% to 17%).

In the population aged 15 years and over, low levels of the population report financial difficulties as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 3% of the population aged 15 years and over reporting that they are unable to pay bills, 5% deferring bills and 2% reporting rent or mortgage payment difficulties.

The age groups from 35-44 to 55-64 years all report the highest rates for the deferring of bills and rent and mortgage payment difficulties.

18% of the population (aged 15 and over) are caring for a dependent family member or friend because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

More females (21%) than men (15%) are caring for a dependent family member or friend, with persons in the 45-54 age group reporting the highest rates for caring (31%) as a result of Covid-19.

The measures introduced as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic include more staying at home and less face to face family visits.

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in almost 60% of the population aged 15 years and over having increased contact with family via telephone, Skype, Face Time etc.

This life effect of the Covid-19 pandemic is the one reported by the population aged 15 years and over as the highest life effect experienced.

The rates of this effect increase with age, with two-thirds of the population aged 65 years and over experiencing this increased family contact via telephone and internet, as compared to just under half of 15-24 year olds.

Almost half (46%) of the population have increased positive family time. The lowest rates of increased positive family time are experienced by the 65+ age group. See Table 4d.

With schools closed, childcare issues can be a significant life effect arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Almost a quarter (24%) of persons aged 35-44 reported experiencing childcare issues, with more females than men experiencing this life effect.
BOCA RATON, Fla., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) hosted its Annual Issues Symposium 2020AIS Virtualon May 12. Addressing the most relevant issues for the workers compensation industry for nearly 3,000 attendees, the virtual event's content is now available in the AIS Virtual Highlights Report on ncci.com. The report features a full event recap, speaker remarks, video presentations, and additional insights.

"This year's themeA New Decade In Sightshowcased how the workers compensation system must continue to adapt to our ever-evolving world," said Bill Donnell, president and CEO of NCCI. "Even though we face unprecedented challenges, we are a resilient system. Now is the time for us to work together to ensure we will always be there to support injured workers, their families, and the employers who rely on them."

Donnell kicked off this year's event by addressing key issues for carriers, regulators, and other industry stakeholders, including key questions on the future of healthcare and industry cost trends. As is tradition at AIS, Donnell also unveiled this year's wordVigilancereflecting the devoted attentiveness and hard work ahead of us.

Following Donnell's opening remarks, NCCI's Chief Actuary, Donna Glenn, FCAS, MAAA, delivered the company's highly anticipated State of the Line Report, providing an exclusive review of 2019 industry results, as well as the latest workers compensation trends, cost drivers, and broad economic markers. Full details are available in NCCI's State of the Line Guide on ncci.com.

A featured guest speaker, Robert P. Hartwig, PhD, CPCU, clinical associate professor of finance at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, focused on the issue that is top-of-mind for everyone: the COVID-19 pandemic. He discussed the pandemic's effect on the nation's economy and the workers compensation system, including a review of industry sector, investment market impacts, and labor market realities.

AIS Virtual concluded with an interactive Meet the Experts session featuring Glenn and NCCI senior actuaries Jay Rosen, FCAS, MAAA, and Sean Cooper, FCAS, MAAA. This session provided an opportunity for attendees to hear from, and ask questions of, some of NCCI's leading experts on topics such as frequency and severity, the industry's loss reserve position, and potential system cost impacts due to COVID-19.

With the launch of the AIS Virtual Highlights Report on ncci.com, additional online sessions are available to view including:

Latest Trends in Worker Demographics

Barry Lipton , FCAS, MAAA, practice leader & senior actuary at NCCI delivers a review of new and updated NCCI research on worker demographics and their potential impacts to workers compensation.





, FCAS, MAAA, practice leader & senior actuary at NCCI delivers a review of new and updated NCCI research on worker demographics and their potential impacts to workers compensation. Gen rXThe Next Generation of Medicine

Raji Chadarevian , director, medical regulation & informatics at NCCI examines medical technology, treatments, delivery, and even how payment mechanisms are evolvingwhat's changing now, and what may the near future hold for workers compensation?

About NCCI

Founded in 1923, the mission of the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) is to foster a healthy workers compensation system. In support of this mission, NCCI gathers data, analyzes industry trends, and provides objective insurance rate and loss cost recommendations. These activitiescombined with a comprehensive set of tools and servicesmake NCCI the source you trust for workers compensation information.

Contact: Cristine Pike

Manager, Communications

561-893-3631

SOURCE NCCI

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White House adviser Jared Kushner walked back comments that he couldn't commit one way or another to the 2020 presidential election going ahead in November.

In an interview with Time magazine, Mr Kushner said it was too far in the future to tell if there was any scenario, including a second coronavirus outbreak, that could see the elections move past 3 November.

In a statement released to NBC News late on Tuesday, Mr Kushner clarified his comments after receiving criticism over an apparent lack of understanding of a federal statute that makes it illegal for the White House to unilaterally postpone an election.

"I have not been involved in, nor am I aware of any discussions about trying to change the date of the presidential election," he said.

During a wide-ranging interview as part of TIME 100 Talks series, Mr Kushner was earlier asked if he would commit to the elections happening on 3 November.

"It's not my decision to make so I'm not sure I can commit one way or the other," Mr Kushner said.

"But right now that's the plan and, again, hopefully by the time we get to September, October, November, weve done enough work with testing and with all the different things were trying to do to prevent a future outbreak of the magnitude that would make us shut down again. I really believe that once America opens up, itll be very hard for America to ever lock down again.

A federal statute dating back to the 1800s defines Election Day to be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

"Never Trumper" and conservative commentator Bill Kristol said Mr Kushner's comments revealed an ignorance of the Constitution and law, as they took for granted that it was possible to have any say at all on whether the election goes ahead or not.

Donald Trump himself has committed to the election going ahead as planned, saying in March "the general election will happen on November 3rd."

During a coronavirus taskforce press briefing on 27 April, he said he's never thought about changing the election date.

"Why would I do that? November 3rd. It's a good number. No, I look forward to that election."
Liberal senator James Paterson has taken aim at universities' reliance on international students, using a speech in Parliament to reveal confidential details about the University of Queensland vice-chancellor's pay incentives to deepen ties with China.

In a late-night speech on Tuesday, Senator Paterson said a whistleblower from the university had given him a copy of last year's senior staff remuneration report, which showed vice-chancellor Peter Hoj had received a $200,000 bonus based partly on his success in growing the university's relationship with China.

According to Senator Paterson's read-out of the document, one of the key performance indicators Professor Hoj was judged against was a "sound and strategic positioning in China" because of its growth as a research provider and it being a "very important source of international students" for at least another five years.

The remuneration report noted Professor Hoj had visited China six times over 2018 and 2019 and the demand for UQ courses from Chinese students had "continued to grow strongly and we will likely end up with 63 per cent of commencing international students coming from China in Semester 1, 2020".
Theres a long, long way to go before theres going to be any bells unrung in this response. So I think we need to be clear about that. Countries, as youve seen, are trying to find a path out, and a path towards a new normal as many people have put it. And were going to be on that pathway for a long, long time. And as weve seen in some countries, even a small recurrence of disease can cause the need for a serious response. This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities. And this virus may never go away. H.I.V. has not gone away. Weve come to terms with the virus. And we have found the therapies, and we found the prevention methods and people dont feel as scared as they did before. I think it is important that were realistic, and I dont think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear. We do have one great hope: If we do find a highly effective vaccine that we can distribute to everyone who needs it in the world, we may have a shot at eliminating this virus, but that that vaccine will have to be available. It will have to be highly effective. It will have to be made available to everyone. And we will have to use it.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard cases dealing with whether 'faithless' electors may vote differently than they pledge to the state voters who selected them  in a matter that could play out in the 2000 election after briefly threatening Donald Trump's victory.

It is an issue that could bring a 'constitutional crisis,' warned one of the attorneys arguing before the court.

Justices questioned Lawrence Lessig, the attorney representing the side of Bret Chiafalo, a delegate for Hillary Clinton who was fined $1,000 after carrying out a plan to instead back a moderate Republican because he believed Trump was a 'clear and present danger.'

Lessig argued Wednesday that while a state could require a delegate to pledge to vote in concert with voters who selected them, it could not fine or otherwise punish a delegate for exercising discretion during the vote itself.

Bret Chiafalo, a plaintiff in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, poses for a photo at Lake Stickney Park near his home in Lynnwood, Washington. He got fined $1,000 after breaking his pledge to vote for Hillary Clinton and throwing his vote to Colin Powell in a bid to hurt Donald Trump

'A fine is a legal obligation. It crosses the line because the states have no such power to impose such an obligation,' he told the court, phoning in as nine justices did due to coronavirus social distancing.

'It can't cross the line and become a legally coercive obligation,' he said.

Lessig compared delegates to members of Congress, who have their own votes protected by the Constitution's 'Speech and Debate' clause.

He pointed to 1796, before the adoption of the 12th Amendment, when Sen. Samuel Miles cast one of his votes for Thomas Jefferson despite his pledge to vote for Federalist candidate John Adams. Adams would end up having to serve with Jefferson, his political rival, as vice president.

Lessig argued that it was legitimate for a state to require an elector to make a pledge  but not to enforce it with a penalty.

'The immunity to vote is an immunity from penalty to vote,' he said.

10 electors voted differently from what they said they would do during the 2016 election

December 19: Micheal Baca casts his vote for vice president on his pen box after he was replaced by Celeste Landry of Boulder (on is right) as a Colorado member of the Electoral College at the State Capitol. December 19, 2016 Denver, CO.

Lawrence Lessig fielded a question from Justice Sonya Sotomayor during his call-in appearance to oral arguments at the high court

Noah Purcell, solicitor general of Washington, was questioned by Justice Samuel Alito and other justices in the case

He came under fire from opposing counsel when pressed on whether a state could outlaw bribery of an elector.

He said prior to the vote, such a power exists, but it 'needs to be proven.'

He acknowledged to Justice Brett Kavanaugh that 'it's potentially true' the effect could be to disenfranchise voters in a state.

Chiafalo, 41, served in the role of presidential elector - an individual who plays a pivotal role in the complicated Electoral College process set out in the U.S. Constitution to determine the winner of presidential elections. Chiafalo was one of 538 electors who cast their votes in the aftermath of the November election, ultimately designating the Republican Trump as the winner over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

In most states, electors - typically party loyalists - must pledge to vote for their party's candidate if that person wins state's popular vote. Chiafalo, desperate to thwart Trump, had other intentions and voted for someone else.

Chiafalo, a Democratic elector from the city of Everett north of Seattle, thought Trump posed a 'clear and present danger' to the presidency. So he and others hatched a plan: Convince enough Republican electors from various states to cast their ballots for a moderate Republican and deprive Trump of an Electoral College majority.

In 2016, the stakes for Chiafalo and the other faithless electors were high. When word of their plans surfaced, Chiafalo said, he received death threats. He said he packed his bags and planned to flee to Denmark, where he had a place to stay if things turned ugly.

'They (said) this would start a civil war, that I'd be the first one on the pike, sexual assault threats against my family,' Chiafalo said in an interview. 'At the end of the day I believed I was doing the right thing for us and standing up for the Constitution.'

Seeking to persuade Republican electors to reject Trump, Chiafalo himself voted for former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, a moderate Republican, instead of Clinton, who won Washington state's popular vote.

Lessig, a Harvard Law professor, himself ran for president in 2015 on a platform based on campaign finance reform, though his effort fizzled.

Lessig pointed to competing historical views of the roles of electors  though he stopped short of Alexander Hamilton's writings holding up the judgement electors. Hamilton wrote in 'The Federalist Papers' that elections would be decided 'by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice.'

Said Lessig: 'We believe the context and history supports the idea that electors were to pledge themselves. We are not saying the Constitution required them to be Hamilton's philosophers. Our claim is that the discretion they created in the office of electors survived.'

Alexander Hamilton

Noah Purcell, the solicitor general for the state of Washington, told the Court that states must have the authority to regulate electors to ensure the will of the people.

Otherwise, he said, 'those who want to meddle in our presidential elections' would have a 'huge incentive' to try to bribe or blackmail electors. He said it was 'easy to imagine' a foreign power hacking into the computers of electors in search of 'embarrassing information' to pressure or bribe them.

'Electors are not federal officers,' Purcell said. 'If [opponents] were right about this fed function idea, then states never ever would have been able to remove or sanction electors for any reason,' he said.

He pointed to fines on electors dating to before 1800  although Lessig said on rebuttal no such fines were attached to the vote itself.

'Electors were chosen because of the candidate they had chosen to support,' said Purcell. Prohibiting state regulations like Washington's would 'radically change how American presidential elections have always operated,' he maintained.

He said under plaintiff's position, electors 'can't be removed even if they're taking a bribe or if they're being blackmailed or if they say in advance won't show up for a meeting' of the Electoral College.

The second case heard by the court Wednesday involves Micheal Baca, a Democratic elector in Colorado who voted for moderate Republican former Ohio Governor John Kasich instead of Clinton, who won the state's popular vote.

Baca, a high school teacher now living in Las Vegas, blamed the scheme's failure on fear of potential violence and other unknowns if their plan succeeded.

'I feel that was the biggest reason more influential electors and political elites did not join this effort,' Baca, 28, said in an interview.

Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser argued that if states are denied the ability to regulate electors, electoral chaos could ensue.

'If states have no ability to remove bribed electors,' he argued, it 'limit who could vote, and ultimately could sway the outcome of presidential election,' he said.

Chiafalo was fined $1,000 by Washington state. Baca's vote was canceled by Colorado officials. In the two cases, Chiafalo, Baca and two other faithless electors, as well as two others who cast their votes as pledged, argue that by penalizing electors states violate their rights under the Constitution's Article II and its 12th Amendment, which delineate the Electoral College process.

The nine justices heard two closely watched cases - one from Colorado and one from Washington state - less than six months before the Nov. 3 election in which presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden challenges Republican President Donald Trump.

The litigation involves the presidential election system set out in the U.S. Constitution in which the winner is determined not by amassing a majority in the national popular vote but by securing a majority of electoral votes allotted to the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

The cases involve so-called faithless electors who did not vote for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Electoral College even though she won the popular vote in their states.

Colorado and Washington state are among the 48 states - only Maine and Nebraska excepted - with winner-takes-all systems awarding all electors to the candidate who wins the state's popular vote.

The Electoral College vote, held weeks after the general election, is often overlooked as a mere formality in which the electors - typically party loyalists - actually vote for the winner of their state's popular vote.

But in 2016, 10 of the 538 electors voted for someone else. While that number of so-called faithless electors did not change the election's outcome, it would have in five of the 58 previous U.S. presidential elections.

State officials have said faithless electors threaten the integrity of American democracy by subverting the will of the electorate and opening the door to corruption. The plaintiffs said the Constitution requires them to exercise independent judgment to prevent unfit candidates from taking office.

The justices must decide if states can penalize faithless electors with actions such as monetary fines or removal from the role. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia have laws intended to control how electors vote. Only a handful enforce them with penalties.

'If the Supreme Court agrees with us and in my opinion the founding fathers, they'll find that electors are completely able to use their judgment to determine who they should vote for,' said Bret Chiafalo of Everett, Washington, one of the lead plaintiffs.

Trump's administration has taken no stance in the cases.

Chiafalo and another lead plaintiff Micheal Baca were Democratic electors who sought to persuade Republican electors to disregard their pledges and help deny Trump the presidency. Baca, who now lives in Las Vegas, was a Colorado elector. They cast their ballots for moderate Republicans and not Clinton.

Chiafalo was fined $1,000 by Washington state. Baca's vote was canceled by Colorado officials. The electors argued that the penalties against them by their states violated the Constitution's Article II and its 12th Amendment, which delineate the Electoral College process.

A lower court upheld Washington state's fine against Chiafalo and two other faithless electors. Another court concluded that Colorado's action against Baca violated his constitutional rights.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlantic Street Capital, a private equity firm targeting entrepreneurial businesses poised for the next level of growth, announced today its partnership with Brett Overman and growth investment in Zips Car Wash, one of the largest express focused tunnel car wash operators in the U.S.

Founded in 2003 by Mr. Overman, Zips provides an express ride-thru tunnel wash experience at its 185 locations across 17 states in the South, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic. Zips has over 1,400 employees and is based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Mr. Overman will remain majority owner of the business.

Brett Overman, Founder and CEO of Zips, said, "We couldn't be more excited to partner with Atlantic Street's investment and operations teams. Atlantic Street has considerable experience growing multi-unit, subscription-based retail platforms and driving well-run consolidations. This strategic capital will allow us to attract and retain the best talent in the industry, as well as offer leading express car wash operators a chance to be part of the Zips family."

Andy Wilkins, Managing Partner of Atlantic Street Capital, commented, "Brett has built a tremendous brand and corporate culture focused on delivering consistent, high-speed customer service at an attractive price point. Zips is a strong national platform that we look forward to helping continue to build with Brett and his team."

Phil Druce, Partner at Atlantic Street Capital, added, "Atlantic Street has been actively seeking the right opportunity in the express car wash market for several years. We're thrilled to have found a great partner in Brett and platform in Zips as we look to build the brand to over 500 locations."

Atlantic Street's current and former investments in companies with multi-unit operations include, PLNTF Holdings (Planet Fitness franchisee), United Veterinary Care, A Wireless (Verizon Wireless Authorized Reseller), and Lori's Gifts. They are currently investing out of their fourth fund, raised in 2019.

BlackArch Partners, a leading middle market investment bank based in Charlotte, NC, was retained by Zips Car Wash to serve as its exclusive financial advisor.

About Zips Car Wash

Zips Car Wash (www.zipscarwash.com) headquartered in Little Rock, AR, operates 185 locations in 17 states, including Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia and Tennessee. Zips Car Wash offers four levels of car wash packages in the convenient form of a ride-thru car wash experience. Zips Car Wash also offers free self-serve vacuums and Unlimited Wash Club Memberships at most locations.

About Atlantic Street Capital

Atlantic Street Capital is a private equity firm that invests in lower middle market and middle market companies that can benefit from operational resources and support. Atlantic Street Capital's investment team are hands-on investors who work closely with management to unlock their business' underlying value and help them succeed. The firm is currently making investments in Atlantic Street Capital IV, LP. For more information, visit www.atlanticstreetcapital.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 www.blackarchpartners.com, for more details.

SOURCE Zips Car Wash

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Severe weather in the Heartland, major warm up in the East

There were two reported tornadoes yesterday in south-central Texas near Austin that produced some damage to homes and even manage to flip several cars.

A new storm system will move into the Plains and parts of the Midwest today and tomorrow with a severe weather threat including damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes.

Today, Midland and Abilene in Texas along with Wichita, Oklahoma City and Kansas City should be on alert today for severe weather.

PHOTO: Today, Midland and Abilene in Texas along with Wichita, Oklahoma City and Kansas City should be on alert today for severe weather. (ABC News)

For tomorrow, a severe weather threat will move slightly north and east into Illinois and Indiana including Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Wichita.

Ahead of the storm system tomorrow, it will get almost summer-like for some with highs reaching 70s from Minneapolis to Chicago and Detroit with 80s in St. Louis and Cincinnati.

PHOTO: Ahead of the storm system tomorrow, it will get almost summer-like for some with highs reaching 70s from Minneapolis to Chicago and Detroit with 80s in St. Louis and Cincinnati. (ABC News)

On Friday, the warm air gets pushed even further east into the I-95 corridor with temps in the 80s from Washington D.C. to New York City and 70s in Boston.

PHOTO: On Friday, the warm air gets pushed even further east into the I-95 corridor with temps in the 80s from Washington D.C. to New York City and 70s in Boston. (ABC News)

Severe weather in the Heartland, major warm up in the East originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
T he UKs independent music festival sector could become a wasteland in 2021 unless the government takes action to save it, according to a leading festival trade organisation.

The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF)  which counts Boomtown, Field Day, Boardmasters, Tramlines and others among its members  said 98.5 per cent of its events are not covered by insurance for cancellation related to Covid-19.

It comes after a string of postponements in the UK festival scene, with Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds and Download among the most high-profile events forced into abandonment amid the pandemic.

With the potential cost of refunds expected to cost the UK festival sector up to 800m this summer, 92 per cent of AIF members said they are at risk of folding without government intervention.

Independent festivals are also facing redundancies of 59 per cent on average, according to AIF.

As it stands, none of AIFs member festivals have been able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme, set out by the government to provide financial support to smaller businesses during the pandemic.

Cancelled UK music festivals: All the new dates for postponed events 1 /34 Cancelled UK music festivals: All the new dates for postponed events Re-Textured, April 2-5 - POSTPONED New dates: 2021, exact dates TBC Mike Portlock Brixton Disco Festival, May 2 - RESCHEDULED New dates: October 10, 2020 The Great Escape, May 13-16 - RESCHEDULED New dates: May 12-15, 2021 Getty Images for Fender Musical We Are FSTVL, May 23-24 - RESCHEDULED New dates: September 12-13, 2020 Carolina Faruolo Love Saves the Day, May 23-24 - RESCHEDULED New dates: September 5-6, 2020 AFP/Getty Images Gala, May 23-24 - POSTPONED New dates: Organisers are "looking to move Gala 2020 towards the tail end of summer", exact dates TBC Khris Cowley All Points East, May 22-24 and 29-31 - POSTPONED New dates: 2021, exact dates TBC Junction 2, June 5-6 - RESCHEDULED New dates: June 4-5, 2021 Sam Neill Mighty Hoopla, June 6 - RESCHEDULED New date: June 5, 2021 Luke Dyson Cross The Tracks, June 7 - RESCHEDULED New date: June 6, 2021 Getty Images for Lung Transplant Isle of Wight , June 11-14 - RESCHEDULED New dates: June 17-20, 2021 Getty Images Gottwood, June 11-15 - POSTPONED New dates: June 2021, exact dates TBC Jake Davis for Here & Now Download , June 12-14 - RESCHEDULED New dates: June 4-6, 2021 PA Archive/PA Images Lovebox, June 12-14 - RESCHEDULED New dates: June 11-13, 2021 Getty Images Parklife, June 13-14 - RESCHEDULED New dates: June 12-13, 2021 PA Archive/PA Images Hampton Court Palace Festival, June 5-19 - POSTPONED New dates: June 2021, exact dates TBC Glastonbury, June 24-28 - POSTPONED New dates: 2021, exact dates TBC Getty Images British Summer Time at Hyde Park, various dates in July - POSTPONED New dates: 2021, exact dates TBC Getty Images for iHeartMedia Wireless , July 3-5 - RESCHEDULED New dates: July 2-4, 2021 Getty Images Love Supreme , July 3-5 - RESCHEDULED New dates: July 2-4, 2021 TRNSMT, July 10-12 - RESCHEDULED New dates: July 9-11, 2021 Getty Images Latitude, July 16-19 - POSTPONED New dates: July 2021, exact dates TBC Getty Images WOMAD, July 23-26 - POSTPONED New dates: July 2021, exact dates TBC AFP via Getty Images Naked City, July 25 - RESCHEDULED New date: July 24, 2021 Boomtown, August 12-16 - RESCHEDULED New dates: August 11-15, 2021 Scott Salt Reading and Leeds - RESCHEDULED New dates: August bank holiday, 2021 Charles Reagan Hackleman

AIF CEO Paul Reed said: This is not a temporary shutdown of business  it is an entire year of income and trade wiped out.

If support is not offered throughout the autumn, then the sector will face widespread job losses that will seriously inhibit its ability to deliver events in 2021.

Reed added: UK festivals are not only an intrinsic, defining part of British culture but also an economic powerhouse that generates hundreds of millions for the economy  we urge the government to recognise them as such.

AIF laid out a number of recommendations in order to save the sector, including a continuation of the governments furlough and self-employment schemes, as well as business support packages, until the festival industry can get to planning and sales stages of 2021 events.

It also called on the government to issue clear guidance and timelines on when festivals will be able to organise large gatherings, as well as what social distancing measures will be expected of them.
New research led by scientists from Newcastle University and the University of Nottingham has shown that typical teenage behavior doesn't just occur in young humans -- it happens in dogs too

New research led by scientists from Newcastle University and the University of Nottingham has shown that typical teenage behaviour doesn't just occur in young humans - it happens in dogs too.

The study, headed by Dr Lucy Asher from Newcastle University, is the first to find evidence of adolescent behaviour in dogs.

The researchers found dogs were more likely to ignore commands given by their caregiver and were harder to train at the age of eight months, when they are going through puberty. This behaviour was more pronounced in dogs which had an insecure attachment to their owner.

But Dr Asher, a Senior Lecturer in Precision Animal Science, in the University's School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, warns adolescence can be a vulnerable time for dogs as many are taken to shelters for rehoming at this age.

"This is a very important time in a dog's life," she explains. "This is when dogs are often rehomed because they are no longer a cute little puppy and suddenly, their owners find they are more challenging and they can no longer control them or train them. But as with human teenage children, owners need to be aware that their dog is going through a phase and it will pass."

The team, which also included researchers from the University of Edinburgh, looked at a group of 69 dogs to investigate behaviour in adolescence. They monitored obedience in the Labradors, Golden Retrievers and cross breeds of the two, at the ages of five months - before adolescence - and eight months- during adolescence.

Dogs took longer to respond to the 'sit' command during adolescence, but only when the command was given by their caregiver, not a stranger. The odds of repeatedly not responding to the sit command from the caregiver were higher at eight months compared to five months. However, the response to the 'sit' command improved for a stranger between the five and eight month tests.

Further evidence was found when the team looked a larger group of 285 Labradors, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds and cross breeds of them. Owners and a trainer less familiar with each dog filled in a questionnaire looking at 'trainability'. It asked them to rate statements such as: 'Refuses to obey commands, which in the past it was proven it has learned' and 'Responds immediately to the recall command when off lead'

Caregivers gave lower scores of 'trainability' to dogs around adolescence, compared to when they were aged five months or 12 months. However, again trainers reported an increase in a trainability between the ages of five and eight months.

The experts also found that in common with humans, female dogs with insecure attachments to their caregivers (characterised by higher levels of attention seeking and anxiety when separated from them) were more likely to reach puberty early. This data provides the first evidence of cross-species impact of relationship quality on reproductive timing, highlighting another parallel with parent-child relationships.

Dr Naomi Harvey, co-author of the research from the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and the charity Dog's Trust, says that whilst the results of this study may not come as a surprise to many dog owners, it has important consequences.

"Many dog owners and professionals have long known or suspected that dog behaviour can become more difficult when they go through puberty" says Dr Harvey. "But until now there has been no empirical record of this. Our results show that the behaviour changes seen in dogs closely parallel that of parent-child relationships, as dog-owner conflict is specific to the dog's primary caregiver and just as with human teenagers, this is a passing phase."

"It's very important that owners don't punish their dogs for disobedience or start to pull away from them emotionally at this time" added Dr Asher. "This would be likely to make any problem behaviour worse, as it does in human teens".

###
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has voted in favor of the decision to reopen the Shehyni checkpoint on the border with Poland as a pedestrian crossing for Ukrainians and foreigners, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"This is a technical resolution that returns the Shehyni checkpoint as a pedestrian crossing for our and foreign citizens. We have such a need due to the easing of the lockdown," Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said.

When asked when this checkpoint will reopen, Avakov said this would happen from the moment of publication of the resolution.

Ukraine temporarily closed checkpoints across the state border for international passenger rail, air and road traffic (for buses) from March 17.

Since mid-March, Ukraine and Poland have restricted movement across their borders. More than 180,000 Ukrainians have returned to Ukraine from Poland since then.

Earlier, the checkpoints Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne, Yahodyn-Dorohusk and Krakivets-Korczowa resumed operations on the Ukrainian-Polish border.

Ukraine has recorded 16,425 cases of COVID-19 as of May 13, including 439 deaths and 3,716 recoveries. Some 402 new cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

op
WASHINGTON  A federal judge made clear Tuesday that he would not immediately rule on the Justice Departments decision to dismiss its criminal case against former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying he would instead let outside individuals and groups weigh in with their opinions.

The move suggests U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan is not inclined to automatically rubber-stamp the department's plan to dismiss the Flynn prosecution.

Flynn pleaded guilty, as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, to lying to the FBI about conversations with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential transition period.

But the Justice Department said last week that the FBI had insufficient basis to question Flynn in the first place and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The department said that dismissing the case was in the interest of justice, and that it was following the recommendation of a United States attorney who had been appointed by Attorney General William Barr to investigate the handling of the Flynn investigation.

The decision must first go through Sullivan, who said in a written order Tuesday night that given the current posture of this case, he anticipated that individuals and organizations will seek leave of the Court" to file briefs expressing their opinions.

That is a likely reference to the considerable debate the Justice Department's action has prompted over the last week, with some former law enforcement officials who were involved in the investigation expressing their dismay over the planned dismissal through public statements or newspaper opinion pieces.

The judge said he expects to set a scheduling order governing the submission of such briefs, known as amicus curiae  or friend-of-the-court  briefs.

In a court filing Tuesday night, lawyers for Flynn objected to an amicus brief that a group identifying itself as Watergate Prosecutors" had said it intended to submit, saying the brief and others like it have no place in this Court."

A criminal case is a dispute between the United States and a criminal defendant. There is no place for third parties to meddle in the dispute, and certainly not to usurp the role of the governments counsel," Flynn's attorneys wrote.

It is also possible that Sullivan could ask for additional information from the department about its decision, including more details about why it was abruptly abandoning a case it had pursued in court since 2017, when Flynn pleaded guilty.

In an interview Tuesday evening with Fox News, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said the departments position was clear in the motion to dismiss the case.

We do not believe this case should have been brought, we are correcting that and we certainly hope that in the interest of true justice, that the judge ultimately agrees and drops the case against General Flynn, she said.

_____

Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report.
MOVING ON

In reference to our favorite local convenience store, dont you think you should move into the 21st century and have automatic doors installed with this pandemic?

CONCERNED CITIZEN

THANKS FOR NOTHING

The timing of the Ridley School Board is impeccable. Thousands of residents out of work, businesses shuttered and they find time to meet and raise our school taxes. Well done!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Its easy for the chief of police of Media and the mayor to threaten people who open their business and make a living and feed their families. If you notice theyre all still getting paid. When they start giving back their paychecks to the taxpayers, then and only then should they be allowed to keep taxpayers from working and protecting their families. Enough of this dictatorial stuff!

VIRTUAL JOE

Good job, Biden, your virtual rally in Tampa was a disaster. You dont know what hes saying. Biden in person is talking in riddles from one subject to another. He has technical difficulties. His brain doesnt catch up to his mouth. Maybe years ago he was a different person, younger and more alert. But not today. We are watching him slip away before our eyes and all his lies are catching up to him. He makes things up to suit him like his importance as vice president. Hes a joke, and he really is afraid to debate Trump. Hell use this virus as an excuse not to leave his basement or his cave where he is safe.

SLEEPY JOE

WHO HAS SURVIVED?

To Truth vs. Lies: to start, I dont listen to Trump. And I agree with Wake Up America. Dont listen to news media about this virus. What they read from is probably true. But anything they ad lib on a subject is their opinion, not fact. They only give you partial truth. They tell you how many people are sick, how many have died; but how many times do they tell us how many have survived?

WONDERING

NEWS FROM THE DOC

Someone listed as Trump 2020 in Saturdays paper stated that 66 percent of new cases are from people sheltered at home. I do not know where that person got the information but I read from Dr. Levine that almost 70 percent of those who passed away are from nursing homes and people in assisted living facilities

JAY

LOCK THEM UP!

Now that the White House has been infected, we need to lock it up from the outside and quarantine the lot of them until we can elect Joe Biden as our first real president since Obama. After the inauguration, we can let Trump and his band of misfits out the back door.

NOW HE SAYS SOMETHING

I find it interesting that former President Obama up until this point has had nothing to say about the coronavirus. Now, however when it has come out that he was well aware of the FBI spying on President Trumps presidential campaign and he was complicit in it, now he has a lot to say and calling it a chaotic disaster. The only disaster around his White House was his treasonous act of spying on President Trump.

I NEED MY TAGS

Does anyone else think that an auto tag place is an essential business? I am trying to buy a used car from a friend but cant find anything open to transfer the title and tags, so do I have to wait till they re-open? They are essential to buying a used car from a private seller in Pennsylvania. This is ridiculous.

MEDIA RESIDENT

FLOPPER IN CHIEF

Cough It Up Joe is a typical Trump supporter who has to insult people. And then they have the nerve to say that the Democrats are stuck with Joe Biden. Well, the fact is that our country is stuck with Donald Trump and the country cannot get away to get away from Donald Trump. Its only morons like Cough It Up Joe who is still support the person who has shown himself to be the absolute biggest flop as a president this country has ever seen.

SHOCKED
The daily New Delhi-Jammu train service will resume from Wednesday evening after three Shramik Special trains started ferrying over 3,200 stranded Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) residents from Bengaluru, Goa, and Delhi to Udhampur, beginning a day before.

Two Shramik Special trains --- from Delhi and Bengaluru -- have reached Udhampur, and another one from Goa will arrive on Wednesday evening.

On Thursday morning, a special passenger train, on the lines of Rajdhani Express, will reach Jammu.

Chetan Taneja, station director and a senior divisional traffic manager of Northern Railways, said, A special train will leave New Delhi on Wednesday at around 9pm and it will reach Jammu-Tawi on Thursday at around 5.45am.

All the arrangements have been put in place and sufficient mock drills have also been conducted over the past three days, said Taneja.

On Thursday, the same train will leave Jammu around 8pm and will arrive in Delhi at 5am on Friday.

Its a fully air-conditioned train, and the fare is similar to that of Rajdhani Express. However, food and blankets wont be provided to the passengers, he said.

Taneja said that passengers have to undergo mandatory screening and other protocols such as strict enforcement of social distancing norms, issued by the central government, to contain the spread of the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic after they get off the train.

On Monday, J&K chief secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam visited the Jammu-Tawi railway station and took stock of the mechanism put in place for the trains that are bringing back stranded passengers to the Union Territory.

Every single returnee has to undergo a mandatory Covid-19 test. We wont make an exception to it, said Rohit Kansal, principal secretary, J&K.

The district administration was asked to ensure that registration and allocation of buses to the passengers for their onward journey to respective home districts are done in an expeditious and hassle-free manner in a bid to avoid any inconvenience for them. Passengers will be lodged at administrative quarantine centres till their test reports are available.

On Wednesday morning, the second Shramik Special train, carrying stranded people from Delhi, arrived in Udhampur.

The train reached at 5.30am on Wednesday at Udhampur carrying passengers from Delhi. They included 316 passengers from Kulgam, 275 from Ramban, 131 from Srinagar, 122 from Kathua, 91 from Udhampur, 58 from Poonch, 44 from Rajouri, 31 from Budgam, 22 from Baramulla, 21 from Anantnag, 17 from Samba and 13 from Jammu, said Udhampur district commissioner Dr. Piyush Singla.

Another train from Goa will reach Udhampur on Wednesday evening, he added.

The evacuation of the J&K people stranded in Haryana has also started since early morning on Wednesday, Kansal said.

Evacuation from Haryana has started. Screening and boarding are in progress in Ambala, Hissar, Mewat, and Yamunanagar. Were looking forward to your return. Others need to be patient. Everyone, who has registered, will be contacted by the administration, the principal secretary tweeted.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has eased the movement of people stranded in other states because of the lockdown restrictions, which were imposed to check the spread of Covid-19 outbreak.

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White House senior adviser Jared Kushner was forced to clarify he is not trying to change the date of the November election after coming under fire for suggesting it was a possibility.

Election officials have raised concerns about how to conduct the general election on November 3rd if the coronavirus is still a threat.

'It's not my decision. I'm not sure I can commit one way or the other, but right now that's the plan,' Kushner told Time magazine in an interview on Tuesday afternoon when asked about postponing it.

'Hopefully by the time we get to September, October, November, we've done enough work with testing and with all the different things we're trying to do to prevent a future outbreak of the magnitude that would make us shut down again,' he said.

His comment sparked outrage and ramped up speculation that the White House was trying to change the date, which it cannot do. It would take an act of Congress to move the election.

Kushner later released a statement to clarify there were no such conversations.

'I have not been involved in, nor am I aware of any discussions about trying to change the date of the Presidential election,' he said.

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner was forced to clarify he is not trying to change the date of the November election after coming under fire for suggesting it was a possibility

A voter drops off their ballot in Tuesday's special election in California

WHO DOES DECIDE WHEN U.S. VOTES? The White House has little to no say in the timing of the election - it has already been set down by Congress . The Constitution sets a limit on the president's term of January 20 and puts the responsibility for choosing a new one on the Electoral College - made up of the states' electors. It then spells out that Congress has to pick the date for choosing the electors, which must be the same across the country. Initially states did not all choose the electors by popular vote, but as they did, and with the advent of instant communication in the form of the telegraph, it became clear there had to be a national election date. In 1845, Congress set the date of the presidential election itself for the first time, as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. It has not been changed since, and would need an act of Congress to change it. Given the Democrats' hold on the House that seems impossible. But there is some room for the White House to pressure states to put off elections for a few weeks. The constitutional requirement that they choose their electors does not set a date - but in 1948 Congress did, as 'the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.' In theory, states could delay their elections to closer to that date - but that would take the country to the brink of a constitutional crisis and appears highly unlikely to happen. Advertisement

But Kushner's comments revived fears, particularly among Democrats, that President Donald Trump could use the coronavirus to delay or delegitimize November's contest.

Hillary Clinton criticized Kushner for his comments, writing on Twitter: 'I cant believe I have to write this sentence, but the president's son-in-law doesn't get to decide when the election is.'

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democrats' presumptive 2020 nominee, warned about the threat of a delayed election at a fundraiser last month.

'Mark my words, I think he is going to try to kick back the election somehow  come up with some rationale why it can't be held,' he said of Trump.

The date of general election is statutorily set as 'the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November' or 'the first Tuesday after November 1,' according to the 1845 law passed by Congress. Only new legislation could change that date.

Additionally, Article II of the Constitution declares Congress - in effect - sets the election date: 'The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States.'

The coronavirus pandemic - which led to the cancellation of schools, delayed sporting events, closed churches and put an end to any large scale gatherings like the annual SXSW conference - has already affected the Democratic primary process.

New York canceled its June primary because of the disease and 15 other states moved back or extended mail-in voting for their primaries.

Such moves have been controversial and lawsuits have been filed with the argument people have the right to vote.

New York's case illustrates that. Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang sued the state over the move. And the judicial branch showed its strong commitment to protecting the right to vote, ordering the election to go forward. State officials have appealed.

Additionally, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers lost his bid last month to delay his state's primary until June. The court ordered it to go forward amid criticism that in-person voting could contribute to the spread of the coronavirus. Voters queued to vote on April 7 in long lines - many of them wearing face masks and practicing social distancing - due to the limited number of polling places open because of a shortage of workers to staff them.

The Wisconsin Department of Health traced 19 cases of the coronavirus to that election.

Voters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, line up to vote during the April 7 primary

President Trump denied last month any plans to change November's election date

The logistics of holding an election during a pandemic have been raised by officials as November gets closer and the infection rate continues to rise. There have been more than 1.4 million cases of the disease in the U.S. and more than 83,000 deaths.

The most reliable voters are the elderly, the population most at risk for the coronavirus. Additionally, most poll workers are usually retirees, who fall into the same high-risk group.

Various options are being considered to hold the election safely.

Democratic Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota have proposed legislation that would expand mail-in voting to all voters, which would limit the need for in-person voting: 34 states and Washington D.C. allow mail-in voting for any reason while 16 states allow it with restrictions.

Some states are already preparing for mail-in voting this fall.

Last week, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced a ballot will be mailed to all registered voters ahead of November's general election.

The state also held a special election on Tuesday to fill the seat of former Rep. Katie Hill - an election held mostly by mail-in voting.

President Trump was critical of the move and complained Democrats were trying to rig the election. Trump has been a huge critic of mail-in voting, saying it's done by 'cheaters' and favors Democrats.

Former Navy fighter pilot Mike Garcia, a Republican, is leading the race as results are still be tabulated.

Additionally, House Democrats included $3.6 billion in election funding as part of the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package they unveiled this week. The money is intended to help states with programs like mail-in voting.

President Trump denied last month having any plans to push back the November election date.

'I never even thought of changing the date of the election,' he said. 'Why would I?'

'The general election will happen on Nov. 3,' he noted.
People wait for their turn outside a shop at a market after the government eased the lockdown in Islamabad. (AFP)

Islamabad: Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's close aide on Tuesday said that the government could not enforce an indefinite lockdown due to the absence of any timeline about the end of novel coronavirus crisis, as the number of COVID-19 patients in the country jumped to nearly 33,000.

Addressing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Khan, Information minister Shibli Faraz said that the government resources were not enough to sustain the pressure of an indefinite lockdown.

"Given the situation, if we can do both - protect our lives and keep businesses running - that would be the best; we don't have any other options," the minister said.

Faraz also expressed concern at the large number of people coming out after lockdown was relaxed but warned that the people should follow guidelines and maintain social distancing.

"If people continue getting ill, then it will have a bad effect on our hospital capacity and limitations," he said.

He said that Planning minister Asad Umar briefed the Cabinet meeting about the COVID-19 crisis and the efforts of the government to deal with the situation after easing of the lockdown.

Earlier, Umar chaired the meeting of National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) which discussed the safety of the health workers and the situation after easing of lockdown.

Prime minister Khan tweeted that the NCOC was also apprised by officials of the health ministry about a plan to launch the campaign 'WE CARE' for the protection of the healthcare workers.

The move comes after at least 440 healthcare workers across Pakistan, including 70 nurses, tested COVID-19 positive and eight health workers died.

Meanwhile, the coronavirus cases in Pakistan jumped to 32,916. Punjab province registered 11,868 patients, Sindh 12,610, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 5,021, Balochistan 2,158, Islamabad 716, Gilgit-Baltistan 457 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 86 patients.

A total of 57 more people have died in the last 24 hours, taking the death tally to 724. So far 8,555 patients have recovered.

Following a spike in coronavirus cases and deaths in the Sindh province and disregard of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by the people, chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday issued a stark warning to traders, shopkeepers and public that they could face a more stringent lockdown in the coming days.

The Sindh government has eased lockdown restrictions from Monday, allowing some private sector offices, businesses, traders and shopkeepers to resume their work.

However, a blatant disregard for the prescribed SOPs by all stakeholders has given rise to concern about increase in COVID-19 cases in the province.

Heavy traffic jams were witnessed at many places in Sindh. One could even see three or four people riding on a motorcycle without any protective gear. No social distancing measures were observed in shops and other public places.

"If the SOPs agreed between the government and traders are not observed, I will have no option but to withdraw the flexibility granted for the resumptions of day to day business activities. People are not understanding the severity of the pandemic...We have to abide by the SOPs, our health system does not have the capacity to sustain the pressure of new cases," Shah said.

A total of 593 new coronavirus cases and 18 deaths have been reported in Sindh during the past 24 hours

The Peshawar High Court has decided to close down its major offices from May 13 to 31 after several employees tested positive for the virus. However, two single benches will be functional during this period.

Pakistan has also reduced the quarantine period before COVID-19 tests for inbound air passengers from 48 hours to the earliest possible, a move aimed at bringing home more citizens stranded abroad.

Following prime minister Khan's directive to bring stranded citizens back home, the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), in coordination with the provinces and health professionals, reduced the quarantine period before testing for inbound air passengers from 48 hours to earliest possible.

This strategy will allow to raise the weekly cap for inbound passengers from 7,000-8,000 to 11,000-12,000 under the current policy.

In a related development, Pakistan extended the suspension of domestic flights till May 29, the Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement.

The domestic flights were earlier suspended till May 13 in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, who was tested positive for the coronavirus on May 1, tweeted on Tuesday that he was allowed to go home after improvement in his condition.

"I am feeling better and will soon fully recover by the grace of God," he tweeted.
Worsening outbreak comes as President Jair Bolsonaro, who has played down COVID-19, pressures state governors to reopen.

Brazil has recorded its deadliest day yet from the coronavirus with 881 confirmed deaths in 24 hours and confirmed cases exceeding Germanys, as President Jair Bolsonaro fought states over his push to ease lockdown restrictions.

Brazils health ministry confirmed at least 12,400 deaths from the virus as of Tuesday, while the number of cases hit 177,589, passing Germanys 170,508 cases and drawing close to France, which has reported 178,225 confirmed and probable cases.

Europe is beginning to lift lockdowns as the death toll in the region eases, but the outbreak is still accelerating in Brazil, where Bolsonaro has played down the risks of the disease and criticised state governments isolation orders.

Bolsonaro this week ratcheted up his dispute with state governors, with a decree classifying businesses such as gyms and hair salons as essential services, making them exempt from lockdowns.

The right-wing president has argued that the economic damage from closing businesses is worse than the disease.





Governors who do not agree with the decree can file lawsuits in court, Bolsonaro wrote on social media. He later threatened to take his own legal action against them if they did not comply.

At least 10 governors said they would not follow the decree.

Bolsonaro is walking toward the precipice and wants to take all of us with him, Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel said on Twitter.

Little flu

Bolsonaro, who called the virus a little flu, has insisted for more than a month that governors are stoking economic carnage with voluntary quarantine recommendations and has urged Brazilians to go about their daily lives.

Bolsonaros popularity has suffered since the crisis began, polls show. Disapproval of the president rose to more than 55 percent in a survey released on Tuesday, from 47 percent in January.

An investigation authorised by the Supreme Court into Bolsonaros alleged efforts to meddle with police investigations has also eroded his support and distracted from the countrys pandemic response.





Bolsonaro won election in 2018 on pledges to clean up politics and make sweeping market-friendly reforms to restore economic growth after a deep recession  plans derailed by the pandemic.

Sources told Reuters news agency the government would soon slash its 2020 economic outlook, predicting a more than 4 percent drop in gross domestic product, after a previous forecast for flat growth.

Brazil has passed Germany in confirmed cases even as its testing lags far behind both.

As of Monday, Brazil had processed nearly 338,000 novel coronavirus tests in three months at official labs, said the Health Ministry. Another 145,000 tests were under analysis or backlogged.

By contrast, Germanys certified labs tested more than 330,000 samples last week alone and have the capacity to test around 838,000 samples every week.

France has also invested in testing to boost capacity to approximately 700,000 tests per week.

A coronavirus mortality model from the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) predicts more than 88,000 deaths from the coronavirus in Brazil by August.
Hudson-Chatham Winery sold

Carlo and Dominique DeVito, veterans of the New York City publishing industry who in 2006 bought a historic farm in Ghent and turned it into Hudson-Chatham Winery, the first winery in Columbia County, have sold the property and business to a pair of hospitality veterans from Boston.

The new owners are Steven Rosario and Justen Nickell, who worked together in senior positions at Tatte Bakery & Cafe, which has 17 locations in the Boston area and Washington. They previously worked for the French bakery Maison Kayser, with multiple New York City locations, and are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America. According to an announcement of the purchase of Hudson-Chatham, Rosario, a native of the Hudson Valley, will take over daily operations of the winery in Ghent and the two satellite locations in Tannersville and Troy, and Nickell will continue in his position as director of bakery and pastry operations and R&D at Tatte.

The announcement says that Hudson-Chatham Winerys general manager, Bryan VanDeusen, will remain as GM and winemaker, and grape historian Stephen Casscles, author of Grapes of the Hudson Valley and Other Cool Climate Regions, is staying on as a grower and advising winemaker.

We are thrilled to have Justen and Steven assume stewardship of this historic farm that is now the winery, said Carlo DeVito in a statement. They have the desire and the know-how to take the winery to the next level. Both are successful food professionals and have a true passion for great wine and fine food. The announcement does not give a reason for the DeVitos decision to sell.

Takeout night at Albany Polish Community Center

The Albany Polish Community Center in Albany will be offering takeout meals on Friday, including pierogi, goumpki, kiebasa, sauerkraut, rye bread, dessert and beer. Combo platters cost $14, individual servings $4 to $7.

Order by calling 518-456-3996 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, for pickup from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday.

The community center is at 225 Washington Ave. Ext.

Local breweries get medals at state competition

Mad Jack Brewing Co. in Schenectady and C.H. Evans Brewing/Albany Pump Station in Albany won a gold medal for their joint-effort Stomping Grounds India Pale Lager in the New York State Craft Beer Competition, sponsored by the New York State Brewers Association. Unified Beerworks of Malta also won a gold, for its Right Time and Place hazy pale ale.

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The awards were announced in an online event last week, based on a judging on March 14 in Rochester. Because of then-current state limitations on the size of gatherings, judges were able to taste beer in 12 of 25 categories. The brewers association said 135 entries were submitted.

Stomping Grounds gold medal was in the Collaboration Beer category; it also took a bronze in the American IPA Variations category. Other Capital Region breweries awarded medals were Browns Brewing of Troy (bronze, Intonation, American DIPA) and Frog Alley Brewing of Schenectady (silver, Re4resh IPA, American IPA).

The best-in-show award, called the Governors Craft Beer Cup, went to Big aLICe Brewing Co. of Long Island City for The Many Lives of Our Lives, in the Fruit and Spice Beer  Sour category.

The Pump Station has sold out its allocation of Stomping Grounds, but final kegs remain available at Mad Jack and Backstage Pub, also in Schenectady. Unified Beerworks winner is available for takeout or delivery in growlers and crowlers.
Medicines and drugs stored at state-run hospitals and rural health centres across West Bengal to treat regular patients are lying unused and nearing their expiry date because hardly any people are coming in for treatment amid the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

District hospitals have alerted the state health department that unless these drugs are used, they will expire and this will lead to loss of government property.

Due to the lockdown for prevention of Covid-19 cases, general patient flow of different disciplines decreased remarkably. For this reason the outflow of the following medicines has [gone] downwards. At present following medicines are lying in the store as slow moving item which may not be consumed within their potency period, said a letter sent by the Asansol district hospital in West Burdwan.

The list of medicines includes ampules, vials, tablets and tubes of different types of injections, and drops and lotions to treat people suffering from cardiac arrest, malaria, labour pain and peptic ulcers. There are also antibiotics, anaesthesia medicines and eye drops. The stock of some drugs such as dobutamine and dobramycin are set to expire in June.

In another letter, accessed by HT, the superintendent of the state-run Gangarampur sub-divisional hospital in South Dinajpur district alerted the health department that the expiry of medicines could lead to loss of government property.

Will be highly obliged if you take necessary actions so that the medicines can be utilized to avoid loss of government property, the letter sent on April 27 stated.

Stocks of medicines at Habra state general hospital in North 24 Parganas are also nearing their expiry date, another letter accessed by HT showed.

West Bengals minister of state for health Chandrima Bhattacharya said: I am not aware [of this issue]. Please contact the health department.

Senior officials of the department were tight-lipped and said only the minister could comment on the matter.

With opposition parties alleging that a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), masks and gloves has resulted in several doctors and frontline medical staff being infected by the Coronavirus, the West Bengal government has begun procuring such items from small and medium scale industries. A committee has been formed to speed up these procurements.

The state has ordered around 1.65 million PPE kits, of which it has received 740,000 kits till May 12. Around 3.25 million masks (N95 and FFP2) have been ordered, of which only 360,000 have been received so far, officials said on condition of anonymity.

Usually, it is the West Bengal Medical Services Corporation which makes bulk purchases of medicines and medical equipment. But because of the crisis, a special committee has been formed to speed up procurements. A helpline has been launched, where frontline medical staff can place their demands, said a senior official of the state health department.

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With the TV industry currently at a standstill for the most part amid the COVID-19 pandemic, soap fans across the UK have been left panicking that their favourite shows will soon run out of new episodes.

But an encouraging comment from the Department for Culture has offered a glimmer of hope.

According to The Sun, a spokesman said: 'The Government is working closely with the screen sector to understand how different types of productions can comply with social distancing guidelines, and give confidence to people in the TV and film industries that there are safe ways in which they can return to work.'

Cheers? An encouraging comment from the Department for Culture has offered a glimmer of hope for the UK's soaps [pictured: a scene from EastEnders]

While this statement leaves out the specifics, the news is likely to excite fans of long-running series such as EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street, which are currently on ice amid lockdown.

MailOnline has approached reps for these shows for clarification.

The soaps - which typically air new episodes most nights of the week - have been halted, their famous sets left dark.

Networks ITV and the BBC have reduced the number of episodes that air per week, in fear of them drying up.

According to The Sun , a spokesman said: 'The Government is working closely with the screen sector to understand how different types of productions can comply with social distancing guidelines, and give confidence to people in the TV and film industries that there are safe ways in which they can return to work' [pictured: a scene from Emmerdale]

Will they, won't they? While this statement leaves out the specifics, the news is likely to excite fans of long-running series such as EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street [pictured], which are currently on ice amid lockdown

A source recently alluded to the status of EastEnders in particular, while talking to The Sun: 'Filming will have to resume at some point and bosses say June is the benchmark. With strict social distancing and extra precautions on set they think EastEnders could make the transition.

'But they appreciate the health and safety of the cast and crew is paramount and should the lockdown restrictions be tightened, filming will, of course, not take place.'

The insider added that the soap's bosses have said that if filming can 'resume safely', then it will 'go ahead'.

Confusion: The soaps - which typically air new episodes most nights of the week - have been halted, their famous sets left dark [pictured: a scene from EastEnders]

Dilemma: Networks ITV and the BBC have reduced the number of episodes that air per week, in fear of them drying up [pictured: a scene from Coronation Street]

It seems Downing Street's attempts to move forward with re-booting the economy could indeed include TV production.

Across Sunday and Monday, it was announced that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was encouraging some sectors to head back to work, if working from home cannot be done. By this definition, this would include being on film sets.

Mr Johnson attempted to set out his tentative three-stage 'exit plan' from coronavirus lockdown - but sparked mass confusion in the process.

In a TV address to the nation from Downing Street, he outlined 'baby steps' that will see those who cannot work from home 'actively encouraged' to return to their jobs, but he said they should walk or cycle and avoid public transport where they can.

The PM also revealed that from Wednesday people will be able to exercise as often as they like, sunbathing in parks will be permitted so long as strict social distancing rules are obeyed, and schools will start to reopen next month.

But within minutes of the stirring address from Downing Street, political rivals and puzzled members of the public lined up to pick holes in the hazy blueprint, which Labour's Sir Keir Starmer said lacked 'clarity and consensus' and risked causing chaos with employees unsure if they should be leaving the house or not.

Key work? Across Sunday and Monday, it was announced that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was encouraging some sectors to head back to work, if working from home cannot be done. By this definition, this would include being on film sets.

Traffic: The M25 in Kent was far busier than usual on Monday after the Prime Minister said those who can't work from home should go to work

Crowds: Passengers at Canning Town on the busy platform in east London as Mr Johnson was accused of being vague

Meanwhile parted relatives were irked that workers could mingle with colleagues in offices while the guidance remained foggy for families, and despite leaked suggestions families could meet in wider 'social bubbles' the PM failed to reference the idea in his speech.

People were further baffled when it emerged that, as long as a six-foot distance is maintained, people can chat in a park with one other person from a different household, but not two people at the same time.

One industry that has been encouraged to continue is the construction sector - with EastEnders' set being under refurbishment now for months.

The new Queen Vic pub has finally been revealed as the revamped 87million set continues its construction while the cast and crew are on break.

Her majesty: The new Queen Vic pub has finally been revealed on the 87million EastEnders set as renovations in Borehamwood continue

Before and after: The left image shows the current pub while the right image shows the new Queen Vic under construction

Characters: Current characters including Phil Mitchell and Linda Carter aren't expected to use the set until 2023

The extensive project, which has been built next door to the original set, appeared to be almost ready in new images revealed last Tuesday, as work on the project carries on amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The iconic pub had previously been shrouded in plastic sheeting and scaffolding as work on the building got underway, but the brand new pale brick exterior of the Queen Vic is now visible.

The Queen Vic appears to be having its new windows fitted at the moment, while the roof terrace on the building looks ready to be used when filming resumes in the future.

The new set is said to not be scheduled for use for another three years.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 7:18AM

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Reese Witherspoon takes us back to simpler times with a new deal she's signed with Netflix. The actress has signed on to star in two upcoming romantic comedies that will be produced by her production company, Hello Sunshine. The first film is entitled Your Place or Mine, which has a script written by Aline Brosh McKenna. McKenna will make her directorial debut with the film. And it is about "two long-distance best friends who change each other's lives when one decides to pursue a lifelong dream and the other volunteers to keep an eye on the friend's teenage son."

The second film is entitled The Cactus, and it's based on a novel with the same name by Sarah Haywood. It was one of Witherspoon's "Hello Sunshine Book Club picks" in 2018. And it tells the story of "a 45-year-old woman who falls unexpectedly pregnant, leading her on an unconventional journey toward love, family, and learning to embrace the unexpected." There is no writer or director attached to the film yet. We don't have release dates as well, given COVID-19 pandemic, it might be a while until we get that information.

Source: Vulture
The class of 2020 in New Jersey can have vehicle-based graduation ceremonies amid the coronavirus pandemic, but everyone needs to be remain cars with the windows rolled up.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday that state residents can gather in vehicles for things like religious services and drive-in movies. The same rules go for graduation ceremonies, Murphy said when asked by NJ Advance Media.

Yes, as long as you stay in the car, Murphy said at his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton.

But the clarification on gatherings involving vehicles comes with some restrictions. Windows and sunroofs need to closed if vehicles are within six feet of one another.

"I must reiterate, however, in other cases, the ban on gatherings still applies, and that residents should still stay at home as much as possible, Murphy said.

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Beginning Monday morning, New Jersey will allow nonessential retail businesses to reopen for curbside pickup and nonessential construction to resume, Murphy announced Wednesday.

The executive order marks the second major move Murphy has made to ease the near-lockdown orders hes placed New Jersey under for weeks to fight the virus. He lifted closures on state and county parks and golf courses late last month.

Murphy said Tuesday that officials plan to increase testing capacity to 20,000 a day by the end of the month and hire at least 1,000 contact tracers as part of a reopening strategy.

He also said New Jerseys timeline to lift his restrictions will be handled statewide, not regionally. He warned it will be done incrementally and that there will be no "on/off light switch when it comes to reopening.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
The scientific community worldwide has mobilized with unprecedented speed to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, and the emerging research output is staggering. Every day, hundreds of scientific papers about COVID-19 come out, in both traditional journals and non-peer-reviewed preprints. Theres already far more than any human could possibly keep up with, and more research is constantly emerging.

And its not just new research. We estimate that there are as many as 500,000 papers relevant to COVID-19 that were published before the outbreak, including papers related to the outbreaks of SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Any one of these might contain the key information that leads to effective treatment or a vaccine for COVID-19.

Traditional methods of searching through the research literature just dont cut it anymore. This is why we and our colleagues at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab are using the latest artificial intelligence techniques to build COVIDScholar, a search engine dedicated to COVID-19. COVIDScholar includes tools that pick up subtle clues like similar drugs or research methodologies to recommend relevant research to scientists. AI cant replace scientists, but it can help them gain new insights from more papers than they could read in a lifetime.

Why it matters

When it comes to finding effective treatments for COVID-19, time is of the essence. Scientists spend 23% of their time searching for and reading papers. Every second our search tools can save them is more time to spend making discoveries in the lab and analyzing data.

AI can do more than just save scientists time. Our groups previous work showed that AI can capture latent scientific knowledge from text, making connections that humans missed. There, we showed that AI was able to suggest new, cutting-edge functional materials years before their discovery by humans. The information was there all along, but it took combining information from hundreds of thousands of papers to find it.

We are now applying the same techniques to COVID-19, to find existing drugs that could be repurposed, genetic links that might help develop a vaccine or effective treatment regimens. Were also starting to build in new innovations, like using molecular structures to help find which drugs are similar to each other, including those that are similar in unexpected ways.

How we do this work

The most important part of our work is the data. Weve built web scrapers that collect new papers as theyre published from a wide variety of sources, making them available on our website within 15 minutes of their appearance online. We also clean the data, fixing mistakes in formatting and comparing the same paper from multiple sources to find the best version. Our machine learning algorithms then go to work on the paper, tagging it with subject categories and marking work important to COVID-19.

Were also continuously seeking out experts in new areas. Their input and annotation of data is what allows us to train new AI models.

Whats next

So far, we have assembled a collection of over 60,000 papers on COVID-19, and were expanding the collection daily. Weve also built search tools that group research into categories, suggest related research and allow users to find papers that connect different concepts, such as papers that connect a specific drug to the diseases its been used to treat in the past. Were now building AI algorithms that allow researchers to plug search results into quantitative models for studying topics like protein interactions. Were also starting to dig through the past literature to find hidden gems.

We hope that very soon, researchers using COVIDScholar will start to identify relationships that they might never have imagined, bringing us closer to treatments and a remedy for COVID-19.

This article was first posted on The Conversation.
The CIA believes that China pressured the World Health Organization into delaying public warnings about coronavirus early in the outbreak, according to a new report.

A CIA report says China threatened to stop cooperating with the WHO's coronavirus investigation if the organization declared the outbreak a global health emergency, according to Newsweek.

The alleged delay came at a crucial time in January, as the virus was spreading around the world undetected and China was stockpiling medical equipment and protective gear made in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The shock allegation comes as more than 82,000 Americans have died of the virus that originated in Wuhan, China last year, and the claims are likely to further fray tense relations between Washington and Beijing.

The contents of the the CIA document, called 'U.N.-China: WHO Mindful But Not Beholden to China,' were confirmed to Newsweek by two U.S. intelligence officials.

It is the second Western intelligence report to indicate that China strong-armed the WHO into downplaying the risks of the epidemic, after a German intelligence document reported by Der Spiegel suggested that Chinese leader Xi Jinping personally pressured WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) and Chinese leader Xi Jinping shake hands in Beijing on January 28, 2020

The German newspaper cited intelligence from the country's Federal Intelligence Service, known as the 'Bundesnachrichtendienst' (BND).

According to the BND: 'On January 21, China's leader Xi Jinping asked WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to hold back information about a human-to-human transmission and to delay a pandemic warning.

'The BND estimates that China's information policy lost four to six weeks to fight the virus worldwide'.

The WHO released a statement shortly after the publication of the shock claims, calling them 'unfounded and untrue'.

The WHO did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com about the CIA document, but told Newsweek: 'We don't comment on specific discussions with member states but we can say that at all times during the pandemic WHO has acted in accordance with its mandate as an evidence-based technical organization focusing on protecting all people, everywhere.'

'WHO bases its recommendations on science, public health best practices, evidence, data, and the advice of independent experts,' the statement added.

A German intelligence document reported by Der Spiegel suggested that Chinese leader Xi Jinping personally pressured WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (above)

The WHO said that Tedros did not communicate with Xi on Jan 20, 21 or 22, but that Tedros met with Xi in Beijing on January 28.

The WHO finally declared coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, though the announcement was quick to insist that China was not to blame, and praise China's handling of the crisis.

'Let me be clear: This declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China. On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China's capacity to control the outbreak,' Tedros said at the time.

On Saturday, Beijing issued a 30-page, 11,000-word screed blasting what it called the 'preposterous allegations' about its handling of the outbreak.

'As Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people all the time and fool all the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time,' the article's prologue said, citing the former American president.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also accused China of withholding virus samples he said were needed for vaccine research - as President Donald Trump insisted earlier this week there is enough evidence to prove President Xi's regime misled the global community.

Back in April, the Trump Administration alleged the WHO was becoming a tool of 'Chinese propaganda', and the president moved to halt funding of the organisation.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is seen in January. Multiple intelligence reports have called into question his administration's transparency during the early stages of the outbreak

Last week, the President launched a fresh attack on the organisation during a Fox News virtual town hall meeting.

'The World Health organisation has been a disaster everything they said was wrong and they're China-centric,' he stated at the event, held last Monday.

'All they do is agree with China, whatever China wants to do. So our country, perhaps foolishly in retrospect has been paying $450million a year to the World Health Organisation and China's been paying $38million a year but they were more political than all of our leaders previously.

'What they did, what World Health did, was they missed every single call and we're not going to put up with it.'

China's lengthy rebuttal gave a timeline of how it allegedly provided information to the world in a 'timely', 'open and transparent' manner to rebuke suggestions it had been slow to sound the alarm.

Keen to dispel suggestions the virus was deliberately created at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, it claimed all evidence shows Covid-19 is not man-made while insisting the institute is not capable of synthesizing a new virus.

U.S. intelligence officials have never believed that the virus was artificially lab-created, but many suspect that it may have escaped during experiments with naturally occurring bat coronaviruses that are documented to have taken place at the lab in Wuhan.

Meanwhile, 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.

US intelligence sources believe coronavirus may have escaped from this lab in Wuhan, which was conducting experiments on bat coronaviruses

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 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 claims that the Chinese government silenced its most vocal critics and scrubbed any online scepticism about its handling of the health emergency from the internet.

China has roundly come under fire for suppressing the scale of its early outbreak which did not afford other nations time to react before the disease hit their shores.

Five Eyes - the pooling of intelligence by the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - laid bare its scathing assessment of the Xi's administration in a memo obtained by the Australian Saturday Telegraph.

It describes how Beijing was outwardly downplaying the outbreak on the world stage while secretly scrambling to bury all traces of the disease.

More than four million people around the world have contracted the highly contagious virus, and at least 291,000 have died.
(Photo : REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng) A security guard checks a customers temperature at a mall entrance as Malaysia reopens a majority of businesses, after a movement control order was imposed to fight the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 4, 2020.

A Malaysian cinema and luxury leather goods are found covered in mold after being shut down for two months due to coronavirus pandemic.

The purple and red seats as well as the carpets within the cinema had been coated by a thick layer of mold and dust as shown in photos taken by a photographer in the city of Ipoh in western Perak state.



Malaysia eased movement curbs earlier this month, but retained strict restraints on some areas with new outbreaks of the COVID-19 disease. Currently, the Asian country has 6,742 cases and 109 deaths related to coronavirus.



Similarly, cleaners at Metrojaya center, a shopping mall in Sabah state in Borneo Island, have seen the impacts of these strict restrictions as luxury leather bags and shoes are covered with mold.

While cinemas can have a rigid cleaning or replacement of seats, retailers had no choice but dispose their goods, even the expensive ones. Interestingly, this news was welcomed by Malaysians. 'This is a good thing for places like cinemas. Finally, they can start a full cleanup after 10 years of disgusting filth and dust, time to say goodbye to the cockroaches,' a Twitter user exclaimed.



One of the bags pictured had a price tag of 126 ($136.81) and had been totally covered by mold. Many comments on social media said this was due to poor air conditioning and maintenance by store owners.



The staff of Metrojaya center gave the building a deep on Sunday, May 10. The damaged leather goods had been removed, according to a spokesman for the shop. On Tuesday, May 12, cleaners came in masks, and hazmat suits were seen throwing out the items and giving the store deep clean.



Designer leather goods were thrown into black bin bags. The staff was also cleaning air vents and carpets to eliminate fungal spores and mold."We take it very seriously in cleaning and disinfecting our stores to ensure a safe and healthy experience to our valued customers. Metrojaya Suria Sabah is now undergoing a thorough cleaning process," the spokesman said.



While Malaysia's movement control order has been extended until June 9, some businesses have been allowed to reopen after two-months since the lockdown started. The government urges continuing observing social distancing, proper handwashing, and other safety measures to prevent the second wave of the pandemic.

What to do when leather goes moldy? Regardless of the price, all leather clothes, shoes, and accessories are prone to mildew and mold if the storage has high levels of moisture and heat. To avoid this, leather should be stored at room temperature with about 40% to 60% humidity and adequate air circulation. If the temperature is too high and over 70% humidity will trigger the emergence of fungi and bacteria. Also, it is important to avoid putting leathers in direct sunlight. It is also vital to find an area in the house with good ventilation and air circulation, which is perfect for keeping leather products. Meanwhile, the leather must be treated with the appropriate level of fungicides during the production process. Read also: TRESPASSING! Woman Who Illegally Entered Yellowstone National Park Fell into Thermal Feature

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
All of the roughly 425,000 registered voters in the district received a ballot by mail, postage paid, so that they only had to fill it out and slip it back in the mailbox.

For weeks leading up to Election Day, Republicans appeared to be sending back their ballots at a higher rate than Democrats. And in recent days, Democrats had begun to tamp down expectations, saying that Ms. Smith would fare better against Mr. Garcia in November, when they will face off for the seat again and when there is expected to be more voter enthusiasm for the presidential election.

With just seven polling places open in the 25th District for in-person voting, the vast majority of voters cast their ballots by mail. The voting centers were largely set up in parking lots across the suburban district, with a steady trickle of voters showing up wearing face coverings, while poll workers wiped each machine between uses.

Those who chose to vote in person said they did so either because they had not received a ballot by mail or because they did not trust the United States Postal Service.

The system is rigged, said Robert Buchanan, a 41-year-old Santa Clarita resident who lost his job in film production in March. A staunch Republican, Mr. Buchanan echoed the doubts voiced by the president. This is the only way I can try to make sure that my vote matters, and even then, will it really?

Though the overwhelming majority of ballots were sent by mail, several voting centers were open Tuesday, primarily for those needing assistance or same-day voter registration. That, too, drew criticism from Mr. Trump and other Republicans, who blasted the decision to add a voting center in Lancaster  despite the fact that the move was supported by the longtime Republican mayor of the city, who supports both Mr. Garcia and the president.

Democrats had privately worried that Ms. Hills resignation had left the party vulnerable in the district. In 2018, liberal activists from Los Angeles flocked to the district to knock on doors and register new voters, which helped to fuel one of the most high-profile victories for Democrats in the midterm elections.
As California faces the struggles and devastation from the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a press briefing Wednesday the state is also looking ahead and preparing for wildfire season in a year marked by low rainfall.

Newsom talked about steps the state is taking to reduce wildfire risk and introduced a new Wildfire Safety Division that will oversee the state's investor-owned utilities such as PG&E that's still in bankruptcy.

"You got to walk and chew gum at the same time," Newsom remarked, at today's briefing held in front of a fire truck in El Dorado County. "We will meet this moment as we try to meet so many other moments amid this crisis."

The state is seeing signs of a severe wildfire season as there have been 60% more blazes this year to date compared to last year, with 675 wildfires between Jan. 1 and May 10 in 2019 compared to 1,135 in the same time frame this year.

Newsom noted the state must prepare more than ever amid the coronavirus crisis as the risk of wildfire increases in a changing climate.

The hots are getting hotter, the dries are getting drier Newsom said. Climate change is real, its here and the effects are profound.

To prepare for the tens of thousands of fires in months ahead, state fire officials are working on 450,000 acres of forest management to reduce the risk of fires sparking in the dry landscape. Newsom is asking for an increase of $85.7 million to the CalFire budget for hiring 600 additional personnel and to address surges in fires. The state is also taking steps to purchase 26 new fire engines and 12 additional BlackHawk helicopters. We continue to do more than we have in the past on defensible efforts, Newsom said.

The California Public Utilities Commission has been tasked with pulling together a team of 106 employees for the new Wildfire Safety Division.

The new division's goal is to become an independent entity that oversees the state's three investor-owned utilities. As PG&E emerges from bankruptcy, Newsom noted the utility will need oversight.

Newsom said PG&E has improved on some of its equipment for the year ahead in the hopes of decreasing the need for power shutoffs amid windy, dry conditions."I don't hold my breath in any of these categories, but we are emerging in a different frame and different space."

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.

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Labor Senator Extremely Concerned by Chinese Regime Distributing False Narratives to Australian Media

An Australian Senator has expressed concern over the Chinese regimes distribution of false narratives disseminated to Australian media related to the origins of the CCP virus.

In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching (VIC) said that attempts by the Chinese regime to control the virus narrative in Australia have only served to muddy the waters in relation to the behaviour of the CCP.

This is against both our national interest and our values, she said. We saw this with the sterilised timeline of events that led to the outbreak of the coronavirus sent out by the embassys media unit, and we see it with some of the accusations made by Ambassador Cheng in a recent interview.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye told the Australian Financial Review that the origins of the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, which first broke out in Wuhan, was none of the business of the politicians and policymakers.

The fact that the epidemic first broke out in China  does not mean the source of the virus originated in China, Cheng said. Pending any clear findings about the whereabouts of the virus, its inappropriate for non-professionals to jump to any conclusions.

According to internal government documents obtained by The Epoch Times, Chinese health officials were drawing up plans to combat the CCP virus, which they knew to be infectious, days before they informed the public about its potential to spread.

The virus, which originated in Wuhan in late 2019, has since spread to more than 200 countries, infecting over 3 million people, and has claimed nearly 300,000 lives worldwide. As of May 12, there have been 6,964 confirmed cases and 97 deaths in Australia.

Economic Sanctions

Economic sanctions have been imposed by the Chinese regime on some Australian industries as calls for an inquiry into the origins of the CCP virus gain bi-partisan support.

The prime minister has been reluctant to link Chinas recently proposed tariff on barley and banning of meat imports with Australias call for an independent international investigation into the CCP virus origins, but others have.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye told the Australian Financial Review that other Australian industries risk economic repercussions due to the inquiry. These industries include tourism, wine, meat, and higher education.

However, Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told ABC that Australia was not going to change its policy position on what is a major public health issue because of economic coercion or threats of coercion.

Responding to coronavirus isnt a matter of health v economy, says Trade Minister @Birmo. We cant just see this as a binary trade-off  COVID-19 is not the only health-related factor, and we need to have a healthy country. pic.twitter.com/JERqthObil  News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) May 11, 2020

Any policy differences we have with the Government of China, they shouldnt, not from our end or from their end, get in the way of continuing to have positive people-to-people relations and dialogue and positive business-to-business relations and engagement, Birmingham said.

Kitching iterated the reasons why an inquiry into the origins of the CCP virus was warranted.

The purpose of this is not to assign blame, she said. Rather, it is to have a proper and detailed understanding of how the coronavirus came about so we are able to put in place policies that will protect against this ever happening again.

Epoch Times reporter Rita Li contributed to this report.
Glee alum Heather Morris flaunted her slim 5ft8in bikini body in a self-empowering post reflecting on the scandal of her nude and semi-nude photos leaking online in 2010 and 2012.

'To say I was MORTIFIED is an understatement,' the 33-year-old SAG Award winner - who boasts 989K social media followers - wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.

'My body was and still is part of my job and I felt like I couldn't even walk around my work place thinking that everyone had seen every single piece of me (a couple of snide comments from co-stars [came] my way which didn't help).'

'To say I was MORTIFIED is an understatement': Glee alum Heather Morris flaunted her slim 5ft8in bikini body in a self-empowering post reflecting on the scandal of her nude and semi-nude photos leaking online in 2010 and 2012

Heather has since avoided wearing anything risque, but quarantine has given her the time to gain confidence in her body again after completing Barry's Bootcamp 30-day challenge.

'I feel the best I've ever felt in over a decade its a f****ing challenge and a tough one at that,' Morris wrote.

'But I just want to say, let's not anyone feel ashamed of who we are and just go kick some a** when we want to and feel good about ourselves, okay!? I'm done.'

Five hackers were charged in connection with Celebgate aka The Fappening, which targeted 100 celebs including pop stars Rihanna and Selena Gomez and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence.

The 33-year-old SAG Award winner wrote on Tuesday: 'I felt like I couldn't even walk around my work place thinking that everyone had seen every single piece of me (a couple of snide comments from co-stars [came] my way which didn't help)'

'I feel the best I've ever felt!' Quarantine has given Heather the time to gain confidence in her body again after completing Barry's Bootcamp 30-day challenge (pictured April 1)

FBI got involved: Five hackers were charged in connection with Celebgate aka The Fappening, which targeted 100 celebs including (from L-R) pop stars Rihanna and Selena Gomez and Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence

The 29-year-old Hunger Games alum told Vanity Fair in 2014: 'I was just so afraid. I didn't know how this would affect my career...It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime. It is a sexual violation. It's disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change' (pictured April 2)

'I was just so afraid. I didn't know how this would affect my career,' the 29-year-old Hunger Games alum told Vanity Fair in 2014.

'It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime. It is a sexual violation. It's disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change...Anybody who looked at those pictures, you're perpetuating a sexual offense. You should cower with shame.'

The former Beyonce back-up dancer's post on Tuesday received the glowing approval of her former Glee leading lady, Naya Rivera.

Heather and Naya played William McKinley High School cheerleaders Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez who eventually got married in the Fox musical series, which aired from 2009-2015.

'Get it girl!' The former Beyonce back-up dancer's post on Tuesday received the glowing approval of her former Glee leading lady, Naya Rivera

Sapphic: Heather and Naya played cheerleaders Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez who eventually got married in the Fox musical series, which aired from 2009-2015

'Hot!' Several professional dancers, make-up artists, and even Mean Girls alum Jonathan Bennett left encouraging comments on Morris' bikini snap

Several professional dancers, make-up artists, and even Mean Girls alum Jonathan Bennett commented 'hot' on Morris' bikini snap.

This Saturday, the Santa Fake actress will celebrate her fifth wedding anniversary with furniture maker Taylor Hubbell, with whom she has two sons Elijah, 6; and Owen, 4.

The Arizona-born 32-year-old did not know the former homecoming queen when they attended Desert Mountain High School, but they reconnected via Myspace years later.

October 19 family portrait: This Saturday, the Santa Fake actress will celebrate her fifth wedding anniversary with furniture maker Taylor Hubbell, with whom she has two sons Elijah, 6; and Owen, 4
Free COVID-19 testing for low income, elderly, high rise apartment residents has been slammed to a halt by the Black Caucus of Tennessee and locally by Yusuf Hakeem and area black pastors. Initially the reason was that National Guard medical professionals would be on duty and therefore in uniform as required by their commanders. But in a telephone interview aired on Tuesday on WDEF news, Rep. Hakeem told the real story. The fear in the black community is that the police will be informed as to the names and addresses of black people, even though the Guard had given assurances that this information would stay confidential.

Here's my concern: will the elderly at Mary Walker Towers suffer from a major outbreak of COVID-19, and many ultimately die from the disease, in an effort to protect the identity of those hiding from the police? Rep. Hakeem said publicly that black pastors in Chattanooga also wanted to cancel the testing. I don't believe that's true.

I'm asking openly how many pastors in Chattanooga want the residents of Mary Walker Towers to be at risk of dying from this disease to protect the identity of those hiding from the Housing Authority or Chattanooga Police? Many of the elderly of all races that inhabit the Towers have mobility problems. They can't go elsewhere for the tests that were being brought to them. These people of all races must ride the elevators to their apartments with other residents and delivery people off of the streets.

These are the most vulnerable of all people in our city. Speak up now, pastors. Don't wait until the bodies are being carried out to deny your support of Rep. Hakeem's plan to allow these people to die a horrible death alone.

In the name of God and all that's holy, put Rep. Hakeem in his place and save the lives of the elderly, black, white, Hispanic and Asian residents of Mary Walker Towers.

Harry Presley

* * *

No, he doesn't speak for me. I would gladly take the test, were it available to me; to protect innocent people and in light of the way people have to travel from floor to floor to get to their apartments.

I am not afraid of the military or anyone else giving me the test. I harbor no people in my home.

Thanks to all caregivers and the military for helping.

Julia Buckner

* * *

No, Mr. Presley. Mr. Hakeem doesn't speak for anyone in general. However, he does raise valid concerns many already have. Since most everyone is claiming concern for a "vulnerable people," even names I recognize who once wanted them all rounded up and dumped across state lines. It's difficult to suspect their overall concern isn't pretentious or have some other motive. I could very well name a few here, but I'll hold my tongue at the moment.

A military ship my granddaughter's husband has been assigned to was placed on lockdown in recent months due to the spread of the virus outbreak on some military ships. Although I'm not 100 percent sure the ship he's on was affected. How much vetting has been done to guarantee the people going in to test these "vulnerable people" aren't host carriers themselves? Which could very well cause a major outbreak at some later day? Say during the fall or winter months?

There has been a number of positive people who tested negative, and negative people who tested positive.The test itself is not foolproof. Are proper measures in place to protect those citizens to be tested from chance infections from the testers? Remember the tainted blankets that nearly wiped out an entire nation of indigenous people?

Most all concerns from leaders, at least at the beginning, were primarily for the protection of those responding who might come in contact with the "vulnerable." Assuming by doing so they could infect the responders. But what about the other way around? The responders can very well infect those vulnerable citizens. In such a scenario it would not take long for the virus to spread, giving the impression the contained area of people were already positive, when the virus was actually brought in from an outside host. All it takes is one infected person on either side.

Also, since quite a number of police also moonlight in the National Guard, there's no way that information is going to remain confidential and keep them from at least "taking a peek."

My, and quite a number of others, first memory of National Guardsmen rolling into some of Chattanooga's "vulnerable communities" was not a positive one. They came in riding roughshod on military vehicles with guns. I was maybe only 12, 13 or 14 years old at the time. The word on the street was, whether it was true or not, they orders were to "lock/load and shoot to kill" if necessary. This took place even as several of my own brothers were serving full time active duty in the military. Two, either had served or was presently serving in Vietnam. That's an image, experienced as a child, no child will ever forget well into adulthood and even if dementia or Alzheimer's sets in. Aspects of the memory will remain, even if not fully, and the range of emotions at the time that came with them. For me, it was mostly anger more so than fear. A "how dare they?" That America was capable of making war against its own people in such modern, civilized times, all angered and disappointed me. It made me realize the lie as my brothers risked their lives to be sent away with claims they were fighting for both Americans freedom and against the oppression of others in some distant land in a land most Americans never knew exited until a war or conflict was taking place. All the while members of their own family weren't allowed those same freedoms and were still being oppressed.

Julia, if you want to get tested you can. For free. Go for it!! Your medicare part B is suppose to fully cover it, girl!

Brenda Washington

* * *

Once again Brenda Washington has begun gassing a dying fire all while spinning her conspiracy theories and race baiting.

Since you claim to be able to name names please do so that we all know who else to avoid other than you.

I have yet to see you actually justify your conspiracies regarding the National Guard doing testing. The military was used in New York and California without complaint, protest or conspiracies.

Stop spreading lies, hate and discontent and be supportive of the actual help people are being offered.

Mike Cox
Guardhat combines intelligent proprietary software with modern wearable technology to provide frontline industrial workers with connected safety and comprehensive situational awareness

SANTA CLARA, California, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the global connected safety market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Detroit-based Guardhat, Inc. with the 2020 Global Company of the Year Award. Guardhat developed the underlying technology, an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, and visualization capabilities to bridge last-mile connectivity between wearable personal protective equipment and enterprise systems. Instant insight into situational context offers Guardhat operators and on-site personnel a deeper understanding of the way people and assets interact. It enhances decision-making by presenting users with a comprehensive view of their facilities.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1167720/Guardhat_Award.jpg

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration.

"Guardhat's home-grown control center platform, KYRA, ties together multi-model data from disparate elements and formats into a single analytics engine, delivering new levels of visibility into a users mobility, position, floor level, proximity, and relationship to other workers and assets," said Sanjiv Bhaskar Industry Analyst and VP at Frost & Sullivan. "Its platform and analytics engine have a unique capability to process massive amounts of real-time data, geo-stamped and time-tagged with specific event information. This presents a unified, human-centric view and status assessment that empowers enterprises to improve safety management and reduce workplace injuries by up to 20 percent."

Guardhat's agile IoT component links with a form factor - such as a mobile application, hardhat, or tags - to monitor a users location, condition, and immediate environment in real-time. Its intelligent system handles a range of data inputs and consolidates information about a spectrum of devices and wearable data sources. Guardhat's value proposition lies in its ability to communicate this information so enterprises can address issues proactively. In an industrial setup with typically limited communication capabilities, it improves response times and productivity, opening up the potential of Big Data.

The Guardhat system integrates with any connectable sensor and a variety of third-party platforms. Through partnerships and an expanding customer base, it continues to increase its footprint across industries-co-branding products and developing robust and scalable enterprise solutions. These alliances give the company access to a diverse industrial workforce in North America, Europe, Russia, Brazil, and India.

"Guardhat's solutions have found enthusiastic adoption in a range of industries such as utilities, telecom, mining, construction, chemicals, oil & gas, and heavy manufacturing," noted Bhaskar. "Its visionary leadership, intelligent proprietary software, and stellar growth through strategic partnerships further strengthen its position at the forefront of the industrial connected safety market."

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Frost & Sullivan

For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Harley Gadomski

P: 12104778469

E: harley.gadomski@frost.com

About Guardhat, Inc.

Detroit-based Guardhat is a leading industrial IoT technology company specialized in developing wearables, infrastructure, and software platforms to provide a safer and more productive work environment for frontline industrial workers in heavy manufacturing industries. Founded in October 2014 by industry veterans and former steel & mining CEO Saikat Dey, Guardhat's mission is to modernize safety and enhance last mile connectivity in the industrial workplace. By combining a cutting-edge, wearable technology with advanced proprietary software, Guardhat is able to proactively monitor a user's location, health, and work environment. The software platform collects and analyzes on-the-job data, which is used to enhance industrial worker safety and productivity programs. Based out of its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, Guardhat operates globally with offices in Boulder, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Bangalore, India; and Paris, France. Guardhat holds 8 patents across areas of Connected Worker, Real Time Location Systems, and Wearable Solutions. For more information, visit www.guardhat.com.
The trial of a Lagos socialite and politician, Kenny Martins, for an alleged N7.74billion fraud through the Police Equipment Fund (PEF) has been rescheduled for June 30.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mr Martins, the PEF coordinator, alongside three others: Ibrahim Dumuje, Joni Icheka, and Cosmas Okpara.

They were charged with felony to forge documents at the at Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja in a bid to fraudulently change the members of the Board of Directors of NIGERSTALG LIMITED, original partner with the Federal Government on the PEF, and steal N7.74billion.

According to part of the charges, the accused committed the crime on March 31, 2006, an offence punishable under Section 97(1) of the Penal Code, Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigerian 1990 (Abuja).

The EFCC, on November 24, 2009, had appealed against the judgment of Mohammed Talba, judge of a federal capital territory high court, Gudu, which discharged the accused after he upheld their no-case submission.

Dissatisfied with the ruling, the EFCC filed an appeal in Abuja, asking the appellate court to set aside the judgment which it described as a perverse verdict and miscarriage of justice.

Later, In its decision, the appellate court on June 28, 2012, held that the four accused persons have a case to answer and that Justice Talba misdirected himself and was wrong to have discharged them on a no-case submission.

But Mr Martins further approached the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal.

However, on March 23, 2018, the apex court dismissed Mr Martins appeal, ordering his retrial.

EFCC, therefore, amended the charges to three counts in Charge No: CR/267/18 at the FCT High Court, and arraigned the four accused persons before Justice Modupe Adebiyi of the Federal High Court on January 15.

Justice Adebiyi had scheduled April 28 for trial in the case before the coronavirus pandemic forced the shutdown of courts.

But as the federal government relaxes the lockdown, the EFCC in a statement signed by its spokesperson on Wednesday, said the retrial of Mr Martins and the three other accused persons would begin on June 30.
DUBLIN, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Female Infertility Market and Competitive Landscape - 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This research report provides comprehensive insights into the Female Infertility pipeline, epidemiology, market valuations, drug sales, market forecast, drug forecasts, and market shares. The research analyzes and forecasts the Female Infertility market size and drug sales. It also provides insights into Female Infertility epidemiology and late stage pipeline.



Research Scope

Countries: US, Germany , France , Italy , Spain , UK, Japan , Europe , Global

, , , , UK, , , Global Female Infertility pipeline: Find out drugs in clinical trials for the treatment of Female Infertility by development phase 3, phase 2, and phase 1, by pharmacological class and company

Female Infertility epidemiology: Find out the number of patients diagnosed (prevalence) with Female Infertility by countries

Female Infertility drugs: Identify key drugs marketed and prescribed for Female Infertility in the US, including trade name, molecule name, and company

Female Infertility drugs sales: Find out the sales value for Female Infertility drugs by countries

Female Infertility market valuations: Find out the market size for Female Infertility drugs in 2019 by countries. Find out how the market advanced from 2016 and forecast to 2024

Female Infertility drugs market share: Find out the market shares for key drugs by countries

Benefits of this Research

Evaluate commercial market opportunities for Female Infertility drugs

Synthesize insights for business development & licensing

Track market size, competitor drug sales, market shares in the Female Infertility market

Develop in-depth knowledge of competition and markets

Analyze Female Infertility drug sales data to update your brand planning trackers

Develop tactics and strategies to take advantage of opportunities in the market

Track Market Events and Trends and analyze key events in the Female Infertility market

Develop forecast models, healthcare frameworks, or economic models

Answer key business questions; supports decision making in R&D to long term marketing strategies

Key Topics Covered



1. Female Infertility Treatment Options



2. Female Infertility Pipeline Insights

2.1. Female Infertility Phase 3 Clinical Trials

2.2. Female Infertility Phase 2 Clinical Trials

2.3. Female Infertility Phase 1 Clinical Trials



3. Female Infertility Epidemiology Analysis by Countries



4. US Female Infertility Market Insights

4.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in US

4.2. US Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

4.3. US Female Infertility Drugs Sales & Forecast

4.4. US Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



5. Germany Female Infertility Market Insights

5.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in Germany

5.2. Germany Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

5.3. Germany Female Infertility Drugs Sales Forecast

5.4. Germany Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



6. France Female Infertility Market Insights

6.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in France

6.2. France Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

6.3. France Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

6.4. France Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



7. Italy Female Infertility Market Insights

7.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in Italy

7.2. Italy Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

7.3. Italy Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

7.4. Italy Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



8. Spain Female Infertility Market Insights

8.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in Spain

8.2. Spain Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

8.3. Spain Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

8.4. Spain Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



9. UK Female Infertility Market Insights

9.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in UK

9.2. UK Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

9.3. UK Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

9.4. UK Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



10. Europe Female Infertility Market Insights

10.1. Europe Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

10.2. Europe Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

10.3. Europe Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



11. Japan Female Infertility Market Insights

11.1. Marketed Drugs for Female Infertility in Japan

11.2. Japan Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

11.3. Japan Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

11.4. Japan Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



12. Global Female Infertility Market Insights

12.1. Global Female Infertility Market Size & Forecast

12.2. Global Female Infertility Product Sales Forecast

12.3. Global Female Infertility Market Share Analysis



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a6mpeq

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



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[May 13, 2020] Analysis on Impact of COVID-19-Digital Signature Market 2020-2024 | Growing Number of Partnerships and Acquisitions to Boost Growth | Technavio

Technavio has been monitoring the digital signature market and it is poised to grow by USD 2.77 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 27% 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/20200513005556/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Digital Signature Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Adobe Inc., DocuSign Inc., Dropbox Inc., Entrust Datacard Corp., GlobalSign Ltd., Kofax Inc., OneSpan Inc., Oracle (News - Alert) Corp., SIGNiX Inc., and Thales Group are some of the major market participants. The growing number of partnerships and acquisitions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Growing number of partnerships and acquisitions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Digital Signature Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Digital Signature Market is segmented as below: End-user BFSI Government Healthcare Legal Others

Geography North America Europe APAC 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=IRTNTR43546



Digital Signature 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 digital signature market report covers the following areas:

Digital Signature Market Size

Digital Signature Market Trends

Digital Signature Market Industry Analysis This study identifies increasing digital signature adoption in cloud-based deployment as one of the prime reasons driving the digital signature market growth during the next few years. Digital Signature Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the digital signature market, including some of the vendors such as Adobe Inc., DocuSign Inc., Dropbox (News - Alert) Inc., Entrust Datacard Corp., GlobalSign Ltd., Kofax Inc., OneSpan Inc., Oracle Corp., SIGNiX Inc., and Thales Group. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the digital signature market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Digital Signature Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist digital signature market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the digital signature market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the digital signature market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of digital signature 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 End user Market segments

Comparison by End user

BFSI - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Government - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Healthcare - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Legal - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End user Customer landscape Customer landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC - 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

Adobe Inc.

DocuSign Inc.

Dropbox Inc.

Entrust (News - Alert) Datacard Corp.

GlobalSign Ltd.

Kofax Inc.

OneSpan Inc.

Oracle Corp.

SIGNiX Inc.

Thales (News - Alert) Group 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/20200513005556/en/

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President Trump's recent decision to leave the White House for a town hall at the knee of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial revived once again a reminder that President Lincoln seemed to be as hated in his day as President Trump is today. Some would say President Lincoln was reviled even more than President Trump since Lincoln was blamed for the Civil War in which about 600,000 to 700,000 American soldiers died (compared to a projected 100,000 American citizens due to the coronavirus), whereas President Trump is merely blamed  whether fairly or not  for the manner of the fight against the coronavirus  against an enemy opposed by Democrats and Republicans alike.

Actually, some say President Lincoln was hated even more than President Trump, since President Lincoln made the ultimate sacrifice  he was assassinated  while President Trump merely suffers from character assassination  again, whether justified or not, and whether a president's character is as important as his actions or not. To date, there is no shortage of gruesome incitement against President Trump, but it has been limited to words and drawings.

Notwithstanding all of the above, an argument can be made that the blind hatred of President Trump, which has been diagnosed as Trump Derangement Syndrome, is even more invidious than the widespread hatred against President Lincoln in his day. This is so because the people who hated President Lincoln at least had rational reasons to do so  that many believed he was responsible for putting an end to their privileged way of life, on the backs of their slaves (inhumane, but rational from the point of view of the Southern slave-owners), and many believed that President Lincoln not only caused the Civil War, but also prolonged the Civil War because of some of the military decisions he made (again, possibly wrong but rational according to many military experts), thereby causing so many extra people to die.

The people who blame President Trump for the deaths caused by the coronavirus are more invidious because they base this on false and irrational premises.

President Trump's critics say he did too little too late, even though most of the top scientific experts and Democratic politicians who criticize him continued to underestimate the severity and virulence of the virus long after President Trump put at least a partial ban on travel from China to the United States.

President Trump's critics point out that the travel ban wasn't total even though it was imposed sooner than bans by most European countries.

President trump's critics criticized even the partial ban as racist and xenophobic and by and large have not apologized.

President Trump's failure to do more sooner to fight the virus was due at least in part to his having been misled by the same scientists, experts, and politicians who in hindsight turned around and accused President Trump of doing too little too late.

Sweden's decision not to impose mandatory lockdowns at all resulted in lower death rates than five major European countries.

Studies have shown that the cutbacks to the economies of countries throughout the world due to their lockdowns are leading to more deaths worldwide as a result of hunger than the deaths caused by the coronavirus,

This is on top of the deaths caused by suicides due to the economic effects of the lockdowns and deaths caused by failures to be able to seek treatment for non-COVID illnesses.

The president has not imposed his own guidelines on when to reopen, but (a) he deferred to the scientific task force to create guidelines; (b) he left it to the governors to decide how to apply these guidelines, and to which counties, and (c) he even criticized governors  including Republicans  who reopened their economies without meeting the requirements of the guidelines.

The president has shown more sympathy for the 30+ million Americans who have lost their livelihoods (multiplied by the number of members of each such taxpayer's household) than most of the governors who have focused on ONLY the numbers of people who have succumbed to the illness, a ratio of 300+ to 1.

The president is blamed for not sending enough ventilators to local governments, notably those controlled by Democrats in New York and other jurisdictions, that failed to replenish their supplies during health emergencies that used them up during the Obama administration.

All of these factors build on the fact that Trump Derangement Syndrome is based on lies fed TO an unsuspecting public by politicians and members of the media who certainly know better.

It is absurd to call President Trump a xenophobe, considering he is a son of immigrants, and he married two immigrants, including his current wife.

It is absurd to call him anti-Muslim for banning immigrants from countries that included non-Muslim countries and that excluded the most populous Muslim country on the planet.

It is absurd to call him a misogynist, considering the many women he has consistently hired to important positions in his businesses and to represent him to the press and to the United Nations.

It is absurd to call him anti-veteran, considering his build-up of the military and his providing more medical options to veterans. (He never insulted Khizr Khan, but only asked rhetorically why his wife wasn't given an opportunity to speak, thus making a statement on behalf of women.)

It is absurd to call him anti-disabled based on some gestures he made at a press conference that he has been shown on video to have made whenever he insults people with whom he disagrees, including Senator Cruz when they were political rivals.

It is absurd to call him anti-black, considering how he lowered blacks' unemployment rate more than any other president in history prior to the coronavirus, not to mention his close personal friendships with many well known black American politicians and celebrities.

It is absurd to consider him anti-Semitic in light of the unprecedented support he has given the Israelis, not to mention his Jewish daughter and son-in-law who have unprecedented influence in his White House.

And it is absurd to condemn a president for colluding with a country even after a report compiled by his political enemies failed to find any evidence of such collusion, and to condemn a national security adviser who was pressured under false pretenses by anti-American Stalinist tactics into a false confession.

We live in a free country. People are free to criticize President Trump. President Trump is free to exaggerate and to speak imprecisely and in an unpresidential manner, especially if done to counterattack statements made by a hostile unfair, unimpressed, and unimpressive press. Members of the press, politicians, and actors are free to express their opposition to the president's views, character, and demeanor. But nobody has a right to knowingly distort the truth in doing so.

Mr. Rich holds multiple graduate degrees but above all values his sense of fairness and common sense.

This article has been updated.
Welcoming the announcement made by Honble PM today, FICCI President Dr Sangita Reddy said, A big Thank You to PM and FM. Its time for India to dream big. What this package does is, it strengthens the dream of a strong India. Its a good step towards a great India.

We expect that the contours of the package to be announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address the needs of the poor and needy, MSMEs and also the industry and common man on the whole. The stress on land, labour, laws and liquidity is what is required to make India self-reliant, said Dr Reddy.

FICCI will fully support the PMs dream of a self-dependent India and ensure all measures to make this a reality. The strengthening of the five pillars  economy, infrastructure, system, demography and demand will pave the way for India returning to a higher sustained growth path again, she added.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), center, speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol announcing a bipartisan effort to reform the criminal justice system, in Washington on Oct. 1, 2015. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

GOP Lawmakers Call for Investigation of Obama

Over the weekend, a number of Republican lawmakers called for an investigation into former President Barack Obama and his administrations knowledge of spying on President Donald Trump, but top GOP senate judiciary committee members have not directly called out Obama as their investigation moves forward.

Trump reacted to the recently declassified documents showing that Obama knew of details from wiretapped phone calls between Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and a Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak.

In recent tweets, Trump has pointed at Obamas involvement in the plot and labeled the new developments #Obamagate, calling for a broad investigation into the former president.

A senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), recently pushed for an investigation into what Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden knew, but did not say whether the committee would require Obama and Biden to testify.

Its unclear to what extent they discussed the details of the investigation amongst each other, but given all that we know now regarding the fake foundation to the inquiry, its time we asked. What did Obama and Biden know? And when did they know it? Grassley said on the Senate floor on Monday.

Obama met with Biden, then-FBI Director James Comey, then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, and then-national security adviser Susan Rice on Jan. 5, 2017, the day after then-FBI agent Peter Strzok rushed to keep the FBI from closing its probe into Flynn.

Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), spoke on the topic of #Obamagate, on Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, on Monday.

On the show, Jordan outlined a time frame in which Obama was being briefed by members of his team, including Yates, Comey, then-CIA Director John Brennan, and then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Russia-related matters. Biden was also included in the briefing.

Those three weeks in January tell us everything, and the president is exactly right, Jordan said. If it can happen to him, imagine what they can do to you, to Andy, to me and more importantly, to any American citizen. Thats why this is so darn wrong.

Well, I think all the evidenceJim gave you a great timelinebut all the evidence does point to coming right out of the top from President Obama on down, Biggs said.

The congressman called the Obama administration efforts against Trump an intentional effort to undermine election results.

This really was a conspiracy to do something weve not seen in American history, and that was to actually perform a coup, Biggs said. Thats really what this was. I mean, you cant get to it any more succinctly than that.

This was an attempt to undermine the election of the people. Thats a coup, Biggs continued. And they were abusing their power, abusing the process, and they were using the media.

On Tuesday morning, Trump took to Twitter to respond to Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarretts claim that Obama was involved in the set-up of Flynn.

OBAMAGATE makes Watergate look small time! the president wrote.

Politico reported that the Senate, at this time, would not be calling former president Obama to testify.

The Senate Judiciary Chairman is investigating the origins of the 2016 Russia investigation and is expected to call Yates and Comey to testify, but Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), chairman of the committee, did not include Obama in the list of people he would call.

Im not anticipating calling President Obama, Graham said, but added, You know Barack Obama said dismissing the Flynn case compromises the rule of law, President Obama, you know what compromised the rule of law, hiding evidence from a court, altering emails, trying to manufacture crime versus investigating the crime.

Graham said he would call on Flynn to make his case before the public and conduct oversight into the political motivations behind accusing Trump of colluding with Russia.

I can let General Flynn talk about what his life has been like. I can give the Department of Justice a chance to explain why the case was dismissed Graham told Jeanine Pirro on Fox Monday. So, my job is to bring oversight to the table. Political accountability, Durhams job is to put people in jail if they broke the law.

Rep. Doug Collins (R-Georgia) took to Twitter to comment on the case, writing, The abuse of power that occurred in the General Flynn case should scare every American. If they can do this to a presidential candidatethrough a three-star Generalthey can do it to anyone.

Correction: The date on which Strzok pushed for the case against Flynn to stay open has been corrected. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 06:28:11|Editor: huaxia

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Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa (C) speaks to reporters during his visit to the Volkswagen Autoeuropa car factory in Palmela, Portugal, May 13, 2020. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Wednesday encouraged all industries to restart under strict conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lusa News Agency reported. After their joint visit to automotive assembly plant Autoeuropa, the two leaders expressed their confidence in the resumption of production for the car producer. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)

LISBON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Antonio Costa on Wednesday encouraged all industries to restart under strict conditions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Lusa News Agency reported.

After their joint visit to automotive assembly plant Autoeuropa, the two leaders expressed their confidence in the resumption of production of the car producer.

After a six-week break, Autoeuropa, the largest national exporter last year, resumed its car production last week with two shifts.

Rebelo de Sousa expressed thanks to the Portuguese-German joint venture for its excellence and contribution to Portugal.

"We hope that the example of Autoeuropa will be an example that can be used across Europe as well. Here is the example of collaboration between Germany and Portugal. European level must be an example of the collaboration of all who form the European Union," the president was quoted by Lusa as saying.

The president extended his thanks to all those in industry, agriculture, commerce and services who "know how to overcome difficult times and build a better Portugal", and to all those who at this time "are working across the country, without fear, without anguish, without anxiety."

Costa announced that the Presidency of the Council of Ministers will soon buy a car in each of the four units that produce vehicles from scratch in Portugal, displaying a sign of confidence in the industry.

"Returning the sign of confidence that the car industry has shown in the country, we would also like to give a sign of confidence in what is the future of the car industry in Portugal," the prime minister was quoted as saying.

Costa also highlighted the importance of the automobile industry for the national economy, saying that, among suppliers and producers, it represents "an important part of the national GDP."

Meanwhile, the two leaders called for more coordinated efforts in the EU to restore the economy at the European level.

Rebelo de Sousa reiterated that the EU must respond with solidarity and affirming the values that were at the basis of the European project in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lusa reported.

Costa echoed, saying "The EU's response cannot be tailored to each country, it must be the same response for all countries."
A legal challenge by John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty to laws introduced by the State due to the Covid-19 pandemic has been dismissed by the High Court.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan in dismissing the journalists application for leave to bring their challenge said they had not provided the court with any expert evidence or facts to support their view that the lockdown laws were disproportionate or unconstitutional.

The laws brought in by the State to help deal with the pandemic the judge said are "constitutionally permissible."

The applicants he said who have "no medical of scientific qualifications or expertise relied on their own unsubstantiated views, gave speeches, engaged in empty rhetoric and sought to draw parallel to Nazi Germany which is both absurd and offensive."

"Unsubstantiated opinions, speeches, empty rhetoric and a bogus historical parallel are not a substitute for facts," he added.

In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health the journalists sought to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation, which they say are unconstitutional and flawed, quashed by a judge of the High Court.

They also wanted the court to make a declaration that the legislation challenged was unconstitutional.

Opposing the leave application Patrick McCann SC, appearing with Gerard Meehan Bl, for the state argued the application was "doomed".

Francis Kieran Bl for the Dail, the Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle, which were notice parties to the action, also opposed the application and described the challenge as "a full frontal attack" on articles of the constitution associated with the separation of powers.

Ruling on whether they were entitled to leave or permission of the court to bring their case to a full hearing, yesterday )Wednesday)Mr. Justice Meenan said the applicant's claims were not arguable and the court could not grant them permission to have their challenge determined at a full hearing of the High Court.

The judge said that while the laws have interfered with everyone's lives he did not accept the applicant's claim that the legislation was in breach of various articles of the Constitution concerning the family and social policy rights and the right to freedom of movement.

Agreeing with the States arguments the judge said that to make out an arguable claim that the limitations and restrictions were disproportionate the applicants needed to put evidence in a sworn statement supporting their views.

There was "a complete failure" by the applicants to do that, the Judge said.

While they had questioned the accuracy of the official figures of those in Ireland who have died and contracted the virus and called the science behind those numbers fraudulent the judge said they had not identified any expert evidence to support their views.

This the judge said contrasted with the evidence from the Dept. of Health setting out in detail the background and reasons for the legislation.

The judge said that while the applicants did have the legal standing to challenge the constitutionality of some of the laws the case should not have been brought by way of judicial review.

It should have been taken by way of plenary hearing which would have involved the hearing of oral evidence.

In his judgment Mr Justice Meenan said he agreed with submissions made on behalf of the notice parties in regards as how the laws were voted on and passed by the houses of the Oireachtas. The manner in which the houses dealt with the laws, the judge said is not something a court could interfere with formed part of the applicants challenge.

The laws in question had been brought in by a caretaker government, and voted on by an incoming Dail and an outgoing Seanad.

However for a court to embark on the hearing of the complaints raised by the applicants, the judge said, would amount to a clear breach of the separation of powers, he said.

There was no question but the Dail and Seanad that considered and passed the laws were validly constituted, and that the constitution allows for a caretaker government to remain in place till a new government is formed.

In regards to this aspect of the case the judge added the applicants had failed to establish an arguable case, to a degree that the judge added that their claims in regards was "unstateable".

The decision was delivered electronically to the parties.

During the course of the hearing, the applicants indicated that they would appeal to he Court of Appeal if they were not granted leave.

During the hearing of the application, dozens of Gardai were stationed around the Four Courts to ensure that social distancing regulations for court hearings, where limited persons can attend court, were adhered to.

Dozens of supporters of the journalists had attended around the Four Courts complex when the matter was listed before the court. The applicants had objected to this, and argued that the public had a right to be present in the court during the hearing.

That argument was rejected by the Judge, who said that as the proceedings were being covered by the members of the media, the hearing was being held in public.

Parallel with Nazi Germany 'both absurd and offensive', says judge

Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters, who represented themselves, challenged legislation including the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection andOther 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 were also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought due to Covid-19 under the 1947 Health Act.

They claimed 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 had argued, amount to "an unprecedented" suspension of constitutional rights.

In today's written judgement, Mr Justice Charles Meenan said:

The applicants, who have no medical or scientific qualifications...maintained that the figures in relation to the number of persons infected with Covid-19 and number of deaths were overstated. Further, the applicants submitted that the (Minister for Health) was following "fraudulent" science.

No factual basis nor any supportive expert opinion was deposed to, to support this. Rather, in court, the applicants gave unsubstantiated opinions, speeches, engaged in empty rhetoric and sought to draw an historic parallel with Nazi Germany. Such a parallel is both absurd and offensive. Unsubstantiated opinions, speeches, rhetoric and a bogus historic parallel are not substitutes for facts.[/quote]

The case will be mentioned before the court at a later date.
In a tweet posted around midnight, Alameda County officials said that they've been in talks with Elon Musk's Tesla, and authorities have agreed the electric carmaker can take steps "in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week."

Tesla has only one U.S. electric vehicle assembly plant, and it's in Fremont, California, which is in Alameda County.

Tesla did not immediately comment Wednesday, but around the same time the county issued its statement, Elon Musk tweeted a photo of "Ice cream sundae in a martini glass," with the text: "Life should be lived."

Yes, that's the point of public health orders. To keep people alive during a coronavirus pandemic.

Let them eat ice cream, Musk seems to be saying.

Elon's boast tweet is perfect. Really, just perfect. He appears to have stolen an image from a 3 year old Buca de Beppo tweet so he could pretend he is eating out during the coronavirus pandemic while he has a newborn baby at home and is putting thousands of workers at risk for coronavirus, as Molly Shah points out.

I will never ever stop laughing about Elon Musk stealing an image from Buca de Beppo so he could fake eating out during a pandemic while he has a newborn at home pic.twitter.com/jWDoiGYzX5  Molly Shah (@MollyOShah) May 13, 2020

More from Reuters:

The county said it would work with police in Fremont "to verify Tesla is adhering to physical distancing and that agreed upon health and safety measures are in place for the safety of their workers as they prepare for full production." On Monday, Musk said production was resuming in Fremont, defying an order to stay closed and saying if anyone had to be arrested, it should be him. On Tuesday, Musk won Trump's backing. "California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!" Trump wrote on Twitter. On Tuesday, employee-parking lots at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California were packed with cars. Trucks could be seen driving in and out of the factory grounds.

Tesla shares were up in premarket trading Wednesday 2.1% at $826.00.

Here's that tweet.

Ice cream sundae in a martini glass pic.twitter.com/zAVFlOsYkM  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 13, 2020

READ MORE:

Tesla can prepare to reopen U.S. plant in California as early as next week

[David Shepardson, reuters]

PREVIOUSLY AT BOING BOING

 Elon Musk: 'Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules' [May 11, 2020]

 Elon Musk restarts Tesla factory, breaking coronavirus public health orders [May 12, 2020]

 Elon Musk to CA factory employees: Back to work. Gov. Newsom: This may violate public health order [May 11, 2020]
At the beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak - and for weeks afterward - there was one thing Americans could seemingly agree upon: Anthony Fauci.

Today, that's considerably less the case. While Fauci retains the faith of a strong majority of Americans, opposition from Republicans has crept up steadily over the past month or so, as conservative media figures and politicians have increasingly called his advice in to question.

Picking up that mantle in a particularly prominent way Tuesday was Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who spent his time at a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee grilling Fauci and suggesting he shouldn't oversell his knowledge about what might become of the virus - along with Fauci's role in decisions about the response.

As The Post's Amber Phillips recapped on Tuesday, Paul pressed Fauci to admit he wasn't the "end-all" when it comes to the response, particularly when it comes to decisions about whether the economy should be reopened at this point.

Fauci offered a subtly pointed response. While noting that he had never presented himself as the "end-all" - Fauci has made a point to say that others are in charge of economic considerations - he repeated Paul's allusions to using "humility" in offering prescriptions about what might lay ahead. Particularly, he pushed back on Paul's suggestion that schools could reopen because children suffer many fewer deaths from covid-19 by saying people should be "humble" about what they don't know about how the virus impacts young people.

But Paul's line of questioning reflects an increasing conservative skepticism of Fauci - a skepticism that has grown over the past month in part thanks to people like him questioning Fauci's advice. And a new poll this week reinforces that this skepticism is slowly taking hold: The CNN poll suggests a significant decline in GOP regard for Fauci's expertise, when measure against other similar polls of Fauci in recent weeks.

While 84% of Republicans said they trusted the information they received from President Donald Trump about the virus, just 72% said the same about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while just 61% said the same about Fauci, the CNN poll found.

That split in regard for Trump and Fauci is something that simply didn't exist even a month ago.

A Fox News poll conducted in late March showed very little difference in GOP perceptions between the two. At the time, 85% of Republicans approved of Fauci's handling of the coronavirus, versus just 8% who disapproved. His plus-77 rating was about the same as Trump, for whom 86% approved and 13% disapproved (plus-73).

That gap, though, has progressively widened over the past month.

A Quinnipiac University poll in early April showed Republicans approved of Trump 89-10 and Fauci 77-8 - still sterling numbers for Fauci, but not quite on Trump's level.

By late April, a Gallup poll showed 91% of Republicans approved of Trump on the virus, but just 71% approved of Fauci.

Early this month, Republicans in a Washington Post-University of Maryland survey said Trump had done and "excellent" or "good" job on the coronavirus by a 79-21 margin (plus-58), as compared to 68-25 (plus-43) for Fauci.

And now, the CNN poll shows the biggest gap yet - at least on the narrower measure of trust. While Republicans trust Trump on the coronavirus by a margin of 84% to 14% (plus-70), they trust Fauci by less than half that margin, 61-29 (plus-32).

Trump has thus far declined to clash with Fauci publicly - apart from retweeting a call for his firing at one point in mid-April. But many of his allies in conservative media (and now the Senate) have been happy to pick up that torch and question Fauci's advice, as they push for a more aggressive reopening of the economy than Fauci has advocated.

And it seems to have gradually had the intended effect - even as Fauci, to date, retains a relatively strong image.
We need to stop using fossil fuels because they are destroying the world by driving climate change and polluting the land, water, and air. Therefore, we need non-fossil energy sources. However, despite the fact that the production of non-fossil energy has increased dramatically around the world in recent years, this growth has done little to suppress fossil fuel consumption. In fact, over the course of the last two centuries, a variety of new energy sources have been added to the global energy supply, but these additions never led to a sustained decline in the consumption of other established energy sources. Consumption of biomass energy has grown substantially since the rise of fossil fuels.

When petroleum began to be used toward the end of the nineteenth century, consumption of coal continued to grow. While natural gas production has grown dramatically over the last century, coal and petroleum consumption have continued to expand. When nuclear power production began to grow in the latter half of the twentieth century, consumption of all types of fossil fuels continued to rise. Similarly, hydropower grew throughout the industrial era, without apparently suppressing fossil fuels or nuclear power. Fitting this same pattern, the rapid rise in the production of solar and wind power has paralleled continued growth in the consumption of fossil fuels.

Why has the growth in non-fossil energy sources not substantially suppressed fossil fuel consumption? There are a variety of reasons; an important one is that demand for energy is not independent of the forces that supply energy. Rather, supply and demand, production and consumption, are part of interconnected processes, so that expanding the production of energy from newer sources is part of what allows for continued growth in energy consumption. Capitalist market economies and other modern industrial economies (such as Chinas hybrid state-capitalism) are fundamentally growth-centric, as corporations seek to gain profits and state leaders seek to gain power by creating new markets, expanding existing ones, constructing demand, and spurring consumption.

Thus, since there is not a natural cap on how much energy growth-centric economies will consume, all energy sources typically are exploited aggressively. Therefore, expanding the production of non-fossil energy is unlikely to do much to suppress fossil fuel consumption in the prevailing global political-economic context. So promoting renewable energy development is an insufficient approach to transitioning societies away from fossil fuels.

How is demand created? Marketing, of course, is one way that corporations seek to manufacture demand, but there are also larger, structural forces that shape consumption. For example, the U.S. governments project of building the freeway system was, in effect, a giant subsidy for the automobile and oil industries. Car-centric development in the United States and a number of other countries contributed to sprawl and the rise of the suburbs, which served to entrench high-energy lifestyles, including the normalization of large, energy- and material-intensive houses. Additionally, prices of various energy sourcesrather than explaining how much of each type of energy is consumedthemselves need to be explained. There is no natural price for any particular form of energy because prices of all energy sources are, and always have been, shaped by political and social decisions.

Although fossil fuels are cheap in terms of the price that consumers pay for them, the low price is a product of direct and indirect government subsidies. In truth, fossil fuels are extremely costly, but these costs are not paid for by corporations or at the consumer level; rather, they are socialized. Just as transportation infrastructure is paid for by governments, so is a large share of the costs of oil and gas pipelines, power lines, and other parts of the energy production and distribution infrastructure. Also, military interventions are often aimed at controlling access to energy sources; thus, spending on militaries is an indirect subsidy to fossil fuel corporations.

Geopolitical maneuvering is also often aimed at controlling energy prices and markets, such as occurred with the recent RussiaSaudi Arabia oil-price war in which the United States intervened. Relatedly, to prop up or reduce prices, oil is occasionally bought for or sold from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Additionally, there is the externalization of other costs of fossil fuels, such as those to health-care systems for handling the increased morbidity and mortality stemming from air pollution.

Thus, prices of various energy sources will go up and down, based not simply on resource availability, economic trends, consumer demand, or technological developments but also because of various direct and indirect subsidies connected with changes in government regulations, tax structures, and policies (which, historically, largely have favored fossil fuels). The blunt fact is that energy prices are fundamentally shaped by political processes and power structures, so that the simplistic assumption that levels of energy consumption are the outcome of naturalistic economic laws of supply and demand is wrong.

Besides the fact that the expansion of alternative energy sources has done little to suppress fossil fuel consumption, non-fossil energy sources are not without problems of their own. It is difficult to provide the same amount of energy that is currently supplied by fossil fuels with alternative sources, especially if we do not want to use nuclear power (and there are good reasons to avoid the nuclear option). Furthermore, there is no truly clean or green energy source, since all sources have substantial environmental consequences.

For example, hydroelectric dams destroy river ecosystems, biomass energy can contribute to deforestation, and solar power and wind power require large quantities of materials (some toxic) to construct and substantial land area and infrastructure to deploy on a large scale. Just about anything is better than fossil fuels, but we are not going to get 160,000+ terawatt/hours annuallythe global total primary energy supply in recent years, before the COVID economic crisiswithout having serious environmental impacts.

Due to structural drives for growth and the power of corporate elites to manipulate markets and political leaders, demand-side solutions to the destructive reliance on fossil fuels are unlikely to be highly effective. Although carbon taxes are potentially helpful, they dont challenge the economic inequalities and power dynamics that lead to the continual expansion of production and consumption. And energy taxes, if not tied to thoughtful economic planning, can be regressivea fact highlighted by the recent yellow-vest protests in France.

Despite the fact that these points suggest that we are on a disastrous trajectory and that current environmental efforts are not working, I believe that there are real solutions available and reasons for hope. The good news is that we do not actually need to consume anywhere near as much energy as we currently do. Due to the extraordinary inequalities that exist in the world, a small share of the worlds people are responsible for a large share of energy consumption.

The dynamics of capitalist systems drive production and consumption to generate corporate profits, not to improve the quality of human life. Thus, a transition to a socially just and equitable society will allow for a dramatic reduction in energy consumption while also improving the human condition. If we transition to an economic system that focuses on human well-being, rather than economic growth for the sake of corporate profits, we will be able to live fulfilling lives with the modest amount of energy provided by renewable sources, and we will not need fossil fuels.

As part of this type of transformation, we need a radical, supply-side solution to our energy and climate crises. Nations around the world should nationalize fossil fuel assets and restrict extraction as part of a program of restructuring the economy. If extraction isnt limited, fossil fuel companies are free to sell to markets anywhere in the world, so that to a substantial degree they can dodge the effects of demand-side restrictions (e.g., carbon taxes) that may be imposed in any one country. Banning fossil fuel extraction will allow innovation in alternative energy technologies to be applied to providing for social needs, rather than simply spurring growth in energy consumption.

In light of these considerations, the answer to the question posed in the title of this essayWill green energy save the planet?is: not in the current global political-economic context; however, in a more equitable and just society that is not focused on endless growth, renewable energy sources will be a necessary part of a different, and better, way of life.

Dr. Richard York is a Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon.
Things aren't looking so rosy for workers at the country's various meatpacking plants. Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) is one of several large meatpackers facing scrutiny from public health officials for their failure to curtail the spread of the virus among their employees.

Calculations from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, local media, and governments confirm that Tyson has been linked to 4,585 workers in 15 states who were diagnosed with COVID-19. At the time those numbers were compiled, 18 of those patients had died. Such a concentration of cases speaks to the severity of the virus hotspots growing in and around these meatpacking facilities. The fallout for Tyson and its peers could be substantial if this persists.

When Tyson's second-quarter earnings were released recently, they showed a 9% decline in sales, evidence of a struggling business amid the pandemic. Even with the support of the White House, Tyson projects nationwide shortages and more uncertainty moving forward. The company announced May 11 that after the completion of testing at one of its plants in Portland, Maine, 51% of the 403-person team had tested positive for COVID-19.

Investors should note that Tyson, as well as meatpacking peers JBS S.A. (OTC:JBSAY) and National Beef (owned by Marfrig (OTC:MRRTY)), are seeing both a broad decline in the market as a whole and an outsized effect on the condition of their industry.

The Tyson Foods drama

Union numbers can serve as an indication of the actual challenges Tyson and others face. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union represents 250,000 meatpacking workers, and it has tabulated a list of thousands of cases in which packing workers were exposed to unsanitary conditions, despite companies' claims that they are working to sanitize entire facilities.

Of the more than 10,000 meatpacking workers who have contracted the virus, some 30 have died, the UFCW said in a statement. The union went on to oppose the use of a Defense Production Act order to mandate the opening of packing plants, saying it further puts workers at risk.

There's no reason to doubt that Tyson and others are trying to protect their workers. But investors might wonder whether their efforts -- e.g., cleaning facilities, on-site testing, and attempts to issue masks and personal protective equipment -- are being implemented fairly, and whether they were introduced too late in the persistent pandemic crisis.

An "uphill battle"

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has applauded the "safe reopening of critical infrastructure meatpacking facilities across the United States." But Michael Haedicke, an associate professor at Drake University and a research sociologist, wrote for The Conversation recently that the coronavirus will overtake the industry. "Despite President Trump's reassurances that closed plants will reopen safely, I expect that the pressures of efficiency and limits on workers' ability to advocate for themselves will cause infections to persist," Haedicke wrote. "In meatpacking as in other industries, the pandemic has revealed how people who do 'essential' work for Americans can be treated as if they are expendable."

Scandal or no scandal, stay away from Tyson for now

Tyson in particular is likely to face more challenges that make it risky for any investor considering buying in. Of course, there is the ethical aspect of investing in companies that mistreat workers. Even beyond that, potential investors should scrutinize the nature of Tyson's post-pandemic business practices and the way it treats employees. The specter of legal action against Tyson and companies under similar scrutiny is possible going forward, given the scope of the scandal.
Jiyoung Lee knows shes an unlikely fan of BTS, the South Korean boy band. The seven-member K-pop group has attracted a passionate international following in recent years, selling out stadiums across Asia and the United States, largely to audiences in their teens or early 20s. Lee, on the other hand, is a 49-year-old professor at Sejong University specializing in the notoriously impenetrable work of the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze.

When I talk about BTS in public, some people look at me like, Oh my God, she is a middle-aged woman and a philosophy professor, what happened to her? the soft-spoken academic recently said via Skype from her apartment in Seoul. But what is wrong with listening to good music?

In addition to her work on French philosophy, Lee has also published a book about the band, which has been translated into English as BTS, Art Revolution. Sometimes, she said, she has spent all day on weekends watching BTS videos, and has run up to ten BTS fan Twitter accounts simultaneously, which she uses to connect with other members of the Army, as the groups die-hard fans call themselves.

Lee planned to attend all four Seoul concerts for BTSs Map of the Soul Tour, originally scheduled for mid-April. Because tickets sell out so quickly, she had enlisted her son to help her buy them at an esports cafe she had chosen for its high-powered computers and fast internet. But when the concerts were canceled in February as the coronavirus spread in South Korea, my dream was gone, she said.
California State University, the largest university system in the United States, announced that it will move online all fall season classes because of the coronavirus.

In a statement on Tuesday, Chancellor Timothy White said, Virtual planning is necessary because it might not be possible for some students, faculty and staff to safely travel to campus. The announcement came on the same day U.S. health experts warned that reopening the country too soon could result in suffering, death, and harm to the economy.

The California State University (Cal State) has 23 campuses and nearly 500,000 students. It is the first major university to tell students that they will not return to campus when the new school year begins.

Some colleges, including University of Pennsylvania and University of California at Berkeley, say some or all teaching for the fall may be provided online. Others, like Stanford, Princeton and the University of Chicago, are waiting for more information before making decisions.

The Chronicle of Higher Education magazine is keeping a list of colleges plans for reopening. It says the large majority of American colleges, 70 percent, say they are planning for in-person classes when the new school year begins.

Christina Paxson is the president of Brown University in Rhode Island. She wrote in The New York Times newspaper that the reopening of college and university campuses in the fall should be a national priority.

Paxson said colleges should develop plans to control the spread of infections through testing, tracing and physical distancing to bring students back on campus.

Paxon also noted that higher education employs three million people and contributes $600 billion to the nations economy.

Many colleges are already worried that large numbers of students will not return for online classes. There is widespread fear that the troubled economy will leave many Americans unable to pay for college. And international students will not attend because of travel restrictions during the coronavirus crisis.

Several universities, including Ohio State and Nebraska, have returned money to students for housing and meals after in-person classes were cancelled. Students across the U.S. are also taking legal action against universities. The students say they did not get the quality of education they were promised.

In a legal action against Drexel University, Grainger Rickenbaker, a 21-year-old student from South Carolina, said the online classes were poor substitutes for classroom learning. He told The Associated Press that some classes were being taught almost entirely through recorded videos, with no class discussion possible.

On Tuesday night, Chancellor White told the Cal States Board of Trustees that the university is a place where over 500,000 people come together in close and vibrant proximity with each other on a daily basis. He noted that is not possible now.

The university leader listed several possible exceptions for in-person classes, including those in nursing, science, and art.

Im Caty Weaver.

Hai Do wrote this story with information from Cal State and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

virtual - adj. occurring on computers or the internet

faculty - n. the group of teachers in a college

staff - n. a group of people who work for an organization or business

campus - n. the area and buildings around a university

priority - n. something that is more important than other things

trace - v. to find out where something came from

vibrant - adj. having or showing great life, activity and energy

proximity - n. the state of being near
S.E.E. stressed to us that its communications systems must be secure, stable and fast. Avanade installed a more reliable and agile system that responds fast when it counts, improves performance, can be updated often and ultimately lowers operations costs.

When rough weather or a natural disaster strikes, Atlanta-based Southeastern Electric Exchange (S.E.E.), the trade association of investor-owned electric utility companies in the southeastern U.S., is responsible for mobilizing workers and equipment across 23 states and the District of Columbia to restore power. To make its operations as reliable and responsive as possible, S.E.E. turned to Avanade, the leading digital innovator in the Microsoft ecosystem, to update its business and communications systems.

Avanade has helped S.E.E. move its communications systems to Microsoft Office 365 and Microsofts powerful cloud platform, Azure, combining state-of-the-art online communications technology with the power and flexibility of a cloud-based system. The result: more reliable communications, a faster response time and shorter power outages.

During an emergency, a fast response can save lives, said Avanade Southeast General Manager Amy Zoretic. S.E.E. stressed to us that its communications systems must be secure, stable and fast. Avanade installed a more reliable and agile system that responds fast when it counts, improves performance, can be updated often and ultimately lowers operations costs.

With Microsoft 365s built-in robust security features, S.E.E.s online systems are now more secure and significantly more reliable, thanks to its new built-in Microsoft cloud backup capabilities.

As we move into spring storm and hurricane season, the reliability of our communications and collaborations systems are more important than ever, said S.E.E. Executive Director Scott H. Smith. Any time our members electric systems are impacted and we need to mobilize resources, we cant afford unexpected downtime. We are already seeing additional ways this new system will help us, as we explore all it can do.

As one of the largest global deployers of Microsoft technologies, Avanade works with a wide range of companies across the energy and utility industry, helping them take advantage of the newest technologies to modernize their business and operations.

# # #

About Avanade

Avanade is the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences on the Microsoft ecosystem. Our professionals bring bold, fresh thinking combined with technology, business and industry expertise to help make a human impact on our clients, their customers and their employees. We are the power behind the Accenture Microsoft Business Group, helping companies to engage customers, empower employees, optimize operations and transform products, leveraging the Microsoft platform. Avanade has 38,000 professionals in 25 countries, bringing clients our best thinking through a collaborative culture that honors diversity and reflects the communities in which we operate. Majority owned by Accenture, Avanade was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation. Learn more at http://www.avanade.com.
Hundreds of Tibetan families temporarily absent from their homes in Tibets Chamdo prefecture have been left without permanent places to live after being struck from the lists of residents now ordered by Chinese authorities to relocate from their ancestral land, Tibetan sources say.



The families, comprising around 4,000 residents of Chamdos Markham (in Chinese, Mangkang) and Gongjo (Gongjue) counties, have meanwhile also been forbidden to return to their native places, leaving them in a difficult situation, a local source told RFAs Tibetan Service.



The local government in Chamdo has disqualified those families from resettling, and they are also not allowed to remain in their places of origin or hometowns, RFAs source said, adding, Therefore, those families have nowhere to live at present.



Writing in a petition sent last year to central authorities in Tibet, the families left in limbo said they had left their home areas only briefly to find work or educate their children and had not voluntarily moved away for good.



Our households are still registered in our hometowns and places of birth, and we never reported to village or township authorities that we were migrating voluntarily, said the petition, a copy of which has been seen by RFA.



If we are not counted now as part of the population of Markham and Gongjo, where do we belong? the letter asks. And if we are still included as residents, what has happened to the subsidies we were promised by the Chinese central government? Who has taken them?



We call for an urgent investigation into this matter, the petition said.



Crowded conditions, no employment



In a resettlement scheme launched in 2014-2015, authorities have ordered thousands of Tibetan residents of impoverished areas of Chamdo to move from their farmland and homes to areas closer to the regional capital Lhasa, where they live in crowded conditions with large families piled into single dwellings and opportunities for employment cut off.



New areas of settlement for families forced from Markham and Gongjo include the counties of Toelung Dechen, Tagtse, Maldro Gongkar, and Phenpo Lhundrub, sources say.



Many of those resettled are unhappy with their new living conditions, though, and complain of resources inadequate to support their families.



We were forced to resettle in Toelung, one man said, speaking to RFA. Our ancestral land and everything we had has been taken by the government in Markham, and nothing is left for us now where we were born.



Though his family and others were given money and places to live in their resettlement towns, these were not sufficient for large families, and the money they were given quickly ran out, he said. Besides, we are unable to send our children to school yet.



It is hard for us to find jobs, even jobs working as servers in restaurants, which our daughters found out when they were turned away because they cant speak Chinese. We have asked the government to allow us to return to our old homes, but they wont let us do it, he said.



Several families who tried to return quietly to Markham on their own were later chased away by force and had to come back here, he added.



Reported by Sonam Lhamo and Yangdon Demo. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Opinion Article

13 May 2020

The world has suddenly changed.

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Like most sectors, the global hospitality industry is in shock and dismay watching a pandemic wipe out the dreams of millions. This unprecedented event, whose consequences we cannot yet imagine, has left us speculating about its financial, economic, social and political cost. In times to come, we may tell our grandchildren stories of this once-in-a-lifetime event, that took our world completely by surprise. What might feel like a dream many years hence is a grim reality right now. It may not be an overstatement to assert that we are in a period that would tomorrow be remembered as the horrid days that separated that 'Before Corona' (BC) and 'After Corona' (AC) eras.

Many of us in organisational leadership positions have suddenly been presented with more time to think, discuss and analyse. As we take two steps back and look at our enterprises with a broad view, we can possibly see things that we would have otherwise missed in our typical day-to-day work lives. At Hotelivate, the firm's partners have been spending these past few days speaking with industry colleagues, trying to arrive at both short- and long-term strategies that may help the sector resurrect and even come back stronger, once this passes. I must admit that my most recent discussions over the last 48 hours with Industry leaders, HR Professionals and Business Managers have been like a silver streak in the grey sky.

Not so long ago, during World War 2, Winston Churchill and his council were amazed by the resilience, cooperation and selflessness of their people, even while the Nazi were busy bombing the city of London. In fact, in every crisis in human history, we have risen to the occasion, extending care and protection to each other. I feel and sense this same empathy today. Nearly all domestic and international hotel companies - along with the owner community - continue to firmly stand by their employees in these times of distress. To be honest, in my 25 years of experience with the service industry, I have yet to see a show of solidarity, an emotional bond, and a sense of commitment that parallels what one is getting to see now. The hotel industry's positivity to fight back, its spirit to re-build and protect its employees, is exemplary. It is with this positivity that I am driven to write this article, with the firm belief that the way we deal with these unchartered territories will determine our success in the future.

Hotelivate estimates that the Indian Hotel industry has almost 200,000 employees on roll (inclusive of the nearly 40,000 contractual/casual labour) across branded/organised hotels. In the current context some interesting facts have emerged, which will be important to build the confidence of the fraternity.

Triumph of Truth

Times like these warrant complete trust and transparency. It's important to discuss the business realities with our employees, share plans for the upcoming days, and create an environment of an open and collaborative partnership. We need to care for and trust our employees, as this will be the single-most important bond that ultimately creates a powerful, energetic culture whose dividends we will reap for a lifetime.

Extraordinary Times, Extraordinary Thinking

To brace the new reality, it is imperative for organisations and leaders to adapt and change their leadership styles to suit the need of the hour. We foresee organisations going through two critical phases:

Phase 1 will focus on building a survival strategy, to ensure regular and sufficient cash flows. This phase is likely to witness cross border teams/a Task-Force Team across various functions, coming together to create just-in-time strategies and provide solutions to seek new business. This period will foster creativity, quick decision making and a rapid response to cater to the needs of the market. This phase is likely to witness the partial dissolvement of standard operating procedures for most functions. The Task Force Team will work towards measuring each opportunity and taking decisions in real time. This phase will test the true mettle of a leader. Maturity, and a collectively flexible, agile and supportive environment will be the new mantra. The role of subject matter experts will be highly valued, as the organisation will need to be sharper and faster to react to the dynamic market.

Phase II will emphasise on building for the future. Given the lack of predictability around the containment of Covid - 19, organisations and key leaders need to focus on drawing a plan with a six-month horizon. The larger tourism sector has several vectors, all interconnected and interdependent to a great degree. While hotels & resorts come to terms with the reality of 0% occupancies and no real business on books for the foreseeable future, the humongous losses being faced by the OTA partners, airlines and tour operators will all be in need to be rebuilt on a common thread of honesty and transparency. The industry will have to learn to develop and nurture long term bonds with its affiliates. Common nomenclatures such as market leader, shareholder value and profits will need to change to "Market for all and Survival for all".

It is imperative that once good times start rolling in, the top management prioritise engaging more with the local teams, sharing critical information and being realistic in their expectations. All long-term contracts, relationships, market trends and engagements will need a rethink and rework. Business managers will have to start thinking about diversifying risk and developing alternatives. At the strategic level, all companies should focus on creating a committee or role of Chief Relationship Manager. This role could reside either with the CEO's office or CFO, with the primary responsibility of analysing and fostering collaborative relationships with external and internal stake holders. This role should also be entrusted with the responsibility of identifying and highlighting potential risks to survival and sustenance, without worry of being ignored or penalised. This phase has clearly highlighted the need for dedicated resources who spend their time and efforts in assessing and planning for all contingencies - both financial and human element related.

The new work environment: our Home

As the world embraces the trend of working from home,

the usual practice of running to office may take a pause. Hotelivate had introduced the concept of work from home more than a decade ago; over the years, our team members have mastered the art of self-discipline with no compromise on productive output. With work from home becoming a global norm regardless of sector, employees must commit to being responsible, conscious and focused.

Employees and Management

Our vulnerability in this crisis is leading to the creation of a new ecosystem across most organisations. Companies that stand by their employees in these testing times will emerge on top. Traditional structures of hierarchy will be eliminated, and a new way of life shall govern us in the form of work-life balance, clear communication, flexible approach to work and respect for all. Leaders who do not change shall be forgotten fast. High-level EQ would be the testing ground to qualify to lead teams. On the other hand, employees too, will look at organisations that offer long-term growth with slow and steady progress in life. Brand appeal is likely to scale down in the pyramid. The role of Human Resources will progress from being transaction oriented to having a solid emotional connect with employees. Health and safety shall become a necessity and organisations will need to make it part of their DNA. Social responsibility will become part of our life. Engagement shall be the key word for all departments, especially sales, operations and F&B as we build back confidence and invite people to spend quality time in our hotels.

Business Focus

The role of a Chief Revenue Officer will be critical to business success over the next six months. The role is likely to see a paradigm shift: from being office-based, to a more hands-on, on- the-field role. The focus will be to renew, build and connect with everyone across the world. A personal equation and a bond based on trust will determine the success of this function. Profits alone will not be the driving force; instead, a deep commitment to building long term value will become the foundation of this role, as people seek reassurance and the commitment and willingness to help each other. Sales on the ground shall make a come-back. Concentrated efforts offering flexibility in booking and cancellations will take precedence. Customised packages for families, group and boutique offerings (e.g, room and meal combo) for corporate travellers need to be carved out. Safety and personal hygiene shall be a priority.

Compensation and Payroll

We believe the industry will see a flat year with compensation reduction of 10-15% for the mid-level and 18-25% for senior management. We also think it imperative for companies to take a more cautious approach for business continuity and request for voluntary reduction from employees, as this would enable cash-flow management and allow the companies to prevent retrenchments. This should be done with every hope that organisation shall be able to pass on the benefits back in the form of bonus or ex gratia at the end of the year.

As a firm believer in our industry's grit and resilience, I do believe engagement and positivity should be our mantra in this time of hardship, as we await happier times of welcoming our guests back in.
Ayatollah Khamenei urges investigation into deadly naval accident off Iran's southern coast

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 5:22 PM

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei calls for an investigation into a recent deadly incident involving the Iranian Navy's Konarak logistical and support vessel in the country's southern waters.

In a message to Chief Commander of Iran's Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi on Tuesday, the Leader extended solemn condolences over the "painful and regrettable" incident that led to the martyrdom 19 Iranian Navy personnel.

Ayatollah Khamenei urged responsible Iranian authorities to properly shed light on the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify those potentially at fault, and take necessary measures to make sure such bitter incidents will not happen again in the future.

The Leader stated that the grief of losing the youths is heart-rending for their bereaved families, expressing his deep condolences to them.

The incident happened on Sunday as a number of Navy vessels were conducting an exercise near the waters lying close to Jask and Chabahar ports that respectively belong to neighboring provinces of Hormozgan, and Sistan and Baluchestan, the Navy's Public Relations' Department said in a statement on Monday.

Nineteen people have lost their lives and 15 others been injured in the accident involving the Iranian Navy's Konarak logistical vessel.

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Latrobe Valley residents have lodged a legal complaint with the state's pollution watchdog over fears the former Hazelwood power stations coal ash dumps will leach into nearby streams and contaminate groundwater.

Residents' group Friends of Latrobe Water has lodged a legal complaint with the Environment Protection Authority, calling for it to investigate the risk of contamination from dumped ash near the closed power station.

The now disused Hazelwood power station pictured in 2018. Credit:Leigh Henningham

The ash left after brown coal is burnt to make electricity is toxic and contains heavy metals and pollutants such as mercury, lead and arsenic. There are at least four large coal ash dumps at Hazelwood.

Tracey Anton, from Friends of Latrobe Water, said residents were in the dark about the seriousness of the coal ash risk, with much of the audit information remaining with the EPA or the mine owner.
By Trend





Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili held a video conversation with Chief Executive Officer of Group ADP Augustin de Romanet, Trend reports referring to Georgian presidents press service.

The sides discussed the safe transportation of passengers in Georgia in order to facilitate the flow of foreign tourists and quickly restore tourism.

Group ADP, formerly Aeroports de Paris or ADP (Paris Airports), is an international airport operator based in Paris. It operates 26 international airports, and owns 46,1 percent of TAV Airports Holding and 8 percent of the Schiphol Group.

Georgia's Tbilisi and Batumi international airports are operated by TAV Georgia, the daughter company of Turkey-based TAV Airports Holding, one of the worlds leading airport operators.

Earlier, during a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Augustin de Romanet said that France wants to work out a plan to attract airline companies, create new routes and make Georgia a popular destination for tourists.

The parties also discussed prospects deepening bilateral cooperation and noted the importance of development of tourism for the Georgian economy.

"Georgian history and Georgian nature are impressive, so we should attract tourists from all around the world to the country, said Romanet.

It was stressed that Tbilisi International Airport has an opportunity to develop and serve additional 5 million passengers a year.

Having expressed the company's interest in investing in Georgia, Romanet added that Group ADP is ready to send high-qualified specialists to Tbilisi and Batumi international airports within the framework of cooperation on development of these airports.
The collaboration of grandfather of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with the Nazis is a disgrace for Armenia, Azerbaijani Political Scientist Fikrat Sadikhov told Trend.

Pashinyan presents himself as a democrat. But the situation reveals the essence of Pashinyan, showing the world that this is not what it is. Firstly, the unveiling of a six-meter monument to the executioner Nzhdeh in the center of Yerevan indicates that the country is promoting fascism. Despite protests, this monument has still not been demolished. Secondly, Pashinyans grandfather fought alongside Nazis against the Soviet Union. The hands of this executioner are stained with blood, Sadikhov stressed.

He noted that the presence of a Nazi-collaborating grandfather, a monument to Garegin Nzhdeh in the center of Yerevan, as well as liberal attitude towards the glorification of Nazi servants - all together eloquently characterize the Armenian prime minister.

If there are still at least five sober-minded people in Armenia, they must express their protest to Pashinyan. And, I think that the protests have already begun. Political forces are already uniting against Pashinyan, Sadikhov emphasized.
Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsel's Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, was released Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney Todd Blanche. Manafort had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and preexisting medical conditions. Manafort was hospitalized in December after suffering from a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press at the time. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which examined possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election campaign.

Manafort, who was prosecuted in two federal courts, was convicted by a jury in federal court in Virginia in 2018 and later pleaded guilty in Washington. He was sentenced last March and was immediately hit with state charges in New York that could put him outside the president's power to pardon. New York prosecutors have accused him of giving false information on a mortgage loan application.

Manafort's release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates ahead of a potential outbreak. They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons in March and April to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at FCI Loretto.

As of Tuesday, 2,818 federal inmates and 262 BOP staff members had positive test results for COVID-19 at federal prisons across the country. Fifty inmates had died.

The bureau has given contradictory and confusing guidance how it is deciding who is released to home confinement in an effort to combat the virus, changing requirements, setting up inmates for release and backing off and refusing to explain how it decides who gets out and when.

An agency spokeswoman said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a home confinement memo, and more than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be released.

Manafort's release was first reported by ABC

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of millions of made-in-Vietnam face masks have been exported abroad, showing an upsurge in the operation and production capacity of Vietnamese garment and textile sector

at a time when the countrys economy is struggling to overcome the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, there are still many things to do to facilitate the sustainable export of face masks.

Conquering the worlds market

By working at full capacity, the entire garment and textile sector can even produce 100 million face masks per day.

As a major garment and textile business with export revenue reaching hundreds of millions of US dollars, the Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company has also suffered from the COVID-19 economic storm. The corporation has faced difficulties not only in the interruption in the supply of raw clothing materials from China but also in seeking demand for their products.

After recognising the increasing demand for face masks amidst the epidemic outbreak, the company found a way to transform the challenges into opportunities by switching to cloth face masks.

The companys director Than Duc Viet said that Garment 10 had received an export order for 400 million medical face masks worth US$52 million, which is planned to be exported this July. The company has also received orders for more than 20 million cloth masks from US and German partners.

Face masks made by other Vietnamese garment and textile businesses have also achieved a strong position in export markets. As of April 19, Vietnam has exported over 415 million face masks.

Vietnamese businesses face mask production capacity is huge. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has stated that domestic producers have a total production capacity of 40 million face masks per day, or about 1.2 billion a month. By working at full capacity, the entire garment and textile sector can even produce 100 million face masks per day, or about 3 billion a month.

As estimated by the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), domestic garment and textile businesses are able to produce around 150 million - 200 million face masks a month, which can absolutely meet domestic demand for epidemic prevention and control besides maintaining exports.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has worked to help Vietnamese businesses connect with foreign partners. Vietnamese trade offices abroad have also shared a helping hand in seeking business partners to export these items to their host countries.

Recently, the Government promulgated Resolution No 60/NQ-CP on licences for export of medical face masks, which regulates that medical face masks can be exported without caps on export volume.

Deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Export-Import Agency Tran Thanh Hai said that the resolution has opened up the door for garment and textile businesses to seize opportunity amidst this difficult period of time.

Attention needed to meet quality standards

However, Vietnamese businesses have faced certain difficulties in meeting mask quality standards from the importing countries. Accordingly, to export masks to the EU and the US, Vietnamese firms must obtain a CE marking and FDA certification, respectively, which indicate that a product meets the appropriate safety and environmental protection standards.

In the wake of the pandemic ravaging the globe, and a large demand for face masks, the EU and US may allow the import of these products without CE marking and FDA certification. However, when the epidemic slows down, they will be mandatory for Vietnamese firms to get access into these markets, said Deputy Director Tran Thanh Hai.

Dinh Ngoc Long, an expert from the Vietnam Certification Centre (Quarcert), noted that to obtain a CE marking Vietnamese firm must thoroughly understand all relevant EU-wide requirements and make sure that their products meet all these essential requirements.

For FDA certification, Tran Anh Tuan, an expert from Quarcert, noted that products must undergo a review of safety and effectiveness by FDA experts and achieve agency approval before they can be marketed. Businesses must prepare adequate documents for FDA to perform a review anytime without prior notice.

Experts also noted that mask producers must be well-prepared right from the start of the production process in order to raise their competitiveness and promote their exports in the long term, particularly to demanding markets like the US and EU.

Vietnamese businesses will also face competitiveness issues when other countries with success in developing their textile and garment sectors, including China, India and Pakistan, have recovered after the epidemics. Nhan Dan

France to import hundreds of millions of masks from Vietnam France has announced it would import hundreds of millions of antibacterial cloth masks from Vietnam by air.
The Bank expects that the country's economy will restore in the next year

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) forecasts the fall of Ukraine's GDP by 4.5 percent this year. The data is mentioned in the report.

"Ukraines GDP will fall by 4.5 per cent in 2020 as a result of global coronavirus-related shocks and following slower industrial growth recorded in late 2019 to early 2020 according to the latest macroeconomic survey published by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) today. The Bank is expecting Ukraines economy to bounce back to growth of 5.0 per cent in 2021.", reads the message on the website.

The report claims that Ukraine faced a high price of refunding the debt in the international financial markets.

The EBRD added that the dometsic and external demand due to public healtchare restrictions that were taken in Ukraine, caused a negative impact on the sectors of production and services.

"The macro-financial fundamentals remain relatively strong and able to absorb external shocks with record-high level of foreign reserves and the lowest policy rate for six years", the Bank explained.
New Delhi: In investigation against Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz, Crime Branch of Delhi Police has so far questioned about 400 foreign members of Jamaat, who came from different countries to participate in the religious gathering in the national capital, sources told Zee Media.

All these 400 Jamaat members were questioned by the Crime Branch sleuths by visiting their bases in Delhi and at quarantine centers. These 400 members are from 700 Tablighi Jamaat members whose passports and other documents have been seized by the crime branch.

The remaining Jammat members will be questioned soon, said the sources.

In a related development, Delhi Police today opposed a plea in the Delhi High Court seeking a direction that investigation in the case against Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad should be handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Maulana Saad is alleged to have held a religious congregation in violation of the orders aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

While conducting the hearing through video conferencing, a bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani asked the petitioner to place the judgments in support of his plea to transfer the investigation from Delhi Police Crime Branch to NIA.

The petition, filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Ghanshyam Upadhyay, has also sought a direction to the NIA to investigate the matter in a time-bound manner and the probe be monitored by the high court.

The petitioner alleged that the Delhi Police has failed to arrest the leader despite the lapse of considerable time.

Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain opposed the plea saying Delhi Police was conducting the investigation in a fair manner and argued that the petitioner has no locus standi to file the plea.

Meanwhile, the court has listed the matter for further hearing on May 28.

Earlier on March 31, the Delhi Police's crime branch had lodged an FIR against seven persons, including Maulana Saad, on a complaint by Station House Officer of Nizamuddin police station.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also filed a money laundering case against Saad, trusts links to the Jamaat and others.
Pocket K No. 58: COVID-19 Treatment Efforts Using Plant Technologies

In December 2019, Wuhan City in China became the epicenter of a respiratory disease outbreak with mysterious origins, that spread to many countries immediately. To investigate the matter and control the disease roll out, suspected and infected patients were placed in isolation, contact tracings were conducted, and detailed clinical and epidemiologic data were gathered. These efforts led the Chinese experts to find the cause of the disease  a novel coronavirus strain from patient groups in Wuhan. The outbreak is believed to originate from a local market in the City that sells wild animals as food.1

Coronaviruses is a large family of viruses. Some of the viruses cause diseases among humans, while others among animals such as camels, cattle, cats, and bats. A few animal coronaviruses evolve to infect humans, such as those that caused SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 outbreaks.1

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic.2 In May 2020, the number of reported cases globally reached close to 4 million, with about 300,000 deaths.3

Questions about the origin of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) were raised, and some even speculated that the virus is a product of genetic engineering. In a Nature Medicine article, scientists from the US, UK, and Australia reported that the genome sequence of the COVID-19 virus evolved naturally erasing the popular myth.4

Similar to other viruses, the COVID-19 virus spreads through droplets of saliva or nasal discharge. Infected individuals experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and can recover without medications. However, older patients with underlying medical concerns such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and chronic respiratory disease are more likely to develop serious illness.

Thus, scientists from various fields all over the world are working hard to come up with effective treatments to curb the pandemic.

Diagnostics: Test Kits Using CRISPR and Algae

COVID-19 testing is conducted through various means in different countries. Some methods detect the presence of the virus itself through RT-PCR and isothermal nucleic acid amplification, while other tests detect antibodies produced as a reaction to the infection.5

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method is considered as the gold standard for disease diagnostics, however, it requires expensive equipment and knowledgeable manpower. Thus, researchers at the University of Connecticut's Department of Biomedical Engineering developed the "All-In-One-Dual CRISPR-Cas12a" (AIOD-CRISPR), a low-cost, CRISPR-based diagnostic platform to detect infectious diseases, including the COVID-19 virus. The CRISPR technology is used in almost all organisms but its early applications were in plants.

The AIOD-CRISPR test kit is intended for use at home or in small clinics, reducing disease transmission risk. Compared to PCR, AIOD-CRISPR system has better sensitivity and specificity. The test kit successfully detected the DNA and RNA of SARS-CoV-2 and HIV.6

Western University and Suncor are developing serological test kits for COVID-19 using algae as a production factory for making the vital proteins for antibody identification. Algae are plant-like protists that inhabit aquatic environments. Current tests rely on proteins developed in insect or mammalian cells, which are expensive and difficult to scale. Algae is a better biofactory alternative because they are easy to grow and can be easily modified to produce the viral proteins.7

Therapeutics: Potential Plant-based Treatments

Studies have shown that the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 is highly similar to the genome of SARS-CoV, which wreaked havoc in 26 countries in 2003. Thus, Guangxi University and Huazhong Agricultural University researchers used a 3D homology model of the sequence and used it to screen against a medicinal plant library with 32,297 potential antiviral phytochemicals and traditional Chinese medicinal compounds. This led them to 9 specific plant molecules that may be used to develop drugs against COVID-19 (Table 1).8

Table 1. Potential phytochemicals for antiviral drug development

Phytochemical name Plant source 5,7,3,4-Tetrahydroxy-2'-(3,3-dimethylallyl) isoflavone Mojave indigo bush (Psorothamnus arborescens) Myricitrin Wax myrtle(Myrica cerifera) Methyl rosmarinate Marubio oscuro(Hyptis atrorubens Poit 3,5,7,3,4,5-hexahydroxy flavanone-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) (2S)-Eriodictyol 7-O-(6-O-galloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside Indian gooseberry(Phyllanthus emblica) Calceolarioside B Chinese flowering ash(Fraxinus sieboldiana) Myricetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside Tea tree (Camellia sinensis) Licoleafol Chinese liquorice(Glycyrrhiza uralensis) Amaranthin Edible amaranth(Amaranthus tricolor)

In another study, researchers from Indonesia used molecular docking to search for potential inhibitors of COVID-19 main protease (Mpro), which is a potential drug target. They searched for bioactive compounds from medicinal plants. They found that nelfinavir and lopinavir may represent potential treatment options, while luteolin-7-glucoside, demethoxycurcumin, apigenin-7-glucoside, oleuropein, curcumin, catechin, and epicatechin-gallate have the best potential to act as COVID-19 Mpro inhibitors. Further studies are needed to confirm their potential medicinal use.9

Another molecular docking study in the University of Maragheh led to nine low risk and neutral drugs that have inhibitory activities against novel COVID-19 protease. These are thymoquinone, salvinorin A, bilobalide, citral, menthol, noscapine, forscolin, beta selinene, and ginkgolide A, which has a strongest bond and high affinity with protease among others.10

Vaccines: Using Plants as Biofactories

Vaccines are known to be the most cost-effective and efficacious method to lessen the disease burden of infectious diseases. Thus, experts are striving towards developing an effective vaccine to combat the spread of COVID-19. This includes plant-derived vaccines, which can be produced with less cost in high amounts, carrier plants are readily accepted by patients and antigens derived from them are stable and can be stored for a long time.11

A team of researchers from the Queensland University of Technology led the genome sequencing of a native tobacco plant (Nicotiana benthamiana) years before the COVID-19 pandemic broke. They used the genome sequence of the plant in the development of a vaccine for COVID-19. The plant is a good candidate as biofactory because of its potential to make large quantities of high-quality vaccine and antibodies considering it has 60,000 genes, which is double the number of genes of an ordinary plant.12

Medicago, a biopharmaceutical company based in Canada, have successfully developed a Virus-Like Particle (VLP) of the coronavirus 20 days after obtaining the SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence using proprietary plant-based technology. Obtaining the VLP is the initial step towards developing a vaccine for COVID-19, which will be followed by preclinical testing for safety and efficacy. Instead of using egg-based methods to develop vaccines, their technology inserts a genetic sequence into Agrobacterium, a common soil bacterium that is taken up by plants. Then the plant produces the protein that can serve as a vaccine.13

British American Tobacco, through its biotech subsidiary in the US, Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), is developing a potential vaccine for COVID-19 and is currently in pre-clinical testing. Experts at KBP cloned a part of the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 which they used to develop a potential antigen. Then the antigen was inserted into tobacco plants for reproduction. Compared to conventional methods, the use of tobacco as a biofactory is considered safer because the plants cannot host pathogens that can cause human diseases and allergies. The production time is also faster because the elements of the vaccine accumulate in tobacco plants much quicker  six weeks in particular, compared to several months using conventional methods. The vaccine formulation can be stored at room temperature, unlike conventional vaccines which must be stored in low temperature. Moreover, it can possibly deliver effective immune response in just one dose.14

Nanoengineers at the University of California San Diego are exploring using a plant virus in developing a COVID-19 vaccine that can be shipped anywhere around the globe without the need for refrigeration. The team is using a plant virus that infects legumes, thus non-infectious to humans. They engineer the virus to look like the COVID-19 virus then molecular signatures specific to SARS-CoV-2 will be placed on the surface of the virus to stimulate immune response.15

Global Efforts to Combat the COVID-19 Crisis

To accelerate the development, production, and equitable global access to new COVID-19 essential health technologies, WHO launched a global collaboration among health actors, private sector partners and other involved institutions around the world on May 4, 2020. They called on the global community and political leaders to support their mission and asked for the necessary resources to hasten the achievement of their objectives. The global health actors, including WHO, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, Global Fund, Unitaid, and Wellcome Trust, and partners declared their commitment to be accountable to the world, to communities and to one another to pursue their shared aim.16

There are about 800 million people suffering from chronic hunger prior to the COVID-19 crisis and this number is expected to go up dramatically. Thus, it is necessary to make deliberate actions towards ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic would be prevented to become a global food and humanitarian crisis. This led major businesses, farmer groups, industry, academy, and non-governmental organizations to call on world leaders to create response measures to minimize the risks of the pandemic on food supplies. Their key actions include keeping the global market open for trade, improve support to those prone to malnutrition, invest in sustainable and resilient food systems.17,18 In line with this, the International Seed Federation also called on the governments to facilitate the international movement of seed during the crisis to avoid disrupting the agriculture supply chain.19

As of this writing, pathogens such as coronaviruses continue to evolve through time, scientists are forced to double their efforts to combat diseases, particularly COVID-19, with the aid of every instrument in our global health technology toolbox. It is imperative that the best vaccine and best medical therapy be available and accessible immediately to control the disease and prevent more damage to the population and the economy.

ISAAA shares, disseminates, and promotes science-based information to help in achieving global agricultural sustainability and development. During this time of COVID-19 pandemic, we monitor research on treatments, vaccines and keep track of the pandemic's effect on food security and agriculture. We help the public make informed decisions and actions to mitigate and recover from the impact of COVID-19. At this crucial time, we need your help. Please support our efforts today from as little as $10 DONATE

References

Nicks, Bret A. and Olivia Wong. 2020. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Global Crisis. https://reference.medscape.com/slideshow/2019-novel-coronavirus-6012559. World Health Organization. WHO Timeline - COVID-19. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19. WHO. 2020. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. https://covid19.who.int/. Crop Biotech Update. 2020. Scientists Say COVID-19 Coronavirus Has Natural Origins. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18040. Abbasi, Jennifer. 2020. The Promise and Peril of Antibody Testing for COVID-19. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2764954. Crop Biotech Update. 2020. UConn Researcher Develops Simple, Low-Cost CRISPR-based Diagnostic Test for COVID-19. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18041 . Crop Biotech Update. 2020. Canadian Researchers Use Algae to Produce COVID-19 Test Kits. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18103. Qamar, Muhammad Tahir Ul, Safar M. Alqahtani, Mubarak A. Alamri, and Ling-Ling Chen. 2020 Structural Basis of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and Anti-COVID-19 Drug Discovery from Medicinal Plants. Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095177920301271#!. Khaerunnisa, Siti, Rizki Awaluddin, and Hendra Kurniawan. 2020. Potential Inhibitor of COVID-19 Main Protease (Mpro) From Several Medicinal Plant Compounds by Molecular Docking Study. https://lavierebelle.org/IMG/pdf/2020_potential_inhibitor_of_covid-19_main_protease_from_several_medicinal_plant_compounds.pdf. Shaghaghi, Neda. 2020. Molecular Docking Study of Novel COVID-19 Protease with Low Risk Terpenoides Compounds of Plants. https://chemrxiv.org/articles/Molecular_Docking_Study_of_Novel_COVID-19_Protease_with_Low_Risk_Terpenoides_Compounds_of_Plants/11935722. WHO. 2015. Plant-derived Vaccines. https://www.who.int/biologicals/vaccines/plant_derived_vaccines/en/ . Crop Biotech Update. 2020. Native Australian Plant Paves Way for Vaccine Development Against COVID-19. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18054. Crop Biotech Update. 2020. Viable Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19 Developed Using Proprietary Plant-based Technology. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18028. Crop Biotech Update. 2020. COVID-19 Vaccine Development Using New, Fast-Growing Tobacco Plant Technology. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18081 Crop Biotech Update. 2020. Nanoengineers Combine Molecular Farming and Advanced Manufacturing to Develop COVID-19 Vaccine. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18090 WHO. 2020. A Global Collaboration to Accelerate the Development, Production and Equitable Access to New COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/24-04-2020-commitment-and-call-to-action-global-collaboration-to-accelerate-new-covid-19-health-technologies. The Food and Land Use Coalition. 2020. A Call to Action for World Leaders. https://www.foodandlandusecoalition.org/a-call-to-action-for-world-leaders/. Crop Biotech Update. 2020. A Call to Action for World Leaders: Prevent Global Food Security Crisis in COVID-19 Fight. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18079. Crop Biotech Update. 2020. International Seed Federation Calls on Governments to Facilitate Movement of Seeds in the Time of COVID-19. http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=18034.

Next Pocket K: Plant Breeding Innovation: TALENs
Lindsay Arnold took to Instagram on Wednesday afternoon to announce that she is expecting her first child with husband Samuel Cusick.

'Ohhhhhh baby! Mom and Dad love you already #November2020 #pregnant #pregnancyannouncement,' captioned the 26-year-old Dancing With The Stars pro.

For the big news, Lindsay posed for two photographs with Samuel that showed her holding a string of ultrasound images in her hand.

Expecting: Lindsay Arnold took to Instagram on Wednesday afternoon to announce that she is expecting her first child with husband Samuel Lightner Cusick

She resided in Samuel's lap, while donning a gorgeous knee length floral dress.

Samuel suited up for the occasion in a grey polo and dark wash denim jeans.

In the second snapshot, the married couple shared a tender kiss as Arnold flashed the ultrasound photos - and her sparkling wedding ring - at the camera.

According to Lindsay's caption, she is expected to give birth sometime in November, which makes her nearly three-months along in her pregnancy.

Scorpio: 'Ohhhhhh baby! Mom and Dad love you already #November2020 #pregnant #pregnancyannouncement,' captioned the 26-year-old Dancing With The Stars pro

Her pregnancy news came as quite a shock to her 800,000 followers being that the star had put her abs on full display on social media earlier in the month.

Lindsay and husband Samuel got married in 2015, during a ceremony held into Salt Lake City, Utah. The couple got engaged in 2014 during a romantic vacation in Africa.

'I'm so excited to dance through life with Sam. I could never have imagined that when I was 16 years old I would have met the man I would marry and who would be my partner  yesterday, today and tomorrow,' said Arnold in a statement to People at the time.

A year after their marriage, the high school sweethearts told ET that they 'definitely [wanted] kids' but that, at the time, they were not ready to begin a family.

Abs: The pregnancy news came as quite a shock to her 800,000 followers being that the star had put her abs on full display earlier in the month; Lindsay pictured on May 3

'We would like to wait. We both want to do everything that we want to do, so that when we have children, we can really be there for them. We're still enjoying just being newlyweds right now,' explained the professional dancer.

News of Arnold's pregnancy comes just six-months after the tragic loss of her mother-in-law Jennifer Cusick in 2019.

Jennifer's unexpected passing forced Arnold to step away from her Dancing With The Stars duties where she was actively competing with former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

High School Sweethearts: Lindsay and Samuel got married in 2015, during a ceremony held into Salt Lake City, Utah; Lindsay and Samuel pictured in 2019

Tragedy: The unexpected passing of Arnold's mother-in-law Jennifer forced her to step away from her Dancing With The Stars duties where she was actively competing with former White House press secretary Sean Spicer; Lindsay and Sean pictured in 2019

'I am so saddened to say that my beautiful, loving, selfless mother in law has unexpectedly passed away,' wrote Arnold on her personal Instagram.

'Family is the most important thing to me and being with my husband and our family at this time is exactly where I need to be.'

Lindsay began her career on Dancing With The Stars during season 16 of the competition show in 2013.
ORANGE, Calif., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles  San Diego  San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, which oversees the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service, has donated more than 50,000 snack packs to communities throughout Los Angeles County amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Donated Pacific Surfliner snack packs include turkey jerky, Asiago cheese spread, multigrain mini pretzels, trail mix, chocolate chip cookies, and a peppermint taffy. Photo provided courtesy of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency.

Due to reduced demand and the resulting drop in ridership on Pacific Surfliner trains, the LOSSAN Agency is donating surplus foods that are approaching their expiration date. Through a partnership with Los Angeles-based charity Food Finders, the LOSSAN Agency has donated more than 50,000 snack packs to food banks and homeless shelters across Los Angeles County over the past two months. The Pacific Surfliner-branded snack packs are typically served onboard as a complimentary amenity in Business Class and include turkey jerky, crackers, cheese spread, trail mix, and other items. =

While the Pacific Surfliner continues to operate as an essential service for those who must travel, surplus snack packs are also being handed out onboard the Pacific Surfliner at no cost to all ticketed passengers.

"We are committed to providing the communities we serve with essential services during a time when people need them most," said Al Murray, chairman of the LOSSAN Agency. "Additionally, donating surplus food reduces waste and helps those in need during these unprecedented times."

For more than two years, Amtrak has operated a food donation program in partnership with Food Finders to donate surplus food to those in need throughout the local community.

To stay up to date on the latest announcements, news and information for the Pacific Surfliner, visit news.pacificsurfliner.com. For adjustments to the Pacific Surfliner service, visit PacificSurfliner.com/Advisory for information.

About the Pacific Surfliner

Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner train travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 27 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States with 26 daily trains and annual ridership of nearly 3 million. To learn more, visit PacifcSurfliner.com.

About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency

The Los Angeles  San Diego  San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority composed of rail owners, operators and planning agencies along the entire LOSSAN rail corridor. In addition to working to improve passenger rail ridership, revenue, on-time performance, operational flexibility, and safety, the LOSSAN Agency assumed management responsibility for the Pacific Surfliner service in July 2015, following the execution of an interagency transfer agreement with the state of California. For more information, visit lossan.org.

SOURCE Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
An outbreak at a senior care home in West Salem produced the single largest weekly spike of reported coronavirus infections throughout Oregon, according to an analysis of newly released state data by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The number of coronavirus infections reported in the 97304 ZIP code more than doubled from 30 to 63 for the week ending Sunday.

(See map of Oregon coronavirus infections mapped by ZIP code)

Fully 41 residents, workers or close contacts linked to Prestige Senior Living Orchard Heights, an assisted living and dementia care center, have been infected with the virus, according to a state report. Four people tied to the Polk County community have died.

The data released Tuesday by the Oregon Health Authority show detailed counts for 2,805 of the 3,268 infections identified through Sunday, capturing about 86 percent of all cases. The newsroom was able to pinpoint 410 new infections by ZIP code compared with the previous weeks results.

Coronavirus infections continued to climb in many of the same neighborhoods that have already been hardest hit, the analysis found. Several of those ZIP codes are home to outbreaks at nursing homes or other congregate living facilities.

Six ZIP codes in east Portland, Gresham and Troutdale added a combined 86 cases since last week, an increase of 22%. That raised the total infections in those Multnomah County neighborhoods to 478.

The ZIP codes are 97233, 97230, 97236, 97060, 97080 and 97030.

Meanwhile, three ZIP codes in Marion County saw an increase of 46 infections since last week, an increase of 19%. Total infections in those areas rose to 283 for the ZIP codes running north from Salem through Gervais to Woodburn.

The ZIP codes are 97071, 97305 and 97026.

Only two other ZIP codes saw double-digit increases in the number of infections week over week.

Total infections in 97330, in Benton Countys Corvallis, climbed by 12 to 36. And total infections in 97838, in Umatilla Countys Hermiston, climbed by 10 to 43.

Those dozen ZIP codes accounted for nearly half of the 410 new infections that could be identified by ZIP code. The health authority will not release specific tallies for areas with fewer than 10 infections.

Fourteen other ZIP codes added between five and nine new infections. Those are: Astorias 97103 (9), east Portlands 97220 (9), Forest Groves 97116 (9), Salems 97301 (9), southern Marion Countys 97306 (8), Hillsboros 97123 (8), Warm Springs 97761 (7), Milwaukies 97222 (7), Beavertons 97005 (7), Fairviews 97024 (7), Tigards 97223 (7), Southeast Portlands 97202 (6), North Portlands 97217 (6) and Alohas 97007 (6).

State health officials began releasing ZIP code level data for the first time last week. The figures represent where a person who has been infected lives; not necessarily where they were infected.

The goal of releasing the data is to help people better understand the extent of community-based spread of the virus, Lillian Shirley, the states public health director, said in a statement last week. We are committed to being transparent and accountable to all the communities we serve, especially those hardest hit by the pandemic.

Multnomah Countys public health director, Rachael Banks, dismissed the importance of the data and said its more important to focus on where people were infected rather than where they live, which could perpetuate bias.

Its about where youre exposed, she said last week. Its about your exposure.

The Oregonian/OregonLive subsequently requested documentation from Multnomah County disclosing addresses associated with known outbreaks at workplaces of at least five or more cases. The newsroom also asked for ZIP code level data showing where people were exposed.

The Oregonian/OregonLive clarified that if Multnomah County had exposure data in other formats, that would be acceptable.

A county spokeswoman, Kate Willson, responded Tuesday that officials would not disclose outbreak addresses because that information can be kept confidential under Oregon law.

Willson also said in an email that the county does not have ZIP code data for the location of exposure and is not required to create a map.

We have published a regional dashboard, updated daily, that provides the data we believe is useful for the community to understand disease patterns and who is most at risk, she wrote.

The dashboard does not include information about where infected Oregonians were exposed to the virus.

This post has been updated to fix a typo that incorrectly listed the ZIP code for Corvallis.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt

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WASHINGTON - Georgetown University will suspend contributions to employee retirement plans, introduce a voluntary furlough program and halt some construction as it prepares to enter next academic year with a $50 million shortfall, its president announced, the latest sign of the escalating financial crisis facing American higher education.

The moves represent a second phase of budget cuts and are intended to save the school about $100 million, President John DeGioia wrote in a message to campus Tuesday. DeGioia in April announced that the university would pause new hiring, salary increases and discretionary spending.

"Over the past five weeks, the implications of the crisis have become clearer," DeGioia wrote. "Even more challenging than responding to the impact for this fiscal year is trying to imagine the financial requirements for the coming academic year."

The novel coronavirus has crippled colleges and universities of every size and stripe, forcing schools across the country to lay off workers, cut pay and, in some cases, close altogether. Congress provided $14 billion as part of a coronavirus relief package, and Democrats have proposed a bill to offer more help.

Some elite colleges have turned down aid, under pressure to tap their endowments instead. But the cuts made by Georgetown, whose endowment at last count was about $1.8 billion, illustrate the pandemic's economic impact on even the wealthiest schools.

Johns Hopkins University, whose endowment tops $6 billion, disclosed in April that it would suspend contributions to employee retirement accounts, cut top leaders' salaries and prepare for furloughs and layoffs. Harvard University's top three leaders cut their salaries by 25% last month, and officials at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said they were facing $50 million in unexpected costs.

The revenue streams that allow for such schools to function - tuition dollars, research funding, philanthropy and hefty endowments - have been threatened by the financial crisis triggered by the virus.

"Large schools with large endowments, they are not often in these tight budget circumstances, and they have a lot of spending when times are good," said Ben Kennedy, founder and chief executive of Kennedy & Company, a higher-education consulting firm.

Now, these schools will pare back.

"Every year, they're likely taking about 5% of the value of that endowment, and that's going into different parts of funding their operations," Kennedy said. "If you want to protect the long-term ability of the endowment, this is a bad time to take 5%."

Georgetown spent 5.3% of its endowment in fiscal year 2017, according to the school's most recent publicly available budget. That accounted for about $84 million in revenue, or 7% of that year's total budget.

Whether the cuts eventually go deeper may depend on whether campus can reopen in the fall. Many college presidents are vowing to open, albeit with caveats. But this week brought news that California State University, the largest four-year college system in the country, will continue mostly online next semester. Georgetown's DeGioia said he will outline the university's plan for the fall in the coming days.

Kennedy, in a survey of 15,000 students at a dozen schools, found that students are about 30% more likely to re-enroll if fall instruction is on campus.

"That's about a 30% drop in revenue in the fall semester if they are only able to offer courses online," Kennedy said. "For many schools, that represents an existential crisis."
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (File image: Reuters)

On May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his governments plan to launch a mammoth Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package. Announcing the details of this package, Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman on May 13 announced Rs 3 lakh crore worth of collateral free loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The government will full guarantee these loans, Sitharaman said.

Here are some key questions answered on the scheme:

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

As the name suggests, under the credit guarantee scheme, loans issued by banks to targeted companies are guaranteed by the government. In other words, government will act as a guarantor to compensate banks a percentage of the potential losses if the money isnt repaid.Companies with a turnover up to Rs 100 crore can avail this benefit, Sitharaman said. These loans will carry a tenure of four years and have full credit guarantee from the government. Also, these loans will offer a moratorium of 12 months on interest payments. Approximately 45 lakhs units will benefit from this scheme.MSMEs are still struggling for funds. As part of the COVID-19 relief measures, the Reserve Bank of India unveiled liquidity easing measures in two rounds to the tune of over Rs 5 lakh crore. The hope was that banks will use this money and lend to MSMEs. But, this didnt happen.

Why didnt banks lend to MSMEs?

Banks preferred to play safe by lending to AAA rated top companies. Banks are worried that if money lent to MSMEs become non-performing assets (NPAs) it will result in losses. In other words, risk aversion by banks laid hurdles to the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) plan to help small firms.

It should. Since the government is providing a guarantee to these loans, banks will have the added comfort now to lend to small companies. Even if payments are missed, government will compensate losses to some extent.No. The government doesnt have any cash outgo since it is only providing a guarantee. In fact, the government decided to borrow an additional Rs 4.2 lakh crore from the market to cover its revenue losses on account of the coronavirus impact.The MSME sector contributes over 28 percent of GDP and more than 40 percent of exports, while creating employment for about 11 crore people. In other words, MSMEs are one of the major employers in the Indian economy. This is the reason why it is critical for the government to ensure that the MSMEs survive the pandemic. Ensuring adequate fund support is crucial for this goal.In the first round, RBI offered Rs 1 lakh crore worth targeted long term repo operation (TLTRO). This money largely went to large top rated companies. In the second round, the central bank further announced an additional Rs 50,000 crore stipulating that half of this should be lent to small companies. But banks chose not to participate in the process. This apart, MSMEs have also availed the loan moratorium offer announced by RBI.According to the government data, till date banks have sanctioned Rs 27,426 crore worth of loans to MSMEs, as per data collated by the government. In terms of numbers, about 10 lakh MSMEs and 6,428 corporates have availed this benefit so far.Banks have more than adequate liquidity at this point since the credit demand is almost nil and many investors have moved their money to bank deposits from high risk assets. So, liquidity is not a problem. Since the government guarantee is in place, they should start lending now. MSMEs can approach their respective lenders to seek details of the scheme and avail the benefit.
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SALT LAKE CITY, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Governors University (WGU) has partnered with The DAISY Foundation to honor WGU nursing faculty with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty. As a partner, WGU will be able to award faculty in its College of Health Professions with this distinguished recognition for their meaningful contributions as nurse educators.

WGU joined The DAISY Foundation in December 2019 as a means of appreciating faculty throughout the College of Health Professions for their unwavering service to students. Often, faculty are only associated with students' academic success, but their impact exceeds those boundaries and directly shapes patient care and the nursing profession.

"The College of Health Professions is excited to join The DAISY Foundation to acknowledge and spotlight the incredible contributions of nursing faculty in inspiring and developing new practitioners, new leaders, and new educators in nursing," said Jan Jones-Schenk, Senior Vice President and Dean of the College of Health Professions at WGU. "We deeply value our faculty and their contributions, so being able to offer this national recognition to our outstanding nursing faculty is truly meaningful for us."

Nursing faculty can be nominated by any person including colleagues, peers, patients, family members, and alumni. A workgroup in the College of Health Professions selects and honors one faculty member per quarter who exemplifies the PETALS characteristics of The DAISY Award:

P  Passion/Personal

E  Empathy/Excellence/Enthusiasm

T  Trust and Teamwork

A  Accountable/Acts

L  Leader/Learner

S  Selflessness/Integrity/Student

Faculty members who are awarded The DAISY Award become lifelong honorees no matter where their careers take them. As honorees, they receive The DAISY Award of Extraordinary Faculty certificate, which reads, "To honor your exceptional impact on your students and your inspirational influence on their future." They also receive a DAISY Faculty Award pin, a hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture titled "A Healer's Touch," and a spotlight on the Foundation's website.

"In times like these, I struggle with thoughts of, 'Am I doing enough and making the difference I wanted to make when I became a registered nurse?'" said Jamie State, Manager of Program Faculty at WGU and the university's first recipient of The DAISY Award. "Being a DAISY Award honoree at WGU is a humbling honor that allows me to realize that I am making a difference."

The DAISY Foundation created The DAISY Award of Extraordinary Nursing Faculty to honor nurse educators for their role in influencing nursing students and teaching them the importance of compassionate care. The nationally recognized Foundation currently partners with over 4,300 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing, continuously helping recognize and honor nurses who are "just doing their job."

To learn more about The DAISY Award, visit https://www.daisyfoundation.org/student-faculty-awards/about-daisy-faculty-award.

About WGU

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 121,000 students nationwide and has more than 183,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation's leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 23 years, the university has become a leading influence in the development of innovative workforce-focused approaches to education. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.

Contact for media inquiries: Contact for enrollment information: Emily Crawford, WGU Communications 866.225.5948 385.428.9497 wgu.edu [email protected]



Follow WGU:

http://www.facebook.com/wgu.edu

http://www.linkedin.com/companies/western-governors-university

http://twitter.com/wgu

http://www.youtube.com/WesternGovernorsUniv

SOURCE Western Governors University

Related Links

www.wgu.edu


US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged that Tesla Inc be allowed to reopen its electric vehicle assembly plant in California, joining CEO Elon Musks bid to defy county officials who have ordered it to remain closed.

California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely! Trump wrote on Twitter.

California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2020

On Monday, Musk said production was resuming at the automakers sole US vehicle factory, defying an order to stay closed and saying if anyone had to be arrested, it should be he.

Musk tweeted Thank you! in response to Trump on Tuesday.

Tesla shares were up 1.1% at $820.44 in late trading on Tuesday.

Employee-parking lots at Teslas factory in Fremont, California were packed with cars on Tuesday. Trucks could be seen driving in and out of the factory grounds.

At the Fremont factorys outbound logistics parking lot, where only a dozen Tesla cars were parked last week, hundreds of Tesla vehicles were seen on Tuesday.

Tesla has planned to fully reopen its battery plant in Nevada, the Verge reported late Tuesday, citing an internal email.

According to a Reuters report last week, Tesla said it had begun limited operations at its Gigafactories in Nevada and New York.

The company, which on Saturday sued Alameda County, where the plant is located, over its decision that the plant should stay closed, did not comment on Trumps tweet.

Late on Monday, county health officials said they were aware Tesla had opened beyond the so-called minimum basic operations allowed during lockdown, and had notified the company it could not operate without a county-approved plan.

A county health official on Friday said the county had asked all manufacturers, including Tesla, to delay operations by at least another week to monitor infection and hospitalization rates.

Scott Haggerty, the Alameda County supervisor for the district where Teslas factory is located, told the New York Times on Saturday that the county had been working to permit Tesla to resume operations on May 18 - the same day other US automakers have been permitted to resume production in other states.

Haggerty on Tuesday accused Musk on Twitter of misrepresenting what he had told the newspaper.

Tesla on Saturday released a plan to keep workers returning to the factory safe.

The measures, which include temperature screenings, the installation of barriers to separate work areas and protective equipment for workers, are similar to those set up by Detroit-based automakers General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler.

Trump is eager for the US economy to reopen and for Americans to return to work.

He has sparred with California for years over a series of issues, including immigration, vehicle fuel-efficiency standards, funding for high-speed rail and numerous environmental issues. Trump has met with Musk on several occasions during his presidency.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said he had spoken with Musk several days ago and that the Tesla founders concerns helped prompt the state to begin its phased reopening of manufacturing last week.

States and cities around the United States are experimenting with ways to reopen their economies safely after the coronavirus outbreak shuttered businesses and forced tens of millions of Americans out of work.

Musk over the weekend threatened to leave California for Texas or Nevada over his factorys closure. His move has highlighted the competition for jobs and ignited a rush to woo the billionaire executive by states that have reopened their economies more quickly in response to encouragement from Trump.

Tesla also has a vehicle plant in Shanghai and is building another in Berlin. Its lawsuit on Saturday alleged that Alameda County had violated Californias constitution by defying Newsoms orders allowing manufacturers to reopen.

Newsoms office did not immediately comment on Tuesday.

In the past, Musk has discussed opening a second US factory outside California. In a tweet in February, he solicited comments on potentially opening a factory in Texas.
The Bombay high court has directed the police authorities to inquire into the allegations by an anticipatory bail applicant that his shop was raided by the police illegally. The applicant claimed that the raid was carried out when his shop was shut. A gratification of 2 lakh was also sought from him by the raiding officials. In light of the allegations, the court held that there was no need for custodial interrogation and granted pre-arrest bail and posted the matter for July 7.

The single bench of justice Sadhana Jadhav while hearing the application of Ubaidur Rahman Shaikh a resident of Jogeshwari through video conference that Shaikhs brother owned a shop on S V Road and he lived on the first floor above the shop. Advocate Rajesh Khobragade informed the bench that since the lockdown was announced, the shop had been closed. However, on April 13 the Oshiwara police conducted a raid by entering the shop through a rear door and seized and confiscated gutkha, tobacco, cigarette and beedies stored in the shop.

The state through assistant public prosecutor Prajakta Shinde informed the court that the Oshiwara police had conducted the raid based on secret information that some people were storing N 95 masks and other essential articles against the public interest. Though the police did not recover any masks they did find the seized items stored in the shop and confiscated it.

Based on the seizure, cases under sections 179, 188, 273, 328, 120(B) of Indian Penal Code and offence punishable under sections 26(ii), 4, 27(iii) of Food Safety Standard Act, 2006 along with Disaster Management Act, 2005 and under section 51(b) of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and under sections 37(3) and 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act were registered against Shaikh.

Shaikhs lawyer, however, complained that the raid was illegal as the shop was closed and the police also demanded a gratification of Rs 2 lakhs from Shaikh. A written complaint had also been submitted in this regard with the commissioner of police.

In light of these submissions, the bench held that prima facie custodial interrogation was not warranted at present and directed that as ad interim relief in the event of arrest Shaikh should be released on furnishing a bond of Rs 25,000 with one or more sureties.

Further, on the directions of the bench, the state said that it would ask senior officers to inquire into the allegations by Shaikh.
A Florida father was accidentally killed by his 15-year-old daughter during a driving lesson when she accidentally hit the accelerator and struck him.

The incident took place on Tuesday night at Anderson Park in Tarpon Springs.

The unidentified man, 46, was teaching his daughter how to park his 2017 Ford F-150 pickup truck at the park when she 'unintentionally' struck him, police say.

A 46-year-old Florida father was killed by his 15-year-old daughter during a driving lesson gone wrong on Tuesday night at Anderson Park in Tarpon Springs (scene above)

The father got out of the car as his daughter tried to pull into a parking space in an effort to guide her.

However, the daughter accidentally accelerated forward instead of backing up and the vehicle hopped over a curb and hit her dad, then a tree, according to WFLA.

When first responders arrived to the scene they found the daughter tending to her injured father.

The unidentified father was standing in front of a parking space guiding his daughter on how to park when she accidentally hit the accelerator and struck him and a tree. The park was closed following the incident

The father was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead around 8pm.

The names of the girl and her father have not been released.

The crash is currently under investigation.
Afghan Troops 'Go On Offensive' After Deadly Attacks

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan May 12, 2020

KABUL -- President Ashraf Ghani says Afghanistan's security forces will go on the offensive against the Taliban and other militant groups, following a violent day in which gunmen stormed a maternity hospital in Kabul and a suicide bomber targeted a funeral in the eastern province of Nangarhar.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the May 12 attacks, in which more than 34 people were killed. The Taliban denied involvement.

Blaming the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) group for the two attacks and "other attacks in the country," Ghani said in a televised address he was "ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to start their operations against the enemies."

He said a resumption of operations was necessary "to defend the country, safeguard our countrymen and infrastructure, and to repel attacks and threats by the Taliban and all other terrorist groups."

Noting that the Taliban denied responsibility in the "horrific" attacks in Kabul and Nangarhar, U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo urged the Afghan government and Taliban to cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism," he said in a statement.

The Taliban signed a landmark deal with the United States in Qatar in February meant to pave the way for direct talks between the militant group and the Western-backed government in Kabul after more than 18 years of war.

But the Taliban has ramped up attacks in recent weeks despite a pledge to reduce violence, while IS militants also continued targeting Afghan security forces and civilians.

Earlier in the day in Kabul, three gunmen attacked the state-run hospital in the city's mostly Shi'ite neighborhood of Dasht-e Barchi, setting off an hours-long gunbattle with Afghan security forces.

The Interior Ministry said 14 people were killed in the attack, including two newborn babies, and 15 others were wounded.

Security forces eventually killed all three attackers, allowing the rescue of 80 women and infants from the hospital.

A witness, Jawad Amiri, told RFE/RL that one of the attackers "was wearing a military uniform and the other two were dressed as doctors."

"They came to the main entrance and opened fire at people everywhere around. They killed many innocent people," he added.

Afghan officials say work at the hospital was supported by the Nobel Prize-winning international nongovernmental charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

In a message sent to RFE/RL on May 12, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that the militant group was involved in the hospital attack.

IS has claimed responsibility for numerous other attacks against Shi'ite Muslims in the western part of Kabul.

Meanwhile, in the Khewa district of Nangarhar Province, the provincial governor's spokesman, Attahullah Khogyani, told RFE/RL that 24 people were killed and more than 68 injured by a suicide bomber who attacked a funeral.

And in the southeastern province of Khost, a bomb planted in a cart at a market killed a child and wounded 10 people. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for that attack.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan expressed "shock and revulsion" at the attacks in Kabul and Nangarhar, while EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell condemned them as "acts of evil" that showed "an appalling degree of inhumanity."

Human Rights Watch said the assault on the Kabul hospital showed "blatant disregard for civilian life and is an apparent war crime."

The New York-based watchdog said in a statement that attacks on health care in Afghanistan had increased "sharply" since 2017.

IS has claimed responsibility for a spate of violence in Kabul on May 11 that wounded a child and three adult civilians.

Those attacks included three roadside bombs as well as a fourth bomb placed under a garbage can in the northern part of the Afghan capital.

The Interior Ministry said on May 11 that Afghan security forces arrested the Islamic State group's regional leader for South Asia, Abu Omar Khorasani, during an operation on the northern side of the Afghan capital.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/gunmen- attack-doctors-without-borders-c linic-kabul/30607258.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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Following a rally to Open Texas on the steps of Laredo City Hall Wednesday morning, local officials noted that a better venue would have been the Texas Capitol, since thats where the overriding COVID-19 protocol for Texas cities now originates. And the City of Laredo has followed these executive orders, Mayor Pete Saenz said.

As protesters spoke about their inherent rights and American liberties in response to two Laredo women getting arrested for violating a stay at home order, Saenz made an appeal to their first unalienable right.

In the scale of priorities, Ive got to remind everyone - myself sometimes as well - first is life, then liberty, then the pursuit of happiness. And theres a purpose for that. Life without life - you cant enjoy liberty. Without liberty, you cant enjoy the pursuit of happiness, the mayor said.

As officials, theyre looking out for the common good of the city during this pandemic, which by and large Laredoans understand, he said. They have to keep in mind the capacity of Laredos hospitals and the more than 100 health care professionals who have tested positive from one hospital alone, Saenz said.

A few people disagree, and theyre entitled to vocalize that as they did Wednesday, he said.

But yet, laws exist. And we do the best we can for the common good and for the people. And short of finding a cure or treatment, I suspect were going to continue with this, the states going to continue with this and Washingtons going to continue with this for some time, Saenz said.

The two women who had been running a beauty salon out of their home during the citys stay at home order were violating the law; and the officers who arrested them were applying the law, the mayor said.

Investigator Joe E. Baeza, spokesperson for the Laredo Police Department, said other communities in Texas had not been as proactive as Laredo was in enforcing local emergency orders. But to compare the enforcement of Laredos stay at home order to communism, as one speaker did on Wednesday, is comparing apples to peas, he said.

And it is not accurate to lump the cases of these two Laredo women with the salon owner from Dallas who was also arrested for opening her business, Baeza said.

The two cases we had here regarding beauty services, with all respect, we understand that the struggle is real, to use a popular term nowadays. At the same time, these people were not even licensed beauticians. Theres all kind of health and hygiene and other issues at stake. So if we have an outbreak, and they center around nail salon services, then we failed, he said.

Sandra Whitten, a Republican challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar in the November election, said at the rally that in South Texas, officials use fear and intimidation to rule and control us.

Laredo Health Authority Victor Trevino said his goal is to be medically responsible to the community, following CDC guidelines and input from a medical advisory board of local doctors. When so little is known about this virus, they have chosen to err on the side of caution, he said.

We give a medical opinion to protect people  in this case its to protect public health, he said.

Saenz also noted that this rally appeared to be skewed politically, since Whitten and pastor Frank Pomeroy, a Republican running to represent Laredo in the Texas State Senate, both spoke before the crowd.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com
MERCED, Calif., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's best-selling, most in-demand cannabis varieties are coming to Merced with the grand opening of Cookies' 9th and newest cannabis dispensary - Berner's Merced - located in one of the fastest-growing communities in the 209 area code.

Officially opening on May 15, 2020, this special location marks the ninth store opening for Cookies since 2018. Not only will Merced shoppers get access to the most legendary cannabis products in the world in a contemporary, licensed, and secure store; store visitors will also have the opportunity to shop an exclusive, Merced-inspired line of clothing and accessories designed by internationally-recognized lifestyle clothing brand, CookiesSF.

Known to be the largest dispensary in the area - Berner's Merced will feature multiple viewing and purchasing stations for checking out Cookies' unparalleled cultivars including Cereal Milk, Gary Payton, London Pound Cake 75, Ocean Beach, Pancakes, Berry Pie and Collins Avenue. Beyond the lineup of exclusive genetics, Berner's Merced will offer delivery service to Merced as well as the neighboring communities that line the gateway to Yosemite including Fresno, California.

Paying homage to the newly formed downtown Arts District, Berner's Merced will feature a custom created mural that spans the entire side exterior of the building. Visitors to the dispensary will have the opportunity to discover distinctive artwork that celebrates the strains, products and people who have made Cookies the global lifestyle brand it's famous for.

Berner's Merced will feature the entire lineup of Cookies' world-class genetics, the newly-launched sauce carts and products from the entire family of Cookies brands including Lemonnade, Runtz, Powerzzzup, Minntz, and Grandiflora.

No other company better represents the intersection of culture and cannabis than Cookies. Known worldwide for its legendary genetics and iconic blue branding, Cookies remains the industry's benchmark. Remaining true to it's fame, Berner's Merced will become the ultimate destination for exclusive CookiesSF merchandise and the world-renowned, game-changing genetics that have made Cookies a name synonymous with quality.

"I remember doing a radio interview a while back in Merced - it was my 3rd or 4th time there - except this time I was able to see how much love and support I had as an artist in that community. So many people asked me (even while I was eating dinner), 'Bern where's the Cookies?' It feels good to bring all the new new to Merced, especially in a time like this," said Berner, founder and CEO of Cookies on the move to Merced.

There is no better time to increase access to Cookies' world-famous genetics than a time like this and opening the Merced location means that people who would typically travel upwards of 2 hours to shop the brand can now do so in their own community. Berner's Merced will be opening on May 15, 2020. Customers are encouraged to take advantage of order ahead, curbside pickup and delivery - special swag and prizes for those customers who do so on opening day.

For media interviews with Berner, as well as store tours and high-resolution photos and videos, email [email protected].

About Cookies

Cookies is more than a premiere cannabis company, it is a lifestyle. Founded in 2012 by Berner, the prolific Bay Area rapper and entrepreneur, and his partner Jai, Bay Area cultivator and breeder, the company built its identity by seamlessly combining new, top-tier genetics, the internet, and music. Backed by the music industry, social media, and the countless YouTube vlogs documenting the brand's growth and breeding projects, Cookies quickly built a grassroots cult following while remaining loyal to its brand promise; authenticity and innovative genetics.

Today, Cookies is one of the most well-respected and top-selling cannabis brands in the United States. The company and its product are recognized globally, and offer a stable of over 50 cannabis varieties and product lines including indoor, outdoor and sungrown flower, pre-rolls, gel caps and vape carts. Cookies' overall vertical integration and seed-to-sale business allows for complete quality control at every step  from cultivation and production to retail experience.

In addition to its selection of curated smoking supplies, the company also sells apparel and accessories for both men and women under the Cookies SF label.

SOURCE Cookies

Related Links

https://cookiescalifornia.com


ST. LOUIS, May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced it has priced an underwritten registered public offering of 8,000,000 depositary shares ($200 million of aggregate public offering price), each representing a 1/1000th interest in a share of perpetual 6.125% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series C, $1.00 par value, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (equivalent to $25 liquidation preference per depositary share).



When, as, and if declared by the board of directors of the Company, dividends will be payable at an annual rate of 6.125%, payable quarterly, in arrears. The Company may redeem the Series C preferred stock at its option, subject to regulatory approval, on or after June 15, 2025 or following a regulatory capital treatment event as described in the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering. The Series C preferred stock will rank equally with the Companys outstanding perpetual 6.25% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series A and 6.25% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets upon voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Companys affairs.

The underwriters have been granted a 30-day option to purchase an additional amount of Series C preferred stock to cover over-allotments, if any. The Series C preferred stock will be issued pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form S-3 and available for review on the Securities and Exchange Commissions website at www.sec.gov. Stifel expects to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes. The offering is expected to close on May 19, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as book-running managers.

This offering will be made only by the prospectus and prospectus supplement related to this offering. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, when available, may be obtained from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, Attn: Capital Markets, 787 Seventh Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10019, 1-800-966-1559; from BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by emailing: dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com; from Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, 1-800-831-9146, or by emailing prospectus@citi.com; from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014; or from Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 608 2nd Avenue South, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attn: WFS Customer Service, 1-800-645-3751, or by emailing wfscustomerservice@wellsfargo.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements in this earnings release not dealing with historical results are forward-looking and are based on various assumptions. The forward-looking statements in this earnings release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements. For information about the risks and important factors that could affect the Companys future results, financial condition and liquidity, see Risk Factors in Part I, Item 1A of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and in Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

Statements about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Companys business, results, financial position and liquidity may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that the actual impact may differ, possibly materially, from what is currently expected.

Stifel Investor Relations

Joel Jeffrey, (212) 271-3610

investorrelations@stifel.com
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A Hungarian school unlawfully segregated minority Roma students for years, the country's top court said in a final ruling on Tuesday, granting 100 million forints ($310,000) in compensation to the children's families.

By Marton Dunai

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A Hungarian school unlawfully segregated minority Roma students for years, the country's top court said in a final ruling on Tuesday, granting 100 million forints ($310,000) in compensation to the children's families.

Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is at odds with the European Union for his perceived erosion of the rule of law, hinted in January that the state should disobey any court order to pay restitution to the Roma and provide training instead.

The Kuria (Supreme Court) case involved an elementary school in Gyongyospata, a town that has been a flashpoint of ethnic tensions in the past.

"The supreme legal forum upheld... (an earlier) ruling which mandated a 100 million forint damages payment," the Kuria said in a statement. "Students from the Roma ethnic minority were unlawfully segregated and given substandard education."

The ruling was a "bad decision which upends social peace as it unilaterally and overhwelmingly punishes a whole town for the real or imagined grievances of a minority", Laszlo Horvath, Orban's special envoy on resolving Roma issues, told national news agency MTI in a video message.

Horvath, a member of the ruling Fidesz party and the area's representative in Parliament, said he would propose legal changes to prevent such court decisions.

Analysts say Orban has been stepping up anti-Roma rhetoric and has had little to lose politically from ignoring the plight of a minority that has for centuries faced prejudice and discrimination in Hungary and elsewhere in eastern Europe.

Roma in Hungary live in disproportionate poverty, suffer from prejudice in schools and workplaces and have been subject to intimidation and occasionally deadly violence by the far right, rights activists say.

Orban used his first major press conference this year to decry the damages award to 60 Gyongyospata Roma and their families by a lower court.

He said the Roma had created an unruly and threatening environment in the school and majority Hungarian parents had begun taking their kids to a school in a neighbouring town.

"They feel like they are in a hostile environment in their own homeland...No way," Orban told reporters, igniting protests where more than 2,000 Hungarians, including Roma families, warned Orban "no one is above the law" and "the future cannot be built on hatred".

Last month, Roma leaders said the coronavirus pandemic posed a grave threat to the already precarious status of their community, with many Roma feeling abandoned by Orban's government.

Orban launched a major financial stimulus plan to soften the economic blow from the coronavirus, focusing on bolstering investment and employment but bypassing the very poor - often Roma who typically work in casual day jobs without security and have little access to standard medical care.

(Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Alex Richardson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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Global Sparkling Wine Market is predicted to grow at a notable CAGR over the forecast period (2018-2023), in accordance with the latest Market Research Future (MRFR) report. Sparkling wine, simply put, is a wine that bubbles as it is poured into the glass. The fizziness that makes the wine to sparkle makes it unique. It contains a good amount of carbon dioxide that makes it fizzy. Sparkling wine is available in different forms, from dry to sweet. It is classified based on different parameters such as level of ABV (alcohol by volume), country of origin, and method of preparation.

Sparkling wine is produced from different varieties of grapes. Champagne is one of the most popular sparkling wines. This wine not only tastes good but also offers a wealth of health benefits. It can lower blood pressure, healthy for the heart, improve memory, boost the mood, and tighten the skin. This form of wine is the most technical. What makes it so technical is the fact that sparkling wines undergo not one yet a second fermentation for making bubbles. Today, sparkling wine is available in different flavors including lemon zest, lime, tropical fruit, fresh apple, flavors of flowers, and more to satiate the different taste buds.

Various factors are propelling the sparkling wine market growth. These factors, in accordance with the MRFR report, include increase in the number of local wineries, demand for premium wines, introduction of innovative products in the market such as limited edition, low-alcohol, and organic sparkling wines in different flavors such as pear, rose, apple, and honey, and growing disposable income. Additional factors pushing market growth include increasing preference of people for non-alcoholic and less alcoholic beverages, changing lifestyles, increasing social parties, internet and social media influence, increasing use of e-commerce platforms to sell wines, and growing family earning.

On the contrary, resource scarcity, vulnerability due to environmental and climatic factors, and high cost are factors that may deter the sparkling wine market growth over the forecast period.

Market Segmentation

The MRFR report provides a complete segmental analysis of the sparkling wine market report on the basis of distribution channel and type.

Based on type, the sparkling wine market is segmented into red, rose, and white.

Based on distribution channel, the sparkling wine market is segmented into retail and food service. The retail segment is again segmented into specialty stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets, and others.

Browse Full Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/sparkling-wine-market-6546

Regional Analysis

By region, the sparkling wine market report covers the latest trends and growth opportunities across the Asia Pacific (APAC), North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World (RoW). Of these, Europe is predicted to dominate the market during the forecast period. This region is the largest wine producer in the world which is contributing to the market growth. Moreover, innovation in packaging, growing packaging industry, increase in marketing and promotional activities, increase in per capita income, and elevated living standards are also boosting the market growth.

The sparkling wine market in North America is predicted to have a notable growth over the forecast period. This is owing to celebrity endorsements and high investments in the region. Stringent regulations and heavy taxation may restrict market growth in this region.

The sparkling wine market in the APAC region is predicted to have substantial growth over the forecast period. This is on account of the increase in living standards, growing sophistication, and rapid urbanization. Indonesia, Malaysia, and India are the key contributors in this region. Moreover, the presence of several vineyards in Australia is adding to market growth.
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World Animal Protection (WAP) is calling on leaders of G-20 made up of 19 countries and the European Union to ban wildlife trade to prevent future pandemics and protect animals.



A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency by Ms Lucy Wanjiku Otsyula, the Head of Communications at WAP new research, seemed to suggest that coronavirus might have come from wild animals.



The statement said a campaign had therefore been outdoored to protect wildlife and prevent future zoonotic pandemics.



The statement quoted, Mr Tennyson Williams, Country Director WAP as saying The origins of coronavirus are thought to have originated from a wet market in Wuhan, China, where wild animals were sold. Science suggests the virus came from bats, and moved to humans via an intermediary animal, potentially a pangolin  a scaly anteater like animal and most illegally traded mammal in the world.



Cruel multi-billion-dollar businesses have been exploiting wild animals on an industrial global scale and we are now all seeing the true cost of that. This pandemic isnt just about wild animals being sold for food. Its much bigger than that, its about greed and the commodification of wild animals at every level.



It said the world urgently needed to persuade the G20 to take steps towards implementing a global wildlife ban to protect us from future pandemics.



It called for coordinated, global action to save the lives of millions of people, animals and economies.



If we learn anything from this situation, it is that we need to leave wild animals, where they belong, in the wild. We all have a responsibility to make a shift in our behaviour and attitudes towards animals that could save the lives of millions of people, animals and our economies.



If we dont purchase exotic pets or traditional medicine that contains wild animal products, and dont visit venues with performing animals, we will send a clear message that wildlife cruelty is no longer tolerable  for the animals, our health and the planet.



World Animal Protection has a strong track record of supporting local communities to transition away from incomes based on wildlife cruelty. Its urgent that we come together now to implement a comprehensive wildlife trade ban to eliminate threats of future pandemics to our health and economies.

Source: GNA









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Investment broadens the Company's range of plant-based protein ingredients with high-value quinoa flours that are widely sought by consumers

WESTCHESTER, Ill., May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ingredion Incorporated (https://ir.ingredionincorporated.com/) (NYSE: INGR), a leading global provider of ingredient solutions to the food manufacturing industry, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive commercial agreement with Northern Quinoa Production Corporation ("NorQuin") (http://quinoa.com/) to globally distribute and market NorQuin's quinoa flours, which will be grown and milled in the Canadian plains. In addition to the commercial exclusivity, the Company has concluded a financial agreement, which includes the option of a future equity investment in NorQuin.



"We are excited to enter into an agreement with NorQuin to further expand our specialties portfolio with quinoa flours and capitalize on the plant-based protein trend shaping the global food industry," said Jim Zallie, Ingredion's president and CEO (https://www.ingredionincorporated.com/AboutUs/executiveleadershipteam/Zallie.html). "Consumers today are looking for foods and beverages made with real ingredients that are familiar, trusted, sustainably sourced and authentic. This latest investment complements our pulse-based protein portfolio, unlocks future growth opportunities and enhances our ability to co-create with our customers to deliver consumer-preferred foods and beverages that are nutritious and taste great."

"Consumer demand for plant-based protein is rapidly growing around the world, and we want to offer a full range of solutions that best meet our customers' needs," said Tony DeLio, senior vice president, corporate strategy and chief innovation officer (https://www.ingredionincorporated.com/AboutUs/executiveleadershipteam/Delio.html). "Quinoa is a grain, which has nutritional value that is complementary to pulses, such as peas and lentils. NorQuin has invested more than two decades of research to develop proprietary and high-yielding quinoa. Working with NorQuin, we have the opportunity to further innovate and commercialize novel quinoa-based protein offerings for food manufacturers."

"We aim to make quinoa more accessible so we can improve human health and the resource efficiency of the foods that we eat. Our new partnership with Ingredion will help us do that at scale," said Aaron Jackson, CEO of NorQuin. "Ingredion's global reach, deep-rooted distribution channels and R&D expertise will help accelerate our growth and deliver on our mission."

ABOUT NORQUIN

NorQuin, based in Saskatchewan Canada, is a technology driven, vertically integrated supplier of quinoa and quinoa derivative products. It has been developing high-yielding, novel varieties of quinoa for more than 20 years that are optimal for Canada's growing regions. The Company only breeds non-GMO varietals with strong yield and all crops can be traced back to the farm. These products will augment Ingredion's existing portfolio of pulse-based flours to include quinoa-based flours for use in snacks, crackers, baked goods, as well as dairy and meat alternatives. Quinoa has very strong label appeal for consumers due to its complete protein profile that contains all nine essential amino acids that humans need. You can learn more at quinoa.com (http://www.quinoa.com/).

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With 2019 annual net sales of more than $6 billion, the Company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing and industrial markets. With Ingredion Idea Labs innovation centers around the world and more than 11,000 employees, the Company co-creates with customers and fulfills its purpose of bringing the potential of people, nature and technology together to make life better. Visit ingredion.com (https://ir.ingredionincorporated.com) for more information and the latest Company news.

CONTACTS:

Investors: Tiffany Willis, 708-551-2592

Media: Becca Hary, 708-551-2602




The count of COVID-19 cases in hotspot Ahmedabad mounted to 6,645 on Wednesday with 292 more people testing positive for coronavirus while the number of fatalities rose to 446 with 25 deaths, a Health official said.

With 238 patients being discharged from hospitals, the number of the recovered patients in Ahmedabd district has gone up to 2,112, the official said.

Meanwhile, civic authorities on Wednesday decided to provide some relaxations in the lockdown in ten containment zones by allowing shops of essential items to remain open for five hours every day from May 15 on certain conditions.

Home delivery and opening of wholesale vegetable and fruit markets will not be allowed in the containment zones.

However, shops selling grocery, vegetables and fruits will be allowed to remain open between 8 am and 1 pm, officials said, adding that shop owners and their staff will have to carry "health screening cards" issued by the municipal corporation with the seven-day validity.

Officials said residents of these containment zones will be allowed to come out of their houses between 8 am and 1 pm only to make purchase of essential items, and no person will be allowed to go out to other parts of the city.

Among other conditions, shopkeepers will have to wear face masks, hand gloves and keep sanitisers for themselves and their customers. They will also have to follow social distancing norms and to keep a separate tray to exchange money to avoid direct contact, the AMC said in a release.

The civic body has been issuing health cards to grocery shop owners, and vegetable and milk vendors in the city after screening them for coronavirus.

Wards of Khadia, Jamalpur, Shahpur, Dariapur, Danilimda, Baherampura, Asarwa, Gomtipur, Saraspur, Maninagar have been marked as containment zones.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The unstated message from the Pima County administrators memos could not be much clearer: OK, slackers, its time to get back to work.

Chuck Huckelberry sent memos to the Pima County Board of Supervisors May 4 and Monday laying out how he plans to put county government employees back in more normal working conditions after the governors stay-at-home order expires Saturday. In general, he wants those who have been telecommuting to head back to their offices.

Upon the lifting of the Stay-at-Home Order, all telecommuters are required to return to work and cease telecommuting, Huckelberry wrote in the first memo.

Although I say Huckelberrys message was unstated, it was actually right there in the title of both memos: Return to Work Guidelines and Clarification: Countys Return to Work Protocols.

You could interpret Return to Work as meaning return to the workplace, but I think the more accurate representation of Huckelberrys attitude on telecommuting is that he doesnt think Pima County employees working from home have really been working. He wants them to get back to work the way he is used to people working  in an office, where a supervisor can lay eyes on them.

Thats fine  if you ignore what his own Pima County Health Department has been saying. Dr. Bob England, the countys interim health director, warned in his May 7 update that as businesses re-open and the stay-at-home order is lifted, a new acceleration in the spread of COVID-19 may happen. And if that happens, we wont know for a couple more weeks, and then it will take even more time for governments to decide how to deal with it.
The Michigan Cares program will help students, parents, and educators across the state access the resources they need during this time. Im proud to work with organizations who are stepping up to help Michiganders while we continue fighting Covid-19

Experts are predicting a mental health pandemic coming next, as students, parents and school staff are starting to feel the impact of distance learning and social isolation. Thats why Governor Whitmer, Michigan Virtual and Evolution Labs created Michigan Cares for all Michigan residents. The foundation for this amazing resource is Suite360, a robust, web and mobile program that delivers mental health and social emotional learning topics to students, parents and school staff. Check out the program here.

The program focuses on a wide range of topics, from Covid-19 specific lessons to digital citizenship and anxiety/stress management.

We have faced an unprecedented crisis over the past month and, in these uncertain times, having access to mental health resources is crucial, said Governor Whitmer. The Michigan Cares program will help students, parents, and educators across the state access the resources they need during this time. Im proud to work with organizations who are stepping up to help Michiganders while we continue fighting Covid-19.

Michigan Cares was developed in partnership between Evolution Labs and Michigan Virtual (the premier distance-learning provider in Michigan).

In the program, students are learning to cope with challenges they have never faced before, including feelings of isolation, despair and social-distancing. Topics in the program are scaffolded by grade (K-12), and also include grade-specific content for parents, equipping them to better understand and manage the unique challenges their children are facing through and after the crisis. Topics for school staff provide tips and guidance on how to deliver social emotional learning and mental health content to students, hoping to mitigate the mental health and behavioral issues of students upon reentry in the fall.

Tracy Howe, Co-founder of Evolution Labs said We are incredibly excited to be a part of Governor Whitmers Mental Health and SEL initiative. Suite360 is going to play a vital role in Michigans path to success by providing resources to all of those affected.

About Evolution Labs

Evolution Labs improves student engagement and outcomes through its proprietary suite of tools for K-12 schools and districts, and colleges and universities. In K-12, the company's Suite360 program delivers Social & Emotional Learning, Mental Health and Restorative Programming to Students, with additional programs for Parents and Staff to better equip them to be the school/district's ally. The Company's S360 program helps K-12 Independent Schools drive enrollment and retention. In Higher Ed, the Company's S360 program drives inquiries, applications, enrollment yield, and student wellness/success. The team at Evolution Labs has served the educational sector for over 20 years, working with thousands of schools and engaging millions of students.

Learn more at http://www.evpco.com
51 Capital is one of the biggest forex trading companies in Kenya and Africa and while they are making huge moves, attracting hundreds of customers and winning accolades from across the board, theres still a major problem with how they have chosen to run their company  by hiring very young, unqualified, inexperienced and naive people to run business.

Joe Kariuki, the CEO and the head honcho at 51 Capital, a man of no modest means and definitely one of the biggest Forex trading giants In Kenya, is a man who should know better than run around hiring little boys and girls and making them powerful figures in his company without proper vetting, background checks, experience, orientation or even skills.

Young people are great. They are amazing, actually but that does not mean that they have the capability to take over multi-million dollar companies and run them successfully.

Meet Sean Macharia, for instance, a 22-year old chap that has now been crowned the General Manager of 51 Capital!

Dude is 22 years old!!! Where does he get the experience, knowledge, technical know-how, exposure and skills to run a company at a mere 22-years of age?

But apparently, Joe Kariuki seems pretty comfortable with such a ridiculously outrageous idea.

Meet Linet Mwinyi, a 21-year old who is now being hurriedly groomed to be the overall Head of Marketing for a company that has offices in Mauritius and India.

Linet, according to her bio, a qualified Customer Care Service expert who studied Airports Operation and Flights Dispatch and thinks that now, armed with those papers, can authoritatively take over massive dollar companies and run marketing for clients across the globe.

At only 21, Linet is, according to me, viscerally underqualified to take over such huge responsibilities.

But Linet see it differently, saying, Young people arent just the leaders of tomorrow  theyre making huge changes to the world around them, right now. Whether its through social media or hashtag activism, writing online or in their paper about a cause, or taking part in a protest, there are many ways that young people can be the change and make a difference to the world.

And while I may agree with her on some parts of that statement, I must point out that, being young does mean taking time to learn and gather experience for better service delivery not just being put into huge posts for the sake of it.

Sean Macharia and Linet Mwinyi are some of the very young, greenhorns that Joe Kariuki is messing around with professionally and it might cost him and his bludgeoning company big time.

Even Warren Buffet, the greatest business icon in the world, reserves the best company positions to matured and experienced individuals.
Angela Paljor By

Express News Service

Educational institutions were the first ones to close with the onset of COVID-19 cases in India. Many students immediately signed up for online classes to fulfill their daily learning needs, and this trend has suddenly brought to fore the rising importance of the edtech industry.

"At BYJUS, we have received an overwhelming response from the student community, with over six million new students accessing the app in March alone," informs Mrinal Mohit, COO, Head of Sales & Marketing Think & Learn Pvt Ltd (BYJU'S).

"Earlier, students used to spend 2-3 days per week on the platform, but because of the lockdown, they are using the platform on a daily basis. We have witnessed a 200 per cent surge in the overall engagement on the app."

This shows that with schools still shut and other learning sources being unavailable, digital adoption has increased. There is a big behavioral shift in the parents mindset towards learning online, as they witness their kids benefiting from it, and seen EdTech serve as an enabler in their growth, adds Mohit.

Online classes, not a game

But online classes pose its own set of challenges. One being: the restriction in interaction between the teacher and the pupil, as Snehil Manohar Singh, who teaches History, Geography and English to Classes 9 and 10 at Amrit Commerce Classes, points out.

While he has opted for online classes, especially when the number of students is high, he has observed a few roadblocks. "It takes education away from students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds as not everyone has equal access to Internet. Then, although kids are widely held to be more tech savvy than adults, there is always the exception. Assessment over a digital platform vastly varies from physical assessment," says Singh.

Agreeing with Singh is George Stephen from St Charles I/C, Sardhana Meerut, who teaches around 352 students online. "Indian students are not trained to be taught online. Many dont own a smart phone, especially those from economically poor backgrounds. Buying an Internet pack is a common hassle. Moreover, these students often struggle to get a proper Internet connection. Even teachers are not used to teaching online. They are trained to teach in classrooms using the blackboard. Teaching on a mobile phone gets very difficult as how to hold the phone, and it becomes a problem to concentrate on the topic they are trying to teach," says Stephen.

Parents and teachers:A joint effort

In these unprecedented times, teachers and parents are putting their best foot forward to uphold the value of education.

Prabhjot Singh Khurana, French Teacher at Alliance Francaise de Delhi, notes that discussions during video sessions, interactive online games like Kahoot, screen sharing, tests conducted through customised portals and homework submission platforms, are some of the tools employed in favour of a seamless learning experience. "While teachers adapt and evolve their methodology to the online world, parents must continue to be supportive to help pull out all stops,' Khurana adds.

Chamneth Angmo uses WhatsApp and email to teach her students. This Nursery class teacher in Ladakh makes videos and narrates stories by using posters to describe the themes of poems. Angmo makes sure that the lessons are short, interesting and funny.

"You need to keep things interesting, especially when teaching kids. I use props such as posters, hand puppets and soft toys to narrate stories. However, since the classes are online, parents play a crucial role to make it successful and interactive. I can guide the kids, but only the parents can physically help them," says Angmo, who has 30 students under her wing, one of whom hasnt been able to enroll for the online classes as Internet connection in his hometown is quite dodgy.

Dehradun-based Deepshikha Laleria, a banker by profession, ensures her children stay in touch with their studies as the school has no online classes. "My evenings are dedicated to teaching Vivan and Vartika. We revise what has been taught and follow the syllabus. Once done, they are free to dabble with whatever excites them. Both the kids love painting and dancing, and since they are not able to attend their classes, they practice amongst themselves and try out new things by watching videos online," says Laleria.

Many parents, like PR Professional Veta Ratra, are using this time to kickstart to their childrens education. "My son Sarav is just two, and its impossible to make him sit and concentrate on one thing. I use a lot of educational boards to teach him the names of animals, fruits, vegetables, means of transport, etc. I also use Alexa to help him learn rhymes. It is very important for a child to be independent in terms of handling his/her own stuff, and these things must be taught at this age itself," shares Ratra.
FILE PHOTO: Children ride scooters across the plaza at the United States Supreme Court, following the government's notice to halt all building tours due to the (COVID-19) coronavirus, on Capitol Hill in Washington

By Andrew Chung and Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supreme Court justices on Wednesday indicated skepticism toward whether "electors" in the complex Electoral College system for choosing U.S. presidents may disregard laws directing them to back the candidate who prevails in their state's popular vote.

If enough electors do so, it could upend an election, or, as some of the justices suggested, cause "chaos."

During arguments in two closely watched cases from Colorado and Washington state, the justices signaled concern for safeguarding states' ability to remove electors who have been bribed to vote for a particular candidate.

But the justices also pressed lawyers for the states on whether there are any limits on their powers to control how electors vote. The arguments were held less than six months before the Nov. 3 election in which presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden challenges Republican President Donald Trump.

The litigation involves the presidential election system set out in the U.S. Constitution in which the winner is determined not by amassing a majority in the national popular vote but by securing a majority of electoral votes allotted to the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

The cases involve so-called faithless electors who defied pledges to support Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Electoral College even though she won the popular vote in their states. The justices must decide if states can penalize faithless electors with actions including monetary fines or removal from the role.

Colorado and Washington state are among the 48 states - Maine and Nebraska excepted - with winner-takes-all systems awarding all electors to the candidate who wins the state's popular vote. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia have laws governing how electors vote.

Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wondered whether giving electors free reign "would lead to chaos" in instances in which an election is very close and "the rational response of the losing political party ... would be to launch a massive campaign to try to influence electors."

Story continues

The plaintiffs said the Constitution lets them exercise independent judgment to prevent unfit candidates from taking office.

Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas told a lawyer representing Colorado's electors that a faithless elector "can suddenly say, 'I'm going to vote for Frodo Baggins,'" referring to the fictional hero in J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel Lord of the Rings.

The Electoral College vote, held weeks after the general election, is often overlooked as a mere formality. But in 2016, 10 of the 538 electors voted for someone other than the winner of their states' popular vote, a number could have changed the outcome in five previous presidential elections.

Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser said faithless electors threaten the integrity of American democracy, saying, "We urge this court to reject this dangerous time bomb and avoid a potential constitutional crisis."

Lead plaintiffs Bret Chiafalo and Micheal Baca were Democratic electors in Washington state and Colorado, respectively, who sought to persuade Republican electors to disregard their pledges and help deny Trump the presidency. They cast their ballots for moderate Republicans, not Clinton.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York and Lawrence Hurley in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham)
PORTLAND, Oregon, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report titled, "Macrofiltration Market by Product (Granular Micro Filter, Filter Press Filter, Leaf Tubular and Press Filter, Bag Filter, Belt Filter Press, Auto Backwash Filters and Others) and Industry Vertical (Water and Wastewater, Chemical and Pharmaceutical, Mining and Metal, Food and Beverage, Paper and Pulp and Others): Global, 20202027" According to the report, the global macrofiltration industry was estimated at $6.2 billion in 2019, and is expected to hit $9.9 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 6.2% from 2020 to 2027.

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities-

Growth in pharmaceutical sector, rise in usage in water and wastewater treatment, and stringent environment regulations drive the growth of the global macrofiltration market. In addition, increase in population in water stressed area and surge in pollution due to dumping of industrial waste fuel the market growth. On the other hand, lack of funds in emerging countries and high cost of backwash filter hamper the growth of the market. Nevertheless, rise in use of chemical free water treatment and advancement in filtration technologies are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the near future.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Macrofiltration Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/6634?reqfor=covid

COVID-19 scenario-

The COVID-19 outbreak has negatively impacted the market players in the global macrofiltration industry. Owing to the precautionary measures, the equipment manufacturing processes in the companies have been disrupted.

The industry has witnessed a decline in demands and interruptions in the supply chain processes amid COVID -19.

The granular micro filter segment to maintain the lion's share by 2027-

Based on product, the granular micro filter segment contributed to more than one-fourth of the global macrofiltration market revenue in 2019, and is expected to retain its dominance by the end of 2027. This is owing to increase in use of granular media used for household and community water treatment. Whereas, the auto backwash filters segment, would register the fastest CAGR of 8.5% throughout the forecast period. Rise in demand for filtered water in food & beverage industry and residential sector to maintain product safety is driving the growth of the segment.

The water and waste water segment to dominate during the estimated period-

Based on industry vertical, the water and waste water segment accounted for more than two-fifth of the global macrofiltration market share in 2019, and is anticipated to rule the roost during the study period. Increase in urbanization and industrialization in Asia-Pacific has led to increase in demands for macrofiltration, which drives the growth of the segment. On the other hand, the chemical and pharmaceutical segment is anticipated to manifest the fastest CAGR of 8.5% from 2020 to 2027. Filtration keeps chemicals, and pharmaceuticals clean, and free from contaminants. In addition, filtration helps in preventing cross-contamination between chemicals, and makes operations flow smoothly and more efficiently which drive the growth of the segment.

Download Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6634

North America to dominate in terms of revenue-

Based on region, North America held the largest share in 2019, garnering more than two-fifths of the global macrofiltration market, as the region has major market players offering advanced solutions. Strict regulations pertaining to water quality standards, rise in use of treated water for industrial processes, and increase in population drive the growth of the market. On the other hand, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 7.7% by 2027. Granular media filters usage is increasing in the region due to rise in construction of swimming pools and municipal drinking water plants. In addition, increase in industrialization and water treatment of municipal wastewater fuels the growth of the Asia-Pacific macrofiltration market.

Frontrunners in the industry-

Amiad Water Systems

Ascension Industries, Inc.

Danaher Corporation

Filtration Group

Mann+Hummel

MTB Technologies Sp. Z O.O.

Ostwald Filtration Systems GmbH

Parker Hannifin

Pentair PLC, SUEZ water technologies Inc

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Similar Reports:

Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa Macrofiltration Market Expected to Reach $4.4 Billion by 2026

Air Filtration Media Market Expected to Reach $5,347.6 Million by 2026

Global Filtration & Separation Market Expected to Reach $116.1 Billion by 2026

UV Disinfection Equipment Market Expected to Reach $3.4 Billion by 2026

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Global Pleated Filters - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027

Global Membrane Separation Technology Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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(Newser)  Bryan Adams is apologizing after a coronavirus rant that many called racist. "Apologies to any and all that took offence to my posting yesterday," the Canadian rocker wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "No excuse, I just wanted to have a rant about the horrible animal cruelty in these wet-markets being the possible source of the virus, and promote veganism. I have love for all people and my thoughts are with everyone dealing with this pandemic around the world."

story continues below

He used the hashtags #banwetmarkets and #govegan. His original rant, posted on Instagram on Monday, referred to "some f---ing bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy bastards" as being responsible for the pandemic that put his planned shows on hold, and many called him out for racism against the Chinese. The Los Angeles Times reports Paul McCartney made similar comments to Howard Stern last month: "Lets face it, come on, it is a little bit medieval, eating bats," he said. (Read more Bryan Adams stories.)




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Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias (pictured) was cited for battery after a confrontation with anti-lockdown protesters at his home on Tuesday night

A top official in Fresno, California, has been cited for battery after getting into a fight with anti-lockdown protesters who tried to force their way into his home.

The incident unfolded on Tuesday evening outside the home of City Council President Miguel Arias, where protesters had gathered to confront the official about coronavirus-related business closures.

Video shared online by the protesters showed Arias telling the group to leave before the argument turned physical.

Arias appeared to push one of the protesters on the stairs leading up to his apartment, prompting the group to pursue a citizens arrest as police were called to the scene.

Lt Anthony DeWall said no one was injured, but Arias received three citations for misdemeanor battery against three victims, according to the Fresno Bee.

Arias told the outlet he was trying to protect his two children who were home at the time. He said members of the crowd had been threatening him in public and online over his support for strict stay-at-home measures aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus.

'This is over the top,' Arias said. 'This is not the way you engage in civil discourse.'

An organizer of the protest, Ben Bergguam, explained his side of the story in a YouTube video, claiming that he didn't expect Arias to be home because he believed the apartment was a 'front' to run for office.

It does not appear that any of the protesters were cited for the incident.

Video of the confrontation appears to show Arias pushing one of the protesters on the stairs leading up to his apartment, where he says his two children were sleeping

An organizer of the protest, Ben Bergguam, is seen holding a microphone. He said he didn't expect Arias to be home because he believed the apartment was a 'front' to run for office

The video of the confrontation, posted on Facebook by a man named James Hoak, showed a group of seven or so people standing outside Arias' apartment.

The group was led by Bergquam, who runs a media Facebook page called Frontline America and organized a large Freedom Rally against coronavirus lockdowns in Fresno last week.

In the footage Arias is seen pushing Berggaum and others who appeared to be filming him.

Both Arias and members of the group reported the incident to police, who arrived about 20 minutes later.

A court date regarding the battery citations will be scheduled within the next 90 days, DeWall said.

Arias said that he plans to produce the online threats he's received from Berggaum's group as evidence when he appears in court.

He explained to the Bee that this week was the first time he'd seen his children in two months after his daughter tested negative for COVID-19 in March.

He said his children were napping on the couch when he got up to answer the door and found the protesters outside.

Arias said he immediately went into 'fight or flight' mode after having been inundated with online threats in recent weeks, including from Berggaum.

He said he believed Berggaum carried a gun with him, and that the protesters were calling him racial slurs.

'They went from making a political statement to physically threatening the safety of my own family, and that was not going to be tolerated,' he said.

The video of the confrontation, posted on Facebook by a man named James Hoak, showed a group of seven or so people standing outside Arias' apartment

Arias said when he answered the door he immediately went into 'fight or flight' mode after having been inundated with online threats in recent weeks, including from Berggaum

Arias branded Bergquam a 'paid political operative' and called for his supporters to 'step back'.

He said he hopes the legal proceedings surrounding Tuesday's incident will expose Berggaum's funders and their agenda.

Berggaum identifies himself as a member of the 'independent media' and has become one of Fresno's most prominent voices against stay-at-home orders.

On social media, Berggaum has been known to go on rants against undocumented immigrants and 'open borders'. He's also posted photos of himself flashing the 'A-OK' hand gesture appropriated by white supremacists as a symbol of white power - but he insists that's not what it means.

Last year, Berggaum was detained by police outside Gov Gavin Newsom's home during a protest over immigration policies.

Berggaum aimed his lockdown ire directly at Arias in a YouTube livestream on Tuesday night.

'This is all from a man who is supposed to be representing the people of Fresno,' he said.

'He's also the main City Council member who is destroying businesses, keeping the lockdown on, putting pressure on [Mayor] Lee Brand to keep the lockdown in place.'

Arias and his children are pictured with California Senator Kamala Harris

After the crowd outside Arias' apartment was dispersed, Police Chief Andy Hall dispatched squad cars to the homes of the other six council members and Mayor Lee Brand.

A group of people opposing lockdowns later showed up at Brand's home, though it was unclear if it was the same protesters outside Arias' apartment.

Brand, who extended the city's stay-at-home order until May 31 last week, described what happened at his house in a statement.

'A group of 20-25 people protesting the city's shelter in place orders came to my house this evening,' the mayor said.

'When they arrived, I went out to answer their questions and we had a peaceful discussion on my sidewalk. After 10 minutes, they left and I went back inside.

'I'm willing to talk with anybody who wants to have a civil conversation about the best way to keep our city safe and healthy.'

Several fellow city councilmembers expressed outrage over what occurred at Arias' home.

Among them was Garry Bredefeld - the lone city leader to publicly oppose Brand's orders who has called for residents to defy them and said he would do so himself.

Bredefeld unexpectedly condemned the confrontation in a Facebook post, saying the group of protesters crossed the line.

'I can't even begin to express the outrage I feel regarding this incident,' Bredefeld wrote.

'This is completely unacceptable and should never happen. While we can have disagreements politically and express different points of view, it completely crosses the line of safety, decency, and respect of personal and family boundaries.

'If any crimes were committed by these individuals, they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This disturbing and outrageous incident must never, ever happen again!'

Another councilmember, Luis Chavez, issued a warning to anyone who plans to threaten him or his family at home.

'As a councilmember that has been publicly threatened before, I take these threats very seriously and that's why I have a concealed carry weapons permit,' Chavez said.

'I will not tolerate anyone threatening me or my family.'
64% increase in orders compared to the previous month 130 new retail accounts pick up 1606 Hemp Increased sales footprint into 7 additional states Reorders and additional product stock shipments have commenced Average sale size increased 42%

Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) recently launched a new strategic direct to store (DSD) sales initiative focused on initial product placement and market penetration within convenience stores and smoke shops in the domestic US market. This DSD strategy is designed to enhance sales, initial product placement and augment existing traditional retail distribution sales efforts leveraging the recent introduction of the new countertop displays. The Company recently hired multiple representatives to facilitate the placement of 1606 Hemp in specific retail locations and has the ability to closely monitor the sales activity and results through this direct contact with each retail location. Results have been positive as the 1606 Hemp product placement efforts quickly moved past an internal sales milestone shortly after implementing the DSD sales strategy. The phase one Direct Store sales strategy is focused on self-generated store acquisition by hiring professional sales representatives to contact accounts directly with the goal of acquiring a minimum of 250 additional retail accounts across multiple states. The company has acquired over 130 new retail accounts across 7 states solely attributed to this DSD effort and has already received some reorders from these new retail accounts.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5646/55795_75bbd13bf4d40941_002full.jpg

1606 Hemp has seen a sales growth rate of 133% this quarter over the previous 233% growth in sales up to this point of the month compared from the previous month at the same point.

SinglePoint management believes 1606 Hemp has the ability to generate approximately $2,750,000 to $5,500,000 in annual sales revenue of 1606 Hemp per 1,000 active accounts. Once the phase one goals (250 new retail accounts) have been achieved and the results analyzed and adjusted accordingly the Company will plan on entering the next phase which would focus on the acquisition of 2,500 stores and to increase and enhance the reorder rate from existing accounts.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5646/55795_75bbd13bf4d40941_003full.jpg

1606 Hemp was designed to be the premium brand in the combustible hemp market which is the second fastest growing market in the hemp category. 1606 Hemp continues to innovate and differentiate itself as evidenced by the recent introduction of a six pack point of sale display unit designed to be placed on countertops or next to the register retail locations across the nation. Our filtered pre-rolls are made from broad spectrum American grown, harvested and cured hemp flower. Less than 0.3% THC and nearly 20% CBD in each pre-roll, they provide a smooth alternative to tobacco products. We use sustainable farming techniques, biodegradable filters and third party tests for quality, compliance and safety.

BDS Analytics and Arcview Market Research projects that the collective market for CBD sales in the U.S. will surpass $20 billion by 2024 while New York-based investment bank Cowen & Co, estimates that the market could pull in $15 billion by 2025. The combustible hemp market currently represents approximately 2% of the overall CBD market, but with a 250% growth from 2017 to 2018, Brightfield Group, a Chicago-based cannabis market research firm, identifies dried and combustible hemp flowers as one of the fastest-growing segments of the CBD market. With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill and the mainstreaming of CBD hemp, the market is growing rapidly. There is a significant need for reliable suppliers with the capacity to market and produce products available at retail or direct to consumers.

About SinglePoint, Inc.:

Founded in 2011 SinglePoint, Inc (SING) invests in and acquires brands and companies that will benefit from injection of growth capital and the sales and marketing expertise of SinglePoint. The company portfolio currently includes solar, hemp and technology applications. SinglePoint is working to grow the company to a multinational brand.

Connect on social media at:

https://twitter.com/_SinglePoint

https://www.linkedin.com/company/singlepoint

https://www.youtube.com/user/SinglePointMobile

For more information visit: www.SinglePoint.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

KEYWORDS: Combustible Hemp, Hemp, Smokable Hemp, Hemp Cigarettes, Hemp CBD, CBD, Exciting new markets, Emerging Markets

Corporate Communication:

SinglePoint Inc.

888-OTC-SING

investors@singlepoint.com

www.singlepoint.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55795
Technavio has been monitoring the digital signature market and it is poised to grow by USD 2.77 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 27% 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/20200513005556/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Digital Signature Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Adobe Inc., DocuSign Inc., Dropbox Inc., Entrust Datacard Corp., GlobalSign Ltd., Kofax Inc., OneSpan Inc., Oracle Corp., SIGNiX Inc., and Thales Group are some of the major market participants. The growing number of partnerships and acquisitions will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Growing number of partnerships and acquisitions has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Digital Signature Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Digital Signature Market is segmented as below:

End-user BFSI Government Healthcare Legal Others

Geography North America Europe APAC 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=IRTNTR43546

Digital Signature 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 digital signature market report covers the following areas:

Digital Signature Market Size

Digital Signature Market Trends

Digital Signature Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increasing digital signature adoption in cloud-based deployment as one of the prime reasons driving the digital signature market growth during the next few years.

Digital Signature Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the digital signature market, including some of the vendors such as Adobe Inc., DocuSign Inc., Dropbox Inc., Entrust Datacard Corp., GlobalSign Ltd., Kofax Inc., OneSpan Inc., Oracle Corp., SIGNiX Inc., and Thales Group. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the digital signature market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Digital Signature Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist digital signature market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the digital signature market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the digital signature market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of digital signature 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 End user

Market segments

Comparison by End user

BFSI Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Government Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Healthcare Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Legal Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End user

Customer landscape

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC 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

Adobe Inc.

DocuSign Inc.

Dropbox Inc.

Entrust Datacard Corp.

GlobalSign Ltd.

Kofax Inc.

OneSpan Inc.

Oracle Corp.

SIGNiX Inc.

Thales Group

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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New Delhi, May 13 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced 15 new and some enhanced measures to revive and support businesses, and workers under the mega stimulus package -- Self-Reliant India Movement -- which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last evening.

Accordingly, the Minister announced a slew of fiscal and regulatory measures for MSMEs, real estate, NBFCs, power distribution and general businesses.

Attempts have also been made via these measures to decrease the regulatory burden on companies, while increasing the take-home pay of employees.

But the big takeaways were for the MSME sector which is considered the backbone of economic activity.

In terms of measures, the Centre has decided to give a new definition to MSMEs. This will denote the type of companies that will be included in the sector.

Accordingly, the investment limit for defining MSMEs has been revised upwards.

Besides, she highlighted that additional criteria such as turnover has been considered for defining MSMEs.

In terms of fiscal measures, the FM announced that Rs 3 lakh crore "Collateral-free Automatic Loans" for businesses, including MSMEs will be provided to meet operational liabilities built up, buy raw material and restart business The minister further announced another scheme worth Rs 20,000 crore for "Subordinate Debt for Stressed MSMEs".

A Rs 50,000-crore "Fund of Funds" for MEMEs which face severe shortage of equity was also announced.

The Centre has also decided not to go in for global bidding for government procurement for tenders up to Rs 200 crore, thereby, promoting the participation of MSMEs, she said.

Furthermore, e-market linkage for MSMEs will be provided and that CPSEs will pay all receivables to MSMEs within 45 days.

Besides, a Rs 30,000-crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies (HFCs) and micro-finance institutions (MFIs) was announced.

This scheme will provide investments in both primary and secondary market transactions in 'investment grade debt paper of these institutions'.

The minister said that the scheme will support the previous initiatives of the government and the central bank to boost liquidity.

The securities under the scheme will be fully guaranteed by the Central government.

Further, the FM has also announced Rs 45,000-crore partial credit guarantee scheme for NBFCs.

Under the scheme, first 20 per cent loss will be borne by Cenre, and even unrated papers will be eligible for investment, enabling NBFCs to reach out even to MSMEs in far-flung areas.

Additionally, a Rs 90,000-crore liquidity injection plan was announced for the financially stressed power distribution companies.

This plan will allow these entities to clear their dues towards power generation companies.

As per the plan, the liquidity window for discoms was essential as their revenue has plummeted and they are in the midst of unprecedented cash flow problem accentuated by demand reduction during the current lockdown.

The scheme will allow power sector financiers -- PFC and REC -- to infuse liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore to DISCOMs against receivables.

Loans will be extended against State guarantees for exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of Discoms to Gencos.

The announcements were made a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a mega stimulus package which will take the total amount announced by the Ministry of Finance and the RBI to a total of Rs 20 lakh crore or 10 per cent of the GDP.
Larry Summers

Britain and America will find it impossible to strike a rapid trade deal while the coronavirus crisis is laying waste to the world economy, former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has warned.

A rapid tie-up which can take effect soon after the UK leaves the orbit of Brussels is now completely unfeasible because both countries are battling the pandemic, Mr Summers said.

In a report for the Harvard Kennedy School, co-authored by former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, Mr Summers said: It is delusional to think that a US-UK trade deal will happen any time soon. It is simply not possible."

Last week government officials launched formal talks via video conference, with the two teams set to cover 30 topics during the first two-week round of negotiations.

The Trade Secretary Liz Truss also published negotiating objectives for a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan on Tuesday. Talks are expected to start soon.

New analysis by the Department of International Trade (DIT) shows a Japanese FTA, which is expected to build on the existing EU-Japan deal, could give the UK economy a 1.5bn boost - or 0.3pc of GDP. That compares to previous DIT estimates that a US deal would boost GDP by 0.07pc to 0.16pc, while Brexit would knock off 2pc to 8pc.

DIT said a Japan deal would lift wages by 800m and trade flows between the two countries by 15.2bn, while tariff cuts would save 33m a year, with Scotland, the East Midlands and London expected to benefit most.

However, the Harvard report argues it is only realistic to expect a mini-deal with Washington - a political declaration executed without Congressional approval.

The authors pointed to stumbling blocks such as NHS drug prices, tariffs and standards on agricultural products, public procurement, digital taxes and relations with the World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund and World Health Organisation.

Story continues

Key British concerns over possible privatisation of the NHS and food practices such as washing chicken in chlorine have long been seen as major stumbling blocks.

Even a simple mini-deal risks forcing the UK to align with the US in a trade dispute against China, the report said, jeopardising the Global Britain agenda.

One senior official at the office of the US Trade Representative said: Feelings against China are running much stronger than they were, even a month ago.

"Thats going to create lots of issues for others who would just rather the Americans and the Communist Party of China to get along, but right now, its not possible. The UK is going to have to decide where it stands.

The Trump administration has repeatedly speculated the coronavirus started in a Wuhan laboratory, and the US President threatened last week to cancel a Phase One trade agreement signed in January if China violates its pledge to buy $200bn more of US goods and services than in 2017 over two years.

A report in state-sponsored Chinese tabloid the Global Times on Monday said China is also considering abandoning the deal.

Citing sources close to the Chinese government, the Global Times reported the regime is rekindling the possibility of invalidating the trade pact and negotiating a new one to tilt the scales more to the Chinese side.

Mr Summers served in the US Treasury during the Clinton administration, rising to become Treasury Secretary between 1999 and 2001.
Two Republican senators on Wednesday released a declassified list from acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell naming the Obama administration officials who asked to "unmask" the identity of Michael Flynn when he was under government surveillance.

Why it matters: President Trump's allies have long claimed that the Russia investigation was a political hit job by the Obama administration. The presence of Joe Biden on the list is likely to be weaponized by the Trump campaign as an election-year issue, though the document itself does not show any evidence of wrongdoing.

The release also comes a day after a federal judge put a hold on the Justice Department's effort to drop its case against Flynn.

The big picture: The names of Americans swept up in wiretaps of foreign officials are generally redacted to prevent any potential for improper domestic surveillance. "Unmasking" requests are routine, but officials must provide a justification for viewing the information  like seeking to better understand the significance of a foreign intercept, per the New York Times.

The officials named in the list  released by Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)  submitted requests to the National Security Agency between November 2016 and January 2017 to learn the identity of Flynn, who had been referred to in a foreign intelligence report.

Flynn, Trump's first national security adviser, later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about discussing sanctions with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Each request came from "an authorized recipient" of the original intelligence report who received approval through the NSA's "standard process," which includes "a review of the justification for the request."

Among the prominent names listed in the declassified report, along with the date of the first request:

Nov. 30 : U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power

: U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power Dec. 2: Director of National Intelligence James Clapper

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Dec. 14: CIA Director John Brennan

CIA Director John Brennan Dec. 15: FBI Director James Comey

FBI Director James Comey Jan. 12: Vice President Joe Biden

Between the lines: The presence of Biden and other top officials revealed by Grenell's unusual move to declassify the list has already been cited by Trump's allies, including his campaign, as evidence of wrongdoing.

But there's no evidence to suggest that the senior officials on the list acted improperly in requesting to learn Flynn's identity, which would not have been shown in the intelligence report until the unmasking.

The document also notes that it cannot be confirmed that the officials actually saw the information  only that they requested it.

Before the list was released, Biden told ABC News on Tuesday that he was aware there was an investigation into Flynn, but insisted "that's all I know about it."

What they're saying: "The officials listed should confirm whether they reviewed this information, why they asked for it and what they did with it, and answer many other questions that have been raised by recent revelations, Johnson and Grassley said in a statement. "We are making this public because the American people have a right to know what happened."

Biden campaign spokesperson Andrew Bates released the following statement on Wednesday:

"These documents simply indicate the breadth and depth of concern across the American government -- including among career officials -- over intelligence reports of Michael Flynns attempts to undermine ongoing American national security policy through discussions with Russian officials or other foreign representatives. Importantly, none of these individuals could have known Flynn's identity beforehand. These documents have absolutely nothing to do with any FBI investigation and they confirm that all normal procedures were followed -- any suggestion otherwise is a flat out lie. ... The only people with questions to answer are Grenell, Sen. Grassley, and Sen. Johnson for their gross politicization of the intelligence process."

Go deeper: The facts on Michael Flynn, the FBI, and Bill Barrs bombshell
Our position on the leading edge of home-based patient care is further enhanced with the addition of telehealth from Wanda Health, said Dr. Gary Sarafa, President of Avalon Physician Services

Avalon Physician Services and Wanda Health announce their partnership to leverage Wanda Healths COVID-19 telehealth solution to provide patients and quarantined individuals with quick, safe, automated symptom screening. This is accompanied by ongoing remote care management for those who are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19. The use of the companys telehealth programs for patient care reduces the risk of exposure for patients, families, and medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic while improving care for patients and responding to their questions.

Our position on the leading edge of home-based patient care is further enhanced with the addition of telehealth from Wanda Health, said Dr. Gary Sarafa, President of Avalon Physician Services. Telehealth and remote patient management for chronic conditions, and now with COVID-19, are successful strategies that will allow us to proactively support patients and families with the best care possible while keeping the patients safe at home. Utilizing Wanda Health, Avalon Physician Services is able to provide true evidence-based care, linking symptoms, interventions, and outcomes in ways that benefit patents and providers in a healthy therapeutic alliance.

Using the Wanda Health system, patients receive automated Daily COVID-19 Health Checks which follows CDC symptom guidance as well as reporting their temperature and other relevant vitals for analysis. The automated Daily COVID-19 Health Checks are delivered from the Wanda Telehealth platform across multiple channels, including telephone, Interactive Voice Response, text, and apps, which improves patient satisfaction and ease of use. The patients can then be monitored by clinical staff who may themselves be self-isolating, as well as clinicians working routinely. Federal, state, and commercial payers have approved multiple services and billing codes to allow medical professionals to be reimbursed for the use of the Wanda Health services to combat the COVID-19 virus and ongoing chronic disease management.

Our COVID-19 Telehealth programs continue to be successful in helping doctors rapidly screen, evaluate, support, and manage the expectations of their patients and families. The physicians are pleased that its use contributes to their bottom line as well, said Bill Bassett, President of Wanda Health. We added the COVID-19 Telehealth programs to our chronic care and specialty disease platform to facilitate the ability of doctors to protect and care for their patients from remote locations. In todays challenging environment speed is paramount. Wandas team can have a program up and running within a few days, enabling rapid rollout to thousands of patients.

Any health care provider, payer, hospital, clinic, and local, state or Federal government entities involved in combating the COVID-19 virus can reach Wanda Health to learn more by emailing us at info@wandahealth.com or call 206-472-5584.
JK Tyre & Industries on Wednesday said it has developed ahand sanitizer as part of its efforts to combat coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The product goes by the brand name 'Total Control Hand Sanitizers' which has been developed at the company's technology centre in Mysuru, Karnataka, it said.

The product has been developed as per the guidelines issued by WHO, and acquired all the necessary approvals and licenses within a record time period of eight days, JK Tyre said.

"The JK Tyre hand sanitizer is our latest contribution towards ongoing relief measures of the government in countering the pandemic," JK Tyre & Industries Chairman and Managing Director Raghupati Singhania said.

The company is producing the hand sanitizersat its Kankroli facility in Rajasthan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fear is another lethal hazard of this pandemic, blocking the youngest patients from basic care as everyday medical appointments grind to a halt across Africa, South America and southeast Asia. Such disruptions could fuel the first rise in the global child mortality rate since doctors began tracking it in 1960, according to a report published Tuesday in the Lancet Global Health journal.
Rick Bright, deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response for Health and Human Services (HHS), speaks during a House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 8, 2018.

Covid-19 has the potential to eclipse the 1918 flu pandemic that killed more than 50 million people and could make 2020 the "darkest winter in modern history" if U.S. leaders can't mount a more coordinated response to contain the outbreak, according to ousted federal vaccine scientist Dr. Rick Bright.

"We face a highly-transmissible and deadly virus which not only claims lives but is also disrupting the very foundations of our societies," Bright says in written testimony to be delivered to a House health subcommittee Thursday. Bright filed a whistleblower complaint after he was removed last month as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. The agency, which falls under the Department of Health and Human Services, is a key player in the nation's coronavirus pandemic.

"HHS leadership was dismissive about my dire predictions about what I assumed would be a broader outbreak and the pressing need to act, and were therefore unwilling to act with the urgency that the situation required," he said. "Our window of opportunity is closing. If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities."

He said there is an "undeniable fact" that Covid-19 will resurge in the fall. He said he was removed from his post because he insisted that funding go toward scientifically proven solutions to the pandemic rather than "drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit."

"Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history," Bright plans to tell members of Congress, according to his prepared remarks obtained by CNBC. "If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities."

Bright reiterated that he was removed from his position because he "resisted efforts to promote and enable broad access" to chloroquine, which was touted by President Donald Trump as a promising treatment against Covid-19 before clinical trials were completed. The Food and Drug Administration as well as researchers have since urged caution in using the drug, which has shown signs of exacerbating health issues.

The Office of Special Counsel has found evidence to support Bright's claims, the government watchdog said last week.

"While my intention in testifying today is to be forward looking, I spoke out then and I am testifying today because science  not politics or cronyism  must lead the way to combat this deadly virus," Bright said. "My professional background has prepared me for a moment like this  to confront and defeat a deadly virus like COVID-19 that threatens Americans and people around the globe."

Bright will go on to tell Congress that the U.S. "missed early warning signals and we forgot important pages from our pandemic playbook." And he will warn Congress that "if we ignore the science, we stand a dramatically increased risk of worsening the spread of the virus in the coming months."

He emphasized the need to increase public education on how individuals can curb the spread of the virus, ramp up production of essential equipment such as masks and medical gowns and eliminate state competition for such supplies. He also plans to tell Congress the U.S. needs a "national testing strategy."

"The virus is out there, it's everywhere," he plans to say. "We need to be able to find it, to isolate it and to stop it from infecting more people."

 CNBC's Dan Mangan contributed to this report.
Industrialist Sajjan Jindal on Wednesday welcomed the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the economy hit by COVID-19, saying it will give a boost to the ambitious Make in India programme

New Delhi: Industrialist Sajjan Jindal on Wednesday welcomed the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the economy hit by COVID-19, saying it will give a boost to the ambitious Make in India programme.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced a massive new financial incentive on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

He had said that the details of the economic package will be given by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The JSW Group Chairman said the package is timely in supporting the most needy segments of the economy -- MSMEs, farmers, taxpayers and the middle class.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

"The package is predicated to make the Indian economy self-reliant by leveraging our inherent strengths of demographics, technological skills and domestic demand by building infrastructure and robust supply chains that would give a boost the Make in India programme," Jindal said in a statement.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

The Prime Minister's emphasis on being 'Vocal about Local' and to buy local is a message to rekindle India's sagging manufacturing sector, he said.

"This announcement is a bold move by the government, no doubt, but we will have to read the fine print through subsequent announcements by the FM to see how this would be implemented and what specific benefits the nation will derive from it," Jindal said.

JSW Group has a significant presence in steel, power, cement and infrastructure.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a $318 million windfall to boost staffing at the embattled Santa Rita Jail over the next three years, in a plan that will fund more than 450 new positions at the sheriffs office and the jails behavioral health team.

The 3-2 vote came after a panel of independent experts deemed the jail and its mental-health services severely understaffed  a determination that was made as part of a class-action lawsuit against the jail.

The decision to bankroll new employees came despite fierce opposition from social justice advocates and some healthcare professionals, dozens of whom voiced their concerns prior to the vote in a Tuesday afternoon teleconference. Many of the callers argued that the funding would be more efficiently spent on community-based services, and programs that would keep mentally ill people out of jail in the first place.

Supervisors Keith Carson and Wilma Chan voted against the funding, with Chan arguing that the county was already facing a budget crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It would be nice if it were sitting there and we had that choice to spend it on something else, Chan said. Its not there; it doesnt exist.

Supervisor President Richard Valle, who provided the tie-breaking yay vote, cited a summary statement from Sabot Consulting  the group that conducted the staffing study  as grounds for his decision.

If additional staffing and resources are not provided to the Sheriffs Department, Detention and Correction Division, there is little hope of them curing the deficiencies identified in this report, Valle read. And there will continue to be a significant risk of harm to the staff and inmates at the Santa Rita Jail facility.

Michael Macor / The Chronicle

Valle said he would only support the measure if it included a plan to reduce and decrease mental health population within the jails.

The funding will be rolled out over the next three years, and pay for an additional 349 custody staffers and 107 additional behavioral health employees. Of the annual $106 million, $84 million is earmarked for jail staffing and additional costs related to the lawsuit, and $22 million is for Behavioral Health Care Services, which provides mental health services at the jail.

The staffing analyses stemmed from a class-action lawsuit that alleges the Dublin facility overuses isolation housing, lacks adequate mental health services and excludes people with mental illness from jail programming. The experts were chosen by both plaintiffs and defense attorneys.

Kara Janssen, an attorney who represents the inmates, said plaintiffs supported the staffing increases, but had no say on the proposed salaries or their impact on county budget. She noted that there were 10 in-custody deaths at Santa Rita Jail in 2019 alone  many of them suicides  and at least six suicide attempts there in 2020.

There have been far too many deaths, and without sufficient staff there to monitor conditions and mental health services, those deaths will continue, Janssen said.

At a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday afternoon, Undersheriff Richard T. Lucia said the makeup of people housed at the jail shifted over the past several years, and there were now more violent and mentally ill inmates.

Theyre a difficult population to manage with a small number of deputies and healthcare professionals, he said.

More than two dozen public commenters called into the teleconference to voice their opposition to the measure. Not a single caller supported 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.

A caller named Kimberly, who said her son is in currently in Santa Rita after vandalizing a car, urged the supervisors to vote no because you cannot provide mental health treatment in the jail.

We already have a system in place that can provide the help and services [rather than] criminalize him and lock him up, she said.

Jose Bernal, Organizing Manager at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, said at least 65 different organizations had written to oppose the budget measure.

After the vote, Bernal noted that the decision came during the worst public health crisis of our lifetime, and as unemployment rates hit Great Depression levels.

It says a lot about a county that chooses not to invest in those communities and instead throw $318 million of our hard-earned tax dollars into a half-empty jail, he said. If anything, now is the time to reaffirm a commitment to behavioral health in our communities.

In a joint report filed last month in federal court, the experts wrote that the staffing gaps had a negative impact on the safety and wellbeing of those incarcerated.

Staff shortages impair safety checks, out-of-cell time and access to programs, the filing states.

As of early April, Santa Rita was down 155 positions 126 of them sworn and 29 civilian, according to a staffing analysis produced by Sabot Consulting, one of the expert firms hired to review the jail.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy
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Carol Davis walked about 2  hours, halfway in the rain, to and from her monthly cancer treatment last week.

I had a mask on for almost seven hours, said Davis, 75. The treatment itself was really one of the easier parts of the day.

Farewell agoraphobia, she posted on Facebook after the round trip between her Upper East Side apartment and a Memorial Sloan Kettering clinic in Midtown. Youve been good to me while it lasted.

She delayed her monthly intravenous immunotherapy treatment in April because her doctors felt that missing one dose would not have any major medical consequences. The retired ad director for Hadassah magazine was determined to make her May 6 session, though she didnt want to take a cab or other public transportation.

Davis is one of the thousands of immunocompromised cancer patients in the city who have changed their treatment routines in an effort to avoid the threat of COVID-19.

Other people have taken more drastic measures, from suspending chemotherapy to canceling surgeries to scrapping screenings like mammograms, according to medical experts.

We do have significant problems from a cancer delivery point of view, said Dr. Arnold Baskies, chairman of the Global Cancer Control Advisory Council for the American Cancer Society.

A Huge Concern

Baskies and other physicians are concerned that new cancer patients are waiting until the COVID-19 threat dissipates to begin their treatments.

The national pharmacy chain CVS reported that all customers in April got fewer new prescriptions, which suggests that some people are ignoring their medical needs.

Cancer research, meanwhile, has come to a near standstill, with up to 200,000 clinical trials on hold, according to one estimate from a professor at the Yale School of Medicine. Many studies are unable to start or continue because they require people to test and labs have been shut down.

Its a huge concern, said Baskies, noting that two studies hes involved in have halted.

Doctors treating cancer patients are faced with a major dilemma: pull back treatment and risk the cancer spreading, or continue therapies at medical centers, increasing the odds of patients contracting COVID-19.

For those requiring ongoing treatment, doctors have made a series of changes to their care. That includes, when possible, switching from intravenous chemotherapy to smaller doses in pills that can be taken at home, sometimes under the supervision of a visiting nurse or health aide who also can take their vitals.

Some patients are troubled by new prohibitions on bringing a family member or other loved one to infusion centers for chemotherapy treatments.

We really need to make sure the environment is safe, said Dr. Wasif Saif, director of medical oncology at Northwell Health Cancer Institute, who practices on Long Island.

That includes minimizing time spent in waiting rooms with other patients and medical staff walking through, he added.

Saif and his staff have tried to do everything possible to make patients as comfortable as possible  including hooking up video chats with family members during chemo.

Staff have been notified that they need to make sure they check on the patient more often and offer them food, he said, so they dont feel like they are alone.

A Very Scary Place

Still, the already stressful and draining process has become more challenging during the pandemic, said Haley Feldman, 29, the clinical program manager for Gildas Club NYC, which provides social and emotional support for people who have cancer.

Someone used to go around and give foot massages and some places had therapy dogs, Feldman said.

Now, more people are participating in the groups video-chat counseling and support sessions, including some hooked up to IVs, according to Feldman.

They are lonelier, she said. Treatment has become a very scary and different place.

Jasmine Siles, of Ozone Park, Queens, used to go to her radiation treatments for her Stage 2 rectal cancer with her father. But he was blocked from entering the Monter Cancer Center in New Hyde Park when the clinic limited outside contact for patients.

Now, her dad, or whomever drives her, waits in the car until shes done.

At the start of the pandemic, Siles was told her radiation treatments could be pushed off for three weeks. But her doctor changed his mind and decided she should go through with the five weekly radiation sessions right away as initially planned.

If I got sick, that would be it for me, said Siles, 30, noting she felt better seeing everyone wearing masks at the clinic.

Very Special People

Like other cancer patients and people with pre-existing health issues, Davis has limited her time away from home.

Before all this happened, I was walking several miles a day. I dont do that anymore, mostly out of fear, said Davis.

Shes undergoing an experimental immunotherapy treatment for her uterine cancer.

She has to redo her labs and has another appointment this coming Monday, a scan later in the month and her next treatment in the beginning of June.

Other than having cancer, Im in pretty good shape, she said. Ive been doing a lot more cooking than I normally do.

Saif said cancer patients are some of the most resilient people he has ever met.

I always joke that even if theres a blizzard or storm my patients will come, he said. Because they say, Listen, this is nothing. Im dealing with Stage Four disease so Im not afraid of this pain.

So I think patients are very special people.

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The judge who has been asked by the Justice Department to dismiss its prosecution of ex-national security advisor Michael Flynn said Tuesday that he will first accept recommendations on whether he should do so from people and groups not involved in the case.

But Flynn's lawyers promptly opposed Judge Emmet Sullivan's unusual decision to consider third-party legal arguments, saying in a filing that court rules do not allow it.

Defense lawyers also argued that the judge had previously "summarily refused to permit any third party to inject themselves or their views into this case" 24 times and should do the same now.

The move by Sullivan to allow third-party comments offers a rare chance for critics of Flynn, who briefly served as one of President Donald Trump's top advisors, to possibly thwart the Justice Department's controversial effort to dismiss the case.

That dismissal bid has outraged many former prosecutors and ex-Justice officials, who have noted that Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents, and that he restated his guilt during another proceeding before the judge.

But Sullivan's willingness to access the so-called amicus curiae, or friend-of-the-court briefs, also sets the stage for supporters of Flynn to lobby the judge to strongly accept the department's recommendation, which was filed last Thursday.

"Given the current posture of this case, the Court anticipates that individuals and organizations will seek leave of the Court to file amicus curiae briefs," Sullivan wrote in an order posted in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Sullivan wrote that he would set a schedule for friend-of-the-court submissions later.

But he cautioned, quoting the words of his colleague, Judge Amy Berman Jackson, that "while there may be individuals with an interest in this matter, a criminal proceeding is not a free-for-all."

Sullivan's order is the first time that the judge acted in the case since the Justice Department moved to dismiss the prosecution.

A group of former federal prosecutors calling themselves the "Watergate Prosecutors" is planning to file an amicus brief, according to the filing Tuesday evening by Flynn's lawyer Sidney Powell and other defense attorneys.

Flynn's attorneys argued in that filing that the Watergate Prosecutors group "has no special role and no authority whatsoever to insert themselves in this litigation on behalf of anyone."

"This travesty of justice has already consumed three or more years of an innocent man's life  and that of his entire family," the defense attorneys wrote. "No further delay should be tolerated or any further expense caused to him and his defense. This Court should enter the order proposed by the government immediately."

Powell, in an earlier filing Tuesday wrote that Flynn's lawyers agreed with the Justice Department that "that the dismissal of this case meets the interests of justice and requests that this matter be dismissed immediately, with prejudice."

Powell did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

The Justice Department's request to dismiss the case came after it concluded that it had a duty to drop the charges after finding that the FBI did not have grounds to conduct a counterintelligence investigation of Flynn at the time agents interviewed him, Attorney William Barr has said.

Timothy Shea, the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, in the dismissal request wrote that even if Flynn had lied, the government "does not believe Mr. Flynn's statements were material" in a legal sense. The Justice Department also did not believe it could prove he was guilty of making false statements beyond a reasonable doubt, Shea wrote.

Shea's motion also cited the recent release of previously undisclosed documents, including handwritten notes written by the FBI officials investigating Flynn.

One note, written by then-FBI counterintelligence chief Bill Priestap, was prepared shortly before FBI agents questioned Flynn about his discussions with Russia's then-ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak in the weeks before Trump took office.

"What's our goal? Truth/Admission or get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?" Priestap had written.

Flynn, 61, served only several weeks as national security advisor before being forced out in February 2017 after lying to Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of his discussions with Kislyak.

Flynn had told Pence he did not dicuss U.S. sanctions imposed by the Obama administration against Russia, which led the vice president to defend him in television interviews. In fact, Flynn did talk about those sanctions with Kislyak.

Flynn pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to FBI agents about the Kislyak conversations.

As part of his plea, Flynn agreed to cooperate in the then-special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

His scheduled sentencing hearing in December 2018 was dramatically aborted after Sullivan indicated he might send Flynn to jail if the retired Army lieutenant general did not postpone the proceeding

"Arguably you sold your country out," the judge fumed at the hearing.

Sullivan then allowed Flynn to remain free pending sentencing to give him time to finish his cooperation with Mueller.

Months later, Flynn dismissed his legal team and hired a new criminal defense attorney, the Mueller critic Powell, who soon began efforts to undo the criminal case. Powell accused prosecutors of withholding exculpatory information from Flynn, a claim that the Justice Department for months repeatedly denied.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 297,000 people worldwide.

More than 4.3 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 1.39 million diagnosed cases and at least 84,118 deaths.

Today's biggest developments:

DC extends stay-at-home order until June 8 NYC has 82 cases of pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome UNICEF warns 6,000 additional children could die a day

Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.

9:14 p.m.: LA not going on lockdown for 3 months

Responding to yesterday's announcement that upset a lot of people, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said L.A. County is not going to be on a lockdown for the next three months and the city is taking steps to reopen more locations.

He announced additional sports and recreation venues that are reopening, along with retail stores with curbside pickup and manufacturing businesses that support retailers.

L.A. County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said on Tuesday that the lockdown would be extended "with all certainty" through August unless there was a "dramatic change."

However, Garcetti also expanded the face-covering policy, now requiring everyone except small children and those with disabilities to wear a covering whenever they're near anyone not in their household.

PHOTO: Los Angeles police officers patrol the Venice Beach boardwalk on horseback during the coronavirus outbreak, Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

Garcetti said he was "pissed off" when he heard people dismissing the sick as "just old people."

Story continues

"This is about our collective caring and our collective health," Garcetti said.

There have been more than 33,000 confirmed cases and at least 1,616 deaths in Los Angeles County.

7:30 p.m.: Santa Anita approved to resume racing

The Los Angeles County Health Department has approved Santa Anita Park restarting live racing on Friday.

Races will be run without spectators, and essential personnel will follow strict protocols -- face masks, social distancing and health screenings that include temperature checks -- to prevent spreading COVID-19.

"We are very grateful for the open and continuous communication with both the Health Department and Supervisor Kathryn Barger's office," said Aidan Butler, executive director of California Racing Operations for The Stronach Group, which owns the racetrack. "Supervisor Barger, in particular, understood the importance of live racing to support thousands of individuals, and that we are able to accomplish it safely under these protocols."

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.

6:45 p.m.: Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks stay-at-home order

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled against Gov. Tony Evers' stay-at-home order extension on Wednesday, saying the administration exceeded its authority.

Last month, Evers directed Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to extend the state's "Safer at Home" order, keeping nonessential businesses closed until May 26.

In the 4-3 decision, the conservative-controlled high court said that Palm overstepped her authority in "confining all people to their homes, forbidding travel and closing businesses."

Following the Supreme Court decision, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said on Twitter, "Disappointed but not surprised. They put lives at risk by forcing an election, of course they were going to double down. It's like no lives matter. This is bad."

We're still going to do everything we can to keep people safe. Major credit is due to the many local and tribal governments who recognized the urgency and responded appropriately. The people you represent need your leadership now more than ever.  Mandela Barnes (@TheOtherMandela) May 13, 2020

Wisconsin has 10,902 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 421 deaths, according to the latest figures from the state's health department.

5:09 p.m.: Closed national parks plan phased reopenings

Several national parks are starting to partially reopen, including Yellowstone, Grand Teton and the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service announced Wednesday.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton, both currently closed, are set to reopen on May 18 with limited access.

Yellowstone's Wyoming entrances will be open, while entrances in Montana and Idaho, where there are restrictions on out-of-state travel, will remain closed, NPS said. Visitors are encouraged to wear masks, and a limited number of people will be allowed in certain areas at a time.

PHOTO: A large bison blocks traffic as tourists take photos of the animals in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park, Aug. 3, 2016. (Matthew Brown/AP, FILE)

Grand Teton in Wyoming will reopen access to main roads, hiking trails and more, while the campgrounds and visitors center will remain closed.

Arizona's Grand Canyon will increase access to South Rim viewpoints from May 15 to 18. The South Rim South Entrance will be open to traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. The park recommends arriving no later than 9:30 a.m. to avoid traffic backups. All visitor facilities and trails in the park remain closed, including Grand Canyon Village and Desert View.

Rocky Mountain National Park will start a phased reopening on May 27, the NPS announced Tuesday.

NPS said it is working with federal, state and local public health authorities to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

3:30 p.m.: Harvard Medical School's incoming students will begin fall semester online

Harvard Medical School's incoming students will start their fall semester online, The Harvard Crimson reported Wednesday.

Does warmer weather slow coronavirus?

The school aims to have all students back on campus by January, the newspaper said.

BREAKING: The fall semester will begin online for incoming students at Harvard Medical School, per an email from HMS Dean Daley. The school plans to offer on-campus research and training for returning students and hopes to have everyone on campus by January.  The Harvard Crimson (@thecrimson) May 13, 2020

2:45 p.m.: DC extends stay-at-home order until June 8

In Washington, D.C., the stay-at-home order, ban on mass gatherings and closure of nonessential businesses will be extended through June 8, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Wednesday.

Faces of the coronavirus pandemic: Remembering those who died

Bower said two out of four benchmarks for reopening that have not been met: D.C. has not had a 14-day decrease in community spread -- only a 4-day decrease. And D.C. has not sufficiently contact traced all new cases and associates -- so far the district has only been able to trace "priority populations and their close contacts."

In D.C., 6,584 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus and 350 people have died.

1:30 p.m.: NJ reopening retail for curbside pickup

In New Jersey, nonessential retail stores can open for curbside pickup beginning Monday, though customers cannot go inside, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday.

What's your state's coronavirus reopening plan?

Drive-in and drive-thru events, like movies and religious services, will also be allowed, as long as people remain in their cars, Murphy said.

The ban on gatherings still applies, Murphy said, as he urged people to continue to stay home as much as possible.

PHOTO: A man and woman converse outside a beer store during the coronavirus pandemic on May 7, 2020, in Atlantic City, N.J. (Mark Makela/Getty Images)

Looking forward, the state is working on a plan to reopen facilities for elective surgeries, the governor said.

How to reopen the economy safely: New report shows states and cities how to get it done

"While we've made enormous progress, we're still not in the end zone," Murphy cautioned. "As we take these steps, we ask for your continued patience. We're moving slowly and deliberately because any misstep risks further outbreaks."

PHOTO: People line up in their cars at the drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at the Bergen Community College main campus, in Paramus, N.J., May 12, 2020. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

New Jersey has over 141,000 diagnosed cases of the coronavirus. The death toll has reached 9,702.

1 p.m.: 75 deaths among NYC's homeless

The homeless are among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, and in New York City, 75 homeless people have now succumbed to the virus, according to the Department of Social Services.

There are 920 homeless people in the city who have tested positive.

PHOTO: A homeless man waits for a shower to open at a Doctors Without Borders temporary shower trailer in Manhattan for the homeless and other vulnerable communities on May 07, 2020 in New York. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

As the New York City subway system shuts down each night for disinfecting, the police are contacting the homeless who take shelter on the subways and trying to bring them to hospitals or shelters.

12:12 p.m.: NYC has 82 cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome

In New York City there are 82 confirmed cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19, an inflammatory syndrome which has features that overlap with Kawasaki disease.

PHOTO: Bobby Dean, 9, lies in a hospital bed in Rochester, N.Y., after being admitted with severe dehydration, abdominal pain and a racing heart. Doctors diagnosed him with a pediatric inflammatory syndrome related to the coronavirus. (Dean Family Photo via AP)

Howard Zucker, commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, said last week that "most children with COVID-19 only experience mild symptoms, but in some, a dangerous inflammatory syndrome can develop."

Of those 82 cases, 53 tested positive for COVID-19 or antibodies, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday.

New York City makes up the majority of New York state's 102 reported cases. Three young people in New York state have died: a 5-year-old boy, 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman.

PHOTO: Usually one of the most congested streets in Manhattan, 42nd Street stands nearly empty on May 12, 2020 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that 14 other states have reported cases: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington, as well as Washington, D.C.

"This is truly disturbing," Cuomo said. "We raise it because it's something parents should be aware of."

SLIDESHOW: Coronavirus outbreak sparks global health emergency

"There are still unanswered questions," de Blasio said, like what makes some children susceptible, how long it takes to manifest and the likelihood of it developing. But it is known that if diagnosed early, children can be treated effectively, he said.

Cuomo said the State Department of Health will host a webinar for health care providers Thursday to discuss the disease.

If a child has symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain and vomiting, parents are urged to call their pediatrician immediately.

While we believe this illness to be rare, seek care is your child has these symptoms  especially if your child has been exposed to someone who had COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/KlNwIGrw1G  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 13, 2020

12 p.m.: In NY, essential workers test positive at lower rate than general population

In New York City, essential workers are testing positive at lower rates than the general population, which Gov. Cuomo attributes to the general population not wearing masks.

New York City's general population is testing positive at a rate of 19.9%, compared to 12.2% for health care workers and 10.5% for New York City police.

PHOTO: Patrons wear protective masks as they ride a 7 train, May 13, 2020, in the Queens borough of New York. (Frank Franklin II/AP)

"PPE works, masks work, gloves work," Cuomo stressed.

In New York City, the latest tracking progress indicators are a mixed bag.

PHOTO: Edgar Chun who was laid off from his job in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, appeals to Pastor Juan Carlos Ruiz for emergency food aid in front of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, May 12, 2020. (Kathy Willens/AP)

On Monday, 78 people were admitted to hospitals for suspected COVID-19 -- up from 51 admissions on Sunday.

There were 561 patients in intensive care units on Monday -- up from 550 on Sunday.

And of those tested citywide on Monday, 13% were positive. One day earlier, 14% were positive.

The state recorded an additional 166 deaths on Tuesday.

11:50 a.m.: NJ orders testing at all long-term care facilities

All long-term care facilities in New Jersey must implement COVID-19 testing for staff and residents by May 26, according to a directive signed by New Jersey Heath Commissioner Judith Persichilli on Tuesday.

New Jersey's long-term care facilities have been particularly hard hit. The state has 90,000 residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Nearly 26,000 positive cases have been reported, according to the state.

PHOTO: A man sits outside the New Jersey Veterans Home at Paramus, a state-run home for former members of the US military in Paramus, N.J. on May 12, 2020. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

In April, a pilot project tested 4,600 residents and staff at 16 long-term care facilities in the state, and the project found a majority of those who were positive were asymptomatic, according to the state.

The New Jersey attorney general's office started investigating the state's long-term care facilities in April.

What's causing the record spike in grocery prices and how to save

"Our investigation was prompted by both the high number of deaths we were seeing during the COVID-19 pandemic and by the disturbing reports we were receiving: reports of bodies piled up in makeshift morgues, of nurses and staff without adequate PPE," New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said last week.

The state asked the public to report any misconduct anonymously through an online portal.

11:25 a.m.: Gyms, pools now open in Arizona

Gyms and pools can reopen in Arizona on Wednesday, but Gov. Doug Ducey cautioned Tuesday, "this does not mean a return to normal."

PHOTO: Children play with coins in a fountain on a hot day at Desert Ridge Marketplace during the phased reopening from coronavirus disease restrictions in north Phoenix, May 11, 2020. (Nicole Neri/Reuters)

Vulnerable individuals should still stay home, Ducey said, and in-person visits to nursing homes remain prohibited.

Schools remain closed and residents should continue to telework when possible and minimize nonessential travel.

Retail shopping, barber shops and salons were permitted to reopen on May 8. Dine-in services resumed on May 11.

PHOTO: Manager David Grady and owner Mimi Nguyen do a mother and daughter's nails at AZ Nails Spa 101 in Peoria, Ariz., May 8, 2020. (Arizona Republic via USA Today Network)

Arizona's stay-at-home order will expire on Friday and professional sports leagues can restart in the state without spectators after Friday.

9:15 a.m.: UK 'cannot now go back to square 1,' prime minister warns

As some people in the United Kingdom returned to work Wednesday for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned that the country must not "proceed too fast or too recklessly."

"What we are doing is entirely conditional and provisional," Johnson told lawmakers in British Parliament on Wednesday. "The U.K. has made a huge amount of progress. The people of this country have worked incredibly hard to get the [virus reproduction rate] down. We cannot now go back to square one. We can't risk a second outbreak, and we will do everything to avoid that."

While the rules on social distancing remain in place, Wednesday marks the first day that people are allowed to return to work if they cannot do their job from home. People are now also allowed to leave their homes for unlimited amounts of exercise, to sunbathe and to drive to other destinations. Fines for those who break the rules, which are still limited to spending time with members of your own household, will be increased, according to Johnson.

PHOTO: Commuters wearing face masks to protect against the novel coronavirus travel in the morning rush hour on underground trains from West Ham station toward central London on May 13, 2020. (Daniel Leal-olivas/AFP via Getty Images)

The prime minister announced the modifications to the nationwide lockdown and a phased plan to reopen society during a televised address on Sunday, but the measures were roundly criticized as lacking clarity. Johnson said that England had changed its formal government slogan to "Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives," from the previous guidance which said that people must "stay at home" to stop the spread of the coronavirus and protect the National Health Service (NHS). The new messaging puts England at odds with the three other countries of the United Kingdom.

The national governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have indicated they will continue to adhere to the previous official advice of "Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives," despite the modifications announced by Johnson. Although Johnson is the prime minister, public health legislation is devolved to national governments within the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom currently has one of the world's highest national death tolls from COVID-19, second only to that of the United States. More than 227,000 people in the European island nation have been diagnosed with the disease and at least 32,769 have died, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

8:23 a.m.: UNICEF warns 6,000 additional children could die a day

An additional 6,000 children could die every day from preventable causes over the next six months as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate countries with already weak health systems, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned Wednesday.

The estimate is based on an analysis by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the findings of which were published Tuesday in The Lancet Global Health journal. Based on the worst of three modeled scenarios in 118 low- and middle-income nations, the analysis estimates that an additional 1.2 million children under the age of 5 could die in just six months due to reductions in routine health service coverage levels and an increase in child wasting.

PHOTO: Sofiat Kolawole, 8, Olatunji Adebayo, 11, and Amira Akanbi 11, pose for a photograph while holding pictures that they drew during the coronavirus pandemic, as they stand in front of their house in Lagos, Nigeria, on April 18, 2020. (Temilade Adelaja/Reuters)

These potential child deaths will be in addition to the 2.5 million children who already die before their 5th birthday every six months in the 118 countries included in the study, threatening to reverse nearly a decade of progress on ending preventable under-five mortality.

"Under a worst-case scenario, the global number of children dying before their fifth birthdays could increase for the first time in decades," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said in a statement on Wednesday. "We must not let mothers and children become collateral damage in the fight against the virus. And we must not let decades of progress on reducing preventable child and maternal deaths be lost."

7:25 a.m.: 'We'll never be completely open until we have a cure,' Los Angeles mayor says

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday that the city will "never be completely open until we have a cure," as county health officials recommend stay-at-home orders remain in place for months longer to help suppress the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"I think we have to all recognize that we're not moving beyond COVID-19, we're learning to live with it," Garcetti told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos in an interview on "Good Morning America."

PHOTO: Traffic remains light on roads and freeways in Los Angeles, California, on May 12, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Garcetti urged residents "not to overreact" to the comments made Tuesday by Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the public health director of Los Angeles County, who recommended that the county extend stay-at-home orders for at least three more months. The county's original stay-at-home order is set to expire Friday.

"But it's important to take this serious because [the virus] is as dangerous today as it was the first day that it arrived in our cities and our country," Garcetti added. "So quite frankly, there's no so-called open state or open country that doesn't continue to have health orders telling us to cover our faces, physically distance and to tell people that you're safest working from and staying at home. That's all that the county health director was saying, and we can't expect that to disappear in a matter of weeks or even a few months."

PHOTO: In this file photo taken on May 7, 2020, a sign that's been in place since mid-March announces the temporary closures of restaurants, nightclubs, gyms and entertainment venues at LA Live in Los Angeles, California. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

The mayor said he hopes the city's K-12 school will be able to reopen in "some sense," though he cautioned "it won't be in the way that we've known school in the past" and vulnerable children won't be able to go back "for some time."

"It might be fewer days a week, it might be staggered because we have to maintain that physical distance," Garcetti said. "Look, we have to tell the hard truths and protect our people. At the same time, we take steps forward."

"We've never been fully closed. We'll never be completely open until we have a cure," he continued. "I do believe that we can take steps but monitor those numbers, listen to the scientists and the medical professionals and make the tough calls even when there's criticism."

PHOTO: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appears on 'Good Morning America,' May 13, 2020. (ABC News)

More than 32,000 people in Los Angeles County have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and at least 1,570 have died, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

Garcetti said he was proud of how his city and the county has stood up its own testing centers, which he said is essential for reopening.

"We have a capacity of 20,000 tests a day just in Los Angeles County, whereas the country is doing 300,000 tests a day and we're just 3% of the population," he said. "We've got to keep that going and we have to make it regular. For kids to go back to school, we need testing. For workers to get back to work, we need testing."

"We were the first city in America to offer widespread testing to people with and without symptoms," he added, "because we've got to find the silent spreaders that are amongst us as well."

What to know about coronavirus:

How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map

7:06 a.m.: Hong Kong reports locally transmitted cases for 1st time in 23 days

Hong Kong reported two new locally transmitted infections of COVID-19 on Wednesday, after 23 straight days with only imported cases.

Health officials are working to trace any close contacts of the two new patients.

PHOTO: Pedestrians wear face masks as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus as they walk across a road in Hong Kong on May 13, 2020. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

"We are all very concerned," Dr. Chui Tak-yi, undersecretary of Hong Kong's Food and Health Bureau, told a press conference Wednesday. "We must heighten our alertness. Citizens cannot let their guards down and must continue to carry out anti-epidemic measures."

The semi-autonomous Chinese city now has 1,051 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including four deaths, according to the latest data from Hong Kong's Department of Health.

6:13 a.m.: California authorities says Tesla can reopen factory with new safety measures

Tesla can reopen its sole U.S. vehicle factory in California as soon as next week, so long as the electric carmaker adopts extra safety recommendations amid the coronavirus pandemic, local officials said.

The Alameda County Health Department released a statement late Tuesday announcing that the plant in Fremont, some 40 miles southeast of San Francisco, will be allowed to go beyond basic operations this week and start manufacturing vehicles on Monday if Tesla holds up its part of the agreement.

"We reviewed the plan and held productive discussions today with Tesla's representatives about their safety and prevention plans, including some additional safety recommendations," the health department said in the statement. "If Tesla's Prevention and Control Plan includes these updates, and the public health indicators remain stable or improve, we have agreed that Tesla can begin to augment their Minimum Business Operations this week in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week."

PHOTO: An aerial view of the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California, on May 12, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Alameda County Health Department noted that it will be working with the Fremont Police Department to verify whether Tesla "is adhering to physical distancing and that agreed upon health and safety measures are in place for the safety of their workers as they prepare for full production."

Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter earlier this week that he was restarting production at the Fremont factory in defiance of the county's ordinance. Operations at the plant apparently continued into Tuesday, although the company met a Monday deadline to submit a site-specific plan for worker safety.

"I will be on the line with everyone else," Musk tweeted. "If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me."

Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020

It's unclear whether Tesla would face any punishment for the reopening.

5:10 a.m.: Russia reports over 10,000 new cases for 11th straight day

Russia reported more than 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday for the 11th day in a row, as the country emerges as a new hot spot in the coronavirus pandemic.

There were 10,028 new infections confirmed in Russia over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total to 242,271, according to the country's coronavirus response headquarters.

PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective face mask walks in a business district amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease in Moscow, Russia, on May 12, 2020. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters)

Russia has the second-largest national tally of COVID-19 cases in the world, behind the United States. The country reported a record 11,656 new infections on Monday.

Russia also has one of the world's fastest rates of new infections in the coronavirus pandemic, second only to the U.S.

However, the country's death toll from the disease remains relatively low with just 96 new fatalities reported over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total to 2,212, according to the coronavirus response headquarters.

4:41 a.m.: Pakistan reports record daily spike in COVID-19 cases

Pakistan saw more than 2,000 new infections of the novel coronavirus in a single day for the first time since the outbreak began.

The country's health ministry said Wednesday there were a record 2,255 new cases of COVID-19 registered over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 34,312.

PHOTO: Commuters make their way along a street in Karachi, Pakistan, on May 12, 2020, after the government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP via Getty Images)

The spike comes just days after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan began a phased reopening of the nation after a weekslong lockdown.

Khan has argued that the country's poorest were worst-affected by the coronavirus restrictions, as a vast majority of the population earn barely $75 a month, mostly doing daily wage work.

3:28 a.m.: Fresno City Council president cited for 3 counts of assault after confrontation with protesters

Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias was cited for three counts of assault after a group of anti-lockdown protesters approached his home Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The unarmed protesters showed up at Arias's residence to demand the reopening of businesses and the lifting of social-distancing restrictions in the California city. A spokesman for the Fresno Police Department told ABC News there was sufficient evidence that Arias committed assault against the protesters.

Video allegedly was taken by one of the protesters purportedly shows the city council president shoving a man down a staircase away from the front door of his apartment.

PHOTO: Hundreds of people gather to protest the stay-at-home orders outside the state capitol building in Sacramento, California, on May 1, 2020. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

Arias claims the protesters tried to break into his home and refused to leave.

"Not only did they go into private property that's gated that requires security to get through, but they showed up to my front door and banged on my front door," Arias told Fresno ABC station KFSN. "Folks didn't want to give way to my private property, so I moved them out of the way."

Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was an attempted break-in. Police said they are beefing up security at the homes of other city leaders at this time as a precaution.

ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs, Matt Gutman, Marilyn Heck, Aaron Katersky, Alina Lobzina, Abigail Shalawylo and Ben Siu contributed to this report.

Los Angeles mandates face coverings, eases some coronavirus restrictions originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Before, in the kind of everyday situations of life, there were a lot of things that held us back from what we wanted to do, whether thats create, start something or be a part of something bigger, and I think now is the perfect time to really dive in headfirst to make it happen, Lloyd Yates, a 2018 Northwestern graduate, said. I think now is one of the best times to really make a difference. My two cents: Just go do it.
WASHINGTON, D. C. - A newly released study of how often members of Congress work across party lines on legislation rated Ohio Republican Rob Portman as the fourth most bipartisan member of the U.S. Senate during 2019, and Champaign County GOP Rep. Jim Jordan fourth from the bottom of the 437 House of Representatives members it examined.

The ratings from the non-partisan Lugar Center and Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy declared Maine Republican Susan Collins to be the Senates most bipartisan legislator for the seventh consecutive year, and Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick to be most bipartisan House member.

The rankings are based on the frequency with which legislators work with members of the other party on their bill sponsorships and co-sponsorships, excluding non-binding resolutions and ceremonial bills.

While hyper-partisanship continues in Congress, our latest Bipartisan Index  a nonpartisan and data-driven tool  points to a crosscurrent of cooperation among lawmakers," said a statement from Maria Cancian, dean of Georgetowns McCourt School of Public Policy. "This offers hope, as our future depends on our ability to work together across the aisle and across differences for the common good.

Republicans in the Senate tended to get higher bipartisanship scores than their Democratic counterparts, with former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, getting the Senates lowest score for the fifth consecutive year. Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown ranked 59th out of the U.S. Senates 100 members.

A statement from Portman spokesperson Emily Benavides said her boss works hard to find common ground with his colleagues, and the groups findings reflect that.

Whether its responding to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic or continuing to secure funding to combat the addiction epidemic, hes been able to navigate a challenging political environment and deliver results for the people of Ohio, Benavides said.

Brown said he works regularly with Portman on issues that matter to Ohio and has had great victories working bipartisanly to help the state

Im bipartisan when it works, and when I see the kind of things that President Trump has done to the state, I stand up for Ohio, said Brown.

National rankings for Ohio members

U.S. Senate Rank Name Score Party 4 Rob Portman 2.25427 R 59 Sherrod Brown 0.0442 D U.S. House 11 Steve Stivers 1.51083 R 35 Tim Ryan 1.02921 D 40 Dave Joyce 0.94024 R 51 Anthony Gonzalez 0.8358 R 63 Steve Chabot 0.70596 R 74 Mike Turner 0.59926 R 82 Troy Balderson 0.47167 R 124 Brad Wenstrup 0.22469 R 139 Marcy Kaptur 0.16296 D 183 Bob Latta 0.01161 R 198 Joyce Beatty -0.03186 D 247 Marcia Fudge -0.18676 D 281 Bill Johnson -0.29996 R 394 Bob Gibbs -0.81768 R 412 Warren Davidson -1.01493 R 434 Jim Jordan -1.40738 R

The study found Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives were slightly more bipartisan than their GOP counterparts. Although seven of the 10 most bipartisan House members were Republicans. Republicans had the nine lowest scores, with Alabama Republican Gary Palmer finishing last.

A score above zero from the group indicates that a member scored better than the 20-year average, while one-below zero indicates the member is below average. It describes scores above 1.0 as outstanding, those above 0.5 as very good."

Columbus Republican Steve Stivers ranked the highest in bipartisanship of any Ohioan, getting the studys 11th highest score. Niles-area Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan was 35th in Congress, Bainbridge Township Republican Rep. Dave Joyce was 40th, Rocky River Republican Rep. Anthony Gonzalez was 51st, Toledo Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur was 139th, Warrensville Heights Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge was 247th, Holmes County Republican Rep. Bob Gibbs was 394th and Jordan was 434th.

Stivers posted statements on social media that said hes honored to be named the 11th most bipartisan House member," while a statement from Ryan said hes proud of the strong relationships hes forged "with my Republican colleagues and my long record of bipartisan work to bring federal dollars back to Ohio and provide our state with the support and resources we need.

A press release from Joyces re-election campaign highlighted his ratings from the group, and his membership in the House Problem Solvers Caucus, which works across the aisle to find common ground on important issues.

Despite some in Congress who are hyper-partisan, Ive remained laser-focused on working side by side with members of both parties to put the health and safety of my constituents first," said a statement from Joyce. During this critical time, Ill continue to put policy over politics to find bipartisan solutions that protect the lives and livelihoods of Northeast Ohio families.

A spokesman for Jordan said his boss came to Washington to represent the conservative values of Ohios 4th district, not to work with Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi.

Either way, its clear that Mr. Jordan is one of the most effective members of Congress, his statement concluded.

Honored to be named the 11th most bipartisan member of the House.



We cant allow partisanship to stand in the way of solutions, especially as we fight #COVID19. I'll keep working across the aisle to deliver results for folks in #OH15 and nationwide. https://t.co/zuoSgPkdju pic.twitter.com/4WtUrP5a9Z  Steve Stivers (@RepSteveStivers) May 12, 2020

More coverage:

U.S. senators grill White House coronavirus team on reopening plans

Rep. Marcia Fudge proposes coronavirus-inspired voting change

Ohio hospitals to get remdesivir to fight coronavirus, says Sen. Rob Portman

What Obamacare cancellation would mean to Ohio

Rep. Jim Jordan to serve on coronavirus oversight committee he argued against creating

Gun sales soar in Ohio during coronavirus pandemic

Is Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio the most conservative Congress member of all time?

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Coronavirus drains Ohio municipal treasuries; Mayors seek federal aid to avoid cuts
The Supreme Court has thrown out a suit challenging Martin Amidus eligibility to serve as Special Prosecutor.

The decision was a 5-2 majority decision.

The Supreme Court did not give reasons for the decision but indicated that the lawyers could pick it up from the court's registry.

This ruling means that the Apex court has legitimized the position of Martin Amidu as the Special Prosecutor.

The judges who were in favour of the dismissal of the suit include, Cheif Justice Anin Yeboah, Justices Bafffoe Bonnie, Marfo Sau, Nene Amegatse and Prof Ashie Kotey.

The two judges who dissented are Justices Sulley Gbadegbe and Agnes Dodzi.

The was suit filed by former Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine who contended that Mr. Amidu, being 66 years, is too old to hold public office, and as such cannot be the Special Prosecutor.

He therefore sought a declaration that, per the interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d), 199(1), 199(4), and 295 of the 1992 Constitution, the retirement age of all holders of public offices created pursuant to Article(1)(d), is 60 years, thus Mr. Amidu was not qualified or eligible to be nominated as the Special Prosecutor.

Dr. Dominic Ayine filed the case in February 2019.

---citinewsroom
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 13:09:47|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

- The famous piece is deeply inspiring for the two peoples at this very moment, "blowing the horn of unity and cooperation to fight the virus;"

- The artists of the two countries show a willingness to jointly complete this performance and overcome all difficulties in a spirit of union and cooperation;

- The event is a vivid expression of cooperation and sincere friendship between the two peoples.





This combination of file pictures shows the musicians Niu Jun from China, Boles Bola from Egypt, Amr Ashraf from Egypt and Yu Shu from China (L-R, top to bottom) who participated in the virtual performance of the Triumphal March. (Chinese Embassy in Egypt/Handout via Xinhua)

by Xinhua writers Gu Kang, Xu Yang, Wu Danni

CAIRO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on worldwide, Chinese and Egyptian musicians, thousands of miles apart, staged a virtual performance of the Triumphal March from "Aida," using music to soothe suffering hearts and inspire people in these difficult times.

The piece, symbolizing victory, will encourage people to overcome the epidemic with optimism and courage, the musicians said.

This combination of file pictures shows the musicians Jiao Jian from China, Ahmed Abdel Aziz from Egypt, Qu Yuanyuan from China and Yang Mo from China (L-R, top to bottom) who participated in the virtual performance of the Triumphal March. (Chinese Embassy in Egypt/Handout via Xinhua)

INSPIRING MUSIC

"I played trumpet in my room, and the Egyptian musician played trumpet far away at his home. At different times and in different locations, we shared the joy of playing together with music as the carrier," Yuan Ye, principal trumpet of the Liaoning Symphony Orchestra and an initiator of the online performance, told Xinhua.

"Friendship started when musicians from Liaoning performed in Egypt last year," said Zhu Xinyu, vice president of the Liaoning Opera House, adding that as musicians from both countries were quarantined at home, "here comes the idea of (an) online performance."

The Triumphal March from the second act of "Aida" by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi tells the story of an Egyptian pharaoh, and "is well known among the Chinese," said Shi Yuewen, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, who selected the piece for the performance.

In the opera, musicians playing long trumpets lead the heroic triumphant soldiers into the city, "which is very consistent with the desire of people today to overcome the epidemic," said Shi, also director of the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo, who initiated and coordinated the performance.

Magdy Saber, the head of the Cairo Opera House, said that the famous piece is deeply inspiring for the two peoples at this very moment, "blowing the horn of unity and cooperation to fight the virus."

This combination of file pictures shows the musicians Walid Ali Gabr from Egypt, Yuan Ye from China, Li Shanpeng from China and Mohamed Helmy from Egypt (L-R, top to bottom) who participated in the virtual performance of the Triumphal March. (Chinese Embassy in Egypt/Handout via Xinhua)

SINCERE COOPERATION

"The key to a virtual performance is remaining aligned and performing in rhythm," said Li Qiu, chief of the Liaoning Symphony Orchestra, who tried such a performance for the first time in over 30 years of his career as a musician.

"Usually, we have a conductor for a performance," Li said, adding that in terms of recording music at home, "it is difficult to step on every beat exactly. Some of us recorded like seven or eight times."

"The video brings me a lovely memory of Egyptian musicians," he said.

"The video-making requires coordination of many technical details," Shi said, adding that they had exchanged many emails and made a lot of phone calls to nail down details.

The time difference of six hours between Egypt and China and the unstable Internet in Cairo made the task even more difficult, Shi said.

It took nearly half a month to finish the complete video, Zhu said, which lasts one minute and 34 seconds.

"We recorded it repeatedly, and finally presented this complete work to everyone," Zhu said.

Saber told Xinhua in an email interview that he was deeply moved by the willingness of the artists of the two countries to jointly complete this performance and overcome all difficulties in a spirit of union and cooperation.

"The cooperation has created a grand feast for the two oldest civilizations in history," Saber said.

This combination of file pictures shows Chinese musicians Li Qiu, Niu Tianyuan, Jiang Haisheng and Bao Ning (L-R, top to bottom) who participated in the virtual performance of the Triumphal March. (Chinese Embassy in Egypt/Handout via Xinhua)

SHARING JOYS, SORROWS

After the video was posted online, "many of my colleagues congratulated me on the great significance of this cooperation," said Jiang Haisheng, principal second violin of the Liaoning Symphony Orchestra, who participated in the performance.

"My daughter, who is studying in Germany, gave a thumbs up for this special performance and said she was touched," Jiang added.

The video has attracted a lot of attention from Egyptian audiences after it was broadcast on the official websites of the Cairo Opera House and the Chinese Cultural Center on April 22.

The event is a vivid expression of cooperation and sincere friendship between the two peoples, said Egyptian Culture Minister Enas Abdel Dayem.

"Despite the geographical distance, we are sharing joys and sorrows," said Shi, adding that since the COVID-19 outbreak, China and Egypt have stood by each other and helped each other to overcome difficulties, which highlights the ever-growing friendship between the two countries.

"Best wishes for both Egypt and China!" Saber wrote.

(Xinhua reporters Lin Yan, Jiang Jie, Duan Minfu in Beijing, Jiang Zhaochen and Zhao Hongnan in Liaoning also contributed to the story.)

(Video reporters: Gu Kang, Xu Yang, Jiang Zhaochen, Wu Danni, Xin Jianqiang, Lin Yan, Jiang Jie, Duan Minfu, Zhao Hongnan; Video editor: Wu Yao)
Police officers will be knocking on the doors of 1,000 violent offenders in London in a bid to convince them to turn their lives around before the coronavirus lockdown ends.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick said officers were seizing the opportunity to prevent violence rising back up to previous levels when restrictions lift.

Speaking at a remote press conference on Wednesday, she said the pandemic had made it harder for criminals to operate on the streets.

It has provided a relief from violent crime for so many people and many criminals are being inhibited in their activities, she added.

We are absolutely determined to bear down on violence and prevent an escalation anywhere near back to previous levels.

Over the past six weeks in London, knife crime and gun crime have halved, gun discharges have fallen by three quarters, stabbings of under-25s by 69 per cent and personal robbery by 39 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.

Scotland Yard is attempting to capitalise on the unprecedented drop in crime to target gangs and seize their weapons and assets.

Police are also trying to prevent a return to pre-coronavirus levels of violence by policing hotspots and convincing known offenders to change their lives.

Officers have identified around 1,000 of Londons most prolific violent offenders and are to visit their homes twice to encourage them to join diversion activities.

Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: A lot of society has had to reset and its no different for these individuals - heres an opportunity for them to reset their lives.

A Metropolitan Police officer searching for hidden weapons during a week of action at the start of the UK's coronavirus lockdown in March (Metropolitan Police)

Theyre not on the streets as much, potentially re-engaging with family members and we want to make sure we give those individuals an opportunity.

The senior officer said most violent offenders have been victims themselves, and many may be feeling a sense of release from a violent and frightening world.

But Mr Ephgrave stressed that if they continue to commit crime, they will be prosecuted, adding: The message is very clear - heres your chance, take it. And if you dont there will be consequences.

Theyve probably got a little bit more capacity now  in all this horror they are able to get out there and lock up some bad people Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick

Police will also be conducting unpredictable high-visibility patrols around 250 micro hotspots that have been disproportionately affected by street violence and robbery.

Mr Ephgrave said officers aimed to maintain ownership of areas and not allow the previous levels of criminality to reassert themselves.

Since 13 March, officers have recovered 444 knives, 322 offensive weapons, 106 firearms and made 2,478 other seizures, including large quantities of drugs.

Machine guns are among the weapons uncovered by officers in a wave of operations against criminal gangs, and numerous vehicles including a Lamborghini have been taken off their hands.

More than 1,200 people have been arrested by specialist violence teams since February, including high-harm offenders and fugitives.

A green Lamborghini seized following county lines drug dealing raids in London on 12 May (Metropolitan Police)

More than 620 officers will make up new Violence Suppression Units dedicated to the activities, and 700 extra officers have joined the Metropolitan Police since September as part of a national recruitment drive.

Despite the decreasing number of people on the streets, Dame Cressida said the number of stop and searches had increased and the rate of weapons, drugs or other illegal items being found remained stable.

With officers being redeployed to the streets from other roles, such as airports and schools, she said larger numbers of police had been able to respond more quickly to incidents.

Theyve probably got a little bit more capacity now, she added. In all this horror they are able to get out there and lock up some bad people.

Dame Cressida said that the lockdown had caused tensions to decrease between some gang members as they have been spending less time on the streets.

But she warned of intelligence that some tensions are alive and well, and are being played out on social media and the streets.

The commissioner also acknowledged concerns that the job losses and societal tensions caused by a post-coronavirus recession could worsen some types of crimes.

She added: We do recognise it is likely that more people might be made homeless, and that there will perhaps be greater disparity in society and people could be feeling very angry about what happened.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, commended Scotland Yards drive against violence but said people should be under no illusion that the underlying causes have gone away.

He added: City Hall data has shown us there is a strong link between serious youth violence and Londoners affected by deprivation, poor mental health and poverty.

I am deeply concerned that these underlying causes could be made far worse by the current crisis and its economic consequences, which is why Ive written to the prime minister to ask for urgent action to support young people, youth services and police forces once the lockdown is lifted.
WASHINGTON - A U.S. judge on Tuesday put on hold the Justice Department's move to drop charges against Michael Flynn, saying he expects independent groups and legal experts to argue against the bid to exonerate President Donald Trump's former national security adviser of lying to the FBI.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan of the District of Columbia said he expects individuals and organizations will seek to intervene in the politically charged case.

Sullivan's order came after the government took the highly irregular step last Thursday of reversing its stance on Flynn's charges and embracing Flynn's move to dismiss his own guilty pleas.

Flynn was convicted in course of special counsel Robert Mueller III's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Flynn had initially repeated that he was guilty of lying, that no one had coerced him to admit his guilt and that he had no intention of taking back that plea. Flynn also said he took responsibility for wrongdoing that also culminated in his firing by Trump for misleading Vice President Mike Pence, White House aides and the public.

After Mueller's investigation into 2016 campaign interference closed last year, Flynn changed defense teams, began attacking prosecutors, and gained Trump's support despite initially cooperating against the White House by claiming he was entrapped in a partisan FBI and Justice Department conspiracy.

In January, Attorney General William Barr tapped Jeff Jensen, the U.S. attorney in St. Louis, to review how the case had been handled. Jensen said publicly last week that he recommended it be dropped, asserting that newly analyzed FBI reports and communications showed the bureau had no valid basis to question Flynn, and so any lies he told were not relevant to a criminal probe.

The Justice Department's attempts to dismiss the case last week prompted fresh accusations from law enforcement officials and Democrats that the criminal justice system was caving to political pressure from the Trump administration.

Sullivan said he will "at the appropriate time," set a schedule for outside parties to argue against the Justice Department's claims.

Sullivan's invitation could set the stage for an adversarial proceedings in which one or more attorneys argue against the Justice Department. It would also permit, if the judge chooses, to require sides to produce evidence and revisit the case for and against Flynn.

In an evidentiary hearing, Sullivan could call witnesses, such as Flynn, his investigators or even prosecutors, to obtain more facts about how the case was handled and why Flynn and agents took the steps they did.

Sullivan has not hesitated to personally question Flynn in court before, as he did during an abortive 2018 sentencing hearing, when he rejected a defense motion supported by the government for probation.
Ground zero in the battle against the coronavirus in Nebraska is shifting from meatpacking communities in less-populated areas of the state to Douglas and Lancaster counties and the cities of Omaha and Lincoln.

"The non-eastern part of the state is very, very stable at this time," Dr. Gary Anthone, the state's chief medical officer, said Tuesday during Gov. Pete Ricketts' daily coronavirus news briefing.

The current outbreak is "concentrated in the Douglas and Lancaster (county) area," he said.

Ricketts noted that testing for the virus has recently increased in both Omaha and Lincoln, and he said the state is prepared to "ramp that up higher" in both South Omaha and North Omaha, where coronavirus infection numbers have been growing.

South Omaha is home to the state's largest Latino community and the site of major meat-processing plants. North Omaha houses the state's largest black population.

As of Tuesday, Latinos made up 43% of Douglas Countys 1,715 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and Asians accounted for more than 15%. Both of those figures are more than three times the population share of each demographic in the county, the Associated Press reported.

Douglas County is nearly 70% white, but 77% of known COVID-19 cases in the county have occurred in people who are not white, officials said.

Adi Pour, the Douglas County Health Department director, said a high percentage of the county's minority populations work in jobs that put them in regular face-to-face contact with the public, increasing their risk.

The growing number of coronavirus cases in Lincoln and Lancaster County also has been affected by the virus spreading in meat-processing plants.

Looking at the current picture statewide, Anthone said, "we've definitely flattened the peak" that presumably still lies ahead.

"Especially as far as health care resources go, we've handled it great up to this time," he said.

Ricketts has focused on protecting the state's health care system so that hospital beds, space in intensive care units and ventilators are available to treat coronavirus patients.

The virus has been most lethal for elderly and compromised Nebraskans living in long-term care facilities. Sixty-two of the state's first 100 fatalities were residents of those long-term homes, Anthone noted.

By Tuesday evening, the state's death toll was at 103.

The elderly, the obese, and those with compromised pulmonary capacity are particularly vulnerable, Anthone said.

"It's all about lung capacity," he said.

Ricketts said the state will continue to accelerate its ramped-up testing for infection by the virus and it is adding Nebraskans 65 and older to its expanded testing program as priorities this week. Early priority testing centered on first responders.

Fielding a number of questions about future crowd and social distancing guidelines and restrictions that may be in effect in the state, Ricketts said he is not prepared to decide yet how to proceed with events such as county fairs, the Cornhusker State Games or community Fourth of July celebrations.

Current restrictions are effective through the month of May and will be reviewed moving into June, he said.

That includes the closure of bars that do not also serve food.

Col. John Bolduc, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said troopers have been actively engaged in helping battle the virus, working in tandem with the Nebraska National Guard and other agencies.

Traffic has been sharply reduced by the virus, he said.

And that has resulted in 177 motorists who were caught speeding down largely deserted highways at more than 100 mph, he said.

No officers have tested positive for the virus, Bolduc said, and neither have any "customers" who have been apprehended.

Ricketts said that when he went to his polling place in Omaha to cast his vote in the state's primary election Tuesday, he was the only voter there.

"Usually, there's a line," he said.

A record number of Nebraskans decided to cast their votes by mail this spring in the midst of the pandemic.

Photos: Lincoln during the pandemic

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon
[May 13, 2020] InnovaCare Health Continues Critical Member Support Initiatives During Pandemic

InnovaCare Health, a national leader in integrated and value-based healthcare services, shared updates today about the steps the company continues to take to support the company's more than 500,000 covered lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, InnovaCare Health quickly pivoted its business model to better serve members at home during coronavirus-related shutdowns. Through subsidiary MMM Healthcare, the largest Medicare Advantage (MA) plan in Puerto Rico and one of the top 10 largest plans in the country, the company is bringing members the essential items and products they need with several new initiatives: Prescriptions to Your Door. Partnering with more than 400 community pharmacies and drug stores, MMM has expanded its prescription delivery service to help members stay indoors during Puerto Rico's ongoing shutdown. In the first 6 weeks of the program alone, more than 79,000 prescriptions were delivered.

Partnering with more than 400 community pharmacies and drug stores, MMM has expanded its prescription delivery service to help members stay indoors during Puerto Rico's ongoing shutdown. In the first 6 weeks of the program alone, more than 79,000 prescriptions were delivered. OTC to Your Door. Similarly, the company began covering the delivery costs of over-the-counter supplies for members, who can place orders through a digital catalog in the MMM mobile app or by phone. The program has seen continued growth, and more than 110,000 deliveries were completed within the month of April.

Similarly, the company began covering the delivery costs of over-the-counter supplies for members, who can place orders through a digital catalog in the MMM mobile app or by phone. The program has seen continued growth, and more than 110,000 deliveries were completed within the month of April. MMM to Your Table. MMM is also offering grocery deliveries to provide members fresh foods like bread, meats, vegetables, dairy products and more. The company has partnered with the Puerto Rican Department of Agriculture to ensure each item in these grocery deliveries is exclusively sourced directly from local farmers, providing critical support to the local economy, in addition to improving the lives of members. "As the island's largest Medicare Advantage plan, we have a responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable citizens, an we are fortunate to be in a position to continue serving the people who count on us in new and innovative ways," said Orlando Gonzalez, President of MMM. "The entire MMM family has stepped up to the challenge and worked collaboratively to ensure our members can continue to access the resources they need to manage their health during these challenging times."



Data shows access to healthy foods and proper medications is a crucial determinant in managing chronic health conditions, particularly those prevalent among Puerto Rico's aging population, such as diabetes, obesity and heart failure. "Throughout our company's existence, InnovaCare has built a reputation for serving the populations that need us, when they need us most - and our commitment to the people we serve has never been more important than it is now," said Richard Shinto, M.D., President and CEO of InnovaCare. "In times of crisis, we rely on the ingenuity and innovative thinking of the entire InnovaCare family to re-imagine how we best serve the people who count on us every day. As the situation evolves, and we increase our understanding of what's ahead, we will continue to find new ways to meaningfully engage with our members and support them in their healthcare journey."

InnovaCare's relief efforts have also included extensive community and provider support. Since March, the company has donated more than 600,000 masks and gloves through MMM Healthcare and is distributing more than 60,000 rapid COVID-19 tests to healthcare agencies and providers across the island. "In moments of an unprecedented health emergency, the union between the different sectors, the government and private companies, are vital to raise the necessary aid for the people of Puerto Rico. MMM's response demonstrates its genuine commitment to the service and health of a people," Gov. Hon. Wanda Vazquez of Puerto Rico said in an official release thanking MMM Healthcare for the donation of rapid tests. About InnovaCare Health InnovaCare Health improves the lives of members and physicians through innovative solutions for value-based healthcare. In each unique market the company serves, InnovaCare works across the healthcare ecosystem - with patients, providers, payers and other partners - to increase access to high-quality, affordable care. Based in White Plains, N.Y., InnovaCare has been on the forefront of value-based care for more than a decade, distributing risk and developing proprietary technologies to inspire patient and provider engagement. Through an integrated portfolio of health plans, medical service organizations, clinical networks and more, the company manages more than 500,000 lives, including more than 150,000 dual-eligible beneficiaries. InnovaCare's Medicare Advantage plans have received NCQA accreditation and 4.5-star quality ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). For more information, please visit innovacarehealth.com or follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005229/en/

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Netflix has dropped the first trailer for its upcoming Jeffrey Epstein documentary.

Four part series 'Filthy Rich' will look into 'how convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein used his wealth and power to carry out his abuses', the online streaming giant says.

A new clip for the show features pictures of Epstein, 66, posing with Ghislaine Maxwell, the woman who has been accused procuring girls for the pedophile financier.

It also shows Prince Andrew with Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre. The trailer ends with her warning: 'The monsters are still out there. You took our freedom, now we're going to take yours.'

Roberts Giuffre claims Maxwell recruited her into the financier's circle before he forced her to have sex with his wealthy and powerful friends, including the royal, when she was 17. The prince has vehemently denied the claims.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre features in a new Netflix documentary about Jeffrey Epstein

Roberts Giuffre claims Maxwell recruited her into the financier's circle before he forced her to have sex with his wealthy and powerful friends, including the royal, when she was 17. The prince, pictured with Roberts Giuffre, has vehemently denied the claims.

Netflix's new series will also look to address questions over the billionaire's suicide in prison last August, asking: 'Did he kill himself? Was he killed?'

Epstein died in his New York City prison cell in August last year after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges.

He had pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing girls as young as 14 and young women in New York and Florida in the early 2000s. In lawsuits, women say the abuse spanned decades.

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich is directed by Lisa Bryant and based on James Patterson's bestseller of the same name. It will air on May 27.

Netflix says: 'Stories from survivors fuel this docuseries examining how convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein used his wealth and power to carry out his abuses.'

The trailer also shows flashes of his Caribbean estate dubbed 'pedophile island'.

It also hears from one talking head who calls his original conviction 'one of the worst failures of the criminal justice system' and shows Epstein posing with Donald Trump.

Epstein, 66, posing Ghislaine Maxwell, the woman accused of procuring him girls

Epstein first came under investigation in 2005 after police in Palm Beach, Florida, received reports he had sexually abused underage girls in his mansion there.

By 2007, Epstein was facing a potential federal indictment for sexually abusing dozens of girls between 1999 and 2007. Epstein struck a deal, however, to plead guilty in 2008 to a lesser Florida state felony prostitution charge, and register as a sex offender.

He served 13 months in a county jail, but was allowed to leave during the day to go to his office.

Epstein killed himself in his New York City prison cell in August last year after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges

Maxwell, who is said to be in hiding as the FBI's net closes around Epstein's circle, is said to be 'not convinced' her former lover killed himself.

'She is not convinced he killed himself. Who is? The only one is the medical examiner in New York,' the Sun reported a source close to Maxwell saying.

Maxwell has previously denied that she procured girls for Epstein or took part in any of his crimes.

Epstein's cause of death was ruled as a suicide by hanging by the New York coroner but an investigator hired by Epstein's estate said the scene was more consistent with murder.

A US prosecutor in January said Prince Andrew had provided 'zero cooperation' to the American investigators who want to interview him as part of their sex trafficking probe into Epstein.

Andrew announced last year that he was withdrawing from his royal duties amid renewed public attention on a Roberts Giuffre's claim that she had several sexual encounters with the prince at Epstein's behest, starting when she was 17.

Roberts Giuffre says that after meeting Epstein in Florida in 2000, the millionaire flew her around the world and pressured her into having sex with numerous older men, including Andrew, two senior U.S. politicians, a noted academic, wealthy financiers and the attorney Alan Dershowitz, who was part of President Donald Trump's impeachment defense team.

All of those men have denied the allegations.

An image from inside Jeffrey Epstein's luxury 75-acre estate, dubbed 'pedophile island'

Epstein first came under investigation in 2005 after police in Palm Beach, Florida, received reports he had sexually abused underage girls in his mansion there

Roberts Giuffre has said she had sex with Andrew three times, including once in London in 2001 at the home of Epstein's girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Andrew, who is eighth in line for the British throne, and Maxwell have both denied any knowledge that Epstein was sexually abusing teenage girls.

To date, the only people besides Epstein who were charged in connection with the scandal are two jail guards who were supposed to be monitoring Epstein the night he was found dead.

Both have been charged with falsifying the jail's log books to indicate they were performing checks on prisoners, when they were actually sleeping or browsing the internet.

Numerous women who said they were sexually abused by Epstein as teenagers have claimed in lawsuits and interviews that he got help recruiting young girls from both Maxwell and several assistants.
Megachurch Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne meets with Sheriff who had him arrested

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Leader of Revival International Ministries and The River at Tampa Bay Church in Florida, Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne, appears to be mending fences with Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister who had him arrested in March for hosting in-person church services during the coronavirus pandemic.

Howard-Browne, who had warned that Chronister would have to deal with Jesus" for his decision to arrest him, announced in a post on Facebook on April 29 that he met with the sheriff at his home and discussed plans to reopen the county.

Breaking News: So honored to meet with Sheriff Chad Chronister today! He came to our house and met with @adonicashowardbrowne and I. We had a great lunch together. We discussed the way forward in the opening up of Hillsborough County and the role of the @rivertampabay River Church in cooperation with the Hillsborough County Sheriffs department. Its time to get our County back to normalcy - thank you Sheriff Chronister, he wrote.

Chronister confirmed the meeting in a statement to the Tampa Bay Times.

I met with Pastor Howard-Browne to discuss the future, not the past, the sheriff said. We have committed to moving forward together.

The megachurch pastor was arrested in March for what officials said was the violation of a "safer-at-home" order, which prohibited large worship services during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. His arrest order shows that he was charged with unlawful assembly and violation of public health emergency rules, which are both second-degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a maximum fine of $500.

The charges are being contested on the megachurch pastors behalf by Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family.

At the time of Howard-Brownes arrest, Chronister  who had previously appeared at the pastors church as a guest of honor during his Sheriff Appreciation Day  called the pastors decision to hold in-person worship services reckless.

"Our goal is not to stop people from worshiping," Chronister said at a news conference, "but the safety and well-being of our community must always come first.

"Its a shame that someone has taken advantage of this. For whatever reason, I just dont understand it. The only reason I can see is its a reckless reason  to put your parishioners in jeopardy," the sheriff said.

Many Floridians were upset about Howard-Brownes arrest, Florida Politics reported, and Brian Boswell, a former Hillsborough County Sheriffs detective, has filed to run against Chronister for his position. Boswell served 25 years with HCSO but was forced out of his position after disciplinary action dating back to 2014 triggered a demotion, reduction in pay, suspensions and ultimately his job, the publication noted.

Howard-Browne said Chronister will be at his church as soon as it's open for worship services again.

Sheriff Chad will be there on the opening Sunday when we restart in-house meetings. We will keep you posted as to when that will be, Howard-Browne noted.




One of Australia's most notorious sex offenders has died in custody, after being held in isolation for 15 years following a depraved attack on a female prison tutor.

Paul Stephen Keating, who died on Tuesday aged 60, raped his tutor at Bunbury Prison in Western Australia in 2005.

He trapped his terrified victim inside a prison storage room for six hours, doused her in lighter fluid and raped her at knifepoint.

It was one of a string of attacks against female prison staff, after attacking one worker at Casuarina prison in 1992.

At the time he was already serving a life sentence and indeterminate sentence for other horrific attacks dating back to 1979.

The sickening attack in 2005 sparked an overhaul of how dangerous sexual predators are managed in custody.

Police prosecutor Linda Petrusa once said 'the extent of rehabilitation of this man is zero,' and labelled him a 'sadistic narcissist'.

Paul Stephen Keating has been held in isolation at Casuarina Prison's Special Handling Unit (pictured) since 2005

He was held in maximum security at Casuarina Prison's Special Handling Unit since the horrifying incident.

Sources told The West Australian only male guards were permitted to go near Keating.

'He was just considered too dangerous and could never be in contact with any females,' the source said.

'He certainly contributed to the restrictive regimes that operated within the Special Handling Unit.'

Described as one of the facility's 'worst inmates' he had very limited contact with other prisoners and was normally only let out of his cell by himself.

He was first convicted of rape in 1977 at just 17 years of age after attacking a nurse.

Although Keating served time in jail for the crime, he was let out on overnight work release in 1979 when he raped and threatened to kill another woman.

In 1984, Keating escaped from prison and violated two more women while threatening them with an air rifle.

In 2005, Keating trapped a female prison worker in a storage room raped her at knifepoint (pictured, a crowded cell in Bunbury Prison where the attack occurred)

Despite being convicted and locked up, the sex predator was able to strike again while behind bars.

In an eerily similar attack to 2005, Keating set upon another prison worker at Casuarina in 1992.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman said Keating, who had recently undergone a heart by-pass told prison guards he was feeling unwell.

'Arrangements were made for St John Ambulance attendance and before paramedics arrived, prison staff had to commence administering CPR,' she said.

'The prisoner was transferred by ambulance to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

'Under the Coroners Act, his death will be treated as a "death in custody" and subject to an investigation by the WA Police Force.'
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Camgrandest, 12, who starred in Kentucky over the past decade and earned more than $300,000 on the racetrack, passed away on Friday, May 8 at Dragonsmeade Farm in Winchester, Ky.

A son of Cambest, Camgrandest was bred and owned by Janet Banks. Camgrandest earned more than $90,000 each of his first two years of racing. At two, Camgrandest won the Kentucky Fair final and was second in the $300,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final, and at three he again was second in the $250,000 KYSS final.

Camgrandest was trained primarily by Randy Jerrell, but saw Jeff Smith and Sam Coven take over the conditioning duties when the pacer raced away from the Bluegrass State. Camgrandest took his mark of 1:50.4 as a seven-year-old in 2015 at the Red Mile. A former Red Mile Horse of the Year, Camgrandest retired at the end of 2018 with $304,369 in earnings.

Camgrandest bred to the Kentucky champion mare Ohmybelle last year, and the mare recently delivered a colt.

Banks said Camgrandest was bred back to Ohmybelle on May 8 and shortly afterward died as a result of an aneurysm in his paddock.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Camgrandest.

(Harnessracing.com)
As Donald Trump continues to target the Democratic Partys long-held advantage among black American voters, the Biden campaign was hoping its rollout of the Lift Every Voice plan, discernibly branded to black voters, would stimulate the base that arguably saved him during the Democratic Presidential Primary. But upon examination, Bidens proposal has no substance, misses the point, and offers nothing but the same failed liberal policies empirically known to destabilize the black community while avoiding our biggest concerns.

First, Bidens proposal ignores the role illegal immigration has had on disadvantaged black Americans.

Bidens proposal boldly claims he will close racial wealth and income gaps. But he plans to do that during a presidency that would roll back an immigration-labor framework which prioritizes American workers first, something that has been a boon to black workers.

If theres one thing the Biden campaign and Democrats at large love to do, it's conflating the black and brown condition in America. Homogenizing issues central to black Americans as a singular approach for people of color ignores the ways that lax immigration policies have left certain black populations vulnerable to its consequences. While uncomfortable for the left to admit, its consensus knowledge that liberal immigration policies have had an adverse effect on black wealth. As the supply of low-skilled, low-wage labor became available in the U.S. labor market, Black wealth declined.

Approximately 60% adult black men have a high school diploma or less, making them disproportionately employed in low-skilled labor markets, where they are more likely to be in competition with immigrants. You dont have to be a rocket scientist to understand how illegal immigration over the past forty years has depressed wages for low-skilled American citizens, a disproportionate number of whom are black men.

The policy wonks who work for Joe Biden have to know that there is no addressing black wealth inequality without addressing the ways that illegal immigration has systemically undercut the black community. Considering the platform of the Democratic party, addressing illegal immigration in the ways needed to resolve black wealth inequality is an impossibility. Bidens proposal not only ignores the problem but intensifies it by aiming to spend billions of federal dollars to create more housing projects in distressed communities. Empirically, these projects simply create more flashpoints for violence as these projects end up being dominated by street gangs that have evolved (for worse) as a result of the emergence of Latin gangs and their conflicts with the black community.

Bidens proposal is called the Lift Every Voice plan, but you cant lift black voices as theyre being drowned out by the needs of illegal immigrants who seem to have supplanted African-Americans as the Democratic Partys preferred audience to pander to.

Secondly, prosperity for black Americans is contingent on prosperity for all Americans, and Bidens plan to raise taxes will likely kill prosperity across the board.

The Joe Biden campaign claims black businesses would flourish by reinstating old Obama and Clinton era tax-credit policies while rolling back the reforms President Trump made that saw the country shatter economic records. He pledges to double funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative which he says helped black businesses under President Obama but even Obamas fiercest supporters look back at his presidency wondering why these initiatives did nothing tangible for the black economy. The plan makes no mention of how these tax credits helped in the past or would help now, while also neglecting to explain how the credits would function differently from President Trumps Urban Revitalization plan , which is already in full swing and having an impact on capital mobility. New income, payroll, and capital gains taxes to pay for a litany of government-funded programs and the permanent expansion of the New Markets Tax Credit will simply be another letdown for the black community, as the 15% estimated market reduction of Bidens tax proposal will likely be a dark shadow on the market, preventing all growth.

Despite the economic downtown caused by the pandemic, Joe Biden has pledged to eliminate tax reform achieved under the Trump presidency, creating an environment that will make it very hard for all businesses to survive, including black-owned ones.

The coronavirus has undoubtedly stolen President Trumps economic edge as a tool of persuasion to the black community but the Lift Every Voice plan gives the President another opportunity to regain it by exploiting this weakness of Bidens. There is simply no way the former vice-president is going to be able to justify the success of this plan as opposed to the pro-business environment most black Americans enjoyed before the COVID-19 pandemic. Black unemployment hit its lowest points in years and the White Houses Urban Revitalization program created optimism where there wasnt.

A recent poll shows that despite President Trump being less popular than Biden head to head, a majority of Americans believe he is better suited to create jobs. The market likely thinks similarly and if it were to rebound, a Biden victory and perceived incoming taxes could tank investor confidence. Given the fact that statistically speaking, black voters have had the most to lose from the COVID downturn, the economy will likely weigh heavily in their decision. The Lift Every Voice plan was supposed to stimulate trust in Bidens economic plan but clearly it promises much more than it can deliver.

Third, this plan just reeks of, well, Joe Biden.

Perhaps the most glaring problem with Bidens so-called plan to empower black America is the fact that its based on a realm of failed neoliberal policies with the same concept: the government will fix it this time, we promise.

The idea that a Biden White House would mark the end of government corruption while making it more transparent and efficient in the process is a dream weve been sold before. If Joe Biden being in the White House is such an advantage for the black community, why wasnt it so when Biden was there for nearly a decade? The entire tone of Bidens plan is that the black community will have some financial renaissance moment because ol Joe has finally seized the reins of power. But Biden has been at the highest levels in power in Washington for over 40 years.

The more one delves into Bidens plan to revitalize black America, the more it becomes obvious that this is merely a distraction or ploy to make up for his campaigns lack of black engagement at a time when the Trump campaign even beat Biden to the punch on turning black engagement virtual.

Even the rollout of the policy questions its sincerity. Not only does the link to the policy initially take you to a landing page to donate to his campaign, but its wording is extravagant and it lacks necessary implementation specifics. Even the name of the policy plays with complicated emotions and history. Lift Every Voice and Sing is the name of a song widely viewed as a Black national anthem of sorts dating back to its inception during a crucial time for black Americans as they dealt with the turmoil and hatred of Jim Crow replacing slavery. Its a song endorsed by Booker T. Washington that was used during a time when Democrats wreaked havoc on black Americans with institutional racism.

Given Bidens friendship with Jim Crow apologist and former senator Strom Thurman and with the wounds of Bidens controversial 1994 crime law being fresh, you would think Joe Biden might steer away from claiming such a rich part of black history as his own. The so-called Lift Every Voice plan dismally falls short. There may not have been so much of an eye roll from the black establishment media on this proposal, but given their ties to the Democratic National Committee I wouldnt hold my breath on waiting for criticism. But social amplification online is already speaking volumes.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Berlin, Germany  Wed, May 13, 2020 15:33 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7c8aa8 2 Business TUI,tourism,travel,COVID-19,layoffs,unemployment Free

The world's biggest tourism group TUI said Wednesday it planned to slash 8,000 jobs in a bid to cut costs as the industry struggles to stay afloat with travel severely curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30 percent across the entire Group," said TUI of the cuts affecting one in ten jobs.

"This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced."

Highlighting the impact of the crisis, the group reported a net loss of 763.6 million euros for its second quarter to March.

To halt transmission of the coronavirus, many countries have slammed borders shut and banned tourism, leaving planes grounded and cruise ships idle at ports while hotels are left empty.

To survive the crisis, TUI had sought a lifeline from the government, signing a deal in early April for a 1.8 billion euros state-guaranteed loan to keep it afloat.

It is one of the biggest examples of German companies making use of a huge government rescue package aimed at cushioning the impact of the pandemic on Europe's top economy.

The German government has promised "unlimited" credit to help companies weather the coronavirus storm.
SAO PAULO, May 13 (Reuters) - Japan's SoftBank Group Corp , a shareholder in some of Latin America's largest food delivery companies, expects consolidation in most markets, a senior executive said on Wednesday.

"It's difficult to have more than two players in the food delivery area, there will be global consolidation", Paulo Passoni, managing investment partner in Softbank's Latin America Fund, said in a webcast hosted by Brazilian digital broker XP Inc.

He spoke a day after reports from Reuters and other media that Uber Technologies Inc, partly owned by SoftBank, was in talks to buy online food delivery company Grubhub Inc.

SoftBank's Latin America Fund is also a shareholder in Rappi, founded in Colombia. In addition Softbank is a shareholder in Chinese ride hailing company Didi, whose Didi Eats unit has had high growth in Mexico, Passoni added.

Passoni said the novel coronavirus pandemic has made him "more comfortable" with SoftBank's portfolio in Latin America, as most of its stakeholdings are experiencing higher demand thanks to social distancing measures and growing digitalization of Latin American economies.

Digital wallets and online banks are booming, Passoni said, because most e-commerce and delivery companies do not accept cash. SoftBank's Latin America fund has a stake in Brazilian digital bank Banco Inter SA.

(Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Alabama hospitals with at least one coronavirus patient are being given an experimental drug to treat COVID-19, the state Health Department said Tuesday.

Remdesivir, an experimental drug developed through research mainly conducted at UAB, was donated by drug maker Gilead Sciences to the federal government and was received in Alabama on Tuesday. The drug is being shipped to hospitals in the state overnight, the health department said.

This is a relatively new drug and it shows a great deal of promise," Assistant State Health Officer Dr. Karen Landers told AL.com.

Gilead donated about 607,000 vials of remdesivir to treat some 78,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients across the country, although its unclear exactly how many vials were sent to Alabama. Because of limited availability, the state is making remdesivir available to hospitals with at least one patient that meets the criteria to be treated with the drug, Landers said.

Alabamians with severe disease," or those with low blood oxygen levels or those who need oxygen or a ventilator, are eligible to be treated with remdesivir.

Early results show the drug aids in speeding up recovery from COVID-19 but there is not enough data to suggest whether it reduces mortality, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Could llamas save the world?

Maybe.

Sort of depends on how bad coronavirus really is. What we know, so far, is that COVID-19 can be a killer with more than 83,000 deaths now reported in the United States as of Tuesday.

But it really could be llamas to the rescue.

According to a report in the scientific journal Cell, researchers from the United States, Germany and Belgium believe that llama antibodies could be coronavirus killers. At least, that is, compared to our own antibodies.

Apparently, the famous, big, spitting furballs are go-to allies in the fight against viruses with scientists reportedly looking at their antibodies as ways to fight against the Flu and HIV. And, according to Health.com, scientists had already started researching llama antibodies and how they fight against different coronaviruses as far back as 2016.

Heres the good, early news, as it pertains to llamas and COVID-19. According to the report, the llama antibodies are getting the job done when placed in cell cultures with COVID-19, neutralizing the virus.

The key, Health.com wrote, is that while humans produce only one type of antibody, llamas produce two. One of those, it said, is similar in size to our antibodies and one that is smaller and potentially better able to recognize and attack COVID-19.

And, perhaps, the biggest key, according to the story, is that llama antibodies can be easily manipulated, meaning they can be fused with other human antibodies and remain stable.

Theres hope here, but the article points out that this is very new.

It could still be months away, Health.com wrote, but llama antibodies could eventually be used to protect frontline workers from getting the virus and, perhaps, help us in the fight to get ahead of the virus.
A German court's "very harsh decision" to rule against the European Central Bank seems to be "solvable" from a monetary policy perspective but raises political challenges for the region, a former member of the Bundesbank told CNBC Wednesday.

The German constitutional court said last week that certain aspects of the ECB's toolkit were illegal under German law. The ruling surprised policymakers across Europe and raised questions about whether the central bank will be able to pursue its monetary policy stance.

Speaking to CNBC Wednesday, Andreas Dombret, a former member of the executive board at the German central bank, said the issue seems "absolutely solvable" between the ECB and the Bundesbank.

However, "the biggest implication I see is for European politics going forward," he said.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, is looking at whether to sue the German government in relation to the court's ruling.

In a statement, issued Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a German national, said: "We are now analysing the ruling of the German Constitutional Court in detail. And we will look into possible next steps, which may include the option of infringement proceedings."

There are wider questions about the stability of the euro zone and whether EU countries that have standoffs with European institutions, such as Hungary and Poland, will use the German ruling to challenge European law.

"We need to come back to a common understanding of what we want regardless of this decision of the German Constitutional Court," Dombret said.

He added that the last six months of the year might be a good opportunity to address the future of the European Union  which is when Germany hosts the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe, meaning the country will have a determinant role in shaping the debate and policymaking in Brussels.
Fifteen more people tested



positive for COVID-19 on Monday in Assam, taking the total cases in the state to 79, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

All the 15 had come in contact with a migrant worker who tested positive for the disease on Monday.

Out of the total 79 cases, 37 are active while one who tested positive in the state has moved to Bihar, two died and 39 others have been cured and discharged.

"15 persons are tested #COVID19 + in Kamrup Metro. All are related to patient from Guwahati's Fancy Bazaar, who tested + recently. All under quarantine and please don't panic," the minister tweeted.

The total number of cases in Guwahati city has risen to 22, including a 16-year-old girl who was detected to be positive after her death.

The Kamrup (Metro) district administration has declared a part of Fancy Bazaar as a containment zone and shut down the municipal market complex in the area. Guwahati city now has six containment zones.

Meanwhile, six buses from Delhi with 163 students on board and one bus from Chennai carrying 24 cancer patients and attendants reached Guwahati on Wednesday, Sarma said.

After receiving the returnees, the minister said they would have to go for a 14-day quarantine.

Six buses carrying 137 passengers, mostly cancer patients and their attendants, arrived from Mumbai on Tuesday and they were quarantined in a hotel.

More than 21,000 tests have been conducted in the seven laboratories in the state so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five people were killed and one was injured when armed men of Fulani origin attacked Makyali village in Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA), Kaduna state, Nigeria, in the early hours of 13 May.

Luka Paymaster, 80, Yaki Luka, 40, Francis Daniel, 37, Akilu Aruwa, 45 and Laraba Danmori, 70, died in the attack, which began at around 6.30am. The attack occurred hours after Fulani assailants had murdered a man and his wife in Katul village on the evening of 12 May. Both villages are located along the Kaduna-Kachia road, and the killings occurred despite the imposition of a COVID-19 related lockdown, and a military presence in the area.

Also on 12 May, 53-year-old Bomboi Abinfada was killed and one person was injured during an attack on Idanu-Doka village at around 4pm, and another person was injured in an assault on Ungwan Rana-Doka village.

The attacks on Katul, Idanu-Doka and Ungwan Rana-Doka occurred on the same day that victims of an armed assault by Fulani assailants on the Gona Rogo community were buried in a mass grave. On 11 May at least seventeen people were killed, six were injured, food stores were destroyed, and homes burnt during an attack on the predominantly Baptist community that began at 11.30pm. Among the victims was the entire family of Jonathan Yakubu, 40, who was hacked to death along with his wife Sheba Yakubu, 32, and their children Patience, 13, Revelation, 6, and Rejoice, 4. Seven of the victims were minors.

Individuals gathered at mass burial in the Gona Rogo community

According to the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) one of the survivors is a six-month old baby who was hit in the head by the bullet that killed his mother. He was initially taken to a nearby hospital, where the bullet was removed, and was subsequently transferred to the state capital for further treatment. Survivors informed SOKAPU that a neighbouring Fulani community which had been in the area for 40 years quietly left the night before the attack occurred.

These attacks are the latest in a series of coordinated assaults on Christian communities in the southern part of Kaduna state by armed assailants of Fulani origin which continue despite the imposition of a COVID-19 related lockdown. CSW Nigeria has documented 11 attacks by Fulani militia across 5 LGAs between the time a total lockdown came into effect on 25 March, and the morning of 12 May. 38 people had been killed and around 133 houses destroyed in the attacks launched within that timeframe.

Communities in neighbouring Plateau state are experiencing similar organised attacks during lockdown. For example, on 5 May, three armed assailants reportedly of Fulani origin, broke into the home of Rev. Bayo James Famonure , headmaster of Messiah College and leader of Calvary Mission (CAPRO) and Agape Missions, in Gana Ropp, Barkin Ladi LGA and shot him in the forehead and leg. His wife Naomi was shot in the back, and their sons Aduaa and Victor were shot in the feet. All are reported to be recovering well.

Mass burial of victims

Following the attack in Gona Rogo, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil rights advocacy organisation, called for the resignation or removal of Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, and the arrest and prosecution of the Fulani assailants. HURIWA also called on the Kaduna state and federal governments to supply relief materials to survivors as a matter of urgency, and to strengthen security in Kajuru LGA, adding that ineffective action to end the attacks had emboldened the perpetrators. The organisation expressed fears of impending anarchy if no effective action is taken to end the attacks, as the victims may be left with no option than to take the law into their own hands.

CSWs Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: We condemn these deplorable acts of violence against innocent civilians, and are deeply perplexed they continue to occur, even in an area where security is already deployed. Almost daily we receive reports of horrific armed assaults on vulnerable Christian communities which appear to remain unaddressed. The impunity with which perpetrators are able to launch these attacks, is unacceptable. It is either a sign of an unwillingness to protect these communities on account of their religion or belief, or a telling indictment of the governments inability to fulfil its primary purpose of securing the lives and livelihoods of Nigerian citizens. We call on the authorities both at state and federal levels to take visible and immediate steps to protect these communities and to pursue, disarm, arrest and prosecute the assailants. These attacks, which also occur in the south of the country, gravely threaten the unity and security of this multi faith and multi-ethnic nation at a time when Nigeria is already dealing with terrorist insurgencies, the collapsing oil price and the fall out of the COVID-19 Pandemic. If left unaddressed, they could eventually spark a conflagration that will be extremely difficult to contain.
COLUMBUS, OhioA divided Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a 2015 law allowing the state to temporarily take over leadership of struggling school districts in Youngstown and other cities.

Chief Justice Maureen OConnor, in the courts lead opinion, held that the law doesnt violate the Ohio Constitutions provision for city school boards, as the Youngstown City School District Board argued in its legal challenge. OConnor also ruled that the way the Ohio General Assembly passed the law  through a surprise overhaul of the bill that was passed by both the House and Senate later the same day  is constitutional.

Under House Bill 70, any school district that receives failing grades on state report cards three years in a row were put under the control of an "academic-distress commission, which hired a chief executive officer to run the district.

Three districts  in Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland  have been placed under state control. Eleven other districts around the state, including the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, are at risk of a takeover, though lawmakers voted in 2019 to create a moratorium on new academic-distress commissions,

In its suit, the Youngstown school district  joined by a number of teacher and school staff labor unions  argued that HB 70 wrongly stripped local school boards of power granted to them in the Ohio Constitution.

The suit also claimed that the tactics used to hurriedly pass the bill  which was secretly worked out in advance by Republican lawmakers and then-Gov. John Kasich  violated the Ohio Constitutions provision that Every bill shall be considered by each house on three different days unless legislators vote to suspend the rules (which they did not do in this case).

But OConnor, in her decision, stated that the state constitution only directs that voters can decide how a school board can be set up and does not require that any specific power or authority be vested in the school board.

OConnor added: The General Assembly, therefore, may lawfully influence the authority of school boards in any manner of ways, large and small.

The chief justice also ruled that the way HB 70 was passed met the Ohio Constitutions requirement that each bill must be considered by each house on three different days. Even though the main provisions of the bill were inserted at the last minute and rushed through the legislature, OConnor noted that the bill was considered three different times and that the changes made "no vital alterations to the legislation.

Justice Pat Fischer joined OConnors opinion.

Justice Sharon Kennedy, in a separate opinion joined by Justice Pat DeWine, agreed with OConnors conclusions. But on the point about whether the legislature considered the bill on three separate days, Kennedy argued that the courts dont have power to enforce that or any other rule about how the legislature enacts laws -- just on the constitutionality of the laws the legislature enacts.

Justice Judith French also upheld the constitutionality of HB 70, but she wrote her own opinion arguing that the court's 1985 ruling establishing that the Supreme Court could invalidate a law for not meeting the legislatures three different days requirement was wrongly decided and should be overturned.

Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart, the two Democrats on the court, strongly dissented in separate opinions. Donnelly called the way HB 70 was passed a travesty of justice and asserted that the Republicans on the court had a willful disregard of the facts and superficial treatment of precedent. Stewart, in her opinion, called the majority ruling a complete abdication of this courts responsibility as the guardian of the Constitution.

Here are the full opinions:

Read more Ohio politics and government stories:

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Ohio lawmakers look to push forward a flurry of important, non-coronavirus bills this week

Lake County gyms, legal group file suit to force state to lift coronavirus closure order

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With Ohio bailout law secured, FirstEnergy Solutions successor moves to increase share buybacks by $300 million
Education is a hot topic this Legislative session. Here's what bills we're watching.

Here are some of the hot-button education bills were tracking at the Argus Leader. Check back each day to see where they stand as we update.
Saudi Arabia said it would add to existing cuts by reducing output another one million bpd next month.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday after OPECs de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, said it would increase supply curbs in June. Meanwhile, other members of the oil-producing group said they want to extend the deep cuts reached in April for a longer period than originally agreed.

OPEC and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, decided in April to cut output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) for May and June in response to the 30 percent worldwide drop in fuel demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The group was expected to curtail that reduction to eight million bpd, but sources told Reuters they instead expect OPEC to maintain the larger reduction.

United States West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures settled at $25.78 a barrel, up $1.64, or 6.8 percent. Brent crude futures settled at $29.98 a barrel, gaining 35 cents, or 1.2 percent.

On Tuesday, four sources told Reuters that OPEC and its allies want to maintain the 9.7 million bpd cut beyond June, when the OPEC group is next due to meet.

They dont want to reduce the size of the cuts, one OPEC source told Reuters.

Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it would add to existing cuts by reducing output another one million bpd next month, slashing total production to 7.5 million bpd, down nearly 40 percent from April.

The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait also committed to slashing an extra 180,000 bpd in total, adding to reductions the producers agreed to under a deal between OPEC and its allies.

The idea that the Saudis and Kuwaitis and the UAE said that theyre going to enact deeper cuts than they initially agreed upon is helping the market find support, said Gene McGillian, vice president of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut.

Kazakhstan has ordered producers in large and mid-sized oil fields to cut output by about 22 percent in May to June, while output from Russias top oil region in western Siberia is expected to fall by 15 percent this year, in line with the OPEC deal.

The US Energy Information Administration said it expects worldwide demand for oil to drop by 8.1 million bpd to 92.6 million bpd, a sharp revision from its previous report. It also cut its expectations for US supply in 2020, now seeing a drop of 540,000 bpd to 11.69 million bpd, and said total world supply would be 95.2 million bpd.

US crude producing states have logged output cuts, as collapsing prices prompted independent and integrated producers to reduce operations. US crude futures have lost roughly 60 percent so far this year.

US crude oil inventories rose last week while petrol stocks fell, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed.

Crude inventories rose by 7.6 million barrels to 526.2 million barrels, API said, a build that exceeded analysts expectations for 4.1 million barrels. Petrol stocks fell by 1.9 million barrels, a draw that was shy of the 2.2 million barrels analysts had predicted.

US Energy Information Administration storage data is due on Wednesday.
Theyre not in the traditional classroom these days, but that doesnt mean they shouldnt be recognized for the great work theyve done there and the work they continue to do remotely.

Thats the Pennsylvania Department of Educations stance on teaching in the age of coronavirus. And despite all schools statewide being shut down for the remainder of the academic year, the department isnt going to shirk recognizing the best people who teach for those schools.

On Tuesday, the 12 finalists for 2021 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year were announced, and one of those finalists is an Easton Area School District teacher.

Kerri Lynn Markert, a kindergarten teacher at Paxinosa Elementary School, is the only teacher from the Lehigh Valley who made the list. We wont learn until December if shes picked as the winner.

Paxinosa Principal Elise M. Jones told lehighvalleylive.com that Markert has been with the district for three years and is the lead teacher in the schools summer program for incoming kindergarten students.

Mrs. Markert is truly deserving of this recognition and we are so lucky to have her on our Paxinosa and EASD team, Jones said.

Pennsylvania Education Secretary Pedro A. Rivera says in a statement that all the finalists bring an extraordinary level of commitment and professionalism to their jobs.

Teachers impact students far beyond the traditional classroom, connecting with them and inspiring them during some of our most difficult times, says Rivera. "We witnessed that extraordinary commitment this spring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with educators stepping up to make sure students and communities are fed, comforted and educated.

Gov. Tom Wolf initially ordered schools on March 23 to be closed through April 6. On March 30, he announced that all schools would be closed to in-person instruction for an indefinite time period, which later was clarified to mean through the end of the school year.

The other 11 finalists are:

Andrea Baney - Danville Area School District (Montour & Northumberland counties)

Debra Barrick - Selinsgrove Area School District (Snyder County)

Nicole Darroch - Ambridge Area School District (Beaver County)

Kathleen Dickensheets - Hampton Township School District (Allegheny County)

Jessica Fellin - Penns Valley Area School District (Centre County)

Gerald Kaplan - Loyalsock Township School District (Lycoming County)

Caitlin Keiper - New Hope-Solebury School District (Bucks County)

Denise Leigh - McGuffey School District (Washington County)

Elizabeth Raff - Penn Manor School District (Lancaster County)

Katie Wisnosky - Tunkhannock Area School District (Wyoming County)

Hollie Woodard - Council Rock School District (Bucks County)

A news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Education explains how the nomination process works:

Nominations were submitted by students, parents, peers, and members of the community wishing to honor and recognize educator achievements both inside and outside the classroom.

The finalists must be prepared to effectively carry out the duties of the states Teacher of the Year, including being Pennsylvanias nominee for the National Teacher of the Year.

PennLive.com contributed to this report.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Nick Falsone can be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com.
The Verkhovna Rada changed the working schedule on March 16; for almost two months, there were no plenary sessions held in the session hall

The session of the Verkhovna Rada Open source

The Ukrainian Parliament will abandon the quarantine on May 18. 251 MPs supported the bill submitted by David Arakhamia, the head of the parliamentary faction of Servant of the People party (with 226 votes necessary to pass, - 112 International).

The parliament session was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV channel.

The Verkhovna Rada changed the working schedule on March 16; for almost two months, there were no plenary sessions held in the session hall. The MPs worked in committees.

Earlier, Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko turned to the government, asking to resume the work of the underground in the Ukrainian capital. "Today, when more and more people get back to their work, there's a collapse going on in the city. And we will insist on the resuming of the underground's work", he said. Klitschko insisted that citizens still should observe Heathcare Ministry's recommendations to avoid further spread of Covid-19. According to him, the underground should be working in the usual mode, which would lift the excessive load on the transport network and let all public transport work normally.
UpKeep, a Los Angeles, CA-based platform for maintenance and operations teams, raised $36M in Series B funding.

The round was led by Insight Partners with participation from existing investors Emergence Capital, Battery Ventures, Y Combinator, Mucker Capital, and Fundersclub.

The company intends to use the funds to invest in their teams, communities, and products to scale operations.

Founded in 2014 by Ryan Chan, CEO, UpKeep provides a platform for frontline and deskless technicians to manage their work and collaborate by replacing tedious paperwork and outdated systems with a mobile app. Customers span 61 countries and range from local small businesses to large corporations, including many essential businesses such as manufacturing plants, hospitals, and wastewater treatment facilities Notable brands include Unilever, Siemens, DHL, Thermo Fisher Scientific, McDonalds and Jet.com.

FinSMEs

13/05/2020
An "outstanding" Indian-origin woman doctor has died in the north-east of England after a long battle with the deadly coronavirus.

Dr Poornima Nair, a 55-year-old Keralite from Delhi worked at the Station View Medical Centre in Bishop Auckland in County Durham of England.

She died at the University Hospital of North Tees Hospital at Stockton-on-Tees after a long battle with COVID-19.

Nair is believed to be the tenth General Practitioner (GP) to die on the frontlines of the UK's medical community fighting the coronavirus. The highly contagious infection has claimed the lives of over 32,000 people in the country.

The practice is very sorry to announce to our patients the death of our much loved and valued colleague and friend Dr Poornima Nair, the medical centre said in a message.

Dr Nair passed away after a prolonged COVID-19 illness, which she fought with her great strength of character. We are all devastated and upset by this tragic and hope you will join with us in our thoughts and prayers, it said.

Tributes have been pouring in for the doctor on social media from friends, colleagues and others known to the general practitioner (GP).

She had been on ventilator support for a few days before she succumbed to the disease this week.

Dr Nair was a well-known and extremely valued member of our community, serving as a doctor at Station View Medical Centre. She will be heavily missed by all that knew her, and my thoughts and prayers go out to her friends, family, and colleagues at this sad time, the local Bishop Auckland MP, Dehenna Davison, said in a Facebook post.

One of Nair's many patients thanked her for saving her mother's life.

She wrote: "Rest in Peace Dr Nair. Absolutely outstanding doctor. Saved my mum's life 10 years ago without doubt, after undiagnosed life-threatening illness.

"Our whole family will always be grateful to you for ensuring my mom saw the rest of her life. I'm so sad yours has been cut short. Sending all our love to your family and work colleagues who will no doubt be missing you already."



A former colleague added: It's so sad to hear such sad I worked alongside Dr Nair for over seven years at Station View.

This is devastating My thoughts go out to all of her family, friends and colleagues.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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OTTAWA - A national Indigenous organization that represents First Nations, Inuit and Metis living off-reserve and in urban centres is taking the federal government to court over what it alleges is "inadequate and discriminatory funding" for the COVID-19 response.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Robert Bertrand, national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, addresses a news conference along with Francyne Joe, right, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada, at a meeting of Canadian premiers and Indigenous leaders at Le Pays de la Sagouine, a recreated historic Acadian village, in Bouctouche, N.B. on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has filed an application in the Federal Court of Canada, challenging the funding allocation of $250,000 it received as part of a COVID-19 fund earmarked for off-reserve Indigenous peoples. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

OTTAWA - A national Indigenous organization that represents First Nations, Inuit and Metis living off-reserve and in urban centres is taking the federal government to court over what it alleges is "inadequate and discriminatory funding" for the COVID-19 response.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has filed for a judicial review in the Federal Court of Canada, challenging the funding amount of $250,000 it received as part of a COVID-19 fund earmarked for off-reserve Indigenous populations.

The national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, Robert Bertrand, says the meagre funding allocation dedicated to off-reserve Indigenous organizations contravenes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

"The amount CAP has received for our constituents across Canada is a slap in the face," Bertrand told a Commons committee Wednesday.

He said his organization planned to return the money to Ottawa.

The federal government pledged $305 million to help First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, with $15 million of this money set aside for organizations providing services to those living off reserves or in urban centres.

Earlier this month, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the $15 million was not enough. His department received far more applications than the 94 proposals it approved.

Miller was not available for an interview Wednesday, but a statement from his office said Indigenous Services Canada has been made aware of the court challenge.

His press secretary, Vanessa Adams, said in the statement the money provided to the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples was "just one part" of the department's response to the pandemic.

"We know more support is needed and are actively working with communities to identify and deliver the supports to make sure no Indigenous community is left behind," Adams said.

Christopher Sheppard-Buote of the National Association of Friendship Centres told the committee the federal government's distinctions-based approach to COVID-19 relief funding, which recognizes the unique rights, interests and circumstances of First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities, is leaving many urban Indigenous people and groups behind.

Those who are not living on a First Nation reserve or in an Inuit or Metis community are feeling "unseen" in the federal COVID-19 response, Sheppard Buote said, despite the fact the majority of Indigenous people in Canada do not live in a distinct Indigenous community.

Friendship centres across Canada, which provide culturally enhanced programs and services to urban Indigenous residents, jumped into action to help their clients when the pandemic began. They have been delivering food, caring for elders, supporting people in applying for federal and provincial funding programs and have been helping people find safe transportation and shelter  all in spite of an inadequate level of funding coming from Ottawa, he said.

Edith Cloutier, executive director of the Val-d'Or Native Friendship Centre, says the pandemic hit her centre hard, but her employees and volunteers did what they have always done  they took care of the people in their community.

"Financial concerns and funding were not our guiding principles on insisting on continuing to serve the members in our community. We acted because there was a need to act and to act quickly, and because it was the right thing to do," she said in French.

"But fighting this crisis, it will have a cost."

While she was pleased to see Ottawa dedicate funding to ensure Indigenous populations get additional support through COVID-19, she said the "blind spot" in this financial aid has been the people she serves.

This will have an impact on her community and on those who are helping fill those gaps, Cloutier said.

"It's unfortunate that the organizations that are there to help the most vulnerable themselves become vulnerable."

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

She said her centre is mourning the recent deaths of two former clients: a 41-year-old man named Mathieu, who died by suicide last month and Nathan, a 19-year-old Cree man who was found lifeless last week in downtown Val-d'Or, Que.

"These losses are collateral damage from COVID-19 ... previously, their moccasins had carried them to the friendship centre during a period of deep distress and vulnerability, looking for an outstretched hand, support, cultural anchor and some sense of identity," she said.

"Our experience over the last eight years and in managing this health crisis has allowed us to see that this pandemic has only increased the depression and the vulnerability of these Indigenous populations.

"We see that the tragic end of Mathieu and Nathan and so many more are there to remind us of this."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020.

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Watlington said the district is committed to holding those when its safe in light of the pandemic. What form that may take will depend on how well Guilford County and the state recovers from the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to Watlington, Superintendent Sharon Contreras consulted with senior class presidents, who overwhelmingly didn't want a virtual graduation.

Board members on Tuesday had a variety of questions and thoughts about the plan.

Its just been a horrible year for our seniors and I just hate so much for all that they are missing out on, but I think this is a good opportunity to celebrate them and their families, board member Darlene Garrett said.

Fellow board member Anita Sharpe sounded less than thrilled with the drive-thru concept, asking why they couldn't break up the senior classes into groups of 50 or less and have traditional ceremonies in the high school stadiums instead.

And T. Dianne Bellamy-Small, another board member, worried about the potential for some people to get out of their cars to celebrate, which she said occurred during a similar event recently to honor teachers.
File photo of. employees at the Happy Viking Sports Pub and Eatery in Yuba City, California. (/Sharon Bernstein/Reuters)

Restaurants in Parts of California Can Open for Sit-Down Dining

SACRAMENTO, Calif.Restaurants in a half-dozen California counties can host sit-down dining, and shopping malls throughout the state can open for curbside pickup as CCP virus restrictions ease, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday.

Offices can also open with some restrictions, Newsom, a Democrat, said in his daily press briefing. But his latest plan for reopening the worlds fifth largest economy still does not allow nail salons, tattoo parlors or gyms.

Its a mistake to over-promise what reopening means, said Newsom, who has hesitated to loosen restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus, even as other states have done so.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom during a news conference in Rancho Cordova, Calif. on April 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli,File)

The CCP virus has killed more than 80,000 people in the United States and brought the economy to its knees.

In California, the modest loosening of stay-at-home rules imposed in March comes as infections in the most-populous U.S. state appear to be stabilizing. But the state allows local governments to keep imposing stricter guidelines, and health officials in high-density areas like Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area have not yet supported easing restrictions.

Similarly, counties with few or stabilized cases can apply to the state for permission to open more businesses, including restaurants serving sit-down meals, and allow customers inside shopping malls, retail stores and swap meets. Schools can open with modifications.

Six Northern California counties, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer and Shasta, received that permission on Tuesday.

To reopen, restaurants must retool their dining rooms to accommodate social distancing, closing areas where customers congregate or touch food, and stop setting tables with shared condiments such as mustard containers. Menus must be disposable and table-side food preparation is no longer allowed.

A lawyer filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday contesting the states restrictions on beauty salons.

Harmeet Dhillon, a San Francisco-based attorney and the former vice chair of the California Republican Party, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Professional Beauty Federation of California in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

She has also challenged Newsoms order closing houses of worship, saying that while she supported the initial efforts to slow the virus transmission, the shutdown had gone on for too long.

The premise was never lock everybody down, deprive them of their livelihoods, their properties, their dreams, everything they built, she said.

By Sharon Bernstein

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
The annual Mass Audubon Bird-a-thon, to be held on Friday and Saturday, will have a different feel this year. The event, the organizations biggest fundraiser of the year, will be titled Bird-at-home-a-thon, reflecting stay-at-home measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event usually has bird enthusiasts spread out all over the state in an attempt to identify the most species in a 24-hour period.

While we shelter, events like this are a welcome respite from the constant reminder we are under siege by a virus that we cant see or touch. Getting involved with nature in such a way reminds of the vast world around us and is likely to take our minds to a different place. National Audubon Society President and CEO David Yarnold told Axios, You can get the joy of being outside and appreciating the most prolific wildlife on the planet. The sense, at this moment, that theres life out there feels a little like hope.

Mass Audubon officials expect the event to attract hundreds of birders of all abilities. Participants will select a bird observation spot, a window, a backyard or a space within a walk or bike riding distance from there homes. Driving to locations is prohibited.

The event is taking place during peak spring migration when millions of birds are returning to Massachusetts to breed and raise young. Because of the vast amount of birds, a variety of species are likely to seen. We expect to see Cape May Warblers, Blackpoll Warblers and Bay-breasted Warblers that migrate through our area during the spring but do not stay and breed here. They continue on to the north and their breeding grounds. It is inspiring to see and hear these birds because they have already traveled thousands of miles from South America on their journey. Think of all that they have endured just to get to where they are now , said Derek Allard, Arcadia/Mass Audubon volunteer.

As we look for ways to expand our worlds while only traveling a short distance, the Audubon event represents a positive step toward appreciating and recognizing what nature has to offer. And folks are taking notice. According to Fox News, the free bird identification app from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology was downloaded 8,500 times during Easter weekend alone.

The birds dont know that theres a pandemic, said amateur bird watcher Michael Kopack Jr., of Angier, North Carolina. It kind of takes us back to a magical time six or eight weeks ago when there was no pandemic.
Social and community disruptions caused by the COVID-19 restrictions could have a lasting effect on child wellbeing, Flinders University researchers warn.

While health, safety and education responses are the focus of restrictions, the needs of childhood independence, self-determination and play are less acknowledged, Flinders University experts explain in a new publication.

Play is a key aspect of children's wellbeing from their perspectives.The closure of playgrounds, schools and the fear and worry associated with being in public spaces has likely had significant impacts on children during this time." Jennifer Fane, PhD., Study Lead Author, Flinders University

"As children return to school, and life starts to resume as it did pre-COVID-19, focus and attention to children's opportunities for play - and their ability to exercise reasonable 'agency' during this time of significant transition - are two key aspects that can support their wellbeing during this difficult time."

While everyone's freedoms have been impacted by COVID-19 pandemic, children's agency, or ability to make choices and decisions within adult-imposed constraints, has never been more apparent.

"Young children interviewed in the study told us of the importance to their lives of trying new things and having a say about play," says Flinders Professor of Public Health Colin MacDougall, a co-author on the Child Indicators Research paper.

"As the world takes baby steps to ease these life-saving restrictions, and move into an uncertain future, we must take the time to think about very young children.

"This research can be used to help chart a course for the multiple transitions these children are undergoing."

Ms Fane, whose PhD at Flinders focused on communicating with preschoolers, says these perspectives can support child wellbeing in future, including as government restrictions on people's boundaries affects where children play and how much they can have a say.




Port authorities said Wednesday they have seized and destroyed around 640,000 trafficked cigarette packs worth 2.8 billion won (US$2.8 million), marking the largest bust in trafficked cigarettes in the Busan region.







The Busan Main Customs office said they have arrested and forwarded to prosecutors an unidentified suspect for allegedly smuggling in 640,000 South Korean-made cigarette packs exported to Southeast Asian countries.







The cigarettes were purchased in Vietnam and Thailand and shipped to Cambodia before being disguised as luxury travel bags as transshipment cargo bound for China via Busan, according to the customs officials.







Authorities said they are in pursuit of an accomplice still at large.







The office said the suspects committed the massive trafficking to capitalize on the substantial price gap between cigarettes for domestic consumption and exports.







They were caught red handed by authorities at a secret warehouse in Busan while switching them out with travel bags. The seized volume was the largest ever in terms of smuggled cigarette confiscation by port authorities in the southeastern port city.







If the operation had ended in success, the suspects could have pocketed 500 million won in illicit gains and inflicted a loss of 2.1 billion won in state coffers, according to officials.







"We're keeping a close eye on trafficking attempts that take advantage of expedited customs processes and other means of revitalizing businesses that are hit hard by the new coronavirus epidemic," the office said, adding that it plans to continue with crackdowns through strengthened monitoring and trafficking analysis. (Yonhap)


BUFFALO, N.Y., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- M&T Bank Corporation ("M&T") (NYSE: MTB) today announced that to-date 32,273 of its customers have received approval for a total of nearly $7.0 billion in funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). M&T has disbursed nearly 100 percent of the approved funding to these companies, which employ more than 718,000 people across the bank's eight-state footprint.

M&T continues to accept PPP loan applications for a limited period of time in order to assist as many companies as possible, and ensure that those who apply have the greatest opportunity to receive the limited Small Business Administration (SBA) funds.

Additional details of PPP loans to-date include:

Average loan size is $213,590 ;

; More than 65 percent of the approvals were for loans less than $100,000 ; 82 percent were for less than $250,000 ;

; 82 percent were for less than ; Approximately 63 percent were loans to businesses with 10 or fewer employees; 92% employ fewer than 50 people and 97 percent were to companies with 100 or fewer people;

To support the PPP initiative, M&T grew its SBA loan team of 20 to more than 2,000. This team, working 90 percent remotely, collaborated around-the-clock to secure SBA approval for 100 percent of the completed PPP applications submitted to M&T through the end of April.

Across M&T's footprint, a significant number of small businesses are using PPP funding to maintain their operations, including:

Greater Baltimore /Chesapeake  6,332 companies employing 132,283 people

 6,332 companies employing 132,283 people Buffalo / Niagara -- 4,764 companies employing 118,838 people

-- 4,764 companies employing 118,838 people Greater Washington  2,748 companies employing 51,259 people

 2,748 companies employing 51,259 people Delaware  2,245 companies employing 37,015 people

 2,245 companies employing 37,015 people Rochester -- 2,008 companies employing 43,931 people

-- 2,008 companies employing 43,931 people New York City -- 1,485 companies employing 41,147 people

-- 1,485 companies employing 41,147 people Philadelphia -- 1,042 companies employing 37,018 people

-- 1,042 companies employing 37,018 people New Jersey -- 789 companies employing 23,031 people

-- 789 companies employing 23,031 people Long Island -- 177 businesses employing 10,507 people

"Our purpose is to make a positive difference in the lives of our customers and that's especially true during challenging times when they need us most," said Richard Gold, M&T Bank President and Chief Operating Officer. "I am incredibly proud of our team and the work they are doing to support our customers during this unprecedented period. This funding is helping small businesses pay their employees and sustain their operations through this difficult time, but there are businesses and families that still need helpso our work is far from over."

The vast majority of the PPP loans that M&T has secured went to small businesses employing 50 or fewer people, including JD Clark Professional Services, a property preservation, maintenance and improvement firm in Prince George County, Maryland.

Tisa Clark, President and CEO of JD Clark Professional Services, noted: "In April, I had the great honor of sharing my story at The White House. The coronavirus has had a huge impact on us small business owners, but thanks to my close working relationship with my M&T Bank relationship manager, my PPP loan was approved and funded. I am now able to continue to pay my employees and operate through this crisis. I feel very fortunate, though I'm aware that not everyone has been. One thing I do know is that we as small business owners are strong, we are resilient, and we will bounce back."

Since this crisis began, M&T has worked hard to go above and beyond to help customers and communities get through this challenging time. The company has empowered its staff with the tools and authority to help customers with specific needs, including fee relief on deposit or lending solutions, payment deferrals and low-interest personal loans.

Across its footprint, M&T, through its Charitable Foundation, annually gives more than $30 million in grants to more than 3,500 not-for-profit organizations to support and revitalize communities, help charitable organizations and grow local economies. In response to the COVID pandemic, the company is directing a portion of this funding toward causes addressing food insecurity, health care and community initiatives.

About M&T Bank

M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, operates banking offices in New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. Trust-related services are provided by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank.

Media Contacts:

Upstate New York

Julia Berchou

716-842-5385

[email protected]

New Jersey, Connecticut, New York City

David Samberg

201-368-4515

[email protected]

Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC:

Scott Graham

410-244-4097

[email protected]

 2020 M&T Bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

SOURCE M&T Bank Corporation

Related Links

http://www.mandtbank.com


The Annual General Meeting of Awilco Drilling PLC will be held Wednesday 3 June 2020 at 12:00 noon (UK time), at the offices of Awilco Drilling on 2 Kingshill Park, Venture Drive, Arnhall Business Park, Westhill, Aberdeen, AB32 6FL, UK.

The notice including agenda for the General Meeting is attached to this disclosure. The notice will be sent by mail or e-mail to the shareholders.



The notice and appendices have been made available on our website www.awilcodrilling.com.



Aberdeen, 13 May 2020

ch@awilcodrilling.com

For further information please contact:Jens Berge, CEOPhone: +44 1224 737900Cathrine Haavind, IR ManagerPhone: +47 93 42 84 64Email:This information is subject of the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachment
The Finding Humanity podcast comes at a time when dialogue is more important than ever. In addressing complex, multi-faceted issues by revealing the human face behind the statistics, the Finding Humanity podcast encourages critical conversations.

In the midst of a crucial time in our history Finding Humanity, a new podcast, launches with a big global agenda: taking listeners into the heart of the most complex social and political issues facing our world and inspiring a collective sense of responsibility and action.

The Finding Humanity podcast avoids the typical approach to global affairs and instead encourages dialogue, empathetic leadership and collective action  words that are not often used in today's tense political discourse.

The Finding Humanity podcast comes at a time when dialogue is more important than ever. In addressing complex, multi-faceted issues by revealing the human face behind the statistics, the Finding Humanity podcast encourages critical conversations. It asks; how can we learn from the past to address the challenges of today and tomorrow? How do we put peace, justice and human rights at the heart of decision-making in these troubled times? said President Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Chair of The Elders.

Finding Humanity is a joint production of the Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. The inaugural season is launched with collaborating partner, The Elders. The 30-minute, docu-style podcast takes listeners on a journey of hope, inspiration and possibility. Featured speakers include former heads of state, Nobel Peace Prize winners and nominees, award-winning youth activists, and other notable leaders.

Through real-life stories of courage and purpose, the Finding Humanity podcast puts a human face on a global topic that is overwhelming and difficult to grasp  be it the refugee crisis, climate change, or LGBTQ+ discrimination, genocide , gender inequity, and extreme poverty. Each episode weaves insights from human rights and development experts at the United Nations and leading global institutions including Human Rights Watch, Conservation International, Harvard University, Yale University and more.

By bringing the audience voices from the front lines of war and injustice, the Finding Humanity podcast helps make relatable the issues that many people only hear about in the media. Our goal is to peel back the layers that surround todays massive challenges, explained Hazami Barmada, Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation and host of the Finding Humanity podcast. Many of the issues we discuss in our podcast are sticky, complex and at times controversial, however, through storytelling, stories of people grappling with injustice and pain can create a space for learning, healing and action. We need spaces for real conversation on how to make progress on topics that impact billions of lives and create lingering pain.

Intended to build on the success of the Sustainable Development Goals, which drew on the voices of millions of people prior to their adoption in 2015, the podcast aims to provide tangible ways for listeners to take action on issues impacting their communities to help achieve the 17 goals, which present a roadmap to achieving a better and more sustainable future.

The podcast launches at a time where people are looking for hope and direction amidst the uncertainty and economic toll of COVID-19. Covid-19 has brought forth some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced  as individuals, as nations, as a world. From the immediate threats to life and livelihoods, to the wider consequences for sustainable development, human rights and the fight against poverty. But in facing those threats, we are also seeing tremendous empathy, solidarity and personal sacrifice, said President Robinson. The Elders are proud to collaborate with the Finding Humanity podcast to explore these vital questions. World leaders, policy makers, civil society groups and all those seeking to shape a fairer world have an opportunity to take decisions that will help us build a better world together. The Finding Humanity podcast is all about how we make those decisions, she said.

The podcast addresses past and present wars, climate and economic related issues, and growing social inequality, the first season of Finding Humanity will include a total of 13 episodes, all of which are timely in light of the political and social tensions surrounding COVID-19.

With the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacting our lives  including any progress weve made in addressing vital social issues  our podcast brings to the forefront personal stories that will not only challenge our thinking, but inspire hope in our shared humanity, said Camille Laurente, CEO of Hueman Group Media. At Hueman Group Media, core to our mission is activating positive social change through audacious and powerful storytelling. Our show Finding Humanity capitalizes on podcasting to intellectually provoke and emotionally connect with listeners all around the world.

Season 1 speaker line up includes:

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland; former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Chair of The Elders

Prince Zeid Raad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Africas first elected female head of state; Nobel Peace Laureate

President Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia; Nobel Peace Laureate

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, first woman Prime Minister of Norway; former Director-General of the World Health Organization

Victor Ochen - Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, Founder and Executive Director for African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET), UN Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Justice

Loung Ung - Author, Activist, Spokeswoman for the Campaign for a Landmine-Free World

Nujeen Mustafa - Disability and Refugee Rights Activist and Speaker, BBC's 100 Women 2018

Abby Stein - Award-winning transgender rabbi, activist, speaker, and author

Chernor Bah - Global girls activist and member of the Global Partnership for Education

Roya Mohboob - Serial entrepreneur, CEO and President of Digital Citizen Fund

Mokhtar Alkhanshali - Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of Port of Mokha

Sara Mardini - Elite Swimmer and Refugee Advocate, Time 100 Next List 2019

Marinel Ubaldo - Youth Climate Activist, Founder of Youth Leaders for Environmental Action Federation

The Finding Humanity podcast launched globally on 11 May 2020 on all major podcast channels and can be found on http://www.findinghumanitypodcast.com.

For further information on Finding Humanity podcast, contact info@findinghumanitypodcast.com

Press and media inquiries:

Hazami Barmada, Finding Humanity Podcast, hazami@humanitylabfoundation.org

Luke Upchurch. Director of Communications, The Elders. luke.upchurch@theelders.org

---

About Humanity Lab Foundation

The Humanity Lab Foundation is an innovative non-profit organization that harnesses the power of empathy and people to drive social change. The Humanity Lab works to realize the untapped capacity and passion of every-day people to be partners in solving complex global issues. Through the 3 pillars of its work (Engage, Educate, Inspire), the Humanity Lab aims to disrupt the status quo in global development to catalyze sustainable change. By leveraging technology, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Partnerships and with support from the Office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly, in 2017 the Humanity Lab hosted the first ever virtual Summit during the United Nations General Assembly (Global Peoples Summit) with the mission of democratizing access to conversations that shape the world with a digital reach of over 84+ million in 164 countries. humanitylabfoundation.org

About Hueman Group Media

Hueman Group Media (HGM) is an award-winning podcast company for social change. HGM produces impactful and high-caliber podcasts for leading nonprofit organizations, purpose-driven companies and thought leaders, amplifying conversations around todays most important causes and issues  including gender inequality, climate change and mental health. HGM podcasts cater to diverse, socially conscious and deeply curious audiences. With the power of storytelling and riveting conversations, HGM activates listeners to take action and make a positive impact in their communities. https://www.huemangroupmedia.com/

About The Elders

Founded by Nelson Mandela, The Elders are an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights. http://www.theelders.org

About Host

Hazami Barmada is a thought-leader, seasoned global strategy consultant, social innovator, and international public speaker recognized in Forbes as an inspirational change agent. She advises governments, businesses and organizations on design and implementation of effective social impact strategy, public-private partnerships, public affairs strategy, and leadership development needed to better tackle challenges, identify opportunities for sustainable impact, and develop the agility to thrive in today's complex and rapidly changing climate. Prior to founding the Humanity Lab Foundation, she held several positions at the United Nations, including the Coordinator for the United Nations Secretary Generals World Humanitarian Summit, global engagement and communications head for the UN Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth, and innovation advisor to United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Hazami has a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University where she was a Fellow in Public Policy and Management at The Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and is a Presidential Leadership Scholar. How This Woman Is Mobilizing Millions Of Global Change Makers
Mumbai:

Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has been indicted by Mumbai Police which found him to be allegedly involved in unlawful activities with possible terror links, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday.



Fadnavis said a watertight case is being prepared against the Islamic televangelist, whose organisation Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) is also under the scanner, and efforts would be made to extradite him. Naik is currently abroad.



The Mumbai Police, tasked with probing his alleged provocative controversial speeches, submitted its report today to the State Government.



Police were asked to probe Naiks speeches available online to see if any of them could have encouraged youths to join terrorist groups amid reports that his preachings inspired some of those involved in the Dhaka terror strike.



The report has made observations about him (Naik) making (critical) comments on other religion and belittling them - an action that would cause disharmony in society. The report also has details of countries that have banned him or his organisations.



The Government is examining the report which have several aspects that are in the domain of the Centre, Fadnavis told reporters here.



The report will be sent to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and further action will be taken as per its guidance, said Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.



There are many revelations in the report about illegal and unlawful activities (allegedly involving Naik and IRF) and activities which are not in interest of the nation.



The report has shed light on aspects like his relation with Firoz Deshmukh (a terror accused). It also talks about its links with Jamaat-ud-Dawa (a front of Pak-based terror outfit LeT) and Indian Mujahedeen and other activities that are illegal, he said.



Fadnavis said the Police Department has given various proofs against the 50-year-old Mumbai-based physician-turned-preacher, who is currently abroad. Prima facie, there have been violations (of rules). The report has indicted Zakir Naik and his organisation, he said.



Asked what steps the Government would take if Naik refuses to return to India, Fadnavis said, There is zero tolerance policy toward terror across the world. And besides, we have extradition treaties with almost every country. If needed, the Centre would take help from foreign Governments to extradite him.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-12 22:28:06|Editor: huaxia

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VIENTIANE, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean government has provided an aid package worth 600,000 U.S. dollars to Laos to support the country's fight against COVID-19.

The aid package, including 300,000 U.S. dollars cash and medical equipment worth 300,000 U.S. dollars, was presented to the Deputy Prime Minister Somdy Douangdy by South Korean Ambassador Shin Sung-Soon on Monday, Lao News Agency (KPL) reported Tuesday.

The South Korean ambassador appreciated the successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic of the Lao government, noting that the assistance was helpful to its continuous response in Laos.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somdy Douangdy, on behalf of the Lao government, expressed heartfelt thanks to the South Korean people and government who are trying to help Laos as the whole world is fighting the coronavirus. Enditem
WASHINGTON  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday defended the stunning $3 trillion price tag on Democrats pandemic relief package as what is needed to confront the villainous virus and economic collapse.

The American people are worth it, Pelosi told The Associated Press.

In an interview with the AP, Pelosi acknowledged that the proposal is a starting point in negotiations with President Donald Trump and Republicans, who have flatly rejected the coronavirus relief bill headed for a House vote Friday.

DOA, Trump said during an event at the White House. Dead on arrival.

As wary Americans wait on Washington, the stakes are enormous for all sides. The virus outbreak threatens the health and economic security of Americans, posing a generational test of political leadership on par with the Great Depression. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that without intervention, the U.S. risks a prolonged recession.

House lawmakers are set to return to Washington for Fridays vote, but prospects are dim in the Senate, where leaders say they wont consider another relief package until June.

Trump has insisted any future coronavirus aid must prioritize Americans health and the nations economic prosperity, said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany in a tweet. She called the Democrats proposal unserious.

The bill provides nearly $1 trillion to states and cities to avert layoffs of police, firefighters and other essential workers as tax revenues tank during the shutdown. It boosts another round of $1,200 direct cash payments to Americans, extends unemployment benefits and launches a rent and mortgage relief fund. It provides $75 billion for more virus testing.

As the pandemic rages, Pelosi had just one message for Trump: Tell the truth.

This is the biggest disaster that our country has ever faced, Pelosi said.

The president calls it a war  were all warriors, that people are dying in the war. No, these are family, and people are dying in the family, she said.

We have to address in a big way, she said. The American people are worth it.

The speaker and the president dont talk much anymore. But Pelosi remains in contact with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who led negotiations on past virus aid packages, and expects to begin talks with him on the next bill from Congress.

With Congress still partly shuttered, lawmakers face life-and-death decisions ahead. They are weighing whether it is safe for communities to reopen during the pandemic, perhaps with new restrictions on businesses and gatherings, or whether it is better to stay hunkered down until the U.S. can ramp up testing and prevent a second wave of COVID-19 cases, with deaths now beyond 83,000.

The president says the country cant stay closed indefinitely. But Pelosi warned that schools, businesses and large gatherings, including the Democrats presidential nominating convention, will not be business as usual.

You just cant say because people want to go to work, we should just take every risk, she said. In order to turn the economy around, we have to get rid of the pandemic.

The virus outbreak is rewriting the rules of the fall elections, and Pelosi acknowledged that voter turnout will be key as Democrats push alternatives to in-person ballots.

As the partys presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden shelters at home, campaigning via video from his basement, Pelosi said hes doing just fine in the new normal of an election year.

Its not as if hes missing a big crowd someplace, she said.

Were in a whole new world, and I think hes doing just fine, she said.

She expects Democrats will retain control of the House and flip the Senate  which I very much think we can do.

Pelosi is often seen as the de facto leader of the Democratic Party, the highest-ranking elected official, setting the agenda and message. But now she says of Biden: He is the leader of the Democratic Party.

As Republicans on Capitol Hill join the Trump administration to investigate Chinas role in the virus outbreak, she calls it a diversion from the more immediate problems of stemming the health crisis and salvaging the U.S. economy.

Yes, we want to know the source of this pandemic, but lets focus on why we are not testing, how we can help people, she said.

Pelosi, 80, shows up for work most days, masked in a scarf at the U.S. Capitol, and said she is reminded that life is fragile.

She repeatedly washes her hands and covers herself to protect others, she said.

Lets take it one giant step at a time as we go forward because what weve been doing before has been helpful but not enough, she said, noting that some House Democrats wanted an even bigger bill.

She said that she has been dismayed, frankly, by the way Trump is encouraging people to avoid the stay-home guidelines but that she cant dwell on the presidents leadership.

I mean, injecting Lysol, magically go away, hoax,' she said, repeating some of Trumps comments on the coronavirus.

I believe in miracles. I believe in prayer. But again, we have to pray  and work  for the solutions to it all, she said.

___

Associated Press writer Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.
Mushbrella

It seems that out near Dalton the mushrooms are so big they're using them as umbrellas ... well, at least one man did. It was reported in the Herald that Mr Thanet Hansen, of Dalton  a town not far from Yass  picked a mushroom with a diameter of 14 inches and a weight of over 3 pounds and made the drinkers stare when he walked into the bar of the Dalton Hotel under its shelter during heavy rains that had drenched the district.

Royal rounds

Reports showed the Duke of Edinburgh had another busy day in Sydney on his tour. He opened his third Commonwealth Study Conference, inspected conference arrangements, attended other meetings, a State luncheon, a reception and made two speeches. Then he joined a formal dinner party at Government House. Next, the Duke was set to open the Australia 200 Exhibition at Australia Square and then head to Sydney University for a dinner.

Plainclothes patrol
The GWI announced that they have been chosen by the Vatican to collaborate on a new initiative to create a better, healthier and less unjust world in the aftermath of the Coronavirus epidemic. We are deeply honored by the opportunity to collaborate on this important Vatican initiative. Wellness is a vital concept to reset the world after COVID-19. Not only does wellness link mind, body, and spirit, it connects our individual self with community and planetary wellbeing.

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower wellness worldwide, today announced a collaboration with the Vatican on its ambitious new initiative to create a better, healthier and less unjust world in the aftermath of the Coronavirus epidemic.

In early April, Pope Francis announced a new COVID-19 commission focused not only on confronting the current crisis but also to visualize the world we need to build post-virus. The future of health and wellness is a key pillar of the Vatican initiative (in addition to ecology, economics and public security), and the GWI is producing a series of eight white papers proposing how a holistic concept of wellness could transform human life, including our workplaces, our built environment and our mental wellbeing.

The series is called Resetting the World with Wellness.

We are deeply honored by the opportunity to collaborate on this important Vatican initiative. Wellness is a vital concept to reset the world after COVID-19. Not only does wellness link mind, body, and spirit, it connects our individual self with community and planetary wellbeing and to our personal search for meaning, purpose and transcendence, said Katherine Johnson and Ophelia Yeung, GWIs senior researchers and directors of the Vatican project.

The Vaticans COVID-19 Commission:

Pope Francis created the Vaticans COVID-19 commission to express the Churchs love for the entire human family during the pandemic and because hes convinced that were living through a time of epochal change and have an unprecedented opportunity to reflect on how to solve the socioeconomic, environmental and health challenges looming in our future. The commission is led by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD); coordinated by Cardinal Peter Turkson (DPIHD Prefect), Mons. Bruno-Marie Duffe (Secretary), and Fr. Augusto Zampini (Adjunct Secretary); and divided into five working groups, each addressing a different aspect of the pandemic.

GWI is part of Working Group 2, which brings together public and private institutions, universities, the pontifical academies, social movements, and leading economists and entrepreneurs to create new research and thinking about a post-COVID future.

As Cardinal Turkson put it: Group 2 has the task of night watch, like the sentry, to perceive the dawn. To do this, it is necessary to connect the best minds in the areas of ecology, the economy, health and public security. We need the concreteness of scienceand prophecy and creativity." On top of supporting medical providers, the health taskforce has a mission of addressing the flaws in modern healthcare systems and promoting integral health (or wellness) and all its components: physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, social and environmental wellbeing.

The new resources will reach church leaders and the Vatican network, as well as global leaders and ordinary people, bringing GWIs research to a vast audience.

GWIs Vatican papers:

GWIs white papers for the Vatican integrate facts, data, and best practices; employ interdisciplinary thinking; and are a call to action, recommending strategies that could help reset the world post-pandemicwith a new focus on prevention and a proactive wellness-based mindset.

Eight papers will be published; three are available now.

1) "A New Vision for a Post COVID-19 Future" summarizes the key concepts and practices of wellness and outlines how wellness can provide a roadmap for healing and growth as the world emerges from the pandemic.

2) "Healthy Built Environments for Healthy People" describes how our unhealthy built environment can cause both chronic and infectious diseases, as well as the roles that communities, businesses and governments can play in building healthier homes and communities for healthier people.

3) "Work, Health and Dignity" spotlights how the dangerous, unhealthy, inequitable and stressful work conditions that have been exposed by COVID-19 can spark a collective will for radical change that is necessary to bring health and dignity back to our working lives and workplaces.

In the coming weeks (each Wednesday), papers on the following topics will be released: mental wellness (May 13), physical movement (May 20), social wellness and community (May 27), food and nourishment (June 3), and travel and wonder (June 10).

About the Global Wellness Institute: The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading research and educational resource for the global wellness economy. Through its five pillarsresearch, industry initiatives, roundtable discussions, Wellness Evidence and The Wellness Moonshot: A World Free of Preventable Diseasethe GWI informs and connects key global stakeholders who impact the health and wellness of our planet and its citizens. The GWIs mission is to empower wellness worldwide.
Europe is slowly moving towards some form of normality. However, the EU is walking a tightrope in its attempts to frame a unified approach in the 27 member states. John Downing explains.

When the coronavirus crash-landed upon everyone the EU was slow, disunited and confused in its response. The gradual  and risky  return to normality can show similar confusion and disunity in reverse. That is what the policy-guiding Commission is determined to avoid.

Brussels has now set out plans for a phased restart to some level of travel this summer. Tourism accounts for 10pc of EU states economic output and one in eight jobs. Its not just about dreams of sunshine  millions of jobs are on the line and the 2020 season cannot be entirely written off.

Read More

What is the extent of damage to the tourism industry across Europe?

Travel restrictions to combat the virus have already had a devastating impact on the sector. Airlines around the continent have been forced to shed tens of thousands of jobs and some are on the brink of closure.

Tourism is vital to southern EU countries already struggling with debt and the impact of coronavirus  notably Greece, Italy and Spain.

The worlds biggest tourism group, TUI, has announced it will cut 8,000 jobs due to losses of 750m in the first three months of 2020.

Are individual countries  including Ireland  working on their own roadmaps to unwind their various lockdowns?

Yes. Decisions about reopening borders are the responsibility of national governments. But this time Brussels is urging the 27 EU states to take a coordinated approach to unwinding lockdowns.

They do not want a repeat of what happened at the start of this crisis, when capitals just closed frontiers with little or no consultation.

How long until travel returns to the way it was pre-coronavirus?

The EU is proposing a three-stage approach, starting with the current situation in which most travel across borders is banned and, in reality, almost non-existent.

In phase one, the EU wants border restrictions lifted between countries and regions which are at a similar stage of the pandemic, and where the health situation is improving.

In the final phase, all coronavirus-related border controls would be lifted and travel permitted throughout Europe once again. But health precautions would continue within each member state in consultation with the EU.

Is the EU in a rush to open up borders?

The EU wants governments to factor in economic and social factors, as well as the health of the public, as they decide on reopening their borders. They recognise that the annual summer holiday is cherished by tens of millions of European families.

This is not going to be a normal summer. But, when we all do our part, we dont have to face a summer stuck at home or completely lost for the tourism industry, EU Commission vice-president, Margrethe Vestager, summed up.

What will it look like to travel in the new normal?

There must be measures in place to minimise the risk of infection. Travellers should wear face masks while on planes, trains and buses. The same applies at travel hubs such as airports and railway stations.

Fewer passengers may be allowed on board to allow them to maintain safe distancing, and buffet trolleys and dining cars will be shuttered.

Hotels and restaurants will be urged to limit guest numbers so they can respect social-distancing rules.

EU countries are asked to voluntarily agree to ensure contact-tracing phone apps work across borders. This is to keep a close eye on the progress of the disease and quickly identify any hotspots.
The moths only live for three or four days because they are unable to eat or drink

Moth expert Gerry Butler said the number of sightings has been amazing

Moths the size of small bats have been swarming a major Australian city after heavy rains.

Droves of trictena atripalpis, also known as rain moths, have appeared in Adelaide following a series of downpours.

The monster moths have hairy bodies, a wingspan of up to 16cm and usually appear in autumn.

Gerry Butler, chairman of Butterfly Conservation South Australia, told Daily Mail Australia thousands of people in the state have reported sightings in the last few weeks.

Droves of trictena atripalpis, also known as rain moths (pictured), have appeared in Adelaide following a series of downpours

'It has just been amazing to see how amazing the hatchings there have been,' he said.

'I think it's a lot more than last year because we were in such significant drought and the rainfall in autumn was extremely low.'

He also explained the moths are completely harmless to humans, despite their daunting size.

'They're very, very docile - incredibly gentle creatures.'

Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board (AMLR) posted photos of the giant moths on Facebook in April asking people to share their own images.

Rain moths emerge from the the roots of native plants, such as eucalyptus trees, after torrential rain

The page was inundated with pictures of moths from all over the east and south coast of Australia.

'We've had so many responses to the posts and it really shows where all the moths are coming out,' Abbie Thomas from AMLR told Daily Mail Australia.

Due to the surge in interest, Butterfly Conservation organised a Zoom event with insect ecologist Dr Peter McQuilla to answer frequently asked questions about the gigantic moths.

Rain moths emerge from the the roots of native plants, such as eucalyptus trees, after torrential rain.

They fly up and lay about 40,000 eggs around the tree, which hatch a few weeks later. Pictured: a rain moth cocoon

They fly up and lay about 40,000 eggs around the tree, which hatch a few weeks later.

The caterpillars can live in the trees for years before they turn into moths.

'Rain moths don't have any feeding parts, so they only live for three or four days,' Mr Butler said.

'That first flight to lay their eggs takes up an enormous amount of energy - their energy levels really start to decline after that.'

Rain moths are a vital part of the food chain in Australia and provide food for a range of nocturnal animals, including lizards and owls.
Since Trump took office, Chinese investment in the US has plunged nearly 90%, with Chinese direct investment falling last year to its lowest level since 2009. The pandemic indicates that the new cold war is on, and the numbers are about to get worse.

Chinese investment in the United States dropped to US$5 billion in 2019, a slight decrease from a year earlier and the lowest level for the past decade, according to a new report by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.

And for 2020, Chinese direct investment in the United States is $200 million, down from an average of $2 billion per quarter in 2019.

The worsening bilateral relationship and a growing public backlash against China in the US make it likely that Chinese buyers will also face significant political opposition to any big acquisition, the report said.

The direct investment includes mergers, acquisitions and investments in things like offices and factories but not financial investments like purchases of stocks.

Indeed, Chinese direct investments have been steadily declining since 2018 when it fell to just $4.8 billion--a massive decline from $29 billion in 2017 and $46 billion in 2016.

On the flip side of this equation, US investment in China increased slightly in 2019 to $14 billion, up from $13 billion a year earlier. That increase is thanks to Teslas new factory in Shanghai and the expansion of General Motors joint venture there.

But the past few weeks have seen relations between the two countries spiral downward sharply.

Recently, President Trump launched a Twitter campaign blaming Chinas early handling of the coronavirus outbreak which has caused 81,000 of deaths and more than 30 million job losses in the United States alone.

The administration is currently weighing a long-term plan to punish China on multiple fronts for the coronavirus pandemic, including leveling new tariffs on imports from China.

A recent proposal by some US officials on how to deal with China is likely a very sobering moment for Chinese money.

Earlier this month, Republican congressman Matt Gaetz suggested that the US go as far as to seize the assets of Chinese businesses to cover coronavirus damage payments.

Instead of bailing out Chinese businesses in the United States, we should seize their assets and put them in receivership to pay damages to Americans, Gaetz said.

The administration is reportedly considering stripping Beijing of its sovereign immunity, as well, which would allow the US government or private citizens to sue China. Another idea on the table is canceling some or all of the interest payments on the more than $1 trillion in debt the US owes to China.

Senate Republicans have also called for economic sanctions; cancellation of visas for Chinese officials and families; and investigations into the pandemic, including Chinas culpability.

That means that the pre-pandemic trade war could pale in comparison to what is to come next.

Previously, the US administration had imposed tariffs on about $360 billion worth of Chinese goods. In January, the two countries reached an interim trade agreement intended to ease the tension, calling on China to buy $200 billion in US products--but all of that was overshadowed by the pandemic.

In the meantime, America is missing out on Chinese money: Thats the sacrifice for a new Cold War that will determine global technological dominance--a war that wont be won by the United States if it allows Beijing access to sensitive technology.

By Josh Owens for Safehaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com:
DOYLESTOWN >> A man and woman will face decades in state prison for the repeated sexual assault of three children under the age of 13, abuse that they also filmed in more than 40 videos of child pornography. Leonard F. Hewitt Sr. 51, and Krystyn Anne Smock, 40, both of Bristol Township, committed the acts for more than four years...
India will be participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meeting with its focus cooperative strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The meet will be held through video conference on Wednesday at 1:30 pm IST, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar will be attending the conference to discuss the global challenges, preparedness, and response to the pandemic. The meeting will also see the participation of foreign ministers from the eight countries, including Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, and Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

MASSIVE: PM Modi Announces Economic Package Of Rs.20 Lakh Crore Worth 10% Of India's GDP

"All member states' FMs will discuss in great depth issues including global cooperation on the fight against the COVID-19, the international and regional situations and the future development of the SCO," Chinese foreign ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on Tuesday.

Zhao Lijian also appreciated the efforts taken by the SCO member states for conducting anti-virus cooperation and contributing to building a safe community through concrete actions.

READ | UN Discusses Policy solves To Ease Global Covid-19 Pandemic Impact; Affirms SDGs' Urgency

SCO members to discuss best practices to fight Coronavirus

The members will share information on best practices and areas of cooperation to work on containing COVID-19, particularly in the medicine, medical equipment, and pharmaceutical sector, as the world's biggest pharma manufacturers - India, China, Russia - are part of SCP.

The SCO, as an organization, covers three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and nearly half of the human population. With three major economies as part of the grouping, the meeting will focus on how to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Various international organizations will also participate in the meeting to discuss the health and economic crises and ways to overcome the challenges.

The meeting will also focus on preparations for the SCO summit which is scheduled to be held on June 9-10 in St. Petersburg.

READ | Russia Overtakes Italy, UK In Coronavirus Cases, Third Highest Worldwide

READ | India Condemns Terror Attacks In Afghanistan, Calls For Immediate Cessation Of Violence

(With inputs from ANI; Image credits: PTI File photo)
Platform: Facebook has massive reach, even more so during lockdown. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

More than 50 million pieces of content were given warning labels on Facebook for being misleading in relation to coronavirus, the social network has revealed.

Publishing its latest community standards enforcement report, Facebook said since March 1 it had removed more than 2.5 million pieces of content linked to sale of medical items such as masks and Covid-19 test kits.

The social network also revealed its Covid-19 information centre had now directed more than two billion people from Facebook and Instagram - which it also owns - to official resources from health authorities. Social media platforms, including Facebook, have been repeatedly criticised over the amount of disinformation and harmful content linked to the Covid-19 outbreak which has spread online.

A number of charities and online safety organisations have warned that with people - particularly children - spending more time online during lockdown, more stringent monitoring of online platforms is needed.

In its enforcement report, Facebook said its detection technology was now finding around 90pc of the content the platform removes before it is reported to the site.

The millions of pieces of content given warning labels was based on around 7,500 articles which had been analysed by fact-checking groups working with the site.

The social network said it had doubled the amount of drug-related content it had removed, taking down more than 8.8 million pieces of violating content.

On Instagram, the amount of suicide and self-injury content it took action against increased by 40pc, the company said.
Theyre smirking in Wisconsin, and not just about the Bears playoff chances. A group of Republican state lawmakers asked Wisconsins congressional delegation to oppose the use of federal coronavirus money to help bail out irresponsible states like Illinois. No one knows how long and how deep this economic crisis due to COVID-19 will be, and Wisconsin is not immune to these fiscal challenges, the letter said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. However, we do know our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly. The letters stated point: Wisconsinites cant afford to bailout reckless budgeting from other states.
The president reminded that the Ukrainians should stick to the safety rules for their health

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky noted that from May 22 another mitigation of the lockdown will take place, not its abolishing as he reminded during the address to the Ukrainians as 112 Ukraine TV channel reported.

It is the third day when we live in the regime of the first stage of the mitigation of the quarantine. The keyword is mitigation. It is not abolishing, end but mitigation. It concerns only particular types of activity. It does not mean that everyone can relax: walk without a mask, gathering in big companies, or not observing the distance. Nobody canceled it, Zelensky reminded.

According to him, the second stage of the mitigation of the lockdown is planned for May 22.

It will concern, particularly, sporting events, work of hotels, holding of external independent testing and others. I know that people do not understand what summer will be like. How to plan the vacation, when the planes and trains will be launched. When the cinemas, beaches and the metro will work again. The answer is simple: everything depends on us, the president noted.

As we reported, Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers extended the lockdown in Ukraine until May 22. However, some easing is expected. Starting from May 11: the opening of parks, squares, recreation areas, beauty salons, summer venues of food establishments, libraries, museums.

Ukraines Prime Minister Denys Shmygal stated that the lockdown will be extended after May 22 but it will be adaptive. In other words, the restrictive measures will vary in different regions and cities.








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People all around the world are practising social distancing and staying at home to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus. This has affected the PR and marketing strategies or many organizations as we have witnessed numerous cancellations and postponements of important networking events.

With almost everyone now having to work from home, businesses have come to recognize that it can no longer be business as usual when it comes to PR and marketing. More than staying home to stop the spread of the actual disease, businesses who want to survive this outbreak must figure out a way to adapt their business strategies to these difficult times.

Why focus on PR and Marketing?

Since the outbreak of the on-going pandemic, people are panicking and looking for some sort of hope and solace. Most people are not necessarily looking to buy new products right now. So its only smart that businesses pay less attention to business developments or product offerings in these times and focus instead on PR and digital marketing.

Attempts to shove your products and services into peoples faces in times like this would be met with disdain, and most probably ignored.

So until this pandemic comes to an end, businesses are better off focusing on how to adapt their PR and marketing strategy to ensure your business remains relevant during this pandemic. To do this, you can hire experts at firms such as AgoraPublishing.com or you can keep reading this article for tips on how to adapt your PR and marketing strategies to these tough times.

How to Adapt Your PR and Marketing during COVID-19

Business2community suggests a few tips discussed below:

1. Work from Home as Much as You Can

Remember BiogenInc? The American multinational biotechnology company that held a 2-day business conference in Boston in late February 2020 with about 175 people in attendance; spreading the Coronavirus among a majority of those who were in attendance.

For a long time to come, Biogen would have to bear some responsibility for the spread of the virus in Massachusetts. Learn from their example and do not fall into the temptation of scheduling any face-to-face business meeting until long after the spread of the virus has been contained.

Work from home whenever possible and when theres a need for meetings, make use of teleconferencing apps.

2. Stay Relevant to Your Audience

The best way to remain relevant right now is to help consumers at home cope with the changes currently going on in the world. Post social media content that addresses possible consumer needs and concerns in a lockdown.

For instance, if you are a restaurant that's currently shut down, you can post a few cooking tips for people who are stuck making their meals at this time.

3. Its no time to Launch New Products

Well, not unless you want it to flop, because the truth is- no one cares. Unless your new product is a contact tracing app or better still, a vaccine or something else that's going to help the public overcome these difficult times, then wait with the product launches.

Do not use fear-mongering as tactics to sell your new products to people, that reeks of bad taste.

4. Focus on Online Services

Take the time to produce regular content that will benefit your strategy even after the panic dissipates. You'll be making use of social media a lot so make sure all the information on all your pages is up to date. Release helpful and interesting content that would ensure people do not forget you by the time this is over.

Ensure that your business blog, website or third party sites where listed and fully optimized for search engines. Finally, refine your SEO keywords to ensure your current content is as visible as possible.

Wrapping it up!

While its very tempting to focus on just your business right now, remember that hard times are the best times to show some love to your community. Look out for ways to help your employees and customers who have been affected by this virus. Do not lay off anyone unless you absolutely cannot afford to keep them, and find ways to help people who have been laid off. This might not be the typical B2B marketing tactic, but right now, its what your audience would appreciate.
F acebook moderators have labelled 50 million coronavirus posts as misleading, the social media company has said.

The social media giant has also removed around 2.5 million posts that had false information about sales of medical equipment like masks and testing kits since the start of March.

In its latest community standards report, the company said that it had pointed more than two billion people to official medical guidance on Covid-19 via its own information centre.

The items of content given warning labels were related to around 7,500 articles that fact-checking groups flagged as misleading.

Facebook has increased the number of misleading coronavirus posts removed / AFP via Getty Images

Facebook detects around 90 per cent of the misleading content that it removes before it is reported, the company added.

Facebook has also doubled the number of posts related to drugs removed from the site.

Meanwhile Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, took down 40 per cent more posts containing content related to suicide or self-harm. The site also announced several new measures designed to combat bullying.

Facebook chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer said the company was relying more on technology to review content amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Instagram said it has also stepped up measures to combat bullying / S O C I A L . C U T / Unsplash

He added in a blog post: Weve spent the last few years building tools, teams and technologies to help protect elections from interference, prevent misinformation from spreading on our apps and keep people safe from harmful content.

So when the Covid-19 crisis emerged, we had the tools and processes in place to move quickly and we were able to continue finding and removing content that violates our policies.

When we temporarily sent our content reviewers home due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we increased our reliance on these automated systems and prioritised high-severity content for our teams to review in order to continue to keep our apps safe during this time.

Several major tech companies have put in place measures to control the spread and impact of misleading information regarding coronavirus, following criticism from politicians and online safety groups.

Twitter has launched a three-tier system for tackling disputed coronavirus information - putting warnings underneath posts, covering them with labels and removing them altogether if they are considered "harmful".

Google automatically directs people who search for "coronavirus" to the websites of the World Health Organisation and local public health bodies.

Tech companies have been criticised for the amount of misleading content related to coronavirus circulating online / AP

Despite the work being done by tech companies, several misleading theories about coronavirus have circulated online since the outbreak began.

These include possible cures, stories about how the virus started and links with 5G networks - which have been dismissed by experts.

Professor Philip Howard, director of the Oxford Internet Institute, told MPs recently that an item of fake health news online can reach roughly as many people as a BBC article.

And MPs accused tech companies last week of not giving enough information about how they are fighting disinformation.

Julian Knight, chair of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee said the firms had been deeply unhelpful.

He added: The lack of information and detail in the answers we were given showed a disregard for the important process of scrutiny.

Were again asking the social media companies for information that was so woefully lacking in order to prove to Parliament and their users that their organisations are open and accountable for their behaviour.
SirionLabs, a startup that provides contract management software to enterprises, has raised $44 million in a new financing round as it looks to expand and handle surge in demand from clients.

Tiger Global and Avatar Growth Capital led the Seattle-headquartered startups Series C round. The eight-year-old startup, which was founded in India, has raised $66 million to date. The new round values the startup at about $250 million. Indian VC fund Avatar has long invested in SaaS startups in India, an area that Tiger Global has also made serious bets on in recent quarters.

Enterprises broadly handle two kinds of contracts, one when they are buying things from a supplier for which they use a procurement contract, and the other when they are selling things to customers, when a sales contract comes into play.

A significant number of companies today handle these contracts manually with different teams within an organization often dealing with the same entity, which leads to discrepancies in their promises. Teams work in silos and often dont know the terms others in the organization have already agreed upon.

Thats where SirionLabs comes into the picture. We use artificial intelligence and natural language processing to connect the dots between contracts and what happens after the contract has been signed, explained Ajay Agrawal, cofounder, chairman and chief executive of the startup, in an interview with TechCrunch.

For us, its not just creating a contract, but also realizing the promises that have been made in those contracts, he said. SirionLabs also audits the invoice of suppliers, which has enabled its customers to save a significant amount of money.

SirionLabs today hosts contracts in over 40 languages for more than 200 of the worlds largest companies including Credit Suisse, Vodafone, EY, Unilever, Abbvie, BP, and Fujitsu.

Agrawal said the startup has seen a 4X growth in the number of customers it has signed up in the last 18 months. Part of the new capital would go into handling their demand. He said the coronavirus crises has resulted in many companies becoming more cautious about what they promise in their contracts.

Story continues

The startup, which just opened a technology center in Seattle, also plans to open an AI laboratory in the Washington state to fuel technology innovation and grow sales.

It has also hired several industry veterans including the appointment of Amol Joshi as chief revenue officer, Anu Engineer as chief technology officer, Mahesh Unnikrishnan as chief product officer, and Vijay Khera, who will serve as chief customer officer.

Vishal Bakshi, founder and managing partner at Avatar Growth Capital, said he expects SirionLabs, which competes with Apttus and Icertis among other firms, to capture massive network effects as the platform continues to scale.
Prince Harry made history after deciding to step down as a senior member of the royal family together with his wife, Meghan Markle. Earlier this 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they wanted to lead a private life and to be financially independent from the British monarchy.

According to reports, the 35-year-old Duke has come up with the said decision in an effort to protect his wife and their one-year-old son Archie Harrison from both public and media scrutiny.

After their decision though, some sources said that Prince Harry is having a hard time adjusting to their new life in Los Angeles and is missing his life in the United Kingdom.

Prince Harry's True Feelings

However, Harry's fellow aristocrat thinks that the Prince is feeling the other way around.

Lady Julie Montagu, an American who is now married to Lord Luke Montagu, the heir to the Earl of Sandwich, has claimed that Harry is now living the life he always wanted -- which is an escape from the limelight of the royal family.

"I think there are some people thinking that Harry is going to miss royal duties and the lifestyle, and I mean; he may miss parts of it. But I think that this is what Harry's always wanted - an escape," Lady Julie told People.

The Viscountess Hinchingbrooke also pointed out that despite living in a paparazzi-filled city, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have found a better sense of calm compared to when they were living as senior royals.

"Anywhere is more private than being a member of the royal family in Britain," Montagu said.

"Now that the dust has settled with their move and they've dropped their HRH titles - they're now ready to be normal. I think that they will keep their [new] house very, very private as far as photos go."

The former cast member of "Ladies of London" also love the way Meghan is slowly "Americanizing" Prince Harry.

Surprising Move To Hollywood

Although Lady Julie is excited about Meghan and Harry's newfound private life, she admitted that she was a bit surprised when the couple moved from Canada to the United States earlier than expected.

"I actually thought they were going to stay in Canada, just because I thought it would be more peaceful for them. I thought it was a good transition country - a good compromise," she added.

Nonetheless, Lady Montagu said that she understands why Meghan wants to live in her comfort zone, close to her mother Doria Ragland who also resides in L.A.

Avoiding the Spotlight

Contrary to the belief that Harry and Meghan are seeking more attention and publicity now that they are away from the royal family, Lady Julie expressed her belief that the couple want to maintain a lowkey life.

Lady Julie said that the Sussexes only want their charity work and beneficiaries to be on the news and that they would love their private life to remain behind closed doors.
Let us rise to the challenge; let us go back to this rich repository of ancient wisdom which is there for the seeking and which we have neglected for centuries; let us go to it again and make the law, once more, worthy of its mission.





The following essay based on a lecture by C. G. Weeramantry, former President of the International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms. He was a Sri Lankan lawyer who was a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from 1991 to 2000, serving as its vice-president from 1997 to 2000. Judge Weeramantry passed away in 2017





by Judge Weeramantry





Thank you very much for organizing this lecture. It gives me great pleasure to be able to speak to a group of Sri Lankan lawyers, law students, and others on a topic which, of course, is not very often considered either in legal curricular or in judgments. People often ask me how I became interested in this wider range of knowledge. I have been thinking about it and what happened was that I was, as you know for many years, a practitioner and a judge in Sri Lanka but as a judge, in Sri Lanka, I could not travel overseas. I used to receive invitations to give lectures in different countries but I could not do that because each time I left the country I would have judicial work to attend to and I would have to get permission from the governor-general, so I could do that only once a year at the most. Then what happened was that I had an attractive offer as a lecturer in law from Monash University in Australia, and I took that and that opened the doors to me to the wider world. This was because in the university when you receive invitations to lecture at various places they encourage you to go and even assist you to go. The whole world opened up to me through that; the whole world would have been closed to me if I continued as a Supreme Judge in Sri Lanka.









Let me also tell you something of what the Holy Prophet* said in regard to what humanity is doing to itself, this is so relevant I think everybody should know it. Those of you who are not Muslim will not be aware that apart from Quran, which of course is the word of God, there is a collection of the Hadith or the sayings of the Prophet*, because for almost a hundred years after he died if the scholars heard that there was a man in China who was the second cousin of a friend of a companion of the Prophet*, they would send somebody there to see if there was a tradition in those circles of what the Prophet* had said or done and there was about a 100,000 of these were collected and brought back. The scholars went through everyone meticulously and weeded out about 95,000 or more saying that links in the chain were not absolutely clear but 3,000-4,000 of these are preserved as Hadiths. One of them is the hadith of the two-deck boat which is a wonderful statement of what humanity is doing to itself which applies here and now as vividly as when the Prophet* said it. He*said: imagine there is a boat with two decks. There is the upper deck and the lower deck. As is the human custom, quarrels break out on the upper deck, and as is the human custom quarrels break out on the lower deck; people have a tendency to quarrel with each other. Then what is worse, there is a big quarrel between the lower deck and the upper deck. So what can you do? The lower deck cant have any interaction with the upper deck but now a situation arises where the lower deck desperately wants water. They can only get that water if they go to the upper deck but they cant go to the upper deck because of the quarrel. So there is a huge discussion on the lower deck about what to do about this and then a hot head in the lower deck says: if the water is what you want I will get you any amount of it. He takes a pickaxe and is about to make a hole in the bottom of the boat. So he says that is what humanity is doing itself. Isnt that a beautiful description of the nuclear bomb of today? We have huge quarrels between different sections of the world and brilliant people who will say they will solve it, and how will they solve it? With a pickaxe and the drown everybody. So that is the situation in which humanity is placed today. Why? Because we are not taking heed of the teachings of the great religions. Why? Because we are not interlinking this with international law; so international law remains an avid discipline: just the letter of the law and does not have the spirit of the law, the wisdom, the mercy, the justice, all of which can be brought into it by religion.





These are the reasons why I think we must mount a crusade and we lawyers, I think, are the people to blame. If you look at the history of the legal profession, I think it is a rather dismal history. Take Christian legal systems with highfalutin legal professionals, for generations they tolerated slavery. How could slavery have existed in a Christian society with the lawyers not putting their feet down on it and stamping it out saying we cannot have this. But not only did they permit it, the approved of it, they participated in it, they sent people to slavery, and not only that but imperialism, conquering of territories of poor people, acquisition of those territories, taking captives and making slaves of them, all of this the legal profession approved. They sent people to Australia for life-long servitude for stealing a loaf of bread. Why? Because the law is equal; the law treats everybody equally and everybody, equally, is prohibited from sleeping under the bridges and stealing bread. So if anybody steals bread he will be sent to servitude: if the dukes son steals bread he will be sent to penal servitude but of course, the dukes son does not need to steal bread. Thus the law has been totally neglectful of these various insights and Jesus was the person who most tellingly and emphatically warned the legal profession to go beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law but we are not doing that. We should be giving leadership to show the world how these things can be brought into the domain of law. I have always thought that legal education is far too narrow; before we get to the nuts and bolts of the law we should teach them history, sociology, philosophy, linguistics, economics, and all the various aspects of human knowledge which have a bearing on legal decisions. We do not do that and the result is that they become very legalistic lawyers and the nets are swallowed but the camels go free. All of this is because the law is so tight to the letter of the language in which the law is drafted but we have to go beyond that. We are the people with leadership but we are not giving that leadership, we are defaulting in our trust and the judiciaries of the world also ought to become leaders in this.





It so happened that I had the privilege recently of chairing a committee of chief justices of the world to try to work out a code for judicial ethics for the whole world. So we had sittings in various capitals all over the world and we have worked out a code of universal judicial ethics for the whole world and they draw upon the high standard of conduct expected of judges all over the world even from the time of the Egyptian pharaohs. One of the Egyptian pharaohs three thousand years ago had told Ramses chief justice: remember, the court of justice is the center of the administration of my kingdom. If you do not do your work properly there then the whole kingdom goes that way. Every tradition has stories about this. I told you about the laws of Manu and the judge extracting the dirt from the wound and in Islamic tradition, there is this wonderful story. There is this tradition of the just Caliphs; those who conducted themselves righteously. One of the just Caliphs had lent a suit of armor to one of his subjects and the subject was not returning it. So the Caliph wanted to get this suit of armor back and he could have sent one of his officials to seize the suit of armor but he didnt do that. Instead, he filed an action in the court of law as an ordinary subject asking for the return of the suit of armor. On the day of the trial, he walked into the court as an ordinary litigant. The judge, seeing the Caliph come in, rose in his seat deferentially. The Caliph looked at him and said: This man is not fit to be a judge; he does not know that all litigants before him are equal. I may be the sovereign of this country but when I come into court I come in as the equal to everybody else. He then removed the case from that judge and had it before another judge. Now, the standard of things like that you will find in every tradition and we incorporated all of that into a code of universal judicial ethics which has now been adopted by 50 or 60 countries around the world.





That is a very brief resume of the linkage between religion and law; the way in which we can use religion to make the law a leader of society. Law is taking a backward place and we are just doing what the letter of the law says without thinking of the high principles behind the law. Let us rise to the challenge; let us go back to this rich repository of ancient wisdom which is there for the seeking and which we have neglected for centuries; let us go to it again and make the law, once more, worthy of its mission.
Last fall, months before Americas first outbreak of the coronavirus, Francine Coeytaux and Elisa Wells, co-founders of the abortion rights advocacy group Plan C, were reaching out to doctors with a question they said was urgent:

Would you be willing to mail the abortion pills to women in their homes?

For millions of women across America, abortion access was already severely limited  the result of restrictive new laws that have forced dozens of clinics to close their doors. Now, with the spread of Covid-19, some states have classified abortions as nonessential, putting access to the procedure even further out of reach.

But the pandemic has also shone a spotlight on whats known as medication abortion, or the use of pills to terminate an early pregnancy. And Ms. Coeytaux and Ms. Wells say that has only broadened support for their efforts to make the medicines available by mail.

The medicines are mifepristone and misoprostol. Mifepristone blocks the effects of progesterone, a hormone without which the lining of the uterus begins to break down, while misoprostol, to be taken 24 to 48 hours later, induces contractions of the uterus that expel its contents. Both drugs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use up to 10 weeks into pregnancy.

With its approval in 2000, mifepristone promised to substantially expand access to abortion care in the United States. (Misoprostol, which had been developed as anti-ulcer therapy, was already in use.) Suddenly, what had previously required a surgical procedure could be done safely and effectively anywhere a woman chose.
Hurricane season may kick off early, with the potential for the year's first named storm to form off the coast of Florida and the Bahamas.

Tropical (or, potentially, Subtropical) Storm Arthur, as it will be called if conditions develop into a named storm system - has a 70 per cent chance of forming over the next five days, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

In order for a tropical storm to become a hurricane, it has to establish a warm core, which then must intensify into hurricane-force winds.

Hurricane season usually begins on 1 June, but the storm season is starting early this year due in part to the above-average temperatures across the Atlantic ocean. In addition to its early start, meteorologists are predicting this year will have an especially active hurricane season, with most expecting more than six named hurricanes, and some meteorologists predicting more than nine.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that Floridians aren't likely to be overly affected by the storm. Speaking to Jayme King, a meteorologist for local news station Fox 35, the paper reported that Floridians can expect a 40 to 50 per cent chance of rain on Friday near Orlando, with heavier rainfall in the south of the state.

In addition to heavy rain, dangerous surf and tropical-storm force winds - 39-73mph (34 to 63 knots) - are expected.

John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist with the National hurricane Center, described the system's course to the publication.

"Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system, and a subtropical depression or storm is likely to form this weekend while it moves northeastward over the western Atlantic," Mr Cangialosi said.

The Atlantic water is likely still too cool for Tropical Storm Arthur to become a full fledged hurricane.

If Arthur does form, this will mark the sixth consecutive year that a storm has formed before 1 June. So long as seasonal average temperatures continue to rise in the Atlantic as they have been, hurricane season will continue to start nearly a month before it is scheduled.
The Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman begins its separation from the International Space Station following its release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

iss063e010586 (May 11, 2020) - Larger image

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Shah assured BMS that ESI and EPF not to be affected by change in labour laws

What will change after April 1st? From PAN rules to mutual funds, find out here

EPFO Assistant Result 2019 to be declared on this date, check cut off

You will get 8.5% interest on provident fund in 2 tranches

EPFO portal down for several users; Netizens take potshots at slow portal

EPF contribution reduced; take home salaries to increase

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 13: To ease financial stress as businesses get back to work, government has decided to continue EPF support for business and workers for 3 more months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crore. This will be for the month of June, July and August.

"Liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crore to 72.22 lakh employees by extending EPF contribution for next 3 months" said the finance minister.

Government of India will extend support to employee and employer contributions for the next three months.

The finance minister also announced the statutory provident fund or PF contribution of both employer and employee will be reduced to 10 per cent each from existing 12 per cent each for all establishments covered by EPFO for the next three months.

However, for the central public sector enterprises and state PSUs, we will continue to pay 12 per cent. Employees in these PSUs will be given the advantage of paying only 10 per cent, she adds.

Economic package to build self-reliant but not isolationist India: Nirmala Sitharaman

In order to provide more take-home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, EPF contribution is being reduced for businesses and workers for 3 months, amounting to liquidity support of Rs 6,750 crores.

This scheme will be applicable for workers who are not eligible for 24 per cent EPF support under PM Garib Kalyan package and its extension, she said.

This will provide relief to about 6.5 lakh establishments covered under EPFO and about 4.3 crore such employees.
PHILADELPHIA, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaskela Law LLC announces that it is investigating GAIN Capital Holdings, Inc. ("GAIN") (NYSE: GCAP) of behalf of the company's shareholders.

On February 27, 2020, GAIN announced that it had entered into an agreement to be acquired by INTL FCStone Inc. ("INTL FCStone") at a price of $6.00 per share in cash. Following the closing of the proposed transaction, GAIN will no longer be a publicly traded company.

The investigation seeks to determine (i) whether $6.00 per share represents adequate consideration for GAIN shareholders, and (ii) whether GAIN and/or the company's officers and directors violated the securities laws or breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed transaction.

GAIN shareholders are encouraged to contact Kaskela Law LLC (D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.) at (484) 258  1585, or via email at [email protected], to discuss this investigation and their legal rights and options with respect to this transaction. Additional information may also be found at http://kaskelalaw.com/case/gain-capital-holdings-inc/.

Kaskela Law LLC represents investors in securities fraud, corporate governance, and merger & acquisition litigation. For additional information about Kaskela Law LLC please visit www.kaskelalaw.com. This notice may constitute attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions.

CONTACT:

D. Seamus Kaskela, Esq.

KASKELA LAW LLC

18 Campus Blvd., Suite 100

Newtown Square, PA 19073

(484) 258  1585

(888) 715  1740

www.kaskelalaw.com

[email protected]

SOURCE Kaskela Law LLC

Related Links

http://kaskelalaw.com


The HSEs national director of acute operations, Liam Woods, has said that the current arrangement between the HSE and private hospitals which is due to expire in August, is being assessed.

Mr Woods told RTE radios Morning Ireland that while the HSE was alert to the fact that the expected surge of Covid-19 cases had been managed to date, he was anxious that would remain the case, but the risk of a surge at some date still remained.

Extra capacity (in private hospitals) was needed to avoid further risk to the community, he said.

The current arrangement with private hospitals was working well and some services, such as cancer treatment, had moved from public to private settings.

Under the current system all patients are public first with their care assessed on the basis of clinical need.

Those who wish can access private care, he said. Having private hospital capacity affords us the opportunity to support elective care.

Mr Woods also said that the HSE was working with the National Treatment Purchase Fund to ensure people on waiting lists could access care in private hospitals if they wished.

At present hospitals are operating under parallel streams of care  Covid and non-Covid  and there was evidence that such a system was still needed, he said.

There was concern that patients with suspected stroke or heart attacks were not attending emergency departments with a fall of 35-40% attendance levels.

Under the parallel care system staff relied on PPE and greater space to protect patients and staff, he said.

We will be seeing fewer people in the same places.

Mr Woods said there would be more virtual clinics which were very popular and successful.

We are trying to complete as many episodes of care in the community.
Minister of Justice of Armenia Rustam Badasyan has addressed the Venice Commission with questions regarding the solution to the crisis in the Constitutional Court, as reported the news service of the Ministry of Justice in a statement issued today. The statement particularly states the following:

Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Rustam Badasyan has applied to the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, addressing the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) with questions regarding the solution of the crisis created in the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia.
MOSCOW - When Russian authorities ordered half-trained medical students into hospitals dealing with the covid-19 crisis, the students said they felt like raw military conscripts being sent into battle, barely trained to shoot.

In a sign of the crisis roiling Russian hospitals facing the covid-19 pandemic, university heads last month ordered students to do compulsory practical work in hospitals, where staff complain that they lack protective gear.

At least 169 medical staff have died in Russia, according to a memorial list created by Russian doctors, in the absence of any national official count on the number of who died or fell ill from covid-19.

The growing fissures on Russia's health system is just one part of a growing crisis that is adding more than 10,000 covid-19 patients a day - catapulting Russia into second place behind the United States in terms of cases.

"I am worried of course. Everyone is concerned. It is dangerous, and no one wants to get sick," said sixth-year medical student, Svetlana, assigned to work as a nurse treating covid-19 patients. "We have a lot of work, lots of patients and one nurse for 40 patients."

Stevlana, from Medical University No. 1 in Moscow, gave only her first name in fear of repercussions from the university and other authorities. She said hospital staff do not have the recommended N95 masks and have to reuse protective suits, which sometimes get holes.

It is also a critical test for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose state-crafted image of total stewardship has taken direct blows by the pandemic as he delegates much of the response to provincial bosses and others. On Monday, Putin acknowledged that half of Russia's doctors had not been paid promised bonuses for working on the pandemic.

The virus, too, has pushed its way into his inner circle. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, is hospitalized with covid-19. Last month, Russia's prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, tested positive.

But Russian officials assert Putin is not at risk. He has spent the past weeks at his retreat outside Moscow.

Meanwhile, Russia has struggled to respond to the spike in cases, leaving health care workers fighting the system they work in. Some have taken to social media with anguished cries for help or to simply vent. At least three health care workers have mysteriously fallen out of hospital windows in Russia in recent weeks, highlighting the escalations in the health system.

Alexandra, another student at Medical University No. 1, said those students who refused to work would not be given the credit required to pass and faced effective expulsion. She also gave only her first name in fear of reprisals from authorities.

Russia on Wednesday reported a total of 242,271 novel coronavirus cases, a daily increase of 10,028.

Although the caseload continues to rise, the rate of daily increase has slowed. Russia has reported 2,212 deaths, but it counts covid-19 cases much more conservatively than other countries. Many deaths among covid-19 infected patients have been attributed to other causes.

Health officials say Russia's high case numbers are due to its testing: Around 6 million tests have been performed so far. Yet doctors complain the tests are inaccurate in around 20 percent of cases, throwing up false positives, exposing medical staff and patients to further risk.

About a third of Russian covid-19 cases require hospitalization, according to health officials.

In a St. Petersburg intensive care unit Tuesday, a doctor watched in shock as a ventilator exploded in flames, killing five covid-19 patients, the second such incident in days. On Saturday a patient with the virus in Moscow died when a hospital ventilator caught fire.

Russian authorities on Wednesday ordered a halt to the use of ventilators produced by Urals Instrument Engineering Plant, part of a state conglomerate Rostec, which also manufactures military hardware and is under Western sanctions over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

But the decision raised questions as to how the country will cope as covid-19 cases continue to climb.

The Industry and Trade Ministry earlier designated the Urals Instrument Engineering Plant as its sole ventilator supplier, planning purchase 5,700 units for Russian hospitals, Russian news agency Interfax reported.

A Ministry spokesman said Monday that an examination must not only focus on the ventilators but on the conditions of their use. Some have suggested that faulty wiring may have caused the fires, with multiple electrical devices in use in ICU wards.

The lack of protective equipment and resulting sickness among health workers has seen doctors walk off the job, fearing infection and death.

Hospitals have emerged as super-spreader sites, with the infection sweeping through covid-19 wards, known in Russia as "red zone" wards and so-called "green zones" or "clean zones" for other patients.

At least 400 hospitals had been identified as covid-19 hotspots, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said Wednesday, calling it the kind of thing that "tends to happen." He said the situation was "tense but controllable."

St. Petersburg governor, Alexander Beglov, said 1,465 medical workers in that city alone had been infected with covid-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic, RIA Novosti reported.

"The risk of getting covid-19 in the clean zone of a covid-19 hospital is very high," said Alexandra.

She said some students who had been contacted by hospitals to start work had been given no choice on whether they would work in red zones or green zones.

"We are talking about very serious infection and forcing students to work with such an infection and calling it practical work is inadmissible," she said. "It's a violation of our right to life."

Students including pregnant women, young mothers, those with underlying health conditions that put them at risk and those with elderly parents whom they could infect, were ordered to work in hospitals treating covid-19 patients, she added.

"We are concerned that we won't have personal protective equipment. There are shortages that we all know about, so where are they going to get the necessary quantities for us?" she said.

Alexey Erlikh, head of the cardiological intensive care unit, Hospital 29 in Moscow, who helped launch the online memorial list of medical workers who died of covid-19, said the tally did not purport to include all deaths, relying on colleagues and family reporting to the organizers.

"It is very important to be open about it and technically it is possible to count them," he said. "I feel bad that the officials are talking about sacrifice of medical workers, and yet they do not count the sick and dead ones. I can only use a bad word for it."

He is now treating covid-19 but said neither he nor his colleagues had been paid extra as promised by Putin.

"The existing health-care system is coping with the situation," said Murashko, the health minister. "We have developed a system which balances out the numbers of hospitalized and discharged patients."

- - -

The Washington Post's Natasha Abbakumova contributed to this report.
Serbia on Wednesday strongly protested the detention of eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests in Montenegro after thousands of people attended a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings because of the coronavirus.

Montenegrin prosecutors said that the priests are facing charges of violating health regulations during the virus outbreak by organizing the procession on Tuesday in the western town of Niksic.

Most people participating in the procession didn't wear face masks or keep a safe distance from each other.

Angry over the arrests, supporters of the Serbian Orthodox Church blocked a regional road in northern Montenegro on Wednesday, according to the state Montenegrin RTCG television. The report said that a long line of blocked cars formed down the road.

The detentions heightened tensions between the small Adriatic state and Serbia and its church which earlier this year led weeks of protests against a religious law that it says would strip the church of its property. Montenegrin officials have repeatedly denied the allegations.

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, and Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej said in a joint statement on Wednesday that they hope the arrests won't spark any "unwanted unrest or clashes".

The patriarch said the detentions are only a proof that the Montenegrin state is conducting a purge of the Serbian Orthodox Church." Vucic urged a peaceful resolution of the crisis and a quick release of the priests.

Montenegro, a country of 620,000 people, split from much larger Serbia in a referendum in 2006. Serbian nationalists both in Serbia and Montenegro have never fully recognized the separation of what they claim is a historic Serbian territory.

Montenegro has reported nine deaths caused by the new coronavirus and more than 300 infections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Stephen King wrote his best-selling novel Carrie on his wifes portable typewriter.

Fresh out of college, King had been working on a short story for a popular magazine.

His wife found the first three pages of the story in the trash, then pressed him to keep going. Those three, crumpled pages turned into his first book, but not without a fight.

Before Carrie was published, King had been rejected 30 times  devastating for a writer as educated and talented as he was. Rumor has it, his wife encouraged him to try one more editor, a small bit of encouragement that ultimately helped launch Kings career.

His initial rejections paved the way for a story of monumental success. Doubleday accepted the manuscript in 1971, and the book sold a million copies the first year after publication.

Reframing rejection

Theres no way around it: Rejection stings. Whether you didnt land the job offer you were banking on or the proposal you worked on for months wasnt accepted, being rejected can feel profoundly personal.

To make matters worse, were also hard-wired to resist rejection and the feelings of failure that come with it.

Thats because, thanks to dopamine, the anticipation of success can feel just as exciting as achieving that success. When were anticipating a desired outcome, our brains behave as though that outcome has already occurred  which is why hearing no is so alarming and, for some of us, overwhelming.

In my career, Ive experienced my fair share of rejection. I know what it feels like to lose an advancement opportunity or be taken off a project Im passionate about. I can recall the exact humiliation that comes with spending months on a proposal for a prospective client, only to lose to the competition.

But there's one thing Ive learned through all these tough moments: Rejection is not failure. Its an opportunity to learn and to grow, and ultimately, to succeed.

Here are some of the lessons Ive gleaned over the years about why its so important to re-frame rejection.

Related: Rejection Is Part of Entrepreneurship. Here's How to Handle It.

Rejection is rarely personal

I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was working full-time at a tech company while attempting to build my new business, JotForm.

At that point, I was the only official JotForm employee  but I had my eye on a software developer Id known for a while. I was hoping that once I sat down to explain my startup's vision, hed jump at the opportunity to leave his job and join me.

Instead, across from me at the cafe table, he told me he wasnt interested in ditching his job to work for me. To be honest, he didnt seem all that excited about what I was building.

He rejected me, but even worse, he rejected the product Id worked so long and hard to create.

I dwelled on that rejection for a few weeks. Did he think Id make a bad boss? Did he think my venture was a terrible idea?

Only recently did I realize that what I perceived as the most personal of rejections wasnt personal at all. His answer had much more to do with him than me.

Today, if someone came to me and offered me a job, Id answer with a resounding no. But it wouldnt have anything to do with that individual or the company. Id say no because Im passionate about my work.

Next time you get a no that feels hard to accept, take some time to be curious about other possibilities. Maybe your boss doesnt have the budget to give you the raise you want. Maybe the person who got the promotion you were after just had more experience than you.

In any scenario, remember: Rejection might feel personal, but theres probably a logical reason something didnt work out the way you planned.

Related: Michelle Pfeiffer's Fragrance Brand Took 20 Years (and Plenty of ...

Rejection is an opportunity to hone your skills

A few years ago, I read a story that stuck with me. Within three years of her promotion, the president of a popular restaurant chain got fired because revenue tanked during her tenure. Ouch.

In the six years following, she started consulting and served on the board of another big fast-food restaurant. It couldnt have been easy, but she used her rejection to learn and grow  and it paid off. She was eventually hired as CEO of that company.

Instead of wallowing in the humiliation or pain of being fired, this woman chose a humble alternative. She used the time she had to make herself an even stronger candidate.

Being rejected can feel like the worst thing in the world. But if you see it as a chance to try something new or gain new skills, you can leverage those things toward a future opportunity that might be even more rewarding.

Rejection is an opportunity to ask important questions

Along with setting you up to learn new skills you can transfer to a different opportunity  and make connections that could benefit your career  the sting of rejection also positions you to ask questions that will shape your future.

I experienced a similar growth path after the software developer shut down my offer. After a few weeks of feeling discouraged, I flipped the script and decided to use the rejection in a more productive way.

What could I do to make working for JotForm more appealing to candidates? How can I create a work culture that attracts and retains talent? And, just as importantly, why did I take that rejection so personally?

Wrestling with these questions has been far more beneficial to me  and my companys growth  than wallowing in defeat.

How to move forward from rejection

With the right attitude, its possible to move forward from rejection. Its just a matter of changing perspective. If you see a rejection as a personal failure, youll lose momentum and wont get any closer to your goals. If you see rejection as an invitation to learn new things and ask important questions, you're more likely to bounce back.

Moving on after a failure might never be easy. But dont think for a minute youre moving on empty-handed, or that you got the short end of the stick. Rejection puts a new secret weapon in your back pocket: your own resilience.

Related: 'Rejection' Is Nothing More Than Social Constructionism

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Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
As the world continues to face the pandemic, multiple nations have joined forces to look for a coronavirus vaccine. Various pharmaceutical companies and researchers are in different stages of their search for a vaccine, while some are in advanced stages of finding a cure. According to the World Health Organisation, there are around 100 vaccine candidates in the works but seven-eight top candidates.

However, experimental vaccines that are being tested would need to be approved before they are mass produced and administered to around 7.6 billion people. Developing a COVID-19 vaccine might take 12-18 months, according to US officials. White House Health Advisor Anthony Fauci said that even if a corona vaccine is found, he would be "cautiously optimistic" about its efficacy. "So one of the big unknowns is, will it be effective? Given the way the body responds to viruses of this type, I'm cautiously optimistic that we will with one of the candidates get an efficacy signal," said Dr Fauci, as mentioned in a report in CNBC.

Also read: Coronavirus live updates: Rs 20 lakh crore booster package 4th highest in world; India's total cases-74,281

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently stated in the government's foreword to the guidelines on restriction relaxations that finding a cure could take up to a year, or worse, might not even be found. "Indeed, in a worst-case scenario, we may never find a vaccine. So our plan must countenance a situation where we are in this, together, for the long haul, even while doing all we can to avoid that outcome," he said.

Dr David Nabarro, Global Health Professor at Imperial College London said that there are still some viruses that we do not have vaccines for. "We can't make an absolute assumption that a vaccine will appear at all, or if it does appear, whether it will pass all the tests of efficacy and safety," he said, as mentioned in a report in NPR.

Nevertheless, researchers from across the world are working to find a corona vaccine. For instance, China's CanSino Biologics is working with Canada's National Research Council to find a vaccine. The NRC said that it would scale up production process for CanSino's vaccine at a Montreal government facility. If the vaccine works, Canadians would have access to it.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: ICMR, Bharat Biotech join hands to develop vaccine for Covid-19

Additionally, Japan expects to start clinical trials of COVID vaccine in July, according to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. National Institute of Infectious Diseases, University of Tokyo and Osaka University are some of the institutions that are working on potential vaccines. Abe also said that Japan would also work with other countries to develop a vaccine. He called for more such vaccine research programmes. The Japan government is also planning to approve Fujifilm's anti-flu drug Avigan (favipiravir) by the end of the month.

In a breakthrough, an experimental vaccine for novel coronavirus in macaque monkeys was found blocking several strains of COVID-19. Chinese researchers aim to start human trials of vaccine candidate PiCoVacc later this year.

Moreover, Moderna, one of the few companies to lead the race for a coronavirus vaccine has received fast-track approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The US-based biopharma company announced that the FDA has granted the fast track designation for mRNA-1273 vaccine candidates. Moderna has completed the Phase I of its trials and is preparing for Phases II and III. Fast-track designation would facilitate the development of the corona vaccine as well as expedite review.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: List of 5 COVID-19 treatment frontrunners

US-based drug-maker Sanofi Pasteur also said that it is now entering the race to find a coronavirus vaccine. The company is partnering with the US' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to find a vaccine.

In India, Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) has joined forces with Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. A vaccine by the name of CoroFlu is being tested by BBIL that is working with the University of Wisconsin. Serum Institute of India that is working with the University of Oxford is planning to produce 6 crore doses of coronavirus vaccine that is currently under trial.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Here's what's brewing in India and globally
SHANGHAI, May 13 (Reuters) - Intel Capital, the venture arm of chipmaker Intel Corp, has invested in two Chinese startups in the semiconductor sector, the company announced on Wednesday, as part of its latest batch of deals.

The investments in companies that compete in fields typically dominated by U.S. players come as Intel remains embroiled in tensions between the United States and China over chip manufacturing.

ProPlus, one the Chinese startups Intel Capital has funded, makes EDA software that chip makers use to design their products before manufacturing them.

The leaders in that field, Cadence Design Systems Inc , Mentor Graphics, and Synopsys Inc - all hail from the United States.

ProPlus Chairman and CEO Zhihong Liu once worked as a VP at Cadence Technologies while its director, Chenming Hu, once served as the CTO of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC).

Spectrum Materials, based in the southern Chinese province of Fujian, makes gases critical for semiconductor fabs to produce physical chips. The sector is typically dominated by players in the United States, South Korea, and Japan.

China's government has committed billions of dollars to help fund the domestic semiconductor industry, which it views as critical to catching up with the United States and other governments.

The stakes for such initiatives have increased after the United States imposed restrictions on American companies supplying to Huawei, China's top telecommunications eqiupment provider and a leading chip maker in its own right.

Intel Capital has consistently invested in Chinese startups along with small chip companies from around the world. In 2019 and 2018 it announced investments in two Chinese chip startups.

This batch of announced investments comes days after Intel CEO Bob Swan wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Defense expressing readiness to build a chip fab in the United States, with the goal of ensuring U.S. technological leadership. (Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by Stephen Coates)
Residents of Syanjkothi village in Nachan assembly of Mandi have demanded that the state government repatriate the body of a 24-year-old man who died in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in March.

A memorandum regarding the same was submitted by social activist Brahmdas Chauhan to governor Bandaru Dattatreya and chief minister Jai Ram Thakur through the Sundernagar sub-divisional magistrate.

Chauhan said the victim, Hans Raj, left for Saudi Arabia in February, after he got a job with a private company. The family last heard from him on March 8.

On March 10, his father, Poshu Ram, received a call informing him that his son had passed away. The caller, however, did not specify the cause of death.

Soon after Hans Rajs death there was a ban on international flights due to the coronavirus outbreak, said Chauhan: The consulate of India in Jeddha had assured us that the body will be repatriated soon after international flights resume.

As special flights have begun operating between India and Saudi Arabia, we demand that the state government intervene and ensure that the body is repatriated so that Hans Rajs last rites can be performed , Chauhan said.

Hans Raj is survived by his parents and three siblings.

The family falls below poverty line (BPL) and the government should provide financial help to the family, Chauhan said.

Poshu Ram has demanded that the government conduct a probe into his sons death: My son was not suffering from any disease. He was in all likelihood murdered in Saudi Arabia, he said.

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An army captain simply identified as D Gana was abducted along Kabba-Auga Akoko expressway in Akoko north-east local government area o...





An army captain simply identified as D Gana was abducted along Kabba-Auga Akoko expressway in Akoko north-east local government area of Ondo state on Wednesday.





The officer, who was on his way from Abuja, was said to have been kidnapped and taken to a forest at Ibilo, the boundary between Ondo and Edo states.





Confirming the incident, Ayorinde Omojokun, spokesman of the Nigerian Army 32 artillery brigade, Akure, said security agencies had been deployed to rescue the officer.





Tee-Leo Ikoro, public relations officer of Ondo police command, said the victim was taken into a nearby bush and the abductors allowed him to call a relation who informed the Ikare-Akoko division of the police.

Unfortunately, before a team of police detectives got to the area, he had been moved away from the place, but his car was recovered by our men, Ikoro said.





He added that Undie Adie, commissioner of police in the state, had deployed a team for the immediate search and rescue of the victim.





The abductors were said to have contacted the victims family, making a demand of N20 million as ransom.




Small shops have begun reopening across China as various cities in the country lower their emergency response levels to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) following the effective control of the outbreak.

Citizens have dinner in a restaurant in Wuhan. (Photo/Zhou Wen)

Bubble tea and barbecues have come back, said some Internet users, while others celebrated for other reasons: Finally, I dont have to cut my own hair anymore.

With corner shops opening their doors again, and supermarkets, convenience stores, diners, delis, barber shops, laundries, and real estate agencies resuming business, cities are gradually seeing a return to their previous vitality.

According to a recent report on how Chinas small shops fared during this years May Day holiday, 8 million small shops in the country recorded higher incomes than they did in the same period last year.

More than 5 million shops brought in twice the revenues of the May Day holiday of the previous year, according to the report released on May 6 by Chinas leading payment platform Alipay.

Data from Alipay also indicated that 90 percent of nighttime economic activities of small shops had recovered by the recent May Day holiday, and that more than half of the small shops said their business hours had been significantly extended, with over 10 percent of shops seeing an extension in business times of more than 6 hours.

China currently has about 83.3 million registered individually-owned businesses which employ more than 200 million people, as shown by data from the countrys State Administration for Market Regulation.

A report released by Alipay at the end of 2019 revealed that the number of small shops in China, including online shops, corner shops, and roadside stalls, came to around 100 million. These shops provided jobs for 300 million people, according to the report.

Developing small shops was included in the topics of executive meetings of the State Council of China at the end of 2019.

Targeted policies and measures should be rolled out to help with development of small shops in order to create more job opportunities and form a group of popular, characteristic pedestrian streets that showcase the countrys cultural heritage, according to a State Council executive meeting held on Dec. 30, 2019.

In March, the State Council issued guidelines on implementing measures to boost employment stability in response to the impact of COVID-19. They specified that the development of small shops and pedestrian streets with strong job-creation capacity should be taken as important conditions in various evaluation programs.

Some cities have adjusted their development concepts according to the guidelines, and made good achievements in terms of featured pedestrian streets that boost the economy.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the country has launched a series of policies and measures aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tide over their difficulties.

China has introduced policies granting a three-month rental exemption to small and micro businesses and individuallyowned businesses that have rented state-owned property.

The country has also increased cuts in added-value tax for small and micro businesses and individually-owned businesses.

In addition, the country has granted nearly 2.9 trillion yuan ($401.8 billion) of low-cost loans to SMEs, micro businesses, and individually-owned businesses.

Moreover, Chinas leading online private commercial bank MYbank has initiated a contactless loan project along with organizations including the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce to help SMEs and micro businesses.

The project is expected to provide a one-month interest-free loan for 360,000 corner shops, small and micro businesses, and individually-owned businesses in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the city hit hardest in the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to support from the government, owners of small shops across the country have tried their best to seek opportunity in crisis over the past few months, with many eyeing digital transformation to bring about a quick recovery.

Efforts to launch take-out services and products and join online delivery platforms have proven particularly beneficial and effective for many shop owners in the country.

After shifting focus to online platforms, one shop owner surnamed Ruan managed to increase the number of orders by up to 15 times in February.

Take-out services have helped a lot during the epidemic prevention and control as people have been advised to make fewer trips outside, said a shop owner surnamed Zhang, who saw a significant increase in the number of online orders during the special period.

There were only 10,000 small shops that joined Eleme in the last year, while the number of small shops that started to use our services for shops increased by 50,000 during the epidemic, said Lin Xiaohai, vice president of Alibaba Group and general manager of Alibabas LST platform.

Despite the current difficulties, 90 percent of small shops in China are confident in their future operations, while more than half of these shops plan to expand, increase their budgets, or continue with their business in a steady manner, according to Alipays survey of small shops during the past May Day holiday.

The COVID-19 pandemic will help accelerate the digitalization of Chinas service sector, said Hu Xiaoming, CEO of Ant Financial, stressing that 80 percent of the countrys businesses in the service industry have not yet undergone digital transformation, which means there is huge room for development.
Coronavirus has indeed forced many filmmakers to reconsider postponing their movie releases on the big screen and opting for an OTT release. Recently, Surender Kontaddi's Amrutharamam was released on Zee5, eventually becoming the first Telugu movie to release on the OTT platform amid the Coronavirus lockdown.

Following the romantic thriller, Anushka Shetty's Nishabdham is gearing up for an OTT release too. Yes, you read that right! As per reports, the makers of the thriller will skip the theatrical release and go for a direct release on Amazon Prime. It is said that the official confirmation about the same will be made by the makers soon.

Anushka Shetty will essay a mute character in the movie, which will also feature R Madhavan, Shalini Pandey and Anjali, Subbaraju, and Srinivas Avasarala in pivotal roles. Rumour has it, that the movie directed by Hemant Madhukar, will revolve around Anushka's character, who experiences paranormal activities happening in a haunted house. On the other hand, R Madhavan plays the role of a musician, who too experience similar kind of activities. Well, going by the plot, the horror-thriller will surely keep us on the edge of our seats!

The makers were gearing up to promote the movie before its final release date, April 2, which was dropped due to the COVID-19 lockdown. To be released in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam and English, the makers have so far released three songs from the movie. Nishabdham has music composed by Gopi Sundar and BGM tuned by Girishh G. The lens for the movie will be cranked by Shaneil Deo while editing by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao. Nishabdham has been bankrolled by Kota Venkat and TG Vishwa Prasad. The former has also written the story for the highly anticipated film.

Anushka Shetty Is Not At Loggerheads With Nishabdham Makers! Deets Inside

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Germany will open its borders with France, Switzerland and Austria from June 15 after it imposed restrictions two months ago to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said business trips and family visits across its French, Austrian and Swiss frontiers would begin from Friday, with random spot checks in place, before total freedom of movement by mid-June.

In addition the EU's economic powerhouse said there will be no extension of border controls with Luxembourg, which expire on Friday, and that it was working to agree an end to restrictions with Denmark.

Germany has successfully flattened its coronavirus infection curve, recording another 798 cases on Wednesday compared to 933 yesterday. It added another 101 deaths to its toll of 7,634, down from 116 deaths the day before.

Police officers wearing face masks work at a checkpoint on the border between Germany and Austria in Bad Reichenhall, southern Germany, on April 23

Germany recorded another 798 cases on Wednesday, compared to 933 new cases the previous day

Germany recorded another 101 deaths on Wednesday, compared to 116 deaths the day before

However, Seehofer said the end of restrictions by mid-June was dependent on the virus remaining under control and added, 'A lot can change in four weeks.'

There is no change to its arrangements at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the Netherlands. However, checks at these frontiers have not been federally mandated and are managed by Germany's individual states.

Seehofer said that travel from non-EU countries such as the United States and Russia would remain restricted until at least June 15.

Germany still has a warning in force until mid-June against taking foreign holidays despite the easing of regulations among European partners.

Seehofer said the agreements on loosening the measures had been reached in bilateral talks this week and appealed to the 'European Spirit' as he expressed hopes that the rest of the EU might soon follow suit.

Neighbouring Austria, which has been similarly keen to reopen its borders, recorded 49 new cases yesterday, down from 59 on Monday. It has a total death toll of just 623.

'From June 15, the opening of the border between Germany and Austria will be possible,' Austria's Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger told state radio station O1.

The German and Austrian chancellors, Angela Merkel and Sebastian Kurz spoke Tuesday and 'agreed on a gradual opening of the border', the minister said.

The Austrian and German chancellors, Sebastian Kurz (left) and Angela Merkel, spoke Tuesday and 'agreed on a gradual opening' of the border', the minister said.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (pictured today) said the agreements on loosening the measures had been reached in bilateral talks this week and appealed to the 'European Spirit' as he expressed hopes that the rest of the EU might soon follow suit

Both nations consider they have the virus under control and were among the first in Europe to start lifting the measures taken to halt the spread of the pandemic.

Tourism accounts for about eight percent of Austria's economic output and Germany is the biggest source of foreign visitors.

Kurz is also pushing for opening borders with other countries that have similarly low infection rates. These include Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia.

With the tourism sector reeling, the European Commission was today set to urge EU countries to gradually reopen shuttered internal borders and to treat each member state according to the same criteria.

A worker removes extra chairs at the 'Orient Accident' restaurant at Naschmarkt market in Vienna, Austria on May 12, 2020 a few days before restaurants, cafes and bars reopen

German Federal police officers check motorists at the closed border to France due the Coronovirus Epidemic in Kehl, Germany, on March 16

However, Austria - which shares a 251 mile border with Italy - has not signalled any intention to treat its pandemic-battered neighbour with the same graces it is proffering to the Germans.

German travel giant TUI said today it planned to slash 8,000 jobs in a bid to cut costs as the industry struggles to stay afloat.

TUI reported a net loss of 763.6 million euros for its second quarter to March.

'We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30 percent across the entire Group,' said TUI of the cuts affecting one in ten jobs.

'This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced.'

The CEO of German TUI Group Friedrich Joussen speaks during the annual general meeting of TUI Group in Hanover, northern Germany

To halt transmission of the coronavirus, many countries have slammed borders shut and banned tourism, leaving planes grounded and cruise ships idle at ports while hotels are left empty.

To survive the crisis, TUI had sought a lifeline from the government, signing a deal in early April for a 1.8 billion euros state-guaranteed loan to keep it afloat.

It is one of the biggest examples of German companies making use of a huge government rescue package aimed at cushioning the impact of the pandemic on Europe's top economy.

The German government has promised 'unlimited' credit to help companies weather the coronavirus storm.
The last two months have been a rare opportunity for Steve and Jenny Tyrrell to slow down and get back to what's important.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The last two months have been a rare opportunity for Steve and Jenny Tyrrell to slow down and get back to what's important.

The husband-and-wife team behind Miss Browns have been toiling away in the local food scene since opening their first sandwich shop on William Avenue in 2015.

"There were times in the last five years that we couldnt even take a day off together," Jenny said. "Even though its been quite difficult from a business sense, from a family sense its been really good."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The time off has allowed Steve and Jenny Tyrrell to explore new dishes and help build their children's interest in food.

The couple met in a hostel in Bath, England, where Steve was "working for beer and food and accommodation." They struck up a year-long email relationship and reunited in Vancouver before moving to Australia, Steve's birth country.

They bonded over a shared passion for food and spent their downtime watching cooking shows about famous chefs, such as Anthony Bourdain and Matty Matheson. Neither is classically trained, but Steve helped Jenny develop her cooking skills by sharing knowledge he developed working in kitchens around Australia, including at the Sydney Opera House.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jenny Tyrrell says the children want to be involved in the kitchen and are excited to see what's on the menu for dinner.

Their love affair with sandwiches and smoked meats started at Steve's family-owned vineyard, where they would cater lunches for club members and weekend visitors.

While the couples' return to Winnipeg  where Jenny was born  was prompted by the sudden death of a family member, the move created an opportunity to fulfil a longtime dream and open their own lunch spot.

"As lovely as Australia is, its very competitive," Jenny said. "We just really quickly realized that if we were going to open a place, we needed the support."

"There were times in the last five years that we couldnt even take a day off together. Even though its been quite difficult from a business sense, from a family sense its been really good"  Jenny Tyrrell

Support of family and customers has allowed them to expand their vision to include a catering operation and a second location in the Hargrave St. Market, which opened last December.

The coronavirus pandemic ground the business to a halt in March, but the unexpected pause has created more opportunity for home cooking and quality time with their young daughters and two dogs.

Free Press: What has this time off been like for you?

Jenny Tyrrell: I think I was initially shell-shocked. We didnt have to set alarms and we felt almost lazy or we didnt know what to do with ourselves, because we had made that tough decision to actually close, so I think there was a bit of guilt at first.

We have a six-year-old and a one-year-old, so we also had to get into the routine of homeschooling.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The 100-year-old home in Selkirk where the Tyrrell's live needs work, but has become a sanctuary against the coronavirus.

FP: How has food played a role in your time at home?

JT: Ive found myself getting back to the place where I was in Australia where I would flip through my Delicious magazines to draw inspiration and make a five-day meal plan of things that take more time.

Having the emails turned off and the catering calls placed on hold and not having staff constantly coming to you with problems, its easier to sit back and get back to the roots of things... and have that time to let the creativity flow again.

FP: Have you been getting your kids involved in the kitchen?

JT: Weve always had them involved, but I think just taking the time to do better and more thought-out meals makes them excited to see whats on the dinner menu.

Even the little one, whos almost two, gets up on her little stool. They want to be involved and they want to know what youre doing.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jenny and Steve Tyrrell met in England, reunited in Vancouver and then moved together to Australia before arriving in Manitoba.

FP: What are some dishes youve really enjoyed making?

JT: We managed to get my parents to take the kids and we went and got some lamb chops and did a beet salad, like a slaw, and some potatoes; it was really good.

FP: What are some pantry or fridge staples youve been turning to these days?

JT: We had a bunch of eggs left over from the restaurant, so I learned how to see if eggs are still fresh by putting them in a cup of water  if they float to the surface theyre done, but if they stay at the bottom theyre still fresh.

My husband loves doing frittatas with, say, leftover steak or veggies that are going off or any herbs that we need to use up.

We did a big DeLucas order before we closed. We love their Divella plum tomatoes and when this all started, it was still quite cold, so we were doing quite a bit of spaghetti sauces, ragus and heartier sauces.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Steve developed his culinary chops working in restaurants around Australia, and has passed that knowledge to Jenny.

FP: Anything youve tried to make that hasnt worked out?

JT: The other day I made a fish pie with prawns and halibut and salmon and it had like a potato, pea topping and I think the ratios were a bit off. I wouldnt say it was a fail-fail, but all the potatoes soaked up all the liquid so it became quite a mess. But it tasted great.

FP: What have you been doing outside of the kitchen to keep busy?

JT: We bought a house in Selkirk five years ago and its a 100-year-old beautiful house, but it needs a lot of work, so I think were both sitting here thinking about what to do.

We need to paint our house, our steps need to be redone, we want to do an extension on the back, trying to make the home as comfortable as possible.

We have two dogs and now that the weathers getting nice were making sure we're getting out there and walking them for an hour or so.

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.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jenny says the lockdown has been a challenge, but is also an opportunity. Rare was the day the two of them could take off work at once, and the time off has offered them a chance to rekindle their culinary creativity.

FP: When youre able to again, where would you like to go on a trip?

JT: For our family, wed probably like to go off to Mexico and do a bit of beach and food exploration, but we would also like to do a road trip down south in the States and do some food exploration around smoked meats  my husbands big into Franklin barbecue.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has announced from his Twitter account that the company has restarted its northern California factory in defiance of local coronavirus restrictions.

In a tweet, Musk said he would be on the assembly line, adding "If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me."

The factory apparently had approval by the state to restart, but not Alameda County, where the facility is located. In an interview with the Associated Press, Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty called the move to reopen "disappointing," saying the health department is still reviewing the situation.


MONTREAL, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. ("Turquoise Hill" or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the period ended March 31, 2020. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

"Our first quarter of 2020 delivered strong operational results in the open-pit mine, whilst importantly achieving an excellent safety record that the Oyu Tolgoi team has continued to maintain.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, provided unprecedented challenges, yet the Oyu Tolgoi open pit has continued to operate without interruptions, and the underground development, although experiencing delays with the construction of some underground infrastructure, has continued to progress. We are seeing the benefits of a highly skilled local workforce being able to adapt to the challenges presented by the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to presenting another solid quarter, we are announcing that the updated Panel 0 mine design is complete. This is an important milestone and is the basis of the Definitive Estimate due in the second half of 2020.

The block cave design anticipates a delay to OTFS16 key project milestones of sustainable production by 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months) and an increase in development capital cost of $1.5 billion (with a range of $1.3 to $1.8 billion). The preferred block cave design is a more resilient mine plan that provides the best opportunity for success based on an extensive trade-off analysis taking into account the reserve recovery, geotechnical, constructability, operability, schedule, cost and value risks. Given the importance of the Panel 0 mine design, Turquoise Hill engaged subject matter experts to undertake an external and independent assurance process that focused on the technical review of the proposed mine re-design options, and a review of the schedule and estimating process.

As at March 31, 2020, Turquoise Hill has $1.8 billion of available liquidity, which is sufficient to fund operations, underground and power development into Q3 2021. The Company is well progressed in its discussions with Rio Tinto regarding its proposal for sourcing incremental interim funding to provide flexibility to explore and evaluate long term financing options." stated Ulf Quellmann, Chief Executive Officer of Turquoise Hill.

HIGHLIGHTS

Safety is a top priority and is critical to our continued success. Oyu Tolgoi achieved another strong AIFR of 0.20 per 200,000 hours worked for the three months ended March 31, 2020 .





. In Q1'20, Oyu Tolgoi produced 35,203 tonnes of copper and 26,154 ounces of gold and is on track to achieve 2020 copper and gold production guidance.





Mill throughput was 10,889,000 tonnes and increased 17% versus Q1'19 due to lower ore hardness as well as high mill availability and effective utilisation performance.





Our Oyu Tolgoi team has continued to maximise the production from the open pit and is expected to produce 140,000 to 170,000 tonnes of copper and 120,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold in concentrates in 2020 from both the open pit and the beginning of the underground development material being processed. Initiatives have been implemented by Oyu Tolgoi to bring forward the higher gold bearing ore into 2020; consequently, if these initiatives are successful, we anticipate gold production will be at the upper end of the guidance range.





As anticipated, a design change for Panel 0 has been approved, which is supported by extensive geotechnical modelling and a thorough technical assurance program including independent third parties. The caving method of mining remains valid and many fundamentals of the mine design have remained unchanged. The approved design that now progresses to execution-level planning is based on a block cave approach, which leaves two pillars to the north and south of Panel 0. This design change results in a more resilient mine plan able to effectively operate with the Panel 0 geotechnical conditions as now understood. The Definitive Estimate of project cost and schedule currently remains on track for the second half of 2020, subject to any delays due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.





The block cave design anticipates a delay to OTFS16 key project milestones of sustainable production of 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months) inclusive of an allowance for schedule contingency, and an increase in development capital cost of $1.5 billon (with a range of $1.3 to $1.8 billion ), subject to any additional scheduling delays or increases in capital costs arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may also reduce the available contingency in these estimates. These schedule and cost delays are within the estimates previously disclosed to the market and will undergo a period of further detailed design, engineering and optimisation to support the Definitive Estimate.





billon (with a range of to ), subject to any additional scheduling delays or increases in capital costs arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may also reduce the available contingency in these estimates. These schedule and cost delays are within the estimates previously disclosed to the market and will undergo a period of further detailed design, engineering and optimisation to support the Definitive Estimate. Revenue of $130.7 million in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from $352.7 million in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B , Phase 6B and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20, primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global copper demand.





in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase , Phase and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20, primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global copper demand. Income for the period was $19.0 million compared with income of $105.2 million in Q1'19. This was primarily due to $198.8 million lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue, partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of $107.7 million resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was $55.4 million or $0.03 per share, compared with income of $111.2 million or $0.06 per share in Q1'19.





compared with income of in Q1'19. This was primarily due to lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue, partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was or per share, compared with income of or per share in Q1'19. Cash generated from operating activities before interest and taxes was $1.5 million , a decrease from $49.8 million generated in Q1'19, primarily reflecting the impact of reduced revenue partly offset with favourable movements in working capital.





, a decrease from generated in Q1'19, primarily reflecting the impact of reduced revenue partly offset with favourable movements in working capital. Cost of sales was $2.57 per pound of copper sold, C1 cash costs 1 were $2.07 per pound of copper produced, and all-in sustaining costs 1 were $2.39 per pound of copper produced.





per pound of copper sold, C1 cash costs were per pound of copper produced, and all-in sustaining costs were per pound of copper produced. Total operating cash costs 1 of $188.1 million in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from $198.1 million in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs, lower maintenance costs, and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of the lower sales revenue.





of in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs, lower maintenance costs, and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of the lower sales revenue. During Q1'20 underground development spend was $291.5 million , resulting in total project spend since January 1, 2016 of approximately $3.8 billion .





, resulting in total project spend since of approximately . At the end of March 2020 , Turquoise Hill had approximately $1.8 billion of available liquidity, split between remaining project finance proceeds of $0.2 billion and $1.6 billion of cash and cash equivalents. We currently expect to have enough liquidity to fund our operations and underground development into Q3 2021.





, Turquoise Hill had approximately of available liquidity, split between remaining project finance proceeds of and of cash and cash equivalents. We currently expect to have enough liquidity to fund our operations and underground development into Q3 2021. Productivity improvements resulted in increased underground lateral development rates during Q1'20, with an average monthly rate of 1,822 equivalent metres (eqm) compared to 1,607 eqm in Q4'19, with March 2020 seeing a record 1,939 eqm. Despite the challenges of personnel movements posed by COVID-19, underground development performance continues as expected.





seeing a record 1,939 eqm. Despite the challenges of personnel movements posed by COVID-19, underground development performance continues as expected. Despite these gains, the unprecedented circumstances of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on some aspects of the underground development, as local governments have restricted access to the mine for teams from Oyu Tolgoi, Rio Tinto and our construction partners, and although the open pit has continued to operate uninterrupted, COVID-19 restrictions have challenged our supply logistics.





Shafts 3 and 4 have been placed into care and maintenance until expert service providers can complete technical commissioning of specialised equipment and commence sinking activities. The possibility of specialised support via remote means is being explored to minimise the impact of travel restrictions currently in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic on development progress, but delays are still anticipated. Work has also slowed on some critical underground material handling infrastructure, in particular the construction of primary crusher one, which has currently been reduced to day shift activity only from late March. The opportunity to return to a double shift pattern is currently being assessed.





Ordinary course elongation of newly commissioned ropes may impact Shaft 2 ore hoisting. Payload and speed have been reduced to prolong the ability to use the hoist until specialised personnel are able to reach the site to perform the necessary adjustments. These mitigations allow development to proceed unimpeded and management is discussing the potential for remote support to rectify the situation whilst travel restrictions remain in place. People and materials movement via the service hoist continue to operate normally.





The Company recognises the unprecedented situation surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Turquoise Hill has established a business resiliency team and is closely monitoring the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business and operations and will continue to update the market on the impacts to the Company's business and operations in relation to these extraordinary circumstances. See the "RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES" section of the Company's management discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (the Q1 2020 MD&A).

__________________________________ 1 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

OPERATIONAL OUTLOOK FOR 2020

Oyu Tolgoi is expected to produce 140,000 to 170,000 tonnes of copper and 120,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold in concentrates in 2020 from both the open pit and the beginning of the underground development material being processed. Although the mid-point copper production range guidance is higher in 2020 versus the 2019 guidance, a lower gold production year is expected for 2020. This is due to the need to mine through lower grade material on the periphery of the South West pit as Phase 4B sinks towards the highest gold and copper grades lower in the pit. It is anticipated that the higher grade ore will be accessed in 2021, resulting in a significant increase in gold production in 2021. Initiatives have been implemented by Oyu Tolgoi to bring forward some of the higher gold bearing ore into 2020; consequently, if these initiatives are successful, we anticipate gold production will be at the upper end of the guidance range. Mill throughput for 2020 is expected to be approximately 40 million tonnes.

Operating cash costs2 for 2020 are expected to be $800 million to $850 million.

Capital expenditure for 2020 on a cash-basis is expected to be approximately $80 million to $100 million for open-pit operations and $1.0 billion to $1.1 billion for the underground development, exclusive of any expenditure on power. The upper end of the open-pit operations guidance range was reduced from $120 million due to lower capitalised deferred stripping costs and lower estimated spend as a result of COVID-19. The underground development guidance was reduced from the original range of $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion as a result of the estimated impact of COVID-19, which has restricted access to the mine for teams from Oyu Tolgoi, Rio Tinto and our construction partners.

Open-pit capital is mainly comprised of deferred stripping, equipment purchases, tailings storage facility construction and maintenance componentization. Underground development capital includes both expansion capital and VAT.

C1 cash costs2 are expected to be in the range of $1.80 to $2.20 per pound of copper produced, up from 2019 guidance largely reflecting the reduced gold production estimate. Unit cost guidance assumes the midpoint of expected 2020 copper and gold production ranges and commodity price assumptions of $2.39 per pound copper and $1,513 per ounce gold.

_________________________________ 2 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

2021 OUTLOOK

Production in 2021 is expected to increase to a range of 170,000 to 200,000 tonnes of copper, and 450,000 to 500,000 ounces of gold, as we transition to the higher grade ore in the lower benches of the pit and continue to increase the amount of underground development material processed.

OUR BUSINESS

Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Company's principal and only material mineral resource property. The Company's ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC; the remaining 34% interest is held by Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Erdenes), a Mongolian state-owned entity.

The Oyu Tolgoi property is located approximately 550 kilometres south of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital city, and 80 kilometres north of the Mongolia-China border. The property is cut by the Oyu Tolgoi trend, a 12 kilometres north-south orientated corridor which is host to the known deposits, Hugo North, Hugo South, Oyut and Heruga. Open pit mining operations commenced at Oyut in 2013. The Hugo North deposit (Lift 1) is currently being developed as an underground operation.

The copper concentrator plant, with related facilities and necessary infrastructure, was originally designed to process approximately 100,000 tonnes of ore per day from the Oyut open pit. However, since 2014, the concentrator has consistently achieved a throughput of over 105,000 tonnes per day due to improvements in operating practices. Concentrator throughput for 2020 is targeted at over 110,000 tonnes per day and expected to be approximately 40 million tonnes for the year due to improvements in concentrator performance and more favourable ore characteristics.

At the end of Q1'20, Oyu Tolgoi had a total workforce (employees and contractors), including underground project construction, of approximately 13,600, of which 94% were Mongolians.

SELECTED FINANCIAL METRICS (1)











($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) 1Q 1Q Change 12 months 2020 2019 % 2019









Revenue 130.7 352.7 (62.9%) 1,166.0 Income for the period 19.0 105.2 -- (476.9) Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill 55.4 111.2 -- (150.5) Basic and diluted income per share attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill 0.03 0.06 -- (0.07) Revenue by metals in concentrates







Copper 96.9 223.9 (56.7%) 787.8 Gold 31.6 125.7 (74.9%) 365.0 Silver 2.2 3.1 (29.0%) 13.2 Cost of sales 145.9 169.1 (13.7%) 743.0 Production and delivery costs 104.7 126.0 (16.9%) 559.1 Depreciation and depletion 35.0 44.6 (21.5%) 183.9 Capital expenditure on cash basis 301.1 325.3 (7.4%) 1,308.1 Underground 291.5 296.4 (1.7%) 1,174.9 Open pit (2) 9.6 28.9 (66.8%) 133.2 Royalties 10.2 19.7 (48.2%) 64.0 Operating cash costs (3) 188.1 198.1 (5.1%) 774.5 Unit costs ($)







Cost of sales (per pound of copper sold) 2.57 1.99 29.1% 2.25 C1 (per pound of copper produced) (3) 2.07 0.77 168.8% 1.37 All-in sustaining (per pound of copper produced) (3) 2.39 1.45 64.8% 2.08 Mining costs (per tonne of material mined) (3) 1.73 2.10 (17.5%) 1.88 Milling costs (per tonne of ore treated) (3) 5.58 8.06 (30.7%) 6.48 G&A costs (per tonne of ore treated) 2.95 3.65 (19.3%) 3.30 Cash used in operating activities (24.4) (5.7) 328.1% (11.7) Cash generated from operating activities before interest and tax 1.5 49.8 (97.0%) 341.7 Interest paid 26.8 78.6 (65.9%) 427.5 Total assets 12,915 13,437 (3.9%) 12,822 Total non-current financial liabilities 4,384 4,389 (0.1%) 4,371





(1) Any financial information in this press release should be reviewed in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements or condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the reporting periods indicated. (2) Open-pit capital expenditure includes both sustaining and non-underground development activities. (3) Please refer to NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information.

Q1'20 vs Q1'19

Revenue of $130.7 million in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from $352.7 million in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B , Phase 6B and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20 primarily due to the impact of COVID-19 on global copper demand.





in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase , Phase and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20 primarily due to the impact of COVID-19 on global copper demand. Income for the period was $19.0 million compared with income of $105.2 million in Q1'19. This was primarily due to $198.8 million lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of $107.7 million resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was $55.4 million or $0.03 per share, compared with income of $111.2 million or $0.06 per share in Q1'19.





compared with income of in Q1'19. This was primarily due to lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was or per share, compared with income of or per share in Q1'19. Cost of sales of $145.9 million decreased 13.7% from $169.1 million in Q1'19 reflecting 31.9% lower volumes of concentrates sold partly offset by the impact of increased unit cost of sales per pound of copper sold due to decreased head grades of the material mined in the period.





decreased 13.7% from in Q1'19 reflecting 31.9% lower volumes of concentrates sold partly offset by the impact of increased unit cost of sales per pound of copper sold due to decreased head grades of the material mined in the period. Unit cost of sales of $2.57 per pound of copper sold increased 29.1% from $1.99 reflecting lower average mill head grades and recoveries reflecting the transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B , Phase 6B and stockpiles.





per pound of copper sold increased 29.1% from reflecting lower average mill head grades and recoveries reflecting the transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase , Phase and stockpiles. Capital expenditure on a cash basis of $301.1 million compared to $325.3 million in Q1'19, comprised of $291.5 million attributed to the underground project and $9.6 million to open-pit activities.





compared to in Q1'19, comprised of attributed to the underground project and to open-pit activities. Total operating cash costs 3 of $188.1 million in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from $198.1 million in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs due to lower maintenance costs and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of lower sales revenue.





of in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs due to lower maintenance costs and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of lower sales revenue. Oyu Tolgoi's C1 cash costs 3 of $2.07 per pound of copper produced increased from $0.77 , primarily reflecting the impact of the 74.9% lower gold sales revenue credits in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19.





of per pound of copper produced increased from , primarily reflecting the impact of the 74.9% lower gold sales revenue credits in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. All-in sustaining costs 3 of $2.39 increased 64.8% from $1.45 in Q1'19. Similar to the C1 cash costs, the increase was primarily due to a reduction in gold revenue credits, partly offset by lower royalty costs resulting from the lower sales revenue in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19.





of increased 64.8% from in Q1'19. Similar to the C1 cash costs, the increase was primarily due to a reduction in gold revenue credits, partly offset by lower royalty costs resulting from the lower sales revenue in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Mining costs 3 of $1.73 per tonne of material mined decreased 17.5% from $2.10 in Q1'19. The decrease was due to lower fuel and maintenance costs coupled with higher material mined benefitting from lower cycle times as mining in Q1'20 was focused on higher benches of the open pit compared with Q1'19.





of per tonne of material mined decreased 17.5% from in Q1'19. The decrease was due to lower fuel and maintenance costs coupled with higher material mined benefitting from lower cycle times as mining in Q1'20 was focused on higher benches of the open pit compared with Q1'19. Milling costs 3 of $5.58 per tonne of ore treated decreased 30.7% from $8.06 of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to higher milled ore resulting from the deferral of major plant shutdowns together with lower maintenance service costs.





of per tonne of ore treated decreased 30.7% from of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to higher milled ore resulting from the deferral of major plant shutdowns together with lower maintenance service costs. G&A costs per tonne of ore treated of $2.49 in Q1'19 decreased 19.3% from $3.65 per tonne of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to the impact of higher milled ore in the period.





in Q1'19 decreased 19.3% from per tonne of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to the impact of higher milled ore in the period. Cash used in operating activities of $24.4 million in Q1'20 was higher than the $5.7 million used in Q1'19. This was principally due to 62.9% decrease in sales revenue partly offset with $51.7 million lower interest paid in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19, resulting mainly from the difference in timing of payment of the completion support fee.

_________________________________ 3 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

OYU TOLGOI

Safety performance and COVID-19 Response

The Oyu Tolgoi mine recorded another strong AIFR of 0.20 per 200,000 hours worked for the three months ended March 31, 2020. In addition to the continued commitment to reducing health and safety risk and injury at the Oyu Tolgoi mine site, the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 is a key priority for all Oyu Tolgoi and Turquoise Hill employees. To assist in curtailing the spread of COVID-19, the Company has instituted temperature and health screenings at the mine and a dedicated hotline is available for employees who are on or off site, which they can call for advice or information sharing.

The Company continues to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business and operations. As disclosed on March 16, 2020, the Company established the Oyu Tolgoi Business Resilience Team, which meets on a daily basis and takes a considered and risk-based approach to managing our response and actions for the prevention of COVID-19. To assist with the battle against COVID-19, Oyu Tolgoi LLC has also donated MNT100 million to the Government of Mongolia, and through the Oyu Tolgoi-sponsored Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund, the Company further committed MNT200 million to the Umnugobi emergency committee, and MNT10 million to the Khanbogd Emergency Commission for prevention support. We are also sharing the prevention and hygiene controls we have in place with local companies.

The Company has been and will continue to engage with both the Mongolian and Chinese governments in an effort to minimise the impacts of restrictive actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on future sales. Oyu Tolgoi has notified its project lenders that the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a force majeure event under its project finance facilities, which will have the effect of extending the June 30, 2028 project longstop date under those facilities for the duration of the force majeure. Certain suppliers of Oyu Tolgoi have declared force majeure on their contracts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; this has not had a material adverse impact on the business to date.

While the open pit at Oyu Tolgoi has continued to operate to plan despite COVID-19, the unprecedented impact of this pandemic has seen restrictions imposed by the Government of Mongolia on travel and movement of goods and people both across and within its borders, and has made it difficult for teams from Oyu Tolgoi, Rio Tinto and our construction partners to access the site. While some aspects of underground infrastructure, such as Shafts 3 and 4 have been impacted, underground development currently continues as per expectations. The Company is assessing the possibility of providing specialised support via remote means as a way of minimizing the impact of the access restrictions currently in place. While mine management believes the situation remains manageable, underground development progress could be impacted if experts continue to be unable to access the site by the end of Q2'20. See the "RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES" section of the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A.

Key operational metrics for Q1'20 are as follows:

Oyu Tolgoi Production Data

All data represents full production and sales on a 100% basis



1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q Full Year

2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 2019













Open pit material mined ('000 tonnes) 23,943 24,408 24,844 28,122 26,834 101,316 Ore treated ('000 tonnes) 9,255 10,394 10,040 11,088 10,889 40,777 Average mill head grades:











Copper (%) 0.57 0.46 0.37 0.42 0.42 0.45 Gold (g/t) 0.58 0.31 0.14 0.15 0.15 0.29 Silver (g/t) 1.25 1.20 1.03 1.06 1.14 1.13 Concentrates produced ('000 tonnes) 210.1 180.6 131.3 152.6 164.5 674.6 Average concentrate grade (% Cu) 21.8 21.7 21.7 21.6 21.4 21.7 Production of metals in concentrates:











Copper ('000 tonnes) 45.8 39.2 28.4 32.9 35.2 146.3 Gold ('000 ounces) 120.1 71.8 25.6 24.3 26.2 241.8 Silver ('000 ounces) 247 238 191 190 214 867 Concentrate sold ('000 tonnes) 184.9 225.3 157.0 157.5 125.9 724.7 Sales of metals in concentrates:











Copper ('000 tonnes) 38.5 46.6 32.4 32.3 25.8 149.9 Gold ('000 ounces) 97.9 115.6 35.4 24.7 19.7 273.6 Silver ('000 ounces) 200 245 207 244 146 896 Metal recovery (%)











Copper 83.8 80.2 75.1 74.2 74.3 78.7 Gold 70.1 63.6 54.7 48.2 46.0 63.6 Silver 63.2 59.2 56.0 53.5 51.5 58.1

Copper production in Q1'20 decreased 23% compared to Q1'19 due primarily to decreased head grade reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B, Phase 6B and stockpiles.

Gold Production in Q1'20 decreased 78% over Q1'19 due primarily to decreased head grade, which also reflects the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B, Phase 6B and stockpiles.

Mill throughput in Q1'20 was higher than the same quarter of 2019 due to lower ore hardness as well as good availability and effective utilisation in Q1'20.

Underground development

The 2016 Feasibility Study design calls for the development of three panels; Panel 0 followed by Panel 1 and Panel 2. As announced on July 15, 2019, stability risks had been identified with some components of the mine design.

As anticipated, a design change for Panel 0 has been approved, which is supported by extensive geotechnical modelling and a thorough technical assurance program including independent third parties. The caving method of mining remains valid and many fundamentals of the mine design have remained unchanged. The approved design is based on a block cave and includes two pillars; one to the north and one to the south of Panel 0. Study work is ongoing to assess the recoverability of the pillars.

The next phase of mine design studies will include design optimisation for Panel 0, and a review of mine design options for Panel 1 and Panel 2 to utilise the learnings from the Panel 0 work. The Panel 1 and Panel 2 studies, expected to be finalised as early as possible in 2021, will be informed by additional data collected from an underground drilling program which is in progress.

The block cave design for Panel 0 was selected based on an extensive trade-off analysis taking into account risks related to recovery, geotechnical, constructability, operability, schedule, cost and value risks. The change in design provides a more resilient mine design that is able to effectively operate with the Panel 0 geotechnical conditions as now understood.

The block cave design varies from the 2016 feasibility design through:

Incorporation of structural pillars, located immediately north and south of the current Panel 0 boundaries;

Relocation of ore handling infrastructure to the pillars;

Initiation via a single undercut face (instead of two); and

Initiation of panels 1 and 2 as independent panels or blocks.

The block cave design anticipates a delay to OTFS16 key project milestones of sustainable production of 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months) inclusive of an allowance for schedule contingency, and an increase in development capital cost of $1.5 billon (with a range of $1.3 to $1.8 billion), subject to any additional scheduling delays or increases in capital costs arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacts may also reduce the available contingency in these estimates. These schedule and cost delays are within the estimates previously disclosed to the market and will undergo a period of further detailed design, engineering and optimisation to support the Definitive Estimate due in the second half of 2020, again subject to any delays due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Preparations to put Shaft 3 and 4 into care and maintenance started in March as a result of travel restrictions affecting specialist expatriate personnel and equipment providers. Prior to this, Shaft 3 construction works progressed on sinking ventilation, compressor building, pump house and local mine dry. Shaft 4 compressor building, pump house, pumping system and mine dry were completed and the galloway and headframe work progressed towards being ready for sinking to start. The possibility of specialised support via remote means is being explored to minimise the impact of travel restrictions on development progress by allowing commissioning work to continue at Shaft 4.

Civil works continued in the primary crusher one chamber with mass pour number 10 completed in March. Work has slowed on some critical underground material handling infrastructure, in particular the construction of primary crusher one, which has currently been reduced to day shift activity only from late March. The opportunity to return to a double shift pattern is currently being assessed. The changes to Shaft 3 and 4 progress, as well as primary crusher one construction, has resulted in a reduction of approximately 1,400 people onsite.

Ordinary course elongation of newly commissioned ropes may impact Shaft 2 ore hoisting. Payload and speed have been reduced to prolong the ability to use the hoist until specialised personnel are able to reach the site to perform the necessary adjustments. These mitigations allow development to proceed unimpeded and management is discussing the potential for remote support to rectify the situation whilst travel restrictions remain in place. People and materials movement via the service hoist continue to operate normally.

Good underground development progress has continued in Q1'20. Focus on productivity gains on the most critical development areas over the past seven months has reaped substantial improvements. Underground development progressed 5.5 total equivalent kilometres and completed 3.2 cubic kilometres of mass excavation during the quarter. Since the restart of underground development, 38.4 total equivalent kilometres and 158.5 cubic kilometres of mass excavation have been completed. The following table provides a breakdown of the various components of completed development (excluding conveyor declines) since project restart:

Oyu Tolgoi Underground Project Development Progress Excluding Conveyor Declines Year Total Equivalent

Development (Km) Lateral Development (Km) Mass Excavation ('000' m3) 2016 1.6 1.5 3.0 Q1'17 1.0 0.8 5.2 Q2'17 1.4 0.9 9.2 Q3'17 1.4 1.2 8.3 Q4'17 2.2 1.9 8.9 2017 6.1 4.8 31.6 Q1'18 2.6 2.1 11.6 Q2'18 2.4 2.1 8.6 Q3'18 3.0 2.1* 23.3* Q4'18 2.3 1.6 16.0 2018 10.3 7.9 59.5 Q1'19 3.2 2.3 21.4 Q2'19 3.2 2.4 19.3 Q3'19 3.6 3.2 11.4 Q4'19 4.8 4.5 9.0 2019 14.9 12.4 61.1 Q1'20 5.5 5.3 3.2 2020 5.5 5.3 3.2 Total 38.4 32.0 158.5

Notes: Totals may not match due to rounding. *Lateral development and mass excavation amount for Q3'18 have been updated to reflect revised results.

Oyu Tolgoi Conveyor Decline Project Development Progress Year Total Equivalent Development (Km) Lateral Development (Km) Mass Excavation ('000' m3) 2016 0.0 0.0 0.0 Q1'17 0.1 0.1 0.0 Q2'17 0.4 0.4 0.2 Q3'17 0.9 0.9 0.5 Q4'17 0.9 0.8 0.5 2017 2.3 2.3 1.2 Q1'18 0.8 0.8 0.1 Q2'18 0.8 0.8 0.1 Q3'18 0.8 0.8 0.3 Q4'18 0.6 0.6 0.1 2018 3.0 3.0 0.6 Q1'19 0.8 0.8 0.8 Q2'19 0.9 0.9 0.8 Q3'19 0.9 0.7 4.9 Q4'19 1.1 0.7 8.3 2019 3.7 3.1 14.7 Q1'20 1.0 0.7 7.5 2020 1.0 0.7 7.5 Total 10.0 9.1 24.0

Note: Totals may not match due to rounding.

Oyu Tolgoi spent $291.5 million on underground development during Q1'20. Total underground project spend from January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2020 was approximately $3.8 billion. Underground project spend on a cash basis includes expansion capital, VAT and capitalised management services payment and excludes capitalised interest. In addition, Oyu Tolgoi had further capital commitments4 of $0.7 billion as of March 31, 2020. Since the restart of project development, Oyu Tolgoi has committed over $3.3 billion to Mongolian vendors and contractors.

FUNDING OF OYU TOLGOI LLC BY TURQUOISE HILL

In accordance with the Amended and Restated Shareholders' Agreement dated June 8, 2011 (ARSHA), Turquoise Hill has funded Oyu Tolgoi LLC's cash requirements beyond internally generated cash flows by a combination of equity investment and shareholder debt.

For amounts funded by debt, Oyu Tolgoi LLC must repay such amounts, including accrued interest, before it can pay common share dividends. As of March 31, 2020, the aggregate outstanding balance of shareholder loans extended by subsidiaries of the Company to Oyu Tolgoi LLC was $6.5 billion, including accrued interest of $1.3 billion. These loans bear interest at an effective annual rate of LIBOR plus 6.5%.

In accordance with the ARSHA, a subsidiary of the Company has funded the common share investments in Oyu Tolgoi LLC on behalf of state-owned Erdenes. These funded amounts earn interest at an effective annual rate of LIBOR plus 6.5% and are repayable, by Erdenes to a subsidiary of the Company, via a pledge over Erdenes' share of Oyu Tolgoi LLC common share dividends. Erdenes also has the right to reduce the outstanding balance by making cash payments at any time. As of March 31, 2020, the cumulative amount of such funding was $1.3 billion, representing 34% of invested common share equity, with unrecognised interest on the funding amounting to $0.7 billion.

At the end of March 2020, Turquoise Hill has approximately $1.8 billion of available liquidity, split between remaining project finance proceeds of $0.2 billion, which are drawn and currently deposited with Rio Tinto, and $1.6 billion of cash and cash equivalents. In addition, we expect to generate free cash flow at our existing open pit operations, which will also be available to help fund the underground development.

Turquoise Hill currently expects to have enough liquidity to fund its operations and underground development, including possible progression of the proposed Tavan Tolgoi-based power plant or other power alternatives currently under discussion with the Government of Mongolia, through Q3 2021. Taking into consideration the estimated impacts of the announced increases to underground development capital, as well as delays to first sustainable production, the Company expects to need significant incremental financing to sustain its underground development as well as construction of the proposed Tavan Tolgoi-based power plant beyond this timeframe. The Company will have greater clarity on this incremental funding requirement as the Definitive Estimate progresses and as discussions progress with the Government of Mongolia to conclude a mutually acceptable basis on which to proceed with securing long-term domestic power supply for Oyu Tolgoi. Nevertheless, current estimates indicate an incremental funding requirement, over and above the $1.8 billion in liquidity currently available, of at least $4 billion. This current estimate of the Company's minimum incremental funding requirement has improved from the $4.5 billion previously disclosed due in part to selection of the Panel 0 mine design coupled with lower forecast LIBOR rates. The Company will continue to assess the possible impacts of COVID-19 on this incremental funding requirement.

Turquoise Hill and Oyu Tolgoi LLC have the option to raise additional external financing, subject to required approvals, to assist in funding development going forward, including during underground commissioning and ramp up. This additional external funding, as well as any possible re-profiling of the principal repayments relating to the existing project financing facility, have not been assumed in estimating the incremental funding requirement. Further, important variables impacting the estimated incremental funding requirement include:

The amount of incremental underground development capital required;

The ultimate long-term domestic power solution agreed to by the Government of Mongolia and the Company, including the timing of its commissioning;

and the Company, including the timing of its commissioning; The timing of sustainable first production and its resulting cash flows. The block cave design anticipates a delay to the OTFS16 estimate for first sustainable production of 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months), inclusive of an allowance for schedule contingency;

The timing of principal repayments on amounts currently drawn under the project finance facility as well as on-going debt service costs;

The amount of cash flow that can be generated from open-pit operations, net of sustaining capital requirements; and

The impact of COVID-19 on Oyu Tolgoi's open-pit operations and underground development.

As the work to complete the Definitive Estimate and the Panels 1 and 2 mine design study, and to secure a long-term domestic power solution progress, Turquoise Hill continues to evaluate the impact of the estimated increases to underground capital expenditure, as well as delays to sustainable first production and the other important variables discussed above, on its cash flows, liquidity and financing projections and will update the market when appropriate. While the Company's funding requirements will be clarified by the ongoing work on the Definitive Estimate, the Panels 1 and 2 mine design study and as power discussions advance with the Government of Mongolia, Turquoise Hill is well progressed in its discussions with Rio Tinto regarding its proposal for sourcing incremental interim funding to ensure the Company can progress the underground development over and above its $1.8 billion of available liquidity.

_______________________________ 4 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Turquoise Hill's ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The remaining 34% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC is held by Erdenes. Turquoise Hill is obliged to fund Erdenes' share of the capital costs under the ARSHA.

Underground construction recommenced in May 2016 when Oyu Tolgoi LLC received the final requirement for the re-start of underground development: formal notice to proceed approval by the boards of Turquoise Hill, Rio Tinto (as project manager) and Oyu Tolgoi LLC. Approval followed the signing of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine Development and Financing Plan (Underground Plan) in May 2015 and the signing of a $4.4 billion project finance facility in December 2015. Development had been suspended in August 2013 pending resolution of matters with the Government of Mongolia.

Turquoise Hill's investment in the Oyu Tolgoi mine is governed by a 2009 Investment Agreement (Investment Agreement). The Investment Agreement framework was authorised by the Mongolian Parliament and was concluded after 16 months of negotiations. It was reviewed by numerous constituencies within the Government. Turquoise Hill has been operating in good faith under the terms of the Investment Agreement since 2009, and we believe not only that it is a valid and binding agreement, but that it has proven to be beneficial for all parties.

Adherence to the principles of the Investment Agreement, the ARSHA and the Underground Plan has allowed for the development of the Oyu Tolgoi mine in a manner that has given rise to significant long-term benefits to Mongolia. Benefits from the Oyu Tolgoi mine open-pit operations and underground development include, but are not limited to, employment, royalties and taxes, local procurement, economic development and sustainability investments.

Oyu Tolgoi mine power supply

Oyu Tolgoi LLC currently sources power for the Oyu Tolgoi mine from China's Inner Mongolian Western Grid, via overhead power line, pursuant to back-to-back power purchase arrangements with National Power Transmission Grid JSC (NPTG), the power importing entity, and Inner Mongolia Power International Cooperation Co., Ltd (IMPIC).

Oyu Tolgoi LLC is obliged under the 2009 Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement to secure a long-term domestic source of power for the Oyu Tolgoi mine. The Power Source Framework Agreement (PSFA) entered into between Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia on December 31, 2018 provides a binding framework and pathway for the construction of an Oyu Tolgoi LLC-led, Tavan Tolgoi-based power plant (TTPP), as well as potentially alternative power solutions, to supply the Oyu Tolgoi mine. The PSFA contemplates that TTPP would be majority-owned by Oyu Tolgoi LLC and situated close to the Tavan Tolgoi coal mining district located approximately 150 kilometres from the Oyu Tolgoi mine.

On February 14, 2020, Oyu Tolgoi LLC submitted a TTPP Feasibility Study to the Government of Mongolia pursuant to the PSFA. The TTPP Feasibility Study contemplates a 300 MW coal fired power plant and related infrastructure, including a 55-kilometre water pipeline and a 126-kilometre overhead power line. The estimated project cost for TTPP is $924 million, which is based on the results of a competitive tender process for a "turnkey" Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract as well as certain assumptions for other costs that are not yet finalised (including government fees, licences and reimbursements). As contemplated by the PSFA, the TTPP Feasibility Study assumes that power for the Oyu Tolgoi mine supplied from TTPP would be supplemented by a back-up power arrangement to be agreed with IMPIC, until back-up power can be provided within Mongolia.

On February 14, 2020, Oyu Tolgoi LLC also issued to the Government of Mongolia a Notice of Contingency under Clause 7.4(a) (ii) of the PSFA, which initiated a prescribed "contingency process" with respect to TTPP and the alternative power options listed in the agreement. The first phase of the contingency process concluded on April 14, 2020 without Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia reaching agreement on a basis for which TTPP could proceed. In the second phase of the contingency process, which commenced immediately thereafter and will conclude on June 14, 2020, the parties are required to progress the alternative power supply options listed in Clause 7.4(b) of the PSFA, which comprise an Oyu Tolgoi mine-based power plant, a Mongolian grid solution and a primary renewables solution.

On April 14, 2020, the Minister of Energy notified Oyu Tolgoi LLC of the Government's decision to develop and fund a State-Owned Power Plant to be located at the Tavan Tolgoi coal fields (SOPP), which would supply power to the Oyu Tolgoi mine and potentially other regional mines. Oyu Tolgoi LLC has indicated to the Government of Mongolia its willingness to support SOPP, subject to certain conditions being satisfied and clarifications being provided. Oyu Tolgoi LLC is currently in discussions with the Government of Mongolia concerning the SOPP concept and, in particular, is seeking confirmation that SOPP may be considered as part of the second contingency phase under the PSFA. Moreover, Oyu Tolgoi is seeking clarification from the Government of Mongolia with respect to the commercial terms of power supply, development process, proposed sources of financing and expected timing of SOPP completion.

The terms of the PSFA provide, among other things, that if agreement cannot be reached between Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia on an alternative power solution (as specified in Clause 7.4(b)) by June 14, 2020, then Oyu Tolgoi LLC is thereafter entitled to select and implement one of these alternative options.

Oyu Tolgoi LLC's existing project finance documentation permits, subject to certain conditions being met, an increase of Oyu Tolgoi LLC's senior debt cap in connection with the development of an "expansion facility", which would include TTPP.

Oyu Tolgoi tax assessment

On January 16, 2018, Turquoise Hill announced that Oyu Tolgoi LLC had received and was evaluating a tax assessment for approximately $155 million (which was converted from Mongolian Tugrik to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate on that date) from the Mongolian Tax Authority (MTA) relating to an audit on taxes imposed and paid by Oyu Tolgoi LLC between 2013 and 2015. In January 2018, Oyu Tolgoi LLC paid an amount of approximately $4.8 million to settle unpaid taxes, fines and penalties for accepted items.

On February 20, 2020, the Company announced that Oyu Tolgoi LLC will be proceeding with the initiation of a formal international arbitration proceeding in accordance with dispute resolution provisions within Chapter 14 of the Investment Agreement entered into with the Government of Mongolia in 2009 and Chapter 8 of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine Development and Financing Plan entered into with the Government of Mongolia in 2015. The dispute resolution provisions call for arbitration under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) seated in London before a panel of three arbitrators.

By agreeing to resolve the dispute under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, both parties have agreed that the arbitral award shall be final and binding on both parties and the parties shall carry out the award without delay.

The Company remains of the opinion that Oyu Tolgoi LLC has now paid all taxes and charges required under the Investment Agreement, the ARSHA, the Underground Plan and Mongolian law.

Mongolian parliamentary working group

In March 2018, the Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament appointed a Parliamentary Working Group (Working Group) that consisted of 13 Members of Parliament to review the implementation of the Investment Agreement. The Working Group established five sub-working groups consisting of representatives from government ministries, agencies, political parties, non-governmental organizations and professors, to help and support the Working Group. The Working Group was initially expected to report to the Parliament before the end of spring session in late June 2018.

On December 13, 2018, Oyu Tolgoi LLC received a letter from the head of the Working Group confirming that the consolidated report, conclusions and recommendations of the Working Group had been finalised and was ready to be presented to the Parliament.

On March 22, 2019, the Parliamentary press office announced that the Working Group report had been submitted to the National Security Council (President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Parliament). On May 3, 2019, a summary of the Working Group report was received by Oyu Tolgoi LLC. On May 6, 2019, Oyu Tolgoi LLC provided the Economic Standing Committee of the Parliament a written response to the summary of the Working Group report.

As an outcome of the hearing, a new working group of nine Members of Parliament was established to take the Working Group Report and draft resolutions directing the Cabinet on recommendations related to Oyu Tolgoi LLC.

Upon completion of the Working Group review and its report, a resolution was submitted to the Economic Standing Committee, and subsequently passed in a plenary session of the Parliament of Mongolia on November 21, 2019. Resolution 92 was published on December 6, 2019 and includes resolutions to take comprehensive measures to improve the implementation of the Investment Agreement and the ARSHA, to improve the Underground Plan and to explore and resolve options to have a product sharing arrangement or swap Mongolia's equity holding of 34 per cent for a special royalty. Representatives from Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto are currently engaged with the Government of Mongolia to work together and resolve the issues raised in the Resolution.

Anti-Corruption Authority information requests

On March 13, 2018, we announced that Oyu Tolgoi LLC received information requests from the Mongolian Anti-Corruption Authority (ACA) for information relating to Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The ACA has also conducted interviews with representatives of Oyu Tolgoi LLC in connection with its investigation. Turquoise Hill has inquired as to the status of the investigation and Oyu Tolgoi LLC has informed the Company that the investigation appears to relate primarily to possible abuses of power by certain former Government officials in relation to the Investment Agreement, and that Oyu Tolgoi LLC is complying with the ACA's requests in accordance with relevant laws. To date, neither Turquoise Hill nor Oyu Tolgoi LLC have received notice from the ACA, or indeed from any regulator, that either company or their employees are subjects of any investigation involving the Oyu Tolgoi project.

The Investment Agreement framework was authorised by the Mongolian Parliament, concluded after 16 months of negotiations and reviewed by numerous constituencies within the Government. Turquoise Hill has been operating in good faith under the terms of the Investment Agreement since 2009, and we believe not only that it is a valid and binding agreement, but that it has proven to be beneficial for all parties.

Adherence to the principles of the Investment Agreement, ARSHA and Underground Plan has allowed for the development of the Oyu Tolgoi mine in a manner that has given rise to significant long-term benefits to Mongolia. Benefits from the Oyu Tolgoi open-pit operations and underground development include, but are not limited to, employment, royalties and taxes, local procurement, economic development and sustainability investments.

CORPORATE ACTIVITIES

Board appointment

On January 21, 2020, Turquoise Hill announced the appointment of George R. Burns to the Company's Board of Directors as an independent director.

US trading price non-compliance

On July 31, 2019, the Company received an automatic notice from the NYSE advising that the average closing price of the Common Shares had fallen below US$1.00 for 30 consecutive trading days and that, as a result, the Common Shares no longer met the minimum US$1.00 average closing price requirement. Under the NYSE rules, a company that fails to meet this continued listing requirement must bring its share price and average closing price above US$1.00 by the end of the six-month period following receipt of the NYSE's notification. However, where a company has notified the NYSE that it intends to cure its minimum price deficiency by a corporate transaction requiring approval of its shareholders, it must obtain shareholder approval by no later than its next annual meeting and implement the transaction promptly thereafter, in which case the minimum price deficiency will be deemed to be cured if the share price promptly exceeds US$1.00 and the price remains above that level for at least the following 30 consecutive trading days.

On August 28, 2019, the Company received an automatic notice from the NASDAQ advising that the minimum bid price of the Common Shares had fallen below US$1.00 for 30 consecutive trading days and that, as a result, the Common Shares no longer met the minimum US$1.00 bid price requirement. Under the Listing Rules of the NASDAQ, the Company had 180 calendar days to regain compliance.

On November 12, 2019, the Company announced that it expected to seek approval from shareholders at the Meeting for a consolidation of its outstanding Common Shares. The announcement stated that the expected consolidation was intended to cure the share price non-compliance under the continued listing rules of both the NYSE and the NASDAQ.

On February 14, 2020, the Company announced that it had provided written notice to NASDAQ regarding its intention to voluntarily delist from the NASDAQ. Given that trading on the NASDAQ represented only approximately 5% of the worldwide trading volume of the Common Shares in 2019, the Company believes that the NYSE and the TSX listings provide investors with sufficient liquidity. In addition, delisting from the NASDAQ will reduce the Company's administrative costs. The NASDAQ delisting became effective on March 5, 2020.

The Company's common shares will continue to trade on the NYSE and the TSX now that the NASDAQ delisting has become effective. The delisting did not affect the Company's continuing obligation to file required reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Company will comply with, and continue to be subject to, the laws of the Yukon, the jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated, as well as applicable U.S. and Canadian securities laws and corporate governance rules applicable to Canadian publicly listed companies, including the rules of the NYSE and the TSX.

In its proxy management circular dated March 18, 2020 (the Circular), which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, the Company informed its shareholders that they will be asked to consider and, if deemed appropriate, adopt a special resolution authorizing the Company's board of directors to implement a consolidation of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares into a lesser number of common shares. If the special resolution is approved, the board of directors of the Company will have the authority, in its sole discretion, to select the exact share consolidation ratio, provided that (i) the ratio may be no smaller than one post-consolidation share for every five pre-consolidation shares and no larger than one post-consolidation share for every thirty pre-consolidation shares, and (ii) the number of pre-consolidation shares in the ratio must be a whole number of common shares. Approval of the special resolution by shareholders would give the board of directors authority and discretion to implement the share consolidation at any time prior to May 11, 2021.

Pentwater Capital Management LP dissident circular

In connection with the annual and special meeting of the Company's shareholders originally scheduled for May 12, 2020, Pentwater Capital Management LP (Pentwater) filed a dissident circular on the Company's SEDAR page, requesting shareholders (i) elect its nominee, Matthew Halbower, Chief Executive Officer of Pentwater, to the board of directors of the Company, and (ii) vote to adopt its shareholder proposal to amend the Company's articles to provide minority shareholders with the exclusive right to nominate and elect three of seven of the Company's board members. The Company responded to Pentwater on April 6, 2020, encouraging its shareholders to vote against Pentwater's proposed board of directors nominee, and to withhold their vote on Pentwater's proposed amendment to the Company's articles.

Postponement of annual general and special meeting of shareholders

As announced on April 27, 2020, due to public health measures and restrictions on gatherings enacted by both the Federal and Provincial governments in Canada in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and to help protect the health and well-being of its shareholders, colleagues, communities and other stakeholders, the Company decided to postpone the annual general and special meeting of its shareholders originally scheduled for May 12, 2020 to a later date.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

The Company presents and refers to the following non-GAAP measures, which are not defined in IFRS. A description and calculation of each measure is given below and may differ from similarly named measures provided by other issuers. These measures are presented in order to provide investors and other stakeholders with additional understanding of performance and operations at the Oyu Tolgoi mine and are not intended to be used in isolation from, or as a replacement for, measures prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Operating cash costs

The measure of operating cash costs excludes: depreciation and depletion; exploration and evaluation; charges for asset write-down (including write-down of materials and supplies inventory) and includes management services payments to Rio Tinto and management services payments to Turquoise Hill which are eliminated in the consolidated financial statements of the Company.

C1 cash costs

C1 cash costs is a metric representing the cash cost per unit of extracting and processing the Company's principal metal product, copper, to a condition in which it may be delivered to customers net of gold and silver credits from concentrates sold. This metric is provided in order to support peer group comparability and to provide investors and other stakeholders with additional information about the underlying cash costs of Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the impact of gold and silver credits on the operations' cost structure. C1 cash costs are relevant to understanding the Company's operating profitability and ability to generate cash flow. When calculating costs associated with producing a pound of copper, the Company deducts gold and silver revenue credits as the production cost is reduced by selling these products.

All-in sustaining costs

All-in sustaining costs (AISC) is an extended cash-based cost metric providing further information on the aggregate cash, capital and overhead outlay per unit and is intended to reflect the costs of producing the Company's principal metal product, copper, in both the short term and over the life-cycle of its operations. As a result, sustaining capital expenditure on a cash basis is included rather than depreciation. As the measure seeks to present a full cost of copper production associated with sustaining current operations, development project capital is not included. AISC allows Turquoise Hill to assess the ability of Oyu Tolgoi LLC to support sustaining capital expenditures for future production from the generation of operating cash flows.

A reconciliation of total operating cash costs, C1 cash costs and all-in sustaining costs is provided below.















(Three Months Ended)

(Year Ended) C1 costs (Stated in $000's of dollars)

March 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

March 31, 2019

December 31, 2019 Cost of sales

145,924

175,007

169,134

742,985 Cost of sales: $/lb of copper sold

2.57

2.46

1.99

2.25 Depreciation and depletion

(34,966)

(49,800)

(44,629)

(183,919) Provision against carrying value of copper-gold concentrate

(6,254)

(40)

1,447

- Change in inventory

32,149

11,618

6,432

(31,093) Other operating expenses

44,911

52,415

70,346

221,493 Less:















- Inventory (write-down) reversal

1,164

396

(12,558)

2,161 - Depreciation

(1,953)

(2,129)

(310)

(8,133) Management services payment to Turquoise Hill

7,082

7,177

8,190

31,041 Operating cash costs

188,057

194,644

198,052

774,535 Operating cash costs: $/lb of copper produced

2.42

2.68

1.96

2.40 Adjustments to operating cash costs

6,081

8,728

8,954

44,337

















Less: Gold and silver revenues

(33,825)

(43,298)

(128,798)

(378,204) C1 costs ($'000)

160,313

160,074

78,208

440,668 C1 costs: $/lb of copper produced

2.07

2.21

0.77

1.37

















All-in sustaining costs (Stated in $000's of dollars)















Corporate administration

4,717

9,500

4,544

23,443 Asset retirement expense

1,429

(99)

1,741

6,064 Royalty expenses

10,239

12,453

19,739

64,048 Ore stockpile and stores write-down (reversal)

(1,164)

(396)

12,558

(2,161) Other expenses

468

4,921

(437)

5,984 Sustaining cash capital including deferred stripping

9,549

28,969

30,453

133,342 All-in sustaining costs ($'000)

185,551

215,422

146,806

671,388 All-in sustaining costs: $/lb of copper produced

2.39

2.97

1.45

2.08





(1) Adjustments to operating cash costs include: treatment, refining and freight differential charges less the 5% Government of Mongolia royalty and other expenses not applicable to the definition of C1 cost.

Mining costs and milling costs

Mining costs and milling costs are included within operating cash costs. Mining costs per tonne of material mined in Q1'20 are calculated by reference to total mining costs of $46.5 million (Q1'19: $50.1 million) and total material mined of 26.8 million tonnes (Q1'19: 23.9 million tonnes).

Milling costs per tonne of ore treated in Q1'20 are calculated by reference to total milling costs of $60.8 million (Q1'19: $75.0 million) and total ore treated of 10.9 million tonnes (Q1'19: 9.3 million tonnes).

Working capital

Consolidated working capital comprises those components of current assets and liabilities which support and result from the Company's ongoing running of its current operations. It is provided in order to give a quantifiable indication of the Company's short-term cash generation ability and business efficiency. As a measure linked to current operations and the sustainability of the business, the Company's definition of working capital excludes: non-trade receivables and payables; financing items; cash and cash equivalents; deferred revenue and non-current inventory.

A reconciliation of consolidated working capital to the financial statements and notes is provided below.

Working capital

March 31,

December 31, (Stated in $000's of dollars)

2020

2019









Inventories (current)

$ 211,305

$ 175,719 Trade and other receivables

16,325

27,047 Trade and other payables:







- trade payables and accrued liabilities

(373,163)

(389,476) - payable to related parties

(82,910)

(65,903) Consolidated working capital

$ (228,443)

$ (252,613)

Contractual obligations

The following section of this press release discloses contractual obligations in relation to the Company's lease, purchase, power and asset retirement obligations. Amounts relating to these obligations are calculated on the basis of the Company carrying out its future business activities and operations as planned at the period end. As such, contractual obligations presented in this press release and in the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A will differ from amounts presented in the financial statements, which are prepared on the basis of minimum uncancellable commitments to pay in the event of contract termination. The presentation of contractual obligations here and in the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A are provided in order to give an indication of future expenditure, for the disclosed categories, arising from the Company's continuing operations and development projects.

A reconciliation of contractual obligations at March 31, 2020 to the financial statements and notes is provided below.

(Stated in $000's of dollars) Project Finance

Facility Purchase

obligations Power

commitments Lease

liabilities Decommissioning

obligations











Commitments (MD&A) $ 4,348,918 $ 660,360 $ 410,203 $ 19,583 $ 213,436 Cancellable obligations

(501,983) (188,379) - - (net of exit costs)









Accrued capital expenditure

(117,824) - - - Discounting and other adjustments (152,714) - - (166) (108,285) Financial statement amount $ 4,196,204 $ 40,553 $ 221,824 $ 19,417 $ 105,151

QUALIFIED PERSON

Disclosure of information of a scientific or technical nature in this press release and in the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A in respect of the Oyu Tolgoi mine was approved by Jo-Anne Dudley (FAusIMM(CP)), Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Jo-Anne Dudley is a "qualified person" as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

SELECTED QUARTERLY DATA

The Company's interim financial statements are reported under IFRS applicable to interim financial statements, including International Accounting Standard (IAS) 34 Interim Financial Reporting.

($ in millions, except per share information)

Quarter Ended



Mar-31 Dec-31 Sep-30 Jun-30



2020 2019 2019 2019











Revenue

$ 130.7 $ 221.4 $ 209.2 $ 382.7











Income (loss) for the period

$ 19.0 $ 109.5 $ 45.1 $ (736.7)











Income (loss) attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 55.4 $ 113.1 $ 71.7 $ (446.5)











Basic and diluted income (loss) per share attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 0.03 $ 0.06 $ 0.04 $ (0.22)























Quarter Ended



Mar-31 Dec-31 Sep-30 Jun-30



2019 2018 2018 2018



















Revenue

$ 352.7 $ 346.2 $ 246.5 $ 341.7











Income for the period

$ 105.2 $ 95.0 $ 15.2 $ 204.4











Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 111.2 $ 101.0 $ 53.2 $ 171.3











Basic and diluted income per share attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 0.06 $ 0.05 $ 0.03 $ 0.09

Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)











Three Months Ended March 31,







Note

2020

2019

















Revenue 4

$ 130,659

$ 352,680 Cost of sales 5

(145,924)

(169,134) Gross margin



(15,265)

183,546

















Operating expenses 6

(44,911)

(70,346) Corporate administration expenses



(4,717)

(4,544) Other income



3,218

1,243 Income (loss) before finance items and taxes



(61,675)

109,899

















Finance items









Finance income 7

11,412

32,829 Finance costs 7

(1,809)

(2,018)











9,603

30,811 Income (loss) from operations before taxes



$ (52,072)

$ 140,710

















Income and other taxes



71,028

(35,510) Income for the period



$ 18,956

$ 105,200

















Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.



55,405

111,237 Attributable to owner of non-controlling interest



(36,449)

(6,037) Income for the period



$ 18,956

$ 105,200































Basic and diluted earnings per share attributable













to Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.



$ 0.03

$ 0.06















Basic and diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding (000's)





2,012,314



2,012,314



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)









Three Months Ended March 31,









2020

2019















Income for the period

$ 18,956

$ 105,200















Other comprehensive loss:







Items that will not be reclassified to income:







Changes in the fair value of marketable securities at FVOCI

(1,375)

(535) Other comprehensive loss for the period (a)

$ (1,375)

$ (535)















Total comprehensive income for the period

$ 17,581

$ 104,665















Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

54,030

110,702 Attributable to owner of non-controlling interest

(36,449)

(6,037) Total comprehensive income for the period

$ 17,581

$ 104,665

(a) No tax charges and credits arose on items recognized as other comprehensive income or loss in 2020 (2019: nil).

The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)











Three Months Ended March 31,







Note

2020

2019

















Cash generated from operating activities before interest and tax 16

$ 1,495

$ 49,838

















Interest received



11,831

23,757 Interest paid



(26,822)

(78,574) Income and other taxes paid



(10,951)

(710) Net cash used in operating activities



$ (24,447)

$ (5,689)

















Cash flows from investing activities









Receivable from related party: amounts withdrawn 17

307,000

275,000 Expenditures on property, plant and equipment



(301,096)

(325,294) Other investing cash flows



63

- Cash generated from (used in) investing activities



$ 5,967

$ (50,294)

















Cash flows from financing activities









Payment of lease liability



(1,907)

(2,408) Cash used in financing activities



$ (1,907)

$ (2,408)

















Effects of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents



16

119 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents



$ (20,371)

$ (58,272)

















Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period



$ 1,651,985

$ 1,603,067 Cash and cash equivalents - end of period



1,631,614

1,544,795 Cash and cash equivalents as presented on the balance sheets



$ 1,631,614

$ 1,544,795



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)











March 31,

December 31,







Note

2020

2019

















Current assets









Cash and cash equivalents 8

$ 1,631,614

$ 1,651,985 Inventories 9

211,305

175,719 Trade and other receivables



16,325

27,047 Prepaid expenses and other assets



106,695

99,671 Receivable from related party 17

204,284

511,284











2,170,223

2,465,706 Non-current assets









Property, plant and equipment 10

10,090,069

9,782,647 Inventories 9

28,793

28,985 Deferred income tax assets 13

616,118

534,078 Other financial assets



10,033

10,978











10,745,013

10,356,688 Total assets



$ 12,915,236

$ 12,822,394

















Current liabilities









Borrowings and other financial liabilities 12

$ 24,962

$ 26,547 Trade and other payables 11

523,303

466,206 Deferred revenue



34,482

27,896











582,747

520,649 Non-current liabilities









Borrowings and other financial liabilities 12

4,190,659

4,187,270 Deferred income tax liabilities 13

87,746

79,180 Decommissioning obligations 14

105,151

104,238











4,383,556

4,370,688 Total liabilities



$ 4,966,303

$ 4,891,337

















Equity











Share capital



$ 11,432,122

$ 11,432,122 Contributed surplus



1,559,106

1,558,811 Accumulated other comprehensive loss



(2,188)

(813) Deficit





(3,766,484)

(3,821,889) Equity attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill



9,222,556

9,168,231 Attributable to non-controlling interest 15

(1,273,623)

(1,237,174) Total equity



$ 7,948,933

$ 7,931,057

















Total liabilities and equity



$ 12,915,236

$ 12,822,394



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Statements of Equity (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)































Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill



























Accumulated





























other









Non-controlling













Contributed

comprehensive









Interest









Share capital

surplus

loss

Deficit

Total

(Note 15)

Total equity































Opening balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,811

$ (813)

$ (3,821,889)

$ 9,168,231

$ (1,237,174)

$ 7,931,057 Income for the period

-

-

-

55,405

55,405

(36,449)

18,956 Other comprehensive loss for the



























period

-

-

(1,375)

-

(1,375)

-

(1,375) Employee share plans

-

295

-

-

295

-

295 Closing balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,559,106

$ (2,188)

$ (3,766,484)

$ 9,222,556

$ (1,273,623)

$ 7,948,933































Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill





















Accumulated





























other









Non-controlling













Contributed

comprehensive









Interest









Share capital

surplus

income (loss)

Deficit

Total

(Note 15)

Total equity































Opening balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,264

$ 844

$ (3,670,310)

$ 9,320,920

$ (910,135)

$ 8,410,785































Impact of change in accounting policy

-

-

-

(1,342)

(1,342)

(691)

(2,033) Restated opening balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,264

$ 844

$ (3,671,652)

$ 9,319,578

$ (910,826)

$ 8,408,752 Income for the period

-

-

-

111,237

111,237

(6,037)

105,200 Other comprehensive loss for the



























period

-

-

(535)

-

(535)

-

(535) Employee share plans

-

150

-

-

150

-

150 Closing balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,414

$ 309

$ (3,560,415)

$ 9,430,430

$ (916,863)

$ 8,513,567



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

About Turquoise Hill Resources

Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Company's principal and only material mineral resource property. Turquoise Hill's ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Oyu Tolgoi); Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Erdenes), a Mongolian state-owned entity, holds the remaining 34% interest.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information

Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Company's beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "could", "should", "expect", "seek", "may", "intend", "likely", "plan", "estimate", "will", "believe" and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, information regarding the timing and amount of production and potential production delays, statements in respect of the impacts of any delays on the Company's cash flows, expected copper and gold grades, liquidity, funding requirements and planning, statements regarding timing and status of underground development, the mine design for Panel 0 of Hugo North Lift 1 and the related cost and production schedule implications, the re-design study for Panels 1 and 2 of Hugo North Lift 1, the expectations set out in the Tavan Tolgoi Power Plant ("TTPP") Feasibility Study, the possible progression of the TTPP and alternative power supply options to the TTPP, the potential impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, operations and financial condition, capital and operating cost estimates, timing of completion of the Definitive Estimate review, mill and concentrator throughput, the outcome of formal international arbitration proceedings, anticipated business activities, planned expenditures, corporate strategies, and other statements that are not historical facts.

Forward-looking statements and information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of copper, gold and silver and projected gold, copper and silver grades, anticipated capital and operating costs, anticipated future production and cash flows, the anticipated location of certain infrastructure in Hugo North Lift 1 and sequence of mining within and across panel boundaries, the availability and timing of required governmental and other approvals for the construction of the TTPP or alternative power supply options to the TTPP, the status of the Company's relationship and interaction with the Government of Mongolia on the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi and Oyu Tolgoi LLC internal governance.

Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and information include, among others, copper; gold and silver price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; development plans for processing resources; the outcome of the Definitive Estimate review; public health crises such as COVID-19; matters relating to proposed exploration or expansion; mining operational and development risks, including geotechnical risks and ground conditions; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability); Oyu Tolgoi LLC's ability to deliver a domestic power source for the Oyu Tolgoi project within the required contractual time frame; communications with local stakeholders and community relations; activities, actions or assessments, including tax assessments, by governmental authorities; events or circumstances (including strikes, blockages or similar events outside of the Company's control) that may affect the Company's ability to deliver its products in a timely manner; currency fluctuations; the speculative nature of mineral exploration; the global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; cyber security incidents; additional funding requirements, including in respect of the development or construction of a long-term domestic power supply for the Oyu Tolgoi project; capital and operating costs, including with respect to the development of additional deposits and processing facilities; and defective title to mineral claims or property. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. All such forward-looking statements and information are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company's management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements or information.

With respect to specific forward-looking information concerning the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi, the Company has based its assumptions and analyses on certain factors which are inherently uncertain. Uncertainties and assumptions include, among others: the timing and cost of the construction and expansion of mining and processing facilities; the timing and availability of a long-term domestic power source (or the availability of financing for the Company to construct such a source) for Oyu Tolgoi; the ability to secure and draw down on the supplemental debt under the Oyu Tolgoi project financing facility and the availability of additional financing on terms reasonably acceptable to Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Rio Tinto and the Company to further develop Oyu Tolgoi; the potential impact of COVID-19; the impact of changes in, changes in interpretation to or changes in enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practices in Mongolia; the availability and cost of skilled labour and transportation; the obtaining of (and the terms and timing of obtaining) necessary environmental and other government approvals, consents and permits; delays, and the costs which would result from delays, in the development of the underground mine (which could significantly exceed the costs projected in the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study and the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Technical Report); projected copper, gold and silver prices and their market demand; and production estimates and the anticipated yearly production of copper, gold and silver at Oyu Tolgoi.

The cost, timing and complexities of mine construction and development are increased by the remote location of a property such as Oyu Tolgoi. It is common in mining operations and in the development or expansion of existing facilities to experience unexpected problems and delays during development, construction and mine start-up. Additionally, although Oyu Tolgoi has achieved commercial production, there is no assurance that future development activities will result in profitable mining operations.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 18, 2020 in respect of the year ended December 31, 2019 (the AIF), as supplemented by our Q1 2020 MD&A.

Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the "Risk Factors" section of the AIF and in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Q1 2020 MD&A that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements and information contained herein are made as of the date of this document and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE TURQUOISE HILL RESOURCES LTD
By Trend





The fight against coronavirus is being thoroughly carried out in the Azerbaijan is thoroughly fighting against coronavirus under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Assistant to Azerbaijans president, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

Hajiyev made the remark at the briefing of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on May 13.

The conducted work in Azerbaijan is highly appreciated by the international community, assistant to Azerbaijans president added. Azerbaijan is being cited as an example for the whole world.

Hajiyev reminded that the summits of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states and the Non-Aligned Movement were held on the initiative of Azerbaijan's president.

All this is Azerbaijans most important contribution to the international cooperation, Hajiyev said.

The measures are also being taken to return Azerbaijani citizens staying abroad to Azerbaijan, the assistant to Azerbaijans president added.

Over 540 Azerbaijani citizens returned from Russia to Azerbaijan through I am going home website, assistant to Azerbaijans president added. A lot of Azerbaijani citizens from other countries also came back over the past period.




Amit S Upadhye By

Express News Service

HUBBALLI: A 30-year-old man with a liver ailment from Hubballi, who was worried as he could not buy medicines, was helped by social workers and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi after a tweet by The New Indian Express. The local MP also ensured that the medicine was delivered to Shreedhar (name changed) on time by a pharma company in Hyderabad.

The patient has been suffering from a hereditary ailment for some time now. As he has been unemployed for the last four months, he asked TNIE to help him find a donor. On seeing the tweet by TNIE, Vinayak Jogarishettar, a student social worker from Hubballi, retweeted and decided to follow up the case. He spoke to the patient and alerted several political leaders and local organisations. He spoke to a pharma company in Hyderabad and confirmed the booking of the medicine.

Prashanth Adur, who handles the social media account of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, saw the tweet and forwarded it to the minister. The minister readily agreed to help as the patient was unable to afford the medicine. The money was transferred to a local volunteer, who delivered the medicine to the patient, he said. Jogarishettar said it was a team effort and several people showed interest in helping the patient. He was happy and had no words to thank Joshi and others involved in getting the medicine for him. Many well-wishers are still enquiring about the patient and if the medicine came from Hyderabad, he said.
In an indication that it might soon start mail/express as well as chair car services, the Railway Board on Wednesday issued an order introducing the provision of waiting list starting May 22 for journeys not only on its presently operational special trains but also on all its forthcoming services.

IMAGE: Passengers maintain social distance as they arrive to board a special train to Delhi at Howrah station. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo

The railways has, however, capped the waiting list on these trains -- up to 100 for AC 3 tier, 50 for AC 2 tier, 200 for Sleeper Class, 100 for chair cars, and 20 each for First AC and Executive Class.

The changes will come into effect for tickets booked from May 15 for journeys beginning from May 22.

The order from the railway board to the zones indicates that the railways is planning to run mixed services instead of the presently all air-conditioned trains. This also means that it could begin services to smaller towns along with the major cities that its Rajdhani specials cater to now.

Neither Tatkal/Premium Tatkal Quota nor senior citizen quota will be available on these trains. Reservation against Cancellation (RAC) tickets will also not be allowed.

No waiting ticket holder will be allowed to travel, officials said, adding that they will get full refund.

So far there is no order from the railways to begin more services.
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Mascarpone Cheese Market: Outlook

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Increasing Demand for Mascarpone Cheese in Food Industry, owing to its Functional and Organoleptic Properties

The demand for mascarpone cheese has been increasing in household consumption as well as industrial use. One of the key factors driving the demand for mascarpone cheese is its varied application in the food industry as a substitute for cream, in desserts, sauces, ready-to-cook dishes, soups and others. Furthermore, the demand for mascarpone cheese is also growing due to its functional and organoleptic properties as it is used for thickening and binding purposes in many food recipes.

Currently, the demand for mascarpone cheese is driven by its sweet and savory applications, higher shelf life and functional properties. On the other side, different flavors of mascarpone cheese are also gaining popularity in the food retail industry. The demand for mascarpone cheese as an Italian cheese is gaining traction in Western European countries, the U.S. and Asia Pacific, owing to its taste and the fact that it has no added preservatives. Mascarpone cheese, being a vegetarian cheese product, is also popular among the growing vegetarian population in Western Europe.

Mascarpone Cheese Market: Segmentation

The global mascarpone cheese market can be segmented on the basis of flavor, end use, distribution channel and region.

On the basis of flavor, the global mascarpone cheese market has been segmented as:

Flavored

Unflavored

On the basis of end use, the global mascarpone cheese market has been segmented as:

Bakery

Desserts

Soups, Sauces and Dressings

Savory

Ready-Cooked Dishes

Retail/Household

Food Service Industry

Others

On the basis of distribution channel, the global mascarpone cheese market has been segmented as:

Business to Business

Business to Consumer Hypermarkets/Supermarkets Departmental Stores Specialty Stores Online Retail Others



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Mascarpone Cheese Market: Participants

Some of the key players operating in the business of mascarpone cheese are BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Somboled, Granarolo S.p.A., Bella Casara, Ferraro Dairy Foods, FITSA Group, Sordi Impianti Ltd., Newlat Food S.p.A., Green Pastures Donegal, Kerry Inc., Vermont Creamery and others.
Mr. Powells warning  which echoes those of other economists who have said that the governments relief efforts to date have barely sustained individuals and companies  set the tone for the trading day on Wall Street. The S&P 500 fell nearly 2 percent, adding to its 2 percent loss from the day before.

Investors have shrugged off a number of risks to the economy in recent weeks, instead bidding up stocks since the Fed signaled that it was ready to purchase unlimited bonds to stabilize key financial markets and after President Trump signed a $2 trillion economic rescue package.

That rally, a nearly 30 percent gain in the S&P 500 in March, has lifted stock prices even as company fundamentals worsened, and it came despite a darkening outlook for growth.

Mr. Powell seemed to focus investors on the risks again, a day after they heard a different concern from Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a central figure in the U.S. governments coronavirus response. If economic interests were allowed to override public health concerns, Dr. Fauci warned, there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control.

And some influential investors have weighed in on the growing disconnect between the performance of the stock market and an ugly outlook for the American economy. On Wednesday, David Tepper, a longtime hedge fund manager, said on CNBC that he thought the market was the most overvalued it has been since 1999.
By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

A project aimed at reviving Azerbaijan's major bodies of water and maintaining quality and quantity of native fish populations in them has been launched at the initiative of IDEA founder Leyla Aliyeva.

Conducted by IDEA and Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the project oversees scheduled fish stocking events in the rivers and lakes of the country and cleanup activities to restore the marine environment and promote sustainability.

The new project kicked off with the start of the spawning season,when 10,000 trout were released into Nohurgishlag lake in Gabala.

As part of the project, Kura delta was cleared of illegal fishing means as well as household waste and synthetic fishing nets, leading to the mass death of fish.

In recent decades, the natural population of sturgeon and other rare fish species has been threatened.

A number of important initiatives are being implemented under the leadership of Leyla Aliyeva in order to protect and restore the aquatic fauna of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region.

Notably, the new project coincided with a four-month fishing moratorium recently announced in connection with the spawning period. In this regard, the project organizers urge all those involved in commercial fishing to suspend activities during this period, to abandon actions that impede the conservation and increase of water resources.

At the same time, a request is expressed to enterprises for breeding local fish species in Azerbaijan. Those wishing to support the project, please contact:

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: 012 497 6316.

Let's restore and preserve Azerbaijan`s unique and invaluable aquatic biological resources!








NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Increasing geopolitical tensions in emerging economies.



The global ballistic protection market size is projected to reach USD 17.2 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2020 to 2025. Rising political unrest and instability, as well as increasing incidences of terrorism, have prompted military and law enforcement forces and the material sciences community to develop effective solutions that can help ensure troop and vehicle safety. Currently, political conflicts in Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, between Russia & Ukraine, India & Pakistan, India & China, and Russia & Turkey, and criminal violence in Mexico are increasing the need for combat armor. Domestic conflicts in many countries are also boosting the need for ammunition, which, in turn, drives the demand for protective equipment.







Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05893107/?utm_source=PRN







The airborne segment to witness the highest growth in the ballistic protection market.



By platform, the airborne segment is projected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The airborne segment includes fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and the marine segment includes destroyers, frigates, corvettes, offshore support vessels (OSVs), aircraft carriers, submarines, and underwater surface vehicles.



There is an increasing demand for aircraft across various aviation platforms for military purposes.This demand is also attributed to the rising military expenditure of various countries, such as China, Japan, South Korea, and the US.



The UAV segmented is expected to witness the highest CAGR for the forecast period 2020-2025. The growth of the airborne segment is attributed mainly because of the introduction of UAVs on the battlefield due to changes in the dynamic of war.



Homeland security segment of the ballistic protection market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The homeland security segment is projected to grow at higher than the military segment during the forecast period.Ballistic-resistant body armor is worn by homeland security officers while in the field to protect against specific ballistic threats.



Homeland security officers use personal protective equipment (PPE), including body vests, ballistic helmets, and gloves, to ensure safety during any mission.Ballistic helmets are intended to protect the wearer against small arms fire and fragmentation threats.



The combat systems used by homeland security officers are ballistic resistant as ceramics and thermoplastics reinforce them.



Asia Pacific ballistic protection market is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The ballistic protection industry in Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.Asia Pacific is an emerging market for ballistic protection systems, owing to the economic growth of countries in this region and increased defense spending in countries such as India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.



The governments of these countries and local industries are also signing up with the contractors and supporting them through the procurement process by providing necessary financial and infrastructure aids. The increase in the number of insurgent groups entering the territories and using deadly explosives such as IEDs and bombs has further raised the need for ballistic protection systems.



In-depth interviews were conducted with chief executive officers (CEOs), marketing directors, end-users of ballistic protection products, innovation, and technology directors, and executives from various key organizations operating in the ballistic protection market.

?By Company Type: Tier 1: 40%, Tier 2: 30%, and Tier 3: 30%

?By Designation: C-level Executives: 30%, Directors: 20%, and Others*: 50%

?By Region: North America: 27%, Europe: 18%, Asia Pacific: 37%, and RoW: 18%



*Other designations include air traffic control officer, airport operation managers, and product managers.



The global ballistic protection market comprises major players such as BAE Systems (UK), 3M (US), Rheinmetall AG (Germany), Koninklijke Ten Cate bv (Netherlands), Point Blank Enterprises, Inc (US), Craig International Ballistics Pty Ltd (Australia), MKU Limited (India), Elmon (Greece), FMS Enterprises Migun Ltd (Israel), Permali (UK), Revision Military (US), Saab AB (Sweden), and Survitec Group Limited (UK), among others. The study includes an in-depth competitive analysis of these key players in terms of company profiles, recent developments, and key market strategies.



Research Coverage:

This study covers the ballistic protection market.It aims at estimating the market size and growth potential across different segments, such as platform, application, material, threat level, technology, product, and region.



The study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key market players, along with their company profiles, key observations related to product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.



Key Benefits of Buying the Report

The report will provide market leaders/new entrants in this market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall ballistic protection market and its subsegments.This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses better and to plan suitable go-to-market strategies.



The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges.



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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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By Ueslei Marcelino and Gram Slattery

BRASILIA/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro attacked Congress and the courts in a speech to hundreds of supporters on Sunday as the number of coronavirus cases blew past 100,000 in Brazil, underlining the former army captain's increasing isolation as he downplays the impacts of the pandemic.

The right-wing Bolsonaro has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum for dismissing the threat of the virus in Brazil, which has registered 101,147 confirmed cases and 7,025 deaths, according to the most recent data from the Health Ministry.

On Sunday, dozens of public figures signed an open letter to the Brazilian government calling on officials to protect the nation's indigenous people, who often live in remote locations with limited access to healthcare.

At the same time, Bolsonaro faces the most serious political crisis of his mandate, after his justice minister, Sergio Moro, quit last week and accused the president of firing the federal police chief in a bid to appoint a personal ally to the post and meddle in sensitive investigations.

Brazil's Supreme Court blocked Bolsonaro's pick for a new chief on Wednesday, enraging the president.

On Saturday, Moro, among Brazil's most popular public figures due to his tough stance on corruption, presented testimony regarding possible obstruction of justice by Bolsonaro. Hours before, the president called Moro "Judas" on Twitter, referring to the apostle who betrayed Jesus.

As Bolsonaro's relationship with legislators and the courts has cooled, he has become increasingly dependent on a cadre of advisers in his government who are active or former military.

As in an April rally also attended by Bolsonaro, demonstrators called on Sunday for the closing of the Supreme Court and Congress, and a return to authoritarian measures used during Brazil's 1964-1985 military government.

"We have the armed forces at the people's side: the side of order, democracy, liberty," Bolsonaro said in a speech transmitted live on Facebook.

"Enough interference. We're not allowing any more interference. Our patience is over."

Story continues

CORONAVIRUS HOT SPOT

Bolsonaro did not call for a military takeover at the rally in Brasilia, and such an occurrence is widely considered unlikely in Brazil, where Congress, the courts, the press and civil society wield significant power.

But political leaders have called Bolsonaro's participation in anti-democratic rallies irresponsible, especially as he has spoken approvingly of the nation's former military dictatorship, which was responsible for hundreds of extrajudicial executions.

Bolsonaro's attendance also drew criticism as the nation is a major coronavirus hot spot.

Bolsonaro, who did not wear a mask on Sunday, has dismissed the coronavirus as a "little flu," saying the economic fallout of quarantining measures would be deadlier than the virus itself.

The open letter on Sunday, which warned that loggers and ranchers could introduce the virus to indigenous communities in a development tantamount to "genocide," was signed by celebrities ranging from U.S. television personality Oprah Winfrey to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

The government has banned people from entering indigenous reserves during the pandemic. It has also cut down, however, on law enforcement against illegal loggers and miners in remote regions as a safety measure.

At the Sunday rally, at least three photographers were attacked by demonstrators, according to a Reuters witness - an increasingly routine occurrence in Brazil, where Bolsonaro routinely calls the work of major newspapers "fake news."

The Reuters witness saw one photographer from Sao Paulo newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo pulled off a ladder and repeatedly kicked in the ribs.

(Reporting by Ueslei Marcelino in Brasilia and Gram Slattery in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Diane Craft and Peter Cooney)
Planes from the 127th Wing of Michigan Air National Guard flew over metro Detroit to honor healthcare professionals and other frontline workers Wednesday.

A KC-135 Stratotanker and three A-10 Thunderbolt jets started their Michigan Strong flyover in Novi, passed by area cities, flew along the Detroit River to downtown Detroit, then headed up to New Baltimore and Chesterfield Township. They then landed back at their base, Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

The flyover took part a day after the U.S. Navy Blue Angels performed their America Strong flyover in Detroit.

The 127th Wing also performed yesterday in other parts of Michigan.

Below are photos from the flyover Wednesday, from atop a parking garage near DMC Hospital and the Childrens Hospital of Michigan  which were both on the flight plan.

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

A KC-135 Stratotanker leads three A-10 Thunderbolt attack planes during a "Michigan Strong" flyover put on by the 127th Wing  based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base  in Detroit, on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com
Jet Airways insolvency resolution professional on Wednesday invited fresh expressions of interest (EoI) for the grounded airline

Mumbai: Jet Airways insolvency resolution professional on Wednesday invited fresh expressions of interest (EoI) for the grounded airline.

This is the fourth time that EoI has been invited for Jet Airways, which was shuttered last year.

The last date for submission of bid documents is 28 May and the final list of prospective resolution applicants will be issued on 10 June, as per a public document.

The decision for issuing fresh EoI was taken during the committee of creditors (CoC) meeting held recently.

The company's shares gained 4.42 percent to Rs 21.25 on the BSE. On the NSE, it jumped 4.41 percent to Rs 21.30.

Last week, the CoC had met to discuss the way forward for the airline. It was the 11th meeting of the CoC.

In March this year, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had allowed 90 days' extension for the corporate insolvency resolution process of the airline.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

This came after the airline's resolution professional had filed an application in NCLT seeking 90 days' extension for the insolvency process after it failed to attract any bidder.

The CoC on 18 February, had 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 of the bidding process over slot issues. The 10 March 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 20 June, 2019, admitted the insolvency petition filed by the lenders' consortium led by State Bank of India against Jet Airways.

The bankruptcy court had appointed Ashish Chhawchharia as RP.

Jet Airways has liabilities over Rs 26,000 crore, which include over Rs 10,000 crore of vendor dues, Rs 8,500 crore along with interest owed to the lenders, over Rs 3,000 crore in salary dues, and over Rs 13,500 crore in accumulated losses over the past few years.

(With PTI inputs)
Opposition leaders demand government should break silence after virus figures are not released since April 29.

Tanzanias opposition has demanded the truth about the countrys coronavirus infections two weeks after the last update, as the United Statess embassy raised alarm over overwhelmed hospitals in the East African nation.

The government stopped giving daily updates after President John Magufuli complained last month they were causing panic, and went on to question the data from the national laboratory.

The last total of 480 cases and 16 deaths was given on April 29.

The government of Tanzania shouldnt keep its citizens in the dark, Zitto Kabwe, the leader of the opposition Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo), told the AFP news agency.

Transparency is key in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Kabwe said.

On Tuesday, the party released a statement slamming the radio silence from the government.

We need to know what the truth is and we need to know it now. We request that [Magufulis] government issues statistics on a daily basis from this day forward, the statement said.





Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the US embassy in Tanzania issued a statement warning the risk of contracting the virus in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam was extremely high.

Despite limited official reports, all evidence points to exponential growth of the epidemic in Dar and other locations in Tanzania, said the embassy, urging its staff and families to remain at home.

Many hospitals in Dar es Salaam have been overwhelmed in recent weeks. Limited hospital capacity throughout Tanzania could result in life-threatening delays for medical care, including for those with COVID-19, it added.

Downplaying impact of virus

Last week, the government said it would resume giving data when there had been improvements at the national laboratory.

Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu suspended the director and a senior official at the laboratory after Magufuli cast doubt on the credibility of the laboratory equipment and technicians and questioned the official data on the epidemic.

Magufuli, who has consistently downplayed the impact of the virus, said he secretly had animals, fruits and even vehicle oil tested at the laboratory.

A papaya, a quail and a goat had been found to be positive, he said.

Magufuli has also urged citizens to keep attending church and the mosque and working hard.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said Tanzanias tests were working well and had been proven to be reliable.

But critics have said Tanzania has not taken extensive measures to halt the spread of the virus, unlike some of its neighbours in Africa.
According to an article, the United States of America currently has a total of more or less 44.7 million immigrants as of 2018. The total population of immigrants in the United States accounts for 13.7 percent of the total population of the country in 2018.

For those who are planning or dreaming to move to the United States, there are some important things you need to know before moving to the country.

Here is some important information you need to learn before moving to the United States:

Documents You Need to Bring to the US

Identification Cards, birth certificate, and tax records are some of the important documents you should not leave behind in the country where you will be coming from, says an article. Also, you should not forget to bring other important documents with you such as documents for applying for work in the U.S., documentation to prove your education, driver's license from the country you came from, and bank account documents.

Also, the article suggests that it is best to make a secondary copy of the documents you will bring to the U.S.

Paying Taxes

If you plan to eventually become a U.S. citizen, you need to learn how you can contribute to the growth of the country. According to an article, taxes are the amount paid by companies, other organizations, and the residents and citizens of a country to support the operations of the government. In return, the government used these funds to finance various government projects such as the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure such as roads.

According to an article, for those who have already found employment in the United States, they will be granted to get their Taxpayer Identification Number, also known as ITIN.

For those who are still in the process of searching for a job in the U.S., they can apply to get their Social Security Number.

Based on an article, if you were successful at landing a job in the country, you need to discard your Social Security Number. Also, you will need to inform the Internal Revenue Service of this news.

Check these out:

Getting a Driver's License

According to an article, the requirements for getting a driver's license in different states in the country are not the same. However, some of the common requirements are proofs of identifying ant, a Social Security Number, permanent resident card, passport, and proof of legal immigration status in the United States. Also, an applicant for a driver's license will be tasked to prove his or her residence in a state. The article stated that examples of documents that will prove a person's residence in an area or state include water and electricity bills.

Based on an article, those who will be applying for a driver's license in the country will be required to undergo some tests such as a written examination. Also, the applicant will be required to undergo a road test.
An appeal has gone to the federal government to liaise with state governments to operate the national lockdown on COVID 19 from 8:00pm to 6:00am throughout the country.

Making the appeal while speaking to some journalists in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, National Co-ordinator of a non-governmental organization, the Niger Delta Youth Coalition, NDYC, Prince Emmanuel Ogba, says this would enable the free movement of citizens to specific areas where they can be tested of the Corona Virus.

Prince Ogba opined that the present situation in some states where there is total lockdown, would make it difficult for the people who are quarantined at their homes from being tested of the virus.

He expressed worry that the present situation whereby people are ordered to stay indoors without the possibility of being tested of the virus, may defeat the purpose of the lockdown as much as it is intended to stop the spread of the disease.

The National Co-ordinator of the NDYC, Prince Ogba points out that if state governments carryout different policies on the Corona virus attack with the federal government without proper synergy between the two tiers of government, there could be some misconceptions about the efforts of government to the deadly virus.

Prince Ogba also calls for the compliance of government orders on COVID 19 which are intended to safeguard the lives of the citizenry from the ravaging Corona virus which has held up economic activities all over the world adding that presently, the government should create windows for traders, the banking industry and the public who are the key factors in the growing of any economy.

He also used the opportunity to call on the government to give more attention to agriculture in the face of the present global downturn in the price of crude oil which has adversely affected the economies of nations including Nigeria which depends on the sale of petroleum products.

However, the NDYC Co-ordinator, Prince Ogba commends the efforts of some state governors including that of Rivers State, Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Wike for unrelenting in their efforts towards ensuring that the pandemic does not cause more havoc but appealed to them to continue to review the lockdown orders so that the people would be able to access not only health facilities but also food which is a basic necessity in human life.

Signed.

Prince Emmanuel Ogba

National Co-ordinator


Captain Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: While ruling out extension in the contract of liquor vends beyond March 31, 2020, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced that the state government would, in line with the Finance Departments recommendation, provide adjustments to the licensees for losses incurred for the lockdown period, from March 23 to May 6, 2020.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain AmarinderThe Chief Minister has constituted a three-member Committee of senior officers to assess the actual loss resulting from closure of liquor vends amid COVID-19. The committee comprises Principal Secretary Finance Anirudh Tiwari, Principal Secretary Power A. Venu Prasad, and Excise & Taxation Commissioner Vivek Pratap Singh.

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The Chief Minister was on Monday authorised by the Council of Ministers to approve suitable changes in the State Excise Policy as warranted due to the pandemic and the resultant curfew/lockdown.

According to an official spokesperson, the Chief Minister has accepted the recommendation of the Excise Department, aligned to the advice of the Finance Department, to maintain the period of contract of liquor vends till 31st March 2021.

Captain Amarinder has also approved the Finance Departments recommendation to provide proportionate adjustment of MGQ for the losses incurred in the 9 days of lockdown in March.

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Lockdown

Further, in line with the Finance Departments recommendation, the revenues, both license fee and MGR, for the period of loss from 1st April to 6th May 2020, may also be adjusted/ re-determined accordingly by the Excise Department.

It may be pointed out that licensees of 2019-20 could not complete the year as on 31st March 2020 as their vends were closed for 9 days due to the imposition of curfew and lockdown from 23rd March 2020 onwards.

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Further the liquor vends for the year 2020-21 which were due to open on 1st April 2020, in pursuance of the State Excise Policy 2020-21, could not be opened.

The Chief Minister has also set up a Group of Ministers (GOM) to consider the Finance Departments proposal, along with adjustment if any, to be given to licensees in case of future lockdown/s (complete or partial during FY2020-21, and any other grievances and difficulties, as may be experienced or raised by the licensees.

The GoM, comprising the Finance Minister, the Education Minister and the Housing & Urban Development Minister, has also been mandated by the Chief Minister to consider the issue of levying a special Covid Cess on sale of liquor, as has been done by certain other states in the wake of losses incurred due to the prolonged lockdown.

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On the issue of home delivery of liquor, Captain Amarinder has decided that the provisions of the existing Excise Policy would continue to be applicable, but, citing the Supreme Courts observations in this regard, has left the option with the licensees.

The Supreme Court, it may be recalled, had suggested home delivery/indirect sale of liquor, in its order in a Public Interest Litigation of 8th May 2020, to facilitate social distancing during the period of lockdown.

CoronavirusNoting that as a result of the lockdown, the Excise Department could not complete allotment of liquor vends for the year 2020-21, the Chief Minister directed the Department to take further action, including allotment of remaining vends, in accordance with the State Excise Policy 2020-21.

Of a total of 756 groups, 500 were renewed as per Policy of 2019-20 and the remaining 256 groups were restructured into 186 groups, of which 89 groups were allotted as per the Policy of 2020-21. The remaining 97 groups are yet to be allotted.

It may be recalled that States Excise Policy for the year 2020-21 was approved by the Council of Ministers (CoM) on January 31, 2020. Thereafter, the Department had taken substantial action to implement the Policy.

However, implementation was stopped due to the pandemic Covid-19 and resultant curfew and lockdown w.e.f. March 23, 2020, imposed first by the State Government on March 23 and thereafter by Union Ministry of Home Affairs on March 24, 2020 under the relevant provisions of CrPC and Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Captain Amarinder Singh Pointing out that, post the lockdown, the State Government had time and again requested the Government of India to allow the Excise & Taxation Department to open liquor vends as it involved loss of State Excise revenue. It is only w.e.f. May 4, 2020 that Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed opening of liquor vends as per the guidelines issued vide letter of May 1,2020.

Subsequent to these guidelines of the MHA, the Department examined their implementation in keeping with the State Excise Policy 2020-21. The Department also prepared a memorandum for the consideration of CoM, which was sent to the Finance Department for their advice and the same was received on May 11, 2020.

The matter was thereafter considered in the CoM on May 11, 2020, wherein the Chief Minister was authorized to approve suitable changes in the State Excise Policy as warranted due to the pandemic Covid-19 and resultant curfew and lockdown.
Home  Just In  Medical supplies from China to arrive in Kathmandu Friday: Nepal Army

Kathmandu, May 13

The Nepal Army says a consignment of medical supplies it is purchasing from China for the countrys Covid-19 response will arrive in Kathmandu on Friday.

After the government assigned the army to bring in the supplies, the national military agency has been making efforts to complete the assignment as quickly as possible. However, it has not been able to charter a flight for the supplies.

The consignment arriving this Friday is coming via the Tatopani land route, according to Nepal Army spokesperson Bigyan Dev Pandey. He adds that the two additional consignments will also arrive soon. Three containers carrying the supplies had left Guangzhou of China on May 4, 6, and 7 respectively.

Pandey says efforts are underway to transport 37 tonnes of the supplies on an aircraft soon.

The army, in total, is purchasing 342 tonnes of the supplies worth Rs 2.25 billion through a government-to-government agreement for the countrys Covid-19 response.
This spring, we're all craving symbols of normal life, and for wine lovers, that usually means bottles of chilled rose. But wait. Will there be enough of it-or any at all-in this age of coronavirus?

Well, yes, but I have a few caveats.

Shipping is slower than usual, so some wines of 2019 vintage may not arrive for a while. The 25% tariff will push prices for faves from Provence slightly higher, and restaurants that once bought thousands of bottles of rose to pour by the glass may, sadly, never open again.

I caught up by phone with Los Angeles chef Joachim Splichal of Patina restaurant, who has been making two delicious roses at his Domaine de Cala estate in Provence since 2016. In lockdown in L.A., he's been unable to get to France, and he outlines how the tariff and covid-19 are hitting the rose business.

First off, the tariff that the office of the U.S. trade representative slapped on French, German, and Spanish wines last October already meant distributors were planning to buy less rose than they did the year before, figuring they'd have to boost prices and then have trouble unloading it. The possibility the USTR would raise tariffs to 100% caused even more uncertainty.

Normally, American importers and distributors send out presale offers in January and February to retailers and restaurateurs, who then put in orders. Shipments start arriving every few weeks. The 100% tariff threat froze business, causing many outlets to delay ordering or order much less. That means producers, which plan on a certain level of sales, have to start looking elsewhere to unload the unsold wines-not an easy task.

In the end, the USTR decided in mid-February to keep the tariff at 25%, but for many producers, especially smaller ones such as Splichal's, the damage was done. The February shipment from his chateau in France to his U.S. distributor was one-third the normal amount. His planned March shipment didn't happen at all because of the tariff, and then, in the middle of the month, covid-19 hit. Restaurants closed just as the rose season was about to begin, so they didn't order.

"Ninety percent of my two wines go to restaurants, hotels, and beach clubs," Spilchal sighs. "We're a small estate, and everybody [else] is cautious. People don't have the cash flow to make a lot of new purchases."

Some small producers in Provence were already planning not to ship to the U.S. because of the tariffs, he says. For others, packing shipments with members of a smaller crew standing six feet apart slows things down, and even bottling poses problems, as the operations typically rely on mobile bottling trucks, which haven't been readily available. A lot of new rose will have trouble getting overseas from France.

Still, Splichal said he remains optimistic that business will pick back up for him and other producers in a couple of months. After all, drinkers' demand for rose seems as hot as ever. Global rose consumption soared 40% from 2002 to 2018, reaching an all-time high in 2018, the latest year covered in the 2020 Rose Wines World Tracking report. At the same time, consumers are drinking more wine at home than normal: Nielson reports that in the retail stores it measures, wine sales grew 36.5% in the most recent week vs. a year ago, and the hottest price category runs from $20 to $25. That's rose's sweet spot.

And from the imbiber's perspective, there are plenty of bottles from the 2018 vintage in U.S. warehouses. Even if you can't find the latest vintage of your favorite brand, you won't have to go without rose.

As evidence of how much pink wine has become a marker for the good life, luxury companies took a deep investment dive in Provence last year. Chanel, owned by the billionaire Wertheimer brothers, bought highly esteemed Domaine de L'Ile on the tiny island of Porquerolles, south of Saint Tropez, while LVMH bought a controlling share in Chateau d'Esclans, which makes popular Whispering Angel.

Don't worry about being able to get a bottle of that best seller or about having to pay more for it. Sacha Lichine, co-owner of Chateau d'Esclans, solved the logistics and tariff issues by shipping the wine to the U.S. in bulk, in temperature-controlled tanks, to be bottled here. That neatly avoids the 25% tariff because it doesn't apply to wines in containers larger than two liters. Lichine predicts that beaches and outdoor restaurants, where people consume rose, may open faster than other locations.

Consider the list of top rose recommendations below. There are now more diverse offerings than ever-from Italy, Spain, Germany, and the U.S., as well as more ultra-premium bottles, and dozens of roses in cans.

2018 Domaine Guion Bourgueil Rose ($13)

Vibrant fruit and wild strawberry aromas are the hallmarks of Stephane Guion's bone-dry cabernet franc rose from the Loire Valley. This wine is earthy but lush and fruity, from organic grapes, and offers a layered, terroir-driven rose at an astonishingly low price.

2019 Mateus Dry Rose ($13 for 750 ml; $4 for 187 ml)

Don't just say no, thinking this is the sweet, slightly fizzy Portuguese pink wine that was wildly popular in the 1960s and 1970s. This is Mateus's new fresh, fruity dry rose. It's widely available and can be found for as little as $10 a bottle.

2018 Studio by Miraval ($16)

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split, but their partnership with star Rhone winemaker Marc Perrin at Provence's Chateau Miraval survived. This first vintage of their third and cheapest rose is intense, peachy, and more sophisticated than you might expect. It is named after the music studio on the property-where Pink Floyd once recorded.

2019 Domaine de Cala Classic Rose ($19)

In Provence's Coteaux Varois appellation, 88% of all wine made is rose. This bright, savory, food-friendly, grenache-based blend is the domaine's value-priced version.

2019 Rose de Haut-Bailly ($22)

Top Bordeaux chateau Haut-Bailly, in the Pessac-Leognan region, doesn't produce a rose in every vintage, but it did in 2019. The wine is always filled with seductive fruit and floral aromas, and will be arriving in the U.S. shortly.

2019 Chateau Minuty Prestige Rose ($25)

Just launching nationally in the U.S., this super-pale pink Provence rose is the kind of wine that makes you dream of afternoons at seaside restaurants. (Remember them?) A step up from Minuty's ubiquitous "M" cuvee, it's loaded with elegance and salty, succulent, chalky-fruity flavors that make you crave another glass.

2019 Just Pink ($25)

Last year, I touted Azur, a sophisticated California rose made by Napa winemaker Julien Fayard, who was born in Provence. On May 1, he launched this zingy, flavorful, less expensive California pink cuvee with a screw cap. It's perfect for outdoor picnics.

2018 LVE Cotes de Provence Rose ($26)

This intense, rich, pink wine announces, "Hey, I'm rose!" with the first sip. LVE stands for Legend Vineyards Exclusives, a brand that award-winning musician John Legend launched with French-American winery owner Jean-Charles Boisset in 2015. Legend's suggested music pairing pick for this rose is All of Me.

NV Loimer Brut Rose Reserve ($29)

I tasted this subtle sparkling wine as part of an Austrian Zoom event with top sommeliers. A lush blend of zweigelt, pinot noir, and Sankt Laurent grapes grown biodynamically, it has delicate notes of tart cherries and fresh strawberries.

2019 Tablas Creek Dianthus Rose ($30)

This pioneering winery in California's Paso Robles region produces two delicious roses made from organic grapes. This one, a brilliant fuchsia pink color, reflects rose traditions of the southern Rhone Valley, with more power and richness than paler Provence-style examples.

Wine Deal of the Week

My favorite New York wine bar, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, is offering packs of superb, hard-to-find wines from its imaginative list at terrific prices. Top bets are the Vol. 17 six-pack ($125) and the Vol. 5 12-pack ($250); both include delicious roses.
A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the Centre to de-link from Aarogya Setu mobile app a website which is promoting sale of medicines through e-pharmacies.

The plea, which is likely to come up for hearing on Thursday, said website http://www.aarogyasetumitr.in is linked to the official mobile application Aarogya Setu in a highly illegal, arbitrary and discriminatory manner as the website promotes and acts as a marketing tool for e-pharmacies only.

The plea, filed by South Chemists and Distributors Association, said there is absolutely no basis for a government owned platform being used for promoting private commercial ventures.

The petition, filed through advocates Amit Gupta and Mansi Kukreja, sought direction to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, National Informatics Centre and Niti Aayog to take steps so that the name 'aarogya setu' or any identical/ deceptively similar name is not misused to sponsor commercial interests of arbitrarily hand picked entities.

The Aarogya Setu application makes use of bluetooth and GPS to alert users who may have encountered people who later test positive for the coronavirus.

The plea further sought steps for immediate closure of the website.

It said the authorities have allowed government developed mobile application 'Aarogya setu', which has been launched with a salient feature of limiting the spread of COVID-19, to be used for the benefit of selected handpicked companies



The mobile application 'Aarogya setu' itself gives a link to website http://www.aarogyasetumitr.in, which gives a wrong and misleading impression to a user that the website as well as the information made available on it is also government mandated and approved, it said.

The homepage of the website states here are some essential healthcare services you can avail from the safety and comfort of your home and then lists only the e-pharmacies, it added.

There is no mention that medicines can also be procured by the local pharmacy stores which operate offline. It is submitted that the respondents (authorities) cannot be allowed to mislead the users of a government developed and mandated mobile application to believe that the drugs for treatment of COVID19 or to contain the spread of the disease are available only through the e-pharmacies, the plea said.

It claimed that the similarity in the names of the mobile application and the website is intentional and the website seeks to take advantage of the name and goodwill which has been generated by Aarogya setu, even though the website is not government owned.

The plea said the criteria for getting listed as a vendor on the website is that the entity should be an e-pharmacy, which is arbitrary, without any intelligible differentia, wholly illegal and discriminatory.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Today far-right Orban claims that pro-Hitler Horthy was a "great statesman".

In a speech on the Day of Victory over the Nazis, in the city of Uzhhorod, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a not so subtle message to Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Zelensky talked about the "expulsion of invaders" from Zakarpattia, a clear reference to the illegal 1939 occupation of the area by Hungarian ruler Miklos Horthy, Hungarian Free Press reports.

On May 9, Ukraine celebrated the Day of Victory and the president traveled to the country's western part. He talked about the 50 million victims of World War II, of which more than 8 million were killed and tortured Ukrainians: "We defeated Nazism 75 years ago. It took another 46 years for us to gain an independent Ukrainian state. And today, for the sixth year in a row, we are defending it."

Zelensky also announced the installation of symbolic bells. "Yesterday, I was in the Luhansk region, near the first village, where the liberation of Ukraine began in 1942. The first bell will be placed there  the Remembrance Bell. Today, I am in Zakarpattia, near the place where the expulsion of the invaders ended. The Victory Bell will be placed here."

The invaders  the Hungarian Army  occupied Zakarpattia in 1939, and later joined the German Wehrmacht to take over the rest of Ukraine committing unspeakable atrocities, the report reads.

Read alsoHungary to block NATO-Ukraine meetings until minority rights deal reached  media

Today far-right Orban claims that pro-Hitler Horthy was a "great statesman". "Not surprisingly Zelensky has refused to meet him so far," authors say. "In fact Orban bitterly complained that 'despite repeated attempts, we've not yet been able to meet the new President of Ukraine'."

Hungary has even threatened to block Ukraine's aspirations of joining NATO and EU because Orban claims that Ukraine's language law restricts the right of the ethnic Hungarian minority. After U.S. politicians raised their concerns that Orban's empty posturing represent a security danger for the NATO alliance, Hungarian Foreign Minister, Mr. Szijjarto has backpedaled and "made a couple of suggestions" to resolve the situation. "Hungary's criticism miraculously subsided," the report reads.

Loud ethnic Hungarian lobbyists in Ukraine have disappeared, authors add. Laszlo Brenzovics, "Orban's man" in Zakarpattia, lost power and corruption accusations have surfaced. Ildiko Orosz resigned her post as Rector of the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College, and Andrea Bocskor, Hungary's Ukraine-born European Parliament member stopped her vicious attacks of Ukrainian politicians.

"Pro-Putin Orban has little popular support in Zakarpattia and President Zelensky knows that," reads the article.
For the longest time, the way clothes are sold has been tied to what many say is an outdated seasonal system. Designers' Fall/ Winter collections would start to hit the shop floor in the warmer months, while the Spring/ Summer collections would arrive in stores around winter.

It's a rather confusing selling model to the casual shopper who wants to buy an in-season item that actually reflect the weather. (Who wants to buy a winter coat in the summer? Or bikinis in November?) But that's how department stores and retailers have operated for decades in order to align with the markdown/ sale schedule.

"When you try to explain how fashion works to people not in fashion, it's impossible," Dries Van Noten told the New York Times. "Nobody can understand it." The Belgian fashion designer is one of many other creatives, CEOs and retailers who agree that the industry needs to realign its seasonal flow of collections.

Related | The End of Fast Fashion Is Closer Than You Think

So a group of fashion leaders, which includes designers Thom Browne, Tory Burch, Mary Katrantzou and retailers Lane Crawford, Nordstrom and Selfridges, published an open letter on Tuesday calling for the industry to make a number of changes including selling the Spring collections for February to July and the Fall collections for August to January when it's actually cold out. A concept!

"It's not normal to buy winter clothes in May," van Noten told Vogue Business. "It's not normal to work with the design team on a collection that hits the shop floor one month and a half before it's discounted at 50%."

Another area they want to see changed is the discounting period, which currently doesn't allow enough time for full-price selling. Under the group's plan, markdowns wouldn't begin until the very end of season (January for Fall and July for Spring).

While there are over 40 signatories on the letter (and is open for more), there are several names left our including LVMH-owned brands like Fendi and Givenchy and Kering brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent. Mass retailers like H&M and Primark are also missing, so it may be a while before we actually see industry-wide change.

Click here to read the open letter in full.
As Queen Elizabeth II withdraws from public duties for an indefinite period due to the coronavirus crisis, she has instructed royal family members to intensify their efforts during the pandemic.

The 94-year-old monarch's mandate is to make sure that the influence of the remaining senior members of the royal family will be felt amid the coronavirus crisis and while she is out of action.

Queen Elizabeth II is currently at Windsor Castle together with the Duke of Edinburgh, as the palace is eager to prioritize their safety during the health crisis.

Leave the Controversy Behind

Following this mandate, a source claimed that Queen Elizabeth II has also urged the royals to put on a "united front" and to leave division and controversy behind.

"There is going to be a lot more interaction between the family members while the crisis is ongoing. Her Majesty has given instructions that, after a turbulent period for the family last year, now is the time to heal and have a united front and get back to the basics of what the monarchy is for - her sole belief is that it goes back to the basics of duty," a source told a British news outlet.

The beginning of the year was a tough time for the royal family after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are considered as senior members, decided to step back from their roles and seek independence outside the monarchy.

Kate Middleton And The Royal Family's 'Secret Weapon'

In line with the order from the Queen, Kate Middleton recently teamed up with Sophie, Countess of Wessex, to lead the royal family in honoring the healthcare workers on International Nurses Day.

As the frontliners play a crucial role with the ongoing pandemic across the world, the two royals virtually called nurses in seven different Commonwealth countries such as India, Malawi, Australia, Cyprus, Sierra Leone, the Bahamas and the U.K. to pay tribute for their hard work and sacrifice in these trying times.

"Thank you for all the hard work you do on a day-to-day basis," Kate said during the Zoom calls.

The 38-year-old Duchess is also a patron of Nursing Now, a global campaign in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organization. The said campaign aims to raise the profile and status of nursing worldwide.

Sophie, on the other hand, made sure that the nurses are doing good and asked how they are coping with the situation.

"Thank you for what you're doing," the Countess of Wessex said. "And the outcomes are so much better because of the interventions you are doing."

"I hope you're feeling some of the love as well," she added.

Aside from the royal moms, Queen Elizabeth II also paid tribute to the dedication of nurses around the world.

Her Majesty called Professor Kathleen McCourt, President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation, as she expressed her admiration for their bravery in their chosen field.
No eating on the casino floor. Contactless check-ins for hotel rooms. And wear a mask unless youre drinking while gambling.

MGM Resorts, owner of the Borgata, released the health and safety plan its casino properties will follow once New Jersey officials allow them to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.

Our properties will not look the way they used to for a while, and thats not only OK, its critically important," said Bill Hornbuckle, acting president and chief executive.

Gov. Phil Murphy ordered Atlantic Citys casinos closed in March. He said Monday that he hoped to provide hard dates as early as this week on when the states economy could begin reopening.

The MGM plan released Tuesday offered a first look at how Atlantic City casinos plan to operate to protect both employees and guests from the coronavirus.

The new rules include:

-- Daily temperature checks for all employees, as well as screening measures to determine whether they have infection symptoms and where they are in contact with those who have been infected, such as someone in their household or someone they care for.

-- Guests who think they may have been exposed will be strongly encouraged to stay at home and not travel.

-- All employees must wear masks, and all guests will be encouraged to do so in public areas. The casino will hand out free masks to guests.

-- Workers will be trained on proper cleaning procedures and other steps to protect against the virus.

-- Employees who handle food, clean public areas and enter guest rooms must wear gloves. Other workers also may required to wear personal protective equipment.

-- Guests still will be able to order beverages but not food on the casino floor, and can remove their masks to drink.

-- Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of slot machines, tables and kiosks.

-- Stations for hand washing and hand sanitizing in high-traffic areas.

-- A six-foot social distancing policy will be followed whenever possible, with signs and floor guides to help separate patrons. In areas where the distancing policy cannot be followed, plexiglass barriers will be installed or employees will be given eye protection.

-- Poker rooms may not reopen when the rest of the casino does, depending on guidance from state officials and medical experts.

-- Plexiglass barriers throughout the casino and lobbies.

-- Medical personnel on staff to respond in case a guest or employee tests positive for COVID-19. Exposed areas will be sanitized and efforts will be made for contact tracing, notifying those who may have been in contact with the individual.

-- Limits on how many people can share an elevator cab.

-- Allowing guests to check in to their hotel rooms digitally without having contact with anyone at the front desk.

-- Digital menus and text notifications when tables are ready, eliminating the need to wait in line.

It remains to be seen if the steps are sufficient to win the approval of Unite Here, the union that represents 10,600 Atlantic City workers. Their plan called for having the state gaming commission ensure that the casinos were taking the necessary steps to protect employees and guests.

The union said that the six-foot distance between customers needed to be followed at slot machines and table games; dice and chips needed to be frequently sanitized; buffets needed to be suspended; and spas and pools needed to close temporarily.

Its good that the company is talking about it, but we need them to work in partnership with frontline workers to come up with a full plan to protect guest and workers, said Mayra Gonzalez, a line server at Borgata and a member of Unite Here.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.

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Red Lobster responds to video of Mothers Day fight at Pa. location: We do not tolerate violence
Highlights Motorola has promised two Android upgrades to the Edge+ in its lifecycle.

The Edge+ runs on a near-stock version of Android 10 with few customisation options.

Motorola has plans to launch the Edge+ in India.

Motorola's phones have always had a "wow" factor and the recently launched Edge+ ascertains that once more. The Edge+ is a return for Motorola to the premium smartphone space after a long gap but it has managed to get most of the things right. Great specifications, desirable design and its clean UI make the Edge+ stand out in a crowd of phones that look alike. However, Motorola did get some flak for the software part.

When it launched last month, Motorola said that the Edge+ will only get one Android OS upgrade in its life. This had been fine for a phone that was aimed at the budget segment. The Edge+, however, is a premium phone by all means and offering just a single OS upgrade to a phone that costs $1,000 doesn't sound nice. Credits to Motorola though as it has now revamped its update strategy for its 2020 flagship.

Motorola has now confirmed that it will be rolling two Android OS upgrades to the Edge+. The company has made the statement to DriodLife, confirming the arrival of both Android 11 and Android 12. This is still not as good as rival OnePlus that offers up to three Android OS upgrades for a particular phone but it is a step in the right direction nonetheless. You can also thank the criticism it got from media and US consumers.

Motorola has been serious with software updates for its Android One series phones. It's Motorola One Power from 2018 was upgraded to Android 9 and Android 10 timely, while the subsequent models from 2019 got updated to Android 10 early this year. The Edge+ is not an Android One phone and hence, Motorola initially promised just a single Android update.

Motorola Edge+

That said, better late than never. Motorola has plans to bring the Edge+ to India as its second flagship offering after the Motorola Razr. The prices are yet to be announced but it is safe to assume that Motorola will look to take on the likes of OnePlus, Xiaomi and Samsung with the Edge+. A launch date is yet to be announced but we expect Motorola to be more vocal about it once the COVID-19 lockdown ends.

If the Edge+ interests you, here's a quick rundown. The Edge+ belongs to the same class of phones that use the bleeding-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, which also means it is a 5G phone. Similar to the recently announced Xiaomi Mi 10, the Edge+ uses a 108-megapixel camera as its main sensor. Unlike the Mi 10, it also gets a 3X zoom camera and a wide-angle camera.

The standout feature of the Edge+ is its massive 6.67-inch display that curved all the way to the side. Motorola has built special features to take advantage of these curves to make the user experience more intuitive. It is also one of the very few premium phones this year to accompany a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Chinas people-to-people diplomacy has made huge contributions to global COVID-19 control and will help the world better understand China, said Lin Songtian, president of the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC).

Lin Songtian, president of the Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. (Photo/Liu Jieyan)

Global cooperation is the only productive choice in the fight against the raging COVID-19 pandemic, a war between human beings and nature, Lin noted, adding that the people-to-people diplomacy between sister cities is vital to form joint efforts in fighting the pandemic with the international community.

In addition to providing anti-pandemic supplies, heart-warming messages of sympathy, support and shared experiences are also necessary for international cooperation on pandemic prevention and control, Lin shared.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, over 160 foreign cities, more than 80 countries, as well as friendship organizations and foreign friends, have immediately sent written or oral messages to express sympathy to China, donated money and supplies, and provided valuable support for the countrys victory over the disease, Lin added.

As COVID-19 continues to ravage the rest of the world, a slew of Chinas local governments immediately expressed sympathy to their sister cities and offered timely aid to them, assisting them in purchasing huge amounts of medical supplies in China, sharing anti-pandemic experiences through video conferences and dispatching medical teams, according to Lin.

The CPAFFC, as an organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy, has actively mobilized Chinese local governments, enterprises, social organizations and individuals to provide anti-pandemic supplies for the international community, said the president.

Lin added that the organization has also assisted some countries in coordinating with Chinese medical manufacturers, and collected donations from Chinese private enterprises and social organizations to countries including the United States, Japan, South Korea and those in Europe.

By harnessing its advantages in various entities, people-to-people diplomacy serves as a bridge between the Chinese people and people of other countries in their joint efforts to defeat the pandemic, indicating their close ties and unity in times of need, said Lin.

Besides, Lin, who is also the former Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, refuted the so-called new colonialism theory and debt trap allegation some Western media and politicians have been creating to smear China-Africa cooperation in recent years, attempting to drive a wedge between China and African countries.

They are not willing to help Africa achieve independent and sustainable development, but are afraid that China will manage to do so and that its image may improve among the continent, the former ambassador said.

The West attacking China in Africa is obviously a wrong move, as the people of Africa can feel the tangible benefits from the mutually beneficial cooperation, with the ability to visualize their national development prospects for the future, Lin added.

The CPAFFC commits itself to the mission of leading people-to-people diplomacy, serving as the mainstay in public diplomacy and promoting exchanges between Chinese and foreign local governments.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:31:15|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) announced on Wednesday it had issued an emergency assistance loan of 1 billion U.S. dollars to India to help the country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The loan was approved by the bank on April 30. It aims to support India in its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to reduce the human, social and economic losses caused by the outbreak.

"The NDB is fully committed to supporting its member countries in the time of calamity," said Zhu Xian, vice president and chief operations officer of the NDB. "The emergency assistance loan to India was swiftly approved in response to the urgent request and immediate financing needs of the Indian government in fighting COVID-19."

The Shanghai-based bank issued an emergency assistance loan of 7 billion yuan (about 1 billion U.S. dollars) to China to fight the COVID-19 outbreak in April.

Established by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the NDB formally opened on July 21, 2015 in Shanghai. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 11:27:15|Editor: huaxia

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by Nick Kolyohin

JERUSALEM, May 12 (Xinhua) -- With the suspension of international flights and most domestic economic activities, Israel has witnessed a drastic economic slowdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, as China, a major trade and investment partner of Israel, is gradually resuming its economic activities and restoring trade with other countries, Israeli business insiders eye greater opportunities and see brighter prospects for bilateral relations.

Adiv Baruch, chairman of Israel Export Institute, told Xinhua in an interview that continuing to build long-term cooperation between China and Israel is one of the main goals of his working plan.

"We believe that COVID-19 had created quite a few new opportunities for developing a business relationship between China and Israel," Baruch said.

Ever since China struggled with the COVID-19 outbreak, the Israeli industry has endeavored to maintain its logistics of export and import with Chinese manufacturers, he said.

Baruch said he hopes flights between the two countries will open up soon so partners from both countries can meet again and continue to build mutual business relationships.

A lot of Israeli companies have supported their Chinese colleagues during the COVID-19 outbreak, which the Chinese companies remembered well and have expressed their appreciation, said Roy Roznek, member of the Presidium of Federation of Israeli Chamber of Commerce.

"We didn't cancel our orders," Roznek, also an importer, told Xinhua.

The current trade volume between Israel and China is about 70-75 percent of that before the COVID-19 outbreak, he estimated, adding he believes trade will return to normal quickly.

The Asia-Pacific region is known as the biggest market in the world, said Keren Maimon, a managing partner at Brilliance Ventures, an investment fund to help more Israeli tech and healthcare companies explore other Asian markets.

"We see the tech and innovation cooperation between China and Israel has a broad and rosy prospect," Maimon told Xinhua in an interview.

Israel-China relations have a lot of prospects for the constant development of cooperation in such areas as economy, technology, academy and culture, she added.

In the eyes of Yair Albin, head of Trade and Investments Mission of the Israeli Embassy in Beijing, changes need to be made to secure a brighter future for trade between the two countries.

As a big proportion of trade between China and Israel is being done via touristic flights, the COVID-19 situation has increased the price of air transportation and affected the trade, Albin noted.

"There will be a need for some changes in the way international business is taking place," he told Xinhua.

Besides, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face business meetings have been transfered online, with digital conferences and virtual business meetings, among others, striving to fulfill the space vacated by traditional conferences, he said.

Albin suggested that as restrictions on global transportation will continue for some time, business culture will need to adapt itself to the new situation. Enditem
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the definition of the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME) has now been changed so that they can grow in size and get benefits.

Definition being changed for MSMEs in their benefit. So that they can grow in size and get benefits, the FM said while briefing the nation on the Centre's 20 lakh crore economic package announced by PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

Investment limit, which defined MSMEs, has been revised upwards. Additional criteria being brought in is turnover size - earlier differentiation between manufacturing and service MSMEs will be categorised similarly, the FM said.

The Finance Minister said that for the MSMEs which want to expand but couldn't do because of coronavirus, the government will provide Rs 50,000 crore equity fusion.

With investment up to Rs 1 crore and with a turnover of up to Rs 5 crore will now qualify to be Micro industries now, the FM said.

She also announced Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loan for businesses, including MSMEs.

This will benefit 45 lakh small businesses, she said detailing parts of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package.

The loan will have 4-year tenure and will have a 12-month moratorium, she said.

Also, Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt will be provided for stressed MSMEs, the FM said adding this would benefit 2 lakh such businesses.

She also added that the government will provide stressed MSMEs with equity support.

"Government will facilitate the provision of Rs 20,000 Crores as subordinate debt,'' the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Four persons, including a woman and a child, were killed and six others injured in a clash between two brothers over a property dispute in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday, police said.

The incident occurred at Wazairabad area of Malakand district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The dispute, which was continuing since the last few months, took an ugly turn on Tuesday when the brother-duo -- Niaz Muhammad and Gul Zaman -- resorted to firing at each other.

In the firing, four persons, including the wife and a minor son of Muhammad died, police said.

Six others, including three children, were also injured in the firing, they said.

Four of the injured are in critical condition, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hospital run by intl. medical NGO attacked in Afghan capital

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 9:15 AM

A hospital in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul operated by the Geneva-based Doctors Without Borders has come under attack by gunmen.

The hospital, near the capital city's western area of Dasht-e Barchi, was stormed by yet-unknown militants armed with machine guns and grenades on Tuesday morning.

Witnesses reported sounds of gunfire after two blasts.

At least eight people were killed and several more were wounded in the attack.

At least 80 others, including women and children, were being evacuated from the hospital while some people remained trapped, said Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian.

Government authorities said several physicians had leapt to an adjacent building after at least three assailants wearing police uniforms entered, throwing grenades and shooting indiscriminately.

The security forces shot one attacker but clashes were going on, Arian said.

The neighborhood is home to many members of Afghanistan's Hazara community, a mostly Shia Muslim minority that has been attacked by Daesh terrorists in the past, including at a Kabul ceremony commemorating the death of one of its leaders in March.

It was also not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack. The Taliban militant group has reportedly denied responsibility.

The international medical institution of French origin has not so far reacted to the reported attack on its facility in Kabul.

The development comes following a series of bloody attacks in recent months across Afghanistan claimed by the Taliban or the Daesh terrorist group.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government and the Taliban are in the process of exchanging prisoners as a prelude to a peace process.

Under a deal between the United States and the Taliban, the Afghan government is required to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners. The militants are obliged to free 1,000 government captives in return.

The agreement is supposed to lay the groundwork for a peace process in the war-ravaged Asian country, but the Taliban have not stopped attacking government forces.

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British universities could be at greater risk amid the Covid-19 crisis due to an over-reliance on Chinese postgraduate students in recent years, a report has warned.

A growth in first-year postgraduate students attending universities in the UK since 2008-9 has been largely driven by international students from non-EU countries like China, according to a study.

Chinese students, who formed 38% of the non-EU postgraduate cohort in 2017-18, may delay or cancel their plans to study at British university campuses from this autumn amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) has warned some postgraduate courses could become unviable if international student numbers fall as institutions are reliant on their higher tuition fees.

A paper, published by Hepi, looks at how postgraduate education in the UK changed in the decade after the 2007-8 financial crash, when many sought to further their studies amid economic challenges.

It finds that a higher proportion of postgraduate students are female compared to the past, but women with these qualifications still earn 14% less on average than men with the same level of qualifications.

Overall, white men from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to undertake postgraduate study. Among UK-domiciled postgraduate entrants from the poorest areas, only 36% are men, the paper finds.

The report shows that UK-domiciled postgraduate entrants increased by 10% between 2008-9 and 2017-18, but student numbers from overseas grew faster. Non-EU international student levels grew by 33%.

On international students, the report warns: While the high levels of participation by Chinese students have provided much-needed stability to postgraduate numbers and fee income, the sectors over-reliance on one particular country represents a risk factor.

It adds that Covid-19 has led to English proficiency exams required for new entrants being suspended within China and UK universities setting out plans for Chinese students to delay enrolling in the autumn.

Story continues

Dr Ginevra House, the author of the report, said: When writing this report, the Covid-19 pandemic had yet to reach its current height, but the risk posed by universities increasing reliance on international students was evident.

The crisis is providing a timely reminder of the importance of a diverse and balanced student body to weather future shocks to the system, supported by government policies that foster international co-operation and mobility of the worlds brightest.

It comes after a survey from UK graduate jobs website Prospects last week suggested that nearly half of final year students are now contemplating studying a postgraduate course amid Covid-19.

The poll, of more than 1,000 final year students, shows that 58% are putting gap year and travel plans abroad on hold and 47% are now considering studying a masters, PGCE or PhD course.

On the new paper, Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said: In some respects, postgraduate education now more closely resembles undergraduate study, with todays postgraduate students more likely to be women, full-time and young. A higher proportion of postgraduate students are also from overseas.

He added: If international postgraduate numbers fall, some courses will become unviable  this is true even if there are more home postgraduates because of the higher fee levels for international students.

Ben Moore, policy analyst at the Russell Group, said: The UK has a world-class postgraduate offer and it is important that we maintain ambitious investment in high-cost, high-quality teaching and research to safeguard courses and guarantee academic excellence, choice and opportunities for students.

Key to this will be ensuring the UKs higher education system remains internationally competitive and continues to attract postgraduate students from around the globe.

Claire Sosienski Smith, the National Union of Students (NUS) vice president (Higher Education), said: We know that postgraduate study brings benefits, but as the report shows, these are still unequally distributed and exacerbated by gendered pay gaps in the workplace.

Chris Millward, director for fair access and participation at the Office for Students (OfS), said: This report shows how students and society benefit from postgraduate education.

It highlights the importance of improving access to postgraduate courses for those groups where participation is especially low.

A Universities UK (UUK) spokesman said: Despite the current uncertainty as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important that postgraduate and lifelong learning opportunities, as well as upskilling and reskilling, continue to increase.

Undertaking postgraduate study would be a positive option for individuals and the economy, with skilled graduates playing an important role in the recovery of the UK and in helping to rebuild the economy.
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The clothes manufactured through knitting wool or other fabrics are commonly known as knitwear. The major determinant fueling the growth of global knitwear market is the surging penetration of e-commerce platform in the sales of knitwear. Countries such as Russia, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa are mainly witnessing a surging demand for knitwear through online retail channel.

Global Key Players:

Some of the key players in the global knitwear market are Adidas AG (Germany), Gildan Activewear Inc. (Canada), Loro Piana S.p.A. (Italy), Puma SE (Germany), Ralph Lauren Corporation (the US), The Nautical Company (UK) Ltd (UK), Victorias Secret (the US), Maglificio Ripa S.p.a (Italy), LENZING AG (Austria), Ecowool (New Zealand), and Sana Hastakala (P) Ltd. (Nepal).

The global knitwear market has been segregated, by category, into men, women, and kids. The womens segment is expected to dominate the global knitwear market during the assessment period as a major demand of apparels is from the womens category. Moreover, knitwear for women are available in a wide variety of designs and patterns. The same segment is anticipated to witness a higher CAGR during forecast period due to higher awareness among women regarding changing fashion trends and their willingness to buy new apparels.

Access Full Information Here @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/knitwear-market-6795

Based on material type, the global knitwear market has been segmented into natural, synthetic, and blended. The natural segment gained the highest market share in 2017 owing to the versatile, cozy, anti-wrinkle, high absorption capacity, and warm nature of natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, and wool. However, the blended segment is expected to register a higher growth rate during the forecast period owing to the mixed properties offered by blended fabrics. Blended fabric material provides comfort, coziness, elasticity, durability and is easy to work upon.

The global market for knitwear has also been classified, by distribution channel, as store based and non-store based. The store based segment is anticipated to gain the lions share in the global knitwear market due to the presence of established brick & mortar stores across the globe. However, the non-store based segment is anticipated to project a higher CAGR during the forecast period due to the rising penetration of e-commerce in knitwear sales.

The global market for knitwear has also been classified, by end-use, as innerwear and outerwear. The outerwear segment is expected to dominate the market due to the availability of different formats of outwear knitwear. In addition, the rate of wear and tare of outerwear is high as compared to innerwear, which in turn is surging the sales of outerwear segment.

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On the basis of region, the global knitwear market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW. North America and Europe are expected to account for the highest market share in the global knitwear market owing to presence of several prominent market players in the regions. Moreover, the customers in the respective regions have a higher purchasing ability to buy premium knitwear products.

Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR in the global knitwear market due to the surging demand for textile products in countries such as India, China, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Market players are outsourcing their production operations from Asia-Pacific, which in turn is catalyzing the regions market growth.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Friends and foes alike agree that John Arthur Smith casts a long shadow at the Roundhouse.

But the affable senator is facing a spirited Democratic primary challenge from Neomi Martinez-Parra in a race that will be decided by voters hundreds of miles from Santa Fe  in New Mexicos sprawling Senate District 35.

The race has big implications, because Smith is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and arguably the Legislatures most influential voice on budgetary matters.

The Deming Democrat, who has served in the Senate since 1989 and was given the nickname Dr. No after clashes with past governors, said hes pledged to voters that hell be careful with their tax dollars.

Your luck can run out, but I believe for the most part my votes have pretty well represented my district, Smith said in a recent interview.

But his cautious approach to spending and his role in stifling legislation pushed by the more progressive wing of his party have sparked criticism in recent years.

Martinez-Parra, a licensed special education teacher and ex-vice chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, says the longtime incumbent has not done enough to help working families in the district.

We have not had representation in our district in a very long time that will fight for the people and not special interests, said Martinez-Parra, who lives about 60 miles from Smith in Lordsburg.

If elected, she said, she would push for more funding for early childhood education programs, improved health care access and more environmental safeguards.

This is about pushing progressive policies that help our most vulnerable families who are hurting economically, Martinez-Parra told the Journal.

In response, Smith said criticism that hes too tightfisted might be a tough sell given the states current budget situation. Due to plummeting oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, state revenue levels for the coming budget year are expected to be between $1.8 billion and $2.4 billion less than previously projected.

He also questioned whether Martinez-Parras environmental views  including support for a ban on fracking  would resonate in the largely rural district.

The two candidates also disagree on legalizing recreational marijuana for adult users and repealing a long-dormant state abortion ban, according to their responses to a Journal questionnaire.

Smith opposes both proposals, while Martinez-Parra supports the measures, which have both stalled in the Senate in recent sessions.

Targeted before

Senate District 35 runs along the Mexican border and encompasses all or parts of Hidalgo, Sierra, Luna and Dona Ana counties.

The district leans conservative  Donald Trump won 50% of the vote there in 2016, compared with 40.8% for Hillary Clinton  but Smith has managed to hold the seat for 31-plus years.

Ive been targeted before, he said, referring to a 2012 primary challenge backed by teachers unions that he rebuffed.

In addition, a former Democratic Party chairman even suggested in 2014 that Smith should consider becoming a Republican due to his opposition to some party priorities.

Specifically, he has drawn criticism for opposing proposals to take more money from the states $17.9 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund for home visiting, child care assistance and other early childhood programs.

In response, Smith has touted increased general fund spending on such programs, and during this years 30-day session he co-sponsored a bill to establish a new $320 million early childhood trust fund.

Fundraising

Smith has reported raising $81,700 for his reelection bid and has more than $106,600 in his campaign account.

Specifically, he reported contributions from several oil companies, health care providers, a high-profile private prison company and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe.

Martinez-Parra reported receiving $35,612 for her bid to oust the longtime incumbent. As of last week, she had roughly $20,800 available in campaign funds.

Her contributors include U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., and the New Mexico Working Families Party, a group thats targeting Smith and several other moderate Senate Democrats during this years primary election cycle.

The winner of this years June 2 primary race will face Republican Crystal Diamond of Elephant Butte in the November general election.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday he has cobbled together enough lawmakers to form a government, a step that will send him back to the premiership after three inconclusive elections.

Netanyahu's Likud Party and the ultra-Orthodox Shas faction came to a coalition agreement Wednesday. That, along with an earlier deal with the Blue and White party led by former army chief Benny Gantz, gives Netanyahu the 61-seat majority he needed to form a government.

Netanyahu submitted a letter to Israel's ceremonial president announcing his achievement, setting the stage for the government to be sworn in Thursday. Netanyahu has been prime minister for more than a decade, defying critics who had written him off and cementing his reputation as a political wizard.

The announcement Wednesday was procedural and expected. Netanyahu and his rival-turned-ally Gantz came to a power-sharing agreement last month, putting Likud and its traditional nationalist-religious allies over the threshold.

The swearing in caps a tumultuous year for Israeli After three elections ended in stalemate, Israel appeared headed for an unprecedented fourth until Gantz, spurred on by the fallout from the coronavirus crisis, reneged on his campaign promise to never sit in a government under an indicted Netanyahu and agreed to join him.

Their power-sharing deal, forming an emergency government focusing on the coronavirus crisis, will see them each as prime minister for 18 months, beginning with Netanyahu.

Another ultra-Orthodox party is also expected to join the government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lately, she is making comments that suggests she is speaking not just as the governor and to the people of Tokyo but to the people of Japan, Uchiyama said. It is conceivable now for her to become a candidate for the prime ministers role.
HOUSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), the largest provider of deathcare products and services in North America, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of nineteen cents per share of common stock. The quarterly cash dividend announced today is payable on June 30, 2020 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 15, 2020. While the Company intends to pay regular quarterly cash dividends for the foreseeable future, all subsequent dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates, are subject to final determination by the Board of Directors each quarter after its review of the Company's financial performance.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements have been made in reliance on the "safe harbor" protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be accompanied by words such as "believe," "estimate," "project," "expect," "anticipate," or "predict," that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable; however, many important factors could cause our actual results in the future to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein and in any other documents or oral presentations made by, or on behalf of us. There can be no assurance that future dividends will be declared. The actual declaration of future dividends, and the establishment of record and payment dates, is subject to final determination by our Board of Directors each quarter after its review of our financial performance. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, among others, restrictions on the payment of dividends under existing or future credit agreements or other financing arrangements; changes in tax laws relating to corporate dividends; a determination by the Board of Directors that the declaration of a dividend is not in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; an increase in our cash needs or a decrease in available cash; or a deterioration in our financial condition or results. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties, see our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Copies of this document as well as other SEC filings can be obtained from our website at http://www.sci-corp.com. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by us, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Service Corporation International

Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of deathcare products and services. At March 31, 2020, we owned and operated 1,475 funeral homes and 483 cemeteries (of which 296 are combination locations) in 44 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through our businesses, we market the Dignity Memorial brand which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service, and exceptional customer satisfaction. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit our website at www.sci-corp.com . For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com .

For additional information contact:

Investors: Debbie Young - Director / Investor Relations (713) 525-9088 Media: Jay Andrew - Managing Director / Corporate Communications (713) 525-5235

SOURCE Service Corporation International

Related Links

http://www.sci-corp.com


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, meets with Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Wednesday in Jerusalem. (Israel Government Press Office / Getty Images)

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met Wednesday with top Israeli officials here to lend U.S. support to a fledgling new coalition government and strategize over a range of mutual interests, including Iran, the COVID-19 outbreak and President Trump's widely panned proposal to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians.

Pompeo's visit  coming in the midst of a pandemic and only his second trip since the global health crisis began  was also seen as an endorsement of Israel's plan to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank that Palestinians claim as their homeland.

Stepping off his Air Force jet at Ben Gurion International Airport wearing a red, white and blue face mask, America's top diplomat said the Trump administration would continue to press for its so-called Vision for Peace, a largely pro-Israel plan that was roundly rejected by Palestinians and most of the Arab world.

"There remains work yet to do, and we need to make progress on that," Pompeo told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, who will continue as prime minister under a power-sharing agreement scheduled to take effect this week, thanked Pompeo for making the 24-hour round-trip flight to spend six hours on the ground in Jerusalem, meeting separately with him and his soon-to-be governing partner, Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu, standing about six feet from Pompeo at the prime ministers residence in Jerusalem, but with neither wearing a face mask, said Pompeos visit was a testament to the strength of our alliance [and] to the strength of President Trumps commitment to the state of Israel.

Pompeo indicated China would also be on the agenda.

As part of its global effort to confront the growing economic and security threat from China, the Trump administration has pressed U.S. allies, including Netanyahu's government, to limit Chinese investment in their countries.

"Youre a great partner. You share information, unlike some other countries that try and obfuscate and hide that information, and well talk about that country, too, some," Pompeo said, referring to China without naming it.

Story continues

Pompeo has served as the administration's attack dog in accusing China of intentionally downplaying the early threat of the coronavirus outbreak, allowing it to spread worldwide.

The pair also planned to discuss Iran, with Pompeo referring to its malign behavior and the threat he says it poses to Israel. Netanyahus government is an especially enthusiastic supporter of the U.S. campaign of maximum pressure aimed at isolating Tehran diplomatically and crippling its economy.

At Netanyahu's urging, Trump pulled the U.S. out of an international accord that had halted Iran's drive to develop nuclear weapons.

Weighing heavily on Pompeos trip was the possibility that Netanyahu will move soon to annex large parts of the West Bank where Israeli Jews over the years have built thousands of homes on land claimed by Palestinians. Most of the international community regards the settlements as illegal, and annexation would be a final and possibly irreversible step by Israel to impose control.

Netanyahu said he would proceed based on the understandings he reached with Trump in January during a visit to Washington.

These are all tremendous challenges and opportunities, and we can do them because we have such a ... powerful bond that makes the alliance between Israel and the United States stand out, certainly for us, but I think for many other countries looking around, Netanyahu said.

The question takes on urgency because as soon as the new government is sworn in  possibly on Thursday  Netanyahu and Gantz will have to tackle it by July 1 under a complex power-sharing agreement.

Netanyahu has somewhat boxed himself in: He cannot afford to go back on promises made to his right-leaning supporters, including West Bank settlers and others for whom the idea of an independent Palestinian state is anathema. Some voices in the Trump administration, however, continue to hold out hope for eventual negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Annexation would also enrage much of the Arab world, especially neighboring Jordan, one of the few countries in the region that recognizes Israel.

Angering his allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, might be problematic for Trump as well, coming just ahead of his own reelection bid.

Pompeo met with Gantz  the former military chief who fought Netanyahu to a draw in three inconclusive national elections in less than a year  at the Jerusalem residence of the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. The ambassador was not present because of what the embassy called a minor respiratory ailment. The embassy said he has tested negative for COVID-19.

Pompeo and Gantz did not issue a public statement. Gantz, who is scheduled to take over as prime minister in 18 months, could throw annexation plans into turmoil by withholding support.

On Wednesday, Gantz and Netanyahu were divvying up Cabinet positions, but late word from the camps was that the process was so contentious that they might not finish in time to swear in the government on Thursday, as Netanyahu said he hoped to do.

One dispute involves the right-wing religious party Yamina, whose leader Naftali Bennett has been health minister. Netanyahu reportedly offered that position to a member of his own Likud Party, infuriating Yamina supporters. Netanyahu insisted he had been generous in offers to Yamina, but since aligning with Gantz, he no longer needs the Bennett faction, which has enjoyed outsized influence.

Meanwhile, France and other European countries said they planned to protest any annexation moves by Israel. The issue will top the agenda at a virtual meeting of European Union foreign ministers on Friday and could include punitive measures like economic sanctions, Joseph Borrell, the head of EU foreign policy, told reporters in Brussels.

But it's important for me, for the European Union, for foreign policy, to know what is the position of the member states with respect to the respect of international law, he said.

Special correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
A desperate search is underway for a mother and her young daughter after they disappeared from a home west of Brisbane.

Angela Pearce, 40, and her two-year-old daughter were last seen at a home in Crows Nest, Toowoomba, at about 11.30pm on Tuesday.

Police are concerned about their safety.

Angela Pearce, 40, and her two-year-old daughter were last seen at a home in Crows Nest, Toowoomba, at about 11.30pm on Tuesday

The little girl has curly brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a grey and pink winter onesie with a zippered front.

Ms Pearce is Taiwanese and is of Asian appearance. She has brown eyes and is slim. The mother was last seen in a black long-sleeved shirt with white writing on the front, black tights, and had a pink scrunchie in her hair.

Anyone with information should contact Queensland Police immediately.
Four tradesmen, one in a serious condition, were rushed to hospital after a two-storey wall collapsed on them at a building site.

The men were injured after the brick wall of a terrace house, which is under renovation, collapsed on Oxford Street in Woollhara in Sydney's east at 9:15am on Wednesday.

The tradesmen were able to free themselves from the rubble before NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Police arrived to help.

Two men, aged 26 and 54, were treated for head and chest injuries and the other two were treated for minor leg and back injuries.

All four were rushed to St Vincent's Hospital, one reportedly in a serious condition.

One of the tradesmen injured in the wall collapse is seen bleeding from the head and wearing a neck brace. He and three others were injured during a terrace house renovation on Oxford Street in Woollhara in Sydney's east at 9:15am on Wednesday

Paramedics prep one of the injured men, believed to be 26, before taking him on the ambulance. He suffered head and chest injuries

A policeman examines the rubble surrounding the two-storey wall that collapsed on the tradesman

The tradesmen are now all in stable conditions, according to NSW Ambulance.

Pictures from the scene show the men in varying states of injury.

One man lay on his side while a paramedic gave him an injection and a woman, possibly a family member, looked over him.

Shocked neighbours watched as the horrific incident played out in what is normally a quiet residential area.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Garren Constable said they have been responding to more workplace incidents recently.

Shocked neighbours watched as the horrific incident played out in what is normally a quiet residential area

NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Police carefully transfer a man to a stretcher. The tradesmen were able to free themselves from the rubble before emergency services arrived

More neighbours watch the chaotic scenes unfold on the suburban street

'This was a complicated job, our paramedics not only had to deal with multiple patients at different locations, but also had to deal with a structural collapse,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Paramedics worked with other emergency services to secure the site before treating the men. Whilst we aim to get to our patients as quickly as we can, we do need to ensure the safety of our paramedics and their operational environment.

'We have been responding to an increased number of workplace incidents recently and we need everyone to be more vigilant when at work and to look out for their colleagues.'

A SafeWork NSW spokeswoman said their own inspectors are at the renovation site investigating what exactly caused the wall the collapse.

'SafeWork inspectors are onsite at Woollahra after reports four workers were injured in a partial building collapse this morning,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'SafeWork's engineering staff are enroute to assist with investigations and site safety. A stop work notice was served.'
(CNN)  The world's biggest tourist playground has been roped off since it became a coronavirus epicenter, but as summer looms Europe is desperate to lift restrictions to get visitors pumping much needed cash into stricken economies.

Across the continent, various nations currently sitting behind the firewall of quarantines or sealed frontiers, are figuring out how they can once again welcome holidaymakers.

On Wednesday the European Union unveiled an action plan to get its internal borders reopening, safely fire up its hospitality sector and to revive rail, road, air and sea connections that have been strangled during the pandemic.

It's a situation eagerly anticipated by millions of would-be travelers, desperate to enjoy a slice of European sunshine and culture after weeks or months being sequestered at home under lockdown.

"We all need a break, especially after this confinement," Thierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, said. "We want to enjoy summer holidays, we would like to see our families and friends even if they live in another region, in another country.

"But we want to be able to so while staying healthy and safe because we know the virus will stay for us for some time."

Europe accounts for 50% of the global tourism market in terms of arrivals and has been particularly hard hit by the restrictions. Normally crowded cities such as Venice, Rome, Paris and Barcelona have stood empty.

The EU currently has recommendations in place to all its member nations that they restrict all non-essential visitors from outside. But with infection rates dropping off in some countries, this looks set to change.

Some countries, such as Greece, are already naming specific dates. Others, such as Austria and Germany, are already lifting internal borders.

There's even talk of permitting special "green corridors" or "travel bubbles" that would allow certain countries with low or sharply declining infection rates to open up to a select few destinations until borders are fully reopened.

Those moves have been backed in the EU plan which proposes lifting restrictions between member states of "sufficiently similar epidemiological situations," in other words, the same rate of coronavirus infection.

Non-EU visitors could still face an indeterminate wait though.

The EU's plan also sets out a roadmap for developing health and safety protocols for beaches, hotels, campsites, B&Bs, cafes and restaurants to protect guests and employees.

It also aims to strengthen rules giving travelers the right to choose between vouchers or cash reimbursement for canceled transport tickets or package trips.

EU member states have also agreed to protocols to ensure tracing apps work across borders so that citizens can be warned of a potential infection with coronavirus while traveling within the bloc.

"This is not going to be a normal summer, not for any of us," said Margrethe Vestager, the vice-president of the EU's executive arm, the European Commission."But when we all work together and we all do our part in the ways the Commission is setting out today, then we don't have to face a summer stuck at home or a completely lost summer for the European tourism industry."

While these new measures will help impose some order on a somewhat chaotic travel situation across the continent, it remains a fluid situation.

For the time being, if you're planning to travel to or within Europe in coming months, here's what you need to know:

France

Travelers with France at the top of their list of places to visit once the coronavirus crisis is abating should prepare themselves for a long wait.

Much like the rest of the EU, its borders have been shut to non-EU visitors for the last two months -- with the EU recently recommending an extension to the ban until June 15, 2020.

From now until at least July 24, anyone who enters the country, with the exception of EU citizens or arrivals from the UK, will be subject to a compulsory 14-day coronavirus quarantine.

While its lockdown is slowly being lifted, with schools, restaurants and cafes in the country to reopen in the coming weeks, France's interior minister, Christophe Castaner, has made it clear the country will not be adapting its border restrictions for the foreseeable future.

However, hotels may be given permission to resume business in the coming weeks.

French hotel chain Accor has closed nearly two-thirds of its hotels, while those that remain open are being used to support healthcare and frontline workers, as well as "vulnerable populations."

"One piece of good news is the initial recovery of the Chinese hotel market, with mild improvements in occupancy and food & beverage activity: an encouraging tell-tale sign," a spokesperson for Accor tells CNN.

While waiting for the green light from the government, workers have been "setting stringent safety standards and cleaning protocols," in preparation for reopening.

Although they aren't expecting many, if any, international visitors in the coming months, much of Accor's revenue is from domestic travel, which seems likely to increase considerably if border restrictions stay in place while restrictions are relaxed.

"When the lockdown measures soften, French tourists are likely to want to stay close to home in the short term," adds the spokesperson.

"It will be the moment for them to rediscover their own country and we will be there to welcome them."

Greece

Greece may end up becoming one of the first European destinations to open up to tourists again.

The Mediterranean nation has managed to keep its coronavirus death toll remarkably low, with only 150 Covid-19 deaths so far, by enforcing a strict lockdown early on.

Some businesses, such as hairdressers and bookstores, have already started to reopen, and prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says he hopes to welcome back some travelers as early as June 1.

However, any summer 2020 Greece vacations will be very different to those of past years for obvious reasons.

"The tourism experience this summer may be slightly different from what you've had in previous years," Mitsotakis told CNN earlier this month.

"Maybe no bars may be open, or no tight crowds, but you can still get a fantastic experience in Greece -- provided that the global epidemic is on a downward path."

Travel restrictions within the country are to be lifted on May 18, "allowing movement from one prefecture to another," apart from the islands.

Greece's city hotels are scheduled to reopen on June 1 followed by seasonal hotels a month later.

At present, all international passengers must take a Covid-19 test upon arrival in Greece, but Mitsotakis suggests tourists will soon be required to undergo testing before their visit as a further precaution.

While the country may be priming itself to receive visitors again, getting there will prove to be a challenge for most.

At present, all non-EU citizens are banned from entering Greece until May 18, while the majority of low-cost carrier routes, which make up much of the country's foreign air arrival, from neighboring countries are suspended.

However, Mitsotakis is banking on an influx of "more high-end tourists" to help re-energize the country's tourism industry, which employs one in five Greeks.

Spain

Spain's lockdown proved to be one of the strictest in Europe -- children were banned from leaving the house entirely at one stage.

But the popular destination, which welcomed a record 84 million visitors in 2019, is slowly easing restrictions, with beaches set to reopen in June and hotels in some parts of the country granted permission to resume business.

However, officials are understandably cautious about reopening the country, and it seems unlikely the current border restrictions, which ban non-essential travel to Spain for everyone other than Spanish citizens, residents and frontier workers, will change before the end of the summer season.

In addition, a 14-day quarantine has now been enforced for all travelers arriving in the country from May 15 to at least May 24, the date Spain's state of emergency is due to end.

"We have to guarantee, when international tourism opens, that the person who comes to Spain is a safe person," Spanish tourism minister Reyes Maroto recently told local newspaper El Pais.

"The issue of borders will be accompanied by the evolution of the health crisis," he said.

"Therefore, I do not have the solution of when [they will be able to open]. On how you will be able to enjoy our beaches, we are defining different scenarios."

One or two of these "scenarios" have already been announced, with a number of towns setting out new protocols to maintain social distancing measures on busy stretches of sand.

Canet d'en Berenguer, a Mediterranean town located just north of Valencia, will only allow 5,000 daily sunbathers on its local beach when it reopens, while Galicia's Sanxenxo will allocate entry to its beach on a "first come, first served" basis.

Both are roping off small sections on the sands to ensure beachgoers can maintain a safe distance from each other, a move that may well indicate the future of beach visits.

Last week, a senior government official admitted the country's tourism industry wouldn't be able to get going again until all internal and external borders within the EU are reopened.

"A big part of our economy depends on the movements of international visitors and of Spaniards," said the official.

"But we have to have a health system that can take care of anyone who's in Spain. That's the fundamental issue."

Italy

Italy has been one of the destinations worst hit by the pandemic, with a "very long" lockdown imposed back in March, but the Beautiful Country may not be off limits for much longer.

The Italian government has said it expects borders to be open to tourists by summertime, although a drop in numbers is predicted for obvious reasons.

At present, the country, along with the rest of the EU, currently has restrictions in place on all non-essential travel from outside the Schengen Zone (a grouping of 26 countries that normally have open borders) -- apart from the UK.

In addition, nearby Austria and Switzerland have put heavy restrictions on traveling across the borders, while many airlines have canceled the majority of their flights to Italy, so reopening won't be a straightforward process.

However, officials seem keen to get things moving.

"I have never spoken, nor ever thought, of closing the Italian borders to tourists for 2020," Giorgio Palmucci, president of the Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT) told local reporters last month. "I am working on the exact opposite."

Italy's lockdown is currently being lifted in stages, with all shops scheduled to reopen on May 18, and plans to reopen cafes, restaurants and bars in June.

All museums, including Rome's Vatican Museums, are to slowly reopen throughout May. However, strict social-distancing rules will apply, with tickets bought in advance online.

The island of Sicily has already announced a scheme to entice travelers back, with subsidized holidays for both domestic and international visitors on offer.

Germany

Germany has managed to contain its coronavirus fatality numbers somewhat due to substantial testing and contact tracing, but it seems officials are hesitant to let tourists back in just yet.

The fact that virus infections began rising in the country this week, just days after lockdown restrictions were eased, will have done little to ease concerns regarding reopening borders, although it was announced Wednesday that its frontier with neighboring Austria was being unlocked as of May 15.

A spokesman for the Austrian Tourism Ministry says the chancellors of the two countries agreed to open the border in a first step for day trippers and commuters. A second step would see a normalized reopening as of June 15.

Germany remains closed to non-EU visitors, while many of its border crossings to neighboring states such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland are either closed or guarded.

Hotels are currently prohibited from accommodating tourists, and the majority of flights to and from Germany remain grounded.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has previously expressed concerns about reopening destinations too swiftly, stressing that European countries should come together to decide the best course of action.

"A European race to see who will allow tourism travel first will lead to unacceptable risks," he told Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

United Kingdom

The UK government's decision to introduce a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals just as it begun to ease restrictions for residents has dashed any lingering hopes of reviving international tourism here in the coming weeks.

It's thought the move, introduced for an indeterminate amount of time, will dissuade airlines from restarting flight operations quickly and officials have warned Brits that their prospects of a summer foreign escape are slim.

Asked in a BBC television interview whether UK citizens should book flights in July, Transport Minister Grant Shapps said: "I'm saying, right now you can't travel abroad. If you are booking it you are clearly by very nature taking a chance of where the direction of this virus goes and therefore where the travel advice is in the future."

An estimated nine out of 10 flights have been grounded since the UK went into lockdown.

Under current plans, hotels are likely begin to open in early July, but as EU border restrictions are still in place, it's expected the UK will focus on domestic travel before any further decisions are made.

"With nearly 40 million inbound visitors per year, International visitors play a hugely important part of the UK visitor economy and we look forward to welcoming visitors back when it is safe to do so," Nigel Huddleston, UK tourism minister, said during a speech at the Extraordinary G20 Tourism Ministers' Meeting on Covid-19.

Sadly, there's absolutely no indication of when that's likely to happen.

Portugal

Portugal has also begun to ease its lockdown restrictions, allowing hair salons, dry cleaners and repair shops to reopen.

While it seems doubtful international visitors will be able to return before 2021, the destination has already put measures in place to alleviate the effects.

Rita Marques, the country's Secretary of State for Tourism, recently launched a "don't cancel, postpone" scheme, which allows tourists to reschedule any pre-arranged holidays to Portugal until the close of 2021.

This applies to all bookings made through accredited travel agencies, as well as hotels or Airbnbs, for trips scheduled between March 13 and September 30, 2020.

Meanwhile, national tourism authority Turismo de Portugal has devised a free hygiene-certification stamp to distinguish "Clean & Safe" tourism enterprises in order to gain visitors' confidence.

Businesses will need to comply with hygiene and cleaning requirements for the prevention and control of Covid-19, in order to receive the stamp, which is valid for one year.

The aim here is to boost the sector's recovery by reassuring visitors that all efforts are being made to ensure they're protected.

Raul Martins, President of the Association of Portuguese Hotels (AHP,) says he expects most hotels in the country to reopen in July.

But like most other European countries, Portugal will have to rely on business from domestic travelers while border restrictions remain in tact.

Eliderico Viegas, head of the Association of Algarve Hotels and Tourism Enterprises, recently told Bloomberg he's not expecting any international tourists in Portugal's Algarve region until next year.

Croatia

Croatia closed its borders early and has managed to keep its Covid-19 death toll relatively low, with less than a 100 fatalities so far.

But like many European destinations, Croatia is reliant on tourism, accounting for 20% of its GDP, and officials have suggested its borders may be opened to foreign tourists later this year.

However, the current limitations on foreign nationals are likely to remain in place until June 15.

Any non-nationals who are permitted entry may be ordered to self-isolate or spend 14 days in official government quarantine facilities "at the expense of the traveler."

But officials are hoping to work around this by introducing a special "green corridor" between itself and the Czech Republic, another destination with a low number of coronavirus cases as early as this summer.

This would effectively mean any Czech tourists who can provide documentation to prove they're not infected with the virus would be permitted to travel into Croatia.

"We have already discussed with the Czech Republic that they prepare their proposals and we will prepare ours," Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said during an interview aired on the state-run HRT radio.

Switzerland

By mid-May, the Swiss border crossings with Italy, France, Germany and Austria, will all have reopened, less than two months after they were shut by the Federal Council due to the pandemic.

But that doesn't mean things have returned to normal when it come to traveling within the country.

Only Swiss citizens and permanent residents, as well as those who have to travel to Switzerland for professional reasons, are currently permitted to enter the country.

Plans to resume domestic tourism industry are moving ahead, with museums, bars and restaurants due to be reopened this week, followed by hotels towards the end of May.

Eastern Europe

Croatia isn't the only country the Czech Republic is likely to share a "green corridor" with.

Proposals for a similar arrangement with Slovakia, one of the first European countries to ban international passenger travel, are apparently in the works.

Both countries have closed their borders to non-citizens and residents, along with Ukraine, Hungary and Poland, with a mandatory 14-day quarantine required for anyone coming from abroad.

However, under the proposed arrangement, Czech tourists able to provide proof they are coronavirus free would be permitted to travel to Slovakia.

While there's been no clear indication from the governments of the aforementioned countries on when borders will be reopened, wearing a face mask in public spaces is now compulsory in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

As the likes of Czech Republic and Slovakia have expressed interest in solely opening up international tourism to less affected destinations, it's fair to assume officials will be in no rush to welcome travelers from those destinations heavily affected, such as the UK and the US, as well as Spain and Italy.

Scandinavia and the Nordic region

As one of the only countries in Europe not to issue a lockdown, Sweden has few restrictions to lift.

However, its borders are still shut to countries outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, and these measures are set to remain in place for now.

Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin has admitted the country's tourism sector has been hit "incredibly hard" by the absence of travelers.

Lovin said it was wrong to suggest the more relaxed approach meant it was business as usual in Sweden.

"The biggest myth and misconception is that life goes on as normal in Sweden," she recently told multi-regional publication The Local. "It absolutely does not."

"A lot of small businesses are on their knees because production is down or has decreased a lot.

"It is not business as usual in Sweden but the opposite, things are very, very tough."

Nearby Austria is planning a gradual return to normality, with hotels reopening from May 29.

The Geniesserhotel "Die Forelle" in Carinthia, is one of several establishments gearing up to welcome domestic travelers months after being forced to close their doors.

"We would like to offer our guests a wonderfully relaxed stay and of course we make sure that all hygiene regulations are observed," says Hannes Muller, who runs the hotel.

Meanwhile Denmark plans to lift its remaining lockdown restrictions by the second week of June.

The country's prime minister Mette Frederiksen has previously spoken of the possibility of reopening borders warning this could move things into "a negative direction."

"A border opening can mean that many people come to Denmark," she told Danish newspaper Politiken.

"It may help to move the infection in a negative direction. Of course, the borders must also be seen in the context of what is happening in the countries around us." Frederiksen went on to suggest Denmark would not reopen borders until "at least."

Iceland brought temporary internal border controls last month, banning all foreign nationals, except EU/EEA, EFTA or UK nationals, while everyone arriving from outside the country has been required to complete a 14-day quarantine since April 24.

The Nordic country is now preparing to reopen in a bid to undo some of the damage caused by the closure.

However, this may take a while to implement according to Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson.

"Neither Icelanders nor other nations will experience a full economic recovery unless borders reopen," he told Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid.

"In order to be able to open the door to some travel, all sorts of precautions must be taken, which we, as well as everyone else, are looking into."

Baltic states

The borders for Baltic countries Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia have been largely closed to foreign travelers due to the pandemic.

But as of May 15, each will lift restrictions for each other's citizens, creating the European Union's first official "green corridors" or "travel bubble."

The new protocol, which is due to come into effect on May 15, was agreed after the states decided all three "had successfully managed the spread of Covid-19 and trust each other's health care systems," according to the Lithuanian government.

However, anyone traveling the countries from outside the "bubble" will be required to go into quarantine for two weeks.

"It's a big step towards life as normal," Juri Ratas, prime minister of Estonia, tweeted earlier this month.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Europe promises to reopen for summer tourism in wake of coronavirus"
A total of 1,140 Manipuris who were stranded in Chennai due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown returned to the state in a special train on Wednesday, officials said.

The train had left the Tamil Nadu capital for Manipur on May 10, they said.

It reached Jiribam railway station at 12.20 pm on Wednesday and the returnees were screened by medical personnel. They were sent home in buses arranged by the administration, an official said.

The returnees will be placed under institutional quarantine for 14 days, he said.

Family members of the returnees will not be allowed to meet them at the quarantine centres during the isolation period, a health department release said.

It said any symptomatic returnee will be immediately admitted to hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mother daughter and grand-daughter Yasmin and Maxine Hyde and baby Clara of Ballymaloe Foods.

Ballymaloe Foods has signed a deal with Australian retail giants Coles to start supplying its relish product to its stores.

The Cork-based company will commence supplying 120 Coles supermarkets across Australia in May.

Coles, which employs over 100,000 staff, has more than 800 supermarkets across Australia.

Along with Woolworths, it accounts for over 80pc of the supermarket business in Australia.

Gary Hanrahan, marketing manager of Ballymaloe Foods, said: We are very excited to be supplying Coles in Australia. We hope we can bring a taste of home to the thousands of Irish people living in Australia.

Last year Ballymaloe Foods recorded sales of 6m.

In the first three months of 2020 sales of its popular relish are up 10pc year-on-year.

Established by Yasmin Hyde 30 years ago, today Ballymaloe Foods is run by Yasmins daughter, Maxine.

The business employs 33 staff and has 14 products.

It exports into Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States.
KiwiTech, a tech startup accelerator that helps early to growth-stage startups in their product development, drive traction and access capital, announced that it will host the 4th edition of its Minority Founders Demo Day on May 14, 2020, virtually for the first time.

Since 2017, KiwiTech has organized Demo Days to create networking opportunities for startups and investors. The company launched its first Minority Founders Demo Day in early 2019 in Atlanta GA with a mission to encourage an inclusive mindset, with the hopes of creating a ripple effect of awareness around the success of minority and women-led businesses.

KiwiTech believes that real innovation is inclusive. "At KiwiTech, we are committed to raising awareness of the fundraising challenges of diversity founders. Our exclusive Demo Days for minority founders bring together minority-founded startups within our portfolio and investors from our network who share the same vision," said Rakesh Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of KiwiTech.

As part of our deep social commitment to ensure the safety of all our entrepreneurs, investors, and staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we moved all our Demo Days to the online format. May 14th will mark our first-ever online version of our Demo Day for Minority Founders.

Over 100 investors have confirmed attendance from around North America. For investors, the Demo Day is the perfect venue to discover disruptive startups run by minority founders across the US and Qatar. Presenting startups include IVOW (Washington, D.C.), Jeeva Informatics Solutions (Washington, D.C.), ODE Holdings (New York, NY), Cwallet (Doha, Qatar), LeadWeb App (Atlanta, GA), and Sparkafy (New Milford, NJ).

The Demo Day will feature a panel discussion to fuel empowerment from both the entrepreneurial and investor community. Jessica CHIN FOO, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships, will be moderating the panel discussion. Shes an advocate for diversity inclusion in the KiwiTech innovation ecosystem, mentors startups for their diverse partners like Bunker Labs, StartOut Accelerator, and Founder Institute.

Three amazing funds which share KiwiTechs vision have joined as partners of the event to participate in the panel discussion  including Gabby Cazeau, Sr. Associate, Harlem Capital Partners, a VC fund based in New York on a mission to invest in 1000 diverse founders in the next 2 decades; Christie Pitts, General Partner, Backstage Capital, with over $7M investment into 120+ companies led by underrepresented founders; and Dr. Carlos S Baradello, General Partner, Sausalito Ventures and Alaya Capital Partners, seasoned entrepreneur, advisor and investor with decades of experience enabling Latin American ventures to scale globally.

They will share their thoughts on Supporting Minority Founders During the Crisis and aiming to increase capital infusion towards diversity entrepreneurs in these unprecedented times.

"It is inspiring to bring together strong stakeholders, such as our entrepreneurs, panelists, and allies on our Thursday event, who believe in the mission of amplifying the numbers, the diversity, and the impact of underrepresented entrepreneurs and share their stories to drive the economic empowerment of the community at large. I look forward to hosting our Thursday event with my colleagues," said Jessica CHIN FOO.

"Empowerment, opportunity, and inclusion are critical for innovation, for progress, and ultimately for our success. We are honored to be working with KiwiTech to support and spotlight talented minority entrepreneurs and underrepresented communities, not just on Demo Day but every day," mentioned Hans Koch, Founder of MYXR, sponsoring partner for the live performance by Grammy Award-winning super producer Jerry Wonda.

Jerry Wonda Duplessis is a dynamic, Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum super music producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is one of the most successful, highly regarded, and musically adept producers to emerge from the hip-hop era since the early 1990s.

Born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, and soon after migrating to the US at the age of 16, he discovered his love for music when he learned to play bass guitar, initially at church. This was the seed planted for what would become a stellar music career including 3 Grammy Awards, over 15 Grammy nominations, a publishing catalog of 300+ titles, and 300+ million single and album copies sold.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for businesses, including MSMEs. Sitharaman stated that borrowers with up to Rs 25 crore outstanding and Rs 100 crore turnover will be eligible for these. The loans will have a four year tenor with a moratorium of 12 months on principal payment, while interest will be capped, she added.

100 percent credit guarantee cover to banks and NBFCs on principal and interest. The scheme can be availed till October 31, 2020. 45 lakh units can resume business activity and safeguard jobs, the Finance Minister said. Besides this, Sitharaman stated that to provide stressed MSMEs with equity support, the government will facilitate the provision of Rs. 20,000 crore as subordinate debt.

The announcements came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package amid nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.Prime Minister laid out a comprehensive vision, and that vision was laid out after wide consultations with several sections of the society Essentially this is to spur growth and to build a very self-reliant India and that is why this whole initiative is called Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, Sitharaman said.

Also Read: Andhra Pradesh govt. forms seven panels to prepare blueprint for lockdown exit plan

This will enable 45 lakh MSME units to resume business activity and also safeguard jobs: FM Sitharaman https://t.co/q6zsXOEYt6  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

Five pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat- economy, infrastructure, system, demography, and demand. Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) India does not mean India is to be an isolationist country, she added. She also informed that beginning today, over the next few days she along with the team will address media to put forth Prime Ministers vision We shall not forget that we do have a responsibility towards the poor, needy, the migrant workers, divyang and the aged of the country, Sitharaman said.

She also added that Rs 50,000 crore infusion will be done for MSMEs through funds of funds. For potential growth and viability, the government will provide equity funding. Funds of funds will be operated by Mother fund and few daughter funds. This will help in the expansion of MSME size and capacity.

To ease financial stress as businesses get back to work, Government decides to continue EPF support for business & workers for 3 more months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crores: FM Nirmala Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/Pyt511iroh  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

In order to provide more take home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, EPF contribution is being reduced for businesses & workers for 3 months, amounting to liquidity support of Rs 6750 crores: FM https://t.co/hn4N8oGcAB pic.twitter.com/gIFqHv1oqH  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

Further, under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package, the payment of 12 percent employer and 12 percent employee contributions were made into EPF. The support earlier for salary months March, April, and May which has now been extended by another three months of June, July, and August. Further, they will also provide liquidity relief of Rs 2500 crore to 3.67 lakh establishments and for 72.22 lakh employees.

Government launches a Rs 30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme for non-banking financial companies, microfinance companies, housing finance companies: FM Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/G4y4mmyeHI  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

Not just this, statutory PF control for both employer and employee will also be reduced to 10 percent from existing 12 percent for all establishments under EPFO for the next three months.

RS 90,000 crore liquidity injection for Power Distribution Companies (DISCOMs): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/pYn2D4DTgK  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

In a major relief to contractors, all Central agencies to provide an extension of up to 6 months, without cost to contractor, to obligations like completion of work covering construction and goods and services contracts: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/xkdsKobK3Z  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

Finance Minister also said that loans to be given against state guarantee for the exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of Discoms. PFC/REC to infuse liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore to DISCOMs against receivables

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
Photograph: Canadian Press/Rex/Shutterstock

Former neighbours of the gunman who killed 22 people in Canadas worst shooting have said they warned police he was violent and had a collection of illegal firearms  but that little action was taken by authorities.

Nearly one month ago, Gabriel Wortman went on a shooting spree in rural Nova Scotia  the deadliest in the countrys history  before he was shot dead by police.

Related: Nova Scotia shooting: police launch psychological autopsy of gunman for clues

In the weeks since the attack, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have started interviewing with friends, family and colleagues of the gunman to better understand his actions  a technique known as a psychological autopsy.

Brenda Forbes, a former neighbour of the gunman, told the Canadian Press that his violence was known  and feared  in the community.

In 2013, Wortmans then partner approached Forbes for help after being attacked by Wortman.

She ran to my house and said Gabriel was beating on her and she had to get away. She was afraid, Forbes said.

Three male witnesses saw Wortman strangling her  beating on her, said Forbes  but none were willing to speak with police, fearing reprisal from Wortman.

I called the RCMP and I told them what happened, and I said he has a bunch of illegal weapons, and I know because he showed them to us, said Forbes.

From what I got from the RCMP, because [the partner] would not put in a complaint, as she was scared to death, they basically said, Theres not much we can do. We can monitor him but theres not much else we can do, she said.

The RCMP has not publicly addressed the allegations, first reported in the Halifax Examiner.

But the police have previously said Wortman severely beat his common-law partner in the hours before beginning his deadly shooting.

Forbess husband  who like his wife is a veteran of the Canadian armed forces  recalled seeing Wortmans collection of weapons, including pistols and a rifle.

He knew I had weapons, being in the military, so he was always one of those guys who had to show others that whatever they had, he had something better, George Forbes told the Canadian Press. We reported that to the police also, he said.

Story continues

The RCMP have said Wortman did not have a licence for any of the weapons used in the attack, which are believed to have been obtained in Canada and the United States.

Related: Twelve hours of terror: how the Nova Scotia shooting rampage unfolded

After she reported the domestic abuse incident, Brenda Forbes said Wortman became more aggressive toward her.

The couple left the province in 2014, largely out of fear over Wortmans behaviour.

I was scared  Even though Im military and I know how to use a weapon, that man scared the crap out of me, she said.
Last week was the calmest yet in the weeks following COVID-19 and price-war related events that have rocked the oil complex. Normal standard deviation in Brent in w-o-w is about 3%, and the last w-o-w saw 3% once again. But... theres a catch.

Consider what this calm took in stride: announcements of new supply cuts in millions of bpd. In normal times, even a one million bpd increase or decrease can translate into a double-digit price change, but these days, talk of millions of barrels on both supply and demand sides are just thrown around in routine banter.

This last week OPEC+ announced extra cuts of over 1 mbpd between Saudi, UAE and Kuwait, which will result in Saudi Arabias production falling to 7.5 mbpd in June, down almost 5 mpbd from its April high. Lower oil exports combined with historically low prices are wreaking great financial stress on the Kingdom, leading to tough austerity measures such as tripling VAT and reducing government benefitsmeasures that will likely constrain future economic growth. Sensing that medium sour grades will be in tighter supply, Saudi Arabia increased their June crude OSPs, opposite to market expectations  forcing buyers to scramble for spot cargoes, and refiners to revisit their economics (perhaps leading to lower runs).

Norway raised its hand to contribute 250 kbpd and majors in USA/Canada oil joined in with nearly 10% announced cuts, with the USA Energy department expecting US production to drop by 2- 3 mbpd by year-end. John Nash would be proud to witness yet another game theory in progressrational players moving towards a new equilibrium where both parties compromise to accept less of what each wants, but higher payouts than if both do what each wants.

So what was the reaction in crude prices to these OPEC++ cuts? A collective yawn. Regardless of how much supply is cut, demand destruction remains one step ahead, with the EIA announcing a forecast of an 8 mbpd contraction in 2020.

This leads one to wonder whether supply cuts are really bullish indicators, or do they reveal how bad suppliers think the virus demand destruction will continue to be. Related: Oil Prices Jump On Surprise Crude Inventory Draw

On the demand side, easing of lockdowns would certainly help oil demand, but the same government action could lead to higher infections, which could once again lead to more stringent lockdown measures. Last weekend, this fear became reality with 34 new cases popping up in South Korea (highest since April 9) and 17 new cases in the brightest demand spot of China (highest since April 28). Malaysia and Kuwait extended lockdowns. The battle between oil and COVID-19 will continue to a large extent for months to come, until a vaccine or cure is identified. And Dr. Faucis warning to the United States Congress of 'real risk' of outbreak if states reopen too soon isnt great news for oil markets.

Nevertheless, cautious optimism is being reflected in the markets with lower differentials between future and physical prices, and contraction of the super-contango tumor. However, even a shrunk tumor could easily resurge under the right conditions, and in the oil market this means supply-demand must re-balance.

Longer-term, when the virus will be a page in history, and when demand returns albeit in more of an L-shape (as analysts are predicting), oil supply may struggle to catch up. As amusing as the specter of oil supply tightness sounds right now, the complex has been historically prone to cyclical responses. For one thing, oil wells cant be switched on like light buttons. the cost of restarting a well can be significant, and financing options for drillers are very limited. Moreover, Rystad Energy sees lowest oil project sanctioning activity since the 1950s at 33% of 2019 levels. Todays troubled oil markets could be the beginning of a new price cycle. The oil industry must learn that both patience and cooperation are virtues, and that opportunism in response to price spikes may crash prices once again.

By Amad Shaikh for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The COVID-19 crisis has affected all aspects of life across the globe. The moves to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been affected as well, particularly in emerging markets, given that from January until March, investors moved around $90 billion out of such markets, the largest outflow ever recorded according to UN data.

Moreover, global growth is projected to drop by 3 percent in 2020, creating the worst recession since the Great Depression and much worse than during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, according to the International Monetary Fund.

In an exclusive interview, Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat spoke to Ahram Online about how emerging countries, in particular Egypt, will be affected in their attempts to implement the SDG agenda in light of the pandemic and its repercussions.

She told Ahram Online that no country nor institution has the ultimate solution to COVID-19, but that through effective cooperation, developing countries can make progress.

Ahram Online: How could the COVID-19 outbreak affect the efforts of countries in the region to achieve the SDGs, including Egypt?

Rania Al-Mashat: We are very mindful that the COVID-19 outbreak should not derail us from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. On the contrary, the Ministry of International Cooperation has just launched the Global Partnerships Narrative, focused on the goals. The new narrative not only aims to highlight Egypts previous development story but also continues to showcase future cooperation efforts.

The ministry commenced a Global Partnerships for Effective Development Cooperation meeting early on to step up coordination efforts with all multilateral and bilateral development partners on policies and strategies related not only to response efforts but more importantly to the recovery, with the aim of pushing forward the SDGs agenda around a common narrative.

There are some SDGs now which come even more strongly to the fore, such as SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Infrastructure is going to be quite important going forward, as many countries are going to do fiscal stimulus through infrastructure spending.

For more information click here

AO: So, what is the situation for Egypt in particular?

RM: In the case of Egypt, structural reforms have been expedited alongside monetary and fiscal measures to help flatten the recession curve. These reforms will help push forward the SDGs agenda.

For example, structural reforms related to advancing financial inclusion and digitalisation have been fast tracked to address the issues of unorganised labour force and unemployment benefits as well as transitioning from an informal to formal sector.

Similarly, scaling up the social protection and social safety agenda that prioritises the protection of women is another case in point. It is important to underscore that Egypt is the first country to issue a policy paper titled Egypts rapid response to womens situation during the outbreak and a Women Policy Tracker on responsive policies, which has been highlighted by UN Women.

For more information click here

AO: How can the SDGs achievement enhance the regions countries to overcome COVID-19s harsh implications, in particular for economic and social aspects?

RM: The SDGs create a common platform for all countries to be able to reference and benchmark against the COVID-19 implications. Certain themes such as digitalisation and technology have great potential to advance and accelerate SDG progress. The deployment of digital solutions across sectors such as health care, agribusiness, logistics, energy, finance and education, harnesses connectivity, innovation and opportunities for growth. It is also an opportunity for the recovery post COVID-19 to include environmental responsibility and climate action, with a call from all global institutions promoting a green recovery.

Moreover, there are new modalities in education, creating more opportunities for the next generation. In the case of Egypt, the Ministry of Education and Technical Education accelerated the implementation of the reforms by scaling up technology-based learning with the distribution of tablets and enhancing access to increasingly sophisticated digital resources through a state-of-the-art Learning Management System.

AO: What are the efforts of the Ministry of International Cooperation in this regard?

RM: The vision of the ministry is to strengthen Egypts inclusive multilateral engagement with development partners, governments, global policy makers, private sector and the civil society to effectively deliver the 2030 National Agenda, consistent with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at achieving a circular economy.

This year marks the start of the Decade of Action on the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. With that, the notion of multilateralism has become even more important because common problems can only be solved through global solutions. Coordinating on achieving the SDGs monitoring and implementation is also going to be very important going forward, and this is the message that we keep on repeating.

The Ministry of International Cooperation, along with its multilateral and bilateral development partners, is mobilising and streamlining efforts to accelerate the SDGs and identify needs and gaps for future collaboration.

The Ministry of International Cooperation, along with the United Nations and its agencies, is collaborating to meet the call for glocal (global/local) action to prepare for the Decade of Action on the SDGs. The Ministry of International Cooperation co-chairs the UN Partnership Development Framework (UNPDF) steering committee in partnership with the UN Resident Coordinator to coordinate and streamline national efforts. There are four results groups that include the themes of prosperity, people, planet and women, with a focus on social inclusiveness, job creation, restoring livelihoods through supporting MSME [Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises] and achieving a green economy.

AO: Is there a room for the private sector to play a role in this regard?

RM: Of course. Building on the importance of the private sector and public private partnerships, the Ministry of international Cooperation has been keen to foster inclusivity, with private sector engagement included in our dialogue with the multilateral development banks.

AO: What is the expected role the P&P&P [People&Projects&Purpose] narrative is to play in helping Egypt to deal with the significant challenges imposed by the COVID-19 crisis?

RM: Egypts development story is one that needs to be told, with more than 247 projects that cut through the 17 SDGs and a future that continues to boost inclusive growth. The new global partnerships narrative positions Egypt in the cooperation space with people at its core providing multi-sectoral assistance to millions of beneficiaries through public private partnerships, projects in action through a well-diversified portfolio which includes education, transportation, water desalination, renewable energy, entrepreneurship, womens empowerment, among others, and purpose as the driver to generate sustained and inclusive growth, stay agile in a rapidly changing world, and deepen ties with our stakeholders.

It is a way to unify our vision as government along with our multilateral and bilateral development partners, so when we tell our story it is a structured, powerful and impactful one that echoes both domestically and globally.

For more information click here

AO: What kind of challenges may Egypt face in resuming its journey to achieving the SDGs, in light of the COVID-19 crisis?

RM: P&P&P is a way to make sure that we are always on message, and that we collaborate in an effective and transparent manner. We have also initiated an SDG Mapping Framework that outlines the approach for the SDG Mapping leading, in line with the UN Official Global Indicator Framework. This mapping exercise will lead to a consistent approach across all development partners which is expected to contribute to a stronger narrative and result in effectively capturing and measuring the goals.

AO: What is the expected role of the international institutions in extending support and assistance for the regions countries to achieve their SDGs?

RM: All countries globally work with each other through bilateral cooperation, and work multilaterally with development institutions to collaborate to push ahead with reform agendas and policies that help in achieving the SDGs. Collectivism plays an indispensable role in the COVID-19 fight, with multilateralism providing a platform for shared experiences, technical assistance and partnerships in launching and executing the projects.

No country nor institution has the ultimate solution to COVID-19. It is through effective cooperation that we can progress towards a better future that serves the people who are the core through projects in action with purpose as the driver.

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A midwifery program is due for delivery at the University of Manitoba in 2021.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (615 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A midwifery program is due for delivery at the University of Manitoba in 2021.

The bachelor's degree program will be the new baby of the U of M's College of Nursing, which for the past 18 months has been preparing what will be the only degree in midwifery offered in Manitoba, and one of only two in the Prairies.

"This is a very good opportunity for Manitoba," said Netha Dyck, dean of the college, part of the university's Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.

Currently, aspiring local midwives would have to look elsewhere for degree certification: Mount Royal University in Calgary, University of British Columbia, the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres, and Ontario universities Ryerson, Laurentian, and McMaster are the only degree-level programs in the country.

Four years ago, when local students wanted to study midwifery, the Winnipeg university partnered with McMaster on an interim program; the students would learn their core materials in Hamilton, and the bulk of their clinical programming would take place in Manitoba. Last year, 12 students from that interim program graduated.

At one point, the U of M and the University College of the North had a joint midwifery program in the works; the program's funding was cancelled by the PC government in 2016 before it could get off the ground. Before that, UCN ran a program, starting in 2006.

In a news release, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen said: "We are pleased to see midwife training being established right here in Manitoba, and its appropriate to be launching this new program during the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife."

Wednesday's university senate agenda noted a request for $693,000 in provincial funding for the program was not approved, with no new one-time or ongoing funding provided. "The deficiency in resources... to deliver the program will be addressed by the reallocation of resources within the (faculty) as well as through tuition revenue and clinical fees," the document says.

The curriculum emphasizes Indigenous midwifery practices, with consultation from the Norway House Cree Nation Health Centre of Excellence and the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives.

Darlene Birch, a registered midwife and Metis elder, helped develop the Indigenous content, which includes a required first-year course, plus Indigenous teachings throughout the clinical portion of study.

One goal of the program is to provide culturally appropriate practices and reduce the need for women to travel long distances to give birth in a manner they desire.

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There will be six slots for students, with three reserved for Indigenous applicants. Applications are due April 1, 2021.

Approximately 80 per cent of the degree training will take place in a clinical setting  a high proportion meant to prepare graduates for independent practice. To graduate and be registered, students are required to support 60 births, including 40 as the primary midwife.

In Manitoba, midwifery has been a licensed profession since 2000. According to the Canadian Association of Midwives, there are 57 practicing and 25 non-practicing midwives registered in the province.

About 6.4 per cent of births in Manitoba involved midwives, the association said, but in provinces with degree programs, and in territories with a high Indigenous population, many more women get help from midwives when giving birth.

In B.C., 22.4 per cent of births involved midwives; in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, where there are only five registered midwives, 13.4 per cent and 9.5 per cent of all births did, respectively.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR, speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing for Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-TX, on Capitol Hill in Washington,DC on May 5, 2020. - The panel is considering Ratcliffes nomination for Director of National Intelligence. (Photo by Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Senators have narrowly rejected a bipartisan amendment that would have required the government first obtain a warrant before accessing Americans' web browsing data.

The amendment brought by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Steve Daines (R-MT)  just seven lines in length  would have forced the government to first establish probable cause  or reasonable suspicion of a crime  to obtain the warrant. That's a far higher bar than what's required under existing law, which under the Patriot Act permits the bulk collection of Americans' browsing records.

But the amendment fell short by one vote of the required 60 votes to pass the chamber.

Four senators did not vote on the amendment: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who is in self-isolation after a staffer tested positive; Ben Sasse (R-NE); Patty Murray (D-WA); and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Spokespeople for the absent senators did not immediately comment on why they did not vote.

The bill took aim at Section 215, a controversial law in the Patriot Act, which was signed into law in response to and a month after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The law allows the government to collect any "tangible thing" from libraries and other businesses  so long as it's relevant to a national security inquiry.

But it was only after the Edward Snowden disclosures in 2013 onwards that the vast scope of the program was first revealed. The government had a secret interpretation of the Patriot Act that allowed it to collect call logs and internet browsing records directly from the internet and telecom giants. Jim Sensenbrenner, who authored the Patriot Act, expressed shock at how his legislation was used to spy on Americans and became a vocal advocate in pushing through reforms.

As Wyden explained in his speech to the Senate prior to the vote:

Right now, the government can collect web browsing and internet search history without a warrant under Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Section 215 is the most controversial and dangerous provision of [the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]. Thats because it is so vague and so broad. Under Section 215, the government can collect just about anything so long as it is relevant to an investigation. This can include the private records of innocent, law-abiding Americans. They dont have to have done anything wrong. They dont have to be suspected of anything. They dont even have to have been in contact with anyone suspected of anything. Their personal information just has to be relevant.

Story continues

Wyden and Daines' failed amendment is just one of several proposed reforms to the U.S. government's surveillance powers, some of which  including Section 215  expired in March. The Senate is expected to vote on a final bill later this week.

Assuming none of the amendments pass, the final bill is likely to skip the House  which passed its version of the bill earlier this year  and await the president's signature.
Asserting that the ongoing lockdown cannot be lifted completely after May 17, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday sought suggestions from the city residents on the relaxations in the lockdown 4.0 for sending it to the central government.

Kejriwal said though the lockdown, the third phase of which ends on May 17, cannot be lifted totally, there could be more relaxations.



Citing his meeting with the Prime Minister, Kejriwal said on Monday the Prime Minister discussed the situation with all the chief ministers of the country.



"After the discussion, the PM asked the states on the level of relaxations and restrictions that each state wants. He said that all states should send their suggestions by May 15 and the Central government will decide on the activities post-May 17 based on those suggestions."





Kejriwal said he wants to reach out to the people of Delhi and want their suggestions regarding the removal of lockdown.



"The COVID-19 infection is indeed spreading and full removal of lockdown would not be a good idea. But I want your suggestions on the relaxation of lockdown, about the tenure and gravity of the relaxation, on the sectors that should get the relaxation, and whether the public transport system should begin or whether buses, autos, metros ply. I also want your suggestions on whether markets and industrial areas should reopen."



Kejriwal also said that if the relaxations come into play, people will have to maintain social distancing, wear masks, and follow all the other norms.



"This is time to stop the spread of COVID-19 but there is also a need for starting economic activities."



He said he is now asking people to send him suggestions and ideas on what kind of lockdown relaxations should be provided in the national capital post-May 17.



The Chief Minister said that the Delhi government will consider these suggestions and forward them to the Centre on Thursday. Not just the public, he said, he will also solicit suggestions from experts and doctors. People can send their suggestions on the lockdown relaxation by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in three ways -- dial 1031 and record their message; on WhatsApp at 8800007722; and email to delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com.



"Waiting for your suggestions. The Centre will decide on whether the lockdown should continue or not, or how much it will be there," Kejriwal said.



He said there is no voting on which suggestion has been received. "They are the ideas of the people on what they feel about how easy the relaxations should be or what should be relaxed up to what extent."



Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 8 pm on Tuesday.



The lockdown was imposed by the Centre for 21 days from March 25. However, it was extended till May 3 and later till May 17. Now, more states are demanding the extension of the lockdown.



Due to the lockdown, the national capital has reported a revenue loss of about Rs 3,200 crore in April as compared to the previous year.
Travel firms and experts believe that the tourism sector will not bounce back after the epidemic, but will recover step by step.

They all agree that it will take two to three months to recover domestic travel, but

six months or several years to recover inbound and outbound tours.





Pham Van Bay, deputy director of Vietravel Hanoi Branch, said that Northeast Asia (China, South Korea and Japan) are the key markets which provide 60-70 percent of foreign travelers to Vietnam.



If considering the current situation in China, the possibility of recovering the market in winter-spring (from November to March) is low.



Meanwhile, the South Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese markets are expected to recover by the end of the year. Southeast Asian markets are expected to recover sooner by 50 percent if aviation services are ready and the epidemic in the region can be controlled well.



As for European markets, it is expected that European travelers will return in February and March of next year.

Travel firms and experts believe that the tourism sector will not bounce back after the epidemic, but will recover step by step.

Regarding the American market, Vietnams travel firms mostly target Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) and people who come to Vietnam on business.



In general, experts think the number of foreign travelers may begin recovering in autumn-winter, but at a moderate rate. It is expected that tourism would need five more years to recover completely as seen in 2018-2019.



Domestic travel is believed to be the market segment with the fastest growth rate. Travelers are expected to come back in August and September.



Travelers will not go in large groups, but in small groups of families and friends. This is an opportunity for sea tourism and accommodation facilities to advertise their products and stimulate demand.



Meanwhile, outbound travelers will mostly choose short-term tours to neighboring countries.



Bay believes that the tourism sector will see a U-shaped recovery, and will recover step by step.



Sharing the same view, Nguyen Tien Dat, CEO of AZA Travel, also thinks that the tourism sector will recover gradually.

One should not expect to see a V-shaped recovery, i. e., the industry bouncing back after bottoming out because people are still hesitating to go to crowded places such as airports and tourism sites.



In addition, businesses negatively impacted from Covid-19 will cut their budgets for travel.



Dat said domestic travel would be the first segment to see recovery. Inbound and outbound tourism will recover later because the epidemic continues in many countries. People will begin traveling again only three months after the epidemic ends, and it will take two years to return to normal.

Thanh Lich

Mekong Delta pins hopes on domestic tourism to fuel recovery Tourism authorities in the Mekong Delta are stepping up efforts to attract domestic visitors, with a focus on regaining trust so that they feel safe about going to tourist destinations and lodgings there.
Description

GIS  13 May, 2020: Access to businesses operating in the food and services sectors, which are being authorised to resume their activities as from 15 May 2020, will be given in alphabetical order. The Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, communicated this information on 12 May 2020, during an early evening broadcast on national television with regards to the gradual resumption of activities of certain trades in Mauritius.

According to him, shopping according to alphabetical order of surnames implemented during the confinement period to allow people stock up on food supplies has proved very effective. The opening of supermarkets during the confinement has been very systematic, he stressed. The Minister also lauded Mauritians for having shown discipline in that regard, and reaffirmed that each citizen has the duty to protect themselves.

Speaking about the availability of stocks of food supplies available in Mauritius during the curfew, Mr Sawmynaden observed that there was no reason to give in to panic buying. It was necessary at the beginning of the spread of COVID-19 in Mauritius to temporarily ban the opening of supermarkets for health and sanitary reasons, he said.

As regards transgressions committed during the curfew, the Minister indicated that to date, 2 599 fines have been issued. There will be more stringent laws and sanctions under the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which will be introduced in the National Assembly on 13 May 2020, to ensure that the rights of consumers are protected, he pointed out. In addition, in specific cases, the operation permits of some trades will be suspended, he said.

The Minister also recalled that under the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, the public will not have to pay surcharges on their Central Electricity Board and Central Water Authority bills. The cash offices of these two organisations will also operate according to the alphabetical order system.

Regarding the activities of certain trades that will be authorised to operate as from 15 May 2020, the Minister clarified that the opening of bakeries, butcher shops, poultry stores, hardware stores and hairdressing salons, will be done under strict and defined conditions. Therefore, these businesses will have to abide by the rules of social distancing and employees will have to wear a mask and gloves.

Moreover, access will be limited inside bakeries and consumers will be served by an employee. As for restaurants and fast food outlets, drive-throughs or home deliveries services will be allowed.

As for hairdressing salons, these will operate only by appointment. Several sanitary precautions will have to be respected: compulsory wearing of masks and gloves; seats and all equipment will have to be systematically disinfected; each client must come unaccompanied; and magazines available to customers should be removed.





Members of the Police Force and Officers of his Ministry will carry our inspections to ensure that these businesses abide by the health protocols recommended by the authorities, the Minister said. Government, he emphasised, is monitoring the current situation closely and will take adequate decisions with regards to the gradual reopening of other businesses in the future.







#ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris









Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov


Two years ago, Hector Oseguera, a volunteer on Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs congressional race, thought he understood his role in politics: he was meant to be a volunteer, not a candidate.

The son of immigrants from Honduras and the Dominican Republic, Oseguera never thought he had the certain sort of pedigree that was needed to run. He had no deep roots in Hudson County, no connections in what he calls the Democratic party machine.

But when Ocasio-Cortez won, unseating 20-year congressional veteran U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley in a stunning upset, Oseguera realized that his political calculus was flawed.

Now, in an attempt to replicate A.O.C.s success in Hudson County, Oseguera is mounting a Democratic primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, congressman for New Jerseys 8th District.

(What) I learned from (Ocasio-Cortez) is that our political analysis doesnt jive with reality anymore, said Oseguera, who grew up in West New York and now lives in Union City. Volunteers and excitement and enthusiasm is so much more valuable than quote-unquote experience, or having a political machine or political establishment at her back.

In an email, Sires said he was focusing on policy not politics during the pandemic.

I am focusing on helping those who are sick, who have family members in long term care facilities, who have lost their jobs, and are facing an uncertain and volatile future, he wrote. My priority is helping New Jerseyans with comprehensive, long-term policies like recurring monthly payments, rental assistance, and more.

In some ways, Osegueras campaign mirrors that of Ocasio-Cortez, his former Boston University schoolmate. Like Ocasio-Cortez, hes running a shoestring campaign on a platform of progressive insurgency. And Oseguera is trying to paint Sires like AOC painted Crowley: a distant machine politician who went years without a primary challenge. Asleep at the wheel," as Oseguera put it.

In an email, Sires disputed this characterization, citing the thousands of constituents Ive worked with during my time in office, as well as those Ive helped resolve veteran benefits, Social Security, immigration, housing, and unemployment issues.

In taking on Sires, whos been in office for 14 years, Oseguera has a steep uphill battle ahead of him. His campaign has about $4,000 on hand, a fraction of Sires roughly $240,000. And amid the coronavirus shutdown, hes had to adopt a digital-first campaign he said, suspending canvassing and meet-and-greets in favor of phone banking, digital ads, and emails.

Matthew Hale, a professor of political science and public affairs at Seton Hall University, said one of the challenges to mounting a challenge from the left is that Sires is already a staunch progressive.

Its tough to be on his left, Hale said.

Oseguera alleged Sires is weak on Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and was critical of Sires for accepting corporate donations, for failing to sign onto a Medicare for All bill or the Green New Deal. But in an email, Sires pointed to his own progressive voting history, which includes co-sponsoring the 100% Clean Economy Act and the Medicare Buy-In and Health Care Stabilization Act. And Sires also criticized ICE and Customs and Border Patrol, saying he supported cutting funding and reforming the agencies.

And its unclear if Oseguera can replicate Ocasio-Cortezs insurgent, social media-savvy campaign on the other side of the Hudson. Hale said the Democratic establishment has grown wise to her strategy.

A.O.C. won because the incumbent wasnt paying attention, he said. He just assumed that he was going to waltz in and there was no reason to pay attention to her.

Now, he said, Theres no doubt that everyone is looking out for the next A.O.C.

Oseguera isnt the only one who is striving to fit the mold in Hudson County. In New Jerseys 10th district, Jersey City teacher John Flora is mounting a progressive challenge to Donald Payne Jr., and a slate of progressive freeholder candidates are also running.

But in taking on the machine, Oseguera will have to reckon with the fact that it actually works for many people, Hale said. One of the partys strengths is that it helps provide constituent services, he said: resources for lower-income voters or recent immigrants or others who need assistance.

But theres one issue Hale thinks Oseguera could potentially run a successful campaign on: corruption. Oseguera, who works as a lawyer for UBS in Weehawken specializing in fighting money laundering, said combating graft is a centerpiece of his campaign.

In New Jersey, people think that political corruption is a given or its a bit of a joke, he said. But people are growing incredibly sick of it.

In an email, Sires pointed to a host of anti-corruption bills he had sponsored and said he did not seek corporate contributions. Most of my support comes from friends, associates, and labor unions," Sires wrote. I do not actively pursue large amounts of donations because I believe that as a member of Congress, I should focus on working for my district, not fundraising.

Hale said the optics of running as a reformer could pay off for Oseguera, as it did for U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. (Menendez was later admonished by the Senate Ethics Committee for accepting gifts in exchange for favors.)

"If there is an entryway into this, its talking about the corruption, Hale said. But I think, again, thats going to be a really difficult road to hope.
T eachers and pupils will be able to get tested for Covid-19 if they develop symptoms when they return to school, the Education Secretary said.

Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Gavin Williamson said the testing of staff and students will enable a track-and-trace approach to be taken to any confirmed cases.

Primary school pupils in England are due to go back to school for a month before the summer.

The Government said it expects children to be able to return to nurseries, and for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to be back in school from June 1 at the earliest.

UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures 1 /38 UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures Londoners returning to work near London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Cyclists travel in central London AFP via Getty Images Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Alan Price on his Penny Farthing this morning on Battersea Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Delivery men are seen outside a reopened McDonald's with take-out only deliveries in Dalston Reuters Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Worlds End Nurseries in Chelsea opens for business. Customer Nika Kucifer is shown flowers by Janson Lotery Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn People ride bicycles in a cycle lane in Chelsea PA Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases. Nigel Howard Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Vehicles are seen on the M56 motorway near Manchester, Reuters Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Monty's first day back. West Highland Terrier Monty commutes to work on his bike on his first day back with owner Darragh McElroy. Monty, who's Instagram account is @monty_whitehall_westie, works at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall with his owner Darragh who is Deputy Director of Coronavirus Communications at the Cabinet Office Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn A commuter wears a mask at Canning Town station Reuters Rush hour on the M6 at the junction for Birmingham/Walsall on the first morning of the eased Coronavirus lockdown PA Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen on a London Underground tube, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Reuters Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at Stratford station, Reuters Cyclists in Chelsea today. Nigel Howard

Mr Williamson said the reason schools are reopening is because "we know that children benefit from being educated by their brilliant teachers in front of them".

Answering an urgent Commons question from Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Layla Moran, Mr Williamson said: On Monday my department published initial guidance for settings on how to begin to prepare and well work with the sector leaders to develop this further in the coming weeks.

This guidance sets out protective measures to minimise the risk of infection, including restricting class sizes and limiting mixing between groups.

Crucially all children and staff will have access to testing if they develop symptoms of coronavirus.

This will enable a track-and-trace approach to be taken to any confirmed cases.

Mr Williamson acknowledged allowing pupils to return to school will be challenging.

We continue to follow the best medical and scientific advice and believe that this phased return is the most sensible course of action to take," he said.

Johnson denies that the Government acted too slowly on care homes

I know that this will be challenging but I know that nursery, school and college staff will do everything in their power to start welcoming our children back to continue their education.

Mr Williamson, pressed by Ms Moran for reassurances about the safety of sending children back to school, told the Commons: When you have medical and scientific advice that is saying its the right time to start bringing schools back in a phased and controlled manner, it seems only the right thing to do and the only responsible thing to do.

The Education Secretary said the Government has worked very closely with all the teaching unions and headteachers unions, with time made available each week to discuss matters.

This is whats informed and developed the guidance we have shared with schools, Mr Williamson said.

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

He added: We recognise children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are the ones who are going to suffer the most if we do not bring schools back when were able to do so.

Im more than happy to share all the advice we have received from Sage.

But Labours shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said that the guidance provided by the Government on schools does not provide the clear assurances needed on safety.

She told the Commons: We all desperately want schools to reopen for the sake of childrens education and wellbeing.

But (Mr Williamson) must appreciate that the guidance provided so far does not yet provide the clear assurances over safety that are needed.

Primary school classes could return on June 1 at the earliest / PA

Shielding families, anxious, worried grandparents and teaching staff in fear, sadly sums up the theme of the last 48 hours.

Ms Long-Bailey said that social distancing for younger school year groups would be virtually impossible.

She told MPs: Will he (Mr Williamson) acknowledge that for younger year groups social distancing will be virtually impossible and that the current guidance sadly gives the impression that those pupils and staff should just accept being exposed?

Mr Williamson responded: I have always been clear that we would give the sector as much notice as possible and we have said that if we are allowed, which it seems likely that we will be able to, wed like to see schools opening from June 1, giving schools as much forward notice as possible in order for them to get ready.

We think this is a responsible and sensible approach in terms of the phased return.

Government decision to open schools 'premature and reckless', says head of teachers' union

Nine education unions, representing school leaders, teachers and support staff, have accused the Government of showing a lack of understanding about the dangers of the spread of coronavirus in schools.

The joint statement, published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), warns that staff will not be protected by social distancing if primary schools reopen to more year groups from next month.

The statement says: We all want schools to reopen, but that should only happen when it is safe to do so.

The Government is showing a lack of understanding about the dangers of the spread of coronavirus within schools, and outwards from schools to parents, sibling and relatives, and to the wider community.
The Cement Producers Association of Iraq joins the WCA as affiliate member

13 May 2020

The World Cement Association announced today that it is welcoming the Cement Producers Association of Iraq (CPAI) as an affiliate member of its international network. Affiliate membership is designed for regional or national cement associations and other partner groups, which are not-for-profit organisations working in areas related to the objectives of the WCA.



"In these challenging and uncertain times, it's more important than ever that organisations and individuals from across the global cement community can come together to explore opportunities for collaboration, share knowledge and support one another," said Ian Riley, CEO at WCA. "We're therefore especially pleased to be welcoming CPAI to our membership right now and look forward to working together on a range of ongoing initiatives."



CPAI counts among its members 12 of Iraq's leading cement producers, which together represent around 25Mta of production capacity.



"We are really looking forward to continuing our mission to promote Iraq's cement industry on a global basis by working with the WCA," explained CPAI Chairman, Nasir Almadany. "Collaboration and learning have always been central to our work, and we've been really impressed with the way WCA embodies these values through its member services, events, forums and seminars."





Published under
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 30 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Armenian armed forces were using sniper rifles.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

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 regions.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:22:33|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment in Japan's service sector fell to a record low for a second successive month in April as economic activity slowed amid efforts to curb the further spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the government said in a report on Wednesday.

The monthly Economy Watchers survey's diffusion index, in which a score of more than 50 means people view current economic conditions in a positive light, dropped 6.3 points from a month earlier to 7.9, marking the lowest level since comparable data became available, the Cabinet Office said.

The office downgraded its overall assessment for conditions in the reporting period, saying that due to the impact of the spread of the COVID-19, the economy is facing serious difficulties. As for the future, conditions are expected to deteriorate further, the office added.

The Cabinet Office said Wednesday that conditions in the service sector were set to worsen in the coming months, with the sentiment index for coming economic conditions dropping 2.2 points to 16.6, also marking a record low.

Some of those surveyed in the service industry said the state of emergency declared by the government over the coronavirus crisis, that saw regional governors request business closures and the restricted movement and contact between people amid efforts to prevent the virus from spreading further, had forced their businesses to shut.

Some restaurant owners said that their businesses had completely stalled and construction workers said that work had dried up owing to projects being canceled amid social distancing measures being put in place.

Taxi drivers, meanwhile, said that due to people staying at home prior to and as per the government's later request in the recording period, patronage had slumped.

The state of emergency was initially declared by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on April 7 for seven prefectures, thereafter expanded nationwide and the deadline extended to the end of May.

An official from the Cabinet Office was quoted as saying that the survey's record low figures were largely attributable to the coronavirus pandemic, describing the situation as "so severe."

"The coronavirus outbreak had a significant effect on the survey's outcome, which showed remarkably poor figures that could not be imagined. I would like to believe that sentiment has hit bottom, but unfortunately the situation is so severe," the official told a press briefing on the matter.

The Economy Watchers Survey asks business-cycle sensitive workers their thoughts on existing and future economic conditions to provide the government with a detailed picture of economic trends in Japan.

Segments of the economy surveyed include sectors such as retail, restaurant service, and taxi driving, and the monthly report serves as both a consumer confidence indicator and a leading indicator for the rest of the economy.

The survey released Wednesday showed that sentiment had deteriorated significantly in the recording period, remaining far below the boom-or-bust 50 line meaning that, overall, more people polled felt conditions had worsened in comparison to the previous three months.

The latest figure comes on the heels of a reading of 14.2 in March, with headline numbers for the past two months dropping well below those following the 2008 global financial crisis and in the wake of the triple earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters that struck the northeast here in 2011.

The survey was conducted between April 25 to 30, and polled 2,050 workers across Japan. Enditem
Hundreds drove slowly past the open coffin of Overland Park officer Mike Mosher Tuesday afternoon, some weeping and some saluting. Police officers and sheriff's deputies stood guard on the coffin of the 15-year department veteran who was killed May 4. With the threat of the spreading coronavirus, mourners were limited to driving by the visitation.
Photo: Mike Pinkerton/Flickr

Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Sacramento.

14-year-old Sacramento girl accepted to 8 California colleges

A 14-year-old Sacramento girl has been accepted to eight California colleges and now she's trying to decide which one she wants to attend in the fall.

Read the full story on CBS13 CBS Sacramento.

Gavin Newsoms COVID-19 pandemic orders are holding up in court

State and federal courts have thus far reinforced California Gov. Gavin Newsom's pandemic emergency authority, according to a review of the cases by The Sacramento Bee.

Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee.

Could outdoor dining help Sacramento restaurants amid pandemic?

Two Sacramento organizations say they are working with the city to allow outdoor dining to help restaurants stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Read the full story on ABC Sacramento, KXTV.

Sacramento city teachers laid off, program ended as district works to avoid state takeover amid pandemic

Preschool teachers in the Sacramento City Unified School District were among 12 people laid off last week as the district continues to address a $27 million deficit.

Read the full story on ABC Sacramento, KXTV.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is seen in the financial district of lower Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City, April 26, 2020.

As a result, buybacks from the bank's clients  which have generally tracked total S&P 500 buybacks over the past decade  are on pace to fall roughly 90% in the second quarter compared with prior quarters.

The sharp economic slowdown caused by the pandemic has left many companies scrambling for cash as their revenues dried up. Many companies have suspended buybacks and dividends to preserve their cash flow.

Stock buybacks are on track for the lowest total on record this quarter, according to Bank of America.

"Buybacks remained extremely anemic, with QTD buybacks tracking just over $1bn  on pace for a record-low ~$2bn quarter in our data history," the note said.

There has been growing political pressure against buybacks, even before the pandemic began, that may have made some companies wary of the practice at a time of historic unemployment.

Many companies have been announcing the suspension of buybacks during their quarterly earnings reports. The major U.S. banks announced that they would not buy back their own stock during the second quarter on March 15.

Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.
Maharashtra Industries



Minister Subhash Desai on Wednesday said the state government will provide "Maha Permits" for big-ticket industrial projects, covering all kinds of permissions that are needed to set up a plant.

It will save the time wasted in obtaining various permits needed to start a factory, the minister told reporters here.

"Many companies are backing out from China (after coronavirus outbreak) and we are closely watching the developments. The state government has decided to grant single 'Maha permits' to simplify the process of setting up industrial units," he said.

Mega permits will be granted after the companies submit concrete proposals while the period for obtaining other subsequent permissions will be increased and they can be obtained after the unit starts, Desai said.

"The Maha permit will have all the required permissions for an industry to set up its plant here. It will save time and companies can commence work without delays," he said.

The state government also plans to form an employment bureau, which will have database of skilled and semi- skilled professionals whom companies can contact for recruitment, Desai said.

"This will save the companies hiring costs and also offer job opportunities to the youth in the state," he said.

Lockdown restrictions on MSMEs have been eased and workers are allowed to travel to their factories on two- wheelers, he said.

"For a long time now, we have fought to provide jobs to local labourers," the Shiv Sena leader said.

"With so many migrant workers returning to their home states, industries can employ local youth now," he said.

64,493 companies had sought permission to restart operations during lockdown, of which 34,821 were now functioning with 9,17,000 labourers, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The count of COVID-19 cases in



Ahmedabad mounted to 6,645 on Wednesday with 292 more people testing positive for coronavirus while the number of fatalities rose to 446 with 25 deaths, a Health official said.

With 238 patients being discharged from hospitals, the number of the recovered patients in thedistrict has gone up to 2,112, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In China, licensed financial institutions, including branches and subsidiaries of commercial banks, are only allowed to operate after they obtain approval proving they are qualified.

Chinas top banking regulator has urged national joint-stock commercial banks to rectify their unlicensed for-profit financial businesses outside the cities where they are headquartered, in a bid to curb financial risks stemming from rampant expansion, Caixin has learned.

The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) recently issued a notice reminding the countrys 12 national joint-stock commercial banks that they must rectify these unlicensed businesses. The banks nonlocal departments operating the businesses are required to close or merge with the banks branches if they cannot obtain the necessary licenses.

This is not the first time they have been told to do so. In December 2018, the CBIRC released a guideline (link in Chinese) giving banks one year to rectify such unregulated businesses. The latest notice came as some national joint-stock commercial banks didnt comply within the deadline, sources familiar with the matter told Caixin. The latest notice said banks must properly defuse risks associated with these unlicensed businesses and properly handle personnel issues during the rectification, one source said.

In China, licensed financial institutions, including branches and subsidiaries of commercial banks, are only allowed to operate after they obtain approval proving they are qualified. But in recent years, major commercial banks have skirted regulations by setting up nonlocal departments or offices without approval.

For instance, national joint-stock commercial banks Shenzhen-based China Merchants Bank Co. Ltd., Guangzhou-based China Guangfa Bank Co. Ltd. and Fuzhou-based Industrial Bank Co. Ltd. operate unlicensed investment banking divisions, departments serving their major customers, and more in the financial hubs of Beijing and Shanghai, in a bid to do more business or lure more talent.

Over 60% of the unlicensed departments of Shenzhen-based Ping An Bank Co. Ltd. in Beijing and Shanghai will be shut down or merged with the banks branches, people with knowledge of the matter told Caixin.

Lack of supervision over such nonlocal departments has drawn concern from regulators, who say they could pose significant risks. In January 2018, the countrys top banking regulator urged (link in Chinese) its local branches and banks to investigate or rectify the unregulated businesses.

A wave of smaller rural and city commercial banks have shut down such businesses, merged them with their branches, or applied for licenses. In 2019, city commercial banks Bank of Hangzhou Co. Ltd. and Bank of Ningbo Co. Ltd. started capital operation centers in Shanghai after obtaining licenses.

Ren Tao, a researcher with Xiamen International Bank Co. Ltd., said encouraging banks to apply for licenses to start nonlocal businesses is an important way to defuse financial risks.

However, regulators limit the number of licenses that a bank can apply for in any given city, the sources said, and only a tiny number of departments are qualified to apply, such as credit card and financial market departments.

Contact reporter Tang Ziyi (ziyitang@caixin.com) and editor Gavin Cross (gavincross@caixin.com)

Caixin Global has launched Caixin CEIC Mobile, the mobile-only version of its world-class macroeconomic data platform.

If youre using the Caixin app, please click here. If you havent downloaded the app, please click here.
The federal judge overseeing the case against former national-security advisor Michael Flynn moved on Tuesday to delay the Justice Departments request to dismiss the case, saying he will allow third parties to weigh in before dropping the case.

Judge Emmet Sullivan said he will allow parties outside the DOJ and Flynns defense team to file friend of the court briefs on the charges against Flynn, who pled guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI but withdrew his guilty plea earlier this year.

The Court will enter a Scheduling Order governing the submission of any amicus curiae briefs, the judge wrote in a Tuesday order.

Flynns attorneys objected to the decision, saying in a court filing Tuesday that while there are countless people who would like to weigh in on the case, there is no place for third parties to meddle in the dispute, and certainly not to usurp the role of the governments counsel.

This travesty of justice has already consumed three or more years of an innocent mans life  and that of his entire family, Flynns lawyers said. No further delay should be tolerated or any further expense caused to him and his defense.

Flynn, a retired three-star general, was fired by President Trump after the revelation that he made contradictory statements to Vice President Mike Pence about whether he had discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. He pled guilty during Trumps first year in office to making false statements to the FBI regarding his contacts with the Russian ambassador. The case against the former national-security adviser arose from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia.

The Justice Department on Thursday made the controversial decision to drop the charges against Flynn, stating that Flynns FBI interview in January, 2017 was untethered to, and unjustified by, the FBIs counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Flynn and conducted without any legitimate investigative basis.

More from National Review
- Former MP Maina Kamau's company helped Multichoice Kenya to import satellite dishes and decoders in 2009

- Kamau was given the money to pay for taxes for the products but never remitted it to KRA

- Multichoice moved to court to have the ex-MP compelled to pay the money and the court ordered him to pay it with interest

- He moved to the Court of Appeal to stop execution of the High Court orders but his prayers were turned down

The Court of Appeal has ordered former Kandara MP Maina Kamau to pay Multichoice Kenya which owns DStv KSh 153,457,809 that he defrauded the firm over 10 years ago.

The former MP is reported to have defrauded the company through his clearing and forwarding company, Miankam Limited, that had been awarded a contract by the firm to import satellite dishes and decoders.

READ ALSO: Kenyans join Rachel Ruto in prayers amidst trouble in DP's camp

Former Kandara MP Maina Kamau. Photo: Daily Nation

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: US gov't says hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania are overwhelmed

According to Daily Nation, Kamau had been given the money to pay taxes to Kenya Revenue Authority for the goods that had been imported in 2009 when Kenya was migrating to the digital television but did not do so.

MultiChoice moved to court in 2012 and on September 24, 2019, Justice William Tuiyot issued an order compelling Mainkam to refund the amount together with interest.

The pay-TV firm lost the money as a result of the non-remittance that was unearthed by a KRA audit on its financial books.

READ ALSO: Maafisa wa DCI wawaua majambazi 4 katika barabara ya Kangundo

The former lawmaker had moved to the Appellate Court after the High Court ordered him to pay the money.

He said it was necessary to move to the Appellate Court to stop execution of the orders by the High Court as he had a case to argue.

However, the bench comprising of justices Mohammed Warsame, Gatembu Kairu and Jamila Mohammed turned down his request to stop execution of the order.

The money was meant to pay taxes for decoders and satellite dishes that were imported in 2009. Photo: DSTV

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kenya's exclusive private membership club, Capital Club sends workers on unpaid leave

The court said given Multichoice Kenya was an international company with good reputation, it was in a good position to pay the money should Maina win the appeal.

"It is plainly obvious to us that the respondent (Multichoice) has been deprived of the use of their KSh 153,457,809 for a considerable period through the acts of the applicants (Mr Kamau and Mainkam) thus exposing their business to incur losses," said the judges.

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 Madras High Court on



Wednesday issued notice to the Chief Secretary, DGP and other officials on a plea from the widow of Dr Simon Hercules, who died of COVID-19, seeking a direction to authorities to exhume the body and rebury it in a cemetery at Kilpauk here.

The petition came up before Justice M Duraisamy who also issued notice to the Secretaries of Health and Family Welfare Department and Commissioner of Police, Chennai City.

The judge directed authorities to file the counter affidavit and posted the matter to June 10.

Earlier, a division bench dismissed a PIL seeking the same relief, stating that the authorities had already rejected the wife's request.

However, it gave liberty to the bereaved family to approach the court challenging the rejection.

Earlier this month,the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation had rejected the request and refused to exhume the body for reburial.

The doctor had succumbed to the coronavirus infection on April 19. The ambulance in which his body was carried was vandalised by some people who feared that the burial in Kilpauk cemetery may lead to the spread of contagion in the area.

Later, the body was taken to another crematorium and buried amid police security.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dynabook Europe has announced the launch of the refreshed Portege X Series, which includes the 13.3-inch Portege X30-G, 14-inch Portege X40-G and 15.6-inch Portege X50-G.

Powered by Intel 10th generation processors, the completed range of premium business laptops boasts the latest performance and security-enhancing features that are well suited for the modern, mobile professional.

Secure and powerful

Each device in the Portege X Series has been carefully engineered with power and privacy front of mind. Optional configuration with newly launched vPro technology is available for unrivalled productivity, manageability, and security. With growing recognition of webcam security, dynabook has expanded the availability of its webcam privacy shutter to the full series. For further privacy, the X40-G has been exclusively equipped with dynabooks new privacy display technology, which narrows the displays field of vision and keeps your screen secure from visual hacking, at the touch of a button on the keyboard.

The trio of new models have further in-built security features to meet Microsofts Windows 10 Secured-core PC requirements including dynabooks proprietary BIOS, TPM 2.0 and optional smart carder reader. In addition to this, biometric authentication in the form of an integrated IR camera for Windows Hello face authentication and a built-in SecurePad with integrated fingerprint reader gives users further peace of mind against unsolicited access to sensitive information.

In addition to the latest core processors, a selection of memory and storage capabilities such as SSD storage including ultra-fast PCle and Intel Optane, mean the refreshed devices enable smoother and faster workflows, even away from the office.

Mobile by design

Despite being packed with a range of cutting-edge features, the Portege X Series laptops dont compromise on portability or design. All three devices boast sleek, thin and ultra-light form factors  starting with the 13.3-inch Portege X30-G, which weighs 1.05kg, the 14-inch Portege X40-G at just 1.25kg and finally the Portege X50-G, which brings the user experience of 15.6-inch to the mobile worker weighing in at 1.42kg. All of the laptops in the series are also built with a robust honeycomb-structured magnesium alloy chassis, that has undergone several MIL-standard tests. This, coupled with the devices impressive battery life of between 14.5 and 18.5 hours and additional charge using the Quick Charge function, means that workers dont need to worry about their device keeping up with the demands of modern-day mobile working.

Connectivity with ease

All three laptops are armed with a range of connectivity-enhancing features for maximum productivity wherever a user is located. Wi-Fi 6 offers increased capacity and faster connection speeds, whilst two USB-C Thunderbolt 3-enabled ports provide more connectivity options. An optional Thunderbolt 3 Dock and dynabook USB-C Dock solutions also provide further peripheral connectivity.

Were proud to announce the refreshed Portege X Series, having added the 14- and 15.6-inch models to the product family, said Damian Jaume, managing director, Dynabook Europe. We know how important investing in the right employee devices is for businesses, especially with remote and mobile working on the rise, so we wanted to develop a laptop series that effortlessly supports secure and productive working no matter where the user is, and this new trio of enterprise-grade devices does exactly that.

The series will soon be available in the Middle East. - TradeArabia News Service
She recently returned to social media for the first time following the tragic news that her mother Paige had passed away.

And Amber Heard has been spending quality time with her loved ones as she shared sweet snaps alongside her father David and her sister Whitney on Instagram.

The actress, 34, wrapped her arm around her father in one photo as she showed a package the family had received from a friend.

Family: Amber Heard has been spending quality time with her loved ones as she shared sweet snaps alongside her father David on Instagram

Alongside the snap, Amber wrote: 'Care packages from friends in times like these mean everything'.

The film star also uploaded a picture with her sister Whitney who wrapped her arms around Amber while she cooked in the kitchen.

The pair bared a strong family resemblance, with Amber captioning the snap: 'Sissy love'.

It comes after Amber returned to social media last week for the first time since her mother's tragic death while remaining at home with her family.

Love: The film star also uploaded a picture with her sister Whitney who wrapped her arms around Amber while she cooked in the kitchen

The actress had good company in the form of young nephew Hunter while occupying her time as the world works its way through another week of precautionary quarantine.

Taking to Instagram, the star shared a cute image of the pair modelling identical top knots as she read a script on the steps of her family home.

Hunter, Whitney's son with Gavin Henriquez, showed off a thick mane of blonde hair as he stood next to his famous aunt in a diaper.

In good company: Amber was joined by infant nephew Hunter as she relaxed in self-qurantine on Wednesday. The infant is younger sister Whitney's son with Gavin Henriquez

Cute: Amber described her nephew as 'the tiniest member of the family' in an accompanying caption

Captioning the shot, she wrote: 'Top knot twins.... enjoying a tiny bit of peace from the tiniesttt [sic] member of the family.'

The post came just three days after Amber revealed her mother Paige Heard had died.

Sharing vintage photos of the two on Sunday, she told Instagram followers: 'I am heartbroken and devastated beyond belief at the loss of my mom, Paige Heard.'

'She left us too early, clasping onto the memory of her beautiful, gentle soul. She will be missed from the very depths of our hearts forever.

Gone too soon: The post came just three days after Amber revealed her mother Paige Heard had died

'Her unflinching, open heart made her the most beautiful woman I had ever known. Its hard to imagine and even more difficult to say but I feel truly lucky to have been her daughter and been given the gift of having the light she shone on everyone, fall on me for nearly 34 years.

'This has been an unbelievably painful time but in that, I am reminded of what survives us all, love.

'The kindness, support and generosity my sister Whit and I have received from friends and family has been utterly soul-saving.'

Tragic: Sharing vintage photos of the two, Amber told Instagram followers, 'I am heartbroken and devastated beyond belief at the loss of my mom, Paige Heard'

Amber's post included a sweet throwback photo of herself as a child, while her mother held her. The actress's father could also be seen in the background.

She also posted a more recent black and white photo in which Paige hugged a fresh-faced Amber.

Paige was occasionally featured on Amber's Instagram, and she made her most recent appearance on March 8 when Amber posted a raucous photo of her mother, who worked as an internet researcher, and her sister Whitney in honor of International Women's Day.
(Newser)  British Transport Police say they are trying to trace a man who coughed at and spat on two railway ticket office workers and told them he had the coronavirus. Both workers became ill and one of them, 47-year-old Belly Mujinga, died from the virus 14 days after the attack, the BBC reports. Her husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, says Mujinga was working on the concourse of Victoria Station in central London when she was attacked by the suspect, who asked her what she was doing there. Mujinga was hospitalized on April 2 and died three days later without seeing her husband and 11-year-old daughter again. Mujinga had underlying respiratory problems and her union says she should have been provided with protective equipment. The office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the attack as "despicable," reports the AP. (Read more coronavirus stories.)
Valmet Oyjs press release on May 12, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. EET



Valmet will supply an ash crystallizer plant with a capacity of 300 tons of ash per day to LD Celulose S.A. in Brazil. The ash crystallizer delivery is part of Lenzings and Duratexs joint venture LD Celuloses project to build a new 500,000 ton/year dissolving pulp mill in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. In January Valmet announced an extensive technology and automation delivery for the project. The new mill is scheduled to start up in 2022.

The order was included in Valmet's orders received of the first quarter 2020. The value of the order is not disclosed. The value of a delivery of this size and scope is typically around EUR 10-15 million.

Our new pulp mill will have a positive socioeconomic impact throughout the region. When choosing partners for this project we have emphasized reliability, energy efficiency and best environmental practices. We chose Valmet to deliver their ash crystallization solution because the Valmet-concept will fulfill our request in the best way, says Roland Feiner, Chemical Recovery Implementation Manager, LD Celulose.

Valmet was chosen as the key technology provider for LD Celuloses new dissolving pulp mill project earlier this year and we are very happy to widen the cooperation now with the delivery of ash crystallizer. Our ash crystallization technology is well suited for large pulp mills and represents proven technology that provides the mill with better environmental performance and increased production efficiency, says Fernando Scucuglia, Director, Pulp and Energy, South America, Valmet.

Information about Valmets delivery

The Valmet Ash Crystallizer will have capacity of 300 tons of ash per day and will recover mill chemicals and remove non-process elements, primarily chloride and potassium, from the mills liquor cycle.

This will be the third ash crystallization system delivery from Valmet. Our largest installation with a capacity of 920 tons ash per day is in Indonesia and another 480 tons per day ash crystallizer in China. This third installation will be a standalone plant, which means that it will have a high degree of independence from other mill processes, tells Fredrik Kall, Director for Evaporation, Ash and Bio technologies, Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet.

Story continues

LD Celuloses upcoming 500,000 ton/year dissolving pulp mill is located in the cities of Indianopolis and Araguari in Minas Gerais state in Brazil. With this new addition of ash treatment system, Valmets total delivery includes now a fiber line, a pulp drying and baling line, an evaporation plant, a white liquor plant, an ash crystallization plant and a mill-wide automation system.

Information about the customer LD Celulose S.A.

LD Celulose is a joint venture where Lenzing holds a 51 percent and Duratex a 49 percent stake.

The Lenzing Group, headquartered in Austria, is an international company focusing on high-quality, wood-based cellulose fibers that are used in the textile industry, in the nonwovens industry for hygiene products, in protective wear and in industrial applications. Dissolving wood pulp is processed from wood and marketed under the brands TENCEL for textile applications, VEOCEL for nonwovens and LENZING for special fiber applications in other areas and other products. The annual turnover of the Lenzing Group is above EUR 2,000 million.

Duratex is the largest producer of industrialized wood panels in the southern hemisphere. The company has three business areas: Wood, Ceramic tiles and Sanitary ware, metals, electric showerheads and faucets. The Wood division covers wood products and forestry, producing eucalyptus in more than 251 thousand hectares of forests. Duratexs head quarter is in the city and state of Sao Paulo and it has seven forestry units and 16 industrial facilities in Brazil and three production facilities in Colombia.

VALMET

Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:

Fernando Scucuglia, Director, Pulp and Energy, South America, Valmet, tel. +55 419 9922 6417

Erik Cleverstam, Product Sales Manager, Evaporation Solutions, Pulp and Energy business line, Valmet, tel. +46 76 639 7909

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2019 were approximately EUR 3.5 billion. Our more than 13,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward  every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Read more www.valmet.com , www.twitter.com/valmetglobal
ST. LOUIS, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) today announced the pricing of $400 million principal amount of 4.000% Senior Notes due 2030 (the Notes). The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.000% per annum and will mature on May 15, 2030. The net proceeds from this offering will be used for general corporate purposes. The offering is expected to close on May 20, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.



The Notes will be issued pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form S-3 and available for review on the Securities and Exchange Commissions website at www.sec.gov.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as book-running managers. Compass Point Research & Trading, LLC is acting as a co-manager.

This offering will be made only by the prospectus and prospectus supplement related to this offering. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, when available, may be obtained from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, Attn: Capital Markets, 787 Seventh Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10019, 1-800-966-1559; from BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by emailing: dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com; from Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, 1-800-831-9146, or by emailing prospectus@citi.com; from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014; or from Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 608 2nd Avenue South, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attn: WFS Customer Service, 1-800-645-3751, or by emailing wfscustomerservice@wellsfargo.com.

Stifel Company Information

Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifels broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners business division; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC and Century Securities Associates, Inc. The Companys broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Companys website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit https://www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements in this earnings release not dealing with historical results are forward-looking and are based on various assumptions. The forward-looking statements in this earnings release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements. For information about the risks and important factors that could affect the Companys future results, financial condition and liquidity, see Risk Factors in Part I, Item 1A of the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and in Part II, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made.

Statements about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Companys business, results, financial position and liquidity may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that the actual impact may differ, possibly materially, from what is currently expected.

Stifel Investor Relations

Joel Jeffrey, (212) 271-3610

investorrelations@stifel.com
Before the pandemic, my friends called me the empress, a joking reference to my last name. But these days, they have begun referring to me by another, slightly less esteemed royal moniker: I am now the Quarantine Queen.

Thats because in the last three months, I have completed four rounds of quarantine in four cities, on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Like many others, I passed the time by dialing into Zoom calls and bingeing on reality television. But along the way, I also rode the wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Each city where I idled  San Diego, Beijing, Los Angeles and Taipei  offered a window into the different ways in which governments were grappling with the virus.

Some, as we now know all too well, were more successful than others.

It all began in late January, when I rushed from Beijing, where I was based as a reporter covering China, to Wuhan, where the outbreak first exploded. The city was in its second week of lockdown. We spent much of our time visiting hospitals, leaning in  probably closer than we should have  to interview sick residents who were almost too weak to talk.
Norfolk County residents are being warned to stay away from wildlife after approximately three dozen diseased muskrats were discovered in the Long Point area.

The muskrats were found to be carrying a bacteria that causes tularemia, an infectious disease also known as rabbit fever.

Along with rabbits, tularemia afflicts muskrats, beavers and other rodents, and can also be carried by deer flies and ticks.

If transmitted to humans, tularemia typically attacks the skin, eyes, lungs and lymph nodes.

Humans can become infected after handling an infected animal, ingesting contaminated food or water, being bitten or licked by an infected insect or animal, or inhaling contaminated aerosols from contaminated soil, the health unit said in a media release.

Health unit spokesperson Matt Terry noted that there have been four recorded human cases of tularemia in Ontario between 2007 and 2017. Antibiotic treatment has proven effective.

Its not a particularly common disease. Its a treatable disease, and death is quite rare with treatment, Terry said.

The main message is just to stay away from wild animals, living or dead.

According to a report from the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative (CWHC), over 35 muskrats were found either dead or sick in the Crown Marsh area of Long Point in mid-April.

Post-mortem examination of several samples found the muskrats to have enlarged lymph nodes and telltale white spots on their spleens. Further tests at the Public Health Agency of Canadas National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg confirmed the presence of the bacteria that causes tularemia.

Tularemia is common in Ontario but reported cases among wildlife are rare. The CWHC database only lists three other cases  two beavers in 1994 and a beaver from the Pembroke area in 2003.

Symptoms of tularemia can arise suddenly within a few days of exposure. They include high fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph glands, skin ulcers and nausea.

Especially now that Long Points nature reserves have reopened for hikers, paddlers and birdwatchers, the health unit is urging Norfolk residents to stay away from wildlife, keep pets on a leash, and wash their hands, especially after touching surface water.

Anyone who suspects they might have contracted tularemia should see their doctor. More information about the disease can be found on the health units website.
T he biggest academy chain in London is preparing to reopen next month, warning of the social and emotional impact on pupils of delaying a return until September.

The Harris Federation, which educates 30,000 young people in London, is making plans to reopen to children in reception, years one and year six, as per government guidance.

Education unions have advised teachers and support staff not to engage with plans to reopen schools in a phased manner from June 1.

But Harris Federation chief Sir Daniel Moynihan told the Evening Standard: If children do not have any school until September there will be a cost to them in social and emotional development. For many, they are better off in school.

The Department for Education wants children back in primary schools starting next month, with class sizes limited to 15 and a staggered timetable to limit risk of transmission.

Sir Daniel said that children in reception and year one develop important social skills and the foundations of reading, and missing this time in school will lead to learning loss, especially for more disadvantaged children.

He added that those in year six will benefit emotionally from going back to school, seeing their friends and preparing for the transfer to secondary school.

He said each of the schools in the Harris Federation is undertaking a risk assessment. He said: OK, the virus was there at the end of March. It will still be there after a 10-week shutdown.

"But our understanding of it is better now. We have had time to think about how to operate and what we can do to reduce risk and there does seem to be a fair amount of evidence that suggests very young children are not great spreaders.
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Washington, D.C., May 13, 2020  Iranian authorities should release journalist Hassan Fathi from prison and cease arbitrarily jailing members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On May 6, Fathi, a freelance columnist and former editor of the Iranian daily Ettelaat, began an 18-month prison term in Tehrans Evin Prison after his appeal in a 2018 criminal case for speaking with the BBC Persian service was denied, according to a report by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a U.S.-based outlet that covers news in Iran.

Iranian authorities must stop their absurd practice of imprisoning journalists solely for speaking to foreign media outlets, especially during a pandemic, when any jail term could be a potential death sentence, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour. Hassan Fathi should be released immediately and the charges against him should be dropped.

Authorities arrested Fathi on May 26, 2018, after he gave an interview with the BBCs Persian service about the reelection of President Hassan Rouhani, according to an interview with Fathi by U.K.-based broadcaster Iran International. During his detention, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran charged him with spreading lies and disrupting public opinion, and then released him on bail on June 2, 2018, Fathi told the broadcaster.

His case was pending in Irans courts until May 2, 2020, when the Tehran Appeals Court rejected his final appeal and ordered him to begin serving his sentence, according to HRANA. CPJ could not determine exactly when Fathi was originally convicted or sentenced.

Authorities previously detained Fathi after he was interviewed by the BBC in 2011, according to CPJ research. He was held for 85 days and then released without charge, he told Iran International, saying that authorities allegations concerning the 2018 interview contained much of the same information from the 2011 case.
In the history books, artists captured Catherine the Greats portrait once shed attained her legendary position. In Hulus new series The Great, Catherine looks a lot like Elle Fanning. Fanning plays Catherine as she comes to live with Peter the Third (Nicholas Hoult). Historians know how that relationship goes. She comes out ahead in the marriage.

Elle Fanning | Ross Ferguson/Hulu

Fanning was on a Television Critics Association panel for The Great on Jan. 17. Afterwards she spoke with reporters more about recreating 18th century Russian wardrobe. The Great premieres May 15 on Hulu.

The Great is another Elle Fanning costume drama

Fanning has been in a number of historical movies in which she gets to wear period authentic clothes. The Beguiled was American Civil War era. Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1818 so Fanning played her in the early 1800s. The Maleficent movies take place in a past that never existed with magic and fairies. She says The Great portrays Catherines wardrobe before it got super fancy.

Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult | Ollie Upton/Hulu

I love fashion, Fanning said. I do love fashion. So that is always of interest to me. I do really care about the character and what she wears. Weve actually kept Catherine quite simple. Even though she is royalty, she doesnt wear jewelry or her dresses are not like the Russian court. She kind of comes in as the German and is in light blues.

Elle Fanning spent hours with The Great costume designers

Fanning said The Great is going to chart Catherines rise in the Russian court. Her wardrobe is going to evolve along the way. Astute viewers may notice the subtle changes from episode to episode. Fanning and costume designer Emma Fryer spent hours choosing the perfect fabrics to illustrate Catherines evolution.

Elle Fanning | Ollie Upton/Hulu

Whats great with TV is you have a longer period of time to subtly make those changes, Fanning said. You dont have to make a huge jump. So over time, all right, maybe well incorporate for when we all wear fake fur on the show. So that was important, but its fascinating to just make those changes very subtly with just a color. We have fittings for hours, honestly, for hours picking fabrics.

The Great costumes dont feel great

Fanning also has experience with the discomfort historical costumes caused women. By the time she was making The Great, she could tough them out.

You cant help but be transported back to that time, being in those clothes and having the corset, which has its ups and downs, Fanning said. I have a love-hate relationship with that.

Elle Fanning is immersed in 18th century Russia

The costumes help Fanning feel like shes living in the past, but so does the world Catherine inhabits. Production designer Francesca Di Mottola created a vast world that helps Fanning feel like shes Catherine the Great.

Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult | Nick Wall/Hulu

The sets are incredible, Fanning said. We still have a bit on location as well in Italy. We do the exteriors in this beautiful castle. Its pretty good, the authentic tapestries and wallpaper. I mean, so much passion has been put into them.


Beijing 'Deplores and Opposes' New Zealand's Move to Back Taiwanese Membership of WHO

Sputnik News

13:54 GMT 12.05.2020(updated 14:02 GMT 12.05.2020)

Wellington joined the United States, Australia and Canada in backing Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization (WHO) as an observer, with the People's Republic calling the move a violation of the One-China policy which has governed relations between Beijing and many Western nations for decades.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has lashed out at authorities in New Zealand over their support for Taiwan's membership of the WHO, calling Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters' recent remarks on the matter a violation of the one-China principle.

"China deplores and opposes [the remarks] and has lodged representations with the New Zealand side," Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the foreign ministry, has said, calling on Wellington to "strictly abide by the One-China principle and immediately stop its wrong actions on Taiwan-related issues to avoid damaging bilateral relations."

"I want to point out that China is committed to developing friendly, cooperative relations with New Zealand based on mutual respect and equality. But we are firmly resolved to uphold our sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. No one should entertain any illusion when it comes to matters concerning China's core interests," Zhao warned.

Zhao added that the "timing" of the recent push by Taipei to join the WHO "reveals its true motive, which is to use the current outbreak to seek 'Taiwan independence'. It is out-and-out political manipulation," the spokesman claimed.

New Zealand recently joined the United States, Australia and Canada in backing Taiwan's right to independently join the WHO as an observer, with Prime Minister Ardern suggesting other WHO members should have the opportunity to "gatherknowledge" on Taiwan's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, even as New Zealand continues to abide by the One-China policy.

"[The People's Republic's] use of a lockdown in Wuhan demonstrated their ability to control the spread of the virus in a way that probably saved a large number of lives. Equally, a place like Taiwan has used some particular approaches that have demonstrated also success in their management," the prime minister said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters praised Taiwan for its COVID-19 response, calling it a "standout society" in this regard. As for relations with China, Peters said Wellington had the right to pursue an independent policy.

"We have got to stand up for ourselves, and true friendship is based on equality. It's based on the ability, in this friendship, to nevertheless disagree. All we are saying is in having looked very carefully around the world, to find examples of how we might help internationally and locally our defeat of COVID-19," Peters said.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, hopes to reincorporate it into the mainland one day, and vehemently opposes any attempts to suggest that the territory is a sovereign state, denouncing attempts by other countries to question this status or to establish direct relations with the island's authorities. The United States and many of its allies began observing the One-China policy in the 70s and 80s, formally recognizing the existence of only one Chinese government (i.e. the People's Republic) while continuing to maintain trade and other relations with Taiwan.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 01:20:01|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Foreign investors would soon be able to apply for a five-year residency in Iran based on regulations approved by the government last summer, Press TV reported quoting the Iranian deputy interior minister as saying on Wednesday.

Application forms would be available in three languages through platforms run by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry, Iran's department on foreign investment, and the Central Bank of Iran, said Babak Dinparast.

The Iranian government has allowed foreigners to settle in the country for five years if they make an investment of more than 250,000 euros or its equivalent in other foreign currencies.

Investments that were eligible for the residency permit were not limited to manufacturing activities, but making bank deposits or investments in bonds or housing sector would also be regarded for the residency opportunity.

The Iranian decision seeks to facilitate Foreign Direct Investment amid the mounting sanction pressures by the United States. Enditem
The adoption of the law on banks is an important moment and a significant step for Ukraine, said British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons, adding that the United Kingdom will support Ukraine in its efforts to implement these key reforms.

"Ukraine's Verkhovna_Rada has just passed the banking law with a strong majority. An important moment and a significant step for the country. UK will continue to support Ukraine in their efforts to achieve these key reforms," she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada at a meeting on Wednesday adopted a bill on banks, necessary for approval of a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Some 270 deputies voted for corresponding bill No. 2571-d "On Amending the Laws of Ukraine on the Improvement of Certain Mechanisms for Regulation of Banking Activities" at the second reading.
To prevent Ethiopia from completing construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and begin operations without first reaching an agreement with Egypt and Sudan, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri has appealed to the UN Security Council to prevail on Ethiopia to settle the dispute over the dam in a way that serves the interests of all parties and safeguards regional stability.

In a formal letter to the Security Council, Shoukri warned of the impact on peace and security in the region should Ethiopia begin filling the dam in July, without Egyptian or Sudanese approval.

He urged the Security Council to encourage Addis Ababa to sign the draft agreement prepared by the US Treasury Department, in collaboration with the World Bank.

Egypt has already initialled the agreement, despite Ethiopia not turning up for the scheduled signing ceremony. As Ethiopia is still refusing to either sign the agreement or return to the negotiating table, the chances are slim for ending the current deadlock in the absence of significant pressure being brought to bear on Addis Ababa.

On Monday, the Ethiopian irrigation minister said Ethiopia has prepared a comprehensive document that provides sufficient response to the complaint Egypt filed to the Security Council. Few expect Ethiopia to budge from its current position, which is to reject anything that might restrict its use of Blue Nile waters for agricultural and electricity generating purposes, regardless of how this impacts on downstream nations. It has been reported that Addis Ababa wants the Washington agreement to provide a fixed quota of Nile water for Ethiopia, and to allow Ethiopia to build as many dams as it likes on the river. It claims that 50 million Ethiopians live in the Blue Nile Basin, and the river is their main source of fresh water. Yet Ethiopia has 12 major rivers, 22 lakes and abundant underground water resources. It also receives 800 billion m3 of rainwater a year, half of the total amount of rainwater that falls on the 10 Nile Basin countries.

For any Security Council response to be effective, the US must back a strongly worded resolution calling on Addis Ababa to heed international laws and conventions regulating the use of transboundary watercourses. Under the UN Watercourses Convention, countries must take every appropriate measure to prevent significant harm to countries on the same watercourse.

The principle of avoidance of harm includes not just depriving others of their water rights but also severe impairment of previously existing agricultural and electricity generating facilities on the watercourse.

Washington could, of course, take the initiative and act itself. It could assert pressure on Addis Ababa to either sign the agreement that the Treasury Department and World Bank drafted, or to return to the negotiating table to resolve outstanding differences. Washington certainly has the leverage in the form of the economic and military assistance it gives Ethiopia, which included $1 billion in counter-terrorism assistance in 2018 alone. Regardless of the methods it chooses, Washington should follow through on President Donald Trumps pledge that his administration will continue with its efforts to get the three countries to conclude an agreement, and US Treasury Security Steven Mnuchin should make it clear to Ethiopia that it must not commence filling the GERD reservoir until an agreement is reached. If Washington fails to act, either independently or through the Security Council, because it is preoccupied with the fight against coronavirus or with Novembers presidential elections, the crisis will continue to seethe.

Egypt will not allow it to be swept under the carpet.

Egypt has other avenues to pursue. While it cannot ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to arbitrate  both parties need to make such a request  it can lodge a grievance against Ethiopia with the ICJ for violating existing agreements and conventions regulating hydraulic works on the Blue Nile, the Sobat and Atbara rivers and their tributaries.

Another alternative is to turn to the UN General Assembly for a resolution, which would avert the possibility of a veto being wielded by one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Such a resolution would bring powerful moral pressure to bear on Ethiopia.

Egypt could also ask Italy, China and other countries that have been assisting Ethiopia with the construction of GERD to suspend technical advice, construction and/or funding until the dispute over the dam is settled and Ethiopia signs a binding agreement. Cairo also has the option of asking friendly countries that have major investment projects in Ethiopia or that host large numbers of Ethiopian workers to intervene with Addis Ababa to encourage it to show the flexibility necessary to reach an agreement.

In March, Shoukri travelled to 16 Arab, African and European countries to explain Egypts position and highlight the flexibility Egypt has shown, the initiatives it has taken and the concessions it has made to try and resolve the dispute. His presentations put paid to Ethiopian propaganda that Egypt is seeking to obstruct construction of the dam in order to undermine Ethiopias right to pursue development. Egypt also exposed the many actions Ethiopia has taken to obstruct negotiations and other efforts to reach an agreement, including its boycott of the last round of talks in Washington in order to avoid signing the draft agreement.

Another positive outcome of Egypts diplomatic drive is that it has prepared the international community for any action Egypt might be forced to take to prevent the dam from going into operation before Addis Ababa commits to an agreement regulating its filling and operation in a manner that averts significant harm to Sudan and Egypt.

Egypts position is backed by Washington and the World Bank, which have witnessed Ethiopias intransigence over several negotiating rounds in Washington and its manoeuvring as it boycotted the last round, giving just one days notice that it would not to attend.

In addition to Upper Nile Basin countries  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan  Shoukris tour also covered South Africa, the current chair of the African Union, Niger, one of the G5 Sahel states, France, a major partner in Ethiopian development, and Belgium, seat of the EU headquarters and a major contributor to peace-making and development efforts in Africa.

In his meetings with key officials in these countries, Shoukri drove home Egypts desire to reach a just, equitable and sustainable agreement that serves Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan. Such an agreement was at hand thanks to the efforts of Washington and the World Bank, he said.

In addition to Shoukris tour, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry delegation headed by Assistant Minister for Arab Affairs Yasser Osman, and Deputy Assistant Minister for Nile Water Affairs Yasser Sorour, visited Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania. They presented letters from President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi stressing the need for an agreement over GERD that safeguards the rights of all parties.

After the Arab League adopted a resolution backing Egypts position, Shoukri visited Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium. These countries leaders, who also received letters from President Al-Sisi, expressed understanding of the Egyptian viewpoint, and many of them lauded Egypt for its flexibility and constructiveness. For example, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi expressed his admiration for Egypts flexibility in efforts to reach an agreement such an existential matter. President of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou also lauded Egyptian efforts and underscored the need to respect the principles of international law.

Shoukry noted that European officials were equally sympathetic, and appreciated Egypts flexibility.

They also understood the implications of Ethiopian intransigence for stability in the Horn of Africa.

Europe feels it important to play a role in preventing any tensions in this region, he said.

Stressing the need for Arab solidarity in defence of Egypts national security, Shoukri said that Egypt would remain in contact with its Arab partners on matters relating to Egypts water security, and with the US in its capacity as a sponsor of the tripartite negotiations over GERD.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The oldest time capsule in Europe, and the second oldest in the world, has been found hidden inside a church spire.

The capsule dating back to 1797 was found by workers during renovation work on the 18th century church in the small town of Ziebice in Poland.

Opening it up, town officials found 200-year-old old coins and documents dated 1797 written in German.

The oldest time capsule in Europe, and the second oldest in the world, has been found hidden inside a 18th century church spire in the small town of Ziebice in Poland

Town officials found 200-year-old old coins and documents dated 1797 written in German. In the 18th century the town was called Munsterberg and was part of the Kingdom of Prussia

The documents in the capsule include names of the people involved in the building of the church. One was a personal note from two women who donated money for construction. Pictured, one of the documents found in the capsule

One of the only time capsules older than this newly discovered one is the the Boston time capsule, which dates back to 1795 and was found in 2015. Pictured, 200-year-old coins discovered in the Polish time capsule

In the 18th century the town was called Munsterberg and was part of the Kingdom of Prussia.

The town's mayor Mariusz Szpilarewicz said: 'All indications are that it may be one of the oldest time capsules found in the world.

'The oldest capsule in the world dates back to the 18th century and was discovered in Boston, USA.

'Our capsule is probably two years younger than the Boston one.'

The Boston time capsule was discovered at the Massachusetts State House in 2014, hidden behind a painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware River.

Inside was an engraved silver plate proclaiming that the capsule was hidden in 1795 by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, along with a host of other items.

The capsule was found by workers during renovations of the church (pictured) and the contents were handed over to town officials, who have examined the contents

The capsule was hidden inside the spire of the church (pictured). The town's mayor Mariusz Szpilarewicz said it may be one of the oldest time capsules found in the world

They included newspapers from the time, along with a collection of coins including a rare 1652 Pine Tree shilling - minted in what was than an English colony in defiance of the King.

Also included were coins dated after the capsule was first buried, leading to the discovery that it had been unearthed once before - in 1855 - when the contents were cleaned, new items were added, and it was reburied.

The documents in the Polish time capsule relate to the construction of the church which was built in 1797 on the site of a 15th century castle and include names of the people involved in the building of the church as well as donors.

One of the papers was a personal note from two women who donated money for the building of the church.

Alongside the canister, documents and photographs were found dating back to 1902-1903.

The German documents were dated 1797 and will now be fully translated and undergo conservation work before being put on display

The documents in the Polish time capsule relate to the construction of the church which was built in 1797 on the site of a 15th century castle

Alongside the canister, documents and photographs were found dating back to 1902-1903. They include a newspaper Munsterberger Zeitung dated 20 August 1902 and evangelical prayer books

They include a newspaper Munsterberger Zeitung dated 20 August 1902 and evangelical prayer books.

According to officials, they are in a severely damaged condition and probably date from an earlier renovation.

The mayor said: 'These people wanted to tell us: 'we were here, we put our heart and life into this, and now you take it over and look after what we left here.'

The documents will now be fully translated and undergo conservation work before being put on display.
New Delhi

Canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will sell only indigenous products beginning June 1, Union home minister Amit Shah announced on Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for popularising local commodities (be vocal about local, he exhorted) in order to make India a self-reliant country in the face of the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

CAPF comprises seven central paramilitary forces, namely the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guards (NSG) and the Assam Rifles.

Shah appealed to people to make the maximum use of swadeshi (locally made) products and encourage others to do the same. Moving in this direction, the home ministry has decided that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will sell only indigenous products from June 1. With this, a million CAPF staffers and five million family members will use local commodities, he tweeted.

In another tweet, Shah underscored that PM Modis appeal to make the country self-reliant and use local products will lay the foundation for India becoming a world leader.

Shah also said the combined sales of all CAPF canteens is worth 2,800 crore annually. There are over 119 CAPF master canteens and 1,625 subsidiary canteens across the country  from border areas to places hit by Maoist violence. If every Indian pledges to use products made in India, the country can become self-sufficient in five years, Shah said.

CAPF canteens were set up in 2006, after demands by central paramilitary personnel who cited that the army already has such canteens.

CAPF canteens are already selling local products to a large extent, following an October 2019 home ministry order that asked them to shun foreign brands and introduce swadeshi goods, including food items, accoutrements for combat and regular duty uniform, bed sheets, towels, household goods, clothing and stationery, and other items. A large number of items is procured from Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

ITBP director general SS Deswal, who is also holding an additional charge as the BSF chief, said: Most of the items we use in our daily life are made in India and are procured from Indian companies. These include uniforms, food, clothes and even weapons. In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic, all masks, sanitizer and equipment used for sanitization (by ITBP and BSF) are manufactured by Indian companies. The canteens will be replenished with only local products from June 1.
The Taliban on Wednesday said they were prepared to battle Afghan forces after the president told troops to resume offensive operations following grisly attacks that have further unravelled a fragile peace process. New details have emerged on Tuesday's assault on a Kabul maternity hospital, where at least 24 people including infants, mothers and nurses were killed. The daylight attack was followed by a blast at a funeral in the country's east that killed 32 mourners. According to international humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, which runs the maternity wing at the Barchi Hospital in west Kabul, one woman gave birth during the lengthy attack. "While pregnant women and babies were seeking health care in one of the most vulnerable states in life ... attackers stormed the maternity (unit) through a series of explosions and gunfire lasting for hours," MSF said in a statement. The group said at least one Afghan colleague appeared to have been among those killed in the "revolting" attack. President Ashraf Ghani blamed both that assault and the funeral bombing on the Taliban and the Islamic State group, ordering Afghan troops to "resume their operations against the enemy". For weeks Afghan forces had been on a "defensive" posture to ease peace talks with the Taliban. But the insurgents, who denied involvement in Tuesday's attacks, warned they were "fully prepared" to counter any strikes by Afghan forces. "From now onwards the responsibility of further escalation of violence and its ramifications shall fall squarely on the shoulders of the Kabul administration," the Taliban said in a statement. The aggressive threatens the fraying peace process just as Afghanistan grapples with a public health crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned "the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks." "Deliberately targeting infants, children, mothers and health workers as such is especially abhorrent," a Council statement read, emphasising that "any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable." - MSF tragedies - MSF has experienced several tragedies in Afghanistan, including the shooting of five staff in 2004 in Badghis province, prompting the group to pull out of the war-torn nation after 24 years. MSF returned in 2009. But in 2015, after the Taliban had seized the northern city of Kunduz, US air strikes destroyed an MSF trauma hospital, killing 42 people. MSF said it opened the 55-bed maternity unit in Kabul in 2014, and has delivered more than 5,000 babies there since January 1. Images of dead mothers and babies wrapped in blood-soaked blankets sparked international outrage. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, said he was "shocked and appalled" by the maternity hospital attack, and held a minute of silence in memory of the victims during a virtual press conference in Geneva. The Taliban have not claimed any major attacks in Kabul and other cities since signing a deal with the United States in February for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan. They have, however, regularly targeted Afghan forces. Afghanistan's intelligence agency said Wednesday that since the US-Taliban deal the insurgents have carried out 3,712 terrorist attacks that have killed almost 500 civilians. A political deadlock between Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah is also seen as a sign of weakness by the Taliban. Abdullah had previously served as Afghanistan's "chief executive" under an earlier power-sharing deal with Ghani, but lost that post after he was defeated by Ghani in a presidential election. Instead of accepting defeat, Abdullah declared himself president, holding his own swearing-in ceremony on the same day Ghani was inaugurated. - US pushes for peace - The Taliban blamed the Islamic State group and elements of the government's intelligence units for the latest attacks. IS have claimed the funeral bombing, but no group has admitted responsibility for the hospital attack. Top US officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who noted the Taliban's denial of responsibility, urged the Afghan government and the militant group to cooperate to ensure a peace process succeeds. "Failure to do so leaves Afghanistan vulnerable to terrorism, perpetual instability and economic hardship," Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy who negotiated the deal with the Taliban, said on Twitter. us-eb-jds-wat/ch/bgs These newborn babies lost their mothers in the May 12, 2020 suicide attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul Wounded mourners are taken to hospital after a suicide bomb attack on a funeral in eastern Afghanistan Mourners prepare to bury a victim of the May 12, 2020 suicide attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul Volunteers carry a wounded boy into a hospital following the suicide attack on the funeral of a local police commander in Nangarhar on May 12, 2020 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani blames both the maternity assault and the funeral bombing on the Taliban and the Islamic State group
Princess Diana could have immediately left Prince Charles upon discovering his infidelity, but she did not.

Prince Charles' unfaithfulness towards Princess Diana was one of the most controversial issues that the royal family had ever faced.

Even before she discovered her husband's infidelity, the Princess of Wales already suffered, as she struggled with her mental issues alone. for his part, Prince Charles made everything worse.

If Princess Diana did not overlook all the problems she went through with Prince Charles, she could have ended her relationship with him immediately. However, a royal expert revealed what took her so long to divorce the Prince of Wales.

In the 1992 book "Diana: Her True Story," royal author Andrew Morton revealed that Princess Diana "delayed" the legal separation out of her respect for Queen Elizabeth II.

"While Diana finds the monarchy as presently organised as a crumbling institution she has a deep respect for the manner in which the queen has conducted herself for the last forty years," Morton wrote. "Indeed, much as she would like to leave her husband, Diana has emphasised to her: 'I will never let you down.'"

Princess Diana had to endure more years being with Prince Charles for Queen Elizabeth II and their two sons, Prince William and Prince Charles.

Meanwhile, although she wanted to end her marriage as soon as possible, the documentary "Diana: In Her Own Words" unveiled how the Princess of Wales recalled the time when she tried to seek advice from the Queen about her relationship with the heir to the throne.

In 1986, the late royal princess reportedly went to Queen Elizabeth II, sobbing and asking for assistance since she felt like her life with Prince Charles was "loveless."

"I went to the top lady and said: 'I don't know what I should do," Princess Diana narrated. "She said: 'I don't know what you should do.' And that was it. That was 'help.'"

Despite that incident, Princess Diana famously showed her respect to the Queen in public when they attended an event on a hot day.

Despite the humid environment, the Princess of Wales refused to fan herself since Queen Elizabeth II would not be using one.

"[Princess Diana said] 'My mother-in-law is going to be standing there with her handbag, gloves, stockings, and shoes.' It was a sentiment expressed in admiring tones for the Sovereign's complete self-control in every circumstance, however trying," Morton mentioned in the same book.

Princess Diana A "Great Loss" To The Monarchy

After Princess Diana died in a tragic car incident in 1997, Queen Elizabeth II expressed the same amount of respect to her through a heartfelt address to the nation.

"I want to pay tribute to Diana myself," the Queen began. "She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and in bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness."

Her Majesty added that she admired and respected her not only as the people's princess, but also as a mother to Princes William and Harry.

Aside from the address, the monarch reportedly wrote a letter six days after the incident wherein she called Princess Diana as "a great loss" to the monarchy and the country.
"The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants." Camus

The COVID-19 pandemic has served one particular purpose: it has demonstrated for all to see how much the left bends toward authoritarianism while the right is left to fight for freedom.

From the moment Drs. Fauci and Birx presented the president with Neil Ferguson's grossly overly alarmist computer model predicting mass death, leading them to advocate for a total shutdown of the economy, the left's natural inclination to ruthless subjugation reared its ugly head. Very quickly, those with a heretofore modicum of power puffed themselves up like howler monkeys and started barking orders at their perceived subjects.



Photo credit: takomabibelot.

The Napoleonic Dr. Fauci is the first person that comes to mind when considering all those who have assumed power far beyond their realm. Yes, he has long been a government apparatchik, the go-to immunologist since 1984 during the AIDS epidemic. He got a lot wrong then, as he has gotten a lot wrong throughout the COVID-19 event. A long-time leftist and fawning fan of Hillary Clinton, he has leapt to the top of the heap of those the media worship as the fount of all COVID-19 knowledge.

The media never challenge him, never bring up all the things he has had to revisit. "The flu is not serious," "it is serious"; "masks are not necessary," "masks are necessary"; and now we cannot open up the states until there is a vaccine. To this day, there is no vaccine for AIDS. This man has very likely not been a physician in a hospital or seen a patient in decades. He looks at data no matter how flawed and dictates his recommendations based on computer algorithms, and the media hang on his every word as if uttered from Mt. Sinai, which is why we are where we are today.

If Trump were to take issue with Fauci, the media would suffer a mass meltdown.

So here we are, eight weeks into a national shutdown, and our petty tyrants with swelling chests are all over the place, particularly in the blue states. It is elected Democrats, from governors to the mayors of small towns, who are giving orders like the drill sergeants they are at heart. Cuomo of N.Y. is perhaps the worst because his orders sent thousands of elderly patients to their deaths when he ordered those sick with the virus into nursing homes.

Then there is the clownish governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, who has taken what she views as her absolute power to ordain which businesses can stay open and what people may purchase. Marijuana, alcohol, lottery tickets are allowed; plants, paint, baby gear are not. Big box stores in Michigan have had to close off forbidden items with police tape. Citizens of Michigan cannot drive to their summer homes or visit friends. They can row a boat but not ride in one with a motor.

Equally controlling are the governor of Illinois, Pritzker, and Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot. They are both wallowing in their newfound power over their constituents. Pritzker has banned all travel, but not for his own family. He has decreed that churches cannot open for a year. Churches to the left are like crosses to a vampire. Lightfoot closed all hair salons but went to her own. Both defended their breaking their own decrees because, well, they are special.

Then there is California, which has for the most part avoided the mass death that N.Y. has endured. Gov. Gavin Newsom has had it pretty easy, but that has not kept him from issuing all sorts of arbitrary closures, like beaches. He has ordered by-mail voting (easier to cheat), and of course the closure of all non-essential businesses. Like the rest of these petty tyrants, they have shuttered the businesses of those who most need to work, those who need a weekly income.

This crowd of overseers does not lose a dime of income or a wink of sleep while ordering those for whom business is absolutely essential to sit at home  like that judge in Dallas who sat up high on his bench and called salon-owner Shelly Luther selfish and demanded she apologize for opening her place of business. She told him she needed to feed her kids and that she would not apologize for that. He fined her $7K and sentenced her to seven days in jail. This so enraged the people most affected by this brand of leftist indifference to her plight that her GoFundMe page raised over $500K. One would think that might be a wake-up call to theses big kahunas, but no  they double down.

Tom Wolf, Governor of Pennsylvania, ordered "all but life-sustaining businesses" to be shuttered. As numerous business and some local mayors have rebelled, he has threatened them with withholding of funds and/or loss of business licenses. This is the man who said, when Tucker Carlson asked him if he had considered the Bill of Rights when shutting down his state, replied that the Bill of Rights was "above his pay grade."

That is how you recognize tyrants  they never consider the Constitution, for they intend to render it meaningless. Then there is Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey. He has banned all social gatherings and all what-he-deems-non-essential businesses. NJ was a hot spot for the virus but Murphy's tack has been to instill fear and panic; "folks have go to be jolted" he told Martha Radditz.

The new Gov. of Kentucky revealed himself to be a tyrant of the anti-religious kind. He's the one who promised that if churchgoers attended an Easter service in their cars, their license plates would be collected and they would be fined. A Trump-appointed judge, Justin Walker, put a stop to that nonsense.

Janet Mills, Gov. of Maine has been extremely hard on her citizens, shuttering all businesses and threatening those who defy her with loss of licenses. As of now, Maine had counted 1,477 cases and sixty-five deaths in a state of 1.3m people! Meanwhile, the media have gone hard after any red state governor who has not imposed strict enough, to their minds, rules to be followed or else. Nearly all of the mainstream media experiences malevolent joy at the misfortune, the loss of thirty million jobs, the working people of America are suffering.

Who is the very worst of the worst? That would be Nancy Pelosi of fancy ice cream infamy. This is the person who most clearly defines the left today. Arrogant, elitist, thoroughly out of touch with working people, she is a 2020 version of Marie Antoinette and Lady Macbeth  corrupt and unscrupulous to her very core. She has offered up an additional spending bill, this time $3t -the Heroes Bill of 2020 - that is ludicrous, full of far left nonsense having little whatever to do with the consequences of the virus or the shutdown. It does provide billions for illegal immigrants, however. This monstrosity is her version of "never let a crisis go to waste." The US is already at least $25t in debt. To borrow this much more would make us a "vassal of China" (Mark Levin) in perpetuity. Like the rest of her set, they truly do mean to destroy America and use the impoverishment of middle classes they so abhor to do it.

Pandemics like this one, maybe less serious, perhaps more serious, will come and go as they have for millennia. If this current pandemic has done anything valuable, it is to expose the predilection for totalitarianism that is the soul of the American left for all to see and experience. Even our socialist-indoctrinated millennials do not like their beaches closed and their bars and restaurants put out of business. All those people who finally found jobs once Trump became president are not likely to look upon their jailers with fondness. These blue state commies may find themselves voted out by the very people they have long taken for granted.

Meanwhile, those who have bought into the panic and fear, those isolating themselves in their homes while their immune systems weaken, will suffer the most, physically and mentally. Drug overdoses are sure to rise, as are deaths by lack of medical attention, cancer screenings and necessary elective surgeries, and of course suicides. This is what our tyrannous left hath wrought.

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." Frederick Douglass

The American people are not likely to stand for the abrogation of their natural and constitutional rights to self-preservation, independence and economic pursuits much longer. Viruses come and go but the American spirit will prevail. Petty tyrants be damned.
Mamata Banerjee accusing Centre of being 'anti-federal' is a sign of her failure to tackle COVID-19 crisis in West Bengal

The fact that Mamata Banerjee didnt find support on this count from other chief ministers, to be more specific from the other non-BJP, non-NDA ruled states is indicative that there was not much substance in her accusations.

Sanjay Singh May 13, 2020 13:58:54 IST

In chief ministers meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of being anti-federal and partisan against Bengal. Her anger was predictable as she has been attempting hard to build this narrative for the last six years to hide her own failure in ruling the state.

The fact that she didnt find support on this count from other chief ministers, to be more specific from the other non-BJP, non-NDA ruled states is indicative that there was not much substance in her accusations. West Bengals handling of coronavirus pandemic has been non-transparent, to say the least.

It should be noted in the last 50 days Modi has held five meetings with chief ministers discussing ways and means to fight the novel coronavirus and deliberate on mechanisms to reduce the transmission rate of the disease on the one hand and on the other to gradually resume public and economic activity without diluting social distancing guidelines.

Mondays meeting was fifth such meeting and it continued for about six and a half hours. That by itself is an indicator that the Centre and states are working in close coordination. Individual states may have a grievance on a given issue but thats legitimate and excepted, there cant be a sweeping generalisation like Mamata sought to portray.

Unlike the United States of America, federalism has its own meaning in India. Since school days one is taught, rightly so, that India is quasi-federal state, more of a unitary than federal in nature.

Role of leadership comes into play here. Modis USP is three-fold, his leadership, ability to deliver goods on the ground and his direct connect with the masses. It is true that the decision to announce national lockdown on the evening of 23 May was unilateral. It had to be so. The Centre came out of a series of guidelines on lockdown and social distancing norms, amending and revising them as days passed by and emerging situations required.

From then onward the directives issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on lockdown have incorporated suggestions made by the states. The Centre, of course, had to exercise its own wisdom and discretion on certain issues.

The other way to look at it is the fact that it was not possible to have unanimity amongst all the states on a given issue. But one must give credit to the states (barring the exception of West Bengal), they have had reservations on an issue but once the directive was issued by the Centre they implemented it.

The fact that even as deliberations of Mondays meeting was duly recorded Modi asking the chief ministers to share a broad strategy on how you each one of you would want to deal with the lockdown regime in your particular states.. I want states to make a blueprint on how to deal with various nuances during and after the gradual easing of the lockdown, is yet another example of how 'cooperative federalism at play in India.

It also gives a sense that in Lockdown 4.0 which may come into force from next week may give larger role or discretion to the states to decide on the nature of lockdown and resumption of public and economic activities.

One of the benefits of centrally driven lockdown mechanism has been uniformity of response by the states, or India as a nation and both officials and public at large at district and block levels broadly understood standard operating norms. Now could be the time to relax the hitherto centrally driven approach.

It is this context that Modis words to chief ministers, I am of the firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the second phase and similarly the measures needed in the third phase are not needed in the fourth, become even more significant.

One of the key things that would be watched closely when Centre announces guidelines for Lockdown 4.0 is whether the classification of red, orange and green zone districts would be done by the Centre or it will devise fresh guidelines for containment zones and leave it to the states to decide on the classification of zones and accordingly resumption of public activities.

The other manifestation of federal spirit and close cooperation of the states with Centre comes from Modis remark on the way world has fundamentally changed post COVID-19 and just like in case of world wars, the world will be "Pre-Corona, Post-Corona, and the challenges and opportunities it presented.

India cant move forward the way it desires in changed social and economic conditions without a unified national resolve to do so.

The changes that post-Corona situation entails is not just about how offices and business and economic hubs functioned but also the way Centre and states in India functioned.

Modis new slogan Jan Se lekar Jag Tak has to be seen as Indias yearning to be in a leadership position in the soon to be changing world order.
NEW YORK - Lawyers for President Donald Trump this week reiterated their argument that a defamation lawsuit from a woman who says Trump groped and kissed her without consent should be halted because the president is immune from lawsuits filed in state courts while serving in office.

A new 28-page court brief, filed Monday and released publicly by the New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday, is Trump's latest salvo in a multi-front legal battle to limit the ability of private citizens, Congress and even law enforcement to investigate him as a sitting president.

The release came on the same day Trump's lawyers argued to the United States Supreme Court that the president should be able to shield his tax returns and private business records from subpoenas issued by Democratic-led House congressional committees and the Manhattan district attorney. They argued that the president should be immune from requests he believed were political attempts to harass.

The filing in New York was also a pointed reminder that Trump continues to quietly battle two women in court who say he sexually assaulted them, fighting their efforts to obtain testimony and documents that could shed light on their accusations. The women, Summer Zervos and Jean Carroll, are among more than a dozen women who have accused Trump of unwanted physical contact in the years before he was elected.

Trump's efforts to fend off their legal claims come as his allies have sought to spotlight allegations that his likely Democratic rival in the general election, former vice president Joe Biden, sexually assaulted a Senate aide in 1993, a claim Biden has denied.

Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, declined to comment on the Zervos and Carroll cases.

This week's filing came in a defamation case brought by Zervos, a former contestant on the reality show "The Apprentice," who alleges that Trump aggressively groped and kissed her in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2007, at what she thought would be a meeting to discuss a job opportunity at the Trump Organization.

She first made the allegations in October 2016 after the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape in which Trump could be heard bragging about grabbing women's genitals.

Trump denied her claims, calling her and other women who accused him of sexual misconduct liars who are motivated by politics and money. In 2017, Zervos filed suit against the president, arguing that Trump defamed her by accusing her of lying about the episode.

Since then, the case has been making its way through the New York court system. Lower-level state courts have rejected Trump's immunity arguments and allowed evidence to be gathered.

Phone records released as part of the case last year showed that Trump and Zervos exchanged six telephone calls over a three-month period around the time when she said the assault took place, including on a day when Trump's calendar showed that he was visiting Los Angeles.

A judge had ordered that Trump be deposed in the case, and he had been scheduled to give sworn testimony about his interactions with the California restaurant owner by Jan. 31.

But the deposition was put on hold when a panel of New York judges agreed that Trump's immunity argument should be heard by the state's highest court, the New York Court of Appeals. Both sides have filed written briefs in advance of oral arguments before the court.

It is not expected to be heard until early 2021, though the coronavirus pandemic may delay proceedings further, according to a spokesperson for the court - meaning that the litigation is on hold until after the November election.

Arguments in the case have centered on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Clinton v. Jones, which found that a sitting president has no immunity against civil litigation. As a result, then-President Bill Clinton sat for testimony in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones.

The deposition later figured in Clinton's impeachment after he lied in his sworn testimony about his relationship with a White House intern.

Trump's lawyers have argued that the Clinton ruling should only apply to civil lawsuits filed in federal court, like the Jones case was. They argue that presidents should not face lawsuits from private individuals in state courts while in office, and so Zervos' litigation should be either dismissed or put on hold until Trump leaves office.

In the latest filing, Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz argued that state judges can't "exercise any control . . . over the President while he or she is in office."

Trump has also been fighting a lawsuit brought by longtime advice columnist and author Carroll, who last year accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s, which he has denied. The case is likewise in a holding pattern while a trial court judge in Manhattan determines how the Zervos case could affect it.

Carroll sued Trump in 2019 after writing in her book "What Do We Need Men For?: A Modest Proposal" that she was raped by Trump in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a New York department store, in 1995 or 1996.

Trump said that he'd never met Carroll, though they were photographed at the same event in the late 1980s.

In a statement to The Washington Post this month, Carroll said Trump had "damaged a reputation it took me decades of hard work to build."

In addition to denying her claims, Trump had derided the now-76-year-old Carroll as not his "type."

"I have been mocked and doubted, harassed and threatened, and am now seen by many as some crazy old bat who is 'not his type' and who made up a story of rape in order to sell more books," she said. "Every day that goes by with me unable to prove that I was telling the truth and that Donald Trump was not - is another day of waiting to obtain the justice that I deserve."

Carroll's lawyers have said the president's lawyers have imposed delay tactics from the start, writing in a February court filing that Trump "has done everything he can to stop the truth from ever coming out."

The president sought a dismissal on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that he couldn't be sued in New York because he is a resident of Florida, where his Mar-a-Lago residence was declared his official home.

Carroll's attorneys have also sought to collect Trump's DNA so it can be compared to material found on the dress she says she was wearing the day she says she was attacked, a request that is pending the judge's decision about whether Carroll's suit could be determined by Zervos' arguments.

At one point, Trump's team argued that the Carroll and Zervos cases were so different that they could not be handled by the same judge. Later, his attorneys argued that the cases were so similar that Carroll's needed to be on pause until the Court of Appeals ruling in the Zervos matter.

Carroll lawyer Roberta Kaplan wrote that the president's "takes on this case and Zervos have been remarkably inconsistent (even contradictory)," but that he "deserves credit for consistently doing everything possible" to avoid proceeding.

Kasowitz, Trump's attorney, did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump's position in court stands in contrast with the political arguments being made against Biden by the president's GOP allies. In recent weeks, they have pressed Democratic lawmakers to answer whether they believe Reade, the former Biden aide, and demanded that the presumed Democratic nominee do more to answer the claim against him.

In an appearance on Fox News this month, Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and a campaign adviser, suggested that people innocent of sexual assault charges would engage in radical transparency to prove the allegations false.

"I would think if you were being accused of something and you were totally innocent you would go to any length possible . . . to try and clear your name including allowing people to open up files like that and make sure you've turned over every single leaf to prove your innocence," she said.

Biden requested that the secretary of the Senate search for and release any records related to a harassment complaint that Reade has said she filed against Biden's office. The Senate secretary replied that federal law would not allow for such documents, if they exist, to be released.

Reade's attorney this week sent Biden a letter asking him to open up his Senate office archives, maintained at the University of Delaware, and authorize a search any relevant records.

Trump himself has sounded more sympathetic to his Democratic rival, saying on Fox & Friends last week that Biden is "is going to have to be able to prove whatever he has to prove, or she has to prove it, but that's a battle he has to fight."

"I've had many false accusations made, I can tell you that," Trump added. "Many. And maybe it is a false accusation. Frankly, I hope it is, for his sake."
New Delhi, May 13 : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo on Wednesday announced it will distribute 'Make in India masks to its employees and their families.

These masks are being produced at Oppo manufacturing plant in Greater Noida.

"The manufacturing facility resumed operations on May 8 with 30 per cent workforce following the MHA directive. The workforce is also engaged in production of masks with specially-procured equipment. Oppo will be distributing the masks free of cost among its employees and their family members," the company said in a statement.

The firm has also distributed masks to the Uttar Pradesh government and collaborated with the authorities to provide food to the stranded migrant workers.

The company earlier donated Rs 1 crore to Prime Minister's National Relief Fund and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's Distress Fund to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The smartphone maker has also initiated an online repair service that will help with basic troubleshooting and software related issues.
Landmarks in Northern Ireland turned blue in a special tribute to mark International Nurses' Day.

A range of monuments and council buildings across the region were illuminated blue, the colour of the NHS, to thank nursing staff for their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Joanne Doolan and her four year old son Matthew Shine A Light at their north Belfast home Photopress Lady Mary Peters lit a candle on International Nurses Day on the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale / Facebook

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People were also encouraged to shine a light from their windows to show their appreciation for all that nurses are doing to save and rebuild the lives of patients with coronavirus.

It was part of the symbolic gesture, a nod to the lamp that Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, was known to carry. This year has been designated the International Year of the Nurse and also marked the bicentenary of Nightingale's birth. Her image and a message of thanks was also projected from Parliament on to her place of work, St Thomas' Hospital, while similar projections will happen at the British Embassy in Rome and the Italian Federation of Nurses.

Thousands of former nurses have come out of retirement to help the health service deal with the coronavirus outbreak, and thousands of students are also helping by working in extended clinical placements.

Paying tribute, Director Royal College of Nursing NI Pat Cullen said: "This may not be the Nurses' Day we envisaged but now, more than ever, we can be proud to be a nurse."

Lady Mary Peters also paid tribute to the nursing staff and all the other the NHS frontline, saying: "I want to send my love and respect to each and everyone of you.

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"We have so much to thank you for."

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: "I would like to thank all our nurses for the amazing work they are doing during the Covid19 crisis and for their work in normal time."

The Queen led tributes to nurses all over the world as members of the Royal Family spoke to healthcare workers in the UK and seven Commonwealth countries.

The Royal Family released a video of the conversations and they spoke about the vital role the profession is currently playing as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the globe.

Boris Johnson, who recently thanked nurses for saving his life in hospital with coronavirus, said Nightingale "revolutionised Victorian healthcare, establishing principles that stand to this day".

The Prime Minister added that her legacy "lies in the remarkable women and men she continues to inspire today".

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Whatsapp NHS Lead Research Nurse Arlene Lee poses for a picture inside the nave at Westminster Abbey

"And while much has changed in medicine since Florence's time, she would walk into one of our wonderful NHS hospitals today and I've no doubt that she would recognise in an instant the dedication, the compassion, the incredible skill of the nurses on duty," he added.
TDT | Manama

The Ministry of Health website, since the first case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Kingdom, has racked up more than 9 million page views. The website, the Ministry of Healths Information and Planning Department said, has seen steady growth in page views over the past couple of months.

Bahrain confirmed its first COVID-19 case when a school bus driver returned from Iran via Dubai on 21 February 2020. The staggering number posted by the authority also confirms that the website is becoming more and more popular among people in the Kingdom, especially in conjunction with various activities planned by the national campaign to combat COVID-19 infection.

The authority said it recorded approximately 250,000 views on the page displaying the results of the coronavirus tests and more than half a million views on the contact tracing page.

The Coronavirus Test Results E-Service enables the public to check the results of the conducted Coronavirus COVID19 tests maintained by ISEHA. (https:// www.moh.gov.bh/CovidResults)

Med home delivery

The ministry further said it is providing the general public here access to several facilities like remote consultation and provision of drug delivery on its website in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the Kingdom.

The drug delivery, since the launch of SMC Medical Prescriptions Delivery Service on the ministrys website, handled approximately 8,200 requests within a month and 1,200 requests in less than a week of the launch.

According to the ministry website, The eService facilitates the process of booking a medical prescription delivery service with the SMC pharmacy as it allows the user to request the delivery service online. To avail the service, use the link (www.moh.gov.bh/eServices/pharmacy).

Upon registering, the service will send the user an SMS with a request number. However, this service will not include controlled medications and medications dispensed from health centres, which is a different service.

Drugs will be delivered based on approved medical prescription found in the patients electronic file in the system (I-Seha) at the time specified for delivery. For obtaining the service of the health centres for chronic patient medications, use this link (https://www.moh.gov.bh/eServices/Hcpharmacy).

This eService facilitates the process of booking a medical prescription delivery service with the Health Centre pharmacy. This service also does not include controlled medications. MoH website also has links to YouTube channels that live streams various programmes and awareness films.
As the chancellor rose to speak in the House of Commons, his team posted a graphic on his personal Twitter account that said, Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Extended, with the catchline, We Stand Together in vivid contrasting colour, and his own signature underneath, over the title, Chancellor.

One person who will recognise that as a leadership bid will be Boris Johnson, who is not only recovering from Covid-19 but from the mauling his mixed messages have received over the past two days.

What a contrast. The prime minister has been criticised  including by the members of the public drafted in to give him a break from negative, nit-picking, oppositional journalists at his news conference on Monday  for vague and contradictory communications.
Russia's UN ambassador said Tuesday that Moscow will oppose any attempts by the United States to extend the arms embargo on Iran and reimpose UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Vassily Nebenzia's comments at a video news conference made clear that the Trump administration will have a tough time advancing any measures to impose further punishment on Iran in the UN Security Council, where Russia has veto power.

The United States circulated a draft UN resolution that would indefinitely extend the UN arms embargo on Iran, which expires in October, to a small number of council members in late April.

It would strike the expiration of the arms embargo from the council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between six major powers the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, and Iran, according to Trump administration officials and UN diplomats.

Russia has made no secret of its desire to resume conventional weapons sales to Tehran.

Nebenzia said the arms embargo is "a byproduct" of the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, and was temporary.

"It expires in October. ... And for us that's clear, that's clear," he said. "I do not see any reason why an arms embargo should be imposed on Iran."

Nebenzia was also asked about the controversial matter of the Trump administration possibly seeking to use the "snapback" provision in the 2015 Security Council resolution endorsing the nuclear deal, which would restore all UN sanctions against Iran that had been lifted or eased under the terms of the agreement.

The Russian ambassador stressed that "to trigger a snapback you have to be a participant of the JCPOA, and the US proudly announced on May 8, 2018 that they withdrew from the JCPOA and closed the door behind."

"Now, they knock on the door and say, 'Now just wait a second we forgot to do one little thing on the JCPOA, but let us back, we'll do it and we'll leave again,'" he said.

Nebenzia called the possibility the US invoking snapback "ridiculous", stressing that "for me it's unequivocal. They are not members, they have no right" to use any instruments provided by the JCPOA.

He also asked the Trump administration what it would gain from triggering snapback "because snapback will definitely be the end of the JCPOA."

Nebenzia that the reaction will be that "the most intrusive inspections" of any country which the International Atomic Energy Agency is carrying out in Iran will cease." "My question is, is it in the US interests that it happens?," he asked.

The Trump administration is not planning at this point to raise the controversial issue of "snapback", said US officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Although President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal, the US maintains that it retains the right to invoke a sanctions snapback that the deal envisaged in the event of "significant non-performance" by Iran.

That position rests on a novel State Department legal argument that was first presented in December and asserts that although the US is no longer in the nuclear deal, it remains an original "participant" under the terms of the Security Council resolution that enshrined it.

That resolution does, in fact, list the parties to the 2015 agreement by name, but numerous diplomats in addition to Russia have said the American argument is specious because the Trump administration has made such a point about no longer participating in the deal.

Nebenzia was asked who the legal arbiter of whether the US still has standing to trigger snapback should be.

"It is up to the members of the Security Council primarily, first of all, and to the remaining participants of the JCPOA itself," he said.

Nebenzia quoted a letter from Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday in which Zarif says not only is the US is "in grave violation" of the 2015 resolution for non-performance, "but it is blatantly attempting illegal paths to reverse the resolution in actual contempt for well-established principles of international law."

Solely by withdrawing from the JCPOA, the US "has lost any right," he quoted Zarif as saying.

Nebenzia said he subscribes fully to Zarif's words, adding, "this to me looks like a truthful legal interpretation."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:48:20|Editor: huaxia

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A child of Pudu Wet Market area takes COVID-19 test in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 5, 2020. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

-- India becomes 12th worst-affected country with over 74,000 cases;

-- Thailand records zero cases for first time since January;

-- Indonesia records highest single-day rise of 689 cases;

-- Bangladesh reports 19 new deaths, biggest daily increase since March.

HONG KONG, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries.

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia reported 37 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday bringing the national total to 6,779, the Health Ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said at a press briefing that of the new cases, 33 cases were local transmissions and four imported.

A woman receives a rapid test in Tangerang, Indonesia, May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.)

JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government on Wednesday announced 689 new confirmed cases of the COVID-19, the highest single-day rise since the outbreak in the country in early March, taking the total to 15,438 cases in the country.

A traffic police officer wearing protective equipment performs duty on a street in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 11, 2020. (Str/Xinhua)

DHAKA -- Bangladesh reported 19 new deaths of COVID-19 patients Wednesday, the country's biggest daily increase since March.

A migrant worker wearing a face mask sits outside his shanty during the lockdown in New Delhi, India, May 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

NEW DELHI -- India has become the 12th most-affected country on Wednesday due to the pandemic after recording a total of 74,281 COVID-19 cases and 2,415 deaths.

With these figures, India has crossed Canada's tally, which has 71,157 cases of COVID-19, according to World Health Organization (WHO) list.

A staff member checks the temperature of a man at the entrance of Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand, May 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)

BANGKOK -- Thailand on Wednesday saw zero new COVID-19 cases, the first time since Jan. 13 when the first case was recorded in the country, Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said Wednesday.

Filipinos returning from London arrive at the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines, May 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA -- The Philippines' daily tally of new infections rose by 268 on Wednesday, increasing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 11,618.

A woman works at a biscuit factory in Kathmandu, Nepal on May 8, 2020. (Photo by Sulav Shrestha/Xinhua)

KATHMANDU -- COVID-19 cases in Nepal crossed 200 mark after the Ministry of Health and Population on Tuesday reported 83 new cases, in the largest single day spike in cases.

The Himalayan country reported 57 cases in the afternoon and an additional 26 cases at night on Tuesday, increasing the total count of the COVID-19 to 217.

With the rising number of cases in recent days, the COVID-19 cases in Nepal more than doubled in less than a week, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Health and Population.

People walk on a beach in Wellington, New Zealand, April 28, 2020. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand reported no more COVID-19 cases for two consecutive days on Wednesday, with the total number of confirmed and probable cases remaining at 1,497, as the country is about to relax lockdown restrictions midnight.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government will deliver Budget 2020 on Thursday "within the most challenging economic conditions faced by any government since the Great Depression."

New Zealand will move to COVID-19 Alert Level 2 on Thursday and reopen most businesses in 10 days, according to a decision made on Monday.

A man reads at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul, South Korea, May 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

SEOUL -- South Korea reported 26 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of 0:00 a.m. Wednesday local time, raising the total number of infections to 10,962.

After hitting the bottom at two on May 6, the daily caseload continued to rise and stay around 30 in recent days.

South Korea's job loss hit the worst in over 21 years in April as companies led employees to go on unpaid leave or be laid off amid the COVID-19 outbreak, statistical office data showed Wednesday.

A policeman is on duty at a temporary checkpoint on Vatuwaqa Bridge in Suva, Fiji, April 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yongxing)

SUVA -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has held talks with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau on the latest developments of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) on Wednesday, Bainimarama spoke with Trudeau earlier this week, and they agreed that international coordination and information sharing is critical to respond effectively to COVID-19.

They shared information on the spread of the virus in their countries, and measures taken to protect the health, safety, and economic well-being of the people in their countries.
Christopher Nolans trilogy of Batman films changed the superhero movie landscape, and their influence can still be felt today. But Nolan and star Christian Bale were given the opportunity to return for a fourth Batman movie, and both said no.

Bale in a 2019 interview had said that the duos goal was always to take it one film at a time, and concentrate on making that film the best that it could be. And when the movies began raking in the money and drawing critical acclaim, they were given the chance to continue the story.

He told Toronto Sun, We knew we had to reinvent it. I literally had people laugh at me when I told them we were doing a new kind of Batman. I think that the reason it worked was first and foremost Chris take on it. But also we never were arrogant to assume that we had an opportunity beyond one film at a time.

Also read: The real story of Heath Ledgers physically and mentally draining descent into the mind of the Joker

The actor continued, Thats something that Chris always would talk about. Hed say, This is it. Were making one film. Thats all weve got. Then when they came and said, You want to go make another? It was fantastic, but we still said, This is it. We will not get another opportunity. Then they came and they said, OK, lets do a third one. Chris had always said to me that if we were fortunate to be able to make three we would stop. Lets walk away after that.

Nolan directed Bale in three Batman films -- Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. The third film teased a possible continuation for the story, with Bruce Wayne having survived and passed on the baton to Joseph Gordon Levitts character.

Bale continued, Then when they inevitably came to us and said, How about a No. 4? I said, No. We have to stick to Chris dream, which was always to, hopefully, do a trilogy. Lets not stretch too far and become overindulgent and go for a fourth. Thats why we, well Chris, stepped away. After that, the actor laughed, I was informed my services were no longer required.

At a 2012 conference, Nolan flat-out rejected the idea of making a fourth Batman film. We never had a specific trajectory, Nolan said. I wanted to put everything into making one great film, I didnt want to hold anything back.

The character was rebooted in 2016s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which actor Ben Affleck put on the cape and cowl for a more world-weary take on the character. Nolan, in a conversation with BAFTA, seemingly offered a comparison between his films, and the follow-ups, and said that filmmakers nowadays arent given as much time to create their movies. He said he was afforded the luxury of time. He continued, Thats a privilege and a luxury that filmmakers arent afforded anymore. I think it was the last time that anyone was able to say to a studio, I might do another one, but it will be four years. Theres too much pressure on release schedules to let people do that now but creatively its a huge advantage. We had the privilege and advantage to develop as people and as storytellers and then bring the family back together.

Also read: Robert Pattinson on how his Batman will be different from Ben Affleck, Christian Bales versions

Nolan has since directed the science-fiction epic Interstellar and the war film Dunkirk. His next movie, Tenet, is currently slated for a July release. Bale will reportedly return to superhero films with a villainous role in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Batman will be rebooted a second time after Bales exit in 2021, when Robert Pattinson steps into the role in Matt Reeves film. Bale expressed excitement about Pattinsons casting. Good choice! Bale told Variety. Hes interesting. Asked if he had any advice for Pattinson, Bale said, Just be able to pee by yourself. You dont feel like a superhero when you arent able to piss by yourself.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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PHOENIX, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Maricopa County Superior Court Presiding Judge Joseph C. Welty has appointed Attorney Marischa Gilla as a Commissioner of the Superior Court in Maricopa County.

Gilla, a former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney with the law firm of MayesTelles, will assume her new role in the Court's Criminal Department in May.

The Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County is the state's largest court system, and the 4th largest trial court in the country. The Court has jurisdiction over all felony cases in Maricopa County.

About Marischa Gilla

An Arizona native, Gilla is a former felony prosecutor who served as a Deputy County Attorney and Bureau Chief with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.

During her 13-year tenure, Gilla prosecuted cases ranging from low-level felonies to violent crimes, homicides, and death penalty cases. She was named Maricopa County Prosecutor of the Year in 2014, as well as Maricopa County Division II Attorney of the Year.

A graduate of Northern Arizona University and California Western School of Law in San Diego, Gilla has focused her professional career on the practice of criminal law. In addition to her time as a prosecutor, Gilla worked as a criminal defense lawyer for the Phoenix-based firm MayesTelles.

Maricopa County Superior Court's Criminal Department

As Commissioner for the Criminal Department, the largest department within the Maricopa County Superior Court system, Gilla will work in collaboration with other criminal justice agencies to ensure cases are resolved in a just and efficient manner, and that the rights of defendants, victims, and community are upheld and respected.

In addition, Gilla will help oversee case procedures in matters where the State has filed charges against a defendant, processes in many specialized courts anchored within the Criminal Department  including the Drug, DUI, Veterans, Initial Appearance and Early Disposition, and Comprehensive Mental Health Courts  and the Department's many innovative program and projects.

Gilla's insight as both a former prosecutor and criminal defense attorney will be an invaluable asset to the Court, and her professionalism and passion for the law and local communities will undoubtedly serve the Department well as it continues to adapt and evolve amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

SOURCE MayesTelles PLLC
Maharashtra on Wednesday registered its highest single-day jump in coronavirus cases and deaths with 1,495 new infections and 54 more deaths, taking the tally past 25,000 to 25,922 and toll to 975.

The countrys worst-affected city, Mumbai, breached the 15,000 mark with 800 new cases, taking its count to 15,747.

According to the data provided by the state health department, of the deaths recorded on Wednesday, 40 were in Mumbai, six in Pune, two each in Jalgaon, Solapur and Aurangabad, and one each in Vasai-Virar and Ratnagiri. The health department said it has not added Mumbais 220 patients from May 7 to the total due to the absence of reconciliation on the portal of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

More than 50% of the states Covid-19 cases have come in this month alone. The first case was on March 9. From May 1 to May 13, Maharashtra has clocked 13,820 cases, 53.31% of the total.

According to the state health department, 422 patients recovered from Covid-19 on Wednesday, taking the total number of recoveries to 5,547.

The state has, so far, conducted 2,30,857 tests, of which 2.03,439 have tested negative. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 count in other hotspots is Pune city: 2,830; Thane city: 1,122; Navi Mumbai 1,018; Malegaon: 617 and Aurangabad: 586.

Meanwhile, to ease the pressure off the state police who are enforcing the lockdown, the state government has asked for 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) from the Centre. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had last week indicated that the state could seek additional forces from the Centre to give a break to the state police force in phases. Several police officers and personnel have been affected by coronavirus infections, while police personnel are under a lot of strain.

Many Maharashtra police personnel have tested positive for the virus and need time to rest and recuperate, he said, adding that May 25 is Eid and the state would need an augmented security presence to ensure law and order is not disturbed. Weve hence asked for 20 CAPF companies to be deployed urgently to help the police, said state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

The state government is now also looking at providing supplementary treatment of Ayurvedic, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) medicines along with allopathy treatment for Covid-19 patients, who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. The state medical education and drugs department issued a government resolution to form a task force on AYUSH for Covid-19 under Dr TP Lahane, director of medical education and research.

The nine-member panel, which also has former city mayor Dr Shubha Raul, will prepare guidelines for a treatment protocol, said Dr Kuldeep Raj Kohli, director of Ayush Maharashtra and joint chairman of the task force.

The objective is to how best we can use Ayush in Maharashtra during this Covid-19 outbreak. The task forces would prepare a treatment protocol for people who are quarantined, are asymptomatic, or have mild symptoms. It would need clearance from the states Covid task force. People now are taking different types of medicine. At least they would get a guideline. People would then take medicines that the task force has asked to be taken, Kohli said. He added that no form of allopathy treatment would be stopped for patients. Ayush treatment, if approved, would be complementary.

A state health department official said that other states such as Gujarat have tried Ayurvedic medicine on asymptomatic patients in Ahmedabad. Similarly, a small group of patients may be given medicines prescribed by the task force as a trial to see the duration of recovery.

Meanwhile, as numbers continue to soar in Aurangabad city, state health minister Rajesh Tope and districts guardian minister Subhash Desai individually took stock of the preparedness. Tope has set up a task force to tackle the rising number of cases. The city has 586 cases and 18 deaths. The doubling rate in the city stands at eight days, which the civic body has brought down from 4.5 days earlier this month. Malegaon, in Nashik district, is another hotspot in the state where cases have seen a surge. Tope visited Malegaon on Wednesday to take stock of the situation and preparedness.

Aurangabad, which is a hotspot, has 12 containment zones with 55 localities. Desai, who inspected the preparedness in the city, said, There AMC (Aurangabad Municipal Corporation) has kept 4,000 beds available. Therefore, in case there is a spike, later on, there is no fear of any shortage of hospital beds. Besides, district medical college has kept 450 beds to treat severe and critical cases. The arrangements are so far adequate. We have planned in such a manner that around 50 beds will be available for patients.

Desai added that the industries department, which he heads, has allowed a 5,702 sq m industrial facility in the city to be converted into a 250-bed Covid-Care Centre in a months time.

Maharashtra has, so far, tested 2,30,857 samples at both government and private-testing facilities. According to the data provided by the medical education department, the percentage of people found positive has increased from 7% earlier this month to 12% on May 13. Health department officials are attributing this increase to an increasing number of tests.

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A local court on Wednesday remanded 61 of the over 130 accused, held in connection with the Palghar lynching case, in judicial custody and 51 others in police custody.

Total 113 accused, including a juvenile, were produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) M V Jawale at Dahanu in Palghar district.

The incident had taken place at Gadchinchle village on April 16 when two seers were heading towards Surat from Mumbai in a car with a driver to attend a funeral. A mob of villagers stopped their vehicle and beat them to death on suspicion that they were child-lifters, even as a few police personnel had reached the spot.

Palghar district rural police have registered three FIRs in connection with the lynching incident. As many 134 persons have been arrested by the local police and the state CID.

The first case relates to the murder of three victims. In connection with this case, the court remanded six of the seven accused in police custody until May 19, while another accused, a juvenile, was referred to the Juvenile Justice Board.

In the other FIR relating to the attack on the police and attempt to murder, 106 accused were produced before the court, of them five were remanded in police custody till May 16.

When the police took the custody of the 101 in the third FIR, 40 of them were remanded into police custody till May 18. The remaining 61 were remanded in judicial custody.
My problems with three teenage boys in lockdown are, I suspect, pretty common.

I nag them about getting out of bed, harangue them about washing their hands when they come through the door and then bug them to do the dishes.

Nag, harangue, bug is on daily repeat. Im sure it must be the same soundtrack in every home across the country that harbours quaranteenagers.

Mine are 14, 16 and 18, and going into lockdown, we had so many good intentions. I even bought a piano keyboard so that we could all become more musical. Of course, now its sitting like a white elephant in the living room. The PlayStation, on the other hand, is almost worn out.

Susanna Reid reflected on having the opportunity to spend time with her children during lokdown. Pictured: Susanna's sons in 2013

So it was a jolt to the heart, this week, to speak again to the mother of a teenager  not much older than my eldest  who mourns the loss of all those irritating moments. She is someone who would love to nag her son to get off the PlayStation.

Im talking about Charlotte Charles, the mother of 19-year-old Harry Dunn who was killed when a car driven on the wrong side of the road by former U.S. intelligence agent Anne Sacoolas, smashed into his motorbike.

Charlotte has been effectively isolating with Harrys twin brother Niall and her partner Bruce since well before we went into lockdown. Grief made it hard for them to leave the house, except when campaigning for justice.

The last time I saw Charlotte in person was in our Good Morning Britain studio a few months ago, alongside Harrys father Tim. While no longer a couple, they have battled together for their son, literally shoulder to shoulder.

This week Charlotte joined us again, by video link from home, to talk about a glimmer of hope: Interpol have issued a Red Notice for Anne Sacoolas, meaning she can be arrested if she leaves the U.S., which brings the family a step closer to seeing a trial. I feel pleased for Charlotte that her refusal to give up is having an impact.

Susanna claims Charlotte Charles (pictured) who is the mother of Harry Dunn, is a powerful reminder that time spent with our family is precious

I dont doubt this is hard for Anne Sacoolas, too. As a mother of three herself, she must feel regret for her terrible mistake every moment. Every morning, the minute she wakes up, she must think about facing justice, explaining what happened, speaking in court and releasing Charlotte and Tim from the agony of imagining what Harry went through.

Ultimately, I cant understand why she wouldnt want to set a good example for her own young children and do the right thing, however hard.

There is something about talking to Charlotte that makes me broken-hearted for her every time we speak. Articulate, dignified, but full of love and sadness for her lost boy, she is a powerful reminder that time spent with our family is precious.

Off-air gossip Id like to teach Health Secretary Matt Hancock the art of live TV. My top tip is never to be filmed off-guard like he was on BBC Breakfast this week, rolling his eyes. And on GMB a few months ago, he was caught scoffing a waffle. Politicians need to remember they are never alone when the cameras roll. Advertisement

Theres no greater challenge, for most parents, than letting a growing teen go out into the world, knowing he is exposed to risk, but that it is also your duty to let him go.

During lockdown, I send my boys out for their daily exercise on their bikes, knowing that the streets of London have been, until this week, pretty quiet and relatively safe.

Ive always dreaded the day that one of them wants a motorbike, even before Harrys sad story. I have only been on one once as a pillion passenger, with a perfectly safe rider, but I found the experience alarming and never to be repeated.

Harry Dunn, too, was a dedicated, safe motorbike rider, and was doing everything right.

Susanna (pictured) said her boys can't wait to take advantage of their freedom and to spend time with their friends, once lockdown ends

For all the difficulties of the past two months, I am sure that many parents have relished the extra time spent with their children, even if they are on that darn PlayStation more than youd like. Despite the horrible threat of the virus hanging over us all, some of a parents normal worries have been suspended.

There will never be another period like this, when we have such time together. I know that once lockdown ends, my boys cant wait to take advantage of their freedom and spend as much time as possible with their friends out in the parks and streets.

We all fear the agony of the call that Charlotte and Tim received that day, but as parents we will once more have to live with those everyday dangers that we havent missed at all.

Who needs Ibiza when weve got the Isle of Wight

Susanna revealed her annual trip to Ibiza is likely to be replaced with a visit to the Isle of Wight to avoid weeks in quarantine. Pictured: Susanna as a child

My annual trip to Ibiza looks like being replaced by a jaunt to the Isle of Wight to avoid spending hours on an unhealthy plane, and then weeks in quarantine. But Im not complaining.

When I was little I adored the windy beaches of Ventor and the dinosaur cliffs at Alum Bay. I was thrilled to take the cable car, and I coveted the layers of coloured sand in tiny jars in the gift shop.

Simple pleasures, compared to a week of late nights in Ibiza. But then, this pandemic has taught me to appreciate the small things in life.

Would you want your partner locked down with a Strictly pro?

Susanna said making the couples on Strictly live together might be the thing that banishes the 'curse of Strictly'. Pictured: Seann Walsh and Katya Jones

Love Island may be cancelled, but this year Strictly might fill the gap. Bosses are considering putting the pros and their celebrity partners into quarantine together for the duration to enable the show to go ahead, surely a plan that will give rise to plenty of gossip.

Im all for aiming for a new normal, but this will result in the show getting a different set of celebrities. No parent of young children will want to spend that much time away from home. And husbands and wives will baulk at being apart for so long.

But making the couples live together sharing chores might be the thing that finally banishes the curse of Strictly. The passionate intimacy of training together has led to a huge number of flirtations on the show like that of Seann Walsh and Katya Jones, pictured. Doing the rumba together is one thing, but sharing a bathroom can take the romance out of any blossoming relationship.

Im a Disney devotee

Susanna revealed she's been watching Disney's old animated Robin Hood (pictured), instead of joining the conversation about Normal People

I know everyone is raving about Normal People, but Im too busy following the news to focus on all that angst-ridden drama.

Instead, I have caught up with Disneys old animated Robin Hood, pictured with Maid Marian, a cheery film we watched over and over when the children were small. It doesnt surprise me that researchers in Vienna found a dose of Disney is a tonic for cancer patients. Sometimes you just need a happy ending.
The challenges of developing a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine

The goal of a vaccine is to trigger a response that safely protects against an infection and/or the burden of disease. While this is true for all vaccines, the steps leading to a safe and effective product can be different for each infection. In the case of COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have found that vaccine design can face specific challenges and that vaccine development approaches require an understanding of how the immune system naturally responds to a specific infection as well as how vaccines might trigger specific protective responses.

The National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor and the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's, co-led by Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi and Dr. Peter Hotez, currently are developing coronavirus vaccines. The researchers are applying their years of experience developing vaccines for neglected tropical and emerging infectious diseases such as SARS and MERS to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.

"As we proceed with the designing and testing of vaccine candidates, we felt the need to collaborate with a clinical immunologist, who also is engaged in basic and translational research, so that together we can inform our vaccine development efforts and ensure we evaluate both the protective mechanisms and avoid inducing any undesirable immunological responses that have been associated with some respiratory viruses," said Bottazzi, professor of pediatrics and of molecular virology and microbiology and associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor.

Bottazzi and Hotez approached Baylor's pulmonologist Dr. David Corry, professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology and Fulbright Endowed Chair in Pathology in the Department of Pathology & Immunology. He also is a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

One of the outcomes of their collaboration is the recent publication of two papers, one in Microbes and Infection and the other in Nature Reviews Immunology.

"These publications are the result of an in-depth literature search and analysis that has informed our vaccine development strategy. We highlight experimental and clinical evidence showing some of the challenges toward the development of COVID-19 vaccines -- what we know and what we don't know -- and the critical points we should pay close attention to as we advance and evaluate our vaccine candidates," Bottazzi said.

What does a protective response against COVID-19 look like?

COVID-19 is a new disease and while most of the evidence points to natural infection with the virus generating protective immunity, important gaps still remain. Researchers know, for instance, that the mechanism of protection most likely will need to rely on a robust antibody response with neutralizing capacity, coupled with a balanced cellular response and cytokines or immune proteins. In recent studies, rhesus macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2 have shown to develop protective antibodies and resistance to reinfection. Previous studies from SARS-CoV in 2003 also showed that persistent antibody responses against the virus spike protein -- the protein the virus uses to bind and invade a cell -- and specifically against a part of the spike protein known as the receptor binding domain, supported immunity.

"We are encouraged by the evidence supporting the likelihood that immunizing against the spike protein's receptor binding domain represents a realistic and viable vaccination strategy. However, many questions remain." said Hotez, who serves as dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor, as well as the Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair in Tropical Pediatrics.

"Studying the immunological responses triggered in people infected by the virus is one way researchers can select what viral components or antigens are promising candidates to use when designing the vaccine," Bottazzi said. "That, coupled with studies using laboratory models of disease, is how scientists attempt to predict what are the ideal mechanisms of protection triggered by vaccines."

On that basis, the Baylor and Texas Children's teams, in collaboration with the New York Blood Center, developed a vaccine strategy based on this fragment of the viral protein, the receptor binding domain.

How to design a vaccine that safely protects against COVID-19

Experimental and preclinical observations made during prior attempts to develop vaccines against respiratory viruses suggest that some vaccine formulations may trigger undesirable responses. Some of these responses may be cell mediated while others may be triggered by antibodies.

Cell-mediated responses

Preclinical testing of some experimental vaccines followed by viral infection in animal models showed tissue damage caused by cellular infiltrates after the induction of an immune response.

"Some experimental animals developed an inflammatory response in the lung or liver characterized by significant infiltration of immune cells -- lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils," Corry said. "Our literature search suggests that this cellular infiltration can be associated with IL-6, a cytokine or immune protein that is strongly increased in patients with COVID-19 who experience a cytokine storm, an excessive production of cytokines that can be life-threatening."

"We also found studies that show that type Th17 immune responses likely could account for the cellular infiltrates, including eosinophils, observed in animal models," said Hotez.

This immune infiltration was observed with experimental viral-vectored vaccines. Viral-vectored vaccines use a chemically weakened and different virus to transport components or antigens of the COVID-19 virus into the body to stimulate an immune response.

Although more research is needed to understand the mechanisms of cell-mediated responses and their relevance to clinical outcomes, the potential of significant immune cell infiltration has important implications for COVID-19 vaccine development.

Research also has suggested that the selection of adjuvants -- agents traditionally added to vaccines to boost a positive immune response -- may impact the type of immune response triggered. For instance, in SARS vaccines, using alum reduces cellular infiltration, indicating that this adjuvant could minimize these undesirable responses.

"Based on prior evidence, we also opted to evaluate and use alum in our COVID-19 vaccine formulation since our goal is to ensure we reduce the possibility of inducing an undesirable immune response," Bottazzi said.

Antibody-mediated responses

Called antibody-dependent enhancement, this response has been previously observed in dengue and other viral infections.

"Antibody-dependent enhancement in dengue occurs when antibodies bind to the virus and shuttle it inside infection-fighting cells called macrophages. Once the virus coated with an antibody is inside macrophages, it doesn't die. It replicates," Corry said. "The macrophages end up spreading the infection inside the organism as macrophages move around."

Whether this phenomenon is relevant to human coronavirus infection is unclear. In laboratory experiments, antibody-dependent enhancement seems to occur with both non-neutralizing and neutralizing antibodies.

"For this reason, we selected the receptor binding domain of the virus. It excludes the epitopes or sections of viral proteins that might potentially induce antibody-dependent enhancement," Hotez said.

"We have not found any evidence that our vaccine triggers antibody-dependent enhancement in laboratory pre-clinical experiments. Experimental evidence suggests that our vaccine against the receptor binding domain leads to the neutralization of the virus," Bottazzi said. "Preclinical studies performed with our partners at the University of Texas Medical Branch, show that the receptor binding domain on alum is indeed a promising vaccine candidate. It can trigger an immune response that is protective and does not induce undesirable cellular immune responses. We are working to advance this approach into the clinic for phase 1 studies."

"There are many challenges to overcome but like never before, scientists around the world are working together to develop effective and affordable vaccines," Corry said. "We'll get there, it will just take time to do it right."

"We believe that we need to have many vaccine candidates, platforms and trials, so we can evaluate as many vaccine options as possible to select the ones that are the most appropriate and prove to be the most effective and safe," said Hotez.

"We invested almost a decade of research to maximize immune protection and minimize or prevent immune enhancement. Ultimately our goal is that these vaccines are made for the global population, accessible and affordable to all."

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This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Expressing serious concern over the "dangerous spread" of coronavirus and the mounting death toll, Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states said on Wednesday that the fight against COVID-19 requires coordinated and inclusive multilateral efforts under the UN system.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was among the Foreign Ministers of the eight-member SCO who attended an extraordinary video conference on Wednesday to discuss the cooperation to fight against COVID-19.

A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic requires strong, coordinated and inclusive multilateral efforts with the central role of the UN system.

The ministers called for effective interaction of the SCO with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international organisations and associations in the fight against coronavirus infection, it said.

In order to ensure epidemiological well-being and bio security in the region, the ministers consider it appropriate to adopt a comprehensive action plan of the SCO member states at the upcoming SCO summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The plan includes building the capacity of laboratories, improving the skills of specialists, conducting joint scientific research, developing vaccines and effective methods of treating diseases, the joint statement said.

In his address to the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said all governments rise above differences and frictions, focus on tackling domestic infections, enhancing international cooperation and saving lives, in order to provide the leadership needed to win the fight against COVID-19.

"We call on people around the world to defy pessimism and fear and reject attempts to politicise the response, label the virus, and stigmatise any specific country, in order to shore up extensive public support to win the fight against COVID-19," he said amidst intense US pressure on Beijing to allow the international community to go into a Wuhan lab to investigate the origins of coronavirus.

In recent days, US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike 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.

China has denied covering up the extent of its coronavirus outbreak and accused the US of attempting to divert the public attention by insinuating that the virus originated from a virology laboratory in Wuhan.

Wang said the media across the world should observe professional ethics, adhere to science and reason, stick to facts and truth, and commit to impartiality and balance, in order to foster a conducive atmosphere for winning the fight against COVID-19.

The SCO is a China-led eight-member economic and security bloc in which India and Pakistan were admitted as full members in 2017. Its founding members included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Globally, the death toll due to COVID-19 has gone up to 293,241 with over four million infections reported so far. The US is the worst affected country, according to Johns Hopkins University tally.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than a month into Circuit Breaker, real estate transactions push on steadily

The circuit breaker may soon come to an end, with businesses preparing for recovery in the weeks leading up to 2 June 2020. Knight Frank does a stocktake of how the real estate market has fared during the circuit breaker.

Despite the closure of showflats and restrictions on physical interactions limiting in-person viewings of properties, there were real estate transactions on the private residential front, with 286 caveats registered between 7 April and 30 April 2020.

Real estate transactions are up because properties hold perennial value

Linda Chern, Head, Project Marketing, Prime Sales & Leasing, Residential, Knight Frank Singapore, shares, Real estate may be down, but its definitely not out. A slower market can give buyers more time to make better, considered options before they make a decision on a property purchase. This could be why homebuyers are still actively seeking and buying properties, be it for investment or simply to have a new home to stay in. Real estate is a necessity that holds perennial value regardless of the economic situation.

Real estate transactions expected to remain steady with participation from UHNWI

The continued residential activity points to property being the asset class of choice amongst Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) for wealth preservation. According to the Attitudes Survey in The Wealth Report 2020, Singapore emerged as the third most popular destination for buying homes amongst Asian investors, behind the traditional markets of US and UK. Investment property is the most popular asset class among Singaporean UHNWIs, with some 40% intending to increase their allocations to real estate. Real estate investments presently account for 40% of UHNWIs current allocations.

The market demand for real estate continued even before circuit breaker measures began, as attractive, right-priced projects drew homebuyers and investors amid the downturn. Leonard Tay, Head, Research, Knight Frank Singapore observes, Notwithstanding the immediate impact of the social and economic restrictions on sales volume, slightly over half of sales for the month was sold during the week before the circuit breaker kicked in, out of the 581 caveats lodged for residential real estate transactions in April.

Story continues

Subsequently, lower numbers may have trended during the circuit breaker period, but the figures signal that it is possible to sell and purchase private homes, in spite of the restrictions.

Asias population of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs)  those with a net worth of US$30 million or more  expanding at a rate that outpaces most other world regions last year, according to Knight Franks Wealth Report 2020.

In 2019, Asia topped a league table of the worlds fastest growth of UHNWIs, dominating 7 out of the top ten places with an estimated increase of 11,800 UHNWIs  up 13%  bringing the total population in the region to 103,000 individuals. North America, where the largest proportion of worlds wealthiest population reside, registered a 6% increase in UHNWIs last year, while Europe saw its position lag at 4%.

Ranking UHNWI Market 2018-2019 Growth Rate 1 South Korea 22% 2 Italy 21% 3 Japan 17% 4 Nigeria 15% 5 China 15% 6 Egypt 14% 7 Taiwan 14% 8 Singapore 10% 9 Philippines 9% 10 Thailand 9%

Source: Wealth Report 2020

real estate transactions

More than a month into Circuit Breaker, real estate transactions push on steadily

The Wealth Report 2020 says ultra-high-net-worth individuals investment strategies may offset the effects of the global economic slowdown

Despite its smaller population and higher base, Singapore witnessed one of the ten highest growth rates of UHNWIs in the world, from 2018 to 2019. The local growth of UHNWIs came as more UHNWIs were drawn to the Singapores liveability, as they set up base in the country for business.

Additionally, UHNWIs are attracted to Singapores potential for investment, as well as its lifestyle. According to Knight Franks City Wealth Index, Singapore ranked 5th globally when considering lifestyle factors and 10th when it came to investments. Notwithstanding, the vibrant start-up scene locally has also given rise to a new wave of UHNWIs.

UHNWI growth from 2019 to 2024

Looking ahead, the growth rate of UHNWIs in South-East Asia is projected to be one of the highest in the world. Out of the top twelve fastest growing UHNWI markets, four come from South-East Asia, with expected growth rates of around 30% or more. One reason for the strong, anticipated growth is the rise of disruptive business models created through technology, and abundant capital. As a gateway city and regional hub, Singapore is primed to benefit from neighbouring growth of UHNWIs as well.

Ranking UHNWI Market 2019-2024 Growth Rate 1 India 73% 2 Egypt 66% 3 Vietnam 64% 4 China 58% 5 Indonesia 57% 6 Tanzania 54% 7 Sweden 47% 8 Romania 42% 9 New Zealand 37% 10 Malaysia 35% 11 United Kingdom 31% 12 = Singapore 29% 12 = Poland 29%

Source: Wealth Report 2020

Ultra-high-net-worth individuals investment strategies nurtures budding start-ups or social enterprises

Ian Loh, Head of Investment and Capital Markets (Land, Building & Collective Sales), Knight Frank Singapore, says, The projected growth rate of UHNWIs in South-East Asia will increase the number of family offices set up in Singapore, given the attractiveness of the investment schemes available and the robust and transparent legal structure. This is especially so as the government looks towards enhancing Singapores competitiveness as a wealth hub.

Besides investing in new business opportunities to help nurture budding start-ups or social enterprises, these family offices are also likely to seek assets that offer stable yields, such as office properties in the CBD or shophouses.

The Wealth Report 2020 says ultra-high-net-worth individuals investment strategies may offset the effects of the global economic slowdown

Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) in Singapore are planning to alter their 2020 investing strategies to offset the effects of the global economic slowdown, political upheaval and negative rates, according to The Wealth Report 2020.

In the Attitudes Survey* of 620 wealth advisors managing approximately US$3.3 trillion on behalf of UHNWIs across the globe, 100% of Singaporean respondents indicated that they were actively making changes to their clients investing strategies, outstripping the regional average (72%), and the global average (79%).

The year 2019 was a positive year for Singaporean UHNWIs, with 71% stating their wealth had increased, slightly outstripping the regional and global averages. They appear to be more muted about the year ahead, largely due to global political and economic challenges rather than domestic, with 53% expecting their wealth to increase in 2020.

Singaporean ultra-high-net-worth individuals investment strategies will include homes

The Wealth Report 2020 also reveals that about one in four Singaporean UHNWIs will buy a new home in 2020, outstripping the global average of about one in five. The main drivers for purchases are to upgrade their main residence, for their childrens education, or for business purposes. The most popular locations, other than Singapore, are the UK, Australia and US, wealth mangers say.

Wendy Tang, Group Managing Director, Knight Frank Singapore, shares, Many HNWIs are attracted to Singapores safety, world-class infrastructure and education, stable political environment and pro-business government. Prime residential properties in Singapore have continuously proven to be one of the top asset classes for wealth preservation.

Additionally, Singapore is the third most popular destination for buying homes amongst Asian investors, behind the traditional markets of US and UK. The country registered a 10% growth rate in UHNWI individuals from 2018 to 2019, ranking eighth among the top 10 countries that saw the highest surge in UHNWI numbers.

The post Real estate transactions push on steadily despite Covid-19 Circuit Breaker appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
DECATUR  The Decatur school board on Tuesday approved creating 10 administrative-level positions as part of an effort that officials said will focus more resources on specialized learning.

When you talk about increasing student achievement the work starts at early childhood, Assistant Superintendent Jeff Dase said. I will not concede when the lives of our children are at stake when we talk about the high quality of education.

The new structure also will allow for professional development for a group of teachers in content areas across schools, he said. The staffing plan was based on input from 75 individuals and groups, Dase said.

The positions created include four jobs called "teaching and learning strategist"  in English-language arts, mathematics, science, and social science  as well as a position to coordinate those employees.

Also approved were:

Interventionist

Instructional technology strategist

English language learner coordinator

Social emotional learning and equity coordinator

Educator mentoring and novice teacher support coordinator

Salary information was not immediately available. The details were not included in the public information provided before the meeting.

Dase said the hires will create a network to support students and make for a well-rounded educational experience, improving the "instructional core." Dase said the approval changes how much focus is placed on areas that, under the old system, were lacking. The new positions would make it so that a greater emphasis is placed on certain subjects such as mathematics and science. Students who need additional guided help with their academics will also benefit from the new plan, he said.

Superintendent Paul Fregeau said: We want to serve all kids, no matter what level they are achieving at, whether they are struggling or achieving, this helps all kids. We are here for the kids, we are about kids and we want them to excel academically.

Dase said support has not been targeted and focused over time, which is why he wants to bring focus to science, social science and mathematics.

How can we say we are preparing global citizens when they dont know anything about what is going on around the world? Dase said.  Some of our students require more support than others.

He said the hiring process will be crucial.

These positions will not be filled with warm bodies, these positions would be filled with the best candidates, Dase said. If that means we cant fill these positions right away, thats OK.

The Decatur school district, like many across the state, has struggled to fill vacant positions and in recent years has adopted an aggressive recruiting strategy.

Jey Owens, a recruiter for district, before the board meeting presented a list of priorities staff is focusing on to recruit and retain teachers for the upcoming school year.

One will be to pursue a mentor program between veteran teachers and those with less experience. Owens presented a chart that illustrated the ratio of teachers with less than a year of experience compared to those with several years.

The years of experience in our district strongly supports the need for a mentoring program, Owens said.

She also said the district will focus on communicating to potential new hires what the Decatur community has to offer.

In other business, Fregeau on Tuesday recommended the waiver of graduation expectations for the 20 community service hours that students are required to perform.

Fregeau said the administrative change would apply only to the 2020 graduating class due to the stay-at-home orders that began in March, which could have prevented some of the seniors from completing the required number of hours.

Denise Swarthout, a district spokesperson, said the change does not require a vote from the board.

Tuesday updates: Coronavirus and Central Illinois

Contact Analisa Trofimuk at (217) 421-7985. Follow her on Twitter: @AnalisaTro

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The medals of a hero of the doomed Charge of the Light Brigade who dragged a wounded comrade to safety despite being severely injured himself have sold for over 14,000.

Sergeant Henry Wickham, of the 13th Light Dragoons, helped his fellow soldier back to British lines despite being wounded by a lance blow.

His selfless act during the infamous Battle of Balaclava in 1854 was immortalised in Elizabeth Butler's painting 'The Return', while details of the charge were written into a poem by legendary English writer Alfred Tennyson.

Sgt Wickham survived the bloody battle, in which the British Light Brigade became flanked during a charge - resulting in the deaths of 110 British men.

Now the medals of Sgt Wickham, who died in 1829, have been sold by a private collector with London-based auctioneer Spink & Son.

Sergeant Henry Wickham (pictured), of the 13th Light Dragoons, helped his fellow soldier back to British lines despite being wounded by a lance blow during the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade

The medals (pictured) of Sgt Wickham have been sold by a private collector with London-based auctioneer Spink & Son

They achieved a hammer price of 12,000, with extra fees taking the overall figure paid by the buyer to 14,800.

How a war brought 'The mother of nursing' to prominence British nurse Florence Nightingale became an icon of Victorian culture during the Crimean War, becoming known as 'The Lady with the Lamp'. During the Crimean War she led a team of 38 volunteer nurses to care for the British soldiers. Florence Nightingale became known as 'The Lady with the Lamp' during the war When she arrived she found soldiers wounded and dying amid horrifying sanitary conditions, with the times more dying of typhus, typhoid, cholera, and dysentery than from battle wounds. She immediately set out to improve sanitation, ordering towels, soaps and clean shirts. She worked endlessly to care for the soldiers themselves, making her rounds during the night after the medical officers had retired - earning her the nickname 'Lady with the Lamp'. Nightingale's work in the Crimean War brought the field of public health to national attention and she is often credited as the mother of modern nursing. Advertisement

Marcus Budgen, head of the medal department at Spink & Son, said: 'The pair awarded to Sergeant Wickham are without doubt of huge historical interest and it is no surprise they surpassed their estimate (of 5,000).

'His part in the legendary Charge of the Light Brigade was so important that he was immortalised in Lady Butler's painting 'The Return'.'

The Battle of Balaclava was part of the Crimean War, which took place from October 1853 to March 1856 between Russia and an alliance made up of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Sardinia.

The war, in which 900,000 men are believed to have died, was eventually won by the allied forces, resulting in the Treaty of Paris.

Along with a number of well-known art and literary works, it famously brought Florence Nightingale to prominence.

The Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854, is regarded as one of the infamous days in British military history.

Lord Raglan, overall commander of the British forces at Balaclava, had intended to send the Light Brigade to pursue a separate, retreating Russian battery.

But due to a breakdown in communications, the unit headed off on the near-suicidal mission - attacked from all sides by artillery, infantry and cavalry.

The charge resulted in the deaths of 110 British men with a further 161 wounded, while more than 350 horses were killed.

The battle was considered a tactical defeat for the allied side, though it is considered a battle of honour for the British regiments who fought in it.

Because of the injury he suffered, Sgt Wickham had to rely on a meagre payout and never received a proper pension, dying in poverty and pain in Clapham, south London, in 1892

Sgt Wickham, who was born in Bromley in 1834 and had enlisted as a trooper in the army in 1852, suffered a lance wound in the battle.

Despite remaining in the military until 1864, the lingering effects of his lance wound affected his health in later life, leaving him incapacitated and unable to work.

Despite his protests, he had to rely on a meagre payout and never received a proper pension, dying in poverty and pain in Clapham, south London, in 1892.

In his local paper, his death was reported with the damning observation: ''He has been left to die in almost abject poverty - and that is how England treats its heroes!'

However his heroics live on in the Elizabeth Butler painting 'The Return'.

The artist painted 'Balaclava' as a commission piece in 1876, incorporating famous characters and their actions on the day.

It is housed in the City of Manchester Gallery.
Industrialist Sajjan Jindal on Wednesday welcomed the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the economy hit by COVID-19, saying it will give a boost to the ambitious Make in India programme.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced a massive new financial incentive on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

He had said that the details of the economic package will be given by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The JSW Group Chairman said the package is timely in supporting the most needy segments of the economy -- MSMEs, farmers, tax payers and the middle class.

"The package is predicated to make the Indian economy self-reliant by leveraging our inherent strengths of demographics, technological skills and domestic demand by building infrastructure and robust supply chains that would give a boost the Make in India programme," Jindal said in a statement.

The Prime Minister's emphasis on being 'Vocal about Local' and to buy local is a message to rekindle India's sagging manufacturing sector, he said.

"This announcement is a bold move by the government, no doubt, but we will have to read the fine print through subsequent announcements by the FM to see how this would be implemented and what specific benefits the nation will derive from it," Jindal said.

JSW Group has significant presence in steel, power, cement and infrastructure.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The deliberate sinking of the Centaur with such a heavy loss of non-combatant livesit included 18 doctorshas caused profound distress. The death roll probably exceeds the total number of lives lost, in all sinkings off the Australian coast in this war, with the exception of the cruiser Sydney, which was, however, a ship of war and was sunk in an engagement, with a German raider in November, 1941, and not an unarmed hospital ship protected by international law. Loading The sinking, which is the tenth announced from General MacArthur's headquarters since the beginning of the year, is the climax of the sub-marine campaign referred to in the communique of May 1. The motive for such a dastardly attack cannot but be obscure. It may be part of a terror campaign such as is suggested by General MacArthur's words today. It is recalled that the hospital ship Manunda was struck by bombs at Darwin in a Japanese raid, but at Milne Bay on a later occasion, though .Japanese war ships passed almost; alongside a hospital ship and attacked shipping and shore installations, the hospital ship was not attacked. A Japanese hospital ship in Rabaul Harbor was carefully avoided by Allied airmen in raids on the harbor over a long period, and targets close to her were avoided so that she would not be endangered.

Vessel Wrapped in Flames The Centaur sank so quickly that it was impossible to launch any of the lifeboats. Only one boat was found after she sank, and this was so badly holed that it barely supported two men who climbed in and sat waist deep in water. Those who were saved were afloat on rafts and wreckage. Loading The ship immediately became a roaring inferno. The decks were a mass of flame, which enveloped the bridge, then caught the spars and rigging. Thick hot oil flooded the sea all round. All who were saved were filthy with it, and the eyes of many were badly affected, but the speed with which the ships stern reared 60 feet into the air and she dived nose first to the bottom extinguished the flames before they could spread to the floating oil. As it was many received burns before they could leave the ship, and little could be done for them with the limited resources available on the rafts. One man was so badly burned as to be practically unrecognisable. He died in agony many hours later, and was buried at sea in the rain by his companions on a raft.

Many must have died in the original explosion or in the fire which trapped them below. Others almost certainly were dragged down with the suction of the sinking ship, and were taken by sharks, because about 150 reached the water. As the ship went down large pieces of debris from her shattered side came bursting to the surface, and one survivor believes some may have been stunned by these objects and drowned while unconscious. Ironically it was such an object which saved one mans life, because, although it injured his leg, it severed the logline with which he was entangled, and released him. Loading Sharks Attack Those who survived remained afloat on little groups of rafts and wreckage for up to thirty-six hours, suffering with thirst and the bitter cold in heavy rain and alternate short bursts of sunshine. They paddled with one pair of oars and pieces of the shattered ships sides. Practically all were scantily clad, having been in their beds when the torpedo struck. Some were completely naked, their night clothes having been torn from them by the suction of the ship as they were dragged down with her, and brief though the periods of sunshine were while they were afloat, many were sunburned.

One survivor had grabbed a greatcoat as he left his bunk, and Sister Eleanor Savage, of Gordon, Sydney, the sole survivor of the twelve nursing sisters and their matron, declared that this saved her life. She was clad only in torn silk pyjamas, and shared the greatcoat with exhausted Robert Westwood, the youngest member of the ships company, at fifteen years. Hordes of sharks cruised round the rafts, and were beaten off with pieces of wood marked with a Red Cross, which were being used as paddles. One shark attacked so fiercely that its nose went right on to a raft. It was beaten off with a spar. Loading Another shark snapped the end from a coloured tin which was thrown into the water. Seven or eight sharks were still nosing around the rafts when later the survivors were picked up by a small Allied vessel, given medical treatment, clothed and fed before being taken ashore. At least one man is believed to have been taken by a shark, because he screamed and disappeared from the baulk of timber which he had been clinging. Aircraft and Ships Pass By
On a sunny and clear-skied Manitoba Day, the people of Brandon looked up in the sky to watch a show being put on by some distinguished guests and their flying machines.

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This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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One of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds flies low over spectators lining a grid road west of the Brandon Municipal Airport as the Snowbirds take off from the airport on Tuesday afternoon.(Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

On a sunny and clear-skied Manitoba Day, the people of Brandon looked up in the sky to watch a show being put on by some distinguished guests and their flying machines.

As part of their cross-country Operation Inspiration, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds flight demonstration team made a pit stop in the Wheat City on their way west. Taking off from Winnipeg at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the Snowbirds flew west to Brandon, making a detour to put on a show for the people in Portage la Prairie along the way.

Dozens of cars pulled over along the side of the road in clear spaces and along the roads to Brandon Municipal Airport to watch the teams approach and departure from Brandon. Some people got comfortable in folding chairs to watch the show as others surveyed the scene up close using binoculars.

Almost everyone was taking pictures using professional cameras, basic point-and-shoot models or plain old smartphone or tablet cameras. The team is made up of 11 jets, nine that perform together and two that fly ahead to arrange things on the ground in advance of the performance team.

Landon Alvarenga, 11, was there to see the Snowbirds perform for the first time. He said it was "pretty cool" to be able to go see them, especially because he cant go out and see his friends right now.

Kirby and Todd Cooney wave to the Canadian Forces Snowbirds as they perform a flyover of Brandon. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Bob McLeod, a naval and aerospace enthusiast, made the trip up from Souris to see the Snowbirds. He said hed brought a Snowbirds shirt with him in the hopes that he might be able to get it signed.

After landing in Brandon and making a picture-perfect lineup along the tarmac, the occupants of the 11 jets exited their cockpits to a barrage of applause from a group of onlookers at the airport that included Mayor Rick Chrest.

"They did a number of circles over the city, I thought they were very generous with their time over Brandon," Chrest said. "I could see cars lined up every which way all over the city. I believe they achieved their objective of trying to give Canadians a lift during this time. Were grateful Brandon got to be one of their flyovers and moreover a landing spot."

A member of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds crew walks past the Canadair CT-114 Tutors lined up on the tarmac at the Brandon Municipal Airport on Tuesday afternoon. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Snowbirds pilots and other personnel werent able to meet people in person in an effort to be safe as they travel from city to city. However, the Sun was able to connect with Master Cpl. Mike Lovatt over the phone during the Snowbirds stop in town.

It was a homecoming of sorts for Lovatt, who hails from Carroll, a 30-kilometre drive southwest of Brandon. Lovatt is deputy crew chief for the Snowbirds, riding behind a pilot during the current tour and doing servicing and maintenance work.

Lovatt said this current tour has been special because theyve been able to fly right over cities when normally theyre not able to. "Were usually off on the sides," he said. "Its been a very unique experience being over cities like Toronto and Winnipeg and Brandon."

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds perform a flyover of Brandon on Tuesday as part of their cross-country Operation Inspiration. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

According to him, its the "most unique" tour hes ever done with the Snowbirds in his 10 years with the team. Because of the COVID-19 related shutdowns and the lack of military missions going on right now, Lovatt said the Snowbirds have received a huge response from both the people in cities they visit and fellow Canadian Forces members at the bases in which they stop over.

One of the most special parts of the trip was performing in Nova Scotia as that province continues to heal after the tragic shootings that occurred last month, Lovatt said. Theyve managed to visit every province while heading east except for Newfoundland, as bad weather blocked their passage.

He said he was most looking forward to warmer weather as they headed west so he doesnt have to do maintenance in the cold.

At 1:30 p.m., the Snowbirds took off once again to head to their home base in Moose Jaw, Sask., where theyll get a couple of days to spend with family before continuing their voyage westward.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
Iran holds funeral procession for 19 victims of naval exercise incident

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 9:30 AM

A funeral procession has been held for 19 Iranian Navy personnel who lost their lives in a recent incident involving the Navy's Konarak logistical and support vessel in the country's southern waters.

The ceremony was held in the southwestern port city of Chabahar on Tuesday, with military top brass and a number of senior state officials in attendance, while observing social distancing rules in place to curtail a coronavirus outbreak.

Fifteen others were also injured in the accident that happened on Sunday, when a number of Navy vessels were conducting an exercise near the waters lying close to Jask and Chabahar ports that respectively belong to neighboring provinces of Hormozgan, and Sistan and Baluchestan.

The Navy's Public Relations' Department said in a statement on Monday that teams of experts had already been dispatched to the site to conduct a thorough investigation, and advised against any speculations about the accident before the results of the official probe were out.

Iran regularly holds exercises in the Gulf of Oman, which is close to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 percent of the world's oil trade passes.

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The British public continues life under lockdown as changes to the rules in England make it legal to exercise or meet in a public space with one member of another household from Wednesday.

Some 226,463 have tested positive for coronavirus and 32,692 have died with Covid-19, as of Tuesday.

Here is your daily briefing on the coronavirus news you may have missed overnight.

The UK economy contracted at its fastest pace since the financial crisis during the first quarter of 2020, the Office for National Statistics has said.

With the country placed into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, gross domestic product shrank by 2 per cent in the three months to March.

February to March saw a record 5.8 per cent contraction.

The latest figures show the first direct effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK economy.

An army of unpaid volunteers is being recruited to carry out coronavirus tests across the country as ministers try to hit their target of 200,000 a day, The Independent has reported.

They are being asked to sign up to work at least 32 hours a week, swabbing the noses and throats of people who may be infected, for no pay.

The high-street chemist Boots is advertising the roles across the country, with the support of ministers.

However, a leading trade union and opposition politicians have criticised the move, accusing ministers of taking advantage of the goodwill of the public.

Measures to ease the lockdown in the UK could lead to tens of thousands of extra deaths if vulnerable people are not sufficiently protected and health care systems are put under strain, a study has suggested.

Boris Johnson announced the first step towards normalcy  allowing unlimited exercise, one on one outdoor social meetings and a return to work for those who cannot do so at home  against a background of flattening infection numbers and fatalities caused by the virus.

However in a study published in medical journal The Lancet, research led by University College London (UCL) has warned between 37,000 and 730,000 excess deaths could take place due to the direct and indirect effects of the virus within a year.

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

Bosses have been warned they risk criminal prosecution if they try to force employees to work without adequate protection against coronavirus.

The warning came on the eve of the return to work called for by Boris Johnson in his strategy for relaxing lockdown restrictions.

Business secretary Alok Sharma promised that the government would be looking out for workers, and urged anyone who feels their workplace is not safe to contact the Health and Safety Executive.

And the HSEs chief executive Sarah Albon said her inspectors will be ready to issue enforcement notices requiring employers to cease dangerous practices or take additional protective action, with the sanction of criminal prosecution if they are ignored.

Thousands of deaths have been exported to community settings from hospitals as a result of the NHS shutting down routine services during the coronavirus outbreak, one of Britains leading statisticians has said.

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter said there had been a staggering 30,000 more deaths than normal in places such as care homes and private homes during the eight weeks since the coronavirus outbreak in the UK started, with only about 10,000 of those deaths attributed to Covid-19 on death certificates.

Sir David, professor of public understanding of risk at the University of Cambridge, said the latest data from the Office for National Statistics showed a decrease in non-Covid deaths in hospitals at the same time as the large rise in the community.

He said this indicated about 6,000 deaths that were exported back to the community because of the closure of the hospitals.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro geared up for an uphill court battle Tuesday with state governors, who vehemently oppose the reopening of gyms and hair salons, on the same day the nation reported 881 confirmed deaths in a 24-hour period caused by the ravaging coronavirus.

The 881 deaths confirmed Tuesday constituted Brazil's deadliest day while dealing with the coronavirus, which has killed 12,461 people in total. The Health Ministry also reported 178,214 confirmed cases and said it is still investigating 2,050 other deaths.

The new death and infection totals, which place Brazil seventh in the world ahead of Germany, are sure to escalate the ongoing dispute between governors, who remain committed to social distancing measures to mitigate the epidemic, and Bolsonaro, who on Monday increased the list of businesses considered 'essential.'

The right-wing leader has continuously argued that the economic damage and lost jobs from shuttered businesses are worse than the effects of the virus itself.

Bolsonaro said he was basing his decision as a way to protect 1 million jobs, which were in jeopardy.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro as he leaves the Alvorada Palace on Wednesday, two days after he ordered all gyms and hair salons to open up for business despite opposition from governors, whom he welcomed to challenge his decree in the Brazilian Supreme Court

An emergency medical service employee picks up the body of an 81-year-old man (pictured lying on the bed) who passed away at his home Monday in the Brazilian city of Manaus. It is unknown if his death was caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 12,461 people in the South American nation and produced 178,214 confirmed cases

Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro said he is protecting 1 million jobs from being lost by allowing gyms and hair salons to open up for business, a decree he issued Monday. Pictured above is a row of shops closed in Rio de Janeiro, which prohibits the opening of commerce except for food markets and pharmacies

At the current pace, Brazil is expected to surpass France, which has 178,349 confirmed cases, as the world's sixth-hardest-hit country as early as Wednesday.

The Brazilian Supreme Court has previously ruled that state and local governments have the authority to order businesses to close in the face of the pandemic.

Bolsonaro, who previously deemed the global epidemic a 'little flu,' has used his presidential powers to declare an increasingly wide array of establishments as 'essential,' allowing them to operate despite the lockdowns.

Health Minister Nelson Teich admitted that Bolsonaro never consulted him before issuing the work order.

At least 10 governors have said they will not follow his latest decree declaring that gyms, beauty salons, industrial production and civil construction are essential.

Doctor Luciana Souza and nurse Edson dos Santos talk as they take a break at a field hospital set up to treat patients suffering from the coronavirus disease in Guarulhos, a city in the state of Sao Paulo

A shop in the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of Tijuca remains closed. The government has prohibited the opening of businesses except those that sell food and medicine

'Governors who do not agree with the decree can file lawsuits in court,' Bolsonaro wrote on social media.

Alternatively, the governors have the legal right to appeal to Congress to take action to change the law, the president wrote.

'Bolsonaro is walking toward the precipice and wants to take all of us with him,' Rio de Janeiro's Governor Wilson Witzel said on Twitter.

Sao Paulo ranks atop Brazil's 26 states and federal districts with 3,949 deaths and 47,719 confirmed cases due to the coronavirus. Rio de Janeiro is second, reporting 1,928 deaths and 18,486 infections.

According to the Federal Council of Nursing data released Tuesday, 109 health professionals have lost their lives due to the pandemic.

An ICU patient at a field hospital in Sao Paulo receives treatment for the coronavirus

An assistant nurse is seen walking out of the field hospital set up to treat patients suffering from the coronavirus in Sao Paulo, the worst-hit state in Brazil with 3,949 deaths and 47,719 confirmed cases

A group of nurses perform a symbolic act on International Nursing Day in Brasilia, Brazil, in honor of colleagues who have died from COVID- 19. According to the Federal Council of Nursing, 109 health professionals have lost their lives due to the pandemic in the South American nation

Bolsonaro won election on pledges to institute economic reforms and restore the country to growth after a deep recession.

The coronavirus outbreak has derailed those plans.

Sources told Reuters the government is expected to slash its economic forecasts and project a more than 4 percent contraction in gross domestic product [GDP] for 2020, down from the flat growth previously forecast.

Bolsonaro's popularity has plummeted since the outbreak began in Brazil. A poll released on Tuesday showed that 43 percent of Brazilians thought he was doing a 'bad or terrible' job, up from 31 percent in January.

The poll conducted by the MDA research institute and sponsored by transit association CNT also showed more Brazilians approve of how states are handling the virus than how the federal government was reacting.
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Slogans aside, the most amazing takeaway from Prime Minister Narendra Modis 12 May 2020 speech is that even before details have been spelt out, policy actions initiated, or even ideas about what lies ahead planted, there is hope that he will deliver the two words India has been yearning for decades now  economic reforms.

On scale, these two words were last heard in 1991, under then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, and executed by then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh. If the 1991 financial crisis delivered first generation reforms, the hope is that Modi, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Chief Ministers of various states will initiate second generation reforms. We are not talking about piecemeal reforms such as the goods and services tax, Aadhaar or the bankruptcy code. We are talking of reforms that reboot the Indian economy.

In his 33:55-minute address to the nation, his economics was headlined by another slogan  Atmanirbhar Bharat, self-reliant India. This India will stand on five pillars, he said: Economy, which brings in quantum jump and not incremental change; Infrastructure, which should become the identity of India; System, based on 21st century technology driven arrangements; Vibrant Demography, which is our source of energy for a self-reliant India; and Demand, whereby the strength of our demand and supply chain should be utilized to full capacity. Of all these, the point that the time for incremental change is over is one that resonates with 1991. He further talked about a Rs 20 trillion economic package, about 10% of Indias GDP, which would include the past package and a new one that Sitharaman would detail.

Against this background, all eyes are now on Sitharaman, who over the next few days, will release the package that will cater to cottage industry, MSMEs, labourers, middle class and industries, and would focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws. Of these, the critical aspects, and on which we expect economic reforms to ride, would be around land, labour and laws. Land is a State subject (Entry 18) but acquisition and requisition of property lies in the Concurrent List (Entry 42), labour sits in the Concurrent list (Entries 22, 23 and 24), while laws reside in both, the Union and in the States. As far as liquidity goes, India does not have a liquidity problem; the problem is banks are not lending.

A clean-up of these three means a political readjustment, an economic rethink, a policy redraft and a national restart. Politically, it means that as a society we will have to start looking at entrepreneurs without contempt and perhaps with respect as individual who put their money, bring ideas, labour and other resources together to create enterprises. This is a big readjustment for a nation used to socialist dominance. This readjustment will result in a rethink of the way India does its economics: incentives should drive laws, rules and regulations rather than hurdles. This in turn means that the way we draft policy will change: it will be written to attract capital and entrepreneurs. And finally, if these are aligned and in tune, it could give India an economic restart that we last saw in 1991.

If history is any indication, there is nothing like a good crisis to get economic activity going. Given that the economy is the lifeblood of a nation that feeds all other expressions, from poverty alleviation to Mars mission, 2020 could be the year when Indias regulatory cholesterol will be fixed. We see Modis speech, and the expected policy actions, as an economic stent that will unclog the path for productive activities  entrepreneurs to build enterprises, financiers to invest, companies to create jobs, markets to create wealth. Since incrementalism is not the policy direction anymore, we expect sweeping economic reforms. Of course, there will be a backlash from incumbents and the Opposition. We hope Modi has factored these in and has thought-through the path forward.

Administrative drivers of Reforms 2.0

Administratively, these second generation reforms will be driven by States. Four BJP-governed states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka have already initiated regulatory changes. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has gone about it through process reforms  registration of a business in a day, licences for 10 years instead of one, shops to be open from 6 am till midnight, reduction in registers from 63 to one and returns from 13 to one, and raising the threshold for labour inspections to factories employing 50 labourers from 20 earlier.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths reform attempt is a little confused  the state plans to suspend all but three labour laws, which will neither get the Presidential assent nor judicial go-ahead; we believe, UP will have to modify its ambitions. The policy from Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is not yet out but seems to echo Uttar Pradeshs without suspension of minimum wages or safety laws. Finally, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is making his moves, first by allowing industry to buy land from farmers directly; and second by setting up a committee (that institution that delivers little but never dies) for investment promotion. Among other things, all four states hope to invite global companies exiting China to their geographies.

Constitutional drivers of Reforms 2.0

Constitutionally, these reforms will be created by both the Union and the States. One of the big changes India needs, and which Modi mentioned in his speech, is around labour laws. There are 51 Central labour laws  three for industrial relations, four for wages, 22 for service conditions including safety, two for women, three for deprived and disadvantaged sections of society, and 17 around social security. Their sole accomplishment seems to be to protect less than a tenth of Indias workers. Reforms here need to be to include those outside the purview of these laws on the one hand, and simplifying them and making them flexible for entrepreneurs on the other. Take Minimum Wages Act, 1948. One of the first laws to be enacted in Independent India, the law, when executed by States, has gathered 1,915 minimum wages across India. How is an entrepreneur expected to negotiate this web?

But labour sits in the Concurrent list. As long as States draft rules under the Act enacted by Parliament they are in tune with the Constitution; the moment they overstep that authority, it needs the Presidents assent, under Article 254(2). If labour reforms of the sort we need are to be ushered in, the first stop is Parliament; once amended, or repealed and re-enacted, only then can States draft their own rules. If Modi feels that this is the moment for labour reforms, and is confident of ensuring they are enacted in Parliament, then it would be a perfect reform under distribution of powers between the Union and the States.

Between the process reforms of the sort that Chouhan has brought in and expectations of new reforms ahead, lies the inspector raj  the deadliest virus that has infected the Indian economy. The best of laws have been twisted, the simplest of outcomes, say safety of workers or minimum wages, have been made excessively complex. So convoluted is the drafting, so well-hidden the fine print, that even PhDs in law would not be able to be fully compliant. The only institution profiting from this complexity is the inspector, who uses the law to extract rents and bribery. From the entrepreneurs side, this is a cost of doing business, against which there is no appeal, no hearing, no justice. Modi can end this extortion, not only in labour laws but on the tax terrorism front as well, by using the troika of simplification of laws and digitisation of processes. Giving tax targets to tax bureaucrats is a practice whose time has gone.

Political drivers of Reforms 2.0

Politically, these reforms will ride the expectations of the people, for whom the neighbourhood will need to become an economic hub. COVID19 has made it clear that in a crisis, the Indian State is unable to handhold them. The mass migration, from factory-towns and large cities back to the villages, that has left a trail of anguish in our hearts and lumps in our throat. It will have economic repercussions too. Neither is the health crisis going to end soon nor will the labour be back in a hurry. As a result, if and when factories restart, there will be a shortage of workers, and this exodus can be seen as a tool that raised wages. But if laws are simplified and infrastructure delivered closer to the villages, the same workers can cart their portable skills within the neighbourhood. How this plays out remains to be seen. But it is clear that the socio-economic fabric has been torn and it will take regulatory tailors to fix it. Leaders who are able to deliver jobs in the neighbourhood will continue their political tenures; others will fall by the wayside.

The COVID19 crisis is the perfect storm for economic reform. We see this crisis as a moment in time that can transform India. Economically, Covid-19 is a 1991 moment. Geopolitically, Covid-19 is a Balakot moment. Constitutionally, Covid-19 is abrogation of Article 370 moment. This is a time for other related reforms too. The entire edifice of the State needs to be rethought  debates around administrative reforms, legislative reforms and judicial reforms have to return on the policy table.

While we now wait for Sitharaman to disclose to us what the government has in mind, the one indication that is as clear as the newly-discovered blue skies above us is this: COVID19 could be Narendra Modis P.V. Narasimha Rao moment, his last chance to do something big, his lasting legacy.
Santa Clara County hospitals have begun transfusing plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients into people who are critically ill from the coronavirus in hopes the fluid will save lives.

The effort in one of the California counties hardest hit by the coronavirus is part of a national study from the Mayo Clinic to determine whether plasma  a liquid component of blood  can help people who are critically ill from COVID-19. Because the plasma comes from people who have recovered from the virus, it contains antibodies to the coronavirus and may help others recover from the disease.

Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system to fight infections caused by viruses, bacteria or other pathogens. Researchers dont yet know whether patients who have recovered from COVID-19 become immune to getting it again, as happens for some diseases.

Infections like the new coronavirus are dangerous because we do not have antibodies against them. We hope to learn if supplying antibodies can save lives, said Dr. Dayani Nualles-Percy, the lead investigator of the study at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Given the lack of natural immunity and the lack of a vaccine, plasma therapy may help to provide the body what it needs to fight the infection.

The study comes at a time when treatment options for the coronavirus are few. Nationally, 2,228 sites are participating in the study to see if it works and, so far, 9,374 people have been infused with convalescent plasma. In Santa Clara County, where the study began on April 9, five patients have so far received the treatment. In addition to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, OConnor Hospital and St. Louise Regional Hospital are participating in the study.

The goals of the study are to see whether plasma from recovered patients can help patients breathe, keep them off ventilators, prevent them from having to go to the ICU, and ultimately, keep them alive.

A separate but similar study is being conducted at UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital.

Blood is composed of white and red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Everything but the plasma is filtered out, Nualles-Percy said.

Its just a component of your blood, she said. The blood centers separate it and they only keep, in this particular case, the portion of blood that has the antibodies. And thats what we infuse.

Transfusing the plasma through an IV takes about an hour. To qualify for the study, COVID-19 patients must be over 18 and in the hospital with severe complications.

The hope is to help people by providing antibodies early on  they could fight the infection faster and dont get as sick, Nualles-Percy said.

Using convalescent plasma to transfuse antibodies into an ill patient is different from the antibody testing that is occuring globally.

Antibody testing is intended to determine whether a person has previously been infected with the coronavirus, in which case antibodies would be present. But such tests have high error rates: Negative results do not rule out the coronavirus and positive results may be false.

The Mayo Clinic study is focusing instead on a potential treatment.

This (study) is looking at people who have recovered, and its not based on widespread testing to see if someone has antibodies, said John Swartzberg, a UC Berkeley infectious disease expert. The operative word is convalescent. If youve gotten over a case of COVID, you have got something in your blood that might really help somebody else.

The trial is a promising step forward in studying the virus that cant be contained yet by a single drug, said Robert Siegel, an infectious disease expert at Stanford.

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.

For one thing, it will help scientists determine what role antibodies will play in controlling the infection. In some cases, like measles, antibodies are very effective in conferring immunity. But in other cases, like HIV, people can have lots of antibodies, but it doesnt help control the infection, Siegel said.

This trial will not only be important in terms of a possible therapy, it may also tell us something about the nature of the infection, Siegel said. It will help us understand what parts of the immune systems are most important in controlling the virus.

Access to convalescent plasma is largely dependent on community participation  people donating at their local Red Cross blood banks or Stanford.

We call it liquid gold because its so valuable and we treat each one with reverence, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, UCSF infectious disease specialist. When it comes, its like, wow, someone actually donated this and we are so lucky to able to get it.

Chin-Hong is also leading a study on convalescent plasma and said a total of 10 patients at UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital have been infused. The criteria for each patient is similar to the work being done by the Mayo Clinic  the plasma is reserved for the sickest patients, but in Chin-Hongs case, also those who are immuno-compromised.

Of the 10 patients who have received the treatment, none have gotten sicker, Chin-Hong said. The next step in using convalescent plasma will be to determine when to administer it  early in the diagnosis or when a patient is at their sickest and heading to intensive care.

We think its safe and it probably does work, but we need to know in COVID-19 specifically when it works the best, Chin-Hong said.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
TRENTON  Eric Berry, who worked as a business administrator under corrupt ex-Mayor Tony Mack and lacks the same experience and certifications as his predecessor, was appointed acting city clerk at a special meeting Wednesday.

The council approved the temporary appointment of Berry 5 to 2, with legislators Joe Harrison and Jerell Blakeley voting against it.

They said the city did not advertise the position, and that they had not received Berrys resume and were concerned about his qualifications.

Berry replaces city clerk Dwayne Harris, who abruptly resigned last week a day after council member George Muschal accused him of lying about the availability of funding for council aides and demanded an audit of the clerks office.

At-large councilman Jerell Blakeley accused McBride and other council members of a coup detat to replace Harris as he was coming up for re-appointment.

He claimed her desire to open up Harris position to applicants and have the current clerk compete for reappointment was tantamount to firing him.

Harris told The Trentonian he was surprised and confused by McBrides desire to open up the position to applications because I thought overall I did an excellent job here.

Harris three-year term was set to expire July 7 but he resigned effective May 22 after he said he was smart enough to see the writing on the wall.

I may have gotten it wrong, but I did not want to find myself blindsided out of my position after a Thursday night Council meeting in July, Harris said.

Berry takes over May 23. He served as the seventh business administrator under Mack before resigning and later taking a job with the state Department of Community Affairs Division of Local Government Services.

Berry said he has a bachelors in communications and is finishing up a masters in a government-related field.

He worked in various management positions in municipal government but never as a clerk.

Unlike Harris, he does not have a Registered Municipal Clerk certification.

New Jersey law says the governing body may appoint a person who does not hold a registered municipal clerk certificate to serve as acting municipal clerk for a period not to exceed one year.

However, Berry said he served in a supervisory role for clerks in smaller municipalities.

Ive never worked in a clerks office. I had to know what the clerk was doing because the clerk actually reported to me. Im very, very familiar with the Faulkner Act, Berry said about the law governing legislative bodies.

Berrys past includes working as township administrator in Willingboro for fewer than six months until he was fired in 2017.

He later filed a wrongful termination suit, and a judge last year ordered the township to pay out a $275,000 as part of a settlement agreement.

Berry was hired by the township in March 2017 for $130,000 and given the boot less than six months later, according to the Burlington County Times, after the council voted 3-2 to get rid of Berry and head in a different direction.

Berry brought suit against the township and council members who favored his termination, the newspaper reported.

Blakeley mentioned the past baggage and troubling history when questioning Berry about why he believed he was a good fit for the job.

In my eyes, he is unqualified, Blakeley said.

Berry said he was happily retired and not looking for full-time employment when he got a call from someone in the area who informed him the city was in turmoil and needed help after Harris resigned.

He did not identify the third party who reached out to him.

I thought I was going to be called back into service to help, Berry said. They thought the city was in distress. So I sent an application in.

When Harris resigned, the city had the national glare upon it after councilwoman Robin Vaughns homophobic tirade against openly gay Mayor Reed Gusciora.

During a coronavirus call, she told councilman Harrison to suck the mayors d**k.

Berry inherits a tough gig as The Trentonian has since sued alleging the city violated the states Sunshine Law by holding the secret coronavirus meetings that excluded the public.

McBride took part of the meeting to defend herself against allegations that she pushed out Harris.

She explained there wasnt enough time to advertise for the opening after Harris handed in his walking paper a week ago.

The council received only two applicants, Berry and another woman who was referred to only as Ms. Carter on the call.

This is no coup, McBride said. There was a process, and I followed it.  Mr. Harris was not pushed out. Mr. Harris walked out on his own accord. Do not throw that back to me.  Before I could do anything, it was on the front page of the newspaper.

Harris has already landed a better-paying job as clerk/administrator in Berlin Borough.

The council president also pushed back against colleagues claims that she failed to provide Berrys resume to all seven members of the legislative body.

She said she provided Berrys resume to Harris to disseminate to the council members whose contact information was not in her personal phone.

McBride also claimed that there was something wonky with her city email account that the IT department was working to fix.

The settings snafu meant certain users were blocked from corresponding with her.

McBride raised the point after The Trentonian reported that it attempted to reach out to her via email for comment about the lawsuit it filed but received a message indicating it was blocked.

Editors Note: This story has been updated with additional context
Staff members check the names of people involved in throat swab collection at a health observation point (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

Wuhan is set to conduct a 10-day city-wide coronavirus testing of all its residents, as the city recently reported six new coronavirus cases in the same residential community, sources from Wuhan's health authority confirmed with the Global Times.

Officials from a district health commission told the Global Times that Wuhan's regulators have asked districts in the city to submit a detailed plan to conduct the epidemiological investigation and epidemic prevention and control. Densely populated communities and areas with high population mobility will be the focus of screening and testing.

Chen Xi, assistant professor at School of Public Health of Yale University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that China's cities are more densely populated than those in the West, so it's more necessary to address community transmission through such large-scale testing.

Chen noted Wuhan's move would play a positive role in preventing a rebound of the epidemic in the city.

The implementation plan has not yet been announced. Specific plan and work are still under further study, and official information will be released as soon as possible, sources said.

Peng Zhiyong, director of the intensive care unit of the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that he has not received details of the testing plan. He said testing everyone would be costly, so the testing is very likely to focus on key groups and communities such as close contacts of patients and their family members, medical staff, the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

Yang Zhanqiu, deputy director of the pathogen biology department at Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Wuhan expanded the scale of its testing in April and tested targeted groups of people.

"About three to five million residents have been tested and proved healthy, and thus Wuhan is capable to test the remaining 6 to 8 million in 10 days." Wuhan has about 11 million permanent residents.

Wuhan has tested teachers, medical workers, public transport workers, public service workers in shopping malls and other public places, along with supervisors and people at nursing homes. Teachers and medical workers have had serum antibodies tests, chinanews.cn reported in late April.

Yang believes the city-wide test may be unnecessary as "you'll never know if people were infected after testing negative." So "It's essentially an epidemiological investigation to determine the current situation."

Wu Zunyou, an epidemiologist from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Monday on CCTV that large-scale screening and testing is unnecessary. Wu believes the main battlefields are in key communities and certain groups of people.

According to Yang, city-wide testing would allow residents of the hard-hit city feel more at ease, and speed up the process of returning to work and school.

Wang Zhonglin, the Party chief of Wuhan, stressed on Monday at a conference that learning from recent new cases will prevent a rebound and is the best way to ensure people's health and safety.

Along with strengthening prevention at the community level and the symptom reporting system, Wang said Wuhan will further expand the scale of testing, and the detailed epidemic prevention and control measures will be "normalized."
Representative image

Norway's $1 trillion wealth fund is excluding some of the world's biggest commodities firms from its portfolio, including Glencore and Anglo American, because of their use and production of coal.

Underlining the growing role of climate considerations for long-term investors, the fund is also excluding German utility RWE, South African petrochemicals firm Sasol and Dutch company AGL Energy over their use of coal.

Norway's parliament agreed in June 2019 to toughen existing limits on coal investments by the world's largest fund by excluding firms that mined more than 20 million tonnes of coal a year or generated more than 10 gigawatts of power from coal.

At the end of 2019, the fund held stocks worth $1.6 billion such companies, according to fund data.

Wednesday's announcement, made in a statement issued by the fund, is the first to show the tougher rules being applied.

The fund, set up in 1996 to save Norway's oil and gas revenues for future generations and which now holds about 1.5% of globally listed shares, sells holdings before announcing any exclusions to avoid excessive market moves.

The fund put another set of companies - BHP, Uniper, Enel and Vistra Energy - under observation for possible exclusion later if they did not address their use or production of coal.

The value of holdings in this set of firms stood at $3.9 billion at the end of 2019.

"This is good news that the biggest producers of coal in absolute terms are finally out of the fund," Else Hendel, acting environmental policy leader at green group WWF Norway, told Reuters.

EXCESSIVE EMISSIONS

The fund operates under ethical guidelines set by parliament and excludes companies from its portfolio that do not respect them. Its exclusions are often followed by other funds.

The fund also said it was excluding four Canadian oil firms for producing excessive greenhouse gas emissions, the first time it has used that reason to blacklist firms from its portfolio.

Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil were excluded for "acts or omissions that on an aggregate company level lead to unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions," it said.

The fund held stock worth $1.15 billion in these companies at the end of 2019.

The fund said on Wednesday it had taken a long time to sell shares of several excluded firms due to the "market situation, including liquidity in individual shares", following weeks of global financial market turmoil due to the coronavirus crisis.

Responding to Wednesday's announcement, Anglo American said: "We are working towards an exit from our remaining thermal coal operations in South Africa, ensuring that we do so responsibly."

"We continue to examine suitable opportunities for our minority stake in Cerrejon," it said, referring to a Colombian mining venture with BHP, Anglo American and Glencore.

Sasol said it was implementing an "emission reduction framework underpinned by short and medium-term targets", although it said coal would continue to play role in South Africa during a transition to lower carbon energy sources.

Enel said it was developing its business in line with the Paris climate accords, which seek to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and cut emissions to zero by 2050.

Glencore declined to comment. BHP, RWE, AGL Energy, Uniper and Vistra Energy were not immediately available for comment.

Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil did not respond to requests for comment after market hours.

UNACCEPTABLE

Parliament's move last year tightened the funds existing rules that barred it from investing in a company that derived more than 30% of its revenues or activities from coal.

Excessive greenhouse gas emissions became a criterion for exclusion four years ago, joining grounds such as human rights violations and the production of nuclear arms, landmines and tobacco.

But the board of the central bank, the fund's ethics watchdog and Norway's Finance Ministry took time to agree on what constituted an unacceptable amount of emissions.

The Council on Ethics examined oil, cement and steel companies before recommending exclusions based on excessive greenhouse gas pollution.

The council makes recommendations to exclude companies or put them under observation. But a final decision rests with the board of Norway's central bank.

The fund said three companies were excluded for causing environmental damage, namely Egypt's ElSewedy Electric Co, Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA and Brazilian power company Eletrobras.

Vale declined to comment. Eletrobras and ElSewedy could not immediately be reached.

The fund reverses exclusions if concerns are addressed. On Wednesday, it said New York-listed AECOM and Hong Kong-listed Texwinca Holdings Ltd were again eligible for investment.

AECOM had been excluded for involvement in producing nuclear arms, a business it has now discontinued, the fund said. Texwinca had been sidelined over perceived breaches of workers' rights by a subsidiary that has since been liquidated.
Irish Geographers have launched a new project to document past local experiences and coping strategies implemented during significant drought periods in Ireland.

The drought of Summer 2018 reminded us of how vulnerable Irish society is to water shortages, from local farms to businesses, wells to water supplies and even biodiversity. In a country renowned for rainfall we often forget that in the past Ireland has experienced some significant drought periods, particularly in the 1990s, 1970s and before.

Funded by the Irish Research Council, Geographers from UCD and Maynooth University are looking to document local experiences and coping strategies that were implemented by individuals during past drought events and to identify lessons that can be learned from local experiences.

They highlight that Our weather records and newspaper archives show a history of drought being more frequent in the past than in recent decades. However, we are missing personal voices and experiences about the experience of drought. We are therefore concerned that the insights people have from past droughts are being forgotten and we are eager to learn from people about how they were impacted and what they did in response.

If you have memories or stories of past droughts the researchers would love to hear from you. They emphasise that having an archive of such experiences will help build a bank of knowledge that makes us, as a society, less prone to negative impacts and help people cope with the challenges droughts can bring. As part of their project Irish Droughts: Environmental and Cultural Memories of a Neglected Hazard, the memories and stories that are collected will be made available through a publically accessible archive to help share experiences and ideas and to illustrate the different impacts that droughts have had on different parts of the island.

The researchers are also interested to trace locally held weather records and diaries. These may have been recorded by a keen amateur weather observer or simply included as a daily or weekly aside in personal diaries. No matter how brief the mention or for how short a period the records were kept, the project team would love to hear from anyone willing to share such records that date from the 1950s and earlier.

So, if you have stories of your experience of drought you would like to share, know of weather records or diaries that you think may be of interest, or would simply like to find out more, please visit the project website www.ucd.ie/droughtmemories.

You can also send an email to droughtmemories@ucd.ie or call the project lead, Arlene Crampsie, on 01-7168343. If you want to follow the projects progress you can see what the team are up to on @droughtmemories on Twitter and Facebook.
Exhibit C is Warrens aggressive effort to mold and shape a would-be Hillary Clinton administration, beginning in 2014 and stretching into the 2016 election season itself, according to Politico magazine:

As the Clinton transition team fielded ideas from senators in the final months of the campaign, Warren was treated as a first among equals, according to a Clinton transition official. Warrens chief of staff, Dan Geldon, and Clinton senior staffer Jake Sullivan were in close contact and met repeatedly in the final months of the campaign. Warren was deep in the weeds on personnel and pushed the Clinton transition team to hire her allies like Rohit Chopra, a veteran of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Warren personally lobbied the Clinton transition team, spoke with the Clinton policy team ahead of her endorsement in June 2016, and had placed several allies among those responsible for staffing a second Clinton White House. Had Clinton won the election, Warren would have been among the most influential Democrats in the federal government, on account of her relentless focus on personnel.

Warren has never served in executive office. But she has a powerful grasp on the power of the bureaucracy, of the influence of federal agencies and the reach of their authority, of what you can do by organizing and wielding that power effectively. If empowered (much as Biden was under President Barack Obama) a Vice President Warren would be an invaluable asset in directing and implementing a New Deal-style program.

Of course, before Warren can become vice president, Biden has to win the presidency. And the case for other vice-presidential contenders  like Senator Kamala Harris of California or Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor of Georgia in 2018  is that they will assist the ticket with African-Americans and other groups in ways Warren cannot. But the research falls firmly against the idea that running mates play any substantial role in helping or harming the top of the ticket.

In order for a running mate to help a candidate on a national scale, he or she must be exceedingly popular, the political scientists Kyle C. Kopko and Christopher J. Devine wrote in 2016. In order to hurt, the VP must be tremendously unpopular. By and large, neither happens. When it does, the effect isnt all that large. The most maligned vice-presidential nominee in recent history, Sarah Palin, cost John McCain a modest 1.6 percentage points in his campaign against Obama. A better running mate might have left him five points behind, instead of around seven.

At most, the right running mate can build partisan enthusiasm for a less-than-thrilling nominee. Thats what Mike Pence did for the presidents campaign in 2016, giving Donald Trump the conservative and evangelical bona fides he needed to unify the Republican Party. Not only is Warren more popular among Democratic primary voters than her competitors for the vice-presidential nomination, shes just as popular and well-liked as Biden, with a 77 percent favorability rating to his 76 percent.

More important, Warren would help unify the moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic Party; Bernie Sanders supporters, in particular, would be 61 percent more likely to back Biden for president against Trump if Warren were on the ticket, according to the left-leaning group Data for Progress. Overall, 53 percent of Democrats  as well as more than half of African-Americans  would be more likely to support Biden if Warren were his running mate, compared with 45 percent for Harris, 37 percent for Amy Klobuchar and 29 percent for Abrams.
WATERTOWN, Mass., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tufts Health Plan has launched an Employee Relief Fund to support employees who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and are experiencing financial hardship, including the loss of a job by someone in their household. Eligible employees can apply for $1,000 grants to cover essential living expenses, such as rent or mortgage, utilities and certain medical costs.

"Although the ongoing pandemic touches us all, it affects each of us differently, whether physically, emotionally or financially," said Tom Croswell, Tufts Health Plan president and CEO. "Our employees are extraordinary, and in these challenging times, are stepping up every day for each other, our members and the communities we serve. We know that some colleagues and their families are facing financial hardships and it is our hope that this fund can in some way help those who are in need. The fund underscores how we, as a company and as people, take care of each other."

The fund, established in partnership with America's Charities, was seeded with an initial $100,000 investment from Tufts Health Plan, in addition to personal donations from every member of the company's senior management group. Employees of Tufts Health Plan have also made contributions to the Fund, which are being matched by Tufts Health Plan Foundation. Tufts Health Plan is covering the administrative costs of online credit card donations so that 100 percent of a contribution goes directly to the fund.

The establishment of an employee relief fund is just one example of how Tufts Health Plan continues to support its employees, members, front line provider partners, employer clients, and the community.

Benefit enhancements for members

Waiving treatment, testing and counseling costs for members fighting the coronavirus, including copays, deductibles and coinsurance.

Waiving out-of-pocket costs for telehealth visits, including telephone consultations.

Members can see out-of-network providers in the event they cannot easily find an in-network provider to provide timely services for treatment of the coronavirus.

Early refills of drug prescriptions prior to the expiration date so members can have a supply on hand.

For providers

Working with providers to address their concerns about payments and advocating for federal funding for providers in need.

Putting in place administrative flexibilities such as waiving prior authorizations and pre-certification for emergent diagnoses and treatments related to the coronavirus.

Relaxed timing requirements for claims submission and appeals for our provider groups in recognition of reduced staff.

Compensating providers at 100 percent of the in-office rate for telehealth.

Hosting weekly webinars to answer their questions and concerns in real time.

For employers

Helping employers keep their employees covered, including those furloughed or temporarily laid off, by extending coverage.

Extending premium payment periods for employers who need a bit more time to make payment.

Advocating for direct premium assistance for employers so they can afford to continue to provide employer sponsored coverage.

Community

Committing $1 million through Tufts Health Plan Foundation to support those affected by the coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts , Rhode Island , New Hampshire and Connecticut . This funding supports organizations providing meals and other services to older people and those who are at risk, responds to inequities in housing and basic human needs, and bolsters collaborative regional responses. The Foundation is also providing current grantees flexibility to redeploy existing funds to address emerging community needs.

through Tufts Health Plan Foundation to support those affected by the coronavirus outbreak in , , and . This funding supports organizations providing meals and other services to older people and those who are at risk, responds to inequities in housing and basic human needs, and bolsters collaborative regional responses. The Foundation is also providing current grantees flexibility to redeploy existing funds to address emerging community needs. Providing nonprofits in the region with much-needed supplies, including diapers, hand sanitizer packs and towels.

Matching employee donations two to one. In total, $190,000 has been donated through the match program.

For employees

In addition to the Employee Relief Fund, increasing pay of essential employees who are needed onsite. then the health and wellness

About Tufts Health Plan

Tufts Health Plan is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing innovative, high-quality health care coverage. Staying true to our mission of improving the health and wellness of the diverse communities we serve, we touch the lives of 1.16 million members in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut through employer-sponsored plans, Medicare, Medicaid and marketplace plans, offering health insurance coverage across the life span regardless of age or circumstance. We are continually among the top health plans in the country based on quality and member satisfaction. Our Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO and Senior Care Options plans received a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the highest rating possible.* Our commercial HMO/POS and Massachusetts PPO plans are rated 5 out of 5  the highest rating possible  by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).** Our Medicaid plan is rated 4.5 out of a possible 5.***

To learn more about how we're redefining what a health plan can do, visit www.tuftshealthplan.com/whatwedo. Connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , YouTube and LinkedIn .

*Every year, Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next. For more information on plan ratings, go to www.medicare.gov. Tufts Medicare Preferred HMO plans received 5 out of 5 stars for contract years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.

**NCQA's Private Health Insurance Plan Ratings 20192020

***NCQA's Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2019-2020

Contact: Kathleen Makela

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Using Apple's iPhone may not be good all the time, especially if you're a co-founder and chief executive of one of its competitors. On Tuesday, May 12, an exclusive report from GizmoChina caught Xiaomi's CEO and one of its co-founder, using Apple's iPhone to post something online. Xiaomi officials immediately explained the situation and said that no one is prohibited from using iPhone-- even their CEO.

BUSTED! Xiaomi CEO found using iPhone instead of his brand

If you're an owner of a certain product, it is expected for you to use your own product before anything else. This is what Weibo users also expected when Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun posted online. However, it is the other way around.

Apparently, the CEO posted online using one of its competitor's devices, Apple's iPhone. The post, then, was quickly deleted from his account. But, thousands of Chinese social media users already took screenshots of the post saying, "come from iPhone."

Of course, its not known what iPhone model he used, but this revelation received a backlash from the Chinese users themselves.

Tech Radar reported that the fans of the brand might have thought that this revelation is a sign of disbelief for their products. Since the CEO perhaps uses an iPhone in its everyday living, Chinese users criticize the company.

Xiaomi explains the situation with the iPhone controversy

After Jun deleted his post from an iPhone device, Pan Jiutang, a partner of the Xiaomi Industry Investment Department, still released an explanation regarding what happened.

He said that there was no problem for Jun to use a competitor's phone, such as the iPhone. In fact, using other brands despite a person connected to a certain product means nothing when it comes to Xiaomi.

"...the owner or product manager of a mobile phone company claims not to try Apple, Samsung, and other competing products. It is either hypocritical, incompetent or does not care about the product/away from the frontline and technical innovations," saidJiutang on his follow-up post.

In all fairness to Jun, he stated in the past that officials and staff of Xiaomi are not restricted to use their brand exclusively--supporting the statement of Jiutang.

Other brands also caught or admitted using iPhone

Though it was kind of embarrassing for Jun to be caught using a different brand than his, a lot of other CEOs and officials from other phone brands were also caught using iPhone or admitted to using the device.

Huawei founder has said before that he admires the Apple ecosystem. Even Realme's CEO was caught tweeting with an iPhone last year and said that he only uses the brand for testing. Even Li Nan, former Meizu exec, was discovered to have switched to an iPhone after leaving his company.

ALSO READ: Is Motorola Edge Plus Enough to Go Against Apple and Samsung Smartphones?

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
13.05.2020 LISTEN

The National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party have clashed in the Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency over relief items donated to the constituents to boost the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic in the area.

The NDC has accused the government of supporting the NPP parliamentary candidate Hon. Abu Kamara with relief items to boost his political slot to the neglect of others.

"....Government behind closed doors, handed over hundreds of COVID 19 items, such as Veronica buckets, hand sanitizers, liquid soaps, gloves, nose mask among others to one Abu Kamara, the NPP parliamentary candidate for YKC to distribute across the length and breadth of the constituency in order to score cheap political points."

They have also blamed the government for selective politics in the face of a pandemic that has sent 22 people to the grave:

"One would have thought that this is the best of time where the government will put the whole house together in order to champion a course of the unity of purpose, to contain this inimical pandemic, but to handpick Abu Kamara and equipped him with resources owned by taxpayers for his personal political gains is rather unfortunate. "

But a member of the NPP's Parliamentary Candidate Braimah Saliah has said such vilification by the opposition party cannot hold water and are just mere threats to scuttle the good works of the candidate.

A press release signed by the NDC constituency secretary Latif lddi Atingpo l insists that the government should to stay away from using taxpayers money to fund a political campaign of its members:

"We want to use this medium to send a strong warning to the government, to desist from such frivolous activity."

The constituency branch of the NDC further advised the government to make good use of the necessary mechanisms to ensure equitable distribution of the items to the rank and file of the constituency:

"What a responsible government should have done is to involve all stakeholders who matter in the fight against COVID 19 such as the Traditional Authorities, Zoomlion Ghana, Ghana Police, Ghana Arm Forces, Ghana Fire service, Ambulance service, political parties among others than pushing the agenda of the unwinnable parliamentary candidate, who lacks jurisdiction to do the distribution of items on behalf of Government for that matter Central Gonja District."

Meanwhile, the NPP Parliamentary candidate is said to be on his way back to Accra after distributing bags of sugar to the Muslim community in the constituency on Tuesday.
Health experts are warning that the virus crisis is far from abating  and could worsen unless tougher action is taken.

Some of Indonesias 267 million people are on the move again.

The government has relaxed some domestic travel restrictions, but it is also being criticised for being too slow and inconsistent.

Health experts are warning that the virus crisis is far from abating  and could worsen unless tougher action is taken.

Al Jazeeras Jessica Washington reports from Jakarta, Indonesia.
On Sunday 10 May, Boris Johnson delivered an address outlining the roadmap England is following to gradually lift lockdown restrictions across the country.

Among the measures, the prime minister outlined who is encouraged to return to work and how workplaces can go about becoming Covid-secure, while still ensuring workers practise social distancing from one another.

Mr Johnson stated that anyone who is unable work from home, such as those in construction and manufacturing, is now actively encouraged to return to work.

In new guidance, published on Monday 11 May, the government states that paid childcare can resume subject to being able to meet the public health principles detailed in the document, because these are roles where working from home is not possible.

The government adds that allowing nannies and childminders to resume their positions should enable more working parents to return to work.

When are nannies and childminders allowed to return to work?

The governmental document outlines that the easing of lockdown restrictions in England is being conducted step-by-step.

The government has a carefully planned timetable for lifting restrictions, with dates that should help people to plan, it states, adding that this timetable depends on successfully controlling the spread of the virus.

Allowing nannies and childminders to return to work falls under step one of the governments roadmap, which will apply from Wednesday 13 May in England, the guidance says.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, this guidance should be considered alongside local public health and safety requirements, it states.

What are the rules nannies and childminders are instructed to follow when they resume their roles?

When returning to work, those who work in paid childcare must be able to meet the public health principles outlined in Annex A of the governments guidance.

Annex A, which is titled Stay safe outside your home in the document, sets out the principles you should follow to ensure that time spent with others outside your homes is as safe as possible.

These principles include keeping your distance from people who you do not live with, while also recognising this will not always be possible; keeping your hands and face clean by washing your hands thoroughly, using hand sanitiser and avoiding touching your face; avoiding face-to-face contact with people who you do not live with; and reducing the number of people who you spend time with while at work where you can.

The guidance also suggests avoiding crowds, which may include ensuring you do not travel on public transport at peak times; washing your clothes regularly; making sure indoor areas are well-ventilated; and if you are in an enclosed space where social distancing isnt possible and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet, wearing a face covering.

You should follow the advice given to you by your employer when at work, the document states. Employers have a duty to assess and manage risks to your safety in the workplace.

The government has issued guidance to help them do this. This includes how to make adjustments to your workplace to help you maintain social distance.

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

Does this apply to the whole of the UK?

Although the lockdown established on Monday 23 March was implemented across the UK, the document makes it clear that the updated guidance shared by the government refers solely to lockdown measures in England.

The devolved administrations are making their own assessments about the lifting of measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it states.

All government continue to work together to ensure a coordinated approach across the United Kingdom.

The government explains that lockdown restrictions may change at a different pace in various parts of the UK because the level of infection  and therefore the risk  will differ.
Cities and counties across the country may have handed plaintiffs attorneys an argument to use in lawsuits against insurers that seek business-interruption coverage for losses caused by coronavirus closure orders.

Jurisdictions as far asunder as Los Angeles, Calif. and Key West, Fla. include verbiage about property loss or damage in emergency directives that explain the reasons that businesses are being ordered to shutter. Those orders, in turn, are being cited in lawsuits that seek to persuade the court that coronavirus has caused property damage, which triggers business-interruption coverage.

Chris Cheatham, owner of analytics software provider RiskGenius in Overland Park, Kansas, noted in a blog post earlier this month that the language had been used by communities across the nation. He even built an interactive map that links to city, county and state emergency orders and ranks them as either low, medium or high risk to insurers.

The highest risk? Orders that say coronavirus causes property damages. Orders that mention property damage, but dont make a direct statement about what is causing it, are tagged as low or medium risks.

Defense attorneys widely dispute the notion that a virus can be construed as physical damage to property that merits coverage, even in policies that dont specifically exclude coverage. Many plaintiffs attorneys say otherwise and are itching for a courtroom showdown.

Please keep in mind that I am not declaring any particular language will or will not result in a valid claim or successful litigation, Cheatham wrote in his blog. I am pointing out government language that I believe will be used (and is already being used) by attorneys to support claims and litigation for COVID-19 business interruptions.

Propensity

Cheatham said its clear that a plaintiffs attorney had a hand in placing such language into at least one emergency order. He pointed to a news article in the Keys Weekly that explained how the term property damage ended up in a March 21 emergency directive by Key West Mayor Teri Johnston and City Manager Greg Veliz.

Attorney Darren M. Horan told the newspaper that he suggested the language during a meeting that was attended by City Commissioner Clayton Lopez, who relayed the message to City Attorney Shawn Smith. Horan said such language is important for policyholders who have insurance either for business interruption or orders by civil authorities because there is no coverage without property damage, according to the report.

Neither Smith nor Lopez could be reached for comment. Horan, however, responded to an email from the Claims Journal.

Horan said during his meeting with Commissioner Lopez, he offered a copy of an emergency order issued by New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell. The order says the coronavirus causes property damage because of its propensity to attach to surfaces for long periods of time.

That order was cited in what may have been the first lawsuit by a business owner seeking coverage for coronavirus-related closure: a complaint filed in Orleans Parish by Attorney John W. Houghtaling on behalf of the owner of the Oceana Grill in New Orleans. Houghtaling is seeking a state court declaration that his client is owed business-interruption coverage.

The interactive map with Cheathams blog post shows that the propensity to attach to surfaces language was used in several similar emergency orders by local governments in Florida.

One of them is an emergency resolution by the Board of Commissioners for Pinellas County, which says the virus has a propensity to attach to to surfaces and is causing property loss or damage in certain circumstances.

County Attorney Jewel White said she and her staff came up with that language on their own, with no input from any plaintiffs attorneys. White said the state statutes that the county relies on to use emergency powers specifically mention the protection of property. Typically in Florida, such emergency declarations are issued because of hurricanes, she said.

White said she did not personally draft the order, but she and her staff were concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on businesses, particularly on long-term care facilities. She said shes not an insurance expert and was not aware that the language would have any impact on the viability of business-interruption claims.

We were trying to invoke everything we could, to give us as broad authority as possible, she said.

The Ogletree Deakins law firm maintains a directory of emergency orders by state government and some local jurisdictions. A review of that database shows that property damage is not mentioned in most of the statewide closure orders by governors or state health officers.

Orders by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice are exceptions. Both mention property, but with far less detail than a number of the local orders.

Whereas

California Gov. Gavin Newsom was the first in the U.S. to issue a statewide stay-home order on March 19. Executive Order N-33-20 makes no mention of property damage.

But many local orders do, typically within a series of paragraphs that start with whereas.

An emergency order issued by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti states that COVID-19 is physically causing property loss or damage due to its tendency to attach to surfaces for prolonged periods of time.

Garcettis order was cited in a lawsuit filed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles against the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies seeking coverage for income losses from event cancellations and the closure of its facilities. The center operates the Museum of Tolerance, as well as a film production company and educational programs. Houghtaling represents the center.

Similarly, a March 18 order by Napa County health officer Karen Relucio discusses physical damage to property caused by the virus.

That order was cited in a lawsuit filed by renowned chef Thomas Keller against The Hartford seeking coverage for business-interruption losses from his two Napa County restaurants. Houghtaling is assisting with Kellers lawsuit.

Steven Badger, an insurance defense attorney with the Zelle LLP law firm in Dallas, said the origin of the property damage language is clear.

Theres no secret that the language was added in several initial emergency orders at the request of plaintiffs lawyers, with other municipalities then simply copying the same language, he said in an email.

Badger also said the wording of emergency orders will not control whether a policy must respond under the civil authority coverage.

Civil authority coverage is intended to apply when access to covered property is prohibited due to physical damage to a nearby property, such as a fire or building collapse, he said. Here, there was no physical damage to nearby property. It is clear that the primary cause of local COVID-19 emergency orders was the desire to stop the spread of the virus in people  to flatten the curve  and not due to any actual physical damage to property that had already occurred.

About the photo: The Oceana Grill, shown here, is one of many restaurants suing to collect losses from coronavirus closure orders.
France-based Thales Group, a leader in electrical systems, and Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA) have signed a cooperation agreement to establish a Digital Competence Centre in Qatar Free Zones.



Ahmad bin Mohamed Al-Sayed, Minister of State and Chairman of QFZA, and Thales Group Chairman and CEO Patrice Caine signed the agreement during a virtual signing ceremony in Doha and Paris.



The centre will be a hub for software development and facilitate large-scale projects including events and security solutions, playing a key role in Qatar Free Zones growing technology ecosystem. In the short term, this includes providing development support for large applications such as FAN ID, to manage spectator flows and access during large sporting events. Over the longer term, QFZA and Thales expect the Centre to support projects in areas including counter-UAV, airport security and operations optimization, large event security, mobility and experience solutions.



Thales and QFZA will also investigate the opportunity to create a start-up incubator and research partnerships to grow a local/international ecosystem and explore in the future the development of other activities in Thales areas of expertise.



Al-Sayed said: We look forward to working with Thales, already a key player in Qatar Free Zones, to set up this hub for innovation and technological exploration. The centre will be able to support a very exciting range of projects, and provide leading technological support for other companies in Qatar Free Zones, and across the country.



Todays agreement builds on the strategic collaboration agreement we signed recently with Google Cloud to launch a new Cloud region in Doha, based in Qatar Free Zones, as well as our existing cooperation with Microsoft. These agreements are key pillars in our strategy to localize agreements and international centres and to further develop our leading technology ecosystem, for the benefit of Qatar and all our investors.



Patrice Caine said: Innovation and digital transformation are at the heart of Thales strategy. Our vision is aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 to develop local competencies in digital and innovate for the future of the countrys industrial ecosystem.



We are honoured to launch this strategic collaboration with Qatar Free Zones in order to provide leading technological support as well as groundbreaking solutions in different areas including large events security, counter-UAV, airport security, operations optimization, and mobility. Thales is proud to be contributing further to the growth and expansion plans of the State of Qatar by creating highly skilled jobs and establishing a hub for innovation in Qatar.  TradeArabia News Service


However, its not quite an excuse to say that everyone is bad at learning from the experience of others and that our country had a lot of company in this particular cognitive error. For there are countries that learned from the experience of others, notably Germany. Like us, Germany is large and rich and has a bustling trade with China. Moreover, Germanys political framework also gives local governments significant autonomy. Yet Germanys death rate is only about a third of ours, and declining, while the United States seems stuck on a high plateau.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The high pressure die casting market is estimated to register a CAGR of 6.36% during the forecast period, 2020-2025.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05893150/?utm_source=PRN



- The automobile regulatory framework in Europe, as well as North America, has proved to create a sustainable environment in the automobile industry. Moreover, the latest regulatory framework, the Euro 6, which had been introduced in 2011 and came into effect from September 2014 onward changed the regulatory standards that have been crucial in determining the dynamics of the automotive market in the region. Since 2013, the EC (European Commission), along with EEA/EMEP, has been maintaining the record of the emission performance standard for very new vehicle registered in Europe. Thus, the imposition of various laws may lead to growth in the market in the near future.

- The strict enactment of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) regulations and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, coupled with the increase in the sales and demand for commercial vehicles, in the European region, as well as the growth of the electrical and electronics industry and construction industry, may drive the growth of the market in the coming years.

- CAFE standards and EPA policies to cut down the automobile emissions and increase fuel efficiency are driving the automobile manufacturers to reduce weight of the automobile, by employing lightweight non-ferrous metals. Thus, application of high pressure die casting components in the vehicles by the automobile manufacturers may provide growth opportunities for the market in the years to come.



Key Market Trends

The Automotive Segment Projected to Grow at a Fast Pace



The automotive segment of the global market is expected to witness the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. Traditionally, conventional and high-tensile steel constituted a majority of share in the automotive parts.



Employment of non-ferrous die casts in engine, body-in-white, chassis, steering parts, etc., has witnessed considerable growth, over the past five years. In the present scenario, nearly 30%-35% of the auto components in a vehicle are made of aluminum alloys, which are mostly developed using high pressure die casting process, due to its higher output volumes and immense flexibility in component designing.



All regions across the world have been consistently working toward enacting regulations for reducing emissions and improving fuel economy, which in turn, is driving the market for aluminum high pressure die casted parts in the automotive industry. This led to an outlay in the modernization of vehicles and encouraged automobile manufacturers to exert aluminum high pressure die casted parts for manufacturing of light-weight vehicles.



Additionally, adoption of electrification, not only in the passenger car segment, but also in the commercial vehicle, has been increasing over the past few years and may continue to increase during the forecast period. For instance:

- Similarly, in North America, the penetration of more high range electric buses, such as double-decker buses, from 2019, into the market is likely to drive automobile manufacturers to deploy more lightweight aluminum alloy auto parts for optimum vehicle efficiency.

- Some of the emerging countries in the Asia-Pacific region, like India, Indonesia, Nepal, etc., have started commercializing electric buses in the market, majorly since 2017, owing to the growing support from the governments toward eco-friendly transportation.



Some of the auto parts have been designed by zinc high pressure die casting (HPDC), where safety, corrosion resistant, and stability are the most required functionalities. Belt pretentioners, spark plug heads, housing of many starter motors, modern door locks, and door handles are some of the automotive application areas that prefer zinc HPDC parts. The adoption of zinc HPDC in automobiles may continue to increase during the forecast period, owing to the ongoing developments toward launching autonomous vehicles in the market, with driver's and passenger's safety as the main criteria for autonomous driving.



Asia-Pacific is Expected to Witness the Highest Growth



In 2019, the Asia-Pacific region dominated the global market and is also expected to witness the fastest growth rate during the forecast period. In the Asia-Pacific region, China is expected to dominate the regional market.



China is one of the major producers of die casting parts, and accounts for more than 64% of the regional (Asia-Pacific) die casting market share. The metal casting industry in China has more than 26,000 facilities, out of which 8,000 facilities produce non-ferrous castings. China produces over 49.3 million metric ton of castings.



- The Chinese foundries are focusing on innovation, in order to produce products that meet consumer preferences and international standards. Furthermore, in the die casting market, foundries are focusing on technical quality and brand orientation, which are considered as major growth drivers for the Chinese die casting market.

- On the downside, though China accounts for the largest production output across the world, the die casting market is not strong enough in the country. Environmental protection, energy saving, labor costs, and a shortage of engineers are some of the friction factors for the growth of the die casting market in the country.



Japan is the fourth largest producer of castings in the world. The number of metal casting foundries in Japan increased to 2,159. in Japan, the total casting production volume reached 5,490 thousand ton, with a production rate of 2,543 ton of castings per foundry. In 2016, the Japanese foundries manufactured over 1,380,570 metric ton of aluminum castings and 23,530 metric ton of zinc castings. Growing automobile industry, stabilizing industrial sector, consumer popularity for fuel-efficient vehicles, and latest advancements in die casting techniques are expected to drive the growth of the Japanese high-pressure die casting market.



Competitive Landscape

The high pressure die casting market is highly fragmented with the presence of many regional and international players across the globe. The competition in the market has increased as many small and medium scale players from the developing countries entered and expanded their business in the market over past three years.



Major recognized players, such as Nemak, Georg Fischer Automotive, Ryobi Die casting, Rheinmetall AG, Form Technologies Inc. (Dynacast), and Shiloh Industries together accounted to over 16% of the overall global market share.



Koch Enterprises (Gibbs Die Casting Group), Linamar Corporation, Bocar Group, Endurance Group, Sandhar technologies, Sundaram Clayton Ltd. and Rockman Industries are few other key players in the market.



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GAYLORD, MI  The Catholic Diocese of Gaylord announced plans to reopen churches for Mass, as well as changes to worship and communion distribution.

Churches will begin to open on Wednesday, May 20 and may be different from parish to parish. Also, because of the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the dispensation from attending Sunday Mass is extended through September 6, the Diocese announced.

Bishop Raica shares the good news that our churches may begin to re-open for public Masses beginning on Wednesday, May... Posted by Diocese of Gaylord on Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Below is a list of things the Diocese released that can be expected when churches return to public worship:

 Expect that you will not see everyone at Mass. In the Diocese of Gaylord, dispensation from your Sunday obligation is extended through Sunday, September 6, 2020. Not all will feel comfortable returning to public worship right away and some people should not return right away, including those over 65 years of age and those in a higher-risk category because of health issues and those who are currently ill. However, if you wish to return to Mass your Sunday obligation may be fulfilled at any Mass during the week.

 Expect that not all parishioners will be able to attend Mass on a Sunday because of reduced capacity. Churches are not to exceed 25% capacity in order to maintain proper social distancing. It is possible that Masses may be held outside.

 Expect to see all people over the age of two wearing masks.

 Expect that Communion distribution will be different to afford safe distancing between individuals.

 Expect the music to be led only by the musician and cantor. Or, you may not have any music at all for a while.

 There will be no hymn books or missals or worship aids in the pews.

 Expect other directives that may affect your local community and expect differences between parishes. We are striving for unity in our celebrations from parish to parish, not uniformity. What works one way in one parish, might work differently in another.

 Expect that each parish may open on a different schedule. We need patience to guide us these next few months.
Teachers and Leaving Cert candidates cannot have any further discussions about the student's performance in the past two years, nor can they talk about the estimated mark the teacher will award a pupil under new calculated grades system.

Updated advice from the Department of Education also confirms that no additional work can be accepted from the students after May 11, the official date for the end of tuition for the Leaving Cert class of 2020.

However, candidates remain students of the school and can continue to access wellbeing and other supports provided via the Student Support Team until the end of term.

The latest advice comes ahead of detailed guidelines for teachers about how to approach the unprecedented task of providing calculated grades for their pupils, as an alternative to the Leaving Cert exams.

In a new posting on its website, the department has defended the use of calculated grades as the "fairest way possible" to tackle the effects of a lack of schooling and other problems caused by Covid-19.

It also seeks to calm any student apprehension about the unprecedented process of awarding end-of-school grades.

"Students have had a very broken schooling experience - some have had access to schooling through online learning, others haven't," it states in a new FAQ on its website.

It says teachers will review several pieces of information about students' work over the past two years and will have to keep a record of the evidence they used to come to the estimated mark as well as the student's overall class ranking.

Once teachers have agreed a percentage mark and class ranking for each student, there will be a further review by the principal, following which the school will send its "results" to the Department of Education, which will conduct a national standardisation process.

That process will involve a series of checks and balances, taking on board two other pieces of data - the pattern of the school's performance in the Leaving Cert over the past three years, as well as the Junior Cert results of the current Leaving Cert class.

In its updated advice, the department seeks to reassure students that "the standardisation process does not favour any type of student or school".

"No matter how good you are and no matter what your school is like, if your school gives us an accurate estimate of your expected performance and gives accurate estimates for the rest of your class too, then you will all be treated fairly," it states.

It says the most important information about each student is the estimated marks and ranking that the school provides and the standardisation process serves to make sure the school has not been too harsh or too lenient.

"If you are a particularly strong candidate in your class - irrespective of the school you attend - then you will still emerge as a particularly strong candidate, and your calculated score will be as close to what you would have achieved in the examinations as it is possible to calculate," it states.

While some of the estimated marks may be adjusted up or down within the standardisation process, the department says that will depend "on the accuracy with which your teachers and school have made their estimates, not on the kind of school you are in".

"For example, we expect it to be quite common that the estimated marks in one subject from a school will need to be moved up and the marks in another subject from the same school will need to be moved down," it said.

The department added that all the assembled information "will be used to predict the level of achievement that you as a group would have been expected to reach in that subject if you had sat the Leaving Certificate examination in the normal way".
UCI to take part in clinical trial of drug for critically ill COVID-19 patients

Orange, Calif., May 13, 2020 -- UCI Health will initiate a clinical study of a drug to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients who face a high mortality rate because of acute inflammation that fills their lungs with fluid, a grave condition that even mechanical ventilation cannot improve.

Aviptadil, which has a 20-year history of use in human clinical trials for lung ailments, will be employed in a phase 2b/3 clinical study of COVID-19 patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome, a primary cause of coronavirus-induced death, said Dr. Richard Lee, interim chief of UCI Health's Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine.

"We're very pleased to be one of the first centers launching this clinical study," said Lee, principal investigator for the Aviptadil clinical trial. "This study will focus on patients for whom mortality is alarmingly high. If successful, we hope that treatments such as Aviptadil may change the chances of survival for these patients."

Up to 30 patients at UCI Medical Center will be included in the trial. Eligible participants will be hospitalized patients who have ARDS due to COVID-19 and require intubation and mechanical ventilation.

The leading role of UCI Health in advancing this clinical research during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates its unique and critical position in Orange County and beyond.

Part of the drug portfolio of Swiss company Relief Therapeutics Holding, Aviptadil has been used in trials for sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that attacks the lungs and lymph glands, as well as for pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.

A synthetic form of human vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, Aviptadil targets inflammatory molecules in the lungs called cytokines that COVID-19 whips into a storm, drenching the air sacs of the lungs in water and rendering them unable to deliver oxygen.

The drug could serve as one of the last lines of defense in cases where significant COVID-19 complications appear, often in the elderly and those suffering from other medical conditions, Lee said.

NeuroRx Inc., Relief Therapeutics' U.S. partner, with operations in Radnor, Pennsylvania, is leading the Aviptadil clinical trial. In a previous trial of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide for ARDS in eight patients with sepsis, seven people on mechanical ventilation showed substantial improvement and six ultimately left the hospital, said Dr. Jonathan Javitt, CEO of NeuroRx.

"If the early results can be replicated in ARDS caused by COVID-19, this treatment could have a major impact both on COVID-19 survival and on the availability of ventilators for those in desperate need," he said.

UCI is among three sites to launch the Aviptadil clinical trial - the others being the University of Miami and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia - and the only one west of the Mississippi River.

The trial will eventually grow to about 120 patients in all, with estimated completion later this year.

The Aviptadil clinical trial is among several COVID-19-related studies underway at UCI Health. On April 29, UCI Health physicians announced that trials showed that the antiviral drug remdesivir significantly slowed the progression of COVID-19. UCI Health began a clinical study of remdesivir in mid-March. A second phase of the remdesivir trial is pending.

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For more information about this and other UCI Health clinical trials, please visit the UCI Center for Clinical Research, a premier clinical research organization that provides life-saving clinical trials by strengthening and accelerating the pathway of discovery from bench to bedside.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www. uci. edu .

About UCI Health: UCI Health comprises the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at primary and specialty care offices across Orange County and at its main campus, UCI Medical Center, in Orange, California. The 418-bed acute care hospital provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, and behavioral health and rehabilitation services. UCI Medical Center features Orange County's only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and regional burn center. It is the primary teaching hospital for the UCI School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow UCI Health on Facebook and Twitter.

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists.

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
BURLEY  A national chain that planned to open a Burley department store has declared bankruptcy and will close all its stores unless it finds a buyer.

Stage Stores, which owns Gordmans, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas, company officials said in a press release.

The company announced it would hold a grand opening for the Burley location at the end of March, but the ceremony was delayed and all the chains locations closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Burley location still has the old Bealls store sign in place. Stage Stores also owns Bealls.

Company officials did not respond to the Times-News requests for information on whether the store has inventory that will be liquidated, but the location is not on the list of stores that will reopen in the coming weeks to liquidate inventory.

The company anticipates the first phase of about 557 stores to reopen May 15, the second phase of 67 stores to open on May 28 and the balance of the chain will open on June 4.

This is a very difficult announcement and it was a decision that we reached only after exhausting every possible alternative, said Michael Glazer, company president and CEO, in a statement. Over the last several months, we had been taking significant steps to attempt to strengthen our financial position and find an independent path forward. However, the increasingly challenging market environment was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required us to temporarily close all of our stores and furlough the vast majority of our associates. Given these conditions, we have been unable to obtain necessary financing and have no choice but to take these actions.

The company will seek approval for a consensual use of cash collateral to support its operations during the bankruptcy proceedings. The company also filed a number of customary motions to seek court authorizations, including payment of wages, salaries and health benefits without interruption for employees who work during the bankruptcy.

The company will honor existing customer programs, including returns and gift cards, for the first 30 days after a store reopens.

The companys stores in Meridian and Nampa are among those set to reopen Friday for liquidation.
Aarogya Setu, Indias official contact tracing app has been downloaded by more than 100 million citizens

Aarogya Setu, Indias official contact tracing app has been downloaded by more than 100 million citizens in a bid to keep a track of people who could be infected by the Coronavirus. The app was launched on April 2 and was downloaded by over 50 million users in just a matter of 13 days since, making Aarogya Setu the fastest app (Android or iOS) to reach that milestone.

#AarogyaSetu crossed 100mn registered users. Thank you India! We fight together, we stay safe together! pic.twitter.com/b9zEOSJCOV  Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) May 12, 2020

In the backdrop of the app being criticized by many security researchers and privacy advocates, the Indian government has made Aarogya Setu mandatory for people travelling via railways. The same rule is expected to be implemented for people opting to travel via airlines once the services are operational.

Indian Railways is going to start few passenger trains services. It is mandatory for passengers to download Aarogya Setu app in their mobile phones, before commencing their journey



Download this app now -



Android : https://t.co/bpfHKNLHmD

IOS : https://t.co/aBvo2Uc1fQ pic.twitter.com/MRvP8QBVPU  Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) May 11, 2020

In cities like Noida and Greater Noida, local authorities are entitled to criminally prosecute any person whos found not having the Aarogya Setu app installed on their smartphones. This order has been challenged by the Internet Freedom Foundation in court as the developers of the contact tracing app work on a feature phone version.

The Indian government has made Aarogya Setu mandatory for its employees and has ordered private companies to follow suit. Additionally, the government could also be looking at making Aarogya Setu mandatory for all phones going on sale as lockdown restrictions are eased further.

Interestingly, 100 million users only account for 7.2 per cent of the total Indian populace and by virtue, contact tracing needs a much stronger user base to be used effectively. At a time when more than half of the countrys population use feature phones, theyre practically left out from the range of contact tracing apps. While the government is making a feature phone version of Aarogya Setu, its currently unknown how it plans to make the rural masses use the app and whether or not all feature phones will be compatible with the app.

Recently, French security researcher Robert Baptiste warned the Indian government of the security lapses in Aarogya Setu that lets any malicious attacker access a persons COVID-19 information from anywhere in the world including details about their self-assessment tests. Moreover, with the data collected by the app, its possible to get Coronavirus information around a particular point of interest.

These claims were dismissed by the Aarogya Setu team as a built-in feature of the app. The government released data processing rules for Aarogya Setu that lay down some guidelines on the user data collected and an option for users to initiate removal of the collected data from the app within 30 days from making the request.
Nelson Mandela had once said, there can be no keener revelation of a societys soul than the way in which it treats its children. If this is true, then what does the death of 12-year-old migrant child labourer, Jamlo Makdam, who passed away from dehydration and fatigue, after walking 150 km to return to her home during COVID-19 lockdown say about the soul of our society?

What does it reveal about our society when the government's helpline for children (1098) receives 4.6 lakh calls during the first phase of a nationwide lockdown, 30 per cent of which requires COVID-19 related intervention? Majority of such interventions were simply pleas for food. However, 9,385 of these calls were cries for help from children who were being subjected to physical, emotional or sexual abuse, or being trafficked, or abandoned.

How does it reflect on us, when amid a health crisis that has killed 2,415, and affected 74,480 people in India, the rate of online child pornography consumption shoots up by 95 per cent?

Children, especially from marginalized and invisible sections of the society, like the ones who live in child care institutions (CCIs), observation homes, as well as street children and child labourers, have been the silent collateral victims of the lockdown, implemented on March 24, and subsequently extended, to curb the spread of coronavirus.

So far, children have been comparatively less affected by COVID-19. But, that doesnt mean they are less vulnerable. According to an estimate published in early April by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 8.6 per cent of COVID-19 positive cases in India are individuals within the age group of 0-20 years.

In Maharashtra, which has recorded the highest number of cases so far, a report published by the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD) on 12 May, states that 770 kids below the age of 10 have the virus. In the age group of 10 years to 20 years, the report says that there are 1,579 cases in the state. There are children, especially infants, who have lost their lives to the virus in states of Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and others.

We are constantly saying that children are less vulnerable to this infection which is problematic. In some ways, what we are doing is, we are negating the possibility of children being infected, which is obviously not true, said Anindit Roy Chowdhury, Director of Programmes, at Save The Children.

One of the facts that we know about COVID-19 is that individuals who are malnourished are susceptible. Unfortunately, the group of children who come from vulnerable backgrounds -- like those who are orphans, or poor -- are mostly malnourished. So, the chances of them being affected by the virus are much higher. he added.

However, the virus is of least concern for most child rights activists including Roy Chowdhury, who fears that this pandemic may result in a hidden child rights crisis.

'Orphans in their own homes

In India, according to Juvenile Justice Care And Protection of Children Act, children who are placed under the care and protection of the state are not just those who do not have any parents, guardians or extended families, but also those kids whose parents are found incapable of providing for them, mostly due to their socio-economic conditions.

According to a report published in 2019 by the Jena Committee on Child Care Institutions (CCIs), there are as many as 1.8 lakh children from such poor vulnerable backgrounds living in Child Care Institutions (during the period of 2016-2017) across India. When the COVID-19 lockdown happened in March this year, many such children found themselves back home, because some CCIs were asked by the local authorities to do so.

*Newton, the founder of one such Child Care Institution (CCI) in Tamil Nadu told News18 that, A total of 90 children from our CCI were sent to their respective homes according to the orders of local authorities.

Newtons CCI is one of the 17 CCIs supported by Miracle Foundation, an international NGO that works with orphans, and semi-orphan children. Out of the 17 CCIs we support almost 400 kids went back. pointed out Nivedita Dasgupta, India Country Head, Miracle Foundation (India).

However, after they returned to their respective homes we immediately started getting feedback from the children that they don't have anything to eat. Parents of such kids are generally daily wage workers, and many of them had lost their jobs during the crisis, she added. Miracle Foundation India gathered bank account details of such families and wired them money for necessities, however, children who lived in the interior tribal regions were hard to reach, said Dasgupta.

In the last couple of years, the government of India had been embracing the global trend of rehabilitating such kids into their own homes, by empowering poor households so that they can provide for their own kids. However, that requires due process, and the hurried return of the children due to lockdown when parents dont even have jobs do not make these homes conducive places for kids.

Everyone should be with their families during hard times, perhaps thats the reason why many parent(s)/guardians of these children took them back, despite obvious problems in their own homes, said Dasgupata. However, not every child is happy to be back home. D a student of standard 9, who lives in a CCI in Tamil Nadu told News18 that he misses his CCI friends, and cant wait to get back after lockdown. My mother is very anxious and frustrated because she lost her job. There are so many of us to feed and cook for that it makes her worried and irritated, he said.

Ss mother took her back too when the lockdown happened. Her father is a drug addict and doesnt live with her mother, who is a cotton mill worker in Tamil Nadu and has received no salary since April. My mother and grandmother live in a rented house, and they are very worried that they dont have money to pay the rent. On top of that, there are also electricity bills as well. S told News18.

S, however, has bigger worries, she says. She is a class topper, and her class 10 exams have been pushed due to the lockdown.  With each passing day, I feel like I am losing momentum. I feel like Im forgetting everything I have learned, she revealed.

Falling back, staying back

S isnt the only one losing time and momentum. Thousands of children who are still in CCIs are losing out too. Online learning is a challenge for them because most shelter homes don't even have a computer or an internet connection, said Dr Prahalathan, co-founder of Bhumi, a volunteer organization that works with 25,000 children across the country.

If the school session gets delayed, private schools have digital learning for their kids, but sometimes providing even one computer in a CCI is challenging. So, if there are 50 or 70 kids in one CII, it is going to be really tough to teach them all. Most of these children also dont have smartphones, so personalised education is also not possible. he added.

Children from extremely poor households often choose CCIs over their own homes because these places at least guarantee meals, and shelter, which many of their homes cannot provide. But, just because they are marginally better places to live, doesnt always make them a healthy space for living, especially during a lockdown, when everyone has to spend all their time together, confined in small spaces.

There are few large CCIs but most shelter homes are small. In such shelter homes staying cooped up inside all day and night must be hard for children, said Dr Prahalathan. He also pointed out that the added stress and uncertainty of the crisis can also cause or aggravate mental health issues among such children.

80% CCIs we work with have not sent children home as advised by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) through its notification dated 29 March. This, however, differs from state to state. pointed out Satyajeet Mazumdar, Head of Advocacy at Catalysts for Social Action which works with 80 CCIs in Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

CCIs, where children are currently staying, are experiencing problems of their own. "NGO implemented programs have been paused. CCIs are understaffed as employees who live outside premises cannot come, he added. However, that is hardly the worst thing that the CCI owners and managers are worried about. Only about 40% CCIs receive ICPS funding, while others depend heavily on local donors which may result in a fund crunch in the next 3-6 months, he said.

Mazumdar also explained that those CCI kids who turn 18 this year will be deinstitutionalized. They will have a tough fight ahead. They may have to settle for cheap manual labour jobs, instead of getting vocational training, as in a post-COVID-19 world, the opportunities for jobs will shrink considerably.

Children are currently at high risk of being separated from their families and primary caregivers due to various reasons like death, disability or illness. If one or the other is isolated for quarantine, or the child is abandoned after they have received treatment or have been quarantined, in such cases, children are at increased risk of being placed in care, including residential institutions. pointed out Soledad Herrero, Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF (India). This means that the population of CCIs are also likely to increase. Post pandemic too, when many families will be too vulnerable to support their children they might hand the kids over to the CCIs.

Apart from children at CCIs, minors who lived in observational homes have also been asked to return to their families, pointed out Herrero, however, that rehabilitation too has been riddled with infrastructural challenges.

The Supreme Court judgment in re Contagion of COVID 19 Virus in Children Protection Homes, Suo Motu Writ Petition (Civil) No.4 of 2020), ordered that children should be released after completing due diligence from Observation Homes so that they can return to their families. As per the guidance from the Supreme Court efforts are being made in all states to support the release of children in detention on bail through appropriate procedures, said Herrero. A monitoring system to track these children and keep a tab on their wellbeing has also been put in place by the government. However, there have been challenges in communication and access to phones, she added.

The invisibles

While children in CCIs at least have meals and shelter at this point there are thousands of street kids without any form of support in India currently. Street children are often referred to as hidden children because they are not counted in the census, and very few official data or literature exists on them. A survey conducted by Save The Children says there are about 2 million of them, although Child Rights activists claim that the numbers are much higher than that and with the current pandemic, it might further increase. Most of them dont even have a national identity -- an Aadhaar or a voter ID card.

"We all know the moment people become invisible, their vulnerability increases considerably. Street children are anyways exploited in normal times, but now the worry is that these children are also probably being sexually exploited and facing abuse because they are not visible anymore. However, we have no way of knowing.  said Anindit Roy Chowdhury, Head of Programmes at Save The Children.

He pointed out that the moment these children are alone with no access to telephone, or money, they become very obvious targets. A smaller bunch among these street children are girl children who are likely to be forced into prostitution. There will be another group that is likely to be trafficked, he explained.

Apart from them, in various factories and agricultural fields, there are children who are currently stuck. With no business happening in such factories, it is hard to say if these child labourers are even being fed, said Roy Chowdhury. Child labour is illegal in India, so the employers cannot access government help, and the well-being of these children is currently a matter of grave concern. According to the 2011 census, there are 10 million child labourers in India, and it is likely to increase given that many families will be pushed to extreme poverty due to the pandemic.

So far, neither the government nor the NGOs know for sure where the majority of these street children are, or how many child labourers are stuck in factories. It is estimated that some of them were migrant workers kids and are currently walking home, others who are connected to some NGOs support system, have been put into government shelters.

Almost a month into the lockdown NCPCR announced that they would make a database of such children so that they can be linked to government schemes such as BPL cards, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna etcetera. While it is good news, they will in all likelihood face many challenges during this lockdown to create such a database.

NCPCR is trying to anticipate new problems that vulnerable children would face once the lockdown is over. Families may sell their girl children out of abject poverty or coerce them into child marriages, traffickers will obviously try to utilise this crisis and trafficking rates are likely to go up, as it does after any kind of disaster.

There have already been reports of child marriages in Rajasthan. Child abuse has increased considerably as helpline calls indicate, and it is unlikely to reduce with children being locked up in their homes with their perpetrators.

Missing Future

Children are generally the most vulnerable in any crisis because they do not have any representation or voice in the polity. So, it should be the government's prerogative to include them in COVID-19 related policies.

While some CWC members are working, the Children protection workforce of the government must be back in full action despite the lockdown. They should be given proper PPEs so that they can provide the support that children need so urgently, said Roy Chowdhury. He also added that it is very important for NGOs that work with such children to be back on the ground, for which the government should give permissions, as and when needed.

Starvation is a reality many are facing now, and a big reason for it might also be that the Public Distribution System (PDS) doesnt reach everyone. So, NGOs must help the PDS reach the last mile.

Apart from that, actions should be taken to ensure the well-being of child labourers. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi recently suggested an amnesty deal between the government and employers of child labourers. While that may not be the best solution, it is urgent and necessary to pay attention to this issue and find ways to help the children.

The main focus of law enforcement officials during the lockdown has been to maintain the lockdown, but that is not their only responsibility. They should also look into child protection needs because now kids who are out on the street are truly vulnerable.

Children may not have been the face of the pandemic, but they are one of the worst affected, especially those already vulnerable. With its impact on their health, learning, mental well  being, the pandemic could become a child rights crisis. A whole society approach is needed so that children do not become its worst victims. added Soledad Herrero, Chief of Child Protection, UNICEF (India).

*Few names have been changed in the article to protect the identity of the individuals.
KITCHENER  The country needs to come up with a better way to help those going through financial hardship, Kitchener council signalled Monday, voting in support of a motion for a universal basic income.

The economy is going to be flat for quite some time, predicted Coun. Bil Ioannidis, who brought forward the resolution.

Unemployment has reached unprecedented levels, with more than a million jobs gone in Canada in March, he said. Federal pandemic relief is estimated to cost about $82 billion so far, while the federal Parliamentary Budget Office estimated in 2018 that a Canada-wide basic income would cost about $44 billion a year.

A guaranteed minimum income would have benefits such as reducing demand for health and social services and create a simpler, more streamlined system for people who need to access financial aid, he said.

Council approved the resolution 8-3, but some councillors questioned the wisdom of urging the federal and provincial government to consider what could potentially be a costly program.

Its not clear what such a program would cost and what impact it would have on the economy, said Coun. Scott Davey, who opposed the resolution along with Paul Singh and John Gazzola. But now is not the time for government to consider such a potentially costly program.

The last thing I think we should be doing is putting additional pressure on seniors levels of government, Davey said.

If you dont bring this forward when theres a time of need, when are you going to bring it forward? Ioannidis said. This is the perfect time to think outside the box.

Singh called it an idealistic idea that wasnt practical when the economy is shrinking and governments are going into debt.

Others, like Coun. Dave Schnider, disagreed, saying it was always the right time to try and look after one another.

Social safety nets like unemployment insurance were introduced during the Great Depression, pointed out Coun. Sarah Marsh, and the pandemic has made clear that some of those supports are inadequate, and that many people in the community are suffering.

Our world has changed, said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. When we come out of this pandemic, we need to come out better than we were before.

The aim of the resolution is to encourage innovation thinking so that everyone is assured a reasonable basic income, without dictating what a new program should look like, Ioannidis said.
For the better part of the past decade, Aimee Stephens was fighting two battles: one against kidney disease, and another that went to the Supreme Court, a potential landmark case over her 2013 firing after coming out to her boss as transgender.

But on Tuesday, after having recently entered hospice care following years of kidney failure, Stephens lost one battle without living to see the end of the other.

She died at her home in Michigan at 59 - likely just days or weeks away from a Supreme Court ruling in her case.

Stephens' case is the first major transgender civil rights matter that the high court has heard, with potentially sweeping implications for transgender people nationwide seeking protections from being fired because of their gender identity. That Stephens will not be alive to witness its outcome has devastated her family, legal team and the countless people in the LGBT community she inspired, the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Stephens, said in a statement.

Her wife, Donna Stephens, thanked everyone on Tuesday "from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and keeping my best friend and soulmate in your thoughts and prayers." Stephens also leaves behind a daughter, Elizabeth.

"Aimee is an inspiration. She has given so many hope for the future of equality for LGBTQ people in our country, and she has rewritten history," Donna said in a statement provided by the ACLU. "The outpouring of love and support is our strength and inspiration now."

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Stephens' case last fall, as well as in two other cases involving gay men who say they were fired because of their sexual orientation. The court is expected to issue its ruling before the end of the spring term on R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The question is whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination in employment, also applies to transgender and gay people. The law itself does not say, so the issue has been left to the courts.

State laws do not protect them from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in more than half the states.

Writing in a column for The Washington Post last summer, Stephens said she "would like to believe that the United States - and the Supreme Court - will see that transgender people should be able to live free from discrimination in the workplace and beyond."

"No one should face discrimination because of who they are," she wrote. "My case is about so much more than me - or even transgender people. It's about anyone who has ever been told they are not enough of a man or not the right kind of a woman. It's about anyone who has ever experienced sex discrimination. It's about making sure the same thing doesn't happen to someone else."

Stephens, who worked for more than 30 years as a funeral director, was born on Dec. 7, 1960, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and raised in a conservative Southern Baptist family. With little to no exposure to the LGBT community in the early years of her life, Stephens told The Post last year that she struggled to understand the gender dysphoria she experienced for so many years. It wasn't until she saw a therapist much later in life, after coming out to her wife in 2009, that she realized there were others like her, she said.

But coming out to her co-workers was more difficult.

In the summer of 2013, she had reached a breaking point. She felt she could no longer go on living a split life, and so Stephens sat down to draft the most consequential letter of her life.

"Dear Friends and Co-Workers," she began. "What I must tell you is very difficult for me and is taking all the courage I can muster."

She revealed to them her true identity as a transgender woman, and said she was finally going to allow herself to express her identity at work too, trading the suit and tie for the required skirt or dress.

"I realize that some of you may have trouble understanding this. In truth, I have had to live with it every day of my life and even I do not fully understand it myself," she wrote. "As distressing as this is sure to be to my friends and some of my family, I need to do this for myself and for my own peace of mind, and to end the agony in my soul."

She presented the letter to her boss in the chapel of the funeral home on July 31, 2013.

Two weeks later, she was fired.

Thomas Rost, the owner of the funeral home and her boss, has said in court proceedings that he fired Stephens "because he was no longer going to represent himself as a man. ... He wanted to dress like a woman."

Stephens previously said she was offered a severance package in exchange for a promise not to sue, but Stephens refused.

"Money at that point was not important," she told The Post last year. "It was the principle. Nobody should be fired over something like that."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled in Stephens's favor in 2018. Citing a 1989 ruling that dealt with gender stereotypes, the court found that Title VII's protection against sex discrimination must necessarily extend to transgender people, reasoning that it is "analytically impossible" to fire someone based on a person's gender identity "without being motivated, at least in part, by the employee's sex."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit used similar logic to rule in favor of skydiving instructor Donald Zarda, who said he was fired after revealing he was gay. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit rejected that reasoning in another case involving Gerald Bostock, a gay social worker.

Zarda also died before hearing the end of his legal battle, in a base-jumping accident in 2014.

As in Zarda's case, Stephens' estate will continue to fight on her behalf.

"Aimee did not set out to be a hero and a trailblazer, but she is one, and our country owes her a debt of gratitude for her commitment to justice for all people and her dedication to our transgender community," Chase Strangio, the deputy director for Trans Justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, wrote in a statement, adding: "As a transgender person and an advocate, I am filled with both grief and rage that we have lost an elder far too soon. As we, and millions, carry her work for justice forward, may she rest in power and continue to guide us on this path."
Wisconsins Supreme Court has struck down Governor Tony Everss stay-at-home order, the first statewide measure in the US to be dismissed by the courts, throwing out his quarantine effort amid a coronavirus outbreak that has infected more than 10,000 people in the state.

The courts conservative majority ultimately sided with the states Republican lawmakers who have challenged the governors order as the state begins to ease some restrictions, joining a nationwide reopening despite warnings from health officials that ending the lockdown without consistent safeguards could lead to a spike in infections.

Wisconsins Supreme Court has emerged as a partisan flashpoint, following a contentious April election, favourable rulings for the states Republicans, and the closure of an investigation into former Republican Governor Scott Walker over alleged campaign finance violations.

Governor Evers was among 43 governors to put such an order in place during the outbreak. The state was among a handful without imminent plans to lift those restrictions, joining neighbouring Illinois and Michigan.

Last month, hundreds of people swarmed the state to protest the order and demand the state allow businesses to reopen and residents go back to work. More than 500,000 residents have applied for unemployment insurance benefits following the states order to close nonessential businesses.

But local polls show that Wisconsin residents largely support the shutdown, reflecting national polls that show a majority of Americans believe quarantine efforts shouldve been in place much earlier.

A poll from Marquette University Law School showed 69 per cent of Wisconsin voters support Governor Everss order, though responses fell mostly along partisan lines. Less than half of Republican respondents support the measure.

In the same poll in March, 83 per cent of Republicans supported the closures.

'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Show all 15 1 /15 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Protesters form a motorcade against lockdown orders outside the State House in Annapolis, Maryland on 18 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US People take part in a protest for "Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine" outside the Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing on 15 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Alex Jones, host of conspiracy theory outlet Infowars, joins the 'Reopen America' protest against lockdown measures in Austin Texas on 18 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US A group of protesters rally against lockdown orders outside the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond on 16 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US A protester holds a sign comparing Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer to a Nazi during a demonstration at the State Capitol in Lansing over coronavirus lockdown measures AP 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US A 2020 Trump Unity sign is displayed during a protest against coronavirus lockdown measures at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan AP 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Anti-lockdown protesters drive by the Ohio State House in Columbus on 18 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Protesters form a motorcade in opposition to state lockdown measures outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on 15 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US A protester takes part in a rally outside the Ohio State House in Columbus on 18 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US People take part in a protest for "Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine" outside the Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing on 15 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Protesters form part of a motorcade in opposition to state lockdown measures outside the North Carolina State Legislature in Raleigh on 14 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Protesters rally against lockdown measures outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on 15 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Protesters form a motorcade in opposition to state lockdown measures around the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on 15 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US Police urge people to spread out during a protest against lockdown measures outside the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond on 16 April AFP/Getty 'Live free or die': Anti-lockdown protests sweep US An armed protester taking part in a demonstration against coronavirus lockdown measures outside the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan EPA

Despite the mostly favourable polling, the GOP-dominated state legislature sued the governor to end the order. Governor Evers has said he likely would not extend the order past 26 May.

The courts ruling awards Republicans a temporary injunction to block the governors extension of the order that was set to expire on 20 May.

Governor Everss initial order went into effect on 25 March and was extended on 24 April.

Republican lawmakers argued that the states Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm had overstepped her authority by extending the order.

The court declared that the order was unlawful, invalid and unenforceable in its ruling.

In a statement, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said that for decades, Wisconsin law has given the states chief health official the authority to close schools and public gatherings, among other places to control outbreaks and epidemics and to issue orders ... for the control and suppression of communicable diseases.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and county officials said they would consider extending county- and citywide orders if the court ruled against the governor.
Days after its successful launch into the space, a huge chunk of a Chinese rocket has fallen back to the Earth. The debris of Chinese Long March 5B (CZ5B) rocket, measuring at 17.8 tonnes, was first spotted by the US Air Force's 18th Space Control Squadron.

The massive segment splashed down into the Atlantic Ocean. The re-entry of CZ-5B is the second biggest uncontrollable descent of space junk in history. The first such incident took place in 1991 when a 39-tonne Salyut7 fell into the Earths atmosphere.

The 18th Space Control Squadron of the US Air Force confirmed the incident concerning the Chinese rocket in a tweet. #18SPCS has confirmed the reentry of the CZ-5B R/B (#45601, 2020-027C) at 08:33 PDT on 11 May, over the Atlantic Ocean. The #CZ5B launched Chinas test crew capsule on 5 May 2020. #spaceflightsafety, read the post.

#18SPCS has confirmed the reentry of the CZ-5B R/B (#45601, 2020-027C) at 08:33 PDT on 11 May, over the Atlantic Ocean. The #CZ5B launched Chinas test crew capsule on 5 May 2020. #spaceflightsafety 18 SPCS (@18SPCS) May 11, 2020

Astronaut Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics also confirmed the news, along with the tracking images of the CZ-5B.

CZ-5B core stage reentry confirmed down at 1533 UTC, off the west coast of Africa https://t.co/hzePzF0THc Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 11, 2020

And the TIP message is out, showing reentry at 1534 UTC at location 20W 20N, just before the ground track passed over Nouakchott. pic.twitter.com/wcQ7BmJblk Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 11, 2020

Sharing further updates on the debris of CZ-5B near Mahounou village in Cote d'Ivoire, McDowell tweeted, The reports from Cote d'Ivoire say the only casualty of the falling debris object was a machine: apparently the cheesemaker was blessed by being transfixed with this space piping.

Reports of a 12-m-long object crashing into the village of Mahounou in Cote d'Ivoire. It's directly on the CZ-5B reentry track, 2100 km downrange from the Space-Track reentry location. Possible that part of the stage could have sliced through the atmo that far (photo: Aminata24) pic.twitter.com/yMuyMFLfsv Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) May 12, 2020

According to Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua, the test crew capsule was launched on May 5 from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan. The launch was successful and the prototype spacecraft even successfully landed back on Earth after 2 days and 19 hours in orbit.
A massive chuck of China's failed rocket fell to Earth Monday, but a few minutes sooner and it would have crashed right into New York City.

Reports say that debris would have rained down on the Big Apple if the Long March 5B rocket would re-entered the atmosphere just 15 minutes earlier.

The Chinese rocket carrying an experimental craft into orbit launched on May 5 and malfunctioned after just a week in space, which led to the uncontrolled descend.

The 20-ton core stage of the rocket came barreling down into Earth's atmosphere around 11am ET, moving at thousands of miles per minute.

Although most of the debris was scorched during re-entry, a bus-size piece splashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa, according to the Independent.

Scroll down for video

A massive chuck of China's failed rocket fell to Earth Monday, but a few minutes sooner and it would have crashed right into New York City. Reports say that debris would have rained down on the Big Apple if the Long March 5B rocket would re-entered the atmosphere just 15 minutes earlier

Astronomers say the piece that fell was 93 feet long and weighed 20 tons  making it the most massive object to make an uncontrolled reentry from space in decades.

A large chunk landed off the coast of West Africa and smaller pieces fell in Cote d'Ivoire  no injuries were reported.

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told The Independent that: 'Even in space there's a thin bit of atmosphere left.

'Objects in low orbit travel at 18,000 mph, so even a tiny bit of air makes a huge headwind.'

A large chunk landed off the coast of West Africa and smaller pieces fell in Cote d'Ivoire  no injuries were reported

Astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said the last major uncontrolled descent was the 39 ton Salyut-7 in 1991

'This causes 'orbital decay' - the satellite's orbit gets lower and lower over time, into the denser atmosphere where the headwind is even bigger.'

The Chinese Long March CZ-5B rocket was used to launch a cargo capsule and a new-generation spaceship designed to send astronauts to the Moon.

Its descent was confirmed by the 18th Space Control Squadron, a unit of the US Air Force that tracks space debris in Earth's orbit.

The military agency said it was notable not just for the size of the rocket but also the extent of the window of its uncontrolled descent.

Trackers were unable to determine where the debris would eventually end up, with many speculating it could either fall into the ocean or land in Africa, US or Australia.

The rocket debris was travelling fast horizontally through the atmosphere, making it hard to predict exactly where it would come down, which is why they didn't know for certain until not long before it splashed down.

The Long March 5B rocket is pictured taking off from the the Wenchang launch site on China's southern Hainan island on May 5. It spent a few days in orbit before splashing down off West Africa

The US Air Force prediction of the landing time was plus or minus half an hour and in that time it went three quarters of the way around the world, said McDowell.

Before it splashed down in the waters off the west coast of Mauritania, the rocket core flew over Los Angeles and New York City.

While it is described as 'uncontrolled', the descent wasn't unplanned - space launches are planned with the re-entry of parts of rockets or launch vehicles - sometimes in controlled and sometimes uncontrolled descents back to Earth.

'I've never seen a major reentry pass directly over so many major conurbations,' said McDowell, adding that it thankfully missed any inhabited land.

Astronomers say the chance of it landing in a populated area was only a vague possibility but if it had the rocket core could have destroyed a building.

'For a large object like this, dense pieces like parts of the rocket engines could survive reentry and crash to Earth,' McDowell told CNN.

'Once they reach the lower atmosphere they are traveling relatively slowly, so worst case is they could take out a house.'

The launch was a major test of China's ambitions to operate a permanent space station and send astronauts to the Moon and included an experimental spacecraft that could ferry crew to the station

The rocket was the largest Chinese-made launch vehicle ever sent into space and is an indication of the country's ambitions.

It was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in China's Hainan province on May 5 and spent several days in orbit before making its descent.

Beijing has invested heavily in its space program in recent years as it plays catch-up to the US - the only country to have sent a man to the Moon.

Assembly of the Chinese Tiangong space station, whose name means Heavenly Palace, is expected to begin this year and finish in 2022.

China also became the first nation to land on the far side of the Moon in January 2019, deploying a lunar rover that has driven some 1,476 feet so far.

The experimental spacecraft launched by this rocket is expected to be used to ferry astronauts to and from the Chinese space station when it is complete - as well as for possible future Moon landings.
Tesco supermarket chief executive Dave Lewis. (Joe Giddens/PA via AP)

Tesco (TSCO.L) chief executive Dave Lewis saw his pay package jump in his final full year in charge, new accounts show.

Lewis total remuneration rose to 6.4m ($7.9m) in the 12 months up to 29 February 2020, according to Tescos annual report. That was up from 4.7m in 2019.

Lewis salary remained steady at 1.25m but his bonus and long-term share award payout rose from 3.1m to 4.8m. Lewis was awarded 75% of the total variable pay he could have earned.

The payout was conditioned on hitting targets linked to revenue and profit growth, corporate development, and succession planning, among other things.

Tesco sales fell 1% to 56.5bn in the 12 months to 29 February 2020, but group operating profit climbed 13.5% to 2.9bn. Meanwhile, Tesco also exited a joint venture in China and agreed the sale of its Thai and Malaysian business shortly after the financial year ended.

Read more: 'Unknown' new Tesco CEO must battle Brexit, German discounters, and changing tastes

Steve Golsby, remuneration committee chair, wrote in the annual report: Tesco has delivered a strong performance against a backdrop of challenging external conditions.

The committee used its judgement in evaluating the strategic objectives, which varied from executive to executive.

Lewis, who has run Tesco since 2014, is set to step down in September. Tesco said he would still be eligible for a bonus next year given his leaving date. He has been granted good leaver status and will be granted all unvested bonus shares from his remaining incentive plan when he leaves.

Lewis is set to be replaced by Irish-born Walgreens Alliance Boots executive Ken Murphy. Murphy will earn a base salary of 1.35m in the role, the report shows, and is eligible for a bonus of up to 3.3m in his first year.

Murphy, who is currently based in the US and has a main residence in Ireland, will also get two years of relocation support to assist him if he moves to the UK.

Tescos annual report covers a time before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Lewis wrote in the accounts that the pandemic presents unprecedented challenges and almost no part of our operation that remains untouched.

The supermarket has estimated COVID-19 could add up to 925m in additional costs, as it recruits extra staff to replace sick employees and invests to make its stores coronavirus safe.
Controversy is trailing the invitation of some Islamic clerics for Iftar (fast breaking) at the Government House, Ibadan, on Wednesday by Governor Seyi Makinde, despite the ban on social gatherings by the Federal Government to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Mr Makinde will host the gathering of alfas and imams from 5 p.m on Wednesday, his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, confirmed to our correspondent.

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government placed ban on social gatherings, including religious activities. In some states, violators have been made to face the law.

Notwithstanding the fact that he is a Christian, the state governor will today host some Islamic clerics. He had been doing this even in his individual capacity (before becoming governor).

Its usually held under the platform of his Omituntun Agenda. He is inviting the same set of Imams that he had been inviting before now, Mr Adisa said.

The governors aide said the event would not expose the gathering to the virus.

Even if they are more than 10, the fact remains that they always observe social distancing. Press conferences in the White House hold everyday and the Presidential Taskforce in Abuja as well. They are usually more than 10, Mr Adisa said. He said the virus spreads only when people are close.

One of the invited clerics, who spoke under anonymity, told PREMIUM TIMES the arrangement for the event would ensure that social distancing is observed.

But a group, the Joint Action Committee for the Preservation of the Rights and Honours of Imams, has called on the clerics not to honour the governor.

According to a statement by its coordinator, Abu Muhammad, the intended gathering is a violation of the law.

This group is not holding brief for the Federal Government, neither is it acting as the mouthpiece of the NCDC. We, however, view with dismay and indignation the non-statesmanlike and non-exemplary conduct of the state governor who in spite of the existence of the pandemic has the audacity to organise an IFTAR for the League of Imams and Alfas in Oyo State.

In accordance with the dictate of the Shariah to obey the highest constituted authority, we as Muslims do not want our revered Imams and Alfas to attend such IFTAR in contravention of Federal government directives and also for fear of any of our Imams contracting the coronavirus and thereby transmitting it to the members of their families and congregation.

We hereby ask our Imams and Alfas who have been invited to the organised Iftar to boycott it. Some of the scholars and leaders we have contacted cited two reasons why the IFTAR should be put on hold. They cited the ravaging pandemic COVID 19 as one of the reasons. When the Imams and alfas are brought together, it will be very difficult to practice or enforce social distancing and that will be a violation of the federal government and NCDC directives.

The group advised all invited persons to stay at home in their own interest.

We equally advise the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Makinde not to always set a bad precedence by being the only governor that organised a rally during the pandemic and also plans to organise IFTAR during the lockdown. If any of the attendees Imams and Alfas contract COVID-19 after the gathering, then the Oyo State Governor should be held accountable.

A scholar, Ishaq Lawal, also noted that such gatherings at this time should not be encouraged .

It is pathetic that the state governor is the person flouting orders. This is an offence against a higher authority which is the Federal government. I hope the governor can shun this act and also the Alfas, Mr Lawal said.
Invest in the future, don't subsidise dinosaur fuels We should not be surprised at the intensity of lobbying by fossil fuel pressure groups to weaken hard-won environmental protections; they have been doing it for years ("Coal and gas lobby seeks corona deal", May 13). What makes their current activity reprehensible is their attempt to justify more coal and gas extraction by the COVID-19 economic downturn. After all, one significant cause of these dreadful zoonotic diseases is habitat loss forcing hitherto distant species (including humans) together; and extractive industry is a big cause of habitat loss, as is fossil fuel-induced climate change. It's not hard to connect the dots. Mining industry pals at the Institute of Public Affairs want government to prevent community and environment groups from challenging miners in the courts. Lobbying by powerful industry groups has been successful at getting what they want from governments, but a line must be drawn. Environmental rules and groups help protect all of us from worsening climate change and pandemics. - Rod Anderson, Earlwood Of all the industries needing a "COVID-19 deal" I would have thought the coal and gas industries might be last on the list. They have been able to operate right through the pandemic with FIFO workers exempt from quarantine. The fossil extraction industries employ far fewer than they claim. To fast track the Narrabri gas project makes no sense. If coal-seam gas employed so many people why does inland Queensland still have such high unemployment levels? They are riddled with CSG development. Studies have shown there are more job losses from agriculture and farming than there are jobs created by the CSG once it moves in. - Peggy Fisher, Killara

Fossil fuel lobbyists calling for the government to relax environmental regulations due to COVID-19 and asking for more concessions come just days after reports that Centennial Coal had under-reported carbon emissions at its mines by a factor of 30. The report also stated that the company either didn't know or didn't care what scope 3 emissions (all indirect emissions that occur in the value chain) were. With fossil fuels being abandoned worldwide by investors and governments, not only because of their detrimental environmental effects but because they are more expensive than renewables and cannot compete economically, surely it is time we began looking to the future, not subsidising the past. It is time to stop government funding for this economically uncompetitive and polluting industry and to tighten, not loosen, environmental regulations. - Alan Marel, North Curl Curl

Mystery surrounds children's ailment This is not the first time Kawasaki disease has been linked to human coronavirus. ("Experts fear new mystery illness", May 13). In February 2005, researchers from New Haven Connecticut detected a new coronavirus which they called the New Haven HCoV in respiratory samples from eight of 11 Kawasaki disease patients and only one of 22 controls. Subsequent studies failed to detect this virus and it was concluded that it was not an aetiologic factor in this mysterious disease, which was disappointing as a causative infectious agent has long been sought. We pediatricians have known how to treat Kawasaki disease for many years but we still don't know if there is an infectious agent involved despite multiple studies. It remains the major cause of acquired heart disease in children so it is well worth putting more funds into finding whether it is indeed related to COVID-19 infection. - Associate Professor Alyson Kakakios, Croydon None of the articles I've seen about Kawasaki disease mention what it might mean for school openings and the risks of COVID-19 to those children attending. Isn't that the elephant in the room? - David Rush, Lawson Pay freeze reward As a registered nurse working in the frontline amid this pandemic, I am appalled that the state government plans to freeze our meagre wages. Our last pay rise was in July 2018. As many wards are shutting down or working with minimal staff because operating theatres, emergency departments and other wards are running at an all-time low of in-patient admissions, many of my nursing colleagues are being laid off or forced to take leave without pay. Wouldn't it be astounding if our own politicians, who recently awarded themselves a full parliamentary wage while Parliament was not sitting, were made to take compulsory leave without pay. - Elizabeth Pendergast, East Gosford

Freshen up the Cross What a breath of fresh air to hear of a possible revamp of the area around the fabulous art deco Minerva theatre in Kings Cross ("Council backs bid to reinvent Cross", May 13). Sydney desperately needs an extra 1500-seat Lyric theatre, and the fact that this old theatre is still standing is a good start. It was not all that long ago that this area had a successful buzz of night-time activity and the infrastructure is already there with a train station nearby. The rebirth of Kings Cross as a viable safe family friendly night-time area is the best news to appear on the horizon for this part of Sydney for some time. New York had the same problem with a run-down area around 42nd St and Times Square late last century. About 25 years ago, Disney bought the Old New Amsterdam theatre in the centre of this precinct, totally restored it and block after block around it rose from the ashes of a seedy neglected backwater. Over to the Sydney council now to do the same for the Cross. - Greg Vale, Kiama What joy it was to read of plans to reopen the Minerva Theatre, which has been dark for far too long. I have fond memories of seeing live theatre performed there in the 1940s, movies in the 50s in its reincarnation as the Metro Cinema and its joyous restoration as a live venue in the 60s with Harry M Miller's exuberant production of Hair. Its revival is long overdue and will breathe new life into a sadly neglected area and, for this ageing theatregoer, can't come quickly enough. - Garth Clarke, North Sydney Long path to arrest A man has finally been arrested for the 1988 murder of Scott Johnson. It has taken 31 years, a reward of $2 million, the dedication of NSW police and the love of a brother, to finally see an arrest. Well done. Chris Sinclair, West Pennant Hills

'Retreat' not so bad Professor Ian Hickie warns young people against going back home should their finances hit a snag. "It's not a good situation," he declares. But is the parental home such an ugly prospect, avoided like the plague even if times are tough? ("Young adults have nowhere to go but home", May 12). Young adults often fly temporarily back to the nest in times of financial stress, relationship breakdown or serious discombobulation. Where else would they go? - Rosemary O'Brien, Ashfield Travel head disgrace How does the head of Australia's peak body for travel agents get away with saying that A Current Affair host Tracey Grimshaw "needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face" over the program's reporting of a travel industry refund scandal? He prefaces this disgraceful view by saying he won't ever be watching the program again. I think more than a few people might not want to have anything at all to do with some travel agents again. - George Zivkovic, Northmead

Trump fans' lesson I watch with fascination and horror the slow train wreck that is the US government's response to the coronavirus epidemic. People who are unsupported by a health and economic safety net are desperate to earn an income amid a surge of infections that only an extended closedown can address. Trump spouts nonsense from the White House and shows scant regard for lives of his citizens. Meanwhile in New York, Governor Cuomo plots a steady course through the scientific evidence to bring down the infection rate and chart a measured return to business. For the Trump heartland, the lesson that the only way out of the pandemic is through the advice of the much-reviled elites looks to be a long and bitter one. - Jennifer Indsto, Pennant Hills Quiet regard While New Yorkers may be rushing to buy Missing Sounds of New York, a recording of car horns, jackhammers and late-night parties ("Press play to hear the NYC that used to be", May 12), food critic Terry Durack is lapping up The Sound of Restaurants, with the clatter of cutlery, glasses clinking, and people generally enjoying themselves ("Look back in hunger", May 12). I doubt those of us in the inner west will be feeling nostalgic for recordings of planes thundering overhead to remind us of all those weekend mornings when we gave up any notion of a lie-in. - Alicia Dawson, Balmain

Copping a spray Why wasn't Josh Frydenberg wearing a mask when he had his coughing fit in parliament? - Maria Ieraci, Summer Hill Goodbye and good luck Thanks, Alan Jones; your retirement from radio will be better for our health too. Win-win. - Louise Whelan, Chatswood So who will run the country now? - Philip Cooney, Wentworth Falls

Ding dong. - Cathryn Gallagher, West Pennant Hills Naming rights An excellent idea, Peter Le Marquand (Letters, May 13) There must be a park in Woolloomooloo or The Rocks that could be named Jack Mundey Green? - Andrew Taubman, Queens Park Fan club open Let us hope Scott Morrison is a fan of Ross Gittins ("Go on, Prime Minister, impress us again", May 13). It's time. - Anne Ring, Coogee
Reading, PA (19601)

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.
At the same meeting, the Cabinet allowed cafes and restaurants to seat up to four patrons per table.

The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Wednesday allowed Ukrainians to gather outside in groups of up to eight.

Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov noted that the previous decision by Cabinet to relax quarantine restrictions from May 11 should be expanded.

"We added another point in terms of the number of people who are allowed to be outside [in a group]. Previously, it was two persons. Now, we amended it to eight persons," the minister said.

At the same meeting, the Cabinet allowed cafes and restaurants to seat up to four patrons per table, while the previous rule allowed two persons max.

Besides open-air seatings subject to 1.5 m social distancing rules, the government is now also allowing summer terraces and canopy settings, that's besides earlier allowed take away and delivery services.

The decision will be finalized within a few days.

Read alsoUkraine to opt for "adaptive quarantine" in June-July, PM says

As UNIAN reported earlier, in March 2020, the government decided to introduce a nationwide quarantine to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The quarantine has so far been extended until May 22.

Since May 11, the Cabinet lifted a number of restrictions.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 12) - The Quezon City government places 20 areas in five barangays under 14-day "special concern lockdown" starting Wednesday, May 13 due to the high number of coronavirus cases.

The city government said that certain areas in Barangay Bahay Toro, Barangay Culiat, Barangay Sauyo, Barangay Batasan Hills, and Barangay Tatalon will be included in the lockdown.

Areas placed under the lockdown are:

Bahay Toro

- Sitio Militar

Culiat

- Vargas Compound-Adelfa

- Metro Heights-Abanay

- Ancop Canada

Sauyo

- Lower Gulod

Batasan Hills

- 318 Dakila St.

- 2nd Alley Kalayaan B

- Masbate St.

Tatalon

- Victory Avenue

- ROTC Hunters

- BMA Avenue

- Agno St.

Quezon City Assistant Administrator for Operations Alberto Kimpo said the areas were selected by the City Health Department based on the results from the community-level testing.

"Imbis na mag-total lockdown ng buong barangay, pagtutuunan natin ng pansin ang mga partikular na lugar sa loob ng barangay na may clustering ng mga kaso ng COVID-19, maaaring ito ay isang kalsada, block, o compound," Kimpo said.

[Translation: Instead of a total lockdown for the entire barangay, we will focus on specific areas within the barangay with a clustering of COVID-19 cases, this could be a road, block, or compound.]

"Isa rin sa titingnan natin ay ang high-density population na hindi nakakapagpractice ng tamang quarantine protocols, kung saan malaki ang posibilidad na magkahawaan, kaya kailangan din sila isama sa containment. Mula doon, higit nating paiigtingin ang community-based testing at pag-quarantine," he added.

[Translation: We will also be looking at [areas] with high-density population where proper quarantine protocols are not being followed, where the possibility of infecting others is high, so they also need to be included in containment. From there, we will intensify community-based testing and quarantine.]

Kimpo assured residents of affected areas that the city government will provide food and other assistance during the lockdown, while QC-ESU head Dr. Rolly Cruz said they will conduct intensified testing and monitoring in these areas to make sure they are coronavirus-free after the 14-day lockdown.

Quarantine officers, composed of members from the City Health Department, Quezon City Police District, Special Action Force, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Joint Task Force-National Capital Region will help ensure strict implementation of the lockdown in affected areas.

More than 200 members of the QCPD-AFP-SAF contingent will undergo training on the process of implementing quarantine rules and monitoring of confirmed and possible COVID-19 cases, Cruz said.

Quezon City has the biggest population among cities in Metro Manila, and currently has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the region at 1,641, based on data released by the Department of Health on Tuesday.

But Kimpo earlier disclosed that not all of the COVID-19 patients there are residents of Quezon City. He said some are patients who have been admitted to the city's hospitals but actually reside elsewhere.

The local government also experienced challenges in distributing cash aid to the 377,000 beneficiaries under the first tranche of the governments social amelioration program.

On Sunday, photos circulated online showing beneficiaries lining up at the gate of Barangay Pag-asa Elementary School to receive cash aid. While physical distancing protocols were observed inside the school, they were not implemented in the queue.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte called out her city's barangay officials for not strictly enforcing physical distancing protocols during the distribution of cash aid.

Belmonte said that she gave her city's barangay officials the flexibility to determine the best way to distribute the funds in their areas, but lessons must be learned to avoid the same situation during the rollout of the second tranche of cash assistance.

She added that she will hold accountable barangay officials who allegedly mishandled funds for cash aid.

"I dont want to dwell too much on the crowds or the lack of social distancing, I think its more important that they give the money to the right people," Belmonte said. "I received complaints that the barangay official gave the money to their relatives or friends over those who really needed that help, some even asked for commissions from those who received. I think it's a grave, grave misconduct, negligence of duty."

CNN Philippines' senior correspondent Lois Calderon contributed to this report.
Essex Dr. N., 21600 block, May 3. A man entered the basement of residence and began grabbing items to put into his pockets. When confronted by an occupant, he punched the person. A fight ensued and a second occupant attempted to assist, but the man held a gun to one of the victims heads. The gun discharged once and one of the occupants wrestled the gun away from him. The 20-year-old California man was arrested and charged with home invasion, armed robbery, first-degree assault and theft less than $100.
Russian investigators have refused to drop murder charges against three sisters who stabbed their 'rapist' father to death while he slept.

Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan - aged 19, 18 and 17 when they killed Mikhail Khachaturyan, 57, in July 2018 - said they suffered years of 'torture and sexual abuse' from their 'controlling paedophile father'.

They were charged with murder but after public outcry the Moscow prosecutor's office dropped the charges in January, ruling that the killing was 'necessary self-defence.'

However, a lawyer for one of the women has told the BBC that Russia's investigative committee has since rejected the prosecutor's finding.

Mikhail Khachaturyan (left) was stabbed to death in Moscow by his three daughters, including Angelina (pictured right), in July 2018

Kristian (right) and Angelina (left), the elder of the three daughters, had been facing up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of murder - this latest twist in the case, again leaving the possibility hanging over them

Lawyer Alexei Lipser said he believes the investigative committee's rejection of the prosecutor's findings could lead to prolonged legal wrangling.

'Formally, the investigative committee conducted an additional investigation but reached the same conclusion [as before, that the original murder charge still stands],' Lipser told the BBC.

'It seems the order from above remains the same ... Now, either the investigators have to agree with the prosecutor and change the charge [to self-defence] or it goes on ping-ponging back and forth.'

He added that he does not believe the prosecutor will change his position because there has been no new evidence.

The case cannot go to trial unless the two parties agree on the charges.

The sisters had attacked their father with his hunting knife, a hammer and pepper spray, later alleging that he had held them hostage in their own home and subjected them to horrific sexual abuse.

The prosecutor's office found the girls suffered 'beating, constant humiliation, threats and abuse, physical and sexual violence' and this had conditioned them to 'protect themselves by any means.'

Angelina (left) and Krestina Khachaturyan attends hearings in a court room in Moscow, Russia in June last year

Maria Khachaturyan attends hearings in a court room in Moscow, Russia, in June 2019 before the charges were dropped in January this year

An experts' report said: 'He ordered them to get undressed in front of him, saying that he wanted to "check" them. Then ordered them to masturbate him, saying that he had problems with his prostate and it would be a cure.'

In addition, he 'abused and humiliated' them 'with various weapons'.

Mikhail Khachaturyan kept an array of weapons in his car, including a shotgun, revolvers and a crossbow. He was well connected to both senior Russian officials and criminal bosses, local reports said.

Their mother, who fled the home to save herself, has previously told the BBC she made multiple complaints to the police throughout the years of abuse but was dismissed by officers.

Mikhail Khachaturyan (pictured here with two of the girls when they were younger) allegedly subjected his family to years of abuse, leading to the daughters' mother to flee the household

A court has already ruled that Maria (left), then 17, did not understand her actions when she was part of the alleged 'group' conspiracy kill their 'mafia boss' father. As a result Maria would not have faced jail regardless of any verdict. Angelina is pictured, right

Evidence from the prosecutor had revealed that Mikhail Khachaturyan told one of his 'terrified' daughters: 'You will take the place of your mother. I will marry you and you will give birth to my baby.'

The shocking case had transfixed Russia and more than 350,000 people signed a petition demanding the sisters should not face murder charge.

Although, some relatives had claimed the Khachaturyan father was not the ogre that his daughters described.

Two of the three, Krestina and Angelina, had faced jail for between eight and 20 years.

This latest twist in the case, again leaves that jail time hanging over their heads.

Angelina (left) said she had been preparing food for their father with whom they lived. In the leaked audio of the 999 call, Maria, 18, (left) had said that her father was 'under the influence of drugs' when he was killed

Friends and neighbours claimed the father was tyrannical and that his wife - the sisters' mother - left him because of his abuse, while a son, now a student at Moscow University, had been 'thrown out' of the home by the father. Angelina Khachaturyan is pictured

A court has already ruled that Maria, then 17, did not understand her actions when she was part of the alleged 'group' conspiracy kill their 'mafia boss' father.

As a result Maria would not have faced jail regardless of any verdict.

The sisters have been living separately in Moscow while they await trial, according to the BBC, and are not permitted to contact each other.
A combat support ship detachment under the PLA Northern Theater Command solemnly holds the handover ceremony for the retired naval comprehensive supply ship Hongzehu (Hull 881) (Photo/China.org.cn).

QINGDAO, May 13 -- The retired naval comprehensive supply ship Hongzehu (Hull 881) was officially removed from the PLA Navy and handed over to the Memorial Hall for the Birthplace of PLA Navy in Taizhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province on May 12, 2020. It will be the permanent collection there and open to the public.

At around 10 a.m., the handover ceremony was conducted by a naval combat support flotilla under the PLA Northern Theatre Command at a military port in Qingdao. The ship's hull number 881 has been covered with paint.

For the past 40 years, the Ship Hongzehu remained good performance under the careful maintenance of generation after generation of crew members. Chief Master Sergeant Zhu Renbing, who has been on the battleship for 24 years, completed the last unmooring.

The Ship Hongzehu, renowned as China's number one supply ship, is one of the first-generation comprehensive supply ships independently designed and built by China. It was launched on September 6, 1979, and got commissioned in 1980. It has sailed over 5 continents, 3 oceans, and 29 ports in 26 countries, with a total voyage of more than 330,000 nautical miles, successively carried out more than a thousand major combat training missions, and set 16 records for the PLA Navy fleet including the first voyage around the world and the first-time passing through the Panama Canal.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ohios 11 casinos and racinos, out of business since mid-March under the governors coronavirus-related ban on large gatherings, are $229 million behind in gambling revenue for the first four months of 2020.

The industry has taken in $410.8 million on gambling, after paying out winnings, down from $640.1 million through April a year ago.

A third of this money is forwarded to the state as fees and taxes.

The four casinos and seven racinos across Ohio have been shuttered since March 14 following orders from Gov. Mike DeWine.

The industry had been off to a roaring start in 2020, with monthly records of $167.5 million in January and $171.4 million in February. Revenue dropped to $71.9 million in March and to nothing in April.

Here are the January through April revenue reports for the 11 facilities versus the same four months last year:

* Belterra Park - down 38% from $27.3 million to $16.8 million.

* Eldorado Gaming Scioto - down 34% from $58.5 million to $38.9 million.

* Hollywood Casino Columbus - down 37% from $77.6 million to $49 million.

* Hollywood Casino Toledo - down 40% from $67.3 million to $40.5 million.

* Hollywood Dayton - down 35% from $38.1 million to $24.8 million.

* Hollywood Mahoning Valley - down 36% from $42.3 million to $27 million.

* JACK Cincinnati Casino - down 34% from $69.7 million to $45.8 million.

* JACK Cleveland Casino - down 36% from $69.5 million to $44.6 million.

* JACK Thistldown Racino - down 35% from $45.8 million to $29.9 million.

* MGM Northfield Park - down 35% from $84.6 million to $55.1 million.

* Miami Valley Gaming - down 35% from $59.4 million to $38.3 million.

These totals from the Casino Control and Lottery commissions do not include wagering on horses at the racinos.

Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Follow casino coverage at cleveland.com/casino.
El Toukhy wrote for film and television and his work for theatre had a political satire character

Egyptian playwright and scriptwriter Mahmoud El-Toukhy died in the early hours of Wednesday, his wife Ghada Hussein Moussa revealed on her Facebook page. The funeral took place on Wednesday mid-day.

Born in 1945, El-Toukhy is considered one of the most prominent writers of his generation.

He wrote for theatre, excelling in the political satire genre. He also wrote comic sripts for film and television.

Following his graduation from the English Literature Department at Ain Shams University, El-Toukhy settled in Aswan where he contributed to the creation of an amateur theatre troupe. He then continued his studies at the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts, Acting and Directing Department.

El-Toukhy travelled to Syria where he worked with theatre companies while writing plays considered the first political cabarets in the Arab world.

Between 1972 and 1986, he travelled to London where he was strongly involved in theatre. He also worked for the BBC Arabic radio channel, providing scripts and presenting programmes. His involvement with the media included also working for a Lebanese magazine.

It was upon his return to Egypt in 1986 that El-Toukhy started writing for film and television professionally while continuing his journey in playwriting.

Among his well known plays is Dstoor Ya Asyadna which was staged in 1995, directed by Galal El-Sharkawy and featuring Ahmed Bedir, Khalil Morsy, Hanan Shawki, Fotouh Ahmed, and Ahmed Fouad Selim.

In 1994, he wrote and directed a play titled Bokra (Tomorrow).

Other theatre plays include Me and My Girlfriend (1999), The Beautiful and the Andalusian (2003), A Story of Good People (2008) and the well known Coma (Ghaybouba, 2015) directed by Shady Sorour and starring Ahmed Bedeir, Mohamed El-Sawy, Fatma El-Kashef, among others.

In the final weeks of his life, El-Toukhy was preparing for the staging of a play that he wrote most recently, titled There Was a Woman. Famed actress Samiha Ayoub was already cast as the protagonist.

El-Toukhy's contribtions to scriptwriting include numerous television series with the most recent ones being Life of a Modern-day Husband (2003), Profession: Doctor (2004), Days of Love and Mischief (2010), and Girls x Girls (2012).

While predominantly active in theatre, El-Toukhy had also a number of film scripts to his name, such as The Despicable (1986) and Malevolence of a Woman (1987).



For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Minneapolis: New modelling by Minnesota researchers of the COVID-19 pandemic showed that social distancing isn't as effective as initially expected in reducing deaths and infections, but will still help protect the state from a novel and highly infectious coronavirus.

A Starbucks Coffee business in Bloomington, Minnesota where customers can pick up their online orders at curbside. Credit:AP

Initial models were based on estimates that Minnesota's statewide stay-at-home order would reduce face-to-face contact and disease transmission by 80 per cent, but the new model released Wednesday showed it only reduced that by 59.5 per cent.

COVID-19 remains a new disease globally, and new understanding is helping to create a more precise model, said Stefan Gildemeister, state health economist, as he unveiled the new modelling results on Wednesday morning.

Initial estimates of the impact of social distancing in Minnesota were based on experiences in China, where the coronavirus first emerged.
Amber Dean had recovered from a mild bout of the coronavirus and her family of five had just ended their home quarantine when her oldest son, 9-year-old Bobby, fell ill.

At first it was nothing major, it seemed like a tummy bug, like he ate something that didnt agree with him, said Dean, who lives with her husband and three young children in the western New York town of Hornell. But by the next day, he couldnt keep anything down and his belly hurt so bad he couldnt sit up.

At the local hospital emergency room, doctors suspected an appendix infection and sent him home with instructions to see his pediatrician.

It was only later, after Bobbys condition took an alarming turn for the worse, that doctors realized he was among the small but growing number of children with a mysterious inflammatory syndrome thought to be related to the virus.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that New York is now investigating about 100 cases of the syndrome, which affects blood vessels and organs and has symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock. Three children in the state have died and Cuomo advised all hospitals to prioritize COVID-19 testing for children presenting with symptoms.

In New York City, which has reported at least 52 children sick with the syndrome, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday urged parents to call their pediatricians promptly if their children show symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain and vomiting.

Thats what Bobby Deans family did, even though they live in Steuben County, which has only 239 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and is in a part of the state set to start reopening some workplaces on Friday.

The family doctor performed a coronavirus test the day after his trip to the emergency room, but the results would take 24 hours. By that night, the boys fever had spiked, his abdomen was swollen, he was severely dehydrated and his heart was racing. His father, Michael Dean, drove him to Golisano Childrens Hospital in Rochester, 90 minutes away.

At Rochester they did a rapid COVID test and it came back positive, Amber Dean said. For the next six days, she was at his hospital bedside while Bobby was hooked up to IV lines and a heart monitor. He came home on Mothers Day.

It never affected his respiratory system, it was his heart that it affected, Dean said. Inflamed lymph nodes caused the abdominal pain, she said. Theyre hoping he pulls through with 100% recovery but they said there have been children with lasting effects.

Children elsewhere in the U.S. and in Europe have also been hospitalized with the condition known as pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome.

In New York, the syndrome has been found across a wide range of young people. A 5-year-old boy, 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman have died.

About 23 percent of cases have occurred in children under age 5, about 29% between the ages of 5 and 9, about 28% between ages 10 and 14 and 16% between the ages 15 and 19.

This is a truly disturbing situation and I know parents around the state and parents around the country are very concerned about this, and they should be, Cuomo said. If we have this issue in New York its probably in other states.

Dr. Juan Salazar, the physician-in-chief at Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, said two patients there are believed to have the rare condition, which he said often appears to present itself two to four weeks after a child has recovered from COVID-19, often without ever being diagnosed with the infection. Yale Health has said its treating three children believed to have the syndrome.

Cuomo announced last week that New York is developing national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome at the request of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In testimony Tuesday before a Senate committee on the administrations coronavirus response, Dr. Anthony Fauci said children in general do better than adults and the elderly, but he warned there is still much to learn about the virus.

For example right now, children presenting with COVID-19 who actually have a very strange inflammatory syndrome very similar to Kawasaki syndrome, Fauci said. I think we better be very careful that we are not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects.

As Bobby Deans boisterous energy and sardonic sense of humor returns, his mom is vigilant for signs of illness in her younger children, aged 7 months and 3 years.

Its a pretty scary thing, watching your child be hooked up to all these wires and IVs and theres nothing you can do, Dean said. In my opinion, right now, I would not let your child out in public.

___

Jake Seiner contributed to this story from New York.
The state of Wyoming has received a limited shipment of remdesivir, the experimental drug thats shown promise in fighting the novel coronavirus, according to a memo thats been sent to health care providers across the state.

Late last month, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease announced that preliminary findings indicated that patients who received remdesivir recovered faster than patients with a placebo. If those findings hold, then the medication would prove to be the first treatment to improve the outlook for seriously ill coronavirus patients. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug earlier this month for emergency use.

But the supply of remdesivir is limited, and its distribution is being handled by the federal government. Gilead, the manufacturer of the drug, said in a statement that in January, it only had enough to treat 5,000 patients. That had increased by the end of March to 30,000. The companys goal, it said, is to have 140,000 treatments ready by the end of May, 500,000 by October, and more than a million by December.

According to guidance posted on the Health Departments website, Wyoming has 200 remdesivir injection vials, which represents approximately 18-33 patients depending on the dosing regimens required.

Wyoming hospitals and providers can tap into the states supply of the drug on request to treat specific patients who are seriously ill with the disease.

It is not known at this time whether WDH will receive additional shipments of Remdesivir, the department wrote. In order to ensure that Remdesivir is available to severely ill patients, WDH asks that providers request the medication for patients who have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, who are worsening despite supportive measures or are unlikely to improve with supportive measures alone, and who are likely to require hospitalizations for at least 5 days, the length of the shortest possible course of treatment.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 513 confirmed cases of the coronavirus had been identified in Wyoming, along with 162 probable cases. At least 65 of those patients have been hospitalized, according to state data.

Of the combined 675 confirmed and probable cases, 477 people have recovered from the virus in Wyoming.

According to CNN, the federal government began distributing the drug last week to some hospitals. After doctors expressed frustration at how that process worked, the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would give the drug to state health departments to distribute.

Last week, a Wyoming Medical Center intensive care doctor told the Star-Tribune that the facility  which has treated several seriously ill coronavirus patients, three of whom have died  has only been able to treat one or two patients with the drug. He said he had called Sen. John Barrasso about getting more of the drug and that the vast majority of the drug was being distributed to larger population centers hit harder by the drug.

Theres no way you can get a little bit on the side, the doctor, Mark Mc Ginley said.

Before remdesivir, there had been no clearly identified treatment for the virus, which has killed more than 82,000 people in the United States in about eight weeks. In the early weeks of the pandemic, President Donald Trump and others suggested that a malaria drug, when combined with a common antibiotic, could be effective in treating the virus, citing as evidence a small European study.

But a New York study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that patients showed no improvement when given the drug cocktail.

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FBI, DNC Offered Clashing Stories About Alleged DNC Hack, New Transcripts Show

Key officials from the FBI and the Democratic National Committee provided strikingly contradictory accounts about their cooperation in connection to the alleged hack of the DNC servers in 2016, according to newly declassified transcripts.

The top two FBI officials at the time of the alleged hackJames Comey and Andrew McCabeclaimed that the DNC denied numerous requests from the FBI for evidence related to the hack. Meanwhile, the two top technology officials at the DNCYared Tamene and Andrew Brownclaimed that the committee fully cooperated with every FBI request.

The stark contrast in the accounts from key players raises new questions about the alleged hack of the DNC systems that served as the foundational theme in the now-disproven narrative of alleged collusion between the Trump 2016 campaign and Russia.

McCabe, who served as the deputy director of the FBI at the time of the alleged hack, told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Dec. 19, 2017, that the DNC never responded to the FBIs early warnings about a potential Russian intrusion and failed to provide logs requested by the bureau. The former deputy director also said he wasnt aware of the DNC handing over server images to the bureau.

We had over a course of many months numerous interactions with the DNC. This is the best of my recollection as to how that took place. I have described how the early interactions took place and were not productive, McCabe told lawmakers, according to a transcript (pdf) of his sworn testimony.

Eventually, we kind of escalated our contact with individuals at the DNC. My best recollection is that we requested that sort of access to logs, things of that nature, and we did not get that.

DNC information technology director Tamene offered directly contradictory testimony on Aug. 30, 2017. Tamene told lawmakers that he cooperated with the FBI on at least a monthly basis beginning in September 2015, when a bureau agent reached out with a warning that hackers may have targeted the DNC.

The cooperation included in-person meetings and regular calls during which Tamene reported the findings of his team to the FBI. When the FBI requested email metadata logs from the DNC, Tamene escalated the request to his bosses and, with their approval, handed the logs over to the FBI on April 29, 2016, according to a recently declassified transcript (pdf) of his testimony.

The testimony of DNC technology director Brown, also given on Aug. 30, 2017, corroborates Tamenes account. Brown told lawmakers that Tamene notified him about the FBIs initial call in September 2015 and kept him updated about the ongoing cooperation. Brown notified DNC CEO Amy Dacey about the FBIs warnings.

We fully cooperated with the FBI in every request they made along the way, and we took everything they gave us seriously, Brown said, according to a transcript (pdf) of his testimony.

The testimonies by Brown and Tamene also contradict the version of events aired by Comey to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in January 2017. Comey told lawmakers that the DNC declined several FBI requests for access to physical DNC servers.

Tamene and Brown werent the only ones to contradict top officials at the FBI. Michael Sussman, the outside legal counsel for DNC, testified that Dacey told the FBI that the bureau could have access to anything they needed. The FBI declined the offer to access the physical servers, according to a transcript of Sussmans testimony (pdf).

And I recall offering, or asking or offering to the FBI to come on premises, and they were not interested in coming on premises at the time, Sussman said.

Shawn Henry, president of CrowdStrike Services, the private cybersecurity firm contracted on behalf of the DNC to address the alleged hack, likewise testified he was not aware of the FBI ever asking or being denied any information or access to the DNC servers, according to a transcript (pdf) of his testimony.

Henry coordinated the cybersecurity firms work with the DNC, Perkins Coie, and the FBI. Henry told the House Intelligence Committee in December 2017 that he was not aware of the FBI ever asking for or being denied any information or access to the DNC servers, according to a transcript (pdf) newly declassified on May 7 alongside Sussmans deposition. Henry also said he was not aware of the FBI asking the DNC for data.

The FBI, the DNC, CrowdStrike, and the attorneys for Comey and McCabe didnt immediately respond to requests by The Epoch Times for comment.

Crumbling Narrative

The revelation about the clashing accounts arrives at a time when other elements of the Russia-collusion narrative are falling apart. The Justice Department moved to dismiss the special counsel against former national security adviser Michael Flynn earlier this month. In March, the government moved to drop the charges brought by special counsel Robert Mueller against the Russian firms accused of meddling in the election via a social media campaign.

The social media charges were alleged by the special counsel to be part of a two-pronged Russian interference campaign to influence U.S. elections. Mueller charged a group of Russians in 2018 with the hack of the DNC servers and the subsequent theft and dissemination of tens of thousands of DNC emails. The charges, which remain alleged, relied in part on the software images of the DNC servers the FBI obtained prior to Muellers appointment. According to Tamene, the DNC handed the images over to the FBI via CrowdStrike in May and June of 2016. The FBI never examined the physical DNC servers.

Henry told lawmakers during his interview that his firm didnt have evidence that the alleged hackers took any emails off the DNC network.

Theres not evidence that they were actually exfiltrated, Henry said. Theres circumstantial evidence, but no evidence that they were actually exfiltrated.

According to the charges brought by the special counsel, the hackers breached a DNC server and stole thousands of emails on or about May 25 to June 1, 2016. In his final report, Mueller softened the language, alleging that the hackers appear to have stolen thousands of emails.

During the timeframe of the alleged email theft, CrowdStrike had already installed its software on all DNC servers, identified the alleged hackers, and was actively monitoring their activity. In response to a request to explain how the hackers pilfered the emails on its watch without leaving a trace, CrowdStrike pointed to a portion of Henrys testimony that addressed neither query.

So the analysis started the first day or two in May, and then that was about 4 to 6 weeks, I think, on June 10th, we started what we call the remediation event. So we collected enough intelligence. We identified where the adversaries were in the environment. We came up with a remediation plan to say we see them in multiple locations.

These are the actions that we need to execute in order to put a new infrastructure in place and to ensure that the adversaries dont have access to the new infrastructure. So that would have been June 10th when we started. And we did the remediation event over a couple of days, Henry said.

A CrowdStrike spokeswoman, referencing the period after the alleged hack, wrote in an email to The Epoch Times that, to be clear, there is no indication of any subsequent breaches taking place on the DNCs corporate network or any machines protected by CrowdStrike Falcon.
Sen. Declan OScanlon is one my favorite people in Trenton, a thoughtful man who works hard, a guy who could become governor someday if Republicans ever resurface. But Im worried now that he may have banged his head and shaken loose some wires.

Because he is encouraging people to break the law if they dont like the way Gov. Phil Murphy is handling the gradual reopening of our economy. If things dont change fast, he says, then its time to go rogue.

The bravest elected officials in the 40s and 50s were the ones saying there are rules and laws that are unjust and damaging, and we need to start letting the government know we wont abide by them, he says. The history of civil disobedience is something this country is proud of. And by the way, the Declaration of Independence was against the law.

We are entering a new phase of this fight as the economic pain worsens, and the spread of the infection slows, at least in New Jersey. Both trends move us closer to the day when we can restart the economy, and Murphy says hell present a plan later this week for a phased re-opening. Beaches will likely be open by Memorial Day, for starters.

But how hard should Murphy push the throttle?

OScanlon is convinced that he knows best, even though he hasnt consulted public health experts, and his advice directly contradicts that from Dr. Anthony Fauci and other top experts.

Ive read a lot about it, he says. I am a duly elected official who represents a huge number of businesses that will live or die based on this decision. I really sympathize with the governor. These are brutal decisions, I get it. No matter what he decides, it may cost lives, or a portion of the economy. I understand the hesitation.

But it has to stop. We need to move forward here.

What OScanlon is missing is that we have a way to resolve these differences. Its called democracy. Its frustrating because you dont always win. But if you stomp away and break the laws that you dont like, it doesnt work.

Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. broke the law. But the comparison is an insult to him and his movement. Blacks broke the laws in the South because they were barred from voting and were beaten and killed when they tried. They had no means to influence their government within the law. Neither did American colonists when they broke with Britain.

How would it work if everyone acted like OScanlon? Would each senator decide when their local economy should reopen? Would a restaurant owner be able to break the law, too? If a second surge hits, would the state be in charge of cleaning up the mess, over and over? OScanlon is opening the door to some crazy stuff.

This all started, as political mischief often does, with a tweet: So..first time Im going to suggest thisbut its time, OScanlon tweeted. Everyonedefy the @GovMurphy ! Go outside your house!! Its ok, you can trust me! Look South/Southeast..revel in that moon. Were likely to take this rebellion a few steps further next couple weeks. Get ready!

After a flood of criticism, OScanlon tried to back away, saying it was mostly tongue in cheek. But when pressed, he said he seriously urges defiance of the law, but would wait a few more days for Murphy to yield. His serious intention to spark a rebellion unless that happens.

This came as Elon Musk defied the law in California to reopen his Tesla manufacturing plant, a few weeks after demonstrators in Michigan armed with automatic weapons protested inside the capitol building in Lansing.

America is taking a beating in this crisis, with a flood of death and hardship. It would be a pity if we let is screw up our democracy as well.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
A flash flood that happened in Utah has killed at least one person, Monday.

The said flooding was reported in Little Wildhorse Canyon near Goblin Valley State Park which was reportedly triggered by a raging thunderstorm that happened in the area. The incident also triggered a large search and rescue operation for possible victims of the unfortunate event.

According to the police reports that were obtained by Fox News, at least 21 people were able to make it out of the canyon safely, but one fatality has been reported as of 8 o'clock in the evening, May 11.

As of the moment, it has officials have been mum on the estimated number of people who have been possibly stranded or injured during the flash flood.

On Monday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) posted on social networking site, Twitter an announcement saying that a thunderstorm which is fast approaching the Goblin Valley State Park area and Little Wildhorse Slot Canyon has continued to increase in intensity.

pic.twitter.com/3taRuXmw4I *Update* The thunderstorm approaching #GoblinValleyStatePark and Little Wildhorse Slot Canyon has continued to intensify. Expect nickel sized hail and strong winds with this storm. #utwx  NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) May 11, 2020

According to the forecasters, nickel-sized hail and strong winds are to be expected in the storm. After which, the storm crosses over directly to San Rafael Swell and state park which triggered the flash floods in the slot canyons.

Read also: Man Who Filmed Ahmaud Arbery's Murder is Receiving Death Threats, Claims He is Innocent

Moreover, the NWS forecast on Monday night said that thunderstorms and showers are still expected over UTah and southwest Wyoming. The said thunderstorms and showers also brought strong winds to the region with gusts that peaked up to 60 miles per hour.

Search for Missing Hikers Still On Going.

At the moment, crews are still continuing the search for multiple hikers who could have possible been stranded after the floods swept through the canyon.

Several people are still unaccounted for until this time. However, it was noted that there were still 11 vehicles that were parked at the trailhead which followed the isolated storm that brought the floods.

Multiple agencies are currently conducting search and rescue operations in the are. Rescue teams from Wayne County, Emery County, Sevier County and Grand County are working alongside personnel from the Utah Skate Park and Bureau of Land Management, Utah Highway Patrol and the state's Division of Wildlife Resources.

All Emery, Seview and Wayne county have lent a total of six ambulances which are currently in stand by on the scene in case any one is rescued and needed medical attention. They are currently located at the canyon which is about 227 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Moreover, the sheriff's office reported that two helicopters from Moab's Classic Air and another one from the SDPS Aero Bureau are available and have been helping with the search.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert stated that officials are already monitoring everything that happens in the scene and are in constant communication with the Utah Department of Public Safety in case any new information arises.

Related article: California Beach Forced to Close After a Shark Attack Killed a Surfer

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New Delhi, May 13 : Even as the Indian Railways started the partial train services in the form of Special Rajdhani Express trains, the passengers coming to the New Delhi railway station complained that they were being over-charged by the taxis and auto rickshaws.

Faheem, a doctor by profession, who is travelling back to Chennai from Delhi, told IANS, "The taxi charged us over Rs 650 for 10 km distance. Earlier we only paid around Rs 200 from Gautam Nagar area of Delhi to the New Delhi railway station." Narrating his ordeal, he said, "I used to stay in a paying guest to prepare for the MCI examination, as I have completed my MBBS from abroad. But, despite the Delhi government's announcement that the tenants don't need to pay the rent, we were forced to pay." "I am going to Gujarat from the train today. And I paid Rs 500 for the auto rickshaw from Raghuvir Nagar area to New Delhi," Bhelji Bhai, who is travelling back to Gujarat along with his wife and a small child, said.

He said, the auto rickshaw charged us Rs 500. Earlier, we used to pay Rs 200 for the same distance. Another student said that as no public transport is available, finding a taxi or auto rickshaw is a tedious task.

Tanveer Ahmed, a resident of Srinagar, told IANS, "We are travelling back to Jammu from the train today. We paid Rs 700 to the private taxi to drop us till New Delhi railway station from Sangam Vihar area." Several others had to walk to reach to the railway station to catch the train as there was no public transport available.

At least nine trains were scheduled to depart from the New Delhi station on Wednesday. The first Special Rajdhani train departed for Thiruvananthapuram in the morning while the eight others left in the evening.

On Wednesday, four Rajdhani Special trains arrived from cities like Howrah, Ahmedabad, Patna and Mumbai. The railways has resumed its services of 15 special air-conditioned trains from May 12, almost 48 days after suspending all passenger, mail and express trains amid the novel coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown.

The railways has issued a time-table for trains between May 12 and May 20. These daily, weekly or bi-weekly trains will run between New Delhi and all major cities across the country, including Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)
Japanese health officials confirmed 81 new cases of coronavirus infection across Japan on Tuesday, bringing the total to 16,049.

With the 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama added, the total of confirmed infections is 16,761.

By prefecture, Tokyo tops the list with 4,987 cases, followed by Osaka with 1,750, and Kanagawa with 1,191.

Officials say 314 infections were confirmed at airport quarantines and among crew members of the Costa Atlantica cruise ship docked in Nagasaki.

Fourteen cases were also found among people who returned to Japan from China on government-chartered planes.

The health ministry says 247 people remained in serious condition as of Tuesday, including four from the Diamond Princess.

Twenty one coronavirus related deaths were also reported on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 691, including 13 from the ship.
Businesses that already had a lending relationship with a bank were more likely to obtain loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), according to an analysis of PPP data through April 16 published in a blog on the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks website.

New York Fed economists Desi Volker, Ph.D., and Haoyang Liu, Ph.D., write in the Liberty Street Economics blog that they found a correlation between the number of small businesses receiving PPP funds and those that had bank financing before the coronavirus pandemic. The Liberty Street blog is written by New York Fed economists but does not represent the views of the New York Fed.

Congress established the PPP to provide relief to small businesses as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, P.L. 116-136. The bill, signed into law March 27, authorized Treasury and the U.S. Small Business Administration to run the program.

The CARES Act made $349 billion in forgivable loans available to small businesses that were in operation on Feb. 15 with 500 or fewer employees, including not-for-profits, veterans organizations, Tribal concerns, self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships, and independent contractors. Certain businesses with more than 500 employees in certain industries also can apply.

The first round of PPP funding was exhausted in less than two weeks. Congress then approved another $310 billion for PPP use.

A greater number of small businesses received loans in states that had a higher percentage of those businesses using bank financing in 2019, the New York Fed research shows. Data is not available for all states, but for the 20 with data available, the differences in approval rates are notable.

For example, in Minnesota, one of six states in the contiguous United States with more than 50.5% of small businesses having bank financing in 2019, more than 32% of small businesses received loan approval. In Arizona, one of five states in the group with the lowest percentage of 2019 bank-financed small businesses, less than 20% of businesses received PPP loans, according to the New York Fed data.

Banks are quicker to accept loan applications from existing customers, since they already have much of the relevant information and screening is faster, Volker and Liu wrote.
George Poikayil By

Express News Service

KASARAGOD: Responding to a fishing job from Mangaluru, five fishermen from Parappanangadi in Malappuram district reached the Dakshina Kannada city on March 16. After six days in the sea, they returned with 1,400kg of expensive fish.

They were happy while returning as the catch was worth Rs 2 lakh, said Koyamon (43), one of the fishermen.

But their joy evaporated as soon as they dropped their anchor at Bengre jetty. They were told that travel restriction was in place as part of the plan to contain COVID-19. The next day was Janata Curfew and since then, Dakshina Kannada district was in lockdown. "We got trapped there," said Koyamon.

A fish trader came to them and quoted Rs 40,000 for their catch, saying there was no truck to take the fish out of the jetty. "We knew we were being duped but we were at his mercy. If it was in Malappuram, we would have got at least Rs 2 lakh," said Koyamon.

The yellowfin tuna, which weighed around 20 to 30kg, was bought at Rs 40/kg whereas the market price was Rs 500/kg, said Asainar Kutty (60), the oldest in the group of five fishermen.

The other fishermen were Muneer (45), Haneefa (46), and Kashmi (56). It was a double whammy for the fishermen when the boat owner from Tamil Nadu took a cut of Rs 30,000.

"We took up the job in Mangaluru because there was no fish in our area," Assainar Kutty said. But after six days in the sea, they got just Rs 1,000 each after expenses.

But their troubles were just getting started. To escape from the lockdown, they cooked and stayed in the boat. After 15 days, they ventured out to look for a job. "When we returned, the boat owner did not allow us to enter the boat," said Koyamon.

The fishermen tried to stay in a dingy room where the kerosine for the boats is kept. "They the owner locked it too," he said.

The fishermen said they had nowhere to go. "We were sleeping on the harbour's platform for 15 days. Dogs will come and sleep next to us," said Koyamon.

The meagre money they earned vanished buying food from restaurants that ran their businesses through the backdoor.

The fishermen were staring at starvation when another fisherman from Kasaragod put them through Noorul Huda Madrasa in Bengre. "The madrasa took us in and gave us rooms and pillows," said Koyamon.

When the central government eased the travel restriction on May 4, the relatives of the fishermen in Malappuram registered with the NORKA website for their homecoming. But they did not have a vehicle.

"When we came to know that the fishermen were stranded there, we thought of picking them up," said Noel Tomin Joseph, a Youth Congress leader.

He was running a bus to bring in around 25 nursing students from Mangaluru. The fishermen too joined them and reached Kasaragod Monday. "We reached home by 6.15 pm," said Asainar Kutty on phone.
The judges ruling appeared to be prompted by a unique request filed one day earlier by the team of Watergate prosecutors who pursued an investigation of President Richard Nixon. They sought to file a friend-of-the-court brief to give their legal arguments against Barrs unusual reversal of Flynns prosecution and said they had a unique perspective on the need for independent scrutiny and oversight to ensure that crucial decisions about prosecutions of high-ranking government officials are made in the public interest.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  As humans stay indoors, wildlife starts to freely rediscover nature.

More reports of wildlife sightings have reached the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, especially in Region IV-A, or Calabarzon, amid the enhanced community quarantine that has kept nost people indoors.

It looks like restrained human activities resulting from the ECQ was helping nature and biodiversity rediscover their natural spaces, according to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

Cimatu has issued an appeal for people not to harm the animals and to just leave them be, unless they are injured, sick, or orphaned.

With the increased sightings of wild animals occurring in the Calabarzon region, it is important that we remind the public to leave them alone, unless they are sick, orphaned or injured, as we have wildlife experts who can take care of them, he added.

Recently, two juvenile species of Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) were spotted in Mabini, Batangas, according to DENR.

A team from the DENRs Biodiversity Management Bureau headed to Batangas on May 10 to retrieve the young Brahminy kites, after receiving a call from a concerned citizen.

The raptors were then brought to the Wildlife Rescue Center in Quezon City, which will be their temporary home, until they are ready to be released back into the wild.

Cimatu said that human interference with wildlife can result in injury or disease. On the other hand, taking them to the wild limits their chances of surviving.

The DENR chief added that specialized care by experts is required to help these animals recuperate. He encouraged people to report cases of sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife to the BMB.

Possession, transportation and importation of wild animals are regulated under Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 2001.
Hamburg egg farmer Josh Zimmerman faced disaster about a month ago when the processor that buys his bulk eggs ran out of storage for liquefied eggs used by cruise ships, hospitals, hotels and school cafeterias. The substance, made up of millions of eggs and stored in bladder bags, had filled all available freezer space and the processor had no room for more. This according to a story posted Monday on The Philadelphia Inquirers website.

With 60,000 eggs a day rolling out of his hen houses, Zimmerman faced the difficult decision of the possibility hed have to euthanize his 80,000-hen flock.

Sure, supermarkets could use the eggs. But eggs heading to retail markets have to be washed, graded, packed in cartons, and shipped to stores, a time-consuming process.

So along came social media savvy Timi Bauscher, who runs the Nesting Box Farm Market and Creamery in Kempton. The Bauscher family farm is about 20 minutes from Zimmermans cage-free farm, both in Berks County.

She proposed to sell some of Zimmermans eggs at her roadside market, offering a minimum of five dozen on flats for a discounted $2 a dozen. Zimmerman, desperate but skeptical, thought "shed move a skid or two a week.

Bauscher posted the plight of Zimmermans hens on Facebook and Instagram. It went viral within 30 seconds and reached a half-million people, Bauscher said.

Traffic backed up outside the roadside Nesting Box Market on April 27, with consumers excited to save the chickens and help a local farmer in a pandemic-induced financial crisis.

Bauscher relocated the event to the 50-acre Kempton Community Center, staffing a bulk sale on May 3 with 30 volunteers, mostly women and a few teenage girls from a Girl Scout troop. Buyers drove by for a contactless transaction. Check out a drone video of the event on Facebook.

She ended up selling 18,000 dozen eggs for about $36,000  going toward hauling, refrigerating, packaging, and keeping the chickens alive. As for the business arrangement, Bauscher said, its a partnership between the two farms and Ill leave it at that.

Comments on Facebook included this from Mary Dowling Meyer, This was truly awe inspiring. We brought our daughters, one of whom is a veteran and served in Afghanistan. Her words, this is the America I fought for!

Im flabbergasted myself," Don Meyers, president of the Kempton Community Center, said of the line of vehicles waiting to buy Zimmermans eggs. Meyers said they had a good crowd again the following Sunday. An hour before the sale begin, he said There are about a hundred cars so far.

On Facebook, May 2, Bauscher posted heartfelt appreciation from Zimmerman, The Zimmerman Family would like to extend their sincerest gratitude to EVERYONE who has been a part of the distributions & purchasing of their eggs.

Buyers came from near and far, including Pegene Pitcairn on the initial day of the sale. She drove more than an hour from Bryn Athyn purchasing 360 dozen eggs for food pantries and other families. She said she reached home without any cracked cargo  no big deal because there was no traffic, she said.

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His dismissal will be executed in the next two months

Executive Director of Naftogaz-Ukraine Yuriy Vitrenko prm.ua

Naftogaz-Ukraine has decided to dismiss its executive director Yuriy Vitrenko who has been involved with legal actions against the Russian Gazprom in recent years. He wrote about this on his Facebook page.

"I have just been formally warned that my position will be discharged, and this means that I will be fired from Naftogaz in two months," Vitrenko stated.

He believes that his dismissal is caused by the fact that "the fight against Russian aggression, in particular the effective protection of Ukraine's interests in relations with Gazprom, is not a priority now."

Vitrenko also stressed that the decision to reduce his position had been made by chairman of the board Andriy Kobolev.

As we reported earlier, the Supervisory Board of Naftogaz-Ukraine appointed Otto Waterlander to the post of Chief Executive Officer.

Otto Waterlander has intensified and actually restarted the transformation process of the Naftogaz Group for the time that he joined our team. He has proved that global corporate solutions and standards can and should work in a Ukrainian state-owned company. Therefore, we expect that with new Ottos authority will help Naftogaz become a partner for the shareholder and business, who is a true lawmaker of new work standards, Andriy Kobolev, chairman of the board of Naftogaz-Ukraine, noted.
Clark Neily and Jay Schweikert of the Cato Institutes Project on Criminal Justice, joined by amicus (friend of the court) briefs representing an astonishing ideological diversity, have helped to bring qualified immunitys consequences to the attention of the court that, in creating it, created a culture of near-zero accountability for law enforcement. Its victims include not just those whose civil rights have been violated, but the overwhelming majority of law-abiding law enforcement officers and other public officials who are tainted by the unpunished unconstitutional behavior of a few. On Friday, the court can serve civil rights and law enforcement by deciding to rethink the mistakes it made regarding qualified immunity.
(Photo : REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan) A volunteer prepares covers for "Vent-I", an innovation ventilator machine focused on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), commonly used in obstructive sleep apnea treatment, for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients, at their workshop in Bandung, West Java province, Indonesia, May 5, 2020. Picture taken May 5, 2020.

Russia is examining the safety of a ventilator type sent to the United States after several people died in fires due to the breathing machine this week.

A Russian-made ventilator that short-circuited is blamed in the deaths of five coronavirus patients in an intensive care unit at Saint George's Hospital in St. Petersburg yesterday. A fire ignited by the same ventilator version killed one person in a health facility in Moscow on Saturday, May 9, a regulation enforcement supply told TASS.

"The ventilators are working to their limits. Preliminary indications are that it was overloaded and caught fire, and that was the cause," a source at the city's emergency department told the Interfax news agency, according to the BBC.

The country's healthcare watchdog said it would check the safety and protection of the ventilators at the two hospitals which Russia sent to the U.S. in April, Reuters reported.

The ventilators were sent to New York and New Jersey but were never deployed at hospitals, according to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"The flattening curve meant these ventilators were not needed," the agency f added, according to the news organization.

An engineering plant east of Moscow confirmed the Aventa-M became one among its products supplied to Saint George's Hospital. However, they had no official statistics about which machines were installed.

The ventilator was made by using a corporation that is under U.S. Sanctions, according to Reuters.

Russia has recorded more than 232,243 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 2,116 deaths from the virus, as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins. The country now has the second most showed instances behind the U.S.

ALSO READ: Studies Show that the U.S Can Produce More Ventilators For COVID-19 Patients but Suffer Shortage in Medicine

In full stretch

St Petersburg, with a total population of 4.9 million people, has 5,483 beds for Covid-19 patients.

BBC reported the city's hospitals had been overstretched by the outbreak, and doctors are operating at full stretch.

A police source quoted through Tass news agency said the ventilator which caught fire was new. The machine had been set up just this month - and was made by Russia's Ural machine manufacturing plant.

St Petersburg has recorded just over 8,000 cases of Covid-19. Moscow, on the other hand, continues to climb at over 10,000 new cases daily.

State investigators have opened a case to determine whether or not there was negligence in the ventilator design and manufacture or in the medical institution's fire precautions.

The All-Russia Institute for Medical Technology Research points out that there are many types of the medical ventilator. Hence, a fault in one might not be common to others.

Alexei Kurinny, a member of the Russian parliament's health committee, said it is unlikely that a ventilator would have short-circuited or overloaded. The official added that fire safety was built into their design.

The St George Hospital in the Vyborg district had been converted to a Covid-19 medical institution at the end of March.

The emergency services sent 105 firefighters and 55 automobiles to the clinic, officials stated. The information of the fire comes after the country is eased lockdown restrictions.

ALSO READ: Tech Giants Vs. COVID-19: Elon Musk Donates 1,000 Ventilators in California; Amazon and Bill Gates Give Out Testing Kits

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Facebook has set up American Edge, a political advocacy group for the high-tech industry, which is drawing scrutiny from United States lawmakers, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

American Edge will fund ad campaigns and studies by academics to push its efforts, according to the paper.

Facebook is working with a diverse group of stakeholders to build support for the tech industry, it told the Post. Though it acknowledged its leading role in American Edge, the new coalition is just one of many technology industry-promoting efforts it supports.

Facebook formed American Edge as a nonprofit organization in December, and registered an accompanying foundation in April.

The setup lets American Edge advertise and raise money without having to disclose all of its donors, according to the Post. Other powerful organizations, including the National Rifle Association, operate in a similar way.

After earlier calls for regulation by Mark Zuckerberg, for Facebook to now set up an NRA-style lobbying effort to avoid regulation speaks louder than words, said Marietje Schaake, international director of the Stanford Cyber Policy Center.

U.S. lawmakers are warned, she told the E-Commerce Times.

Free Speech Issues

High taxes, regulation, the high cost of housing, crime and homelessness have reduced the lure of Silicon Valley as a high-tech hub, observed Mike Jude, research director at IDC.

Other states are stealing high tech away, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Wherever the academic environment is equivalent and taxes and the cost of labor are low, mini-Silicon Valleys are popping up, Jude said. My personal belief is that Silicon Valley is doomed.

American Edge reportedly aims to convince policymakers that Silicon Valley is essential to the U.S. economy and the future of free speech  an argument that appears to be gaining traction.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Were getting so much information from social media that Silicon Valley is material to the future of free speech, remarked Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

However, American Edge likely will put out false information and attack opponents, and that could harm free speech, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Still, if antitrust actions cause the downfall of companies that distribute or control information  Alphabet, Twitter and Facebook  the result would be a sharp reduction in our ability to share and spread our ideas, Enderle pointed out. The other forums just dont have the same reach that primary social media firms enjoy.

Tech companies dont give a fig about free speech, IDCs Jude remarked. They made the mistake of preaching free speech and are now trying to reconcile that with things like data collection, targeted advertising and censorship.

Facebook eventually might pay people to use their site in exchange for providing it with their data, Jude suggested.

That said, if Facebook just duplicates what the NRA has accomplished, the effort could be extremely powerful, Enderle said.

Members of the American Edge Board

The following have been named as American Edge board members:

Former New Mexico governor Susana Martinez

FP1 Strategies Danny Diaz, who worked on Gov. Martinezs campaigns

Bradley Smith, Capital University Law School professor and former FEC Commissioner

Jim Papa of Global Strategies Group

John Ashbrook, Republican public affairs strategist and Cavalry founding partner

Chris Carney, political consultant at Nossaman law firm and former Pennsylvania congressman

Papa and Carney are Democrats; the others are Republicans.

The boards makeup would imply that the group will tend to be conservative in its sights, Enderle observed, but that generally would be true of most corporate efforts like this.

Fighting to Survive

Silicon Valley has managed to tick off both sides of the political spectrum, Jude pointed out. Meanwhile, Congress is starting to worry about the influence that Big Tech could have on political discourse.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, as well as several government agencies, have launched antitrust and other investigations against Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Apple and Amazon.

Facebooks launch of American Edge might be an attempt to play defense. Fifty-five percent of tech executives participating in the CNBC Technology Executive Council Q3 2019 survey said Facebook had the most to lose from the governments antitrust probes, while Google and Amazon were a distant second and third.

That possibility is likely at the heart of Facebooks concerns, and fear does tend to loosen up the purse strings, Enderle suggested.

Its an interesting and bold move, but Facebook has been pretty clueless when it comes to public perceptions in the past, suggesting its more likely to do the firm damage than to benefit it in the long term, he said.

In the short term, Congress is focusing on the upcoming presidential election, Jude said. Post that, there may be some interest in pursuing antitrust actions, especially if theres a new administration.

Social Welfare Purpose

A 501(c)(4) organization must not be organized for profit, and must be operated exclusively to promote social welfare.

Critics have expressed fears that Facebook will be able to distort and shape the public dialog at will.

However, American Edge is not a PAC, nor is it a public education business, Jude said. It is simply an advertising company.

Facebook is social media and social media is advertising, he added. The companys trying to deflect opprobrium the only way it knows how  by starting a new advertising company.

Advertising companies can hide their managers behind a corporate veil, Jude noted, so long as they are private.
A postal worker delivers mail in Torrance while wearing a mask and gloves. The U.S. Postal Service could be broke in months. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

If youre like me, your social media feeds have been featuring grim news from institutions that once seemed  falsely, it turns out  unassailable. First for me was City Lights Books, which on April 9 announced a GoFundMe campaign to address dwindling cash reserves; without it, the store, first opened in 1953 in San Franciscos North Beach, was at risk of shutting down for good.

Next was the U.S. Postal Service, which employs 600,000 people and was left out of the stimulus packages recently signed into law. The Post Office will likely run out of money sometime between July and September of this year, American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein told New York magazine. If they run out of money, then the people lose the service.

Finally, there are the news outlets, including this one, that have furloughed or laid off staff and reduced salaries in the wake of a catastrophic loss of advertising revenue  some 33,000 media workers thus far, according to the New York Times. The situation is dire enough that Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan wrote last month to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to request that journalists and periodicals be protected in future stimulus plans.

Its just the tip of the iceberg. Lambda Literary, Small Press Distribution, Amoeba Music, Mickys Nightclub in West Hollywood: Whatever your community, youve likely been tapped one way or another by businesses, organizations, whole industries in need. Im grateful to be able to chip in  making donations, re-upping subscriptions, buying stamps online (the Post Office was happy to deliver them; delivery is what it was designed to do)  but I also have to wonder: If all thats holding these entities together is crowdsourced funding, what is going to survive?

Dont get me wrong: Im in favor of engaged citizenship. We must support the services and institutions that matter to us. It is a shared responsibility. No organization can stay in business just because we wish it would.

Story continues

At the same time, at least some of what I support should be getting a boost from Washington. How can we not recognize bookstores and newspapers and the Post Office as essential industries? We need reading and writing, and accurate reporting on the pandemic. We need dependable, affordable pickup and delivery so voting by mail, counting the census, paying bills and getting paychecks, not to mention medications for millions, can be handled reliably, every day in a system that is public, not private.

Without doubt, our grassroots engagement is inspiring  including individuals using 3-D printers to make face shields for frontline healthcare workers. What it suggests is that, in the face of a national leadership vacuum, we  individuals, as well as local communities  are stepping up. This is also the case with many states, which have formed regional alliances to crowdsource plans for reopening, and researchers and labs, which have coordinated and collaborated in spite (or because) of the floundering federal response.

At the same time, this sort of do-it-yourself, self-service propping up of society is discomfiting. It speaks to the collapse of something we once imagined we could take for granted: national competence. We are watching in real time the splintering of can-do America, the further devastation of a safety net already frayed by stymied or craven officials and an economic system built on speculation and consumption  a false and catastrophic set of premises even before the pandemic hit.

The argument in favor of DIY is self-sufficiency, and the argument for self-service is convenience, but individual action can only go so far. What this means is that, even as I click to donate or buy in these hard times, I cant help but wonder how many crowds are big enough and enthusiastic enough to make crowdsourcing count.

City Lights raised nearly half a million dollars in 10 days, a sum that will help keep the store open  for now. But the one thing we can say for certain about money is that it always runs out, which means that another crowdfunding effort is almost certainly in the future, and another and another, depending on when and if our book buying and selling habits can return to what they were.

For the Post Office or the news media, both of which are targets of the president, the future remains even more a question mark. Meanwhile, you only need visit the GoFundMe website to see the businesses that arent making it, that arent reaching even modest funding goals.

Government is not the solution to our problem, Ronald Reagan averred in 1981, in his first inaugural address. Government is the problem. He was wrong then and now, but especially when it comes to a crisis such as this.

What do we do? We keep doing what we can. When government fails us, we have no other option but to give to the extent that we are able in this crowdsourced society that we have, unwittingly or otherwise, constructed for ourselves.

David L. Ulin is a contributing writer to Opinion.
Hong Kong: LegCo debate on 10 bills planned

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung wrote to Legislative Council House Committee (HC) Chairman Starry Lee today, indicating the Government's intention to resume the second reading debate of 10 government bills at the council meeting on May 27.

Of these 10 bills, the Government plans to proceed with the National Anthem Bill and the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019 first.

Mr Cheung said: "The Government is pleased to note that the HC at its Special Meeting in the afternoon last Friday handled a number of bills and subsidiary legislation which had been held in abeyance for seven months.

The Government is also pleased to see that the impasse in the HC has been unlocked and will fully co-operate with LegCo in its proceedings on the legislative items in the remainder of the current term of LegCo."

With the current legislative session to end in about two months, all the bills which cannot complete the scrutiny process by the end of the current session in July will lapse upon the end of LegCo's current term.

At present, there are 26 bills under LegCo's scrutiny. After the HC Special Meeting held last Friday, 10 government bills are ready for resumption of the second reading debate as and when appropriate.

The Government considers that LegCo should first proceed with the National Anthem Bill and the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019 at this juncture. The Bills Committees of these two bills had reported to the HC on the outcomes of their scrutiny as early as last year.

As regards the remaining eight bills, the relevant procedures were completed at the HC Special Meeting last Friday. The Government has prioritised the resumption of the second reading debate of these bills.

Noting that the national anthem is the symbol and sign of the nation, Mr Cheung said the National Anthem Bill seeks to implement the Law of the People's Republic of China on National Anthem.

The National Anthem Law was passed in September 2017 and added to Annex III of the Basic Law in November 2017. According to Article 18 of the Basic Law, the national laws listed in Annex III of the Basic Law shall be applied locally by way of promulgation or legislation by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It is thus the constitutional responsibility of the Hong Kong SAR Government to implement the National Anthem Law locally as soon as practicable.

The legislative principle of the National Anthem Bill is to fully reflect the legislative purpose and intent of the National Anthem Law, which is to preserve the dignity of the national anthem so that members of the community would respect the national anthem, whilst taking into account Hong Kong's common law system and actual circumstances.

On the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019, Mr Cheung said the bill seeks to amend the Trade Marks Ordinance to provide a basis for the application of the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks in due course.

It will enable businesses to obtain and manage international trade mark registrations in a more convenient and more cost-effective manner. It is also in line with the Government's commitment to enhance Hong Kong's intellectual property regime."

In accordance with the relevant requirements as set out in Rule 54(5) of the Rules of Procedure, the public officers in charge of the bills will give notice in writing delivered to the office of the Clerk after consultation with the HC Chairman to resume the second reading debate on the above-mentioned 10 bills at the LegCo meeting on May 27.

"The Hong Kong SAR Government hopes to work closely together with LegCo members to make the best use of time in concluding the legislative procedures of the above bills in the remainder of the current term of LegCo in accordance with the priorities," Mr Cheung added.

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
It is a shame that the rules at the organization that drafts and updates the Guinness Book of World Records do not include certain ones in the political and social sphere that could be more astonishing than many others appearing in the book.

In Cuba, at least four absolute world records have been set that should appear in such a famous compendium of records. In no particular order, we have Fidel Castro, who without being an emperor, king, prince, or caliph remained in power for the longest: 52 years, three months, and 18 days.

Then there is his brother, General Raul Castro, who, as a professional politician (not a monarch), has been president, vice-president, and head of the Communist Party, remaining in power for 61 consecutive years. Castro II has also served as Defense Minister for 49 consecutive years, while simultaneously being the country's vice president, these representing more records.

But the most striking Castroist record of all, and that which it will be the most difficult to ever match, is that Cuba's political leadership constitutes the oldest such cadre in human history.

A fifth, additional record belongs to Jose Ramon "El Gallego" Fernandez, who served as a government minister for 40 consecutive years (1972-2012), including 34 years as vice-president of the nation, before he passed away in 2019 at the age of 95. He served as a minister from the age of 49 to 89.

The average age of those at the top of Cuba's power structure: 89

It is an aberration that the upper echelons of political power in Cuba, comprised of the three most powerful historic commanders from the Sierra Maestra days (those who really govern, as opposed to the figureheads in the Constitution) sum, between the three of them, 267 years.

Dictator Raul Castro will turn 89 in June, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura will turn 90 in October, and Ramiro Valdes is already 88. In other words, 89 is the average age of Cuba's most powerful leaders. There has never been anything quite like it in the history of civilization. In this case we do not need to qualify our observations with "in modern history", because in more remote times life expectancy was far lower than today.

And that is not all: in no monarchy, empire or caliphate was there ever, simultaneously, an 89-year-old king, a 90-year-old prime minister, and an 88-year-old secretary of state (the "monarchical equivalents" of Castro II, Machado and Ramiro). Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is 94 years old and has reigned for 68 years, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson is 56, years old and First Secretary of State Dominic Raab is 46. King Louis XIV of France died at age 79, after reigning for 72 years, but his prime ministers did not grow to be very old: Cardinal Mazarin died at 59, Jean Baptiste Colbert, at 64; and the Marquis de Louvois, at 50.

In Cuba, in contrast, several of the main guerrilla leaders of those who in January 1959 seized power together with the Castros, continue to wield power 61 years later, prevailing over the Communist Party, the Government, the State and the National Assembly.

These "historic" leaders, from 1959, are still in command 61 years later

They comprise a military junta that, headed by the dictator, is the supreme authority on the island, despite the fact that Article 5 of the Constitution claims: "The Communist Party is the ultimate guiding political power of society and the State."

Of course, the world treats Miguel Diaz-Canel as Cuba's head of state and "number one", and believes that there is actually a prime minister and a cabinet that governs, a foreign minister that handles foreign policy, and that Esteban Lazo is the president of the legislature.

A gross error. These are second-rung leaders, subordinated to that group of soldiers, which includes generals who are not as old, but who are not "historics". One of them is Luis Alberto Rodriguez Lopez-Callejas, military companies tsar, because he is the father of the dictator's favorite grandson. The heads of the three armies are not "historics" either.

The non-historic members of the Political Bureau cannot make any key decisions in Cuba either, unless they have been approved by the leaders of the Military Junta  which is invisible, has no physical and institutional embodiment, and does not even exist, on paper. Rather, it acts behind the scenes, in the shadows.

The above-mentioned almighty trio are followed, in terms of real political/military power, by the former "historic" guerrillas and, today, three-star generals Leopoldo Cintras Frias, minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, or FAR (79); Alvaro Lopez Miera (77), first deputy minister of the FAR and chief of the General Staff; Joaquin Quintas Sola (82) and Ramon Espinosa (81).

Other veteran members of this very exclusive elite are Commander Jose R. Balaguer (88), Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguezs boss; General Ulises Rosales del Toro (78); Commander Guillermo Garcia Frias, (92); and General Abelardo Colome Ibarra, (81).

These 11 generals and commanders constitute Castroism's historic, supreme creme de la creme, their combined ages summing almost a millennium: 925 years. The average age of the "Council of Elders" that governs in Cuba is 84.

Fidel Castro once mocked the Soviet Union's "old men"

In contrast, the average age of the main Communist leaders in China, Vietnam and North Korea is under 70. In the Soviet Union and other European Communist countries, it never exceeded 73 or 74. The oldest were the nations leaders, but Stalin died at 75; Mao, at 83; Ho Chi Mihn, at 79; and Kim Il Sung, at 82. None of them reached 90, or even 89, like the Castros.

The ironic aspect of this is that, until the early 1980s, Fidel Castro and his entire cadre of leaders used to make fun of the "old men" heading governments and parties in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, China, Vietnam, Mongolia and North Korea.

There are witnesses (this journalist among them) to how the caudillo used to laugh at the ripe ages of these leaders and "friends", and to how he was concerned that the death of Leonid Brezhnev (in 1982) would lead to his replacement by Mikhail Suslov, the second-in-command at the Kremlin, because he had been the architect of the Communist Party since Stalin's time. According to Castro, Suslov, at age 79, was too old to take office. Eventually Suslov died and the "young" Yuri Andropov, 68, was tapped for the position.

The way things are going, though the Covid-19 pandemic may be controlled on the island at some point, there will be changes  and not those that are already "planned" by the dictator, who announced that in 2021 he would step down as head of the PCC, and that his replacement would probably be Diaz-Canel. That slated change would be a farce, in any case, as the general will remain the chief of chiefs for as long as he lives ("in his own right", he would say) and continue to be surrounded by his Military Junta.

However, after the devastating impact that Covid-19 will have on the Cuban economy and society, already a certainty, the changes could be other ones, and inevitable, since these "historic" elders will no longer have the physical or mental capacity to avert them.

For now, it is important that the world community realise not only how these aged commanders have made their compatriots suffer for six decades, and impoverished the country, dragging it down to African levels, but also the disastrous records they have set at the international level.


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - Six major European oil and gas companies have made significant progress in curbing their carbon emissions, according to a new review.



However, none of them are coming nowhere near their declared net zero targets, the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) said in a research paper published Tuesday.



The investor-led group, supported by more than $19 trillion of global capital, investigated how companies are preparing for the move to a low-carbon economy.



Their climate ambitions strengthened markedly in the last six months, with Total, Shell, BP, Repsol and Eni making commitments to significantly reduce the carbon intensity of the energy they supply, says the report.



Shell, Eni, Total and Repsol are now aligned with the emission reductions pledged by the signatories to the Paris Agreement. BP and OMV are the only European companies who failed to do so.



Despite these commitments, the companies would need to cut their CO2 emissions intensity by more than 70 percent to align with a 2C climate scenario by 2050, while a genuine net zero strategy would require a 100 percent cut in emissions.



Adam Matthews, Co-Chair of TPI, and Director of Ethics and Engagement for the Church of England Pensions Board, said the European integrated oil and gas sector is changing rapidly.



'Three years ago, no company had set targets to reduce the carbon intensity of the energy they supply. Today all six oil and gas majors assessed by TPI have set such targets and we have seen significant progress in the past months, with companies engaging with the concept of net zero, adopting longer-term perspectives and setting more ambitious goals to accelerate the lowcarbon transition.'



Shell and Eni are leaders in decarbonisation, and Shell has introduced a new concept of not selling energy to customers that are not also aligned to net zero pathways in key sectors such as aviation, shipping and freight, he noted.



Shell's goal to cut its emissions intensity by 65 percent by 2050 is the most ambitious in the sector and the closest to alignment with a 2C scenario, according to the research paper.



Eni is the only company to have set an absolute target, aiming to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Its carbon intensity is already 10 percent lower than its peers.



The independent analysis of the six large European corporations noted that BP, OMV, Repsol, Shell and Total have indicated they intend to further update investors on their climate ambitions this year.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Accurate information in an age of disinformation: The 'itching ears' syndrome (pt. 2)

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People now go to media seeking affirmation rather than information, John Dickerson once opined on CBS This Morning.

While theres much with which to disagree from CBS News and other establishment media, Dickerson accurately defined the problem in the age of information-disinformation.

The Apostle Paul warned that itching ears would cause people to listen only to teachers who said what they wanted to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) What is true concerning biblical doctrine is also true generally.

In the age of information-disinformation the itching ears syndrome will drive people to take their information from sources that spin the story to their preferences.

Mass media is now an oxymoron, said Katy Couric. She lamented that people get their information and their content from different places, often those that affirm their existing beliefs.

Thankfully, there are indeed many different places where people can now get their daily, hourly, moment-by-moment updates rather than the journalistic triumvirate reigning over the information feed mostly from New York.

Those different places emerged because people began to realize that the grand institutions of journalism were increasingly interjecting their own viewpoints, subtly tilting the reports, and becoming increasingly subjective.

The establishment media now may lament so many different places as news sources, but they have no one to blame but themselves.

In Part I of this series we noted what happens when the hubris of celebrity reporters collides with the hubristic presidency. The outcome is like the collision of matter and anti-matter: annihilation. In this case it is the obliteration of information that we, the people need.

The negative outcome of the contemporary media environment is that many of us have become accustomed to being spoon-fed the news and information that forms our beliefs and opinions.

It doesnt take long for us to fall into the itching ears syndrome, clicking on channels that suit our political philosophy, scanning the internet for sonorous feeds, and occasionally rustling through the pages of a printed publication for easy listening.

For those readers who, like me, enjoy a smorgasbord of mixed metaphors, let me suggest another. Think of those little birds in a nest crying and chirping and waiting for their mother to fly in with a stomach full of pre-eaten, pre-digested food that she regurgitates into their wide-open mouths.

That is also an apt picture of the modern media transaction between information suppliers and consumers. The age of information becomes the age of disinformation when journalists become commentators more than reporters and receivers simply take in what the journalists have already digested.

I entered the media world in 1966, the late evening of the golden age of journalism. The newsroom of the large daily paper where I worked still throbbed with dynamism, creating a kind of music of its own.

The symphony, conducted by editors  the older among them still wearing green eyeshade caps  was played on clattering teletype machines, the bells of aging typewriters, and the percussion of police and fire squawk boxes telling us about incidents to which the city editor might need to dispatch a reporter.

More than twenty years later I returned for a visit. Eagerly I stepped off the elevator anticipating the vibrant atmosphere of the old days. Instead, I walked into a big room darkened for ease of staring into computer screens, no sound but the one-tone monotony of machines, and little interaction between the few human beings there. Hustling reporters had been replaced by information-crafters.

Quantitatively, I am grateful for the technological advances as I type this column on a computer. I can quickly make corrections, and jump to another site for research. But qualitatively, as one who briefly touched the age of classic journalism, I can report that we have lost much, both on the giver and receiver sides of the news transaction.

We have been too easily lulled into another manifestation of the itching ears syndrome: the Amaziah affliction.

Amaziah was the leader of the idolatrous religious establishment when Jeroboam was king of Israel. He was another in the long list of bad rulers of Israel and Judah. God would always raise up prophets to confront them. In Jeroboams age, God appointed Amos, a farmer who, in his own eyes, was a country bumpkin.

Amaziah, who saw himself as a court priest, ordered Amos: Get out of here, you prophet! Go on back to the land of Judah, and earn your living by prophesying there! Dont bother us with your prophecies here in Bethel. This is the kings sanctuary and the national place of worship! (Amos 7:12-13 NLT)

But Amos would not run, and spoke searing truth to Amaziah, who fancied himself a purveyor of information to the king, making sure the ruler heard only what pleased his itching ears.

The problem in Israel in those days was that the religious establishment, the palace, and the people had all lost the standard for discerning and judging between wrong and right, true and false. The Amaziah-types could twist the information to suit king and people alike.

In an age of information-disinformation we must judge for ourselves. We must recover the strong center of the biblical Judeo-Christian worldview, and evaluate what we hear by that standard.

Also, we must glean from a wide variety of sources, including those who dont appeal to our itching ears.

Otherwise we will continue to be huckstered by purveyors of disinformation and misinformation.
Australian shoppers are rushing to Chemist Warehouse for a massive half price sale on makeup, skincare, vitamins and supplements.

The discount pharmacy has slashed 50 per cent off hundreds of items across beauty, health, designer fragrance and personal hygiene.

Bargain hunters can expect huge savings on popular brands including Swisse, Blackmore, Colgate, Oral-B, Bioglan, Nature's Way, Cenovis, Sukin, Nivea, Revlon, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Rimmel, Revlon, Nude by Nature, OPI and more.

The sale runs until May 28, offering bargains like Swisse Hair Skin & Nails tablets for just $13.47, Nivea cleansing wipes for $3.69 or Cenovis Vitamin C tablets for $4.49.

Australian shoppers are rushing to Chemist Warehouse for a massive half price sale on makeup, skincare, vitamins and supplements

If you're looking to update your makeup bag, there's a huge range of best-selling beauty products on sale for just half price - including $10.97 Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara and Revlon Photoready concealer for $12.47.

For half price, you can stock up on foundations, concealers, primer, bronzer, eyeshadow palette, nail polish, eyebrow kit, highlighter, setting spray and more.

Notable deals in the beauty department include Rimmel's 60 second nail polish for $3.47, Nude by Nature 7-piece beauty brushes for $19.97, L'Oreal Paradise Mascara for $12.47 and the OPI range for half price.

If you're looking for a new skincare regime, there's 50 per cent off popular brands including Sukin, Nivea, Elizabeth Ardern and Swisse, as well as 40 per cent off Olay, Garnier, and L'Oreal Paris.

The discount pharmacy has slashed 50 per cent off hundreds of items across beauty, health, designer fragrance and personal hygiene (file image)

Fragrances has been slashed by more than half price, including Katy Perry's Killer Queen for just $16.99 (normally $69), Calvin Klein Euphoria for $49.99, Burberry London for $49.99 (normally $165) and Versace Bright Crystal for $39.99.

In the health aisle, Swisse and Blackmore vitamins and supplements including Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc, Vitamin C, and Fish Oil have all been slashed by 50 per cent.

In the bathroom category shoppers can pick up half price Oral-B products such as $2.49 toothpaste, $5.19 5-pack toothbrushes, gum care and whitening toothpaste for $4.99 or the brand's electric toothbrush from just $24.99.

Other items for half price include $1.99 Paw Paw lip balm, Nature's Way Kids VitaGummies from $7.49 and OGX shampoo and conditioner range.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat and stressed the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains, amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the nation on May 12, he had said, "All our demands during the crisis were met locally. Now, its time to be vocal about the local products and help these local products become global."

However, in such a situation, it is also important to know how much India is dependent on other countries. Taking an example of India's dependence on China, we import 16 per cent of our required things from China.

Speaking on India's dependence on China in the medical field, a total of 90 per cent of India's lifesaving medicines come from China, 75 per cent of the ingredients used to make medicines come from China and China also supplies 80 per cent of India's medical equipments.

On the other hand, 30 per cent of India's automobile components are met from China, 60 per cent of electronic goods requirements are imported from China and about 90 per cent of the country's toy market is occupied by Chinese products. Another 50 per cent of the demand in the country's bicycle market is met by imports in which China has a large share.

If we have to be vocal on local, then it has to minimize its dependence on China first. Therefore, to fulfill the dream of self-reliant India, India still has to prepare a lot.

Talking about the pre and post COVID worlds, the Prime Minister had observed that in order to fulfill the dream of making the 21st century Indias, the way forward is through ensuring that the country becomes self-reliant. Talking about turning a crisis into an opportunity, he gave the example of PPE kits N-95 masks, whose production in India has gone up from almost being negligible to 2 lakh each, on a daily basis.

The PM remarked that the definition of self-reliance has undergone a change in the globalized world and clarified that when the country talks about self-reliance, it is different from being self-centred. He said that Indias culture considers the world as one family, and progress in India is part of, and also contributes to, progress in the whole world. He noted that the world trusts that India has a lot to contribute towards the development of the entire humanity.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14)  Signal No. 2 was raised over the the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar late Wednesday night as tropical storm Ambo continues to intensify as a typhoon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

PAGASA hoisted Tropical Storm Signal No. 2 in the whole Northern Samar province and the northern portion of Eastern Samar, particularly in the towns of Arteche, Can-avid, Dolores, Jipapad, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpio, and Taft.

Also under Signal No. 2 is the northern portion of Samar province, covering the towns of Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jose, San Jose de Buan, Sta. Margarita, and Calbayog City.

The rest of both Eastern Samar and Samar provinces, Biliran, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte are under Tropical Storm Signal No. 1.

PAGASA also said Signal No. 1 may be raised on Thursday over the provinces of Quezon and Marinduque.

Weather specialist Ariel Rojas said Ambo's strength doubled during the last 24 hours.

"Halos dumoble yung lakas ni Ambo, from 65 kilometers per hour kagabi," Rojas said. "Ngayon 130 kilometers per hour na."

[Translation: Ambo's strength doubled from 65 kilometers per hour last night to 130 kilometers per hour today.]

As of 10 p.m. Wednesday, forecasters located the eye of Ambo at 325 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar and moving westward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph).

Ambo increased its maximum sustained winds at 130 kph, while its gustiness also intensified at 160 kph, the weather agency added.

PAGASA said the whole Eastern Visayas, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate region will experience moderate to heavy rains tomorrow with at times intense rains coupled with thunderstorms.

The forecasting agency also said there will be heavy to intense with at times torrential rains with thunderstorms on Friday in the Bicol region and Northern Samar.

Also on Friday, there will be moderate to heavy rains over the CALABARZON region, Aurora, Marinduque, Romblon, and Mindoro provinces.

In the next 24 hours, PAGASA said it expects Ambo to be located 100 kilometers east of Juban, Sorsogon.

By Friday evening, the tropical storm is expected to be located 60 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon.

The storm is seen to reach 60 kilometers south southwest of Calayan, Cagayan by Saturday night, before it travels 410 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes on Sunday evening.

Ambo is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday, said PAGASA.
They've been trading on their charm and sharp wit for years but Corkonians should also have their own rebel currency.

The Green Party in Cork has asked city officials in the self-declared Peoples' Republic to consider introducing a local currency on 'de banks' to help kickstart the economy post Covid-19 lockdown.

The idea was floated by Cllr Colette Finn at this week's city council meeting where several councillors tabled questions about what local supports will be available to traders and businesses as Ireland begins emerging from lockdown next week.

Ms Finn has suggested the introduction of a 'local currency', similar to the Bristol Pound (BP), to encourage people to shop local.

Launched in 2012 to encourage local spending in the British city, the BP initiative is overseen by the Bristol Pound Community Interest Project Limited and is underpinned by Bristol Credit Union which guarantees each BP for one pound sterling.

But it could be some time before tills in Cork are ringing to the sound of Rebel roubles, Leeside liras or a Montenotte zloty even if they come from the Bank of My Own Lovely Lee.

In a written response, officials said while all options to kickstart the local economy are "worthy of consideration", it took about three years of work to launch the BP.

"Robust governance must be in place to ensure that businesses accept the financial risk associated with local currency," they said.

"In addition, it is likely that a local currency would have to be associated with a Money Transmission Business that is regulated by the Central Bank."

Officials said the council is working to develop a local response and supports to businesses post Covid-19.

That response will include the "expanded use" of the Cork Chamber gift card, which was launched in November 2018 to maximise local spend with local businesses.

Operated by the One4all multi-store gift card company, the prepaid card can be loaded with any value from the minimum 15 to the maximum 500.

It is accepted by some 300 outlets in the region.

"This will combine with a range of initiatives that will be developed further to support local retailers and services," officials said.
This award further demonstrates the world-class capabilities offered by the Akima portfolio of companies.

Akima today announced that its subsidiary, Lynxnet, has been awarded a contract to provide professional and operational support services to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). The award has a 5-year period of performance and a total contract value of approximately $25.7 million, if all options are exercised.

We are proud to build on our long-standing relationship supporting the Naval Surface Warfare Centers, said Duncan Greene, President of Akimas Mission Systems, Engineering & Technology Group. This award further demonstrates the world-class capabilities offered by the Akima portfolio of companies.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division provides comprehensive and dedicated support to the Navy in the form of research, development, test and evaluation, analysis, systems engineering, integration and certification of complex naval warfare systems and fleet support.

Akima support will focus primarily on program/project management; process improvement; quality control; technical documentation; command evaluation; office of counsel; accounting; financial systems; human resources; information technology-cybersecurity administration; and property management functions.

About Lynxnet

Lynxnet is an SBA certified 8(a) Alaska Native Corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Akima. Lynxnet offers agile solutions and easily scalable teams that utilize proven best practice models and quick response strategies required by todays government departments and agencies. Through collaboration with our clients and their key personnel, Lynxnet ensures services and solutions are strictly aligned with business processes and desired program and mission outcomes.

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 facilities, maintenance, and repair; information technology; logistics; protective services; systems engineering; mission support; furniture, fixtures & equipment (FF&E); and construction. 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.


Plans from several major US airlines on how to enforce their mandatory mask requirements reveal that, for the most part, they will rely on passenger cooperation rather than strict enforcement.

Separate memos obtained by CNN that American Airlines sent to its pilots and flight attendants show that customers may be denied boarding for not wearing a mask. But once on the plane "the face covering policy will become more lenient" and "the flight attendant's role is informational, not enforcement," the pilot memo reads. It was first obtained by Reuters.

The American Airlines flight attendant memo describes how they should handle customers who don't comply with the policy: "please encourage them to comply, but do not escalate further. Likewise, if a customer is frustrated by another customer's lack of face covering, please use situational awareness to de-escalate the situation."

Like the American Airlines' policy, United makes exceptions for a variety of reasons including medical conditions. Its policy also points to avoiding confrontation.

"If for some reason this policy causes a disturbance onboard, we've counseled our flight attendants to use their de-escalation skills, and they do have the flexibility to re-seat customers on the aircraft as needed," United said in a statement.

JetBlue suggests workers at airports tell customers: "To help keep us all safe, customers and crewmembers are now required to wear face coverings." The airline says there will be "challenges" to enforcing its policy.

In a nod to how charged wearing masks has become, the policy says, "Please be sensitive to the current environment -- remember to leverage our Hospitality Promises and 'Ask, Bargain & Convince' skills to de-escalate a situation with a non-compliant or frustrated customer, and use your best judgement to uphold our service standards in order to minimize disruptions. While customers failing to comply will not prompt the need for diversion or immediate removal, our inflight crewmembers should advise an airports crewmember upon arrival."

Its policy also reminds workers that they aren't allowed to make people leave the terminal for not wearing a mask.

CNN has reached out to Delta and Southwest as well.

The nation's airlines have all implemented policies that passengers must wear masks, following guidance from the CDC. But neither the FAA and TSA have passed policies requiring the masks as a matter of government-enforced rules.
A key impact assessment regarding the introduction of a Covid-19 smartphone tracking app in Ireland has yet to be delivered to the Data Protection Commissioner, and will not be seen publicly before June.

The CovidIreland Tracker app, first mooted at the end of March to be available within 10 days, is now not expected to go live until the end of next month.

The pending application, which will use Bluetooth technology to track contacts between people in order to automatically alert users if they have been in close contact with a case of the virus, has raised privacy concerns among data protection experts, not least over the perceived lack of transparency concerning its development.

The HSE has now confirmed that the applications source code is to be published publicly, but not before a testing phase involving 2,000 people commences at the beginning of June, a process which is expected to take between two and three weeks.

Likewise, the apps data protection impact assessment (DPIA), a key part of any privacy-related project and which was expected to be received by the Data Protection Commissioner last week, will be published at the same time. It will be delivered to the DPC shortly, the HSE said.

That DPIA, believed to have been compiled by the HSE itself rather than by a third party, may have gone through several iterations given that the nature of the app changed tack fundamentally in early May.

At that time the HSE officially moved from developing a centralised app, one through which all data gathered would have been held centrally on a State server, to the decentralised version which smartphone giants Apple and Google had said will form the basis of their own contact tracing template, which Ireland is set to utilise.

Typically DPIAs are carried out and published before the beginning of a project, not during it.

Separately, the health authorities plan to request location data from the apps users in order to track symptoms of the virus around the country is facing scrutiny from civil liberties organisations.

Though Google and Apple have banned the use of location data by any developer seeking to use their contact tracing template, its understood that the use of such data for any functions of an app extraneous to contact tracing, such as the HSEs symptom tracker, will be approved by the two companies respective app stores subject to the criteria used to evaluate any regular application.

Both the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Ireland, meanwhile, have either written or are set to write to Government asking what threshold for takeup of the application will represent a proportionate intervention, one which can have a measurable effect in combating the virus.

Without adequate proportionality a system with repercussions for privacy rights has no legal basis under European law.

The fundamental effectiveness of such applications, dependent on Bluetooth technology, was recently called into question by Trinity College Dublin academics Doug Leith and Stephen Farrell, who in testing such an application found that the technology struggled to measure distancing accurately in routine social situations, such as in supermarkets, with signals badly muffled by a device being held in a users pocket.
NORRISTOWN  While the COVID-19 outbreak has closed law offices and Montgomery Countys courts, except for emergency matters, the Montgomery Bar Association continues to offer services to answer consumer and employment complaints related to the pandemic.

For thousands of pent-up residents and employers facing legal concerns for the first time, each day brings new questions and anxieties about eviction, labor and employment, estate planning, and family placement, said Jim Mathias, director of marketing, development and public affairs for the bar association.

Mathias and Montgomery Bar Association Executive Director Nancy Paul said the bar association is fully staffed and providing services remotely at close-to-normal levels despite the pandemic.

The public benefits greatly from these programs, especially in times like these. There are no easy answers these days, but providing access to our members for direction about common or even complex legal questions improves access to justice for everyone in Montgomery County, Paul said.

Residents and businesses seeking legal assistance can contact Montgomery Bar Associations Lawyer Referral Service, which can provide a free, qualified referral to a lawyer who can offer advice on business or employment matters. All qualifying lawyers who participate in the bar associations referral program agree to charge a discounted rate of no more than $40 for initial consultations of up to 30 minutes, and many are equipped to do so remotely at this time, officials said.

The Montgomery Bar Associations Lawyer Referral Service can be reached between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 610-994-3656.

Should matters specifically call for the professional assistance of a lawyer, a free online referral may be obtained at any time by visiting RealLawyers.org and completing a five-step application. Officials stressed that despite office closures, during regular business hours lawyer referral service representatives and many participating lawyers are equipped to serve applicants remotely.

If your matter does not require a lawyer, you may be referred to a local agency or legal service organization for assistance, officials said.

Those who cannot afford to hire a lawyer, and if you are a senior, a victim of domestic violence or your household income is at or below 125 percent of federal poverty guidelines, can contact Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, a nonprofit agency that serves Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties.

The organization provides free legal advice and representation in civil matters to eligible clients, including matters involving domestic violence and protection from abuse; elder law; bankruptcy, debt relief and consumer law; child custody and dependency issues; expungement and record-sealing; public benefits such as unemployment compensation, cash assistance, food stamps, medical assistance and Medicaid; mortgage foreclosure; landlord and tenant issues; public and subsidized housing problems; and utility problems.

During this public health crisis, domestic violence will not stop and will likely spike as stress and anxiety rise. There will be landlords who take self-help measures against tenants, parents who do not return children after visitation periods end, and hourly employees at the many businesses affected by closures who will face loss of income and employment and challenges paying for food, rent, and other necessities, said Shawn Boehringer, executive director of the legal aid agency. They will need assistance to navigate unemployment compensation and other social safety net programs, which are seeing significant changes.

The legal aid organization does not handle criminal, personal injury lawsuits or traffic court matters and does not provide services for businesses.

But officials said the organization can refer residents to other potential sources of assistance.

To apply for assistance or to seek additional information interested parties can visit the organizations website at LASP.org or call the Helpline at 877-429-5994 Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Those who dont qualify financially for free legal representation through the legal aid organization, but their household income is within 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, may still be eligible for Montgomery Bar Associations Modest Means Legal Access Program, officials said. For more information, residents can contact the bar associations Lawyer Referral Service at 610-994-3656 or by visiting the website at LRS@montgomerybar.org during regular business hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Lawyers who participate in the program are private attorneys who are members of the bar association and agree to charge no fee for an initial 30-minute consultation, and no more than $75 per hour thereafter, officials said.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared likely to reject President Donald Trumps claim that he is immune from criminal investigation while in office. But the court seemed less clear about exactly how to handle subpoenas from Congress and the Manhattan district attorney for Trumps tax, bank and financial records.

The court's major clash over presidential accountability could affect the 2020 presidential campaign, especially if a high court ruling leads to the release of personal financial information before Election Day.

The justices heard arguments in two cases by telephone Tuesday that stretched into the early afternoon. The court, where six justices are age 65 or older, has been meeting by phone because of the coronavirus pandemic.

There was no apparent consensus about whether to ratify lower court rulings that the subpoenas to Trump's accountant and banks are valid and should be enforced. The justices will meet by phone before the end of the week to take a preliminary vote on how those cases should come out.

The justices sounded particularly concerned in arguments over congressional subpoenas about whether a ruling validating the subpoenas would open the door to harassing future presidents.

In your view, theres no protection for the purpose of preventing harassment of a president, Justice Samuel Alito said to Douglas Letter, the lawyer for the House of Representatives.

But in the case involving Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s subpoena for Trump's taxes, the justices showed little interest in the broadest argument made by Jay Sekulow, Trump's lawyer, that a president can't be investigated while he holds office.

Trump had said he would make his tax returns public, but hasn't done so, unlike every other president in recent history.

President Trump is the first one to refuse to do that, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said early in the arguments.

The cases resemble earlier disputes over presidents assertions that they were too consumed with the job of running the country to worry about lawsuits and investigations. In 1974, the justices acted unanimously in requiring President Richard Nixon to turn over White House tapes to the Watergate special prosecutor. In 1997, another unanimous court allowed a sexual harassment lawsuit to go forward against President Bill Clinton.

In those cases, three Nixon appointees and two Clinton appointees, respectively, voted against the president who chose them for the high court. The current court has two Trump appointees, Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

Appellate courts in Washington and New York have ruled that the documents should be turned over, but those rulings have been put on hold pending a final court ruling. The appellate decisions brushed aside the presidents broad arguments, focusing on the fact that the subpoenas were addressed to third parties asking for records of Trumps business and financial dealings as a private citizen, not as president.

House committees want records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One, as well as the Mazars USA accounting firm. Mazars also is the recipient of a subpoena from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

Two congressional committees subpoenaed the bank documents as part their investigations into Trump and his businesses. Deutsche Bank has been one of the few banks willing to lend to Trump after a series of corporate bankruptcies and defaults starting in the early 1990s.

Vance and the House Oversight and Reform Committee sought records from Mazars concerning Trump and his businesses based on payments that Trumps then-personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, arranged to keep two women from airing their claims of affairs with Trump during the 2016 presidential race.

Trump sued to block the subpoenas. He is being represented by personal lawyers at the Supreme Court, and the Justice Department is supporting the high-court appeal.

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Description

GIS - 13 May, 2020: The COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Quarantine Bill constitute two important pieces of legislations that will help the country get back on track, help it pursue its economic objectives and guarantee the safety of the citizens.

This statement was made by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr KaileshJagutpal, in the National Assembly, this afternoon, while he was intervening on the two Bills. He recalled how the world is bearing the impacts the novel coronavirus and Government acted quickly and boldly in the absence of definite legislations in order to guarantee the safety and security of all of the citizens. Hence, the need to consolidate the legislative framework to addressallemerging issues around COVID-19, he highlighted.

Quarantine Bill

Speaking about the Quarantine Bill, Dr Jagutpal stated that provisions will confer powers to the Prime Minister to take such bold but deemed necessary decisions to ensure the prevention and containment of communicable diseases, and for the overall safety of the population.

The Bill also provides for private premises to be mobilised for quarantine centres. The Minister recalled that in the Quarantine Act of 1954 there was no designation of a quarantine facility adding that during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Mauritius, 37 quarantine centres were set up overnight in the country.

Another issue being addressed in the Quarantine Bill concern medical examination and information. Dr Jagutpalexplained that in a scenario where the country is at risk of a viral outbreak, there is the need to ascertain that the medical information required and gathered are exact and precise. He recalled how in the COVID-19 situation, some people did not disclose data that would have greatly helped Government in its efforts to contain the novel coronavirus and others who refused to undergo medical treatment and examination. The Quarantine Bill, he underpinned, will allow Government to better its sanitary surveillance and provide the population with appropriate health care for its own security.

COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

As regards the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, Dr Jagutpal stated that this piece of legislation will allow Government to pursue its Action Plan towards strengthening its preparedness for and response to the novel coronavirus and to any future pandemic. Such measures, he added, are being proposed to make sure that all guidelines given to the public aimed at preventing the propagation of a communicable disease are respected.

Commenting the amendments at Section (40) referring to the Pharmacy Act, the Minister underlined that they will enable the country to cater more for its own needs with regards to medicine supplies. These amendments will lead to faster access to products for the Mauritian territory, he added.

He underlined that as of now, 98% of the medicinal needs of the country are being imported,hence, the need to have a timely delivery and availability of medicines, even in complicated circumstances.

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




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"Our research shows that the most difficult issue that children and young adult survivors deal with is the reaction they get from other people. Giving them the tools to handle these interactions is critical to their well-being."The findings come from two studies that asked more than 200 young adults (17-25 years old) and child (10-16 years old) burn survivors to reflect on the key challenges they faced while recovering and growing up.In the first study, 64 young adults were asked to respond to the statement: "The hardest thing about being burned is..." Their reactions identified seven primary themes common to burn survivors:In the second study, 147 child burn survivors and 81 young adult survivors were asked to rate the level of difficulty they experienced for each of those seven themes on a four-point scale. More than 70% of respondents said they were bothered by staring and bullying, with 72% identifying bullying as the most painful reaction, and 71% identifying staring. More than half of respondents reported issues with scars (65%), memories of being burned (52%), and pain and itching (50%). Girls were bothered significantly more than boys by their scars.The top mean scores for child burn survivors on the four-point scale included: Remembering the Burn (61%) & Getting Unwanted Questions (61%). Some significant differences emerged between the two age groups. Child burn survivors were more likely than young adults to report being troubled by "Getting Unwanted Questions," (61% vs. 43%) while the young adults were significantly more likely than child burn survivors to report pain from "Being Bullied" (63% vs. 46%)."While both groups of survivors have to cope with unwanted stares and comments, it's interesting that bullying seems to be less of a problem for survivors today than a few years ago," said Rimmer. "This suggests that there may be a shift in how child burn survivors are treated by their peers and that bullying programs in schools should be supported and perhaps expanded."As a result of these findings, the researchers suggest that burn units should incorporate supportive strategies, such as psychological or social interventions such as burn camp, to complement surgical and medical treatments. By providing survivors with constructive coping strategies, the researchers suggest that it will help to improve burn-injured youth's social interactions and overall quality of life.Source: Eurekalert
MBSE HLC 2020| The Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) has declared the Mizoram Board Class 10 result 2020 on Wednesday, 13 May. The results can be viewed on the official website mbse.edu.in.

MBSE HLC 2020| The Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) has declared the Mizoram Board Class 10 result 2020 on Wednesday, 13 May. The results can be viewed on the official website mbse.edu.in.

Candidates who have appeared for the exam need to enter their roll number and other details to check their MBSE HSLC result 2020. Students can also check their results at the official website: www.results.indiaresults.com

The Mizoram HSLC exam commenced on 17 February with the English paper and ended on 3 March. A total of 18,000 candidates had appeared for the Class 10 exams in the northeastern state this year.

The practical exams for MBSE HSLC 2020 were held between 4 February and 11 February. The admit cards of the Mizoram Board Class 10 exam 2020 were released in the month of February.

Candidates need to log on to mbse.edu.in. Once logged in, they need to register by entering roll number, name, mobile number and email to access result. The scores can be downloaded for future reference.

A rising number of COVID-19 cases led to the closure of educational institutions across the country along with the postponement of exams. Mizoram has been one of the few places in India which has not registered a single death from the coronavirus pandemic. India has recorded over 2,400 coronavirus related deaths and has registered over 74,000 cases from the dreaded disease.
When the Black Death broke out in the Middle Ages, taking the lives of one third of all Europeans, panic-stricken people blamed the Jews for bringing the disease, research suggests.

(video grab)

It seems that history has repeated itself during this pneumonia outbreak; only this time it's Chinese people who have fallen victim to American politicians. Recently, some U.S. officials have started a new rumor that China is trying to hack data from research into a possible vaccine from the U.S.

The pandemic has revealed the ugly side of some American politicians who are trying to connect a public health emergency with politics.

In order to pass the buck and win this years presidential election, some U.S. officials "lied, cheated, and stole"the very words used by U.S. State of Secretary Mike Pompeo when describing how the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) trains agents  starting a series of rumors about China, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other institutions.

At the same time, at a loss over how to deal with the pandemic, they simply pretended that everything is under control.

Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, have repeated that the greatest enemy right now is not the virus, but fear, rumor and stigma.

The clumsy tricks attempted by Pompeo and other U.S. officials have held back America in its fight against the virus, undermined international cooperation and poisoned China-U.S. relations.

The pandemic has actually proven once again that humanity is a community of shared future. No country can call itself perfectly safe until the pandemic is effectively brought under control in all countries.

Now is the time to carry out transnational scientific exchanges on the basis of mutual respect, not to spread conspiracy theories or rumors about the origin of the virus, according to an open letter published in the New York Times by Chinese and American experts on public health.

The virus should be the only enemy of all mankind right now. The harder some Americans try to cover up their faults and scapegoat China, the more difficult it is for the world to unite in fighting against the pandemic.

Before the pandemic is even over, the U.S. government has attempted to hold China responsible for the outbreak and even claimed compensation from it, a move that actually serves to help the spread of the virus.

The priority for each country should not be to choose sides between China and America, but to choose between truth and lies, cooperation and hegemony, multilateralism and unilateralism.

Faced with a common enemy like the virus, some U.S. officials have abandoned the idea of unity and cooperation for their own benefit. This will not only expose themselves to risks, but will also encourage the spread of the coronavirus.

The U.S. has encountered the biggest public health crisis of the age. It is sad to see the American people having to endure a Secretary of State who goes against global anti-epidemic cooperation, as some American scholars pointed out.

Related reading

First question to American politicians: Do elderly people have the right to life?

Second question to American politicians: Is this what you call human rights?

Third question to American politicians: Can lives be saved by attacking China?

Fourth question to American politicians: Why not fix your sick and twisted mind first?

Fifth question to American politicians: Arent you afraid that passing the buck to China will backfire?

Sixth question to American politicians: Arent you aware of what you have done?
by Melani Manel Perera

Before the lockdown, Chrismali could only talk with her family over the phone. The home coming caused by the coronavirus helped heal the heartache of a lonely life. Without Gods grace everything is useless and worthless. Every change in life has great value, during this crisis too.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  For Chrismali Peter, a 23-year-old Catholic student, forced family holidays due to the coronavirus outbreak is a source of both sadness and joy, sadness for the suffering the pandemic has brought and joy for the time spent with loved ones.

The young woman hails from Bandarawela (Diocese of Badulla). She is a student in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Sri Jayewardenapura University in Colombo. She is also a faculty coordinator of the universitys Catholic Student Movement.

Chrismali is grateful to Jesus that she can be close to her loved ones and pray with them at this time of difficulty. "I live 200 km from home, and when I'm not at university I work for a company in the capital. It is therefore difficult for me to visit my family, she told AsiaNews.

Before the lockdown, the young university student could only communicate with her family by phone; physical and human contact with them helped her heal the heartache caused by loneliness in Colombo.

For the young Catholic woman, her mother is the person who keeps the family going and united. She is the first to wake up, cooks for all of us, brings us together in prayer, and gets us to read the Holy Scriptures. She has also helped us accept this moment of crisis.

For Chrismali, faith in God has helped her and her family overcome initial fears, such as running out of food during the confinement period.

As Psalm 91 reads: You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty. The Lord is my refuge and my fortress; without His grace everything is useless and worthless.

What I am going through is a sudden change, Chrismali said. But I think that every change in our life has great value; you just need to have a vision of your future. There is no need to complain or see this crisis as torture.
India will carry out the second phase of its mega evacuation process from 16 to 22 May under which stranded Indians will be brought back from 31 countries in 149 flights, official sources said.

reuters

The government launched the Vande Bharat Mission on 7 May which was designed to bring back home Indians who were stranded in various countries due to coronavirus-related restrictions.

Under phase one of the mission, the government has evacuated a total of 6,527 Indians from the Gulf region as well as countries like the US, and the UK, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the Maldives.

In the second phase of the evacuation mission, the government will bring back the people from Canada, Oman, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Singapore, the US, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, France, Qatar, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Kuwait and Italy.

Stranded Indians will also be evacuated from Nepal, Nigeria, Belarus, Armenia, Thailand, Ireland, Germany, Georgia and the UK.

"In the second phase, Air India and Air India Express will operate 149 flights," an airline official said.

bccl

According to last weeks report, a total of around 68,000 Indians found eligible under governments criteria of having compelling reasons to be brought back home, registered for evacuation by flight under the Vande Bharat Mission, sources said.

As per governments policy for evacuation, Indians having compelling reasons to return which can be pregnant women, elderly people, students and those facing the prospect of deportation are being brought back home.

In the first phase, the government has planned to bring back around 15,000 people from 12 countries in 64 flights.

India has gone under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Maharashtra government will start the home delivery of liquor from May 15, amid the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown. Earlier, it was supposed to start from May 14 but the local administration had asked for a one-day deferment for the medical examination of the delivery persons and issuance of identity cards to them.

It is noteworthy that the Maharashtra government on May 13 allowed the home delivery of liquor to prevent long queues at the liquor shops. The home delivery of liquor will be done in only those districts where there is already an exemption to sell liquor in liquor shops. There will be no home delivery of liquor in many districts including Mumbai and Nagpur.

The Maharashtra Excise Department will keep a strict vigil on home delivery of liquor across the state and ensure that the social distancing norms are fully followed. The Excise Department has also decided to start an online token system on a pilot basis for the sale of liquor in select cities, including Pune and Nashik, to avoid huge crowding at shops.

The move comes after huge crowd assembled in large numbers outside liquor shops across the state last week, flouting the social distancing norms to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Under the new system, a person can get a token by registering on the state excise department portal and then go to the shop to buy liquor. Only those who get the token can go to the shop and buy liquor. The move is expected to help in preventing long queues of people outside liquor shops. The state government plans to issue a limited number of tokens for liquor sale to avoid crowding on streets.

The system will be started on a pilot basis in Pune first and, if found successful, it will be replicated in other parts of the state.

The Supreme Court on May 8 left it open for states to consider online sales and home delivery of liquor during the COVID-19 lockdown period to facilitate social distancing. Dismissing a plea challenging a government circular of May 1 allowing the sale of liquor through direct contact sales during the lockdown, a three-judge SC Bench left it to the discretion of the State governments to provide a mechanism for online buying and home delivery of liquor.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had on May 1 had declared a limited lockdown which classifications of districts into Red, Orange and Green zones based on COVID-19 risk-profiling. The sale of liquor and tobacco products were allowed in some areas after ensuring a minimum six-feet social distancing.
The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has described the appointment of Prof Ibrahim Gambari as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, as a round peg in a round hole.

This was made known by the party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu saying without any iota of doubt, the appointment has, once again, demonstrated President Buharis avowed commitment to good governance by bringing on board competent Nigerians from all parts of the world to assist him in taking Nigeria to the Next Level.

A respected scholar, former minister, and a highly-regarded diplomat, who has worked at the highest level in the United Nations, including being the Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Political Affairs, Chairperson, African Union-UN Special Representative for Dafur and currently the Special Adviser on International Compact with Iraq and Other Issues to the UN Secretary General, founder of Savannah Center  a research, development, diplomacy and public policy think-tank and co-chair of the Albright-Gambari Commission  addressing issues such as state fragility, climate change, and the cybereconomy, Gambaris appointment is well-thought-out and speaks volumes of the Presidents penchant for excellence, the party said

Read Also: Former Minister, Pro-Chancellor, Meet Ibrahim Gambari, Buharis New Chief Of Staff

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The statement added that; Indeed, Professor Gambari ticks all the boxes as a round peg in a round hole. The APC is confident that Gambari, a Prince of Ilorin Emirate, will bring to bear his scholarly intellect, international network, professional and administrative experience in ensuring smooth running of the office of the president and support the government to provide good governance and successfully deliver the Next Level programmes for the benefit of Nigerians.

While our great party assures Gambari of needed support and cooperation, we wish him success in his services to our great country and the people.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on



Wednesday demanded a special package for Mumbai which has become a coronavirus hotspot.

Welcoming the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raut demanded that Mumbai get "maximum benefit" from it.

"Workers are leaving as they have no work here. Mumbai's importance as the country's financial capital should be sustained. The Centre should announce a special package for Mumbai and other cities which create jobs," Raut said.

The Sena welcomed the package announced by Modi, he said.

"This is no time to be critical. The entire country is with the prime minister at this juncture," the Rajya Sabha member said.

However, he added, "out of the total package announced, Mumbai should get maximum benefit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
B ritish holidaymakers could visit Greece next month without quarantine restrictions.

From next Monday (May 18), workers will be permitted to travel to Greece and, if the countrys coronavirus cases remain low, its been reported that tourists could soon follow from June 1.

According to the Express, Greece's Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said the country will introduce precautions.

Of course, we will take precautions in terms of the requirements before travelling, he said.

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"But also in the way that we travel.

Speaking to German paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Mr Theoharis said: This is a comprehensive plan that includes all possible measures: on beaches, in swimming pools or at places where breakfast is served, when transported by bus etc.

He added: We want a plan that will guarantee safety but will also be realistic. This combination is important so that everyone is able to feel good and relax.

Though Greece may be willing to welcome visitors from Europe, including the UK, a summer holiday to Greece will not be straightforward.

Currently the UK government is still advising against all but essential travel, meaning if Brits did jet off for a Greek island holiday, their travel insurance would likely be invalid.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced earlier this week that a two-week quarantine would soon be enforced for all travellers entering the UK except from France and Ireland.

When asked on ITVs This Morning whether summer was cancelled for Brits, health secretary Matt Hancock said it is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer."

Early lockdown restrictions mean Greece has had 151 deaths from the coronavirus and a total of 2,726 cases - one of the lowest rates in Europe. There are now more than 226,000 confirmed cases in the UK and more than 32,600 deaths.

The EU is keen to kickstart the summer tourist season and today the European Commission will release proposals for gradually re-opening borders.

"Our message is we will have a tourist season this summer," said economic affairs commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, "even if it's with security measures and limitations."
Photo credit: Interim Archives - Getty Images

From Popular Mechanics

Explorers have discovered the wreck of the battlewagon USS Nevada.

Nevada survived the attack on Pearl Harbor to serve in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

The ship also survived two nuclear tests, only to be finally sunk by the U.S. Navy for target practice.

Underwater exploration teams have discovered the wreck of one of the most legendary ships in the U.S. Navy. Two companies, Search Inc. and Ocean Infinity, have discovered the battleship USS Nevada in its final resting place off the coast of Hawaii. The ship served in two world wars, was rebuilt after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and was present at ground zero for not one but two nuclear weapons tests.

The battleship, according to the two companies, lies 65 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu, Hawaiii. Military.com reports the ship is under three miles of water. A survey of the wreck showed an anti-aircraft gun and partial hull numbers and inscriptions in the ships steel are all still visible.

Photo credit: MPI - Getty Images

The USS Nevada was commissioned in 1916, shortly before Americas entry into World War I. The ship served through the inter-war years and was present at Pearl Harbor during the surprise Japanese attack. Nevada was struck by an aerial torpedo early on during the attack but managed to get underway, streaming down the channel towards the Navy Yard. According to the U.S. Navys History and Heritage Command:

The slowly moving battleship was an attractive target for Japanese dive bombers, which hit and near-missed her repeatedly, opening up her forecastle deck, causing more leaks in her hull, starting gasoline fires forward and other blazes in her superstructure and midships area. Now in serious trouble, Nevada was run aground on the Navy Yard side of the channel, just south of Ford Island.

Nevada, which experienced flooding as a result of the attack, was refloated and sent back to the continental U.S. for repairs and an upgrade. The ship rejoined the fleet in October 1942, in time for its participation in the Aleutians campaign. Although the age of the battleship was over, her main battery of 14-inch guns could still pound enemy defenses on shore. Nevada participated in Operation Dragoon, the Allied landing in southern France, and the invasion of Okinawa, lending her big guns to each.

Story continues

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Nevada was decommissioned in 1946 and was sent to the South Pacific to participate in Operation Crossroads. Nevada was one of several dozen ships sent to Bikini Atoll to test the effects of nuclear weapons on warships. Nevada, painted bright orange for the tests, survived two nuclear detonations but was damaged and heavily irradiated by the second, underwater explosion. The ship was used for gunner practice in 1948, whereupon it finally sank.

While the ship has been located, there are no plans to do anything at the wreck site. The Sunken Military Craft Act of 2004 shields all sunken U.S. Navy warships from exploitation, in order to protect them as grave sites or preserve their archaeological value.

Although no one died during Nevadas sinking, the ship definitely earned its place in naval history.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday to provide 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars) to help seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the announcement, senior Canadians will be receiving a one-time payment of up to 500 Canadian dollars (about 355 U.S. dollars) to help offset any increases in the cost of living due to COVID-19.

Any senior who is eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension will receive a payment of 300 Canadian dollars (about 213 U.S. dollars), and an additional 200 Canadian dollars will be sent to seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). No application is required to receive this one-time payment.

Canadian seniors are facing additional economic challenges as many live on a fixed income and have expressed concerns about their ability to make ends meet during the pandemic time.

There are currently 6.7 million seniors who are eligible for the OAS pension and 2.2 million who are eligible for the GIS in the country.

Canadian seniors also continue to be hardest hit by COVID-19, with deadly outbreaks in long-term care homes across Canada.

Some 20 percent of the more than 71,000 COVID-19 cases in Canada are linked to long-term care homes, while 80 percent of the more than 5,000 deaths in Canada are seniors who live in long term care and assisted living facilities.

Trudeau said the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 has exposed some uncomfortable truths, "including how we care for seniors in Canada."

"We've seen heartbreaking tragedies in long-term care facilities and nursing homes right across the country. Overworked staff. Understaffed residences. Grieving families. There are serious, underlying challenges facing these facilities. And in the coming months, the federal government will be there to help the provinces find lasting solutions," he said.

The Trudeau government has reached agreements with the provinces and territories to top up the wages of some essential front-line workers including those in long-term care facilities.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been 71,105 COVID-19 cases and 5,167 deaths reported in the country.
In the first quarter alone, daily average revenue trades, a standard industry metric, have doubled for most of the e-brokers from a year earlier.

But there are more things occurring to encourage retail trading, including stay-at-home orders and market volatility. Add it all up and you get electronic brokers reporting trading volumes that are up 100% year over year.

Retail investors have doubled their trading activity during the pandemic, thanks partly to $0 commissions.

Ameritrade up 144%

E-Trade up 129%

Schwab up 98%

Interactive Brokers up 72%

Source: Piper Sandler

That trend shows no signs of letting up: "Trades have continued to meaningfully accelerate with the pandemic volatility even thru April," said Piper Sandler analyst Rich Repetto, who tracks e-broker trends.

Repetto notes that the move to $0 commissions, which happened late last year for most e-brokers, was a factor: "You can trade 20 shares one time, 50 shares the next time, to maybe get a better price on a different trade, and you don't care because it's free," Repetto told me.

Michael Wong, who tracks e-brokers at morningstar, noted the effect that zero commissions had on Ameritrade: "After the move to $0-commissions on many types of trades in October 2019, trading volume has been on an uptrend."

Is retail moving markets in a way it hasn't in the past?

Surprisingly, JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD AmeriTrade, told me that amid all the market chaos in March and April, clients at his firm were net buyers of stocks, not sellers.

Kinahan saw investor interest spike in two distinct groups.

First, they went into dividend-paying stocks. "Our population is aging, and there is nowhere else to go to get return," he said, noting investors were buying companies like Citigroup, Bank of America, Exxon and Chevron.

Second, there was a distinct speculative buying spree, led by millennials. "Millennials were the first to start buying cruise lines like Carnival, as well as airlines," he said. "People see them as long-term opportunities."

For Kinahan, the main sign that user engagement  not just trading, but interest in the market  is way up is the interest in education.

"Our education usage is up three times year over year," he said. "Reading articles on our website, looking at the videos. Anything having to do with education has gone way up."

Why the sudden interest in reading articles on the stock market?

"People have more time to spend looking at their investments. People can take an hour off in the middle of the day to really educate themselves. Our clients are looking at our information and saying, 'I'm starting to understand this more,' and this leads them to feel more confident trading," he said.

Does all this mean that retail is having more influence on the markets?

"It does have an effect because it puts more demand on certain stocks," Kinahan said, but he cautioned that retail investors are only part of a large daily pool of traders that include pension funds, hedge funds and international investors. "They aren't the only buyers," he said.

For the e-brokers, a sudden surge in trading with $0 commissions sounds like a losing proposition, but there are offsetting positives.

Patrick O'Shaughnessy of Raymond James, who tracks retail trading at Schwab,TD Ameritrade and E-Trade, noted that net new accounts among e-brokers more than tripled from a year earlier, and net new assets were up 80% year over year.

More investors, more assets under management means the e-brokers can make money by selling other services to investors, even with zero commissions.

Another help for the e-brokers: Most sell client orders to trading firms to execute the trade, who then compensate the e-brokers, a process known as "payment for order flow."

Does this mean that the retail investor is back, or is this a short-term buying spree that will end in disaster? Repetto believes that with no cost to trade, trading volumes will decline slightly, but not dramatically.

"Many of us are not going back to work any time soon. If you combine that with a gentle market recovery, we could continue to have retail trading strong for some time," he said.

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WHO chief 'has no mandate' to invite Taiwan to World Health Assembly

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 6:35 AM

The World Health Organization (WHO)'s chief has "no mandate" to invite self-ruled Taiwan to participate in this month's World Health Assembly (WHA), the body's lawyer has announced, amid the differing viewpoints of member states about the matter.

Speaking during an online news briefing on Monday, WHO's principal legal officer, Steven Solomon, said only member states could decide who attends the assembly of the health agency's decision-making body, noting that they had "divergent views" on Taiwan's participation.

Taiwan, backed by the United States, has stepped up lobbying to be allowed to join the assembly, due next week, as an "observer state." Some WHO members have voiced support for such participation, even though the self-ruled territory is subject to Chinese sovereignty.

China has condemned the lobbying attempts as a political stunt aimed at promoting Taiwan's attempted independence and opposed the island's separate participation.

The mainland says it has the right to represent Taiwan on the international stage. Beijing and WHO also stress that Taipei has been provided with all the help and information it needs during the coronavirus pandemic, something Taiwan disputes.

Also on Monday, Beijing rebuked New Zealand for its support for Taiwan's membership at the WHO, warning of negative consequences for bilateral ties.

New Zealand's finance and foreign ministers last week supported Taiwan's inclusion in the WHO.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a daily news conference in Beijing on Monday that the ministers' statements marked a severe violation of the internationally-practiced policy of "One China," under which Beijing exercises sovereignty over Taiwan.

"We express our strong dissatisfaction with the statements and resolutely oppose it, and we have already made stern representations with New Zealand," Zhao said.

New Zealand, however, stuck with its support for Taiwan.

Commenting on China's warning, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said his country differed with Beijing on the matter.

"True friendship is based on equality. It's based on the ability in this friendship to nevertheless disagree," Peters said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The minister said he did not think the issue would harm relations with Beijing. China is New Zealand's biggest trade partner.

Peters attributed New Zealand's position on Taiwan to the island's "tremendous success against COVID-19," the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, saying there was a lot for other countries to learn from Taiwan.

Taiwan has recorded only 440 coronavirus cases and seven deaths, relatively low figures attributed to early and effective disease prevention and control measures.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also said her country's position was only related to Taiwan's response to the pandemic, stressing its adherence to the "One China" policy.

"We have always taken a 'One China' policy, and that continues to be the case," Ardern said on Tuesday.

Beijing's relations with Taipei have particularly been strained since Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, came to power in 2016. She has strong anti-China inclinations and refuses to acknowledge that both sides are part of one China.

China has pursued reunification with Taiwan ever since the island broke away from the mainland during a civil war in 1949.

Almost all world countries recognize Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan.

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LOS ANGELES, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadvoice, an award-winning provider of hosted voice, unified communications (UC) and SIP trunking services for businesses, announced today that CRN  , a brand of The Channel Company, has named Kim McLachlan, Senior Vice President of Marketing, and Rebecca Rosen, Vice President of Marketing to its esteemed 2020 Women of the Channel list.

Broadvoice Executives Recognized as CRN's 2020 Women of the Channel

Recognizing the unique strengths, vision, and achievements of a select group of women, this prestigious, annual list acknowledges channel leaders who are blazing a trail for future generations. These women are from all areas of the IT ecosystem, including technology vendors, distributors, solution providers, and other IT organizations.

Honorees are selected by the CRN editorial team to celebrate exceptional women acclaimed for their contributions to channel advocacy, growth, thought leadership, and dedication to the IT channel.

McLachlan has 20 years of experience in technology sales  eight of which have been in the channel. After two decades in sales leadership roles at West Corp., she joined Broadvoice in 2019 with the mission to align the company's sales organization to support its accelerated channel growth. Already, she's added several strategic leaders, channel managers and resources with the goal of enabling partners to move upmarket with Broadvoice services.

Rosen, who is marking her third appearance on the CRN Women of the Channel list, is an experienced technology marketing executive with 20 years of channel experience and a record of driving triple-digit revenue growth for partners and suppliers alike. At Broadvoice, she drives marketing strategy, including channel marketing, product marketing, demand generation, content marketing and inside sales. Rosen is a former Board Member of the Alliance of Channel Women and served as the organization's vice president for two years. She's also was named a Channel Partners Circle of Excellence Award winner for channel leadership.

"CRN's 2020 Women of the Channel list recognizes an accomplished group of influential women leaders whose strategic vision and unique achievements accelerate channel growth through cultivated partnerships, innovative thought leadership, and unwavering dedication to the IT channel," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. "We are proud to honor them for their accomplishments and contributions to driving channel success."

"Both Kim and Rebecca are strong and resourceful leaders not only in advancing the channel-first strategy at Broadvoice but in raising the bar for the channel community," said Broadvoice President Sam Ghahremanpour. "Their leadership has been vital to the growth and success of our company and our channel program. We thank them for their contributions and congratulate them for well-deserved recognition as CRN 2020 Women of the Channel."

The 2020 Women of the Channel list will be featured in CRN Magazine on June 8 and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC.

About Broadvoice

Broadvoice simplifies communications for small and medium businesses (SMBs) by combining powerful cloud PBX, UC and collaboration features with virtual call center in one award-winning Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform that delivers enterprise-class features at affordable rates. The platform is connected to Broadvoice's secure, redundant network and hosting infrastructure, enabling SMBs to connect with customers securely anytime, anywhere and with any device. Broadvoice is ranked in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com

Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook

Copyright 2020. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Media Contacts:

Rachel Turkus

Director of Marketing

Broadvoice

408.540.8113

[email protected]

Jennifer Hogan

The Channel Company

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadvoice
The Samsung Galaxy M21 has arrived in several countries on the Old Continent. Locals will be able to buy the phone online later today, shipments will start in about a week.

The version with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage will set you back 230. Thats the same price as the M20 last year. Still, in India the M21 is only INR 13,200, which is 160 (even after the tax hike in April).



Samsung Galaxy M21 in Green, Blue and Black

Europe is also missing out on the memory upgrade option, which has 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage. If you need more room for files, at least you can use the dedicated microSD card slot.

The Galaxy M21 will be sold through the companys official online store and Amazon, plus various local retailers in each country. If youre in Italy, head over to Samsung or Amazon. Spaniards can also look at PC Componentes. Also here are links for the Netherlands, Slovakia (240) and Ukraine (UAH 6,300).



6,000mAh battery  48MP main and 8MP ultra wide cameras

In case you overlooked the phone until now, the M21 has a 6.4 Super AMOLED screen (1080p+), Exynos 9611 chipset (with four A73 cores), a massive 6,000mAh battery with 15W fast charging, 48MP main camera, 8MP ultra wide, a 5MP depth sensor and a 20MP selfie cam. Basically, it's a Galaxy M31 without the 64MP main camera or 4K video capture but the price is 50 lower.

Source (in Spanish)
The High Court has dismissed John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty's legal challenge against laws introduced by the State due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health had sought seek to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation, which they say are unconstitutional and flawed, quashed by a judge of the High Court.

They also wanted the court to make a declaration that the legislation challenged was unconstitutional.

Ruling on a preliminary issue, namely whether they were entitled to leave or permission of the court to bring their case to a full hearing, on Wednesday Mr Justice Charles Meenan dismissed their action.

Read More

The judge said that the their claims were not arguable and the court could not grant them permission to have their challenge determined at a full hearing of the High Court.

The judge said that the case should not have been brought by way of judicial review and should have been taken by way of plenary hearing which would have involved the hearing of oral evidence.

The decision was delivered electronically. However during the course of the hearing the applicants indicated that they would appeal to he Court of Appeal if they were not granted leave.

During the hearing of the application, dozens of Gardai were stationed around the Fourcourts to ensure that social distancing regulations for court hearings, where limited persons can attend court, were adhered to.

Dozens of supporters of the journalists had attended around the Fourcourts Complex when the matter was listed before the court. The applicants had objected to this, and argued that the public had a right to be present in the court during the hearing.

That argument was rejected by the court, which said that as the proceedings were being covered by the media, the hearing was being held in public.

The State, and lawyers acting for the Dail, Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle who were notice parties to the proceedings, had argued during a two-day leaving hearing that permission should not be granted.

Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters, who represented themselves, challenged legislation including the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection andOther 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 were also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought due to Covid-19 under the 1947 Health Act.

They claimed 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 had argued, amount to "an unprecedented" suspension of constitutional rights.

Opposing the leave application Patrick McCann SC, appearing with Gerard Meehan Bl, for the state argued the application was "doomed" on several grounds including that it was proceduraly flawed.

There was a failure to put expert evidence supporting their challenge before the court, and they 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, the state also claimed.

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 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 also rejected the applicants claims that the laws were flawed because they had were enacted by an incoming Dail and an an outgoing Seanad, or that the had been advanced 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.

During the court of her submissions 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 proceeding she said the people of Ireland were under mass house arrested, and compared conditions under the lockdown as akin to being in "Nazi Germany."

The case will be mentioned before the court at a later date.
Oulo Aboubacar Mohammed Jamal would in default serve four years imprisonment.

Charged with Breach of Restriction imposed on Travel to Ghana, Jamal pleaded guilty.

The court presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Essandoh convicted Jamal on his own plea.

Accused through his counsel informed the court that his client's entry into Ghana was a mistake and prayed the court to have mercy on him.

Prosecuting, Chief Superintendent of Immigration Mr. Philip Peter Andoh said on or before March 30, this year, Jamal was arrested at Kambaa check point in the Upper West Region by Officers of the Ghana Immigration Service for entering Ghana through unapproved routes during the pendency of imposition of restriction on travel to Ghana.

Mr. Andoh said subsequently, Jamal was quarantined and tested for COVID-19 at Wa Regional Hospital. The test however proved negative.

The Prosecution said Jamal was brought to Ghana Immigration Service headquarters in Accra for further investigations.

He said investigations revealed that Jamal deals in Sugar, Maize and other products and that his wife and two children were also in Accra.

Prosecution said during the month of March this year, Jamal made a business trip to Mali prior to the imposition of restriction on travels to Ghana following the outbreak of COVID-19.

He said despite the restrictions, Jamal engaged the services of a motor rider popularly known as Okada from the Burkina side of Ghana's Boarder through unapproved routes to Hamle in the Northern Region.

According to prosecution Jamal attempted to continue his journey to Accra but he was arrested at Kambaa check point at Nandom in the Upper West Region.

The Prosecution said Jamal admitted the offence during investigations.

GNA
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 18:11:17

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PARK CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Resort Savers, Inc. (OTCQB:RSSV) a multinational industrial conglomerate has announced the execution of a term sheet to acquire 100% of a European company (the Company) with assets and products that control the spread of infectious viral and bacterial disease, and thoroughly disinfect enclosed areas. The Company owns patents for proprietary technologies that cover both disinfecting solutions and delivery systems. DS Chang, CEO of RSSV stated "This is a significant milestone for the opportunity to acquire a revenue-generating company along with its over 25-patent portfolio." Additionally, the Company's subsidiary is presently marketing and selling the products in Europe and South America. The system kills all viruses and bacteria living on any surface in the disinfected area, including corona viruses such as Covid-19.These technologies have been in development since 2012 and represent several years of scientific research. Management of the Company, through its scientific studies, claim the system is 12 times more effective than most competitors, while at the same time being cost competitive to the user.Mr. Chang and the management team of RSSV believe a cultural shift is taking place in favor of disinfection technologies. He and his team expect consumers to increasingly demand disinfection prior to use in places such as airplanes, hospital rooms, surgical theaters, hotel rooms, cruise ships, classrooms and more. This shift is reflected in sales through the marketing arm of the Company, which reports sales increases in the first quarter of 2020 at a rate of nearly 2000 (two thousand) percent over the same period in 2019. Further, the trend is continuing into the second quarter and appears to remain strong into the future.We look forward to consistently updating our shareholders on this transaction as well as other events we expect to be forthcoming.Contact DS Chang, CEO ds@ chang.eu.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENTThis press release contains forward-looking statements. Known and unknown risks may cause actual future results to vary widely. The statements are based upon Management's and Advisor's current expectations, estimates and projections; are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Management's control and are difficult to predict. A reader of this press release should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Investors should understand investing in shares of RSSV involves a high degree of risk and should seek competent investment advice prior to purchasing shares.SOURCE: Resort Savers, Inc.
Could Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) Company Limited (HKG:366) be an attractive dividend share to own for the long haul? Investors are often drawn to strong companies with the idea of reinvesting the dividends. Yet sometimes, investors buy a popular dividend stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations.

In this case, Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) likely looks attractive to investors, given its 6.9% dividend yield and a payment history of over ten years. It would not be a surprise to discover that many investors buy it for the dividends. When buying stocks for their dividends, you should always run through the checks below, to see if the dividend looks sustainable.

Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings)!

SEHK:366 Historical Dividend Yield May 13th 2020

Payout ratios

Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. So we need to form a view on if a company's dividend is sustainable, relative to its net profit after tax. In the last year, Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) paid out 37% of its profit as dividends. 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.

In addition to comparing dividends against profits, we should inspect whether the company generated enough cash to pay its dividend. Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings)'s cash payout ratio in the last year was 30%, which suggests dividends were well covered by cash generated by the business. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

With a strong net cash balance, Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) investors may not have much to worry about in the near term from a dividend perspective.

Story continues

We update our data on Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here.

Dividend Volatility

One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. For the purpose of this article, we only scrutinise the last decade of Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings)'s dividend payments. This dividend has been unstable, which we define as having been cut one or more times over this time. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was HK$0.10 in 2010, compared to HK$0.09 last year. The dividend has shrunk at around 1.5% a year during that period. Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings)'s dividend has been cut sharply at least once, so it hasn't fallen by 1.5% every year, but this is a decent approximation of the long term change.

We struggle to make a case for buying Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) for its dividend, given that payments have shrunk over the past ten years.

Dividend Growth Potential

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Why take the risk of a dividend getting cut, unless there's a good chance of bigger dividends in future? Earnings have grown at around 5.7% a year for the past five years, which is better than seeing them shrink! Earnings per share have been growing at a credible rate. What's more, the payout ratio is reasonable and provides some protection to the dividend, or even the potential to increase it.

Conclusion

To summarise, shareholders should always check that Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings)'s dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. Firstly, we like that Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) has low and conservative payout ratios. Unfortunately, earnings growth has also been mediocre, and the company has cut its dividend at least once in the past. Overall we think Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) is an interesting dividend stock, although it could be better.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. As an example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Luks Group (Vietnam Holdings) that you should be aware of before investing.

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.
An Australian amateur cook has received an outpouring of praise online for making delicious glazed cinnamon scrolls in the $29 pie maker available at Kmart.

The woman copied the recipe from another pie maker devotee on Facebook and shared imagery of the results, which were mouthwateringly soft baked goods prepared in just eight minutes.

'I made the cinnamon scrolls today! I searched for a recipe on Facebook and found a post from a lady named Wanda. They turned out amazing,' she said.

'I made the cinnamon scrolls today! I searched for a recipe on Facebook and found a post from a lady named Wanda. They turned out amazing,' she said

STEP ONE: To make the dough she combined one cup of plain Greek yoghurt with two cups of self raising flour, which is what Wanda suggested to do, before rolling it out. Sprinkle with castor sugar and cinnamon

To make the dough she combined one cup of plain Greek yoghurt with two cups of self raising flour, which is what Wanda suggested to do, before rolling it out.

Then she spread softened butter on the dough and sprinkled it with a mixture of castor sugar and cinnamon. No measurements were given for the sugar and spice so it involved a small amount of 'guess work'.

The dough is then rolled up to form small cylinders that will fit neatly into the four pie maker slots.

STEP TWO: The dough is then rolled up to form small cylinders that will fit neatly into the four pie maker slots

STEP THREE: You simply close the lid of the pie maker and begin cooking, turning the scrolls once at the four minute mark before retrieving them after eight minutes

CINNAMON SCROLL RECIPE INGREDIENTS: * One cup of Greek yoghurt * Two cups of self raising flour * Cinnamon * Castor sugar * Softened butter * Half a cup of icing sugar [icing] * One tablespoon of milk [icing] METHOD: 1. Combine Greek yoghurt with the self raising flour and roll it out to become a 'dough'. 2. Lightly dust the dough with castor sugar and cinnamon. 3. Roll it up to form scrolls and cut into nine sections. 4. Place in the pie maker for eight minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. Advertisement

You simply close the lid of the pie maker and begin cooking, turning the scrolls once at the four minute mark before retrieving them after eight minutes.

'The glaze is from Kmart's "The Pie Maker" book and is just half a cup of icing sugar and one tablespoon of milk combined,' she said.

The book was created by the Australian Women's Weekly and can be purchased for $15 from the retailer.

TA-DA! The end result is four perfectly cooked scrolls, with a sugary flavouring to them

Images of the delectable snacks inspired others to try it out in their own store-bought makers with similar results

Images of the delectable snacks inspired others to try it out in their own store-bought makers with similar results.

'These look scrumptious! I've found myself an afternoon activity,' said one woman on Facebook.

Another tagged her friend and said: 'I might have to borrow your pie maker again'.

A third added: 'So delicious. I made these this afternoon. I just needed some more cinnamon but next time it will be perfect'.
This story is part of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people around the world and details how they earn, spend and save their money. Ron Navarro is a self-described "late bloomer" when it comes to money. The now-30-year-old didn't really pay attention to his finances, he says, until he went to nursing school in the Philippines in 2010 at age 20. It took living  and budgeting  on his own in another country for him to get his money into shape. The Philippines shaped his financial viewpoint in other ways, too. Though he moved back to Michigan, six years ago, he still mostly uses cash to pay for things, he says, which is common in the Philippines. He splits his household expenses with his mother, Gertrudes, and his wife, Carmela. Everyone contributes what they can, and there's rarely arguments over who bought what, or who pitched in more or less. "One thing about the Philippines is that not a lot of people have credit cards," he says. "Even though people there might not have as much money, they really don't have debt. They help each other out as a family."

Ron Navarro preparing for a day at work as a nurse at Detroit Receiving Hospital. CNBC Make It

That family mentality also shapes how Navarro approaches his work in the U.S. As a registered nurse in the emergency department of DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, Navarro is on the frontlines of the pandemic in one of the hardest-hit regions in the country. "People are passing away with loved ones on the phone. They're usually alone," Navarro told CNBC Make It in April, just as the city's daily Covid cases and deaths were beginning to fall. "We're the ones that take place of their loved ones. It's been especially difficult to see patients enter the hospital "walking and talking," he says, only to be intubated  the term used when a person has a tube inserted to help them breathe  and unresponsive a few hours later. But he views it as his duty to care for the community no matter the circumstances, referencing the Florence Nightingale Pledge for nurses, which puts the welfare of the community before individuals.

Ron Navarro and some of his coworkers at Detroit Receiving Hospital. Courtesy of Ron Navarro

"I have seen and heard of coworkers, veteran nurses [and] doctors who teared up, something that you don't really see," he says. In the E.R. "people there are pretty tough. And we have to be because we see a lot of things." It helps, he says, that he is eligible for overtime pay. Navarro earned around $90,000 pre-tax last year with overtime. In the first few weeks of the outbreak, he worked 12-hour shifts, four-to-five days per week. Recently, though, he's scaled back his time to his regular schedule of three, 12-hour days per week at the behest of his mother and wife, who worry about his exposure to the virus. He estimates he'll make around the same amount this year. Navarro's mother came to the United States from the Philippines in the 1970s, and she was a nurse at the same hospital where her son works. She retired in 2014. One of the big differences between their experiences, he says, is that his mother receives a pension from the hospital, which the family puts toward their bills. Navarro will not receive that when he retires, as it's no longer offered to hospital employees.

Getrudes Navarro finishing nursing school in 1968. Courtesy of Ron Navarro

But that doesn't bother Navarro. It's a blessing to be able to do what he loves while earning decent money. "I love nursing, taking care of people," he says. "It's an honor to be helping those in need."

Living and working in Michigan

Navarro lives in the house he grew up in in Troy, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, with Carmela and his mother. He splits many of his monthly expenses with his wife and mother, and the exact breakdown of who pays for what depends on the month. "It is actually pretty common for Asians, and for Filipinos, to pass down what they have," he says.

Ron Navarro sits with his wife Carmela and mother in their Troy, Mich., home. CNBC Make It

Though his mother and father had paid off the house before they gave it to their son, Navarro decided to renovate it in 2015. The couple also purchased a condo in the Philippines in 2018, where Carmela grew up and where Navarro lived for four years while he attended nursing school. He feels like rushing the home renovation is not only his biggest financial mistake, but he admits it's the biggest fight he's had about money with Carmela and his mother. He took out a $180,000 mortgage on his house, and used $100,000 for renovations and $80,000 to buy an income property in the Philippines, which he plans to rent out to earn extra money.

The kitchen renovation. Courtesy of Ron Navarro

"Sometimes that's how I am. When I want something, I do everything at once," he says. In hindsight, he wishes he had padded his emergency fund more instead of spending so much renovating the house, but as the family is still living well within their means, he's giving himself grace for the hasty decision making. Navarro completely remodeled the first floor of the house, ripping out carpet and wood paneling from the 1970s, and adding new appliances to the kitchen. They also updated the landscaping and added a new staircase to the basement. Now, he's in a comfortable spot. With his salary, his wife's income (Carmela works in accounts receivable for Beaumont Health Systems in Detroit) and his mother's pension, the family makes well above the $97,000 median household income for his area.

Ron met Carmela's family in the Philippines in 2010. Courtesy of Ron Navarro

They are also able to send $300 to Carmela's family in the Philippines every month. They have helped send both of her younger siblings to college. Navarro thinks of it as repayment for the help and support the family provided him when he lived in the Philippines for four years. "I can never pay them back fully," he adds. "Like the saying goes, money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure can help."

How the Navarro family budgets

So far, the pandemic has done little to change the family's budget. His wife is still working, and Navarro is bringing in more money than usual thanks to overtime.

Ron Navarro driving to work at Detroit Receiving Hospital. CNBC Make It

Even before the pandemic, Navarro and his wife spent most of their time at home: Because of his atypical work schedule, they went out once every other weekend at most. "My wife and I, we don't really buy a lot of stuff," he says, aside from travel  the couple went to Japan last year  and their two cars, which they hope to pay off in full this summer. The couple put their stimulus relief checks in their emergency fund. Here's the family's estimated monthly spending as of May 2020:

CNBC Make It

Savings: $1,600

$1,600 Housing: $1,515

$1,515 Transportation: $1,232 for car and truck payments, gas

$1,232 for car and truck payments, gas Insurance: $902 for car, dental, health, life

$902 for car, dental, health, life Food: $600

$600 Utilities : $480

: $480 Family support: $300

$300 Phone: $150

$150 Subscriptions: $71 for Amazon Prime, his gym, Netflix, etc. While Navarro is the breadwinner, the three family members split monthly expenses between themselves. His mother helps with groceries, for example, and pays for her own medical expenses. "We all pitch in in our own ways," he says. "We just all help each other out." Navarro personally saves $1,600 per month: $400 goes to his liquid savings account, $700 is invested in his 401(k) and he invests an additional $500 in a Roth IRA. He has $1,400 in savings and nearly $40,000 saved for retirement.

Ron and Carmela at their civil wedding service. Courtesy of Ron Navarro

After that, his family's biggest expense is housing, including a $50 monthly fee for their condo in the Philippines (the rest of the condo is paid off) and the monthly mortgage payment on their home in Troy. They also pay around $480 per month for cable, Wi-Fi, heat, electricity and other utilities. The family of three spends around $600 on food, mostly on groceries to prepare meals at home.

What the experts say

CNBC Make It asked Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, president of Charles Schwab Foundation and certified financial planner, to comment on what Navarro is doing right with his money and where he could improve.

Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz is the president of Charles Schwab Foundation and a certified financial planner. Courtesy of Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz.

Schwab-Pomerantz is impressed with where Navarro stands now. "With zero credit card balance, the investment property paid off, and his vehicles almost paid off, Ron is in a great position to secure his financial future," she tells CNBC Make It. Contributing to both a 401(k) and Roth IRA is a great way to have diversified income streams in retirement, she says. He should keep that up as long as he can. And while he's saving a not-insignificant portion of his salary now, she says increasing the "buffer" of his savings account should be his priority going forward. This is especially true with an investment property to take care of  where unexpected costs may creep up  and with the family contributions he and Carmela are making.

Ron and Carmela Navarro outside of their Troy, Mich., home. CNBC Make It

"When Ron finishes paying off his cars, he should consider increasing his savings rates that much more," she says, which means he could save an additional $900 or more a month. Carmela, too, "can contribute earnings to her own retirement accounts." Finally, Schwab-Pomerantz says it's crucial for Navarro to put his mental and physical health first, especially in such a demanding field. Overtime pay is great, but he also needs to take time for himself and his family. "While Ron has opportunities for over-time as a registered nurse, it's important that he takes care of his health and doesn't overdo it," she says. "Taking care of his mental and physical health is the best way for Ron to protect his earnings potential and continue taking care of his family, and patients."
Human activity down here on Earth is rather slow for the past few months due to the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns and community quarantines that governments put in place. But we might not be alone with our slow activity, as the Sun is lacking some sunspots and is blank for a while now.

No Sunspots

According to data from Spaceweather.com, 2020 has already seen 100 days when our Sun has no sunspots, which denotes a lack of solar activity.

This is the second year in a row when the Sun has been inactive, causing record-setting slump and experts fearing a deep solar minimum.

"So far this year, the Sun has been blank 76% of the time, a rate surpassed only once before in the Space Age. Last year, 2019, the Sun was blank 77% of the time. Two consecutive years of record-setting spotlessness adds up to a very deep solar minimum, indeed," experts said at Spaceweather.

For those who are not aware, the sunspots are those dark spots that appear in the Sun's surface, which is indicative of solar activity, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

According to Forbes, sunspots have continuously been counted since 1838.

Read Also: Woman Who Trespassed Yellowstone National Park Fell Into Thermal Feature

What is Solar Minimum?

But do we have to be worried?

Based on a past report by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it is expected that we'd be entering solar minimum or the time where the Sun has less activity, which is why it has been blank for a while now.

NASA said that the peak of the Sun's activity for its solar cycle was in 2014, and they are expecting that it will hit a low point in 2019 to 2020, which is exactly what's happening now.

The agency also said that it is a normal part of the Sun's cycle that it completes between nine to 14 years, with an average of 11 years, and we're now in the trough due to the lack of solar activity that we've been seeing.

However, experts say that the Sun's inactivity has been continuing longer than expected, which is why they describe it as a deep solar minimum.

This happened from 1645 to 1715 and is deemed as one of the popular solar events, which was called Maunder Minimum, wherein sunspots were extremely rare for a period.

Read Also: Mars Rock Samples Could Bring Alien Viruses to Earth, Warns Expert

How Can This Affect Us?

So, how does this affect us?

The solar cycle is believed to have an effect on Earth's weather and climate and can temporarily disturb Earth's magnetosphere.

During solar maximum, or the time when our Sun is most active, auroras are at their most spectacular and are seen more frequently, so it means that aurora seekers may not see the best of these glowing lights during this solar minimum.

In addition, the effects of the Earth's upper atmosphere on satellites that are low orbiting change during solar minimum.

Satellites tend to lose speed over time as they experience friction. These satellites may also fall back to Earth as a side-effect.

Nevertheless, it's good news for our planet as low Earth orbit is clear space junk for a while.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Germany must help its European Union neighbours revive their economies after the coronavirus crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel told a meeting of lawmakers from her conservative bloc on Tuesday, according to several participants.

It is essential for Germany, as an export nation, that its EU partners also do well, Merkel told the lawmakers, with a view to consultations on an EU reconstruction programme, both the scale and the financing of which were open, the chancellor said.

Germany has been the most successful large European country in curbing the spread of the virus, partly thanks to massive testing, which has prompted a partial reopening of the economy.

It is in nobodys interest for only Germany to be strong after the crisis, Merkel told the meeting, the participants said.

The chancellor agreed with Ralph Brinkhaus, leader of the CDU/CSU conservative parliamentary bloc, that Germany would have to transfer considerably more money to Brussels, they added. The Bundestag would be involved in deciding on the financial aid.

Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

Earlier, Brinkhaus said Germany wanted to help its EU partners, but it had to know what the billions would be used for. The European Commission is expected to present revised budget proposals next week.

CDU budget expert Eckhardt Rehberg painted a gloomy picture of German finances at the meeting. He warned that it would probably take until 2023 for the tax take to recover to 2019 levels, with revenues down 6.5% this year, participants said.

Merkel also warned the lawmakers against getting their hopes up too much about reopening Germanys borders, an issue her cabinet will discuss on Wednesday.

Coalition sources said that officials plan to ease controls at the German borders that were introduced in response to the pandemic but they will probably not be completely abolished by May 15.

The government wants to move towards normalisation in the EUs passport-free Schengen zone.

Click here for the latest updates from the coronavirus outbreak

Merkel told the CDU/CSU parliamentary group there should be an easing of border controls, according to meeting participants. But she also spoke of a staged process and said France did not want to fully open its borders before mid-June.

Citing French President Emmanuel Macrons office, the Handelsblatt business newspaper reported that Merkel and Macron had agreed to reopen the French-German border.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Jan Harvey and Aurora Ellis)
The Canadian Mental Health Association recently celebrated Mental Health Week but is worried about the mental health pandemic coming after COVID-19.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/5/2020 (618 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Canadian Mental Health Association recently celebrated Mental Health Week but is worried about the mental health pandemic coming after COVID-19.

Mental Health Week ran from May 4 to May 10, with the theme of promoting social connections. The CMHA partnered with Maru/Matchbox, a surveying company, to assess the mental health impact of COVID-19.

Their data shows that when asked "how are you doing," most Manitobans would respond with "Im fine." However, after digging a little deeper, two out of three Manitobans reported that they were feeling more negative emotions, despite saying theyre fine.

The theme was chosen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, maintaining social connections is crucial for mental health survival.

Marion Cooper, executive director for CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg, said although were still in the midst of the pandemic, their organization is preparing for the aftermath, when more Canadians are expected to develop mental illnesses due to the crisis.

"We here at the CMHA are bracing ourselves as more (Manitobans) develop more mental health (issues.) After a public health crisis, there is often an aftershock, sort of like an earthquakes aftershock, where there will be increased levels of mental illness among our population," Cooper said. "We might have a pandemic-related mental health crisis. We need to make sure (mental health) services are funded adequately."

Cooper added that as a society, we dont treat mental health the same way we do physical health. Prior to the pandemic, loneliness had become a major public health concern. According to a CMHA news release, people with weak or few social connections are at an increased risk for anxiety, depression, anti-social behaviour and suicide.

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.

According to a study done by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, a lack of strong relationships has the same negative impact on life expectancy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

The CMHA has launched their own site for Mental Health Week containing articles, tips and a toolkit for taking care of your mental health during a pandemic.

Cooper said its important for Manitobans to be honest with their feelings, and reach out for those deeper connections.

"Our first inclination, when someone asks us how were doing, is to say were fine. But when you dig a little deeper, you find that a lot of Manitobans are feeling anxious right now," Cooper said. "One of the key messages is: Just get real. Were all in this together, we know that anxiety, stress and other mental health issues are very common. Getting authentic and sharing those experiences leads to more meaningful connections."

For more information, visit cmha.ca




Press Release

May 13, 2020 Senate Pres. Vicente C. Sotto III

CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH: MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP ACT I purposely chose Medical Scholarship Act as my number one priority bill, as such my bill is recorded as Senate Bill No. 1, not because I predicted the coming of the COVID-19 outbreak, but because the shortage of doctors is an on-going concern of the country, among other healthcare problems. Mahatma Gandhi once said "It is health which is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver." It is that important that it has been a declared policy of the State, and enshrined in the highest law of the land, to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. However, even though the government is allotting so much of our limited resources for the country's healthcare - with an increasing budget and spending trend every year - it seems that there are still a lot of areas for improvement. One of the areas that have to be addressed is the worsening shortage of doctors. And this has been an alarming concern - even prior to this COVID-19 crisis. In a 2016 data, the doctor to patient ratio in the Philippines is 1:33,000. It is way, way below the World Health Organization's desirable doctor-population ratio of 1:1,000. Thus, there is undeniably a problem that needs to be remedied. In addition to the scarcity in the number of doctors, another issue that has to be addressed in relation thereto is the severe "maldistribution" of physicians in the country caused by most doctors preferring to practice in the urban areas than in the rural. According to the article published by thePhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism on September 11, 2019, 65% of the total physicians in the public sector are working in Luzon, and 32% of which are in Metro Manila alone. Only 18% of government physicians are in the Visayas, and an even smaller number of 16% in Mindanao. This proposed measure seeks to address both issues of scarcity and maldistribution of physicians because the granting of scholarships to deserving medical students would aid in the increase of the number of physicians in the country. At the same time, this proposed bill would require the scholar to serve in a government public health office or government hospital in his or her hometown, province or region. Such a situation would hopefully put a sense of balance in the distribution of doctors particularly in the government sector, which take care of nearly 70% of the health care needs of the population. The immediate passage of this measure does not need to be emphasized. If we are not bound by any rules, I would immediately move for its approval now. But since we are, I sincerely hope for the expeditious approval of the Medical Scholarship Act.
When Maine's recreational cannabis market launches, it will not be exclusive to the state's residents. On Tuesday, the state's Office of Marijuana Policy (OMP) announced that it will no longer enforce a residency requirement previously mandated for adult-use buyers of the drug.

The decision stems from a lawsuit brought against the state by NPG, a marijuana company that operates a network of dispensaries in Maine under the brand name Wellness Connection. In its lawsuit, NPG argued that the residency requirement violated the U.S. Constitution.

The state's attorney general informed OMP that the residency requirement would face stiff challenges on constitutional grounds. Following that, the attorney general and NPG filed to have the case dismissed, essentially handing the victory to the latter and leading OMP to abandon the requirement.

The OMP said it and its parent state agency "will introduce legislation to remove the relevant language from state law. Once that step is complete, OMP will amend its administrative rule to align it with the underlying statute."

The people of Maine voted to legalize the sale and use of recreational marijuana in a 2016 ballot initiative. Despite that, the recreational market has yet to open because the state hadn't set up a licensing structure for cultivation facilities and dispensaries; a planned launch this spring was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Maine's current medical marijuana retail scene is relatively limited. One multistate operator (MSO) with a single dispensary there is Curaleaf (OTC:CURLF), based in nearby Massachusetts. The abandonment of the residency requirement will benefit that store if it also ends up selling to recreational users, although Curaleaf hasn't yet made an official statement on the matter.

On Tuesday, Curaleaf's shares rose by nearly 7.4%, in contrast to the declines suffered by the major market indexes.
Bihar Board 10th Result 2020 declared Updates: BSEB Class 10 board examination result 2020 has been declared today at 12.30 pm. Himanshu Raj topped the exam with 96.2 percent marks. Meanwhile, a pass percentage of 80.59 was recorded this year. The figure in 2019 was 80.73 percent.

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Students can send an SMS in the format  BSEB<space>ROLLNUMBER  to 56263 to get their result on their phones.

In case the official Bihar board website is slow or not responsive after results are announces, students can get their result on their mobile phone via SMS.

After the BSEB Class 10 result is announced, the official website may run slowly due to the thousands of people logged into it to check scores. Students can access websites, including biharboard.ac.in and bsebssresult.com, to check their results.

Students are advised to access alternative websites to check their ersults if the issue persists. Here are the alternative websites:

With only 10 minutes remaining for the BSEB Class 10 results to be announced, the Bihar Board's official website has become unresponsive.

Results can also be checked on bsebresult.online, bsebonline.org and biharboard.online.

Students can also send an SMS in the format  BSEBROLLNUMBER  to 56263 to get their result on their phones.

The Bihar Board has declared Class 10 results on its official website biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in and onlinebseb.in.

14,94,071 students appeared for the exam, which included 7,29,213 boys and 7,64,858 girls. 12,04,030 students passed the exam, out of which 4,03,392 students stood in the first division.

The pass percentage of Bihar Board Class 10 result is 80.59 percent. Last year's pass percentage was 80.73 percent.

Students can also send an SMS in the format  BSEBROLLNUMBER  to 56263 to get their result on their phones.

With over 12 lakh students looking to check their Class 10 results, the official BSEB website has crashed. Here are other websites where students can check scores.

A report by Navbharat Times said that BSEB will award cash prize to top 10 scorers in the matriculation exams. The newspaper said that Himanshu Raj, the student who topped the state will recieve a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

A report by Navbharat Times said that BSEB will award cash prize to top 10 scorers in the matriculation exams. The newspaper said that Himanshu Raj, the student who topped the state will recieve a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

A report by Navbharat Times said that BSEB will award cash prize to top 10 scorers in the matriculation exams. Thetopper will recieve Rs 1 lakh in prize. Here is a breakup of the prize that other rank holders will receive.

As many as 4.03 lakh candidates have obtained first division, a majority of candidtaes - as many as 5.24 lakh - have got second division and 2.75 have passed with third division

5,24,217 students stood in the second division, while 2,75,402 secured the third division.

As per the statement released by the Bihar Board, 2,89,692 students failed exam. Over 12 lakh students passed the exam, taking the pass percentage to 80.59.

Students can also send an SMS in the format  BSEBROLLNUMBER  to 56263 to get their result on their phones.

With over 12 lakh students looking to check their Class 10 results, the official BSEB website has crashed. Here are other websites where students can check scores.

Students can simply enter their details in the following widget to get their results.

The pass percentage of 2020 for Class 10 board exams is 80.59 percent, which is slightly lower than last year, when 80.79% students passed the exam.

A report by Navbharat Times said that BSEB will award cash prize to top 10 scorers in the matriculation exams. The newspaper said that Himanshu Raj, the student who topped the state will recieve a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

A report by Navbharat Times said that BSEB will award cash prize to top 10 scorers in the matriculation exams. The newspaper said that Himanshu Raj, the student who topped the state will recieve a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

A report by Navbharat Times said that BSEB will award cash prize to top 10 scorers in the matriculation exams. Thetopper will recieve Rs 1 lakh in prize. Here is a breakup of the prize that other rank holders will receive.

As many as 4.03 lakh candidates have obtained first division, a majority of candidtaes - as many as 5.24 lakh - have got second division and 2.75 have passed with third division

Evaluation for the BSEB matric exams was completed by 17 May and nine days later, the result has been declared, making Bihar the only state to have announced the Class 10 and 12 results despite the nationwide lockdown. According to a News18 report, a timely result was accomplished using a software that quickened the process by 16 times.

He told Live Hindustan that he wants to continue his studies and become an IAS officer.

Munna Kumar, the son of a labourer in Bihar's Aurangabad district, scored the fourth highest marks in the state's Class 10 result, according to a report .

Bihar Board 10th Result 2020 declared LATEST Updates | Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) Class 10 board examination result 2020 has been declared today (26 May) at 12.30 pm.

Himanshu Raj topped the exam with 96.2 percent marks. Meanwhile, a pass percentage of 80.59 was recorded this year. The figure in 2019 was 80.73 percent.

As per the statement released by the Bihar Board, 2,89,692 students failed exam. 12,04,030 students passed the exam, out of which 4,03,392 students stood in the first division. 5,24,217 students stood in the second division, while 2,75,402 secured the third division.

Media reports had claimed that BSEB chairman Anand Kishore has informed that results will be declared on 26 May. Bihar Education Minister Krishana Nandan Prasad Verma will announce the results. The result was supposed to be declared on 25 May but got delayed due to last-minute arrangements.

"The board completed evaluation process last Thursday and evaluators have submitted evaluation results to the board. It has also almost completed the compilation process of marks. The Board is now busy in preparing the list of toppers," NDTV reported quoting sources.

Last week, BSEB chairman Anand Kishore had confirmed to The Indian Express that the evaluation process of the remaining answer scripts will be completed in the current week, following which, the post-evaluation process will start.

The post-evaluation process will take another 10 to 15 days to complete, following which the results will be announced by May-end. If the process of results declaration gets delayed due to lockdown, the board will announce the results by June first week," Bose was quoted as saying.

According to a report by Times Now, a teacher who is aware of the evaluation process of the board said that the Class 10 Bihar board examination 2020 results are likely to be declared between 20 to 25 May.

Once declared, students can check their Class 10 Bihar board examination 2020 results on biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in, onlinebseb.in, bsebonline.org, biharboard.online.

The evaluation of more than 15.29 lakh answer scripts was postponed till 3 May due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The evaluation began on 6 May. The Bihar Board Class 10 examination 2020 was held from 17 to 24 February.

Here's how to check your result:

Step 1: Log in to the official website of Bihar Board at biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in

Step 2: Click on the 'Results' tab on the home page

Step 3: Press on Class X Matriculation results

Step 4: Select your stream and tap on 'Result'

Step 5: On the new page, enter your log-in credentials

Step 6: Fill out the captcha text

Step 7: You can now check your BSEB Class 10 Result 2020.

BSEB has already released the Bihar board Class 12 result 2020 on 24 March.

Last year, the results were announced on 6 April for the Bihar Class 10 board exams that was held between 21-28 February. A total of 1.7 lakh students appeared for the state board examination, out of which 6,83,990 were male students and 6,36,046 were women. According to the board, 80 percent was the pass percentage last year and the three toppers were women: Prerna Raj, Shikha Kumari and Anupriya.
With tourism making up 10 percent of European Unions economy, bloc urges leaders to reopen borders.

The European Union unveiled its plan to help European citizens salvage their summer vacations and resurrect Europes heavily battered tourism industry

The Chinese city of Jilin has imposed travel restrictions, closed off residential areas and banned gatherings after a number of coronavirus cases were confirmed.

Dr Anthony Fauci, top US infectious disease expert, has warned that the country does not yet have the disease under control and that easing lockdowns too soon risks unnecessary deaths. US President Donald Trump calle his warning unacceptable.

More than 4.26 million people around the world have been infected with the coronavirus to date, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 291,000 have died  82,000 of them in the US. Nearly 1.5 million people have recovered.

Here are the latest updates.

Wednesday, May 13

23:55 GMT  Drugmaker Roche in talks with UK govt to roll out test kits

Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG said on Wednesday it was in talks with the UK government to roll out its coronavirus antibody test kits in the country after Public Health England (PHE) found them reliable, Reuters news agency reported.

PHE, which conducted an independent evaluation of Roches antibody test last week, said it found Roches assay has a specificity of 100 percent.

This is a very positive development because such a highly specific anti-body test is a very reliable marker of past infection, UKs coronavirus testing programme coordinator John Newton said.

23:12 GMT  US face mask rules grow but enforcement proves a challenge

US ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft are requiring drivers and passengers to wear masks while using their services, joining a growing list of transportation companies hoping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as some cities emerge from lockdown.

All major US airlines have already rolled out requirements for passengers and crew to wear face coverings in response to concerns over contagion, particularly in small or confined spaces that present higher risks of infection than well-ventilated or outdoor settings.

But pilots worry that travelers could remove their masks and spark a confrontation with others during a flight. They are pressing the Federal Aviation Administration to require masks instead of leaving it up to individual airlines.

I cant imagine the stir on the airplane if someone takes off their mask, said Dennis Tajer, a 737 pilot and spokesman for the pilots union at American Airlines. It puts the flight crew in a precarious position.

22:30 GMT  Brazil registers record 11,385 new coronavirus cases

Brazil confirmed a daily record 11,385 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, as well as 749 new deaths, according to data from the countrys health ministry.

Brazil has now registered 188,974 cases since the outbreak began, passing Frances tally of 177,700 confirmed and suspected cases to become the sixth hardest-hit country in the world.

21:50 GMT  Trump to tap ex-Glaxo executive, US general to spearhead coronavirus vaccine effort

US President Donald Trump is expected to tap a former GlaxoSmithKline executive and a US general to spearhead the governments effort at developing a coronavirus vaccine on an accelerated schedule, officially called Operation Warp Speed, an administration official said.

The former head of Glaxos vaccines division, Moncef Slaoui, will serve as chief adviser on the operation and U.S. General Gustav Perna will act as its chief operating officer. Trump has previously said he would be the top boss on the effort to develop, test and produce on a shortened timeline a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic.

21:20 GMT  Trump says he was surprised at Faucis warning on reopening economy

US President Donald Trump said he was surprised by a warning this week from top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci about the dangers of reopening the economy too quickly.

To me its not an acceptable answer, Trump told reporters at the White House about the warning Fauci presented in testimony to the US Senate on Tuesday.





21:15 GMT  Trump says new Democratic stimulus proposal is dead on arrival

United States President Donald Trump said a $3 trillion-plus coronavirus relief package proposed by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives was dead on arrival.

Trump was speaking to reporters at the White House.

The Democratic proposal, which includes funding for states, businesses, food support and families, was quickly rejected by Trumps fellow Republicans in the U.S. Senate after it was unveiled on Tuesday.

21:05 GMT  100-year-old in Russia recovers from virus

A Moscow hospital has discharged a 100-year-old woman after she successfully recovered from the new coronavirus.

Pelageya Poyarkova was admitted to a hospital for treatment after being diagnosed with the virus at an early stage.

Despite a certain number of complications in her cardiovascular system, she turned out to be a tough grandma, said Vsevolod Belousov, a doctor at the hospital where Poyarkova was treated.





20:50 GMT  South Africas Ramaphosa to discuss easing COVID-19 restrictions further by end-May

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that his government would start talks on moving most of the country to alert level 3 COVID-19 restrictions by the end of May, from the current alert level 4.

Ramaphosa added in an address to the nation that parts of the country with the highest rates of infection would remain at alert level 4 and that changes to that level of restrictions would be announced in the coming days.

20:45 GMT  UKs health agency approves Roches antibody test  The Telegraph

Public Health England (PHE) has given approval to Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AGs coronavirus antibody test kit, The Telegraph reported, making it the first such kit approved by Britains public health agency.

The accuracy of the test was given approval by experts at PHEs Porton Down facility last Thursday, the newspaper said.





20:30 GMT  US says China trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research

United States authorities warned that Chinese hackers were attempting to steal coronavirus data on treatments and vaccines, adding fuel to Washingtons war with Beijing over the pandemic.

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said organizations researching COVID-19 were at risk of targeting and network compromise by China.

They warned that Chinese government-affiliated groups and others were attempting to obtain valuable intellectual property and public health data related to vaccines, treatments, and testing.

20:10 GMT  Coronavirus may never go away: WHO

The new coronavirus may never go away and populations around the world will have to learn to live with it, the World Health Organization warned.

As some countries around the world begin gradually easing lockdown restrictions imposed in a bid to stop the novel coronavirus from spreading, the WHO said it may never be wiped out entirely.

Read more here.





19:57 GMT  Ousted US official predicts darkest winter if virus response lags

An ousted US health official will warn Congress on Thursday that Americans face their darkest winter in decades if the country fails to deploy a coordinated response against the coronavirus pandemic.

Rick Bright is expected to sound the alarm about inadequate countermeasures when he testifies at a congressional hearing.

Our window of opportunity is closing, Bright will tell a House health subcommittee, according to his testimony that was released.

19:45 GMT  Study hints 5 per cent of Spains population could be infected

Up to 5 percent of Spains population  2.3 million people  could be infected with the novel coronavirus based on the results of a new study, according to the Health Ministry.

The antibody study included about 90,000 people in 36,000 households and was designed to give an idea of the true extent of the viral outbreak. That would far surpass the official count of 229,000 known

infections.

19:36 GMT  Portugals Fatima shrine holds celebration without pilgrims

Without the hundreds of thousands of worshippers it welcomes every May 13, the vast esplanade of Portugals Catholic Fatima shrine was nearly empty for its annual celebration for the first time in its century-long history.

Closed to the public because of the new coronavirus pandemic, only about 30 employees attended the mass in the small town where three poor shepherd children reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1917.

Last year, 6.3 million people visited the shrine, the countrys most renowned pilgrimage site.

Last year, 6.3 million people visited the shrine, the countrys most renowned pilgrimage site [File: Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

19:12 GMT  UKs confirmed COVID-19 death toll rises by 494 to 33,186

A total of 33,186 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus have died in the United Kingdom, a rise of 494 in a 24-hour period, the health ministry said.

The figures are as of 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) on May 12. Including deaths due to suspected cases, Britains toll is over 40,000.





18:49 GMT  Uber to require face masks for drivers, riders

Ride-hailing giant Uber said it was making face masks mandatory for drivers and passengers, as part of new health and safety protocols aiming to instill confidence in the ride-hailing service as people emerge from coronavirus lockdowns.

The new policy to be effective Monday, and will require drivers in many markets to use selfie pictures to certify they are wearing masks before going online, and will allow riders and drivers an option to cancel a booking if the other party is not using a face covering.

As cities begin to reopen and people start moving again, Uber is proceeding with caution and safety top of mind, chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said.

18:27 GMT  France reports drop in coronavirus deaths, toll tops 27,000

France reported a drop in coronavirus deaths over the past 24 hours compared with previous days, as its overall toll passed the 27,000 mark.

The new deaths brought the total toll in hospitals and nursing homes from the pandemic in France to 27,074, the health ministry said.

But the ministry also acknowledged a counting error has revised down the toll in nursing homes by 15 people from the day earlier, adding it did not yet have a toll from nursing homes for Wednesday.

18:05 GMT  Lebanon starts talks with IMF for financial aid

Lebanon has begun talks with the International Monetary Fund to secure financial aid desperately needed to save a crumbling economy, the finance ministry said.

Lebanon is battling its worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, now compounded by a coronavirus lockdown.

The Mediterranean country, which was hit last autumn by unprecedented protests, asked the IMF for financial assistance on May 1 after laying out a much-awaited financial rescue plan.





17:45 GMT  Wall Street sinks again as worries about economy weigh

Wall Street is falling toward a second straight day of sharp losses Wednesday, weighed down by worries about a slow recovery for the economy.

The S&P 500 was down 1.8 percent, as of 1:30 pm Eastern time, with the sharpest losses hitting stocks that most need a healthy economy for their profits to grow. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 472 points, or 2 percent, at 23,292, and the Nasdaq composite was down 2 percent.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 472 points, or 2 percent, at 23,292, and the Nasdaq composite was down 2 percent [File: Mike Segar/Reuters]

17:25 GMT  Spokesman for Mexican foreign minister has coronavirus

The chief spokesman for Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard has tested positive for coronavirus and an official in the presidents office has died of the disease, bringing the pandemic closer to the inner circle of government.

The spokesman, Roberto Velasco, a close aide to Ebrard, said late on Tuesday he had COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

I will remain at home, coordinating work at a distance, he wrote on Twitter.

17:05 GMT  Spains airport traffic in April below 1 percent of year-ago amid lockdown

Passenger traffic at Spanish airports tanked more than 99 percent in April as the government imposed one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe in a bid to curb the coronavirus pandemic, state-controlled operator Aena said.

The airports operated by Aena received 141,014 passengers during the month, down 99.4 percent from the same period a year ago, the company said. Freight volumes plummeted 60 percent, it added.

The number of flights landing and taking off in Spanish airports fell 94 percent in the month compared to April in 2019.

16:43 GMT  UN chief warns psychological suffering will outlast pandemic

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on warned that psychological suffering will outlast the

coronavirus crisis.

Even when the pandemic is brought under control, grief, anxiety and depression will continue to affect people and communities, he said in a video message.

The UN chief launched a policy brief urging governments, civil society and health authorities to address the mental health dimension of the crisis.

16:20 GMT  EU unveils plan to help salvage summer holidays

The European Union unveiled Wednesday its plan to help European citizens salvage their summer vacations and resurrect Europes damaged tourism industry after months of coronavirus lockdown.

Around 150,000 people have died across Europe and Britain since the virus surfaced in northern Italy in February, but with the spread of the disease tapering off, people in many countries are cautiously venturing out of confinement to return to work and some schools are reopening.

With regards to vacations, the Commissions over-arching advice is that EU countries with similar rates of coronavirus infections and comparably strong health care systems should begin lifting border measures between each other. Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner of Health, said at a news conference on Wednesday it would be a not be a summer like all the others.





15:57 GMT  Lesotho becomes last country in Africa to record COVID-19 case

Lesotho recorded its first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the health ministry said, becoming the last country in Africa to be afflicted by the virus.

The ministry said it had conducted 81 tests for COVID-19 from travellers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia, of which one was positive.

Read more here.

Lesotho became the last country in Africa to register a COVID-19 case, with the continent now registering over 70,000 cases to date [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]

15:38 GMT  Lockdown made everything gloomy: Ramadan in Nigerias Kano

Kano, the commercial hub of northern Nigeria with an estimated population of some 13 million, was placed on lockdown by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 27 following the unexplained deaths of 640 people within two weeks.

The state government denied claims the deaths were related to the coronavirus pandemic, while the federal government deployed a fact-finding team to Kano to investigate the rapid increase in mortality as authorities enforced the lockdown.

Read more here.

15:16 GMT  China willing to further cooperate with South Korea on COVID prevention and control

Chinese President Xi Jinping told South Korean President Moon Jae-in on that China is willing to further cooperate with South Korea on coronavirus prevention and control, state television CCTV reported.

The neighbouring countries are effectively cooperating with each other against the coronavirus pandemic and ensured smooth operation of regional supply chain as shown in the fast-track entry system for business travelers, the report quoted Xi as saying.





14:52 GMT  Ex-Trump campaign chair Manafort released from prison

President Donald Trumps one-time 2016 election campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from prison to protect him from the coronavirus threat, his lawyer said.

The longtime Republican political consultant, 71, was sentenced last year to seven and a half years in jail for tax crimes, bank fraud and conspiracy charges, mostly relating to his business dealings in Ukraine with Russia-allied politicians and tycoons.

He had been in a minimum security prison in Pennsylvania, where his lawyers said he suffered from high blood pressure and respiratory problems, making him more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Read more here.

Manafort (c) had been in a minimum security prison in Pennsylvania, where his lawyers said he suffered from high blood pressure and respiratory problems, making him more vulnerable to COVID-19 [File: Lucas Jackson/Reuters]

14:29 GMT  Merkel: will change meat industry rules after deaths

Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers in Berlin Wednesday that the government plans to make necessary changes to rules for the meat industry, after at least 260 workers at Westfleischs slaughterhouse in northwestern Germany tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days.

As authorities scrambled to contain the growing outbreak over the weekend, it emerged that many of those infected were Eastern European migrants working for subcontractors who also provide them with accommodation and shuttle buses to work.

14:10 GMT  France to thank health workers on Bastille day

French President Emmanuel Macron wants Bastille day to show the nations gratitude toward health workers and others who help fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Government spokesperson Sibeth Ndiaye says the tribute was announced during a Cabinet meeting at the Elysee palace on Wednesday. Details about July 14 celebrations will be disclosed later depending on the evolution of the epidemic.

Frances national holiday is traditionally marked by a military parade on Paris Champs-Elysees avenue.





13:50 GMT  Powell warns of a possible sustained recession from pandemic

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of the threat of a prolonged recession resulting from the viral outbreak and urged Congress and the White House to act further to prevent long-lasting economic damage.

The Fed and Congress have taken far-reaching steps to try to counter what is likely to be a severe downturn resulting from the widespread shutdown of the US economy.

But Powell cautioned that widespread bankruptcies among small businesses and extended unemployment for many people remain a serious risk.

We ought to do what we can to avoid these outcomes, Powell said.

[File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

13:30 GMT  Clerics in Montenegro for ignoring COVID-19 rules

Montenegrin police used tear gas as they forcibly dispersed a crowd blocking a road to protest the arrest

of Serbian Orthodox Church clerics who staged a ceremony in violation of coronavirus control guidelines, the daily Vijesti reported online.

Protesters used their cars to block a road after eight clerics, including Joanikije, the bishop of Niksic diocese, had been given 72 hours of detention. Several protesters were arrested, Vijesti reported.

Hello, this is Usaid Siddiqui in Doha taking over from my colleague Farah Najjar.

13:10 GMT  Sweden boosts healthcare personnel in wake of coronavirus

Swedish authorities and labour unions announced plans to permanently hire up to an additional 10,000 nursing assistants and care workers to address shortcomings in elderly care exposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The boost in staff is the result of a deal between the government, Swedens largest labour union Kommunal, and the countrys municipalities which are tasked with managing elderly care.

The virus outbreak has shown that elderly care is vulnerable, and that has structural explanations, Health Minister Lena Hallengren told reporters. Its basically about staffs conditions.





12:55 GMT  Remote Lesotho becomes last country in region to record COVID-19 case

Lesotho recorded its first case of COVID-19, the health ministry said, becoming the last country in southern and East Africa to be afflicted by the virus.

The ministry said it conducted 81 coronavirus tests from travellers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia, of which one was positive.

The remote, high-altitude kingdom, nestled in a South African mountain range, had previously been spared the coronavirus, although its bigger, more industrialised neighbour has recorded more than 10,000 cases.

The disease has struck at a time of political uncertainty in Lesotho, with embattled Prime Minister Thomas Thabane due to step down by the end of next week after his coalition collapsed in parliament.

12:50 GMT  Morocco hopes to boost domestic tourism to save key sector

Moroccos government and tourism industry hope to encourage more Moroccans to explore the ancient souks of Marrakech and the beaches of Agadir this year, to make up for the collapse in foreign visitors due to the global pandemic.

A TV advertising campaign, launched by the government, reminds citizens of the countrys many attractions with the slogan until we meet.

Tourism represents seven percent of Moroccan economic activity, employing more than half a million people and generating $8bn in foreign currency inflows last year, when 13 million foreigners flew into the North African kingdom.

We know foreign tourists are not coming this summer, said Tourism Minister Nadia Fettah Alaoui, adding encouraging domestic tourism was the starting point for reopening the sector.

12:35 GMT  Europe seeks to save the summer holidays

The EU set out plans for a phased restart of travel this summer, hoping to save millions of tourism jobs threatened by the coronavirus pandemic across Europe, the worlds top holiday destination.

Travel restrictions to combat the virus have already had a devastating impact on the sector, with airlines around the continent forced to shed tens of thousands of jobs.

Under new guidelines from Brussels, holidaymakers could be asked to wear facemasks on planes, respect social distancing on the beach and even book slots to use hotel pools. Tourism is vital to the EU as a whole, accounting for 10 percent of GDP and supporting 23 million jobs. It is especially important to southern countries already struggling with debt and the impact of COVID-19  notably Greece, Italy and Spain.





12:28 GMT  Turkish pandemic package reaches $34bn, Albayrak says

The Turkish governments steps to support the economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic have reached a value of 240bn lira ($34.4bn), state-owned Anadolu agency quoted Finance Minister Berat Albayrak as saying.

Albayrak said the amount was the equivalent of 5 percent of gross domestic product.

The government has stepped in to top up income or pay daily stipends as the pandemic forced businesses to shut and furlough staff. Businesses and consumers are also being given access to fresh loans.

11:38 GMT  Rising infection rates abroad are a warning for Britain: PM

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that increasing rates of infection in other countries which have relaxed some rules to tackle the outbreak was a warning to Britain not to move too fast.

We are watching intently what is happening in other countries and it is very notable that in some other countries where relaxations have been introduced there are signs of the R (reproduction number) going up again, and that is a very clear warning to us not to proceed too fast or too recklessly, Johnson told Parliament.

11:08 GMT  Poland to reopen restaurants, hairdressers

Poland will reopen restaurants and hairdressers on May 18 as it begins easing coronavirus-linked restrictions, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.

At least to some extent we have contained the epidemic, therefore we can gradually unfreeze the economy, Morawiecki told a news conference, a day after Poland saw its largest spike in coronavirus cases in a single day.

Morawiecki also said that schools would partially reopen to provide day care for children in the first three years of primary school.

Warsaw residents crowdly gather on the bank of the Vistula River to enjoy the warm weather, despite the still uncontrolled pandemic of the coronavirus and the restrictions and recommendations of social distancing [Wojtek Radwanski//AFP]

10:51 GMT  Spains daily death toll at 184

Spains daily death toll from the coronavirus inched up to 184 fatalities from 176 on Tuesday, the countrys health ministry said.

The overall death toll from the disease rose to 27,104, while the overall number of diagnosed cases rose to 228,691 from 228,030 the previous day.

09:29 GMT  Emirates Airline plans scheduled flights from May 21 to nine cities

Emirates Airline from May 21 plans to operate scheduled flight services from Dubai to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne, it said in a statement.

It will also offer connections in Dubai for travellers between Britain and Australia, it said.

09:19 GMT  Hong Kong reports first locally transmitted cases in weeks

For the first time in three weeks, Hong Kong has reported two coronavirus cases not linked to anyone who travelled overseas, with authorities scrambling to trace the origin of the infections.

The Asian financial hub has been one of the most successful cities in the world at containing the pandemic, with most cases found among incoming travellers and quarantined immediately.

The city reopened bars, gyms and cinemas last week and announced tentative plans to bring some students back to school at the end of the month, but a ban on groups larger than eight remains in place.

The latest government health report, including two local cases  a 66-year-old housewife and her five-year-old granddaughter  and one imported, brings the total in the city to 1,051, four of whom have died. Only a few dozen have yet to fully recover.

People enjoy their afternoon at Central harbourfront, Hong Kong [File: Anadolu agency]

08:58 GMT  Malaysia reports new cases, deaths

Malaysia reported 37 new cases, taking its cumulative total to 6,779 infections.

The health ministry also reported two new deaths, raising the total number of fatalities from the outbreak to 111.

We don't have anything to eat, we break our fast with just water. More than 7 million children in Afghanistan may go hungry due to the coronavirus lockdown. pic.twitter.com/9zwKp8Laxh  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 13, 2020

08:56 GMT  Ireland may introduce compulsory quarantine for travellers  PM

Ireland may introduce a legally enforceable 14-day quarantine for people arriving in the country to replace the current system in which it is merely advised, says Taoiseach, or Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar.

We may need to tighten it up a bit, Varadkar told Today FM radio, speaking days after the United Kingdom announced plans for a quarantine.

Restrictions on entering Ireland, part of a Common Travel Area with the United Kingdom but not a member of the European Unions Schengen free-travel area, would need to be in place at least until we have some kind of international agreement on air travel, Varadkar said.

08:16 GMT  Philippines records 21 new deaths, 268 more infections

The Philippines health ministry recorded 21 more coronavirus deaths and 268 additional infections.

In a bulletin, the ministry said total deaths from the coronavirus have reached 772 while confirmed cases have risen to 11,618. But 145 more patients have recovered, increasing total recoveries to 2,251.

A COVID-19 testing center at the Palacio de Manila during an enhanced community quarantine [Aaron Favila/AP Photo]

08:05 GMT  Russia suspends use of ventilator type after hospital fires

Russia has suspended the use of Russian-made medical ventilators of a certain model manufactured after April 1, a state healthcare regulator said, following two hospital fires reported to involve two such machines.

The Aventa-M ventilator was used at the Saint Georges Hospital in St Petersburg where five people died in a fire on Tuesday, and also in a hospital in Moscow where a fire killed one person on Saturday.

Roszdravnadzor, the regulator, said on Tuesday it was checking the quality and safety of the ventilators in the two hospitals.

07:55 GMT  Saudi Arabia to enforce lockdown over Eid

Saudi Arabia will enforce a countrywide 24-hour curfew during the five-day Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday later this month.

A full lockdown will be imposed from May 23 to 27 following the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, the interior ministry said in a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Read more here.

07:36 GMT  Russia reports more than 10,000 new cases

Russia reported 10,028 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, pushing its nationwide tally to 242,271.

Russias coronavirus response centre said 96 people died overnight, bringing the official death toll to 2,212.

Medics transport a person outside a COVID-19 hospital on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia [Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters]

07:24 GMT  Chinese city of Jilin under partial lockdown

A northeastern Chinese city has partially shut its borders and cut off transport links after the emergence of a local coronavirus cluster that has fueled growing fears of a second wave of infections in China.

Jilin, with a population of more than four million, suspended bus services and said it will only allow residents to leave the city if they have tested negative for COVID-19 in the past 48 hours and complete an unspecified period of strict self-isolation.

Cinemas, indoor gyms, internet cafes and other enclosed entertainment venues must shut immediately, and pharmacies must report all sales of fever and antiviral medicines, the local government said in a statement.

A cluster of infections was reported in the suburb of Shulan over the weekend, with Jilins vice mayor warning Wednesday that the situation was extremely severe and complicated and there is major risk of further spread.

The city reported six new cases, all linked to the Shulan cluster, bringing the total number of cases linked to a local laundry worker to 21.

07:22 GMT  Dubai reopens parks, hotel beaches

The United Arab Emirates business and tourism hub Dubai has allowed public parks to reopen and hotel guests to access private beaches, state media said, as the emirate gradually lifts restrictions.

On April 24, Dubai eased a full curfew to eight hours at night, and allowed dine-in restaurants and shopping malls to reopen at limited capacity.

Public parks are now open for groups of up to five people, state news agency WAM said. Hotel guests must practise physical distancing at beaches.

Tram and ferry services also resumed and groups of up to five can now practise recreational activities in open areas. Mosques, cinemas, public beaches and nightclubs remain closed.

07:16 GMT  Singapore confirms 675 new cases

Singapores health ministry said it has confirmed another 675 cases of coronavirus infections, taking the city-states tally to 25,346.

Do I have to wash my hands regularly if Im staying at home?@DrAmirKhanGP answers your #coronavirus questions  pic.twitter.com/JwozKjAxg9  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 11, 2020

06:42 GMT  Austria, Germany, to reopen border mid June

Austria and Germany plan to open their border on June 15 after being closed for two months, the government in Vienna said.

From June 15, the opening of the border between Germany and Austria will be possible, Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger told state radio station O1.

06:28 GMT  UK economy shrinks 5.8 percent in March

Britains economy shrank by a record 5.8 percent in March from February as the coronavirus crisis escalated and the government ordered a shutdown of much of the country.

In the first three months of the year, gross domestic product contracted by 2.0 percent from the last three months of 2019, the Office for National Statistics said, the largest quarter-on-quarter fall since the end of 2008.

April will likely see an even bigger fall because the entire month was spent under lockdown.

Benches blocked with tape in an metro station to enforce distancing as a precaution against COVID-19 in London [Anadolu]

06:16 GMT  California cancels fall university classes

Californias state university system, the largest in the United States, canceled classes for the fall semester because of the coronavirus, while Los Angeles County said its stay-at-home order was likely to be extended by three months.

In one of the first indications the pandemic will continue to have a significant impact into autumn, the chancellor of California State University said classes at its 23 campuses would be canceled for the semester that begins in September, with instruction moved online.

Our university  is a place where over 500,000 people come together in close and vibrant proximity with each other on a daily basis, the chancellor, Timothy White, said in a statement.

That approach, sadly, just isnt in the cards now.

05:57 GMT  Sumo wrestler infected with coronavirus dies

A 28-year-old sumo wrestler has died from COVID-19, becoming the first sumo wrestler to die from the virus, the Japan Sumo Association said.

Wrestler Shobushi, whose real name is Kiyotaka Suetake, was hospitalised last month and died on Wednesday in a Tokyo hospital due to multiple organ failure related to the coronavirus, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said.

Hello, this is Farah Najjar taking over from my colleague Kate Mayberry.

04:55 GMT  Twitter says staff can work from home forever if they want

Twitter says that its staff can work from home forever if they are in a role and situation that allows them to do so.

Jennifer Christie, the companys vice president, people, also said Twitter did not expect to be one of the first companies to return to its offices, that there would be no business travel before September and no in-person company events for the remainder of 2020.

Proud of the decisions we made to prioritize decentralization pre-COVID-19 that are allowing us to continue putting our employees first today. Whether you prefer to work from your kitchen or one of our offices theres a place for you. #LoveWhereverYouWork https://t.co/6SoX5vrrUv  Jennifer Christie (@jenchristiehr) May 12, 2020

04:50 GMT  Thailand reports no new cases of coronavirus

Thailand has reported no new cases of coronavirus for the first time since March 9.

04:45 GMT  Singapore to test all migrant workers for coronavirus

Singapore plans to test all 323,000 migrant workers living in company dormitories for the coronavirus, the local Straits Times newspaper reported, citing National Development Minister Lawrence Wong.

The city-state, which relies on the workers for construction and other manual jobs, will use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and serological tests (for antibodies) to ensure they are free of the virus.

The authorities are currently doing 3,000 tests a day in the dormitories, and will step up testing with a view to completing the process by July, Wong said.

Thousands of workers were confined to their dormitories after a spike in coronavirus cases.

04:05 GMT  Handbags at dawn: South Korean shoppers line up for Chanel

More than 100 people defied fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections to queue from as early as 5am outside Chanel in Seoul to buy the French brands luxury goods ahead of an expected rise in prices.

54-year-old Lee Ji-yeon told Reuters she was hoping to get a handbag for her daughter, who is getting married. Her future son-in-law was queuing at a Chanel concession in a department store, she said.

People queued from as early as 5am outside a luxury shopping centre for the Chanel boutique [Minwoo Park/Reuters]

Weve been to the Chanel store several times before and agonising whether to buy it or not, Lee said. Since the prices are going up, we decided to buy it now.

There has been a spike in coronavirus cases in Seoul after an outbreak linked to clubs and bars, with 119 cases across the country now linked to the 29-year-old who tested positive in early May.

03:50 GMT  London mayor says June too early to resume Premier League

London mayor Sadiq Khan says its too early to be discussing the resumption of the Premier League and other high-profile sports in the UK capital because the country is still in the grips of this crisis, and hundreds of people (are) dying every day, the Evening Standard reported, citing a spokesman for the mayor.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are among the five Premier League clubs in London.

The possibility of games resuming next month got a boost after the government said elite-level sport could resume behind closed doors from June 1.

Teams have been told no tackling will be allowed once training resumes.

03:30 GMT  Top Jilin city official warns of huge risk from new coronavirus cases

Gai Dongping, the vice mayor of Jilin in Chinas northeast, has told reporters the six new cases confirmed on Wednesday morning raised the risk of the virus spreading further and the city was stepping up measures to curb and contain the virus.

The city is the second-biggest in the province of the same name and lies nearly 100km (63 miles) east of the capital Changchun.

Jilin city in NE Chinas Jilin Province announced on Wednesday that it will close off all urban areas and villages, and suspend all gatherings following a rebound in #COVID19 cases. https://t.co/j3Lai6C15N pic.twitter.com/pPTtQCx1m5  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) May 13, 2020

02:45 GMT  Coronavirus hobbles cyclone response for Vanuatu and Pacific

The coronavirus pandemic is slowing efforts to help people in Vanuatu and other parts of the Pacific after Cyclone Harold tore through the region a month ago, destroying homes and livelihoods.

Michel Kerf, who heads the World Bank in the region, said the cyclone had been a shocking reminder of Vanuatus vulnerability to natural disasters.

Read more here.

People in Vanuatu are struggling to rebuild after Cyclone Harold as the world focuses on the coronavirus [Supplied/Dr Christopher Bartlett]

01:45 GMT  Iceland to ease restrictions on international arrivals from June

The government of Iceland says it plans to ease restrictions on international arrivals no later than June 15 and expects to be able to give travellers a choice between a COVID-19 test on arrival or two weeks of quarantine. A final decision will be made at the end of the month.

When travellers return to Iceland we want to have all mechanisms in place to safeguard them and the progress made in controlling the pandemic, Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir, minister of tourism, said in a statement. Icelands strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating have proven effective so far. We want to build on that experience of creating a safe place for those who want a change of scenery after what has been a tough spring for all of us.

Iceland has already revised the quarantine regime that was first imposed in January, with essential workers and those involved in vital infrastructure eligible for a modified quarantine that does not require then to stay at home. The scheme will be extended to filmmakers, scientists and some others from May 15.

01:30 GMT  China confirms seven new cases; focus on northeastern Jilin province

Chinas National Health Commission has confirmed seven new cases of coronavirus, six in the northeastern province of Jilin where the city of Shulan increased its risk level from medium to high on May 10.

The new cases were found in Jilin, the provinces second-biggest city, five of which were linked to an earlier case in Shulan. Jilin city temporarily suspended train services as a result of the outbreak.

Jilin Railway Station in #Jilin City, NE China's Jilin Province, announced temporary suspension of departures and ride-through services starting 6:00 am Wednesday after the province reported a cluster of #COVID19 cases. pic.twitter.com/onXljSyg6D  People's Daily, China (@PDChina) May 13, 2020

Chinas other case was found in a traveller returning to Shanghai.

00:05 GMT  Brazil reports more cases than Germany; daily deaths reach record

Brazils confirmed cases of coronavirus surpassed Germany on Tuesday as the country recorded 881 deaths in 24 hours  the highest since the outbreak began.

Brazil has confirmed 177,589 cases of coronavirus, compared with 170,508 in Germany.

The countrys president, Jair Bolsonaro, has sought to downplay the disease and is now battling with state governors over a presidential decree he signed on Monday designating beauty salons and gyms as essential services, a move that would allow them to open during lockdowns.

At least 10 governors have said they will not comply with Bolsonaros decree.

Bolsonaro is walking towards the precipice and wants to take all of us with him, Rio de Janeiro Governor Wilson Witzel wrote on Twitter.





23:30 GMT (Tuesday)  Trump support ebbs as coronavirus death toll climbs

Americans have become more critical of Trump over the past month as the coronavirus outbreak in the country deepened, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll shows 56 percent of those surveyed now disapprove of Trump, up five points from a similar poll in mid-April. His approval rating slipped four points to 41 percent.

It also found that 46 percent of registered voters would back Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the November 3 election, while 38 percent would vote for Trump.

-

Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur.

Read all the developments from yesterday (May 12) here.
Amid tensions between the Indian and Chinese soldiers at Pangong Tso lake area, China said on Wednesday that India should refrain from taking any action to "complicate" the issue and claimed that the PLA troops were conducting "normal patrol" on the Chinese side of the border.

Asked about the continued tensions along the border and whether the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops action was anyway related to the disagreements with the Indian government's plan to lure business out of China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said both the countries were in diplomatic contact over the face-off between their troops.

"China's position on the border issue is consistent and clear. Chinese border troops have been upholding peace and tranquillity along the border areas, Zhao told a media briefing here.

"China is conducting normal patrol along the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). We urge the Indian side to work with China and refrain from taking any complicating move so as to create enabling conditions for the development of our bilateral relations and peace and stability at the border areas, he said.

"The two sides stay in diplomatic communication on the relevant border issue, he said.

The tensions began at the Pangong Tso lake area in eastern Ladakh on May 5-6 and continued.

On Monday, Zhao said Chinese troops there are "committed to uphold peace and stability."



At least a couple of Chinese military helicopters were spotted flying close to the un-demarcated Sino-India border in the area after the fierce face-off on May 5 following which a fleet of Sukhoi-30 jets of the Indian Air Force too carried out sorties there, the sources said in New Delhi.

The troops on both sides held on to their respective positions and even reinforcements were brought in an apprehension of further escalation in tension, they said when asked about the face-off.

They said tension was still prevailing in the area, though both sides agreed to disengage during a meeting of local commanders on May 6.

"The situation remains tense," said a source in New Delhi.

The sources said the spotting of Chinese helicopters in the area was nothing unusual as India too flies a fleet of military choppers in the area from three bases in the region.

On May 5, scores of Indian and Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting, sources said, adding a number of soldiers on both sides sustained injuries in the incident.

In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector of the Sino-India border on Saturday. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries in the incident.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control, the de-facto border between the two countries. Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first informal summit in April 2018 in the Chinese city of Wuhan, months after the Doklam standoff.

In the summit, the two leaders decided to issue "strategic guidance" to their militaries to strengthen communications so that they can build trust and understanding.

Modi and Xi held their second informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai in October last year with a focus on further broadening bilateral ties.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On April 7, exactly four weeks after the first Covid-19 case was detected in Maharashtra on March 9, the count crossed 1000 to 1018. That day, the death toll in the state was 64 (Indias overall toll was 160 that day), and the mortality rate stood at 6.29% (more than double of Indias mortality rate of 3.02 on the same day).

Thirty days later  on May 7  the state had 17,974 cases and 694 deaths. In the next six days, Indias worst-affected state added nearly 8,000 cases to take the total to 25,922 and 975 deaths on Wednesday. Simultaneously, Maharashtra has recorded 5,547 recoveries. The states with the next highest number of cases and deaths are Tamil Nadu (9227 cases, 64 deaths) and Gujarat (8904 cases, 537 deaths). Delhi is fourth with 7998 cases and 106 deaths.

As of Wednesday, May 13, Maharashtras mortality rate stood at 3.76%, a significant improvement from the first few days of April, but still above the national average of 3.23%. If Maharashtra is excluded from the national data, India would have 49,912 cases and 1477 deaths on May 13, bringing the mortality rate further down to 2.96%. The global mortality rate, according to data on worldometers.info, is 6.72% (6 pm, May 13).

On Wednesday, Mumbais numbers stood at 15,747 cases and 596 deaths, giving a mortality rate of 3.78%.

Also Watch | Covid spurt in Mumbai: Official admits some evidence of community spread

What exactly went wrong in Maharashtras case? Why does one of Indias most industrialised and prosperous states have both the most number of Covid-19 cases as well as deaths? The answer perhaps lies in what the state did not do in January and February right up to March 9, when the first two Covid-19 cases were detected in Maharashtra. In an interview with HT on April 8, Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president of Indian Medical Association, Maharashtra, laid the blame on travellers returning from the United Arab Emirates for the initial spurt in cases. In Maharashtra, more than 40% of the infections were owing to travellers who returned from the UAE, he said. Even though Maharashtras first case was of a Dubai returnee, the state government waited for 10 days to start screening travellers from the UAE. This was a major loophole in the screening process.

Indian airports began universal screening only in the third week of March. By then, on average, 42,000 international travellers landed in Mumbai every day. On March 22, India banned all domestic and international passenger flights to and from Indian airports. By then, it was too late, said a Maharashtra state health department official, who wished to remain anonymous. We had thousands of fliers coming into Mumbai every single day and only a handful of them were screened for symptoms. What we cannot know for certain is the number of asymptomatic patients from the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore and other south-east Asian countries that may have passed through Mumbai international airport between February and March 22.

Dr Bharat Purandare, infectious diseases expert, Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune, said in an earlier interview to HT, In retrospect, we can say that the government should have made universal screening of all passengers mandatory much earlier. Also, we should have stopped international flights in the first week of March.

A month after the first case was detected, Maharashtra was testing at 290 per million population. Since then, the state has improved its testing rate on May 13 to 1892 per million population. Gujarat tests at 1760 per million and Tamil Nadu is at 3523 per million (all data according to respective state health departments). The trouble with Mumbai, which now accounts for a fifth of all cases in the country, though, is that its detection rate over the last few days has risen to 33%. Which means that, for every 100 persons tested, 33 are detected with Covid-19.

Civic officials said that this was due to the change in testing protocol targeted at containment zones. Additional municipal commissioner, Suresh Kakani, told HT on May 12, Detection rate is increasing because of the increased number of testing samples per day. Often, pending test results were added to a particular days count. Hence it did not give us clarity. If we calculated the detection rate against 124,000 samples tested with 14,521 positive cases, then the detection rate remains 11.71%. This figure is higher than the state and national average because of targeted testing conducted by BMC in containment zones. The national average is 4.3% and Maharashtras average is 7%.

Civic officials said Mumbais high number is primarily because of aggressive testing of high-risk contacts. Moreover, state and BMC health officials blamed the lack of physical distancing in Mumbais most densely populated areas for the cluster spread. Eight out of Mumbais 24 wards account for more than 50% of the citys cases, a senior civic official told HT on Wednesday. These are among the most densely populated areas. Worli Koliwada, Dharavi, Kurla, Byculla, Saki Naka, and Andheri (West) are areas where the population density is anywhere between twice to 10 times that of Mumbais average. According to United Nations population data for July 2019, Mumbais population density is 32,303 per square km. Dharavi, Indias largest slum, has nearly 1000 cases. Its population density is 354,166 people per square km, according to BMC population data.

(With inputs from Kushel Madhusoodanan, Rupsa Chakraborty and Eeshanpriya M S)
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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 08:29 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79e56c 1 Editorial COVID-19,pandemic,#Editorial,local-business,small-and-medium-enterprises,economic-stimulus-package Free

Government Regulation (PP) No. 23/2020 on the economic rescue program to safeguard the economy during the pandemic gives hope to our state enterprises in dire need of a lifeline to sustain operations as the economy heads for recession. Although a little too late for many micro and small businesses that have closed permanently, in this case better late than never holds true.



The regulation allows for the government to inject money into ailing state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and local banks to ease loan-repayment burdens for small and medium businesses. Primary beneficiaries of this policy should be micro and small businesses as well as SOEs affected by the virus-ridden economic downturn.



The rescue program will follow five principles: social justice; peoples welfare; support for businesspeople; adhering to prudential, good governance, transparency and accountability principles based on prevailing laws; not invoking moral hazard; and the division of payment and risk among stakeholders based on their respective roles and authorities.



These founding principles are important to ensure that all the debts issued to finance this Rp 318 trillion (US$21.3 billion) program are funneled to the businesses most affected by the crisis, and do not result in moral hazard. The new regulation stipulates that the government will issue debt papers that can be directly purchased by the central bank to finance the economic-rescue program.



The top officials in charge of the economic rescue program must live by these principles and ensure that the funds are used to save not only businesses but the livelihoods of their workers and their families. The programs main policymakers include the coordinating economic minister, the coordinating maritime affairs and investment minister, the finance minister, the Bank Indonesia governor, the Financial Services Authority chairperson and the chairperson of the Deposit Insurance Corporation.



Details of the fund allocation for the business rescue will be covered by regulations from the relevant ministries and government agencies. It is quite reassuring that Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and policymakers have learned from the tremendous political turbulence over the controversial Bank Century bailout in 2008. Moreover, Indonesia understands well the risks of injecting money into banks given the 1998 experience.



The government did the right thing to rescue micro, small and medium enterprises, which employ 97 percent of Indonesian active workers, from this severe economic downturn. Now the next right thing to do should be to accelerate the program to avoid more business closures, layoffs and furloughs while maintaining good governance principles in doing so.



The program needs to choose its battles when funding rescue packages for businesses. Some SOEs were already walking on a tightrope before the pandemic and of course COVID-19 has exacerbated their operational and financial conditions. For these types of businesses, rescue funds will only work with management overhauls to better manage the money injected into them.



Indonesias budget to fight COVID-19 is relatively low relative to gross domestic product, when compared with other countries around the world, therefore the money must be spent wisely. After all, taxpayers money will be used to repay the debts that will be issued to finance this program.
T he scale of the challenge facing Londons nightlife after lockdown was made clear today, with almost two-thirds of bar, club and venue operators warning that restrictions will leave them suffering heavy losses.

A survey of more than 200 businesses across the 60 billion night-time economy found high levels of pessimism about a sector that was already at the back of the queue for reopening.

The Night Time Industries Association said the survey showed that the Governments requirements left the sector in an untenable position.

Owners said that social distancing and other safety measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection would mean they could only operate at 40 to 43 per cent capacity on average.

The average cost of preparing to restart a business after such a long closure would be more than 31,000, rising to more than 50,000 for nightclubs.

The start-up costs and reduced capacity meant that 64 per cent of respondents feared it would be financially unviable to open up again after the lockdown.

The study, carried out by Liverpool Universitys Professor Fiona Measham, predicted that 55 per cent of staff working in the night-time economy will return to their jobs. Clubs and bars are seen as facing more of a challenge than restaurants because a large part of their appeal is drinking in a crowded environment.

Paul Daly, owner of Shoreditch late-night bars Roadtrip and The Workshop, said: Loads of people come together, tightly together, and let off steam to music. My venue cannot have only 50 per cent or 30 per cent of the customers in and survive the huge costs involved.
KYODO NEWS - May 14, 2020 - 02:11 | All, Japan

A man who received money from former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai to support his wife's election campaign told prosecutors he had been tasked with winning votes for her from supporters of an incumbent lawmaker, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

The man was paid around 960,000 yen ($9,000) by Kawai, 57, to support the campaign of his wife Anri in an upper house election last summer.

In the election, the Liberal Democratic Party had fought for two seats in the Hiroshima constituency by backing both Anri Kawai, 46, and the veteran incumbent lawmaker, Kensei Mizote.

During voluntary questioning by the Hiroshima District Public Prosecutors Office, the man said he called on several local assembly members close to Mizote and asked them to collect votes for Anri. The man reported details of these meetings to Katsuyuki Kawai via the messaging app Line.

The prosecutors plans to establish a case against the former minister for handing out money to local assembly members in Hiroshima Prefecture and others in alleged vote buying for his wife in violation of the Public Offices Election Law.

The prosecutors are also considering establishing a case against Anri, who was elected a member of the House of Councillors for the first time last July.

According to the sources, Katsuyuki Kawai requested support from the old acquaintance in early June last year, around one month before the start of the election campaign. The man was later handed an envelope containing 100,000 yen in cash.

As campaigning was prohibited before the official start, the man told several local assembly members close to Mizote that Anri was willing to run as a female representative.

After the official campaign began, the man asked them to make Anri their second choice if they felt Mizote was certain to win one of the two seats, and to vote for Anri instead so that she could win the other seat.

Between June and August last year, a total of 860,000 yen was transferred in three installments to an account the man held from the LDP's branch office headed by Anri.

The man told prosecutors that he was aware of the illegality of the act, as being paid for activities that should be done by volunteers constitutes bribery. But he thought that as Katsuyuki Kawai was familiar with elections, there was no need for him to get involved with monetary matters.

Local political circles have been rocked by the investigation. A Hiroshima city assembly member of the LDP, who was questioned by prosecutors on a voluntary basis, on Wednesday denied receiving money from Kawai and said the couple should explain the issue properly to citizens.

Related coverage:

Prosecutors to charge ex-justice chief Kawai over election scandal

Lawmaker aide makes no plea in 1st hearing on campaign payment scandal

Scandals likely put Abe on defensive as Constitution reform looms
If you started reading this post wondering "what on earth is amapiano?" and you aren't South African, I'll forgive you. But if you consider yourself South African and you're still wondering what on earth it is, I really hope you're enjoying your life listening to Steve Hofmeyr in Orania.

Using empathy to identify customers needs Facilitating direct interaction with customers

I Found him !!! 50k retweets and i Drop the  pic.twitter.com/KoFqztYTF9

 Scorpion Kings Live At Sun Arena 9 Aug (@DjMaphorisa) December 27, 2019

Other than Siya Kolisi, amapiano was arguably the biggest thing to come out of South Africa in 2019. The name, amapiano, can be directly translated to pianos and is a genre of music that has taken the country and various places in the continent by storm.My first introduction to the genre was when my (tech-savvy) dad casually dropped me a link to an Apple Music playlist in early 2019. Since then, songs such as Sandton and Labantwana Ama Uber have come to dominate playlists at parties, clubs and in households (my best friend and I entered 2020 to the sound of Lorch at a New Years Eve wedding) and would have continued to do so until Bheki Cele recently shut down the party.The above South African Google Trends report shows us the Search popularity for the term amapiano in comparison to topics: kwaito, house music and hip-hop music* last year. As you can see, amapiano had a sharp rise and went on to dominate Search in 2019.Now if you are wondering where all of this is going, the topic of this humble opinion piece is customer-centricity (Ill explain the link in a minute).If youve studied anything in commerce, or if you work for a corporate, customer centricity is probably a buzzword that youve heard over and over again. In short, it refers to the idea of putting your customer at the focal point of everything you do (if your customer does not resonate with what youre doing, they probably wouldnt be a customer in the first place). Trust me, marketers in particular love this buzzword and will throw it into every strategy proposal they produce.The reality is that as a customer we often observe businesses completely missing the mark. This experience generally involves a business trying to sell you something that will leave you wondering who on earth would even buy that? This, more often than not, is proof of ignorance and poor customer-centricity. Egos, guesswork and mothers reassuring thats a great idea are often all contributing factors to businesses that do not actually offer customers value.Now back to amapiano. While Id love to draw the comparison to the entire genre (my headline was 50% clickbait), I really want to focus on two DJs in particular: DJ Maphorisa and Kabza de Small (otherwise collectively known as the Scorpion Kings). Besides being the undisputed trailblazers of amapiano, I believe that the duo are living examples of what it means to be customer-centric.Allow me to explain. In Harvard Business Reviews 6 Ways to Build a Customer-Centric Culture , they highlight the importance of businesses doing the following:In line with this, I believe DJ Maphorisa and Kabza de Small have been able to fulfil South Africas demand for good music when it has mattered the most. Importantly, theyve done this through their ability to use Twitter as a vehicle to listen, interact and deliver.It started with the duo relentlessly dropping album after album leading up to Dezemba. And while many artists opt to stretch out the period between releases (either to allow their existing work to run its full course or purely because its tough to keep up a particular standard), the duo did the opposite. Ive personally never seen anything like it before.[Id like to break here to highlight the importance of Twitter. In fact, Id say Twitter is the single most important social media platform to gauge what South Africans are really saying and feeling. You dont have to always be a part of the conversation, but it is on Twitter that you read, observe and listen. Of course, this requires following the right mix of accounts to include a diverse range of views, opinions and news sources on your timeline.]In the build-up to December, it was on Twitter that you could gauge that there was a clear demand for more amapiano, so DJ Maphorisa and Kabza de Small rode the wave and delivered. This ultimately resulted in highly sought-after December dominance of the South African airwaves.Perhaps no example captures customer-centricity better than the making of one of their biggest hits Phoyisa. It all started with a video that went viral on Twitter of a man freestyling to the beat of one of their songs. There were (joking) calls for a collaboration all over Twitter, so the duo found the man, recorded his voice into a chorus, tweeted Cassper Nyovest to record a verse (he obliged) and dropped the song within the space of a couple days. And, they released the song right before the end of December. Tactical.Theyve continued this trend into 2020 too. I was one of many people who came across a video of a talented artist singing along to an amapiano beat and tweeted the duo about it. On 5 April, they released a cumulative 6 different projects, one of which was titled Once Upon a Time in Lockdown and included the song Nguwe from that tweet.It must also be noted that the latest 6 projects (like several before) were released for free download before becoming available on streaming services. Its clear that its not just about revenue at the moment, but more about building up their fanbase and fulfilling the needs of existing ones.And just when you thought that Covid-19 could hinder their momentum, they started a series of live 1.5 hour mixes on YouTube and social media for fans during South Africas lockdown period.Ultimately, I believe that it should be in every business best interest to centre what theyre doing around their customers. Customer-centricity should not just be a buzzword used in a mission statement, but something that you relentlessly practice day in and day out. Perhaps the concept is even more relevant in todays world, as there is no doubt that businesses will need to keep their ears close to the ground to be able to effectively pivot into a post-Covid-19 world.Ive particularly admired the way in which a non-traditional business such as a DJ duo has been relentless in putting their fans (or customers) at the centre of everything that they do. I believe theyve successfully done this by understanding their needs, facilitating effective interaction, and ultimately delivering value.In conclusion, I believe all businesses can learn a thing or two from the kings of amapiano.*When a Google Search term is compared to a topic (such as a genre or a recognised artist), the term should technically be disadvantaged, as a topic takes all variations of searches into account. Important to note here is that despite this, amapiano still dominated both comparisons in 2019.
Saif Ali Khan and Sara Ali Khan

Mumbai: These days star kids are running in the film industry. Many star kids have also made entries in films. Sara Ali Khan, daughter of Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, is one such star. Sara made a great start with the film 'Kedarnath'. There has been no shortage of films since then for her.

PhotoAt the same time, Sara wants to work with her father Saif Ali Khan. She has expressed her desire to do a film with father Saif but the condition is only a good script. In addition, Sara shared many other things. Sara also said that she was going to make her industry debut with Saif Ali Khan.

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There were rumours that Saif daughter would be seen in the film 'Jawani Jaaneman', but later the role was played by Alaya Furniturewala. Now Sarah wants to work with her father. Sara has recently spoken to the media about it.

"Hopefully, the time will come soon when I will be working with my father," Sara said in an interview. Explaining the condition of working with Saif, Sara said, "I think Abba would love to work with me whenever a good project comes up.

Photo The directors will also be ready to cast us. Sara also agreed that 'it would be an honour for me to work with my father'. At the same time, Sara also talked about her father's film 'Jawani Jaaneman'. "I have seen this film," she said.

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Saif was quite cool, funny and amazing in the film. Alaya also did a great job in her first film. The chemistry between the two looked very beautiful. Sara said that she herself had told Saif that she liked the film very much.
A MOTHER-of-three accused of murdering a man in a knife attack in a Dublin housing estate earlier this year was still "not fit to attend" court today.

Christina Anderson (38) was remanded in custody in her absence for another two weeks by Judge Colin Daly at Dublin District Court.

Ms Anderson is accused of killing father-of-seven Garreth Kelly (39), who was stabbed on a street in the west of the city in February.

Mr Kelly had been trying to start his car to go to work when he sustained fatal wounds and died at the scene.

The accused, with an address at Brownsbarn Wood, Kingswood is charged with murdering Mr Kelly on February 25 last.

Today was her seventh court date on the charge.

Garda Sergeant Niall Murphy told Judge Daly there was a sick note and Ms Anderson was "not fit to attend court." The state was applying for a further two-week adjournment, he said.

Ms Anderson's solicitor Michael Kelleher said he was aware of the note, it was an ongoing situation and the defence was in regular contact with the Central Mental Hospital in relation to his client. There was consent to the adjournment.

Judge Daly remanded the accused in further custody to May 27.

The accused has been medically unfit to be brought to court since her first appearance in February.

On a previous date, it was indicated that Ms Anderson was "on the verge of being well" enough to attend court.

Mr Kelleher said at the time the accused had not been present in court since the first day and she was "very anxious to appear in court and see what's happening."

The court has already ordered the accused to be medically and psychiatrically assessed.

Det Sgt Dara Kenny previously said Ms Anderson made no reply when charged.

Mr Kelly was believed to have been staying over with his partner at another house in the Brownsbarn estate at the time of the incident.
The UK's highest court is set to rule on Gerry Adams' appeal against historic prison escape convictions.

The former Sinn Fein leader claims two 1975 convictions relating to his attempts to escape from the Maze Prison during the early 1970s are unsafe because his detention was not "personally considered" by a senior government minister.

Lawyers for Mr Adams, 71, argue that because the interim custody order (ICO) used to initially detain him was not authorised by the then secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Willie Whitelaw, his detention was unlawful.

Mr Adams attempted to escape from the Maze, also known as Long Kesh internment camp, on Christmas Eve 1973 and again in July 1974. He was later sentenced to a total of four and a half years.

A panel of five UK Supreme Court justices - led by the former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Lord Kerr - are due to deliver their ruling on Mr Adams' appeal remotely on Wednesday morning.

At a hearing in November, Mr Adams' barrister Sean Doran QC said his client's appeal had been "prompted by the obtaining of materials under the 30-year rule", under which government papers are made public.

Mr Doran said those documents revealed there had been "considerable debate within the Northern Ireland Office and the Home Office" about whether Mr Adams had been lawfully detained.

He said a legal opinion requested by Northern Ireland prosecutors before Mr Adams' trial concluded that an ICO had to be personally considered by the secretary of state to be valid.

Mr Doran continued that there was also a note of a meeting in July 1974 held by then prime minister Howard Wilson, which he said "confirms that the secretary of state himself did not personally consider the appellant's case".

He added that the attorney general at the time, Samuel Silkin QC, told the meeting "there might be as many as 200 persons unlawfully detained in Northern Ireland" as a result of junior ministers authorising ICOs under the previous Conservative government.

Tony McGleenan QC, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, argued that the minister of state who signed the ICO "had the power to do so".

He said that the power to make ICOs was designed "to deal with a situation of civil emergency".

Mr McGleenan added: "It would have been impractical or even impossible for the secretary of state to give personal consideration to every request for the making of an ICO."

The barrister accepted that Mr Adams' convictions should be quashed if the Supreme Court ruled in his favour.

The former Louth TD was first detained in March 1972, but was released in June that year to take part in secret talks in London before being rearrested in July 1973.

In 2018, the Court of Appeal in Belfast heard that, on Christmas Eve 1973, Mr Adams was among four detainees caught attempting to break out of the Maze.

The second escape bid in July 1974 was described as an "elaborate scheme" which involved the kidnap of a man who bore a "striking resemblance" to Mr Adams from a bus stop in west Belfast.

The man was taken to a house where his hair was dyed and he was given a false beard, then taken to the Maze where he was to be substituted for Mr Adams in a visiting hut, the court heard.

However, prison staff were alerted to the plan and Mr Adams was arrested in the car park of the jail, the court was told.

The Supreme Court will deliver its ruling at 9.45am.
Warning: The IMF fears that Europes strategies for testing lag behind the best examples in Asia

COUNTRIES in Europe need to proceed cautiously in removing lockdowns or they risk renewed coronavirus outbreaks, the International Monetary Fund has warned.

The comments came as Ireland aims to start the process of opening up our economy from May 18, and after renewed outbreaks in Germany as it eased its lockdowns. Governments across the globe are balancing the damage being done to the economy against health risks.

"In both Europe and Asia, lockdowns and other restrictions have imposed a significant economic and psychological cost on citizens, and their desire to roll back these measures and reopen economies is all too understandable," the head of the IMF in Europe, Poul Thomsen, wrote in a publication with his Asian counterpart Chang Yong Rhee.

"However, moving too early and before wide-reaching measures to quickly identify and contain new infections are in place would put the gains in fighting the spread of Covid-19 at stake and risks imposing new human and economic costs," they wrote.

The economy here is set to contract by 10pc this year and over a million Irish workers depend on the State for at least part of their income. The risk is that the longer the lockdowns go on, more firms will not be able to resume business or will be overwhelmed with debt when they do so.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has already warned that opening up "is conditional on being able to handle a second wave of infections", something that is not achievable without widespread and rapid testing and the potential for a vaccine which is a long way off.

China, as the first country to experience the outbreak and the first to lock down, has emerged first and even though restrictions have been lifted, the rapid recovery in the industrial and construction sectors has not been matched in the consumer sector as people are still worried about infection. Economists are making use of location data from Google and Apple to measure the return to pre-pandemic patterns of travel, work and consumption.

"While announcements of relaxed lockdown restrictions in a number of economies, including Germany, have gained a lot of attention, it remains too early to judge the economic impact," consultancy Oxford Economics said in a report. That process of reopening in Europe may pose more health and other risks than that in Asia, the IMF warned.

"While reopening strategies differ, Europe appears to be reopening its economy earlier in the epidemic cycle than China. In addition, the capacity for large-scale testing, contact tracing and case isolation in Europe may lag behind the best examples in Asia, partly reflecting stringent privacy rules," Mr Thomsen and Mr Rhee wrote.

Recent calculations from Deutsche bank suggest if social distancing proves less effective and/or more disruptive to economic activity than we are assuming, and antiviral drugs less helpful, the prospects for even a moderate bounce in activity in the second half of this year could be dashed.

"This would move the path of GDP globally another 5pc below our baseline," its economists warned.

The European Commission recommends tracking apps, but only on a voluntary basis, whereas governments in Asian countries such as China, South Korea and Singapore have used compulsion.

"Consequently, Europe appears to be more at risk than some Asian countries, including China, though no country can confidently declare victory against the virus," the IMF said.
The four-way race for Clackamas County sheriff has erupted in recriminations as a handful of insiders -- including former colleagues and the union -- have become enmeshed in a fray over the disciplinary history of one of the candidates.

The contention revolves around the on-duty performance of contender Lynn Schoenfeld, who worked for the Sheriffs Office for 28 years and retired this year.

Schoenfeld disclosed the incidents in response to questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive last month regarding past discipline. He said he had been suspended twice in his 28-year career  once for use of force and the other for improperly closing the door to a patrol car with his foot.

Lynn Schoenfeld, a retired patrol sergeant, is running for Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

Dave Kirby filed a public records request with the Sheriffs Office for the retired sergeants internal affairs records and recently gave the documents to the newsroom.

Kirby, who left as undersheriff in 2014, supports one of the other candidates in the race, current Undersheriff Angela Brandenburg.

Schoenfeld has accused his critics of mounting an unfair smear as Tuesdays primary approaches. He called Kirby an operative from an opposing campaign.

Brandenburg said Kirby does not work for her campaign and obtained the records on his own. She said he shared them with her. She said she thought they raised concerns about Schoenfeld and were critical for the public to know so her campaign encouraged him to share it with the press.

The union representing deputies and sergeants has also waded into the race. The quick turnaround of Kirbys public records request for Schoenfelds personnel files prompted a grievance from the union.

In the email, union lawyer Anil Karia took particular exception to the role of Chief Deputy Jenna Morrison in authorizing what the union sees as the rapid disclosure of Schoenfelds personnel records.

Morrison, the email notes, is a vocal and visible Brandenburg supporter. The union backs Schoenfeld.

The records provided by Kirby detail two incidents Schoenfeld was involved in more than a decade ago.

Schoenfeld last month discussed both of them in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive.

One involved his pursuit of a motorcyclist into the Clackamas Town Center and the other his interaction with a handcuffed man who was being placed into a police car.

Kirby, then undersheriff, reviewed Schoenfelds conduct in the 2008 mall chase and at the time recommended that the sergeant be demoted to deputy, suspended for 14 days and ordered to attend counseling.

Sheriff Craig Roberts rejected the demotion recommendation. According to a letter Roberts sent Schoenfeld at the time, he suspended the sergeant for 14 days without pay, saying Schoenfelds actions created a danger to the public.

In his interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive, Schoenfeld said he received an eight-day suspension. On Tuesday, he stood by his characterization of the discipline, saying he lost eight days pay.

Kirby said Schoenfelds explanation does not account for another six days when he was not allowed to work overtime or perform other duties on behalf of the agency.

In that same interview last month, Schoenfeld said he had received a one-day suspension for an interaction that occurred in 2006.

Schoenfeld said he pushed a patrol car door closed with his foot in reacting to a rude suspect and called the man a knucklehead. He said he was suspended for a day without pay for pushing the door closed improperly.

Kirby referenced the encounter in his letter to Schoenfeld in 2009 in which he spelled out his disciplinary recommendations after the mall parking lot incident.

Kirby said he was not working for the Sheriffs Office when the incident involving the door took place and that he had reviewed a videotape of the encounter.

Kirby described Schoenfelds conduct toward the detained man as inexplicable and said the handcuffed man was rude but posed no imminent threat.

The man was standing between the rear door of the patrol car and the back seat before getting in.

You strode over to the door and angrily kicked it with your foot slamming the door partially shut with the likely intent of bringing pain to the detainee, Kirby wrote.

A poor-quality video that Kirby obtained from the county shows the interaction.

Schoenfeld issued a statement this week in which he said he stood by his record.

Roberts, who has been sheriff since 2005, decided not to seek another term and has publicly endorsed Brandenburg as his replacement.

Sheriffs Lt. Brian Jensen and Oregon State Police Detective Roger Edwards are the other candidates.

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

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
TEHRAN, Iran, May 13

Trend:

Iranian government will reveal the causes of Konarak ship incident after further inspections, said Iran's President Hassan Rouhani.

"It is very unfortunate and sad that a group of Navy personnel lost their lives in a tragic accident; hearing this news was difficult, and the government will disclose the reasons that caused this incident," said Hassan Rouhani, Trend reports citing IRNA.

Nineteen crewmen were killed and 15 others injured in an incident involving the Iranian Navys Konarak logistic vessel in the countrys southern waters. The incident occurred on May 10, when a number of Navy vessels were conducting exercises near the waters close to Jask and Chabahar ports.

During his speech, the Iranian president also praised the efforts to fight coronavirus in the country.

"The coronavirus spread started in February, and armed forces, economic sector, public and private organizations, military and other personnel were involved in combating the disease," the head of state said.

"The Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade has supported the healthcare system, market, export and import during this situation," he added. "The Central Bank of Iran, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Plan and Budget Organization started to provide advances to businesses affected by coronavirus spread."

"The Securities and Exchange Council has agreed that banks can provide support in sale of Justice Shares to people," he said. "Individuals who wish to sell their share scan choose a bank to sell their shares for them and easily pay back the money to shareholders."

"There should be more efforts to prevent increase of prices of goods in the market, as there have been people some who abused the situation by increasing price of masks and gloves," the head of state said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

High ranking officials of Turkmenistan and Romania have confirmed intentions to develop trade and economic relations, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

A meeting via videoconference on May 12, 2020 was held between Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Romania.

The Turkmen side was represented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Vepa Hajiyev, while State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, Danut Neculaescu, has headed the Romanian side.

In addition to trade and economic relations, the parties expressed desire to develop political, cultural and humanitarian relations. The importance to regularly hold such talks at the highest level, as well as interaction between the foreign ministries of the two countries in promoting bilateral ties was emphasized.

The parties called for support and cooperation within the framework of international organizations, in particular with the UN, EU, and OSCE. The constructive role of Turkmenistan in overcoming the impact of the pandemic in the region and in the world was emphasized.

The significance of the Turkmen-Romanian intergovernmental Commission on economic, scientific and technical cooperation was highlighted. Representatives of the countries discussed the draft intergovernmental agreement on the creation and implementation of Caspian Sea-Black Sea international transit and transport corridor.

The parties expressed their interest in promoting cooperation in the field of education.

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Reese Witherspoon is headed to Netflix.

The Oscar-winning actress, 44, said she 'couldn't be more excited' as she's set to headline two romantic comedies for the streaming service, titled Your Place Or Mine; and The Cactus.

'We have been looking for the right feature opportunities to collaborate with Ted Sarandos, Scott Stuber and the entire team at Netflix for a while and we couldn't be more excited to be working with them on these two romantic comedies,' the New Orleans native told Deadline Tuesday. '

The latest: Reese Witherspoon, 44, said she 'couldn't be more excited' as she's set to headline two romantic comedies for Netflix, titled Your Place Or Mine; and The Cactus

Your Place Or Mine will be directed by The Devil Wears Prada screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, telling the tale of a pair of long-distance best friends whose lives are newly intertwined amid major decisions. Reese is working on the project with Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan's Aggregate Films company.

Costigan told Deadline: 'This is the perfect home for our movie, and with the ideal creative partners to be making a sophisticated and very contemporary romantic comedy that we believe global audiences will be excited to see.'

The Cactus is based off last year's New York Times bestseller from Sarah Haywood, detailing the story of a 45-year-old woman exploring a new path after she becomes pregnant.

Witherspoon said that 'both Sarah Haywood's and Aline Brosh McKenna's stories blend everything we love about traditional RomComs with strong, smart and determined female leads.'

Beaming: The Cruel Intentions star posed in a recent shot as she locked down at her home

Way back when: Reese dazzled on the red carpet at the SAG Awards in January

Reese, who's mom to daughter Ava Phillippe, 20, and son Deacon Phillippe, 16, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, 45; and seven-year-old son Tennessee with her husband, CAA agent Jim Toth, 50; is producing both projects.

The A-list beauty in recent years has also produced her shows such as Big Little Lies on HBO, The Morning Show on Apple and Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere.

Witherspoon will be back on set at an undermined time, as the pandemic has impacted Hollywood in a number of facets, shutting down studios while a number of entertainers have tested positive for the virus, with some people dying.

As of Tuesday, the death total for COVID-19 was at 76,617 people in the U.S., with 1,360,705 total positive diagnoses, The COVID Tracking Project reported. On a global level, 291,942 people have died amid 4,261,747 positive diagnoses worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has said quarantine facilities in the states villages will be the governments top agenda to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Rajasthan recorded 87 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the cumulative tally to 4213.

Till 9am, of the 87 cases reported, maximum 32 were from Jaipur, followed by Pali with 24, Udaipur 12, Rajsamand 7, Sawai Madhopur 5, Kota 3 and one each from Banswara, Bharatpur, Nagaur and Tonk.

The state currently has 1,641 active cases and 2,159 patients have been discharged.

Ashok Gehlot said on Tuesday lakhs of people are returning to Rajasthan from other states and preventing the spread of the infection in villages is an upcoming challenge.

The chief minister said elected representatives, especially legislators, along with district administrations will play a big role in the task. They should take this as a challenge and fulfil the responsibility of keeping the state safe, he said.

Gehlot made the comments during a discussion with the members of Parliament and MLAs of Jaipur and Ajmer divisions through video conferencing.

During the discussions, the public representatives made suggestions related to the allocation of additional wheat, drinking water problems, the opening of all shops, quick and smooth movement of labourers, starting employment scheme in urban areas on the lines of MNREGA.

We together will definitely be successful in defeating this virus in the state. The state government has not discriminated against Covid-19. There is no discrimination in providing facilities such as ration distribution, treatment, and strictness in implementing curfew and quarantine, Gehlot said.

He said there are more than 185,000 tests have been conducted in the state. There are 2,213 tests being done in Rajasthan per 10 lakh population, which is higher than other states. He added that by the end of May, the test capacity will be increased to 25,000 per day.

We will have to intensify economic activities in the state only then we will be able to successfully combat these conditions. The state will easily provide job cards in MNREGA to the workers coming from outside, deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot said.

Pilot suggested forming a joint committee of public representatives and administration up to the district and tehsil level to improve the quarantine system. He said that efforts should be made to promote self-help groups and provide financial support to strengthen the rural economy.

State assembly Speaker Dr CP Joshi said the chief minister has established a good tradition by taking all the parties together to combat such a global epidemic.

Our effort should be to make the peoples representatives a partner in this fight till the panchayat level. We have to learn to live with Corona and for this, everyone including legislators will have to change their working system, Joshi said.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is one of the best-known progressive politicians in the country, and her endorsement is sought by candidates running for president. Her firebrand style of politics has helped her raise millions of dollars and accumulate 6.9 million followers on Twitter.

But Ms. Ocasio-Cortez will not be appearing on the Working Families Party ballot line in the November general election because she failed to collect the required number of signatures  15.

The loss of the ballot line will make no discernible difference in her re-election bid; she is still heavily favored to win the Democratic primary and the general election.

But ever since Ms. Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman elected to Congress in 2018, her every move has been scrutinized by both sides of the political spectrum, especially those on the right, who seldom miss an opportunity to magnify any perceived flaw.
The Phillips 66 refinery looms over homes in the neighborhood of Wilmington of Los Angeles in March 2016. Oil companies, shipping interests and the trucking industry are among those asking California regulators to delay or relax air quality rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times)

As experts warn that exposure to pollution can increase the risk of dying from COVID-19, an array of powerful industries is pressuring California regulators to delay or roll back air quality and climate regulations due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The trucking industry wants to stall new emissions-reduction rules. Oil companies want looser enforcement of existing regulations. Port and shipping interests are pushing to delay rules on ocean vessels as they become Southern Californias largest source of smog-forming pollution.

Will Barrett, clean air advocacy director for the American Lung Assn. in California, said the lobbying effort is a "brazen attempt to use the COVID pandemic as a justification for long-held policy complaints about clean air programs in California" and accused industry of using the crisis "as cover to roll back or delay programs that will save lives."

The breadth of requests presents a conundrum for regulators who, even in eco-minded California, have been open about the need to grant some measure of relief from environmental requirements in response to the pandemic. While officials say their commitment to fighting climate change and air pollution remains unshaken, they are nonetheless postponing compliance deadlines and delaying pollution-reduction rules.

To minimize the effects on air quality and climate goals, officials said they are considering such requests on a case-by-case basis and trying to separate those specifically related to the coronavirus from those seeking to capitalize on the crisis for long-sought regulatory relief.

Kate Gordon, Gov. Gavin Newsom's senior advisor on climate, said that some of the requests "are very understandable and really have to do with the fact of the current crisis, and in some cases theyre regulations that had already been a kind of a thorn in the side to certain industries and they just are using ... the moment to try to dispute them.

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Gordon said there was no blanket answer as to where the administration would draw the line. "There's a million regulations and they all have to be looked at individually," she said, adding "we're emphatic that we're not rolling everything back. We're not taking advantage of this moment."

Officials at the California Air Resources Board said they are forging ahead in crafting regulations to cut pollution from trucks, ships and other vehicles that generate the bulk of the state's emissions. While field inspections have been temporarily halted, some meetings canceled or postponed and public comment deadlines extended, officials said they have not pushed back their timeline for adopting new regulations due to COVID-19.

"The only thing slowing CARB down at this point is that we have people working from home and thats less efficient," Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols said.

It's another story in Southern California, where records show regulators tasked with cleaning the nation's smoggiest region have delayed consideration of more than 10 new or updated rules, citing COVID-19.

The proposed rules being postponed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District target powerful and heavily polluting industries, including oil refineries, warehouse logistics centers and metal-finishing operations.

Officials for the South Coast district said delays in adopting rules aren't unusual, and were commonplace even before the pandemic. They acknowledged COVID-19 had pushed back timelines for adopting some rules by a few months, but blamed those delays largely on stay-at-home orders, telecommuting, and other coronavirus-related restrictions, rather than industry pressure.

"Were still trying to move as hard and as fast as we can," South Coast AQMD Executive Officer Wayne Nastri said.

Environmental groups and some elected officials are urging air quality regulators to stay the course, especially while the state confronts a virus that poses a heightened risk to people with the same underlying health problems, such as asthma and heart disease, that are worsened by breathing dirty air.

State Assemblywoman Eloise Reyes (D-San Bernardino) and dozens of other state legislators wrote Newsom on April 27 raising concerns that regulated industries "are using this public health emergency as an attempt to stop, delay, or otherwise weaken California's environmental and public health protections." They urged the administration to "resist efforts to roll back any current protections" and "move forward on critical rulemakings."

Community groups fear regulators will bend to industry demands and further delay long-planned rules targeting ports, warehouses and other pollution hot spots where nearby residents complain they are paying for inaction with their health.

"People are in a very vulnerable place job-wise, health-wise, and its incredible that this is another thing they have to add to their list," said Andrea Vidaurre, policy analyst at the Riverside County-based Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice. "We need the government to step in and hold the line."

The requests for relief from current and future regulations have streamed in from entities big and small across the state, from transportation firms, metal shops and rendering plants struggling to make payroll to the powerful oil and shipping industries.

"Protect our members from unintended, unanticipated, and otherwise unavoidable state penalties and fines as ocean carriers provide the essential services necessary to keep the international supply chain up and running during this emergency," Pacific Merchant Shipping Assn. President John McLaurin wrote in a March 30 letter to Newsom.

"All bus companies are just dead at this time and with CARB pushing enforcement of regulations, we cannot recover," Pat Burriel of Fresno-based JSS Tours wrote in an April 2 email seeking a three-year rule suspension. "We're struggling to pay our bills."

As an indication of how it's responding, the Air Resources Board provided documents showing "examples of the kinds of regulatory flexibility CARB is considering based on specific industry requests," including extended reporting deadlines and "emergency event" designations.

At least one state lawmaker called on officials to go further.

State Assembly Transportation Chairman Jim Frazier (D-Fairfield) urged the Air Resources Board in a March 27 letter to "suspend the development and implementation of all proposed regulations" until 2021, and "examine the need to delay existing milestones in adopted regulations as we grapple with the long-term recovery of the COVID-19 crisis."

William A. Burke, who chairs the South Coast air district's governing board, said some of the loudest calls to slow down regulations came from the metal-finishing industry, which produces a lot of parts for the aerospace industry.

"I think that the district should be sensitive to both the environmental side and the business side of any rule that goes forward at any time," Burke said. "But this is the most unusual circumstance of anyone whos alives lifetime. So I think we take it on a case-by-case by basis.

Air district staff said they held regular phone calls with metal-finishing industry representatives who begged for more time as they dealt with layoffs, travel restrictions and other challenges related to the pandemic.

"They just dont have the bandwidth," said Susan Nakamura, an assistant deputy executive officer at the South Coast district. "Theyre struggling just to survive right now. Make payroll. Keep their business running."

The air district ultimately postponed its consideration of planned rules to reduce the industry's toxic air pollution.

Jerry Desmond, with the Metal Finishing Assn. of Southern California, expressed appreciation to South Coast air board members at a May 1 public meeting. Metal-finishing facilities have seen a 30% to 40% reduction in their operations, he said, and are "really embroiled in compliance with COVID-19 safe practices at the moment."

California's approach still stands in sharp contrast with the Trump administration, which has moved forward with environmental rollbacks during the health crisis and has suspended enforcement of a broad array of health and environmental protections in response to the pandemic.

Nichols, of the Air Resources Board, said the push to get rid of regulations is something that happens every time there's an economic downturn, including the financial crisis more than a decade ago, "when we faced some of the same knee-jerk requests to suspend or roll back environmental regulations that we are today."

Richard Frank, a professor of environmental practice at UC Davis School of Law, said he doesn't expect significant erosion to California's environmental protections because they have such broad public support.

"The commitment to environmental values in California is pretty deeply baked into the states social fabric and political DNA," Frank said. "And I hope that's not too naive a perspective. I don't think it is."
Afghanistan: UN shocked and outraged over deadly attacks on maternity hospital and funeral

12 May 2020 - Perpetrators behind two separate deadly attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday must be brought to justice, top UN officials have said.

At least 14 people were killed, including two newborn babies, when gunmen attacked a maternity hospital in the capital, Kabul, that morning.

The incident occurred just hours after a suicide blast killed at least 24 people and wounded scores more at a funeral in Nangarhar, located in the east of the country.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) took to Twitter to express "shock and revulsion" over the attacks.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Toby Lanzer, was "outraged" by the attack on the Sad Bistar Hospital, a 100-bed facility, which was full of patients and medical staff when the assault took place.

"It beggars belief that such a heinous act could be committed when Afghanistan is being ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic", he said in a statement.

"Civilians receiving care in hospitals, health workers, medical infrastructure and aid workers are protected under International Humanitarian Law; violations must be investigated and those behind the attacks brought to justice".

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(Newser)  The death toll in Tuesday's attack on an Afghan hospital's maternity ward has climbed to 24, while deaths from a later attack on a funeral have risen to 32, per the BBC. The terror began around 10am with blasts and gunfire heard at the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital in Kabul. Three people, reportedly disguised as police officers, killed babies, mothers, medical workers, and a police officer, reports the New York Times. One dead mother was cradling her living newborn; others were found under beds. The attackers were eventually killed by security personnel. The government afterward blamed the Taliban, but the group denied responsibility for the attack. It was similar to others carried out by the Islamic State, per the BBC, which notes three high-profile ISIS members were arrested in Kabul on Monday.

story continues below

An Afghan group affiliated with the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the violence that followed in Nangarhar, some 125 miles to the east, per the Times. A suicide bomber detonated a device halfway through a funeral for a police commander. Some 133 people were injured in the blast, per the BBC. Even the body of the police commander was "riddled with shrapnel," reports the Times. "Any attack on innocents is unforgivable, but to attack infants and women in labor in the sanctuary of a hospital is an act of sheer evil," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday, per Fox News. "Terrorists who attack mourners lining up for prayer at a funeral are only seeking to tear apart the bonds that hold families and communities together," he added, "but they will never succeed." (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
SoftwareONE Holding AG / Key word(s): Statement





Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 KR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN ANY JURISDICTION, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR ANYTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF, OR BE RELIED UPON IN CONNECTION.

Media Release SoftwareONE announces that it was informed about an accelerated bookbuilding process for the sale of shares by a number of shareholders Stans, Switzerland, 12 May 2020 - SoftwareONE Holding AG today announced that up to 16,000,000 shares, representing approximately 10% of SoftwareONE's share capital, are intended to be sold by a number of shareholders through an accelerated bookbuilding process. SoftwareONE has been informed that KKR, Raiffeisen Informatik, the heirs of Patrick Winter and Beat Curti have launched a sale of a total of up to 16,000,000 SoftwareONE shares (approximately 10%) by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process starting with immediate effect. The intended transaction is in line with the sell-down coordination agreed among the major shareholders in connection with SoftwareONE's IPO in October 2019. Beat Curti is participating in such sale with a limited number of up to 3,000,000 shares and will continue to hold more than 10% of the share capital. With regards to such limited sale of shares by Beat Curti, the respective lock-up period has been waived by the bookrunners of the IPO. The selling shareholders agreed to a 60-day lock-up subject to customary exceptions and consent by the joint bookrunners. In addition, the remainder of the SoftwareONE shares held by Beat Curti continue to be subject to the 12-month lock-up agreement entered into at the time of the IPO. Credit Suisse AG, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, UBS AG and KKR Capital Markets Partners LLP are acting as joint bookrunners for the placement. The result of the share offering will be announced after completion of the bookbuilding process. Following the settlement of the intended transaction, the founding shareholders Daniel von Stockar, Beat Curti and Rene Gilli will continue to jointly retain the largest stake in SoftwareONE.

CONTACT Panthea Derks, Media Relations

Tel. +41 44 832 82 03, panthea.derks@softwareone.com Anna Engvall, Investor Relations

Tel. +41 44 832 41 37, anna.engvall@softwareone.com

ABOUT SOFTWAREONE SoftwareONE is a leading global provider of end-to-end software and cloud technology solutions, headquartered in Switzerland. With capabilities across the entire value chain, it helps companies design and implement their technology strategy, buy the right software and cloud solutions at the right price, and manage and optimize their software estate. Its offerings are connected by PyraCloud, SoftwareONE's proprietary digital platform, that provides customers with data-driven, actionable intelligence. With around 5,400 employees and sales and service delivery capabilities in 90 countries, SoftwareONE provides around 65,000 business customers with software and cloud solutions from over 7,500 publishers. SoftwareONE's shares (SWON) are listed on SIX Swiss Exchange. For more information, please visit SoftwareONE.com. SoftwareONE Holding AG, Riedenmatt 4, CH-6370 Stans

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This media release may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to the group's future business, development and economic performance. Such statements may be subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors, such as but not limited to force majeure, competitive pressures, legislative and regulatory developments, global, macroeconomic and political trends, the group's ability to attract and retain the employees that are necessary to generate revenues and to manage its businesses, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and general financial market conditions, changes in accounting standards or policies, delay or inability in obtaining approvals from authorities, technical developments, litigation or adverse publicity and news coverage, each of which could cause actual development and results to differ materially from the statements made in this media release. SoftwareONE assumes no obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. IMPORTANT REGULATORY NOTICE This announcement is not for publication, distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia), Canada, South Africa, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction where such an announcement would be unlawful. The distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession this document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities referred to herein will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Section (4)(a)(1) of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act, subject to prevailing market and other conditions. There is no assurance that the offering will be completed or, if completed, as to the terms on which it is completed. The securities referred to herein 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 without registration thereunder or pursuant to an available exemption therefrom. Neither this document nor the information contained herein constitutes or forms part of an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States. There will be no public offer of any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. In member states of the European Economic Area and in the United Kingdom, this announcement and any offer if made subsequently is directed exclusively at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation ("Qualified Investors"), and does not constitute and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an invitation to the public in connection with any offer or constitute any offer to the public, each within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. The offer and sale of the securities referred to herein will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities. For these purposes, the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended.. In the United Kingdom this announcement is directed exclusively at Qualified Investors (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") or (ii) who fall within Article 49(2)(A) to (D) of the Order, and (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"); any other persons in the United Kingdom should not take any action on the basis of this announcement and should not act on or rely on it. In the United Kingdom, any investment activity and the securities to which this announcement relates are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by Credit Suisse AG, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, UBS AG and/or KKR Capital Markets Partners LLP (each, a "Joint Bookrunner") or by any of its affiliates or agents as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed. In connection with the offering of the shares of SoftwareONE Holding AG (the "Shares"), each Joint Bookrunner and any of its respective affiliates acting as an investor for their own account may take up as a proprietary position any Shares and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for their own account such Shares. In addition, each Joint Bookrunner or its respective affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which any Joint Bookrunner (or its affiliates) may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of Shares. The Joint Bookrunners do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so. The information contained in this announcement is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy or completeness. This announcement does not purport to identify or suggest the risks (direct or indirect) which may be associated with an investment in the Shares. Any investment decision in connection with the Shares must be made solely on the basis of all publicly available information relating to the Shares (which has not been independently verified by the Joint Bookrunners). The Joint Bookrunners are acting on behalf of the Selling Shareholder and no one else in connection with any offering of the Shares and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of the Joint Bookrunners nor for providing advice in relation to any offering of the Shares.

End of ad hoc announcement
The Indian government on Wednesday submitted further documents as "corroboratory evidence" in its case of fraud and money laundering against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who is contesting his extradition to India at an ongoing hearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.

District Judge Samuel Goozee expressed his concern at the late submission of the documents, said to include largely bank statements relating to the diamond merchant's companies, but has agreed to consider the application for their submission.

"I am going to need a very good explanation as to why these were not identified as evidence before," he said.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing in court on behalf of the Indian authorities, said while it was not necessary for the judge to see the new evidence, the documents "help clarify matters" and "back up what is already said" on the charge against Modi of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) by deceitfully obtaining letters of undertaking (LoUs), or bank guarantees, and then laundering the proceeds through a complex set of worldwide transactions using dummy companies.

But Modi's defence team has raised objections to the late submission as a "very troubling" and "highly contentious" move.

"Our case seems to have become a stress test for the government of India and for them to provide random pieces of evidence," said Modi's barrister Clare Montgomery.

The third day of the five-day extradition trial, being held in a partly remote setting, was disrupted a few times as the link to the court's common viewing platform (CVP) faced some technical issues.

It was finally stabilised for two defence witnesses to give their evidence via videolink Thierry Fritsch, a high-end French jewellery expert, and Justice Abhay Thipsay from India.

Fritsch, who had served on the Advisory Board of Nirav Modi's company for three years since 2015, vouched for Modi's "integrity" and skills as a great entrepreneur and a creative person, who was passionate about establishing the first international brand of luxury jewellery out of India.

"I was totally impressed with the craftsmanship at the workshop (in India). It was the best quality I could see anywhere in the world," he said.

While his evidence was countered by the CPS as Fritsch being involved with only one aspect of the Nirav Modi brand, Justice Thipsay's witness statement on the legal nuances under Indian law around the inadmissibility of the some of the police statements as well as the definition of deception under Indian law was also challenged.

The 49-year-old jeweller has been following the court proceedings via videolink from a room at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London, where he has been lodged since his arrest in March last year.

Dressed in formals, he can be seen listening carefully and occasionally making notes as he refers to papers on a desk.

Modi has made repeated attempts at bail over the past year, each of which were turned down as he is deemed a flight risk.

The jeweller was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard and will be the subject of a second hearing in September when the two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or 'criminal intimidation to cause death' are to be heard.

The judge has said that both the cases are "inextricably linked" and therefore the judgment will be handed down only at the end of both hearings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 announced a massive Rs 20 lakh crore package  almost 10 percent of Indias gross domestic product (GDP)  as the country battles the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

This Rs 20 lakh crore figure, as the PM said in his speech on May 12, includes the previous Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, various government announcements for key sectors and steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) since the lockdown began on March 24 midnight.

These earlier measures now together amount to Rs 7.79 lakh crore of the complete package.

Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here

Heres a look at the measures already announced:

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

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das announced measures providing Rs 5.2 lakh crore liquidity:

> In the first round, on March 27, RBI announced liquidity measures worth Rs 3.74 lakh crore and a steep 75 bps rate cut, through various instruments.

> Rs 2.8 lakh crore of this has been completed.

> In the second round, on April 17, RBI announced further liquidity measures worth another Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

> A special liquidity facility of Rs 50,000 crore for mutual funds (MFs) was announced to ease liquidity pressure on the sector.

> Rs 1 lakh crore targeted long term repo operation (TLTRO), which infused Rs 25,000 crore into the system.

> Rs 50,000 crore via refinance scheme for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on March 26, announced liquidity measures amounting to as much as Rs 1.7 lakh crore

>Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore and direct cash transfer benefits to help the poor and migrant workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

> For doctors: Insurance cover worth Rs 50 lakh per person for doctors, paramedics, nurses and other health professionals.

> For poor: Up to 80 crore poor people to get an additional 5 kg of rice/wheat, over and above the existing 5 kg limit.

> For farmers: Transfer of first installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Yojana's annual Rs 6,000 assistance to beneficiaries immediately.

> For MGNREGA workers: Wage to go up by Rs 2,000 per worker.

> For poor widows, senior citizens and differently-abled: An ex-gratia amount of Rs 1,000 per month for the next three months.

> For beneficiaries of Ujjwala Scheme: Free gas cylinders to below poverty line families registered under the scheme for three months.

> For women having Jan Dhan Accounts: An ex-gratia amount of Rs 500 p.m for three months.

> For women in self-help groups: For seven crore households, the limit of collateral-free loans increased to Rs 20,00,000 from existing Rs 10,00,000.

> For organised sector workers: The government to pay EPF contribution of both employer and employees for three months. This will be applicable to firms with up to 100 employees, where 90 percent of employees earn less than Rs 15,000 per month.

> For organised sector employees: EPF scheme amended to allow non-refundable advance of 75 percent of the amount in credit of the account or three months' wages, whichever is lower.

> For construction workers: The government to utilise Rs 31,000-crore fund available in Building and other Construction Workers Fund to aid 3.5 crore construction workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

> For medical expenses: States to use district mineral fund for medical screening, facilities and health needs.

Today is the 50th day of Indias nationwide lockdown. Known COVID-19 cases in India stand at 74,281. The death toll due to the outbreak has reached 2,415.

The lockdown, which began from midnight of March 24 has since been extended twice  first to May 3 and then till May 17. Gradual easing began from April 20, with areas demarcated as Green, Orange and Red Zones based on number of cases and infection rate.

PM Modi on May 12 announced that the lockdown will be extended post May 17, details of which will be shared before May 18.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to announce contours of the complete Rs 20 lakh crore economic package at 4 pm today.
"Have you ever wondered what sets top developers apart in the world of open source engineering?" Dr. Shallon Brown asks.

As a software engineer with over 20 years of Drupal and open source experience, North Studio CTO Dr. Brown is excited to answer this question during her upcoming keynote speech at the Open Source 101 online conference. This is a paid event geared towards open source developers, technologists, and students who hope to advance their knowledge and careers in the field of open source development.

Dr. Brown's speech will address several tips and qualities that make for a great open source developer, including:



How to avoid developer burnout

Interview skills/recognizing desirable characteristics for an interviewer

Working collaboratively to create a successful project

How to thrive in a high-stakes open source environment

When asked for comment, Dr. Brown said she is both "delighted to deliver this speech at Open Source 101, and to encourage the next generation of open source developers and leaders."

Open Source 101 organizers Danny Perez-Caballero and Todd Lewis expressed a similar sentiment, stating that the conference is "excited to welcome Dr. Brown to the conference, and looks forward to her sharing her experience and expertise with this year's conference attendants."

Register for the event at https://opensource101.com/.

About Dr. Shallon Brown, North Studio CTO and Drupal Leader

Dr. Brown is a leading open source and Drupal developer, with over 20 years of experience in software engineering. She currently serves as the CTO of North Studio, a web development and support firm based out of British Columbia, Canada. Prior to her work with North Studio, Dr. Brown completed her doctorate in Information Systems Engineering, where she delivered a dissertation entitled "Motivations in Open Source: A Quantitative Study on Drupal in Academia." She has also worked on hundreds of Drupal projects over the past two decades, including work for the IRS, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University.

Dr. Brown brings a wealth of experience and leadership not only in development but also as a keynote speaker, as she was previously invited to deliver a keynote speech at Baltimore's 2017 Drupalcon Higher Education Summit.
Dr. Su Ngoc Khuong, senior director at Savills Vietnam

Real estate enterprises requesting the government to extend the deadline on tax and land rental fee payments has highlighted the difficulties they are currently facing due to the double impact of the incomplete legal system and the pandemic.

However, the new government decree will benefit real estate enterprises who are currently constructing or have put projects into operation. For projects in the pipeline this extension will not yield practical results. On the other hand, the proposal to extend tax payment deadline by one year would only solve short-term problems because the gravest difficulty is about legal procedures. The government has been providing timely policies to support the enterprise community, however, enterprises proposals should be evaluated with the aim of crafting straightforward policies in the coming time.

In addition, I hope the government will consider to thoroughly resolve the legal issues and procedural bottlenecks hampering incoming projects in order to support enterprises in the medium- and long-term.

From the international and macro-perspective, many governments around the world have been rolling out support packages to buttress business operations and development, especially giving assistance in tax, credit, and extension for loan repayments. Some 80-90 per cent of businesses in Vietnam are now small or medium-sized. This means they are the main source of contribution to the state budget. Therefore, they should be able to access practical support from the government in mechanisms, orientations, and industry strategies.

In addition, the government should also pay more focus on the private sector  the group that is filling in an increasingly important role in the development of the Vietnamese and global economy.

For real estate enterprises, this tough time is also a substantive test of their financial and crisis management capacities, and the most resilient players will be apparent by how swiftly they can revert to stable operations after the pandemic. For individual investors it is more necessary than ever to carefully consider their capital flows because the epidemic is causing the cutting of jobs, reduction of salaries, resulting in lower consumption and demand for properties.

For strong financial investors, this time could be a good opportunity to splash out and acquire more assets. However, they also need to consider longer-term plans for the times following the epidemic because the whole economy and the market will need time to recover. Investors profit expectations should take this timeline into calculation.

The Vietnamese government has been effectively controlling the pandemic. However, business activities and life have not yet returned to normal  social distancing is still encouraged, as well as wearing face masks and staying at home unless necessary, and many businesses are not allowed to re-open just yet.

In addition, Vietnam also has to depend on the disease control of the whole world, with many restrictions on international airlines flights in and out of Vietnam, import and export of goods and food, and foreign investment deals.

In the real estate sector, domestic consumption is not expected to turn up in the short term. I expect that it will not be until the end of this year, when the pandemic is completely under control in Vietnam and around the world, that the economy will return to stability, then gradually start developing, with positive signs again in early or mid-2021.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

Coronavirus crisis: Here is what new findings, study reveals about smokers and COVID-19

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, May 13: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday issued a statement highlighting the risk of smoking that allegedly claims the use of tobacco or nicotine reduces the risk of COVID-19. This statement came days after researchers published a hypothesis that says nicotine may obstruct the novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, researchers from British and Saudi Arabian institutions published a study that associates smoking with the deaths due to COVID-19.

We cannot lose the fight against coronavirus, says PM Modi to nation

In a statement, the WHO said it is constantly evaluating new research, including research that examines the link between tobacco use, nicotine use, and coronavirus.

"There is currently insufficient information to confirm any link between tobacco or nicotine in the prevention or treatment of COVID-19," the statement said, adding that it did not specify who had made unproven claims about nicotine reducing the risk of coronavirus.

Indias COVID-19 doubling rate now at 12.2 days

But, the overall view in the scientific community is that smoking is harmful for patients suffering from coronavirus. The newest paper, published in PLOS ONE on Monday, reviewed databases to look at the prevalence of smoking, as well as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in coronavirus-affected patients.

It study revealed that smokers were 1.45 times more likely to have severe complications compared to former and non-smokers. Also, it said that critically ill COVID-19 patients with COPD had a 63 per cent risk of severe disease and a 60 per cent risk of mortality. However, critically ill patients without COPD had only a 33.4 per cent risk of severe disease and 55 per cent of mortality risk.
The Delhi High Court has granted 45-day interim bail to a man facing extradition to Scotland for standing trial in a attempted rape case there.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait granted the interim relief to Raminder Singh who is accused of attempted rape in 2012 when he was in Scotland, United Kingdom (UK) and is in custody here since April 6, 2015.

The court directed that Singh be released on bail subject to his furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1.5 lakh before the Superintendent of Jail concerned.

With the direction, the court disposed of his application for interim bail.

The other conditions of his bail include that he will be present every day of his extradition proceedings, he will not leave the country without prior permission of the court and his passport be deposited with it.

Central government standing counsel Ajay Digpaul opposed grant of bail to Singh, saying extradition proceedings are pending against him and therefore, he not be granted the relief.

However, the high court was of the view that Singh "deserves interim bail for 45 days".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel on Wednesday, a day before its new government was to be sworn in, to discuss plans to annex much of the occupied West Bank into the Jewish state. President Donald Trump's top diplomat also voiced fresh condemnation of their common arch foe Iran, accusing the Islamic republic of promoting terrorism during the coronavirus pandemic. Pompeo was headed back to Washington after talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival-turned-ally Benny Gantz, who are set to form a unity government on Thursday to end a year of political gridlock. Pompeo's trip coincided with an upsurge in violence in the West Bank. Israeli troops shot dead a 15-year-old Palestinian near the flashpoint city of Hebron Wednesday, a day after a Palestinian stone-thrower killed an Israeli soldier during an arrest operation near Jenin, the army's first fatality of the year. In talks with Netanyahu and Gantz, Pompeo addressed Trump's controversial Middle East peace plan which gives a green light for Israel to annex Jewish settlements and strategic areas of the West Bank. For the Palestinians and much of the international community, such a move would sink any hope of a two-state solution to the conflict. It has also stoked tensions with Jordan, which is one of only two Arab states to have a peace deal with Israel and shares a border with the strategic border region, accounting for roughly 30 percent of the West Bank. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Wednesday that "any Israeli decision to annex the settlements, the Jordan Valley and the north of the Dead Sea in occupied Palestine will be a disastrous step". In a phone conversation with Spain's foreign minister, Safadi warned that it would "kill chances for a just peace and push the region towards more conflict". Speaking Wednesday evening, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas did not directly mention Pompeo's visit but warned Israel and the US against annexation. Abbas repeated a threat he has previously made that the Palestinian government would no longer abide by agreements with Israel and even possibly the United States "if the Israeli government announces the annexation of any part of our occupied lands." He added Israel and the US would be responsible for the "serious consequences". - No talks with Palestinians - Netanyahu and Gantz are set to launch their government Thursday, having faced off in three inconclusive elections in less than a year before reaching a three-year power-sharing deal. Netanyahu, the right-winger in office since 2009, will serve as premier for 18 months with Gantz as his alternate, before the two swap posts for a further year and a half. Their coalition agreement says the government can from July 1 begin considering to implement Trump's plan. The Palestinians have rejected Trump's proposals and cut ties with his administration in 2017 over its pro-Israel stance. Their chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Pompeo's team had not reached out ahead of the visit. "The Trump administration is collaborating with Israel in its annexation plan in what is both an attempt at burying the rights of the Palestinian people as well as a blatant attack on a rules-based international system," he said. Israel has controlled the West Bank since seizing it in the Six-Day War of 1967. Nearly three million Palestinians live in the territory alongside more than 400,000 Israelis residing in settlements that are considered illegal under international law. - US presidential vote - Former US president Barack Obama's ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, told AFP that he believes the "Trump administration very much wants this annexation to happen". He said it wants to ensure its staunchly pro-Israel voters, including evangelical Christians and conservative Jews, are energised ahead of the November presidential election. Netanyahu may be tempted to move quickly in order to help Trump's re-election chances and ensure annexation is a done deal before a possible unfavourable change in the White House, Shapiro noted. But that would create risks internationally and could cause division within Netanyahu's government, he added. Netanyahu's previous coalition had hardline pro-annexation right-wingers in key posts, notably outgoing defence minister Naftali Bennett. Gantz, the new government's defence minister, has praised the Trump plan but warned against moves that threaten regional stability. In his talks with Pompeo, Gantz discussed "different avenues for bringing about (the plan's) realisation," a statement from his party said. Pompeo made no direct comments about annexation while in Jerusalem, but again levelled tough rhetoric at Tehran. He claimed that even as Iran's people faced the Middle East's deadliest coronavirus outbreak, Tehran was using its resources "to foment terror across the world, even when the people of Iran are struggling so mightily." "It tells you a lot about the soul of those people who lead that country." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) meets with Israeli Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, the incoming alternate premier A Palestinian youth uses a slingshot to hurl rocks at Israeli troops during clashes in the West Bank village of Kfar Qaddum on May 8 Palestinian mourners carry the body Zaid Qaysia, 15. Israeli forces shot dead the teenager during clashes in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said Family members and friends mourn during the funeral of Amit Ben Ygal, a 21-year-old Israeli army soldier who was killed in the village of Yaabed near the West Bank city of Jenin The US plan recognises Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital, defying Palestinian aspirations that the eastern part of the city will serve as their future capital Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pictured on on May 10. Netanyahu praised Washington's pressure on Iran, which he accused of "aggressive actions against Americans, Israelis and everyone else in the region"
New Delhi, May 13 : After Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, here on Wednesday, announced economic measures as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, the Congress criticised the package and said there was nothing for the migrants.

"Except for the modest MSME (micro, small & medium enterprises) package, we are disappointed with the announcement," said former Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

Addressing the media, Chidambaram said, "There is nothing in the Finance Minister's announcement for the lakhs of poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers. It's a cruel blow to those who toil for living every day." "There is also nothing by the way of cash transfer for the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) who have been pushed into destitution. Only on Tuesday, Thomas Pikketty pleaded for cash transfer to the poor," Chidambaram said.

The Finance Minister said there would be a collateral-free loan programme for 45 lakh MSMEs, backed by a Rs 3 lakh crore credit guarantee fund, and some other measures, including Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt and Rs 10,000 crore equity fund.

Chidambaram said the measures were skewed in favour of large MSMEs. "The bulk of the 6.3 crore MSMEs has been left high and dry. We welcome the offer of subordinate debt (Rs 20,000 crore) and equity corpus fund (Rs 10,000 crore). But we will await their terms and conditions. The devil is in the detail," the Congress leader said.

He said in case of the credit guarantee fund, not the entire fund would be spent. "The expenditure will be limited to the extent of NPAs in the outstanding guarantee credit to MSMEs. Assuming an NPA level of 20-50 per cent, the actual expenditure over the loan period (which may be years) will be a maximum of Rs 3,00,000 crore," he said.

Demanding to know where is the rest of the Rs 16.4 lakh crore, Chidambaram said, "This government is a prisoner of its own ignorance and fears. The government must borrow more and spend more, but it's not willing to do so." The government must allow states to borrow more and spend more, but it was not willing to do so, Chidambaram said.
Suicide is reportedly the second leading cause of non-coronavirus deaths in India during the lockdown, according to the data compiled by a journalist

A 26-year-old studying in Ranchi, killed herself because she was unable to go back to her parents' home during COVID-19 lockdown.

A 25-year-old, pursuing a masters programme in Ireland, managed to rush back home, just before international flights shut down, because she felt lonely and depressed. She still hung herself two months later at her family home in Mumbai.

A 56-year-old hung himself in Andhra Pradeshs Chittoor district near his mothers grave because he thought he was coronavirus positive and was afraid he would infect his three children and wife.

A 50-year-old COVID-19 patient undergoing treatment in Bengalurus Victoria Hospital killed himself after another woman admitted in the same ward succumbed to the disease. His doctors said he was responding well to the treatment despite an underlying renal condition.

A rickshaw driver in Nagpur set himself ablaze because he was unable to manage his alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Reeling off these facts makes no sense - the victims were all of different age group, from different strata of society and from different geographical locations - only that all these lives could have been saved if circumstances were different.

Just as India is struggling to arrest the spread of a global pandemic and reduce the mortality rate, a wave of completely preventable deaths have hit the nation. A look at user search behaviour on internet reveals that the search for the term 'suicide' peaked right after lockdown was announced in India. It spiked again when it was extended for the third time.

Suicide is reportedly the second leading cause of non-coronavirus deaths in India during the lockdown, according to the data compiled by journalist Rachel Chitra. A similar study by a group of researchers found that 168 of the 326 non-COVID-19 deaths till 9 May (51 percent) were suicides. These figures are nowhere close to the actual impact of the crisis as these are simply a compilation of deaths reported in the media.

Mental health experts, working in the frontlines, think that many such deaths are going unreported and may never make it to an official tally. They also warn that a second wave of suicides will hit once the true economic impact of the punishing lockdown seeps into people's jobs and lives after the lockdown is lifted.

The economic burden of lockdown costs lives

Loss of jobs, pay cuts, and financial distress are some of the obvious offenders and direct byproducts of the lockdown that has made a huge section of our population vulnerable to the point of contemplating self-harm.

Hemangi Vyawahare, a Bandra-based therapist in Mumbai says the real threat of suicide deaths is still snowballing and the real picture will emerge once people settle in and face the real impact on their income and job security. A report in The Conversation, quotes data based on surveys conducted in the western world to support her hunch.

Studies in 26 European countries over four decades suggest that increases in unemployment of more than 3 percent are associated with increases in suicides by 4.45 percent. A similar relationship was found in Australia during the global financial crisis.

In India, where the employment situation and per capita income is relatively worse, deaths caused by despair can outweigh the ones caused by the pandemic. A Mumbai-based think tank said that the country's unemployment rate to 27.11 percent for the week ended 3 May, up from the under 7 percent level before the start of the pandemic in mid-March.

In these situation, India's poorest are also its worst hit in the face of the pandemic.

The national mental health survey last released in 2016 also reveals that people from lowest income groups were the most vulnerable when it comes to mental disorders. Now in a pandemic, when they are also the economically worst-hit, most media-reported suicide deaths were of migrant labourers resorting to self-harm out of financial desperation.

Shernaz Doctor a therapist with Samaritans Mumbai  a suicide prevention and therapy group that provides free services to the needy  echoes the same sentiment.

Shernaz found that people from lower income group were most vulnerable as their anxiety attacks were driven by real-life survival crisis. They were also the least likely to seek help. She explains that Samaritans sustains on donations and offers free counselling to those in need, but that is hardly the end of the problem. Even before the lockdown, access and cost barriers along with social stigma associated to mental illnesses, kept it out of reach for the poor.

Now with the entire country under lockdown, the marginalised section has added stress and reduced access to therapists and medication. Online or tele-therapy is a privilege reserved for the upper and middle class Indians; none of the technology platforms that have become our respite from lockdown are designed taking into account the less literate, disabled or the poor people.

"When people are struggling with job losses and financial stress, treatment for mental health does not even feature on their priority list. We try to offer free services to as many as possible, but reach and capacity of NGOs like ours is very limited. Also, our efforts to provide therapy may not always bear fruits because a lot of people live in one-room shanties or small flats with a large family. They do not have the privacy or the privilege to undergo therapy from their homes," Shernaz says.

She says that some people don't even have smartphones, but need medication which are more often than not classified as Scheduled H and H1 drugs, that cannot be purchased over the counter without a prescription. "We ask such patients to go to the nearest medical stores, then we talk to the chemist, Whatsapp them the prescription details and facilitate the purchase," Shernaz says.

Elderly, children, young adults are among vulnerable groups: Doctors

Mental health experts, stepping up to deal with the sudden crisis, report a plethora of underlying factors that have also led to a spike in distress calls and suicidal tendencies. And the harsh lockdown has further hampered people's capacity to reach out for help.

One of the most vulnerable groups are people already suffering from psychological disorders. Shreya Agarwal, a Pune-based clinical psychologist offering pro-bono services to those in need, said she has seen that past trauma is resurfacing for a lot of people because of the increased stress and negativity in these times.

Shernaz Doctor said that her clients, especially those dealing with depression, have been distressed because whatever semblance of a routine they had built with so much effort is now shattered. "In my experience, while those suffering from anxiety have found it better to manage their symptoms because they are not required to go out and socialise, this is a bad time for those dealing with depression," she says.

Elderly are another group left to fend for themselves.

"Suicide is never about death. It's about not wanting the life you have," Shernaz says. And chronic depression, unwillingness to live and clinical depression are common problems among the elderly even in normal times.

For the geriatric population, the lockdown presents a complex paradox. While social distancing and isolation are the only way to protect them from the disease, but at the same time it triggers feeling of alienation and insecurity. With the lockdown and the pandemic, these feelings are now heightened.

Their routine is destroyed, and they fear that they will die alone due to the lockdown, says Agarwal.

In Vyawahare's experience, the coping mechanism for such alienation is either witnessed in form of rash behaviour and low self worth, or they simply slip into depression. Vyawahare labels the former as an expression of self-harm, and warns against more serious sucidal tendencies due to the latter.

"We forget that old people are not as tech savvy. For them, adjusting to this new life order is like learning a new life skill. You cannot expect them to order their grocery online or medication through an app. They simply do not have the will to carry on or adapt," she says.

Vyawahare says lockdown has given rise to strains in ties, domestic violence, verbal and physical abuse at home. "Family squabbles, clashes and strains in ties have been flaring up because people are suddenly home bound. They have to face those differences and issues which had been swept under the carpet. And when a household is stressed, children are the worst affected," she says, "That is when we see reactions like irritability, acting out, tantrums. Kids are young to understand the reality of these times, especially when we are not providing them answers in the right way, but the parents' stress rubs off on them."

For teenagers and young adults, the lockdown has wiped out their safe-space. "Youngsters who already have strained ties with their parents and family are suddenly constrained in a constricted space with them. All they are left with is the washroom," Vyawahare said.

Can't see your therapist due to lockdown?

Dr A Jagadish, consultant psychiatrist at Abhaya Hospital in Bangalore, said that in the early days of lockdown a psychotic patient tried to kill himself because he couldn't access his medication. "A psychotic patient attempted suicide because they could not access the medication due to the lockdown. The sudden withdrawal of medicines caused resumption of their symptoms, including auditory hallucinations. The patient heard voices which were nudging them to resort to self-harm."

While Jagadishs patient survived, many others were simply unprepared for the trauma and stress these times have unleashed.

Yael Ajgarni, a resident of suburban Mumbai lost a friend to chronic depression on 27 April, less than two weeks after the lockdown period was extended. The 25-year-old girl (name withheld) was diagnosed with clinical depression while studying abroad, and her friends had begged her to come back home to be among loved ones.

But soon after her return, the situation in Maharashtra worsened and OPDs in all prominent hospitals were shut off; private therapy clinics too became out of reach. Yael believes that although options like online therapy could have been possible, the lockdown made it more difficult to seek help.

Getting help for mental health comes with taboo, disinterest or disinclination from the patient and the lack of seriousness and awareness among family and the loved ones. Lockdown simply added another layer of inertia to the whole process.

"As she was depressed, may be she needed that extra push and perseverance from her friends and family to go seek help. I and her other friends tried our best over phone calls but we couldn't physically be there to take her to a psychiatrist due to the lockdown. We informed one of her family members that she was predisposed to suicidal thoughts and ideation, but families rarely do understand the severity and seriousness of these things. They perhaps thought that she could manage her stress on her own, or they failed to comprehend the seriousness; we would never know. All I know is she could have been saved."
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - good natured Products Inc. (TSXV: GDNP) (the "Company" or "good natured") today announced it has closed the previously announced strategic acquisition of Shepherd Thermoforming & Packaging Inc. ("Shepherd") and all of its real estate for CAD$9.5 million. Shepherd is a leading thermoformer with over 35 years' experience and includes assets such as machinery, molds and a 42,000 square foot manufacturing facility, all located on 2.31 acres of land in the Greater Toronto Area of Brampton, Ontario.

The terms of the acquisition were first announced in a good natured news release on March 3, 2020 and further details of the transaction were released by the Company on April 29, 2020. The acquisition was an arm's length transaction which closed in accordance with the terms and conditions as previously disclosed. The purchase price was financed through a combination of the previously announced $6 million BDC mortgage loan, $1.35 million in a vendor-take back promissory note, with the balance funded by drawdown of the Company's previously announced June 2019 BDC credit facility.

"We're very pleased to announce the completion of this acquisition, and welcome everyone at Shepherd to the good natured family," said Paul Antoniadis, CEO of good natured. "Shepherd grows our customer base with an addition of over 75 customers, our capabilities, and our market reach into Eastern Canada and the Northeast United States."

"We are delighted to support an acquisition that marks a key milestone in good natured's history as well as its contribution to the adoption of plant-based plastics," said Jahangir Bhatti, Director, Cleantech Practice at BDC. "With its wide assortment of products and strategic Eastern Canada location, Shepherd is in good stance to fuel good natured's already robust growth."

The Company also confirms, further to its news release of April 29, 2020, that today the Company completed the conversion of $1 million CAD of its existing long term credit facility with BDC by issuing 6,666,667 common shares ("Shares") to BDC at a deemed price of $0.15 per Share (the "Debt Settlement Shares"), and issued 3,000,000 Shares to BDC with a deemed price of $0.15 per Share as a loan bonus under the same facility (the "Loan Bonus Shares"). The Debt Settlement Shares and the Loan Bonus Shares are subject to a four month hold period expiring September 2020 under applicable securities laws.

$2,800,000 CAD Operating Line of Credit

The Company also announces that it has entered into a Sixth Supplemental Loan Agreement with Comerica Bank, the current senior lender to the Company, under which Comerica Bank will make available to the Company an additional $2.8 million CAD operating line of credit with interest at Prime Rate plus 0.5%, which is available for use upon the closing of the Company's acquisition of Shepherd. The line of credit will be used to fund ongoing growth for the Company and Shepherd through procurement of raw materials, production molds and new product inventories.

About good natured Products Inc.

good natured is producing and distributing one of North America's widest assortments of better everyday products made with renewable, plant-based materials and no BPAs, phthalates or other chemicals of concern potentially harmful to human health and the environment.

By combining cutting-edge renewable material technology and the latest sustainable design features, good natured creates eco-friendly home and business products, food packaging, restaurant/take-out containers and other industrial supplies designed to do good for the planet, good for human health and good for business by driving incremental sales, minimizing waste and improving logistics, all bundled up in a fresh and friendly brand.

For more information: goodnatured.ca

About Shepherd Thermoforming and Packaging Inc.

Shepherd Thermoforming is a family owned-and-operated business that has become a placeholder in the North American plastics industry since its inception in 1984. With a commitment to customer satisfaction, Shepherd has grown to become an all-in-one solution for custom thermoforming and vacuum forming needs.

Shepherd's 42,000 square foot facility is home to industry leading sales, engineering and production teams. With a commitment to offer complete solutions for all clients, Shepherd applied for and attained SQF (Safe Quality Food) certification to go along with its fully integrated ISO 9001:2015 certificate. This means that Shepherd has the ability to produce custom, food safe clamshells, blister packs and other forms of thermoformed and vacuum formed packages to suit each customer's specific needs.

About BDC

BDC is the only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. It provides access to financing, both online and in-person, as well as advisory services to help Canadian businesses grow and succeed. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers a wide range of risk capital solutions. For 75 years and counting, BDC's purpose has been to support entrepreneurs in all industries and all stages of growth. For more information and to consult more than 1,000 free tools, articles and entrepreneurs' stories, visit bdc.ca.

On behalf of the Company:

Paul Antoniadis - Chief Executive Officer

Contact: 1-604-566-8466

Investor Contact:

Andy Phillips

Investor Relations

1-877-286-0617 ext. 113

invest@goodnatured.ca

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibilities for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55759
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa defended on Tuesday the head of the National Capital Region Police Office against criticisms that his birthday celebration last week breached physical distancing protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NCRPO chief Debold Sinas celebrated his birthday, together with other members of the regional police force, last Friday at their office. The policemen surprised Sinas with an early morning serenade or mananita that day.

Una, walang partyng nangyari ang sabi ni Gen. [Debold] Sinas. Probably nagkaroon ng mananita pero doon sa mananita ang sabi ni Gen. Sinas is that inobserve pa rin nila yong mga social distancing. Now, I don't think na meron namang violation ito, said Gamboa in his virtual presser yesterday.

[Translation: First, Gen. Sinas said there was no party that happened. Probably they had mananita but Gen. Sinas said they observed social distancing. Now, I dont think it is a violation.]

Gamboa stressed that even top police officers are not exempted from following the law.

Alam naman natin napakahirap nong trabaho niya sa NCRPO but nevertheless it is not an excuse for him not to follow simple health protocols, he said.

[Translation: We know that he has a hard job to do in NCRPO, but nevertheless, it is not an excuse for him not to follow simple health protocols.]

Photos posted by NCRPO Public Information Office on its Facebook page drew flak from netizens after showing many policemen attended the birthday celebration of Sinas.

Some police officers were seen giving Sinas roses and cakes, while the Metro Manilas top cop was seen mingling with other people seated at different tables and lining up to get meals.

The photos have since been deleted by the NCRPO Public Information Office on their social media accounts.

As of posting, Sinas has not yet issued any statement about this matter.

Last Monday, Sinas placed Camp Karingal in Quezon City under a three-day lockdown after 14 members of the Quezon City Police District tested positive of the virus.

Ten of the 14 infected QCPD personnel are assigned inside Camp Karingal while the other four are assigned in QCPD community precincts.

To date, the PNP has 164 confirmed COVID-19 cases, along with four deaths and 52 recoveries. The police force is also monitoring 595 probable and 389 suspect COVID-19 cases.

The World Health Organization prescribed at least one meter or three feet distance in promoting physical distancing as a precautionary measure against the virus.
May 13 (Reuters) - Public health official Anthony Fauci warned on Tuesday about the dangers to children if U.S. schools are reopened and California's state university system, the largest in the United States, canceled classes for the fall semester.

As the U.S. debates when to bring children back into classrooms, phased-in reopenings have begun in numerous countries around the world.

Here's how schools around the world are trying to protect children as they reopen:

SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES

Denmark eased its coronavirus lockdown in mid-April by reopening schools and day care centres, although concerns they might become breeding grounds for a second wave of cases convinced thousands of parents to keep their children at home.

Teaching staff there are under instruction to keep social distancing in place between children and, with many school buildings staying closed, some teachers are taking pupils outside and writing with chalk on the playground instead of a blackboard.

In Switzerland, children at Geneva's La Tour School had to adapt to new rituals, with parents dropping them off at a distance. Classrooms were half full to reduce crowding and desks spaced two metres (6.5 feet) apart.

Under a courtyard shelter in heavy rain, children laughed while others played hopscotch and one girl helped a smaller child put on disposable gloves.

PLASTIC SHIELDS AND HAND SANITISER

In the Netherlands, the Springplank school in the city of Den Bosch installed plastic shields around students' desks and disinfectant gel dispensers at the doorways.

"Our teachers are not worried," said Rascha van der Sluijs, the school's technical coordinator. "We have flexible screens that we bought so we can protect our teachers if students are coughing."

The Canadian province of Quebec reopened some of its schools on Monday, as some parents and teachers expressed uncertainty over the moveas safety. The Ecole St-Gerard, in a Montreal suburb, opened with staff wearing visors and using hand sanitizer.

STAGGERED SCHOOL SHIFTS

Story continues

Schools in Australia's biggest state, New South Wales, reopened on Monday but only allowing students to attend one day a week on a staggered basis.

Australia's second-most populous state, Victoria, will resume face-to-face teaching from May 27, weeks earlier than expected. The state including the city of Melbourne will allow teenagers in classrooms first, followed by younger pupils from June 9, Andrew said.

Israel reopened some schools this month but the move was boycotted by several municipalities and many parents who cited poor government preparation.

Kitted with masks and hand-cleaners, the first three grades of elementary school and the last two grades of high school were allowed back, redistributed in classes capped at 15 pupils to enforce social distancing.

Across France, primary school pupils on Tuesday sat at least a metre apart in small classes and listened to teachers in masks on their first day back after two months of home-schooling during the coronavirus lockdown.

TESTING AND TEMPERATURE CHECKS

In Cyprus, health workers wearing personal protective equipment tested students for COVID-19 at a school in Nicosia after high schoolers were allowed to return beginning May 11.

In Shanghai, students and staff alike were required to enter the school building via a thermal scanner when school reopened last week after three months of lockdown. The walls are papered with posters on measures to tackle the coronavirus and in the spotlessly clean school canteen, glass walls divide the tables, so only two students can eat together.

It may be more like going to a hospital than a school, but the Shanghai students returning to class after three months of lockdown are thrilled to be there.

"I feel so excited coming back to school. Usually we look forward to the holidays but suddenly our holidays became so long, 17-year-old Zhang Jiayi told Reuters. "This time, we longed to go back to school, where we can see our friends and teachers."

(Editing by Mark John and Lisa Shumaker)
(Natural News) A total of 4,215,514 people around the world have been infected by the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to data from Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday.

Even as the pandemic continues to rage, many parts of the world are starting to loosen restrictions. But many countries in Asia  in particular, those hailed for their early response  are battling the pandemic again, as new clusters emerge.

Singapore to ramp up testing

Health officials in Singapore reported 884 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the countrys total caseload to 24,671, with 21 deaths. The island nation, once praised for its initial handling of the coronavirus, now has the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines with 14,749 and 11,350 cases, respectively.

Kenneth Mak, the director of medical services for Singapores Ministry of Health, said that the government will boost testing capacity fivefold, from 8,000 to as many as 40,000 tests a day later this year.

China announces new outbreak in Wuhan

Authorities in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the pandemic began, said that it will test all 11 million residents after new cases were confirmed this week. The new cluster of cases was linked to a man who first became ill in March and contracted the disease again last month.

However, local reports revealed that the outbreak is more severe than how it is portrayed in state media. In addition, the Epoch Times published an account of how authorities detained a woman who demanded justice for her daughter who died of COVID-19.

I wont stop. I will continue my protest until I get justice for my daughter, Yang Min, the protester, told the Epoch Times.

New cluster in South Korea linked to nightclub

In Seoul, officials are scrambling to contain the capital citys biggest coronavirus clusters. Using mobile phone data, credit card statements and closed-circuit TV footage, health authorities have identified around 100 new cases of coronavirus after an infected man visited bars and clubs in Itaewon, a known nightlife district.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified over 10,000 people in the area at the time of the incident and have tested over 7,000 people, including family members and co-workers of clubgoers. Currently, the agency is still tracing over 1,900 people who have yet to be identified.

Brazils largest cities tighten restrictions

The states of Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro will start requiring its residents to wear masks in public places and on public transportation following a steep increase in coronavirus-related deaths. Sao Paolo has also extended its stay-at-home measures to the end of the month. (Related: SECOND WAVE of coronavirus infections about to hit Germany as country relaxes lockdowns and social distancing regulations.)

The move, however, has put the states in the crosshairs of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the severity of the coronavirus and has pushed for the country to reopen  despite having over 178,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, the highest in South America. Public health experts have also noted that the coronavirus crisis is getting worse in the country. In the past two days, over 1,200 people have died, while many hospitals in the country are reaching capacity.

Infectious disease experts in the country are also pushing to extend restrictions, saying that the outbreak still hasnt slowed.

Were in a state of calamity, the worst since World War II, and some people minimize it, saying its just an annoyance, said Carlos Fortaleza, an epidemiologist at Sao Paolo State University.

Learn more about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

Coronavirus.JHU.edu

StraitsTimes.com

Bloomberg.com

NYTimes.com

TheEpochTimes.com

CBC.ca

WSJ.com
As the federal government gears up to deliver relief measures for hard-hit industries, smaller airlines worry they'll be left out.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Flair Airlines CEO Jim Scott is pictured at the Edmonton International Airport, in Edmonton on Thursday March 5, 2020. As the federal government gears up to roll out relief measures for hard-hit industries, smaller airlines worry theyll be left out of the largesse. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

As the federal government gears up to deliver relief measures for hard-hit industries, smaller airlines worry they'll be left out.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that federal financing will be available to the country's largest employers to help weather the COVID-19 economic crisis. Loans will start at $60 million for companies with at least $300 million in annual revenues.

Regional carriers, most of which fall far short of that threshold, fear they might go under without a tailor-made support program from Ottawa as border shutdowns and the collapse of global travel continue to choke off demand.

Flair Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier based in Edmonton, has reduced its commercial fleet to one airplane since late March. The flight schedule  16 trips per week  stands at 10 per cent of pre-coronavirus levels after the company lost 95 per cent of its revenue in nine days, CEO Jim Scott said.

"We need a federal airline support package that does not select winners and losers but demonstrates a commitment to a diversified and competitive airline industry accessible to all Canadians," Scott said in a statement last week.

He cautioned against a bailout that would reinforce a "David and Goliath system dominated by a large-carrier duopoly."

The $300-million threshold rules out about three-quarters of Canadian airlines from the new relief program, said John McKenna, president of the Air Transportation Association of Canada, which counts 30 smaller carriers as members.

"The outlying communities, the northern communities, they rely on these regional carriers as a lifeline," McKenna said. "I am happy for the seven or so carriers in Canada who may qualify (but) the government must not forget that the regional carriers offer just as important a service as the large carriers."

A federal aid package for the territories includes $17 million for northern airlines to help fly food and medical supplies to remote communities. Far-flung areas south of the 60th parallel, such as northwestern Ontario and Nunavik in Quebec, are not covered.

"We want the government of Canada to come out with a plan that treats everyone equitably but fairly," McKenna said.

Part of the anxiety stems from a lack of feedback, with "radio silence" from Ottawa.

"There's not even any dialogue with the government. We have no idea what they're doing," he said. "When we talk to finance, they say, 'Something's coming, we can't talk about it."

McKenna has asked the government for $2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for smaller carriers and maintenance and repair operators.

In a letter sent to the prime minister Friday, his association and a dozen other groups including the National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC)  which represents Air Canada, WestJet and Transat  requested relief from various taxes, fees and charges, on top of financial support.

Mike McNaney, head of the NACC, thanked Ottawa on Monday for addressing the "urgent liquidity challenges facing airlines," but said he needed more details around "timelines and process."

Most large airlines said it was too early to comment as they review the fine print, though Sunwing applauded the announcement and said it "shows that government has been listening."

Strings attached to the bridge financing require companies to have already gone unsuccessfully to the banks or the market and demand that recipients open themselves to financial scrutiny and prove their commitment to fighting climate change.

The federal government has also waived the monthly rent paid by airport authorities to Ottawa for the rest of the year, providing support worth up to $331.4 million in ground lease rents from March through December.

At least 20 countries from Norway to New Zealand have announced financial aid specifically for airlines, ranging from equity stakes to loans and grants, sometimes with strings attached that limit dividends and executive bonuses.

Last month the United States rolled out US$25 billion in government aid to pay airline workers and avoid massive layoffs. The assistance includes a mix of cash and loans, with the government getting warrants that can be converted into small ownership stakes in the leading carriers.

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 French government has announced at least US$7.66 billion in loans and loan guarantees to rescue Air France, with conditions requiring it to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030 on long and medium-haul routes.

In Germany, the government is in talks with Lufthansa AG for up to US$10.85 billion in aid but demanding a 25 per cent stake in the airline.

Even with planes parked, money continues to bleed as airlines dole out airport fees, leasing payments, and parking and maintenance costs  each plane needs to have its engine run, tires rotated and hydraulics electronics checked multiple times per week.

"We're a capital intensive industry," Flair's Jim Scott said in a phone interview. "Our fixed costs are very high, and we have no revenues to offset it."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:AC, TSX:TRZ)
Lorraine Kelly has revealed her daughter Rosie Smith has flown home from Singapore in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

The presenter, 60, spoke to her daughter, 25, on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain in a pre-recorded segment, after explaining she 'used her common sense' and self-isolated for two weeks after returning home.

Rosie told her mum that despite the worldwide pandemic there were no medical checks when she touched down in the UK, with the only difference being there were just 16 people on her flight.

She's back: Lorraine Kelly has revealed her daughter Rosie has flown home from Singapore in the midst of the coronavirus crisis

In the clip, Lorraine and Rosie were enjoying a relaxing walk in the sunshine with their dog Angus close to their home.

As the presenter told her daughter she was glad to have her back in the UK, Rosie - who works as a marketing manager in Singapore - admitted it was strange being on a flight with so few passengers on board.

She explained: 'It was either 15 or 16 on the flight,' as her mum added: 'But when you got here there were no checks or anything?'

Reunited: The presenter spoke to her daughter on Wednesday's Good Morning Britain in a pre-recorded segment after she 'did the responsible thing' by going into quarantine

Bizarre: Rosie told her mum that despite the worldwide pandemic there were no medical checks when she touched down in the UK

Rosie then added: 'There was nothing, it was the exact same as normal only less flights.'

She then went onto explain why she chose to self-isolate from her family for 14 days after flying home.

She said: 'At least two weeks, I didn't feel comfortable getting off a flight and coming straight home... I just got a leaflet, an NHS leaflet, it said if you think you have any symptoms then stay home.'

Lorraine then revealed that during the lockdown she and her daughter were doing an at-home bootcamp and yoga classes together everyday.

Keeping distant: Earlier in the show Lorraine explained her daughter had 'used her common sense' and self-isolated at home for two weeks after returning to the UK from Singapore

Earlier in the show, Lorraine explained her daughter had been self-isolating at home for two weeks after returning to the UK from Singapore.

Lorraine said Rosie was 'amazed' to see there were no checks at the airport when she arrived back in Britain, but decided to 'do the responsible thing' and quarantine herself for 14 days.

She told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: 'My daughter Rosie came home almost three weeks ago, it was very very strange, no checks at the airport or anything as we know.'

'But she decided to do the responsible thing and she put herself into quarantine for two weeks. She used her common sense!'

Emotional: Last month Lorraine was moved to tears as she spoke to her daughter live from Singapore on video chat

Last month Lorraine was moved to tears as she chatted to her daughter live in Singapore, while the country was also in the midst of a government-imposed lockdown.

At the end of the call, Lorraine was unable to hide her emotions as she wiped away tears while saying goodbye to her daughter.

Despite remaining stoic throughout the interview, Lorraine grew tearful towards the end as she said: 'It's so good to talk to you.

'It's been lovely to see your wee face! I do miss you. Stay safe love.'

Interview: The TV presenter, 60, was talking to her daughter Rosie Smith who is currently in lockdown in the country about the coronavirus restrictions in place

Following the chat, Dr Hilary was at had to discuss the virus while Lorraine took a moment to compose herself following the emotional interview.

During their chat, Lorraine revealed that she was supposed to go and visit Rosie and her daughter was also supposed to come home, however this has been cancelled due to travel restrictions.

Explaining what is happening in the country, Rosie revealed: 'So today is the start of a lockdown here, we can stay at home and go out to get food shopping but everything else is closed.

'We can exercise. It's weird! So with today being the lockdown it's not really a shock because we've been dealing with it since January, it started with temperature checks and working from home.

'We did the toilet roll craze earlier this year, it's not been too weird for people. '

Emotional During their chat, Lorraine revealed that she was supposed to go and visit Rosie and her daughter was also supposed to come home, however this has been cancelled due to travel restrictions

Rosie, who has been working in Singapore for four years, explained that Lorraine and her dad been keeping her up to date with what was happening in the UK.

She said: 'You and dad sent videos of the toilet roll and we'd already had that. People here are generally very well behaved, the government here is strict, so if your'e caught out you get a $10,000 fine or six months in jail.'

Rosie explained that when her father came to visit three weeks ago they were still able to complete all the activities they had planned, including visiting Vietnam.

She added: 'When dad was here we did everything we wanted to do, like go out for dinner and sit together. We went to Vietnam for the weekend and came back.

'There was just temperature screening as soon as you get off the plane.'

Explaining what is happening in the country, Rosie revealed: 'So today is the start of a lockdown here, we can stay at home and go out to get food shopping but everything else is closed'

Explaining how they are receiving their news in Singapore, Rosie said: 'So we're getting WhatsApp messages, two a day, we had the lockdown message on Friday from the Prime Minister'

'We get one with measures in place that day, and then we'll get one with a run through of the day, like numbers of cases and deaths.'

'We also have a tracing app so people can put in where they've been.'

Offering her advice on how to get through this, she said: 'The main thing is that if you're not taking it seriously it's going to continue being this way. the sooner people take it seriously the sooner it'll go back to normal.'
Wayne Cox started printing Bibles when he was 17. The first day he walked into the Philadelphia printing plant, he saw a sign on top of the building that said, Since 1863. That was during the Civil War, he thought. That was a long time to be printing Bibles.

Cox started as floor help, hoisting big rolls of paper into the industrial printers. It was a young mans work. He was promoted to roll man, checking the tension of the ultrathin paper as it ran through the presses. It was the delicate tradecraft of a Bible printer. Then Cox became a second pressman, and then first pressman, in charge of everything. It was work you could be proud of.

The Bibles we printed were in all the hotels, he said. If someone wanted to take the Bible, the Gideons said to take them, and wed print more.

At the end of 2019, after 46 years printing Bibles, Cox was laid off, along with more than 170 other printers. The LSC Communications plantone of the sites printing Gideons International Bibles in the USwas closed as the ministry cuts back on Scripture production.

Gideons is almost synonymous with Bibles. It has distributed more than two billion, giving them away in hotels and hospitals, as well as at high schools, colleges, fairs, festivals, train stations, prisons, military bases, and on public streets. The Gideons Bible is a pop culture icon, even earning a line in the Beatles White Album, when Paul McCartney sang, Rocky Raccoon checked into his room / only to find Gideons Bible.

But now the 122-year-old ministry is changing. Over the past three years, Gideons has reduced its spending on Scripture production by about $10 million per year, financial records ...

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Saudi-backed Hadi regime threatens to 'confront' UAE-aligned separatists in S Yemen

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 9:55 AM

The government of former Saudi-backed Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi has threatened to "confront every armed rebellion" by once-allied UAE-aligned separatists, urging them to abandon a recent "self-rule" declaration in the war-torn country's southern regions.

In a series of Tweets on Tuesday, the Hadi regime's embassy in the US complained that the so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC) had refused calls by the self-proclaimed Yemeni government as well as a Riyadh-led military coalition and the United Nations Security Council to reverse its "self-rule" in Yemen's south.

It also said the STC was destabilizing Yemen's Socotra Island and conducting "provocative military mobilization" in the city of Abyan.

In late April, the STC declared a state of emergency and announced "self-administration rule" in Yemen's southern areas, including the port city of Aden  which has served as the seat of Hadi's regime.

Saudi Arabia said the declaration violated the Riyadh-brokered agreement the Hadi government and the STC had signed last November to end their power struggle in southern Yemen.

The STC's "self-rule" announcement has deeply divided the Saudi-led coalition of aggressors which has been waging a bloody war on Yemeni people since March 2015.

In its tweets, the embassy said the STC has "undermined" what it called government institutions and "disrupted" the work of the Health Ministry's team to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

On the contrary, it added, the Hadi regime has sought to implement the Riyadh agreement, but its "efforts were met with intransigence" by the STC.

Pro-Hadi forces "will do everything necessary to preserve the state, its institutions, and the safety of its citizens against @STCSouthArabia," according to the embassy.

The responsibility of the Saudi-backed forces, it added, "is to defend the homeland, protect its security, territorial integrity, and confront every armed rebellion undermining govt institutions and their legitimate authority."

It further described the Riyadh pact "as a safe road map," calling on the STC to implement the deal and "refrain from declared 'self-rule' or bear responsibility for the consequences."

STC: Saudi-sponsored militants attack separatists

On Monday, STC leader Aidarus al-Zoubaidi accused the Hadi regime of not honoring the peace agreement and attacking southern separatists, following clashes the two sides in Zinjibar, Abyan's provincial capital.

"Today, we have witnessed an escalation of a military campaign which brings us back to the past wars of conquest against the south in 1994 and 2015 by the armed groups of the Houthis and the Muslim Brotherhood who have deployed their forces to the south," Zubaidi said in a statement.

He also issued a call to protect southern Yemen from an invasion, claiming that the STC was "defending the people's wishes in the south as well as their choice of independence, restoring and building a modern, federative, and completely independent country."

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Crane Officials Say Small Workforce Eyed to 'Preserve Legacy Brand'

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Crane officials say the company will not be completely shutting down but 85 percent of the workforce will be laid off effective June 19.

Officials contacted workers by email late Wednesday to inform them that operations would be "winding down" but employees would continue to paid through June 19 and will continue to cover the share of group health insurance benefits through until June 30. Crane employs about 270 people.

Thomas O'Connor, CEO and chairman of the board at parent company Mohawk Paper, said about 15 percent of workers will continue operations at the Curran Highway plant.

"We announced to employees yesterday in a company-wide communication that operations as we know them will be changing, and that as of June 19th they would be laid off from Crane," he said in a statement. "We have identified approximately 15 percent of the workforce who will continue in their employment and will continue operations of the company."

Mayor Thomas Bernard said the email sent to employees on Wednesday created a high level of "uncertainty" about the future of the plant to local political and business leaders. However, he said his discussions with company officials had assuaged some of those concerns.

In a statement on Thursday morning, he said that the "leadership team at Crane has made it clear that the company will remain open."

"I have spoken with them to understand more about how they came to this decision, how they intend to keep the company operating in North Adams, and their plan to keep as many of their employees working as possible," he wrote. "I also have been in contact with the governor's office, Senator Hinds, Representative Barrett, the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Economic Development, and our local economic development and workforce teams to ensure that we bring every resource to bear to support Crane's employees and the companys continuing operations in the weeks and months to come."

Bernard said the hope is that the company will be able to rebuild once the economy improves and hire back the people who are being laid off. His main concern continues to be the employees who are losing their jobs.

"We're also going to do everything we can locally, statewide to collaboratively ensure that folks are taken care of, that people people can land on their feet, that they have access to every penny and benefits that they're there due through through this," the mayor said. "This is incredibly difficult."

Crane was able to obtain a federal Payroll Protection Progam loan that put "all 229 employees" back on the payroll with benefits as of May 4. The plant had furloughed a number of employees since mid-March.

"It has and continues to be a very challenging time for everyone. Hopefully one that we will never see again in our lifetime. This pandemic has proven to be the tipping point for us at Crane," O'Connor wrote. "We have worked hard to build towards the future by investing time, people and financing to grow this business. However, we need to protect the future of the company by reducing our work force to match the significant drop in business."

In the email to workers on Wednesday, the company had written that declining sales and the bankruptcy filings of its largest distributor, along with the novel coronavirus pandemic, had made current operations "unsustainable."

O'Connor's statement said the goal is "to preserve this beloved legacy brand and ensure its survival through this global pandemic."

Updated with comments by Mayor Thomas Bernard at 12:20 p.m.

Communications from Crane Stationery to employees sent on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. We have removed one line that had a number for employees to call for information on benefits.

As you may know, over the last two years we have been working on Crane Next, in an effort to expand capabilities and build for the future. However, during this process the market conditions have continued to weaken in our segment. Wedding invites continue to migrate online and our largest customer (Papyrus, with over 250 locations) filed for bankruptcy in mid-January.

Now, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, and the unanticipated and dramatic restrictions in gatherings, travel, and business operations on a local, national, and international level, have in turn caused enormous losses to Cranes business. These losses could not be foreseen. Unfortunately, they have also proved to be unsustainable.

Crane is a 220-year old iconic brand. However, in the face of these unforeseeable circumstances, we have had to make the very difficult decision to wind down operations at Crane.

Many people have given their career to this company and helped it survive through different economies, management teams and philosophies. Crane has been considered in high regard for many decades due to the artisanship that you and your predecessors have accomplished. We thank you for your hard work and commitment.

This letter will serve as notice that your employment with Crane will terminate, effective June 19, 2020. Between May 4, 2020 and June 19, 2020, Crane intends to pay you weekly at your regular rate of pay based on your historical schedule, but you may not be required to work based on business needs. Crane is continually assessing operational need but cannot at this time precisely predict the level of staffing it will need during the next several weeks. Instead, the company will notify you on a weekly basis as to whether it will need you to work during the following week, either remotely or on-site. There are no bumping rights available for any affected employees and this letter does not alter the at-will employment relationship.

If you are enrolled in group health insurance benefits through Crane, your coverage will continue through June 30th, with your share of the premium deducted from your pay. You will receive separate correspondence with additional information on benefits, including your right to continue group health insurance coverage under COBRA after June 30th.

We are sorry to have deliver this news but we thank you for your all that you have done and we wish you the best in the future. You may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits after June 19th and we encourage you to contact the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (or if you work remotely from another state, the unemployment insurance department in that state).

Sincerely,

CRANE STATIONERY, LLC

Dean Daigle

Chief Operations Officer

Press release sent by Mohawk Papers on Thursday morning, April 30, 2020, with minor punctuation corrections:
The International Air Transport Association (Iata) is calling for aviation-specific financial relief measures from the government of Saudi Arabia to address the severe impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the air transport sector.

Iata estimates that revenues generated by airlines in the Saudi market will fall by $7.2 billion in 2020, 35 per cent below 2019 levels. That puts at risk nearly 287,500 Saudi jobs and $17.9 billion of Saudis GDP, which is generated by aviation directly and aviation-related tourism.

In response to the impact of Covid-19, the Saudi government has introduced broad economic relief measures in excess of $32 billion in financial support for the private sector. It has also provided support for air transport by suspending the airport slot use rules for the summer season and extending licenses and certifications for crew, trainers and examiners. We urge the government to build on this and implement specific financial relief measures for aviation to ensure that the sector will be capable of driving the recovery.

The government should consider the following financial relief measures:

1) Direct financial support to passenger and cargo carriers

2) Financial relief on airport and air traffic control (ATC) charges and taxes

3) Reduction, waiver or deferral of government-imposed taxes and fees

Saudi Arabia has announced financial relief measures for sectors affected by Covid-19, but not specifically for aviation. Given the industrys role in social and economic development as well as achieving the Kingdoms Vision 2030, it is important the government prioritises aviation and provide urgent financial relief," said Muhammad Albakri, Iatas Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

Without a viable air transport sector, we can expect a slow and painful economic recovery. Before the crisis, Saudi Arabia was moving at full speed and achieving tangible results in modernization, infrastructure development and economic growth. Fully supporting aviation now means a stronger recovery for the kingdom, said Albakri. - TradeArabia News Service
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan has evacuated 20,000 of its citizens from foreign countries since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov said at a meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CIS Minister held in the format of a videoconference on May 12.

Evacuation of our citizens to their homeland, who were abroad, has become one of the most important tasks amidst the crisis. So far, all necessary measures have been taken to return our citizens from other countries. These measures are continuing, and so far, about 20,000 Azerbaijani citizens have been returned to the homeland, Mammadyarov said.

Mammadyarov also spoke the importance of CIS as a platform to discuss joint efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus infection, as well as to exchange experiences on the measures taken at the national level, support each other at the right time and strengthen solidarity between our peoples.

Furthermore, he reminded that Azerbaijan has allocated $10 million to the WHO to fight COVID-19.

Azerbaijan plays an active role in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic both in the country and in the world. Demonstrating global solidarity, Azerbaijan has allocated $10 million to the World Health Organization for voluntary financial assistance in the fight against coronavirus. Azerbaijan has also provided financial and material assistance to individual countries, the minister said.

Furthermore, he spoke about measures to curb the spread of coronavirus inside the country.

Restrictive measures have been taken in accordance with the prevailing conditions. Thus, in February, an operational headquarters was established under the Cabinet of Ministers to prevent the entry and spread of new coronavirus infections in the territory of Azerbaijan. Since the beginning of March, the education process in all educational institutions has been gradually suspended in the country. All mass events planned on the territory of the country were postponed or cancelled. From the middle of March, a particular regime was introduced, including a number of social isolation measures, and from mid-March, a special quarantine regime was introduced, Mammadyarov noted.

He said that all government resources have been mobilized and are being effectively implemented to fight COVID-19. The restrictive measures that were tightened periodically, have brought positive results, and for three weeks now positive dynamics have been observed in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan first introduced special quarantine regime on March 24 and since April 5, residents are required to obtain SMS permits to leave their homes.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Yao Ming, an international student from Ghana, has begun to take online courses since the beginning of this semester due to the outbreak of the epidemic. During this period, he not only studied and lived normally, but also contributed to the Chinese society by tutoring the children of front-line medical staff fighting against the epidemic.

Yao has lived in China for eight years now, sharing, "I have made it my second hometown, adding that he has received a lot of help during the epidemic and wants to do his bit to help others.

What touched Yao most was the selfless help he received from many of his Chinese friends. "One day in February I had to go out shopping for food and found I had run out of masks. A Chinese friend knew about the situation and brought me a mask at night," Yao recalled, adding that "this friend also has a large family that needs masks, but he helped me in a critical moment and warmed my heart."

As a student from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in east China's Jiangsu province, Yao Ming took the initiative to participate in an activity that offers online tutoring for kids.

"I'm not a doctor, so I can't save people, but I can help improve the English proficiency of doctors' children," he said.
New Delhis inauguration of an 80 km-long road linking Dharchula in Uttarkhand with Lipulekh Pass at its tri-junction with Nepal and China has ruffled feathers in Nepal. It has triggered a diplomatic row between New Delhi and Kathmandu. The Nepali government contends that Indias road-building is a unilateral act that violates an agreement under which the two countries agreed to find a solution to the territorial dispute through negotiations. In a sign of escalating bilateral tensions over this issue, the Nepali government summoned Indias envoy in Kathmandu. India must handle this sensitive issue with care. Nepal has always resented Indias big brother behaviour and should New Delhi adopt an approach that is seen to be arrogant, it will not go down well among the Nepali people. Relations between the two countries have been fraying since 2015 when an economic blockade of Nepal, which Nepal believed had the quiet backing of the Indian government, paralysed its economy. It prompted Nepal to reach out to China. Since then, Sino-Nepal relations have grown by leaps and bounds. Ongoing Sino-Nepali economic and strategic cooperation has serious implications for Indias security. Any escalation in the diplomatic spat will only deepen co-operation between Beijing and Kathmandu. The recently inaugurated road to the Lipulekh Pass has enormous strategic significance for India. It will provide Indian forces with a shorter overland access to the border with China. Chinas aggressive infrastructure building right up to its border with India has been a matter of grave concern to Indias security establishment. Although India has built some roads in the strategic border areas, these are still less than that needed to secure its borders. The Dharchula-Lipulekh road is a step towards improving Indias connectivity to the border.

In recent months, China has flexed its muscles vis-a-vis its maritime neighbours. This has prompted apprehensions globally that at a time when the world is preoccupied with dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, China is strengthening its position in territorial disputes. A couple of days ago, Indian and Chinese forces clashed briefly at the disputed border in Sikkim. The possibility that China is putting pressure on Nepal to up the ante with India over its road-building to Lipulekh Pass cannot be ruled out.

It is in Indias interest to address Nepals apprehensions and to explain its own concerns to the Nepali government. New Delhi must use diplomatic channels and dialogue to smoothen ruffled feathers in Kathmandu. Allowing this row to escalate will only provide China with space to fish in troubled waters.
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.

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 company or economy as a whole.

How is your company 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 and your clients happy?

How have you had to change the way you work?

Has this global crisis changed your view of the future of the industry in any way?

This means that digital is no longer the cool thing to do, but the necessary thing to do. So this means utilising webinars for clients to get their messages across, advising them on ways to keep engaged with their employees, given the challenges of job security, business sustainability, changing policies and supporting them during these times.

Any trends youve seen emerge as a result of the crisis?

What do you predict the next six months will be like?

We chatted to Tshepo Sefotlhelo, CEO of Vuma Reputation Management to get his take.Our initial response to the pandemic was to introduce working remotely effective 24 March. This was before the President announced the official lockdown. The week prior, we were testing our systems and tools to make certain that we would be in a position to maintain our service levels to our clients. We also used that period to communicate these developments with our clients and assure them that it would not affect our ability to deliver on their needs. Given what was happening globally, we anticipated that there would be a lockdown.There has been an impact on our business due to some of our clients operating in sectors that have been affected by the pandemic. This meant renegotiated terms of engagements in some instances. For example, moving away from a retainer cost model to project-based work.In addition to working remotely, we engaged all of our clients to repurpose their respective plans in dealing with the new challenges the pandemic has brought to their stakeholders, particularly their employees and clients.Challenges are that revenue has been impacted and working remotely is not for everyone. Opportunities are that clients who have believed in our council are looking to us for advice in terms how they should communicate during these times, with purpose, sensitivity and empathy, while seeking to remain financially viable.Given that we introduced working remotely earlier than the official lockdown, we anticipated that this would be a necessity to protect our employees and clients. We have not had to worry too much about employee safety, but more about their well-being, because being on lockdown has come with challenges.After some time you get tested mentally and emotionally, particularly those who live alone. As such, before our virtual meetings start we do an individual check-in with everyone, where they can vent some of their frustrations or just share how they are coping from a well-being perspective. We have also encouraged those who need to, to make use of our employee wellness service should they require it. In terms of our HR policies, we are still reviewing them in response to the new normal.We are ensuring we stay connected with our clients and employees. We have regular check-ins with clients making sure we stay on top of new information relating to Covid-19 and then presenting solutions that take them and their business into consideration.Working remotely has meant that we invest in connectivity more than ever before, such as issuing of company phones, significantly in increasing our data requirements and using apps such as Teams for our meetings, working on documents, and Zoom and Skype for meetings. We have also tried not to change how we work too much because if you change too much, particularly at a rapid pace, it could become overwhelming for some employees, which ends up impacting our clients.At the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty globally, so it is difficult to gauge what the future looks like, but if we had to take it at face value from a South African perspective, for the broader economy things are not looking good for the country. Remember our economy was already in bad shape pre-Covid-19. In terms of our industry, I see clients in our sector at the most senior level wanting more and more consultancy-based solutions rather than day-to-day communication support. We have also seen the resurgence of television and a surge of internet-based applications. In April, Zoom experienced a significant surge in users by 100 million. So we too have to think about how we can better support our clients to respond to that.Then the other aspect is coming up with plans and messaging of remaining relevant during these times, rather than shying away.As crisis management experts, we have seen a shift in the very essence of what constitutes a crisis itself. This has been gradual and we have seen it develop over time, with the emergence of social media, which has resulted in crises happening more frequently out in the open during the past 10 years. What was seen as a crisis previously is more of a disruption now, because a crisis today plays out in real-time out in the open.Our threshold for what constitutes a crisis is getting higher and higher, meaning that for something to constitute a crisis, it has to be more significant, like what we are experiencing now. I dont think anyone was adequately prepared for this level of crisis. Even crisis management plans could not have anticipated a situation where entire industries were shut down for weeks. Being prepared is something we are all taking more seriously as a result. Should something like this hit the world in the future, we will hopefully ensure we are better prepared.The sector that we operate in is a fickle one because when a business is under pressure, we tend to be at the top of the list when its time to cut budgets, hence I say we have seen clients during this time looking for more consultancy-based support during Covid-19. This will put more pressure on management in the sector to fast-track the development of their less senior employees to get to a position of being able to consult at a high level.However, the pressure is also on employees to develop themselves by investing in their craft and ensuring that they are remaining on top of their game and adapting themselves to this new world. For example, if you are going to consult executives, do you understand the companys act and things like corporate governance?
Angela Merkel leaves the plenum after a question and answer session of the German parliament Bundestag - CLEMENS BILAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Angela Merkel threatened Russia with consequences yesterday on Wednesday as she accused Vladimir Putins intelligence services of hacking her emails.

We always reserve the right to take measures, including against Russia, Mrs Merkel told the German parliament.

Germany has hard evidence Russian intelligence was behind a 2015 hacking attack in which her emails were compromised, she said.

It was the first official confirmation of claims that have been extensively reported by the German press in recent days.

I can honestly say that it pains me, Mrs Merkel said, voicing her frustration at what she called Russias outrageous behaviour.

Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia, and on the other hand there is hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this.

German police patrol outside Chancellery near Reichstag building in Berlin - THOMAS PETER/Reuters

The allegations centre on a 2015 hacking attack on the German parliaments internal computer system in which several MPs email accounts were compromised.

It emerged last week in a report in Spiegel magazine that one of Mrs Merkels email accounts was among those affected.

German prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant against a Russian hacker named as Dmitri Badin last week.

Related Video: Kremlin Spokesman Hospitalized With the Coronavirus

German media have reported extensively that Badin is believed to have been working on behalf of Russias GRU military intelligence service.

Mrs Merkel confirmed the reports as she answered parliamentary questions. I take these things very seriously because I believe this has been very thoroughly investigated, she said.

There is a hybrid warfare strategy by Russia we cant ignore that includes cyber attacks, disorientation and manipulation of facts.

I will work for a good relationship with Russia because I think theres good reason to continue these diplomatic efforts. But of course this doesnt make it easy.

Sensitive government communications are not believed to have been affected by the attack, which targeted an email account used by Mrs Merkel's parliamentary constituency office.

Story continues

But the incident is embarrassing for Germany and could prove deeply damaging to relations with Russia.

It comes only months after Germany expelled two Russian diplomats and accused the Kremlin of failing to cooperate with investigations into the killing of a Georgian man in Berlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking with German Chancellor Angela Merkel...epa00909037 Putin's pet dog Koney walks in the room, where Russian President Vladimir Putin talks to German Chancellor Angela Merkel during their meeting at his residence in Sochi, a Black sea resort, 21 January 2007. Angela Merkel arrived in Russia on a one-day working visit. EPA/DMITRY ASTAKHOV PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/ITAR-TASS POOL - DMITRY ASTAKHOV/EPA

In what has been called a second Skripal case, German prosecutors are reportedly convinced Russian intelligence was behind the killing of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Georgian who fought against Russia in the Chechnya war.

Khangoshvili was shot dead in a central Berlin park in broad daylight. A Russian national is being held over the killing but proescutors reportedly believe he was acting on behalf of the Kremlin.

Mrs Merkel has worked hard to develop a relationship with Mr Putin and is generally considered to have more influence with him than most Western leaders.

It was she who faced off with him in all-night talks to defuse the Ukraine crisis in 2015, and the two leaders have repeatedly sparred over the years.

Mr Putin famously had a dog brought into the room to unnerve Mrs Merkel during talks in 2007  the German chancellor was badly bitten as a child and is nervous of dogs.

But it was she who had the last laugh, telling journalists after the incident: I understand why he has to do this  to prove hes a man. Hes afraid of his own weakness. Russia has nothing, no successful politics or economy. All they have is this.

Russian intelligence is not the first to be caught spying against Mrs Merkel. Relations with Washington were shaken in 2013 after it emerged in secrets revealed by the whistleblower Edward Snowden that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had tapped Mrs Merkels mobile phone.

It was also claimed in 2013 that Britain was using the roof its embassy in Berlin to house a covert listening station to monitor nearby German government departments, including Mrs Merkels offices.
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday he was ordering the military to move to 'offensive mode', away from a defensive stance it had taken as part of efforts to reduce violence in the war-ravaged nation as Washington tries to broker peace talks.

"In order to provide security for public places and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I am ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defence mode to an offensive one and to start their operations against the enemies," he said in a televised speech.

His comments came after a violent day in which gunmen killed 16 people at a maternity clinic in Kabul and more than 20 died in a suicide bomb attack at a funeral in eastern Afghanistan. The Taliban have denied they were involved in the attacks.

(Reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Providing relief to real estate developers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rajasthan government on Wednesday announced several relaxation in regulations.

The Rajasthan Real Estate Regulatory Authority issued an order extending deadline of projects having valid RERA registration before March 19, 2020 by one year.

It also waived the fees for this extended period.

However, the standard fee prescribed by the order issued by RERA on August 16, 2019, will have to be paid, a statement said.

The certificate for extended period for completion of project will be made available online.

Similarly, developers have also been exempted from displaying quarterly report of projects on the regulator's website till March 2021.

Stringent action against developers for implementation of refund orders will not be taken till March 31, 2021, it said.

Developers will be able to divide their registered projects into more than one phase and make such amendments in the building plan so that the interests of the allottees is not be adversely affected.

All such changes will also require the consent of a minimum of two-thirds of the allottees, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CAMEROUN :: Cameroon Pressures University To Fire Anglophone-Rights Advocate and Lecturer

NEW YORK (May 12, 2020)  The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) condemns the regime of Cameroons dictator Paul Biya for orchestrating last weeks dismissal of human rights lawyer Felix Agbor Nkongho from the University of Buea, in retaliation for his activism in defense of the rights of Cameroons Anglophone minority.

Agbor Nkongho (also known as Agbor-Balla) spoke at the 2019 Oslo Freedom Forum, where he explained the roots of Cameroons Anglophone crisis and advocated for peaceful partnerships across the Anglophone-Francophone divide. Agbor-Balla is the founder of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, an organization that has been documenting human rights violations in the ongoing crisis and representing victims of the violence. He is frequently quoted speaking out against human rights abuses in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

Firing Felix Agbor-Balla from the University of Buea is a blatant attack on academic freedom, and an attempt to silence the urgent discussion about Cameroons crisis, said HRF president Thor Halvorssen. The dictatorships campaign of intimidation against the most prominent advocate of the rights of the Anglophone minority illustrates the contempt that Paul Biya exercises against Cameroons human rights defenders. Its awful, he said.

On May 6, Agbor-Balla, who has been a lecturer in the faculty of law and political science at the University of Buea since 2015, was arbitrarily relieved of his teaching duties. The dismissal follows an April 20 letter from Cameroons Minister of Higher Education, ordering the university to take measures against Agbor-Balla for infringing on the apolitical character of the university. Wilfred Gabsa, another ministry official, went further and accused Agbor-Balla of turning his classroom into a political campaign space.

The accusations were based on a March 3 examination question in a class called Political & Constitutional History of Cameroon, which Agbor and two other professors taught. The question asked students to think critically about the reasons behind the crisis: The Anglophone crisis since 2016 was caused by the lawyers and teachers strike. Assess the validity of this statement.

A series of strikes and peaceful marches erupted in Cameroons Anglophone regions in 2016 to protest injustices from decades of discrimination and political marginalization under Cameroons authoritarian government. Dictator Paul Biya responded to the protests with brutal repression and by cutting off the Internet for months. In response, separatists launched an armed insurgency against the regime. The violence has left more than 3,000 people dead and one million displaced. In 2017, Agbor-Balla was imprisoned for eight months and accused of terrorism and incitement of civil war for organizing a peaceful protest.

The university launched disciplinary procedures against Agbor-Balla, but not against his two co-lecturers. He was suspended from teaching and summoned before a disciplinary panel for non-compliance of professional obligations. The university formally dismissed Agbor-Balla on May 6 after he protested the unfair treatment and boycotted the hearing.

For interview requests and media inquiries, contact media@hrf.org .

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.
Nuclear bomb tests during the Cold War may have changed rainfall patterns thousands of miles from the detonation sites, new research has revealed.

Scientists at the University of Reading have researched how the electric charge released by radiation from the test detonations, carried out predominantly by the US and Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s, affected rainclouds at the time.

The study, published in Physical Review Letters, used historic records between 1962-64 from a research station in Scotland. Scientists compared days with high and low radioactively-generated charge, finding that clouds were visibly thicker, and there was 24% more rain on average on the days with more radioactivity.

Professor Giles Harrison, lead author and Professor of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Reading, said: "By studying the radioactivity released from Cold War weapons tests, scientists at the time learnt about atmospheric circulation patterns. We have now reused this data to examine the effect on rainfall.

"The politically charged atmosphere of the Cold War led to a nuclear arms race and worldwide anxiety. Decades later, that global cloud has yielded a silver lining, in giving us a unique way to study how electric charge affects rain."

It has long been thought that electric charge modifies how water droplets in clouds collide and combine, potentially affecting the size of droplets and influencing rainfall, but this is difficult to observe in the atmosphere. By combining the bomb test data with weather records, the scientists were able to retrospectively investigate this.

Through learning more about how charge affects non-thunderstorm clouds, it is thought that scientists will now have a better understanding of important weather processes.

The race to develop nuclear weapons was a key feature of the Cold War, as the world's superpowers sought to demonstrate their military capabilities during heightened tensions following the Second World War.

Although detonations were carried out in remote parts of the world, such as the Nevada Desert in the US, and on Pacific and Arctic islands, radioactive pollution spread widely throughout the atmosphere. Radioactivity ionises the air, releasing electric charge.

The researchers, from the Universities of Reading, Bath and Bristol, studied records from well-equipped Met Office research weather stations at Kew near London and Lerwick in the Shetland Isles.

Located 300 miles north west of Scotland, the Shetland site was relatively unaffected by other sources of anthropogenic pollution. This made it well suited as a test site to observe rainfall effects which, although likely to have occurred elsewhere too, would be much more difficult to detect.

Atmospheric electricity is most easily measured on fine days, so the Kew measurements were used to identify nearly 150 days where there was high or low charge generation over the UK while it was cloudy in Lerwick. The Shetland rainfall on these days showed differences which vanished after the major radioactivity episode was over.

The findings may be helpful for cloud-related geoengineering research, which is exploring how electric charge could influence rain, relieve droughts or prevent floods, without the use of chemicals.

Professor Harrison is leading a project investigating electrical effects on dusts and clouds in the United Arab Emirates, as part of their national programme in Rain Enhancement Science. These new findings will help to show the typical charges possible in natural non-thunderstorm clouds.

###

Full reference: Harrison, G., Nicoll, K., Ambaum, M., Marlton, G., Aplin, K., Lockwood, M. (2020); 'Precipitation modification by ionisation'; Physical Review Letters; doi: [TBC]
NANNING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has donated a batch of medical supplies to the Flying Tiger Historical Organization in the United States to aid its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The donation, which includes 6,000 medical masks and 4,000 pairs of medical gloves, arrived in San Francisco and was received by Larry Jobe, president of the organization.

The supplies will be distributed to the members of the organization, relatives, and friends of the Flying Tigers veterans, as well as to people who have made donations to the Flying Tiger Heritage Park in the city of Guilin, Guangxi.

In a letter of appreciation, Jobe hailed China's efforts in combatting the pandemic as well as the assistance China has offered to other virus-hit countries.

The Flying Tigers, officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, was formed in 1941 and led by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault to help China drive out invading Japanese troops.
A Chinese state-run newspaper has accused the US of 'sabotaging' the global cooperation to contain the coronavirus pandemic as Beijing intensifies its propaganda campaign against the Trump administration.

People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, claimed that 'the US has turned a blind eye to the global crisis'.

The strongly-worded column followed a series of harsh criticism dished out by Chinese state media and officials against American politicians, in particular, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after he linked COVID-19's origin to a virus lab in Wuhan.

China is intensifying its propaganda campaign against the Trump administration. A column from People's Daily accused the US of 'sabotaging' international efforts to tackle coronavirus

The opinion piece, which was published yesterday, began by highlighting the fact that the US has the largest number of confirmed cases and deaths of COVID in the world.

It branded America as 'a less credible and consistent partner for the international community' due to its 'reluctance' to promote joint efforts to contain the bug.

To further prove its point, the piece cited a report from Business Insider, which interviewed Cynthia Schneider, a former US ambassador to the Netherlands.

Ms Schneider told the Business Insider in April: 'The US is not helping anyone. The US isn't even helping itself, much less other countries. And, thanks to 24/7 global communication, that is visible for all the world to see.'

The war of words has heated up between China and the US over the coronavirus pandemic. The two country's leaders are pictured meeting with each other in Japan on June 29, 2019

The People's Daily author went onto explain how the US has demonstrated its 'egoism' amid the pandemic.

The author wrote: 'Despite being the world's leading power in medical technology, the US has turned a blind eye to the global crisis, sabotaging joint efforts to tackle the lethal virus.

'Amid swirling questions over whether the US government ignored warnings from the WHO and countries like China about the virus' potential severity, the White House has sought to assign blame elsewhere, creating obstacles for international cooperation on pandemic control.'

After criticising Donald Trump's decision to freeze $500million in funding to the World Health Organisation, the article then accused Washington of 'taking the lead in scooping up much needed medical resources, leaving other nations, even its allies, in despair'.

The commentary came after China's state broadcaster CCTV yesterday accused the US of smearing and attacking Beijing' crazily' over the global health emergency.

China Central Television Station demanded 'certain American politicians' ditch their 'Cold War mentality' in a commentary. It claimed that 'blackmail or threats won't work' on Chinese people

China Central Television Station yesterday demanded 'certain American politicians' ditch their 'Cold War mentality'. It claimed that 'blackmail or threats won't work' on Chinese people.

Political tensions between China and the US have erupted in the past few months as the two nations condemn each other's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

The US accuses China of covering up the initial epidemic, hiding the virus's origin and taking advantage of the crisis to push its territorial ambitions.,

China accuses the US of carrying out 'smear campaigns' and avoiding its responsibilities in containing the disease. A spokesperson has suggested that the virus was planted in Wuhan by the US troops.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology (above) is the centre of the escalating political row between the two nations. The US suggests that the virus came from the lab and China firmly denies

China's state broadcaster last week branded US Secretary of State Pompeo 'evil' and 'insane'

On Saturday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a lengthy rebuttal of what it said were 24 'lies' by some leading US politicians over Beijing's handling of the crisis.

The Ministry has dedicated most of its press briefings over the past week to rejecting accusations by US politicians, especially Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, that China had withheld information about the new coronavirus and that it had originated in a laboratory in the city of Wuhan.

A 30-page, 11,000-word article posted on the ministry website repeated and expanded on the refutations made during the press briefings, and began by invoking Abraham Lincoln, the 19th century US president.

'As Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people all the time and fool all the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time,' it said in the prologue.

China's President Xi (pictured on March 10 in Wuhan) is facing widespread doubts that his government has covered up the true scale of the outbreak. An internal report has warned Beijing it faces Tiananmen-like global backlash and even 'armed confrontation' with the US

The article also cited media reports that said Americans had been infected with the virus before the first case was confirmed in Wuhan. There is no evidence to suggest that is the case.

Keen to quash US suggestions that the virus was deliberately created or somehow leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the article said that all evidence shows the virus is not man-made and that the institute is not capable of synthesising a new coronavirus.

The article also provided a timeline of how China had provided information to the international community in a 'timely', 'open and transparent' manner to rebuke US suggestions that it had been slow to sound the alarm.

Despite China's repeated assurances, concerns about the timeliness of its information have persisted in some quarters.

Customers wearing protective masks practice social distancing as they wait to enter a store during the coronavirus pandemic in New York on May 12. China has issued a lengthy rebuttal of what it said were 24 'lies' by some leading US politicians over Beijing's handling of the crisis

More than 83,000 people have died and over 1.4 million people have tested positive in the US

The article rejected Western criticism of Beijing's handling of the case of Li Wenliang, a 34-year-old doctor who had tried to raise the alarm over the outbreak of the new virus in Wuhan. His death from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, prompted an outpouring of rage and grief across China.

It said Li was not a 'whistle-blower' and he was never arrested, contrary to many Western reports.

It did mention that the police reprimanded li for 'spreading rumours'. Though Li was later named among 'martyrs' mourned by China, an investigation into his case also drew criticism online after it merely suggested the reprimand against him be withdrawn.

Rejecting suggestions by US President Donald Trump and Pompeo that the new coronavirus should be called the 'Chinese virus' or 'Wuhan virus', the article cited documents from the World Health Organization to say the name of a virus should not be country-specific.

A bombshell report in Der Spiegel claims Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) personally asked World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom (left) to 'delay a global warning' about the threat of COVID-19 in January. The pair are pictured together in Beijing on January 28 of this year. Both China and the WHO have denied the allegation

A report by Der Spiegel magazine last Friday cited Germany's BND spy agency as saying that China's initial attempt to hold back information had cost the world four to six weeks that could have been used to fight the virus.

It also claimed that China's President Xi Jinping' personally asked the WHO to hold back information about human-to-human transmission'.

The WHO released a statement shortly after the publication of the shock claims, calling them 'unfounded and untrue'.

A spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the German newspaper of 'spreading fake news' during a press briefing on Monday.
Linn and Benton counties have petitioned Gov. Kate Brown asking that businesses be allowed to reopen as early as May 15, but public health officials are cautioning that a successful reopening will depend largely on individuals continuing to act responsibly.

The Linn County Board of Commissioners sent a revised petition to the governor Friday afternoon, and the Benton County board submitted its petition on Monday. They are among 32 of Oregon's 36 counties that are seeking reopening approval.

Commissioners in both Linn and Benton counties say they have met all of the governor's criteria for a phased-in opening, including:

 A declining prevalence of COVID-19. Linn Countys maximum hospitalization number at one time was three patients, and Benton County officials say the number there is in the same range, although precise figures were not available Tuesday.

 A minimum testing regimen of at least 30 people per 10,000 population per week. Both counties say they are exceeding that requirement.

 A robust contact tracing system. Linn County has trained 30 tracers. Benton has trained 16 so far and will have 22 available by the middle of next week. Both counties exceed the minimum of 15 per 100,000 residents.

 Have adequate isolation facilities. Contracts with local motels are in place in both counties.

 Meet finalized business sector guidelines regarding personal health and safety measures in local businesses. Both counties say they have educational resources and information systems in place.

 Demonstrate sufficient health care capacity. Samaritan Health Services, the hospital operator for both counties, has resumed performing non-emergency and elective surgeries and says it has adequate surge capacity in the event of a spike in COVID-19 cases.

 Have sufficient PPE supplies. Linn County has agreed to backfill local chambers of commerce in the purchase of thousands of masks and other personal protective equipment for employees when businesses reopen. In Benton County, public safety agencies and the the local hospital have at least a 30-day supply, and the county's emergency operations center is allocating PPE based on Oregon Health Authority guidelines.

But local health officials emphasize that when businesses open and stay-in-place restrictions are eased, it is important that individuals continue to emphasize personal safety protocols such as wearing face masks, washing their hands frequently and not gathering in large groups.

No one wants to open up more than Linn County, Public Health Director Todd Noble said. But you cant have it both ways. We cant open up and everyone quit practicing safe social distancing protocols.

Noble said it will be up to Linn County citizens whether reopening will be successful or not.

Noble said he sees many people in stores  customers and employees  without face masks.

Charlie Fautin, interim co-director of the Benton County Health Department, said he sees people making an effort to wear masks and maintain safe distances.

"People are pretty good about this," he said. "I go into grocery stores, and everybody's doing that dance to stay 6 feet away from me."

Noble said Linn County has taken an aggressive approach to COVID-19 since March, when the first cases were diagnosed at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home in Lebanon.

We believe we meet or exceed of the governors guidelines, Noble said.

Reopening local businesses does not mean we are out of the water yet, said Neva Anderson, Linn Countys emergency preparedness coordinator.

Anderson said the county has hired temporary staff to conduct contact tracing, along with volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps  the same group of health professionals who have played a major role staffing the countys COVID-19 hotline.

This week, the county will begin intensive testing at all long-term care facilities.

We are also going to begin monthly testing of all long-term care clinical staff, about 1,100, Anderson said. Its a huge project.

Fautin said Benton County has been training contact tracers as well.

"We have 16 tracers," he said. "By the middle of next week we'll have 22 fully trained."

With a population of about 92,000, that number is well above the minimum of 14 contact tracers needed to meet state standards.

All three local officials said as their counties get closer to opening, its vital that residents continue to follow safety protocols:

 Wear a mask when you are in public, at work, at the grocery store, etc.

 Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds many times per day.

 Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet.

 If you have a fever, cough or just feel poorly, stay home.

If we open up and people dont follow guidelines, we could see our number of COVID-19 cases increase and we would have to shut down. That would not be good, Anderson said. Its up to us to protect each other.

Noble echoed her sentiments.

I was in Portland recently and nearly everyone I saw was wearing a mask, Noble said. I see so many people locally who are not wearing them. We should be doing everything we can to stay safe. We cant be foolish about this. We have to take responsibility for ourselves and to help ensure the safety of our most vulnerable neighbors.

Fautin had similar comments.

"Everyone is really relying on a communitarian feeling that we're all in this together and we need to protect one another," he said. "There's a lot of voluntary compliance that will still be required."

As of Tuesday, there have been eight deaths associated with COVID-19 in Linn County, seven of which were residents at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home in Lebanon. Benton County has had five deaths from the disease, including three former residents of the Corvallis Manor nursing home.

There have been 130 deaths statewide and more than 80,000 nationwide.
A line of cars drove under an arch of balloons and zig-zagged through the parking lot of Chabad Center for Jewish Life & Learning in San Antonio.

Drivers and passengers looked to their left to see a man deftly juggling bowling pins.

To their right was a man on 10-foot-tall stilts striding across the lot.

Drivers honked their horns in celebration as kids pressed their faces against car windows to get a closer look at the clowns.

The Chabad Center on Blanco Road held a drive-thru carnival Tuesday to celebrate the Jewish holiday, Lag BaOmer, while practicing social distancing and ensuring other requirements designed to prevent a resurgence of novel coronavirus were met.

With all the uncertainty today and lack of human connection, this festive and unified afternoon promises to be a much welcomed breath of fresh air for all, said Rabbi Chaim Block, the centers executive director.

Typically, the holiday is celebrated with a picnic and maybe a couple of carnival performers, but this year, Block said, they wanted to make the experience more extravagant in light of the difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Usually people are here for two hours. Now we are packing everything into a seven-minute-long drive-thru, Block said. We know this is different than usual, but we can still have fun, get out and rejoice.

In addition to the clowns, juggler and stilt walker, there were dancing rabbis and a DJ. There were prizes for best decorated cars and free Kosher hotdogs.

But everyones favorite part of the event was simply being able to see some of their friends again  even if it was from behind a car door.

It has been great getting out here and the kids are excited to see their friends, said Veronica Goldblum, who was attending the carnival with her three children.

We went around (the carnival) three times before deciding just to park, stay and watch.

The celebration marked the end of Lag BaOmer, a Jewish holiday that spanned from Monday to Tuesday evening.

The holiday celebrates the anniversary of the passing of the great Roman-era sage and mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, the foundational work of the Kabbalah, Jewish wisdom.

Rabbi Block said a common message during the holiday is one of unity  which is something that, he added, is more important than ever, during a time when people may feel alone because of the isolation imposed by the novel coronavirus restrictions.

This was a chance to bring the community together and focus on the common bond, Block said. When you bring people out and music is playing, and there is festivity in the air, people cant help but reach out to one another and gain a sense of community.
Holloman Air Force Base will do a four F-16 flyover of southern New Mexico between 5 and 6 p.m. Friday.

The flyover is to show recognition to those essential workers on the front lines battling COVID-19 coronavirus.

The flyover symbolizes appreciation for the healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential personnel for their selfless service, as well as share Hollomans appreciation for its surrounding communities, the base said in a press release.

The F-16s will fly in formation over the following cities at these approximate times:

Roswell: 5:25 p.m.

Ruidoso: 5:35 p.m.

Cloudcroft: 5:40 p.m.

Alamogordo/Holloman: 5:45 p.m.

Las Cruces: 6 p.m.

Times are subject to change. Check the HAFB Facebook page for updates or for more information.

All the front line workers, from doctors and nurses to truckers and grocery store clerks, are the true heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, Col. Joseph Campo, 49th Wing commander said.

Im honored to offer a gesture to acknowledge their sacrifice and salute them for their selfless service while inspiring the nation to remain strong. Additionally, the flyovers are another way to say thank you to our community for their continued partnership and support.

The flyover is a part of the Air Force Salutes campaign.

This is a way that Airmen can honor community members who embody the Air Force core value of service before self, the release states.

Nicole Maxwell can be contacted by email at nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com, by phone at 575-415-6605 or on Twitter at @nicmaxreporter



2020 the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.)

Visit the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) at www.alamogordonews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mark Latham has urged the NSW Government to reform their school programs after claiming primary school students are being taught kooky wellness programs in class.

The NSW One Nation leader revealed in Estimates hearings on March 3 that 60 schools across NSW, and 250 schools in Australia, have hired the 'Grow Your Mind' consultancy group - which runs 'Animal Yoga' and 'Shark vs Dolphin Thinking' mental health programs.

Grow Your Mind said on their website they provide programs designed to educate students on brain awareness, resilience, mindfulness and compassion.

Mr Latham further criticised the programs offered by the consultancy group and argued schools should focus on academia on the The Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Wednesday.

The Shark vs Dolphin Thinking program poses questions to students and asks them to answer based on the different perspectives of Dolphins and Sharks

Grow Your Mind said on their website they provide programs designed to educate students on brain awareness, resilience, mindfulness and compassion

'There are 60 schools that are paying taxpayers money for what are so-called ''wellbeing programs'',' Mr Latham said.

'We all want our kids to be in a good state of mind, but the primary purpose of a school must be academic attainment.'

His comments came after he claimed only one out of 2,200 government schools in NSW had 'achieve academic growth' in their strategic objectives for students.

According to the Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Australia's academic performance has declined since 2000.

They said achieving higher results are 'essential for a student's learning growth and future preparedness.

A spokesperson from the NSW Department of Education told Daily Mail Australia: 'Every NSW public school strives to achieve the best academic outcomes for their students.'

'Schools use a range of phrases in their strategic plans that state a schools commitment to achieving academic growth and for all students.'

The Animal Yoga program is focused on brain awareness and consists of a script and poses named after animals.

The program is made for teachers to read to students from preschool to year six.

The Shark vs Dolphin Thinking program poses questions to students and asks them to answer based on the different perspectives of Dolphins and Sharks.

This program is themed around optimism and is made for students from year three to year six.

The NSW One Nation leader revealed in Estimates hearings on March 3 that 60 schools across NSW, and 250 schools in Australia, have hired the 'Grow Your Mind' consultancy group (pictured: Mark Latham)

The Animal Yoga program is focused on brain awareness and consists of a script and poses named after animals

A spokesperson from Grow Your Mind said it was a 'strange time' to be targeting a small social venture that is trying to do something for children.

'We are saddened that Mr Latham has chosen to pick on us and misrepresent what we do particularly in this environment when teachers, parents and small business are at their most vulnerable,' the Grow Your Mind spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said they provide practical, evidence-based, positive mental health strategies to build resilience and compassion in children, teachers and families.

'Mr Latham has referred to three of our free worksheets without taking the time to understand the comprehensive and evidence-based services we provide,' the spokesperson said.

'Incidentally, Mr Latham wants children to be prepared for the workforce, our response to that would be: the productivity commission estimates that mental ill-health and suicide are costing Australians up to $180 billion per year.'

'We would welcome a conversation with Mr Latham at any time.'

Mr Latham further criticised the programs offered by the consultancy group and argued schools should focus on academia instead while on The Alan Jones Breakfast Show on Wednesday

'We all want our kids to be in a good state of mind but the primary purpose of a school must be academic attainment,' Mr Latham said.

Mr Latham initially criticised Grow Your Mind during an NSW Budget Estimates hearing but elaborated further on Twitter the following day.

'At NSW Budget Estimates, I asked why money is being spent on the Grow Your Mind program in schools, with its worksheets on Animal Yoga, Shark vs Dolphin Thinking, Growth Mindset Tree and Gratitude Meditation,' Mr Latham said on Twitter.

He said the NSW Government had 'lost control' over what is being taught to students at schools.

'NSW Education bureaucrats could not explain why, having had six years to prepare for the flood of Gonski equity money into schools, no enforceable guidelines have been issued on the best way of spending these funds.

'As a result, many millions wasted every day in NSW schools on junk programs.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mark Latham for comment.
THOMASVILLE, Ga., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO), producer of Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, Tastykake, and other bakery foods, today reported financial results for the company's 16-week first quarter ended April 18, 2020.

First Quarter Summary:

Compared to the prior year first quarter where applicable

Sales increased 6.8% to $1.349 billion , including an estimated 6.5% to 7.5% increase attributable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

, including an estimated 6.5% to 7.5% increase attributable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Diluted EPS decreased $0.34 to a loss of $0.03 , including a non-cash settlement and curtailment charge of $0.41 per share related to the termination of a defined benefit pension plan.

to a loss of , including a non-cash settlement and curtailment charge of per share related to the termination of a defined benefit pension plan. Adjusted diluted EPS (1) increased $0.09 to $0.41 .

increased to . GAAP and adjusted EPS includes an estimated $0.09 to $0 .10 increase attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(1) Adjusted for items affecting comparability. See reconciliations of non-GAAP measures in the financial statements following this release.

CEO's Remarks:

"First of all, there are no words to sufficiently describe how incredibly proud I am of our entire team," said Ryals McMullian, Flowers Foods president and CEO. "Their performance, from plant operations, to sales, to distribution, to head office and support staff, has been nothing short of remarkable. They have demonstrated once again the power of shared purpose and they are the embodiment of our core values. Because of the team's extraordinary commitment to feed America and serve our customers, consumers, and communities, we were able to deliver a record quarter in terms of both sales and earnings."

McMullian continued, "Our top priority is ensuring the health and safety of our team members. In keeping with guidance from health authorities, we have taken measures to safeguard their wellness, including enhanced sanitation and cleaning procedures, restricted admittance to company facilities, daily wellness screening, suspension of non-essential business travel, company-provided masks, and remote work for business office team members. I am especially grateful for the hard work and dedication of our frontline workers. To recognize their extraordinary efforts, we announced $6.2 million in appreciation bonuses in April."

McMullian added, "During the first quarter, our retail business benefitted from a significant increase in demand, while foodservice was pressured by the slowdown in restaurant sales. Although the unknown duration and severity of the pandemic makes forecasting results difficult for the remainder of 2020, we believe Flowers is uniquely positioned to succeed during this period of great uncertainty. We have weathered many crises during our 100 years in business. However, more important than our ability to manage through this crisis, is our ability to manage out of it. It is critical that we stay focused on the future and on our strategic priorities even as we continue to operate in what still is a fluid environment. As we look ahead to the balance of 2020, we remain committed to our portfolio and supply chain optimization initiatives, which are expected to deliver approximately $10 million to $20 million of savings this year. While there is uncertainty around the pace of recovery in our foodservice business and the duration of elevated in-home eating, we are confident that our increased digital investments and ongoing optimization projects will allow us to exit this crisis in an improved competitive position and with strong business fundamentals."

For the 53-week Fiscal 2020, the Company Expects:

Sales in the range of approximately $4.206 billion to $4.289 billion , representing growth of approximately 2.0% to 4.0%.

to , representing growth of approximately 2.0% to 4.0%. Diluted EPS in the range of approximately $0.57 to $0.65 , including a $0.41 per share charge related to the termination of a defined benefit pension plan.

to , including a per share charge related to the termination of a defined benefit pension plan. Adjusted diluted EPS in the range of approximately $1.00 to $1.08 , adjusted for items affecting comparability, representing growth of approximately 4.2% to 12.5%.

The company's outlook includes the following assumptions:

Portfolio and supply chain optimization benefit of $10 million to $20 million

to Depreciation and amortization in the range of $140 million to $145 million

to Other pension expense of approximately $2 million

Net interest expense in the range of $8 million to $10 million

to An effective tax rate of approximately 24%

Weighted average diluted share count for the year of approximately 212.5 million shares

Capital expenditures for the year in the range of $95 million to $105 million

Matters Affecting Comparability:









Reconciliation of (Loss) Earnings per Share to Adjusted Earnings per Share









For the 16 Weeks Ended

Apr. 18, 2020

Apr. 20, 2019







Net (loss) income per diluted common share $ (0.03)

$ 0.31 Recovery on inferior ingredients -

NM Restructuring and related impairment charges -

NM Project Centennial consulting costs 0.01

- Legal settlements 0.01

NM Executive retirement agreement -

NM Acquisition costs -

NM Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss 0.41

- Other pension plan termination costs NM

- Adjusted net income per diluted common share $ 0.41

$ 0.32







NM - Not Meaningful Certain amounts may not compute due to rounding.

Consolidated First Quarter Operating Highlights

Compared to the prior year first quarter where applicable

Sales increased 6.8% to $1.349 billion with a 6.5% to 7.5% increase attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

with a 6.5% to 7.5% increase attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Percentage point change in sales attributed to:

Pricing/mix: 6.2%, primarily driven by mix



Volume: 0.6%

On a consolidated basis, branded retail sales increased $133.8 million or 17.7% to $891.5 million , store branded retail sales decreased $0.9 million or 0.5% to $190.2 million , while non-retail and other sales decreased $47.3 million or 15.0% to $267.8 million .

or 17.7% to , store branded retail sales decreased or 0.5% to , while non-retail and other sales decreased or 15.0% to . A significant increase in branded retail sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic helped drive a positive mix shift from non-retail and other to branded retail products.

Store branded retail sales decreased modestly due primarily to lost store branded breakfast bread business and volume declines for store branded cake, partially offset by increases in store branded gluten-free products produced by Canyon Bakehouse.

Foodservice and other non-retail sales declined significantly due to business disruptions for most of our non-retail customers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials, supplies, labor and other production costs (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) were 49.7% of sales, a 190-basis point decrease. These costs were lower as a percentage of sales due to the positive mix shift from non-retail products to branded retail products. Partially offsetting the cost leverage were $4.1 million of appreciation bonuses paid to frontline workers and $1.7 million in start-up costs related to the conversion of our Lynchburg, Virginia plant to an organic bakery.

of appreciation bonuses paid to frontline workers and in start-up costs related to the conversion of our plant to an organic bakery. Selling, distribution and administrative (SD&A) expenses were 38.7% of sales, a 100-basis point increase. Higher distributor distribution fees were driven by a shift in product mix, which resulted in a larger portion of our sales being made through independent distributor partners. Workforce-related costs increased primarily due to $2.1 million of appreciation bonuses paid to frontline workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and higher employee incentive costs.

of appreciation bonuses paid to frontline workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and higher employee incentive costs. Depreciation and amortization (D&A) expenses were relatively consistent quarter over quarter.

Net income declined $71.6 million to a loss of $5.8 million due primarily to the $116.2 million charge related to the termination of the pension plan. Adjusted net income increased $19.2 million to $86.4 million .

to a loss of due primarily to the charge related to the termination of the pension plan. Adjusted net income increased to . Adjusted EBITDA increased 19.0% to $163.3 million , representing 12.1% of sales, a 120-basis point increase compared to the prior year.

, representing 12.1% of sales, a 120-basis point increase compared to the prior year. GAAP EPS decreased $0.34 to a loss of $0.03 due primarily to the $0.41 per share charge related to the termination of the pension plan. Adjusted EPS was $0.41 compared to $0.32 in the prior year quarter, including a $0.09 to $0 .10 increase attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cash Flow, Capital Allocation, and Capital Return

In the first quarter of fiscal 2020, cash flow from operating activities was $106.2 million, capital expenditures were $21.7 million, and dividends paid were $40.3 million. To ensure liquidity, out of an abundance of caution and uncertainty of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company drew an additional $200 million on our credit facility. Total indebtedness increased by $203.8 million in the quarter. Cash and cash equivalents were $252.7 million at quarter-end.

There are 6.2 million shares authorized for repurchase under the company's current share repurchase plan. The company expects to continue to make opportunistic share repurchases from time to time under this plan.

Conference Call

Flowers Foods will hold a conference call to discuss its first quarter 2020 results at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern) on May 14, 2020. The call can be accessed by following the webcast link at flowersfoods.com/investors. The call also will be archived on the company's website.

About Flowers Foods

Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is one of the largest producers of packaged bakery foods in the United States with 2019 sales of $4.1 billion. Flowers operates bakeries across the country that produce a wide range of bakery products. Among the company's top brands are Nature's Own, Dave's Killer Bread, Wonder, and Tastykake. Learn more at www.flowersfoods.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to current expectations regarding our future financial condition, performance and results of operations and the ultimate impact of the novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition, planned capital expenditures, long-term objectives of management, supply and demand, pricing trends and market forces, and integration plans and expected benefits of transactions and are often identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," "is likely to," "is expected to" or "will continue," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those projected. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements contained in this release and that may affect the company's prospects in general include, but are not limited to, (a) the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and measures taken in response thereto on our business, results of operations and financial condition, which are highly uncertain and are difficult to predict, (b) general economic and business conditions and the competitive conditions in the baked foods industry, including promotional and price competition, (c) changes in consumer demand for our products, including changes in consumer behavior, trends and preferences, including health and whole grain trends, and the movement toward more inexpensive store-branded products, (d) the success of productivity improvements and new product introductions, (e) a significant reduction in business with any of our major customers including a reduction from adverse developments in any of our customer's business, (f) fluctuations in commodity pricing, (g) energy and raw material costs and availability and hedging and counterparty risk, (h) our ability to fully integrate recent acquisitions into our business, (i) our ability to achieve cash flow from capital expenditures and acquisitions and the availability of new acquisitions that build shareholder value, (j) our ability to successfully implement our business strategies, including those strategies the company has initiated under Project Centennial, which may involve, among other things, the integration of recent acquisitions or the acquisition or disposition of assets at presently targeted values, the deployment of new systems and technology and an enhanced organizational structure, (k) consolidation within the baking industry and related industries, (l) disruptions in our direct-store delivery system, including litigation or an adverse ruling from a court or regulatory or government body that could affect the independent contractor classification of our independent distributors, (m) increasing legal complexity and legal proceedings that we are or may become subject to, (n) product recalls or safety concerns related to our products, and (o) the failure of our information technology systems to perform adequately, including any interruptions, intrusions or security breaches of such systems. The foregoing list of important factors does not include all such factors, nor necessarily present them in order of importance. In addition, you should consult other public disclosures made by the company, including the risk factors included in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and disclosures made in other filings with the SEC and company press releases, for other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected by the company. We caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as they speak only as of the date made and are inherently uncertain. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update such statements, except as required by law.

Information Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The company prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). However, from time to time, the company may present in its public statements, press releases and SEC filings, non-GAAP financial measures such as, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBIT, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income, adjusted operating income, adjusted EPS, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted selling, distribution and administrative expenses (SD&A), gross margin excluding depreciation and amortization and the ratio of net debt to adjusted EBITDA. The reconciliations attached provide reconciliations of the non-GAAP measures used in this presentation or release to the most comparable GAAP financial measure. The company's definitions of these non-GAAP measures may differ from similarly titled measures used by others. These non-GAAP measures should be considered supplemental to, and not a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The company defines EBITDA earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The company believes that EBITDA is a useful tool for managing the operations of its business and is an indicator of the company's ability to incur and service indebtedness and generate free cash flow. EBITDA is used as the primary performance measure in the company's 2014 Omnibus Equity and Incentive Compensation Plan. Furthermore, pursuant to the terms of our credit facility, EBITDA is used to determine the company's compliance with certain financial covenants. The company also believes that EBITDA measures are commonly reported and widely used by investors and other interested parties as measures of a company's operating performance and debt servicing ability because EBITDA measures assist in comparing performance on a consistent basis without regard to depreciation or amortization, which can vary significantly depending upon accounting methods and non-operating factors (such as historical cost). EBITDA is also a widely-accepted financial indicator of a company's ability to incur and service indebtedness.

EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to (a) income from operations or net income (loss) as a measure of operating performance; (b) cash flows provided by operating, investing and financing activities (as determined in accordance with GAAP) as a measure of the company's ability to meet its cash needs; or (c) any other indicator of performance or liquidity that has been determined in accordance with GAAP.

The company defines adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBIT, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income, adjusted operating income, adjusted EPS, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted SD&A, respectively, excluding the impact of asset impairment charges, Project Centennial consulting costs, lease terminations and legal settlements, acquisition-related costs, and pension plan settlements. Adjusted income tax expense also excludes the impact of tax reform. The company believes that these measures, when considered together with its GAAP financial results, provides management and investors with a more complete understanding of its business operating results, including underlying trends, by excluding the effects of certain charges.

Net debt to EBITDA is used as a measure of financial leverage employed by the company. Gross margin excluding depreciation and amortization is used as a performance measure to provide additional transparent information regarding our results of operations on a consolidated and segment basis. Changes in depreciation and amortization are separately discussed and include depreciation and amortization for materials, supplies, labor and other production costs and operating activities.

Presentation of gross margin includes depreciation and amortization in the materials, supplies, labor and other production costs according to GAAP. Our method of presenting gross margin excludes the depreciation and amortization components, as discussed above.

The reconciliations attached provide reconciliations of the non-GAAP measures used in this presentation or release to the most comparable GAAP financial measure.

FLO-CORP FLO-IR

Flowers Foods, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (000's omitted)















































April 18, 2020



December 28, 2019 Assets











Cash and Cash Equivalents

$ 252,683

$ 11,044













Other Current Assets



551,119



515,165













Property, Plant & Equipment, net



697,067



717,822













Right-of-Use Leases, net



385,066



399,302













Distributor Notes Receivable (1)



221,144



226,348













Other Assets



20,085



12,644













Cost in Excess of Net Tangible Assets, net



1,285,909



1,295,451













Total Assets

$ 3,413,073

$ 3,177,776













Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity











Current Liabilities

$ 442,850

$ 463,431













Long-term Debt (2)



1,070,597



866,508













Right-of-Use Lease Liabilities (3)



395,369



404,503













Other Liabilities



183,646



179,904













Stockholders' Equity



1,320,611



1,263,430













Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

$ 3,413,073

$ 3,177,776



























(1) Includes current portion of $28,018 and $27,709, respectively.





(2) Includes current portion of $1,245 and $3,730, respectively.





(3) Includes current portion of $60,819 and $60,982, respectively.







Flowers Foods, Inc. Consolidated Statement of Operations (000's omitted, except per share data)







































For the 16 Week Period Ended

For the 16 Week Period Ended









April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019

Sales

$ 1,349,444 $ 1,263,895

Materials, supplies, labor and other production costs (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)

670,873

652,141

Selling, distribution and administrative expenses

522,035

476,049

Recovery on inferior ingredients

-

(413)

Restructuring and related impairment charges

-

718

Depreciation and amortization expense

44,663

44,819

Income from operations

111,873

90,581

Other pension cost

143

692

Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss

116,207

-

Interest expense, net

3,314

3,824

(Loss) income before income taxes

(7,791)

86,065

Income tax (benefit) expense

(2,019)

20,199

Net (loss) income $ (5,772) $ 65,866

















Net (loss) income per diluted common share $ (0.03) $ 0.31

















Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

211,754

211,884



Flowers Foods, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (000's omitted)

































For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019

Cash flows from operating activities:









Net (loss) income $ (5,772) $ 65,866

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash









from operating activities:











Total non-cash adjustments

143,651

54,777



Changes in assets and liabilities and pension contributions

(31,694)

(24,465)

Net cash provided by operating activities

106,185

96,178

Cash flows from investing activities:











Purchase of property, plant and equipment

(21,700)

(20,761)



Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

862

235



Other

4,021

136

Net cash disbursed for investing activities

(16,817)

(20,390)

Cash flows from financing activities:











Dividends paid

(40,286)

(39,296)



Payment of contingent consideration

(4,700)

-



Stock repurchases

(783)

(7,054)



Net change in debt borrowings

203,750

(40,500)



Payments on financing leases

(2,180)

(1,872)



Other

(3,530)

(788)

Net cash provided by (disbursed for) financing activities

152,271

(89,510)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

241,639

(13,722)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

11,044

25,306

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 252,683 $ 11,584





Flowers Foods, Inc.

Sales by Sales Class and Sales Bridge

(000's omitted)















Sales by Sales Class For the 16 Week

Period Ended For the 16 Week

Period Ended









April 18, 2020 April 20, 2019 $ Change % Change

















Branded Retail $ 891,449 $ 757,685 $ 133,764 17.7%



Store Branded Retail 190,181 191,062 (881) -0.5%



Non-Retail and Other 267,814 315,148 (47,334) -15.0%



Total Sales $ 1,349,444 $ 1,263,895 $ 85,549 6.8%































Sales Bridge















Net Total





For the 16 Week Period Ended April 18, 2020 Volume Price/Mix Sales Change



















Flowers Foods 0.6% 6.2% 6.8%



















Flowers Foods, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (000's omitted, except per share data)



















Reconciliation of (Loss) Earnings per Share to Adjusted

Earnings per Share





For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019















Net (loss) income per diluted common share

$ (0.03)

$ 0.31

Recovery on inferior ingredients

-

NM

Restructuring and related impairment charges

-

NM

Project Centennial consulting costs

0.01

-

Legal settlements

0.01

NM

Executive retirement agreement

-

NM

Canyon acquisition costs

-

NM

Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss

0.41

-

Other pension plan termination costs

NM

-

Adjusted net income per diluted common share

$ 0.41

$ 0.32

NM - not meaningful.









Certain amounts may not add due to rounding.





























Reconciliation of Gross Margin





For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019

Sales

$ 1,349,444

$ 1,263,895

Materials, supplies, labor and other production costs (exclusive of

depreciation and amortization)

670,873

652,141

Gross Margin excluding depreciation and amortization

678,571

611,754

Less depreciation and amortization for production activities

24,258

24,978

Gross Margin

$ 654,313

$ 586,776















Depreciation and amortization for production activities

$ 24,258

$ 24,978

Depreciation and amortization for selling, distribution and

administrative activities

20,405

19,841

Total depreciation and amortization

$ 44,663

$ 44,819





















Reconciliation of Selling, Distribution and Administrative

Expenses to Adjusted SD&A





For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019

Selling, distribution and administrative expenses (SD&A)

$ 522,035

$ 476,049

Project Centennial consulting costs

(3,392)

-

Legal settlements

(3,220)

(150)

Executive retirement agreement

-

(1,331)

Canyon acquisition costs

-

(22)

Other pension plan termination costs

(133)

-

Adjusted SD&A

$ 515,290

$ 474,546





















Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to EBITDA and

Adjusted EBITDA





For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019















Net (loss) income

$ (5,772)

$ 65,866

Income tax (benefit) expense

(2,019)

20,199

Interest expense, net

3,314

3,824

Depreciation and amortization

44,663

44,819

EBITDA

40,186

134,708

Other pension cost

143

692

Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss

116,207

-

Other pension plan termination costs

133

-

Recovery on inferior ingredients

-

(413)

Restructuring and related impairment charges

-

718

Project Centennial consulting costs

3,392

-

Legal settlements

3,220

150

Executive retirement agreement

-

1,331

Canyon acquisition costs

-

22

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 163,281

$ 137,208















Sales

$ 1,349,444

$ 1,263,895

Adjusted EBITDA margin

12.1%

10.9%



Flowers Foods, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (000's omitted, except per share data)

































Reconciliation of Income Tax (Benefit) Expense

to Adjusted Income Tax Expense





For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019















Income tax (benefit) expense

$ (2,019)

$ 20,199

Tax impact of:











Recovery on inferior ingredients

-

(104)



Restructuring and related impairment charges

-

181



Project Centennial consulting costs

848

-



Legal settlements

805

38



Executive retirement agreement

-

336



Canyon acquisition costs

-

6



Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss

29,052

-



Other pension plan termination costs

33

-

Adjusted income tax expense

$ 28,719

$ 20,656





















Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to Adjusted

Net Income





For the 16 Week

Period Ended

For the 16 Week

Period Ended







April 18, 2020

April 20, 2019















Net (loss) income

$ (5,772)

$ 65,866

Recovery on inferior ingredients

-

(309)

Restructuring and related impairment charges

-

537

Project Centennial consulting costs

2,544

-

Legal settlements

2,415

112

Executive retirement agreement

-

995

Canyon acquisition costs

-

16

Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss

87,155

-

Other pension plan termination costs

100

-

Adjusted net income

$ 86,442

$ 67,217





















Reconciliation of Earnings per Share - Full

Year Fiscal 2020 Guidance







Range Estimate















Net income per diluted common share

$ 0.57 to $ 0.65

Project Centennial consulting costs

0.01

0.01

Legal settlements

0.01

0.01

Pension plan settlement and curtailment loss

0.41

0.41

Other pension plan termination costs

NM

NM

Adjusted net income per diluted common share

$ 1.00 to $ 1.08

Certain amounts may not add due to rounding.











SOURCE Flowers Foods, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.flowersfoods.com


The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

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By Alexander Cornwell

DUBAI (Reuters) - Air Arabia, the only listed carrier in the United Arab Emirates, has laid off 57 employees due to travel disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Sharjah-based airline, which has about 2,000 employees, has like other UAE carriers suspended scheduled operations since March. It is not clear when normal services will resume.

"It is unfortunate that we had to take the decision to lay off a small number of our staff this week. This is the first time in our history that we were forced to do so taking into consideration the current market realities," the spokesman said.

The airline did not say which departments had been affected.

Air Arabia has taken measures to protect jobs since the virus outbreak, the spokesman said, without disclosing details.

"We will continue to do everything possible to safeguard our employees by keeping layoffs to the minimum and only as a last resort," he said.

In a termination letter seen by Reuters, Air Arabia said the impact on global aviation by the virus was expected to continue for a "considerable period of time."

State-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines has asked some cabin crew employees to suspend their contracts, Reuters reported last month, citing an internal email. Other Gulf airlines have temporarily cut salaries to weather the crisis.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Edmund Blair)
A total of 642 people from Himachal Pradesh stranded in Karnataka due to the coronavirus lockdown arrived here in a special train on Wednesday, officials said.

The train arrived at the Una railway station in the afternoon, Deputy Commissioner, Una, Sandeep Kumar said.

This was the first special train bringing back stranded Himachal Pradesh residents to their state.

Four more special trains will bring back more state residents from other parts of the country in the coming days, Kumar said.

Of the 642 passengers arriving from Bengaluru in Karnataka, 157 were from Kangra, 131 from Chamba, 84 from Hamirpur, 73 from Shimla, 59 from Solan, 58 from Mandi, 22 from Bilaspur, 20 from Kullu, 19 from Una, 14 from Sirmaur and five from Kinnaur, he said.

The passengers were provided masks, sanitisers, water and food before being sent to their home districts in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses, Kumar said.

They will have to remain in quarantine for fourteen days, he added.

Khem Raj from Chamba's Tissa thanked the HP government for making special arrangements for ensuring his return to the home state.

The special train was run after Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had made a request to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Canadian study available on the preprint server medRxiv* shows that current smokers are slightly more likely than never smokers to test positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but cautions about the possibility of reverse causality where smokers actually quit to avoid the disease.

Current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may result in a life-threatening respiratory condition in a significant portion of infected individuals, primarily elderly and those with comorbidities.

Smoker to non-smoker ratio in individuals hospitalized early during the pandemic in China, the United States, and France varied. However, habitual smokers seemed to be markedly underrepresented among the group necessitating hospital treatment.

Some French researchers even suggested the so-called 'nicotinic hypothesis' for COVID-19, highlighting current smoking status as a protective factor with further preventative and therapeutic implications.

As the proper assessment of smoking risks in correlation with COVID-19 is best done in prospective studies, Dr. Eo Rin Cho and Dr. Arthur S. Slutsky from Unity Health Toronto hospital network, together with Dr. Prabhat Jha from the University of Toronto, decided to analyze obesity, smoking and other risk factors in the UK Biobank study.

Biobank data under the magnifying glass

The UK Biobank project is a prospective study of 502,506 adults aged between 40 and 86, followed for an average period of 11.3 years. It provides in-depth health, physical, and genetic data of individuals all across the UK.

Open access is a vital ingredient of this database, as scientists around the world can delve into the UK Biobank data directly and swiftly build on the work of other scientists  resulting in unanticipated dividends in diverse research fields.

And now it helps enormously in COVID-19 research. Between March 16 and April 26, 2020, a total of 2,237 participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection; 40.6% of those tested positive, which means testing was done on patients at high risk of disease.

Furthermore, the smoking prevalence at enrollment was slightly lower in those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result (16.6%) in comparison to those testing negative (17.5%). However, these percentages reveal no relevant information before further statistical scrutiny.

Controlling for variables

Consequently, the Canadian authors conducted logistic regression analyses (a type of predictive analysis) controlling for age at the time of COVID-19 testing, as well as the following variables: smoking, body mass index (BMI), and self-reported hypertension or diabetes. Those who developed respiratory, vascular, or malignant diseases were excluded.

In sex-stratified analyses, current smokers had higher odds of being tested; also, former smokers, those with a history of hypertension or (among men) history of diabetes, and those with BMI over 27 were also more likely to be tested.

After adjusting for these variables as well, current smokers were slightly more likely than those who never smoked to test positive COVID-19. Still, this was not statistically significant, and former smoking was similarly not associated with a positive test.

The need for more data

"Further examination of smoking as a risk factor for COVID-19 in other prospective studies is required", caution study authors in the paper available on medRxiv preprint server. "This must take into account not only reverse causality, where smokers quit to avoid disease, but also prior diseases and comorbidities including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, as each is associated with COVID-19 hospitalization or mortality", they add.

As of May 2020, the COVID-19 death toll has thus far risen to almost 300 thousand, which reflects approximately 25 days of annual global tobacco deaths. Therefore, both of these lethal epidemics should be taken seriously, and their burden measured appropriately.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

Video UK Biobank make COVID -19 data available

UK Biobank make COVID -19 data available Play
A mother is warning against buying hot tubs in lockdown after her daughter almost died from an infection, which she's believed to have caught from dirty water.

Jemma Hamilton, 26, from Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, claims her daughter Amelia picked up the infection from the family's hot tub - despite being extra careful to keep it clean while checking the water pH daily.

The seven-year-old contracted an ear infection in May 2018 - four months after the family bought their brand new hot tub - and was treated with antibiotics by her GP.

Within a week her symptoms has subsided, but Amelia started to complain about being dizzy and seeing in double vision while her mother noticed she had lost a lot of weight and was squinting.

Seven-year-old Amelia Hamilton contracted an ear infection in May 2018 - four months after the family bought their brand new hot tub

Jemma took Amelia to see an optician, but within two days they had been referred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow for specialist treatment - with doctors warning that Amelia's condition was life-threatening.

The little girl spent two months in hospital after doctors discovered the cause of her sudden vision problems were three pus-filled abscesses on her cerebellum putting pressure on her optic nerve.

But despite being 'fighting fit' and healthy, Jemma is now speaking out about her daughter's infection to warn others, who may be contemplating a hot tub in lockdown, of the risks.

The mother-of-one shared her daughter's experience online this week in a post that received more than 28,000 reactions, shares and comments.

Jemma, 26, (pictured) took Amelia to see an optician but within two days they had been referred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow for specialist treatment

Amelia in the hot tub which her mother claims was the source of the infection (left). The little girl spent two months in hospital after doctors discovered the cause of her sudden vision problems

'It was a harrowing experience. I am so glad it can do something positive now, she said.

'My mum cleaned the hot tub every day. She used the pH strips too. It wasn't as if we were letting her get in dirty water or anything like that.'

Jemma said that doctors told her they believed the infection had travelled to Amelia's brain through water.

Doctors could not state for definite that the infection was caused by the hot tub but given the fact it was the only standing water Amelia had been in, which is likely to have harboured bacteria, medics were led to believe that was the cause.

'It's been water in the ear that has caused it,' she said. 'She hadn't been swimming or anything like that. The only thing she was in was the hot tub.

The first brain scan showing the abscesses (left). The third brain scan after the abscesses cleared (right)

Jemma revealed how the family got rid of the hot tub following the incident and it took Amelia around 18 months to go swimming again

'They said that's what it could be, especially as they are high risk for bacteria. It was really difficult to hear because you think to yourself, 'I really shouldn't have put her in it.'

'You feel guilty. You ask yourself the questions so many times - could I have changed something by not letting her in it?

'You would just drive yourself crazy if you asked yourself that all the time.'

Jemma revealed how the family got rid of the hot tub following the incident and it took Amelia around 18 months to go swimming again.

She said: 'We got rid of the hot tub when she ended up not well. It took her about a year and a half to go swimming again at all. We are a lot more vigilant now and make sure her ears are clean and dry.'

Amelia had weekly MRI scans and hourly checks to monitor her motor skills and reflexes while three different antibiotics were administered to her through a drip.

Amelia having an MRI scan (left). Jemma said: 'Amelia was really brave. She was never really that scared'

The former nursery teacher claims that Amelia only has happy memories of being in hospital - but for Jemma it was the 'most frightening time of her life'.

Jemma, who is a full-time student and bartender, said: 'The first time they told me she had something wrong with her brain her dad wasn't with me and I was in the room on my own.

'I remember freezing and the words they said to me after that just didn't go in. It was as if I couldn't process it at first. It was horrible.'

She continued: 'You get that gut-wrenching feeling that the world is ending. That's your baby. She is everything to me. It was absolutely horrible.

'Amelia was really brave. She was never really that scared. I think kids are just really resilient though. They do just take it in their stride.

Jemma with her daughter Amelia (left). Jemma is studying to become a biomedical scientist and hopes to help other families suffering from infections (right)

'She only remembers the positive things. She doesn't ever mention the scary things that happened to her.

'She had three abscesses on her cerebellum. They didn't want to operate or anything as it was right in the middle of her brain and it was a really difficult operation.

'It's definitely impacted everything we do. We are so safe now when it comes to medical things.

'The minute she's got anything wrong with her we are a bit more paranoid now. You would just never think this would happen from something so innocent.'

And now Jemma is studying to become a biomedical scientist and hopes to help other families suffering from infections.

The former nursery teacher said she wanted 'a complete career change'. Jemma said: She added: 'I would love to one day be able to find a new antibiotic or find cures for other infections'

Jemma said: 'When Amelia went into hospital I had already restarted my higher English so I was on my way to university, I just didn't know what I wanted to do with it.

'Previously I was a nursery teacher so I knew I wanted a complete career change. I didn't know what I wanted to be, to be honest.

'It wasn't until she was in the hospital that I realised I wanted to do something with a medical background.

She added: 'I would love to one day be able to find a new antibiotic or find cures for other infections. That gave me the push to go ahead and do it. I'm in my second year at university now.

'It all worked out really well. I don't mean that I'm glad it happened, but positive things have happened since then. I hope someday I can help save someone else in the same situation.'
The passengers did not complain about their health

287 Ukrainian citizens have returned to their homeland from Amsterdam and Athens State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

On May 13, two flights from Amsterdam and Athens with 287 Ukrainians aboard successfully landed at Boryspil International Airport, Ukraines State Border Guard Service reports.

"Border guards conducted a mandatory temperature screening of each passenger. No cases of fever were detected. None of the passengers complained about their health," the statement said.

They also installed the Diya application for the further observation.

Meanwhile, the passenger aircraft of SkyUp company departed from Istanbul, carrying 109 Ukrainians aboard. Among the evacuated are Ukrainian students, athletes and citizens who were treated from COVID-19 in Turkey.

As we reported earlier, 10-15% of Ukrainians have returned from Europe during the quarantine. They are waiting for the restoration of the transport traffic between the countries in order to go to work abroad.

The majority of the Ukrainian stays there. But even the number of those who returned just waits for the restoration of the interstate transport traffic  buses, trains  to go to work abroad and earn money there, President of Ukrainian Association of Companies on International Recruitment Vasyl Voskobiynyk said.
As U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo considered releasing James Bess from a federal prison in North Carolina where the novel coronavirus was spreading, Vilardo couldn't understand why prosecutors balked.

Bess was nearly 65, with diabetes and heart problems. He was more than halfway through a seven-year-sentence for dealing methamphetamine and had asked the warden only days earlier for a compassionate release that would send him home from the prison at Butner.

He was turned down.

"I don't dispute Mr. Bess's medical condition, I don't dispute his vulnerabilities," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Higgins, according to a transcript of the April 21 hearing.

But, she argued, the court couldn't step in to grant a release until at least 30 days after the request to a warden - even if the answer already had come back "no."

The courtroom exchange is emblematic of the maze some federal prison inmates must navigate while seeking protection from the coronavirus.

For inmates like Bess, the 30-day wait has become a holdup around the country. Compassionate releases end prison sentences early for reasons such as sickness, old age or other reasons deemed "extraordinary and compelling."

For some other inmates hoping for release to home confinement, shifting eligibility rules have blocked their path. Home confinement requires they finish their sentence but at home under close monitoring.

As the coronavirus gripped the country in early April, Attorney General William Barr ordered that early releases become a priority at several federal prisons that then had "significant levels of infection . . . and others similarly affected."

But more than a month later, a review of court records in more than 50 federal cases - from class-action lawsuits to individual inmates' proceedings - shows some judges lashing out at the pace of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' response and taking action to release inmates as coronavirus exposures rise.

In a recent letter to Congress, the policymaking body that represents the nation's federal judges called on lawmakers to temporarily change the law regarding compassionate release, and allow judges to grant it without having to wait 30 days.

"The 30-day lapse requirement in particular has prevented district courts from timely reviewing the petitions of vulnerable inmates who claim serious and irreparable harm to their health," the letter says, noting that "there have been significant delays in BOP's response to requests for compassionate release."

Elements of the simmering frustrations played out at Bess' hearing.

As she argued that the waiting period had to be honored, the prosecutor also told the judge that "it's not a perfect system, and frankly it wasn't built for the circumstances we're in."

"Come on, we're human beings," Vilardo said, before ordering that Bess be freed that day.

On April 3, Barr acknowledged the threat posed by the coronavirus as he focused on three facilities that then had a few dozen cases among them. The "significant levels of infection," as Barr characterized it, made those prisons prime opportunities for home confinement releases.

As of Tuesday, the same three sites - Danbury in Connecticut, Elkton in Ohio and Oakdale in Louisiana - were reporting about 170 current cases, according to the Bureau of Prisons' website.

Systemwide, the bureau was reporting about 2,800 active coronavirus infections among its inmates as of Tuesday night. That is out of about 170,000 inmates across the federal prison system.

The number includes 150 active infections among about 1,000 inmates at Terminal Island in California as of Tuesday night, and seven prisoners who had died of covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

About 120 additional federal inmates in prisons run by private companies also have the virus, the agency has said.

Due to Barr's order, the bureau said it has transferred more than 2,400 inmates to home confinement. The agency declined interview requests and did not reply to questions about what facilities account for the releases or how many may have been previously scheduled.

In a statement, the agency said more than 1,200 inmates have recovered from the coronavirus and that it is focused on "a robust medical response" at facilities with outbreaks, which includes expanding testing, maximizing social distancing with "field-ready tents," and the use of protective gear "where resources are available."

At Danbury, 159 inmates had been reviewed for home confinement in response to the pandemic, of whom it was granted to 21, the government said in a May 5 filing made as part of a class-action lawsuit over conditions at the 1,000-inmate prison.

The number of releases drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Michael Shea, who said at a hearing the next day that it does not square with "the urgent tone of the Attorney General's memo."

During the hearing, Shea also grappled with the implication of the 30-day waiting period for compassionate releases, the other path for moving inmates away from coronavirus in the federal system. He said he felt bound by the requirement, and had declined to release some inmates for that reason. But the government had disclosed the day before that since the pandemic, 241 Danbury inmates had applied for compassionate release - and none had yet been approved.

"I have to be honest with you, that really surprised me," Shea said. "The numbers you're reporting suggest . . . there's no point in waiting the 30 days. The warden might as well tell people, look, we're not going to be granting it."

In a scathing opinion issued Tuesday evening, Shea directed the Danbury prison to make decisions on home confinement and compassionate release more quickly. "The 30-day period under the statute is simply dead time during which there is no prospect the BOP will come to the defendant's aid," he wrote.

In a similar lawsuit involving Elkton inmates, U.S. District Judge James Gwin had also ordered the government to act with greater urgency. "There is a continued risk of harm to others, including prison staff, if inmates remain in the prison and the virus continues to thrive among the dense inmate population," he wrote on April 22.

Gwin told the government to produce a list of Elkton prisoners who were "medically vulnerable" to the virus according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, based on their age or underlying medical conditions. After producing a list of more than 800, the government wrote in a May 5 court filing that none of them had yet been released to home confinement.

In a separate case involving Elkton, U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford also concluded she does not have the authority to waive the 30-day requirement on compassionate release.

But even as she declined to release an Elkton inmate because of that constraint, she expressed reluctance - and anger with the government.

"By insisting, in the face of a once-in-a-century pandemic, on opposing motions for compassionate release on technical grounds, the Government has helped create a fundamentally unjust, chaotic system," she wrote May 6.

At the Elkton facility, 243 inmates the government itself listed as "medically vulnerable" had applied to the warden for compassionate release, the government told the court on May 5.

The warden had approved one.

Thousands of inmates across the country have sought compassionate release in recent weeks, according to federal public defenders and inmate advocates. Public data is not available on how many applied from which institutions, or how many have received it.

However, court filings show more than two dozen judges granting those requests during the coronavirus pandemic. Many voiced frustration with what they saw as a slow-moving Bureau of Prisons.

"The scale of the outbreak is immense and growing," wrote U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam in deciding to release an inmate from the Terminal Island facility in late April.

At a federal prison in Fort Worth reserved for inmates with special medical needs, prosecutors pushed back against an inmate's compassionate release on April 17, saying in court filings that only six inmates had tested positive and "transmission of covid-19 at the facility has been relatively controlled."

Less than a week later, prosecutors withdrew their opposition, acknowledging the "skyrocketing number of infections" at the facility, court records show.

The count of confirmed positive cases at Fort Worth was 624 on Tuesday, the agency said on its website.

With cases rising, the waiting period embedded in the 30-day rule has left some judges openly struggling with whether they must abide by it and hold off on a compassionate release, or whether a public health emergency gives them discretion to move more quickly.

"It sort of boggles my mind," U.S. District Judge John F. Keenan told a prosecutor during an April 10 hearing, according to a court transcript in one case out of the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center.

The prison at Butner - where Bess had been held - has attracted criticism over its procedures for compassionate release and those awaiting bureau approval to move to home confinement.

A 14-day quarantine precedes a release to home confinement.

At Butner, court records show, dozens of inmates awaiting home confinement had been put into the mandated quarantine. But those inmates had not been tested for the virus beforehand and were held in large groups.

Once anyone tested positive, the quarantine clock reset for everyone, prompting some judges to turn to compassionate release as the route to move vulnerable inmates.

"This is an illogical and self-defeating policy that appears to be inconsistent with the directive of the Attorney General," wrote one judge in an April 18 decision to release a Butner inmate who had been in quarantine for four days, only to have the wait start anew after someone in the same group was found to be infected.

In another case, a Butner inmate was approved for home confinement, but with a start date of May 22.

A judge granted him compassionate release on April 29, noting that days after he was placed in quarantine with a group of 45 other inmates, 31 tested positive.

As of Tuesday, about 250 of the 4,500 inmates in the sprawling correctional complex in North Carolina are currently infected with the coronavirus, and seven have died of covid-19.

The threat from the virus weighed heavily on Bess, he said in a phone interview from Jamestown, New York, where he lives for now with his wife and mother.

Prosecutors have said they will appeal the court decision that released him.

At Butner, he said, he was in a dormitory-style unit with about 160 other men.

"All the elderly and sick inmates there, I thought we would have a big problem on our hands," Bess said. "I prayed, 'Please, God, don't let this happen here.' "
Immigration at record lows in March but tourism could boom post-COVID-19. Source: Stockhead

Visitors to Australia fell by 60 per cent in March compared to last year, the largest ever drop in arrivals.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed a fall in the number of people returning from holiday by 29 per cent.

China saw the steepest declines in incoming visitors to Australia, by 78 per cent, followed by Japan with 75 per cent, said ABS director of migration statistics Jenny Dobak.

Australia closed its borders to foreign nationals traveling from China at the start of February to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

It gradually tightened that closure to prevent almost all travel out of the country by Australians and incoming travel by foreign nationals. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says hes unlikely to open the borders before 2021 but has been supportive of calls to start travel with New Zealand later this year.

Tourism will bounce back

Ruthven Institute founder and economic futurist Phil Ruthven says there is enormous potential for post-COVID-19 inbound tourism particularly from China and India.

However, countries will need to work together on solutions to ensure travellers do not restart infections, be that vaccinations or certificates to prove people are COVID-free, he told Stockhead.

In 2017-2018, China became the top source of international visitors to Australia, overtaking New Zealand and becoming a major source of business for several ASX businesses.

Daigou (buy on behalf of) sellers AuMake (ASX:AU8) and Mediland Pharm (ASX:MPH) were building businesses around not only Chinese residents in Australia but organised tour groups being brought to their stores.

AuMake said on Monday it would start reopening stores in Australia and New Zealand, and earlier reassured investors that online sales had more than compensated for the loss of tour groups.

Mediland Pharm, which was in the early stages of launching an online strategy before the COVID-19 pandemic, relies heavily on tour groups. It saw quarterly receipts fall from $12.8m in the December quarter to $4m in the March quarter.

Yahoo Finance Breakfast Club.

Follow Yahoo Finance Australia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Morningstar launched the Global Investor Experience study (GIE) in 2009 to encourage a dialogue about global best practices for mutual funds from the perspective of fund shareholders. This study grades the experiences of mutual fund investors across 26 markets, breaks down the key factors contributing to global fee trends and provides a detailed look at the trends within each specific market.

The current report is the 6th edition of the biennial GIE report.

For this edition, Morningstar is publishing each of the evaluation categories as independent chapters:

Fees and Expenses Regulation and Taxation Disclosures Sales

Regulation and Taxation has recently been released. It evaluates the regulatory and tax frameworks that mutual fund investors face. The remaining two chapters will be produced later in 2020-21.

How India fared

This second chapter of GIE, grades the experiences of mutual fund investors in 26 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

India received an average grade, India matches global best practices in many areas of regulation. The tax system provides incentives for fund investing, including the deferral of capital gains taxes until units are sold. Although the a lack of mandated saving via NPS for nonstate employees did hold back the grade.

Overall, regulation of the India's mutual fund industry has been proactive and effective. Regulations such as changes to total expense ratio slabs, bans on up-front commissions, fund categorization and tweaks to fund investment norms have been effective.

Similar to most other countries around the world, India doesnt have an explicit Investor compensation scheme for mutual fund investors in case of a fund company wrongdoing, says Kaustubh Belapurkar, director of fund research at Morningstar India. But the regulator  SEBI, has been very proactive in acting in investors best interests by monitoring activities of asset managers and enforcing fines or ordering investor compensation on any instances of wrongdoing or conflict of interest. They also have a well defined investor grievance redressal mechanism.

Access the entire report here.

Andy Pettit, one of the authors of the study, made these global observations.

In the decade following the global financial crisis (GFC), market regulation focused on protecting investors has generally continued to provide robust fund markets that help individuals invest safely for their future. An interesting observation has been that international policymakers have been shifting their focus onto environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. This trend was one of the top findings from the Regulation and Taxation chapter of the latest Global Investor Experience Study, which evaluates the environment for mutual fund investors in markets around the world.

The highest overall scores went to The Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, while the lowest went to Australia, Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States. None of the markets we evaluated yielded a bottom grade, as they all achieve basic protections for investors.

While the study was conducted prior to the coronavirus pandemic, it is especially relevant given the current situation. A strong regulatory environment can give investors one less thing to worry about and provide them with confidence that the financial markets are continuing to protect their interests. Since the outbreak, weve seen governments and regulators take a wide variety of different approaches to help maintain market stability, assist businesses, and protect investors.

The global mutual fund market has strong regulation that generally protects investors. But markets vary in their policies to incentivise people to invest. Some markets levy no taxes on investment income or gains and others provide tax wrappers that enable people to invest meaningful amounts that can grow tax-free. The most progressive markets, such as Australia and the UK, have begun automatically enrolling workers in defined-contribution retirement systems.

Market regulation of fund operations and distribution is an area where we see wide variation in practices. Issues that have important, real-world implications for ordinary investors include: the allowance of soft commissions, the transparency of third-party research costs incurred by funds, and paying distribution costs out of fund assets. We made some enhancements to the methodology to place a stronger emphasis on these issues, which contributed to changes in some market ranks. Notably, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapores rankings declined from the last edition of the study.

Market regulation and taxation are significant, but not the only dominant factors shaping global investor experiences. Other factors, such as competition and economies of scale, also play a large part. For instance, even though Australia and the United States scored relatively low in terms of regulation and taxation, they were top performers in the Fees and Expenses chapter of the Global Investor Experience Study, alongside the Netherlands.
gettyimagesbank



By Kim Bo-eun



Asia was largely impacted by the coronavirus in the first few months of this year, following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December. However, technological capabilities have enabled governments in the region to take quick and effective measures to contain the virus, effectively curbing its spread, according to McKinsey Global Institute, the top consulting firm's research arm.



In a report issued May 13, the institute noted early detection of infections, and identification of routes taken by patients helped contain the virus, and this was enabled by digitization and data deployment at scale in collaboration between the public and private sectors.



In Korea, contact-tracing information is shared with the public through apps such as Corona Map and Corona 100m, enabling people to avoid areas where they are more likely to be infected.



The government of Singapore launched a mobile app, TraceTogether, which uses Bluetooth signals to record when people have been close to one another and alert them if they have been near a person known to be infected with the virus. By early April, about 1 million out of Singapore's population of 5.6 million had downloaded the app.



In China, artificial intelligence (AI) specialist SenseTime deployed contactless temperature-detection equipment to screen up to 10 individuals per second in subway stations, schools and public centers in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.



Technology was also incorporated into healthcare. Wuhan had an online remote diagnosis center equipped with 5G technology up and running by Feb. 27. Korea's Seegene, a developer of multiplex molecular technologies, used an AI-based big data system to design a diagnosis test within two to three weeks. This was a process that would have taken two to three months if it were done manually.



Social media platforms were utilized for quick and transparent communication between governments and the public. Australia and Singapore provided COVID-19 updates through official WhatsApp channels. Singapore created a coronavirus microsite that publishes daily the latest figures on confirmed cases including age, travel history and contact with previously confirmed cases of infected individuals.



"Transparent, timely communication has been important for ensuring that citizens and businesses make informed decisions, and technology has been critical to this," the report said.



Technology companies enabled farmers and wholesalers to sell directly to consumers via e-commerce. Online meeting platforms were incorporated for teleconferencing as offices closed. According to the report, in China, DingTalk experienced a 1,446 percent year-on-year growth in downloads, and Tencent Meeting had more than 10 million active daily users by February this year.



Technology was also used to redeploy labor when needed. Alibaba's grocery delivery subsidiary hired workers from restaurants and retail outlets that were shut down. The company simplified operational procedures so that new workers only needed two hours of training.



"Technology has helped reskill workers in order to meet large shifts in the types of demand during the pandemic and help people remain employed," the report said.


Rumble

Flossey is living a wonderful life on a beautiful farm in Millbrook, Ontario. It's what is knows an "ethical farm" where cows have space to roam and graze instead of being kept indoors for most of their lives. Flossey's farm has vast expanses of lush, green grass, rolling hills, ponds full of fresh water, and forested areas for shade. This is life as it should be for these gentle creatures. Dave is a farm hand who often helps out with some of the chores and animal care. He decided to take a break on this warm, summer day and he took a seat on the hill overlooking the pasture.
A fraudster sold fake holidays worth 70,000 to her family and friends while pretending she worked for Virgin Atlantic and Emirates.

Jessica Greatorex-Thomas, 29, from Saffron Walden in Essex, persuaded her neighbours and family to fork out thousands for trips to Venice, the Maldives, Rome and Florida despite not being employed by a travel agency.

The mother, who lived on a military barracks with her husband and children, sold fake holidays to four families in total - including her own brother-in-law - before she refunded all of the money when the holidays did not take place.

She was handed a suspended sentence of 20-months, alongside an additional 14 months to run concurrently, and 120 hours of unpaid work at Chelmsford Crown Court last Wednesday after pleading guilty to four counts of fraud.

Jessica Greatorex-Thomas (above with her husband James Thomas) persuaded her neighbours and family to fork out thousands for trips to Venice, the Maldives, Rome and Florida

One of the friends Greatorex-Thomas fleeced was Kate Kate Taylor-Reilly (above with her husband), to whom she sold more than 48,000 worth of fake holidays over a few months

Judge Seely said Greatorex-Thomas had avoided jail time by 'a squeak' because her husband is set to be deployed to Germany with her children and he could not take on the role of 'sole carer.'

Greatorex-Thomas' most significant victim was one of her neighbours at the barracks, Kate Taylor-Reilly, to whom she sold more than 48,000 worth of fake holidays over the course of a few months, the court heard.

Prosecuting, Carolyn Gardiner said Ms Reilly believed she and Greatorex-Thomas were 'good friends', as Mr Reilly and her family had offered her 'as much support as they could' after the defendant's husband went on tour.

In January 2016, Greatorex-Thomas claimed she was working for a top travel company and managed to get herself and her husband a great deal on a trip to New York.

After Ms Reilly showed interest in her trip, the defendant told her she would be able to get her some great holiday deals too.

In her victim statement, Ms Reilly said: 'I didn't know what to say. I couldn't believe how kind someone could be. It was a massive gesture.'

Greatorex-Thomas went on to sell her neighbour fake holidays to Venice, the Maldives, Rome, Bora Bora and Disney World totalling thousands for the victim, who had decided to 'live in the moment' after her mother's cancer scare.

However, when it became time for the initial trip to Venice to take place, Greatorex-Thomas told Ms Reilly she was having problems at work and the holiday would need to be pushed to next year.

Mrs Taylor-Reilly (above) was conned by her neighbour whom she thought was a friend

The court heard how Ms Reilly accepted this excuse and re-booked the trip, even adding her aunt and uncle to the holiday after they expressed how much they would like to go.

Miss Gardiner said: 'The disappointment made Ms Reilly slightly suspicious. With every holiday something came up and they had to be cancelled.'

Disappointment hit again with a holiday to Florida, when Greatorex-Thomas told Ms Reilly she had found out her aunt had weeks to live, the court heard. She added she had been made redundant so the holiday had to be cancelled.

In a statement, Ms Reilly said: 'I felt physically sick. I couldn't think how I was going to tell my family, I knew the children would be heartbroken.

'I thought I was being selfish after the news that Jess had told me about her Aunt.'

Greatorex-Thomas said that most of their other holidays would be honoured but a few had to be cancelled.

Ms Reilly was told that all of her money would be refunded but it could take three weeks before she got it back.

It was then that Ms Reilly asked to speak to Greatorex-Thomas' manager, but she was told it wasn't possible.

She decided to contact Emirates - who Greatorex-Thomas claimed she worked for - but to her shock she was told there were no holidays booked in their name and the defendant was not a member of staff.

Miss Gardiner explained to the court how the defendant tried to make them keep their bookings, but the family persisted and wanted to get their money back.

At Chelmsford Crown Court (above) Greatorex-Thomas was given a 20-month suspended jail term after the judge said she avoided prison 'by a squeak' in part because her husband is being posted to Germany

Eventually, Greatorex-Thomas did end up refunding the family all of the money they had given her.

In a statement, Ms Reilly said: 'I am still upset by this whole situation. The scam has caused myself and my family great distress.

'My sister had to break the news to the children. I feel used and I feel like I was groomed for financial gain.'

Ms Reilly was one of four victims of Greatorex-Thomas's fraud, having also sold fake holidays worth 14,300 to her brother-in-law.

In defence, her lawyer said Greatorex-Thomas had paid back all of the money she took from her victims.

Judge Jonathan Seely said Greatorex-Thomas had avoided jail time by 'a squeak' as he decided to suspend her sentence due to her husband's job.

He added: 'Your victims may find it hard to understand but I am going to suspend the sentence, and I do that for a number of reasons.'

The judge explained how he chose not to send Greatorex-Thomas to jail for the sake of her family.

He said: 'This will have a had a huge impact on your children and your husband. Your husband can not possibly take the place a sole carer to your children because of his job. There would be immense impact on your children.'

For the fraud offence against Ms Reilly, Greatorex-Thomas was sentenced to a total of 20 months, once reductions for an early guilty plea had been made.

Greatorex-Thomas also received 14 months for each of the further three offences, but these are to run concurrently with the 20-month term. She will also be required to perform 120 hours of unpaid work.
BERLIN (Reuters) - The reproduction rate for the coronavirus pandemic in Germany fell below the critical threshold of 1 to an estimated 0.94 on Tuesday after a 1.07 reading on Monday, the Robert Koch Institute for public health and disease control said.

The so-called 'R' number indicates that 100 infected people would infect 94 others on average in the latest 24-hour period, meaning the number of new infections was slowing after accelerating at the beginning of the week.

"So far, we do not expect a renewed rising trend," the RKI said in its daily report, adding the overall number of cases in Germany was diminishing, meaning local outbreaks had a greater impact on 'R' than with higher case numbers.

It cited recent outbreaks around slaughterhouses as examples of such local cases that could influence the overall 'R' number.

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased over the latest 24-hour period by 933 to 170,508, RKI data showed. The reported death toll rose by 116 to 7,533.

Germany is being closely watched worldwide as the most successful large European country in curbing the spread of the virus so far, partly thanks to massive testing, which has enabled a partial reopening of the economy.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has frequently said the reproduction rate of the new coronavirus must be held below 1 to prevent the health system from being overwhelmed. She is due to take questions on the issue from lawmakers on Wednesday.

Merkel, a physicist whose plain-spoken assessments have been held up as models of a scientific approach to the crisis, appealed to Germans on Monday to stick to social-distancing rules to slow down the pandemic.

On Tuesday, she told a meeting of lawmakers from her conservative bloc that Germany must help its European Union neighbours revive their economies after the coronavirus crisis, according to several participants.

(Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Krispy Kreme

It's no secret that graduates everywhere are disappointed that they are unable to have a traditional graduation ceremony due to COVID-19.

Krispy Kreme has something sweet coming for high school and college seniors who are unable to celebrate graduation by walking across the stage.
The Punjab government has facilitated the return of 1,10 000 migrants to their native states so far, an official said here on Wednesday.

"Till now, more than 90 trains have left Punjab, taking 1,10,000 migrants to their states," he said.

The state government has spent over Rs six crore to fund the movement of these migrants till now, the official added.

Vikas Pratap, State Nodal Officer, Railways informed that the return of the migrants is being accomplished with the collaboration of the railway authorities of Ferozpur and Ambala divisions.

He further informed that in the coming days, more than 15 trains are going to depart on a daily basis, taking migrants to their homes.

Maximum number of trains are leaving from Ludhiana, Pratap said, adding that till now, 36 trains have taken passengers to their home states from there.

Similarly, 31 trains have left from Jalandhar to different parts of the country.

Trains have also departed from Patiala, Mohali, Bathinda and Sirhind.

In the coming days, trains shall also depart from Ferozpur Cantonment and Doraha, Pratap said.

He informed that maximum number of trains are going to Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar and Jharkand.

The Punjab government is also sending trains to Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh to mitigate the difficulties of the migrants from these states, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Workers and young people in New York City and around the world have been outraged by the New York Police Departments brutal arrests of working people for violations of the citys coronavirus social distancing ordinance. A number of these arrests were recorded by passers-by on smart phones, and the documentation of police violence has led to an outpouring of anger on social media.

One video shows the arrest of a young black man, Stephon Scott, who is punched in the head while being restrained by three police officers. Scott and a group of friends were on a stoop when approached by three officers. The same officer who punches Scott then approaches the individual filming the incident, draws out a can of pepper spray and flicks open his baton. The officer aggressively approaches the man with the smart phone, waves his baton and tells him to go inside. Referring to the man being arrested, he says, Do you wanna go with him?

Another shows the seemingly unprovoked assault of Donni Wright. Wright, a ten-year-veteran groundskeeper for New York City Housing Authority, was viciously assaulted as he passed by a marijuana arrest near a delicatessen on Avenue D in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. While Wright was on the ground and handcuffed, the officer continued to strike him, resulting in injuries to Wrights spine, ribs and wrist.

The officer who carried out the attack, Francisco Garcia, was still on active patrol despite being named in at least seven lawsuits throughout his career, which have cost the city at least $200,000 to settle. Following the attack on Wright, Garcias only punishment was to be placed on modified assignment.

Wright was initially charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Only after a mass outpouring of anger online did the New York District Attorneys office defer the charges.

According to Wrights mother, speaking in an interview with the New York Post: He [Wright] was trying to guide this young lady. And this is the type of person he is. He does his job and he loves working, and now, with this going on, he cant do anything. He cant lift.

Of Garcia, she said, It was just a chilling feeling to see someone just take pure advantage, someone that is supposed to securing and protecting us.

In a further incident, the New York Police Department (NYPD) attacked an impromptu memorial of around 50 people for a rapper, William Daniels, who died from COVID-19 complications in Queens last week. One observer, CJ Wojtkowski, described the military-style operation on Twitter: At least 30, maybe 40 cops plus special operations are crowded in Queensbridge Park, plus 20 cop cars and a couple of helicopters.

The attacks in New York City have coincided with revelations of police violence and state cover-up for murder in Georgia and Indiana, which have sparked anger across the US.

These distressing images have been counterposed in the corporate media and on social media to photographs of police officers handing out free masks at parks in wealthier areas of the city in Manhattan and Williamsburg. Many of the photographs show large groups of people tightly packed and often without masks or gloves.

No one should be arrested for actions that are the product of ignorance of the threat posed by the virus. The increasingly relaxed attitude of many toward social distancing restrictions is itself the product of a coordinated campaign by the media and politicians to soften the horrific reality of the ongoing pandemic and prepare for a return to work.

The socialist response to violations of social distancing is not a punitive one, but a coordinated effort to educate the public, provide full economic support for workers and provide mass testing, contact-tracing and quarantining, and free and equal care for all those infected. The Socialist Equality Party advocates the establishment of neighborhood committees made up of workers and young people to monitor safety measures while facilitating outdoor exercise wherever it can be safely carried out.

Police brutality is a permanent feature of working class life in New York City and across the US. It is no accident, however, that the latest wave of NYPD thuggery has been occurred during the pandemic. The ruling elite understands that it must build up the powers of state in preparation for the huge attacks on the working class that will be undertaken in the coming weeks and months and the social opposition that will result. The trillions handed over to Wall Street must be paid for, and the bill falls at the door of the working class.

The NYPDs militarized response to seemingly minor incidents, such as the memorial that took place in Queensbridge Park, is preparation for the role it will play as workers begin to fight back.

The response of the Democratic Party has been efforts to divert attention from the basic class issues underlying the police attacks and focus exclusively on racial disparities between the NYPDs victims and the citys broader population. Since the COVID-19 restrictions were put in place six weeks ago, the NYPD has issued 374 social distancing-related summonses. Of these, 304 have been issued to individuals who are black or Hispanic.

There is a similar trend in social distancing-related arrests between March 16 and May 5. Across the city, there were at least 120 arrests for violating social distancing. Of those arrested, 29 were Hispanic and 82 were black.

On May 7, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted: The disparity in the numbers does NOT reflect our values. We HAVE TO do better and we WILL. In the same tweet, de Blasio suggested that the police needed to arrest people and issue summons to save lives.

Hakeem Jeffries, a Democratic congressman from Brooklyn, said of the disproportionately high number of blacks and Hispanics arrested, We cant unleash a new era of overly aggressive policing of communities of color in the name of social distancing. New York Citys Public Advocate Jumaane Williams called the disparity abysmal.

On the same day, the New York Times, in an article focusing on the 40 social distancing arrests in Brooklyn, noted, More than a third of the arrests were made in the predominantly black neighborhood of Brownsville. No arrests were made in the more white Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope.

While racism was likely a factor in these arrests and plays a role in police brutality in New York and elsewhere, efforts by the Democrats and the media to present these assaults as leveled exclusively against communities of color and predominantly black neighborhoods are disingenuous and cynical. As they well know, New Yorks working class is disproportionately black and Hispanic. Representing a faction of the capitalist class, the Democrats framing of these attacks in purely racial terms is an attempt to distract workers from societys fundamental division: class.

Consider, for example, the Times s discussion of arrests in the Brownsville and Park Slope neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Twenty-three percent of Park Slopes inhabitants are black and Hispanic, the Times notes, and 81 percent of the population in Brownsville is black and 6 percent is Hispanic.

However, the Times report makes no mention of the huge disparity in income between the two neighborhoods. While an average Brownsville household brings home $43,099 each year, the average household in the more white Park Slope earns $167,058. If race were the sole focus of the NYPD, then how does one explain the ability of Park Slopes more wealthy black community to escape the departments yoke?

The bankruptcy of the racialist response to these arrests is also confirmed by the demographics of the police officers carrying out the attacks. The NYPD proudly describes itself as the most diverse police department in the country. In the departments 2019 enforcement report, it stated that 47.5 percent of cops were white, 15.2 percent were black, 28.8 percent were Hispanic and 8.5 percent were Asian.

As the WSWSs May 12 Perspective on the brutal murder of Ahmaud Arbery explained, Racism and national chauvinism, along with the racialist politics of the Democratic Party, are used as instruments of class rule, to divert social tensions and block the development of a united movement of the entire working class.
President Muhammadu Buharis Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Wednesday said it would be unAfrican if the pres...

President Muhammadu Buharis Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Wednesday said it would be unAfrican if the president rejects the COVID-19 herbal solution from Madagascar.





Onochie made the remark while faulting the position of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, on Nigerias acceptance of Madagascars COVID-19 cure.





Sam Ohuabunwa, PSN President, had yesterday said Nigeria displayed that it has no shame by opting to import herbal COVID-19 drugs from Madagascar.





Ohuabunwa stressed that though PSN was not against a new drug that is proven to cure COVID-19 or any other disease, they were totally appalled that Nigeria was about to spend scarce foreign exchange.





Reacting, Onochie clarified that PSN was wrong in its submission, stressing that Madagascar had given the solution to African countries as a gift.





In a tweet, she wrote: The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) got it wrong. Madagascar gifted their Organic Cov drink to African countries.





Pres. @MBuhari was informed. He approved the acceptance of the gift, plans are underway to bring them in.





Its unAfrican to reject gifts from a brother.





Meanwhile, one of Buharis media aides, Tolu Ogunlesi, had maintained that the president did not order the alleged COVID-19 solution from Madagascar.
The traditional office could be a thing of the past as companies announce they will let employees work from home permanently, leaving empty commercial real estate across the UK.

Social media giant Twitter told its 5,000 employees, including those at its London office, on Tuesday it would be their decision on whether they want to return to the office once they reopen, while Facebook and Google have allowed most employees to work remotely until the end of the year.

And Britain's largest commercial landlord has warned that its profits will plummet as office rental rates drop by 20%.

Many offices will be left half empty as business begins with limited workforces and a survey has found employees' productivity while working from home dropped by only 1%.

BT currently has 8,500 call centre staff working remotely and the company says it will let staff decide whether or not they want to come back.

Twitter says staff could work from home 'forever' other tech giants such as Facebook and Google (above) have allowed most employees to work remotely through the end of the year

Twitter announced Tuesday it will allow employees to work remotely permanently, as the coronavirus outbreak forces companies to make unprecedented changes in offices across the globe

The firm surveyed call centre staff, which takes calls relating to BT, EE and PlusNet, at the start of the coronavirus lockdown and discovered around 65% wished to work from home.

While staff are designated are key workers, the company has been able to get them working from home.

MD of Service Nick Lane said: 'There's no reason to change the current situation, with 65% of our staff working from home and around 35% in the office. It's allowed us to be more extreme with our social distancing measures.

'I think going forward there'll be a group of people that would like to go back to work, we'll keep that flexibility of working from home. This is also giving us the chance to hire people who might have accessibility issues and couldn't make it to the office, or who wanted to work shorter shifts, now they can do that from home.'

BT, which has call centre offices across the UK and Ireland, including Canterbury, Plymouth, Merthyr and Enniskillen in says it is 'striving to offer its colleagues the option to work from home'.

As workers adapt to working from home, Britain's biggest commercial landlord has warned the Covid-19 pandemic could trigger the decline of the traditional office.

Land Securities has revealed just 10 per cent of the office space it owns is being used.

But it warned the change could become permanent after the lockdown ends, if employers seek to reduce costs.

It fears there is worse to come as tenants forced to close their businesses during the outbreak struggle to pay rent.

The FTSE 100 giant collected just 63 per cent of quarterly rents within ten days of their March due date as the pandemic hit, down from 94 per cent a year earlier.

Swanky offices such as Google's in London will be sitting empty for months after the tech giant advised employees to work from home

CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees Tuesday saying when offices do finally open their doors, workers can choose to come in or continue working from afar. Twitter says most offices wont be opened before September

Warning it does not expect the economy to fully recover until 2022, it cautioned that retail rents could plunge by three quarters in a 'severe but plausible scenario'.

Yesterday Mark Allan, who took over as Landsec boss last month, said he was launching a review of the business and that 'nothing was ruled in or ruled out'.

A Twitter spokesman said: 'Opening offices will be our decision. When and if our employees come back, will be theirs,' a spokesperson for the company said.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey emailed employees Tuesday saying when offices do finally open their doors, staffers in positions that allow them to work remotely can continue to do so.

'We've been very thoughtful in how we've approached this from the time we were one of the first companies to move to a work-from-home model. We'll continue to be, and we'll continue to put the safety of our people and communities first,' a Twitter spokesman said.

In the UK, companies such as Sky and Amazon workers who can work remotely continue to do so - but neither company has commented on whether it could become a permanent option.

An Amazon spokesman said: 'Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until at least October 2.

'We are working hard and investing significant funds to keep those who choose to come to the office safe through physical distancing, deep cleaning, temperature checks, and the availability of face coverings and hand sanitizer.'

Traditional office working could be a thing of the past, experts have warned, as businesses look to move away from workers commuting into their jobs, above, the Nova Victoria building

Barclays boss Jes Staley told the BBC last month big, expensive city offices could be a 'thing of the past'.

The banking giant has around 70,000 staff working from home worldwide due to lockdown measures.

Mr Staley said the change was causing Barclays to evalutate it's long term 'location strategy,' as it was now being run by staff working 'from their kitchens'.

This had led to a rethink of the bank's long term "location strategy", Mr Staley said.

It came as Barclays warned the pandemic could cost it some 2.1bn due to customers being unable to repay loans.

But Mr Staley said his bank was re-evaluating how much office space it needed, as it was now being run by staff working 'from their kitchens'.

Mark Allan, CEO of Land Securities, said he was launching a review of the business and that 'nothing was ruled in or ruled out'

Other tech giants such as Facebook and Google have allowed most employees to work remotely through the end of the year, while Amazon's corporate workers will be able to work from home until at least October.

'Opening offices will be our decision. When and if our employees come back, will be theirs,' a spokesperson for Twitter said.

Twitter was one of the first in the tech business to urge employees to work remotely when the coronavirus first emerged in the US in mid-March.

Last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees that while they will be able to work remotely for the remainder of 2020, offices will reopen on July 6.

Google made a similar announcement, saying it will extend remote working from June 1 to December 31.

Sundar Pichai, the firm's CEO, added that some employees will be able to work from its offices in June or July, with safety measures in place.

Barclays' CEO Jes Staley, said his bank was reviewing how much office it space it needed as most of its staff were now working 'from their kitchens'

A US survey of 1,600 people found workers are feeling more productive while working from home, even if they're sharing the space with someone else working remotely.

One-third of respondents said they feel that their productivity has increased since having to work remotelythis, despite the fact that more than half of the study's participants are teleworking alongside another person at home.

Tania Saba, co-author of the study, said: 'It's interesting to note that both men and women said they were more productive.'

'It is not true to say that only women prefer to telework as a way of balancing their work and home life. The reasons are more complex and diverse.'

Nearly 40 per cent of those surveyed said they preferred working from home.

Meanwhile a global survey of workers revealed 86% of remote workers rate their productivity as excellent or good during the coronavirus lockdown.
B ritish businesses will be able to tap vital trade credit insurance more easily after the Government on Wednesday pledged to backstop any losses that insurers suffer from offering cover.

Trade credit insurance is a type of contract bought by suppliers to make sure they get paid even if their clients default and cannot pay the bills.

It is a crucial mechanism to keep supply chains moving but coronavirus has forced many insurers to stop selling these contracts or hike prices to unaffordable levels because there is a greater risk creditors will go bust and not be able to pay suppliers.

The Treasury today told insurers it would temporarily shield them from losses so they are more comfortable offering the insurance to suppliers.

The scheme is likely to see the Government effectively become a reinsurer for trade credit insurers, paying businesses if creditors default.

The Association of British Insurers last month urged the Treasury to become a reinsurer of last resort.

Similar schemes currently operate in France and Germany to support firms through the Covid-19 crisis.

Large trade credit insurers include Euler Hermes, Coface and Atradius.

Treasury minister John Glen said: We will help to maintain a vital cog in our economy.

Firms paid 450 million of premiums to cover 350 billion of deals in 2019.
[May 13, 2020] Collective Health Unveils Collective Go

Today, Collective Health introduces Collective Go, a product designed to help businesses and their workers reduce risk and navigate safer workforce reentry, with a measured and evidence-based approach. Designed with guidance from in-house epidemiologists and developed by leveraging Collective Health's existing technology framework and award-winning digital tools, Collective Go will bring: An evidence-based, externally-reviewed occupational health protocol underpinning a testing process, tailored to address risks associated with specific job types and populations,

A full ecosystem of clinically-validated or FDA EUA test options through a wide and growing network of certified lab partners,

A simple, streamlined, and privacy-oriented app experience with symptom and exposure checking, test status monitoring, and certification of compliance with business workplace testing protocols,

A HIPAA-compliant platform capable of securely receiving data from a variety of testing labs, with management tools to deliver insights on how the workforce is tracking towards successful risk reduction and reentry. "Frequent, verifiable, and large-scale testing, coupled with continuous risk evaluation and contact tracing is the only way to help Americans get back to some sense of normalcy," said Ali Diab, Co-founder and CEO of Collective Health. "Businesses currently don't have a clear path forward. They need a comprehensive solution, based on the latest science, to enable them to reopen with confidence. Collective Go will deliver high-quality testing options, provide support for workers navigating the testing process, and have the capability to receive and verify data from multiple testing and tracing sources. A comprehensive approach like this is what's needed for businesses to understand and improve the safety of their workforces." Collective Go has the ability to evolve with the ever-changing landscape of risk reduction options, with the flexibility to broaden beyond its initial offering and expand to support contact tracing, after APIs are widely available, or immunization compliance. "The COVID threat will persist, and as we gradually reopen the economy, the number of cases is likely to expand. This is a challenge that will be with us for a long time," said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA Commissioner. "Current data suggests temperature and symptom screening alone aren't enough to measurably reduce the risk of a workplace outbreak, and we need better tools to improve safety. Using protocolized testing and self-isolation when contagious patients are identified, tools such as Collective Go, could make it possible for businesses to meaningfully reduce risk in the workplace." Comprehensive protocol to perform risk assessment, screening, and testing of workers The protocol underpinning Collective Go is one of the first in a new series of what researchers call "living systematic reviews." The Collective Go protocol will serve as an evidence-based, peer-reviewed, and continuously-updated guideline to help businesses understand and minimize risk of coronavirus introduction inthe workplace.



As part of the protocol, Collective Health developed a series of models with extensive third party review, which: Describe how standard measures-temperature checks, disinfection, physical distancing, and masks-help reduce risk, and

Provide guidance about testing types, frequency, and for what populations, which will differ based on industry, environment, geography, and workforce makeup, roles, and responsibilities. Given current testing accessibility and evidence on transmission, to effectively mitigate workplace risk and facilitate safer workforce reentry, businesses must involve a combination of improved access to certified testing, additional interventions such as masks, practice distancing, and evaluate support for workplace contact tracing efforts.

"Reopening is underway, but the path forward is unclear - particularly for businesses, because our economic recovery depends on getting back to work but also containing the pandemic," said Dr. Mark McClellan, former CMS Administrator, FDA Commissioner, current Director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. "Businesses need new evidence-based capabilities to implement work and workplace modifications, appropriate testing, and most of all support for their employees in improving safety today and for the future, and I appreciate Collective Health's commitment to meeting that critical need." The Collective Go protocol has been developed by Collective Health, with review from coronavirus modeling experts and infectious disease epidemiologists from leading academic and public health institutions.1 Collective Health has partnered with Color to begin offering an initial testing solution for front-line and essential workers, and which will build on Color's work with the City of San Francisco and other employers. For this partnership, Color implements the Collective Go protocols, supplies and provisions collection kits, supports onsite and distributed testing logistics, processes samples in their CLIA-certified lab network, and communicates results to patients and public health authorities. "We're thrilled to be partnering with Collective Health on this important effort. An evidence-based testing strategy will be critical in ensuring the safe return to work of the American workforce and a successful reopening of the economy," said Othman Laraki, Color CEO. "A high access model with no burden on care teams will help businesses reduce their risk of infection as they reopen." Ecosystem of testing options Collective Go will bring a variety of testing options to businesses. With an ecosystem of testing partners and the ability to receive data input from any lab, Collective Go offers businesses scalability and flexibility to adapt to the rapidly-evolving testing landscape, and adopt the testing type(s) most appropriate for their workforce. Collective Go is designed to support and manage data from a wide-variety of sources, including: Community testing efforts, which are now scaling up,

Tests ordered by health care providers and conducted at local labs such as hospitals or outpatient clinics, or national laboratories,

Tests conducted by healthcare providers onsite at employer offices and processed by laboratory partners,

Self-administered tests conducted at home or in the workplace As part of Collective Go, Everlywell will work to bring its diagnostic COVID-19 PCR (News - Alert) testing solution to U.S. businesses. Everlywell has helped half a million individuals access quality lab testing for a variety of medical conditions from home. Since the start of the pandemic, Everlywell has supplied hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and city governments across America with enough COVID-19 testing to help get tens of thousands of frontline healthcare workers and their patients tested for the virus. Genalyte, known for offering real-time diagnostics with a decentralized lab model, plans to expand the reach of its new rapid COVID-19 serology test to businesses by partnering with Collective Go. The Collective Go ecosystem will continue to expand to include more testing modalities, including at home and self-administered tests as they receive FDA Emergency Use Authorization and validation. Collective Go is anticipated to begin rolling out in June 2020. About Collective Health Collective Health simplifies employee healthcare with an integrated technology solution that makes healthcare work for everyone. With nearly a quarter of a million members and over 50 clients-including Driscoll's, Pinterest, Red Bull, Restoration Hardware (RH), and more-Collective Health is reinventing the healthcare experience for forward-thinking organizations and their people across the U.S. The company has developed a range of population health management solutions, and partnered with innovative companies across care delivery and diagnostics to meet the most pressing healthcare challenges for employers today. Collective Health is headquartered in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert) with additional offices in Chicago, IL and Lehi, UT. Founded in 2013, Collective Health is backed by the SoftBank Vision Fund, DFJ Growth, PSP Investments, NEA, GV, Founders Fund, Maverick Ventures, Mubadala Ventures, Sun Life, and other leading investors and advisors, including Special Partner at NEA, Scott Gottlieb, M.D. Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. is also an advisor to Collective Health. For more information, visit https://www.collectivehealth.com. _______________ 1 The protocol underpinning Collective Go was developed by Collective Health's Sanjay Basu MD PhD, and co-authored by Rajaie Batniji MD DPhil, with peer review from modeling experts and infectious disease epidemiologists, including: Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo MD PhD, University of California San Francisco, Elizabeth Chin MS, Stanford University, Ben Huynh MS, Stanford University, Nathan Lo MD PhD, University of California San Francisco, Mark McClellan MD PhD, Duke University, Matthew Murrill MD PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg (News - Alert) School of Public Health, George Rutherford MD, University of California San Francisco, and Lisa Winston MD, University of California San Francisco. The underlying models utilized in the model have been submitted to academic journals and are currently undergoing peer review. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005514/en/

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BEIJING, May 13 (Reuters) - The vice mayor of China's Jilin city, the second-largest city in Jilin province in the country's northeast, warned on Wednesday that there is a huge risk the coronavirus could spread further after reporting six new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Five of the new infections in the city, located nearly 100 km (63 miles) east of the provincial capital of Changchun, could be traced directly to one confirmed case in the city of Shulan, where an infection cluster was previously reported.

Vice Mayor Gai Dongping told reporters during a briefing that Jilin authorities will step up measures to curb and contain the virus. The city has already said it will temporarily suspend departing or transiting passenger rail services at a key train station. (Reporting by Lusha Zhang and Se Young Lee; Editing by Tom Hogue)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 07:32:04|Editor: huaxia

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Schoolchildren attend a class at the Simone Veil Primary School in Nice, France, May 12, 2020. Nearly two months after ordering its 67 million population to stay home to stem the coronavirus outbreak, France on Monday cautiously started a gradual process to return to normalcy, easing some restrictions while maintaining others to avoid a new epidemic wave. Some 1.5 million children, or 22 percent of the country's total number of pupils, are preparing to go to school on Tuesday, and 190,000 teachers resumed work on Monday, according to the Education Ministry's data. (Photo by Serge Haouzi/Xinhua)
A dangerous WA sex offender who once committed a serious sex offence the day after he was released from prison has been allowed to walk free on a supervision order.

Nigel Yates, who has spent much of his adult life behind bars, was declared a dangerous sex offender in 2014 following violent attacks on three different women, two of whom were teenagers.

The sex offender has again had a continuing detention order rescinded by the WA Supreme Court. Credit:The Age/SMH

The offences happened over a nine-year period in Kalgoorlie and Laverton and resulted in Yates being placed on his first continuing detention order in April 2014.

This order, which provided for Yates to be held in custody for an indefinite period of time, was rescinded the following year when he was released on a supervision order.
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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 16:25 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7ce8cb 2 Business Indonesia,Advertisement,spending,APRIL,nielsen,traveloka,Shopee,Djarum Free

Indonesias advertisement spending dropped sharply in April as most big ad spenders reduced their marketing activities amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Nielsen Indonesia, a data and measurement company, reported on Tuesday that total ad spending fell 25 percent month-to-month to Rp 3.5 trillion (US$235 million) in the third week of April, after a steady increase prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Of the 15 major advertisers during last years Ramadan, only four companies raised their ad spending this year. E-commerce company Shopee Indonesia increased its spending by 18 percent year-on-year (yoy), syrup brand Marjan Boudoin by 82 percent, instant noodle manufacturers Indomie and Sedaap by 24 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Cigarette manufacturer Djarum, online ticketing firm Tiket.com and online ticketing and hotel booking firm Traveloka, among other companies, each cut their ad spending by 100 percent in the first week of Ramadan compared with a year earlier.

Many companies are no longer advertising because they are not relevant to Ramadan at home, the executive director, Hellen Katherina, said in a virtual briefing on Tuesday. Online ticketing firms such as Traveloka and Tiket.com advertised aggressively for last years exodus. But there may not be any exodus this year.

Under the social restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus, the traditional exodus leading up to Idul Fitri, in which around 18 million people traveled to their hometowns last year, is not allowed.

In April, the 10 largest advertisers were mostly food and beverage companies and online service providers. The ad spending for NutriSari, a beverage brand produced by PT Nutrifood Indonesia, was raised 1,179 percent yoy to Rp 307 billion, the largest during April. It was followed by online stock trading platform Binomo.com with Rp 286 billion and Marjan Boudoin with Rp 231 billion.

Nielsen Indonesia also reported that its total spending on television advertising had been recovering since May 1, nearly a month after Jakarta first introduced the large-scale social restrictions.

Since people have been staying at home, television views have gone up 12 percent on average and 14 percent among the upper-class group, since the government started ordering people to work from home in mid-March through mid-April.

During the stay-at-home period, the upper-class group who usually spend their time outside, now have more time to spend at home watching television, said Hellen.

However, marketers are moving their money from television to digital advertising. In 2018, total spending on digital advertising grew 18 percent yoy, far higher than the 2 percent growth rate of spending on television advertising, according to a 2019 report by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA).

Ekhel Chandra Wijaya, the external communications senior lead of e-commerce company Tokopedia, said his company was shifting focus to supporting the governments coronavirus response, and thus had to make adjustment in various aspects including marketing.

Tokopedia, the second-most-visited e-commerce website nationwide, lowered its ad spending by 40 percent yoy to Rp 115 billion in the first week of Ramadan, according to Nielsen Indonesia.

We are emphasizing higher effectiveness in marketing from message, audience, channel and support for business sustainability, Ekhel told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Topics : Indonesia Advertisement spending APRIL nielsen traveloka Shopee Djarum
Jess Phillips has opened up about her battle with anxiety, and told how struggled with anorexia and substance abuse in her twenties.

The Labour MP, 38, from Birmingham, revealed that throughout her twenties and early thirties she suffered with the eating disorder, alongside drug use, and spoke of the PTSD she suffers after being part of 'a number of terrorist attacks'.

Speaking candidly to online mental health and wellbeing platform Head Talks, she admitted her 'irrational anxiety' causes her to catastrophise situations, and in the past she's 'assumed her children were dead' when they've been 20 minutes late.

Jess Phillips admitted her 'irrational anxiety' causes her to catastrophise situations, and in the past she's 'assumed her children were dead' when they've been 20 minutes late. She is pictured last year with her son Danny, ten

Speaking candidly to online mental health and wellbeing platform Head Talks , she opened up about her battle with anxiety, and told how struggled with anorexia and substance abuse in her twenties

'I suffered from anorexia when I was at university,' said Jess, 'And I'd say again in my early twenties.

'I struggled with substance misuse and other issues and latterly in my late twenties, and thirties, I still suffer with anxiety'.

'Anxiety that has made me incredibly irrational, like fear of really wild, bad things, so I will catastrophise very badly. I will assume if my children are 20 minutes late home, that they're dead.'

Jess' brother Luke Trainor, 40, has been open about his battle with drug and alcohol addiction in the past, but has now been clean for two years. He previously spoke about seeing his friend 'dying in front of his eyes' while living on the streets.

Speaking about whether she'd taken drugs in a 2015 interview with TotalPolitics , she said: 'I'm a kid from inner city Birmingham, so I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions from that.'

Jess revealed that throughout her twenties and early thirties she suffered with the eating disorder alongside drug use and spoke of the PTSD she suffers after being part of 'a number of terrorist attacks'

Phillips spent some years heading up a sexual and domestic violence charity before becoming Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley in 2015

Phillips spent some years heading up a sexual and domestic violence charity before defeating Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming as the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley in the 2015 general election.

The politician was present at a 2017 terrorist attack outside the Palace of Westminster in London.

A single attacker drove a car along a pavement over Westminster Bridge, near the Houses of Parliament in central London, killing three people and injuring many more.

The car then crashed into railings outside the Houses of Parliament before the armed attacker was confronted by police.

She explained that as a result, she suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder and that loud noises can trigger her as she assumes 'somebody is crashing' into her.

'I definitely think I have suffered PTSD from being part of a number of terrorist attacks, said Jess, 'Which I understand is an extreme situation to have faced.

'When I'm not in control, I can assume that loud noises for example, are the sound of somebody crashing into us, because I was in parliament and heard the crash of the car that crashed into the wall.'

Jess went on to speak about how she copes with her anxiety while in the public eye, admitting there are online trolls who 'feed' her 'irrational' fears.

Jess went on to speak about how she copes with her anxiety while in the public eye, admitting there are online trolls who 'feed' her 'irrational' fears

She said: When you're at a low ebb, that definitely adds to your ability to catastrophise.

'If you think 'oh everybody hates me and somebody is going to try to kill me', then you look online and in reality, there are loads of people saying that they hate you and want to kill you, it will feed that irrationally.

'Even though I know when I can step back from it, I know that it is irrational to think that somebody is a credible threat to me.'

The politician went on to explain that she finds it difficult to take time off as an MP, explaining: 'If you're an MP because even when we are taking time off, there is a sort of fake hyperactivity.

'It's not accepted by the public that we need periods of time out in a lot of cases.'
Australia says China silent on trade talk request, maintains call for coronavirus inquiry FILE PHOTO: Beef for sale is seen at a Walmart in Beijing

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - China has not responded to a request for urgent talks after Australia's key agriculture exports were hit with suspensions and tariff threats, said Australia's trade minister, as ties strain over Canberra's call for a coronavirus pandemic inquiry.

Australia is pushing for an independent inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak to help prevent future pandemics, but the move has angered China, its largest trading partner, which believes such a call is anti-China propaganda.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said on Wednesday he had not received a reply after requesting a call with Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan after four large beef exporters were suspended this week by Chinese customs authorities.

"The ball is very much in the court of the Chinese government," Birmingham told ABC television. "We have made it very clear that I am available and keen to have a discussion."

The beef suspensions revealed on Tuesday came just days after China proposed introducing a tariff of up to 80% on Australian barley shipments, raising concerns they were retaliatory actions by Beijing for Australia's push for an inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak.

Chinese officials had said "privately and publicly these are unconnected matters", Birmingham earlier told television network Seven, adding that Australia sought a respectful relationship with China.

Birmingham has said the beef ban was linked to issues with labelling and health certificates, while the barley tariffs were related to an anti-dumping case.

The nationalist Global Times newspaper, affiliated with the official People's Daily, said in editorial on Wednesday the suspensions of the meat processors should serve as a "wake-up call" for Australia for its unfriendly actions, and "concern over potential retaliatory measures from China seems totally justified given Australia's heavy economic reliance on China".

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Australia's National Farmers' Federation President Fiona Simson said the industry was concerned about disruptions to trade with China, which took a third of Australias farm exports, including 18% of beef production.

Last month, Chinese ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye warned that Chinese consumers could boycott Australian products if Australia pursued the coronavirus inquiry.

Australian government ministers described his comments as a threat of economic coercion from the country that took around 38% of all exports in 2019.

Australian Grape and Wine Chief Executive Tony Battaglene said winemakers were worried they could become embroiled in the dispute given the Chinese ambassador had cited wine as a potential target, but said there had been no sign of this yet.

"We are hopeful the language has become more tempered," Battaglene said.

Dairy Connect Chief Executive Shaughn Morgan said dairy farmers, who export a third of produce, were unaffected and the Chinese market was "highly valued and important for the long term sustainability of the industry in Australia".

Birmingham and Foreign Minister Marise Payne both said there was international support for an inquiry, and Australia will support a European Union resolution on a review at the World Health Assembly on May 17.

"We're very encouraged by the positive feedback we have had from many international counterparts...in relation to the need for an independent review," Payne told Sky News, adding that there was no rush to set up an inquiry.

U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who has been heavily criticised by Beijing for his attacks on China, has praised Australia for calling for an inquiry and urged "every country" to demand answers. New Zealand and Britain have offered support.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; editing by Jane Wardell and Michael Perry)
Savers are being warned not to make unnecessary early withdrawals from their pensions or risk triggering a costly tax trap.

With the Covid-19 crisis straining household finances, experts fear many could resort to dipping into their pension pots early.

But doing so could mean those savers will only be allowed to put 4,000 a year back into a pension without leading to a tax bill.

Tax trap: With the Covid-19 crisis straining household finances, experts fear many could resort to dipping into their pension pots early

A survey last month showed one in 10 over-55s has either already accessed or plans to access their pension pot earlier than anticipated as a result of Covid-19.

But under the pension freedoms introduced five years ago this month, savers who make any drawdown or lump sum withdrawals will trigger what is known as the Money Purchase Annual Allowance (MPAA).

This shrinks the amount you can save each year without paying tax from 40,000 to 4,000.

It means a saver who put 10,000 into their pension would therefore then face an annual allowance charge on 6,000.

This charge is designed to recoup tax relief already received, so it would cost a basic 20 per cent rate taxpayer 1,200 and a higher rate 40 per cent taxpayer 2,400.

Data from the Financial Conduct Authority shows nearly 650,000 people accessed their pension for the first time in the 2018/19 year.

Five traps to avoid as you take money out of your pension Withdrawals soar at the start of the tax year - find out how to do it right and weather the storm here.

More than 300,000 of these savers risked triggering the MPAA because they either withdrew their whole pot or faced an income tax charge on their withdrawal. Those who buy an annuity or take their tax-free cash do not trigger the MPAA.

Industry experts are now calling on the government to either scrap or increase the allowance. Tom Selby, of investment broker AJ Bell, says: 'Given the pressure placed on incomes from Covid-19, there will be people turning to their pensions to cover a short-term gap.

'If they do this  and it might be logical for some  their ability to rebuild their pension savings when this is all over is dramatically reduced. The Government should increase the MPAA, or remove it.'

Ian Browne, from wealth management firm Quilter says: 'The MPAA is an absurd tax which jars with pension freedoms.

'It is right to make use of the flexibility the freedoms have introduced. Yet, thanks to this quirk within the tax system, people need to be careful how they tap into the money that is theirs.'

The Association of British Insurers has said if you take money out of a small pension pot of under 10,000 you do not trigger the MPAA.

Old Mutual Wealth, Quilter's UK platform, allows advisers to create up to three small pots from one big pot. Mr Browne adds: 'It is vital to seek professional financial advice first.'

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In accordance to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos determination to curtail the spread of COVID-19, government on Tuesday empowered the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to continue in its efforts.



Government has donated: 10,000 face masks; 10,000 examination gloves; 40 gallons of hand sanitizer; 40 gallons of rubbing alcohol; 20 thermometer guns; 360 pieces of cocoa drink; and 90 packets of tissue rolls to the NCCE.



President Akufo-Addo, in his 9th address to the nation, pledged to empower the NCCE as a frontline civic educator to lead the process of public education across the country.



Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, Deputy Minister of Health, who presented the Personal Protective Equipment to the Commission, said it is to help them further educate and disseminate information on COVID-19 to the general public.



The Deputy Minister extended governments appreciation to the NCCE for being innovative and proactive rather than reactive in the fight against COVID-19.



I hope this will go a long way to support you in your drive to help Ghanaians observe the protocols; wash their hands and keep the distance, Dr Okoe-Boye said.



Ms Josephine Nkrumah, NCCE Chairperson, who received the donation, commended Government for empowering its frontline civic educators to enter into the communities, markets, lorry parks, and any other human habitats to disarm COVID-19 through accelerated public education.



I want to assure the Ministry and the good people of Ghana that these Personal Protective Equipment will be put to good use and in the next few days, youll hear a lot more of what NCCE is doing, the Chairman added.



Ms Nkrumah also asked other partners who consider civic education as one of the core drivers in the fight against COVID-19 to donate whatever they could, especially in terms of logistics.



Mobility is a key challenge for the Commission. Institutions that have vehicles or would like to lend those vehicles to the Commission for this period, we would most certainly welcome such support, she said.



Ms Nkrumah said COVID-19 can be defeated through effective communication, if we fail to comprehensively educate our people to understand the need to adhere to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ghana Health Service preventive protocols then COVID-19 will continue to spread.



She said the NCCE is undertaking the campaign dubbed: NCCE Anti-COVID-19 Public Education Campaign and it is being supported by the Church of Pentecost, who has provided a mobile cinema van to sensitise people across country.

She said the focus of the NCCE broader COVID-19 communication strategy is to arm the citizenry with knowledge, expose the operational modalities of the enemy COVID-19 and strengthen each individual not to fear but stand firm and observe all the protocols rigorously.



She said as civic educators, we are helping the people to understand President Akufo-Addos measures and directives put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.



She also called for massive support for the NCCE to intensify the public education on COVID-19 which must be relentless to ensure that we all understand, so we need to educate people in the local language they understand best, and break down the COVID-19 jargons to the lowest level for people to appreciate.

Source: GNA









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Vanderpump Rules A Tale of Two Pool Parties Season 8 Episode 19 Editors Rating 2 stars * *  Previous Next  Photo: Bravo

The enjoyment of Vanderpump Rules has always been predicated on the fact that Jax Taylor is one of the worlds great narcissists and assholes. This is a man who, when we first met him, was cheating on his girlfriend with his best friends girl, whipping off his shirt in Vegas parking lots to get in fist fights, and getting arrested for shoplifting a pair of sunglasses. You would call him a shitheel, but that would be an insult both to heels and to shit.

But these days, there is so much to hate on Vanderpump Rules. There is the whole manufactured love triangle between Brett, Dayna, and Max, which Stassi summed up perfectly by saying its a bunch of people who cant decide whether or not they have feelings for each other. Its like trying to drink a mug of almost-cooled cocoa or room-temperature beer. There is also this weird tendency of the show  one executive-produced by Lisa Vanderpump  to repeatedly detail how horny Lisa Vanderpumps much younger employees are for her, including an interlude this episode in which Tom Schwartz imagines erotically what it would be like to shave her legs. Who would put these people into their very own slash fiction? That seems like an invasion.

There is also the fact that, with each passing week, this show turns more and more into The Hills. This week, Dayna and Brett even went to Hyde. HYDE! Apparently Charli works there, like shes a prospective fling of Benji Maddens from 2006. I mean, whats next? Theyre going to send Danica to Les Deux to shout You know what you did! at random passersby?

There were some moments of fun in this episode, things that reminded me of the old days. I particularly loved when the comedian made fun of Brett and Beau at Daynas comedy show (and her comedy wasnt as bad as Arianas or Kristens). I loved Tom and Tom struggling to decide whether to take their $50K check from the first year of Tom Tom or to plow it back into the business, knowing they made ten times that just by appearing on this here program. I also enjoyed when Brittany called up Katie just to remind her that she rage-texts as often as Jax, because anyone reminding Katie that she is the meanest person on television is just what Im after.

I liked when Scheana said Jax called her stupid for booking her music-video shoot on his big day, and she told him his day was June 29, i.e. his wedding. Damn, Scheana, way to get out those claws. And by claws I mean your nails, and by get out I mean always have them on, even when it makes me question how you wipe. I particularly enjoyed them referencing all of Jaxs Instagram Stories about going to LIT Method in Hollywood (I wonder how much the company paid for all of that exposure), which just served to show how alienated he is from the entire group. Theyre all carrying on with their lives and talking trash about him, and all he can do is go and work out three times a day because of the Adderall or the weight gain or a manic episode or whatever the hell is wrong with Jax at this point.

The thing about Jax going off the rails this time is that it is so predictable that it is so obviously wrong. It is so annoying that it washes away the goofy charm we usually get from him. This all goes down because he was rage-texting Max and Tom Sandoval and others from the group, disinviting them to his pool party. They decided then, as outcasts, to throw their own pool party at the same time. Was that a little mean? Yes. But as far as they knew, they didnt have anywhere else to be, so why not party? By the time Jax had reinvited them, theyd already hired DJ James Kennedy to work the event, so he was unavailable to spin at Jax and Brittanys.

Hearing this news, Jax dances around his enormous open-plan kitchen that would give a Property Brother nocturnal emissions and yells about how petty Tom Sandoval is. This coming from a man who just disinvited all of these people from his party for, I dont know, talking about how he got mad at them over text? There was some ostensible reason, but there really wasnt a reason at all. There is no petty bigger than that. That is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. That is a Petty Zoo. That is Petty Larceny (which should really be Jaxs drag name).

It certainly doesnt help that Jaxs rage consists of likening Tom to a crybaby little bitch and a woman, because Jax can think of no bigger insult than to be a woman. Speaking of women, I want to feel bad for Brittany, but I dont. When she tells him the reason they started their own party is because Jax rage-texted all of them, he says, So its all my fault then?, to which she replies, No, its not your fault. But you shouldnt have rage-texted them. In other words, it was totally his fault, but she cant bring herself to say it.

I get Brittanys predicament. Shes stuck with the Devils bargain she made in marrying Jax Taylor, which is that she has to remain married to Jax Taylor. I do believe she loves him, and she defends him like a fat man in a tank top, board shorts, and flip-flops will defend his right not to wear sunscreen in Branson, Missouri, but this does seem to be taking a toll.

Lisa has Brittany and Ariana meet her at Covenant House for some volunteering, and Ariana makes the very salient point that no one would still be friends with Jax if it wasnt for Brittany. He has been horrible to each and every one of them, which is even more damage than Katie Maloney, a whirlpool of spoiled mayonnaise and eye rolls, has done. Why would any of them stick around at this point, other than liking Brittany and their paychecks on the show? Brittany says everyone would except for Tom Sandoval, but to me he seems like one of the most loyal friends Jax has, someone who will keep putting up with him like hes a black-sheep brother rather than a friend he could actually distance himself from.

Because of this split, Sandoval attracts most of the new crew and some old friends to his party. He gets Dayna, Danica, Charli, Schwartz, Katie, Peter with a couple of hoochies in tow, Kristen and Carter (who are dating again), and on the ones and twos DJ James Kennedy, who comes along with his girlfriend, Raquel, a TikTok dance so embarrassing even JoJo Siwa wont do it. Jax can only attract Brett for some reason, Lala because her man and Jax are bosom buddies, and Stassi and Beau.

Stassi is there for an ulterior motive. She wants to give Jax a talking to. She is not wrong that she is the person to do this, because not only is he afraid of her, she also has nothing to lose by calling him on his shit. She might even know him better than Brittany. She says his recent litany of mean texts makes it look like hes losing his mind. I am losing my mind, he tells her. Then, in a confessional, he says his brain is sprained and that just like you dont walk on a sprained ankle, you dont walk on a sprained brain. But do you walk on a brain at all? Does that mean, because his brain is sprained, he cant think? Does this sprained metaphor have to do with the fact that his brain is sprained? I dont know.

This is classic Jax. He tries to say he makes sure everyone is having a good time, but hes having a bad time, a ploy to play the victim that Stassi calls him on. Then he tries to blame it all on his mental health. Stassi tells him he can struggle with his mental health and still control his actions. The problem is that everyone is speaking sense to Jax. Everyone is telling him hes behaving irrationally and alienating people. But will any of this work? No. Weve seen him in therapy. Weve seen him in anger management. Weve seen him doing Reiki with that woman he was in love with. None of it has worked.

There is no changing him. There is no improvement, just a lifetime of frustration and chemically induced bad behavior. I think that is the ultimate problem here. When he was younger, we all thought, Oh, hes crazy, but hell grow up someday. Everyone on the show has grown up a bit  even Katie and Stassi. But not Jax. He is inexplicably the same person he was when he started because he wont admit his faults, even when hes seeking cures for them. He is forever stuck in a prison of his own devising and, without any arc, he is very frustrating to watch.

While Lala slipped down the blow-up slide in Jaxs backyard so quickly she almost skidded across the lawn and Charli and crew twerked at Tom and Arianas house, Schwartz got a message from Sandoval. Come up to my room, it said. He went upstairs and there was no one in the master. He heard splashing in the bathroom and tapped the slightly open door so it swung wider. There he saw Sandoval with one hairy, wet leg hanging over the side of his claw-footed tub. Why dont you come and shave me? Sandoval said, taking a disposable razor and dragging it across his forehead before handing it to Schwartz.

Schwartz put one knee down on the wet floor and dragged the razor down Sandovals shin. It was so hairy he couldnt shave it clean  just a few long hairs came out, clogging up the razor. But he smoothed his left hand up Sandovals leg, from the calf, to the bulbous knee, to the hard but meaty thigh. Further and further, the hair getting thicker, though soft under the soap water. He finally got to Sandovals junk, half hard and half buoyant in the water, waiting to be greeted, waiting for anything other than a razor, because neither of the Toms really wants things smooth. They want it rough, they want it complicated, they want a clench so soapy and wet its going to be hard to explain.
Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan on Wednesday said there is perceptible anger among migrant workers from Bihar who are stuck in far-off places and the Nitish Kumar government must bring them back at the earliest, lest it may lose their trust.

Paswan accused the Bihar government of dragging its feet on the issue of migrants while states like the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh have started bringing its people back by bus-loads.

He further said with the Centre running special trains, there was no scope for "excuses" in the name of adherence to the lockdown rules.

"I speak as a responsible ally (of the ruling NDA in Bihar)...I can see a lot of anger among migrant workers when I watch their ordeal in videos posted on social media. I fear that they might lose confidence in our government," Paswan told a channel.

The LJP chief, who took over the reins of the party from his father and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan less than a year ago, had a couple of days ago alleged that the state government's response to the migrant crisis was "delayed" and "inadequate" and cryptically remarked that his party "supported" the ruling dispensation in Bihar but was "not its part".

After the election to Lok Sabha of Pashupati Kumar Paras, who was the state minister for fisheries, the LJP has been left without any representation in the state government.

The LJP chief's regular attacks are causing embarrassment for the NDA government in the state, which is scheduled to see elections by the end of this year.

Paswan had earlier in the day shot off a fresh letter to Nitish Kumar drawing his attention towards the plight of migrants from Jamui parliamentary constituency who were spread across almost every state in the country.

The LJP chief said he expected the state government to "ascertain the number of migrants still stuck elsewhere as early as possible" and thereafter get down to bringing them back by trains or other modes of transport.

"No action was taken in Bihar, where the government kept pleading adherence to the lockdown, while the Uttar Pradesh government had begun the process of bringing migrants back by buses. Much time has been lost, there must not be any more dithering," he added.

Thanking Railway Minister Piyush Goyal for "promising that as many trains as needed will be run for Bihar", Paswan pointed out "now it is the job of the state government to find out as quickly as possible how many of its natives were stuck in which places and place requisitions for bringing them back".

He reiterated that identification of the states migrants was getting hindered by "a tedious process of registration, which required people to get their details entered online, without realising that they were hardly computer literate".

Highlighting the plight of migrants in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, the LJP chief said "they are living in miserable conditions as 10 people are cramped in a tiny room. Social distancing is simply not possible under such circumstances. The Bihar government must come to their rescue".

Paswan, who had rankled JD(U) leaders a couple of months ago when he repeatedly highlighted its failures during his party's state-wide "Bihar First Bihari First" tour, which had to be curtailed because of the coronavirus outbreak, also said the state government must ensure that once the migrants were back "blame does not fall on them for worsening of the pandemic".

"In my letter to the chief minister, I have called for 'saghan parikshan' (intensive medical tests) of all migrants. Thermal screening, which is taking place, is not enough. The state government must ramp up its medical infrastructure to meet the challenge," he added.

The LJP chief also said Kumar had claimed that soon after becoming the chief minister 15 years ago, "he would be bringing the state's economy back on track so that those forced to migrate in search of livelihood could return".

"The current crisis throws an opportunity for Nitish Kumar. There are lessons to draw from the adjoining Uttar Pradesh where Yogi Adityanath has been doing a fabulous job by not only taking the lead in bringing the migrants back but also rehabilitating them economically," Paswan added.

There was no immediate reaction from other NDA constituents on the charge.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:48:40|Editor: huaxia

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ZAGREB, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Croatia's economy is expected to shrink by seven percent in 2020 before rebounding by six percent in 2021, according to the Regional Economic Prospects report published by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on Wednesday.

The EBRD's forecast is more optimistic than that of the Croatian government, which expects a 9.4-percent decline this year and 6.1-percent growth in 2021.

In the report, EBRD said that the Croatian economy will be mostly hit by the decline of tourism revenues.

"There was a drop of 75 to 80 percent in tourist arrivals in March year-on-year, with a similar drop expected in the second quarter," the report said, adding that it expects a decrease of about 30 percent in the third quarter.

Tourism is Croatia's key sector, which contributes to almost 20 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). The EBRD predicted that the revenue drop in tourism will affect the labor market.

The Croatian government has predicted an unemployment rate of 9.5 percent in 2020 and 9 percent in 2021. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on April 30 that thanks to the government's measures to save jobs, the number of people employed is expected to drop just 3.3 percent in 2020.

The EBRD said that the Croatian government has responded to the crisis with strong stimulus measures equating to around seven percent of its GDP.

According to the International Monetary Fund projections, Croatia's GDP will shrink by 9 percent in 2020. It expects a recovery in 2021, with GDP rebounding by 4.9 percent. Enditem
Mine blasts in western Myanmars Rakhine state killed two Rohingya children and injured another child as they picked mangoes in a deserted village on Wednesday, with the government military and the rebel Arakan Army blaming each other for the deadly explosions, locals said.

The blast highlighted the peril and instability in Rakhine as two U.N. agencies and Myanmar extended an agreement to work for the return from refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh of more than 740,000 Rohingya, who were expelled from Myanmar in what U.N. reports called an ethnic cleaning campaign in 2017.

We have heard that there was a mine explosion in Charkay village of the Thayatpyin village tract, and that two Rohingya children were killed, said a local resident who declined to be named out of fear for his safety.

Only [ethnic] Rakhines live in Charkay, and the situation in that village is not so bad, he added. We dont know who is responsible for this. We have heard that battles break out often there, so I dont visit the place.

Tun Aung Thein, a Rakhine state legislator from the Arakan National Party (ANP), who represents the Buthidaung township constituency, which includes the Thayatpyin village tract, said: Two Muslim children, 15 and 10 years old, died, and another 10-year-old was injured and has been hospitalized.

The administrator of Phone Nyo Leik village, a mostly Muslim community that is part of Thayatpyin village tract, said that the injured child is a resident of his village.

The [other] two children died in the Thayatpyin village tract, he said. I dont know the details because I was traveling.

It remains unclear which army planted the mines in the area.

If you ask the relatives of the dead children who is responsible for the mines, the truth might come to be known, said Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun.

The AA has a history of placing mines in the villages, and there was a previous incident in a nearby village, he said. They even had asked Muslim villagers to guard the mines and had a quarrel about it before. RFA was unable to verify his statement.

AA spokesman Khine Thukha said that there had been no recent battles in Buthidaung township, and that most Thayatpyin residents had deserted the area after their houses were burned down in a shelling attack in 2019.

Muslim children went into the villages to pick mangoes, and they might have stepped on old mines left by the Myanmar Army, he said. The Myanmar Army has never cleared the mines.

According to an RFA tally, 47 civilians have died and 88 have been injured since April amid the armed conflict between Myanmar and Arakan forces.

In November 2019, at least one Rohingya civilian was killed by a stray bullet and three others were wounded when mortar shells fell on Phone Nyo Leik village during a clash. Explosions from the shelling burned more than 30 homes, witnesses told RFA at the time.

UN MoU extended

The armed conflict between the Myanmar Army and the AA, which has raged for 16 months, has added to the devastation to northern Rakhine state caused by a violent military-led crackdown on Rohingya communities in August 2017 in response to deadly attacks on 30 police outposts and a military base by a Muslim militant group.

The crackdown left thousands of Rohingya dead and drove more than 740,000 others across the border and into Bangladesh where they now live in sprawling, overcrowded displacement camps.

U.N. investigators have described the militarys actions against the Rohingya as genocide.

On Monday, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) agreed with the Myanmar government to extend a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for activities in Rakhine state through June 2021, including the so far fruitless effort to convince fearful Rohingya to return to Myanmar.

The MoU said the parties aim to create a conducive environment for the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh, as well as to support the recovery of Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung  the three townships most affected by the armys scorched-earth campaign against the Rohingya.

The parties signed the original MoU in June 2018 for the agencies to assist with the voluntary return and reintegration of displaced Rohingya. They also agreed to assess conditions in Rakhine state for those contemplating returns and to support programs benefiting all communities in the multiethnic state. The MoU was extended for the first time in May 2019.

Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement in November 2017 for the repatriation of the Rohingya who fled, but the program has been beset by problems.

So far, no Rohingya refugees have returned to Myanmar through official channels, and only a few hundred have returned of their own volition.

The Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh say they will not consider going back unless the Myanmar government guarantees their safety and grants them full citizenship rights and other basic freedoms.

Under the MoU, the two U.N. agencies have conducted assessments for infrastructure projects to improve water supplies, rehabilitated roads and schools, and provided skills training and income-generating projects.

The agencies said they are conducting more assessments in the area, but that the COVID-19 crisis has constrained efforts.

While the environment in Rakhine state is not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of refugees, the MoU has allowed UNHCR and UNDP teams to assess the immediate needs in over 120 villages so far in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, said a statement issued Monday by the two agencies.

We have consulted over 2,600 people on their communities priorities, ensuring that the projects will best meet their needs and serve to promote social cohesion between communities, it said.

The UNDP and UNHCR also called on the Myanmar government to address the root causes of the refugee crisis and to work to resolve the religious and ethnic divisions in the unstable region, ensuring that the Rohingya have freedom of movement, citizenship rights, and increased access to public services and jobs.

Bangladesh welcomes move

Bangladeshs Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen welcomed news of the extension of the MoU.

This is a good development that the MoU has been extended further, and that Myanmar has been diplomatically engaged with the U.N. and other international agencies, he told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, on Wednesday.

Now, the Myanmar government must work to take their people back, he said, urging officials to work with the U.N. agencies to create a conducive atmosphere in Rakhine for the return of the Rohingya.

The U.N. agencies should be more active in this regard, Momen added.

Former Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain said Myanmar has a responsibility to resolve the Rohingya crisis that it created.

Myanmar forced the Rohingya people to leave their motherland in Rakhine, so they must resolve it, he said.

An insecure atmosphere in Myanmar still persists, he said. Fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army has been going on even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Myanmar must create an environment that will build confidence in the Rohingya for their safe return.

One Rohingya leader expressed skepticism about Myanmars decision to extend the MoU with the UNDP and UNHCR.

We do not know to what extent the MoU will benefit us, said Dil Mohammad, a leader of Rohingya refugees who live in the no-mans land at the Naikhongchari border crossing point. The Myanmar government extended the MoU possibly for its own convenience.

It seeks the assistance of the UNHCR and the UNDP whenever Myanmar requires their service, he added.

Reported by RFA, an online news service affiliated with BenarNews. Kamran Reza Chowdhury in Dhaka contributed to this report.
COLUMBIA, Md. and WASHINGTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Observations made with the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescopehelp explain how Pluto's haze is formed and how the distant Sun affects the dwarf planet from 3.7 billion miles away.

When the New Horizons spacecraft passed by Pluto in 2015, its images revealed that this small, frigid world in the distant solar system has a hazy atmosphere. Now, new data from SOFIA help s explain how Pluto's haze is formed from the faint light of the Sun 3.7 billion miles away as it moves through an unusual orbit.

Remote observations of Pluto by NASA's airborne observatory SOFIA, show that the thin haze enshrouding Pluto is made of very small particles that remain in the atmosphere for prolonged periods of time rather than immediately falling to the surface. SOFIA's data clarify that these haze particles are actively being replenished  a discovery that is revising predictions on the fate of Pluto's atmosphere as it moves into even colder areas of space on its 248-Earth-year orbit around the Sun. The results are published in the scientific journal Icarus.

"Pluto is a mysterious object that is constantly surprising us," said Michael Person, the lead author of the paper and director of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory. "There had been hints in earlier remote observations that there might be haze, but there wasn't strong evidence to confirm it really existed until the data came from SOFIA. Now we're questioning if Pluto's atmosphere is going to collapse in the coming years  it may be more resilient than we thought."

SOFIA studied Pluto just two weeks before New Horizon's flyby in July 2015. The modified Boeing 747 flew over the Pacific Ocean and pointed its nearly 9-foot telescope at Pluto during an occultation, an eclipse-like event in which Pluto cast a faint shadow on Earth's surface as it passed in front of a distant star.

SOFIA observed the middle layers of Pluto's atmosphere in the infrared and visible light wavelengths, and soon after, the New Horizons spacecraft probed its upper and lower layers using radio waves and ultraviolet light. These combined observations from SOFIA and New Horizons, taken so close in time, have provided the most complete picture yet of Pluto's atmosphere.

Blue, Hazy Atmosphere

Created as surface ice vaporizes under the distant light of the Sun, Pluto's atmosphere is predominantly nitrogen gas, along with small amounts of methane and carbon monoxide. Haze particles form high up in the atmosphere, more than 20 miles above the surface, as methane and other gases react to sunlight, before slowly raining down to the icy surface.

New Horizons found evidence of these particles when it sent back images showing a blue-tinted haze to Pluto's atmosphere. Now, SOFIA's observations fills in even more details by discovering that the particles are extremely small, just 0.06-0.10 microns thick, or 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Because of their small size, they scatter blue light more than other colors as they drift toward the surface, creating the blue tint.

With these new insights, scientists are reevaluating their predictions on the fate of Pluto's atmosphere. Many forecasts indicated that as the dwarf planets moved away from the Sun, less surface ice would be vaporized  creating fewer atmospheric gases while losses to space continued  eventually leading to atmospheric collapse. But rather than collapsing, the atmosphere appears to change on a shorter cyclical pattern.

Applying what they learned from SOFIA to reanalyze previous observations, researchers found that the haze thickens and then fades in a cycle lasting just a few years. This indicates that the tiny particles are being created relatively quickly. The researchers suggest that Pluto's unusual orbit is driving the changes in the haze and therefore may be more important in regulating its atmosphere than its distance from the Sun.

"There's still a lot we don't understand, but we're forced now to reconsider earlier predictions," said Person. "Pluto's atmosphere may collapse more slowly than previously predicted, or perhaps not at all. We have to keep monitoring it to find out."

Chasing Pluto's Shadow

SOFIA was uniquely positioned to study Pluto from afar by taking advantage of a rare moment when Pluto passed in front of a distant star, casting a faint shadow across the Earth's surface. Momentarily backlit by the star, Pluto's atmosphere could be analyzed.

Traveling at 53,000 miles per hour, Pluto's shadow was expected to appear for a brief two minutes over the Pacific Ocean near New Zealand. SOFIA charted its course to intercept, but two hours before the occultation an updated prediction placed the shadow 200 miles to the north.

"Capturing that shadow required a bit of scramble. SOFIA has the benefit of being mobile, but the revised flight plan had to be cleared by air traffic control," said William Reach of Universities Space Research Association and SOFIA's associate director for science operations. "There were a few tense moments, but the team worked together, and we got clearance. We reached Pluto's shadow at exactly the right time and were very happy to have made it!"

Remote observations like these allow scientists to monitor planetary bodies in between spacecraft flybys, which can often be separated by many years. Such unique observations gathered remotely by SOFIA and New Horizons' close flyby confirms that occultation observations from Earth can provide high quality and complementary data between spacecraft observations and flybys.

"Similar complementary capabilities of SOFIA in tandem with other ground-based and space-based astronomical observatories have been demonstrated and will continue to be explored in future," said Margaret Meixner, USRA's Director of SOFIA Mission Operations.

About USRA

Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities, and conducts other major research and educational programs, under Federal funding. USRA engages the university community and employs in-house scientific leadership, innovative research and development, and project management expertise. More information about USRA is available at www.usra.edu.

About SOFIA

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the SOFIA program, science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft is maintained and operated from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California.

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Linkedin Tri Indah Oktavianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 14:26 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7c1ae4 1 National Semanggi-shooting,Attorney-General,ST-Burhanuddin,mahfud-md,Amnesty-International,YLBHI,KontraS,LBH-Jakarta,AJAR,PTUN Free

Family members of victims of the Semanggi tragedies in the late 1990s filed on Tuesday a lawsuit against Attorney General ST Burhanuddin over his statement that the tragedies were not gross human rights violations.

Plaintiffs Maria Katarina Sumarsih and Ho Kim Ngo, both mothers of victims of the Semanggi I and II tragedies, filed the lawsuit to the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta). They are being represented by lawyers from the Semanggi I and II Justice Coalition.

The coalition consists of representatives from Amnesty International Jakarta, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) and Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR).

The lawsuit was filed because when Burhanuddin delivered his statement, he was acting as a state official who was trying to prevent the victims families from getting justice, Semanggi I and II Justice Coalition said in a statement.

The coalition also said that the attorney generals statement undermined the struggle of the victims families and society in their demands for truth and justice over past cases of gross human rights violations.

We want the attorney general to retract his statement, Saleh Al Ghifari, a member of the coalition, said during a virtual press conference on Tuesday. This is the right moment for us to remind the country that we will not stay silent about impunity.

Read also: Jokowi vows to settle past human rights abuse cases. But which ones?

Meanwhile, the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) claimed that it had not been notified of the lawsuit, Kompas.com reported.

ST Burhanuddin made the controversial remark during a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal, human rights and security affairs on Jan. 16, stating that a House plenary meeting had "concluded that the events [Semanggi tragedies] were not gross human rights abuses". Activists and the victims families have condemned the remarks, describing it as a step backwards in the governments commitment to resolving past human rights abuses.

"Attorneys general are trying to escape their responsibilities as the investigators of human rights violations as usual. It keeps happening, so it appears the country allows impunity," Sumarsih told The Jakarta Post in January.

Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD defended the attorney general, saying, No statement was made denying that the tragedies were gross human rights violations. He also clarified that all parties were on the same page regarding the matter and that investigations into case were still ongoing.

The Semanggi I tragedy on Nov. 11 to 13, 1998, took 17 lives, including Maria Katarina Sumarsihs son, Bernardinus Realino Norma Irmawan. He was shot during a student protest against the 1998 special session of the Peoples Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Indonesian Militarys (TNI) dual role in civil service and politics.

The Semanggi II tragedy, which took place on Sept. 24, 1999, saw 12 people killed, including Ho Kim Ngos son, Yap Yun Hap. He was shot during a student protest against a bill that was feared would give the Army more powers in emergency situations.
HARBOR BEACH  The Harbor Beach Board of Education decided at a special meeting May 7 to delay its bond issue until August, despite needing the money for repairs and upgrades.

The decision was made during the meeting, which was held remotely via a Zoom video conference.

Superintendent Sean Bishop said nothing about the bond issue would change with the exception of the date it would be on the ballot.

Other business decided during the meeting by the board was a decision on which accounting firm would handle the school's annual audit. The board had sent out requests for bid this year and decided to contract with the Flint-based company Lewis Knop CPA, which had the lowest bid and works with other school districts in the Upper Thumb.

The Harbor Beach Board of Education inspected the 2020-2021 HISD budget, and the board gave its approval. Normally, the new budget would have been delivered and discussed by HISD Superintendent Joe Murphy. In light of the problems involved with COVID-19, he was unable to attend the meeting.

Before the meeting ended, Bishop gave an update on the state budget. He said it looks as if there will be a definite economic impact on Michigan schools next year. Yet, the exact extend of the impact is unknown.

We dont have the definite numbers at this time," Bishop said.
Govt bans Ukrainians from traveling to Belarus with national IDs from Sept 1, 2020

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has partially suspended an agreement on visa-free travel for Ukrainian citizens to Belarus.

The government approved this decision during a meeting on Wednesday.

In particular, it ordered to abolish from September 1, 2020 the item of the visa-free travel agreement with Belarus, which allowed Ukrainian citizens to cross Ukraine-Belarus border with the national IDs.

The changes are related only to leaving Ukraine for Belarus by Ukrainian citizens, although the national IDs can be used for entry into Belarus.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh  Wed, May 13, 2020 10:30 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a67fe 2 SE Asia Rohingya,Bangladesh,Rohingya-people,refugees-camp,fire-incidents Free

Roughly 10 people were injured as a fire tore through a Rohingya refugee camp in southeastern Bangladesh destroying at least 330 shanties, officials said Tuesday.

Local firefighter official Emdadul Haq said the 330 rough buildings, including homes and shops, in the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp were completely destroyed in the fire, which began at a gas cylinder shop

"Ten people were injured in the accident. It's the biggest fire [to have broken out] in the camps" to date, he told AFP, adding another 300 shanties, most of them built with flimsy tarpaulin and bamboo, had been damaged by the fire.

No casualties have so far been reported in Kutupalong, one of the world's largest refugee camp, he added.

Bangladesh's deputy refugee commissioner Shamsud Douza said the injured were taken to local hospitals for treatment.

The UNHCR said it has mobilised an emergency response team to "help the affected refugees".

More than a million Rohingya live in the squalid camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district, which includes Kutupalong.

Some 740,000 of them arrived in the South Asian nation in 2017 from Myanmar's conflict-ridden Rakhine state, escaping a brutal military clampdown.

Experts and aid workers had already warned that fire could cause massive havoc in the overcrowded camp settlement.

"We have seen small fire accidents earlier but never saw such big devastation. Many people were trying to make a living by running small shops. They are affected the most," Rohingya community leader Abdur Rahim said.

In 2018, a fire in one of the camps killed a woman and three children.
Donald Trump thinks Anthony Fauci, the widely respected infectious disease expert, is wrong to suggest it is not yet safe to reopen Americas schools due to the coronavirus pandemic.

I think you should absolutely open the schools, he told reporters on Wednesday at the White House, responding to a question about a television interview to air the next day.

So Anthony is a very good person. Ive disagreed with him. When I closed the border to China, he disagreed with that, Mr Trump told Fox Business Network in an interview set to air early Thursday morning. I think that we have to open our schools. Young people are little affected by this. We have to get the country open.

Speaking to reporters in the Cabinet Room on Wednesday, Mr Trump offered some of his most pointed comments yet about Mr Fauci.

He wants to play all sides of the equation, the president said.

>Asked to clarify, Mr Trump replied: I was surprised by his answer. ... To me, its not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools.

That comes a day after Mr Fauci told a Senate committee he is hesitant to open schools without a Covid-19 vaccine available to all Americans. Some health experts say children could be so-called super carriers of the disease who show no symptoms but spread it to others.

The idea of having treatments available or a vaccine to facilitate re-entry of students into the fall term would be something that would be a bit of a bridge too far, Mr Fauci said. The drug that has shown some degree of efficacy was modest and was in hospitalised patients.

Mr Trump has repeatedly contradicted Mr Fauci and other members of his White House coronavirus task force, but his remark to Fox Business also puts him at odds with some GOP lawmakers.

For instance, Senate Health Committee chairman Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said at the same Tuesday hearing that he wants to see testing dramatically ramped up across the country before young children and college-aged students return to campuses.
People wearing face masks amid concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic commute through a subway station in Beijing on May 13, 2020. AFP




The government plans to reopen the economy after Ramadan despite the mounting number of coronavirus infections and deaths

The government of Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli has signalled it will begin reopening the economy at the end of Ramadan.

Unless the wheels of production start turning very soon everyone in Egypt will have to live with the consequences for a long, long time, said Madbouli. The experience of many countries shows a full lockdown can push national economies to the verge of collapse.

Madbouli said the best strategy for the coming period is to reopen while simultaneously observing restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Though the numbers of infections have increased they are still under control. By the end of Ramadan we will announce reopening measures, but also the punishments that will be incurred for violating necessary restrictions, said Madbouli.

Finance Minister Mohamed Maait also hinted that the economy can no longer tolerate the partial lockdown measures currently in force.

The state treasury lost a great part of its revenues last month. To continue along the same lines would mean the economy would carry on haemorrhaging and thousands of people would lose their jobs, said Maait.

Minister of Information Osama Heikal told the media that the government had concluded that Egypt must coexist with Covid-19.

Lockdowns, or any other protective and precautionary measures, are useless unless the public behaves responsibly, learns to coexist with the virus and joins forces with the government in fighting it.

Ahmed El-Sigini, head of parliaments Local Administration Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that full or partial lockdown measures in countries across the world have proved ineffective in stemming the tide of the virus.

The question now being asked around the world is how economic damage can be best contained by opening economies, while simultaneously keeping essential restrictions in place.

The Madbouli government began answering that question last week. Following a cabinet meeting on 3 May, Madbouli announced the return of domestic tourism, but with restrictions in place. Beginning on 15 May hotels, resorts and tourist villages will be allowed to receive guests, but the occupancy rate will be limited to 25 per cent. Depending on how things go, the quota could be relaxed to 50 per cent by June.

Hamdi Al-Shami, a former deputy minister of tourism, said the adoption of even a partial lockdown this summer will be disastrous for the tourism sector.

Al-Shami expects the decision on domestic tourism to be followed by others loosening restrictions on local industry.

I think the reopening decision is to some extent being pushed by pressure from associations of businessmen, chambers of commerce and the General Federation of Egyptian Industries. They have all warned that without some movement businesses will be forced to close down, or lay-off employees.

Madbouli said on 9 May that industry, the service sector and infrastructure projects will all return to work.

Informed sources believe the post-Ramadan measures will also include a shortening of the curfew.

Following the Eid the curfew will probably be reduced to 11pm to 6am, says MP Mustafa Bakri.

With shops and businesses allowed to open until 10pm, the situation will be almost back to normal. Even restaurants, cafes and cafeterias will be allowed to open under certain conditions.

Bakri points out that some countries, like Germany, have even decided to open schools again.

Al-Sigini argues that the decision to boost domestic tourism implies, by extension, a shortening of the curfew.

You cant say people can go to hotels in Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh and Alexandria and then not allow them to move freely, he said.

Following a meeting with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi on Sunday, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said the government would consider austerity measures should the crisis extend beyond 1 July. In such a scenario, he said the government would be forced to revise expenditure items to guarantee the Ministry of Finance can meet its obligations. Maait made no mention that a lockdown might be on the cards.

Atef Makhalef, a member of parliaments Economic Affairs Committee, said any austerity measures remained just a possibility at this stage.

I think that what the finance minister wanted to say is that the government needs to increase its revenues and this will come through reopening the economy, not through lockdown. But if the crisis persists for a longer period, the government might opt for austerity as a last-ditch measure. The direction in which all the roads seem to be heading is one where we must coexist with the virus.

The number of infections and deaths in Egypt has grown throughout Ramadan, which began on 24 April. The number of reported infections has increased from 4,092 on 24 April to 9,746 on 11 May, and exceeded 10,000 this week. Egypt has the highest number of infections among Arab countries, only trailing Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. More alarmingly, Egypt tops Arab League tables in terms of fatalities, having overtaken Algeria. On 11 May Egypt had reported 533 deaths, compared to 510 in Algeria.

The figures have led some MPs to ask for a full lockdown during the coming two weeks. A quick reopening could lead to a spike in infections and deaths, said MP Fayez Barakat.

Suleiman Wahdan, deputy parliament speaker, has also called upon the government to impose a full two-week lockdown, including the last week of Ramadan and the Eid Al-Fitr holiday week. These two weeks will be a golden opportunity to contain the coronavirus, and during this period the state should make sure that highways to traffic between governorates are closed and that people stay at home, said Suleiman, arguing that a gradual opening under stringent anti-virus restrictions should come only after the two-week lockdown.

Some members of the Syndicate of Doctors, including the head of the Cairo branch Sherine Ghalib, have also been recommending a complete lockdown during the last week of Ramadan and the Eid week.

Government officials, however, insist the increase in infections and deaths had been expected. Minister of Health Hala Zayed hinted in a statement on 8 May that Ramadan gatherings could be driving the increase. I urge citizens to change their behaviour in the remaining weeks of Ramadan and during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, said Zayed.

Citizens should keep shopping to a minimum, avoid crowds and wear face masks.

On 9 May Zayed said the Ministry of Health was in the process of revising coronavirus treatment protocols, and announced that a shipment of the drug Remdesivir, which was recently endorsed by the US Food and Drug Association (FDA), had been ordered.

Mohamed Awad Taggeddin, a former health minister and now a presidential adviser, said the increased number of infections being reported was simply a result of more people being tested.

More than 100,000 tests were conducted. The more you test, the more you detect infection, said Tageddin, also noting that the numbers of patients fully recovering have also significantly increased, reaching 97 on Monday. Tageddin, however, said on TV that a full lockdown in the next two weeks should remain an option on the table and ahead of any reopening measures.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  Ohio Chief Justice Maureen OConnor announced Wednesday that the state bar exam for new attorneys, scheduled for late in July, will be postponed until September.

Due to the ongoing public health concerns arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of Ohio is postponing the Ohio bar examination until Sept. 9-10, OConnor said in a statement.

The exam originally was scheduled for July 28-29.

Hundreds of graduating law school students around Ohio had asked the state in April to consider allowing them to be licensed to practice law without taking the bar exam because of the uncertainties caused by coronavirus.

Ohios bar exam is administered twice a year. The summer bar exam is the larger of the two. Nearly 900 people took Ohios 2019 summer bar exam.

Typically, the bar exam is administered in one location with hundreds of people working at tables in a large room, such as a convention center.

The students petitioned the Supreme Court and its bar admissions office to adopt a practice known as diploma privilege, which would allow them to be licensed to practice law by virtue of their juris doctorate degrees.

They suggested they be required to take additional continuing education coursework beyond the level all practicing lawyers are required to take. They also said the state could require that they graduated with a specific GPA as a threshold for licensing.

A spokesman for the Ohio Supreme Court said then that any decision on the bar exam ultimately will be made by the court and by its bar admissions staff, in consultation with the deans of Ohios law schools.

But its an issue with which every state is wrestling.

Already in April the National Conference of Bar Examiners was polling states about dates for exams in the summer and fall.

The impact the ongoing COVID-19 crisis will have on the July 2020 Uniform Bar Examination is not certain at this time, a note posted to the Ohio Supreme Courts website stated then. We are in close contact with the National Conference of Bar Examiners and other jurisdictions as we all consider possible options for the July exam in the event that bar admission office closures or prohibitions against large gatherings remain in effect."

At that point, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts and New York had postponed summer bar exams. Utahs Supreme Court in April ordered that qualified recent graduates in that state could be admitted to the bar without passing the exam.

Wisconsin has long had a form of diploma privilege in place.

In her announcement, OConnor said more details about the particulars of the September exam would be forthcoming.

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For the filming of his new movie, The Last Duel, Matt Damon was in Europe when COVID-19 safety measures were put in place. As a result, the Academy Award-winning actor has been living in Ireland with his family for the last few weeks. In a recent radio interview, Damon talked about his incredible quarantine set-up and why its making him feel guilty.

Matt Damon | Niklas Hallen/AFP/Getty Images

Matt Damon is currently living in a small Irish town

Back in February, Damon started filming The Last Duel in France with co-star and co-writer Ben Affleck. As he moved to Ireland to start the next leg of the project, film production was shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rather than travel back to his New York City home, the actor chose to stay in Ireland. And since then, hes been living in the suburban Dublin town of Dalkey with his wife and three children. The affluent seaside hamlet has a population of 8,000 and is home to numerous celebrities, including Bono and Enya.

Why he feels guilty about his quarantine set-up

In an interview with a local Irish radio show, SPIN 1038 Fully Charged, Damon talked about how much he loves living in the Irish town. Its incredible, he said. Its one of the most beautiful places weve ever been. Obviously whats going on in the world is horrible, but for my family, it timed out.

The actor is living in Dalkey with his wife, Lucia, and their three younger daughters  Stella, 9, Gia, 11, and Isabella, 13. He told the radio show hosts that he was able to go into the quarantine with private teachers for his kids, but feels guilty about his set-up.

Ive got my kids, and we had teachers with us because we were planning on missing school for about eight weeks, Damon explained. So, weve got what nobody else has, which is actual live human beings teaching our kids. All their friends, the schools are all shut down back home and the kids are doing remote learning. So we feel guilty weve got this incredible set up in this place, which is gorgeous.

The Good Will Hunting star also revealed that his stepdaughter, Alexia, who is currently attending college in New York, was diagnosed with COVID-19. She had COVID really early on along with her roommates and got through it fine, he said of Alexia. So, I shouldnt say our whole familys together. Of our four kids weve got the three younger ones and our oldest one. Well reunite with her at the end of the month.

Matt Damon says Contagion foreshadowed current events

In his conversation with SPIN 1038 Fully Charged, Damon also discussed the impact of his 2011 film, Contagion. In it, he plays a young father whose patient-zero wife (Gweneth Paltrow) dies of a deadly bat-oriented disease. The movie follows the virus transmission, and its transformation into a global pandemic that leads to millions of deaths, as well as devastating economic, political, and social collapse.

Anybody who says you couldnt predict this, I mean, just look at Contagion, Damon said. Ten years ago we made a movie just by talking to experts and asking them, Well how would this look, and how would it go down? So its upsettingthe whole thing is tragic and sad.

The actor added that while this real-world pandemic isnt as lethal as the one depicted in Contagion, it should serve as a wake-up call.

These things do come along every few decades, so its best to be ready for it, suggested Damon. I think we understand what to do. And we wont look at people like theyre crazy when they tell us to go sit at home and wash our handsand socially distance.
U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo has arrived in Israel amid the coronavirus pandemic to discuss U.S.-backed plans to annex large parts of the Palestinian territories.



The single-stop visit  Pompeos first in nearly two months  will last just a few hours, with a small U.S. team afforded exemptions from strict Israeli coronavirus restrictions that require any arrivals to self-isolate for two weeks.



Pompeo stepped off the plane wearing a striped face mask in the colours of the U.S. flag. He will travel to Jerusalem to speak with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Benny Gantz, the former head of the opposition who will soon join Netanyahu in a unity government, The Guardian reported.
Scammers are sending text messages that impersonate the NHS's new contact tracing app before it has even been released.

Deceptive texts seen by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) tell people they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

The scam text reads: 'Someone who came in contact with you tested positive or has shown symptoms for Covid-19 & recommends you self-isolate/get tested.'

The messages contain a link to a bogus website that asks for personal details, which are used by scammers to gain access to bank accounts and commit identity fraud.

The UK's contact-tracing app is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight, ahead of a roll out to the rest of the country some time this month.

But experts fear that more scams that impersonate the contact tracing app will appear once it is released nationally.

Scroll down for video

Example of a bogus text claiming a person has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The message contains a dangerous link that prompts victims to enter their bank details

'I am especially concerned that scams themed around the contact tracing app are already appearing, even though the official NHS app has only been released in a limited testing phase on the Isle of Wight,' said Katherine Hart, lead officer at CTSI.

'This evidence is yet another example of scammers modifying their campaigns as the situation develops.

'These texts are a way to steal personal data and may put the bank accounts of recipients at risk.'

Anyone who receives texts or other similar messages should not click on any accompanying links and report them to Action Fraud, Hart said.

The NHS rolled out the new coronavirus track-and-trace app across the Isle of Wight on May 5 as a test before a full roll out.

The app for iOS and Android asks users to log whether or not they symptoms and uses Bluetooth to keep track of other phones it has come into contact with.

If someone logs symptoms of COVID-19 in the app, alerts will be sent to users of phones that have been in 'significant contact' with them, which will ultimately help trace the spread of the illness around the country.

But this new scam method sent to phone users shows the contact tracing app is already being imitated by fraudsters before its general release.

The NHS contact-tracing app is being trialled on the Isle of Wight before a full roll out in the UK

The messages appear as though they were sent by an official source associated with the app, directing recipients to a website for more information.

But the link actually attempts to gain bank account details to transfer and withdraw money, as well as other personal information such as names and addresses.

This additional personal information makes it easier for the scammer to conduct forms of identify fraud, such as false loan applications or false credit card accounts, which have a lasting impact on the victim's credit rating.

Hart said CTSI has witnessed a surge in COVID-19-related scams since lockdown began near the end of March.

Action Fraud, the national reporting service for fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime, reports that COVID-19 scams have already stolen more than 2 million.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently said it had received more than 160,000 reports of suspicious emails within two weeks of launching a new scam-busting service, many of which were related to Covid-19.

A screenshot of the real NHS contact tracing app. Large numbers of the public downloading and using the NHS contact tracing app will help save lives and could get the UK out of lockdown

Last month, internet security company Kaspersky has uncovered malware hiding in a hoax copy of the NHS website to capitalise on people seeking coronavirus health advice.

Once unsuspecting visitors click links on the site, malware was able to steal passwords and credit card data from their internet browser, which was then being sent to cyber criminals.

Kaspersky has acknowledged an increase in scam attempts during the course of the pandemic, especially those with fake coronavirus advice.

The company saw a 43 per cent growth in these sorts of attacks between January and March as coronavirus infection rates climbed.


Company leaders are preparing to re-open offices closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. But they are also considering major changes to the workplace environment to keep employees safe.

Many companies will be deploying devices aimed at recording workers body temperatures and providing personal cleaning products when employees return. But that is just a start.

Some businesses are considering complete office redesigns to reduce the risk of a second wave of infections. Long lines of seated work spaces may be replaced with individual employee areas surrounded by plastic and glass barriers.

Davide Sala is the head of human resources for the Italian tire company Pirelli. As he prepares to return thousands of workers to offices across Italy, Sala is looking at how the company brought back employees in China.

China is ahead of most of the world in lifting restrictions ordered to slow the spread of the virus. Pirelli is one of many multi-national companies able to test its return-to-work measures there.



New measures in Italy will include temperature readings for workers, face coverings and more space between work stations. Were going to use the China model elsewhere, Sala told the Reuters news agency. There will be more space for staff, fewer people in rooms and the layout of the offices will have to change.

Sala says the company is considering using some staircases as entrances or exits only, and limiting elevator use to one person per ride. Other changes could include different lunch times for workers and having people still work from home.

But Sala said the real break with the past will be the redesign of offices. How extreme and permanent those changes are is not yet known. Scientists are still attempting to fully understand the virus and drug companies are working to find a vaccine.

But plans created by some major international companies suggest a traditional eight-hour work day in a crowded building will not be continuing.

For the worlds biggest advertising company, WPP, workers will return slowly and on a voluntary basis, Chief Executive Mark Read told Reuters. What we can say  is that more people will be working from home in the future, and I think we can say well still have offices, he said.

Almost all of WPPs 107,000 employees have been working from home since mid-March. In China, WPP slowly brought back its 7,000 workers to 50 offices over the past two months after a four-week shutdown.



Rupert Forster is the managing director of operations in China for British-based employment agency PageGroup. He said the company has set aside one entrance at offices in China where workers line up each day for temperature tests and to collect a face covering. The company is also urging people to bring their own lunch to avoid busy shared areas and is reducing large group meetings.

A spokesperson for British business services group Rentokil Initial said that since reopening its seven main offices in China last month, employees only work in the office four to five hours a day. The company has also redesigned seating plans to make sure there is an empty seat between each work station.

In some cases, companies are proposing the use of plexiglass or other barriers between work stations to provide additional protection.

But experts say for workers used to open floor plans, sanitizing office life and increasing work-from-home hours could limit the sharing of ideas and weaken company culture. Hauke Engel, with American-based management advising company McKinsey & Company, warned that such changes could limit employee creativity.

Some companies are seeking short-term fixes to get through the next few months. But Engel noted that many companies are resistant to invest a lot of money in changes to deal with a problem that may not be long term.

But others are preparing to make major building and office changes in an effort to create workplaces that can still operate during any future health threat.

Im Pete Musto.

Stephen Jewkes, Kate Holton and Muvija M reported on this story for Reuters. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tire  n. a rubber ring that usually contains air and that fits around the wheel of a car or bicycle

staff  n. a group of people who work for an organization or business

layout  n. the design or arrangement of something

sanitize  v. to make something free from dirt, infection or disease by cleaning it

creativity  n. the ability to make new things or think of new ideas
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail on medical grounds to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar who is serving life imprisonment in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices Indu Malhotra and Hrishikesh Roy perused his medical report and said that he did not need hospitalisation at the moment.

Declining the interim bail plea, the bench, holding proceedings via video conferencing, said that it would hear the regular bail application in July.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation, and senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for some riots victims, opposed the bail plea of the convict leader.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing Kumar, said that his client be granted bail as if something happens to him in jail then his life imprisonment would become death penalty for him.

Kumar and Balwan Khokhar are serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail in the case after the Delhi high court convicted them on December 17, 2018.

Khokhar has also sought parole in the case. His life sentence was upheld by the Delhi high court in 2018, while it had reversed the acquittal of Kumar by the trial court in 2013, in a case related to the killings of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.



he high court had also upheld the conviction and varying sentences awarded by the trial court to the other five -- Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former MLAs Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.

It had also convicted them for criminal conspiracy to burn down residences of Sikh families and a gurdwara in the area during the riots.

The trial court in 2013 had awarded life term to Balwan Khokhar, Bhagmal and Lal, and a three-year jail term to Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.

Following the high court verdict, life term of Balwan Khokhar, Bhagmal and Lal has been upheld and the sentence of Yadav and Kishan Khokar has been enhanced to 10 years in jail.
Shelley Davies waits for her delivery at Plants and Friends./Douglas Zimmerman/SFGate

LATEST, May 13, 3:45 p.m. Here's a rundown of new cases and deaths reported in the Bay Area on Wednesday. This list will be updated as more announcements are made.

San Francisco reported 17 new cases to increase its total to 1,994. The death toll remains 35.

San Mateo reported 18 new cases to increase its total to 1,515. The death toll remains 65.

Alameda reported two new deaths and 45 new cases. The total number of cases is 2,178 and the death toll is 76.

Contra Costa reported one new death and 14 new cases. The total number of cases is 1,080 and the death toll is 33.

Napa reported no additional cases or deaths. The total number of cases is 81, and the death toll remains three.

Marin reported four new cases to increase its total to 275. The death toll remains 14.

Solano reported one new death and nine new cases. The total number of cases is 397, and the death toll is 12.

Santa Clara reported two new deaths and 21 new cases. The total number of cases is 2,381, and the death toll is 132.

May 13, 2:45 p.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday that most retail businesses in the city would be permitted to reopen in a limited capacity on Monday, May 18, as long as they are prepared to meet safety guidelines and local hospitals do not see an unexpected surge in hospitalizations over the weekend.

Previously, city officials outlined select types of businesses  which included florists, game and hobby shops and record and bookstores, among others  which could begin to operate that day on a to-go or delivery basis only. Read more here from SFGATE Editor Alyssa Pereira.

May 13, 2:15 p.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced during a press conference Wednesday that over 100,000 residents in her city have applied for unemployment insurance over the course of the coroanvirus pandemic.

According to 2018 estimates, the city has a population of 883,305  meaning one in nine San Francisco residents has applied for unemployment insurance.

"While from Day One we have focused on confronting this public health emergency, we have also been taking a significant economic hit at the same time, said Mayor Breed. With over 100,000 San Franciscans applying for unemployment and an uncertain timeline for recovery, we are in for a long, hard road. This is going to require a lot of tough choices and creative solutions, but Im confident that we can do the work it takes to get San Francisco through this.

May 13, 12:45 p.m. California Gov. Newsom said in his Wednesday press briefing that an increasing number of counties have qualified for regional variances to move more quickly into stage two of the the four-phased reopening plan.

The counties that have met specific COVID-19 benchmarks allowing them to proceed at a faster pace are listed on the state's COVID19.ca.gov website and include Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tuolumne and Yuba-Sutter.

"The spirit of collaboration with these counties over the last number of days has been wonderful," said Newsom.

The Newsom Administration has given counties statewide permission to move into the first phase of stage two and open certain sectors such as retail and offices when teleworking isn't possible. The state is also allowing counties, like the ones mentioned above, the opportunity to move deeper into stage two and open restaurants for in-dining service and shopping malls for curbside picking.

While many counties with low infection and death rates are moving on a fast timeline, other counties, like some in the Bay Area, are moving more slowly and haven't even opened retail yet.

Newsom also provided a rundown of the latest numbers: 87 people have died of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 1,759 individuals have tested positive. While hospitalizations are up .5%, people in intensive care unit cases are down .3%. Newsom said the ICU numbers have been stable and are beginning to decline moderately.

May 13, 12:10 p.m. San Mateo County became the first of the six Bay Area counties enforcing a shelter-in-place order stricter than the one in effect statewide to branch off from the group.

In a statement released Wednesday, the county announced that health officer Dr. Scott Morrow will release a new order this week that allows for the return of retail and manufacturing with new physical distancing measures. The rest of the state moved into this phase at the end of last week, but San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties continued enforcing a stricter order.

Read the full story here.

May 13, 9:45 a.m. Stanford Medicine researchers are leading a clinical trial on a possible treatment for the novel coronavirus.

The drug in question is called interferon-lambda, a manufactured form of a naturally-occurring protein that has previously been used against hepatitis viruses.

Researchers are hoping to learn if the drug can keep people who have recently tested positive from COVID-19 out of the hospital and facilitate a quicker recovery. Trial investigators are looking to recruit 120 people in the region who have recently been diagnosed with mild cases of the virus to participate in the trial.

Click here to learn more.

May 13, 8:30 a.m. Seven counties in California are moving more quickly into stage two of the state's four-phased reopening plan. El Dorado, Butte, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Amador and Shasta counties have not had any deaths from the coronavirus and recently received approval from the state to take additional steps to reopen their economies.

This week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced several statewide modifications to the shelter-in-place order such as the reopening of retail with curbside pickup.

The governor is also allowing counties meeting specific COVID-19 benchmarks to move deeper into stage two and make additional augmentations with state approval. Those counties given the green light by the state can reopen shopping malls for curbside pickup and restaurants with dine-in service with physical-distancing measures in place.

Moving into stage three or four is not permitted by the state at this time. In these stages, sectors allowed to open include hair salons, bars, gyms and theme parks. (Find more details on the state's COVID19.ca.gov website.)

Newsom said at his Tuesday press briefing that he was talking to 27 counties about regional variances. The governor has said repeatedly that there's flexibility in the order and the state is willing to work with counties to make adjustments as long as there's not a risk to public health.

"I know others are more eager to move more quickly and we will work with every county, with every city in a practical and responsible way," Newsom said Monday. "But heres the caveat, this is a health-driven conversation. Its not because we dont want to. Its not because we would not like to. Its not because we want to be particularly oppressive in terms of peoples desires and needs. Its because public health dictates that we do this in a judicious and thoughtful way."

Coronavirus in the greater Bay Area: A county-by-county snapshot

ALAMEDA COUNTY: 2,178 confirmed cases, 76 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities

For more information on Alameda County, visit the public health department website.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 1,080 confirmed cases, 33 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities

For more information on Contra Costa County, visit the public health department website.

LAKE COUNTY: 8 confirmed cases

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities

For information on Lake County, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 275 confirmed cases, 14 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing opening May 18

Fore more information on Marin County, visit the public health department website.

MONTEREY COUNTY: 286 confirmed cases, 6 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities

For more information on Monterey County, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 81 cases, 3 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing

For more information on Napa County, visit the public health department website.

SAN BENITO COUNTY: 56 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities

For more information on San Benito County, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 1,994 confirmed cases, 35 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing opening May 18

For more information on San Francisco County, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 1,515 confirmed cases, 65 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail and manufacturing opening May 18

For more information on San Mateo County, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 2,381 confirmed cases, 132 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities

Fore more information on Santa Clara County, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: 146 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing

For more information on Santa Cruz County, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 397 confirmed cases, 12 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: All "low-risk" businesses that can comply with physical distancing guidelines

For more information on Solano County, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 333 confirmed cases, 4 deaths

What's open beyond essential businesses: Outdoor businesses and activities, retail, manufacturing

For more information on Sonoma County, visit the public health department website.



CORONAVIRUS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Projections show California coronavirus cases and deaths rising more than expected

SF confirms it's giving drugs to homeless in hotels in 'limited quantities'

San Francisco officials outline 5 goals before reopening businesses

WHEN WILL THE BAY AREA REOPEN?

Every Bay Area county's projected date for Stage 2 reopening

6 Bay Area counties say retail not opening Friday

Newsom details 4 stages to reopen California businesses

Editor: This article initially misstated the number of coronavirus cases in San Francisco. That number has been corrected.
A series of blue-chips rallied at the end of trading thanks to a bottom fishing cash flow, boosting market to recover.

The benchmark VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock slid 0.23 per cent to close the morning session at 833.43 points.

The index had gained 0.84 per cent to end Tuesday at 835.32 points.

Nearly 223.8 million shares were traded on the southern exchange for VND3.8 trillion (US$163.1 million).

The market breadth was still positive as gainers outnumbered decliners by 192 to 138.

Ten out of 25 sectors lost ground on Wednesday morning, including retail, information and technology, real estate, healthcare, agriculture, rubber production and logistics.

The sector indices were down between 0.1 per cent and 8.3 per cent, according to vietstock.vn.

Wholesale, insurance, securities, oil and gas, banking, food and beverage, construction, seafood production, and construction materials gained ground, pushing indices up and narrowed the overall down trend.

A series of bluechips, such as insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), steel giant Hoa Phat Group (HPG), Hoa Sen Group (HSG), Vietnam National Petroleum Group (PLX) and many other bank stocks of Military Bank (MBB), Tien Phong Bank (TPB) rallied at the end of trading thanks to a bottom fishing cash flow, boosting the market to recover.

However, pressure from falling large-caps was still large, such as Vinamilk (VNM), Vingroup (VIC), Vietcombank (VCB) and Vingroup (VIC).

The VN30-Index, which tracks the performance of the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation and liquidity on HoSE, decreased 0.2 per cent to close at 780.88 points.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index rallied 0.11 per cent to end Wednesday morning at 111.90 points.

Nearly 37.3 million shares were traded on the northern bourse for VND341 billion.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk reacts at a post-launch news conference after the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft, lifted off on an uncrewed test flight to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 2, 2019. Mike Blake | Reuters

Tech billionaire Elon Musk likes to think he knows a thing or two about artificial intelligence (AI), but the research community think his confidence is misplaced. The Tesla and SpaceX boss has repeatedly warned that AI will soon become just as smart as humans and said that when it does we should all be scared as humanity's very existence is at stake. Multiple AI researchers from different companies told CNBC that they see Musk's AI comments as inappropriate and urged the public not to take his views on AI too seriously. The smartest computers can still only excel at a "narrow" selection of tasks and there's a long way to go before human-level AI is achieved. "A large proportion of the community think he's a negative distraction," said an AI executive with close ties to the community who wished to remain anonymous because their company may work for one of Musk's businesses. "He is sensationalist, he veers wildly between openly worrying about the downside risk of the technology and then hyping the AGI (artificial general intelligence) agenda. Whilst his very real accomplishments are acknowledged, his loose remarks lead to the general public having an unrealistic understanding of the state of AI maturity." An AI scientist who specializes in speech recognition and wished to remain anonymous to avoid public backlash said Musk is "not always looked upon favorably" by the AI research community. "I instinctively fall on dislike, because he makes up such nonsense," said another AI researcher at a U.K university who asked to be kept anonymous. "But then he delivers such extraordinary things. It always leaves me wondering, does he know what he's doing? Is all the visionary stuff just a trick to get an innovative thing to market?" CNBC reached out to Musk and his representatives for this article but is yet to receive a response.

Investing in A.I.

Musk's relationship with AI goes back several years and he certainly has an eye for promising AI start-ups. He was one of the first investors in Britain's DeepMind, which is widely regarded as one of the world's leading AI labs. The company was acquired by Google in January 2014 for around $600 million, making Musk and other early investors like fellow PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel a tidy return on their investments. But his motives for investing in AI aren't purely financial. In March 2014, just two months after DeepMind was acquired, Musk warned that AI is "potentially more dangerous than nukes," suggesting that his investment might have been made because he was concerned about where the technology was headed.

The following year, he went on to help set up a new $1 billion AI research lab in San Francisco to rival DeepMind called OpenAI, which has a particular focus on AI safety. Musk has another company that's looking to push the boundaries of AI. Founded in 2016, Neuralink wants to merge people's brains and AI with the help of a Bluetooth enabled processor that sits in the skull and talks to a person's phone. Last July, the company said human trials would begin in 2020. In many ways, Musk's AI investments have allowed him to stay close to the field he's so afraid of.

'This is really the scariest problem to me'

As one of the most famous tech figures in the world, Musk's alarmist views on AI can potentially reach millions of people. A number of other tech leaders including Microsoft's Bill Gates believe superintelligent machines will exist one day but they tend to be a bit more diplomatic when they air their thoughts to a public audience. Musk on the other hand, doesn't hold back. In September 2017, Musk said on Twitter that AI could be the "most likely" cause of a third world war. His comment was in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin who said that the first global leader in AI would "become the ruler of the world." Earlier in the year, in July 2017, Musk warned that robots will become better than each and every human at everything and that this will lead to widespread job disruption. "There certainly will be job disruption," he said. "Because what's going to happen is robots will be able to do everything better than us ... I mean all of us. Yeah, I am not sure exactly what to do about this. This is really the scariest problem to me, I will tell you." He added: "Transport will be one of the first to go fully autonomous. But when I say everything  the robots will be able to do everything, bar nothing." Musk didn't stop there. "I have exposure to the most cutting edge AI, and I think people should be really concerned by it," he said. "AI is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization." The cutting edge AI he refers to is likely being developed by scientists at OpenAI, and possibly some at Tesla too. Rather awkwardly, OpenAI has tried to distance itself from Musk and his AI comments on numerous occasions. OpenAI employees don't always like to see "Elon Musk's OpenAI" in headlines, for example. Musk resigned from the board of OpenAI in February 2018 but he continued to share his punchy views on where AI is headed in public forums. A spokesperson for OpenAI said he left the board to avoid future conflicts with Tesla. "As Tesla continues to become more focused on AI, Elon chose to leave the OpenAI board to eliminate future potential conflicts. We are very fortunate that he is always willing to advise us."

Feud with Zuckerberg

Some people in places like Cambridge University's Centre for the Study of Existential Risk or Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute might not disagree with all of Musk's comments. But his comments in July 2017 were the final straw for some people. In a rare public disagreement with another tech leader, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg accused Musk of fear-mongering and said his comments were "pretty irresponsible." Musk responded by saying that Zuckerberg didn't understand the subject.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the F8 Developer Conference in 2017. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg via Getty Images

Undeterred by the encounter, in August 2017, Musk called AI a bigger threat than North Korea and said that people should be more concerned about the rise of the machines than they are. The prolific tweeter told his millions of followers: "If you're not concerned about AI safety, you should be. Vastly more risk than North Korea." The tweet was accompanied by a photo of a gambling poster that reads "In the end, the machines will win." Zuckerberg isn't the only Facebooker to question Musk's AI views. Edward Grefenstette, a former DeepMinder, has questioned Musk's views on multiple occasions. "If you needed any further evidence that @elonmusk is an opportunistic moron who was in the right place at the right time once, here you go," he said on Twitter this month after Musk tweeted "FREE AMERICA NOW" in relation to the coronavirus lockdowns. Yann LeCun, chief AI scientist at Facebook, has questioned Musk's AI views on more than one occasion. In September 2018, he said it was "nuts" for Musk to call for more AI regulation. It's not just Facebookers who disagree with Musk on AI. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt said in May 2018 that Musk is "exactly wrong" on AI.

Doubling down
Modi govt committed to reviving economy, help MSMEs: Amit Shah

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, May 13: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi government is committed to reviving the economy, help small businesses and boost employment in the challenging time of coronavirus pandemic.

In a series of tweets, Shah said the central government is doing everything possible to help those in the business sector as they may face financial stress while resuming their work following the lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

"I thank PM @narendramodi and FM @nsitharaman for these unprecedented steps, targeted at assisting MSMEs, cope with challenges of COVID-19. "It reflects PM Modi's commitment to revive our economy, help small businesses and boost employment," he tweeted with the hashtag '#AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyan'.

Shah's comments came soon after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 3 lakh crore of collateral-free loans for small businesses, a cut in the tax rate for non-salary payments and measures to provide liquidity to non-banking companies to help them tide over the disruptions caused by the lockdown.

Unveiling the first set of components of the Rs 20 lakh crore COVID-19 economic stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said Rs 90,000 crore liquidity infusion will be made in electricity distribution companies to help them fight the current financial stress.

Also, dates for filing income tax returns and other assessments have been extended, she said. Shah said the Modi government's decision to provide Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans to businesses, including MSMEs, will surely help them meet their operational liabilities, built up due to COVID-19, and resume their business. About 45 lakh units and employees will benefit from this step, he said.

"Modi government understands the issues and problems faced by the MSMEs, amidst COVID-19 pandemic. To help them in these stressed times, GoI (government of India) will facilitate provision of Rs 20,000 crore as subordinate debt, which will benefit more than 2 lakh MSMEs," he said.

Shah said the Modi government will facilitate equity infusion worth Rs 50,000 crore for the MSMEs through 'Fund of Funds'. This will help them expand their size as well as capacity and encourage them to get listed, raise public money through stock exchanges, he said. The home minister said the government will also launch a Rs 30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme to help NBFCs / HFCs / MFIs / NBFCs / HFCs /MFIs as they are finding it difficult to raise money in debt markets. This decision will not only provide them liquidity support but also create confidence in the market, he said.

"Modi govt is doing everything possible to help business sector as they may face financial stress while resuming their businesses. GoI to provide Rs 2,500 crore EPF support for business and workers for 3 more months. This will help about 3.67 lakh units and 72.22 lakh employees," he said.

Shah said in these challenging times, to boost 'Make In India', help the MSMEs and other companies from the, often unfair, competition by foreign giants, the Modi government has disallowed global tenders upto Rs 200 crore which is a welcome step towards '#AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyan'.

"I thank PM @narendramodi's government for infusing liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore in DISCOMs, providing Rs 45,000 crore Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 for NBFCs and Rs 50,000 crore liquidity through TDS/TCS rate reduction," he said.




Elementary school students in Seoul now have more days to stay at home without worrying about school attendance this year, as the city's education office revised relevant regulations aimed at limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus.







The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Wednesday that it increased the number of permissible absent days for private field trip reasons to 20 percent of the total school days, from the previous 10 percent.







The revision lets young students to stay at home up to 34 days a year, which is up from around 15 days, while being counted as in attendance on those days.







The measure has been adopted to mitigate parents' concerns over the spread of COVID-19, after a recent uptick in cases tied to nightclubs in the city's popular multicultural neighborhood of Itaewon.







The growing infections are particularly worrisome, as young patients, asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, might unwittingly spread the virus in communities.







The decision came a week after the education ministry allowed home-schooling within the current limitation for private field trip if the virus alert remains higher than the second highest level of "orange," to smooth parents' anxiety and limit the virus's spread.







The government planned to reopen schools in steps nationwide starting Wednesday in line with its relaxed social distancing measures that went into effect on May 6. But it delayed the plan earlier this week following the unexpected outbreak of the Itaewon cluster.







Under the revised schedule, high school seniors will return to school on May 20, followed by younger students who will return to school in steps concluding on June 8. (Yonhap)


Senior Aide to Congo's President Denies Embezzling Millions at Opening of His Trial

By VOA News May 12, 2020

The chief of staff to Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi denied embezzling more than $50 million in public funds at a brief opening of his trial Monday.

The president of the court then postponed Vital Kamerhe's trial for two weeks, until May 25, while the investigation into the case continues.

Kamerhe, the most senior politician to go on trial for corruption in the Congo, is seeking to be released on bail until his trial resumes. He has been in custody for just over a month.

Kamerhe denied prosecutors claims that he stole money earmarked for public housing under President Tshisekedi's flagship 100-day building program, which he managed with other top government staffers.

Kamerhe faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

Two other suspects, including a top aide to president Tshisekedi and a Lebanese businessman, also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Attorneys for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer slammed a lawsuit from legislative Republicans challenging her executive authority this week, calling the claims a power grab that if heeded would further endanger the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a response to a lawsuit backed by House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, challenging the governors extension of a COVID-19 state of emergency without the authority of the legislature, the Whitmer administration argued lawmakers are seeking only to build a constitutional crisis atop a public health crisis in Michigan.

At the heart of the matter is a dispute over Whitmers decision to issue a trio of executive orders putting Michigan in a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic through May 28, even after the Republican-majority legislature declined to issue an extension of the initial state of emergency past April 30.

Michigan has two laws on the books related to the governors emergency powers. 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 includes a 28-day window for the governor to unilaterally declare an emergency without legislative approval. The 1976 law did not invalidate the prior law.

Republican lawmakers claim only the legislature has the power to extend a state of emergency past 28 days, and that Whitmers move was unconstitutional.

The law in Michigan is very clear: Only the legislature has the authority to extend a state of emergency, Chatfield said during a press conference announcing the suit. 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.

In the Tuesday filing, attorneys for Whitmer wrote that the governors actions were lawful and drawn from powers granted by the legislature in both state of emergency laws, adding that if the current legislature doesnt like the laws, they have to change them through the legislative process and not the courts.

There is a clear path for the Legislative Plaintiffs to achieve what they seek: it runs not through this Court, but through their own chambers, they wrote.

The Whitmer administration argued the legislature lacks legal standing to challenge the governors authority in this manner and called the lawsuit a power grab cloaked in the fineries of unfounded legal reasoning begging for judicial imprimatur.

Limiting the governors authority mid-pandemic would also jeopardize dozens of executive orders issued to respond to COVID-19s presence in the state, the filing reads.

To judicially strip the Governor of her authority, contrary to her clear legal duties, would not just upset the separation of powers, the filing reads. It would work grievous harm on the State and its citizens.

Attorneys for Michigan House Democrats also filed a brief in the case Tuesday, making the case that the lawsuit doesnt represent the legislature as a whole and that no action taken by the governor since the COVID-19 pandemic began hinders the legislature from meeting or enacting legislation.

A virtual hearing in the case is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, May 15.

As of Tuesday, there have been 48,201 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan and 4,674 deaths.

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

Michigan House, Senate sue Gov. Whitmer after she extends state of emergency without their approval

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?
Photo: FX

On Mrs. America, revenge is as sweet as pie. The FX on Hulu historical drama looks at second-wave feminism through the lens of its infamous opponent, Phyllis Schlafly  the housewife turned conservative agitator who stopped the Equal Rights Movement in the 1970s  but in this weeks episode, Bella, Schlafly is momentarily brought to a halt when shes pied in the face by a radical-left activist.

The pie incident, like many other scenes in the series, is based on a true story from Schlaflys life. From the 1970s to the 90s, a man named Aron Kay pied public figures whom he considered detestable, from right-wing journalists to CIA chiefs, anti-abortion protesters, and Andy Warhol. Kay was part of the Youth International Party, a.k.a. the Yippies, a group of stoner antiwar activists that John Waters once described as smart-ass, late 1960s, fake revolutionaries who think riots are a good place to get lucky for sex.

Kay, who pied the real Schlafly on April 16, 1977, is still alive and well at 70. When I saw that segment, I started laughing, he said from his home in Brooklyn. But there were a lot of differences in how the show has it. For starters, as Kay recalled it, he didnt yell before he pied Schlafly  and the pie he used was apple, not banana cream.

The actual pie. M W Caro/AP/Shutterstock. The actual pie. M W Caro/AP/Shutterstock.

The TV pie. FX. The TV pie. FX.

The actual incident went down at the Womens National Republican Club Luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. Kay got in with a fake press pass under the pseudonym David Simon, in reference to the nursery rhyme Simple Simon met a pieman. He wore a borrowed suit to slide into a sea of Republican slime. He nevertheless stuck out, because unlike his Mrs. America counterpart, he had an unkempt mustache and collar-length hair, unlike the clean-cut crowd. And he had a paparazzi photographer by his side.

We all go to the grand ballroom, I played along with the dance, said Kay. We saw these two security dicks at the entrance of the ballroom, I had to wait for them to leave so I could do the pie and make a clean getaway.

When Kays friend Nancy Borman, then-editor of the feminist newspaper the Majority Report, approached Schlafly, he pulled out the pie from his briefcase. (He got the pie at a Greenwich Village bakery.) I walked up to Phyllis and placed it on her face, Kay said. I said, Thats for the ERA, you bitch! and walked right out.

Kays photographer sold the shots to the Associated Press, which were published widely. It looked like something out of a Charlie Chaplin film, these sequential photos, Kay recalled.

Though he didnt see Schlaflys response because he immediately bolted out the door, luncheon guests recalled her supposed retort, which Blanchett also delivers in the Mrs. America episode: Thank goodness it wasnt a cherry pie, because it would have ruined my dress.

Kay said he chose an apple pie because its a classic American staple, but he does have one regret all these years later. I wish it was a cherry, raspberry, or blueberry pie to add some color to it, he said. I was being too nice with apple pie.
By Laila Kearney

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday after OPEC's de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, said it would increase supply curbs in June, while other members of the oil-producing group said they want to extend the deep cuts reached in April for a longer period than originally agreed.

OPEC and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, decided in April to cut output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) for May and June, a record reduction, in response to the 30% drop in fuel demand worldwide caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The group was expected to curtail that reduction to 8 million bpd, but sources told Reuters they instead expect OPEC+ to maintain the larger reduction.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude <CLc1> futures settled at $25.78 a barrel, up $1.64, or 6.8%. Brent crude <LCOc1> futures settled at $29.98 a barrel, gaining 35 cents, or 1.2%.

On Tuesday, four sources told Reuters that OPEC and its allies want to maintain the 9.7 million bpd cut beyond June, when the OPEC+ group is next due to meet.

"They don't want to reduce the size of the cuts," one OPEC+ source told Reuters.

Saudi Arabia said on Monday it would add to existing cuts by reducing output another 1 million bpd next month, slashing total production to 7.5 million bpd, down nearly 40% from April.

The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait also committed to slashing an extra 180,000 bpd in total, adding to reductions the producers agreed to under a deal between OPEC and its allies.

"The idea that the Saudis and Kuwaitis and the UAE said that they're going to enact deeper cuts than they initially agreed upon is helping the market find support," said Gene McGillian, vice president of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut.

Kazakhstan has ordered producers in large and mid-sized oil fields to cut output by about 22% in May to June, while output from Russia's top oil region in western Siberia is expected to fall by 15% this year, in line with the OPEC+ deal.

Story continues

The U.S. Energy Information Administration said it expects worldwide demand for oil to drop by 8.1 million bpd to 92.6 million bpd, a sharp revision from its previous report. It also cut its expectations for U.S. supply in 2020, now seeing a drop of 540,000 bpd to 11.69 million bpd, and said total world supply would be 95.2 million bpd.

U.S. crude producing states have logged output cuts, as collapsing prices prompted independent and integrated producers to reduce operations. U.S. crude futures have lost roughly 60% so far this year.

U.S. crude oil inventories rose last week while gasoline stocks fell, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed.

Crude inventories rose by 7.6 million barrels to 526.2 million barrels, API said, a build that exceeded analysts' expectations for 4.1 million barrels. Gasoline stocks fell by 1.9 million barrels, a draw that was shy of the 2.2 million barrels analysts had predicted.

U.S. Energy Information Administration storage data is due on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney in New York; Additional reporting by Noah Browning in London, Sonali Paul and Seng Li Peng; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Matthew Lewis and David Gregorio)
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights between May 16 and 22, the duration for the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

During the first phase of the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are scheduled to operate a total 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to bring 14,800 Indians from 12 countries on a payment basis.

Air India and Air India Express are also operating forward domestic flights after few international flights so that passengers can reach their destinations within the country amid the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

"Phase II of Vande Bharat from 16-22 May will also include flights from Armenia, Australia, Belarus, Canada, France, Georgia, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand and Ukraine," Puri tweeted.

The minister said that 8,500 Indians have already returned till Wednesday morning and more flights are underway as part of phase I of the Vande Bharat Mission.

"In the phase I of Vande Bharat we were to bring back 14,800 Indians on 64 flights...In the 2nd phase the numbers are being doubled. Around 30,000 more Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights," he stated.

Out of the 149 repatriation flights under phase II, 31 would come to Kerala, 22 to Delhi, 17 to Karnataka, 16 to Telangana, 14 to Gujarat, 12 to Rajasthan, nine to Andhra Pradesh and seven to Punjab.

During phase II of the Vande Bharat Mission, six flights each would be for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, three for Odisha, two for Chandigarh, one each for Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Apart from aerial evacuation, the Indian Navy has deployed two of its ships to repatriate Indians from abroad. Since March 7, these two ships have repatriated approximately 1,000 Indians from Maldives as part of the Vande Bharat Mission.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 74,200 people and killed around 2,400 people in the country till now.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Can progressives and moderates in the US Democratic Party find common ground in order to take back the White House?

On March 9, US presidential hopeful Joe Biden held a large rally at Renaissance High School in northwest Detroit. It was the eve of the Michigan primary, and Democratic Party Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris were in town to give the former vice president a boost.

While Biden was delivering his stump speech, multiple protests broke out in the crowd.

One man unfurled a banner that said NAFTA killed our jobs, in reference to the North American Free Trade Agreement backed by Biden, while other protesters chanted Hey, hey, ho, ho, Joe Biden has got to go!

The Bernie Bros are here, Biden murmured softly, alluding to the young, vocal fans of his then-rival, Senator Bernie Sanders.

The interruption underscored a larger dynamic playing out within the Democratic Party, which is being pulled in different directions by loyalists with very different visions for the partys future.

Bernie Sanders fans stand before a draped US flag at his rally in downtown Detroit on March 6, 2020 [Jeremy Young/Al Jazeera]

While making our Fault Lines film, Americas Divided Democrats, we spent weeks on the campaign trail with activists and volunteers in the two places that may have mattered the most  South Carolina and Michigan.

The overall feeling among Democrats we spoke to was that the party is deeply divided and might be too splintered to unify behind Biden in November.

Hes a guy who promises a return to normalcy and a lack of, you know, sweeping change. And I dont think that message resonates with a lot of young people right now, explained Naina Agrawal-Hardin, an activist with Sunrise Movement in Michigan.

I hope that people will be energised enough by the desire to beat Donald Trump that they show up to vote anyway, but it is a concern.

Signs for Elizabeth Warren hang in a park in St Helena Island on February 25, 2020 [Jeremy Young/Al Jazeera]

The party has largely bifurcated into two camps.

The progressive wing of the party has been led by Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren. They pushed for a Green New Deal to combat climate change, universal healthcare, and free college tuition.

The moderate wing of the party eventually coalesced around Biden after his blowout win in South Carolina, largely propelled by Black voters. This lane sees electability as the main selling point and thinks a centrist like Biden is the right candidate to defeat President Trump.

I know he has a lot of support from independents. He obviously has a lot of support from Democrats, said Margie Kanner, a Detroit-based attorney and longtime Biden supporter.

I think that is the recipe, I dont think any candidate is going to win the presidency with just the party base.

Many progressives disagree with this sentiment and feel like the party is making the same mistake it has made in the past by putting forth centrist candidates to try to win over Republicans or independents.

Supporters from the Amalgamated Transit Union that endorsed Joe Biden at his rally in Detroit, Michigan on March 9, 2020 [Jeremy Young/Al Jazeera]

A lot of moderates think you need milquetoast or weak sauce in order to attract people who are swing voters. The truth is swing voters dont like Democrats or Republicans. They feel like the whole system is corrupt, said Adam Green, a Warren supporter and progressive activist.

If you have someone like Joe Biden as the nominee whose core brand is cutting corrupt backroom deals with politicians like Mitch McConnell or corrupt corporations, that is possibly our worst foot forward against Donald Trump.

Another major point of contention is how money influences party politics. Sanders developed a vastly different mechanism for raising funds, relying on millions of small donations as opposed to large cheques from wealthy donors. His supporters claim that relying on corporate money makes the party beholden to corporate interests.

I think the cleavage in American politics today is money, said Faiz Shakir, the campaign manager for Sanders. Moderates in modern-day parlance literally means reliant on corporate money, thats what it has become, [that] I will settle for some middle ground that corporate friends will like. Thats what a moderate is.

I kind of dispute the notion that these people are moderates, they are truly corporately funded, he added.

Joe Biden speaks to a crowd in Georgetown, South Carolina on February 26, 2020 [Jeremy Young/Al Jazeera]

Biden was fortunate that other moderate candidates dropped out of the race after South Carolina and before Super Tuesday. He was able to win over African Americans and suburban women  two crucial voting blocs within the party.

I think that he is someone that people know and I think thats why you saw the turnout on Super Tuesday, even without a large ground game in some of those states, said Lonnie Scott, the executive director of Progress Michigan.

I think that he is like comfort food for some people. He is the devil that you know, he was there with Barack Obama and has been doing work as a public servant for a really long time.

Bidens victory puts progressives in a difficult spot with few options. Primary voters have shut the door on any major structural changes. Biden still has not selected his nominee for vice president, but if he chooses a progressive running mate it could heal some of the divisions within the party.

I think it would be a wise choice, strategically, said Agrawal-Hardin. I think it would show progressives that we are wanted in this party, but whether the party will do that, I dont know, but I hope so.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked the Verkhovna Rada for passing the law on banking activity and said the decision had given the green light for Ukraine to receive billions of U.S. dollars in financial support.

The head of state said this in a video address on Wednesday, May 13.

"A meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine took place today. I thank each of our deputies. Despite all the rumors and accusations, all the dirt, pressure, you passed a long-suffering banking law. Your decision has given the green light for Ukraine to receive important financial support - billions U.S. dollars," Zelensky said.

On May 13, the Verkhovna Rada adopted at second reading and as a whole a bill introducing amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine to improve certain mechanisms for the regulation of banking activity (No. 2571-d).

A total of 270 people's deputies voted for the decision.

In particular, the law will make it impossible to cancel the NBU's decision to nationalize or liquidate banks and return unfair compensation from the state budget to their previous owners.

The International Monetary Fund insisted on the adoption of this law.

op
Syria Israel In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, boys sit amid the rubble of a house that according to the Syrian authorities was attacked by an Israeli airstrike, in the Damascus suburbs of Hajira, Syria, Monday, April 27, 2020. The Syrian military and state media said Monday that Israeli warplanes flying over Lebanon fired missiles toward areas near the Syrian capital of Damascus, killing three civilians. An opposition war monitor says four Iran-backed fighters were also killed. The military says Syrian air defenses shot some of the missiles down. The reports said the attack happened around dawn on Monday. (SANA via AP)

BEIRUT (AP)  Israeli warplanes flying over Lebanon fired missiles toward areas near Damascus early Monday, killing three civilians, the Syrian military and state media said while a war monitoring group said four Iran-backed fighters were also killed.

The military said Syrian air defenses shot down some of the missiles in the attack, which happened around dawn. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that tracks the Syrian civil war, said the missiles hit positions belonging to Iran and its regional proxies, killing four fighters and causing damage south of Damascus. It did not give the nationalities of the dead gunmen only saying that they were not Syrians nor members of Lebanon's Hezbollah group.

The airstrike is the fourth in Syria in less than a month, despite the coronavirus pandemic gripping the region, and comes amid rising tensions between Israel and Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group in Syria as well as along the Lebanon-Israel border.

The Syrian military statement, carried by state TV, gave no other details about the attack or what it targeted specifically. Syria's state SANA news agency said shrapnel from the Israeli missiles hit homes in the Damascus suburbs of Hajira and Adlieh, killing three people there and wounding four. Both areas are close to the Sayyida Zeinab suburb that is home to a holy Shiite shrine and Iran-backed fighters have a presence there, according to opposition activists.

Israel did not comment on the Syrian report. In the past, Israel has acknowledged carrying out scores of airstrikes over the years, most aimed at alleged Iranian weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah. In recent months, Israeli officials have expressed concern that Hezbollah is trying to establish production facilities to make precision guided missiles.

Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces in Syria are fighting alongside Syrian government forces. Israel frequently violates Lebanons airspace to launch attacks on Syria, and regularly flies reconnaissance missions over the Mediterranean country.

Story continues

Last week, an Israeli airstrike targeted Iranian and Iran-backed fighters in the desert near the historic central Syrian town of Palmyra. A Syrian opposition war monitoring group said the strike killed nine fighters, including six who were not Syrians.

Days earlier, an Israeli drone fired two missiles near an SUV carrying Hezbollah members in Syria, close to the border with Lebanon. No one was hurt in the attack.

Two days after the drone attack, Israel accused Hezbollah of provocative activity, including multiple attempts to breach the border along the Lebanese-Israeli frontier, and said it would complain to the U.N. Security Council.

On March 31, Israeli warplanes fired missiles on the Shayrat air base also in the central province of Homs.

___

Aji reported from Damascus, Syria. Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
The Delhi government has provided one-time financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to over one lakh drivers of para-transit vehicles including autos and taxis.

Over Rs 55 crore has been given as financial assistance during the COVID-19-induced lockdown to para-transit vehicle drivers, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Wednesday.

"The Delhi government has transferred Rs 5,000 financial assistance to 1,10,093 public service vehicle (PSV) badge holder para-transit drivers," the government said in a statement.

The transport department has also started registration of e-rickshaw owners and permit holders of para-transit vehicles for the financial assistance.

The Delhi government has decided to provide the one-time help to drivers of autos, taxis, e-rickshaws and other para-transit vehicles to tide over the financial crisis caused by coronavirus pandemic and lockdown imposed due to it.

The money was transferred as per Aadhaar-based direct benefit transfer to the bank accounts of the applicants. In this whole process, it was ensured that no person had to leave home and stand in queue to get the assistance.

"When we started the process of registration, several hurdles were faced. In a bid to tackle these hurdles, which were mostly technical, we developed a mobile-based technology and software," Gahlot said.

The PSV badge holders applied based on the name mentioned in their driving licence and submitted both their driving licence and Aadhaar card.

Gahlot said in around 60,000 cases, it was found that there was a mismatch in the name in the driving licence and the Aadhaar card.

This caused problems in verification and all 13 motor licensing officers were directed to manually cross-check and verify the names and details in the driving licence with Aadhaar details, he said.

The department has received nearly 1,58,000 applications for the financial assistance, Gahlot said.

The government has also initiated the process of registration for e-rickshaw owners and permit holders of para-transit vehicles who do not have PSV badges.

The decision will benefit more than 60,000 permit holders of para-transit vehicles and owners of e-rickshaws registered in Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

The institutions of the European Union (EU) should continue to ensure that pro-European countries, including Georgia, see the EU as their ultimate goal, Trend reports via the article by Paul L. Vandoren, former EU Ambassador to Croatia and former acting EU Ambassador to the Russian Federation, published in the independent media network Euractiv.

Georgia has an unequivocally pro-European (and pro-NATO) government, whose leaders have made no secret of their desire to join both of those exclusive Western clubs, the author of the article notes.

The article further reads that 80 percent of Georgians are supporting the idea of joining both the EU and NATO.

"EU is Georgias largest donor and strongest partner. In 2016, an ambitious Association Agreement entered into force between the EU and Georgia," the author stressed.

This is an act of geopolitical significance for Georgia, affirming its European identity and its strategic foreign policy priority of developing closer ties with the EU, Paul. L. Vandoren writes.

As the author claims, Brussels must continue to ensure that countries such as Georgia see the EU as their ultimate goal. The author of the article also offers the EU the outline of the next steps and states that the first step should be to publicly support the country and recognize its achievements.

Georgia currently sits 7th in the annual 'Ease of Doing Business' rankings (above 26 of the 27 EU member states); 12th in the Heritage Global Index of Economic Freedom; and the government has cut poverty by 50 percent as the poor have benefited considerably from the Governments social policies and new economic opportunities, according to the World Bank, Paul L. Vandoren writes.

It is also noted that support for Georgia should continue even after the coronavirus crisis.

This support for Georgia must continue after the current crisis has passed, the author of the article concludes.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
President Donald Trump has always had an anti-immigrant agenda and has used any excuse to curtail immigration.



Now, with the coronavirus having infected 1.4 million Americans and killed over 80,000, the pandemic is another excuse for him to attack immigrants and students from abroad. His anti-immigrant push targets immigrants from every country in the world, but anti-China hawks in the legislature are encouraging him to add measures specifically attacking Chinese.

On April 22, President Trump announced an executive order banning most people from becoming permanent residents of the United States for the next 60 days. He has the ability to extend the ban for another 60 days, and, judging by his xenophobic bias, it is likely he will do so.

Banning immigration at this time, of course, makes absolutely no sense. The move will not prevent America from becoming a coronavirus hotspot; it already is. The U.S. already blocked travel from China and Europe, so it is redundant to block immigrants. It just means that people's applications will be unnecessarily slowed down and possibly made unable to resume.

Trump had to create a justification to make the ban at least a partially politically and legally feasible. The rhetorical justification is what it often is with anti-immigrant activists: to "protect" the jobs of current citizens. In any case, that justification doesn't make sense.

Immigrants do not deprive anyone of jobs. They add to the economy by consuming  which raises GDP and increases jobs  and they also improve productivity. The only reason one person is hired over another is because either that worker did a better job or because they worked harder and did not demand an exorbitant wage. If some Americans were losing their jobs to newly-arriving Americans, what does that say about the work ethic of those Americans that Trump wants to protect from competition?

The current immigration ban is also completely pointless in addressing the "job protection" justification, because it only blocks people from obtaining green cards, not from obtaining H-1B work visas.

To try to block people from obtaining work visas, the Trump administration began a review of the overall visa procedure. Trump staffers know what kinds of policies the president wants, so they will tailor their review to seek the answers he needs. Already, during the Trump administration, the rate of denial for H-1B visa applications has risen from 10% to 30%.

H-1B visas are important for America's digital economy and innovation. Experts like Everest Group CEO Peter Bendor-Samuel have said that curtailing these visas would prevent American companies from having access to talented workers and would "harm U.S. competitiveness." Economic studies have also shown that increasing the number of H-1B workers actually increases jobs for Americans. They are working in white-collar sectors, especially IT, not in retail or food service, so they would not be competing against people who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus reducing consumption.

Trump's immigration ban hits all countries. For H-1B visas, 2018 statistics published by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services show that workers came from over 150 countries, with most hailing from India, followed by China, Canada, South Korea, the Philippines and Mexico. So, even though Trump is training his fire on China when asked about his failed coronavirus response, people from other countries, including U.S. allies, will also suffer.

The Trump administration is also considering some xenophobic policies aimed particularly at Chinese people. Trump's ally and leading conspiracy theorist in the U.S. Senate, Tom Cotton, has suggested that Chinese students should be banned from studying science and engineering in the United States.

Trump has been talking about restricting Chinese students since 2018, during the height of his trade war, which has led to an increase in visa delays and denials.

As with Trump's war on foreign workers, his war on students is also counterproductive for the United States. As Christopher Rim, an education columnist for Forbes, points out, Chinese researchers make "major accomplishments," as well as "collaboration, cross-cultural exchange, [and] research breakthroughs" while studying in the U.S. Many stay after they graduate and continue to contribute to American research and innovation. American universities and institutions reap the benefits of these studies and continue to profit from them after the students leave.

If anything, further restrictions on Chinese students, especially those studying the sciences, will result in more of them staying in China and conducting research that gets utilized by Chinese institutions and companies instead of American ones.

The coronavirus has presented the American people with a crisis. For President Trump, however, it is just another opportunity to advance his bigoted personal agenda.

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.
[May 13, 2020] Tequity's Client VennScience Has Been Acquired by PureFacts

TORONTO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tequity, an M&A advisory firm with an exclusive focus on global enterprise software and IT companies, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to VennScience , a full-service Salesforce consultancy headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in their acquisition by PureFacts Financial Solutions , a leading provider of mission-critical wealthtech solutions. This strategic acquisition enriches and extends PureFacts' ability to provide meaningful insights and solutions to wealth firms to address their client's needs. PureFacts also gains a presence in key US markets such as Boston and New York. This marks Tequity's 9th successful Salesforce ecosystem transaction. "We've always been hyper-focused on providing an elite level of value to our customers," says Mike McCann, President of VennScience. "Joining forces with PureFacts expands the ways we can help our customers solve their biggest chllenges and support their growth. But what really sealed the deal for us was how well our values and culture aligned. We're both insanely customer focused."



"We were looking for an exceptional partner to help us achieve our geographic expansion goals, but they had to be as passionate about client success as we are," says Robert Madej, PureFacts CEO. "VennScience had everything we were looking for: technical expertise, business acumen, a track record of driving continuous innovation on the Salesforce platform, and a shared client-centric approach to problem solving. We're excited to combine the great people and strengths from our two firms." Together, PureFacts and VennScience will take advantage of cross-selling opportunities and leverage the benefits of shared services to help both companies be more financially efficient. As well, they'll share their North American sales teams with representatives in Boston, New York, and Toronto, along with a UK representative in London. As a combined entity, they'll offer a wider breadth of solutions and services to meet the diverse challenges and enterprise-level needs of wealth management firms.

On working with Tequity, Mike McCann said "We weren't just looking for any buyer, but rather one that exhibited a series of unique attributes we felt were necessary to ensure our company would thrive under new ownership. Candidly we weren't sure if such a buyer even existed. Alex and the team at Tequity listened first, but then executed flawlessly to find us the perfect buyer. Their network and experience were crucial to the success of this project, but it was their counsel, creativity, and compassion that set them a cut above." About VennScience As a well-established Salesforce consultancy, VennScience helps companies execute their vision, drive efficiency, and maximize the benefits of cloud-based business applications. VennScience takes a unique approach that differs from the traditional Salesforce consulting model. They emphasize strategic thinking to help clients unlock the power of Salesforce to transform their business. About PureFacts Financial Solutions Ranked a WealthTech 100 Company for 2020, PureFacts provides wealth management solutions for the financial services industry in Canada, USA, UK, and the Caribbean. PureFacts uses AI, big data, and their industry expertise to help firms realize value, increase productivity, reduce costs, and create an enhanced customer experience. About Tequity Tequity are domain experts in enterprise cloud software and IT ecosystems and are experienced business operators with growth expertise. Our mission is to ensure our clients achieve optimized strategic outcomes in an M&A transaction. We work with mid-market tech companies across North America and around the globe. Contact:

Diane Horton, CBI, CM&AA

Tequity Advisors

416.483.9400 x103

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tequitys-client-vennscience-has-been-acquired-by-purefacts-301058310.html SOURCE Tequity

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Picture a place that is surrounded by mountains. The roads are narrow, and a curve meets you at every mile. Downtown is one street that has only a handful of businesses still open. The grocery store has five aisles and no clothing department. Homes are located on the top and sides of these mountains. Vehicles include cars, trucks, and ATVs. Every few days you will hear the horn blow warning you there is a train coming around the mountain. Waterfalls and wildlife are abundant.

This is a picture of my town. I live in a little coal town in Southern West Virginia. My husband is the pastor of a small Southern Baptist church that has been in operation for over 100 years. Life here is slow, to say the least. The people are skeptical of outsiders but warm up to you quickly. Fortunately for us native North Carolinians, the warming-up period was short-lived.

In our short time in West Virginia, we have observed how forgotten the people here are. Churches are on every corner, but most are closed. Denominations and sub-denominations are not unusual occurrences. At the heart of all this is a need to remember the people of the Appalachian Mountains.

A Snippet of Appalachian History

The Appalachian Mountains are a beautiful, diverse, and rugged place. During the time spanning from 1680 to 1815, 100,000 Ulster Scots migrated across the ocean to America. During the Revolutionary War, these numbers lessened. The Appalachian Mountains became settled when Scotch-Irish immigrants were forced to look for land in other places because of overcrowding.

Specifically in West Virginia, coal mining became a big business. The steel industry was booming and people like J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie were making millions from the coal coming out of these mountains. People from all walks of life and every place on earth were coming here to mine for coal.

These mountains span 205,000 square miles. They can be admired in states as far north as New York and as far south as Mississippi. They meander through all of West Virginia and parts of North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, and South Carolina. There are 420 counties and over 25 million people who call these mountains home.

The Struggles Appalachian People Face

An understanding of the Appalachian Mountains is essential to its sustainability and growth. They are facing issues that most of America have not and will not face to this extreme. The following list is just scratching the surface.

1. Due to the geography of this region, there are many little towns or hollers. People are not connected easily as technology is not as prevalent here.

2. Unemployment is prevalent due to a breakdown of infrastructure. According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, the 3-year average unemployment rate is 5.4%. Jobs are just not available unless you are willing to drive 45 minutes to an hour from your home.

3. The average poverty rate for this region is 16.3%. A high percentage of people who live here depend on monthly checks from the government.

These statistics shed a light on secular issues that directly affect the religion of the Appalachian Mountains. The people here are thankful for what they have but seem to have little hope. One phrase I hear often is Im stuck. The people believe the answer to the problem is to leave and if they cant, they just settle on this Im stuck mentality. The region would benefit tremendously if their eyes were opened to the talents and knowledge they have within themselves. More importantly, the people could use their talents for the glory of God right where they are.





Photo credit: Getty Images/Aldomurillo



Praying for the Appalachian People

Praying is an essential part of our daily walk with Christ. It is our direct line of communication with God. For me, it is my lifeline. It is what keeps me in sync with the will of God. When my family was called to this small town in southern West Virginia, I was excited. When I got here, excitement turned to astonishment. I had no idea that there were places like this left in America. I asked my husband if we had stepped back in time.

What I have come to realize is that this place is magical. The beauty of Gods creation in these mountains should be on everyones bucket list. I have also learned that God has a plan for these special and interesting people. I am lucky enough to live here, but for those that cant, there are ways to join us in ministry. That way is through prayer.

1. Pray Specifically

Take some time to research the Appalachian region. Developing a sense of what this place is like will help you to pray for the people and the church. The Appalachian church needs you to pray specifically for economic development, wisdom for the leaders of this area, and a resurgence of hope. Pray for a loss of the Im stuck mentality.

2. Pray for Revival

In my observations, I think the copious amount of churches has developed a misunderstanding of what and who Christ is. There is a church on every corner and none of them are the same denomination. People here have conflicting doctrines and it is a source of contention.

As you pray, cry out to God for an awakening in this region and in the churches. The people need to see that God is in control. God has a plan that is so much better than anything we could think of. The sweet people of Appalachia need a softening of their hearts and then revival can break out.

3. Pray Missionally

Our best understanding of a situation comes from directly placing ourselves in it. Take some time to pray about visiting the Appalachian region. Ask God to lead you in the way that would do the most good and bring glory to Him. Ask God to show you where to go and what to do while youre there. There are many opportunities to serve and witness to the people here.

4. Prayer Walking

I find sometimes that taking a walk leads me to pray. If you live in the Appalachian region, this is something I strongly recommend you do.

Pick a place each week and pray over it. Walk around the park and pray for the children. Ask God to protect them and give them the wisdom to make good decisions. Walk downtown and pray that God will build up businesses and bring new opportunities to the area. As you pass by the church buildings, pray for the people that enter those doors each week.

My Final Thoughts

Changing the hearts and minds of people is challenging. Appalachian mountain people are strong, set in their ways, and determined. The way things have always been has continued to work for them, so they do not understand why things need to change. The beauty in the mountain people is that they may not welcome change, but you will never feel safer and more loved than among the people here.

Just because mountain people are living in a distant location does not mean they should be forgotten. The people here are what make up the church. It is not the church buildings; it is the couple sitting on the porch every afternoon or the kids playing in the alley. Gods design for this place is magnificent but still needs your prayers.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Wilsilver77

Ashley Hooker is a freelance writer who spends her time homeschooling her two children, ministering alongside her husband as he pastors a rural church in West Virginia, and writing about her faith. Currently, she is a contributing author for Journey Christian magazine. She has taken part in mission trips with the NC Baptist Men during the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey in Mississippi and Texas. In her local church, she has served on various committees focusing in the area of evangelism along with traveling to West Virginia and Vermont to share the Gospel. Her dream is to spend her time writing and sharing the love of Christ with all she meets.
Christina Constandake, VP Global Partnerships at Viber

In March 2020, Rakuten Viber recorded a strong increase of activity comparing with the previous month of the same year. Within a few weeks, the number of group calls in the application increased 4 times, and the number of messages in group chats around the world increased by 137%. This is mainly due to the fact that during the global pandemic COVID-19, communication, work and education became online. And although many of us hope that after the end of quarantine, the situation will change, but this is far from the case.

The Harvard School of Public Health designed the COVID-19 distribution model based on the experience of the United States of America. According to the results, people will be forced to adhere to social distance up to 2022. By the concept of "distance", scientists mean a 75% reduction in contacts with the outside world. This does not mean that instead of walking four times a week, you can walk once a week. This suggests that we will have to limit all types of contacts to 75%.

What will be the result? This will lead to the fact that we will solve more and more issues online. This applies not only to friendly conversations, but also to the organization of the work process and education. Most of the communication will take place by services for online communication, where it is possible to keep in touch not only through messages, but also voice and video calls. Such measures are necessary not only in order to maintain the effectiveness of the company, but also in order to reduce the level of discomfort among employees due to the lack of live communication. According to a survey by The Harris Poll commissioned by Glassdoor, 22% of employees began to feel anxiety due to lack of conversations with colleagues during self-isolation.

At the same time, at the end of quarantine, those who dont want to go to work to office will remain. So the results of a survey by Gartner Inc. state that 41% of those who have now switched to the remote mode of work in connection with the pandemic, after its end, want at least partially to be able to work from home. 50% said that productivity remained the same or even increased comparing with the period of work in the office. 60% are sure that their work does not require a presence in the workplace for high efficiency. So communication using platforms for communication in the Internet will be an indispensable solution to this issue. Already, the statistics of leading services for communicating in the Internet state about the increase in demand for the use of services, be sure - the numbers are still continuing and will continue to grow. So in the leading mobile communication application in Ukraine, Viber, the number of daily active users over the past month has grown by 18% around the world. The number of new registrations on the platform daily has increased by 25%. Active users began sending 75% more video messages to each other, and the average duration of an audio conversation increased by 35%. This jump in activity is explained not only by the appearance of free time among users, but also by conducting business communication through the application.

But the changes in the work of companies will not stop. The trend that we have been seeing for the last few years - the active transition of business from offline to instant messengers  will only begin to intensify. According to statistics, 56% of users want to communicate with brands using their phones, and 53% prefer to make a purchase from the company that has its own digital version in the messaging application. During quarantine and after its end, this will continue, as it is not only an effective way to keep in touch with the buyer, but also safe. For example, in China, large automobile holdings began to publish their products on social networks in order to attract the attention of new customers. If we talk about Ukraine, then an international company providing payment transaction services, Visa launched a chat bot in Viber, with which you can now issue a bank card without leaving your home. The NOVUS supermarket chain has also launched a chat bot, but it can be used to check and take advantage of promotional offers in any supermarket of a chain store without contact.

The new goal of marketing strategies will be customer comfort. To do this, it will be necessary to make communication as personalized as possible and offer a unique service that was not previously available on the market, but which will be most useful during the quarantine period. For example, in China, according to a study of the Dentsu Aegis Network communications holding company, Meitun delivery service introduced contactless delivery service, which resulted in more than 80% of orders during the quarantine period.

The e-commerce industry will continue to develop. On e-commerce platforms, food demand has increased by 215%. The same applies to Europe  in Germany, the demand for online shopping has also grown significantly  30% of the population began to use platforms for ordering products online and 36% less often use cash. In Ukraine, Moneytou service in Viber is used for contactless money transfers. Now, during the gradual end of quarantine, companies are not going to stop working in the field of e-commerce, but rather, they plan to increase the number of investments in this direction.

The future lies with multi-functional online platforms and those who work with them. This is explained simply: they are able to solve several problems simultaneously. For people, such service will be useful as it can keep a person in touch with the outside world: communicate with other people and employees in both text and audio and video format, order products, make a mobile cash payment. For business, the platform is necessary for communication with the target audience, which is now several times more likely to be online. The services themselves also need to develop and expand their functionality. So, since the beginning of the pandemic, Viber has increased the number of possible participants in group calls to 20 so that it is more convenient for users around the world to communicate with each other during self-isolation. The company actively cooperates with international organizations in order to make the application even more useful for both the average person and business. For example, the World Health Organization, together with Rakuten Viber, launched a chat bot in Viber with basic rules of behavior during quarantine, instructions on how to wear a mask and the latest statistics on COVID-19. Already today, such services help users around the world, and after quarantine ends, they will still remain no less relevant.
Travellers are putting their lives at risk by attending funerals in large numbers, according to Pavee Point.

It is after up to 150 people attended four funerals in Wexford and Cork over the past week.

According to reports, mourners came from several counties and Britain to go to a funeral in Cork City on Monday.

Martin Collins, a co-director of Pavee Point, is appealing to his community to obey social distancing.

"Since the onset of the coronavirus, I am personally aware of at least seven, possibly eight, funerals.

"We have been liaising with gardai in relation to these funerals to make sure that people respect the social distancing.

"But by and large this has not proved possible.

"The people concerned are not respecting the social distancing.

"They are putting their own personal health and lives on the line and indeed those of others."

Mr Collins said the gardai need to better enforce social distancing rules.

"I think the gardai need to be a bit more assertive in enforing the regulations and the laws but obviously this needs to be done in a very sensitive way, in a very respectful way, in a very proportionate way and in a way that is human rights compliant.

"At the end of the day, this is about protecting the lives of those who attend the funeral and about protecting the lives of those in the surrounding area."
A MAMMOTH 442-unit housing development on Limericks riverside has been rejected  because of the presence of otters on site.

An Bord Pleanala this week has vetoed the proposals  which would have seen seven high-rise blocks  telling the developer behind the scheme, Revington, that it is unable to grant permission.

This, they said, is because the information provided is inadequate. The blueprint would have seen 363 build-to-rent apartments in a mix of studio, one bedroom and two bedroom units

There were going to be 61 student apartments in a mix of two, three and four bedrooms, totalling 189 student bed spaces, alongside 18 dwelling houses.

And as part of the mammoth scheme, seven apartment blocks would have been built on the four acre site along the Canal Bank, which also borders the Pa Healy Road.

As well as the housing, the development would also have included a cafe, three retail units, a creche and management facilities.

Some 145 car parking spaces will also be provided, as well as 420 bike spots.

Fine Gael councillor Olivia OSullivan is disappointed, saying : We are still in the middle of a housing crisis and solutions of scale have to be found.

It is a fact that we have an under supply of housing and we need new residential development in Limerick. The location of this proposed development on the Canal Bank strategically located between the city and the University of Limerick was significant, she said.

But Cllr Elisa ODonovan said: Limerick needs housing but this must be done in a sustainable and open way not the continued political reliance on private developers with little scope for community consultation.

Any new application, An Bord Pleanala said, should include, at a minimum, an ecology report and a tree survey.
(Natural News) A week after Italy relaxed some of the toughest lockdown restrictions in the world, people across the country are already flouting social distancing measures. After a two-month lockdown, residents have returned to the streets and cyclists are back on the streets, expressing relief and trepidation at what many called liberation.

I literally havent been out of the house. The biggest shock for me was the fresh air, Rina Sondhi, a resident of Orvieto, a hilltop city outside Rome, told the Guardian. The city and the surrounding Umbria region have recorded a total of 1,412 coronavirus cases, which is still far lower than the northern region of Lombardy, which has 81,871 cases as of Monday.

Today I feel liberated, but with caution  thats the important thing, we can have the freedom but we must be really careful, she added.

The Italian government says that around 4 million people returned to work under the second phase of the countrys post-coronavirus measures. Meanwhile, in a Facebook post on the eve of the new measures, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte appealed to the public to act responsibly.

In Rome, residents flocked popular tourist spots such as the Via dei Fori Imperiali and the Piazza Venezia. Meanwhile, university students congregated on rooftops in the citys university district, with most of them sitting or standing less than 6 feet apart.

According to local authorities, the second phase allows people to leave their homes; however, they can only visit relatives and other loved ones  and not friends. Everyone is required to wear masks and large family gatherings are still prohibited. Travel to other regions is still restricted, save for people who were marooned at the beginning of the lockdown.

Most non-essential shops are still shuttered, except bookstores and clothes stores that were allowed to open during the lockdown. Bar and restaurants have also opened for takeout services.

Residents are also allowed to go to parks to jog and exercise; however, childrens playgrounds are still closed. In addition, universities are allowed to reopen, provided strict social distancing measures are followed. Funerals are also allowed, but only for up to 15 mourners, with all wearing face masks.

This isnt a game

In Milan, residents of the countrys financial hub also poured into tourist spots and hangouts after restrictions were lifted last week. In particular, people crowded Navigli, the citys popular canal district, after restaurants and bars around the area reopened.

This prompted Mayor Giuseppe Sala to issue a stern warning to residents, threatening that he would shut down the area if social distancing rules were not followed. (Related: Europe would have had MILLIONS of coronavirus cases if it did not close borders, finds study.)

[You] can explain to the people who work in bars, why the mayor isnt allowing them to do business, he added. This isnt a game, we cant allow this in a city of 1.4 million inhabitants.

Lombardy, where Milan is located, is considered to be the epicenter of Italys outbreak, and one of the hardest-hit regions in Europe in terms of deaths and infections. The total caseload in the region is 81,871 as of Monday, with Milan being home to a quarter of these cases.

For public health experts, the current situation in Milan makes it a bit of a bomb, as many residents are now moving around, with some even disregarding social distancing rules, just a week after emerging from a draconian lockdown.

We have a very high number of infected people returning to circulation, explained Dr. Massimo Galli, head of the infectious disease department at the University of Milans Luigi Sacco Hospital, in an interview with La Repubblica. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic in Milan, the hospital  among the largest in Italy  was completely inundated with patients, with Gallis department receiving new patients every five minutes.

According to Walter Ricciardi, the scientific adviser to Italys minister of health, the option of placing the country under a cordon sanitaire is still an option, if authorities record an upswing in new cases.

Were still in a risky phase, he told La Repubblica. It will take two weeks to see how its going.

Pandemic.news has more stories about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in Italy.

Sources include:

TheGuardian.com

CityPopulation.de

DailyMail.co.uk

9News.com.au

ABCNews.go.com
Small businesses can today apply for a slice of The Daily Mail's 3 million fund to help them survive the coronavirus crunch.

The Daily Mail and its sister newspapers are inviting small companies to apply for free advertising space in Britain's best and most-read newspapers.

Small-business owners have today told Money Mail that the initiative would be a 'lifeline', while Chancellor Rishi Sunak thanked the Mail for 'doing its bit' to help British businesses.

The Daily Mail and its sister newspapers are inviting small companies to apply for free advertising space in Britain's best and most-read newspapers

The Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) launched the new scheme this week to give 1,000 of the country's small businesses a helping hand in the crisis.

The new initiative, which will give each firm advertising worth 3,000, follows the creation of our Mail Force charity, which has raised nearly 6.9 million to deliver millions of pieces of vital personal protective equipment to NHS and care workers.

We are hoping to help the nation's small companies, which employ 17 million people but are battling to survive with sales having slumped in lockdown.

Mr Sunak says: 'I want to thank the Mail for doing its bit to help small businesses get through these challenging and unsettling times.

'Our High Street firms are the backbone of our economy and they will be vital in helping us recover from the outbreak.'

Meanwhile, business groups have urged members to make a bid for one of the promotional packages.

Our scheme is being run in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), whose national chairman, Mike Cherry, says: 'This is a very tough time for small businesses so the work that the Mail group is doing to support them as they try to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic is hugely important.

'Today's launch marks a fantastic opportunity for our members as they look to get back on their feet.

'Making sure that businesses survive at this time is essential and this initiative is set to have a big impact.'

Small businesses welcome move Homeware store boss Liz Lawson has furloughed half of her 65 staff 'Fund will save firms' Liz Lawson is the fourth generation to run 116-year-old Lawsons, which has four Devon homeware stores. It usually has an annual turnover of 2.8 million, but has had to close its Totnes and Plymouth shops to the public. Liz, 52, has furloughed half of her 65 staff and received 100,000 from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund. She has increased phone and online orders from 20 to 100 a day, but is making just a third of her normal takings. Each year she spends 75,000 on advertising, but some papers and magazines she uses have stopped printing. She says: 'I think this fund will save some businesses. We could be heading into the worst recession in 100 years. An advert in a national paper could drive the lifeblood back into our firm.' James Wilthew set up The Afghan Rug Shop five years ago after he discovered the products while serving in the RAF 'Ads are key to survival' James Wilthew set up The Afghan Rug Shop five years ago after he discovered the products while serving in the RAF. Now he says that free advertising with the Daily Mail could prove crucial to the success of his business. While on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, James, 43, bought several rugs, and his shop now sells coverings made by people in the region for anything from 100 up to 20,000. But when the lockdown came, he was forced to close his premises in Hebden Bridge, W. Yorks, and furlough his three part-time staff. James says: 'The Mail's scheme is a fantastic idea  marketing is now going to be crucial to our future.' Debi Mackenzie and husband Ronald run Cruise Loch Ness 'It would be a big boost' Cruise Loch Ness has been taking tourists on boat trips around the Scottish landmark for 52 years. But Debi Mackenzie, 43, and husband Ronald, 48, fear for the business's future and say the Daily Mail's advertising fund could prove a 'lifeline' for them. The couple take up to 1,000 passengers a day on 50-minute tours of the loch and the business usually achieves an annual turnover of around 2 million. But most of Debi and Ronald's customers are international tourists, and with travel bans in place, their takings dropped to such an extent that the couple closed the business a week before lockdown. Says Debi: 'When we do get up and running we want to reach as many domestic travellers as possible and the Mail is read by a lot of people  it would give us a real boost.' Hellen Stirling-Baker runs Small Stuff, an ethical shop for babies 'A brilliant opportunity' Hellen Stirling-Baker says advertising in the Daily Mail could 'future-proof' her business. Hellen, 33, set up Small Stuff, an ethical shop for babies and small children, in 2018, after finding it difficult to source sustainable toys and clothes for her son Rafe, four (pictured with her). The shop, in Sheffield, South Yorks, makes an annual turnover of around 40,000. But approaching lockdown, the mother-of-one's sales were down to half of what they were before Hellen had to close the shop to protect customers. She says that the Daily Mail advertising fund is one of the few schemes offering hope for the future  not just covering expenses. 'This initiative is a brilliant opportunity for businesses like mine to get some national attention and this could really help to future-proof us.'

Money Mail has reported in recent weeks how small businesses are sometimes falling through the cracks over the Government's multi-billion pound support packages.

Our fund is open to businesses that have been established for more than six months, employ fewer than 150 people, and have a turnover of below 6 million a year.

Applicants will have to explain how the fund would help their business.

The initiative was praised by the Minister for Small Business, Paul Scully, earlier this week, and Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association, said: 'The Daily Mail has always been a great supporter of the independent High Street and I am delighted to see this type of support being made available to the small retail business sector that is indeed the heart of the community.

'These businesses have small marketing budgets and their spending will be under severe pressure due to enforced closures. This is a great idea to help them, and I hope that many will benefit.'

Winners will be awarded 3,000 of advertising credit to use in the newspaper group print and online titles  including the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, MailOnline, The i Newspaper and Metro. Our staff will also help you design an advert if you do not have one.

Tony Danker, chief executive of Be the Business, adds: 'It's never been so important to connect businesses with potential new customers. With many businesses targeting an entirely new audience, an advertising opportunity like this has never been more valuable.'

Research published in the Mail on Sunday revealed that one in three small businesses fears sales will be at least 50 per cent down even after lockdown is lifted.

Another survey also found one in four small firms did not think the Government's existing support measures would be enough for them to survive the crisis.

And yesterday the FSB revealed that one in three small businesses closed by the lockdown fear they will never reopen. And one in three small-firm employers also said they were considering, or have already made, redundancies.

moneymail@dailymail.co.uk

The first advertisements will start to appear from Wednesday, May 20. To apply, visit grants.fsb.org.uk and create an account.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 20:37:28|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Schools in China have been urged to take preventive measures on COVID-19 as they gradually reopen.

Schools should make targeted plans for epidemic prevention and control and emergency response and ensure that these measures are well implemented, said Feng Luzhao, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at a press conference in Beijing Wednesday.

Education departments and schools should also make sound communication with health authorities and nearby medical institutions to form mechanisms of coordination, Feng said.

Schools should also step up monitoring the health conditions of teachers and students such as their body temperatures, he said, stressing that those who are sick must be prohibited from going to school.

The density of personnel should also be strictly controlled in schools to keep a safe social distance, Feng suggested.

He also said schools should enhance the cleaning and disinfection of venues frequently used by students such as classrooms, canteens and dormitories, as well as objects regularly touched by students.

"Teachers and students should keep good sanitary habits, and those who find themselves with suspected symptoms should report to the school as soon as possible and take further measures of quarantine or seeking medical assistance," said Feng.

Once there is a suspected or confirmed cases, the emergency response mechanism should be immediately activated to screen and track close contacts, he added. Enditem
NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE W hen Congress was deliberating about a massive coronavirus stimulus package in late March, the Democrats decided that they wanted to attach some strings to the money they were handing out. For example, Senator Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) fought for a provision prohibiting share buybacks by any company that took a stimulus loan  including for a period of time after the loan had been repaid.

Share buybacks are an especial hate object for Democrats. They shouldnt be. The big stink on corporate management in the United States is the agent-principal problem  corporate executives are supposed to be looking after the interest of shareholders, but the executives own interests and those of the shareholders are not precisely aligned. One of the things that management can do for shareholders is give them what it is that got them into investing in the first place: money. Dividends are one way to pay shareholders, and share buybacks are another. Buybacks are not always the right thing to do  to everything there is a season  but there isnt anything inherently objectionable about them. Like derivatives and business tax deductions, share buybacks are most energetically denounced by the people who least understand what they are and how they work.

But, for Democrats, the strings the thing. Elizabeth Warrens proposal to partly nationalize all major American businesses by having the federal government dictate to them the composition of their boards, compensation practices, etc., is not designed to make life better for median-wage line workers. Giving politicians a whip hand over multi-billion-dollar enterprises is its own reward. And it leads to other rewards: There is a reason why the ladies and gentlemen at finance-connected law firms such as Brown Rudnick and Berger & Montague open up their wallets for Senator Warren. The power to dictate the terms of business is the power to destroy a business  or an industry.

Story continues

Republicans have an interest in the finer points of string-attachment right at the moment. The Democrats are pushing for another multi-trillion-dollar bailout bill, this one aimed at state and local governments and almost certain to disproportionately benefit Democrat-run states and cities that have been less than entirely sober in the management of their fiscal affairs. Republicans are not of one mind in this: Senator Mitt Romney, among others, has emphasized that it is not only Democratic states that are in trouble but some Republicans ones, too, Kansas and Kentucky among them. Other Republicans, such as Floridas governor Ron DeSantis, argue that the coronavirus emergency shouldnt be used as political cover to bail out states that were basket cases long before the plague from Wuhan reached Albany, Sacramento, and Springfield.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), the guy who actually runs things in Washington, has been uneven in his public statements on this. He has at times suggested a very destructive course of action  rewriting U.S. bankruptcy law to extend bankruptcy protections and processes to the states, which would upend centuries of bankruptcy law and turn the Constitution on its head by putting federal judges or other federal overseers in charge of states finances. Senator McConnell also has suggested that other courses of action might be preferred.

Most of this could be solved in a relatively straightforward way by putting the right strings on the aid.

The main issue here is the unfunded liabilities of the state and local pension systems, particularly in Democrat-run jurisdictions such as the state of Illinois and the city of Dallas. What happens is this: Government employees are a powerful political constituency, and they want what all such powerful political constituencies want: more. But corporate executives are not alone in suffering from the agent-principal problem, and in the states and cities the leaders are for the most part political cowards who, unlike the bigs in Washington, cannot borrow money for ordinary operating expenses such as payroll; and so rather than satisfying their constituents demands with higher salaries, they offer them more generous pensions and benefits in retirement  and then, in 99 cases out of 100, decline to set aside the money necessary to pay for those promises. The difference between what a pension system has invested and what it needs to make good on its promises is its unfunded liability, and in states such as Illinois these liabilities can run into the hundreds of billions of dollars. For Illinois to make up the difference between what it has promised and what it has funded would require it to spend 100 percent of its tax revenues for about seven years on nothing else  and that was before revenues nosedived thanks to the lockdown.

There is a good case for providing some short-term aid to states and cities whose revenue streams are currently smoking ruins in the wake of a global crisis over which they had no control. But that is not the question. The question is whether Washington should bail them out of troubles that are only tangentially related to the epidemic. The answer to that is, No.

It would be entirely appropriate to encumber aid in such a way as to prevent its being used for any other than a relatively narrow range of specified purposes. But, because money is fungible, that sort of legislative guardrail might not be enough. A better approach would be to condition aid on distressed states and cities actually addressing their unfunded liabilities, which are the root of the problem here. To that end, Congress could require that states adopt reasonably responsible pension practices in order to participate in ongoing assistance programs; reasonably responsible here would mean renegotiating programs with beneficiaries in order to begin to align the promises that have been made with the resources needed to make good on them and seeing to it that states start making actuarially required contributions to pension plans going forward. Of course that assumes a level of credibility and discipline not obviously in evidence in Washington (or in Austin, or in Frankfort, or in Olympia), but so does every alternative.

Mitch McConnell could get some juice from being Senator No. In this case, he might be better off a Senator Yes, But.

More from National Review
[May 13, 2020] The Impact of COVID-19 on India's Telecoms Industry 2020-2025

DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "India Telecoms Report - 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report provides analyses of revenue and market forecasts as well as statistics of the India telecoms industry including market sizing, 5-year forecasts, market insights, key telecom trends, and 5G. It also features the following:

Overall Telecommunications Market by Major Operators

Telco Operators Profile, Revenue and EBITDA Mix

Mobile Subscribers & Revenue Market Overview and Forecasts

Spectrum Holdings

IoT Market Overview

Broadband Subscribers & Revenue Market Overview and Forecasts

National Broadband Network Detailed Market Overview and Forecasts

Thematics / Opportunities relating to 5G, M&A and e-Commerce

Telecoms Infrastructure Review

Telco M&A Transaction Database India Telecoms Report at a Glance



Globally, the telecommunications sector is proving to be a core and essential infrastructure service to national economies, with data infrastructure becoming critical in a connected world and will likely increasingly attract a new class of investors such as large infrastructure funds. The publisher expects the Indian telecommunications industry to remain steady thanks to the defensiveness nature of the industry, amid the political uncertainties and an uncertain economic outlook due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



Growing mobile phone penetration and emerging fixed broadband take-up among households will fuel future growth over the next five years.



According to our India Telecoms Report, the publisher forecasts that mobile subscriptions and fixed broadband subscribers will continue to fuel the telecoms sector growth in the 2019-25 period. More than 600m people became Internet users over the last in six years and another 600m more Internet users are expected to come online over the next six years by 2025.



Following the market expansion over the last 5 years, the publisher forecasts sustained revenue growth to 2025, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the diminishing impact of declining legacy voice and SMS revenue.



Mobile subscriptions are growing faster than mobile service revenue leading to ARPU decline after 3 years of intense competition with the market transitioning to 4G. With a market entry in late 2016, Jio jolted the mobile market from a standing start to becoming the largest mobile operator by the subscriber and third-largest by revenue in just three years.



Reliance Jio launch strategy was to offer three months of free data and free voice, and once that was up, kept the free voice offering permanent while charging only a low price for mobile data (INR50 for 1GB). This strategy is reminiscent to the classic Silicon Valley bet: spend money upfront to acquire customers, then make it up on volume because of a superior cost structure enabled by its 4G only network and the near-zero-marginal cost nature of technology. Jio's launch timing was perfect just at the time when competitors had sputtering 4G networks, it offered free Internet to a nation and demographics that could not afford it and increased its addressable market while its competitors were still relying on legacy voice and SMS revenue. Mobile network competitors quickly struggled to compete and a massive wave of consolidation ensued.



The publisher expects the overall telecoms market to grow again through to 2025 after a marked decline from 2017 and 2018 due to a mobile war.



Capex Investments The Capex from Indian operators is highly cyclical with mobile rollout leading to investments in line with the operators' top-line growth. Capex investments peaked between 2016 and 2018 while Jio built its 4G mobile network and is declining to lower level in 2019 and will increase again from 2020 through to 2025, as mobile operators invest in 5G, bolster their 4G coverage and increase capacity to fulfil strong data demand. The Capex to GDP ratio spiked between 2015 and 2017 and its started to slide from 2018 onwards.



Operator Profiles







The wave of market consolidation followed by Jio's market entry and the intense pricing competition should subside with a market of three large operators with high debt loads, all now focusing on a strategy of profitable growth in the mobile market.





Mobile Subscribers and Revenue



The mobile telecoms sector began consolidating two years ago, with twelve operators in 2017, India has now only four mobile network operators with nationwide across all 22 circles; Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio and BSNL/MTNL.



Average annual mobile revenue growth was lower (3.2%) than mobile service subscriptions growth (4.6%) during the period 2014-2019 highlighting the intense price war since Jio's market putting pressure on ARPU compounded by a reduction of dual-SIM cards feature, driving the low growth in mobile subscriptions. The 4G migration leapfrogged by Jio and followed by Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel is driving the growth in higher ARPU for operators with the mobile market consolidation now largely complete.



According to our benchmark study of mobile data pricing, India has the lowest rate per GB at just a few cents per GB, while Australia and China had the biggest cost reduction per GB mostly due to increased data allowance in plans while Singapore remains expensive.



Broadband Subscribers - FTTH Push and Fixed Wireless



The fixed broadband market is experiencing slow-growth mostly driven by the loss of share by the incumbent BSNL, followed by Bharti Airtel, Atria Convergence Technologies (ATC), Reliance Jio (including Den Networks and Hathway Cable), Vodafone Idea via its subsidiary You Broadband, all are now investing in full-fibre networks.



However, more competition is expected in the fixed broadband market with Jio's entry with its residential fibre broadband services likely to disrupt incumbent BSNL but also should increase the residential broadband subscriptions significantly.



Fixed broadband penetration is forecasted to grow modestly as India's investments on full-fibre networks are slowly taking off with affordable packages and increased broadband household penetration growing.



Thematics - Telecoms Infrastructure / 5G / M&A / Infrastructure



Infrastructure funds, pension funds and government funds are assigning high valuation multiples to telecommunications infrastructure assets such as mobile towers, data centres, submarine cable and fibre infrastructure.



Investment funds are assigning high valuation multiples to telecommunications infrastructure assets such as mobile towers, data centres, submarine cable and fibre infrastructure. This report outlines some real market examples of how investors view and value these investments with real industry examples and EV/EBITDA comparatives and benchmarks.



The India Telecoms Report transactions database analysis highlights the hive of transactions in the India tower market, with the majority of telecommunications operators shifting assets to infrastructure entities and selling down to repay debts and further investments for capacity and coverage of their mobile networks. However, in the short to medium term, the telco sector is likely to experience some corporate activity with the fixed broadband market, now expected to come under pressure with JioFiber's launch and also broaden the scope of services beyond carriage to content and e-Commerce. The publisher projects strong earnings growth despite the huge debt pile and the looming required 5G and fibre to the home investments by the telecommunications operators. A new wave of M&A, network sharing deals over the next two to three 3 years will continue to consolidate around the large mobile operators, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio.



The arrival of 4G moved the Internet off our desktops into our palms and pockets, 5G could transform the network from something we carry around to something taking us around either virtually (augmented reality or virtual reality) or in reality (autonomous vehicles), the 5G outcome and benefits beyond fast connectivity remain largely unknown in terms of business models, investments required and timeline. Key Topics Covered

1 Key Statistics

1.1 India Population

1.2 India Households

1.3 India's GDP



2 COVID-19 Impact



3 Overall Telecommunications Market, 2014-2025

3.1 Market Overview

3.2 Historical Telecommunications Market Revenue, 2014-2019

3.3 Overall Telecommunications Market Forecast, 2018-2025

3.4 Telecommunications Market Capital Expenditure, 2014-2025

3.4.1 Historical Telecommunications Capex Spend, 2014-2019

3.4.2 Capex to Revenue Country Benchmark

3.4.3 Capex to GDP Benchmark

3.4.4 Telecommunications Capex Spend Forecast, 2019-2025



4 Telecommunications Operators Profile

4.1 Bharti Airtel Profile

4.1.1 Bharti Airtel Revenue and EBITDA Mix

4.2 Vodafone Idea Profile

4.2.1 Vodafone Idea Revenue and EBITDA Mix

4.1 Reliance Jio Profile

4.1.1 Jio Corporation Revenue and EBITDA Mix

4.2 BSNL Profile

4.2.1 BSNL & MTNL Revenue and Capex, 2014 - 2019

4.3 Other Players Profile

4.3.1 Tata communications

4.3.2 Global International Carriers

4.3.3 Other Telecoms Operators



5 Mobile Market

5.1 Mobile Subscribers Historical and Forecast, 2014-2025

5.1.1 Mobile Subscribers Historical, 2014-2019

5.1.2 Mobile Subscribers Market Share, 2014-2019

5.1.3 India Smartphone Share, 2019

5.1.4 India Mobile Subscribers Forecast, 2019-2025

5.2 Mobile Revenue Historical and Forecast, 2014-2025

5.2.1 Historical India Mobile Service Revenue, 2014-2019

5.2.2 Mobile Service Revenue Forecast, 2018-2025

5.2.3 Mobile Subscribers ARPU, 2014-2019

5.3 Spectrum Holdings

5.3.1 Spectrum Pricing and Regulation

5.3.2 5G Trials and 5G Auctions Results

5.3.3 Mobile Frequencies Portfolios Analysis

5.3.1 Spectrum Depth Benchmark by Country

5.4 Mobile Download Data and Pricing Trends

5.5 Mobile Speed Tests

5.5.1 Ookla Mobile Speed Tests

5.6 Internet of Things (IoT)



6 Broadband Market

6.1 Fixed Broadband Subscribers Historical, 2014-2019

6.2 Fixed Broadband Subscribers Forecast, 2018-2025



7 Telecommunications Infrastructure Investments

7.1 Fixed Infrastructure

7.1.1 Government Plans

7.1.2 Submarine Cables

7.2 Mobile Tower Infrastructure Landscape

7.2.1 Getting Ready for 5G

7.2.2 Tower Density Benchmark\

7.3 Telco Infrastructure Comparative



8 Thematics / Opportunities

8.1 Going for Scale

8.2 Going for Scope

8.2.1 e-Commerce

8.2.2 Digital Payments

8.3 New Telecoms Operating Model

8.3.1 The Attraction of Infrastructure Multiples

8.4 5G versus Fixed

8.4.1 5G Overview

8.4.2 5G - Relative Capex Investments and Frequency Range

8.4.3 Fixed Broadband Networks Doing the Heavy Lifting Long Term



9 Telco M&A Transaction Database

Companies Mentioned

American Tower Corporation (ATC)

Atria Convergence Technologies (ACT)

Bharti Airtel

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)

Den Networks

GTL Infrastructure

Hathway Cable

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL)

Reliance Communications (RCom)

Reliance Jio

Sify

Tata Communications

Vodafone Idea For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3s82et 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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Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-indias-telecoms-industry-2020-2025-301057703.html SOURCE Research and Markets

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Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, shown in the U.S. Capitol in February, heard a case Tuesday that could limit Congress' power to subpoena information from the president. (Leah Millis / Pool Photo)

President Trump has driven many a Democrat to extremes in opposing him; to some, his tax returns and the records of his real estate deals have become the holy grail. But the protection his lawyers sought in the Supreme Court on Tuesday  near total immunity from congressional and state grand jury subpoenas  is an overreach that the justices should reject. Winning the presidency shouldn't stop the wheels of justice from turning or prevent members of Congress from obtaining the information they need to do their job.

The subpoenas at issue were sparked by the testimony that Trump's former fixer, Michael Cohen, gave to the House Government Oversight and Intelligence committees in early 2019. Cohen has a lousy track record when it comes to credibility, but he offered such specific evidence about his former client's alleged financial irregularities that the Government Oversight, Intelligence and Financial Services committees all opened investigations into possible fraud, money laundering and foreign interference in U.S. elections.

The committees sent subpoenas to two banks  Deutsche Bank and Capital One  and the accounting firm Mazars asking for multiple years' worth of financial records related to Trump, his businesses and his family members. The district attorney's office for New York County also joined the fray, sending a largely identical subpoena to Mazars, but with the additional demand for eight years' worth of the president's tax returns.

Lower federal courts rejected Trump's challenges to each of the subpoenas, but the Supreme Court put them all on hold so it could hear Trump's appeals. The issues raised are doozies: How can you avoid opening the floodgates to a slew of politically motivated investigations? How do you balance the president's need to fulfill his or her constitutional duties against Congress' need to fix problems in federal laws and local prosecutors' need to investigate crimes?

Story continues

It's worth noting that the congressional subpoenas at issue have nothing to do with Congress' impeachment power. Instead, they relate to Congress' power to make laws. Both sides in the case agree that subpoenas have to serve a legitimate legislative purpose, but they disagree sharply over whether the House committees were pursuing one or simply trying to damage Trump.

American history is replete with investigations by lawmakers of one party into presidents of another, probing actions taken by presidents both in and out of office. So it's a stretch to argue, as Trump's attorneys did, that the House was now trying to break the bonds of propriety by hoovering up Trump's financial records from the years before he became president. Scrutiny is not an inherently undue burden for a president. It comes with the territory.

Yet the House's lawyer, Douglas N. Letter, fumbled when several justices asked if there were any real limits on Congress' power to subpoena a president's financial, medical and other personal records. And there should be, given the potential for misuse. Some of the lawmakers who've relentlessly pursued Trump's tax returns, for instance, appear far more eager to unearth embarrassing or incriminating information than to refine the federal tax code.

At the very least, legislators should have to show that the personal records are uniquely pertinent to the legislative matters at issue, the information would be unusually difficult to obtain from other sources, the inquiry is time-sensitive and it wouldn't interfere with the president's ability to govern. In other words, they'd have to demonstrate why other records couldn't substitute for the president's.

Unlike the House's subpoenas, the one issued by the New York district attorney as part of a criminal investigation into the president was truly unusual. After all, the Constitution bars presidents from being prosecuted while they're in office. Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, argued that the justices should declare any such subpoena to be unconstitutional; otherwise, he argued, local prosecutors would be free to harass the president for parochial political reasons.

But district attorneys can't investigate alleged crimes outside their jurisdictions, so the idea that hundreds of D.A.'s would launch investigations into a president to score political points is absurd. If they could, they would have done so already. And requiring D.A.s to suspend grand jury investigations until the president leaves office, as Sekulow demanded, could run out the statute of limitations on crimes committed by other people who were involved with the president.

The justices should take the same position they took when they allowed Paula Jones' lawsuit to continue against President Clinton while he was in office. Rather than adopting a blanket rule against subpoenas, they should evaluate each one as it comes, and balance the needs of lawmakers, prosecutors and presidents to fulfill their constitutional obligation without foreclosing any of them.
Leap card is used on different modes of public transport

PRE-TAX profits at the company which operates the integrated Leap card system for the National Transport Authority (NTA) more than doubled to 8.84m last year.

New accounts show that Global Entserv Solutions Ireland recorded the increase in pre-tax profits after revenues surged on a pro-rata basis to 92.9m in the 12 months to the end of March 2019.

The 92.9m in revenues for the computer software and consultancy company compare to revenues of 93.9m for the prior 17-month period.

Global Entserv Solutions Ireland is part of the DXC Technology Group.

Documents published by the NTA show that for the last quarter of last year, the NTA paid Global Entserv Solutions Ireland 2.79m towards operating the Leap card system.

The Leap card is a reusable plastic smart card that allows passengers to travel seamlessly among different modes of public transport using a single smart card.

The directors for Global Entserv Solutions Ireland state that the results for the period are consistent with business forecasts and expected performance.

Numbers employed by the company last year totalled 156 and staff costs came to 11.4m.

The company recorded the pre-tax profits after paying out 1m in redundancy costs for employees last year.

This followed a payout of 6.9m under the same heading for the prior 17-month period.

The company's post-tax profits last year totalled 7.95m after paying corporation tax of 888,234.

Shareholder funds at the end of last March totalled 20.3m.
French English

Montrouge, 13 May 2020

GENERAL MEETING OF CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A.

The General Meeting of shareholders of Credit Agricole S.A. was held on Wednesday, 13 May 2020, in the presence of the Chairman, Dominique Lefebvre, and the Chief Executive Officer, Philippe Brassac.

The shareholders did not attend in person in accordance with the provisions of the Order of 25 March 2020 on the holding of general meetings adopted by the French government pursuant to the rights conferred to it by the state of emergency law of 23 March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a quorum of 77.55%, the ordinary and extraordinary General Meeting approved all the resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors with a score by far higher than 80% votes in favour of each of them.

Nearly 13 720 shareholders voted prior to the General Meeting, including 87.18% online through the Votaccess system.

With 99.92% in favour, the General Meeting approved the appropriation of the entire 2019 profit to a reserve account in accordance with the recommendation made to the banks under its supervision by the European Central Bank. As indicated in the press release dated 1 April 2020, in the second half of the year, the Board will review the guidelines for distribution to shareholders, which could consist of the payment of an interim dividend on the 2020 results or an exceptional distribution from reserves.

In addition, the General Meeting appointed the following directors:

Marie-Claire Daveu, replacing Christian Streiff, who reached the age limit set in the articles of association,

Pierre Cambefor, replacing Veronique Flachaire, who elected to retire, Pascal Lheureux, replacing Francois Thibault, who reached the age limit, and Philippe de Waal, replacing Philippe Boujut, who reached the age limit.

The General Meeting also reappointed Caroline Catoire, Laurence Dors, Francoise Gri, Catherine Pourre, Daniel Epron, and Gerard Ouvrier-Buffet.

The General Meeting was broadcast live on the website www.credit-agricole.com, and a recording is available.

Credit Agricole S.A. press contacts

Charlotte de Chavagnac + 33 1 57 72 11 17 charlotte.dechavagnac@credit-agricole-sa.fr

Olivier Tassain + 33 1 43 23 25 41 olivier.tassain@credit-agricole-sa.fr

Pauline Vasselle + 33 1 43 23 07 31 pauline.vasselle@credit-agricole-sa.fr

See all our press releases at: www.credit-agricole.com

Individual shareholder relations contact

Free call: 0 800 000 777

credit-agricole-sa@relations-actionnaires.com

Institutional investor relations contact

+ 33(0)1 43 23 04 31

Investor.relations@credit-agricole-sa.fr

Disclaimer

This press release is made available to the shareholders of Credit Agricole S.A. pursuant to sections 1., d) and 2., e) of Article 4 of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 4 November 2003 and to the applicable provisions of national laws and in particular articles 212-4-4 and 212-5-5 of the General Regulation of the French financial markets regulation authorities (AMF) and article 13 of AMF instruction No. 2005-11 of 13 December 2005 as amended. It does not constitute a prospectus.

This press release is available in French and English on the Credit Agricole S.A. website:

https://www.credit-agricole.com/en/finance/finance/financial-press-releases

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Russell Crowe's upcoming thriller movie "Unhinged" will be the first movie to be released in American theatres since they were shut due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Deadline, Solstice Studios have decided to bring forward the movie's release date to July 1. It was earlier scheduled to come out on September 4.

In the US, some of the states have started to lift restrictions on business activities, including the operating of cinema houses.

The studio said the decision to advance the film's release was made after extensive consultation with the National Association of Theatres and leading theatre chains.

"If there are places where density is a factor and theatres aren't open, that's okay. It might be that theatres are closed in New York City or Chicago or San Francisco, but less populated cities and suburbs will be open and we expect there to be a lot of pent-up demand," Solstice's president and CEO Mark Gill said.

He said by shifting the release date of "Unhinged" to July, they have avoided a clash with Paramount's "A Quiet Place 2", which was among the projects to be delayed by the pandemic.

"We would get killed if we stayed there. The whole idea is not to be somewhere where you can get run over by a super tanker," Gill added.

Directed by Derrick Borte, "Unhinged" is a story about a single mother who is stalked and tormented by a stranger following aroad rageconfrontation at a red light.

Besides Crowe, the movie also features Jimmi Simpson, Gabriel Bateman and Caren Pistorius.

Among the titles that are expected to be released in July are Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" and Disney's "Mulan".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kolkata, May 13 : A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she had to return "empty-handed" from the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, her administration on Wednesday announced ad hoc bonus to government employees during the upcoming festive spells.

The decision was announced during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan that is now going on and also for the Durga puja will be celebrated in October.

"Pandemics will come and go. But we need to take care of people for festivals. We have decided to grant adhoc bonus of Rs 4,200 for 2020-21, an increase from Rs 4,000 in 2019. Also, the salary ceiling for eligibility for getting bonus is increased from Rs 30,000 (in 2019-20) to Rs 34,250. The festival advance is also being increased from Rs 8,000 in 2019 to Rs 10,000," Banerjee told a press conference here.

The CM said that the salary ceiling for eligibility for festival advance was being increased from Rs 34,250 (in 2019-20) to Rs 41,100.

The state government order said that this increase in bonus, festival advance and the eligibility will benefit over 10 lakhs government employees of panchayat and municipal bodies, university and school employees, and contractual and casual employees.

"The total financial implication will be aboutRs 400 crore," Banerjee said, adding that her government could only do very little for the employees this year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"But we, on behalf of the state government, at least tried to address the situation with a humane face," she said.

Attacking the Centre for not paying out its dues to Bengal, Banerjee on Tuesday had said: "We are asking for our dues from the Centre. Every time whenever we ask for that amount, we have to return empty-handed. We are not begging anything from the Central government. We are just demanding that Rs 52,000 crores that we are supposed to receive from the Centre."
Denis Goldberg revisiting the Liliesleaf Farm in 2013, 50 years after his arrest there sent him to prison for 22 years. (Markus Schreiber/AP)

Denis Goldberg, who died recently at age 87, was an early hero of the anti-apartheid movement. A member of the military wing of the African National Congress, he was arrested in a police raid at the group's hideout near Johannesburg in 1963 and prosecuted for sabotage alongside Nelson Mandela. The youngest and only white defendant convicted, he was sentenced to four life terms in prison.

But his obituaries last week largely ignored one of the most fascinating episodes in Goldberg's life, an agonizing moral choice he was forced to make after 22 years behind bars  the kind of enormous, freighted, painful decision that ordinary people are rarely called upon to make outside of movies and novels.

The choice was this: In early 1985, two decades into his prison term, South African authorities came to him with a proposal. They would allow him to leave prison a free man, immediately. But in return he would have to renounce violence.

That may not seem like a very onerous condition, but in the context of the raging liberation struggle being waged by the ANC against racism and white minority rule, it posed a colossal dilemma. Many people  including Goldberg and Mandela  believed that years of nonviolence had failed, and that apartheid could not be defeated without armed struggle; to this day, many historians say the South African government would have endured much longer without it.

Mandela believed so strongly in armed resistance that when he was offered conditional amnesty at the same time as Goldberg, he refused it, opting to remain in Cape Towns Pollsmoor Prison rather than renounce violence. I cannot sell my birthright, nor am I prepared to sell the birthright of the people, to be free, Mandela said in a statement reported around the world.

So Goldberg had to decide: Would he make a sacrifice like the one made by the movements leader, or would he secure his own release and reclaim his own life while still in his early 50s?

Story continues

After "days and nights" of wrestling with the issues, he chose release, becoming the highest profile ANC prisoner to accept the offer. He promised not to plan, instigate or participate in violence for political ends, and, in late February 1985, two weeks after Mandela refused the offer, Goldberg was taken from his whites-only prison to a plane that flew him out of the country. I hope my comrades understand why I signed, he told reporters. He also said, I know this was selfish. And when asked about those who had refused the offer, he said simply: Im not as strong as they are.

So how are we to view that choice in the light of history? If Mandela's decision was heroic and principled, was Goldberg's a betrayal? Was he "selfish," or merely human? Was he racked later by guilt and self-reproach?

In 2001, Goldberg (no relation) talked to me from London about his thinking. He described his conversion to the anti-apartheid cause as a young communist, his work as a weapons maker (none of his bombs went off, he said) and his arrest at the Liliesleaf farm in Rivonia.

Sent to prison near Pretoria, he said, he lived under the gallows, literally, with hangings taking place every week. In the early years, he had to sleep on a thin mat on a hard floor. His barred cell was open to the freezing outdoors. Its lonely, he told me. Theres no softness in prison, nothing to absorb the banging of steel doors.

He said he was denied any news of the world for 16 years  no radio, no television, no newspapers. His letters were censored.

He went to prison when his daughter was 8 and his son was 6. They were not allowed to visit for seven years. He told his wife she should see other men, and she did.

Goldberg said he felt that as the sole remaining white prisoner serving a life term, he had become an important symbol of white solidarity with the anti-apartheid struggle. But by the time the amnesty was offered, being a symbol wasnt enough. He was emotionally weakened, ragged around the edges. By the end, he had served 7,904 days.

Im not speaking to justify myself. I am trying to tell it as it was. An awful moral choice, he told me. I made a choice and I lived with the choice and I got on with my life.

Goldberg noted that his deal didnt require him to apologize for his past behavior, and that he continued after his release to work against apartheid, first as a spokesman for the ANC based in London, and later as the founder of an organization working to improve living standards for black South Africans. He forswore violence, but never criticized those who hadnt. In a 2010 memoir, he said that as he was making his decision, he had received hints from visitors that the ANC leadership would understand and accept his decision to take the amnesty.

I am a hero to many people, Goldberg said, adding that ANC leader Oliver Tambo had "greeted me with an embrace" and that he had met with Mandela several times after he became president. But Goldberg acknowledged that when he first got out of prison he was closely cross-examined by the ANC national executive in Lusaka about his controversial decision. Some people understood; some did not.

Was I right or wrong? I dont know, he said. I think individuals have to do what they can do and I think they should accept their limits. For me, the moral issue is did I fight apartheid? Did I fight it to the limit of my abilities? I say yes.

Of course, we'd all like to be Nelson Mandela, with the fortitude to always make selfless choices. But most of us are mortals, complicated and often conflicted, generally well-meaning, each with our principles but each with our breaking points too.

Denis Goldberg devoted his life to a righteous cause and made 22 years of heartbreaking sacrifice on its behalf before reaching his breaking point. For that, he is a hero to me.

@Nick_Goldberg




NVC students will be able to study in Texas Hill Country setting. Few, if any, community colleges have field study programs. This puts us in line with the four-year universities  the ones with field schools.

In less than two years time, Northwest Vista College has added its second field school for students to do graduate-level research. Most community college students have to wait until they are juniors or seniors at four-year colleges before they can get their hands-on real-world experience.

This second field school, also known as the NVC EcoLab, will take place on 28.23 acres, located off Hwy 16 outside the city of Bandera. It will allow students and faculty to investigate and analyze local ecosystems.

Dr. Scott Walker, who has traveled to Morocco with NVC students for a study-abroad field school program, said the goal is to build a robust Adventure Science research program so students can gain first-hand experience if they were to transfer to similar programs at four-year schools. He said having access to about 30 acres of a diverse Hill Country ecosystem will give NVC students the opportunity to do environmental science, not just study about it.

I want our students to go into UTSAs programs with real research experience, for majors and non-majors alike, said Walker, who is coordinator of NVCs Geography and Environmental Sustainability program. Few, if any, community colleges have field study programs. This puts us in line with the four-year universities  the ones with field schools.

Walker said he hopes to have the first face-to-face class this fall (pending COVID-19 restrictions), to give NVC students another opportunity to study wild habitat beyond the campus and if they are unable to travel to Morocco. He added the new EcoLab will be interdisciplinary since it could be used by a botany class, a geology class, or by students doing extracurricular research with a faculty member.

In January 2019, NVC also signed an agreement with owners of an Alamo River RV Resort to allow students to use a portion of the land in Von Army in South San Antonio for an archaeological dig on the property. That spot along the Medina River is rich with colonial and historical context with some artifacts found to date back to the Clovis Period (prehistoric) as well as early to mid 19th and 20th centuries.

This current agreement was signed on April 20 (within two days of NVCs 25th birthday). The property for the EcoLab is located at 5706 HWY 16 S TX, in Bandera, and is owned by Gregory R. Runnels and Shellie A. Runnels, who became the propertys new owners in February of this year.

NVC President Dr. Ric Baser said with this new addition, Northwest Vista may be the only community college in the nation to have two field research schools in the U.S, and one in Morocco.

The excitement voiced by my best science faculty made this a priority for me to champion, added Baser. Because we are a community college who believes in the power of undergraduate research leading to STEM graduates, our students will have an advantage over other undergraduates.

About Northwest Vista College: Alamo Colleges - Northwest Vista College opened in 1995 with 12 students and is currently the third largest college in San Antonio in terms of enrollment. Located in Westover Hills, Northwest Vista College celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
TRENTON  The footage seems inconsequential: Trenton Police Sgt. Cynthia Hargis and police director Sheilah Coley pull up outside the Crown Fried Chicken on North Broad Street, where a group of people are gathered outside.

They exit a black police SUV cruiser, both wearing white masks.

Hargis  who looked like she was holding a key lanyard in her hands  escorts the police director across the street, toward the Bank of America on East State Street at about 1:27 p.m. on April 27.

What happened next is hotly in dispute.

Police sources claim Hargis dialed up police headquarters demanding to know where the downtown walking post  on its lunch break  was because a drug dealer had just offered Coley some Percocet.

They get out. Cynthia gets on the phone and calls and says, Where is the downtown post? The director was just approached by someone selling Percocet. We need them to come and clean this up right now,' claimed a police source with intimate knowledge of the call.

The officer who took the call from Hargis declined to speak to The Trentonian, gagged by an order Coley put out a day after the April 27 incident with Hargis.

The order, a copy of which was obtained by this newspaper, reminded officers in bold capital letters that the police director or her designee were the ONLY person[s] authorized to speak on behalf of the Trenton Police Department.

The apparent inconsistencies with how Hargis may have conveyed the information came into sharp focus when members of the downtown team attempted to follow up on her call.

They had no suspect description to go off  usually a key piece of information cops are trained to convey in the early stages of any investigation  and noticed after reviewing the cameras that no one seemed to approach the sergeant or Coley while they were downtown.

The police department does not dispute that Hargis  who sued in 2018 after saying she was passed up for a promotion  made the call but says she did so after overhearing someone shout something about selling Percocet.

A police spokesman said Hargis never contended during the call that the individual approached Coley.

She did not attempt to investigate further to identify the suspected dealer because she couldnt tell from where the comment came, Trenton Police Lt. Jason Kmiec said.

The police department acknowledged in response to The Trentonians detailed public records that Hargis and Coley were the police officials depicted on the video but that the only proof that could settle the dispute doesnt exist.

Any call that was made involving the incident was made on a non-recorded line, Sgt. Miguel Acosta wrote in an official memo to Dwayne Harris, the city clerk and records custodian.

Several sources confirmed that the patrol administration line that Hargis called is not among the recorded lines at the police department.

Michael Schiaretti, the president of PBA Local 11, which represents the rank-and-file, said he heard stories about what happened third- and fourth-hand.

After reviewing the footage and speaking to Hargis, Schiaretti said he had no reason to not believe her account of what transpired.

Official Denials

Mayor Reed Gusciora and members of his cabinet say they never heard of the allegations involving Hargis or the police director until they were contacted by the newspaper.

They insist thats the case despite the newspapers May 1 request for the video footage and audio of the Hargis call.

Members of the administration have previously communicated with The Trentonian about other OPRA requests, suggesting the cabinet keeps close tabs on records that the newspaper seeks.

I put [this] in the category of Robins allegations against me, Gusciora told The Trentonian in a phone interview.

He was referring to councilwoman Robin Vaughns claims that the openly gay mayor was a pedophile.

Thats all news to me. I still have full confidence in the police director to do her job. Ill leave it at that, Gusciora said, noting internal attacks on the police director are expected because she has made drastic changes some officers dont like, such as implementing the walking posts.

Ex-police director Ernest Parrey Jr. also faced internal discord, and some members of the department relished the bad press he received over his widely reported and condemned hood rats remark.

Guscioras first pick for police director, Carroll Russell, also endured pushback and drew headlines, including over an old race-baiting investigation.

As for the Coley claims, law director John Morelli echoed the mayors remarks in an email Tuesday saying he had no idea what The Trentonian was talking about when it asked him if he was tapped to look into the matter.

Guscioras office released a statement later in the day further dispelling any wrongdoing on Hargiss or Coleys part.

No investigation regarding Director Coley has been reported to the Office of the Mayor, city spokesman Connor Ilchert said.

Kmiec, the TPD spokesman, said he was unaware of any internal affairs investigation into Hargis.

Coley rarely conducts interviews with The Trentonian outside of news conferences, deferring comment to her spokesperson.

Kmiec, who is officially Coleys designee, acknowledged in an interview that a remark was overheard by Sgt. Hargis but that she didnt know where it came from or who made it.

It was unclear from the surveillance reviewed by this newspaper when the comment was made as the cameras in the downtown area contained only soundless footage.

The Trentonian reviewed the footage extensively and was unable to make a conclusive determination about what happened without any supporting phone call.

Inconclusive Footage

The surveillance footage shows Coleys unmarked police SUV, driven by Hargis, pull up in front of the Crown Fried Chicken around 1:26 p.m.

A man in what appears to be a purple jacket and light-colored pants is standing with another man in a darker, puffier blue jacket and a mask.

The man in purple glanced back at the police cruiser as it turns right from East State Street onto North Broad Street.

The men did not seem to pay much attention to the police cruiser after it parked, as another man in a red hat soon approached and greeted the group.

Around a dozen people congregated outside the chicken restaurant, and others walked by on the streets.

Moments after parking, driver Hargis and passenger Coley exited the police cruiser.

Coley was never approached by anybody and did not approach the group standing outside the chicken restaurant.

She did not appear to make much of the congregated group as she walked around the back of the police SUV where Hargis waited for her.

If a remark was made at that moment, Hargis and Coley did not appear to react to it, the video shows.

Together, they then jaywalked across North Broad Street toward the Bank of America before disappearing off screen at 1:27:17 p.m., according to the video.

They did not appear back on camera until 1:29:58 p.m., walking between two parked cars back toward the police cruiser.

The video ended seconds after they reappeared, and did not show the police officials driving off.

Separately, a second surveillance camera pointed toward the Dunkin Donuts at 47 East State Street  catty-corner from the Crown Chicken  appeared to show Hargis talking on the phone on the sidewalk outside the bank. Coley was nowhere in sight.

The person who looked like Hargis initially appeared back on camera at 1:27:38 p.m., in the right corner of the screen. But only her backside was visible.

Hargis was back on camera outside the bank at 1:28:03 p.m., in a dark uniform and white mask.

She appeared to be dangling a key lanyard in her hand while talking on the phone, according to the video.

Another police source confirmed with certainty that was Hargis in the second camera angle.

Hargis ended the call and then disappeared off camera at 1:29:30 p.m. She and Coley reappeared on the first camera less than a half-minute later.
The cyberattack on Germanys Bundestag, the lower house of Parliament, took place in May 2015, siphoning off an estimated 16 gigabytes of data and paralyzing the entire network for several days.

Intelligence officials had long suspected Russian operatives were behind the attack, but they took five years to collect the evidence, which was presented in a report given to Ms. Merkels office just last week.

Officials say the report traced the attack to the same Russian hacker group that targeted the Democratic Party during the U.S. presidential election campaign in 2016.

The F.B.I. two years ago issued an arrest warrant for Dmitriy Sergeyevich Badin, a member of the hacker group known as APT 28, or Fancy Bear, which is attached to Russias foreign intelligence service, known as the G.R.U.

Last week, Germanys federal prosecutors office issued its own arrest warrant for Mr. Badin, a boyish-looking 29-year-old believed by German officials to work for a department inside the G.R.U. called Center 85.

I am very glad that the investigations have now led to the federal public prosecutor putting a specific person on the wanted list, Ms. Merkel told lawmakers on Wednesday. I take these things very seriously because I believe that a very proper investigation has been carried out.

Image The United States and Germany have both released arrest warrants for a Russian hacking suspect, Dmitriy Sergeyevich Badin. Credit... Reuters

In her comments, the chancellor was also strikingly frank about her frustration with Russia.

On the one hand, I try to improve relations with Russia on a daily basis, and when then, on the other hand, we see that there is hard evidence that Russian forces are operating in such a way, then we are working in a field of tension, which is something that  despite the desire for good relations with Russia  I cannot completely erase from my heart, Ms. Merkel said.
A thug who killed Garry Newlove will not be freed from prison after he held a boozy party in his cell to celebrate his potential release.

Jordan Cunliffe, one of three teenagers jailed in 2008 for the murder of Mr Newlove outside his home in Warrington, Cheshire, was considered for release by the Parole Board at a hearing last December.

But, according to the Parole Board's decision summary, support from a psychologist, probation officer and prison official for his release was withdrawn at a later hearing following an 'incident' in the open prison where he was held.

Mr Newloves death in 2007 shocked the nation and became a symbol of Broken Britain.

Cunliffe was 16 when he and two other teenagers attacked Mr Newlove, 47, laughing as they drunkenly punched and kicked the father of three after he reprimanded them for vandalising cars outside his home in Warrington, Cheshire.

Jordan Cunliffe (left), who alongside two other teenagers punched and kicked 47-year-old Garry Newlove (right) to death in 2007, threw a party in prison to celebrate his impending release. He is set to apply for parole as early as this summer

Stephen Sorton, who was also convicted for his part in the killing of the 47-year-old father-of-three in August 2007, was approved for release by the Parole Board following a separate hearing.

Cunliffe hoped to be released after his review, the summary document said, but the case was 'reconsidered in the light of an incident which resulted in Mr Cunliffe's return to closed conditions'.

The 28-year-old was found with other inmates drinking alcohol in his cell in the days after the hearing on December 17.

Mr Newlove's widow, Baroness Newlove, told the Daily Mail at the time: 'How is he able to have a party in prison with alcohol? It beggars belief.

The widow of Mr Newlove, Baroness Helen Newlove (pictured), has admitted she is furious to hear about the prison party for her husband's killer and claims Cunliffe does not show remorse for his actions

'Cunliffe was a huge instigator in Garry's death. It feels like he is laughing over Garry's body all over again.'

The summary said Cunliffe continued to deny his involvement in the attack, in which Mr Newlove suffered massive head injuries after he confronted the group about vandalising cars outside his home, but 'appeared to demonstrate some empathy about the incident'.

It said: 'He had behaved well until an incident in open prison shortly after the panel's first hearing.'

The panel recommended Cunliffe, who was 16 when he was sentenced for the alcohol-fuelled attack, be transferred back to the open prison to undertake 'additional training'.

The recommendation of the Parole Board has been passed to the Justice Secretary for approval.

Cunliffe's mother Janet has campaigned against joint enterprise laws, saying that although he was at the scene he did not take part in the murder.

A Parole Board spokesman said: 'The Parole Board has made the decision not to release Jordan Cunliffe following an oral hearing, but has recommended that he is suitable for a move to an open conditions prison.

'This is a recommendation only and the Ministry of Justice will now consider the advice and make the final decision.'

He added: 'The panel carefully examined a whole range of evidence, including details of the original case, and any evidence of behaviour change.

'A review takes place with extreme care and we will never release any prisoner if it is determined they still pose a risk to the public.'

The death of father of three Mr Newlove (middle) shocked the country back in 2007 and became a symbol of 'Broken Britain'

The Parole Board did not confirm details of the incident which led to Cunliffe's return to a more secure prison.

A summary of the decision on Sorton's release said he showed 'generally positive custodial behaviour' and there had been no issues during times when he was on temporary release.

Sorton was 17 when he was given a 15-year jail sentence, which was later reduced to 13 years on appeal.

The panel directed he be released, subject to conditions including an exclusion zone to avoid contact with victims.

Adam Swellings, described as the ringleader of the gang, was jailed for a minimum of 17 years.
OSHAs Safety Notice for the Dental Industry Practitioners During COVID-19

A recent news release from OSHA gives tips for workers in the dental industry to protect themselves from coronavirus exposure.

On May 11, 2020, OSHA released guidance for dental industry workers to protect themselves from exposure to the coronavirus. Measures that can help protect dental practitioners include:

Encourage workers to stay home if sick;

Maximize use of telemedicine for non-emergency consultations, and prioritize urgent and emergency procedures;

Install physical barriers or partitions between patient treatment areas;

Provide adequate ventilation and airflow in patient treatment areas so that air moves away from staff work areas;

Frequently clean and disinfect surfaces and equipment with hospital-grade, Environmental Protection Agency-approved cleaning chemicals from List N or that have label claims against the coronavirus;

Minimize the number of staff present when aerosol-generating procedures are performed and ensure staff who are present are appropriately protected;

Provide appropriate personal protective equipment, such as eye goggles, face shields and N95 respirators, as necessary to protect dental practitioners and support personnel; and

Encourage workers to report any safety and health concerns.

The new alert is available for download in English and Spanish. Visit this link for more detailed guidance for dental industry workers.
On Monday, despite the worsening coronavirus pandemic, Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse announced the government was reopening the economy, including in the Colombo and Gampaha districts, which health authorities have identified as high-risk areas.

State institutions and big businesses have been opened, with up to one-third of the workforce called back to work. The government had already allowed major exporting businesses to resume production about two weeks ago.

Heavily-armed military personnel have been stationed in trains, stations and bus stands to monitor workers movements. According to police spokesman Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana, 10,000 officers have been deployed in the Western province. State intelligence and police officers in civilian clothing have also been deployed.

Soldiers checking a worker before he boards a train in Colombo

On April 20, President Rajapakse told the media he had instructed the secretary of defence, retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne, to prepare wartime measures in Colombo. On April 27, the government sent large numbers of soldiers to Colombo, where they have been stationed in 16 schools.

The pretext for these deployments is to ensure that the population adheres to social distancing and other healthcare guidelines. The real reason, however, is to suppress any resistance to the return to work while COVID-19 continues to spread.

In an indication of widespread opposition, many employees did not show up for work in Colombo and other cities on Monday. The government admitted that although they had arranged 47 trains only 10 were operated. About 2,800 people had reserved seats in advance but only 997 travelled. While 5,200 buses were ready in Colombo and other areas, only 3,200 operated, partly because drivers and conductors did not report for work and partly due to low passenger numbers.

In a statement on Monday, aimed at justifying the reopening of the economy, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse falsely claimed that COVID-19 has now been brought under control to a satisfactory degree.

In the same statement, the prime minister said the government had to maintain a balance between steps taken to prevent the spread of the disease on the one hand, and the restoration of normalcy on the other.

The prime minister made clear that Sri Lanka is following the lead of the imperialist countries, which have failed to control the pandemic and are reopening businesses at the risk of workers lives. Even countries like Italy, Britain, France and the USA, which experienced tens of thousands of coronavirus-related deaths, have now commenced programs for the gradual restoration of normal life, he said.

In recent weeks the number of infected in Sri Lanka has increased rapidly. Yesterday there were 889 cases, according to the Presidents media division, up from 690 on May 1. Testing has deliberately been kept at a low level, so the real figures are undoubtedly higher.

Health authorities say they carried out just 36,000 tests during 52 days from March 18 to May 10. These figures are unreliable, however, as earlier, authorities reported 32,000 tests were done between February 18 and May 5.

The Rajapakse regime is ignoring the World Health Organizations (WHO) warning that the premature reopening of economies will greatly endanger human lives. On Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that before governments reopen businesses, they must ask if the epidemic is under control, if the national health care infrastructure can cope with new resurgences, and if the public health surveillance measures in place are sufficiently robust to trace, isolate, treat and track at a community level across the nation.

Sri Lankan medical experts say that the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests must be increased to at least 2,000-5,000 per day. They have warned that resuming normal work without controlling the virus creates the danger of a major outbreak.

The Rajapakse regime, however, is determined to revive the economy at the expense of workers health, living standards, and lives.

The presidents media statement noted that state and private sector employers have discretion to decide how many employees they call back. Big businesses have already cut jobs and wages, increased working hours beyond eight hours a day, and halted contributions to pension funds for six months.

Yesterday, Labour Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the media that the trade unions had agreed that businesses could pay only half the monthly salary or 14,500 rupees ($US75) for those who were not immediately recalled for work.

Workers anger and resistance is growing. On Monday about 1,000 workers at Sumithra Garments in the southern town of Weeraketiya went on strike opposing a move to halve their wages.

At the Maradana railway hub in Colombo, in the locomotive section, only 15 workers had been called in on Monday. One worker told the WSWS that management had decided to call one third of the 180 workers for one week at a time on a rotating basis. Workers have to prepare their own meals. Overtime work, on which workers depend to boost their meagre monthly wage, has been cut.

Soldiers patrolling a train station in Colombo

The opposition partiesthe United National Party (UNP), Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA)support reopening the economy.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said last week, We are willing to help the government because this is not a time to play adversarial politics.

On Monday last week the TNA leaders met with Rajapakse and made a similar pledge.

The entire corporate media also supports the back-to-work drive. Divayina, for instance, wrote yesterday that people should learn to live with the invisible enemy, since no treatment will be found for at least two years.

Several trade unions, including the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union and Ceylon Mercantile Union, wrote to the president urging him to meet with them. We do accept factories have to be reopened to support the economy in its efforts to sustain the nation, they declared.

Last week these unions joined others controlled by the JVP in a meeting with the labour minister and employers, where they agreed to pay cuts for workers in exchange for companies delaying layoffs. However, companies have already begun cutting jobs.

None of the unions, which act as agents of the state and big business, raised the severe health risks posed by a premature return to work.

But why should workers be forced to risk their lives to maintain the profits of big business?

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) calls on workers to refuse to work until safe and healthy conditions can be guaranteed. All working class and poor families must be provided with an income to maintain a decent standard of living. Relief must be provided to small businesses, farmers and fishermen, whose earnings have collapsed.

The massive foreign debt must be repudiated instead of its burden being imposed on workers and the poor.

The realization of this program requires the abolition of the profit system and replacement of the Rajapakse government with a workers and peasants government, as part of the fight for international socialism.

Only the SEP, the Sri Lankan section of the International Committee of Fourth International (ICFI), fights for this program. We call on workers, young people and class-conscious intellectuals to join the SEP and build it as a mass revolutionary party of the working class.
Break time at Chase Avenue Elementary School in El Cajon, Calif. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Its a sadly telling sign that amid all the protests and political pressure on states to reopen businesses and get people back on the job, theres been little talk about making sure those returning workers have safe, reliable child care for their kids.

Child care is too often an afterthought for the nations political leaders. Its treated as an optional expense. A lifestyle choice. A womans problem. But you cant have a strong, prosperous economy if a significant portion of the population cant work. And parents of children too young to be left home alone cant get back to work as long as schools, summer camps and day-care centers are closed.

If the Trump administration, Congress and the nations governors are serious about restarting the economy, they need to figure out how to help child-care providers reopen and stay open.

This is no easy job. Child-care providers face unique challenges.

Most day-care providers werent ordered to shut down when states and cities started rolling out stay-at-home mandates, but roughly half of their centers had to close temporarily because they lost enrollment. Child-care providers operated on razor-thin margins before COVID-19; the extended closures have left many on the brink of collapse. Industry groups warn that without some kind of help, the nation could lose about a third of its child-care capacity.

Now  just as parents start to return to work  child-care providers have real questions about whether theyll even be able to resume operations.

Providers are struggling to keep up with the latest public health guidance about whether it is or isnt safe to reopen, so many are staying on the sidelines until there's more certainty. Nor is there a clear answer yet on whether summer camps and community centers will be able to open.

Then there are the teachers and caregivers themselves, many of whom are older or have health issues that put them at higher risk for contracting COVID-19. And its still hard to find the masks, gloves and hand sanitizers that are essential safety supplies.

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The economics of child care are hard, too. To help minimize exposure and contain outbreaks, facilities are limited to 10 kids per classroom no matter the age, down from 24 in classrooms with older children. That cap may make sense for health reasons, but it dramatically reduces revenue. For some providers such a small enrollment may not cover their expenses, leaving them unable to reopen.

And child care is notoriously low-paid work  the median is less than $15 an hour. Some child-care workers and camp counselors may earn more money on unemployment, thanks to the CARES Act that provides an extra $600 a week through July. That's not a criticism of the workers; that's an indictment of how poorly we pay the people who care for our children.

The child-care system was already in crisis before COVID-19. There werent enough spaces in child-care programs for all the kids of working parents. There were often long waiting lists for affordable day-care providers. For older children, schools, summer camps and community centers are de facto child-care providers, with programs that stretched from breakfast till dinner. And all of this care can be a huge financial burden on families. In some states, child care costs as much as, or more than, housing.

Its vital that lawmakers do everything possible to make sure the pandemic doesnt further weaken the child-care system.

A coalition of child advocacy and business groups has called on Congress to bail out child-care providers in the next relief package. Theyre pushing the federal government to provide states funding to help closed day-care centers pay their employees and cover the rent, insurance and other fixed costs so they dont go out of business while waiting for the kids to return, as Congress has done for small businesses in general through the Paycheck Protection Program. The money could also help subsidize day-care facilities that are barred by public health regulations from enrolling as many kids as they used to.

Its hard to see how retail clerks, assembly-line workers and other working parents recalled to their jobs in the next few weeks will manage without child care. And its hard to see how child-care providers can survive without help.
Press Release

May 13, 2020 Bong Go calls for renewed support for the National Housing Development, Production and Financing Bill to help poor and homeless Filipinos The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought into the open a perennial problem in the Philippines, particularly in metropolitan areas, such as Metro Manila. Lack of decent housing leads to an increase in the urban poor population and informal settlers in cramped living quarters, often prone to fire, and constraints in the delivery of basic services, particularly health. Citing the need to eradicate homelessness in the country, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go called for renewed support for a bill he has filed last July 2019 which aims to provide continuous funding support for a large scale pro-poor housing program in the country. Senate Bill No. 203, entitled "National Housing Development, Production and Financing (NHDPF) Act of 2019", aims to institutionalize a program to address the housing needs of Filipinos by generating and mobilizing sustainable funds for housing, and encouraging public and private sector participation in the said program. The Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement has already conducted its first committee hearing on the bill last year. "Bilang mambabatas, naniniwala ako na walang dapat maging squatter sa sariling bayan," Go said. Go earlier said that he recognized the need for a nationwide housing roadmap to ensure that every Filipino can have decent housing. This is the reason why he filed the NHDPF bill that seeks to reduce the country's housing backlog. The proposed law aims to provide continuous funding support to implement major components of the National Housing Development, Production and Financing Program even beyond the Duterte Administration. The Senator again called for support for the legislation, acknowledging that many Filipinos want to relocate back to their home provinces after the COVID-19 pandemic. "Nananawagan po ako sa mga kapwa kong mambabatas na suportahan ang NHDPF Act. Naniniwala ako na makakatulong din ito sa ating mga kababayan na gustong umuwi sa kanilang mga probinsya pagkatapos ng COVID-19 pandemic," Go said. As the proponent of the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program, Go said that the NHDPF bill will complement the housing component of the BP2 program in the medium to long term as Filipinos who will voluntarily return home to their provinces to start life anew shall need sufficient housing. According to the BP2 Program Council Executive Director and National Housing Authority General Manager Marcelino Escalada, Jr., beneficiaries of BP2 program who wish to relocate to their provinces will be able to receive livelihood and housing assistance. Senator Go also took the opportunity to call on relevant housing agencies, such as the NHA and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development to conduct a thorough inventory of unoccupied housing units and available lands intended for housing development nationwide to prepare for the BP2 program's medium- to long-term phase. Under the proposed NHDPF bill, the NHA will be the lead agency tasked to develop and implement various types of housing programs intended for the bottom 30% of the income population. Some of these programs are resettlements, housing programs for low-salaried government employees, settlements upgrading, housing programs of calamity victims, and land banking. "Hinahangad natin na wala nang maging squatter sa sariling bayan. Bigyan natin ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino ng isang maayos at disenteng bahay," Go said. "Magtulungan tayo na magkaroon ng maganda at komportableng buhay ang bawat Pilipino at mabigyan sila ng bagong pag-asa pagkatapos ng krisis na dulot ng COVID-19," Go added.
People who live in group settings, such as nursing home residents, are at the front of the line as the state expands the availability of coronavirus testing, Murphy Administration officials say. But so far, the 8,000 people with developmental disabilities living in group homes are not on the list.

Gov. Phil Murphy and Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli announced Tuesday the state will require the testing of every nursing home resident and employee by the end of May, and double the number of coronavirus tests by the end of June to 25,000.

Rutgers University has completed the testing of the 1,238 people living in the five state-run institutions known as developmental centers and 4,300 state employees who work in them, Persichilli said.

And we must go further, the governor said, acknowledging that people living in group homes were among the groups who needed priority attention. Persichilli agreed, adding, Any group home or congregate home where people can be together...we are going to be looking at and considering that high-risk.

The uncertainty of if or when that may happen is nerve-wracking for parents like Priscilla Quesada of East Windsor. Her 20-year-old son, Brandon has autism and he is one of four young men sharing a group home run by Oaks Integrated Care in Burlington County.

Employees say they take the residents temperatures regularly and so far none of the four has been showing symptoms. But Quesada said she still worries. Brandon and two other residents cannot speak, Quesada said.

He cant tell you how he feels, if he has a sore throat," she said.

Testing would put my mind at ease," she said. This is scary. Right now, its just a guessing game.

According to the state Department of Human Services supplied by the group home operators, 40 group home residents have died from the coronavirus and 452 residents have tested positive out of a population of about 8,000 in community housing. The department did not post infection data for employees.

Of the 1,238 people living in the five developmental centers run by the state, 404 residents have tested positive (including 132 who have recovered) and 22 residents have died, the state data said. There have been 372 employees who have tested positive, including 103 who recovered.

People with developmental and intellectual disabilities are uniquely vulnerable to the coronavirus. They rely on staff who come and go every day. Many have pre-existing medical conditions. And they may not understand what the pandemic means to them and why its important to wear masks and wash their hands frequently.

Some folks arent as aware things have changed except they cant go anywhere. There are no community outings, said Celine Fortin, associate executive director for The Arc of New Jersey, an advocacy group for people with developmental disabilities and their families. For some folks, this is a really scary time. People acting differently. They are not seeing family members. The whole schedule is really disrupted and its really hard."

But the direct care staff are doing an amazing job of keeping them occupied, she added, noting the wide variety of in-house and online sing-alongs, games and arts and crafts. Everybody has really rallied to make sure there are really good enrichment activities.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Last week, the Murphy administration announced it was sending community housing operators $24 million in state and federal funds to provide a three-month boost in income for direct care staff. These employees will receive a $3-an-hour boost in pay, according to the announcement from Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson.

The Arc is grateful these front-line workers will get a much-needed bump in pay, Fortin said.

Testing remains a top priority, she said. Whenever possible, group home operators have found testing supplies on their own, she said, but its not enough for everyone who needs it.

It will give them the data they need to make really good decisions about isolation and quarantine, Fortin said. It would also give people a really good peace of mind. When (the test) comes back negative, it will make everyone feel a little more comfortable.

Monique Olphin said she has been told her sons group home in Pemberton will not test anyone unless they are showing symptoms. Two employees have tested positive.

This community is very vulnerable because some of them cant wash their own hands without assistance, and wearing masks or face coverings and isolation is almost impossible, Olphin said. I am concerned for my son and many others.

Testing supplies have been scarce in New Jersey and across the country. The state has so far been administering only around 7,000 to 12,000 tests a day.

George Helmy, the governors chief of staff, explained during the daily briefing Tuesday the testing expansion is possible because of an increase in rapid saliva tests from Rutgers University, the state government working with laboratories to secure more supplies, and the federal government committing to send 550,000 testing kits and 750,000 swabs to the state.

The testing nursing home residents and employees is a top priority because the virus has claimed the lives of 4,953 long-term care residents, according to health department data.

Local journalism needs your support. Subscribe at nj.com/supporter.



NJ Advance Media Staff Writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio.
Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. Temps nearly steady in the upper 30s. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers developing after midnight. Low 27F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
(Bloomberg) --

Amazon.com Inc. says the one- and two-day delivery times that shoppers have come to expect should gradually return in coming weeks as the online retailer catches up from a demand surge tied to the coronavirus outbreak.

The company on Sunday lifted restrictions on the amount of inventory its suppliers can send to Amazon warehouses and is shortening delivery times -- which had stretched for weeks for some products since the outbreak began -- back to days. The shares rose 2.1% to $2,406 at 10:42 a.m. on Wednesday.

Amazon spends months preparing for the surge in consumer demand that usually comes during the holiday season. The Covid-19 outbreak that closed many retail brick-and-mortar stores and sent millions of shoppers online created a months worth of Black Friday spending without warning. Once Amazon fell behind, it took several weeks and hiring 175,000 people to get back on track.

We removed quantity limits on products our suppliers can send to our fulfillment centers, Amazon spokeswoman Kristen Kish said in an email. We continue to adhere to extensive health and safety measures to protect our associates as they pick, pack and ship products to customers, and are improving delivery speeds across our store.

Even with the delays, Amazon saw a major spike in sales tied to the coronavirus outbreak because shoppers had so few choices. Amazon, big box stores, supermarkets and pharmacies were among the few businesses deemed essential and allowed to remain open. But the delays were starting to tarnish Amazons reputation with its customers and its merchants who supply more than half the goods sold on the site.

Quick delivery is central to Amazons customer promise, helping it attract more than 100 million people who pay monthly or yearly dues for Prime memberships. Prime members spend more on the site than non-Prime members, making it critical for Amazon to get its delivery times back to normal especially as retail stores begin reopening and shoppers have more options.

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When Seattle-based Amazon was overwhelmed in April, many shoppers saw the long delivery times and shifted their purchases to pickup curbside options offered by Walmart Inc. and Target Corp., said Anthony Ferry, chief executive officer of PriceSpider, which tracks web traffic for more than 1,600 brands, including consumer staples made by Procter & Gamble Co. and Kraft Heinz Co.

Loyal Amazon shoppers left the site when they saw long delivery times or items were out of stock, he said. Buy-online pickup-in store has become a much more enticing and desirable solution when people want something now.

Amazon let employees worried about their safety take time off during the outbreak, which increased absenteeism and aggravated the delays. Some lawmakers, unions and workers have criticized Amazon for not doing enough to protect its warehouse workers and continuing deliveries through the pandemic. Company officials have said repeatedly they have taken multiple steps, including extensive cleaning at facilities, to keep its employees healthy.

Long delivery times were beginning to erode Amazons stellar brand reputation among consumers, said Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of the New York research firm Marketplace Pulse that monitors the site. Shoppers left 800,000 negative reviews on Amazons shopping site in April, double the number in the same month a year ago, with much of the increase attributable to longer delivery times, he said.

Amazon is known for great selection, low prices and fast shipping, Kaziukenas said. These all broke during the pandemic. Selection was not always there, prices were not lowest because Amazon sold out, and fast shipping was gone.

Even Amazons merchants, many of whom rely on the company to store, pack and ship their products through the Fulfillment By Amazon logistics service, started doing things themselves to quicken the pace of deliveries.

Bellroy has been selling wallets, smartphone cases and laptop sleeves on Amazon for seven years and used Fulfillment By Amazon because quick delivery is popular with coveted Prime members. But by the end of March, delivery times for many of its products were as long as 30 days and sales plummeted. Amazon was prioritizing essential items. So Bellroy began packing and shipping many of its products itself, and now does the logistics for about 20% of its sales on Amazon, said Lina Calabria, co-founder and chief operating officer of the company.

When you go to Amazon and see 30-day shipping, our brand is getting mixed in with Amazons problems and we dont want our customers to have a disappointing experience, she said. It seems like weve accidentally developed a new strategy for Amazon.

By again reducing its delivery times, Amazon will cut the risk of more merchants defecting from its logistics service, which generated about $14.5 billion, or 19% of its total revenue, in the first quarter. Many sellers are simply waiting for Amazon to clear the delivery clog, said James Thomson, a former Amazon employee who helps merchants sell products on the site through his consulting firm Buy Box Experts.

It doesnt matter if I advertise on Facebook or Google and redirect people to my site and offer faster delivery than Amazon, he said. The biggest problem for a lot of merchants is shoppers just dont want their products right now.

(Updates with shares in second paragaph.)

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Thailand Sticks by its Cryptocurrency Commitment

The world is facing a great deal of uncertainty in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. But against that background, Thailand is continuing to show its support for cryptocurrencies.



By In Conjunction

Wednesday 13 May 2020, 08:49PM

As the virus was continuing its spread across the globe in early March, the country saw the full launch of Huobi. The exchange gives full fiat access to currencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Huobi Token. It received its Digital Assets Licence in 2019. More recently, it received full clearance to operate from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This is fully in line with the countrys commitment to cryptocurrencies in general. In fact, its one of relatively few countries in the world in which they have been officially recognized. The reason for this interest is simple. The authorities believe that cryptocurrency businesses may contribute greatly to the economy by offering future employment opportunities.

However, despite the launch, many people are advising caution. Already volatile, cryptocurrencies have been seen to experience even greater shifts in value against the backdrop of increased global uncertainty. As the biggest single cryptocurrency, its logical that Bitcoin is the one whose fortunes are being most closely followed. And the double-digit falls between February and March mean this scrutiny has intensified. Arguably, one of the founding purposes of Bitcoin was that it would be a safe haven in times of economic uncertainty. But in the current circumstances, some observers are expressing doubts that this is the case.

That said, cryptocurrencies are available to trade on a 24/7 basis. This means that, unlike traditional markets, they are arguably less exposed to volatility over the weekend. The same can be said of anyone investing or trading in them. Some platforms have begun to allow for market trading at the weekend on shares indices in addition to forex and cryptocurrency markets. This proves the importance of being able to make decisions and take actions on the spot when trading. At this time, all these markets seem to be in a state of constant flux. One outcome of that could be that the tendency for trading to be concentrated during the working week from Monday to Friday will slacken. It is therefore significant that cryptocurrencies have always been available to trade in this way.

Indeed, the Thai authorities seem to be sticking by their commitment to cryptocurrencies. It is believed that they are planning to make several changes to the laws governing the way they are traded. This move was first discussed last year and comes in the wake of just five companies applying for licences and authorization to trade. That will have been a source of great disappointment to the financial authorities. What these changes will be is not known. It is equally hard to guess whether national and global economic conditions will also have an effect on them.

But it is certain that, as the world emerges from the restrictions forced upon it in the early months of 2020, there will be a great deal of economic ground to make up. Whether Bitcoin, and cryptocurrencies in general, will have a valuable role to play in the process, only time will tell.
The coronavirus pandemic shutdown could not have come at a worse time for Richard Heritage.

His family-owned Jersey winery was on a roll. It had recently landed top ratings in the 90s from The Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast magazines for several of its wines.

His familys 200-acre farm in the Mullica Hill section of Harrison in Gloucester County, owned by his parents, Bill and Penni Heritage, was finally stepping away from generations of primarily growing apples and peaches to exclusively growing grapes for its Pet-Nat sparkling rose and BDX French red blend and other champagne-like sparkling wines.

The next step was launching a high-end wine tasting room in historic Haddonfield, a town with Colonial-era pedigree and just enough snob-appeal to be chic.

Just days before nearly $80,000 in custom-made furniture and equipment was trucked in, Gov. Phil Murphy ordered bars, restaurants and similar establishments shuttered in an attempt to quell a pandemic.

Custom furniture is featured in William Heritage Winery tasting room in Haddonfield scheduled to open later this month.

But then a funny thing happened. Wine sales continued to spike, even with the Heritage Wines tasting room in Mullica Hill shut down for all but curbside pickup as the paint was still drying in the new place.

Customers continued to snap up wine in what Heritage said was a determined campaign to buy local and take advantage of curbside pickup. A social media post announcing plans to continue with the Haddonfield opening blew up with 50,000 impressions.

It brought a tear to my eye, Heritage said.

Despite the odds, the William Heritage Winery tasting room is eyeing an opening date before the end of the month, once they receive a certificate of occupancy. When theyre able to open the doors on the new digs, only curbside pick-up or walk-ins for purchasing  no tastings  will be allowed, until Murphy releases restrictions on non-essential businesses.

This isnt exactly how I wanted to open, Heritage, 34, said. The coronavirus took the wind out of our sails. But customers are going out of their way to support local a winery.

The tasting room is in the 100 block of Kings Highway East, the main street of this walkable, leafy town with more than 10,000 trees in the public right of way within just under three-square miles. Haddonfield is in the midst of a public, outdoor sculpture campaign and has ranked among the top small towns in New Jersey by NJ.com and USA Today.

The William Heritage Winery is scheduled to open in Haddonfield later this month.

Heritage moved into the 900 square-foot location vacated by Kings Road Brewing Company, which had outgrown the spot in less than three years and moved into a larger location just down the street. Heritage calls the town a dream location, with a row of BYOB restaurants, crafts and clothing shops and locals with expendable incomes.

Weve got a lot of customers in this area who were coming to Mullica Hill to buy our wines, he said.

Heritage said they did their homework before landing here.

They seem to consume a lot of wine, he said. The trash cans outside of the restaurants are full of empty wine bottles at the end of the night.

Haddonfield Mayor Neal Rochford said the wine tasting room and brewery are a good fit for his town, even though there hasnt been a liquor license issued here in 147 years.

I think its going to be a nice mix with the microbrewery, Rochford said. Weve had very few issues and it has added life on the street. Its a good draw.

Rochford said recent state laws allowed microbreweries and wine-tasting rooms and bottle sales in sleepy towns like his without liquor licenses. Now he thinks its a win, win for everyone.

Come into town with your wife, give her the credit card and sit in the brewery. Its not a bad trade-off. Or she can give you the credit card and she can sit in the winery.

Heritage thinks it could work both ways.

Kings Road made a Saison beer in one of our chardonnay barrels, he said. They sold out in no time.

The William Heritage Winery is located on Kings Highway East in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

Heritage features 28 different varieties of wine including chardonnay, merlot and sparkling wines. Prices range from $20 to $50 per bottle and discounts are available for wine club members and for other promotions.

Only four customers at a time will be allowed inside to purchase wine they can take home until virus restrictions are lifted and curbside pickup of preorders will be available.

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Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.
A nondescript hotel-cum-



restaurant on a highway in Gujarat's Banaskantha district has become a popular selfie point among travellers all thanks to its name Hotel Corona.

When he named his establishment in 2015, little did hotelier Baakar Ali know that it would garner so much attention at a time when the whole country was reeling under the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel is located on a highway connecting Gujarat with Abu Road in neighbouring Rajasthan and passes through Amirgadh town of Banaskantha.

Although it remains temporarily shut because of the COVID-19 lockdown, the name of the establishment has stopped many passersby on their tracks, causing them to wonder why anybody would name their hotel after a dreaded pandemic, which has brought the world to its knees.

Several awestruck travellers make a stop at the hotel, just to take selfies with its signboard in the background.

"People can't believe that a hotel is named after a global pandemic, which has killed so many people. Travellers stop here just to take selfies," said Ali, a resident of Siddhpur town in Patan district.

Ali said he had chosen the name Corona for his hotel, as it meant crown or a bright circular ring.

"In Gujarati, it denotes Tej-chakra or Prabha-Mandal. But now, everyone links the word corona with coronavirus," he rues, adding that he may consider changing the name if he sees a drastic drop in customers after the pandemic.

The picture will be clear only after the restrictions are lifted and hotel opens for business, Ali said.

Till then, the hotelier will have to be happy with the fact that any publicity was good publicity.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help the economy tackle the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday (May 13) said that the prime minister has given a headline and a blank page. Chidambaram, however, expressed hope that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman will fill the blank page on Wednesday.

"Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy," Chidambaram tweeted.

Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

The veteran Congress leader also noted that his party will closely monitor which sector is getting what from the economic package. He suggested the government to first focus on the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers

"We will also carefully examine who gets what? And the first thing we will look for is what the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers can expect after they have walked hundreds of kilometres to their home states," he said in another tweet.

We will also carefully examine who gets what?

And the first thing we will look for is what the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers can expect after they have walked hundreds of kilometres to their home states.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

"We will also examine what the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) will get in terms of REAL MONEY," Chidambaram said.

We will also examine what the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) will get in terms of REAL MONEY.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

While announcing the combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore, PM Modi had said that the coronavirus crisis has provided India with an opportunity to become self-reliant and emerge as the best in the world. In a televised address to the nation, PM Modi also said there will be a fourth phase of the lockdown which will be very different from the earlier three phases. The third phase of the 54-day lockdown is scheduled to end on May 17.
North Macedonia adopted a three-phase plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown, the government said in a statement, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

Speaking at a press conference, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said that the first phase will involve the reopening of businesses during the state of emergency and the gradual easing of the citizens' movement nationwide.

The second phase, which is considered a transitional phase, will allow some workplaces to reopen under recommended measures and strict work protocols in terms of prevention of COVID-19 spread.

During the third phase, all workplaces will be allowed to reopen with respect to the basic preventive and anti-pandemic measures for maintaining personal hygiene and physical distance.

According to Spasovski, between each phase, decisions will be made after an assessment of the situation on whether to continue to relax the measures and continue with the next phase.

The prime minister noted that bars and restaurants will not be allowed to reopen and that the authorities will unveil a plan next week, adding that "everything depends on the epidemiological situation and the adherence to the measures."

North Macedonia has imposed a set of measures as well as nationwide curfew from March 22 in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Ten new coronavirus cases were registered in North Macedonia over the last 24 hours, raising the total number of cases to 1,674, with 1,205 recoveries and 92 fatalities, health authorities said.
As some Pennsylvania counties push to reopen before Gov. Tom Wolf moves them from red to yellow in the statewide shutdown, some district attorneys are declining to prosecute businesses that may be cited for reopening early.

That includes Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck.

In a prepared statement, Houck said his offices approach to enforcing Wolfs orders has been and will be to issue multiple warnings to businesses and that going forward, he does not intend to enforce citations against businesses that reopen.

Local police departments can still issue warnings and citations to businesses that are not complying with safety protocols, Houck said.

Houcks stance does not apply to state agencies, including the Liquor Control Board and the Department of Health, which can take action against businesses that reopen in violation of the governors orders.

Where Pennsylvania State Police fit in this equation depends on if troopers are the primary law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over an area.

Lt. Col. Scott Price, the Pennsylvania State Police deputy commissioner of operations, said troopers are seeing a high level of cooperation from the public and people remain cooperative with us."

If a municipal police department will not cite a business defying the governors order, troopers will not go in and enforce the governors orders, Price said.

We dont intercede or second-guess the actions taken by municipal police departments, Price said. Thats not the way we operate."

In areas where state police are the primary law enforcement agency, our emphasis will continue to be, when there are violations of the orders, it will continue to be encouragement, education and work to build the public trust and try to explain why its important to follow these orders. Ultimately, though, we do have the authority to take enforcement action," he said.

To date, there have been 329 warnings issued to businesses statewide and one citation, issued by Troop L to a roofing company in Lebanon County.

Troop M, which covers the Lehigh Valley, has issued 12 warnings to businesses.

Its not foreign for state police to deal with differing prosecutorial actions from district attorneys, Price said. The most recent issue was enforcing possession of small amounts of marijuana.

We will take the appropriate enforcement action based upon the law as we know it to be, and we respect the district attorneys decision or discretion to not prosecute beyond that," Price said. But if it comes to the point where we feel enforcement action needs to be initiated, we will do so, and then the district attorney, through the judicial process as the chief law enforcement officer, can make decisions beyond that point as far as how to proceed or not to proceed with prosecution.

The question about willful noncompliance was raised during the Wednesday media call with Price, especially if county or local officials tell businesses its okay to reopen while the governors order is still in effect for that county.

Its our position, we dont believe as the law is written that the governors order can be overwritten by county authority, Price said. We would encourage compliance and likely engage in a conversation with the department of health, (and) determine whether or not the department of health would want to pursue some sort of closure order for the business.

Troopers have been encountering people simply misunderstanding rather than willful noncompliance of orders issued under the COVID-19 pandemic, Price said.

Authorities have seen some large groups congregating, including at Centralias Graffiti Highway." Last month the abandoned stretch of Route 61 was covered with dirt and other fill to keep people away.

Troopers have issued 34 warnings and seven citations to people accused of violating Wolfs statewide stay-at-home order; non have been issued by the troop that covers the Lehigh Valley.

Price said that included the egregious behavior of minors having a party in a motel.

In terms of positive cases among troopers, Price said 11 state police personnel have tested positive for the virus and 10 troopers are self quarantining, 87 have tested negative and there is one test pending.

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Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced that 20 North Dakota education sites have been awarded $41.8 million in grants, to be distributed over five years.

The "Comprehensive Library State Development Grant Program" is designed to help disadvantaged students across the state improve their skills in reading, writing and speaking from birth to 12th grade.

Disadvantaged students include those in low-income households, students with disabilities, those learning English as a second language and students who are homeless or in foster care.

The grant money is going to 19 sites and a collaborative group of three school district communities.

Sites were awarded grants based on their numbers of disadvantaged children and the percent of those children compared to its total student population.

Listed below are the cities and the total they would receive:

Belcourt: $1,500,000

Bismarck: $4,000,000

Bottineau: $837,009

Devils Lake: $1,431,273

Dickinson: $3,500,000

Dunseith: $1,186,155

Fargo: $4,000,000

Grafton: $1,250,000

Grand Forks: $3,500,000

Jamestown: $1,250,000

Mandan: $3,000,000

McKenzie Co.: $2,000,000

Midway: $431,650

Minot: $3,200,000

Richland/Northern Cass/Milnor: $1,000,000

Rugby: $1,000,000

St. John: $1,000,000

Wahpeton: $1,500,000

West Fargo: $4,000,000

Williston: $2,223,540
Any reopening has to be done in a way that puts residents health and safety first and foremost, Osterman said. This is something we all want to see happen. But the mayor was right when she initially closed it, and it should only be reopened when there are safety protocols in place.
Imperial Valley News Center

COVID-19 data challenge opened to accelerate research and innovation

Dallas, Texas - Data on race, under-resourced communities and COVID-19 is limited, but disproportionately high rates of sickness - and death - seem to be emerging, particularly among African Americans, U.S. Hispanics, Native People and those in rural areas. To accelerate breakthroughs and understanding of these connections, the American Heart Association, the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building longer, healthier lives, Hitachi Vantara, the digital infrastructure and solutions subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), and BurstIQ, the leading provider of blockchain-based secure data solutions for the healthcare industry, have launched a data challenge to expand the resources available to researchers.

The data challenge is specifically focused on testing the relationships between COVID-19 and other health conditions, as well as health disparities and social determinants of health that bring a higher burden of illness or mortality based on factors such as ethnicity, gender, geography or income.

BurstIQs global COVID-19 datasets will be available on the American Heart Associations Precision Medicine Platform, a central hub to the cardiovascular and stroke research community with vast and diverse datasets and cloud-based workspaces that enable state-of-the-art high-performance computing, analytics and collaboration to accelerate scientific discovery. Through the data challenge, COVID-19 researchers will be able to utilize the Platforms protected workspaces, which are equipped with state-of-the-art analytical tools, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Researchers may use datasets hosted on the Platform as well as their own data to address the unsolved questions of how COVID-19 may be disproportionally affecting those with health disparities.

People living in under-resourced communities, particularly African Americans and U.S. Hispanics, appear to be dying of COVID-19 at disproportionately high rates, as theyre more likely to have underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and obesity, said Jennifer Hall, Ph.D., chief of data science for the American Heart Association. Long before the pandemic, systemic challenges have contributed to disparities that impede some people from living long, healthy lives. COVID-19 has further exacerbated this issue.

Hitachi Vantara, which built the American Heart Associations Precision Medicine Platform, will provide more than $100,000 in funding for prizes to support the management of a two-step challenge and to recruit top scientists to this critical effort. Six $5,000 prizes will be awarded at the end of stage one. These researchers will then compete in a final stage for a $15,000 prize. All applications will be peer reviewed by a panel of data science and public health experts.

Improving collaboration around data between researchers and scientists enables the rapid co-creation of new solutions that more quickly and effectively tackle existing and new healthcare threats such as COVID-19, said Paul Watson, vice president, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Hitachi Vantara. Working together our three organizations will deliver a paradigm shift in the way researchers and their institutions leverage data to solve medical challenges like COVID-19.

The entire world is facing an unprecedented challenge with COVID-19, said Frank Ricotta, CEO, BurstIQ. Our collaboration with the American Heart Association and Hitachi Vantara on this data challenge allows the research community to truly accelerate the pace of COVID-19 research, and as a collaborative network, it will have a long-lasting impact not just for COVID-19, but far beyond.

To learn more about how to participate in the COVID-19 Data Challenge, researchers should click here.
MBABANE  MTN Eswatini has launched Ayoba-an instant messaging app to enable customers to chat for free.

Through Ayoba, MTN aims to bring more people into the digital world with affordable and simplified digital communication services. The instant messaging platform has functionalities like WhatsApp. What sets Ayoba apart, is that it allows users to also communicate with people who use basic phones without data or dont have the app. Subscribers who use basic phones can connect via SMS and can respond to messages sent from the Ayoba app using free SMSs if they are MTN customers.

Ayoba users can send text, images and videos, or initiate telephone calls. Messaging via the App is free to MTN subscribers. The app boasts end-to-end encryption to ensure that messages in a conversation are secure. MTN Chief Executive Officer Wandile Mtshali said through Ayoba, the company wants to improve access to affordable communications so its customers can reap the social, economic and development benefits of being online. We are pleased to announce the launch of the app that everyone can benefit from, he said. Mtshali said the App reflects local needs and aspirations. It also offers a handful of features besides just messaging which makes it quite useful.

Ayoba aims to bring more people into the digital world with affordable and simplified digital communication services. This is in line with our belief that everyone deserves the benefits of modern connected life, he said. Mtshali said the app is an exceptional product that combines innovation, high-end encryption security with the convenience of service to ensure that they provide customers with the utmost satisfaction in terms of their digital experience.

Channels

Ayoba also offers channels for news and locally relevant content and will soon allow payments made or received through MTN MoMo. Mtshali acknowledged that the launch of Ayoba was especially important during this period where most people are staying at home to combat the spread of the coronavirus. He said through Ayoba, MTN is offering customers a chance to experience a brighter side of life during these dark times. With this app, MTN customers can stay connected to one another for free, he said. MTNs vision for the Ayoba messaging platform is for it to one day be a super-app.
MarcoPolo Learning offers quality STEAM + Literacy digital learning experiences for children ages 3-7. Their mission is to provide young children worldwide with knowledge about the world around them in a way that nurtures their natural curiosity and teaches foundational skills playfully. For this reason, they are proud to partner with Jumpstart to provide free access to thousands of children nationwide.

Jumpstart, a national early education organization, serves approximately 15,000 children each year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jumpstart has worked to provide critical resources and tools to underserved families/caregivers and early learners across a range of digital platforms. Our current focus is on mitigating the impact of learning loss from this extended out-of-school time and supporting our most vulnerable learners who are most likely to be significantly impacted, said Jumpstart CEO Naila Bolus.

Dr. Nermeen Dashoush, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Early Childhood at Boston University and the chief curriculum creator for MarcoPolo Learning, also serves as the university partner for Jumpstart. We saw hundreds of preschools closing due to COVID-19. This left thousands of Jumpstart children without access to consistent instruction. Teachers nationwide are doing their best to support their children. We want to provide children with a digital learning tool designed by early childhood educators, that they navigate independently and that busy parents can trust to leave in the hands of their child.

The partnership between MarcoPolo Learning and Jumpstart will grant free access to the Emmy nominated MarcoPolo World School for the next three months. All children registered in the Jumpstart program will be given access to MarcoPolo World School uniting shared goals to help preschoolers build foundational academic and social-emotional skills. Maria Monarrez, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships & Programming for Jumpstart emphasized the importance of translating all family-facing correspondence to reach linguistically diverse households, which MarcoPolo Learning will be providing. Providing these resources to parents in a language they are comfortable with allows them to engage with their children and confidently step into the role as, not only their childs first teacher but for now, their full-time teacher. MarcoPolo is one way we are able to continue to bring high quality, developmentally appropriate educational resources to children and families and we are excited about this partnership, Monarrez said.

Ultimately, the partnership aims to spark a love of learning and feed curiosity. We know parents are trying their best at this time. Dashoush says. MarcoPolo World School aims to preserve childrens love for learning about the natural world. With thousands of video lessons, young children can learn about the human body, culture around the world, habitats, space, dinosaurs and much more. We want children to go back to school when it reopens full of wonder and knowledge about our fascinating world.

###

About MarcoPolo Learning:

MarcoPolo Learning is an award-winning educational media company for children ages 3-7. Based in London with offices in New York and Shanghai, the company produces TV-grade STEAM and English Language Learning curricula for both home and school. A 2020 Emmy award nominee, the brands flagship subscription-based app, MarcoPolo World School, offers kids aged 3-7 a full STEAM + Literacy curriculum with 500+ lessons and 3000+ learning activities; designed by PhD early childhood educators. MarcoPolo also producers an animated educational TV series called The Polos which broadcasts on major linear and digital channels across the world reaching over 500 million households.

About Jumpstart for Young Children:

For 25 years, Jumpstart has been fueled by the core belief that providing high-quality educational opportunities to all young children contributes to breaking the cycle of poverty. Jumpstart provides an early education solution that meets the needs of the children and communities we serve while advocating for change that ensures all children have access to the early learning opportunities they need. Learn more at jstart.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Nic Wilkinson

nicw@marcopololearning.com
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Linkedin Andrew Osborn and Alexander Marrow (Reuters) Moscow, Russia  Wed, May 13, 2020 07:45 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79bba5 2 World Russia,fire-incidents,ventilator,coronavirus,COVID-19,virus-corona,SARS-CoV-2,pandemic Free

Moscow has begun investigating the safety of a Russian-made medical ventilator, some of which have been sent to the United States, after six people died in hospital fires reported to involve two such machines.

Five people died at Saint George's Hospital in St Petersburg on Tuesday - including four in a coronavirus intensive care unit, according to a local lawyer. A source told the TASS news agency that the blaze erupted after a ventilator - used to help severely ill COVID-19 patients breathe - burst into flames in the ward.

A similar fire - caused by the same model of ventilator, according to a law enforcement source speaking to TASS - killed one person in a hospital in Moscow on Saturday.

Roszdravnadzor, Russia's healthcare watchdog, said it would check the quality and safety of the ventilators in the two hospitals, and the St Petersburg hospital said it would stop using the model in question for now. The manufacturer urged people to avoid rushing to conclusions.

The model in question, the Aventa-M, was among those sent to the United States from Russia at the start of April to help it cope with the coronavirus pandemic, and is made by a firm that is under US sanctions.

The Ural Instrument Engineering Plant (UPZ) in Chelyabinsk, 1,500 km (930 miles) east of Moscow, confirmed that the Aventa-M is one of its products and had been supplied to Saint George's Hospital.

"We have no official data about which devices were installed in the zone of the (St Petersburg) fire," a spokeswoman added.

Russia is relatively well stocked with ventilators, and has increased domestic production since the coronavirus outbreak.

Data experts and some medics say many machines in use outside Russia's big cities are old - but TASS said the ventilator in St Petersburg was new and had been installed this month.

Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), which controls UPZ, said its ventilators had passed all the necessary tests and had been used by medical facilities in Russia since 2012 without any safety concerns.

"We're looking at different scenarios: the state of the (electricity) network, the medical institutions' engineering infrastructure, the medical equipment, and compliance with fire safety rules," it said in a statement.

"We call on the media and other interested parties not to rush to conclusions and wait for the results of official checks."

US firms and nationals have been barred from doing business with KRET since July 2014.

Russia has reported 232,243 cases of the novel coronavirus and 2,116 deaths.
New Delhi: A plastics factory in India where a chemical gas leak killed 12 people and sickened hundreds more last week lacked federal environmental clearance but had been issued state permits to operate anyway, exposing a potentially dangerous enforcement gap in the country's laws.

The owner of the LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh state, South Korean chemicals giant LG Chem, said in a May 2019 affidavit that formed part of an application for the clearance that the company "doesn't have a valid environmental clearance substantiating the produced quantity, issued by the competent authority, for continuing operations".

Firefighters walk with oxygen cylinders outside LG Polymers plant, the site of a chemical gas leak, in Vishakhapatnam, India, last week. Credit:AP

LG Chem spokesman Choi Sang-kyu said the company had always followed Indian law and had operated the plant based on the guidance of Indian officials, both at the state and federal level. He said the affidavit was a pledge to comply with the law in the future and not an admission of any violations.

Interviews with officials and legal experts indicate that the plant was likely operating in a legal grey area, with the environmental clearance required under federal regulations but the enforcement of those requirements left up to states. While there has been no indication that the lack of such a clearance played a role in the May 7 disaster, experts say the fact that the plant operated for years without one shows how weak environmental laws can be in a nation with many of the world's most polluted cities.
- Bulldog has argued that Eno Barony is a better rapper than some males in the music industry

- In his opinion, not even Sarkodie can face Eno and win in a rap battle with her

- Bulldog placed a GHC50K bet on any male rapper who would want to battle Eno

- He also listed the only 5 Ghanaian male rappers better than Eno

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The manager of Shatta Wale, Bulldog, has said that Eno Barony is a better rapper than 97% of Ghanas male rappers.

According to him, Eno has been consistent aside from her mental fortitude and her lyrical flow.

To him, Eno Barony is the best female rapper who only a handful of male rappers can battle, not even to talk of the female.

READ ALSO: Fella Makafui talks education; reveals she attended University of Ghana

Bulldog believes not even Sarkodie can claim to be better than Eno in the rap game.

He made this known in an interview monitored by YEN.com.gh on 3FM on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.

Bulldog further listed the only five male rappers he believes are better than Eno.

These rappers as mentioned by Bulldog are Tinny, Obrafour, Lord Kenya, Okyeame Kwame, and Okomfou Kwaadee.

He added that he was ready to place a GHC50K bet on any male rapper who would want to face Eno in a rap battle.

READ ALSO: Patapaa unveils new gold hairstyle; flaunts his fine house in new photo

Bulldogs submission follows the current rap battle going on among female rappers  Sista Afia, Freda Rhymes, and Eno Barony.

It all started when Sista Afia recorded a diss song for Deborah Vanessa for wishing her ex-boyfriend Medikal a happy birthday.

While Sister Derby maintained her silence on the development, Eno Barony took a jab at Sista Afia, saying that her rap was medikally weak.

READ ALSO: This one na proper corpse - Fans laugh at Medikal over latest bad make-up photo

She insinuated that Medikal was behind Sista Afias diss song to Deborah Vanessa.

Medikal responded and said he would not beef anyone who looks like a corpse, referring to Eno Barony.

In a relative development, a bad make-up photo of Fella Makafui has caused fans to laugh at Medikal saying that his wife is the real corpse, not Eno Barony.

READ ALSO: Reason why Shatta Berry was evicted from Talented Kids finally revealed

Exclusive interview with Date Rush contestant, Ignatius Baidoo | #Yencomgh(opens in new tab)

READ ALSO: Abraham Attah woos girls on social media with his riding skills in new video

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Source: YEN.com.gh
Indian lenders want the government to provide up to $2 billion to set up a "bad bank" at a time when their heavy pile of soured debt is expected to double in size due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

The banks have proposed that the government set up an asset reconstruction company (ARC) to initially buy non-performing loans worth up to a total of 1 trillion rupees ($13.3 billion), the banking industry sources told Reuters.

The Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has drafted the proposal and sent it to the government and the Reserve Bank of India for their approval, according to the two bankers plus a third banking industry source. They asked not to be named as the discussions are confidential.

"The government needs to put in anywhere between 100 billion rupees to 150 billion rupees ($1.3 billion-$2 billion) to form the ARC where the bad loans can be transferred," said the first source.

The IBA, finance ministry and central bank did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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

Indian banks are already grappling with a bad debt pile of 9.35 trillion Indian rupees, equivalent to about 9.1% of their total assets, as of Sept. 30 last year.

The government and bankers are worried that the share of bad loans may double with the economy grinding to a halt during the nationwide lockdown.

The ARC, likely to be named National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd, will be set up for an initial period of 10 years, two of the sources said. A non-performing loan must be worth at least 5 billion rupees to qualify to be bought, they added.

The ARC would pay the lenders at least 15% of the present net value of the loans it buys in cash, while the remaining would be paid in the form of security receipts, the two sources said.

The receipts can be redeemed by the banks once the account has been settled or sold to other investors in the secondary market, the people added.

Additionally, a separate asset management company and an alternate investment fund would also be created in which banks and other private companies could participate by managing the stressed assets to secure better valuations, the sources added.

"The initial discussions have been encouraging but the plan will succeed only with the government's blessings," said the first source.
A 10-member Taskforce has been inaugurated by the Vice President to work towards establishing a National ECOWAS Early Warning Centre by July, this year.



Members of the Taskforce, chaired by Professor Joe Amoako-Tuffour of the Office of the Vice President, are drawn from ministries of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Finance, Health, Defence, Interior, Justice, National Security and Environment, Science, Innovation and Technology.



The establishment of the Centre is aimed at helping to guarantee security and provide timely reports and analysis to ECOWAS Member States for effective responses to prevent and mitigate violent conflicts, wanton health crises, environmental disasters, among others.



Vice President Bawumia asked the members to be diligent in the discharge of their mandate, pointing out that an efficient and effective early warning and response mechanism would not only guarantee the needed security for the country's development, but help prevent wanton loss of lives, health crises, humanitarian disasters and environmental calamities.



He added that the government was keen on ensuring that the country established the Centre.



For some time now, ECOWAS Member States and the ECOWAS Commission have been considering effective early warning and response mechanisms in the sub-region to avert destructive crises.



Setting up National Early Warning Centres received the backing of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government during its 45th Ordinary Session held in Accra on July 14, 2014.



Consequently, the ECOWAS Commission established National Centres for the Coordination of the Response Mechanism (NCCRM) in five pilot countries including Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali and Liberia between 2015 and 2019.



The next phase of the Project, covers Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Niger and Cape Verde.



The Vice President of the Commission, Madam Finda Koroma, met with Ghanaian government officials and institutions to deliberate on modalities for establishing the Centre in March, this year.



With these Centres, ECOWAS Member States would be able to share information, implement conflict prevention, and manage crises, while protecting human security at national and regional levels.



Vice President Bawumia said a number of activities were supposed to be undertaken by the government to meet the July deadline.

He underlined the need to speed up efforts at the assessment of readinessand the eventual launch of the Centre in July.



The ECOWAS Commission would provide support and logistics towards the operationalisation of the Centre.

Source: GNA









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Texas will likely use a record amount of electricity this summer, as warmer weather drives demand during a period of slower economic growth.

The state's grid manager, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said it might have to issue emergency energy conservation alerts this summer because of extreme weather, low wind output and more-than-usual outages at power generation facilities. The grid manager issued two emergency calls for voluntary conservation last summer, when temperatures climbed to over 100 degrees while power supplies were dangerously low.

ERCOT said Wednesday that it reduced its forecast for peak power demand by 1,496 megawatts to 75,200 megawatts to account for the economic impact related to coronavirus pandemic. The new forecast, however, is higher than the peak power demand record of 74,820 megawatts set during last summer's heat wave on Aug. 12. One megawatt is enough to power about 200 homes during a hot summer day in Texas.

MORE ON ENERGY: Power companies can still reject you if you paid to find low price

The new forecast increases the summer reserve margin to 12.6 percent from 10.6 percent, giving Texas a larger cushion of power supplies heading into the hottest months of the year. The reserve margin got a boost over the past year, as more renewable and gas-fired power projects are started up.

A year ago the reserve margin was 8.6 percent, creating a tight supply of electricity and driving prices repeatedly to $9,000 a megawatt hour, the state's maximum.

ERCOTs summer forecast predicts above-normal temperatures for most, if not all, of Texas, according to ERCOTs senior meteorologist Chris Coleman.

June is shaping up to be hotter than normal and could be one of the hottest in years, according to Colemans report. September also is showing above-normal potential for high temperatures. The forecast for July and August isn't as certain.

Overall, the summer of 2020 in Texas may rank as one of the hottest on record, according to ERCOT. But its unlikely to surpass the temperatures of last summer, the fourth hottest summer in Texas in 125 years.
Law enforcement agents in Argentina arrested the parents of a 10-month-old baby after she tested positive for cocaine at a local hospital.

Buenos Aires police apprehended the 30-year-old mother and her 38-year-old boyfriend, a native of Peru, on Tuesday following two days of investigations.

Video of the arrest released by the police shows a small mound of cocaine on top of a plastic wrap with small, packaged bags with the powdery substance that appeared ready to be distributed to customers that often visited the home in the neighborhood of San Nicolas.

Digital news outlet Infobae identified the mother as Yamila R. and her partner as Ismael A.

Police in Buenos Aires, Argentina, arrested Tuesday the parents of a 10-month-old girl who tested positive for cocaine on Saturday. At least 70 grams of cocaine and a digital scale were confiscated during the raid

Buenos Aires prosecutors said the police seized 90,000 Argentine pesos, approximately $1,333, during Tuesday's raid

Yamila R. (left) told doctors that her baby daughter had been playing with Ismael A.'s (right) medicine when she was questioned if she knew the 10-month-old consumed cocaine

According to Buenos Aires prosecutors, police confiscated 70 grams of cocaine, 90,000 Argentine pesos [approximately $1,333], a digital scale and a notebook which reportedly contained notes from previous drug transactions.

Yamila R. took her sickened daughter to a private clinic and then to Pedro Elizalde Children's Hospital, where doctors drew her blood and discovered traces of cocaine in it on Saturday.

When questioned about the banned substance that was detected in her daughter's body, the mother told doctors that baby had been playing with medicine that had been recently prescribed to her father, who reportedly has undergone a leg surgery.

High chair found inside the home shared by Yamila R. and Ismael A. ,which according to neighbors also served as a drug den that was often visited by addicts

On Tuesday, police raided their home, which they had moved into in May 2019, Infobae reported.

The couple recently held a party despite a nationwide restriction on large social gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Building neighbors said the couple used faked names, identifying themselves as 'Fabiana' and 'Crespo' and that the apartment was a revolving door for drug addicts and other customers who stopped by to purchase drugs.

Ismael A. is covered with a towel as he is walked out of his Buenos Aires apartment

Yamila R. had been held in jail without bail from 2013 to 2015 after police raided a local drug dealer's home where she had been living and discovered a kilo of cocaine

Cops also routinely visited the apartment to handle complaints, including alleged reports of domestic violence.

While the father does not have a criminal background, it was not the first brush with the law for his girlfriend.

Yamila was jailed without bail from 2013 to 2015 in a federal prison after police raided the home of a local Peruvian drug dealer and seized a kilo of cocaine.
The Weather Watcher

Some have asked what we can expect this summer  weather and wildfire conditions. Ill share what the Washington state climatologist states in the most recent monthly report: The National Climate Prediction Center (CPC) May outlook has increased chances of above normal temperatures across the entire state. Slightly lower chances of above normal temperatures exist for a pocket in the nort...
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, May 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADC Therapeutics SA, a late clinical-stage oncology-focused biotechnology company pioneering the development and commercialization of highly potent and targeted antibody drug conjugates for patients suffering from hematological malignancies and solid tumors, announced today that it has launched the initial public offering of 7,355,000 shares of its common shares. In addition, ADC Therapeutics has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 1,103,250 additional common shares. The initial public offering price is expected to be between $16.00 and $18.00 per common share. The common shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ADCT.



Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities and Cowen are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.



The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attn: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, by telephone at (866) 718-1649 or by email at prospectus@morganstanley.com; BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by email at dg.prospectus_requests@bofa.com; or Cowen and Company, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, Attn: Prospectus Department, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (833) 297-2926 or by email at PostSaleManualRequests@broadridge.com.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these 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 any such state or jurisdiction. Any offers, solicitations or offers to buy, or any sales of securities will be made in accordance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. There is no intention or permission to publicly offer, solicit, sell or advertise, directly or indirectly, any securities of ADC Therapeutics SA, such as the common shares, in or into Switzerland within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act ("FinSA") and these securities will not be listed or admitted to trading on the SIX Swiss Exchange or on any other regulated trading venue (exchange or multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to these securities, such as the common shares, constitutes or will constitute a prospectus pursuant to the FinSA, and neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the common shares constitutes a prospectus pursuant to the FinSA, and neither this document nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the common shares may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Story continues

About ADC Therapeutics



ADC Therapeutics SA is a late clinical-stage oncology-focused biotechnology company pioneering the development and commercialization of highly potent and targeted antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) for patients suffering from hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company develops ADCs by applying its decades of experience in this field and using next-generation pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) technology to which ADC Therapeutics has proprietary rights for its targets. Strategic target selection for PBD-based ADCs and substantial investment in early clinical development have enabled ADC Therapeutics to build a deep clinical and research pipeline of therapies for the treatment of hematological and solid tumor cancers with significant unmet need. The Company has multiple PBD-based ADCs in ongoing clinical trials, ranging from first in human to pivotal Phase 2 clinical trials, in the USA and Europe, and numerous preclinical ADCs in development.

Loncastuximab tesirine (Lonca, formerly ADCT-402), the Companys lead product candidate, has been evaluated in a 145-patient pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that showed a 45.5% interim overall response rate (ORR), which exceeded the target primary endpoint. Camidanlumab tesirine (Cami, formerly ADCT-301), the Companys second lead product candidate, is being evaluated in a 100-patient pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) after having shown an 86.5% ORR in HL patients in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The Company is also evaluating Cami as a novel immuno-oncology approach for the treatment of various advanced solid tumors.

ADC Therapeutics is based in Lausanne (Biopole), Switzerland and has operations in London, the San Francisco Bay Area and New Jersey.

Investors Contact

Amanda Hamilton

ADC Therapeutics

amanda.hamilton@adctherapeutics.com

Tel: +1 917-288-7023

EU Media Contact

Alexandre Muller

Dynamics Group

amu@dynamicsgroup.ch

Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231
May 1st was May Day. In the Celtic calendar its a cross-quarter day  halfway between the vernal equinox on March 21st and the summer solstice on June 21st. From Greek and Roman times, it is a celebration of the return of Spring. Its also International Workers Day.

May Day 2020 in the U.S. should be remembered for the White House war on workers.

In four months, more Americans have died from COVID-19 than were killed in the 19 years of the Vietnam War.

Hang on, you say. That working class people are dying at a higher rate than others doesnt mean the White House is waging war against them. Well, I would answer, the boys in the trenches of Vietnam knew they were shooting at the North Vietnamese, but they must have noticed who was Americas cannon-fodder. It wasnt Bill Oxford U Clinton or Donald Bone-spur Trump.

But back to the White House.

Trumps various diversions  from blaming China to advocating chloroquine or sunlight or Mr Clean  work well for him. He serves up enough red herring to feed the multitude. The media is obliged to cover presidential press conferences and to investigate all his claims. After all, they might be true. It keeps the media busy on wild goose chases and his opposition off balance.

As soon as they nail down one lie, Trump is on to the next. His dog-whistle to liberate Democratic states was brilliant. It brought out his Tea Partying white power troops who brought their Confederate flags and swastikas, jammed traffic and, in Michigan, openly carried their guns into the State legislature.

Not only did that distract from the terrible job hes doing, but it turned the story away from class, and toward race: working class whites are ready to go back to work and to hell with COVID. Trump amplified that message by calling them what he called the Charlottetown yahoos: These are very good people.

Thatll help keep working whites from making common cause with working blacks, as Martin Luther King used to preach they should. Besides, blacks have their own problems  they are dying from COVID-19 at twice the rate of their proportion of the population.

But in reality, hes throwing white workers under the bus along with blacks, and Latinos. Trump and the Republicans want to get the economy going in time for the election (even as cases and deaths are rising). His relief programs are rigged against workers but overwhelmingly benefit corporations.

Republican antipathy for programs that support workers goes even deeper. They have long wanted to strip states of their ability to provide a social safety net funded by taxes. COVID-19 has already stretched state resources to the breaking point. But most are bound by law to balance their budgets.

Mitch has a solution.

Mitch McConnell (the Senate Republican majority leader) is pushing ahead with the Administrations goal of changing the face of the federal judiciary from bipartisan to corporate conservative with a penchant for believing the president is beyond the reach of both Congress and the courts. Hes handing out judgeships like kewpie dolls at a carnival.

Hence the Administrations call for states to declare bankruptcy. Itll take a new law, but once in bankruptcy court, Mitch McConnells new judges can rule on who gets paid first. You can bet your last dime that wont be workers and their state-funded pensions.

And the call for an early return to work? Among other things, that would foreclose on applications for unemployment insurance. Over 30 million workers have applied for unemployment insurance and reopening the economy would force them back to work.

A quarter of US workers do not have paid sick leave or much in the way of health insurance but Trump also wants to cut the payroll tax that currently funds Social Security and Medicare. At the same time, he agrees with the corporate position that companies should not be held liable if their practices lead to workers catching COVID-19.

All this is not so much a grand conspiracy as it is Republicans acting quickly to turn what is surely a national calamity to political advantage by using the tools at hand  in this case Executive power, access to the media, judicial appointments and a rabid fan base.

In the world the Republicans are constructing out of the COVID-19 disaster, the first will come first and the last, last  if they dont die off in the Great Cull.

David McLaren worked with First Nations in Ontario for over 20 years principally with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation. He currently resides (and writes and consults) on the Bruce Peninsula.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman is going to hold a press briefing at 4 pm today, in which she will spell out details regarding the Modi government's economic stimulus package worth Rs 20 lakh crore. This package is about 10 per cent of India's GDP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a mega fiscal stimulus to provide relief to big industries, MSEs and poor as well as middle-class people.

The package will give a new impetus to the development journey of the country in 2020 and a new direction to a self-reliant India campaign, PM Modi said in his televised address to the nation. Hinting at big-ticket reforms in future, the PM said: "To prove the resolve of a self-reliant India, land, labour, liquidity and laws -- all have been emphasised in this package."

Finance Minister Smt.@nsitharaman to address a press conference today, 13th May, at 4PM in New Delhi.



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Also read: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Press Conference Live Updates: FM's media address at 4 pm; relief to MSMEs, poor likely

The PM also talked about reforms undertaken by the government, which helped India in times of the coronavirus crisis. "As a result of the reforms over the past 6 years, today even in this time of crisis; India's systems have looked more efficient. Otherwise, who could have thought that the money sent by the government will reach directly in the pocket of the poor farmer! That also when all the government offices were closed," he said.

PM Modi said India would need bold reforms to create a self-reliant nation. "Now the scope of the reforms has to be broadened, giving a new height," he said.

The package includes recent economic measures taken by the government and the RBI. The central bank had lowered policy rate by 75 bps to 4.4 per cent in March and had infused liquidity to the tune of 3.1 per cent of GDP between February and April. The government had also announced fiscal package amounting to 0.8 per cent of GDP (Rs 1.7 lakh crore) in March.

When and where to watch Nirmala Sitharaman's press briefing
These are dark and uncertain times for businesses everywhere, in particular fashion.

Who will care about their clothes if theyre at home the whole time? Who will spend large amounts of money on clothing when the economy is so uncertain?

Two big companies in the US filed for bankruptcy last week: J Crew and Neiman Marcus. In Italy, analysis from Boston Consulting Group put fashion top of the list of suffering retailers, estimating the market as a whole would drop 50% this year.

But I have to say, Im not very worried. I think fast fashion will suffer, and seem increasingly frivolous. But quality clothing, looked after well, might seem even more relevant.

People will buy less, certainly. But weve always said people should buy less anyway - its the clearest factor in making fashion more sustainable.

Companies will also go through very hard times, and some will fail. But I truly believe the ones we cover on Permanent Style will be on safer ground.

Why? Because people care.

We care deeply about the companies we patronise, the people that run them, and the products they produce.

We care enough to spend hours and hours thinking and writing about them. We care enough to spend a disproportionate amount of our hard-earned money on them. And we care enough to look after them well: brushing, polishing, cleaning, darning and storing, with love.

Ive been speaking to dozens of people in the industry over the past month, through public Instagram talks and in everyday business chats. And they nearly all echo this feeling.

Every tailor has a story about a customer phoning up, to ask what they can do to help. Offering to pay the balance on their order, or pay for a new piece in full - just to keep the cash flowing.

Edward Sexton certainly does. Dominic Sebag-Montefiore (above, centre) there told me: Weve had several customers ask what they can do, and send in cloth for us to work on even though the mills are closed. All the tailors are just working from home, so Ive been spending my time zipping around on my scooter, dropping off and picking up work.

Tailors are fortunate in this regard, in that most of them can work from home to an extent. Michael Browne, when I spoke to him, said the same thing: everyone is carrying on as best they can. Its cloth and other raw materials that will be the problem eventually.

Mills in Italy opened two weeks ago, and factories last week. But getting going again wont be straightforward: Were working at about a third of capacity at the moment, said one Italian mill manager. Its proving hard to get enough social distancing and protective equipment to get more capacity. Plus we need our raw materials from other parts of the world.

This was something that struck me when speaking to the Scottish mills, such as Holland & Sherry: it's not understood how much harder it will be to open up than it was to close down.

The problem is how interconnected we all are, said Lindsay Taylor of H&S. Were all dependent on WT Johnsons for finishing, for example, so until theyre up and running we cant produce anything.

"That makes people cautious about bringing everyone back to work - the restart needs to happen at the same time across the industry.

Down in Naples, Luca Avitabiles shirt factory has been open for a week, and workers are keen to make up for lost time, many working weekends. Everyone is wearing masks and trying to stay further apart.

Italian regulation means every business has to have insurance, covering them for workers wages in situations like this, says Luca (above). But it doesnt cover the full amount - its a basic level. So everyone is keen to start earning.

I think the bounce-back will be strong - customers are keen to keep purchasing and supporting us, which is lovely, says Luca. It makes a big difference that were in an international market as well, so were not just dependent on Italy, for example.

Fabio Attanasio of The Bespoke Dudes, echoed those thoughts when I spoke to him for an Instagram interview: The Italian artisans Im in contact with are so happy with the support theyve received from their customers, whether in Germany, China or Japan. It speaks to how tight this industry is.

Over in Hong Kong, Mark Cho of The Armoury has been using his downtime to make an impressive quantity and quality of videos, all answering customer questions. They just launched a YouTube channel to host them all, here.

He too has received messages of support: Its been so wonderful to see how customers have reacted, he said. We didnt want to be commercial, to push any product at the moment - it just didnt feel appropriate. But its been the customers who have been asking us to come in, or buy online.

The Landmark branch of The Armoury has actually never closed, as shops in Hong Kong didnt have to. We werent told to work from home, everyone just started doing so as soon as the crisis started, says Mark (below). Weve been through this before with SARS, and people know how it works.

I found that very reassuring, on a personal level: theres already a country in the world where this is routine, and so we know what the future looks like, to an extent. Its always the unpredictability thats scariest - and indeed, that makes industry most cautious.

On the subject of being commercial, its been interesting how some brands have ramped up their selling emails (eg Sunspel), while others have contributed profits to charity (eg The Anthology, No Man Walks Alone) and some have positively told people not to buy (eg Rubato).

Of course, not everyone has an easy choice: it might be a question of selling more or going out of business. But being ultra-commercial right now does have the potential for reputational damage.

Up in Tokyo, Ethan Newton at Brycelands agrees: It didnt feel right to be talking about new clothes too much, he says. So weve just been hanging out, having the shop open by appointment.

'As to the impact of this thing more broadly, I think it's too early to say, but it would be nice if it meant people bought fewer cheap clothes from H&M. And perhaps the aesthetic of well-loved, worn-in clothes will have more of a resurgence. I dont think showing off - whether in big brands or streetwear - is going to seem quite as acceptable in the future.

Wei Koh, of The Rake, had similar thoughts when I spoke to him in Singapore. If I was a hype-driven, growth-obsessed, narrow-margin retailer then I would be very worried right now, he said. All my supply chains will have broken down, and they might not be as cheap again for years.

But the bigger luxury companies are in a much better position. When I speak to the watch companies, or LVMH or Kering, they have the support internally to be able to weather this - and theyve been securing their own raw materials by buying suppliers for years. Its not surprising that some others, like department stores, are in trouble. Thats been coming for a while.

When I spoke to Wei, he was dressed up in his Pitti finest: a white linen suit from Cifonelli, made with deliberately large amounts of shape and drape, and a Breton-stipe vest. I thought Id make the effort, given Pitti has been postponed until September, he said. Even then, we dont know what it will be like. Its hard to see the same events and feeling of togetherness.

An Italian mill spoke in a similar way about industry shows like Milano Unica (above). Im not sure it will be logistically possible, the manager said. Social distancing will mean far fewer meetings will be possible - and we have to show the collection perhaps 800 times. Theyre already talking about adding an extra day to make things easier.

That mill, like many retailers, is turning to online solutions. A website is being put together to display all of the options from the new collection, and more swatches are being cut to send by mail.

It has never been more crucial to have a good online presence - and manufacturers who have put it off have been telling me how much they now regret it.

Although online can never make up for a shuttered shop. One London menswear store told me they had seen online business rise by 80% in the past month - but that still meant business overall was down by 60%.

That downturn will likely have a lag that lasts the rest of the year.

What were seeing is luxury brands giving up on Spring/Summer 2020, commented one Italian supplier. Theyve lost too much selling time, and almost none of it has been seen in the shops. So theyre just shifting the whole collection to become Spring/Summer 2021.

For us, that means we will get very few orders in the Autumn, when we would normally be making for the following Spring.

Shops have started to reopen: in Germany and (this past Monday) in France. It wont be business as usual, but customers are keen. So many customers have asked us when we will open again, so they can come back and support us, says Jean-Manuel Moreau in Paris (below).

It is this which makes me optimistic.

The fact is, no one cares whether their T-shirt is from H&M or Zara - as long as it looks good and is cheap. But we do care.

Andreas Weinas in Stockholm: Although Sweden has been more relaxed about the lockdown, the streets have been very quiet. But I agree with you Simon, I am optimistic: this is a very tight industry, with passionate customers. Very few other industries have that.

Frankly, it would be extraordinary if someone had such a personal feeling about the car they drive, or the computer they use. Those purchases are all about design and functionality.

But I would be personally distraught if some of the shops or artisans I love were to go under.

I would not only buy from them more - I would be willing to put my own time and money into them, to stop that happening.

It is this feeling - this passion - that I think will keep us going.
Two days after chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for additional central forces to support the state police, the home department on Wednesday, requested the Centre for the deployment of 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in Maharashtra.

The state has demanded additional force of about 2,000 personnel to relieve the state police from excessive workload and for additional deployment during Eid on May 25.

State home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said that the state police personnel were falling sick due to long working hours amid the Covid-19 lockdown and more and more police officers are testing positive for Sars-Cov-2, the virus which causes Covid-19.

He said the deployment of central forces would allow the government to give some rest to the state personnel.

The police force has been fighting against the coronavirus day and night by putting in additional duty hours. Many of them have tested positive for the virus. The demand raised for the additional force is made while keeping in mind the ensuing festival of Eid on May 25, he said.

The state government has already deployed 32 companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) in various districts with rising Covid-19 cases.

Around 84 police officers and 709 constables are undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in Maharashtra. Eight police constables including five in Mumbai have lost their lives to the novel coronavirus disease.

According to home department officials, the additional force requested from the Centre is expected to be deployed in containment zones in cities like Mumbai, Pune and Malegaon.

CM Thackeray, during his video conference on Monday, had requested the Prime Minister for additional force.

Both the CM and the home minister clarified that the government does not intend to deploy the military in the state.

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The Project Haystack Organization (https://www.project-haystack.org), a collaborative community addressing the challenge of utilizing semantic modeling and tagging to streamline the interchange of data among different systems, devices, equipment and software applications, today announced the publication of the seventh issue of their Connections Magazine.

The Connections Magazine Spring 2020 reports on the latest news from the Project Haystack community from around the world and documents how their mission Making Data Easy to Work With, is addressing one of the most important challenges of the entire building and facilities management industry. Facility owners, operators, managers and service companies recognize that a standardized approach to semantic data modeling is key to overcoming the hurdles related to effectively using the data produced by the built environment. Many of the articles in this issue were written by end users including design consultants, commissioning experts, smart building consultants, property managers and developers  all of whom are demanding smarter, interoperable solutions. This issue also focuses on companies that are responding by providing Haystack-compatible products and solutions.

Over the past year, Project Haystack has continued developing the expanded and widely accepted standard for semantic modeling methodology and building our tagging libraries for more and more applications. This community-driven, open-source process is engaging companies that work on different facets of specifying and implementation. They understand the importance of making data easy to work with for all, said John Petze, Executive Director of the Project Haystack Organization.

The 68-page Connections Magazine Spring 2020 issue includes 11 contributed articles. The Design Consultants and Property Managers View, Georgia Tech: The Kendeda Building for Innovative Design was provided by Donny Walker, a Partner at Newcomb & Boyd, who leads their Intelligent Building Systems group, and Shan Arora, the Director of The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Tech. Stephen Holicky, a Niagara Product Manager with Tridium, Inc., contributed his article on Easy Tag-Based Graphics. Bring Standardized Data Modeling Upfront in Project Commissioning is an article written by Jamie Lee, Product Manager and Scott Harvey, a National Operations Manager for Siemens Industry Inc., Smart Infrastructure. Breaking Through Systems Integrators Tagging Adoption Barriers with a Unique Approach to (Auto) Tagging is an article contributed by Nick McLellan, a Product Manager with Johnson Controls who is responsible for defining the strategic direction of their Facility Explorer Building Automation System. Other contributing companies include Altura Associates, Charlton Morris, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Building Intelligence Group, J2 Innovations, Lynxspring, and WideSky, Brian Frank provides an update on Haystack 4, as well.

Project Haystack Working Groups provided updates to their work and as always, there is a section dedicated to Tools for Developers and Integrators, How to Get Involved, a curation of social media about Project Haystack Member Projects, Practices and Products, and a directory of all Project Haystack Members.

In the past six months, the Project Haystack organizations has grown to include four new Associate Member companies: Brainbox AI, KODE Labs, Resolute Building Intelligence and SmartGreen.

Every building generates heaps of structured and unstructured data. Data quality is no longer a nice to have; but rather, a must, said Marc Petock, Executive Secretary of the Project Haystack Organization. One of the actions that ensures data quality is Project Haystack data tagging. Haystack tagging allows users to organize information more efficiently by associating pieces of information with tags, keywords and associations. Haystack provides a standards-based, yet flexible, data-tagging methodology that can be used in a wide variety of systems and applications and includes standard equipment models to enable you to define and describe the meaning of data from smart devices in a way that can be easily used by other applications and systems.

Building systems is where the Project Haystack tagging methodology gained traction and adoption, but the Haystack methodology is not just about HVAC, temperature sensors, fans, and meters. The IoT, BIoT and the IIoT are bringing diverse smart devices into high-rise commercial buildings, industrial facilities, universities, homes, factories and agriculture. The Project Haystack tagging methodology is now being deployed in thousands of buildings incorporating millions of square feet globally.

The Project Haystack Connections Magazine Spring 2020 issue is available for download at https://marketing.project-haystack.org/project-haystack-media/connections-magazine.

The Project Haystack Organization consists of Founding Member and Board Member companies Conserve It, Intel, J2 Innovations, Legrand, Lynxspring, Siemens and SkyFoundry, and Associate Member companies Accu-Temp Systems, Altura Associates, BASSG, Bueno Systems, Brainbox AI, BuildingFit, CABA, Energy Management Association, Intellastar, Intelligent Buildings, IoT Warez, KMC Controls, KNX Association, Kodaro, KODE Labs, Resolute Building Intelligence, SmartGreen, Tridium, WideSky and Yorkland Controls, as well as numerous Haystack supporters involved in Working Groups.

About Project Haystack

Since its formation in March of 2011, the Project Haystack Organization, a 501(c) non-profit trade association, has been providing the industry with an open-source, collaborative environment to address the challenge of making data self-describing using semantic modeling, also known as data tagging. The work developed by the Project Haystack member companies and community streamlines the process of managing, presenting and analyzing the vast amount of data produced by smart devices and equipment systems. The Haystack methodology can be used with virtually any type of system and device data and is not tied to any vendor or communication protocol.

More information about the Project Haystack Organization and membership is available at: https://marketing.project-haystack.org. For Developers, the Discussion Forums and Working Groups can be found at: https://project-haystack.org/forum/topic. The Haystack 4 Developers site is being transitioned to https://project-haystack.dev.

Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Contacts:

John Petze

Project Haystack, Executive Director

Principal, SkyFoundry

johnp@haystackconnect.org

Marc Petock

Project Haystack, Executive Secretary

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Lynxspring, Inc.

marc.petock@lynxspring.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Azerbaijan is committed to the exchange of prisoners of war and hostages upon the "all for all" principle, but the Armenian side is constantly avoiding this, Assistant to Azerbaijans president, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

Hajiyev made the remark at the briefing in the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on May 13.

The assistant to Azerbaijans president said that during the pandemic, international organizations also emphasize the importance of mutual return of prisoners of war.

We think that it is necessary to exchange prisoners of war and hostages during the coronavirus period, Hajiyev said. Unfortunately, the Armenian side does not demonstrate a constructive approach to this issue and avoids it.
Albany police are investigating a shooting Tuesday afternoon at Bleecker Terrace.

According to a tweet from police spokesman Officer Steve Smith, the victim is a 17-year-old boy who was shot in the abdomen and taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital.
The Great Hunkering of 2020 has yielded some interesting fashion takes. There has been a palpable urge not to give in to all soft clothes all the time  on Twitter, writer Rachel Syme (of the New Yorker and InStyle.com) advocates for a Sunday dress-up with the zeal of a politician  but then what? Since we havent really been dressing for occasions so much as for trying to reconnect with the outside world, the approach to building a look these days can get a bit itemy. Cocktail capes. Sparkly hats. Feathers. But with sweats.

Like most of us, Priyanka Chopra Jonas has been donning her fair share of casualwear; her ensembles are paired with Louboutins. They look good with sweatpants! she said by phone from confinement in Los Angeles, describing the nude patent-leather pumps she has in high, mid, and low heels. The first time I had ever worn Christians shoes was for a shoot. I had just watched Sex and the City, and I was like, These are SJPs! I was really excited about it. If you want to feel a little bit more normal right now, you wear an amazing pair of Louboutins with your sweatshirt, put your hair down, add some red lipstick  and youre dressed up for dinner.

If one is going to pull out a fetish-object reminder of the days before the quarantine, shoes by Christian Louboutin make a lot of sense. The toes are the pointiest, the colors the liveliest, the motifs often the least practical. There is an element of service in how Louboutin approaches design. Even in the best of times, everyone needs and deserves happy feet. His work  which now includes shoes, bags, makeup, and fragrance  is there to lift you up. You dont go into one of his 160-plus boutiques around the world to ponder the meaninglessness of existence. I think women just want to look good, he said over tea in his Paris office before the madness hit. Its a common drive to want to look good, to want to please yourself. No one wants to look shorter than they are.

Story continues

Christian Louboutin poses in front of an installation of the Christian Louboutin: Exhibition[niste] show at the Palais de la Porte Doree in Paris. Photo: Jennifer Livingston

Louboutin, who decamped to his beach house in Portugal to ride out the storm and has been spending his days sketching his next collection, has known Chopra Jonas for a good 15 years. Their friendship led them to collaborate on photo shoots (he cast her in a massive Bollywood production that he did for T Magazine), music videos (he provided the hot pink booties covered in spikes she wore while descending into a pool for Exotic in 2013), and, of course, her 2018 wedding extravaganza with Nick Jonas in her homeland of India. The weeklong affair included multiple theme parties and costume changes. I did some things that held the ankle with a mid heel, Louboutin explained. And then for emergencies I added some sets of sandals the color of her skin with gold inside.

The designer especially values the intimate relationships he has with what he called survivor women, who can be very strong and very feminine at the same time. Along with Chopra Jonas, his circle of trust includes names you know  among them, J. Lo, Tina Turner, Diane von Furstenberg, and Dita Von Teese. He admires self-made and uncompromising women, which is not surprising coming from a self-made and uncompromising man.

RELATED: Go Inside Christian Louboutin's Stunning Parisian Penthouse

One of his few professional regrets was telling his client and friend Elizabeth Taylor that a mint green outfit he had custom designed shoes for was too matchy-matchy. He recalled, She looked at me and said, Darling, Im not afraid of matchy-matchy! I felt terrible. I mean, E.T. was the ultimate icon of matchy-matchy. And who am I to give advice to someone who knows herself so well?

All shoes throughout, Christian Louboutin. Photo: Jennifer Livingston

For Von Teese, Louboutins red-soled shoes were a gateway. Im from a farming town in Michigan and was a shy dishwater blonde, and I decided I would create my own quote, unquote glamorous life, she said. I first met Christian at a show for Jade Jagger back when she was designing jewelry for Garrard. Before he started making me custom shoes, Id take a pair of something from his line, and my costuming partner and I would bedazzle them. Wed send him pictures and say, Look what we did!

Im obsessed by detail and quality, and Dita is that to the thousandth power, Louboutin said. Shes low-maintenance but high-quality. I like people like that.

In February Louboutin celebrated a milestone with the opening of "LExhibition[niste] at the Palais de la Porte Doree in Paris. (He helped to renovate the museum, which is around the corner from his childhood apartment.) The exhibition  a career retrospective, conceptual installation, and curated cabinet of curiosities  is set to reopen in July and has been extended to January 2021. Now its a sleeping beauty, frozen in time, he said.

Jennifer Livingston

It includes some of his first designs, like a pair of pumps made out of mackerel skin, and the most outlandish custom creations, such as pointy red satin wedges with lacquered aluminum heels that dip and swirl and curl around themselves like a horn. That pair was made for Angelina Jolies press tour for the first Maleficent movie, and the heels were an echo of her characters headdress. I went to her house in Silver Lake, and we had lunch, Louboutin recalled. She really embraced the fact that it was a tough character who came out of deep pain and betrayal. He made several pairs of the shoes, some in red, others in white. For the white ones, Angelina wanted to add one red drop, like blood.

Jennifer Livingston

Louboutin said that his mother (regrettably, no longer alive to witness his latest chapter) was the mold for the future survivor women in his life. His openness  to the world, to adventure, to clients who become collaborators and friends, to the kind of joy that is everywhere in his shoes  came from her.

She was very solaire, or sunny, he said. She danced, she flirted, she giggled. I used to come home on the weekends at all hours when my father would usually be away visiting his own mother, and shed always open the door. And if there were more than two of us whod showed up, shed let us take her bed and shed sleep in mine, because hers was the biggest one in the house. She always told me, If you dont want to be judged, dont judge other people. So I dont.

Such closeness to his mother, his three sisters, and his honorary fourth sister, the model and documentary filmmaker Farida Khelfa, is why he has never been able to imagine one perfect woman or body type. He has internalized them, but not only them. I have a fragmented character, so theres a boyfriend, a father, a girls best friend, the macho side of a man, the gay side of a man, and the girl, he said. When Im designing, sometimes one speaks more than the others. The designer, with his serious attitude, rarely wins out. Louboutin is not here to give lessons but to enable something a lot more light-hearted. Im totally a guy, but when women meet me, they see no enemy, he said. Im neither an enemy nor a judge. Im someone to have fun with.

All shoes throughout, Christian Louboutin. Grooming: Daly Mildrede. portrait photographed by Simon Procter. Shoes photographed by Jennifer Livingstone.

For more stories like this, pick up the June issue of InStyle, available on newsstands, on Amazon, and for digital download May 22.
Current and former moderators will be paid at least $1,000

The power of journalism. Right here. Never say that reporting can't change the world or help right wrongs, because that's exactly what happened with The Verge's reporting on Facebook moderators who were traumatized and harmed in the course of doing their jobs.

From The Verge:

In a landmark acknowledgment of the toll that content moderation takes on its workforce, Facebook has agreed to pay $52 million to current and former moderators to compensate them for mental health issues developed on the job. In a preliminary settlement filed on Friday in San Mateo Superior Court, the social network agreed to pay damages to American moderators and provide more counseling to them while they work.

This is huge, and it's based on reporting by The Verge in 2019 which showed that Facebook moderators hired through the staffing firm Cognizant were working in awful conditions in Phoenix, AZ, and in Tampa, FL, for an annual salary as low as $28,800

From today's reporting in The Verge:

[M]oderators were placed into a high-stakes environment that demanded near-perfect accuracy in navigating Facebook's ever-changing content policies, while being subjected to imagery that could sometimes begin to haunt their dreams within weeks. Several moderators told The Verge that they had been diagnosed with PTSD after working for Facebook. Later in the year, Cognizant announced that it would leave the content moderation business and shut down its sites earlier this year. Under the terms of the settlement, every moderator will receive $1,000 that can be spent however they like. But the companies intend for the money to be spent partly on medical treatment, covering the costs associated with seeking a diagnosis related to any mental health issues the moderator may be suffering. The amount of money a moderator will receive beyond the initial $1,000 will depend on their diagnosis. Anyone who is diagnosed with a mental health condition is eligible for an additional $1,500, and people who receive multiple concurrent diagnoses  PTSD and depression, for example  could be eligible for up to $6,000. In addition to payment for treatment, moderators with a qualifying diagnosis will be eligible to submit evidence of other injuries they suffered for their time at Facebook and could receive up to $50,000 in damages.

Facebook said in a statement on the settlement, "We are grateful to the people who do this important work to make Facebook a safe environment for everyone. We're committed to providing them additional support through this settlement and in the future."

Read more:

Facebook will pay $52 million in settlement with moderators who developed PTSD on the job

Observations from reporters and editors and observers, below, from Twitter.

Thank you to the moderators in Phoenix who first described life in these facilities to me last year: https://t.co/quieXGjcdH And thank you to the moderators in Tampa who broke their NDAs to tell the full story to the world.https://t.co/J8qYQSn7xz  Casey Newton (@CaseyNewton) May 12, 2020

this is incredible impact from @CaseyNewton, @AdrianChen, and others that have reported to bring the world horror stories of the people who moderate your favorite social platforms https://t.co/k2x1Oe9SsV  Ryan Mac  (@RMac18) May 12, 2020

The power of journalism, right here. Big kudos to @CaseyNewton. https://t.co/VkPyeb6Ske  Karen Wickre  (@kvox) May 12, 2020

What price for on the job PTSD? $52 million  drop in the ocean amount considering what they made last quarter alone. https://t.co/ca7wFfz8VU  Paul Armstrong (@paul__armstrong) May 12, 2020

Sadly, this important ruling will only apply to Americans who were employed by Accenture, Genpact etc, and not the hundreds of Indian contractors who also suffered the same mental trauma.https://t.co/sxQBisA6Ns  Anuj Srivas (@AnujSrivas) May 13, 2020

Thank you @CaseyNewton for breaking this and keeping it high profile enough to make a big difference! https://t.co/ElHTWNIvjP  Anne M. (@akmercog) May 12, 2020

If anything gives me pause about using Facebook at all, it's the thought of underpaid consultants sacrificing their eyes and brains so that the rest of us can share dumb memes without being confronted with images of rape, murder, and suicide.https://t.co/PV5WL3UUGD  Alleluia SDG (@DecentFilms) May 12, 2020

Will be interesting to see if Facebook will follow this with settlements in the cases taken against it in Ireland. | Facebook will pay $52 million in settlement with moderators who developed PTSD on the job https://t.co/SUyBJYja7u  Joe Leogue (@JoeLeogue) May 12, 2020

.@Facebook content moderators are being paid $1K for developing major mental health issues because of their work. How much does Zuckerberg make each quarter?!? GTFOH with calling this historic. It's insulting to the over 11K people harmed. #WokeAF https://t.co/ipaI59eglq  Danielle Moodie (@DeeTwoCents) May 12, 2020

This very much speaks to the human cost and harms of the FTC's failure to depose Facebook leadership and regulate its harmful business model. https://t.co/69rvgSFkwH https://t.co/s2wOOevF4P  Jason #StayHome Kint (@jason_kint) May 12, 2020

[via techmeme.com]
A website that allows users to preview a venue and check its suitability for a visit before they travel has been developing its presence in County Derry.

See Around Britain has built up a large gallery of photographs from venues across Britain, Ireland and Europe and is covering County Derry with the help of local volunteers.

Chloe Taylor, who lives in Dungiven, is one of those who has been helping the service to improve accessibility to venues locally.

It allows people, especially those with an impairment, who might be worried about going out to go and view a place or go to a beach, or a library or museum, she told the County Derry Post.

It gives them the descriptions and accessibility descriptions which is important in this day and age. It helps people that I know to go and get out of the house, and be more included.

I help with the social media side of things, producing content and bringing it to a wider audience.

I also help with venue descriptions for the website and take pictures of areas where I live and where Im from.

Originally from the West Midlands in England, Chloe has visited many places across the UK and Ireland, but things have slowed a little with the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said: Visiting places has become more difficult because you cant really go too far with the requirements of the lockdown, but I am someone who takes a lot of pictures anyway.

I have a lot saved from areas that I can use up and you can find the information quite easily, so its not a huge problem.

See Around Britain was formed in 2016 by Marg McNiel, who has taken over 500,000 photos to help others with what to expect when they travel to a new venue.

Marg suffers from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a neurological disease that affects all body systems and something he describes as feeling constantly jetlagged.

The organisation is always on the lookout for more volunteers to increase their coverage of venues.

We have tried to do a comprehensive listing of Derry, not just the tourist sites, he said.

We urgently need online volunteers that can sign up via our website. We think this will particularly help people during the current lockdown as they can use their talents or skills.

I aim to give skeleton coverage for more people to add to. It can include everyday things like pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, libraries, post offices and other shops.

Seeing is believing. It will help older people, people with impairments, or anyone really to know what to expect.

Much of the Margs early surveys were conducted from one of his three Morris Minor vans, which he admits are not in the best condition at the minute.

The last one had to be taken off the road in 2006 because its chassis could no longer be patched to get it through an MOT, he said.

There was nowhere to garage them undercover. The plan, as soon as we get them undercover, is to cut out the rust and replace it with steel panels where necessary.

We want to convert them to electric motors because our present base is only rented and we plan to get a permanent base on a rural farm.

The vans will be used to ferry archives from the organisations current base when they source a new venue, but as with many projects, funding is proving to be an issue.

He said: We launched the website and its apps, which are free to download, in 2016 and weve been building on it ever since. Each month it costs about 2,000.

Its hard getting revenue funding. You can get some through crowdfunding, but unless youre like Captain Tom, its very hard. You have to have a high profile.

Its very hard to get private sponsors, particularly because with the virus, most of the economy will be in deep recession. Weve been trying to contact the actor Michael Sheen to help raise our profile.

Unless you provide something to help economic and social regeneration and we can play a vital role.

If people could see the worth of what we are doing, we could get a lot more volunteers and eventually, financial support.

Were trying to link up with an initiative in the Republic called Age Friendly Ireland. It was started by the former Chief Executive of Cavan County Council.

The Irish government has given funding for the Age Friendly Ireland offices in every county council as well as access and tourism officers.

We are trying to work with them to get a track record so we can go to the Ireland and Northern Ireland governments.

Volunteer Chloe also feels that the organisation could benefit so many if it received the right financial backing.

Disability also impacts on mental health and I definitely feel that government funding should be helping people to help others, she said.

There is such a stigma surrounding disability and mental health, even now, and there shouldnt be. Without See Around Britain, inclusivity for people would be reduced.

It helps improve the quality of their lives and help them realise that they can go to places with family and it helps them feel more included.

If you would like to become a volunteer for See Around Britain, or learn more about what they do, visit their website.
Cole Valley, Inner Sunset, Upper Haight

Photos: Camden Avery/Hoodline

After two years of standing vacant, the former McDonald's restaurant that stood at the Haight Street entrance to Golden Gate Park for five decades was finally demolished last month.

Currently paved and painted as a parking lot, the plot of land is ultimately destined to become a 100% affordable housing development that serves the surrounding neighborhoods.

But with that project still years away, it's still up in the air as to what it might be used for in the meantime.

Maximilian Barnes, a spokesperson for the Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development  the agency responsible for coordinating the development  said that the timeline for getting the affordable housing project underway remains the same despite COVID-19: "about two years."

The development process will include selecting an architect, coming up with a design, undergoing community review and feedback, and ultimately securing approval from the Planning Department.

Barnes said that the project's co-developers, the Chinatown Community Development Center and the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, will be selecting an architect in the next few weeks.

Photo: Camden Avery/Hoodline

During that two-year wait, the site is still being considered for an interim use  a saga that's been unfolding since 2018.

That's when the city requested proposals for making temporary use of the site, and got two major ones: an Off the Grid-run food truck park, and a center for homeless and at-risk youth overseen by the Coalition for Complete Community (CCC)  a group originally launched by neighbors to help steer development standards for the site.

But the city put the brakes on both proposals last summer, saying that it couldn't make the decision until after voters weighed in on Proposition A, a $600 million affordable housing bond that ultimately passed in November.

Its argument was that the additional funding would speed up the timeline for development from five to two years  a sea change to applicants' financial plans for using the site in the meantime.

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Earlier this year, the city restarted the interim use application process, and the CCC recommenced work on its proposal for a mixed community recreation and at-risk youth services site, said CCC steering committee co-chair Tes Welborn. (Off The Grid declined to comment on its continued interest in the site.)

But now, Barnes said that interim use applications have once again been put on pause by COVID-19, as the city scrambles to determine what additional emergency measures need to be implemented.

"MOHCD is holding on any final decisions at city-owned sites under its jurisdiction until the full scope of COVID-19 related needs have been identified and executed," Barnes said.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the city is considering making 730 Stanyan a safe sleeping site for unhoused campers, allowing them to socially distance their tents and have access to bathroom facilities, meals and service providers.

The city is now allowing homeless people to shelter in tents, but living conditions in dense encampments are a risk. | Photo: Jessica Park/Hoodline

The CCC has already written a letter in support of using either the McDonald's site or nearby Kezar Pavilion as a safe sleeping site, Welborn said.

"Since the Mayor refuses to house more than a handful of homeless citizens," Welborn said, "it is better to use this site to somewhat more safely support unhoused neighbors for the short term."

The CCC's letter of support for a safe sleeping site largely dovetails with the plan proposed by District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston. It calls for a camp of socially distanced tents with on-site sanitation services, basic medical support and meals. Enrollment would be entirely voluntary.

The CCC's recommendation is that the site be administered by the Homeless Youth Alliance (HYA) and neighborhood volunteers, and that it dissolve operations after the city's shelter-in-place order is lifted.

But with that order currently set to lift in two and a half weeks, on May 31, it's unclear whether the safe sleeping site would be able to get up and running in time.

We'll continue to follow the path for that project, and for the eventual interim use and development of the McDonald's site after the shelter-in-place ends.
Saudi Arabias efforts to boost both non-oil and private-sector growth, while moving swiftly to introduce measures aimed at mitigating the impact of Covid-19, are analysed in a new report by the global research and advisory firm Oxford Business Group (OBG).

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 explores the latest initiatives ushered in under Vision 2030, the Kingdoms long-term development plan, which are leading its bid to diversify the economy and increase opportunities for investment.

OBG provides detailed coverage of developments under way in Saudi Arabias industrial sector, which is poised for a major investment boost, as part of broader plans to drive non-oil growth and create new employment opportunities. Topical issues examined include the steps taken against this backdrop to enhance training and education, while sharpening the focus on transferring skills from the private sector. OBG also considers the role that industrial clusters are expected to play in supporting the development of strategic segments, in line with broader sectoral expansion.

With energy retaining its position as the backbone of the Saudi economy, the report maps out the new projects and acquisitions that will be key to ensuring sustainability in a challenging climate of falling oil prices and slowing global growth in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other areas of the economy analysed include the ICT industry, which is spearheading the Kingdoms digital transformation, supported by 5G and other innovative technologies.

In addition, OBG charts the growth witnessed in the countrys transport sector, buoyed by a raft of road, rail and port infrastructure projects which are helping to strengthen both international connectivity and urban mobility.

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 contains a viewpoint by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, together with a detailed sector-by-sector guide for investors.

It also features a wide range of interviews with other high-profile personalities, including: Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Culture; Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Madinah Province; Bandar Alkhorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources; Fahd Al Rasheed, President, Royal Commission for Riyadh City; Ahmed Alkholifey, Governor, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority; and Anas Alfaris, President, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

Commenting ahead of the launch, Oliver Cornock, OBGs Editor-in-Chief, said that while the Covid-19 pandemic had weighed heavily on parts of the Saudi economy, growth figures for the non-oil segment in 2019 remained a positive indicator for the Kingdoms longer-term plans.

The sharp decline in oil prices and the virus-related lockdown will inevitably lead to significant downward revisions in domestic growth forecasts for 2020, he said. However, previous promising gains in the non-oil sector, which expanded by 3.3% in 2019, are expected to support the Kingdom as it focuses on meeting the targets laid out in Vision 2030.

Jana Treeck, the Groups Managing Director for the Middle East, added that e-commerce was one area of the economy benefiting from the stringent preventative measures introduced to help contain the spread of Covid-19.

ICT has a pivotal role to play in driving the Kingdoms Vision 2030 forward, as outlined in our report, and this includes boosting the proportion of payments made online, Treeck said. We expect the adoption of digital payments to accelerate in the current climate of social distancing, paving the way for new growth opportunities.

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 marks the culmination of more than 12 months of field research by a team of analysts from Oxford Business Group. The publication assesses trends and developments across the economy, including those in macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and others.

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 has been produced with HSBC, SABB, KPMG and Khoshaim & Associates. It is available online and in print.--TradeArabia News Service
Just as Americans were getting used to the idea of "murder hornets" in the U.S., officials are warning that an invasive lizard that can grow to up to 4 feet long has established itself in two Georgia counties.

The Argentine black and white tegus, which are not native to the U.S., were first spotted in Florida  but now, officials believe the lizards have established themselves in Toombs and Tattnall counties in Georgia, John Jensen of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Conservation section said in a YouTube video.

Jensen explained that wildlife officials are working to remove the lizards, because they could have a negative impact on native species. "They eat just about anything they want, plant and animal matter. And one of their favorite foods are eggs from ground nesting animals, such as gopher tortoises, our protected state reptile," he said. Tegus also eat eggs from birds like turkey and quail, Jensen said, and could potentially take over the homes of burrowing animals, like gopher tortoises.

Argentine black and white tegus

The invasive species has infiltrated the U.S. as escaped or released pets. They are "voracious predators that have been found consuming a variety of native wildlife in the longer-established Florida populations," according to the Orianne Society. The Orianne Society

Jensen encouraged locals to report any tegu sightings online, to help officials' efforts in tracking and removing them. "If you're able to safely and humanely dispatch of the animal, we encourage that and we want that information, too," Jensen said.

The lizards are generally black and white and can get up to four and a half feet long, leading many to believe they are baby alligators, Jensen said. He also said anyone who has kept a tegu as a pet and no longer wants it should turn it in to a reptile adoption group. "Releasing it into the wild is the absolute worst thing to do, it will affect our native species and we can't have that," he said.

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The Orianne Society, which is dedicated to the conservation of reptiles and amphibians, also put out a warning about the invasive lizards. "Established from escaped or released pets, these large lizards are voracious predators that have been found consuming a variety of native wildlife in the longer-established Florida populations," the Orianne Society wrote on Facebook.

After appearing in Georgia for three years, the society said it believes tegus are able to survive the state's cold winters, meaning their population has the potential to spread rapidly. "It is critical to remove invasive species early in the invasion process to have the best chance of success," the society said. "All sightings should be immediately reported to Georgia DNR."

Tegus are not the only invasive species of recent concern. So called "murder hornets" have made their way to the U.S. for the first time, researchers said. The Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, has been known to kill up to 50 people a year in Japan, according to The New York Times, and has the potential to devastate U.S. bee populations, which have already been declining.

Two of the wasps  the world's largest hornet species  were discovered late last year in Washington state, and scientists have since been trying to track the invasive insects to eradicate them.

Broadway star Nick Cordero has woken from coma, wife says

Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on the power of human connection in a crisis

Man donates iPads to elderly residents who can't see family in person
(UPDATE: The man has been located: Missing Tecumseh man found being treated in Wayne County medical facility)

PITTSFIELD CHARTER TWP., MI - Thomas Limperis of Tecumseh left the Pittsfield Township Costco in his maroon Lexus Monday morning.

The 89-year-old Tecumseh mans friends and family have not seen him since.

The Tecumseh Police Department confirmed these details in a missing person report from Wednesday afternoon, May 13, said Chief Brett Coker. The department received a call about Limperis absence around 11 p.m. May 11, Coker said.

Limperis told a friend Monday morning that he was going shopping in the Ann Arbor area before visiting another friend in Saline, police said. He was last seen on surveillance footage at Costco, 771 Airport Blvd., police said.

The white-haired-and-bearded man appeared alone in the store before exiting at 9:26 a.m., police said. He drove away at 9:33 a.m. in a 2018 Lexus NX2 with Michigan license plate DCK6904, going east on Airport Boulevard, police said.

Limperis is a 5-foot, 10-inch white man weighing 158 pounds and has hazel eyes, police said.

Anyone with information can contact the Tecumseh Police Department at 517-423-7494.

Read more from The Ann Arbor News:

Armed man hops over counter, robs Happys Pizza in Ypsilanti Township, police say

Man brandishes gun, robs Ypsilanti Township gas station with accomplice, police say

Livingston County Prosecutor defies Gov. Whitmers executive orders on legal, not partisan grounds
Oil fell despite the first U.S. stockpile decline since January.

Futures in New York were down 1.4% after the Energy Information Administration said crude inventories fell by 745,000 barrels indicating that producers recently shutting in production hasn't been enough to lift the market. The agency reported the lowest crude input by U.S. refineries since 2008 suggesting that demand recovery will take more time.

"There still is downside risk in the near term due to the demand side as the normalization of the economy could well be quite choppy and uneven throughout America," Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at Toronto Dominion Bank, said.

The EIA also reported that supplies at key U.S. storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, fell by 3 million barrels last week. The discount on crude for June delivery relative to July, a structure known as contango, is at its tightest since March, suggesting that concerns around brimming storage capacity are easing.

The extent of crude's rebound have been mixed. Saudi Arabia and Russia said in a joint statement they see signs of a recovery in oil demand. However, OPEC cut its demand forecast for crude in the second quarter by about 15%, in a report published on Wednesday. In Europe, Germany aims to fully reopen its borders by the middle of June, but China is sealing off cities in a province that borders North Korea amid a growing cluster of cases.

While a fresh wave of virus cases would threaten a fragile recovery, there are some bright spots emerging in the physical oil market. Chinese refiners have bought Brazil's Lula crude at a premium to the global Brent benchmark versus a discount of about $6 a barrel a few weeks ago, while Russia's Urals crude hit a nine-month high on Tuesday.

"The tug-of-war between OPEC-led cuts and virus anxieties will limit upside price potential," said PVM Oil Associates analyst Stephen Brennock.
Russia's Investigative Committee has rejected the recommendation of the Prosecutor-General's Office to reduce the charges against three sisters accused of killing their father in Moscow.

Lawyers Aleksei Liptser and Aleksei Parshin said on May 13 that investigators had refused to change the charge from premeditated murder to self-defense in the high-profile case that fueled debate on the issue of domestic violence in the country.

Prosecutors wanted the case reclassified as self-defense, which many in the country saw as a sign that the criminal case against Maria, Angelina, and Krestina Khachaturyan would be closed.

The three sisters, all of whom were teenagers at the time, stabbed their father to death in a Moscow suburb in July 2018 after enduring what they said was constant humiliation and sexual abuse.

The girls confessed to using a knife and hammer to kill their 57-year-old father, Mikhail Khachaturyan.

The Investigative Committee said in December 2019 that it had completed an investigation into the killing and was recommending charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the two older sisters, Krestina and Angelina, who were aged 18 and 19 at the time.

The statement said the two were of sound mind and aware of their actions when the killing occurred, but it also pointed to the long-term "physical and mental suffering" inflicted on them by their father as a mitigating circumstance.

They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charges.

Investigators recommended that the third sister, Maria, who was 17 at the time of her father's killing, should enter mandatory psychiatric care.

The case has received broad coverage in the media in Russia and abroad and has triggered a debate on domestic abuse following the 2017 introduction of a law decriminalizing most forms of battery.

Some 350,000 people have signed a petition demanding the sisters' release, while women's rights activists inside and outside of Russia have rallied in their support.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The Conroe Police Department is moving its annual police memorial from an outdoor public setting to an online format this week as large gatherings continue being discouraged in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

Held every year since 1984, the Police Memorial Ceremony honors late Conroe Police Sgt. Ed Holcomb Jr. and other officers who have died in the line of duty. Holcomb fell victim to gunfire while answering a domestic disturbance call in September 1982.
[Read our 2020 presidential election electoral college explainer.]

WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court seemed ready on Wednesday to allow states to require members of the Electoral College to cast their votes for the presidential candidates they had pledged to support.

In two arguments concerning faithless electors from the states of Washington and Colorado, several of the justices focused on the practical consequences of their ruling or, as Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh put it, the avoid-chaos principle of judging.

If its a close call or a tiebreaker, he said, we should not facilitate or create chaos.

The arguments explored the original understanding of the framers of the Constitution, historical practice and contemporary expectations. Most of the justices seemed to conclude that there was no clear answer and that states should have leeway to vindicate voters expectations that electors will vote for the presidential candidates who won at the polls.

In most states, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said, the electors are not even listed on the ballots.
: With two more corona related deaths, the toll has risen to 33 in Karnataka, where 34 new positive cases were confirmed, taking the total number of infections to 959, the government said on Monday, as it tried to ensure that hospitals, nursing homes and clinics provide treatment for non COVID patients.

"The Health Minister held an important meeting with representatives of the Indian Medical Association and various other related associations following grievances that hospitals, nursing homes and clinics were not providing treatment to non-COVID patients.

Following the meeting they decided to open from tomorrow and go ahead with treating patients," Minister S Suresh Kumar, who is spokesperson for COVID-19 in Karnataka, told reporters.

The Health Minister, during the meeting, also tried to resolve various issues raised by these associations, he said.

"As of 5:00 PM of May 13, cumulatively 959 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state. It includes 33 deaths and 451 discharges," the department said in its bulletin.

Out of the 474 active cases, 464 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while 10 are in Intensive Care Units.

Eighteen patients who recovered were discharged on Wednesday.

The two deceased include a 60-year-old man from a containment zone in Kalaburagi and a 58-year-old woman from Dakshina Kannada.

The man was brought dead on May 11 to a designated hospital in the district, where he tested positive for COVID- 19



The woman was suffering from Tuberculosis Meningitis with Disseminated Tuberculosis.

She was earlier admitted to a private hospital on April 28 and shifted to the ICU at a designated hospital on confirming to be COVID-19 positive.

The patient died today.

The 34 new cases include 12 from Bidar, eight from Kalaburagi, four from Hassan, two each from Uttara Kannada, Davangere, Bengaluru urban and Vijayapura, and one each from Ballari and Dakshina Kannada.

Among the new cases, 12 are from a containment zone in Bidar, 10 are contacts of patients already tested positive and seven have a travel history to Maharashtra.

The others include one each from a containment zone in Kalaburagi, a travel history to Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, travel history to London, history of SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Illness), while another person's contact is being traced.

Contact tracing has been initiated and is in progress for all the cases, the department said.

Interestingly, among the cases was a nurse from Bengaluru urban and the other, a person who returned from London a couple of days ago.

Responding to a question about the protective gear given to nurses, Minister Kumar said there is no need to have any doubts about the quality of PPE provided and there is no compromise on it.

"We are tracing how she got infected," he said.

From across the state, the most number of infections have been reported in Bengaluru urban with 184, followed by Belagavi with 113 and Mysuru, 88.

Out of the total of 451 patients discharged so far, the maximum of 95 are from Bengaluru urban, 84 from Mysuru and 44 from Kalaburagi.

A total of 1,21,178 samples have been tested so far, out of which 4,645 were tested on Wednesday alone, the health department said in its bulletin.

It said, so far 1,19,420 samples reported as negative, of which 4,574 reported negative on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare has issued the corrigendum on Standard Operating Procedure for International Passengers/Domestic Travelers Quarantine.

It provides relaxation to certain categories of passengers like pregnant women, children below 10 years, senior citizens above 80 years and terminally ill from institutional quarantine.

"These categories of people will remain in home quarantine. Once they come they will be tested and those found asymptomatic will be stamped and sent home," the Minister said detailing about the corrigendum.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New York Times bestselling author and Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson will be releasing his new book Jesus Politics: How to Win Back the Soul of America on August 4 via Thomas Nelson Books. The book exposes the destructive nature of American politics and calls on Christians to actively participate in advancing the Kingdom of heaven on earth.

We live in an ever-dividing country, a country in which identity politics, creeping socialist policies, and the vast partisan divide threaten the very fabric of America. After decades of political decay and of losing sight of our first principles, the American people are suffering from runaway debt, increased rates of depression, broken families, moral decay, and more. In Jesus Politics, Phil Robertson provides an alternate path: a radical call for Christians to use their freedoms to advance the agenda of the King and win back the soul of America.

Exploring the problems facing our country and how Jesus would respond to each, Robertson offers a manifesto, showing us how to do good by King Jesus, bringing the kingdom of heaven to our homes, neighborhoods, churches, communities, and country. Jesus Politics charges readers to use their time, talents, resources, influence, and votes to protect and advance the policies of King Jesus. Together, Robertson declares that we can win back the soul of America, becoming a nation that proclaims, "In the King we trust."

Phil Robertson is a professional hunter who invented his own duck call and founded the successful Duck Commander Company. He also starred in the popular television series on A&E, Duck Dynasty, and is now the host of the new subscription television series In the Woods with Phil on CRTV.com. He is a New York Times bestselling author of The Theft of America's Soul, Happy, Happy, Happy, and UnPHILtered. He and his wife, Kay, live in West Monroe, Louisiana. Together, they have four grown sons and daughters-in-law, sixteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Tags : Phil Robertson phil robertson new book Duck Dynasty Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson to Release "Jesus Politics"
In March, UK GDP fell by 5.8% compared to February, the largest monthly contraction since records began. (Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

UK economic output declined by 2% in the first three months of 2020, its fastest quarterly contraction since the 2008 financial crisis, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The quarter-on-quarter contraction in gross domestic product (GDP), which was slightly better than the 2.5% analysts had forecast, demonstrates the first direct effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

In March, when the UK-wide lockdown was first implemented, GDP fell by 5.8% compared to February, the largest monthly contraction since 1997, when such records began.

With the arrival of the pandemic nearly every aspect of the economy was hit in March, dragging growth to a record monthly fall, said Jonathan Athow, the deputy national statistician for economic statistics.

Services and construction saw record declines on the month with education, car sales and restaurants all falling substantially, he said.

READ MORE: Just 10% of promised government-backed coronavirus loans reach businesses

While the declines seen over the first quarter are stark, the full force of the economic impact of the pandemic is not expected to be seen until the second quarter.

Nonetheless, the ONS pointed to widespread falls across the vast majority of industries during the period.

Services output fell by 1.9% in the quarter, the largest quarterly decline since records began. The food and beverage sub-sector fell by 7.3%, while that of accommodation declined by 14.6%, reflecting the closures of bars, restaurants, and hotels.

Travel agents saw a 23.6% fall-off in output in the quarter, reflecting widespread travel restrictions.

Declines in the manufacturing sector saw production output fall by 2.1% in the quarter. Construction output fell by 2.6%.

Output from wholesale and retail trade fell by 3.0% in the period, reflecting the impact of early social distancing and the country-wide restrictions.

READ MORE: UK furlough scheme extended to October with part-time work allowed

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This mornings UK data may not have been as bad as predicted but it cant disguise the fact that worse is yet to come, said Michael Hewson, the chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK.

Household consumption fell by just 1.7%, which was better than expected. We can probably put this better than expected consumption number down to some of the panic buying we saw at the end of March, said Hewson.

The new data also comes after the Bank of England last week warned that the country was on the precipice of its worst recession in over 300 years.

While the bank decided not to issue its traditional forecasts, the bank predicted that the countrys GDP could shrink by 30% in the first half of 2020, the sharpest decline since the Great Frost of 1709.

It said, however, that the decline in economic growth should be temporary and that activity would pick up relatively rapidly.

If social distancing measures and government support schemes remain in place until early June before being gradually unwound by the end of the third quarter, the bank predicted that output could drop by 14% overall in 2020, before rebounding by 15% in 2021.

READ MORE: Coronavirus could create 105bn debt black hole for smaller UK firms

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday that the government would extend its wage subsidy scheme until the end of October.

Staff will continue to receive pay subsidies at 80% of average pay up to 2,500 a month, though firms will be allowed to reintroduce furloughed workers on a part-time basis from July.
State health officials on Wednesday announced 192 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, a record high for one day. The additional fatalities bring Illinois death toll to 3,792. Officials also reported 1,677 new known cases, bringing the statewide number of known cases to 84,698.

Officials said earlier this week that additional data shows that the state may not begin descending from its peak in the pandemic until mid-June, when previous models anticipated the peak would hit the state between late April and mid-May.

The higher case counts are linked to a higher rate of testing. There were 17,668 COVID-19 tests conducted over the past day, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said Wednesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that Chicagos lakefront will remain closed, but several industries are on track to expand their services or reopen when the city reaches the next phase of its reopening plan. Its unclear when the citys lakefront might reopen.

Heres what happened May 13 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

7:18 p.m.: Chicagos legendary Tamale Guy is shut down during pandemic, but community rallies to support him

For almost two decades, Claudio Velez, aka the Tamale Guy, sold tamales out of a red cooler to appreciative late-night customers in North Side bars. But when bars shut down in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Velez, like so many others, found himself without a source of income and shifted his business model to home delivery.

With the help of others, he began taking pre-orders and sold hundreds of tamales, including at two curbside pick-up events organized by the West Loop Community Garden.

But Chicago officials say he was operating without a food license and shut down his tamale operation earlier this month, prompting an outpouring of support from the community, and raising questions about inconsistent enforcement of street vendor regulations. Read more here.  Laura Rodriguez Presa and Elvia Malagon

7:09 p.m.: Downstate legislator cites 2001 letter from then-AG Jim Ryan in amended lawsuit challenging Pritzkers stay-at-home order

Republican state Rep. Darren Bailey has filed an amended lawsuit in a downstate court challenging Gov. J.B. Pritzkers stay-at-home order, contending that a 2001 Illinois Attorney General document contradicts the states position on why the order could be extended beyond the initial 30 days.

The 2001 letter from then-Attorney General Jim Ryan to the state Emergency Management Agency director appears to respond to questions about foot and mouth disease and whether the governor could exercise emergency powers in excess of 30 days after the declaration of a disaster.

According to the letter, which is among the documents filed with Baileys lawsuit, Ryan wrote that he would comment informally upon the questions you have raised.

The act clearly authorizes the governor to exercise emergency powers for up to 30 days, Ryan wrote in the 2001 letter cited in the lawsuit. A construction of its provisions to allow the governor to extend the 30-day period would render the limitation clause meaningless. A more reasonable construction, taking into consideration the other provisions of the act, is that the governor would be required to seek legislative approval for the exercise of extraordinary measures extending beyond 30 days.

Bailey, of Xenia, is arguing that Pritzker has exceeded his authority by issuing disaster proclamations which fail to meet the definition of a disaster under the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, and that the act does not give the governor the authority to restrict the movement or activities or business closures.

Bailey filed an initial lawsuit last month, and a downstate judge in Clay County issued a temporary restraining order exempting him from the stay-at-home order. That ruling applied only to Bailey. Pritzker has forcefully defended his stay-at-home order, and has said his actions to date are within the powers given to the governor by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.

In defending that initial lawsuit, the Illinois Attorney Generals Office countered that it relies on an erroneous reading of the act and ignores the governors independent authority under the Illinois Constitution.

Bailey later asked an appeals court to withdraw the order so he could refile his lawsuit with new information. Read more here.  Jamie Munks

6:50 p.m.: OK Go has a new song/video 'All Together Now in response to COVID-19

Former Chicago band OK Go has released a new song and video, titled All Together Now, thats a response to the coronavirus pandemic and lead sing Damian Kulashs own frightening experience with COVID-19. The band, which can be known for its elaborate videos with Rube Goldberg machines or some other unexpected device as much as its songs, first posted the song and video late Tuesday. In a phone interview from his California home -- the band decamped to Los Angeles some years back -- band leader Damian Kulash said All Together Now wasnt the bands usual work but the reaction has been positive. I was pleased to see just how much it was emotionally resonating with people, he said.

Both Kulash and his wife Kristin and children caught coronavirus early in the pandemic and his wifes symptoms were severe. (All have since recovered.) He said he was moved to write the song after she got better, and was also influenced by an essay historian Rebecca Solnit wrote for the Guardian.

The song doesnt so much reflect what the world is now, he said, as the possibilities the current moment might afford. Theres gratitude for healthcare workers in there too, specifically the 8 p.m. applause Angelenos share with residents of other big cities, including Chicago. The vertigo of normal life has been knocked out by this thing, Kulash said. Thats what I want to share. The feeling is why I feel teary when I go out to the balcony and I hear people cheering. Read more here. Doug George

6:45 p.m.: Kendall County sheriff wont bust gatherings, businesses for not following governors COVID-19 orders

The Kendall County sheriff announced Wednesday that his deputies will not fine or arrest people for gathering in large groups nor will they target small businesses that violate the governors orders regarding social distancing.

Sheriff Dwight Baird said he has received many inquires in recent weeks regarding the enforcement of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers executive orders regarding COVID-19 and businesses that are classified as non-essential.

Kendall County was recently linked to Cook County in the states northeast region under the governors five-phase reopening plan. Baird said he hopes Pritzker will reconsider the decision and move Kendall County into another region more fitting to the community we are.

Baird said since the benchmarks were released, calls have increased from residents asking about enforcement at church services, weddings, parties or graduation celebrations. Deputies will not fine or arrest anyone for solely violating the governors orders, Baird said in a statement.

I was elected and took an oath as your sheriff to enforce the laws and protect your constitutional rights, Baird said. The governors executive order is not a law. Read more here. Megan Jones

6:29 p.m.: UChicago Medicine expands curbside COVID-19 testing to Orland Park

University of Chicago Medicine has expanded curbside COVID-19 testing to its Orland Park outpatient center for people exhibiting symptoms of the virus.

U of C has been doing drive-up testing at its main hospital in Chicago as well as at its Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey.

Testing at the Center for Advanced Care, 14290 S. LaGrange Road, Orland Park, was launched Tuesday, according to U of C Medicine.

Tests are available by appointment at the Orland Park and Harvey locations to those 18 and older. People seeking testing will be screened and will be considered for testing if they have symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing and body aches, according to U of C Medicine. Read more here.  Mike Nolan

6:23 p.m.: Rush hospital system latest to make cuts amid COVID-19 financial struggles

The Rush University System for Health plans to not give raises this year and is asking executives to take pay cuts after suffering financial losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many Chicago-area hospitals have been making cuts in recent weeks after losing money because of canceled elective surgeries, fewer non-COVID-19 patients and the costs of handling the pandemic.

Rush had an operating loss of $43.1 million in March, according to a Rush memo obtained by the Tribune that was sent to employees this week. The system includes Rush University Medical Center, Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora. Read more here.  Lisa Schencker

5:46 p.m.: Illinois Tollway collections down $52 million in April due to pandemic

The Illinois Tollway brought in $52 million less in tolls during April than projected, due to the coronavirus pandemics impact on travel.

Officials said toll collections were about 42% under projections for the month. In the first four months of the year, the agency brought in about $73 million less than projected.

However, the loss has not resulted in any halts in construction or layoffs at the agency, officials said.

Were continuing the important work we have going, said Tollway executive director Jose Alvarez. He noted May numbers are looking better.

Whats important to us is that weve been able to keep folks working and keep on track with our 2020 capital plan," Alvarez said. Read more here.Mary Wisniewski

5:17 p.m.: Does Lightfoot want to add a fifth star to Chicagos iconic flag? Shes floated the possibility twice in a week.

Twice in the past week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot has raised the possibility of Chicago possibly adding a fifth red star to its iconic flag marking the citys COVID-19 pandemic response.

Its led many to wonder: Is she for real?

While unveiling her five-phase plan for reopening the citylast Friday, Lightfoot said, I want nothing less than for our efforts over the coming months to truly warrant a fifth star on our flag.

She made the same point on Wednesday before the Economic Club of Chicago. While announcing that the lakefront will remain closed, but several industries are on track to expand services or reopen when the city reaches the next phase of her reopening plan.

Much of the social media response to the idea has been lighthearted. One Twitter user opined that a fifth star should honor the 90s Chicago Bulls, or else there should be a riot. Another joked: The fifth star will commemorate Lightfoot memes. Read more here.  Gregory Pratt

5:12 p.m.: Wisconsin stay-at-home order struck down by state Supreme Court

Conservative justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Democratic Gov. Tony Evers months-long stay-at-home order in a ruling released Wednesday.

The decision sided with the Republican leaders of the state legislature who argued the governors administration had overstepped its legal authority in extending Evers safer-at-home order until May 26.

As part of the ruling, the justices granted an one-week stay to give Evers and lawmakers time to agree on new public health rules to replace the stay-at-home order.

In the suit, GOP lawmakers contended that Evers and Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm could not continue to extend stay-at-home orders indefinitely without seeking approval from the state legislature.

Attorneys for Evers contended that the governor and the states top health official acted under clear emergency powers allowed for under state law.

After the justices heard arguments in the case during an online video conference last week, they ruled against the governor, a decision that effectively places any COVID-19 public health restrictions in the purview of a rule-making legislative committee controlled by Republicans, which would hold veto power over orders issued by Evers. Bill Ruthhart

5:11 p.m.: Students launch petition drives to have graduation ceremonies later rather than never

High school and college seniors at several schools in the Chicago area have started online petitions seeking to have graduation ceremonies held after more coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted.

While many schools are turning to various forms of virtual commencement events to honor their graduating seniors, others are also making tentative plans for in-person ceremonies later in the summer, if public health guidelines will allow them.

Fighting the coronavirus should be everyones top priority and matters like these seem inconsequential at a time like this, but this is an idea I am proposing, one student wrote: Postpone the traditional graduation ceremony instead of having a virtual ceremony." Read more here. Karen Ann Cullotta

5:07 p.m.: Midlothian officials say COVID-19 home for children violates zoning laws

A south suburban healthcare agency said it is housing a handful of children whove either been exposed to or tested positive for the coronavirus at a facility it owns in Midlothian, while officials in that suburb contend that violates village zoning rules.

Aunt Marthas Health and Wellness filed suit Tuesday alleging Midlothian violated federal fair housing laws. The lawsuit said it is operating the quarantine facility in a single-family home previously used to provide transitional housing for homeless young adults.

In the lawsuit, Aunt Marthas officials said the agency received a license late last month from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to operate the center, meant to house children up to the age of 18 who are under DCFS care and have either been exposed to COVID-19 or have tested positive for the virus and cant remain in foster care.

Midlothian approved a building permit sought by Aunt Marthas to modify the home, including installing a negative pressure ventilation system to control the spread of airborne pathogens, according to the lawsuit.

Nick Valadez, an attorney for the village, said Wednesday that Aunt Marthas needs a special use permit, which would require a public hearing, before the home could be used for COVID-19 youths, or anyone, under the age of 18.

He wouldnt say directly whether the village might seek a temporary restraining order, but that it will avail itself of all possible remedies under the law.

At the end of the day the village has a responsibility to its residents as well as to the clients of Aunt Marthas, which he described as a well-intentioned, benevolent organization. Read more here. Mike Nolan

4:47 p.m.: Pritzker apologizes for his comments on MLB players holding out for more money

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday walked back his comments about Major League Baseball players from the day before, apologizing for leaving the impression that baseball players shouldnt have the right to collectively bargain with team owners over starting the season.

Before taking questions during his daily coronavirus press briefing, Pritzker returned to the subject of MLBs proposed plan to start a shortened season in early July.

I want to address something that I said yesterday, regarding baseball and baseball players, Pritzker said. I want to apologize for leaving the impression that baseball players shouldnt have the right to bargain, to protect their health and safety. I absolutely support that right. I should have made that more clear.

During Tuesdays briefing, Pritzker said he was disappointed in baseball players for holding out for more money than the MLB proposal, which calls for a 50-50 split of revenues between owners and players.

The players union hasnt accepted or rejected the proposal, which it didnt receive from owners until Tuesday. Read more here. Chicago Tribune staff

3:49 p.m.: Federal judge spikes 2 Chicago-area churches legal challenge to Pritzkers stay-at-home order

A federal judge on Wednesday denied a bid by two local churches to hold services despite Gov. J.B. Pritzkers coronavirus stay-at-home order, blasting the request for a preliminary injunction as both ill-founded and selfish.

The lawsuit filed Thursday by the Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church on Chicagos Northwest Side and Logos Baptist Ministries in Niles sought a temporary restraining order allowing services to continue without threat of criminal sanctions by state and local officials.

Leaders for both churches vowed to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines.

In ruling against the churches, however, Gettleman said a restraining order would risk the lives of congregants...their family members, friends, co-workers and other members of their communities with whom they come in contact.

Gettleman noted that the COVID-19 is a particular danger to spread in a church setting, regardless of how careful congregants try to be. Read more here. Jason Meisner

2:35 p.m.: Illinois sees highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours

There was a new record high number of daily COVID-19 related deaths reported Wednesday, 192, bringing the statewide death toll to 3,792.

Officials also reported 1,677 new known cases Wednesday, bringing the total number of known cases to 84,698 since the pandemic began.

There were 17,668 COVID-19 tests conducted over the past day, said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.

The statewide seven-day rolling positivity rate among those tested was 17% as of Wednesday, according to the Department of Public Health.

With Edwards County now reporting a positive case of COVID-19, 99 of Illinois 102 counties have seen known positive cases. Jamie Munks

2:03 p.m.: Nursing home industry, consumer advocates seek more state action to help fight COVID-19

Two months into the pandemic, complaints are rising from the nursing home industry, consumer advocates and local officials over whether state regulators are doing all they can to limit deadly outbreaks in Illinois 1,200-plus long-term care facilities. The homes are tied to more than 1,500 coronavirus-related deaths of residents and workers  accounting for nearly half the deaths statewide.

Industry trade groups asked the Pritzker administration weeks ago to create a comprehensive plan the industry said was long overdue. The coalition of trade groups has pushed the state for more testing and transparency, assistance with protective gear and staffing, and a more centralized approach to managing the crisis.

We need more help. We need more coordination from the Department of Public Health. Theres no question about that. And weve been begging for it from the beginning, said Pat Comstock, who runs one of the groups, the Health Care Council of Illinois.

Others say deeper state oversight and intervention is especially important in an industry they say struggled to provide adequate care even before the pandemic.

The state needs to step up and treat this as the emergency that it is, and its not, said AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo.

State officials say they have long had a comprehensive plan in place to help facilities follow care directives. They said they cant shoulder all the responsibility of caring for residents in whats largely a privately run, taxpayer-subsidized industry. Read more here. Joe Mahr

1:50 p.m.: Chicagos lakefront will remain closed, but here are the industries that Mayor Lori Lightfoot says are on track to expand or reopen during next phase

Chicagos lakefront will remain closed, but several industries are on track to expand their services or reopen when the city reaches the next phase of its reopening plan, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Wednesday.

But in a virtual speech to the Economic Club of Chicago, Lightfoot warned that the next six to 12 months are likely to include managing new outbreaks, as has happened in Georgia, South Korea, and Singapore, and said progress will continue to be slow.

She also warned that the publics continued adherence to stay-at-home social distancing rules will be key to making progress.

Reopening will be like slowly turning on a dimmer, not flipping a light switch, Lightfoot said.

The industries that are currently on track to reopen include those that are essential to providing basic needs and fighting the COVID-19 crisis, including grocery stores, emergency healthcare services, public transportation, and social services, Lightfoot said.

The second are industries with built-in social distancing and where protective gear is part of usual operations, including non-emergency but important medical procedures, Lightfoot said.

It also includes construction and manufacturing previously halted, which will resume with health protocols in place, Lightfoot said.

In the next phase, Lightfoot said she wants to reopen child and adult-care services, with a focus on essential workers.

This includes industries such as child-care, which will resume operations with a focus on essential workers.

The city also will expect to reopen parks and library programming with strict health protocols, Lightfoot said.

Chicago is working to determine how best to reopen restaurants, retail, and salons  things that, Lightfoot said, make us feel human."

Lightfoots announcements mark the latest guidelines shes provided for potentially reopening the city. Read more here. Gregory Pratt

12:20 p.m.: Cook County Board to vote on waiving 1.5% interest fee on late property tax payments through October 1

Cook County officials plan to waive late penalties on property taxes due in the summer for two months, potentially easing the strain on homeowners and commercial property owners battered financially by the coronavirus pandemic.

The 1.5% interest rate on late property tax payments would normally be charged each month starting Aug. 3, when the second installment of 2019 bills is due. The proposal would halt the interest fees until Oct. 1, and any payments made by then would be considered on time.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, commissioners and other county officials crafted the proposal after over a month of discussion and are expected to vote on it during their May 21 Board of Commissioners meeting. The county treasurers office expects about $7 billion in property taxes during this second round.

These are incredibly difficult times for our residents and this measure creates much-needed breathing room for Cook County property owners, Preckwinkle said in a Wednesday statement. Read more here. Alice Yin

11:30 a.m.: Illinois lawmakers set to return to Springfield next week

Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield next week for the first time since early March with a range of modifications in place aimed at preventing the spread of the new coronavirus, according to special session plan documents.

House Speaker Michael Madigan wrote in a letter to House Republican Leader Jim Durkin he will ask House Democrats to sign a pledge committing to a series of precautions approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

We are all looking forward to a return to some semblance of normalcy  and certainly, as legislators, we are particularly interested in resuming normal operation of the House  but we must also recognize that these are not normal times, Madigan wrote. Read more here. Jamie Munks

11:12 a.m.: The social-distancing police are among us. Would you call out a neighbor for unsafe practices? Or call 911?

Here come the Social Distancing Police.

They dont carry badges, they dont wear uniforms. They are not actual police officers, and no one is going to formally deputize them. But they are watchful, and alarmed, mostly disgusted and, though its hard to see at times, idealistic. Even well-meaning. They dont like what they see, and they hate what they must do but  YOU! Your shopping cart! Its TOO close! SIX FEET! Some shout, some gesture and expect you to get the point. Some call actual police, phone an aldermen, even email their park district.

Many others, they head for Facebook, Twitter, the neighborhood app Nextdoor, where they register horror  a lack of consideration they just witnessed by a fellow Chicagoan. They wonder why everyone is suddenly a jogger. They report coffee houses for a lack of masks. They call 311 to report 12 people sitting a little too close on the grass in a park.

They are you, they are us.

And I wish they were me, I wish I had it in me to call police or post an angry Facebook tirade about the kids playing basketball next door who dont belong to the same family. I wish I could release the hounds. But I hesitate. The social distance police hesitate, too. I know this because Ive been talking to them. Ultimately, they act. They will report you.

Shame, they understand, is powerful. Read more here. Christopher Borrelli

10:41 a.m.: Little Company of Mary hospital was up against it when the coronavirus hit. Then central Illinois nurses came to the rescue.

Shelby Voyles and her firefighter fiance, Jake Mohr, often talked about what would happen if another Sept. 11 attack occurred.

Without children or other pressing family responsibilities, the couple decided that he should go wherever he could help most while she would stay back in central Illinois to take care of the farm. They never planned for the possibility that Voyles, a registered nurse with experience in providing critical care, would be the one volunteering to go to the front lines.

Eight weeks ago, Voyles raised her hand to work the overnight shift in the intensive care unit at OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center, a 298-bed hospital serving a portion of southern Cook County hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 outbreak.

As she moves about her duties in the ICU, Voyles wears a surgical cap with firetrucks printed all over it. Its intended to honor her fiance, but it just as easily could represent her willingness to run toward danger while others seek safer ground. Read more here. Stacy St. Clair

10:35 a.m.: It was set to be a record year: Great Lakes cruise operators buckle up for a rough season in wake of the pandemic

May typically marks the start of the season for cruise vacations on the Great Lakes, a burgeoning segment of the market that was shaping up to have a banner year in 2020.

Until the pandemic turned the tourism industry on its head, buzz had been building about Great Lakes cruises  and so had business.

The magazine Travel + Leisure dubbed the Great Lakes one of the worlds top 50 spots to visit this year, crediting much of the kudos to the regions growing cruise offerings. The number of port calls was expected to be way up in 2020, with 11 ships making an estimated 950 stops at dozens of docks from Chicago to Montreal. Thats compared with nine ships and 520 port calls in 2019, according to the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition.

Now, its all come to a screeching halt, said Stephen Burnett, executive director of the Canada-based coalition that promotes passenger cruises. Its safe to say at least half the Great Lakes cruising season is a wash at this point. Read more here. Lori Rackl

10:15 a.m.: Report: Structural racism  from segregated housing to limited job opportunities  responsible for high rate of COVID-19 deaths among African Americans

Long-established elements of structural racism, from substandard housing to mass incarceration to limited job opportunities, are responsible for the disproportionate toll COVID-19 is taking on African Americans in Chicago and elsewhere, a new paper from the Chicago Urban League argues. Read more here. John Keilman

9:30 a.m.: Grocery prices see biggest monthly increase in nearly 50 years

The coronavirus pandemic has folks paying more to stock up at the grocery store and eat at home.

Grocery prices saw their biggest monthly increase in nearly 50 years last month, according to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs increased the most among food groups, rising 4.3%. A separate index for eggs alone increased 16.1%.

The index for cereals and bakery products also rose 2.9% in April, its largest monthly increase ever.

All six major grocery store food groups increased at least 1.5% month-to-month, the Labor Department said. Read more here. The Morning Call

9:29 a.m.: Can you get a marriage license in Cook County during the coronavirus pandemic? Well, that depends.

Imagine planning your dream Chicago wedding only to have the ceremony postponed due to the novel coronavirus. And imagine all of the hoops you would need to jump through to even get a marriage license during the pandemic.

Fae Rose, of Evanston, had always planned to marry her high school sweetheart on the anniversary of the beginning of their relationship, May 3. The recent graduate of Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, said she wanted her wedding to take place in Evanston. But when it came to applying for a marriage license, the Cook County Clerks Office wasnt issuing them, so Rose ended up having a livestreamed wedding on Facebook, officiated by her grandmother in Kenosha.

At the time, the office said they thought theyd have an online process up and running within a couple of weeks, says Rose. I tried calling back a few weeks later but couldnt reach them at first. ... Out of desperation, I left messages to our congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky. One of her aides called me back and said, were sorry, and it doesnt look like were going to have anything in place in Illinois at all. She said she talked to a couple of other people in desperate situations who need spousal privileges.

Luckily, the clerks office for Kenosha County, Wisconsin, was still open. Rose said she had considered this a last resort.

But the situation was urgent for Rose and her partner for health reasons. Rose is at a higher risk for the coronavirus because she has multiple sclerosis, and they wanted to be able to make medical decisions for each other in case of serious illness. Read more here. Hannah Herrera Greenspan

9:22 a.m.: Fed chief warns coronavirus recession could be lengthy, painful

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday of the threat of a prolonged recession resulting from the viral outbreak and urged Congress and the White House to act further to prevent long-lasting economic damage.

The Fed and Congress have taken far-reaching steps to try to counter what is likely to be a severe downturn resulting from the widespread shutdown of the U.S. economy. But Powell cautioned that widespread bankruptcies among small businesses and extended unemployment for many people remain a serious risk.

We ought to do what we can to avoid these outcomes, Powell said.

Additional rescue aid from government spending or tax policies, though costly, would be worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery, he said. Read more here. Associated Press

9:10 a.m.: Chicago bracing for Mexican beer shortage as coronavirus industry shutdown persists

Chicago beer drinkers could see a shortage of popular imported Mexican brands as soon as next week due to an ongoing shutdown of Mexicos beer industry.

Most immediately at risk are the brands owned by Heineken USA, including Dos Equis Tecate and Bohemia.

Should the shutdown persist, beers owned by Constellation Brands  which include Modelo Especial, Corona and Pacifico  may also be in shorter supply by summer.

When Mexican beer production was paused in early April due to that countrys government not declaring brewing an essential industry  as it has been deemed in the U.S.  observers predicted it would be resolved quickly or wouldnt translate into empty store shelves.

However, the shutdown has endured. The Mexican government has said brewing can begin next week only in the places where COVID-19 has been curbed.

While Heineken has paused brewing in Mexico, Constellation has said it continues to brew for the U.S. market at a reduced capacity. However, how much beer Constellation is making and importing to the U.S. remains unclear. Read more here. Josh Noel

8:50 a.m.: Coronavirus pandemic scams: Heres how to avoid falling for them

Never have we been so attractive as targets for fraudsters and scammers as we are right now.

Thats because the uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic has created more opportunities for robocallers, hackers and other thieves.

For one thing, millions of people are filing new claims for unemployment benefits and awaiting stimulus checks. So when a phone call or an email from someone purporting to be a bank or a government official comes in, it is tougher for us to ignore.

Plus with so many people being required to work from home, our personal tech devices have become an attractive target for those looking to infiltrate businesses. Read more here. The New York Times

8:02 a.m.: Longtime Naperville couple die within a month of each other, both victims of COVID-19 complications

Diane and Dalis Ramonas were active members of the Naperville community  she helped foster a relationship between the Naperville Womans Club and Loaves & Fishes Community Services and he was an avid skier and ski instructor who shared his passion with his two children.

They built a family life in Naperville, and witnessed the citys growth from a small town to a bustling municipality.

After a marriage of 35 years, they died within a month of each other  both victims of complications related to COVID-19. Read more here. Erin Hegarty and Suzanne Baker

7:01 a.m.: Streets and San to restart regular street cleaning in Chicago next week

After only street sweeping around parked cars for six weeks, Chicagos Department of Streets and Sanitation was scheduled to start posting no-parking notices and following its regular street cleaning routes Monday, according to notices posted by aldermen and news reports.

Streets and San announced March 31 that it wasnt planning to post no-parking signs for street sweeping during the states stay-at-home order.

Officials would not be posting or ticketing and there will not be scheduled cleanings, although there would be street cleaning in all wards, the department said at the time in an update on services under the lockdown.

In notices posted by aldermen Tuesday, officials said Streets and San would officially start regular street sweeping Monday, following the calendar the department set before the stay-at-home order.

Signs will be hung on streets to be swept prior to sweeping, however at this time there will be no enforcement or citations issued related to street sweeping, according to the office of Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd.

The Sun-Times reported aldermen had been asking the city to start posting signs and following the regular cleaning schedule, without ticketing. Chicago Tribune staff

6 a.m: Black Chicago churchgoers join one-quarter of Americans who say their faiths grown stronger during the COVID-19 pandemic

A recent Pew Research study found that 1 in 4 Americans said the coronavirus pandemic has deepened their faith. Only 2% said the pandemic has weakened their faith. The study also found the trend of strengthened faith was more pronounced among black American adults. Forty-one percent of black adults said their faith is stronger, compared with 20% of white adults and 30% of Hispanic adults.

And 56% of people who attend historically black churches say their faith has intensified during the pandemic, higher than any other group.

Nichole Phillips, director of Black Church Studies at Emory Universitys Candler School of Theology, said the trend of stronger faith among black Americans is linked to the role the black church historically has played in the African American community.

The surge in faith comes as the virus infects and kills black Americans at a disproportionately higher rate. Even as the gap has shrunk in the past few weeks, in Chicago, African Americans account for nearly more than a third of those who have tested positive and more than half of coronavirus-related fatalities, despite being less than a third of the citys residents. Latinos make up a little less than half for 40% of infections and about a quarter of COVID-19-related deaths. Read more here. Javonte Anderson

May 12

Here are five things that happened Tuesday that you need to know:

May 11
Around 1,200 people from Tripura who were stranded in Bengaluru due to the lockdown returned to the state on Wednesday in the first Shramik Special Train.

The state government set up 12 swab collection centres at Agartala Railway station where the train terminated.Authorities also deployed 10 screening teams at the station.

No passenger was found with any symptoms. All of them will have to undergo home quarantine, Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath told mediapersons at the Civil Secretariat.

The second special train is scheduled to leave from Karnataka on May 15.

Earlier Nath said that out of total 8,634 Tripura people, stranded in West Bengal, only 164 people were given vehicle passes by the government. Of the 164 people, 141 have already left for Tripura.

Though all the state governments are cooperating with us, we are not getting that cooperation from the West Bengal government in bringing our stranded people, he said.

As many as 39,799 stranded people have registered themselves with the Covid-19 control room helpline of Tripura. Among those who registered are 12,900 from Karnataka, 8,771 from Tamil Nadu, 2,720 from Maharashtra, 1,132 from Telengana and 5,503 from Assam.
Almost two million government-approved antibody tests imported into Australia and sold to GPs, hospitals and aged care clinics are so inaccurate they should not be used to diagnose COVID-19.

Testing at the Doherty Institute this week has found the tests, designed to tell if a person has already been infected by and recovered from coronavirus, are about as accurate at picking up COVID-19 antibodies as flipping a coin.

Medicision founders Dr Joshua Chou and associate professor Steven Bernardi demonstrate a rapid antibody test which can detect the COVID-19 antibody within 10 minutes. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Tuesday that the federal government has received official advice that the 1 million antibody tests it purchased are not fit for purpose. The government has repeatedly refused to say how much it paid for the tests, or who they were purchased from.

The government also tried to purchase 500,000 tests manufactured by Chinese company Wondfo  the same company that supplied tests to the UK government which are now embroiled in scandal.
If all goes to plan in September 2022, a NASA spacecraft, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, could create a man-made meteor shower.

The purpose is to nudge the orbit of its same item--a practice run to see if astronauts could divert an asteroid from a catastrophic impact with our planet in the destination.

According to The Planetary Science Journal, observing the man-made shower may allow scientists on Earth to examine the composition of near-Earth asteroids. The cloud of debris could also mark a small irony for a space mission to help protect planet Earth.

If this small shower of space rocks reaches the planet, it will create a minuscule amount of peril for orbiting satellites. The researchers said anticipating the spacecraft's operations generate a template for future missions.

ALSO READ: Meteor Shower: 'Lyrid' Could Send Fireballs Through The Sky This April; Here Are Tips For Perfect Viewing

NASA to release DART spacecraft in 2021

NASA plans to release the 1,100-pound DART spacecraft in 2021. DART intends to travel with a couple of near-Earth asteroids called Didymos. If the project succeeds, it might help verify that humanity's best defense to a rogue asteroid bumping to another orbit.

Meanwhile, Didymos' next close pass is scheduled for Oct. 4, 2022, at a distance of 6.6 million miles. That is a few days after DART is expected to impact on Sept. 30, making observations from Earth easier.

The impact is expected to produce around 22,000 and 220,000 kilos of centimeter-sized debris. "There's a fair amount of material that will be ejected," said Paul Wiegert, the paper's author and an astronomy professor at the University of Western Ontario.

Most of the wreckage has to be ejected at much less than 2,000 miles per hour. The impact will also follow the orbit of the asteroid, without hitting Earth for the next few years. If some of the debris reaches more than 13,000 miles per hour, it will make the relatively short leap to Earth in as little as 15-30 days.

The expected number of material that might reach Earth is modest. Dr. Wiegert estimates perhaps some grams, resulting in only "a few to ten" meteors seen on the sky over a few days. That might be sufficient to learn more about the composition of the asteroid as the meteors disintegrate.

Will it harm Earth?

The prospect that any of this debris will damage Earth-orbiting satellites is "negligible." Tom Statler, the system scientist for DART at NASA, told The New York Times the team's very own analysis shows there is "no significant debris hazard."

However, Dr. Wiegert and other astronomers advocate that the mission is going to set a critical precedent.

Aaron Boley, a planetary astronomer at the University of British Columbia, notes this would be the first time human activities on an asteroid ejects particles that reach Earth.

"Space is big, but what we do in space can affect us," he told NY Times.

Future human activities in space, consisting of near-Earth asteroid mining and similarly planetary defense testing, should shed more material that arrives in Earth's orbit. That way, the DART project is probably an opportunity to remember how human activities in deep areas have an effect on existence on and around Earth.

ALSO READ: Guide to Photographing Meteors: Here's How to Shoot the 2020 Quadrantids Meteor Shower

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Photo credit: Kensington Palace

From Town & Country

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, members of the royal family have been making video calls and sending messages of support to frontline workers and charities. And today, they have joined forces to pay tribute to nurses on International Nurses Day, releasing a touching video featuring multiple family members.

The Queen led the tributes with a phone call to Professor Kathleen McCourt, President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. This is rather an important day, the Queen said, describing the fact that nurses have had a very important part to play recently.

Prince Charles also provided a message for the video thanking nurses across the world alongside the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Anne, the Countess of Wessex and Princess Alexandra.

Kate and Sophie joined forces making video calls to nurses in seven Commonwealth countries. "Their Royal Highnesses dialled into a call with nurses in Queensland, Australia who provide culturally appropriate services to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and spoke to nurses at the Aberdeen Womens Centre in Sierra Leone and LV Prasad Eye Institute in India  both of which The Countess of Wessex has previously visited," a statement from Kensington Palace said.

It also noted how the royal duo "spoke with the Apollo Hospital in India, HIV and maternal health nurses in Malawi, mental health nurses in the Bahamas, Army nurses in Cyprus, and paediatric nurses from the UKs Evelina London Childrens Hospital and Community Services, of which The Duchess of Cambridge is Patron."

Photo credit: Kensington Palace

The Duchess of Cornwall recorded messages of support for nurses from the Royal Naval Medical Service and Roald Dahls Marvellous Children Charity; Prince William talked to nurses at The Royal Marsden; Princess Anne video called Tanzania to speak with the Programme Manager of a medical ship that provides facilities for those with little or no access to medical care; and Princess Alexandra spoke with the head of the Naval Nursing Service.



Story continues

Kate has also written a letter to Nursing Now thanking the campaign, of which she is patron, for what they are doing to raise the status and profile of nurses and support them at this difficult time.

This international crisis has brought into sharp focus how much the global community relies on nurses and all healthcare professionals and it is clear that we will need to continue to champion the nursing profession long after the pandemic has ended, the Duchess wrote. I am here to support you in the future.

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During the hearing, Shea also grappled with the implication of the 30-day waiting period for compassionate releases, the other path for moving inmates away from coronavirus in the federal system. He said he felt bound by the requirement, and had declined to release some inmates for that reason. But the government had disclosed the day before that since the pandemic, 241 Danbury inmates had applied for compassionate release  and none had yet been approved.
Drones are deployed during a demonstration at the Los Angeles Fire Department ahead of DJI's AirWorks conference in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 23, 2019. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

House GOP Lawmakers Open Inquiry Into Law Enforcement Use of Chinese Drones

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee opened an inquiry into the use of Chinese drones by U.S. state and local law enforcement, according to letters obtained by The Epoch Times.

A group of 14 lawmakers penned a pair of letters to the departments of Justice (pdf) and Homeland Security (pdf) on May 13 requesting information on the use of drones manufactured by Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), a Chinese company that accounts for almost 80 percent of the drones sold in the United States.

In recent weeks, some lawmakers raised alarms over the news of DJI loaning 100 drones to local law enforcement entities to assist in enforcing social distancing rules amid the pandemic of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

A number of federal agencies have already banned or warned against the use of DJI drones, over suspicion that the devices may send critical infrastructure and law enforcement data to the Chinese communist regime. As of March, nearly 1,100 state and local agencies had at least one DJI drone in their fleets, according to a study by Bard College, accounting for roughly 90 percent of all the drones in use by state and local authorities.

Although federal law enforcement agencies have warned of potential information security concerns with DJI drones, it is not clear whether state and local law enforcement agencies are fully aware of these issues, the letters from the GOP lawmakers state.

The committees Democratic chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

The lawmakers asked the Justice Department to provide a list of law enforcement agencies that have received funds to purchase DJI drones since Jan. 1, 2017. The letter also inquires about what policies and procedures are in place for such purchases and whether any restrictions and exemptions apply. The committee members goal is to learn whether concerns about DJI drones have come up in the Department of Justices (DOJ) working group on unmanned aerial systems.

The lawmakers also inquired whether the DOJ is monitoring the DJI pandemic drone loan program. DJI, the worlds largest consumer drone manufacturer, sent 100 of its drones to police, fire, and public safety organizations in 22 states. DJIs consumer devices send flight logs, video, and audio to its servers by default, and a person operating them must navigate a series of options to turn off the data collection.

The deputy chief of police in Elizabeth, New Jersey, told The Epoch Times that the department is still using a pair of Mavic 2 drones loaned by DJI.

The Police Department is aware of alleged data breaches and appropriate precautions are in place, Giacomo Sacca, the deputy chief, said in a statement.

The U.S. Army, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Interior (DOI) have taken all steps to warn against or outright ban the use of DJIs drones. Meanwhile, a recent investigative report by Bloomberg claims that DJI worked directly with the communist regime on questionable projects.

The Army appears to have used the devices at least until August 2017, when the drones were banned due to increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities associated with DJI products. At the time, DJI drones were the most widely used off-the-shelf unmanned aerial device by the Army.

The Homeland Security Investigations office in Los Angeles warned in a bulletin (pdf) last year that critical infrastructure and law enforcement entities using DJI systems are collecting sensitive intelligence that the Chinese government could use to conduct physical or cyber attacks against the United States and its population.

The Department of Homeland Security released a similar notice in May 2019, warning that U.S. officials have strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access, Reuters reported.

The DOI formally grounded its drone fleet early this year, except for emergency missions. While the departments notice didnt single out DJI drones, a spokesman told The Wall Street Journal three months earlier that the grounding was in response to national security concerns around Chinese-made drones.

Prior to the grounding, the DOI had cleared DJIs government edition drones in 2019 after an extensive study.

An official familiar with the grounding of the DOI fleet told The Epoch Times that Interior Secretary David Bernhardt grounded the fleet after receiving classified briefings on security concerns related to our drone fleet.

Currently, we are working hand-in-hand with experts in the executive branch to coordinate a thorough assessment of certain DOI drones and scanning for any potential national security threats, the official said.

In addition to the concerns voiced by federal agencies, DJIs servers were successfully accessed by cybersecurity bounty hunters in late 2017. One hunter documented (pdf) accessing DJI data collected from the U.S. military, copies of passports and drivers licenses, and other sensitive information.

After reportedly starting DJI from his dorm room, the companys founder, Frank Wang, led the firm to global dominance of the consumer drone market. DJI now holds 70 percent of the market, according to a company estimate.

Large companies in China cant exist independently of the CCP, which has legal, or virtually unconstrained access, to any company resource. DJIs privacy policy about this point is particularly vague, stating that the company can share user data to comply with applicable laws.

DJI has previously said the claims that it routinely shares data with authorities in China are false. That statement notably avoids addressing whether DJI has shared data with Chinese authorities on a non-routine basis.

From the start of the COVID-19 crisis, DJI has helped local public safety officials keep their communities safe at a distance, a company spokesman said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times.

This means equipping local police and fire departments with DJI technology so they can assist in social distancing efforts and get supplies where they are needed without exposing first responders unnecessarily. With more front-line workers testing positive for COVID-19, our focus is giving our public safety professionals every tool possible to fight the virus and protect citizens. That is our goal.

False claims that our drones spy on people or send data to China actually risk interfering with public safety efforts to protect people and communities.

DJI publicly stated in a since-removed press release in 2017 that its cooperating with the public security bureau of Xinjiang, which is known for persecuting Uyghur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners.

DJIs capabilities related to the detection and tracing of drones are startling. The company currently markets a system called AeroScope, which is able to identify the vast majority of popular drones on the market today by monitoring and analyzing their electronic signals to gain critical information.

According to Bloomberg, Wang had created a system similar to AeroScope for the communist regime in China. The system reportedly allows authorities to trace any drone to its owners cellphone.

DJI didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment on the Bloomberg report.
OTTAWA, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As of today, there are about 71,157 cases of COVID-19 positively confirmed in Canada, and almost one third of these cases are reported to be from nursing homes. More than half are male adults over 60 years of age. Ontario and Quebec are host to majority of COVID-19 cases.



Senior citizens in eastern Canada particularly in Ontario province have been dealing with a lot of unfortunate situations during the Coronavirus pandemic which has impacted their health downwards and ultimately towards death.

There is no vaccine available for COVID-19 in Canada, but authorities are researching a cure in a form of vaccine.

According to Meladul Haq Ahmadzai, CEO of Taleam Systems and Global Health researcher, says, If we dont have a vaccine within a month, it may take a year to fully develop a vaccine for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, senior homes in Canada may become empty sooner and no person may want to live in it, according to Ahmadzai. He says, The situation of the senior people in retirement homes is questionable because over the years we have heard about the assaults on various seniors and now they are facing pressure from health officials during the pandemic.

Ahmadzai who has studied the health issue adds, Senior citizens in retirement homes need to be placed with their immediate family members in order to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

The World Health Organization has also recommended new tips which includes selfcare, staying active, and eating healthy food.

Authorities in Ontario have condemned large gatherings in nursing homes, and as well they are trying to address changes to nursing duty.

Meladul Haq Ahmadzai is the CEO of Taleam Systems which provides computer support to medical clinics and hospitals in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. Learn more about Taleam Systems at www.taleamsystems.com

Media Contact:

Meladul Haq Ahmadzai

melad@taleamsystems.com

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Thunderstorms are in the forecast for Harrisburg on Friday, but a storm of another sort will hit the state Capitol at noon.

For the second time in less than a month, ReOpen PA and other groups from in and outside Pennsylvania that oppose Gov. Tom Wolfs virtual lockdown of the state over the coronavirus pandemic will rally on and around the Capitol grounds.

It is part of a nationwide phenomenon, a backlash against virus-related business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders that locally is receiving more than tacit support from elected officials, including county commissioners and law enforcement leaders, usually of a Republican bent.

An April 20 rally at the Capitol drew more than 1,000 people. Matt Bellis, founder of ReOpen PA, said Wednesday that he hopes as many as 10,000 to 15,000 people show up for Round 2.

Weve seen the power that the governor has taken on and we need to confront that power, Bellis said.

As with the April rally, participants will flock to the Capitol steps and drive around the Capitol Complex honking their horns, he said. That event drew not only home-grown protesters, but also out-of-staters and gun rights activists.

The Capitol is largely deserted because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Those expected to attend Fridays rally will be violating Wolfs prohibition against large public gatherings, a measure aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.

Bellis said speakers for the event include state Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin County, who has called for the resignation of state Health Secretary Rachel Levine. Also on tap to speak are state Rep. Russ Diamond, an Annvile Republican, Danny DeVito, a GOP candidate for the state House, and attorney Marc Scaringi, a regular columnist for PennLive and The Patriot-News.

Our message is very reasonable, Bellis said. What we want (Wolf) to do is just work with our duly elected representatives on reopening the state for business.

Although there have been calls for Wolfs impeachment, Bellis said ReOpen Pa is not officially supporting any such move.

His group, founded via social media in April, now boasts about 90,000 members on Facebook.

As of Tuesday, Pennsylvania had logged 57,991 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and at least 3,806 reported deaths from the virus.
Lansing, Mich.  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says the continuing protests at the state Capitol are making it more likely that Michiganders are going to have stay at home longer.

During an appearance on morning talk show The View Wednesday, Whitmer was asked about the protests that have taken place at the Capitol. Specifically, she was asked about President Trumps assertion that she should reopen Michigan and make a deal with legislators and if his comments fuel the fires of unrest among protesters.

I do think the fact of the matter is, these protests in a perverse way make it likelier that were going to have to stay in a stay-home posture. The whole point of (the protests) supposedly is that they dont want to be doing that and thats why Im asking that everyone with a platform call on people to do the right thing," Whitmer said.

Whitmer said the protests undermine efforts to lower the spread of the virus as those attending continuously ignore social distancing guidelines and do not wear face masks. Those people then return home and risk spreading the virus in their communities, Whitmer said.

She went on to say the protests appear to be more of political rallies that feature Confederate Flags, Nazi symbolism and calls for violence.

This is not appropriate in a global pandemic but its certainly not an exercise of Democratic principals where we have free speech, Whitmer said. This is calls to violence, this is racist and misogynistic.

When asked about fears for her safety with another protest scheduled for Thursday and increasing online threats of violence directed at her, Whitmer said she was grateful for the protection of police, but that efforts need to be made to restrict guns at the Capitol.

I would be not truthful if I said it didnt bother me. It certainly does. Im fortunate that the Michigan State Police is an incredibly talented professional organization that oversees the security of myself and my family and Im grateful for that, Whitmer said. The Michigan Capitol is one of the few capitols in the country where people can come bearing arms.

The governor says she expects more people bearing arms to be at the protest Thursday as a way to intimidate and scare people.

That is not legal activity. This is a terribly concerning development in that we have legislators who are showing up to work wearing bullet-proof vests, Whitmer said. That is disenfranchising thousands of people in our state if their legislator doesnt feel safe enough to go to work and to do what their job is.

Whitmer repeatedly said she respects the opinion and rights of those who want to dissent, but they cannot continue to threaten and intimidate others.

During her appearance, Whitmer was also asked about a recent New York Times article that shows Michiganders left their homes more frequently last week than they have in the prior six weeks. Host Meghan McCain specifically asked if harsh restrictions are leading to people defying her order.

Because weve had this uniquely tough challenge with COVID-19 it took a uniquely tough stance to be aggressive and to combat the spread, Whitmer said. And weve had a lot of success because of it. The numbers will show that what we have done is working.

Whitmer was once again asked about any aspirations to become presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Bidens nominee for Vice President and what her thoughts are on the sexual assault allegations levied against Biden by a former staffer.

Whitmer said she continues to focus on Michigan and what she needs to do to help Michigan fight the virus, but did say she would help Biden as she could every step of the way. Whitmer again threw her support behind Bidens denial of any wrongdoing.

I take this very seriously, as a survivor myself I want them to know that women are able to come forward and tell their stories and we listen to them," Whitmer said. "For a long time, women were dismissed and now were being listened to and I think that is really important.

As a lawyer I recognize that we vet and understand and ask questions that determine credibility of all parties in any type of an allegation. In looking at this, I think that the inconsistencies that Ive seen gives me the judgment that I believe Joe.

This story has been updated with additional comments from Gov. Whitmer from her appearance on The View."

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It was over in just 10 seconds, but for Gundersen Health System staff members, the memory of the Wings Over Wisconsin flyover will last forever.

At 7:06 p.m. Tuesday, a quartet of F-16s from the Wisconsin National Guard 115th Fighter Wing in Madison zoomed over Gundersens La Crosse hospital as about 30 employees applauded from the top of the parking ramp and others watched from the windows with patients.

The Wisconsin National Guard flyover, part of the national Operation American Resolve campaign to show appreciation to health care and front line workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, kicked off at 5:48 p.m. over Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital in Kenosha and continued over 20 other Level 1 and 2 trauma centers or VA hospitals, concluding the tribute with a 7:33 p.m. passover Middleton VA Medical Center in Dane County.

Gundersen, a Level 2 trauma center, and the Tomah VA medical center were the two area health care facilities that qualified for the Wisconsin flyover, and the planes also could be seen near the nearby Mayo Clinic Health System. The Navys Blue Angels and the Air Forces Thunderbirds have led flyovers in multiple states over the past weeks.

Amy Hanson of Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance was able to watch the flyover from her Holmen home, setting an alarm to make sure her husband, La Crosse County deputy Jacob Hanson, and her 2-year-old daughter could join in.

It went directly over us, Hanson says. The best part of it was I got to see it with my family...my daughter loved it.

Hanson, who says her job has been more diverse and stressful since the coronavirus hit locally, praises the community for its tremendous level of support, and says the flyover was a gesture of thanks she will always remember.

What it means to us in health care  its nice to see people looking out for us and showing they care, Hanson says. It really means a lot (Wings Over Wisconsin) came to fly over for us.

The recognition was well deserved, with Hanson and her colleagues taking every measure to ensure the safety of patients and staff during the pandemic.

Everybody has done a fantastic job, Hanson said. Everybody stepped up. Gundersen has done a great job, and Tri-State has done a fantastic job taking precautions and cleaning to protect everyone.

What it means to us in health care  its nice to see people looking out for us and showing they care. It really means a lot (Wings Over Wisconsin) came to fly over for us. Amy Hanson of Gundersen Tri-State Ambulance

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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While Germany has banned Hizbullah activities on German soil, it has not taken similar action against the Muslim Brotherhood, a much more dangerous organisation given its ideological and organisational relations with virulent Islamist terrorist groups. Why has Germany chosen to focus on the lesser danger?

The German ban, announced in late March, caused confusion. Many news outlets took it to signify that Germany had added the Lebanese Shia movement to its list of terrorist organisations. But when, on 5 May, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry summoned Georg Birgelen, Germanys ambassador to Lebanon, to demand an explanation, Birgelen said the decision did not mean the German government had designated Hizbullah as a terrorist organisation, only that it had outlawed Hizbullah activities in Germany.

Even the Lebanese government, which told Berlin Hizbullah represented a large segment of the Lebanese people in parliament, assumed the ban signified that Germany had designated Hizbullah a terrorist organisation. Much of the confusion, not just in Lebanon but in the international media, stemmed from the EUs 2913 decision to designate Hizbullahs paramilitary wing as a terrorist organisation, but not the groups political wing: many media interpreted the Germanys March decision as an extension of the 2013 designation to cover Hizbullahs political wing.

Unlike the EU decision to designate Hizbullahs paramilitary wing as a terrorist organisation, with which all EU members have complied, the decision to ban Hizbullah activities applies only to Germany. Peter Stano, spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made it clear that the EU position on Hizbullah had not changed, and the EU continues to draw a distinction between the movements political and paramilitary wings. In January this year the UK, which is no longer part of the EU, declared the whole of Hizbullah a terrorist organisation.

It appears that Berlin has left a backdoor open for dealings with Hizbullah. According to German intelligence figures, Hizbullah has around 1,050 members in Germany: that Germany opted not to follow the British example or press for an EU-wide ban on Hizbullah activities, suggests Berlin is unwilling to completely rupture lines of communications with the group.

The timing of the German ban raised several questions. Explaining the ban, Germanys Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said the pro-Iranian movement in Lebanon disputes Israels right to exist and calls for its destruction, and told the German daily Bild that the groups criminal activities and planning of attacks were taking place on German soil.

Has Germany only discovered a fact that has been known since Hizbullah was founded as an Iranian arm against Israel? Were its ears plugged in 2005 when Iranian President Ahmadinejad openly called for the destruction of Israel?

A more realistic explanation for Berlins behaviour is that it is not thinking about the past but eying its inevitable clash with Israel over the latters expected annexations of large swathes of West Bank territory, a move the EU has said it will oppose. Israel will attempt to cast Germany as the EU ringleader in the outcry against the annexation: in response Berlin will point to its Hizbullah ban as evidence that it has always defended Israels security interests. Such a strategy is unlikely to deter Israel, which has long used the Nazi campaign against Jews as a way to blackmail Berlin. One legacy of the Holocaust is that Germany feels a special responsibility towards protecting Israel, remarked Haaretz in one of its first reports on the ban.

So why has Germany not taken the same action against the Muslim Brotherhood?

In December 2018, German security officials warned of the threat the group poses to German national interests and values. Bernhard Freier, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) of North Rhine-Westphalia, said that the Islamic Community of Germany (IGD), which the BfV describes as the central organisation for Muslim Brotherhood followers in Germany, and organisations working with it, ultimately seek to establish a state based on Sharia law. He warned that in the medium term the Muslim Brotherhood posed a greater danger to Germany than either the Islamic State (IS) or Al-Qaeda.

Berlin also appears to ignore opinion polls that reflect the German publics growing alarm at Islamist extremism among Arab, and especially Syrian, refugees, some of whom have become embroiled in terrorist activities in Germany under the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood which actively recruits among refugee communities.

What lies behind Germanys actions against one terrorist organisation, Hizbullah, that threatens Israel, and its reluctance to act against another terrorist organisation, the Muslim Brotherhood, that even German officials say threatens Germany itself? Perhaps Germany does not think its relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, which have designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation, are as important as its relations with Israel.

Church bombings and attacks against government buildings in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere, and the acknowledgement by Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Egypt that the organisation coordinates with groups such as the Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis (now the IS-Sinai Province) designated by the EU terrorist organisations: one would have thought it sufficient for Germany to ban Muslim Brotherhood activity on its soil. But apparently not.

One possible explanation for the inconsistency in German behaviour is that Berlin thinks Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE need Germany more than Germany needs them. Or perhaps Germany is following the strategy it adopted during World War I, when it struck alliances with Islamist groups in the face of a common enemy, the colonial powers Britain and France. In World War I Germany allied with Ottoman ruled Turkey and its pro-Islamic connections in Egypt. Later, it allied with the mufti of Palestine, Amin Al-Husseini, whose organisation was an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Following Germanys defeat in World War II, Berlin and Turkey backed the Muslim Brothers in Egypt against the Nasserist regime, and used the group as a bulwark against communism. The campaign, steered from Washington, continued until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1992.

The world has changed a great deal since then. Germany needs to change the lenses with which it assesses and formulates its foreign policy, including relations with Islamist organisations such as the Muslim Brotherhood. Berlin has cast itself as an advocate of democratic transformation, a defender of human rights and a bulwark against terrorism. Yet it refuses to discuss the threat the Muslim Brotherhood poses to the stability of the Middle East and, via the Brotherhoods network of links with fundamentalist groups, to Western interests, and to Germany itself.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The writer is based in South India for the past 40 years. He writes on India, China, Tibet and Indo-French relations.

It is a fact that in early 2017, everyone in New Delhi thought the Sikkim border was a settled issue.

In these circumstances, it was rather surprising that Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged blows south of Naku La (pass) in northern Sikkim last week

A couple of months before the beginning of the Doklam episode in 2017, Luo Zhaohui, the Chinese ambassador in New Delhi, was invited to deliver a talk at a well-known think tank in the national capital. In the course of his speech, Luo mentioned some early harvest. When the moderator, a senior Indian diplomat, asked him what he meant by early harvest, Luo enigmatically said it was related to Sikkim. The knowledgeable audience did not really understand what he was trying to convey. It is a fact that in early 2017, everyone in New Delhi thought the Sikkim border was a settled issue.

But on June 16, the Doklam episode started; and we know what happened during the following 73 days.

The border in northern Sikkim nonetheless remained undisputed; and Hua Chunyin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, kept reminding everyone about the importance of the 1890 treaty between the Manchus and British India and asserting the northern border was settled for good.

In these circumstances, it was rather surprising that Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged blows south of Naku La (pass) in northern Sikkim last week. Defence expert Rahul Singh, writing in a national newspaper, said: Scores of Indian and Chinese soldiers were involved in a tense face-off along the India-China boundary in north Sikkim. In the scuffle several jawans were injured. The confrontation took place south of Naku La, the border pass in the sector and north of Muguthang, a place that China has tried to capture for some time.

One Army officer was quoted as saying: Four Indian soldiers and seven Chinese troops suffered injuries during the confrontation that involved around 150 soldiers. The incident is said to have later been resolved at the local commanders level.

It is true that such incidents took place previously too; one remembers that during the Doklam standoff, Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged blows in the Fingers area, north of the Pangong Lake in Ladakh. One, however, thought that these types of confrontations were a thing of the past.

Wing Commander Mandeep Singh Hooda, the spokesman of the Armys Eastern Command, oddly equated the two sides, saying: Aggressive behaviour by the two sides resulted in minor injuries to troops. It was stone-throwing and arguments that ended in a fistfight.

But can the behaviour of the Indian and Chinese troops be put at the same level? Naku La has been the accepted border pass since the beginning of the last century at least; it was previously never contested by China.

Let us look more closely at the issue.

The boundary with Tibet (now China) in northern Sikkim can be roughly divided in two parts -- the eastern part is delineated by 23 cairns that were built in 1905 by Claude White, the British political officer in Sikkim; there is no real difference of perception between India and China in this sector. The second part, the western part of Sikkims northern border, has remained peaceful as it follows the watershed and is of extremely difficult access (at least for India).

Naku La and Muguthang, a few kilometers south of the pass, are between the western and eastern parts of the boundary.

It is here that Beijing is picking a fight.

The Chinese say that a couple of kilometres south of Naku La, the Tibetans had built a wall to protect their pastures in the 19th century; a process often used in the Himalayan region. The wall was five feet high and some 800 meters in length. Now China is claiming the wall was the customary border, neglecting the watershed principle used elsewhere.

The problem for India is that access to these places is extremely difficult; Muguthang for example is still not connected by road. For several years, the Chinese have tried to realign the border; but their claims clearly violate the 1890 treaty, which they swear by, and are based on the watershed principle. However, when Beijing wants to put pressure on India, the pass is a convenient acupuncture point and if India gives up, more puncture points will be activated in Ladakh, Barahoti (Uttarakhand), Asaphila (Arunachal Pradesh) and other remote places.

While the terrain is extremely hostile on the Indian side, particularly in the western part of this sector, on the Tibetan side, Kampa Dzong (county) is on a flat plateau; it is where heavy Chinese PLA deployment is taking place.

According to the website China Defense Blog, the Chinese-made ZTQ-15 light tank is used by the 54th Heavy Armour Combined-Arms Brigade in the Tibet Military Area Command: The new light tank was unveiled to the public during the Zhuhai Air Show in China in November 2016.

Another specialised website armyrecognition.com said the Type 15 tank was designed as a lighter, mobile modern tank that can effectively operate in Chinas plateaus, forests, and water-heavy regions in which heavier tanks have difficulties traversing. The new tank is said to have arrived in Kampa Dzong; if true, this could be a game-changer.

One could ask, while the issue has been simmering for a few years, why such renewed aggressiveness now?

One of the reasons is that post-Covind-19, the PLA, which played a decisive role in controlling the pandemic, is keen to continue to have a visible role in the Middle Kingdom, even if its budget is bound to get serious cuts. To be aggressive in the South China Sea or in the Himalayas is a way to remind Beijings leaders that the PLA should not be forgotten.

Another motive is the coming meeting of the World Health Organisation. On May 22, Indias nominee is expected to be appointed chairperson of the WHOs executive board, which is responsible for executing decisions and implementing policies of the organisation. India will replace Japan, which completes its one-year-term.

The Wion website explained: It implies that the WHO director-general will have to get the chairperson -- India -- on board for all important decisions.

One can understand the stakes for China, which wants to avoid any serious enquiry into the origin of the dreaded virus.

The Naku La incident is a way to tell New Delhi: You behave, or we shall press other painful points. Australia was similarly threatened by the Chinese ambassador in Canberra: If you push for an inquiry into the Wuhan lab, we will stop buying your wine.

It is a bit gross, but it often works.

One thing is sure: Early Harvests are not for tomorrow.

The Himalayan summer that lies ahead is bound to be a hot one.
"The one positive thing that has come out of the pandemic is that people are realising how important their local community is," Mr Dee says. "We're locked down in these communities, and it's gotten people thinking about their own place within it." Local councils are also collating material, as is the Red Cross and Volunteering Australia. Hospitals The overarching message regarding hospitals and health organisations is to stay home and limit contact with others. However, many Australians understandably want to support the frontline workers who are working to ensure COVID-19 patients stay safe.

"At this challenging time, it is the generous support from the community that helps lift the spirits of our team, who are working hard to support the children and families of NSW," says Dr Mary McCaskill, the executive medical director of Sydney Children's Hospitals Network. Donations to SCH must meet guidelines, and those eager to donate food, masks and gowns, or toys should contact the hospital directly. Melbourne's Austin Hospital is currently running a donation appeal as is The Alfred and many hospitals across the country. Visit the website of your local hospital to learn more. "It's the most practical way for people to show their support for the staff at the frontline, to make a donation so [healthcare professionals] are able to do more to help our patients," says Debbie Shiell, the Austin's director of fundraising. Staff at the Austin at work. Credit:Justin McManus "I can't begin to tell you the smile that it brings to a nurse or healthcare workers face knowing that the community are out there supporting them."

Funds from such appeals have helped buy more iPads, to enable communication with family and friends and alleviate the isolation impact for ward-bound individuals, as well as more medical equipment and COVID-19 research. The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, as of May 6, stated blood donations "remain absolutely vital" and that restrictions do not prevent Australians from giving blood. To do so, book an appointment online. DON'T visit hospitals unless necessary at this time. Volunteering programs at many major hospitals have ceased for the time being. Visit the website of your local hospital to see how you can help.

Loading Healthcare workers/public servants The Adopt a Healthcare worker network is a series of Facebook groups that are providing resources and connections to healthcare workers on the frontlines of this crisis. The original page was launched on March 14 by Chris Nicholas of Perth, who wanted to support healthcare workers. Groups exist for major cities and regional areas and have extended to New Zealand and the United States. Posts include offering up spare rooms for workers, "breakroom packs" of teabags and biscuits, offers to walk pets, homemade dinners, and coffee runs.

The #SupportHealthcareHeroes hashtag is another way to show support on social media and on the Sunshine Coast, Wishlist at the Sunshine Coast Health Foundation suggests a variety of ways to support healthcare workers during the pandemic. Australians can email a message of support to the team, or write a note on Facebook or Instagram; start a fundraiser; or donate a product to patients or staff. Royal Prince Alfred Hospital recipients of meals from the Feed our Heroes initiative. From top, left to right: Matt Georgiades, Krupa Mehta, Sophie Dunkerton (and below) Elizabeth Corbett and Wilfred Cubelo. Credit:Feed Our Heroes The Feed Our Heroes initiative is raising money to buy meals from local restaurants that are then donated to healthcare workers and hospital staff in need of a feed. "[Hospital staff] really appreciate a hearty meal on a long shift, and feeling the love and support coming from their communities," says co-founder Hally Lara. "The best part of launching Feed Our Heroes has been receiving messages of thanks and photos of healthcare staff enjoying the meals."

Small businesses As restrictions begin to ease slightly, many small businesses are feeling the impact of the economic downturn. "There are plenty of businesses out there that we can support," says COSBOA's Peter Strong. His immediate advice is "obviously to use them", but encourages shoppers to be smart and not to breach safety guidelines. Drew Foster is ordering coffee daily from his local cafe in a show of support. Credit:Drew Foster "Panel beaters are still open, the tradies are still open, the landscapers are still operating; they can deliver services safely," he says. "We have local IT experts; if your computer is stuffed, look up your local IT expert."

He suggests that if you're keen to purchase things, do so online and buy goods from local small business. If you don't need anything but still wish to support small business, "you might promote them on social media". And if you're shopping in person, "support their staff". Drew Foster didn't let working from home stop him from getting his daily coffee. He's ordering coffee multiple times per week from Tall Timber in Prahran, Victoria, as a show of support until the cafe can get back on its feet. "My heart goes out to the cafes where its face to face," he says. "You cant do that anymore ... The next best thing in supporting that industry is takeaway." His go-to is a large, strong latte. "And they do a great brunch, FYI, for when they reopen." KeepYourCafe is an online resource enabling businesses to sell vouchers for use in their cafe now, or when they reopen. Here is a list of Sydney restaurants and cafes working on takeaway and store options. Here is a list of Melbourne restaurants and cafes working on takeaway and store options.

Melbourne-based accessories business Orbitkey has felt the impact of the restrictions on production and design. After co-founder Rex Kuo visited a hospital at the beginning of March, he noticed the need to create a hand-sanitiser holder  and an opportunity to utilise existing elements of the accessory design company's production line. "In the months of March and April, we had more order cancellations and refunds from stores than we had actual orders," Rex Kuo says. "Our products are innovative accessories and key organisers, and naturally when the pandemic hit, people did not have a need for key organisers, let alone [a need to] leave the house." The design process for Orbitkey's new sanitiser products, which were created in response to COVID-19 and the needs of the community. Credit:Orbitkey The 15-employee business had to move part of its manufacturing to Melbourne and is now producing hand-sanitiser holders, lanyards and retractable clips, 500 of which they will donate to essential workers in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. From May 20, the holders will be available for purchase, with 100 per cent of profits going to selected charities in each location. DON'T resort to big brand online shopping if avoidable, or abuse retail staff who are attempting to keep up with increased demand and restocking. As Mr Strong says, "we've got to keep an eye out for each other".

Older Australians Federal government advice has been that people aged 70 years and over, people aged 65 years and over with chronic medical conditions, people with compromised immune systems, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50 are demographics at a higher risk of serious illness if infected with the coronavirus. Therefore, they are also more likely to be self-isolating without access to the outside world, thus increasing the risk of loneliness and associated health outcomes. Many may not wish to travel out for groceries. Initiatives such as Community Care Northern Beaches' Stay Well, Stay Connected campaign are seeking volunteers for a variety of roles, including calling to check in on community members, assisting with the organisation of grocery pick-ups and book drop-offs, letter-writing, logistics and technology lessons. They're also looking for educators who are available to do one-on-one home-schooling with children who experience challenges with online learning.

Loading "I dont think theres a cookie-cutter or a recipe or proven rules of engagement around being kind and rolling your sleeves up," Marika Kontellis, CCNBs director of services and community development, says. "Were all at risk. We really are." Community Facebook groups are also a good resource to establish the needs of older members of the community. Regular phone check-ins and correspondence with those who are isolated is encouraged. Resources such as the Australian Government's Be Connected campaign are designed to assist older, less technologically aware Australians become competent. Talking an older family member or friend through Skype, FaceTime or email over the phone can be a great way to ensure they remain connected during this period. Older Persons Advocacy Network CEO Craig Gear says that the best ways to be involved with older Australians and those in aged care is to see where help is needed and offer assistance.

Many local councils are collecting banks of volunteers, so he encourages eager volunteers to reach out to their respective councils as well as the Red Cross. Many aged-care facilities are ready to train new volunteers to assist with facilities and logistics, as well as with teaching residents how to become more technologically savvy. Tech Savvy Seniors is a joint Telstra and government initiative to assist older people to develop the necessary skills to engage digitally. "Dont think that you cant help. The importance of even a phone call or a letter or a letterbox drop to let people know youre thinking of them or thinking of your neighbours can be really really powerful," says Mr Gear. Meals on Wheels have recently taken on 100s of volunteers and "currently have enough help in terms of delivery personnel". However, the organisation is currently taking donations at mealsonwheels.org.au. DON'T put vulnerable older Australians at risk by unnecessarily exposing them to infection; keep your distance.

Subscription services Businesses that rely on direct debiting systems, such as gyms, fitness centres and yoga or barre studios, have been hit with plummeting income as their doors close and debiting of accounts stops. Tristan Rosier, owner and head chef of Arthur's restaurant in Surry Hills. Credit:Rebecca Fanning When you have to cancel something, such as a gym membership or music lesson direct debits, consider not accepting the refund if you are in a financial situation to do so. Invest in subscriptions or memberships that you can take advantage of when we've ridden out the COVID-19 wave. Theatres, cinemas, gyms or sporting facilities, and private classes in pottery, music lessons, or cooking are all great options. Some businesses have developed subscription services to ride out the storm, such as for perishable goods, pick-me-up boxes, or dinner kits. Arthur's, a restaurant in Surry Hills in Sydney, has begun offering dinner kits to keep the business afloat.

"There was a day where we were like, I could see the writing on the wall of the way it was going to go, and I just thought we needed to get ahead of it and pivot quickly," says owner Tristan Rosier. Now, instead of doing a five-course set menu for $80 per person, the eatery is offering $45 dinner set menus for two. Options centre around comfort food, Mr Rosier says, and change daily, available for pick-up at the establishment. Sourdough and house-cultured butter, as well as cocktails for one, have also joined the menu. "When you see people ... commenting on Facebook and saying, 'I love that restaurant, why is it closing?', it's like, did you go? They can't keep the lights on if you don't go." DON'T stop supporting your local services and businesses where possible.

The financially or socially vulnerable, or those experiencing homelessness Charities continue to operate and provide essential services for disadvantaged and socially vulnerable Australians across the country. Individuals interested in contributing are encouraged to consider the regulations of each charity before donating physical items. Many are currently actively fundraising, especially to cover the unexpected costs of the pandemic. "We gratefully welcome all donations, big or small, as every dollar helps us to continue providing vital support to some of Australias most vulnerable people, such as people and families struggling to make ends meet, people who are homeless, the elderly and those experiencing poor physical or mental health," says Mission Australia CEO James Toomey. The organisation's current fundraising initiative encourages individuals to donate the cost of their normal weekly commute to the charity. Mission Australia is currently not actively seeking new volunteers and is requesting individuals do not donate physical items or food. Registered food charities, such as Foodbank Australia, are currently accepting donations. Foodbank welcomes "all donations of useful food and grocery items". If you are a cafe, restaurant, catering company or registered business, OzHarvest is accepting food donations. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Victoria is also accepting food and goods donations.

DON'T deliver physical donations without checking first; each organisation has different rules and regulations. Medical and personal protective equipment suppliers To meet demand, many businesses have pivoted production lines to ramp up the supply of products such as hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment such as face masks, medical gowns and plastic screens for grocery check-outs. Conversations regarding the needs of small businesses are best directed to the businesses themselves.

Loading A group of volunteers in Victoria are sewing reusable medical gowns and distributing them to dozens of doctors around the state. A variety of grassroots campaigns are currently seeking donations and assistance on gofundme and at the community level. Every little bit helps Across the country, Australians are stepping up to help out other members of the community. From "pandemic pen pals" to street concerts to sweeten our collective tune to community groups and restaurants handing out free food, the good is spreading.
Cebu (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Cebu police arrested a woman on Wednesday morning for allegedly offering online a 75-M bounty to anyone who will kill President Rodrigo Duterte. The arrest came two days after authorities apprehended a teacher in Zambales who made a similar reward offer for the President's slay.

Maria Catherine Ceron, 26, will be charged with inciting to sedition, according to Major Roland Tolosa, deputy chief of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas.

"This is not a joke," Tolosa told reporters. "Fair warning to all citizens to avoid such posts."

It was unclear when Ceron posted the "seditious posts" on Facebook, but Tolosa said "social media exploitation and online investigations" led to her arrest.

Ceron denied that she posted the bounty offer, saying someone hacked her account, Tolosa added. Her post and Facebook account have since been deleted but she will still face charges, the police official said.

Ceron is in the investigation groups' field unit in Mandaue City, where she will also face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

In the same week, the National Bureau of Investigation arrested a teacher in Zambales for offering a 50 million reward to kill Duterte. He will also face sedition and cybercrime charges as well as for violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.
Srinagar, May 13 : "The end is often a beginning", CRPF madadgar helpline tweeted on Wednesday, putting out the good news of reunion of Arif with his father in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Last month Arif set out to accomplish an impossible task. A distance of 2000 kilometres didn't deter 30-year-old Arif to cycle from Mumbai to meet his ailing father at Rajouri in J&K. An impossible task but Arif, working as watchman in Mumbai, was determined to do that, in the middle of a lockdown. Arif's father has suffered from a brain stroke.

But as the news spread help came from an unusual quarter -- CRPF madadagar helpline. The CRPF air-lifted his father to a hospital in Jammu and got in touch with Arif to put him on a bus for his onward journey to meet with his father in Chandigarh.

Arif's father needed advanced treatment at the PGI Chandigarh which was made possible with the help of CRPF. He has recovered and has been discharged from the hospital. Now the father and son are back home in Rajouri, thanks to the help by the CRPF.

"Arif & his father are back home in Rajouri with their family. Compliments to @crpfindia @JKZONECRPF Units & personnel who made this reunion possible in testing times," the CRPF madagar helpline tweeted.
Dr. John Foringer is getting a lot of calls from patients with chronic kidney disease.

His patients want to know if they are more likely than others to contract the coronavirus and whether they are susceptible to greater complications.

We dont know the answer yet, said Foringer, chief of medicine at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and professor of internal medicine in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at UTHealth.

There isnt yet enough data to understand specific risks or complications. But its not too soon to recommend that patients with kidney disease take extra precaution. As part of the larger group of patients with chronic medical conditions, they are simply at higher risk.

Ive been telling my patients to isolate themselves as much as they can, Foringer said. This is definitely a concern for them.

Kidney patients, including those with transplants who are taking anti-rejection or immunosuppressive medicines, should take extra precautions, according to Dr. Donald Molony, a nephrologist with Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center and professor of renal diseases and hypertension at UTHealth. He noted that individuals who are already on dialysis cannot be socially isolated if they receive regularly scheduled treatment outside of their home; if dialysis is not continued, it can jeopardize a patients health.

Its a lifesaving treatment, Molony said.

There is a growing acknowledgment that many patients would be best served by doing dialysis at home, Molony said. The problem with that is that patients who go home need to be trained. And thats another barrier.

Additionally, theres a new population of individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, who develop acute kidney injury and leave the hospital in need of continued dialysis treatment.

For each group, Molony said, medical teams are taking steps to ensure that needs are met. All of the providers are working diligently together to make sure that patients are safe, he said.

Kidney failure and COVID-19

Acute kidney injury related to COVID-19 has been mounting, leading some researchers to question whether the coronavirus specifically targets the kidneys.

At this stage, its too early to tell, said Dr. David Sheikh-Hamad, professor of medicine-nephrology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Patients with COVID-19 develop what is known as a cytokine storm, or an overproduction of cytokines, due to the inflammatory response triggered by the coronavirus, Sheikh-Hamad said. This can affect multiple organs and cause leakage in blood vessels of the lungs, resulting in what is known as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which leads to respiratory failure, Sheikh-Hamad explained.

Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome are placed on ventilators.

At this point in the disease, the patient usually has low blood pressure and needs support with medicines that raise blood pressure, Sheikh-Hamad said. As blood pressure drops, kidney failure develops and the patient needs to have dialysis.

He said that emergency dialysis can simulate normal kidney function.

Sheikh-Hamad added that with COVID-19, patients will often experience increased blood clotting. Doctors use anticoagulants to prevent the clots.

Foringer said that the reported number for acute kidney injury in COVID-19 patients ranges from 0.5 percent to 29 percent, with the largest figures coming from China and Italy. We are seeing numbers around 10 to 20 percent here in Houston, he said.

The incidence of acute kidney injuries in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome is significantly higher, at 40 to 50 percent, he said. Foringer added that 20 to 30 percent of COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome require dialysis.

Molony explained that the amount of time discharged patients will need to remain on dialysis is still unknown.

Its going to take weeks and months for the kidney to rebuild and recover, he said. It might never recover fully, but it might recover to the point that they do not need dialysis.

Still, the need for dialysis equipment will increase in Houston, as will the demand for trained nurses and technicians.

A greater need for dialysis

In other cities, dialysis units have already been in high demand and low supply. Sheikh-Hamad points to New York City as an example.

All of these cases came in at once, and the resources could not keep up, he said.

This is not the case in Houston, he continued, noting that there are fewer cases, a slower rise and a sufficient supply of available beds, ventilators and other resources.

It is not at a number that is overwhelming our system or our capacity to provide care, including dialysis, he said.

Further, the large number of dialysis treatment centers in the state, provide patients with a number of options after they leave the hospital, according to Molony. Already, dialysis nurses and technicians have been taking extra precautions to treat both existing patients and individuals who are recovering from the coronavirus. They are trying very carefully to separate populations, Molony said.

Because of the protective measures in place, Foringer has not seen a rise in hospitalization for coronavirus in dialysis patients.

In Houston, we were quick to start putting masks on patients and trying to spread the chairs out as much as we could, Foringer said. The staff in dialysis units are doing everything they can to protect the patients.

As patient numbers rise, however, staffing is a concern. We just dont have enough dialysis nurses in Houston, Foringer said.

That becomes a greater problem when a patient tests positive for coronavirus and must be treated one on one by a nurse.

It spreads our nurses even thinner, Foringer said.

Already, staff hours have extended into the night  and hospitals are recruiting nurses and technicians.

I think were going to see more kidney failure, and we need to take care of the patients, Molony said.

Testing for coronavirus is still fairly difficult, he added. As the state moves to reopen, he cautions kidney patients to continue to wear masks and stay socially distanced.

We need to remain vigilant, or we could see more people on dialysis, he said.

Elderly already on dialysis

With a number of existing dialysis patients residing in nursing homes, private companies like Dialyze Direct are trying to treat them in the facilities and reduce their chances of exposure to coronavirus.

Jonathan Paull, general counsel and chief compliance officer from Dialyze Direct, said the business is already serving several nursing homes in the Houston area.

The most at-risk population to COVID-19 are the geriatric patients in nursing homes, Paull said. They need ongoing dialysis treatment.

He said that many nursing homes have gone into lockdown to stop people from coming in or going out. For dialysis, its a significant issue, he said.

If seniors leave the nursing home for treatment, Paull explained, they have increased the risk not only to themselves but also to other residents and staff.

To meet the need, Dialyze Direct offers the service inside the nursing home with trained technicians and nurses.

Molony explained that in nursing homes, patients should still be treated on an individual basis and in a dedicated room for the treatment.

There is concern about quality issues, he said.

A lot remains to be learned about the coronavirus and treatments for the infection, Foringer explained.

In the end, when were able to crunch numbers and look at info, well know how to prepare for this infection, he said. Its going to change everything. Right now, we just want data.

Lindsay Peyton is a Houston-based freelance writer.
Dangote Cement Cameroon SA donates PPE equipment

13 May 2020

As part of its corporate social responsibility project, Dangote Cement Cameroon SA has handed over personal protection equipment (PPE) kits worth XAF100m (US$165,000) to the Cameroons Ministry of Public Health to support healthcare workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.



Speaking at the handover of the materials, Country Manager of Dangote Cement Cameroon SA, Abdullahi Baba, said, "These are important products for medical personnel. Dangote Cement is a corporate responsible company. Our concern here is the health of citizens."



Support materials handed over to the Ministry of Public Health include; 15,000 masks, 10,000 shoe covers, 3260l of chlorinated water, 120 thermo-flashes, 90,000 gloves, 100 sprayers and 1440 packages of food supplements.

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By Trend





President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin have discussed the activation of trade and economic cooperation between the countries during a phone call, Trend reports with reference to presidential executive office of Russia.

The sides agreed that contacts between the relevant ministries and departments of the two states shall be maintained.

The presidents congratulated each other on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The special significance of this common anniversary for the people of the two countries, who keep the memory of the deeds of front-line soldiers and home front workers, was noted.

Berdimuhamedov thanked Putin for the delegation of the Ministry of defense of the Russian Federation that visited Turkmenistan to attend the anniversary celebration.

The gratitude was expressed for the transfer by Russian representatives of a copy of the Victory flag and the original battle flag of the 748th rifle regiment of the 206th division of the Second Ukrainian front, in which Berdimuhamed Annayev, grandfather of the president of Turkmenistan, fought.

The parties also discussed the situation of the coronavirus pandemic.
[May 13, 2020] Melissa Offers Free Data Optimization Tools to Improve Accuracy of Voter Registration Roll

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif., May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Melissa , a leading provider of global address, name, email, phone, and identity verification solutions, today announced its data enhancement solutions are being leveraged across the country by a large number of election boards and registrars of voters to improve election integrity prior to the U.S. general election in November. The increasing popularity of vote-by-mail options, combined with the vast number of people who move to new addresses between elections, has driven greater awareness of the complexities of maintaining election integrity. Election officials are faced with improving the accuracy of voter rolls and reducing the waste and cost of undeliverable mail, as well as avoiding potential voter disenfranchisement when election materials arent received. Sophisticated data management is a priority; however, many data tools lack the comprehensive approach required to perfect voter files. In a sweeping effort to help jurisdictions tackle these issues, Melissa is offering free data optimization services that improve registered voter rolls and foster fair election processes.

While NCOA (National Change of Address) processing and participation in ERIC (Electronic Registration Information Center) can assist in rectifying some address information, these are incomplete measures to perfecting a voter roll. Melissa solutions update voter contact information and dedupe voter roll data, uniquely cross referencing data across a multitude of databases to provide real-time identity verification including name, address, phone, and email validation. With the determination of a registered voters most current address, election boards help mainain election integrity and fairness, and save taxpayers money.



Millions of people around the U.S. move each year making it especially difficult for election boards to keep their voter lists clean and up-to-date, said Bud Walker, Chief Strategy Officer, Melissa. But this responsibility has significant impact on the fairness of any election. By leveraging Melissas data quality solutions, election officers gain the intelligence to determine whether voters on their registrars are truly eligible to cast a ballot. With this knowledge well ahead of Election Day, the officer can take corrective action as necessary to ensure election security and advance voter participation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , more than 31 million Americans changed residences in 2019. Of those, 11 million moved to a different county within the state and 4 million moved out of the state entirely. Although the Voting Rights Act prohibits voting more than once in an election, address changes are not universally tracked amongst jurisdictions, leaving a voter records dilemma that inadvertently permits some 2.75 million people to register/vote in more than one state.

With concerns around change of address and other issues, more election offices rely on Melissas comprehensive data tools to ensure their voter lists are correct and current. By blending traditional and non-traditional data points, these solutions enhance verification of voter eligibility and valid registrations. This newly-enriched information gives election bodies the most accurate data possible to improve their rollsparticularly valuable as vote-by-mail options gain more widespread consideration in the midst of COVID-19. For greater insight on Melissas services optimized for election boards, support, and solutions, visit https://www.melissa.com or call 1-800-MELISSA. Accompanying infographic available here . About Melissa

Since 1985, Melissa has specialized in global intelligence solutions to help organizations unlock accurate data for a more compelling customer view. More than 10,000 clients worldwide in arenas such as retail, education, healthcare, insurance, finance, and government, rely on Melissa for full spectrum data quality and ID verification software, including data matching, validation, and enhancement services to gain critical insight and drive meaningful customer relationships. For more information or free product trials, visit www.Melissa.com or call 1-800-MELISSA (635-4772). Media contacts Greg Brown

Vice President, Global Marketing, Melissa

[email protected]

+1-800-635-4772 x1130 Jacqueline Zerbst, MPoweredPR for Melissa

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People should not book their summer trip abroad in July despite plans by airlines to resume some normal flight schedules, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said yesterday.

He put a dampener on any non-essential summer getaways and said the country was not ready to go on holidays.

Dr Holohan was questioned after Ryanair announced that it will restart 40pc of its normal flight schedule from July 1.

He replied he would not comment on Ryanair's plan, but said: "We are advising against all non-essential travel. I don't envisage the position to have changed in that time frame."

Airline travel outside Ireland involves social distancing and that presents a challenge.

Crisis

"We don't want to see people coming here for non-essential reasons and leaving for non-essential reasons," added Mr Holohan.

Airlines had been very co- operative in the crisis and he said he would like them to continue to help in the public health fight against the virus.

Mr Holohan was speaking as 107 new cases of the virus were diagnosed yesterday - the lowest daily total in many weeks, boosting prospects that the first phase of the exit from lockdown can start next week.

However, another 24 people were reported to have died from the infection - bringing the death toll to 1,488.

He said he hoped more progress would be made by the end of the week and there continued to be significant numbers of patients in hospital, including in intensive care.

He said it was unclear when there would be a vaccine available and enough global supply, but conceded that it will not be possible to depress the economy and social levels for an extended period of time.

Ireland and the rest of the world collectively needed to "re-engineer society, workplace and social activity" to minimise the risk of transmission, he said.

He added that workplaces would find ways of adapting, limiting the extent to which people came together as much as possible.

Dr Colm Henry, of the HSE, who was asked about delays in virus testing and contact tracing, said the average time to get a result was now averaging five days and the aim was to bring it down to four. This should then reduce to three days.

Experts have warned it is still too slow as Ireland emerges from lockdown, and said the HSE needs to ensure strict surveillance of the virus to pick up any increase in cases.

Dr Henry said once a person was diagnosed as positive, tracing their contacts in straightforward cases could be done the same day.

However, it can take longer if it is more complex and there may be language barriers or other difficulties.

The system for communicating negative results will be automated by early next week which means people will get the information faster, he added.

Dr Emily O'Conor, of Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown, warned that emergency departments, or hospitals, cannot be allowed to become crowded again and be centres of healthcare-associated infection.

Dr O'Conor, of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine, said unoccupied beds must be always available so that once a decision is made that a patient needs to be admitted, this can occur immediately.

"There must be adequate isolation areas on wards so that patients are not kept in the emergency department simply because of infection control concerns," she said.

"Trolley waits are the result of there being insufficient beds for those needing admission."
UK researchers looking for clues as to why this diseases effects people so differently are embarking on a new study. One doctor leading the study at the University of Edinburgh says he's "bet his house" on genetics playing a part in individual risk.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's top intelligence adviser has given the Justice Department the names of Obama administration officials who "unmasked" then-national security adviser Michael Flynn following his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States in 2016, according to U.S. officials.

That action, which has been a cornerstone of Trump's long-standing allegations of criminality by his predecessor, identified Flynn as the person urging Russia not to respond to punitive sanctions that the Obama administration had imposed after the Kremlin's interference in the presidential election.

Unmasking is a routine practice used to identify a U.S. person who is anonymously referred to in an intelligence document - in this case the intercepted conversations of Sergey Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador, who was a target of U.S. surveillance. Current and former officials said unmasking can be a vital tool for identifying potential spies or terrorists.

Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, made the decision to declassify the list of officials involved, an action first reported by ABC News. Grenell provided the names to the Justice Department the day after it filed a motion to drop charges against Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Kislyak. Flynn was also fired for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about those communications, the White House said at the time.

Flynn's communications with Kislyak were scrutinized as part of the FBI's investigation of Russian election interference and possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Last year, Attorney General William Barr appointed a career federal prosecutor, John Durham, to investigate the probe's origins. Separately, the Justice Department inspector general found that the investigation was properly started and not influenced by political bias, but also found broad and "serious performance failures" requiring major changes.

A Justice Department official said the department had "been reviewing unmasking as part of our broader review of 2016 and 2017." That would seem to refer to the investigation being conducted by Durham, and perhaps a related inquiry by U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen into high-profile cases in the District of Columbia U.S. attorney's office. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, declined to be more specific.

Grenell's office "delivered information related to unmasking to the department, and to the extent it's relevant to any investigation, the department will take a look at it," the official said, adding that the Justice Department "does not intend to release the list" of those who directed unmaskings.

It was not clear if Grenell would release the names on his own. A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred questions on the matter to the Justice Department.

Releasing the names would be an unprecedented action and risk turning powerful authorities to declassify intelligence toward political ends, current and former intelligence officials said.

"Unmasking is common - literally hundreds of times a year across multiple administrations," said Michael Morell, the former deputy director of the CIA and host of the "Intelligence Matters" podcast.

"In general, senior officials make the requests when necessary to understand the underlying intelligence," Morell said. "I myself did it several times a month. You can't do your job without it."

Current and former officials defended the decision to unmask Flynn as vital to understanding if the Trump campaign, to which Flynn was a senior adviser, was seeking to undermine the Obama administration's foreign policy.

"This is politics corrupting intelligence," said one former senior official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fears of retaliation by the Trump administration.

The Trump administration has offered no evidence that the unmasking in Flynn's case was improper or didn't follow standard rules.

FBI agents interviewed Flynn about his communications with Kislyak in an effort to advance their broader Russia probe, though the Justice Department indicated in a court filing last week seeking to undo Flynn's plea that it has since decided the interview should not have been conducted. Legal analysts have lambasted that decision, which Jensen recommended and Barr ultimately made, asserting it seemed to be an example of the attorney general working to assist an associate of Trump.

A federal judge on Tuesday signaled he wouldn't immediately acquiesce to the department's request, indicating on the court's docket that he would accept filings from independent groups and legal experts who want to weigh in on the matter. That could preface more aggressive steps that the judge could take, including - as many outside observers have called for - holding a hearing to consider what to do.

It wasn't immediately clear why Grenell chose to declassify the names. Trump has already granted Barr extraordinary authority to declassify intelligence as part of the Russia probe investigation.

When Trump appointed Grenell to replace former DNI Daniel Coats, intelligence veterans worried about putting an outspoken political loyalist and defender of the president in charge of U.S. spy agencies. Grenell frequently tweets in support of Trump and his policies and attacks journalists he believes are treating the administration unfairly.

Grenell is also the U.S. ambassador to Germany.

The president has nominated Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, as the permanent DNI. He is not expected to get a Senate vote for at least a few weeks, congressional aides have said.

The unmasking issue has been central to allegations by other presidential supporters that the Obama administration tried to harm Trump's campaign and undermine his presidency.

Rep. Devin Nunes of California the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, has long described the use of the authority as abusive.

But in late 2016, when Nunes served as chairman, the committee engaged in the same practice, asking U.S. intelligence agencies to reveal the names of U.S. individuals or organizations contained in classified intelligence on Russia's election interference, The Washington Post has previously reported.

This week, Trump again returned to his claims that the Obama administration had tried to undermine his campaign and his administration.

"Obamagate, it's been going on for a long time," Trump said at a news conference about the coronavirus on Monday, indicating that more information was forthcoming.

"It's been going on from before I even got elected. And it's a disgrace that it happened. And if you look at what's gone on, and if you look at, now, all of this information that's being released - and from what I understand, that's only the beginning - some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again."

- - -

The Washington Post's Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.
Nova Scotia's public school students are starting summer break early this year, but it's unclear what will happen to 750 international students studying in the province once classes are out.

More than a thousand middle and high school students from 36 countries came to the province to live and study under the Nova Scotia International Student Program (NSISP).

Executive director Paul Millman said that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, around a quarter of those students have gone home. Millman said some left as a part of repatriation flights.

Students still in Nova Scotia are waiting to see which flights resume at the end of June. Safety is also factoring in on decisions to go home.

"We've heard that loud and clear from parents, from agents we work with, from kids, that they feel safer in many ways here than they would in their home country," said Millman.

Survey to be done

He said the regional centres for education are surveying international students to determine their individual situation.

There are many variables organizers need to look at when considering what students should do next. That includes whether a student was supposed to return in September to study, either with homestay parents or at a Nova Scotia university.

Some students were signed up for an English language camp NSISP runs, which is now cancelled.

"We have three groups of students who we are making plans for," said Millman. "We don't have final arrangements yet."

He said there is no rush to send all of the students home and many homestay families are happy to keep students a little longer.

Concerned about family back home

But some students are worried for their family members at home.

"The situation in Turkey is worse than here and I worry about them, both of my parents are still going to work and I'm just worried something bad will happen," said Behar Bengi, a Grade 11 student from Turkey.

Story continues

Bengi is staying with Paula Landry, a teacher in Richmond County. This was Landry's first time hosting and Bengi's first time as an international student.

Landry wishes she and her daughters could have done a bit more with Bengi. They all enjoy camping and hiking, but have spent more time together inside these days.

Submitted by Rachel MacGillivray

"We're cooking a lot  every day has been centring around meals," Landry said with a laugh.

Rachel MacGillivray is hosting two Grade 12 students on her alpaca farm in Orangedale. Staying home has meant a bit more time in the barn for the young men.

"It's not like I have to find things to do," she said. "They did come and feed the animals and interact with them."

Felipe de Oliveira Leite of Brazil and Ricardo Granada Sanchez of Colombia said they've enjoyed the freedom of Nova Scotia. MacGillivray has taken them to see waterfalls and trails.

"Sometimes I feel a little bored because sometimes you have nothing to do, but it's really good," said Sanchez. "I'm having a good time."

MORE TOP STORIES
A new layout at the Hairini roundabout is up and running this week.

From today, motorists will notice changes to the way they use the roundabout  particularly for vehicles entering Hairini Street.

NZTA Acting Portfolio Delivery Manager Jo Wilton says the key change is the new right-turn bay which will improve access into Hairini Street from SH29A.

People turning into Hairini Street now need to use the turning bay and wait for the right-turn green signal.

The residents of Hairini Street shared their concerns with the configuration of the roundabout and these changes improve visibility and safety.

People travelling straight through the roundabout towards Tauriko no longer need to share a lane with right-turning vehicles.

These changes will improve the flow of traffic travelling straight through the roundabout, says Jo.

Please take extra care when navigating the roundabout during the first few weeks, as people adjust to the changes.

Contractors will be completing minor finishing works over two nights next week.

The Hairini Safety Improvements project is part of a wider programme of work to improve the SH29A Maungatapu and Hairini roundabouts.

Minor changes were made to the Maungatapu roundabout in January this year to improve safety and traffic flow, and to make signage clearer.

Last month the Maungatapu roundabout and the corridor leading up to the Hairini roundabout were resealed under COVID-19 Alert Level 4 and Level 3 restrictions.

The Hairini roundabout is currently scheduled for resealing in September 2020.
I spoke with Lepore about the podcast, our post-truth moment and her childhood fascination with The Invisible Man. The following are edited excerpts from the conversation.

The podcast digs into a wide variety of stories, some of them seemingly very idiosyncratic. What is the larger story you want to tell?

As a teacher, I find the thing young people really struggle with is, How do we actually know anything? Thats what led me to develop the class. I wanted to ask, what are the medieval rules of evidence, in courts of law? How did the scientific method come to be developed? When did it borrow from the law, and when did it invent new rules? What are the laws of journalism, and where do those laws of evidence come from? Who decided?

One of the larger arguments for the whole season is that the history of evidence reveals that the elemental unit of knowledge changes over time. At first, it was the mystery  the idea that only God knows things. Historically, the evolution that the podcast traces is from the fact to the number to data.

Why the title The Last Archive? That sounds a little doom-filled.

The idea that the past keeps disappearing behind us is a sensibility of postmodernity. So the Last Archive is like this place where the last things we know got put. But mostly its just supposed to sound a little spooky. Have you ever seen the Simpsons bit, The Scary Door? Its a spoof of the The Twilight Zone. We did worry it would sound a little like a spoof of a spoof.

Your episode about the polio crusade of the 1950s, and Jonas Salks discovery of a vaccine, now seems very timely. How does it fit into your larger story about the killing of truth?
MBABANE - Mbabane Government Hospital Ward 12 healthcare workers are caught between a rock and a hard surface.

Nurses and orderlies stationed at the aforementioned male ward, have embarked on a go-slow after a patient with COVID-19 symptoms was admitted to the ward. The go-slow intensified on Monday night when the healthcare workers did not set foot inside the ward to assist the suspected patient or even the other patients. Their fear was getting infected with the virus as the patient was not cleared yet they also lacked personal protective equipment (PPE). However, this has compromised the lives of patients who have been admitted to the ward as they are not getting any care and/or attention from the nurses and orderlies.

Enter

The hospital employees made sure to report for work but they did not dare enter the ward. According to close sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the patient, who is a truck driver, was admitted to the ward last Friday after he was transferred from Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital. It is alleged that the patient arrived in the country on April 28 from South Africa. His travel history does suggest that he might have contracted the disease. It is not known why he was not isolated and tested but instantly admitted to the ward with other patients, said the source. It was also alleged that the truck driver was admitted as a patient for another chronic illness but all the symptoms he displayed were coronavirus-related and they included fever, shortness of breath and others, which demanded isolation until his condition was cleared. Another source said his main worry was that the other patients were at high risk of contracting COVID-19 should the truck driver test positive.

Worrying

The situation is really worrying. With the symptoms that he has, this patient should not be in contact with others as their immune system may be already compromised. Also, it is worrying as to why he was transferred straight to this ward with no consideration of isolating him, the source said. It is worth noting that there is an isolation facility at the hospital.


At least 20 people were



booked on Wednesday for allegedly attending an Iftar party in violation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions at a locality in this district, recently categorised as a hotspot, police said.

A case has been registered against these people for participating in the Iftar party at a house in Nenmeni area, which was declared as a hotspot for coronavirus on Monday in view of rise in the cases.

"We received information about an Iftar party being organised at a housein Nenmeni. It was declared as hot spot. We went there and found the people and their vehicles. A case has been registered against the house owner and those who participated," police said.

As per the latest health department, Wayandhas 11 active COVID-19 cases, the highest in the state.

Two police personnel of the Manathavady police station in Wayanadhave tested positve and are contacts of a truck driver who had returned from Koyambedu market in Chennai and infected around nine people.

Wayanad Collector Dr Adila Abdulla said the samples of all those who had come in contact with the truck driver would once again be tested.

The driver's wife and daughter and grandchild were among those who were infected. His daughter's samples had earlier been negative.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A mother and daughter killed in a crash were victims of a tragic and freak accident, their minister said.

Clare Smyth, who was in her mid 30s, and her three-year-old daughter Bethany died in the collision between a quad bike and tractor on Tuesday afternoon.

Mrs Smyths other daughter Hannah, five, was critically injured in the crash at the entrance to their family farm on the Whitepark Road on the outskirts of Ballycastle.

Her father Mark was at her bedside in Belfasts Royal Hospital for Sick Children on Wednesday.

Reverend John Stanbridge, minister of Ballycastle and Croaghmore Presbyterian Church, said: Ryan, Clare, Hannah and Bethany are much loved members of our church.

What happened on Tuesday was a tragic and freak accident that has changed a family forever.

In making this statement, I have spoken to Ryan, who is at his daughter Hannahs bedside in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Belfast, and he would like express his thanks for the prayers of everyone, especially those in Ballycastle, and asks that people continue to pray for wee Hannah.

He has also asked me to express his deep appreciation and thanks to all the emergency services who attended the scene, to the doctors and nurses in the Causeway Hospital and the surgical team in the Royal, where Hannah is now.

Mr and Mrs Smyth were married for 15 years.

Their minister said Mrs Smyth had been a much loved and esteemed leader and officer of 357 Dunluce Presbyterian Girls Brigade for the last 15 years.

She will be sadly missed by all the girls and leaders, he added.

As a church family we are mourning Clare and Bethanys passing, but our resolve in Christ Jesus is to keep Ryan, Hannah and the wider family circle in our prayers and assure them of our love and support in the difficult days and months ahead.
CHICAGO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Chinese-American business leaders has donated one million protective masks to first responders and others on the frontlines in Chicago, partnering with the University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab to distribute these critical supplies to a diverse group of public sector and nonprofit organizations.

"We are incredibly grateful for this very generous donation made by Chicago's Chinese-American business leaders, which will go a long way in helping our residents stay safe and protected from the spread COVID-19," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "Throughout this crisis, Chicago's businesses, local organizations, and individual residents have gone the extra mile to help our communities struggling with the challenges of this unprecedented event. Our city's robust response is due in part to their tremendous partnership, and their work will help lay the foundation for the historic recovery that will come."

The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab are working with city agencies and local nonprofits to distribute the protective masks to those most in need, including first responders across city agencies, essential staff at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) working to feed and support families during the school closure, and non-profit organizations whose critical social services and anti-violence work with the city's most vulnerable youth and families continues amid the pandemic.

The effort to organize this donation was led by Peng Zhao, CEO of Citadel Securities, and his wife Cherry Chen. "Cherry and I are proud to have called Chicago home for nearly 15 years, and we are grateful to the frontline responders who are risking their wellbeing to protect Chicago neighborhoods," said Peng Zhao. "On behalf of the Chinese-American community, I thank the Crime Lab and Education Lab for their work to ensure this equipment gets to those who are providing critical services across our city and to our most vulnerable residents."

The Crime Lab and Education Lab, which work with non-profits and governments to use data science and social science to solve pressing crime and human capital challenges facing cities, will coordinate the distribution of the masks. "We are deeply moved by the extraordinary generosity of leaders of the Chinese-American business community in Chicago," said Roseanna Ander, Executive Director of the Crime Lab and Education Lab. "Their kindness and humility in donating vital supplies is an important reminder of the power of communities coming together to support one another, especially in the face of adversity and divisiveness."

Masks will also be distributed to the Chicago Police Department, which has seen over 400 officers test positive for COVID-19. "This generous donation of PPE to the men and women of the Chicago Police Department is truly appreciated and underscores the support we have received for our officers who have continued to serve and protect the residents of Chicago throughout this COVID pandemic, despite increased risk to themselves and their families," said David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. "It really means a lot to us and I can't thank the local Chinese-American business community enough."

Many of Chicago's non-profits also continue to engage youth and adapt programming in order to meet the changing needs of students. Among the non-profits receiving masks is Youth Advocate Programs, an organization that has continued to provide evidence-based intensive mentorship and holistic support to youth on the South and West sides of the city during this crisis.

"Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Youth Advocate Programs has maintained a commitment to providing the highest quality wraparound supports to youth in Chicago, who even before the pandemic, faced some of life's most complex challenges. In addition to modifying our engagement and service delivery strategies, we are working tirelessly to ensure that our staff and participants have the protective equipment they need," said David Williams, Regional Vice President at Youth Advocate Programs. "We are deeply grateful to the Chinese-American business community for this generous donation of masks, which will do so much to help youth in some of the city's most affected communities."

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CRIME LAB AND EDUCATION LAB

The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab, housed at the Harris School of Public Policy, partner with policymakers and practitioners to help cities design and test the most promising ways to reduce crime, increase educational attainment, and improve human lives at scale. The Labs focus on the most important criminal justice and education challenges of our time, including efforts to help Chicago and other cities prevent crime and violence from happening in the first place, improve schooling and income opportunities for those living in communities most impacted by violence, and reduce the harms of the criminal justice system. To learn more about the Crime Lab and Education Lab, visit https://urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/labs/crime.

SOURCE The University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 16:01:01

Cavotec SA ("the Company") today, May 13, 2020 held its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") in Lugano, Switzerland, chaired by Roberto Italia.

Annual Report, Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year 2019, Report of the Statutory Auditors

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal that the annual report, the financial statements and the consolidated financial statement for the year 2019 be approved.

Appropriation of Available Earnings

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal for the following appropriation:

CHF

Carried forward from previous year (42,957,278)

Net gain/ (loss) for the financial year 2019 58,377

Total earnings available (42,898,901)

Appropriation to general statutory reserves -

Appropriation to other reserves -

Proposed balance to be carried forward (42,898,901)

Grant of Discharge from Liability to the Board of Directors and Persons entrusted with the Management from Activities during Business Year 2019

The AGM granted discharge to all members of the Board of Directors as well as the other persons entrusted with the management for the business year 2019.

Creation of additional contingent share capital in connection with employee participation

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal to create additional contingent share capital in an amount not to exceed CHF 1'206'310.40 enabling the issuance of up to 942'430 additional shares with a nominal value of CHF 1.28 each in connection with employee participation (Long Term Incentive Plan 2020-2022) by inserting the new article 4nonies of the Articles of Association with the following wording:

"The share capital may be increased in an amount not to exceed CHF 1'206'310.40 through the issuance of up to 942'430 fully paid registered shares with a par value of CHF 1.28 per share by the issuance of new shares to employees of the Company and group companies. The pre-emptive rights and advance subscriptions rights of the shareholders of the Company shall thereby be excluded. The shares or rights to subscribe for shares shall be issued to employees pursuant to the Long Term Incentive Plan 2020-2022 approved by the Board of Directors. Shares or subscription rights may be issued to employees at a 10% discount compared with the market price quoted on the stock exchange at that time."

Renewal of Authorized Share Capital

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal to extend the duration of the existing authorized share capital in the amount not to exceed CHF 24'126'259.20 through the issuance of up to 18'848'640 fully paid registered shares currently valid until May 10, 2021, by another year to May 13, 2022, by amending article 4quater of the Articles of Association with the following wording:

"The Board of Directors shall be authorized to increase the share capital in an amount not to exceed CHF 24,126,259.20 through the issuance of up to 18,848,640 fully paid registered shares with a par value of CHF 1.28 per share by not later than May 13, 2022. Increases in partial amounts shall be permitted."

Approval of Remuneration

The AGM approved the maximum aggregate amount (covering fixed and variable remuneration) each of:

the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the next business year

the remuneration for the CEO for the next business year.

Adjustment to the remuneration of the CEO for the business year 2019

6.1 Approval of Remuneration for the Board of Directors



The AGM approved the aggregate amount of EUR 500,000 for the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the business year 2021.

6.2 Approval of Remuneration of the CEO

The AGM approved the aggregate amount of EUR 2,900,000 for the remuneration for the CEO for the business year 2021.



6.3 Approval of adjustment to the remuneration of the CEO



The AGM approved of the increase of the remuneration of the CEO from the originally approved amount of EUR 1500000.00 to EUR 2250000.00 for the business year 2019.

Re-election of six Directors, Nomination of the Chairman of the Board of Directors

In accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal Patrik Tigerschiold, Fabio Cannavale, Niklas Edling, Roberto Italia, Annette Kumlien and Erik Lautmann were re-elected as Directors for a further one-year term of office expiring at the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held in 2021.

Patrik Tigerschiold was re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a further one-year term of office expiring at the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held in 2021.

Nominations for the Remuneration Committee

In accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal Erik Lautmann, Patrik Tigerschiold and Fabio Cannavale were re-elected as members of the Remuneration Committee for a further one-year term of office expiring at the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held in 2021. With respect to the requirements in the Swedish Corporate Governance Code that all members of the Remuneration Committee, apart from the chairman of the Remuneration Committee, are to be independent of the Company and its executive management, the Nomination Committee has come to the conclusion that all candidates proposed by the Board of Directors are independent of the Company and its executive management.

Re-election of Independent Auditor

In accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal, PricewaterhouseCoopers SA, Lugano, Switzerland was re-elected as Cavotec's independent auditor for the business year 2020.

Election of an Independent Proxy

In accordance with the Board of Directors' proposal, Mr. Franco Brusa, Attorney-at-law, Via G.B. Pioda 5, Lugano, Switzerland was elected as Cavotec's independent proxy for the AGM 2021.

ENDS

CEO speech at the AGM

Personal attendance at the AGM May 13, 2020 was not allowed due to imposed restrictions in connection with the coronavirus. This meant that the Group CEO, Mikael Norin was not able to address shareholders in person. Mr Norin has instead recorded the speech to the shareholders, which is available at https://cavotecsa.gcs-web.com.

For further details please contact:

Johan Hahnel

Investor Relations Manager

Telephone: +46 70 605 63 34 - Email: investor@cavotec.com

About Cavotec

Cavotec is a leading engineering group that designs and manufactures automated connection and electrification systems for ports, airports and industrial applications worldwide. We want to contribute to a future world that is cleaner, safer and more efficient by providing innovative connection solutions for ships, aircraft and mobile equipment today. To find out more about Cavotec, visit our website at cavotec.com.

This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 16:00 CEST on 13 May 2020.

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Top U.S. health officials on Tuesday called for more caution and testing as many states are reopening or planning to reopen.

Anthony Fauci, a top expert on infectious diseases, told a Senate panel during a teleconference hearing that the nation has not had the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected over 1.3 million people in the country with more than 80,000 deaths, under total control yet.

"If you think we have it completely under control, no we don't," said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"If you look at the dynamics of the outbreak, we are seeing a diminution of hospitalizations and infections in some places -- such as in New York City, which has plateaued and is starting to come down," he noted. "But in other parts of the country, we are seeing spikes."

Also a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, Fauci said he believes that the nation is "going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have, by any means, total control of this outbreak."

The hearing on the White House's response to the pandemic came as the United States is debating whether it is safe for states to open up, prompted by a growing economic pressure and massive job losses.

Fauci warned that states could face serious consequences if they open up prematurely.

"My concern is that if some areas, city, states or what have you, jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently... we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks," he said. "The consequences could be really serious."

He also said that even states that are acting properly in reopening could see a rise in coronavirus cases.

"Even under the best of circumstances, when you pull back on mitigation, you will see some cases appear," Fauci said. "It's the ability and the capability of responding to those cases with good identification, isolation and contact tracing will determine whether you can continue to go forward, as you try to reopen America."

Besides, he told U.S. lawmakers that it is "entirely conceivable and possible" that a second wave will happen this fall. He also dismissed a "cavalier" thinking that children are immune to the coronavirus.

Also attending the hearing remotely, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the nation must have an extensive capacity to test for the coronavirus before it can lift certain restrictions.

"Rapid, extensive and widely available, timely testing is essential to reopening America," said Redfield, adding that contact tracing is critical because it can prevent some community transmission.

Senator Lamar Alexander, who presided the hearing, said that testing in the United States is "not nearly enough."

"All roads back to work and school go through testing," the Republican said. "The more tests we conduct, the better we can identify those who are sick and exposed, and we can quarantine the sick and exposed instead of trying to quarantine the whole country."

Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, also gave their testimonies.
CEDAR, MI  A popular Northern Michigan brewery is closing its doors for good.

Nikki and Aaron Ackley, owners of Big Cat Brewing Company in Cedar announced plans to close for good on Tuesday after 14 years of business in the tourism hotspot of Leelanau County.

After much consideration and deep soul searching, we have come to the conclusion that we will not be able to reopen and continue our business of 14 years, a Facebook notice reads. With now losing Memorial Day weekend and no guarantee of being able to open at full capacity this summer, it has become obvious to us that our business operations are no longer sustainable.

We are so very grateful for your patronage over the years and also for the terrific relationships we have formed with customers and employees. We are going to spend the summer reinventing ourselves and designing a plan to re-purpose our building in order to keep it. Again, we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and wish you well through these trying times.

Opened in 2006 as the Cedar Rustic Inn, the restaurant became Big Cat Brewing in March 2016. Frequented by residents, tourists, and travelers to nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes, the brewery was a founding member of the Sleeping Bear Ale Trail.

The brewery served breakfast, lunch and dinner and offered a wide variety of brews including Busy Bee Brown, Extra Special Bitter, Rye't Meow RyePA Handsome Hound porter and Smackintosh, a hard cider.

Breweries, like all Michigan restaurants, have been closed to dine-in customers since Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a sweeping executive order on March 16. Michigans stay-at-home order has been extended until May 28 and it may be even longer until restaurants, bars and brewers can reopen.

Big Cat Brewing had been intermittently closed since then before making the decision to close permanently.
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains were found in the Forest of Dean.

The discovery was made last night and a large area remained cordoned off on the outskirts of Coleford, Gloucestershire.

Forensic tests are currently being carried out on the suspected remains, which were found close to the England-Wales border.

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains were found in the Forest of Dean at around 11.30pm yesterday

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police said: 'Due to an ongoing police investigation road closures and scene guards are in place on the A4136 between Monmouth and Coleford.

'Shortly after 11.30pm last night, Tuesday 12 May, officers discovered suspected human remains.

'Cordons are likely to remain in place for the rest of the day while enquiries continue to establish what has taken place and further forensic tests are being carried out on the remains.

'A woman from Birmingham aged in her 20s and a man from Wolverhampton aged in his 30s have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the investigation and remain in police custody today.'

The discovery was made at the entrance to the Stowfield Quarry and a large area remains cordoned off on the outskirts of Coleford, Gloucestershire

It is not clear where exactly the suspected remains were found but police sealed off a large area and three tents were erected at the entrance to Stowfield Quarry.

One resident said: 'The tents weren't there when I went out this morning but they had appeared by the time I got back. I don't know what's going on but they say I can't even walk along the road.

'Somebody said they had found a body and the police say the road will be closed all day.'

Another resident who lives within the cordon said: 'I don't know what's happening.

'I didn't notice anything until I drove down the road and came to the road block. I asked if I could go through and they said yes but I might not be able to get back in again.

One resident said: 'The tents weren't there when I went out this morning but they had appeared by the time I got back. I don't know what's going on but they say I can't even walk along the road'

'One of the officers said the road might be closed for a few days so it must be serious.'

The quarry is on Staunton Road and the closed section also contains a fishery, a former sawmill which now contains storage units, several houses and a campsite.

The main A4136 from Cinderford to Monmouth was blocked off at the bottom of the hill at Monmouth and there was a further roadblock at the Coleford traffic lights.

The roadblock at the lights was stopping traffic from Monmouth and Staunton turning right into Coleford or heading past the fishery to Berry Hill and beyond.

Both blocked-off sections of road would have caused chaos on a normal working day and key workers had to find detours through the lanes.
TRUth Team

TruMC, one of the nations largest independent media agencies, announced it is rebranding to TRUth. This shift comes with a new name, logo and website reflecting the companys evolution, expanded role in the marketplace as well as success in helping clients connect and engage with current and prospective consumers.

The new name retains its original root, TRU which embodies the agencys commitment to transparency across everything they do and now incorporates a th which stands for Touching Humans  their core mission of connecting brands with customers while facilitating meaningful connections and experiences.

In 2008, TRUth launched as a Hispanic media planning and buying group before expanding its capabilities to include end-to-end marketing solutions for major brands. The agency has since bolstered its offerings resulting in significant expansion in the variety of its client roster into the total market space. With this growth came new business, new staff and the need to relocate to a new, larger office space that could accommodate such a fast-growing company.

Today, TRUth is also proud to be recognized on Incs fifth annual Best Workplaces list: https://www.inc.com/profile/truth. The competition was fierce, with more than three thousand companies surveying their employees on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Our culture is at the center of everything we do. Our hiring process is incredibly rigid with the sole focus of finding the right people who will be able to contribute to our growth and elevate our product. We proudly feature a greater than 93 percent retention rate. We've maintained our talent, nurtured it, and ultimately created an environment where everyone is happy to come to work every day, said President/CEO of TRUth, Yousef Kattan Fernandez.

Its been an incredible journey in the media industry, said Yousef Kattan Fernandez. We are honored to continue to do work that puts our clients at the forefront of innovation and impact. Our new name reflects our belief and practice of elevating brand insights, our commitment to honesty and transparency and our evolution to reach a more inclusive customer base that is not limited to multicultural. Also, with the recent COVID-19 pandemic it has never been more important to live our companys values. We are excited for the future and what our new normal holds. We were built to be agile and efficient and were setup to help our brands grow in certain and uncertain times.

About TRUth

For more than 10 years, TRUth (formerly known as TruMC), has been helping brands establish meaningful connections with their consumers by creating customized strategies and media plans. With heavy investments into TRUths brain center, the agency has built an intelligence center that houses hands to keys attribution insights and modeling, as well as, real time consumer segmentation and insights. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, TRUth is an end-to-end marketing solution leading agency offering strategic planning, research, media planning and buying, traditional and digital including OOH, and experiential services. Clients include Total Wine and More, Remitly, Pollo Campero, Pier 1 Imports, CDC, Wrangler, Famsa, Bostons Pizza, and Pepsi, among others.

The TRUth team recently relocated to a newly renovated office space and is conveniently located on the Dallas North Tollway and includes 12,500 sq ft available for hosting industry conferences, client meetings and cross agency summits.

To learn more about TRUth and their services, visit https://truad.com

Contact:

Alice Ovadia

972-848-8608

aovadia@truad.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/truadagency

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/truadagency

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/truadagency/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/truadagency
In a bid to save the financially stressed discoms from further crisis, the central government on Wednesday announced a Rs 90,000 crore liquidity injection plan that would allow these entities to clear their dues towards power generation companies.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the liquidity window for discoms was essential as its revenue has plummeted and they are in the midst of unprecedented cash flow problem accentuated by demand reduction during the current lockdown.

Under the plan unveiled by the Finance Minister, power sector financiers -- PFC and REC will infuse liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore to DISCOMs against receivables. Loans will be extended against State guarantees for exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of Discoms to Gencos.

Discoms dues towards gencos have risen to Rs 94,000 crore and this was making operations unsustainable as unpaid power producers were looking to stop power supplies to states.

As with earlier power sector reform initiatives, the loans will be given to discoms against specific activities and reforms: digital payments facility by Discoms for consumers, liquidation of outstanding dues of State Governments, Plan to reduce financial and operational losses.

To make the exercise beneficial even to power consumers, it has been decided that Central Public Sector Generation Companies shall give rebate to Discoms on clearance of their dues, which shall be passed on to the final consumers (industries) by way of rebate of power tariff.

The Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown has squeezed power demand sharply in months of March and April and the fall has been such sharp that demand for full year 2020-21 is set to report 1 per cent decline, first time in almost 36 years.

Not only this, with expectation that the lockdown may continue in large parts of the country for some more time, the discoms are set to return of yesteryears of adding losses after losses every year making their operations unviable. Extension would also impact demand further.

According to an analysis done by rating agency Moody's unit ICRA, expected losses at state-run electricity distribution utilities (DISCOMs) would rise two-thirds to Rs 50,000 crore in FY21 with an addition of Rs 20,000 crore in book level losses in current year itself.

Discoms have already been reeling under low demand conditions for some time and this has impacted their revenue and ability to service payment dues to generators. Accordingly, the debt-laden DISCOMs' overdue payment to electricity generators had risen to Rs 94,000 crore now, more than 50 per cent higher compared with the same period last year.

What has added to problems of discoms is that the lockdown has resulted in consumption decline from the high tariff paying industrial and commercial consumers (tariff almost twice that for households) and the likely delays in cash collections from other consumer segments.
Seven locals also suffered injuries during the violence in Hooghly and South 24 Parganas districts.

Kolkata: At least five police personnel were injured in clashes with mobs during the ongoing COVID-19-induced-lockdown at two places in West Bengal on Tuesday, officials said.

Seven locals also suffered injuries during the violence in Hooghly and South 24 Parganas districts, they said, adding that police vehicles were damaged and shops were ransacked.

At least 72 people were arrested from these two areas, the officials said.

Claiming that hooligans sheltered by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were behind the incidents, a delegation of opposition BJP called on Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to apprise him of the situation in the state.

The governor expressed "serious concern at the incidents".

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, lashed out at the saffron party for allegedly instigating communal clashes in the state amid the lockdown.

Four police personnel and seven local people were injured and several shops were ransacked during a clash between two groups during the lockdown at Telinipara in Hooghly district, an officer of the Chandannagar Police




By Lee Kyung-min



The rapid increase in government debt over the past few years is raising concerns on fiscal soundness, an issue that requires greater attention in a country whose treasuries denominated in Korean currency could quickly lose buyers amid increased "risk-off" sentiment, experts said Monday.



A slew of relief packages designed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic aside, absent-mindedly resorting to debt issuance to finance welfare initiatives would significantly erode the resilience of the financial system in the long term, they noted.



The Ministry of Economy and Finance is downplaying such concerns, saying that the country's debt-to-GDP ratio, hovering around 40 percent, is well below the OECD average of 109 percent.



Yet clearly lacking in the assertion is the steep rise  as sharp as 20 percent year-on-year  in state/government debt, a major red flag to most global investors. Government debt includes debt owed by both central and regional administrations.



A tailspin in the foreign exchange market could ensue, for example, if they ditch won-denominated debt for others issued in major currencies including the U.S. dollar, British pound, euro and the Japanese yen.



"The Korean currency is not among the eight major currencies, and the government should formulate fiscal plans accordingly," said Seoul National University professor of economics Kim So-young.



The government printing money may sound the easiest and most effective way to help those in need of quick cash, but the situation is widely different in the global financial market.



"Global investors are willing to take on debt issued in major currencies because they expect market demand will be stable  albeit volatile, which is not necessarily true for Korean won-denominated debt. The country finding no buyers in time could quickly develop into a downright default," he said.



Record-high figures






Collectively, governors have a 71 percent approval rating on how they have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the results vary widely from state to state, according to a Washington Post/Ipsos poll released Tuesday morning. President Trump's coronavirus approval rating is 43 percent. Broken down by party, Democratic governors had 75 percent approval ratings for their handing of the pandemic, versus 67 percent for Republican governors, but the governor with the highest rating  Ohio's Mike DeWine, at 86 percent  is a Republican.

After DeWine, the next eight governors on the list are Democrats, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) sits at the bottom with 39 percent approval for his handling. Governors who emphasized containing the coronavirus over limiting the economic fallout fared better. DeWine, for example, "moved aggressively to close down his state and has been cautious about lifting the restrictions," the Post notes, while Kemp "moved less swiftly than some other governors to mitigate the spread and has been in the forefront of reopening the economy there."

The poll found, not surprisingly, that a large majority of Americans  74 percent  said the U.S. should prioritize fighting the virus while 24 percent said the emphasis should be on reopening businesses.

"The range across these states is notable given that the survey simply asked people whether they approved of 'your state's governor,'" the Post says. "The respondents were not prompted with either the name of the governor or the governor's political party." After Ohio, the states whose governors had the highest coronavirus approval were New York (81 percent), California (79 percent), Virginia (78 percent), New Jersey (77 percent), North Carolina (74 percent), Michigan (72 percent), Pennsylvania (72 percent), Illinois (71 percent), Florida (60 percent), and Texas (57 percent). Of those, only Florida and Texas have GOP governors.

Ipsos and The Washington Post conducted the poll April 27 to May 4 among 8,086 adults nationwide through Ipsos's KnowledgePanel. The margin of sampling error for all adults is 1 percentage point, but it ranges from 3.5 points to 7.5 points in individual states.

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SIU Carbondale recognized as a Peace Corps 2020 Top College

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Southern Illinois University Carbondales longstanding commitment to community service has earned SIU national recognition with a spot on the Peace Corps 2020 Top Colleges list.

This is the first time the university has been featured on the agencys list. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961.

Hundreds of Salukis have served

SIU is ranked No. 19 among institutions with 5,000 to 15,000 undergraduate students. Before the Peace Corps evacuated all volunteers due to COVID-19 this spring, there were 18 SIU alumni serving in a variety of locales across the globe, according to Michael Gall, senior Peace Corps recruiter.

Almost 700 SIU graduates are among the 240,000 Americans who have served in 142 countries worldwide in nearly 60 years.

SIU has a long-standing relationship with the Peace Corps, said Jaime Conley-Holt, director of SIUs Career Development Center. The program allows students the opportunity to apply skills they have learned in the classroom to aid other countries and the relationship the students build with the citizens of the world through the Peace Corps program can shape who they are for the rest of their lives.

The Career Development Center does its best to help bring these opportunities to the students at SIU by helping the Peace Corps recruiters connect with faculty, staff and students while they are on campus, she continued. We have found that constituents at SIU are not only receptive, but excited about the opportunities the Peace Corps provides.

History of volunteerism

Giving to others is intrinsic to the Saluki nation, according to Sarah Marbes, coordinator of the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism.

Im impressed every day by our students commitment to volunteerism, Marbes said. They actively work to uplift the community by helping at local non-profits, schools and other agencies.

Students volunteered 25,704 hours to assist more than 60 local organizations last year. Marbes said totals havent been tabulated for this academic year as yet but volunteerism was on track to match or exceed those numbers before the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-in-place protocols.

Programs like the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps are a way for students to take their dedication and skills to a new level, Marbes said. I think this recognition from the Peace Corps shows that SIU is effectively preparing and motivating students for a lifetime of civic and global engagement.

SIU prepares for service and success

Linda Pinkus, a 1989 healthcare management graduate, is one of the SIU alumni who was serving in the Peace Corps in Moldova until she was evacuated due the pandemic.

My education at SIU Carbondale not only provided me with the technical skills I need to carry out my work as a health education volunteer in Central Moldova, but also gave me the integrity and self-confidence to be the best person I can be, Pinkus said. I believe it is my civic duty to be of service to those less fortunate than myself. The Peace Corps and its mission to promote world peace and friendship is an excellent vehicle to use my professional skills and be of service.

People and nations the world over have been the beneficiaries of the dedication and service provided by SIU graduates, Gall said.

At its heart, the Peace Corps is about peace and friendship. Volunteers have their greatest impact when they open up to and connect with the people they are serving, Gall said. The relationships volunteers form with their communities are both a goal of Peace Corps and the drivers of developing successful projects.
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Avascular Necrosis Market Insights

Avascular necrosis (AVN) occurs when bone tissue begins to die due to a lack of sufficient supply of blood. The condition is often caused by joint or bone trauma, long-term steroid use or alcohol abuse. Market Research Future has released a report on the global avascular necrosis market which reveals that the global market is expected to grow at a CAGR 6.58% during the forecast period from 2018 to 2024.

The disease has been observed to commonly affect men between the ages of 30 to 50 years and has been particularly high in occurrence in emerging economies. Surgery is an inevitable part of avascular necrosis, and medication is required to treat the condition, thus driving the global Avascular Necrosis Market Forecast. Moreover, this factor is also driving the demand for minimally invasive treatment options. Notably, avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis is a challenging condition to diagnose and can often be overlooked until it has approached a later stage, and no known cure exists. This factor has driven R&D activities on the part of market players with a focus on drug discovery.

Medical implants are restricted by stringent regulations which are aimed at improvement of quality, this has adversely affected the cost of surgery and restrains the global avascular necrosis market. Moreover, there is a shortage of skilled orthopedic surgeons which further challenges the market. However, due to the high demand for non-surgical treatment, drug development activities are expected to reveal opportunities in the coming years.

Avascular Necrosis Market Segmentation

MRFR's detailed report includes segmentation of the global avascular necrosis market on the basis of type, site, diagnosis, treatment, end-user, and region. Types of avascular necrosis recorded in the report include trauma-related avascular necrosis and non-trauma related avascular necrosis. Between these, non-trauma related AVN accounts for a larger share of the market due to increasing cases of alcoholism and illegal steroid use. Avascular necrosis can occur largely in the hip bone, knee, shoulder, and others. Hip bones have been observed to have the largest share of the market.

By diagnosis, the market is divided between imaging and biopsy; the former is a more preferred form of diagnosis as it is minimally invasive, and is vital is early diagnoses of the disease. Treatment of avascular necrosis includes electrical stimulation, medication, gene therapy, and surgery. Surgery accounts for the leading segment as it is the only method of treatment which provides long-term relief. However, gene therapy is an up and coming treatment option which is expected to witness rapid growth. By end-users, the market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and diagnostic centers.

Regional Analysis

The Americas is the leading regional segment for avascular necrosis primarily due to the concentration of market players in the region. The affinity toward adoption of technically advanced medical treatments and practices have propelled the regional market into a leadership position with the U.S and Canada being key country-level markets. The Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to the increasing prevalence of the disease in the emerging economies present in the region. Manufacturing of medical devices is increasingly shifting to countries such as China and India due to cheap labor costs and the low investments necessary toward the set-up of infrastructure.

Access Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/avascular-necrosis-market-6131

Key Players

Market players that have significantly impacted the global avascular necrosis market have been recorded in the report and include Integra LifeSciences Corporation, Bayer AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medtronic Plc, Merck KGaA, Sanofi, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Pfizer Inc, Boehringer Ingelheim.

Latest Industry News

Regrow Biosciences has developed cell therapy for the treatment of orthopedic conditions including early stage avascular necrosis. Clinical trials are set to begin in the U.S and Europe soon.

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population health management industry report
A 17-year-old male has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was attacked in Belfast.

The incident took place in the Antrim Road area in the early hours of Wednesday, May 13.

At around 2.30am it was reported to police that a 32-year-old man had sustained slash wounds and lacerations to his neck, head, forearms and back, believed to have been caused by a kind of "homemade knife".



The victim is undergoing treatment in hospital and his injuries are not thought to be life threatening at this stage.



The teenager remains in custody assisting police with their inquiries.
Under USAIDs New Partnerships Initiative, or NPI, the agency is looking to partner with organizations that are deeply connected in the communities USAID serves and that have not  or have only in a limited capacity  worked with the agency in the past.

NPI simplifies access to USAID resources and makes it easier for partners to bring forward their ideas and strengthens local capacity so that partner countries can gain new knowledge and skills to address their own development challenges.

Potential partners can compete for one of three forms of funding: Direct awards for organizations that enable local engagement; sub-awards designed for organizations that enable more efficient partnerships for effective local engagement; and direct awards to partners that can leverage significant private and other non-U.S. government funding to promote effective local engagement.

In late April, USAIDs Acting Administrator John Barsa announced three new funding opportunities under NPI for potential new and underutilized USAID partners.

The first of these is the YouthPower 2: Youth Excel Addendum, which aims to help develop new approaches to strengthening youth-led and youth-serving local and community-based organizations.

The second award will support USAID's goals in higher education by finding new ways to create meaningful change. These may, for example, include scholarships for individuals, capacity-building for local institutions, and policy reforms.

Together, these two awards are worth at least $60 million. And in the near future, USAIDs Bureau for Global Health will announce the third opportunity -- one that will support response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are seeking to engage new partners that are effective development actors, who were previously limited or even blocked by complex solicitation requirements, said USAID Acting Administrator Barsa. At the same time, through NPI, we are looking to our more experienced partners to focus on mentoring and capacity building to elevate the leadership of local organizations in the countries in which we work, he said.

NPI is becoming a crucial part of [the] adaptation of our programmatic operations under these difficult conditions caused by the novel coronavirus. USAID is pursuing all options for an effective response, including by working with new or underutilized partners that can provide innovative, scalable solutions to address the pandemic.
The current national crisis commands unified support for all Texans. Those most likely to face the worst of the economic and social consequences caused by the coronavirus especially need protection. So the recent decision by the Trump administration to exclude undocumented college students from receiving federal higher education relief funds is divisive and merciless.

The federal CARES Act requires colleges and universities to distribute 50 percent of the $14 billion Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund directly to students. Texas stands to receive more than $1.02 billion. Under normal circumstances, students rely on colleges and universities to provide housing, daily meal services, work opportunities, medical and mental health care, and other support so that they can complete their degrees.

Following the advice of government officials and public health experts, schools temporarily closed their doors, leaving many students without the resources to meet their basic needs. Undocumented college students  who, despite paying taxes, cannot access federal financial aid or many types of other aid  face greater hurdles to get the support they need.

The administrations exclusion of undocumented students, including those with DACA, places the onus on colleges and universities to step up and support all their students. An estimated 450,000 undocumented students attend college across the country, with 66,000 students in Texas. DACA recipients with college degrees serve as our doctors, nurses, teachers and entrepreneurs, and support our communities in other important roles.

For example, Maria Rocha, a teacher, provides instruction and care for the first-grade dual language students she now teaches through distance learning. Without the tireless work of DACA recipients, our hardest-hit communities and institutions would suffer even more.

As local governments are doing across the country, institutions of higher education should allocate their own funds to support those denied protection by the federal government. In subsequent relief packages, Congress should clearly instruct all federal agencies to distribute emergency funds to eligible students and families, regardless of citizenship status.

According to a recent poll of college students, since school closures began, 75 percent of working students have had their jobs canceled, delayed or made remote, and half are experiencing mental health challenges.

Undocumented students are not only experiencing these same disruptions to their schooling, work and lives, their families are among the hardest hit by the economic and public health crisis. Immigrant families have lower median incomes, are more likely to lack health insurance, and are more likely to work at businesses that offer essential services where they risk infection. The Trump administrations exclusion of many immigrants from CARES Act higher education funding adds to the slate of recent policies that marginalize working immigrant communities from legal public supports.

If these students are not supported, entire communities suffer. If they are not able to pursue their education and meet their life needs now, there will be tragic long-term consequences for their families, the economy and our collective ability to rebound from the global pandemic.

In Texas, we pride ourselves on being hospitable and rallying together in tough times. Treating the most vulnerable students as second-class citizens during their time of greatest need is unconscionable and contrary to the solidarity and selflessness so many have displayed during this time. Those students and our democracy deserve better.

Celina Moreno, J.D., is president and CEO of the Intercultural Development Research Association, a national nonprofit whose mission is equal educational opportunity through strong public schools.
Italy. Oh, Italy. We go back a long way, dont we? As anyone with even a passing knowledge of Australian history knows, Italys contribution to our gastronomic culture dates back to the first waves of immigration in the 1950s and 60s. Without that? Well, its hard to contemplate life without parmigiano-reggiano.

Or for that matter, sangiovese and nebbiolo.

Which brings us to coronavirus, and the nightly news reports of the devastation afflicting Italy. You dont have to be an Italian wine expert to know that the region hit hardest by the pandemic  the north - is also home to some of that nations greatest wines: sangiovese in Tuscany (Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, IGTs et al) and the sublime nebbiolos, the red wine grape variety native to Piedmont (Barolo and Barbaresco).

For so many reasons  in support, in solidarity, in gratitude  Im choosing to drink Italian right now; and I hope you will too. The following wines are all reds of individuality, quality and molto brio. So why not #stayhome, order in from your favourite Italian restaurant, and raise a toast to our special friends, the Italians. Salute!

2016 Antinori 'Tenuta Tignanello' Chianti Classico Riserva - RRP $75

Headquartered in Florence, the name Antinori has over 600 years of winemaking history. It is a wine titan, with total annual production in excess of 20 million bottles across more than 150 different labels. This extraordinary success is thanks to Pierro Antinori, who ran the business with sustained passion and success for some 50 years, before handing over day-to-day control in 2016 to his three daughters Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, and Renzo Cotarella, his CEO, chief winemaker and trusted friend. The following wine is their flagship Chianti, the Tenute Marchese Classico Riserva.

I very much enjoyed this wine. The bouquet is truly alluring with complex notes of ripe red fruits, touch of anise, balsam and tobacco. The palate is equally seductive with those bright fruits showing superb vigour on entry, and then continue to impress the palate with complex bitter chocolate fruit characters which mingle with savoury herbs flavours. The long and aromatic finish is buttressed with perfectly integrated and rounded tannins. Superbly shaped. Such a good drink.

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Available at fine wine merchants or online at The Wine Emporium ($78)

2016 Albino Rocco Barbaresco - RRP $90

Established in 1955, with the first estate bottlings in 1960, it was not until 1986 that the entire production of the vineyards were bottled under the houses eponymous label. This wine from the superb 2016 vintage shows that this renowned house is at the top of their game.

100% Nebbiolo grapes aged for a minimum of two years prior to release -- as required by the Barbaresco "DOC" -- in this case in Stockinger (Austrian) botti, a traditional Italian alternative to oak barrels. The wine has a brilliant medium to dark red appearance and aromatic notes of rose, anise, and sun on warm soil. Really racy red berry and anise flavours saturate the lissome palate with great intensity and vigour. It's beautifully shaped and proportioned, with a long finish and a persistent aftertaste of bitter dark chocolate.

Buy the 2012 vintage at Dan Murphys for $90.

2015 Massolino Barolo Serralunga dAlba RRP  $99

First produced in 1911, this Massolino Barolo is from five different parts of the Serralunga vineyards, with vine age ranging from 10 to 55 years. Aged for 24+ months in large Slovenian oak casks . Year in, year out, Massolino produce some of Piedmonts finest Barolos.This is their entry-level wine and what a delicious example it is.

2015 = great Barolo vintage, and this is an approachable examples of this classic year. Super bouquet of rose, hint of orange rind, and back notes of tobacco and anise. The palate surprises with a burst of bright small red berry fruits on entry, with those berry flavours continuing throughout the well-weighted, shapely palate and which expand as they move across the long firm finish. The Barolo tannins feature and are generously coated with a licorice twist. While many Barolo from 2015 will require extended cellaring to reveal their charms, no such need with this baby which is ready to please right now.

Buy at Vintage Cellars for $90.

Buy the 2014 vintage at Dan Murphys for $100
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- When U.S. missiles killed Irans most important general and its most important militia leader in early January as they were visiting Baghdad, it looked like American forces would be kicked out of Iraq. Iraqs parliament convened just hours after the strike and approved a symbolic resolution to expel the U.S.

More than four months later, not only are U.S. forces still there, but its clear that the killings have created space for a new Iraqi government to assert some independence from its powerful neighbor. The signs of this new approach have been building over recent months, and the ascendance last week of Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to the post of transitional prime minister is the latest and most profound.

Consider that Kataib Hezbollah, the militia largely responsible for attacks on U.S. positions in Iraq, openly accused the new prime minister of participating in the U.S. plot to kill the Iranian leaders during the negotiations to select an interim prime minister. The militia opposed Kadhimi and threatened violence if he became prime minister. The Iraqi Parliament ignored it.

Normally, the opposition of a militia supported and directed by Iran would be a clear sign that Iran sees Kadhimi as an unacceptable choice for prime minister. Kataib Hezbollah acts as an arm of the Quds Force commanded by General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in the U.S. drone strike.

This time around, the Iranians have indicated that they will live with him.

Why? Kadhimi was able to take advantage of schisms within Irans own power centers, says Nibras Kazimi, the founder of Talisman Gate, a website that follows Iraqi politics. A turf battle among Iranian factions in Iraq has opened up space in Baghdad for previously unexpected outcomes, he says. Kadhimi slipped through the inter-Iranian melee, but his ascendance is not a reflection of American influence.

Those schisms in Iran could nonetheless be good for U.S. interests. Kadhimis platform explicitly calls for reform of the Interior Ministry, whose forces coordinated with Iranian-backed militias to violently disperse recent peaceful protests against Iranian influence. The new chief of that ministry will be General Othman Ghanimi, an American-trained officer who is currently the chief of staff of Iraqs military. His new ministry was once infiltrated by militia leaders who showed more loyalty to Soleimani and Iran than to Iraq. He now has an opportunity to clean house, a longtime U.S. objective.

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Kadhimi has also pledged to take on corruption, which is the primary issue for the national protest movement  and a primary reason that Iran is able to exert influence in Iraq.

Kadhimis platform is not as pointed in its criticism of U.S. actions as his predecessors was. It says Iraq will not allow its territories to be used as a base for launching aggression against any of its neighbors and will not become a battlefield for regional and international conflicts. At the same time, it indirectly says it will not allow Iran to manage its relationship with Iraq the way it did in the Soleimani years: As far as foreign relations are concerned, the state shall communicate with official institutions only, and according to the international diplomatic norms, and not with individuals or non-official entities.

There is no single event that has caused Irans current loss of influence in Iraq. Nationwide protests against corruption and Iranian influence, as well as internal strife within and among Iranian-backed militias, helped Kadhimis rise. At the same time, Soleimanis death was a factor.

When Soleimani was killed, Iran had already overplayed its hand and was suffering the consequences, says Michael Knights, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Since his death, he says, Irans position in Iraq has weakened even further. It still has influence, but not control.

If thats true, its a positive development  not just for Iraq but for the entire Middle East.

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

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.

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

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A Granada Hills real estate consultant has agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the ongoing federal corruption investigation at Los Angeles City Hall. ( Richard Derk / Los Angeles Times)

A real estate consultant has agreed to plead guilty to a racketeering charge in the ongoing federal pay-to-play corruption probe at Los Angeles City Hall, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

George Chiang, 41, of Granada Hills, will admit to playing a lead role in a scheme in which a Chinese real estate company allegedly bribed a Los Angeles City Council member in exchange for help on a major development project, according to a plea agreement between Chiang and federal prosecutors.

Under the agreement, which was made public Wednesday, Chiang will fully cooperate in the governments ongoing investigation into cash payments, air travel, free tickets and other perks prosecutors say were provided to the council member and other city officials.

The plea agreement and charging documents also detail years of secret negotiations between Chiang, the unnamed council member and other participants. Their scheming, the government alleged, amounted to a criminal conspiracy that violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a legal cudgel favored by prosecutors in criminal cases because of the hefty prison sentences it can carry.

An attorney for Chiang, Stanley Friedman, said his client regrets his "obviously very serious conduct."

"He's met with the FBI. He's met with the U.S. Attorney's Office," Friedman said. "He's agreed to be called upon, to the extent that they need any additional information as part of their investigation."

A court hearing for Chiang to plead guilty has not yet been scheduled. He faces up to 20 years in prison, but is likely to receive a far lighter sentence, especially if, in cooperating with prosecutors, he provides useful information.

The case against Chiang is certain to ratchet up pressure on Councilman Jose Huizar. Although prosecutors have not named him, details in the filings against Chiang and in previous cases have made clear Huizar is the councilman at the heart of the City Hall probe. Huizar's attorney, Vicki Podberesky, declined to comment.

Story continues

At the center of the allegations against Chiang is a downtown development proposal sought by a Chinese real estate company. Although prosecutors did not name the project, details in the filing make clear it is the planned redevelopment of the Luxe City Center Hotel on Figueroa Street, across from the L.A. Live entertainment complex.

Chiang, who previously had worked as a real estate broker in the San Gabriel Valley, signed on as a consultant with the developers. Although it is not named in court records, the company pursuing city approval for the Luxe project was Shenzhen Hazens.

Over the years that followed, according to court records, Chiang worked on behalf of the company to help orchestrate an elaborate array of bribes meant to win the council member's support for the project. As the head of the planning committee, which reviewed major development projects, and as the representative of downtown, the council member wielded enormous power over the project's fate.

Through Chiang, the company allegedly funneled monthly payments totaling $66,000 to an associate of the councilman as it sought approval for a redevelopment project with 650 homes and 300 hotel rooms. Prosecutors alleged the money was cloaked as consulting fees and was paid through a complex arrangement involving a relative of the real estate company's chairman.

The company represented by Chiang also pledged to provide $100,000 to a political action committee that was expected to support the campaign of the council member's relative, the filing states. In 2018, Huizar was working to have his wife, Richelle Huizar, replace him on the council, raising money on her behalf.

Over breakfast at a Boyle Heights restaurant, the council member told Chiang and his business partner that he needed the donation "as soon as possible," prosecutors said. That way, when she announced her candidacy, she would have money pour into the campaign and "scare everyone else from running against her," the council member said, according to the filing.

Chiang also arranged for the council member and his family members to take a trip to China, where they visited the chairman of the company seeking approval of the hotel and residential project, according to prosecutors. He also paid approximately $1,000 for alcohol for a party for a relative of the council member, as well as concert and Lakers tickets, prosecutors said.

The Luxe City Center Hotel, a favorite spot for L.A. politicians to hold fundraisers, is one of several L.A. businesses to come under scrutiny from the FBI. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

The effort paid off, according to prosecutors. In exchange for bribes, the council member pushed the hotel project through the planning committee. In December 2017, the full council approved the development.

The plea agreement and accompanying documents shed new light on another figure in the probe, who left City Hall three years ago. Although he is not named in the filing, biographical information provided by prosecutors made clear that the figure is Raymond Chan, a former deputy mayor to Mayor Eric Garcetti.

While working in Garcetti's office, Chan reached an agreement with Chiang to get paid to push the hotel and residential project through the city's approval process, according to the details in the filing. The money did not arrive until later in the year, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the deputy mayor used his official position to "pressure subordinate city officials to take favorable official actions" on the hotel project. At one point, the official met with a member of the City Planning Commission, whose members are appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and vet major development projects, to urge the project's approval, the filing states.

In June 2017, the deputy mayor asked Chiang for his "20 grand" in cash and Chiang responded, "I got it sitting in the car," according to the plea agreement documents.

The deputy mayor told Chiang to "keep it there for now," the filing states.

Chan retired from the city roughly a week later. He received $112,000 from Chiang's company in 2017  money described by prosecutors as compensation for shepherding the project through City Hall while working in Garcetti's office.

Chan did not respond to phone messages seeking comment Wednesday. But Garcetti said the allegations, if true, soil "everybody here at City Hall."

"If he or anybody else has broken the law, I hope they get the full extent of punishment from the law as well," the mayor said.

Chiang is the third person in the City Hall corruption case to agree to plead guilty over the past two months.

Former Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander agreed to plead guilty to scheming to falsify facts in a probe of his acceptance of envelopes of cash and other gifts. In addition, former City Planning Commissioner Justin Jangwoo Kim agreed to plead guilty to bribery in a case involving a real estate developer and a paper bag containing $400,000.
By Associated Press

KABUL: Militants stormed a maternity hospital in the western part of Kabul on Tuesday, setting off an hours-long shootout with the police and killing 16 people, including two newborn babies, their mothers and an unspecified number of nurses, Afghan officials said.

While the battle was underway, Afghan security forces struggled to evacuate the facility carrying out babies and frantic young mothers, according to images shared by the Interior Ministry. The clinic is supported by the aid group Doctors Without Borders, according to UNICEF, the UN childrens agency.

But the day's spasm of violence extended beyond Kabul. A suicide bomber in eastern Nangarhar province  a hotbed of the Islamic State group  targeted a funeral ceremony, killing 24 people and wounding 68. And in eastern Khost province, a bomb planted in a cart in a market killed a child and wounded 10 people.

The violence could further undermine a peace process in the wake of a deal signed between the United States and the Taliban in February, which envisages the start of talks among key Afghan figures, including government representatives, and the Taliban. Relentless, near-daily attacks have also left Afghan authorities ill-prepared to face the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 4,900 people in the country and killed at least 127.

ALSO READ| Taliban attack on Afghan Army checkpoint kills 6

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Kabul, where both the Taliban and the IS frequently target Afghan military and security forces, as well as civilians. The Taliban denied they were involved.

But in a televised speech hours after the attacks, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced that Afghan security forces would no longer operate in the defensive posture taken in the wake of the peace agreement. Instead, he called on security forces to launch attacks against Taliban insurgents.

"The Taliban have not given up fighting and killing Afghans, instead they have increased their attacks on our countrymen and public places," despite repeated calls for a cease-fire, Ghani said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement condemned the attacks, and noted that the Taliban denied responsibility and also condemned both attacks.

"The Taliban and the Afghan government should cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice. As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism," Pompeo said.

Soon after the Kabul attack started, black smoke rose into the sky over the hospital in Dashti Barchi, a mostly Shiite neighborhood that has been the site of many past attacks by Islamic State militants. The Interior Ministry spokesman, Tareq Arian, said over 100 women and babies were evacuated from the building before it was over.

Arian said 15 others, including women, men and children were wounded in the attack. Three foreign nationals were among those safely evacuated, he said, without elaborating. It was unclear why the maternity hospital in Dashti Barchi, a 100-bed facility, was targeted  an attack Arian said was an "act against humanity and a war crime".

ALSO READ| Six killed in clashes at Afghanistan food aid event

Photos shared by the Interior Ministry during the Kabul attack show newborn babies and their mothers being carried out of the hospital by Afghan security forces.

By mid-afternoon, the ministry issued a statement saying three attackers had stormed the hospital and that one was shot and killed while the other two were still resisting arrest. The first floor of the clinic was cleared but the operation was ongoing to secure the rest of the building, the statement said.

A few hours later, the ministry released another statement, saying all three attackers were dead and that the operation was over.

In the evening hours, husbands, fathers and family members of the hospitals patients gathered around the site in Dashti Barchi, desperate for news of their loved ones. A man read out the names of those who had been evacuated to other hospitals.

In the Nangarhar attack, the suicide bomber targeted the funeral in Khewa district of a local pro-government militia commander and former warlord who had died of a heart attack Monday night, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.

The Interior Ministry said the final casualty toll included 24 killed and 68 wounded. The casualties were brought to the Nangarhar provincial hospital, said hospital spokesman Gulzada Sangar. Khogyani added that the dead included Abdullah Lala Jan, a provincial council member, while his father Noor Agha, a lawmaker, was wounded in the attack.

ALSO READ| Four bombs go off in Kabul; four including minor civilians injured

According to Zabihullah Zemarai, another provincial council member, dozens of people, including, lawmakers, provincial council members and locals had gathered for the funeral of Shaikh Akram, the militia commander. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted that the Taliban were not involved in the attack.

Also, no group claimed responsibility for the attack in Khost, which killed a child and wounded 10 people. The bomb was placed in a cart at a local market and remotely detonated, said Adil Haidari, spokesman for the provincial police chief.
The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) today joined their affiliate the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) in demanding the release of four journalists sent to jail just for doing their job.

On 11 and 12 May, Belarusian courts of Mahilou and Hlybokaye sentenced four journalists, all of them BAJ members, Ales Asiptsou, Mikhail Arshynski, Alexander Burakou and Zmitser Lupach to 10 days of administrative arrest for alleged participation in unauthorized protests. The journalists were in fact covering these demonstrations for their media.

On 12 May, the Leninski District Court announced its decision in the case of Alexander Burakou: 10 days of arrest for participation in an unauthorized mass event on May 6. Immediately after the judge announced the ruling, Burakou wrote a cassation appeal.

On the same day, the Kastrychnitski District Court of Mahilou (our picture) sentenced journalist Ales Asiptsou, a freelance correspondent for BelaPAN, to 10 days in jail for covering the Anti-Parade rally on 9 May. Ales Asiptsou has been on hunger strike from the moment of his detention until the trial.

On 11 May Zmitser Lupach, a freelance journalist from Hlybokaye, was heavily fined and sentenced to 10-day jail term. Lupach was tried for his alleged participation in a mass event. After the trial, he was taken to the hospital due to health problems.

On 7 May, Mahiliou-based cameraman Mikhail Arshynski was found guilty of contributing news stories about the proteststo the Belsat TV . The trial lasted about 30 minutes, Arshynski told Belsat. I hardly had the time to read out my speech than the judge decided upon the sentence. He did not even retire into the jury room. We were shocked as such things had never happened before.

BAJ calls for an urgent review of the administrative cases of these journalists and other persons who have been prosecuted for expressing their opinion. The IFJ and EFJ joined BAJ in demanding the immediate release of the jailed journalists.

Bringing journalists to justice for their professional duties provokes strong protest in the professional community. We consider the use of administrative arrest during the coronavirus pandemic as a punishment and a mockery that puts the health of colleagues in serious danger, said the BAJ.

This new wave out attacks and imprisonment of freelance journalists in Belarus for doing their job is not only a shameless intimidation against all journalists , it leaves indeed great doubts about the judicial system in Belarus and this even more in times of #Covid-19 when court rooms are not open to the public said IFJ and EFJ. We also condemn the high fines of up to 500 Euros for the freelance journalists.
Canadas top doctor says too little is known to consider using a newly approved serology test to identify individuals who could be immune to COVID-19 and allow those people to return to work or gather in public.

Instead, Theresa Tam said Wednesday that the new LIAISON test will be used more broadly to look for immunity in the Canadian population, noting questions persist about the prevalence of COVID-19 antibodies and what protections they offer.

Tam said an immunity task force had been formed to examine what protection from reinfection exists among those who have recovered from COVID-19.

Now that you have the first test, were hoping to see rapid implementation of the actual population surveys, both general and those focusing on specific communities, geographies (and) occupational groups, said Tam, Canadas chief public health officer.

Theyre working as fast as they can and, hopefully, this will be quite rapid in terms of its rollout.

The comments came a day after Health Canada said it had authorized the first serological test to detect antibodies specific to the virus that causes COVID-19.

The federal agency said Tuesday that at least one million Canadian blood samples will be collected and tested over the next two years to track the virus in the general population and in specific groups at greater risk of having been infected, including health-care workers and seniors.

Even if a test has been authorized, Tam said, Health Canada must monitor its ability to perform in real-life applications.

How specific are they? Can they actually detect the specific COVID-19 antibodies or not? Tam said.

All of that remains to be seen, which just means that we need to evaluate and monitor these tests as carefully as we can.

Unlike the current PCR diagnostic tests that tell us where COVID-19 is presently, serology tests reveal if someone has been infected in the past and has developed antibodies to the virus.

Experts say that can give us a better sense of how prevalent infection has been and how to further prevent COVID-19 spread  information that is critical as various regions of the country begin to reopen.

Nova Scotias chief medical officer of health noted Wednesday that serology tests could provide good information on the role asymptomatic people play in community spread.

Nationally, there is discussion about doing a sero-survey. So you do a sample of people across the country, big enough that you can get representative numbers from each of the provinces and territories. Through that, you get a sense of how many people have been actually immune from wave one, and then we could match that up with a number of known cases we have, Dr. Robert Strang said.

And the difference would give us an estimation of the number of people that werent recognized  either they were asymptomatic or never came forward for testing.

At the other end of the country, B.C.s provincial health officer has already invited residents there to volunteer for a serology blood testing study.

Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the study Tuesday, along with a survey to gather information about how people have been affected by COVID-19 measures.

Patrick Saunders-Hastings, an epidemiologist and consultant with the management consulting firm Gevity Consulting Inc., said one issue with serological tests in general has been their reliability.

He agreed that the goal should be to try to determine on a broad scale who has antibodies that may protect them from the coronavirus rather than aim for individual immunity passports.

RELATED STORIES Canada Health Canada approves serological test to detect COVID-19 antibodies

Serological testing performance is quite variable, said Saunders-Hastings, director of life sciences and environmental health at the firm.

And when we do get down to the individual levels, some of the sort of false positives and false negatives can be quite problematic.

He added that serology should be used as a complement to ongoing clinical diagnostic testing, which would identify current infections.

Also unknown: the amount of antibodies needed to confer full immunity and how long immunity lasts.

Tam said it was too early to discuss the possibility of so-called immunity passports, which the World Health Organization has cautioned against.

We really we need more information.
The state of emergency in Tomah continues.

By an 8-0 vote Tuesday, the Tomah City Council voted to extend the citys state of emergency, which was enacted March 18 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vote extends the emergency until the end of Wisconsins Safer at Home order or the next council meeting, whichever comes first.

Council member Lamont Kiefer said the state is already starting to lift the stringent restrictions that were part of Gov. Tony Evers Safer at Home order.

The dial is turning. Its happening slowly, Kiefer said. We just need to keep following what the state does.

Tomah mayor Mike Murray expressed frustration over a lack of information on the states lockdown status. The state Supreme Court last week heard a challenge to the governors Safer at Home order but hadnt issued a ruling as of Tuesday evening.

Im shocked that the (Supreme Court) has yet to return an opinion, Murray said.

Murray also inquired to the Wisconsin League of Municipalities Monday about any financial liability that the city could incur by lifting the state of emergency but had yet to hear back.

Work continues in the city despite the state of emergency. Public works director Kirk Arity reported that his department is concentrating on repairing half-blocks of streets where no utility replacement is necessary.

Arity also said his department is planning expanded hours for recycle dropoff. He said the additional hours will be posted on the departments website early next week.

In other business, the council approved reducing fees for liquor licenses by a 7-0 vote with council member Jeff Cram abstaining. The resolution temporarily reduces the cost of liquor licenses for 2020 due to bars and restaurants being forced to close amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Class B liquor licenses drop from $500 to $250, while Class B beer and Class C wine licenses drop from $100 to $50.

Tomah Journal editor Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net.

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Inmates held in medical isolation or quarantine units in any of Connecticuts 14 prisons or jails are temporarily prohibited from using their correctional facilitys showers.

A memo issued on May 1 from a Department of Correction official states that showers in a Cheshire Correctional Institution housing unit are shut down until further notice. The note says, This is a statewide department policy and is in place to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, and it applies to all who are housed in that unit, even after they have tested negative for the virus.

Karen Martucci, the departments director of external affairs, confirmed the policy in an email. She said the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommendations have guided the departments policies since the onset of the pandemic.

CDC guidelines speak to the increased risk for pathogen exposure and infection through aerosols. Knowing that showers, both hot and cold, produce aerosols and droplets, our current policy substitutes showers for in-cell washing with a basin and appropriate hygiene supplies for the quarantine and isolation units only, said Martucci. Based on the unique challenges the congregate prison environment presents, including an infrastructure where showers and sleeping quarters are in the same room, we have acted with an abundance of caution when creating internal policy.

Access to showers vary widely. Some inmates have showers in their cells, others share showers with those in their housing unit. The shower shut-down is based on mitigating the spread of COVID-19 via aerosols produced by showering, not by moving sick people from their housing units to their cells.

The no-shower policy was already known for Northern Correctional Institution, where many COVID-19-positive inmates have been transferred since early April. An orientation notice says that those who are held in Northerns COVID units are not allowed to shower or have recreation time outside their cell. The sick are given hygiene products and a towel.

The May 1 memo extends that policy to medical isolation and quarantine units at prisons and jails other than Northern.

Martucci noted that the department has increased the CDC-suggested timeframe for transferring an inmate who tested positive for COVID-19 back to general population housing. Incarcerated people who have contracted the virus are not medically cleared until 14 days from the onset of symptoms, compared to the CDC recommendation of 10 days.

That means the amount of time someone is in quarantine could be extended if a person spends a prolonged period of time in close contact with another inmate who has coronavirus symptoms - a viable possibility in state correctional facilities, given the difficulty of social distancing - so they could go more than two weeks without being able to bathe themselves beyond a cursory wash from within their cells.

My concern is that the way quarantine works, it can be extended, and as I understand it, can keep being extended, said Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, co-chair of the Judiciary Committee. If theyre taking what amounts to a bird bath, thats not the same as a full bathing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of hygiene is of utmost importance, Winfield added. If for an extended period of time you cannot have access to full hygiene, it becomes problematic.

Martucci said the department is continuously revising its treatment and management plans as guidance from disease experts evolves. All efforts are aimed at protecting the incarcerated population and the employees that care for them.

As of Tuesday, 526 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. Six people have died.
Two historic buildings to be demolished to make way for the new Powerhouse Museum were "one of a kind" in the Parramatta CBD and their loss would have a significant impact on the community's connection with heritage, it has been found.

But a draft report prepared for Infrastructure NSW has recommended the development proceed as the public benefits of western Sydney's first major, world-class cultural institution outweighed heritage concerns and loss of the local community's sense of place.

The museum could bring two million tourists to Parramatta and generate 1100 full-time construction jobs.

The refined design of the new Parramatta Powerhouse Museum.

The loss of the 19th-century Italianate villa Willowgrove and a row of terraces known as St George's Terrace are listed among the negative social and economic impacts by the Environment Impact Statement into the $1.1 billion relocation of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, known as the Powerhouse Museum.
A police officer patrols the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., on Sunday, May 10, 2020. The beaches and boardwalk reopened this weekend for exercise and activities like surfing and fishing. Sunbathing, sitting in chairs, congregating in groups, playing group sports, and bathing are still prohibited. Visitors to the resort and other Cape May County beach town will encounter vest-wearing "social distance ambassadors" starting Friday. Read more

There have always been Jersey Shore beach tag checkers, and police officers walking boardwalks and patrolling beaches in ATVs.

But during this still-uncertain coronavirus spring and summer, Cape May County is adding a new minder: the Social Distance Ambassador.

Visitors to Cape May County Shore towns, who have already been crowding newly reopened boardwalks, will be asked to pay attention to social distancing by a corps of ambassadors volunteering with the county Health Department.

The vest-wearing (and presumably mask-wearing) ambassadors will begin shifts Friday in high volume areas, said Denis Brown, administrative aide to the county freeholders.

They will also have free disposable masks to give out, said Kevin Thomas, Cape May Countys top health official.

The ambassadors are part of a Six Feet Saves campaign in high volume areas to remind individuals to keep their distance to help slow the spread of COVID-10, according to a release from the county.

Brown said 16 volunteers had already gone through training and dozens more had signed up through the county Health Department portal. They will be handing out literature, though it was not clear how they would be doing that from six feet away.

Social Distancing Ambassadors will be wearing vests with the county seal on them so they can be easily identified, the county said. They will be volunteers through the Medical Reserve Corps and Health Department staff.

The Health Department initiative comes as county officials and tourism proponents are advocating a reopening plan that would see most Shore businesses, including hotels and motels, fully operational by June 22.

Gov. Phil Murphy has been promising to issue guidance on any reopening of beach towns for the summer. Individual towns have mostly reopened beaches, with some restrictions, and boardwalks.

Boardwalks in Ocean City and Wildwood, newly reopened during a chilly Mothers Day weekend, still saw crowds and lines at food places.

Brown said the ambassadors were not there to report on violators or be community snitches. Theyre there to hand out information to whoever wants it. Were not going to push it on people who are not interested. With the new normal, its a proactive way of communication.

Thomas, the county health official, said the ambassadors would be mostly retired people who may have been doctors or other medical workers.

All were going to do is a gentle reminder, he said. Theres no enforcement. No one is going around doing any enforcement telling them to separate themselves.
There are two deadly fears out there today. Coronavirus and failing economies. Where the former isn't deadly enough, plummeting economies are. As governments flip between the tough choice of saving lives versus saving livelihoods, a few have moved at lightning speed to save their industries. In Germany, the stimulus of $600 billion was in bank accounts of recipients within the week of the announcement. In the US, companies can self-declare and receive funds instantly.

But Italy stepped in gingerly and continues to struggle. Italian firms had to apply online to ask for government aid. When they did, the website crashed.

In India, it's been a waiting and guessing game. To many, the inordinate delay in announcing the second stimulus is worrying, intriguing - even frustrating.

But the Centre seems in no hurry. There is conviction in the corridors of power that a major stimulus is not needed until the lockdown is opened entirely. Chief Economic Advisor K. Subramanian has also re-enforced the argument being heard unofficially: Unlike in the West - in India, large industries will have to fend for themselves.

The big question is: Where is the money for a stimulus?

First, it has to be squeezed out of available funds from every nook and corner - wherever possible (Stimulus: Here is the Money). And then, the Centre must prepare to bust the bank. But how much? Business Today reached out to noted economists and statisticians to ask where to find the money for a major stimulus: Former RBI governor C. Rangarajan; former CEA Arvind Subramanian; Marti G. Subrahmanyam, Professor of Finance and Economics, New York University; Pronab Sen, former chief statistician of India; and Professor Gourav Vallabh, spokesperson of the Indian National Congress. Their unanimous advice: widen fiscal deficit, print money, save industry?do whatever it takes. Read Joe C. Mathew's story.

And while industry waits with bated breath for that elusive stimulus, necessity is breeding innovation. BT's sector specialists put together a fascinating array of industries where firms are going back to the basics to reinvent and re-engineer.

Ajita Shashidhar and Sonal Khetarpal discover that FMCG major Marico and apparel maker Raymond are being myopic - literally. As projections fall by way side and planning gets subverted, they are setting aside long plans to strategise short, very short.

Consumer goods firms are most agile in adding products that didn't exist in their portfolio. HUL has extended three brands with new offerings. ITC has launched two more. And Godrej Appliances has reinvented its semi-automatic washing machine.

In automobiles, Sumant Banerji notes the industry is resigned to low demand. Hence, showrooms will be smaller. Honda, Hyundai, MG, Toyota, Skoda, Ford, Jeep and luxury carmakers like BMW and Mercedes will eliminate dealer visits. Jeep already has a platform that excludes the need to physically go to a dealer. Consumers will gravitate towards leasing vehicles, rather than buying them. Ford, Mahindra-backed Zoomcar and Hyundai-backed Revv are gearing up for 15-20x growth in business.

In pharmaceuticals, P.B. Jayakumar finds Cipla has opened new direct-to-consumer distribution through e-commerce firms, unimaginable before. Medical representative's job has transformed. Instead of visiting doctors, he uses virtual ad-boards, podcasts and webcasts to promote medicines, engaging doctors with global experts; or connecting them with patients.

In agriculture, the biggest challenge of farm-to-customer has been cracked by Bengaluru-based Ninjacart. And among large manufacturers, Tata Steel's new materials business has got non-steel offerings of fibre-reinforced polymer and graphene. Read those in the following pages.
Kadin Kent Willauer, 13, of Milford Township, Bucks County, was found safe in Louisiana on Friday. Read more

A 13-year-old Bucks County boy who drove away from home May 3 in his familys minivan is back home after he was found safe near Baton Rouge, La., the Pennsylvania State Police said Monday.

Kadin Kent Willauer was found about 3 p.m. Friday, Trooper Christopher Cleveland said, declining to provide details.

Willauer left his Milford Township home in his parents Chrysler Town & Country van about 3:30 a.m. The van, which had a stolen license plate when seen on surveillance video at a Lehigh County gas station, was spotted about 9:30 that morning traveling south on I-95 in Virginia.
An NHS healthcare assistant battling terminal bone cancer who is still working to continue supporting her three children in Zambia says she is desperate to bring them to the UK before it is too late.

Single mother Fatima Parkinson, 37, of Bristol, moved to Britain five years ago on an ancestral visa but did not have the funds to bring her daughter and two sons with her.

Instead she worked hard to send money to them in Africa, where they remained living with distant relatives.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, Fatima went through eight months of gruelling treatment and was declared free of the disease in 2016.

Single mother Fatima Parkinson, 37, of Bristol, is battling terminal bone cancer but continues to work to support her three children, who live in Zambia

But two years later the mother-of-three, whose grandfather was from Newcastle, developed an excruciating pain down her side.

After six months of being sent home with paracetamol by her GP, Fatima was eventually given the devastating news she had stage four metastatic bone cancer in December 2018 - the same condition she lost her mother to when she was 23.

Now she is desperately trying to raise money to bring her children to the UK, where she has a strong support network of aunts and uncles, so that she can spend what precious time she has left with them.

Fatima, who lost her first child when she was two weeks old and was abandoned by her partner when she was pregnant with her youngest, told FEMAIL she is determined to fight the disease for the sake of her children, aged 17, 13 and nine, who are currently aware of her grim prognosis.

Fatima, who lost her first child when she was two weeks old and was abandoned by her partner when she was pregnant with her youngest, told FEMAIL she is determined to fight the disease for the sake of her children, aged 17, 13 and nine, who are currently aware of her grim prognosis

'Having my kids with me is the one reason I want to fight this,' she said. 'I don't want to lose hope.'

Fatima's friend Joanna Di Somma has set up a GoFundMe page to help her raise the 7,500 she needs to pay for her children's flights and settlement status.

When Fatima was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she told how she was left in a state of shock.

'My whole world shut down that day,' she recalled. 'When I came back to my senses, while the consultant was still talking, he asked if I had anyone around because all I could do was cry, I was in a state of shock. I tried to tell myself I didn't hear it, but I did.'

Fatima underwent an operation in August 2015 to remove a lump as well as some tissue around it and four lymph nodes, two of which were found to be cancerous.

Fatima moved to Britain five years ago on an ancestral visa but did not have the funds to bring her daughter and two sons with her

She then went through seven months of chemotherapy and a month of radiotherapy, which she described as 'one of the hardest times of my life'.

'When I had my first cycle, for three-and-a-half months, I thought it was bad, but my second chemo was even worse,' she said.

'What you actually go through is horrible. It's absolutely horrible.'

Fatima was given the all clear and returned to her job, but in 2018 she developed a pain from her hip bone down to her foot.

'I was in agony. For six months, every week I was at the GP, but all I was told was to go home and take paracetamol,' she said.

'It got so bad that I was walking with crutches because I couldn't walk by myself, but I was still sent home every week. One day I couldn't cope with what I was feeling and asked to be sent for tests.'

When Fatima, pictured with her daughter, was first diagnosed with breast cancer, she told how she was left in a state of shock

An X-ray revealed traces of cancer in her bones, and further tests showed it had progressed to stage 4.

'It's one of the hardest things you can ever hear,' she said. 'I lost my mum to bone cancer when I was 23 years old.

'I've got kids of my own, I don't want them to go through what I went through. There's nothing like living without a parent, especially when you're young.

'After that I was told there's no cure and I was put on medication to slow the growth.'

Fatima said her aim was always to earn enough money to get her children to the UK, which has been a struggle due to her ill health.

Fatima said her aim was always to earn enough money to get her children to the UK, which has been a struggle due to her ill health. Pictured with her son

'Just when I thought I was picking up the pieces, I was hit with even worse, devastating news,' she told FEMAIL.

'I've still worked throughout the time I've been ill. My children are my strength, they're what I fight for.

'I did go home every year to see them, but I haven't been able to for the last two and a half years because it's been such a struggle with all the treatment, and that hurts more than I can ever imagine.

'Me having them with me here would make things so much easier for me, because then I could fight while looking at them every day. I know that I need to be there for them as a mum.'

Fatima said she can't face telling her children over the phone, adding: 'It would be different if they were here with me, I'd look for a way of telling them.

Fatima used to return to Zambia to see her children every year, but hasn't been able to for the last two-and-a-half years due to her cancer treatment

'It's hard for me as a parent, I feel like I'm living a lie with them at the moment.'

Fatima is continuing to work despite her condition, and said it's because she 'loves her job'.

'I enjoy helping people and I have a big heart. People who have worked with me will say the same thing. I believe when youre working in the care industry, what you do for somebody always comes back,' she said.

'Before I started with the NHS I was working as a care assistant in the community. I worked for a home for about four years. Then I moved to the hospital.'

She added that she is 'truly grateful' to her friend Joanna, and is 'praying' she reaches her fundraising goal.
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Actors across movies and TV remembered the late director Garry Marshall on The Happy Days of Garry Marshall, a special that aired May 12 on ABC. Anne Hathaway credited her career beginnings with Marshall, who cast her in The Princess Diaries at 18. I had no idea what I was doing. I was just doing my best, Hathaway said. And Garry really crafted that performance to be the best it possibly could be. And thats how I was introduced to the world. The Princess Diaries changed my life. Later tearing up, she added, He went out of his way to make sure that I knew why it was important to be a good person in this business. I realize that in situations when you go onto sets and things are stressful and people are freaked out and people are fighting, you can still bring the joy, cause Garry taught me how to bring the joy. Hathaways Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement co-star Chris Pine also said he was grateful to Marshall for giving him his start in movies. He gave me my shot and he will always be the one that did that, Pine said, and Im thankful for that.

Other actors contributed memories of the director, including Happy Days Ron Howard and Henry Winkler, along with Pretty Woman star Julia Roberts. He was really inspiring because I would always think, I just want to make Garry laugh, she remembered. Roberts also emotionally discussed the gift she received from Marshall when they finished the movie. After Pretty Woman, Garry gave me a necklace and he gave me a great card that he wrote for me, Roberts said. The necklace had a diamond heart on it, and its so that I would always remember that wherever I was, there was someone that loved me and is on my side.
A Florida man and his family members have filed a lawsuit after they were banned from visiting his wife in a hospital ICU unit, even though she does not have coronavirus.

Lindsay Kennedy, 38, of Fort Lauderdale was hospitalized on April 21 at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood for health issues related to an aneurysm she suffered over 10 years ago.

However, her husband Jayson Oneschuk, 50, and Kennedys relatives have been denied medical visitations to see her due to coronavirus limitations.

On Monday Oneschuk, Kennedys mother-in-law Kathleen Carr and Kennedy's youngest brother Andrew Kennedy filed a civil lawsuit against Memorial Healthcare System saying Kennedy has been denied visits through improper restrictions, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Florida man Jayson Oneschuk, 50, filed a lawsuit against Memorial Healthcare System for barring him and other relatives from visiting his wife Lindsay Kennedy, 38, who was hospitalized for aneurysm-related health issues and does not have coronavirus. Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood above

'Besides the painful surgical interventions and treatments, the patient is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, isolation, social deprivation, oral deprivation and absence of loving touch from her family and is at serious risk of severe and imminent harm and deterioration of her medical condition,' the lawsuit states.

They are seeking for Kennedy to be allowed to have one visitor per day in the lawsuit where Memorial Healthcare System and South Broward Hospital District are listed as defendants.

Oneschuk says he feared for her life last week when Kennedy was rushed into emergency surgery for hydrocephalus, a condition where fluids build up in the brain, and her heart rate dropped to 20 beats per minute.

After weeks of being in critical condition, Kennedy is now stable.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, visitation hours at Memorial Regional Hospital are limited and temporarily suspended.

The hospital has a sign outside its doors that says visiting hours have been temporarily suspended except for one significant other who is allowed to be with obstetric patients, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit says this exception, while denying Kennedys visitation privileges, is discriminatory.

Oneschuk was able to visit Kennedy just once on May 6 for three hours in the three weeks she's been hospitalized.

The next day the hospital told Carr, Kennedy's designated healthcare surrogate, that she would be allowed just one visitor a week for 30 minutes and the hospital must be notified one day before the visit.

Kennedy's surgeon reportedly informed the hospital that she needed more visitation time for her well being.

However, Kennedy and her relatives weren't given a written notice of the visitation policy.

'Shes had so many surgeries. Her head has been cracked open so many times. She has got two external brain drains, one out of each side of her head. Basically, she needs someone here with her,' Oneschuk said to the Sun Sentinel.

'If your wife is having a baby, you can go in as a visitor. If shes dying, you cannot. And its disgusting,' Oneschuk said.

Kerting Baldwin, Memorial Healthcare Systems Administrative Director of Corporate Communications, said the limited visitation hours was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

'Memorial Healthcare System recognizes the value of patients and families staying connected during a hospital stay and ordinarily has an open visitation policy,' Baldwin said.

'However, COVID-19 remains a grave threat to our community, and we must restrict visitations to protect the safety of our patients and employees, while also having the flexibility to safely make specific exceptions as the one already made in this case. While these difficult decisions are never easy to make during these unprecedented times, it helps to stop exposure and spread of this highly infectious disease, keeping our community safe.'
The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has advised governors to suspend interstate movement of Almajirai so as not to frustrate efforts to combat the pandemic.

The Chairman of the task force and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who gave the advice at the PTF press briefing in Abuja yesterday urged the Northern Governors to suspend further movement of Almajirai from one state to another.

Recall that the Northern Governors Forum had in a statement issued after its meeting on April 21 unanimously decided to ban the Almajirai system of education.

They decided that the children should be sent back to their parents or states of origin.

States, which have been repatriating the Almajirai back to their states of origin include Kano and Nasarawa.

But some of the children have been diagnosed with COVID-19. For example, On May 2, the Kaduna State Government said 21 out of 61 Almajirai deported to the state from Kano tested positive for the virus.

Besides, some of the children are being hidden in vehicles carrying food and brought to the South, a development southern states have frowned upon.

Expressing concern about the development, the SGF said, This is not the time for movement of Almajirai because of interstate lockdown. If you say interstate movements are banned, I dont think that movements of Almajirai are essential movements.

Mustapha urged state governments to align their actions and enforcement with the guidelines provided by the PTF.

The virus does not respect boundaries neither does it respect status. All state governments are, therefore, urged to strengthen their monitoring and enforcement machinery in collaboration with the security agencies, he stated.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to stop northern governors from deporting Almajirai from their states.

The House made the call at the plenary on Tuesday following the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by Mrs Aishatu Dukku and Mr Shehu Kakale on the need to halt interstate movement of Almajirai.

Adopting the motion, the House resolved to urge the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to enforce the interstate travel ban order (by the President) and direct the governors concerned to immediately halt the evacuation of the Almajirai.

The House also urged the National Centre for Disease Control to counsel the governors concerned on the threat posed by the evacuation of the children at this critical period.

The legislative chamber further urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to include the Almajirai children among the beneficiaries of palliatives being distributed by the Federal Government to the less-privileged.

Also, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Health to examine the health condition of the Almajirai children.

It urged the Northern Governors Forum to rescind their decision on banning the system of education until those already in the system are provided for in the Universal Basic and Technical Education System.

Moving the motion, Dukku recalled that governors, under the aegis of the Northern Governors Forum, had on April 21, 2020, issued a statement where they unanimously decided to ban the Almajirai system.

Dukku said, The House is worried that the evacuation of the Almajirai is jeopardising the fight against COVID-19 due to the high level of movement of the children from different places and its attendant high risk of infection. The House is concerned that the evacuation of the children is against their fundamental human rights of residing anywhere in Nigeria as guaranteed in Chapter IV of the Constitution.
COBRICO, Australia, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a collective effort to restore Australia from wildfire devastation, XAG has joined the first-ever post-fire drone seeding operation on Lake Cobrico, Victoria. This project was funded by Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and managed by Heytesbury District Landcare Network (HDLN). It is the first time that agricultural drones are used to re-establish native vegetation within a fire-ravaged peat swamp in Australia.

Due to the increasingly frequent, large-scale bushfire, Australia has been facing an unprecedented decline in biodiversity as well as substantial increase in greenhouse gas emission. Particularly, as one of the world's largest terrestrial carbon reserve, peatlands have been experiencing drainage and fires, which contributes to 5% of global carbon emission. Immediate actions should be taken based on partnership to restore the country's damaged ecosystem.

This April, XAG sent 3 sets of its P Series drones, equipped with JetSeed granule spreading system, to distribute native seeds directly on Lake Cobrico. Within only two days, approximately 40 hectares of burned land was replenished with new plants, using a blend of 12 different seeds. In the next six months, XAG and HDLN will closely monitor the result of drone seeding, which will be compared with that of the other area where plants are going to be natural regrowth. It is expected that the project would be replicated across the region and state, especially within the areas where traditional techniques are inapplicable.

Lake Cobrico is a swamp wildlife reserve located near Warrnambool in Southwest Victoria. Part of the peatland was severely damaged during the 2018 St Patrick's Day Fire, with the vegetation and deeper soil layers left in ruins. In areas of high burn severity, the ecosystem itself might be unable to regenerate naturally and requires human intervention, such as direct seeding, for fire recovery. Re-establishment of native vegetation can slow down erosion and sedimentation, and suppress invasive weeds after a wildfire.

XAG drones allow seeding to be done on Lake Cobrico, where landowners and managers used to find it difficult to restore the wet, inaccessible fire-impacted areas. During the operation, the drones accurately followed the pre-set flight route, while harnessing high-speed airflows to project seeds from 2-3 metres above the ground. Also, seeding rates could be precisely controlled and adjusted in real time to ensure that the proper amount of seed was distributed evenly into the targeted bare land. This has not only limited the exposure of staffs and ground vehicle to rugged terrain, but also avoided using either too much or too little seeds.

HDLN co-ordinator Geoff Rollinson said in an interview with Cobden Timboon Coast Times that, drone technology provides access to all areas despite the complex landforms. "This project wouldn't be able to go ahead in the normal manner because some areas of Lake Cobrico are unstable," he said. XAG is the first business in Australia to obtain swarm flight approval from Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), therefore operation of up to five drones by one pilot is made possible to increase efficiency.

By innovatively using drones for direct seeding, XAG has transformed the way ecosystem restoration works are conducted. Seeding by hand or ground equipment is inapplicable to Lake Cobrico where part of the peat swamp is difficult to access; this approach might also disturb the vulnerable post-fire vegetation and soil. Aerial seeding by plane or helicopter can cover a larger area, but besides costly, it might result in seed drift and uneven distribution that might adversely affect a successful outcome.

The trial project in Lake Cobrico demonstrates the best practice of drones to regenerate fire-impacted peat swamps in a safe, cost-effective manner, without human or mechanical trampling on vegetation cover. XAG's drone seeding solution is now recommended by DELWP and HDLN as a 'well-designed and sustainable option for environmental restoration works.'

Bushfires are a natural part of Australia's ecosystem, in which many plant species develop to become fire-resistant. However, the 2019-20 Australian bushfires, as one of the most severe, has brought devastating, long-lasting impact on the world's biodiversity. Over 17 million hectares of land was burned across the nation, with an estimated one billion animals killed in the raging fires.

Facing great environmental challenges caused by the fire disaster, Australia has been going through a bumpy pathway to long-term recovery. New technologies can empower government and land managers to restore the fire affected regions under safer operating conditions. XAG's smart agriculture solutions, including drone surveying, remote sensing, and precision chemical application, have been gradually adopted in Australia. If drone seeding techniques can be scaled up for ecosystem restoration across the states, it would help to accelerate the footstep of Australia's fire recovery.

About XAG

Founded in 2007, XAG is a world-leading agriculture technology company with 12 years of technical experience in unmanned aerial system (UAS) and 6 years of practical experience in innovative field applications. Up to 1 January, 2020, XAG has over 50,000 agricultural drones in operation, having empowered 7 million farmers with precision crop protection services on 25 million hectares of farmland. With a global mission to advancing agriculture, XAG is devoted to building digital farming infrastructure, developing precision farming equipment, such as robots, drones, AI and IoT, and creating smart agriculture ecosystem.

SOURCE XAG

Related Links

www.xa.com


A house for sale in the Deer Run Commons development in Derry Township recently became the object of a bidding war, receiving seven bids that pushed the final sale price to more than $30,000 more than the $249,000 asking price, according to a midstate real estate agent.

But what made this really unusual is that none of the seven bidders had set foot inside the home, said David Becker, a real estate agent with Team Becker, affiliated with Keller Williams Realty, whose client was bidding on the house.
KYODO NEWS - May 14, 2020 - 22:45 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday lifted a state of emergency for 39 of the country's 47 prefectures ahead of its planned expiration at the end of the month, paving the way for businesses to gradually resume operations as the spread of the new coronavirus has been kept in check.

Urban regions such as Tokyo and Osaka, however, will remain under the state of emergency and people will be asked to stay at home to ensure newly reported cases continue to fall and the burden on hospitals eases.

As Abe announced his decision to lift the state of emergency, he said the 39 prefectures have reached a point where the further spread of the virus can be averted, adding that they have the capacity to provide sufficient medical care and perform virus tests as needed.

"With the lifting of the state of emergency in many regions, today marks the real beginning of our efforts toward a new normal in the era of the coronavirus," Abe said at a press conference.

"We are embarking on an extremely difficult challenge, which is to keep preventing the spread of infection and moving toward fully resuming social and economic activity," he said.

The 39 prefectures include five -- Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Gifu, Aichi and Fukuoka -- that were classified as requiring "special caution" due to their large number of coronavirus cases.

Those that will remain under the state of emergency are Hokkaido, the Tokyo metropolitan area also encompassing Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama, as well as Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo.

Tokyo and Osaka are two major areas serving as the backbone of the world's third-largest economy and nearly 50 percent of the country's total population lives in the eight prefectures.

Abe said taking the eight prefectures off the emergency list before the end of the month is still possible, depending on the outcome of a fresh review by experts likely to be carried out on May 21.

To ease the pain felt by small and midsize companies and college students who largely rely on part-time jobs, Abe, meanwhile, instructed ministers to draw up a fresh extra budget by around May 27, the second of its kind in the current fiscal year that began in April, to boost financial support.

One of the criteria proposed by a government panel of experts for lifting the state of emergency in the remaining prefectures is whether infections have fallen below 0.5 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

Asked about the criteria in parliament earlier in the day, economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in charge of overseeing coronavirus containment steps said it corresponded to the situation until around March 20 when Japan was able to limit the spread of COVID-19 by tracking clusters.

For Tokyo, with a population of roughly 14 million, it would mean that the number of people infected with the virus would have to be fewer than 70 in one week. There were 30 new cases of infection reported in Tokyo on Thursday.

Japan has avoided an explosive rise in infections but over 16,800 cases and 726 deaths have been confirmed so far. The infection tally includes about 700 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo in February.

Abe is being pressed to strike the right balance between preventing a reversal of the recent downward trend in daily reported cases and allowing economic activity to resume in stages.

Based on expert recommendations, the government has been encouraging people to adopt a new lifestyle without letting their guard down in what is now expected to be a protracted battle against the virus.

The government will continue to request that people avoid travel between areas that are still under the state of emergency and those that are not. They will also be asked to avoid confined and crowded places and close contact with people.

Restaurants, department stores, movie theatres and museums are expected to gradually open in places where the emergency is no longer in place, although they need to take preventive measures against the virus based on each industry's guidelines.

The number of daily reported cases has fallen below 100, one-seventh of the figure at its peak, but Abe warned of another outbreak if people let their guard down as it is impossible to reduce the risk of infection to zero.

"The minute we relax our vigilance, infections will spread. The minute we return to the way things used to be, infections will spread," Abe said, asking people to refrain from going to bars, live music houses and karaoke spots to prevent group transmission.

Alarmed by the prospect of an explosive surge in new COVID-19 cases during the Golden Week holidays from late April to early May, the government stepped up calls for reducing person-to-person contact and avoiding travel beyond prefectural borders.

Abe initially declared a one-month state of emergency until May 6 for seven urban areas hit hard by the virus in early April. He then expanded it to the entire nation on April 16 before extending it to May 31.

He said the extension was critical for Japan to tackle the coronavirus crisis, which has dealt a heavy blow to the economy, but that the emergency could end sooner for some prefectures depending on the infection situation.

Prefectural governors have been asking people to stay at home and businesses to close temporarily, using authority to make such requests granted under the emergency declaration. The requests are voluntary and no penalties are imposed for noncompliance.

Tokyo, hit hardest by the virus among the 47 prefectures, has seen new cases fall to double-digit levels in recent days after the daily count surged to over 200 in April.

But the metropolitan government has said it will maintain its business suspension request until May 31, when the current state of emergency is slated to expire.

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, meanwhile, has set out the prefecture's own criteria for easing curbs on business activity, and other governors have followed suit.

Chronology of events related to new coronavirus and Japan

The following is a chronology of major events related to the new coronavirus and Japan.

Dec. 30, 2019 -- Health authority of Wuhan in central China confirms pneumonia patient of unknown cause.

Jan. 9, 2020 -- Chinese state-run media report novel coronavirus detected in patient.

Jan. 15 -- 1st coronavirus infection confirmed in Japan.

Jan. 30 -- World Health Organization declares global emergency.

Feb. 3 -- Quarantine starts on cruise ship Diamond Princess that arrived at Yokohama Port, group infection later confirmed among passengers, crew members.

Feb. 13 -- 1st death from new coronavirus infection in Japan confirmed.

March 4 -- Domestic infection cases top 1,000, including figures on cruise ship.

March 11 -- WHO declares spread of new coronavirus pandemic.

April 5 -- Deaths from COVID-19 in Japan top 100.

April 7 -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declares state of emergency for seven prefectures.

April 16 -- State of emergency expanded to entire nation, infected people in Japan top 10,000.

May 2 -- Deaths in Japan top 500.

May 4 -- State of emergency extended until May 31.

May 14 -- Abe lifts state of emergency in 39 of Japan's 47 prefectures, including five classified as requiring "special caution."

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French authorities have made an "unprecedented" and "unorthodox" request to view the leg-al submissions on Ian Bailey's objections to his extradition there, the High Court has heard.

Mr Bailey (63) is facing a 25-year prison sentence for the murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier after being convicted last year by a French court.

Surrender

A three-day hearing at which he will contest the request for his surrender was scheduled yesterday to begin before the High Court on July 15.

Ronan Munro SC with Marc Thompson BL, for Mr Bailey, said the legal submissions were very close to finalisation and came to around 40 pages.

He would need around two weeks to finalise them, Mr Munro added.

However, he said a request had been received from French authorities to view the submissions from both the State and Mr Bailey ahead of the extradition hearing.

He noted that the issuing of such documents seemed to be outside the statutory procedure.

Mr Munro further said he was not aware of any "free-wheeling" statutory right that the issuing state had to ask for this.

"I can say to the court with confidence that it is an unorthodox application, but the court is well able to deal with it," he said.

Counsel for the justice minister, Leo Mulrooney BL, said two letters, dated March 18 and April 14, had been received from the French authorities. These were handed in to the court.

Mr Justice Paul Burns said they seemed to be letters from the French authorities requesting submissions from both parties.

However, Mr Mulrooney said the justice minister would not release the submissions without a ruling from the court.

This is the third time French authorities have sought the surrender of Mr Bailey, of The Prairie, Liscaha, Schull, in relation to the death of Ms du Plantier, whose body was found in Schull in December 1996.
One in 10 rental apartments is sitting empty in Melbournes Docklands and Sydneys city centre as the country's biggest bank warns house prices could collapse by as much as 32 per cent over three years if Australia experiences a severe economic slump.

House prices could fall between 11 and 32 per cent by the end of 2022 depending on the growth of unemployment during the coronavirus downturn, according to Commonwealth Bank modelling released on Wednesday. The Sydney-based bank holds more mortgages than any other financial institution in Australia.

Rental vacancies in Sydney's Ultimo have quadrupled over the last month. Credit:Roger Stonehouse

Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn warned of house price falls because of rising unemployment, but said low levels of stock would prevent a sharp drop in the short term.

"We expect there's going to be downward pressure on house prices, although in the near term the level of stock that's coming to the market has contracted quite rapidly," Mr Comyn told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
Q: I have an 88-year-old friend who put down a $2,000 deposit at an assisted living facility. She was supposed to move in April 1st, except that was when the quarantine and COVID-19 hit our area. She was told she could move in, but none of her children could help her set up her room, nor could they visit until July or August. She didnt move in under those circumstances. On May 1st her rent was due, but she still has not moved in. After seeing so many of the residents in assisted living facilities get the virus and die, that was probably a good idea. Should her $2,000 nonrefundable deposit be refunded, either in full or in part? Should she consult an attorney or just let it go?

A: Your friend will probably have no success getting her nonrefundable deposit refunded.

However, she or a family member should contact the facility to try to arrange as good a deal as possible. These are extraordinary times, and you would hope that the assisted living facility would be reasonable and strive to do whats best for its residents, and that includes letting a new resident delay her start date due to the pandemic.

Hiring an attorney to get a $2,000 refund is likely not cost-effective.

If the facility stands its ground and fails to accommodate your friend, then she should consider herself fortunate that she never moved in when her lease began. She can wait a few months and then find a facility that treats its residents better.

Q: Does the State of Texas offer payable on death forms for your home and car online? If so, where can I find them?

A: You can find links to the forms you would need along with detailed explanations at www.texaslawhelp.org.

Q: My wife and I moved to Texas from Colorado three years ago. Our medical powers of attorney require no substantive changes other than the change to our residential address. Can we write in that change and initial it, or must we have two witnesses and a notary? Also, I have created a hand-written joint will for my wife and me. Does this require two witnesses and a notary?

A: You should not make hand-written edits to your Colorado medical powers of attorney. If you do anything, you should sign new Texas medical powers of attorney, especially since new forms will have a greater likelihood of being accepted in Texas.

Joint wills (where two people sign a single document) should never be used. Plus, when a will is hand-written, it must be entirely in the testators handwriting, meaning you cant write out your wifes will for her. I suggest hiring a Texas attorney to prepare wills for you and your wife.

The information in this column is intended to provide a general understanding of the law, not legal advice. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances. Ronald Lipman of the Houston law firm Lipman & Associates is board-certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Email questions to stateyourcase@lipmanpc.com.
L abour has urged the Government to reject public sector spending cuts as a way of paying off the cost of the coronavirus crisis.

It comes amid reports that measures including tax hikes and a pay freeze are being considered to help deal with the UK's deficit.

The Daily Telegraph said that a Treasury document estimated the UKs deficit could reach 337 billion this year because of the pandemic, compared to the forecast 55 billion in Marchs Budget.

The assessment, drawn up for the Chancellor and dated May 5, reportedly warned that to fill such a gap in the public finances through tax revenue rises would be very challenging without breaking the tax lock.

The paper said measures including income tax hikes, a two-year public sector pay freeze and the end of the triple lock on pensions may be required to fund the debt.

It suggests either raising taxes or reforming tax reliefs to fill the gap in public finances.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said 10 years of underfunding public services had affected Covid-19 response / PA

The document is said to state: To fill a gap this size (in the public finances) through tax revenue risers would be very challenging without breaking the tax lock.

To raise fiscally significant amounts, we would either have to increase rates/thresholds in one of the broad-based taxes (IT, NICS, VAT, CT) or reform one of the biggest tax reliefs (e.g. pensions tax).

In the worst-case scenario, the assessment reportedly warns that the deficit could increase to 516 billion in the current financial year.

The Treasury declined to comment on the report, but it is understood that the document is one of many put together by different teams to discuss ideas about future policy.

One month since UK lockdown - In pictures 1 /14 One month since UK lockdown - In pictures The M5 motorway, looking south towards Devon PA A nearly-deserted Reuters Square in Canary Wharf PA A popular riverside walk alongside the Thames near London's Tower Bridge is almost empty PA The concourse of London's Waterloo station is almost devoid of travellers PA Empty streets and pavements surround Little Ben, a cast iron miniature clock tower, situated at the intersection of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street PA Horse Guards Parade in London is empty as tourists stay away PA Liverpool waterfront is practically deserted PA Empty streets in Newcastle upon Tyne PA An empty shopping arcade at Windsor Station PA King's Parade, with King's College (left) and the Senate House (distance) in Cambridge PA A view of a near-deserted Waterlooville town centre in Hampshire PA

In response, Labour urged Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak to reject the prospect of public sector spending cuts.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said: A lack of resilience in our public services, caused by 10 years of underfunding, has made it harder to deal with the challenge of coronavirus.

After all our public services and key workers have done to save lives during this pandemic, there must be no return to a society where we lack that resilience.

Both the Chancellor and the Prime Minister must urgently make a statement rejecting these plans.

The Conservatives pledged in their manifesto at the general election last year that the party would not raise the rate of income tax, VAT or National Insurance, and would keep the pensions triple lock.
MUMBAI, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), a leading emerging markets FMCG company, today announced its financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2020.

Financial Overview 4Q FY 2020 Financial Performance Summary:

4Q FY 2020 consolidated constant currency sales declined by 11% year-on-year

India business sales declined 18% year-on-year led by 15% year-on-year decline in volume

business sales declined 18% year-on-year led by 15% year-on-year decline in volume

International business sales declined 2% year-on-year, on a constant currency basis

4Q FY 2020 consolidated constant currency EBITDA declined by 15% year-on-year; consolidated EBIDTA margins declined to 22.3%

4Q FY 2020 consolidated net profit and EPS (without exceptional items and one-offs) INR 316 crore and INR 3.09 respectively

Commenting on the financial performance of 4Q FY 2020, Nisaba Godrej, Executive Chairperson, GCPL, said: "This quarter was an unprecedented period due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, impacting all the geographies of our operations. At GCPL, we have been working on a safety first principle, ensuring that our employees and business partners are safe and taking all necessary precautions to control the spread of COVID-19. The Godrej group, which always stands in solidarity with people and government efforts, has earmarked an initial outlay of INR 50 crore for community support and relief initiatives in India. We have ensured complete adherence to the lockdown and in parallel, are working with government authorities to revive supply chain operations for essential items.

During this quarter, we had witnessed steady demand in our categories till mid-March 2020. However, the spread of the virus and the eventual lockdown in many geographies of our operations resulted in virtually no sales in the later part of March 2020, significantly impacting our sales performance in the quarter. This resulted in a weak performance in our India business, although we have continued to gain market shares across categories.

In our international businesses, Indonesia continued its strong growth momentum with mid-single digit profitable constant currency sales growth inspite of the COVID-19 crisis, driven by a consistent performance across categories and several go-to-market initiatives. In GAUM (Godrej Africa, USA, Middle East), we witnessed a weak sales performance amidst disruptions caused by COVID-19 in many of our countries of operations.

Going forward, we are ramping up our supply chain operations and distribution, in line with the prescribed safety measures and easing of lockdowns in various countries. Since the situation is very dynamic, our teams are continuing to manage our business prudently, while assessing various scenarios for business recovery. We will continue to focus on driving our market share and launch relevant innovations to enhance our competitiveness. The situation calls for an extraordinary level of adaptability, resilience and agility - and our teams are well-geared to embrace this challenge."

Business Review - India

Performance Highlights

4Q FY 2020 India sales declined by 18% to INR 1,089 crore ; volumes declined by 15%

; volumes declined by 15% 4Q FY 2020 secondary sales (sales from distributors to retailers) declined by 11%

4Q FY 2020 Adjusted EBITDA declined by 23% to INR 301 crore

4Q FY 2020 net profit without exceptions and one off items declined by 25% to INR 222 crore

Household Insecticides

Household Insecticides declined by 16% due to loss of sales in the later part of March 2020, which marks the onset of high mosquito infestation in North India. GCPL continue to sequentially gain market shares in the overall category, including incense sticks. Goodknight Gold Flash Liquid Vapouriser has been scaled up nationally, following an encouraging response in South India.



Soaps

Soaps declined by 23% due to loss of sales in the last fortnight of March 2020 owing to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. This is usually a high growth period with the onset of the summer season. We continue to gain market shares driven by effective micro-marketing initiatives. GCPL has launched the Protekt Health Soap and plan to prioritise the health and hygiene categories to drive future growth.



Hair Colours

Hair Colours delivered a weak performance on the back of general slowdown in the Hair Colour category due its discretionary nature and consumers stretching their consumption. GCPL has gained market share over last few months. Godrej Expert Rich Creme clocked its highest ever value market share. Godrej Expert Easy 5 minute Shampoo Hair Colour is performing well in South India and has been scaled up nationally.



Business Review - International



Indonesia

Indonesia business continued with its growth momentum, delivering a 6% constant currency profitable sales growth. The adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by 210 bps, led by cost saving programmes (Project CERMAT). GCPL has launched a health and hygiene range amidst increased need for sanitation.



GAUM (Africa, USA and Middle East)

GAUM cluster had a weak performance driven by underperformance across clusters due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Overall, the company witnessed a constant currency sales decline of 13%. The South cluster has recorded a marginal decline in sales, while the West cluster has recorded a marginal improvement in sales. However, the company witnessed a weak performance in the East cluster on account of continued liquidity challenges and the impact of demonitisation. Adjusted EBITDA margins decreased 670 bps year-on-year mainly driven by scale deleverage. GCPL continue to drive the scale up of the wet hair care business.

About Godrej Consumer Products



Godrej Consumer Products is a leading emerging markets company. As part of the 123-year young Godrej Group, we are fortunate to have a proud legacy built on the strong values of trust, integrity and respect for others. At the same time, we are growing fast and have exciting, ambitious aspirations.



Today, our Group enjoys the patronage of 1.15 billion consumers globally, across different businesses. In line with our 3 by 3 approach to international expansion at Godrej Consumer Products, we are building a presence in 3 emerging markets (Asia, Africa, Latin America) across 3 categories (home care, personal wash, hair care). We rank among the largest household insecticide and hair care players in emerging markets. In household insecticides, we are the leader in India, the second largest player in Indonesia and are expanding our footprint in Africa. We are the leader in serving the hair care needs of women of African descent, the number one player in hair colour in India and SubSaharan Africa, and among the leading players in Latin America. We rank number two in soaps in India and are the number one player in air fresheners and wet tissues in Indonesia.



But for us, it is very important that besides our strong financial performance and innovative, muchloved products, we remain a good company. Approximately 23 per cent of the promoter holding in our Group is held in trusts that invest in the environment, health and education. We are also bringing together our passion and purpose to make a difference through our 'Good & Green' approach to create a more inclusive and greener India.



At the heart of all of this, is our talented team. We take much pride in fostering an inspiring workplace, with an agile and high performance culture. We are also deeply committed to recognising and valuing diversity across our teams.



Media Contact :

Supreeth Sudhakaran

[email protected]

+91-9920584295

Godrej Group

SOURCE Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL)
My friend Michael Patrick Leahy, a reporter who among other things runs the Tennessee Star, the Minnesota Sun and other online news outlets, emailed me a transcript of his interview of Howie Carr, also a friend, who is the dominant radio news personality in New England and a terrific newspaper columnist:

Leahy: We are joined now on the line by our good friend, Boston talk radio king Howie Carr. Howie, the President of the United States is reading what you Tweet about coronavirus. Carr: Yes, Michael Patrick Leahy. But he read it in your story that you wrote for Breitbart about the preponderance of deaths being in certain age groups and certain facilities (i.e. nursing homes). Id like to thank you for getting my Tweets to his attention. (Leahy chuckles) Im glad somebody picked up on them. Leahy: Well, it was great work on your end. So whats interesting is, the Massachusetts Department of Health was putting out all these lengthy, lengthy documents and you found in it a slide that was just stunning. And that was the average age among the 4,000 plus people that have died of COVID-19 in Massachusetts is 82 years old. This was like on page 11 of a 100-page report. You found it. Tell us how you found it first. Then you Tweeted it out and Ill go from there. How did you find that information? Carr: Actually I should give credit to John Hinderaker at powerlineblog.com. This is how the modern media works. Hes very interested in this and hes a lawyer in Minnesota. He actually was just scrolling down through documents and found it and printed it. And I said holy bleep! Where did this come from? As you said, this is a lengthy document that they post every day. They call it the Coronavirus Dashboard. So I looked at it and I Tweeted it out. Im based in Boston but Im in Florida. Then I see a guy from Minnesota post it. Youre in Tennessee and you see it and you put it into Breitbart and then the President of the United States sees it. Leahy: Its amazing.

Whats amazing is that most people are unaware of basic facts about the coronavirus because reporters and editors are pursuing a partisan agenda, not trying to disseminate information. So it falls to people like us to pass on basic data to our readers.

One amendment to Howies recitation: I wasnt the one who pored over the Massachusetts Coronavirus Dashboard. Rather, a reader whom I have quoted at length several times read that there was a surge of COVID cases in Massachusetts and, curious, looked up the data. She sent me an email that included a chart from the Massachusetts Health Department which I reproduced here. Howie Carr is a Power Line reader; he saw that post, titled The Models Were Wrong. Does Anyone Care? and invited me on his show to talk about it.

Which just reinforces the point. Any concerned, intelligent citizen can run rings around the professional media, not because reporters are dull-wittedalthough, to be fair, that is a contributing factorbut because modern-day journalism is largely about not reporting facts that are deemed inconvenient to the governing class. Such is the sad world in which we live, but fortunately, the news blockade is broken every day.
GoodLifeStudio/iStockBy LUKE BARR, ABC News



(WASHINGTON) -- The government on Monday unsealed a wire fraud charge against a University of Arkansas professor and NASA researcher with ties to the Chinese government.



Simon Saw-Teong Ang allegedly failed to disclose ties with the Chinese government and Chinese companies while also being employed as a professor at the University of Arkansas and accepting NASA research grant money.



A lawyer for Ang has not responded to an ABC News request for comment.



According to court documents, "Ang had close ties with the Chinese government and Chinese companies, and failed to disclose those ties when required to do so in order to receive grant money from NASA."



Emails in the court documents show that Ang had conversations with a researcher in China about concealing his relationship to the Thousand Talents Program, a Chinese run initiative aimed at increasing Chinese presence around the world.



"Not many people here know I am [a Thousand talents program scholar] but if this leaks out, my job here will be in deep troubles," Ang wrote. "I have to be very careful or else I may be out of my job from this university."



"Please keep this to yourself as I trust you," he wrote.



The FBI was alerted to Angs activity after he was mentioned in a Chinese news article highlighting some of the accomplishments of Thousand Talent Program scholars.



Court documents say that Ang held positions in China while also being employed by the University of Arkansas.



This is just the latest in a string of Department of Justice charges related to ties to China. The Justice Department recently convicted and sentenced a former Emory University professor on similar charges.



The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security also released guidance that China is targeting COVID-19 related cyber research through the cyber intrusions.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
When Eliza Bahnemans daughter, Bella, was born, the new mom and her husbands lives changed in innumerable ways.

Bella was born with a rare genetic condition called Treacher Collins syndrome. But despite her limitations, Elizas little warrior and her indomitable spirit prompted the mother to share their familys story, hoping that Bella will inspire others to open their hearts and minds to people with visible differences.

In an email interview with The Epoch Times, Eliza shared her story of motherhood thus far.

Eliza Bahneman pregnant with Bella. (Courtesy of Eliza Bahneman)

Bellas Arrival

Eliza, 36, revealed that she always wanted to be a mother, having worked with kids of all ages most of her life and specialized in mentoring children with autism and special needs. I couldnt wait to have my own [children] to create our memorable experience, she said.

Upon finding out about our pregnancy, Erik and I were thrilled as we had been trying for about eight months, Eliza said. We were getting nervous and questioning if we can get pregnant on our own, as my husband Erik is a cancer survivor.

Eliza was at some point considered high risk due to the shape of her uterus; however, that was ruled out and she had a wonderful pregnancy.

The expectant mothers water broke a month early on Oct. 25, 2018. Bellas birth was governed by a plethora of different emotions, said Eliza, recalling the moment she looked down for the first time and noticed that her newborn baby girl looked different.

Isabella Milena Bahneman was born on Oct. 25, 2018, weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces (approx. 3 kg) and measuring 20 inches. (Courtesy of Eliza Bahneman)

As soon as Bella entered the world, said Eliza, confusion filled the room. I was angry at the ultrasound technicians for not picking up any signs that my daughter might be born with a syndrome. A rare syndrome [] I was heartbroken.

Soon after, Bella was whisked to the NICU so that nurses could monitor her vitals. Unable to ingest breast milk, she was fed intravenously.

An hour later, I was able to unite with my family, Eliza recalled. After my husband and I had some alone time, my husband said, Honey, I think I diagnosed our daughter.

Bella in the hospital. (Courtesy of Eliza Bahneman)

Bellas Diagnosis

Baby Bellas facial bonesthose affecting her ears, jaw, palate, cheekbones, and eyeswere visibly underdeveloped. Erik had been researching and suspected Treacher Collins syndrome. Not long after, a Stanford ENT confirmed Bellas diagnosis.

Bella was born with underdeveloped ears (otherwise known as microtia), slanted eyes due to underdeveloped cheekbones, an open hard and soft palette, and a small recessed jaw resulting in a small airway.

Two days after her birth, Eliza and Eriks baby girl was transferred to Childrens Benioff in Oakland, California, for gastric tube surgery to allow her to eat and an endoscopy to determine the size of her airway. Later, Bella had surgery to repair her soft palette.

Alluding to her now-19-month-old daughter, Eliza said: Bella is our warrior and fighter. She did better than we did during and after her surgeries.

Eliza also revealed that Bella took her first baby steps the day she was discharged from the hospital and since then has been walking nonstop.

The mother continued, She is recovering from the surgery, as it takes six months for the palette to fully repair.

Trials and Triumphs

Looking back on her daughters life so far, Eliza described the most challenging period of motherhood as the very beginning.

I learned that life cant always go as planned, she reflected. I learned that the path you want for yourself sometimes is not the path that you will get, and that the challenges you face you will learn to overcome them.

Hearing her story, people always question Eliza on how she does it all, to which she responds: I have no other choice. I chose to provide my daughter the best future when I became pregnant, and her syndrome cant determine otherwise.

Baby Bella with her parents, Eliza and Eric. (Courtesy of Eliza Bahneman)

Describing her toddlers bright persona, Eliza shared that the strong and resilient Bella is contagious and has an effect on everyone she meets.

For the loving mother, watching her interact with the world is the most rewarding thus far.

As of May 2020, Bella attends speech and occupational therapy, enjoys music classes alongside other children with hearing impairment, and takes part in an early start intervention program provided by her school district. Bella has a very busy schedule and enjoys every part of it, her mom confirmed.

Have an Open Heart and Mind

When asked by The Epoch Times whether she has a personal philosophy that helps her navigate through the tough times, Eliza replied, Ive always looked at lifes challenges as a way to provide one strength.

My philosophy is to take it minute by minute and day by day, she continued. Dealing with everything as it comes, slowly, will provide a better outcome.

Bella with her mother, Eliza. (Courtesy of Eliza Bahneman)

In sharing hers and Bellas story, Eliza wants others to know that Treacher Collins syndrome is not something that can be prevented. The condition affects only 1 in 50,000 to 60,000 children; of this number, only 30 percent of cases are hereditary, and a mutation causes the rest during the gestation period.

Eliza further urges others to talk openly and honestly about difference. The more we know, she says, the less we will judge.

Different is okay, Eliza reflected. Life is beautiful because our world is colorful. I want people to have an open heart and mind. Life can feel so light if viewed differently.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter here: https://www.theepochtimes.com/newsletter
Five regions have seen the number of active infections rise above 50 per 100,000 inhabitants within the past week, a threshold set by Ms. Merkel as triggering the need for a local lockdown. In some cases, the affected regions have reinstated restrictions; in other instances, they have taken targeted isolation measures.

The idea is to isolate the virus where it is, while allowing the rest of the country to continue on with a more normal life, which is possible when the overall number of new infections remains low.

If the numbers are very low, even with a reproduction number of two, not all is lost. We still have so much capacity that we will be able to cope, said Thomas Hotz, a professor of statistics at Ilmenau University of Technology.

The reproduction variable is one of several key numbers.

Recommendations on whether to lock down or reopen the economy are not only based on the R0 number, officials at the Koch Institute said. Other numbers are also taken into consideration.

In determining whether an epidemic is manageable, officials also consider the daily number of new cases, the number of intensive care beds available and the number of tests being carried out every day.

Overall, the number of new cases has been going down in Germany. On Tuesday, the institute recorded 933 new cases  for a total of 170,508  as compared with the 2,486 new infections recorded on April 15.

The R0 looks different when there are fewer cases overall, said Hanno Kautz, a spokesman for Germanys health ministry. Of course we take it seriously that the reproduction number has increased again, but one cannot conclude from this that we are now again dealing with an uncontrolled outbreak.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (TSX:NDM)(NYSE American:NAK) ("Northern Dynasty" or the "Company") announces that the Company has closed its previously announced underwritten public offering of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares"), including exercise in full of the over-allotment option (the "Offering"). A total of 14,375,000 Common Shares were sold at a price of C$0.70 per Common Share ("Offering Price") for gross proceeds of approximately C$10.1 million. The Offering was completed pursuant to an underwriting agreement dated April 29, 2020 among the Company and Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation, as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, and a syndicate of underwriters including BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC. and TD Securities Inc.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering and the Concurrent Private Placement for (i) operational expenditures, including engineering, environmental, permitting and evaluation expenses associated with the Pebble Project and the advancement of completion of the USACE Environmental Impact Study, (ii) enhanced outreach and engagement with political and regulatory offices in the Alaska state and U.S. federal government, Alaska Native partners and broader regional and state-wide stakeholder groups, and (iii) payment of current liabilities associated with the Company's working capital deficiency.

The Offering was completed pursuant to a short form prospectus (the "Prospectus") and related U.S. registration statement on Form F-10 (SEC File No. 333-237875) (the "Registration Statement"). This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been approved or disapproved by any regulatory authority, nor has any such authority passed upon by the accuracy or adequacy of the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

About Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

Northern Dynasty is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, Canada. Northern Dynasty's principal asset, owned through its wholly owned, Alaska-based U.S. subsidiary, the Pebble Partnership, is a 100% interest in a contiguous block of 2,402 mineral claims in southwest Alaska, including the Pebble deposit. The Pebble Partnership is the proponent of the Pebble Project, an initiative to develop one of the world's most important mineral resources.

Ronald W. Thiessen

President & CEO

US Media Contact:

Dan Gagnier

Gagnier Communications

(646) 569-5897

Forward Looking Information and other Cautionary Factors

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively referred to as "forward-looking information"). The use of any of the words "expect", "plan", "update" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. These statements include expectations about the use of proceeds of the Offering, the finalization of the Environmental Impact Study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the ability of the Company to proceed with permit applications for the development of the Pebble Project, and the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary federal and state permits for the development of the Pebble Project. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, Investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings at www.sedar.com and its filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

SOURCE: Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589611/Northern-Dynasty-Announces-Closing-Of-C101-Million-Underwritten-Offering
Hyderabad: A 21-year-old tribal migrant worker from Odisha, who had been working as a construction labourer in Hyderabad, died of dehydration and pangs of hunger at the temple town of Bhadrachalam in Telanganas Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on Tuesday morning.

He had walked over 300 kilometres in four days amid the lockdown restrictions, which were imposed since March 25 to contain the spread of raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, on his way back to his native village in Odishas Malkangiri district.

The deceased, identified as Kasa Madakami from Malkangiri districts Pandripani village, was going back home along with his three friends, a district official said.

Bhadrachalam tehsildar Seshagiri Rao said Madakami died on Tuesday morning, despite braving the scorching summer heat for four days.

He had died due to severe dehydration that was aggravated by the sunstroke and pangs of hunger. His friends had always shifted his body by an ambulance with the help of local villagers even before we got the information, he said.

Bhadrachalam inspector of police K Vinod Reddy said no case had been registered, as doctors said it was a natural death.

The four youth had reached Bhadrachalam on Monday night and had slept on a pavement. One of his friends told us that Madakami had vomited at night and also complained of exhaustion. He didnt wake up from his sleep the next morning. He was taken to a hospital at Bhadrachalam, where doctors declared him brought dead, K Satyanarayana, a local resident, said.

The four youth had not eaten anything since Monday morning, as no eateries are open because of the prevailing lockdown restrictions,he added.

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A pair of Milwaukee twin sisters got accepted into a staggering 38 schools - receiving more than $1,000,000 in scholarships.

Arianna and Arielle Williams are graduating seniors at Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, with Arianna currently ranked the top student in her class and her sister close behind.

The duo are waiting to be officially named valedictorian and salutatorian of their school.

Scroll down for video

Arianna and Arielle Williams are graduating seniors at Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, with Arianna currently ranked the top student in her class and her sister close behind

Accepted into 37 colleges 

Over $1,000,000 in scholarships 

First-generation college students  pic.twitter.com/O2okTliDDP  James Groh (@JamesGroh_) May 12, 2020

'This is not really a completion for me, I'm just getting started,' Arianna explained to WDJT.

Her sister added: 'Yeah, I feel partially relieved.'

The sisters plan to pursue nursing at Marquette University in Wisconsin.

'We never wanted to do the basic,' shared Arianna. 'We always wanted to go above and do beyond that.'

Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate requires all students to apply to at least three schools.

'I said I wanted to do 30,' explains Arianna. 'I even applied to schools in Alaska. I'm not going there, but why not.'

Other schools on the sisters' list included: Hampton University, Louisiana State University and Benedict College.

'We were thinking about Benedict, we got a full ride there, but they didn't have our major,' both said.

The sisters plan to pursue nursing at Marquette University in Wisconsin

'Tuition is pretty much covered there,' Arianna said of Marquette. 'We got accepted into the EOP Program (Educational Opportunity Program), and directly into the nursing program'

Other school's on the sisters' list included: Hampton University, Louisiana State University and Benedict College

The duo decided on Marquette because it had their major and because it was close to their home.

'Tuition is pretty much covered there,' Arianna said of Marquette. 'We got accepted into the EOP Program (Educational Opportunity Program), and directly into the nursing program.'

Arianna stressed that it was alright to 'fail sometimes.'

'You gotta accept your failures,' she added. 'Just come back harder. Do the most! They told us we were doing the most. Do the most and go above and beyond.'

Principal Judith Parker said that the two students represent a 'tremendous example as scholars and citizens for four years'

Principal Judith Parker said that the two students represent a 'tremendous example as scholars and citizens for four years.'

'We couldn't be more proud of their growth, choices and their ability to persevere with joy in the face of obstacles,' the school administrator added.

'They have traveled, organized community service projects, met Michelle Obama and represented our school inside of our walls and throughout our city. We are proud of them and the entire Class of 2020 and excited for the next chapter in their lives as they take this same drive to college.'
The Thunderbirds take a practice flight before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2018. On Friday, the jets will fly over Southern California honoring those working during the pandemic. (Mark Boster / For The Times)

California workers battling on the front lines in the fight against the coronavirus will be honored from the sky during two military salutes this week.

Taking off from Fresno on Wednesday, four California Air National Guard F-15C Eagle fighter jets will soar over hospitals and medical centers, fire stations and government buildings. The flight is part of a nationwide show of support for healthcare workers, first responders and other essential workers aiding the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The jets, assigned to the 144th Fighter Wing, will launch about 10 a.m. and make a loop, first heading toward Sacramento before banking west over the San Francisco Bay, soaring in the direction of Santa Barbara then over to Bakersfield before heading back to the Fresno area. The flight will last about two hours.

The original flight plan included the Los Angeles area but changed course to accommodate for the Southern California flyover of the U.S. Air Force's Thunderbirds on Friday.

Six F-16C/D Fighting Falcons will fly over San Diego and Los Angeles in honor of healthcare workers, first responders, members of the military and others working during the pandemic.

It is an honor for our team to salute the countless Californians who have committed to keeping the communities safe during this difficult time in our nation, said Lt. Col. John Caldwell, Thunderbirds commander and leader. We hope to give onlookers a touching display of American resolve that honors those serving on the front line in our fight against COVID-19.

Flyovers in San Diego will start about noon Friday and last 15 minutes. Los Angeles' air show will begin at 1:10 p.m. and last about 30 minutes. A detailed flight route is expected Thursday.

The Thunderbirds, known for their aerial shows, launched in 1953.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A new study focusing on pediatric patients suggests that children and young adults are at a much greater risk of getting critically ill from coronavirus (COVID-19) than previously thought.

The study -- the first North American coronavirus study focusing on pediatric patients, which was published Monday -- revealed that children with underlying conditions face a greater risk of getting very sick from the virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect on global health. To our knowledge, this early multi-center cross-sectional study is the first of its kind from the U.S. and adds to the emerging data of infants and children infected with COVID-19, said the study.

We found the severity of illness in infants and children with COVID-19 to be far less than that documented in adults, with most PICUs [Pediatric Intensive Care Units) across North America reporting no children admitted with this disease during the study period. Of the critically ill children with COVID-19, more than 80% had a significant long-term underlying medical condition, the study added.

However, recovery from critical illness in infants and children was far better than reported for adult patients, the study reported.

At the present time, our data indicate that children are at far greater risk of critical illness from influenza than from COVID-19, the study said.

The study looked at a cross-section of 46 North American Pediatric ICUs between March 14 and April 3, 2020. A total of 48 children were admitted to 14 PICUs in the United States and none in Canada, the study said. A total of 40 children (83%) had pre-existing underlying medical conditions, 35 (73%) presented with respiratory symptoms, 18 (38%) required invasive ventilation, and the hospital mortality rate was 4.2%, the study said.

This early study shows that COVID-19 can result in a significant disease burden in children but confirms that severe illness is less frequent, and early hospital outcomes in children are better than in adults, said the study.

STATE TO CONDUCT WEBINAR

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Wednesday that the state Department of Health will host a statewide webinar on Thursday for all health-care providers to discuss the symptoms, testing and care of reported inflammatory disease in children related to COVID-19.

The state is currently investigating approximately 102 reported cases in New York where children -- predominantly school-aged -- are experiencing these symptoms possibly due to COVID-19. The illness has taken the life of three New York youngsters, including a 5-year old in New York City, a 7-year old in Westchester County and a teenager in Suffolk County.

Of the reported cases, 60% of the children displaying these symptoms tested positive for COVID-19 and 40% tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Additionally, 71% of the cases have resulted in ICU admission, 19% of cases have resulted in intubation and 43% of the cases remain hospitalized.

We must stay alert with this virus because were still learning, and what we thought we knew doesnt always turn out to be true, Cuomo said.

When we first started with this virus, we were told children are not affected, which was a great sigh of relief. But now were finding out that may not be 100% accurate because were seeing cases where children who may have been infected with the COVID virus show symptoms of an inflammatory disease like the Kawasaki disease or toxic shock-like syndrome. New York State has been aggressively investigating these new cases and is leading the efforts on this nationwide, and the more we know the more we know, the more well communicate, the governor added.

The state recommends New Yorkers should seek immediate care if a child has the following symptoms:

Prolonged fever (more than five days)

Severe abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting

Bloodshot eyes

Skin rash

Other Symptoms:

Change in skin color - becoming pale, patchy and/or blue

Difficulty feeding (infants), or is too sick to drink fluids

Trouble breathing or is breathing very quickly

Racing heart or chest pain

Lethargy, irritability or confusion

New York State is leading the national effort to find out more about this illness related to COVID-19 in children, said Cuomo. He has directed hospitals statewide to prioritize COVID-19 testing for children displaying symptoms similar to an atypical Kawasaki disease and toxic shock-like syndrome.

At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the state is helping to develop the national criteria for identifying and responding to COVID-related illness in children.

New York State has notified 49 other states across the country of emerging cases of COVID-related illness in children, and now 14 other states and five European countries have reported cases as well.

The State Department of Health is also partnering with the NY Genome Center and Rockefeller University to conduct a genome and RNA sequencing study to better understand COVID-related illnesses in children and the possible genetic basis of this syndrome.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK***

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Hubei on way to economic resurgence

From:ChinaDaily | 2020-05-13 09:58

Enterprises' production resumption rate close to national average level

Ever since the novel coronavirus outbreak hit Wuhan, Hubei province, Hu Yan and her colleagues have been extremely busy. They have been working round the clock to produce medical supplies including protective gowns, medical caps and N95 surgical masks.

Hu is the special assistant to the chairman of Crown Name Disposable Hygiene Products Fty Ltd, a Wuhan-based medical supplies manufacturer. From Jan 20 to May 7, the company's production capacity of protective clothing increased from 3,000 pieces to over 80,000 pieces per day, even higher than the level before the epidemic outbreak.

Hu said that when the epidemic worsened in Wuhan during Spring Festival (Jan 24Feb 2), most of the company's employees were on vacation and there were only around 30 people on duty in the factory. To meet the region's urgent need for medical supplies, the company immediately took action and mobilized workers to produce protective clothing. Within around six weeks, workers at the factory surged from around 30 to 880.

"In March, daily use of protective suits in Hubei was around 120,000 pieces, among which 80,000 pieces went to local medical staff and the rest were for assisting medical professionals from other regions of the country. Our company took the responsibility to provide roughly 40,000 pieces," said Li Sen, chairman of Crown Name.

"Amid the unprecedented virus outbreak and skyrocketing demand for protective clothing, we took steps to increase production capacity as much as possible while strictly ensuring product quality. We even raised product quality standards by one level," Li said.

Since March 20, the epidemic situation has improved remarkably in Wuhan and Hubei province, but conditions overseas have worsened considerably. Crown Name switched its focus from domestic to foreign demand and ramped up efforts to offer medical materials to overseas markets.

Within 10 days, the company received foreign orders worth $90 million from Europe, the United States, Australia and elsewhere.

"While ensuring domestic supplies, most of our products are now for export," said Li Qing, general manager of Crown Name.

Crown Name currently has more than 2,000 employees, which is higher than the level before the epidemic broke out. Its production capacity for protective clothing has surpassed 80,000 pieces a day, and most of the products are now exported overseas.

Data from the Hubei epidemic prevention and control command center showed that between March 11 and April 30, based on market activity and resumption of sales, Hubei's production recovery index reached 80.59 percent.

By May 1, the worker return rate of the province's ongoing construction projects valued at or above 100 million yuan ($14 million) was 94.4 percent, and the figure of Wuhan specifically was 76.8 percent.

The Department of Economy and Information Technology of Hubei Province said the provincial government has been guiding and promoting orderly production resumption of industrial enterprises across the province since March 15. By April 17, the resumption rate of Hubei's industrial enterprises above a designated sizewith an annual revenue of 20 million yuan or abovereached 98.2 percent, and 93 percent of employees at these enterprises were back to work.

Meng Chunlin, deputy director of the department, said: "Generally speaking, the production resumption rate of industrial enterprises above a designated size in Hubei is close to the national average level."

Industrial enterprises that are related to healthcare, energy, daily necessities and agricultural production have witnessed a significant growth in their production resumption rate, said the department.

Meng said that some bottlenecks that hinder enterprises from resuming operations still exist, including capital shortfalls, high costs, reduced orders and broken supply chains.

"The problems are especially obvious among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, whose overall production resumption rate has not yet reached 80 percent. For some enterprises, although workers have returned and operations resumed, production capacity has not recovered to normal levels," he said.

Liu Weijun, head of the department's SME development division, said the Hubei government has issued a series of favorable policies to support the production resumption of SMEs, including reducing or exempting taxes of the enterprises and lowering loan lending rates.
The White House announced on Wednesday that Georgia will receive over $260 million in federal funding to increase testing capacity in the state.

Testing is a critical element of our phased approach to get America back to work, said Senator David Perdue. This CARES Act funding will allow Georgia to expand its testing capacity and test as many people as possible, even asymptomatic individuals. As we continue to gradually reopen the economy, we must ensure our healthcare system has the testing capabilities and resources necessary to identify and contain COVID-19.

The funding, to be awarded by the Department of Health and Human Services, was authorized through the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, commonly known as CARES Act 3.5. The Administration announced on Monday that $11 billion will be distributed to help provide states with the resources they need to meet their testing goals.
New Delhi, May 13 : As the lockdown restrictions get eased eventually and hotels restart services in the coming days, the Aarogya Setu app may be recommended for guests as well as daily temperature check of guests and staff would be carried out, if a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) prepared by the Ministry of Tourism gets implemented.

The draft 'Post COVID-19 Protocols for Accommodation Units' which are yet to be finalised, suggests that property staff would have Aarogya Setu app for survey and the same will be followed for guests during check in. Industry players have suggested that the need for Aarogya Setu app for guests can be avoided in case the government does not make it mandatory.

As per the proposed SOP, every guest in the hotel and its staff would have to go through thermal temperature check every day.

"Daily temperature to be checked with a thermal gun thermometer for all staff members and every guest," it said.

It has proposed that no visitor should be allowed in the hotel and the room of the guest. Industry has, however, suggested that visitors should not be allowed in the guest floor.

The SOP noted that guests must be requested to maintain a queue with 2 metre distance between them. Standing space signs will be placed on the floor to maintain social distancing.

Rooms should be kept ready as soon as possible to avoid any crowd at the reception and maintain minimum contact with the guest, it said.

Details of the guest, including travel history and medical condition along with ID and self-declaration form must be provided by the guest at the reception for the time being.

Housekeeping staff would have to wear masks or PPE wherever needed while cleaning or deep cleaning the room.

Regarding the check-out procedure, the draft SOP proposed that guests should inform at the reception an hour before the check out and they should only check out once he/she is confirmed by the reception.

Guests should be informed about the payment to be made in advance and they may be requested to make the payment via digital mode as much as possible.

In case of a guest is suspected of COVID-19 infection, the draft guidelines say they should not be denied check-in if they are coughing or sneezing, instead social distancing should be maintained and medical assistance should be offered.

The hotel management would have to keep a watch over the health condition of the guest, by calling him on the extension and checking his well-being along with offering medical assistance.

In case the illness persists, the concerned room should be locked and the entire floor, reception and all common areas to be deep cleaned and fumigated.

The draft SOP also suggests that the hotel management should call the Corona helpline number in such case. Industry sources, however, said that they have suggested that, it should be done only in the confirmed COVID-19 cases.

"In case suspected guests flee/not traceable, inform the police immediately," the draft SOP said.

Commenting on the draft SOP, Ankur Bhatia, ED, Bird Group, which owns Roseate Hotels & Resorts said that if implemented, the draft guidelines would help the sector ensure highest level of hygiene, safety and social distancing and in fact act as gold standard for other countries to emulate." "The 2 m (6 ft) distance that needs to be followed between the hotel staff and guests at all times would help in minimising risk factors for the COVID-19 spread," he said.

Gaurav Taneja, General Manager, Amatra Hotels & Resorts: "These draft guidelines by the ministry have come at an appropriate time to ensure the hospitality sector can start building up its infrastructure with the new norms."

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Workers sort cashew nuts at Binh Phuoc Processing Cashew and Agriculture product plant in southern Binh Phuoc Province.  VNA/VNS Photo inh Hue

HA NOI  The Viet Nam Cashew Association (Vinacas) recommends cashew processing enterprises remain calm and try not to sell off their products to avoid potential losses.

A representative of the association said: "There are more demands for the nuts, but exporters should be careful in trading."

Vinacas thinks though the pandemic has been controlled in China, it was still not yet under control in many countries and territories around the world, especially the US and Europe, which are traditional cashew export markets of Viet Nam and where customers are requesting early delivery due to fears global freight may be in trouble.

According to the association, in the United States and the EU, restricted travel has led to an increasing demand for essential food reserves, including processed cashew nuts. Especially, in the EU, importers were looking to buy goods to store because of the concern that the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa will affect the supply of raw cashew nuts for Viet Nam and India.

At the same time, India is still greatly affected by the pandemic. According to the Indian Cashew Industry Federation, about 15,000 tons of raw cashew nuts are in stock at processing plants across the country due to the blockade.

As a result, some customers now require Vietnamese factories to deliver the nuts as quickly as possible due to concerns that global cargo transportation may be in difficulty, raising freight rates.

However, Vinacas tells local processing plants to be careful in trading their products, suggesting they import raw nuts if there is a suitable price.

Vinacas added: Cashew processing enterprises should not sign future contracts if they cannot buy raw cashew nuts at good prices, because when the pandemic is under control, the prices may increase again.

The association also mentions the high risk of buying raw cashew nuts from Africa without having a contract for their processed nuts or having a plan to resell the materials.

Instead, it advises plants to purchase raw cashew nuts in the country in order to contribute to the maintenance and development of local raw material areas.

Local cashew processing plants need to closely monitor market developments and should also have a plan for 2021, says the association.

Before the pandemic, the Vietnamese cashew industry aimed to export US$4 billion in 2020. As the pandemic hit the price of cashew nut exports, the industry adjusted its export plan to $3 billion.  VNS
As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 13 announced measures to help support and revive the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) battered by the COVID-19 outbreak. However, stakeholders in the MSME ecosystem feel a lot more needs to be done.

The measures taken by the Finance Ministry include Rs 3 lakh crore of collateral-free automatic loans, Rs 20,000 crore subordinated debt for stressed MSMEs, Rs 50,000 equity infusion through fund of funds, MSME definition change, global tender restrictions as well as e-market linkages.

MSMEs have been facing stress ever since the country entered a lockdown due to COVID-19. Businesses were shut, salaries delayed and cash crunch was a reality.

While MSME players said that the measures by the government would help to some extent, the real need of the hour is to get more liquidity infusion in terms of direct cash.

Track this blog for highlights from the FM's press meet

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

Samir Kaji, founder, Selec Controls, said there is nothing has brings additional cash in hand. He said that what was expected was alleviation and lowering of interest cost, so that the costs go down.

"The measures don't give instant relief. It would have been great if companies could get compensation for salary payment. The lower contribution for PF, is just 2 percent," he said.

Kaji added that these are good reforms since SMEs will need more finance. However, as far as the who constitutes an MSME is concerned, Kaji explained that the definition of SME needed to be only on turnover and at least up to Rs 100 crore was expected for small scale and Rs 500 crore for medium enterprises.

In her address, Sitharaman had announced the inclusion of turnover as a criteria for classification as MSME. Earlier, MSMEs were classified only on the basis of the investment made and there was a distinction between manufacturing and service enterprises.

Now both manufacturing and servicing enterprises will be under one segment. Firms with less than Rs 1 crore investment and below Rs 5 crore turnover will be called micro entities while those with below Rs 10 crore investment and less than Rs 50 crore turnover will be small entities. Medium entities will be those with less than Rs 20 crore investment and turnover below Rs 100 crore.

Deepak Jain, President of Automotive Components Manufacturing Association said the change in definition of MSMEs has been a long-standing recommendation of ACMA.

With this new classification, a significant number of ACMA members stand to benefit as the sector is dominated by smaller enterprises. That apart, infusion of liquidity through the collateral-free automatic loans and the subordinate debt scheme, will ease the severe challenge of working capital being faced by the sector, added Jain.

Currently, there are about 350 companies defined as MSMEs in the automobile sector.

But is this enough?

MSMEs facing severe cash crunch were hopeful of some relief on the employee state insurance (ESIC) front. ESIC is a self-financing social security scheme mandatory for individuals earning upto Rs 21,000 per month.

It was anticipated that the April to June wages of MSME sector employees would be made out of the Rs 31,000 crore funds of the Employee State Insurance Corporation. However, no such announcement was made by the finance minister.

We have been doing zero business since mid-March 2020. The basic need was to release ESIC funds for payment of employee salaries. Without that, how will us small entities afford to pay staff? We cannot be taking bank loans for every activity, said the head of a Maharashtra based SME that supplies raw material to electric goods companies for wire manufacturing.

MSMEs had outlined a list of demand through their industry associations to the Prime Ministers Office and finance ministry. A majority of the demands had included slashing of the goods and services tax (GST), PF contribution by government for three months as well as loan moratoriums.

The MSME package has been announced. But now it is dependent on the banks/NBFCs on how, when and whom would the relief be offered to. We also need a flat 5 percent flat rate for SMEs doing business with the government, said Chandrakant Salunkhe, founder and president of SME Chamber of India and CMD of Macro Group of Companies.

As far as the emergency credit line for MSMEs of 20 percent of entire outstanding credit is concerned, the finance ministry said that borrowers with up to Rs 25 crore outstanding and Rs 100 crore turnover are eligible.

However, MSMEs are already fearing that banks and non-banking financial companies would be very choosy on who gets the amount.

It is not a mandatory facility being provided. This is just an additional option and banks/NBFCs would reject multiple proposals, said the owner of an education training company in Delhi. This official added that his company has been struggling to get a Rs 1 crore loan passed since March 2020 because business is down to zero.

On the taxation front as well, MSMEs are hoping that GST filing is further extended. The March-May GST returns filing date has been extended till June 30. However, MSMEs are of the view that this deadline is too close considering that no business revival has occurred yet.

India is estimated to have 64 million MSMEs according to the 2018-19 Annual Report of the MSME Ministry. The annual report also said that MSME contributed 28.9 percent of the country's gross domestic product in FY17.

(With additional inputs from Prince Mathews Thomas and Swaraj Baggonkar)

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
The Supreme Court building in Washington. (Karen Bleier / AFP-Getty Images)

U.S. Supreme Court justices sounded open Tuesday to shielding President Trump from broad demands by House Democrats to obtain many years of his tax returns and financial records, while stopping short of giving Trump the kind of absolute protection he is seeking.

During more than three hours of arguments, the justices, both conservative and liberal, appeared to reject the main rationales cited by both sides in this clash between the White House and Congress.

On one side, lawyers for Trump insisted he was entirely immune from legal demands that he reveal his personal records because of his special status as the nations chief executive. The justices were quick to reject that claim, noting that President Nixon was forced to turn over the Watergate tapes and that President Clinton was forced to answer personal questions under oath based on a sexual harassment suit.

But they were equally skeptical of the claim that House committees were free to demand from the president huge volumes of personal information, without limits, because the information in theory might lead to new legislation. Trumps lawyers said such subpoenas could be used to harass a political opponent.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. expressed concern over the idea that there are no limits on Congress power to obtain personal information through a subpoena, and he pressed the Houses lawyer to cite a plausible example of a subject that would be off-limits to a House subpoena. House counsel Douglas Letter failed to give an example.

Early in the argument, Roberts said the court needed to weigh and balance the competing interests on both sides. And by the arguments end, it sounded as though the high court may hand down a mixed decision that does not give a clear win to either Congress or the president.

There did not appear to be a majority to rule that Trumps accountants must immediately turn over 10 years of his financial records to the House committees. If Roberts takes the lead, the court could issue an opinion that both rejects Trumps claims that he is above the law, but also requires the House to show why the presidents personal financial information going back to 2010 is relevant to new legislation.

Story continues

The justices gave a more favorable hearing to New York prosecutors who sought Trumps business records as a part of a grand jury investigation. It is typical for these grand juries to seek private records as a part of a confidential investigation. Prosecutors in New York said they were looking into questionable loans and business deals involving Trump and his organization.

The presidents lawyers argued that if New York grand jury and Dist. Atty. Cyrus Vance are permitted to obtain Trumps financial records, the president  and all future presidents  will be vulnerable to harassing subpoenas from 2,300 other county district attorneys across the nation.

But that claim seemed to get little traction, and New York prosecutor Carey Dunne scoffed at the idea.

The supposed floodgates have been open for generations, and theres never been a flood, he said.

However, if the court rules for the prosecutors in the case of Trump vs. Vance, it does not mean the American public will see Trumps taxes before the November election. The New York prosecutor assured the justices that confidential information obtained by the grand jury will remain secret.

Tuesdays argument featured a rare high-level battle over the powers of all three branches of the U.S. government.

At issue was whether the president had absolute immunity from complying with subpoenas that sought his personal financial records. Other presidents since the 1970s have voluntarily disclosed their tax returns, but Trump has refused to do so.

The fight over the House subpoenas, in turn, raised the question of whether a House committee has unlimited power to obtain private information from the chief executive. In the past, the court has agreed that Congress has the power to investigate, but it has not ruled squarely on a clash between the House and the president.

And for the justices, the dispute raised the question of whether the high court had the legal authority to resolve an essentially political dispute between a Republican president and a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. Last month, the justices asked for extra briefing on that question.

Looming over Tuesdays argument were two landmark decisions on presidential power, both of which were unanimous defeats for the White House. In 1974, the justices rejected Nixons claim of executive privilege and ruled he must turn over the tapes of his Oval Office meetings to the Watergate special prosecutor. That decision led directly to Nixons resignation.

In 1997, the justices ruled unanimously that Clinton must answer questions under oath in response to a sexual harassment lawsuit that arose from his time as governor of Arkansas. That deposition, in turn, triggered an expanded investigation and ultimately his impeachment for lying under oath.

The court heard a pair of cases on Tuesday. The first concerned the three House committees that sent subpoenas to Trump accountants Mazars USA and Deutsche Bank, seeking his tax records and years worth of financial records. The committees were relying on their power of oversight, which is based in the power to write new legislation. Trump sued to challenge the subpoenas, but lost in the U.S. appeals courts in Washington and New York.

In November, the justices intervened at Trumps request and put the subpoenas on hold. They then voted to hear his appeals in Trump vs. Mazars and Trump vs. Deutsche Bank.

The second argument focused on grand jury subpoenas issued by Vance. His office was investigating the alleged hush money payments that went to a porn actress and a Playboy model who both said they had sex with Trump.

Usually, grand juries have the power to obtain information in confidence. But Trump sued to challenge the subpoenas and to claim that the president was off-limits to any criminal investigation while he was in the White House. The appeals court in New York also rejected that claim.
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From road level, the tallest bridge on Interstate 280 provides little clue to how high or elegantly it stands over San Mateo Creek. When people cross it, they tend not to remember the span itself, but rather the quirky "Flintstone house" perched on a hill to the east.

Most probably don't know the name of the deck girder bridge or the sad tale of the man it honors - Police Officer Eugene A. Doran.

The San Francisco native and 4-year veteran of the Hillsborough Police Department lived in a Burlingame neighborhood that in August 1959 must have seemed right out of "Leave it to Beaver." Doran was a family man who enjoyed playing ball with his sons Eugene Jr., 15, and Pat, 11. The boys idolized him. He and Eugene Jr. - called "Gene" like his dad - had just built a hi-fi set together. His pregnant wife, Alice, was looking forward to celebrating her husband's 38th birthday in few days .

Doran couldn't have been happier about having a third child on the way. On the day before he died, he told a friend, "I'll be around for a long time. I'll be here to take care of him."

In the early morning of Aug. 5, 1959, Doran was patrolling Skyline Boulevard near Black Mountain Road, the southern edge of his beat, when he spotted another car. He followed briefly then switched on the flasher when the car turned left onto Bunker Hill Road. It pulled over about 100 feet up the road.
Titles on finding hope and comfort, overcoming obstacles, and persevering despite hardship reign supreme on PWs Religion Nonfiction bestsellers list for April amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. While Jennie Allens Get Out of Your Head and Craig Groeschels Dangerous Prayers maintain their respective perches at #1 and #2, Sarah Youngs bestselling 365-day devotional Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence takes third place on the list. The book has sold over 30 million copies since its initial publication in 2004 in part because it imparts words of peace and comfort, Laura Minchew, senior v-p, childrens and gift group publisher of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, told PW during a recent interview.

John Meacham follows at #4 with The Hope of Glory: Reflections on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross, which studies the words of Jesus recorded in the gospels. PW called the book eloquent and comforting in its review, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author promoted the book via media appearances on NPR, The New York Times, and more.

Suffer Strong: How to Survive Anything by Redefining Everything takes #7 on the list. Author Katherine Wolf, who survived a near-fatal brainstem stroke at 26, writes of her recovery, frustrations, dreams, and victories, while her husband writes in alternating chapters of being a husband, father, and caregiver. The book comes with a free downloadable study guide, and media interviews included the Christian talk show 100 Huntley Street and FaithWire.

Finally, another title on the hard parts of life, The Gift of One Day: How to Find Hope When Life Gets Hard by Kerry Shook and Chris Shook, comes in at #8. The book describes the loss of the couples grandson after just one day of life and how it changed their lives. In addition to a sermon series, launch team promotions, and e-blasts to the publishers email programs, authors Rick Warren, Craig Groeschel, Mark Batterson, Steven Furtick, and more promoted it through blurbs.

In Fiction, Jonathan Cahn stayed #1 with The Oracle, while Francine Rivers moved up one spot from last month to #2 with her bestselling romance Redeeming Love. Making its debut, Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar takes #9 after receiving blurbs from authors such as Sharon Garlough Brown and positive reviews, including PWs, which called it Afshars strongest, most complex scripture-based story yet.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 13, 2020(Frankfurt: RR0) ("Rockridge" or the "Company") announces that it has acquired additional claims through staking effectively doubling the size of its Raney Gold Project located southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada (the "Raney Gold Project" or "Property"). The expanded landholding adds important claims on trend with the extensive structural corridor that hosts the highlight intercept of 28.0 g/t gold over 6.0 metres announced previously (see the news release dated April 29, 2020).



Raney Gold Project Location Map:

http://www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com/_resources/maps/location_map_may2020a.jpg

The Raney Gold Project is located within the highly prospective west extension of the Abitibi Greenstone belt, proximal to several regional deposits. Newmont's Borden Gold mine (reserves of 4.17 MT @ 6.38 g/t Au for ~860k oz. Au reported in 2015) is located 35 km west of Raney, and IAMGOLD's Cote development project (measured and indicated resources of 355 MT @ 0.87 g/t Au for ~9.98 M oz. Au and inferred resources of 113 MT @ 0.7 g/t Au for ~2.4 M oz. Au) is located 75 km to the southeast of Raney. GFG Resources is a close neighbour that has acquired a large land package in the area including its Pen and Dore Gold Projects. Recent drilling success by GFG has resulted in attracting Alamos Gold as a strategic investor.

Highlights:



The Raney Gold Project is a large prospective gold property covering ~28 square kilometres located ~110 km southwest of the prolific gold district of Timmins, ON

A recently completed drilling program entailed 2,070 metres in nine diamond drill holes; assay results from the first six holes were reported previously, and results for the remaining three holes are pending

The program tested the mineralized gold system along a strike extent of 225 metres, with a highlight intercept of 28.0 g/t gold over 6.0 metres (uncut) at a shallow vertical level of 95 metres reported in hole RN 20-06 (see news release dated April 29, 2020)

This newly discovered high-grade zone is 75 metres west of a historical drill hole that returned 6.5 g/t gold over 8.0 metres

The expanded landholding covers the western extent of the structural corridor that hosts the mineralization, as well as contiguous claims to the north

Gold mineralization is associated with broad intervals of higher concentrations of narrow quartz veins hosted in an extensive structural corridor that may extend over several hundred metres, with no drilling completed over a large extent of this corridor

A notable disruption in the airborne magnetic data approximately 2 km west of the current drilling and in line with the projected structural corridor provides a compelling target area for future exploration

Property has excellent access and infrastructure; accessible by paved and forestry roads

Plan Map Showing Exploration Potential along Extensive Structural Corridor:

http://www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com/_resources/maps/updated-slides-ROCK-3.pdf



Rockridge's CEO, Grant Ewing, commented: "The results of the recent Raney drilling program led to a better understanding of the nature of the gold mineralization at the Project. Additional ground has been staked at the western end of the broad structural corridor that hosts the mineralization, and to the north, effectively doubling the size of this prospective gold property. The extensive structural corridor provides a compelling area to concentrate further exploration, as does the area where a geophysical discontinuity occurs ~2 km west of the area where the current drilling was focused."

Recent Drill Program Summary:

A total of 2,070 metres in nine diamond drill holes were completed during the program to assess the potential of the Raney Gold Project. The drill program focused on the main zone over a strike extent of approximately 225 metres that produced an intercept of 6.5 g/t gold over 8.0 metres in 2010. The deepest hole of the recent program tested down to the 260-metre level.

Silicification and minor carbonate alteration were recognized, however gold mineralization appears to be closely related to intervals of high quartz vein density. The quartz veins are hosted in a steeply dipping alteration zone dominated by intermediate volcanic rocks consisting of lapilli tuffs and bedded argillites, with lamprophyre dikes. The quartz veins crosscut and run parallel to a weak fabric, and range in thickness from 0.5 cm to 20 cm in width.

A zone of increased vein density has been noted where the historic visible gold intercepts occur. The high-grade intercept of 27.98 g/t over 6.0 metres from the current program was the fourth drill hole on the Property to intercept visible gold, and all these occurrences were in the main zone near the 100-metre level.

The broad structural corridor that hosts the mineralization is up to 125 metres wide and extends well beyond the area tested by drilling. Historic mapping and surface sampling data show that the zone may extend over several hundred metres. No drilling has been conducted along this corridor except for the ~225-metre-long main zone. A notable disruption in the airborne magnetic data approximately 2 km west of the current drilling and in line with the projected structural corridor provides a compelling target area for future exploration.

Results for the final three holes of the program will be reported when they become available.

Raney Gold Project Geology and History:

Historical drilling at the Raney Gold Project focused on identifying near-surface gold mineralization along an extensive structural corridor. Three sub-parallel and closely spaced mineralized zones of quartz-carbonate alteration with quartz veining, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and occasionally visible gold were outlined. The drilling to date suggests the possibility of steeply plunging shoots of mineralization with reasonable widths in a broad alteration zone that is open along strike.

Raney Gold Project Location Map:

http://www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com/_resources/maps/location_map_may2020.jpg

Previous exploration on the Property from 1972 to 1991 consisted of prospecting, mapping, sampling, trenching, winkie drilling, ground geophysics, stripping, and some limited diamond drilling. This was followed by exploration work during the 2009 to 2010 period. The best intercept returned from historical drilling was 6.5 g/t gold over 8.0 metres.

The property is underlain by mafic volcanics to the north, and felsic to intermediate volcaniclastics to the south. The felsic volcaniclastics are host to the gold zones. Quartz feldspar porphyry dykes and sills and minor mafic intrusives occur throughout the Property. The porphyries are generally massive but may be sheared and hydrothermally altered and veined in places.

A 100 metre-wide intensely sheared and altered quartz-feldspar porphyry body is located just to the south of the main Raney gold showing. Gold mineralization exposed on the surface and intersected in drill holes on the property is typical of the lode gold class of gold deposit which is the dominant gold deposit type in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Gold mineralization on the property is associated with the intensely sheared and altered zones within the felsic tuffs, and higher grades tend to occur where quartz veining is present.

The Property is in the Archean Swayze Greenstone Belt, thought to be the southeast extension of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, which hosts the world-class Timmins and Kirkland Lake gold districts. Numerous gold occurrences occur throughout the district and several world-class mines have been developed. These deposits are responsible for a significant portion of the world's cumulative gold production and are often characterized by gold enriched quartz vein systems associated with supracrustal belts in low to medium grade metamorphic terranes. Gold mineralization at the Property is typical of the mesothermal lode gold deposit model.

Rockridge holds an option to earn a 100% interest in the Raney Gold Project.

Qualified Person:

Todd Keast, P.Geo, a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and the Raney Gold Project Manager for Rockridge Resources Ltd., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Rockridge Resources Ltd.

Rockridge Resources is a publicly traded mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties in Canada and other mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's Raney Gold Project is a high-grade gold exploration project located in the same greenstone belt that hosts the world-class Timmins and Kirkland Lake lode gold mining camps. The Company's Knife Lake Project is in Saskatchewan, which is ranked as the #3 mining jurisdiction in the world by the Fraser Institute. The project hosts the Knife Lake deposit, which is a VMS, near-surface copper-cobalt-gold-silver-zinc deposit open along strike and at depth. Rockridge's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions.

Additional information about Rockridge Resources and its project portfolio can be found on the Company's website at www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com . Rockridge currently has 33.9 million shares issued and outstanding.

Rockridge Resources Ltd.

"Grant Ewing"



Grant Ewing

CEO

For further information contact myself or:

Jordan Trimble, President or

Simon Dyakowski, Corporate Development





Rockridge Resources Ltd.

Telephone: 604-687-3376

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

Email: info@rockridgeresourcesltd.com



NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Forward Looking Information

Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements.
Doubts intensified today about whether the NHS coronavirus contact tracing app will really be ready for millions of Britons to use in the coming days.

Matt Hancock yesterday confirmed the app - currently being piloted on the Isle of Wight - would be rolled out nationwide by mid-May.

The Health Secretary said officials had 'learned a lot about how the app operates', adding that Number 10 was 'pleased with the progress'.

But an expert who sat on an advisory board for the contact-tracing app admitted he was 'very surprised' by the Health Secretary's pledge.

Gus Hosein, a member of the NHS Covid-19 App Data Ethics Advisory Board, argued the trial had not been long enough.

The study of the app, deemed crucial to controlling the coronavirus after lockdown, only began on May 5 and has already thrown up a number of glitches.

For example, some new Huawei phones and older mobiles cannot run the app, and previous Apple iOS software is not compatible.

Ministers even revealed they would consider adopting a new model just four days ago, after concerns were sparked about how the app stores data.

Experts say the controversial model used by the NHS is unfavourable because it is not as tight on privacy as 'decentralised' tech developed by Apple and Google and adopted by other European countries.

It comes after a study crushed hopes the app will work efficiently because it found Bluetooth - which the app relies on - may be hindered in some situations.

Researchers found Bluetooth signals are much weaker when a phone is hidden away in a pocket, for example.

Doubts intensified today about whether the NHS coronavirus contact tracing app (pictured) will really be ready for millions of Britons to use in the coming days

Gus Hosein, a member of the NHS Covid-19 App Data Ethics Advisory Board, admitted he was 'very surprised' if the app was rolled out next week.He argued the trial on the Isle of Wight had not been long enough

The app works using Bluetooth signals to detect when two phones come close to each other.

When someone develops symptoms of COVID-19, they notify the app which then uses Bluetooth log to informs other users that they may also have the virus.

Mr Hancock confirmed the app would be rolled out in England following its Isle of Wight trial on Sky News yesterday.

He said: 'We're rolling out in mid-May. The Isle of Wight project has gone well so far, we've learned a lot about how the app operates. We're pleased with progress, and we're going to bring it in.'

Gus Hosein, a member of the NHS Covid-19 App Data Ethics Advisory Board, told The Times that he was 'very surprised' that Mr Hancock had announced its deployment by mid-May.

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 as executive director at the charity Privacy International, Mr Hosein said ministers 'shouldn't be screwing with peoples' aspirations for a solution to this lockdown'.

He said there had not been enough time for the test on the Isle of Wight to generate meaningful results.

According to ministers, 35 per cent of people on the Isle of Wight have installed the app.

But experts say 60 - 80 per cent of the population need it on their phones for it to have an impact - that would be the equivalent of 40million people across Britain.

Matt Hancock claims it has 'gone well so far' - but there has been no publication of how the app has worked on the Isle of Wight for scrutiny.

It comes after Robert Jenrick, communities secretary, admitted the app may need to 'adapt' or 'move to a different model' just four days ago, after rumours the app would need to be started from scratch.

On the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Mr Jenrick said that as far as he was aware, the government was not developing a rumoured second app.

However, he said: 'We have an app that is being rolled out on the Isle of Wight but we are also paying attention to what is happening elsewhere in the world.'

Health chiefs are understood to be looking at switching to the system used by the tech giants Google and Apple, which has been adopted by European nations including Germany, Ireland and Switzerland.

Models by Apple and Google are 'decentralised', which means only the individual's phone logs data about where it has been.

The phone will then send out a notification to all the devices they have exchanged 'digital tokens' with during the infection window, to make people aware they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

In contrast, the NHS version is what's known as a centralised app. It means the NHS collects data on which phones have been in close proximity.

This will be anonymised so the lists will actually just be numbers or codes, not lists of names or addresses.

It allows the NHS to put the data together and see who has been near to each other in order to contact trace and send an alert to the necessary phones if a person tests positive.

There are benefits to both approaches, however data privacy experts say Apple and Google's ensures confidence about data privacy.

The NHS app relies on people trusting the Government that nothing will be used of the data sent up to the NHS, which may be too much of an ask for some.

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.

'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.'

Health chiefs are understood to be looking at switching to the system used by the tech giants Google and Apple, which has been adopted by European nations

People are receiving error messages telling them the app is not compatible with their devices, with others reporting glitches including pop-ups. This picture appears to show one of the devices not compatible with the app

APP MAY NOT WORK IF YOUR PHONE IS IN YOUR POCKET OR ON TRAINS The NHS contact tracing app may not work properly if your phone is in your pocket, a study suggests. The app works by using Bluetooth signals to detect when two phones come close to each other. But researchers at Trinity College Dublin discovered a number of situations in which Bluetooth is hindered. Doug Leith and Stephen Farrell tested various real life scenarios using Android phones and Singapores contact tracing app, TraceTogether, which the NHSX app is based on. Signal dropped by 38 per cent if both phones were in pockets rather than placed on the table in a meeting room, New Scientist reports. Signals reduced by about one-third when someone with a phone in their front pocket faced away from a second person carrying a phone, possibly because the body absorbs some of the Bluetooth signals. It means the phones may never record that they were close to each other, and suggests 'that reliable proximity detection using Bluetooth received signal strength is probably not going to be that easy', Mr Leith, School of Computer Science and Statistics, said. The pair found proximity could be established walking around streets. But in the supermarket - where phones struggled to distinguish distances between various people - and on a train. On trains, beyond 3.5 metres, the signal strength between two phones unexpectedly increased, the paper published online shows, when it should be decreasing. This is a concern because it could lead to false alarms. It may occur because the radio waves used in Bluetooth can reflect off the metal surfaces inside trains (or in supermarkets), making it difficult to interpret the signals. Advertisement

NHSX insists it will delete people's data when they get rid of the app.

A number of other teething problems have been raised by the app developers and residents themselves over the last couples of weeks.

COVID-19 app development leader Geraint Lewis admitted on Monday the app does not work on the latest Huawei devices or some older mobile phones.

The new tool will only work with newer operating systems on Apple and Android phones.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Mr Lewis said that devices must be running either Apple iOS 11 upwards or Android 8 or higher.

Several listeners contacted the radio station to say that the app  which is being piloted on the island before a wider release  was not working on older devices.

It also appears to drain battery on some phones despite the Government saying it has been designed to conserve power. This is thought to be due to periodic alerts asking users to re-open the app in order to prevent it becoming a 'background app'.

Experts have warned of problem with iPhones, which, because of aggressive power saving modes, can drop into a 'listen only' mode when the handset is locked for a period of time.

The phone will not broadcast its status, and therefore record contact with another iPhone.

The Government hopes that there will be enough Android phones to 'wake up' phones which only half work.

But this would not be a problem using the Apple and Google models because their technology has fixed this flaw.

There are also concerns about whether Bluetooth is able to pick up signals from other phones efficiently in every situation - including if it's raining, if phones are in pockets or through walls.

Up until now, the app has only been trialled in relatively controlled scenarios - such as on a Royal Air Force base in North Yorkshire.

But a study published today suggests Bluetooth cannot always be relied upon, because signal strength vary and sometimes even strengthen when they should not.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin published preliminary findings that show signals between two phones incorrectly connect beyond 3.5 metres, which could be because there is a lot of metal inside train interior that is interfering with signals.

Scam text 'warning' people they have been close to a person with COVID-19 targets British public ahead of national rollout of NHS contact-tracing app

Scammers are sending text messages that impersonate the NHS's new contact tracing app before it has even been released.

Deceptive texts seen by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) tell people they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

The scam text reads: 'Someone who came in contact with you tested positive or has shown symptoms for Covid-19 & recommends you self-isolate/get tested.'

The messages contain a link to a bogus website that asks for personal details, which are used by scammers to gain access to bank accounts and commit identity fraud.

The UK's contact-tracing app is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight, ahead of a roll out to the rest of the country some time this month.

But experts fear that more scams that impersonate the contact tracing app will appear once it is released nationally.

Example of a bogus text claiming a person has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The message contains a dangerous link that prompts victims to enter their bank details

The NHS contact-tracing app is being trialled on the Isle of Wight before a full roll out in the UK

'I am especially concerned that scams themed around the contact tracing app are already appearing, even though the official NHS app has only been released in a limited testing phase on the Isle of Wight,' said Katherine Hart, lead officer at CTSI.

'This evidence is yet another example of scammers modifying their campaigns as the situation develops.

'These texts are a way to steal personal data and may put the bank accounts of recipients at risk.'

Anyone who receives texts or other similar messages should not click on any accompanying links and report them to Action Fraud, Hart said.

The scam sent to phone users shows the contact tracing app is already being imitated by fraudsters before its general release.

The messages appear as though they were sent by an official source associated with the app, directing recipients to a website for more information.

But the link actually attempts to gain bank account details to transfer and withdraw money, as well as other personal information such as names and addresses.

This additional personal information makes it easier for the scammer to conduct forms of identify fraud, such as false loan applications or false credit card accounts, which have a lasting impact on the victim's credit rating.

Hart said CTSI has witnessed a surge in COVID-19-related scams since lockdown began near the end of March.

Action Fraud, the national reporting service for fraud and financially-motivated cyber crime, reports that COVID-19 scams have already stolen more than 2 million.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently said it had received more than 160,000 reports of suspicious emails within two weeks of launching a new scam-busting service, many of which were related to Covid-19.

Last month, internet security company Kaspersky has uncovered malware hiding in a hoax copy of the NHS website to capitalise on people seeking coronavirus health advice.

Once unsuspecting visitors click links on the site, malware was able to steal passwords and credit card data from their internet browser, which was then being sent to cyber criminals.

Kaspersky has acknowledged an increase in scam attempts during the course of the pandemic, especially those with fake coronavirus advice.

The company saw a 43 per cent growth in these sorts of attacks between January and March as coronavirus infection rates climbed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 11:26:14|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, May 13 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's employment reduced 476,000 in April from a year earlier as companies encouraged employees to go on an unpaid leave or be laid off amid the COVID-19 outbreak, statistical office data showed Wednesday.

The number of those employed totaled 26,562,000 in April, down 476,000 from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea. It was the biggest reduction in over 21 years since February 1999.

The hiring rate for those aged 15 or higher was 59.4 percent in April, down 1.4 percentage points from a year ago. It was the fastest decline since May 2009. Enditem
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:

As many as 1,958 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, more 50 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 629,000 tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus.

Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 112,700 people have been infected 6,783 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 89,400 have reportedly recovered from the disease.

The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.

The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.
Description

GIS - 13 May, 2020: The Attorney-General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, reassured the population that the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Quarantine Bill, presented today by Prime Minister Jugnauth, in the National Assembly, The Attorney-General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, reassured the population that the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Quarantine Bill, presented today by Prime Minister Jugnauth, in the National Assembly, will provide for a reformed and modern appropriate legislative framework comprising all necessary measures in the wake of communicable diseases.

He was speaking at the daily press briefing of the National Communication Committee of Covid-19 at the Treasury Building in Port-Louis during which various aspects of the two bills were also discussed.

Minister Gobin underlined that the new legislations are deemed as being crucial with the increasing adverse impacts of the Covid-19 on the socio-economic front of the country. He reiterated that new amendments have been brought in the best interests of the population following thorough discussions with all stakeholders.

He condemned the spread of fake news on social media concerning the implications of the two bills adding that all measures taken are in line with Governments strategy to ensure preparedness of the country on the national level in the face of such difficult situations in the future.

For his part, Minister Jagutpal spoke of the Quarantine Bill which will make provision for the setting up of quarantine centres to restrict vectors of the contamination from reaching the population. Infected persons, he added, will be given necessary and timely treatment in the centres where proper follow-up and monitoring of their health will be done by health professionals. He also underlined that any person failing to answer and provide precise information asked by a quarantine officer will be subject to severe penalties.

Dr Joomaye highlighted that these measures will cater to several issues evoked during the curfew period such as the payment of CWA and CEB bills and licences as well as the collect of rents for commercial buildings and properties. He also made reference to changes brought in the acts namely the Bank of Mauritius Act, Education Act, Employment Relations Act, and Mauritius Revenue Authority Act, amongst others, that will help sustain the progress of Mauritius on various fronts.

As regards fake news around Work Access Permit, he stated that the system will remain operational to ensure that all individuals who have submitted their applications receive their permits in accordance to the criteria. As at date, the Mauritius Police Force has received a total of 60 426 applications out of which 31 032 applications have already been approved, he added.

Latest figures on Covid-19

Updated information on the situation are as follows:

 Zero active case  322 successfully treated patients  Total number of PCR tests and Rapid Antigen tests conducted as at date are 24 080 and 56 152 respectively  220 passengers in quarantine centres #ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris

Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov


US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, as Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teen in a clash with stone-throwers in the occupied territory

Jerusalem: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, as Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teen in a clash with stone-throwers in the occupied territory.

Pompeo arrived at a tense time, as Israeli troop searched for the killers of a soldier killed a day earlier by a brick dropped from a rooftop during an army raid of a West Bank village.

With President Donald Trump facing a tough re-election battle in November, Netanyahu and his nationalist base are eager to move ahead quickly with annexing portions of the West Bank. Such a move would trigger widespread international condemnations, both from the Arab world and Israel's other Western allies, and all but end any remaining hopes for the Palestinians to establish a viable independent state alongside Israel.

Pompeo landed in Tel Aviv early in the morning, donning a red, white and blue face mask, and proceeded directly to Jerusalem, receiving an exemption from Israel's mandatory two-week quarantine for arrivals due to the coronavirus outbreak. His visit is the first to Israel by any foreign official since January, before the country largely shut its borders to halt the spread of the pandemic.

Standing alongside Pompeo in front of a row of American and Israeli flags, Netanyahu called the six-hour visit a testament to the strength of our alliance. The two said their talks would focus on shared concerns about Iran, the battle against the coronavirus and Israel's incoming government.

Netanyahu and his new coalition partner, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, postponed the swearing-in of their government until Thursday to accommodate Pompeo's visit. Pompeo was scheduled later to meet with Gantz and with his fellow retired military chief Gabi Ashkenazi, the new government's incoming foreign minister.

Neither Netanyahu nor Pompeo mentioned Wednesday's violence in southern West Bank. The Palestinian health ministry said the 15-year-old boy was killed in confrontations with Israeli forces near Hebron. It said four others were wounded by live fire, the ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

On Tuesday, an Israeli soldier was killed in the northern West Bank after being struck in the head with a rock thrown off a rooftop. The military was continuing with a massive manhunt for the perpetrator and said it had arrested 10 suspects.

Pompeo expressed his condolence on the soldier's death and said Israel has the right to defend itself and America will consistently support you in that effort.

One of the key items on the agenda in Pompeo's talks Wednesday was expected to be Israel's stated intention to annex parts of the West Bank.

Pompeo said there remains work yet to do and we need to make progress on that.

Ahead of the visit, Pompeo told the Israeli daily Israel Hayom on Tuesday that he was coming to hear Netanyahu and Gantz's perspectives on the matter.

Netanyahu and Gantz struck a power-sharing deal last month after three parliamentary elections over the past year resulted in stalemate. Under the deal, Netanyahu would remain prime minister for the next 18 months, even as he goes on trial on charges of fraud, accepting bribes and breach of trust. After a year and a half, Gantz will serve as prime minister for 18 months.

The agreement also stipulates that Netanyahu can advance plans to annex West Bank land, including its dozens of settlements, starting 1 July, but that such a move must be coordinated with the U.S. while also taking regional stability and peace agreements into consideration.

Under the Trump plan unveiled in January, the Palestinians would have limited statehood while Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank. The Palestinians have rejected the plan.

Netanyahu said the new government offered an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings he reached with president Trump. Israeli hard-liners are eager to unilaterally redraw the Mideast map before November's US presidential election.
The total number of Egyptians repatriated from abroad amid the coronavirus restrictions is expected to exceed 16,000, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Wednesday.

The number of Egyptian nationals stuck overseas amid lockdowns caused by the global pandemic are very large when compared to nationals of other countries, Madbouly was cited by a cabinet statement as saying.

The number of returnees during this period is expected to reach over 16,000 Egyptians, he said, adding that authorities are working to prepare accommodation venues and medical measures to follow up on the conditions of returnees, who are put into a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

The cabinet had said earlier that the government would cover the cost of those staying at university hostels, while those willing to spend their quarantine period at designated hotels in the Redd Sea resort of Marsa Alam will have to pay for their stay.

Egypt is hoping to return all stranded Egyptians before the religious Eid Al-Fitr holiday, which begins around 23 May, officials say.

Mabdoulys remarks on Wednesday came during a cabinet meeting via video conference in which he thanked all ministries and concerned authorities for efforts made to bring Egyptian nationals back home.

Egypt has suspended international passenger flights since March, but exceptional flights have since been operated to bring back Egyptians stranded abroad or to allow tourists to leave.

El-Sisi vowed last month to bring those stranded overseas, which he estimated at around 3,500 at the time, at the earliest opportunity, and information ministry Osama Heikal said earlier this month that authorities will not leave a single Egyptian seeking to return outside the country's borders.

During the same meeting, the prime minister said a $2.77 billion loan Egypt received earlier this week from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would help stabilise Egypts foreign reserves, which have fallen to $37 billion from more than $45.5 billion at the end of February

Egypt said it had asked for the financing to tackle the economic fallout of the coronavirus that has hurt tourism and other key sectors.

Mabdouly also referred to a decision earlier this week by Rating agency Moodys maintaining Egypts foreign and local currency issuer rating at B2 and keeping the outlook stable, saying it reflects international institutions continued confidence in the ability of the Egyptian economy to positively handle the coronavirus crisis.

On Tuesday, Egypt surpassed 10,000 coronavirus cases almost three months after the country detected its first COVID-19 case in mid-February.
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary summoned the ambassadors of four Nordic countries on Monday over their countries' criticism of a controversial law that empowers Prime Minister Viktor Orban to act by decree against the novel coronavirus. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Sunday that he would summon the diplomats as Hungary 'wanted no pitiful hypocritical tutelage' and reiterated Budapest would go its own way. The law, which authorises Orban to bypass parliament in taking action to contain the virus and mitigate its after-effects, has provoked international criticism.

By Marton Dunai

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary summoned the ambassadors of four Nordic countries on Monday over their countries' criticism of a controversial law that empowers Prime Minister Viktor Orban to act by decree against the novel coronavirus.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Sunday that he would summon the diplomats as Hungary "wanted no pitiful hypocritical tutelage" and reiterated Budapest would go its own way.

The law, which authorises Orban to bypass parliament in taking action to contain the virus and mitigate its after-effects, has provoked international criticism.

"When countries use the COVID-19 situation for actions that undermine fundamental rights, we insist on drawing attention to that," Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod told Reuters.

"Of course, the problem is not only related to COVID-19, but the situation has worsened because the Hungarians have taken a number of measures which among other things risk undermining press freedom," Kofod said.

He added that there must be consequences - including financial ones - if fundamental values are not respected.

During Monday's meeting, the Norwegian foreign ministry told Reuters that Hungarian State Secretary Peter Sztaray said he believed a March 6 letter by the five Nordic foreign ministers misrepresented the essence and formalities with regard to the Hungarian corona emergency act.

"The Nordic ambassadors explained and reiterated the concern of the Nordic countries concerning the Hungarian corona emergency act, particularly the unlimited in time emergency powers and the provisions concerning the criminalisation of incorrect information, putting journalists under additional stress," a Norwegian foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

The Council of Europe, the continent's main human rights body, warned Hungary about its democratic backsliding and issues over freedom of expression in a March 24 letter by Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric.

The foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden wrote to Buric on May 6 saying they "share the concerns expressed in that letter. Even in an emergency situation the rule of law must prevail."

Orban has been at odds with European Union institutions since taking power in 2010, going head to head over economic policies, alleged corruption, immigration and his ever-expanding influence over all walks of life.

Orban has told Buric that the law does not give him unlimited powers and can be withdrawn by parliament - where his Fidesz party holds a two-thirds majority - at any time.

The ambassadors of Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway attended Monday's meeting. Iceland's mission to Hungary is based in Vienna.

(Additional reporting by Stine Jacobsen and Nikolaj Skydsgaard in Copenhagen, Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, Tarmo Virki in Tallinn and Simon Johnson in Stockholm, editing by Larry King and Giles Elgood)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Monte Dean Cluck to Receive 2020 National Golden Spur Award

Ranching and Livestock Industries Present Top Award October 10 in Lubbock



Monte Dean Cluck, the fourth generation in his family to ranch and farm in the Texas Panhandle, has been named recipient of the 2020 National Golden Spur Award recognizing accomplish- ments by a single individual in the ranching and livestock industries.



The award is the most prestigious honor given to one person by both industries, said Jim Bret Campbell, executive director of the National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. It recognizes iconic industry leaders whose devotion to land and livestock has earned them the notable respect and admiration of their peers.



Cluck will be honored during the National Golden Spur Award dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday, October 10 at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock. The annual award was established in 1978 and is jointly sponsored by the American Quarter Horse Association, National Cattlemens Foundation, Ranching Heritage Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas Farm Bureau, and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.



Clucks parentsDean and Rita Cluck of Gruver, Texaswere early pioneers of the cattle feeding industry and started their first operation in 1961. Today Monte Cluck is CEO of Dean Cluck Feedyard and general partner of Dean Cluck Cattle Co. With three locations in the Texas Panhandle, the company has a total feeding capacity of 102,000 head.



Although Cluck grew up in Gruver, which is the location of his flagship feedyard, he and his wife Katsy live in Boerne, Texas. They have four childrenKaysha Sparling, Kallie Hauschild, Monte II and the late Colt Cluckand four grandchildren.



Monte holds a heartfelt appreciation and respect for the traditions, wisdom, values and integrity that come from being involved in this industry, said Ross Wilson, President and CEO of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association (TCFA). He takes pride in keeping many time-honored traditions alive while never losing sight of the future and opportunities that innovation provides to improve a mature industry.



To make reservations for the National Golden Spur Award dinner, call (806) 934-0469 or register online at www.ranchingheritage.org/spur. The reservation deadline is Friday, October 2. Tickets are $95 for Ranching Heritage Association members or $125 for non-members.



Cluck was a member of the TCFA Board of Directors for 11 years, including six years on the executive committee and chairman in 2009. In addition, he served on the TCFA Budget and Audit Committee and was both a trustee and 2010 chairman of BEEF-PAC, the TCFA political action committee. Former Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to the Texas Water Development Board in 2008.



Dean Cluck Feedyard recently acquired Jacoby Cattle Co., an order-buying business in South Texas. This company includes semi-trucks and cattle trailers that transport cattle to feedyards and provide custom hauls for others. Cluck and his partners also created Tadmor Trading, a commodity brokerage company in Dallas.



All the companies combined employ more than 100 people and have annual sales of $160 million. The business is an Employee Stock Ownership Program in which employees, after meeting employment requirements, are owners in the company and share in the profits. Cluck has employed generations of families and employees who have worked an entire lifetime with his operations. He has made scholarship programs available to children of employees for the past 20 years.



In addition to cattle feeding, Cluck began contributing to his familys farming and ranching operations in 1975. From 1980 to 1990, they expanded the ranching operation to include more than 30,000 acres of leased grassland in the Texas Panhandle. The family again expanded in the 1990s when they leased the Turkey Track Ranch in Hutchinson County, Texas. More recently they have acquired a substantial amount of dryland and irrigated farmland that produces corn, wheat and grain sorghum for winter grazing of stocker cattle.



Cluck and his partners have purchased additional properties that will combine with pasture acreage to bring grazing and preconditioning capacity for an inventory of up to 20,000 stocker cattle.




By Libby George

LAGOS, May 13 (Reuters) - Struggling e-commerce platform Jumia Technologies reported an almost 7 percent fall in first quarter revenue due to supply chain disruptions, particularly in China, but saw lower cash burn and signs that lockdowns were hastening a shift towards online shopping in Africa.

Jumia was the first Africa-focused tech start-up to go public on the New York Stock Exchange and reached a market capitalisation of over $1.5 billion just days after it listed last April.

But the company has struggled to find its way, and its share price has tumbled some 90% from its peak a year ago. On Wednesday, its shares traded down around 24% from the previous close, at $3.98 at 1159 EST.

The results, which caught the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak on the African continent, showed the lowest losses in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in six quarters, at 35.6 million euros.

But revenue fell to 29.3 million euros. China is a a key supplier of electronics and mobile phones sold on the platform.

Still, during an earnings call on Wednesday, founders Sacha Poignonnec and Jeremy Hodara said they saw opportunities amid the pandemic.

"We are seeing unprecedented demand to join the Jumia platform, especially for named brands," Poignonnec said. "We believe those dynamics will help accelerate the shift towards online."

The company has recently unveiled deals with major brands including Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, Nestle, Carrefour in Algeria and grocery provider Twiga in Kenya.

The company is hoping virus containment measures as lockdowns ease will increase the allure of its business model, bypassing crowded shops and offering cashless payment.

Though it presented data showing a drop in items sold amid lockdowns in key markets including Nigeria and South Africa in March and into April, the company said figures in both markets had begun rebounding by the end of April.

Story continues

In South Africa, a strict lockdown barred delivery of fashion items for several weeks, while in Nigeria, measures made it impossible for some vendors to access their inventory.

Revenue in Morocco and Tunisia increased by contrast, and sales were slightly higher on a group level by mid-April.

The figures also showed 28% orders growth, 77% year-on-year growth in transactions using its JumiaPay payment platform and gross profit per order climbing to 40 cents, up from breakeven a year ago. (Reporting by Libby George Editing by Joe Bavier and Alexandra Hudson)
Tracy Grimshaw has broken her silence after a travel boss said she needed 'a firm uppercut or good slap across the face', calling it a 'disturbing personal attack'.

In a leaked recording, Jayson Westbury was heard making violent comments about the A Current Affair host for her reporting on the embattled industry's refund crisis.

Responding to the comments on her prorgramme on Wednesday night, the broadcaster said: 'Jayson Westbury had one job.

'As CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents he was supposed to help them navigate the devastating effects of this COVID-19 pandemic and somehow address the scathing criticism from customers who now couldn't travel and couldn't get refunds.

'Instead, he chose to shoot the messenger in a disturbing personal attack on me.'

A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw (pictured) called Mr Westbury's remarks a 'disturbing personal attack'

The disgraced executive has since resigned as CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA).

In the recording, made during a disgruntled rant about how Ms Grimshaw's show was covering the industry's refund scandal, he said: 'I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut.

'Or a slap across the face, and I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldn't want to invoke any violence on anyone.'

Confronted with his words during an interview on the programme on Wednesday, he blamed it on being 'cranky' during a difficult time for the industry thanks to COVID-19.

Upon hearing the recording, he told reporter Brady Halls that he 'unreservedly apologised' for the remarks.

Shedding more light on what happened, Ms Grimshaw wrote a blog online, saying the interview had been booked before his comments had been leaked.

Australian residents are seen being ushered towards buses to start their 14-day quarantine at Sydney airport on May 8 (pictured) with worldwide travel grinding to a halt

Jayson Westbury (pictured apologising on A Current Affair) has since resigned as chief executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents

TRAVEL BOSS' VIOLENT OUTBURST IN FULL Jayson Westbury was discussing ACA's ongoing coverage of the travel industry's struggles. 'Things have continued this week,' he said in an online seminar. 'I won't ever be watching [ACA] again. 'I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a good slap across the face. 'And I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldn't want to invoke any violence on anyone.' Advertisement

Calling his language 'appalling', she said he had 'paid the price' for it and let his members down.

The broadcaster insisted she never intended to be 'hostile' to Mr Westbury or his industry, but said customers deserved an explanation for problems they encountered.

'That is all the interview was supposed to be this morning: their right of reply,' she wrote.

'Jayson Westbury's language was appalling and he's paid the price for it.

'But his members deserved better representation, and the board obviously came to the same conclusion today.'

This includes unfair cancellation fees and long delays in getting refunds, or having them refused all together.

The comments were made during an AFTA webinar last Friday with about 100 people listening.

'I unreservedly apologise for that statement,' he said on Wednesday.

The travel industry has suffered badly during the coronavirus crisis (pictured, a closed Flight Centre store in Brisbane on May 1)

'That was a bad choice of words by me, it was a heightened time there was a lot of member disgruntlement.'

Questioned about whether it was appropriate for a man to make such comments about a woman, he added: 'I don't know what to say about that.

'The situation that we're in there's a lot of tension there's a lot of frustration.

'There is a lot of cranky travel agents out there because... well yeah... we're all cranky.'

The embattled travel industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with travel banned for all Australians.

Many have lost their jobs, while thousands of disappointed holidaymakers battle to receive refunds for their cancelled trips.

Mr Westbury's scathing comments came a week after ACA reported that an Australian family was left $11,000 of dollars out of pocket after STA Travel refused to refund a holiday to the United States.

The travel industry has been badly hit by coronavirus restrictions (pictured, a family heading to quarantine after returning to Sydney from New Delhi on May 8)

The travel industry has been hit badly by the coronavirus lockdown (pictured, an empty Virgin Australia check-in area at Brisbane domestic airport on April 21)

Following his remarks, women's groups and outraged Australians took to social media to call for the executive to be fired.

'Pretty rich calling comments outrageous when in the same sentence you talk about inflicting violence on someone... only two things you can do here. Resign or be terminated,' one comment read.

According to Pew Research, over 90 percent of the world's population are now living with some form of travel restrictions.

In Australia, even regional domestic travel has been banned across most of the country to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The Age reported a Melbourne midwife was left 'crying for days' after being left out-of-pocket and losing half the money she spent to book a dream $20,000 family holiday to Europe and Disneyland.

All Australians returing home must isolate in a hotel for 14-days after arriving (pictured, officials screening passengers arriving at Sydney from New Delhi on May 8)

Australian Law firm Slater and Gordon has launched a class action lawsuit against major airlines, travel agents and tour companies who have refused to issue monetary refunds and instead opted for travel vouchers and credits.

'We understand that everyone is doing it tough at present, including the major airlines and travel companies, but that doesn't give them an excuse to take advantage of their customers,' Slater and Gordon Practice Group Leader Andrew Paull said.

The law firm believes major travel providers may have breached their legal obligations by putting in place travel voucher schemes that significantly disadvantage their customers.

'We believe cash refunds should be returned to customers, who almost certainly need that money right now,' Paull said.

Anyone entering Australia from overseas is required to undergo 14-days of quarantine (pictured, cruise ship crew being sent home on repatriation flights in Sydney on April 23)

Holidays are cancelled: Chief Medical Officer rules out overseas trips INDEFINITELY and says there is 'no clear roadmap' to re-opening Australia's borders

By Tita Smith

Australia's Chief Medical Officer has ruled out international travel for the foreseeable future as there is 'no clear roadmap' to reopening the nation's borders.

Professor Brendan Murphy told a Senate inquiry into the governments response to COVID-19 on Wednesday that border closures remained essential to defeating the pandemic.

'I cant see, I have no vision at the moment on the current international scene where international border measures of some very strong vigour wont be necessary,' he said.

'There is no clear roadmap out of this.'

Professor Murphy said interstate and territory borders would be reopened long before overseas travel, noting cases were still being imported weekly through returned travellers who must serve mandatory quarantine periods.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy told a senate inquiry on Wednesday (pictured) that international travel is off the cards for Australian for the foreseeable future

He said Australia's strategy was to maintain strong suppression, or elimination in parts of the country, while slowly opening up the economy.

He said the nation's good response to the outbreak and low case numbers had allowed the lifting of some restrictions just weeks after the peak of infections.

The top health adviser said further relaxations would need to be reassessed every few months, and warned more localised outbreaks are expected, like those at Cedar Meats, Melbourne, and in Burnie.

However, Professor Murphy said with the curve now flattened, the public health workforce has the capacity to quickly crush any small outbreak in cases.

He said Australia was now testing 'much more broadly' and by doing so hopes any newly emerging risk areas will be nipped in the bud.

While Australians are set to be grounded at home for months to come, they could soon be allowed to holiday across domestic borders. Qantas jets are pictured parked at Sydney airport on April 22

The number of reported cases worldwide hit 4.3 million on Wednesday, however Professor Murphy told the inquiry he believed the true number of people who had contracted the virus is five times higher.

He explained that the death rate in countries with good testing sits around one to two per cent, but it has been as high as five to ten per cent in other nations across the world.

Because of this, Professor Murphy believes many cases have not been reported and the true amount of cases could sit around 20 million.
Juan Rendon, a United States-based adviser, filed his resignation on Monday after he acknowledged having discussions with an American security firm to topple current Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Rendon is the opposition leader Juan Guaido's adviser.

Guaido accepted Rendon's decision. He also accepted the resignation of another legislator, Sergio Vergara, who did not give a reason behind his decision to leave. Both were members of Guaido's "crisis strategy commission."

In a statement, Guaido's press team said Rendon and Vergara showed their support for their cause. They also called various sectors to continue supporting the interim president.

Rendon has previously said he negotiated an exploratory agreement with Silvercorp USA-the security agency who was reportedly behind the attempted invasion. He claims he had cut ties with the firm's chief executive months before the failed attempt.

Rendon said Goudreau, Silvercorp's founder and the operation's leader, hired two former U.S. soldiers to proceed to capture Venezuelan President Maduro. The failed plot led to the deaths of eight members during the May 3 attempt. Venezuelan security forces captured over 40 suspects.

Three of the suspects were arrested Tuesday near the nation's capital. The national guard claimed the men were attempting to incite violence. Eight more were captured on Sunday and were seen kneeling on the ground before armed troops.

Airan Berry, one of the Americans captured during the plot, claimed they were responsible for invading Maduro's presidential palace and seize a local airport to fly the president out of the country.

Most of the prisoners are reportedly held in the country's most notorious political prison.

Guaido denounced claims he was involved in the invasion. The attempt, however, led others to question his leadership since he first declared Maduro as the overseer of the country's six-year economic collapse.

According to government official Diosdado Cabello, Guaido is currently seeking refuge in a European embassy after he was accused of being involved in the failed raid as well as several coups in the last two years. He was called to the prosecutor's office in March but did not appear.

Juan Guaido, who is currently 36-years-old, is the leader of the National Assembly of Venezuela. He is also a staunch critic of Maduro's socialist policies. The current Venezuelan president is in the middle of his second term following the 2018 election-the results of which were highly contested.

Guaido served as an elected legislator in one of Venezuela's states before he ran for the opposition. In the previous years, he led a mass protest where he supported plans to overtake the presidential position as the country faced a humanitarian crisis that forced thousands of resident to flee to other countries in search of better opportunities.

He also called for fair elections and claimed he would serve as the country's interim president until another election can be carried out. He claims Maduro's win was met with dispute following a lack of transparency.

Before Maduro took over the presidential seat, Guaido protested against late President Hugo Chavez who promoted the country's socialist government.

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The state has hired an outside consultant with a target fee of $2 million to help with the reopening effort, as Gov. Ned Lamonts administration balances both the continued pandemic response and restarting the Connecticut economy.

The Boston Consulting Group Inc., a globally recognized management advisory firm, will provide eight weeks of support for phase one of the states coronavirus response. A copy of the firms contract with the state shows four teams working for the state, with a proposed total fee of $2 million  which could rise or fall depending on changes agreed upon by the state and BCG.

As much as 100 percent of the contract cost could be reimbursed by the federal government, Lamont spokesman Max Reiss said Tuesday night.

The project began May 1 and continues through June 28, and the contract extends as far as April 2021. Prices per person assigned to the job, or per hour, are not spelled out in the contract.

In addition to that talent and the existing base of state employees, The administration wanted organizational support as it explored how to reopen and manage that process, Reiss said. No state has ever had to do this before, and we wanted to provide the governor and the administration with the support and resources necessary to make the best decisions in the interests of public health.

There were no requests for proposals and was no open bidding for the contract. That process was suspended under the executive order granting Lamont emergency powers. As for not publicizing the contract, Reiss said the state has entered into numerous contracts for personal protective equipment without publicizing every single one.

Republicans were fast to criticize the move, including the way it was carried out without legislative approval or a public announcement.

There's a reason why there are three branches of government, said Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven. The legislature represents the voices of the people across our state. We talk to constituents every day about the real-world problems they are facing...We bring checks and balances to the executive branch. But instead of working with lawmakers to develop Connecticut's strategy to get people back to work safely, the governor is contracting out our legislative authority with little transparency.

Lamont defended the way the state hired BCG, based on the need for speed.

Look, we could do an RFP process, we could get the responses in 60 days and we could interpret it for a while, or we can get going, and what I hear from small businesses across the state is I want to get going in a prudent and thoughtful way, Lamont said Wednesday during his daily briefing. I thought this was a prudent and thoughtful way to proceed.

The firm is also consulting the seven state regional collaboration, as well as Massachusetts and Rhode Island directly. The group has also done some work for the state of New York, including a preliminary economic impact assessment.

So they are the glue that helps us think about how as a region were going to do this, and were going to learn best practices from each and every one of our neighboring states, Lamont said. As you know we are working together as a consortium. And as the Reopen CT team winds down, the Boston Consulting Group is going to help us on all those same metrics, be it on testing, be it on the protocols opening up, so we can collect the best information from all of the other companies and practices in the region and learn from them.

The firms activities are divided similarly to that of the Lamonts appointed reopening advisory committee  with subgroups for health, data, business/economy and education/community support. The teams are helping with workflow management, communication and analytics. The contract spells out medium and small for sizes of the teams for various segments of the work.

The BCG team will also provide targeted analytics to support effective workplanning and strategy development - for example, helping understand the current state situation and potential scenarios for re-opening, the contract reads. The BCG team will ensure coordination across the different workstreams, identifying interdependencies, owners, and milestones as part of the workplans to support the evolving implementation needs for a successful re-opening.

So far, all work done by the firm has been online via zoom calls. Reiss said the group directly consulted with the state on all of the reopening guidelines that have been developed, including the creation of the diagrams of stores and other businesses to illustrate the reopening, as well as powerpoint presentations, layout, graphic design and more.

Lamont has often talked effusively about the richness of corporate, nonprofit and academic talent available in Connecticut, some of which is on his appointed, volunteer reopening committee of about 50 members.

Members of the consulting team include several managing directors and partners at BCG, and at least one person with a background in epidemiology.

Ken Dixon contributed to this story.

kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
Kate Middleton's daughter, Princess Charlotte, received astonishing criticisms after purposely bypassing coronavirus measures.

Irresponsible Young Royal

Princess Charlotte, the young daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, is receiving major attacks for breaking coronavirus protocol. While she was delivering food packs to the vulnerable sector at her community in Norfolk, royal fans were quick to notice that the princess was not wearing any protective mask.

The Duchess of Cambridge released a series of photos of her daughter Princess Charlotte in celebration of her fifth birthday. In the photos, the young princess can be seen helping organize bags of food to be given away to the retired members of their community.

During this coronavirus pandemic, everyone is trying their best to help, and even at her young age, Princess Charlotte is doing what she can. The bags also included pasta packs that the Cambridge family prepared themselves.

However, royal critics called the young princess irresponsible for failing to wear any protective equipment while handling the goody bags.

Chris Ship, while speaking in ITV's Royal Rota, said that the young princess was caught on camera breaking the coronavirus protocol.

"The pictures that we got were actually taken on the Sandringham estate when Charlotte was doing some food drops to those who were isolating," Ship said.

While he may have given a funny comment on social media wondering why Princess Charlotte was not wearing protective gear, he also expressed his concern as to how such an act could cause harm to other people.

"I mean, as far as I'm aware, they were leaving food outside people's front doors and not going into their homes or touching in any way."

He further expressed his curiosity as to why the birthday photos of both Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte were released in relation to the efforts of the royal family to help amid the coronavirus.

"But interesting how the pictures that were released of Charlotte and Louis' birthdays were linked to coronavirus and supporting the NHS or supporting those who are more vulnerable," Ship added.

Several other social media users commented on the photos. One user asked Ship in his account: "Why is she out delivering food to the neighbors without wearing a mask?"

Another one added, "She's not even wearing a mask or gloves!"

A third person commented, "Children can carry the virus without symptoms. Why does she not have a mask on?"

While the young Princess Charlotte has good intentions for her actions, it seems she needed more guidance at this time. Where is her mom Kate in all these, though?

More importantly, why did she allow her child to go out without protective equipment? With all the criticism Princess Charlotte is getting at her young age, royal fans could only hope the young girl would survive it.

An Inspirational Porject

In a recent interview, the Duchess of Cambridge revealed the details of her life while under lockdown.

Kate launched a new project that aims to inspire the nation with beautiful photographs. The "Hold Still" initiative encourages everyone to take photos to help document a moment in their time.

The goal of the project is to show the "new normal" that has been born out of the pandemic. Each photo, however, should represent a narrative of the experiences people had amid the coronavirus quarantine.

As Kate is busy with her royal duties and charitable works, the mother of three revealed how challenging it has been for her to homeschool her children. In fact, she even shared an important detail on how Prince George feels about doing schoolwork at home.

"George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte's projects. Spider sandwiches are far cooler than literacy work," Kate said.
War thrust back Yemen development 21 years: UNDP

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 9:36 AM

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says a Saudi-led military campaign underway against Yemen has pushed back the country's development more than two decades, and is now complicating the war-torn nation's efforts to rein in the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the UNDP stated that not only has the Saudi-led war hindered Yemen's development but it also has brought catastrophic consequences for the war-ravaged country amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The UN body called for immediate action to assist the Yemenis in acquiring basic survival needs such as food and health supplies amid their battle against the disease (COVID-19).

According to the latest figures, 56 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Yemen, nine of whom have died and one person has recovered thus far.

On Monday, Yemen's emergency coronavirus committee declared Aden  which has served as the seat of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's former regime during the Saudi military aggression  an infested city.

In recent months, the port city has been torn by rivalry between Saudi-allied forces loyal to Hadi and separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates, Riyadh's key coalition partner in the bloody war on Yemen.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned a humanitarian disaster will result from the spread of the COVID-19 due to Yemen's crippled health infrastructure and its potential failure to address the situation.

The Saudi regime and its allies launched the military campaign against Yemen in 2015 to reinstall the ex-Hadi regime.

More than half of Yemen's hospitals and clinics have been destroyed or closed during the war by the Saudi-led coalition, which is supported militarily by the UK, US and other Western nations.

At least 80% of the 28 million-strong population is also reliant on aid to survive in what the United Nations has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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An Iranian warship was hit by a "friendly fire" missile during naval exercises, killing 19 sailors, state media and the army said Monday, amid tensions with the US in Gulf waters. The Konarak was struck on Sunday afternoon near Bandar-e Jask, off the southern coast of the Islamic republic, state television's website said. "The vessel was hit after moving a practice target to its destination and not creating enough distance between itself and the target," it said. Nineteen crewmen were killed and 15 injured in an "accident" during the exercises, the armed forces said, without elaborating. The vessel had been towed ashore for "technical investigations", the military said in a statement, calling on people to "avoid speculation" until further information is released. Tasnim news agency said in an English-language tweet that the missile was fired by another Iranian warship. The Konarak had been hit by "'friendly fire' after Moudge-class frigate 'Jamaran' accidentally shot (it) with a missile during live firing exercise in Jask area of #PersianGulf waters". The 15 injured were hospitalised in Sistan and Baluchistan, said Mohammad-Mehran Aminifard, head of the province's medical university. Two of the sailors were in intensive care, he told the semi-official news agency ISNA. A video released by Jam-e-Jam daily showed what it said was the Konarak partly under water and smouldering as it was being towed by a boat. Iran's army chief and foreign minister offered their condolences to the sailors' families in separate statements. - Trump 'shoot down' threat - The Konarak is a logistical support vessel built in the Netherlands and purchased by Iran before the 1979 Islamic revolution. Weighing 447 tonnes and 47 metres (154 feet) long, the Hendijan-class vessel is equipped with four cruise missiles, according to state television. It was not immediately clear how many crew members had been on board the warship at the time of the accident. Iran and its arch enemy the United States have traded barbs in the past year over a spate of incidents involving their forces in the sensitive Gulf waters. Their latest high-seas confrontation came on April 15, when the United States charged Iranian boats had "harassed" its navy ships in the waterway. President Donald Trump then tweeted that he had ordered the US Navy to "shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea". His Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani retorted that Washington "should not plot against the Iranian nation every day", adding that the Islamic republic had "protected this waterway for thousands of years". - Airline disaster - The friendly-fire incident occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a third of the world's seaborne oil. The escalation of Iran-US tensions last year saw ships mysteriously attacked, drones downed and oil tankers seized in the strait. In July 2019, Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero in the waterway for allegedly ramming a fishing boat and released it two months later. The Guards seized at least six other ships that year over alleged fuel smuggling. Tensions have escalated since 2018 when Trump withdrew the United States from a multinational accord that froze Iran's nuclear programme, and reimposed crippling sanctions on its economy. Iran's armed forces in January mistakingly shot down a Kiev-bound Boeing 737 passenger jet shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 people aboard. The military admitted to the catastrophic error, saying it came as Iran's air defences were on high alert after firing a barrage of missiles at US troops stationed in Iraq. Iran launched the missiles in retaliation for the US killing of its top general Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad.
Neil Walter had not even gotten around to asking anything yet, and, in fact, was only partially through the details of his somewhat elaborate delivery plan when hed already received an answer from Jim Castimore.

Walter, you see, wanted to send a truck loaded with 12,000 potted flowers from Utah to hospitals, nursing homes and rescue squads in New York City and New Jersey to offer some colorful cheer to those staring down the ugly face of the coronavirus. But he had a real good idea the 53-foot trailer headed east would never be allowed to navigate the streets of Manhattan and the Bronx.

Time to seek some logistical advice from Castimore, whom Walter had known first as a client and then as a good friend during the short span of time in Castimores 69 years that he wasnt living in West Jersey. Walter is a real estate broker with ERA Brokers Consolidated in St., George, Utah, and Castimore is owner of CASCO Salt Co., in Sparta, and a resident of Hardwick.

From the first time I had the idea, I called Jim, Walter said. It took him about two minutes for me to get about half of the story out when he said, Yeah, Ill deliver them. Im just a few miles off I-80 and Ive been delivering salt into the city for I dont even know how long. I have a refrigerated truck, I have a forklift, I have a warehouse. I have everything you need.

What Castimore didnt boast of having during that chat was an oversized heart to go along with all his useful apparatus, but Walter knew about that already from experience.

Seems when a call to volunteer goes up anywhere within Castimores reach, the big guy tends to run right to it.

Which stands to reason since Castimore has seen volunteerism in his life since way before he could even crawl.

His grandfather, William Castimore, founded the Sparta Volunteer Fire Department in 1923 and also served as Sussex Countys first fire marshal, also in volunteer capacity. Jims father, Dean, retired as a captain in the Sparta police department (paid) after 30 years, while also serving as a volunteer firefighter through his tenure. Jim himself is still active with the Sparta Fire Department.

Hes a first-class guy. He likes to pretend hes a little rough around the edges, but hes one of the nicest guys that Ive ever met, said Walter.

Well, nice-guy Castimore rolled his 25-foot trailer through Sussex County on Monday to deliver hundreds of potted cyclamen and kalanchoe to nine facilities on the front line of this pandemic. On Tuesday, he sliced his way through the Big Apple to carry thousands more to six hospitals in the NYC Health and Hospitals network in Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens.

Jim Castimore of CASCO Salt Co. in Sparta hauls his trailer-full of flowers toward the George Washington Bridge Tuesday en route to hospitals in NYC.Courtesy CASCO Salt Co.

They asked me to volunteer my time and I said, No problem, I can do this, Castimore said. This is for the nurses and doctors in these hospitals; basically the people on the front line. Theyre the ones in harms way, and this just a little thank you.

This is saying to them, theres someone on the other side of America thinking about you in New York City and New Jersey, he said.

The one saying so by way of that cross-country rig would be Walter, who did some volunteer brokering by approaching Milgro Nursey, one of the nations largest flower growers with farms in Newcastle, Utah, and Oxnard, Calif.

Milgro was just about to ship out millions of lilies just in time for Easter to Walmart, Kroger, Trader Joes and other major retailers in their region when the first wave of coronavirus restrictions were levied throughout Southern California, Southern Utah and the Salt Lake City area. Orders were promptly canceled and Milgro was left with tens of thousands of flowers to die without ever being enjoyed.

Milgro nursery owner Cherilyn Smith (a close friend to both Walter and Castimore) was struck with the ingenious notion to drop the flowers off at three UPS distribution centers in Utah and California. For the next several days, UPS customers received their scheduled packages with an unexpected potted lily plant and a warm note attached.

Through video clips and snapshots, Walter saw the happiness those flowers were bringing to their unexpected owners, and it made him think of how little joy hed seen out of New York and New Jersey, the deadly U.S. epicenter for COVID-19.

The wonderful folks at Milgro were trying to make something good out of what was already a difficult situation, Walter said. Instead of just worrying about them and their business, they tried to figure out how to do something nice for somebody else.

This wasnt my idea, he said. My idea was just, heh, lets put them on a truck and send them to New York. I know there are millions of people who are impacted either through their family, friends or employment. Were barely making any kind of a difference. I just thought maybe we could have a few people cheered up if they knew someone was thinking of them.

Obviously, the kind of difference that hauls a trailer-full of flowers almost 3,000 miles comes with a price tag as big as that rolling box. But Walter  who has personally financed all transportation costs while getting approval to use the official logo of Madison-based ERA Real Estate  would rather not discuss dollars. Except to point out what a waste it would all be if not for Castimores generosity.

Jim Castimore (right) delivers flowers to the Andover Police Department Monday. To his left is police chief Eric Danielson, and the chief's son, Patrick.Courtesy CASCO Salt Co.

Thats a huge, huge piece of making this work. If we send a tractor full of flowers that cant make it to New York City or even parts of New Jersey, what did it do? Walter said. Were very glad to have Jim. If he werent willing to take his time and resources to make the deliveries, we wouldnt have been able to pull it off.

And the predictable two-syllable response from Castimore for such praise?

To paraphrase, Aw shucks.

This is not about me, not at all. This comes about because of a complete donation by a great family out at Milgro and another big donation from Neil to get the flowers here. Its all a volunteer thing, said Castimore, who just as easily could have replaced the word volunteer there with breathing.

Milgros first delivery Monday was made promptly at 2 p.m. at Newton Memorial Hospital. Other Sussex County stops included the Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center, Valley View Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Newton, Lakeland Emergency Squad in Andover, Sparta Volunteer Ambulance Squad, Wallkill Valley First Aid Squad in Franklin Borough, Hamburg Volunteer EMS, Andover Police Department, and Andover Fire Department. Tuesdays first delivery was scheduled for 11 a.m. at NYC Health and Hospitals/North Central Bronx.

Front line staffers at NYC Health and Hospitals/North Central Bronx receive flowers donated by Milgro Nursery in Utah and delivered by Jim Castimore of CASCO Salt Co. in Sparta.Courtesy Imagine Productions

Im retired now. I still have one truck, so Im not fully retired, Castimore said. I still make local deliveries in the winter time with rock salt, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. We used to run trucks down to Maryland and up to Massachusetts.

Im more than happy to do this, he said. This is a wonderful opportunity here to let those people on the front line know were all thinking about them and to make some people smile. And its all a volunteer thing.

Have you seen an inspiring story in your community during this troubling time? Tell us about it. And, see more uplifting stories in #TogetherNJ.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Mike Kinney may be reached at mkinney@njadvancemedia.com.
WASHINGTON  Paul Manafort, Donald Trumps onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsels Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, was released Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney Todd Blanche. Manafort had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and preexisting medical conditions. Manafort was hospitalized in December after suffering from a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press at the time. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which examined possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election campaign.

Manafort, who was prosecuted in two federal courts, was convicted by a jury in federal court in Virginia in 2018 and later pleaded guilty in Washington. He was sentenced last March and was immediately hit with state charges in New York that could put him outside the president's power to pardon. New York prosecutors have accused him of giving false information on a mortgage loan application.

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Manaforts release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates ahead of a potential outbreak. They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons in March and April to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at FCI Loretto.

As of Tuesday, 2,818 federal inmates and 262 BOP staff members had positive test results for COVID-19 at federal prisons across the country. Fifty inmates had died.

The bureau has given contradictory and confusing guidance how it is deciding who is released to home confinement in an effort to combat the virus, changing requirements, setting up inmates for release and backing off and refusing to explain how it decides who gets out and when.

An agency spokeswoman said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a home confinement memo, and more than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be released.

 The Associated Press

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Apple has added some of its older laptops, including MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models launched back in 2013 and 2014, to its obsolete and vintage lists. This means that Apple may no longer offer repairs or servicing of these MacBooks through its official channels.

Earlier today, Apple added 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air models that were released in 2013 and 2014 to its obsolete and vintage lists. The company also added the 13-inch MacBook Pro released in mid-2014 and the fifth-generation iPod Touch to its vintage list as well.

According to Apple, Vintage devices are those which have not been manufactured for more than five years but fewer than seven years. These products remain eligible for repair and service at Apple Authorized Service Providers and Genius Bar, but only if those outlets have access to required spare parts.

On the other hand, the companys list of Obsolete products consists of those devices that have been discontinued for more than seven years. Apple doesnt offer repair or service to any product that is listed in the Obsolete category. Service providers cant order parts for these obsolete products.

This means that if you have a MacBook Air released in 2013 or 2014, you may not be able to get it serviced or repaired at an Apple-authorized service center. Similar, if you want to get a 13-inch MacBook Pro from mid-2014 serviced or repaired, it wont be possible anymore. These products are also on their last leg to receive software updates from Apple.

Apple maintains an updated list of Obsolete and Vintage products on its website and clearly mentions what those lists mean for its customers. The company added the iPhone 5 to its vintage and obsolete list in 2018 and the iPad 2 in 2019.

[Source: Apple
The premieres of new works by Olga Neuwirth and Sarah Kirkland Snider were among the most crushing losses of the canceled final months of the New York Philharmonics season this year.

Cancellations are devastating, and musicians everywhere are feeling it, Ms. Snider said in an interview. Pressing pause on something this meaningful is hard.

She and Ms. Neuwirth are part of Project 19, the Philharmonics initiative to commission pieces from female composers to mark the centennial of the 19th amendment, which brought women the right to vote. The project is an important step toward diversifying the orchestral repertoire, a steep challenge for a classical field largely glued to the music of European men.

Just ask Santa Claus.

The writers of the Philharmonics governing documents, drafted in 1842, wanted to look beyond the emerging Austro-German canon by cultivating local composers. One especial object, which we had in view, Harvey B. Dodworth, a conductor and one of the writers, recalled in 1879, was the founding, if possible, of an American school of composition, and it was required that at least one American work should be performed during each season.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday chaired the maiden virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he unveiled Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the virtual meeting, first of its kind in the history of the Federal Executive Council, involved Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and some of the cabinet ministers participating in the virtual meeting.

NAN reports that some of the cabinet members including the Head of Service,Folashade Yemi-Esan, participated in the meeting directly from their respective offices

NAN observed that the meeting which started at about 11.22 a.m., occasioned by the prevailing Coronavirus pandemic in the country, was conducted in line with the basic COVID-19 protocol of social distancing.

NAN reports that former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, whose named went viral in the traditional and new media outfits as the new Chief of Staff to the President, was seen at the venue of the meeting.

A minute silence was observed in honour of Abba Kyari, the late former chief of staff, and some former members of the cabinet before the commencement of the meeting, while the SGF formally announced Mr Gambari as the new CoS to the President.

Mr Gambari, a professor, took his official seat as Chief of Staff to the President immediate after the introduction by the SGF. (NAN)
Sudans Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok sent a letter on Tuesday to Abiy Ahmed, his Ethiopian counterpart, saying Sudan insists on its position that reaching an agreement between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia is critical before the latter starts filling the reservoir of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri had sent a letter on 1 May to the president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) cautioning against the impact on security and peace in the region of filling the GERD without first securing the agreement of Egypt and Sudan.

Negotiations between the three countries have rumbled on for years, with little or no progress made. But while Addis Ababa has been consistently intransigent towards proposals made by Cairo, Khartoums position has fluctuated.

Sudanese Minister of Irrigation Yasser Abbas has called for negotiations between Khartoum, Cairo, and Addis Ababa to resume, though he offered no suggestions on how the positions of Egypt and Ethiopia might be brought closer.

Toppled Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir favoured Ethiopia in the negotiations, if only out of spite that Egypt had removed the Muslim Brotherhood from power. Sudans position began to change when Al-Bashir was himself toppled by popular demand.

Sudans transitional government is adopting a more serious approach to its domestic and foreign files, and Khartoum is far more supportive of Cairo than it was under Al-Bashir. One sign of this is the way Sudan froze its relationship with Doha, without an official announcement, after the Arab Quartet severed ties with Qatar, says Sudanese writer Haidar Youssef.

Sudan has adopted almost the same stand on Libya as Cairo, says Youssef, whereas Al-Bashir had sent forces to support Islamist groups there.

And on GERD, Sudan is now aligning more closely with Egypt.

Youssef points to concerns that the design of the dam may be structurally unsound, and incapable of holding the planned 74 billion m3 reservoir. Should it burst, Sudan will literally drown.

Sudanese technical experts also fear the impact of GERD reducing the flow of silt that Sudans agricultural lands need.

Egypt and Sudan are both parties to the 1959 agreement that guarantees their quotas of Nile water. Were Sudan to side with Ethiopia against Egypt, it would undermine its guaranteed supply of water on which it desperately relies for agricultural development.

But the situation is complicated by the fact that Sudan cannot afford to lose Ethiopia, says Sudanese economic analyst Khaled Al-Tigani. Trade links between the two are significant, and at least one of Sudans 18 states, Al-Qadarif, is almost totally dependent on trade with Ethiopia.

The complex mix is further compounded by history: some Sudanese forces claim Egypt looks down on Sudan and has done so since the Egyptian occupation of the country. It is a position they push keenly, trying to distract the Sudanese public from the loss of South Sudan by inflaming tensions over Halayeb, the border territory disputed by Sudan and Egypt.

Following the secession of oil-rich South Sudan, Khartoum lost 65 per cent of its revenues. It was unable to import wheat, medicines and fuel, a situation that fed the uprising against Al-Bashir which led to Al-Bashirs fall in April 2018.

Now, Khartoum increasingly views Cairo and its Gulf allies a gateway to the US and Europe, and is desperate to attract investments from the West.

Some observers believe Khartoums geographic position, and its relations with both Ethiopia and Egypt, place it in a strong position to mediate between its neighbours. Unfortunately, such an analysis is likely to prove wide of the mark, given how susceptible Khartoum is to pressure from either.

It is unlikely, then, that Sudans position on GERD, Egypt and Ethiopia is going to be clarified more than it is at present any time soon, though Cairo can take heart that neither will Khartoum veer suddenly away from the Egyptian position.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Manafort's sentence stemmed from two criminal cases arising from former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from a federal prison in Pennsylvania on Wednesday to finish his sentence at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, his lawyer said, drawing fresh Democratic criticism over Justice Department actions that have benefited Trump associates.

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, imprisoned in a separate case, also is expected to be released based on the threat of the coronavirus, a U.S. official familiar with the decision-making regarding inmates said, speaking on condition of anonymity, Reuters said.

Todd Blanche, a lawyer for the Manafort, said the 71-year-old veteran Republican political operative was released from the Federal Correctional Institution, Loretto in Cambria County, Pennsylvania and would serve the remainder of his 7-1/2 year sentence in home confinement in Virginia.

Read alsoManafort pushed Ukraine hacking theory  media

Manafort's legal team last month asked the U.S. Bureau of Prisons for home confinement rather than continued imprisonment, saying his pre-existing health conditions such as high blood pressure, liver disease and respiratory ailments increased his risks should he become infected with the coronavirus.

The pathogen has led to a number of deaths amid the close quarters of federal prisons.

Manafort's sentence stemmed from two criminal cases arising from former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation that documented Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election to boost Trump's candidacy. Manafort's sentence is due to run until November 2024.

The U.S. official did not provide information on when Cohen is expected to be let out of Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York. Cohen was imprisoned for arranging hush payments to two women who said they had sexual encounters with Trump, financial crimes and lying to Congress.

House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a pivotal player in Trump's impeachment, said Manafort's release from a prison with no reported coronavirus infections raised troubling questions about the department under Attorney General William Barr, a Trump political loyalist.

One of several former Trump aides charged in Mueller's investigation, Manafort was convicted by a jury in Virginia in August 2018 on charges including tax fraud and bank fraud, and then pleaded guilty in a separate case the following month in Washington to conspiracy charges.

Manafort earned millions of dollars as an international political consultant to pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine and prosecution evidence showed he dodged more than US$6 million in taxes by hiding income in offshore bank accounts.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili had a phone conversation with Slovakian President Zuzana Chaputova to discuss issues related to safe tourism and the fight against coronavirus, Trend reports referring to Georgian presidents press service.

Zourabichvili expressed condolences to the president and the families of the victims of the epidemic in Slovakia.

During the conversation, the president of Georgia spoke about the activities to combat the coronavirus, as well as strategic plans to open tourism and the economy.

Zourabichvili noted that Georgia is interested in developing safe tourism with Slovakia, in compliance with all international recommendations.

According to Chaputova, Slovakia is negotiating with the governments of Austria and the Czech Republic over the opening of safe tourism. Zourabichvili noted that Georgia is also interested in participating in this program.

The presidents of the two countries also discussed Georgias European integration process. According to the president of Georgia, the current period is a good opportunity to deepen Georgias relations with the European Union so that the country can take more concrete steps towards European integration.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
(TNS)  Suggesting that online instruction will be part of public school education well into the future, New Britain, Conn., is looking for ways to make Wi-Fi available to low-income families.The schools are working with a local car dealer to deploy more than a dozen Wi-Fi hotspots to poor neighborhoods this week. That should provide service for the rest of this semester to hundreds of low-income families whose children cant access the internet.But New Britain needs a long-term solution, and should start looking for the most efficient ideas now, educators said.With technology opening new possibilities to reach and connect with students, and distance learning likely to take on a more prominent role in the future, school leaders are seeking a more permanent solution, the school system said in a statement.Superintendent Nancy Sarra is inviting Mayor Erin Stewart along with other city and school leaders to a meeting Wednesday afternoon to establish a task force on school technology.The schools are waiting for state officials to decide whether the fall semester will be entirely online, entirely in traditional classrooms or a hybrid of both.But either way, educators have said the switch to Google Classroom for the past seven weeks has brought some unexpected successes. They envision some form of online education continuing well into the future.Some teachers have reported that students who were performing poorly in traditional classrooms have been more engaged and successful online. Those students appear more comfortable communicating with teachers, submitting homework, getting assignments and doing research that way, educators said.Currently, though, online education leaves out about 10% of the citys public school students. They live in low-income neighborhoods where their families dont have Wi-Fi.They have found it challenging to engage with their teachers and classmates during this time of online learning, Sarra said. "While our partnership with Schaller Auto will help families access the internet through the end of this school year, this is a temporary solution, and a more permanent solution should be explored.Late last month, Alderman Colin Osborn told Stewart in a letter that New Britain should be doing more to solve the problem.Why is it acceptable for students from these underprivileged neighbors not to have immediate access to Wi-Fi to complete their schooling? he asked. It is already tough enough for those who are underprivileged here in New Britain to live and function."The city pays $250 a month to provide free Wi-Fi in two major parks as an amenity for visitors, and should do the same in its poorest neighborhoods, Osborn said.Soon afterward, Schaller and the school system announced a short-term fix: The schools will install Wi-Fi hotspots in more than a dozen Schaller vehicles. The dealership will park those cars in low-income neighborhoods on weekdays through the end of the school year.
New Hotness Brings Cure???

Will warmer weather help prevent spread of COVID-19? Local doctor answers this question and more KANSAS CITY, Mo. - FOX4 asked you to share your questions about the coronavirus, and we asked Dr. Darrin D'Agostino from Kansas City University to answer them. Dr. D'Agostino answers the following questions in the video player above: Will warmer weather help prevent spread of COVID-19? Should we avoid wellness checkups right now?

Golden Ghetto Survivor Story

Grateful to be alive, Lenexa man describes fight with COVID-19, challenging road to recovery LENEXA, Kan. - Behind every number in the coronavirus pandemic, there's a name and a face, a story of battling a crippling illness. A Lenexa man knows he's lucky to be alive after the virus kept him hospitalized for weeks. With a bright smile and twinkle in his eyes, Eric Goodman is starting to feel [...]

Tragic Raytown Wreck

Tuesday crash in Raytown claims life of man KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One man died this afternoon in a two-vehicle crash in Raytown. The wreck happened shortly after 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Raytown Road and Gregory Boulevard. Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the deceased driver as Donald Hicks.

Rolling Veggies Await

Drive-thru farmers' market to open Saturday at The Gardens at Unity Village It doesn't feel like spring outside yet, but area farmers' markets are hoping to open up very soon. Some are starting this weekend in a drive-thru form."Doing a lot of preparation.

Cash For Po-Po In The Dotte

KCK police receives $1.3 million federal grant to form new task force fighting violent crime KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Kansas City, Kansas, police received a $1.3 million federal grant Tuesday to help fight violent crime in the community. The department will create a new task force made up of existing veteran officers, and the grant will be used to hire five new officers to backfill those positions.

Eye On Sleaze Scummit

Lee's Summit man charged after he fled from police CASS COUNTY, MO (KCTV) - Charges were filed Tuesday against a Lee's Summit man who fled from police in both Lee's Summit and Cass County on Monday. According to officials, around 3:30 p.m. a deputy with the Cass County Sheriff's Office located a silver Dodge minivan traveling south on Seaton Road that had previously fled from Lee's Summit Police following the report of a theft.

Everything Nice About Reopen

Lee's Summit spice shop opens Tuesday amid pandemic LEE'S SUMMIT, MO (KCTV) - Most businesses will remember these months as a time of struggle, but a shop in Lee's Summit is bucking the trend. There's something satisfying that comes with good food. "Just wanted to share my love of food and passion for cooking with other people," Flavor owner Amy Keith said.

Show-Me Booze To Go Contd

Missouri extends order allowing restaurants to sell alcohol to-go until June 15 ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- Customers getting their favorite drinks from cocktail bars to-go will be able to enjoy the service a little longer. On April 14, the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control announced they'd temporarily allow bars and restaurants to sell packaged alcohol beverages to customers who are ordering curbside or drive through pick-up.

Rock Chalk Redux

Kansas planning to reopen schools in August Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson on Tuesday said the state is planning to start school in August, but added that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is planning for every contingency. "We are cautiously optimistic we will be in school in August 2020," Watson told the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) .

Show-Me More Testing Against Suspected Creepers

Missouri passes bill to expand access to rape kits JEFFERSON CITY - All Missouri hospitals would be required to offer rape kits under a bill passed by lawmakers Tuesday. Currently, not every Missouri hospital has staff trained to gather evidence of sexual assault through rape kits. Under the bill, all licensed hospitals would be required to provide rape kits by 2023.

Local FD Tribute

'It's an honor': Lee's Summit Firefighter, Navy Reservist battling COVID-19 in NYC Jacob Wiemann, R.N., is deployed in one of the country's hardest hit areas

Hero Cop Buried Today

Killed in the line of duty, Overland Park police officer laid to rest Wednesday OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -- The Overland Park Police Department will lay their brother to rest on Wednesday. Officer Mike Mosher, an admired local hero, was killed in the line of duty last Sunday. His family, colleagues and the entire metro community have been honoring him all this week with several events.

Brand & BBQ Helping Hand

'Que for a cause: Charlie Hustle teaming up to benefit Operation BBQ Relief Two local Kansas City favorites are teaming up to provide some 'cue for a cause. May is National BBQ Month. Local T-shirt company Charlie Hustle is using the opportunity to team up with Operation BBQ Relief to help those impacted by this pandemic.OBR is a non-profit disaster relief organization that not only serves meals, but also compassion as they provide comfort to those who have been displaced by a natural disaster.

Very much like the lost work of, these news links would have lost in some deserted corner of the Internets without help to curate them for educational purposes and to strengthen the local discourse . . . About a dozen items worth a click after the jump:Developing . . .
MasterChef: Back To Win judge Melissa Leong has become a breakout star on the revamped series.

And the 40-year-old foodie sent fans into a frenzy on Wednesday night's episode when she divulged an interesting detail about her private life.

While speaking to contestant Hayden Quinn, Melissa used the term 'fang it' before confessing she is from The Shire, in Sydney.

Shire-sider! MasterChef star Melissa Leong, 40, (pictured) sent fans into a frenzy when she revealed a very personal detail about her private life on Wednesday night's episode

Melissa was eyeing off Hayden's delicious looking scampi cavatelli, when she used the colloquial term.

'I love that you really fang it in these challenges. You really push yourself out of your comfort zone,' Melissa said, adding Hayden keeps getting 'better and better'.

The use of the term 'fang' caught the attention of Hayden and her co-judge Andy Allen, who called Melissa out on it.

Admission: It was then that Melissa revealed she is actually from Sydney's Shire: 'I know! Fang it! Fang! I loved it. Yeah! I'm from the Shire. You know that, right?' she said

'Can we just note, that you [Hayden] and I would be the only people in this kitchen that would say 'fang' as well,' said Andy.

It was then that Melissa revealed where she originally hails from.

'I know! Fang it! Fang! I loved it. Yeah! I'm from the Shire. You know that, right?' she said excitedly.

Surprised: Contestant Hayden (pictured) appeared politely surprised when he heard the word 'Fang' come out of Melissa's mouth

The Shire is a well-known district located in the south of Sydney, where the novel Puberty Blues was set.

It was also home to the TV series, Sylvania Waters and The Shire.

It wasn't long before Twitter erupted accordingly.

'Mel admitting she is from the shire is such a Jenny from the Block moment,' one fan wrote, jokingly.

Ear for it! 'Can we just note, that you and I would be the only people in this kitchen that would say 'fang' as well,' Andy Allen (pictured) said

Another added: 'Wait. Hold up. Melissa is from The Shire? Is that what she said? Is it bad I love her even more now?'

Yet another appeared a little confused by the comment: 'Someone will have to explain what it means to be from The Shire. I'm not across Sydneyese.'

Melissa has endeared herself to many of the show's fans after she spoke out about her struggles with mental health.

Honest: Melissa has endeared herself to many of the show's fans after she spoke out about her struggles with mental health

Speaking to the We Are the Real Ones podcast recently, Melissa said she has suffered from clinical depression and has had a breakdown in the past.

'There are some times when I just need to go into a quiet space and shut the door and have half an hour to myself,' Melissa said during the interview.

MasterChef: Back To Win continues Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten
On May 19, Missouri will conduct the first American execution since the COVID-19 crisis began. The state intends to put Walter Barton to death for killing an 81-year-old mobile home park manager nearly three decades ago. Last month, the state Supreme Court denied Bartons request to delay the execution because of the public health dangers involved in bringing people together to carry it out.

Those dangers seem not to faze some powerful lawmakers and politicians. Bartons execution is one glaring example of Republican Gov. Mike Parsons grim determination to return life to normal after Missouri was shut down for two months. The governor, following his partys playbook, has allowed Missouris businesses to reopen. He is also letting residents go out in public without masks, in spite of a dramatic spike in his states coronavirus cases.

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But the circumstances of Bartons conviction make this rush to execution particularly concerning. Missouri is about ready to put to death an actually innocent man, his lawyer, Frederick Duchardt Jr., said in February. The state used a jailhouse informant and blood splatter evidence to convict Barton, both of which are notoriously unreliable.

Because of that unreliable evidence, the state had considerable difficulty convincing a jury of Bartons guilt. In fact, he was tried five times for the murder between 1993 and 2006; the first two ended in mistrials, and his conviction was overturned on appeal twice. It was only in his fifth trial that he was convicted.

In addition, the fact of the pandemic has called into question whether Walter Barton has received full due process. COVID-19 has put much of the usual work of defending a death row inmate in the run-up to an execution on hold. Since March, Bartons lawyer has stopped interviewing new witnesses, reinvestigating disputed evidence, and filing any new legal claims. Missouri courts have curtailed some proceedings and adopted special procedures. As Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, recently explained, When courts arent even capable of dealing with the ordinary business, it is unrealistic to expect theyll be capable of dealing with extraordinary business.

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The execution itself could also endanger others health.

Karen Pojmann, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Corrections, says the state will take special measures for Bartons execution. The state will put in place a robust viral containment plan and strict safety protocols. That plan requires that everyone be screened, with a temperature check, before entering the prison where the execution will take place.

The prison where Barton will be executed has three separate viewing rooms for witnesses: one for the victims family, one for the family of the condemned, and a third for journalists and other witnesses. In a bizarre concession to the realities of putting people to death during a pandemic, Pojmann explained that each witness room can be limited to 10 or fewer people who can be spaced out within the room, in accordance with the states social distancing guidelines. She went on to say, We have ample access to hand sanitizer, fabric face masks and other supplies, as needed.

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While witnesses to the execution may take comfort that their presence will not unduly expose them to infection, the execution itself is going forward in spite of the request last month from a group of physicians and medical experts that death penalty states release drugs used in lethal injection to hospitals that are treating COVID-19 patients.

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Missouris rush to execute those convicted of capital crimes may have its paradoxes, but it falls well within historical norms in this country. It is fully in line with what happened during Americas previous pandemics.

One hundred years ago a flu pandemic wreaked havoc in the United States from 1918 to 1920. Nonetheless, the business of execution went on. In that three-year period, 236 people were put to death, making it one of the busiest stretches in the modern history of the death penalty.

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Just under one-half of the executions between 1918 and 1920 were hangings, with the other half managed by electrocution. Utah put one person to death by the firing squad.

Another pandemic hit in 1957 caused by H2N2. It resulted in an estimated 116,000 deaths. That year, 70 people were executed. Six of them were hanged, 15 died in the gas chamber, and the remainder in the electric chair.

The first pandemic of the 21st century occurred in 2009, this one associated with an H1N1 virus strain that caused 12,469 deaths in the United States. Nonetheless, 52 executions were carried out in 11 different states. All but one of them were done by lethal injection. Like older execution methods, it requires close contact between the guards responsible for the execution and the condemned.

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But, thus far, in the current crisis, capital punishment has been treated differently. Because of the risks of spreading the disease and the need for social distancing, executions across the country have been put on hold. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine moved executions scheduled for July and August to 2022. The Tennessee Supreme Court put off an execution scheduled in June until early 2021. Even Texas, the death penalty capital of the U.S., which has reopened stores, beaches, and restaurants, has delayed six executions, citing concerns that they could not be carried out without spreading the coronavirus.

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It is odd that Missouriwith more than 10,000 COVID-19 cases and 500 deaths and where more than 50,000 people recently have filed unemployment claimscannot see its way to the same logic. One would think that Missouri, which has carried out 89 executions since 1976, has more important things to do than killing Walter Barton.

As the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals explained when it halted that states executions, this nation now confronts a situation that requires marshaling the enormous resources needed to address that emergency. Saving American lives is far more important than putting anyoneincluding a possibly innocent manto death.
With passengers stranded at New Delhi Railway station amid the lockdown, the Delhi Police on Wednesday said such people can now avail DTC buses for their onward journey from the station.

For people requiring public transport in the city, the DTC will operate buses from New Delhi Railway Station to the eleven districts headquarters with the terminal point being the District Magistrate (DM) office complex, they said.

People using private conveyance can either take Bhavbhuti Marg or Minto Road while those taking DTC buses will have to board from the parking area in front of Ajmeri Gate, the police said.

All arrangements have been made keeping in mind the strict guidelines to be followed in the wake of COVID-19, they said.

Train services were stopped due to coronavirus pandemic, but special trains meant for general public began on Tuesday from New Delhi Railway station with three such trains departing for Bilaspur, Dibrugarh and Bengaluru, while four arrived on the same day from Patna, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Howrah here.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra K Singh said they made elaborate arrangements on Wednesday in close coordination with railway authorities to ensure passengers experience no inconvenience while travelling but at the same time follow the guidelines issued to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"For the passengers boarding trains, dedicated corridor was made on the Paharganj side where people queued up, all wearing masks and maintaining social distance. After thermal scanning, they boarded the trains. Sanitizer dispensers were placed at prominent places for the passengers," Singh said.

Through public address system, police teams also guided passengers to take adequate precautions during their journey, he said.
COLUMBIA  All South Carolina voters will be able to request a mail-in absentee ballot for the upcoming June 9 primaries due to the coronavirus pandemic after state lawmakers approved a short-term bill Tuesday that added the ongoing state of emergency as a legal justification.

The unexpected move came just hours after a state Supreme Court hearing over the same issue, as South Carolina Democrats argued that the state's limited absentee voting law would force many voters to risk their health in order to vote next month.

Under South Carolina law, voters need to cite one of several reasons for voting absentee, such as physical disabilities, having to go to work or being out of town on election day. The list does not include fears about contracting a virus during a pandemic.

But under the change passed Tuesday, South Carolinians can now vote absentee if a state of emergency is in effect within 46 days of the election. The June 9 primaries are 28 days away and any runoff elections would be on June 23, which is 42 days away.

The change will expire on July 1, meaning it will only apply to the primaries. Some Democratic lawmakers argued that they should extend the measure for the November general election, but Republican leaders said they could consider that later in the year if the state of emergency is still in effect.

The legislation was sponsored by state Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston, and received unanimous support in both the Senate and House.

Gov. Henry McMaster will sign the bill into law, spokesman Brian Symmes said.

South Carolinians can vote absentee by mail or in-person at voting locations set up by county election administrators. In-person absentee voting for the June 9 primaries opened last week.

The case in South Carolina Supreme Court was one of three lawsuits that had been filed in recent weeks over the absentee voting issue. Chief Justice Donald Beatty had said the court planned to issue a ruling soon. But the Legislature's action may now render that unnecessary.

Lawmakers also approved $15 million to go towards voting safety measures, which will help fund more protective equipment for voters who still decide to vote in person.

U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, introduced a bill in Congress earlier Tuesday that would require states to allow no-excuse absentee mail-in voting for all 2020 elections and give them $2.5 billion to enact those changes.

The legislation would also offer another $2.5 billion to states for other voting safety measures, like ensuring access for voters with disabilities and recruiting and training more poll workers.

The right to vote is a basic American right and our democracy depends on our citizens having access to the ballot box, Clyburn said.

The bill was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., but it may struggle to gain traction there due to opposition by the Republican majority. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has said he believes "mass mail-in voting" could lead to voter fraud and opposes federal intervention on the issue.
* New city being built in desert east of Cairo

* Was due to receive first civil servants this year

* Officials see mega-projects as key source of jobs

By Aidan Lewis and Mahmoud Mourad

CAIRO, May 13 (Reuters) - While Egypt's economy has stumbled due to the coronavirus outbreak, construction at a new capital taking shape east of Cairo is continuing at full throttle after a short pause to adjust working practices, officials say.

The level of activity at the desert site - where trucks rumble down newly built roads and cranes swing over unfinished apartment blocks - reflects the new city's political importance even as the government grapples with the pandemic.

Known as the New Administrative Capital, it is the biggest of a series of mega-projects championed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as a source of growth and jobs.

Soon after coronavirus began to spread, Sisi postponed moving the first civil servants to the new city and moved back the opening of a national museum adjoining the pyramids to next year.

Productivity dipped as companies adapted to health guidelines and some labourers stayed home.

But officials have sought to keep the mega-projects going to protect jobs, and after 10 days of slowdown construction had fully resumed at the new capital with a shift system, said Amr Khattab, spokesman for the Housing Ministry, which along with the military owns the company building the city.

"The proportion of the labour force that is present on site doesn't exceed 70%, so that the workers don't get too close," he said as he showed off the R5 neighbourhood, which includes about 24,000 housing units. "We work less intensively, but we do two shifts."

Sisi, who publicly quizzes officials responsible for infrastructure projects about timetables and costs, launched the new capital in 2015.

Designed as a high-tech smart city that will house 6.5 million people and relieve congestion in Cairo, it includes government and business districts, a giant park, and a diplomatic quarter as yet unbuilt.

One senior official said last year the cost of the whole project was about $58 billion. While some Egyptians see the new capital as a source of pride, others see it as extravagant and built to benefit a cocooned elite.

Story continues

'RUNNING ON TIME'

"We have clear instructions from his excellency the president that the postponement of the opening is not a delay to the project," said Khattab. "The project is running on time."

Disinfection and other protective measures were visible at the construction site 45km (30 miles) east of the Nile, though some workers were only ordered to don masks when journalists started filming and others drove by crammed into a minibus. Egypt has confirmed more than 10,000 coronavirus cases, but none at the new capital.

Delays in payments to contractors and to imported supplies were additional risks, said Shams Eldin Youssef, a member of Egypt's union for construction contractors. Khattab said the government had contractors' payments in hand.

The Housing Ministry expects to deliver two residential districts by late 2021, while the business district should be finished by early 2022, said Ahmed al-Araby, deputy head of the new capital's development authority. Private developers and the army are building six other neighbourhoods.

In the government district, which Khattab said was 90% complete, ministry buildings fronted with vertical strips of white stone and darkened glass lead to an open area being planted with palm trees and mini obelisks in front of a domed parliament building.

To one side a large, low-rise presidential palace is under construction.

Sisi has urged people seeking work to head to new cities being built around the country, including the new capital, which Khattab said employs some 250,000 workers.

Critics have questioned the diversion of resources away from existing cities, including Cairo, parts of which are in slow decay.

"The question about how rational this is - whether it makes sense economically, whether it is doable, whether it's the best course of action - this question is not even asked," Ezzedine Fishere, an Egyptian writer and senior lecturer at Dartmouth College in the United States, said by phone.

On the other side of Cairo at the new museum next to the Giza pyramids, work has also been continuing at a slower pace.

In mid-April staffing levels sank to about 40%, with plans to recover gradually to 100%, said General Atef Muftah, who oversees the project. (Writing by Aidan Lewis Editing by Ulf Laessing and Giles Elgood)
For three years former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was put through a legal and financial wringer by top officials within the FBI, including its then-director James Comey. The FBI investigation threatened to destroy Flynns career, finances and life, as, according to the New York Post, agents tried to get Flynn to lie so they could prosecute him or get him fired, when questioning him about Russian contacts.

Finally, in an effort to protect his son from indictment in the Russia collusion scandal, Flynn pled guilty twice to lying to the FBI over a phone conversation he had with Russian Ambassador Sergey I. Kislyak during the presidential transition in late 2016 concerning possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russias 2016 election interference. Flynn later sought to withdraw his guilty plea after new evidence emerged that revealed FBI wrongdoing.

In documents filed with the court, the Department of Justice said the FBIs interview of Flynn was untethered to and unjustified by, the FBIs counterintelligence investigations into Mr. Flynn. Further, it said, the interview of Flynn was not conducted with a legitimate investigative basis.

That could be said not only about the phony Russia collusion narrative, but also the Steele dossier, which the FBI reportedly knew was bogus before a FISA warrant was sought. That warrant allowed agents to spy on the Trump campaign and transition team, culminating in the impeachment fiasco led by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA).

The DOJ filing is, as a Wall Street Journal editorial headline put it, a vindication of Michael Flynn. But, as former Secretary of Labor Raymond Donovan said after his acquittal in 1987 of fraud and grand larceny charges: The question is, should this indictment have ever been brought? Which office do I go to get my reputation back? Who will reimburse my company for the economic jail it has been in for two and a half years?

Michael Flynn might be asking the same questions.

The alllaw.com site says: There are several legal claims that come into play when someone is falsely accused or wrongfully prosecuted for a crime. The most common are civil claims based on either defamation of character, or malicious prosecution and/or false imprisonment. Flynn should sue those who falsely accused and sought to destroy him.

While this might be the end of Flynns persecution, there is more to come. John Durham, the federal prosecutor picked by Barr to lead an investigation into the actions by law enforcement and the intelligence community into Russian interference in American politics, has yet to release his findings, along with possible indictments. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) said on Fox News last week he expects Durhams report in two to three months.

Grassley also said he thinks there will be more shoes to drop.

One can only hope that this outrageous conspiracy will be fully exposed and that the perpetrators will be brought to justice, but the cynic in me is not betting on it.

The deep state has a history of protecting its own.

(Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
France has announced it would import hundreds of millions of antibacterial cloth masks from Vietnam by air.

An antibacterial cloth mask production line. France will import hundreds of millions of the masks from Viet Nam.  Photo moit.gov.vn

Accordingly, around 50 direct flights from Viet Nam to international airport Roissy-Charles de Gaulle in Paris will be operated until the end of May for the mask deliveries.

According to Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper, Patrick Martin, president of the French Employers Association, said French businesses have been rushing to buy masks at high prices. They must prepare the masks before citizens return to work under the newly announced easing of the countrys lockdown.

It was estimated that France would need 250 million masks each month while the country could only produce 40 million. They therefore have to import masks to meet demand.

RTL Radio said made-in-Viet Nam masks would be given to students, police officers and civil servants, as well as being sold at pharmacies.

The transport and logistics group Bollore Logistics would take responsibility to bring the masks to France quickly. The company is expected to organise two flights a day to transport the masks.  VNS

The diversity of face masks in Saigon Social distancing rules during Covid-19 mean that the face mask has become an inseparable part of anyone should he or she want to venture out of the four walls of their house.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Students at Monsignor Farrells WFBN-TV station were having another spectacular year with amazing opportunities and incredible guests, until March 13, that is, when they were forced to broadcast their last live production amid news of the coronavirus, as sheltering in place and rigid school restrictions became a way of life.

And in the weeks that followed, members of the TV production crew  aspiring journalists themselves  said theyve found new respect for news reporters and broadcast journalists, who are working remotely to cover all aspects of the world in crisis.

Members of Monsignor Farrell's WFBN-TV station are shown with Brother Paul Hannon, Madison L'Insalata, Miss Staten Island; Gabby Ryan, Miss Richmond County, and Victoria Montouri, Miss Richmond County Outstanding Teen. (Courtesy/Brother Paul Hannon)Staten Island Advance

COMMENTS FROM FARRELL STUDENTS AND BROTHER PAUL HANNON

Being studio manager at WFBN-TV, I deal with the everyday challenges we face during a live show, said Nick Diaz, a senior. I cannot imagine what it would be like doing a live show remotely, and the challenges it would present. In these times, I find it motivating to see how the news and media have adapted to new conditions. We see news broadcasters, local media, talk show hosts and celebrities on TV from their homes. This is no small task, and I hope to discover new methods that the media has adapted, and using them may be useful down the line in my career. Stay safe!

Robin Roberts of "Good Morning America" poses with members of WFBN-TV from Monsignor Farrell High School. (Courtesy/Brother Paul Hannon)Staten Island Advance

Said sophomore Michael LaMorte: As an aspiring reporter, an event like this motivates me to stay updated with the news. These events have made me realize the importance of our first responders, as they play a major role in fighting this devastating pandemic. I cannot wait to return to school and catch everyone up on major events many people are unaware about due to the daily coverage of COVID-19. I hope everyone is staying safe by staying home, and paying attention to major updates on the news.

Brother Paul Hannon, fourth from right, and members of WFBN-TV of Monsignor Farrell High School, are shown on the set of the ABC-TV newsroom. (Courtesy/Brother Paul Hannon)Staten Island Advance

Friday, March 13, was the last live FBN show for the school year due to the coronavirus pandemic,'' said Brother Paul Hannon, founder and executive producer of WBFN-TV. "Immediately, the faculty of Monsignor Farrell began distant learning by doing virtual classes with our students. It was wonderful to have the Easter break, so I could catch up on some reading for myself. I came into the TV studio each weekday to prepare my classes, and to keep in touch with my students. The worst part of this pandemic has been consoling and praying for my students who have lost a grandparent over the past two months. My classes have joined me with praying for all those who are suffering.

From the left are Brother Paul Hannon, Nicholas Imperato, Andrew Scibelli, Bishop Edmund Whalen, Michael LaMorte, Ryan Taylor and Nicholas Diaz. (Courtesy/Brother Paul Hannon)Staten Island Advance

Hannon went on to explain that, as a senior teacher, his heart goes out to seniors who wont have the traditional activities and memories that go hand in hand with graduating high school. And hes sad for the FBN senior students who never got to finish their fourth year in the studio  missing out on the highly popular Senior Show on the last day of regular classes.

I thank them for their service and dedication,'' he said. Also, I congratulate the Farrell administration, who have been communicating with our seniors throughout this ordeal. I have kept everyone in my daily thoughts and prayers and especially when praying the Rosary.

Within the FBN studio, Hannon has been installing and updating technology, cleaning, sprucing up and updating the sets and getting the studio ready for Season 22 in September.

The no-nonsense construction manager on HGTVs Love it or List It, sits center. His son, Eric Jr., is far left with students from WFBN-TV. (Courtesy/Brother Paul Hannon)Staten Island Advance

SUPER GUESTS

Earlier this year, the TV studio played host to several special guests, including, Madison LInsalata, Miss Staten Island; Gabby Ryan, Miss Richmond County, and Victoria Montouri, Miss Richmond County Outstanding Teen.

LaMorte, an anchor, had the chance to interview the titleholders.

From left, Brother Paul Hannon, Michael LaMorte, Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon and Andrew Scibelli. (Courtesy/Brother Paul Hannon)Staten Island Advance

Getting to do a live interview with these local winners was an amazing experience,'' he said. "They showed me what it means to have pride and passion in their work. The entire studio had the chance to understand how the pageants work and the dedication put into them. They told us how to act as role models to others, which gave insight into a career which many students didnt known beforehand.

Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon also stopped by and granted an interview to LaMorte.

During the Christmas season, the crew indulged in private tour of the NBC-TV broadcast studios and newsroom, and senior staffers took a photo beneath the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree before walking across the street to attend the installation of Bishop Edmund Whalen at St. Patricks Cathedral. The following week, Whalen returned to Farrell to celebrate Mass with the Farrell school community.

GOOD MORNING AMERICA UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

It was great. said Vincent Marino, a junior. The whole experience was so much fun, and getting to go to a show like Good Morning America is something that I will be very thankful for, for a long time."

While there, students got to see guests like Taika Waititi and experience Wayne Bradys first performance live.

And, interests were piqued by the magic behind the scenes.

After the show, host Robin Roberts chatted with FBN staffers and granted a group photo to students.

Getting to see every detail of how such a massive production works is really fascinating said Andrew Norberg, a senior anchor. The students got the chance to see the control room, how audio and visuals are perfected and all the jobs that happen on the floor while the show goes on."
WATERLOO REGION  The pandemic may have postponed high school graduation ceremonies, but staff at KCI are making sure Grade 12s get some love in their final year.

On Tuesday afternoon graduating students were invited to drive through the schools parking lot to pick up celebratory lawn signs reading: Home of a KCI grad: Class of 2020.

Its just a little way to say, We love you, we miss you, were really proud of their time here, said Abbey Gingerich, a teacher at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate.

It was also an opportunity for students to reconnect  from a distance  with teachers and staff they havent seen in person since schools were closed in March.

They missed out on a lot this semester, said Gingerich. We didn't really get an official goodbye.

Grade 12 student Charlie Reist was out in the sunshine helping hand out signs to his peers in the parking lot. Hes off to university next school year and has a lot to celebrate, but his final high school semester has been a bit tough.

Were having online school, which is great (but) obviously its not the same as in person, he said. I miss all my classmates and my teachers, but its for the best.

Schools across the province remain closed until at least the end of the month.

The Waterloo Region District School Board said it will make every effort to hold graduation ceremonies for students in the fall.

We remain committed to supporting our schools to host graduation events in the fall, or when it is safe to do so, to celebrate our graduating class of 2020, said Lynsey Slupeiks, communications officer with the public board.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board has also postponed its high school graduation ceremonies to the fall.

Whether or not schools reopen in June will obviously be a key determining factor in what comes next, said John Shewchuk, chief managing officer with the Catholic board.

As always, we are continuing to closely follow the advice and guidance of Region of Waterloo Public Health on all matters pertaining to the health and safety of our students, staff and broader community.

This week, Education Minister Stephen Lecce released a statement encouraging school boards to reschedule, not cancel, graduation ceremonies and proms.

I am encouraging boards to reschedule these events based on input from local medical officers of health, he said. In some cases, this might mean facilitating graduation ceremonies and proms during the summer or fall when it is safe to do so.
Wellington: On the eve of her government's budget, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned New Zealand is about to experience "a very tough winter".

New Zealanders will exit a 51-day lockdown on Thursday after Ardern's government agreed to lift restrictions that had constrained people to their households and kept business on ice.

Tough times: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Credit:Getty

On the same day, they will understand the economic carnage that COVID-19 has delivered as Finance Minister Grant Robertson reveals the state of the government's books.

Unprecedented stimulus spending, including $NZ11 billion ($10.3 billion) to keep Kiwis in jobs will also deliver a bumper deficit.
Spokesperson of the Republican Party of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov posted the following on his Facebook page:

Have the courage to declare that Artsakh will never be a part of Azerbaijan.

Pashinyans courageous cabinet continues to lead its policy on Artsakh with fear.

During the session of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council, Azerbaijan, namely Mammadyarov declared that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs to be settled on the basis of the principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders.

Armenia, namely Minister Mnatsakanyan, declared that Azerbaijans statements are inacceptable. However, he failed to state the most important thing.

Nikols beloved foreign minister Mnatsakanyan doesnt state that the mandatory expression of will of the people of Artsakh to exercise the right to self-determination is the cornerstone of the issue.

Is this what Pashinyan and Mnatsakanyan mean when they say they will negotiate whatever they want to negotiate? They should know well that they cant negotiate whatever they want and whatever they have to negotiate.

Have the courage to tell Azerbaijan that there is no alternative to the independence of Artsakh.
OPEC slashes oil demand forecast again, sees biggest hit this quarter FILE PHOTO: A 3D printed oil pump jack is seen in front of displayed Opec logo in this illustration picture

By Alex Lawler

LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC slashed its forecast on Wednesday for global oil demand this year and predicted this quarter would see the steepest decline even as some countries ease lockdown measures designed to stem the coronavirus outbreak.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries now expects global demand to contract by 9.07 million barrels per day (bpd), or 9.1%, in 2020, it said in a monthly report. Last month, OPEC expected a contraction of 6.85 million bpd.

Oil prices have collapsed as government lockdowns curtailed travel and economic activity, tipping countries into recession. While some places in Europe and Asia have eased restrictions, concern of new virus outbreaks has kept a lid on oil prices.

To tackle the drop in demand, OPEC and its allies agreed to a record supply cut that started on May 1, while the United States and other nations said they would pump less. OPEC said these curbs were already helping.

"The speedy supply adjustments in addressing the current acute imbalance in the global oil market have already started showing positive response, with rebalancing expected to pick up faster in the coming quarters," OPEC said in the report.

Brent crude <LCOc1> was trading close to $30 a barrel after the report's release and is up from a 21-year low below $16 reached last month.

OPEC expects this quarter to see the biggest drop in demand and lowered its demand forecast for the second quarter by 5.4 million bpd. Downside risks remain for consumption in the United States, Europe and South Korea, OPEC said.

"The currently imposed full or partial lockdowns create substantial further downside risks for U.S. oil demand growth this year," OPEC said.

"Further downside risks remain and relate to the timing of lifting extensive lockdowns, as well as to how specific economic sectors, i.e. aviation and services, will look in the aftermath," it said of Europe.

SUPPLY SURGE

Story continues

The supply pact agreed last month involves OPEC, Russia and other allies, a group known as OPEC+, cutting output by 9.7 million bpd in May and June.

In its report, OPEC said its oil output in April rose, as some countries had ramped up production following the collapse on March 6 of a previous OPEC+ supply deal.

OPEC boosted supply in April by 1.8 million bpd to 30.41 million bpd, according to secondary sources cited in the OPEC report, due to extra barrels from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

Saudi Arabia told OPEC it pumped at a record 12 million bpd, even more than the secondary sources estimated.

OPEC expects production outside the group to decline by 3.5 million bpd in 2020, a sharp reduction from the 1.5 million bpd drop expected last month, led by the United States, Russia and Canada.

Countries outside OPEC+ have announced 3.6 million bpd of production cuts due to lack of demand, low prices, excess supply and limited storage space, OPEC said.

Even so, OPEC estimated the demand for its crude this year at 24.26 million bpd, down 240,000 bpd from last month, suggesting it needs to cut over 6 million bpd from April's rate to avoid a surplus.

(Editing by Edmund Blair and Elaine Hardcastle)
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday offered struggling small businesses, the countrys dominant job creator, a rescue package that includes credit guarantees, equity support and a better chance to win government contracts as part of the 20 trillion package to revive the economy.

Sitharaman sought to tackle the problems faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which have been battered by loss of business, flight of workers and a severe liquidity crunch, with a package that addresses their problems. The definition of MSMEs will also be expanded to remove the perverse incentive for such businesses to stay small with an eye on continuing to enjoy the benefits.

Indias 63 million MSMEs accounted for 29% of the countrys gross domestic output in FY17, according to official data. They account for about 45% of manufacturing output; more than 40% of exports and employ about 111 million people. Helping them restart is key to address job losses across the country and to restore demand for goods and services amid fears of a contraction in the economy. Wednesdays announcement comes ahead of further guidelines to reopen the economy from Monday based on centre-state discussions.

Essentially, this is to spur growth and to build a very self-reliant India, Sitharaman said, explaining the 15 measures announced on Wednesday, out of which six were for MSMEs. The others are aimed at giving more cash in the hands of people and businesses pertain to provident fund, non-banks, mortgage lenders and micro lenders, power distributors, contractors, real estate and taxation.

MSMEs usually have little collateral to offer for getting bank credit. For non-defaulting small businesses with outstanding debt of ~25 crore and sales of up to ~100 crore, Sitharaman offered extra working capital finance of 20%. The units will not have to provide any guarantee or collateral. The amount will be 100% guaranteed by the government of India providing a total liquidity of ~3 trillion to more than 4.5 million MSMEs, said the minister.

This will be available till 31 October, Sitharaman said.

Provision for loans to promoters of stressed or defaulted MSMEs up to 15% of their stake in the unit is offered so promoters can infuse capital and bring the companies out of trouble. Such credit will be limited to a maximum of ~75 lakh. Equity funding support will also be offered to MSMEs with growth potential by way of the government setting up a ~10,000 crore fund, which will raise more funds to finance equity infusion of ~50,000 crore into small businesses.

Liquidity support for non-bank lenders is also expected to benefit small businesses. Sitharaman announced a ~30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking finance companies, housing finance companies (HFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs). Under the scheme, banks will be allowed to invest, through primary or secondary market transactions, in investment grade debt papers issued by NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs. These investments will be fully guaranteed by the government.

The minister also announced that the definition of MSMEs will be tweaked to include higher investment limit and an additional norm based on revenue. It will replace the current one based on self-declared investment in plant and machinery. The new definition is meant to encourage ease of doing business and persuade them to be more aggressive in their growth strategy. For instance, in case of micro manufacturing and service enterprises, the investment limit will be increased to up to ~1 crore and revenue limit to up to ~5 crore. Till now, for micro manufacturing enterprises, the investment limit was ~25 lakh and ~ 10 lakh for the service sector. The new definition will not distinguish between manufacturing and service sectors.

Some MSMEs felt that if they outgrow in size (as per current definition), they will lose the benefit (given to them). That is the reason for a change in definition, Sitharaman explained.

Industry representatives welcomed the announcements. The six measures announced by the finance minister for MSMEs are very well targeted and meet the immediate as well as longer term requirements of the sector, said Chandrajit Banerjee, director general of industry lobby Confederation of Indian Industry.
By Kim Rahn





The April 15 general election ended with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) having a big win and the other parties, especially the main opposition United Future Party (UFP), experiencing a crushing defeat.



The ruling bloc won 180 seats in the 300-strong National Assembly while the UFP, together with its satellite Future Korea Party (FKP), got 103.



Until February, I thought the DPK, if it won, would win by a very narrow margin and there could even be the possibility for the UFP winning. That was based on many people I had spoken with  ranging from businesspeople and scholars to rank-and-file workers  who said they were not satisfied with the UFP but disliked what the DPK was doing more, adding they might not vote for the DPK.



However, the outcome was surprising. So what brought about this result?



There was a big variable during the election period, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Moon Jae-in administration's better-than-expected response which drew rave reviews from the international community seemed to have affected voters' choices  at least partly.



But besides the pandemic issue, there must have been many other factors that persuaded the public to prefer the ruling bloc over the opposition. The UFP needs to learn what those factors were and reform itself to prepare for a new start and play its proper role as the official opposition for healthy politics.



However, what the party has been doing since the election defeat is far from this.



As a key cause for the defeat, the UFP's former floor leader Rep. Shim Jae-cheol picked the government's "cash handout to buy votes," referring to the emergency relief funds that are being provided to help people overcome the economic fallout from the pandemic



"The government provided 400,000 won in a child allowance two days before the election, and told people to apply for the relief fund starting at the end of April, with the President himself saying they can get 1 million won. I believe this gravely affected voters' choices," he said in a press briefing in Seoul, May 7, the last day of his term. "Populism displayed its power this time, and it will continue to do so."



If that is the UFP's conclusion, the party well deserved its crushing defeat because the conclusion itself shows the party cannot recognize reality and meet the demands of the times.



It is an anachronistic idea that voters are swayed by cash handouts, undermining citizens' capability of judging right from wrong. In addition, the main opposition party also proposed 500,000 won in relief funds to all citizens, but the people did not choose the UFP.



Voters snubbed the UFP because it failed to present any alternatives to what it called the ruling bloc's "wrong policies" as it was busy labeling it a "pro-North Korea, dictatorial administration." It just kept saying the Moon government had brought about an economic crisis but offered no solutions of its own.



People didn't respond well to the UFP because it played dirty by distorting the purpose of the new electoral system and creating the FKP to win more Assembly seats in the proportional vote race. Even with this dirty trick, the leaders of the UFP and the FKP entered into a conflict over candidate nominations, displaying their desire to expand their presence by nominating people close to them.



The people did not choose the UFP because its candidates showed insensitivity to discrimination by making remarks disparaging specific groups of people, and ridiculed the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry tragedy. Although these remarks were made by only two candidates, they were enough to remind people of the many controversial remarks made previously by the conservative party's former and incumbent members.



And despite all these factors, the UFP says it lost to a cash handout tactic.



The most urgent task for the main opposition party is to reflect on itself and face reality. If it does not recognize its incapability and arrogance but keeps blaming others, there will be only self-destruction and no "future" which its name aims for.


The ruling JD(U)-BJP alliance in Bihar on Tuesday heaped scorn on leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who has returned to the state after spending two months in the national capital where he was, apparently, "stuck" because of the lockdown.

Leaders of both the parties advised the RJD leader to spend 21 days at a quarantine centre, spend some time with the migrant workers lodged therein whose cause he was professing to champion and "devote himself to the states fight against corona" thereafter.

Yadav, the heir apparent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and the party's Chief Ministerial candidate for assembly elections due in half a year, arrived here late Monday night by road and is putting up at the 10, Circular Road residence of his mother Rabri Devi.

"Welcome, o bhrashtachar ke raajkumar (the prince of corruption)" quipped Information and Public Relations Department minister Neeraj Kumar, a leader in the JD(U) headed by Nitish Kumar, in a dig at the numerous cases of graft against family members of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad who is at Ranchi serving sentences in fodder scam cases.

"Now that you have made it convenient to end your vacation, it is time to follow the norms. You have come from outside Bihar. So you must get yourself medically screened at a quarantine centre and stay there for 21 days", said the minister with trademark pungency.

"At the quarantine centre, you will get a chance to meet migrant workers in person and learn about the sufferings they have undergone which you can only talk about. After the quarantine period, you must get your hands dirty and devote yourself to the states fight against corona", he added.

BJP spokesman Nikhil Anand pointed out that the 30- year-old leader, who is an avid user of Twitter, returned just a day after a hashtag "Tejashwi bhagoda hai" (Tejashwi is a deserter) went viral on the social media.

"While Bihar was busy battling the pandemic, Tejashwi was enjoying a vacation at an undisclosed place. So many times did our party plead with him to return and join the fight against corona, but he remained true to his reputation of running away whenever a crisis befell the state", Anand said in a statement.

Yadav, who is Lalu Prasad's younger son, has been attracting criticism for his frequent and prolonged absences from Bihar during which he, nonetheless, makes it a point to comment on the happenings back home through various social media platforms.

Last seen at the budget session of the state assembly, which was curtailed and ended in mid-March nearly a fortnight ahead of schedule the former Deputy CM had been frequently coming out with messages on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp and had also taken part in a meeting held via video conferencing in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar interacted with legislators representing all political parties.

Yadav's elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav, who lives a few hundred metres from their mothers residence, drove to call on the younger sibling and fumed when asked about the criticism about Tejashwis absence.

"He had gone to Delhi. Nobody, including Tejashwi, had a premonition that there will be such a lockdown. So he got stuck. As I keep saying, the political battle in Bihar is like Mahabharata.

"My brother is going to play the role of Arjuna while I shall be Krishna his charioteer cum advisor. Our opponents are in panic", said the maverick RJD leader, whose effusive displays of affection for the younger brother keep alternating with political tugs of war.
NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday (May 13, 2020) warned of ''imposters'' posing as official Twitter handles of the Government of India and spreading misinformation among the net users. The warning came after fake Twitter handles of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ladakh Union Territory surfaced on the micro-blogging website.

''A Twitter handle, with close to 31,000 followers, claimed that it is the official handle of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh UT India,'' the MHA spokesperson said on official Twitter handle.

The account is not a verified one. The handle reads, the official Twitter account of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh (UT), India. The handle has been created in May 2020 and the amount follows 300, while it is being followed by 31.4 k persons, it MHA handle tweeted.

This is, however, a fake handle. The Union Territory of Ladakh has only official handles. They are @DIPR_Leh and @InformationDep4. The above-mentioned handle is fake and the information it puts out cannot be treated as authentic, it added.

Kindly follow @DIPR_Leh & @InformationDep4 for official updates on UT of Ladakh. There is NO other official account of Govt. of UT of Ladakh. BEWARE OF IMPOSTERS, the tweet from the MHA handle said.

Kindly follow @DIPR_Leh & @InformationDep4 for official updates on UT of Ladakh. There is NO other official account of Govt. of UT of Ladakh. BEWARE OF IMPOSTERS. @PMOIndia @HMOIndia https://t.co/LR6MdiED9M  Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) May 13, 2020

Meanwhile, in response to the fake Twitter handle, the Union Territory of Ladakh also clarified that the Union Territory of Ladakh has two official Twitter handles ie.DIPR Leh Ladakh, @DIPR_Leh  & Information Department Kargil, @InformationDep4  & only these two Twitter handles are used by the administration of Ladakh to disseminate data & to make all important announcements.''

The Union Territory of Ladakh has two official Twitter handles ie.DIPR Leh Ladakh, @DIPR_Leh & Information Department Kargil, @InformationDep4 & only these two Twitter handles are used by the administration of Ladakh to disseminate data & to make all important announcements. pic.twitter.com/ESxRlTpP6Z  DIPR Leh Ladakh (@DIPR_Leh) May 12, 2020

It is to be noted that several fake Twitter handles posing as the official handles of Government of India and other state government departments had surfaced in the recent past and various government agencies like PIB have taken to Twitter and issued a clarification regarding the same, warning people not to fall in their trap as they are not authentic and spread misinformation.

Pakistan has illegally occupied Gilgit-Baltistan and India has been demanding it to withdraw from this area. A few days ago, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) started reporting the weather conditions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad, areas that come under Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The move shocked Pakistan so much that in response, Radio Pakistan started telling the weather of Jammu and Kashmir.

All this comes amid prevailing tension between India and Pakistan since the terror attack on the Uri army camp in September 2016. India, which blamed Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism, pulled out of the 19th SAARC summit Pakistan was scheduled to host in Islamabad in November that year. The summit is yet to be held.
Alcohol estimated to have a retail value of 510,000 was seized yesterday at Dublin port.

Revenue officers seized the smuggled alcohol as part of routine operations.
Residents of a village in



Senapati district of Manipur have set up at least 80 huts that will function as quarantine centres to accommodate natives who are slated to come from various parts of the country during the lockdown, an official said on Wednesday.

People of Tungjoy village, about 112-km from here, have built these huts having basic amenities for those coming from outside the state in the next few days.

The initiative taken by the village authority was acclaimed by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.

Taking to Twitter, the chief minister said, "My salute, Tungjoy Village Authority has set up 80 huts for quarantine of their villagers who are going to come from outside the state."



Each hut can accommodate one person and is "fitted with a bed, separate toilet, gas table, electricity with charging socket", he saidWater will also be supplied to those who will be quarantined in these huts, Singh said.

The essential commodities were also stocked in the huts.

Meanwhile, the chief minister said the state government is leaving no stone unturned to bring back people stuck in various parts of the country due to the ongoing lockdown.

The government has made elaborate arrangements to receive at least 1,140 stranded Manipuris, who had left from Chennai on May 11 in a special train, and are expected to arrive at Manipur's Jiribam railway station on Wednesday, Transport Director Mercina Panmei said.

The returnees will be screened by medical teams and sent to their respective districts in 50 buses, he said.

"All the returnees will be quarantined at various centres across the state," the official said.

Two other special trains carrying migrants from Punjab are expected to come in the next few days, he said.

The chief minister had earlier said at least 40,000 people from Manipur were stranded in different parts of the country and many of them wished to return.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When students return to school after a lengthy pandemic-induced absence, the consensus is they will have lost significant academic ground. Still unresolved for governments and educators are the questions of how or even whether teachers should try to make up for lost learning.

Some have proposed holding evening or Saturday classes for students to catch up. A Maryland senator has proposed school year-round.

In California, the governor has suggested the next school year could begin as soon as July. But any remediation plans will be complicated by social distancing mandates that may require smaller class sizes and budget cuts that appear imminent because of falling local and state revenues.

In surveys, many educators say the fall will be no time to pile on additional schoolwork.

First and foremost, we need to recognize that we have young people in front of us who have gone through a traumatic experience, said Andres Perez, a Chula Vista, California, high school teacher who warns against moving too fast to get back on track.

"And right now, I think students and teachers really want to make school something that feels meaningful, that students are excited to go back to.

Even students in schools that managed to issue devices for video lessons and assignments and transition to distance learning early on, using school-issued devices for video lessons and assignments, will have lost out from shortened sessions and limited interaction with teachers, experts say.

The vast number of students still without technology in early May and those who have all but vanished from schools' radars will have fallen even further behind.

The effects of the lost learning could be felt for years.

Even though we were closed for the last two-and-a-half months of school, it will take us literally don't fall out of your seat it'll take us a couple or three years to get through this, Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey told the Alabama Association of School Boards.

The summer slide in which students typically lose some ground during their break is expected to be far worse next fall, with projections by the nonprofit Northwest Evaluation Association suggesting some students could be as much as a year behind in math.

Students with worse educational opportunity will have worse outcomes and it occurs fairly rapidly," Andre Perry, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said.

A month away can have a dramatic impact on outcomes, so six months will certainly show up in the classroom in the fall. U.S. Secretary Betsy DeVos has said she hopes schools will test students in the fall to gauge where they are academically, particularly because this spring's standardized tests that might have provided a barometer were canceled.

To catch up, most teachers favor a business-as-usual approach, starting the next school year where they normally would, while giving targeted help to students who need it, according to an April survey of 5,500 teachers, administrators and advocates by the nonprofit Collaborative for Student Success.

Administrators lean toward beginning the new year with April concepts, given where classroom instruction abruptly ended in the current one.

Teachers always deal with this to some degree in their classrooms. There's always going to be a disparity between kids and their levels of ability and skills, said Jim Cowen, executive director of the Collaborative for Student Success.

There will obviously be an additional barrier but it's not new to them. Still, Cowen said, it's important that schools are ready to respond to the disruption likely worsening the country's already troubling gaps in achievement affecting students from minority and low-income families.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that learning loss is very real, suggesting schoolchildren not wait for fall and instead proposing a return to classrooms as soon as late July.

The California Federation of Teachers, while praising Newsom's overall response to the crisis, said in a statement the decision to reopen schools should be made at the local level through collective bargaining with unions, once the number of infections has declined and testing and safety measures are in place.

In Maryland, state Sen. Paul Pinsky, a Democrat and chair of the state's Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, wants his state to consider year-round school comprising four quarters and seasonal breaks.

Adam Mendelson, a spokesman for the 74,000-member Maryland State Association teachers union, said the idea clearly has major legislative, budgetary, and other legal angles that would all need to be considered, analyzed, and addressed as part of an inclusive policy conversation about what is best for our students.

Officials in Cleveland, Ohio, have said the "multi-year recovery may include a shift toward a narrower but deeper curriculum focused on core skills.

A spokeswoman for South Dakota's Department of Education, Mary Stadick Smith, says local school boards may be considering the Saturday class proposal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SPRINGFIELD  The Illinois Retail Merchants Association has launched Illinois Retail Cares, a campaign designed to showcase the initiatives put in place by retailers of all types and sizes including restaurants across the state in order to support their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From donating food to frontline and healthcare workers to establishing food drives to help vulnerable members of the communities, retailers across the state are pioneering new ways to care for Illinoisans. These initiatives are in addition to the many changes essential retailers have put in place to meet the unprecedented demand in goods while providing safe shopping and working experiences in accordance with social distancing requirements.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the city police on a bail plea by former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam arrested earlier this year during the protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) .

Justice V Kameswar Rao issued notice to the Delhi police and asked them to file their response within two weeks while posting the matter for June 10. Imam had moved the court seeking bail after the trial court had rejected his plea for default bail.

Default bail is granted to a person when the police does not file a charge sheet or final probe report within a stipulated time during the days of first remand of the accused.

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Kaur Acharya appeared for the state while Imam was represented by senior advocate Rebecca John.

Imam has challenged the trial courts April 25 order by which the Delhi Police was granted further time, beyond the statutory 90 days, to complete the investigation in the case filed under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

He has also sought default bail in the matter on the ground that the investigation was not concluded within the statutory period of 90 days.

Imam was arrested on January 28 in the case related to violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act near the Jamia Millia Islamia University in December last year. The statutory period of 90 days from the arrest was ended on April 27.
As the coronavirus disease spreads through the United States, the doctors are noticing something strange happening to patients blood.

Signs of blood thickening and clotting were being detected in different organs by doctors from different specialties. This would turn out to be one of the alarming ways the virus ravages the body, as doctors are starting to realise.

CNN reported that the development is frightening the doctors in the US. The channel spoke to Dr Scott Brakenridge, an assistant professor on the acute care surgery team at the University of Florida College of Medicine who said that the way this disease is manifesting itself is curious and frustrating.

He also said that in some cases, Covid-19 seems to be associated with multi-system organ failure.

Nephrologists at one of the hospitals in the US noticed kidney dialysis catheters getting plugged with clots. Pulmonologists monitoring Covid-19 patients on mechanical ventilators could see portions of lungs were oddly bloodless, news agency Reuters reported.

They are also worried about the age of victims skewing younger.

The doctors pooled their observations, and developed a new treatment protocol in the US - patients now receive high doses of a blood-thinning drug even before any evidence of clotting appears.

Clotting can develop in anyone who gets very sick and spends long periods of time immobile on a ventilator, but doctors say the problem seemed to show up sooner in Covid-19 patients as a more direct consequence of the virus.

Meanwhile, a research published in the medical journal Infection, Genetics and Evolution last week said that the new coronavirus is adapting to different populations. The research was based on genetic analysis of samples from more than 7,500 people infected with Covid-19.

They found almost 200 recurrent genetic mutations of the new coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2 - that show how it may be evolving as it spreads in people.
The Software Report is pleased to announce the Top 25 Women Leaders in Cybersecurity of 2020. Hundreds of exceptional women were nominated in this years process. We evaluated each nominee based on a series of questions on the candidate's leadership and professional capabilities. The Software Report also conducted candidate evaluation based on company competitiveness within the broader cybersecurity industry and how the individual compared to the most exceptional executives. We looked for demonstrated cybersecurity expertise, longevity in the industry, career progression and current position among other factors.

It gives us great pleasure to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of these deserving women in the demanding field of cybersecurity.

Topping this years list are Nicole Eagan, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Darktrace, Lisa Schreiber, Chief Customer Success Officer of Forcepoint, Jaya Baloo Chief Information Security Officer at Avast Software, and Hue Harguindeguy, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Guardian Analytics. Notably, Nicole has led Darktrace since 2014, positioning the firm to garner a loyal customer base while becoming an example of gender equality for the tech industry. Darktrace maintains a roughly equal number of male and female employees.

A few highly accomplished women gracing the list deserve special mention. They include Tia Hopkins, the Vice President of Global Sales Engineering at eSentire, Yael Ben Arie, the Vice President of R&D at Safebreach, and Ola Sergatchov, the Vice President of Corporate Strategy at GuardiCore.

Congratulations to each of this year's awardees. The full awards list may be viewed at http://www.thesoftwarereport.com

About The Software Report

The Software Report is a comprehensive source for market research and insights, business news, investment activity and corporate actions related to the software sector. Based in New York City, the firm is run by a seasoned team of editors, writers and media professionals highly knowledgeable on software and the various companies, executives and investors that make up the sector. http://www.thesoftwarereport.com
Colleges across the U.S. are trying to figure out how, exactly, the fall academic period will be conducted due to the coronavirus pandemic. At least for Colby College, a small liberal arts school in Waterville, Maine, one possibility is pushing back the start of the semester.

"One of the things that we've decided as a leadership of the college, and as of a board of trustees, that even if we had to delay the first semester as late as December or January, we could still run a full year of in-person education," Bob Diamond, former Barclays CEO and Colby College trustee, told CNBC on Wednesday.

Diamond, appearing on "Squawk Box," said the school was "very, very focused" on finding a way to safely conduct in-person classes for its roughly 2,000 students. He said leadership was "cautiously optimistic" that it could happen, while stressing the role that Covid-19 testing and other health considerations will play.

High education institutions across the U.S. are making those same considerations as they plan for the autumn academic period. After shifting to online classes this spring because of the public health crisis, the focus is now on whether students can safely return to campus this fall.

Testing and contact tracing will surely be a part of any plan to hold in-person classes, university leaders have told CNBC. And many acknowledge that large lectures will likely not take place, either. The 23-campus California State University System announced Tuesday that most fall semester classes will be held online, with some exceptions for research labs.

White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday that university leaders should not plan for the fall as if there will be a vaccine for Covid-19, or an effective treatment, available. "The idea of having treatments available, or a vaccine, to facilitate the reentry of students into the fall term would be something of a bit of a bridge too far," Fauci said at a Senate hearing.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner, said Wednesday on "Squawk Box" that he believes it may be possible to hold in-person classes in the fall "because I'm hopeful that coming off of July and August, we're going to see some declines in cases in the summer."

In contrast to Diamond's suggestion that Colby College may delay its start, William Dudley, president of Washington and Lee University in Virginia, told CNBC that the school is considering beginning its fall term earlier than scheduled.

Some people have expressed concerns about students coming and going from campus for breaks and other events, possibly contracting the virus while they are away and reintroducing it to the school community.

"We're thinking about whether we might come back a few weeks early, which would let us get the whole semester in before Thanksgiving so students don't need to leave for break and come back," Dudley said Wednesday on "The Exchange." "They would just come here in August and stay straight through until the semester is done."
BOSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Light (www.northernlight.com) CEO C. David Seuss presented a virtual session at The Market Research Event (TMRE) Digital Week on April 30 about how enterprises can use machine learning to find market research insights.

Traditional business search processes require laborious manual efforts to learn what is known about a topic and to monitor the market research landscape for new insights, Seuss explained. What users desire is for the machine to read the research documents for them, telling the users what it learns that they should know about. Also, users want the machine to learn their preferences and proactively find important material for them without them having to search at all.

"We've become accustomed to technology like this in our personal lives when we use online shopping sites," Seuss observed. "But it's still a rarity, and in many ways much more essential, in business research applications."

Seuss noted that asking Google or any consumer search engine a question such as "where is the nearest pizza restaurant" is 'easy search' compared to what people do in their business lives. "In business research, the user must master a complex topic that he or she may not know much about, in a setting where both the answer and even the question are undefined," Seuss said. "And the hardest, most complex search question is this one: What should I know about this topic?"

Seuss presented Northern Light SinglePoint as an example of an enterprise knowledge management system that uses artificial intelligence (AI)-powered machine learning to address the complexities and nuances of business research in a way that makes it easy for users to glean relevant insights about their topic of interest, rather than to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information that may exist about it.

"SinglePoint uses machine learning in several meaningful ways," Seuss explained. "One is to produce an automated Insights Report, which identifies and presents in a clear, narrative form for the user the most important ideas found in the documents included in any given search result list. The average user will be better informed about the business issue if the user reads the Insights Report than if the user engages in the traditional search process

"Another valuable application of machine learning in SinglePoint is the Recommended Reading List," Seuss said. "SinglePoint learns what users are interested in by watching their download behavior quietly in the background and builds a model for each user. Then the machine monitors the content flow in the background and reaches out to the user with recommendations. In effect, SinglePoint becomes a personalized digital search assistant for each user."

Seuss concluded his TMRE Digital Week presentation with this observation: "Machine learning is changing the search paradigm, making it easier and easier to find relevant content and insights."

About Northern Light

Northern Light has been providing knowledge management platforms for competitive intelligence and market research insights to global enterprises since 1996. The company pioneered the application of machine learning and artificial intelligence for the automated analysis and extraction of meaning from large collections of market research and competitive intelligence, and its SinglePoint enterprise knowledge management platform was honored as one of KMWorld's Trend-Setting Products of 2019. Northern Light's current clients include Fortune 1000 leaders across multiple industries such as information technology, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and life sciences. Northern Light has over 250,000 users of its strategic research portals. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Northern Light has unique content aggregation partnerships with more than 150 of the world's leading syndicated technology and industry research publishers, aggregates business and technology news from over 6,500 news sources, and is a charter member of the Center for Complex Systems and Enterprises at the Stevens Institute of Technology.

Media Contact:

David Domeshek

(508) 873-7068

[email protected]

SOURCE Northern Light

Related Links

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PFC Tyler Knight Cox

(2000 - 2020)

PFC Tyler Knight Cox, 19, of Dike, died unexpectedly in a training accident on Wednesday, April 29th at Camp LeJeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, where he was stationed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the health and safety of all, services are currently being limited as required by state and local authorities and the CDC. A private visitation will be held for the family on Friday, May 15th. The funeral service for Tyler will be held on Saturday, May 16th at 11:00 AM at the Dike-New Hartford High School Auditorium, 330 Main Street, Dike, IA (please enter through the East doors of the high school). Burial and military honors by the United States Marine Corps will be held and conducted at the Elmwood Cemetery in Dike, following the funeral service. The Abels Funeral Home-Dike Chapel is caring for Tyler and his family. Memories and messages of condolence are strongly encouraged on our website. For further assistance or information, you may call the funeral home at (319) 989-2045.

The route for Tyler's Homecoming will be Wednesday evening, May 13th from Des Moines International Airport to our funeral chapel in Dike (680 Main Street). American Airlines Flight 568 into Des Moines lands at 7:51 PM. We will be escorted by local and state law enforcement and the Patriot Guard Riders. The route is as follows: Fleur Drive (Des Moines International Airport) to Interstate 235-W, to 35-N, then 20-E. Our tentative arrival time is 10:00 PM (we will travel on Main Street in Dike, from the north, when we arrive). The family welcomes those who want to line the streets and welcome Tyler home. Due to restrictions on flight travel because of COVID-19, we were unable to bring Tyler back during the day. The family wants to thank those in advance who will welcome Tyler home and is appreciative of all the outpouring of love and support.

Tyler was born on July 21, 2000, to Michael Cox and Kim Knight in Waterloo. He attended school in Dike and was able to graduate early from Dike-New Hartford High School to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He had been assigned to a 3d Battalion 8th Marines as a 0311 rifleman, as a PFC. Tragically, Tylers life was cut short at the tender age of 19 but his family was so proud of Tylers willingness to serve his country and his little sister Tessa, has and will always see Tyler as her hero.

Growing up, Tyler was as you might say, an animated kid. He loved to be the center of attention and he always lived at a 100 miles per hour! He was very theatrical and lived for Drama, lettering in high school; he was active in theater in high school (and was a part of almost every play!). He also was active in show and concert choir. To say Tyler was an entertainer, would be an understatement. He had a magnificent life force that would light up any room and brought so much joy and positivity to his family and friends, and quite honestly, anyone he encountered. Although his family and friends are heartbroken that Tyler is gone, they want people to know that they were happy and grateful for the blessed 19 years they had with him. Tyler would not want people to be sad he is gone but remember the good times they shared with him and the memories they made. The countless stories of Tyler keep pouring in, and they realize the impact he had on people. He was a wonderful son, brother, friend and Marine, and he will be so dearly missed by those he leaves behind. Fly High, Semper Fi, Tyler.

Tyler leaves behind his parents Michael & Sara Cox of Dike and Kim Knight of Wapello, IA; brother Tanner (Maureen) Cox and sister Tessa Cox, both of Dike; grandparents Galen Cox of Dike, Teresa Miller, Mary Lou Knight and Daryl Magee. He was greeted in Heaven by his grandmothers Deborah Cox and Ruth Cox and grandfather Robert Knight.
TDT | Manama

Bahrains Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Jamal Fares Alrowaiei participated in a high-level video conference entitled The Role of Religious Leaders in Addressing the Multiple Challenges of COVID-19.

The virtual meeting was also attended by UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres and UN General Assembly president Tijjani Muhammad-Bande. The Ambassador stressed His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas stance, reiterating Bahrains support to the Higher Committee of Human Fraternitys call to prayer for humanity tomorrow.

His Majesty said that the event would be a day that unites people of different religions and races to supplicate, fast, do good, and pray to Allah the Almighty to lift this pandemic off humanity, which represents a message of hope and solidarity to all humans in these difficult times.

The Ambassador reiterated Bahrains keenness, led by HM the King, to promote religious pluralism and coexistence in Bahrain. He highlighted the role played by the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, stressing Bahrains diversity and openness, and embracing various religions and cultures in harmony and peace.

The Ambassador commended the role of religious leaders in cultivating the values of tolerance and mutual respect among all, especially in light of the current exceptional circumstances resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Amber Dean had recovered from a mild bout of the coronavirus and her family of five had just ended their home quarantine when her oldest son, 9-year-old Bobby, fell ill.

"At first it was nothing major, it seemed like a tummy bug, like he ate something that didn't agree with him," said Dean, who lives with her husband and three young children in the western New York town of Hornell. "But by the next day, he couldn't keep anything down and his belly hurt so bad he couldn't sit up."

At the local hospital emergency room, doctors suspected an appendix infection and sent him home with instructions to see his pediatrician.

It was only later, after Bobby's condition took an alarming turn for the worse, that doctors realized he was among the small but growing number of children with a mysterious inflammatory syndrome thought to be related to the virus.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that New York is now investigating about 100 cases of the syndrome, which affects blood vessels and organs and has symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock. Three children in the state have died and Cuomo advised all hospitals to prioritize COVID-19 testing for children presenting with symptoms.

In New York City, which has reported at least 52 children sick with the syndrome, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday urged parents to call their pediatricians promptly if their children show symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain and vomiting.

In this February 2020 photo provided by Amber Dean 9-year-old Bobby Dean holds an award he received at school in Hornell, N.Y. after Bobby's mother recovered from a mild care of coronavirus in April 2020, Bobby developed what seemed like a stomach virus but was eventually admitted to a hospital in Rochester, NY, with severe dehydration, abdominal pain and a racing heart. He tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital and the doctors diagnosed him with a pediatric inflammatory syndrome related to the virus. (Dean Family Photo via AP)

That's what Bobby Dean's family did, even though they live in Steuben County, which has only 239 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and is in a part of the state set to start reopening some workplaces on Friday.

The family doctor performed a coronavirus test the day after his trip to the emergency room, but the results would take 24 hours. By that night, the boy's fever had spiked, his abdomen was swollen, he was severely dehydrated and his heart was racing. His father, Michael Dean, drove him to Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester, 90 minutes away.

"At Rochester they did a rapid COVID test and it came back positive," Amber Dean said. For the next six days, she was at his hospital bedside while Bobby was hooked up to IV lines and a heart monitor. He came home on Mother's Day.

"It never affected his respiratory system, it was his heart that it affected," Dean said. Inflamed lymph nodes caused the abdominal pain, she said. "They're hoping he pulls through with 100% recovery but they said there have been children with lasting effects."

Children elsewhere in the U.S. and in Europe have also been hospitalized with the condition known as pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome.

In New York, the syndrome has been found across a wide range of young people. A 5-year-old boy, 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman have died.

About 23 percent of cases have occurred in children under age 5, about 29% between the ages of 5 and 9, about 28% between ages 10 and 14 and 16% between the ages 15 and 19.

"This is a truly disturbing situation and I know parents around the state and parents around the country are very concerned about this, and they should be," Cuomo said. "If we have this issue in New York it's probably in other states."

Dr. Juan Salazar, the physician-in-chief at Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, said two patients there are believed to have the rare condition, which he said often appears to present itself two to four weeks after a child has recovered from COVID-19, often without ever being diagnosed with the infection. Yale Health has said it's treating three children believed to have the syndrome.

Cuomo announced last week that New York is developing national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome at the request of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In testimony Tuesday before a Senate committee on the administrations coronavirus response, Dr. Anthony Fauci said children in general do better than adults and the elderly, but he warned there is still much to learn about the virus.

"For example right now, children presenting with COVID-19 who actually have a very strange inflammatory syndrome very similar to Kawasaki syndrome," Fauci said. "I think we better be very careful that we are not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects."

As Bobby Deans boisterous energy and sardonic sense of humor returns, his mom is vigilant for signs of illness in her younger children, aged 7 months and 3 years.

"Its a pretty scary thing, watching your child be hooked up to all these wires and IVs and theres nothing you can do," Dean said. "In my opinion, right now, I would not let your child out in public."

___

Jake Seiner contributed to this story from New York.

In this 2020 photo provided by Amber Dean 9-year-old Bobby Dean lies in a hospital bed in Rochester, N.Y., after being admitted with severe dehydration, abdominal pain and a racing heart. He tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital and the doctors diagnosed him with a pediatric inflammatory syndrome related to the virus. After six days in the hospital, he was able to go home on Mothers Day. (Dean Family Photo via AP)

In this 2020 photo provided by Amber Dean 9-year-old Bobby Dean lies on a hospital bed in Rochester, N.Y., after being admitted with severe dehydration, abdominal pain and a racing heart. He tested positive for coronavirus at the hospital and the doctors diagnosed him with a pediatric inflammatory syndrome related to the virus. After six days in the hospital, he was able to go home on Mothers Day. (Dean Family Photo via AP)
13.05.2020 LISTEN

The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his swearing-in ceremony on 7th January 2017 called on all Ghanaians to be citizens and not spectators. In line with this call, I have decided to speak up about some events I have observed in the diagnostic sector of our health care system specifically the medical laboratory sector.

There have been calls by scores of Ghanaians on the government to clean up the medical laboratory sector of quacks as the Bank of Ghana (BoG) did in the "banking sector clean up". Being in the medical laboratory sector myself, I have noticed additional problems such as:

1. Difficulty in accessing funds to buy new analytical devices (machines), laboratory consumables, and logistics necessary to ensure laboratory operations go uninterrupted.

The medical laboratory departments in most health facilities represent the sectors that generate the highest income from services offered in the health sector. One will not be wrong to say that the unit is the milking cow in the health sector. In spite of huge sums of money generated from medical laboratory services, funds are not available in numerous instances to buy laboratory reagents and other consumables, leaving staff with no choice but to refer patients to seek help outside the hospital to have these investigations carried out at higher costs.

2. Inadequate medical laboratory infrastructure.

Constructing medical laboratories in some health facilities have been an afterthought. Medical Laboratories are set up after the project completion but never at the initial stages in most cases.

The president during his 8th national address to give updates on COVID-19 said: "the virus has exposed the deficiencies of our healthcare system, because of years of underinvestment and neglect."

After 63 years of independence, do we have a single Biosafety Level (BSL) 4 laboratory in Ghana? Biosafety laboratories range from levels 1 to 4, and refer to facilities and structures put in place to protect laboratory personnel and their environments from various infectious agents depending on the level of risk these infectious agents pose to laboratory personnel and their environments.

Food spoilage Staphylococcus aureus can be handled in a BSL 1 laboratory. Disease-causing (pathogenic) strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, etc are handled in BSL 2 laboratories.

Growing the organism capable of causing tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) requires a BSL 3 laboratory. Handling highly infectious organisms such as the Lassa virus, Ebola virus, SARS virus, etc requires a biosafety level 4 laboratory. BSL 4 laboratories do not employ the services of orderlies (cleaners). Decontamination of the working area is always carried out by the scientists who work in the BSL 4 laboratories.

I know of four BSL 3 laboratories in Ghana which were either entirely established or upgraded by foreign donors.

a. The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) was largely established by Japan with collaborative support from Ghana government.

b. The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research into Tropical Medicine (KCCR) was largely built by Germany with support from the government of Ghana.

c. The upgrade of the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) laboratory in Pong-Tamale upgraded to the standard of a BSL 3 laboratory by Canada. The same is said of the Western Veterinary Laboratory in Takoradi, Western Region.

Why do we have to wait for foreigners to set up BSL 3 laboratories as a country? Thankfully, NMIMR and KCCR have come to our rescue with the advent of the outbreak of Influenza (KUMACA H1N1) and currently, SARS COV-2 (COVID-19).

Is the government not capable of establishing many BSL 3 laboratories and at least one BSL 4 laboratory in the country or it lacks the financial prowess to do so?

3. Quality of laboratory services.

Different people in the service chain have different understandings and definitions when it comes to the quality of laboratory services. The patients' definition of quality laboratory services could be based on whether:

a. He had a warm reception on his visit to the laboratory.

b. A very comfortable patient waiting area was available whilst waiting for laboratory results.

c. A short turn-around time (time taken from the moment sample was taken to when the client receives laboratory report), without recourse necessarily to the details contained in the laboratory report.

The Physicians' definition may comprise the swift processing of reliable and accurate laboratory reports with comments making the laboratory report easy to understand and interpret.

To the medical laboratory professional, he looks at the definition of quality in the following aspects:

a. Having a conducive, safe environment and one fit for the purpose of undertaking medical laboratory investigations.

b. The smooth running of all the laboratory operations ranging from pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical stages of medical laboratory investigations.

c. The ability to undertake both Internal Quality Controls (IQC) and External Quality Assurance (EQA).

Running IQC ensures that the analytical devices or machines are properly working guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability of dispatched results, etc.

Medical laboratories do roll onto Inter Laboratory Comparisons and EQA programs which allow the quality of the results they churn out to receive scrutiny and certification by some internationally accredited institutions.

High ratings of enrolled medical laboratories by these internationally accredited institutions give the general public confidence about the quality of laboratory results churned out by these laboratories.

There are times some laboratories either lack quality control reagents to do the IQC or adequate funds to enroll in these EQA programmes.

A situation like this is certainly a very big blow to quality laboratory services delivery. The quality of medical laboratory services in this situation cannot be guaranteed, at all levels (the primary, secondary, tertiary levels) of the health care system.

4. Lack of representation of Medical Laboratory Professionals at all levels of the health care system unlike there are directorates for: medical, pharmacy, nursing, administration and finance.

It is anticipated that a policy will put in place a framework for the structured development and professional growth of the laboratory system in Ghana in the areas of Laboratory testing; Equipment, Reagents and consumables; Infrastructure; Quality Management System; Financing Laboratory Services, etc.

The presidential advisor on health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare said during the ministerial press briefing of 5th May 2020 that "when I sleep I pray for those at the labs. We should encourage them, in fact, we should do what other countries do so that at every 4 o'clock we will all come out and for about 5 minutes we will all clap for them. This is what people are breaking their backs, 24 hours a day. They are all working 24 hours a day and this is the good thing they are doing for mother Ghana".

I wish to add my voice in commending all professionals involved in COVID 19 testing in all the laboratories across the lengths and breadths of Ghana.

I commend especially Medical Laboratory Scientists (specialist Virologists) of the KCCR in the persons of Drs. Augustina Angelina Sylverken and Michael Owusu for their regular education via media engagements.

I believe that conversations surrounding the NHLP are no news to Dr. Nsiah-Asare as some very important events in the "life" of this policy includes:

a. Development of the policy document between 2010 and 2013 by collaboration between the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta - USA and Ghanaian collaborators from the Ministry of Health (MoH).

b. Hon. Shirley Aryittey, minister of health and the Director-General of Ghana Health Service (GHS) at the time appended their signatures to the final document in 2013, awaiting implementation till date.

c. Declaration of strike action by the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) asking the government to come out with a road map indicating implementation of the NHLP in August 2016 and July 2018.

Every now and then, the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has not kept mute over the implementation of this policy. I believe Dr Nsiah-Asare may be very busy, but I doubt the events surrounding the NHLP are neither events he did not notice nor have no knowledge about.

Medical laboratory professionals will be very much proud of Dr. Nsiah-Asare if he uses his high office of influence to facilitate the implementation of the NHLP that seeks to improve laboratory services in Ghana.

There have been RUMORS that some cadre of health professionals are fighting the implementation of the NHLP behind the scenes?

I call on Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare to fast track the implementation of the NHLP using his high office as prove of his love and prayers for medical laboratory scientists.

Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, I KNOW THAT YOU CAN PERFORM AS PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON HEALTH, be a hero, do something that will cause your name to be indelibly printed in the hearts of medical laboratory professional and Ghanaians as a whole.

Medical laboratory professionals want the implementation of the NHLP NOW!!!

Written by:

Pascal Sedor

Medical Laboratory Professional
109 of these are Ukrainians; the rest are foreigners who enjoy the right to reside in Ukraine

Open source

A passenger aircraft of SkyUp company departed from Istanbul, carrying 109 Ukrainians aboard. Ukraine's Consulate General reported that on Facebook.

Apart from Ukrainians, there are 18 foreigners aboard; these are the people who enjoy the right to reside in Ukraine.

Among the evacuated are Ukrainian students, athletes and citizens who were treated from Covid-19 in Turkey.

Three dogs and their owners are aboard the aircraft, too.

On May 12, there was a report that almost 600 Ukrainians were evacuated from Baku, London, Rome and Tel-Aviv; they arrived in Boryspil airport.

Earlier, Turkey sent a plane to Ukraine with a cargo of medical aid to combat the ovid-19 coronavirus pandemic. It is reported that the assistance was prepared on behalf of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey sent medical supplies to the USA, South Africa, Palestine, Italy, Spain, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Great Britain, Somalia, Tunisia and many other countries. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that during the pandemic, 128 countries turned to Turkey for help.
It is thought some diseases spread from bats, to intensively farmed pigs, to humans - Getty

A ban on foreign food suppliers with poor hygiene should be added to the agriculture bill to prevent future pandemics, farming experts have said.

The bill, which is set to outline our animal welfare and ecological standards in farming post-Brexit, is having its third reading in Parliament today.

It is thought that many animal diseases are likely to spread to humans through deforestation for agriculture, which means animals such as bats interact with humans and allow diseases to 'jump', and the intensive farming of pigs, which can become "mixing vessels" for disease.

The Soil Association has argued that the bill should ban these farms from our supply chain and we should only trade with partners who employ robust animal welfare and hygeine.

Gareth Morgan, Soil Association Head of Farming & Land Use Policy told The Telegraph: "There is a strong suggestion at the moment emerging that encroachment into major natural habitats is potentially one possible vector that animal viruses are coming into the human population.

"That would seem strong evidence that we shouldn't rely on farm systems that rely on soy for intensive livestock production. Also for intensive pig farming systems, pig farming at a very intense level seems to be connected in 2018 there were reports a different coronavirus jumped from bats to pigs, and there was a report that may jump to humans. We need to discover whether pigs can become mixing vessels for novel coronaviruses. "

He said that Britain needs to be a "beacon of high standards", adding: "We should be importing from countries that as far as possible have similar welfare and ecological standards to us."

The National Farmers' Union agrees, and has written to MPs ahead of the reading, arguing: The Bill should ensure that agri-food imports are produced to at least equivalent environmental, animal welfare, and food safety standards as those required of producers in the UK."

Craig Bennett, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts said the bill is a chance to protect the environment and enhance food security.

He explained: We know that coronavirus has made people value nature more than ever; polls also suggest people have been worried about access to food. You cant have food security without nature being in good shape  you cant grow food without pollinators or healthy soils. Its vital that we recognise the important role farmers could play in nature and our climates recovery  this Bill could mark a watershed, a shift towards a green renaissance which would be good for the economy too. MPs must not be swayed by the return to business as usual lobby."
Mr Joseph Atura Amiyuure, the Chief Executive of the Bolgatanga Municipality has said measures undertaken by the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) with regards to the fight against the novel coronavirus were in consonance with the directive of the President.



Since the Bolgatanga Municipality recorded its first confirmed case of the disease, the Municipal Security Council led by the MCE had initiated a number of measures to help curb the spread of the virus, which included closure of the Bolgatanga Central Market as well as relocation of some traders to different places in the Bolgatanga Township.



The two-week closure of the market on market days was accepted by all, however, the decision of the MCE and the MUSEC to relocate some of the traders to ensure social distancing as part of the protocols to fight the Coronavirus did not go down well with some, particularly the women.



They became furious and accused the MCE of trying to deny them access to the market and protested, which eventually led to the arrest of some of them by the Ghana Police Service.



Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, the MCE said social distancing was one of the measures health experts had proposed to minimize the spread of the virus and the President had directed all Assemblies to ensure that the necessary protocols were adhered to.



We have had a number of engagements with the women to see how best to reduce the numbers in the market to allow social distancing. Earlier, we discussed the issue and they agreed to stay away for four market days. When we lifted the ban finally we realized that the human traffic in the market increased and the number of persons contracting the virus was increasing.



During one of the discussions they agreed that the traders who were coming from outside the Region be relocated to the old market, while the indigenes would remain at the new market. However, the meeting was postponed and rescheduled but the market women did not come back.



The MCE indicated that the MUSEC tried to have an engagement with the women but all efforts proved futile and it later gathered that the women had turned down the initial agreement for visiting traders to relocate to the old market.



He said the MUSEC had no option but take a final decision without the women and directed that all those selling grains be relocated to the old market, this made the women to express their dissatisfaction by trying to demonstrate.



Mr Amiyuure explained that the measures being taken was to ensure that the Presidents directives were strictly adhered to, to combat the spread of COVID-19 and called on society to support every effort to deal with the spread of the coronavirus.



He urged the women to cooperate with MUSEC and comply with measures that would inhibit the spread of the virus as spacing out the market was better than a total closure.



As a responsible leader, if social distancing cannot be practiced, I will have to recommend for the closure of the market, that is what a leader who has his people at heart will do, he added.



When the GNA contacted the leadership of the women, they accused the MCE of taking the decision to relocate the grain sellers to the old market without the notice of the women, and so they decided to lock the market on the Market day.



Madam Azelkoma Atinga, the Chair Lady of the New Market Women, indicated that the women did not demonstrate, however, it was the representatives of the women groups in the market who were peacefully going to engage the MCE to find out why he took such a decision.



The Chair Lady indicated that the leadership of the women would meet with the MUSEC when the MUSEC and the Ghana Police Service withdraws the case from the Bolgatanga High Court.



About seven women were arrested on Monday but have since been released on bail.

Source: GNA









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A Lakewood rabbi suing the state over coronavirus restrictions was charged with violating those restrictions Monday night, court records show.

Rabbi Yisrael Knopfler was charged by Lakewood police with violating the governors order, resisting arrest and obstructing the administration of law. It was not immediately clear what Knopfler is accused of doing to warrant the charges against him.

The Attorney Generals Office did not return NJ Advance Medias request for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Knopfler is part of a lawsuit filed by a North Jersey priest that says the ban on gathering of any size during the coronavirus pandemic is unconstitutional. His lawyer, Christopher Ferrara of the Thomas More Society, did not immediately return NJ Advance Medias request for comment.

Filed in federal court in Newark by the Rev. Kevin Robinson, of St. Anthony of Padua Church in North Caldwell, the lawsuit alleges that Gov. Phil Murphys coronavirus restrictions in Executive Order 107 violate the First and Fourteenth amendments.

The order bars any gatherings of ten or more, including gatherings for religious services. Knopfler said those restrictions make it impossible to practice some parts of Orthodox Judaism.

Knopfler has been holding his daily morning prayer in the backyard of the synagogue so congregants could disperse if police were called, the lawsuit says.

On April 3, local police were parked outside the synagogue with their lights on, forcing Knopfler to hold prayer service somewhere other than the synagogue backyard, the lawsuit says.

On April 13, congregants hid in a back room with garbage bags taped over windows to avoid being seen by the police, while police told Knopfler the backyard prayers were illegal gatherings, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction against Executive Order 107, which caps gatherings at 10 people, and wants the 50-person limit established by Executive Order 104 put back into place.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com.
Community Trust is offering their brokers and partners new technology at their fingertips, thanks to a new partnership with Newton Connectivity Systems. Newton provides a range of popular licenced systems solutions, including the mortgage submission platform, Velocity. The alternative lenders connection to Velocity went live on May 1.

We are committed to supporting the Broker Marketplace and enabling our partners to connect with us through a platform of their choice. As Velocitys footprint has expanded rapidly within the Mortgage Broker community, now is the time to launch this new direct connection, said Lisa Abbatangelo, vice president of mortgage operations at Community Trust.

Broker partners now have the benefit of this intuitive platform that simplifies the mortgage process, as well as quick access to handy information. Community Trusts rates, product details and other lending information such as Finders Fee are all available on Newtons discovery portal.
Kanu Sarda By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: After a doctor approached the Delhi High Court against the AAP government order of not providing accommodation to doctors at various hotels, the administration kept its order in abeyance and allowed the stay of healthcare workers.

A senior doctor posted at a health facility in Dwarka filed the writ petition before the Delhi High Court through advocate GS Chaturvedi challenging the 'arbitrary' circular issued by Delhi government on May 8 wherein it reversed its decision of providing accommodation to all frontline corona warriors.

ALSO READ| Despite working amid COVID-19, Delhi municipal teachers await salaries pending for several months

However, hours before the case was to take up before the High Court, government put the order of May 8 in abeyance and allowed the stay at the hotel, which was communicated to Justice Prateek Jalan, who then allowed withdrawal of the petition.

The earlier order by the government on April 29 had directed the hotels to provide accommodation to health professionals at Piccadilly, Delhi till May 25.

ALSO READ| Delhi government announces Rs 1 crore for kin of deceased 'Corona warrior' teacher

"The order is ultra vires and violative of the notification of the state government which had promised to ensure provision of stay and other facilities for the doctors and other personnel for the duration of their duty and also for a 14-day period of quarantine thereafter. The basic purpose behind providing the said facilities was to avoid community transmission of the virus as the medical professionals treating COVID-19 patients are most vulnerable and at a very high risk of contracting the disease," the plea reads.
DOWNINGTOWN-In the heart of Chester County, DTown is typically home to lots of visitors from outside the borough.

During the ongoing wake of an unprecedented national crisis and coupled with Gov. Tom Wolfs state-mandated stay-at-home order which he recently extended through June 4 for all five counties of the Philadelphia region, historic Downingtown is quieter these days. People are staying home.

Fortunate individuals can work from home. Many businesses, from greenhouses to real estate agencies, remain closed in southeastern Pennsylvania. Wolf first enacted an emergency order to suspend all intrastate non-essential commerce in March.

Overall, traffic is historically light.

However, people are still moving, rather to exercise or see a friend, and, boroughwide construction projects are still advancing. Although Wolf allowed statewide construction projects to resume beginning May 1, prior to that several developers working on major construction projects in the borough successfully received waivers to continue their operations.

Allen Myers company is at work on the long-anticipated Chestnut Street Bridge replacement, said Mayor Phil Dague on Wednesday. Work was stopped briefly at the beginning of the shutdown, but a waiver was granted and work is in full vigor now. It is expected to be completed in October 2021.

Elsewhere, the mayor said work is progressing on the site preparation for Brandywine Station, a project being built by the Hankin Group.

Groundbreaking is expected to take place this summer, and the project will take several years to complete, Dague said.

Another ongoing construction project is the East Village by Southdown Homes on Woodbine Avenue, the mayor said, which will feature single-family homes, multi-family units and townhouses.

Dague said work continues to finish construction. Some of the new East Village houses are already occupied.

And just north on Woodbine, the construction of an apartment complex is underway, called the Woodbine Avenue Apartments, according to the mayor.

On a bright note, the business community of Downingtown is weathering the ongoing national crisis. As of today, I am currently unaware of any businesses closing their doors permanently in the borough, and I fervently hope that that holds true, Dague said.

Downingtown Borough Manager Stephen Sullins concurred.

I would agree with the mayor that we have not heard of any businesses closing right now, but we know they are struggling, Sullins said May 13. The standard answer most businesses are giving us right now is: We are hanging in there, waiting for all of this to be over.'

The borough manager said there are two additional construction projects on the transportation side of things underway in Downingtown right now, referring to the Lancaster Avenue Bridge rehabilitation and the Woodbine Trail Grant projects.

The Lancaster Avenue Bridge over the Brandywine will be getting a facelift soon and is currently in design, Sullins said. Survey crews have been out working on the layout and right-of-way issues.

As for a bit of nature, Sullins said a bid was just awarded for the Woodbine Road Trail Grant. The contractor will install sidewalks along Lancaster Avenue and Woodbine Road in an area of fresh development. Road widening will also take place around the Woodbine Road and Lancaster Avenue intersection.

Sullins said that the Downingtown STEM Academy construction project continues to progress daily. New decorative street light bases were recently installed down Manor Avenue, he said, and new lights shall be added soon.
The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 75,000 on Wednesday with several large urban clusters reporting further spread of the deadly virus infection, while the government unveiled measures amounting to about Rs 6 lakh crore in easy loans, additional liquidity and other incentives to help businesses fight the crisis.

The first installment of the Rs 20-lakh crore economic package, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, came on the 50th day of the coronavirus lockdown and merely four days before the end of its third phase on May 17.

A decision on the future course of action on the lockdown is expected in the next few days, though Modi has that the 'fourth' phase would be different from the third one, in which some relaxations were already given.

Unveiling the first part of the special package, which Modi has said was would help India become 'self-reliant' and promote 'local' businesses here, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said no global tenders would be issued for government contracts worth up to Rs 200 crore to promote Indian MSMEs.

Taking forward the new 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' (Self-Reliant India Mission), Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF and the BSF will sell only indigenous products from June 1. These canteens cater to nearly 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the decision has been taken after Modi's appeal for being self-reliant and opting for local products.

There are expectations that many more steps might be announced soon to promote indigenous products, though Sitharaman said being self-reliant does not mean that India would look only inwards and become an "isolationist" country.

Modi said the measures announced by the finance minister will enhance liquidity, empower entrepreneurs and strengthen their competitive spirit, while addressing various issues faced by businesses, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The measures included Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loan for businesses including MSMEs, which Sitharaman said would benefit 45 lakh small businesses.

Consultancy major KPMG India's Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar said MSMEs are critical for employment preservation and growth and helping them is the surest way to accelerate job creation. He also welcomed measures for improving liquidity for lenders and businesses, including by helping non-banking finance companies.

Congress leader P Chidambaram, however, said the Centre's COVID-19 economic stimulus package had nothing for lakhs of poor and hungry migrant workers who have been walking to their homes.

India's MSME sector employs nearly 11 crore people and accounts for about 45 per cent of the country's total manufacturing output, 40 per cent of exports and almost 30 per cent of the GDP. However, the sector has been hit hard by the lockdown, with millions of units staring at the prospect of closure and the threat of job losses.

Lakhs of migrant workers were also left jobless and homeless due to the pandemic, especially after the lockdown came into effect on March 25. While special trains and buses have been arranged for them in the recent weeks and continue to operate to help them reach their native places, thousands of them had to walk or even hide in trucks and containers to reach their destinations.

In the past few days, the large scale migrant movement has raised another worry of the virus getting spread further. Also, some cases have come to the light, including in Kerala, of people testing positive after being airlifted from abroad under a massive evacuation scheme of the central government which is currently underway to bring back stranded Indians and expatriates in different countries.

Kerala, where new cases had stopped coming up till a few days back, saw 10 more people testing positive, including four who have come from abroad.

At the same time, large numbers of new cases continued to come up in Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, among some other states and UTs.

In its morning update, the Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 2,415 and the number of cases has climbed to 74,281, registering an increase of 122deaths and 3,525 cases since Tuesday morning. This included over 47,000 active cases and more than 24,000 who have recovered.

However, a PTI tally of numbers disclosed by states and UTs, as of 6.45 PM, showed at least 75,144 total cases across the country. It also showed nearly 25,000 having recovered so far.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said nine states and UTs, including Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Manipur andMeghalaya, have not reported any new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours while Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases so far.

Vardhan also said the the doubling time of cases has improved to 12.6 in the last three days, from 11 in the past 14 days. He further observed that the fatality rate is 3.2 per cent and the recovery rate is pegged at 32.8 per cent.

Separately, the government also said that PMCARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate Rs 3,100 crore for the fight against COVID-19, out of which nearly Rs 2000 crore will be earmarked for purchasing ventilators and Rs 1000 crore for migrant labourers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Solstice Studios wants to be the first to test the movie theater marketplace, setting a July 1 release date for Unhinged, a road rage, psychological thriller starring Russell Crowe. This was reported Tuesday by Deadline Hollywood.

The film is about a woman (played by Caren Pistorius) driving her son in heavy traffic, that leans heavily on her horn at the wrong time, to the wrong guy. That role is played by Crowe, the Oscar-winner who can dial up the intensity like few actors can. Road rage doesnt begin to describe what hes about to do to her and everyone she knows. Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson and Austin P. McKenzie also star.

The indie production company changed the films original release date from Sept. 4 to arrive in theaters in time for the Fourth of July weekend. In the theater biz, that weekend is usually the domain of studio blockbuster-type movies, but that isnt the case this year for obvious reasons.

Unhinged will likely be the first to test the waters as theaters try to rebound from the financial chaos created by the pandemic. Solstice Studios hopes the public feels safe enough to venture back into a movie theater.

When we green lit this film, I probably figured that July 4th weekend and Christmas would be the two least-likely slots, said Solstice chairman/CEO Mark Gill. He goes on to tell Deadline Hollywood, We were sitting on Sept. 4 and then COVID-19 happened, and A Quiet Place 2 moved out of its original slot and landed on our date. When you are in a speedboat and a giant ship is coming at you, you better move out of the way. We looked at the rest of the year, fall/winter and spring 2021. The release schedule was already crowded, and when you add all the films that have been delayed, it made it think that maybe we go sooner.

Solstice did a private poll of 1000 moviegoers on how many would want to return to theaters in July, and the results  80% -- were encouraging. Another study indicated fans were most interested in watching escapist thrillers. A movie about road rage colliding with pent up moviegoer demand could be just the ticket.

Of course, theaters will have to assure patrons wont be sitting on top of each other. As Deadline revealed in previous column on preparations being made by theaters, seating will resemble a chess board, with no one sitting next to you, or in front of you. Theater chains also will be sure to make a big showing of sanitizing theaters, eliminating or fully sanitizing traditional points of contact, and using masks and gloves.

We might not be able to do it with 2000 screens, but maybe we need 8000 screens, Gill said. There are 40,000 screens available. As the only new movie in the marketplace at that moment, we expect to be able to have the screens we need.

Gill says theater owners are desperate to re-open, saying owners have told him theyve survived floods, hurricanes, riots and shootings, things they had to adapt to in the moment. They all say, weve had time to prepare and were going to do this right.

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BALLSTON SPA - Waterford Supervisor John Lawler, who is heading up Saratoga County's internal investigation into the pandemic pay scandal, will also lead the county's effort to reopen.

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Preston Allen announced the creation of the 12-member advisory group on Tuesday. It will comprise mostly local elected officials as well as a representative of county health and public safety and two business leaders to guide the countys reopening of the economy once it meets the state's health and safety metrics.
BENGALURU, India, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Utopia India Pvt Ltd, a Bengaluru, India based subsidiary of Utopia Global, Inc., and an SAP Solution Extension partner, distributed 3,600 individual food kits, providing essential living supplies to migrant workers living in Bengaluru.

In response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Utopia Global launched a community support initiative called Utopia CARES (uCARES) focused on supporting the most severely disadvantaged individuals and families in its local communities.

"Utopia has a long history of contributing to our communities around the globe through our annual 'Joy of Giving' and other corporate and social responsibility initiatives. uCARES was created specifically in response to COVID-19 related challenges in our communities," said Narinder Singh, COO at Utopia Global, Inc. "The opportunity to support migrant families in their time of need was an honor, and the very least we can do to help our neighbors," said PN Subramanian, Global VP, HCM at Utopia Global, Inc.

In addition to supporting local community members and healthcare facilities, Utopia is also leveraging nearly two decades of data management expertise to offer health organizations complimentary data cross-referencing solutions. Powered by machine learning, these solutions accelerate the identification of critical equipment and supplies from vendors, and between hospitals, to allow for uninterrupted services and critical care.

Multimedia

Pictures of the food kit distribution

About Utopia

Utopia Global, Inc. is a leading global data solutions company. Utopia's full suite of propriety software and consulting services enable enterprise-class clients to build, fix, and sustain high integrity data that serves as the foundation for their digital transformation initiatives. As SAP's worldwide partner for master data governance, Utopia is the exclusive developer of solution extensions for SAP Master Data Governance. Utopia's solutions portfolio helps organizations migrate to SAP S/4HANA leveraging MDG as the bridge, and maintain data integrity between digital twins, across multiple systems of record. With over 17 years of innovative breakthroughs, Utopia firmly believes that "Perfect Data is Perfectly Possible." For further information, please visit www.utopiainc.com.

All photos and videos are the sole property of Utopia Global, Inc. Utopia Global, Inc. provides express written consent for any or all of these images to be utilized, distributed and reproduced in association with the publication.

SAP, SAP S/4HANA, and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices.

All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE Utopia Global, Inc.

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DALLAS, May 12, 2020 -- Data on race, under-resourced communities and COVID-19 is limited, but disproportionately high rates of sickness -- and death -- seem to be emerging, particularly among African Americans, U.S. Hispanics, Native People and those in rural areas. To accelerate breakthroughs and understanding of these connections, the American Heart Association, the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building longer, healthier lives, Hitachi Vantara, the digital infrastructure and solutions subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), and BurstIQ, the leading provider of blockchain-based secure data solutions for the healthcare industry, have launched a data challenge to expand the resources available to researchers.

The data challenge is specifically focused on testing the relationships between COVID-19 and other health conditions, as well as health disparities and social determinants of health that bring a higher burden of illness or mortality based on factors such as ethnicity, gender, geography or income.

BurstIQ's global COVID-19 datasets will be available on the American Heart Association's Precision Medicine Platform, a central hub to the cardiovascular and stroke research community with vast and diverse datasets and cloud-based workspaces that enable state-of-the-art high-performance computing, analytics and collaboration to accelerate scientific discovery. Through the data challenge, COVID-19 researchers will be able to utilize the Platform's protected workspaces, which are equipped with state-of-the-art analytical tools, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Researchers may use datasets hosted on the Platform as well as their own data to address the unsolved questions of how COVID-19 may be disproportionally affecting those with health disparities.

"People living in under-resourced communities, particularly African Americans and U.S. Hispanics, appear to be dying of COVID-19 at disproportionately high rates, as they're more likely to have underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and obesity," said Jennifer Hall, Ph.D., chief of data science for the American Heart Association. "Long before the pandemic, systemic challenges have contributed to disparities that impede some people from living long, healthy lives. COVID-19 has further exacerbated this issue."

Hitachi Vantara, which built the American Heart Association's Precision Medicine Platform, will provide more than $100,000 in funding for prizes to support the management of a two-step challenge and to recruit top scientists to this critical effort. Six $5,000 prizes will be awarded at the end of stage one. These researchers will then compete in a final stage for a $15,000 prize. All applications will be peer reviewed by a panel of data science and public health experts.

"Improving collaboration around data between researchers and scientists enables the rapid co-creation of new solutions that more quickly and effectively tackle existing and new healthcare threats such as COVID-19," said Paul Watson, vice president, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Hitachi Vantara. "Working together our three organizations will deliver a paradigm shift in the way researchers and their institutions leverage data to solve medical challenges like COVID-19."

"The entire world is facing an unprecedented challenge with COVID-19," said Frank Ricotta, CEO, BurstIQ. "Our collaboration with the American Heart Association and Hitachi Vantara on this data challenge allows the research community to truly accelerate the pace of COVID-19 research, and as a collaborative network, it will have a long-lasting impact not just for COVID-19, but far beyond."

To learn more about how to participate in the COVID-19 Data Challenge, researchers should click here.

###

About American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public's health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

About Hitachi Vantara

Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., guides our customers from what's now to what's next by solving their digital challenges. Working alongside each customer, we apply our unmatched industrial and digital capabilities to their data and applications to benefit both business and society. More than 80% of the Fortune 100 trust Hitachi Vantara to help them develop new revenue streams, unlock competitive advantages, lower costs, enhance customer experiences, and deliver social and environmental value. Visit us at http://www.hitachivantara.com.

About BurstIQ

BurstIQ is the leading provider of blockchain-enabled data solutions for the healthcare industry. The company's private, permissioned data network combines blockchain, Big Data, machine intelligence, and granular data ownership and consent to build multi-dimensional profiles of people, places, and things and empower the connections between them. The result is a global, secure data network that allows enterprises, entrepreneurs and governments to collaborate, share, discover, and build the impossible. Visit us at http://www.burstiq.com, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Erdogan Insults Survivors of the Turkish Genocide of Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians

During a coronavirus briefing on May 4, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip ErdoAan used a most derogatory phrase "the leftovers of the sword".

"We do not allow terrorist leftovers of the sword in our country," he said, "to attempt to carry out [terrorist] activities. Their number has decreased a lot but they still exist."

"Leftover of the sword" (kAlAA artAAA in Turkish) is a commonly used insult in Turkey that often refers to the survivors of the Christian massacres that mainly targeted Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians in the Ottoman Empire and its successor, Turkey.

As the head of state, ErdoAan using the phrase publicly is alarming on many levels. The phrase not only insults the victims and the survivors of the massacres but also endangers the safety of Turkey's dwindling Christian community, who are often exposed to pressures that include physical attacks.

In protest, Garo Paylan, an Armenian MP in Turkey's parliament, wrote on Facebook:

"In his hateful speech last night, ErdoAan once again used the phrase 'leftover of the sword.' "'Leftover of the sword' was invented to refer to orphans like my grandmother who survived the [1915] Armenian genocide. Every time we hear that phrase, it makes our wounds bleed."

Other Armenian activists and writers on social media also criticized ErdoAan. Journalist Aline Ozinian wrote:

"For those who don't know 'terrorist leftover of the sword' means Armenian 'terrorists' who survived the genocide and could not be butchered via the sword. What does 'terrorist' mean? Well, it changes daily: It could be a journalist, a civil society representative, a writer, a doctor or a mother of a beautiful child."

"They do not want those who held the swords," she continued, "but the grandchildren of the survivors of a people and culture that were slaughtered by the sword to be ashamed."

The columnist Ohannes KAlAAdaAA wrote:

"Think about a country that actively uses a phrase like 'leftover of the sword' in the political culture and language. It is used by the highest authorities. But the same authorities of the same country claim that 'there is no massacre in our history'. If there is not, then where does this phrase come from? Who does it refer to?"

The crimes that Turkey attempts to hide by blaming the victims are actually well-documented historical facts. In 2019, for instance, historians Professor Benny Morris and Dror Ze'evi published a book, The Thirty-Year Genocide: Turkey's Destruction of Its Christian Minorities, 1894--1924, describing "the giant massacres perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, and then the Turkish Republic, against their Christian minorities." According to their research:

"Between 1894 and 1924, three waves of violence swept across Anatolia, targeting the region's Christian minorities, who had previously accounted for 20 percent of the population. By 1924, the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks had been reduced to 2 percent".

During the genocide, the perpetrators' annihilationist policies included "premeditated mass killing, homicidal deportation, forced conversion, mass rape, and brutal abduction. And one thing more was a constant: the rallying cry of jihad."

Like the Christians, the Alevi community too is targeted in Turkey for being "leftovers of the sword". ErdoAan's ally, Devlet BahAeli, the head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), for instance, called the journalist AbdAlkadir Selvi "a leftover of the sword" in 2017 to refer to his alleged Alevi roots. Pro-government journalist Ahmet TaAgetiren then described the phrase as follows:

"You wipe out an entity (a society, a religious community, an army) that you view as 'the enemy'. What is left is a group of people who have survived the swords and surrendered to you. Those are the leftovers of the sword."

Selvi then tried to explain why he is not a "leftover of the sword':

"I would like to remind BahAeli: My grandfather, Osman, was a son of the homeland that ran from one frontline to the other and was taken prisoner in the Ottoman-Russian war. I'm a grandchild of Oghuz Turks; my ancestors, Hasan and HAseyin, became martyrs in Yemen. This honor is enough for me."

Selvi's explanation once again demonstrates that having Christian, Alevi or any other non-Muslim roots is seen as an insult or a disgraceful offense by many in Turkey. Instead of explaining why calling someone "a leftover of the sword" is unacceptable, Selvi tried to prove his "purebred" Turkish origins and Sunni Muslim faith.

"Today, less than half a percent of Turkey's population is Christian -- the result of a history throughout which Turks persecuted the region's indigenous Christians," wrote historian Dr. Vasileios Meichanetsidis.

"Many Turks still proudly endorse this history, with no attempt to face it honestly, or secure respect for the victims. In fact, they falsely label the victims as perpetrators, praise the criminals and insult the memory of the victims and their descendants."

The use of "leftovers of the sword," therefore, does not represent a denial of massacres or genocides. On the contrary, it declares the pride of the perpetrators. It means: "Yes, we slaughtered Christians and other non-Muslims because they deserved it!"
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:26:07|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

ISTANBUL -- Children under 14 years old in Turkey were allowed outside on Wednesday for the first time in 40 days as part of the country's COVID-19 normalization plan.

As soon as their four-hour permit started at 11:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), little kids with their parents and older ones with their friends flocked into parks, playgrounds, and seasides in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul.

- - - -

SINGAPORE -- Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 675 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 25,346.

Of the newly confirmed cases, 4 were cases in the community, 2 were work permit holders residing outside dormitories, and 671 were work permit holders residing in dormitories. There were no imported cases.

- - - -

JOHANNESBURG -- Lesotho's Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday the Southern African country's first case of COVID-19, making it the last country in Africa to report a positive case.

The ministry said in a statement that it conducted 81 tests on May 9 for COVID-19 from travellers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

- - - -

DAKAR -- Senegal on Wednesday reported 110 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 2,105 in the country.

Of the 110, 102 are follow-up contact cases and eight community-transmission ones, Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, director-general of health at the Ministry of Health and Social Action, told a daily briefing on the pandemic.

- - - -

BEIJING -- Beijing will reopen universities, kindergartens and more classes in elementary and middle schools, according to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission on Wednesday.

From June 6, graduating students of colleges and universities can return, on a voluntary basis, to campuses where anti-virus measures have been soundly implemented, according to the commission.

Kindergartens where such measures have been soundly implemented will reopen from June 8, when parents can decide by themselves whether to send their kids back to the kindergartens.

- - - -

GENEVA -- The COVID-19 pandemic cut global trade values by 3 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest data published on Wednesday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The downturn is expected to accelerate in the second quarter, UNCTAD said in a report, projecting global trade to record a quarter-on-quarter decline of 27 percent. Enditem
Its been more than two weeks since Michigan residents have been required to wear masks in public spaces, but some still have questions about when and how to wear a mask.

Mask use was initially deemed unnecessary by state and federal officials at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis in February and early March.

One reason: A nationwide shortage of masks for hospitals and health-care providers led to a fear that encouraging mask use in the general public would exacerbate the shortage. While that shortage is still a concern, officials are now pushing cloth masks for the public.

Another factor for the change in stance: Growing recognition that asymptomic or pre-symptomic people with coronavirus are contagious and appear to be a major factor in spread of the disease.

We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (asymptomatic) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms, the federal Centers for Disease Control said in a April 20 statement. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximityfor example, speaking, coughing, or sneezingeven if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

Masks do not provide full protection from coronavirus, experts say. However, they do offer some protection -- and combined with social distancing and good hand hygiene, masks can help diminish the rate of COVID-19 contagion.

If 80% to 90% of the public were to wear a mask, COVID-19 infection rates would drop significantly and the pandemic eventually would fizzle out, concludes a new study headed by De Kai, an American computer scientist with joint appointments at UC Berkeleys International Computer Science Institute and at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

That study says mask use is why Asian countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore have lower rates of COVID cases.

Below some quick tips about whats required and proper use of a mask.

Masks are required for public indoor enclosed spaces.

Michigan is requiring people to wear cloth face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. The state also is requiring employers to provide at least cloth face coverings to their employees.

People wont have to wear face coverings when theyre taking a walk in the neighborhood, but when they go to the grocery store, they should be wearing one, said a press release from the governors office.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued the executive order on April 24 and it went into effect on April 26. Under the order, no one will be subject to criminal penalty for going without a mask.

Whitmers order came four days after the CDC issued its recommendation for use of cloth masks.

What can be used as a mask

Any cloth covering of the nose and mouth will do, including a scarf or bandanna. The more layers in a mask, the better, experts say.

For those who dont sew, there are numerous online tutorials about how to create mask without sewing. Researchers at Cambridge University found that cotton T-shirts and cotton pillowcases are the best materials for making DIY face masks, due to their ability to capture small particles yet remain breathable.

Make sure the mask fits well so you can minimize the need to adjust it when you are wearing it.

Wash your hands before putting on a mask and after taking it off.

Wash your hands thoroughly before and after using a mask to prevent the spread of germs. Once youve washed your hands, put the mask on and off touching only the ties or the ear loops.

Dont touch the front of the mask.

The point of the mask is to trap germs, so you dont want to be touching the front of it -- and you especially dont want to touch the mask and then touch other parts of your face, such as your eyes.

Incidentally, one value of the mask is to keep people from touching their mouth and nose while out in public, which could introduce the virus into their body.

Make sure your nose and mouth are covered.

A common misstep is to cover only the mouth. For the mask to be effective, both the nose and the mouth need to be covered.

A mask is necessary outside when youre within six feet of others.

A mask is not necessary when on a solo outdoor walk, run or bike trip. However, going without a mask outdoors means you need to stay six feet away from those you encounter.

If youre using a crowded trail or outdoor space, a mask is recommended.

No masks for children under 2.

Children under 2 or anybody else who cannot put on or take off a mask on their own should not be wearing one.

Wash masks frequently and store in a paper bag.

Think of it like underwear. If youre wearing masks on a regular basis, have several so you can rotate and put in the laundry at the end of the day. They can be hand- or machine-washed, and dried by air or machine.

Masks should be stored in a brown paper bag or other place that keeps them dry and relatively protected from germs.

PREVENTION TIPS

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

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

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

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

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

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

READ MORE

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Should Michigan keep allowing guns in the Capitol? Committee to investigate

Guns can be banned at Michigan Capitol, says AG Dana Nessel

Commission can ban guns at Michigan Capitol, AG Nessel says she will claim in formal opinion

Michigan is in Phase 3 of 6 in coronavirus response and recovery, governor says

From closing restaurants to requiring masks, Gov. Whitmer has issued 69 executive orders in 56 days

5 things to know about Michigan Gov. Whitmers extended stay-at-home order
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Linkedin (Reuters) Los Angeles, United States  Wed, May 13, 2020 14:02 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7bf886 2 Entertainment Disney,Walt-Disney,Hamilton,streaming-service,musical,Tony-Awards,lin-manuel-miranda Free

Walt Disney Co will release a film recording of the smash Broadway musical Hamilton on its streaming service on July 3, the eve of US Independence Day, the company said on Tuesday.

Disney had planned to debut the film, which features footage of the live show in June 2016 with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and the original cast, in movie theaters in October 2021. But the coronavirus pandemic, which has shuttered Broadway stages and cineplexes, has prompted Disney to adapt its programming strategy.

Read also: 'Hamilton' musical to be released in cinemas

"In light of the extraordinary challenges facing our world, this story about leadership, tenacity, hope, love and the power of people to unite against the forces of adversity is both relevant and impactful," Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger said in a statement.

Hamilton is a rap musical in which African-American and Latino actors play the founding fathers of the United States. It won 11 Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize.
This mindset has sustained him through the difficult first months of a brokers career.

My last business prior to getting into mortgages was in the online space, and from day one I have focused online for my lead generation, Cragg said. I have always set lofty goals from day one, and in my first year I exceeded those goals. I have continued to set aggressive year-over-year goals, always challenging myself to keep scaling the business while maintaining great service and never resting on my laurels.

Among Craggs most important guiding principles is a focus on customer service, which he said has helped cement his reliability in the eyes of his client base.

I realize that a mortgage is one of the biggest purchases a client will make in their lifetime, and although I may never meet the majority of my clients face-to-face, I can honestly say that the relationships I have developed with my clients over the years is one of the biggest reasons I have so many clients who come back to me, Cragg said. I always take the time to get to know my clients, and by the time their deal is done, I am fairly confident that the majority of my clients would say that they feel they know me pretty well also.

Being a personable helping hand can only get one so far, however, which is why Cragg is still keeping up to date on what the market has to offer.
Air India has partly sealed its Centaur hotel in Delhi near the airport for sanitisation after a crew member tested positive for Covid-19 at a temporary facility there, officials said according to PTI.

Air India owns another Centaur hotel in Srinagar.

Last week, five pilots of Air India and a technician and a driver of the airlines engineering wing tested positive for Covid-19 in Mumbai.

All the pilots operate Boeing 787 fleet and had flown to China before April 20.

The technician and the driver of Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) working for Reliance in their hangar at the Mumbai airport tested positive after they undertook the swab test on May 7.

Earlier in April, one of Air Indias cabin crew in one of the evacuation flights between Mumbai and Newark in the United States had tested positive for Covid-19.

Last week, Air India began a huge evacuation programme called Vande Bharat to bring back stranded Indians from the Maldives and Bangladesh and West Asian states like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia in the first phase of the exercise.

The government will operate 149 flights from 31 countries, including the US, Australia and France, during the second phase of the evacuation from May 16.
AALBORG, Denmark, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Asetek, the creator of the all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler and the global leader in liquid cooling solutions for gaming PCs and DIY enthusiasts, today announced its Rad Card GPU Cooler, bringing liquid cooled GPUs to space constrained PC cases. Asetek's Rad Card GPU Cooler, the industry's first slot-in PCIe radiator card, is first available in Dell-Alienware's newly introduced Alienware Aurora R11 PC.

Space concerns are a real issue for PC manufacturers, leaving GPU air cooling as the only option, until now. Asetek took this challenge head-on, innovating a new approach to radiator technology that reimagines the shape and location of the radiator. The Asetek Rad Card GPU Cooler fits into your motherboard's PCIe slot, just like any other add-in card. By utilizing PCIe slots, Asetek has defined a way to overcome PC manufacturers' dilemma of finding additional space inside the case for a liquid cooled GPU heat exchanger (HEx).

The unique design of Asetek's Rad Card GPU Cooler provides numerous benefits:

Space: Rad Card enables a liquid cooled GPU in a chassis where space is constrained, while leaving room for a liquid cooled CPU in the same case.

Performance: In space constrained PC cases, Rad Card provides superior cooling over an air-cooled GPU, ensuring GPU stability and limiting thermal throttling.

Aesthetics: Rad Card eliminates the hassle and clutter of tube routing for a clean and sparse system environment.

"When Alienware approached us to develop a solution to enable GPU cooling in space constrained cases, we were up for the challenge," said John Hamill, Chief Operating Officer at Asetek. "The result is a completely redesigned approach to GPU cooling."

To learn more about Asetek liquid cooling, please visit www.asetek.com.

About Asetek

Asetek, the creator of the all-in-one liquid cooler, is the global leader for liquid cooling solutions for high performance gaming and enthusiast PCs, and environmentally aware data centers. Founded in 2000, Asetek is headquartered in Denmark and has operations in China, Taiwan and the United States. Asetek is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ASETEK.OL).

www.asetek.com

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Newborn baby Phuc An, wearing a protective face shield, is seen before leaving home for his vaccination in Hanoi, April 13, 2020. Photo by Reuters/Kham.

A call for Vietnamese to wed by 30 and bear two children to counter one of the fastest aging populations globally has tongues wagging.

Recent articles on the Vietnamese governments well-timed effort to prevent what looks like an inevitable global population trend has attracted lively debate.

Many think it impractical to marry by 30, and have "two children" by 35, as Vietnams current policy slogan encourages - after three decades discouraging parents from bearing more than two babies to fight poverty.

Rather than selfishly pursuing their own freedom or failing to handle traditional pressures as some psychologists suggest, many Vietnamese are adamant a family of four is not on the cards.

Common reasons include career concerns, high expectations for child rearing, and sensibilities towards human and global problems like overpopulation and environmental destruction.

The ideal single offshoot

For many readers, to graduate from school, find a job, start a career, in short, to be financially capable to be ready for marriage by the age of 30 is much easier said than done.

According to Hanh Le, the governments policy is based on a scientific perspective that advises women to get married by 30 and have their second child by 35 without considering other social and cultural conditions.

"Most young people by 30 dont yet have stable jobs and still depend on their parents," wrote hanhle.hcmc, adding if people get married and give birth prematurely, they would add an unnecessary burden on their parents, who may still be of working age.

Others agree, pointing out that when young people graduate from college, they are 22 and need to spend the next few years of their life exploring the world and finding their footing in an extremely competitive job market, let alone get married and have babies.

"A 22-year-old male college graduate would need 10 years to gain some necessary assets. For a woman, its about scarifying her career for marriage. Marriage on shaky grounds or without family support could easily lead to divorce," says Thai Tung.

Chi Cuong suggests the government should improve the labor market plagued by unemployment and low wages, if it wants to increase the fertility rate.

Huong Thao says with a wage of about VND5 million ($216) in HCMC, its hard enough to support oneself, let alone two babies.

Some estimate it costs a couple about VND20 million ($862) a month to raise just one kid if they rent an apartment. The prospect of owning houses for ordinary working people who werent born into rich families is considered dim.

To encourage people to have two children in areas with low fertility rates, the government does plan to offer financial incentives like lower personal income taxes, housing and rent support, as well as priority acceptance into public schools.

Yet to many, such external forms of aid dont come near in helping cover exorbitant child-rearing expenses. And even if they did, having a second child would still mean taking resources away from the first.

Their priority is to provide their one child the best possible opportunities in an increasingly complex world.

Besides, Vietnam suffers too many problems ranging from school violence to overcrowded hospitals to traffic jams to unsafe food and environmental pollution for them to give birth and doom their children.

"I dont want to give birth when climate change is approaching and people are still carelessly discharging nylon waste. How would our children live in such a garbage-filled environment?" asks Mai Thuong.

Others say humans are pushing the earths resources to the limit, so with its top-ranking population density, Vietnam has enough people.

"Giving birth to few children and providing them with good education isnt just good for the countrys quality of living but also for the overburdened, overworked earth," Thuc An Luong concludes.

After going through the physical hardships of delivering and rearing one child, many mothers say they had enough.

"All in all, mothers should give birth to one baby as an investment, then spend their time living their own life, making money, take caring of their health and beauty," Le Nguyen sums up, capturing a general mood.

Missing a child?

With social and cultural ideals revolving around birthing only one child, some suggest adopting abandoned children or donating to orphanages to rebalance to population issue.

Indeed, according to UNICEF Vietnam, there are now over 170,000 children in Vietnam who dont receive parental care and many are either very poor, or abandoned.

Other child-related problems like abortion and child abuse remain intractable. The idea of churning out new babies thus strikes many as both impractical and illogical.

According to Phan Nhu Hoa, a project officer at NGO World Vision International in Vietnam which supports vulnerable children, the government could more effectively develop early educational programs to raise awareness on marriage advantages, ideal child-bearing ages, life balancing skills, and so on.

Similarly, training young people on gender equality and marriage skills to avoid unhappy unions and divorce has been touted as another practical alternative.

A bigger picture

According to a recently released UNDP report which surveyed over 14,000 men and women in all 63 provinces and municipalities, 82 percent of women, and 72 percent of men, agreed that they needed to have children to feel fulfilled.

For many people, marriage still holds its promises. For instance, 26-year-old Nguyen Quynh Anh from Hanoi said getting married early allows young people to build skills, become more disciplined and responsible.

For their parts, ativists also express a common concern about the policys possible negative effects on womens careers, unmarried couples and the LGBT community.

According to Dang Huong Giang, who runs the youth-led Vietnam Organization for Gender Equality, the policy reflects the politics of childbirth in which women are expected to reproduce for capital accumlation and social goods.

Giang, however, ambivalently hopes that it will also lead to better maternity benefits for both men and women.


Pre-Stabilisation notice

13 May 2020

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

E.ON SE

EUR Benchmark Fixed Rate Notes due 20 April 2023

EUR Benchmark Fixed Rate Notes due 20 February 2028

EUR Benchmark Fixed Rate Green Notes due 20 August 2031

Launched pursuant to the Issuer's Debt Issuance Programme,

dated 27 March 2020, supplemented 12 May 2020.

LEI: Q9MAIUP40P25UFBFG033

Commerzbank AG (contact: Ian Turner, telephone: +44 207 475 1817) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014).

The security to be stabilised: Issuer: E.ON SE Guarantor (if any): n/a Aggregate nominal amount: EUR Benchmark due 20 April 2023

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EUR Benchmark Green Bond due 20 Aug 2031 Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: payment date 20 May 2020, denoms 1k/1k, listing Luxembourg. Issued off Debt Issuance Programme. Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator:

Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank AG

Barclays Bank plc

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Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking Stabilisation period expected to start on: 13 May 2020 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Regulated Market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange

In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

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Illustration by Kelly Caminero/The Daily Beast/Getty

ROMETravel has been one of the most deeply gutted industries of the global coronavirus pandemic, so it should come as no surprise that many countries that rely on it for so much of their GDP are getting anxious about when they can start opening up. But travel is not just about the destination. Getting away is also a way of life for millions of people who take breaks for self-indulgence, prestige, or cultural enrichment. And with the dream of the immunity passport for those who have successfully conquered COVID-19 increasingly unreliable this soon in the pandemic, travel may be annoyingly restrictive for some time to come.

One thing is sure: Gone are the days of the American abroad, at least for those hoping to summer in Europe this year. The new models on how to reopen European travel do not have room for the American tourist for the foreseeable future.

The European Union is set to release new guidelines called Europe Needs a Break on Wednesday that will recommend replacing travel bans with what they are calling targeted restrictions based on contagion levels and reciprocity among European and neighboring nations, many of which have been under draconian lockdowns backed by science. The key to any successful reopening in Europe is based entirely on risk assessment, meaning anyone coming from a nation deemed risky or careless will be the first to be banned. Simply put, anyone who has been under the lax American approach to the pandemic, which has been the laughing stock of Europe, wont be welcome any time soon.

The plan is expected to endorse a number of corona corridors already in the works, including a deal being hammered out among Greece, Cyprus, and Israel that would allow tourists to travel without quarantine between these three nations, all of which have escaped the worst of the pandemic by locking down hard and early. One in four jobs in Greece and two in four in Cyprus are tourism-related and since Israel has recently emerged as a demographic that adores both nations as holiday destinations, the deal was a no-brainer. But it has been difficult to work out the finer points, like Israels own mandatory quarantine for all international travelers that would have to be lifted for Greeks and Cypriots.

Story continues

That means agreeing on every possible guideline and health protocolfrom the medical clearances travelers will need to have before setting foot in either of the three countries, to whether hotels will offer breakfast and dinner buffets, Greek Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis told Voice of America this week. Tracking and tracing systems will also have to be in place if there is an outbreak of infections at a resort.

Another corona corridor in the works is being negotiated among the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Croatia, which are sifting through details that would allow travelers between those nations to move more freely.

The U.K. and France have already reciprocally lifted the mandatory two-week quarantine for citizens of either nation traveling between them, and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he hopes to kickstart the hospitality industry by July, though it may just be the French who can realistically come to enjoy any of it. Malta and Italy have also expressed interest in finding a third travel partner with which to share freedomsand tourist dollarswith the most likely partner Spain, which, like Italy, has a lot to lose if the pandemic comes back.

But none of the plans account for Americans or other foreign nationals who have residency in any of the corona corridor countries, according to a European Union travel expert who helped draft the plan who spoke to The Daily Beast on the condition of anonymity until the report is officially released. Access to previously restricted areas will be granted solely on a passport basis to ensure people arent traveling clandestinely to third-party countries to get to a Greek island or Italian beach when they open up. This means that if you have an American passportas travelers from the U.S. arent includedyou will be unwelcome no matter which country you are coming from or how long youve been there.

If the European Union eventually endorses such corona corridor agreements, the zone could salvage some of the June to August summer travel season that brings in $163 billion in revenue from around 360 million international arrivals, according to the latest European Commission statistics. The EU will start with recommendations for gradually lifting internal border checks in areas where the health situation has improved across the 27-member Eurozone, according to a draft of the report, which starts with the line, Our tourism industry is in grave trouble.

The European Union is expected to warn that 6.4 million jobs could be lost if people dont take summer vacations, but they will stipulate that not everyone is a welcome guest.

International travelers from the U.S. and other countries that have not upheld safety standards on par with European standards will be offered vouchers in lieu of reimbursements for trips they will be forced to cancel as an enticement to come back once the pandemic is over. Americans likely wont be allowed to Europe any time soon for anything but essential reasons, at least as long as the State Department maintains its Level 4 travel alert, prohibiting all but essential travelread: not tourismbe undertaken.

Americans, instead, will have to focus their getaway plans closer to home, like Latin America or Canadaso long as they are coming from a state that is not a hot spot. It is already increasingly easier to cross the northern border between the U.S. and Canada, with a Canadian source telling The Daily Beast on Monday that he was able to get through by saying he was visiting a friend in the States as long as he could prove he was financially able to afford the trip. And as The New York Times noted over the weekend, air travel to Mexico remains open.

But traveling south may be tricky, too. Brazil, which is rumored to have more than one million COVID-19 cases, is indeed open for business, but many other countries that attract tourists are not. Most Caribbean islands, including the Cayman Islands, Barbados, and Jamaica, are still closed to travelers, at least from abroad, as they work to contain what has so far been a manageable contagion rate. Many of the tourist islands plan to implement testing upon entry and some have already started preparing quarantine hotels for anyone who is found positive on arrival.

Industry analysts say it will take many years for tourism to approach anything close to the pre-pandemic ease with which millions traversed the globe for pleasure. Until a vaccine or treatment is available, the needs and benefits of travel and tourism needs to be weighed against the risks of again facilitating the spread of the virus, the European Union will say in its new report, meaning no one is going anywhere too far from home any time soon.

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Premier Doug Ford now has the power to install new temporary management at long-term-care homes struggling to cope with COVID-19 outbreaks.

On Wednesday, Fords Progressive Conservative government invoked an emergency provision allowing the province to issue a mandatory management order for nursing homes swamped by coronavirus.

That enables the government to place a temporary manager  a person, corporation or hospital  to oversee a long-term care facility.

It does not mean that Queens Park is seizing control of long-term-care homes, many of which are privately owned and operated, said Health Minister Christine Elliott.

The making of this emergency order doesnt mean were going to do anything with it right now. Its just a tool in our tool box to use if we need it, so we can move in rapidly if theres some care homes that continue to have problems and are resistant to having assistance, said Elliott.

Then we know we will be able to get in there quickly, because we want to save lives.

There have been 1,269 deaths from COVID-19 in Ontario nursing homes since March, which has also killed some health-care workers in the facilities.

Thats about 70 per cent of the province 1,800 or so deaths. At least 180 of Ontarios more than 600 nursing homes are currently fighting outbreaks and to date 256 have coped with them.

In the hardest-hit locations, there have been scores of deaths and half the residents infected by the coronavirus.

They include the Altamont Care Community in Scarborough, with 46 deaths and 72 of 159 residents testing positive for COVID-19, and the 247-bed Eatonville Care Centre in Etobicoke where 40 residents have died and 142 have become infected.

As of Wednesday, there were 2,690 nursing home residents and 1,672 staff with active cases of COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Long-Term Care.

With nursing homes the epicentre of the pandemic in Ontario, Ford said he had to act.

We are doing everything we can to fortify the iron ring of protection around our long-term-care residents and the heroic front-line staff who care for them, the premier said.

By taking this step, we will be better prepared to immediately swing into action if a home is struggling to contain this deadly virus, he said.

Donna Duncan, CEO of the Ontario Long Term Care Association, which represents most of the homes, said the sector is working closely with the government and hospitals.

Our first priority must be to stabilize homes with outbreaks, and keep COVID-19 out of the rest, said Duncan.

Ford has repeatedly acknowledged the system is broken, but he has resisted calls from NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca to call a public inquiry into the long-term-care situation.

Horwath said the governments move to bolster long-term care should have come much sooner.

Families who have a parent or grandparent in long-term care in Ontario will no doubt be relieved to learn the government is finally using its power to take over management in these facilities, but many will wonder why their loved ones were left so vulnerable for so long, said the NDP leader.

We cant afford to lose any more days or weeks in the middle of a pandemic when seniors and workers lives are on the line. Now that were moving in the right direction, we need to see swift action to get new leadership into those nursing homes in crisis, she said.

Seniors in Ontario and their loved ones deserve to know that when the government says its stepping in to take over the management of long-term-care homes, its not just handing the reins from one private operator to another. We owe it to families across the province to get this right.

Del Duca said Ontario is lagging six weeks behind British Columbia, which made a similar to move to tackle the problems in its long-term care sector.

For weeks the premier has said there was no need for the government to take over long-term-care homes despite pleas from advocates, the Liberal leader said.

The framework of what to do was right in front of him  he only had to look to other provinces who showed leadership in late March and early April, he said, adding the iron ring Doug Ford talks about has turned out to be nothing more than empty words.

We need concrete action, not slogans, to protect our loved ones.

Under Ontarios state of emergency  in place since March 17 and extended by MPPs on Tuesday until June 2  the government has sweeping authority.

According to the Tories, a long-term-care home may require management assistance if they face challenges like a high number of cases among residents or staff, a high number of deaths, an outbreak that has not yet been resolved, significant staffing issues or outstanding requirements from infection prevention and control assessments.

Decisions regarding when and where to assign additional management support will be made on a case-by-case basis, the government said.

Long-term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton stressed we are incredibly grateful to long-term-care operators across the province who are working tirelessly each day to contain COVID-19 outbreaks.

This is another step we are taking to ensure homes are provided with the support they need at this challenging time to maintain the quality of care our residents deserve, said Fullerton, a medical doctor before entering politics.

Last month, the government restricted the movement of staff working in multiple facilities to curb the spread of the virus and, with Ottawa, ensure pay raises for staff.

As well, hospital SWAT teams of nurses have been helping some homes with staff shortages and 250 Canadian Armed Forces medical personnel have been deployed at five hard-hit long-term care homes in the province.

Read more about:
Senate Republicans will have their Hunter Biden investigation, coronavirus be darned.

The Senate Homeland Security Committee will vote next week on whether to subpoena Democratic public relations firm Blue Star Strategies, committee Chair Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) said Wednesday. It'll mark the resumption of the committee's probe into former Vice President Joe Biden's son and the Obama administration.

Johnson and Republicans on the committee have been researching Hunter Biden and the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma he was once on the board of, apparently unearthing "a lot of information from the [National] Archives, from the State Department," Johnson said. The subpoena measure has a chance of passing the Republican-held committee, though Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) remains a potential foil.

"We're in the middle of a public health and economic crisis, but instead of holding oversight hearings about testing, PPE, or bringing in the FEMA administrator, Senate Republicans are choosing to pursue diversionary, partisan conspiracy theories to prop up President Trump," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said upon hearing about the probe. "It's not related at all to the crisis and so why are we spending time on it?" Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) asked CNN.

President Trump's attempt to dig up dirt on Biden's work with Burisma sparked a whistleblower complaint and his eventual impeachment. Trump was acquitted in the Senate, and Republicans quickly pivoted to investigate Biden.

More stories from theweek.com

5 hilarious cartoons about Trump's vague 'Obamagate' allegations

The conservative victimhood complex has made America impossible to govern

The strange conflation of masks and masculinity


BARCELONA, Spain, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wallbox, the smart EV charging company, today announced the closing of a $13 million USD (12 million) second tranche of Series A investment in early March, bringing the total Series A round to $25 million USD (23 million). The round was led by Seaya Ventures, a Spanish venture fund focused on technology companies, with additional investment from Endeavor Catalyst and existing investors such as Iberdrola (IBDSF), a Spanish multinational electric utility company.

"We believe that innovators like Wallbox have an important role in reshaping the mobility sector in the coming years. Our commitment to companies that are leading the way towards more sustainable technologies, such as electric transportation, is stronger than ever," said Beatriz Gonzalez, founder and managing partner of Seaya.

Luis Buil, global lead for Smart Mobility at Iberdrola, comments on the importance of this milestone: "This funding round shows our confidence that sustainable mobility will be one of the key sectors during the post-COVID-19 recovery, in which we must take the opportunity to advance towards a low-carbon economy. With our support and commitment to Wallbox, we also move forward on our own strategy to launch a charging infrastructure to continue to propel zero-emission transportation," he explains.

"We have been working with Enric and the Wallbox team for over a year now, and we've been impressed by the vision he has created for the company and the speed in which they are turning it into reality," adds Allen Taylor, Silicon Valley-based Managing Director of Endeavor Catalyst. "Innovators like Enric are creating the technologies  and jobs  of the future, and that's what the world needs today more than ever."

The funds raised will be used to drive Wallbox's international growth in China and North America, and to continue to expand its technology innovation and R&D efforts. Wallbox began its expansion into the Chinese and North American markets in 2019. With its Chinese company Wallbox FAWSN Charging Systems Co Ltd., a joint venture with Changchun FAWSN of China, Wallbox manufactures EV chargers for the Chinese market in Suzhou, 100 km west of Shanghai. The initial capacity in Suzhou is 100,000 chargers per year.

In the U.S., Wallbox opened its Silicon Valley office last year to distribute its EV chargers to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company presented its Pulsar Plus and Quasar chargers ahead of the forthcoming U.S. launch this fall and won four "Best of CES" awards from Engadget, Robb Report, Electrek and Newsweek. Wallbox's Quasar was also selected as a finalist for Fast Company's 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards in the energy category and received an honorable mention in the general excellence and consumer products categories.

"Over the last year, we have made significant strides both in growing our distribution and the development of advanced charging technologies," said Enric Asuncion, CEO of Wallbox. "The continued support of our investors and the addition of new shareholders into the Wallbox family will enable us to further our global growth. We are excited to start this new chapter in our mission to reduce the world's dependency of fossil fuels."

About Wallbox

Wallbox was founded in 2015 by Enric Asuncion and Eduard Castaneda. Wallbox designs, develops and manufactures intelligent charging solutions for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids for both domestic and business use. Its customers include major automobile manufacturers and large electric utilities. The areas of research, technical development, product testing and manufacturing are carried out at the Barcelona plant, where Wallbox has a large engineering team and a production capacity of 500,000 chargers per year. The development of the charging management platform, myWallbox and the after-sales and installation customer service area are based in Madrid. Wallbox currently has subsidiaries in Germany, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, United States (California) and China. Its joint venture in China, Wallbox FAWSN Charging Systems Co Ltd. has a production plant, exclusively for the sale of Wallbox products in the Chinese market.

SOURCE Wallbox

Related Links

https://www.wallbox.com


Islamabad, May 13 : Pakistan has reported a total of 34,337 COVID-19 cases, with 12,610 in Sindh, 5,021 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 2,158 in Balochistan, 475 in Gilgit-Baltistan and 759 in Islamabad, a health official said on Wednesday.

So far, the virus has claimed at least 737 lives, while at least 8,812 coronavirus patients have recovered in Pakistan.

The country, despite its close proximity with China, remained coronavirus-free until February 26 when a young man from Karachi tested positive after returning from Iran -- one of the worst-hit countries. After a brief hiatus following the first case, COVID-19 cases spiked as more pilgrims returning from Iran tested positive for the virus, the Express Tribune reported.

The COVID-19 respiratory illness caused by this mysterious contagion has so far infected more than 4.1 million people in 202 countries and territories of the world and over 285,000 of them have died and counting.

The novel coronavirus emerged in the central China city of Wuhan towards the end of last year and proliferated to almost the whole world within a couple of months. It's not the virulence or fatality, but the infectivity of the new virus -- also known as SARS-CoV-2 -- that has set off a global frenzy.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Finding a treatment that transforms the coronavirus from a deadly disease to a minor inconvenience would change the world fast.

On May 4, world leaders committed over $8 billion to fund vaccine research to do exactly that. However, in the 55 years researchers have been studying coronaviruses, we have yet to develop a successful vaccine. Even with these current, intensive efforts and modern technology, it may take years to develop an effective vaccine.

But there is a critically important option that these world leaders all have missed: outpatient clinical trials of existing approved drugs.

Outpatient trials are designed to treat patients as soon as they are infected, rather than waiting for them to become acutely ill. The goal is simple: find an existing drug or drugs that can prevent hospitalization.

These trials are the shortest path to end the current lockdowns. If successful, they could help us resume normal activities by transforming the coronavirus into a mild disease that can be easily treated on an outpatient basis with a single shot, a few pills, or both.

Prioritizing outpatient trials is supported by some of the worlds top infectious disease scientists, such as Dr. David Ho, M.D., professor of medicine at Columbia University, and was recently endorsed in an editorial in the Journal of the AMA.

The reason is simple. Every virologist knows that the best way to tackle any virus is to aggressively treat it with an effective antiviral drug immediately after infection. A virus is like a fire, and an antiviral drug is like a small bucket of water. If we use the water early, while the fire is small, we can easily extinguish it. But once the fire has been allowed to spread, that same bucket, even 1,000 buckets, becomes useless.

Once these outpatient trials have identified an effective drug or drug combination, we will have new tools to treat patients early.

There are four off-the-shelf drugs that look promising: peginterferon lambda, favipiravir, camostat and remdesivir. All of these can be given at the first sign of disease as a single shot or a few pills.

There is a high likelihood that one or more of these drugs will work. For example, Dr. Francisco Marty, co-head of infectious disease at the Brigham and Womens hospital in Boston who has treated nearly 200 COVID-19 patients, notes that when patients are admitted early in the disease progression (94% oxygen saturation), he gives them two doses of remdesivir and sends them home. Nobody comes back.

In other words, drug timing is everything. Marty believes that if he can give remdesivir much earlier, right after first symptoms with a single shot, it would eliminate the need for hospitalization.

There are other efforts to study the efficacy of these drugs when given early, but half these trials are underfunded and half have no funding at all. These trials have received less than $1 million, mostly from individual philanthropy.

That this work is going unfunded is truly tragic. It would take only a tiny fraction of the $8 billion being devoted to vaccines to cover the full costs of all of these outpatient trials.

The normal government funding mechanisms are too slow for a pandemic. The time has come for philanthropists, large and small, to step up and fund outpatient clinical trials.

This disease is beatable, and the means to beat it likely are sitting on the shelf. The sooner we shift our focus from fighting fires to preventing them, the sooner we can reopen our country.

Steve Kirsch is a high-tech entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Silicon Valley. He has financed medical research at leading institutions for more than 20 years and has created www.treatearly.org to advance outpatient clinical trials for emerging COVID-19 treatments.
People react during a rally to protest the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man, on Friday in Brunswick, Ga. Two men are charged with murder in the February shooting death of Arbery, whom they pursued in a truck after spotting him running in their neighborhood. John Bazemore/AP
Bryan Adams has apologised after posting an expletive-laden Instagram rant about coronavirus that was branded racist and irresponsible.

The Canadian rock star posted on Monday 11 May: Thanks to some bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy b******s, the whole world is now on hold.

Adams also seemed angry about missing out on his three-night residency at Londons Royal Albert Hall, which was due to start on the night he posted his rant.

Last Friday, the World Health Organisation said a wet market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan had played a role in the coronavirus outbreak, either as the source or possibly as an amplifying setting. However, it stressed that more research on the link was necessary.

Among those to condemn Adams for his comments was Amy Go, president of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice.

She told CBC News: This is so irresponsible and just so, so, so, so racist. People look up to public figures. He is seen as an idol by many.

She added that she feared Adams comments would intensify racist hatred against Chinese people.

In his apology, Adams said there was no excuse for his comments.

Apologies to any and all that took offence to my posting yesterday, he wrote.

No excuse, I just wanted to have a rant about the horrible animal cruelty in these wet markets being the possible source of the virus, and promote veganism.

I have love for all people and my thoughts are with everyone dealing with this pandemic around the world, he continued.

The original post in which Adams made his rant is still on his Instagram account.
Tesla's early reopening in California's Bay Area during the coronavirus pandemic is still being handled on the local level, but California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he's "ready to enforce" violations of the state's orders.

"The governor has issued certain declarations, and where there is some discretion, the local authorities, the county officials, have the opportunity to implement as they see fit for their county," Becerra said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Alley" on Wednesday. "In this case, the conversation is going on between Tesla and the county. But at the state level, we're ready to enforce if we find that anyone is violating the state orders issued by the governor."

Shares of Tesla were down about 3% Wednesday afternoon.

The comments come as county officials in Alameda appear to be inching toward an agreement with Tesla over its reopening plans, but questions remain about whether the company's protocols will meet government standards. Late Tuesday night local time, the Alameda County Public Health Department released a statement saying it had reviewed Tesla's reopening plan for the factory and "held productive discussions" with its representatives.

"If Tesla's Prevention and Control Plan includes these updates, and the public health indicators remain stable or improve, we have agreed that Tesla can begin to augment their Minimum Business Operations this week in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week," the department said in the statement, adding that it would work with the Fremont Police Department to ensure Tesla adheres to worker safety procedures like social distancing.

Tweet

Tesla CEO Elon Musk pushed ahead with reopening the company's Fremont, California, plant prior to those discussions while the state remains under a stay-at-home order. Tesla scheduled shifts for employees to return to the factory beginning this week and local TV crews captured footage of employees' cars entering the facility's parking lot Monday.

On Friday, as news of Tesla's reopening plans trickled out, Alameda County officials said they had "not given the green light" to Tesla to reopen. Over the weekend, Musk threatened to move Tesla's headquarters out of California and sued the county over its enforcement of the state order.

Alameda county had entered a standoff with Tesla at the beginning of the stay-at-home order when the company tried to claim essential service status to remain open. County officials rejected that claim.

Even Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he was not aware of Tesla's reopening when he spoke at a press conference Monday. He said he would need more details on the situation before commenting further.

Musk said in a tweet Monday he would take responsibility for the reopening if a legal standoff ensued. Musk previously called stay-at-home orders "fascist" on Tesla's most recent earnings call.

"I will be on the line with everyone else," Musk tweeted. "If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me."

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WATCH: Elon Musk threatens to move Tesla headquarters out of Calif. over lockdown
The Conversation

Some people question why the current coronavirus has brought the world to stand still while a previous deadly coronavirus, SARS, did not. Others have questioned why a vaccine is so urgently needed now to stop the spread of the current coronavirus when a vaccine was never developed for SARS.

I study viruses and am so fascinated by the complexity that I have written a book about them. The tale of SARS and its new cousin that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, shows just how unpredictable viruses can be, particularly when they jump from animals to humans. Understanding emerging, infectious diseases needs to be a priority. SARS, which killed about one in 10 infected people, turned out to be highly lethal but ultimately, and somewhat mysteriously, disappeared.

A virus takes hold

SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, was first noted in Guangdong province, China in November of 2002, when doctors there saw unusual pneumonia. But the disease was not reported to the World Health Organization at that time.

In February of 2003, another outbreak occurred in Hanoi, Vietnam, and a WHO officer, who later died, examined a patient there and reported a large outbreak to the WHO main office on March 10, 2003.

Meanwhile, a doctor from Guangdong province travelled to Hong Kong and stayed at the Metropol Hotel, along with a number of other international travellers. The doctor was infected with what we now know as SARS-CoV-1. The virus was transmitted to at least a dozen other hotel guests. Two returned to Canada and took the virus there. One returned to Ireland, one to the United States. Three went to Singapore, and one to Vietnam. In addition, a few people were hospitalized in Hong Kong, leading to an outbreak in the hospital there.

From that point, SARS spread to much of the world, although most cases remained in Asia. The virus was aggressive and lethal. Patients typically showed symptoms within two to three days. There were few reports of any infections without symptoms, as there are with COVID-19. The masks came out, temperature scanners were placed in all major public gathering places in China and other parts of Asia, quarantines were implemented, the virus infection peaked in late May of 2003 and then it disappeared. The strict quarantine measures paid off, and by July 2003, the WHO declared the threat over.

In all, there were just over 8,000 cases of SARS-CoV-1 and about 700 deaths. In the U.S. there were a total of just 29 confirmed cases and no deaths. The Hong Kong economy, with a large tourism component, was severely impacted by SARS in 2003, much as the U.S. tourism industry is currently one of the most heavily impacted parts of the economy due to SARS-CoV-2.

Killing cousins?

SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 are closely related to viruses. Scientists believe that both viruses originated in bats. The RNA genomes of the viruses are about 80 percent identical. What does that mean?

Our own genomes are over 98 percent identical to those of chimpanzees, so 80 percent seems a lot less similar. For a virus though, especially one with an RNA genome, this is actually very closely related.

Thats because viruses can mutate very rapidly. They make a lot of mistakes when they copy their genomes, and they make thousands of copies in a few hours.

The two viruses have very similar proteins on their exterior and use the same proteins, or receptors, on our cell surfaces to enter the cell. These receptors are found in a lot of different cell types.

Most studies of SARS-CoV-1 focused on the lungs because that is where the most severe disease occurred, but both viruses can infect a lot of different organs. We wont know how often other organs are infected with SARS-CoV-2 until there is time to do proper autopsies and fully understand the way the virus causes disease.

How are they different, and how is that impacting the course of the pandemic? SARS-CoV-1 was more aggressive and lethal than SARS-CoV-2. However, SARS-CoV-2 spreads faster, sometimes with hidden symptoms, allowing each infected person to infect several others. The current estimate is about three, but we scientists wont know the real number until we can test a lot more people, and can understand the role of people without symptoms.

The most important difference is that contact tracing  or finding out who was exposed to someone infected with the virus  was relatively easy: Everyone had severe symptoms in two to three days.

With SARS-CoV-2, it takes about two weeks for symptoms to appear, and many people dont have any symptoms at all. Imagine asking someone whom they had contact with for the last two weeks! You can accurately remember most people you had contact with for the past two days, but two weeks? This critical tool for pandemic control is very challenging to implement. This means that the only safe thing to do is to maintain quarantine of everyone until the pandemic is under control.

What about a SARS vaccine? Vaccine studies for SARS-CoV-1 were started and tested in animal models. An inactivated whole virus was used in ferrets, nonhuman primates and mice. All of the vaccines resulted in protective immunity, but there were complications; the vaccines resulted in an immune disease in animals. No human studies were done, nor were the vaccine studies taken further because the virus disappeared. Many factors were involved in the end of SARS-CoV-1, perhaps including summer weather and certainly strict quarantine of all those who had contact with infected individuals, but we dont really know why the epidemic ended. Viruses are like that, unpredictable!

Many of the vaccines being developed for SARS-CoV-2 are quite different, and many use only small portions of the virus, or the virus RNA. This may circumvent the problems with SARS-CoV-1 vaccines that used more of the virus. Vaccine development has a large experimental component; we just have to make educated guesses and try different things and see what works. Hence, many different avenues for vaccines are being tested by different labs around the world.



Marilyn J. Roossinck, Professor of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, Pennsylvania State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Two of Johnny Depps former partners will give evidence at a trial of his libel claim against The Sun newspaper set to take place in July.

The Pirates Of The Caribbean star is suing the tabloids publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article which referred to the 56-year-old as a wife-beater.

The article related to allegations made against Mr Depp by his former wife, actress Amber Heard  which the actor strenuously denies.

At a High Court hearing on Wednesday, lawyers for Mr Depp said his ex-partner Vanessa Paradis has given a witness statement in which she described the actor as a kind, attentive, generous and non-violent person and father.

Lawyers for Mr Depp sought to admit evidence from Ms Paradis, who has two children with the star, and actress Winona Ryder, with whom he had a relationship in the 1990s, as part of his case against the publisher  which was not opposed by NGNs legal team.

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis (Ian West/PA)

David Sherborne, representing Mr Depp, said in court documents that his relationship with Ms Paradis ended in 2012, shortly before he and Ms Heard were together, and when he is first alleged to have been violent.

In her statement, Ms Paradis said: I have known Johnny for more than 25 years.

Weve been partners for 14 years and we raised our two children together.

Through all these years Ive known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous, and non-violent person and father.

She added: He was never violent or abusive to me.

Winona Ryder said Johnny Depp was never violent, never abusive towards her (Yui Mok/PA)

In her statement, Ms Ryder said: I cannot wrap my head around (Ms Heards) accusations.

He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me.

Mr Depps lawyers also wish to call evidence from a former personal assistant to Ms Heard, and a mechanic who worked for the couple before their acrimonious divorce  which NGNs lawyers described as irrelevant and tainted.

Story continues

Mr Sherborne said mechanic David Killackeys witness statement referred to an incident after Ms Heard asked for her car to be released without payment, which Mr Killackey refused.

Mr Killackey quotes Ms Heard as saying: Johnny isnt paying my rent, he isnt paying my bills, f*** him, f*** you, Mr Sherborne added.

The barrister continued: These are not the actions of someone who is being controlled and intimidated by some terribly aggressive man.

This is someone who is more than capable of  and did  abuse Mr Depp.

Mr Sherborne added Kate James, who was Ms Heards personal assistant during the early years of her relationship with Mr Depp, claims that Ms Heard asked her to lie about the Australia dogs episode.

In 2014, Ms Heard and Mr Depp recorded a now infamous video apologising for bringing their Yorkshire terriers Pistol and Boo into Australia illegally.

Ms Heard pleaded guilty to falsifying an immigration document to conceal the dogs in a private jet in 2014, and avoided jail under a deal that included appearing in the video warning others against breaking Australias strict quarantine laws.

Sasha Wass QC, representing NGN and Mr Wootton, argued that the evidence of Mr Killackey and Ms James was largely tangential, describing Ms James as a disaffected ex-employee who was giving contentious and malicious evidence.

Ms Wass also addressed Mr Sherbornes contention that Ms Heards alleged reaction to Mr Killackey was not the action of someone who is being controlled and intimidated by some terribly aggressive man.

She said that argument was not conducive to the psychological understanding of the way battered women behave.

Ms Wass added that the suggestion that Ms Heard would have been incapable of raising her voice to a mechanic or, indeed, to anyone else was a false assumption which, in the 21st century, we have all been able to dispel.

A two-week trial was due to start in London on March 23 at which the actor, Ms Heard and a number of Hollywood figures would have had to give evidence, but it was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The trial is now set to take place at the Royal Courts of Justice over three weeks from July 7, with strict social distancing measures in place.

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp attending the premiere of Black Mass during the 59th BFI London Film Festival in 2015 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Mr Sherborne said Mr Depp intends to travel from his home in France to London to give evidence, while Ms Heard will be able to travel from California but will have to observe a 14-day quarantine if current restrictions remain in place.

Mr Sherborne said Mr Depp denies that he has ever hit any woman, and that he accuses Ms Heard of being abusive and physically aggressive  which she vehemently denies.

Mr Justice Nicol said he will give his ruling on whether the evidence of Mr Killackey and Ms James can be admitted at a later date.

The libel claim against NGN and Mr Wootton arises out of publication of an article in The Sun in April 2018, under the headline Gone Potty  How can JK Rowling be genuinely happy casting wife-beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?

Mr Depp has brought separate libel proceedings against Ms Heard in the US, which the court has previously heard are ongoing.

The pair met on the set of 2011 comedy The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015.

In May 2016, Ms Heard obtained a restraining order against Mr Depp after accusing him of abuse, which he denied.

The couple settled their divorce out of court in 2017, with Ms Heard donating her seven million US dollar (5.5 million) settlement to charity.

In a statement after Wednesdays hearing, a spokeswoman for Ms Heard said: The evidence from Mr Depps mechanic and a disgruntled former employee is tangential and does not speak to whether Mr Depp is the perpetrator of domestic violence against Ms Heard.

In relation to Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryders evidence, we are glad they did not have the same experience as Ms Heard.

However, one womans experience does not determine the experience of another woman.
Retailers on Wednesday said measures announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will bring back liquidity with businesses and provide a boost to the economy.

For retailers steps such as reduction in TDS rates for payments will help in keeping liquidity back with businesses, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said in a statement.

It, however, said as retail is not covered under MSME, the sector will not benefit from theseveral measures announced to help such units.

"There are some measures that retailers can definitely benefit from such as the reduction in TDS rates for payments this is a welcome sign as it helps keep liquidity back with businesses," RAI CEO Kumar Rajagopalan said in a statement.

He further said, "The other is the 2 per cent reduction each in the EPF contribution of both, the employer and employee, which again gives cash back in the hands of people who need it in the immediate term."



Other measures that will play a big role in accelerating the revival of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) include the statutory relaxation, collateral-free loan support, debt relief and equity infusion, he added.

"We also welcome the revised definition of MSMEs as it is more inclusive and encourages MSMEs to grow with confidence while continuing to enjoy MSME benefits," Rajagopalan added.

He, however, said as on date, retail is not covered under the MSME sector.

"Our belief is that a multitude of small brands as well as suppliers to retail will be able to derive big benefits from the measures announced," Rajagopalan said adding retailers would wait for retail to be covered under the MSME.

He said the retail industry is waiting for more reforms from the government over the next few days "so that retailers in India have some working capital in their hands and they are able to retain employment".

Industry leaders across several segments termed the stimulus measures as encouraging and steps in the right directions amid COVID-19 crisis.

They said the incentives announced for the MSMEs and NBFCs are economic booster and will ensure more liquidity thereby, safeguarding the businesses and the jobs of individuals.

Moreover, the government's decision for reduction in TDS/TCS rate will help provide extra disposable income and a booster shot to get consumption back on track for India Inc.

"Today's tranche of announcement by the Finance Minister on collateral-free loans, liquidity boosting measures and several beneficial schemes for MSMEs, NBFCs and DISCOMs are steps in right direction amid COVID crisis, said Welspun Group Chairman BK Goenka.

While, President and CEO Panasonic India Manish Sharma said that government's decision of declaring an economic relief package amidst these uncertain times is an encouraging step for the industry at-large.

METRO Cash and Carry India MD and CEO Arvind Mediratta said that government's decision to broaden the definition of MSME to qualify as one is a remarkable move in the path to recovery.

He further said that reduction of employers and employees PF contribution would help the retail industry.

Kent RO System CMV Mahesh Gupta said the MSME sector has receiveda series of reforms and support from the government in this very crucial time and has provided a level-playing field by capping the global tenders below Rs 200 crore.

Ajanta-OrpatGroup Director Nevil Patel said the moves announced by the government today under package would help in creation of more job opportunities.

Deloitte India Partner and Leader Consumer Business Anil Talreja said that it would bring the consumption on track.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tested negative three times for the coronavirus in March after he attended a widely publicized meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida, according to test results made public Wednesday.

The trip made international headlines because a Bolsonaro aide photographed close to the two leaders at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club turned out to be infected at the time.

Twenty-three other Brazilian government officials and business leaders who also went on the trip later tested positive for the virus.

Bolsonaro strongly resisted revealing his test results and has told reporters that he had two tests after the March 9 trip that were negative.

But Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski ruled that the information was public and revealed that the president had three negative tests on March 12, March 17 and March 21.

Bolsonaro's tests were conducted using pseudonyms for him, as is customary for medical tests preformed on the country's leaders to preserve their privacy.

As the pandemic deepened globally and in Brazil, Bolsonaro has repeatedly appeared in public without wearing a mask and frequently shakes hands with supporters.

He has roundly criticized attempts by governors and mayors to close non-essential businesses and keep people at home as virus cases rise, saying job losses hurt Latin America's largest country more than the virus.

More than 12,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Brazil and it is the hardest hit country in Latin America.

The legal fight to force the release of Bolsonaro's coronavirus test results grew two weeks ago when the newspaper O Estado de S Paulo filed a lawsuit seeking full results of the tests that Bolsonaro had said were negative but refused to provide.

The test results made public by the court had been provided by presidential officials, not the laboratories that performed the tests.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released Wednesday to continue his prison sentence in home confinement after arguing that coronavirus was a threat to his health, CBS News reports.

The big picture: Manafort, 71, was sentenced last year under charges stemming from the Mueller investigation to a total of 7.5 years in prison on fraud charges and crimes related to his work as a political consultant in Ukraine.

Manafort's lawyers had asked that he be allowed to be under home confinement either for the remainder of his sentence or the duration of the pandemic, citing pre-existing medical conditions like high blood pressure and liver issues that could make him vulnerable.

They also argued that while there haven't been any reported coronavirus cases at LCI Loretto, the low-security federal prison in Pennsylvania where Manafort was being held, it is only a matter of time before the virus reaches the prison.

Go deeper: Paul Manafort officially forfeits Trump Tower condo to U.S. government
She moved into her stunning $6.6million Vaucluse mansion late last year, after extensive renovations.

And now Roxy Jacenko has given fans a look inside her incredible hotel-style master bedroom, that she shares with husband Oliver Curtis.

The 40-year-old PR maven has completed the room with an oversized plush bed, luxe furnishings and even padded fabric walls.

From an oversized plush bed, to luxe furnishings and even padded fabric walls: Inside Roxy Jacenko's incredible hotel-style bedroom (pictured) in her $6.6million Vaucluse mansion

The blonde businesswoman shared some gorgeous images of the room with fans on Instagram on Wednesday, as she worked from her Sydney home.

The room has a modern design, a neutral colour scheme and features grey carpet and walls.

Above the large bed are two stunning crystal wall lights, as well as a marble frame.

House proud: The blonde businesswoman shared some gorgeous images of the room with fans on Instagram on Wednesday, as she worked from home

The finer details: Next to the bed are two side tables with a bouquet of white roses on top

How luxe! The room opens up to a sunlit balcony with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, with white curtains in place

Next to the bed are two side tables with a bouquet of white roses on top.

The room opens up to a sunlit balcony with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, with white curtains in place.

Roxy also proudly houses her valuable handbag collection in its own room, with a number of designer items housed upon specially built shelving.

Gorgeous: She moved into her stunning $6.6million Vaucluse mansion late last year, after extensive renovations

Every fashionista's dream! Roxy also proudly houses her valuable handbag collection in its own room, with a number of designer items housed upon specially built shelving

The PR queen has referred to her accessories as art, and displays them in a fashion befitting that sentiment.

When she wants to kick back and unwind, the blonde businesswoman has a well-stocked fridge of upper-crust bubbly on hand in a living room area.

Previously, Roxy has shown off her gorgeous white kitchen with marble detailing and skylights.

Her main lounge room is all-white and features stunning artwork and an oversized coffee table.

What a kitchen! Previously, Roxy has shown off her gorgeous white kitchen with marble detailing and skylights

Fancy a seat? Her main lounge room is all-white and features stunning artwork and an oversized coffee table

Adding to the luxurious feel of the property, Roxy has a stunning dining room with harbour views.

She's likewise spared no expense on the children's bedrooms, with Pixie, eight, having a princess-style pink bedroom.

In the past few months, husband Oliver took control of the extensive renovations, with Roxy joking at one point: 'This house has almost been the end of us!'

Fit for a princess! She's likewise spared no expense on the children's bedrooms, with Pixie, eight, having a princess-style pink bedroom

'There's been a lot of arguments over it,' Roxy admitted in her Channel 10 pilot show, I Am... Roxy.

She added: 'I get obsessive. It builds up and it builds up, and I need results. I'm a perfectionist.'

At one point, Roxy was stressed over light bulbs in her makeup mirror and worried that they were too big.

'I actually don't understand it. I don't. It looks ridiculous. There's a big difference between light bulbs and an orb,' she said, with the pair eventually spending $7,000 on lights alone.
A Delhi poll body on Wednesday asked people to guard themselves from being cheated by unscrupulous elements after a city voter become a victim of cyber fraud while trying to make a correction in his electoral card online.

Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer also asked the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR and take necessary action against the offender at the earliest, the poll body said in a statement.

The case of cyber fraud was reported on 1950 helpline of the CEO Office, authorities said.

A senior police official said a complaint has been received in this connection.

As per the complaint reported on the helpline, the voter paid Rs 500 by Phone Pay/UPI for making correction in his voter id card, the statement said.

The website using domain name www.voteridcard.org, which claims to make voter card forthe general public at some expense, was found to be "not authorised", it said.

As per Election Commission Of India's website -- http://nvsp.in, no charge is required to be paid online by public while submitting online application, officials said.

"Public is, therefore, advised to visit ECI official website http://eci.gov.in" or CEO Delhi's website ceodelhi.gov.in or voter helpline number -1950 for authentic and official information and prevent themselves from being cheated by unscrupulous elements," it said.

Any information available or displayed other than on the ECI or CEO Delhi websites, must be verified from the official website, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The French parent of construction group Bouygues Construction Australia has been forced to inject close to $300 million into its local arm as expected losses on its suite of infrastructure projects continue to eat into its balance sheet.

Bouygues Construction Australia's 2019 accounts filed in March show the parlous financial state of the local arm of the French construction giant after cost blow-outs at projects including the troubled Melbourne Metro rail tunnel and Sydney's WestConnex tollroad. The subsidiary booked a $322 million loss during the year to December 2019, going deeper in the red after the $202 million loss it posted a year earlier.

Metro Tunnel's first tunnel-boring machine which ground to a halt for three days. Credit:Jason South

Bouygues Construction Australia's projects include the $11 billion Melbourne Metro rail tunnel and two NSW road projects, the $16 billion plus WestConnex tollroad and the $3 billion NorthConnex tollroad. All three projects are thought to have experienced billion-dollar-plus cost blow-outs and delays.

The accounts show that the local company increased the expected losses on its projects by $159 million. The increased provision for foreseeable losses across its businesses takes Bouygues' estimated losses on projects to $263 million.
Hundreds of patients have had the wrong teeth removed by bungling dentists, a study has found.

Many have lost perfectly healthy teeth as a result of the blunders.

Researchers warn that attempts to tackle the problem appear to have failed and the total may be much higher than official figures suggest.

Wrong tooth removal is classed by the NHS as a never event  something that should never happen, such as leaving surgical equipment inside a patients body.

Pulling out the wrong tooth accounts for up to one in four surgical never events.

Researcher Dr Mike Pemberton said the true number of wrong teeth removed is likely to be much higher because reporting systems are complex and obtuse (file photo)

Researchers from the University Dental Hospital of Manchester looked at tooth removals in England from 2015 to 2019. Over the four-year period, dentists extracted almost 150 healthy teeth by mistake.

Most of these blunders occurred in hospital, where patients had extractions under general anaesthetic.

Just 17 were removed by primary care dentists, according to results published in the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

In 2015/16 there were 33 accidental extractions and in 2018/19 there were 42, the study found.

Researcher Dr Mike Pemberton said the true numbers are likely to be much higher because reporting systems are complex and obtuse.

Around 45,000 extractions a year are carried out by dentists in the UK  at a cost of over 200million.

Payouts for dentists errors can range from 1,000 to 40,000 depending on the scale of the blunder. Most mistakes happen due to poor communication between dental staff or a failure to check X-rays.

In 2019, a dental surgeon at Liverpool University Dental Hospital was suspended for eight months after he took out the wrong tooth and lied to his bosses about it.

Around 45,000 extractions a year are carried out by dentists in the UK  at a cost of over 200million (file photo)

Dr Michael Patrick Winston, who had 30 years experience, wrongly claimed he had immediately informed the patient of the slip-up.

He failed to record the error in the patients medical notes and encouraged a dental nurse to be vague about the matter if asked.

Dr Winston also failed to refer to an X-ray highlighting the tooth that needed removing.

And in 2017 dental surgeon Dr Panagiotis Stathopoulos was struck off from Royal Derby Hospital after trying to cover his tracks when he wrongly removed two healthy teeth from a patient.

He later altered the patients notes to suggest he deliberately took them out after concluding they were the ones causing the pain.

Dr Stathopoulos was found guilty of lying by a Medical Practitioners Tribunal panel and subsequently removed from the GMC medical register.

Eddie Crouch, of the British Dental Association, said there was no excuse for patients being made to suffer from dentists incompetence.

But he stressed the number of wrong removals was still tiny compared to the total annual rate of extractions.

Unless there are clear signs of decay on an X-ray, it can be very difficult to tell which tooth pain is coming from, Mr Crouch said.

In the vast majority of cases, the dentist gets it right, he added.
[birds chirping] [ice cream truck music] You remember when you was a kid, right? When you heard that bell, that bell was like almost going to Disney World because now you get to come outside and you get to get your ice cream that you always wanted, that rainbow or that vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles or that chocolate cone with cherry dip, you know  whichever makes you happy. [ice cream truck music] I have an obligation. I have to take my trucks to the street. Why? Because I believe the ice cream trucks are essential service. Someone asked me why am I working in the coronavirus? Well, I mean, my customers actually wait for me. Whats up, Champion? Speaking Spanish: Chocolate or vanilla? You know, they can choose anybody. They can choose Mr. Softee, they could choose Carvel, but they choose to come to the FunTime Frostee truck because Ive been serving them for the past 26 years. You got it? Have a great day. Thank you. Its harder for us to social distance six feet to give you an ice cream cone. Thank you. I try to tell the drivers make sure that the truck is disinfected. Make sure that you got wipes. Make sure you got gloves. Make sure you got two masks. You know, make sure that the customer order back up. Hey, hows it going? As this coronavirus happens, as its going on, you know, the ice cream trucks have been kind of lonely. We had to transition to now wait for the customer. I think they coming. Theres no more stopping five minutes and going. Now, we have to stop 10 minutes, 15 minutes on a block, and get em downstairs. Well, when I hear the ice cream truck, I just come running. She acts like a child when she hears the ice cream truck. Im glad I heard the ice cream truck, cause its better than hearing the sirens of the fire truck and ambulance. Dos. A lot of people havent been buying ice cream because of the coronavirus. You know, they dont want to touch nothing. I know that, but this is a childhood thing, you know? The atmosphere now is crazy in New York City because Im a born New Yorker, and Ive know this place to be hustle and bustle. But driving around the neighborhoods now, its like  [sirens]  wow, is this really happening? Is this happening? [sirens] [ice cream truck music] And then when you hear the ice cream truck, you say, Oh, guess what? Hey, Joey, go get your clothes. Come on. Were gonna go get some ice cream. Now we feel normal again because now I can go outside, because now I can go bring my kids. We can have a little ice cream, stay outside, catch a little fresh air and then go back inside. Have a great one. We are essential. Were providing a service, making you and your family happy during the pandemic, without a pandemic, rain, sleet or snow, I feel that I can bring that joy to people. [ice cream truck music]
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Like people, whole countries can have pre-existing conditions. A particularly insidious one is oil dependency, which can leave a state destitute at the very moment it requires all its strength. In recent years, crises in Venezuela and Libya have sent shockwaves through the global oil market. The country to watch in this year of Covid-19 is Nigeria.

Late last month, the International Monetary Fund approved $3.4 billion of emergency funding for Nigeria. Official figures suggest the spread of Covid-19 there has been low. But as analysts at the Council on Foreign Relations point out, only about 12,000 Nigerians out of a population of more than 200 million had been tested as of two weeks ago. Last month, the disease claimed Abba Kyari, the powerful chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, a political bombshell. Meanwhile, there is no denying the pandemics impact on oil, which accounts for roughly 10% of Nigerias economy (more on that figure below).

While Nigeria has supplied more secretary generals of OPEC than any other country  including the current one  it is also among the groups weakest members. Nigeria has ranked lowest within OPEC in terms of oil export revenue per capita virtually every year this century.(1)

As Nigerias population swelled, oil production dwindled. Helima Croft, a former CIA analyst who now heads global commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, recalls the years just after the 9/11 attacks. Nigeria, having recently transitioned out of military rule, was regarded as a potential fulcrum of U.S. energy policy, supplying more barrels from outside the Middle East. Back then, it produced more than two million barrels a day, of which about 40% was shipped to the U.S., and Croft remembers projections at the time for production to double.

Things didnt work out that way.

Nigerias challenge, that pre-dates Covid by at least a decade, is lack of investment in the oil sector in Nigeria, says Matthew Page, an associate fellow at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, and former U.S. intelligence expert on Nigeria. Unrest in the Niger Delta since the 1990s intensified after 2003 with attacks directed increasingly at oil infrastructure. This, combined with persistent corruption, deterred foreign oil companies(2). By the mid-2010s, with shale oil starting to transform the Atlantic oil market, there was even less reason to invest in Nigerian barrels. President George W. Bush was the last U.S. president to visit a country whose oil supply is no longer viewed in Washington as critical; President Donald Trump slapped immigration restrictions on Nigeria in February. The Covid-19 crisis, coming amid mounting expectations of peak oil demand anyway, means even less incentive for foreign oil companies to deploy scarce dollars there.

Story continues

Oil sits at the nexus of Nigerias politics, economy and security. Even though it accounts for only about one-tenth of GDP, it generates more than half of government revenue. And government revenue can also be thought of as a form of oil, greasing the complex machine that is Nigeria: more than 200 million people split among more than 300 ethnic groups(3), encompassing Islam and Christianity and spread across 36 states. While the economy is relatively diversified, many Nigerians rely on subsistence farming or work for the civil service. Nigeria is estimated to account for one in seven of the worlds very poorest people.(4) Outside of Lagos, large parts of the country rely heavily on oil-funded allocations from central government. Peace deals with militant groups are sealed with cash. And the government funds security forces fighting Boko Harams jihadists in the northeast of the country.

Where this becomes problematic, in terms of socio-political dynamics, is that oil money is one way in which Nigeria smooths over its poor governance and its lack of services, says Judd Devermont, who directs the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank. Nigerias always been very effective at managing one or two crises at a time, he adds  before listing the current slate of issues: the oil crash, Covid-19, Boko Haram, clashes between farmers and herders in Nigerias middle belt, an uptick in unrest in the northwest.

Despite its fault lines and weaknesses, Nigeria has endured multiple crises in the past. Whats different this time is the sheer multiplicity of problems against a backdrop of weak oil prices  and at a time when the medium and long-term health of the oil market is already in question. In a forthcoming essay for Chatham House, Page lays out a grim set of cascading effects whereby the government, with all of $72 million in its rainy-day fund, cant cut checks to state governments, which in turn cant pay the obligations theyve built up on the back of oil money. And its all too easy to imagine a vicious circle developing whereby the government struggles to pay off militants in the Delta region, who then resort to the old tactic of disrupting oil supply, thereby exacerbating the lack of funds.

The risk of economic and political disruption in Africas biggest oil exporter is rising. Todays market, choking on its own supply, may not particularly care right now.

But Nigerias situation, although it reflects the countrys unique characteristics, also shares something in common with other petro-states. Its an inherently fragile system  beset by corruption, regular bouts of violence, economic mismanagement and weak institutions  that has been held together with oil rents. At the other end of the scale, Saudi Arabia has a far healthier oil industry; a more cohesive state; a smaller, wealthier population; and a giant rainy-day fund. Yet it also faces potentially existential challenges to its oil-funded model.

The crisis for Nigeria isnt so much that oil prices are low; rather that it is hardwired for much higher prices. The oil markets slow-burning crisis is that so much of its supply depends on such countries.

(1) Ecuador ranked lower in 2014 with net oil export earnings per head of just $367 (2018 dollars). Source: Energy Information Administration.

(2) Nigeria ranked 146 out of 180 in Transparency International's "Corruption Perceptions Index 2019."

(3) The three largest - the Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo - account for about half the population. (Source: "Nigeria: What Everyone Needs To Know" (Oxford University Press, 2018).

(4) Source: World Poverty Clock.

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

Liam Denning is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering energy, mining and commodities. He previously was editor of the Wall Street Journal's Heard on the Street column and wrote for the Financial Times' Lex column. He was also an investment banker.

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

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Three militants stormed a hospital in Kabul soon after 10 am on Tuesday, shooting new mothers dead before the newborns in their arms had even seen the light outside the hospital.

Kabul: The morning was not yet over, but already it felt as if the very cycle of life in Afghanistan was under assault, with attacks at a maternity ward and a funeral serving as grim reminders that its people are in peril from cradle to grave.

First, three militants stormed a hospital in Kabul soon after 10 am on Tuesday, shooting new mothers dead before the newborns in their arms had even seen the light outside the hospital. At least 15 people were killed inside the hospital  mothers, babies, medical workers, and one police officer.

As security forces were scrambling in Kabul, about 100 miles to the east, in the province of Nangarhar, a suicide bomber walked into the funeral for a local police commander. As hundreds of locals queued in front of the body for the final prayer, the bomber detonated his explosives not far from the corpse.

The commander, 59, who had survived many battles and attacks, had died of a heart attack. Now his body was riddled with shrapnel, too. The explosion killed at least 25 people and wounded 68 others.

Violent death here is so frequent, and so scattered, that an accurate count is an impossible task. But by dusk on Tuesday, when the reported deaths of the day from all sides had been tallied, the Afghan war had most likely taken 100 lives.

Of course, the night brings more death  and the next day more tallying.

What is crushing Afghans is not just the sheer brutality of the attacks with newborn babies soaked in blood and deprived of mothers before they have even gotten a name, but the failure of anything to bring a reprieve.

The United States and the Taliban signed a preliminary peace agreement in February that was supposed to have brought the two-decade war closer to an end. Instead, the insurgents have only cranked up attacks around the country, inflicting heavy casualties on Afghan forces with dozens killed every day.

The peace deal has been stuck in a prisoner exchange that was supposed to unlock direct negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban to plan for power-sharing after the United States withdraws its remaining troops. The Taliban are insisting on the release of up to 5,000 of their prisoners before considering any other moves.

An Afghan group affiliated with the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for attacking the funeral. But no group has claimed responsibility for attacking the hospital. The Taliban, in a statement, denied that they were behind it. But coming after weeks of intensifying Taliban attacks, the government blamed the group.

And in a sign that any momentum toward peace was dissipating, President Ashraf Ghani ordered Afghan forces to abandon the active defence posture they had been in since the signing of the U.S.-Taliban agreement and return to offensive attacks against the insurgents.

The Taliban, with the stoking of foreigners, have intensified the war and are shedding Afghan blood, Ghani said in an address to the nation at the end of the bloody day. Dont see our invitation for peace and a cease-fire as our weakness, but as deep respect to the demand and will of the people.

Deborah Lyons, the head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, condemned the hospital assault. Who attacks newborn babies and new mothers? Who does this? she said on Twitter. The most innocent of innocents, a baby! Why? Cruelty has no followers from humanity.

The insurgents have refused even calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow the country to combat the rapidly spreading coronavirus, a call Ghani repeated in his address. Afghanistan has officially recorded about 5,000 cases of COVID-19, but officials warn that the spread is most likely much wider.

Between the daily toll of the war and the virus, the countrys health resources are stretched thin. With 80 percent of the population living just barely above the poverty line, there is fear that the economic shock waves of the pandemic could bring starvation.

On Tuesday, the health system itself came into the crosshairs.

Today, my doctor, my medical personnel, the poor mother who is in labor, are left in chaos  the doctor that is there to rescue her is covered in blood and falls next to her bed, said Wahid Majrooh, the deputy minister of health.

The attack in Kabul, the capital, targeted a 100-bed hospital in the western part of the city, a largely Shiite area often hit by Islamic State bombers.

The hospital is known for its large maternity ward, which is supported by Doctors Without Borders. During the five-hour operation to kill the three assailants, Afghan special forces were seen rescuing newborn babies. NATO troops were also seen at the site.

Crowds gathered outside the hospital and emotions ran high as they saw babies soaked in blood. A security official coming out of the hospital showed reporters pictures of the devastation inside the ward: mothers shot as they had tried to hide under a bed, a female nurse prostate in blood, one woman still clinging to her newborn.

She was dead, but the baby was alive, the official said.

The relatives of one woman who had given birth at dawn were trying to get news. The womans brother wailed and twisted in pain as other relatives tried to calm him. Oh, God, oh God, was all he could say as he kept crying.

She had given birth already when the suicide bombers entered, said Rafiullah, the womans brother in law.

A community elder came out of the hospital with a list of a dozen newborns who had been evacuated to other hospitals. As he read the names of their mothers  these had been written on pieces of tape on the babies stomachs, he said  and the names of the hospitals the babies had been sent to, a man from the anxious crowd asked about the mothers.

Fifteen martyred mothers, said the community elder, Abdul Hadi. Their bodies are in the ambulances being evacuated now. We put them in body bags.

The bombing in Nangarhar province targeted the funeral of Sheikh Akram, a local police commander. About 500 people had gathered at a large field in Khewa district for the final prayer, and a grave had been dug for him just across the road.

Naeem Jan Naeem, an eyewitness, said the imam had just asked people to line up and announced the beginning of the prayer when a huge blast was heard and a fire erupted in the front of the crowd.

The body of Sheikh Akram was close to the explosion, Naeem said. There was shooting after the explosion, too  his face and his chest had shrapnel wounds.

His body was wounded after he had died.

Mujib Mashal and Fahim Abed c.2020 The New York Times Company
Released Chinese rights attorney Wang Quanzhang says he plans to take legal action to overturn his subversion conviction, for which he served nearly five years in prison.



Wang was reunited with his family last month, weeks after his release at the end of a four-and-a-half-year jail term served at Linyi Prison in the eastern province of Shandong.



He was allowed to return to his family home after being held first under 14 days' quarantine in his birth town of Jinan in the eastern province of Shandong, then warned not to travel to Beijing.



Wang was sentenced on Jan. 28, 2019 by the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, which found him guilty of "subversion of state power."



The verdict and sentence followed repeated delays, resulting in Wang being held in pretrial detention for more than three years with no access to a lawyer or to family visits.



Rights groups have expressed concern that he was tortured, although Wang has declined to talk about these reports until he can do so in a carefully thought-out manner.



Wang told RFA on Wednesday that he is planning to take action to overturn the Tianjin court's conviction, citing repeated breaches of criminal procedure code, using a judicial complaint process.



"It is totally ridiculous to claim that my actions constituted the subversion of state power," Wang said. "I was denied access to the defense attorney I requested, the lawyer hired by my family, for three years."



"This was a disguised attempt to deprive me of my right to a legal defense."



Violations of legal procedure



Wang said Chinese law calls for a retrial in cases where the judiciary or law enforcement have seriously violated legal procedural codes.



In particular, he took issue with the court's response to his firing of his own defense attorney at the start of his trial in January 2019.



"If the defendant fires their lawyer during the course of the trial, Chinese law requires that the court must adjourn and give the defendant 15 days to choose a new attorney," Wang said.



"If the defendant fails to come up with a new attorney within that time, or if they fire their attorney once the court reconvenes, then the court may regard this as waiving of their right to a defense and continue with the trial," he said.



"But in my case, when I fired my legal defense at the start of the trial, they carried on with the trial," he said.



Wang said he is currently only in the preparation stages of the complaint, however, and needs to take his family into consideration.



"Now that I'm back together with my family, I will definitely be spending more time with them ... watching my kid grow, and just enjoy these relationships," he said.



"There's no hurry with the complaint, which will inevitably be a long process," he said. "There are a lot of preparations to be done first.



A good case for complaint



Chen Yue, head of the Hong Kong-based Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group said Wang has a good case for his complaint, but that there are many factors that will come into play.



"He can file a complaint within two years of [sentencing]," Chen said. "He needs to submit evidence ... including for the facts of the case and the reasoning behind his complaint."



"It's hard to predict whether the authorities will obstruct or harass him in the process," Chen said.



There are also concerns that Wang could be placed under house arrest if he files the complaint soon, on the ground that he is still under a set of restrictions known in Chinese law as "deprivation of political rights."



But Chen said the deprivation of political rights, which include the right to run as a candidate in elections that are effectively a rubber-stamp for ruling Chinese Communist Party candidates, isn't enough justification for separating Wang from his family.



"Deprivation of political rights does not include restrictions on personal freedom, or on the freedom to reunite with family members," Chen said.



"The authorities have no right or reason to separate Wang Quanzhang from his family."



According to Cheng Hai, who defended Wang from 2015 to 2018, the authorities refused to allow at least five lawyers appointed by Wang Quanzhang during his detention to meet with him.



Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A cellphone video has emerged showing Los Angeles police officers purportedly trying to enforce social distancing rules and being chased off by unimpressed residents.

The brief recording first surfaced on the Instagram page LAHoodMedia last week. As of Wednesday evening, the video has been viewed more than 39,000 times.

According to information posted on the page, the recording was made by residents of the Pueblo Del Rio public housing project located in the Central-Alameda section of Los Angeles.

In the video, young men brandishing water guns surround a pair of LAPD officers standing next to their patrol vehicle.

LAPD officers arrived last week at the Pueblo Del Rio housing project, purportedly to help enforce social distancing rules during the COVID-19 outbreak

The cops were met by a large group of young men brandishing water guns

Bystanders heckled the officers, telling them to get out of their neighborhood

The video-sharing site World Star Hip-Hop, which also obtained a version of the video, stated that the incident took place while police were attempting to enforce social distancing rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The youths loudly heckle and laugh at the officers while spraying water in their direction.

The officers do not respond, or make any attempt to confront the residents.

After a few seconds, they calmly get back in their vehicle and drive off, drawing peals of laughter from the crowd.

The officers made no attempt to confront the hecklers. After a few seconds, they got back in their vehicle and drove off

Residents carried off shooting their water guns at the departing cops and yelling insults

The patrol vehicle was pelted with water balloons as it drove off into the distance

Other videos taken by an eyewitness outside the housing project that day and shared on the Instagram account 'brackenleedogg' show youths pelting the patrol car with water balloons and throwing a bucket of water at an officer standing outside his parked vehicle, leaving him drenched from head to toe.

'Get the f*** out of here!' the residents yell.

On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned residents that the city of 4million 'will never be completely open' until there is a cure for the coronavirus.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has allowed individual counties to implement their own lockdown measures based on the state of the pandemic in their areas and Garcetti first issued the city's 'Safer at Home' emergency order on March 19.

LA continues to see a spike in coronavirus cases and deaths, with the county announcing another 1,264 cases and 47 deaths on Wednesday.

This takes the total death toll in LA to 1,659, meaning it makes up more than half of the 2,882 deaths across the whole of California.




The Lagos State Government on Tuesday confirmed that a 32-year-old man died of COVID-19 complication in the state.

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Akin Abayomi, in a post on his Twitter account, noted that the deceased recently returned from Dubai with severe underlying health conditions.

Prof Abayomi further stated that the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lagos State had increased to 1,949.

He said 88 new cases of COVID-19 infection were confirmed in Lagos on May 11, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 1,949.

33 COVID-19 patients: nine females and 24 males, were discharged at the states isolation facilities following their full recovery.

The total number of discharged COVID-19 patients in Lagos now stands at 502, he added.

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President Donald Trump departs on travel to the Camp David presidential retreat from the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, on May 1, 2020. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

State, Federal Investigators Bid for Trumps Financial Records Heard by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court heard President Donald Trumps long-awaited appeal of lower-court rulings ordering him to hand over private business papers and tax returns to investigators.

For more than three hours on May 12, six lawyers debated about Trumps efforts to defend himself against historically unprecedented subpoenas from federal lawmakers and a local prosecutor in New York City against the head of the executive branch. The president sued several banks and an accounting firm he has patronized to prevent access to the documentation.

Trump claims those records are temporarily privileged while he is in office, he has done nothing wrong, and inquiries are politically motivated fishing expeditions that his political enemies are gambling will uncover past wrongdoing.

The subpoenas at issue here are unprecedented in every sense, Trump lawyer Patrick Strawbridge told the court during the first of two rounds of oral arguments.

Before these cases, no court had ever upheld the use of Congresss subpoena power to demand the personal records of a sitting president, and no committee of Congress had even tried to compel production of such a broad swath of the presidents personal papers, let alone for the stated purpose of considering potential legislation.

The days sitting was divided into two distinct sets of oral arguments conducted telephonically and simultaneously broadcast to the public.

The first, which consisted of the consolidated cases of Trump v. Mazars and Trump v. Deutsche Bank AG, concerned the Democrat-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which issued a subpoena to Trumps accountant and several of his business entities. The committee wants private financial records that belong to Trump.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled the subpoena had a legitimate legislative purpose and was within the statutory authority of the committee. Trumps position is that the committee has no such authority.

The second consisted of Trump v. Vance, which stems from a criminal investigation conducted by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

Vances office has been looking into the role Trump and his business, The Trump Organization, may have played in alleged hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels, a pornographic movie actress who claimed during the 2016 election cycle that she had an affair with Trump. Trump denies the affair. Federal prosecutors dropped their investigation into the matter, but Vance claims Trump may have broken state laws.

Former Trump attorney Michael D. Cohen reportedly paid money to Daniels to prevent her from speaking publicly about the alleged relationship and was reimbursed by Trump and his company. Cohen was sentenced in 2018 to three years in prison for violating federal campaign finance laws.

As part of an investigation, Vance served a grand-jury subpoena on the accounting firm, Mazars USA, demanding a wide swath of business documents, including financial papers and eight years of Trumps personal and corporate tax returns. According to documents filed with the Supreme Court, the New York subpoena is a nearly verbatim copy of subpoenas issued by committees of Congress for the same papers.

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the presidents claim of immunity and ordered him to comply with the subpoena. Trumps position is that the subpoena violates Article 2 and the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Vances office previously countered that Trump is asserting a novel presidential tax return privilege on the theory that disclosing information in a tax return will necessarily reveal information that will somehow impede the functioning of a president.

Jay Sekulow, Trumps attorney in the New York case, echoed Strawbridge.

No county district attorney in our nations history has issued criminal process against a sitting president of the United States, and for good reason. The Constitution does not allow it.

If the 2nd Circuits ruling isnt reversed, the decision weaponizes 2,300 local DAs, allowing them to harass, distract, and interfere with the sitting president, Sekulow said.

Justice Clarence Thomas asked Principal Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, who appeared in support of Trump, a hypothetical about investigators possible ulterior motives.

What if it was clear from those statements that you reviewed that their intention was actually to remove the president from office rather than  that it is for  pre-textual legislative reasons?

Wall said the U.S. House of Representatives, which is supposed to investigate as part of the lawmaking process, has made little effort to justify its actions in the case.

If you look at what they actually say about their intended legislative proposals and then why they need the document, its paper-thin. They dont give you any specifics on what theyre thinking about doing or any specifics on why they need the documents.

The House has never really tried to substantiate why it needs these documents in service of its legislative powers, Wall added.

Justice Elena Kagan told Wall that his legal brief failed to make a case as to why these particular subpoenas place a particular burden on the president such that he will be prevented from carrying out his constitutional responsibilities.

Wall denied that and said that the House was limited in what it could do.

The lower courts said the House probably  could not draw the blood of the president or read his teenage diary. The power that they are seeking and the burden they will impose in the aggregate on the president will, I think, reshape and transform the balance of the separation of powers. So, yes, we are saying that these subpoenas, and certainly these subpoenas taken in the aggregate, once the House has this weapon, will harm and undermine the presidency of the United States, not just this president, the institution of the presidency going forward.

Justice Samuel Alito suggested to Douglas Letter, general counsel to the House, that he saw no practical limits to the congressional subpoena power.

Thats correct because this court itself has said Congresss power  to legislate is extremely broad, especially when you take into account appropriations, Letter replied.

So the end result is that there is no protection whatsoever, Alito said.

Chief Justice John Roberts also told Letter: Your test is not really much of a test. Its not really a limit.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg seemed more sympathetic to the Houses position, suggesting it may need to revamp some laws.

She pointed out that under the Ethics in Government Act, Congress may decide that it needs to beef up that legislation  It may also decide that for financial disclosure purposes, there should be disclosure of tax returns.
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OSLO, May 13 (Reuters) - Norway's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday it was excluding Glencore , Anglo American , RWE , Sasol and AGL Energy for their use and production of coal under updated ethical guidelines. Another set of companies - BHP , Uniper , Enel and Vistra Energy - were put under observation for possible exclusion at a later stage if they do not address their use or production of coal.

Norway's parliament agreed in June 2019 that the world's largest fund would no longer invest in companies that mine more than 20 million tonnes of coal annually or generate more than 10 gigawatts (GW) of power from coal. The decision tightened already existing rules, also set by parliament, that the fund is not allowed to invest in a company that derived more than 30% of its revenues or activities from coal. "It is the first time these thresholds in the coal criterion are being applied," the fund said in a statement on Wednesday. (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche, editing by Victoria Klesty) gwladys.fouche.reuters.com@reuters.net; Twitter handle: @gfouche))

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
The Toronto Zoo has launched a $70,000 campaign to support its growing giraffe family as the institution welcomed a baby giraffe recently.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Mstari, a six-year-old female Masai giraffe, gave birth to a calf. This is the first offspring for both mother Mstari and father Kiko, a seven-year-old male who came to the Toronto Zoo from the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina in 2015.

The calf doesnt have a name yet.

This birth is an important contribution to a genetically healthy Masai giraffe population especially as Mstari is the most genetically valuable giraffe in North America, Dolf DeJong, chief executive officer of the Toronto Zoo, said in a statement.

Masai giraffes are under increasing pressure due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. It is important to educate the public on their plight in the wild and do everything we can to prevent the threats they face and halt declining populations, he added.

The pairing of Kiko and Mstari was at the recommendation of the AZA Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan, a co-operative breeding program among accredited zoos, the Toronto Zoo said in a news release.

To celebrate the new addition, the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy has launched the Room to Grow campaign to raise money to support the growing giraffe family.

The $70,000 campaign aims to increase available space by reconfiguring the existing rooms and equipment, allowing for better access to the giraffes by wildlife care staff and the veterinary team, and incorporating features to improve enrichment, educational and monitoring opportunities.

The Toronto Zoo has had 19 giraffes born since 1980, and the new birth represents the first third-generation Toronto-born giraffe. Both Mstari and her mother, Twiga, were also born at the Toronto Zoo.


A commissioning ceremony for China's first Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Nanchang is held in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

The Nanchang, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's first Type 055 large destroyer, recently completed its first known maritime replenishment training, an operation that military experts said is crucial for the newly commissioned warship's combat capability.

China's most advanced destroyer is soon expected to be put into action and accompany aircraft carriers in far sea operations, experts predicted.

The supply ship Taihu and Nanchang recently conducted replenishment training, the PLA Navy announced on its Sina Weibo account on Monday. The post also came with a video of the operation.

This is the first time a maritime replenishment training by the 10,000 ton-class Nanchang has been publicly revealed, the PLA Navy said.

Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie told the Global Times on Tuesday that "The Nanchang is China's largest destroyer, and its significance, to some extent, is no less than an aircraft carrier."

The replenishment training is an important part of its combat capability generation program, and since it is expected to conduct missions of an extended time period in the far sea and accompany aircraft carriers or lead independent naval task groups, it needs to be capable of conducting replenishment operations through supply ships, Li said.

After making its public debut at a naval parade in April 2019, the Nanchang was commissioned into the PLA Navy at a naval port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on January 12, 2020. In late April, it conducted a real combat oriented training, including main gun fire in waters off Qingdao, according to publicly available reports.

Following these training subjects, the Nanchang is soon expected to form initial combat capability.

"After gaining combat, replenishment, far sea endurance and command and communication capabilities, it will not be long to see [the Nanchang] in action," Li predicted.

Chinese military enthusiasts are eagerly waiting to see the Nanchang operate with the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers together.

According to the PLA Navy, the Type 055 has a displacement of more than 12,000 tons. It has 112 vertical launch missile cells capable of firing a combination of surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine missiles and land-attack missiles, making it one of the most powerful destroyers in the world, analysts said.

In addition to the Nanchang, China has launched at least five more Type 055 destroyers in the Dalian Shipyard, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, and Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. Two more are reportedly under construction, military observers said.
Despite reports that U.S. senators are considering blocking future forward-deployments of American fighters and spycraft to the United Kingdom, the U.S. Air Force says its not changing its near-term plans.

Last week, The Telegraph, a British newspaper, was first to report that Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, had proposed an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to halt deployments of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Royal Air Force Lakenheath over the U.K.'s choice to allow Chinese firm Huawei to build that nation's 5G communications network.

The report followed another story from The Telegraph stating that the U.S. is also looking to pull back its RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft in the region over the security risks posed by the network.

A spokeswoman for U.S. Air Forces Europe said that, while potential negotiations are ongoing between officials in Washington, D.C., and British counterparts regarding Huawei, "At this point, we have no plans to alter the number or type of aircraft that fly out of our U.K. bases."

The Air Force also flies aircraft out of RAF Fairford and RAF Mildenhall.

"There's no change in our planning for [Air Force] F-35 coming over here, and anything that would be decided at higher levels will be worked up at that level," Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, head of USAFE, told Military.com in an interview last week.

Related: US Intensifies Advanced Fighter Buildup Near Arctic as 1st F-35s Arrive in Alaska

"As of right now, we're moving out, as with the plans that we have for our F 35s coming here next fall. We're going to continue to plan and move on on the infrastructure and the work that we've got ongoing to support that platform coming here to Europe," he added.

The service eventually plans to house two squadrons worth of F-35A conventional take-off and landing stealth fighters at RAF Lakenheath, bringing in an additional 1,200 service members and 48 aircraft assigned to the base's 48th Fighter Wing.

The first Lightning II jet is expected to arrive in fall 2021, making Lakenheath the first permanent U.S. F-35 base in Europe. The jet first deployed to the base in 2017.

The move to potentially curtail the F-35's deployment has raised concerns for the U.S. ally, which flies the F-35 short-takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version, the B-variant. The U.S. Marine Corps also flies the B-variant.

Following the Telegraph reports, Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Defence Select Committee in the House of Commons, sent a letter to U.K. Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace for further clarity on the situation, Janes reported.

"If passed, this would preclude the long-planned USAF deployment of F-35s at RAF Lakenheath, and could also bring into question the plans for HMS Queen Elizabeth to carry US USMC F-35s," Ellwood wrote, according to the Janes report.

"I am sure you agree with me that even the airing of such disagreements between us and our closest security ally is unhelpful in a time when global stability is at the lowest it has been for a generation," he said. "I should therefore be grateful if you could clarify what the [U.K.] government is doing to ensure that this initiative is not pursued further."

In a conference call last week with defense reporters, Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. had doubts about a proposed British workaround to satisfy U.S. security concerns while still allowing Huawei to work on Britain's 5G mobile and Wi-Fi networks.

Britain has talked up the possibility of isolating networks using Huawei routers while keeping other segments of the network secure, but Thornberry said U.S. technical experts have questioned the workability of the proposal.

"We need to try to understand the vulnerabilities," he said. "The United States has tried to encourage the Brits and other allies not to buy Huawei [hardware]."

He said Huawei's efforts in Britain appear to be part of a "deliberate strategy by China to infiltrate their equipment throughout the world's telecommunications networks," but added that the impasse had not yet reached the stage of the break the U.S. had with Turkey last year.

The Pentagon in July officially booted Turkey, a NATO ally, from participating in the program over its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system and asked students -- pilots and maintainers -- attending F-35 training in the U.S. at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to leave.

The JSF program was founded by nine partner nations: the U.S., the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, Norway, Denmark and Canada -- though Canada has not committed to buying the aircraft. Foreign Military Sales customers include Israel, Japan, South Korea and Belgium.

In September, the U.S. opened the door to Poland as a potential F-35 FMS customer. Then earlier this year, the U.S. government greenlit the sale of the F-35 jet to Singapore, potentially expanding the fifth-generation program in the Pacific.

-- Richard Sisk contributed to this story.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Read More: Less Door-Kicking, More Influencing: The Changing Role of Special Operators
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Boris Johnsons much-anticipated address to the U.K. on Sunday night left many feeling unsatisfied, and others infuriated. For a political team that has often used pithy slogans to devastating effect, the new one unveiled to guide Britain out of lockdown  Stay Alert  feels like an epic fail. How does one stay alert and to what, people wondered.

Part of the problem was presentational. Johnsons 13-minute speech was short on details, leaving everyone to wait until a 50-plus page document was released on Monday afternoon. There is often no good way to deliver bad news, but the lag gave people time to jump to hasty conclusions about whether Johnsons approach is the right one.

There is no getting around the fact that until there is a vaccine or a cure for Covid-19, we have to develop policies for a world where any spike in infections could have devastating consequences while shutdowns exact a hefty toll too. Johnsons path forward appears to take that hard reality into account, a striking contrast to the U.S. where my colleague Noah Feldman wrote recently there is no plan for the worst-case scenario. At least Johnson, famous for his optimism and skill at brushing off obstacles, tackles the sobering possibilities head on:

But while we hope for a breakthrough, hope is not a plan. A mass vaccine or treatment may be more than a year away. Indeed, in a worst-case scenario, we may never find a vaccine. So our plan must countenance a situation where we are in this, together, for the long haul, even while doing all we can to avoid that outcome.

To do so, hes laid out a cautious approach, and rightly so. It comes in three spaced-out phases. From this week, it gives people more personal freedoms for exercise and urges those who cant work from home to get back to work. (A return to office life will have to wait.) People are advised to wear face coverings wherever social distancing isnt possible. From June, some children will return to school. Some sectors of the economy  including the hospitality industry  will have to wait until at least July to open up again.To give people a gauge of how well the virus fight is going, Johnson unveiled new color-coded alert stages for the outbreak mirroring whats done in the fight on terrorism. They measure the level of threat, determined by the transmission rate and number of infections. His governments five tests will still determine when lockdown restrictions can be fully lifted.

Story continues

But there were gaps in the policy that sent the opposition Labour Party, unions, employers groups and others howling. The guidelines for worker safety havent been spelled out and yet some workers, such as in the construction sector, have been told to return to sites on Wednesday. It wasnt clear which parts of the guidance would just apply to England, as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are pursuing their own lockdown timetables. And a new quarantine for international travelers (start date not specified) seemed far too late, or laughably too early with airplanes still stuck on the tarmac.

The U.K. is following a number of other countries in easing restrictions that range from wider reopenings seen in Austria, Denmark and Germany to more limited lifting of restrictions in Italy and France. Johnsons easing falls on the cautious side, as warranted by Britains current transmission rate (the R number is estimated to be somewhere between 0.6 and 0.9) and its poor record as the country with Europes highest death toll from the virus.

Even assuming many of the details over how this staged opening will work can be cleared up, there is a wider problem highlighted by the backlash to Johnsons speech. The pandemic demands a response that is calibrated, revisited frequently and differentiated by sector and even region. And yet politics, as weve come to know it in recent years, has been conducted in a cruder vernacular  a language of simplifications and certainties, where emotional appeal is valued over empiricism.

In other words, we  and here I dont just mean Britain  couldnt be more unprepared for this crisis; not simply because we didnt have enough masks, gowns or ventilators stockpiled, but because after the political equivalent of high-fructose corn syrup for years, we recoil when given the choice between broccoli and Swiss chard. Either the messaging has to change  and Johnsons address and policy shift signals he gets this  or the politics of polarization dictates the available responses.

The good news for Johnson is that the broader public have so far been supportive of a longer lockdown. Many people either know someone who works for the National Health Service, the countrys largest employer, or someone who has been ill. And everyone likely felt some shock when the prime minister himself had to be treated in intensive care with Covid-19. That doesnt mean that it will be easy to hold onto that trust as the economic costs rise and fatigue sets in.

Johnsons big gamble is that he can now both control the viruss spread and slowly unleash the economy so that these longer-term problems dont grow worse. That may be possible if, like Germany and South Korea, Britain manages to implement a far-reaching testing program and roll out a robust contact-tracing program. But the U.K. is behind on both counts. At the same time, to hold off calls for a faster lifting of restrictions, the government owes critics far greater transparency about how it arrives at its decisions than has been the case up to now.

For a politician who has so often defied the odds, Johnson will need all his trademark optimism to keep the public with him through this, along with a new commitment to transparency and a greater mastery of policy detail. But its realism from the prime minister, rather than the old boosterism, that offers Britain its best chance of limiting the damage.

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

Therese Raphael is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. She was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe.

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.
Tasmania's multi-billion dollar renewable energy plan to drive its economic recovery from coronavirus could force the Morrison government into a tough choice between supporting renewables or coal.

The Tasmanian government released a draft plan on Wednesday to double the state's renewable energy output, store the surplus in hydroelectric Battery of the Nation project power and send it to the mainland via the Marinus Link interconnector under Bass Strait.

Tasmania is promoting a plan to fuel its economic recovery from coronavirus with investment in renewable energy. Credit:Martin Meissner.

Tasmanian energy minister Guy Barnett said the plan would be made law in the second half of 2020 to "drive the Tasmanian economy onwards as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19".

Tasmania is already on track to supply 100 per cent of its own energy demands. The draft plan sets a target to double renewable generation to 200 per cent of current needs by 2040.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 13:48:03

Fort Lauderdale, FL, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Veritas Farms, Inc. (OTCQB: VFRM), a vertically-integrated agribusiness focused on the production of full spectrum hemp extracts with naturally occurring cannabinoids, is pleased to announce that it has partnered once again with Miami-based Toast Distillers, Inc., to address the growing need for hand sanitizers throughout the U.S. in response to the COVID-19 crisis.



Veritas Farms will utilize its distribution network of over 6,000 stores and rapidly growing online presence to make readily available varying sizes and dispensers of the hand sanitizer produced locally by The Miami Distilling Company, a subsidiary of Toast Distillers, Inc.

The hand sanitizer contains 70% isopropyl alcohol, aloe vera, and vitamin E. It will be available online beginning Monday, May 18th, through Veritas Farms robust online platform at https://www.theveritasfarms.com/shop/.

Toast Distillers, Inc. has been adroit in responding to demand for hand sanitizers both in South Florida and nationwide since the early stages of COVID-19. This demand is from many sectors including military, government, and traditional retail.

Alexander M. Salgado, CEO and co-founder of Veritas Farms, commented, We are excited to add hand sanitizers to our expanding product lines both at the store level and our online platform. It is a great feeling to be partnering again with Toast Distillers, Inc. as we did at Art Basel as the Official Health and Wellness Sponsor during Miami Art Week in December 2019.

To work again with Alex and his marketing team to maximize distribution of Veritas Farms-branded hand sanitizers is right in line with our current distilling objectives, said Dieuveny DJ Jean Louis, founder and president of Toast Distillers, Inc. Veritas Farms  which has a national presence with multiple products in many of the major retail chains, as well as online  is the perfect retail partner for Toast Distillers, Inc.

About Veritas Farms, Inc.

Veritas Farms, Inc. (OTCQB: VFRM) is a vertically integrated agribusiness focused on producing superior quality, whole plant, full spectrum hemp oils and extracts containing naturally occurring cannabinoids. The Company currently operates a 140-acre farm and production facilities in Pueblo, Colorado, and is registered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp. The Company markets and sells products under its Veritas Farms brand and manufactures private label products for a number of leading distributors and retailers.

Veritas Farms brand full spectrum hemp oil products include vegan capsules, tinctures, formulations for sublingual applications and infused edibles, lotions, salves, and oral syringes in a variety of size formats and flavors. All Veritas Farms brand products are third-party laboratory tested for strength and purity. The Company files periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which can be viewed at www.sec.gov.

For additional information and online product purchase, visit www.theveritasfarms.com.

Veritas Farms, Inc. - Investor Contact

Toll-Free: (888) 549-7888

E-mail: ir@theveritasfarms.com

Veritas Farms, Inc. - Social Media

Instagram: www.instagram.com/veritasfarmsofficial/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/VeritasFarmsOfficial/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/veritasfarms/

About Toast Distillers, Inc.

Toast Distillers, Inc. ("Toast") is a Miami-based spirits conglomerate. The company was founded by Dieuveny "DJ" Jean Louis, aka "Mr. Toast. It is known best for its ultra-premium vodka, Toast. The company includes The Miami Distilling Company, where the company produces all of its products. Toast Distillers specializes in developing brands internally, as well as facilitating the branding and distribution needs of other specialty spirits companies. The company's products include a full range of ultra-premium to midline and well-line spirits products for vodka, rum, gin, tequila and whiskey. For more information, email info@toastdistillers.com or visit www.toastdistillers.com or www.toastvodka.com.

About The Miami Distilling Company

The Miami Distilling Company is the regional leader in the production of distilled spirits. The portfolio includes brands such as Toast Vodka, Voka Vodka, Amazing Brands and TMDC Spirits.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including those with respect to the Companys mission statement and growth strategy, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company's management believes that such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that such expectations are, or will be, correct. These forward-looking statements involve many risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Companys future results to differ materially from those anticipated. Potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; and the ability to obtain necessary financing on acceptable terms or at all. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update any of the information contained or referenced in this press release.

Veritas Farms, Inc. - Investor Contact

888-549-7888 #3

ir@theveritasfarms.com
Condemning Heinous Terrorist Attacks in Afghanistan Today

Press Statement

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

May 12, 2020



The United States condemns in the strongest terms the two horrific terrorist attacks in Afghanistan today. In an unconscionable assault, gunmen seized one of Kabul's busiest hospitals, which housed a maternity ward run by Doctors Without Borders. In the hospital, the terrorists took the lives of at least 13 innocent people, including newborn babies, new mothers, and health care workers. Any attack on innocents is unforgivable, but to attack infants and women in labor in the sanctuary of a hospital is an act of sheer evil.

Separately, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, a suicide bomber attacked the funeral of a local police commander, leaving at least 26 people dead and more than 68 wounded. Terrorists who attack mourners lining up for prayer at a funeral are only seeking to tear apart the bonds that hold families and communities together, but they will never succeed. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families of both attacks, as well as the brave Afghan security forces who defended against the terrorists.

During the holy month of Ramadan and amidst the threat of COVID-19, these dual attacks are particularly appalling. We note the Taliban have denied any responsibility and condemned both attacks as heinous. The Taliban and the Afghan government should cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice. As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism. The Afghan people deserve a future free from terror, and the ongoing peace process continues to present a critical opportunity for Afghans to come together to build a united front against the menace of terrorism.

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Poornima Nair, who gained medical qualifications from the University of Delhi in 1987 and practised as a general practitioner after moving to the UK in 1997, has passed away after contracting coronavirus, her practice in County Durham said on Wednesday.

The Station View Medical Centre in north-east England, where she was based, said: The practice is very sorry to announce to our patients the death of our much loved and valued colleague and friend Dr Poornima Nair.

Dr Nair passed away after a prolonged Covid 19 illness which she fought with her great strength of character. We are all devastated and upset by this tragic news and hope you will join with us in our thoughts and prayers.

Nair, 56, was on life support since March 27 having been taken ill two weeks earlier and admitted to the University Hospital of North Tees Hospital in Stockton.

Practice manager Sarah Westgarth described her as positive, encouraging and so caring. Its quite unbelievable that seven weeks down the line, as a practice we are having to mourn the death of someone who is so important to us and a real focal point of the surgery.

I really feel for her family - her mum, husband and son. Her heart was with the NHS and what she could do to help her patients and the staff. Shell be so missed.

Nair joins the grim list of medical staff of Indian heritage who passed away from the virus, which includes Jitendra Kumar Rathod, Manjeet Singh Riyat, Krishan Arora, Rajesh Kalraiya, Pooja Sharma, Jayesh Patel, Vivek Sharma, Kamlesh Kumar Masson, Amarante Dias, Sophie Fagan, Hamza Pacheeri and Amrik Bamotra.

Their passing away reflects the reality of tens of thousands of Indian doctors and health care professionals arriving in the UK over the decades and taking up key jobs in the NHS.

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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
A view outside Bellevue hospital during the coronavirus pandemic on May 1, 2020 in New York City. Noam Galai | Getty Images

Anyone listening to congressional leaders speak during the coronavirus outbreak has heard a lot about the "heroes" sustaining the rest of the country. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday lionized "American heroes" in the health-care industry whom he said should have stronger protections from lawsuits. About a month earlier, Senate Democrats proposed a "Heroes Fund" to give a $13 an hour hazard pay raise to workers  from doctors and nurses to grocery and transit employees  who face a heightened risk of contracting Covid-19, the deadly disease caused by the coronavirus. House Democrats, who hold the majority in the chamber, also used the term "heroes" on Tuesday, calling their next $3 trillion relief bill the "HEROES Act." The proposal, which could pass in the Democratic-controlled House but has little chance of getting through the GOP-held Senate and becoming law, includes a $200 billion "Heroes Fund" to offer front-line employees a raise. Two months into the pandemic, only some businesses and cities have given the people still required to go into work a raise. While lawmakers have put forward several hazard pay plans, none of them made the cut in the four bills Congress has passed to try to mitigate the coronavirus's devastation.

As workers deemed essential "heroes" during the pandemic push for better compensation, no legislation with a real chance of becoming law has yet included better pay for them. As Republicans pump the brakes on another major federal spending bill, passage of a widespread wage hike for front-line workers appears unlikely in the coming weeks. "They're putting their lives on the line, they're essential employees. They should be compensated for that. This is above and beyond the normal call of duty," said Bob Gibson, vice president of Service Employees International Union Local 1199 in Florida, a state where the union represents more than 25,000 health-care employees.

Minimum wage and small pay bumps

Among the millions of Americans who face a higher risk of getting sick or passing Covid-19 to their families by going into work, many still make less than $15 per hour  the standard labor rights groups have adopted as a "living wage" even under safer conditions. For example, Gibson said certified nursing assistants and patient care technicians make roughly between $9 and $13 an hour in Florida, depending on where they work. The Wall Street Journal reported this month that 1 in 4 companies where employees have to work on-site are extending hazard pay, citing an April survey from WorldatWork. Some major employers have offered essential workers raises during the pandemic: Target and Amazon at least temporarily boosted wages for front-line employees by $2 per hour. So did Kroger, though it plans to end the pay hike on May 17. Others such as Walmart gave workers one-time bonuses of $150 or more. In Florida, Gibson said some health-care employers have increased wages, though getting a raise can depend on how much contact a worker has with Covid-19 patients. Labor unions around the country have called the compensation increases inadequate relative to the risk workers face.

The push for bigger raises

Federal hazard pay proposals have gained traction as the crisis drags on, though most of the support has come from the Democratic side. Last month, Senate Democrats outlined a plan for a $13 per hour raise for essential workers from the date the U.S. declared a public health emergency in late January through the end of the year. The proposal includes a $15,000 incentive to recruit health- and home-care workers and first responders. Sen. Mitt Romney's proposal this month from the Republican side shows the differences the parties would have to resolve to approve a hazard pay plan. While the Utah Republican's plan would hike wages by a similar amount, $12 an hour, it would only take effect for May, June and July. Employers would fund one-quarter of the raises, while the federal government would cover the remaining three-quarters through a refundable tax credit.
It began with Elizabeth Ane. President John Pombe Magufuli explained that he had suspected that the number of COVID-19 cases in Tanzania was being artificially inflated. At his direction, test swabs were applied to non-human samples, including goats, sheep, pawpaw fruit, quails and oil. The swabs were tubed and assigned human pseudonyms, including Elizabeth Ane. They were sent, thus disguised, to the national laboratory to be tested for COVID-19.

In a live television broadcast , Magufuli announced the results: COVID-19 false positives. This, he alleged, revealed a picture of foreign conspiracy and domestic collusion:

Some workers may have been put on the payroll of imperialists.

In a manner reminiscent of President Donald Trump, he insinuated that the World Health Organisation, at least by omission, was responsible. He announced purportedly good news too; Madagascar had discovered a herbal medicine for COVID-19. In an apparent celebration of the national airline , a plane was dispatched to collect doses.

Magufuli's response to COVID-19 did not start  or end  with this test of tests. He introduced preventative measures to COVID-19 late and partially, which the WHO has suggested may have exacerbated the spread of the virus. He declared that COVID-19 was a devil (shetani) which cannot live in the body of Christ. It will burn instantly.

Later, he asked Tanzanians to defeat the devil in coronavirus through prayer, announced 3 days of national prayers against COVID-19 and has excluded churches and mosques from lockdown measures.

Magufuli had very different plans for 2020. General elections are scheduled for October, the first since his election as president five years ago.

Preparing for victory

During his five years in office Magufuli has declared and waged two wars: one against corruption , and another against, in his terms, imperialists (mabeberu) . He claimed that these struggles were vital to advance the industrial transformation of Tanzania. He invoked this project to justify a sharp authoritarian turn .

He told the opposition to postpone politics so development could be pursued. He has alleged that the opposition sabotages national development and collaborates with foreigners.

A strong election victory would have affirmed the Magufuli project.

Whether Magufuli would win a greater share of the vote in a free and fair election is disputed. Many believe that Magufuli's agenda galvanised widespread support . In 2016 his approval rating was 96% . However, in 2018 it fell to 55% . In fact, in Tanzania, survey respondents routinely over-report support for the ruling party and under-report support for the opposition. This throws Magufuli's popularity into doubt .

But the election was not destined to be fair in any case. Five years of oppression have existentially threatened the opposition . Closing political space has silenced critics . In local elections held last year 2019, opposition candidates were disqualified en masse . As a result the opposition refused to participate in them.

Therefore, regardless of Magufuli's popularity or unpopularity, his electoral prospects seemed sunny. He was touted to increase his party's share of the vote. This would have arrested two election cycles  2010 and 2015  of popular decline.

In sum, victory was on the horizon, and as the adage goes, history is written by the victors. He had reason to hope that his agenda would be credited with the triumph, his controversial course as president would be vindicated, and his narrative would prevail.

Instead, 2020 is casting Magufuli in the worst of lights. His COVID-19 response throws other, negative aspects of the president and his programme into sharp relief. Instead of validating his vision it is bringing critical, dissenting perspectives to the fore.

The critics

One such perspective, much touted by the opposition , is of Magufuli as a tyrant . In authoritarian Tanzania, they argue, dissent is squashed and media is censored. Information is tightly controlled by the state.

Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe argues that this frustrates development . Civil activist Aidan Eyakuze argues that data secrecy makes it harder to correct mistakes by checking facts.

COVID-19 has brought awful immediacy to these assertions. The very real possibility has emerged that the state is covering up - or at least, not documenting  the scale of COVID-19 deaths. Rumours of unreported cases abound; video footage of night burials are circulating. Activists that have disputed official coverage have been arrested.

Opposition parties Chadema and ACT-Wazalendo have demanded for more transparency and openness. Some self-proclaimed supporters have pleaded with Magufuli to simply tell the truth .

Another line of attack against Magufuli is that he is a zealot. He has ostentatiously put his programme of industrialisation above all. He asked people to forego better lives today for better lives tomorrow . This urgency was applauded. But COVID-19 makes such dedication seem fanatical. Opposition leader Freeman Mbowe has alleged that Magufuli would rather sacrifice his citizens than the economy and his flagship economic projects .

Most of all, Magufuli's response to COVID-19 will lend credence to others' view that he is reckless . Others have described Magufuli as paranoid or a petty dictator . His moniker  The Bulldozer  originally signified building and determination; it has been reinterpreted as destructive .

But Magufuli's COVID-19 response is bringing to the fore another, often overlooked perspective: the president as politician and rhetorician . His apparently spontaneous behaviour is often strategic. His 'off-the-cuff' remarks are strategic. While his response to COVID-19 may seem unhinged, it is also straight out of his normal playbook.

When he waged an 'economic war', the pretext was the alleged discovery of years of under-reporting of mineral exports by foreign mining companies. Exposing fraudulent COVID-19 test kits approved by the WHO runs off the same script.

The dismissal of the eminently qualified National Laboratory Director Nyambura Moremi also sounds like a return to old tactics. Magufuli has made firing public officials a signature move. It displays decisive action and finds scapegoats which leave president and party unblemished by blame.

His response also drags COVID-19 into a nationalist sphere which will cloud future debate. If international conspiracy is inflating test results, then those that report higher infection - or death-rates  would be collaborators. Those that dispute official results would be seditious. He is subsuming COVID-19 into a nationalist struggle.

Meanwhile, the state-owned press is showering Magufuli with praise in a reassertion of his preferred narrative.

Jury is still out

Which of these interpretations of President Magufuli will prevail remains uncertain. He may succeed in vilifying his critics and suppressing alternative information. However, against the backdrop of this political struggle, the spread of COVID-19 will continue. The subordination of COVID-19 to regime politics is a tragedy in the making.

This tragedy is accompanied by another: Magufuli's projects elevate worthy causes, but also sullies them. Corruption is indeed widespread. Foreign companies are indeed exploitative. Not all aid is sent with the best intentions. Industrialisation is a worthy goal.

Tanzania ought to aspire to better lives for it citizens. These causes are laudable and it is good that Magufuli pursues them. But his conduct over COVID-19 and democracy tarnishes them by association .

Dan Paget is a member of the British Labour Party.

Aikande Clement Kwayu is a honorary research fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

By Dan Paget, Teaching Fellow at University College London, UCL And

Aikande Clement Kwayu, Independent researcher & Honorary Research Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison
With traditional cap-and-gown collegiate commencement ceremonies canceled nationwide, the following students from cities within the Northeast Herald coverage area are being recognized for their academic achievements and honors.

Melvin Rolon-Merced of Schertz was among the 55 University of Scranton (Pennsylvania) students inducted into Upsilon Phi Delta, the national honor society for graduate and undergraduate students in healthcare administration programs. Students must have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 for induction.

Rolon-Merced is a graduate student pursuing a health administration degree at the Jesuit university.

Courtney King of Schertz was inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society during the University of Alabama's virtual Tapping on the Mound ceremony April 10.

The Omicron Delta Kappa Society is the national leadership honor society for college students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni that recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership and exemplary character.

Ian Downey of Cibolo graduated from Cedarville University (Ohio) with a bachelors degree in electrical engineering during the 124th annual commencement May 2.

Cedarville University, located between Dayton and Columbus, is an accredited Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,380 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study.

Jade Alexis Williamson of Schertz is among the 400 members of the University of Utahs College of Fine Arts graduating class of 2020. Williamson earned a bachelors degree in film and media arts.

Erin Theresa Foelker of Universal City was among the more than 5,400 University of Mississippi candidates for graduation able to take part in the colleges May 9 live virtual celebratory event.

Foelker, a Chinese major, is a candidate for a bachelors degree in the College of Liberal Arts. As part of the virtual celebration, students received an official cap and tassel from the university, along with other celebratory items.
The EU on Wednesday set out plans for a phased restart of travel this summer, hoping to save millions of tourism jobs threatened by the coronavirus pandemic across Europe, the world's top holiday destination. Travel restrictions to combat the virus have already had a devastating impact on the sector, with airlines around the continent forced to shed tens of thousands of jobs. Under new guidelines from Brussels, holidaymakers could be asked to wear facemasks on planes, respect social distancing on the beach and even book slots to use hotel pools. Tourism is vital to the EU as a whole, accounting for 10 percent of GDP and supporting 23 million jobs. It is especially important to southern countries already struggling with debt and the impact of COVID-19 -- notably Greece, Italy and Spain. "Today's guidance can be the chance of a better season for the many Europeans whose livelihood depends on tourism and, of course, for those who would like to travel this summer," the EU commission's executive vice president Margrethe Vestager told reporters. In a stark sign of the crisis facing the industry, the world's biggest tourism group TUI said Wednesday it planned to slash 8,000 jobs as it reported a net loss of over 750 million euros for the first three months of the year. - Phased approach - While decisions about reopening borders fall to national governments, Brussels is urging the 27 EU states to take a coordinated approach to lifting restrictions -- after a haphazard start to the crisis in which capitals closed frontiers with little or no consultation. The EU is proposing a three-stage approach, starting with the current situation in which most non-essential travel across borders is banned. In the next phase, the EU wants border restrictions lifted between countries and regions at a similar stage of the pandemic, and where the health situation is improving. In the final phase, all coronavirus-related border controls would be lifted and travel permitted throughout Europe once again. No timescale has been announced, with Brussels urging governments to consider economic and social factors as well as health when they weigh up reopening their borders. Germany plans to end virus restrictions at its borders with Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland and France on June 15, with family and business trips permitted as soon as Friday. - Face masks, timed pool slots - Aside from the economic impact, the annual summer holiday is an important ritual cherished by millions of Europeans. "This is not going to be a normal summer... but when we all do our part we don't have to face a summer stuck at home or completely lost for tourism industry," Vestager said. Holidays in the time of coronavirus look set to be rather different than before, with measures in place to minimise the risk of infection. Travellers should wear facemasks while on shared transport such as planes, trains and buses -- as well as at hubs such as airports and railway stations, under the EU recommendations. Fewer passengers may be allowed on board to allow them to maintain safe distancing, and buffet trolleys and dining cars will be shuttered. Hotels and restaurants will be urged to limit guest numbers so they can respect social distancing rules, and set up online booking for slots to use swimming pools and gyms. In order to keep a close eye on the progress of the disease -- and quickly identify any hotspots -- EU countries have agreed to ensure contact-tracing phone apps work across borders. Wednesday's plan also tackles the thorny issue of refunds for cancelled holidays. Under EU rules, travellers are entitled to a cash refund, but many operators and airlines -- already struggling with collapsing revenue -- prefer to give credit vouchers instead. To make vouchers more appealing, Brussels suggests making them valid for 12 months, refundable after that and protected against the company in question going bust.
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MIDDLETOWN  Wesleyan University will hold its commencement ceremony virtually May 24 during which honorary degree recipients and a student speaker will deliver remarks in a series of pre-recorded videos, while President Michael S. Roth will deliver live remarks.

Conferral of degrees will also be live. In addition, Wesleyan will hold an in-person celebration in 2021 for the graduates, according to a press release.
These are unusual days for Anil Agarwal, the billionaire founder of Vedanta. For someone who had made his mark through a flurry of acquisitions, and turning around sick assets, the entrepreneur has been uncharacteristically silent.

Instead, Agarwal seems to be consolidating his assets.

In 2018, he delisted Vedanta Resources from London Stock Exchange. A year later, he divested the 20 percent stake held through family trust Volcan Investments in South African mining major Anglo American. And now, in an announcement on May 12, he proposed to delist Vedanta from the Indian stock exchanges.

Is the move just about 'corporate simplification' as Agarwal's firm said in the statement?

Moneycontrol spoke to industry executives and experts to understand the veteran entrepreneur's move. Not surprisingly, there were more questions than answers.

Here are a few:

Is Agarwal still betting on the mining sector?

It's a fair question to ask, especially given the roadblocks the entrepreneur and his firms have hit in the past few years.

To be sure, Agarwal was among the first, and perhaps remains the only Indian businessman who understood the true potential in mining, and his ambition to create a natural resources major out of India, was not misplaced.

Starting as a scrap trader, Agarwal built an empire buying out public sector units and turning them around, saw off intense competition in his acquisition of Sesa Goa - the largest private iron ore miner in the country - and diversified in his buy of Cairn, a deal considered a masterstroke.

But the setbacks were equal in measure. The multi-billion alumina project in Odisha attracted a lot of bad press in India and overseas and has been a loss-making proposition. Sesa Goa has been hit since the mining ban, and run-ins with the administration over environmental regulations continue with the copper smelter in Thoothukudi.

It was difficult being Anil Agarwal.

The stake buy in Anglo American was expected to be his big push in getting to the mining-major dream. And even though Agarwal maintained that his share was more like an investment - and he did exit with a $500 million gain - there have been reports that he wanted Anglo American to be his vehicle to further expand globally.

He had also, as a Financial Times report pointed out, wanted to merge Anglo American with Hindustan Zinc, but it didn't work out. Hindustan Zinc will now be his only listed entity.

"This (de-listing of Vedanta) may be a sign of full stop to big ambitions," is how an industry expert reads it.

It may seem so, especially when peers like Rio Tinto, the mining major, are prowling for acquisitions as the global mining industry struggles to come to terms with the disruption caused by COVID-19.

That's what the Agarwal of yore would have also done. Isn't it? In fact, his last two acquisitions have been in the steel sector, with Electrosteel and FACOR.

At the same time, can the master miner really stay away from the mining sector?

Is there more than meets the eye in the delisting?

"Delisting is fine as long as a fair price is paid to minority shareholders taking into account the premium for delisting," said Shriram Subramanian, Founder and Managing Director of proxy advisory firm InGovern Research Services.

In the May 12 announcement, Vedanta Resources has offered to buy out the 48.94 percent non-promoter shares at Rs 87.5 per share, which represents a premium of 9.9 percent over its May 11 closing market price.

"Promoters may think that the current stock price is far lower than the intrinsic value and choose to delist. However, there should not be any asymmetry of information between the promoters and other shareholders," added Subramanian.

Those in the industry pointed out at Vedanta's previous group restructuring exercises that had raised questions, including the merger between Sesa Goa and Sterlite.

The new entity, Sesa Sterlite, also included Vedanta Aluminium and its debts. Advisory firm IIAS had pointed out that while the merger will increase the new entity's revenue by about 35 percent, its debt would zoom by 400 percent.

Another senior executive from the industry wondered if delisting will bring some relief to the group when it comes to compliance. "You are no longer as answerable as earlier," he pointed out.

Will Agarwal follow the delisting with a relist?

The delisting provides Agarwal with an opportunity to have a fresh look at his organisation, and probably attract investments.

"With the markets being the way they are at present, valuation would be a problem for anyone who is looking for an investor. Chances are better to get a higher valuation after the company is made private ," said a senior executive.

Another industry official added that with a new organisational structure may throw up more options when it comes to listing. "Maybe Agarwal could look at listing some verticals, like power, separately," the official added.

Succession planning?

While taking a company private may not make succession planning easier or tougher, the industry has been looking for clues on what Agarwal is thinking about the future.

While a few years ago, the 66-year-old entrepreneur had talked about getting into a mentor-like role in the group, recent comments show his keenness to keep his boots on, and not hang them.

Agarwal, who has a son and daughter, has said the children "have their own passion and are doing very well."

His daughter Priya Agarwal is on the board of Vedanta, as is his brother Navin Agarwal.

Agarwal's search for a professional CEO to lead the Group seemed to have ended with Tom Albanese, the former Rio Tinto CEO who joined Vedanta in 2014. However, Albanese stepped down three years later, to be followed by Srinivasan Venkatkrishnan, an industry veteran.

But Venkatkrishnan's stint lasted just about a year, and Sunil Duggal, who was leading Hindustan Zinc, took over.

Will the delisting of Vedanta shed fresh light on Agarwal's succession plan?
Piers Morgan has hit out at TOWIE star Debbie Bright after she criticised his 'negativity' on Good Morning Britain each day.

After a Twitter user insisted the journalist, 55, 'needed to relax', philanthropist, TV star and foster carer Debbie, 56, echoed the sentiment and insisted she has stopped tuning in to the ITV breakfast show amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In typically-acerbic style, Piers hit back at Debbie's heartfelt tweet, writing: 'Why do you follow me then? If you want constant uplifting positivity as 60,000 have died from Govt negligence, go follow a Love Islander or something.'

Finding happiness: Piers Morgan has hit out at TOWIE star Debbie Bright after she criticised his 'negativity' on Good Morning Britain each day

Piers' handling of government officials and experts on the show has been widely discussed during the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.

While many have lauded the TV star and journalist for his head-on addresses other have insisted he is 'not letting people speak' and is garnering negativity.

One Twitter user wrote: 'Cant deal with piers Morgan anymore started well asking some important questions now all he wannado Is bring people in, interrupt them and try to embarass them and be negative hes lost the plot...

'Someone from his household give him a big cuddle and tell him to relax'.

Not happy: After a Twitter user insisted the journalist, 55, 'needed to relax', philanthropist, TV star and foster carer Debbie, 56, echoed the sentiment and insisted she has stopped tuning in to the ITV breakfast show amid the coronavirus pandemic

Hitting out: In typically-acerbic style, Piers hit back at Debbie's heartfelt tweet, writing: 'Why do you follow me then? If you want constant uplifting positivity as 60,000 have died from Govt negligence, go follow a Love Islander or something'

Debbie responded to the message, writing: 'I said the same yesterday...I truly cannot deal with his negativity everyday. Life is difficult enough we all need to be uplifted not constantly put into low moods.'

It was then Piers hit back with the comment about who Debbie chooses to follow, with his comeback tweet garnering 3,400 likes in three hours.

Debbie burst on to TV screens nearly eight years ago in a supporting role on The Only Way Is Essex in support of her reality star daughter Lydia, before garnering huge praise from fans as one of the loving mums of the show.

Hurt: Debbie responded to a Twitter user: 'I said the same yesterday...I truly cannot deal with his negativity everyday. Life is difficult enough we all need to be uplifted not constantly put into low moods'

Aside from her TV work, Debbie has been a foster carer for 30 years and is in the midst of promoting and celebrating Foster Care Fortnight.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline in 2018, the reality favourite candidly discussed her life as a foster parent and the highs and lows of the tough yet rewarding job.

While she has kept her fostering off screens, Debbie has always spoken with passion about the work yet admits there are difficulties with the job.

Starring role: Debbie burst on to TV screens nearly eight years ago in a supporting role on The Only Way Is Essex in support of her reality star daughter Lydia, before garnering huge praise from fans as one of the loving mums of the show

She told MailOnline: 'The hardest thing is when you have to give up babies, when you take a baby from a week old, a year or 18 months have to move on, thats heartbreaking. You have to remember you are just part of their journey...

'Some of the behaviours are so difficult to deal with. Its much harder to unlearn behaviours than to learn them. If you dont get a child until theyre 10, sometimes you can break through but sometimes you cant...

'You know that child is going to have a difficult life, but they have to go through that journey to become that person theyll become in later life'.
J.C. Penney is in talks with key lenders to secure $450 million in financing for a possible bankruptcy filing that would require the troubled retailer to hit certain goals to receive the second half of the loan, people familiar with the situation tell CNBC.

The funds, known as a "debtor in possession" loan, would be smaller than the $1 billion in DIP the retailer was initially seeking, though that would have included existing debt being rolled over.

The company is planning to file for bankruptcy as soon as Friday, though that timing could still be delayed, one of the people said. It is working on a plan that would contemplate closing 180 to 200 stores while in bankruptcy. The retailer had 846 department stores as of February and employed roughly 90,000 full-time and part-time employees. The people cautioned that plans are not yet finalized, and nothing is certain.

As part of the discussions with its first-lien lenders, J.C. Penney would be able to draw $225 million of its bankruptcy loan on day one. It will receive the rest of the funds based on how the company does against its budget, the terms of which its lenders are still working through. The structure helps protect J.C Penney's lenders if the business falls short, because shoppers don't show up, the coronavirus returns, or both.

The U.S. economy is facing structural uncertainty as states look to reopen businesses, but the coronavirus continues to spread. White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Tuesday that the United States could face even more "suffering and death" from Covid-19 if some states rush to reopen businesses too early.

For retailers, there is also uncertainty as to whether -- and how -- shoppers will want to visit their stores.

For those planning bankruptcy, those questions have added complexity as they negotiate loans with their lenders to help finance operations under court protection.

"Even if companies were to open their stores tomorrow  there's probably some parts of the economy that will never be the same," said Russell Mills, a bankruptcy attorney at law firm Bell Nunnally.

"In bankruptcy, you have to be able to forecast your revenues over a period of time  how can any debtor forecast with any certainty what their revenue is going to be for three to five years."

Discount department store Stage Stores filed for bankruptcy Monday after the coronavirus pandemic left it "unable to obtain necessary financing." It plans on liquidating inventory in hundreds of its stores, a task made difficult, it said in court filings, by the current environment.

"The Debtors cannot initiate store-closing efforts until their stores reopen following the COVID-19 pandemic. And even after they can reopen, predicting consumer demand at that time is challenging," the filing stated.

Neiman Marcus, meantime, filed for bankruptcy last week with $675 million in financing and a commitment from its creditors to provide $750 million once it emerges.

The people requested anonymity because the information is confidential. A spokesperson for J.C. Penney declined to comment.
Why are people from the Flathead, eastern Montana, Missoula and other areas of Montana trying to manipulate the voting on legislative races in Ravalli County? Our representative republic was founded on the idea that communities elect one person to represent them. Someone who will understand the people, issues, and needs of the community.

When one candidate touts endorsements from dozens of leaders  all from outside the county, that should be a huge red flag. When a pastor pushes his agenda into our community from his blog pulpit in Jordan, Montana, we should be concerned. When a legislator from Missoula attacks our candidates that should be cause for alarm. One cant help but wonder who is orchestrating the manipulation of Ravalli County.

We are seeing an over-abundance of hate in this primary election. Why the obvious desperation? Why do these interlopers feel they have a right to tell Ravalli County voters what to think? As you vote, ignore the voices from outside Ravalli County and ask yourself who will best represent you. Do you want someone who spews hatred at anyone with whom they disagree or someone who will listen?

I support Representative Nancy Ballance because she has remained above the fray. Nancy remains fact based. Nancy treats her constituents just as she would like to be treated. Its simple, we need more people like Representative Nancy Ballance in Helena to protect our rights. Send our Representative, Nancy Ballance back to Helena for Senate District 44.

 Charles Bill Scholl, Florence

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Photo credit: Library of Congress/Newspaper Navigator

From Popular Mechanics

A computer scientist at the Library of Congress is using machine learning to isolate historic images from digital newspaper archives.

The project, called Newspaper Navigator, uses optical character recognition algorithms to turn handwritten or text-based characters into a searchable document. Machine learning automates the process.

You can read the team's preprint paper (that means it has not yet been peer-reviewed), posted to the server ArXiv on May 4.

In July 1848, L'illustration, a French weekly, printed the first photo to appear alongside a story. It depicted Parisian barricades set up during the city's June Days uprising. Nearly two centuries later, photojournalism has bestowed libraries with legions of archival pictures that tell stories of our past. But without a methodical approach to curate them, these historical images could get lost in endless mounds of data.

That's why the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. is undergoing an experiment. Researchers are using specialized algorithms to extract historic images from newspapers. While digital scans can already do this, these algorithms can also analyze, catalog, and archive the image, creating an massive database for 16 million newspaper pages that can find images using a simple search.

Photo credit: The Bridgeman Art Library

Ben Lee, innovator-in-residence at the Library of Congress, and a graduate student studying computer science at the University of Washington, is spearheading what's called Newspaper Navigator. His dataset comes from an existing project called Chronicling America, which compiles digital newspaper pages between 1789 and 1963.

He noticed that the library had already embarked on a crowdsourcing journey to turn some of those newspaper pages into a searchable database, with a focus on content relating to World War I. Volunteers could mark up and transcribe the digital newspaper pagessomething that computers aren't always so great at. In effect, what they had built was a perfect set of training data for a machine learning algorithm that could automate all of that grueling, laborious work.

Story continues

"Volunteers were asked to draw the bounding boxes such that they included things like titles and captions, and so then the system would...identify that text," Lee tells Popular Mechanics. "I thought, let's try to see how we can use some emerging computer science tools to augment our abilities and how we use collections."

In total, it took about 19 days' worth of processing time for the system to sift through all 16,358,041 newspaper pages. Of those, the system only failed to process 383 pages.

What Is Optical Character Recognition?

Photo credit: Newspaper Navigator/ArXiv

Newspaper Navigator builds upon the same technology that engineers used to create Google Books. It's called optical character recognition, or OCR for short, and it's a class of machine learning algorithms that can translate images of typed or handwritten symbols, like words on a scanned magazine page, into digital, machine-readable text.

At Popular Mechanics, we have an archive of almost all of our magazines on Google Books, dating back to January 1905. Because Google has used OCR to optimize those digital scans, it's simple to go through and search our entire archive for mentions of, say, "spies," to get a result like this:

Photo credit: Popular Mechanics

But images are something else, entirely.

Using deep learning, Lee built an object detection model that could isolate seven different types of content: photographs, illustrations, maps, comics, editorial cartoons, headlines, and advertisements. So if you want to find photos specifically of soldiers in trenches, you might search "trenches" in Newspaper Navigator and get results instantly.

Before, you'd have to sift through potentially thousands of pages' worth of data. This breakthrough will be extremely empowering for archivists, and Lee has open-sourced all of the code that he used to build his deep-learning model.

"Our hope is actually that people who have collections of newspapers...might be able to use the the code that I'm releasing, or do their own version of this at different scales," Lee says. One day your local library could use this sort of technology to help digitize and archive the history of your local community.

Libraries of the Future?

Photo credit: Newspaper Navigator/ArXiV

This is not to say that the system is perfect. "There definitely are cases in which the system will especially miscategorize say, an illustration as a cartoon or something like that," Lee says. But he has accounted for these false positives through confidence scores that highlight the likelihood that a given piece of media is a cartoon or a photograph.

Lee also says that, even despite his best efforts, these kinds of systems will always encode some human bias. But to reduce any heavy-handedness, Lee tried to focus on emphasizing the classes of imagescartoon versus advertisementrather than what's actually shown in the images themselves. Lee believes this should reduce the instances of the system attempting to make judgement calls about the dataset. That should be left up to the curator, he says.

"I think a lot of these questions are very very important ones to consider and one of my goals is to use this project as an opportunity to highlight some of the issues around algorithmic bias," Lee says. "It's easy to assume that machine learning solves all the problemsthat's a fantasybut in the this project, I think it's a real opportunity to emphasize that we need to be careful how we use these tools."

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD posted on social media a gun allegedly used by a suspect to fatally shoot a man and his pregnant girlfriend and wound another woman in Mariners Harbor.

Officers LaTona and Franzese of the 121st Precinct are lauded as two real life heroes... whose swift response led to the apprehension of a perpetrator in possession of a 22 caliber firearm with a silencer after committing a triple shooting."

Responding officers caught suspect Phillip Moreno, 45, of Brandis Avenue in Eltingville, outside the home at 376 Grandview Ave. where Alafia Rodriguez, 46, and his girlfriend, Ana DeSousa, 33, were shot multiple times and pronounced dead on Monday, police said.

Erica Johnson, 43, a friend of the couple, was shot in the torso and removed to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton. She was critically injured.

Officers responding around 5:05 p.m. to a call of shots fired were walking toward the residence when they saw Moreno attempting to leave and stopped him, cops said.

Police say they recovered a loaded, black .22-caliber Ruger firearm from his cargo pants as well as a silencer, two magazines and a Leatherman knife.

They immediately took Moreno into custody.

DeSousa was about seven months pregnant at the time of her death, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.

Responding officers found all three victims in the living room and an uninjured 2-year-old also was present in the house at the time. The child was Rodriguez and DeSousas daughter.

There were no signs of forced entry at the Mariners Harbor home, leading detectives to believe the killer was either let inside the residence or the door was left unlocked, law enforcement sources said.

Cops working to establish a motive are trying to determine how and if Moreno knew the victims.

Friends of Rodriguez told the Daily News he and Moreno had a feud dating back years.

However, a robbery remains the most likely motive, since Moreno was allegedly nabbed with zip ties on his person -- believed to be indicative that he intended to tie up someone at the home, more typical for a heist than a murder, sources said.

He also had a ball of cocaine in his possession, which authorities believe he got from the house, sources said. Police said they found drug paraphernalia at the scene.

Moreno has been charged by police with murder in the second degree, criminal use of a firearm, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, acting in a manner injurious to a child and assault.
Michigan health officials believe the stay-home model is working to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as new cases, deaths and the rate of positive tests continue to decline.

The infectious respiratory virus that has rocked the state and global economy in recent months appears to have peaked in Michigan during the first week of April.

Hospitalizations are down 64 percent from a month ago, the average number of cases a day has plummeted, and deaths are down 45 percent from last weeks daily average.

We are seeing cases decreasing over time, which is what we want to see, said Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious disease specialist for the Detroit Medical Center.

Below is a look at more of the most recent developments in the crisis in Michigan as of Wednesday, April 12.

Fewer than 7% of coronavirus tests are coming back positive, per latest Michigan data

Of the COVID-19 tests conducted Sunday, May 10, only 6.3 percent came back positive for the respiratory virus that has infected more than 48,000 Michiganders since mid-March. That marks the first time the percentage of positive tests dipped below 7 percent since March 11 when it was 0 percent.

State health officials announced 469 new confirmed cases of the virus and 90 more deaths Tuesday, May 12, bringing Michigans totals to 48,021 confirmed cases and 4,674 deaths. Nineteen of the deaths were late additions that didnt occur in the last 24 hours.

Whitmer administration calls Republican lawsuit challenging emergency authority a power grab

Attorneys for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer slammed a lawsuit from Republicans in the legislature challenging her executive authority this week. She called the move an attempt at a power grab that would further endanger the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a response to a lawsuit backed by House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, challenging the governors extension of a COVID-19 state of emergency without the authority of the legislature, the Whitmer administration argued lawmakers are seeking only to build a constitutional crisis atop a public health crisis in Michigan.

Manufacturers return to work as the industry adjusts to new normal

After nearly two months of being closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, many Michigan manufacturers were able to return to work Monday amid the new reality of operating in an altered environment.

Social distancing guidelines, realigned floor plans, employee wellness and temperature checks, enhanced cleaning efforts and more are some of the new protocols companies are navigating. At the same time, manufacturers face an unknown business climate and uncertainty about what to expect from customers who are also adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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10 free GRCC online courses to build skills while home due to coronavirus

People who have been laid off or furloughed due to the coronavirus pandemic can grow their skill set through free online courses at Grand Rapids Community College.

The 10 courses are free through June 30 and allow learners to start at any time and work at their own pace. Topics for the courses include personal finance, effective communication, marketing, and creating web pages.

U.S. unemployment to remain at recession levels through 2020, regional Federal Reserve CEO projects

Charles Evans, president of one of 12 regional reserve banks that make up the U.S. central bank, said forecasts are calling for the national unemployment rate -- which was 14.7 percent in April -- to improve for the second half of the year, but to a point only slightly better than the height of the Great Recession of 2009.

Evans said anything that leads to a second or third wave of COVID-19, where another economic shutdown could become necessary, would lead to a much worse scenario.

By our forecast, the second half of the year should grow quite well and I expect the unemployment rate to come down to about 9 percent at the end of the year, Evans said. Thats a high rate and the key is will it continue to go down to, say, 5 percent by the end of 2021. That would be getting through this in a good fashion."

Public health is most important. Then getting people back to work safely in that environment is key.

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State seeks new court hearing after judge rules in favor of Owosso barber shop

The Michigan Attorney Generals Office wants a new court hearing on a public health order seeking to shut down an Owosso barber.

The state wants the hearing after Shiawassee County Circuit Court Judge Matthew J. Stewart turned down a request Monday, May 11, from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for a temporary restraining order that would have required Karl Manke to cease all operations at his shop.

Manke reopened his shop May 4 despite an executive order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that called for barber shops and salons to remain closed during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Michigan Senate supports deadline extension for state and local taxes due to coronavirus

The Michigan Senate unanimously supported legislation extending filing and payment deadlines for state and local income taxes Tuesday.

Senate Bills 887 and 889, sponsored by Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, would codify a previous directive from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to extend the state tax deadline and most city income tax deadlines to July 15. Income tax filings in cities that had an April 30 deadline would have their filings due July 31.

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Michigan governor signs trio of orders, including one to help teenage workers

Whitmer signed three executive orders Monday evening, including one that impacts teenagers looking for work and two that extend previous orders.

The extensions include an order that allows for certain state administrative hearings to be held via video conference in place of in-person hearings, and one that lifts weight and other delivery-related restrictions on vehicles carrying essential supplies to help fight the public health crisis.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform America Strong flyover across metro Detroit

Metro Detroit residents looked to the sky to watch as U.S. Navy demonstration squadron the Blue Angels performed a flyover Tuesday.

The flyover is part of the America Strong flyover tour, which honors healthcare workers, first responders, military, and other frontline personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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More Michigan coronavirus coverage here

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:59:31|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A total of 347 Mongolian nationals returned home from Russia via three Russian military planes on Wednesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Mongolia's State Emergency Commission (SEC).

The people are cadets and military officers who study at universities and colleges affiliated to the Russian Defense Ministry, the SEC said, adding they will be isolated at designated facilities for 21 days.

Mongolia will get more citizens from Russia from Thursday via land border crossings, said the commission.

In addition, the country will send chartered flights to Turkey and India in the coming days to help its citizens come back home, it said.

As of Wednesday, Mongolia has confirmed 42 COVID-19 cases, including four foreign nationals. All the cases are imported.

There have been no local transmissions or deaths reported in Mongolia so far. Enditem
If the old adage "start as you mean to go on" is anything to go by, the opening scenes of Julian Fellowes' new drama Belgravia, set at one of history's grandest parties, the Duchess of Richmond's ball in Brussels in 1815, make a dazzling promise for the six one-hour episodes to follow.

The ball, hosted by Charlotte, Duchess of Richmond, was held the night before the Battle of Quatre Bras. Her husband, the Duke, commanded the reserve force in Brussels, which was then part of the United Kingdom, to defend the city in the event of invasion by the armies of Napoleon.

Tamsin Greig and Emily Reid as Anne and Sophia Trenchard in Belgravia. Credit:NBC Universal

For the new series, based on the book of the same name Fellowes wrote in 2016, the ball serves as a poignant moment on the eve of tragedy. Days later, at the victorious Battle of Waterloo, many of the young men who attended the ball would lose their lives.

And yet Belgravia is neither a story of war, nor of the men who fought it, Fellowes says. Which is why the 70-year-old creator of Downton Abbey chose the ball, and not the more famous battles that followed it, as the place to begin the story.
By Baek Byung-yeul





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Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on Tuesday evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the PMs 'Vocal for Local' remark, saying that "while the local brands helped us in the times of crisis, we should pledge to use more and more local products and make our local global".

In a series of tweets, Shah said that it is time to make the sentence "the 21st century will be the century when India shines" true.

He added that this could only be achieved if 130 crore Indians unite to follow the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) pledge.

"Today, the Prime Minister made a special appeal. In this odd situation when everything was closed, the locals became our hard-time companions and supported us. Therefore, the time has come for us to pledge to use more and more local products and make our local global," Shah tweeted in Hindi.

Shah also hailed the Prime Minister's leadership amid the crisis, saying his leadership has given a new direction to the world.

"In this challenging time, the new India not only handled itself vigorously, but also helped the whole world, which changed the way the world views India today," Shah said.

He also praised the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced stimulus measures which will take the total amount announced by the Ministry of Finance and the RBI to Rs 20 lakh crore or 10 percent of the GDP.

Shah said that the package will include interests of the poor, farmers, middle class and business class as well.

"The package will empower every section and make the country self-reliant," Shah said.

According to the Prime Minister, it is now the time to make India self-sufficient in every way and every Indian should buy and promote local goods.
An initial investigation found Remondini was driving north on Layhill Road when he was rear-ended by another vehicle, causing both to cross over the middle lane and crash into a pole, according to police. Remondini was taken to a hospital, and died May 7. The second driver was not hurt.
A robot has been hired to pull pints at a bar in Seville, Spain, to help prevent the spread of coronavirus as the country gradually lifts its strict lockdown.

The robot will be serving beers, or rather Spanish 'canas', for punters at a bar in the centre of Seville in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.

The bar La Gitana Loca (The Crazy Gypsy) decided to use a mechanical worker to help social distancing by serving contact-free pints.

The nifty device is reportedly able to pull 600 beers in an hour.

In video footage, the robot demonstrates its impressive skills pulling a pint, needing no help from any bar staff with its contact-free service.

This robot will be pulling pints, or rather Spanish 'canas', in the bar La Gitana Loca (The Crazy Gypsy) located in the centre of Seville in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia

The device then moves the beer to a serving station, ready for a customer to take and enjoy.

According to local media, the robot was created by the Spanish company Macco to serve beer to bar customers in a hygienic way during the pandemic.

Bar owner Alberto Martinez, 53, who also has La Gitana Loca venues in Cordoba and Madrid, told Newsflash: 'We (himself and representatives from Macco) spoke about this idea before the pandemic, more for those moments when the bars are busy.'

He explained that the bars are very popular with young people and long queues for 'canas' (small beers) are often seen on weekends.

A cana costs punters 0.7 EUR (0.6 GBP) a glass.

The nifty device is reportedly able to pull 600 beers in an hour and according to local media, the robot was created by the Spanish company Macco to serve beer amid the pandemic

The robot fills single-use plastic cups with frothy beer that is then passed to the client - completely contact-free

Bar owner Alberto Martinez, 53, (pictured) said he got the robot to help his business during the first phase of lockdown lifting in Spain

Mr Martinez said: 'Then COVID-19 spread and everything stopped.'

However, he decided to continue with the idea as it will help his business during the first phase of lockdown lifting.

The robot fills single-use plastic cups with frothy beer that is then passed to the client without contact.

Pub goers place their order on the robot's tactile screen and pay via its built-in computer, according to reports.

Mr Martinez said: 'The company that makes the robot said it is the only one in Europe serving beer!'

According to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University, Spain has registered 228,030 cases of COVID-19 and 26,920 related deaths.
A Cape Cod ice cream shop employee who was harassed by customers following the stores reopening last week amid the coronavirus pandemic has received over $38,000 from a GoFundMe page set up for her.

The Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour in Mashpee reopened May 8 after owner Mark Lawrence said he felt he could safely serve the public during the outbreak. The shop told customers in an online post that all orders had to be put in an hour in advance.

Lawrence, in an interview with Boston25 News, said customers did not follow the guidelines and began bullying his employees out of frustration. One of his best staff members, a teenage girl, quit that day, he said in a Facebook post.

She was met with an unyielding verbal assault with some of the most vulgar and disgusting words hurled at her, these shouldnt be heard in a mens locker room, never mind directed to a teenager, Lawrence wrote on the GoFundMe page he created for his former employee. In spite of this, she continued to work until the last ice cream was served and then turned in her apron.

The store later closed due to a surge of demand, Lawrence said. The Polar Cave will continue to tweak its efforts and eventually try again to open full speed ahead, he noted.

Regardless of peoples frustrations to take it out on a teenage girl is simply WRONG - it cost one of my best employees due to the rudeness directed at her, Lawrences Facebook post said. So wrong in so many ways to treat a teenager with such disrespect no matter the circumstances.

Gov. Charlie Baker spoke out against the verbal assaults lodged at the ice cream shop employees during a briefing earlier this week in which he announced the states four-phase reopening plan. The governor said he feels awful for the young kids who were just trying to serve a product that people wanted.

"I feel terrible for the owner who everybody I know says is one of the most decent people youd ever want to meet, Baker said.

The ice cream shop owner set up the GoFundMe page for his 17-year-old former employee Monday, and as of Wednesday, $38,540 had been raised.

The page described the girl, who worked at the shop for the past three years, as one of the most hardworking, kindhearted employees. She was a favorite among many of Polar Caves regulars, Lawrence said.

Following the Fridays reopening, the ice cream shop owner was inundated with calls from people asking if they could send money to his former employee. One person offered to pay her salary until she started working at the store again or found a new job, Lawrence said.

The teenager was planning to work as much as possible at the shop this summer to save money for college in the fall. All money raised for the former employee will go to her college fund, according to Lawrence.

New donations to the GoFundMe page have since been disabled. Lawrence said the outpouring of support was incredible, and he urged people to send their donations to help others who are in need during the public health crisis.

Make donations to help other small businesses, Veterans and Drug Recovery organizations, Abused Children and Women or any other causes that you hold dear, they need money way more than this young lady, he wrote in a Facebook post. Just as important to me is the situation with Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, for whom my town is named after. They have been fighting for Federal Recognition for far too long.

Related Content:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:57:51|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A number of restaurants in Yokohama's Chinatown have joined forces to ensure their popular cuisine can still be enjoyed by their dedicated customers amid coronavirus-linked restrictions, by starting a drive-thru service Wednesday, local media reported.

Around 20 restaurants in Japan's largest Chinatown, located just south of Tokyo, are making their popular dishes available to customers who can call in their orders and pick them up by car in a parking complex close to the restaurants, the Yokohama Chinatown Development Association said.

Despite the new drive-through initiative launched in the district boasting a history of more than 160 years, the association said that it does not expect customers to Chinatown to return to pre-pandemic levels this year.

"We have to try a new way of doing business as we brace for a post-coronavirus society," Nobumasa Takahashi, chairman of the association, was quoted as saying.

One restaurant worker said that during the usually booming Golden Week string of national holidays here at the end of April, business had stalled as would-be customers had been requested to stay at home, avoid unnecessary trips outside and gathering in public places, and generally reduce contact with others.

"Our business has dried up, although now is the period when customers come the most," the worker at the 300-seat Chinese restaurant told Kyodo News recently, adding that the establishment is usually packed with customers, but had to close and ask all of its part-time staff to take days off.

"There are no people on the street in the first place," said the worker, as numbers of visitors to Yokohama Chinatown have dropped by one-tenth from March, with 80 percent of the association's 400 members comprising restaurants and shops shuttering businesses since April.

Following the state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic being initially declared by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for seven prefectures until May 6, then expanded nationwide in mid-April with the deadline then extended until the end of May, the association decided the drive-through service could help the hard-hit businesses as well as keep customers happy and safe.

One restaurant owner in the usually thriving district, a popular spot for both tourists and locals alike, said he welcomed the drive-through initiative as it would help to increase sales, without businesses having to incur the additional work or financial burden of paying for delivery services. Enditem
A Chinese man was sentenced to death Tuesday in the southern province of Tay Ninh for murdering his Vietnamese mother-in-law.

Xiong Zhoughen, 39, killed Vo Thi Mong Diep in a heated fight last year.

In 2018, Zhougen had married Diep's daughter and the couple had moved to China. His wife later returned to Vietnam and began living with her mother in May last year. The following month, Zhougen traveled to Vietnam and lived with his wife and mother-in-law for a few days before asking Diep for money to return home to China. Diep said she had no money and asked Zhougen to leave.

A verbal fight then escalated into a physical one, with Diep and Zhongen using bare hands and several objects to hurt each other. Zhougen then hit Diep repeatedly in the head and face with a hammer before using a knife to slit her throat until she lay motionless, the court heard.

Zhougen tried to escape after the murder, but was apprehended later.
Public reminded the NHS is open for business amid concerns over a drop in A&E attendances

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

The head of an NHS watchdog says some people having a heart attack havent called an ambulance or visited an emergency department because they fear over-stretching services during the pandemic.

Geoff Ryall-Harvey, chief officer of North Wales Community Health Council (NWCHC), said the Welsh Government is extremely worried about people not using normal NHS services during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Attendance at emergency departments has dropped by half during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Welsh Ambulance Service recently made a video appealing for people to use them if there was an emergency.

Mr Ryall-Harvey, speaking during a video question and answer session with the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said Welsh Government would say more about their concerns in the coming days.

He said: Welsh Government is extremely worried about this. On the Welsh Ambulance YouTube channel theyre begging people to use ambulances when theyre ill.

I know also there are a number of issues around people not going to A&E, not calling an ambulance, when they have suffered, or are in the throes of suffering heart attack.

Welsh Governments big message, and well be hearing more about this during the coming days, is the NHS is open for business.

Some people are worried about infection and some just dont want to trouble what they see as an overstretched service, said Mr Ryall-Harvey.

He advised all patients who are in a genuine emergency to contact the emergency services as normal.

He added: Of course they dont want you to use A&E and ambulances inappropriately, but if you have the symptoms of stroke, if you have symptoms of a heart attack, if you have a continuing healthcare need, use the NHS as you normally would.

Dr Eduardas Subkovacs, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at the North Wales Cardiac Centre, said: Heart attacks are always emergencies. If anyone feels the symptoms of a heart attack, they must call 999 immediately, even during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The NHS across the UK is experiencing one of its biggest challenges with the impact of COVID-19, but that does not mean that you should ignore any chest pain.

If left untreated, this can cause irreversible damage to the heart and can lead to a cardiac arrest.

Emma Jane Hosking, Medical Director for Glan Clwyd Hospital: We want to reassure people that hospital services remain open and available for our patients, despite the changes were all experiencing due to social distancing.

Our Emergency Department and hospital services in general remain open and accessible, and while there are changes to the way some services and clinics are working, were still here for patients in need.

If you think you are in need of urgent care or attention, our staff are ready to care for you.

Mr Ryall-Harvey added if patients are experiencing problems accessing health care, if they cannot get hold of their GP or they are unsure about what services they can access during the pandemic, they could contact NWCHC for guidance and advice.

If you want advice from North Wales CHCX call the following numbers and leave a message on the answerphone and a member of staff will get back to you: 01248 679284 or 01978 356178 Alternatively, email: admin@waleschc.org.uk

By Jez Hemming  BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme)
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has announced the completed deployment of four Covid-19 test labs and four Outpatient Department (OPD) centers across the country to assist the government, both at the national level and the state level, in their efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

These facilities have been established in order to provide additional authorised testing facilities and isolation beds to help manage the increased demand across the country.

Donated as part of HPEs commitment to India, announced last July, the HPE Covid-19 Test Labs have been designed to enable quick and clean testing of individuals who may be Covid-19 positive or are showing symptoms or might have come in contact with a Covid-19 positive patient. The tests are based on specifications provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The test labs will be run and managed by the concerned government agency including installing testing equipment, deploying paramedics and technicians, providing broadband connectivity, PPEs and medical supplies.

Based on the successful HPE eHealth Centers (eHCs), HPE has developed and deployed these test labs and OPD centers in 40-feet refurbished negative air pressure containers equipped with biometrics, blood pressure apparatus, spirometer, serum analyser, pulse oximeters, glucometer, pulse reader and ECG. All this equipment will be integrated with EMR (Electronic Medical Record) applications, and an online dashboard will be provided to monitor the related OPDs. Additionally, suitable IT equipment will be provided, including workstations, headphones, thermal cameras, networking components, and UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems.

The OPD centers will be handling walk-in patients and will have provisions to house six patients for 24 to 48 hours for observation purposes. These centres have negative air pressure doors to ensure isolation and also serve as a temporary housing for people with Covid-19 symptoms until they are either discharged or are sent to the concerned wards for treatment.

To ensure the IT infrastructure at the Test Labs and OPD centers experience minimal downtime and any related issues can be rectified remotely without the need of an on-site engineer, the facilities are equipped with Aruba Cloud Managed Wireless solution along with Aruba User Experience Insight (UXI) Sensor.

This will act as a virtual network admin onsite and will monitor all key applications proactively 24x7. In case of any issues, the HPE Network Operations Center (NOC) located at Chandigarh, will be able to detect and resolve problems before they are even noticed.

The Aruba solution also offers zero touch provisioning, remote management and remote diagnosis thereby eliminating or limiting human interaction making it a best fit solution in response to Covid-19.

The HPE COVID-19 Test Labs and OPD Centers have been established across Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, and Dehradun.

COVID -19 has thrown unprecedented challenges for the world and industries alike and we must actively implement various measures to help contain the virus. NASSCOM is working with the IT industry in formulating innovative solutions to combat the pandemic. Cloud-enabled HPE COVID-19 Test Labs and OPDs will enable authorities to refine their testing process and will significantly reduce the strain on existing healthcare facilities. We are confident that together we will be able to overcome this phase and emerge stronger post the crisis, said Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge local communities across the world, we are responding with initiatives to support the communities where we live and work. The deployment of HPE COVID-19 Test Labs and OPD Centers will support the governments efforts to prevent, detect and respond to COVID-19, said Som Satsangi, MD  India, HPE.
With 98 new coronavirus positive



cases reported in the last 24 hours, the number of COVID-19 patients in Pune district of Maharashtra grew to 3,232, a health official said on Wednesday.

The death toll reached 175 with seven succumbing to the infection on Wednesday, the official said.

"Of the new 98 cases, 85 were reported in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, which now has 2,810 patients. Four of the new cases were found in neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad, where the COVID-19 count now stands at 177," he said.

The number of cases in rural, civil hospital and Pune Cantonment Board area increased by nine, taking the number to 245 in these areas, the official added.

As many as 175 patients were discharged in the district from different hospitals on Wednesday after completion of the isolation period. With this, the number of COVID-19 patients that have been discharged so far grew to 1,533, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman will spend at least 13 years behind bars after pleading guilty to killing an innocent motorcyclist while trying to evade police in a high-speed chase last year.

Jordan Thorsager was killed in the early hours of February 14, 2019, when he found himself in the path of a chase between police and 36-year-old Kylee King on Leach Highway in Welshpool.

Jordan Thorsager died after his motorcycle was hit during the pursuit. Credit:9 News Perth

King, who was high on meth at the time, had been trying to outrun police for nearly 45 minutes after officers motioned for her to pull over in Seville Grove.

Police claimed they made several attempts to stop King, and that the chase was aborted as many as six times prior to the fatal collision.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta says research has revealed that Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow by $300 billion a year by 2025 should African countries adopt digital technology.



He said there is the need for African countries to fast-track policies and programmes towards leveraging on technology for economic growth.



"If we digitise as a continent, we can see 10 per cent growth of our GDP because of technology.



"South Africa reduced cost by 22 per cent and revenues picked up in Rwanda by six per cent because of digital technology," he said.



Mr Ofori-Atta made these remarks when speaking at the launch of an Integrated ICT System for Microfinance and Small Loans Centre(MASLOC) at the Jubilee House, in Accra.



The IT system is an innovative solution to address payment and settlement challenges facing MASLOC to enhance transparency and accountability in the disbursement and recovery of loans.



Mr Ofori-Atta lauded Vice President Bawumia for championing the government's digitisation agenda saying it is the way forward towards formalising and transforming the Ghanaian economy.



However, the Minister admitted that the country has not reached digital maturity yet, and underlined the need to continue pursuing digital infrastructure to accomplish that agenda.



Commenting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, the Finance Minister admitted that it was practically impossible for government to sustain the economy following the imposition of a partial lockdown in Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi.



He explained that it was largely due to the fact that, majority of the countrys population worked in the informal sector, therefore, after three weeks of lockdown, government was left with little choice to lift the restriction on movements.



When you look at what happened during the lockdown. It was quite clear after a point that given that 90 per cent of our population is informal and they go out each day to earn wages, it became increasingly impossible to continue with such a policy, he added.

Source: GNA









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

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Singapore's State Courts seen on 21 April 2020. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  Three Singaporean men, including one security officer who was based at Marina Bay Sands, were charged in the State Courts on Wednesday (13 May) for breaching their Stay-Home Notices (SHN).

All three men  Quresh Singh Sandhu, 27, Azhar Khamis, 54, and Zahari Samat, 60  had returned to Singapore from Batam on separate occasions between 17 March and 1 April before being issued with SHNs.

If convicted of an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act and its Regulations, each man faces up to six month jail and/or a maximum fine of $10,000.

Quresh Singh Sandhu

Quresh arrived in Singapore from Batam on 17 March and was served with an SHN effective from 17 March to 31 March, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Instead of heading to his residence in Sembawang Drive, Quresh allegedly took public transport to Marina Bay Sands, where he worked as a security officer.

After leaving work on 18 March, he took public transport to his companys lodging at Dunlop Street where he shared a room with three co-workers, said ICA. Between 19 March and 21 March, Quresh continued to commute daily to work via public transport.

His breach was discovered by ICA on 21 March, when enforcement officers visited his residence and found him missing.

According to his charge sheet, Quresh is accused of exposing others to the risk of infection by his presence, by visiting Little India MRT Station, Bayfront MRT Station, Marina Bay Sands, Rochor MRT Station and Snooze Inn at 28 Dunlop Street.

Qureshs plead guilty mention has been fixed for 27 May.

Azhar Bin Khamis

ICA said that Azhar arrived from Batam on 26 March and was served with an SHN from 26 March to 9 April.

Instead of heading to his Tampines residence, Azhar allegedly spent the night with his sister in Serangoon.

On 27 March, he left his sisters residence and spent the next few days in public areas at Harbourfront, according to ICA.

ICA officers visited Azhars Tampines residence on 5 April and found him absent. They located him at the Singapore Cruise Centre later that day.

Story continues

Azhar faces one charge of failing to comply with the order without reasonable excuse. His case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on the 19 May.

Zahari Samat

Zahari arrived in Singapore from Batam on 1 April and was served with an SHN from 1 April to 15 April.

The ICA stated that Zahari then proceeded to a rental address at North Bridge Road, instead of his declared place of accommodation at Ang Mo Kio.

The next day, he went to the ICA Building to inform an officer that he had provided an outdated address in his declaration and wanted to update the address where he would serve his SHN. ICA officers told Zahari to return to his North Bridge Road residence and to remain there for the remainder of the SHN.

However Zahari left his residence again on 8 April and was arrested by Central Narcotics Bureau officers at an open air carpark nearby.

He faces one charge each of leaving his Ang Mo Kio residence to go to North Bridge Road and of later leaving his North Bridge Road residence without reasonable excuse.

Zahari is expected to plead guilty on 27 May.

The authorities made serving an SHN compulsory for all who entered Singapore from 11.59pm on 16 March and with a travel history to any ASEAN country within the past 14 days. The two-week SHN required individuals to stay at their declared residences at all times.

From 11.59pm on 20 March, the requirements were extended to all individuals entering Singapore. From 11.59pm on 9 April, all individuals entering Singapore were also required to serve their SHN at dedicated facilities.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

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WASHINGTON and ROME, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) and its partner ReiThera Srl today announced that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has exercised the first two options, valued at $20 million, under the 2019 contract to advance the development of vaccines against Ebola Sudan and Marburg viruses through Phase 2 clinical trials. In September 2019, BARDA awarded Sabin a development contract, valued at $128 million, and provided the initial funding award of $20.5 million. This second $20 million award will enable the manufacture and release of clinical vaccine material developed by ReiThera, a specialist in the development and cGMP manufacture of adenoviral vector vaccines. The funding will also support non-clinical studies to evaluate efficacy and immune response.

Ebola Sudan and Marburg are among the world's deadliest viruses, causing hemorrhagic fever with subsequent death in an average of 50 percent of cases.1,2 A closely related strain, Ebola Zaire, has caused more than 2,200 deaths since 2018 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),3 leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.4 With Ebola Sudan and Marburg's own history of outbreaks and their potential for future devastating outbreaks, preventative measures are overdue to protect civilian populations, military personnel, first responders, health care workers and laboratory workers, both in the United States and abroad, against these emerging infectious diseases.

"As the world has begun to appreciate, the next deadly outbreak is not a question of if, but when. At a time when global health and security are under siege by the novel coronavirus, we are grateful for BARDA's foresight in funding programs like ours that will help guard against future pandemics," said Sabin Chief Executive Officer Amy Finan. "We also greatly value ReiThera's partnership, given their extensive experience developing and manufacturing these vaccines."

"Our team at ReiThera (previously at Okairos) has more than 20 years' experience in developing novel adenoviral vaccine platform technologies targeting a range of serious diseases. We believe our approach makes them particularly suitable to safely and rapidly induce protective immunity ahead of and during outbreaks," said ReiThera's Chief Technology Officer, Stefano Colloca. "We are proud therefore to be a part of this important work with Sabin to prevent and control outbreaks of deadly hemorrhagic fevers by developing vaccines for the millions of people at risk."

Under a 2019 agreement between GSK and Sabin, Sabin exclusively licensed the technology for the candidate vaccines, based on GSK's proprietary ChAd3 platform, and acquired certain patent rights specific to these vaccines. The three candidate vaccines were initially developed collaboratively by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Okairos, which was acquired by GSK in 2013.

This new funding from BARDA will enable Sabin and ReiThera to advance the investigational Ebola Sudan and Marburg vaccines through Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) manufacturing and release of ChAd3-MARV and ChAd3-SUDV Phase 2 clinical material under Option 1 and conduct pilot efficacy and immunogenicity studies under Option 2. Additional non-clinical studies, as well as Phase 2 clinical trials in the United States and Africa, may be supported by an additional $87.5 million in funding under this contract.

This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, under contract number 75A50119C00055.

Learn more about Sabin's Ebola Sudan and Marburg program.

Citations:

[1] WHO fact sheet, Ebola virus disease, accessed August 28, 2019 - available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ebola-virus-disease

[2] WHO fact sheet, Marburg virus disease, accessed August 28, 2019 - available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/marburg-virus-disease

[3] WHO, Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Health Emergency Update, accessed August 28, 2019 - available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019

[4] WHO press release, Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, accessed August 28, 2019 - available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/17-07-2019-ebola-outbreak-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-declared-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern

About the Sabin Vaccine Institute

The Sabin Vaccine Institute, a non-profit organization founded in 1993, is a leading advocate for expanding vaccine access and uptake globally, advancing vaccine research and development, and amplifying vaccine knowledge and innovation. Sabin's R&D strategy focuses on continuing the development of candidate vaccines that have demonstrated early scientific value and target disease primarily impacting the world's most vulnerable populations, but have little commercial value. The Blavatnik Family Foundation and the David E.I. Pyott Foundation provided seed funding to launch Sabin's ChAd3 Ebola program. In past years, Sabin received more than $110 million for vaccine R&D programs from public and philanthropic funding sources, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, European Commission, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund and the Michelson Medical Research Foundation.

Unlocking the potential of vaccines through partnership, Sabin has built a robust ecosystem of funders, innovators, implementers, practitioners, policy makers and public stakeholders to advance its vision of a future free from preventable diseases. Sabin is committed to finding solutions that last and extending the full benefits of vaccines to all people, regardless of who they are or where they live. At Sabin, we believe in the power of vaccines to change the world. For more information, visit www.sabin.org and follow us on Twitter, @SabinVaccine.

About ReiThera Srl

ReiThera Srl is a biotech company dedicated to the technology development, GMP manufacturing and clinical translation of genetic vaccines and medicinal products for advanced therapies. The company's management and scientific teams have developed a highly innovative technological platform based on simian adeno-vectored vaccines against several infectious diseases, such as RSV and Ebola. ReiThera is led by an experienced management team that has worked together for many years in previous successful enterprises, including Okairos (acquired by GSK), and has a long-standing expertise in scalable processes for viral vector manufacturing, supported by a cGMP facility inclusive of filling suite and quality control laboratories. ReiThera is also part of a pan-European consortium focused on the development and large-scale manufacture of an adeno-viral vector vaccine against COVID-19.

ReiThera has its headquarters, R&D laboratories and GMP facilities in Rome, Italy. For further information see: www.reithera.com

About the GSK-Sabin ChAd3 Transaction

In August 2019, GSK and Sabin entered agreements for Sabin to advance the development of the prophylactic candidate vaccines against Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan and Marburg viruses. Under the agreements, Sabin exclusively licensed the technology for all three candidate vaccines and acquired certain patent rights specific to these vaccines. The three candidate vaccines were initially developed collaboratively by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Okairos, which was acquired by GSK in 2013. The candidate vaccines, based on GSK's proprietary ChAd3 platform, were further developed by GSK, including the Phase 2 development for the Ebola Zaire vaccine. The ChAd3-based vaccines have demonstrated strong safety profiles and encouraging immunogenicity results after being administered to more than 5,000 adults and 600 children in 13 different clinical trials to date.

About Ebola Sudan and Marburg

Ebola Sudan and Marburg are members of the Filoviridae virus family and are commonly referred to as filoviruses. Both can cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates. No therapeutic treatment of the hemorrhagic fevers caused by filoviruses has been licensed to date.

Marburg and Ebola viruses are transmitted to humans by infected animals, particularly fruit bats. Once a human is infected, the virus can spread to others through close personal contact or contact with bodily fluids. Isolation of infected people is currently the centerpiece of filovirus control.

Marburg was the first filovirus to be recognized in 1967 when a number of laboratory workers, including some in Marburg, Germany, developed hemorrhagic fever. Ebola was identified in 1976 when two simultaneous outbreaks occurred in northern Zaire (now the DRC) in a village near the Ebola River and southern Sudan. The outbreaks involved what eventually proved to be two different species of Ebola virus; both were named after the nations in which they were discovered.

Media Contact for the Sabin Vaccine Institute:

Liz Powell

+1-202-621-1686

press@sabin.org



Media Contacts for ReiThera:

Stefano Colloca

CTO

media@reithera.com

Sylvie Berrebi, Mark Swallow

+44(0)7714306525 / +44(0)7903737703

reithera@citigatedewerogerson.com
Dublin, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Taxi and Limousine Services Global Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2030: COVID- 19 Impact and Recovery" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report provides the strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global taxi and limousine services market.

The global taxi and limousine services market is expected to decline from $83.0 billion in 2019 to $46.7 billion in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -43.7%. The decline is mainly due to lockdown and social distancing norms imposed by various countries and economic slowdown across countries owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and the measures to contain it. The market is then expected to recover and grow at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2021 and reach $94.4 billion in 2023.

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Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high-quality data and analysis

Gain a global perspective on the development of the market.

Growth in the historic period resulted from technological development, strong economic growth in emerging markets, and growth in aging population, low oil prices, and surge pricing during peak hours. Factors that negatively affected growth in the historic period were safety concerns and public lawsuits, weak wage growth in developed economies, and the use of public transportation in urban areas. Going forward, economic growth, technology, emphasis on cutting carbon emissions, ease of transportation and changing consumer preferences towards car sharing will drive growth. Factors that could hinder the growth of the taxi and limousine services market in the future include improvement of public transportation, stringent regulations, inadequate chauffeurs, and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

The top opportunities in the taxi and limousine services market will arise in the online taxi services segment, which will gain $7.0 billion of global annual sales by 2023. The taxi and limousine services market size will gain the most in China at $2.53 billion. Market-trend-based strategies for the taxi and limousine services market include increasing bike-taxi services offerings, eco-friendly electric cab services offerings, implementing big data analytics tools in companies' operations, using social media platforms to improve their reach, and implementing new transportation technologies such as on-demand booking services and taxi soft meter. Player-adopted strategies in the taxi and limousine services market include reinforcing M&A strategies to expand businesses in other geographic areas, investing in expanding networks, operations and distribution networks, and streamlining business travel experiences through partnerships.

The outbreak of coronavirus has affected taxi and limousine services across several countries across the globe, mostly in countries where a lockdown has been declared to contain the disease. According to data by Aurora Mobile, a leading mobile big data solutions platform in China, the daily active users on the ride-sharing apps declined by more than half after the Chinese government declared the coronavirus outbreak in the country. In most of the states in the USA, shops, businesses and offices have shut, and this has resulted in less demand for taxi services. In India, the coronavirus outbreak has highly impacted the earnings of taxi drivers, because in lockdown the ride-hailing services are also restricted to operate. Spain is currently the second most-affected European country with COVID-19. The taxi sector has seen its business negatively impacted by the ongoing coronavirus public health crisis:

However, in order to provide emergency services, the taxi services companies are offering services for emergency transport to ease the burden of ambulance services. Many service providers have requested governments to issue directives on how they can help during this coronavirus outbreak so that they can do their part of duty during the need. Since there is a decline in normal rides, taxi services could be repurposed to help patients needing to attend medical appointments. For instance, NXT Taxis in Ireland requested the government to issue a directive to offer taxi services to ease the burden that is being placed on ambulances and emergency services during the coronavirus pandemic. Similarly, in India, Ola cabs agreed to provide 500 vehicles to the government for transporting doctors and for other COVID-19 related activities in Karnataka state. In Spain, taxi drivers are offering free services to health personnel who need to make house visits to assist patients infected with COVID-19.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Taxi And Limousine Services Market Executive Summary

2 Table Of Contents

3 List Of Figures

4 List Of Tables

5 Report Structure

6 Introduction

6.1.1. Segmentation By Geography

6.1.2. Segmentation By Type Of Service

6.1.3. Segmentation By Vehicle Type

6.1.4. Segmentation By Payment Mode

6.1.5. Segmentation By Ride Type

7 Taxi And Limousine Services Market Characteristics

7.1. Market Definition

7.2. Market Segmentation By Type Of Service

7.2.1. Online Taxi Services

7.2.2. Tele And Offline Taxi Services

7.2.3. Limousine Services

7.3. Segmentation By Vehicle Type

7.3.1. Cars

7.3.2. Motorcycles

7.3.3. Others

7.4. Segmentation By Payment Mode

7.4.1. Online

7.4.2. Cash

7.5. Segmentation By Ride Type

7.5.1. Individual

7.5.2. Car pool/Share

8 Taxi And Limousine Services Market Service Analysis - Service Example

9 Taxi And Limousine Services Market Supply Chain

10 Taxi And Limousine Services Market Customer Information

10.1. Indians Use App-Based Taxi Services For Their Convenience

10.2. Consumers Want Drivers To Be Penalized For Cancelling Of Rides

10.3. More Americans Are Using Ride-Hailing Apps

10.4. High Customer Satisfaction With Taxi Services Using Mobile Apps In Saudi Arabia

10.5. Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction In Indian Taxi Services

10.6. Safety Is The Major Factor In The Ride-For-Hire Customer Experience

10.7. More Americans Opting Driving As A Profession

11 Taxi And Limousine Services Market Trends And Strategies

11.1. Increasing Bike-Taxi Services

11.2. Eco-Friendly Electric Cab Services

11.3. Taxicabs Are Of Different Colors In Various Countries

11.4. Increasing Shared Transportation Offerings

11.5. Big Data Analytics To Improve Real-Time Operations

11.6. Social Media For Strategic Customer Relationship Management

11.7. Increasing Kid-Friendly Ride Sharing Services

11.8. Advances In Technology

12 Technology And Digital Revolution Impact On Taxi and Limousine Services Market

12.1. Technologies That Disrupted Taxi And Limousine Services

12.1.1. App Based Taxi Services

12.1.2. Rise Of Green Taxis

12.1.3. Involvement Of Internet of Things (IoT) In Taxi Services

13 Impact Of Covid-19 On Taxi And Limousine Services

13.1. Impact Of Covid-19 In Most Affected Coronavirus Countries

13.1.1. USA

13.1.2. China

13.1.3. India

13.1.4. United Kingdom

13.1.5. Spain

13.1.6. Italy

13.2. Initiatives Taken By Taxi Services Company Amid Coronavirus Situation

13.2.1. Safety Measures

13.2.2. Offering Emergency Services

14 Policy & Regulatory Landscape For Taxi And Limousine Services

14.1. Regulations For Taxi And Limousine Services Are Based Mainly On Three Factors

14.1.1. Barriers To Entry

14.1.2. Price Controls

14.1.3. Mandated Business Practices

14.2. Regulations For Taxi And Limousine Services For Different Regions

14.2.1. North America

14.2.2. Asia Pacific

14.2.3. Western Europe

14.2.4. Eastern Europe

14.2.5. South America

14.2.6. Middle East

14.2.7. Africa

15 Benefits and Impacts of Advertising on Ride Hailing Taxis

15.1. Benefits Of Using Cabs For Advertisements

15.1.1. Easily Grabs The Audience's Attention

15.1.2. Cost Efficient Advertisement

15.1.3. Larger Audience Reach

15.1.4. Local Advertising

15.1.5. Generate A Positive Opinion

15.1.6. Long Lasting Advertisement

15.2. Impact Of Taxi Advertising On The Taxi and Limousine Services Market

15.2.1. Offer Cheap Rides

15.2.2. Offer New Schemes For Customers

15.2.3. Provide Driver Incentives

15.2.4. Offers Networking

16 Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market Size And Growth

16.1. Historic Market Growth, 2015 - 2019, Value ($ Billion)

16.1.1. Drivers Of The Market 2015 - 2019

16.1.2. Restraints On The Market 2015 - 2019

16.2. Forecast Market Growth, 2019 - 2023, 2025F, 2030F Value ($ Billion)

16.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 2019 - 2023

16.2.2. Restraints On The Market 2019 - 2023

17 Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market Segmentation

17.1. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, Segmentation By Type, Historic And Forecast, 2015 - 2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion)

17.1.1. Tele and offline taxi Services

17.1.2. Online taxi services

17.1.3. Limousine services

17.2. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, Segmentation By Vehicle, Historic And Forecast, 2015 - 2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion)

17.2.1. Cars

17.2.2. Motorcycles

17.2.3. Others

17.3. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, Segmentation By Payment Mode, Historic And Forecast, 2015 - 2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion)

17.3.1. Online payment

17.3.2. Cash payment

17.4. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, Segmentation By Ride Type, Historic And Forecast, 2015 - 2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion)

17.4.1. Individual ride

17.4.2. Carpool/Share ride

18 Taxi And Limousine Services Market, Regional Analysis

18.1. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015 - 2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, Value ($ Billion)

18.2. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, 2015 - 2023, Historic And Forecast, By Region

18.3. Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market, 2019-2023, Growth And Market Share Comparison, By Region

19 Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market Comparison with Macro Economic Factors

19.1. Taxi And Limousine Services Market Size, Percentage Of GDP, Global

19.2. Per Capita Average Taxi And Limousine Services Market Expenditure, Global

20 Asia-Pacific Taxi And Limousine Services Market



21 Western Europe Taxi And Limousine Services Market



22 Eastern Europe Taxi And Limousine Services Market



23 North America Taxi And Limousine Services Market



24 South America Taxi And Limousine Services Market



25 Middle East Taxi And Limousine Services Market



26 Africa Taxi And Limousine Services Market

27 Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market Competitive Landscape



28 Key Mergers And Acquisitions In The Taxi And Limousine Services Market



29 Market Background: Transit And Ground Passenger Transportation



30 Global Taxi And Limousine Services Market Opportunities And Strategies



31 Taxi And Limousine Services Market, Conclusions And Recommendations

31.1. Conclusions

31.2. Recommendations



32 Appendix



Companies Mentioned



Africa Ride

BA Taxi

Bolt

Careem

Chauffeur Priv

Didi Chuxing Technology Co.

Didi Dache

Domenico's Airport Transfers

Dubai Taxi Corporation

Gett, Inc.

Grab Holdings Inc.

Hailo

LeCab

Limo City

Littele Cabs

Lyft, Inc.

MyTaxi

Nihon Kotsu

Oga Taxi

Prague Taxis

Rome Chauffeur

Stefano's RomeCabs

Taxify

Uber Technologies, Inc.

YandexTaxi

Yellow Cab

Yookoo Rider



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gbka6s

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
NEW YORKThe 911 caller told police on Monday evening that shots had been fired inside a modest two-storey home on Staten Island where a pregnant woman lived with her boyfriend and three children.

Police officers arrived to find a man rushing down the front stairs and quickly took him into custody. He had a gun.

When investigators entered the homes living room, they found a grisly scene, police said: the pregnant woman, Ana Desousa, 33, and her longtime boyfriend, Alafia Rodriguez, 46, had been shot and killed. Their one-year-old daughter, Blue, was found unhurt nearby. Another woman was clinging to life with a gaping chest wound.

The man who was arrested, Phillip Moreno, 45, of Staten Island, was charged Tuesday with murder and assault. Court records show Moreno had been released from prison in 2007 after serving a 14-year sentence for manslaughter. Police said he was on parole and had at least three other convictions involving the illegal possession or use of firearms.

A motive for the apparent home invasion and double homicide was not immediately known, police said. It was the third double homicide in the past month in New York City and occurred as crime ticked up in New York after a brief quiet period during the height of the pandemic.

The Desousa family gathered at a relatives home on Staten Island on Tuesday and struggled to comprehend what had led to the deaths of Ana Desousa, Rodriguez and their unborn child.

Neighbours said the couple had recently moved into the house in the working-class neighbourhood of Mariners Harbor with two children, ages nine and 16. Last year, their baby girl was born, and they were expecting another child in July.

We are just devastated, Desousas father, Agnelo Desousa, said.

Ana Desousas younger sister, Edna, said the family did not know Moreno and had no idea why someone would want to kill her sister and her boyfriend.

We are just trying to lean on each other right now, Edna Desousa said. We are waiting for answers.

Ana Desousas family had emigrated from Portugal and settled on Staten Island, where she was born and raised, her father said. She was looking forward to having the new baby, he said.

She was very excited about the child, Agnelo Desousa said.

A close family friend who identified herself as Tabitha said Ana Desousa had worked at a nursing home. Rodriguez was retired from the military, she said.

Around 5:05 p.m., police responded to a call of shots fired inside the two-storey, single-family home on Grandview Avenue, said Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey, the commanding officer of Patrol Borough Staten Island.

As soon as the responding officers arrived, they crossed paths with Moreno, who was carrying a Ruger .22-calibre pistol, and arrested him, police said.

As they were heading up the walkway to the house, they encountered an individual, Corey told reporters at a news conference shortly after the killings.

Moments later, investigators found Ana Desousa and Rodriguez lying on their living-room floor with multiple gunshot wounds, police said. The third woman, who was not identified, was taken to an area hospital with a gunshot wound to her chest, police said, and she remained in critical condition Tuesday evening.

Detectives took the couples baby girl to Richmond University Medical Center for a medical evaluation, police said. It was not clear if the two older children had been at home.

Police had not responded to a shooting with so many casualties since April 11, when two men were shot and killed and a third man was wounded in Manhattan, across from the Thomas Jefferson Houses. There was another double homicide on Thursday, when two men were fatally shot in the Bronx.

Last fall, four people were killed and three others wounded during a shootout at an illegal gambling den in the Crown Heights neighbourhood of Brooklyn.

New York City had seen a short respite from violent crime after it was declared the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic nearly two months ago. Police officials had said stay-at-home orders, which essentially kept residents indoors, had contributed to a decline in most violent crimes.

But over the past few weeks, as the number of coronavirus cases continued to decline and the warm weather drew people outdoors, homicides, auto theft and burglary have seen a steady uptick, according to police department data.

Homicides, for example, went up 36 per cent, from 22 to 30, in the month ending May 3, when compared to the same period a year ago, according to police data.
FILE PHOTO: A Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS takes off before all international flights were cancelled in Riga

By Conor Humphries

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Temperature checks, masks and quarantine will not deter people from a holiday in the sun after three months "locked up" at home, Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary said on Tuesday as he announced plans for 1,000 flights a day from July.

The Irish low-cost carrier is to make face coverings and temperature checks mandatory for all staff and passengers while the airline, Europe's largest, will scrap cash payments on board and make customers seek permission to use the toilets.

Ryanair is the latest airline to announce measures aimed at reassuring customers they can safely return to planes despite the coronavirus pandemic and to try to get cash flowing again, with compulsory masks by far the most common proposal so far.

"People have been locked up since the middle of March. People are really gagging to get out and I think get abroad for the sunshine," O'Leary told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"We will see a surge of bookings building over the next six weeks up to July 1," O'Leary said, although this had not begun.

O'Leary said he was urging European authorities to make both masks and temperature checks mandatory across the continent, adding the idea of leaving the middle seats on single aisle aircraft empty to allow for social distancing was now "dead".

The European regulator, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, is to propose new safety measures for aviation later this week.

Rivals Air France-KLM <AIRF.PA>, Lufthansa <LHAG.DE> and Wizz <WIZZ.L> have all made masks mandatory and the CEO of British Airways owner IAG <ICAG.L> Willie Walsh has said he is open to the idea.

Most airlines are disinfecting planes and several have limited cabin service on board.

'OPEN SKIES'

Their focus in recent days, however, has been in resisting quarantine periods being imposed across the continent.

O'Leary joined criticism of Britain's plan to make arriving passengers quarantine for 14 days, saying the fact that France and Ireland had been exempted proved it was unscientific.

"This isn't science," he said, adding the measure was "unenforceable and unpoliceable" and would be ignored.

Story continues

However, Ryanair said it will require all passengers to fill out a form detailing the length of their planned visit and where they will stay, information that will be provided to EU governments to monitor any quarantine measures.

O'Leary said he was optimistic there would be no quarantine periods for people travelling between countries in Europe's Schengen free travel zone and he hoped that travel restrictions to and from Britain and Europe would be dropped.

"Once the industry begins to recover towards September-October, I think we will be back to essentially open skies," he said, adding British families could happily quarantine at home for two weeks after returning from their holidays.

Earlier on Tuesday, Britain's health minister said Britons were unlikely to be able to have an international holiday this summer because of the pandemic.

END TO TOILET QUEUES

Once aboard their flight, O'Leary said people would not be allowed to queue for the toilet on Ryanair planes and would have wait for permission to get up from cabin crew.

Ryanair is to operate around 40% of its original flights schedule from July up from a skeleton service of around 30 flights a day in May and June, he said. Ryanair should return to its normal passenger number levels by 2021, with ticket price levels returning to normal by 2022.

O'Leary also indicated Ryanair plans to move back towards an all-Boeing fleet by cancelling leases for Airbus A320s for its Lauda subsidiary and likely replacing 30 Airbus jets at the Austrian airline with Boeing 737s.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Alexander Smith and Mark Potter)
Beijing, May 13 : Chinese brand Realme has announced to host an event in China on May 25 where it plans to unveil eight new products .

The company has not mention what exactly it is going to unveil but the poster shared by the Chinese phone maker on Weibo includes a smartphone, a power bank and a true wireless earbud.

According to GSMArena, the white-coloured Chinese text in the image translates to "Broken Dimension Dare To Play", which could be a hint that the smartphone will be gaming-oriented.

The phone in the poster has a quad-rear camera setup in a vertical orientation while the power bank has a regular USB port as well as what seems to be a USB Type-C port, along with some LED lights.

The smartphone looks the same as the one teased by Chase, who earlier confirmed it will arrive on May 25 and says it is codenamed Blade Runner.

The company may also launch new earbuds. These earbuds are expected to be the Realme Buds Air Neo which was certified by the Taiwanese National Communication Commission (NCC) back in January this year.
Representative image

The government is considering letting malls and cinemas remain open at night in green zones. A final decision is awaited after the health ministry approves such a move.

While for mall owners in green zones, the idea of remaining open at night is lucrative, for cinema owners it is not a viable option.

I am not sure if it is viable for most exhibitors. To run just a few shows at night, which would still be under some form of social distancing, all exhibitors would need to carry out a cost analysis before opening, said Rahul Puri, MD, Mukta A2 Cinemas, a cinema chain by Mukta Arts, a company founded by veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai.

"Those who have fixed leases might find it a challenge. However, those who are on some form of revenue share or own their property may consider it if they can cut down on staff and operating costs, Puri added.

But even those who own the property are unsure about opening theatres in such a way.

Vishnu who owns Kasi Talkies in Chennai said meeting expenses will be difficult if we open theatres at night only in green zones. There will be footfalls, but it will not be sufficient to run theatres. For a 1,000-seater cinema hall, if only 50 to 100 people turn up that is not going to help me. Not even 50 percent occupancy will be achieved, he said.

While the sale of tickets will be limited, he explained that the cost of running the theatre from electricity bills to staff cost will be an added burden.

"When we open theatres in a staggered way, we will have to look at supply chain management, sanitisation processes, training of staff and even reducing staff to make the economics more viable, Puri said.

We need to remember that a lot of theatres in these green zones were not running brilliantly before the lockdown either, so lifting some restrictions may not mean that that business will be smooth," he pointed out.

For theatres to resume business, Amit Sharma, MD, Miraj Cinemas, suggested that a cap be placed on capacity in theatres depending on zones. If for example we open in July, we can limit capacity to 33 percent in red zones, 50 percent in orange zones and 75-100 percent in green zones. But you have to open it together across India. Green zones are in Tier III and IV cities of different states, so what kind of content will you play if you open only in green zones, he enquired.

All this tells us that exhibitors are not sure about staggered opening and are ready to wait.

Also, Akshaye Rathi, film exhibitor/ director, Saroj Screens Pvt, said for theatres, only compelling content will bring audiences back to cinema halls.

According to Vishnu, producers will not release films if theatres open at a certain time in certain areas.

People do not come to cinema halls to check out the property. They come for content. The filmmakers will have to look at exploring the theatrical avenue in that way," Rathi added.

Hindi cinema producers will not want to release films in a piecemeal manner. This will mean that there will be a lag between theatres opening and content being available," Puri weighed in.

As for profit and loss and getting back footfalls, Rathi said we have to invest a month or so whenever theatres open to rebuild people's trust. Once audience start showing confidence even filmmakers will become resilient.
Krispy Kreme will offer a free dozen doughnuts to any college or high school graduating senior on May 19 at participating locations.

The senior has to be dressed in their graduation cap and gown, Class of 2020 shirt, letterman jacket or other graduation gear in order to be eligible for the offer.

The dozen includes its chocolate iced creme-filled, strawberry iced creme-filled, cake batter filled and yellow iced original glazed doughnuts. The doughnuts are also decorated and arranged to spell out 2020.

We wish they had that moment of walking across the stage and getting their diploma, Dave Skena, Chief Marketing Officer of Krispy Kreme, said in a statement. We cant replace that, but we thought we could help them safely have a little fun and enjoy a special Graduate Dozen on us.

The doughnuts can be ordered via drivethru, or online for door-side pickup or delivery. Select Krispy Kreme dining areas are temporarily closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

There are currently Krispy Kreme stores in four New Jersey towns: Collingswood, Springfield, East Rutherford and Jersey City.

Krispy Kreme has also recently released a lemon glazed, cream filled doughnut. Its only available until Friday.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate Turkeys economic turmoil, the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) has found itself accused of coup incitement in a fresh onslaught by government members and crony media led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The harshest accusation came May 4 from the top seat of power after a Cabinet meeting that Erdogan chaired via video conference from his presidential mansion in Istanbul, where he has been staying during the pandemic. Erdogan was expected to focus on the governments normalization plan to ease pandemic restrictions, but instead he spent a good part of his speech raging at the main opposition.

The CHP, Erdogan said, represents a fascist mindset that cannot stomach the supremacy of the national will, democracy, justice and elections and is still yearning and burning for tutelage, coups and juntas. The CHPs actions are guided by a desire to usurp the countrys administration through a coup rather than coming to power through democratic means, he charged, adding, This is what the picture tells us when you sum up the statements of CHP leaders in the past week alone.

While the president did not name the CHP leaders he slammed, a review of recent CHP statements turned up no remark to corroborate his claim that the party is seeking to usurp the countrys administration through a coup.

Yet judging from the claims of the governments mouthpieces and media, a statement revealing a yearning for a coup does exist and it belongs to Canan Kaftancioglu, the CHP chairwoman for Istanbul. In April 29 remarks to Halk TV, an opposition channel close to the CHP, Kaftancioglu said she expected a government change and even a change in the [governance] system through early elections or some other way in the coming period.

According to the governments charges, spread aggressively by social media accounts and columnists under its control, Kaftancioglus mention of some other way in which the government could go was an insinuation of a coup. So it seems that it was Kaftancioglus remarks that Erdogan alluded to in accusing the CHP.

Amid the vitriol, Kaftancioglu went on air May 8 to clarify her remarks. She explained her comments were in response to a question on whether she expected early elections and her remark that the government could go in some other way referred to election alternatives other than early polls. I said that the government will go in early or other elections, be they early, normal or snap polls, and that Im already foreseeing a system change, she said.

Yet the Radio and Television Supreme Council, which oversees broadcasters and penalizes violations of broadcasting rules, decided that Kaftancioglu had incited the public to hatred and enmity by saying the government would go through early elections or some other way and used that as a pretext to slap a five-week ban on the program in which she made the remarks. Also, the council  controlled by Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally, the Nationalist Movement Party  fined Halk TV 5% of its monthly revenue.

Obviously, government quarters are at pains to present clear and concrete evidence that the CHP is seeking to provoke a coup. So in the absence of objective facts, what the government is trying to offer as proof is its own emotional state.

Accusing the CHP of putschism serves the purpose of creating a climate of coup fear. To convince its grassroots that its perception of a coup preparation is real and thus the purported plot is genuine, the government backs up its propaganda with a very intense emotional mood. Drawing on this emotional authenticity, it aims to ensure that the AKP base sustains its support despite the economic crisis, convinced that the coup preparation is real.

A striking manifestation of this emotional state was put on display May 3 during a talk show on the pro-government Ulke TV that outshined the performance of Erdogan and all other government officials.

Alluding to the coup preparations, the host of the live show, Esra Elonu, asked her guest Sevda Noyan  an obscure figure presented as a writer  what she thought about the threats to the government. Noyan grumbled how she and others failed to satiate their rage against the putschists during the suppression of the coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Then, referring to any fresh putsch, she said, Dont get me wrong, get me right  our family can carry off 50 people. We are very well equipped, materially and spiritually. We stand by our leader and will never forgo him. They should watch their steps. There are still several of them in our condo. My list is ready.

In other words, Noyan was insinuating that she and her family had weapons and were psychologically prepared to use them. Erdogan was the leader she referred to. And the list apparently meant they had already decided who they would kill.

Equally alarming was the implicit approval that Noyans praise of violence received from the programs host. After Noyan warned the putschists to watch their steps, Elonu added they should do so for all their four feet.

As a public outcry over the program grew, Ulke TV issued an apology May 9, conceding that Noyans remarks went against its broadcasting principles, but kept mum on the approval of the host.

Unlike those scrambling to find coup hints in statements that have nothing to do with coup incitement, things are much easier for those who claim to see the coup coming in their dreams. And since they are the sheikhs of religious orders, whose disciples attribute deep meanings to their leaders dreams, they are in a good position to fan the climate of coup fear.

Ahmet Mahmut Unlu  a popular Muslim televangelist better known as the Cloaked Ahmet Hodja  made headlines May 11 after warning of a coup on a YouTube channel. There is a coup danger. Ive seen dreams  the danger exists, he said. Recounting his dreams, he said, I was stopped, taken off [from my car] and asked for my identity  a coup, God forbid. And he warned that the danger this time did not come from the Gulenists as in the 2016 coup attempt.

Nourishing a climate of coup fear could serve the governments interests in several ways. The first is to lay a legitimate ground for a more authoritarian rule against the prospect of a galvanized popular opposition in the face of deepening economic turmoil. Another likely objective is to invigorate the governments grassroots, which the economic crisis has weakened, and rally them around Erdogan by the way of polarization and coup fears.

A fictitious coup threat could be used also to defer demands for political change that might develop among the populace.

Finally, delegitimizing and suppressing the CHP before calling early elections could be another calculation behind the fanning of coup fears.

Yet whatever the plans of the Erdogan government are, its coup accusations against the main opposition appear highly unlikely to create the desired impact.
(CNN)  A new report from a Dutch security researcher details a hacking mechanism that targets a common feature on millions of computers: the Thunderbolt port.

Bjorn Ruytenberg, a researcher at Eindhoven University in the Netherlands, identified a security flaw in the Thunderbolt port that could allow a hacker to break into a computer and access all of its data in a matter of minutes, even if the computer's owner has taken security precautions.

"If your computer has such a port, an attacker who gets brief physical access to it can read and copy all your data, even if your drive is encrypted and your computer is locked or set to sleep," Ruytenberg said in the report. He dubbed the hacking technique "Thunderspy."

"Thunderspy is stealth, meaning that you cannot find any traces of the attack," he said. The attack also does not require any engagement on the part of the computer's user, unlike other types of attacks such as phishing.

Developed by Intel in 2011, the Thunderbolt port enables fast data transfers. It is present on many PC and Apple laptops and  increasingly  some desktops. Although Intel recently developed a tool to address security concerns with the port, it isn't available on computers manufactured before 2019.

Ruytenberg demonstrated the attack, which took just about five minutes, in a YouTube video published along with the report.

For its part, Intel says that if users take normal security precautions and don't leave their computers somewhere a hacker could access them for even a few minutes  even if they have encrypted drives  they shouldn't be too worried about this type of hack.

While the Thunderspy attack is technically possible on many computers with a Thunderbolt port, it requires that the hacker gains physical access to the computer for several minutes  enough time to unscrew the back panel of a laptop, plug in a device to the Thunderbolt and override security features, reattach the back of the laptop and then access the computer's data.

Most people likely do not have valuable enough data on their computers for a hacker to want to carry out such a targeted attack. Even beyond Thunderspy, security experts have long warned of risks that could come from letting a hacker gain physical access to a computer.

A group of security researchers last year identified several vulnerabilities related to Thunderbolt ports. In response, Intel created a tool called Kernel Direct Memory Access (DMA) to mitigate such attacks, which was implemented into major operating systems from Windows, Linux and Mac in 2019, Jerry Bryant, Intel's director of communications for product assurance and security, said in a blog post Sunday.

The underlying vulnerability identified by Ruytenberg's Thunderspy technique is the same as those addressed by that mitigation tool, Byrant said in the post. The company added that Ruytenberg did not demonstrate successful attacks against machines with the DMA tool enabled.

However, Ruytenberg pointed out that systems released before 2019, as well as some newer systems without Kernel DMA protection enabled, could still be vulnerable to a Thunderspy attack. He released a free, open-source tool to help users determine whether their computers are at risk. Users can also contact their equipment manufacturers to see if Kernel DMA is enabled on newer devices.

"For all systems, we recommend following standard security practices, including the use of only trusted peripherals and preventing unauthorized physical access to computers," Intel's Bryant said. "As par
The family of a railway ticket officer who died from coronavirus after being spat on by a man who said he was infected with the disease has called for the 'disgusting' culprit to be jailed for murder.

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on the concourse of London Victoria station with a colleague in March when a member of the public approached them, said he had Covid-19 and spat on them both. Within days of the assault, both women fell ill with the virus.

Mrs Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, was admitted to Barnet Hospital, north London, on April 2 and put on a ventilator but died three days later.

Her colleague, who remains unnamed, has made a full recovery from her home.

The family of Belly Mujinga, who died from coronavirus after being spat at by a man claiming to have the disease while working at London Victoria, have called for a murder charge

British Transport Police began enquiries on Monday and had ruled out a murder investigation, but say the severity of the charge they bring is still up in the air.

And Mrs Mujinga's family have now called for the individual responsible to be brought to justice for his act, imploring for a murder charge to be brought forward.

'It is [murder]. It's very stressful for the whole family,' Agnes Ntumba, cousin of Mrs Mujinga, told Good Morning Britain on Wednesday. '[It's] Disgusting. How can a human being react in that way to another human being. It's not right.

Mrs Mujinga's cousin, Agnes Ntumba, has called for the individual to be charged with murder. On Monday, British Transport Police ruled out a murder investigation following the incident

'Firstly Belly normally worked inside in the ticket office but the team leader decided to put her to work in the concourse, she mentioned her health conditions but they didn't take any notice.

'They went to work and then somebody approached them and said 'why are you here'. They said 'we are working' and he said 'you shouldn't be working'. They said 'we need to work it is our duty'. He said 'look I've got corona' and he just spat at them and walked away. They then went to tell the manager that someone spat at us. Nothing was done.'

Ms Ntumba paid tribute to her cousin, who leaves behind daughter Ingrid, 11, and husband Lusamba.

'She was a lovely woman, happy caring, and she would stand for anybody and was really looking after her family,' she added.

Mrs Mujinga, 47, had underlying health conditions and later died after the vicious assault

'[After the incident] She was afraid. She was very worried about it but she didn't report it to the police and nothing has been done.

'She was coughing a lot and she was always cold and very weak. On Thursday, she phoned me and at 3pm she called me back to say she was in the hospital and needed oxygen.

'I am thinking it's not right it's wrong and he needs to be put in jail or do his sentence it's not right.

'It is difficult to cope at the moment. They [Mrs Mujinga's husband and daughter] can feel now that somebody is missing. It is very difficult, especially to the young girl.'

British Transport Police confirmed they did not know about the incident until Monday - seven weeks after it happened on March 22.

Ms Ntumba spoke of her devastation after the loss of the 'lovely, caring' mother-of-one

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has paid tribute to Belly Mujinga, a railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty, saying: 'The fact that she was abused for doing her job is utterly appalling.'

Ten people were able to attend the mother's funeral, but friends and family have paid tribute to her online, with one person writing: 'Rest in peace aunty Belly Mujinga that we used to call 'Mama I Baby''

Colleague Akin Macaulay wrote: 'Belly, my colleague and my birthday mate, may your soul rest in peace and may the Lord comfort your Husband and daughter and the extended family at this time and uphold them all.'

Mr Macaulay shared a fundraising page which had raised almost 14,000 to support the GTR worker's family.

A fundraising page has so far raised 14,000 to support the GTR worker's family at this time

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association union has reported the incident to the Railways Inspectorate, the safety arm of the Office for Road and Rail (ORR), for investigation and is taking legal advice on the situation.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: 'We are shocked and devastated at Belly's death. She is one of far too many frontline workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus.

'The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, recently announced that 60,000 would be paid to the survivors of health and care workers who die as a result of the pandemic.

'Our view is that this compensation should be extended to the families of all frontline workers who perish trying to keep our country and vital services going.

'Sadly, Belly's is just one of many family tragedies where children have had their parents taken away from them.

'However, there are serious questions about her death; it wasn't inevitable.

'As a vulnerable person in the 'at risk' category, and her condition known to her employer, there are questions about why she wasn't stood down from frontline duties early on in this pandemic.

'Rather than talking about the easing the lockdown, the government must first ensure that the right precautions and protections have been taken so that more lives are not lost.

'Anyone who is vulnerable should remain at home and home working should be the default wherever possible.

'Our rail industry needs to have a very serious look at what tasks are deemed 'essential' and must put protections in place for all our members and our passengers.'
Hizbul Mujahideen boss Syed Salahuddins move to name three terrorists from across the Line of Control to lead the terror group in Kashmir has prompted security agencies to reset the search for the outfits new leadership in the valley.

Riyaz Naikoo, Salahuddins prime point person in Kashmir till last week, was killed in a joint operation of Kashmir police and Rashtriya Rifles that traced the 32-year-old to a secret bunker in a Pulwama village, not far from the house where he lived before picking up the gun.

Salahuddin picked Ghazi Haider aka Saifullah Mir as the Hizbuls so-called chief commander in Kashmir.

Zafarul Islam, believed to be the nom de guerre for 55-year-old Ashraf Maulvi would be Ghazi Haiders deputy and Abu Tariq Bhai, his so-called chief military adviser.

Of the three, a top official in Jammu and Kashmir said, Abu Tariq Bhai has been the most brutal in the choice of his killings and its execution.

We believe Abu Tariq Bhai is a Hizbul terrorist we have known as Zubair Wani from Anantnag, a senior police officer said.

All three, like most of the Hizbul leadership, have been active in south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian.

Police officers in Kashmir said they had started a fresh search for these terrorists but stressed that they expected the fresh recruitments to slow down for some time due to Naikoos elimination. It was a huge setback for the Hizbul, one senior officer said.

In a widely-circulated video that emerged after Naikoos death, Salahuddin described Naikoos death as a shock for all of us but noted that these sacrifices had been going on in Kashmir for long. Since January this year, he said 80 fighters, or terrorists, had given up their lives for the cause of Kashmir.

The burly, bearded Salahuddin, once an Islamic preacher who wanted to join politics, had crossed over into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir more than three decades ago after the 1987 rigged elections. It is here that he founded the Hizbul Mujahideen, the terror group funded by Pakistans deep state. Unlike other terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Hizbul has mostly been powered by local recruits. Fueling discontentment has been a key part of the strategy.

Salahuddins family insulated from terror

But he has insulated his family from terror activities.

How he has been able to do this is really remarkable... Unless his family knows him better, a senior police officer said.

Three of his five sons hold jobs in the state government or its bodies. The fourth son is a doctor who practises in Srinagar and the youngest has an engineering degree and runs a skill development institute in Kashmir.

Of the other three, one is a medical assistant at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, the second is a computer operator in the Budgam education office and the third, Syed Yousuf, worked at the agriculture department.

Syed Yousuf did get into trouble after the National Investigation Agency revived a 2011 case against him in 2017 for receiving tainted money from his father through hawala channels.

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Police say clashes erupted due to measures adopted to curb COVID-19; protesters point to mistreatment and corruption.

Six protesters have died in Guinea during clashes with security forces over roadblocks erected to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

There were five deaths in Coyah and one in Dubreka, police spokesman Mory Kaba told AFP news agency on Tuesday.

According to the police, crowds were protesting against road barriers set up to control traffic between the capital and the rest of the country.

Protesters said they were tired of being mistreated and extorted by police at entry and exit points to the capital, AFP said, citing witness accounts.





With 2,998 infections and 11 deaths, the country is among the West African countries worst-hit by the coronavirus.

The former French colony has a deficient health system. Its main hospital, under renovation for the past four years, had to reopen suddenly at the onset of the pandemic.

The country has first-hand experience with infectious diseases, having been ravaged by Ebola between late 2013 and 2016. More than 2,500 people died of the hemorrhagic fever.

Grinding poverty and the need to go outdoors to make a living add to the defiance.

The government has imposed a nighttime curfew, closed Guineas borders, banned gatherings and made mask-wearing compulsory.

Protests took place after a wave of unrest that gripped the country in March as violence erupted after President Alpha Conde went ahead with a bitterly contested referendum to revise the constitution which spurred mass demonstrations and left dozens of people dead.
SHELBYVILLE  Businesses here got a very guarded permission to open if they want to  and in defiance of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers closure orders  following a unanimous vote Wednesday of the Shelby County Board.

A resolution passed by the board allows businesses to open in compliance with the countys Shelby County Return to Business Plan," a series of safety guidelines covering both sides of more than three closely typed A4 pages.

The guidelines call for employees wearing masks, limits on the number of people inside businesses and social distancing, enhanced sanitation and on and on. And isolation rules remain in force for nursing homes and assisted living and group homes.

Businesses that open will be monitored for compliance with the guideline standards by the Shelby County Public Health Department and a close eye will be kept on infection rates and the capacity to cope with patient loads at regional medical centers.

County Board Chairman Bruce Cannon said there are a lot of strings attached but also said the board felt compelled to act given the dire financial situation facing many businesses. The county board recognizes the economy is struggling and we recognize our citizens are struggling, too, he added.

Cannon said the board was aware of the way the governor and the state wants restrictions in place to try and halt the spread of COVID-19. But he said the county didnt feel the best use of its resources was trying to stop businesses, who feel they can open safely, from doing so.

Were not really thumbing our noses at the state, we just dont have the time or staff to go out and chase down every single restaurateur and every single church that may want to hold church this week at their own risk, Cannon added.

He also warned that the county does not have any control over local cities and villages and whatever rules they have in place regarding COVID-19. The countys resolution also says businesses should check with their insurance provider and legal counsel before going ahead and opening.

Jared Rowcliffe, the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency coordinator, monitors COVID-19 cases (the county has 11) and was carefully neutral in his reaction to the county boards decision.

We do not have a view on this, he said. We are not an enforcement authority. Our role is to provide resources to first responders and long-term care facilities as best we can and try to mitigate the effects of this virus as best we can.

Pritzker has said he would consider withholding federal pass-through funds to counties ignoring his stay-at-home order. A handful of counties have taken similar steps.

The governor said on Wednesday that "counties that try to reopen in defiance, may not be reimbursed by FEMA for damages they cause because they ignored the law. Local law enforcement and the Illinois State Police can and will take action. There is no consequence the state could impose that is greater than the harm you will do to your own communities."

And in other business Wednesday, the Shelby board voted to let voters have a say on whether they want to see Illinois divided into two. The board voted 12-7 to approve adding a question to the November ballot asking whether Illinois should become two states instead of one.

The request for the ballot question had come from an organization called Illinois Separation which wants Cook County and Chicago to have its own state, separate from the other 101 counties that currently make up Illinois.

Jessica Fox, the Shelby County clerk and recorder, said there was some concern among members about how the complicated legal process would play out to make such a separation a reality.

But that is far down the road, she added. And this ballot question is just people being able to express their opinion.

Photos: Life during COVID-19

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has appealed to all its members to provide ORS solution, water and locally-made energy bars with jaggery and puffed rice to migrants travelling on foot to reach their native places.

In a communique to all state presidents and state secretaries, presidents and secretaries of the local branches and all national office bearers, IMA national president Ranjan Sharma drew their attention to the migrants travelling on foot to reach their destination.

In another statement, the IMA also batted for cash transfer to the poor, investment of five per cent of the GDP in health by governments, and stimulus to clinics, small and medium hospitals being run as professional medical practice.

"India will slide down in health parameters, including lifespan, infant mortality and maternal mortality, if issues of unemployment and poverty are not addressed on war footing," it said.

Sharma said that it was disturbing to see not a single food outlet open or anybody offering the migrants food or work and added that due to economic stress and lockdown they have started moving from their place of work.

"I would not like to enumerate the economic difficulties they must be facing. As we are engaged in the fight against COVID-19, it is also pertinent to mention here that we cannot, rather should not, shy away from our social responsibilities.

"It is my humble request to all my fellow colleagues of the country to find out a solution for COVID-19 labour on foot. The suggestions from my end are that if we can provide them ORS solution, water and locally-made energy bars with jaggery and puffed rice," he said in the communique.

Responsibility is more on the IMA branches, near or on the highways and they need to take care of the people's nutritional needs, Sharma said.

He also suggested setting up IMA counters on the highways where medical personnel can be deputed to thermal scan them and cater to the small medical issues of these people.

"The undersigned requests you to either kindly set up a counter on the highways or tie up with the local police and other relevant departments for the same. Many of us have already contributed to such activities including running of food services/community kitchens etc. Now let's launch IMA Community Nutrition Kiosks," Sharma said.

In the other statement, the organisation said the lockdown has partitioned India horizontally between haves and have nots.

"The scale of migration and the tales of human misery are heart-rendering. The uncertainty hanging over their lives remains the same. Poverty is the worst form of violence. It remains 'the' factor in determining nutrition and immunity game changer," it said



The IMA said that tuberculosis which kills 2,235 Indians everyday even today is expected to increase by at least 15 per cent and the road to health begins by taking poverty head on, the doctors' body said.

"Universal Basic Income and Universal Health Coverage are no longer a luxury that we can't afford. In fact they are the tools of survival," he said.

"Cash in the hands of poor is spent on food and health... Public health infrastructure and human resources are our insurance against any exigencies. If India can afford an All India Revenue Service we can surely afford an All India Medical Service. Law and order is a State subject, health as well," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chinese military medical expert team to Myanmar embarked on their homebound journey at Yangon International Airport on May 12, 2020.(Photo/Xinhuanet)

YANGON, May 13 -- The Chinese military medical expert team to Myanmar embarked on their homebound journey on May 12 after successfully completed nineteen-day work in Myanmar. Heads of the Yangon Command of the Myanmar armed forces (Tatmadaw) and the Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Chen Hai went to the airport to see the Chinese military medical expert team off.

The expert team and the Chinese military attache to Myanmar Senior Colonel Xiong Shaowei made a video call with Major General Soe Win, the head of the military medical department of the Tatmadaw General Command, and exchanged views on pandemic prevention and control in the embassy on the same afternoon.

The team leader Bai Chong said in the video call that during their work in Myanmar, the expert team had been to the First General Hospital, the Liver Hospital, and the Orthopedic Hospital under the Tatmadaw, to discuss infection control, virus detection, and medical treatment with the Myanmar military medical experts. They jointly developed a manual of COVID-19's diagnosis, treatment and control. The expert team also introduced China's experience comprehensively and systematically through lectures, seminars, skills training, and data sharing.

Major General Soe Win expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Chinese expert team for their work in Myanmar. He pointed out that the Chinese expert team was the first international expert group to arrive in Myanmar and has provided Myanmar with a lot of constructive and substantial help. The jointly-developed manual is a very valuable achievement in this joint anti-pandemic work.

Later at the airport, representative from the Tatmadaw's Yangon Command conveyed the gratitude of Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing to the expert team and mentioned that the expert team has provided support at the critical moment of the anti-pandemic in Myanmar, and enhanced the friendship between the two countries and the two militaries. And Ambassador Chen Hai also highly praised the anti-pandemic cooperation between the two militaries.

It's learned that the six anti-pandemic medical experts group sent by the Chinese military arrived in Yangon on April 24. A batch of protective supplies, medical equipment, and other anti-pandemic supplies donated by China also arrived with the same plane. Before this, another team of medical experts dispatched by the Chinese government arrived in Yangon on April 8 and returned to China on April 22.

As of the morning of May 12, Myanmar has a total of 180 confirmed cases of COVID-19, six deaths, and 74 have recovered.
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Linkedin Meilanie Buitenzorgy (The Jakarta Post) Bogor, West Java  Wed, May 13, 2020 09:08 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a2748 3 Opinion COVID-19,death,burial,Jakarta-administration,anies-baswedan Free

Amid the pandemic, the increasing number of funerals in Jakarta, Indonesias epicenter of COVID-19, have earned the spotlight. During March and April 2020, around 4,400 monthly burials occurred, which is 40 percent higher than any month since at least January 2018.



The headlines were sourced from Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. For example, on April 2, The Jakarta Post headlined People are dying, Pak Maruf: Anies reports Jakartas harrowing situation to Vice President.



What Anies dramatic statements did not reveal is that the burial data is not Jakartas only monthly death-related statistics. The more accurate statistics are the total reported deaths in the capital city.



These two different sets of statistics are published by two different agencies under the Jakarta municipality. While data on burial services are published by the Parks and Cemeteries Agency, the Population and Civil Registration Agency is responsible for the data on reported deaths.



The table below compiles monthly data for those two statistics from January 2019 to April 2020. Unfortunately, the data on monthly reported deaths are available only up to September 2019. The reported deaths for March 2020 is still a temporary figure at the time of writing, while data for the other months are not available (see table).

Jakarta deaths and burials statistics (JP/File)

From January to September 2019, the average monthly reported deaths and burial services are 5,015 and 2,982, respectively. The average gap is 2,205 between those two figures. This means that around 44 percent of people who died in Jakarta were not buried in Jakarta administration cemeteries. Many Indonesians still maintain the tradition of burying the deceased in their place of origin outside the capital. Others may choose private or family cemeteries or cremation services.



When the pandemic hit the country since early March 2020, social distancing and self-isolation measures forced people to bury the deceased as soon as possible at the closest cemeteries. This is the logical explanation for Jakartas skyrocketing number of burials in March and April 2020.



As a PhD trained scholar, Anies should know this simple explanation. But instead, he tendentiously told Reuters in early April 2020, It is extremely disturbing. Im struggling to find another reason than unreported COVID-19 deaths.



In the COVID-19 era, Anies is about the only sitting official adored by the masses who supported the camp opposing President Joko Jokowi Widodo in the presidential election. The post-election tension is still palpable; his burial statements clearly corner the central government for not handling the pandemic well.

On social media local and foreign academics have expressed suspicions that the central government has manipulated the COVID-19 death toll based on their analysis of Jakarta burial services data only, the statistics misleadingly highlighted by Anies. Without accompanied by data on the total deaths, the burial service data means little.



Even if one assumes that around 4,400 monthly burials in Jakarta during March-April 2020 closely describe the death statistics, these figures are still well below the average of 5,000 monthly deaths last year.



Furthermore, without data on monthly total deaths, the number of bodies buried according to the COVID-19 procedure also means close to nothing. This is another statistic misleadingly cited by Governor Anies. In fact, many of those who died, who had either tested positive or were suspected of COVID-19 infection, had also died from other diseases. Hence, one may assume that COVID-19 has killed significantly more people in Jakarta if and only if the total deaths during the pandemic are significantly higher than the numbers prior to the pandemic.



An internist working in a non-COVID-19-referral hospital in Bekasi, near Jakarta, reported in social media that recently her hospital had become quieter with fewer patients. It seems people are avoiding hospitals out of fear of virus contagion. Yet many non-COVID-19 patients then come to her hospital in severe conditions, to the point that medical intervention cannot help much.



This horrible situation might be the outcome of hyperbolic statements on avoiding contagion released by government officials and spread by media seeking bombastic quotes. The public pays for the cost unnecessarily by avoiding hospitals until it is likely too late.



On the other hand, denials and ignorant statements by officials in the early stage of the pandemic were also dangerous in creating the publics false sense of security.



What is urgently needed now in this pandemic situation are balanced government messages. Both President Jokowi and Governor Anies must learn from other world leaders. Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are good examples of effective leaders communication of the pandemic-related situation and directions to their people.



An effective communication strategy is key to winning public trust. And, in turn, public trust is a key element for effective mitigation strategies.



Furthermore, Anies must provide the reported death statistics as soon as possible, then announce it publicly. In a pandemic, a seven-month lag on death statistics does bring into question the capability of his administration.



The accurate death toll would provide a proper basis for the central government and the Jakarta municipality to collaborate in designing a better mitigation strategy for Jakarta as the epicenter of the pandemic.

______

Researcher, statistician, chair of education commission at the Department of Resources and Environmental Economics, School of Economics and Management, Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB University). The views are personal.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
BEIJING, May 13 -- Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held phone talks with the South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking of the pandemic, Wei said Chinese government and people have made arduous efforts in the fight against COVID-19, and Chinese military fought at the frontline of the pandemic prevention and treatment and has made remarkable contributions in the counter-pandemic campaign.

Wei noted China has to-date speeded up and phased in recovering normal economic and social operations, including both production and daily life.

China thinks highly of South Korea's achievements in pandemic prevention and control over such a short span of time and is willing to strengthen exchange and cooperation with South Korea in jointly winning the global fight of pandemic prevention and control, Wei said.

The militaries of the two countries should maintain dialogue and communication and propel pragmatic cooperation to concertedly protect peace and stability of the region, Wei added.

Jeong Kyeong-doo in return introduced the status quo of the pandemic prevention and control in South Korea, saying that South Korea speaks highly of the efforts and major achievements made by the Chinese government and military in response to the pandemic.

The two countries' successful counter-pandemic practices have provided valuable experience to the global efforts of battling the coronavirus, Jeong said.

Jeong Kyeong-doo expressed South Korea's willingness of enhancing dialogue and cooperation with China to join hands in countering the pandemic and promote the mil-to-mil relations between the two countries.
Contingency plans in place for Chinese drills in South China Sea

ROC Central News Agency

05/12/2020 09:59 PM

Taipei, May 12 (CNA) Taiwan said Tuesday that contingency plans are in place for its outlying islands in the South China Sea, following a Japanese media report that the Chinese military is planning to conduct drills in the area to simulate the seizure of one of the islands.

Japan's Kyodo News reported that day that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is planning to hold a large-scale beach landing exercise near China's Hainan Province in August, with a scenario of capturing the Dongsha Islands (Pratas Islands), currently controlled by Taiwan.

The report, which did not cite its sources, said the Dongsha Islands are significant to Beijing as they sit at a strategic point, because Chinese warships have to sail by them when going to the Pacific from Hainan Province.

Responding to this, Maj. Gen. Lin Wen-huang (), who heads an operations and planning office at the Ministry of National Defense (MND), said at a press conference that the ministry is monitoring movements of "hostile forces" through intelligence gathering and surveillance.

He made clear that the MND has contingency plans in place for the South China Sea and that work to strengthen combat readiness and defense preparedness on Taiping Island and the Dongsha Islands will not stop.

Taiwan, along with Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, claim ownership of the South China Sea region, either in part or wholly. At present, Taiwan controls Taiping, the biggest island feature in the South China Sea, and the Dongsha Islands, with coast guard personnel deployed on them.

Lin said that although those deployed there are not military, they possess the same skills and capabilities as marines.

In a legislative session on April 30, National Security Bureau Director-General Chiu Kuo-cheng () revealed that there are about 200 men and women guarding Taiping Island, equipped with light and heavy weaponry. He did not mention the Dongsha Islands.

Meanwhile, Qi Yue-yi (), a Taiwanese military expert specialized in PLA issues, told CNA that China could have been preparing to target the whole of the South China Sea with the reported drill, but instead selected the area near its own Hainan Province so as not to alarm other claimants in the region.

(By Matt Yu, Lai Yen-hsi and Emerson Lim)

Enditem/J

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In the very first week of KUWTK season 18, Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian got involved in a brawl. The catfight was followed by Kourtney refusing to shoot for some days. However, it seems that was not the end of it. In a bonus clip from KUWTK, Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian said some mean things about Kourtney Kardashian and this did not sit well with the fans.

Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian bad-mouth Kourtney Kardashian

In the video, Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian were sitting at lunch with Scott Disick. The latter is Kourtney Kardashian's ex-beau and also the father of her three children. Kim revealed that she had tried reaching Kourtney after their 'bloody' brawl.

Khloe also added that she had texted Kourtney saying, "Hey Mike  Mike Tyson  how you doing?" and she replied back with a "Hey Tony". Khloe said she was sure the older Kardashian apparently did not know who Mike Tyson was. Khloe Kardashian went on to say that if she had not reached out to Kourtney Kardashian, the latter might not even have approached her. This Khloe found to be "crazy".

At this, Kim Kardashian laughed and said how Kourtney had asked her to meet that very evening after the fight. Kim thought it was because both of them were supposed to be at the same fitting session the next day. Khloe pointed out that it was exactly what she was talking about.

Scott Disick also spoke up at this point. He was worried about the awkwardness since Kim and Kourtney were planning a holiday to Armenia with their children. Khloe Kardashian further added that she felt Kourtney only talked to her because they had a deadline, else she would not have.

Also Read: Kourtney Kardashian Calls KUWTK "toxic" After Her Return To The Show

Talking about their fight, Kim added that she was worried about getting scars from Kourtney's scratches. She also revealed that their mother, Kris still had scars from the times when Kourtney had scratched her. Scott chimed in again and said they would know what scars if only he took off his shirt.

Also Read: Kris Jenner 'couldn't Resist' Posting Priceless Throwback Pictures Of Kourtney Kardashian

All these conversations did not sit well with the fans. They felt bitter towards the two Kardashian sisters and did not appreciate the things that were said about the older Kardashian in the clip. Take a look:

Also Read: Khloe Kardashian's Toilet Roll Prank On Kourtney Goes Viral; Twitter Schools Them

Also Read: Priyanka Chopra Jonas & Kim Kardashian Bear Striking Similarities; Pics Inside

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
In a letter sent to all the province in the Philippines on 27 April, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) announced that the nation would remember Mary on 13 May. Indeed, in the midst of the coronavirus incident and death, the Philippine bishop inspired the nation today to talk, remember and remember about Mary. The president of CBCP, Archbishop Romo Walls of Davo, who sent the letter, recently said, "The central event will be at the 'National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima' in Venezuela City, the Roman Catholic province of Malolos."

Due to an extensive lockdown in Metro Manila and two other urban centres, the National Marion shrine, which is in the ECQ zone, will not be able to come together to celebrate. For this reason, all the archbishops and bishops of the country have requested their respective people to participate in the event through their media, along with their clergy, religious, and families, keeping in view the social security norms. The President of CBCP, Archbishop Romo Walls of Davo, who sent the letter, recently said, "People are in love with Mary."

"We are a nation with a lot of dedication to them, we call them Mummy, Mary, our mother." He said, 'We will remember her at the time of this epidemic, she is with us. In preparation for this event in Venezuela, Father Gener Sta. Rita Garcia remained involved."

Testing may begin in US from this week

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Bhaskar Sunkara, Jacobins editor, announced on Twitter that he would vote for the Green Party candidate, Howie Hawkins. The magazine has since published several articles on the question of supporting Mr. Biden, including one that criticized the former members of Students for a Democratic Society for haranguing young socialists, insisted that building a democratic socialist movement is the only real hope for the planets future, pointed to the violation of rights under Republican and Democratic presidencies alike and downplayed the threat that Mr. Trump poses (if he had both the will and the capacity to crush his opponents in the style of Hitler, Franco, or Mussolini, he would have done so by now).

To followers of leftist politics, the argument was all too familiar: The two major parties are merely the right and left wings of the capitalist system. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

It is worth noting that this was also the position of most members of the New Left during the 1968 presidential election. Back then, radical young leftists either refused to vote or supported the candidates of the Peace and Freedom Party, the Freedom and Peace Party, and even the Yippies  the Youth International Party  who encouraged people to vote for a pig named Pigasus. Anyone or anything was preferable to Richard Nixon except of course the Democratic Partys nominee, Hubert Humphrey.

This is not the only historical echo in todays dispute about support for Mr. Biden. In the early 1960s, Students for a Democratic Society, too, found itself in a generational standoff. At that point, the group was the youth branch of the League for Industrial Democracy, which had an older membership and was social democratic, trade unionist and anti-Communist. It didnt take long for tensions to mount between the two organizations.

In October 1963 members of S.D.S. met with the editors of Dissent magazine, most prominently Irving Howe, to see whether despite their differences the two generations of leftists could make common cause. The meeting did not go well. A major sticking point, then as now, was how to view liberal democracy. The members of S.D.S. argued against representative democracy in favor of what they called participatory democracy. To Mr. Howe their ideas sounded too much like the fecklessness of our youth, when Stalinists and even a few socialists used to put down mere bourgeois democracy.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has sent a letter to President Ilham Aliyev in which he has praised the governments measures to curb the spread of novel coronavirus pandemic, the presidents press-service reported on May 12.

In his letter, Ghebreyesus highly appreciated the work done by the government of Azerbaijan to implement preventive measures against COVID-19.

He described as exemplary the support provided by President Aliyev to multilateral diplomacy and solidarity at national, regional and global levels.

WHO Director General said the extraordinary Summit of the Turkic Council on COVID-19 held on April 10, 2020 under the chairmanship of Aliyev in the format of videoconference has further strengthened the cooperation and served to strengthen the ties between the two organizations.

He also congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on successfully holding the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in the format of a videoconference, describing it a great initiative.

He noted that the final declaration adopted at the NAM summit envisages to establish a working group to develop a database containing the main needs of the member states of the movement, and stressed the readiness of WHO to support the efforts of the working group.

At the same time, Ghebreyesus said that WHO is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in combating threats caused by COVID-19 at global, regional and country levels.

In conclusion, WHO Director General expressed his deep respect and reverence to President Aliyev.

Azerbaijan has allocated $10 million to WHO to help the organization fight the spread of COVID-19.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Taking potshots at the blueprint of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus laid out on May 13 by Nirmala Sitharaman, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac dubbed it as "deeply disappointing".

In a sharply-worded tweet, Isaac said, "If the first day's package of Union FM is a fair sample, the Rs 20 lakh stimulus is going to be deeply disappointing."

"The actual outflow resources directly from the budget is only around 30,000 crore. At least the interest payment of MSME sector during the moratorium could have been waved," he added.

During an elaborate press conference today, FM Sitharaman announced six postulates to infuse liquidity into the MSME sector.

These included collateral-free automatic loans worth Rs 3 lakh crore for standard MSMEs, and creating a fund of funds for infusing about Rs 50,000 crore as equity into MSMEs.

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, she also announced change in definition of MSMEs by revising the investment limits upwards.

Sitharaman gave a tranche of 15 measures so as to elucidate the distribution of corpus in the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on March 12.

While announcing the financial aid to rescue the economy reeling under the impact of coronavirus, PM Modi had said that the amount is approximately equal to 10 percent of India's GDP.

The Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus includes packages worth nearly Rs 7-8 lakh crore already announced by the Finance Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Daniel Amevor was also charged for causing harm to Leading Fireman, Paul Fofie. He denied the offences but was found culpable at the end of the trial.

Meanwhile, his accomplice, only named as "Abodie," is on the run.

Police Chief Inspector William K. Boateng told the Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusuaa Appiah that Fofie, the complainant was stationed at the National Fire Service Training School, whilst the convict was a head porter at Kantamanto all in Accra.

He said on February 20, 2019, the complainant and other officers were on night duty and at about 2130 hours, he decided to stretch himself in front of the School but Amevor and "Abodie" attacked him from behind.

Chief Inspector Boateng said Amevor pulled a jack knife and ordered the complainant to surrender his cellular phone and money to them but he resisted and punched "Abodie" with his fist.

He said Amevor then slashed his left wrist with the knife but failed to rob him as his shouts for help attracted his colleagues to the scene.

Prosecution said on seeing the officers approaching, the robbers took to their heels but they officers pursued them and arrested Amevor at the seashore but "Abodie" managed to escape.

He said Amevor was handed over to the Police and Fofie, who was bleeding profusely was rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.

He said when Amevor was searched, only the jack knife case was found on him as he had thrown the knife away in course of the chase.

The Prosecution said the Police then visited the victim whilst on admission and issued him with a Police medical report to attend hospital.

He said after investigations, Amevor was arraigned.

GNA
New Delhi, May 13 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced collateral free automatic loans for businesses including MSMEs up to Rs 3 lakh crore.

Under the measure, borrowers with up to Rs 25 crore outstanding and Rs 100 crore turnover would be eligible for the special collateral free loan.

The loan will have a 4 year tenor with moratorium of 12 months on principal repayment and the interest will be capped.

There will be a 100 per cent credit guarantee cover to banks and NBFCs on principal and interest. The initiative can be availed till October 31, 2020, and no guarantee fee and fresh collateral would be required.

On the back of the scheme, 45 lakh units can resume business activity and safeguard jobs.

The move is part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening.

It is one among the schemes announced by the Finance Minister on Wednesday.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:37:52|Editor: huaxia

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HELSINKI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) announced on Wednesday that it will cooperate with the forest products giant UPM to purchase COVID-19 protective equipment from China.

The agency has signed a cooperation agreement with UPM on sourcing a significant shipment of protective equipment from China, NESA said in a press release.

Under the agreement, UPM's procurement unit will search for protective equipment suppliers and negotiate delivery terms with them. NESA, in turn, will select the suppliers, place the orders and manage the actual procurement process.

UPM has made its procurement professionals available to NESA free of charge, said the agency.

According to NESA, UPM has obtained samples of protective equipment from more than ten pre-selected Chinese suppliers. These samples have been tested at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and all products tested have met the standards for surgical face masks.

"The Emergency Supply Agency attaches great value to the cooperation that has been achieved with Finnish companies operating in China on improving the availability of protective equipment," NESA CEO Janne Kankanen said in the press release.

Founded in 1996, UPM is a Finland-based forest industry company. It has been operating in China since 1999. Enditem
More than 70 people in Wisconsin have tested positive for coronavirus after admitting they attended a 'large gathering' in the state - around the same time that thousands of protesters were pictured ignoring social distancing and shunning face masks at a mass anti-lockdown rally.

The state's Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed that 72 individuals who were diagnosed with the deadly virus on or after April 26 had all attended a large gathering not long before their diagnosis.

'We were able to pull some limited data - out of 1,986 cases with onset/diagnosis on or after 4/26, there were seventy-two cases who reported attending a large gathering,' DHS spokesperson Jennifer Miller told The Progressive.

Two days earlier on April 24, thousands of protesters gathered outside Wisconsin's capitol building in Madison demanding Democratic Governor Tony Evers reopen the state for business.

More than 70 people in Wisconsin have tested positive for coronavirus after admitting they attended a 'large gathering' in the state - around the same time that thousands of protesters were pictured ignoring social distancing and shunning face masks at a mass anti-lockdown rally (pictured)

A man holds a sign and shuns a face mask at the rally on April 24, when thousands of protesters gathered outside Wisconsin's capitol building in Madison demanding Democratic Governor Tony Evers reopen the state for business

Pictures from the rally revealed swarms of protesters, many of them sporting Donald Trump paraphernalia and American flags, with few wearing face masks and most packed in close together, defying health guidelines to stay six feet from each other.

It marked one of the largest anti-lockdown rallies to take place across the country.

At the time there were 5,356 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wisconsin and 262 people had died.

As of Wednesday, cases have almost doubled to 10,611 and the death toll has reached 418.

The DHS has gathered the data on the individual cases as part of the state's contact tracing program, but has not specifically tracked what the large gatherings people attended were.

Swarms of people gathered outside the statehouse (pictured). It was one of the largest anti-lockdown rallies to take place across the country

Pictures from the rally revealed swarms of protesters, many of them sporting Donald Trump paraphernalia and American flags, with few wearing face masks and most packed in close together, defying health guidelines to stay six feet from others

This means it is not possible to confirm that any or all of the individuals were present at the Reopen Wisconsin rally.

'Possible exposures during protests haven't been specifically added to the database because we already ask about large gatherings,' Miller told The Progressive.

'Contact tracers do ask if patients attended mass gatherings, but not specifically about protests, so there's really no data on who may have contracted COVID-19 at a protest.'

Miller added: 'No, it doesn't specifically state that the 72 were at a rally, but this is the data we have.'

The DHS did measure coronavirus cases against attendance at polling stations (above)

DailyMail.com reached out to the DHS for comment and for clarification on their criteria for a 'large gathering'.

DHS responded in a statement: 'Possible exposures during protests havent been specifically added to the database because we already ask about large gatherings. Some of what is collected is qualitative (in an other category-with an open ended notes) and followed up on that way.'

The failure to track confirmed cases against attendance at the anti-lockdown rally comes as it emerged the DHS did measure cases against attendance at polling stations.

The data revealed 67 people tested positive for coronavirus after voting in person at polling stations across the state on April 7, reported The Progressive.
The two opposition party legislators had organised the foot march from Mahakal temple here.

Ujjain (MP): Two Congress MLAs were arrested here on Wednesday for allegedly violating the lockdown order after they set off on a foot march to draw the government's attention towards the hardships being faced by those migrant workers, who are walking to their home states.

The two opposition party legislators- Mahesh Parmar from Tarana assembly seat and Manoj Chawla from Aalot constituency- had organised the foot march from Mahakal temple here along with some of their supporters. According to police, the MLAs and their followers were arrested as soon as their march began.

"As all such activities are prohibited during the lockdown, the two Congress MLAs- Mahesh Parmar and Manoj Chawla- were arrested under IPC section 151 for breaking the law by way of assembly of people," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rupesh Kumar Dwivedi said.

Section 151 of the IPC deals with "knowingly joining or continuing in assembly of five or more persons". The arrested MLAs and their associates were sent to Bhairavgarh jail, the ASP added.

Talking to reporters, Parmar said they were taking out a peaceful march from Mahakal temple to Bhopal to "wake up" the state government on the issue of hardships being faced by thousands of migrant labourers.
The judge overseeing the case of fired national security advisor Mike Flynn revealed Tuesday that the case is not dead yet  and issued an invitation for 'friend of the court' briefs in the explosive matter.

U.S. District Judge Judge Emmet Sullivan in a minute order issued Tuesday wrote that 'given the current posture of this case, the court anticipates that individuals and organizations will seek leave of the court to file amicus curiae briefs ...'

He made the statement after the Justice Department made the stunning decision to reverse its position and said last week would no longer prosecute Flynn.

U.S. District Judge Judge Emmet Sullivan wrote that 'given the current posture of this case, the court anticipates that individuals and organizations will seek leave of the court to file amicus curiae briefs' in the case of Gen. Mike Flynn

Such friend of the court briefs allow outside parties to make their views known if they aren't represented but otherwise have an interest in the case.

Sullivan is now overseeing a case where the government does not seek prosecution of the defendant. Even if he were to go ahead and seek to punish the defendant, President Trump has long kept open the possibility of a presidential pardon.

Trump fired Flynn after just 24 days on the job. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.

Nearly 2,000 former Justice Department officials have signed a petition asking Attorney General Bill Barr to resign after the turnaround.

The Justice Department's decision to shift its position from prosecuting Flynn came from pursuing him for more than a year.

Barr also oversaw a turnaround in the sentencing recommendation of Roger Stone, another longtime ally of President Trump's.

'If any of us, or anyone reading this statement who is not a friend of the president, were to lie to federal investigators in the course of a properly predicated counterintelligence investigation, and admit we did so under oath, we would be prosecuted for it,' wrote the officials, who said they had served for both Democratic and Republican administrations.

Last week the Department of Justice announced it would be dropping charges against Michael Flynn, President Trump's original national security adviser

Ex-prosecutor Jonathan Kravis lashed out at Attorney General Bill Barr (pictured) for allowing Roger Stone and Michael Flynn to receive lighter punishments than what prosecutors recommended - and throwing prosecutors under the bus for speaking publicly

'The interrogation of Michael Flynn was not an inquiry. Make no mistake, it was a trap,' new White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a long speech at the top of her press briefing Friday. On Thursday the Justice Department dropped its case against Trump's former national security advisor

President Trump blasted blasted 'Obama' officials as 'human scum' for pursuing the case

Protestors scream after former national security advisor Michael Flynn left a sentencing hearing at US District Court in Washington, DC, USA, 18 December 2018. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI but cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller. Flynn's sentencing was postponed by Federal Judge Emmet G. Sullivan

The White House has gone on offense after Barr's ruling, with new Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany leading long orations from the White House podium, and Trump launching online attacks on what he calls 'Obamagate.'

President Trump blasted blasted 'Obama' officials as 'human scum' for pursuing the case following Barr's decision.

McEnany delivered a 1,300 word oration from the White House last week on the case. ''It is encouraging to see that justice finally prevailed. As we move forward as a country, it's important to take these revelations very seriously in order for Americans to have faith in our justice system,' she said.

McEnany said FBI investigators 'appeared to paint a target on the back of general Michael Flynn' and entrapped him. Flynn also pleaded guilty to working on behalf of the government of Turkey while advising Trump during the presidential campaign.

Flynn got paid $500,000 for his work.

Jonathan Kravis, a federal prosecutor who worked on Roger Stone's case, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post Monday that accused Barr's DOJ of 'put[ting] political patronage ahead of its commitment to the rule of law.'

Flynn cooperated with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. Sullivan postponed sentencing after Flynn switched lawyers.
Wu Wen cuddles her newborn panda cub at Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen, the Netherlands. (Ouwehands Zoo)

The excitement has been a lot to bear, but so has the sadness.

In the Netherlands, fans of the Ouwehands Zoo in the city of Rhenen  as well as animal lovers around the world  have been reveling in footage of a squealing newborn panda cub being cradled by its proud mother, Wu Wen, one of the zoos star attractions. The short but compelling video is in black and white, but then, so is the mama bear.

Unfortunately, across the Atlantic, crestfallen staff and visitors to the Calgary Zoo are bidding goodbye three years earlier than expected to a pair of adult pandas on loan from China. Their sojourn in Canada is being cut short because of the coronavirus crisis, which has disrupted the supply of fresh bamboo needed to keep the animals alive, roly-poly and adorable.

We believe the best and safest place for Er Shun and Da Mao to be during these challenging and unprecedented times is where bamboo is abundant and easy to access, Clement Lanthier, the zoos president and CEO, said in a statement Tuesday. This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but the health and well-being of the animals we love and care for always comes first.

The new arrival at the Ouwehands Zoo, still nameless and of unknown gender, was born May 1  International Labor Day, which the then-expectant mother no doubt found appropriate. Because many of the tiny cubs die in the first 10 days, zoo employees held their breath until the critical period had safely passed earlier this week.

Unpalatable truth be told, panda babies, with their pinkish skin and high-pitched shrieks, resemble the stomach-bursting alien in the classic Ridley Scott film more than they do their cute and cuddly parents. But the zoo said Tuesday that the cub is already developing dark patches on its shoulders and front legs, which will grow to become the distinctive markings of one of the most beloved, yet vulnerable, species on Earth. (The incipient markings cannot be seen in the video posted on Facebook by Robin de Lange, the zoo's general manager.)

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More than a week later, the young has grown visibly, said the zoo, which has been closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic but plans to reopen next Monday. Not only in length but also in weight. The well-filled belly is noticeable, and a gentle coloring is also visible.  The relatively long tail of the panda cub is also striking!

The cub will remain at Ouwehands for four years, after which it will be moved to China to participate in the breeding program there.

The abbreviated stay in Calgary of adult pandas Er Shun and Da Mao lasted barely two years. The couple fetched up on Canadian shores in 2013 as part of a 10-year loan from China and spent the first half of that time at the Toronto Zoo, where they sparked widespread rejoicing by giving birth to twins two years later  the first panda cubs to be born in Canada.

The family was relocated to the Calgary Zoo in 2018, but the cubs were sent back to China, as previously agreed, in January. Now their parents are following them home in a premature departure brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

An adult panda eats almost nothing but bamboo, and lots of it: nearly 90 pounds a day. The zoo has sourced the stuff directly from China (best not to think of the food miles), but the cancellation of flights between Calgary and China because of the coronavirus has disrupted that supply line. The zoo, currently closed, said that its search for alternative sources had been plagued by misdirected shipments, slower-than-acceptable delivery times causing some poor-quality bamboo that the giant pandas wont eat and concern with limited supplies.

I am continually amazed by the resourcefulness and dedication of our team, said Lanthier, the zoo's chief. Unfortunately, they are fighting against forces much greater than the Calgary Zoo.

The zoo has not said exactly when the pandas will leave. When the time comes, alas, in-person farewells will not be possible. But in the meantime, fans can still watch Er Shun and Da Mao on the zoos popular PandaCam before they return to their homeland  and all the bamboo they can eat.




RPM and telehealth was still trying to persuade buyers of the usefulness, the business case when COVID-19 hit. Those conversations have been made easier, and we've even heard that POs that were pending hospital approval have been rushed through.

COVID-19 has forced the separation of healthcare providers from patients in many cases, making the case for remote patient monitoring and telehealth systems. The global patient monitoring and telehealth market is estimated to be worth about $42 billion in 2019, inclusive of devices, peripherals, software, packaged services, monitoring services and other applications, according to a report from Kalorama Information, part of Science and Medicine Group, a market research firm.

"RPM and telehealth was still trying to persuade buyers of the usefulness, the business case when COVID-19 hit," said Bruce Carlson, Publisher of Kalorama Information. "Those conversations have been made easier, and we've even heard that POs that were pending hospital approval have been rushed through."

Temporarily, restraints due to HIPPA legislation have been lifted. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for enforcing certain regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) indicated that "A covered health care provider that wants to use audio or video communication technology to provide telehealth to patients during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency can use any non-public facing remote communication product that is available to communicate with patients."

No longer is telehealth for rural patients alone. Legislation from the House details that for qualified providers, an emergency waiver will allow telehealth to be reimbursed by Medicare.

The interest in telemedicine and telehealth has exploded over the last decade. Involvement in this care segment has several benefits and hospitals, caregivers, device manufacturers, and patients are continuing to jump on board with acceptance using this technology. There are more than 700 clinical trials using telehealth recently completed, currently underway. The global patient monitoring and telehealth market has continued its expansion in both the institutional and home segments of the health market with the United States and many European countries at the forefront of implementation.

Among the trends Kalorama analysts have noticed recently include the following:



- Increasing demand and business opportunities as a result of COVID-19.

- Pending POs for telehealth equipment and services that hospitals were delaying being completed as a response to COVID.

- Companies are facing growing difficulties in accessing supplies to provide monitoring equipment.

- Companies are experiencing longer lead times for manufacturing monitoring equipment.

- Companies have had to expand capacity for surges in use; one company reported a move to a hosting platform that could handle the increased volume - a move that has not come without several hurdles to implement.

- Most companies report increased and enhanced security software upgrades.

- Still uncertainty if widespread telehealth reimbursement and other implemented programs will sustain post-COVID.

- Inquiries, New Orders are up

Kalorama Information's Remote Patient Monitoring report details the companies in the market and the size of the market by application. It can be found at: https://kaloramainformation.com/product/remote-patient-monitoring-and-telehealth-market/

About Kalorama Information

For more than 30 years, Kalorama Information has been a leading publisher of market research in healthcare areas, including in vitro diagnostics (IVD), biotechnology, healthcare, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's death toll from the novel coronavirus passed the 1,000 mark on Tuesday, even as authorities signalled they were poised to ease some social restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus in the Southeast Asian country.

Indonesia confirmed its first two cases of the virus on March 2, well behind most neighbours, but its fatality rate has since overtaken those of all its East Asian peers apart from China.

There were 16 new fatalities and 484 new infections, taking the country's total to 1,007 deaths and 14,749 cases, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said on Tuesday.

Despite social restrictions scheduled to run until the end of May, the head of Indonesias coronavirus response taskforce Doni Monardo said on Tuesday that people under 45 would be permitted to return to work in designated sectors.

"Why we are suggesting heads of companies prioritize relatively young workers is due to the fact that those aged 60 and above have the highest mortality rate," Monardo told a briefing at the palace, noting data showed this group made up 45% of deaths while the 46-59 age group accounted for 40%.

Monardo said the rules on returning to work, intended to prevent mass layoffs in Southeast Asias largest economy, applied to 11 sectors including security and defence, health, food, finance, communication and logistics.

The Indonesian government has been criticised by epidemiologists for pushing to prematurely ease social restrictions without compelling evidence the country is flattening the coronavirus curve, or showing a slower rate of infection.

Last week, Indonesias finance minister said the coronavirus pandemic had set poverty-eradication efforts back a decade.

The government has been pushing to kickstart the economy and justified the move to encourage some people to return to work on the basis that young people are more resilient to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

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"We realise very well that the group of 45 years and below are productive forces who have a high immunity to withstand this disease," said heath ministry spokesperson Yurianto.

The median age in Indonesia, a country of more than 160 million, is only about 30 years, according to the World Population Review.

The latest announcement, which comes days after transportation restrictions were also controversially relaxed, appeared to cause some confusion in the government.

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reforms Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said there was no plans to allow millions of Indonesians to return to work.

Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo called for a calibrated approach.

"The easing for PSBB (large scale social restrictions) should be carried out carefully and not in a hurry, all based on data from the field so that the decision is valid, he said.

(Reporting by Nilufar Rizki; Writing by Kate Lamb; Editing by Ed Davies, Andrew Heavens and Bernadette Baum)
Reopening: McDonalds will encourage contactless payment as it opens six of its drive-throughs next week. Photo: Frank McGrath

McDonald's is reopening half-a-dozen Dublin drive-through outlets next week.

The reopenings next Wednesday, will be the start of a phased opening of all of its Irish drive-throughs by early June. The Subway sandwich chain also said it has begun a phased reopening across the UK and Ireland which will see 25pc of outlets back in operation.

At McDonald's, the initial six drive-through locations, which will be named next week, will have a spending cap of 30 per car, and customers will be encouraged to pay by contactless methods.

The chief executive of McDonald's UK and Ireland, Paul Pomroy, said customers should not expect business as usual during the initial reopening phase.

"It will be different. Our service will not be as quick as you might be used to, as we adjust to smaller teams and social distancing in our kitchens. We expect there will be some queues for some of our busier sites and our restaurants will look different, with Perspex screens at drive-through windows and employees wearing protective equipment," he said.

McDonald's in Britain is reopening this week for deliveries only, starting with 15 pilot outlets in the south-east of England.

The Irish drive-throughs are the next stage in the fast food giant's phased reopening. The decision to reopen restaurants was backed by Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, the chain said.

"McDonald's is a valued key purchaser of Irish produce and an employer of a large number of people throughout Ireland. I therefore welcome today's announcement," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Subway says it will also feature new social distancing and safety measures.
In his six years working as a cop in northern Afghanistan, Azim Khan operated more like a soldier, fighting off countless Taliban attacks instead of arresting criminals. Now the 25-year-old patrols Kabul -- a city choked with drug traffickers, robbers and kidnappers -- but many of his colleagues remain stuck on the war's front lines, defending outposts on the edges of rebel-held remote areas. "I'm not afraid to be a policeman," Khan said during a recent patrol in the Afghan capital. "But many of my colleagues have been killed." Since the Taliban were ousted in a US-led invasion in 2001, about 37,000 police officers have been killed by the hardline Islamists and the Afghan National Police (ANP) remain the target of at least 70 percent of insurgent assaults, officials say. "When the new national police were born after 2001, they were basically asked to fight on the front line, not to fight crime, or to really do policing," said Fabrizio Foschini, a researcher at the Afghan Analysts Network. But early last year, as talks between the US and the Taliban progressed, the acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi began preparing the beleaguered ANP for a post-conflict Afghanistan. "Right now one of our major programmes is to have a plan for a peace-time police force, what the Afghan police would look like if we have a peace deal," Andarabi told AFP. "We are looking into a force that could be able to serve the people's needs," he added, "not only as a fighting element but for law enforcement". In its bid to transition into a regular crime-fighting force, the ANP has implemented reforms aimed at weeding out corruption, long a scourge among all ranks that has tarnished its reputation. Just as it hopes to shift the focus to maintaining order, the police have been tasked with protecting the public by enforcing various lockdowns to slow the spread of the coronavirus. "I have my gloves, I wash my hands, and I put my mask on all the time," Khan said. Andarabi said the coronavirus crisis meant the interior ministry has temporarily slashed staffing and closed police training centres. "Certainly our progress on reforms has been slowed down," Andarabi said. - Sole survivor - Under a US-Taliban deal signed in February, American and other foreign forces have pledged to withdraw from Afghanistan over the next year and in return the insurgents said they would stick to several security guarantees and hold talks with the government in Kabul, a floundering process that has broken down. The US has already begun its troop drawdown, despite a surge in violence after the agreement was signed, and questions loom about the added vulnerabilities the police will face after Western forces quit. Nevertheless, the ANP say they are determined to prepare for a day when the war ends. Police reform in post-conflict zones has been a challenge faced by many other countries, such as Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guatemala, where police forces worked with varying degrees of success to win public trust after long operating as paramilitary groups. Studies show that for reforms to be effective, police forces need to be free of influence and officers must get a livable salary to reduce the temptation for corruption. Both these factors are problematic in Afghanistan, where political affiliations often trump national concerns and a reduced international footprint brings with it funding uncertainties. Already this year, the US has said it will slash $1 billion from its Afghanistan aid budget after political leaders failed to compromise following disputed election results. Aryan Faizi, the head of Kabul's criminal investigation department, said the country needs educated officers as it pushes to make a "good name for the police". In the past year, the police have developed an independent recruitment process and a more comprehensive training programme, along with improvements including GPS vehicle tracking and a new control room. More than 1,000 police personnel including high-ranking officers have been arrested for misconduct amid a tightening of anti-corruption measures. Meanwhile, the battle with militants grinds on. This week mothers, babies and nurses were killed when gunmen stormed a hospital in Kabul and and dozens died when a suicide bomber targeted a funeral in eastern Nangarhar province. At a police hospital in Kabul, wounded cops described the horrors of working on the front lines. Taliban "snipers would attack our checkpoint almost every night," said Nesar Ahmad, lying in a bed after being shot in the back in January. "Of the 14 people in the station, 13 died. I am the only one who survived," added Ahmad, 26, paralysed from the waist down in the attack in the northern province of Kunduz. Another young policeman was paralysed by a Taliban bullet in the eastern province of Paktika. "The Taliban are not going to agree to peace," Abdul Fatah said in a weak voice. "But if it comes, I will forgive them."
There can't be many people who can say they'll be coming out of lockdown in better shape than when they went in, but Susan Smith from County Tyrone can.

While most of us turn to Netflix, snacking and regular refills of wine to deal with cabin fever and anxiety under quarantine, Susan has been staying sane and active thanks to online yoga classes. She's been doing more yoga than before - four times a week instead of two. "Because the classes are online now, I have more access to yoga classes so it's worked out great," she says.

Susan started doing yoga a year ago following a hip replacement operation. She was keen to lose weight, so she also joined Slimming World, and was regularly swimming and walking the dog. She was keen to include yoga as part of her regime in order to work on "flexibility and strength." It's a keystone of her fitness plan, essential for keeping her body in good working condition so that she can maintain high activity levels overall.

The usefulness of yoga for rehabilitation is confirmed by Dr Donn Brennan, a GP and a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine who practices in Dublin, and is founding president of the Ayurvedic Practitioners Association in the UK. "In the UK yoga is increasingly seen as a modality of rehabilitation to be integrated into the National Health Service,"he says. "Yoga becomes of interest to people who really need to regain their flexibility and their ease of movement again, especially after illness"

Yoga itself is not a fat burner. Even the most demanding of yoga styles such as Vinyasa or Astanga don't score that highly in terms of calorie expenditure. You can expect to use up 90 calories by doing 30 minutes of yoga - about the amount in one large apple.

But look a little deeper and it becomes apparent that yoga's holistic approach may provide some crucial advantages for weight-loss and general health.

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Professor Niall Moyna is an exercise physiologist from the School of Health and Human Performance at DCU. "Does yoga dramatically cause alterations in your muscular-skeletal systems, does it increase muscle mass? Very little..." he says. "It would have minimal impact on your weight." But when you are trying to lose weight, focussing on burning calories may be missing the point, he suggests, casually dropping the bombshell news that, "if you are trying to lose weight, exercise is not the way to do it. Exercise has lots of wonderful physical and mental health benefits, but if you want to lose weight, caloric restriction is a much better way of doing it." We need, he argues, to change the way we think about weight and exercise. "If you want to sustain weight-loss, that's where exercise comes in. And it's very undervalued from that perspective," he says.

Yoga's unique combination of psychological and physiological benefits explains why it helps protect the health of those who practice it. Yoga teachers across the world are noticing an uptick in the number of people seeking out classes online during lockdown.

"Yoga acts on the parasympathetic nervous symptom in a powerful way" Professor Moyna explains. We have two nervous systems, the first "is what's called the stress response - the sympathetic nervous system. And when that is continuously activated that can result in pathological conditions - increase your risk for hypertension, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions. The other system - the parasympathetic nervous system - is sort of the brakes," he says. "It slows down your heart rate, it slows down your brain waves. In our normal daily life, those two are in constant competition with each other. But the great thing about yoga is it really activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It allows our very systems in the body to come back to an equilibrium for a certain number of minutes per day. From that perspective, systemic, across all the physiological systems in the body, yoga has been shown to be very beneficial."

He's keen to point out that these benefits may be more crucial now more than ever, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. "If you are chronically stressed, your cortisol levels are elevated. And when your cortisol levels are elevated, that can suppress the immune system. And that increases our susceptibility to opportunistic infections. Particularly a virus like covid."

But how exactly does yoga engage the parasympathetic nervous system? According to Paula Mitten, of Durga Yoga in Maynooth it's all about the breathing. "The most important thing I feel yoga practice gives everybody is that we breathe more fully," she says. "When we breathe properly and more fully, we lower our stress levels. We lower the cortisol levels, the adrenaline levels in our body and we come out of a place of stress. When we are stressed, we stress eat, we're more inclined to gain weight and hold weight. Just by breathing we can calm our body."

Susan Smith agrees. "It's not just the yoga class itself, it's how it prepares you mentally for the rest of the day," says Susan. "It keeps you focussed, it keeps you in a positive frame of mind. You come out of the class and you just feel so calm and balanced. You want to stay in that frame of mind, so you don't want to go out and have a big meal and undo the good you have done to your body. If I'm stressed, I overeat. Yoga can keep you relaxed and balanced - that drives your will power and you are more able to focus on slimming," she says.

"The very tradition of yoga is the settled mind, in reality the settled state of mind is a state of integration, which influences profoundly the physical structure," says Dr Don Brennan. "That integrated state of body of mind has proven benefits. There's a significant body of research in relation to anxiety. Stress creates a lot of free radicals in the body which contributes to a lot of wear and tear and illness. So by virtue of the settled state of mind, there is less anxiety and stress and that generates a holistic health influence on the whole mind body system."

The culture which surrounds yoga can also have an effect on extending healthy behaviours outside of the studio, as well.

"Losing weight (through yoga) is one of the positive side effects if it happens, but it's not the main goal," says Fiona McNamara founder of Dublin City Hot Yoga.

"The journey that you have in your yoga practice changes your lifestyle," says McNamara. "A lot of times when we are eating, we are not conscious about what we're eating and actually considering the food and the drinks that you are putting into our mouth. When you start to practice yoga you start to get a little bit more conscious of your decisions."

Hot yoga, she explains, takes place in a heated studio room to encourage sweating. "It is very much a detoxifying practice," she says. "You come to class and you sweat through every single pore of your body."

Sweating buckets in class "you feel completely cleansed and you will naturally gravitate towards more hydrating foods. What I'm seeing from students is that naturally, their lifestyle changes. They make better food choices and then the weight falls off them," she says.

After all, the secret to a healthy body is all in the mind - maintaining the necessary discipline, composure and positivity to consistently make healthy choices even in difficult times. And that's where, according to Susan Smith, yoga practice is indispensable. "That bit of time for yourself to get yourself chilled out, destress, recharge your batteries, keep yourself focused that hour in the morning is absolutely superb for your mental well-being," she says.

Tomorrow: Reap the benefits of a daily walk

REBOOT YOUR BODY parts 1 and 2:
Major Osahene Boakye Gyan (rtd) is warning of impending doom should the Electoral Commission connive with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rig the upcoming December polls.



The former military officer accused the EC of gradually leading the country into a civil war with its bull-headedness, particularly regarding the decision to compile a new voters register.



Cooked Figures



Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Programme, Osahene Boakye Gyan claimed the EC, having a desire to rig the 2020 elections with the tacit assistance of the ruling NPP, is hell-bent on having a new register.



"This party (NPP) won power with the biggest electoral margin; so what has gone wrong?...this morning, i overheard an NPP activist on radio claiming if elections are held today, Nana Addo will be re-elected with some one million, three hundred thousand votes difference. See, the NPP has cooked up the figures already, they are simply looking for the means to legitimize their rigging by undertaking a registration exercise (through the EC)....," he alleged.



If They Want Civil War, They Will Get It!



The fomer military capo strongly held that the country can go to the polls this year without resort to putting together a new register as was done in 2016.



Sounding a note of caution, he pointed out that most electoral disputes in Africa have resulted in civil wars and Ghana is not immune to it, and warned that "should the EC continue to toe the line of their paymasters, it will certainly spell doom for this country."



" . . it is political motivation that led to the dismissal of Madam Jean Mensah as the EC Chairperson by the current administration. They want to beef up the numbers so they can win simply because they don't have confidence in their winning numbers, otherwise they won't tamper with it...But more importantly...post-independence Africa, all crises and civil wars have been on the back of disputed electoral results. What they are doing now, they are driving us into a civil war and if they want it, they will get it," he screamed.



Plans Far Advanced For NVR



In a related developmrnt, the EC says it will observe all the necessary safety measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus when it begins compiling a new register of voters.



All stakeholders are hereby reminded that plans are far advanced for the compilation of a new voter register with a new voter management system for the upcoming 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections, the EC said in a statement on Monday, 11 May 2020 signed by Acting Public Affairs Director Sylvia Annor.



The Commission said it is sensitive to the current state of affairs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will abide by the necessary precautions and safety protocols in the execution of its mandate when it deems it appropriate to begin the compilation of the register.



The exercise had been scheduled to start in April but has been put on ice indefinitely following the outbreak of Coronavirus in Ghana.



The EC's statement was in response to a comment passed by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, who castigated the Chair as running the election management body like an NGO.



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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

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Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to promote local products, Union Home Ministry on Wednesday decided that canteens of paramilitary forces will sell only indigenous products from June 1 in a bid to give fillip to small scale industries and Khadi.

The countrywide network of over 1,700 Central Police Canteens (CPCs) sell products ranging from groceries, clothes to gift items worth Rs 2,800 crore annually to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Union Home Minister Shah said the decision to sell only indigenous products through the CPCs has been taken by his ministry after the prime minister's appeal on Tuesday for opting for local products and being self-reliant.

Shah also urged the people to make maximum use of the products made in the country and encourage others to do the same.

The word indigenous, according to officials, means that products made by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and those produced by firms under the Khadi Village Industries Commission umbrella will be promoted in the CPCs.

All Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and other consumer durable, which are made in India by various firms and available till now in the CPCs, will continue, the officials said, adding no imported items were available in the CAPF canteens.

They, however, added that as the new guidelines for having "only Swadeshi" come into effect from June detailed instructions from the Home Ministry in this context are awaited.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1 June 2020. With this, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products," the home minister said, adding if every Indian pledges to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the country can become self-sufficient in next five years.

"You should use the products made in the country as much as possible and encourage others to do the same. This is not the time to be lagging behind, but to turn the crisis into an opportunity," an official statement quoted him as saying.

The CAPFs canteens comprise the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, apart from the commando force NSG.

Referring to Modi's appeal on Tuesday, during his address to the nation, to make the country self-reliant and use products made in India, Shah said this will surely pave the way for India to lead the world in future.

Urging to the people of the country, the home minister said, "Let us all strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Modi in this journey of making India self-reliant by using indigenous products."



The Home Ministry had in October last year directed all CAPFs or paramilitary forces to shun foreign brands and introduce 'swadeshi' goods, including food items, household goods and clothing, in their canteens and offices.

The official order issued by the ministry last year had said 'swadeshi' should be made available in these canteens include food items, clothes and accoutrements for khaki and combat uniform, bed sheets, towels, curtains, stationery and all other miscellaneous items.

While new procurement of these items should be 'swadeshi' or country-made, the order had said, existing items should be replaced with the same when they are due for replacement.

"The order is aimed to boost the income and status of local producers of these goods. This is to promote indigenous products and industry. These forces are about 10 lakh personnel strong at present and they procure canteen items and goods worth crores of rupees annually," a senior official had said.

The CPCs were established in 2006. There are over 119 master canteens and 1,625 subsidiary canteens at various locations where these forces are deployed, be it along borders or the interiors of Naxal violence-hit or insurgency affected states.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The interface IP market is expected to grow by USD 291.47 million during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact can be expected to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth according to the latest market research report by Technavio. Request a free sample report

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005729/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Interface IP Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

The use of SoCs has grown substantially in the last five years. Smart electronics manufacturers have started integrating this technology into products such as wireless communication equipment, electrocardiogram machines, smartphones, and telemetry devices. Semiconductor chip manufacturers have developed the SoC technology to maintain pace with the rising need to embed more functions on a single IC. In SoC designs, pre-verified and pre-designed blocks called IP blocks or IP cores and virtual components are combined on a single chip. These IP cores are reusable and include interface blocks, embedded processors, memory blocks, and components for specific processing functions. The advantages of this technology include high on-chip frequencies, density of functions, reliability, and moderate unit costs. Thus, the increase in demand for SoC chips will drive the growth of the market during the forecast period.

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=IRTNTR43473

As per Technavio, the growing connected devices market will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Interface IP Market: Growing Connected Devices Market

The growing connected devices market will be one of the major factors driving the growth of the market during the forecast period. Connected devices offer benefits such as optimized decision-making, the ease of handling emergencies, cost-cutting, enhanced quality of living, remote control access, time management, commercial benefits, and better safety and security. The devices are connected via different wired and wireless protocols such as Bluetooth, Ethernet, LTE, near-field communication (NFC), PCIe, Wi-Fi, Thread, USB, and ZigBee. These wireless protocols enable M2M communication, helping devices to exchange and act upon information by eliminating human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. However, developing SoCs that integrate wired and wireless protocols that enable communication between devices can be a challenge. Integrating all the functions on a single SoC requires high-quality, silicon-proven IP solutions. This will fuel the demand for interface IP, thereby driving the growth of the market.

"Factors such as the proliferation of wireless technologies, decrease in lithography wavelength, and the growth of in-vehicle networks will have a significant impact on the growth of the interface IP market value during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio.

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Interface IP Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the interface IP market by end-user (fabless semiconductor companies, IDMs, and foundries), type (USB, DDR, PCle, Ethernet, MIPI, and others), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA).

The North American region led the interface IP market in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, the APAC region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the growth of semiconductor companies, especially in regions such as China and Taiwan.

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Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

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The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described as 'cowardly' NDC's boycott of Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' platform.



"Ive never supported boycott of media houses and both parties have done it; in principle, I am against it; I just dont go for it; its a non-starter . . . to be honest it is cowardly and so I was against the NDCs boycott," he indicated.



The NDC has decided to boycott Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' because of now Social Commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs.



In a statement signed by its National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, the party said: "Specifically, the reason for this boycott has to do with the unreasonable decision of the Producers and Host of the program to permanently reserve one (1) of the two (2) slots the party has traditionally had on Wednesdays on the show to Mr. Allotey Jacobs, who is often introduced by the host of the program as a Social Commentator with strong leanings to the NDC, ostensibly to spite the NDC.



The statement further described the host of the show, Kwami Sefa Kayi as a 'dictator'.



Kweku Baako who thinks the word 'dictator' was too harsh and should not have been used to describe Kwami Sefa Kayi, said he tried to reach out to the National Chairman of the NDC since he was once a regular panel member of 'Kokrokoo' "not because of Allotey Jacobs' suspension but on the content of the statement," but to no avail.



"I tried to reach the Chairman of the party; I called; it rang to the end and he didnt pick, I sent text messages; seven days gone there has been no acknowledgment of my call or text. I was calling to plead but to understand to find out that this line dictatorial whether he was aware or not because he has once been a benefactor of this show," he indicated.



Renegotiation and NDC comeback



The renowned journalist, who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', further urged Kwami Sefa Kayi to renegotiate with the opposition party for them to return to the show.



"They need to come back for a renegotiation . . . I will love if you will be able to settle the issue and get the NDC back on this platform," he added.



Listen to Kweku Baako's submission in the video below





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









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

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The shock and impact of a crime on the collective conscience of society was a major reason cited by trial courts in Delhi while imposing death sentence on convicts, according to a report by research organization Project 39A of National Law University, Delhi .

The study also revealed blatant non-compliance by the trial courts with the sentencing framework laid down by the Supreme Court in its 1980 judgment in Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab, where a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court was called upon to decide the constitutional validity of the capital punishment.

The report titled Death Penalty Sentencing in Trial Courts, which will be published on May 15, analysed 215 judgments from three states , 43 from Delhi, 90 from Maharashtra and 82 from Madhya Pradesh, in which trial courts imposed death sentence between 2000 and 2015.

Out of the 43 cases in Delhi in which death sentence was handed down between 2000 and 2015, trial courts invoked the impact of the crime on societys collective conscience in 31 cases (72%) as grounds to send convicts to death row.

In Madhya Pradesh, the said ground was used in 43% cases (35 out of 82) while in Maharashtra the figure stood at 51% (46 of 90 cases).

Collective conscience of society as a ground to justify death penalty was first used by the Supreme Court in the 1983 judgment of Machhi Singh v. State of Punjab. In that case, the court held that when collective conscience of society is shocked, it will expect the holders of the judicial power centre to inflict death penalty.

It was, however, most famously used by the top court in its 2005 judgment in the Parliament attack case in which it awarded capital punishment to convict, Afzal Guru. Collective conscience found its most recent endorsement in the 2017 judgment of the Supreme Court in the December 2012 Delhi gang rape case of Mukesh v. State of NCT of Delhi.

But what is collective conscience of society?

It is an amorphous term. It has become a catch phrase in Delhi. Nobody really understands what it means. It is part of the mindlessness of death sentencing. It is not possible to judicially determine what it means. By trying to do that, courts are causing violence to the Bachan Singh framework, said senior counsel Rebecca John.

In the case of Bachan Singh, the Supreme Court formulated a sentencing framework to be followed for imposing death penalty. It required the weighing of aggravating and mitigating circumstances relating to both the circumstances of the offence and the offender, to decide whether a person should be sentenced to death or given life imprisonment.

According to the Bachan Singh judgment, for a case to be eligible for the death sentence, the aggravating circumstances must outweigh the mitigating circumstances.

Machhi Singh is a 3-judge bench judgment and it is per incuriam (in ignorance of law) as it does not confirm to Bachan Singh which is a 5-judge bench judgment. It is the Supreme Court itself which has created this confusion. The fact is that collective conscience cry was not part of Bachan Singh framework. It has been specifically acknowledged in Bariyars case (Santosh Kumar Satishbhushan Bariyar v. State of Maharashtra) wherein it was said that judges have no way of reliably determining what is collective conscience, John added.

The most glaring aspect highlighted by Project 39As report was regarding the non-consideration of mitigating factors while sentencing accused.

As per the report, no mitigating circumstances were mentioned in 42% of death penalty cases (18 of 43 cases) in Delhi. The number was 62% (51 of 82 cases) in Madhya Pradesh and 47% (42 of 90 cases) in Maharashtra.

The Bachan Singh judgement recognized the age of the accused as a relevant mitigating circumstance. But 37% of the prisoners sentenced to death in the three states were between 18-25 years of age.

One of the most important aspects of the sentencing framework laid down in the Bachan Singh judgement is to consider whether the alternative punishment of life imprisonment can be unquestionably foreclosed. Only then can death penalty be imposed.

Despite the same, trial courts in the three states discussed life imprisonment as an alternative only in 26.6% cases before imposing death penalty. It was discussed in 8 out of 43 cases in Delhi, 22 out of 82 cases in MP and 27 out of 90 in Maharashtra.

In all cases where it was discussed as an alternative, it was dismissed on the ground of brutality of the crime.

This study shows that the death penalty sentencing framework has completely collapsed. The utter inconsistency, confusion and arbitrariness in the Supreme Courts death penalty jurisprudence has had a devastating impact on the sentencing process in the trial courts. There is barely anything common between the law laid down by a 5-judge bench in Bachan Singh and what passes for sentencing hearings in our courts, Dr. Anup Surendranath, executive director of Project 39A said.

In a total of 211 out of the 215 cases across the three states, 44% cases saw sentencing on the same day as the conviction. This concern was rather acute in Madhya Pradesh where same-day sentencing was observed in 76.9% of the cases.

Maharashtra saw it in 34.4 percent of the cases, but 57% of the cases saw sentencing within 24 hours of conviction. Delhi fared better relatively with 53.4% of sentencing hearings taking place at least one week after the conviction.

This, the study said, has an obvious impact on the nature and quality of arguments that were presented before the court.

Another significant aspect highlighted in the report was regarding how trial courts failed to consider individual roles of the accused in the crime when sentencing an accused in a case involving more than one convict.

In 17 cases out of 82 in Madhya Pradesh which involved more than one person sentenced to death, individual roles in crime was considered during sentencing only in five cases. Individual mitigating circumstances were considered only in one case in the state.

In Maharashtra, in the 23 cases out of 90 that involved more than one person sentenced to death, individual roles in crimes and individual mitigating circumstances were considered during sentencing in 16 and 4 cases respectively.

12 cases out of 43 in Delhi involved more than one person sentenced to death. However, individual role in crime and individual mitigating circumstances were considered during sentencing only in 2 and 4 cases respectively.

The failure to consider individual role and individual mitigating circumstances of the four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case was highlighted by senior advocate Raju Ramachandran who served as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the matter before the Supreme Court.

Ramachandrans arguments in this regard had led to top court rehearing arguments on sentencing in detail before it confirmed the death penalty handed down by the trial court to the four convicts in the case.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 15:02:40|Editor: huaxia

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CHANGCHUN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A rarely seen white roe deer was recently spotted in a national park in northeast China's Jilin Province, the park authorities said Wednesday.

The Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park Administration said that the footage of the wild animal was captured by the park's monitoring system on April 5 and the animal was later confirmed by experts as a roe deer.

Feng Limin, vice director of the monitoring and research center of Siberian tigers and Amur leopards of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said the species is usually yellow, while its white color is due to the genetic disorder of albinism.

White roe deer were exceedingly rare in history, and they were regarded as national treasures or sacred animals in ancient times in China, according to Feng.

The lastest documentary record of white roe deer appeared in 1981 in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Enditem
A lady who confessed to have drowned her one year and six months old baby inside a bucket of water in her apartment in Gowon Estate area of Lagos State has been arrested by the police. To the chagrin of many, the suspect, Adisa Funmilola, aged 22, did not express regret for her action; rather, she boldly admitted to have killed her baby because she deprived me of realising my dream of becoming a lawyer.

During interrogation, she said: I drowned my baby inside a bucket filled with water on Monday. Thereafter, I reported myself at the Gowon estate police division. The police did not come immediately but when they did, they found the dead baby inside the bucket.

I was impregnated by a boy who attended the same JAMB lesson with me. But he rejected the pregnancy. I wanted to abort the pregnancy but my father said no. I passed my JAMB and was offered admission to study Law at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, but I had to defer the admission because of the baby.

I wanted to take her to the orphanage home at first when it became difficult to take care of her. I live with my sister who has no job and I am also not working. I felt there was no use keeping her since I could not take care of her. I killed her because I was frustrated but most importantly, because she stood in the way of actualising my dream of becoming a lawyer, she said.

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From Gowon estate police division, Funmilayo was taken to the Lagos State police command headquarters in Ikeja yesterday, from where the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, directed that she should be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba.

Her elder sister who did not want her name mentioned said she was too shocked to believe that her younger sister could commit such act. She said: I suspect she is gradually developing mental problem. Our mother had same mental problem before she died. We live in the same apartment but have our separate bedrooms. I didnt know when she drowned the baby until the police arrived.

Police sources hinted that medical checks would be conducted on the suspect to know her mental state, but that will not stop her from facing the consequence of her action.
Burma Thousands Sacked in Myanmar's Commercial Hub Yangon Amid COVID-19 Downturn

Factory workers at Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone in Yangon on April 20. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

Yangon  More than 6,300 factory workers in Yangon Region have lost their jobs because of COVID-19, according to the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar (CTUM).

As 47 factories in Yangon have either closed or reduced their workforce due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, 6,355 factory workers have been made redundant as of the end of April.

According to our list, 13 factories have closed and 32 factories have downsized due to supply shortages. And the owners of two factories have fled and their employees were left unpaid, said Ko Soe Thet Paing Oo of the CTUM.

Most of the factories make clothing, shoes and bags, he said. At least 10 more factories have reduced their workforce in May, but the CTUM has not added them to its list, he said.

While some factories have temporarily closed, some have closed permanently, citing a decline in demand. Most of the factories that have closed were owned by investors from China, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, but a few were owned by Myanmar citizens.

According to Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, as many as 100 factories have closed or reduced workforce.

It is difficult to say the exact number of employees who have lost jobs. A factory has a workforce of 100 to 7,000, said head of Yangon Region Factories and General Labor Laws Inspection Department U Kyaw Kyaw Tun.

The labor ministry said it was ensuring sacked employees receive redundancy payments and social security compensation.

The health and labor ministries have visited factories across the country to inspect preventative measures against COVID-19, and have only allowed factories that meet requirements to resume operations.

President U Win Myint said on International Workers Day that employees who were registered with the governments social safety net and were sacked because of the COVID-19 downturn will be entitled to free public health care for one year after losing their jobs.

There are 29 industrial zones plus Thilawa Special Economic Zone in Yangon Region.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko
WATERLOO REGION  A new local self-assessment tool will connect people to a on-call care providers for a virtual appointment and COVID-19 testing if needed.

The process is quick, clear and straightforward, said acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang during Wednesdays briefing.

If a medical assessment is recommended, you can book a virtual appointment with a doctor, she explained. After the virtual appointment, you may be referred to an assessment centre.

Wang said the tool, linked to from the regions site, asks the same questions as the Ontario-developed self-assessment for people who think they were exposed to the virus or have symptoms, but goes a step further by virtually connecting patients with a primary care provider if medical followup is required. This could be their own doctor if theyre participating, as well as helping those who cant access their care provider or dont have one.

The tool will also allow for further followup with patients who are self-monitoring their symptoms at home, Wang said.

The new assessment tool was launched by Ontario Health West and co-ordinated by the Kitchener-based eHealth Centre of Excellence. Similar tools have been tested in other areas of the province and have worked well, Wang said.

Snapshot of COVID-19 in Waterloo Region Updated May 13 963 People who tested positive 105 People who died 278 Infected, work in health care 528 People who recovered Source: Region of Waterloo public health

Its meant to increase peoples access to primary care and peoples access to a referral for testing as well, she said.

There are five assessment centres in the region where testing is done, including two community centres in Cambridge and Waterloo. The region is working with its clinical partners to open up testing beyond priority groups to people in the general public who have symptoms as soon as possible.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region have reached 963.

The Wednesday morning update by public health is an additional nine cases on Tuesdays 954. One more person died for a total of 105.

Of the current local cases, 528 are resolved and 48 are hospitalized. The number of hospitalizations continues to rise, up from 46 on Tuesday. A total of 19 per cent of cases  or 184  were ever hospitalized, including six per cent who required intensive care.

Outbreaks are declared at 11 long-term care and retirement homes  down one from the previous days report. The outbreak at Doon Village retirement residence in Kitchener was declared over on Monday. One resident had tested positive.

Nineteen outbreaks in nursing care residences have been declared over.

We now have more facilities that are out of outbreak than there are in outbreak. And there are a number that are controlled relatively quickly and can come out of outbreak relatively quickly, Wang said.

She is pleased to see the outbreak at Forest Heights Revera in Kitchener, declared on April 1, seems to be stabilizing, although she said its too early to speculate when that will end.

A total of 166 residents and 65 staff tested positive, and 47 people have died.

While there are signs the rate of COVID-19 infection is relatively controlled in the community, Wang stressed that the situation is precarious and control measures must be continued this holiday weekend and as the province begins to lift restrictions.

The virus can spread very easily and very rapidly and we have seen that this can have severe consequences.

Charges

Two more charges were laid in the past week for not complying with provincial emergency orders.

One was related to a Kitchener grocery store and the other a person in a Cambridge outdoor setting.

A total of 12 charges have now been laid in the region. Each one comes with a $750 fine.

Chief administrative officer Mike Murray said in the past week there were 289 site visits requiring education or warnings, 1,426 site visits not requiring action, 95 phone calls providing information.
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Customer complaints about telecom services could increase because of COVID-19, and the nature of those complaints is likely to shift due to stay-at-home measures.

Ben Klass, a telecom expert and PhD student at Carleton University, expects to see an increase across the board when the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) releases its annual report sometime in October 2020.

It is reasonable to expect that the proportion of complaints related to home internet service will likely increase as opposed to the past, he said. More people are staying at home and relying less on mobile than they normally would be.

The CCTS released its mid-year report on May 12, indicating that it saw a 12 per cent decrease in overall complaints between August 2019 and January 2020.

The report said 44.2 per cent of all complaints were about wireless services, followed by 26.5 per cent about internet services.

Bram Abramson, a communications lawyer and a former director of the CCTS, said it was hard to determine if there will be an increase, as going to the CCTS is the second step in filing a complaint.

The CCTS wants customers to go through their service provider [first] and then go to it only if the service provider wont resolve the issue, he said, adding that customers could also take their complaints to provincial consumer agencies or small claims court as other ways to resolve their complaint.

Abramson added that while customers may be complaining more now, carriers may also be taking extra measures to resolve as many complaints as possible.

A simple decision at a high level to treat a particular type of complaint or hot button issue in a particular way will yield a significant change in complaints accepted by the CCTS... because the carrier is dealing with those complaints right after the first instance, he said.

In an email, Telus indicated that complaints continue to trend downwards so far this year.

Bell said in an email that it was pleased to see a 26 per cent decrease in complaints in the latest report.

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Our ongoing investments in customer service have served us and our customers well during COVID, Bell said, adding that call centre agents are answering 80 per cent of calls within 20 seconds and cutting hold times by almost 30 per cent.

Rogers said in an email that it is on a multi-year journey to improve our customer experience and our customers feedback is so critical through this health crisis, adding that it has received positive feedback from customers with the changes it made during the pandemic.

The latest report indicated that Rogers and its flanker brand Fido each saw an increase of complaints.

Yahoo Finance Canada reached out to Shaw but did not receive comment in time for publication.

The next CCTS report is expected to be released in October, which will include data from January to July 2020.

Howard Maker, CCTS commissioner, said in an interview that there could be an increase in complaints due to the pandemic, but that there was no one factor that drives complaints up or down.

The things that service providers are doing, positive or negative [affect the number of complaints], Maker said. We know that theyre waiving overages and some roaming and LTE charges and things like that.

Sometimes they will do these things and one would imagine that it might reduce complaints, but complaints could also be generated from other factors.

Maker added that since January complaints have remained stable and that commission is seeing the same kind of complaint volumes pre-pandemic.

In the most recent report, disclosure issues and incorrect charges were the most complained about problems, which were 26 per cent of all reported issues.

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An off-duty New York Police Department (NYPD) officer fatally shot his 'childhood friend' during a dispute in Nassau County, according to local authorities.

Officers with the Nassau County Police Department responded to the scene in front of a Farmingdale home off Langdon Road at 8.05pm on Tuesday to investigate the homicide.

There they found a deceased 25-year-old man, whose identity has not been released by authorities. Nassau homicide detectives are investigating, according to the police release.

Speaking at an unrelated event in Oceanside, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that the altercation escalated from a verbal disagreement to a physical altercation.

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While he did not name the officer, a neighbor and police sources identified the NYPD cop as 26-year-old Errick Allen.

'There was an altercation between two gentlemen; it started over a conversation they were having,' Ryder said, according to Newsday. 'They met up. A struggle ensued. During that struggle, a weapon was produced and the victim was shot and killed. The person that was involved in that struggle, fighting also with that other individual, was a New York City police officer.'

Neighbors and police sources identified the NYPD cop as 26-year-old Errick Allen. Allen graduated from the academy a few months ago and was assigned to the 109th Precinct in Flushing, Queens

Ryder described the victim and the alleged gunmen as being 'childhood friends' who 'grew up together.'

'It's just an altercation between two individuals and the gun was produced and the individual who was shot was shot in the head and he died last night and the other individual is being discussed with homicide,' said Ryder.

During Mayor de Blasio's Wednesday coronavirus press briefing, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said that the department was informed of the shooting almost immediately.

'An NYPD officer discharged a firearm,' Shea said during the press conference. 'That case is being investigated by the Nassau County District Attorney's office and the Nassau County Police.

He is an NYPD officer that discharged his firearm, ' Shea continued. 'As a result of that discharged, the individual was struck in the head and killed and it is an ongoing and very early part of that investigation.

'We were conferred with almost immediately last night and that is an active investigation.'

Allen graduated from the academy a few months ago and was assigned to the 109th Precinct in Flushing, Queens, sources told the New York Daily News.

The rookie cop left the scene and returned home, where he told his father what happened. The pair returned to the scene, soon after.

But by then, cops had been called by a passing motorist who saw the victim's body in the street.

'Somebody was driving by and saw the dead body in the street and got out because he thought it was a joke,' neighbor Mary Fanelli, said. 'But then he realized what it was and called 911. Apparently the guy that shot him left the scene and came back.'

The 62-year-old said that Allen was grilled by police once he returned to the scene.

'He was sitting on the curb and they were all around him,' she recalled. 'Apparently it was his gun. The other guy was not armed.'

Fanelli said that the two were 'best friends' who graduated from Farmingdale High School.

'We didn't believe it, and it just makes no sense,' a woman who identified herself as the victim's stepmother, said, KABC reports.

'So when they told us who it was, it made even less sense to us. It just, we don't understand it...I don't understand anything. I don't know. And the more I hear, and I read in the newspaper about the gunshots and the locations of the gunshots, it's horrendous. It's not a self-defense. It's like an execution.'

Allen has been suspended without pay for 30 days following the shooting, according to NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan. Authorities are trying to determine whether he should be charged.
More snow on the way in Pennsylvania; here's how much to expect
LIVES are at risk due to domestic violence happening as coronavirus restrictions keep people in their homes, the Dail has heard.

Fianna Fail TD Jennifer Murnane O'Connor listed a spike in calls to charities dealing with the issue as she said that people have been asked to stay at home but "we must now realise and accept that not every home is safe".

She said Women's Aid and Childline have reported an increase in calls and the gardai have had a 20pc rise in the number of calls relating to domestic abuse.

"The conditions recommended for public health have put lives at risk from domestic violence, and I do not say that lightly," the Carlow-Kilkenny TD said.

She said it was welcome that anyone fleeing an unsafe situation is not forced to abide by the distance restrictions but added: "we need more".

Ms Murnane O'Connor said there needs to be grants to make up for a loss of fundraising income by organisations dealing with domestic violence.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said domestic violence is a matter of concern, that the gardai are treating it as a priority and that the courts are available and open to hear cases.

Earlier he said the women, men and children "who perhaps feel most vulnerable and afraid at this time are victims of domestic abuse, those whose homes are, tragically, anything but safe in these uncertain times."

He said it was recognised at an early stage that being asked to stay at home would bring "added risk and a real sense of fear for victims of domestic abuse".

Mr Flanagan said a plan was put in place including a special Garda operation and measures by the Courts Service and Legal Aid Board to prioritise domestic abuse and childcare cases.

He said a "hard-hitting" public awareness campaign was also launched and he urged anyone suffering domestic abuse to reach out for help.
13 May 2020, 11:49 AM

India's total cases near 75,000 a day after PM Modi's economic booster

India's total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 74,281 on Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package for the country.Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help revive economic activity and make India self-reliant in the view of COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi in his speech also pitched for promoting local businesses. Announcing lockdown 4.0 beginning May 18, the prime minister said that it will be completely different this time with a new set of rules.

Congress takes a jibe at PM Modi, says economic stimulus package only 'headline-grabbing', no details

The Congress on Tuesday dubbed the stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as one that only grabs headlines, while the ruling BJP hailed it as the world's largest holistic package. The Congress and the CPI(M) said India was disappointed by the PM's silence on migrants' woes as he has failed to address the issue.

Cash transfer to poor must to revive consumption story: Nobel laureate Esther Duflo

Government, corporates as well as the social sector joining hands is the need of the hour to help the economy bounce back, said Nobel laureate Dr Esther Duflo (MIT Professor). The biggest challenge that COVID has posed is not just businesses shutting down, but also a large segment of people losing their jobs. Duflo said that it is the responsibility of the government as well as corporates to ensure that people don't get into the ultra poor bracket, from where it becomes difficult for them to get out.

Coronavirus impact: Twitter allows employees to work from home 'forever'

Twitter Inc on Tuesday became the first major tech company to allow employees who can work remotely to do so indefinitely, as the coronavirus outbreak forces unprecedented changes in work culture across the world. The social media company said it will not re-open most offices before September and employees can choose whether or not to come to the facilities.

Deciphering economic stimulus: What will revive economy, what won't!

Industry wants tax holidays, export help and low-cost capital

India's manufacturing companies are looking for a financial booster dose to revive major job generating sectors like metals and mining, power, cement, automobiles, petroleum, real estate and infrastructure. An industrialist says that manufacturing industry alone will require at least Rs 5 lakh crore immediately to get out of this crisis. Capital is a big issue for manufacturing companies as Indian banks are conservative, despite providing costly capital compared to the rest of the world, said an industry expert.

Coronavirus lockdown: Maruti Suzuki resumes operations at Manesar plant after more than 40 days

Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said that it has resumed operations at its Manesar plant in Haryana after over 40-day closure due to coronavirus lockdown. The production had been halted at both Manesar and Gurugram facilities since March 22. The operations have started on a single shift basis with up to 75 percent employees allowed currently

After Modi's blank page, will wait for Sitharaman to help poor migrants: Chidambaram on Rs 20 lakh crore package

Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has hit out at Prime Minister Modi's special stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore that he announced on Tuesday evening with an aim to revive the Indian economy from the lockdown. He has called the announcement a mere "headline and a blank page".

Coronavirus live updates: Rs 20 lakh crore economic package! FM Sitharaman will address media at 4 pm today
As states rush to reopen after pandemic-triggered lockdowns, public health experts say new surges could soon warrant a second set of stay-at-home orders.

Of course, it remains far from clear that some of these same states governorswho were often slow to lock down in the first placewill be willing to do it. The political pressure to restart economies and release people from isolation has been fierce. But failing to act again, however painful, could see the same states overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases.

Entire countries have already been forced to lock down a second time, like Lebanon announced it would on Wednesday, after case numbers jumped from 750 on May 5 to 870 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, more than four in five Americans have said they are concerned or afraid of a potential second wave of cases, according to a CNN-SSRS poll.

According to documents obtained by NBC News from a May 7 White House coronavirus task force report, infection rates in several states had spiked by 72.4 percent or more in a single week. That information clashed with claims by President Trump on Monday that all throughout the country, the numbers are coming down rapidly.

But among the areas with the largest reported spikes were Amarillo, Texas, and Central City, Kentucky, the latter of which recorded a whopping 650 percent increase in confirmed cases compared to the previous week. The documents were created by the data and analytics unit of the task force, according to NBC.

These numbers, if accurate, paint a striking picture of the novel coronavirus pandemic spreading quickly, and not just in early hot spots or major coastal centers. Instead, they point to emerging epidemiological trouble in locales where governors were quick to follow President Trumps advice to relax stay-at-home restrictions.

Lightning Fast Coronavirus Test Hyped by Trump Is Actually Slow, Officials Say

Christopher Johnson, professor and chair for the Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences at the University of Louisville, said preliminary modeling done by his group for Jefferson County, Kentucky found that if the post-lockdown contact rate between citizens more than doubles from what it was during restrictions, a second surge will be inevitable, even if we perfectly identify and isolate those with the virus.

Story continues

So its only natural that, as Johnson said, An uncalculated openingnot developing the testing and contact-tracing capacities and not making a careful and gradual openingincreases the possibility of a second surge or putting us on an unstable path in terms of infections and hospitalization.

As of Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear allowed several nonessential sectors to reopen their businesses, including construction, vehicle dealerships, offices (at 50 percent capacity), horse racing (without fans), pet care, photography, and manufacturing. Beshears office did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday from The Daily Beast. As of Tuesday afternoon, Kentucky had 6,677 confirmed cases and 311 deaths.

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty

The analysis, Johnson said, merged Jefferson County local data with aggregated, anonymized cellphone data compiled by Google from Feb. 15 through April 30, with updated results expected soon. It showed that social distancing practices in grocery stores and pharmacies were nearly significantly protective from infection and that social distancing practices in parks were significantly protective. Meanwhile social distancing practices affecting residential movement, like people visiting friends at their home, had little or no detectable effect.

However, Johnson added, the analysis also found that social distancing practices on public transit and in the workplace were not only not protective but were significantly increasing the spread of the virus, meaning they needed to be greatly improved.

The simple takeaway here, he explained, is that social distancing in these settings hasnt been working well enough even under restrictionspeople have not standing far enough apart or engaging in other cautious behavior with sufficient care to prevent infection. Googles data used the same kind of aggregated and anonymized information used to show popular times for places on Google Maps, comparing against a baseline determined to be a median value for the corresponding day of the week during a five-week period. The insights, according to Google, are based on data from users who have opted in to Location History.

The findings from Johnsons analysis bolster reporting from the Associated Press, which found that thousands have come down with COVID-19 at workfrom state prisons and meatpacking plants to the West Wing of the White House and construction workers in Austin, Texas.

This is a problem in states that are not open yet, but its especially glaring in those that are taking steps to jumpstart business.

Dr. Mark Escott, a regional health official, told Austins city council that the people who are getting sick right now are generally people who are working and that risk is going to increase the more people are working.

The same thing could play out in Kentucky as its reopening progresses.

If confirmed cases, hospitalizations, ICU bed counts, ventilator usage or fatalities are increasing again, we are on the wrong path, said Johnson. If we do see evidence that there is a second surge and the governor does not take the steps to restrict contact again, it could be very dangerous.

Dr. Pritesh Gandhian Austin-based primary care doctor and a candidate for Texas 10th Congressional Districtsaid he had little doubt that Texas and the country will face a second surge because it opened without adequate testing and contact tracing in place. But like other leaders who face pressure to reopen their economies, it was far from clear that Gov. Greg Abbott would ever reimplement a lockdown or stay-at-home order, since he reopened the state while case counts were still climbing and even admitted cases were likely to follow.

Abbotts office did not respond to a request for comment from The Daily Beast on Tuesday, but he said earlier this month during a press conference that there will be surge response teams sent to address flare ups as they arise throughout the state. But even when Abbott announced his initial executive lockdown order and asked people to stay home, he said, This is not a stay-at-home strategy. This is a standard that is based on essential services and essential activities.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Texas had 40,555 confirmed cases and 1,117 deaths.

Im most concerned about elected officials playing politics with this pandemic, said Gandhi. The White House frames this debate as between opening up the economy vs believing public health experts. Thats a false dilemma. We do not have to accept thousands of deaths as inevitable, nor do we need to accept skyrocketing unemployment. The governor needs to have the political will to invest significant resources in the public health infrastructure of Texas.

Doing so will save lives and our economy at the same time, said Gandhi.

But this matters even for states that might not be at the top of COVID case-trackers. Take Georgia, for example.

Last month, a team of researchers at Harvard, MIT, and Georgia Tech released a state-by-state COVID-19 simulator, which showed that under minimal restrictions, with no other interventions following the lifted lockdown, there could be up to 20,000 deaths by Aug. 30 in Georgia. Turgay Ayer, an associate professor at Georgia Institute of Technologys School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, who worked on the project, previously told The Daily Beast that such a worst-case scenario could be avoided. But only if Gov. Brian Kemp, who led the charge nationally in reopening his state, were to reimplement some restrictions in the event of a second wave.

New Model Shows How Deadly Lifting Georgias Lockdown May Be

We have evidence that increased mobility is associated with increased spread in the community, and hence ultimately increased numbers of cases and deaths, Ayer added, in an interview on Tuesday. We do not have evidence yet about an increase in the numbers of cases due to 14 days of lag time in reporting in Georgia, [but] our analysis shows that mobility has been already increasing.

It is highly likely to see a second wave in Georgia, he said, noting that his teams simulator shows the case numbers are likely to increase initially slowly but then faster and peak in the fall.

Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday held an afternoon press conference, where he extended closures of bars, updated some guidelines for restaurants, and laid out plans to enable summer camps to operate beginning on May 14, provided they meet 32 requirements. Kemp said that he strongly urged residents to continue to wear face masks in public spaces.

We are just in a good place, Kemp said, and we want to keep these numbers moving in the right direction.

Kemps office declined to answer questions from The Daily Beast on Tuesday about whether he would consider closing the state back down in the event of a surge.

If we see a consistent trend of increasing new daily cases for a week or at most two weeks, another shutdown or other restrictions are needed, argued Dr. Andreas Handel, an infectious disease epidemiologist and an associate professor at the University of Georgias Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Since there is a delay between cases and hospitalizations, I think watching case numbers carefully is the best indicator.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Georgia had 34,002 confirmed cases and 1,444 deaths.

If spread is increasing back to the levels at the beginning of the outbreak, Handel added, in a worst-case scenario we could see around 5 million infections and 50,000 deaths in Georgia.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Hong Kong's 23-day streak without a case of local coronavirus transmission has come to an end, reflecting the challenge of eradicating a virus that can spread undetected through carriers with no symptoms.

The case of a 66-year-old woman with no recent travel history becoming infected, confirmed by the government in a briefing on Wednesday, dashes hope that the city had successfully contained the virus after nearly four months of school closures and social distancing measures.

Her five-year-old granddaughter has also been confirmed to be infected, while six other family members have displayed symptoms and are now in isolation in hospital, said Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the health department's communicable disease branch. The woman, who lives in the neighborhood of Tsuen Wan, first developed a fever last Friday and tested positive on Tuesday, she said. Officials don't yet know how she picked up the infection.

The emergence of hidden local transmission chains is a setback to the government's plan to reopen schools and loosen border restrictions with mainland China as cases dwindle. After months of social distancing measures, Hong Kong was on verge of reverting to normal life. Instead, the Asian financial hub now faces a potential resurgence of cases as it's unclear how many people the woman came into contact with before her infection was identified.

Health officials are testing all residents in the two housing blocks that the woman visited, said Chuang.

Besides the woman and her granddaughter, a third case of a traveler returning from Pakistan was also reported on Wednesday.

"This is the challenge of covid-19, the fact that so many cases are asymptomatic," said Nicholas Thomas, an associate professor at the City University of Hong Kong. "Even though there have been no cases for nearly three weeks, that doesn't mean that the virus is not in circulation. This is a problem not just for Hong Kong but for all countries as they seek to move out of lockdown and restart their economies."

The resurgence of cases will complicate the political debate in Hong Kong on how quickly social distancing measures should be eased. While Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam's administration eased limits on social gatherings to 8 people earlier this month, the rule has come under pressure for being arbitrarily designed to forestall street protests, which in any case have re-emerged.

Separately, Hong Kong's education chief said on Wednesday that the government wouldn't push back the reopening of schools, currently slated to restart on May 27, for now.

"If the goal is just to eradicate the virus then Hong Kong should go back into shutdown mode," said Thomas, who has edited an academic book series titled "Health Security and Governance. "But it is about the virus against the backdrop of the economic and social needs of the community and for that reason this one case is unlikely to prevent the restarting of Hong Kong."

Hong Kong's been lauded for reacting quickly to the epidemic, which kept its outbreak small despite its proximity to mainland China. Many of its moves made as early as January -- almost universal mask-wearing and the closure of schools and offices -- have since been adopted globally as the pandemic widened.
MIAMI  Venezuelas state-run oil company was on the verge of financial ruin in 2017 when it decided it needed expert advice on how to improve its reputation and standing with American policymakers who could be instrumental to its survival.

For help, the company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., or PDVSA, turned to a well-connected former Florida congressman, agreeing to pay his firm $50 million over three months for strategic consulting services.

The ex-congressman was David Rivera, a Cuban-American Republican from Miami who made a political career out of taking strident anti-communist stances  and was now being hired by President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuelas socialist government.

As part of the previously undisclosed deal, a subsidiary of a PDVSA holding company in the United States says it shelled out $15 million to Mr. Riveras consulting firm. It received just two vague reports totaling five pages in return, according to a lawsuit for breach of contract filed on Wednesday in the United States District Court in Manhattan.
- Naomi Nekesa claimed she received a vision from God about the possible cure of coronavirus disease

- She claimed God walked her to patients who were in extreme pain and gave her instructions on how to save mankind using the herbs

- Director of Indigenous, Scientific Collaboration in Research Association said the shrubs which the woman mentioned cure other respiratory ailments

A 19 year-old woman from Bumula sub-county in Bungoma county claims she has found a traditional cure to the novel coronavirus.

Naomi Nekesa, a Form Four leaver at Kisioyi Secondary School, said she received a vision from God about the possible cure of the disease which has claimed lives around the globe.

READ ALSO: Doris Okudinia: Woman who wheeled patient for over 3km to hospital crowned nurse of the year

Nekesa (middle) and her parents. The 19-year-old woman claimed she got cure for coronavirus. Photo: Enock Ndayala/TUKO.co.ke.

Source: Original

READ ALSO: Opinion: How Uhurus political masterstroke has given him direct access to Rutos 'bedroom'

According to her, she saw someone in a white gown standing besides her who then showed her seven different tree species that could cure COVID-19.

"In a vision, I was shown seven different types of herbal shrubs by the person who stood before me in white apparel. He named them in Bukusu dialect and showed me how I should mix the concoction and assist the patients suffering from the disease," she told TUKO.co.ke.

She suspected the main in the white robe was God as he also walked her to patients who were in extreme pain and gave her instructions on how to save mankind from the pestilence.

READ ALSO: Junet Mohamed predicts bruising political battle, alliances in coming days

Nekesa asked authorities to allow her present the herbs for testing. Photo: Enock Ndayala/TUKO.co.ke.

Source: Original

READ ALSO: Kakamega: Mume ampiga na kumuua mkewe kwa sababu ya simu

The girl called on both the county and national governments to assist her to reach the Kenya Medical Research Institute for trials of the concoction.

Her parents sought consultation from one Isaack Misiko, a renowned registered herbal specialist.

The family sought advice from Misiko, the director of Indigenous, Scientific Collaboration in Research Association. Photo: Enock Ndayala/TUKO.co.ke.

Source: Original

According to Misiko, three of the trees the girl claimed could cure COVID-19 were effective in healing pneumonia.

Misiko, who is also the director of Indigenous, Scientific Collaboration in Research Association, further said the shrubs which Nekesa mentioned cure acute bronchitis, tuberclosis, lung infections and ulcers.

"We do prescribe drugs from the identified shrubs to treat TB, bronchitis, pneumonia ,ulcers and lung infections," he said.

This came at a time when the World Health Organisation called for clinical trials of Madagascar's COVID-19 herbal cure for its efficacy and adverse side effects.

"We are advising the government of Madagascar to take this product through a clinical trial and we are prepared to collaborate with them," Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's regional director for Africa said.

Since the outbreak of the virus in Wuhan city of China in December 2019, researchers continued to work day and night to find the cure.

By May 13, the disease had killed 295,707 out of 4,394,701 confirmed cases in the world.

In Kenya, at least 40 patients have succumbed to the deadly infection as the country recorded 22 more new cases pushing the national tally to 737.

Story by Enock Ndayala, TUKO.co.ke correspondent.

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.

My wife left me at my lowest, chose alcohol over our children - Kennedy Mwangi | My Story | Tuko TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT will provide those with a vested interest in the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN the most timely and essential information they need to tackle the technological, logistical and business challenges involved in that endeavor.

The SIP Forum announced today that it will produce a virtual event called the STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT, a special webinar series focusing on the challenges and opportunities related to the deployment of the STIR/SHAKEN Call Authentication Framework.

The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT replaces a live conference that the SIP Forum cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT will take place during the week of June 22, 2020, and will build on the success of the SIP Forums last SIPNOC 2019 live, in-person conference, which earned high praise from attendees for its educational and technical content that focused on the real-world challenges service providers face when deploying STIR/SHAKEN.

The SIP Forum is also proud to announce that a number of leading companies are supporting the STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT through their generous support as webinar sponsors, including Metaswitch, NetNumber, Neustar, and Ribbon Communications.

Developed jointly by the SIP Forum and ATIS (the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions) to efficiently implement the Internet Engineering Task Forces (IETF) STIR (for Secure Telephony Identity Revisited) standard, SHAKEN (for Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs) defines a mechanism to verify the calling number and specifies how it will be transported across communications networks.

Together, STIR/SHAKEN offers a practical mechanism to provide verified information about the calling party as well as the origin of the call  what is known as attestation  for the first time in the network. Giving service providers the tools needed to sign and verify calling numbers makes it possible for businesses and consumers to know, before answering, that the calls they receive are from legitimate parties.

With the signing into law of the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act, or the TRACED Act (S.151), by President Trump on December 30, 2019, there is new urgency surrounding the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN within the telecommunications industry.

The TRACED Act authorizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue additional civil penalties on individuals who intentionally violate restrictions on the use of automated telephone equipment (i.e., illegal robocalls and spoofing); and directs the FCC to require voice service providers to offer call authentication technologies (i.e., STIR/SHAKEN) to consumers.

In addition, on March 31, 2020, the United States Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules requiring implementation of caller ID authentication using STIR/SHAKEN. These rules will further the FCCs efforts to protect consumers against malicious caller ID spoofing, which is often used during robocall scam campaigns to trick consumers into answering their phones

With the signing of the TRACED Act and the recent action by the FCC, the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN across the telecommunications industry is no longer optional  it is now mandated by United States Federal Law. The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT will provide those with a vested interest in the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN the most timely and essential information they need to tackle the technological, logistical and business challenges involved in that endeavor, said Marc Robins, SIP Forum President and Managing Director.

The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT will feature a series of webinars that focus on issues critical to the reliable and successful deployment and operation of STIR/SHAKEN in todays IP-based network environments, as well as associated topics including discussion of the ramifications of governmental regulatory, legislative and enforcement actions and critical security issues.

The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT will feature content such as:



Out-Of-Band STIR solutions

Review of Proposed DOJ/FCC/FTC Enforcement Actions and Their Ramifications

Track and Trace Issues and Considerations

Important Certificate Management Considerations and Procedures

Considerations Surrounding Delegated Certificates

RCD (Rich Call Data) and other Call Validation Display Framework Solutions

STIR/SHAKEN Deployment Best-Practices

Considerations for Management, Performance and Troubleshooting

Trusted Customer Solutions: Implementing STIR/SHAKEN with Enterprise Customers

Interconnection and Access Reform Challenges

The STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT will offer actionable information for all industry stakeholders in the Robocall and Caller ID Spoofing elimination/mitigation ecosystem, including telecommunications providers, major backbone operators, interconnect and wholesale solution providers, ISPs, cable operators, and wireless network operators, as well as governmental regulators and agencies, regulatory attorneys with state and federal jurisdictions, equipment manufacturers and mobile product developers, device integration specialists, large enterprise service assurance operations and IT/communications staff, government agencies, customer care/contact centers, and application providers and data analytics firms.

For More Information and to Register

To receive more information about the STIR/SHAKEN VIRTUAL SUMMIT, please visit http://www.stirshakensummit.org. To receive notification once event registration is open, please send an email to stirshakensummit@sipforum.org or call +1-203-829-6307.

Sponsorship Information

There are a limited number of additional sponsorship opportunities available for companies offering STIR/SHAKEN services and solutions to present a webinar. For information about webinar sponsorship benefits and costs, please contact Marc Robins at +1-203-829-6307 or email marc.robins@sipforum.org.

About the SIP Forum

The SIP Forum is a leading IP communications industry association that engages in numerous activities that promote and advance SIP-based technology, such as the development of industry recommendations; interoperability testing events including SIPit, and special workshops, educational activities, and general promotion of IP communications standards, services, and technology for service provider, enterprise and governmental applications. The SIP Forum is also the producer of the annual SIPNOC conferences (for SIP Network Operators Conference), focused on the technical requirements of the service provider community, and other industry events. One of the Forums technical activities is the development of the SIPconnect Technical Recommendation  a standards-based SIP trunking recommendation that provides detailed guidelines for direct IP peering and interoperability between IP PBXs and SIP-based service provider networks, and the SIPconnect Certification Testing Program, a unique certification testing program that includes a certification test suite and test platform, and an associated SIPconnect Certified logo program that provides an official seal of certification for companies products and services that have officially achieved conformance with the SIPconnect specification. Other important Forum initiatives include work in security, SIP and IPv6, and IP-based Network-to-Network Interconnection (IP-NNI) and the SHAKEN Call Authentication Framework. For more information about SIP Forum initiatives, please visit: https://www.sipforum.org.
courtesy of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office

A man was sentenced to two years in prison last week for punching a pregnant woman in the face.

Christopher Dwayne Wilborn, 27, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty May 7 to assaulting a pregnant victim, a third-degree felony, in the 359th District Court in Montgomery County. Presiding Judge Kathleen Hamilton sentenced Wilborn with 122 days served.
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Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 18:04 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7d5578 1 Opinion #commentary,COVID-19,pandemic,McDonalds-Indonesia,misinformation,Jokowi-administration,Jokowi,mudik,death-toll Free

Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday at McDonalds in Central Jakarta to bid farewell to the American fast food chains flagship outlet in Indonesia. The event prompted an instant flood of comments on social media expressing disdain and anger toward the crowd and its seeming disregard for either contracting or spreading COVID-19.

While the photographs of the ill-advised public gathering put a knot in my stomach, I was not surprised. How can the public be expected to make good decisions when the information theyve been given is questionable at best?

The outbreaks economic toll on Indonesia is well documented, but the loss of Indonesian lives to the virus is less clear: The official count on Tuesday put the death toll at just over 1,000, but Jakarta has recorded nearly 2,000 burials using COVID-19 protocols since the beginning of March.

Other provinces have recorded hundreds of deaths among persons under monitoring (ODP) and patients under surveillance (PDP). While these classifications are highly distinct, the statistics are not, with ODP and PDP deaths not reflected in the COVID-19 figures announced at the national task forces daily briefings.

What is even less obvious is the multidimensional costs of the denial, disinformation and obfuscation the government has engaged in since before the outbreak emerged in the country.

High-ranking officials have made irresponsible and cavalier comments that downplayed the dangers of the coronavirus from the outset, showing more concern about the potential economic effects than the looming health crisis.

Now, as several countries are easing their lockdowns and looking to restart their economies, Indonesia is somehow contemplating doing the same, even though it never imposed a complete nationwide lockdown in the first place (and boasted about it).

It has also conducted fewer than 1,000 tests per 1 million people, while its data has been persistently riddled with inconsistencies and disparities between regional and central figures.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has insisted that the country must flatten its COVID-19 curve this month by any means necessary, while adding that we must live in peace with the virus.

But the governments constant about-turns, evasion and equivocation to justify its desire to reopen the economy have only served to foment confusion and frustration, even among its most ardent supporters. Worse, its flip-flopping is misleading for those who are not following the situation day to day with a fine-toothed comb.

Throughout the government hierarchy, the countrys officials seem to be living in two alternate realities at the same time: one in which the COVID-19 outbreak rages on to threaten the lives of all 260 million Indonesians, and one in which we have miraculously flattened the curve and are ready to embark on a mythical path to the new normal.

On some days or at certain hours, or as a drop amid its countless public statements and speeches, the government espouses caution and prudence in its approach to the outbreak. And yet, these same officials and their colleagues make statements that exhibit little to no awareness about the real and actual situation in the country, sometimes in their very next breath.

Dont mudik, dont pulang kampung, Cabinet ministers and senior officials sing in a music video that defies description, released only days after newly recovered Transportation Minister Budi Karya reopened public transportation for those who meet certain criteria.

We are not safe until there is a COVID-19 vaccine was the sage statement from national COVID-19 task force head Doni Monardo last week while claiming that the daily tally of new cases was declining. The very next day, the Health Ministry announced the countrys highest single-day increase in new cases to date.

Relaxing the PSBB should be done carefully and not hastily, Jokowi said Tuesday, just days after the coordinating security ministers suggestion to the contrary.

Then, in a self-congratulatory press briefing on Friday, the coordinating human development minister said that the country was on the right track in its battle against COVID-19. There is a declining trend in cases, although not dramatic, said Muhadjir Effendy. I thank all people who have complied with the governments COVID-19 precautionary measures,

The next day, governments COVID-19 spokesman Achmad Yurianto announced 533 new cases, another record high in less than a week.

So on Sunday, hundreds of Jakartans flouted the social restrictions to mark the last day of a fast-food outlet.

What is the cost of lies? asks protagonist Valery Legasov rhetorically at the beginning of the HBO miniseries Chernobyl. Its not that we will mistake them for the truth, he says. The real danger is that, if we hear enough lies, then we no longer recognize the truth at all. What can we do then?

If people under 45 --my age group-- must resume work to prevent total economic collapse, I would prefer the government to just come out and say so rather than using absurd justifications like, they only make up 15 percent of deaths. What percentage of the COVID-19 death toll must an entire age group comprise, then, to be permitted to shelter in place?

If we have reached the limits of our testing capacity, just say so instead of grasping at straws and intoning that testing capacity between countries is not comparable.

If there is no choice but to risk our lives to keep our jobs, the government needs to take the bull by the horns, looks us in the eye and come clean. Dont patronize us with platitudes as though we were gullible children.

Otherwise, it leaves us with little but doubt and uncertainty and no other option but to refer to the absentee Health Ministers first prescription for the epidemic: Pray hard.
A 60-year-old woman in Tripura was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly attempting to murder her 27-year-old son over a dispute related to family property, said police.

The incident happened at Amtalis East Ballavpur, nearly 16 kilometres from capital Agartala.

Mamata Bhowmik, the accused, was later sent into judicial custody for 14 days.

According to police, relations between Mamata and her son Prasenjit Bhowmik had been strained for a long time due to certain issues related to family property. Things heated up on Tuesday night when the matter again cropped up and an angry Mamata allegedly attacked her son with a sharp weapon, injuring him badly on his neck and face.

Prasenjit was taken to a nearby hospital where his condition is said to be stable.

Police said that though the woman has no previous criminal record, she is known in the area as an ill-reputed woman.

We filed the case against her under Sections 326 and 307 of Indian Penal Code and arrested her. They had problems related to the family property for a long time. We are investigating the matter, said Amtali sub divisional police officer Anirban Das.

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Burger King is reopening a further 70 UK outlets for delivery and drive-thru orders only next week.

The fast food giant was forced to close on 24 March after Boris Johnson announced a nationwide lockdown but has begun easing back into business in recent weeks.

The chain has pledged to open 20 branches per week until all of its 500 UK restaurants are back in operation.

So far, Burger King has reopened 50 sites in the UK, with a further 72 set to follow suit on 18 May.

Executives at the firm have revealed 54 locations for these restaurants, with the remaining 18 outlets to be confirmed in the next few days.

All staff at the reopened outlets will be provided with gloves and face masks and following social distancing guidelines, Burger King said.

Customers can place their orders on delivery services such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat.

Announcing the move, Katie Evans, marketing director at Burger King UK, said: We hope that re-opening these restaurants for delivery services goes some way to lifting our customers spirits in these difficult times.

Burger King is among a number of chains that have started to resume business in recent days, having been out of action for almost two months.

KFC, Nando's, Pret A Manger, Starbucks and Subway have all either reopened sites for delivery and takeaway or announced plans to do so soon.

On Wednesday, McDonalds began trading from 15 sites across the UK after carrying out operational tests late last month.

Paul Pomroy, McDonalds chief executive officer for the UK and Ireland, said: When we return it will be different as we all adjust to this new normal.

I want to apologise in advance if our first wave of reopened restaurants does not serve your area.

He added: Rest assured, we are working hard to reopen more restaurants, but I am adamant this must be at the right pace with the wellbeing of our employees, suppliers and customers front of mind.

Slowly, but safely, we will return to towns and cities across the UK and Ireland, and thank you for your continued support as we work through this crisis.

Full list of open Burger King restaurants below:

OPEN

Aberdeen - delivery only

Altens  drive-thru only

Bishopbriggs  drive-thru only

Bristol Bath Road - delivery only

Bristol Eastgate - delivery only

Cardiff Culverhouse Cross - drive-thru only

Cardiff Newport Road - delivery only

Cherwell Valley MSA - delivery only

Chievely MSA - delivery only

Coventry - drive-thru only

Cricklewood The Broadway  delivery only

Croydon Church Street  delivery only

Cumbernauld  drive-thru only

Donnington MSA - delivery only

Dundee - delivery only

Elgin  drive-thru only

Enfield Bullsmoor Lane - delivery and drive-thru

Feltham LP - delivery and drive-thru

Gloucester Peel Centre - delivery and drive-thru

Goldstone Retail Park - delivery and drive-thru

Hartlepool - drive-thru only

Havant - drive-thru only

Hedge End - drive-thru only

Hillington - delivery only

Huddersfield Leeds Rd - delivery and drive-thru

Ipswich Westend Road - delivery and drive-thru

Leeds Beeston - drive-thru only

Leigh Delamere West MSA - delivery only

Medway North MSA - delivery only

Merton - delivery only

Milton Keynes Eldergate - delivery and drive-thru

Neath Cadoxton Cross - drive-thru only

Newport Retail Park - delivery only

Reading - delivery only

Sheffield Leppings Lane - delivery and drive-thru

Southampton - delivery only

Springfield Quay - delivery only

Stirling  drive-thru only

Swansea Enterprise Park - drive-thru only

Swansea Union Street - delivery only

Swindon - delivery

Tamworth MSA - delivery only

Toddington M1 North - delivery only

Tottenham Hale  drive-thru only

Wednesbury  drive-thru only

Wetherby MSA - delivery only

Willenhall  drive-thru only

Winwick Quay Newton Road - delivery and drive-thru

Wrexham Border  drive-thru only

Yeading Glencoe Road - delivery and drive-thru

OPENING 18 MAY

Earls Court

Paddington London St

Doncaster Herten Triangle

Bedford Interchange

Manchester Fallowfield

Bolton Trinity

Hanley Century

Liverpool East Prescot Rd

Stevenage Roaring Meg

Gloucester Rd

Ipswich, Copdock

Birch East

Blyth

Bridgwater

Doncaster

Exeter

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A new study published by the Public Health Agency of Sweden in its Brief Report shows that compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant and postpartum women with COVID-19 have a higher risk of requiring intensive care.

It was towards the start of April 2020 that the Public Health Agency of Sweden (PHAS) observed a shift in the number of pregnant and postpartum women who were being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in Sweden because of confirmed COVID-19. Since the available literature did not provide a clear-cut answer, the current study aims at assessing the risk presented by pregnancy in terms of increased susceptibility to, the severity of, and poorer outcomes as a result of COVID-19.

How was the study carried out?

The researchers first looked at the number of pregnant women with COVID-19 treated in ICUs in Sweden and compared this with the number of non-pregnant women with the infection who required ICU care. The data is taken from the Swedish Intensive Care Registry (SIR) and provides a list of all such cases.

In most Swedish ICUs, the presence of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 or influenza is also documented using a special reporting module, which helps to pick out pregnant women as well as those who have given birth.

The investigators collected data on all women between 20 and 45 years old who had COVID-19 between March 19, 2020, and April 20, 2020. In ascertaining the risk of requiring ICU admission in pregnancy or postpartum, it was found to be difficult to separate the pregnancy-related or other causes for ICU care from the COVID-19-related causes. As a result, the whole group of COVID-19-positive women who were pregnant or had just given birth was included in the analysis.

Using population data from the Swedish population registry, they found that on December 31, 2019, there were over 1.6 million women in this age group. There were around 1.16 million births, according to the 2018 Swedish Birth Registry. Assuming that deliveries occurred at the same rate throughout the year, at about 320 per day, and the gestational age of 40 weeks, the researchers estimated that about 95,000 women were pregnant during the study period.

To account for the number of stillbirths and miscarriages, the researchers included another 50% in the first sensitivity analysis. In the second, they included only those women who required invasive mechanical ventilation since pregnant women might be more readily admitted to the ICU than others. The third analysis used both aspects.

As a control group, and to understand how many patients would need ICU care in an epidemic, the researchers looked at the total number of pregnant women in this age group who required intensive care with influenza, in the flu season of 2015-16, was collected. The total number of pregnant women in Sweden in the same period was also estimated.

What did the study show?

There were 53 women in the age group 20-45 with COVID-19 who required ICU admission in the study period. This includes 13 pregnant and newly postpartum women. The age ranged from 20-35 years, with pregnancy term between weeks 13 and 40.

Some women had gestational diabetes, and others had obesity. Seven of them delivered the baby, five by Cesarean section. Of these, two were for non-obstetric reasons, namely, COVID-19 symptoms.

There were seven pregnant women in all who needed mechanical ventilation compared to the 29 (out of 40) non-pregnant women. The median stay in the ICU was six days.

The incidence of COVID-19 cases requiring intensive care in Sweden was 14.4/100,000 for pregnant or postpartum women, and 2.5/100,000 for non-pregnant women in this age group. The sensitivity analyses showed the same trend, with an incidence of 7.4 and 1.8 per 100,000 for pregnant and non-pregnant women, respectively, when considering only those women who underwent invasive mechanical ventilation.

The analysis covering the risk of requiring ICU care in the flu season was about 4 and 1.8 per 100,000 pregnant and non-pregnant women, respectively. The relative risk of receiving intensive care was, therefore, higher for pregnant and postpartum women with COVID-19 than for non-pregnant women with COVID-19 in the same age group, in all analyses.

The scientists acknowledge that they could not find out why each woman was admitted to the ICU, whether pregnant or non-pregnant, other than all of them had tested positive for COVID-19. The number of women in the sample was very small, moreover.

Why is the research important?

The research findings prompted immediate responses from the PHAS. Sweden also began a joint investigation into the effect of COVID-19 on pregnancy and the fetus/newborn, using data from various national registries.

The paper concludes, Pregnant women should be cautious considering the potentially severe consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection and those with additional risk factors such as overweight or obesity, hypertension, and gestational diabetes should take extra precautions.
Bengaluru, May 13 : The fourth evacuation flight to Karnataka landed in this tech city from Singapore, with 149 returnees, said an official on Wednesday.

"The Airbus A320-251N of Air-India (AI 1379) landed at the city international airport at 9.51 p.m., with 149 passengers from Singapore," the official told IANS here.

The foreign returnees were stranded overseas for about 50 days due to the suspension of international air services by the government since March 23 and extended lockdown since March 25 to contain the coronavirus spread across the country.

"The passengers to the southern state included women, senior citizens, students, tourists and professionals, who were held up in Singapore and South East Asia during the lockdown, as no overseas and domestic commercial flights were operated since March 23," said the official.

The flight was over two hours behind scheduled arrival of 7.45 p.m. due to delayed departure from Changi airport in Singapore.

The passengers were received by the state health department and the state-run A-I officials in the arrival terminal.

The returnees were given new masks to wear and sanitizer to wash their hands and told to maintain social distancing till they exit the airport.

"As per the standard operating procedure and protocols to be observed by all foreign returnees, the passengers were screened and tested to ensure they were asymptomatic and free from the Covid-19 virus," a state official told IANS.

After completing the formalities, the passengers were ferried in state-run chartered buses in batches for the mandatory 14-day quarantine in star hotels booked for them in the city.

Passengers who did not have an Indian mobile connection were given a new sim card by the local operators and got it activated to download the mandatory quarantine app -- the Aaroygya Sethu app and Apthamitra app before leaving the airport.

As part of the government's evacuation programme 'Vande Bharat Mission', two more repatriation flights are due to land in Bengaluru from San Francisco and another from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia by May 15.

Of the 691 returnees to the state till date, 514 landed in Bengaluru in three flights since Monday and 177 in Mangaluru port city, about 360 km away, in the fourth flight on Tuesday.

The first evacuation flight to Karnataka from London landed in Bengaluru on early Monday, with 326 returnees, including three infants.

The second evacuation flight to the southern state was an Air-India Express that landed in Bengaluru on Tuesday night from Singapore, with 42 passengers.

The third repatriation flight to the state landed at Mangaluru on the west coast of the state from Dubai on Tuesday night, with 177 passengers, including 88 men, 84 women, 5 children and 2 infants.
New Delhi: Conditions are becoming favourable for the advance of the southwest monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 16, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The normal date for the arrival of the monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar region is May 20.

According to a statement issued by the IMD, a low-pressure area formed over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea on May 13. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression over central parts of south Bay of Bengal on May 15 and further intensify into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by May 16 evening. It is then likely to move northwestwards till May 17 and then recurve northnortheastwards. These conditions are making it favourable for the advancement of the monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar but the IMD will announce if the arrival of the monsoon over Kerala will also be early on May 15.

The Weather Company of IBM, a private weather forecaster, has forecast that the monsoon will arrive slightly early on May 31 over Kerala. Our models and data Show May 31 as likely arrival, said Himanshu Goyal, India business leader, The Weather Company. The low-pressure area over south Andaman Sea will intensify into a cyclone but we are not yet sure where it will make landfall. It could be over West Bengal coast or over northeast, he added.

The normal arrival date of monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar Islands is May 20 with a standard deviation of 7 days. This time it is expected to arrive on May 16. We will announce the date of monsoon arrival over Kerala on May 15 based on latest data, said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD.

Andaman region is expecting early rains due to the low-pressure system that has formed over the South Bay of Bengal. This low pressure system is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm and pull the southwesterly monsoon winds early into the Andaman seas. An early onset at Andamans need not mean that the rest of the country receives an early onset. This is because several factors, including low pressure systems in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, and the phase of the monsoon intraseasonal oscillations govern the northward progression of the monsoon, said Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

There will be gales of 65 to 75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph over southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal from the evening of May 16. Squally winds reaching 45 to 55 kmph will prevail over Andaman Sea. Sea condition will be rough to very rough over south and adjoining central Bay of Bengal from May 15 to the evening of May 16, very rough to high over southwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal from the evening of May 16. Fishermen are advised not to venture into south and central Bay of Bengal from May 15. Those who are out at sea over these regions are advised to return to coasts by Thursday.

The IMD has forecast a normal monsoon this year. A few global climate models are indicating the possibility of development of weak La Nina conditions over the Pacific Ocean during the second half of the monsoon season. La Nina is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific and good monsoon rains. Mohapatra said a more refined monsoon forecast with zone wise distribution will be issued by the IMD towards the end of May or the beginning of June.

Meanwhile, under the influence of a western disturbance, thundershowers are likely over Western Himalayan region and over plains of northwest India during next two or three days. Isolated thunderstorm accompanied with hail, gusty winds and lightning is also likely over these regions during the same period, the IMD bulletin said. Delhi NCR is also likely to get thundershowers.

Due to a trough (area of low pressure), thundershowers with lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) are very likely over south peninsular India during next four or five days.
It is so important to maintain contact with your loved ones during times of isolation, and last night Conan OBrien modeled that wisdom by checking in on his surrogate son, comedian Chris Gethard (you can really see the resemblance). A consummate New Yorker, Gethard lives in Jackson Heights, Queens, about two blocks from Elmhurst Hospital, which means his neighborhood has been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic. So Gethard tells OBrien that he, his wife, and their 1-year-old son moved in with his mother-in-law and her dog in a very, very small house in upstate New York. Although its far from the city, the house is not without its dangers. Gethard explains that now that his son can walk, hes getting into all kinds of peril: Theres like a lazy-Susan cabinet, and he knows how to open it and climb inside and then shift to the back of the lazy Susan where I cant remove him.

When hes not trying to dig his baby out from behind a rotating condiment shelf, Gethard is taking commissions on Cameo to film videos for fans  but mostly for one fan, named Randy, in Gainesville, Florida. Randy contracted the coronavirus, recovered from the coronavirus, and got engaged to his girlfriend, Jessica, all in the span of the past two months, which prompted about a dozen Cameo greetings. Gethard charges $35 a pop because this is very egotistical, but I found another comedian who I think is good, but I was at 25 and they were at 35 and I was like, Theyre not $10 better  Theyre great! Theyre someone I like, but they aint $10 better than me. Im much more experienced. OBrien is mostly hung up on the callowness of charging a fee to send get-well messages to a sick fan, but hey, as Gethard puts it to OBrien, Your show is still on the air. Mine got canceled. Even though Gethard quips that Im a guy exploiting pain on Cameo, we can see right through his charade, especially when he asks viewers to donate to a GoFundMe providing meals for hospital staff at Elmhurst.
Former Vice President Joe Biden was identified Wednesday as being among a group of Obama administration officials who 'unmasked' the name of Mike Flynn in U.S. intelligence reports.

A National Security Agency document signed by Director General Paul Nakasone lists Biden as among those who requested and may have received information on Flynn in the final days of the Obama administration or were otherwise involved in his unmasking.

The leaked memo immediately set off a clash in Washington, with President Donald Trump tearing into Biden, his presumed 2020 opponent, for unmasking, which he connected to the prosecution of Flynn, which he termed a disgrace.

'When I see what is happening to him, it's disgraceful,' Trump said of Flynn. 'And it was all a ruse. And by the way the FBI said he didn't lie,' Trump said at the White House Wednesday.

'With all the stuff I'm hearing about lying. The FBI said he didn't lie. But the sleazebag said, 'Well we don't care what they say, we're saying he lied,' Trump continued.

'What they've done to that man and that family is a disgrace,' Trump said as he addressed reporters about the coronavirus.

'I just left Gen. Milley and he said was a great man and a great soldier,' the president said, conveying words that had the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Mark Milley, vouching for Flynn, a former three star general who ran the Defense Intelligence Agency before getting fired by President Obama.

'It's a massive thing. Who can believe a thing like this,' said Trump, holding a up a notecard he indicated was a list of the information.

During separate comments on Fox Business Network, Trump told host Maria Bartiromo it was 'all Biden,' and casting Biden as a key player in Flynn's prosecution  although it was carried out by career prosecutors after the election and resulted in a guilty plea by Flynn.

'They weren't after General Flynn, they wanted him to lie about me, make up a story. And with few exceptions, nobody did that,' Trump told Bartiromo. 'There were many people, I watched [former national security official] KT McFarland the other day, I watched where she was, knock knock FBI, you know, the FBI, this was all Obama, this was all Biden,' Trump said.

Lashing out: In an interview with Fox Business Network airing in full Thursday, Trump attacked Biden and claimed 'we caught them'

More anger: At a meeting with governors including Colorado's Jared Polis in the White House Cabinet Room, Trump lashed out at Biden as a 'big unmasker'

A National Security Agency document identifies Joe Biden as among a group of officials who may have received information on 'unmasking' of Mike Flynn in the final days of the Obama administration.

UNMASKING EXPLAINED WHAT IS UNMASKING? During routine, legal surveillance of foreign targets, names of Americans occasionally come up in conversations. Foreigners could be talking about a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident by name, or a foreigner could be speaking directly to an American. When an American's name is swept up in surveillance of foreigners, it is called 'incidental collection.' In these cases, the name of the American is masked before the intelligence is distributed to administration officials to avoid invading that person's privacy. Unless there is a clear intelligence value to knowing the Americans name, it is not revealed in the reports. The intelligence report would refer to the person only as 'U.S. Person 1' or U.S. Person 2.' If U.S. officials with proper clearance to review the report want to know the identity, they can ask the agency that collected the information - perhaps the FBI, CIA or National Security Agency - to 'unmask' the name. Unmasking requests are common, according to Michael Morell, former CIA deputy director and host of 'Intelligence Matters' podcast. 'Literally hundreds of times a year across multiple administrations. In general, senior officials make the requests when necessary to understand the underlying intelligence. I myself did it several times a month and NSA adjudicates the request. You can't do your job without it,' he said. Morell emphasized that unmasking is not the same as declassification. 'When a name is unmasked, the underlying intelligence to include the name remains classified so leaking it would be a crime.' WHEN WOULD AN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY UNMASK A NAME? The request is not automatically granted. The person asking has to have a good reason. Typically, the reason is that not knowing the name makes it impossible to fully understand the intelligence provided. The name is released only if the official requesting it has a need to know and the 'identity is necessary to understand foreign intelligence information or assess its importance,' according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's latest report, which includes statistics on unmasking. 'Additional approval by a designated NSA official is also required.' Former NSA Director Mike Rogers has said that only 20 of his employees could approve an unmasking. The names are shared only with the specific official who asked. They are not released publicly. Leaking a name, or any classified information, is illegal. HOW OFTEN ARE NAMES UNMASKED? The number of unmasking requests began being released to the public in response to recommendations in 2014 from the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. There were 9,217 unmasking requests in the 12-month period between September 2015 and August 2016, the first period in which numbers are publicly available. The period was during the latter years of the Obama administration. The number rose during the Trump administration. The 9,529 requests in 2017 grew to 16,721 in 2018 and 10,012 last year. Advertisement

McFarland had previously told Fox she was 'ambushed' as part of a 'setup' by the FBI.

'These people were corrupt, the whole thing was corrupt, and we caught them, we caught them. And what you saw just now, I watched Biden yesterday he could barely speak, he was on Good Morning America right? He said he didn't know anything about it, and now it just gets released right after he said that. It gets released that he was one of the unmaskers. Meaning he knew everything about it, so he lied to your friend George Stephanopoulos.'

McFarland, the former deputy national told a senator during he confirmation process to an NSC post she was unaware of Flynn's contacts with the Russian ambassador. But she was revealed to have written an email that said 'General Flynn is talking to the Russian ambassador this evening' on December 29, when President Obama imposed sanctions on Russia.

The new unmasking document appears to reveal which official or officials ordered Flynn's name be 'unmasked' from intelligence reports, although it also includes hedging language. U.S. citizens have their names blacked out in such reports, although certain officials have the authority to unseal the information.

Trump pointed to Sunday comments by Biden that he didn't know details of the Flynn prosecution. 'He said he knows nothing about anything,' Trump said. 'And then it gets released today that he's the big unmasker.'

In Biden's case, he gained access to the documents on January 12, 2016  a little over a week before he left office.

He is listed among a group of 'recipients who may have received Lt. Gen. Flynn's identity in response to a request processed between 8 November 2016 and 31 January 2017' to unmask an identity to unmask a name in an NSA intelligence report.

But the memo also refers to Biden as among a group of 'principals'  although it still stops short of confirming he ever saw the information.

'While the principals are identified below, we cannot confirm they saw the unmasked information. This response does not include any requests outside of the specified time-frame,' according to the memo.

Flynn's calls with former Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak got picked up by U.S. intelligence intercepts during the transition, and became part of the Russia probe.

Flynn would later plead guilty to lying to the FBI about his undisclosed Russia contacts  although the Justice Department last week took the extraordinary move of seeking to drop the case. A federal judge is awaiting 'friend of the court' documents relating to the controversial case.

Trump's outbirst came amid another signal Wednesday that Flynn's case was far from over. Judge Emmet Sullivan has appointed an outside retired judge, John Gleeson, to provide arguments against the government's latest position dropping the charges against Flynn. Gleeson will also be charged with exploring whether Flynn should face perjury charges  a felony.

Trump said he wouldn't discuss a potential pardon for Flynn. 'I won't talk about that but he's going to be okay,' Trump told reporters.

Under unmasking  which became a heated topic during the House Intelligence Committee's own Russia probe  the process begins when government officials are provided access to documents with classified information blacked out.

Certain senior government officials are granted the authority to seek 'unmasking' of individuals whose names are blacked out. Names are obscured to protect the privacy of U.S. citizens. To do so, they must put in a request to the classifying authority  in this case, the National Security Agency, which picks up information through a wide net of electronic surveillance.

Flynn's conversations with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. got picked up by U.S. intelligence

A newly declassified memo lists officials who submitted requests to the NSA to unmask Gen. Mike Flynn in intelligence documents

It listed those who 'may have received' Flynn's identity

Biden's name appears last on the chronological list

Grenell declassified the document last week and provided it to a pair of Republican senators for their 'situation awareness'

Such requests are relatively routine  and are meant to provide a fuller understanding of the document at hand. However at the time of seeking an unmasking, the U.S. official does not know the identity of the 'masked' person.

If the request clears the agency's review process and is justified, the requesting official is provided access to the information. The government records who makes such requests and when, providing the opportunity to look back after the fact.

'Each individual was an authorized recipient of the original report and the unmasking was approved through NSA's standard process, which includes a review of the justification for the request,' the document said, indicating the spy agency signed off on the disclosures after a review.

The memo was ordered declassified by acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell.

Grenell provided the information to Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley and Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson for what he wrote was their 'situational awareness.' He says he issued the order May 8 of this year. Trump named Grenell to his post in February.

The letter to the senators was dated May 13, the same day it was released.

According to intelligence community reporting required by the surveillance reauthorization laws, the NSA unmasked 10,012 U.S. persons in the 2019 calendar year.

In 2017, the year Flynn was unmasked, he was one of 9,529 U.S. persons who were unmasked.

According to the DNI report, after an intelligence report is distributed containing masking, 'other federal agencies may request that the masked information in the report be revealed or 'unmasked.''

It continues: 'The requested identity information is released only if the requesting recipient has a 'need to know' the identity of the U.S. person and if the dissemination of the U.S. person's identity would be consistent with the applicable legal authorities.'

Former FBI Director James Comey is among those officials named on the unmasking document. FBI agents were investigating Flynn

Former Obama chief of staff Denis McDonough is listed as making a January 5, 2017 unmasking request about Flynn

'I knew nothing about those moves to investigate Michael Flynn,' Biden said when asked about Flynn's prosecution on ABC's 'This Week' Sunday.

'This is all about diverting attention from the horrible way in which he has acted,' Biden said of President Trump. 'We don't have coronavirus because of him, but we have the devastating impact of it because of his lack of a policy, because of his lack of action. It's all about diversion.'

Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement: 'Donald Trump's attempt at dishonest media manipulation to distract from his response to the worst public health crisis in 100 years has backfired. These documents simply indicate the breadth and depth of concern across the American government  including among career officials  over intelligence reports of Michael Flynn's attempts to undermine ongoing American national security policy through discussions with Russian officials or other foreign representatives.'

Bates continued: 'Importantly, none of these individuals could have known Flynn's identity beforehand. These documents have absolutely nothing to do with any FBI investigation and they confirm that all normal procedures were followed  any suggestion otherwise is a flat out lie. What's more, it's telling that these documents were selectively leaked by Republicans abusing their congressional powers to act as arms of the Trump campaign after having them provided by a partisan official installed for this very purpose. The only people with questions to answer are Grenell, Sen. Grassley, and Sen. Johnson for their gross politicization of the intelligence process.'

The memo connects numerous other officials to the unmasking. Former NSC spokesman Ned Price noted it included career CIA station chiefs and chiefs of mission. Others identified by the memo include former FBI Director James Comey, U.S. ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, U.S. ambassador to Italy John Phillips, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, and U.S. ambassador to Turkey John Bass.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Trump ally who sits on a permanent subcommittee on investigations, told Fox News Biden should be forced to answer questions on the unmasking.

'He needs to be questioned on this because we can't elevate someone to the president who is willing to use the intelligence community to spy on his political opponents. That should be a deal-killer.'

'What kind of person eavesdrops,' Paul said. 'Is that something that we think is a legitimate function of government to eavesdrop on your opponents, without a warrant?'

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, indicated he wants to pursue the unmasking issue further.

'I specifically want to know how many unmasking requests were made, if any, beyond General Flynn regarding members of the Trump campaign team, family, or associates,' he said.

WHO'S WHO IN THE FLYNN UNMASKING FILES: FROM THE VP TO A CIA STATION CHIEF AND FOUR AMBASSADORS THE TOP OBAMA OFFICIALS Joe Biden, Vice President His request: January 10 Why he would have asked: Unknown. Biden already knew that Flynn was under investigation by the FBI by this date What he has said about it: Told GMA that he knew Flynn was being investigated but that he knew nothing about him being prosecuted. His campaign said that the unmasking requests showed 'deep concern' across the intelligence community about Flynn's talks with foreign officials Denis McDonough, White House Chief of Staff His request: January 6 Why he would have asked: Unknown What he has said about it: Has passed no comment Samantha Power, Ambassador to the United Nations Her requests: Power asked for unmaskings in intelligence reports which featured Flynn's name on November 30, December 2, December 7, twice on December 16, December 23 and January 11. Only one was after Flynn's call to Sergei Kislyak which he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about Why she would have asked: Power was a member of the National Security Council as well as ambassador to the U.N. What she has said about it: Told the House Intel Committee that she had not heard the term 'unmasking' until their 2017 inquiry and that she asked intelligence briefers questions to help her understanding of the intelligence being presented to her. Also said that she did not recognize the large total number of all unmaskings recorded as being requested by her James Comey, FBI Director His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Comey had to ask the NSA to unmask the product of its own intercepted calls What he has said about it: Nothing directly but has repeatedly defended his conduct as FBI director James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence His requests: Clapper asked for unmaskings which led to Flynn's name on December 2, December 7 and January 7 - so only one was after the Kislyak call Why he would have asked: DNIs have access to all intelligence reports and by statute are part of the National Security Council but has to seek permission for names to be unmasked What he has said about it: Has previously said he made such requests on average a 'couple of times a week' John Brennan, CIA Director His requests: December 14 and 15 Why he would have asked: Brennan would have seen Flynn's name in any CIA intelligence but the NSA is a separate agency so to find out who is named in intercepted communications, Brennan has to ask NSA permission What he has said about it: Declined to comment Jack Lew, Treasury Secretary His requests: December 14, January 12 Why he would have asked: The Treasury Secretary is a member of the National Security Council What he has said about it: Has not commented Sarah Raskin, Deputy Treasury Secretary Her request: December 14 Why she would have asked: Unknown but was on same date as other Treasury officials, including career Treasury intelligence officials. Her husband Jamie Raskin is a Democratic congressman Nathan Sheets, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs His request: December 14 Why he would have asked: Unknown but was on same date as other Treasury officials, including career Treasury intelligence officials Adam Szubin, Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence His request: December 14 Why he would have asked: Unknown but was on same date as other Treasury officials, including career Treasury intelligence officials Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, deputy energy secretary Her request: December 15 Why she would have asked: Unknown. The Department of Energy's intelligence-gathering focuses on nuclear issues. Flynn was involved in a scheme to try to sell U.S. nuclear energy expertise to Saudi Arabia THE DIPLOMATS John Teft, ambassador to Russia. Career foreign service officer His request: December 16 Why he would have asked: Unknown. Ambassadors are routinely sent intelligence reports concerning relations with the country where they are posted John Bass, ambassador to Turkey. Career foreign service officer His request: December 28 Why he would have asked: Unknown. Ambassadors are routinely sent intelligence reports concerning relations with the country where they are posted. Flynn was later revealed to be secretly lobbying for Turkish interests John Phillips, Obama's ambassador to Italy and San Marino. Political appointee His request: December 6, 2016 Why he would have asked: Unknown Kelly Degnan, Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. embassy in Rome. Career diplomat Her request: December 6, 2016 Why she would have asked: Unknown Douglas Lute, U.S. Permanent Representative (meaning ambassador) to NATO. Retired Army general His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. Series of U.S. officials at NATO made request on same day suggesting Flynn's name was in an intercepted call which mentioned the alliance Lee Litzenberger, Deputy Chief of U.S. Mission to NATO. Career diplomat His request: December 15 Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day THE CAREER INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS Patrick Conlon, Office of Intelligence Analysis at the Treasury His request: December 14, 2016 Why he would have asked: Unknown. The OIA looks at targets for sanctions, international large-scale money-laundering, terrorist finance and drug cartels among other financial threats Arthur 'Danny' McGlynn, acting assistant Treasury Secretary. Career civil servant who oversaw its OIA and also the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) which looks for individual suspicious transactions His request: December 14 Why he would have asked: Unknown. Series of Treasury officials made request on same date Mike Neufeld, acting deputy assistant Treasury Secretary. Career civil servant His request: December 14 Why he would have asked: Unknown but his boss was McGlynn Michael Dempsey, deputy director of national intelligence for intelligence integration His request: January 7 Why he would have asked: Unknown. This was the day after the most senior intelligence officials briefed Donald Trump on Russia at Trump Tower and James Comey told him about the notorious 'golden showers' dossier Stephanie O'Sullivan, principal deputy director of national intelligence Her request: January 7 Why she would have asked: Unknown THE MILITARY AND PENTAGON OFFICIALS Vice Admiral John Christenson, United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. Series of U.S. officials at NATO made request on same day suggesting Flynn's name was in an intercepted call which mentioned the alliance Lt. Col Paul Geehreng, policy advisor for Russia to the defense advisor to the U.S. mission to NATO His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day James Hursh, deputy defense advisor to the U.S. mission to NATO His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day Robert Bell, defense advisor to the U.S. ambassador to NATO. Career civil servant His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day Scott Parrish, political officer at U.S. mission to NATO His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day Tamir Waser, political adviser, U.S. mission to NATO His request: December 15 Why he would have asked: Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day THE MYSTERY OFFICIALS WHO ARE LIKELY SPIES 'Chief Syria Group.' Likely to be part of a CIA-led intelligence group covering the civil-war torn country Their request: Two members of the group made request on December 15, same day as U.S. officials at NATO Why they would have asked: Unknown 'Deputy Assistant Director of the NEMC.' Appears to be an error and refers to the NMEC, or National Media Exploitation Center. It is responsible for the processing, translation, analysis and dissemination of intercepted documents and electronic material and is part of the office of the Director of National Intelligence Their request: December 15 Why they would have asked: Unknown 'U.S. NATO REDACTED advisor to Ambassador Douglas Lute.' Appears likely to be the CIA or DIA aide to the then U.S. ambassador to NOTA Their request: December 15 Why they would have asked: Unknown. One of a series of U.S. officials at NATO to make request on same day 'DOE-IN Executive Briefer.' Likely to be the Department of Energy intelligence officials who briefed the Secretary of Energy. The Department of Energy's intelligence-gathering focuses on nuclear issues Their request: Two briefers made a request December 15 Why they would have asked: Unknown. Flynn was involved in a scheme to try to sell U.S. nuclear energy expertise to Saudi Arabia 'COS.' Likely to be a CIA Chief of Station, meaning the agent in charge of all U.S. spying in one foreign country. A DCOS - deputy chief of station - is also named Their request: December 16, by a chief and a deputy chief Why they would have asked: Unknown. The country or countries they spy in is redacted 'CMO.' Likely to be a CIA 'collection management officer' who assess intelligence gathered in the field or electronically and direct ways to gather it Their request: Two CMOs made requests on December 16 Why they would have asked: Unknown Advertisement
The federal cabinet is set to approve a comprehensive economic stimulus package on Wednesday that would offer cash support to the poor and credit guarantees to industry and contain far-reaching stimulus measures for sectors ranging from agriculture to banking and insurance, two officials aware of the development said.

The effort will be aimed at transforming India beyond a potentially lucrative consumer market to one in which investors share value with its people and create jobs.

Follow latest updates on coronavirus here

After approval by the cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the morning, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce components of the economic stimulus package later in the day.

Modi said in a televised address to the nation on Tuesday night that the package, together with earlier announcements made by the finance minister and the Reserve Bank of India, would be worth about Rs. 20 lakh crore, equivalent to about 10% of the nations output of goods and services.

The Prime Minister said every Indian had to become vocal for their local, not only to buy local products, but also to promote them proudly We must make the local as a mantra of our life...The global brands were sometimes also very local like this. But when people started using them, started promoting them, branding them, felt proud of them, they became global from local products, he said.

Also read| Covid-19: What you need to know today

The announcement [by PM] beats most optimistic estimates. Reflects the seriousness of the challenge and resolve of the government to make the crisis an opportunity for India, said Nilaya Varma, co-founder and CEO of consulting firm Primus Partners.

The new measures to be announced by Sitharaman are expected to cost Rs. 16 lakh crore, according to the two officials cited in the first instance, who spoke on condition that they wouldnt be identified.

Policy proposals that will be put up for cabinet approval include raising the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector from the current 74%, reducing the governments equity stake in public sector banks from at least the 51% it is required to maintain in them, and labour law changes, the officials said.

The purpose is to position India an as important investment destination instead of an earlier brand positioning that it is a lucrative market with 300-million strong middle-class hungry to consume. Now, this market will be accessible to those who would invest in the country, share value with its people and provide employment to its people, one of them said.

Also read| Rs 20L-cr economic package to Lockdown 4: Key points from PMs speech

Both large and small industries will get support in terms of liquidity and working capital and the government guarantee the credit flows. The Small industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi) will be the nodal agency for routing credit to micro, small and medium enterprises, the officials said.

According to them, the states will get more say on matters of economic planning and mobilising financial resources, but they will have to commit to reforms, particularly in agriculture and the power sector, in which electricity distribution companies are owed Rs 90,000 crore.

Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday that a comprehensive economic stimulus package is in the works, including aggressive implementation of the Rs 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). This will also include digital infrastructure to promote online health-care and education.

To augment the resources of states, the Centre is already in talks with state governments to relax provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act so that the latter can borrow money to finance the fight against Covid-19.

Click here for complete coronavirus coverage

The FRBM Act mandates states to keep their fiscal deficit at 3% of state gross domestic product (SGDP); states want greater leeway to borrow because they are strapped for funds -- they have suffered a revenue loss from dwindling tax collections because of the lockdown.

Providing food, cash and other relief to the rural poor and migrant workers will be the focus of the coming package, the officials said. While they declined to give specific details, they said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme will be the key vehicle for giving relief to the rural poor.

Varma of Primus Partners said the focus on reforms, infrastructure, systems and protecting the most vulnerable sections int the package will pay off in the form of long-term growth.

We will need to ensure general consensus on the reforms proposed so that implementation does not fall prey to politics. Also, capacity of existing institutions to quickly translate this vision to action on the ground will be the key as well as focus on outcome and not mere spending, Varma said.
ASKER, NORWAY (12 May 2020) - The Annual General Meeting of TGS was held on 12 May 2020. All resolutions proposed were approved by the shareholders.

The minutes from the Annual General Meeting are attached to this announcement:

TGS AGM 2020 minutes (English)

TGS AGM 2020 minutes (Norwegian)

About TGS

TGS provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, and data integration solutions.

Forward Looking Statement

All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data product at costs commensurate with profitability, as well as volatile market conditions, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe drop in oil prices. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements.

TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward- looking statements for any reason.

For more information, visit TGS.com (http://www.tgs.com) or contact:

Sven Brre Larsen

EVP, Strategy and M&A

+47 90943673

investor@tgs.com

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachments
New Delhi, May 13 : A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a massive financial package to revive, reform and make the country self-reliant, while at the same time welcoming foreign capital and strengthening of supply chains, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidbambaram said his reaction to the move is "a blank as yesterday PM gave us a headline and a blank page".

"Naturally, my reaction was a blank," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The former Finance Minister added: "Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every additional rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy "We will also carefully examine who gets what? And the first thing we will look for is what the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers can expect after they have walked hundreds of kilometres to their home states." Chidambaram said that the Congress will examine "what the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) will get in terms of REAL MONEY".

In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday at 8 p.m. talked about new infrastructure and rational tax systems for a quantum leap of growth. Besides, announcing a stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore or 10 per cent of the GDP.
Emergent Telecommunications has selected du and Batelcos joint venture Arc as the lead consultant for the Orient Express submarine cable system.

Arc will provide consultancy services related to network configuration, tendering, supply contract negotiation and documentation, and overall project management for the system.

The Orient Express cable will directly connect the UAE and Pakistan, enhancing the bilateral commercial relationship between the two countries. It will fit into Chinas belt and road strategic trade policy initiative. Once complete, the Orient Express cable will offer high-bandwidth capacity, internet services, and transit facilities with low latency for local customers.

Mahesh Jaishankar, CEO at Arc, said: this is an example of how we can help organisations across the region to connect and deploy new services that benefit businesses and end users across the region.

The 1,300km cable system will link between landing points in Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan, and Kalba in the UAE. With the support from Arc, the Orient Express will be on course to deliver the cable on time and with best-in-class technical specifications.

Arc has the resources, experience and knowledge to drive large complex submarine cable projects and ensure that this strategic cable system will be delivered on time, on budget, and according to best-in-class technical specifications, said Haider Bokhari, Chairman at Emergent Telecommunications.
More than 40 immigrants held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center near San Diego are alleging that a recent detainee death of COVID-19 was caused by reckless and inhumane conditions, according to a letter begging the governor and other California lawmakers to intervene.

This is a cry for help, said detainee Oscar Nevarez, one of 43 immigrants at Otay Mesa who supported the letter after detainee Carlos Escobar Mejia died May 6. Please allow us to go home on humanitarian ground and fight our cases from our homes with our families where we are safe.

Advocates from Pueblo Sin Fronteras and Otay Mesa Detention Resistance transcribed the letter, which Nevarez read over the phone from Otay Mesa in an audio recording obtained by The Chronicle. The organizations sent the letter Wednesday to Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein, Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego.

Detainees from Otay Mesa sent a similar letter to politicians last month.

Now Playing: Audio Oscar Nevarez, an undocumented immigrant being held at Otay Mesa Detention Facility near San Diego, reads a letter more than 40 detainees wrote to state officials after the death of Carlos Escobar-Mejia, who contracted COVID-19 while in custody. Credit: Courtesy of Pueblo Sin Fronteras & Otay Mesa Detention Resistance Video: Pueblo Sin Fronteras, Otay Mesa Detention Resistance

Alex Mensing, a program coordinator for Pueblo Sin Fronteras, said the detainees wanted to let elected officials know there are consequences that have already happened for their inaction.

But its not just a told you so, Mensing said. Its a cry for help from the people inside who watched this happen and know that this can happen again as long as there are people confined in detention centers.

Jesse Melgar, a press secretary for Newsom, said the abuse and negligence in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities spurred the governor last year to sign AB32, which prohibits for-profit prisons in California, but the health and safety of ICE detainees lies with the Department of Homeland Security.

They must take action, including thoroughly investigating the circumstances of Mr. Mejias death, and work with public health officials to protect their staff and those in federal custody, Melgar said in a statement.

Sen. Harris called Otay Mesas conditions unacceptable in a statement.

Carloss death was likely preventable and there needs to be an investigation, and accountability for any wrongdoing, Harris said. It is imperative that officials take every step available to put safeguards in place to prevent more illness and loss.

Vargas and others have previously called on ICE to release all nonviolent detainees as the number of people in federal detention continues to rise.

It is impossible for ICE to properly social distance and reduce the spread of the virus under their current policies and conditions, Vargas said this month, after reports of Escobar-Mejias death.

Feinstein, the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called for an investigation last week into Escobar Mejias death. She said in a statement that a federal judge found conditions at Otay Mesa unconstitutional because detainees are at substantial risk of serious illness or death.

Escobar Mejia, a 57-year-old Salvadoran immigrant who had lived in the U.S for 40 years, died May 6 from COVID-19, ICE officials said in a news release. He was the first ICE detainee in the country to die from the illness.

Immigrants detained in the same pod as Escobar Mejia allege he spent several weeks alerting medical staff and correctional officers of his deteriorating condition. But officials ignored his repeated pleas for medical care and did not transfer him out of his pod until he was too sick to move, they said.

Not until Mr. Escobar was so sick that he could not get up and was laying in his bunk after throwing up in his trash can did they finally decide to move him, Otay Mesa detainees said in their letter.

But instead of taking him to the hospital for immediate care, ICE authorities transferred him to a pod that housed patients being treated for COVID-19, further exposing him to the virus, detainees said.

Escobar Mejia was taken to a Paradise Valley Hospital in National City (San Diego County) on April 24 and died 12 days later.

His death reignited calls to release medically vulnerable immigrants as the virus spreads across detention facilities in the U.S. ICE has 943 confirmed cases among detainees, including 149 at Otay Mesa, according to the agency.

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.

Immigration advocates say the overcrowded, unsanitary conditions in detention facilities and inadequate medical care increase the chances of a mass outbreak.

ICE on Wednesday said it could not comment specifically on Escobar Mejias death because of privacy regulations.

ICE is committed to ensuring the welfare of all those in the agencys custody, including providing access to necessary and appropriate medical care, officials said in a statement.

Jose Rivera Martinez, 53, said he was a close friend of Escobar Mejias and often shared his food with him, helped him get around in his wheelchair and purchase his commissary. Escobar Mejias calls for medical attention were ignored for weeks, he said.

Im outraged, Martinez told The Chronicle during a call Wednesday from Otay Mesa. We saw with our own eyes the negligence of medical staff.

Escobar Mejia was often forced to go without insulin for days, he said.

Thats what motivated me to sign the letter, Martinez said. I will sign anything without fear, because what Ive seen in this place is terrible. Im very damaged psychologically.

CoreCivic, the private corporation that operates and manages Otay Mesa, said claims that CoreCivic staff in detention facilities are ignoring the medical needs of detainees are patently false.

Sick calls are processed without delay and anyone who is not well/exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 are immediately referred to medical, a CoreCivic spokeswoman said in a statement Wednesday.

Since even before any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our facilities, we have rigorously followed the guidance of local, state and federal health authorities, as well as our government partners. We have responded to this unprecedented situation appropriately, thoroughly and with care for the safety and well-being of those entrusted to us and our communities.

Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez
Eight migrant labourers on their



way to Nashik from Mumbai were injured when the tempo in which they were travelling overturned in Thane city on Wednesday evening, an official said.

The tempo was carryingaround a dozen workers when the accident occurred, chief of Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), Santosh Kadam, said.

"The vehicle was on its way to Nashik from Mumbai. However, its driver lost control and the tempo turned turtle on the highway passing through Thane city. Eight labourers were injured," he said.

They were rushed to Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial Civic Hospital at Kalwa in the district.

"They are out of danger," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Michelle Price and Pete Schroeder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Federal Reserve official on Tuesday defended before Congress the central bank's decision to allow lenders to continue issuing dividends, even as the regulator seeks permission from lawmakers to further relax capital rules. Randal Quarles, the Fed's top regulatory official, told lawmakers during a Senate Banking Committee hearing that this summer's stress tests, which have been changed to reflect the ongoing global pandemic, will dictate what the Fed does on bank dividends

By Michelle Price and Pete Schroeder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Federal Reserve official on Tuesday defended before Congress the central bank's decision to allow lenders to continue issuing dividends, even as the regulator seeks permission from lawmakers to further relax capital rules.

Randal Quarles, the Fed's top regulatory official, told lawmakers during a Senate Banking Committee hearing that this summer's stress tests, which have been changed to reflect the ongoing global pandemic, will dictate what the Fed does on bank dividends.

"We're open-minded as to what the data will show," he said. "Our regulatory framework requires us to do that analysis, and that will determine the ability of the banks to conserve capital."

Quarles added that he expects the results of the 2020 bank tests, typically released near the end of June, to be published earlier this year to be more responsive to the pandemic.

With virus lockdowns plunging the United States into a recession and putting more than 26 million people out of work, regulators have scrambled to ease the pain - both for consumers and companies - with rule changes and assistance programs.

On Tuesday, Quarles, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair Jelena McWilliams, Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting and Rodney Hood, chairman of the National Credit Union Administration, appeared remotely before the panel to defend their efforts.

Last month, Quarles asked Congress to consider a legal change that would permit the Fed to temporarily ease some rules on banks, warning the rapid growth of bank balance sheets may leave them unable to service some customers under current rules.

But the regulators, all chosen by President Donald Trump, were pressured by Democrats who were skeptical that their efforts were effectively delivering relief to all Americans without creating undue risk in the financial system.

"You have been too eager to provide what you call 'regulatory relief'  and what the rest of us call favors for Wall Street and the biggest corporations," said Senator Sherrod Brown, the top Democrat on the panel.

The Fed and other regulators received some praise from panel members for their aggressive steps to support lending and the economy. But Quarles was consistently pushed by Republicans to do more and get moving on promised lending facilities, even as Democrats raised concerns about ongoing efforts to trim bank rules.

Quarles told lawmakers that the Fed is engaged in "complicated technical work" to launch lending facilities aimed at supporting larger businesses and state and local governments, noting that such efforts were uncharted territory for them.

He said he hoped to have those facilities operational within weeks.

(Reporting by Michelle Price and Pete Schroeder; Editing by Dan Grebler, Steve Orlofsky and David Gregorio)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
In yet another heart-wrenching accident, a migrant labourer was killed by a car in Ambala while he was walking to his home in Bihar.

A group of migrant labourers told the police that they were headed towards their native village in Bihar's Purnia district from Punjab's Ludhiana on foot when the incident occurred.

The driver of the car fled the spot along with the vehicle after the incident. Police said they have got inputs about the absconding driver and he would be nabbed soon.

BCCL

The deceased was identified as twenty-five-year-old Ashok Kumar while the injured labourer was admitted to the civil hospital at Ambala Cantonment, police told news agency PTI.

One of the labourers, who was part of the group, said around a dozen of them had commenced the journey on foot from Ludhiana two days ago as they were not able to register themselves for boarding one of the special trains of the Indian Railways.

The railways is running "Shramik" trains from various places for migrant labourers who want to go back to their native states.

BCCL

One of the labourers said they decided to walk back to their villages after the owner of the factory where they worked removed them from their jobs and there was no arrangement for their accommodation or food.

Last week, more than a dozen migrant workers were killed on railway tracks after a goods train ran over them in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The plight of such workers is similar across the country. There have a been numerous incidents where migrant workers, left with no option, decided to undertake a long journey on foot to back home.




A few days ago, Rajkummar Rao gave girlfriend and actor Patralekhaa a haircut, the video of which went viral. She returned the sweet favour by turning into a make-up and hair person cum stylist cum photographer, all rolled into one, for the Filmfare cover star. As they say, desperate times need desperate measures. Since we couldnt do the shoot because of the lockdown, we thought it would be a good idea to have the star shoot himself and send us the pictures. Also it would be a strong message for social distancing. We must say, were rather impressed with the results. Patralekhaa sure did a fab job. If she ever gets bored of acting, she can try her hands at these alternative professions. During the social distance interview done via video call, Rajkummar turned philosopher and talked about the future of mankind in the post-corona world. He ruminated on the nature of love and relationships in these troubled times and showed concern about the future of filmmaking. The actor chose to take a sabbatical for the first three months of the year. While that has been forcefully extended much further than he intended to, he doesnt mind it much. Hes been reading a lot, binge-watching films, doing domestic chores and exploring his culinary skills as well. With Patralekhaa giving him company through these days, he doesnt mind being cut off from the rest of the world. Excerpts from a freewheeling interview with the talented Mr Rao





In this first-of-its-kind Filmfare cover shoot, Patralekhaa was your hair and make-up artist/stylist/photographer. Tell us more about that

Given the lockdown, we didnt have all the required hair and make-up products. But still Patralekhaa did a great job. She gave me a fine haircut and styled me for this Filmfare cover shoot with whatever was available. It reminded me of our days in Amsterdam while shooting Queen. Patralekhaa used to style my hair there as there was limited crew. Ive never bothered about my clothes. But Patralekhaa changed that. She urges me to be more creative about what I wear in my day to day life as well.









Since Patralekhaa has moved in with you during the lockdown, what have you both discovered about your relationship?

Its amazing to realise I can spend so much time with her. Theres never a moment where we feel that we want our own space or we want to do our own thing. Of course, weve been together for nine years now. We love doing things together. We watch a whole lot of shows and films. Through time, weve also become best friends, which I believe is great for any relationship. You dont need anyone else. You can spend all your time with your partner. You laugh together. You discuss your passion together. We both love films. We discuss cinema all the time. Its fun to discuss what we liked and what we didnt like about a film.



Whats your routine like these days?

Patralekhaa and I wake up around 7:30 am. After freshening up, we sit in the balcony just to smell the fresh air and hear the birds chirp. We read as we have coffee. Later, we start our workouts. We work-out for almost one and a half to two hours every day. Then we cook and have lunch. Later, we watch a show or film together for a few hours. Then around 6:30 pm, when its a little cool, we sit in the balcony again. We may have some snacks or we play Ludo with our friends online. Thats also fun. Then Patralekhaa does her cardio because she works out twice a day. Meanwhile, I play my guitar and then do some meditation. We have dinner. Around 10 pm we hit our bed. We watch a film or a web series. Before midnight, were knocked out.



How are the duties split?

She cooks most of the time. I help her as well. (Smiles) I do all the stirring. I also whip up some dishes. Like I prepared sabudana khichdi and some dals.



Did you always cook?

Never man! I didnt know cooking. But its not bad its not that difficult. Im enjoying trying out stuff. But Im also missing being on a film set.







Any conscious change youve brought in your life in this period?

Im working out regularly. I used to work out earlier as well. But I did more of cardio. Now, Im maintaining a balance of both cardio and muscle building.



Your dog Gaga must be extremely happy now that youre home all the time.

Yes, shes so happy. Shes thrilled because shes getting to spend all the time with us.

Im sure she must be wondering whats happened to these people. Why arent they stepping out?



You mentioned you watch a lot of content. What has caught your fancy?

Right now, Im about to finish the series, The Outsider. We follow a daily schedule in the afternoon and at night. We must watch something for around one and a half hour. We finish three episodes in a day.



For someone, who has been living out of suitcases all the time, how has this sudden change been?

After I finished the White Tiger in Delhi at the end of December last year, Patralekhaa and I went for our annual holiday. I made a conscious decision to start my next film in March. I decided to take a break during the first three months of 2020. Then the virus struck. Never did I imagine that those three months would be extended till God knows when. Since the past three years, Ive been constantly working. This is a break I couldve never planned for myself.



Are you in touch with your colleagues?

Theyre waiting, like the rest of us, for the lockdown to end. Ive done four films, which are ready for release. White Tiger is a Netflix original, so itll go online. But, apart from that, theres Hardik Mehtas Roohi Afzana, Anurag Basus Ludo and Hansal Mehtas Chhalaang. I dont know whats going to happen as I dont see theatres opening anytime soon. I came across some articles saying that producers are pondering upon the idea of releasing films straight on the OTT platforms. We just have to wait and watch.



Reports on social media and news channels can put you off. How does one stay positive amidst it all?

Im not on Twitter so much. I watch a lot of stuff on the OTT platform. I keep myself engaged with reading. Ive also started meditation, which is a great thing. I believe everyone should do it. Ive started cooking as well. Patralekhaa has been preparing some awesome food. I help her out a little bit here and there. There were hardly just one or two moments when I was low and felt the need to go out. But then we are all staying home for a bigger cause.



What is the best way to stay calm during these times?

Thats the only thing you can do. Theres no other option. Of course, there are so many people out there, whore staying alone. It can get pretty tough. Im fortunate to have Patralekhaa. I cant imagine being alone but if I had to, Id do it. I know its pretty hard. But you have to think about the future. Theres nothing more important than your life. By sacrificing a couple of weeks or months, you can participate in making this world a better place. Thats the only thing we can do pray and hope that things get normal soon.







How has this period changed you as a person?

Im not going to take things for granted anymore. I realise how amazing its to spend time with your loved ones. Im talking so often to my family right now. I mustnt have spoken to them so much in the past couple of years. Ive been video calling my brothers and sisters. All this while, I was occupied with work. Weve been talking about our childhood days. Getting nostalgic and sharing memories is beautiful. At the end, you need to live for your loved ones. Nothing matters more than them. This race that were all in I dont know why were running so hard. Eventually, nothing will matter.



People say the world deserved this break

Yeah... (Smiles) Now, we can hear birds chirping. I feel nature is rebooting itself. We were just taking it for granted for

many decades. I was talking to one of my producer friends last night. He said he hoped people come out of this situation as better human beings.



Once the lockdown is lifted, what are you looking forward to doing?

Im going to meet my team, the people whove been with me for so many years. My hairstylist, my make-up man, my personal assistant everyone from my management team. Im going to meet them and enquire about their wellbeing and whether things are fine with them. After that I just cant wait to go on a film set.












Oregon House majority leader Barbara Smith Warner said Wednesday that the state needs to take immediate action to resolve its long backlog of unpaid jobless claims.

Oregonians are struggling  they need action and they need it now, Smith Warner, D-Portland, said in a statement Wednesday. She called on bold action to resolve the crisis.

While a number of other legislators have also highlighted the issues at the Oregon Employment Department, Smith Warners statement is among the most forceful and urgent to date.

The employment department has been overwhelmed by the coronavirus outbreak, fielding more than 380,000 jobless claims since the beginning of March. More than 50,000 claims remain unprocessed, including thousands dating back to March.

That means huge numbers of Oregonians have been going without benefits during the economic catastrophe triggered by the coronavirus. On Tuesday, a group of Oregon nonprofits and political advocacy groups suggested the state should refer laid-off workers to food stamps until the jobless claims backlog is addressed.

As The Oregonian/OregonLive has reported, the employment department relies on obsolete computers to process jobless claims. That has triggered a succession of mistakes in processing claims and delayed the states efforts to adapt its system to recent changes that made more workers eligible for benefits.

The employment departments phone lines are hopelessly jammed, meaning its nearly impossible for laid-off workers to get through to address the departments mistakes and receive their benefits. Those that do get through spend an average of two hours on hold  and most of those calls are never answered.

For far too many Oregonians, the wait for unemployment checks and the economic upheaval that comes with that has gone on for too long, Smith Warner said Wednesday. We are hearing each day from our neighbors who are fed up and scared about the road forward. They have spent countless hours waiting on the phone and sending emails, and despite having filed a claim months ago, have not received the payments they are due. It is beyond time for these claims to be met with action.

In her statement, Smith Warner suggested allowing more employment department staff to work remotely and recalling retired staff to process complicated claims. She also called for more transparency and proactive communications to filers and the public.

The employment department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Smith Warners statement. For several weeks, department director Kay Erickson has refused requests for an interview on the crisis.

Gov. Kate Brown apologized last month for the long delays in paying jobless claims. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway |

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Austria's Toruism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger announced the reopening of the Austrian-German border as the European Commission urged EU nations to get the tourism industry open again - HELMUT FOHRINGER/AFP

Germany will start to ease some of the border controls introduced to slow the spread of the coronavirus from Saturday with the aim of having free travel in Europe from June 15, Interior Minster Horst Seehofer said.

Seehofer said that general border controls agreed with France, Switzerland and Austria due to end on May 15 would be extended until June 16 but as many crossings as possible would be reopened.

"The goal is that from mid-June we want to have free travel in Europe," he said, adding that controls could be re-imposed if there are new outbreaks.

The government in Vienna also announced that Austria and Germany plan to open their border in mid-June after it was closed for two months in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"From June 15, the opening of the border between Germany and Austria will be possible," Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger told state radio station O1.

Restrictions on crossing the border will begin to be eased from May 15, enabling business trips and family visits to take place, she added.

The German and Austrian chancellors, Angela Merkel and Sebastian Kurz spoke Tuesday and "agreed on a gradual opening" of the border", the minister said.

Both nations consider they have the virus under control and were among the first in Europe to start lifting the measures taken to halt the spread of the pandemic.

The Austrian government was to examine Wednesday a progressive lifting of restrictions on freedom of movement to and from other border countries including Switzerland, Liechtenstein and eastern nations.

Germany has a warning in force until mid-June against taking foreign holidays.

With the tourism sector reeling, the European Commission was Wednesday set to urge EU countries to gradually reopen shuttered internal borders and to treat each member state according to the same criteria.

This would mean that if Austria opens its border with Germany, it must also open the border with the Czech Republic if that country is in a comparable health situation to Germany.
United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a more than three-trillion-dollar coronavirus aid package Tuesday, encouraging Congress to go big with aid to cash-strapped states and struggling Americans.

The Heroes Act provides nearly one trillion dollars for states, cities and tribal governments to avert layoffs and another $20bn in hazard pay for essential workers, according to a summary. It will offer $1,200 direct cash aid to individuals, up to $6,000 per household. There is $75bn more for virus testing.

A vote is expected Friday.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday that it appears the sweeping Democratic-led bill will be ready to call legislators back to Washington, DC, for the vote.

This is an unprecedented time in our history, Hoyer said about the virus outbreak and economic shutdown. He said Congress needs to act in unprecedented ways.

But the legislation is heading straight into a Senate roadblock. Senate Republicans are not planning to vote on any new relief until June, after a Memorial Day recess.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says there is no urgency to act.

The new package, the fifth since March, is expected to carry another eye-popping price tag. President Donald Trump has signed into law nearly three trillion dollars in aid approved by Congress.

Its centrepiece is likely to be money to states and cities that are struggling to avoid layoffs in the face of skyrocketing healthcare costs and plummeting tax receipts during the economic shutdown. There will be money for virus testing and another round of direct cash payments and unemployment benefits for Americans, Pelosi said. She has not disclosed the cost.

As states weigh the health risks of reopening, McConnell said the nation needs to regroup and find a more sustainable middle ground between total lockdown and total normalcy.

The Republican leader on Tuesday called the emerging Democratic bill a big laundry list of pet priorities.

McConnell wears a protective mask as he arrives at his office inside the US Capitol [Leah Millis/Reuters]

On a conference call with House colleagues Monday, Pelosi urged Democrats to go big, according to person unauthorised to discuss the private caucus call and granted anonymity.

To those who would suggest a pause, I would say the hunger doesnt take a pause, the rent doesnt take a pause, Pelosi said late Monday on MSNBC. We have a big need. Its monumental.

One provision holding up the package is how best to funnel direct cash to households. A proposal from Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal, a co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, could be crucial to winning votes from the more liberal politicians. It would provide three-months of guaranteed paychecks for those making less than $100,000 a year.

Hoyer said the Jayapal proposal remains under consideration.

With the Capitol still partly closed, Hoyer told his colleagues on the call there would be 72-hour notice before returning to Washington for the vote, which could come Friday, the person said.

But Senate Republicans are in no rush to spend what could be trillions more on aid.

I dont think we have yet felt the urgency of acting immediately, McConnell told reporters Monday at the Capitol.

McConnell said he has been in close contact with the White House, assessing the aid Congress has already approved in response to the virus outbreak and next steps.

Trump is expected to meet on Tuesday with a group of Senate Republicans. If we decide to go forward, well go forward together, McConnell said. His priority is to ensure any new package includes liability protections for healthcare providers and businesses that are reopening.

Senate Republicans are not expected to act on any further aid until after the Memorial Day recess, according to a senior Republican aide unauthorised to discuss the planning and granted anonymity.

The Senate is set to recess at the end of next week for a previously scheduled break, with senators scheduled to return June 1.

Fauci warns against reopening too early

The Senate recently reopened its side of the Capitol while the House remains largely shuttered due the health concerns.

Senators have been in session since last week, voting on Trumps nominees for judicial and executive branch positions and other issues. The Senate majority, the 53-member Senate Republican conference, is meeting for its regular luncheons most days, including Tuesday, spread out three to a table for social distance. Democrats are convening by phone. Many senators, but not all, are wearing masks.

At least a dozen Capitol police officers and other staff have tested positive for the virus, and at least one senator, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, is in isolation at home after exposure from a staff member who tested positive. Other legislators have cycled in and out of quarantine.

From home, Alexander, the chairman of the Senate Health Committee, convened a high-profile hearing Tuesday with Dr Anthony Fauci and others, on the virus.

Dr Anthony Fauci speaks remotely during the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing on the coronavirus [Win McNamee/Reuters]

Alexander told colleagues that ensuring adequate testing will the key to reopening the economy and schools.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned that if Trump and congressional Republicans slow walk more aid they will be repeating President Herbert Hoovers tepid response to the Great Depression.

It should be big and it should be bold, Schumer said Monday.
HUDSON FALLS  Coronavirus put Ron Jarvis into the hospital for 32 days.

But he lived to tell the tale  an outcome that was very much in doubt on Easter Sunday.

Glens Falls Hospital was preparing to take him off a ventilator, after 14 long days.

But while sedated on the ventilator, he had become unresponsive  so unresponsive that medical providers feared the worst. They asked the family: if he was still unresponsive when they took him off the ventilator, should they intubate him again? Or just let him die peacefully?

Ive been scared to death. I thought I was going to lose him and it devastated me, his wife Ann said.

They have been married for 57 years.

Nurses held up an iPad outside his room, letting them see him through the window while he was on the vent. He didnt look good.

As things got worse, nurses brought the iPad into his room, holding it next to him so that he could hear his familys voices.

It was a reversal of fortunes the family had not expected. Ann and Ron had gone to the hospital together. Both of them were feeling ill. But when they arrived, Rons oxygen level was acceptable. Anns was not. They kept her overnight and sent him home  no visitors allowed, even visitors who probably had the same virus as the patient.

We both went to the hospital at the same time and then they said I have to stay and he had to go home. I just cried and cried, Ann said.

The next day, after receiving oxygen, she was deemed ready to go home. Two of the couples children moved in to help take care of her.

It seemed as though theyd dodged a bullet.

But as the days went by, Ron got worse and worse. On March 31, they called an ambulance.

Rons last memory of the hospital is of a doctor asking him if it was okay to intubate him. He said yes, feeling like he couldnt breathe.

The ventilator saved his life. It bought time for his body to beat back the virus. The frightening thing was how unresponsive he was while on the vent.

The family told the doctors and nurses to do whatever they thought best if he didnt respond after the ventilator was turned off.

We were very, very scared. We were afraid he was going to lose his life, his daughter Melanie Dinwiddie said.

But he started breathing on his own.

By the time he was discharged to Slate Valley Center for rehabilitation, he tested negative for coronavirus. He needed rehab because the long illness had wreaked havoc on his body.

He now uses a walker and gets dizzy when he walks. Hes lost muscle tone.

Hes got a long way to go to get back to his normal self, Dinwiddie said.

She and her sister Teresa Goldman moved in to take care of their parents, quarantining themselves for 14 days after they arrived. Neither of them got sick.

After a week and a half at Slate Valley, he was ready to come home. Waiting for him at the entrance were nearly a dozen motorcycle riders from American Legion Post No. 574.

He is a rider for the post. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War.

Hes been part of motorcycle parades in the past, to welcome someone else home, but never as the recipient.

It was amazing, he said. It made me proud of being a vet.

They escorted him all the way to his Hudson Falls home.

He has just one word to describe the virus: Terrible.

He cant remember most of the 32 days he spent in the hospital.

Now hes motivated to get well enough to ride his motorcycle again.

Im working on it, he said. I feel pretty good now. Im striving to try to come through this so I can walk and do things I used to do.

His wife is just glad hes home.

Mothers Day was the greatest day in the world because I had my husband back, she said.

You can reach Kathleen Moore at 742-3247 or kmoore@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @ByKathleenMoore or at her blog on www.poststar.com.

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Visakhapatnam, May 13 : South Korean petrochemicals major LG Chem has sent an eight-member technical team from its Seoul headquarters to Visakhapatnam to investigate gas leak from LG Polymers India plant, which killed 12 and affected hundreds of others last week.

"An eight-member technical team from Seoul, led by the president of our petrochemicals company, has been dispatched to LG Polymers India. This team will work closely on-ground along with the authorities to resolve the situation and assist with real-time remedial and rehabilitation measures," LG Polymers India, a unit of LG Chem, said in a statement here on Wednesday.

The team, comprising experts from production, environment, and safety areas, aims to investigate the cause of the incident and support responsible rehabilitation, the main objective of the task force, it said.

The president, along with the dispatched team, would meet the victims and affected families to explain support measures and also hold meetings with the local government officials, it added.

LG Polymers India had earlier said it was working with the authorities to contain the damage and ensure the safety and health of local residents and employees. Venkatapuram and four other villages near the plant on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam were evacuated following the gas leak in the early hours of May 7.

District officials said styrene gas leaked from the plant a day after it revived operations after a 40-day gap due to the lockdown.

Experts from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies brought the situation under control by plugging the leak with special chemical PTBC, an anti-dote for styrene specially flown in from Gujarat.

The state officials had said 13,000 tonnes of styrene gas would be sent back to South Korea.
New York City has had 58 straight days without seeing one pedestrian death, thanks to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

It is the longest stretch in which pedestrians have not been struck in New York City since records began in 1983, said ABC news

Speaking before the City Council Transportation Committee on Tuesday, New York Department of Transportation commissioner Polly Trottenberg said that there had been 58 consecutive days without pedestrian traffic deaths.

New York City authorities ordered all nonessential businesses to shut almost two months ago, leaving the citys streets almost without any traffic.

Despite the news, Ms Trottenberg called on New Yorkers to continue to be alert when walking, citing some drivers who have taken advantage of empty streets to speed.

Unfortunately some drivers are taking advantage of our empty streets to speed recklessly, and we know we can never let up our vigilance, said Ms Trottenberg, who added that the NYPD had increased targeted speed enforcement patrols.

The commissioner said that the number of driving violations issued had doubled in comparison to before the Covid-19 lockdown.

We are continuing to install 60 new speed cameras each month, and plan to meet our goal of standing up the largest speed camera program in the world, added Ms Trottenberg.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said last month that up to 100 miles of New York Citys streets could be opened-up to pedestrians, to encourage social distancing when outside.

Around 40 miles of the citys streets are set to become free of traffic before the end of this month.
Jaipur, May 13 : It was a tough trail for a 9-month pregnant woman who walked 196 kilometres on foot, from Ahmedabad with her husband, son (1-year-old) and daughter (2-year-old) for 6 days to reach her native place in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam.

Surprisingly, no one took pity on her condition throughout the way as she crossed district after district, checkpost after checkpost with an aim to reach her native place at the earliest.

However, it was her luck to get a few good samaritans at Dungarpur checkpost, who seeing her plight, stopped her and offered her food and transportation to help her reach her hometown.

Dungarpur SDM Rajeev Dwivedi told IANS, "This woman, with her family, including husband and two kids, reached Dungapur checkpost on Monday evening. The staff at the location was stunned to see her feeble condition as she looked quite tired and lacked energy. When asked if she had food, she simply refused. It also seemed as if she was in pain." The officials at the checkpoint hence informed the SDM and other officials. Soon a team of doctors from nearby medical checkpost arrived at the location to review her medical condition. It was evident that she was not in a condition to walk but had walked all along from Ahmedabad and hence they asked the family to rest overnight and offered them food and shelter, said Dwivedi.

Next was the task to get her e-pass done as she was going to another state.

"It being night, I directly informed the ADM Krishna Pal Singh Chauhan about the chain of events, then collected her details from checkpost and got her e-pass formalities done from my mobile," Nayab Tehsildar Mayur Sharma made the report ready which was sent to district collector for further approval.

The administration, under emergency conditions, issued the pass. Once the pass challenge was resolved, they arranged an ambulance for her.

A nearby hospital came forward for help and offered their ambulance without charging a single penny.

The entire family departed from this border on Tuesday morning, said Chhaya Chaubisa, assistant director, information and public relations.

"Dungarpur district administration has made all arrangements done to tackle such situations. If there are migrants reaching here after walking from far off locations, we have got mini bus and other modes of transportation available for them," she said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The US Navy is the only active ocean fleet that is policing the western pacific, while other navies are trying to address concerns that the COVID-19 might infect their forces.

Many forces have decided to stall multi-nation exercises for the year and fewer operations, as not to expose their personnel to the COVID-19. This was confirmed by multiple navy sources and international navy officers according to USNI news.

US Navy operations

For weeks, the US Navy has been operating its ships, with the crews taking measures to avoid getting infected with COVID-19. The navy will be very keen on maintaining these measures to prevent personnel from getting infected.

Lt. Lauren Chatmas, a spokeswoman for Destroyer Squadron Seven (DESRON 7) in Singapore, said," For example, Littoral Combat Ships USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) and USS Montgomery (LCS-8), which are both deployed to Singapore, have been limiting crew interactions with people on shore while in port and spending a significant amount of time at sea."

Chatman told reporters that social distancing, fewer group gatherings, using PPE's, and cleansing the ship about two times a day too. She also said,"Quarterdeck watchstanders are screening anyone who walks aboard and referring sailors with symptoms for medical evaluation."

A recent incident that involved the USS Montgomery and the and replenishment ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE-14) accomplish a presence operation near Panamanian-flagged drillship West Capella. The ship had a run with Chinese vessels who were shadowing it as they were prospecting for all sources, waters that were forcibly claimed by China. Greg Poling of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told USNI News via email.

Also read: US Warships Challenge People's Liberation Army in South China Sea as Tensions Escalate

This is the third time that the Montgomery and Cesar Chavez were sent to the West Capella, according to Poling. Another US ship the Gabrielle Giffords had an operation near the West Capella, seven days earlier. Last late April, the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) sailed with the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFG-154), later joined by the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) and guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG-52), to participate in multi-national exercises.

Beijing sees these operations as directed against Chinese sovereignty, and also a show of force that sends the Chinese navy scampering away, and later diplomatically condemning the naval operations. After the incident when the Bunker Hill and Parramatta supported the West Cappella, Senior Colonel Wu Qian said in presscon that "the U.S. is the biggest promoter of militarization in the South China Sea and a troublemaker for regional peace and stability."

According to Poling, China and Malaysia were stand-offing in disputed waters that is rightfully in Malaysian hands, from December. Poling added,"The West Capella has been contracted by Malaysia's state-owned Petronas for exploratory drilling on an area of the continental shelf claimed by both Malaysia and Vietnam." China has no business scuttling in these waters that are not theirs.

In the Philippine sea, three subs were part of an advanced war fighting training exercise, U.S. 7th Fleet said over the weekend. These operations were done to improve the combat effectiveness of these units.

With the US Navy in the western pacific and policing the area when other navies affected by the COVID-19, serves to remind other navies that America is serious in keeping its presence.

Related article: Two US Warships Warned Chinese Navy to Stop Coercing an Unarmed Drilling Ship in Malaysian Waters

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A man could face 10 years in jail after he was accused of assuming the identities of 11 people and attempted to claim $70,000 in government payments.

The 34-year-old man from western Sydney allegedly used the identities and created 53 more fake ones to make fraudulent claims.

He has also been accused of making 65 fraudulent claims for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment during the recent bushfires, which is a one-off payment of $1,00 per adult and $400 per child under sixteen.

The government also alleged he made two fraudulent claims for Jobseeker payments and one for the Newstart allowance.

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The 34-year-old man from western Sydney, NSW allegedly used the assumed identities and created 53 fake identities since January to make fraudulent claims (stock image)

The man has been charged with several offences - some of which carry sentences of up to 10 years in jail - including obtaining financial advantage by deception.

Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton said in a statement the government have teams which are specialised in investigating welfare fraud.

'The AFP in partnership with Services Australia is working to ensure that every dollar of income support goes to families who actually need it,' Mr Dutton said.

Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert said identity fraud causes significant harm to individual Australians and to the economy every year.

'The misuse of identity information for fraud and criminal purposes causes substantial harm to Services Australia customers and the economy each year,' Robert told 7News.

'Protecting the welfare system, the identities of Australians and supporting those who are most vulnerable is imperative to what we do.'
We are all dressing for TV now  or at least for the small screen.

As we sit in our homes, Zooming and FaceTiming, how we look on these little boxes has taken on outsize importance. No wonder, then, that what other people wear has also become of obsessive interest. Think of Deborah Birxs scarves and Joe Exotics animal prints, which sent internet searches for tiger, leopard and zebra print soaring early in the stay-at-home period.

Yet while theyve gotten less attention, perhaps because they derive from a more politically discomfiting source, the clothes we really should be paying attention to are on Mrs. America. Thats because of what they tell us about our past and what they reveal about our present.

Though the FX series, which tells the story of the birth and almost death of the Equal Rights Amendment, from 1971 to Ronald Reagans election in 1980, had its debut on Hulu last month, it is being dribbled out weekly through the end of May before living in totality in the streaming universe. The more I watch it, the more I cant get it out of my head.




Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje

Kano State Government has extended the lockdown in the State by one week.

The latest development is geared at containing the virus in the state.

Commissioner for Information, Muhammed Garba, announced this in a statement Monday night.

He explained that the action followed due consultations with Federal Government and key stakeholders in the health sector.

Garba said the State was determined to further reduce community transmission contacts, considered as the major factor that caused the spread.

The statement acknowledged the impact of the extension on the people.

The commissioner, however, called for understanding, patience and support as the battle against the pandemic continued.

He appealed to the public to continue observing strict personal hygiene measures, regular hand washing, use of face masks and social distancing.

Kano has recorded 666 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 32 deaths.
The much awaited Karnataka Common



Entrance Test (KCET) will take place on July 30 and 31, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Wednesday.

"We have decided to conduct the KCET examination on July 30 and 31 this year," Narayan, who holds the portfolio of higher education, told reporters here.

He explained that so far 1.92 lakh applications have been received while those who will qualify to appear for the exam was 1.2 lakh.

There are 73,000 seats including Engineering, Ayush, Pharmacy and agriculture.

On the 'Get CET Go' programme launched recently, the Minister said it has been designed to help students prepare for KCET and NEET 2020.

"The KCET examinations for which the dates will be announced shortly, help students gain admission to the 62,000 odd seats in various Engineering programmes across the state along with the NEET exams for the 8,000 odd medical seats in the state," his department said in a press release.

Detailing the online programme, Narayan said the website 'www.getcetgo.in' saw 1.70 lakh visits and 76,913 logins, 55,130 GetCETGo Android application downloads and garnered 2.45 lakh views on YouTube.

The total number of tests taken by the students was about 52,000 while total documents accessed was 1.68 lakh.

"Every student can assess his performance and compare with others using this online programme.

The training is both interactive and analytical which will help students to assess his performance," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the KCET was delayed beyond the usual schedule of the last week of April or the first week of May.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
13.05.2020 LISTEN

The Executive Director of SETTLE Ghana, Mr. Abu Karimu has made an appeal to traditional authorities in the country where natural resources are found to desist from accepting gifts and offers such as V8 vehicles, Board Chairmanship positions, conference meetings, and Visas for abroad as conditions for giving away indigenous peoples God-given resources.

Settle Ghana is a non- governmental organisation that defends the rights of indigenous people and also championing the dreams, hopes and aspirations of Indigenous People of Ghana to live a fair and a dignified life.

The lead advocate for indigeneous people rights Mr Abu Karimu made the call when he spoke exclusively to Bole based Nkilgi FMs Zion Abdul Rauf.

Mr Karimu said the right to give consent to a companys proposed project is not a sole discretion of a Chief and his cabinet but rather for the entire community as clearly stated in the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 169 which is the major binding international convention concerning indigenous peoples and tribal peoples, and a forerunner of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Executive Director of SETTLE Ghana said before accepting gifts from will be companies coming to your lands, ask yourself, how will their operations impact on my great grandchildren. Again ask, if this were to be my personal property will I give it out.

Mr Karimu reminded some Chiefs that the gifts do not last beyond ten years but their negative impact on the water, environment and livelihoods of their people is everlasting.

Mr Karimu further explained that if Chiefs take their time and do due diligence and follow the necessary protocols and informed consent principle, they and the entire communities can make much money in terms of royalties that they are by law entitled to.

The SETTLE Ghana Director said indigeneous people in the country mostly sit on gold, bauxite, diamonds, manganese, palm trees, lakes and forests yet about 80% of indigeneous people live on less than a dollar a day.

Zion Abdul-Rauf / Nkilgi fm
The industry's position as a defensive sector

"From a macroeconomic perspective, healthcare is considered a defensive sector because it is comparatively non-cyclical: It offers products and services that consumers need and continue to consume in most economic environments," says Andreas Dirnagl, MUFG's Global Head of Healthcare Research at MUFG.

Amid the public health crisis triggered by COVID-19, Mr. Dirnagl notes the main reasons why healthcare has come back into favor among investors. "Naturally, there's intense interest in healthcare as a source of treatment and of potential cure for the disease," he says. "Healthcare as a whole is also viewed as a bastion of financial resilience relative to other industries that are suffering because of social distancingand that will likely continue to suffer in a recessionary environment. These industries include tourism and hospitality, airlines, capital goods, and other industries fueled by discretionary spending and susceptible to economic downturns."

However, when examined more granularly, "the healthcare industry itself is diverse and will be affected in uneven ways by the pandemic," Mr. Dirnagl notes.

The financial effect of the pandemic by sub-sector

Mr. Dirnagl specifies the anticipated financial consequences of the pandemic for the healthcare industry's main sub-sectors:

Pharmaceutical companies: He suggests that in the short run, social distancing has accelerated the business of pharmaceutical companies because of "shelter-in-place" orders, which resulted in the extension of medication prescriptionsoften from 30 to 90 daysto last for prolonged stays at home. Pharma companies with consumer-products businesses have particularly benefited from this trend as sales of over-the-counter drugs (such as pain-relief medication) and a range of household products (such as cleaning agents) have gone up.



Yet Mr. Dirnagl says the effect of accelerated purchases during the first half of the year will be offset by a deceleration during the second half as shelter-in-place orders are lifted, thus reducing or neutralizing the net positive effect on companies' annual results for 2020. The exception would be for manufacturers of products and supplies in exceedingly high demand to treat respiratory illnessessuch as ventilatorsas well as any company that could manage to produce a successful vaccination against COVID-19. Such companies, he says, may well see a net positive effect on their annual results.

Medtech: Mr. Dirnagl defines medtech companies as producers of technologies, supplies and capital equipment used in a care setting, such as medical and surgical devices and instruments, diagnostic tests, implant materials, biomaterials and disposables. He says the impact of the pandemic on a medtech company would depend on the extent to which its business is dependent on elective procedures (i.e., any surgery that must be done, but that need not be performed immediately).



"What we're hearing from some medtech companies is that things were going well until the coronavirus disease reached its apex in the second week of Marchand then the bottom fell out," Mr. Dirnagl says. "These are companies that rely on orthopedic, dental, low-acuity cardiac and other procedures, which had to be postponed either because of social-distancing measures, or because hospitals needed to free up resources and preserve capacity for an influx of COVID-19 patients. The real question will be how quickly this loss in volume is recovered once social distancing restrictions begin to be lifted. What many investors may underestimate is the reluctance on the side of patients to return to a clinical setting during a pandemic."

Healthcare services: Mr. Dirnagl defines the services sector as consisting of medical professionals, organizations such as hospitals, and workers who provide medical care to those in need. "The U.S. healthcare services sector makes one of the largest portions of its profits from high-priced, non-emergency procedures and surgical stays. As a result of procedure delays and cancellations, hospitals are hemorrhaging revenues," he says. "Moreover, hospitals are spending large sums of money treating patients, and protecting their staff from the pandemic, and making other necessary preparationsan additional financial burden."



Mr. Dirnagl adds that even if revenues rebound later in the year, it may take some timeperhaps a few yearsuntil the services sector recovers financially. "What's clear is that governments around the world are setting up financial lifelines for their hospital providers. And if there's one thing a pandemic teaches a government, it's how to value its healthcare infrastructure."

The effect on the pharmaceutical supply chain

Mr. Dirnagl expects the pandemic to have a lasting effect on the supply chain of pharmaceutical companies.

"This pandemic has exposed how dependent the United States is on countries like China for the material sourcing and manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, which are the building blocks of drugs," he says. "It should prompt a reassessment of supply-chain vulnerabilities and lead companies to establish workarounds to reduce their reliance on offshore outsourcing and minimize risks."

The effect on M&A

Mr. Dirnagl expects most merger and acquisition (M&A) activity to be put on hold until companies are able to reassess their financial prospects once the pandemic subsides. "At the onset of COVID-19, healthcare companies emphasized the preservation of liquidity," he says. "I believe that emphasis will continue so long as uncertainty remains about the economy and consumer behavior. Once the immediate impact of the pandemic subsides, we expect strategic, opportunistic and 'tuck-in' acquisitions to be the core of M&A activity in 2020. Healthcare companies are taking a hard look at their portfolios and will be seeking to trim or add to them."

The effect on pharmaceutical public relations

Mr. Dirnagl notes the negative reputation that pharmaceutical companies have had to contend with in recent years until the pandemic hit.

"The perceived steady increase in drug prices and the images of CEOs being summoned to testify in front of congressional committees about it fueled a negative perception of those companies as greedy at the expense of public health," he said, "but COVID-19 has allowed for image rehabilitation. The public now looks to pharma as the solution. This favorable change in attitude was only amplified when manufacturers decided to donate hydroxychloroquine as an experimental cure for the disease, forfeit some profits, and demonstrate that they were being socially responsible."

Mr. Dirnagl adds that pharmaceutical companies without consumer-product divisions or blockbuster drugs had been relatively obscure until the pandemic brought them to light and enhanced their public relations. "For example, Gilead Sciences was likely not a household name until everyone started talking about its drug remdesivir as a possible treatment for COVID-19," he says.

The prospect of a vaccine

As the search for a vaccine to inoculate the world's population continues, Mr. Dirnagl emphasizes the risk/reward endeavor it entails for pharmaceutical companies.

"It's a business of dichotomous outcomes in that the result is binary: Either you manage to synthesize an effective, commercializable drug following a tremendous financial undertaking of research and developmentor you don't," he says. "It's the kind of risk/reward profile that pharma companies and their investors must assume and be comfortable with in the process."

Mr. Dirnagl adds that a successful vaccine would face monumental global demand in the form of hundreds of millionsand perhaps billionsof doses. "Given its odds of success, the pursuit of a COVID-19 vaccine can't be a foundational, long-term business strategy of a company," he says, "but if the opportunity presents itself for an established company to try, the financial benefit could be enormous."

MUFG is the world's largest publicly traded financial institution and fifth-largest by assets, with approximately $2.9 trillion.1 Its U.S. Healthcare Banking team is based in New York and comprises 12 bankers serving more than 100 large and middle-market corporate clients throughout the country.

About MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation

The U.S. operations of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG), one of the world's leading financial groups, has total assets of $341.4 billion at December 31, 2019. As part of that total, MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation (MUAH), a financial holding company, bank holding company and intermediate holding company, has total assets of $170.8 billion at December 31, 2019. MUAH's main subsidiaries are MUFG Union Bank, N.A. and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. MUFG Union Bank, N.A. provides a wide range of financial services to consumers, small businesses, middle-market companies, and major corporations. As of December 31, 2019, MUFG Union Bank, N.A. operated 349 branches, consisting primarily of retail banking branches in the West Coast states, along with commercial branches in Texas, Illinois, New York and Georgia. MUFG Securities Americas Inc. is a registered securities broker-dealer which engages in capital markets origination transactions, domestic and foreign debt and equities securities transactions, private placements, collateralized financings, and securities borrowing and lending transactions. MUAH is owned by MUFG Bank, Ltd. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. MUFG Bank, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and Canada.

Visit https://www.unionbank.com or www.mufgamericas.com for more information.

About MUFG

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world's leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with more than 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with over 2,700 locations in more than 50 countries. The Group has over 180,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to "be the world's most trusted financial group" through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges. For more information, visit https://www.mufg.jp/english.

1 As of December 31, 2019, and according to the USD/JPY exchange rate at that date, when assets totaled 314.4

Press contact:

Assaf Kedem

Direct: 212-782-4926

[email protected]

SOURCE MUFG
Angela Merkel said today she had 'hard evidence' that Russia was carrying out 'outrageous' attempts to hack her.

The German Chancellor told parliament: 'I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this.'

It comes after Der Spiegel magazine reported last week that Russia's GRU military intelligence wing scraped emails from Merkel's constituency office in a 2015 cyber attack on the Bundestag.

Merkel said investigations had identified a specific suspect. 'Unfortunately the conclusion I have reached is that this is not new,' she said, noting that 'cyber-disorientation, the distortion of facts' were all part of 'Russia's strategy'.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told parliament: 'I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this'

Moscow has denied previous allegations of hacking abroad (pictured: Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting on the aviation industry today at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence)

But Merkel added: 'I will strive for good relations with Russia because I think there is every reason to continue our diplomatic efforts but it doesnt make it easier.'

Moscow has denied previous allegations of hacking abroad.

Germany's intelligence service has repeatedly called out attempts by Russian hackers to spy on lawmakers or leading politicians.

Merkel directed similar consternation at Barack Obama's White House in 2013 when reports emerged that the US National Security Agency had hacked her mobile phone.

Former U. S. President Barack Obama leaves after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany April 5, 2019

She dispatched a team of intelligence officers to Washington and said: 'The charges are grave and have to be cleared up.'

The German investigation was dropped in 2015 because insufficient evidence could be found for the allegation to stand up court. This was widely perceived as a move to cool transatlantic friction which had built up as a result of the probe.

At the time the White House had said it was not spying on Merkel at present and would not do so in future, however its refusal to say whether it had done so was taken by some as an admission of guilt.
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China will recruit 105,000 college graduates to teach in impoverished rural schools of the nine-year compulsory education stage across the country's central and western regions this year, according to a notice jointly released by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance.

The move is part of a national program to enhance the rural teaching force, bridge the educational gap between urban and rural areas and boost rural revitalization through better education, according to the notice.

This year, the recruitment will not set the professional teaching certificate as a restrictive qualification, said the notice, adding that it will tilt in the favor of graduates from Hubei Province and from universities in Hubei.

Also, new teachers hired with the program will be primarily sent to schools in extremely poor areas and rural places seriously affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, according to the notice.

The Ministry of Finance pledged to earmark special funds to subsidize the salaries for teachers recruited under the program.

The year 2020 marked the 15th anniversary of the initiation of the program.
Orascom Construction, a leading global engineering and construction contractor, has secured a major contract from Ora Developers, a leading designer and developer of luxury lifestyle destinations, to build the first phase of ZED Sheikh Zayed in Egypt.

A multi-purpose project, ZED Sheikh Zayed will be built in six phases and on completion it will boast over 4,500 residential units and an administrative commercial complex.

Ora Developers has already signed an agreement worth E1 billion ($63 million) with Banque Misr for the financing of the initial phase of the project.

The Egyptian developer said the contract has been awarded to Orascom following the completion of the masterplan and architectural design work by WATG International.

As per the deal, Orascom Construction will be constructing around 600 housing units in Phase One. The scope of work also includes the construction of a three-storey garage, a two-level mall and four 17-storey apartment towers.

We are pleased to collaborate with Ora Developers on their new flagship project," said Orascom Construction's CEO Osama Bishai.

"We have been pioneers in constructing distinguished commercial projects in Egypt and look forward to building on our longstanding track record in this sector," she added.

Ora International CEO Engineer Naguib Sawiris said: "We are committed to the delivery schedule of the project as we have started the construction work last August, just four months after the launch."

"We managed to commence with excavation and deep foundations and we will ensure that construction continues with the same pace, as we are committed to the delivery dates we promised the customers with," added Sawaris.

Ora Developers CEO Haitham Abdel Azeem said since the project launch, it had sought collaboration with leading contractors and designers to ensure an exclusive experience for its customers with the signature of Ora.

"We are proud of maintaining the pace of construction of the project and we look forward to finalising the project as planned within 35 months, to start the delivery of the first phase by 2023," he stated.

Ora Developers aims to continuously develop sustainable neighborhoods and support the Egyptian market with new concepts, and innovative projects that intertwine beauty, luxury and practicality with affordable prices most vividly reflected in ZED Sheikh Zayed and ZED New Cairo, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
BEIRUT - As many parts of the world, including the United States, explore ways to ease lockdowns aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus, countries that had already opened up are closing down again after renewed spikes in infections.

Such a resurgence of cases had been widely predicted by experts, but these increasing numbers come as a sobering reminder of the challenges ahead as countries chafing under the social and economic burdens of keeping their citizens indoors weigh the pros and cons of allowing people to move around again.

Lebanon on Tuesday became the latest country to reimpose restrictions after experiencing a surge of infections, almost exactly two weeks after it appeared to have contained the spread of the virus and began easing up. Authorities ordered a four-day, near-complete lockdown to allow officials time to assess the rise in numbers.

The reemergence of coronavirus cases in many parts of Asia is also prompting a return to closures in places that had claimed success in battling the disease or appeared to have eradicated it altogether, including South Korea, regarded as one of the continent's top success stories.

South Korea last week rescinded a go-ahead for bars and clubs to reopen after a spike in cases, hours after officials announced the lifting of previous social distancing restrictions and the start of a "new everyday life with the coronavirus."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in warned his country Sunday to "brace for the pandemic's second wave," calling the battle against covid-19 a "prolonged" war.

In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first emerged, authorities on Tuesday ordered the testing of all 11 million inhabitants after a cluster of six new infections emerged, five weeks after the city had apparently rid itself of the disease.

Germany, which is widely regarded as the model in Europe of a balanced coronavirus response, is warning that some areas may have to reinstate restrictions after localized outbreaks caused a rise in cases.

"We always have to be aware that we are still at the beginning of the pandemic," German Chancellor Angela Merkel cautioned last week as a cluster of new cases in a meatpacking plant raised fears of an intensified outbreak. "And there's still a long way in dealing with this virus in front of us."

Some countries are going ahead with plans to lift restrictions despite evidence that cases are on the rise and the disease is far from being contained. India and Russia eased their restrictions on Tuesday even as the number of infections in both countries continued to soar. France experienced a spike on Monday, the same day that the country eased its lockdowns, with 263 new cases reported, compared to 70 the previous day.

Iran, the epicenter of the disease in the Middle East, with more than 110,000 reported cases, has ordered a county in the southwestern province of Khuzestan to reimpose a lockdown after cases spiked there. But the government is still planning to proceed with the reopening of schools later this week, despite a marked jump in new infections since restrictions were eased in late April.

The new spikes underscore the question of when - or whether - it will ever be safe for coronavirus-stricken countries to lift their lockdowns.

The latest cluster in Wuhan demonstrates how hard it will be to measure whether any location is truly free of coronavirus. The new cases there suggest the coronavirus can flare up in patients up to 50 days after they have apparently recovered, said Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV.

"The course of disease could last 30 to 50 days for some patients," Wu said. "The virus could take longer to manifest itself in patients with weak immunity, who are also prone to 'ons' and 'offs' of symptoms."

He sought to reassure citizens that the new cases did not represent a new wave of the pandemic.

"There will not be a new minor peak," Wu said. "We have had the epidemic under control after more than three months of efforts and accumulated considerable experience in both diagnosis and [epidemic] notification. Therefore, we will not allow scattered cases to develop into massive outbreaks."

Firass Abiad, who oversees coronavirus efforts at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon's main government hospital, said a country's success will depend less on how it curtails the spread of disease during a lockdown than on how the country manages the inevitable resurgence after lockdowns end.

"A lockdown is a means and not an end," he said. "It's a means either to allow you to regain control or put measures in place to control coronavirus when it comes back. When we eased the lockdown, we knew there would be an increase in the number of cases."

Lebanese government officials said the lockdown was being reimposed for four days starting at midnight on Wednesday to allow the authorities time to conduct contact tracing and isolation for several new clusters that have broken out in different parts of the country. They represent 104 cases in the past four days, a big jump in a small country after infections had stabilized at the rate of one or two new cases a day.

Most are linked to some of the thousands of Lebanese who have been repatriated in recent weeks from around the world, said Souha Kanj, who heads the infectious diseases department at the American University of Beirut.

All the returnees are tested for covid-19 and required to quarantine for two weeks even if they are negative. But some have not been adhering to the requirement, she said, citing the case of a man who returned from Nigeria and then held a party for his relatives, infecting at least 10 of them. One was a member of the security forces, who has in turn infected a dozen or so of his colleagues.

There may also be cases of renewed local transmission, perhaps stemming from people who were asymptomatic but have been silently spreading the disease, said Abiad. Lebanese released from nearly six weeks of lockdown last month have surged onto the streets, openly defying some of the continued restrictions and social distancing rules that remain in force.

Similar scenes have occurred in other countries that are ending closures. Crowds of Parisians gathered on the banks of the Seine River to toast their release on Monday from six weeks of one of the world's toughest confinements, prompting police on Tuesday to ban the consumption of alcohol in the vicinity of the river.

"In any country where people don't adhere to social distancing this is going to happen. You are going to have a surge in cases for sure," said Kanj.

- - -

Morris reported from Berlin. The Washington Post's Min Joo Kim and Gerry Shih in Seoul and Suzan Haidamous in Washington also contributed to this report.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak told the parliament on Tuesday that 7.5 million workers have now been furloughed. (House of Commons/PA via Getty)

The chancellor has extended the governments coronavirus wage subsidy scheme for workers until the end of October, in an attempt to prevent job losses over the summer.

Rishi Sunak confirmed that employees will continue to receive 80% of their monthly wages up to 2,500. However, he has said the government will ask companies to begin to share the cost of the scheme from August onwards.

In a speech to parliament on Tuesday (12 May), he said that 7.5 million jobs are now covered by the scheme, which has cost 14bn ($17bn) a month.

Our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has protected millions of jobs and businesses across the UK during the outbreak  and Ive been clear that I want to avoid a cliff edge and get people back to work in a measured way, Sunak said.

This extension and the changes we are making to the scheme will give flexibility to businesses while protecting the livelihoods of the British people and our future economic prospects.

So what does the extension mean for workers?

Under the coronavirus job retention scheme, workers who are furloughed have 80% of their wages paid by the government up to a limit of 2,500 per month. Furloughing is designed to support businesses that have been badly hit by coronavirus.

It means the government temporarily helps pay the wages of people, to help stop companies from making them permanently redundant. People who have been put on furlough should not undertake any work for their employer during this period, even though they are still employed.

READ MORE: UK furlough scheme extended to October with part-time work allowed

From August, the scheme will continue for all sectors and regions of the country but with greater flexibility to support the transition back to work, Sunak said. Employers currently using the scheme will then be able to bring furloughed employees back part-time.

The government will attempt to reduce the cost to the taxpayer of the subsidy scheme, by asking employers to share with the government the cost of paying salaries  which suggests the level of state support will be reduced. The 80% pay level will remain, but companies will have to start contributing for staff that return part-time.

Story continues

More details and information around its implementation will be made available by the end of this month, but the government has said it will look at ways in which workers can be supported to do additional training or learn new skills while furloughed.

The decisions to extend the furlough scheme through to the end of October and, at least for the moment, to continue support at the existing level, are welcome in order to help both employers and employees as we move through this next stage of allowing different businesses to return to work, says Jo Keddie, partner and head of employment at the law firm Winckworth Sherwood.

READ MORE: UK government says work from home for the foreseeable future

Many will also be glad of flexibility for part-time working as the job retention scheme enters its next phase, beginning in August, although employers may still face some difficult practical choices as to how to put that into practice and how best to balance furlough arrangements with part-time working for employees where possible.

The wider guidance issued this month surrounding health and safety requirements for businesses in different sectors will still be of crucial importance to enable a safe and protected environment for those being required to return to the workplace.

Will anything change for self-employed workers?

After calls for better support for self-employed people during the coronavirus pandemic, the government introduced new emergency financial measures in April. This included coronavirus business interruption lending scheme (CBIILS) for businesses, and job retention scheme. The government said there will be no changes to the scheme until July.

The government is currently offering self-employed people a taxable grant based on their previous monthly earnings over the past three years. It is worth up to 80% of earnings and capped at 2,500 a month. According to HMRC, you must have annual profits  self-employed earnings  of less than 50,000 a year. The scheme will last for three months but it may be extended.
Stephan Francis will spend the next four years in jail for having a loaded AR-15 rifle and f
A single mum on the dole has been able to buy a new fridge with her COVID-19 JobSeeker payments after she feared she wouldn't be able to put food on the table.

Mandy Weber received $550 per fortnight on Newstart, which has been renamed JobSeeker, before the government upped the amount to $1,100 during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Weber told A Current Affair her family struggled to afford the bare necessities before the increase and she often went to bed stressed about her bank balance.

'The last couple of nights since I received my first payment I've actually slept. I've not gone to bed worried about how I'm going to make the budget stretch,' she said.

Mandy Weber has been able to buy a new fridge with her COVID-19 JobSekeer payments

Ms Weber, who is grateful for the JobSeeker payment, has now used the extra cash to buy a fridge.

'It means the world to us. It gives us the dignity to be able to cover the bills that we need,' she said.

'It removes the embarrassment of grocery shopping and having to put items back because you don't have enough money.'

Ms Weber said one of her children was working at McDonalds, and the other was employed at Subway, to help bring in more money for the family to pay bills and buy food.

Australian Council of Social Services' Dr Cassandra Goldie welcomed the increased payments.

'Twenty-five years with no increase to the unemployment payment. They did the right thing - and they now need to make sure they stay the long haul,' she told A Current Affair.

Ms Weber received $550 per fortnight on Newstart, which has been renamed JobSeeker, before the government upped the amount to $1,100 during the coronavirus pandemic

Dr Goldie said some welfare users are doing things they've never been able to afford for the first time in their lives. She used the example of one woman who couldn't remember the last time she ate meat.

While the government wants to build confidence in the economy, Dr Goldie said vulnerable Australians must also be protected.

'We all must focus on jobs opening up, but when, how, what they are going to look like are uncertain,' Dr Goldie said.

'Knowing that the government has got your back for the long haul is really crucial at the moment.'

The JobSeeker payment - a doubling of the old Newstart dole payment to $1,100 per fortnight - and JobKeeper payment - a wage subsidy of $1,500 per fortnight to help keep people employed - have been legislated to run for six months.

But the government has suggested the latter could be wound back after a review of the scheme in June.

'That payment level needs to be fixed above the poverty line - for a single person that is about $500 a week,' Dr Goldie said.

The Business Council, along with Labor, the Greens, economists and the Reserve Bank have being calling for an increase in the dole benefit for some time.
New Delhi: Search engine giant Google announced a few days ago that its premium video conferencing product Google Meet, free for everyone. Now, Google has said that the Meet will also be soon available directly to Gmail

To make meetings even more accessible and helpful, in the coming days youll also be able to use Meet directly in Gmail, Javier Soltero Vice President & GM, G Suite wrote in a Google blog.

Users can click Start a meeting" and a new window opens with a unique, secure meeting for them to join and share with others.

Users can also easily join meetings by entering a meeting code. They can even plan video meetings and invite others directly from Google Calendar.

Google Meet is available for free for everyone at meet.google.com and on iOS or Android.

If you have an existing Google Account you can sign in at meet.google.com to get started.
TAIPEI, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PJ Asset Management Company ("PJAM") today issued a letter to communicate its appreciation for the support from all shareholders of TECO Electric and Machinery Co., Ltd. ("TECO" or "the Company", 1504.TT) regarding PJAM's recent press releases calling for actions at TECO's annual shareholder meeting held on May 11, 2020. PJAM and its subsidiary, Jaryuan Investment Co. Ltd., together make up TECO's single largest shareholder, holding more than 22% of the Company's common stock.

The voting results of two agenda items in PJAM's call for action were not in line with PJAM's expectations. However, the process brought about TECO's expressed willingness to raise its corporate governance standard, which strengthens PJAM's commitment to and confidence in the Company.

To all TECO shareholders,

The results of TECO's Annual General Meeting ("AGM") have been disclosed, and disappointingly the voting results of two agenda items in PJAM's call for action were not in line with PJAM's expectations. At the meeting, 55.52% participants approved TECO's proposal to amend the Company's Article of Incorporation ("AOI"). That proportion represented 49.66% of TECO's voting shares. PJAM's 10% capital reduction proposal received 37.19% approval rate, or 33.26% of the total voting shares. The meeting's attendance ratio was 90.57% of the total voting shares.

PJAM had prior indications of those unfavorable outcomes from the AGM, as two prominent shareholder advisory firms, ISS and Glass Lewis, on April 29, 2020, supported TECO's proposals in the proxy fight. However, our efforts in engaging the Company gave rise to several progressive points that proved the process worthwhile.

TECO took the initiative to apply self-discipline to its future capital increase activities

As a result of PJAM's precautions -- that TECO would potentially circumvent the capital raising proposal and bundle unprecedented favorable terms for preferred shares into the AOI amendment -- several major institutional investors were alerted in time to keep the Company's intentions in check.

We were pleased to see TECO's public shareholder letter issued (in Chinese) on April 21, 2020, in which TECO committed to turn to all shareholders' approval once its future capital raising activities exceed 10% of total issuing common shares, whether in the form of private placement or any type of capital increase. As such, PJAM's concerns on the potential poison pill impact and blank check approval lessened on the account that TECO is willing to hold an extraordinary general meeting to ask for all shareholders' backing regardless of whether the 10% capital increase is conducted through a public offering or share swap with any party.

Institutional investors' notable influence in support of PJAM's claim

To our surprise, nearly half of foreign institutional investors, who represent 40% of total voting shares and have long been faithful partners to TECO's incumbent management team, agreed to PJAM's claim and voted in its favor. However, PJAM wholly respects the recommendations of ISS and Glass Lewis, whose views in opposition will provide valued impetus for PJAM to build on greater details for a stronger case.

We are grateful for the time that so many of you took to listen to our views conveyed through our press releases or other correspondences, and we appreciate the support that we have received. PJAM relied mainly on the support of our own investment and of supportive fellow shareholders; in contrast, TECO barely claimed victory through the questionable practice of soliciting proxies from individual investors. Importantly, the voting results also showed that institutional investors' decisions were influential. Going forward that translates into greater scrutiny on TECO's corporate governance performance and brighter spotlight on PJAM's shareholder activism.

Its long-term credit rating left unscathed, TECO remains sufficiently well-funded

Despite Chairman Chiu reiterating her concerns on the coronavirus pandemic impact to TECO's business, PJAM was pleased to learn that the Company has nearly completed the first issuance of TWD5 billion in Domestic Unsecured Corporate Bonds in 2020 at an issuing rate of no higher than 0.7% for five to seven years. The successful issuance confirmed our view that TECO's superior twA+ long-term credit rating did allow the Company to obtain much cheaper funding to deploy for any possible business expansion. TECO should avoid using expensive tools such as private placement or preferred shares issuance to further damage its depressed ROE, unless the potential strategic partner is a world-class enterprise that adds value to TECO's expansion focus on business development in automation intelligence.

TECO without doubt is a premier company and has for years maintained a solid business platform. PJAM continues to admire the electromechanical team's reputable know-how and brand value. Adhering to our commitment backed by our sizable 22% stake in TECO, PJAM's focus on the Company's long-term interests supersede perhaps that of any other investor. To reiterate our committed focus, PJAM has issued a letter in Chinese to TECO's board on May 5 2020, emphasizing our intention to sustain our dialog with TECO's team in an amiable way irrespective of the outcome of the capital repayment proposal. The AGM is an occasion not for a showdown but for progress, in our view, and we wish to pave the way for future periodic engagement opportunity.

The original letter in Chinese can be found on PJAM's website: http://www.pjam.com.tw/index.php?route=newsblog/article&article_id=47&lang=en-gb

We respectfully accept the AGM results and thank you again for your time and support. As TECO's largest shareholder, we remain vigilant and committed to working together with our fellow shareholders for the long-term value of our investment.

Best regards,

PJ Asset Management Co., Ltd.

SOURCE PJ Asset Management
The HCM City Division of Population and Family Planning has proposed several policies that would help reduce child-raising costs for married couples and encourage them to have more than one child.

Children play at Hoang Van Thu Park in HCM City, which has one of the lowest birth rates in the country.

The division has submitted its proposal to the Department of Health and Peoples Committee, according to Pham Chanh Trung, the divisions deputy head.

Trung told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that couples with two children would be eligible to receive a preferential loan when they buy or rent social housing apartments.

Education costs for such families could be exempted or reduced for children under 10 years old, Trung said.

The age at which people in HCM City marry for the first time is nearly two years higher than the countrys average age. In 2018, the age of people who married for the first time in the city was 27.7, up from 26.6 in 2010.

People are also having children later. The birth rate among people aged 20 to 25 is low, but the rate among people aged 25 to 34 is fairly high. By that time, they have a more stable work life, but they often choose to have only one child.

Pham Thi My Le, deputy head of the HCM City Division of Population and Family Planning, added that the high costs for living in the city were another reason for the low birth rate. The increasing rate of infertility and abortions was another factor.

Trung said that encouraging each family to have two children would help slow down the ageing population rate.

The citys population and housing census last year showed that the number of children per woman aged between 15-49 was 1.39.

If the ratio does not increase, the ageing rate will continue to increase and socio-economic development will be affected.

Experiences from many countries in the world show that it is easy to slow down high birth rates, but difficult to raise low birth rates.

According to the General Office for Population and Family Planning under the Ministry of Health, HCM City is one of 21 provinces and cities with the lowest birth rates in the country. VNS

Government programme encourages marriage before the age of 30 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a birth rate adjustment programme towards 2030 which encourages people to get married before the age of 30 and women to give birth to the second child before they get 35 years old.
Chennai, May 13 : An Air India Express flight brought back 183 passengers stranded in Muscat, said an airline official.

According to the official, flight IX 350 flew in and touched down at the Anna International Airport here on the Tuesday late night.

The passengers got out of the plane in small batches and were subjected to thermal scanning to record their body temperature.

The flights are being operated as a part of the Indian government's plan under the Vande Bharat Mission to bring back the Indians who were stranded in foreign countries due to Covid-19 lockdown.

The passengers were then sent to quarantine centres for 14 days.
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One of the most remote towns in the country has suffered more coronavirus cases per capita than anywhere else in England or Wales, official figures show.

At least 552 people in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, have caught COVID-19 since the outbreak began in February, according to the latest Government data.

That gives the small industrial town of 67,000 people, tucked away on the Furness peninsula in the North West, a rate of 882 cases per 100,000 - or 0.88 per cent.

To put this into perspective, Barrow's infection rate is more than double that of Wales (365), triple England's (244) and Scotland's (251) and quadruple the rate recorded in Northern Ireland (220).

Figures show that Cumbria is also home to the area with the third highest infection rate. South Lakeland - east of Barrow-in-Furness - has a rate of 488 cases per 100,000 people.

At least 552 people in Barrow-in-Furness (pictured), Cumbria, have been infected with the disease since the outbreak began in February

That gives the small industrial town of 67,000 people, tucked away on the on the Furness peninsula in the North West, a rate of 882 cases per 100,000

And the town with the second-highest rate is Lancaster (753), which is located on the other side of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire.

Experts are puzzled as to why this part of the North West has turned into a hotspot for COVID-19 but local public health officials say it may be skewed by higher testing figures.

WHICH AREAS HAVE THE HIGHEST COVID-19 INFECTION RATES PER 100,000 PEOPLE? Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria ( 822) Lancaster, Lancashire (522) South Lakeland, Cumbria (488) Ashford, Kent (484) Gateshead, Tyne and Wear (478) Sunderland (478) South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear (448) Middlesbrough (447) Carlisle (431) Brent, London (429) ...AND WHICH AREAS HAVE THE LOWEST COVID-19 INFECTION RATES PER 100,000 PEOPLE? Hastings, East Sussex (47) Mendip, Somerset (50) Torridge, North Devon (51) Rutland, East Midlands (68) West Lindsey, Lincolnshire (80) North Devon (87) North East Lincolnshire (89) Rother, East Sussex (90) South Hams, Devon (91) Arun, West Sussex (91) Advertisement

The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Foundation Trust (UHMBT) covers three hospitals treating coronavirus patients - the Furness general in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the Westmorland general in Kendal in South Lakeland. The trust has recorded 156 deaths, according to NHS England statistics.

Colin Cox, the director of public health for Cumbria, claims the NHS trust began mass-testing its employees and patients at the end of February and has conducted 'three times' more swabs on average, which 'may explain a fair chunk of it'.

In other developments in Britain's coronavirus crisis today:

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has refused to rule out pay freezes and tax hikes to cover 300bn coronavirus bill after Treasury plans leak

Commuters packed onto Tube and trains today after Boris Johnson urged workers to return - but social distancing proved impossible on limited services

Three quarters of Britons say it is 'unacceptable' to let nannies and cleaners come to work in your home during the lockdown despite the Government relaxing rules, a survey revealed today

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Britons booking holidays abroad this summer are doing so at their own risk

GDP fell by a record 5.8% in March - the largest fall on record after just one week of lockdown - but experts say the worst is still to come

Union bosses warned a public sector pay freeze would be a 'betrayal'... while millions of private sector workers have their pay cut and face losing their jobs in months

BREAKDOWN OF THE 10 WORST AREAS BARROW-IN-FURNESS, CUMBRIA Population: 67,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 61/0.91 Level of unemployment: 4.7% Percentage of people who are overweight: 69% Percentage of deprived households: 19.5% The Cumbrian seaport of Barrow-In-Furness made its name in the 19th century as a boom town thanks to a huge shipbuilding industry and the railways' arrival. It became a centre for steel during the Victorian era and was also known for making hundreds of vessels across the two world wars. However it has suffered in recent decades from defence spending cuts after the Cold War which hit its role as a centre of submarine building. But the shipyard does features a BAE Systems site building the Dreadnought-class submarine programme, while the town has offshore wind farms forming one of Britain's highest concentrations of turbines. And hopes for the town's revival have been boosted by the local team being on course for promotion into the Football League for the first time since 1972 - but this could be in doubt after the season was suspended. LANCASTER, LANCASHIRE Population: 144,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 49/0.34 Level of unemployment: 4.5% Percentage of people who are overweight: 62% Percentage of deprived households: 15% Lancaster has a fascinating history having been recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086, and features a Grade I-listed castle and Britain's oldest working courtroom. It prospered during the growth of colonies in the West Indies and North American, becoming important in the slave trade and the importing of sugar and tobacco. But its prominence as a major port ended when the River Lune began to silt up, and it has suffered in more recent years from a decline in the manufacturing sector. However it has high employment in the education sector with two universities and benefits from having a major train station on the London-Glasgow west coast mainline. SOUTH LAKELAND, CUMBRIA Population: 104,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 111/1.07 Level of unemployment: 1.6% Percentage of people who are overweight: 52% Percentage of deprived households: 16% The South Lakeland area covers much of the Lake District including the Windermere and Kendal areas, and benefits from being hugely popular with tourists. The region contains England's largest freshwater lake - Windemere - and the prosperity of the area received a major boost when the railway arrived in 1847. Kendal also enjoyed industrial importance from the 14th century thanks to a growing wool trade, before this moved out to the mills in Yorkshire and Lancashire. However it suffered from a declining economy and poor housing following both world wars, before a huge redevelopment of the town centre in the 1980s. ASHFORD, KENT Population: 129,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 51/0.4 Level of unemployment: 3.7% Percentage of people who are overweight: 62.5% Percentage of deprived households: 15% Ashford began life as a Saxon village before growing into a prosperous market town in the 13th century. It has 2,395 listed buildings and the most heritage sites of any borough in Kent, and used to feature an important railway and manufacturing works which shut in 1993. It has always been an important transport hub, having had Roman crossroads settlements - and, in more modern times, being on the HS1 and Eurostar train line. GATESHEAD, TYNE AND WEAR Population: 202,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 164/0.81 Level of unemployment: 5.6% Percentage of people who are overweight: 63% Percentage of deprived households: 17% Gateshead dates back to Roman times and first rose to prominence through coal mining in the area which began in the 14th century. This reached its peak in the 17th century before another boom in the Industrial Revolution, then a slow period of decline towards the end of the Victorian era until the last pit closed in 1927. It was also known for a huge locomotive works which shut in 1937. Its population rose ten-fold between 1801 and 1891 which caused a severe housing shortage - the effects of which were still being seen a century later. However in recent years it has undergone a 150million town centre redevelopment and is home to the famous Sage Gateshead concert hall built in 2004. SUNDERLAND, TYNE AND WEAR Population: 277,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 249/0.9 Level of unemployment: 6.5% Percentage of people who are overweight: 66% Percentage of deprived households: 19% SOUTH TYNESIDE, TYNE AND WEAR Population: 150,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 87/0.58 Level of unemployment: 7.5% Percentage of people who are overweight: 69% Percentage of deprived households: 20% MIDDLESBROUGH, TEESIDE Population: 138,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 139/1.01 Level of unemployment: 7.6% Percentage of people who are overweight: 69% Percentage of deprived households: 23% CARLISLE, CUMBRIA Population: 108,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 75/0.69 Level of unemployment: 2.9% Percentage of people who are overweight: 66% Percentage of deprived households: 14% BRENT, LONDON Population: 330,000 COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 417/1.26 Level of unemployment: 4.7% Percentage of people who are overweight: 49.5% Percentage of deprived households: 18% England's national averages Unemployment: 4% Percentage of overweight people: 64% COVID-19 deaths/rate per 1,000 people: 29,260/0.52 Sources: Office for National Statistics, the Department of Health and Public Health England Advertisement

A total 61 people in Barrow have fallen victim to coronavirus, giving it a death rate of 91 for every 100,000  one of the worst outside of London.

Officials are stumped as to why the town has been plagued with so many cases, despite welcoming just a fraction of the tourists compared to the nearby Lake District.

Lee Roberts, deputy leader of Barrow borough council, said the figures were a 'big worry' given that lockdown measures are being relaxed today.

Some of the cases can be traced back to a 'super-spreader' house party before lockdown in March, where at least six people had the virus.

The first person to die from the illness in the town had been at the party, according to The Guardian. But how the disease managed to race around the town and infect hundreds more remains a mystery.

Mr Roberts believes high levels of deprivation are partly to blame for the high infection rate.

An Office for National Statistics (ONS) report this month revealed that people living in the poorest parts of the country are dying at twice the rate of those in the wealthiest regions.

Experts say this is because they are exposed to the virus more because they are more likely to work in jobs that cannot be done from home, live in overcrowded homes and use public transport more.

The poorest in society are also more likely to suffer from underlying health conditions and have compromised immune systems - putting them at an increased risk of falling badly unwell with coronavirus.

COVID-19 testing has been largely reserved only for those who fall seriously ill, with those who have minor symptoms being instead told to isolate at home and wait to get better.

Mr Roberts said: 'Most of Barrow is very compact: 40 to 50 per cent of Barrow is terraced housing and we've got a lot of flats, we've got a lot of deprivation, a lot of health inequalities.'

Figures show that Barrow has high levels of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with the national average  both of which make COVID-19 symptoms worse.

'We have quite a lot of historic respiratory problems from people who worked in old industry, in the ship yards,' Mr Roberts added.

And the constituency has higher than average numbers of patients with diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, which are all risk factors for the disease.

Barrow's population is also older than average, with 22.7 per cent of residents aged 65 to 90, compared with the England average of 18.3 per cent.

Coronavirus preys on the elderly, with over-80s 12 times more likely to fall critically ill after catching it, according to some estimates.

But Colin Cox, the director of public health for Cumbria, said the high infection rate may also be skewed by the fact Barrow is testing more people for the virus than other towns.

He told The Guardian: 'The rate of testing in Barrow has been two to three times higher than in many other parts of the north-west, so that will explain a fair chunk of it, but I don't think it will explain all of it.'

Meanwhile, University Hospitals Birmingham was on Monday revealed as the hardest-hit trust in the country by coronavirus. At least 820 people have died with COVID-19 at the trust.

Every major hospital trust has now recorded at least one victim of COVID-19 and some have been hit harder than others.

The 10 worst-affected hospital trusts, in London, Birmingham, Derby and Manchester, account for 4,808 fatalities.

This is 16 per cent of the total death toll concentrated into just 4.6 per cent of the country's hospitals.

And there are stark geographical trends, too, showing COVID-19 as a disease of cities - 11 of the 20 worst affected hospitals have been in the capital, along with, two in Birmingham, two in Manchester and others in Liverpool, Leeds and Sunderland.

All major NHS hospital trusts except children's hospitals have now recorded victims of the disease, which has spread to every corner of Britain.

The 820 people who have died at the hospitals in Birmingham make up 3.5 per cent of the 23,359 confirmed to have succumbed to the virus in England's hospitals so far.

The death toll there is 47 per cent higher than the next worst affected hospital, Barts Health Trust in central London, where 558 people have died.

Six other hospital trusts in London fill out the majority of the 10 hospitals with the most victims, according to NHS England data.

Those were London North West University Healthcare (550); King's College Hospital (461); Royal Free London (452); Imperial College Healthcare (400); Barking, Havering & Redbridge (379); and Lewisham and Greenwich (374).

The others were University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (424) and Pennine Acute Hospitals in Manchester (390).

Scientists have said since the virus started circulating that the way it spreads means people are more at risk if they live in cities and densely populated areas.

The coronavirus is most likely to spread in cities because people live closer together than in the countryside, and are more likely to come close to large numbers of strangers and to touch surfaces such as handrails or door handles that have been contaminated.

People in cities are also more likely to rely on public transport where they may be exposed to the virus.

In the countryside, however, people may be protected because they are able to drive themselves around and are less likely to live in apartment buildings.

Speaking earlier in the outbreak, Professor Paul Hunter, a medicine professor at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline: 'If you've got people crammed into a city, there will be more contact between people.

'London was always going to be the worst and first. Before the lockdown, there was still a lot of nightlife, people going to the theatre and jammed into bars. They are crammed in like sardines and won't be two metres apart.

'London undoubtedly was one of the busiest transport systems in Europe. So the spread would have partly been due to extra crowds.

'Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK. If population density is driving cases, then Birmingham might well be the second largest outbreak.'

While 40 hospitals have recorded 200 or more deaths, and make up half of the entire victim count (12,495), there are only 20 which have recorded just one death each.

Another 13 have counted two victims each and 115 have counted 100 or fewer fatalities.

Smaller, more niche settings such as community health partnerships, minor hospitals, private hospitals and children's hospitals, have recorded fewer fatalities.

The private Woodlands Hospital in Darlington, run by BMI, is the only hospital listed on NHS England's statistics not to have recorded a single death.

Testing data also offers an insight into how the coronavirus is affecting different areas of England and the UK differently.

While London was at the beginning considered to be at the heart of Britain's outbreak, it is being caught up by other regions.

WHY HAS BARROW BEEN SO BADLY-HIT BY CORONAVIRUS? Officials are stumped as to why the town has been plagued with so many cases, despite welcoming just a fraction of the tourists compared to the nearby Lake District. Some of the cases can be traced back to a 'super-spreader' house party before lockdown in March, where at least six people had the virus. But how the disease managed to race around the town and infect hundreds more remains a mystery. Lee Roberts, deputy leader of Barrow borough council, believes high levels of deprivation are partly to blame. COVID-19 testing has been largely reserved only for those who fall seriously ill, with those who have minor symptoms being instead told to isolate at home and wait to get better. And an Office for National Statistics report showed those in the poorest parts of the country are twice as likely to fall badly unwell with the disease. Mr Roberts added: 'Most of Barrow is very compact: 40 to 50 per cent of Barrow is terraced housing and we've got a lot of flats, we've got a lot of deprivation, a lot of health inequalities.' Figures show that Barrow has high levels of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with the national average  both make COVID-19 symptoms worse. And the constituency has higher than average numbers of patients with diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, which are all risk factors for the disease. Barrow's population is also older than average, with 22.7 per cent of residents aged 65 to 90, compared with the England average of 18.3 per cent. However, Colin Cox, the director of public health for Cumbria, said the high infection rate may also be skewed by the fact Barrow is testing more people for the virus than other towns. He told The Guardian: 'The rate of testing in Barrow has been two to three times higher than in many other parts of the north-west, so that will explain a fair chunk of it, but I don't think it will explain all of it.' The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay foundation trust (UHMBT) covers three hospitals treating coronavirus patients - the Furness general in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the Westmorland general in Kendal in South Lakeland. The higher testing may explain why the towns with the second and third highest infection rates in the country are Lancaster and neighbouring South Lakeland. Advertisement

The rate of infection in the Nort East is now considerably higher than in the capital, at 340.3 people per 100,000, compared to 290.6 in London.

People in the North West are also at more risk, with 308.7 of them testing positive per 100,000, according to the Department of Health.

There are concerns that the north, which generally has higher levels of deprivation than the south of England, will be harder hit by the virus.

Statistics published today showed that people working in lower paid jobs are more likely to die of COVID-19, with security guards, social care workers, drivers, chefs, and factory and warehouse workers at a significantly higher risk of dying than other people of the same age.

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, said: 'This is a devastating confirmation that Covid-19 thrives on inequality and that those in low paid, insecure work have been left exposed and vulnerable.

'We entered this public health emergency with health inequalities widening and life expectancy stalling. We now need a plan to tackle these widening health inequalities which see poorer people become ill quicker and die sooner.'

Meanwhile, scientists have warned another 30,000 Brits could die from coronavirus if the vulnerable are not protected during the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Scientists at University College London and Cambridge University published a paper estimating the death toll could rise to 73,000 within a year.

They said people with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung conditions would make up between 80 and 90 per cent of the fatalities.

One in five people - more than 8million people in Britain - are at a higher risk of dying if they catch COVID-19 because of their age or poor health.

Those people should not be pushed to return to work when lockdown is eased, and must be protected for as long as possible, the scientists said.

In a separate, worst-case scenario estimate the team predicted up to 590,000 people could die if the Government did nothing and 80 per cent of the population were infected within a year.

Office for National Statistics data today suggested more than 40,000 people have already died with COVID-19, confirming Britain's status as the worst-hit nation in Europe. But the researchers said this is set to rise much higher.

The Government is tomorrow set to relax lockdown rules after 50 days of urging people to stay at home, fuelling concerns that a step too far could trigger a second wave of disease.

If 10 per cent of people in England are allowed to catch the virus, the scientists said - and four per cent are already thought to have done so - the death toll could double.
news

Addy Goodman

Ouachita Baptist University students recently were awarded seven Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) Gold Circle awards for their work on the Ouachitonian yearbooks 2018-2019 edition, Untold. The CSPAs 37th Gold Circle awards attracted more than 5,700 yearbook and digital media entries from student yearbooks and digital publications at colleges, universities and secondary schools in the United States and abroad, with a total of 656 winning entries.

We were the smallest university to receive a Gold Circle Award, said Dr. Deborah Root, professor of communications and advisor for the Ouachitonian. It shows the quality of our students and the work they produce.

Addy Goodman, a senior communications & media/communications studies and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark., who served as editor of the 2018-2019 Ouachitonian, received first place in Sidebar Writing for "Finding A Home for Life UNTOLD," third place in Theme and Concept, third place in Division Page Design, third place in Feature Presentation for "Roadtrips" and third place in People Spreads Without Mug Photos: Multi-Page Spread for "Who's Who." She also received an honorable mention in Cover Design.

Alex Blankenship, a 2019 communications & media/communications studies graduate from Little Rock, Ark., received second place in Photo Portfolio for his images in the Ouachitonian.

Alex Blankenship

Im excited for the Ouachitonian to win these Gold Circle Awards, Root said. Addy Goodman and her staff worked very hard to produce an excellent yearbook, and Im excited for Addy and Alex to receive this recognition.

Goodman and Blankenship competed against award-winning entries from Baylor University, Indiana University, North Carolina State University, Southern Methodist University, Texas Tech University and University of Miami.

The Gold Circle Awards program is an international competition that aims to recognize superior work in student yearbooks and digital media publications by student writers, editors, designers and photographers. Qualifying entries are student publications from colleges, universities and secondary schools in the United States and abroad between October 2, 2018, and October 1, 2019.

For more information, contact Dr. Deborah Root at rootd@obu.edu or (870) 245-5510.
What Im finding is that with clients, theyre all different but you check in on the ones you know are going to feel distressed. By ringing them you can almost hear them say thank goodness someone actually cares to call and see how I am. It changes. It changes their attitude, Cooper said.

It definitely changes the way they deal with things. But the anxiety during lockdown I feel like the entire country, weve all gone mad, and everyones got cabin fever. So, its working through that.

Cooper told Insurance Business Australia that she understands the anxiety amid the pandemic on a deeply personal level, after revealing her own two kids have suffered.

You know, weve got two children  one adult, one in high school  both with anxiety issues and thats imploded it. Everyones anxiety levels are so high, she said.

But regardless of these social and emotional challenges, her business, which she runs alongside her husband Robert Rob Cooper, is founded on a balanced split between business and touchy-feely relations.

The way our business is run is my husband Rob works, hes the technical guy. So, he does a lot of the emails to clients and hes very good at putting the words together, hes very clear for cover with clients. Whereas Im the touchy-feely part of the business, she continued.

Im the one who picks up on the phone call and has that part of it with the client. Rob has relationships too with his clients, as you can imagine, but Im always asking the questions like how are the kids? Remembering about their family, their life and what they do.

Cooper, despite how highly she prioritises close communication with her clients who she considers her friends, has noticed a decline in clients reaching out due to the anxiety surrounding the unknown.

Something Ive noticed thats changed dramatically as a result of the pandemic is that were not having those conversations, even with our insurers, Cooper admitted.

Its all very email-based and technical and whenever you speak to someone, it takes a lot to get them to open up and relax. Everyones very tense, everyones very stressedYou just feel that really anxious energy in the email, in the correspondence, in the discussion. No-one knows whats going to happen next and so, the fear of the unknown is really strong.

However, she still goes above and beyond to support her clients. By putting in the extra effort when trying to get quotes, she says shes found a competitive advantage.

I was trying to get a quote for a client and I sent it out Normally, Id send it out through emails and then if its one of the underwriters that I think is in their core business, Ill say I just want to have a quick chat to you about this one, stuff you dont normally put in the email but you want the underwriter to know what its about  this is why its short notice, this is the relationship Ive got with the client, here we go.

 I was doing that, and the underwriter said to me you know what? Ive got 45 quotes in my inbox and yours has just gone to number two. He didnt know the backstory and it was sitting at number 40. You tell them the backstory and you get that, she said.

Aside from maintaining social connections, Cooper says she sees the pandemic exposing flaws in remote working.

Oh look, the flaws I have seen in some ways are with the ones who arent coping with the technology and with working remotely and not trialling it before. Weve seen this with competitors and insurers who cant cope with it. Others feel like theyre working better, Cooper continued.

But, while some workers may thrive off working from home, many arent used to working alone.

The lack of communication  the lack of office environment  I think some people work OK without being in the office, she said. But the lack of social contact in the office, some people can cope without it, some people strive on having it and some dont. And you certainly get to know who those people are.

The industry is now set to be hit with more losses, with Cooper saying she expects the hospitality sector to be hit the hardest.

Seeing hospitality stay afloat [will be a challenge]  it will change, she said. The way we interact with people will change for a while, who knows how long. It will impact the way we transact business, the retail, the markets, the festivals  those sorts of things.

Theyll all change, and which ones will survive and which ones wont [remains to be seen]. But there will be a really sad outcome because theres been some really great operations out there and they will change.

Coopers biggest career objective coming out of this pandemic is ensuring she also brings her clients out the other side with her  both financially and emotionally.

It is very hard on clients and all businesses and all business operations. All people working in this environment are really struggling for that emotional contact, she said.

Staying really connected is a big priority, its something that keeps us sane. Because Rob and I do so much work thats in the community as well, we really, really felt it The hard for thing for us, after nine to 10-years in business, our clients are our friends so, its personal. And when they have a claim, we feel it, we really feel it.
PARIS and NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Veronique Simon-Cluzel  a 15-year health communications veteran whose experience includes working with medical associations, biopharma companies, and government agencies, joins FINN Partners as vice president. Before joining FINN, Veronique Simon-Cluzel worked on autism advocacy within the French Secretary of State for People with Disabilities and served as a journalist covering wellness and health for women on a variety of magazines. This is a new position; Veronique Simon-Cluzel reports to Marie-Helene Coste, senior partner, and Mina Volovitch, senior partner, FINN Paris.

FINN Partners France adds Veronique Simon-Cluzel as Vice President

Veronique Simon-Cluzel was public relations head for the ARC Foundation for Cancer Research before taking the responsibility of the communication on the national autism strategy at the French Secretary of State for People with Disabilities. She was also a consulting director for varied specialist health communication agencies for 10 years. During that time, she led communication campaigns for clients such as the French Association for Urology, French Federation for Diabetes, French Society for Otorhinolaryngology, French Society for Radiology, Merck Serono, Biogen, Janssen, AstraZeneca, HRA Pharma, B Braun, Boston Scientific and other global health organizations.

"It's a privilege to welcome Veronique to FINN," notes Marie-Helene Coste, who joined FINN in December 2019 via the acquisition of Medical & Health Consulting (MHC). "I've admired and worked with Veronique many times throughout her career as a patient-policy advocate, journalist and thought leadership communicator. Our continued growth enables us to tap into exceptional talent like Veronique's in our dedicated mission to improve people's health."

Passionate about providing hope for patients and caregivers, she has worked on awareness campaigns in a range of medical specialties including cancer, diabetes, heart, gastrointestinal and neurologic ailments and women's health priorities.

"I have known and admired the FINN Health Practice leadership for many years  as industry colleagues and partners," reflects Veronique Simon-Cluzel. "As a patient and policy advocate who appreciates the importance of private-public partnerships to advance people's health, this represents a tremendous opportunity to grow a career and improve human health."

About FINN Partners, Inc.

Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, FINN Partners has more than quadrupled in size in eight years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company's record setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the FINN world through a common philosophy. With almost 800 professionals, FINN provides clients with global access and capabilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia. In addition, FINN provides its clients with access to top tier agencies around the world through its membership in the global network PROI. Headquartered in New York, FINN's other offices are located in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Hong Kong, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore and Washington D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners.

FINN

Renee Martin

[email protected]

+1 646 307 6334

EUROPE

Chantal Bowman-Boyles, managing partner, Europe

[email protected]

+44 203 217 7061

HEALTH

Gil Bashe, managing partner, Global Health

[email protected]

+1 732 371 0922

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Kathleen Nguyen

Nguyen is a 2020 graduate of Concordia University-Portland with a Bachelor of Science in nursing and a minor in business administration. Nguyen is interested in pursuing a career in psychiatric nursing.

Late last month, I tuned in not to a television show, but to my spring 2020 graduation. Instead of sitting on the edge of my seat in the gym with excitement, I was sitting on my couch disappointed. Although I did not hear my name called, and I could not walk across the stage, I saw my name, Kathleen Nguyen, cum laude scroll across my TV screen. I felt a feeling of accomplishment that I have never felt before. Yet I still feel a sense of loss that all of my blood, sweat, and tears poured into my educational journey could not be celebrated in-person with my loved ones at the finish line.

I remembered my heart sinking to my stomach as I read through the email from my university informing students that due to the coronavirus pandemic, commencement would be virtual. Just days before, I sat through classes daydreaming about strutting in heels in front of the crowd of loved ones to receive my diploma. I twirled in my silk gown while scrolling through Pinterest for inspirational graduation caps. I remember crossing out each day on my calendar, counting down the days left until graduation, using it as a motivator to keep striving toward the academic finish line where I would be showered with congratulations by my family and friends.

Being the first-born child to Vietnamese refugees, the first to attend college, the first everything, I wanted to show my parents that all their sacrifices would result in upward mobility for all of us and end the vicious cycle of poverty. Saving each dollar little by little, my parents worked multiple blue-collar jobs with little to no benefits to give me a better future. Coming into college as a freshman, I felt lost and overwhelmed with the transition from an underfunded high school to a private university, but I learned to succeed despite all of the doubts. Between studying for exams and working as a part-time certified nursing assistant, I found the strength to push myself through these past few months to achieve my dreams of earning a degree and becoming a nurse. As a result, I wanted to share and conclude my bittersweet journey with tears of pride flowing from my face and the faces of my proud parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, and friends from across the globe.

My graduation may not have gone the way I imagined it. But as I begin to turn the page and close this chapter to my life, I believe that these moments are only the beginning of firsts that we will experience, so we must build resilience and solidarity in our community during the chaos. Although we could not physically receive our diplomas, move our tassels from the right to the left and throw our caps in the air, we are fortunate to survive this pandemic safely with our family and friends. Let us be relieved that we have an opportunity to start a new chapter in our lives. Let us be relieved that the quarantine will end once we abide by the mandated health and safety guidelines. Let us hope that after this is all over, physical distancing will never be a norm, so people can freely gather and embrace each other with hugs. Perhaps for the Class of COVID-19, let us honor the day of commencement, our accomplishments and hard work because we are the first graduates to experience an unusual path of life and discover solutions for these challenges.
Avon, Colorado and Cape Town, South Africa, May 13, 2020. International content producer Arniston Media is pleased to announce the release of its award-winning Great White Shark documentary, "Apex Survival | Maiden Voyage," on Amazon Prime Video. There is not an animal we fear more, and understand less, than the Great White Shark. In Apex Survival, an inspiring global team of shark experts and conservation advocates join forces to explore the 
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12

By Nargiz Ismayilova - Trend:

The daily oil production amounted to 771,400 barrels in Azerbaijan in April 2020, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy.

Some 679,800 of that volume accounted for crude oil while 91,600 barrels - for condensate.

"Some 640,300 barrels of crude oil, 86,000 barrels of condensate, 23,600 barrels of oil products were exported daily," the report said.

In April, OPEC and non-OPEC countries, including Azerbaijan were freed from obligations under the OPEC+ deal to curb oil output.

Azerbaijan also joined Declaration of Cooperation, which was adopted after the ministerial meetings of the OPEC + countries (held on April 9 and April 12, 2020) and envisioned a cut in oil output by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) from May through June, 7.7 million bpd from July through December, and by 5.8 million bpd from January 2021 through April 2022.

In accordance with a new OPEC+ deal, Azerbaijan shall reduce oil production by 164,000 barrels from May through June 2020 against 718,000 barrels of crude oil produced in October 2018. During this period, Azerbaijan should maintain the daily crude oil production at the level of 554,000 barrels.

Azerbaijans obligations made up 131,000 barrels from July through December 2020, and 98,000 barrels from January 2021 through April 2022.

According to the quotas, the daily crude oil production in Azerbaijan from early July through December this year shouldnt exceed 587,000 bpd, and from January 2021 through April 2022  not more than 620,000 bpd.

Since May 1, joint ventures and operating companies of Azneft production association have been carrying out a process of daily production cut at the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli fields.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @IsmailovaNargis
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

The relations between Azerbaijan and Russia are of strategic nature, Assistant to Azerbaijans president, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

Hajiyev made the remark at the briefing in the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on May 13.

During the coronavirus pandemic, taking into account that there are Russian citizens in Azerbaijan, as well as Azerbaijani citizens in Russia, the pass through border checkpoints was ensured for the citizens of the two countries, assistant to Azerbaijans president added.

Hajiyev stressed that Azerbaijan has created all the necessary conditions for the Russian citizens to return to Russia.

The Azerbaijani citizens return to the homeland in accordance with a special schedule, assistant to Azerbaijans president said. Therefore, citizens must not come to the border checkpoints and complicate the activity of the state agencies.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 05:56:17|Editor: huaxia

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The aerial photo taken on May 14, 2020 shows the traffic on the Siekierkowski Bridge in Warsaw, Poland. The Polish government announced on Wednesday it will further ease economic restrictions meant to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. Some businesses that require physical contact will be allowed to reopen on Monday under a special sanitary regime. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/Xinhua)

WARSAW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Polish government announced on Wednesday it will further ease economic restrictions meant to contain the coronavirus epidemic.

Some businesses that require physical contact will be allowed to reopen on Monday under a special sanitary regime.

This means that hairdressers and beauty salons, among others, will be able to partly operate from that moment under rules enforced by the sanitary authorities. These include strict maximum numbers of people on the premises, a tight appointment schedule and disinfection of the location and any equipment used.

Restaurants, cafes and bars will be allowed to have a limited number of seated guests inside. The move had been planned as the third of four phases in gradually reopening the economy.

The announcement came after the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in Poland reached 17,062, with 180 new cases since Tuesday evening.

Silesia, a southern region known for its sizable mining industry, has been hit hardest by the coronavirus. A recent spike in infections among miners saw numbers rise well above those of Mazovia, the most populous region in Poland which includes the capital Warsaw.

In total, 861 patients in Poland have succumbed to the illness caused by the coronavirus.

While the economy is being reopened, the Polish government has extended a ban on incoming international flights to May 23. Only charter flights, freight and government aircraft are allowed to use Poland's airports and landing strips.
After Dr. Parth Mehta moved into his basement in early March, he wrote goodbye letters and put together an emergency binder with important information for his family.

Those are actions he's taken in response to rising infections and deaths amid the coronavirus pandemic: He's had to prepare for the unwelcome but heightened possibility that he could die because of his exposure to the virus on the job.

Dr. Parth Mehta, an immigrant physician in Illinois, dresses in PPE before seeing a COVID-19 patient. (Courtesy Dr. Parth Mehta)

The binder he prepared contains login credentials for his social media accounts, phone numbers of family and friends, and information about his investments.

It also includes details on deportation procedures because if he dies, his wife and two young children will face the risk of being deported to India.

If I get sick and if something happens to me, its basically over for my family, he told NBC Asian America.

Mehta, a hospitalist, is one of approximately 127,000 immigrant physicians in the United States who account for nearly a quarter of all the countrys licensed physicians. Of that group, the majority come from India, followed by the Caribbean, Pakistan, Philippines and Mexico, according to the 2018 Federation of State Medical Boards census.

Dr. Parth Mehta, right, with his family. (Courtesy Dr. Parth Mehta)

Its not just a tangential part of health care access that were talking about, said Greg Siskind, an immigration attorney who specializes in physician immigration cases. It's a pretty core part.

Physicians like Mehta are in the U.S. on H-1B visas that are tied to their employment. If those visa holders become incapacitated or disabled for any reason and are unable to work, they and any family members on H-4 dependent visas will become subject to deportation. If a H-1B visa holder dies, any H-4 dependent family members become undocumented and instantly subject to removal, Siskind said.

It's a plight immigrant physicians and their families face largely due to the country's massive visa backlog.

Dr. Parth Mehta, a hospitalist in Peoria, Illinois, and an immigrant from India, fears his family will be deported if he becomes disabled or dies treating COVID-19 patients. (Courtesy Dr. Parth Mehta)

From fiscal years 2007 to 2018, the majority of H-1B visa petitions were filed by Indian nationals  approximately 2.2 million out of nearly 3.5 million  according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data. And according to the Cato Institute think tank, recently backlogged Indian workers face a wait time of 90 years.

Story continues

You have doctors that are basically sitting for 20 years in this precarious situation of being on a temporary visa that, should something happen so that the person cant continue on the temporary visa, their family is potentially subject to deportation, Siskind said. Its a completely legitimate concern that these doctors have.

The only way to address the issue is through legislation, he added.

Physicians for American Healthcare Access (PAHA), a group dedicated to increasing health care access in underserved communities, is one organization that has been advocating for legislative solutions to protect immigrant doctors.

One of the bills the group is backing, a bipartisan measure called the Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act, was introduced in Congress earlier this month. If passed, it would recapture 40,000 unused immigrant visas and allocate them to doctors and nurses to help fight against COVID-19.

Related: "Right now, the American experience, everything we're going through is the immigrant experience. To me, it's about resilience," the activist said.

Siskind said the bill would help many immigrant physicians because it would clear out much of the green card backlog for them, but it doesn't address other problems they face.

Its an occasion to rejoice a little bit that yes, something is being done, but it by no means is enough, Dr. Sanjeev Alur, president of PAHA, said.

He noted that the bill doesn't protect immigrant medical trainees on J-1 exchange visitor visas, which Siskind said the majority of immigrant doctors enter the country on. The J-1 restricts trainees to working in a particular location, Alur said, though they've been granted some flexibility to help fight the pandemic.

They're not full fledged doctors yet, but they're on the front line, Alur said. They have the same risks. They're still on a visa.

Alur and Siskind said that immigrant doctors have been and are critical in filling the country's physician shortage, which has been building over the last two decades. It's a problem that has been mostly noticed in rural areas, which typically have a harder time recruiting doctors than big cities, Siskind said. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States is expected to experience a shortage of up to nearly 122,000 physicians by 2032.

Related: The groups philanthropy comes as Taiwan receives worldwide praise for containing the coronavirus.

You cant snap your fingers and end the need for international doctors, Siskind said.

Mehta, who works in a hospital in Peoria, Illinois, a city about two and a half hours west of Chicago, said he worried about the possibility of becoming disabled or dying even before the pandemic. But while that risk has always existed, it has risen exponentially in recent months, he said.

Health care personnel have accounted for nearly 20 percent of COVID-19 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

He said he questions how immigrant doctors are being praised as heroes and front-line warriors while they are physically able to fulfill their duties, yet seem to hold no value if they become incapacitated.

Its kind of weird that we are considered essential when it comes to saving lives, but we are considered nonessential when it comes to immigration purposes, and your family faces the risk of deportation if you die, Mehta said.

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by Austin Bay May 13, 2020

In mid-April, a senior FBI official warned that cyber spies were attacking U.S. and allied medical research institutions developing coronavirus vaccines. The U.S. Department of Justice later pegged China as the chief witch doctor of medical espionage and suggested a crash American COVID-19/Wuhan virus vaccine project nicknamed Operation Warp Speed is Beijing's major target.

During World War II, American leaders feared Nazi Germany sought a nuclear weapons program. So at warp speed, the Manhattan Project split atoms in an experimental reactor and then developed and deployed operational atomic bombs.

The "crash" Manhattan Project gave the U.S. and its allies a decisive strategic-warfare edge. A-bombs ended the conflict and saved lives by avoiding a bloody, Okinawa-type invasion of Japan.

My opinion: Nuclear proliferation remains the sane world's major security threat. However, the COVID-19/Wuhan virus' global proliferation (attention: it originated in Wuhan) has demonstrated (once again) that pandemics are an international security threat to human life. They also savage 21st-century economies.

That means the nation that develops and deploys the first safe and clinically effective vaccine will be able to do many things. Protecting your nation's population is more than a material medical advantage. A vaccinated population has an economic advantage over adversaries.

Developing an effective vaccine enhances diplomatic power. Obviously, the discoverer's allies are in line to benefit. But don't underestimate prestige power of an effective vaccine's quick discovery and rapid employment. Effectiveness is primary. However, speed demonstrates a society's ability to rapidly face new, threatening conditions and produce a response that benefits the world.

A Nobel Prize isn't the only measure of a nation's creative scientific vitality, but it is a measure even television gab shows understand. Hence this column's side bet: An effective COVID-19/Wuhan virus vaccine developed by fall 2020 will warrant a Nobel Prize in Medicine.

I repeat from last week's column, for the sake of Chinese communist propagandist idiots, that Wuhan is a place, just like the Rocky Mountains (Rocky Mountain spotted fever), Uganda's West Nile province (West Nile virus), Old Lyme, Connecticut (Lyme disease), and Congo's Ebola River (Ebola virus).

Why hammer that fact? Because attempting to disconnect the virus from its country of origin -- China -- is a Chinese Communist Party propaganda ploy to shield CCP leaders from taking responsibility for having spread the virus.

The agitprop campaign has failed. In fact, the pandemic has focused attention on communist China's global depredations and in particular its "unrestricted warfare" attack on the U.S.

"Unrestricted Warfare" (also known as "Warfare Without Limits") is the title of a book authored by two People's Liberation Army Air Force colonels. Published in 1999, the colonels propose weakening and then defeating an adversary using an array of operations -- for example, theft, bribery, economic gimmicks, disinformation, spying, co-optation of an adversary's media and educational institutions.

Who do the authors seek to defeat? The U.S.A.

In May 2019, I wrote a column noting spies have always sought more than military secrets. Gathering political intelligence and economic information aren't new, though global competition has enhanced the value of "proprietary knowledge," particularly when the intellectual property involves technology or techniques with national security application.

Intellectual property originally indicated that a creative intellect owned it, which led to that column's central point: China targets American creativity because its system retards creativity. Dictatorships fear creativity, but Beijing's dictators covet American creativity's economic, military and cultural benefits.

An April 2019 Houston Chronicle and Science magazine investigative report detailing pervasive Chinese espionage at Houston's MD Anderson Cancer Center spurred that column. Why target a medical institution? My take: "China's communist elites seek to steal the creative genius, decades of training and years of cancer research of some of the world's finest specialists and most brilliant doctors."

Targeting America's COVID-19/Wuhan virus vaccine project is just the latest vicious attempt by the CCP to steal the genius of American medicine.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 : The Kerala cabinet meeting held here on Wednesday decided to hike the tax rates on liquor, beer and wine ranging from 10 to 35 per cent.

The office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that this has been done to tide over the difficulties faced on account of the lockdown and an ordinance to this effect will be issued soon.

"The tax rate on beer and wine would go up by 10 per cent, while all forms of liquor will be taxed by an additional 35 per cent," said Vijayan.

The liquor vends and bars are all closed and in all likelihood, might open very soon.

The state exchequer has been reeling under lack of revenue and last month all what the state government could collect from various sources was a mere Rs 250 crore.

For fund-starved Kerala, revenue from liquor and beer is one of the biggest cash cows and in the last fiscal, garnered it a total of Rs 14,504.67 crore and hence the devolution of IT into Bevco, would be a big relief for the state's finances.

The profile of liquor users in the state, in a study conducted earlier, reveal that around 32.9 lakh people - 29.8 lakh men and 3.1 lakh women - out of the state's 3.34 crore population consume liquor.

Around five lakh people consume liquor on a daily basis. Of this, 83,851 people, including 1,043 women, are addicted to alcohol.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / A2Z Technologies Canada Corp. ("A2Z" or the "Company") (TSXV:AZ) (FSE:A23), a pioneer in military robotics, services, and innovation in the auto industry, today announced the appointment of Mr. Alan Rootenberg to the board of directors of the Company effective immediately. Mr. Scott Ackerman has resigned as a director to provide a vacancy for the appointment.

Mr. Rootenberg is a chartered professional accountant who has served as the Chief Financial Officer of a number of publicly traded companies listed on the TSX, TSXV, OTCBB and CSE. These include companies in the technology, mineral exploration and mining sectors, and in the cannabis industry. Mr. Rootenberg has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and received his CPA designation in Ontario, Canada.

Mr. Bentsur Joseph, the Company's CEO wishes to thank Mr. Ackerman for his services to the Company. He would also like to welcome Mr. Rootenberg to the Board and looks forward to working with him, bringing shareholder value to the Company.

ABOUT A2Z Technologies Canada Corp.

A2Z Technologies Canada Corp. is an innovative technology company based out of Israel, specializing in military technology and expanding into the civilian markets. A2Z has been operating for over 30 years and has a client base with 75 recurring clients, including the Israel Defense Forces, Security Forces, and Ministry of Defence among others. A2Z plans to leverage their cash flow-generating core-business to expand into the civilian robotics and automobile markets.

According to Zion Market Research, the Military Robotics space is expected to reach $53.93B by 2027 for a projected CAGR of 13.5%.(Summary of Report)

Highlights:

Core Business: A2Z's line of products include unmanned remote-controlled vehicles of various sizes designed for intricate bomb disposal, counter terrorism, and firefighting, as well as energy storage power packs/generators. A2Z also provides maintenance services to both external and in-house complex electronic systems and products to over 75 clients.

A2Z has been an Israel Ministry of Defense contractor for over 30 years and a significant portion of its business is long-term service contracts.

Expansion into Civilian Markets: To drive growth, A2Z plans to adapt its military technologies for the much larger civilian markets. One patent-pending product is a capsule (FTICS) that prevents vehicle fires resulting from collisions. A2Z has also been granted a patent for a smart vehicle cover device that protects automobiles from the elements while the vehicle is parked and is stowed away safely in the vehicle's bumper when not in use.

Fuel Tank Intelligent Containment System (FTICS): In the event of a collision, the FTICS system installed into the fuel tank prevents the ignition of fuel, thereby mitigating the spread of fire and explosion, minimizing risk to human life and property damage. According to the NFPA, from 2014 to 2016, an estimated 171,500 highway vehicle fires occurred in the United States, resulting in an annual average of 345 deaths, 1,300 injuries, and $1.1 billion in property loss annually. Click Here for an explanatory video of the FTICS.

For more information regarding A2Z, please visit the Company's website at www.a2zas.com.

Twitter: @A2Z_Advanced

On Behalf of the Board,

Bentsur Joseph, CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. 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 or developments may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in market prices, including metal prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable laws.

SOURCE: A2Z Technologies Canada Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589733/A2Z-Appoints-Mr-Alan-Rootenberg-to-the-Board-of-Directors
" " A 5G sign is shown on screen during a keynote address by Qualcomm Inc. CEO Steve Mollenkopf at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

In the U.S., 4G is still the reigning king of cellphone communications standards. But providers are now rolling out long anticipated 5G infrastructure across America and around the world. With 5G, end users like you should see crazy fast data transfer speeds that allow for all sorts of amazing smartphone magic.

5G is the fifth generation (thus, the "G") of mobile wireless systems, a way for devices, both mobile and stationary, to send and receive data without being plugged into a wall in your home or at the office. Typically, a new generation is named (sometimes retroactively) when it denotes a significant leap in wireless mobile technologies. 5G might enable driverless cars, delivery drones, and may even replace the WiFi in your home and office.

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You can buy a 5G phone right now if you want, but you may want to hold off. Keep in mind that 5G isn't yet available everywhere  in fact, it's still pretty rare around the world. As of January 2020, just 30 U.S. cities had substantial 5G coverage. That includes, of course, major metro areas like Los Angeles and New York City, among others. Other countries, like South Korea and China, actually got the jump on 5G and have more robust infrastructures in place now  there are roughly 90 and 60 cities in those countries, respectively, sporting this high-speed technology [source: Whitney].

In these high-tech countries, engineers are building a network that is  in select places, anyway  able to provide download speeds of about 10,000 Mbps (megabits per second). Various tests show that in cities around the nation, 5G is already hitting speeds that are 10 times faster than 4G [source: McGarry]. With those kinds of blazing speeds will come even more complex and powerful smartphone apps, among many other benefits. Remember when it took 15 seconds to download a 5MB MP3 file via 3G connection? With 5G, you may be able to download an entire movie in just moments. Giddy-up!

Whether you're an early adopter or slow to adopt new technologies, there's no arguing that mobile communications are transforming modern life, and it's likely that 5G bring even more changes. Keep reading and you'll find out what 5G is and how it might speed up your already quick-paced personal and professional life.
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Thousands across the globe have joined forces to pay homage to the the selfless healthcare workers across the world on International Nurses Day.

The annual event saw people across the world, including members of the British royal family, offer their tributes to the frontlines nurses helping fight the coronavirus pandemic grappling the countries across the globe.

The day also marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of the trailblazing nurse Florence Nightingale, who came to prominence during the Crimean War and went on to became the founder of modern medicine.

The moving scenes today, which come days after the NHS asked members of the public to 'shine a light' to mark the international event, saw people lighting candles inside their homes in honour of the frontline staff helping fight the pandemic.

In London, an image of Florence Nightingale, who was born in Florence, Italy, was projected on the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, while St Thomas' Hospital, where Prime Minister Boris spent several days in the ICU last month with Covid-19, also lit its walls with the famous nurse alongside the words: 'Nightingale's 200th birthday'.

An image of the trailblazing nurse Florence Nightingale was projected on the Houses of Parliament today in honour of International Nurses Day on May 12

A group of nurses wear lab coats and hold artificial candles during a symbolic act on International Nursing Day in honour of their colleagues who have lost their lives to Covid-19 in Brazil

Healthcare workers at Mt. Sinai, Oueens, New York City, pose for a group photo and make heart gesture in celebration of Nurse Week and International Nurses Day on May 12

St Thomas' Hospital in London also projected an image of the nurse who rose to prominence during the Crimean War in honour of her 200th birthday

In Northern Ireland, Belfast City Hall was illuminated in blue to pay tribute to the nurses risking their lives on the frontline in the fight against the pandemic

In Rome, Italy, healthcare workers stood outside to thank their fellow colleagues who were helping fight the coronavirus crisis

While in Northern Ireland, Belfast City Hall was lit blue in honour of the brave nurses who were helping fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile in Italy, which was the first country to impose a nationwide lockdown, nurses took part in an event that thanked healthcare workers across the country.

The country, which now has fewer than 1,000 patients in intensive care units, is now setting out steps to edge out of its strict social distancing measures and enter 'phase two' of the lockdown.

In Brazil, nurses wearing white lab coats lay on the ground to pay tribute to their colleagues who had lost their lives while trying to fight the virus.

Earlier today the Speaker of the House of Commons gave his thanks to the 'healthcare workers putting their own lives at risk to treat patients with Covid-19'.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: 'It is an honour to have her image projected on to Parliament as part of our national appreciation for the NHS and everyone who works for it.'

His sentiments were echoed by the Health Secretary who said he learnt about the profession from his grandmother who was a nurse.

Nurses and healthcare workers in Italy, which imposed a nation-wide lockdown in March, thanked frontline staff helping fight the crisis

In Rome, Italy, nurses wear their face masks as they join forces for International Nurses Day and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives

Jill Morris, British ambassador to Italy, spoke to healthcare workers in Italy as the country joined others around the world to mark the annual event

In Brazil, nurses in lab coats lay on the ground with lamps and the names of those who had lost their lives to the virus on them

A healthcare worker holds an electric candle and pays tribute to the countless nurses who have died while trying to fight the crisis

In a video posted on Twitter, Matt Hancock said: 'Most of all I want to say thank you to all the nurses that we have in the NHS right across the UK for the work that you're doing which is so compassionate, so hard, and so rewarding.'

Earlier on Tuesday, one hospital trust marked the anniversary by naming all of its nurses 'nurse of the year'.

Gail Byrne, chief nursing officer at University Hospital Southampton, called nursing staff 'all superheroes' and said in a letter to staff: 'We would normally be holding our nurses' day celebrations and awards today, which we will do this at some point, but my chief nursing officer 'nurse of the year' award this year goes to all of you.'

Meanwhile members of the British royals family also joined forces in paying tribute to healthcare workers across the world.

In a video clip released on the Kensington Royal Instagram page today, the Queen, 94, could be heard speaking with Professor Kathleen McCourt, the President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing, of which The Queen is Patron.

The royal called it 'a rather important day', saying: 'Obviously nurses have had a very important part to play recently.'

The short audio clip of the Queen on the phone to Professor McCourt was followed by members of the royal family including Prince Charles, 71, Camilla, 72, Prince William, 37, and Princess Anne, 61, offering their thanks to nurses across the world.

Kate Middleton, 38, and the Countess of Wessex, 55, joined together to speak to nurses in seven different commonwealth countries, including Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bahamas, Cyprus and the UK.

While Prince Charles, who is currently isolating in Birkhall, Aberdeenshire, having recently recovered from coronavirus, provided a message for the video thanking nurses across the world.

He said: 'My family and I want to join in the chorus of thankyous to nurses and midwifery staff in this country and all over the country and all over the world.'

One woman was seen sitting by her window in Southampton, England, with candles by her window to celebrate the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale on May 12 while in Brixworth, a young girl was seen holding a candle in her bedroom

The BT tower in London displays a message which reads 'control the virus' and thanks frontline healthcare workers on International Nurses Day

Healthcare workers stand stand in the street and applaud their fellow colleagues on International Nurses Day in Barcelona, Spain

In Barcelona, Spain, healthcare workers (left) and members of the public (right) applaud the vital work being carries out by frontline staff

Meanwhile in Athens, Greece, nurses and medical stuff at the hospital Metaxa commemorate those helping fight the International Nurses Day

In Lebanon, nurses pose for a group photo outside the Rafik Hariri public hospital in Beirut, in celebration of International Nurses Day

Nurses stand outside the hospital in Lebanon and honour the selfless work carried out by their colleagues on the frontline

Healthcare workers stand with signs reading 'We are not heroes, we are professionals, we want our rights' in Barcelona

The moving scenes come as the NHS continues to fight the coronavirus crisis which has now claimed the lives of 32,692 across the nation.

Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said: 'International Day of the Nurse is particularly special this year not just because we mark the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, but because of the extraordinary work all those who have followed in her footsteps are doing in the fight against coronavirus.

'I want to thank each and every one of our incredible nurses who are on the frontline in the battle against the greatest health emergency in NHS history. Their professionalism and skills are helping to save and rebuild countless lives.

'It is a challenging but hugely rewarding career and I would urge anyone inspired by their example to sign up to join us and become a nurse.

'I know how much the public's support has buoyed my colleagues during this testing time. It would mean a great deal if people once again showed their gratitude by shining a light for nurses this Tuesday.'

Professor Greta Westwood, CEO of Florence Nightingale Foundation said: 'Nurses have been on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic, providing expert care and support to patients and their families during these uncertain times.

'Florence Nightingale, herself a trailblazer during her career, would have been proud at the way nurses have followed in her footsteps as pioneers and leaders in the fight against the pandemic. They are truly her legacy today.'

Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Executive and Registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said: 'International Nurses Day is more important than ever as we recognise the enormous contribution existing and former professionals are making in caring for people through some of the most challenging moments of their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

'2020, the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, is shining a light on the dedication, skills and expertise of everyone on the NMC register in ways we hadn't expected. They are the beating heart of our health and social care system, trusted and appreciated by the public and deserving of our admiration and respect.

'I am so grateful and proud of our nurses, nursing associates and their colleagues. I hope this special day encourages even more nurses to join or return to what is a wonderful and rewarding career.'

A group of musicians perform for medical workers at Metaxa hospital in Athens, Greece, on International Nurses Day

Nurses watch as they are serenade by a music group at Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon, Portugal on International Nurses Day amid the coronavirus pandemic

Mother Saoirse McVeigh (centre) stands with her sons Sean and Eion at their home in Belfast to celebrate International Nurses Day on the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale

In Brazil, healthcare workers stood outside pay tribute to the 84 nurses who had died in the country while trying to control the spread of the virus

A nurse holds an artificial candle in tribute to her colleagues who have died while trying to fight the coronavirus pandemic, during a protest marking International Nurses Day in Brazil

In Brazil, nurses in lab coats and masks lay on the back with artificial candles during a protest marking International Nurses Day

At the Florence Nightingale museum in Brazil, an image of the famous nurse, who was the founded of modern medicine, is projected on the building

Nurses stand on the streets and mark International Nurses Day today, at the INMI Spallanzani Hospital, in Rome, Italy
TRAVERSE CITY, MI  A Northern Michigan winery is bringing in celebrities to celebrate a weekly virtual happy hour featuring cooking, wine and cheese parings, cocktail-making - all featuring Michigan-made products.

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is keeping customers from visiting Bonobo Winery on the Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City, its owners are welcoming viewers into the winery, their home and the homes of some local and national celebrities at 6 p.m. every Friday via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Owner Carter Oosterhouse, of TLCs Trading Spaces, and his wife, actress Amy Smart Oosterhouse, host the weekly event with the Bonobo winemaking team Cornel Olivier and Dawie Conradie. Special guests have included Ty Pennington of Trading Spaces, and Constance Zimmer of HBOs Entourage and Netflixs House of Cards.

If youve been engrossed in quarantine home projects, the next guests will be particularly intriguing. Drew Scott of HGTVs The Property Brothers will join the May 15 happy hour with his wife Linda Phan. Theyll cook a meal inspired by spring in Northern Michigan.

This Friday, Property Brothers Drew Scott and his wife Linda Phan will be stopping by our Happy Hour. And, we'll be... Posted by Bonobo Winery on Monday, May 11, 2020

Bonobo was founded by Carter Oosterhouse and his brother, Todd Oosterhouse, both of whom grew up in the region. The elegant, laid-back tasting room has lots of soft, cozy seating and a large deck overlooking sloping vineyards with West Bay just beyond.

Bonobo sets itself apart from the regions often fruit-forward wine style by focusing on a more European, West-Coast style of winemaking that results in drier wines. Chardonnay is the flagship wine.

Carter Oosterhouse and Smart joined MLives Coming Together series on May 4 to talk about Michigan wines.

RELATED: These 10 Michigan wineries will make you forget about Napa

Viewers can find information on upcoming episodes and guests on the Bonobo website, the winerys Facebook page, or by calling 231-282-9463. The winery is taking curbside-to-go and mail delivery orders online and by phone.

READ MORE:

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Wednesday, May 13: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Global fisheries during COVID-19: blog on its effects on global fishing activity

by Tyler Clavelle

May 13,2020 | Source: Global Fishing Watch

This blog post is the first in a series that we will be releasing on the effects of COVID-19 on global fishing activity.



The world is currently experiencing a pandemic due to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and the impacts are being felt in nearly all aspects of life. As countries around the world issue stay-at-home orders and everyday life grinds to a halt, the consequences have been wide ranging and substantial, and the fisheries sector is no exception.



According to the Global Fishing Watch database of fishing activity based on AIS data, relative to the previous two year average (2018-2019), global fishing activity is down approximately 6.5% year-to-date (as of 04/28/2020) and nearly 10% since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11th. Importantly, these figures primarily represent changes in activity for the worlds industrial fleet  fishing vessels over 24 meters  and do not fully capture the impacts on small-scale fisheries.



Analysis of global fishing trends requires careful consideration of China, as Chinese vessels represent the majority of all known fishing vessels in our database and account for roughly 20% of global catch each year. The Chinese fishing fleet follows a relatively predictable pattern each year. During four months in the summer, most fishing is prohibited. This moratorium is how China limits its fishing activity to encourage stocks to rebuild. After the moratorium lifts in August and September, fishing initially surges and then gradually decreases until it ceases almost entirely for a few days during the Chinese New Year, which is on a slightly different date each year depending on the lunar calendar. Then fishing gradually increases until it drops again during the moratorium. Thus, the origin  and timing  of COVID-19 in China is significant.



Chinas Wuhan lockdown this year coincided with the Chinese New Year at the end of January. The lead up to the New Year looked like any previous year, with fishing activity in Chinas Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) decreasing to almost zero. But then, it stayed at almost zero for several weeks, as China dramatically restricted movement.



By mid-March, shortly after the WHO pandemic declaration, Chinese fishing activity had recovered to a level comparable with previous years before dipping again briefly. As of early April, cumulative fishing activity in Chinas EEZ was down nearly 40% since the Chinese New Year, with approximately 1.2 million fewer fishing hours. Unfortunately, as Chinese fleets returned to normalcy, the impacts of COVID-19 spread to fisheries in the rest of the world. Some of the worlds largest fishing nations are now experiencing considerable reductions in year-to-date fishing activity. In Europe, one of the regions hit hardest by COVID-19, many countries are seeing sustained reductions in weekly fishing activity of 50% or more relative to recent years.



Declines in fishing activity are resulting from low demand, falling prices, and seafood market closures. While traditional channels like fresh fish markets and restaurants remain closed, many fishers are resorting to direct sales, though these efforts are likely hampered in many places by stay-at-home orders. In Italy, where a nationwide lockdown has been in effect since March 9th, the decrease in fishing activity is very apparent, particularly in the northern Adriatic.



Furthermore, captains may be concerned about crew safety, especially on smaller vessels, or unable to access necessary port services, such as buying fuel and bait, due to restrictions and closures. As a result, many vessels are staying longer in port or out at sea. Transshipment  where catch is transferred between vessels  also presents safety risks but may be necessary if vessels remain at sea for longer periods. In some cases, such as suspending observer programs, well intentioned responses to COVID-19 may risk increased IUU activity if the right support policies are not in place. In subsequent posts, we will explore some of these issues in more depth and continue tracking the impact of COVID-19 on global fisheries.

 2016 - 2020 Global Fishing Watch

Theme(s): Others.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:41:10|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of National Defense has donated a batch of medical supplies, including over 80,000 pieces of surgical masks, protective goggles and suits, to help the Philippines combat COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese embassy said on Wednesday.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian voiced hope that the new batch of protective medical supplies, which were turned over to Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday night, will help the Philippines contain the spread of the disease at the soonest possible time.

"We hope these urgently-needed medical supplies could be allotted to the frontliners as soon as possible so as to provide effective protection for them," Huang said in a statement.

Huang added that "the anti-pandemic cooperation" between China and the Philippines and their respective armed forces "have showed a valuable spirit of mutual support and help."

Recently, he said, a Philippine military aircraft shuttled between the two countries almost daily to bring back medical supplies bought by the Philippine government from China. China has facilitated the flight and transportation permits of the Philippine military aircraft, he added.

When the Philippine navy vessel BRP Bacolod City (LS-550) traveled to Zhangzhou Port in Fujian, China, to ship back medical supplies, Huang said, China not only swiftly issued a special permit, but also sent its navy ship to escort the Philippine navy vessel.

"All the above demonstrates both China's sincerity in helping the Philippines fight the pandemic and Chinese army's goodwill towards the Philippine military and its people," Huang said.

He added, "China will as always, stand together with the Philippine government and people to jointly overcome the pandemic till the day of a final victory."

Lorenzana thanked China's military for the new batch of medical supplies, saying he appreciated China's support to facilitate the Philippine military aircraft and navy vessel to bring back the much-needed medical supplies from China.

"That will go a long way to help our fight against COVID-19," Lorenzana said, adding that the Philippine Defense Department will distribute the medical supplies to all government hospitals and private hospitals that are in dire need of protective supplies.

Moreover, Lorenzana said he was pleased to see the militaries of the two countries play an active role in the fight against the COVID-19. He added that the cooperation will further contribute to the deepening mutual understanding and trust between the two militaries.

"We are thankful to the PLA for this donation. That will go a long way to help our fight against COVID-19," Lorenzana told a virtual coronavirus media briefing, referring to the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

The Philippines now has 11,618 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 2,251 recoveries and 772 deaths. Enditem
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The city will reopen a portion of Front Street it closed to traffic as part of its open streets plan after reassessing the location following complaints about plummeting sales from nearby businesses and minimal use of the roadway.

Instead, the city will open up a stretch of Bank Street off of Richmond Terrace between Jersey Street and the former New York Wheel parking garage off of Nicholas Street, City Hall said.

The Front Street location will open Wednesday evening to traffic and the new Bank Street route will launch on Thursday.

The decision to discontinue the Front Street location comes after the mayor said he would have his staff assess whether to keep the portion of Front Street between Canal Street and Edgewater Street open after local businesses said the closure caused sales to plummet and the Advance observed hardly any pedestrians or cyclists using the street.

This program got started up very quickly, which were excited about because we wanted to get ahead of the weather, and you take a look at things and see how its going, eventually we realized that this other street would make a lot of sense, said mayoral spokesman Mitch Schwartz.

Schwartz said the new location was selected in consultation with the City Council.

BANK STREET WAS CITYS IDEA NOT MINE, COUNCILWOMAN ROSE SAYS

However, North Shore Councilwoman Debi Rose said the new Bank Street site was the citys next choice -- not hers.

My suggestion had been that they open up some areas near more densely populated communities or around NYCHAs, I never thought of Bank Street when I was saying that, Rose told the Advance.

Bank Street was their idea, she said, adding that she did not see any downside to opening up Bank Street to pedestrians and cyclists since the street had already been closed off to traffic for a while.

[Bank Streets] already been closed to traffic since they started construction on the Wheel site, and it is on the waterfront, and so it would not present any traffic problems so Im OK with that, it brings people down to our waterfront, she said.

The closure was part of a plan to close down 40 miles of city streets over the course of the next month with the goal of closing up to 100 miles of streets, opening them up to pedestrians and cyclists during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the Front Street closure had sparked pushback from Island politicians, civic groups and businesses, who have said the closure is hurting business in the area and only benefiting people living in the upscale Urby apartment complex who already have access to the adjacent Stapleton Waterfront Park.

The manager of the Italian restaurant Pastavino in Urby, recently told the Advance that in less than a week since the street closure, Pastavino had lost thousands" in revenue.

Over the weekend, hardly anyone was spotted using the closed street.

But the adjacent Stapleton Waterfront Park next to the closed portion of Front Street was bustling Sunday, with many people spotted out on walks, riding their bikes and relaxing on park benches.

The mayor said he was concerned about small businesses being impacted by the closure, but would not commit to a final result just yet, when asked Monday if he would be willing to reopen the street or choose another street to close in the area.

When the street closure plan was announced, an initiative agreed upon by the mayor and City Council, the City Council had said it planned to have conversations with communities and local stakeholders on the streets plan.

Rose previously told the Advance that though she did not submit a list of streets for consideration to the city, she had told the City Council during hearing that streets near the North Shores NYCHA developments needed to be prioritized.

Rose said the city had initially proposed a much longer route closure for Front Street. She had tried to get the city to close an area near Canal Street by Tappen Park, she said, but the city refused to do so, so she was able to convince them to close off the areas eventually agreed on.

Borough President James Oddo had also been a vocal critic of the closure and called on the city to choose another location.

The Islands small business association, the Downtown Alliance has suggested the city instead close roads near the North Shores NYCHA apartment complexes, especially near the Stapleton Houses.

The city plans to continue to look for more streets to close in the coming weeks.

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Ukraine plans to purchase at least three shipments of armaments from the United States this year, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Volodymyr Yelchenko has told The Day newspaper.

"Last year, we had the first case of direct purchase by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine from the United States of Javelin anti-tank systems. This was the first batch of non-assistance, namely the purchase of weapons in the United States. As far as I know, an agreement is being prepared to extend such purchases. There are some other types of weapons, defensive ones, which are especially important today in Donbas. We are talking about at least three large parties and I will not specify, but this is being done and I think that these purchases will be made during this year," he said in an interview published on Tuesday.

The diplomat said deliveries of Island-type boats were not removed from the agenda: two of them were handed over to Ukraine as early as last fall, and the American side plans to transfer three more ships of this type within a year.

In addition, Yelchenko noted that Ukraine's Mriya An-225 and Ruslan aircraft will carry out several special flights to the United States with humanitarian aid during this month.

"This is a very significant contribution of Ukraine. One flight has already been made to Houston, Texas, and there will also be flights to New York and Columbus, Ohio. Each such aircraft is a huge help signal for the United States," the ambassador said.

According to him, these transportations are made to order by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. military, adding that they involve delivery of medical equipment and medicines.
Syrian Village Residents Block Road, Thwart US Convoy's Attempt to Use Local Highway

Sputnik News

18:20 GMT 12.05.2020(updated 18:21 GMT 12.05.2020)

The incident comes amid the ongoing standoff between US troops, Syrian Army units, local residents and Kurdish militia in northeast Syria, home to the majority of Damascus's oil and gas reserves.

Residents of two villages in the province of Hasakah, Syria set up roadblocks outside their communities, successfully preventing the passage of a US military convoy on Tuesday morning, SANA has reported.

The news agency obtained what is said to be video footage of the incident, showing villagers from the communities of Dashisha and Cahira standing in front of a group of US armoured vehicles, one of them fitted with an American flag, facing away from the group of civilians.

The man with the camera can be seen moving forward, approaching to within a few meters of the closest vehicle. Another of the armoured vehicles in the distance is seen turning around, and the vehicles are then seen moving back in the direction they came from.

The incident is the latest of a series of mostly nonviolent confrontations taking place in northeast Syria in recent weeks, with a pattern established of residents of small communities, occasionally flanked by Syrian troops, setting up roadblocks using vehicles or their own bodies, and US armoured columns turning around and heading back the way they came from. At least four similar incidents took place in the Hasakah countryside last month.

Occasionally, violent incidents are also reported. Last month, an unidentified group of forces attacked and disabled a Hummer believed to be carrying US and Syrian Democratic Forces militia troops, injuring several troops outside the village of Rouwaished, Hasakah. The Pentagon did not comment on that alleged incident.

The US military has quietly built up its presence in northeast Syria over the past eight months, dispatching dozens of truckloads military and logistical equipment to the country from Iraq with the aim of carrying out President Trump's instructions to "keep" the region's oil. US forces shifted the scope and purpose of their operation in Syria last October in the wake of the abortive Turkish invasion of the Middle Eastern country, redeploying forces from northeast Syria's border with Turkey to oil and gas fields. Damascus has demanded the immediate withdrawal of all uninvited foreign forces and their proxies from the country, and promised to do whatever is required to return control of every inch of Syrian territory to the control of its internationally recognized government.

A Sputnik

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The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has set very strict requirements for universities to organize entrance exams of their own.

MOET is drafting the 2020 enrollment regulations with six chapters and 29 articles.



Under the draft regulation, the schools that organize separate exams to select students and do not rely on national high-school finals results will have to have an independent unit in charge of organizing exams.





The leaders of the unit must have management capability, responsibility and honesty. At least one of the leaders must have experience in organizing important large-scale exams, or have a bachelors degree or higher-level degree majoring in measurement and education evaluation, or have a bachelor's degree or higher-level degree in education management. They must have experience in examination and training management.

MOET Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Phuc affirmed that schools can enjoy autonomy in enrollment, but the autonomy must be associated with the responsibility of explaining and upgrading quality. All the exams must meet requirements in quality and fairness for all examinees.

Regarding the staff in charge of organizing exam activities, schools must allocate enough officers to build exam structure, exam questions and standardized exam question banks.

The schools must have enough permanent workers capable of assessing the characteristics of questions (difficulty, validity and differentiation) and creating exam questions in accordance with fixed format.



The strict requirements have faced strong opposition from schools. A lecturer at a state-owned university in Hanoi said in order to build standardized exam question banks and have enough examiners for the high school finals in recent years, even MOET had to use officers from many universities and high schools. The requirements are too demanding for schools.



He went on to say that once MOET gives self-determination to schools, it needs to let schools enroll students the way they want.



Itd be better to let schools determine the enrollment mechanisms on their own. The only important thing is the quality of students, he said.



The setting of regulations is contrary to the self-determination principle, he commented.



The training division head of a university in Hanoi said it is unreasonable to require schools to set up such cumbersome personnel apparatus. When organizing exams, schools must have the right to invite experts and teachers from other universities and high schools to design exam questions and mark exam papers.



In reply, MOET Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Phuc affirmed that schools can enjoy autonomy in enrollment, but the autonomy must be associated with the responsibility of explaining and upgrading quality. All the exams must meet requirements in quality and fairness for all examinees.



The training establishments that cannot satisfy the requirements can enroll students by joining forces with other schools or use the same exam results with schools that provide the same training majors.



However, Phuc promised to ease the regulations to make them fit training establishments capability.

Le Ha

First instance trial on exam cheating scandal in Hoa Binh opens The Peoples Court of Hoa Binh province on May 11 opened the first instance trial on the 2017-2018 national high school exam cheating scandal in which dozens of candidates had their exam scores increased
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday, May 11, 2020.

President Donald Trump pointed the finger at wealthy investors for supposedly manipulating the stock market by making strong statements.

In a tweet Wednesday, Trump said to be wary of wealthy investors using their platform to comment negatively about stocks, when they tend to profit from betting against the market.

"When the so-called 'rich guys' speak negatively about the market, you must always remember that some are betting big against it, and make a lot of money if it goes down," Trump tweeted. "Then they go positive, get big publicity, and make it going up. They get you both ways. Barely legal?"

tweet

While Trump didn't specify whom he was referring to, his comments followed billionaire hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller's remarks Tuesday evening about the stock market being historically overvalued.

"The risk-reward for equity is maybe as bad as I've seen it in my career," Druckemiller told the Economic Club of New York. "The wild card here is the Fed can always step up their (asset) purchases."

Druckenmiller, chairman and CEO of the Duquesne Family Office, also said he thought the market was overreacting to news of progress on antiviral drugs, such as Gilead's remdesivir.

The stock market has bounced back sharply from its March lows as investors have grown more hopeful about an eventual reopening of the economy. After tumbling into the fastest bear market ever two months ago, the S&P 500 has bounced more than 30% from that bottom and is now sitting about 13% below its record high from February.

Another big investor who has been outspoken about the market is Bill Ackman. The activist manager from Pershing Square made an appearance on CNBC on March 18, warning "hell is coming" and imploring the White House to shut down the country for a month.

Ackman turned a net profit of more than $2 billion a week following his TV interview. He then used those proceeds to wager that existing Pershing bets, including hotel operator Hilton Worldwide, would rebound. He called the idea that he tried to drive down the market through his comments "absurd."

CNBC's Jim Cramer shared similar sentiment as Trump, criticizing Ackman for betting against the market while being apocalyptic publicly.

"I've had it with these billionaires," Cramer said Wednesday on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.
(Natural News) Update: President Trump has affirmed that coronavirus vaccines will be optional, not mandatory, at the federal level. He has backed away from any aggressive push of vaccines. This story has been updated accordingly.

Anyone who thought the US military was preparing to force vaccinate every American with a coronavirus vaccine has just found strong evidence to confirm the plan. According to a press release from the US Dept. of Defense, featuring an announcement from Lt. Col. Mike Andrews, the DoD is partnering with HHS to acquire 500 million ApiJect vaccine injection devices, with deliveries expected to begin in October of this year.

According to the press release:

Spearheaded by the DODs Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in coordination with the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, the contract will support Jumpstart to create a U.S.-based, high-speed supply chain for prefilled syringes beginning later this year by using well-established Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) aseptic plastics manufacturing technology, suitable for combatting COVID-19 when a safe and proven vaccine becomes available.

The ApiJect syringes come with an optional RFID tag so that health care workers can track the GPS location and identity of the individual being injected. Via the Apiject.com website:

With an optional RFID/NFC tag on each BFS prefilled syringe, ApiJect will make this possible. Before giving an injection, the healthcare worker will be able to launch a free mobile app and tap the prefilled syringe on their phone, capturing the NFC tags unique serial number, GPS location and date/time. The app then uploads the data to a government-selected cloud database. Aggregated injection data provides health administrators an evolving real-time injection map.

Yes, you will be tracked, tagged, bagged and injected, most likely against your will.

Dont forget that this is being married with President Trumps Operation Warp Speed which aims to bypass all the usual protocols of vaccine safety testing and clinical trials, delivering up to 300 million coronavirus vaccine doses before the end of calendar 2020.

500 million prefilled syringes by 2021

The $138 million contract aims to achieve, the ultimate production goal of over 500 million prefilled syringes (doses) in 2021.

Notably, there are only around 327 million people living in the United States. That means this DoD / HHS project will produce enough coronavirus vaccine doses to cover every man, woman and child in America.

The only reason they would need so many doses is if there is a plan under way to force vaccines on everyone.

If coronavirus vaccines were planned to be optional  respecting the vaccine choice of individuals  not more than 100 million doses would be needed. The fact that 500 million doses are being manufactured is an admission that the DoD and HHS plan to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory.

Present-day vaccines that claim to treat measles, mumps, chicken pox, HPV and other infectious diseases are deliberately manufactured with a bizarre list of toxic and unethical ingredients, including:

Aluminum

Mercury (Thimerosal)

Antibiotics

Squalene (an inflammatory chemical)

Aborted human fetal tissue

Formaldehyde

MSG

Live viruses

HCG, an infertility chemical

Which ingredients are going to be formulated into the coronavirus vaccine?

And if the coronavirus vaccine is going to be produced without any real quality control or clinical trials, how will drug companies or government agencies know whether the vaccine is safe?

Vaccine safety isnt the goal mass murder and depopulation is the real objective

With LA County recently announcing a plan to keep its residents locked down for another three months, and with the FDA and CDC conspiring with Big Pharma to grant emergency approval to vaccines which could not possibly go through the required safety trials, its abundantly clear that safety is not the issue.

Even Bill Gates now admits that 700,000 people could experience side effects from a coronavirus vaccine, and some of those side effects no doubt include death.

The real goal here is to corral human beings like cattle and subject them to a kill switch vaccine injection, which will obviously be engineered with infertility chemicals (soft kill) and engineered elements that cause a cytokine storm death upon a subsequent infection (hard kill). Depopulation has been the goal all along. Thats why they need all the RFID tracking technology: to make sure theyve injected everyone while tracking now refuseniks to be arrested and injected at gunpoint.

And thats why vaccine mandates are going to be aggressively resisted by the human resistance members, who are already aware that the US military is being prepared for a vaccine mandate deployment mission on US soil. Resistance against coronavirus vaccines is already accelerating. It looks like even mainstream conservatives are going to fight to resist the coming vaccine mandates, while so-called pro choice progressives are going to claim the government owns your body and can forcibly inject you with anything they want, including experimental, unproven vaccine cocktails. One thing that has emerged from all this is how conservatives are now more skeptical of vaccines than ever before and the battle for medical choice is rapidly gaining awareness.

Its clear that any effort by anyone to push mandatory vaccines on the public is likely to be met with determined resistance.

The vaccine wars may be coming to America very soon.

Are you prepared to defend your body against an assault with a deadly vaccine weapon?

From a human rights perspective, a mandatory vaccination is an assault with a deadly weapon and a violation of basic human dignity and the rights of personhood. This is self-evident from the fact that vaccines kill people every year in America, a verified fact thats openly admitted by the government in its quarterly vaccine damage reports (VAERS.HHS.gov).

If vaccines kill and maim people  which they do  then forcing an especially fast-tracked vaccine on someone against their will is a form of violence and a clear felony assault against that person.

If someone is attempting to assault you with a deadly weapon, you have every right to defend yourself under US law. No emergency declaration nullifies your exclusive ownership over your own body. And no legitimate government would ever attempt to claim the right to penetrate your body with dangerous substances without your consent.

This argument is even stronger when you realize that there are many ways a person can boost their immunity against an infectious disease, including having good nutrition (vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, etc.) and maintaining a healthy lifestyle that avoids toxic prescription medications such as blood pressure drugs. For a vaccine zealot to claim that vaccines are the one and only way to protect public health, while denying the effectiveness of all other strategies, is a horrifying example intellectual fraud.

The fact that vaccines can and do spread other diseases under certain circumstances  such as polio, chickenbox and even the measles  reveals that vaccines may actually harm more people than they help. Because vaccines present the risk of harm, the choice of whether to agree to a vaccine injection must rest with the patient, not the doctor nor the government. This is a basic principle of western medicine: Informed consent. (And First, do no harm.) In fact, it is codified under medical ethics rules of the American Medical Association.

Without informed consent, we dont have a system of medicine at all. In its place, we have a system of authoritarian medical tyranny  essentially a medical police state. And any such police state should be resisted and defeated by any liberty-minded citizen.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) summoned Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Administrator Mocha Uson for sharing a misleading information on social media.

Yes, she is being investigated by our Cybercrime Division for fake news, said NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin. We included her in the investigation [on] posting of PPEs.

Uson posted photos on her Facebook page last month showing a new set of personal protective equipment supposedly purchased by the government. But netizens pointed out that one of the photos she used was from SM Foundation.

The image was replaced minutes later.

The Bayanihan We Heal As One Act, which grants President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers, also provides that anyone who spread false information about the crisis will face a two-month jail sentence or a fine of 10,000 to 1 million.

This is not the first time that Uson, a blogger and a vocal supporter of the Duterte administration, was called out for a misleading social media post.

In 2017, she was criticized for resharing on her blog page a post with a caption asking prayers for Filipino soldiers. However, it turned out that the soldiers in the photo were not Filipinos, but she defended herself saying that it was a symbolism.
Western New England University expects to have its new president in place on schedule this summer. Westfield State University will turn to an interim leader for one year as its own search for a permanent president transpires.

Westfield State will fill the position on a one-year interim basis with Roy Saigo, a career educator and administrator who, as a small child, was among the 120,000 Japanese-Americans sent to internment camps during World War II.

Saigo, 79, will not be a candidate for the permanent position.

A Western New England spokesman, assistant vice-president for marketing communications David Stawasz, said Bryan Gross, the schools vice-president for enrollment management and search committee member, reports the field at WNEU is narrowed to five finalists. Names were not identified.

At its April 30 meeting, Westfield State trustees unanimously approved Saigo as its one-year interim choice. A search committee for a permanent president will be formed by late summer. The final choices first academic year on campus would be in 2021-22.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrown obstacles into each search process, but has not put either behind schedule. The two universities have been working on different timetables since before the health crisis, which closed American campuses six weeks after Ramon Torrecilha announced on Jan. 31 that he would retire from Westfield State in August after four years.

Caprio, the WNEU president for 24 years, announced last November that he would retire on July 1.

Trustees at Westfield State reached their goal of identifying an interim president by mid-May. Final paperwork and approval for Saigos temporary position is expected at the state level this week.

Saigo had been retired for seven years when he was stepped in as interim president of Southern Oregon in 2014. He served until 2016.

His career in higher education dates back to 1967 with stops in Wisconsin, Iowa and Louisiana. He went on to become chancellor at Auburn University at Montgomery (Ala.), and president of St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.

It is not known if Westfield States search for a permanent president will be conducted remotely or through in-person interviews. At Western New England, interviews have been conducted entirely via Zoom video conference rather than face to face, but "that has not impeded the search or hindered the ability to conduct in depth interviews with the various candidates. Interest in this position was strong,'' according to Gross.

WNEU Board of Trustees chairman Kenneth Rickson said nearly 100 nominations and about the same number of applications were received. Trustees, faculty, staff, and student have been involved with the interview process, which is ongoing.

Three Western Massachusetts universities will undergo leadership changes this year. In February, Bay Path University introduced Sandra Doran to replace Carol Leary, who is retiring at the end of June.
West Bengal Finance minister



Amit Mitra on Wednesday accused the Centre of misleading people over the announced Rs 20 lakh crore special package, saying that the actual dole is about 2 per cent of the country's GDP.

In a big push to revive the economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a Rs 20 lakh crore package, which combined the government's recent announcements on supporting key sectors as also measures rolled out by the Reserve Bank of India.

About the financial package, the prime minister had said it will be around 10 per cent of the GDP and will address problems of a wide range of sectors as well as difficulties of migrant workers.

"People must know the truth and the Centre's actual new announcement is just Rs 4.2 lakh crore or 2 per cent of GDP," Mitra said after Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a major booster dose on Wednesday.

Mitra said, the previous interventions by the Central bank and the Union Finance ministry amounting to Rs 10 lakh crore are included in the Rs 20 lakh crore package, believed to be a blockbuster stimulus.

The RBI in four tranches since February 6, had infused Rs 8 lakh crore of liquidity into the financial system. Sitharaman had, earlier, announced a Rs 1.7 lakh crore support.

"The government has set a borrowing limit of Rs 4.2 lakh crore. Thus the real package is of Rs 4.2 lakh crore, which is 2 per cent of the GDP," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The body of Ellie Price was found in a South Melbourne townhouse on May 4 and a national manhunt for her boyfriend, Ricardo Barbaro ended in Sydney on Thursday

The arrest of fugitive Ricardo Barbaro came after a tense stand off with police, as he refused to leave the apartment of a glamorous woman.

Barbaro, 33, was arrested about 12.15am on Thursday after a 10-day manhunt by national police over the death of his girlfriend Ellie Price in a Melbourne unit.

He will be extradited to Victoria.

Police finally closed in on Australia's most wanted man after a tip off, and found him hiding in Sydney's west, in an apartment belonging to Crystal Shihada.

Shocked locals in the block on Amalfi Drive at Wentworth Point, said the first they knew something was up was when they saw heavily-armed tactical police standing outside.

'I heard a noise outside in the corridor so I opened the door and there was what I am calling a "Ninja Turtle" - a police officer in all black, with a balaclava on and just his face showing,' neighbour Carmel said.

'He scared me. He said: "Oh, we are looking for someone we believe is on this level".

Ricardo Barbaro (pictured) has been arrested after his girlfriend was found dead

Barbaro was found hiding in Sydney's west, in an apartment belonging to Crystal Shihada (above). It is unknown how Barbaro knows Mrs Shihada, and it is not suggested she was involved in any wrongdoing

A CCTV image shows Barbaro in custody after he was arrested by NSW Police early on Thursday morning

'Down the corridor, there were quite a few of them (police) here and they were trying to bang the door, they did bang the door a few times.

'They were talking to this person "Ricardo" through the door. I could hear them, they were saying: "Ricardo, I need you to come out". They were very calm.

'There was no answer, but they were still talking to him. This went on for a long time, I'd gone to bed but there was still a lot of noise.

'What happened in the end, was that he wasn't in there - he was found up on the 15th floor.'

When Barbaro finally came out of the top floor apartment where Mrs Shihada lived, he attempted to resist arrest and was injured in the ensuing struggle with police.

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mrs Shihada was involved in any wrongdoing.

Calabrian Mafia-linked Barbaro fled Melbourne sometime between April 29 and May 4, police allege in court papers.

Barbaro was taken to Concord Hospital last night for treatment to minor injuries, and then to Burwood Police Station where he was charged on Thursday morning.

Magistrate Rodney Brender on Thursday ordered Barbaro be extradited from New South Wales to Victoria for the offence of murder.

The extradition wasnt opposed by his defence solicitor Campbell MacCallum, who appeared in front of the court by phone from the Gold Coast.

A handful of NSW and Victorian detectives watched the proceedings unfold, and will take Barbaro into custody on Friday before driving him back to Melbourne.

He will appear in front of the Melbourne Magistrates Court on May 16.

'Victoria Police would like to thank members of the public across Australia for their assistance,' a statement read.

The bashed door at the Wentworth Point apartment where Barbaro was dramatically arrested

Barbaro was apprehended in a top floor apartment of this unit block in Wentworth Point

Witnesses say police were banging the door and trying to get Barbaro to come out before his arrest

Gold Coast criminal lawyer Campbell MacCallum, who represented Barbaro over the phone on Thursday, told The Herald Sun his client received facial injuries during his arrest.

'I understand he (Ricardo) was involved in a standoff. He received some injuries, facial injuries and some lacerations,' Mr MacCullum said.

'Until we find out the full facts (what happened) when he was intercepted, they will be making comment after that.'

Mr MacCullum said it was a 'difficult time' for the Barbaro family, who had engaged him on behalf of the 33-year-old.

'I've been retained by the Barbaro family to look after Rick in relation to these matters,' he said.

The arrest comes after Ms Price's cousin Rebecca Lehner on Tuesday raised more than $3,700 to pay for the repatriation of the mum-of-one's body to her home state of Tasmania, where she will be laid to rest.

'Ellie was living in Melbourne pursuing her dreams but her heart was in Tasmania with her friends and family,' Ms Lehner wrote.

Homicide officers from Victoria Police are in Sydney and will extradite Barbaro back to Victoria

Barbaro (left) had not been seen after Ms Price's body was found, until he was arrested in Sydney on Thursday

Barbaro was in an on-again-off-again relationship with Ms Price (left) since October 2019

'This is a terrible and tragic event that should never have happened and now here I am trying to raise funds to ensure my cousin makes her way back home and is laid to rest surrounded by the people who love her.'

Another GoFundMe page has also been set up with the aim of establishing a $10,000 trust fund for Ms Price's four-year-old son Mostafa, who currently lives with her mother Tracey Gangell near Hobart.

The fundraiser was created by Matthew Barr, who grew up with Ms Gangell.

'Tracey is a beautiful person, she is totally devastated on not only the loss of her daughter but the heartless murder that has taken place, it's just unimaginable,' he wrote.

'I just wish I could take away Tracey and her whole families (sic) pain - my heart breaks for you all during this tragic time.'

He said Ms Price was a 'kind soul' whose life was cut short in a 'senseless' act.

Police claim Ms Price likely suffered a 'violent' assault on April 28 or 29 and may have been dead for up to five days before being found.

Barbaro, who was in an on-again-off-again relationship with Ms Price since October 2019, had not been seen after her body was discovered, until he was arrested on Thursday.

Ms Price is pictured with her four-year-old son Mostafa, who is being cared for by his grandmother

The 33-year-old is the brother of slain Sydney underworld boss Pasquale Timothy Barbaro, who was gunned down in a 2016 gangland hit.

His other brother, Rossario Dom Barbaro, killed himself just months later.

Another brother, Harley Barbaro, is an alleged Villains gang member who lives on the Gold Coast.

All four are the sons of Giuseppe 'Joe' Barbaro - a cousin of gangland figure Pasquale Barbaro, who was shot dead alongside Jason Moran in a van while watching a children's football training session in 2003.

A year later, Joe Barbaro's three-week-old daughter Montana, was snatched from her car seat in a western suburbs shopping centre. She was found in a derelict home with her head shaved days later.

Some members of the Melbourne Barbaro family have links to the Calabrian mafia, centred in the New South Wales town of Griffith.
Woodland Park City Councilman Jim Pfaff participates in the May 7 council meeting from his home.
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13 May  Malaysia-born actress Kimmy Low was revealed to have ended her contract with TVB.

As reported on On CC, the actress, who was signed to the broadcaster back in 2017 after winning the Miss Jewelry Hong Kong pageant, decided not to renew her contract that expired in March, but instead return to Kuala Lumpur.

It is said that Kimmy will take over her father's Chinese medicine business and settle down with her boyfriend of three years.

Speaking about her decision, Kimmy stated that her mother really wanted her to return to be with the family after they were separated earlier due to COVID-19.

"My dad is also old and he wants me to help manage the business. When everything is much more stable, I will return to showbiz again. I really love acting. This is only a temporary departure," she said.

As for her pilot boyfriend, Kimmy stated that her parents liked him a lot and wanted them to tie the knot as soon as possible.

"Maybe they're afraid that I won't be able to get married if I wait any longer," she added.

Kimmy's last series was "The 2nd Exorcist's Meter", which is currently airing on TVB.

(Photo Source: Kimmy Low Instagram)
A 20-year-old American man who dressed as an airport cleaner to cheat German coronavirus border controls so he could visit his girlfriend has been sent back to the US.

Police said that the man had donned a high-visibility vest and picked-up two bags of rubbish in an attempt to pass as an airport cleaner, after he arrived at Frankfurt airport from Washington on Sunday.

"He then tried to convince security staff that he was a cleaner and was supposed to empty the bins behind the security area," German federal police said in a statement.

However, his plan was foiled when a member of staff noticed he was not wearing a security pass and couldn't speak German.

The employee informed the police, who then detained the man inside the airport.

He confessed at a police station that he was desperate to see his girlfriend and couldn't think of another way of entering the country.

The 20-year-old did not pass through into the arrivals area, and would have needed to pass more border controls before exiting the airport, said police.

After being questioned, the young American was sent back to Washington on Monday.

Germany has imposed tough border controls to try to stop the spread of Covid-19, which has infected more than 170 000 people in the country.

Whilst some air traffic between the US and Germany continues, Americans are not allowed to enter the country.
Britains retail bakery and cafe market is returning to life, with a growing number of businesses reopening sites.

Stores and bakeries are being adapted to minimise the risk of coronavirus infection, with reduced staff numbers, social distancing measures and safety equipment. Many operators have also simplified their product ranges to reduce staff numbers in production sites.

Listed below are details of the operations and plans of some of the largest chains  see the end of the article for a listing of the UKs 75 leading bakery cafe businesses.

Costa

Number of stores: 2,787 (Jan 2020)

Has opened 19 drive-through sites and has 14 stores delivering via Uber Eats.

While most of our stores remain closed, we continue to pay our store team members 100% pay and are incredibly grateful to those who have volunteered to work across these reopening stores, said CEO Jill McDonald.

Subway

Number of stores: 2,577 (Jan 2020)

Began phased reopening of more than 600 Subway stores, with new operational and social distancing safety measures to protect customers, third-party suppliers and staff.

Measures include new fixtures, new signage to support social distancing, enhanced hygiene practices and PPE to protect staff, customers and delivery drivers.

The weeks and months ahead will continue to be challenging for everyone, and Subway will play its part in supporting the new-normal, whatever that may look and feel like, said Subway country director Colin Hughes.

Greggs

Number of stores: 2,050 (Jan 2020)

Greggs is conducting trial reopening of a small number of stores ahead of a planned wider roll-out. This is being conducted with a view to opening all stores in July, dependent on government advice at that time.

Some trials have been conducted behind closed doors over fears of overcrowding following widespread media coverage of the plans.

Our operational shop trials have initially taken place behind closed doors in order to test the effectiveness of our new operational safety measures, said the company. As these trials progress, we are gradually beginning to reopen these shops on an ad-hoc basis to walk-in customers.

Starbucks

Number of stores: 995 (Jan 2020)

Beginning a phased roll-out of drive-through sites from 14 May with a view to be fully reopened by the end of June.

Starbucks said it has tested and refined operational plans and safety procedures, after looking at the success of its global teams  90% of Starbucks in China are now open and 86% of US stores.

By staggering our approach, we can sensibly ramp up our supply chain, focusing first on a reduced menu of beverages and then fresh food to simplify operations, Starbucks general manager Alex Rayner told UK staff.

This will also enable our social distancing measures, which will be further supported by shortened opening hours to reduce the number of partners on shift each day, and will also allow greater flexibility to travel to and from work.

Caffe Nero

Number of stores: 679 (Jan 2020)

Caffe Nero opened seven sites on a trial basis last week, and will be opening a further 33 stores by the end of next week.

The success of our initial trial has given us confidence we can operate our stores for takeaway while prioritising the safety of our people and customers, said founder and group CEO Gerry Ford.

Pret A Manger

Number of stores: 400 (Jan 2020)

Pret has opened around 100 sites after reopening an initial 10 in London in April that were staffed by volunteers.

The company has introduced safety measures, including Perspex screens at tills, restricting the flow of people into shops and offering face coverings to employees who want them.

BP - Wild Bean Cafe

Number of stores: 334 (Jan 2020)

Offering a limited hot drink offer in all stores.

Thank you to all our front-line staff for helping make this happen and to our amazing customers for their patience and understanding in these unprecedented times, said the business.

Stephens

Number of stores: 227 (Jan 2020)

With Scotland under stricter lockdown than the UK, the business has no plans at this stage to reopen stores.

However, Stephens bakery counters at Scotmids stores are all open.

Coopland & Son (Scarborough)

Number of stores: 173 (Jan 2020)

All but 11 shops will be open by the end of this week. The remaining 11 are being monitored closely and will reopen when possible, said the company.

RT Stuart

Number of stores: 150 (Jan 2020)

Has reopened a number of its shops, and Stuarts bakery counters at Scotmids stores are all open.

Cake Box Holdings

Number of stores: 132 (Jan 2020)

Cake Box franchisees have reopened 79 stores and the business hoped to have all sites open again by early June.

The franchise business has put in place new processes including operating with smaller teams in-store to allow for social distancing, clear demarcation of required social distancing throughout the premises, staff wearing PPE at all times including face masks and shields, and implementing an enhanced personal and property hygiene regime.

Krispy Kreme

Number of stores: 123 (Jan 2020)

In addition to offering delivery, a small number of stores will offer a pre-order click-and-collect service for takeaway pick-up and the majority of drive-throughs are open.

Cafe W (Waterstones)

Number of stores: 77 (Jan 2020)

All sites currently closed

Patisserie Valerie

Number of stores: 73 (Jan 2020)

(Awaiting update from company)

Birds Bakery

Number of stores: 65 (Jan 2020)

Birds has opened 39 stores to date (13 May) and has plans to open another eight in the coming weeks. It has been offering a reduced product range, but is now extending this to meet customer demand, with further breads being offered from next week.

Birds has been selling a range of grocery products, including flour  with customers buying more than 900 bags.

Wenzels the Bakers

Number of stores: 64 (Jan 2020)

Most Wenzels stores are open.

Greenhalghs Craft Bakery

Number of stores: 60 (Jan 2020)

Some stores open.

Baynes the Family Bakers

Number of stores: 58 (Jan 2020)

The Fife-based business has reopened 42 shops and plans to open further sites.

It has implemented safety measures, including: offering a limited range of essential goods, most of which will be packaged at the bakery; fewer staff in shops to enable social distancing; screens at tills; only accepting card payments; allowing a restricted number of customers into the shops by using posters in windows, social distancing stickers on floor, A-frame boards with social distancing measures at the door, and a member of staff to restrict customer numbers into each shop; and reduced opening hours.

"I would like to thank all our staff for their hard work and support over the past few challenging weeks, said John Bayne, joint managing director.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:01:10|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

DAKAR -- Senegal on Wednesday reported 110 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 2,105 in the country.

Of the 110, 102 are follow-up contact cases and eight community-transmission ones, Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, director-general of health at the Ministry of Health and Social Action, told a daily briefing on the pandemic.

- - - -

BEIJING -- Beijing will reopen universities, kindergartens and more classes in elementary and middle schools, according to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission on Wednesday.

From June 6, graduating students of colleges and universities can return, on a voluntary basis, to campuses where anti-virus measures have been soundly implemented, according to the commission.

Kindergartens where such measures have been soundly implemented will reopen from June 8, when parents can decide by themselves whether to send their kids back to the kindergartens.

- - - -

GENEVA -- The COVID-19 pandemic cut global trade values by 3 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest data published on Wednesday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The downturn is expected to accelerate in the second quarter, UNCTAD said in a report, projecting global trade to record a quarter-on-quarter decline of 27 percent.

- - - -

PARIS -- French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on Wednesday that controls will stay in place on French borders with Germany until June 15.

"France and Germany made progress in a coordinated way on the border control: as a result of my talk with Horst Seehofer (German Interior Minister) yesterday, we are keeping the traffic restrictions together... until June 15, with some relaxation of measures to help the daily lives," said Castaner on twitter.

- - - -

MANILA -- China's Ministry of National Defense has donated a batch of medical supplies, including over 80,000 pieces of surgical masks, protective goggles and suits, to help the Philippines combat COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese embassy said on Wednesday.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian voiced hope that the new batch of protective medical supplies, which were turned over to Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday night, will help the Philippines contain the spread of the disease at the soonest possible time.

- - - -

DHAKA -- Bangladesh reported 19 new deaths of COVID-19 patients Wednesday, the country's biggest daily increase since March.

"Another 19 COVID-19 deaths including 12 men and seven women were confirmed, bringing the total number of fatalities in the country since March 18 to 269," Nasima Sultana, a senior Health Ministry official, told an online media briefing in Dhaka Wednesday. Enditem
Weekly team huddles on Zoom, de-brief sessions via videoconference and effective remote-working schedules have shifted work practices in health to something more commonly seen in executive boardrooms or corporate workplaces. Anyone who works in the industry will attest to seeing their IT, clinical and administrative staff come together to work in new and innovative ways and to think about alternative models of care for our patients.

But these changes, progressive as they may be, come with their own challenges. How do you engage, via telephone or video call, a young person who is in and out of home care, absconding from their temporary accommodation and flirting with the juvenile justice system? How do you speak to an adolescent alone knowing that their parent or carer is on the same call or in the same room? At what point do you decide that your patient needs to come in for a face-to-face review or clinical examination, because there is only so much you can gauge from their grainy expressions on screen?

These are the type of questions clinicians and around Australia are grappling with every day.

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My patients  young people prone to the abuse of drugs and alcohol, and who often have co-morbid chronic mental health disorders  are some of the most vulnerable in the community. And from a broader health standpoint, they are not always affected by COVID-19 in the same way. For example, their circumstances may give rise to erratic attendance at school, which means standardised home-schooling solutions arent applicable. Patients I work with may also be homeless or live in a group home, where social distancing is both impractical and the least of their concerns. Their lives transit between escalating levels of emotional upheaval and social instability, and their access to healthcare and social services  however fragmented  is often their lifeline.
The Saint George hospital had been repurposed to treat coronavirus patients AFP/Olga MALTSEVA

Another 150 people were evacuated after the blaze broke out on the sixth floor of the Saint George hospital, the emergencies ministry said, one of a string of fires in care facilities and clinics in Russia in recent days.

The hospital had been repurposed to treat coronavirus patients and some of the dead patients had been connected to ventilators when the fire began.

Windows near the top floor of the hospital were blackened with soot as firefighters worked outside.

Four patients died in an intensive care ward, the city's Vyborg district attorney Pavel Danilov told AFP, adding that the cause of death of the fifth person was being clarified.

"Everyone is shocked by what happened," said Svetlana Stepanova, a pensioner receiving treatment at the hospital.

"A fire in the hospital is a nightmare," she told AFP.

Saint Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov, citing preliminary information, said a short circuit was believed to be the cause of the fire.

"A ventilator has caught fire," his office said in a statement.

Russia's Investigative Committee, which examines serious crimes, said it had launched a probe into the incident.

A fire at a Moscow hospital treating coronavirus patients last week killed one person and forced hundreds of others to evacuate.

On Monday, a fire broke out in a retirement home in the Moscow region, killing nine people.

Two more people died in hospital later, officials said on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to 11.

Russia reported 10,899 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, continuing a steady increase of new infections that has seen the country become a global virus hotspot.

With a total of 232,243 infections, Russia is among the top four most infected countries in the world alongside the United States, Spain and Britain.

Russia's reported mortality rate is much lower compared to other European countries hit hard by the pandemic, with 107 new deaths and 2,116 dead from the coronavirus as of Tuesday.
OTTAWA - Canada's chief public health doctor says Canadians in communities where COVID-19 is still spreading should wear non-medical masks when they can't stay physically distant from others.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is silhouetted as he speaks during a news conference outside Rideau Cottage, Tuesday, May 12, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - Canada's chief public health doctor says Canadians in communities where COVID-19 is still spreading should wear non-medical masks when they can't stay physically distant from others.

Dr. Theresa Tam is also urging Canadians not to forget how hard this pandemic has hit vulnerable seniors in long-term care homes and the need to ensure that the standards of care in seniors' residences are improved.

While Tam said almost half the people confirmed to have COVID-19 in Canada have now recovered, and most provinces reported either no or very few new cases Wednesday, Ontario and Quebec are still seeing hundreds of new COVID-19 patients every day. Long-term care centres account for a large number of them. Nationally, one-fifth of all cases, and more than four-fifths of all deaths from COVID-19, are connected to long-term care, with outbreaks in hundreds of facilities.

Ontario, where outbreaks of COVID-19 have hit 40 per cent of the long-term care homes, became the latest province to take steps to control management of long-term care homes Wednesday, enacting an emergency order to give itself that power. The government did not immediately invoke the power, but can use it to influence the operations of any long-term care home in the province, including those run by the private sector, municipalities, charities and non-profits.

Premier Doug Ford said it will mean Ontario is better prepared to "immediately swing into action if a home is struggling to contain this deadly virus."

Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia have all stepped in to take over management of some privately run homes after outbreaks got out of control.

Tam said there are many lessons to be learned from this "tragic characteristic" of the pandemic in Canada, and said we can't "let these lessons be forgotten."

"I think improving all those standards and conditions for our seniors is very important," she said.

But during a House of Commons health committee virtual meeting Wednesday, several advocates for seniors were blistering in their criticism of governments' management of long-term care. Paul Brunet, the president of the Conseil pour la protection des malades in Quebec, said Canada and Quebec both ignored warnings issued by the World Health Organization in February and March about the risks COVID-19 was posing to vulnerable seniors living in care homes.

Jodi Hall, the chair of the Canadian Association for Long Term Care, said hundreds of facilities in Canada simply cannot do what the public health recommendations say  namely isolate residents from each other  because they have only three- and four-bed rooms, narrow hallways and one dining room.

Hall said the government needs to make some infrastructure money available to immediately upgrade the more than 400 homes in Canada in that category.

All provinces are turning their attention to reopening their economies, with several already into the first phases. Ontario and Alberta are set to announce reopening plans Thursday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to remain careful as things gradually reopen: staying home as much as possible and staying distant from others when they do have to go out.

"I know were all looking forward to it but we have to be vigilant," he said in French.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault, whose province remains the hardest hit by the pandemic in Canada, reiterated his hope that people will wear non-medical masks when they go out in public, though he isn't yet making it mandatory. Trudeau said it will be up to provinces to decide what kind of advice to offer on masks.

Tam agreed but said in provinces where the virus is still spreading in the community, wearing a non-medical mask can add another layer of protection, particularly in places where physical distancing is hard such as on public transit or while shopping in some stores.

"It is recommended that the general public wear non-medical masks or facial coverings in situations where you cannot maintain physical distancing of less than two metres," Tam said.

She said there are discussions among provincial and federal public health officials about masks as the economy reopens, but wearing them might not be that useful in places where community transmission of the virus isn't happening.

Public health advice on the use of face masks has changed markedly in Canada since COVID-19 was first detected here, with Tam and others early on recommending against their use, but shifting that thinking in recent weeks particularly as it became clear that carriers of the illness can spread COVID-19 even if they are not showing symptoms themselves.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

There were initial fears that the public would use or hoard medical-grade masks that are badly needed for front-line health staff. In the last month, there has been an explosion in the production and sale of non-medical masks, both cloth and paper versions.

Government help for businesses continued Wednesday, with Trudeau offering up more details of the $962-million Regional Relief and Recovery Fund, which will be delivered through Canada's six regional economic development agencies. It will target businesses that don't qualify for other programs, said Trudeau.

Trudeau also announced Wednesday that students looking for help through the Canada Emergency Student Benefit can begin applying on Friday. The benefit offers up to $1,250 to individual students, and $2,000 for those with dependents or disabilities.

The government is asking students to apply, based on their months of birth, over four days starting May 15 so as not to overwhelm the system. Students can expect to receive their first payments in three to five business days if they are using direct deposit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version indicated Ontario's emergency order applied only to privately run long-term care homes.
Actor-producer Reese Witherspoon has sealed the deal for two romcoms with Netflix -- "Your Place Or Mine" and "The Cactus" -- which is also attached to produce.

"Your Place Or Mine" is a new script, penned by Aline Brosh McKenna of "The Devil Wears Prada" fame, whereas "The Cactus" will be the screen adaptation of Sarah Haywood's bestselling novel of the same name.

According to Deadline, Witherspoon's banner Hello Sunshine has teamed up with actor-director Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan's Aggregate Films to produce "Your Place Or Mine".

It marks McKenna's feature directorial debut, which she will also produce under her Lean Machine banner.

The film revolves around two long-distance best friends who change each other's lives when she decides to pursue a lifelong dream and he volunteers to keep an eye on her teenage son.

The other romcom, "The Cactus", is the story of a 45-year-old reserved woman whose unexpected pregnancy causes to rethink and rejig the life that she has created for herself.

"We have been looking for the right feature opportunities to collaborate with Ted Sarandos, Scott Stuber and the entire team at Netflix for a while and we couldn't be more excited to be working with them on these two romantic comedies.

"Both Sarah Haywood's and Aline Brosh McKenna's stories blend everything we love about traditional romcoms with strong, smart and determined female leads," Witherspoon said.

Witherspoon has produced and starred in projects like "The Morning Show" for Apple, "Little Fires Everywhere" for Hulu and HBO's "Big Little Lies".

It was reported in 2019 that the actor is also set to star in sci-fi movie "Pyros", the rights of which were won by Netflix in a bidding war. She will produce the film with Simon Kinberg.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Two Auburn University students have been awarded Fulbright Scholarships for the 2020-21 school year as part of the celebrated educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

Natalie Hester and Kayleigh Chalkowski will continue their studies in Germany and Madagascar, respectively. In addition, four Auburn students have been designated as alternates: Natalie Conboy, Ana Osowski, Weston Sims and Isabel Perry await news from Spain, Trinidad, Germany and Taiwan, respectively, for their possible awards.

Natalie [Hester] and Kayleigh bring their community-based mindset and global perspective to this extraordinary opportunity, said Tiffany Sippial, director of the Honors College. As international representatives for Auburn University, we wish them great success during their fellowship studies.

Hester, of Greenville, Alabama, graduated this spring with a bachelors degree in both media studies and German and a minor in military science. A College of Liberal Arts graduate, Hester received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant, or ETA, award to Germany. While on campus at Auburn, Hester was heavily involved in a range of interests, from Army ROTC to Eagle Eye TV to the German National Honor Society.

According to Hester, she is most excited to learn from another culture, grow [her] intercultural skills and awareness, and to have a positive impact on a local community.

Fulbright ETAs spend much of their time in classrooms abroad, supporting the host countrys English language instruction. Program participants also contribute to the numerous learning benefits of hosting a native speaker in the classroom.

Chalkowski, of East Berne, New York, is working toward her doctorate in wildlife science in Auburns School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. A graduate of Cornell University with a bachelors degree in biological sciences with a concentration in ecology and evolutionary biology, Chalkowski received a Fulbright Study/Research award to Madagascar.

Overall, I feel like my goals as a scientist have a real opportunity here to come to fruition, Chalkowski said. That is, to conduct field research that will improve the health of endangered, threatened species and at-risk human populations.

Fulbright Study/Research award winners design their own projects and will typically work with advisers at foreign universities or other institutes of higher education.

I was ecstatic to learn of our selected students, said Alex Sauer, scholarship and research coordinator for the Honors College. These young women are accomplished scholars who designed amazing projects and had awe-inspiring stories to tell. It was a pleasure to work with them, and I am so excited to hear about their Fulbright experiences. I am so proud of what they have achieved here, and I know this award will help them to reach their ultimate career goals.

Although not selected outright, the four Auburn alternates for the Fulbright Scholarship Program await news on their possible selection and say the application process is incredibly beneficial, as it provides professional connections, communication skills and experience.

Weston Sims, an alternate for a Fulbright ETA to Germany, said, I feel it's important to approach the Fulbright application with hope for getting the award, but also a healthy sense of what you can get out of the process, even if it doesn't work out that way. It's an excellent opportunity for self-reflection; to answer the prompts well means to locate yourself not only in the past and present as you describe where you've been and are as a student, but in the future as well, as you figure out how living abroad might form you.

The Fulbright Scholarship Program is a flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and the people of other countries. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential.

More information about the Fulbright Scholarship Program and the application process is available by contacting Alex Sauer, Honors College coordinator for scholarship and research, at ras0046@auburn.edu.
Want to get The Morning by email? Heres the sign-up.

Good morning. The Republican leads in a California House race. Manhattan may face a real-estate reckoning. And there is both good news and worrisome news about the virus.

Positive signs, for now

President Trump insists that things are looking up with the coronavirus.

Anthony Fauci, one of his top advisers, has a different message: We run the risk of having a resurgence.

Which view is right?

The news about the coronavirus really has gotten better over the past week. There have been fewer than 200 deaths in New York for two consecutive days, down from more than 1,000 in early April. Nationwide, the number of confirmed new cases each day has finally begun to decline substantially.

There is even reason to believe the official numbers arent fully capturing the decline  because the number of tests being conducted has also been rising. All else equal, more tests should lead to more confirmed cases.
There were two reported tornadoes yesterday in south-central Texas near Austin that produced some damage to homes and even manage to flip several cars.

A new storm system will move into the Plains and parts of the Midwest today and tomorrow with a severe weather threat including damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes.

Today, Midland and Abilene in Texas along with Wichita, Oklahoma City and Kansas City should be on alert today for severe weather.

PHOTO: Today, Midland and Abilene in Texas along with Wichita, Oklahoma City and Kansas City should be on alert today for severe weather. (ABC News)

For tomorrow, a severe weather threat will move slightly north and east into Illinois and Indiana including Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City and Wichita.

Ahead of the storm system tomorrow, it will get almost summer-like for some with highs reaching 70s from Minneapolis to Chicago and Detroit with 80s in St. Louis and Cincinnati.

PHOTO: Ahead of the storm system tomorrow, it will get almost summer-like for some with highs reaching 70s from Minneapolis to Chicago and Detroit with 80s in St. Louis and Cincinnati. (ABC News)

On Friday, the warm air gets pushed even further east into the I-95 corridor with temps in the 80s from Washington D.C. to New York City and 70s in Boston.

PHOTO: On Friday, the warm air gets pushed even further east into the I-95 corridor with temps in the 80s from Washington D.C. to New York City and 70s in Boston. (ABC News)

Severe weather in the Heartland, major warm up in the East originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Egyptian cabinet approved during its meeting on Wednesday a proposal submitted by the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) on amending Article 34 of investment law no. 72/2017.

The new amendment allows granting a license to natural gas-based industry projects, especially fertilizers and petrochemicals, to work under the free zone system.

The move aims to stimulate investment and exports, particularly since the recent natural gas discoveries have provided large quantities of gas.

The cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

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"We take the laws of our state seriously," Polis said. "As citizens and residents we don't have to agree with every law ... . We don't have the ability to violate laws and threaten others."
Los Angeles County Mayor Eric Garcetti says the three-month extension of Los Angeles County's stay-at-home order does not mean what people may think it means.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that county public health director Barbara Ferrer told the County Board of Supervisors that the region's stay-at-home order will "with all certainty" be in effect through the next two and a half months. This set off a torrent of news coverage, and Mayor Eric Garcetti appeared on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" Tuesday evening to clarify what the extension actually entails.

"We're learning to live with it; we're not moving beyond it," he said of the virus. "But it's important not to overreact, and not to under-react. Not to overreact today, when there were huge headlines on CNN and in the L.A. Times when our county health officer merely said an order would stay in place at least three more months. That does not mean the order stays in place exactly as it is today, but of course that means we're still going to protect our vulnerable and our seniors, we're still going to need to wear facial coverings, we're still going to need to physically distance."

Garcetti said Los Angeles County will take "baby steps" to bring back certain sectors of the economy over the next few weeks, highlighting the fact that the region has already entered the early phases of Stage 2 of Governor Gavin Newsom's statewide reopening plan. In addition, beaches in the county will be reopening Wednesday.

"The steps we're going to earn each week and each month are going to be based on where the numbers are and how safe we can make places and spaces," he said. "I think in L.A. we've shown success with that with our construction industry, with things like farmers' markets which we had to shut down but have reopened safely."

Allowing non-essential businesses to reopen while keeping a "stay-at-home" order in place mirrors Newsom's statewide plan, where the stay-at-home mandate is not officially lifted until Stage 4 when large gatherings such as sporting events with fans and concerts come back online. In Stage 3, "high-risk" businesses such hair salons, nail salons and gyms reopen, so the health order is not really a "stay-at-home" order if one can go to a beach, a gym or a nail salon.

When asked why it is worth continuing the stay-at-home terminology, Garcetti said the goal is to remind residents that there is some risk an individual assumes when leaving their home.

"It's just a reminder of how delicate and fragile this time is," he said. "But don't freak out when you hear a scientist say it's still going to be here and we're still going to be living under health orders."

You can watch his full interview in the video above.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
Vettel to leave Ferrari after 2020 season

FORMULA ONE: Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel said yesterday (May 12) he would leave Ferrari at the end of the season, saying there was no common desire to work together any more.

Formula-One

By AFP

Wednesday 13 May 2020, 02:11PM

Sebastian Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015. Photo: AFP

No replacement was named for Vettel, who dominated F1 with Red Bull before switching to the Italian marque in 2015. He said his departure was a joint decision.

My relationship with Scuderia Ferrari will finish at the end of 2020, the 32-year-old German said in a statement from Ferrari.

In order to get the best possible results in this sport, its vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony.

The team and I have realised that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season.

Vettel, who has won 14 races with Ferrari, said financial considerations did not play any role in his decision. He said he would reflect on what really matters when it comes to my future.

Vettels departure will spark intense speculation about his replacement, with Mercedes reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton among the drivers previously linked with Ferrari.

This is a decision taken jointly by ourselves and Sebastian, one which both parties feel is for the best, team principal Mattia Binotto said.

It was not an easy decision to reach, given Sebastians worth as a driver and as a person.

There was no specific reason that led to this decision, apart from the common and amicable belief that the time had come to go our separate ways in order to reach our respective objectives.
DENVER  A Colorado judge is expected to be sentenced to a jail term for pleading guilty to a second DUI charge within two years.

Debra Gunkel, 62, pleaded guilty to violating the terms of her probation from a 2018 DUI case in Prowers County, KCNC-TV reported Monday.

The conviction would have been erased from the Baca County judges record if she completed two years of probation, but Gunkel was arrested for driving while drunk in Kansas in August.

Gunkels probation was revoked after the charge was filed.

Jail time will be mandatory after her expected plea in June to the Kansas DUI charge.
A gene-modified diagnosing drug for testing mycobacterium tuberculosis infections (MTI) has attained China's new drug certificate and production license.

Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., the developer of the new product, said the new product can avoid false positives for MTI when a person has received a BCG vaccine, a 100-year-old vaccine for preventing serious forms of tuberculosis.

It is estimated that about a quarter of the world's population is infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis, according to a report by the World Health Organization in 2019. Around 5 to 10 percent of the infected may break down with the disease, while others remain clinically latent. Effective mycobacterium tuberculosis diagnosis is the first step to eradicating the disease worldwide.

"The new product makes the early detection and treatment of tuberculosis possible. It also provides an effective way to conduct mass population screening for the disease," said Cheng Shiming, secretary general of the Chinese Antituberculosis Association.

Pu Jiang, general manager of the company based in east China's Anhui Province, said researchers use gene recombination technology to fuse and express ESAT6-CFP10 protein with the product, which can detect the pathogen by a skin test and distinguish it from BCG vaccinations.

He said countries with high incidences of tuberculosis such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Brazil have contacted the company, hoping to introduce the product to their markets.
Really bad timing ... crime writer Liz Nugents new novel 'Our Little Cruelties' came out on Thursday March 12 and the bookshops closed on the Saturday but it still topped the best-sellers charts

'The changes we dread most may contain our salvation," said Barbara Kingsolver in her essay collection, Small World. This might seem wildly inappropriate when so many of us have lost jobs, family, friends, the businesses into which we've put our all and which keep our communities together - all in the blink of an eye. Books provide one of the small beacons of light during all of this change: a chance to escape, to gain solace, to discover. As children's writer Jacqueline Wilson told Alison Flood in The Guardian: "I haven't baked a single cake, I haven't learned a new language, but I've read a great deal."

But can the book business survive Covid, when so many other industries are in peril? Can it continue to offer readers just what they've been looking for, and what will the future look like when we come out of this period of turbulence?

It's certainly true that everyone in the trade has had to adapt quickly to 'the new normal', with books initially being hard to get hold of as wholesalers and retailers closed. Nicki Howard, director of Gill Books, says: "With no bookshops open we've had to park the release of some books. If an author has given a year or two of their life it just didn't seem right to let something out when we weren't sure people would be able to get their books." The exception to this rule has been their big seller of the spring, The Daly Dish, by Gina and Karol Daly. With sufficient stock in bookshops for online ordering, and due to the authors' avid Instagram following, it became 'the bestselling cookbook in Irish history'.

But this serendipity, a case of a book meeting just what the at-home audience needed, doesn't necessarily carry over to the rest of the trade. Many authors have been blindsided by the sudden shutdown.

Bestselling author Liz Nugent's Our Little Cruelties "came out on the Thursday [March 12] and the bookshops closed on the Saturday". Her launch was a casualty, but as an established author, her publicity schedule went on more or less as normal, helped by a move online: "I did lots of virtual festivals. The BBC Book weekend is coming up - I'm going to be part of that, there's Newcastle Noir in the UK, Dani Gill in Droichead Arts Centre is doing an online book interview series I'm getting as much publicity as I would have got, but I'm not getting out and meeting readers." This is something she misses, but "I do feel that I'm in a fortunate position". Concern for relatives and friends has kept her grounded, and she is even able to joke: "My American publication dates are not until November, so hopefully that'll be a nice distraction from the elections for American readers."

She is also keen to support other March-published authors, such as Michelle Gallen with Big Girl, Small Town, Hilary Fannin with The Weight of Love, Frances Macken with You Have To Make Your Own Fun Around Here and Alan McMonagle's Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame. "I'm always delighted for other writers' success and people doing well - this is a leveller, because everybody is paralysed to some extent, so nobody needs to beat themselves up."

For literary agent Sallyanne Sweeney of London-based MMB Creative, there are signs of hope even for beleaguered authors. "There have been some incredible online launches," she says. "And I was really impressed with some of the writing festivals that have gone online, such as Cuirt in Galway. There are some readers who might not have been able to go to that festival otherwise. When we're hopefully able to go back to bookshops and book signings and being able to do events with crowds of people, there's no reason why you can't also have these kind of online forums. Hopefully there are new ways of reaching people."

She also feels that "publishing might become a little less Dublin-centric and London-centric. You're not having to be tied to an office, so this might open things up for a more diverse workforce."

However, there is no doubting the challenge for independent bookshops. For Kevin Hanna, manager of family business Alan Hanna's Bookshop on Dublin's Rathmines Road, before the lockdown, "it was a bit like Christmas, with people coming in buying armfuls of books and board games to stock up and extra bags full of schoolbooks, but since then, it's been a bit of a poisoned chalice". Hanna had to send his loyal staff home and close the cafe, a local institution that also brings customers through the shop. However, "we've been really touched by the amount of support we've received," he says of the local customers who continued to order from them. And, even though the Amazon behemoth is now fulfilling book orders, "sales have increased substantially over the past week. If I had this the rest of the time, I'd be laughing!" Another ray of hope for indies came courtesy of An Post and Bookselling Ireland, who have offered a special rate of 2.95 for book packages up to 10kg, an added incentive to shop local.

And when this is all over, will things return to the way they once were? Hanna is hopeful for change. "I'd like to think we'll have some new readers. Hopefully, they'll see the benefits of reading a book as opposed to reading off a tablet. Maybe post-Covid, people will want to go into bookshops again, have a browse." Sweeney says: "An interesting conversation that I'm having with editors at the moment is, what will people want to read after this? A book deal I've just done is the nature-writing area and reconnecting with nature." She also mentions "uplit", warm reads such as her client Roisin Meaney's new novel, The Restaurant, out next month.

Video of the Day

Nicki Howard says: "Part of a trend I think has been happening is scientists as the new rock stars - this year we'll be publishing Prof Luke O'Neill's Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here's the Science - about life's big questions and what science has to say about them. I think there'll be the importance of expertise."

And the Instagram influencers? "People are going to be more discerning if they are useful for people, they'll continue to have a life in the market."

So, in spite of all the difficulties, the book business has shown resilience in the face of change. Howard says: "I'm really heartened by the fact that times like this can definitely bring out the best in people. The collaboration and the yes-we-can spirit you tend to find in publishing is there more than ever. As long as publishers remain flexible, nimble and with their ears to the ground, they'll be okay."
A 16-year-old boy was shot dead just blocks away from his home in Brooklyn on Tuesday, two months after he was charged with participating in a violent ambush and robbery targeting a 15-year-old girl that was caught on video.

According to the NYPD, Tyquan Howard was walking along St John's Place in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn at around 1pm when someone opened fire on him.

The 16-year-old victim was discovered suffering from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, reported News 12 Brooklyn.

The killing comes two months after surveillance video captured a brutal attack on a 15-year-old girl in Crown Heights

Howard was said to be among several people who were arrested and charged with robbery and gang assault for allegedly partaking in the ambush

The suspects steal the girl's sneakers, debit card and phone during the violent altercation

Nearly 20 individuals were captured jumping, punching and kicking the 15-year-old girl Thursday afternoon

Police said even though Howard was conscious when he was found wounded on the street, he could not identify the person who shot him.

The teen was then rushed to Brookdale Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The shooting took place in broad daylight on a busy street just two blocks away from the victim's home.

Police sources told multiple local news outlets that Howard had been linked to the March 5 attack on a 15-year-old girl, who was beaten by a group of 20 teens and robbed of her Air Jordans near Utica Avenue in Crown Heights.

The New York Post reported that Howard was among a group of suspects who were subsequently arrested and charged with robbery and gang assault.

It was not immediately clear when and under what circumstances the 16-year-old had been released from jail.

The suspects in the March ambush told investigators the girl in the viral video had fought with another girl at school earlier that day.

Tyquan Howard, 16, was walking on St John's Place in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Tuesday afternoon when someone fatally shot him in the abdomen

The teen was found conscious but fatally wounded outside this building, located just two blocks away from his home

Howard was rushed to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries

Surveillance footage released by the NYPD showed the group of young teenagers chased after the girl until she fell on the sidewalk.

Then, nearly 20 individuals jumped onto, kicked and punched her several times as the group swarmed around her.

As the suspects fled the scene, one of them stole the girl's sneakers off her feet while she's unconscious on the ground. Her phone and debit card were also stolen.

The girl was transported to NYC Health & Hospitals/Kings County to be treated for head trauma and bruises.

There is no word on whether there is a connection between the ambush on the teenage girl in March and Howard's killing this week.

As of Wednesday morning, no arrests have been made in the boy's death.
Alissa Hodges, who recently graduated from Silverdale Baptist Academy in Chattanooga, is recipient of a $5,000 Crawford Johnson, III and Walker Johnson Jones college scholarship on behalf of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc.Ms. Hodges, a resident of Chattanooga, is the daughter of Darren Hodges who is employed at Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Co.Coca-Cola UNITED has been a family-focused company for more than 118 years, said Jack Sherman, Sales Center manager, Chattanooga Coca-Cola Bottling Co. "This program exemplifies dedication to our associates, as well as to the importance of education in general.Coca-Cola UNITED established the Crawford Johnson, III scholarship program in 1995 in honor of the companys former CEO Crawford Johnson IIIs retirement and his 45 years of service. The program is a testament to the companys commitment to education and its focus on associates and their families.This year, 20 children, stepchildren, grandchildren or step-grandchildren of Coca-Cola UNITED associates, located throughout the southeast, were selected from more than 75 applicants to receive either a $5,000 or $3,000 scholarship, renewable over four years.Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, leadership, extracurricular activities and service.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package to tackle the impact of coronavirus-led lockdown. PM also highlighted that India must realise its potential as the lead player in the 21st century by focusing on its self-reliance.

India would not be controlled by the virus, he said, also announcing "Lockdown 4" after May 17 in a "completely different form", with new rules. Details of Lockdown 4 would be shared before May 18, following suggestions from states, said the PM.

Coronavirus India News LIVE Updates

Here's the full text of PM Modi's speech:

Greetings to fellow citizens, for over four months the global community has been in the fight against Corona virus.

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

During this period more than 42 lakh people across the world have been infected with Corona. More than 2.75 lakh people have died tragically. In India too, people have lost their near and dear ones.I express my heartfelt condolences to all.

Friends, a virus has destroyed the world. Crores of people around the world are facing a crisis. World all over is engaged in a battle to save precious lives. We have never seen or heard of such a crisis.This crisis is unthinkable as well as unprecedented for mankind.

However-getting exasperated, losing heart or getting shattered, is not acceptable to the mankind. We have to remain vigilant, closely monitor it, follow the rules of engagement in such a war, save ourselves and move ahead. Today, when the world is in crisis, we must strengthen our resolve. Our great resolve will help overcome this crisis.

Friends, we have been hearing since the last century that the 21st century belongs to India. We have seen how the world was before Corona and the global systems in detail. Even after the infliction of the Corona crisis, we are constantly watching the situation as it unfolds across the globe. When we look at these two periods from India's perspective, it seems that the 21st century is the century for India. This is not our dream, rather a responsibility for all of us.

But what should be its trajectory?

The state of the world today teaches us that a (AtmaNirbhar Bharat) "Self-reliant India" is the only path . It is said in our scriptures - EshahPanthah That is - self-sufficient India.

Friends,

As a nation today we stand at a very crucial juncture. Such a big disaster is a signal for India,it has brought a message and an opportunity.I will share my perspective with an example. When the Corona crisis started, there was not a single PPE kit made in India. The N-95 masks were produced in small quantity in India. Today we are in a situation to produce 2 lakh PPE and 2 lakh N-95 masks daily. We were able to do this because India turned this crisis into an opportunity.

This vision of India - turning crisis into opportunity- is going to prove equally effective for our resolve of self-reliant India.

Friends,

Today the meaning of the word self-reliance has changed in the global scenario. The debate on Human Centric Globalization versus Economy Centralized Globalization is on. India's fundamental thinking provides a ray of hope to world. The culture and tradition of India speaks of self-reliance and the soul is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

India does not advocate self-centric arrangements when it comes to self-reliance. India's self-reliance is ingrained in the happiness, cooperation and peace of the world.

This is the culture which believes in the welfare of the world, for all the living creatures and the one which considers the whole world as a family. Its premise is the culture that considers the earth to be the mother. And when the Bharat Bhumi, becomes self-sufficient, it ensures the possibility of a prosperous world. India's progress has always been integral to the progress of the world.

India's goals and actions impact the global welfare. When India is free from open defecation,it has an impact on the image of the world. Be it TB, malnutrition, polio, India's campaigns have influenced the world.

International Solar Alliance is India's gift against Global Warming. The initiative of International Yoga Day is India's gift to relieve stress. Indian medicines have given a fresh lease of life to the people in different parts of the world.

These steps have brought laurels for India and it makes every Indian feel proud. The world is beginning to believe that India can do very well, so much good for the welfare of mankind can give.

The question is - how?

The answer to this question is - A Combined resolve of 130 crore citizens for a self-reliant India.

Friends,

We have a proud history of centuries. When India was prosperous, it was called the golden goose, it was prosperous, and then it always walked tall for the welfare of the world.

Then the times changed, the country was caught in the chains of slavery, we longed for development. Today, when India is making rapid strides in its progress, it is still committed to the goal of global welfare. Remember, the Y2K crisis at the beginning of this century. Technology experts from India pulled the world out of that crisis. Today we have the resources, we have the power, and we have the best talent in the world.

We will make the best products, will improve our quality further, make the supply chain more modern, we can do this and we will definitely do it.

Friends,

I had witnessed the Kutch earthquake. There was debris everywhere. Everything was destroyed. It seemed as if Kutch had fallen asleep wearing a sheet of death. In that situation no one could have imagined that the situation would ever change. However, Kutch stood up, Kutch started moving, Kutch moved. This is the grit and determination of weIndians.

If we are determined then we can reach our goals and no path will be difficult. And today there is a will and there is a way. That is to make India self-reliant. Our combined resolve is so strong that India can become self-sufficient.

Friends, this magnificent building of self-reliant India will stand on five pillars.

First pillar is economy, an economy that brings Quantum Jump rather than Incremental change.

Second pillar is infrastructure, an infrastructure that became the identity of modern India.

Third pillar is our system. A system that is driven by technology which can fulfil the dreams of the 21st century; a system not based on the policy of the past century.

Fourth pillar is our demography. Our vibrant demography is our strength in the world's largest democracy, our source of energy for self-reliant India.

The fifth pillar is demand. The cycle of demand and supply chain in our economy, is the strength that needs to be harnessed to its full potential. In order to increase demand in the country and to meet this demand, every stake-holder in our supply chain needs to be empowered. We will strengthen our supply chain, our supply system built up with the smell of the soil and the sweat of our labourers.

Friends, amidst the Corona crisis, I am announcing today a special economic package with a new resolution. This economic package will serve as an important link in the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan" (Self Reliant India Campaign)'.

Friends, in the recent past economic announcements made by the government related to the Corona crisis, which were the decisions of the Reserve Bank.

The economic package that is being announced today, if added, comes to around Rs 20 lakh crore. This package is about 10 percent of India's GDP. With this various sections of the country and those linked to economic system will get support and strength of Rs 20 lakh crore.

This package will give a new impetus to the development journey of the country in 2020 and a new direction to the self-reliant India campaign. In order to prove the resolve of a self-reliant India, Land, Labor, Liquidity and Laws all have been emphasised in this package.

This economic package is for our cottage industry, home industry, our small-scale industry, our MSMEs, which is a source of livelihood for millions of people, which is the strong foundation of our resolve for a self-reliant India.

This economic package is for that labourer of the country, for the farmers of the country who are working day and night for the countrymen in every situation, every season. This economic package is for the middle class of our country, which pays taxes honestly and contributes to the development of the country. This economic package is for Indian industries, which are determined to give a boost to the economic potential of India. Starting tomorrow, over the next few days, the Finance Minister will give you detailed information about this economic package inspired by the 'Self-reliant India campaign'.

Friends, it is now imperative for the country to move forward with the commitment of Bold Reforms to create a self-reliant India. You have also experienced that as a result of the reforms over the past 6 years, today even in this time of crisis; India's systems have looked more efficient. Otherwise, who could have thought that the money sent by Government of India will reach directly in the pocket of the poor farmer! But it has happened. That also happened when all the government offices were closed; the means of transport were shut down.This was just a reform related to Janadhan-Aadhaar-Mobile-JAM's Trishakti, the effect of which we have just seen. Now the scope of the reforms has to be broadened, giving a new height. These reforms will be in the entire supply chain related to farming, so that the farmer is also empowered and will have minimal impact on agriculture in any other crisis like corona in future. These reforms will be for, rational tax system, simple and clear rules-of-law, good infrastructure, capable and competent human resources, and building strong financial system. These reforms will encourage business, attract investment and strengthen our resolve for Make in India.

Friends, self-reliance is possible only through inner strength and self-belief. Self-reliance also prepares the country for a tough competition in the global supply chain. And today it is the need of the hour that India should play a big role in the global supply chain. Realizing this, many provisions have also been made in the economic package. This will increase the efficiency of all our sectors and also ensure quality.

Friends, this crisis is so big, that the biggest systems have been shaken. However, under these circumstances, the country has also seen the resolve and restraint of our poor brothers and sisters, especially the street vendors, hawkers, labourers, those who are working in homes, they have done a lot of penance during this time, they have sacrificed a lot. Who would not have realized their absence? Now it is our duty to make them strong, to take some big steps for their financial requirements. Keeping this in mind, be it poor, labourers, migrant labourers, cattle rearers, be our fishermen, organized sector or unorganized sector, some important decisions will be announced in the economic package for every section.

Friends, the Corona crisis has also explained to us the importance of Local manufacturing, Local market and Local supply chain. In times of crisis, this Local has fulfilled our demand, this Local has saved us. Local is not just the need, it is our responsibility also. Time has taught us that we must make the Local as a mantra of our life. The Global Brands you feel today were sometimes also very local like this. But when people started using them, started promoting them, branding them, proud of them, they became Global from Local Products. Therefore, from today every Indian has to become vocal for their local, not only to buy local products, but also to promote them proudly. I am confident that our country can do this. Your efforts have increased my reverence for you every time. I recollect one thing with pride. When I requested you and the nation to buy Khadi and said it will be a great support to our handloom workers. Today, the demand and sales of both Khadi and handloom have reached record levels in a very short time. Not only that, you also made it a big brand. It was a very small effort, but the result was very good.

Friends, experts and scientists have pointed out that Corona will remain a part of our lives for a long time. But at the same time, we cannot allow this to happen that our lives will be confined only around the corona. We would wear masks, follow two yards distance and pursue our goals. Therefore, the fourth phase of lockdown, lockdown 4, will be completely redesigned, with new rules. Based on the suggestions we are getting from the states, information related to Lockdown 4 will also be given to you before 18 May. I am confident that by following the rules, we will fight Corona and move forward

Friends, In our culture, it is said what is in our control, is happiness. Self-reliance leads to happiness, satisfaction and empowerment. Our responsibility to make the 21st century, the century of India, will be fulfilled by the pledge of self-reliant India. This responsibility will only get energy from the life force of 130 crore citizens. This era of self-reliant India will be a new vow for every Indian as well as a new festival. Now we have to move forward with a new resolve and determination. When ethics are filled with duty, the culmination of diligence, the capital of skills, then who can stop India from becoming self-reliant? We can make India a self-reliant nation. We will make India self-reliant. With this resolve, with this belief, I wish you the very best.
Teslas factory in Fremont, California, reopened this week in violation of a shutdown order issued by the health authorities of Alameda County, but it didnt stop Elon Musk from considering a move to another more business-friendly state like Texas.

The California county authorities confirmed that the Tesla plant had been reopened, adding that they had notified the company it could only maintain minimum operations until the county reviewed and approved its safety plan.

As for arrests, which Teslas chief executive Elon Musk acknowledged as a possibility and said he should be the only one to get arrested, none were made.

I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me, Musk tweeted yesterday. The Tesla CEO also said, in response to a question about whether the state of California had approved the reopening of the factory, that Yes, California approved, but an unelected county official illegally overrode. Also, all other auto companies in US are approved to resume. Only Tesla has been singled out. This is super messed up!

Musks fight with the Alameda County health authorities escalated earlier this week, when he threatened to pull the company out of California and relocate production to Nevada or Texas. As usual, he took to Twitter to launch his attack.

Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant Interim Health Officer of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense! Musk tweeted on Saturday, just as Tesla said in a blog post that it would reopen the Fremont factory in accordance with strict rules for safety.

Frankly, this is the final straw, Musk continued on Twitter. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.

It was no idle threat, either. Tesla filed a suit against Alameda County this week, Business Insider reported, citing the suit as alleging the county order ignored an earlier order issued by Governor Newsom, which allowed business in 16 industries, including transportation, to resume operation.

Musks advances toward Texas did not go unnoticed. A Hidalgo County judge sent a letter to Elon Musk, wooing him to move Teslas California plant to his county, valleycentral.com reported.

I have recently read of your displeasure with authorities in California and your desire to relocate to Texas immediately  You, of course, are well familiar with South Texas given the presence of the SpeceX launch site at nearby Boca Chica Beach. What you may not be familiar with is the Rio Grande Valleys and Hidalgo Countys existing relationship with automobile manufacturing and the value it may bring to Tesla Motors, the letter read in part, adding that there is no longer a shelter at home mandate.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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On April 27, the United Kingdom put out a medical alert over a small rise in cases of critically ill children with COVID-19. They had developed a multi-system inflammatory disease that had features similar to toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki Disease. A week later, New York City followed with an alert delivered on May 4, reporting on 15 pediatric cases, ranging in age from 2 to 15, hospitalized at various hospitals in the city. The syndrome has now been named Pediatric Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome.

An international conference was convened on Zoom and coordinated by Jeffrey Burns, MD, MPH, chief of Critical Care Medicine at Boston Childrens Hospital, to review records and discuss these cases. Experts included pediatric intensivists, cardiologists, rheumatologists, and infectious and Kawasaki disease specialists, who drew up best practice guidelines for clinicians and outlined research questions for future work. At best, they speculated that the syndrome might be an acquired immune response in genetically susceptible children.

Kawasaki Disease

All the pediatric cases were temporally related to a COVID-19 infection that was marked by persistent fevers characterized by single organ or multi-organ dysfunction. These cases were unique in that infection with the virus preceded the symptomatic manifestation of the disease by four to six weeks when the virus was no longer detectable on nasal swabs. Given that the pandemic first really took hold in the United States in the latter half of March, it remains to be seen if the cases presenting now suggest the beginning of an insidious and dangerous impact in children infected with COVID-19.

The basis of the April 27 alert was the report published in The Lancet, titled Hyperinflammatory shock in children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and focused on a case cluster of eight children who presented with the symptoms of inflammatory shock and Kawasaki-like disease. All the children had tested negative on PCR and bronchoscope lavage, where washings are obtained from the airways and tested for SARS-CoV-2. They also tested negative for any viral infections. Cardiac ultrasound evaluation revealed abnormal findings in the coronary vessels of the heart. One child progressed to developing an aneurysm in these vessels a week after discharge.

The authors concluded their report by highlighting that Evelina London Childrens Hospital pediatric ICU had treated 20 children with similar clinical presentations. The first 10 children had tested positive for the coronavirus antibody.

Some of those affected presented with some or all the features that are seen in a rare and unusual inflammatory condition called Kawasaki disease, named after the physician who first described the constellation of symptoms back in the 1960s. These include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, swollen hands, and red, cracked lips. Some cases lead to enlargement or aneurysms of the coronary arteries, vessels that provide the heart with oxygenated blood. Laboratory findings indicate the victims have an exaggerated systemic immune response, similar to cytokine storms that have caused organ damage in adults with COVID-19.

Acute coronary syndrome and coronary artery aneurysms

Additional findings include coagulopathies, which are a propensity to form blood clots. The heart functions poorly. The patients have diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, and some develop kidney injury. However, primary respiratory symptoms were not always the main feature of the syndrome.

According to a report posted by Bostons Childrens Hospital on May 8, The U.S. cases to date have been mainly in East Coast cities, with some in the Midwest and South. Of note, an uptick has not been observed on the West Coast, or in Japan and Korea, where a different strain of SARS-CoV-2 is believed to predominate.

Until these recent reports began to surface in UK and New York hospitals, most clinicians and health officials underscored the fact that children, for the most part, emerge unscathed by the infection with limited capacity to infect. Many reactionary political pundits vociferously cited these remarks as guidance for opening schools or age-based lifting of restrictions and return-to-work policies.

The CDC published clinical outcomes on April 2 based on limited data from China that suggested pediatric COVID-19 cases might be less severe than adult cases. The agency also cited data from 149,760 laboratory-confirmed cases in the United States, noting that individuals under the age of 18 made up approximately 1.7 percent of all COVID-19 cases. Among pediatric cases, 73 percent had symptoms of fever, cough, or shortness of breath compared to 93 percent of adults. Pediatric hospitalization rates range from 5.7 to 20 percent, including 0.6 to 2.0 percent who were admitted to an ICU. By comparison, 10 to 33 percent of adults aged 18-64 were hospitalized, including 1.4 to 4.5 percent admitted to the ICU.

Dr. Adam Ratner, director of pediatric infectious disease at New York University School of Medicine, told the New York Times, The idea that children either dont get COVID-19 or have a really mild disease is an oversimplification. Its true and comforting that there have been fewer cases detected in children, and that the case fatality rate is much lower in children than in adults, especially older adults, but we have had some extremely sick children. Some have died.

In an interesting report published in the journal Science, the authors noted that while children may have lower infection rates, they have three times as many contacts as adults, negating the differences. Another German study of 3,712 COVID-19 patients, analyzing the relationship between viral load and age, found no significant difference between any pair of age categories, including children. They concluded that viral load in children does not differ from that in infected adults. These findings will need to be seriously considered as clinicians and researchers continue to discover that their hypotheses and opinions frequently run counter to their clinical observations.

The literature on the severe manifestations of COVID-19 in pediatric patients is sparse. In a study published on May 11 in JAMA Pediatrics, the authors attempted to characterize these findings. Forty-eight children with COVID-19 admitted to North American pediatric ICUs were followed in the period from March 14 to April 10. Most admissions lasted approximately one week. Forty patients (83 percent) had significant preexisting conditions. Half of the children had complex developmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, permanent tracheostomies or feeding tubes, or difficulty walking. Some had cancer and suppressed immune systems from organ transplants or immune disorders.

Three-quarters had respiratory symptoms, and 18 (38 percent) of the children required invasive ventilation. One-quarter were noted to be in multi-organ failure. At the end of the observation period of the study, two patients (4 percent) had died. One was 12 and the other 17 years of age. By comparison, adults with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs have fatality rates in the range of 50 to 62 percent. Fifteen of these children were still in the hospital after the study concluded. Three of them remained on ventilator support.

In a seemingly prescient study published in October of 2018 in Frontiers in Pediatrics, Dr. Anne Rowley and Dr. Stanford Shulman of Northwestern University, wrote, Epidemiologic and clinical features of Kawasaki Disease strongly support an infectious etiology. Though the disease is most prominently recognized in Japan, Korea and Taiwan, reflecting a genetic susceptibility among Asian populations, the younger age distribution, and primarily winter-spring seasonality when there have been well-documented Japanese epidemics with wave-like spread suggests an infectious trigger that leads to the development of Kawasaki Disease. Autopsies revealed the upregulation of cytotoxic T-cells, further substantiating their theory. Based on their findings, they postulated that the pathogen involves an RNA virus in which the coronavirus is one.

On Monday, New York state health officials reported that the number of children affected by Pediatric Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome has now possibly risen to 100 as they continue their investigations. Governor Andrew Cuomo also said that there had been two additional deaths. If confirmed, that would raise the total to five children who have died from complications of this manifestation.
As the Trump administration and Democratic and Republican governors push to reopen the economy, frontline health care workers continue to struggle to access personal protective equipment, or PPE.

The PPE shortages have led to growing numbers of nurses and health care workers contracting COVID-19. According to an announcement by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) last Wednesday, some 90,000 health care workers around the world have become infected with the virus, while more than 260 nurses have died.

Moreover, many health care workers who are risking their lives to treat COVID-19 patients are poor and lack health insurance.

May 6 candlelight vigil for Celia Marcos, a nurse who died from COVID-19 at Hollywood Presbyterian (Photo credit: Wally Skalig, LA Times)

According to an article published April 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 3.7 million health care workers (out of a total of 13.8 million workers with patient contact) are at higher risk for complications from the disease, and 7.5 percent of this group, 275,000 people, lack health insurance. The rate of uninsured among health care workers is particularly stark among nursing home staff (11.5 percent) and home care workers (14.9 percent).

The large number of deaths resulting from COVID-19, the fear and uncertainty arising from a lack of adequate PPE, and self-isolation from family members to reduce the risk of disease transmission are taking a heavy toll on the mental wellbeing of health care workers. This was tragically highlighted last month when Dr. Lorna Breen, a New York City emergency room doctor, took her own life. After recovering from COVID-19 herself, she had returned to the grueling frontlines to continue to treat patients.

A joint project between the Guardian newspaper and Kaiser Health News has been highlighting the health care workers who have died from COVID-19. On Friday, the publications documented the lives of 45 health care workers who have perished from the disease.

The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke with two nurses in Southern California who continue to struggle to access PPE, even as they are forced to work longer hours under unsafe conditions. The nurses asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

Nurses at the candlelight vigil (Photo credit: Elizabeth Castillo)

A nurse who works in the Long Beach area, located in metropolitan Los Angeles, noted the difficulties encountered by nurses in accessing PPE and getting testing for COVID-19.

I have procured N95s [face masks] for some of my friends at Long Beach Memorial because the hospital is providing them with only surgical masks if they are caring for a COVID patient, she told the WSWS. But we know from research that droplets have been found on inanimate objects, fomites, outside of the rooms.

In order to get tested for COVID-19, the hospital, which has received funding to test employees, is requiring that nurses demonstrate that they contracted the virus at the hospital. Then they direct them to get tested by the Health Department, she said.

Despite the emergency pandemic conditions, the hospital has been laying off nurses and forcing those who remain to compete for work hours.

They displaced the entire staff in one unit in April, she said, closed the unit down for ICU (intensive care unit), hired ICU travelers, and told us our options are to fight for shifts in the float labor pool or apply for unemployment. Floaters are nurses who float to different areas of the hospital, wherever theres a need for staff.

The use of floaters by the hospital poses additional challenges for nurses, while putting patients at increased risk. Floaters may find themselves without work when staffing levels are adequate. When they do have work, they have to learn each floors specialty. This can place patients at a higher risk because they arent familiar with the conditions of the patients, the nurse said.

Over the past four months, health care workers in the region have carried out job actions to protest unsafe working conditions. In February, nurses in Culver City refused to work because of lack of PPE and inadequate staffing. In April, Providence St. Johns Health Center in Santa Monica suspended 10 nurses who had demanded N95 protection before working in the COVID-19 unit. Last month, hospital staff at UC Irvine Medical Center carried out a candlelight vigil at their shift change to demand more PPE.

Ad from Westways Staffing Services, a temp agency hiring healthcare workers

In response, Long Beach Memorial and other hospitals are using temp agencies, which are advertising for rapid response travel nurse jobs throughout California. Nurses refer to these workers as travelers, or traveling or temp nurses, who may not be trained for highly skilled positions, endangering not only patients, but also themselves.

Offering $6,000 a week pay, an ad by Westways Staffing Services states: Were in need of ICU, ER, and TELE Travel RNs in Southern Californiaall out-of-state RN licenses accepted. Start date is 4/13 and travelers must be willing to float between facilities Free housing available if needed. 60 hours a week guaranteed. $1,200/shift and $6,000/week.

On its website, American Mobile offers crisis pay rates for specialty nursing positions and provides help in getting nursing licenses for crisis positions. It states that California is allowing out-of-state nurses to work during the crisis. American Mobile will provide health insurance, matching 401K, free housing and continuing education.

The WSWS spoke to a longtime registered nurse at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The nurse noted the complete lack of adequate PPE and unsafe working conditions, even as the hospital moves to open up a new $300 million-$400 million wing.

If you work on a regular non-COVID-19 floor, you are given one surgical mask for the entire week, she said. So we end up buying our own protective gear.

Nurses have been forced to purchase their own N95 facemasks, or the Chinese-made KN95 facemasks. The KN95 masks, although similar to N95s, are more difficult to properly align with the contours of the workers face, which is necessary to prevent infection. Last month, the public health authority of Canada stated that the one million KN95 masks it had purchased from China failed to meet government standards for use by frontline health professionals.

We have no idea if they are really helping us or not, the nurse said. Some people put the KN95 or the N95 on and then put another mask over it. We wear these for 12 hours. Theyre supposed to be fitted, with no space to allow for transmission. Many nurses use rubber bands or tape to tighten them to their face. All of us have bruised faces from these things.

We are breathing in our own CO2 for 12 hours. When I take my break, I close the break room door and take off my mask for 25 minutes. But if another nurse is in the room, I cannot do that. So I go into the bathroom to remove the masks, she said.

Normally, masks are supposed to be disposable and used one time per patient. So the question is, the nurse told the WSWS, if we are coming into contact with COVID-19 patients, which most likely we are, we could be colonizing [bacteria] on our masks, wearing them all over the place and even to rooms with non-COVID-19 patients. I am not sure how safe those other patients are with a nurse who is reusing a surgical mask.

While the hospital has stopped supplying nurses with minor comforts such as meals, it is offering $500 bonuses to nurses every two weeks as long as they do not call in sick. But theyre flexing us, the nurse said, giving us only one or two hours notice before the shift so that we dont qualify. Its such BS. Also, if you dont have 72 hours, you wont get it.

Nurses at the hospital are highly stressed, she said. They work you like a dog, and then pit workers against each other. If you have more seniority, youre the last to be flexed. And the union is the eyes and ears of management.

All of this is taking a tremendous toll on the nurses at the hospital. I have constant headaches, she said. All of the nurses do. Were panting under the masks. I work three days in a row.

One elderly nurse in her 70s continues to work despite the high risks because she lost so much money from her 401k, first in the 2008 crash and now in the current one. She told me, Do you know how long it took me to make that, working two jobs? I cant retire. I dont have the money. They dont recommend that people over 65 work near COVID patients, but I have to work.

Nurses at Hollywood Presbyterian have had to deal with the recent tragic death of 16-year veteran Filipina nurse, Celia Lardizabal Marcos, 61, who died from COVID-19 on April 17. On April 3, she was one of three nurses who responded after a suspected coronavirus patient went into cardiac arrest. Wearing only a surgical mask, she intubated the patient. Three days later, she felt ill. On April 15, she was admitted to the hospital, and two days later, she went into cardiac arrest and died. A candlelight vigil was held for her on Wednesday, May 6.

John Marcos, Celias son, told KTLA 5 that his mother lacked access to N95 masks and wore only a surgical mask.

It was definitely heartbreaking, he said. She passed away alone, without family by her side. The hospital she was admitted in, it was also the hospital she was working in, so at least there were coworkers who knew her.

The nurse told the WSWS, Her death hit all of us hard. Many nurses cried. She was a great nurse, and everybody knew how hard she worked.

In response to her death, hospital management called her a hero. Yes, she was a hero, the nurse said. Until Celia Marcos death, which made the news, nurses were given only one mask. Now the hospital is giving us two masks. All the nurses are furious and disgusted. One of them asked, Why does it take the death of a nurse to make them give us more masks? Where were these masks?

The nurse shared with the WSWS a picture of the note accompanying the N95 masks handed out. It states, To better ensure your SAFETY, we have provided you with an approved N95 particulate respirator to keep, reprocess and reuse, and this bag to keep it in.

She said, Theres no one looking out for us. The union couldnt give a damn. They just rubberstamp contracts. When you have a grievance meeting, the union rep comes without a pad and pen, no laptop to take notes. How are they going to represent you if they dont know your situation?

We dont know how many medical workers have died here because of COVID-19 because neither the hospital nor the union tells us.

The trade unions have played a critical role in isolating and shutting down strikes by health care workers and pushing through concessions contracts that have left workers exposed as they face the onslaught of the pandemic. Last Wednesday, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) blocked a potential strike by 10,000 nursing home workers in facilities across Illinois.

Similarly, the California Nurses Association (CNA) and the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) have a long history of isolating struggles by nurses and limiting strikes to one or two days. In March 2018, 18,000 registered nurses at Kaiser Permanente facilities voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike, but the CNA refused to call the strike, instead ratifying a new five-year contract that included a meager 2-3 percent annual wage increase. Later that year, the NUHW called off a strike by 4,000 mental health care workers at 100 Kaiser Permanente facilities across California without having resolved any of the demands made by workers.

Both nurses interviewed by the WSWS criticized the unions for their numerous betrayals of workers struggles and their cozy relationship with management. The CNA is useless! said the Long Beach nurse.

The Hollywood Presbyterian nurse noted that her SEIU union rep did nothing after management threatened a nurse that she would lose her job if she did not treat a known COVID-19 patient despite lacking the necessary protective gear.

The unions are no good, she said. SEIU at Kaiser West LA has a partnership with management that includes a no-strike clause, and the union rep works per diem for Kaiser. How can you represent me when youre working for the company? They dont care about us. They dont give a damn.

Health care workers need to break from these bankrupt organizations and form independent rank-and-file safety committees to enforce on-the-job safety and reach out to other sections of the working classincluding Amazon workers, autoworkers, teachers and othersboth in the US and internationally. This must be linked to a socialist perspective. The fight against the global pandemic is at the same time a fight against the capitalist system, which has no qualms about sacrificing workers lives in the pursuit of profit.

Workers should own the factories, and the hospitals should belong to us, the nurse from Hollywood Presbyterian said. We should be able to have a much better life. We should be able to retire at 50, fully covered, with full pay. We have the resources to do that, but its just what were spending it on.
Engineers thought to be working on 5G received more abuse last month than in the whole of last year following claims the technology was linked to coronavirus.

Openreach, the firm maintaining broadband cables and fibre, said attacks had escalated during the pandemic.

Sixty-eight incidents of verbal and physical abuse  most of them linked to 5G opposition  have been reported since April 1. This compares with 42 for all of 2019.

Workers were also warned that razor blades were being hidden behind anti-5G posters on telegraph poles.

Openreach, which is a division of BT, said engineers had been accused of causing both cancers and coronavirus when at work (file photo)

Theories linking 5G to coronavirus have been condemned by scientists as baseless, with Public Health England explaining that there is no evidence exposure is harmful.

This has not stopped public figures, including Eamonn Holmes, adding fuel to the fire.

He was slapped down by Ofcom after saying on ITV1s This Morning that it was very easy to dismiss the conspiracy theory because it suits the state narrative.

Openreach engineers are continuing to face verbal abuse and physical threats as a result of members of the public being taken in by conspiracy theories linking 5G to coronavirus

Catherine Colloms, of Openreach, which is a division of BT, said engineers had been accused of causing both cancers and coronavirus when at work.

She told the BBC: A lot of it is verbal, a lot of it is quite unpleasant and really distressing for our engineers who are out there trying to do their job and keep the UK connected.

We have had some instances of physical abuse, either threatened abuse or people have attacked, for example, an engineers van when they are working alongside it.

Aaron Ashton-Jones, an Openreach engineer, was verbally abused in Kent by a driver who slammed on his brakes before confronting him in the road.

The man angrily said he was killing communities and spreading this virus.

Mobile UK, which represents EE, O2, Three and Vodafone, says 77 phone masts across the country have been attacked over the past few weeks.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The trade turnover between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan dropped by $1.5 million in March 2020 compared to the same month of 2019, amounting to $30.7 million, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish Trade Ministry.

In March 2020, Turkeys export to Kyrgyzstan reached $26.1 million, while import from Kyrgyzstan - $4.6 million.

From January through March 2020, trade turnover between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan increased by $35.8 million compared to the same period of 2020, exceeding $127.7 million.

During the first quarter of 2020, export from Turkey to Kyrgyzstan amounted to $110.9 million, while import from Kyrgyzstan - $16.8 million.

Turkeys foreign trade turnover exceeded $32.2 billion in March 2020.

In March 2020, Turkeys export decreased by 17.8 percent compared to the same month of 2019, amounting to $13.4 billion. Meanwhile, Turkey's import increased by 3.1 percent compared to the same month of 2019 and amounted to $18.8 billion.

From January through March 2020, Turkeys trade turnover exceeded $98.4 billion.

During 1Q2020, export of Turkey dropped by 4 percent compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $42.7 billion.

In the reporting period, Turkeys import exceeded $55.6 billion, showing an increase of 10.3 percent over the year.

The foreign trade turnover of Turkey amounted to $374.2 billion in 2019.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Subscriber content preview

Photo by Robin Hill [enlarge] Miami Beach Soundscape Park was designed by West 8 Urban Design & Landscape Architecture.





Registration is open for the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture Oct. 2-5 in Miami Beach, Florida.





. . .
The government of Ghana believes that investment in railway infrastructure will put the country on the fast track to economic development.

Construction on the first railway line in Ghana started in 1898 when the country was under British colonial rule. The linebetween Tarkwa, a gold-mining center, and Sekondi on the coastopened in 1901, and in the next two years, it was extended north from Tarkwa to Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region.

When Ghana gained independence in 1957, it had a rail network of nearly 1,000 kilometers, but today only about a sixth of it remains in operation. Derailments and slow speeds are a common occurrence.

Master Plan

In December 2013, the government of Ghana released a railway master plan, setting out six phases of development. Targets included the rehabilitation of the existing narrow-gauge network, and the construction of new linesbuilt to standard-gauge specificationto link all regional capitals and ultimately connect Ghana with its neighbors, Cote dIvoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. This would add more than 4,000 kilometers of track to the network, at a projected cost of US$23 billion.

The plan has received the support of successive administrations.

In 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo established the Ghana Rail Authority by removing the components of the Ministry of Transport related to railways. The newly formed Ministry of Railway Development has two implementing agencies, the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) and the Ghana Railway Company Ltd (GRCL), the owner of the rail infrastructure, and the operator of the railway routes, respectively.

Progress

The first phase of the plan involved completing priority projects over a four-year period from July 2016 to July 2020. The rehabilitation of the line between Accra and the Port of Tema has been completed, and the route reopened in January with a passenger service for 600 people. The line also links free zones in the area to the seaport, with some facilities specifically designed to take advantage of the railway link between the two cities.

The TakoradiTarkwa line is currently in development.

Earlier this year, South African state-owned rail and freight operator Transnet signed an agreement with the GRDA and the GRCL to develop a 66-kilometer standard-gauge railway line alongside the existing line in the Western region, between Takoradi and Tarkwa. The line is crucial for transporting freight, mostly for the mining and agriculture sectors.

Financing Sources

Not all of the key investment in Ghanas railway service has come from the government. Private sector initiatives, such as the completion of the first domestic facility for the production of concrete railway sleepers (as opposed to wooden sleepers) suggest that private companies are positioning themselves to take advantage of the railway boom.

Additional financing sourced through build-own-operate-transfer agreements, barter agreements, and public-private partnerships are integral to the success of the plan, says Richard Dombo, CEO of the GRDA. There has also been a considerable international appetite for rail investment in the country. They have had discussions, for example, with steel producer ArcelorMittal about the right to extract iron ore at Sheini to a value equal to the cost of constructing a rail link between the mine and the coast for exporting the ore.

Ghanas railway lines have historically been engines of growth, Dombo says, and the transport sector remains crucial for future development.

Originating at newafricadaily.com
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Ideal Foods recalled about 3,302 pounds of meat and poultry flatbread pizza products for producing, packing and distributing them without the benefit of federal inspection, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)said in a statement. This is classified by the FSIS as a Class I recall, which indicates 'a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.' The recall involves 13.5-oz., 13.0-oz., 16.5-oz. and 14.5-oz. of plastic-wrapped cardboard trays containing 'culinevo Artisan Style Flatbread Pizza' of four types - Carne Asada, Chicken Spinach Artichoke, Sizzlin Jalapeno and meat Lovers. The flatbread pizza products made with meat and poultry items were produced on various dates between October 2019 and April 2020. They were shipped to a distributor and retail locations in California. The company is yet to receive any confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Ideal Foods warned consumers who have purchased the recalled products not to consume it, and also urged them to either discard them or return it to the seller. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The Spanish Health Ministry reported on Wednesday a slight rise in the number of daily coronavirus-related deaths, with 184 victims recorded in the past 24 hours, compared to 176 on Tuesday. The total number of victims in Spain now stands at 27,104.

According to the latest figures, there were 439 new coronavirus cases, as confirmed by PCR tests, bringing the grand total to 228,691. Todays figure represents a 0.19% rise on the total. Since the beginning of the crisis, 140,832 patients have been discharged from hospital after recovering from the disease  1,843 in the past 24 hours.

Speaking at the governments daily press conference on Wednesday, Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies, said there was not much variation in the figures.

The trend is very similar to the days before and we think that it will be maintained in the next few days, he said.

According to the health official, 10 of Spains 17 regions had reported fewer than 10 new coronavirus infections. Simon also spoke about the use of face masks, which the government is considering making compulsory in all public spaces. It is not easy to make the use of face masks obligatory for everyone, there are groups that cannot use them, or only for short periods, he explained.

Spanish prime minister calls for unity

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for political unity around the governments coronavirus deescalation plan to save lives and jobs during a question and answer session in Congress on Wednesday.

This Congress has a very important job, and I am asking you to stop the confrontation and pitch in, said Sanchez, who heads a minority coalition government made up of his own Socialist Party (PSOE) and junior partner Unidas Podemos.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Congress on Wednesday. Ballesteros (Europa Press)

The prime minister added that the state of alarm, first introduced in mid-March and prolonged every two weeks, will need to be extended once again to keep the coronavirus outbreak under control. We cannot relax measures if the virus continues to be among society. The state of alarm is a necessity, he said.

But Pablo Casado, the leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP), insisted that his group would not support another extension. We must relax the confinement measures according to at-risk groups, and replace once and for all the state of alarm, said Casado. You continue with your lies. Weve had enough.

Madrid premier under fire over luxury quarantine apartment

The premier of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, has been questioned about the conditions of her residence in a luxury hotel. After testing positive for Covid-19 on March 16, the Popular Party (PP) politician went into self-isolation in an upscale hotel-apartment run by the Room Mate chain. Diaz Ayuso has since recovered from the illness, but is still living in the hotel.

The Madrid regional government has provided little information about the accommodation arrangements despite repeated questions from several media outlets, including EL PAIS. In a press release on Tuesday, Room Mate maintained that Ayuso would personally cover the cost of the apartment like any other guest, without any cost to the Madrid region. The company said the price stipulated for the lodging was 80 a night, given that it was for a long-term stay.

Madrid premier, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, during a videoconference from her luxury apartment on March 27.

But questions still remain. For instance, Diaz Ayuso explained in March that she had entered the luxury hotel on March 16, right after announcing that she had tested positive, in order to work more safely while in quarantine for 14 days. But the press release from Room Mate stated that the agreement was signed before the state of alarm, which was declared on March 14, or in other words, before the premier tested positive for Covid-19.

Questions have also been raised about a 565,000 public contract to the owner of Room Mate, Kike Sarasola. This agreement was to provide services for senior citizens at two hotels temporarily converted into residences. The contract was published on Madrids transparency website on Tuesday, but soon modified to replace Room Mate with the name of a different company, Coordinadora del Tercer Sector, and for a different amount, 240,443.57. Both the regional government and the hotel chain blamed the original information on a mistake and said there was never any contract between the two parties.

Opposition parties, however, have accused Diaz Ayuso of foul play. The ethics code of top officials in the regional government, and of your own party, the PP, bans accepting gifts or benefits that could condition your actions as the head of the administration, said Carmen Barahona, the secretary of the Madrid branch of the PSOE, on Tuesday.

The spokesperson for the Madrid branch of Unidas Podemos, Jacinto Morano, agreed that public representatives cannot receive gifts of large amounts from the private sector, and even less so from a private-sector player that has been contracted [by the regional government].

European Commission set to approve deescalation criteria

The European Commission is to approve on Wednesday a set of criteria to guide a three-stage deescalation of coronavirus confinement measures. The plan, which will cover the lifting of border controls, transportation, tourism and consumer protection, aims to ensure an orderly relaxation of the rules, and avoid the flurry of national measures that was seen at the beginning of the pandemic.

A draft of the document, to which EL PAIS has had access, provides a roadmap on how to gradually ease from Phase 0, where there is widespread restriction on movement, to Phase 2, where border controls and restrictions are broadly lifted.

Under Phase 1, which most countries in Europe are approaching, Brussels would like restrictions to be eased to allow travel for professional reasons, and in cases where family members are located in different EU states.

Food lines in Madrid

More than 100,000 people in Madrid have been surviving on food donations from social services and neighborhood networks as a result of the coronavirus crisis. A viral video filmed on Saturday showed the extent of the problem, recording an endless line of people waiting to collect bags of food in the Madrid neighborhood of Aluche. This is not Venezuela, the narrator in the video says.

The neighborhood association in Aluche offers food to some 3,200 residents. It is one of dozens of social networks that has been handing out provisions to families hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Following the controversy caused by the video, it has been revealed that 101,942 people have been receiving food donations in the city of Madrid. In many of these cases, it is the first time they have had to ask for food, according to the Regional Federation of Madrid Neighborhood Associations (FRAVM).

This is a totally new reality that has come with the crisis, said Pepe Aniorte, who leads FRAVMs family welfare department.

With reporting by Juan Jose Mateo, Luis de Vega and Bernardo De Miguel.

English version by Melissa Kitson.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supported the appeal of the head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky to politicians in the EU, the U.S. and parliamentary organizations about the need to lift unilateral sanctions against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

The appeal said that in the face of the global epidemic threat, it was time to stop thinking in the containment paradigm, which put ordinary people on the brink of survival.



"I fully share your views on the need for international cooperation to combat some aspects of this global challenge," the letter reads. Guterres urged UN Member States, including the Russian Federation, "to support each other in the fight against the biggest health crisis of our time, including through financing the Global humanitarian response plan launched in March 2020."

The UN Secretary-General also recalled that in his address to the G20 leaders on March 26, he called for refraining from sanctions that could undermine the ability of states to respond effectively to pandemic challenges.



"And I reiterated my call during the subsequent briefing with member countries on March 27. I intend to continue to take an active part in solving these issues in public and private terms," Guterres emphasized.

Slutsky in his message addressed "all sensible politicians" in the leadership of the EU, the U.S., Great Britain, leading international, interparliamentary and public organizations with an appeal to abandon destructive sanctions policy.
TDT | Manama

Bahrain Chamber chairman Sameer Nass hailed the strides taken by Labour Fund Tamkeen to support the private sector in light of the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Nass underlined Tamkeens pivotal role in empowering Bahrains economy and ensuring its sustainability and commended its strenuous efforts to support the private sector in line with the collective national efforts and the leaderships wise directives.

Nass reiterated pride in Tamkeens concerted effort and swift response to the situation. He shed light on Tamkeens BD- 40million Business Continuity Support Programme, which offers grants to affected small and micro businesses, and its potential to revive them and contribute to revitalising the market.

Nass voiced pride in all efforts exerted during this difficult time and expressed confidence in overcoming this hardship under the guidance of wise leadership.

The Bahrain Chamber chairman also commended the wise directives of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, on expanding the base of beneficiaries from Tamkeens support programmes to include taxi and bus drivers, driving instructors, and those working at kindergartens and nurseries.

This is a gesture that reflects the leaderships keenness in supporting all members of the community, he said.
There has been an escalation in infiltration attempts from across the Line of Control (LoC) into Jammu & Kashmir and a surge in militant violence there. Lt Gen B S Raju, the General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15th Corps, spoke to Ramesh Vinayak about the security challenges in the Valley. Edited excerpts:

What is your assessment of the security situation?

The situation is stable but fragile. Precautionary and pre-emptive measures are being taken for the safety and security of people, and these have been instrumental in saving innocent lives. Post-Pulwama [attack in 2019], we have successfully neutralised the top local commanders of various terrorist outfits, thus resulting in a leadership void. Many overground workers, who were providing logistics and other material support to terrorists have been apprehended...

How have the dynamics of Pakistans cross-LoC support to terrorism changed?

Pakistan has consistently found ways and means to further its agenda of fomenting terror in the Valley. It persists in doing that. Numerous intrusion attempts have been foiled and the Pakistan army is constantly resorting to ceasefire violations to support the terrorists infiltration.

What has been the outcome of anti-militancy operations since the nullification of the Constitutions Article 370?

Militancy has since been on a sharp decline due to our persistent efforts. We had anticipated that Pakistan will increase its efforts to cause turmoil in Kashmir. In spite of the best efforts of Pakistan-sponsored proxies, there has been no loss of civilian life in security operations. That, in fact, has been the hallmark of efforts of all stakeholders for the maintenance of peace in Kashmir.

What is the state of militant outfits active in Kashmir?

We work on concepts and not numbers. And the concept is the constant attempts by Pakistan to infiltrate terrorists and war-like stores to commit sensational terrorist activities. Over the past year, the leadership of all terrorist organisations, including Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind and Jaish-e-Mohammed, has been effectively targeted and eliminated. There is now a definite leadership void.

The number of terrorists presently operating in the Valley has also greatly dwindled owing to the reduced recruitment and the recent successes in the counter-terrorist operations. In all operations, we extend every opportunity to local terrorists to return. Halfway through, the encounters are halted and the parents or society elders are involved to urge the trapped local terrorist to return. We call it Operation MAA where the mothers appeal to their sons gone astray, and we have been successful many times.

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A science teacher, a mental health worker and a retired NHS nurse who returned as a volunteer to battle the pandemic were today named among Londons latest victims to have died with Covid-19.

Douval Thompson-Davis, 59, had taught at Greenford High School in Southall for 12 years, and tested positive for the virus while in hospital being treated for a torn arm muscle. He leaves behind two daughters and wife Sharon.

Headteacher Mia Pye described him as a superb teacher and a kind, generous, endlessly positive person who would be immensely missed.

She added: He had an unwavering belief in the ability of all students to succeed and [was] always available to support any student, at any time, who arrived at his classroom door.

His cousin, Ade Daramy, 65, said Mr Thompson-Davis suffered kidney problems. He died on May 4. The family were not allowed in to see him but the hospital staff put the phone to his ear and they sang songs to him and reminisced, Mr Daramy added.

Highly respected: Alanzo Smith with one of his two children, Alanya

Alanzo Smith, 62, a highly respected mental health worker at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust for 22 years, died on Sunday in University College Hospital after battling symptoms for more than a month. He leaves behind two children and three grandchildren.

His wife Juliana said: He was kind and generous, a loving husband and father. He was highly respected in his job. He loved his work and he loved helping people. We cannot believe he has gone.

Mr Smith had been working until he began feeling ill at the beginning of last month.

Edem Dzigbede, 59, went back in March to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich from where she retired last year after a 30-year nursing career. She died on April 19, leaving three children and two grandchildren. Her daughter Etornem Azar, 32, said: She was an amazing person. When they wanted volunteers to go back, we tried to discourage her but she would not let down the NHS and the patients.

Ben Travis, chief executive of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, said: All our thoughts are with Edems family, loved ones and colleagues. A fundraiser for her family is at gofundme.com/rip-edem-awo-dzigbede
The coronavirus started spreading in Britain before health chiefs managed to find the first two patients in York in January, a study has claimed.

Researchers in Brazil and Uruguay studied COVID-19 outbreaks in countries around the world to try and work out their true start dates.

The first two people to be diagnosed with the disease in the UK were a University of York student and his mother, who was visiting from China at the time. Their positive test results were publicly announced on January 30.

But the study has suggested the virus started spreading between members of the public on January 29, meaning the two patients had either spread it to other people before falling ill, or they caught it from somebody else who brought the virus into the country.

Officials didn't admit there was community transmission in Britain until two months later. Professor Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, said on March 5 only that it was 'highly likely' the virus was spreading in the UK.

The study suggests Britain caught on to its outbreak quickly, however - countries including the US, Italy and the Netherlands had a gap of two weeks between the start and the first positive test.

In Brazil, meanwhile, the virus appears to have been spreading for weeks before the Rio Carnival, which was attended by millions of people in late February, but the first case was only officially recorded on February 26 - the week after.

There were differences in how long it took countries to record their first cases of the coronavirus but the researchers predicted that community outbreaks begun in most affected Western countries between mid-January and early February

Germany managed to declare its first positive test before the virus started to spread, showing officials managed to isolate cases in travellers from abroad.

The researchers, from the Federal University of Espirito Santo and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, and the University of the Republic in Uruguay, studied the death tolls of 10 places to work out when their outbreaks may have begun.

They said that community transmission was likely to have begun at least 20 days before deaths started to rise exponentially.

This is because there can be a three-week lag between someone being diagnosed with the virus and their death being officially recorded.

Many countries, they wrote, seemed to have missed early signs of viral spread which highlighted difficulties they will face tracking it in the future.

For some of them, the virus had been spreading for weeks before anyone tested positive and more than a month before people started to die, the study suggested.

'Community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 probably started in many western countries between middle January to early February 2020, thus long before control measures to restrict air travels and promote social distancing were implemented,' the scientists, led by Professor Gonzalo Bello said.

The first two people to test positive for COVID-19 in the UK were a mother and son staying at the Staycity Hotel in York (pictured). The man was a student at the University of York and his mother was visiting from China

Scientists suggest the coronavirus had been spreading in Brazil for weeks before the Rio Carnival in late February, but the first case wasn't detected until after the world-famous celebrations (Pictured: Millions of people flocked to the streets of the Brazilian capital for the annual festival)

WHEN DID COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION START IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, ACCORDING TO THE STUDY? (Dates used by researchers) Country Community

transmission started First confirmed case First confirmed death China 06-Dec 31-Dec 09-Jan New York 06-Feb 01-Mar 14-Mar Italy 15-Jan 30-Jan 21-Feb Spain 28-Jan 31-Jan 13-Feb France 22-Jan 24-Jan 15-Feb UK 29-Jan 30-Jan 05-Mar Belgium 02-Feb 02-Feb 11-Mar Germany 30-Jan 27-Jan 09-Mar Netherlands 29-Jan 27-Feb 06-Mar Brazil 04-Feb 26-Feb 17-Mar

'That quite long period of cryptic community transmission (> four weeks) in all analysed countries draws attention to the great challenge of tracking the early global spread of SARS-CoV-2.

'[It] supports that control measures should be adopted at least as soon as first imported cases are detected in a new geographic region.'

TIMELINE OF THE START OF BRITAIN'S COVID-19 OUTBREAK The study by scientists from Brazil and Uruguay suggested that the coronavirus started to spread between members of the public in the UK on January 29. This is how Britain's crisis unfolded publicly: January 30: First two people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the UK and admitted to hospital in Newcastle. Believed to have been a University of York student and a relative visiting from China. February 6: A third, unconnected person was diagnosed with COVID-19. February 9: Fourth person diagnosed. February 10: Four more people were diagnosed, taking the total to eight - these were contacts of one of the earlier cases, in Brighton, and had been on holiday with him in France. February 13: A ninth person was diagnosed. All nine of these people would go on to recover and no-one else was diagnosed with the virus for more than 10 days. February 25: The number of cases rose by four to 13. Cluster unconnected to any of the previous cases. This marked the start of a noticeable increase. March 3: One week after the second wave of cases began the number of people diagnosed had risen to 51. March 5: The first death from COVID-19 was announced, in an elderly woman at a hospital in Reading. March 5: The chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, admitted it was 'highly likely' the virus was now spreading uncontrollably among the public in Britain. March 12: A week after Professor Whitty's admission, he said the UK would no longer test everyone suspected of having COVID-19, only people who were in hospitals. By this time 596 people had been diagnosed and nine people were dead. March 16: 1,543 people had been diagnosed and 65 were dead. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the start of social distancing, urging people to avoid unnecessary contact with others and to work from home if they could. March 23: Britain went into total lockdown as 6,650 people had tested positive and 359 were dead. The true scale of the outbreak was completely unknown. Advertisement

The research found that there was a delay of just one day between the start of community transmission of COVID-19 in the UK.

Two people were confirmed to have the virus on January 30, but the timing of the start of people dying suggested they had either spread the virus to others or caught it from someone else before they were hospitalised.

England confirmed the first death from COVID-19 on March 5.

Belgium managed to pick up the first case of the coronavirus on the same day that public transmission is thought to have started, on February 2. Its first fatality was announced on March 11.

Spain and France managed a lag of just two days, the scientists said, while Germany picked up the first cases in travellers three days before community spread began.

New York, however, saw a lag of almost a month - from February 6 to March 1 - from the estimated beginning of uncontrolled infections to its first positive test.

The city has since battled one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the world and around 340,000 people have tested positive there, with almost 22,000 dead.

There was a lag of just over three weeks in Brazil, the scientists' home nation, the study found.

Crucially, the country's Carnival festivities happened during that three weeks. Transmission is anticipated to have started on February 6, before the first case was diagnosed on February 26. The first person died on March 17, the study said.

The five-day carnival is the biggest annual event in Brazil and more than 30million people fill the swarming crowds that flock to the country's major cities.

According to Statista, some 15million people attended the carnival in Sao Paolo this year, along with seven million in Rio de Janeiro and five million in Belo Horizonte.

The huge groups of people cramming into city streets could have been a hotbed for the spread of the virus, which jumps from person to person via droplets of breath.

Almost 180,000 people have since tested positive for the coronavirus and at least 12,400 people have died.

'Intense virological surveillance' would be critical to spot future waves of infections before they spiral out of control, the researchers said.

The research was published online on MedRxiV without being scrutinised by other scientists.
The Bombay high court (HC) on Tuesday took note that the police machinery is under great stress and strain and directed the Maharashtra government to relieve the personnel, who are engaged in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) duties, with other off-duty public servants.

Justice Ravindra Ghuge suggested that if stranded people wish to return to their native places amid the easing of lockdown restrictions, then off-duty employees of the revenue department, who are below 50 years, could be pressed into service to facilitate their movement. The move would lessen the burden on the overworked state police personnel, the court observed.

Police personnel are deployed everywhere. Theyre even asked to handle applications for travel passes, said Justice Ghuge while hearing a suo motu (on its own motion) petition concerning several unconnected issues regarding the pandemic.

The court also directed the state government to ensure adequate safeguards for those who are at the frontline battling the viral outbreak such as doctors and paramedical staff.

It took note of the threats faced by a staff nurse, who works at Aurangabad district general hospital, and her family members and directed the authorities concerned to file complaints against the accused.

The locals had threatened to assault the husband and son of the staff nurse if they did not leave the neighbourhood, as they were suspected of spreading SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19. The familys car was also damaged.

The threats stopped after the local police administration intervened.
An American man in a desperate search to find an Australian woman living in Los Angeles has been ridiculed in spectacular fashion after he shared a plea online.

Andrew Klinkhammer, 24, said in a video on Tuesday that he joined the group 'Australians in LA' after a conversation with co-workers prompted him to seek out a partner from Down Under.

After he was able to join the group of over 17,000 members Mr Klinkhammer posted a heartfelt plea - unaware of their infamous Aussie brutality.

Andrew Klinkhammer, 24, (pictured right) set out to meet an Australian woman living in Los Angeles through an Aussie group but quickly found himself the target of ridicule

'I'm a single, 24-year-old American guy who recently moved here. I'm currently on a quest to meet some Australian friends here. Especially Australian women!' He said.

'Please direct message me if you would like to chat/want to help me in my quest.'

Mr Klinkhammer said he quickly found himself being ridiculed by members of the group for the strange request.

'Is there a U.S. version of Crime Stoppers? If so, warn them now,' one person wrote.

'Posting this to a group of Aussies was only ever going to end one way,' another said.

'Dear American guy, Aussies don't really like Americans, signed an American lady,' added another.

Mr Klinkhammer said he quickly found himself being ridiculed by members of the group for the strange request

The Youtuber said despite his best attempts, no one took his post seriously and he was unsuccessful in meeting an Australian woman.



'Some people did comment tagging some very good looking Australian girls who I sent friend requests to and you guessed it, none of them accepted my friend request,' he said.

Mr Klinkhammer said the attempt was 'partly a joke' and 'partly serious' that didn't end well.

'So nothing came of this other than people just humiliated me and we got some laughs out of it,' he said.
By Trend

The collaboration of grandfather of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with the Nazis is a disgrace for Armenia, Azerbaijani Political Scientist Fikrat Sadikhov told Trend.

Pashinyan presents himself as a democrat. But the situation reveals the essence of Pashinyan, showing the world that this is not what it is. Firstly, the unveiling of a six-meter monument to the executioner Nzhdeh in the center of Yerevan indicates that the country is promoting fascism. Despite protests, this monument has still not been demolished. Secondly, Pashinyans grandfather fought alongside Nazis against the Soviet Union. The hands of this executioner are stained with blood, Sadikhov stressed.

He noted that the presence of a Nazi-collaborating grandfather, a monument to Garegin Nzhdeh in the center of Yerevan, as well as liberal attitude towards the glorification of Nazi servants - all together eloquently characterize the Armenian prime minister.

If there are still at least five sober-minded people in Armenia, they must express their protest to Pashinyan. And, I think that the protests have already begun. Political forces are already uniting against Pashinyan, Sadikhov emphasized.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
WorkSafe has launched an investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak at Cedar Meats in Melbourne's west, which is linked to 88 infections.

The probe will examine social distancing measures at the abattoir in Brooklyn and whether workers were provided with appropriate personal protective equipment and hand sanitiser.

The Cedar Meats plant, where Victoria's biggest COVID-19 cluster emerged. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Because Worksafe is an independent statutory authority, it could also focus on the adequacy of communication between the Department of Health and Human Services, Cedar Meats and a labour-hire company once a spate of positive test results in workers were returned in late April.

The Andrews Government and Cedar Meats management have strongly defended their handling of the outbreak.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 12)  The number of patients who have survived COVID-19 has now surpassed 2,000 as the Department of Health recorded 107 new recoveries on Tuesday.

The total number of recovered patients is now at 2,106.

Meanwhile, 264 new infections have been recorded by the DOH, as the countrys total rises to 11,350.

Metro Manila remains to have the most number of new infections daily, with 165 being registered in the latest data by the Health department. This is followed by Central Visayas with 74 new cases, while 25 more have been recorded in other regions nationwide.

The Health department also announced 25 more fatalities, bringing the death toll to 751.

Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire in a media briefing online said that the surge in the tally of confirmed cases is due to the country's increased testing capacity.

She reiterated that the basis to determine if the spread of the virus has slowed is the positivity rate. This is the ratio of those who test positive for COVID-19 out of the total number of tests performed.

Vergeire added that starting Wednesday, the DOH will make available to the public a real-time positivity trend chart to show whether or not the rate of infections has been slowing.

READ: Rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases vs. individuals tested drops by 7 percent in May

According to DOH data, the majority of COVID-19 patients in the country exhibit mild symptoms, and the average hospital length of stay for recovered patients is at 15 days. Around 55 percent of deaths also had known comorbidities, with the top two being hypertension and diabetes.

Modified ECQ

Amid the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in certain high-risk areas, the government on Tuesday afternoon placed Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City under "modified" enhanced community quarantine from May 16 to May 31.

Under the modified ECQ, authorities will allow limited movement for obtaining essential services and work, 50 percent operation of selected manufacturing and processing plants, and limited transportation for essential goods and services.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque described the modified lockdown as a "transition phase" from a strict enhanced community quarantine to a relaxed general community quarantine.

READ: LIST: What daily life would be like in areas under modified ECQ, GCQ, and no quarantine

According to COVID-19 Response Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, this gradual transition to GCQ is important because of the blow of the coronavirus crisis to the country's economy.

Citing the need for more aggressive testing to immediately identify and isolate those infected, Galvez also earlier announced the governments plan to operate a total of 78 accredited COVID-19 testing centers by the end of May, to augment the countrys daily testing capacity to 30,000.

To date, only 28 laboratories across the country have been licensed by the DOH to perform real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for coronavirus.

Cases among Filipinos overseas

Meanwhile, 38 more Filipinos abroad have been infected with the viral disease, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases among Filipinos overseas to 2,233.

The latest data also registered 25 new recoveries, with the total now at 669, which is nearly 30 percent of confirmed cases. One more died, bringing the total number of fatalities to 261, the DFA added.

Filipino COVID-19 cases have been reported in 46 countries or regions worldwide. Europe has the highest number with 668 cases. Next are the 643 cases in the Middle East/Africa, 529 in the Americas, and 393 in Asia Pacific.

As the whole world transitions into a new normal, health officials continue to remind the public to adhere to health protocols and exercise preventive measures. These include proper hygiene, wearing of face masks, physical distancing, cough etiquette, and regular disinfection of frequently used items.

Globally, over 4.2 million people have so far been infected with the viral illness. Around 290,000 of these cases resulted in death, while more than 1.4 million patients have already recovered.
[May 13, 2020] Rasmussen College Launches Comprehensive Learner Record, a Digital Skills-Focused Transcript

Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today announced the launch of its new Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR). The revolutionary digital, competency-based transcript will enable students and alumni to easily track both transferrable "soft" skills and programmatic academic outcomes-both of which apply directly to high-demand careers, providing for a seamless transition from the classroom to the workforce. Rasmussen College's CLR is the next generation of skills communication for students and alumni. It supplements the traditional college transcript and provides an opportunity to more clearly share strengths and competencies in the workforce-relevant skills employers need. The reports are digital, skills-focused, shareable and accessible 24/7 for students or alumni to easily share their strengths and skills with employers. "The Rasmussen College Comprehensive Learning Record is built for a 21st-century career environment where skills are the new currency," said Brooks Doherty, assistant vice president of Academic Innovation at Rasmussen College. "It helps demonstrate a student's proficiency in transferable skills that are extremely valued in today's workforce. We believe all Rasmussen graduates must develop these skills to excel and grow not only academically but in their careers." Several national organizations, including the U.S Chamber of Commerce Foundation and its T3 Innovation Network, are working with institutions like Rasmussen College to innovate how learners' skills are communicated to employers. "Rasmussen College's CLR is an early and critical contribution to an important national movement," said Jason Tyszko, vice president, Center for Education and Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. "Since competencies are the new currency, we need data and language that are skills-based, digital and shared between employers and higher education. Rasmussen College's Comprehensive Learner Record fulfills that need at a high level." The CLR report identifies indiviual proficiency levels across six program-specific skill areas as well as six transferable skills essential in well-rounded employees and informed citizens. The transferrable skills include: communication, critical thinking, digital fluency, diversity and teamwork, ethics and professional responsibility, and information literacy. The Rasmussen College CLR will be implemented in phases prior to launching across all degree programs. The reports initially will be incorporated into two Competency-Based Education (CBE) graduate programs at Rasmussen College: Master of Human Resources Management (MHRM) and Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA).



Rasmussen College created the CLR using internal resources, existing technology and the preexisting alignment of student learning outcomes, course competencies, course assessments and employers' expectations. The CLR will be useful in helping learners understand their strengths and communicate them accurately to employers, with easy-to-understand assessment evidence. For more information about the Comprehensive Learner Record, click here.

ABOUT RASMUSSEN COLLEGE: Rasmussen College is a private college regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of our diverse communities through in-demand, flexible, accessible and affordable educational programs. A pioneer in career-focused education since 1900, the College leads advancements in innovations such as employer-led and expert-designed curriculum and comprehensive student support services to help working adults advance their educations. Additionally, Rasmussen College is a nationwide leader in competency-based education. Rasmussen College offers undergraduate and graduate programs online and across its 24 Midwest and Florida campuses. The College encourages its students, faculty and staff to strive for academic excellence, community enrichment and service to the public good. For more information about Rasmussen College, please visit rasmussen.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005828/en/

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Asha Negi has ended weeks of speculation and confirmed her break-up with her boyfriend of six years Rithvik Dhanjani. However, she said that though they were no longer together, she will always have love and compassion for him.

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Asha said, People fall apart, relationships fall apart. But the main thing in life is that you have love and compassion for the person and that never dies. She did not divulge details of what led to the break-up and said, I would like to say that (respect and compassion) will always be there. I dont want to talk so much about my personal life.

Rithvik and Asha met on the sets of their show Pavitra Rishta. However, it was not love at first sight for them. It was only after spending a lot of time on the sets that their friendship blossomed into something more and they began dating in 2013.

A few months after their relationship became public, Rithvik and Asha participated in the dance reality show Nach Baliye 6 and won the trophy.

Also read: Pooja Bedi reveals daughter Alaya F, son Omar encouraged her to remarry before she met fiance Maneck Contractor

Reports of Rithvik and Ashas break-up began doing the rounds last month. What added fuel to the fire was a cryptic quote shared on his Instagram stories days after the reports surfaced. Nothing should go back to normal. Normal wasnt working. If we go back to the way things were, we will have lost the lesson. May we rise up and do better, the quote read.

Meanwhile, Asha is currently seen in the web series Baarish 2, alongside Sharman Joshi. A Hindustan Times review of the show called it stagnant and dated: There is no easy way to say it: Baarish 2 -- from Ekta Kapoors stable of romance/family drama -- does not remind you of gentle pitter-patter of raindrops and nature re-energising itself. Instead, it puts you slam-dunk in the middle of a torrential Mumbai downpour where you struggle for your very life as you pick your way through manholes.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday that nearly all retail businesses in the city would be permitted to reopen in a limited capacity on Monday, May 18, as long as local hospitals do not see an unexpected surge in hospitalizations over the weekend.

Previously, city officials outlined select types of businesses  which included florists, game and hobby shops and record and bookstores, among others  which could begin to operate that day on a to-go or delivery basis only.

Wednesday's announcement extends the allowance to all retail businesses "actually directly connected to the street," which Breed noted was about 95% of all retailers in San Francisco (but excluded malls). That means companies and storefronts ready to comply with new safety guidelines (to be released Thursday by the city) can launch to-go and delivery sales. Manufacturing and warehouses may also resume production, Breed noted.

"There will of course be limitations," she continued. "We want to make sure these businesses are prepared for guidelines and can provide this level of service to the community. I'm really excited about this because this is going to ... support the jobs that hopefully, many will return as a result."

To date, she noted, 100,000 San Franciscans have applied for unemployment. Based on population data from 2018, that translates to more than one in every nine San Franciscans.

Breed said the city of San Francisco is able to take this step towards reopening retail due to its focus on key indicators, which include flat hospitalization rates and a securing of necessary PPE supplies for medical professionals, among other objectives.

In an effort to ensure a surge of new COVID-19 cases does not occur, the city is releasing a number of guidelines Thursday for companies to abide by as they reopen. San Francisco Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax offered a specific example, saying that these retailers must limit employees onsite.

Stores offering pick-up must have only up to 10 employees onsite at any given time, or fewer if the store is smaller. Warehouses must have just 15 or fewer there at any given time.

"As we begin to carefully transition to this next phase, this new phase, we must balance a continued emergency response alongside embarking on a path to recovery," Colfax said. "But remember, the virus doesn't have a timeline. In fact, if we move too quickly, it will get much longer. But the good news is the way we live with virus is under our control."

Should there be an uptick in cases as a result of the onset of retail re-openings, the city could "scale back" the relaxing of the shelter-in-place guidelines.

"We are gradually facing in, we are watching those indicators, that the public health measures we continue to maintain will flatten the curve," he said. "If indicators go in an opposite direction we will investigate as quickly as possible and make decicions based on the data about where and when we might be able to scale back."

San Francisco will join San Mateo County in its efforts to similarly reopen retail in step with Phase 2 of Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom's "Resilience Roadmap."

"I am encouraged that data about COVID-19 cases, hospital capacity, and other indicators show some stability so that San Mateo County can now enter the early stages of Phase 2," Said Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Murrow in a statement. "I want to remind everyone these modifications are not being made because it is safe to be out and about. The virus continues to circulate in our community, and this increase in interactions among people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate. Whether these modifications allow the virus to spread out of control, as we saw in February and March and resulted in the first shelter in place order, is yet to be seen."

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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Alyssa Pereira is an SFGate digital editor. Email: alyssa.pereira@sfgate.com | Twitter: @alyspereira


New Delhi, May 13 : Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited the historic Central Hall of Parliament and the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers on Wednesday on the occasion of 68th year of the first sittings of Parliament.

The Vice-President and the Lok Sabha Speaker shared memories and experiences of the first sittings of the two Houses.

They were accompanied by Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V. Muraleedharan.

Earlier, Birla congratulated the people on the occasion and said it was a momentous day for the Indian democracy. It was on May 13, 1952, that both Houses of Parliament held their first sittings after Independence, he said.

Birla underlined strong roots of democratic traditions in India. He said Indian Parliament had been playing a pivotal role in realising the cherished ideals of the Constitution, participatory democracy, social justice and ensuring that citizens got their rightful economic, social, political and cultural rights.

The Speaker said during the past seven decades India had surmounted many obstacles and had safeguarded and consolidated the Constitution and the democratic principles of governance.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., one of the largest employers in Massachusetts, will keep its offices closed through the summer.

CEO Roger Crandall announced the decision during an all-staff meeting. Employees will return to their offices no earlier than the beginning of September.

Approximately 96% of MassMutual employees have worked from home since mid-March, with a limited number of essential staff still working on-site.

Timing for reopening will be based on guidance from federal, state and local government as well as a reduction in the number of new cases in states where offices are based.

MassMutual has about 3,500 employees based in its Springfield office, 1,500 in Enfield and about 500 in Boston. The company also has offices in Arizona and New York.

The company announced in mid-March that it would close its offices as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States continued to grow.

At the time, Massachusetts had 95 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Two months later, the number of confirmed cases in the commonwealth has reached 79,332 as of Tuesday.

Prior to the office closure, thousands of employees were already working from home due to school closures.

Massachusetts schools will remain closed through the end of the year and daycare facilities will remain closed until June 29.

In light of the impact to employees day-to-day lives, MassMutual has expanded its benefits program.

Employees are being provided up to 80 hours of additional paid time off for needs related to COVID-19, including if they or a loved one becomes sick from the virus.

Employees can participate in online yoga classes, meditation programs and take stretch breaks during the day. To support employees feeling increased anxiety or stress, the company has offered free counseling sessions since the start of the public health crisis.

Related Content
The House of Representatives proposed a COVID-19 relief bill that appropriates more than $3 trillion on economic rescue for individuals and small business, but also focuses on modernizing government technology, provides for expanded telework for the federal workforce and contractors and takes steps to modernize the way medical and public health acquisition and equipment stockpiling is managed.

The House is planning a vote on Friday.

Senate leadership is not looking to move the bill, dubbed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, anytime soon. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters May 12 that he doesn't feel "urgency" to take up the House legislation. At the same press conference, Majority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) called the bill a "laundry list" and said "it's not going anywhere."

Workforce

The bill provides for federal workers and contractors to telework during the coronavirus pandemic. Eligibility to telework had been an source of confusion during the early days of the virus. The bill also pushes agencies to expand telework usage while disincentivizing any efforts to scale it back.

The proposal stipulates that agencies would be required to allow contractors to telework during the pandemic if the nature of their jobs allowed for it and to give periodic updates to Congress. Contractors who received adverse performance ratings as a result of contract disruptions due to COVID-19 would not be penalized.

David Berteau, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, lauded the contractor provisions in the bill.

"Across the country, companies are rallying to ensure the availability of critical supplies and services to address the coronavirus crisis," Berteau said. "This package supports this effort, maintains workforce employment, and sustains the industrial base -- including many small businesses -- by keeping companies working and funded."

Federal workers who were no longer able to meet the physical requirements of their jobs due to exposure to COVID-19, and as a result moved to other civil service jobs, would be allowed to remain on their existing retirement plans.

Workers who contracted COVID-19 and whose jobs required extensive contact with the public, such as Transportation Security Officers, would be presumed to have contracted the virus while on the job and would be granted workers compensation accordingly.

The bill also extends a provision of premium pay intended for a wide range of frontline essential workers in the private sector and in state and local government -- from grocery store workers to mass transit operators to first responders -- to feds. Under the bill, federal workers would be eligible for the premium pay, and the Office of Personnel Management would be tasked with developing corresponding regulations.

On oversight, the bill would allow the Chair of the Committee of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency greater flexibility when choosing an official to oversee overall COVID-19 relief funding. It would also require the president to give at least 30 days' notice to Congress before putting an IG official on administrative leave and require congressional justification for any IG seat that is empty for 210 days. IGs would be able to be removed only for just cause, such as neglect, inefficiency, or abuse of authority -- a provision for which independent watchdogs had long advocated.

Acquisition

The bill includes $1 billion for the Technology Modernization Fund administered by the General Services Administration. The revolving fund, authorized by the Modernizing Government Technology Act, gives reimbursable funds to agencies to break out of the trap of maintaining legacy systems and acquire and shift to manage services such as cloud. The HEROES Act specifies that the funds be used to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus.

While the bill includes $875 billion in no-year direct aid to states to replace lost revenues from sales taxes and other consequences of dramatically diminished economic activity, it does not yet include a bipartisan measure designed to give states funds to upgrade legacy technology systems, such as decades-old unemployment insurance systems, that have stymied or delayed millions of Americans seeking to file claims or access social programs. Rep. James Langevin (D-R.I.) and a bipartisan group are in the midst of an effort designed to sign on members of both parties to support some measure of aid to state technology upgrades as part of the next round of COVID-19 relief.

The bill also looks to overhaul and systematize the way the federal government acquires and stockpiles medical equipment, including personal protective equipment, to prepare for future health crises and manage the current pandemic.

A new Medical Supplies Response Coordinator would be tasked with serving as a point of contact connecting the national health care system, suppliers and states. The individual holding the job would be required to have "health care training and an understanding of medical supply chain logistics."

The section covering the public health response also introduces new flexibilities into the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile of medical equipment, that is designed to move gear around in advance of expiration dates. A new manufacturing pilot would be designed to keep the stockpile refreshed at all times.

On the technology side, the bill would require the Department of Health and Human Services to produce a reporting portal for hospitals, nursing homes and health care providers to share data on their capacity to treat COVID-19 patients. This covers personnel, beds, ventilators, PPE inventory and other factors.

Election access

The bill includes a section designed to expand absentee voting and vote by mail in large part due to concerns that fears of catching coronavirus at the polls will deter in-person voting. The bill also makes it easier for voters to make requests to vote absentee online.

It would compel each state and election jurisdiction to allow for online voter registration, allow residents to request their absentee ballots through the Internet and create programs to track and confirm their receipts, which would also be made available to residents online.

The bill requires an allowance for early voting (including by mail) for up to 15 days before an election and instructs states to begin scanning and processing such ballots at least 14 days prior. It would also formulate a contingency plan for voting during a natural or public health emergency -- including an infectious disease outbreak. Those plans must cover how equipment are moved around.

The bill also creates a new $20 million grant program to help states conduct Risk Limiting Audits of their voting machines. The Election Assistance Commission would get a $3 million bump to its budget and be charged with sending payments to states to help cover the costs of audit compliance.
Energy & Environment Opportunity NOx. Adsorption of Nitrogen Oxide.



13.05.2020 14:34:46 - New Pilot System for Smart Adsorption of Nitrogen Oxide From Exhaust Gases and Breathing Air Now With 15 Times Greater Capacity



(live-PR.com) - Successful test in large city shows technologys potential to avert car bans; installation in vehicle exhaust systems the ultimate goal



Pasching (Austria) 13th May 2020. A specially developed filtration system that adsorbs harmful nitrogen oxide from ambient air has successfully come through initial tests, and its capacity will now be enlarged. Produced by Austrian company Krajete GmbH, the system was installed - Successful test in large city shows technologys potential to avert car bans; installation in vehicle exhaust systems the ultimate goalPasching (Austria) 13th May 2020. A specially developed filtration system that adsorbs harmful nitrogen oxide from ambient air has successfully come through initial tests, and its capacity will now be enlarged. Produced by Austrian company Krajete GmbH, the system was installed in the German city of Heilbronn, where it filtered 1,500m3 of air per hour, but the capacity of the new model will be more than 15 times higher. During the initial phase, the equipment ran for more than a year without the need for maintenance or repairs. This means the technology is ideally suited to permanent deployment in air purification solutions on major traffic routes where vehicle bans could be imposed. The long-term aim is to install the equipment in the exhausts of petrol and diesel vehicles, which will remain part of our lives for decades to come.



Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are harmful exhaust gases which at the same time have significant economic potential. Lower threshold values for these gases mean that more and more traffic arteries face the prospect of vehicle bans, but on the other hand NOx could serve as a cost-effective basis for mineral fertilizers. Although catalytic converters can help reduce NOx emissions, they do not do so to a sufficient extent, while the nitrogen which is given off could be used in agriculture. In this regard, the technology developed by Austrian company Krajete GmbH has stronger potential: it removes NOx from breathing air by binding it, a process called adsorption.



Air Cleaning Method

The technology uses a naturally occurring mineral from the aluminum silicate class of chemical components, which binds NOx under certain conditions and extracts them from the air. What sets our technology apart is that the filter material adsorbs nitrogen oxides both at very high and very low NOx concentrations, says Alexander Krajete, founder and CEO of Krajete GmbH, outlining the developments advantages. This is a fundamental requirement that needs to be met if the technology is to be used to clean ambient air (in which the NOx concentration is relatively low) and to purify vehicle exhaust fumes (which have high NOx concentrations).



A pilot system to clean ambient air in the German city of Heilbronn has been in operation for more than a year. Neither maintenance nor repair work has been necessary during this time. The local authority is testing various options which would avert the potential need for a vehicle ban on a key traffic route. Although the capacity of the system used in the test phase was small (1,500m3 of air/hour), it has removed several hundred thousand milligrams of NOx from the air. If you consider that the NOx concentration in vehicle exhaust fumes is about 1,000 times higher, you can see the potential of this technology if it is installed directly at the place where the emissions are generated, Krajete commented, looking back on a highly successful year of testing.



Take a Deep Breath

In response to the positive results of the initial trials, Krajete GmbH has decided to build a larger system which can filter a hefty 25,000m3 of air per hour. The system will be installed shortly, and the findings from its operation will feed into further development. This will involve examining the potential uses of the nitrogen bound by the aluminum silicate adsorber. In Alexander Krajetes view, these include application as a plant nutrient: Instead of producing nitrogen fertilizers from atmospheric nitrogen, which is a complex, energy-intensive and expensive procedure, we could use a very cheap source which doubles up as a means of purifying the air, he says of this exciting new approach. His enthusiasm is shared by major German car manufacturers, which are carrying out detailed analysis of Krajetes technology and are in talks with the company.



Images available under following link. Please ask for higher resolution:



About Krajete GmbH (last updated: May 2020)

Headquartered in Pasching (Austria), the company capitalises on the ability of methanogenic microorganisms to generate methane from CO2 and H2 by means of biological processes. This means that CO2  in the form of the intermediate product, methane  can be used as the feedstock for a wide range of applications where the idea of a closed carbon cycle is always the focus of attention.



Contact Krajete GmbH:

Dr. Alexander Krajete

Prinz Eugen Str. 66

4061 Pasching, Austria

T +43 699 172 668 20

E info@krajete.com

W www.krajete.com

in the German city of Heilbronn, where it filtered 1,500m3 of air per hour, but the capacity of the new model will be more than 15 times higher. During the initial phase, the equipment ran for more than a year without the need for maintenance or repairs. This means the technology is ideally suited to permanent deployment in air purification solutions on major traffic routes where vehicle bans could be imposed. The long-term aim is to install the equipment in the exhausts of petrol and diesel vehicles, which will remain part of our lives for decades to come.Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are harmful exhaust gases which at the same time have significant economic potential. Lower threshold values for these gases mean that more and more traffic arteries face the prospect of vehicle bans, but on the other hand NOx could serve as a cost-effective basis for mineral fertilizers. Although catalytic converters can help reduce NOx emissions, they do not do so to a sufficient extent, while the nitrogen which is given off could be used in agriculture. In this regard, the technology developed by Austrian company Krajete GmbH has stronger potential: it removes NOx from breathing air by binding it, a process called adsorption.Air Cleaning MethodThe technology uses a naturally occurring mineral from the aluminum silicate class of chemical components, which binds NOx under certain conditions and extracts them from the air. What sets our technology apart is that the filter material adsorbs nitrogen oxides both at very high and very low NOx concentrations, says Alexander Krajete, founder and CEO of Krajete GmbH, outlining the developments advantages. This is a fundamental requirement that needs to be met if the technology is to be used to clean ambient air (in which the NOx concentration is relatively low) and to purify vehicle exhaust fumes (which have high NOx concentrations).A pilot system to clean ambient air in the German city of Heilbronn has been in operation for more than a year. Neither maintenance nor repair work has been necessary during this time. The local authority is testing various options which would avert the potential need for a vehicle ban on a key traffic route. Although the capacity of the system used in the test phase was small (1,500m3 of air/hour), it has removed several hundred thousand milligrams of NOx from the air. If you consider that the NOx concentration in vehicle exhaust fumes is about 1,000 times higher, you can see the potential of this technology if it is installed directly at the place where the emissions are generated, Krajete commented, looking back on a highly successful year of testing.Take a Deep BreathIn response to the positive results of the initial trials, Krajete GmbH has decided to build a larger system which can filter a hefty 25,000m3 of air per hour. The system will be installed shortly, and the findings from its operation will feed into further development. This will involve examining the potential uses of the nitrogen bound by the aluminum silicate adsorber. In Alexander Krajetes view, these include application as a plant nutrient: Instead of producing nitrogen fertilizers from atmospheric nitrogen, which is a complex, energy-intensive and expensive procedure, we could use a very cheap source which doubles up as a means of purifying the air, he says of this exciting new approach. His enthusiasm is shared by major German car manufacturers, which are carrying out detailed analysis of Krajetes technology and are in talks with the company.Images available under following link. Please ask for higher resolution: www.krajete.com/en/company/facilities/ About Krajete GmbH (last updated: May 2020)Headquartered in Pasching (Austria), the company capitalises on the ability of methanogenic microorganisms to generate methane from CO2 and H2 by means of biological processes. This means that CO2  in the form of the intermediate product, methane  can be used as the feedstock for a wide range of applications where the idea of a closed carbon cycle is always the focus of attention.Contact Krajete GmbH:Dr. Alexander KrajetePrinz Eugen Str. 664061 Pasching, AustriaT +43 699 172 668 20 Contact information:

PR&D  Public Relations for Research & Education



Mariannengasse 8, 1090 Vienna, Austria







Contact Person:

Dr. Till C. Jelitto

CEO

Phone: 0043 / (0)1 / 505 70 44

eMail: eMail



Web: http://www.prd.at

Author:

Till C. Jelitto

e-mail

Web: http://www.prd.at

Phone: +43 - 1 - 505 70 44 13.05.2020 14:34:46 -

Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party.
Hydroxychloroquine, also known as Plaquinol, in a photo illustration. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Zinc-Hydroxychloroquine Combination Effective in Some COVID-19 Patients: Study

Treating COVID-19 patients with zinc in addition to hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin led to a higher rate of discharge from hospitals and a lower likelihood of dying, according to a new study.

Researchers at New York Universitys School of Medicine reviewed records from roughly 900 patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

About half received zinc sulfate in addition to hydroxychloroquine, a treatment typically used against malaria and lupus, and azithromycin, a common antibiotic. The other half received the two treatments without zinc.

Patients receiving the triple-drug treatment were 1.5 times more likely to recover enough to be discharged from hospitals and were 44 percent less likely to die, when compared to the other group.

We found a statistically significant decrease in mortality among patients who received zinc as part of their treatment regimen. This is the first study, to our knowledge, that showed a clinical difference in patients with COVID-19 who received zinc, Joseph Rahimian, one of the researchers, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Palestinian employees pack a nutritional supplement made with vitamin C and zinc to help strengthen the bodys immunity against the CCP virus in the West Bank of Hebron on April 15, 2020. (Hazem Bader/AFP via Getty Images)

Zinc is a relatively accessible, inexpensive, well tolerated treatment, so it was exciting to see that it could potentially benefit our patients, he added.

Studies underway now are trying to determine what medicines may be most helpful to give with zinc to COVID-19 patients, Rahimian noted.

The preprint study, which has not been peer reviewed, involved looking at electronic medical records for all patients given the medications being analyzed from March 2 through April 5.

The same three-drug regimen worked against COVID-19 in hundreds of high-risk patients, a New York doctor told The Epoch Timess sister company NTD Television.

The virus is inside the cell, the zinc cannot get inside the cell for biochemical reasons, so the hydroxychloroquine opens the door and lets the zinc in, Dr. Vladimir Zelenko said. Azithromycin protects the patient from secondary infections, he added.

A California doctor also recommended using hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and azithromycin.

Paramedics take a patient into the emergency center at Maimonides Medical Center during the outbreak of the CCP virus in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, on April 14, 2020. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

While the new study found the three drugs led to a higher rate of discharge and a decrease in mortality, it also found no impact on the length of hospitalization, the time spent on ventilators, or time in intensive care.

Another recent observational study found that hydroxychloroquine didnt have a statistically significant impact against COVID-19.

Researchers examined records from 1,438 patients who were hospitalized between March 15 and March 28 in 25 hospitals in New York. About half of the patients were given hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, 271 received hydroxychloroquine alone, 211 received azithromycin alone, and 221 received neither.

Among patients hospitalized in metropolitan New York with COVID-19, treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, or both, compared with neither treatment, was not significantly associated with differences in in-hospital mortality, researchers wrote in the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

However, the interpretation of these findings may be limited by the observational design.
Lucknow, May 13 : The results of the 69,000 assistant teachers' recruitment test, held in January last year in Uttar Pradesh, have been announced by the Exam Regulatory Authority (ERA).

The results will be uploaded on the website on Wednesday.

The result was declared after a formal meeting of the examination committee held at the office of the Exam Regulatory Authority on Tuesday.

Secretary, Exam Regulatory Authority, Uttar Pradesh, Anil Bhushan Chaturvedi said, "A total of 1.46 lakh candidates, amounting to 3.66 per cent, have been declared as qualified. Around 4.31 lakh candidates had registered for the recruitment exam and out of which nearly 4.09 lakh candidates had appeared in the test held on January 6, 2019." The qualified candidates included 36,614 of general category, 84,868 of other backward class category, 24,308 belonging to the Scheduled Caste and 270 candidates from Scheduled Tribe category, he stated.

If the training course background of the qualified candidates is taken into account, 38,618 of the qualified candidates have diploma in elementary education (DElEd), 97,368 are B.Ed qualified while 8,018 are Shiksha Mitras.

Nearly 2,064 candidates have done other qualifying courses as approved by the National Council for Teacher Education.

Anil Bhushan Chaturvedi said that the CD containing the result had been sent to Lucknow from where it will be uploaded online by the NIC and made available for candidates on Wednesday.

Last week, Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court had upheld revised cut-off of 60 per cent for reserved category and 65 per cent for general category candidates.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath later directed basic education department officials to complete the process of declaring the results.

The government order for the said vacant posts was issued on December 1, 2018 while the post was advertised on December 6, 2018.

A day after the examination on January 7, 2019, the passing criteria was revised making 65 per cent (97 out of 150 marks) for general candidates and 60 per cent (90 out of 150 marks) for reserved category candidates.

The Shiksha Mitras had then filed a petition in the high court.
As many as five plagues have come out of China in the last 20 years and at some point it has to stop, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has said, holding the country responsible for the origin of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 250,000 people globally.

People across the globe are going to rise up and tell the Chinese government that "we can no longer have these plagues coming out of China", whether it is from labs or wet markets, neither one is a good answer, he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

"We know it came from Wuhan and I think there's circumstantial evidence that it could have come from the lab or the wet market. But, again, if you're China, neither one's a good answer," O'Brien said.

"We've had five plagues from China in the last 20 years. We've had SARS, avian flu, swine flu, COVID-19 now and how longer can the world put up with this terrible public health situation that you've got in the People's Republic of China that is being unleashed on the world," the top American official said.

He, however, did not mention the fifth plague to come out of from China.

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 mean, this is -- at some point, it's got to stop. We offered to send in health professionals to help the Chinese. They rejected that," he said.

When asked that the US is still looking for evidence about the origin of the virus, he refrained from giving a timeframe.

"I can't give you a timeframe on that. That's something that we're continuing to review and it is obviously a very serious concern.

"Look, China's got to figure out how to deal with its public health because we cannot have another one of these virus outbreaks and plagues come from China. This was a terrible thing that happened to the entire world, not just to the United States," he said.

More than 250,000 people have died due to the coronavirus and over 4 million people infected around the world. The US is the worst-hit country with more than 80,000 deaths and 1.4 million cases.

"The world economy shut down, and this isn't the first time it's happened. This is the fifth time it's happened in 20 years, and it's got to stop. China needs help.

"They need help from the rest of the world. And we're prepared to help China deal with the public health crises so we don't face this issue again," O'Brien added.
Afghan refugee Mahmood Amiri arrived in the United States more than a month ago, but his children are still waiting for their first day at school. They have yet to go to a mosque to meet other Muslim families. And Amiri is itching to get a job, but nobody knows how long that will take in a crashing economy.

Starting a new life in America is never easy for refugees, but doing it during a pandemic has created more struggles, especially after the federal government cut off funding to help them resettle and suspended new arrivals indefinitely.

Coronavirus restrictions have affected refugee families in the same ways as anyone else  job losses, child care challenges  but many are navigating the turmoil in a language they don't fully understand and without extended family or close friends to help.

The Amiris arrived in Salt Lake City on March 24, about a week after states began shutting down schools and businesses to try to stop COVID-19 from spreading. After waiting three years for a visa, they ignored warnings from an airplane employee in Kabul that traveling to the U.S. during the pandemic would be dangerous.

Amiri, his wife and their four children were the only ones on their final flight from Seattle to Salt Lake City. For them, it was worth the risk. While waiting for a special visa for Afghans and Iraqis who help the U.S. government, Amiri had feared that the Taliban would find out he worked for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and kidnap his family.

I knew the situation was very bad, but I had to decide for the (good) of my family, Amiri, 39, said of the pandemic. If my visa expired, they would not extend it.

Refugee aid organizations have pivoted from training families for work and school to teaching them how to apply for unemployment benefits and do schoolwork online. Theyre dipping into emergency funds to pay for rent and food for families after losing federal dollars.

Were instructing clients on how to navigate a food bank rather than navigating a career path, said Krish OMara Vignarajah, CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

Her organization, one of nine agencies that help refugees resettle in the U.S., has given emergency aid to more than 215 families facing job losses.

Refugee families like the Amiris who arrived early this year or late last year are in particularly difficult situations because many dont have the work history to quality for unemployment benefits or relief checks from the U.S. government, OMara Vignarajah said.

Ana Lucia Ibarguen and her three children arrived as refugees to Claxton, Georgia, in July after fleeing gang violence in Colombia. She and her 20-year-old son began studying English and working at a clothing distribution center before the pandemic abruptly left them without jobs or a school to study the language.

They applied for unemployment benefits but have yet to receive any money. Her son got $1,200 from the coronavirus relief bill, which helped pay rent in May. But Ibarguen, 39, doesnt know how theyll pay their bills in June if they can't get work.

Its very hard. Everything changed from one moment to the next, Ibarguen said in Spanish. This makes me more depressed and sad.

Some refugees who havent been laid off have jobs that put them at risk of infection, including as ride-hailing drivers, in restaurants and at meatpacking plants like the JBS USA factory in Greeley, Colorado, which has had an outbreak of at least 280 confirmed cases and seven deaths.

In the Denver suburb of Aurora, Dr. PJ Parmar sees many of those workers outside his practice, where he dons head-to-toe protective gear to care for dozens of refugees worried about the coronavirus.

Parmar, a family physician who solely serves refugees, says 45% of his patients have tested positive for the virus. One has died, and two others are seriously ill.

That high rate is understandable considering that refugees often live in crowded apartments with other families, making social distancing impossible, Parmar said. They also pack vans to carpool to Denver International Airport, where many refugees work, or some 65 miles (105 kilometers) to the meatpacking plant in Greeley.

Inside that van, when one coughs, they all cough, Parmar said.

The Amiris said they feel safe and their rent and food is being paid for by Catholic Community Services of Utah. But that doesnt mean its been easy to be confined to their two-bedroom apartment near a highway in a Salt Lake City suburb.

They dont have a TV or car, and while the parents try to entertain their children  ages 15, 13, 6 and 3  with games or walks around the complex, they are restless and want to explore their new city.

Utahs public schools were already closed when the family arrived, and the kids keep asking when they can meet their teachers and classmates, Amiri said. The children know very little English and struggle without help from teachers in person.

Amiris cousin, who lives nearby, and Catholic Community Services are helping him look for a job.

Most refugees find work in three to six months, but the uncertainty of the pandemic makes it harder, said Aden Batar, migration and refugee services director at the Catholic charity.

The unknown, thats what were worried about, not knowing how long this pandemic is going to go on, Batar said. This time is going to be tough because there are so many Americans out of jobs.
In this sense, the Head of State requested some citizens to put aside the dissemination of this type of information.

In this sense, the top official referred that in contrast to those anti-values which must be rejected and discarded it is necessary to be more disciplined because this way the best-organized societies managed to better face this type of critical situations.

"When we are immersed in an extreme situation, such as the one we are in, it calls us towards concerted efforts, so we should try to put aside this type of information because if something affects the population the most, it is this type of false information," he stated.

The statesman specified that the pessimism generated by such type of information lowers the mood needed to strengthen citizens' defenses.

Likewise, the leader indicated that there is another type of false information, which on some occasions takes time to be cleared up because "it generates erroneous ideas inside the population," thus affecting the joint work.

Therefore, Mr. Vizcarra urged citizens to avoid this type of information and said that those who spread it are known to be experts, who are identified as "doctors in pessimism."

El presidente @MartinVizcarraC informa sobre la situacion del Estado de Emergencia en el #Dia59 y las acciones que realiza el Gobierno para contener la propagacion del COVID-19. En vivo: https://t.co/QdBM5eK1fb https://t.co/wHMJSWsLq1
Long term investing works well, but it doesn't always work for each individual stock. We really hate to see fellow investors lose their hard-earned money. For example, we sympathize with anyone who was caught holding CH Offshore Ltd (SGX:C13) during the five years that saw its share price drop a whopping 92%. And we doubt long term believers are the only worried holders, since the stock price has declined 47% over the last twelve months. The falls have accelerated recently, with the share price down 15% in the last three months. Of course, this share price action may well have been influenced by the 19% decline in the broader market, throughout the period.

While a drop like that is definitely a body blow, money isn't as important as health and happiness.

Check out our latest analysis for CH Offshore

CH Offshore 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. 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.

Over half a decade CH Offshore reduced its trailing twelve month revenue by 20% for each year. That's definitely a weaker result than most pre-profit companies report. So it's not that strange that the share price dropped 39% per year in that period. This kind of price performance makes us very wary, especially when combined with falling revenue. Ironically, that behavior could create an opportunity for the contrarian investor - but only if there are good reasons to predict a brighter future.

The company's revenue and earnings (over time) are depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

SGX:C13 Income Statement May 13th 2020

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

Story continues

What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)?

Investors should note that there's a difference between CH Offshore's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price change, which we've covered above. The TSR attempts to capture the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested) as well as any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings offered to shareholders. Its history of dividend payouts mean that CH Offshore's TSR, which was a 86% drop over the last 5 years, was not as bad as the share price return.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that CH Offshore shareholders are down 47% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 17%. 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 32% 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. Take risks, for example - CH Offshore has 3 warning signs (and 2 which make us uncomfortable) we think you should know about.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies we expect will grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on SG 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.
The latest:

As the nation enters a third month of economic devastation, the coronavirus is proving ruinous to state budgets, forcing many governments to consider deep cuts to schools, universities, health care and other basic functions that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago.

Many states expect their revenue to plunge by 15% to 20% because government-ordered lockdowns have wiped out much of the economy and caused tax collections to evaporate. That puts statehouses billions of dollars in the red for the fiscal year that usually begins in July.

The projected gap in California is more than a fifth of its spending plan and in Oklahoma, a sixth. Michigan may have to slash up to a quarter of the money it sends to schools.

Theres no crisis weve had that even comes close to this, said Greg Albrecht, chief economist for the Louisiana Legislature. This is a (Hurricane) Katrina-sized downgrade in the forecast. A forecasting panel slashed the states income projections by $1 billion because of the virus.

Before the pandemic, most states had generally healthy budget situations and were working on adding to their reserves. Now state finances are in peril regardless of the actual number of infections. In nearly every state that has estimates, the projected budget gaps are bigger than the emergency savings.



Governors and lawmakers hope for at least a partial bailout from Congress, which is considering a relief package that could provide money to keep teachers in classrooms, parks open and police on the streets.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said his state needs $61 billion in federal support "or we will wind up aggravating the situation by forcing cuts to local governments.

You know who local governments are? Thats police, firefighters. You want me to cut hospitals? Hospitals are the nurses and the doctors who just got us through this and everyone celebrates as heroes. If you dont fund the state, thats who youre cutting in terms of finances.

One state that stands to survive with minimal cutbacks is South Carolina, where revenue in the $10 billion budget that starts July 1 is expected to be down by perhaps $1 billion  but all of that shortfall was in extra money the state expected to collect in taxes and fees before the pandemic crash. Utah officials said they may be in a similar situation, with enough reserves to weather the pandemic. And Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, said Wednesday his state is still projecting a surplus a year from now, although smaller than originally planned, and does not anticipate budget cuts.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan but generally left-leaning think tank, projects a cumulative budget gap of $650 billion for state governments through the next two fiscal years.

House Democrats included nearly a third of a $3 trillion aid bill for state and local governments. The plan is scheduled to get its first vote on Friday. A bipartisan version expected to be introduced in the Senate calls for $500 billion for governments.

FBI seizes GOP senator's phone in investigation of stock trades after coronavirus briefings, report says

Federal agents seized a cellphone belonging to Sen. Richard Burr on Wednesday night as part of a Justice Department probe into stock transactions he made ahead of the sharp market downturn sparked by concerns over the coronavirus, a law enforcement official told the Los Angeles Times.

The North Carolina Republican turned over his phone after agents served a search warrant at his home in the Washington area, the official told the newspaper.

The warrant and subsequent cellphone seizure mark a notable step in the probe into whether Burr sought to profit from information he obtained in nonpublic briefings about the virus's spread. CNN has reached out to Burr, his attorney, the Justice Department and the FBI for comment.

Burr, who leads the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been scrutinized for selling up to $1.7 million in stocks in February after he received closed-door briefings about the virus before the market began trending downward.

He has denied any wrongdoing -- saying he made the trades based solely on public information, not information he received from the committee -- and he asked the Senate Ethics Committee to review the sales after they were made public.

Wisconsin Supreme Court blocks governor's stay-at-home extension

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' administration overstepped its authority when it extended the governor's stay-at-home order through the end of May, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.



The 4-3 ruling marks a defeat for Evers as Republican legislators, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and with the aid of the conservative-controlled high court, continue to chip away at the Democratic governors powers.

The decision invalidates the order but not immediately. The majority chose to leave it in place until May 20 to give the Legislature and Evers' administration time to come up with a new coronavirus plan.

Evers issued a stay-at-home order in March that closed schools and nonessential businesses. The closures battered the state economy, but Evers argued they were necessary to slow the virus' spread. The order was supposed to lift on April 24, but Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Andrea Palm, an Evers appointee, extended it to May 26.

Republicans, worried about the economic fallout, asked the Supreme Court on April 21 to block the extension. The Republicans said Palm exceeded her authority and argued that the extension amounts to an administrative rule, requiring legislative approval.

Evers administration countered that state law clearly gives the executive branch broad authority to quickly enact emergency measures to control communicable diseases. Attorney General Josh Kaul also noted that Evers' order was similar to that in at least 42 other states and has saved many lives.

Nearly seven out of 10 Wisconsin residents still back Evers safer at home order, based on a Marquette University Law School poll released Tuesday. However, the support had dropped from 86% in March to 69% in May, driven by increasing opposition from Republicans, the poll showed.

Evers' administration faced an uphill battle in convincing the court to keep the order in place. Conservative-leaning justices hold a 5-2 majority. Four of the the five conservative justices joined on the majority opinion.

Chief Justice Patience Roggensack wrote for the majority that the order equates to an emergency rule that Palm can't enact unilaterally. The order creates criminal penalties that Palm has no authority to create, she added.



The GOP has not offered any alternative plans. The state's chamber of commerce has suggested allowing all businesses to open at once while compelling higher-risk establishments and operations to take increasingly strict mitigation measures such as requiring employees to use protective gear.



The GOP move against Evers mirrors actions taken by Republican-controlled legislatures in other states, most notably against the Democratic governors in nearby blue wall states Michigan and Pennsylvania. All three are critical presidential battlegrounds in November.

Nearly 27 million Americans may have lost job-based health insurance, study shows



Nearly 27 million Americans may have lost their employer-based health insurance amid sweeping layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report released Wednesday.

Not all of those people will be left uninsured, however. Some 12.7 million would be eligible for Medicaid and another 8.4 million could qualify for subsidies to buy coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges  though Kaiser notes they would have to sign up for that coverage.

But that would still leave about 5.7 million people who would have to shoulder the full cost of new policies, which could prove too expensive for newly unemployed people. They could continue their employer coverage through COBRA, but would have to pay the entire premium, which totals $7,188 for a single person and $20,576 for a family of four, on average  putting that group at risk for becoming uninsured.

The report is the latest in a series of dire projections of how the steep economic downturn has likely left millions of people without employer-based policies, which cover roughly 153 million non-elderly workers and their dependents.

More than 33 million people or 1 in 5 Americans  have filed initial unemployment claims over the past seven weeks. And a record 20.5 million jobs were lost in April, sending the unemployment rate up to 14.7%.



US on track towards more deaths as states ease restrictions, researcher warns

Nearly every state in the U.S. is moving toward reopening from pandemic closures, but a leading researcher warns that doing so puts the country on an "unfortunate trajectory" to more coronavirus deaths.



At least 48 states will be partially reopened by Sunday in the midst of a pandemic that has infected more than 1,300,000 people and killed 82,387, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

An influential model cited often by the White House now predicts that 147,000 people in the nation will die from the virus by August, the researcher behind the model Dr. Chris Murray told CNN's Don Lemon Tuesday. It's an increase of 10,000 deaths from two days earlier and double what was projected two weeks ago.

"We originally had thought that people would go the distance, keep social distance in place right until the end of May," Murray said. "But what's happened is states have relaxed early."

And the public is following their government's lead, he said. He sees more people gathering in groups, increasing the mingling that brings new cases, Murray said.

And as Murray's team predicts a worsening situation, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday that the number of coronavirus deaths already in the U.S. is likely higher than recorded.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Webinar

While the lockdown continues, the HOSPA board members will be sharing their insights on the effect of COVID-19 on the hospitality sector and offer advice and tips on minimising the impact on your business.

Jane Pendlebury CEO of HOSPA will moderate the session and joining her will be :

Michael Heyward, principal of Heyward Hospitality Solutions. Michael has been delivering business process improvement & profit optimisation for the hospitality industry for over 25 years. He also lectures at Glion Institute of Higher Education in London.

David Pryde, Head of IT at the Strand Palace Hotel, David has over 30 years experience in the industry for brands such as IHG and Bespoke as well as chairing HOSPA's IT Committee.

Professor Peter Jones MBE, specialist in strategic management in hospitality and food services. He has extensive project management expertise in developing educational projects for the hospitality sector in both HE and in the business environment.

Rob Maloney, Membership Officer of HOSPA, Rob runs his own hospitality recruitment business, specialising in senior finance roles at both unit and corporate levels.

Minimising The Wider Impact Of Covid-19 On Your Business Webinar is organized by HOSPA
While romances traditionally have age-compatible couples in most cases, some filmmakers dont shy away from showing a May-December romance. Such unconventional pairings may not have always worked but do bring in a sense of novelty for the viewers. We bring you a list of films where there was a vast gap between the ages of couples. Follow it to bring a bit of a variety to your movie watching pattern this quarantine.Director: Yash ChopraCast: Anil Kapoor, SrideviYash Chopra was known for his bold takes on romance but he really pushed the envelope with this one by showcasing the blossoming of love between a young girl and a man old enough to be her father. Viren (Anil Kapoor) is in love with Pallavi (Sridevi), daughter of a family friend. She, however, has hots for another. She marries her lover after the sudden death of her father and a distraught Viren leaves for London to set up a business there. One year later, its heard that Pallavi and her husband have died in an accident, leaving behind an infant daughter Pooja who is brought up by Daijaan (Waheeda Rehman), who had brought up Viren as well. When she grows up, she visits Viren in London and hes struck by her uncanny resemblance to her mother, whom he hadnt forgotten. She has been in love with him since childhood and it blossoms further. Viren has to stop living in the past in order to love her and the film sensitively portrays the different aspects of this delicate affair.Director: Farhan AkhtarCast: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, Dimple KapadiaThe film revolves around three friends Akash (Aamir Khan), who is a commitment-phobic rich man, running away from any girl who tries to cling to him. Sameer (Saif Ali Khan), is a clueless romantic who looks for love at every corner. Siddharth aka Sid (Akshaye Khanna), is a painter who is more serious about life. Sid meets a new neighbour, Tara (Dimple Kapadia), an older woman who has moved into a house at the end of the street. She decodes his nature entirely from his paintings, leading Sid to become attracted to her. His friends, especially Akash, cant understand Sids fixation with an older woman, leading to a rift between him and Sid. The two patch up afterwards when Akash becomes more mature and understands Sids point of view. Tara, however, passes away due to liver cirrhosis, leaving him distraught. She tells him to be happy in her final moments. It was a short, sweet and life-changing romance for Akash and made him understand himself better.Director: Somnath SenCast: Dimple Kapadia, Deepti Naval, Vinod Khanna, Amol MhatreLeela (Dimple Kapadia) is a visiting professor at an American university. Shes grieving the loss of her mother and wants some time away from her womanising husband Nashaad (Vinod Khanna). She makes friends with another professor Chaitali (Deepti Naval) who is of Indian origin. Chaitalis son Kris (Amol Mhatre) is smitten by her and starts taking the class taught by her to be near her. Hes navigating into becoming an adult and becoming his own person and Leela helps him through the emotional upheavals he faces. They soon become lovers. Chaitali, understandably, doesnt like it and breaks off the friendship when she finds out. Leela and Kris both know that their relationship has no long term future but are content with the short term happiness it brings.Director: Shashilal K. NairCast: Manisha Koirala, Aditya Seal, Ranvir ShoreyIts inspired by Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's, A Short Film About Love. Its a voyeuristic tale of a teenagers obsession with his older neighbour. The film created controversy when it got released as Manisha Koirala alleged some scenes were shot without her consent using a body double. Aditya (Aditya Seal) is a 15-year-old teenager who has the habit of spying on his 26-year-old neighbour (Manisha Koirala). Hes fascinated with everything about her and feels jealous of her boyfriend. When he finally develops the courage to talk to her, shes angry at first by his behaviour but then amused by it. The film had a lot of potential and could have turned into a nice bitter-sweet romance with more effort.Director: R BalkiCast: Amitabh Bachchan, TabuBuddhadev Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan). Buddhadev is the 64-year-old chef and owner of London's top Indian restaurant, Spice 6. Cooking is his whole life. He considers himself an authority on Indian cuisine, and hence he gets angry when a patron Nina Varma (Tabu) returns a dish -- Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao -- back to the kitchen, saying its too sweet. He challenges her to produce something better and is humbled when she does so the next day. Despite their 30 year age difference, there is chemistry between them. And they bond well over the common passion they share -- food. Buddhadevs 85-year-old mother (Zohra Sehgal) too likes her. Hes old fashioned in the sense that he wants to properly ask her father for her hand in marriage. To do so, they travel to Delhi. Her father, Omprakash Verma (Paresh Rawal), a staunch Gandhian, is flabbergasted to know that Ninas suitor is older than him. He goes on a fast in protest, and Buddhadev has to use all his ingenuity to get Ninas father to say yes to the match. The dialogue between Amitabh and Tabu is full of repartee and wit and feels like a normal conversation. Both give each other space and are comfortable around each other. Their camaraderie holds the film together.Director: Ram Gopal VarmaCast: Amitabh Bachchan, Jiah KhanInspired by Lolita, this Ram Gopal Varma film has Amitabh Bachchan obsessing over his daughters friend. Ritu (Shradha Arya) brings her friend Jia (Jiah Khan) to spend the holidays with her at her home in Kerala. Ritu's parents Vijay Anand (Amitabh Bachchan) and Amrita (Revathi) have a beautiful home surrounded by picturesque surroundings. Vijay is a photographer and Amrita is a homemaker. Jiahs parents are divorced and shes something of a free spirit. Shes forever roaming around in skimpy clothes and Vijay does get attracted to her. There is a sexual frisson between them but no bedroom moments, though he does kiss her. And that leads to a scandal within his family. Hes forever in a dilemma about his feelings towards her. He doesnt know whether its love or lust that he feels towards her. The encounter leaves him emotionally shattered. He even contemplates suicide at one point. The film was Bachchans show all the way. He carried it on his able shoulders and made the proceedings believable.Director: Ritesh BatraCast: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin SiddiquiThis is a poignant tale of two souls who get united, thanks to a mistake done by Mumbais famous dabbawalas. Ila (Nimrat Kaur) is a married woman seeking to spice up her marriage and hits upon the idea of putting notes inside his lunchbox which she sends via the dabbawalas. Due to a mix-up, the lunchbox gets delivered to Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan), a widower who is about to retire from his job as an accountant. They both begin to write to each other, passing on the messages through the lunchboxes and come close. Ila wants to meet him face-to-face but sensing her relative youth, Saajan keeps his distance. She decides to leave her husband and settle elsewhere and at the last moment, Saajan decides to look for her after all. The film was buoyed by nuanced performances by both the leads.Director: Anu MenonCast: Naseeruddin Shah, Kalki Koechlin, Rajat Kapoor, Suhasini Maniratnam, Arjun MathurWaiting revolves around the bond shared by two people from different walks of life who befriend each other in a hospital while nursing their respective comatose spouses. Shiv Natraj (Naseeruddin Shah) is an elderly psychology professor, who has come to a hospital in Kochi to visit his comatose wife Pankaja (Suhasini Maniratnam). Tara Kapoor Desphande (Kalki Koechlin) is a young woman working in advertising, who also arrives at the hospital as her husband, Rajat Deshpande (Arjun Mathur) has gone into a coma following a car accident. She initially thinks hes a doctor and asks his advice on her husbands condition. The two bond despite the vast difference in their ages and begin to spend much of their time together, sometimes in the waiting room or even outside. Shiv thinks doctors just want to fleece patients while Tara, who has more trust in them, still doesnt want to take a chance with brian surgery as it can leave Rajat paralysed. The duo fight, then later make up. She goes ahead with the surgery option and he waits with her in the hospital, waiting for the outcome.Director: Gauri ShindeCast: Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh KhanKaira (Alia Bhatt) is a young cinematographer who wishes to direct her own films. She is most comfortable around her besties Fatima (Ira Dubey), Jackie (Yashaswini Dayama) and Ganju (Gautmik). Kaira is left heartbroken when her boyfriend Raghuvendra (Kunal Kapoor), a film producer, gets engaged to someone else. Her landlord also chucks her out and as a result, she has to shift base to Goa from Mumbai. Kaira resents the fact that her parents, (Aban Deohans and Atul Kale), had abandoned her to live with her grandparents when she was a kid. She seeks out Dr Jehangir "Jug" Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), a psychologist, to sort out her life as shes suffering from insomnia. Jug asks her to let go of her resentment, to see her parents as being regular people and forgive their mistakes. He advises her about other aspects as well. They have long conversations about everything under the sun and despite their age difference, she begins to like him. When she confesses that to him, he says he too likes her in a platonic way and beyond that it wont be possible for them to have a relationship as they are bound by the doctor-patient bond. They share a last hug together and part. The association leaves Kaira more confident and hopeful about the future.Director: Shlok SharmaCast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Shweta TripathiThis gem of a film went unnoticed. Its not every day that our filmmakers make a film around the Lolita complex. The sexual attraction is a spark that can flare between any two people. Thats whats depicted in this complex film. Nawazuddin plays a school teacher and Shweta his student. The duo gets attracted to each other and soon have an illicit relationship going. Not only is Nawazuddin married but has another girlfriend as well. And theres a huge age difference there as well. Yet, somehow, a bond develops between the two. Nawazuddin comes to his senses and asks her to discontinue the relationship. But rumours start flying high and low in the small community they live in, leading to tragic consequences.
Sanitary tunnel added to Tourist Police station in the Cancun Hotel Zone

Cancun, Q.R.  A sanitary tunnel that will be used by approximately 120 Cancun police members has been donated to the Tourist Police station in the Cancun Hotel Zone.

The sanitary tunnel was installed Tuesday at the Tourist Police center located on Boulevard Kukulcan where both police and citizens entering the building can be sanitized to help avoid the spread of coronavirus infections.

The tunnel was donated by Sanitec, who made the donation to the Secretary of Public Security of Benito Juarez. The tunnel will benefit the more than 100 police elements and 20 administrative staff that enter the area each day.

Ruben Yannick of Sanitec said that this is a type A sanitizing tunnel, which has a Sanitization-Disinfection system that helps eliminate up to 99 percent of viruses, bacteria and fungi from the surfaces of people (skin, hair, clothes, accessories, footwear) and objects and / or articles where it could arrive from other environments.

The company has also donated four other sanitation tunnels around the city to The Red Cross Cancun delegation, IMSS specialty clinic, the Benito Juarez City Council, the municipal DIF and now, the Tourist Police.

The director of Tourist Police, Cesar Augusto Escamilla Pacheco says that although the influx of people has been considerably reduced, the sanitary tunnel will benefit those who do come, knowing they will do so in a safer way.
Before Paul Roe opened James Street Parlour in 2017, transforming a deteriorating Syracuse mansion into a vibrant private tattoo shop, he worked for 23 years in Washington, D.C., and helped write regulations for the body art industry.

Now, Roe is drawing on that experience to craft protocols for tattooists to safely operate in Central New York during the coronavirus pandemic, with the hope that his expertise and advocacy help public officials see how he and his peers can reopen their businesses, with appropriate sanitary measures in place.

Tattooing is Roes trade, but he is also a self-taught body art historian and enthusiast.

The walls and surfaces of his James Street Parlour are lined with antique tattoo machinery. He sprinkles tidbits of tattoo history into conversation and lights up when discussing how contemporary cross-contamination prevention measures have their roots in tattooing.

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James Street Parlour is an extension of Roes passion for his craft.

A Central New York transplant from Norwich, England, Roe lives upstairs with his wife, who is originally from Central New York. He has outfitted the space to bring to life the history of the nearly 150-year-old building and has created a lively and amusing, but intimate space to work.

Roe has put all this time and energy into the James Street Parlour because body art to him is sacred. Ink forges a bond and connection with clients, as he imprints a symbol onto their skin. Roe takes his role in this process seriously.

Thats been the hardest part of the coronavirus pandemic and shutdown  a spiritual absence hes felt in his life.

Many of Roes designs end up being large, multi-session projects. Just before the shutdown, he was about 30% of the way through a full-body piece.

Steve is thoroughly miffed, Roe joked.

Roes trade is based in close, personal interaction.

While the state is beginning to roll out reopening plans for many businesses, no date has been set for tattoo artists and others that rely on this close contact for their work.

Roe is among thousands of self-employed Central New Yorkers in industries that dont yet have much light at the end of the tunnel  and few places to turn for help. Their jobs require human contact or large gatherings, things that have quickly become taboo in the coronavirus era. Together they make up a patchwork of people who operate their businesses independently and are now finding their voices to advocate for their businesses.

This nearly 150-year-old mansion at 457 James St. houses The James Street Parlour, a tattoo shop opened in April 2017 by tattooist Paul Roe. Thomas Ryan, the 28th mayor of Syracuse, once lived in the home. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)SYR

A business based in cross-contamination control

As someone who has always prioritized the health and safety of clients  a necessity in an industry that would otherwise be vulnerable to spreading blood-borne pathogens  Roe took it upon himself to do something with his newfound time off.

He started thinking about sanitation and the standard precautions for tattooists, and how they would apply to a respiratory virus.

Our entire business is based on cross-contamination control," Roe said.

After operating a tattoo parlor in Washington, D.C., for 23 years before moving to Central New York, Roe is well-connected to the national tattoo scene. Living in the Beltway, Roe joined a number of professional organizations, helped draft a licensing test and regulations for the industry.

He has been involved with the D.C. Board of Barber and Cosmetology, Alliance of Professional Tattooists and National Interstate Council of Cosmetology Boards. Hes lectured at the Smithsonian Museum about tattooing.

So writing a COVID-19 Control Plan, as hes called it, came naturally. See Roes plan here.

Roe started with a main principle: Everybody is treated as if they are already symptomatic.

With that in mind, Roe developed provisions for cleaning, social distancing, hand washing, masks, and a checklist for confirming appointments with customers, to ensure as best as possible they havent been exposed to the virus.

Roe said his plan is based on facts and data, and its simple to read and understand. Its flexible and open to changes and government regulations, but its also firm and to the point. He said its important that customers, practitioners and the public understand these protocols are effective, that they can work to stop the spread of disease.

This is a very good starting point for us to proceed cautiously but with confidence," he said.

Every aspect of every business is going to have to change," he noted. "But its not insurmountable. We can control this, and were going to have to control this. Cautiously, we can go ahead. We just have to be careful about the way we do it.

Tattoist Paul Roe displays antique tattoo equipment in this case in The James Street Parlour, a tattoo shop he opened at 457 James St. in Syracuse in April 2017. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)SYR

Grassroots process for industry-specific rules

Roe posted his plan on his business website and shared it to syracuse.coms CNY Back in Business Facebook group on April 28.

The next day, he said, he got a call from someone at Onondaga Countys Economic Development Office, asking for permission to use the plan in talks about reopening guidelines and in discussions with New York state.

Roe hasnt heard how, or if, his ideas might be used by state or local officials, but he took the phone call as a sign they were willing to listen.

Even more importantly, he saw the call as an indicator that public officials are seeking expertise  from business owners themselves  for industry-specific guidance.

Roes conversation with the county official led him to hope that the process and regulations for reopening could evolve in a grassroots fashion. He got the impression that regional reopenings and state guidelines to some extent will be driven by businesses savvy enough to get their ideas in the hands of decision-makers.

He imagines that if county-by-county, across the state, tattooists like himself are speaking up and advocating for best practices, commonalities can be identified and even adopted as regulations.

While he and other tattooists and other cosmetology business owners speculate that they could have to wait to reopen in Phase Four, it is Roes hope that with the right procedures in place, theyd be allowed to reopen in Phase Two.

He said the people with the most knowledge of their profession must connect with public health experts and lawmakers.

We the business owners are the ones with that information, he said. We have to go to the people making decisions.

Gina Santucci and her husband, tattooist Paul Roe, stand in The James Street Parlour, an upscale tattoo shop opened by Roe in April 2017 in a 145-year-old mansion at 457 James St. in Syracuse. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com)SYR

Talisman

Roe grapples with the same questions as others working in non-essential trades. Revenue has all but disappeared, but its not just about the money.

Roe is deeply connected to his work.

He describes each tattoo as a talisman and muses over how tattoos are the oldest art form, how humans have always decorated their bodies, referencing indigenous peoples across the globe and the badge of every soldier and navy man. A tattoo is a custom for bereaved parents or lovers.

Its as if Im a shaman at that point, not just a tattooist," he said.

Clients often are brought to tears, not from the pain of the needle but from the therapeutic aspect of the experience. Its a form of release, but also the sealing of a symbol to the skin.

Ive changed you, physically and mentally," Roe said of the experience. "And in turn, youve changed me.

When hes working, Roe said hes engaged in a stimulating activity, one that leads to stimulating conversations. He yearns for when he can return to this work.

I bring it, he said. Its not a job for me. Its who I am. Its what I do. I cant separate it from most things in my life.

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

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Several lawmakers on Wednesday criticized the Department of Health for publishing alarming errors on COVID-19 patients, warning it could lead to more lives lost during the pandemic.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said if the DOH is providing inaccurate data to President Rodrigo Duterte and other members of the COVID-19 task force, the government is bound to make grave mistakes when it comes to crafting policies.

"Garbage in, garbage out. If DOH is feeding garbage data to decision makers, expect garbage decisions from government. Accurate data and information is fundamental in governance," he said in a statement.

Senator Franklin Drilon said these mistakes, whether inadvertently committed or not, lead to loss of trust that the government can properly respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

"Questions on the accuracy of the DOH data, and violations of the rules and abuses by law enforcers, erode the confidence of the people in the IATF and its ability to contain the pandemic," he said.

Senator Ralph Recto added, "DOH data errors do not breed confidence."

A team of experts from the University of the Philippines is seeking better reporting of the government's COVID-19 data. The UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team pointed out dozens of "alarming errors" when it comes to DOH's report on COVID-19 patients' age, sex, location, and health status. For instance, a patient reported by the DOH as dead on April 24 was no longer among the fatalities listed the next day. They called on the government to make the data accessible to all relevant stakeholders so cross-validation could be done.

RELATED: Experts see 'alarming errors' in DOH's coronavirus data

Senator Panfilo Lacson condemned the top officials of DOH for its blunders during a crucial period where public health is in crisis.

"There is no room for officials who, because of sheer incompetence or corrupt thinking, will endanger our lives that we practically entrust to them. This is not the first time that the DOH leadership is being challenged to prove itself or leave their posts if they cannot be up to their job," he said in a statement.

Majority of senators in April sought the immediate resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III for what they said was his inefficient response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Duque acknowledged the inconsistencies in data as pointed out by the UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team. He said DOH is working to correct the mistakes and avoid making the same errors in the future.

"Ive already instructed Undersecretary Rosette Vergeire to look into this problem and correct the inconsistencies and ensure the corrective interventions are put into place so as to avoid these data inconsistencies," he said in a media briefing on Wednesday.

He said the errors were from the DOH's Epidemiology Bureau, explaining that there were some incomplete data on case investigation forms that led to the mistakes.

Much of the Philippines is under general community quarantine until May 15 to prevent further spread of COVID-19, which so far has infected 11,350 people and killed 751. Metro Manila and several provinces are under stricter quarantine measures.

Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City will be placed under "modified" enhanced community quarantine from May 16 to May 31, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced Tuesday. He explained the threat of COVID-19 is still present in these three high-risk areas, but some rules will be relaxed to slowly open up the country's economy.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the transition was based on the improvement in the country's case doubling time, as health officials found that it now takes seven to 30 days before the number of infections double.
Volcano Vista High School is planning a drive-thru celebration for the class of 2020  endearingly called a Soar Thru for the schools hawk mascot.

On May 15, seniors are encouraged to drive through the campus with their families in decorated vehicles as they are recognized for their hard work.

Volcano Vista Principal Vickie Bannerman said staff members will be there to cheer on students.

There will be photo opportunities and seniors will receive mementos, all of which will be captured on a recording of the event.

Although this is not a graduation, there will still be a bit of informal pomp and circumstance to help make one more memory with our seniors, Bannerman said.

ETHICAL ESSAY CONTEST: Nonprofit New Mexico Ethics Watch is hosting its second annual essay challenge, prompting students to write about Thinking ethically, do the ends ever justify the means?

High school students across the state can enter.

The contest is normally just for high school juniors and seniors, but NMEW opened it to all high school students in public and private schools, as well as traditionally home-schooled students, because of school closures due to COVID-19, the organization wrote in a news release.

The essay has to be between 500 and 1,000 words. The rest of the details can be found here: http://nmethicswatch.org/student-essay-competition/.

The deadline is May 15 and prizes range from $50 to $500.

ILL BE THERE FOR YOU: Tony Hillerman Middle School teachers and staff turned to YouTube to show students they are loved and missed.

With schools closed due to COVID-19, educators made a three-minute video montage to The Rembrandts Ill Be There For You with wacky clips filmed at their homes.

The staff sent messages of encouragement, telling kids to stay engaged while out of the classroom, suggesting they do a puzzle, play with pets and create some artwork, along with a host of other ideas.

You can watch it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmaFbpe79do.

Shelby Perea: sperea@abqjournal.com
The Senate on Thursday took up a key bill to reauthorize domestic surveillance programs while making changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, with several substantial amendments on the line. One of the amendments, introduced by Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden and Republican Sen. Steve Daines, would have required authorities to obtain a warrant to access internet users search histories and browsing information. Uh, yes, pass that??

The amendment, however, met an extremely Senate grave: It failed with 59 yeas to 37 nays, one short of the 60-vote threshold it needed to overcome the streamlined vestigial filibuster. The splits didnt fall neatly along partisan lines: 24 Republicans voted for it, while 10 Democrats voted against it. (Would you like to see the names of the Democrats who voted against it? Their names are: Tom Carper, Bob Casey, Dianne Feinstein, Maggie Hassan, Doug Jones, Tim Kaine, Joe Manchin, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner, and Sheldon Whitehouse.)

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Four senators, meanwhile, didnt vote, when any one of them could theoretically have saved the amendment by showing up. Sen. Lamar Alexander is self-quarantining in Tennessee after a staffer tested positive for COVID-19. We dont know where Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse was and do not care.

But where was Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, ranking member of the HELP Committee and assistant Democratic leader, or Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats and also constantly comes in second place for the Democrats presidential nomination?

Murray, a spokeswoman told me after the vote, was flying back to D.C. from Washington state today. She isnt in quarantine; shes just been working remotely. An aide confirmed separately to Politico that Murray would have supported the WydenDaines amendment had she been there.

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A Sanders spokesman has not responded to our request for comment about the senators whereabouts. The Vermonter was last seen on Tuesday participating remotely in a HELP Committee hearing from a room decorated with music-related campaign paraphernalia. He has not cast a vote since the Senate returned to session on May 4.

That an amendment that sounds incredibly politically popular in restraining creeping surveillance authorities just happened to fall one vote short of what it needed to pass invites some reasonable theorizing. Perhaps Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released the maximum number of Republicans to vote for this without letting it pass. Had Murray and Sanders been there to support it, McConnell could have twisted a couple of arms to keep it at 59.

Or it could have gotten enough votes to pass.

For more of Slates political coverage, listen to the Political Gabfest
While the world struggles with the impacts of COVID-19, cybercriminals see it as an opportunity. Since February, IBM X-Force has observed a 4,300 percent increase in coronavirus-themed spam. While organizations worry about newly pressing concernsworkforce well-being, shift to remote work, finance availability, and the resiliency of operations and supply chainscybersecurity focus is being overshadowed and risks are rising.

The tendency toward ad hoc decision making during crisis only accelerates the opportunity to exfiltrate data or compromise business operations. The potential impacts are more dangerous, too. A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, for instance, can be far more damaging in an operational environment that is already strained for capacity than one launched when additional capacity is readily available.

Security leaders from SMBs to large enterprises need to continue their focus on the entire threat lifecycle which constitutes planning and detection, in-the-moment response and remediation recovery. This will help to prepare for additional unforeseen scenarios.

Prashant Bhatkal, Security Software Leader, IBM India South Asia, said, As an organization, we have been working with our clients even before the pandemic to build their Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan. With COVID-19, organizations who were prepared managed to sail through while organizations that were insufficiently prepared in normal times have been caught completely off guard. With threat landscape evolving every day and work from home being the new normal, threat actors are finding newer ways to disrupt businesses. Clients today are looking for CyberTech which can help protect their data, provide end-to-end security across multiple environments, new authentication methods, monitoring services and most importantly re-imagine their risk assessment.

We have identified 5 CyberTech trends which will help security experts maintain constant vigilance and organizational agility across sectors like Manufacturing, BFSI, Telecom, Government, Healthcare, Auto, Retail etc.
BREAKING: Lowest rise in cases and deaths over 24-hour period in six weeks ... latest coronavirus updates. (Hot Zone) Posted by Staten Island Advance on Tuesday, May 12, 2020

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside-down. We need information like we never have before.

How many new cases were there on Staten Island today? How many deaths? How many people have been released from the hospital?

What did President Donald Trump say about the pandemic? What about Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio?

More importantly, when is this pandemic going to be over? When are we going to get back to normal, whatever normal is?

Its almost too much to keep up with.

So twice a day, Mark Stein and I take to Facebook Live to give you all the Island information you need. Look for us around 2 p.m. and again at around 5:30 p.m. Then look for this wrap-up on SILive.com at the end of the day.

Well give you the numbers and all the latest news. Well answer your questions. Well follow up on your news tips.

Well share the good news too, the way that the Staten Island community is coming together in this time of crisis. Or well just share this strange and unique pandemic moment with you, as fellow Staten Islanders.

On Tuesday, Mark and I talked about how Staten Island had seen its smallest uptick in new cases and deaths in six weeks, a hopeful sign as parts of the state look to begin re-opening. Check out the video above for that conversation.

Hot Zone also talked about how the Centers for Disease Control said that New York Citys death toll could be higher than thought, thanks for a variety of factors.

We also gave an update on the horrific murders that took place in Mariners Harbor on Monday afternoon. Check out the video below for those conversations.

Were all in this together. Well all get through this together.
[The stream is slated to start at 11:30 a.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is holding his daily press conference on the Covid-19 outbreak, which has infected more than 338,400 people across the state as of Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Cuomo is working toward reopening regions of the state as hospitalizations and infections from Covid-19 continue to decline. Three areas in upstate New York  the Finger Lakes, the Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley  are ready to move into phase one of the state's reopening plan, he said on Monday.

Phase one will allow permitted regions to resume manufacturing, construction and agricultural operations as well curbside pickup or in-store drop-off for non-grocery retail stores, Cuomo said. Businesses that reopen will have to implement safety precautions outlined by the state, including social distancing practices, strict cleaning standards and continuous health screening of employees, he said.

The coronavirus has infected more than 1.3 million people in the U.S. and has killed at least 82,389 people, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 4.2 million people and has killed at least 292,316 people.

Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the Covid-19 outbreak.
Arnold Schneider (Trades, Portfolio), leader of Schneider Capital Management, disclosed four new positions in his first-quarter portfolio, which was released earlier this week.





With the belief that value investing delivers the best performance over time, the guru's Pennsylvania-based firm uses independent, fundamental analysis to identify undervalued securities with potential for positive change. It then applies a proprietary ranking system that establishes ambitious return hurdles for new holdings and factors in downside risk.

With these criteria in mind, Schneider established positions in United Rentals Inc. (NYSE:URI), Modine Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:MOD), Battalion Oil Corp. (BATL) and U.S. Xpress Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:USX) during the quarter.

United Rentals

The guru invested in 34,100 shares of United Rentals, allocating 2% of the equity portfolio to the holding. The stock traded for an average price of $133.86 per share during the quarter.

The Stamford, Connecticut-based equipment rental company has a $7.94 billion market cap; its shares were trading around $109.81 on Wednesday with a price-earnings ratio of 7.18, a price-book ratio of 2.25 and a price-sales ratio of 0.9.

The Peter Lynch chart shows the stock is trading below its fair value, suggesting it is undervalued. The GuruFocus valuation rank of 7 out of 10 also supports this assessment.

64e8dd96421d8f35bebc6ce3e12b5d1a.png

GuruFocus rated United Rentals' financial strength 3 out of 10. As a result of issuing approximately $4 billion in new long-term debt over the past three years, the company has poor interest coverage. In addition, the low Altman Z-Score of 1.62 warns it could be in danger of going bankrupt.

The company's profitability fared much better, scoring a 9 out of 10 rating even though its margins are in decline. Regardless, United Rentals is being supported by strong returns that outperform a majority of competitors and a moderate Piotroski F-Score of 6, which indicates its operating conditions are stable. Due to consistent earnings and revenue growth, the company has a business predictability rank of four out of five stars. According to GuruFocus, companies with this rank typically return an average of 9.8% per annum over a 10-year period.

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Of the gurus invested in United Rentals, Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) has the largest stake with 1.61% of outstanding shares. Other top guru shareholders are David Carlson (Trades, Portfolio), Andreas Halvorsen (Trades, Portfolio), Larry Robbins (Trades, Portfolio), Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio), Chuck Royce (Trades, Portfolio), Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio), Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio) and Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio).

Modine Manufacturing

Having previously exited a position in Modine Manufacturing in the third quarter of 2015, the investor entered a new holding of 371,599 shares. The trade had an impact of 0.69% on the equity portfolio. Shares traded for an average price of $6.70 each during the quarter.

The thermal management company, which is headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin, has a market cap of $190.53 million; its shares were trading around $3.74 on Wednesday with a price-earnings ratio of 19, a price-book ratio of 0.38 and a price-sales ratio of 0.1.

According to the Peter Lynch chart, the stock is overvalued. The GuruFocus valuation rank of 10 out of 10, however, leans more toward undervaluation.

d312bfaf1913e4a7ef29a693896864a5.png

Modine's financial strength was rated 4 out of 10 by GuruFocus. In addition to having weak interest coverage, the Altman Z-Score of 2.11 indicates the company is under some financial pressure since its assets are building up at a faster rate than revenue is growing. In addition the weighted average cost of capital is higher than the return on invested capital, suggesting low profitability.

The company's profitability scored a 6 out of 10 rating, driven by an expanding operating margin, strong returns that underperform a majority of industry peers and a moderate Piotroski F-Score of 5. Modine also has a one-star business predictability rank, which is on watch as a result of recording a decline in revenue per share over the past 12 months. GuruFocus says companies with this rank typically return 1.1% per year on average.

With a 2.88% stake, Gabelli is Modine's largest guru shareholder. Royce, Richard Snow (Trades, Portfolio), Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio)' Renaissance Technologies, Jeremy Grantham (Trades, Portfolio), Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss and Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio) also have positions in the stock.

Battalion Oil

Schneider picked up 64,111 shares of Battalion Oil, dedicating 0.17% of the equity portfolio to the position. During the quarter, the stock traded for an average per-share price of $9.97.

The Houston-based oil and gas producer has a $75.35 million market cap; its shares were trading around $4.65 on Wednesday with a price-book ratio of 0.04 and a price-sales ratio of 0.05.

Based on the chart below, the stock appears to be trading near its sales multiple, but above its price-book ratio, which is close to a 10-year low.

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Battalion Oil's financial strength and profitability were both rated 3 out of 10 by GuruFocus. In addition to a low cash-debt ratio of 0.04, which is underperforming in comparison to its own history as well as its industry, the Sloan ratio indicates the company has poor earnings quality.

The company is also being weighed down by negative margins and returns that underperform a majority of competitors, a low Piotroski F-Score of 2, which suggests operations are in poor shape, and declining revenue per share over the past year. Battalion also has a one-star business predictability rank.

Schneider holds 0.40% of the company's outstanding shares.

U.S. Xpress Enterprises

The guru purchased 12,460 shares of U.S. Xpress, expanding the equity portfolio 0.02%. The stock traded for an average price of $4.88 per share during the quarter.

The trucking company, which is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has a market cap of $188.81 million; its shares were trading around $3.82 on Wednesday with a price-book ratio of 0.85 and a price-sales ratio of 0.11.

The price chart shows the stock is trading near its price-book ratio and above its sales multiple.

7b6de1b7a15cd011477b055ac73d9e80.png

Weighed down by weak interest coverage, GuruFocus rated U.S. Xpress' financial strength 3 out of 10. The Altman Z-Score of 1.48 also warns the company could be in danger of going bankrupt.

The company's profitability did not fare much better, scoring a 4 out of 10 rating on the back of a declining operating margin and returns that underperform a majority of industry peers. U.S. Xpress also has a low Piotroski F-Score of 3 and a one-star business predictability rank that is on watch due to a decline in revenue per share over the past five years.

Schneider holds 0.03% of the company's outstanding shares.

Additional trades and portfolio performance

The investor also added so a number of other holdings during the quarter, including Synovus Financial Corp. (NYSE:SNV), Olin Corp. (NYSE:OLN), Univar Solutions Inc. (NYSE:UNVR), Cadence Bancorp (NYSE:CADE), SM Energy Co. (NYSE:SM) and Diamond S Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSSI).

Schneider's $175 million equity portfolio, which consists of 34 stocks, is heavily invested in the financial services (28.33%) and basic materials (22.56%) sectors, followed by smaller positions in the energy (16.25%) and industrials (14.29%) spaces.

fe179fb86d340eb55becf7d7809f9a0e.png

GuruFocus data shows the Schneider Small Cap Value Fund returned 16.17% in 2019, underperforming the 31.48% return of the S&P 500 Index.

Disclosure: No positions.

Read more here:

Wallace Weitz Adds 6 Stocks to Portfolio in 1st Quarter

Paul Tudor Jones Fears Extended Coronavirus Lockdown Could Lead to 'Second Depression'

The Top 5 Buys of the Matthews Asia Small Companies Fund







Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






The state just upped the ante on Brad Shepler, the West Shore barber who is in a one-man showdown over Gov. Tom Wolfs coronavirus-prompted lockdown of non-life-essential businesses throughout Pennsylvania.

Shepler has already received a verbal warning from East Pennsboro Township police for reopening his business, Sheps Barber Shop, in violation of the governors order.

Now, hes being threatened with losing his state barbers license.

Shepler, 54, posted a letter from Carolyn E. DeLaurentis, deputy chief counsel for the Department of State, containing that threat on his Facebook page.

It has left him wondering what to do next.

Shepler declined comment on the DeLaurentis letter Wednesday, saying hes still seeking advice and weighing his options.

He wasnt cutting hair since his shop usually is closed on Wednesdays. Shepler has said his decision to reopen in defiance of Wolfs order was a financial one. He has to pay his bills, he said.

A message on the answering machine at his shop says hes looking to hire other idledbarbers as well. If you know any other barbers who are looking for work and need to feed their families and pay their bills, send them my way, it states.

The DeLaurantis letter, which is characterized as a warning, states that complaints have been filed against Shepler for reopening

Be advised that if you continue operating in violation of the Governors order that could result in the filing of formal charges against you, which could result in the suspension or revocation of your license(s), up to a $10,000 civil penalty per violation, and the imposition of the costs of investigation, DeLaurentis. That part of the letter was in boldface type.

Dozens of supporters posted comments to Sheplers Facebook post about the letter.

Youre standing up for yourself and many, many other people. First man through the walk always takes the most hits. The community should be proud to have you and your business stepping up!! one man wrote.

Another post featured Wolfs head superimposed on a photo of Adolf Hitler and the words You ReopenWhen I Say.

You have a lot of support out here and beyond, another backer wrote. Keep up the good work. Im betting you come out ahead.
The recent results from multi-industry manufacturer Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW) served to highlight many of the difficult decisions investors are facing right now. It's an uncertain macro-economic environment, and there are likely to be significant differences in terms of which industries bounce back first in a recovery. In this context, valuing stocks is becoming a difficult exercise. Let's take a look at these factors in the course of analyzing the case for buying stock in ITW.

Three key considerations

Let's get straight into the specifics:

The uncertainty around the depth of the decline in the second quarter and the subsequent recovery is leading to a wide variance in earnings projections for 2020.

Valuing stocks needs to be done in the context of the highly unusual nature of 2020 earnings.

Investors are looking to avoid companies with heavy exposure to industries that are likely to suffer in the near term, or that might be structurally challenged in the long term due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Illinois Tool Works' earnings projections

In a completely understandable move, management withdrew its previous 2020 guidance, but it did give investors an indication of what its full-year operating margin ranges would be under different revenue decline scenarios. The outcome ranges for operating profit in 2020 in the last row of the chart are shown below. For reference, ITW generated $3.4 billion in operating profit on $14.11 billion worth of sales in 2019.

As you can see below, the outcome is likely to range between a low of $1.8 billion to a high of $2.51 billion.

Scenarios Based on Management Estimates Full-Year Revenue Decline of 15% Full-Year Revenue Decline of 20% Full-Year Revenue Decline of 25% Revenue $12 billion $11.3 billion $10.6 billion Operating margin 19%-21% 18%-20% 17%-19% Operating profit $2.27 billion to $2.51 billion $2.03 billion to $2.26 billion $1.8 billion to $2.01 billion

Valuation

The bulls will argue that the industrial company is better run than it was coming out of the last recession (see operating margin expansion in the chart). Indeed, CEO Scott Santi has been relentless in restructuring the company over the years.

That said, ITW's valuation appears to leave room for error, even in the most positive scenario. For example, the projected operating profit range of $1.8 billion to $2.51 billion implies a 2020 price to operating profit range of 20 times to 28 times operating profit -- a wide range of outcomes for investors to consider.

The chart below shows that at the low point of operating income after the last recession, ITW's price to operating profit ratio wasn't higher than 16 times operating profit. Taken superficially, this implies that ITW is overvalued right now. ITW's valuation suggests the market is already assuming a relative short recession with a bounce back in earnings coming.

Specific end markets exposure

Investors in the industrial sector are concerned with the automotive original equipment (OEM), commercial aerospace, and oil and gas markets in the near term. Over the long term, oil and gas, commercial aerospace, and anything related to travel/hospitality would also be a concern.

ITW has exposure to these markets through its automotive OEM segment (sales are expected to decline by a whopping 60%-70% in the second quarter). In addition, food equipment has exposure to the restaurant sector -- during the earnings call, CFO Michael Larsen said the segment's sales would go "down in that 35% to 45% range here in the near term." In addition, the welding segment has exposure to the kinds of heavy industries that are connected with energy capital spending -- note the decline in the 2015-2016 period when the price of oil slumped.

The following pie chart shows operating income in 2019, and given that automotive OEM and food equipment were actually the biggest income generators, it's understandable that ITW is going to take a significant near-term hit. The deeper question is whether these end markets will bounce back, and with what strength.

Is Illinois Tool Works a buy?

ITW is a great company with an enviable record of margin expansion, and it's led by a very strong management team. However, the market appears to have priced it with an assumption of a recovery in mind, so there's little room for error if things go wrong. Moreover, there's a lot of uncertainty around its end markets -- something reflected in the wide range of its earnings outlook.

All told, investors should probably be looking for stocks that are priced with a lasting recession in mind, rather than one with positive assumptions already baked into its valuations. For now, ITW remains on the watch list.
Amazon is removing restrictions on nonessential items at its warehouses and restoring popular website features, marking the latest signs that it's recovering from coronavirus-related delays.

The company started informing third-party sellers Saturday that it would no longer limit new shipments of nonessential goods by quantity. Previously, Amazon had placed a "Limited Restock" tag on products shipped to Fulfillment by Amazon, or FBA, warehouses, but as of this weekend, the label had been removed, meaning sellers can send in as much inventory as they want, said Juozas Kaziukenas, who runs the e-commerce market research firm Marketplace Pulse.

Kristen Kish, an Amazon spokeswoman, confirmed the company removed quantity restrictions on nonessential goods.

"We removed quantity limits on products our suppliers can send to our fulfillment centers," Kish said. "We continue to adhere to extensive health and safety measures to protect our associates as they pick, pack and ship products to customers, and are improving delivery speeds across our store."

Business Insider previously reported that Amazon lifted the restrictions on new FBA shipments. FBA is Amazon's program that lets individual sellers ship their products to an Amazon warehouse, and Amazon ships the product to customers for a cut of each sale.

Jason Boyce, a former Amazon seller who is now a consultant to third-party merchants, told CNBC that all of his clients have had restrictions lifted on their products. "I'm not sure how long it will stay that way, but it is a hopeful sign for sellers," he said.

Before the change, Amazon had capped the number of units that sellers could send per order to its warehouses. For example, newer FBA listings were limited to 50 units per order. Sellers told CNBC the restrictions made it hard for them to keep up with a flurry of orders placed by shoppers during the pandemic and caused many popular products to run out of stock quickly.

Amazon has weathered a series of logistical nightmares during the coronavirus outbreak, as quarantined shoppers rushed to the site, panic-buying toilet paper and hand sanitizer. In March, at the height of the pandemic, Amazon announced it was prioritizing shipments of household items and medical supplies at its warehouses, as it became overwhelmed with demand for these items.

The company has committed in more ways than one to get delivery times back to normal. Amazon said it would invest its expected $4 billion second-quarter profit on coronavirus-related expenses, including "getting products to customers and keeping employees safe." But even with that spending, Amazon said it remained hard to predict when one- and two-day shipping would resume.

"Right now things are still so up in the air that I can't really project when that day will be," Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky told investors on the company's most recent earnings call earlier this month.

There are other signs that Amazon is beginning to balance demand for essential and nonessential items at its warehouses. Earlier this week, Amazon added back the featured deals section and coupons to its site, both of which were removed in an effort to prevent consumers from making additional purchases. Other features on its site, such as the "Frequently bought together" widget on product listings, were also restored this week.

Amazon's online grocery delivery businesses are also beginning to resume normal service. Prime Pantry, which lets customers buy packaged groceries and household items, is now back online after it was temporarily shut down in March. Additionally, some new customers who sign up for Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods are no longer required to join a virtual wait list before they can use the services. Kish said more than 80% of eligible Prime members are able to buy groceries without requesting an invitation.

Next-day delivery is now starting to come back online for select cities in the U.S., Kaziukenas said, signaling that delivery times appear to be improving. However, until Amazon can restore its normally speedy one- and two-day shipping options for Prime subscribers, warehouses won't be fully recovered, he added.

"Amazon has been in a race against the clock to restore fast shipping as without it it sent customers to look elsewhere," Kaziukenas said. "It's not done yet, but they appear past the April multi-week-long deliveries, at least for the most popular items."
Mumbai: Maharashtra on Wednesday requested the Centre to deploy 2,000 central police personnel in the state to ease the pressure on the state police as it deals with the Covid-19 pandemic. The request came two days after chief minister Uddhav Thackeray sought additional central forces during a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Officials said the state, which is the worst-hit by the pandemic in the country, needs additional forces to ease the stress on the state police and for additional deployment for the Muslim festival of Eid, which is expected to be celebrated subject to the moon sighting on May 25.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said state police personnel were falling sick due to the burden of long working hours amid the Covid-19 lockdown. He added a rising number of personnel (84 police officers and 709 constables) have tested positive for Covid-19. Deshmukh said the deployment of the central forces will allow the government to give some rest to the state police personnel.

The police force has been fighting against the coronavirus day and night and by putting in additional duty hours. Many of them have tested positive for the virus. The demand raised for the additional force is also keeping in mind the ensuing festival...on May 25, he said.

The state government has deployed 32 companies of the State Reserve Police Force in districts with higher Covid-19 cases. Eight police constables including five in Mumbai have succumbed to the disease.

Home department officials said the additional forces requested from the Centre are expected to be deployed in containment zones in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Malegaon.
BRUSSELS  New coronavirus clusters have appeared as nations struggle to balance reopening economies with preventing a second wave of infections and deaths, while in Europe, a debate erupted over the summer travel season.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly were pressing ahead Wednesday to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found.

In Lebanon, authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints from officials that social distancing rules were being ignored.

Despite the risk that loosening restrictions could lead to infection spikes, European nations have been seeking to restart cross-border travel, particularly as the summer holiday season looms for countries whose economies rely on tourists flocking to their beaches, museums and historical sites.

The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europes badly battered tourism industry. The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights.

The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, laid out its advice for lifting ID checks on hastily closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels to reassure clients.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

It's not clear whether EU nations will follow that advice, since they, not Brussels, have the final say over health and security matters.

Some European countries have sought bilateral agreements with their neighbors.

Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15, and that border checks would be reduced starting Friday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors "as long as the infection figures allow."

But he said it's too early to talk about such measures with Italy, one of the world's hardest-hit countries, with more than 220,000 infections and 30,000 deaths.

"There's no perspective for opening the border soon," Kurz told reporters Wednesday.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but didn't specify when. Germany's warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.

"It will certainly be possible to lift the travel warning earlier for Europe than for other destinations  so long as the current positive trend in many countries solidifies," Maas said. "Freedom to travel is part of the foundation of the European project, but in times of corona, Europe must ensure more: the freedom to travel safely."

The border shutdowns have hit the travel industry hard. The Germany-based tour and hotel operator TUI said Wednesday it expects to cut thousands of jobs due to the pandemic.

TUI said it was "prepared for a resumption" and its first hotels on the German coast would reopen in the coming days. It also sees the possibility of offering holidays in Spain's Balearic islands and in Greece starting in July, the German news agency dpa reported.

Norway said Wednesday it was opening its borders to people from other European countries who have a residence there or family they want to visit. Justice Minister Monica Maeland said Norway, which is not an EU member, is opening up for EU citizens, seasonal workers and people from the U.K., Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The tension in balancing people's safety from the virus against the severe economic fallout is playing out across the world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into local markets as restrictions were eased.

European countries have also begun slowly easing their their lockdowns, from barber shops being allowed to reopen next week in Belgium to some schools starting up again in a few days in Portugal.

But a raft of safety rules are being put in place, including reducing the number of children in Belgian preschool classes and various forms of social distancing.

In Belgium, hotels, bars and restaurants will remain closed until at least June 8. Sporting and cultural events are suspended until June 30.

"There's probably not going to be a return to normal this summer," the prime minister said.

In some countries the situation remains unclear. The U.S. says Tanzania has not publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks. The World Health Organization also has expressed worry about Tanzania, whose president has questioned his own government's virus testing and refused to close churches in the belief that the virus can't survive in the body of Christ. A new U.S. Embassy statement warns that the risk of being infected in Tanzania's commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, is "extremely high" and says many hospitals in the city have been overwhelmed.

In the United States, the country's top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning that cities and states could see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage if they lift stay-at-home orders too quickly.

There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control, Dr. Anthony Fauci said in Senate testimony Tuesday after more than two dozen U.S. states began to lift lockdowns.

His comments were a sharp pushback to President Donald Trump, who is pushing to right a free-falling economy that has seen 33 million Americans lose their jobs. The U.S. has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the world by far: 1.37 million infections and over 82,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

China, the first nation to put a large number of citizens under lockdown and the first to ease those restrictions, has been strictly guarding against any resurgence. In January, it put the entire city of Wuhan and the surrounding region, home to more than 50 million people, under a strict lockdown. A cluster of six new cases recently emerged, the first local infections in Wuhan since before the lockdown was eased in early April.

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.2 million people and killed some 292,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. Experts say the actual numbers are likely far higher.

 The Associated Press

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Anti-lockdown protesters gathered in North Carolina yesterday for the fifth week despite the governor already starting the reopening process.

Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday pushed through a new executive order which eased North Carolina's stay-at-home order, but the ReOpenNC group returned to protest for a fifth week to demand lockdown is ended completely.

Cases of the deadly virus are generally stable in North Carolina, and testing, tracing and health care supplies have improved enough to warrant increased commerce and movement, Cooper said.

ReOpen NC protesters demonstrate for pressure North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to reopen the State amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Raleigh, NC, United States yesterday

ReOpen NC protesters demonstrate for pressure North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to reopen the State amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Raleigh, NC, United States yesterday

ReOpen NC protesters demonstrate for pressure North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to reopen the State amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Raleigh, NC, United States yesterday

A woman holds a placard saying 'God Bless America' during a protest started by ReOpen NC demonstrators to pressure Gov. Roy Cooper to reopen the state, yesterday

North Carolinians gathered in their hundreds in Raleigh yesterday to march towards the Executive Mansion, clearly unhappy with the state's management of coming out of lockdown.

One man dressed as the grim reaper held a sign with the movement's logo REOPEN NC painted on it while others flew American flags.

From the placcards, many were concerned that Cooper's response was depriving them of their constitutional rights.

A man speaks on a megaphone during the ReOpen NC demonstrations in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

A policeman speaks with a demonstrator during the ReOpen NC protests in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

Hundreds of people turned up for the fifth day of protests in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

A woman wearing a Donald Trump T- shirt holds a Trump flag in the air during protests in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

Conservative-leaning groups have held weekly demonstrations near the Executive Mansion demanding Cooper cancel the stay-at-home order completely in the name of freedom and reopening the economy.

The state has received more than one million unemployment benefit claims since mid-March.

Under Friday's modified stay-at-home order, retail businesses previously considered non-essential will be allowed to open, but they must be capped at 50 per cent capacity and must direct customers to practice social distancing.

Pictured: Hundreds of protesters turned up for the protests in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

Pictured: A woman stands in front of the American flag speaking on a megaphone during the ReOpen NC protests in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

Those at a higher risk of dying from complications related to the coronavirus were also seen at the rally in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

Pictured: A woman speaks through a megaphone at the protest in Raleigh, North Carolina yesterday

Workers are urged to wear masks. Parks are encouraged to reopen and more child care centers can now open.

Bars, barbershops and hair salons, and gyms still have to stay closed, and restaurants still can offer only takeout and delivery options, as they have been limited to since mid-March.

Gatherings of more than 10 people are still prohibited to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, but church services are allowed if outside and congregants remain at least 6ft apart.
The 22-bed capacity facility would also house staff of the Hospital, who might fall sick or contract the novel Coronavirus disease for isolation.

It has five rooms for accommodation, a reception, an outdoor place, a bathroom, and consulting room.

Mr Andrew Barnes, the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, said the High Commission funded the project with GH100,000.00 and was elated that it could contribute significantly to the nation's COVID-19 fight, which had put considerable pressure on the health systems across the globe.

The Ghana Psychiatric Hospital, he said, was an amazing partner, working hard to ensure the wellbeing of mental health patients.

He expressed gratitude to the contractors for their swift work in ensuring that they completed the renovation within the stipulated time of two months.

Mr Barnes commended government, health workers, journalists and all frontline workers for the efforts put in place to manage and contain the COVID-19, adding that, the steps taken to control the disease in the country was unique and was something Ghana should be proud of.

Though your work doesn't get enough recognition from the public, continue to do your best to work as heroes and heroines, he advised.

Dr Gina Teddy, the Country Director of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Foundation, said the Foundation after recognising the infrastructural needs of the Hospital engaged them to ascertain the areas that needed immediate support.

They tried to seek funding from the Australian High Commission after reaching an agreement with the Hospital to have the VIP ward renovated.

She believed the ward would make patients feel at home and recover quickly due to the serene and convenient nature of the facility.

Dr Pinamang Appau, the Director of the Hospital, said infrastructure was a major challenge the Hospital faced.

Its VIP ward did not befit the name, therefore, she said the renovation helped to redefine the true name of the ward.

The wards used to be a dormitory with many people, but it now has a room for only two people. The toilet facilities are better and will improve the quality of care we give to patients.

I believe the ambience of the facility alone would give the patients strength to recover early and we will forever be grateful to the Australian High Commission and the Foundation for the support, she said.

---GNA
These shows have been assembled, wholly or in part, by stage actors in isolation. Some  have considerable voice-over experience. Others have little or none.  We spoke to performers about recording at home, building a role through phonemes alone and whether audio drama can replace live theater  for now, anyway.  The New York Times
The Russian Navy trained a new tactic to fight submarines and defend its naval bases. A group of warships now includes several small antisubmarine ships and one latest corvette of project 22160. It can carry any set of hardware, including towed and stationary sonars and radars. Ka-27 helicopters will help the corvette to find submarines. Project 22160 ships will provide guidance to small antisubmarine ships which will engage torpedoes and depth bombs. Experts believe the new tactic will improve the defense of SSBN bases, the Izvestia daily writes.

Russia's Project 22160 Patrol Vessel Vasily Bykov (Picture source: Russian MoD picture)

The new tactic was drafted in 2019, but was only recently tested by antisubmarine forces, Defense Ministry sources said.

All the elements to protect the exit of submarines from the bases were tested in the Black Sea in April. The Vasily Bykov corvette of project 22160 used a sonar to search the assigned area for adversary submarines. It transmitted target coordinates to the Yeisk and the Kasimov small antisubmarine ships which delivered a combined strike with torpedoes and depth bombs.

The Vasily Bykov was also in charge of air defense of the warships. It was armed with Gibka antiaircraft complex capable of attacking airplanes, helicopters and drones at a range of 6 kilometers and an altitude of 10 meters to 3.5 kilometers.

The corvette operated in a single force of the base and reported target coordinates to S-400 launchers on the coast. It engaged two onboard drones in reconnaissance.

The deployment of warships and submarines is an important combat element, expert Igor Kurdin said. "Submarines are specifically vulnerable at the moment. Adversary aviation and mines are most dangerous and can block the exit from the base. A whole operation is necessary to let a submarine sail out. The submarines follow minesweepers which clear the route of mines. An attack force also sails out to search for adversary submarines," he said.

The submarines have to be properly defended from air strikes. Warships and coastal air defense, as well as aviation are engaged in the mission. Upon alert all warships have to rapidly leave the base and disperse and submarines have to submerge. The maneuver should not trigger losses, former Navy Chief-of-Staff Admiral Valentin Selivanov said.

"In peacetime, they constantly train the actions of antisubmarine forces to ensure the exit of warships and submarines from the base. The crews excellently know their actions. They search for adversary submarines in the fairway and adjacent waters," he said. Specific attention is paid to the defense of SSBN bases, he added.

The Vasily Bykov and the Dmitry Rogachev corvettes of project 22160 operate in the Black Sea fleet. They were designed to defend warships at sea and naval bases. The corvettes have a modular scheme to rapidly install arms necessary for a specific mission. New modules with weapons and auxiliary equipment are being tested.

Project 22160 warships are equipped with modern sonars to detect submarines, torpedoes, and underwater combat swimmers, the Izvestia said.

 Copyright 2020 TASS Navy Recognition. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The coronavirus cluster linked to a McDonald's in Melbourne's north has doubled overnight to six cases, including four employees and two family members, as an expert warned McDonald's touch-screen ordering machines are an infection risk without proper sanitisation.

The number of cases connected to Brooklyn abattoir Cedar Meats, Victoria's biggest outbreak, has grown to 88 after three previously reported cases were attributed to the business.

Fawkner McDonalds, in Melbournes north, re-opened with staff from other restaurants on Wednesday. Credit:Jason South

A total of seven new cases in Victoria were announced on Wednesday, including one at a Victorian poultry-processing facility and two new cases connected to Fawkner McDonald's.

The Age has also confirmed a prior case at Mercy Hospital for Women in Heidelberg. The stockroom staff member did not have contact with patients or doctors, but some close contacts were isolating at home, a spokesman said.
Markets.com is proud to launch Marketsi, a new way for investors to tap into financial markets

LONDON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketsi marks a step-change in retail investing, introducing investors to quantitative investing technology with the Investment Strategy Builder. This enables investors to create and manage their own dynamic stock portfolios using the kind of data and algorithms harnessed by hedge funds and banks.

Users can access alpha-generating quant strategies and create their own unique strategies with an easy-to-use interface that lets them filter stocks based on dozens of different fundamental, technical and sentiment signals. And they can continuously backtest and optimize to find the perfect alpha-generating approach.

With Marketsi we are also offering clients a direct market access Share Dealing platform, so they can manage all their investments in one place.

And our multi-asset trading platform, Marketsx, just got a whole lot better with lower spreads, more ways to trade the most popular products and an ever-expanding universe of assets. Best of all, our tools continue to set the pace in the industry with the most impressive suite of Technical, Fundamental and Sentiment based analytical tools.

For UK clients we are now adding Spread Betting to the existing CFD trading products, giving traders the option to benefit from tax-free trading.

Markets.com CEO Joe Rundle says: "We've made a big leap into the investing space and are keen to make a splash with a product that is going to change things up for retail investors. Our quantitative-based portfolio builder lets retail investors tap into the kind of technology and data that's used by the biggest banks and hedge funds to maximise returns.

"We are super excited about launching investing products so that our clients take more control of their money. And with Spread Betting we hope to be able to meet the needs of all our UK traders.

"Our new strapline reflects our goal to be the only place you need for trading and investing: 'The world of financial markets, your way.'"

Redesigned, re-engineered, repurposed

A totally new look and feel was required to reflect the change in what we are offering our customers. So, we launched a new website that communicates our values more clearly. It's packed full of new features, while a slick new design makes it easier than ever to get to exactly where you want to be.

And we've expanded the Knowledge Centre with more analysis, insights, educational webinars and XRay, our live in-platform streaming service.

About Dynamic Portfolios

Our Investment Strategy Builder is a quantitative investment tool that enables clients to build dynamic portfolios based on pre-determined criteria. Clients can choose from a universe of stocks and narrow it down based on parameters like market cap, PE ratios or beta. They can then further fine-tune their portfolio by choosing criteria based on market-based technical signals, fundamental signals or alternative signals like when an analyst changes their rating, that will automatically rebalance the portfolio based on what they choose. Then once you have selected your portfolio you can backtest and fine-tune further.

About Us

Markets.com is the home of trading and investing. From share dealing to leveraged trading, you can control everything from one account on our intuitive, proprietary multi-asset platform. It's the only platform you'll ever need for managing your investments.

As part of the TradeTech Group, a constituent of Playtech, a FTSE 250 listed company, we have deep knowledge of the financial markets along with access to the very latest in next generation technology.

*Not all investing and trading products are available in every jurisdiction, please refer to your local regulations.

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[May 13, 2020] Render Now Serving More Than One Billion Web Requests Monthly; Expands Into Europe With Easiest Cloud for Hosting Any App or Website

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Render, the easiest cloud provider for developers and startups, today announced that it served more than one billion HTTP requests in April which is more than two times the number of requests in March. Today Render also announced that it has launched early access to its first hosting region in Europe, delivering on the number one request from users. When it comes to hosting applications in the cloud, developers and startups have traditionally had to pick between large cloud infrastructure providers like AWS which are prohibitively complex and difficult to use or inflexible Platform-as-a-Service solutions like Heroku which are expensive and hard to scale. Render launched in April 2019 with an innovative alternative that developers and startups love. Render gives them the best of both worlds: instant setup and incredible ease of use, coupled with the power and flexibility previously afforded only by large cloud providers. It has done this by creating an intuitive hosting platform that requires zero knowledge of servers and infrastructure and combining it with powerful containerization technology which enables customization, cost reduction and reliability at scale. Render went on to compete against thousands of startups and won TechCrunch Disrupt SF's Startup Battlefield for being the most promising early-stage and fundamentally disruptive startup. Today Render has thousands of customers that include startups like Gatsby to larger organizations like Stripe. Render is a fantastic product! We moved from another cloud provider because we wanted easier deployments, managed databases and an intuitive interface. Setup took minutes, thanks to simple and clear documentation, and their customer service is unparalleled. Render removes a lot of complexity around managing a backend so we can focus our time on building features. Highly recommended! said Amos Elliston, who is currently building Placement, an online talent management platform shared, after serving as TO of Flexport.



Render even hosted a major presidential campaign. Shreyes Seshasai, technical lead for the Pete Buttigieg presidential campaign, said: We moved to Render from a major cloud provider because it was the best solution that could help our small team of four software engineers meet the massive scaling and flexibility needs of the campaign. We were able to deploy over 20 services on Render with their incredible platform and support, including our main website which reached tens of millions of Americans. Renders first hosting region in Europe, which is in Frankfurt, Germany, reduces network latency for all Render customers with a Europe-based audience by as much as 70 percent. It also satisfies EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), making Render available for the first time to customers subject to GDPR.

Ferruccio Balestreri at Al.ta Cucina, the largest online recipe sharing community in Italy, said: Leveraging Renders EU hosting region will make Al.ta Cucinas site even faster, providing a better user experience for the nearly one million visitors we serve every month. Well be able to reduce our hosting costs by as much as 30 percent and redirect internal resources currently spent managing GDPR-related processes. Render gives our team a big leg up towards achieving our business goals. Anurag Goel, Renders founder and CEO said: Render usage and revenue continue to increase faster than wed ever imagined, and weve doubled our team to build on this momentum and support our users. Users trust us with their most critical workloads, especially as many more companies move to the cloud and to Render given the macro environment. As we expand Render to Europe and even more locations in the future, we maintain our relentless focus on UX, on meeting our customer needs and on keeping the cloud accessible and scalable for everyone. Steve Herrod, Managing Director at General Catalyst who invested in Render and the former CTO of VMware, said: Render is doing an amazing job of capturing developers' hearts and minds, and our astronomical growth reflects that. The next few months will surely be even more impressive as Render's world-class team expands the product and more businesses of all sizes adopt the platform. About Render

Render offers the easiest cloud to host any application or website. The companys goal is to completely free up developers and startups from managing cloud infrastructure by building a cloud that offers the best developer experience coupled with incredible flexibility and power. This will ultimately improve all software and enable entirely new kinds of applications. Render is backed by General Catalyst and the South Park Commons Fund and based in San Francisco. For more information, go to https://render.com or follow @getrender . Media and Analyst Contact:

Amber Rowland

[email protected]

+1-650-814-4560

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Screengrabs from the video of the alleged rioting incident at Upper Cross Street.

SINGAPORE  Police have arrested eight men and one woman in connection to a rioting with weapons between two groups at Peoples Park Centre on Sunday (10 May) at about 3.30am.

These are in addition to the three men who were arrested at the scene of the crime on the same day, said the police in a media release on Tuesday.

Rioting arose from relationship dispute

Between Sunday and Tuesday, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Intelligence Department and Central Police Division conducted several island-wide raids in relation to the rioting.

They arrested eight men and one woman, aged between 18 and 28, for being members of an unlawful society, unlawful assembly and rioting armed with deadly weapons.

A video circulating over social media showed a group of youths in black waiting at the lift lobby of a building along Upper Cross Street. They were then attacked by another group and some of those in black were seen trying to flee the scene.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the incident arose from a relationship dispute between a member of each group over a woman.

If found guilty of rioting armed with deadly weapons, each of them may be jailed up to 10 years and caned. The offence of unlawful assembly carries an imprisonment term of up to two years and/or a fine, while the offence of being a member of an unlawful society carries an imprisonment of up to three years and/or a $5,000 fine.

Appeal for whereabouts of two person

Police are also investigating one of the men for harbouring another two of the arrested men. Harbouring fugitives is punishable with imprisonment and fine, said the police in the media release.

All of the arrested persons will also be investigated for breach of safe distancing measures under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

Police are also appealing for information on the whereabouts of two persons  Muhammad Syukri Muhammad Iskandar and Muhammad Ilham Noordin  to assist with the investigations.

Story continues

Anyone with information is requested to call the CID hotline at 6435-0000 or the police hotline at 1800-255-0000. All information received will be kept strictly confidential.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related story:

3 arrested, 1 taken to hospital after fight involving parangs in Chinatown: reports
C. Lamar Frizzell

Frizzell is a longtime mental health advocate and CEO of Cedar Hills Hospital

We have not been paying enough attention to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-home order is having on the mental health of Oregonians. For years, our state has ranked at or near the bottom of the country for readiness to treat mental illness, meaning that even in normal times Oregon has not been able to provide adequate care for our most vulnerable.

Oregon has long relied on emergency departments and local jails to house people experiencing mental health crises. The simple reason for this dependency is that it has not made enough inpatient beds available to meet the needs in our community. Several reasons for the lack of availability are: local health systems lobbying against competition, labor unions exerting influence to limit providers, a lack of state funding, and a general resistance to inpatient treatment arising from the legacy of patient abuse at Oregons State Hospital and Fairview Training Center.

Within the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing catastrophic outcomes. Local mental health nonprofits are openly talking about the increase in call volume to their hotlines, and reports of increased rates of domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse suggest a growing issue. Experts expect suicide rates to also increase, due to the climbing unemployment rate and uncertainty that comes after natural disasters. Meanwhile, Portland-area emergency departments are fully engaged in COVID-19 response. Our existing inpatient facilities have long been completely full. Whats more, our first responders, for too long the de facto mental health response in our community, have said they are not able to respond except in the most urgent of circumstances.

All of this begs the questions: what is happening right now to people with severe mental illness in our community? Where is an individual or family in crisis supposed to turn for help at this moment?

As the CEO of a 98-bed inpatient facility with a growing outpatient program, I feel a responsibility to speak out now so that Oregons policymakers can understand the truth about our lack of mental health resources. For the last three years, my organization has been working to build a 100-bed inpatient mental health hospital in Wilsonville using our own private funds. Despite unanimous support from city leaders, as well as backing from education advocates, legislators, the business community and a handful of labor groups, the Oregon Health Authority has refused to issue our hospital the certificate of need required to open the facility.

It isnt entirely clear why our hospital has not been approved, although some of those questions have been raised by The Oregonian, but we do know that if our new hospital had been approved when we applied in 2016, it would be open today and providing significant resources to Oregonians amidst this crisis. If the Oregon Health Authority were to approve it today, we could immediately begin the final design and construction phase on the facility, opening it within a period of months and substantially increasing the states mental health capacity.

This moment should be a wake-up call about what is truly at stakeforcing us to recognize that the health care policy choices we make as a state matter. While you read this, there are people in Oregon facing a mental health crisis presenting a danger to themselves, their family, and/or their community; and in this moment, it is likely that they have nowhere to go.

We must act, and we must act now. If Gov. Kate Brown were to allow it, we would begin the final phase needed to begin constructing our hospital.
With companies shutting shop as a result of the lockdown, the corporate performance outlook for the current financial year looks bleak

The Narendra Modi governments decision to impose one of the strictest lockdowns worldwide, which has now been operational for close to 50 days, has augured well to flatten the curve on casualties in India, but it is bound to have some serious implications for the economy. The jury on the debate over lives and livelihoods is still out in the open, but urgent action will now need to be taken to get the economy back to a safe and sustainable start.

With the nationwide lockdown further extended till May 17, though with considerable relaxations in the orange and green zones, industry is now trying to find its way around the new normal. This is because, despite these relaxations, it will take a while to put in place the requisite checks and balances for getting full capacity on board. Add to that, industry is also facing a major challenge with respect to the availability of workers to recommence their operations.

These sentiments were echoed by more than 100 top industry leaders in a survey conducted during the special meeting of members of the CII national council 2019-20 held recently. Most of the CEOs (around 90 per cent) predict a fall in GDP growth in 2020-21. Of this, a large proportion of the respondents (38 per cent) anticipate that the fall in growth will lie in the range of minus one to minus two per cent; while 36 per cent feel it will fall even below minus two per cent. This spells out the urgent need for a fiscal stimulus package from the government, one which will herald a sharp recovery from the current abyss.

With companies shutting shop as a result of the lockdown across the country, predictably, the corporate performance outlook for the current financial year looks bleak, according to the CIIs survey results. A major proportion of respondents (32 per cent) expect their topline to contract in a range of 15-30 per cent, closely followed by an almost similar proportion of respondents (30 per cent) who foresee a 0 to 15 per cent contraction, confirming the slowdown in the economy. Immediate measures are therefore required to give some relief to help the corporate sector recoup some of its lost ground.

It has been suggested that all industrial units, including in non-notified industrial areas and standalone units, be allowed to function in urban areas. In addition, the issues related to the availability of the workforce at factory sites also need to be streamlined and resolved with the utmost urgency to enable industries to resume operations. To alleviate their liquidity stress, we suggest that the banking system could step in by providing additional working capital limits, equivalent to the April-June wage bill of the borrowers, backed by a government guarantee, at 4-5 per cent interest.

The Covid-19 pandemic has induced a big external shock as well, with two of Indias biggest export markets  the European Union and the United States -- having seen extended period of lockdowns. This could inflict a further body blow to the companies which are already struggling with insipid demand conditions domestically. The survey results spell out the concerns of respondents, with nearly half of them (49 per cent) expecting exports to contract in the range of 0-15 per cent in the current fiscal. This will be especially detrimental to the prospects of companies that depend considerably on foreign trade. To alleviate their stress, as an immediate measure, exports should be classified under essential services so that they can operate with free movement of cargo across states. In addition, the interest subvention scheme currently available for MSME exporters could be extended immediately, apart from broadening its scope to include all exporters.

A significant majority of respondents (81 per cent) have indicated that they have faced problems in credit offtake from banks and NBFCs. To help banks tide over their risk aversion and lend to productive sectors of the economy, it is suggested that banks be assured of a government backstop either in terms of recapitalisation or a government guarantee on loans.

The other issue which the survey highlighted has been with respect to the anticipated job losses. A large proportion of respondents (39 per cent) expect a 10-20 per cent cut in jobs, closely followed by 32 per cent of the respondents who foresee a less severe 0-10 per cent decline in jobs.

For starters, it is important that labour-intensive sectors such as manufacturing and construction are accorded priority in any policy framework being worked out to fight the slowdown induced by the pandemic. This is crucial since any losses in jobs and livelihoods are likely to have dire implications on the level of poverty and hunger and reverse many of the gains made by the country in all these areas.

Given the precarious state of the economy and the impact on livelihoods, it is important the government steps in urgently with a comprehensive package that addresses the issues of MSMEs, stressed sectors, liquidity and the common man.
Isabel Dos Santos, daughter of Angolas former President, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos and richest woman in Africa want a corruption case against her dropped and her assets unfrozen.

She also accused the Angolan Government and Luanda Court Services of making up evidence against her.

She claims the documents used in the courts were forged including a fake passport.

The facts and images speak for themselves. The truth today comes to light about the fraudulent court process and freezing order, based on forged evidence and fake documents. There are no arguments against facts. A False Passport was used and accepted by the Court as being mine. pic.twitter.com/kpik3sO2GL  Isabel Dos Santos (@isabelaangola) May 12, 2020

The Angolan Government seized her assets after she was accused of diverting $1 Billion in Angolan assets to companies owned by her during her fathers Presidency.

Portugal followed in freezing her assets in February related to fraud accusations during her time as Chairwoman of Sonangol, Angolas State owned oil production company.

On Tuesday, Angolas Prosecutor Generals Office announced Isabel Dos Santos faces criminal charges to the tune of $5 Billion.
Indian steelmakers on Wednesday said the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give a quantum jump to economic activities in the country and boost the ambitious Make in India programme.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced a massive new financial incentive on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

Welcoming the announcement, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd chairman and managing director P K Rath said the impetus would give a quantum jump to economic activities in the country.

The growth of downstream sectors of Indian steel Industry, MSMEs, construction, infrastructure, auto etc will help India become self-reliant, he said.

"The package is predicated to make the Indian economy self-reliant by leveraging our inherent strengths of demographics, technological skills and domestic demand by building infrastructure and robust supply chains that would give a boost the Make in India programme," JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said.

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) Chairman Naveen Jindal said the relief announced under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' will strengthen infrastructure, tech-driven system, demography and demand as highlighted by the Prime Minister.

The much-needed stimulus by the government will reassure businesses and the common man, he said.

SAIL Chairman Anil Kumar Chaudhary said the package which equals 10 per cent of the India's GDP is in line with the industry expectations.

This will help restart various industrial activities and bring back the momentum of all economic activities, he said.

"Infrastructure being one of five pillars emphasized by PM in his strategy of self-reliant India will augur well for domestic steel demand. Once the economy is kick-started, there will be a marked pick-up in infrastructure and construction activities bringing the steel demand back in domestic market," he said.

Pankaj Malhan, CEO, Vedanta ElectroSteel Steels Limited, said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi'sAatmanirbhar Bharat movement, based on economy, infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography and demand is a welcome initiative that will propel India's growth and shape up 'India of Future' while ensuring that both lives and livelihood are well-balanced."



The announcements made by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will go a long way in driving the much-needed demand and liquidity in the system, he said, adding it will protect earnings at both individual and corporate level.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Seven civilians have been killed in northeast DR Congo and 13 soldiers wounded in violence attributed to a notorious regional militia, sources said.

Armed men from a group called CODECO attacked Djugu territory in Ituri province overnight Monday, killing seven civilians and leaving around 10 injured, territorial administrator Adel Alingi said late Tuesday.

Thirteen troops were injured in fighting with CODECO on Sunday, according to the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO which airlifted the wounded out for treatment.

CODECO  whose official name is Cooperative for the Development of Congo  is an armed political-religious sect drawn from the Lendu ethnic group.

Conflict between the Lendu, who comprise mainly farmers, and the Hema, a herding and trading community, has a long history in the gold- and oil-rich province.

Tens of thousands were killed between 1999 and 2003. The UN says most victims were targeted because they were Hema.

The conflict has reignited in recent years. More than than 700 people have been killed in Ituri since late 2017, a UN report said in January, adding that some of the deaths might constitute a crime against humanity.

In the last two months, at least 274 civilians have been killed and more than 200,000 people have fled their homes, the UNs refugee agency said on May 8.

The Democratic Republic of Congos army says it has killed CODECO leaders and seized key bases under a campaign it launched last June.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

PM announces support for land, labour as part of Rs 20 lakh crore financial package to revive the economy

Package would cover cottage industry, MSMEs, labourers, middle class and industries among others

Modi signalled that focus on infrastructure development will continue to make India preferred destination for foreign companies

Critics, however, took a jibe at Prime Minister's speech and talks of Make in India

Amid demand from industry to provide payroll support, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced support for labour as part of Rs 20 lakh crore financial package to fight coronavirus and revive the economy.

While announcing the much-awaited package, he hinted that a lot of support would be directed towards lower-end of the society which include workers and farm sector.

He noted that the proposed package will focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws.

"It will cater to various sections including cottage industry, MSMEs, labourers, middle class, industries, among others," Modi said.

In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister indicated that government will focus on factors of production to ensure that costs of manufacturing comes down and India emerges as global production hub for companies.

Modi signalled that focus on infrastructure development will continue to make India preferred destination for foreign companies planning to shift their production from China. Policy experts said that Centre is working with states to ensure that land acquisition process is eased and made available to investors at concessional rates.

Prime Minister said that several bold reforms are needed to make the country self-reliant and negate the impact of coronavirus. These reforms include supply chain reforms for agriculture, rational tax system, simple and clear laws, capable human resources, and a strong financial system.

"These reforms will promote business, attract investment, and further strengthen Make in India," Modi said.

Critics, however, took a jibe at Prime Minister's speech and talks of Make in India saying the government had promised the same things when it launched its flagship scheme to promote India as a manufacturing hub in 2014.

"We had heard exactly the same things when Make in India was launched six years back. Today, common man was expecting Prime Minister to talk about their daily hardships but they were greatly disappointed," said a senior government functionary wishing not to be named.

Speaking days before the Lockdown 3.0 deadline ends on May 17, Modi said that the ongoing crisis had taught the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains.

"All our demands during the crisis were met locally," he noted.
Finally, we had the first day without new hospitalizations in Albany County since the shutdown, and with Gov. Andrew Cuomos announced four-phase economic reopening for New York state and plausible mid-June dates for the restaurants to reopen, the idea of a return to on-site dining is feeling distinctly real. But figuring out what it might look like  or how it will work  is less clear. As chef-restaurateur Tom Colicchio said in a recent New Yorker interview, The question isnt when a restaurant can open. The question is: When can the public feel safe going to a restaurant? His comment struck a chord.

We can confidently assume comprehensive measures will be in place in accordance with federal guidelines and metrics for reopening New York. Measures are certain to include staff in face masks and gloves, disposable menus, sanitized or sealed cutlery, contactless ordering via an app, sanitizer stations for customers and staff, surface cleaning every 30 minutes, partitions at counters, spacing between tables, 50% to 75% reduced capacity and a focus on outdoor spaces whether they be patios, sidewalks or newly pedestrianized streets. Whatever it ultimately looks like, it wont be a simply turn-key return to dining as we knew it. No matter how well such measures are rolled out, they are likely to detract from the experience overall, but the degree to which we miss dining out means we will hopefully weather it well.

More: Eyeing mid-June reopening, restaurants begin to plan

Via Zoom I asked girlfriends if theyd they hurry back to their favorite bars and restaurants with the ban lifted. Yes, most said, if they could sit outside. Yes, with the expected safety protocols in place. But consensus foundered on a pressing, thorny issue close to the heart of most women: bathrooms, that most exposed, high-traffic, potentially infectious, multiuse contact point. (Its no surprise that the leading voices on the importance of public toilets in urban planning and inclusive urban design are women: Dr. Clara Greed in the U.K. and the late Jane Jacobs in the U.S.) Would alternating stalls meet distance regs or increase the density of use on fewer lavs? Would a hand-sanitizing station outside the bathroom inspire confidence before touching the door handle? Would dedicated staff sanitizing between customer use? Should we limit our liquid intake? Carry stand-up portable female urination devices? Would our willingness to dine at restaurant tables falter on this?

Public toilets, as a matter of public health, is a question not only for restaurants but open-space venues. Take the new drive-in raves in Germany and Denmark, where 250 cars, limited to two people each, converge on drive-in theaters (autokinos) for socially distanced raves. Cars park 5 feet apart but occupants who must, at some point, pee observe the distancing markers at frequently sanitized portapotties onsite. Would this work at Tanglewood and SPAC? Could we copy high school students circling the wagons most nights in school parking lots and tailgate our fix of summer arts?

Though the overnight implosion of an industry that employed 15 million workers and had been expected to generate $899 billion in 2020 sales has demonstrated the fragility of the hospitality industry, worker protections and deep flaws in the food system, there are glimmers of hope in innovations that could improve the industry overall. What those will be is getting chewed like cud in food media, but my takeaway comes, in part, from a daily interaction with Instagram.

More: US restaurants expect big changes when their doors reopen

Seeing so many people cooking and baking at home has surely increased the awareness of what it takes to produce a meal, the cost of shopping for multiple ingredients, the time involved with braising meat or baking something as simple as bread. With that, it should be easier to reset consumer expectations of the cost of labor and food and make this a teachable moment: Big Industrial Food is unsustainable. For future success, restaurants will need to be multi-faceted with to go, delivery, dine-in, retail, and agile enough to pivot as needed, perhaps with little time. Those who added grocery shelves will almost certainly keep them. The pandemic has expanded restaurant identity and that forward propulsion is unlikely to change back.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

It could go one of two ways: Dining out may be a pricier treat on par with going to the theater, or simplified menus may steer us back to the early millennial trend for inexpensive, tapas-style, personal plates. The rise of virtual tipping jars, via Venmo, Cash App and similar, seems likely to stay and  finally  optional tipping may be eliminated in favor of stabilized front- and back-of-house wages, particularly since servers whose income depends on tips will be hit by reduced capacity seating.

Were getting a glimpse at the future in short-term practices coming out of Asia and Europe. Think temperature checks before entering restaurants, scannable QR codes detailing disinfecting protocols and times (like an electronic version of the initialed bathroom checks in store restrooms), floor markers for customer distancing and contactless, everything from curbside and entryway pick up, to ordering and payment via restaurant app when dining in. Even fast-food chains are exploring changes: In Milan, Burger King is testing a dine-in reservation and ordering app; in McDonalds in Hong Kong, customers stand before a thermal monitor before ordering.

Reopened restaurants reveal dining's 'new normal': masked waiters, e-menus and booth dividers

If guest comfort is the dominant variable, the return to restaurant dining is likely to be slow at first, and it will be a challenge for restaurants to afford to open at 50% capacity (or lower) with sufficient staff to handle supervising guests and sanitizing surfaces while running food and drinks. There are endearing models coming out of Europe like the two-person quarantine greenhouses at a restaurant in Amsterdam (in the Netherlands), where servers in plastic face shields pass plates to diners on planks and pour wine from outside. In the U.K., air purifiers are part of the modeling plans for revised restaurant layouts.

I turned to my stash of restaurant trends, an end-of-year rite of passage as data companies make annual forecasts. One, by QSR magazine back in January, caught my eye for its effort to predict restaurant trends for the next decade. Like Colicchios comment, it struck me hard. The greatest wars in the world will be fought in the food service industry, declared the founder of one consulting group, while contributors to the article anticipated the rapid evolution of what constitutes a restaurant, diversification in restaurant offerings, hybrid restaurants offering twin dine-in and takeout functionality, the technological influence on all aspects of operations, growth in mobile ordering, social media marketing, delivery and artificial intelligence, spurred on by the youthful, tech-savvy and cuisine-eclectic Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Despite the continued social component of dining, the restaurants of tomorrow will be designed to cater to people who dont want to come in was one strangely prescient quote, although another forecast a return to wanting to dine in.

A Bloomberg opinion article raised the prospect of de facto segregation in terms of risk tolerance to socializing and dining out: those more comfortable, or who have had the virus, versus those still at risk. No one foresaw a global pandemic and hospitality shutdown, yet these trend forecasts seem to support restaurant reopening plans. Perhaps, with stimulus money correctly allocated, there is greater hope for survival and regrowth than we have allowed ourselves to expect.
Dean of the School of Performing Arts of the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Kofi Agyekum has responded to the statements by some Pastors regarding the closure of churches in the country.



President Nana Akufo-Addo, in his ninth update on COVID-19 on Sunday, May 10, 2020, extended the ban on public gatherings till the end of the month, 31st May.



This also means that churches will remain closed till the said date.



The President added that he will announce a systematic plan to ease the restrictions in order to bring the nation back to normality.



However, some men of God are not enthused about the directive of the President.



One of those men is the founder of Life Assembly Worship Centre and Presidential candidate for the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, who has issued a warning to President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government.



According to Osofo Kyiri Abosom, God is outraged about the closure of churches and so cautioned that if the ban is not lifted after the extension date, God will visit his wrath upon the nation.



He stated that something worse than the Coronavirus will happen in Ghana should churches remain closed after 31st May.



But, in a quick reply, Professor Kofi Agyekum popularly called Opanyin Agyekum said on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' that ''it's not only in church that we serve God''.



''In fact, how many hours do we even spend in church?'' he questioned the Pastors.



Listen to his submissions 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
It has been announced that longtime Standardbred horseman Lester Clemmons passed away on Saturday, May 9, 2020 at the age of 74.

Clemmons was born July 31, 1945, in Franklin, Ohio. He trained Standardbreds for many years at the Warren County Fairgrounds.

He was the first trainer and previously a part owner of the current Ohio sire Pet Rock.

Clemmons will be missed by many.

Memories can be posted below or here.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Lester Clemmons.

(USTA)
Protesters are expected to gather Saturday at the Seaside Turnaround for a demonstration urging officials to reopen the coast.

Eighty-two people say they plan to attend the event, which is hosted by conservative activist Haley Adams and others. Over 460 more say theyre interested in attending, according to a Facebook event for the protest.

Too many healthy Oregonians on the coast dont have the luxury of self quarantine such as remote workers and other high-income professions, organizers said on Facebook. Join us in telling Gov. Kate Browns administration that her Draconian shutdown cannot continue in the lives of ordinary citizens.

The protest is the latest large-scale demonstration against Browns stay-home order. It comes after each of Oregons coastal counties has applied to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic.

Brown began accepting applications Friday, saying her office would process them in the order theyre received and will approve them in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority.

Some counties could be approved to reopen as early as May 15. Its unclear when each of the coastal counties  Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas, Coos and Curry  will be approved.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

Police officials have been in contact with event organizers to inform them of the citys permit process. Theyve been talking about ways to ensure the event is safe for everyone, authorities said in a news release Tuesday.

People should expect to see law enforcement officers in the area during the protest, authorities said, and a stretch of Broadway Street leading to the Turnaround will be closed to drivers and bike riders starting as early as 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Seaside Police Department anticipates a safe event but wants to remind citizens that engaging in any criminal activity towards individuals or groups associated with this event could subject you to arrest, the city said in a news release.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
People allowed to spend more time outside from today as lockdown measures begin to ease

People in England will now be allowed to spend more time outside as the Government begins to relax coronavirus lockdown measures despite the death toll continuing to rise.

Changes in the guidelines come into force from today, after causing confusion and anger as they were announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday.

Under the new rules, people remain unable to visit relatives or friends at their homes, but can now be shown around a property for sale.

Facebook labels 50 million coronavirus posts misleading

Facebook has said its moderators have labelled 50 million coronavirus posts as misleading.

The social media giant has also removed around 2.5 million posts that had false information about sales of medical equipment like masks and testing kits since the start of March.

Top US doctor: lifting lockdowns prematurely will lead to additional outbreaks

A premature lifting of lockdowns in the US could lead to additional outbreaks of Covid-19, the countrys leading disease expert has warned.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a US Senate panel that the virus epidemic is not yet under control in areas of the nation.

"I think we're going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have by any means total control of this outbreak," Dr Fauci said during the hearing.

Weekend of warm weather and sunshine ahead as lockdown orders eased

Britons are set to enjoy a weekend of warm weather and sunny spells, with the added bonus of being able to spend more time outdoors as some lockdown measures are eased.

Temperatures in could reach highs of 21C (70F) in parts of the country from Saturday, days after stay-at-home orders were beginning to relax.

People in England will be able to spend time outdoors, sunbathe and travel to beauty spots from today.

But the weather might not make the idea appealing straight away, with chilly winds keeping maximum temperatures down to around 15C.

Ed Sheeran tops young musicians rich list for second year running

Ed Sheeran has increased his wealth by 40 million, landing him the top spot on the young musicians Sunday Times Rich List for the second year running.

The 29-year-old, from Suffolk, is the richest musician in the UK aged 30 or under, with a wealth of more than 200 million, according to the list.

On this day...

1607: Captain John Smith landed on the Virginia coast and started the first permanent English settlement in the New World - Jamestown.

1830: The republic of Ecuador was created.

1835: Death of architect John Nash, who planned Regent's Park and Trafalgar Square.

1846: The United States declared war on Mexico.

1943: German and Italian forces in Africa surrendered.

1981: Pope John Paul II survived an assassination attempt in St Peter's Square in Rome.
Providing relief to thousands of homebuyers in Chennai, the registration department in Tamil Nadu has clarified that while registering an apartment, only the undivided share of the property will attract stamp duty and registration charges and not the built-up area.

The move comes in the wake of some sub-registrar offices demanding to register the built-up area along with the UDS of land, causing great hardship, mental agony besides making the allottees to incur huge and unnecessary expenses for the registration of built up area which is not approved by law.

With 4 percent registration fees and 7 percent stamp duty, Tamil Nadu charges one of the highest registration fees and stamp duties among Indian states. It is important to register the construction agreement along with the sale deed of undivided share in the state.

The inspector general of registration on May 11 issued an order that clarified that If a document is presented for registration of (first) sale of undivided share of land only, the registering officers are hereby instructed not to demand or insist for inclusion of building in the subject matter of sale document for the sole reason that completion certificate has been issued by the competent authority to the project.

Moneycontrol has a copy of the order.

However, it is also instructed that there is no impediment to register separate construction agreement as envisaged in the circular dated Oct 28, 2013.

A letter written by chief secretary to the state government to the inspector general of registration on March 18 had said that in respect of development of a large building or apartment complex, the proposed allottee, who envisages to acquire the apartment enters into an agreement of sale of UDS of land with the holder (vendor) of the land and a separate construction agreement with the builder/developer contractor for construction of apartment. Both these agreements are registered as per relevant provisions of law.

For the building where the completion certificate has been obtained, the sub registrars are insisting that the conveyance deed or the sale deed for UDS in land should also include the sale of built up area. The completion certificate has nothing to do with the title of the land. It is settled law that what is conveyed only should be taken into account for registration purpose by citing the judgments delivered in the division bench of Madras High Court, the letter said and sought a clarification.

The construction agreement is being registered under the provisions of the law with a stamp and registration fee of 2 percent on the agreement value, it had.

Suresh Krishn, the president-elect of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India (Credai), told Moneycontrol that it was only a clarification. Tamil Nadu follows a dual agreement system as both land and buildings are registered separately with the concessionaire agreement.

It has now been clarified that even for the first sale of any apartment, the undivided share and the apartment can be registered separately, he said, adding this has put to rest all confusion on the matter.

This comes in as a huge relief to homebuyers, said Iyarappan B, General Secretary - Uniworld Chennai Owners Association.

The buyer now gets to pay registration charges and stamp duty basis the undivided share and not the super built-up area. If the UDS is 500 sq ft, the buyer would have to pay registration fees basis that area and not 700 sq ft which is the super built-up area. Through this clarification the government has reinstated its earlier order, he said.
Emirates is resuming passenger flights to nine destinations in North America, Europe and Australia.

The United Arab Emirates-based carriers chief operations officer said the airline is complying with safety measures pertaining to the novel coronavirus as it moves toward a return to regular flights.

We have implemented additional measures at the airport in coordination with the relevant authorities in respect to social distancing and sanitization, Adel Al Redha said in a press release today.

Starting on May 21, Emirates will fly to London, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne. It will also offer travel from the United Kingdom to Australia via Dubai, the release said.

Emirates, based in the major international transit hub Dubai, stopped almost all of its flights in March amid the coronavirus lockdown in the country. It continued to offer repatriation flights. There has since been an easing of movement restrictions in Dubai.

On May 9, Emirates announced it is offering limited return flights to Dubai from some international destinations. The list of locations varies frequently, according to the airline.

Middle Eastern airlines have been hit by the downturn in global travel. Royal Jordanian, Turkish Airlines and Etihad ceased operating nearly all of their passenger flights. Qatar Airways has continued to fly to multiple continents, but also recently announced it is seeking billions of dollars in loans. Qatar Airways is also in talks to defer new aircraft orders and will reduce its fleet by 25%, according to Reuters.

In the UAEs neighbor Saudi Arabia, the International Air Transport Association, a trade group that represents airlines around the world, urged the Saudi government to provide financial aid to its airports and airlines. Saudi airlines will lose an estimated $7.5 billion this year, Reuters reported.
Deprived of work and access to aid, thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa living in Morocco are struggling to make ends meet under COVID-19 restrictions.

The misery is across the board, said Ousmane Ba, head of the Collective of sub-Saharan Communities in Morocco.

Those who worked as vendorsare under lockdown without financial resources and the situation is getting worse for illegal migrants living in camps.

They cant go anywhere and non-government organisations cant come to help them.

The north African kingdom has long been a transit country for migrants and refugees seeking a better life in Europe, and it has also become a host country for many.

At least 20,000, the vast majority from sub-Saharan Africa, are trapped in a humanitarian emergency, said sociologist Mehdi Alioua of the anti-racism foreigners support group GADEM.

Many of them work in the informal sector, which accounts for more than 20 percent of Moroccos economy, and tend to live precariously, hand to mouth, even in normal times.

Parking attendants, cleaning women without contracts and street vendors lacking social security are panicking now and many do not eat every day, Alioua said.

To contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, Morocco  with 6,380 virus infections and 188 deaths officially recorded  imposed a lockdown throughout the country.

A state of emergency declared on March 20 has been extended until May 20.

Controls are strict, movement is subject to authorisation and non-compliance with the restrictions is punishable by fines or one to three months jail.

 Misery 

The most vulnerable remain those who are looking to reach Europe by sea or by scaling barriers around the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in Moroccos north.

Border closures and movement restrictions imposed under a public health state of emergency have piled new challenges onto the already dangerous journey.

While covert crossings into Spain have decreased since the start of the pandemic crisis, many people are still making the trip.

A total of 986 arrivals were recorded between mid-March and early May, compared with 1,295 during the same period in 2019, according to the Spanish interior ministry.

Morocco has also progressively become a host country, after launching two regularisation campaigns for migrants in recent years.

A migration policy adopted in 2013 led to 50,000 people  mostly from West Africa  receiving residency permits, according to government figures.

Additionally, non-government groups estimate, there are several thousand illegal immigrants currently in the kingdom.

Whatever their legal status, members of sub-Saharan communities are suffering the effects of a pandemic-induced economic paralysis.

People dont know what to do, said Lokake Aimee, secretary-general ofthe Council of sub-Saharan Migrants in Morocco.

Those that didnt save have problems. They used to go out every day to get money and now they are in trouble.

 Mutual aid 

The kingdom dispensed financial aid to employees and informal sector workers who lost their jobs amid the crisis, but no such steps were taken for migrants or immigrants.

Those who are legally in the kingdom also do not benefit from the state aid distributed to Moroccans.

No one in the government had a word for these people, even as Morocco has invested so much in its migration policy, Alioua said.

Solidarity within the community, the charity sector and Catholic parishes have alleviated some of the burden.

Abdoulaye Diop, head of the Federation of sub-Saharan associations in Morocco,organises food basket distribution within the Senegalese community.

Other groups have launched similar initiatives, but resources are limited, Diop said.

Today you eat rice, tomorrow pasta, the day after rice, said Eouani Mambia Morelline, the 40-year-old Congolese head of a collective for migrant women in Morocco.

And then, there are the bills and rents that are piling up  and who knows when we will get back to normal life.

SOURCE: AFP
A Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? contestant has narrowly missed out on walking away with the shows top prize in the latest episode of the popular quiz show.

Retired doctor Andrew Townsley made it to the final question, with host Jeremy Clarkson reminding him that should he win, he would be the first person in 14 years to take home the 1m jackpot.

Townsley was asked: In the history of motor sport, which of these iconic races was held first?"

His potential answers were: A. Le Mans 24 Hours B. Indy 500 C. Monaco Grand Prix D. Island of Man TT.

Using his phone a friend lifeline to ask friend Elsa, who he didnt tell what was at stake, the doctor found himself back at square one after she refused to answer.

Doubting himself, Townsley told Clarkson: I dont know the answer, its just too much money to lose. Having got so far, to go on a whim would be foolish, with the presenter joking back: It would be foolish, but it would be great fun for the ladies and gentlemen at home.

Choosing to take his safety net amount of 500,000, Townsley was cheered by the audience, only for the former medical worker to reveal to Clarkson that had he chosen, he wouldve gone for the correct answer, the Isle of Man TT.

If youd said the Isle of Man TT, there would be tinsel landing on your head, the disappointed presenter said.

The last person to take home WWTBAM?s top prize was Ingram Wilcox, Ingram Wilcox. Other contestants to emerge victorious include Pat Gibson in 2004, David Edwards and Robert Brydges in 2001 and Judith Keppel back in 2000.
In April Egypt received the third of four Type 209 submarines from manufacturer. The first one arrived at the end of 2016. These German-built boats displace 1,300 tons, are 59 meters (183 feet) long, have eight torpedo tubes, and carry 14 torpedoes (or anti-ship missiles) and a crew of 36. The top speed on the surface is 21 kilometers an hour and twice that submerged. That speed difference is because of the tear-drop shape hull, which the 209 was among the first diesel-electric boats to adopt. The 209s can operate for up to 50 days on internal fuel and supplies. Operating with a snorkel (a periscope like device which allows the diesel engine to be used while submerged) they can operate for 30 days. Operating submerged on just battery power they can operate for about 100 hours (moving at 7 kilometers an hour, a third of the cruising speed while using the diesels). Max depth is 500 meters (1,600 feet).

These are world class subs that first appeared in the early 1970s and are still in production. Only three of the 61 put into service have been retired because these boats proved quite durable and amenable to refurbishment and upgrades. Currently, Type 209s cost $500-600 million each, depending on how you equip them.

These 209s replace four Chinese Type 033s acquired in the mid-1980s and were refurbished and upgraded by the United States in the late 1990s. These are still in service. The Type 033 is a copy of the Russian Cold War Romeo class and Egypt has late model versions that comprise most of thirty or so still in service. A total of 133 were built between 1957 and 1984, most of them by China. Russia built twenty between 1957 and 1963 before turning the design over to China and North Korea. Russia developed two further classes of diesel-electric subs before introducing the revolutionary and successful Kilo class in 1980. A much improved Kilo, the Lada class, was delayed by the end of the Cold War and did not arrive until 2010.

The Romeos were the second Russian sub influenced by the revolutionary 1,600 ton German Type XXI class sub that, fortunately for the allies, did not see wide use by the end of World War II. The German subs (U-boats) did more damage than anyone elses. The Germans kept improving the design of their U-boats and Type XXI was, at the end of the war and for a decade after that, the most advanced diesel-electric sub available. Russia and China were so impressed that they built 236 Whiskey class subs in the 1950s using a lot of the Type XXI innovations. The 1,475 ton Romeo was basically an improved Whiskey. The Romeos had eight torpedo tubes and carried 14 torpedoes or 28 mines. Top speed was (on the surface) 27 kilometers an hour. There was a crew of 54. The Kilo class was the first with a teardrop shaped hull which meant it was faster underwater than on the surface. All current diesel-electric and nuclear subs use this hull shape.

Syria also had three early model Romeos which were retired and scrapped in the 1990s. Everyone else in the eastern Mediterranean has used the German type 209. Turkey has bought 14 Type 209s, the first six between 1976 and 1989. The remainder, which were an upgraded model, arrived between 1994 and 2007. Turkey has already retired two of its older 209s. Greece bought eight Type 209s. The first four arrived between 1971 and 72. One has been retired. The second four arrived in 1979. Both Turkey and Greece received some type 209 boats. Greece received four between 2001 and 2005 while Turkey received three between 2015 and 2015 with three more on order.

Neighbor Israel has six Dolphin class subs, which replaced the older three German Type 206s by 2002. These are much upgraded Type 209s. The first one entered service in 1999 and the fifth one in 2016. The sixth one is undergoing testing and expected to enter service by the end of 2020. The Israeli Dolphin class subs have evolved into a separate class. The first three Dolphins entered service in 1999 and 2000. These 1,600 ton boats were recognized as modified (to Israeli specifications) Type 209s. But the second three were 2,050 ton boats that were called Dolphin 2 types instead of 209s. A further three are being designed and these are called the Dakar class and not very similar to Type 209s at all. The Dakars are supposed to enter service in the late 2020s.


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Japanese yen appreciated against its major counterparts in the European session on Wednesday, as worries about a rise in COVID-19 cases after easing lockdowns in certain countries and renewed trade tensions between the U.S. and China dampened sentiment.



A leading U.S. Republican senator on Tuesday proposed legislation that would authorize President Donald Trump to impose far-reaching sanctions on China if it fails to give a full account of events leading to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.



The range of sanctions include asset freezes, travel bans and visa revocations, as well as restrictions on loans to Chinese businesses by U.S. institutions and bans on U.S. listings by Chinese firms.



Data from the Bank of Japan showed that Japan overall bank lending rose 3.0 percent on year in April, coming in at 553.486 trillion yen.



That's up sharply from the 2.0 percent annual increase in March.



The yen appreciated to 2-day highs of 106.96 versus the greenback, 115.94 versus the euro and 110.21 versus the franc, reversing from its previous lows of 107.28, 116.41 and 110.66, respectively. The next possible resistance for the yen is seen around 102.5 versus the greenback, 112.00 versus the euro and 106.00 versus the franc.



The yen firmed to a 5-day high of 76.03 versus the loonie, after falling to 76.32 at 12:45 am ET. On the upside, 72.00 is likely seen as the next resistance level for the yen.



The yen rose back to 131.25 versus the pound, heading to pierce a 6-day peak of 131.20 seen in the Asian session. The yen is likely to find resistance around the 127.00 level.



Extending early rally, the yen advanced to a 6-day peak of 64.23 versus the kiwi. The pair had closed Tuesday's deals at 65.09. Next key resistance for the yen is likely seen around the 60.00 level.



In contrast, the yen held steady against the aussie, after having strengthened to a 5-day high of 69.10 in the Asian session. At yesterday's trading close, the pair was quoted at 69.31.



Survey data from Westpac showed that Australia's consumer confidence recovered in May from a very low level.



The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment rose to 88.1 in May from 75.6 in April.



Looking ahead, U.S. PPI for April is scheduled for release in the New York session.



Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will deliver a speech about current economic issues at a webinar organized by the Peterson Institute for International Economics at 8:00 am ET.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Join us for a discussion regarding the current economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Our guests: Arleen Westerhof (European Economic Summit) and Prof. Florin Duma from Romania are discussing the various approaches to the economic crisis, with an emphasis on the relational aspect of Economics.
(The Army was) looking for ways to give the Americans an advantage once they hit the beach, Beyer said. Were going to be there, were going to be fighting in Europe and were going up against the Nazis, and theyre really great soldiers and what can we do to give our men every advantage? The answer was a multimedia tactical deception unit set up to fool the eyes and ears of Nazis and their sympathizers.
The Chairman of Borno State High Powered Response Committee on Prevention and Control of COVID-19 who is also the State Deputy Govenror, Hon. Usman Umar Kadafur has said that the state government decided to suspend the three weeks old lockdown order in the state but with stringent measures to be adopted by both the government and people.

He also commended the people of the state for their support and cooperation during th lockdown order while appealing to the State Association of Ulamas and CAN to ensure strict compliance with the face masks wearing and maintenance of social distancing in mosques and churches during worships.

The Deputy Govenror stated this in a press statement he issued and signed in Wednesday night in Maiduguri prior to the expiration of the three weeks lockdown order by 10.30 pm Wednesday night.

The statement further warned tricycle riders and other public transport or commercials shuttling the metropolis to adhere strictly to the establsihed rules and guidelines of wearing face masks and observing social distancing, noting that, anybody found breaching the rules will be penalized or made to face the wrath of the law .

It also warned that all hotels and alcohol joints are still closed and the law on liquor will be applied to any defaulter while stressing that, the existing restrictions on essential vehicles at entry and exit points still stands, pointing out that, anybody found violating the rules will be dealt with accordingly.

The statement also stated that henceforth, five times prayers are allowed in mosques as the Borno State Association of Ulamas agreed to observe with face masks and social distancing while Christians will open churches and conduct their services based on the recommendation of CAN leadership as agreed .

It further directed that even at burials and any other social congregation, face masks and social distancing must be applied while government will continue to monitor the federal government directives .

The statement added that no pharmacist or medical doctor should treat any covid-19 patient in his or her private hospital, instructing that, all covid-19 cases should be referred to the Government hospital, warning that, any defaulter caught will face the wrath of the law

It however states that civil servants in levels 1-12 should continue to stay at home and do their work from home while on the recommendation of the Borno State Association of Ulamas, there would not be Eid El Fitri congregational prayer hence it is a sunnah prayer not obligatory prayer.

The statement also stated in qoute that: "The lockdown be suspended indefinitely to study the situation for the time being, however where the situation escalates, government should revert to status quo.

2. The use of facemasks by the public be made mandatory and enforceable.

3. Government, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders and opinion leaders should enforce social distancing, especially in public gatherings/worship places.

4. There should be restriction on public gatherings, especially funeral processions/rights, weddings, narming ceremois etc. to not more than 20 people.

5. Re-emphasize that all medical consultations by Pharmacies and patients medicine stores that are related to Covid-19 or similar ailment shall be referred to government hospitals as defaulters of this direcive will be prosecuted.

6. On no account should government hospitals reject any patient whether because of COVID-19 or other ailments.

7. Government should study the federal governments agreement with health unions with a view to implementing it at the state level.

8. Henceforth Jumma'at prayers and five daily prayers shall be observed in all mosques as recommended by the Bormo State Council of Ulamas in strict adherence witn social distancing and the use of facemask.

9. All Churches shall conduct church services as recommended by Christian Association of Nigeria Bormo Chapter in strict adherence to social distancing and use of facemasks.

10. The ban on the sales and consumption of liquor and other intoxicating substances is still enforced, defauters will be dealt with severely in accordance witn the liquor law.

11. All vehicles, including tricycles (keke napep) must ensure the use of face mask as defauiters will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

12 Appropriate measures be put in place to enforce restrictions at all entry and exit points across the state.

13. All drivers of exempted vehicles bringing in essential goods into Maiduguri will be subjected to Covid-19 test at the point of entry into the state.

14. The Covid-19 Pandemic Response Committee will Continue to monitor the situation as they unfold and appropriate action will be taken accordingly.

15. Civil Servants of grade level 1-12 should continue to Work from home except directed otherwise.

16. Government has considered the recommendation of the Borno State Council of Ulamas which clearly states that Eid-Prayers is Sunnah (non-obligatory) hence, there should be no Eid prayers. Faithful should remain at home during the period.
CAL Fire C404 helicopter based in Columbia Air Attack Base View Photo

Update at 6:45 p.m.: All Columbia aircraft have returned to base as CAL Fire reports the fire was a false alarm. Spokesperson Emily Kilgore reports crews have determined it was a burn pile at a residence with a person in attendance.

Original post at 6:30 p.m.: Chinese Camp, CA  Columbia aircraft and ground crews have been called out to a vegetation fire in the Chinese Camp area of Tuolumne County.

CAL Fire reports that the flames were reported along Shawmut Road and Highway 49/120. Spokesperson Emily Kilgore says the fire is moving from behind the Chinese Camp post office towards Lake Don Pedro, but no size estimate or information on whether any structures are threatened is available. We will have an update as soon as new information comes into the newsroom.
A billboard in New York Citys Times Square has begun showing a "Trump Death Clock" tallying coronavirus deaths that its creator says can be attributed to the president's inaction.

The digital counter was installed last week by filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, who said he wanted to make clear to the Americans the consequences of Donald Trumps policies.

The Trump Death Clock, which is also running on an accompanying website, uses an estimation that 60 per cent that American coronavirus deaths could have been avoided due to White House inaction in February.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the leading US infectious diseases expert, has admitted lives could have been saved if the government had intervened sooner to stem the outbreak. Some epidemiologists have estimated that 60 per cent of American deaths could have been avoided if the White House had acted just one week earlier.

Mr Jarecki wrote in The Washington Post that he set up the death clock to "let the numbers speak for themselves".

He said: "This suffering cannot be forgotten. As of today, tens of thousands of Americans have lost their lives as a consequence of the administrations failure to act sooner."

He added: This pandemic is ongoing, and the lives already unnecessarily lost demand we seek more responsible crisis leadership.

Just as the names of fallen soldiers are etched on memorials to remind us of the cost of war, quantifying the lives lost to the presidents delayed coronavirus response would serve a vital public function.

Mr Jarecki maintains that Mr Trump did not act to manage the Covid-19 crisis until 16 March, after warnings in January.

Reports show that as early as January, the president was advised by both his own experts and the intelligence services of the need for urgent mitigation measures against the spread of the virus, wrote Mr Jarecki last week. 

The death clock comes alongside the nearby National Debt Clock, which displays US borrowing to show how the US is living beyond its means.

On Tuesday, the new counter displayed almost 50,000 deaths that were allegedly due to Mr Trumps mismanagement.

That comes as the total American death toll from the virus passed 80,000 on Monday.
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan is committed to the speedy political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at the meeting of the Council Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) held through video-conference on May 12.

The negotiations cannot last forever, and the negotiations must not serve to the continuation and maintenance of the situation that arose from a result of the use of force, occupation and ethnic cleansing, Mammadyarov said.

Mammadyarov noted that the realities of the modern require effective interaction and coordination of efforts of all states against new challenges and threats to stability and security.

However, the unresolved conflicts in the CIS, especially the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, do not allow for full and effective realization of the integration potential within the Commonwealth and are the major obstacle to closer interaction of CIS member states against new challenges and threats, the minister added.

The recent statements made by the Armenian leadership show that the Armenian side is doing everything possible to prevent the activation of the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict, thereby creating new threats to regional stability and security, Mammadyarov said.

The minister reminded that as stated in the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Charter of Paris and the known UN Security Council resolutions, Azerbaijan has the right to restore its territorial integrity by all means within its internationally recognized borders.

In the end, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted that a speedy resolution of conflicts based on the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders of states will undoubtedly contribute to the strengthening of regional and international security, social progress and economic cooperation in the region.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The bigger question is whether Passenger B would get sick after being exposed to lingering viral particles during a short elevator ride. In a single cough, a person can cough a few thousand particles or even 300,000 particles, and doctors still dont know what dose of coronavirus  one infectious viral particle, or thousands  is needed to make a person sick.

The main intent of the exercise was just to show that some level of virus can be sustained in air beyond an infected person using the elevator, said Dr. Corsi. I dont know whether the dose in an elevator is going to be high enough to pose significant risk, but I would probably take the stairs if possible.

Still, many infectious disease experts dont believe that airborne particles in empty elevators pose a significant real-life risk when it comes to coronavirus. Dr. Ilan Schwartz, assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Alberta, noted that even when a person with Covid-19 is living in close quarters with other members of the household, the infection rate has been estimated at about 10 to 20 percent. Thats much less contagious than an airborne disease like measles, which would have an infection rate of 75 to 90 percent, he said.

While its possible that coronavirus droplets can remain in the elevator air for a period of time, in the real world, the main mode of transmission is through close exposure to an infected person who coughs or exhales droplets in your presence.

We know therere some small particles that are likely to stay in the air, but at the end of the day the epidemiology just doesnt support this being an important mode of transmission, said Dr. Schwartz. Probably the risk from being in an elevator would be more related to touching the buttons than it would be to being in contact with air that was exhaled from someone who was riding it before.

The solution for those of us who must use elevators is to take common sense precautions. First, when possible, avoid riding with another person. And always wear a mask inside the elevator, even if youre riding alone  a mask will help protect you from the last passenger, and will protect the next passenger from your germs. Avoid touching your face after touching elevator buttons, and wash your hands afterward. And if you must ride with another person or two, dont get in unless everyone inside is wearing a mask.

Dr. Marr notes that the presence of viral particles doesnt necessarily mean a person will get sick, but you should still take steps to avoid the risk. Viral RNA tells us that the virus is there, but it doesnt tell us whether the virus is infectious, she said. If we detect 100 copies of viral RNA, we think there might be about one infectious virus. We dont know how many it takes to make you sick, probably more than one. The risk is low, but I would wear a mask on the elevator.

Do you have a health question? Ask Well
Fox News host Tucker Carlson took aim at Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday night, unleashing a furious tirade against the top infectious disease expert, whom he called the chief buffoon.

Piggybacking on Sen. Rand Pauls criticism of Fauci at Tuesdays Senate hearing on the coronavirus pandemic, Carlson said the Republican lawmaker was right to complain about experts predictions about the virus.

A lot of wrong predictions have come out of Washington on the question of the coronavirus, and quite a few of them came directly from Dr. Fauci himself. We are not singling him out or attacking him, the Fox News star declared before devoting the next few minutes to directly attacking the White House coronavirus task force member.

Carlson proceeded to point out some of the positions Fauci has shifted on throughout the crisis, such as on face masks. After playing a clip of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease director saying in March that theres no reason for people to be walking around in a mask at that time, Carlson appeared to liken Fauci to a false messiah.

This might be painful for some people, its kind of like learning a religion is fake, he said. But this religion is fake! It shouldnt be a religion in the first place. Its supposed to be science. You are supposed to admit when you are wrong and you are supposed to be totally transparent with your reasoning.

The conservative host also aired a Jan. 21 interview of Fauci and claimed that Fauci at the time was telling Americans the virus was nothing to worry about. In the interview, Fauci said that we need to take it seriously but that this is not something that the citizens of the United States right now should be worried about. (The first confirmed case of the virus had just been documented in the United States at the time.)

The primetime host also took issue with Fauci encouraging people last month to refrain from shaking hands, ridiculing the doctor for purportedly claiming that it was also fine to hook up for casual sex during the pandemic. (Fauci actually said people should weigh the risks and should postpone hooking up if they don't want to have any part of this virus.)

Story continues

This is buffoon-level stuff at that point and we are not doing this to mock the guy, Carlson said. I mean anyone who talks as much as Anthony Fauci does is apt to say some stupid things.

Fox News

Grousing that some people think that he should be dictator for the duration of this crisis, Carlson complained that Faucia public health experthasnt been elected to anything and that the American people havent had any say in picking him.

Carlson later brought on conservative activist Ned Ryun to criticize Fauci some more. During their conversation, in which Ryun repeatedly questioned why Fauci was still serving in his role, Carlson got in one last shot at the infectious disease expert.

Now were finding, this golden calf of the administrative state is ringing hollow, and Fauci, to be very blunt, is the face of this failed administrative state. You have to question the entire premise of this! Ryun bellowed.

The chief buffoon of the professional class, said Carlson, whos been credited with pushing the president to finally take the pandemic seriously.

Shortly after gunning for Fauci, Carlson received some pushback from Republicans. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), the No. 3 Republican in the House, tweeted out an endorsement of Fauci.

Dr. Fauci is one of the finest public servants we have ever had, she wrote. He is not a partisan. His only interest is saving lives. We need his expertise and his judgment to defeat this virus. All Americans should be thanking him. Every day.

Carlson and other conservatives have become increasingly critical of the coronavirus task force expert in recent weeks, especially as Fauci has urged caution on reopening the economy amid a pandemic thats now killed more than 82,000 Americans. Last month, as right-wing furor over Fauci grew after the doctor acknowledged that more lives would have been saved if we started mitigation earlier, Trump shared a tweet containing the hashtag #FireFauci.

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Six hospitals in the Lehigh Valley will be among 51 in Pennsylvania to receive the states first doses of an investigational antiviral drug being used to treat COVID-19 patients, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced Tuesday night.

The federal government earlier Tuesday distributed 1,200 doses of remdesivir to the state, and the entire allotment has since been shipped to the hospitals, the Department of Health says in a statement.

Remdesivir is given to a patient through an IV once per day for up to 10 days, depending on the severity of the patients illness. The Department of Healths statement, citing the FDA, says the drug may help decrease the amount of coronavirus in the body and this may help patients get better faster. Coronavirus causes COVID-19.

The Department of Health released a spreadsheet listing the 51 Pennsylvania hospitals that will receive the remdesivir shipments over the next few days. The hospitals were chosen based on the number COVID-19 patients each has treated over a recent seven-day period, and the severity of the illness of those patients. Severity was measured by whether patients were on a ventilator.

The six local hospitals chosen to receive the first shipments are: Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, St. Lukes University Hospital, St. Lukes Hospital-Anderson Campus, St. Lukes Hospital-Allentown and Sacred Heart Hospital. Just outside the Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton also made the list.

The Lehigh Valley is among the regions in the state that have been hit hardest by the pandemic. As of Tuesday, the Valley has a total of 5,785 coronavirus cases and 284 deaths, up 61 cases and three deaths from the prior day. That breaks down to 3,286 cases and 123 deaths in Lehigh County and 2,499 cases and 161 deaths in Northampton County.

President Donald Trump is coming to the region on Thursday. He is expected to visit Owens & Minor Inc., a medical equipment distributor that has sent millions of N95 masks, surgical gowns, and gloves to hospitals and surgery centers across the country to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. The distributor is located in Upper Macungie Township.

Trump on May 1 announced the FDA approval of remdesivir for emergency use to treat suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe disease."

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Nick Falsone can be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com.
A woman in Florida has been arrested for lying on the beach as she was protesting its closure due to the coronavirus.

Kimberly Falkenstine, 33, was holding a sign that read 'We are free', authorities said, who arrested her on Sunday afternoon at Lummus Park beach in Miami, which was closed by an emergency order.

Falkenstine and a man named Chris Nelson, who filmed her act of protest, were both taking part in a wider protest in Lummus Park when she decided to leave the area and sit on the beach 'to make a statement' according to the arrest report.

Kimberly Falkenstine, 33, (pictured) was arrested for violating an emergency order by lying on a Miami beach holding a sign that read 'we are free', protesting the coronavirus measure

In the video, Falkenstine can be seen storming towards the beach holding her sign from the protest. While being filmed, she speaks to Nelson, explaining her reasoning as he can be heard encouraging her, calling her a 'brave lady... who's ready to make a statement'.

While heading towards the beach, Falkenstine says: 'I plan to show people that they're free. The beach doesn't belong to the government, it doesn't belong to the Mayor, it doesn't belong to anyone but the people. I'm going to go exercise my first amendment right to be there,' she says.

'The time for acting is gone. They need to realize that if we rise up, we can strip their power like "that"' Falkenstine adds while clicking her fingers.

'They need to think about that when they want to pretend like they're our parent and take away the beach whenever they feel like it. That's not fair,' she concludes, to which Nelson replies: 'Amen'.

Police said that she was approached by three officers who warned her that she was in violation of the city's emergency coronavirus orders and gave her numerous chances to leave the closed beach.

In response, Falkenstine said: 'The beach was for the public and it was her right to be there.'

Officers told her that if she refused to leave the beach, she would be arrested, but according to the report she told them that she was aware of the consequences and would not follow their orders to vacate the beach.

Kimberly Falkenstine is seen in the video storming towards the beach with her sign that says 'we are free' as she is encouraged by the person filming the video, Chris Nelson, who stayed back off the beach while he filmed from a distance as officers arrest Falkenstine (right)

When officers tried to take her into custody, the arrest report said that the woman 'dropped her dead weight and refused to move.'

The police had to carry her to their vehicle and drove her to the Miami Beach police station.

As a result of her actions, Falkenstine faces several charges including resisting an officer without violence, trespassing and violating an emergency order.

She was held on a $2,500 bond which has since been posted.

Lummus Park in Miami Beach, where the initial protest was taking place, was closed to the public by a Miami-Date County emergency order. The parks are now beginning to reopen

On Tuesday, government officials were finalizing plans for the partial reopening of Miami-Dade county, one of Florida's worst coronavirus areas.

Dozens of people were seen enjoying Miami's 82F weather as they strolled through South Pointe Park just a day after it reopened.

Officials said the park will only open on weekdays after it was closed due to overcrowding and issues with people not wearing face coverings.

Several sun-seekers appeared to be following social distancing guidelines. And while some wore masks, many people didn't have their faces covered at all.

But Miami Beach Police said visitors at the park don't need to wear a face mask as long as social distancing is adhered to. However, police encouraged park goers to still carry a face mask with them.

Photos showed several people relaxing in the park as they soaked up the sun. Some worked out and ran while others chit-chatted on the grass.

Florida has had nearly 42,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,779 confirmed deaths from the disease since the first cases were reported in early March.

Miami-Dade and Broward combined represent about 20 per cent of the state's population, but account for 48 per cent of the cases and 40 per cent of the deaths.

On Tuesday, parks began to reopen and people flooded back into them as officials said while people do not need to wear masks, it is advised that they carry one with them

Miami-Dade and Broward counties are also finishing preparations that would allow retailers, restaurants and personal care businesses such as barber shops and salons to reopen on Monday, about two months after they closed, Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry told her county commission on Tuesday.

The counties account for almost half of the state's confirmed virus cases.

Broward commissioners urged caution about the reopening plan but generally agreed that the county's economy needs to begin the process.

'One of our responsibilities as leaders is not to lead people to their deaths,' County Mayor Dale Holness said. No vote was taken on the plan.
May 12, 2020  Ottawa, Ontario  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

"Today's announcement builds on all the work we have been doing since the moment COVID struck to ensure our agriculture sector, particularly our horticultural producers, can count on their workforce and that they can ensure their safety.

When COVID struck, we immediately got to work, with the top three countries of origin for foreign primary agricultural and food production workers: Mexico, Jamaica and Guatemala.

We announced $50 million to help farmers and agri-food businesses to cover the costs of safely welcoming temporary foreign workers in compliance with the Quarantine Act.

COVID struck at the busiest time for many farmers. April is the month that sees the most number of agricultural workers arrive.

Working in close collaboration with industry we welcomed about 11,000 workers to Canada in April this year, compared to about 13,000, in April last year.

And year-to-date, we have welcomed nearly 22,000 agricultural workers in Canada by the end of April, compared with about 25,500 at the end of April in 2019.

To get here, all the federal departments involved in the Temporary Foreign Worker program worked together to simplify processes and facilitate as much as possible the safe entry of these workers, including priority processing of applications, highlighting that work permit applicants can continue working with the same employer while they have an extension application being processed, and the measures announced today to fast-track approval for workers in non-SAWP streams to change jobs or employers.

We also increased the maximum duration of employment under LMIAs from 1 to 2 years for employers of workers in the low-wage stream and removed the minimum recruitment requirements for the next 6 months, for workers in agriculture and food processing.

Further to these changes, we are working hard to bolster our domestic labour force to address potential areas of shortages.

On May 7, the Prime Minister announced that the federal Government was putting in place $3 Billion to support wage top-ups for essential services. This is another important step to support many of our agricultural producers. We recognize that workers in the food supply chain, from the farm to the food store, are absolutely essential  and we look forward to seeing the provincial plans on these top-ups soon.

We also launched our "Step up to the Plate  Help Feed Canadians" job portal, which is helping to match Canadians with jobs in the agri-food sector and we made temporary changes to the Canada Summer Jobs Program to offer more help to essential services including the agri-food supply chain.

It is also important that workers in the food sector in Canada know they are safe. This week, the federal Government announced that we would be removing the tariffs for the importation of PPEs. We also announced a $77.5M Emergency Processor Fund, which will processors with safety retrofits and PPE costs. And we continue to work with the provinces and territories on other ways to promote worker safety, particularly through our cost-shared Canadian Agricultural Partnership programming.

We recognize our producers and processors are important engines of the economies in their communities and our whole country. We will be there every step of the way to support their safety, their stability and their growth."

- Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Associated Links

Contacts

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Press Secretary

Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

jean-sebastien.comeau@canada.ca

343-549-2326

Media Relations

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Ottawa, Ontario

613-773-7972

1-866-345-7972

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" " Teddy Roosevelt (1858-1919) was known to use the phrase "Speak softly, and carry a big stick" to describe his foreign policy. He also used a very big stick to, literally, change the landscape of America. Library of Congress

Even those of us who can hardly recall a single fact from high school history class (raising my hand) likely remember Theodore Roosevelt's name for a few key reasons. The 26th president of the United States served from 1901 to 1909, and he's the leader responsible for the domestic program known as the Square Deal, which focused on "the three Cs": consumer protection, corporate regulation and conservationism. Roosevelt's legacy continues to live on today in many ways, even though his time in office ended over a century ago. Here are six things we're still thanking Teddy Roosevelt for today:

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1. He Established the U.S. Forest Service

Conservation was a major component in Roosevelt's plans to revitalize the country, and after taking office in 1901, he established the United States Forest Service (USFS), which today continues its mission "to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations."

There's everything he did personally, as a naturalist and public figure, to promote the protection of nature  but it's what he did as president that matters, Clay Risen, The New York Times deputy op-ed editor and author of "The Crowded Hour: Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Dawn of the American Century," says via email. "He took what was still a nascent movement and planted it firmly within U.S. government policy. Thanks to him, the idea that the government has a critical role to play in protecting America's natural heritage has never been seriously questioned; in fact, it has become a core part of our collective identity."

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2. He Signed Legislation Creating Five National Parks and 150 National Forests

Roosevelt famously protected over 230 million acres (93 million hectares) of land and designated the country's first wildlife refuge (Pelican Island, which we will get to in a moment), presided over the creation of the National Forest Service, and signed the Antiquities Act, which granted presidents the authority to protect natural and cultural landmarks. Calling upon the newly established law, he helped create 18 monuments, established five national parks (Crater Lake, Oregon; Wind Cave, South Dakota; Sullys Hill, North Dakota; Mesa Verde, Colorado; and Platt, Oklahoma), and 150 national forests.

" " Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir on Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, California, in 1903. Library of Congress

At the laying of the cornerstone for the Gateway to Yellowstone National Park in 1903, Roosevelt said in a speech: "The Yellowstone Park is something absolutely unique in the world, so far as I know...The scheme of its preservation is noteworthy in its essential democracy.... This Park was created, and is now administered, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.... The only way that the people as a whole can secure to themselves and their children the enjoyment in perpetuity of what the Yellowstone Park has to give is by assuming the ownership in the name of the nation and by jealously safeguarding and preserving the scenery, the forests and the wild creatures."

"It's easy to imagine an alternate universe, where the pressures of the 20th century carved up almost all the available land in the U.S. and conservation became a losing battle between entrenched powers and an underfunded environmental movement," Risen says. "Again, there are so many achievements, but this is one I keep going back to in my mind."

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3. He Changed the Role of the American Father

"I know many people, myself included, who are struck by Teddy Roosevelt's commitment to his family," Risen says. "For such a public figure, he was an intensely private person when he wanted to be, and he constructed a large, warm sphere around his domestic life, especially during his second marriage. He doted on his children in a way that belies the stereotype of the late 19th-century Victorian man of means  visitors to his home at Sagamore Hill describe how freely and physically he played with his kids, almost like a child himself. Of course he was still Teddy Roosevelt, and he was still a man of his class and time  his wife did much of the housework, and he spent large amounts of time away from home. Nevertheless, I don't think you can understand Teddy Roosevelt in full until you appreciate the importance of his family to him."

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4. He Established the First 51 Bird Reserves

An avid birdwatcher, Roosevelt felt passionately about protecting avian species from poachers. In 1903, he established Pelican Island, Florida, as the first federal bird reservation, and as the first unit in what would eventually be known as the National Wildlife Refuge System. Today, you can find a refuge near you by visiting https://www.fws.gov/refuges/find-a-wildlife-refuge/?method=zipcode and typing in your ZIP code.

" " President Theodore Roosevelt and his second wife, Edith, both dressed in white, center, seated on a flag draped railroad tram, on a tour of the Panama Canal Zone in 1906. Library of Congress

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5. He Initiated Construction of the Panama Canal

Roosevelt believed it was important for there to be a canal that spanned the Isthmus of Panama in order to support American military and commercial purposes. Colombia refused America's terms for building the canal, so Roosevelt threw his support behind the political class in Panama that sought to form an independent nation. The newly established nation of Panama then sold the canal zone to America for $10 million and an additional annual amount that increased over time. The Panama Canal was completed in 1914 and continues to be a major trade conduit today  in 2019, the canal registered a total of 13,785 transits, transporting 252 million tons (228 metric tons) of goods, and generating tolls that totaled $2,592 million.

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6. He Helped End the Russo-Japanese War

Roosevelt became the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize when he persuaded the parties of the Russo-Japanese War to meet in a peace conference at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine. Thanks to his mediation efforts, both sides signed the Treaty of Portsmouth on Sept. 5, 1905, which ended the war. The following year, Roosevelt was awarded the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize. But according to Risen, this monumental achievement was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Roosevelt's long-lasting legacy.

"Teddy Roosevelt is often caricatured as a man of violence, or at least aggression," Risen says. "And there's something to that, both in his personal life and in his foreign policy views. But he was also more complex than that, especially as President. In his youth and his old age, he at times took a chauvinistic, belligerent view of the world. But in the White House, he made enormous contributions to the mechanisms of dispute resolution and diplomacy. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War, but that was only the beginning of his achievements."

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Now That's Interesting Yes, this country has seen its fair share of Roosevelts; here's how the main players are related: Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt were fifth cousins and Eleanor was Theodore's niece.
U.S. emergency officials say ventilators sent to the United States by Russia to help treat COVID-19 patients are the same model that reportedly caused two deadly fires in Russian hospitals.

Early on May 13, Russia's health-care regulator, Roszdravnadzor, said it had suspended usage of the devices, produced by the Urals Instrument-Engineering Plant near the city of Yekaterinburg, which had recently increased its output tenfold to accommodate a state order for 5,700 ventilator units.

The devices were never deployed to U.S. hospitals and are being returned to the federal government out of an abundance of caution," U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokeswoman Janet Montesi said in a statement late on May 12.

The machines were delivered to New York and New Jersey, the U.S. states hardest hit by the coronavirus, but "the flattening curve meant these ventilators were not needed," Montesi added.

Roszdravnadzor began checking the devices, which are widely used for treating serious COVID-19 cases, for quality and safety standards after ventilation units installed in hospitals were suspected of being the cause of fires that killed at least six COVID-19 patients in St. Petersburg and the Moscow area.

"The federal health-care control service has suspended the usage on Russia's territory of Aventa-M artificial lung-ventilation devices...produced by the Urals Instrument-Engineering Plant," a Roszdravnadzor statement said, adding that such units were used in the Spasokukotsky Hospital in Moscow and St. George Hospital in St. Petersburg, where the fires occurred on May 9 and May 12, respectively.

The ventilators that arrived in the United States were on a Russian plane carrying medical supplies to help fight the coronavirus outbreak. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the supplies had been purchased but did not say how much the United States paid.

Ortagus described the purchase as a follow-up to a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 30 as New York was experiencing a severe outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Trump said Putin offered the equipment and that he considered it a very nice gesture.

The arrival of the shipment, which Moscow described as aid, immediately raised questions over the motives behind the move and whether Putin would use it as a public relations coup.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
RTHK: Top US virus expert issues warning on lockdowns

Washington's top virus expert warned against easing lockdowns too quickly on Tuesday as Russia and India defied surging death tolls to start getting back to work.

Government epidemiologist Anthony Fauci's stark words fed concerns that even a cautious exit from the world's unprecedented economic shutdown could trigger a second coronavirus wave.

In testimony to US lawmakers, Fauci admitted the true number killed by the epidemic in the United States is likely higher than the official toll of 80,000 - the world's highest.

And despite US President Donald Trump's evident desire to restart the economy, Fauci warned that if cities and states ignore guidelines on exiting their lockdowns safely "the consequences could be really serious".

This follows a warning from the World Health Organisation that a second wave of the disease, which has killed more than 286,000 people around the world, could erupt if new infections escape controls.

And it comes as Russia began to gradually ease lockdown rules even as the country's infections surged past 232,000 - now the second most confirmed cases in the world after the US.

The country hit the dire landmark on Tuesday after a week of reporting more than 10,000 daily infections and as it was confirmed that President Vladimir Putin's spokesman tested positive for the virus.

But some parts of the country hummed back to life on Tuesday - the end of a "non-working" period that allowed some people to return to their jobs again.

For those braving public transport, masks and gloves were a must in line with new anti-virus rules.

"It's positive, because it's a necessary measure," said 25-year-old Tatiana Khan, speaking on a half-empty bus in Moscow.

"If everyone had worn masks from the start, observed the precautions, I think we wouldn't have had such a spread of the epidemic," she added from behind a surgical mask.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a US$270 billion economic stimulus as the Asian giant's economy lumbers back to life.

Its giant railway network restarted in defiance of a recent surge in the number of infections, with 3,600 recorded on Monday, just below Sunday's record tally.

Passengers wearing face masks or handkerchiefs over their mouths queued outside New Delhi station on Tuesday, waiting to be screened for coronavirus symptoms.

Ajay Dewani, a photographer stranded in Ghaziabad said he walked for four hours to get to the station.

"I haven't been paid for two months and my landlord was hassling us for rent," he said, carrying a backpack and pulling a wheeled suitcase.

Iran, meanwhile, said it would reopen mosques for three nights this week for the first time since March, after struggling to contain the outbreak that has killed more than 6,700 people there.

South Korea, credited with one of the world's more successful anti-virus campaigns, said it was using mobile phone data to track Seoul nightclub visitors after a cluster of new cases.

The outbreak - which forced a delay in reopening schools - hit gay venues and potential carriers may fear coming forward because of the stigma surrounding homosexuality.

And in Britain, which already has Europe's most confirmed deaths, the Office of National Statistics said reports from care homes for the elderly suggest a government tally of 32,065 deaths underestimates the full toll.

There was some encouraging news from Spain, however, when the country's probable oldest living resident - 113-year-old US-born Maria Branyas - recovered from the disease.

Her daughter Rosa Moret told Spanish media her mother was "in shape, wanting to talk, to explain, to reflect, she has become herself again" after she tested negative following her bout with the illness.

Precautionary economic and social lockdowns have cut a swathe through the global economy and, while many areas are now cautiously moving back to work, world markets are trading cautiously amid fears of a second wave.

The United States has by far the world's highest caseload, but Trump is keen to reopen the economy quickly amid soaring job losses.

He faces resistance, however, and Fauci has warned of grim consequences if Americans return to work and group leisure activities before the pandemic is under control.

On Monday, the WHO urged "extreme vigilance" against a second wave.

Observers are nervously eyeing Wuhan, where the virus was first reported late last year, after the Chinese city registered the first cluster of new Covid-19 infections since it reopened after a 76-day lockdown on April 8.

Chinese authorities moved to test the entire 11-million strong population of the city after the new cases were reported there. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, national nonprofit Wreaths Across America announces it will host the third of its Stem to Stone Race Tour events in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The 5K race event will be held VIRTUALLY on Saturday, May 23  Memorial Day Weekend. The series, which is in partnership with event management and timing company CompetitorME, was announced earlier this year and features eight 5K road races throughout the year. Due to COVID-19, and the CDC's recommendation for large gatherings, this race has been moved to a VIRTUAL event.

Registration for virtual participation will be open through race day. To register, please visit www.competitorme.com/wreaths-across-america or click here.

"The goal of this race series is to build community awareness and understanding of the organization's yearlong mission to Remember, Honor, Teach," said Karen Worcester, executive director, Wreaths Across America. "However, in light of the current health crisis, we feel these races have taken on even more meaning by providing the opportunity for people to safely participate in something healthy and fun, while supporting and giving back in their own community during this uncertain time."

Each individual virtual race registration sponsors a fresh balsam veteran's wreath that will be placed on the headstone of an American hero on December 19, 2020, as part of National Wreaths Across America Day. During check out, registrants can designate the Sponsorship

Group or participating Wreaths Across America Location they want their sponsored wreath allocated to. Including Fayetteville National Cemetery, there are nearly 20 participating Wreaths Across America locations in Arkansas, to find a cemetery near you to support click here .

Virtual participants will receive personalized racing bibs and commemorative finisher medallions, with event t-shirts being provided to the first 200 people to register, via the mail before race day!

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization's mission  Remember, Honor, Teach  is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

About CompetitorME

CompetitorME is a proud, Maine-owned event management and timing company with clients in New England. We are about inspiring athletes and connecting communities. It is our pleasure to work with clients to direct safe, fun, and fair events for all ages, with a focus on creating a memorable participant experience. Our portfolio of events has expanded to include those honoring and remembering our Nation's Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, or Nation's Fallen Heroes and their Gold Star Families. The CompetitorME team also serves on a committee for the Maine Gold Star Family Memorial to be built in Augusta, Maine.

For more information please visit www.competitorme.com

Press contact:

Amber Caron

Wreaths Across America

(207) 513-6457

[email protected]

SOURCE Wreaths Across America

Related Links

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Students wait to pick up laptops at Linda Esperanza Marquez High School in Huntington Park on March 26. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Rather than being deprived of education because of campus closures, as columnist Robin Abcarian complains, California's middle school and high school students have been granted a priceless opportunity to learn.

Now, they are free from all the problems that afflict government schools  the teaching to the lowest common denominator, teaching to the test, mediocre textbooks, political correctness and all the rest.

Instead, suddenly liberated and with ample time and few amusements, students can drink from the springs of knowledge as deeply and widely as they wish. At their fingertips is the best of literature, history, politics, biography and autobiography, art and science and every useful subject and skill.

It's all available free online or inexpensively. I hope these lucky young people seize their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

David Amkraut, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: We cannot continue pretending that our children can continue their education as if nothing is happening around them. Administrators and teachers continue their march, dispensing assignments to stressed kids who struggle to meet the expectations of the guardians of academic rigor.

I am old enough to remember that between 30 and 40 years ago, middle school and high school were much, much simpler than they are now.

David Soto, Woodland Hills
Fr Kevin McNamara celebrating Mass from the door of the Church of the Assumption in Moyvane at the weekend as Mass-goers sit in their cars

Plans for the reopening of churches for public masses in the countrys largest catholic diocese could see the faithful wearing facemasks in church and congregations restricted to just one third of their size prior to the Covid-19 crisis.

Dublin parishes have been told to prepare a detailed plan in preparation for a reopening by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin ahead of the easing of restrictions on public worship.

Speaking to RTE Radios Sarah McInerney on Wednesday about a checklist he has prepared for parishes, Dr Martin warned that the scale of the, reopening of churches for worship has serious public health concerns and we have to make sure that we are ready for them.

On an ordinary Sunday before this [crisis] about 200,000 people came to Mass every Sunday in Dublin diocese. That is a huge moment of population.

He stressed that parishes must responsibly ensure that anybody who comes to Mass in church feels safe and so social distancing must be respected. But he underlined that reopening for Mass would entail much more than just social distancing.

Read More

Some people will say that is simply a matter of putting numbers on benches, but people have to get to the church. You would have to have separate entrances, you would have to have hand sanitising at every entrance and that will take time, so you will maybe queues forming outside churches.

He also highlighted that every church is different. We have some very large churches and we have very small churches. The first thing that has to be done is to measure your church and see what would be a safe number of people that would be able to come on a particular Sunday.

Dr Martin said that churches in other countries which are scheduled to reopen have introduced very strict and very rigid measures. In Italy everybody has to wear a facemask in church and microphones and benches and other surfaces are sanitised before services.

Asked if the Irish faithful would be expected to wear facemasks in church, Dr Martin responded, If facemasks are becoming obligatory in closed spaces, I think you may be also looking at that in churches.

As to restricting congregations to just a third of pre covid19 levels, the Archbishop said one way to deal with this would be to remove the Sunday obligation so that people can go to Mass any day during the week.

Another way would be to hold a second Mass in a particular church but that would involve sanitising the church fully between the two services.

The question is, if a church is open, who can come in? Archbishop Martin acknowledged that, there will be a lot of people who will not come back to Mass in the beginning because they are afraid or cocooned.

While admitting that online Masses have been very important in keeping the faithful in contact with the Church during the lockdown, Archbishop Martin added, They are not church; church is about people coming together. The danger about the virtual is it can be very passive.

Asked if public Masses were likely to resume before the end of the year, Dr Martin responded, I think it is possible. I have spoken with the Government on this. If we are ready, one could look at it.

But he noted that it would involve large gatherings of people indoors in contrast to sporting activities which are outdoors.

At the moment, many churches in Dublin are open for private prayer, though elsewhere around the country, many churches are closed and in Northern Ireland all churches were shut by the government.

Speaking about the challenges of funerals, Dr Martin said he was really saddened by the tragic situation that grieving families have had to contend with where people cant come together. He also expressed solidarity with couples getting married in empty churches: who would like to get married in a church like that.

They are the realities and I think everybody has to take responsibility to live with it as long as this lasts.

Asked about the a 25 per cent pay cut on priests salaries in the Archdiocese of Dublin, Dr Martin said this had been necessitated by the drastic fall in income caused by the closure of churches due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the pay cut was an emergency measure until Masses begin to take place again and collections, which pay for priests salaries, can be held again.

Most priests say many of their parishioners are facing a much worse situation  people would have lost jobs. But the church has a lot of staff and employees and we have to generate the income which will keep that going in the future.

As to whether priests should be allowed to go to nursing homes to give the last rites, Dr Martin said he would only like to see this if it is safe for the priests and the residents.

In the hospitals, the hospital chaplains are doing great work. They are part of the hospital staff; they are protected, and they are trained. You cant have people walking into nursing homes who are not trained and are not ready to face it.
A German policeman stops a car at a checkpoint at the border to Austria, where crossings have been severely restricted in an effort to rein in the spread of the coronavirus. (Andreas Gebert/Getty Images)

Europes largest economy, which has been all but sealed off for two months from most of its neighbours, will start opening its borders again from this Friday (15 May).

Interior minister Horst Seehofer told journalists in Berlin on Wednesday that Germanys border crossings with Austria, France, Switzerland, Luxembourg and perhaps also Denmark will be the first ones to reopen. The goal, Seehofer said, is to reopen all borders to neighbouring countries by the middle of June.

Germanys borders with Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Poland, the Czech Republic and France have been closed to all but essential cargo traffic and commuters who must cross for work since the middle of March.

With Germany lifting its lockdowns on social and commercial life, state leaders have been putting pressure on the federal government to reopen the borders with neighbouring countries.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Pandemic pushes Germans to finally ditch cash for cards

Austria, which sends around 30% of its exports to Germany, was keen to see the crossing opened again. Austria is also a beloved destination for German tourists. Some of the first cases of coronavirus in Germany were among German tourists who were found to have contracted the virus at the popular Austrian ski resort of Ischgl.

The EU is issuing guidelines this week for how member states should proceed with opening up their interior borders again. So far, it has been somewhat haphazard, with some countries making separate agreements to permit citizens from other neighbouring countries to enter with no restrictions while requiring others to quarantine for two weeks on arrival.

Germany has eased its coronavirus lockdown over the past two weeks, with shops, schools, museums, churches, and galleries opening again under new social distancing rules that include mandatory face masks.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, Germany currently has 173,171 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 7,783 deaths from the virus.
Non Medical Masks Can Help When Physical Distancing Not Possible, Says Tam

OTTAWACanadas chief public health doctor says Canadians in communities where COVID-19 is still spreading should consider wearing non-medical masks when they cant stay physically distant from others.

Dr. Theresa Tam told reporters at her daily briefing Wednesday that recommending masks for all is easier said than done and that making sure masks were even available for all has been a consideration in whether to make masks orders mandatory.

We have to make sure people have access, said Tam.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault recommended Tuesday that residents of his province wear masks when in public but stopped short of making it a requirement yet.

Public health advice on the use of face masks has changed markedly in Canada since COVID-19 was first detected here, with Tam and others early on recommending against their use, but shifting that thinking in recent weeks particularly as it became clear that carriers of the illness can spread COVID-19 to others even if they are not showing symptoms themselves.

There were some fears early on that the public would use or hoard medical-grade masks that are badly needed for front-line health staff. In the last month, there has been an explosion in the production and sale of non-medical masks, both cloth and paper versions.

In some countries hit early by COVID-19, including South Korea and Hong Kong, public use of face masks became common early on.

Tam said Wednesday that the importance of masks really depends on the level of disease in a community. However she said if a person cant stay a certain distance from others, such as on public transit or in a grocery store, wearing a non-medical mask can help reduce the chance he or she will unwittingly spread the novel coronavirus.

Tam also said Canadas health-care system cannot forget the lessons it has learned from COVID-19 when it comes to our long-term care centres, where residents have paid the biggest price for the pandemic thus far. Tam said Tuesday more than 80 percent of all people in Canada who have died from COVID-19 were residents of long-term care centres, and one-fifth all confirmed cases of the virus are connected to the centres.

Several provinces have implemented tight restrictions for long-term care homes to try to stem the outbreaks, which have affected hundreds of care homes and thousands of patients and workers.

Ontario on Wednesday became the latest to step in to manage privately run long-term care centres, enacting an emergency power to allow it to control the management of such places when they havent been able to get an outbreak under control.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the order Wednesday morning, saying in a statement it will mean Ontario is better prepared to immediately swing into action if a home is struggling to contain this deadly virus.

Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia have all taken control of some centres in their provinces in recent weeks.

Ontario reports it has 180 homes with COVID-19 outbreaks. At least 1,269 Ontario long-term care residents have died of COVID-19, as have several staff members.

Canada sent in more than 1,000 members of the military to help staff long-term care homes in Quebec and Ontario, with thousands of nurses and health care workers out sick or requiring isolation because of possible exposure to COVID-19.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also released details of more financial aid for small businesses that havent qualified for other programs. He said the new $962-million Regional Relief and Recovery Fund will be delivered through regional economic development agencies.

The government said in particular, small and medium-sized businesses in the countrys hard-hit tourism sector have struggled to qualify for benefits like the federal wage subsidy for employers that has lost substantial revenues.

Tourism has all but ground to a halt as Canadians stay home to avoid the spread of COVID-19, but some businesses havent suffered the worst yet because their normal high seasons are still to come.

Trudeau also announced Wednesday that students looking for help through the Canada Emergency Student Benefit can begin applying on Friday. The benefit offers up to $1,250 to individual students, and $2,000 for those with dependents or disabilities.

By Mia Rabson
DALLAS, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- University of North Texas at Dallas has made GreenLight Credentials' innovative digital platform available to its students, allowing them to take control of their academic records.

UNT Dallas is focused on growing enrollment, supporting student success and providing greater opportunities for a first-rate education that yields career results -- without increasing the financial burden on its students. GreenLight allows students to store and share their transcripts, along with other verified records, with anyone, anywhere in the world without the traditional hassles associated with requesting transcripts. This saves students time and money, and gives them complete control and transparency into who sees their academic records.

GreenLight has also made it easier for UNT Dallas' enrollment officers to find and recruit students from area high schools and community colleges.

"GreenLight puts the power directly in the hands of our students," UNT Dallas President Bob Mong said. "Students are now just a click away from instantly accessing their transcripts around the clock. We are proud to be the first four-year university in the nation to partner with GreenLight, and we're excited to bring the simplicity and convenience of this resource to our UNT Dallas students."

"President Mong's leadership was instrumental in launching GreenLight, so it is especially thrilling to see GreenLight launched at UNT Dallas," said Manoj Kutty, CEO and Founder of GreenLight Credentials. While many high schools and community college students on GreenLight have already begun sharing their records with UNT Dallas, now UNT Dallas' students and alums will also benefit from using GreenLight to access and share their records. Hundreds of UNT Dallas students have already shared their records with colleges and employers alike.

ABOUT UNT DALLAS

The University of North Texas at Dallas empowers students, transforms lives and strengthens communities. UNT Dallas is the fastest-growing public university in Texas and the only public, accredited 4-year university in the City of Dallas. UNT Dallas is the most affordable 4-year university in Dallas-Fort Worth and ranks No. 1 in the state for lowest student debt upon graduation. UNT Dallas includes the UNT Dallas College of Law in Downtown Dallas.

ABOUT GREENLIGHT CREDENTIALS

GreenLight Credentials is the world's largest blockchain for verified academic records safely storing nearly 2,000,000 student records. GreenLight reduces barriers for College and employment access by providing secure, simple, instant validation of official records.

SOURCE GreenLight Credentials

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The first part of Indias Rs 20 lakh crore economic package was announced on Wednesday  the second, if one factors in the relief to the poor and marginalised announced in late March, and the Reserve Banks announcements in March and April  and it provides some indications on what the government hopes to achieve. That the Narendra Modi government would focus on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was a given. Its first package focused on individuals at the bottom of the pyramid. It was only natural that that it would then turn its focus to enterprises at the bottom of the pyramid. The package offers small enterprises easy credit, guaranteed by the State; support for those weighed down by loans they cant service; and an equity infusion. It also redefines them, removing a disincentive to grow (and be competitive), and reserves business for them by not allowing global tenders for government purchases less than Rs 200 crore. All of these  credit, competitiveness, and an emphasis on the local  flow from the prime ministers speech on Tuesday.

The extension of three more months (June, July, August) provident fund support for businesses and workers  in companies employing fewer than 100 people, with 90% earning less than Rs 15,000 a month  is effectively a 24% wage support to small enterprises, and the reduction in the contribution of both employees and employers in other companies to the provident fund (from 12% to 10%) will provide Rs 6750 crore of liquidity, split equally between companies and employees. Liquidity was another theme in the prime ministers speech on Tuesday. The measures also tackled the issue of a looming crisis in the shadow-banking sector by providing it with a fully guaranteed Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme, and a Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme. There was also a focus on real estate and power, both extremely stressed sectors.

Finally, in an attempt to put more money in the hands of people, the government announced a 25% reduction in tax deducted or collected at source, but only for non-salary payments. This covers everything from interest on fixed deposits to dividend and rent payments, and will result in Rs 50,000 crore more flowing into the system (which people will hopefully spend). This is perhaps the best directed part of the measures announced on Wednesday, and the only one that will help the middle class. More such measures, that either cut tax, or actually transfer cash to individuals and businesses, will be needed to spur demand and get the wheels of the economy chugging.
TV Mohandas Pai and Pranav Pai By

The after-effects of Covid-19 make for an interesting case study of Indias use of technology. On one end, social distancing, self-isolation, clean hands and face masks are time-tested and low-tech ways to help mitigate the viral spread. On the other end, rapid diagnostic tests, mobile-first telehealth and computational simulation systems for drug development are complex use-cases of tech that have strengthened our pandemic response.

India has always presented fascinating data in the study of contrasts. For example, it is no stranger to infectious diseases like tuberculosis and malaria; it is also a leading example of the largest-ever collective erasure of diseases like polio and smallpox. Covid-19 has drawn several such contrasts into the spotlight as different regions have embraced technology in different ways.Work-home rebalanced: WFH (Work From Home) is no longer something only used by start-upsmainstream industry has embraced the concept as it is forced to find a new normal for millions of employees across the spectrum.

From early in the lockdown, sudden spikes in purchases of smartphone and laptop accessories, home-office furniture and broadband upgrades were observed. Since most Indian IT revenues are generated from global enterprise, productivity and security were concerns as WFH was adopted. Announcements since May 3 are increasingly positive about this shift and it wouldnt be surprising if IT companies continued a segmented WFH policy on a rotating basis.

WFH will re-architect the daily routines of millions in Indias urban clusters. Business travel and daily commutes may sharply fall, with teams having realised that they are more productive over video calls and would rather avoid the overhead and health risks of travel. WFH may lead to dramatic second- and third-order effects in the way we live and work.

Urban mobility: Mass transit options are being re-framed as super spreaders of the virus. Local and national mobility may have to prepare for a dramatic response to travellers calls for safer and more accountable transit options. In our largest cities, mass transit options are already at peak overflow capacity. It is challenging to guarantee sanitation and cleansing after every loop of a bus, train, or metro carriage, not to mention the impossibility of enforcing social distancing inside them. Road capacities are also at overflow levels already; more private vehicles are not a viable alternative.

This crisis may be the iPhone moment for single-passenger on-demand electric vehicle fleets. With every local government encouraging the installation and operation of EV two-wheeler docks in every major cluster in their cities, citizens will have instant access to affordable and sustainable mobility for a significant portion of their daily commutes. What would have taken a decade for cities to adopt may now become an immediate possibility.Contactless compliance: With industry and government both grinding to a halt due to the lockdown, the country was exposed to the lack of alternatives to the paper-reliant approvals systems at both the state and Union level.

Most industrial participants are familiar with disaster recovery routines and business data redundancy planning. But not many were prepared for the government approval processes to shut down. Local and national mobility may have to prepare for a dramatic response to travellers calls for safer and more accountable transit options This is a clear demonstration of why industry must work with the administration to design and launch Compliance 2.0. A digital, contactless and distributed system will radically improve the ease of doing business and also help us evolve to a new paradigm of enhanced trust between the administration and its citizens.

The administration has proven its ability to emerge more future-ready from situations like this in the past. Ideas like Aadhaar and online GST are already functional today. A more intentional and permanent shift of compliance and approval routines, digitally signed contracts, securely authenticated approvals, digital KYC and on-demand retrieval of documents instead of paper storage will lead to cost and time savings, increased productivity and deeper resilience against such future shocks.

Cloud infrastructure: There has never been a stronger case for every countrys economy to be ready to move business functions to cloud-based systems. It is time for India also to focus on building a native cloud ecosystem. Cloud is classified as an industry of national importance in most countries and deeply tied with national security. The US now requires companies like Amazon and Microsoft to provide exclusive cloud infrastructure to host sensitive data and regulated workloads that adhere to the strictest government security requirements.

India must now aim to become the third large global cloud ecosystem. There is enough local demand, with the country being host to some of the largest IT industries and start-up ecosystems globally. Enterprise-grade cloud investments must be given SEZ status, similar to how the UP government has incentivised the entry of manufacturing companies into the state. This move will also lend unchallenged support to the call for data residencythe requirement for Indian citizens data on global platforms to be hosted locally and regulated by Indian law. The local agglomeration of cloud infrastructure will strengthen Indias digital future and become a comparative advantage as data becomes the new oil globally.

As Indians become more comfortable with the improved convenience and efficiencies from technology, we can expect further functional advancements in the trajectory of digitalisation across the country. The right support from policy will help us assert long-term adoption of technology solutions that can help make the country more resilient in a rapidly changing world order.

TV Mohandas Pai

Chairman of Aarin Capital

Pranav Pai

Founding Partner of 3one4 Capital

(Tweets @TVMohandasPai and @Pai_dPiper)
(CNN) The glass towers in Sao Paulo's financial district are shuttered, bars closed and restaurants open only for delivery. But on the outskirts of the city, residents say they can't afford to stop working, even if it means risking their lives.

"If you stay at home, you'll just starve to death," said Dejair Batista, who owns a hair salon in Brasilandia, one of the biggest favelas and the deadliest neighborhood in terms of Covid-19 fatalities, according to the Sao Paulo Municipal Health Secretariat. More than 120 residents have died from complications related to the virus so far, according to officials.

Overall, Brazil is Latin America's hardest-hit country, with the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus climbing by the thousands every day. The death toll has topped 12,000 with more than 177,000 confirmed cases, according to health officials. Nearly 4,000 of the deaths are in Sao Paulo state.

President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly dismissed Covid-19 as a "little flu" and urged businesses to reopen even as many governors scramble to implement social-isolation measures and slow the spread. Sao Paulo has been under quarantine since March.

On a recent afternoon Batista cracked open the sliding metal door to his salon, put on a mask and called out to potential clients that he was open, defying a state-wide order to close all but essential businesses.

"If I could choose, I would stay at home. But I have to go out, there is no other way," Batista said, explaining that he supports his sister and his niece. "I'm behind on all of my bills, last month, this month."

Brasilandia, built into the hills in the northern part of Sao Paulo, is home to more than 260,000 people. In all, according to the official census, more than 11 percent of the city's residents live in favelas and many of them work in the informal economy that has largely disappeared during the coronavirus crisis.

Nair Barbosa cleaned houses, but was let go when the family she worked for started sheltering at home. She has signed up for the temporary federal unemployment benefit worth $100 a month and waited in a crowded line with other residents for over an hour at the government agency office in Brasilandia to pick up her first check. She came out empty handed.

"The system crashed," she said. "I'll have to go home and come back later today."

According to Sao Paulo Health Secretary Edson Aparecido, although coronavirus was brought to Brazil by wealthy travelers returning from vacations in Italy and the Colorado ski slopes, the poor will be hit hardest.

"Where people are dying is on the outskirts of the city. That's why social isolation is so important," Aparecido said.

But, as with many of the favelas, social isolation is very difficult in Brasilandia. Multiple generations are often packed under one roof and there are few public parks or other public spaces. For healthcare, there are clinics, but no big hospitals.

"It started as the so-called imported virus by people living in better conditions," said Aparecido. "But now that it's gone to the outskirts, you can see what's happening."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "While the wealthy self-isolate, the poor can't afford to stay put in Sao Paulo."
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Even before the pandemic, thousands of Los Angeles Unified students were depending on the district for mental health support.

And it's clear that the need for those services during the coronavirus crisis is huge -- and growing.

With school campuses closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, districts like LAUSD now have to provide students mental health services remotely. But without face-to-face interaction with counselors or teachers, who are often the first to see signs of students in crisis, effectively connecting with struggling students has proven challenging.

"On a normal, given day, a teacher gets to interact with the student, and if a student is having a crisis, there's a way for that teacher to communicate to one of our mental health providers," said Tony Aguilar, LAUSD's Chief of Special Education, Equity, and Access. "Right now, our teachers could be experiencing that exact same scenario, but without a hotline, they didn't have a means to connect to somebody right away."

He said that's why LAUSD opened up a mental health hotline last month, connecting callers dealing with "fear, anxiety and other challenges related to COVID-19" to members of the district's Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services Unit, like Patrick McCauley.

He answers calls to the hotline in four-hour shifts from his garage. He likens it to "psychological first aid."

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It's not therapy, but "just very basic, helping assess their needs, helping people remain calm, or helping them regulate their emotions ... then really trying to get them connected with appropriate resources," McCauley explained.

Here's the thing, though: According to call data provided by LAUSD, the hotline received 581 calls last month -- and more than half of them were from callers seeking help with basic resources like food, diapers, or electronic devices.

McCauley says he's fielded a variety of calls, from a fifth grader worried about her parents to an older adult in search of a hot meal.

"It definitely reminds me how much need is out there," McCauley said.

Data provided by LAUSD (KPCC/LAist chart)

A little less than half of the calls were directly related to mental health concerns like anxiety, stress, sadness, or anger. District data show 36 calls were about someone in "crisis," meaning they were considered at risk of harming themselves or others. In those cases, psychiatric social workers may perform a risk assessment, or call 911.

Data provided by LAUSD (KPCC/LAist chart)

The district is quick to point out that the hotline is only one of the ways LAUSD is helping students navigate mental health struggles.

Even though campuses are closed, the district emphasizes that clinics, special education services, school-based providers and crisis counselors are still connecting with students virtually.

According to data provided by LAUSD, in a six-week span from mid-March to mid-April, when campuses were first closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, the district served more than 3,500 individuals.

"ERICS" refers to special education, "SB" stands for school-based, and "CCIS" is short for Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services. (Tables provided by LAUSD)

During the same six-week span last year -- long before campus closures, coronavirus, and social distancing -- the district provided mental health support to more than 9,100 through clinics, special education, school-based services, and crisis counseling.

LAUSD isn't the only district dealing with the challenge of serving students under the unusual circumstances.

I spoke with representatives from national and state associations of school psychologists, counselors, and social workers about what they and their members have noticed, too.

Jolene Hui with the California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers said members of her organization report that "students who were normally engaging just aren't anymore."

She thinks the distance plays a big role in that.

It's not as simple as waiting for a kid to call a hotline. The LAUSD hotline data also show that only 19 calls came from students themselves -- the vast majority were initiated by parents, teachers, and community members.

"Mental health with children is a little different because sometimes they can't verbalize that they're anxious, or having depression," Hui explained. "So I don't think they're as good at reaching out when they should be for those specific issues."

And even if a young person, family member, or school staff member realizes that something might be wrong, the student might not have a cell phone or internet-enabled device at home to communicate with a school psychologist, counselor, or social worker.

And even if they do have a device at home, there's the issue of trying to find a place to chat privately with a trusted adult.

"I have a student who talks to me in his pantry, surrounded by cans," said Rachel Andrews, a school counselor in Redondo Beach Unified and Los Angeles County area representative for the California Association of School Counselors.

When McCauley isn't doing shifts on the LAUSD hotline, he's performing his regular job as a mental health consultant assigned to Local District South.

When checking in with students over the phone, he finds himself asking questions like, "Are your parents right next to you? Are they hearing what you're saying? Do you want them to hear what you're saying? Or do you not? And if you don't want them hearing this, you know, how are we going to work that? Do you need to go to another space in the house?"

Aguilar, from LAUSD, says the district is trying to find ways to provide confidential counseling via telehealth.

Los Angeles Unified Launches Mental Health Hotline To Help Students and Families - Their world has been turned upside down and we need to make sure students have the support they need. https://t.co/GGMliXdPAF pic.twitter.com/vUDkj4L4PQ  Austin Beutner (@AustinLASchools) April 1, 2020

While officials sort out when and how students and teachers will return to campus, Kathleen Minke of the National Association of School Psychologists says there's a lot at stake.

"Typically, [when] there's a hurricane, or there's a wildfire, or there's a school shooting, it's localized," Minke explained. "And there are lots of outside helpers. In this case, everyone is experiencing this ongoing difficulty and challenge ... And so, as school administrators, I think that we have to be thinking about, 'what's the long term plan here for recovery?'"

And what roles do teachers, psychologists, social workers, and counselors play in that plan?

Andrews, the school counselor, said even with a tough budget year coming, she thinks it's more important than ever that counselors have a presence in the classroom.

"To help normalize what's going on with students, to help process their grief, to hear their concerns, and to really just look at specifically how they're feeling and what they need from the school," Andrews explained.

Hui, from the association of social workers, said she believes the need for mental health services "will increase for a long time," and warns that if the trauma being experienced by young people is left unaddressed, that "can cause problems in the future, such as ... not finishing school, not finding work, not being able to function in relationships, not being able to function in society."

"So we could have major interpersonal difficulties on our hands after this if we don't help students," she said.

Or, as L.A. County Department of Mental Health director Dr. Jonathan Sherin told my colleague Robert Garrova, "the mental health pandemic -- is mounting ... it will grow and it will fester and will far outlast the public health pandemic."

As we continue to navigate #mentalhealth challenges during #COVID19, I encourage everyone to reach out when they need to. @LACDMH resources are available 24/7

Call 800-854-7771

Text LA to 741741

Visit https://t.co/PpzpTRFOBS pic.twitter.com/2YW8ZlGf2Z  Dr. Jonathan Sherin (@directorLACDMH) April 9, 2020

For now, child psychiatrist Dr. Sheryl Kataoka, who works with LAUSD students, has advice for parents.

"If any parent out there sees that their student is really struggling, not being able to cope with this new normal that we find ourselves in, or have a change in behavior, or are becoming more depressed, sad, nervous, beyond what they typically see in other kids at home or at school," Kataoka explained. "They should definitely reach out."

That's why Patrick McCauley is still answering calls to the mental hotline from the workbench in his garage, one by one.

"Thank you for calling school mental health," he begins each time, purposefully warm and personal. "My name is Patrick. How can I help you?"

And then, he listens.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, the LAUSD mental health hotline - 213-241-3840 - accepts calls from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., in both English and Spanish.

Los Angeles Department of Mental Health also has a hotline which is staffed 24/7. That number is (800) 854-7771, or you can text "LA" to 741741.
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis push for local and atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that canteens of the central paramilitary forces will only sell indigenous products starting June 1.

Shah also appealed to the public to make maximum use of swadeshi (locally made) products and encourage others to do the same.

Using the local products, Shah asserted, will also help make India self-reliant in five years.

This is not the time to sit back and watch but to turn the disaster (Covid-19 epidemic) into an opportunity. If all of us decide to use only local products, then India can be self- sufficient in five years, Shah tweeted.

The minister said that the PMs appeal to make the country self-reliant and use local (indigenous) products will surely help chart the path for India to lead the world.

In his fourth address to the nation on Tuesday since March 24, PM Modi said that local manufacturing has helped India during this crisis. The crisis has taught us that local is going to help us. So, we should become vocal for local - not only buy local, but advertise it too, said the PM.

The local must become a mantra of our life, emphasised the PM.

The Central Police Canteens (CPCs) of paramilitary forces, or Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), cater to close to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel serving in CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), BSF (Border Security Force), ITBP (Indo-Tibet Border Police), CISF (Central Industrial Security Force), SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal), NSG (National Security Guards) and Assam Rifles.

There are over 119 master canteens and 1,625 subsidiary canteens at various locations where these forces are deployed, be it along borders or the interiors of Naxal violence-hit or insurgency affected states. These canteens were established in 2006 after a demand from personnel that armed forces already have such canteens for their families.

Shah said that combined sales of all the CAPF canteens is worth Rs 2,800 crore annually.

The CPCs are already selling locally made products to a large extent after a ministry of home affairs (MHA) order last year.

The MHA had asked the CAPFs, in October 2019, to shun foreign brands and introduce swadeshi goods, including food items, accoutrements for khaki, combat and regular duty uniform, bed sheets, towels, household goods, clothing and stationary and other items in their canteens and offices.

Large number of items by these canteens is now being procured from Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

However, no deadline was given at that time.

Amit Shahs announcement today that all CPCs will have only local products means they wont be able to sell anything foreign made from June 1.

S S Deswal, Director General of ITBP, who is also holding additional charge as chief of BSF, told HT: Most of the items we use in our daily life are made in India and are procured from Indian companies, including uniforms, food, clothes and even weapons. In fact, during the Covid-19 pandemic, all the masks, sanitisers and equipment used for sanitization were manufactured by Indian companies. The canteens will be replenished with only local products from June 1.
He's been making headlines since being released from prison in early April, posing with wads of cash on Instagram, giving away the location of his post-jail home and releasing a new single.

And after raking in a reported $2 million from his track GOOBA and assorted merchandise, Tekashi 6ix9nine - real name Daniel Hernandez - declared he would be donating $200,000 to a children's charity.

But No Kid Hungry, which is providing services to families hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, was having none of it, and turned the money down.

Tekashi 6ix9nine - real name Daniel Hernandez - declared he would be donating $200,000 to a children's charity. But No Kid Hungry was having none of it, and turned the money down sparking this response from the disgraced rapper

The nonprofit's director of strategic communications Laura Washburn told Complex.com Tuesday: 'We are grateful for Mr. Hernandez's generous offer to donate to No Kid Hungry but we have informed his representatives that we have declined this donation.'

Washburn explained: 'As a child-focused campaign, it is our policy to decline funding from donors whose activities do not align with our mission and values.'

On hearing the news, Tekashi , 24, slammed the charity in a now deleted Instagram post, writing: '@nokidhungry rather take food out the mouth of these innocent children i never seen something so cruel.'

The convicted felon, 24, was released from prison on April 2 due to the coronavirus pandemic and has been bragging online about raking in cash from a new song GOOBA and merchandise

The rapper from Bushwick, New York, pleaded guilty in 2018 to using a child in a sexual performance and narrowly avoided having to register as a sex offender after reaching a plea deal in the case.

In February 2019, he testified against members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods in exchange for a reduced sentence on a number of charges including racketeering, weapons and drugs counts, and orchestrating a shooting in which an innocent bystander was injured.

He faced up to 37 years in prison but by cooperating with federal authorities, he ended up with a two-year term.

On April 2, a judge ordered Tekashi released from the private prison where he was serving time because of the COVID-19 crisis and he is serving the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

The rapper from Bushwick, New York, pleaded guilty in 2018 to using a child in a sexual performance. In 2019, he testified against members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods in exchange for a reduced sentence on a number of racketeering and weapons charges

On Saturday, the rapper was pictured being driven away from his temporary home after the address leaked online following a series of posts he made that gave away clues to his location.

It came after he did an Instagram Live session on Friday in which he showed off his ankle bracelet while dancing and defended his decision to cooperate with the Feds.

In his testimony last year, Tekashi 6ix9ine told jurors his role in Nine Trey was to 'just keep making hits and be the financial support for the gang ... so they could buy guns and stuff like that.'

Asked what he got in return, he responded: 'My career. I got the street credibility. The videos, the music, the protection - all of the above.'

Last year, he had a multi-platinum hit song, Fefe, with Nicki Minaj and a hit Stoopid, featuring imprisoned rapper Bobby Shmurda.

The rapper was seen Saturday being driven away from the Long Island home where he'd been under house arrest after its location was leaked online by a neighbor who saw him taking selfies there and fans started to gather outside

No Kid Hungry advocates for child nutrition programs and seeks to ensure access to food for children living in poverty through free school meals and after-school and summer meals programs.

With school districts closed across the US due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the nonprofit has been especially focused on solutions to child poverty and hunger during the pandemic.

The charity has the support of many celebrities including Jeff bridges, Kevin Bacon, Kristen Bell, Jordana Brewster and Pink.
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org has released a new blog post that explains how to use car insurance online quotes and avoid scams.

For more info and free car insurance quotes online, visit http://compare-autoinsurance.org/can-online-quotes-help-you-prevent-car-insurance-scams/

Convincing people into buying useless or inexistent coverage has become a common thing to do for modern thieves. This blog explains the most common insurance scams and how to avoid them. Unfortunately, thieves and scammers become more active during a crisis and the recent pandemic is the perfect time for criminals to get to the action.

1. Avoid providing vital information to unsolicited calls from "insurance agents" who seem very alarmed. Getting unsolicited calls from agents and companies are usually a red flag. Things get really fishy if the person calling you does not mention his agency, or if he mentions it, it is not your current insurer. Avoid providing financial information to agents that claim they need it to provide you a refund. Insurers usually provide this discount automatically.

2. Use online quotes from well-established insurance companies. It is recommended to get quotes from licensed, well-established insurance companies. Not from ads promising ultra-cheap coverage and then redirect the user to unknown companies or agents. Use the official websites or brokerage websites that redirect to the official website.

3. Online quotes will present average costs. If the cost of the advertised insurance policy is 90 percent below average, there's a good chance the policy is either fake or provides very little coverage. Make sure to check all details and do some research about the company before signing any contract.

For more information and free car insurance tips, please 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.

"Scams are still a major problem for the auto insurance market and scammers develop all sorts of ingenious ways of tricking people. Using online quotes from legit companies and brokerage websites will help you avoid being ripped off by crooks" said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company

CONTACT:

Company Name: Internet Marketing Company

Person for contact: Gurgu C

Phone Number: (818) 359-3898

Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz

Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589696/Use-Online-Car-Insurance-Quotes-And-Prevent-COVID-Related-Scams
Digging into the what-ifs usually causes anxiety, Saltz says, which expends a lot of energy. Were not going to be able to get uncertainty to go away. The best approach for dealing with uncertainty, Saltz says, is to first pick a trustworthy source for information, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) or the World Health Organization (who.int), to help you make decisions such as whether to wear a mask. Then, allow the remaining uncertainty to sit with you, rather than fight with it or run away from it. The only way you can coexist with [uncertainty] is to sort of let it float like a cloud and be there. It wont be in your front windshield. Itll be off to the side . . . so you can drive.
Nearly seven years after an Indian national was killed in the US, the FBI and the Las Vegas Police have arrested a man for allegedly shooting the 27-year-old worker dead at a gas station in California, the police said.

Manpreet Ghuman Singh, a native of Punjab's Majri Kishnewally village in Fatehgarh Sahib town, was working at the gas station in the resort city of South Lake Tahoe in California when he was shot dead by an unknown assailant on August 6, 2013.

After years of investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department police arrested 34-year-old Sean Donohoe on charges of killing Singh.

"Almost 7 years ago, on August 6th, 2013, an unknown man wearing a face mask walked into US Gasoline Station, at 2470 Lake Tahoe Blvd, shot and killed the clerk, Manpreet Singh of South Lake Tahoe. The case went cold, but has now been solved," South Lake Tahoe police said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Donohoe, who lives in Las Vegas, was a resident of South Lake Tahoe city at the time of the incident.

In a statement, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department said that on August 6, 2013, an unknown man wearing a face mask walked into the US Gasoline Station at 2470 Lake Tahoe Blvd, shot and killed the clerk, Singh of South Lake Tahoe, California.

The killer then strolled out the front door and fled. The case eventually went cold with no leads, the police said.

Thereafter the case was assigned to the El Dorado County Cold Case Task Force, which is a collaboration between the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, South Lake Tahoe Police Department, California Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Forensic Science (BFS) and the FBI.

In July 2017, the El Dorado District Attorney's Office posted a video about the homicide, hoping that new leads would be generated.

A witness watched the video and contacted investigators in the summer of 2019. The witness told investigators that Donohoe was responsible for the murder.

Investigators followed the new information and worked on the case extensively since receiving the lead.

California DOJ, BFS compared DNA evidence collected from the investigation and Donohoe matched that evidence. The El Dorado County Cold Case Task Force travelled extensively to interview the involved parties.

Today, with the help of the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Donohoe was arrested for the murder of Singh, it said in a statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,415 and the number of cases climbed to 74,281 on Wednesday, registering an increase of 122 deaths and 3,525 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union health ministry.

IMAGE: Medical worker collects the nasal swab of a journalist for the COVID-19 testing during the lockdown in Agartala. Photograph: ANI Photo

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 47,480 while 24,385 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said.

"Thus, around 32.83 per cent patients have recovered so far," a senior health ministry official said.



The total confirmed cases include foreign nationals too.

A total 122 deaths deaths were reported since Tuesday morning, of which 53 were in Maharashtra, 24 in Gujarat, 13 in Delhi, eight each in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, four each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two each in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh and Puducherry.

IMAGE: Volunteers distribute food to migrants waiting to board special buses to their native places in UP during the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, in Jalandhar. Photograph: PTI Photo

Of the 2,415 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 921 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 537 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 225, West Bengal at 198, Rajasthan at 117, Delhi at 86, Uttar Pradesh at 82,Tamil Nadu at 61 and Andhra Pradesh at 46.



The death toll reached 32 in Punjab and Telangana each.

Karnataka has reported 31 fatalities due to the respiratory disease, Haryana has registered 11, Jammu and Kashmir 10, Bihar six and Kerala has reported four deaths.



Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Odisha have recorded three COVID-19 fatalities each while Himachal Pradesh and Assam have reported two deaths each.



Meghalaya, Uttarakhand and Puducherry have reported one fatality each, according to the ministry data.

According to the ministry's website, more than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to co-morbidities.

IMAGE: A child wearing a mask waits in a queue with her family members to board a special train to New Delhi after the resumption of passenger train services by the Indian Railways in a graded manner, amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, in Bengaluru. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

According to the health ministry data updated on Wednesday morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 24,427 followed by Gujarat at 8,903, Tamil Nadu at 8,718, Delhi at 7,639, Rajasthan at 4,126, Madhya Pradesh at 3,986 and Uttar Pradesh at 3,664.



The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 2,173 in West Bengal, 2,090 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,914 in Punjab.



It has risen to 1,326 in Telangana, 934 in Jammu and Kashmir, 925 in Karnataka, 831 in Bihar and 780 in Haryana.



Kerala has reported 524 coronavirus cases so far, while Odisha has 437 cases. A total of 187 people have been infected with the virus in Chandigarh and 172 in Jharkhand.

IMAGE: A family sanitize their hands at Kannur International Airport after arriving from Dubai via an Air India flight under the Vande Bharat Mission during the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, in Kannur. Photograph: PTI Photo

Tripura has reported 154 cases, Uttarakhand has 69 cases, Assam and Himachal Pradesh have 65 cases each, Chhattisgarh has 59 and Ladakh has registered 42 cases so far.



Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Meghalaya and Puducherry have registered 13 cases each while Goa has seven COVID-19 cases.



Manipur has two cases. Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Dadar and Nagar Haveli 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.
YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. A man has been arrested for allegedly threatening ruling bloc lawmaker Nikolai Baghdasaryan over the parliament ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also known as the Lanzarote Convention, the prosecution said.

According to the authorities, after the parliament session, a man identified as Artur Alexanyan has followed Member of Parliament Nikolai Baghdasaryan on Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan and upon finding out that he has voted in favor of ratifying the convention, verbally attacked the lawmaker with insults of sexual nature and threatened with payback.

According to the prosecution, the suspect is a member of the Protection of Armenian Values KAMQ NGO.

A criminal case has been initiated on threatening a representative of the authorities regarding the exercise of their duties.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Over 300 lawmakers from around the world on Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to cancel the debt of the poorest countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic and to boost funding to avert a global economic meltdown.

The initiative, led by former US presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ilham Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, comes amid growing concern that developing countries and emerging economies will be devastated by the pandemic.

The virus has infected more than 4.2 million people globally and killed 287,349, a Reuters tally showed.

Widespread shutdowns aimed at containing the virus are taking a huge toll on the global economy, and especially poor countries with weak health systems, high debt levels and few resources to manage the dual health and economic crises.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday said the Fund was "very likely" to revise downward its forecast that global output would shrink by 3% in 2020, and said developing countries would need more than $2.5 trillion in financing to weather the storm.

Sanders said poor countries needed every cent to care for their people, instead of servicing the "unsustainable debts" they owe to the large international financial institutions.

Cancelling the debt of the poorest countries was "the very least that the World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions should do to prevent an unimaginable increase in poverty, hunger, and disease that threatens hundreds of millions of people," he said.

The lawmakers welcomed a move by the IMF to cover the debt service payments of 25 of the poorest countries for six months, but said further efforts were needed.

The World Bank has said it will look at ways to expand its support for the poorest countries, but warned waiving debt payments could harm its credit rating and undercut its ability to provide low-cost funding to members.

In the letter, parliamentarians from two dozen countries on all six continents, said debt service obligations of the poorest countries should be cancelled outright, instead of simply suspended, as agreed by the Group of 20 countries in April.

Failing to do so meant those countries would not be able to prioritize spending needed to fight the virus, which in turn could lead to continued disruption to global supply chains and financial markets, they wrote.

The lawmakers also urged the IMF's Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass to support creation of trillions of dollars of new Special Drawing Rights, the currency of the IMF.

"An issuance of SDRs on the order of trillions of dollars will be required to avert major increases in poverty, hunger and disease," wrote the lawmakers, who span a wide range of political affiliations and include former heads of state.

An SDR allocation is akin to a central bank "printing" new money and does not trigger big costs, but has been opposed by the United States, the IMF's largest shareholder.

Omar said the United States should lead the effort to provide relief to the most vulnerable nations.

"All our destinies are linked. If we turn a blind eye to the suffering of people abroad, it will eventually harm us," Omar said.

Other signatories include former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Argentine lawmaker Carlos Menem, who enacted austerity measures when he served as president in the 1980s and 1990s.
The tyranny of numbers is all around us, in every sphere. How many website hits has the journalistic story got? Its a good story if it has lots of hits. How many likes on Facebook and retweets on Twitter did the column get? Its a fine column if it got plenty of those. How good is the television show? Well, its the best if it has the highest viewership. In other words, the measure of quality is quantity.

Joining the Dots is a weekly column by author and journalist Samrat in which he connects events to ideas, often through analysis, but occasionally through satire

***

Are you writing a book? a friend asked the other day. It was a question that came in the course of a phone conversation on the lockdown, now approaching two months here, and on how we are spending our days. His assumption, reasonably enough, was that since I am locked up at home, I have ample time for undisturbed reading, writing and reflection. No, I replied uncomfortably, I should be writing a book  but I am not. I have a familiar excuse. Unfortunately, despite the lockdown, there are never enough hours in the day for rolling about in the rubbish heaps of WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook, or the marvellously variegated filmscapes of Netflix.

I have been seduced into allowing those thieves to rob me of my free time and my me-time. Nothing could be more damaging for a writer.

Writing, at its best, is a lonely life, Ernest Hemingway said  or rather, wrote  in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech. He did not go to collect the prize. He led the life his art demanded, the life of the loner. It was still possible then, in the first half of the 20th century, to be one, and to still be a celebrated author. The reclusive writer was a type; indeed, there were others, such as Harper Lee and JD Salinger, who were more reclusive than Hemingway.

Today, it is practically impossible for anyone creating work in their own names to be reclusive. For that, you have to be Banksy or Ellena Ferrante. Those of us less gifted have no choice but to be performers at whatever festivals, webinars, Instagram and Facebook Lives will have us, because one has to be noticed even to get published, and shameless self-promotion is the success mantra at every step before and after. And how do we know that the mantra has worked, and success achieved? Why, by sales figures, of course!

The tyranny of numbers is all around us, in every sphere. How many website hits has the journalistic story got? Its a good story if it has lots of hits. How many likes on Facebook and retweets on Twitter did the column get? Its a fine column if it got plenty of those. How good is the television show? Well, its the best if it has the highest viewership.

In other words, the measure of quality is quantity.

The worldwide slide in political culture and discourse is probably not unrelated to this tendency to measure quality through numbers. The loud and outrageous are always far more likely to draw wide attention than the quiet and sober.

A common mechanism for generating both loudness and outrage, used daily by the media, is to pit people from extreme ends of every argument against one another to create the verbal equivalent of a brawl. This is often justified in the name of balance. How do you get a balanced debate? Why, if you are an OpEd editor, you simply ask two extremists to contribute two opposing pieces, so that instead of one balanced piece, you now have two unbalanced ones. Thats balance.

The extreme position may on occasion deserve a hearing but it is one that journalists and writers, in my view, ought as far as possible to eschew. Championing such positions inevitably involves turning a blind eye to the faults and flaws of ones own side. It is therefore fundamentally dishonest, and militates against good journalism and writing. The most honest position for a journalist or writer is the position of the dhobis (washerman) dog. In Hindi, there is a saying, dhobi ka kutta, na ghar ka, na ghat ka. The dhobis dog, neither of home, nor of ghat. That is the ideal position for anyone who wishes to know whats in the home and at the ghat, and everywhere in between. The dogs that belong at home only know the home. Those at the ghat know only the ghat.

The dhobis dog belongs between places. It is an inhabitant of thresholds. There are, however, times in history when the thresholds shrink, the in-between places and positions are erased, and the journalist and writer can no longer remain a dhobis dog. He is forced then to wrestle with the problem of choosing a side.

George Orwell was among those who grappled with this problem. He mentions it in his essay, Why I Write. In it, he noted that the writers subject-matter will be determined by the age he lives in  at least this is true in tumultuous, revolutionary ages like our own  but before he ever begins to write he will have acquired an emotional attitude from which he will never completely escape.

Orwell listed sheer egoism, aesthetic enthusiasm, historical impulse and political purpose as the four great motives for writing prose. By nature, he wrote, he was a person in whom the first three motives would outweigh the fourth. In a peaceful age I might have written ornate or merely descriptive books, and might have remained almost unaware of my political loyalties. As it is I have been forced into becoming a sort of pamphleteer.

For him, it was the fourth motive for writing that eventually trumped the other three.

The Spanish Civil War and the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in Germany forced him into what he called pamphleteering. Looking back through his work, he noted, It is invariably where I lacked a political purpose that I wrote lifeless books and was betrayed into purple passages, sentences without meaning, decorative adjectives and humbug generally.

Political purpose today lures writers into writing tweets and Facebook posts rather than Animal Farm. Few people have the time or inclination, despite the lockdowns, even to click on article links  unless they are sensationalistic  let alone read whole books.

To adapt Orwell for todays India, a writer might thus lament, in less than 280 characters:

I wasnt born for an age like this;

Was Singh? Was Jain? Were you?
Jonathan E. Thackeray, former vice president and general counsel of Hearst, who spent much of his career interpreting antitrust law and its impact on the media, died May 2 in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He was 83.

Thackeray, a former Darien resident, joined Hearst in 1993 as the company faced a changing media landscape and expanded its investment in digital media, after serving as the companys outside counsel at the Cleveland law firm of BakerHostetler. He retired from Hearst in 2003, but continued to serve as a legal consultant at the company.

Jons decade of legal leadership at Hearst continues to resonate all these years later, said Steven R. Swartz, president and chief executive officer of Hearst. He played a key role in our evolution as a leading media, information and services company. We extend our condolences to Jons family.

While serving Hearst, Thackeray provided counsel on the purchase of the San Francisco Chronicle and the sale of the San Francisco Examiner, which were both completed in 2000.

His legal counsel was noteworthy in the Argyle Television merger in 1997 that formed Hearst-Argyle Television, a 12-station company reaching then-approximately 11.6 percent of U.S. television households. It is now known as Hearst Television, which owns and operates 33 television and two radio stations across the U.S., reaching more than 21 million American television households.

Jons impeccable integrity and gift for strategic legal positioning were immensely valued at Hearst, said Frank A. Bennack Jr., executive vice chairman and former chief executive officer of Hearst.

His impressive legal career included playing a significant role in many of Hearsts key milestones and acquisitions. Not only will he be remembered for his contributions to Hearst, but he will be recalled as a significant player in his advocacy for the Newspaper Preservation Act that helped extend the life of competing daily newspapers in some American cities for decades.

Before joining Hearst, Thackeray spent 28 years with BakerHostetler, managing the firms litigation group.

In 1962, he graduated first in his class from both Officer Candidate School and the Naval Justice School. Thackeray became a legal officer until he was released from active duty as a lieutenant in 1965. During his time serving, he was mostly at posts in Japan, including aboard the USS Coral Sea and the Commander Destroyer Flotilla One.

Thackeray graduated from Harvard College in 1958 and from Harvard Law School in 1961 after receiving a full academic scholarship. There, he was piano accompanist of the Harvard Glee Club. Thackeray was also a gifted pianist and chamber music performer at Harvard.

He returned to performing as a classical pianist in his retirement in venues near his home in Darien, including playing with the Darien Community Associations Duo Piano Group.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra; his four children, Jennifer, Sara, Amy and Jonathan; his five grandchildren, Mackenzie, Keaton, Matthew, Kayla and Taylor; and his sister Ellie.

Jon had strong legal skills and was an incredibly kind man, said Eve Burton, executive vice president and chief legal officer of Hearst. His strong moral compass guided Hearst successfully for many years. We will miss his guiding light.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, 1414 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019.
Economy ministry plans to create 154,000 jobs in road construction, 150,000 in improvement of public amenities

The Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ministry plans to create 154,000 jobs in the sphere of road construction and stimulate entrepreneurship in order to overcome unemployment, Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Minister Ihor Petrashko has said.

"We plan to create around 154,000 jobs in road and transport infrastructure construction, as well as 150,000 jobs in the sphere of improvement of public amenities," he said during a meeting of the Ukrainian government on Wednesday.

According to the minister, jobs in the sphere of improvement of public amenities will be created at the expense of subsidies to local budgets.

The ministry also plans to create 85,000 agriculture jobs, he said.

The government will stimulate the restoration of jobs by small and micro businesses. Petrashko said that representatives of small and micro businesses criticized the affordable loan programs as participation in them requires saving jobs.

"There were commentaries that some programs do not meet the requirements as enterprises have dismissed people Therefore, we will make some amendments to these requirements so that enterprises can hire people again," Petrashko said.

The minister said that unemployment is expected at the level of 9.4% this year comparing to 8.2% in 2019. It will touch mostly trade and repairs, agriculture, processing industry and public administration.

"Many people (49%) have higher education," Petrashko said, adding that 42% of unemployed people are 45 and older.

He also said that the financing is already available for the creation of 216,000 jobs.
This is the shocking moment a pair of bungling arsonists accidentally set themselves on fire while attempting to torch a botox clinic.

The hooded criminals were caught on CCTV vandalising the front door before pouring petrol inside the business in Hamilton, Scotland, shortly after midnight on Monday.

But they did not retreat to a safe distance before igniting the fuel and were both engulfed by a huge fireball before running away in flames.

This is the moment two arsonists attempt to set fire to a Botox clinic in Hamilton, Scotland

The pair underestimate the size of the blast and are engulfed in the flash fire

Police Scotland have confirmed the arrested a 34 year old man. They said nobody was injured in the attack

Incredibly, no one was left injured by the blaze - according to police. A 34-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident.

The motive behind the attack - which happened in the same road as the local fire station - has not been revealed.

Footage of the incident was leaked on social media earlier this week.

It shows two menacing figures approaching the business in the dead of night - one carrying a petrol can in each hand.

His accomplice picks up two objects from the ground and hurls them through the front door before the other man starts tipping petrol inside.

But he stands too close to the door while lighting the fire and both men are enveloped by a burst of flames.

They are then seen fleeing in different directions while still ablaze.

DI John Lewis, of Cambuslang CID, said: 'Around 1.35am on Monday, May 11, emergency services were called to the Bothwell Road area of Hamilton, following reports of a deliberate fire. No one was injured in the incident.

'We can confirm that a 34-year-old man has been arrested and charged. He is expected to appear in court at a later date. Further enquiries into this incident remain ongoing.

'Anyone with information which could assist our investigation is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 0197 of May 11. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.'

Scottish Ambulance Service and Scottish Fire and Rescue have been approached for comment.
The global gym management software market size is expected to grow by USD 127.31 million during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact can be expected to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth, according to the latest market research report by Technavio. Request a free sample report

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005708/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Gym Management Software Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

One of the major advantages of adopting a gym management software solution is the elimination of repetitive and time-consuming administrative tasks. Gym management software solutions offered by vendors such as Zen Planner and MINDBODY also extend marketing and promotional support. In addition, these software solutions provide customers with award points and credits through the easy implementation of loyalty programs, which help to attract more customers to the gym. They also provide notifications to existing customers on new activities. As a result, gyms, and fitness centers across the world are increasingly embracing gym management software, thereby driving the market growth during the forecast period.

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=IRTNTR43064

As per Technavio, the growing M&A in the market will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024.

Gym Management Software Market: Growing M&A in the Market

The global gym management software market is expected to register significant growth over the next few years, owing to an increase in technological innovations and increasing M&A. Strategic M&A between vendors helps in the development of more efficient products and improves the profit margins of the providers. Investments are carried out either in the form of capital outflows to develop new service offerings or as acquisitions of other service providers. For instance, in March 2020, MINDBODY Inc. (MINDBODY) completed the acquisition of ZeeZor, a real-time analytics and staff engagement platform for salon and spa businesses. Thus, the growing M&A is expected to drive the growth of the market during the forecast period.

"Factors such as the growing demand for gym management software in APAC, and the growth of online management software will have a significant impact on the growth of the gym management software market value during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio.

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Gym Management Software Market: Segmentation Analysis

This market research report segments the gym management software market by deployment (cloud-based and on-premise) and geography (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America).

The North American region led the gym management software market in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, the North American region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to factors such as the rapid increase in the number of gyms and the growing smartphone penetration among people.

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Drivers

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Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

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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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New York, May 13, 2020  In response to todays decision by Kyrgyzstans Supreme Court to uphold journalist and human rights defender Azimjon Askarovs life sentence and deny his final appeal, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement:

Azimjon Askarov has been jailed for nearly a decade in retaliation for his investigative reporting, and todays court decision denying his final appeal shows that Kyrgyz authorities still have not reckoned with the injustice of his imprisonment, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said. Askarov will soon turn 69 years old, and his health has been poor behind bars; this life sentence is brutal treatment for an elderly journalist who should be free to work and live peacefully with his family.

Askarov was arrested on June 15, 2010, while he was documenting alleged human rights abuses by authorities, according to CPJ research. In September 2010, he was sentenced to life in prison. In 2016, the U.N. Human Rights Committee concluded that Askarov had been tortured, arbitrarily detained, and deprived of his rights, and ordered his release.

In March, CPJ joined a letter calling on Kyrgyzstan to release Askarov to ensure his safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of the Delhi Police on a plea by former JNU student Sharjeel Imam, arrested in a case related to alleged inflammatory speeches during the protests against CAA and NRC, challenging a trial court order granting more time to police to conclude the investigation.

Justice V Kameswar Rao, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, issued notice to the Delhi Police and listed the matter for further hearing on June 10.

The police have been asked to file its response within two weeks.

In the plea, the accused has challenged the trial court's April 25 order by which the Delhi Police was granted three more months, beyond statutory 90 days, to complete the investigation in the case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Imam was arrested on January 28 from Bihar's Jehanabad district in the case related to violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act near the Jamia Millia Islamia University in December last year.

The statutory period of 90 days from the arrest was concluded on April 27.

He has also sought default bail in the matter on the ground that the investigation was not concluded within the statutory period of 90 days and when the police had filed an application for more time to complete the investigation, he was not given a notice as required under the law.

The trial court had recently dismissed the bail plea.

The trial court had said that the order extending the period of investigation was passed before expiry of the statutory time period of 90 days.

"Since the time period to conclude investigation has already been extended as per section 43 D (2) of UAPA, I am of the considered opinion that application for release of the accused on statutory bail is bereft of merits and the same is accordingly dismissed," the trial court judge had said in the order.

Section 43-D (2) of UAPA provides that if it is not possible to complete the investigation within the 90 days period, then upon the report of the public prosecutor indicating the progress of the probe and the specific reasons for the detention of the accused beyond the 90 days period, after satisfaction, the court can extend the period of the probe to 180 days.

In the petition before the high court, Imam complained that he was not even produced before the court for subsequent remands, every 15 days as per the mandate of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The plea added that the investigating agency, in its April 25 application, only sought extension of time for investigation and it had not sought to extend his judicial custody and, therefore, he was eligible for statutory bail.

"The application (of police) was devoid of the genuine 'compelling reasons' that are required to be disclosed for extension of time beyond 90 days. The application stated that on a careful analysis of the speech of the accused section 13 of the UAPA Act was invoked. But it is unclear why the supposed 'careful' analysis took 88 days or what additional facts have been discovered subsequent to the eight days of police custody to merit invocation of UAPA on the 88th day of custody."



"On two separate occasions when the Investigating Agency sought police custody of the accused, that is, on January 29 and February 3, the investigation agency did not feel the need to invoke Section 13 of the UAPA Act," it said.

Imam is currently lodged in Guwahati jail in a case related to UAPA registered by the Assam police.

The trial court had passed the order on April 25 after the police had submitted that due to global COVID-19 pandemic in the country and the ongoing lockdown, the pace of investigation was seriously disrupted.

The police had further informed the court that they are yet to interrogate the members of WhatsApp group "Muslim students of JNU", persons who provided their accounts to arrange for money to get printed the pamphlets, Imam's friends and persons who initially recorded the video the speech at Jamia are yet to be identified.

Initially, a case under section 124 A (sedition) and 153 A IPC (promoting enmity between classes) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Crime Branch, New Delhi, pursuant to the alleged speeches addressed by Imam, allegedly instigating a particular religious section of the society to disrupt/block the access to North East region of India from rest of India, police had claimed.

The police had earlier charged Imam with sedition, alleging his speech promoted enmity between people that led to riots.

The mob indulged in large-scale rioting, stone-pelting and arson, and in the process destroyed several public and private properties while a number of police personnel and people were injured in the riots, the police had told the court.

Imam was allegedly involved in organising protests at Shaheen Bagh but came into limelight after a video showed him making controversial comments before a gathering at Aligarh Muslim University, following which he was booked under sedition charges.

Another case was filed against Imam in Assam under the stringent anti-terror law for his remark that Assam could be "severed from India, even if for a few months" as a result of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Police in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh had also lodged FIRs against the JNU scholar over his speech in which he threatened to "cut off" Assam and the rest of the northeast from the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Last week, the Wits End bar and restaurant in Cambridge reopened after shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic. But instead of serving drinks and food, it was conducting antibody tests for COVID-19.

Being closed for months has caused so many serious challenges for restaurants, employees, communities, families and small businesses. Im not good doing nothing, Wits End owner Peter Stein said. I have partnered with the medical practice of Dr. Benjamin Stein, MD and converted Wits End into a medical office focused on Covid Antibody Testing!

The bar re-opened Friday to offer testing, converting its restaurant space into a pop-up clinic. The goal was to help people find out whether they previously had or were exposed to the viral respiratory infection.

The makeshift clinic was testing healthy people without active symptoms related to the virus. Individuals temperature and oxygen levels were screened, and staff were mandating strict distancing guidelines. They were dedicated to a sterile, sanitized environment, Stein said.

Four days later, though, the pop-up clinic was shut down by the city over a zoning use challenge, the bar wrote on its social media page.

We are attempting to work with them to get back open as soon as we can. So stay tuned. Sorry to those who were looking forward to testing!, the post said.

...and scene. Due to a zoning use challenge from the City of Cambridge, we had to close. We are attempting to work with... Posted by Wit's End on Tuesday, May 12, 2020

During a Cambridge City Council meeting Monday night, officials questioned the clinics operations, with one councilor calling the antibody testing site a little bit odd and quite honestly concerning, The Boston Globe reported.

City Councillor Alanna Mallon noted at the meeting that it was unclear whether the bar had a permit through public health or licensing," according to the Globes report.

The space was being used for a medical office without a certificate of occupancy for the change, a spokesperson for the city told the newspaper.

The state division of medical licensing also told Nancy Glowa, Cambridge city solicitor, that there was no doctor licensed in Massachusetts with the name of Benjamin Stein, she said. Glowa added that the city asked the state to take enforcement action.

The doctor, who is Peter Steins brother, is a general practitioner in New York City, the Globe reported. Peter Stein told the newspaper that his brother received an emergency temporary license to practice medicine in Massachusetts three weeks ago.

Peter Stein added the bar is housed in a building that also hosts medical offices and that he thought the zoning would allow for medical use of the space, according to the Globes report.

Were doing everything by the book, he told the newspaper.

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The Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, Hon Lydia Seyram Alhassan, has assured small and medium scale business owners and entrepreneurs, that, the stimulus package of 600million cedis will soon be disbursed after modalities and arrangements have been concluded.



The MP gave the assurance during a visit to some business hubs in the community including the Bush Canteen at the University of Ghana at Legon.



The visit was to enable the legislator familiarize and assess the economic and social impact of the corona virus.



She used the opportunity to support about 30 traders and business persons at Bush Canteen, giving them GHC500 each as financial assistance as they await the package from the state.



Speaking to some of the traders during the interaction Hon Lydia Alhassan assured some of the traders that, soon the govts promise of a stimulus package will be rolled out to their benefit.



The MP further appealed to the traders to adopt prudent business measures especially during this covid-29 era.



She urged the traders to adopt the containment measures as directed by the Ghana Health Service to minimize the spread of the novel corona virus.



The Greater Accra Regional Womens Organizer, Grace Acheampong also added her voice to calls to adhere to the measures to curb the viral spread.

Source: Ghanaweb









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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:

Loans worth 3.94 trillion rials (about $93.8 million) were issued to 55 industrial enterprises to increase production in Semnan province (northern Iran) in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020), Chairman for Industry, Mining and Trade Organization in Semnan Ali Teshnedel said, Trend reports citing the organizations website.

According to Teshnedel, under these loans, 259 people were employed at the enterprises.

Teshnedel added that 14 trillion rials (about $334 million) loans were issued to 412 enterprises in the area of industry and agriculture.

The official said that 10.7 trillion rials (about $254 million) loans were issued to 241 enterprises to increase production, and 3.35 trillion rials (about $79.7 million) to 171 enterprises to increase employment.

"In total, last year it was decided to provide loans worth more than 26.5 trillion rials [about $630 million] to 709 manufacturing enterprises. The documents of 372 of them are being examined in banks in order to sign contracts," he said.

Teshnedel added that so far, the problems at 1,050 enterprises have been investigated and decisions regarding 75 percent of them were made.

There are 1,841 industrial enterprises in Iran's Semnan province. About 76 trillion rials (about $1.8 billion) have been invested in operations of these enterprises which employ more than 68,000 people.
Despite having some of the biggest rock n roll fame in the world, Little Richard has one regret: He didnt share Christ with others as he should.

If I had my life to do over again, I would be Little Richard the Preacher, standing out on street corners declaring Gods Word, he said in an interview with Three Angels Broadcasting Network.

Little Richard had found God several times before, but drifted away from Him to instead pursue his fame and fortune. He grew up attending New Hope Baptist Church with his mother and grandmother, though, so he had a religious base he could always come back to.

In late 1957, Little Richard had an encounter with God that changed his life while on tour in Australia. On a flight in the country, he saw a vision of angels holding up the planes engines and wings. Later while performing in Sydney, he saw a red fireball shoot across the sky which he took as a sign of God. Little Richard shocked the world when he canceled the remainder of his tour to pursue Christian ministry.

As a result, Richard returned to the United States 10 days earlier than was scheduled. The original plane he was supposed to be on crashed into the Pacific Ocean, and all 44 passengers and crew members were killed. He took it as further confirmation to get right with God.

While this was a profound moment in Little Richards life, it didnt last. In the sixties and seventies, Little Richard was arrested for sexual misconduct and developed a severe cocaine habit. He released the gospel album, Gods Beautiful City, in 1979, after finding Christ yet again. The devil was ruthless, though, and Little Richard fell victim to his party life again through the 2000s.

Little Richard held his last show at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas during Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend in March 2013. That was my last performance. When God touches your life you dont want that no more. I dont want to sing rock and roll no more. I want to be holy like Jesus, he told 3ABN.

Little Richard once had Jimi Hendrix as his guitar player, and the Beatles and Rolling Stones as opening acts on his tours finally denounced the Hollywood lifestyle for good. Its a reminder to us all that no matter how many times you lose your way, or how many sins you commit, you can find God again. You just have to look.

You see, rock n roll music does not glorify God. There are rock n roll people that are possessed, that know they are possessed. Then there are some that are possessed and dont realize it. I was oneYou got to remember that the devil was a master musician. He sang four voices at one time. He was Lucifer the archangel. He was the director of the heavenly choir, so hes more successful working through entertainers and musicians, he said to the Boston Globe.

Ive asked God I want to be a walking BibleI cut off my crown of hair for a crown of life. I gave up rock n roll for the Rock of Ages.

In his final years, Little Richard would read the Bible between three and six hours a day.

You know, some people say I lost my mind. Well, thats the truth. I lost my mind and Jesus took it.
Reopen Los Angeles? Communities of Color Will Pay the Price, Says Wesson

LOS ANGELES  In response to calls and protests to reopen Los Angeles, City Council President Emeritus Herb Wesson has released a video statement calling on Angelenos to take into account communities of color who will be most negatively impacted by a premature reopening of businesses and public spaces across Los Angeles.

People of color are being hit by this pandemic physically, mentally, and financially, Wesson begins. A long history of unequal access to health care has left Black, Latino, and the working poor in a position to be disproportionately killed by the virus. As we begin to reopen, we need to take a hard look at ways to protect those who will be the most negatively impacted.

Wessons statement comes in response to reports from across the country, including in Los Angeles County, that historically disadvantaged communities have been hit the hardest physically by COVID-19, and that these same communities represent a disproportionate number of those unemployed due to the layoffs that have come as a result of businesses closing their doors.

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In his statement, Wesson highlights that while African Americans make up just 13 percent of the U.S. population, they make up over one-third of reported COVID-19 cases.

These same communities are less likely to have health insurance and paid leave to support them when they get sick, making the economic and health consequences even more severe, Wesson says.

Click here to watch the video statement.
As Teslas Fremont factory ramps up production, some employees are being told by managers they could lose their unemployment benefits if they do not return. For those who fear coronavirus infection while working at the plant  which resumed operations this week in violation of local health orders  the message is seen as a choice between their health or their paycheck.

But new guidance from the state appears to contradict the warnings from Tesla management. The California Employment Development Department now says employees can refuse work that is unsuitable and continue to collect unemployment benefits.

An email sent to Tesla employees Wednesday by management and obtained by The Chronicle said once recalled by a manager, workers will no longer be considered on furlough, which may affect their eligibility for their unemployment benefits.

The email from human resources executive Valerie Workman said those determinations would not be made by Tesla but by government agencies and that employees will remain furloughed until they are contacted by a manager and asked to return. Workman wrote that employees can continue to apply for unemployment benefits and have access to company health benefits until then, and that the company would not penalize employees who choose not to return to work.

One worker at the Fremont plant has stayed home for weeks for fear of contracting the coronavirus, collecting unemployment benefits for part of that time. That workers manager wrote in emails  before the EDDs guidance and Workmans email came out  that staying home would be considered unpaid leave and that unemployment benefits could be affected by refusing to return to work.

The worker was granted anonymity under The Chronicles policy on anonymous sources, based on a reasonable fear that Tesla could take retaliatory action for speaking to the press about working conditions.

Tesla did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment regarding how the new guidance affected its plans for reopening or the instructions managers were giving workers.

Under normal circumstances, the state can deny or suspend unemployment payments if an employee refuses work, unless the position is considered unsuitable. In its guidance, the EDD explicitly notes a job can be considered unsuitable if a workplace is not essential or has not met state or local requirements for reopening, which is the case at the Fremont facility.

The agency also noted that older employees or those with underlying health problems could potentially continue receiving unemployment benefits even if an employer reopens its doors.

Even if your employer has complied with the states requirements for reopening, and any and all government safety regulations, you would have good cause to refuse to return to work if you are at greater personal risk due to higher risk factors, the EDD said.

Its not up to the employer whether (workers) get benefits, said Arkady Itkin, a San Francisco employment lawyer. These people are not reporting to work because they want to comply with the (shelter-in-place) order, Itkin said. Refusing to violate a county order by returning to work is a substantial, compelling reason to continue to not work and continue to receive unemployment benefits, he said.

The Tesla plant has been operating against Alameda County orders to remain shut since the weekend. It had closed in late March, after defying those same orders for almost a week.

In April, the electric car maker furloughed some workers and cut pay for salaried employees, according to emails obtained by The Chronicle. That made some workers eligible for the unemployment benefits the company is now calling into question.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Although the state has allowed counties to lift some restrictions on manufacturing, Alameda County has not given permission to the factory to operate. In a statement Tuesday, the county confirmed it is working with Tesla on a reopening plan and that the facility could be allowed to reopen next week, even though the plant is currently violating the orders.

Tesla had been working with county officials to reopen the plant for weeks before CEO Elon Musk announced plans to restart production lines ahead of schedule.

Inside the newsroom Anonymous sources: The Chronicle strives to attribute all information we report to credible, reliable, identifiable sources. Presenting information from an anonymous source occurs extremely rarely, and only when that information is considered crucially important and all other on-the-record options have been exhausted. In such cases, The Chronicle has complete knowledge of the unnamed person's identity and of how that person is in position to know the information. The Chronicle's detailed policy governing the use of such sources, including the use of pseudonyms, is available on sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse

Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty, whose district includes Teslas Fremont plant, previously said he was confident that county health officials and the company would be able to reopen the plant with a target date of May 18 according to Shawn Wilson, his chief of staff.

Despite the ongoing talks, Tesla sued the county in federal court over the weekend, demanding the company be allowed to run operations in Fremont. Its lawyers argued that state guidance on manufacturing supersedes Alameda Countys shelter-in-place restrictions. Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed this week that local health officials could set stricter rules than the states minimum requirements, a stance that has not changed since his administration first imposed statewide shelter-in-place rules in March.

Musk has called restrictions on business operations to combat the spread of the coronavirus fascist on his much-followed Twitter account. He said he would relocate the companys headquarters from Palo Alto to another state in response to Alameda Countys requests that Tesla comply with the orders.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
European stocks closed sharply lower on Wednesday as concerns over a second wave of coronavirus infections, and the timing of a vaccine, weighs on investor sentiment.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 2% by the close, with travel and leisure stocks falling 4.8% to lead losses as all sectors and major bourses finished in negative territory.

European markets followed the negative trend set in Asia, where investors remained cautious over a recent resurgence in coronavirus cases in certain countries regionally as they start to reopen their economies.

More than 4.2 million people around the world have been infected by the virus now, while 293,514 people have died, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In the U.S., stocks fell as investors grappled with concerns around the economy reopening as well as remarks from the top-ranking Federal Reserve official.

"While the economic response has been both timely and appropriately large, it may not be the final chapter, given that the path ahead is both highly uncertain and subject to significant downside risks," Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said in prepared remarks.
Nandlala.com scored 56 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 13 Jan 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the nandlala homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the nandlala homepage on Twitter + the total number of nandlala followers (if nandlala has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the nandlala homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the nandlala homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if nandlala has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the nandlala homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Nandlala.com DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS lorum ipsum, lorum, ipsum, lorum ipsum lorum ipsum, lorum ipsum lorum, ipsum lorum ipsum, ipsum lorum



The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.23 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.23 OpenSSL/1.0.0-fips mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 mod_bwlimited/1.4 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635 (PHP/5.3.17) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. The language of nandlala.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for nandlala.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/pages/nandlala DESCRIPTION d': '100001226464270 LIKES d': '100001226464270 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 464270 PAGE TYPE 100001226464270 TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE

The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/nandlala DESCRIPTION ACCOUNT CREATED ON 07 Jan 2010 LOCATION null TWEETS 0 FOLLOWERS 0 LISTED 0
Gatherings of 10 or more people will no longer be banned in Wyoming starting Friday, ending a nearly two-month prohibition and signaling again that officials feel the coronavirus is under sufficient control to loosen restrictions on everyday life in the Equality State.

I am anxious today, Gov. Mark Gordon told media during a Wednesday afternoon news conference. Im very anxious because we are loosening substantially many of the requirements we had in place. Were doing that in a way that we believe is safe, and yet I stand before you today knowing that our citizens are at greater risk today ... than they were.

Thats not easy, he continued. And for those that are saying we should loosen everything, go away with it  they dont have the responsibility that I do to make sure that our citizens are well taken care of.

The newly revised orders represent the largest shift back to something resembling pre-pandemic normalcy since the restrictions were placed on Wyoming in mid-March. The changes come as the state sees its number of coronavirus cases stabilize in all counties but Fremont and Laramie, where more disease continues to be identified. The metrics Gordon and state health officer Dr. Alexia Harrist are monitoring  on hospital strain and disease spread  are showing signs of improvement.

But both Harrist and Gordon warned Wednesday that the disease had not been eradicated and that more stringent orders can be put back into place if and when cases climb back up. They urged Wyomingites to continue social distancing and wearing masks in public settings.

This is not a hold my beer moment, Gordon said, referring to an internet joke about taking risks. This is a Lets do this carefully and make sure we dont lose the ground we gained.

Under the revised orders, movie theaters and performance venues will be allowed to reopen with certain conditions, according to the governors office. Restaurants can begin providing indoor and outdoor dining, which some counties, including Natrona, are already permitting.

Gyms, which were allowed to reopen earlier this month, may now open locker rooms, offer personal training and provide group classes for up to 20 participants, the governors office says. Child care centers will be allowed to have up to 25 people in a classroom.

The order also allows schools, colleges and the University of Wyoming to provide limited on-site instruction to students who need specialized assistance or services, or for technical courses that require specific equipment for instruction. Schools had previously been told that they could pursue some in-person teaching for students with special needs or others who needed closer attention. Schools participating must be cleaned, keep to 25 people or fewer, keep people six feet away from others and implement frequent hand-washing.

More openings  with conditions

The lifted gathering order also clears the way for religious and funeral home services to resume. While the state had continued to prohibit them up until this point, several counties had sought and received their own orders that allowed churches to open back up, albeit with social distancing measures. Gordons announcement indicates that those county-level restrictions will now apply statewide.

All of the loosened restrictions come with tight guardrails on social distancing and cleanliness. Restaurants, for example, must space their tables six feet apart from each other. Staff who interact with patrons must wear face coverings, utensils have to be handed directly to patrons and the building must be cleaned three times a day.

All told, there are 22 provisions that restaurants must abide by to remain open.

The wave of new orders also extends the restrictions placed on barbershops, nail salons and similar businesses; those strictures now remain effective until at least May 31.

In response to a question about whether the state had done too much, which also questioned whether continuing the orders puts an additional strain on liberties and businesses, Gordon said that the state had not shut down, as other states had. He and Harrist also both said that the limited number of cases and deaths in the state were indications that the orders werent too much but were just enough and had worked.

Im happy to be criticized that we dont have excess deaths, Gordon said. Im happy to be criticized that we did things just about right.

In public health, when you prevent something, obviously we can never know what it wouldve looked like if we hadnt tried to prevent it or put measures in place to prevent it, Harrist said. I would say the reason the numbers look the way they do ... and the reason weve been successful in not seeing more adverse outcomes is because of the measures we put into place and the actions Wyoming residents have taken to follow those measures.

Money for testing, tracing

Gordon also announced that he was allocating $17 million in federal stimulus money to expand COVID-19 testing, improve contact tracing and add to the states supply of personal protective equipment. Contact tracing is the process by which health officials determine how an infected person was exposed to the virus and who was in turn exposed by that person.

The Health Department will receive $15 million of that funding for testing and tracing. The remaining $2 million will go to the states Office of Homeland Security to purchase protective gear, which will be distributed to non-health care related entities to support public safety for businesses and other entities across the state under the new health orders.

Secretary of State Ed Buchanan said at Wednesdays news conference that protective equipment  which was more limited in the early days of the pandemic  has been coming in more frequently and that the state has a good supply of the gear, which health care providers wear while they treat patients.

He said the state had received donations from private companies like Amazon and from the federal government. He added the states supplies were looking good and stable at this point and that he felt prepared should there be a renewed outbreak of the disease come the fall, as some health officials have warned is possible.

While the number of confirmed cases in Wyoming continues to climb each day, the vast majority of counties have seen a plateau in identified patients. Most of the new cases confirmed in May have been in Fremont County, which now has 190 patients whove tested positive and another 12 who likely have the disease. Laramie County has also continued to see new cases, but other counties  like Natrona, Sheridan and Albany  have all but stopped reporting new cases. Even Teton County, at one point the hardest-hit county in the state, has seen its numbers stabilize.

Whats more, testing has become more widely available, and concerns about shortages of protective equipment have been somewhat alleviated. Health officials and Gordon have repeatedly warned that the virus is not going away and that Wyomingites need to continue social distancing measures. But theyve also said that restrictions put into place in March have been effective, so much so that parts of the state can return to some sense of normalcy.

Testing has confirmed 523 cases of the coronavirus in Wyoming. Seven people have died after contracting the virus, including three Fremont County residents from the same family.

Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
HARRISBURG, Pa., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new AARP Pennsylvania survey, two in three people (67%) rely on peer-to-peer (P2P) payment platforms to transfer money in a relatively quick and easy manner. The poll also found that almost three in five (57%) believe they are able to reclaim money sent in error.

While the platforms are convenient, the difficulty of recovering funds sent through them makes the technology, and those who use it, uniquely vulnerable to scammers. The problem may be particularly prevalent as more people use delivery services for groceries and other necessities during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Scam artists continue to prey on public fears and anxieties during the pandemic," said AARP Pennsylvania State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh. "Consumers need to learn the risks associated with peer-to-peers payment platforms and proceed with caution before sending money to someone you don't know."

According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were over 52,000 reports of scams and fraud in Pennsylvania and nearly $37 million lost to fraud last year.

Common P2P payment platforms include PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Square, Google Pay and Apple Pay. The Peer to Peer Payment Practices and Associated Risks: A Pennsylvania Survey of Adults 18-plus details how often people are using these platforms, reasons for using them, and the risks associated with using them. The report also highlights the widespread misuse of P2P tools due to insufficient understanding of how the platforms work.

The survey findings include:

64% of Pennsylvania adults report using P2P payment platforms. Among those, users say they sometimes (43%), frequently (24%) or rarely (33%) use P2P payment platforms.

Among those, users say they (43%), (24%) or (33%) use P2P payment platforms. More education is needed to raise awareness on how P2P payment platforms operate. Almost three in five (57%) of Pennsylvania adults incorrectly answered a quiz question about being able to reclaim your money if you make an error sending money through a P2P payment platform.

Almost three in five (57%) of adults incorrectly answered a quiz question about being able to reclaim your money if you make an error sending money through a P2P payment platform. Pennsylvania are using P2P payment platforms to send money to people they don't know. When making a purchase through an online bidding site, over half (55%) send the money to a seller with whom they have previously never done business and two in five (46%) send the money to a seller rated highly for fulfillment and delivery.

The survey was conducted by NORC, on behalf of AARP, from November 4-8, 2019. View the full report at www.aarp.org/p2prisks. This report reflects results from a larger survey among 880 Pennsylvania adults ages 18 and older which highlights people's experiences with peer-to-peer payment platforms.* The survey has a sampling margin of error of 4.3 percent. This survey was also conducted nationally and in three other states: Connecticut, Vermont, and Washington. To view the national and state reports and/or the full study methodology for these studies, please go to www.aarp.org/p2prisks.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network launched in 2013 as a free resource for people of all ages. Consumers may sign up for "Watchdog Alert" emails that deliver information about scams, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to report scams or get help from trained volunteers in the event someone falls victim to scammers' tactics. The Fraud Watch Network website provides information about fraud and scams, prevention tips from experts, an interactive scam-tracking map and access to AARP's hit podcast series, The Perfect Scam.

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


Contestant could have won 1M by answering TT

Come on! You should know this one: "Which of these iconic races was held first?"

A) Le Mans 24 Hours B) Monaco Grand Prix C) Indy 500 or D) Isle Of Man TT.

This was the million-pound question facing Andrew Townsley as he sat in the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire hotseat on Tuesday night.

Agonisingly, the retired doctor could not be certain and walked away with 500,000 - but went on to say the answer he would have given and turned out to be correct.

So could you have bagged the million-pound prize? Without giving the answer away yet, you can have a go at the full set of 15 questions below.

Mr Townsley, from Glasgow, would have been the sixth contestant to scoop the maximum prize on the ITV quiz show had he not played it safe, after answering the first 14 questions correctly.

He even had a final lifeline, phone a friend, but decided to walk away when his chosen helper did not know the answer.

Explaining his decision, Mr Townsley, who appeared on the show in a wheelchair and has progressive multiple sclerosis, said he wanted the money to pay for a holiday.

"I don't know the answer and it's just too much money to lose," he said. "Having got so far and to go on a whim I think would be foolish and Niagara Falls is looking very nice at this time."

Host Jeremy Clarkson congratulated him on being a "truly fabulous contender".

Have a go at his 15 questions here.

No contestant has won the top prize since Ingram Wilcox in 2006, when the show was hosted by original presenter Chris Tarrant.

The first was Judith Keppel in November 2000.

For her final question, Tarrant asked: "Which king was married to Eleanor of Aquitaine?"

Ms Keppel, who went on to become one of the star quizzers on Eggheads, correctly answered Henry II.

In all, only five people have won the million-pound prize on the UK version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? since it launched in 1998.

But perhaps the most famous contestant in the show's history is Major Charles Ingram, who has been back in the headlines this year thanks to ITV drama Quiz.

Ingram "won" the grand prize in 2001 but never received the cash, after being found guilty of cheating in an infamous coughing scam.

He and his wife, Diana, are planning to appeal their conviction.

 Sky News 2020
A majority of the City Council on Tuesday spoke in favor of a beautification project planned along the renovated U.S. 27 from I-24 to the Olgiati Bridge. Councilwoman Carol Berz and Councilman Erskine Oglesby were chief among those praising the effort led by Judge Neil Thomas.

This is really a great initiative that Judge Thomas has privately taken upon himself, and it has set a standard that will start to be emulated across the state, said Councilman Oglesby. I want to thank Councilwoman Berz, who has been serving on this committee from the outset for her output.

Jane Bowen also informed the council about the private aspect of this initiative. Most of the money comes from the state, with the city only contributing a limited amount. Private funding is also accounted for.

The city will put in one-fourth, the county will put in one-fourth, and then Tennessee Interstate Conservancy will put in one half of the funds, said Ms. Bowen. We are about to do a public campaign. Money is starting to come in and were starting to ramp up. But of course, COVID has not been our friend.

Ms. Bowen said the project ends at the freeway, and it does not incorporate the freeway itself.

Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod then wondered if this pilot program will be implemented in other areas of Chattanooga. She then wondered why the council was so enthusiastically behind funding a beautification project when other projects were strenuously debated about.

I think its a great idea, dont get me wrong, but Id like to see the contract, said Councilwoman Coonrod. This is the first weve heard about it that were going to be entering into an agreement that will provide $62,500.

But we had so much to say as a council when a learning institution for our kids came forth with a campaign about making contributions to donate, and that was the creative discovery museum downtown. I get it, we need to have a beautiful intersection. But our kids need to have opportunities to learn as well. Why couldnt we do both?

We have other areas of our city, where were not even getting the work that the city is supposed to do for our roads, where theyre not getting paid or getting the beautification that the city is supposed to take care of. But now were here saying that we have $62,500 for our interstate highway system.

Ms. Bowen then emphasized the public relations aspect of the project and how it could eventually be adopted by Tennessees other large cities.

We have Memphis, Knoxville, and Clarksville who have been very on-board with starting it in their cities. They get the minutes and notes from our city, so it seems to be a statewide effort to bring back pride in taking care of our interstates.

The resolution says:

A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Public Works to enter into an agreement with the State of Tennessee, Hamilton County, and Tennessee Interstate Conservancy to maintain landscaping improvements to the downtown interchanges of the roadway known as Hwy. 127 between the intersection of Interstate 24 and Olgiati Bridge as a pilot for the beautification of the Interstate Highway System by the State of Tennessee, with the Citys annual contribution not to exceed $62,500.00 for each fiscal year.
The Catholic shrine at Fatima in Portugal has held its annual celebrations without worshippers for the first time in its more than 100-year history.

Hundreds of thousands of people traditionally hold candles as they attend masses at the small town's huge shrine on the night of May 12 and morning of May 13. The ceremonies mark the day when three illiterate shepherd children first reported seeing visions of the Madonna.

Like the shrine at Lourdes, France, Fatima draws about six million pilgrims from around the world every year to give thanks to Our Lady of Fatima, or to pray for help.

Authorities this year asked people not to travel to Fatima due to the coronavirus outbreak. Police cordoned off roads leading to the shrine.

Ceremonies were broadcast live and streamed. The dean of the shrine asked people to place a lighted candle in a window of their home and make a pilgrimage of the heart.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
M ilitants stormed a maternity ward in the Afghan capital and killed two newborn babies, their mothers and a number of nurses.

A total of 16 people died in the attack which saw police battle the militants in an hours-long shootout in Kabul on Tuesday.

Images shared by the Interior Ministry showed Afghan security forces evacuate the facility, carrying out babies and frantic young mothers.

Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky over the hospital in Dashti Barchi, a neighbourhood that has been the site of many past attacks by Islamic State (IS) militants.

Following the attacks, President Ashraf Ghani said he was ordering an offensive of operations against the Taliban and other groups.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said more than 100 women and babies were evacuated from the building before it was over.

Another 15 people including women, men and children were injured in the attack by several gunmen. Mr Arian said three foreign nationals were among those safely evacuated.

According to the BBC, the attackers were dressed as police officers when they entered the hospital.

Ramazan Ali, a vendor who saw the attack begin, told the Reuters news agency: "The attackers were shooting at anyone in this hospital without any reason...

"It's a Government hospital, and a lot of people bring in their women and children for treatment."

It was unclear why the maternity hospital in Dashti Barchi, a 100-bed facility, was targeted  an attack Mr Arian said was an act against humanity and a war crime.

A maternity ward in the hospital is run by the international medical charity Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF).

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the attack on the hospital as "sheer evil" and an "unconscionable" attack.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the attack on the hospital was 'evil' / POOL/AFP via Getty Images

"Terrorists who attack mourners lining up for prayer at a funeral are only seeking to tear apart the bonds that hold families and communities together, but they will never succeed."

He added: "During the holy month of Ramadan and amidst the threat of Covid-19, these dual attacks are particularly appalling."

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack in Kabul, where both the Taliban and the IS frequently target Afghan military and security forces, as well as civilians.

The Taliban denied they were involved but the IS group said it was behind the attack on a police commander's funeral in Nangarhar in the east of the country.

A suicide bomber at the funeral killed at least 24 people and wounded 68.

The attacks continued in eastern Khost province, where a bomb planted in a cart in a market killed a child and wounded 10 people.

The violence could further undermine a peace process in the wake of a deal signed between the United States and the Taliban in February, which envisages the start of talks among key Afghan figures, including government representatives, and the Taliban.

In a televised speech hours after the attacks, the president announced that Afghan security forces would no longer operate in the defensive posture taken in the wake of the peace agreement.

Instead, he called on security forces to launch attacks against Taliban insurgents.

The Taliban have not given up fighting and killing Afghans, instead they have increased their attacks on our countrymen and public places despite repeated calls for a ceasefire, Mr Ghani said.

Speaking while the battle between security forces and the attackers was underway at the maternity unit, Mr Arian said: "The forces are trying to eliminate the terrorists and bring the situation under control."

By mid-afternoon, the ministry issued a statement saying three attackers had stormed the hospital and that one was shot and killed while the other two were still resisting arrest.

The first floor of the clinic was cleared but the operation was ongoing to secure the rest of the building, the statement said.

A few hours later, the ministry released another statement, saying all three attackers were dead and that the operation was over.

In the evening hours, husbands, fathers and family members of the hospitals patients gathered around the site in Dashti Barchi, desperate for news of their loved ones.

A man read out the names of those who had been evacuated to other hospitals.
As of the 15th of April 2020, South Africa had 2,415 confirmed coronavirus cases, the highest number in Africa. Although the novel coronavirus pandemic has not yet caused widespread devastation in South Africa.

There is serious concern about the countrys ability to cope with its anticipated health and economic consequences. South Africas president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has been praised for his swift and decisive management of the pandemic, by announcing a 3-week total lock-down, which has subsequently been extended for a total of 5 weeks.

The economic implications of the pandemic, and measures to curb its spread, are dire for the 55% of South Africas population that live below its national poverty line, and in particular, for the 25% that already experience food poverty.

However, despite their economic impact, strict lock-down measures have been deemed essential. Large and crowded informal settlements are prone to the rampant spread of infection.

South Africa has more people living with HIV than any other country in the world, which together with high rates of tuberculosis and other diseases, place people at risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

In addition, South Africas over-burdened, and often failing, public health system is expected to be overwhelmed with the demands of this crisis.

African Enterprise South Africa is grateful for your prayers and ongoing support during this difficult time. In its initial response to this crisis, AE supplied and delivered 180 food hampers to vulnerable families in the Pietermaritzburg area.

The hampers consisted of staple foods, as well as essential hygiene items, to sustain each family for a duration of 3 weeks.

In addition, homemade facemasks have been distributed in the community, in keeping with the current CDC guidelines, as well as recommendations from the South African government.

AE has been able to distribute facemasks, together with Gospel tracts, thanks to the tireless efforts of AE South Africas Chair, Rob Langley, and his wife Bridget, who have made and donated these.

The staff of AEs Ngezandla Zethu sewing project, facilitated by Ntombi Dladla, have also sewed facemasks for distribution in the area. May we also seek to help our brothers and sisters stand firm in faith and fight this pandemic in South Africa.
DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Respiratory Protective Equipment Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global respiratory protective equipment market is currently witnessing strong growth. Looking forward, the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 7% during 2020-2025.



Rapid industrialization across the globe is one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, increasing awareness regarding the importance of workplace safety is also providing a boost to the market growth. RPE can protect the industrial workers from inhaling harmful chemicals, gases and radiological and nuclear material. This can aid in preventing the instances of occupational asthma, pneumoconiosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and mesothelioma.



The growing demand for technologically advanced multi-functional RPE is acting as another growth-inducing factor. For instance, manufacturers have introduced respirators that are equipped with auto-darkening filters (ADF) and sensors to minimize eye damage and provide protection from fumes.



Other factors, including extensive research and development (R&D) activities to manufacture product variants with innovative in-facepiece gas detection technology, along with the implementation of stringent government policies promoting occupational safety and health standards, are projected to drive the market further.



The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being 3M, Alpha Pro Tech Limited, Bullard, Delta Plus, Honeywell International Inc., ILC Dover, Intech Safety Pvt. Ltd., Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Company, RSG Safety, Uvex Safety Group, etc.



Key Questions Answered

How has the global respiratory protective equipment 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 product type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the filter type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end-use industry?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the market?

What is the structure of the global respiratory protective equipment market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the market?

Key Topics Covered



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Respiratory Protective Equipment Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Product Type

6.1 Air Purifier Respirators

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Major Types

6.1.2.1 Unpowered Respirators

6.1.2.2 Powered Respirators

6.1.2.3 Escape Respirators

6.1.3 Market Forecast

6.2 Supplied Air Respirators

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Major Types

6.2.2.1 Self-contained Breathing Apparatus

6.2.2.2 Airline Respirators

6.2.2.3 Loose Fitting Hoods

6.2.3 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Filter Type

7.1 Particle Filter

7.2 Gas/Vapour Filter

7.3 Combined Filter



8 Market Breakup by End-use Industry

8.1 Healthcare

8.2 Oil and gas

8.3 Chemical

8.4 Construction

8.5 Law Enforcement

8.6 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 & 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



3M

Alpha Pro Tech Limited

Bullard

Delta Plus

Honeywell International Inc.

ILC Dover

Intech Safety Pvt. Ltd.

Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Company

RSG Safety

Uvex Safety Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vb12i8

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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Research and Markets

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TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (TKPYY.PK) reported Wednesday that its fiscal 2019 net profit attributable to owners of the company declined 67.3 percent to 44.24 billion Japanese yen from last year's 135.19 billion yen. Earnings per share declined to 28.25 yen from 139.82 yen last year. On a pre-tax basis, the company recorded loss of 60.75 billion yen, compared to last year's profit of 127.61 billion yen. Operating profit fell 57.8 percent to 100.41 billion yen. Core operating profit increased 110 percent year-on-year to 962 billion yen. Revenue of 3.29 trillion yen climbed 57 percent from last year's 2.10 trillion yen, in first full year following acquisition of Shire. Further, Takeda raised its cost synergy target to $2.3 billion and is on track to deliver on its targets to rapidly pay down debt and continue to divest non-core assets. Looking ahead for fiscal 2020, the company expects earnings per share of 39 yen, core earnings per share of 420 yen, and operating profit to more than triple to 355 billion yen. Core operating profit would be 984 billion yen. Core operating margin would be 30.3 percent, higher than last year. Takeda expects underlying core operating profit growth in the high single digits and underlying core earnings per share growth in the low teens. Revenue is expected to be 3.25 trillion yen for the year. The company believes that its financial results for FY2020 will not be materially affected by COVID-19. Takeda expects to maintain its dividend to shareholders of 180 yen per share. Takeda President and Chief Executive Officer Christophe Weber said, '..Takeda is taking a lead in meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak. We initiated a global industry alliance, sharing our world-class Plasma-Derived Therapy R&D, plasma collection and manufacturing capabilities to work collaboratively with other global and regional plasma companies to accelerate development of CoVIg-19, a potential plasma-derived therapy for patients at risk from serious complications of COVID-19. Clinical trials are on track to begin in the summer and if successful, CoVIg-19 has the potential to be one of the earliest approved treatment options.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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

The woman, aged in her 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene at Ballyorgan, near Kilmallock, shortly after 1pm.

She was found by a family member who alerted emergency services.

Her body has been removed to University Hospital Limerick where a post mortem is due to take place later.

Gardai are treating it as a tragic accident.
Ive been here six years, and I can tell you we made some very tough decisions, said House Appropriations and Budget Committee Chairman Kevin Wallace, R-Wellston.

Unlike Stitt, who had no experience in government before becoming governor last year amid an economic surge and overflowing tax coffers, Wallace and many other current legislators remember the traumatic sessions and special sessions of 2014-18, when revenue plummeted and angry constituents prowled the Capitol halls.

And those who didnt experience those difficult days personally were largely elected because of them.

What were doing is what we told our constituents we would do by protecting teacher pay raises and other educational investments, said Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, who was part of the tidal wave of new legislators swept into office in 2018 on promises to restore education and basic government services.

Wallace, who presented three of the four override motions in the House, declined to directly criticize Stitt  although he was more or less invited to do so by several of his colleagues  but he did reveal some frustration with the governor and his advisers.
Lara Dutta Bhupathi has been reliving her Miss Universe 2000 victory day on May 12 through a series of photos in which she is seen participating in the swimsuit round, gracefully posing in an evening gown and finally wearing the prestigious crown.

"20 years to the day!! 12 th May 2000, Nicosia, Cyprus. What a wonderful gift to receive from the universe! One I'm eternally grateful for @feminamissindia missdivaorg timesofindia @missuniverse," Lara captioned the snaps.

She was the second Indian after Sushmita Sen to win the Miss Universe crown. Later, she entered Bollywood with the 2003 film Andaaz. In addition to acting, she also mentors aspiring models for international beauty contests.

In March, Lara had said her hunger and curiosity about things have kept her going since the time she won the title of Miss Universe. "I think it's just hunger and curiosity. I don't feel like I want to be limited to any one thing. I never said, 'I am just a beauty queen or just an actress'. When that's done, I am always wondering now what's next can I do so, yeah, that keeps me going," Lara had said.

She most recently starred in the comedy-action web series "Hundred", which will be back with another season.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
New Delhi, May 13 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday that the Centre will provide Rs 2,500 crore EPF support for businesses, workers for three more months.

The scheme was provided earlier for the salary months of March, April and May. Consequently, this support will be extended by another three months for the salary months of June, July and August.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), the Finance Minister said that payment of 12 per cent of employer and 12 per cent of employee contributions was made into the EPF accounts of the eligible establishments.

The scheme will provide liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crore to 3.67 lakh establishments, benefitting 72.22 lakh employees.

Furthermore, the minister announced that statutory PF contribution of both employer and employee has been reduced to 10 per cent from the existing 12 per cent across all establishments covered by the EPFO for the next three months.

CPSEs and state PSUs will, however, continue to contribute 12 per cent as employer contribution.

The scheme for lower EPF contribution will be applicable to workers who are not eligible for 24 per cent EPF support under the PM Garib Kalyan Package and its extension.

This scheme is estimated to provide relief to about 6.5 lakh establishments covered under the EPFO and benefit about 4.3 crore such employees. It will provide liquidity of Rs 6,750 crore to employers and employees over three months.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday expressed disappointment with the finance minister's announcements, saying the Centre's COVID-19 economic stimulus package has nothing for lakhs of poor and hungry migrant workers who have been walking to their home. Addressing a press conference through video conferencing, he said the central government announced Rs 3.6 lakh crore of collateral-free loans for small businesses, but where is the remaining Rs 16.4 lakh crore?

"Except for the modest MSME package, we are disappointed with today's announcements," Chidambaram said, adding there was nothing for the poor or the middle class in the package.

Asked if the measures announced would help propel demand, he said, "I do not find anything in this package that could stimulate the demand.

The former finance minister also said changes in labour laws by some BJP-ruled states was done at a wrong time, saying they have set a wrong precedent. He said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced some support measures for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), although the measures were skewed in favour of the larger MSMEs (about 45 lakh such units). "I think the bulk of the 6.3 crore MSMEs were left high and dry," he said. Noting that the "devil is in the detail", Chidambaram said he welcomes the offer of subordinate debt (Rs 20,000 crore) and equity corpus fund (Rs 10,000 crore), but will await the 'terms and conditions'.

On the credit guarantee fund, he said the expenditure will be limited to the extent of non-performing assets (NPAs) in outstanding guaranteed credit to MSMEs. Assuming an NPA level of 20-50 per cent, the actual expenditure over the period of loans (which may be years) will be a maximum of Rs 3,00,000 crore, he said, adding after counting the Rs 30,000 crore credit guarantee to NBFCS, the total comes to only Rs 3.6 lakh crore.

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

"Where is the rest of the Rs 16.4 lakh crore? This government is a prisoner of its own ignorance and fears. The government must spend more, but it is not willing to do so. The government must borrow more, but it is not willing to do so. The government must allow states to borrow more and spend more, but it is not willing to do so," he asserted.

The senior Congress leader said the first thing the government needs to do is to put money in the hands of 13-crore families in the bottom of the population that will cost the government only Rs 65,000 crore, if Rs 5,000 is given to each family.

"There is nothing in what the FM said today for the lakhs of poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers who have walked - and many thousands are still walking - back to their home states. This is a cruel blow dealt to those who toil every day," he said.

Chidambaram noted that there is nothing by way of cash transfer to the bottom half of the population (13 crore families) who have been pushed into destitution.

He also cited French economist Thomas Piketty's suggestion to India that cash transfers need to be made to the poor to make the lockdown work.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talk about life and livelihood, he said there is no contradiction between the two.

"We must protect our lives, but millions of people have been pushed to destitution," he said.

The former Union minister also called upon the government to address the issue sectorally and provide fiscal support to each sector of the economy, as Congress would have done.

He said the prime minister announced an economic stimulus package to re-start the stalled economy and stated that its size will be Rs 20 lakh crore.

"As expected, and as perhaps it was intended by the government, it grabbed the headline. The page, however, was blank," he said.

Chidambaram said even as lockdown will continue in a different form, the broad contours will be laid by the central government and the rest will be done by states.

"But life and economy has to start," he added.
New Delhi, May 13 : US drug-maker Gilead Sciences has signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with three Indian pharmaceutical companies -- Mumbai-headquartered Cipla, Hyderabad-based Hetero Labs and Noida-based Jubilant Life Sciences -- who will manufacture and sell the anti-viral drug to treat severe COVID-19 patients.

Gilead's Remdesivir has received emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of hospitalised patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms.

Two other drug manufacturers -- US-based Mylan which has a strong base in India and a Pakistan-based Ferozsons Laboratories -- have also signed licensing agreements with Gilead, which negotiated long-term voluntary licenses with several generic drugmakers in India and Pakistan to produce Remdesivir for developing countries.

Gilead would provide technology transfers to the five drug manufacturers to facilitate the production.

Hetero which has been working with the ICMR for necessary approvals, said Remdesivir would be manufactured at its formulation facility in Hyderabad.

As part of the agreement, Cipla will be permitted to manufacture the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and finished product, and market it in 127 countries, including India and South Africa under Cipla's own brand name.

"At Cipla, it is our continuous endeavour to ensure that no patient is denied access to life-saving treatments. Our partnership with Gilead represents this unwavering commitment and is a significant step towards saving millions of lives impacted by the pandemic," Umang Vohra, MD and Global CEO, Cipla Limited, said in a statement.

"As the world is faced with the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that we collaborate and fight this virus together. We are pleased to partner with Gilead for this cause and take this treatment to patients across countries after the required regulatory approvals," Vohra added.

Cipla will receive the manufacturing know-how from Gilead Sciences to manufacture the drug at a commercial scale.

The Health Ministry recently said that it is examining Remdesivir, which was used during the Ebola outbreak, as one protocol in the treatment for Covid-19 in the country.

In a statement, Jubilant whose subsidiary Jubilant Generics Ltd inked a pact with Gilead Sciences, said they are very happy to strengthen its partnership with the US giant to license remdesivir, "which, based on initial data, shows promise to be a potential therapy for COVID-19, a pandemic creating unprecedented health and economic crisis globally".

"We will be monitoring the clinical trials and regulatory approvals very closely and would be ready to launch the drug shortly after the required regulatory approvals. We also plan to produce the drug's Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) in-house helping its cost effectiveness and consistent availability," said Jubilant Life Sciences in a stock exchange filing on Tuesday.

Remdesivir is given to patients intraveinous one time each day for up to 10 days depending on recommendations of healthcare providers, according to the FDA.

The drug may help decrease the amount of the coronavirus in bodies and help patients get better faster, said the agency.

Possible side effects of Remdesivir include infusion-related reactions and increases in levels of liver enzymes.

"These are not all the possible side effects of Remdesivir. Remdesivir is still being studied so it is possible that all of the risks are not known at this time," said the FDA.
IATA estimates that revenues generated by airlines in the Saudi market will fall by $7.2 billion in 2020, 35% below 2019 levels. That puts at risk nearly 287,500 Saudi jobs and $17.9 billion of Saudis GDP, which is generated by aviation directly and aviation-related tourism.

In response to the impact of COVID-19, the Saudi government has introduced broad economic relief measures in excess of $32 billion in financial support for the private sector. It has also provided support for air transport by suspending the airport slot use rules for the summer season and extending licenses and certifications for crew, trainers and examiners. We urge the government to build on this and implement specific financial relief measures for aviation to ensure that the sector will be capable of driving the recovery.

The Government should consider the following financial relief measures:

Direct financial support to passenger and cargo carriers

Financial relief on airport and air traffic control (ATC) charges and taxes

Reduction, waiver or deferral of government-imposed taxes and fees

Saudi Arabia has announced financial relief measures for sectors affected by COVID-19, but not specifically for aviation. Given the industrys role in social and economic development as well as achieving the Kingdoms Vision 2030, it is important the government prioritizes aviation and provide urgent financial relief," said Muhammad Albakri, IATAs Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.

Without a viable air transport sector, we can expect a slow and painful economic recovery. Before the crisis, Saudi Arabia was moving at full speed and achieving tangible results in modernization, infrastructure development and economic growth. Fully supporting aviation now means a stronger recovery for the Kingdom, said Albakri.
The heartbroken family of a teenage girl who was killed in a tragic car accident alongside her boyfriend have penned a touching tribute in honour of their daughter and sister.

Lauren Quabba, 16, and her boyfriend Evan Fielder, 19, died after their Mazda collided head-on with a Toyota HiLux on the Bruce Highway in Babinda, Cairns, at about 7.30pm on October 30, 2019.

The Queensland couple, who had been dating for a few weeks, were killed instantly, while the 17-year-old driver of the other car survived.

Lauren Quabba, 16, died on October 30 last year when the car she was in collided with another vehicle

Boyfriend Evan Fielder, 19, also died on October 30, after they smashed into another vehicle

The surviving driver, from Townsville, has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, as well as drug possession, the Cairns Post reported.

Ms Quabba's parents, Rodney and Rhonda, and her five siblings delivered a heartwarming letter in honour of their daughter and sister.





'Each day we struggle to come to turns with our family life which has been changed forever,' they said.

'We have been overwhelmed by the many kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts, donations, visits, phone calls and food parcels.'

They thanked family, friends and members of the community for their 'comfort and strength' and the get through this 'incredibly difficult time'.

In her honour, the family also launched the Lauren Pamela Quabba Community Benefit Fund which assists families in 'challenging situations' and require help.

More than 800 people farewelled Ms Quabba at her funeral.
Rep. Mark Walker Introduces Act to Hold China Accountable for CCP Virus

Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) on May 12 introduced the Cage the Paper Tiger Act in an effort to hold China accountable for the CCP virus.

For decades, politicians in Washington have failed the families of North Carolina and the country in addressing Chinas rise, Walker, a former pastor, said in a press release. We have allowed the economic, human rights, and now global health abuses of the Chinese Communist Partyat the expense of our workers and familiesgo unchecked long enough. Its time to cage the Paper Tiger and show the world that China is much more roar than bite.

The new act refers to a literal translation of the Chinese idiom zhilaohu, meaning someone or something that seems threatening but is ineffectual, and includes safeguards to protect American interests.

The act (pdf) comprises three main components including prohibiting the listing of Chinese firms on American stock exchanges, and providing immediate expensing for costs related to moving business activity and manufacturing from China to the United States. It states that a specified taxpayer may elect to treat amounts paid or incurred for repatriation property as an expense which is not chargeable to capital account, and any cost so treated shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year in which such repatriation property is placed in service.

The final component of the bill is to establish counterintelligence awareness training for faculty of colleges and universities, while also requiring enhancements to the Student Exchange Visitor Program operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

These components encompass a clear and concise strategy to not only protect our country from Chinese national security threats, but to prioritize and promote American business interests at the same time, according to the press release.

This is not the first time Walker has led efforts to combat Chinese national security threats. In October last year, the North Carolina lawmaker introduced the Homeland Security Counterintelligence Threat Reduction Act, which would require the United States Secretary of Homeland Security to form a task force to improve counterintelligence vetting.

Senators are also pushing to impose sanctions on China in a bid to hold the country accountable for the CCP virus outbreak, which occurred in Wuhan in December last year and has created a global pandemic.

Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) have co-sponsored the COVID-19 Accountability Act which authorizes President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on China if it fails to provide a full account of the events leading up to the outbreak of COVID-19.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Embattled media giant ABS-CBN is a step closer to resuming broadcast operations after the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading a bill giving the network provisional franchise.

The proposed measure, sponsored by House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, seeks to allow ABS-CBN to operate until October 31, 2020 while Congress deliberates on whether to grant it a fresh 25-year franchise.

The bill needs to be approved on third and final reading and sent to the Senate. After both chambers agree on a proposal, the bill will be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for enactment.

ABS-CBN went off the air on May 5 following a shutdown order from the National Telecommunications Commission, a day after the expiration of its franchise. Both the NTC and the House have been blamed for the network's closure, since the regulator earlier promised to give it provisional authority, while the lower chamber refused to tackle bills on the renewal of its franchise.

Cayetano said it was still "not the time" to tackle issues surrounding ABS-CBN's operations, but stressed that the House has to "do what is right." It was "wrong for the government" to stop the network's TV and radio broadcasts amid the coronavirus pandemic, Cayetano said.

He reiterated that the NTC should have not reneged on its earlier statement under oath that it would give ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate following a request from both the House and the Senate.

Cayetano also hit Solicitor General Jose Calida for his "unconstitutional meddling" when he warned that a provisional permit could expose the NTC commissioners to graft charges.

However, Cayetano also blamed ABS-CBN for immediately going off air following NTC's order. He called it a "strategy."

"Maybe you wanted to humble yourself before the law, maybe gusto ninyong magpaawa (you are seeking sympathy)," he said.

He called on the network, its employees and celebrities, along with its supporters from the media and even the House, to stop calling for an automatic franchise renewal and let the Congress do its job.

"We will provide ABS-CBN with a provisional franchise valid for October 31, 2020 within which time both the House of Representatives and the Senate will hear the issues being raised for and against the renewal, and assess, with complete impartiality and fairness, whether or not the network shall be granted a franchise," Cayetano said.

Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte, one of the authors of the bill, said they have set a deadline for themselves to finally make a decision on ABS-CBN's fate by October.

TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise

Senators welcomed the House's move, saying it is possible for ABS-CBN to finally secure a franchise, depending on how fast their counterparts' deliberations would go.

ABS-CBN's shutdown hogged international headlines, as more than 11,000 media workers stand to lose their jobs while the world is battling COVID-19.

It was heavily criticized as an attack on press freedom, since President Rodrigo Duterte had publicly threatened ABS-CBN over the network's refusal to carry his campaign commercials in 2016.

Duterte earlier accepted an apology from ABS-CBN. His spokesperson, Harry Roque said Duterte is "completely neutral" on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal, and the lawmakers should decide on it without worrying about what the President would feel.

The Lopez-owned network earlier asked the Supreme Court to declare "null and void" the cease and desist order issued by the NTC for violating its right to due process, equal protection of the laws, and freedom of speech.

CNN Philippines' Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
The commander of the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, was found dead at his home Tuesday, according to Air Force officials.

Col. Thomas Falzarano was found unresponsive at his home and pronounced dead at the scene, the 21st said in a news release.

According to the release, he is believed to have died of natural causes, but an investigation is underway.

Related: SpaceX Is Teaching US Space Force How to Execute Successful Launches

"There are currently no indications [Falzarano was] positive for COVID-19," the statement added.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss for our Air and Space Force family," said Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force. "[Falzarano] was an incredible leader, mentor and friend who will be remembered for his warm personality and dedicated service to our nation. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to his family, friends and all members of the 21st Space Wing."

Falzarano took command of the 21st in July 2019. He also served as the installation commander for Peterson and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in Colorado, as well as overseeing base support activities for Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota; Cape Cod Air Force Station, Massachusetts; and Thule Air Base, Greenland, according to his official biography.

A 1994 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Falzarano was previously the executive officer for Air Force Space Command at Peterson. Members of Air Force Space Command are now technically assigned to the Space Force, following President Donald Trump's signing of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.

The commander's 26-year career included assignments in space, missile, fighter and mobility units, his bio states.

Col. Sam Johnson, 21st Space Wing vice commander, will take over Falzarano's duties.

"Col. Falzarano was a fearless leader who was motivated by taking care of his family and Airmen," said Johnson. "He will be sorely missed."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Read More: The Air Force Is Making Changes to Its Enemy Capture Survival School
Atomic bomb tests in the US during the Cold War changed rainfall patterns thousands of miles away in the Shetland Islands, a new study has found.

Researchers from the University of Reading studied Sheltand rainfall data from between 1962 and 1964, and compared days when there was known to have been a nuclear bomb test in the Nevada desert with those when there wasn't.

The Shetland Islands, located 300 miles north west of Scotland, were chosen because the weather there is generally 'unaffected by other man-made pollution'.

They found that clouds were visibly thicker, with 24 per cent more rainfall, on days when there were high levels of radioactive charge in the atmosphere caused by the nuclear tests.

Lead author Giles Harrison said the findings can help scientists develop geoengineering projects that could deliver more rainfall to drought-hit areas.

Nuclear bomb tests in the US during the Cold War changed rainfall patterns thousands of miles away in the Shetland Islands, a new study found

The weather observatory in Lerwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland, where the historic rainfall records were taken. During 'radioactive episodes' after tests in Nevada and elsewhere there was a 24 per cent increase in rainfall measured over Lerwick

The race to develop nuclear weapons was a key feature of the Cold War, as the world's superpowers sought to demonstrate their military capabilities after WW2.

Although detonations were carried out in remote parts of the world, such as the Nevada Desert in the US, radioactive pollution spread throughout the atmosphere.

The idea that this radioactive pollution affects cloud formation has been around since the 1950s, but this study is the first to look at its impact on rainfall patterns.

'The politically charged atmosphere of the Cold War led to a nuclear arms race and worldwide anxiety,' said Harrison.

'Decades later, that global cloud has yielded a silver lining, in giving us a unique way to study how electric charge affects rain.'

Researchers from the University of Reading studied Sheltand rainfall data from between 1962 and 1964, and compared days when there was known to have been a nuclear bomb test in the Nevada desert with those when there wasn't.

It is thought that radioactivity ionises the air resulting in an electric charge, which in turn affects the size of water droplets and influences how they collide and combine.

However, these changes are difficult to observe in modern-day weather data, which is why the team turned to the radioactive legacy of the Cold War arms race.

'Droplets colliding is an important aspect of how small droplets grow to become raindrops, but whether the charge can ultimately influence rainfall is very difficult to prove,' Harrison said.

Extra rainfall is caused by increasing electric charge in clouds Radioactive pollution from an atomic bomb test in Nevada goes into the atmosphere and spreads This ionises the air and in turn releases an electric charge that makes clouds thicker This charge then attaches to the water droplets in the clouds These tiny droplets are more likely to attract and collide when charged, and so they combine and grow in size Eventually becoming too heavy to stay in the cloud and they fall as raindrops Advertisement

By combining the bomb test data with weather records, the scientists were able to prove their theory correct.

The Reading team studied records from Met Office research weather stations at Kew near London and Lerwick in the Shetland Isles.

Atmospheric electricity is most easily measured on fine days, so the Kew measurements were used to identify nearly 150 days where there was high or low charge generation over the UK while it was cloudy in Lerwick.

The Shetland rainfall on these days showed differences which vanished after the major radioactivity episode was over.

By learning more about how electrical charge affects non-thunderstorm clouds, it is thought that scientists will develop a better understanding of weather processes.

Thee Reading team studied records from Met Office research weather stations at Kew near London and Lerwick in the Shetland Isles - they say the change in patterns would be global but are more obvious in the Shetland Isles due to it being relatively isolated with good monitoring

The findings may be helpful for cloud-related geoengineering research, which is exploring how electric charge could influence rain, relieve droughts or prevent floods, without the use of chemicals.

In fact Professor Harrison is working with a team from the United Arab Emirates on a project using drones to deliver electric charge to clouds and cause rain to fall in desert areas.

At the moment chemicals are added to clouds to produce rainfall but they leave a residue behind - this would be a natural process.

The findings were published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Monsoon is likely to reach the Anadman and Nicobar archipelago around May 16, nearly six days before its normal onset date, due to a cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

Monsoon usually covers the Andaman and Nicobar islands around May 20. The onset date for Andaman and Nicobar was last month revised to May 22.

It then normally takes 10-11 days to reach Kerala which marks the commencement of rainfall season in India.

However, monsoon is now likely to reach Andaman and Nicobar around May 16. The IMD is also likely to release the possible onset date over Kerala later this week.

A low pressure area, the first step in the formation of a cyclone, was formed over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea on Wednesday morning, the IMD said.

It is very likely to concentrate into a depression over the central parts of south Bay of Bengal on May 15 and further intensify into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the evening of May 16.

"In association with the system (cyclone), the conditions will become favourable for advance of southwest monsoon over south Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Andaman & Nicobar islands around May 16," the IMD said.

Under its influence, adverse is likely over south and central Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea from May 15 onwards.

The system is under continuous surveillance and the state governments concerned are being informed regularly, the Cyclone Warning Division added.

Mrutunjay Mohapatra, director general of the IMD, said the cyclone will aid in advancement of the monsoon, which is likely to be normal this year.

The onset date of monsoon over Kerala is June 1, which marks the commencement of the four-month long rainfall season in the country.

From this year, the IMD has also revised the dates of onset and withdrawal of the monsoon for several parts of the countrybased on the data from 1960-2019.The previous dates were based on the data from 1901 to 1940.

However, the onset date for monsoon over Kerala remains unchanged, Rajeevan said.

In states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, monsoon will be delayed by 3-7 days compared to the existing normal dates.

For the national capital, the new normal onset date for monsoon has been revised from June 23 to June 27. Similarly, dates have been revised for Mumbai and Kolkata from June 10 to 11, and for Chennai from June 1 to 4.

However, over extreme northwest India, themonsoonwill arrive a little early, on July 8, rather than the expected date of July 15. The new date for monsoon withdrawal from south India is October 15.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The FBI has accidentally revealed the name of a former Saudi Embassy official who is suspected of helping two Al-Qaeda hijackers in the 9/11 terror attacks.

According to Yahoo News, the mistake was made in a recent filing in response to a lawsuit from families of 9/11 victims who have accused the Saudi government of being complicit in the terrorist attacks.

In the document, which was filed in April but unsealed last week, lawyers forgot to redact Mussaed Ahmed al-Jarrah's name. He was assigned to the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC, in 1999 and 2000.

Authorities suspected that al-Jarrah, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, instructed two people to assist Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar settle in the US ahead of the attacks.

Al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar participated in the hijacking of the American Airlines plane that flew into the Pentagon, killing 125.

The FBI has accidentally revealed the name of a former Saudi Embassy official who is suspected of helping two Al-Qaeda hijackers in the 9/11 terror attacks (file image)

The filings were intended to support the Justice Departments desire to keep the official's identity secret.

In the declaration, which was filed by Jill Sanborn, the assistant director of the FBIs counterterrorism division, she refers to a 2012 report which was heavily redacted, but showed two people who were possibly linked to the Saudi government.

Fahad al-Thumairy and Omar al-Bayoumi were investigated for assisting the hijackers while the name of a third man was redacted but he is believed to be a high-ranking government official in Riyadh.

US authorities suspect al-Jarrah of being the 'third man'.

At the time, al-Thumairy, a Saudi Islamic Affairs official and radical cleric, served as the imam of the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles, and al-Bayoumi, was a suspected Saudi government agent.

According to the 2012 report, FBI agents had uncovered 'evidence' that Thumairy and Bayoumi had been 'tasked' to assist the hijackers by another individual.

In one instance, investigators discovered that al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar had traveled to Los Angeles in January 2000.

Once they arrived in Los Angeles, al-Bayoumi found them an apartment, lent them money and set them up with bank accounts, according to Yahoo.

Jarrah was assigned to the Saudi embassy (file image) in Washington, DC, in 1999 and 2000

Sanborn's declaration represents the first public confirmation that the 'third man' was a Saudi diplomat.

According to Yahoo, the declaration provides confirmation that FBI agents believed they had uncovered a link between the hijackers and the Saudi Embassy in DC.

Though the FBI has confirmed the disclosure of the official's name was made in error, the declaration will likely bring up questions regarding possible Saudi links to the terror attacks.

The Saudi government has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks.

The 9/11 Commission report found 'no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded' the attacks that al-Qaida masterminded, but the commission also noted 'the likelihood' that Saudi government-sponsored charities did.

Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the 9/11 families whose father was killed in the attacks, told Yahoo: 'This shows there is a complete government cover-up of the Saudi involvement.

Eagleson has been a part of a long-running lawsuit that accuses Saudi Arabia of providing support for the attacks.

'It demonstrates there was a hierarchy of command thats coming from the Saudi Embassy to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs [in Los Angeles] to the hijackers.

'This is a giant screwup,' Eagleson added.

Last year, 25 9/11 survivors and relatives of survivors met with President Donald Trump on September 11.

The following day, Attorney General Bill Barr disclosed the name of the third man to the survivors' attorneys but the name was never publicly released.
Anthony Fauci, the USs top infectious disease expert, said prematurely lifting lockdowns could lead to new outbreaks.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said a warning given by top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci this week about the dangers of reopening the economy too quickly was unacceptable.

To me, its not an acceptable answer, Trump told reporters at the White House, noting he was surprised by the response Fauci gave to Senators in testimony to a Senate panel on Tuesday.

Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned that a premature lifting of lockdowns could lead to additional outbreaks of the deadly coronavirus.

There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control, Fauci said.

The 79-year-old doctor, one of the USs most trusted voices on the coronavirus pandemic, has become a target for criticism from the American far right and online conspiracy theorists since he made statements about the outbreak that were at odds with Trumps.

Dr Anthony Fauci speaks remotely during the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing on the coronavirus [Win McNamee/Reuters]

The president, who previously made the strength of the economy central to his pitch for his November reelection bid, has encouraged states to reopen businesses that had been deemed non-essential amid the pandemic.

The US has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the world by far: 1.37 million infections and more than 82,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.2 million people and killed some 292,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. Experts say the actual numbers are likely far higher.

Weeks before effects of reopening are known

A handful of US states started easing their lockdowns about two weeks ago, ranging from shopping malls in Texas to beach hotels in South Carolina to gyms in Wyoming. Georgia was one of the first states where some businesses were allowed to open their doors again, starting April 24 with barbershops, hair salons, gyms, bowling alleys and tattoo parlours.

But it may be five to six weeks from then before the effects are known, said Crystal Watson of Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

As we saw early in the year, epidemics of COVID-19 start slow and take some time to build and become evident, Watson said in an email to the Associated Press news agency.

The outbreaks trajectory can vary greatly around the country, according to an Associated Press analysis of confirmed cases. For instance, steep increases in daily new cases are occurring in Hennepin County in Minnesota, and Fairfax County in Virginia, while in others, such as Bergen County, New Jersey, and Wayne County, Michigan, theres been a steady decline.
A Chicago liquor store owner who did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation said the effects are already being felt locally, especially with regard to brands owned by Heineken USA. Any drastic decrease in product might force customers to switch the Budweiser or Miller, the store owner said.
TULSA, Okla., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pryer Aerospace ("Pryer"), a manufacturer of aerospace structural components and assemblies in Tulsa, Oklahoma, announced today that it has signed a multi-year contract with Blue Origin, LLC ("Blue Origin"), a privately-funded space company and manufacturer of reusable launch vehicles and engines. Under this contract, Pryer will provide large complex machined parts and leading edge structures for New Glenn, Blue Origin's massive heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle, designed to support national security space launch and commercial space missions for years to come.

"With this contract Pryer Aerospace solidifies a role for Oklahoma and our company in the Space industry. Our relationship with Blue Origin and this contract expands and diversifies our business, creates job opportunities, and puts Pryer Aerospace in a position to be a premier Tier 1 supplier in a technically challenging market. We are proud to be a part of the Blue Origin Team and look forward to contributing to Blue Origin's mission of building a road to space so our children can build the future," said Jeff Landreth, CEO of Pryer Aerospace.

"We are proud to work with Pryer Aerospace, a world-class supplier, on a long-term agreement with our New Glenn vehicle to support national security space launch and commercial space missions," said Bob Smith, CEO, Blue Origin. "During these unprecedented times, we are pleased to be looking at long-term opportunities with small business suppliers across the nation, and are pleased to have found a fantastic partner in Pryer. Together, we are ensuring a robust supply base in Oklahoma for many years to come."

About Pryer

Founded in 1965, Pryer Aerospace is a leading provider of structural components, assemblies, and kits to the aerospace industry. Specializing in the fabrication and assembly of complex sheet metal and machined components. Pryer's vision is to delight our customers with innovative engineering solutions and complex structures for aerospace-related markets throughout the world. For additional information, please visit the Pryer Aerospace website at http://www.pryer.aero

About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is a private space company that develops launch vehicles and rocket engines in order to lower the cost of access to space through operational reusability. The company has a long-term vision to enable a future with millions of people living and working in space to benefit Earth with low-cost, highly reliable commercial space transportation. Every launch vehicle is designed for human spaceflight from the beginning and able to ferry payloads to space. For additional information, please visit Blue Origin's website at https://www.blueorigin.com

Contact: Andrew Gernt, [email protected]

SOURCE Pryer Aerospace

Related Links

https://www.blueorigin.com


A hedge fund investor wants Nieman Marcus to merge with rival Saks Fifth Avenue, rather than seek to reorganize under bankruptcy protection laws.

Hedge fund Mudrick Capital Management asked Neiman Marcus's independent directors on Tuesday to explore a combination with Saks, challenging the company's plan to restructure.

A lawyer for Mudrick, which holds portions of Neiman Marcus's roughly $5 billion of debt, wrote in a letter to the directors that a sale or merger with Saks would result in better financial recoveries for creditors than the company's current plan to restructure and hand control to senior lenders.

Hedge fund Mudrick Capital Management asked Neiman Marcus's independent directors on Tuesday to explore a combination with Saks, challenging the company's plan to restructure. The retailer's shuttered store in Paramus, NJ, is pictured this past weekend

Mudrick, which holds portions of Neiman Marcus's roughly $5 billion of debt, sent a letter to the directors that a sale or merger with Saks would result in better financial recoveries for creditors. A closed Saks store at the Tysons Galleria in McLean, Virginia, is pictured this week

A sign in the window of Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida, says the store is closed because of the coronavirus outbreak and encourages customers to shop at the retailer's online website, www.Saks.com

Neiman Marcus filed for bankruptcy last week after prolonged store closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in plunging sales. The luxury department store chain's filing in federal court in Houston Thursday said it had reached agreement with creditors for $675 million of debtor-in-possession financing to aid operations while it attempts to reorganize.

The Mudrick letter, reviewed by Reuters, suggests that combining Nieman Marcus and Saks would create between $2.8 billion and $4.7 billion of value.

That could ultimately be achieved by Neiman Marcus using bankruptcy proceedings to permanently close at least 22 stores in nearby or overlapping locations to its rival. That and other cost savings could boost the combined retailer's earnings, the letter said.

News of the merger push comes as several struggling businesses are fighting to survive the impacts of being closed during the outbreak.

Moody's says nine stores, including J.C. Penney, Rite Aid and Petco, may be struggling to repay debt. Prior to Nieman Marcus, J. Crew was the first high-profile retailer to seek bankruptcy protection since the coronavirus.

So far, there have been 1,402,656 cases in the US of the coronavirus, which has been blamed for 83,184 deaths.

Saks owner Hudson's Bay in 2017 explored a Neiman Marcus takeover but did not ultimately pursue it, Reuters previously reported.

Hudson's Bay has remained interested in Neiman Marcus, according to sources familiar with the matter, but has not yet made a formal bid for the company.

Representatives for Mudrick, Neiman Marcus and HBC declined to comment.

J. Crew, which employed about 13,000 people before an April furlough program, was the first high-profile retailer to seek bankruptcy protection since the coronavirus

Storied retailer JCPenney is among companies Moody's says may struggle repaying debt. One of the chain's empty stores in Roseville, Michigan, is pictured last week

Hudson's Bay was taken private in March by shareholders that include Chief Executive Richard Baker, and it is also grappling with financial fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.

Neiman Marcus Chief Executive Geoffroy van Raemdonck told Reuters in an interview last week that the company is focused on reorganizing and that a deal with Saks is not at the top of its priority list, though he did not rule it out.

Neiman Marcus has negotiated a plan with most of its creditors to cancel about $4 billion of debt in exchange for handing control of the company to senior lenders led by Pacific Investment Management, or PIMCO, Sixth Street Partners and Davidson Kempner Capital Management.

Saks owner Hudson's Bay in 2017 explored a Neiman Marcus takeover but did not ultimately pursue it. An empty parking lot is seen at a Nieman Marcus in Orlando, Florida, after the retailer filed for bankruptcy

Neiman Marcus Chief Executive Geoffroy van Raemdonck says the company is focused on reorganizing and that a deal with Saks is not at the top of its priority list, though he did not rule it out. Saks' closed flagship store on New York's Fifth Avenue is pictured over the weekend

PIMCO and Sixth Street declined to comment while Davidson Kempner could not immediately be reached.

The investment firms are also providing a $675 million financing package to aid the company's operations while it navigates bankruptcy proceedings, which a federal judge approved on an interim basis over Mudrick's objection.

The lenders hold the lion's share of Neiman Marcus's senior debt, giving them significant sway over whether the company's reorganization plan is approved. Their agreement would likely be needed before Neiman Marcus attempted to explore a sale in lieu of the current plan.

An auction could also be time-consuming while Neiman Marcus is struggling. The retailer expects to burn through hundreds of millions of dollars in cash through at least the end of July. Mudrick's letter said other creditors are hamstrung in agitating for a sale given they have signed a so-called restructuring support agreement associated with Neiman Marcus's bankruptcy case.

The company's executives could be concerned about losing their jobs in a merger, and Neiman Marcus's private equity owners are keen to move on from their failed investment, the letter said.

Retailers struggle to repay debt

Moody's named Nieman Marcus among nine stores that might struggle to repay their debt as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to push retailers to the brink.

J. Crew, which employed about 13,000 people before an April furlough program, was the first high-profile retailer to seek bankruptcy protection since the coronavirus. Neiman Marcus followed suit, filing for bankruptcy protection on Thursday, marking one of the highest-profile collapses yet.

Moody's then listed the stores among nine, including pharmacy giant Rite Aid and pet supplier Petco, as holding the bulk of distressed retail debt. Others include Party City, Academy Ltd, Belk and Ascena Retail Group.

Moody's has named nine stores, including J.C. Penney, Rite Aid and Petco, they say hold the bulk of distressed retail debt. Pictured is a Rite Aid location in Macomb, Michigan

Petco is among the company listed by Moody's as holding the bulk of distressed retail debt. One of the pet supply chain's store in New York's Manhattan is pictured with customers in masks practicing social distancing as they wait to enter inside

'Distressed debt is concentrated in six retail companies, namely JCPenney, Neiman Marcus, Rite Aid, J. Crew, Ascena and Academy, they represent nearly 77 per cent of the $24 billion in outstanding distressed (Caa1 and lower) retail and apparel debt', Moody's said in a March statement.

They added: 'However, there is the potential for B3 companies to dip into this territory.'

JCPenney is preparing to file for bankruptcy protection as a way to rework its unsustainable finances, Reuters previously reported. Nordstrom recently moved to borrow against some of its real estate.

Stage Stores said late Sunday it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, marking yet another retailer's collapse. The discount department store operator listed both assets and liabilities between $500 million and $1 billion, according to a filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
People are seen on Sheep Meadow in Central Park during the coronavirus pandemic on May 2, 2020 in New York City.

Noam Galai/Getty Images

A summer of heatwaves is expected to hit many European cities, according to the World Health Organization.

Every year, high temperatures affect the health of many people, particularly older people, infants, people who work outdoors, and the chronically ill, the WHO said.

With the coronavirus in play, the extreme heat can be even more dangerous as it can aggravate existing conditions.

Experts have previously dismissed the idea that warmer weather can automatically stop or slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The World Health Organization warned several European countries that high temperatures will compound the effects of coronavirus during the summer.

Weather services are expecting the summer to be hotter and more dry than normal. That can be particularly dangerous to vulnerable populations who are required to stay home while lockdowns are in place, according to the WHO.

"Every year, high temperatures affect the health of many people, particularly older people, infants, people who work outdoors and the chronically ill," the organization said in a statement. "Heat can trigger exhaustion and heat stroke, and can aggravate existing conditions  such as cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney, or mental diseases."

Related Video: How Viruses Like the Coronavirus Mutate

The WHO advised that individuals avoid doing strenuous activity during the hottest times of the day. Vulnerable individuals, like seniors and those with compromised immune systems, should take advantage of special shopping times where they are available.

It's also recommended that individuals without air conditioning should use the night air to cool their home and, during the day, use blinds and shutters.

While some illnesses, like the flu, are less common in warmer seasons, that is not known to be the case with COVID-19. The organization urged people to stay vigilant with hygiene as summer approaches.

Story continues

"You can catch COVID-19 no matter how sunny or hot the weather is, so protect yourself and others by washing your hands regularly, coughing into your folded elbow or a tissue, and avoiding touching your face," the WHO said.

As for the coronavirus, the WHO reminded people that there is no evidence that heat cures the illness, but it is known to increase the risk of heat-related issues and sunburn.

Some countries and regions should develop or bolster existing "heat-health action plans," the organization said, "to reduce and prevent COVID-19 transmission."

As temperatures started to rise in early April, experts knocked down the idea that warmer weather could stop or significantly slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Several studies released in early spring showed how a change in temperature could affect the coronavirus. However, the results have been conflicted and hampered by weak data, according to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

"One should not assume that we are going to be rescued by a change in the weather" Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said April 9 on Good Morning America. "You must assume that the virus will continue to do its thing."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Groverbravo.com scored 57 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 3/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 25 Oct 2015, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the groverbravo homepage on Delicious. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the groverbravo homepage on Twitter + the total number of groverbravo followers (if groverbravo has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the groverbravo homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the groverbravo homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if groverbravo has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the groverbravo homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Grover Bravo | Psicologo Clinico | Psicologo Clinico DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS grover, bravo, grover bravo, psiclogo, psiclogo clnico, clnico, la universidad



The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. 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.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE English (United States) UTF-8English (United States) DETECTED LANGUAGE Spanish Spanish SERVER nginx/1.7.9 OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Type of server and offered services. 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 groverbravo.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for groverbravo.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/GroverBravoOrg?fref=ts DESCRIPTION LIKES PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT PAGE TYPE TIMELINE PAGE NO TIMELINE

The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. The URL of the found Facebook page. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/GrupoCrecerOrg DESCRIPTION Grupo Crecer es una organizacio n que asiste a las familias a formar y fortalecer sus vi nculos culturales ACCOUNT CREATED ON 22 Feb 2013 LOCATION Santa Ana TWEETS 3 FOLLOWERS 19 LISTED 0
Mumbai, May 13 : "Badhai Ho" director Amit Sharma has urged people to contribute for the less privileged, particularly daily wage workers, who are the most vulnerable during the present COVID-19 crisis.

The filmmaker came along with few renowned names of society to take part in an initiative by the NGOs Phool Versha Foundation and NamMyoho Daan.

"COVID19 has created a vacuum in our lives, and what it has done to the less privileged is heart-wrenching. We couldn't just sit and watch. So Garima Arora, Ness Wadia, Kanika Dhillon and I got together to help. Our motive is simple, to help as many people, as long as we can. We want to spread awareness of the conditions the migrant labourers, neglected communities and severely ill are living in, and to get people to contribute in whatever way they can. It is an attempt to make their lives better by providing basic daily food essentials," Sharma told IANS.

Both NGOs have come together to extend support to LGBTQ+ communities and people ailing with diseases like AIDS, who are suffering more due to the lack of treatment and hard-to-reach doctors due to COVID-19.

The NGOs also feeding the daily wage earners and migrant labourers on a daily basis.

Sharma said: "These days are hard for a lot of people around us, and time just flies, in coordinating food supplies and ensuring proper precautions for our volunteers battling it out on the ground. There is just so much to do and contribute that I don't realise when the day transitions into the night." On work front, Amit's upcoming directorial venture is "Maidaan", starring Ajay Devgn.
90% of Australians are aware of the Eurovision Song Contest, but only 36% have ever watched.

24% of Australians planned to watch this years event

Waterloo is the favourite Eurovision song, followed by Euphoria, Hold Me Now & Hard Rock Hallelujah

Only 4% of people have ever voted

Awareness is high in China and Saudi Arabia, low in Japan

Recognition of the Eurovision Song Contest is extremely high in Australia with 9 in 10 Australians familiar with the annual event.

However we are far less interested in actually watching, according to a new global survey.

Ipsos surveyed over 20,000 online adults aged 16-74 in 28 countries between February 20 and March 3, 2020 -including participating and non-participating ESC countries.

Key findings for Australia:

 Among the current or past participating countries, we are somewhat surprisingly (given we arent part of Europe) not at the very bottom of the list in terms of awareness and viewing. Nine in ten Australians surveyed were aware of the Eurovision Song Contest (ahead of Italy at 74%) and 36% have watched it (34% in Italy).

 When compared with non-participating countries, our awareness is high. China leads the non-participating countries with 64% awareness.

 Interestingly, while The Voice and Got Talent show greater viewership with 46% and 54% respectively, the proportion of people who have ever voted on these programs (6% and 5% respectively) wasnt much higher than for Eurovision (4%).

 In February, when Ipsos asked those aware if they were likely to watch any of the Eurovision Song Contest, only 24% said they were very/somewhat likely. Again, we werent the lowest. This time France came in last at 17%.

 While we show much lower interest in the Eurovision Song Contest than most other participating countries, its a different story when it comes to taking pleasure in a victory. Among those aware of the contest in Australia, 50% indicated they would be delighted or pleased if the song representing Australia won this year. Only Poland (71%), Italy (31%) and Russia (62%) showed a greater level of those who would be delighted or pleased with a victory.

Key global findings:

Across the 12 European countries surveyed and Australia, all of which are currently participating or have participated in the contest, 94% of adults have heard of it, 63% say they have watched it at least once, and 10% say they have voted for a contestant at least once. Outside of Europe and Australia, an average of 40% report having heard of the contest and 17% say they have watched it at least once.

About two in five adults who know of the Eurovision Song Contest (38% across Europe and Australia, and 45% across countries in other parts of the world) said they were likely to watch any of this years semi-finals or final before it was announced that this years contest was cancelled and replaced by a special event.

Half (52%) of all people from the 11 countries surveyed with an entry in the 65th contest said they would be delighted or pleased if their country won.

ABBAs Waterloo is the most popular song that ever came out of the Eurovision Song Contest. Thirty-six percent of all adults surveyed across 11 countries currently participating in the contest selected it as their favourite among 16 of the contests all-time best-selling songs.

The survey was conducted among 20,031 adults under the age of 75 across 28 countries on the Global Advisor online platform between February 20 and March 3, 2020.

Detailed findings:

Awareness

 On average, across all 13 countries surveyed with a history of participating in the contest, 94% of adults have heard of it. Awareness of the contest ranges from 95% to 99% in all but one of the European countries surveyed with Italy (74%) being the exception. In Australia, 89% awareness of the contest is nearly as high as it is in Europe. Australia is the only non-European country surveyed that participates in the contest.

 Outside of Europe and Australia, an average of 40% of respondents report of having heard of the contest. Awareness of the contest is especially high in China (64%) and Saudi Arabia (56%). It ranges between 33% and 49% in all other countries surveyed in Asia and the Americas, with Japan (7%) and the United States (21%) being the only exceptions.

Viewership

 Among countries that have participated in the contest, 63% say they have watched the contest at least once. Among these countries, ever viewership is highest in Sweden (86%), Turkey (82%), Spain (80%), the Netherlands and Poland (73%) and Russia (72%). In contrast, fewer than half in Italy (34%), Australia (36%), Hungary (43%), and France (45%) say they have watched the contest at least once.

 Outside of Europe and Australia, an average of 17% say they have watched the contest at least once. Reported experience of having ever watched the contest is as high in China (36%) and Saudi Arabia (35%) as it is in Italy and Australia. It ranges from 10% to 25% in all other countries, except for Japan (4%), the United States (6%), and Canada (7%).

Voter participation

 One in ten people in countries that have participated in the contest say they have voted for a song at least once. Countries where people are most likely to have voted for a song are Sweden (23%), Turkey (17%), Poland (15%), the Netherlands and Germany (11%) and Great Britain and Spain (10%). In contrast, only 3% in France and 4% in Australia say they have ever voted.

2020 viewing intentions

 Before the contest was cancelled and replaced by a special event, an average of 38% across Europe and Australia said they were likely to watch any of this years semi-finals or final. Viewing intention was highest in Turkey (56%) even though the country stopped participating several years ago, followed by Poland (52%) and Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands (49%). It was lowest in France (17%), Australia (24%), and Hungary (25%). Hungary is the other European country surveyed that was not participating this year.

 Outside of Europe and Australia, 45% of those who have heard of the contest reported they are likely to watch any of this years contest, including 72% in China, 67% in India, 65% in Saudi Arabia, 54% in Peru, and 52% in Malaysia.

 Globally, the likelihood of watching this years contest varies only slightly by gender (45% among females vs. 39% among males) and by age (45% among those under 35, 43% among those aged 35-49, and 37% among those aged 50-74).

Excitement about own countrys song winning

 Half (52%) of all people from the 11 countries surveyed that are participating in this years contest say there would be delighted or pleased if their country won.

 Poland (71%), Italy (65%) and Russia (62%) show the highest level of enthusiasm.

 Overall, women (59%) and those under 35 (55%) are more likely than men (44%) and those aged 35-49 (49%) or 50-74 (50%) to say they would be delighted or pleased.

Most popular Eurovision songs

 ABBAs Waterloo, the winner of the 1974 contest, was selected as the favourite among 16 of the contests all-time best-selling songs by more than a third (36%) of the respondents across the 11 countries surveyed that are currently participating. Waterloo ranks No.1 in nine of the 11 countries.

 One exception is Italy, where the top spot goes to Domenico Modugnos Nel blu dipinto di blu (also known as Volare), a song that finished third in the1958 contest and ranks No.3 across all 11 countries. Another exception is Russia where the favourite song in the contests history is the countrys 2019 entry, Sergey Lazarevs SCREAM.

 The second most popular song across the 11 countries is Loreens Euphoria, which won the contest in 2012. It represented Sweden, as did Waterloo.

 The other songs in the top five are Johnny Logans Hold Me Now from Ireland (the 1987 winner) at No.4, and Lordis Hard Rock Hallelujah from Finland (the 2006 winner) at No. 5.

About the Study

These are findings from a Global Advisor survey conducted by Ipsos among 20,031 adults aged 18-74 in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey and 16-74 in 23 other markets, February 20  March 3, 2020. It was carried out via the Ipsos Online Panel System in 28 markets.

Approximately 1000+ individuals were surveyed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland), France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. Approximately 500+ individuals were surveyed in Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, India, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey.

The samples in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. can be taken as representative of these countries general adult population under the age of 75.

The samples in Brazil, Chile, China (mainland), Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey are more urban, more educated, and/or more affluent than the general population. The survey results for these markets should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more connected segment of these populations.

The data is weighted so that each markets sample composition best reflects the demographic profile of the adult population according to the most recent census data.

Where results do not sum to 100 or the difference appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of dont knows or not stated responses.

The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 4.8 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.

Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! special 7:30pm Saturday on SBS

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The number of children aged five to 12 calling Kids Helpline spiked 25 per cent during the lockdown in April compared to previous months this year.

Experts reported increased calls and website visits by children and parents seeking help during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Kids Helpline, family relationships and violence was the trigger for nearly half of all requests for help, said Tracy Adams, chief executive of yourtown, the non-profit which operates the 24/7 helpline. With kids out of school, though, calls about bullying were nearly halved.

Experts have experienced increased calls for help from frightened children during the pandemic.

In NSW, Kids Helpline's counsellors also referred nearly 71 per cent more cases to emergency services compared to the same time last year.
(Natural News) Since that fateful day in 1986, almost no humans have set foot within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. In the absence of humans, a diverse community of wildlife has since moved in and repopulated the area.

Today, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone of Alienation, as the exclusion zone is officially called, is almost completely devoid of humans. According to researchers, its the lack of human activity that is the most likely reason for the resurgence of wildlife in the zone.

Nature flourishes when humans are removed from the equation, even after the worlds worst nuclear accident, said Jim Smith, a professor of environmental science at the University of Portsmouth, who was part of a study conducted on the wildlife in the area in 2015.

Natures reclamation of the Exclusion Zone

When Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power plant exploded in April 1986, it triggered one of the worst nuclear accidents in history. In the aftermath of the disaster, the government of the Soviet Union evacuated around 350,000 people from the area, and most of them were never allowed to go back at all.

Since then, the area within the 1,000-square mile Exclusion Zone alongside the adjacent Palieski State Radioecological Reserve, has been considered one of the most polluted areas on the planet.

The lack of humans, however, has allowed wildlife to move back in and live undisturbed. Some of the wildlife includes descendants of pets that had been abandoned by the evacuees. While the Soviet Army sent troops to kill the abandoned pets, for fear that they would spread the radiation, many survived the purge.

The Clean Future Fund (CFF), which has been visiting Chernobyl to spay, neuter and vaccinate stray dogs, estimated that there are more than 600 stray dogs living throughout the zone. Meanwhile, the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International (SPCAI) estimated that it had provided care for more than 800 dogs and cats living there.

While there are many of these strays in the Exclusion Zone, both the CFF and SPCAI report that these animals struggle to live there. Most rely on the care and scraps of power plant workers and occasional visitors; few live past the age of six. Both organizations continue to care for the animals and have even adopted a number of puppies that didnt pose radiation risk.

Strays and their descendants arent the only animals taking advantage of the Exclusion Zone. Wild animals such as elk, deer, wolves, bison, bears, foxes and other species are now living in the area. Scientists are saying that the number of wild animals in the area could possibly be much higher than it was 33 years ago, before the accident. (Related: Chernobyl: 30 years later, heres what food grown there looks like.)

One of the species spotted in the Exclusion Zone is the European brown bear. Before it was seen in the zone, the last time this animal had been seen in the area was over a century ago.

Another rare animal that can be found in the zone is the endangered Przewalskis horse. Also known as the Mongolian wild horse or Dzungarian horse, this species was, at one time, considered extinct in the wild.

Scientists purposely introduced this species to the area as part of a conservation program in the 1990s. Today, they have adapted well to the environment and can be seen traveling in herds throughout the Exclusion Zone.

Radiation does not seem to impact wildlife as much as human habitation

While its accepted that the lack of human interference has helped the animals thrive within the Exclusion Zone, scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how much its actually benefiting them. On top of this, theres still also the question of the radiation in the area and how much it may be negatively affecting them.

According to some scientists, such as Smith, while the radiation is bad for the animals, its just not as bad as the effects of human habitation.

This doesnt mean radiation is good for wildlife, just that the effects of human habitation  including hunting, farming and forestry  are a lot worse, Smith said.

Smiths 2015 study, however, did not include information on the health and reproductive success of the different animal species in the area. They also did not observe lifestyle habits that could explain how the radiation affects the wildlife.

That said, the wildlife population around Chernobyl is still much lower compared to other protected regions in Europe. This could indicate that the radiation still affects wildlife in the area negatively.

Sources include:

News.Yahoo.com

Cell.com

LiveScience.com
A home in the village of St Mawes in Cornwall, England, as the property market reopens for business. (Andrew Michael/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The UK government has eased its restrictions on property market activity in England, allowing in-person viewings and encouraging completions.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said estate agents and show homes could open their doors, and conveyancers and removal firms could return to work. The loosening of restrictions is subject to social distancing guidelines still being enforced.

The governments lockdown since March had largely, though not completely, paralysed the market, restricting or discouraging much normal and non-essential activity. House moves were previously banned unless reasonably necessary.

The latest announcement is the first clear signal the UK government wants to see renters, buyers and sellers able to move and an important economic sector start to recover.

But viewings had already started to slump before the lockdown began over virus fears, suggesting eased restrictions alone will not fully revive activity. The economic shutdown is likely to take a toll on the market too, with millions of workers jobs and incomes taking a heavy hit. Bank of England figures suggest prices could crash by 16%.

New guidelines allow the housing market to resume

Today I am announcing new guidelines to allow the housing market to resume, said Jenrick. Our clear plan will enable people to move home safely, covering each aspect of the sales and letting process from viewings to removals.

The guidance published on Tuesday encourages estate agents, conveyancers and removals firms who had shut down to resume their work. Many estate agents had shut offices and placed staff on furlough.

Estate agent directors welcomed the move. Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves in London, said agents were poised and ready to resume business. Many have rolled out virtual viewings and processes since the lockdown began, and von Grundherr said his own firm had stockpiled a large amount of PPE to keep staff safe.

READ MORE: Fears for construction workers safety as sites reopen

Story continues

The news also lifted property stocks, with estate agent Foxtons (FOXT.L) and housebuilder Barratt (BDEV.L) among the highest risers on Londons FTSE 100 index on Wednesday.

Developer Taylor Wimpey announced a phased reopening of show homes and sales centres after the announcement. But William Ryder, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the speed of wider recovery was what mattered, something out of Taylor Wimpeys hands.

The key is going to be consumer confidence because houses are big purchases and the marginal buyer will drop out of the market if it looks like they could be heading into a rough patch financially, said Ryder.

The measures sparked a backlash on social media however, with anger that property viewings had been allowed while family visits are still banned. So if I stick my flat on Purplebricks, can my mum come round for a viewing? tweeted one critic.

Support for housebuilding

Jenrick said building firms would be able to agree more flexible construction working hours with local councils. The move would help stagger builders arrival times, boosting safety on sites and public transport. But more antisocial shifts may not go down well with all workers or residents near construction sites.

Rules requiring councils and developers to publicise planning applications through posters and leaflets will be relaxed. They will be allowed to share them on social media instead. A government press release said it would unblock the service, though it may leave non-social media users less informed about local developments.

READ MORE: UK house prices drop as BoE warns on 16% decline

Meanwhile local councils will be allowed to defer charges levied on developers to fund local infrastructure around new sites such as roads and public spaces. Officials said it would help smaller developers with cashflow problems during the crisis.
Rhodes University has received a major boost for its Nine-Tenths programme through funding from oil and gas company, BP South Africa

Rhodes University has received a major boost for its Nine-Tenths programme through funding from oil and gas company, BP South Africa. The organisation has pledged an amount of R666 573 for the years 2020 and 2021. An initial amount of R322 016 has already been received by the University and the rest will be paid next year.

According to Rhodes University Development Fundraiser, Ellen Bagshawe-Smith, the funding is part of the Vice-Chancellors initiative of reviving public schools and will be used for mentoring Grade 12 pupils from three high schools in Makhanda.

The Nine-Tenths is a mentoring programme by Rhodes Universitys Community Engagement (RUCE) division. It is geared towards equipping matric students in selected local schools to cope with their final year of school and to reach their full potential. Pupils are given one-on-one attention from a Rhodes University student through nine guided and structured contact sessions.

The BP Foundation operates on the basis of strong partnerships with stakeholders including education departments, donors, service providers, higher education institutions, researchers and schools, which share the Foundations vision of skilled and empowered young people, who can contribute towards the growth and development of South Africa, said Bagshawe-Smith.

Nine-Tenths Co-ordinator, Anna Talbot, said they have ensured that studies continue despite the Covid-19 pandemic. She said they are conducting virtual lessons through data-free websites such as Moya Messenger. Live sessions are streamed through the platform VLC, mentees get their study guides from the Via Afrika website and we also use Vodacom e-Learning. We also make use of Facebook and WhatsApp as we have found that these are easily accessible to mentees, she said.

Talbot said mentees who did not have devices to participate in the virtual learning have been given devices from the RUCEs Social Innovation Hub. She said 70% of the work has been done and the virtual learning has been welcomed by the mentees.

RUCE Director, Di Hornby said mentors are trained through a rigorous accredited NQF5 short course for mentors. In 2019, we awarded 90 mentor short course certificates. This qualification demands high levels of commitment, as there is over 100 hours of work involved. This is the most we have awarded in any year and a testament to the dedication to the programme and loyalty to reviving Makhanda schooling, she said.

Bagshawe-Smith said BP South Africa has generously supported various Rhodes University projects since 1986, to the value of more than R1.8 million.

Source: Communications

Please help us to raise funds so that we can give all our students a chance to access online teaching and learning. Covid-19 has disrupted our students' education. Don't let the digital divide put their future at risk. Visit www.ru.ac.za/rucoronavirusgateway to donate
Over the course of a week, the RTL media family reaches 76.2 % of the resident population. RTL Radio stays the most consumed media in Luxembourg.

Twice a year, the government and the three major national media groups (Editpress SA, IP Luxembourg/CLT-UFA and Saint Paul Luxembourg SA) ask TNS-Ilres to measure media consumption in Luxembourg. The figures refer to the period February 2019 to February 2020.

Over a one week period, 52.3 % of the population (individuals 15+) listen to RTL Radio Letzebuerg. With 269,600 listeners per week, including 78,300 foreign residents, the radio station remains the most consumed media in the Grand Duchy.

On average, 253,000 people watch RTL Tele Letzebuerg (including the channel Den 2.ten RTL * & via Internet) every week. This represents almost half (49.1 %) of the 15+ population. The audience is holding steady with 73,900 viewers being foreign residents.

With more than 244,000 visitors per week, RTL.lu remains Luxembourg's most popular online media. This media also attracts 72,300 foreign residents.

The latest results of the study confirm the status of RTL media as the front-runner in Luxembourg. Over one week, RTL Radio, TV & RTL.lu reach 392,400 people, which represents 76.2 % of the resident population. On a weekly basis, RTL media continue to occupy the top 3 rankings in the Luxembourg media landscape.

The whole team of RTL Luxembourg thanks you for your continued trust.

* The channel  Den 2.RTL  changed its brand name to  RTL ZWEE  in March 2020 (after the plurimedia study)
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) arrives for the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington on Jan. 31, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

New Senate Bill Aims to Reduce US Rare Earths Dependence on China

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has introduced a bill aimed at shedding U.S. dependence on China for rare earth metals and critical minerals, which are vital for the production of high-tech products such as hybrid vehicles, smartphones, and missile systems.

Our ability as a nation to manufacture defense technologies and support our military is dangerously dependent on our ability to access rare earth elements and critical minerals mined, refined, and manufactured almost exclusively in China, said Cruz, according to a press release from his office.

China is the worlds largest producer of rare-earth metalswhich includes 15 elements with atomic numbers 57 through 71 on the periodic tableaccounting for over 70 percent of global annual production. In 2018, China accounted for 70.6 percent, followed by Australia and the U.S. at 11.8 and 8.8 percent, respectively.

Most of these rare earth metals, as well as other elements such as lithium, cobalt, and manganese, make up 35 critical minerals identified by the U.S. Department of Interior in May 2018 as critical to the countrys economic and national security.

In 2017, the United States imported about $150 million worth of rare earth metals from China, accounting for about 78 percent of its total rare earths imports.

Cruzs bill, named Onshoring Rare Earths Act of 2020 (ORE Act), would provide tax incentives for U.S. companies to extract rare earths in the United States; require the Pentagon to source rare earths and critical elements from the United States; and establish grants for pilot programs to develop these materials in the United States.

Chinas dominance in the rare earth market is partially attributed to its cheap labor and lax environmental regulations, since the extraction of rare earths from ores require toxic chemicals that could lead to serious environmental pollution.

Another reason for Chinas dominance is that Beijing has been providing financial support to Chinese companies in the mineral industry since at least 2005.

Chinas Ministry of Finance issued a notice about a geological survey of mines in foreign countries on Oct. 31, 2005. The notice said that the ministry supported the central governments Go Out policy, and that Chinese mining and exploration companies could apply for subsidies and discount government loans.

The Go Out policy, also known as Go Global policy, was conceived in the 1990s as the Chinese regime urged domestic companies to expand their business overseas. It became an official policy in 2002, when former Chinese Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin spoke of the Go Out strategy during a major political meeting. Since then, large-sized Chinese companies began to make investments abroad.

Lithium is a critical component for the production of batteries that power smartphones and electric vehicles. Chile, Argentina, and Australia account for 76.3 percent of lithium reserves, as of 2017, while China had about 20 percent, according to a report by oil company BP.

Foreign Policy, in a report issued in May 2019, concluded that 59 percent of the worlds lithium sources are under Chinas control or influence, based on its own analysis.

With the backing of state-owned banks, Chinas industrial chemical giantsTianqi Lithium and Ganfeng Lithiumhave become the worlds third-largest producer of lithium and third-largest producer of lithium chemical compounds, respectively, stated the Foreign Policy report.

Cruzs bill proposes tax deductions on properties that are used for extracting rare earths and critical minerals in the United States; and deductions for individuals who purchase these materials extracted in the United States.

The grant program should be established by the secretary of defense after consulting the secretary of interior, according to the bill. Annually, a total of $50 million would be appropriated to the secretary defense to carry out the grant program from 2021 to 2024.

Cruz said in a press release that the pandemic has spotlighted the United States reliance on manufacturing in China. Much like the Chinese Communist Party has threatened to cut off the U.S. from life-saving medicines made in China, the Chinese Communist Party could also cut off our access to these materials, significantly threatening U.S. national security, he said.

He concluded: The ORE Act will help ensure China never has that opportunity by establishing a rare earth elements and critical minerals supply chain in the U.S.
When students return to school after a lengthy pandemic-induced absence, the consensus is they will have lost significant academic ground. Still unresolved for governments and educators are the questions of how  or even whether  teachers should try to make up for lost learning.

Some have proposed holding evening or Saturday classes for students to catch up. A Maryland senator has proposed school year-round. In California, the governor has suggested the next school year could begin as soon as July.

But any remediation plans will be complicated by social distancing mandates that may require smaller class sizes and budget cuts that appear imminent because of falling local and state revenues. In surveys, many educators say the fall will be no time to pile on additional schoolwork.

Meanwhile, new coronavirus clusters have popped up as nations struggle to balance reopening economies with preventing a second wave of infections and deaths, while in Europe, a debate erupted Wednesday over the summer travel season.

The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europes badly battered tourism industry. The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights. -AP

Live coronavirus tracker

Coronavirus news in the U.S.

Poll: Trump approval dips amid mounting coronavirus death toll, trails Biden by 8 points (Reuters)

Why Gen Z will be hit the hardest by the financial fallout from coronavirus (CNN Business)

Twitter employees can work from home forever, CEO Jack Dorsey says (CBS News)

Companies ramping up at-home saliva tests for coronavirus are banking on endless demand (ABC)

Unemployment systems failures were a long time coming (NBC)

Coronavirus news around the globe

Houses make a reflection on the water in Bruges, Belgium, during a partial lifting of a lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Coronavirus lockdown restrictions have damaged the tourism industry in many European countries and left travelers wondering what restrictions will still be in place during the summer season. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)AP

Spain daily death toll slow to decline (CNBC)

Brazil records deadliest day yet (Al Jazeera)

Putins coronavirus crisis deepens with fatal hospital fire and spokesmans diagnosis (CNN)

How Hong Kong did it (The Atlantic)

Another Chinese city in lockdown (Al Jazeera)

Latest local coronavirus news

Read complete prior coronavirus coverage.
A video of a squirrel doing yoga has become the latest source of laughter for Twitter. Shared by IFS officer Saket Badola, the video shows the animal doing such a gesture which resembles one of the popularly known aasana Kapalbhati.

Kapalbhati aasana...squirrel style with this caption Badola shared the video and it has now piqued peoples attention. The video shows the animals abdomen moving in and out in quick successions, much like what happens while doing Kapalbhati.

Take a look at the video which has now left many in splits.

Since being shared, the video has gathered over 11,000 views and close to 1,000 comments. From trying to guess why the squirrel is doing yoga to calling it the new master of the art, people have shared all sorts of reactions on the post.

But their kapalbhati is melodious sounds while ours is with grunts, wrote a Twitter user. That is so awesome, exclaimed another. Maybe its shedding to impress, tweeted a third.

As for another user of the micro-blogging site, she wrote that the video is not just funny but encouraging too and a few supported the notion. Encouraging and funny at the same time, wrote a Twitter user.

Many wrote that they cant stop laughing after seeing the video as its too hilarious.

What do you think of the video?

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The Health Ministry decided Tuesday that a lung transplant was the only way to try and save a critically ill British Covid-19 patient.

Dr Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, Director of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, said computed tomography scan results showed that fibrosis has solidified both lungs of the 43-year-old man, leaving just 10 percent functional.

He said the patient would die if doctors suspend a life support machine called Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) that he has been on for 38 days. The machine involves pumping blood out of the body and to a heart-lung machine that removes carbon dioxide and sends oxygen-filled blood back.

The only way to save the British citizen, a Vietnam Airlines pilot, is to perform a lung transplant, Chau said. The decision was finalized Tuesday afternoon at a meeting between leading medical experts led by the Ministry of Health.

The professional council of medical experts has assigned the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases to prepare the patient and sanitize him for the operation. When he is confirmed to be clear of the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19, he will be transferred to the Cho Ray Hospital in the city to prepare for the transplant.

The Ministry of Health has been seeking for a donor in the last few days. The tropical diseases hospital has been covering the patient's treatment cost so far, and it's not been revealed who will pay for the transplant.

China has performed similar transplant three Covid-19 patients who have since recovered, China's Global Times reported.

Vietnam performed its first lung transplant in 2017. A team of Hanoi and Japanese doctors performed the operation at Hanoi's 103 Military Hospital, saving a boy from lung fibrosis, a disease that causes respiratory failure.

The HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases said that at present, the British patients pulse and blood pressure was stable and he has been on tranquilizers.

He was earlier put on ventilator support for 20 days and also received blood filtration, antifungal treatment and pleural wash. Two days ago, he was tested again for Covid-19 and the results came out negative.

Last week, the health ministry had said a lung transplant was being considered for him, Vietnams most severe Covid-19 case. However, experts had subsequently said that the lungs were not damaged to the extent of requiring a transplant.

"Patient 91," as he was designated, was confirmed positive on March 18. The patient's condition worsened despite his young age. Doctors said he suffers from a blood clotting disorder and cytokine storm syndrome, an intense immune response where the immune system releases a lot of cytokines through the bloodstream, which works against the body.

His body has also been resistant to all types of domestic coagulant drugs and the health ministry has had to purchase drugs overseas for his treatment.

The pilot was the first case of a cluster related to the Buddha Bar and Grill in District 2  which turned out to be HCMCs biggest Covid-19 hotspot with 19 cases.

Vietnam recorded no new coronavirus cases Wednesday morning, keeping its tally at 288, including 36 active cases. The country has gone through 27 days without any infection caused by community transmission.

Vietnam has not recorded any Covid-19 death to date.
Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao attended the funeral of their longtime personal assistant, Amos Paul Nadar, on Wednesday, May 13. Amos died of a heart attack on the morning of May 12. He was 60.

Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, and a few others attended the final rites ceremony of Amos in Mumbai. The latter was buried in a Christian cemetery in Sewri. Visuals of the funeral showed the attendees taking safety measures by wearing masks and sanitising their hands in the times of the novel coronavirus. One image showed Aamir and Kiran standing in front of Amos' coffin, mourning his loss.

Aamir Khan's friend and actor Karim Hajee told PTI, "Amos worked with a superstar but was endearing and simple. He was like this to not just Aamir but everyone. He put everyone at ease and was a wonderful person. He had a wonderful heart, was so bright and a hard worker."

He added, "He had no major illness, his death is shocking. He died with his boots on. Both Aamir and Kiran are devasted. Aamir had sent us a message and said it is an irreplaceable loss. We were so numb, we will miss him."

Amos had worked with Aamir for more than two decades, and was closely associated with him. According to Hindustan Times, he was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital by Aamir, Kiran and others, when he collapsed on Monday morning.

ALSO READ: Aamir Khan's Spotboy Amos Passes Away Of Heart Attack In Mumbai

ALSO READ: Pakistan TV Channel Mixes Up Aamir Khan's Photo In News Item About Murder Accused Amir Khan


Kurnool: Sixty-six-year-old A Rambabu of Budhawarapeta locality died at the Kurnool Government General Hospital (KGGH) on Monday. Samples were taken from his body to test for Covid-19, as is the protocol now. His body was kept in the mortuary of the hospital while the test results were awaited.

On Tuesday, the test results came, negative, and his family was told to go to the mortuary to collect the body.

At the mortuary, the deceased mans relatives were shocked when they were handed someone elses body, a man much younger, to them. This was the body of a a 36-year-old person, who address tag said he was a resident of S Nagappa Street in Kurnool.

He had died the same day as Rambabu, and his samples too had been sent for testing. They had returned positive. So the records said the body was quickly buried.

To their horror, reality began to dawn on Rambabus family: if this man lying dead in the morgue was not Rambabu, where the hell was Rambabus body?

And if a body was indeed buried because they thought it was Covid-19 positive, was it possible that they buries Rambabus body and kept the Covid-positive mans body in the morgue instead.

Thats exactly what happened.

Enraged, the relatives of Rambabu marched to the district collectors office, demanding that the authorities exhume Rambabus body and hand it over to them to perform the last rites as per their family tradition.

The health authorities tried to convince them that exhuming the body from a burial place designated burial place for Covid victims would lead to further complications. Which bereaved family would accept that?

Now, the authorities have a problem: They have a Ccovid-19 body on hand, and they have to dig up a non-Covid body against all safety protocols.

Collector G. Veera Pandian, who has cut a sorry figure for the exponential growth of Covid-19 positive cases in Kurnool district, has appointed a three-member committee to find a solution to this problem.

Following this, the relatives called off their protest.

Inquiries revealed that the 36-year-old male was admitted to the hospital on May 9 with symptoms of Covid-19. Rambabu, 66, had been undergoing treatment in the same hospital since May 7 for some other ailment. Rambabu died on May 9 and the Covid patient on May 10.

As the samples of both persons were sent for a Covid test, the hospital authorities did not hand over the bodies to their relatives but kept them in the mortuary.

The results came back Monday and the staff made a mistake and sent the body of the 60-year-old man, who tested negative, to the designated burial ground for Covid patients and it was duly buried, said Dr G. Narendranath Reddy, in-charge superintendent of KGGH.

Rambabus son Ramesh said, We lost our father. He tested negative for Covid yet they buried him assuming it to be positive. As the eldest son, it is my responsibility to perform the last rites of my father and my failure to do so will haunt me my lifetime, he told Deccan Chronicle, his voice choked with emotion.

It was found that the staff did not maintain records well. They even entered Rambabus name wrongly in the death report as well as the register as Kama Babu. The authorities rectified the name after the relatives complained.

Such is the unprofessional and indifferent attitude of the staff, lamented Ramesh.

Meanwhile, the collector constituted the committee with Kurnool Medical College Principal Dr Chandrasekhar, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr Rama Giddaiah, and the KGGH superintendent. Dr Reddy said the body of the Covid patient was kept in the mortuary and would be buried at the Lakshmipuram Covid burial ground after duly informing his relatives of the protocols.

The DMHO said the relatives of the Covid patient have been quarantined.
In yet another case of human rights abuse, the Pakistan Army has been accused of abducting two university students from Balochistan. As per the local Baloochi media, two students were abducted from Kech district of Balochistan.

Another local media reports said that one of the students, identified as Jahanzeb, is a student of the Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS) while the other, Nasir Pollan, is a student of Bahauddin Zakaria University in Multan is missing. As per the local media, both students were abducted on May 10 (Sunday) and since then they are untraceable.

Thousands of students and professionals have gone missing and made subject to enforced disappearance by Pakistan Army in response to the Baloch people's legitimate demand to exercise their right to self-determination.

A Pakistan based journalist of Baloch origin, Sajid Hussain, living in Sweden in exile was found dead in Uppsala about 60 kilometres from Stockholm in Sweden recently. His body was found on April 23 in the Fyris river outside Uppsala city. A Balochi by origin, Hussain was working as a part-time professor in Uppsala when he went missing since the first week of March.

His sudden disappearance has raised many questions as many believed that at a time when the world needs attention to deal with the coronavirus COVID-19, the Pakistani Army and Pakistan's Intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is busy in silencing critics of Pakistan.

Hussain fled to Sweden in 2012 when Pakistan agencies started to search his residence and questioned his family members after his report highlighting human right abuses in the Balochistan by Pakistan Army. Hussain first moved to Gulf countries then after some time he finally settled in Sweden.

When a new wave of the kill and dump policy came about, and the issue of enforced disappearances once again engulfed Pakistans restive province of Balochistan, Hussain had to flee the country in 2012. For many years after that, he lived like a nomad, a refugee, spending some time in one country and then moving to another. It was not an easy decision, leaving behind his friends and family back home  his wife, 9-year-old daughter, and 5-year-old son, whom he loved dearly," says Shah Meer Balooch in an article written in The Diplomat.

Sajid Hussain is not alone. There has been a spate of attacks of Pakistani journalists and activists known for criticizing Pakistan. A Pakistani blogger Ahmad Waqas was assaulted by two men outside his home in Rotterdam in Europe in February.

Criticism of the Pakistan Army and ISI is not allowed in Pakistan and unprecedented crackdown at press has forced many to seek refugee abroad.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) latest report observed that Pakistans human rights record in 2019 is greatly worrisome and ongoing global pandemic was likely to cast a long shadow on prospects for human rights. HRCP in his report also noted of police extortion, refusal to register first information reports (FIR), and custodial torture emerged in all provinces.

A report of USA Freedom Network on Press freedom reveals that since 2000 a total of 133 Pakistani journalists have been killed. The legal proceedings in all the 33 incidents of journalists killings that took place from 2013 to 2019 have been documented and the finding is 100 per cent impunity for the killers, zero per cent justice for the 33 murdered journalists.

A Pakistani-British journalist Gul Bukhari known for a critic of Pakistani Army was abducted in June 2018 from Lahore and held for several hours by Pakistani Army. Later they denied their involvement in the abduction of Bukhari. She was asked to appear before authorities for questioning. She left Pakistan and now has settled in the United Kingdom.

Pakistan has become one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists. In the past few years, dozens of prominent journalists have been forced to left their organization or they are not allowed to write articles against the Pakistani Army.

In a bid to create greater international awareness about near-extermination of the people of Balochistan, a campaign was launched by activists under the banner of the Baloch Human Rights Council in Geneva. A pavilion was set up outside the UN Office in Geneva, adjacent to iconic broken chair named Save the Baloch.

The council activists demanded that the UN must launch an immediate and thorough investigation into the Pakistani governments actions in Balochistan, and must hold Pakistan accountable for its egregious human rights abuses against the people of Balochistan.

Currently, the Baloch faces an unending saga of humiliation, destruction, and grief. Mass graves have been discovered across Balochistan; death squads kidnap social and political activists and human rights defenders, who are then murdered and thrown into these mass graves. Military oppression is the key tactic Pakistan has employed in order to sustain its unjust rule over the Baloch.

The people of Balochistan were never asked whether they wanted to be part of Pakistan. Also, they never gave their consent to have their territory annexed into the fundamentalist hotbed that is Pakistan. The Pakistani government has denied their right to self-determination.

Pakistan pushes the narrative that the people of Balochistan are happy-that they want to be part of Pakistan. This narrative is baseless and demeaning to the actual lived experiences of the Baloch

Defending the rights of the people of Balochistan is not an option-it is an obligation. In the words of one of the protestors, Freedom for Balochistan has been long-delayed, but it cannot and will not be denied.

Because of these transgressions and the lack of UN counteraction, the UN has failed its own mandate to protect and fight for human rights across the globe. Silence from the UN on this matter is essentially an endorsement of this cultural extermination of genocidal proportions.
Lesley Roy says as a Eurovision fan, competing was something she had always hoped to do

It's Eurovision, but not as we know it. Lesley Roy, Ireland's entry, talks to Chloe Brennan about growing up in Balbriggan, and competing next year.

How are you finding lockdown?

I'm generally an introvert, anyway. I practice a lot of meditating and yoga at home, so that keeps me very grounded, and my days have been fairly similar, even within lockdown. And fortunately I've been pretty busy keeping up with all the different online content being requested by Eurovision. I've been recording, editing, filming and sending acoustic songs, pictures and interviews. It has kept me going these past few weeks.

What's the first thing you'll do when the restrictions are lifted?

I think my wife, Lauren, and I will actually head back to Dublin. In times like this, you really miss the family, so I think we will head back there and start to look at some apartments in Dublin city. Having been home while working on the Eurovision press and preparations for the show, we really enjoyed it. We connected more with family and people overall, so we would like to find a second apartment so we can be in Dublin more consistently.

When and why did you move to New York?

I moved to the US about 12 years ago, when I signed a record deal with Sony/Jive Records. After finishing my album, Unbeautiful, with [executive producer] Max Martin, I released it over here [in the US] and toured all over the country. So it made more sense to move to America. I met Lauren, my now wife, as soon as I moved, and the rest, as they say, is history.

What does it mean to you to represent Ireland?

As a professional songwriter, but also as a Eurovision fan since childhood, being chosen to represent Ireland is a tick off the bucket list. It was something I had been thinking of doing for a long time. As a writer and an artist, I have had so many other different projects over the past decade, but this was definitely the one that I had hoped for.

Is there life in Eurovision still, as a show?

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Unfortunately it is not in its usual format for 2020. But I'm hopeful that I will write a new song for next year, and come back as Ireland's entry for 2021.

How strange is it to be performing without an audience?

The replacement non-competitive show, Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, is pre-recorded by all 41 artists in their homes across Europe and Australia. We are also singing collectively, but not live, Katrina and The Waves's winning Eurovision song [in 1997] Love Shine A Light. I spent this weekend filming all the different online content that Eurovision has asked for. It has been strange to come down from the big hype and positive reaction from the Irish Eurovision fans, to there now being no [live, competitive] show. I'm trying to take the positives from this and use what I've learned in preparation for next year, hopefully!

What was it like growing up in Balbriggan?

It was a very small place when I was growing up; it's much bigger now. Everybody knew everybody. I attended Loreto Balbriggan, an all-girls school, and I really loved it. I got very much into my music at an early stage. I did all of the local talent shows and I drove my friends nuts, making them come to anything I was performing in. I loved it then, and I love it even more now. I enjoy getting back to Balbriggan and going for a walk on the beach. It's a great spot with a great bunch of people, who are the salt of the earth!

What was the inspiration behind your song, 'Story of My Life?'

Story Of My Life started as the title and it grew from there. I wanted to write an anthem about dusting yourself off when you've been knocked down. A song about standing up and telling your own story. A sing-along song for everyone to relate to in one way or another. It is a song about owning who you are, and how we do not need to be put in boxes. I also did not want to make it sound moany or slow and miserable, but more of a celebration about our own stories.

What was the vision behind the music video?

The music video was such a fun shoot. Kate Dolan was the director. Kate, along with our creative directors, Thisispopbaby, [Philly McMahon and Philip Connaughton], put together a treatment for the video. The video itself is very LGBTQ-driven, which is fantastic. Kate and Karen, her producer, stayed true to the song in the sense that they cast real people in the video. Each person is living and creating their own stories in reality, and were not just cast for their looks, so to speak!

What's next for you?

Once I finish up the online deadlines for the Eurovision replacement show, I'll look at getting into the studio in Nashville or Sweden, as soon as they are all back open, and start writing a new song. I had hopes of pitching a travel music show right after Eurovision, but that is on hold. I've had the idea for a long time now - it would be similar to a food travel show, but with music. I'd go to different countries and study and interview how different songwriters and communities write, record and perform songs. I think it's fascinating how songs are written and pieced together, and the idea of what makes a song work - or not - will always be intriguing to me.
For a handful of Bay Area restaurants, it pays to have friends in high places, especially when those friends are a billionaire power couple in the tech industry.

According to a family spokeswoman for Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook CEO and his wife, Priscilla Chan, recently paid $100,000 to eight different Bay Area restaurants, including Noe Valleys popular Sardinian restaurant La Ciccia and nearby neighborhood gastro pub the Liberties Bar and Grill, located just a stones throw from the couples home on 21st Street in Dolores Park. The news was first reported by Palo Alto Online.

The other restaurants receiving money from the couple include Palo Alto destinations Dohatsuten, Palo Alto Sol and Fuki Sushi, which catered Zuckerberg and Chans wedding. Vesta in Redwood City, Chef Chus in Los Altos, and Sushi Sam's Edomata in San Mateo round out the list.

Zuckerberg and Chan dont consider the payments to be donations, according to the family spokeswoman, but instead see each $100,000 check as large food orders covering the cost of future meals to be provided by the businesses to healthcare professionals and other frontline workers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In an email, Courtney Borrone, the co-owner of Vesta in Redwood City, said she is "overwhelmed with gratitude" by the money from Zuckerberg and Chan, and called the payment crazy generous. Borrone also said her restaurant has used the money to send meals to San Mateo Medical Center and Sequoia Hospital, as well as local community organizations feeding the needy.

Chef Massimiliano Conti, who owns La Ciccia with his wife, Lorella Degan, said he has taken similar steps with his funds. Conti received his $100,000 from Zuckerberg in late April and was able to hire back some of his kitchen workers.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

I sent Mark a message on Easter, just wishing him a happy Easter, and he responded with the idea about the money. We were just fortunate, Conti said. A good thing is weve been able to hire back some of our staff, including people who have kids or they may not have been able to get approved for unemployment. Thats what was important after a while.

Zuckerberg, who is worth more than $60 billion, joins a growing list of tech industry magnates concerned about the future of the Bay Area restaurant industry, which has been decimated, financially, during the pandemic. Last month, Twitch CEO Emmett Shear took a wider approach. Shear invested $1 million in a nonprofit in San Francisco called SF New Deal, which pairs restaurants with local food delivery sites to feed the citys vulnerable populations. The money helped the restaurants hire staff and buy supplies.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
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Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, May 14, 2020 12:22 615 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7ceff0 1 National PCR-test,coronavirus,coronavirus-testing,COVID-19,pandemic,COVID-19-test,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free

The government plans to conduct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) pool tests in eight provinces that have been hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak, namely Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali, North Sumatra and South Sulawesi.

The pool tests will use multistage random sampling with epidemiology, statistical and survey approaches.

COVID-19 task force chief Doni Monardo said his task force was currently preparing a detailed plan on the pool tests, which would target 1,000 random people to get a rough idea of the rate of COVID-19 transmission in the epicenters of the outbreak.

These 1,000 people will represent the community in each province so that we will be able to get data derived from the swab tests. We will also ask them a number of questions as respondents, Doni said in a video conference on Tuesday.

He added the results of the pool tests would provide input and appropriate consideration for ministries, institutions and regional administrations for decision-making purposes in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

So, what is now being discussed is preparation, which will lead to decisions about the smallest risks to take, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head added.

Read also: Businesses worry easing restrictions could prolong recovery

The government is looking to gear up efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus in the coming weeks, as it has ordered the task force to prepare steps to ease large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) by July.

As for easing [the PSBB] in July, the President has given instructions that we must be careful. So, both the central government and regional administrations have to prepare a plan and think of anticipatory steps, Doni said.

Doni added that President Joko Jokowi Widodo had instructed the task force to prepare a simulated easing of the PSBB, and that his task force was now studying the timing and priorities, as well as strengthening coordination with regional heads.

In pursuance of the plan, Doni said the task force must work hard to carry out mass testing to prevent the potential for transmission.

Therefore, the task force must continue to optimize its ability to prepare reagents and help areas that do not yet have PCR machines, Doni said, adding that more PCR machines would also be sent to areas with a rising number of new cases, such as East Java.

As of Wednesday, Indonesia had conducted PCR tests on a total of 169,195 samples taken from 123,572 people -- 15,438 of which tested positive for the coronavirus, with 1,028 deaths.
Not many years ago, big hectares of the land on earth were covered by forests. Today, only small hectares are covered with forest. This is thanks to factors like human activity, change in climatic conditions, and natural disasters. Russia and Brazil have the highest percentage of forest cover. Jungles and forests are home to the rarest plants and wild animals. If not for human interference, most forests would still be in their original form, being home to all kinds of flora and fauna. The most dangerous jungles in the world are reported to have toxic plants, dangerous and rare animals, and spooky sightings.

Photo: canva.com (modified by author)

Source: UGC

Exploring a forest that has been classified as dangerous takes guts and a lot of preparation. For many years, dead bodies have been recovered from dangerous forests after locals went for a hike never to return. Animals that live in jungles may not pose as a threat to people who go for trails unprovoked, but that does not make them any less harmful.

Most dangerous jungles in the world

The following is a list of 10 most dangerous jungles in the world.

1. Amazon Rainforest

The rate of deforestation Brazil's Amazon rain forest dropped 18 percent over the last year, according to a report by the country's environment minister in November. Photo: Dado Galdieri/Bloomberg

Source: Getty Images

Amazon, also known as Amazonia, is one of the largest jungles in the world. The vast rainforest covers an area not less than 5.5 million km. Some of the countries touched by the Amazonia include Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Suriname, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Guyana, and French Guiana, with Brazil covering the largest area.

Amazon forest covers 50% of the rainforests on earth. The jungle is fed by the Amazon River and about 1100 tributaries. This enables the growth and existence of both flora and fauna. The animals in the Amazon rarely go after humans unless in self-defence. The forest, however, has plenty of frogs and snakes and other threatening reptiles.

2. Dering Woods

Dering Woods, aka the screaming woods, is believed to be haunted as a result of a 1948 massacre. Photo: @HauntedHistory2

Source: Twitter

The Dering Woods is located in Kent between the villages of Smarden and Pluckley. This forest is known to have sounds of footsteps every once in a while. No one knows where the footsteps come from or whom they belong to. There are also terrifying screams at night emerging from the forest. Dering Woods is said to be the most haunted woods in the UK.

There are whispers during days that have thick fog too. Legend has it that during the 18th century, an army colonel and a highwayman were captured by villagers, pinned to a tree, and decapitated. Since then, many locals around have reported sightings of black shadows that have been following them while in the forest. The Dering Woods is also known for having one of the most ancient Neolithic sites worldwide.

3. Sambisa Forest

Sambisa forest is the richest forest in flora and fauna with a game reserve in Borno State Northeast Nigeria. Photo: @BMB1_Official

Source: UGC

Sambisa forest is located in northeast Nigeria. The forest covers 518 square kilometres with a huge part being thick vegetation that is full of animals and reptiles. Sambisa forest was known for the stray elephants and most dangerous creepers. The forest is also known for being a strategic Boko Haram hideout for almost one decade, which makes it even more dangerous.

The terrorist group is known for brutally killing innocent citizens, abducting civilians including young girls, and spreading their idea of purifying northern Nigeria to be fully Islamic. The hilly terrain and tall trees are some of the things that make the terrorist group set their camps in the forest.

4. Hoia Baciu Forest, Romania

The Hoia Baciu Forest is located near Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and is locally referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of Romania. Photo: @HorrorCarnival

Source: UGC

Hoia Baciu forest in Romania covers about 295 hectares. The forest, which is also known as the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania is both dangerous and creepy. Hoia is situated to the west of the city of Cluj-Napoca, near the open-air section of the Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania. Many locals have stated that the forest is home to ghosts and bizarre noises.

UFOs have been reportedly spotted in the forest, making this place feel strange. Hoia Baciu is one of the scariest forests in the world. The forest has funny shaped trees and those who manage to go through it report that they experience strange feelings like exhaustion, insomnia, thirst, nausea, and vomiting. People still visit the forest for recreational purposes despite it being that eerie.

5. Crooked Forest

Crooked Forest. Photo: @benjaminwittes

Source: Twitter

The Crooked Forest is located outside Nowe Czarnowo village and West Pomerania province in Poland. The forest is known for its unique, oddly-shaped pine trees. Most of the pine are twisted slightly above the ground level towards the north direction, forming the shape of an inverted question mark. The forest has about 400 trees that were planted around 1930. Many theories are explaining the shapes of the pines one being that they were bent by snowstorms or floods.

Some theories suggest that the trees were bent by a method applied by men so that they can be used directly in the creation of boats. Crazy theories assert that witchcraft and energy fields were involved in the bending of the trees. The crooked forest has usual forest animals like rabbits, squirrels, and birds. It has also been recorded that the forest has strange sightings like paranormal activities making it one of the creepiest forests in the world.

6. Tsingy Forest

Tsingy forest is made up limestone needles carved out by rain 5 million years ago and trees grow alongside them. Photo: @afrofacts1

Source: Twitter

Tsingy Forest is a nature reserve located near the western coast of Madagascar in Melaky region. The forest covers 666 km2 having formed approximately 200 million years ago. The nature reserve is known as the forest of knives due to the karst limestone formations that make up the stone forests. Tsingi Forest is one of the most dangerous jungles in the world.

The limestone rocks have an elevation of up to 70 meters from the ground. They have razor-sharp edges that making them form a knife-like shape. Tsingy forest is divided into two parts; Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nation Reserve, and Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nation Reserve is located near the western coast of Madagascar, while the other part of the forest found on the northwest side of the island.

7. Daintree Rainforest

Daintree Rainforest. Photo: @JackChambersGB

Source: Twitter

Daintree Rainforest is situated on the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia, north of Mossman and Cairns. It covers about 1200 square kilometres and has beautiful trees. The forest is dense and thick, making it easy for anyone to get lost among flora and fauna. Daintree Rainforest is considered one of the oldest, most stunning natural attractions in the world and also one of the most dangerous rainforests in the world.

The forest, however, hosts several dangerous wild animals and plants that are harmful to humans. Some of the most dangerous wild animals found in Daintree Forest include the saltwater crocodile, snakes, ticks, and leeches. The stinging plant found in the forest has fine poisonous hairs on its heart-shaped leaves that cause extreme irritation when they come in contact with the human skin.

8. Black Forest

Black forest is a mountainous region in southwest Germany near the border of France. Photo: @LucaFilippi

Source: Twitter

Black forest is a mountainous region in southwest Germany near the border of France. The dense, evergreen forests are beautiful to look at, but also dangerous to penetrate. The forest has deadly animal species and other wild creatures. Despite the panoramic view on the mountain ranges, not many are brave enough to get into the forest.

The hundreds of tall pine and fir trees form such a vast and thick canopy that prevents natural sunlight from touching the floor of the forest. Black Forest is one of the darkest forests in the world and habitat to several animals including the deer, foxes rabbits, badgers, squirrels, owls, elk, and vultures. The forest is also said to be haunted as once in a while ominous noises are heard coming from the trees.

9. Aokigahara Forest

Aokigahara is a beautiful and dense forest at the foot of Mt. Fuji. It also has the unfortunate distinction of being the most popular site for suicide in Japan. Photo: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Aokigahara Forest covers 32 million square meters. The forest is located along the northwestern flank of Japan's Mount Fuji. This sea of trees is also home to ghosts. The forest has become an ideal location for many Japanese who go to end their lives. It is reported that more than 500 people have committed suicide in the forest since 1950. As a result, Japanese authorities have tried to erect signposts in some parts of the forest with messages asking people to rethink their decision.

Theories are suggesting that due to the meddling of underground iron deposits with compasses, many people had lost their path from the forest and died. Aokigahara forest has huge dense trees that are easily confusing for any visitor who goes to the forest. This could be another reason why many people go to the forest never to be seen again.

10. Jog Falls Forest

The magnificent Jog Falls are located in Sagar Taluk in Shimoga district of Karnataka. Photo: wikimedia.com

Source: UGC

Jog Falls Forest is situated in the Karnataka state of India. It is primarily known for the second-highest plunge waterfall in India. The waterfall is linked with a vast forest that is yet to be explored, due to the lack of a proper path. The falls attract both local and foreign tourists due to their serious height and how distinct they look.

Jog Falls Forest also has some caves inside which are dark and creepy. Jog Falls is one of the densest forests in the world, making it an excellent habitat for all types of wild animal species. It is accessible to the public throughout the year except for the monsoon seasons.

Most of the jungles are still visited by people. Nature conservationists and governments, however, put restrictions on some of the most dangerous jungles in the world during certain times of the year that either has extreme weather conditions or are deemed unsafe. Jungles will remain to be wildlife sanctuaries for many years. Humans, on the other hand, cannot penetrate most of them due to the treacherous terrains, ghost stories, poisonous plants, and dangerous animals present.

READ ALSO: Most dangerous African countries to visit

Tuko.co.ke published the list of the most dangerous African countries to visit. Africa is a beautiful continent. Many consider it one of the best destinations for anyone seeking enlightenment, cultural experiences, and adventure. For tourists who visit the continent, it is usually an experience of a lifetime graced by unique views of nature. While many countries in Africa have attractive tour destinations, some can be a nightmare. The most dangerous African countries are characterised by crime, political, and economic instability. Which countries are these?

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Tata Motors Ltd is quoting at Rs 88.4, up 2.55% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 52.09% in last one year as compared to a 16.39% slide in NIFTY and a 25.84% slide in the Nifty Auto index.

Tata Motors Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 88.4, up 2.55% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 2.03% on the day, quoting at 9383.2. The Sensex is at 32017.06, up 2.06%. Tata Motors Ltd has gained around 21.26% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Tata Motors Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 10.63% in last one month and is currently quoting at 5708.95, up 3.34% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 457.12 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 679.37 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark May futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 88.6, up 2.31% on the day. Tata Motors Ltd is down 52.09% in last one year as compared to a 16.39% slide in NIFTY and a 25.84% slide in the Nifty Auto index.

The PE of the stock is 0 based on TTM earnings ending December 19.

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

New Jersey has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the nation among state prison inmates. As of May 12, 41 inmates with the virus have died.

Gov. Phil Murphy has tried to reduce deaths by issuing Executive Order 124 on April 10th. It paved the way for the release of non-violent offenders who are either nearing their release dates or suffering from conditions that make them particularly susceptible to COVID-19. It was an important first step in addressing the crisis.

The implementation of the order by the Department of Corrections and the State Parole Board has been painstakingly slow, however, and only about 100 of the approximately 2,000 inmates eligible under the order have been released.

More importantly, the order does not go far enough. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of inmates who are elderly or who suffer from serious medical conditions who do not qualify for release pursuant to the order simply because of the crimes they committed. Many of these inmates do not pose a threat to public safety and they should be considered for release on an individual basis rather than being subject to a blanket exemption based on a crime committed in some cases decades earlier.

The Star-Ledgers editors supported Executive Order 124 in part because it applied only to so-called non-violent offenders but data shows that risk is not a function of the offense committed but rather one of age and overall health. As of March 31, there were over 1,800 inmates ages 55 or older. It is no secret older people are the most likely to suffer from serious health issues and their age alone puts them at risk of having a catastrophic outcome if afflicted by COVID-19.

Similarly, people with serious medical conditions should be eligible for release. Those who suffer from serious illness are unlikely to pose a threat of violence. For example, our office represents a man serving a sentence for gun possession who suffers from a rare lung condition and is currently on a waiting list for a double lung transplant.

Another client suffered his first heart attack at 29 and suffers from asthma so severe he requires daily use of an asthma pump and breathing treatments twice a week. He has served 15 years for robbery and is, therefore, ineligible for the order. And yet, he has been severely punished for his crime and his medical condition is dire.

Sentencing data proves there is an aging out curve, which means older people are far less likely to commit new crimes, particularly violent ones. Studies show individuals over the age of 55 are far less likely to re-offend than those who committed non-violent property and drug offenses more recently.

Recently, Sen. Cory Booker and other legislators wrote a letter to the governors of six states, including New Jersey, urging them to stop using the crime committed as a bar to release. Rather, it urged them to look at several factors  such as age, medical condition, history, the stability of their future living environment, etc.  to determine the actual risk their release would pose to the community.

Inmates friends and family are clearly eager to learn about their loved ones condition in prison, as they have made almost 600 inquiries about inmates with medical conditions since our office established a hotline on April 17. Our attorneys are investigating the viability of some form of release at least until the pandemic is under control.

We have also initiated a special project designed to assist another 100 prisoners who are 70 years of age or older. It is heroic work. It is also frustrating. There are limited judicial mechanisms for attorneys to pursue in court. The fate of these prisoners is largely in the hands of the states executive branch through the DOC and the Parole Board.

In contrast to the situation with our prison system, my offices application to the state Supreme Court in March resulted in a Consent Order and the release of almost 700 low-risk county jail inmates in about a week. Additional advocacy by our attorneys resulted in the release of over 1,000 additional inmates resulting in a 25% overall decrease in the county jail populations in one months time, thus enhancing the ability of the jails to protect inmates and staff. County jails have, as a result, been safer places for inmates and staff. This was accomplished without compromising public safety. It can be done.

A crisis often brings out the best in humanity and this issue is deserving of that best. Protecting societys most vulnerable and those whose livelihood depends on working in prisons should be a priority. In fact, it is a moral imperative. Prison inmates and employees are sick and dying at an alarming rate. Time is of the essence. We can and must do more to diminish the impact of the pandemic on our prisons and those who live and work in them.

Joseph E. Krakora is the Public Defender for the state of New Jersey.

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A Perth woman who admitted murdering the man she 'loved most in the world', stabbing him in the back and chest, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 15 years.

Sarah Louise Daebritz, 47, had been in a relationship with Matthew Sadka, 57, for seven years when she attacked him at his Claremont home in March last year.

Mr Sadka was likely stabbed on the porch before he locked himself inside his villa, the Western Australian Supreme Court heard on Wednesday.

Mattew Sadka was likely stabbed on the porch before he locked himself inside his villa, the Western Australian Supreme Court (pictured) heard on Wednesday

Daebritz asked a neighbour to call emergency services, then smashed a window to get inside and tried to help Mr Sadka, but he died in hospital days later.

The court heard Daebritz had a history of drug and alcohol use, as well as mental health issues, with one expert finding she had an underlying mixed personality disorder.

Daebritz had also stopped taking her prescription medication for depression and hormone replacement therapy at the time of the killing.

Her lawyer Linda Black said there was 'no real motivation' for the killing and no history of violence.

'If she had been in her right mind, he's the last person she would have hurt because he's the last person she wanted to lose,' Ms Black said.

'He is, she would still say, the person she loves most in the world.'

Justice Joseph McGrath found Daebritz did not intend to kill Mr Sadka, but had intended to inflict a life-endangering injury, describing it as a 'spontaneous act of violence'.

'He should have been safe in your company. Instead, the victim was senselessly killed by you,' he said.

Justice McGrath received victim impact statements from Mr Sadka's two sisters and said it was clear the family had 'suffered a great loss of a fine man'.
In light of these extraordinary circumstances that have upended the lives of countless Americans, Swapnil has additionally dedicated financial aid for all Karya Property residents directly impacted. Through the Karya Kares Foundation, Swapnil will be providing up to $1,000 in rental assistance to those unemployed and in dire need as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, to a total of up to $4 million. The company's property management company, Karya Property Management, operates 20,000 apartments across the country, more than half of which are in the Houston area.

About Karya Property Management:

Karya Property Management, based in Houston, Texas, is a privately held full-service multifamily management company that focuses on providing exceptional management services to apartment communities. Since inception, Karya has grown its portfolio to over 20,000 units throughout the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Laredo, Austin, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Kansas City areas, successfully managing all properties in the value chain ranging from deep value-add deals with a significant rehab component to stabilized properties.

About Karya Kares:

Karya Kares Foundation is a 501(c)(3) registered organization, rooted in enriching the lives of generations in the global community. With efforts in cities in the United States and in India, Karya Kares has provided health care, community public health, and educational enrichment. Karya Kares is dedicated to helping those less fortunate get back on their feet with a promise of hope.

For more information, visit https://karyamanagement.com/.

SOURCE Karya Property Management

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Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of ceasing publication of international comparisons of Covid-19 deaths because of the UK hitting top place in Europe.

The charge came as the two men clashed at prime minister's questions in the House of Commons exactly a week after the Labour leader brandished a copy of the government's tables of international death tolls in a challenge to the prime minister's handling of the crisis.

Sir Keir said it was "obvious" the government had stopped talking publicly about the figures because they showed the UK was in an "unenviable place". But Mr Johnson said it was premature to look at international death comparisons and said the Labour leader would have to contain his impatience.

Facing Mr Johnson at PMQs, Sir Keir said that the official death tally from Covid-19 released by the government now stood at 32,692.

And he added: For many weeks, the government has compared the UK number against other countries.

Holding up a print-out of a government chart, he told MPs: Last week, I showed the prime minister his own slide showing that the UK now has the highest death toll in Europe and the second highest in the world.

A version of this slide has been shown at the Downing Street press conference every day since 30 March - thats seven weeks.

Yesterday, the government stopped publishing the international comparison and the slide is gone. Why?

Mr Johnson retorted: The UK has been going through an unprecedented once-in-a-century epidemic, and he seeks to make comparisons with other countries, which Im advised are premature because the correct and final way of making these comparisons will be when we have all the excess death totals for all the relevant countries.

We do not yet have that data. Im not going to try to pretend to the House that the figures when they are finally confirmed are anything other than stark and deeply, deeply horrifying. This has been an appalling epidemic.

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

What I can tell the House is that we are getting those numbers down, the number of deaths are coming down, the number of hospital admissions is down.

As for the international comparisons he seeks to draw now, he will have to contain his impatience.

Sir Keir said he was baffled by Mr Johnsons dismissal of the need for international Covid-19 death comparisons, given the government had done so for seven weeks with its press conference slides.

He told Prime Ministers Questions: The problem with the prime ministers answer is its pretty obvious that for seven weeks when we werent the highest number in Europe they were used for comparison purposes, as soon as we hit that unenviable place theyve been dropped.

Sir Keir quoted statistics expert Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, who last week rebuked the PM for claiming that he had argued against the use of international comparisons.

Spiegelhalter had insisted that the UK "should now use other countries to try and learn why our numbers are high", said the Labour leader, adding: "Dropping the comparisons means dropping the learning and that's the real risk."

But Mr Johnson said that nothing could be further from the truth than Sir Keirs suggestion that the UK was not learning from other countries, adding: Were watching intently what is happening in other countries and it is very notable that in some other countries where relaxations have been introduced that theres signs of the R (the rate of reinfection) going up again  and thats a very clear warning to us not to proceed too fast or too recklessly.

Downing Street insisted the move to drop the comparison slide was based on expert advice - but failed to say why the decision had been taken at this stage.

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "Since introducing slides we have varied content and format. As we made clear in the slide, it is difficult to compare statistics across countries. countries report deaths in different ways so it is not possible to make like for like comparisons.

"Numerous experts have said that reliable international comparisons will not be possible until further along in the pandemic."

The spokesman rejected accusations that the slide had been dropped because the UK was faring badly compared to other nations.
The Ibadan zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned a Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Rasaq Kolawole, for allegedly defrauding one Ibikunle Alonge of N4,400.000 (Four Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira).

Mr Kolawole was arraigned before Justice Aderonke Aderemi of the Oyo State High Court on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, on one-count charge of obtaining money under false pretence.

The offence is against Section 1 (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

The victim of his alleged crime had written a petition to the EFCC in which he accused the top public servant of fraudulently collecting the sum from him as part payment for a piece of land situated at Alabata Olosoko area of Moniya, Ibadan.

He further alleged that it was after making the payment that he got to know that the land actually belonged to one Mrs. Ali (now deceased ), adding that all efforts to get a refund thereafter was unsuccessful.

The one- count charge read: That you, Alhaji Kolawole Rasaq on or about the 2nd of October, 2018, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4,400,000 (Four Million and Four Hundred Thousand Naira only) from one Alonge Ibikunle through Pastor Adeyemi Fabayo by falsely pretending that it was part payment of the cost price of eleven and half plots of land situated, lying and being at Alabata Olokoso area, via Moniya area, Ibadan which you purported to have sold to him.

Mr Kolawole pleaded not-guilty to the charge. In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Ben Ubi, prayed the court for a date for the commencement of trial.

Justice Aderemi admitted the defendant to bail on self- recognizance and adjourned the matter to June 24 and 25, 2020 for trial.

Dele Oyewale

Head, Media & Publicity
A pedestrian wears a face mask while pushing a stroller past the Tiffany & Co. luxury goods store at Times Square in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong, China, on Feb. 6, 2020.

A luxury rebound in China is fueling hopes of a rapid recovery for high-end brands. Yet analysts say the wealthy are likely spend very differently in the post-pandemic world.

Many of the biggest brands in China  including Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Gucci and Prada  are seeing rapid bounce backs in sales as stores reopen in China, according to Claudia D'Arpizio, partner at Bain & Co who focuses on luxury. After a steep and sudden drop in the first quarter, many top brands will end up positive for 2020 in China given the strong sales, she said.



The Hermes store in Guangzhou, for instance, hauled in $2.7 million in sales the day it reopened in April believed to be a record for a boutique in China. The burst of sales has created a new retail term for the post-lockdown rebound: "revenge spending." The idea is that consumers were shopping starved during their quarantine and are overcompensating by splurging more than usual.

"We're seeing people come back to the stores quite quickly," D'Arpizio said. "It's not yet at the same levels yet as it was before the crisis. But revenge spending is happening  and also to some degree in Europe. The people who are coming back into the stores are strongly motivated to buy."

Bain expects luxury sales worldwide to fall by up to $100 billion this year, or about a third, from around $300 billion in 2019 to around $200 billion to $240 billion this year. Bain said it doesn't expect sales to recover to 2019 levels until 2022 or 2023.

Yet the spending of the rich will shift dramatically in the next year or two, Bain said. Instead of splurging on experiences, which dominated luxury spending over the past decade and fueled much of its growth, the rich will focus their spending on physical products.

Analysts say it will take at least a year or two before the affluent want return to crowded planes, restaurants and resorts.

"I think we will see a near-term rebalancing away from expensive holidays and back to products," D'Arpizio said.

Another big trend: accessories. Handbags and shoes will rule luxury spending in the near term, since they are accessible indulgences that cross all price points. Watches and menswear will suffer, along with women's formal wear and dress clothes, Bain said.

Jewelry will be a mixed bag. That's in part because the price of gold has soared, she said.

Luxury brands spent fortunes in recent years creating lavish boutiques and offering in-store "buying ceremonies" to lure clients. Now, spending will shift online and companies may need to shrink their store counts and adapt to fewer retail consumers.

Consumers will spend closer to home rather than traveling. In Europe, where luxury stores were often packed with Chinese tourists, brands now cater to a more local clientele. Generation Y is also expected to drive much of the spending in China as they shop online, Bain said.

"There will be a strengthened sense of local pride," D'Arpizio said.

The big question for global luxury, however, is whether the post-crisis populism of the 2008 financial crisis, which gave rise to "luxury shame" and a backlash against lavish spending, will reappear this time. The coronavirus has already sparked concerns over rising inequality and bailouts for the wealthy and big corporations.

But D'Aripizio said she expects that an anti-luxury wave is less likely this time.

"We could certainly have some tensions in Europe and the U.S., especially with the U.S. election coming up," she said. "But this crisis is more democratized."

She added that luxury products don't have the same stigma as they used to, since many now focus on craftsmanship, sustainable values and inclusiveness.

"It's not about showing off your wealth anymore," she said.
OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TBP) (OTCQB:TBPMF), a leader in cannabinoid-derived drug discovery and development, announces that its Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Mr. Sylvain Chretien as President of the Company. In light of Mr. Chretien's resignation, the Board has decided not to appoint another president at this time.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Company's reduced corporate activity in business development and promotion the role of Mr. Chretien as President was no longer determined to be essential at this time.

Mr. Chretien will work to formally transition his responsibilities over the coming weeks which will be handled in part by Tetra's Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Guy Chamberland, Tetra's Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Di Paola and Tetra's Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Neron.

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.

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, including the timeline for approval of the PPP003 indication for ICR, the estimated budget for the PPP003 programs described in this release and the receipt of any governmental grants related to the PPP003 programs. 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

Media Contact:

energi PR

Ms. Carol Levine APR, FCPRS

Phone: + 1 (416) 425-9143 ext. 226

Mobile: + 1 (514) 703-0256

carol.levine@energipr.com

SOURCE: Tetra Bio-Pharma

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589703/Tetra-Announces-Resignation-of-President
A Liberal senator has slammed Julie Bishop for advocating a calm approach to China as trade tensions escalate in the wake of the coronavirus spread.

At a virtual Lowy Institute event, former foreign minister Ms Bishop called for 'some very calm and considered diplomacy'.

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who is known for taking a hard line on China, told her Twitter followers that she strongly disagreed with that approach.

Julie Bishop shared this photo of herself working from home on Instagram last month

'Another air-head comment from the couch,' she wrote, in reference to Ms Bishop's Instagram photos which show her taking conference calls on her sofa.

'We had six years of 'Instagram diplomacy' that ignored CCP skulduggery and debt trap diplomacy, she tweeted.

China has been accused of debt trap diplomacy - when a country lends money to another to secure support for strategic objectives - since President Xi Jinping rapidly expanded foreign aid and infrastructure investment from 2012.

Ms Concetta Fierravanti-Wells believes Australia should focus on making China pay for the damage caused by the virus rather than an inquiry which she thinks it will never agree to.

Ms Bishop's comments came after China suspended imports from four of Australia's biggest beef suppliers due to labelling issues and also flagged new tariffs on Australian barley.

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

The difficulties in the bi-lateral trade relationship followed the Australian government's call for a ban on wildlife wet markets and an inquiry into how the coronavirus originated and spread from Wuhan.

The proposed inquiry - as well as repeated suggestions that China covered up the spread of the disease - have infuriated Beijing.

Last month the Chinese Embassy called Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton 'pitiful,' 'ignorant' and a US 'parrot' after he told China to 'answer questions' about how coronavirus started.

On April 26 Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng warned that Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge.

'Maybe the ordinary people will think why they should drink Australian wine or eat Australian beef,' he told the AFR.

Ms Bishop said Australia should convince China that an inquiry would also focus on other countries.

She said that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China had a duty to support an inquiry because the virus has threatened international security.

Ms Bishop said 'inflammatory rhetoric' between the two countries was 'regrettable'.

The dispute comes after a torrid year for Australia-China relations saw clashes over political interference, human rights abuses in western China and Huawei 5G equipment.

Former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby told Daily Mail Australia that diplomatic relations are 'at their lowest point since they began 46 years ago'.

The proposed tariffs on barley come after China's 18-month anti-dumping investigation which concludes on 19 May.

Dumping is when a country exports a product unfairly cheaply to a foreign market to undercut alternatives, with producers often subsidised by the government.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng (pictured) warned Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the labelling issues over beef are being resolved and hopes exports from the blacklisted abattoirs can resume soon.

China has a track record of using economic sanctions for political purposes.

It includes encouraging a boycott of South Korean cars after the country deployed a US missile shield in 2017 and a ban on Norwegian salmon after Chinese rebel Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo that same year.

Australia and China have had a free trade agreement since 2015 but some exporters have still run into difficulties as relations have soured.

In 2018 Beijing imposed new customs regulations on Australian wine resulting in shipments being held up in Shanghai.

The outbreak erupted in Wuhan, China in December. Pictured: Staff members line up as they prepare to spray disinfectant at Wuhan Railway Station in March

And last year - after Canberra stripped Chinese businessman Xiangmo Huang of his visa - major ports prolonged clearing times for Australian coal to at least 40 days, claiming the delay was due to 'normal' safety checks.

Jane Goolley, a professor at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, warned last month that this type of manoeuvering could resume if the federal government continues to upset the Chinese government.

But she does not believe that the proposal regarding barley is connected to COVID-19.

'If there is any kind of 'coercion' or punishment plan in Beijing's mind, I'd say it's very unlikely to work (another reason why they probably wouldn't try it), because I don't think the Australian government will back down on its inquiry demand, even if they are absolutely certain that this barley debacle is connected to it', she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
EDWARDSVILLE  Edwardsville School District 7 Superintendent Jason Henderson discussed the possibility of a technology upgrade for high school students and teachers during the Board of Educations meeting Monday.

On Friday, Henderson talked with an Intelligencer reporter regarding the tentative plans to pursue purchasing laptops for e-learning purposes after schools have spent weeks learning remotely due to the pandemic. The measure focuses on preparedness by ensuring e-learning capabilities within the district for the future. As far as what the fall will look like for the district, Henderson said the district will ultimately follow guidelines from Gov. J.B. Pritzker or the Illinois School Board of Education (ISBE).

Henderson said the administration is working on a plan to buy the devices and have such ready by the start of the fall semester. Once the district is ready, the devices will be distributed to Edwardsville High School students and District 7 teachers. At this time, there has not been any public discussion on other students receiving the devices.

The laptop purchases are part of a district overhaul, Henderson explained. In addition to the devices, schools can expect a central electronic learning management system in an effort to distribute educational material digitally, as well as how to help those who do not have access to the internet.

We are starting to have conversations with our teachers, with our union, with our administrators about the positives, because there have been positives, regarding remote learning and what are the things we need to do better, Henderson said.

The district is planning to place the order soon, possibly this week, as the laptops are in high demand.

Since the laptops are already included in the districts fiscal budget, there has been no request for any extra money. A specific price tag for the laptop purchases has yet to be provided.

According to the Regional Superintendent of Schools Robert Werden, other comparable districts have bought these devices for about $200 when purchased in large quantities. For the approximately 2,300 students at EHS, it would cost roughly $460,000. For the approximately 419 teachers at District 7, it would cost roughly $83,800. The Illinois Report Card supplied both the student and teacher populous for the 2019 fiscal year.

Uniformity was one primary concern discussed by Henderson and multiple community members during Mondays meeting. One community member and mother to a seventh-grader said there is some trouble when searching for assignments and grades online. She explained that the trouble is seemingly due to most teachers using different online learning management systems. Henderson explained he aims to fix the issue by working with teachers and the Edwardsville Education Association, District 7 teachers union.

We want to have a learning management system for every grade level, every teacher, Henderson said. Right now, we have a learning management system at the high school  its Schoology. And that learning management system allows one place where students and parents can go on to get assignments, for communication, theres just a lot they can do.

Schoology is a social networking service and virtual learning environment for K-12 school and higher education institutions that allows users to create, manage, and share academic content, according to its website.

While getting the devices into the students hands is one project, internet accessibility is another. Henderson said this is another project to tackle in the overhaul because not all students can access the internet from home.

There is currently no set plan for alternative internet connection, but one idea is ensuring Wi-Fi connectivity at parking lots at all District 7 schools.

He added that paper packets would still be provided to students who are interested or cannot connect to the internet.

Henderson said specific plans for the overhaul will be ready for the beginning of the fall semester.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: UDF MPs have alleged that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan never bothered to convene a meeting of MPs or to take them into confidence in combating Covid-19 pandemic. They opined that it was the MPs who should have put pressure on the Centre to send a medical contingent to the Gulf countries for providing effective treatment to stranded NRKs.

On Tuesday, UDF convener Benny Behanan, MP, along with other UDF MPs K Muraleedharan, N K Premachandran, Thomas Chazhikadan, Anto Antony and Dean Kuriakose held a meeting at Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithalas official residence at Cantonment House here. After the meeting, Behanan told reporters that there was a move by the LDF government to delay the repatriation of stranded Malayalis in other states. He said the earlier announcement of Pinarayi was that the state was ready to welcome four lakh expats from abroad, including Malayalis from other states.

But all these remained just pipe dreams. If the MPs meetings were convened, arrangements could have been made to send a medical delegation to the Middle East, after putting pressure on the Centre. Thousands of stranded Malayalis are forced to wait on the streets in broad daylight while in other states, there has been a smooth flow of their natives, said Behanan., said Behanan.

K Muraleedharan, MP, alleged the district collectors have been given instructions from the government that they need not give any passes for lack of quarantine facilities. He also claimed that MPs representatives were not included in the various advisory committees to combat Covid-19 pandemic.
Fifteen People Killed, 56 Injured in Bomb Blast at Funeral in Afghanistan's East - Official

Sputnik News

08:26 GMT 12.05.2020(updated 09:55 GMT 12.05.2020)

KABUL (Sputnik) - Fifteen people were killed and 56 others were injured in the bomb blast that took place at a police chief funeral in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's spokesman, said on Tuesday.

"Fifteen people were martyred and 56 others were injured in a bomb blast on a funeral ceremony in Koz Kunar district ... The health condition of many of the injured has also shown to be critical," Khogyani said.

Earlier in the day, Khogyani said that at least 40 people were killed and injured at the funeral of Haji Sheikh Ikram, who used to serve as the commander of the Koz Kunar district's police unit. He died last night due to a heart attack.

Eyewitnesses said earlier in the day that seven people were killed at the funeral of Haji Sheikh Ikram, who used to serve as the commander of the Khewa district's police unit.

Haji Hazrat Ali  a member of the lower house of the Afghan parliament, who attended the funeral  told Sputnik that Noor Agha, another lower house lawmaker, was injured in the incident. He also said that Lala Khan, a son of a member of the Nangarhar provincial council, was killed in the incident, along with two of his brothers.

"Terrorists have carried out a suicide attack on a funeral in Nangarhar. Who has carried out suicide attacks in the last 18 years? ... There are tens of thousands of incidents that have been carried out by the Taliban, the basis or start of this kind of attacks [is] by the Taliban, and the Taliban is primarily responsible for each attack," Dawa Khan Minapal, the deputy spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that the militant movement had nothing to do with the incident, adding that the Taliban condemned such acts.

 Sputnik

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Financial institutions around the world required a reliable and global way to transfer money from one nation to another, and the SWIFT network became their knight in shining armour. SWIFT codes offer consumers a safe avenue to send and receive money freely through bank transfer from one country to another.

Image: Facebook.com, @Pay2ved

Source: UGC

Kenya has also been in the frontline in offering these services, and the bank SWIFT codes Kenya allows users to locate their bank and branch SWIFT code so they can make transactions with the help of Bank Wire Transfer. The unique SWIFT codes listing endows companies, SMEs, and individuals with a straightforward way of transferring cash while also allowing them to evade the tedious bank transfers and money transfer errors.

What are SWIFT codes?

SWIFT banking codes, sometimes referred to as SWIFT numbers, are a standard format of bank identifier codes. They are a unique identification code for most banks in Kenya and internationally. Financial institutions use these SWIFT codes to help in the transferring of funds between banks, especially when doing international wire transfers. Most banks also use the codes to exchange information with each other.

The bank SWIFT codes feature 8 or 11 characters. 8 characters typically refer to the banks head office.

The SWIFT codes format  AAAA BB CC DDD

AAAA  bank identification code (only letters)

BB  country code (only letters) KEN

CC  location code (letters and digits)

DDD  branch code. It is optional.

Remember that a SWIFT transfer takes two to three days to reflect in your account.

SWIFT code list of all banks in Kenya

Here is a list of SWIFT codes of all banks in Kenya.

African Banking Corporation SWIFT code

Nairobi: ABCLKENAXXX

Bank of Africa Kenya SWIFT codes

Mombasa: AFRIKENX002

Nairobi: AFRIKENXXXX

Bank of Baroda Kenya SWIFT codes

Kakamega: BARBKENAKAK

Kisumu: BARBKENAKIS

Mombasa, Digo Road: BARBKENAMOM

Mombasa, Nyali: BARBKENANYA

Nairobi, Industrial Area: BARBKENAIND

Nairobi, Sarit Centre: BARBKENASAR

Barclays Bank of Kenya SWIFT codes

Eldoret: BARCKENXELD

Mombasa, Digo Road: BARCKENXMDR

Mombasa, Nkurumah Road: BARCKENXMNR

Nairobi, Back Office Processing Centre, Bank House: BARCKENXOCB

Nairobi, Card Centre: BARCKENXNCC

Nairobi, Dealers Department H/O: BARCKENXDLR

Nairobi, Distribution Centre: BARCKENXNDC

Nairobi, Payments and International Services: BARCKENXPIS

Central Bank of Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi, Banking Division: CBKEKENXBKG

Nairobi, Currency Division: CBKEKENXCNY

Nairobi, National Debt Division: CBKEKENXNDO

CFC Stanbic Bank Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi: SBICKENXSSP

Citibank Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi, Trade Services Department: CITIKENATRD

Commercial Bank of Africa SWIFT code

Nairobi: CBAFKENXXXX

READ ALSO: List of all bank codes in Kenya 2020

Consolidated Bank of Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi: CONKKENAXXX

Cooperative Bank SWIFT codes Kenya

Nairobi: KCOOKENAXXX

Diamond Trust Bank, DTB Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi, Head Office: DTKEKENAXXX

Ecobank Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi: ECOCKENAXXX

Equity Bank SWIFT code

Nairobi: EQBLKENAXXX

Family Bank SWIFT code

Nairobi: FABLKENAXXX

Fina Bank SWIFT code

Nairobi: FBAKKENAXXX

Housing Finance Company of Kenya SWIFT code

Nairobi: HFCOKENAXXX

I&M Bank SWIFT codes

Nairobi, Funds Transfer Department: IMBLKENAFTR

Nairobi, Settlement Department: IMBLKENASTL

Nairobi, Trade Finance Department: IMBLKENATRD

Kenya Commercial Bank SWIFT code

Nairobi, Treasury Square: KCBLKENX080

Nairobi, Gigiri UNEP branch: KCBLKENX012

Nairobi, Head Office: KCBLKENXXXX

Nairobi, Industrial Area: KCBLKENX002

Nairobi, Moi Avenue: KCBLKENX017

National Bank of Kenya SWIFT code

Nyeri: NBKEKENX876

Narok: NBKEKENX868

Nakuru: NBKEKENX757

Mombasa, Moi branch: NBKEKENX973

Nairobi, Moi Avenue: NBKEKENX743

Kisumu: NBKEKENX761

Eldoret: NBKEKENX789

NIC Bank SWIFT code

Nairobi, Head Office: NINCKENAXXX

Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the answers to common questions asked about SWIFT codes.

How do I find my banks SWIFT code?

Image: Facebook.com, @Agroshoppy

Source: UGC

You can find a bank SWIFT code by going to your banks website and checking if they have their SWIFT code listed. You can also check their FAQs, international payment plans, and other related links. If those options do not help, try checking if the banks website has a search feature and type in "SWIFT code."

Do all banks have SWIFT codes?

No. Not every financial institution has a SWIFT code. Many small financial institutions or startup banks do not connect to the SWIFT network, meaning they do not have international routing codes.

Is SWIFT code the same as bank code?

A bank SWIFT code is a unique identifier code for most financial institutions. It is mostly used in international transactions when you are transferring cash using the wire transfer service.

A bank code is a sequence of numbers that allow users to identify various banks across the world. Every financial institution has a unique code that differentiates it from others both regionally and internationally.

Image: Instagram.com, @skrill

Source: UGC

Is the routing number the same as SWIFT code?

Banks use the SWIFT code and routing number to pinpoint the financial institution you hold an account with. The difference between the two is that banks use the SWIFT code when transferring cash internationally and the routing number for transferring money locally.

We have provided a comprehensive list of the SWIFT codes for all the banks in Kenya. So next time you want to transfer money to your family and dont know your banks SWIFT code, use this post and you will have all the information you need at your fingertips.

READ ALSO:

All Equity Bank branch codes in Kenya

Commercial Bank of Africa branches, swift code, PayBill, contacts

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday a Rs 20 lakh crore package for a self-reliant India in order to deal with the economic fallout of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and the lockdown prompted by it. In a TV address, he also said lockdown 4.0 will be guided by a set of new rules while the focus will continue to remain on battling the disease as well as moving ahead with other national objectives.

20 lakh crore boost for self-reliant India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a ~20 lakh crore economic package to help individuals and businesses deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown enforced to combat its spread, and to, as he put it, turn the crisis into an opportunity. Read more.

Have to protect ourselves and move forward: PM Modi on lockdown 4.0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the next phase of Indias lockdown, from May 18, will be entirely new, in a new form and with new rules, to meet the twin objectives of battling the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as well as moving ahead to meet other national objectives. Read more.

Stimulus may offer cash aid to poor, credit for industry

The federal cabinet is set to approve a comprehensive economic stimulus package on Wednesday that would offer cash support to the poor and credit guarantees to industry and contain far-reaching stimulus measures for sectors ranging from agriculture to banking and insurance, two officials aware of the development said. Read more.

Covid-19: What you need to know today

In the 10 days between May 1 and May 10 (both included), six states accounted for 91% of average daily deaths from Covid-19 in India. Two of them, Maharashtra and Gujarat, accounted for 66%. Read more.

No cabin baggage, inflight meals in draft rules to reopen air travel

Cabin luggage will be barred and passengers aged above 80 years not allowed on flights when air passengers services, suspended since March 25 because of the Covid-19 lockdown, resume in the country, according to guidelines drafted by the government for the first phase of the restart of commercial flights. Read more.

149 flights from 31 countries in Phase 2 of Vande Bharat

The government will operate 149 flights from 31 countries, including the US, Australia and France, during the second phase of the repatriation of Indian citizens stranded abroad from May 16. Read more.

8,000 passengers in 8 trains on Day 1 of railway reboot

Indian Railways resumed its passenger services after a gap of nearly two months on Tuesday with eight air-conditioned trains carrying a total of 8,121 people leaving for their destinations across the country, according to the railway ministry. Read more.

How can Aarogya be made mandatory, Kerala High Court asks Centre

The Kerala high court asked the Union government on Tuesday to explain how the Aarogya Setu can be made mandatory when many do not have smartphones, giving it time till May 18 to file its response and also explain how the personal data of users will be protected. Read more.

Terrorists may exploit stimulus: FATF report

The global money-laundering and terrorist financing watchdog has warned that the stimulus measures and international financial assistance announced by various countries to mitigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic are likely to be exploited by terrorists and criminals by posing as genuine businesses seeking assistance. Read more.

Bengal transfers its health secretary

The West Bengal government has shifted health secretary Vivek Kumar from his post against the backdrop of a controversy over its handling of the Covid-19 crisis. Read more.

Reverse migration, dip in output spell tough times for industries

As thousands of migrant workers return home amid a slump in demand, industries are looking at a difficult road ahead in terms of full resumption of operations even as governments are working on incentives for them to boost production. Read more.

Keralas Nipah survivor seeks to join Covid fight

When she was 19, M Ajanya, a student of nursing in north Kerala contracted the dreaded Nipah viral disease, which has a mortality rate of 80%. Ajanya was on a ventilator for a week but didnt give up; nor did her doctors. She recovered. Read more.

Stuck at Delhi airport for 55 days, German man leaves for Amsterdam

A 40-year-old German, who lived in the transit area of Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport for 55 days as he could not fly out amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) lockdown, left for Amsterdam on Tuesday in a special relief flight after turning down offers to be taken to his home country, officials said. Read more.

Low-cost Feluda test to detect virus in an hour likely in 4 weeks

An accurate and low-cost strip test that can detect the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) within one hour is expected to be available for the first phase of testing in four weeks. Read more.

Whats flattening, fuelling the curve
Five people have been arrested after $125,000 worth of deep cycle batteries were stolen from Gold Coast mobile phone towers this year, according to police.

The deep cycle batteries allegedly stolen from Gold Coast mobile phone towers this year. Credit:Queensland Police Service

Police allege the batteries were sold on social media and mainly to people living on an alternative power source such as solar or wind, and those wanting an extra power supply for camping trips.

The batteries, which can act as a backup power source during blackouts, were allegedly stolen between January and May, and all of the major telecommunication companies were targeted.

The companies have reported up to $125,000 worth of batteries being taken, with some sites raided on multiple occasions, according to police.
Purdue University President Mitch Daniels made these remarks to Purdue Universitys 2020 spring commencement graduates. More than 7,500 graduates could participate in the on-demand ceremony, and details are available in a release. The on-demand ceremonies are available at the 2020 Commencement website by scrolling to the Graduation Divisions and selecting the appropriate one. Daniels full speech is available here.

Introduction

I never expected this. To be addressing you with me in an empty hall, and you far away. Wherever youre viewing this virtual ceremony, I hope you are surrounded by people you love, people who helped you reach this moment of achievement.

As is my practice, I wrote a commencement speech over last Christmas, at a time when COVID-19 had only recently gotten its name. I chose a theme without any clue what was coming. In a different year, I might have felt obliged to start over. But as things have unfolded, the events of recent months have in some ways made my chosen topic seem at least as relevant as the day I wrote it.

Our thoughts today should not be dominated and consumed by temporary troubles. Like all such things, this too shall pass. Today is about what youve accomplished these last few years, and all youll do in the decades ahead. So here are some thoughts about that future; I hope you find they fit the occasion.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Welcome, graduates and friends, to this day of celebration. Those of you in the caps and gowns are gathered to celebrate the great accomplishment that is a degree from Purdue University. Meanwhile, your parents are, I know, quietly celebrating the clearing of the final tuition check. Congratulations to you all.

Purdue celebrated its own landmark this year, our 150th anniversary. Since it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing by our most famous alumnus, Neil Armstrong stories were abundant. My favorite claims that, later in life, Commander Armstrong took to telling corny, lame jokes about the moon, and when nobody laughed he would say, Well, I guess you had to be there.

A year or so ago, a major national journalist visited our campus and later wrote a gracious, complimentary article about what he saw here. While I enjoyed his accounts of the progress and successful results he thought he had witnessed, my favorite part of the column was a single phrase, basically a throwaway line. He described Purdue as a happy place.

That got me wondering how many college campuses these days would strike a visitor quite that way. I hope its been that kind of place for you. We know youve worked hard and fought through a lot of pressure. Youll probably remember that; just wait for those scary dreams where you havent studied for the test or cant find the exam room. But I hope that, among your memories of these years, I was happy there is prominent among them.

Ive reflected on that more and more during your last couple years with us.

Your parents love you and are proud of you, but from time to time they also must worry about you. Thats what we parents do. I hope its OK if I worry about you and your futures a little also. Ive sometimes used these commencements to fret out loud about trends that trouble me in that big wide world youre about to enter.

In recent years, Ive spoken about the tribalism that now divides Americans. Ive talked about the seeming shortage of emotional resilience and grit in your peer group. Twice, Ive found myself urging graduates to guard against the so-called Big Sort, the tendency for young people of your quality and educational attainment to cluster together professionally and socially and to drift apart from those of different backgrounds.

But one thing I never expected to worry about, but now do a little, is your being lonely. I have known you and met thousands of you personally in an environment that, despite our size, does a pretty good job of getting people together, creating bonds among them. A thousand clubs. Dozens of faith-based organizations. Our Greek system and, maybe our best examples of true communities, our co-op residential houses, where students not only live but cook, clean and do repairs together. And, most recently, the learning communities, where thousands of Boilermakers live in mutual support with others who are studying the same subject matter.

But elsewhere, the academic journals and lay periodicals are now filled with research about the epidemic of loneliness in our society. Surveys report record numbers of Americans living alone and suffering from strong feelings of isolation. Many view it as a new public health crisis, linked to rising rates of depression, anxiety, even suicide. A lack of strong social relationships has been found to raise the risk of premature death by 50%. Thats as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Its not just an American phenomenon. The government of Britain has appointed a minister for loneliness. All this was before anyone heard of COVID-19.

Most startling, and alarming, are studies finding that the worst loneliness today is not among adults or the elderly but in your age group. Astonishing percentages of todays young people say they have few if any close friends. Dating and other traditional forms of youthful interaction have declined sharply. The University of Southern California recently named a director of belonging and, while the title may be unique, Im sure the idea is not.

Humans are social creatures or, as sometimes said, relational beings. The ability to interact, communicate, and collaborate is what defines us and what assured our evolution as the dominant, civilizing species on this planet. We thrive on contact with others; we suffer severely from its absence. The worst punishment we impose on a heinous criminal is solitary confinement; much of our literature and religious tradition thinks of hell as a state of total, permanent aloneness.

So an outbreak of loneliness is worth worrying about, especially where those with the longest to live are a big part of it. In the case of your elders, sociologists can identify some obvious causes. Plummeting birthrates play a role: Having fewer children and fewer siblings limits the opportunity for caring contact. In a short two decades, the percentage of retirement-age citizens living within 10 miles of their children, in the same neighborhood with any relative, or having a good friend living nearby dropped by double digits. Its easy to see how that leads to greater loneliness.

But particularly in the case of your age cohort, there is no doubt that the sudden eruption and dominance of what we call social media  I often think antisocial media would be a better term  has played a huge role. Some scholars put all the blame there. One major article was titled Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

It wasnt supposed to be this way. The original promise of all the Facebooks and Twitters was that they would connect us in wonderful new ways. But connection over a text message or what is often a glamorized presentation of ones daily life just isnt the same as in-person contact. In fact, it often turns out to separate and alienate its users more than it brings them together.

I remain concerned that, as members of the new knowledge aristocracy, absent a little special effort you will rarely make friends different from yourselves. Now, studying the growing evidence about isolation, Im concerned that you, the first age group raised entirely in the iPhone era, wont make many friends at all.

In my own college days, a briefly famous Harvard professor offered probably the worst advice ever given to a younger generation. Encouraging both drug use and a non-productive lifestyle, Dr. Timothy Leary suggested, Turn on, tune in, drop out. Lately, Ive been thinking the best advice one could give you, tomorrows leaders, might be the exact opposite: Turn off, tune out, drop in. As in turn off the phone more often, tune out the video screen, drop in personally on friends old and new.

For most of human history, personal contact was hard to avoid. Suddenly, our digital age can mean it requires extra effort.

Confession being good for the soul, its only right that I make one here. I am not a good role model for the advice I am foisting on you. I have not devoted the time I should have to deepen acquaintances into true friendships, or to stay in closer touch with the old friends I do have.

Ive let the call of work get in the way. Ive told myself that jobs of broad responsibility mean that one cant get too close to co-workers and colleagues. Ive procrastinated and rationalized, and skipped too many chances to spend meaningful time with people I admire and even love. I regret it, and Im the worse for it.

You can do better. The same research that is documenting the loneliness epidemic reveals ways to immunize ones self against it. Geographic rootedness makes a difference; people who live in the same community for extended periods are far less likely to be lonely. The great C.S. Lewis wrote, Friendship is the greatest of worldly goods  the chief happiness of life. If I had to give a piece of advice to a young person about where to live, I (would) say sacrifice almost everything to live near your friends.

Having a religious affiliation also correlates strongly with feelings of connectedness. And nothing statistically reduces the chance of loneliness more than marriage, especially marriage with children. Its a sermon for another Sunday, but I do hope most of you will not miss the joy, and the lifelong education, of raising children. I promise, its lifes greatest reward and the best graduate school youll ever attend.

I heard about one wise-guy commencement speaker who instructed his audience, Remember, in life its not who you know. Its whom. Ive thought of that as just a joke, but in our new situation it takes on a more serious tone: A lot of your success, and happiness, will depend on whom you know, and know well.

The author Gore Vidal once said, We never know when we are happy, only when we were. I hope in your case that proves way too cynical, that there will be countless moments when you are truly happy and know it. But I also hope that, when you reflect back on times when you were happy, your days at this university will rank high among them. And when people ask you, What was it about Purdue that made it such a great place for you? you can just answer, Well, I guess you had to be there.

I know great achievements lie ahead for you. My wish for you is that so do great friendships.

Hail Purdue, and each of you.

Related links:



Purdue to release on-demand commencement, celebrate graduates amid global pandemic (May 11, 2020)



Purdue announces student responders for commencements (May 6, 2020)



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)

Media contacts: Tim Doty, doty2@purdue.edu

Matt Oates, oatesw@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Photos and B-roll of Purdue President Mitch Daniels delivering his commencement address are available on a Google Drive.
Starting Monday, anyone at Portland International Airport will be required to wear a face covering.

The Port of Portland issued new guidelines Wednesday, citing the need to protect the health and safety of passengers, employees and contractors at the states largest airport.

The rules come less than a week after Gov. Kate Browns order requiring some businesses, such as grocery stores, to require face coverings and her suggestion that other businesses promote such behavior.

The port already required employees to wear face coverings, following the Centers for Disease Controls April recommendation. A spokeswoman said all airlines and some airport contractors were already requiring face coverings.

PDX is still seeing as much as a 95% decline in passenger volume compared to the same time in 2019, a dramatic reduction that is playing out around the world. The airport temporarily ceased transpacific and transatlantic air travel and suspended flights to Mexico and Canada as well.

This is a critical piece of helping restore and build confidence in the travel process, wrote Dan Pippenger, the Port of Portlands chief operating officer, in a statement of the face-covering rules. We believe this policy supports public health guidance to help keep PDX employees and passengers healthy, and it aligns with our airlines best practices and with other airports to create a consistent and expected experience for travelers.

The new rules will apply to anyone in the airport, except for children under the age of 2 and people who have a medical condition that renders them unable to cover their faces.

Its not clear how long the rules will remain in effect.

Port officials said the face coverings dont need to be N-95 respirators or surgical masks, meaning that homemade cloth coverings are adequate.

The port is also shuttering areas inside PDX where people often gather to await returning friends or family.

The port said those people should wait to welcome passengers until they arrive at their residence, unless someone requires medical assistance.

Th airport has also reconfigured spaces to help promote social distancing and made other changes.

-- Andrew Theen; atheen@oregonian.com; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Former MP for the La Dadekotopon constituency, Nii-Amasah Namoale says he is not impressed with governments approach to the fight against Coronavirus also known as COVID-19.



He claims to be scared for his life and the negative impact this pandemic will bring on Ghanaians if the right measures are not applied.



They [NPP government] claim they are doing something, my brother they are not doing anything," he said.



Nana Addo Chasing The Virus



Namoale who was speaking on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie blamed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the high rise of Coronavirus cases in Ghana.



Nana Addo [President] is chasing the virus rather than preventing it. When we asked him to close our borders, he never listened. He is the cause of all these, he accused.



'Hazardous' Contact Tracing



The former lawmaker also said the contact tracing approach by government to identify persons infected with the virus has not been the best.



He described it as hazardous - adding that Only God is helping us in this country.



Ghana Records 5,127 COVID-19 Cases



The Ghana Health Service (GHS) announced on Tuesday, 12th May, 2020 that Ghana has recorded 427 new coronavirus cases, increasing the country's case count to 5,127.



The Director-General of GHS, Dr. Patrick Aboagye, announced this at a media briefing.



The Greater Accra Region has recorded 89 new cases while the Ashanti Region has 307 new cases.



The Central Region has also recorded 27 new cases with the Western and Volta regions recording three and one, respectively.



Of the 5,127 cases, 1,474 were recorded from routine surveillance, 115 are travellers who were put into mandatory quarantine upon arrival and the remaining 3,538 were identified from enhanced surveillance.



Recoveries and deaths, however, still stand at 494 and 22, respectively, bringing the active cases to 4,611.



Our total recoveries as of yesterday are 494 and we have about 180 awaiting their second negative tests, which will increase the number of recoveries," Dr. Aboagye added.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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

Featured Video
In reviewing the history of the legal profession occasionally the name of one individual will stand out amongst the thousands of lawyers who have practiced in Hamilton County. Lewis Shepherd would have to be included in that select group.



Shepherd was born on March 7, 1846, and died on May 14, 1917, while arguing a legal issue in court. The local newspaper reported that his last wish was satisfied: to go to his reward straight from the courtroom! He attended Burritt College in Van Buren County and enlisted in the Confederate Army at the young age of 15 and served in several campaigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Battle of Chickamauga in Georgia. While serving in central Tennessee with General Joe Wheeler he was captured and served a term at Camp Morton in Indiana before being exchanged and sent to Richmond, Virginia.



After finishing his military service, Lewis Shepherd returned to Ringgold, Georgia, to begin the practice of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1867. He moved to Chattanooga and became the youngest lawyer in the area. Because of his legal ability and popularity, he was elected attorney general for criminal court and served in that capacity until 1875. He switched to politics and served in the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1876 and later in 1890. He also served as a chancellor for two years because of the illness of Chancellor Summerfield A. Key from 1880-1882. He had a successful civil practice and was general counsel for two regional railroads.



A Republican, Baptist, and Shriner, he was also a member of the Ku Klux Klan who fought for the supremacy of the white race against carpetbaggers. Highly involved in civic matters, he was active in the Chamber of Commerce and was one of the organizers and a charter member of the Mountain City Club. Shepherd was also somewhat of a publicity seeker and after the arrest of Ed Johnson for the rape of a white girl he solicited the case from Judge Samuel Reynolds along with two other attorneys, Robert Cameron and W.G. Thomas, who did not want to be appointed.



Shepherd believed strongly in protecting the rights of accused persons particularly when he thought the defendant had been a victim of racial discrimination. He represented a large number of African-American clients and had a good working relationship with the newspapers. Shepherd wholeheartedly jumped into the case and fought vigorously to save Ed Johnsons life. He objected strongly to the way Judge McReynolds tried the case on several points: 1.) setting a trial within 10 days of Johnson being arrested; 2.) refusal to move the trial out of Chattanooga; and 3.) the judges pro prosecution bias in his questioning of witnesses and relatives of the defendant on legal matters.

In his closing argument Shepherd attacked the judges denial of justice and right to a fair trial. After Johnson was convicted, he was outvoted by co-counsel who were concerned that if the case was appealed it would lead to a lynching. However, two African-American lawyers, Noah Parden and Styles Hutchins, took over the case and asked Shepherd to be a part of the appeal team. Ignoring any potential consequences on his distinguished career and his personal safety, Shepherd agreed to continue his representation.



The case was appealed to the United States Supreme Court and as explained in Contempt of Court by Authors Mark Curriden and Leroy Phillips, Jr., the High Court ordered a stay of execution as outlined in their non-fictional account of the entire case and trial. On the day the United States Supreme Court granted the stay Shepherd invited Parden and Hutchins to his retreat on Lookout Mountain to celebrate their great victory. Unfortunately, that very night an angry crowd stormed the Hamilton County Jail and took Ed Johnson to the Walnut Street Bridge and hung him. The crowd then mutilated his body by shooting him several times.

Subsequently the Supreme Court cited Sheriff Shipp and several others for contempt for not protecting Ed Johnson from the mob. In an unusual move that would not be allowed today, Lewis Shepherd represented nine of the defendants in the first and only criminal case in the history of that High Court.

The permanent stigma that might have been attached to Lewis Shepherd for representing Ed Johnson was probably lessened because of the lawyers good reputation and high standing in the community plus his representation of the nine defendants in the Sheriff Shipp contempt cases.



While his law practice survived, Parden and Hutchins did not fare well as they were forced by intimidation to leave Chattanooga and relocate to other cities.

Although lost in relative obscurity until the release of the 1999 Contempt of Court book by Curriden and Philips, the trial of Ed Johnson if reviewed on its proper context would have to be one of the Trials of the Century.



* * *

Jerry Summers

(If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
We are honored and humbled to be recipients of these awards. Our company has been in business for over 20 years, and to this day we continue to strive to be a top leader in the commercial kitchen and restaurant equipment industry.

Restaurant Equipment Paradise, a national full-service restaurant supply and commercial kitchen equipment company is excited to announce that it has won 3 prestigious awards for its unparalleled performance and service in 2019. The company received the awards from the Excell Foodservice Equipment Dealer Network.

The 3 awards are:



Top 10 Dealer

Circle of Excellence Award (over $1 million in sales growth)

Excellerator Award

Restaurant Equipment Paradise is very proud of its hard work to rise above 150 other dealer members in Excell to achieve such respected industry awards.

Ken Swerdlick, CEO of Restaurant Equipment Paradise stated "We are honored and humbled to be recipients of these awards. Our company has been in business for over 20 years, and to this day we continue to strive to be a top leader in the commercial kitchen and restaurant equipment industry. We are proud of our longstanding relationship with Excell and look forward to the future of continuing to service our clients throughout the United States."

Randy Brunschwig, CEO of Excell added "As a respected member of our dealer group, Ken Swerdlick and the team at Restaurant Equipment Paradise are most deserving of these honors based on their leadership and commitment to excellence. They represent many of Excells core values, including Go One Step Further, Think Forward and Relentless Improvement. Restaurant Equipment Paradise exemplifies everything that Excell stands and strives for; and is most deserving of these prestigious awards. Due to dealers like this, Excell is truly Stronger Together. Congratulations for your achievements."

About the Excell Foodservice Equipment Dealer Network

Excells nationwide network of foodservice equipment dealers and suppliers are leaders in their marketplace with the goal of providing solutions and to service the needs of end-users.

Members success is the result of forward-thinking planning, strong management, a focus on relationships and networking, trailblazing technological solutions, unparalleled service offerings and robust programs to promote rapid growth with their suppliers.

About Restaurant Equipment Paradise

Restaurant Equipment Paradise is a full-service restaurant supply and commercial kitchen equipment company that has been in business since 1998. The company operates out of a 35,000 square foot facility that stocks new restaurant equipment, used restaurant equipment, smallwares, grease traps, and other restaurant supplies. Additional services the company provides is complete restaurant design, equipment financing, websites for restaurants, custom cutting boards, delivery and install, as well a restaurant auctions and brokerage services. The company is based out of East Hartford, Connecticut and services clients throughout the entire United States.
13.05.2020 LISTEN

A member of the NDC legal team Chris Ackumey has predicted the NCA case that three top former officials jailed will definitely land in the Supreme Court.

According to him, two of the convicted persons in the case still have an appeal yet to be heard by the Appeal Court.

I believe the Appeal will go up to the Supreme Court, he told Morning Starr host Francis Abban Wednesday.

On the order by the court for the properties of the convicts to be confiscated, Mr Ackumey said such directives are difficult to carry through.

An Accra Commercial High Court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour on Tuesday May 12 convicted three (3) out of the five (5) accused persons who have been on trial in the case of The Republic versus Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie and four others.

The trial of the five accused persons, Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, the former Board Chair of the National Communication Authority (NCA); William Tetteh Tevie, former Director-General of the NCA; Nana Owusu Ensaw, a former board member; Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, and a businessman, George Derek Oppong, begun on the 16th of January 2018 when the state called its first prosecution witness, the Director of Legal Administration at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Abena Awarkoa Asafo Adjei, and ended on the 10th of March 2020 after the state, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, (DPP) Yvonne Atakora Obuabisa, concluded her cross-examination of the 5th accused person in the case, George Derek Oppong.

REP v EUGENE BAFFOE BONNIE  FINAL JUDGMENT

Prosecution Witnesses

The state in all called six (6) prosecution witnesses. They are the Director of Legal Administration at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Abena Awarkoa Asafo Adjei; Dr Isaac Yaw Ani, Deputy Director-General in charge of Management and Operations at the National Communications Authority (NCA); Henry Kanor, Deputy Director-General in charge of Technical Operations at the National Communications Authority (NCA); Colonel Michael Kwadwo Poku, Director of Operations at the National Security; Deputy National Security Coordinator, Duncan Opare, and Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah, investigator of the case.

Defence of Accused Persons

All the accused persons when they took turns to open their defence testified on their own and none called any defence witnesses in support of their cases.

In Court

Justice Eric Kyei Baffours court in its judgement indicated that the State has established a strong case of causing financial loss to the State against the accused persons. The accused persons the Court said were in a conspiratorial drill to cause financial loss to the State. The first accused who essentially was the architect of the entire deal used his public office for private benefit to the tune of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00).

The Court found A1 (Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie) Guilty of Count 1,2,5,10,11, 12, and 17. A2 (Matthew Tetteh Tevie) was found guilty of Count 1,2,10,11, and 17. A3 (Dr Nana Owusu Ensaw) was not mentioned at all in the judgement because he had already been acquitted and discharged by the Court of Appeal on the 25rh of March 2020. A4 (Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman) was found guilty on Count 1,2,10,11, and 17. A5 (George Derek Oppong) was Acquitted and Discharged forthwith.

Lawyer for the accused persons, particularly, for the second accused person, Godwin Tamakloe, in their sentencing mitigation plea, prayed the Court for a non-custodial sentence for their clients and more importantly for the second accused person (Matthew Tetteh Tevie) due to his ill health.

Justice Eric Kyei Baffour sentenced the accused persons as follows, A1, is sentenced to six years in prison, A2 to five years and A4 to five years in prison with hard labour.

Background

According to the facts of the case as presented by the Attorney General, Baffoe-Bonnie, Tetteh Tevie, Nana Owusu Ensaw and Alhaji Osman were allegedly aided by George Derek Oppong to engage in the criminal act. The brief facts state that the previous administration had contracted an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, to supply listening equipment at a cost of $6 million to enable the authorities to monitor conversations of persons suspected to be engaged in terror activities. A local agent, Infraloks Development Limited, charged $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million. The facts further explained that the National Security did not have the money to fund the transaction and for that reason the NCA, which had supervisory jurisdiction over the use of such equipment, was asked to fund the project.

It said $4 million was withdrawn from the NCAs account, while $1 million out of the withdrawn amount was deposited into the account of the Israeli company. The A-G explained that the remaining $3 million was lodged in the account of Oppong, who acted as a representative of the local agents, Infraloks Development Ltd.

The State closed its case against the accused persons on the 18th of April 2019, following which the accused persons chose to exercise their rights under section 173 of Criminal and Other Offences Procedure Act (Act 30) to file Submissions of No Case.

---starrfmonline
More than 300 politicians from around the world on Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund (MF) and World Bank to cancel the debt of the poorest countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic and to boost funding to avert a global economic meltdown.

The initiative, led by former United States presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders and US Representative Ilham Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, comes amid growing concern that developing countries and emerging economies will be devastated by the pandemic.

Other signatories include former British Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Argentine legislator Carlos Menem, who enacted austerity measures when he served as president in the 1980s and 1990s.

The virus has infected more than 4.2 million people globally and killed 287,349, a Reuters tally showed.

Widespread shutdowns aimed at containing the virus are taking a huge toll on the global economy, and especially poor countries with weak health systems, high debt levels and few resources to manage the dual health and economic crises.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday said the Fund was very likely to revise downward its forecast that global output would shrink by 3 percent in 2020, and said developing countries would need more than $2.5 trillion in financing to weather the storm.

Sanders said poor countries needed every cent to care for their people, instead of servicing the unsustainable debts they owe to the large international financial institutions.

Cancelling the debt of the poorest countries was the very least that the World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions should do to prevent an unimaginable increase in poverty, hunger, and disease that threatens hundreds of millions of people, he said.

The legislators welcomed a move by the IMF to cover the debt service payments of 25 of the poorest countries for six months, but said further efforts were needed.

The World Bank has said it will look at ways to expand its support for the poorest countries, but warned that waiving debt payments could harm its credit rating and undercut its ability to provide low-cost funding to members.

In the letter, policymakers from about two dozen countries on all six continents said debt service obligations of the poorest countries should be cancelled outright, instead of simply suspended, as agreed by the Group of 20 countries in April.

Failing to do so meant those countries would not be able to prioritize spending needed to fight the virus, which in turn could lead to continued disruption to global supply chains and financial markets, they wrote.

The lawmakers also urged the IMFs Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass to support the creation of trillions of dollars of new Special Drawing Rights, the currency of the IMF.

An issuance of SDRs on the order of trillions of dollars will be required to avert major increases in poverty, hunger and disease, wrote the legislators, who span a wide range of political affiliations and include former heads of state.

An SDR allocation is akin to a central bank printing new money and does not trigger big costs, but has been opposed by the US, the IMFs largest shareholder.

Omar said the US should lead the effort to provide relief to the most vulnerable nations.

All our destinies are linked. If we turn a blind eye to the suffering of people abroad, it will eventually harm us, Omar said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Israel Wednesday for a quick, eight-hour visit amid the coronavirus pandemic, disembarking from his plane wearing a red, white and blue face mask.

He landed in Tel Aviv and headed directly to Jerusalem, receiving an exemption from Israel's mandatory two-week quarantine for arrivals due to the coronavirus outbreak. He is the first foreign official to visit Israel since January, before the country largely shut its borders to curb the pandemic.

But, in a change in protocol, Pompeo was not met at the airport by David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, as Friedman was feeling unwell and had been advised to keep away, the State Department said.

Friedman tested negative for the coronavirus, a State Department spokeswoman said. But he experienced 'mild upper respiratory symptoms' and was therefore asked by medical staff to avoid proximity to Pompeo.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Israel Wednesday for a quick, eight-hour visit amid the coronavirus pandemic, disembarking from his plane wearing a red, white and blue face mask

David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel - seen walking ahead of Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence during their January visit to Israel - did not greet Secretary Pompeo upon his arrival as he was ill; the State Department said Friedman tested negative for coronavirus

The coronavirus was on the agenda for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

The coronavirus pandemic was on the agenda for Pompeo's meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as was Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, as Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teen in a clash with stone-throwers in the occupied territory.

China was also on the agenda. Pompeo has frequently criticized Beijing for not sharing enough information about the origins of the coronavirus and has pushed for an investigation of whether it started in laboratory in Wuhan. Health officials have said the virus originated in animals in jumped to humans, possibly in Wuhan's wet market, which sells exotic animal meat.

'You're a great partner,' Pompeo said to Netanyahu. 'You share information, unlike some other countries that try and obfuscate and hide information. We'll talk about that country, too.'

Pompeo's brief visit came at a tense time, as Israeli troops searched for the killers of a soldier killed a day earlier by a rock dropped from a rooftop during an army raid of a West Bank village.

With President Donald Trump facing election in November, Netanyahu and his nationalist base are eager to move ahead quickly with annexing portions of the West Bank. Annexation is expected to appeal to Trump's pro-Israel evangelical supporters, but is also bound to trigger widespread international condemnation. It would crush already faint Palestinian hopes of establishing a viable state alongside Israel, on lands Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

Standing alongside Pompeo, Netanyahu said the six-hour visit is a 'testament to the strength of our alliance.' The two said their talks would focus on shared concerns about Iran, the battle against the coronavirus and Israel's incoming government.

Netanyahu and his new coalition partner, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, postponed the swearing-in of their government until Thursday to accommodate Pompeo's visit.

Pompeo also met with Gantz and with his fellow retired military chief Gabi Ashkenazi, the new government's incoming foreign minister.

Neither Netanyahu nor Pompeo mentioned Wednesday's violence in southern West Bank.

Israeli troops shot dead a 15-year-old Palestinian in a refugee camp near the flashpoint city of Hebron Wednesday. The Palestinian health ministry also said four others were wounded by live fire, the ministry said.

It comes the day after a Palestinian stone-thrower killed an Israeli soldier during an arrest operation near Jenin, the army's first fatality of the year. The soldier was killed after being struck in the head with a rock thrown off a rooftop. The military said it had arrested 10 suspects.

Pompeo expressed his condolence on the soldier's death and said 'Israel has the right to defend itself and America will consistently support you in that effort.'

One of the key items on the agenda in Pompeo's talks Wednesday was expected to be Israel's stated intention to annex parts of the West Bank.

Pompeo said 'there remains work yet to do and we need to make progress on that.' Ahead of the visit, Pompeo told the Israeli daily Israel Hayom on Tuesday that he was coming to hear Netanyahu and Gantz's views on the matter.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meet with Israeli Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz

Israeli soldiers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus as they carry the coffin of Israeli army Staff Sgt. Amit Ben-Yigal during his funeral in Beer Yaakov, Israel on Tuesday

Netanyahu and Gantz struck a power-sharing deal last month after three parliamentary elections over the past year resulted in stalemate. Under the deal, Netanyahu would remain prime minister for the next 18 months, even as he goes on trial on charges of fraud, accepting bribes and breach of trust. After a year and a half, Gantz will serve as prime minister for 18 months.

The agreement also stipulates that Netanyahu can advance plans to annex West Bank land, including dozens of Jewish settlements, starting July 1. The deal says such a move must be coordinated with the U.S. while considering regional stability and peace agreements.

Under the Trump plan unveiled in January, the Palestinians would have limited statehood while Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank. The Palestinians have rejected the plan.

Netanyahu said the new government offered 'an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings I reached with President Trump.'

Israeli hard-liners are eager to unilaterally redraw the Mideast map before November's U.S. presidential election.

Annexation would also give Trump an accomplishment to shore up his pro-Israel base, particularly politically influential evangelical Christian voters. Wednesday's meeting could provide an indication of how far the administration is willing to allow Netanyahu to move.

The presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, has said he opposes unilateral annexation plans by Israel.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives in Israel; he received an exemption from the nation's two week quarantine so he could meet with Israeli leaders

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek these territories for a future independent state. In the decades since, Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem that now house nearly 700,000 Israelis. Most of the international community considers these settlements a violation of international law and obstacles to peace.

In November, Pompeo stated that the administration no longer believed that Israels West Bank settlements were inconsistent with international law.

But Netanyahu's plans to annex occupied West Bank territory have drawn fierce criticism. The Arab League has said annexation would be a 'war crime.' And the European Union, as well as individual member states, have warned of tough consequences if Israel moves forward.

The Trump administration has said it will support the annexation of West Bank territory - as long as Israel agrees to enter peace talks with the Palestinians.
Forty-five minutes before Sterling Robinson allegedly gunned a man down behind a Terrytown apartment building on the evening of March 13, authorities say he used the same 9mm pistol to shoot at his girlfriend during a confrontation at her New Orleans East apartment.

The unidentified woman was not injured, but bullet casings at the scene of the Downman Road shooting matched casings collected in Terrytown by detectives investigating the death of Tavon Corley, 25, authorities said.

Algiers man identified as victim in fatal shooting in Terrytown Friday The man killed in a shooting behind a Terrytown apartment building Friday evening has been identified by the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Detective Harold Wischan provided new details about Corley's killing during a probable cause hearing for Robinson Tuesday morning. Robinson is booked with second-degree murder and two counts of obstruction of justice.

Deputies found Corley's body lying in the rear driveway of a residence in the 200 block of Helen Street after receiving several 911 calls reporting the shooting about 7:30 p.m., authorities said.

Corley had been shot in the hand, chest and back, Wischan testified. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shell casings found about 100 feet from Corley's body led investigators to deduce that he'd collapsed behind the apartment building after running from his shooter, according to Wischan.

Investigators identified Robinson as a suspect in the case through surveillance video, witnesses and cell phone data. Robinson was driven to the scene in a dark-colored Chevrolet Impala by a relative, Wischan said. Another relative followed behind the car in a white pick-up truck, he said.

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Neither of the relatives has been arrested in connection with the homicide.

Authorities found the Impala and Robinson four days later at an Algiers home near De Armas and Casa Calvo streets, Wischan said. Robinson was arrested after a brief foot-chase through the neighborhood.

That's when Wischan learned that Robinson was also wanted by New Orleans police on a warrant for domestic aggravated assault that occurred less than an hour before Corley's killing, he said.

Robinson's former girlfriend reported that Robinson shot at her car about 6:45 p.m. on March 13 just after she pulled into her apartment complex in the 7700 block of Downman Road in New Orleans, Wischan testified. Several bullets hit her car, but she was not hurt.

When the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office crime lab compared the shell casings from New Orleans with Corley's shooting,"it was an exact match, fired from the same gun," Wischan said.

Cell phone data also put Robinson in the area of both crime scenes at the times the shootings occurred, Wischan said. He did not testify about a motive in the homicide case.

Criminal Commissioner Paul Schneider found probable cause to hold Robinson, whose bond has been set at $550,500 for the charges related to the Terrytown shooting.
- The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has explained the rationale behind government's decision to lift the partial lockdown

- According to him, Ghana's largely informal sector would have been severely affected if the lockdown had been extended

- The minister added that the COVID-19 has severely affected Ghana's revenue target for the year 2020

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has revealed that it was impossible for the partial lockdown recently imposed on two regions in Ghana to go beyond three weeks.

He explained that Ghanas largely informal economy would be severely hit if the lockdown had been further extended.

On March 27, 2020, President Akufo-Addo announced the imposition of a partial lockdown on Greater Accra and parts of Ashanti Region.

READ ALSO: Ghana's economy will contract by 1% in 2020 - EIU reports

This formed part of an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus which has affected several people and claimed lives all over the world.

Per a report by citibusinessnews.com, Ofori-Atta explained at an event at the Jubilee House that it was necessary to lift the lockdown.

When you look at what happened during the lockdown. It was quite clear after a point that given the 90% of our population is informal and they go out each day to earn wages, it became increasingly impossible to continue with such a policy, he noted.

Ofori-Atta went on to say that Ghana is likely to record a significant fall in its revenue target for 2020, due to the economic impact of COVID-19.

The cumulative effect of the coronavirus, he added, could cost Ghana about GHC9.505 billion.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has stated that there is a likelihood of a fall in Ghanas growth rate from 6% to 1.5%

According to him, the countrys deficit budget is also expected to exceed 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He further noted that there is also the possibility that Ghana would be impacted in its macro-fiscal position due to the pandemic.

READ ALSO: IMF gives Ghana $1 billion to fight COVID-19 epidemic

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Thirty-three people were booked for violation of coronavirus-induced lockdown rules after a clash between them over the right of passage of a tractor in the fields in Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Wednesday.

Several people sustained minor injuries when two groups of villagers clashed at Gyana Majra village under Charthawal police station on Tuesday over the right of passage of tractor in the fields, the police said.

According to police officer Sube Singh, neither side filed a complaint with the police over the clash prompting them to register a case against 33 people for violation of lockdown norms.

Six of the accused have been arrested, the police officer added.

India is under a nationwide lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman has married the man who saved her life during the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

Chantal Melanson, from Canada, first met Austin Monfort, from California, on 30 September 2017, when the pair, who were both in Nevada for the Route 91 Harvest festival, found themselves at the same country bar.

According to Melanson, when Monfort first attempted to approach her that night, she initially turned him down as she was out with her friends and he wasnt wearing cowboy boots.

I was with my girls and I gave him a hard time for not wearing cowboy boots at a country bar," the 29-year-old told People.

However, after Monfort asked Melanson to dance, the pair hit it off - ending the night exchanging phone numbers.

Of their instant connection, Melanson said: "He was so easy to talk to, it felt like we knew each other forever."

Recommended Las Vegas shooting survivor meets baby whose life she saved

The next night, on 1 October 2017, Monfort texted Melanson to meet him to watch the performances of the final night of the concert together.

While watching Jason Aldean perform, the couple heard a series of loud bangs, which they originally thought were fireworks. The sound was actually from 64-year-old Stephen Paddock firing shots from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel onto the 22,000 concertgoers below.

"We were just listening to music having a good time," Monfort recalled. "Until we realised that the noises werent fireworks, they were gunshots. Then it became, 'Am I going to survive this, how much longer until police can make it stop, and how do we get out of here?'

According to Monfort, he felt a sense of responsibility to protect Melanson - as she was with him during the deadly mass shooting and not her friends.

I felt like not only did I have to get myself out, but also her. Keeping her calm and getting her out kept me calm, and didnt allow me to panic, he said.

Melanson said she remembers looking into Monforts eyes trying to make sense of everything.

"Next thing I knew, Austin was holding my hand and we were running through the entire grounds trying to make it to safety, she recalled.

After the deadly mass shooting, which killed 58 people and injured 800, the couple stayed together throughout the night - before parting ways in the morning to return to their respective homes.

Following the tragedy, Melanson and Monfort stayed in touch, forming a relationship and eventually becoming engaged in March 2019, before marrying in a San Diego courthouse.

According to the couple, who document their relationship on Instagram, they had plans to hold a traditional wedding ceremony but it was postponed due to coronavirus.

However, the pandemic didnt stop them from celebrating their love.

Our wedding was supposed to be Friday, they captioned a photo of what would have been their wedding day. Although we didnt have the wedding we still wanted to celebrate us. We had a wonderful evening date in the backyard, with a few of our wedding signs, a wonderful dinner and champagne.

According to Melanson, the response to their story has been "surreal".

"It's been so positive, we love to put a smile on people's face during such an uncertain time," she told The Independent. "It's nice to put light on the positive side of such a devastating night."

As for their happy ending, the couple has described it as a fairytale love story.

Less than 24 hours after meeting each other we were in a mass shooting together and he never left my side. Almost two years later, living in two different countries, we have a fairytale love story, Melanson captioned their engagement photo.
TDT | Manama

Bahrains Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark, and Representative to the European Union and NATO, Dr Bahia Jawad Al Jishi, met a number of Bahraini students through video conference in an Ambassadors of the Nation session.

Bahrain Institute for Political Development (BIPD) held the virtual session in cooperation with the Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa Academy for Diplomatic Studies. The session was moderated by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Communication Directorate director Dr. Arwa Al Sayed.

Dr. Al Jishi extended her gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for the royal trust he bestowed on her by appointing her Ambassador in 2015.

She paid tribute to His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister.

She extended her sincere thanks to the wife of His Majesty the King and Supreme Council for Women president, Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, for the attention she attaches to all areas, including the diplomatic field.

Dr. Al Jishi commended His Majesty the Kings Diplomatic Affairs advisor Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and officials at the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

She highlighted her diplomatic and media career, and her role as a Shura Council member. She underlined Bahraini womens strides, which have earned the Kingdom international praise.

Dr. Al Jishi noted the embassys effort to highlight Bahrains developments and human rights strides, which helped correct the false image about the Kingdom in the European Parliament, which was based on false information.
Australia's largest philanthropic venture, the Paul Ramsay Foundation, has outlined a groundbreaking strategy aimed at ending cycles of disadvantage and confirmed long-term financial support for the independent Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation.

The foundation received a $3.5 billion bequest from businessman Paul Ramsay following his death in 2014. Since last year it has been developing a strategy to entrench itself as a permanent, large-scale source of charitable funding based on a philanthropic model more well-established in the United States.

Paul Ramsay Foundation chief executive Glyn Davis. Credit:Louie Douvis

Foundation chief executive Glyn Davis, who was recruited at the end of 2018 to develop the long-term strategy, has for the first time detailed how the Ramsay billions will be used, revealing a poverty alleviation effort spanning education, employment, community initiatives and criminal justice.

Professor Davis, a former vice-chancellor of Melbourne University, said the goal was intervening in cycles of disadvantage by funding select charities and other organisations across the country. The foundation will focus on "off-ramps" to help people out of poverty.
Incumbent Scott Sukstorf of Cedar Bluffs advanced to the General Election in District 4. He received 414 votes compared to 247 for his challenger, Tom Slobodnik of rural Yutan. There were no other candidates in the Democratic or other parties.

There were no incumbents on the ballot in District 6, as current supervisor Ed Rastovski opted not to run for reelection. As a result, there will be a new face on the county board after the November election. The Republican candidate in the lead at this time is Tom Hrdlicka of Wahoo with 199 votes. He has a slim lead over Deborah Wehling-Wilcox of Wahoo with 193 votes. In third place is Ken Stuchlik of Wahoo with 134 votes. The winner of the Republican nomination will face Democrat Kyle Morgan in the November General Election.

Voters in Mead said yes to keno by a nearly five-to-one margin. A total of 97 voters said yes to a lottery, which translates into allowing keno in a new bar that is opening later this summer in the village. Eighteen voters cast a vote against the measure.
Paul Duerig, his daughter, Molly, and his girlfriend, Karen Meanor were strolling past the Alamo and slowly heading back to their car and a long road trip to Florida when they got word that the Thunderbirds were due to fly over any minute.

They stopped everything and checked their phones, readying for the event, as did others milling about Alamo Plaza and across the street at the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building.

No one wanted to miss it, but when the sound of jet engines echoed across the plaza, people couldnt tell where the Air Force fighters were, at first.

They were way back over there, Paul Duerig, 60, of Pittsburgh, said, pointing to the northeast.

Oh! I dont know if I caught it, Molly Duerig, 29, cried, looking at her cell phone. Let me see if I caught it!

The flyover near Alamo Plaza on a hot, sunny afternoon offered a momentarily soaring experience in a dark year that has seen at least 1.4 million coronavirus cases and 83,953 deaths from COVID-19 in the United States.

Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer

But that was the point. The Thunderbirds and their Navy counterparts, the Blue Angels, have crisscrossed the country to honor first responders, hospital workers and others who care for victims of the virus.

Its incredible what theyre doing, Molly Duerig said of the nations caregivers. Honestly, I cant imagine how scary it must be for them  to go to work every day and see some of the things theyre seeing. They have one of the most important jobs ever.

Six red, white and blue F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, followed by a chase plane, spent a half-hour over the San Antonio area, visible in fleeting glimpses from neighborhoods or downtown streets, or in long views along major highways.

They flew from Helotes to the Medical Center, and then to U.S. 90 west of Loop 1604 before speeding to a point south of downtown. They headed to Floresville before looping around back to downtown. The planes circled over the heart of the city and streaked north over U.S. 281, banking around the Loop 1604 interchange and going east toward Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. Then they were gone, heading to New Braunfels, San Marcos and Austin.

From our view, it flew right behind the Alamo, said Anthony Welch, 30, a San Antonio lawyer with a criminal defense and family practice.

I got like a slow-mo, said Lauren McCollum, who was with him. It was really cool stuff.

The threat of bad weather delayed the flyover by a day. Then, on Wednesday morning, the Thunderbirds announced another weather delay on Twitter of one hour.

There was no reason for worry, as things turned out. Well after the lunch hour, the handful of people on the steps of the federal building on Alamo Plaza checked the time on their cell phones and readied their cameras.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

Its a rare opportunity, said Army Maj. Melissa Baltazar. They dont do air shows like they used to and those were good memories for me, so its nice to see that again.

Air shows used to be annual events in San Antonio but now occur every other year, with the Blue Angels flying at times and the Thunderbirds coming into town on other occasions. This year, the Nevada-based Thunderbirds will fly at the Nov. 14-15 Air & Space Show & Open House still scheduled at JBSA-Lackland.

The Texas Air National Guards 149th Fighter Wing, based in San Antonio, honored pandemic workers Monday with a flyover of hospitals and medical support facilities in Corpus Christi, Laredo and Lubbock, calling it, Operation American Resolve.

The Thunderbirds flyover was a great demonstration of how powerful our nation is when we stand united, said Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who watched along with a handful of others from atop the Municipal Plaza Building.

The Air Forces primary military contributions during the pandemic have involved sending doctors into city hospitals and airlifting medical supplies. The flyovers with the Blue Angels, dubbed America Strong, have already thrilled residents in Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston as well as New York, Miami and other cities.

Paul and Molly Duerig and Karen Meanor had stopped to visit the Alamo on a drive from Phoenix. Molly Duerig had just earned a masters degree in journalism at Arizona State University and they were headed to Orlando and her first job. All three wore masks, as did most people on the plaza.

A few moments after looking to the northeast, they turned south as the roar of the F-16 engines grew louder. Both Molly Duerig and Meanor cried out excitedly as they caught sight of the jets.

They were gone in 20 seconds.

I thought they were flying really close, which I guess is what they do, said Paul Duerig, a retired software engineer.

I loved it, said Meanor, 57, of Pittsburgh, after the Thunderbirds made their pass. It was great. First time I ever saw them. A very nice tribute to the health care workers.

The Thunderbirds looped around downtown and came back for another pass, giving everyone a second chance to get the video right.

Everyone except Mike Rose and his son, Dylan, who stood in the plaza unaware the Thunderbirds had even been overhead. The elder Rose was shooting video of Dylan, 15, as he finished a 1-mile run that wrapped up a 30-day challenge he posted on YouTube.

I feel like I missed out, Mike Rose, 58, of Waco, said of the flyover. We heard it while we were running down there. We just werent sure what was going on.

Now Playing: Watching the tribute to frontline COVID19 responders. Video: San Antonio Express-News

The younger Rose has run a mile a day over the past month in Austin and the Hill Country, posting video clips. Dylan Rose said the idea was to become a better track and cross country runner, and encourage others to run and exercise.

For others, the brief view of the flying formation had been an uplifting moment.

Its just nice that they were doing it, said McCollum, 27, a San Antonio attorney who is a partner in Welchs firm.  Its kind of an upbeat day versus a rough 2020.

Sig Christenson covers the military and its impact in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Sig, become a subscriber. sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe
Police are searching for a woman who was forced into a car by a man and driven away in the middle of the night.

Officers were called to New River Avenue in Haringey, north London, at 11.55pm on May 11 to reports that someone was bundled into a small dark coloured vehicle.

There was 'no trace' of the vehicle or the woman when officers arrived, and it is not yet clear exactly what happened, police say.

Detectives are appealing for information about the 'distressed' woman, described as white, aged between 25 and 30 years old, with blonde hair.

Officers were called to New River Avenue in Haringey, north London, at 11.55pm on May 11 to reports that someone was bundled into a small dark coloured car

The man is also white and was wearing a dark coloured coat, jeans and black trainers

She was wearing black clothing and carrying a grey or white handbag.

The man is also white and was wearing a dark coloured coat, jeans and black trainers.

Detective Constable Rebecca Mussington, from the North Area Command Unit, said: 'Whilst it is not entirely clear what happened, our main priority is to establish that this woman is okay.

'If this was you, I would urge you to come forward and speak with us. We need to check on your welfare to ensure that you have not come to any harm.

'I would also like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time, and saw what happened.'

Anyone with information is asked to call officers via 101 quoting reference Cad 7964/11May. Or stay anonymous by contacting the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
MONTREAL, QCNoir Male, the interracial gay studio from Mile High Media that's snagged its share of awards at recent shows, together with director Chi Chi LaRue, have released Sin City, the studios first XXX feature. The movie is now available online for streaming and download worldwide.

LaRue's Sin City stars some of the biggest names in gay porn indulging in the seductive and sinful art of debauchery and sexual abandon. The cast includes Noir Male contract star DeAngelo Jackson, as well as Max Konnor, Dillon Diaz, Derek Cline, Ricky Larkin, Dominic Pacifico and Bucky Wright.

With his cinematic style and high-end visuals, veteran director LaRue explores the world of passionate men who are drawn into wildly erotic trysts. Shot in 4K ultra high definition, the movie features four scenes of hardcore sex under the lustful lights on Las Vegas.

Sin City box art and release information is available here.

Chi Chi LaRue presents a compelling look at the wild nights of seduction and unbridled lust in Vegas with his hand-picked cast, said Jon Blitt, vice president of Mile High Media. DeAngelo is expanding on his awarded Best Actor skills, opposite Derek Cline and Dominic Pacifico, while Ricky, Max and the rest of the cast are off the charts in their performances in this first feature for Noir Male. A real glimpse at great things to come from Noir.

Noir Male celebrates the full range of sexuality and fantasy fulfillment, in a product that breaks free from the stereotypes and conventions of typical interracial gay porn. Noir Male blends classic elegance with modern style, showcasing men of color, as they deserve to be seen: sensual, sexual, and unapologetically fine.

Noir Males latest scenes can be enjoyed now at NoirMale.com.

For the latest news, release info and BTS previews follow Noir Male on Twitter or Instagram @OfficialNoirMale.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

How did COVID-19 cases in India touched the 70k mark

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

New Delhi, May 13: The coronavirus pandemic casualties rose to 2,415 on Wednesday while the total number of infections crossed the 74,000-mark to reach 74,281. India has reported 122 deaths and 3,525 cases in the last 24 hours while death toll stands at 2,415.

India as crossed Canada's tally, which has 69,156 cases of Covid-19 and becomes 12th most worst affected country by the pandemic in the world. according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) list.

Coronavirus crisis: Here is what new findings, study reveals about smokers and COVID-19

The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was reported on 30 January as the first case was confirmed in Kerala's Thrissur district as a student who had returned home for a vacation from Wuhan University in China.

The number of positive cases reached 1,000 on March 29. It took 16 days to reach 10,000-mark as the toll touched the mark on April 14.

The next 10,000 positive cases took eight days as April 22 was the date when India's positive cases stood at 20,000-mark.

It took six days to reach 30,000mark as April 28 was the date.

On May 3 the toll stood at 40,000mark while it took only four days to touch 50,000 mark.

The number surged to 60,000 mark in just three days on May 10 and took only two days to reach 70,000 mark on May 12.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said that the doubling time of COVID-19 cases has now improved to 12.2 days. Earlier the doubling time was 10.9 days.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi during his fifth speech addressing to the nation on

Tuesday said the nationwide lockdown 4.0 will be a little different as it is said that the lockdown will come with a set of relaxations and rules.

Coronavirus mortality rate lowest is 31.7% in India: Health Ministry

The extended lockdown will be ended on May 17 and all CMs of the states are told to deliver blueprint to about concerning relaxations and restrictions of their respective states.

Meanwhile, US continues to be the worst affected country as it has more than 80,000 deaths due to coronavirus while the global death toll is close to three million.
President Trump said he wanted American schools to be reopened because 'our country isn't reopened if they're closed.'

He told reporters in a meeting with governors Wednesday that the coronavirus has 'very little impact on young people.'

And he lashed out at Dr. Anthony Fauci twice on Wednesday, telling reporters in the Cabinet Room that 'he wants to play all sides of the equation.'

President Trump demanded schools be reopened during a meeting with governors on Wednesday, blasting Dr. Anthony Fauci for preaching caution, saying that Fauci 'wants to play all sides'

In an interview conducted earlier Wednesday, the president told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo that he totally disagreed with Dr. Anthony Fauci on schools, adding that while Fauci is a 'good person' he's someone the president has 'disagreed' with

Dr. Anthony Fauci testified before the Senate HELP Committee on Tuesday and said school officials needed to study the 'dynamics of the outbreak' in their areas before reopening institutions in the fall. He also voiced concerns about children getting sick from COVID-19

Dr. Anthony Fauci (onscreen) had talked about a concerning trend in children who were likely exposed to COVID-19 in response to Sen. Rand Paul (center) saying he didn't think Fauci should be the 'end all' in coronavirus advice and suggesting schools should be reopened on a district-by-district basis

In an interview with Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo earlier in the day, Trump said, 'I totally disagree with him on schools,' after Fauci preached caution during Tuesday's Senate hearing on the coronavirus response.

He told the Fox Business anchor that Fauci was a 'good person' but someone he's 'disagreed' with.

He told reporters at the White House that he was 'surprised' when Fauci expressed concerns about opening businesses and schools prematurely.

'I was surprised by his answer, actually, because, you know, its just to me its not an acceptable answer especially when it comes to schools,' the president said when asked what he meant about Fauci trying to play 'all sides.' 'The only thing that would be acceptable as I said is professors, teachers, etc., over a certain age, I think they ought to take it easy for another few weeks.'

Fauci never said that schools shouldn't be reopened.

He did say that decision-makers needed to observe the status of the virus in their area before the first day of school in the fall.

'We just have to see, on a step-by-step basis, as we get into the period of time with the fall, about reopening the schools exactly where we'll be and the dynamics of the outbreak,' Fauci testified before the SENATE Help Committee.

During a back-and-forth with Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, Fauci said that institutions should be cautious because 'we don't know everything about this virus.'

'And we really better be careful, particularly when it comes to children,' said the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. 'I think we better be careful if we are not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects,' Fauci added.

He pointed to the fact that children 'presenting with COVID-19' were experiencing a 'strange inflammatory syndrome,' which Fauci noted was similar to Kawasaki disease, where patients' blood vessels become inflamed.

On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio reported that a total of 52 New York City children had been diagnosed with the syndrome, with another 10 cases pending. One child had died.

Fauci was responding to Paul who had griped that he didn't believe the doctor should be the 'end all' in coronavirus advice.

Paul, who has libertarian tendencies, was lambasting the idea that the federal government - with the guidance of the coronavirus taskforce - would make decisions pertaining to schools.

'And I think the one-size-fits-all that we're going to have a national strategy and nobody is going to go to school is kind of ridiculous,' Paul said. 'We really should be doing it school district by school district.'

Trump again said Wednesday that it would be the governors' choice on when schools would reopen.

And Fauci said later in the hearing, to a question posted by Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, that school openings wouldn't be handled 'universally.'
May 13 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said it was halving the annual development budget for Japan's first regional jet in half a century, the M90 SpaceJet, as the coronavirus pandemic squeezes profits.

Japan's leading heavy machinery maker also said on Monday that it would review proposals to offer a shorter variant of the aircraft, the M100, in the lucrative U.S. market

"We have to reconsider how we move forward," Mitsubishi Heavy Chief Executive Officer Seiji Izumisawa said during a press briefing to announce the company's latest results.

The SpaceJet budget this business year will be around half of the 141 billion yen it spent in the year that ended March 31, he said.

Built by the Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp subsidiary, the first 90-seat SpaceJet is slated for delivery to Japanese carrier ANA Holdings from April, eight years after the aircraft was originally slated to go into operation.

Mitsubishi Heavy, Japan's leading aerospace company and partner to Boeing Co, posted an operating loss of 29.5 billion yen on Monday after racking up a 263 billion yen deficit from impairment losses and development costs at its regional jet unit, triple the previous year.

The decision to dial back spending on its regional aircraft program comes as the coronavirus pandemic severely curtails air travel and raises questions over the viability of airlines around the world.

Any halt to the SpaceJet program could end Japan's ambition to establish its aerospace industry as more than a parts supplier.

"This immediately raised questions whether MHI may kill the M100 program. To do so will squander MHI's once-in-a-lifetime chance to become a real global power in commercial aviation," Scott Hamilton, an analyst at Leeham Co, said in a blog.

The cut to development spending by Mitsubishi Heavy, which has agreed to buy Bombardier Inc's regional jet program for $550 million, comes after Boeing last month pulled out of a $4.2 billion deal to buy the bulk of Embraer's commercial jet unit.

The U.S. planemaker said the Brazilian regional jet maker had failed to meet conditions for closing the deal. Embraer accused Boeing of scuppering the agreement because of financial problems resulting in part from the coronavirus pandemic.

($1 = 109.9500 yen) (Reporting by Tim Kelly and Maki Shiraki; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump and Republicans are launching a broad election-year attack on the foundation of the Russia investigation, including declassifying intelligence information to try to place senior Obama administration officials under scrutiny for routine actions.

The effort has been aided by a Justice Department decision to dismiss its prosecution of former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, essentially rewriting the narrative of the case in a way that former federal law enforcement officials say downplays the legitimate national security concerns they believe Flynns actions raised.

Trump and his Republican allies are pushing to reframe the Russia investigation as a deep state plot to sabotage his administration, setting the stage for a fresh onslaught of attacks on past and present Democratic officials and law enforcement leaders.

Two Republican critics of the Russia investigation, Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, disclosed a list of names of Obama administration officials they say may have received Flynns identity from intelligence reports in 2016 and 2017. Among the names is Trumps Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, who was vice-president when the Russia probe began.

Names of Americans are routinely hidden, or minimized, in intelligence reports that describe routine, legal surveillance of foreign targets. U.S. officials must make a specific request if they want to know the persons identity, or unmask them.

He was one of the unmaskers, Trump said of Biden in an interview with Fox Business Maria Bartiromo, labeling the Russia investigation as the greatest political crime in the history of our country.

Trump moved further to lay the blame on his predecessor and would-be replacement. The president knew everything, Trump said. President Obama and Vice-President Biden, they knew everything.

Biden and the other officials had full authority to seek the name of the unidentified American in the reports  it turned out to be Flynn  and did so through proper channels, according to Trump administration documents. Rather than reveal any actual wrongdoing, the release of the information by the presidents allies seems designed to create suspicion around Biden and other senior Democrats as the November election approaches.

Trump hyped the disclosure of the list with Bidens name as a massive thing. But the Biden campaign dismissed the revelation, with spokesman Andrew Bates saying it simply indicates the breadth and depth of concern across the American government at the time about Flynns conversations with foreign representatives. None of the officials could have known beforehand that the unidentified person in the reports was Flynn, Bates said.

The requests for the information came as U.S. officials were scrutinizing Russian election interference on Trumps behalf and trying to determine whether Trump associates were involved in that effort.

The issue has been politically charged since early 2017, when it was revealed that Flynn had discussed sanctions during the presidential transition period with Russias then-U.S. ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about those talks with Kislyak.

U.S. officials may ask the National Security Agency to disclose to them the names of Americans who are swept up in the surveillance of foreigners and whose identities are concealed in intelligence reports if they believe the identity is essential in understanding the intelligence  and they do so thousands of times a year.

In fact, unmasking requests increased in the first years of the Trump administration from 2015-2016 totals during the latter years of the Obama administration, according to a government transparency report issued last month.

The list declassified by Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist and acting national intelligence director, shows a broad range of U.S. officials submitted requests to the NSA between Nov. 8, 2016, and Jan. 31, 2017, to unmask the identity of an American who was revealed to be Flynn, according to a cover letter accompanying the release.

It is unclear if they actually viewed the unmasked information.

Flynns call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak occurred in late December 2016. Many of the requests to unmask his identity took place before then, as well as in the weeks that followed. The content of the intelligence reports was not disclosed.

The highly unusual disclosure comes as Trump, scrambling to manage the coronavirus crisis, has been eager to shift the focus elsewhere. He has repeatedly pronounced Flynn exonerated and pushed a loosely defined Obamagate allegation that the previous administration tried to undermine him during the presidential transition.

Trump has tried to rally his supporters around the claim to revive enthusiasm among voters disappointed by his handling of the pandemic. He used the first 20 minutes of a recent Fox News interview to attack the Obama administration rather than offer updates on the pandemic.

He has increasingly lashed out in the year since Muellers report, which identified substantial contacts between Trump associates and Russia but did not accuse him of a crime or allege a criminal conspiracy between his campaign and the Kremlin. Revelations since then have exposed problems in the early days of the FBIs probe, including errors and omissions in applications to surveil an ex-Trump campaign adviser.

Attorney General William Barr has said dropping the case against Flynn was in the interests of justice. The department says the FBI had insufficient grounds for interviewing Flynn about his entirely appropriate calls with the ambassador and that any imperfect statements he made during the interview werent material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign.

But the decision stunned former law enforcement officials involved in the case, including some who say the Justice Department is rewriting history and omitting key context.

Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said the FBI was obligated to interview Flynn about his conversations with Kislyak, and that Flynns lies compounded the bureaus concerns.

And because White House officials were inaccurately asserting that Flynn had never discussed sanctions with Kislyak, U.S. officials were concerned Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail since Russia also knew what was discussed.

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has yet to rule on the Justice Departments dismissal request and has indicated he is not inclined to do so swiftly.
Just a few months ago, the Portland school board was preparing to pitch voters on a $1.4 billion bond package to remake three high schools. Now, the novel coronavirus pandemic has board members reconsidering what to ask for should it forge ahead with a November campaign.

The bond committee on Thursday considered what might be the most palatable to voters at a time when most every sector of the economy faces uncertainty. Oregon faces record unemployment and state officials expect theyll face a budget shortfall of around $3 billion.

Gov. Kate Brown said Monday that state agencies should expect cuts of up to 17%.

Its amid this economic backdrop that the Portland school board must decide whether to forge on with its long-term infrastructure plan, which would require an eight-year commitment meant to fund massive renovations at Cleveland, Jefferson and Wilson high schools and address cost overruns from projects greenlit by voters in 2017.

Now may not be the right time to go out with a $1.4 billion package, said board member Andrew Scott, who also chairs the bond committee.

Every board member, save for Michelle DePass, attended Thursdays committee meeting.

Some board members suggested a new two- or three-year bond, asking voters for a lower sum to fund curriculum changes and expand access to technology. District staff is expected to produce proposals for a May 19 work session.

Seismic upgrades, security upgrades and an update to the districts student information systems have been suggested in the past.

Right now, for times such as these, what we really need is technology and curriculum, Board member Eilidh Lowery said.

After that, officials plan to conduct a series of community feedback sessions to get a sense of what each school community will prioritize.

Board member Julia Brim-Edwards suggested the district might focus on renovations for one of the high schools that hasnt yet been part of a bond campaign. She didnt mince words in naming which building to prioritize: Jefferson High.

The building is a dump. It sends a message to our students that theres been a lack of investment over the years, she said. If we had the ability to put a high school in, thats what I would support.

Scott told The Oregonian/OregonLive that board members have discussed sitting out the November election, but most prefer proposing another bond to maintain the current tax rate. Board members and district staff on Thursday also pointed to voters consistent support of tax measures to fund teachers and building upgrades as a reason to forge ahead.

Board member Scott Bailey said he didnt see a need to put the districts long-term infrastructure plans on hold.

Right now, weve got COVID right in our face. That distorts our perceptions. Lets not lose track of the long-term here, he said. "Im worried that our plans for rebuilding schools will be set back four years if all we do is finish Benson with this bond.

Other board members gently pushed back, arguing they were worried as much about optics as anything else.

But the district still needs to address cost overruns in projects voters approved in 2017. That means officials must ask voters for another $200 million before 2021, when major renovations are scheduled to begin at Benson High.

Because the Northeast Portland high school was the last of four major projects on the construction schedule, it absorbed the cost overruns at Kellogg Middle School and Madison and Lincoln high schools to keep those efforts moving on time.

--Eder Campuzano
A man has died in a Brisbane hospital after he was stabbed in the stomach outside a Logan unit complex overnight.

Police arrested his alleged attacker in one of the other units close to where the victim was found. He was charged and was set to appear in court on Thursday.

It will be alleged a 45-year-old man became involved in an argument with a 32-year-old victim outside the unit block on Bourke Street in Waterford West about 8.15pm on Wednesday.

It will also be alleged the older man stabbed the younger man in the abdomen with a knife.
Leading European producer of TV series and feature films, StudioCanal, is increasing its current stake in StudioCanalTV/Tandem Productions to 100%, acquiring the remaining shares of partners Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin and Jonas Bauer.





Explaining the rationale for on taking total control of the producer, StudioCanal CEO Anna Marsh said: Upping our stake will benefit the continued growth of our global television production and distribution businesses. Rola is an excellent partner and incredibly talented executive and has strongly contributed to the development of StudioCanalTV over the past eight years. On behalf of StudioCanal, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Rola for her hard work and tremendous dedication.Following the deal, Golden Globe and two-time Emmy-nominated Bauer (pictured), a founding partner and managing director of StudioCanalTV, will maintain some high-profile series through a non-exclusive consulting deal with StudioCanal.These include the upcoming Shadowplay, created and written by Mans Marlind (The Bridge, Midnight Sun), produced by Tandem Productions and Bron Studios in coproduction with ZDF, NENT/Viaplay and Canal+, as well as the 12 episode dramedy On The Verge written by and starring Julie Delpy and Elisabeth Shue, a production of The Film TV and coproduced by Canal+ and Netflix Commenting on her new direction and role, in particular with the new projects, Bauer said that she was very much looking forward to opening a new chapter: My aim has always been to enlighten and entertain through television that transcends the boundaries, she added.Founding this company over 20 years ago and further building it, together with StudioCanal and the fantastic teams in Munich, Paris and London, led by Anna Marsh, has been an inspiring experience. Its fulfilling to see the results, via the financing and creation of our international hit series such as, ZeroZeroZero, Safe, Years & Years, War Of The Worlds and the upcoming Shadowplay. There has never been a better time to be in the international content business, creating and connecting platforms for our future economic recovery.
On 18 September 2013 Argentinian judge Maria Servini issued an international arrest warrant against Antonio Gonzalez Pacheco (1946-2020), the highly-decorated former Spanish police officer known as Billy the Kid [Billy el Nino in Spanish] who faced criminal charges [in Argentina] for having tortured a number of people in the early 1970s. However, Spains Audiencia Nacional court denied Antonio Gonzalezs extradition arguing that his alleged crimes had already prescribed. Although Servinis warrant made extremely serious accusations, Spains Partido Popular (PP) government at the time refused to strip him of his decorations, some of which included a financial compensation that added to Billy the Kids retirement pension. The whole thing could seem a system malfunction but, in fact, the system kernel is based precisely on accepting that malfunction and many others of the same sort as a matter of course. The so-called 1978 regime is nothing but that. Francos Court of Public Order [TOP in Spanish], a key element for the dictator to lend the regimes systematic repression some resemblance of legality, was dissolved on 4 January 1977. That same day, in the same building and with the same civil servants, the Audiencia Nacional was founded. This is the same court that turned down Argentinas extradition request against Billy the Kid seven years ago.

Merely entertaining the thought that Francos notorious Court of Public Order and todays Audiencia Nacional are two unconnected realities, that they have nothing to do with one another, is laughable. Yet the current system in Spain rests on that fiction. Gonzalez Pacheco, the torturer, likely didnt support Spains present-day Constitution when it was put to a referendum in 1978. Former PP leader Jose Maria Aznar certainly didnt, if we are to believe his own words in an article titled Abstention printed in La Nueva Rioja on 23 February 1979: With the proposed text, we Spaniards dont know if [] the Constitution will lead us down a dangerous, pseudo-socialist, big government slope. Surely a man like Antonio Gonzalez Pacheco must have objected to many articles of the Constitution, like [far-right party] Vox does nowadays on the subject of Spains devolved regions, as well as other specific points that aimed to change the status quo arising from the 1936 military coup [which started the Spanish civil war].

In short, I mean that despite Gonzalez Pachecos more than questionably sympathy for Spains current legal system, he was himself one of its greatest beneficiaries right up until the last day of his life. In contrast, others who genuinely fought for freedom ended up in the dumpster of history the lucky ones while the bodies of the less fortunate remain buried in unmarked graves by the roadside or outside cemetery gates. From a prudently myopic viewpoint, Billy the Kids case might seem an embarrassment only for those who afforded him legal protection despite Servinis international arrest warrant. However, if we are a little honest, we should eventually admit that the case of a man who was capable of the most horrendous deeds (Lidia Falcons account, for instance, is chillingly revealing) not only does not constitute a contradiction for the current constitutional order, but it actually legitimises it on some level.

I realise that many will disagree on this point, but as it turns out the system is based on accepting the huge, monstrous historical contradiction that results from having a king emeritus (Juan Carlos) who was both Francos successor (with the title of king) and the great architect of Spains democracy. As the old scholastics used to say, ex contradictione quodlibet; that is, anything follows from a contradiction. And here we are  This time it was the case of Billy the Kid, but a similar one will crop up next week. Or worse.

I would like to emphasise that none of this is due to the actual text of the Spanish Constitution, it is not down to a particular article or other. Not at all. The problem lies in the flimsiness of its historical foundations, in its fictitious nature, in the unreal aura that surrounded its drafting and eventual unfolding. In 1977, forty-three years ago, I guess you had to pretend as you tried to keep a straight face that the Court of Public Order and the Audiencia Nacional were two different things. With the passing of time, we eventually forgot that this was just a bad joke. That is why nowadays we struggle to accept that such an individual could possibly die still covered in medals, as if he were a hero. However, it all makes sense. When fresh evidence surfaces about the shady deals of the king emeritus, without any consequence, it will all make near-perfect sense. I believe Spains constitutionalists will then need to do some serious reflection.
The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has affirmed its resolve not to relent in regular testing of the staff, especially frontline workers as part of measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) disease.



Two staff of the Hospital, whose identity remained protected, have recently tested positive to the coronavirus, and the cases were detected through the routine testing of the staff.



Dr. Oheneba Owusu Danso, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said the infected staff had been quarantined for treatment, while the Hospital embarked on stringent measures to protect its workers and the general public from contracting the disease.



We are not taking chances, consequently, the authorities are enforcing to the letter all health guidelines and protocols for the safety of staff, patients and visitors, he told the media in Kumasi.



Currently, the Hospital, the nations second largest health referral facility, has expanded its Infectious Disease Holding Area (IDHA), and according to the Management, this is to create the needed space to isolate those infected.



When the GNA visited the facility on Wednesday a notice of No Mask, No Entry, had been posted at all entry points to the facility, while a mandatory screening of all visitors was also in progress.



The Hospital also has plans to expand its quarantine centre in the future if the need arises, to be able to contain at least 25 patients at a time.



Dr. Danso lauded the government for its commitment to resource healthcare workers with the requisite medical supplies and equipment for effective campaign to containing the pandemic.



The pandemic, he noted, was deadly, urging the citizenry to strive to comply with the laid down safety measures for their own protection.



Ghana had recorded 5,127 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of May 12, this year, with 494 recoveries and 22 deaths.



Out of this figure, the Ashanti Region has recorded 662 confirmed cases, and the second highest after Greater Accra with 3,981 confirmed cases.



Information gathered by the GNA indicated that more than 60 per cent of the overall national confirmed cases were detected through the enhanced contact tracing mode instituted by the government since the nation recorded her first two cases in March 12, this year.

Source: GNA









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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 06:27:27|Editor: huaxia

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ALGIERS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Algerian army on Tuesday killed a terrorist leader in the province of Ain Defla, southwest of capital Algiers, Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The killed terrorist is named Serbah Ahmed, alias "Abu Al-Abbes", 47 years old. He joined terrorist groups in 1997, and he was a leader of a terrorist group operating in Chlef, Ain Defla, Tissemssilt and Medea, the statement said.

A submachine gun, a pair of binoculars, and three mobile phones were seized during this operation, it added.

The North African nation has deployed tens of thousands of troops along the borders with Mali and Libya to thwart intrusion of terrorists and arms. Enditem
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BILLINGS, Mont. - A coalition of U.S. states, environmentalists and an American Indian tribe are seeking to revive a moratorium on coal sales from federal lands that was imposed under former President Barack Obama then dropped by the Trump administration.

A Wednesday video conference hearing in the dispute is scheduled in U.S. District Court in Montana. The case centres on whether the Trump administration looked closely enough at climate change and other impacts from burning coal before abruptly ending the moratorium in 2017.

Coal production has been dropping for years due to competition from cheaper fuels and pollution costs, despite strong backing for the industry from President Donald Trump. The decline has accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic, but critics of the coal program note that lease sales have continued and say the administrations moves could open tens of thousands of acres of public lands to new mining.

Interior Department officials declared in February that coal sales from public lands result in a negligible increase in greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. Their conclusion was based on potential emissions from four coal leases in Utah and Oklahoma that were sold after the moratorium was lifted.

Those leases make up a small piece of a federal leasing program that accounts for about 40 per cent of U.S. coal production, primarily from large strip mines in Western states.

A lease sale last month brought in $3.4 million for almost 10 million tons of coal on federal lands adjacent to GCC Energys King II mine in southwestern Colorado.

Opponents of the leasing program include the Democratic attorneys general of California, New York, New Mexico and Washington state, the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and several environmental groups.

Now is the perfect time to put a halt on digging up coal from out public lands and subjecting the public to the air water and climate pollution that activity causes, said Jenny Harbine, the attorney for Wildearth Guardians, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups.

The mining industry and two coal states, Wyoming and Montana, are lined up on the side of the administration.

They said in court filings that the administration was within its rights to lift the moratorium, and that it satisfied any concerns over the move through the court-ordered environmental analysis that was completed in February.

The lawsuit was being used as a backdoor vehicle to judicially end federal coal leasing, after other branches of government declined to take up the cause, attorneys for the coal states and mining industry wrote in court filings.

Coal sales from public lands were largely halted in 2016 under Obama over worries about climate change and whether companies were paying a fair price for the fuel. The moratorium was rescinded by then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke soon after Trump took office, fulfilling a Republican campaign pledge.

The case is before U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in Great Falls.

Morris has handed down a succession of defeats to Trumps efforts to boost the domestic energy industry, including recent rulings against nearly 300 oil and gas leases in Montana and the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to Nebraska.

___

Follow Matthew Brown at @matthewbrownap
In Baldwin Park, California, a certain Roxanne McCabe was 38 weeks pregnant when they received the shocking news that her husband, Milo, had tested positive for COVID-19. According to Milo McCabe, the feeling was like having his stomach come all the way up to his throat.

McCabe's condition rapidly started to decline and he was hospitalized at the Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center. According to Roxanne, she did not know if Milo would ever come home and that she was worried that she would have to raise their newborn all by herself. Roxanne described the whole situation as "very traumatic."

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Milo McCabe described the situation as him feeling like he was actually drowning in his own body. According to Dr. Kim Man, a certain pulmonary and critical care specialist who was in charge of treating him, Milo needed intubation.

Slowly, Milo's condition improved but he was still unable to join his wife.

With the whole situation revolving Milo's age and a first child on the way, everyone was very anxious about him, according to Dr. Kim Man. Roxanne McCabe then started to go into labor and her husband was not around in person due to still being possibly contagious of the coronavirus. It was her mother that was with her during the time of the delivery.

Although Milo was not able to be physically present during the delivery, he was able to get the next best thing. He was able to watch his baby daughter, Emberly, being born via Zoom video chat that happened last April 20 in California.

Read Also: Suicide Prevention: 911 Dispatcher Said "I am not letting you go." to Disturbed Driver

Childbirth

Roxanne McCabe described the situation as being thankful for technology since it has helped them find a way to let Milo see the birth despite being positive of the coronavirus.

After a few days, Milo McCabe was finally released from the hospital and was able to meet his baby girl. According to Milo, the real thing is still very much different saying that he had a hard time looking at her despite being across the room.

Milo spent his 29th birthday in the hospital and his wife said that they did not expect the situation to be that bad since they were both young and healthy people. The family is finally reunited with each other and they say that they are feeling very grateful for being able to overcome the unexpected hurdle of Milo catching the coronavirus.

Milo is within a healthy demographic but has still become a victim of the coronavirus in California despite being healthy and young which only result in the lower statistic of coronavirus patient.

Milo experienced both his birthday and the birth of his daughter inside the hospital. Although he has recovered from the virus and has finally been reunited with his family, his experience was not easy at all.

Read Also: Uber CEO Vows To Give Up Salary After Company Fires 3,500 Workers Over Basic Zoom Call Amid $3B Loss so Far
Counsel for William Matthew Tetteh Tevie, a former Director-General of the NCA, Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe has disclosed that they will appeal against the jail sentence handed to his client.



Though he was not ready to reveal how and when the appeal was going to be done, he explained that his client is innocent and has been wrongly jailed.



Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia programme, he explained that nothing implicated his client in the trial so he could not fathom why he has been jailed for willfully causing financial loss to the state.



"My Client, as a Director-general, only signed for a purchase agreement and thus did not do that alone, a Director of Finance also signed for the same purpose. So how do you implicate my client in this case?



"Moreover, the said equipment that was signed for and purchased has been bought and installed with the country owing the Israeli company another 4 million dollars.



"We are definitely going to appeal against this judgment because it is sad for someone who has worked for the state and through no fault of his, is being treated this way," he explained.



The Accra High Court has sentenced three former government officials to various terms in prison after convicting them of willfully causing financial loss of $4m to the state.



Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, a former Board Chairman of the National Communication Authority (NCA) will serve six years imprisonment for his part in the $4m NCA scandal.



William Matthew Tetteh Tevie, a former Director-General of the NCA and Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, a former Deputy National Security Coordinator were each sentenced to five years imprisonment for also causing financial loss to the state in the scandal.



The court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, also ordered the State to seize assets of the convicts to the tune of $3 million since the state has only recovered $1 million of the amount.



The three were found guilty of indulging in acts that led the State to lose the amount in a deal purchase of a cybersecurity surveillance equipment, known as the Pegasus machine, for the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which was sponsored by the NCA.





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Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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Police officers in Victoria have been told to use 'increased discretion' when issuing lockdown fines after raking in almost $5million from residents who were deemed to be 'breaking the rules'.

Officers have also been ordered to seek approval from their supervisors before fines are issued in future.

It comes after they fined a group of friends for playing video games and punished one man who hired a prostitute to come to his home.

The Victorian government began to gradually lift restrictions on Tuesday, and officers were told to expect some confusion about the new rules and treat rule-breakers with leniency.

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Police officers in Victoria will have to get the green light from their bosses before they issue any new fines over breaches relating to COVID-19 (Pictured: Victoria police detain a man during a protest outside Melbourne's Parliament house on Sunday)

A spokesperson for Victoria Police advised there may be some initial confusion both from residents and officers as guidelines change around restrictions.

'Victoria Police recognises there may be some genuine ambiguity from the community and police members alike regarding the interpretation of the new directions,' the spokesperson said.

'It also ensures a heighted level of discretion is used by police while these changes are being understood by the community.

'Victoria Police will continue to enforce CHO directions.

Last month, Victoria introduced a $1,652 on-the-spot fine for anyone found to be flouting the rules.

Officers have issued 2,894 infringement notices since a state of emergency was declared by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on March 16.

The fines issued totalled $4,780,888, and far exceed the takings of any other jurisdiction across the country.

Officers were told they needed to get supervisor approval for any new fines as of Monday.

Officers have issued 2,894 infringement notices since a state of emergency was declared by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on March 16 (Pictured: Police wear face masks at an anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne on Sunday)

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 changes come as the Victorian government announced it was lifting stage three coronavirus restrictions from Wednesday.

Residents can now leave home to visit family and friends, can have five people over to their houses and gather in groups of 10 outside.

The changes are likely to cause a delay in the detection of breaches to COVID-19, meaning residents may not be fined until several days after speaking with officers.

Victoria police issued only two fines for breaches to the stay at home directives in the 24 hours to 11pm on Tuesday.

A spokesperson acknowledged the low figure may be 'due to the clear instructions provided to members on Monday to use increased discretion when issuing fines.'

However eight fines were issued to protesters at a business on Bell Street in Preston on Tuesday afternoon which are yet to be officially processed.

Victoria Police arrest a woman taking part in an anti-lockdown protest on the steps of Victoria's state parliament in Melbourne on Sunday

A number of community legal groups came together to lodge a complaint against Victoria Police based off 'concerning police interactions' around COVID-19 compliance activities.

Twenty reports were lodged with the new COVID-19 Policing in Australia website in the past week.

One of those involved a complaint from a mother in Eltham who said she was followed by a police car on the way to visit her son's grave, reported ABC news.

'I felt intimidated by the obvious stalking by police. This behaviour could only be described as harassment,' she said.

Victoria Police said they had issued 'clear instructions' surrounding people in cemeteries paying respect to loved ones.

Police will need to get supervisor approval before issuing fines for COVID-19 as of Monday May 11

'In the case of people visiting cemeteries, in the absence of any other factors which may have led to an infringement being issued, these fines will be withdrawn,' a spokesperson said.

The state's law enforcement officers have issued more fines than other state across the country.

Queensland's on-the-spot fine is $1,344 and officers have handed out 1,955 of them. It means a cash boost of $2.6 million for the Queensland government.

Coming in third is New South Wales, Australia's coronavirus epicentre, which introduced fines of $1,000.

New South Wales police have issued an overall of 1,246 coronavirus penalties, 1241 to individuals and five to businesses. That's a total of $1,251,000 in fines.

Two Police officers riding their horses are seen patrolling The Bay Run on April 23, 2020 in Sydney

Other states saw a massive difference in the amount of fines and charges.

Tasmania has charged 285 people while South Australia fined 330.

The Northern Territory fined 48 people.

The ACT is the only state that has not issued any fines or charges to date since the restrictions were introduced.

An ACT Policing spokesperson said officers have been directed to not issue any cautions or fines until further notice.

Victoria Police Protective Services Officers speak to a man at St Kilda beach in Melbourne, Monday, April 13

Victoria and Queensland Police have said they will review each fine to ensure discretion was used where appropriate.

Australia currently has a total of 6,972 coronavirus cases with 6,230 recovered.

A total of 98 people have died from the deadly disease.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres supported the appeal of the head of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid Slutsky, to politicians in the European Union, the United States and inter-parliamentary structures to lift sanctions and unite in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Millions of people in the United States have long known what it is like not to be able to buy food, or soap, or toilet paper. Some because they came here from much poorer places, others because they are among the 140 million poor or low-income people living in the country today, Al Jazeera writes in the article Sanctions in the era of pandemic. Now, millions more of us are experiencing this scarcity for ourselves due to the COVID-19 crisis, as panic-buying cleans out supermarket shelves, healthcare workers plead for masks and gloves, and hospitals and states are forced to bid against each other for scant supplies of ventilators. We are learning what it feels like not to be able to get what we need. In the process, maybe we can develop some empathy for others in the world for whom scarcity, much more far-reaching than our own, has long been a common reality - and especially where our own government is responsible for much of their suffering. Unfortunately, alongside its self-aggrandising and inept handling of the pandemic at home, the Trump administration is escalating policies globally that are designed to make things even harder for those facing the pandemic in countries already devastated by US-imposed economic sanctions.

Like wars, climate change, and economic disruption of all kinds, sanctions do tremendous damage to vulnerable people. The difference is that economic sanctions are designed to make people's lives unbearable. The goal of US sanctions - in Iran, in Venezuela, and beyond - is precisely to destroy the lives of ordinary people, in hopes they will rise up in favour of whatever regime change Washington is looking for.

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and long before Washington cancelled its funding of the World Health Organization (WHO), these US sanctions were already violating human rights and international law. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) determined that economic sanctions "can have far-reaching implications for human rights," including "on the right to life, the rights to health and medical care, the right to freedom from hunger, and the right to an adequate standard of living, food, education, work and housing." UNHRC noted, in particular, its alarm at "the disproportionate and indiscriminate human costs of unilateral sanctions and their negative effects on the civilian population, in particular women and children."

Along with violating international law, economic sanctions do not even work for the purpose they are ostensibly imposed. There is no historical example of US economic sanctions persuading a local population to rise up and overthrow their government in response.

Not in Iraq, where 12 years of crippling US-led sanctions led to the deaths of more than 500,000 children in between Washington's two Iraq wars. Not in North Korea, where decades of US sanctions and other pressures helped keep the country isolated and impoverished. Certainly not in Cuba, where decades of blockade have not prevented Cuban medical missions from travelling the world to assist in crisis response work, while providing some of the best healthcare in the hemisphere for its own people. And yet, despite those years of failure, Washington continues to impose sanctions that destroy the lives of tens of millions - even as the coronavirus wreaks new levels of havoc on the lives of the poorest and most disenfranchised among them.

Pressuring Iran

US sanctions are the key weapon in Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran. They have been tightened repeatedly. Those sanctions have been in place for decades. Before the Obama administration signed the Iran nuclear deal in 2015, they had already caused great suffering among ordinary people. In 2012, then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reported that "the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran have had significant effects on the general population," including food and medicine shortages. The nuclear deal led to the lifting of some of those sanctions. But when Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, they were slapped back on again, along with devastating new sanctions since.

Officially, humanitarian items like medicine are exempted. But in practice, trade restrictions - and banks' fear of retribution if they fulfil any financial transactions with Iranian companies - make those official exemptions a bad joke. That leads to huge price increases for essential goods and severe shortages of crucial medicines. The sanctions also limit oil production and exports, severely reducing access to the levels of foreign currency required to satisfy the population's food and medical needs.

And all of that was before the pandemic erupted. Now, Iran remains one of the worst hotspots as the disease speeds across the globe. Tens of thousands of Iranians have tested positive for COVID-19, and thousands have already died. Meanwhile, as The New York Times reports, "secondary sanctions on financial institutions and companies that do business with Iran have made it nearly impossible for Iran to buy items like ventilators to treat patients."

Human Rights Watch, dozens of US senators and congress members, and a group of influential former US and international officials have all urged the Trump administration to allow a humanitarian suspension of sanctions. Instead, they are being tightened.

In mid-March, just as the virus was wreaking human havoc across Iran, Washington imposed new sanctions that were certain to worsen the civilian suffering and orchestrated behind the scenes the International Monetary Fund's denial of Iran's desperate five-billion-dollar loan request to strengthen its shattered healthcare system. At the same time, it hypocritically dangled an offer of medical assistance, knowing Tehran would reject such aid from the government responsible for its suffering. Meanwhile, the US Navy sent two entire aircraft carrier groups - accompanied by a B-52 bomber - to patrol the Gulf. It's an ominous development, with the administration deliberately provoking and seemingly threatening the pandemic-ravaged country not only with economic devastation, but all-out war.

And then Venezuela

The US has been imposing severe political punishments on Venezuela for years. As Venezuelan sociologist and fellow of the Transnational Institute Edgardo Lander enumerated: "Successive US administrations have confronted the Bolivarian process in Venezuela from day one, backing the most right wing sectors of the opposition both financially and politically. George W Bush backed the coup d'etat of 2002. Congress enacted the Venezuelan Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society act of 2014 which requires the President to impose sanctions such as blocking assets and visa restrictions on Venezuelan government officials judged to be responsible for violations of human rights. In 2015 Barack Obama issued and later renewed a new Executive Order (EO) declaring a national emergency with respect to 'the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela.'

"This executive order further prepared the groundwork for economic sanctions. Sanctions against Venezuela have thus been a bipartisan policy, but it was the Trump administration that started imposing direct financial, trade and economic sanctions against Venezuela, starting in August 2017 with the express purpose of producing regime change. This has significantly contributed to deepening the current economic crisis."

Now, as the Trump administration has accelerated regime change operations against the country - even officially recognising an opposition leader, Juan Guiado, as the country's president - Venezuela's sanctions-driven pain has grown profoundly worse. "Regime change through economic measures likely to lead to the denial of basic human rights, and indeed possibly to starvation, has never been an accepted practice of international relations," warned Idriss Jazairy, the UN special rapporteur responsible for economic sanctions. "Real concerns and serious political differences between governments must never be resolved by precipitating economic and humanitarian disasters."

Things were dire in Venezuela already. Then the coronavirus crisis hit. In an urgent April 9 op-ed for The Inter-American Dialogue, three politically diverse Venezuelan activists wrote that "like those in Italy, Spain, and New York, Venezuelan hospitals lack adequate testing kits, ventilators, and personal protective equipment for staff. Unlike those hospitals, they also frequently lack electricity, soap, and clean water. Thousands of doctors and nurses are among the millions who have fled the country in recent years, and many citizens who remain cannot afford to isolate at home."

The authors are academics and human rights activists, critical of both the government and the Guaido-led opposition, and one is also a former deputy foreign minister and chief of staff to President Nicolas Maduro. They are part of a larger diverse group urging all political sides in the country to come together to combat the urgent threat of the coronavirus. The problem they face is the US. The Trump administration, rather than supporting such a move, or at the very least standing aside to allow steps towards a national agreement, has instead indicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, issued concrete demands for a change of regime in the country, and tightened sanctions further.

The three Venezuelan activists warn this is a disastrous course. "The substantial political will needed to forge an agreement" to unify the country against the COVID-19 threat will be much more difficult to find with the US "standing in the way," they warn. "The recent indictments against Maduro and his aides on 'narco-terrorism' and other charges are a worrying sign that threatens to undermine any emerging momentum toward a humanitarian truce." And yet, as in Iran, the Trump administration has only escalated the military threat alongside its sanctions, deploying Navy ships off the Venezuelan coast. As The New York Times described it, Washington "is seizing on Venezuela's economic pain and the coronavirus threat" - once again deploying pain as foreign policy amid a global pandemic.

Fortunately, across the world, people are choosing to build ties of human solidarity. In the US, despite its government, people are joining mutual aid committees, working to support healthcare workers and first responders, and mobilising to demand government support for our most impacted communities. What all this makes clear, however, is we cannot stop at home. In response to a pandemic of this scale, that work must also take up the demand to end the economic sanctions that our government is imposing on people already facing devastating health, economic, climate and in too many cases political emergencies.
King George County resident Mitzi Hamilton has a joyous soul, and if I had to bet, a good bit of it comes from helping and thanking others, sometimes with a fun flair.

Take the display that sits in her front yard along Dahlgren Road, a Stars-and-Stripes-spangled banner shouting Thank you to all essential workers!

The owner of Handy Girl Home Improvements said shes 100 percent serious about thanking everyone on the front lines. But she also wanted to give passersby something to smile about during this tough time.

So Hamilton added 100 life-sized flamingos to the display, with another big one on top of the work truck the banner hangs from. And, oh yeah, theres also a light-studded palm tree to brighten things up even more.

Id been doing chalk drawings at the bottom of our driveway to thank everyone whos out there keeping us safe, fed and supplied, but the rain would wash them away, she said. So I came up with this idea of a banner that would last.

We thought, why not make people smile and maybe laugh as they go by? We had a bunch of flamingos we got for a Hawaiian party a while back, so we put them out. And what makes you smile more than a yard full of flamingos?
New Delhi, May 13 : After Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures for MSME sector, Discoms, contractors and EPF, the Congress said the focus of the economic package is "debt creation" and not "demand creation".

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill in a statement, said, "Rs 20 Lakh Cr Package announced by FM is a 'Loans Marketing Brochure" rather than a "Relief Oriented Rescue Plan." He said that the focus of package is "debt creation" and not "demand creation" -clearing of receivables & tax refunds is not stimulus - Govt misleading by Repackaging loans & dues as Relief.

Among other measures for MSMEs, Nirmala Sitharaman also announced a collateral free automatic loans for businesses including MSMEs up to Rs 3 lakh crore.

Under the measure, borrowers with up to Rs 25 crore outstanding and Rs 100 crore turnover would be eligible for the special collateral free loan.

Further, the government has also done away with the distinction of services and manufacturing MSME.

As per the new changes, businesses with investment of less than Rs 1 crore and turnover of Rs 5 crore would be classified as micro enterprises. Under the existing criteria, a company with investment of less than Rs 25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and less than Rs 10 lakh in the services sector were considered micro enterprises.

The measure is a part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will brief the media on Wednesday at 4 pm. In her address, Sitharaman will share the details of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package that was announced by PM Modi on Tuesday to battle Covid-19.

In a series of tweets, the finance minister on Tuesday said this shall not be just a financial package, but a reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance.

Indian economy has acquired strength in its various dimensions. Now, we can confidently engage with the world. We aim at overall transformation & not incremental changes. We shall convert the pandemic challenge into an opportunity. #AatmanirbharBharat will integrate not isolate, Sitharaman had tweeted.

@PMOIndias vision:#AatmanirbharBharat Abhiyan to include everyone-a hawker/street vendor, a trader, a MSME, an honest tax paying middle class,a manufacturer etc. This shall not be just a financial package, but a reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance.  Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) May 12, 2020

Also Watch | PM Modis stimulus for self-reliant India. Enough to reboot Indian economy?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the nation and announced that the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package will infuse vitality into the economy and benefit all sections of the society from the migrant labourers to big businesses. He said the details of the package will be made public by the finance minister in the coming days.

Also read: Key points from PM Modis speech on economic package

The prime minister described it as a special economic package that will serve as an important link to the Self-reliant India Campaign (Aatma nirbhar Bharat). The relief package amounts to roughly 10% of Indias gross domestic product (GDP) he said.

This package will give a new impetus to the development journey of the country in 2020 and a new direction to the Self-reliant India campaign. In order to prove the resolve of a self-reliant India, Land, Labor, Liquidity and Laws all have been emphasized in this package, the prime minister said on Tuesday.

He stated that the package is for the countrys cottage industry, home industry, our small-scale industry, our MSME, which is a source of livelihood for millions of people, which is the strong foundation of our resolve for a self-reliant India.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





Accident with a presidential vehicle

On Monday in the commune of Anse-rouge, in the Artibonite department, an accident between a vehicle assigned to the presidential family and a motorcycle left 1 dead and 2 injured. No member of the presidential family was on board.



Denial of the Prison Administration

Tuesday, Inspector General Charles Nazaire Noel, of the Directorate of Penitentiary Administration (DAP) denied rumors suggesting the existence of confirmed cases of Covid-19 at the national penitentiary affirming that no case of Covid-19 had not been detected in the various penitentiary centers of the country.



Message to nurses :



President Jovenel Moise

"Today I want to show the nation's gratitude to all the nurses in Haiti. In this time of great pandemic, your commitment is even more appreciated because you are on the front line in the fight against COVID-19. Happy birthday and above all good Courage."



Port-au-Prince Town Hall

"At the heart of daily health, guided by love, kindness and patience, the nurse is never tired. We don't often give her the smile she gives, but never lets go and never leaves us alone in the face of our medical concerns. On this day reserved for nurses, the Town Hall of Port-au-Prince salutes the courage of each of our nurses who, in these times of sanitary upheaval, continue to risk their skin to save our loved ones. No promise, no word of thanks can give you back what you lose every day at your workplace. While wishing you to remain attached to your credo, the Port-au-Prince Municipal Administration wishes you all a good international nurse's day."



Josue Alusma, Mayor of Port-de-Paix

"We salute the courage and dedication of these health personnel. Despite the precarious situation, they continue to expose themselves to the risk of their lives in order to save the sick. Let us help them in turn by rewarding them with all the honors they deserve. These nurses need your support, your respect and your protection. Help them do their jobs better by staying at home and following the advice on how to fight covid-19."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-30763-haiti-politique-hommage-aux-infirmieres.html



Towards the integration of 49 disabled people in the Public Service

Earlier this week, Ms. Soinette Desir, Secretary of State for the Integration of People with Disabilities, met Jean Roudy Aly, General Coordinator of the Office of Management and Human Resources as part of the follow-up for the appointment of 49 people with disabilities recruited into the Public Service on the basis of competitive examinations. The General Coordinator said that arrangements will be made to finalize the recruitment process, which remains a priority at the highest level of the State.



Response from the Turkish Chancellor

Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs published a message of solidarity with Haiti, in response to his Haitian counterpart Claude Joseph, on his Twitter account "We will overcome this difficult period together. We will always support the Haitian people." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30757-haiti-news-zapping.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















New Jersey taxpayers would be allowed to take an income tax deduction for charitable contributions made during the pandemic under a bill approved by a state Senate committee Tuesday.

The bill (S2360) allows single taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 and couples filing jointly to deduct up to $20,000 in donations to New Jersey-based nonprofits.

New Jersey does not have a gross income tax deduction for charitable donations, though lawmakers have for years proposed bills creating one. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill Thursday.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

We have watched as local non-profits stepped up to feed their communities and provide every kind of support imaginable to New Jersey families impacted by this unprecedented public health and economic crisis, Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, R-Union, said in a statement. Those dedicated organizations that serve so many New Jerseyans have not been immune from the financial hardships of this emergency."

Linda Czipo, president of the Center for Non-Profits, told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Tuesday the charitable community has been decimated by the pandemic and forced to lay off staff.

This bill, she said, would provide a very important lifeline to charities.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com.
The DUP was badly burned by its dalliance with Boris Johnson and the Tories on Brexit. But it initially appeared that no lessons had been learned when coronavirus hit our shores.

Although the UK reported its first case almost a month before the Republic did, Dublin acted much more quickly and decisively than Downing Street.

The DUP's instinct is almost always (minus gay rights and abortion) to follow London's lead. At the start of this pandemic it seemed to be wedded to Johnson's less aggressive approach to fighting Covid-19.

Ideologically, it made sense to stick with central government's strategy. After all, the DUP's unrelenting demand during Brexit debates was that Northern Ireland must be treated exactly the same as other parts of the UK.

There were much publicised clashes with Sinn Fein over an all-island coronavirus strategy, closing schools, and other matters in March and April.

The storm does appear to have abated. Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill conducted TV interviews outside Stormont last night after releasing their roadmap out of lockdown.

Although social distancing dictated that they stand metres apart, they were politically closer than they have been at any time during this health emergency.

London may have altered its messaging to 'Stay Alert' but Northern Ireland is stubbornly sticking with 'Stay Home. Save Lives', and that is massively in keeping with public opinion here.

Scotland and Wales going their own way as well does make it easier for the DUP. But it's still uncomfortable territory for some unionists who see it as yet another weakening of the bonds that hold the UK together.

TUV leader Jim Allister noted with sarcasm in the Assembly said: "The devolved regions were all very happy to be in lockstep with Westminster when it came to receiving Treasury money."

Yet ideological concerns weigh less heavily for most ordinary folk during a global pandemic. DUP voters are just as worried about returning to work without adequate protection as Sinn Fein ones. Concern over care home deaths, PPE, and testing is as great in Ballysillan as it is in Ballymurphy. Constitutional issues should be parked during this crisis.

Michelle O'Neill was asked by a journalist if the steps in Northern Ireland's roadmap to recovery would correspond with the dates in the Republic's exit strategy. "It's not about that," she rightly said.

The absence of a timeframe in Stormont's plan - as the Republic, England, Scotland and Wales have in theirs - has been widely criticised. The SDLP notably joined business figures in expressing its disappointment. But including dates was far from problem-free. Even if they come with caveats, they are firmly fixed in the public mind and it can be difficult to unlock expectation if they have to be changed. Linking progress to criteria instead allows for much greater flexibility and frees up Stormont to move faster or slower.

The British Government's generously impressive extension of the furlough scheme to pay workers on lockdown leave until October lifts a huge weight off the shoulders of many citizens here.

Such state intervention from a Tory Chancellor - 29% of the UK's workers are now furloughed - proves it's not just here that coronavirus is leading to bold, new political positions.

The high proportion of public sector jobs in Northern Ireland will also help cushion us from some economic damage.

Bar the SDLP's mild criticism of the Executive's blueprint, the only objection in Parliament Buildings came from Jim Allister.

He believes that Stormont is adopting a far too conservative approach on lockdown and that we should have followed England in easing more restrictions.

Coronavirus was now mainly a problem in nursing homes and was not spreading in the community as it had been, he said. Only a third of ICU beds were in use, and there were several thousand empty hospital beds.

"The conditions which brought us into lockdown have changed. The health service has thankfully not been overwhelmed. Why continue to behave as if it has been?" he told the Belfast Telegraph last night.

Mr Allister feared that if economic restrictions weren't eased considerably "we will have nothing left of our economy to pick up".

He is likely to be a lone voice in Stormont - a position with which he is eminently comfortable - voicing disapproval of the Executive's direction.

Stormont has adopted an ultra-cautious approach to ending lockdown. Children will go back to school part-time at most in the autumn. Bars and restaurants won't open until December. Home-working is advised where possible up until Christmas.

But there's a reason for the refusal to take risks. More than 3,000 lives were lost here during the Troubles. We know all to well the pain and suffering bereavement brings.

The last thing our new Executive needs is to be presiding over a massive death toll. That's why our political leaders are playing it safe.
India has moved up two positions to rank 74th on a global 'Energy Transition Index' with improvements on all key parameters of economic growth, energy security and environmental sustainability, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said on Wednesday.

Releasing the annual rankings, the Geneva-based international organisation for public-private cooperation said COVID-19 will compromise the transition to clean energy without an urgent stakeholder action as unprecedented disruptions due to the pandemic threaten this transition.

In its report, the WEF said its study measuring readiness for the clean energy transition in 115 economies showed that 94 have made progress since 2015, but environmental sustainability continues to lag.

Sweden has topped the Energy Transition Index (ETI) for the third consecutive year and is followed by Switzerland and Finland in the top three.

Surprisingly, France (ranked 8th) and the UK (7th) are the only G20 countries in the top ten.

The WEF said the "emerging centres of demand" such as India (74th) and China (78th) have made consistent efforts to improve the enabling environment, which refers to political commitments, consumer engagement and investment, innovation and infrastructure, among others.

In China's case, problems of air pollution have resulted in policies to control emissions, electrify vehicles, and develop the world's largest capacity for solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind power plants.

For India, gains have come from a government-mandated renewable energy expansion programme, now extended to 275 GW by 2027.

India has also made significant strides in energy efficiency through bulk procurement of LED bulbs, smart meters, and programs for labelling of appliances. Similar measures are being experimented to drive down the costs of electric vehicles, the WEF said.

India is one of the few countries in the world to have made consistent year-on-year progress since 2015.

India's improvements have come across all three dimensions of the energy triangle -- economic development and growth, energy access and security, and environmental sustainability.

It indicates a strong positive trajectory, driven by strong political commitment and an enabling policy environment.

The WEF said the coronavirus pandemic risks cancelling out recent progress in transitioning to clean energy, with unprecedented falls in demand, price volatility and pressure to quickly mitigate socioeconomic costs placing the near-term trajectory of the transition in doubt.

Policies, roadmaps and governance frameworks for energy transition at national, regional and global levels need to be more robust and resilient against external shocks, according to the latest edition of WEF's Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2020 report.

COVID-19 has forced companies across industries to adapt to operational disruption, changes in demand and new ways of working, and governments have introduced economic recovery packages to help mitigate these effects.

If implemented with long-term strategies in mind, they could also accelerate the transition to clean energy, by helping countries scale their efforts towards sustainable and inclusive energy systems.

"The coronavirus pandemic offers an opportunity to consider unorthodox intervention in the energy markets and global collaboration to support a recovery that accelerates the energy transition once the acute crisis subsides," said Roberto Bocca, Head of Energy and Materials, WEF.

The index benchmarks 115 economies on the current performance of their energy systems across economic development and growth, environmental sustainability, and energy security and access indicators- and their readiness for transition to secure, sustainable, affordable, and inclusive energy systems.

The results for 2020 show that 75 per cent of countries have improved their environmental sustainability.

This progress is a result of multifaceted, incremental approaches, including pricing carbon, retiring coal plants ahead of schedule and redesigning electricity markets to integrate renewable energy sources.

However, this hard-won progress highlights the limitations of relying only on incremental gains from existing policies and technologies to complete the transition to clean energy.

The greatest overall progress is observed among emerging economies, with the average ETI score for countries in the top 10 per cent remaining constant since 2015, signalling an urgent need for breakthrough solutions  one threatened by COVID-19.

The report said the scores for the US (32th), Canada (28th), Brazil (47th) and Australia (36th) were either stagnant or declining.

In the US, the headwinds have been mostly related to policy environment, while for Canada and Australia, the challenges lie in balancing energy transition with economic growth given the role of the energy sector in their economy.

The fact that only 11 out of 115 countries have made steady improvements in ETI scores since 2015 shows the complexity of energy transition.

Argentina, China, India and Italy are among the major countries with consistent annual improvements. Others, such as Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kenya, and Oman have also made significant gains over time.

On the other hand, scores for Canada, Chile, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria and Turkey have declined since 2015.

The US ranks outside the top 25 per cent for the first time, primarily due to the uncertain regulatory outlook for energy transition.
Salon reopening

Regarding Abbott isnt the savior, and Luther isnt a victim, (A17, May 9): I am writing because I respect the majority of salon owners who complied with Republican Gov. Greg Abbotts decision to close salons. Shelley Luther is not a modern day Joan of Arc as she is being hailed by some in the partisan press. Other salon owners, bar owners and shop owners complied with the law and lost revenue. She didnt. Dont praise her for endangering public health.

My husband is a physician at a very respected hospital in the Texas Medical Center. He is in the latter years of his career. We worry about his exposure to the virus. Sen. Ted Cruz and former Gov. Sarah Palins publicity stunts with Luther earlier in this week did nothing to slow the disease spread.

My salon, Shine on Heights, is complying with the governors original order. Even though they had the opportunity to reopen last Friday, they are postponing opening until the week of May 18. I admire and applaud the owners decision and dedication to my health and the health of the community. When Cruz traveled to Dallas for his haircut he belittled the efforts of all the law-abiding salon owners for a cheap publicity stunt and undermined the health of the state of Texas.

Ruth Steinfeld Mott, Houston

In memoriam

Regarding Comedian and Seinfeld actor hit it big in his senior years, (D2, May 12): Im so sad to hear about the passing of Jerry Stiller. Hes given me a lot of laughs over the years. I loved him in Seinfeld. He was a legend. We will remember him always and forever.

Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach, Florida

Back to work

Regarding Houston catches flack in briefing, (A1, May 8): Its easy for journalists and politicians to stress the importance of getting back to work quickly. They can work from the safety of their living rooms. For dentists and hygienists who sit a foot away from their patients and produce aerosol clouds throughout their day; work during a pandemic is a life and death gamble. With Texans demanding the liberty to choose not to wear masks and not to keep safe distances from each other, my unease about returning to work will only increase. People with acute dental pain will flood hospitals when dentists stay home.

Julia Pryzant, Houston
Cement giant LafargeHolcim has



resumed operations at its limestone mine in Meghalayas East Khasi Hills district to supply raw material to its plant across the international border in Bangladesh, an official said.

The Meghalaya government has allowed industries, including mining, to operate in the state with strict enforcement of social distancing norms and hand hygiene for all employees as preventive measures against COVID-19 infections, he said.

"The company (LafargeHolcim) has been given the nod to resume mining operations at its limestone mine at Nongtrai," a senior Industries department official told PTI on Tuesday.

Accordingly, mining activities began on Tuesday.

The company has also resumed exporting limestone to the companys cement plant at Chattak in Bangladesh, a company official said.

The cement major can export 5 million tonnes of limestone annually through its 17 km-long conveyor belt across the border that requires minimum human intervention.

LafargeHolcim had stopped its mining activities at its mine at Nongtrai village on March 19 following a shutdown announced by the state, ahead of the national lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The company has developed standard operating procedures to be followed by one and all. We are confident that by following the SoPs, we shall be able to undertake our operations in a safe manner during the coronavirus pandemic.

"We are very proud of how we adapted to the new reality of COVID-19, with our core value of health and safety top of mind for all. Our companys response to the crisis was recognized as best-in-class by International SOS, the world's leading medical and travel Security Company," the company official said.

The state has reported 12 COVID-19 cases so far, of which one died. Eleven coronavirus positive patients have recovered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnam Mission to the United Nations, has called on countries in and outside the region and international organisations to continue supporting Iraq.

At the event

He made the statement during an online meeting on the Iraq situation held by the UN Security Council (UNSC) on May 12, which saw the presence of Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

Quy shared UNSC member states joint concern about difficulties faced by Iraq, including a risk of economic recession of minus 4.7 percent forecast by the International Monetary Fund.

He expressed his support for measures undertaken by the new Iraqi government to address arising issues, thus meeting public demand, as well as the role of the UNAMI and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General.

Participants affirmed their respect for independence, sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Iraq. They said they back the Iraqi governments necessary reform steps to meet the legitimate aspirations of the people.

Countries called on parties concerned in Iraq to hold dialogue to deal with their differences, and urged continuing anti-terrorism efforts in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They said the international community needs to ensure support for Iraq in the current context./.VNA
Extending the shielding period for vulnerable people in Northern Ireland will have a "significant impact" on their mental health, a leading GP has warned.

Dr Laurence Dorman, chair of the local branch of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said GPs across Northern Ireland were bracing themselves for a "tsunami" of mental health cases after the easing of lockdown.

Dr Dorman spoke out after Professor Ian Young, the Department of Health's Chief Scientific Officer, said that in the absence of a vaccine or effective treatment, vulnerable people may have to shield for a year.

"I think there will have to particular cautions taken around shielding for quite a long time," Mr Young told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show.

Approximately 80,400 people across Northern Ireland have received letters from advising them to self-isolate and remain indoors for 12 weeks.

The letters were only issued in April, but pressure to extend the period is already mounting on the Department of Health.

At yesterday's daily Covid-19 briefing, Health Minister Robin Swann urged people with letters to continue shielding and said the Executive would consider extending the isolation period.

"That is something that we as an Executive will look at when that advice and guidance comes forward and when that additional period of 12 weeks comes to an end," Mr Swann added.

"When we ask someone to shield, it's not about removing themselves from the community and it's not about taking themselves away from their family or loved ones. It's about shielding them from the virus itself so we can protect their lives and support them in doing that.

"There is a role for the wider Executive to play in regards to how we support people with food boxes, community pharmacy deliveries and looking at where we are on our program to see that those who are shielding can be given additional support or access to loved ones or family members, even should that be to a closed numbers of individuals."

Dr Dorman, meanwhile, told this newspaper that shielding was having a huge impact on vulnerable people's lives. "It's massive. If you are full shielding and you live with someone else, you have to be in a separate bedroom and you have to eat your meals on your own. It's really, really tough. Those are very stringent and difficult circumstances," he said.

"At the moment, it's an initial 12 weeks. If that is to be extended, it will have a significant impact on people's mental health."

He stressed that doctors were already beginning to see the adverse impact of the lockdown on the population.

"GPs are very keen to offer support and we're already seeing an increase in our workload on mental health, particularly the low moods and depression," Dr Dorman said.

"But we also know the population is at an increased risk of domestic violence and increased risk of alcohol consumption, so all things tie into the holistic health of our population."

He stressed his peers were poised to support those who required mental health support and maintained that any decision to extend the shielding period would be made by the Executive. "In general practice, we are very keen to support people through this, whatever is decided at a higher level above us," he added.

Dr Dorman said some GPs would be relying on their multi-disciplinary teams - made up of a physiotherapist, social worker and mental health practitioner - to offer support to those who need it.

"Those social care and mental needs will be massive. We can see a tsunami of mental health needs coming down the tracks in primary care," he explained.

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'We look forward to day our family can come in for hugs'

Brian Bell and his wife Phil, both in their 80s, started shielding on the advice of their family nine weeks ago, when the first community case of coronavirus in Northern Ireland was reported.

Since then life has been very different for Mr Bell, who despite living with Parkinson's enjoyed an active life, including the gym, shopping and daily Mass.

From his home in Eglinton, Mr Bell said not being able to spend time with his family remains the biggest struggle.

"Along with our family we decided to shield as soon as the first community case of coronavirus happened because my wife and myself have underlying health conditions," he explained.

"I have Parkinson's and my wife is a recovering cancer patient.

"Before March 14, I was very active and went to the gym for a swim on the recommendation of my doctor.

"I also went into Derry shopping and I drove to our local chapel for daily Mass and it has been frustrating staying inside.

"We are lucky in that we have a garden and I am a keen gardener so being outside has helped enormously.

"I learned how to make better use of the internet so we watch Mass on the webcam and we have had video calls with our grandchildren. It is great to have that, but nothing beats the real thing.

"We have two new great-granddaughters we have not met yet and we marked our 59th wedding anniversary - all big family occasions that couldn't be celebrated.

"We are thankful to be safe and well, which is the main thing, but we're eagerly looking forward to the day we can open our front door and our family can come inside for hugs."

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'Whole family must shield to protect our four-year-old'

Jonathan Bell, a Belfast Telegraph journalist, has had to shield with his family after one of his children received a letter.

He said it was important to remember that not all of the 80,000+ who have been told to shield are elderly.

"Our entire household is shielding because our four-year-old, Conan, received the letter," he explained.

"He's been told to minimise his time with others, avoid face-to-face contact, eat on his own, use different utensils, towels and even bathrooms.

"He is to keep two metres away from everyone. He's only four, so it's impossible. And we have two others, aged six and seven months. So we all shield to protect him.

"Conan is our little barbarian - sometimes he thinks he's too tough. He has had minor complications with regulating his temperature and chest problems. He is on inhalers and tablets and is possibly asthmatic. Although we are told he is too young to be diagnosed."

Jonathan said that when the letter arrived advising his family to shield, "ice flashed down the spine".

"And when the roadmap out of lockdown only mentioned shielding twice - that it was tough on them and they should not meet up with family members in stage one - there was a hot flash of anger," he added. "The information for those shielding has been nothing but overarching and general. And they are supposed to be among the most vulnerable.

"There has been suggestions if someone had to go to school, they should go and stay with someone else. And with relatives also shielding, there is not that option for us."

He added: "Those shielding are yet another group that have been forgotten about and more needs to be done."

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'I'm missing football, friends and taking the dog for walk'

Walter Mitchell has lived in self-isolation for the past seven weeks. Now the 83-year-old from Co Armagh just hopes the world returns to normality as soon as possible.

Walter, from Lurgan, and his wife Eileen (85), have been prevented from doing their everyday activities and leaving their home due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Mr Mitchell, who regularly attends church and his beloved Glenavon Football Club, misses the social aspect of getting out and about.

"I haven't been out in seven weeks and I miss taking the dog out for a walk and going out in the car for a wee run," he said.

"I would have walked the dog, gone to Mourneview Park or gone to church and things like that.

"I would have gone shopping with the wife and taken her to the hairdressers. I miss my football something desperate. It's not just the game of football, it's the socialising with it.

"I miss going to the Glenavon Triangle Supporters Club. I really miss going to Lurgan park too.

"I'm 83 now and my wife is 85 so we just can't get into the car and go down to the park.

"My children and grandchildren would come to the door and see us but they keep their distance and stand at the gate, which is 10 yards away."

Looking to the future, Mr Mitchell is hoping the lockdown in Northern Ireland can be lifted sooner rather than later.

"I just want everything to get back to normal as soon as possible," he added.

"I would just love to get out, take my wife to the hairdressers, go to the barbers myself, go down the town for a wee dander and a walk and meet all my mates down there."
(From left) Genevieve McCormack, 44; William McCormack, 45; Campbell McCormack, 12; and twins Ted and Hadley McCormack, 15, pose for a portrait with Norman, at their home in Haverford. Summer camp in the time of COVID-19 "is on everyone's mind in my world," Genevieve said. Read more

 UPDATE: Gov. Wolf outlines plans for reopening in early June

For so many families, COVID-19 has wrecked the school year. It now threatens to ruin summer camp, too.

Every parent I know is in a tailspin, said Genevieve McCormack, 44, of Haverford, a lawyer and mother of three children whose plans for camp were upended.

Camp is on everyones mind in my world. But instead of summer being something to look forward to, its an object of dread.

Parents counting on camp for child care, or simply to occupy and enrich their kids for eight weeks, are facing an uncertain season. Not all facilities can offer straightforward answers on whether therell be smores and campfires in July and August.

Its a tricky situation, said Tom Harris, owner and director of Blue Bell Camp in Montgomery County. Its uncharted territory.

Many camps held on university campuses have indicated theyll close. Meanwhile, Julian Krinsky Residential Camps & Programs, the King of Prussia-based institution that boasts 115,000 alumni worldwide from more than 40 years in business, has announced it will shutter forever.

Most others sit in an uneasy limbo, awaiting guidelines from a national camp organization. Camp directors must then decide whether they can follow those rules  if governors allow camps to open at all.

Anticipating new safety decrees, camp personnel are calculating how many beds to allow in cabins; when during a softball game to disinfect the bats; how to feed 500 campers and staff without allowing them to sit together in the dining hall.

Camps are about social interaction, not social distancing, said Andrew Yankowitz, owner and director of Tall Pines Day Camp in Williamstown, Gloucester County. About 40% of its 700 campers come from Center City, paying as much as $5,400 a summer.

Camp directors are naturally the most optimistic people in the most optimistic industry," he said. But were unsure of whats happening. We still dont know if we can pull it off.

A camp-heavy community'

Camp is a big part of the culture in the Philadelphia area, especially on the Main Line, a very camp-heavy community, according to Maria Stroup, director of Impact Center in Haverford, a nonprofit that connects socially conscious youngsters with community organizations.

While tens of thousands of camps pop up throughout America, a relative few are licensed by their states: 710 in Pennsylvania and 1,020 in New Jersey, according to an executive of the American Camp Association (ACA), headquartered in Martinsville, Ind.

Theres an exodus from the area to camps that goes on during the summer," Stroup said. "But now, parents and children are at a loss.

 READ MORE: After the pandemic, some kids will emerge with resiliency and strength, others with post-traumatic stress

McCormack, of Haverford, and her husband, William, 45, an investor, had it all worked out: Daughter Hadley, 15, was accepted by the USRowing Youth Olympic Development Program, run through a consortium of St. Josephs, Drexel, and Temple Universities. Her twin, Ted, was going to do a robotics lab at Temple. And Campbell, 12, was set to work as a counselor-in-training at a day camp run by Germantown Friends School, which all three siblings attend.

In a succession of disappointments, rowing and robotics were canceled while the day camp moved online.

I was really looking forward to working with kids, Campbell said. Im not sure what my summer will be now.

Her mother thinks she knows: a yawning expanse of continued solitude."

For Melinda Engel of Center City, who has enrolled her sons, Skyler, 11, and Liam, 8, at both Tall Pines and Pinemere Camp, an overnight site in the Poconos, the way forward hasnt emerged yet.

We want our kids to get off electronics and socialize in fresh air, said Engel, 42, who does recruiting for a staffing agency. They need camp more than ever."

Still, she said, "I also have to think about safety. Kids can forget themselves and do things like hug each other. Im not sure what to do, but our hope for camp is dwindling.

Skyler understands. I feel so empty, because Ive been waiting for camp all year, said the fifth grader from Perelman Jewish Day School in Wynnewood. "Camp lifts my spirits. Im a different person there  happier.

With one camp that shed chosen suddenly closing and another still up in the air, Emily Otto, 39, a physical therapist from Ardmore, has decided to hire a part-time nanny to look after her two daughters, ages 9 and 6. The camp thats not sure yet tried to wheel me and deal me and take 15% off my $1,200 deposit, Otto said. But I said I need the money for the nanny.

Camps say they are still working out refund policies.

For Danielle Trucksess of Rosemont, camp plans are collapsing, with one place shed considered for her 6-year-old daughter going online only. The 44-year-old psychologist said, We now face a drastically different summer: an inflated pool and a sprinkler."

You create a bubble

Working with pediatricians as well as a national engineering firm, the ACA is creating a set of pandemic-related guidelines, scheduled to be released Friday.

I believe theres a way to do it, said Susie Lupert, executive director of the ACA of New York and New Jersey, who also works with Pennsylvania camps. You cant reopen the economy unless you have somewhere to put children.

Lupert said that no one expects campers to wear masks or stand six feet apart. Any accredited camp, she emphasized, must have a medical staff. The percentage of children getting coronavirus is extraordinarily low, Lupert added, although she acknowledged recent cases of children displaying a pediatric inflammatory syndrome linked to COVID-19 that has parents frightened.

Ultimately, she said, if we cant open camps in a safe manner, we wont. Theres no fight in this. If the answer is no, its no.

 READ MORE: New CEO of Philabundance vows to fight hunger in the teeth of a pandemic

Beth Goldstein, summer program consultant with Camp Experts, an international organization with offices in Wynnewood and New York that matches campers with camps, said that overnight camps may have an advantage in beating back COVID-19. They can quarantine workers two weeks before children arrive. When they do, theyre screened, even tested if thats possible. Neither the campers nor anyone who works there would be allowed to leave.

You create a bubble, said Goldstein. It becomes an extension of home. Everyone is quarantined together.

In such cases, camp would likely be reduced from eight weeks to possibly four, said Marc Rouch, director of Camp Kinder Ring in Dutchess County, N.Y., about 70 minutes north of New York City. The camp takes in numerous children from Philadelphia and New Jersey.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

One problem, Rouch allowed, is that many overnight camps rely on international staff, most of whom would be unable to travel here.

Then theres the million-dollar question, said Rouch, a child psychologist. What if COVID comes in mid-season? Or what if a camper breaks his leg, has to leave for X-rays, then return? Youre breaking the bubble.

With no safety bubble, day camps would have to screen children each day, Goldstein said. And transportation becomes a problem, since kids are either driven by car, van, or bus to camp, an exposure risk.

Thats too much worry for Deborah Drucis, 46, of Williamstown, a real estate investor whos pulling her two sons, ages 13 and 9, out of Twin Pines.

I cant believe we live in a world where we have to make such choices, she said. But this stopped us dead in our tracks. To think about my kids outside my grasp is unfathomable now.

Such vigilance is not without cost. I stomped upstairs to my room when they closed my camp" in Montgomery County, said Sadie Katz, 8, of the Graduate Hospital section of Philadelphia. "It was my first sleep-away, so awesome. God. Then it all went down the drain.

My mom said be patient, but I already waited a year for this. Who knows how many more years Ill wait.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response of the Delhi Police on a plea by former JNU student Sharjeel Imam, arrested in a case related to alleged inflammatory speeches during the protests against CAA and NRC, challenging a trial court order granting more time to police to conclude the investigation.

Justice V Kameswar Rao, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, issued notice to the Delhi Police and listed the matter for further hearing on June 10.

The police have been asked to file its response within two weeks.

In the plea, the accused has challenged the trial court's April 25 order by which the Delhi Police was granted three more months, beyond statutory 90 days, to complete the investigation in the case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Imam was arrested on January 28 from Bihar's Jehanabad district in the case related to violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act near the Jamia Millia Islamia University in December last year.

The statutory period of 90 days from the arrest was concluded on April 27.

He has also sought default bail in the matter on the ground that the investigation was not concluded within the statutory period of 90 days and when the police had filed an application for more time to complete the investigation, he was not given a notice as required under the law.

The trial court had recently dismissed the bail plea.

The trial court had said that the order extending the period of investigation was passed before expiry of the statutory time period of 90 days.

"Since the time period to conclude investigation has already been extended as per section 43 D (2) of UAPA, I am of the considered opinion that application for release of the accused on statutory bail is bereft of merits and the same is accordingly dismissed," the trial court judge had said in the order.

Section 43-D (2) of UAPA provides that if it is not possible to complete the investigation within the 90 days period, then upon the report of the public prosecutor indicating the progress of the probe and the specific reasons for the detention of the accused beyond the 90 days period, after satisfaction, the court can extend the period of the probe to 180 days.

In the petition before the high court, Imam complained that he was not even produced before the court for subsequent remands, every 15 days as per the mandate of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The plea added that the investigating agency, in its April 25 application, only sought extension of time for investigation and it had not sought to extend his judicial custody and, therefore, he was eligible for statutory bail.

"The application (of police) was devoid of the genuine 'compelling reasons' that are required to be disclosed for extension of time beyond 90 days. The application stated that on a careful analysis of the speech of the accused section 13 of the UAPA Act was invoked. But it is unclear why the supposed 'careful' analysis took 88 days or what additional facts have been discovered subsequent to the eight days of police custody to merit invocation of UAPA on the 88th day of custody."

"On two separate occasions when the Investigating Agency sought police custody of the accused, that is, on January 29 and February 3, the investigation agency did not feel the need to invoke Section 13 of the UAPA Act," it said.

Imam is currently lodged in Guwahati jail in a case related to UAPA registered by the Assam police.

The trial court had passed the order on April 25 after the police had submitted that due to global COVID-19 pandemic in the country and the ongoing lockdown, the pace of investigation was seriously disrupted.

The police had further informed the court that they are yet to interrogate the members of WhatsApp group "Muslim students of JNU", persons who provided their accounts to arrange for money to get printed the pamphlets, Imam's friends and persons who initially recorded the video the speech at Jamia are yet to be identified.

Initially, a case under section 124 A (sedition) and 153 A IPC (promoting enmity between classes) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Crime Branch, New Delhi, pursuant to the alleged speeches addressed by Imam, allegedly instigating a particular religious section of the society to disrupt/block the access to North East region of India from rest of India, police had claimed.

The police had earlier charged Imam with sedition, alleging his speech promoted enmity between people that led to riots.

The mob indulged in large-scale rioting, stone-pelting and arson, and in the process destroyed several public and private properties while a number of police personnel and people were injured in the riots, the police had told the court.

Imam was allegedly involved in organising protests at Shaheen Bagh but came into limelight after a video showed him making controversial comments before a gathering at Aligarh Muslim University, following which he was booked under sedition charges.

Another case was filed against Imam in Assam under the stringent anti-terror law for his remark that Assam could be "severed from India, even if for a few months" as a result of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Police in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh had also lodged FIRs against the JNU scholar over his speech in which he threatened to "cut off" Assam and the rest of the northeast from the country.
Getting great help and support

Home care

I have been on the receiving end of home care for some time via Bayshore and St. Elizabeths Home Care Services. They have delivered great help, and are kind, considerate, and thoughtful about the care they give. Receiving care at home takes away the burden of having to go to the nearest hospital. Help with bathing, wound care, I.V. treatments, and many other health issues including if the issues are beyond their help they will recommend you to go to the nearest hospital.

Jane Evans, Hamilton

A brighter day and stories of my life

Pen pals

My day was brightened by an unexpected letter. An 11-year-old girl had acted on a suggestion that she write to a senior by mail. We are not related, however, I do know her grandparents. I answered her letter and this week received a letter asking me to become her pen pal. I am 78 years old and this is a first for me.

Because of the age difference I will tell her how life was in my childhood. Coal, ice, bread, and milk deliveries by a horse-drawn wagon. Fathers gone to war. The possibles are endless. I hope other seniors have this experience. At this time of isolation it helps with the loneliness and encourages me to actually write a letter, not just phone or text.

Thank you Jayda.

Eleanor Turner, Hamilton

Why is stock market rebounding?

Unemployment rate

Given that the unemployment rate in Canada and the United States and around the world is at record levels and will remain so for sometime can a financial expert tell me why the stock market has rebounded.

I personally suspect the Republican regime in the U.S. and around the world are propping up the market all in an effort to get Trump re-elected in November but as I say it is my only my opinion and I will wait to hear from the experts.

Ralph Corning, Stoney Creek

Fully automatic weapons not legal in Canada

What is an assault rifle?

I see the term assault rifle used when a semi-automatic rifle is described. We would never send our armed forces into combat with one of these rifles, so clearly its not an assault rifle. I grew up in northern Ontario in the 1940s and 50s and I owned semi-automatic rifles then, they were around since the early 1900s. The simplest rifles are usually bolt action where a shell is inserted into the chamber manually by moving the bolt back, then forward, for each shot. A semi-automatic weapon inserts the shell into the chamber automatically after each round is fired, so the rifle shoots one bullet each time the trigger is pulled. Semi-automatics have always been legal in Canada since they were invented in the 1800s. Rifles that the army uses are fully automatic so you select whether they will fire either one bullet with one trigger pull (semi-automatic) or fire continuously until the trigger is released. Fully automatic weapons are not legal in Canada and have never been, nor should they ever be, and no one is asking that they be sold in Canada.

Reg McGuire, Mount Hope

VE Day deserved more space in The Spec

75th anniversary

Victory in Europe was a long time coming for those countries occupied by the Nazis and for those Allied troops fighting Hitlers henchmen. Canadians played an important role throughout the Second World War: Dieppe, D-Day and the liberation of the Netherlands are forever etched into Canadian and world history. 75 years ago, and after six years of unparalleled courage and sacrifice, the Allies ended Nazi tyranny and guaranteed the freedom we enjoy today in the West. The relief that the war was finally over in Europe brought about historic celebrations in both the liberated countries and in the victorious Allied nations on May 8, 1945.

It was, therefore, somewhat disheartening to see the limited coverage afforded to the 75th anniversary of VE Day in The Hamilton Spectator. It is imperative to keep alive the memory of World War 2 and the historic actions of the free world against the Nazis. Younger generations will know little of the cost of our freedom if the historically significant events of the past are allowed to be forgotten. Let us not be afraid of remembering and being proud of our Canadian history.

Matthew Mace, Hamilton

Could there be another ice age?

Atmospheric pollution

Has anyone noticed how cold the weather has been lately? It even snowed today. I suggest that with the greatly reduced worldwide burning of fossil fuels the past few weeks, as driving and flying have been greatly curtailed, the atmospheric pollution has also been reduced, along with its resulting warming effect. Also notice how quickly it happened. If this continues, could it lead to another ice age? Think about it, and burn more hydrocarbons.

Edward A. Collis, Burlington

Time for parliament to reopen too

Our democracy

With a growing number of provinces allowing more businesses to reopen is it not time parliament also reopened instead of the Zoom feed sham we are being subjected to. Our democracy has become a virtual dictatorship with the prime minister delivering his daily sermons on the mount to announce more vast sums he is spending while accumulating the biggest deficit the country has ever seen at the same as he fails to give adequate answers even to pre-selected questions from friendly left wing media sources (predominantly the CBC) while an effective opposition is missing in action and offering no objection or demanding accountability.
Industry-renowned veteran to bring unique architecture and design expertise to Kalray's leading advanced processor solutions

Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris: FR0010722819 ALKAL) (Paris:ALKAL), a pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems, today announces that Louis Tannyeres has been appointed executive vice-president of engineering. With over 35 years of experience in designing advanced semiconductor solutions in various executive positions in large semiconductor companies, Louis will bring rich and valuable experience in executing product roadmaps, industrializing high volume products and delivering optimized solutions to Kalray's customers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005430/en/

Louis Tannyeres (Photo: Kalray)

Louis Tannyeres started his career with Texas Instruments (TI) in 1980. He was instrumental in the success of TI's Wireless Business Unit, which generated several billions of dollars of revenue. In particular, he architected and designed the world's first digital baseband SoC ("System-on-Chip") integrating a DSP ("Digital Signal Processor") core, a microcontroller and an ASIC on a single die, which became the architecture of choice for the mobile phone and has been shipped in tens of billions of devices. He was one of the key inventors of the OMAP application processor for Smartphones, a unique advanced processor architecture, adopted by the largest mobile phone companies in the world. Due to his exceptional technical contributions to TI, Tannyeres was elected Senior Fellow, one of six in the entire company. Following his TI career, Louis Tannyeres was Principal Fellow, Chief Chip Architect and Head of System Silicon Development at ST-Ericsson.

"Louis is a great addition to the executive team of Kalray. He brings tremendous expertise in leading design teams to develop and industrialize advanced processor solutions for large semiconductor companies", said Eric Baissus, CEO of Kalray. "In addition, he is a unique leader and role model to his teams. I am sure Louis will be instrumental in bringing Kalray R&D to the next level."

"I have been following Kalray's evolution for quite some time and have been impressed by the innovative architecture and unique capabilities of Coolidge to power new intelligent systems", said Louis Tannyeres. "I am very excited to join Kalray and eager to contribute to the company's growth and success."

In his role, Tannyeres will manage hardware design and test, board design, engineering and industrialization teams, reporting to the CEO. He will focus on the design of Coolidge and its evolutions as the platform to support the company's ambitions on Data Center and Automotive markets.

As a seasoned sailor who competed five times in the Solitaire du Figaro, a famous solo sailing race with several stages, Tannyeres will stay the course and give Kalray the benefit of his tenacity and his great experience in this new challenge.

ABOUT KALRAY

Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris FR0010722819 ALKAL) is the pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems. A genuine technological breakthrough, "intelligent" processors are able to intelligently analyze a vast quantity of data on the fly and to make decisions and interact in real time with the outside world. These intelligent processors will be largely deployed in fast-growing sectors such as new-generation networks (intelligent data centers) and autonomous vehicles, as well as in healthcare equipment, drones and robots. Kalray's offering spans both processors and global solutions (electronic boards and software). Created in 2008 as a spin-off of CEA ("Commissariat l'Energie Atomique", the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Kalray addresses a broad spectrum of customers including server manufacturers, intelligent system integrators and consumer product manufacturers such as car makers. Read more at: www.kalrayinc.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005430/en/

Contacts:

INVESTOR

Eric BAISSUS

contactinvestisseurs@kalray.eu

Tel. +33 (0)4 76 18 90 71

ACTUS finance communication

Caroline LESAGE

kalray@actus.fr

+ 33 1 53 67 36 79

MEDIA

Loic HAMON

communication@kalray.eu

Tel. +33 (0)4 76 18 90 71

ACTUS finance communication

Serena BONI

sboni@actus.fr

Tel. +33 (0)4 72 18 04 92
Firms involved in the construction and development of the coronavirus linked emergency Nightingale hospitals have been hit by cyberattacks.

Outsourcing giant Interserve, and construction company BAM Construct UK have confirmed they were hit by a 'significant cyberattack' in the past week.

Interserve holds crucial government contracts for a range of services in prisons, schools and hospitals.

BAM Construct was involved in the construction of the Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber in Harrogate.

BAM Construct said the incident had had no operational effect on the Nightingale hospital or any other of its construction schemes.

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A stock image of a laptop screen showing a computer virus warning. In response to a Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives six health boards said their cyber defences had been successfully breached in a total of 117 cyber attacks, including one from North Korea, in the past five years.

The incidents come after a joint advisory from the cybersecurity agencies in the UK and US warning firms working on the COVID-19 response to be on their guard.

Last week, the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they believe criminals were targeting such organisations in the hope of gathering coronavirus outbreak information.

In a statement, BAM Construct UK said they stood up extremely well to the 'significant cyber-attack' linked to a wider wave of COVID-19 incidents.

'Supplier and employee payments are being made and so it is, for our clients, subcontractors and our teams, pretty much business as usual,' a spokesperson said.

'Our IT teams have closed access to a number of systems, including our website, as a precaution and we have alternative arrangements in place when necessary to ensure business continuity.'

They say their own precautions against cyberattacks have had more of an effect on normal working procedures than the attack itself.

'It is important for us to be absolutely confident that restoring all systems  at a time when we are working from home in unprecedented numbers  is done carefully.

'We have reported the attack to the authorities and, as everyone would after such an event, are taking the opportunity to learn from it to make any necessary changes to our systems for the future,' the spokesperson said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Interserve had confirmed its own cyberattack, confirming some of its services could be impacted as a result.

'Interserve is working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Strategic Incident Response teams to investigate, contain and remedy the situation.

BAM Construct was involved in the construction of the Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber in Harrogate but say the attack didn't impact Nightingale work

'This will take time and some operational services may be affected,' the firm said.

'Interserve has informed the Information Commissioner (ICO) of the incident at the time it happened and said they were providing updates as appropriate.

'Interserve's employees, former employees, clients and suppliers are requested to exercise heightened vigilance during this time,' the company said.

The ICO confirmed it was aware of the incident and that it would 'assess the information provided'.

Responding to the initial attack on Interserve, an NCSC spokesperson said: 'We are aware of an incident affecting Interserve Group Limited and are working closely with the company to understand its impact and advise on mitigation.'

The NCSC has not yet commented on the second incident.
Voters wait in line to enter a polling place at Riverside University High School in Milwaukee, Wis., on April 07, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

After Trumps Support, Republican Tom Tiffany Wins Wisconsins 7th District

Republican state Sen. Tom Tiffany won the special election in Wisconsin Monday, filling the vacancy left by former GOP Rep. Sean P. Duffy, and beating out democrat Tricia Zunker.

Democrats and Republicans were watching Tuesdays results as a sign of how President Donald Trump might fair in November.

Tiffany won the election by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent in Wisconsins 7th District.

The special election was required because of Duffys resignation in September 2019, after the Representative learned that he had to take care of a medical emergency with one of his nine children.

The district, which covers 20 counties and is spread across northern and central Wisconsin, has leaned heavily toward Republicans in recent years.

President Donald Trump prevailed in the 7th district, winning it by 20 points in 2016.

Tiffany, a long-standing conservative, focused his campaign around his shared vision with President Trump, and the president acknowledged those shared values when he showed his support on Twitter in April, and again days before the election.

Tom Tiffany is a Great Advocate for the incredible people of Wisconsin (WI07). We need Tom in Congress to help us Make American Great Again! He will Fight for Small Business, supports our Incredible Farmers, Loves our Military and our Vets, said Trump.

Tiffany, 62, has served as a state senator since 2013 and owned and operated Wilderness Cruises for 20 years, he also worked as a dam tender for 25 years on the Willow Flowage.

Tiffany put out a statement Tuesday night, thanking his supporters.

First and foremost, thank you to all the voters of 7th congressional district that cast ballots in todays election, he said. Tiffany also told his supporters that Zunker congratulated him on his victory.

Throughout this campaign, one thing was made resoundingly clear: the people of our district want a strong, experienced voice that will take some Northwood commonsense to Washington D.C. Someone who will work with President Trump to get our families safely through these rough times and back to prosperity. That has always been my promise to you and I am ready to hit the ground running, Tiffany said.

Tuesdays special election was held in-person, although elections officials urged voters to vote by mail.

During Wisconsins April election, officials went ahead with in-person voting despite a statewide lockdown to control the CCP virus, which outraged Democrats. Some believe this energized progressive voters and is what contributed to a Democrat winning a state Supreme Court seat.

Democrats tried to rally behind Tiffanys opponent, Zunker, who is an associate justice for the Ho-Chunk Nation Supreme Court. The judge was vying to become the third Native American woman elected to Congress.

According to the Federal Election Commission, Tiffanys campaign had significantly higher donations, bringing in over $1.3 million, as compared with Zunker, who raised close to $450,000 in the election.

Tiffany and Zunker had ideological differences, especially on the topics of abortion, mining interests in northern Wisconsin, and gun control.

In response to Tiffanys win, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin said, The Democratic Party of Wisconsin will continue to organize every square inch of Wisconsin over the coming 175 days. Were taking no voter for granted and intend to earn every vote cast for Democrats in November.
Dhaka:

In a relief to Bangladesh's former premier and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, a court today granted her bail in nine cases, including one for sedition and others for a deadly transport blockade.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah granted Zia bail in the sedition case filed by a Supreme Court lawyer over her remarks against liberation war martyrs. Speaking at a discussion on December 21 last year, 70-year-old Zia had "expressed doubts" about the casualty figures of the 1971 liberation war with Pakistan.

Zia's BNP is a crucial ally of fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, which was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan. The ruling Awami League, 1971 veterans and members of the martyred families had sharply reacted to Zia's comments with some of them even calling her as the "agent of Pakistan".

The court came up with the bail order after Zia surrendered before it seeking bail in the case. Her supporters gathered outside the court and chantedanti-government slogans as she arrived at the court. The court also granted bail to Zia in eight arson attack cases filed with Draussalam Police Station.

Zia and 27 leaders and officials of her Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) have been accused of instigating the fire bombing in Dhaka as part of a deadly campaign against the government. The attack took place during a nationwide blockade of roads, rail and waterways, which Zia called to try to force Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and pave the way for new elections.

The protest triggered a wave of violence that left more than 120 people dead, as opposition activists fire bombed hundreds of buses and trucks and police responded by firing live rounds. The court fixed October 10 for the next date of hearing in the sedition and eight arson cases.

She also appeared before Session Judge's Court-2 that fixed September 8 for next hearing in a coal mine corruption case. Zia has described cases against her as aimed at keeping her out of politics. There are about 30 cases against the former two-time prime minister, mostly related to alleged violence and graft.

Last month, a court sentenced Zia's eldest son and heir apparent Tarique Rahman to seven years in jail after convicting him over a money laundering case.

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What has transpired in nursing homes across the state of New York should never happen again in America! The decision by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to place COVID-19 patients into nursing homes has been a precipitating factor in the deaths of over 5,000 senior adults so far in 2020.

A double tragedy in New York City is the fact that several veterans' homes have been overwhelmed by the virus.

The Wall Street Journal reported on March 26 that New York officials informed nursing home operators that they will be required to accept patients infected with COVID-19 who are discharged from hospitals. The document sent to nursing home administrators from the New York State Department of Health stated in one paragraph: "No resident shall be denied re-admission or admission to the NH solely based on a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19."

Of the 26,000 COVID-19-related deaths in nursing homes across America, one fifth of them, or 5,300, are in the state of New York. Knowing that adults above the age of 60 are the most vulnerable of dying from this virus, plus the history of contagion quickly spreading in nursing homes, did not seem to compute in Gov. Cuomo's decision-making process.

While receiving praise for helping hospitals in his state, Gov. Cuomo has faced criticism for his response to the safety of New York's over 100,000 senior adults living in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. MaryDel Wypych, an advocate for older adults in the Rochester area, said, "The numbers, the deaths keep ticking up. It's just very frustrating."

Gov. Cuomo made matters worse recently by explicitly stating that providing masks and gowns to nursing homes is "not our job" because N.H.s are privately owned. State assemblyman Ron Kim, a Queens Democrat, said, "It was such an insensitive thing to say."

Another statement that made owners and administrators of N.Y. nursing homes red-faced is Gov. Cuomo saying, "Now is not the best time to put your mother in a nursing home. That is a fact." They see the governor's policies worsening a health crisis in their businesses, and his public statements make it even worse for their industry and the families they serve.

Could the disregard for the health and safety of senior adults in New York nursing homes be a result of age-based prejudice? The general term for this behavior is ageism.

Ageism  What Is It?

Ageism is experienced among senior adults when "societal norms marginalize seniors, treat them with disrespect, make them feel unwelcome and otherwise generalize as if they are all the same."

This disrespect for senior adults in New York has led to many needless deaths. Ageism is growing. Ageism can kill! This tragedy should never happen again in America.

Ron F. Hale is a retired pastor and freelance writer living in his hometown of Jackson, Tenn.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 04:05:13|Editor: huaxia

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MUSCAT, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Omani Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday 298 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 4,019.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, all new cases, including 89 Omanis, are related to community contact.

The statement also said 39 patients of COVID-19 have recovered, bringing the total recovered cases to 1,289 and death toll to 17.

The ministry called on people to observe the procedures for quarantine, avoid public places or places of worship, and ensure public hygiene. Enditem
The restaurants industry, which was looking forward to the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, has been partially relieved today as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave out details on the measures for micro, small and mid-sized enterprises (MSMEs), non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and real estate sectors.

Restaurants sector has been particularly hit during the lockdown since food services are not allowed to operate. This has badly affected the finances of the sector, including both organised and unorganised players. Anurag Katriar, president of industry body National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), says that the collateral-free loans of Rs 3 lakh crore that are offered to MSMEs will improve the working capital requirements of the restaurants. These loans come with one-year moratorium period, and can be repaid in four years.

Typically, there are two ways for restaurant owners to generate working capital: either dilute their equity or take bank loans. Till the announcement by the Finance Minister, banks were reluctant to lend to the sector fearing delinquencies. But Katriar says that restaurants will wait to make use of this scheme until they are allowed to open the outlets.

"It was one of our demands to the government to provide for collateral-free, low-interest loans to the sector. We expect more direct benefits for the industry in the days to come," he says. The moratorium clause under this measure needs to be understood in detail since the quantum of interest component is typically higher, as compared to principal, in the first few years, Katriar added.

Industry players say that the other announcement for stressed MSMEs - subordinate debt provisions of Rs 20,000 crore - will help revive restaurants, especially smaller players, who are close to going bankrupt. As far as changes on the EPF (employees' provident fund) side are concerned, it's not going to make much of a difference. "That really doesn't help us. They could have instead introduced input tax credit for the food services sector. Also, the revision of the MSME definition is a realistic step," says Rakshay Dhariwal, MD of Pass Code Hospitality. "While I am open to take loan, but I'm more interested in fund of funds scheme where the government will take equity in companies to expand them. It will help entrepreneurs like me to cope with COVID-19, and still continue to expand," says Dhariwal.

As industry hopes for more measures, today's announcements were rather unexpected for many companies. Till about the mid-April, the sector was hoping for relief from the government but their confidence started fading away as the government delayed the economic stimulus. Since the lockdown, the industry association has submitted their demands with different authorities, including Sitharaman and NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

As per dining out and online table reservation tech platform Dineout, the F&B sector contributes around 3 per cent to the GDP, and employs some 7.3 million people. With the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 30 per cent of those employed are at risk of losing jobs, and the monetary loss could be as high as Rs 1 lakh crore.

Also read: Economic relief package 'frivolous and gimmicky,' say MSME bodies

Also read: FM Sitharaman announces Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for MSMEs
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The European Union (EU) Tuesday reaffirmed its appeal for humanitarian truce, end of fighting in Libya, and the resumption of dialogue under the aegis of the United-Nations
A comment by dancehall act Stonebwoy that Nigerian artistes come to Ghana to have their 'breakthrough' has been receiving a lot of negative reactions from Nigerians.

In an Instagram Live conversation with Tunde Balogun, a Nigerian media personality, Stonebwoy revealed that to make it big, the artistes always come to sell their music in Ghana first.

Nigerians always pass through Ghana to blow, why? There is a blessing you guys tap from and run with it. Right?

There is no Ghanaian artiste who is big in Ghana that had to pass through Nigeria to qualify to blow in their country. Mr. Eazi had to blow here before he feels its home, he indicated.

But the comment didnt go down well with Nigerians, who took to Instagram to attack him.

Wizkid, Davido and P-Square were cited as examples of successful Nigerian artiste to disprove his point.

I like Stonebwoy but I disagree with him on thisthis isn't true. If Ghanaian artistes have been the ones helping Nigerian artistes to blow, why Ghanaian artistes too never blow pass us, Myjoyonline also quoted a post from one Tiannah086.

Others argued that Ghana does not have the population of Nigeria or the tough competition their industry comes with; hence it is easier to 'make it big' in Ghana.

---Daily Guide
Supplier News

13 May 2020

Franklin, Tenn. - Today, leading hospitality software company Quore has announced that VP of Business Development David Fox has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, a new position at the company. Fox previously led Quore's business development team in identifying new business opportunities and cultivating relationships with customers and partners.

Founder and CEO Scott Schaedle said it was a clear and obvious decision. "David is the most qualified for the role because of his experience and relationships with our customers and within our industry," said Schaedle. "This is a strategic move for us to further ingrain the voice of our customers into the operations of Quore."

In his new role, Fox will resume oversight of business development in addition to Marketing, Brand and Technology.

"We have the best customers in hospitality and they've been our focus from the beginning," says Fox, "I look at my new role as one of helping determine the priorities of what we're working on and then letting our team of very talented people create new solutions for them. We've come a long way in the last 5 years and it's exciting to think about what the future has in store for us."

Fox received his degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and began his career in the software space. Since then, he has taken on everything from programming to sales. Before joining Quore, Fox owned his own business for over 10 years. As one of Quore's first employees, Fox has played a pivotal role in Quore's rapid growth and success over the past 5 years and has managed Quore's existing relationships with some of the largest hotel chains in the world.

About Quore
Tesla and officials in California have resolved their acrimonious clash over safety procedures at the automakers sole US assembly plant with a deal that allows production to resume as early as Monday (US time), county officials said.

The county said the automaker could take additional steps ahead of next week after chief executive Elon Musk had vowed to defy authorities, saying Monday he was resuming production despite the prohibition. On Tuesday, he also won the backing of President Donald Trump.

Tesla's Elon Musk had been locked in a public dispute with Alameda County officials. Credit:AP

In a tweet, Alameda County said that following talks with Tesla it agreed that the electric carmaker can take steps "in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week."

Tesla did not immediately comment Wednesday but around the same time the county issued its statement, Musk tweeted: "Life should be lived."
They have been spending lockdown together amid the coronavirus crisis, after reuniting earlier this year.

And Shia LaBeouf and Mia Goth enjoyed an outing together as they went on a bike ride with their dogs in Pasadena, California, on Tuesday.

The actor, 33, looked relaxed as he cycled down an empty street with the actress, 26, while their beloved pooch sat calmly in a green pet travel carrier.

Outing: Shia LaBeouf and wife Mia Goth enjoyed a bike ride near their home with their pet pooch in Passadena on Tuesday after reuniting ahead of lockdown amid the coronavirus crisis

Shia put on a casual display for the outing as he wore a blue logo T-shirt over a pair of black leggings and matching trainers.

Mia, meanwhile, opted for comfort over style as she slipped on a simple white top over grey jogging bottoms and black trainers.

She pulled her blonde locks back into a sleek ponytail, while she accessorised with a pair of chic shades and gold hoop earrings.

Relaxed: The actor, 33, looked relaxed as he cycled down an empty street with the actress, 26, while their beloved pooch sat calmly in a green pet travel carrier

Shia and Mia confirmed that they had reunited in March, when they were spotted kissing and being affectionate in public. Both were also witnessed with their wedding rings back on.

Their PDA-packed sighting came after the Holes actor was first spotted sporting his wedding band at the Academy Awards last month.

The two had previously separated and filed for divorce back in 2018.

The met in 2012 on the set of Lars von Trier's starkly sexual two-part film Nymphomaniac and sparked up a relationship shortly afterward.

The Peanut Butter Falcon star married the High Life actress in a 2016 Las Vegas ceremony, though Clark County of Nevada claimed the two merely had a commitment ceremony and weren't legally married.

Shia hinted that the couple had reconciled in February, when he made an appearance on the Oscars stage and appeared to be wearing his wedding band.
The Oregon State Police this morning released dramatic dashboard and body camera video capturing the moment troopers killed a drunken father who had kidnapped his six-year-old son and led them on a high-speed chase before opening fire from an AK-47.

The tense confrontation took place on April 10 in Klamath Falls, leaving Matthew Goff dead and one OSP trooper wounded. The suspect's six-year-old son escaped unharmed.

Footage released by the agency on Wednesday shows troopers pursuing Goff, being shot at and returning fire.

The Oregon State Police this morning released dramatic dashboard and body camera video showing a deadly officer-involved shooting that took place on April 10

Officials say Matthew Goff led cops on a high-speed chase with his son in his SUV and opened fire on the pursuing officers

Troopers returned fire, shooting and killing Goff at the scene

After Goff is hit, a law enforcement agent is seen in the dashcam video rushing toward the backseat of his SUV, grabbing the man's son and whisking him to safety in her arms.

According to a statement that accompanied the release of the videos, the incident began unfolding at around 4.15pm on April 10, when the Klamath County Sheriff's Office received a call about a domestic disturbance in the 1700 block of Fargo Street in Klamath Falls.

By the time deputies arrived on the scene, the suspect, later identified as Goff, had left with his six-year-old son in tow.

In an interview with KOBI5 after the incident, Goff's ex-wife, Ria Edenfield, revealed that he was upset after being told that he could not take his son because he had been drinking.

Goff's son was safely removed from his father's vehicle after the shootout (left and right). The six-year-old escaped unharmed

OSP Trooper Kameron Gordon was struck by gunfire but survived the shooting

The deputies learned that the man was possibly drunk and armed with an AK-47.

A short time later, an OSP trooper spotted Goff's white Toyota RAV4 and a pursuit began.

In the course of the high-speed chase, cops deployed spike strips to disable the suspect's vehicle, which eventually came to a stop on Wocus Road.

At that point, Goff emerged from his vehicle brandishing an AK-47 and opened fire on the pursuing officers, wounding Trooper Kameron Gordon.

Law enforcement officers returned fire, striking Goff. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The case was later taken to the Klamath County Grand Jury for a review, which concluded that the use of deadly force by Trooper Justin Henrick and Deputy Maria Gray was justified under the circumstance.

The Klamath County Grand Jury said in a letter that Goff fired at least 36 rounds at the officers after exiting his white Toyota RAV4 (pictured)

In a letter to the community announcing its findings, the grand jury noted that Goff was in possession of 10 fully-loaded magazines and more than 250 rounds of ammunition, at least 36 of which he fired into three vehicles occupied by law enforcement officers.

Ria Edenfield, Goff's ex-wife, said in April that he got upset after being told that he could not take his son because he had been drinking

In the wake of the shooting, all the troopers were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

The OSP stated in a Facebook post on Wednesday that the agency is looking forward to welcoming the troopers involved in the deadly shooting back to work, including Gordon, who has been recovering at home from his injuries.

'I dont think Im alone when I admit my heart skipped a beat when I first viewed this video,' said Oregon State Superintendent Travis Hampton. 'I credit the professionalism and remarkable bravery of the Oregon State Police Troopers and Klamath County Deputy Sheriffs that brought this violent event to end.'

Edenfiled, Goff's ex-wife, told KOBI5 last month that she was saddened by his violent death, which capped off a troubled life.

'Hes finally at peace, because he had been struggling for a long time,' she said, adding that she was thankful to the trooper who pulled her son to safety amid the gun battle.
New Delhi, May 13 : A day after announcing the mega Rs 20 lakh crore economic package, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday is busy with another important assignment. Modi is holding a meeting of a high-powered group of secretaries on COVID-19 to discuss modalities ahead of Lockdown4.0 which will begin on May 18.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, PM Modi said that for Lockdown4.0 entirely new norms would be set up.

He said that before May 18, the norms would be made public. Sources said that the government is focussing primarily on restarting the industries especially the small and medium enterprises.

The empowered committee would soon redefine a new set of rules for the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown. Inputs from various Chief Ministers would also be considered before releasing the new norms.

The Modi government has set up 11 empowered groups for ensuring a comprehensive and integrated response to the Covid-19 pandemic. These groups have been set up under Disaster Management Act.

According to officials in the know, each group has a senior representative from the PMO and the Cabinet Secretariat to ensure seamless coordination. The groups have been empowered to formulate plans and to take all steps for their time-bound implementation.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The accounts have been used to promote content attacking critics of the Chinese government and to spread conspiracy theories blaming the U.S. for the origins of virus, according to Benjamin Strick, who specializes in analyzing information operations on social media websites.

Between April 25 and May 3, Strick said he identified more than 1,000 accounts on Twitter that were associated with the Chinese disinformation effort, as well as more than 50 different pages on Facebook. He estimated that 300 or 400 new Twitter accounts were joining the network each day, as part of the Chinese campaign.

The network has evolved and is still growing, said Strick, in an interview. I believe its a state-backed Chinese campaign.

Stricks work is the latest research suggesting China has ramped up disinformation around the coronavirus, to dilute their own culpability and shift blame elsewhere, although some have cast doubt on certain findings or suggested they may warrant further investigation.

In research published last week on the investigative website Bellingcat, Strick described the operation as a well-structured information campaign that was working in a coordinated way to skew the narrative around varying topics, and to push set agendas.

The operation bears some of the same hallmarks as a network of 900 accounts that Twitter uncovered in August last year, which the company identified as a significant state-backed information operation focused on the situation in Hong Kong, operated from mainland China.

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika Inc., said the accounts identified by Strick appeared to be linked to a network known as Spamouflage Dragon, which was previously identified promoting attacks on Hong Kong protesters by using hijacked and fake accounts on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

In a September 2019 report, Graphika described Spamouflague Dragon as an active and prolific, but ultimately low-impact, cross-platform political spam network, whose actions appeared designed to support the Chinese government and discredit its critics, both at home and abroad.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs didnt respond to an email seeking comment.

A Twitter Inc. spokesperson said in a statement that it was working to pro-actively monitor the platform to identify attempts at platform manipulation and mitigate them.

If we identify information campaigns on our service that we can reliably attribute to state-backed activity either domestic or foreign-led, we will disclose them, the spokesperson said.

Facebook Inc. didnt respond to a request for comment.

Strick said many of the accounts were focused on attacking Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese businessman, now based in the U.S., who is a fierce critic of the ruling Communist Party government. The accounts were also promoting baseless claims linking vaping and Covid-19, as well as amplifying conspiracy theories about biosecurity incidents in the U.S. under the hashtags #coronavirus and #TruthAboutCovid.

The accounts also promoted content that included criticism of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Many of the accounts on Twitter, he said, had Chinese names and posted content in both English and Chinese, while other accounts in the network used Russian account names written in the Cyrillic alphabet, possibly to deflect attribution of the accounts away from China.

On May 8, the U.S. State Departments Global Engagement Center said it had identified a new network of inauthentic accounts on Twitter, which it said we created with the intent to amplify Chinese propaganda and disinformation. It isnt clear if the accounts were the same ones identified by Strick.

Lea Gabrielle, coordinator of the Global Engagement Center, said that China was adopting Russian-style disinformation techniques to sow confusion and to try to convince people that Covid-19 didnt originate in China. That trend, she said, had escalated between March and May.

Beijing has engaged in an aggressive information campaign to try and reshape the global narrative around Covid, said Gabrielle. Its doing this in attempt to make the world see China as the global leader in the response rather than the source of the pandemic.

Twitter, however, cast doubt on the State Departments claim, saying an initial review of 5,000 accounts found no indication the accounts were unduly deferential or supportive of Chinese positions.

Vanessa Molter, a graduate research assistant at the Stanford Internet Observatory, said more evidence is needed to confirm covert Chinese government-backed information operations on social media platforms. Confirmation would require internal information, such as IP addresses of specific accounts, which isnt publicly available to analyze. At the very least, she said, its clear we are seeing significant patriotic trolling from Chinese accounts.

More obvious was an overt propaganda campaign from Chinese state media on social media, she said. The countrys organizations such as China Central Television and China Global Television Network have been promoting content on Facebook, she said, through hundreds of paid advertisements that have lauded the Chinese governments response to the pandemic.

In research published in March, Molter concluded that the Chinese government had used its state media apparatus to control and the narrative and deflect blame since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, domestically and abroad.

Elsa Kania, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said Chinas information operations had expanded in scope in recent years, though it was difficult to assess their impact and efficacy.

Evidently, Beijing has observed and started to leverage lessons learned from Russias exploitation of social media, said Kania. We might expect to see these efforts become more targeted and prevalent going forward.



Bloomberg
WASHINGTON  As the number of coronavirus infections in Russia increases exponentially, Paul Whelans family is more terrified than ever about his fate.

The 50-year-old Michigan man has already spent more than 16 months in a Moscow prison on espionage charges amid escalating concerns about his physical and mental health.

Now, Whelan and other Americans detained by hostile governments face a new threat, as prisons around the world become breeding grounds for COVID-19.

You think, Well, it can't really get any worse ... and then the pandemic comes, said David Whelan, Pauls twin brother.

From what we understand, the PPE (personal protective equipment) that prisoners are given is a face mask and an onion a day. I guess the onion is for vitamin C or something, David Whelan said.

President Donald Trump has long touted his success in securing the release of Americans held abroad, and State Department officials have used the pandemic to ratchet up pressure on some foreign governments to free detained Americans.

"If you are wrongfully detaining Americans during this time, and they become infected and die of coronavirus, we will hold your government strictly responsible," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at an April 29 news briefing. "All wrongfully detained Americans should be released immediately."

In this photo taken on August 23, 2019, Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine accused of spying and arrested in Russia, stands inside a defendants' cage during a hearing at a court in Moscow. The key witness for the prosecution appeared in a Russian court on April 20 to testify in the high-profile trial of a former U.S. marine charged with espionage, news agencies reported. The trial of Paul Whelan, 50, is continuing behind closed doors in a Moscow court despite the coronavirus pandemic and diplomatic protests.

But Pompeo isn't the only diplomat to seize on COVID-19 as an opening for prisoner negotiations  nor have other governments been shy about highlighting the danger of coronavirus infection in American prisons. The Bureau of Prisons has reported 2,100 coronavirus infections among prisoners and 320 cases among staff. At least 42 inmates in the U.S. have died from COVID-19.

Last week, Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, posted an open letter to the U.S. State Department, Justice Department and Bureau of Prisons, pleading for the release of Russians who have committed nonviolent offenses and have underlying health conditions.

Story continues

"Their life and health are under the threat," Antonov wrote in his letter posted on Facebook.

Similarly, Iranian officials have said they want to negotiate a prisoner swap with the U.S.

We hope that as the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease threatens the lives of Iranian citizens in the U.S. prisons, the U.S. government eventually will prefer lives to politics, Ali Rabiei, an Iranian cabinet spokesman, said on Sunday, according to an Iranian outlet. He said Iran was ready to talk without conditions, but the U.S. had not responded.

A State Department spokesman did not respond directly to Rabiei's remarks but said the Trump administration continues to prioritize the release of Americans detained in Iran and elsewhere. The spokesman, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said Iran had agreed to extend a medical furlough for Michael White, an American Navy veteran who contracted COVID-19 in an Iranian prison in March.

After White became infected, he was transferred into the custody of the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which acts as a diplomatic mediator between the U.S. and Iran.

"We remain concerned for Mr. Whites health, as well as for the health and safety of all U.S. citizens wrongfully detained in Iran," the spokesman said.

A spokesman for White's family said his mother spends every night wishing for her son's safe return. He is a cancer survivor, so his health was already a major concern for her.

"She lives on pins and needles," said Jonathan Franks, the spokesman. White is still dealing with the "aftereffects" of his COVID-19 infection, and his "return to the United States is particularly urgent" in light of the pandemic, he said.

In this Sept. 15, 2019 photo, members of the Lebanese Shiite Amal movement hold a photograph of Amer Fakhoury during a demonstration in front of the former Israeli-run prison of Khiyam on the border with Israel, to demand his trial. A former member of a pro-Israel Lebanese militia accused by witnesses of torture, he was released March 19, 2020 to the United States, where he is a naturalized citizen. President Donald Trump said that Fakhoury, who was detained on his return to Beirut in September, was suffering late-stage cancer.

Iran was hit early and hard when the novel coronavirus began spreading across the globe. To date, it has reported more than 100,000 infections and 6,600 deaths, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.

Russia has become a hot spot more recently  reporting 11,656 new cases on Sunday alone. Overall, Russia has 220,000 reported infections and more than 2,000 deaths. Critics say the death toll is likely much higher than that, and it's unclear what's happening inside Russia's prisons.

Amnesty International has warned of a looming catastrophe  saying the Russian penitentiary system is already overcrowded, with poor ventilation and inadequate medical care and lax sanitary conditions.

Many prisoners already have poor health, they are in penal colonies hundreds of kilometers from home and away from civilian hospitals," Natalya Prilutskaya, Amnesty Internationals researcher for Russia, said in a March 31 statement. "Urgent measures must be taken to prevent a potential catastrophe."

On April 28, the Russian news agency Interfax reported 271 cases of coronavirus among employees of the federal penitentiary service and 40 cases among prisoners.

David Whelan said Russia has closed its prisons and courts to outside visitors, meaning U.S. Embassy officials have not been able to visit his brother even as his trial began in late March. He said Paul mentioned getting a face mask and his daily onion ration in a note he sent through his lawyers; the note asked for help obtaining some legal documents for his trial.

The Russian government has accused Whelan of espionage; his family says the charges are absurd and flat-out false. The State Department and U.S. Embassy officials in Moscow have also questioned Russia's spying allegations and expressed concern about his treatment.

"We also continue to monitor Mr. Whelans case closely and to press for fair and humane treatment, unrestricted consular access, and access to appropriate medical care," said the State Department spokesman. "We will continue to raise Mr. Whelans case at every opportunity and will continue to press for access to the court hearings, which have been closed to the public up to this point."

David Whelan says he has not seen any evidence of increased pressure from the Trump administration on the Russian government to release his brother amid the pandemic.

"It sounds a little bit like empty words to me," he said when asked about Pompeo's threat to hold foreign government's accountable for COVID-19 cases.

In at least one case, however, Trump's ramped-up pressure campaign has borne some fruit: On March 19, the president announced that Amer Fakhoury, a naturalized American citizen from Lebanon, was on his way home to New Hampshire after negotiations with the Lebanese government.

"It was a big thing. Very big," the president said, noting that Fakhoury has late-stage cancer and needed medical treatment in the U.S.

"He would have died had he stayed there," said Celine Atallah, a lawyer for Fakhoury's family.

When the virus began to spread in Lebanon, Atallah said his four daughters "became terrified. They were crying all the time."

Now, they're still worried about his health but relieved he is getting cancer treatment back in the U.S., she said.

Atallah said she's thrilled the Trump administration is making it a priority to get Americans released from hostile governments, but argued that the U.S. should demand the same from allies  including Saudi Arabia, which is holding at least two U.S. citizens.

"If they are truly our allies, they should act like it and immediately send our citizens back home," she said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Trump pushes for release of Americans detained abroad
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that the coronavirus pandemic was a "litmus test" for multilateralism and expressed confidence that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was well equipped to tackle the crisis.

Speaking at an extraordinary virtual meeting of the SCO Foreign Ministers, Qureshi said that the pandemic posed a challenge of unprecedented scale and magnitude to humanity that necessitated coordinated responses.

He urged the SCO member states to work jointly to contain the virus that has killed nearly 300,000 people worldwide.

Qureshi said the crisis "was a litmus test for multilateralism, and the SCO was well equipped to tackle it," according to the Foreign Office.

He briefed the SCO Foreign Ministers on Pakistan's coordinated response to COVID-19 covering the public health as well as the economic aspects of the crisis.

He observed that even though infections were spreading, Pakistan had seen relatively low fatalities.

Qureshi in his address also "stressed the need for the SCO to reject stigmatization and discrimination of any community in the context of COVID-19 on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity."

FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE

He praised China's handling of the virus outbreak and expressed gratitude for Chinese assistance to Pakistan.

He made a number of proposals to strengthen coordination among SCO member states against the pandemic, including regular interaction among ministries of health; joint research mechanisms; and strengthening of the SCO Hospital Alliance.

As a means to support the economically vulnerable segments of society, Qureshi underlined Pakistan's proposal for creation of the SCO Experts Group on Poverty Alleviation, as well as setting up the Centre of Excellence on Poverty.

The FO said that apart from the prevailing pandemic situation, matters relating to peace and security in the region including Afghanistan came under discussion during the meeting.

Qureshi welcomed the US-Talibanp peace agreement and hoped that the Afghan leadership would seize the historic opportunity to workout a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement.

The SCO, through the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, could play a facilitative role at this juncture, he added.

He emphasized that tackling terrorism and extremism must continue to be a priority but terrorism related allegations must not be used as political tool to malign and victimize any country or religion.

He also called for the international community to condemn and hold accountable the perpetrators of State terrorism.

The SCO is a China-led eight-member economic and security bloc in which India and Pakistan were admitted as full members in 2017.

Its founding members included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Common Cause Pennsylvania and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania moved to intervene Monday in a lawsuit brought by Judicial Watch Inc. seeking an order compelling the state and several counties to comply with voter list maintenance that it claims is lacking.

Olivia Thorne, president of the League of Women Voters of Delaware County, said Tuesday that the decision to intervene was based in part on the league trying to ensure no legitimate, eligible voters are wrongly removed.

Why do this right before a presidential election? she asked. We work very hard all the time trying to register voters, and the idea that people would be taken off the list when they registered for the last presidential (election), its sort of frustrating in some ways.  This is what were really trying to avoid, is having people disenfranchised.

Judicial Watch, a non-profit organization that describes its mission as promoting transparency, integrity and accountability in government, filed suit in April against Pennsylvania, Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar, and Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties, along with their respective boards of election and election officials.

The complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania cites data gleaned from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to assert that the defendants are not properly purging voter rolls under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.

One section of the NVRA provides that a voter may only be canceled from registration rolls for failure to vote after first receiving a notice requesting confirmation of their address. The voter is then placed on inactive status and can only be removed after failing to vote in two federal general elections or otherwise contacting the county in which they live.

The complaint claims EAC data for 2018 indicates that in the most recent two-year period, Delaware County removed only four people from the list under that provision. Chester County likewise removed five and Bucks County removed only eight, according to the complaint.

Judicial Watch claims those numbers are absurdly small given the size of the counties, the numbers of registered voters in each county and the rate with which registrations become outdated due to changes in residence. The complaint additionally claims Pennsylvania itself appears to be lacking in this area, with removals in some parts of the state under that narrow scope ranging between 72 and zero.

Judicial Watch local counsel Shawn M. Rodgers said the main thrust of the complaint goes to individuals who have received a notice and who were placed on the clock to be removed after two general federal elections.

These individuals, however, are usually people who have moved elsewhere, and may on occasion even be individuals who have died, he said. Judicial Watch is not concerned with  people who affirmatively notify the state at some point that they have moved, or  people who are removed because official channels have determined that they have died.

Judicial Watch sent letters out to each of the three counties and the state in December requesting correction of the numbers as well as certain documents. Delaware County did not respond, but Bureau of Elections Solicitor J. Manly Parks said something on the order of 30,000 names have been removed from Delaware County voter rolls since December of 2017.

Parks said that figure is comparable to neighboring suburban counties. He added that the voter roll maintenance process has been in place for years and is in compliance with federal law.

I think that this lawsuit is based on misinformation or no information, as best I can tell, he said. The facts dont appear to support it and in any event there is clearly no partisan aspect to the voter maintenance roll practices currently in place in Delaware County, since we are adhering to the exact same voter maintenance roll practices that were in place before the Democrats took control of county council and the board of elections.

Bucks County Assistant Solicitor Stuart Wilder did respond to Judicial Watchs letter and said that it had in fact removed a total of 14,050 voters from its rolls in 2018, including 1,901 inactive voter registrations.

Wilder also noted that 761,288 voter registrations were marked inactive and 380,154 were cancelled in 2018 statewide, and pointed to one federal court of appeals decision in another matter that found using the data Judicial Watch relied upon for its suit led to inaccurate and misleading conclusions.

Wilder also noted in subsequent communication that while Judicial Watch was focused on 2018, the vast number of removals occur in uneven years because they are based on participation in national elections, which fall on even years.

Chester County officials did not respond to attempts to get comment, but a letter to Judicial Watch from Solicitor Thomas L. Whiteman similarly disputed the figures for that county, noting it had cancelled 8,977 active voter registrations and 12,522 inactive registrations in 2017, as well as 10,072 active registrations and 2,084 inactive registrations in 2018.

The Department of State does not comment on ongoing litigation, but Boockvar in her response to Judicial Watchs letter indicated fervent disagreement with the organizations figures.

Boockvar said Allegheny, Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties together cancelled 52,317 active voter records and 13,178 inactive voter records through annual maintenance activities, accounting for nearly 18 percent of the 372,694 voter list maintenance cancellations in the state that year. The four counties also accounted for 22 percent of cancelations in 2017, with 106,338 of the total 487,768 cancellations statewide, and in 2016 accounted for 74,416 (18 percent) of the 405,163 voter list maintenance cancellations statewide, she said.

Undaunted, Judicial Watch filed suit seeking certain voter records it claimed to have been denied access to, as well as orders directing the defendants to develop and implement programs to remove ineligible voters from rolls and other demands.

It claimed that the alleged failures of the defendants had burdened the constitutional rights of nearly 1,000 of its members living in the state by undermining their confidence in the integrity of the electoral process and presenting a fear that their legitimate votes would be diluted or nullified.

The interveners claimed in a memo with their petition Monday that the relief Judicial Watch seeks actually threatens the rights of underserved communities in each of the defendant jurisdictions and undermines their mission of assisting with voter registrations in the midst of a global pandemic.

If Judicial Watch receives the relief it seeks, according to the petition, the proposed interveners will have to expend additional resources protecting their members registrations and maintaining registration-related efforts.

Plaintiff alleges that it seeks to ensure election integrity, that petition states. But the removal and disenfranchisement of eligible voters is a more direct threat to election integrity than the alleged failure to take reasonable steps to remove voters, particularly absent any evidence of voter fraud.
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Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. These principles bind all believers.

These are good principles for politics, too, with urgent implications as we consider how to protect the integrity of our political process as the coronavirus pandemic continues to alter most aspects of American life. And such values are not the exclusive property of any one denomination, ideology or political party. They speak to and unify all of us.

In the coming months, we have a responsibility to transcend the partisan tropes about voting to figure out how we can ensure every American, regardless of age or strength of immune system, has the ability to vote in the election in November. The peaceful transition of power is fundamental to our American experiment in self-government. It has survived a Civil War, two World Wars and the Great Depression. Now our grandest tradition must be protected in the face of a virus that has changed most aspects of American life.

We have different perspectives as a millennial and a baby-boomer, but we share the same mission as Believers who have been active in national politics for three decades. One of us served eight terms in the U.S. Congress, teaching Sunday school every weekend in Tennessee and devoutly attending weekly bipartisan prayer gatherings in Washington while in office. The other grew up around politics, watching Democrats and Republicans break bread together regularly in DC  helping them find common ground and work together on issues. But thats changing rapidly, and were all the worse for it.

Healing is a central part of the faith tradition we grew up in. And we believe that the mission of the church gives us a special responsibility to heal our politics and bring our nation together. And our opportunity is now, because the foundation of our democracy has been badly shaken by ethics scandals, access buying in Washington, and the corrosive influence of wealthy special interests.

In recent years, the amount of money spent to influence both our elections and government has skyrocketed. Undoubtedly, this exercise in buying influence has tilted the tables in American politics towards monied interests. Its a truth acknowledged by the political right, which rallied around the populist promises of Donald Trump to drain the Swamp and the political left, energized by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warrens passionate attacks on Wall Street greed.

The list of ways that our system has become rigged to favor the wealthy and well-connected goes on and on, and its not a Republican or a Democratic problem  both parties are at fault.

For too long, political reform has been seen as the exclusive domain of the left. But poll after poll shows it isnt: In five separate national surveys in the last year, Americans of all stripes cited the government as the countrys top concern over traditional challenges like healthcare, education, terrorism or the economy.

Despite profound policy disagreements, the average Republican and Democratic voter is in agreement that crony capitalism is on the rise, and its the powerless that suffer.

In the book of James, the brother of Jesus urged his followers to avoid showing favoritism  specifically warning against giving a wealthy man the best seat in the church and seating a poor person on the back row.

James parable could also be seen as a call to action for people of faith to wade into the reform arena on behalf of our brothers and sisters who are often unheard and unseen.

Nothing would be more encouraging than to see the American church help lead the campaign to promote integrity and give ordinary Americans a voice in their government, to answer the churchs calling to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

The good news is that in Congress there are specific reforms, with bipartisan support, that aim to tackle unaccountable dark money, fix our paralyzed federal campaign watchdog, and end the practice of swampy slush funds widely used by members of both parties. These measures would go a long way to ensure the voices of all Americans are heard, but we need evangelicals to play a leadership role in supporting them.

We must demand more from our elected officials, and from our own communities. To ensure the values of our faith and protect the founding principles of our nation, we must put country over party. Right now, we must call on the federal government to help states with critical funding to ensure that our elections are safe and secure in November.

This isnt about pulpit partisanship  its about using our faith and values to unite our nation. Its about guarding the Judeo-Christian values that underpin our form of government, values that unite all Americans.

Working together, faith leaders could inspire an era of bipartisan consensus to uphold ethics, transparency and accountability within government, without which we cannot heal. Lets start by protecting the ability of all Americans to vote amid the extreme uncertainty of the evolving pandemic.
[May 13, 2020] SaaSWorks Hires HubSpot Exec Mike Redbord as SVP of Operations

BOSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SaaSWorks, a provider of revenue operations and customer success solutions for scaling subscription businesses, announced that Mike Redbord will be joining their team as Senior Vice President of Operations. "Mike's experience building and leading HubSpot's customer success function as the company scaled revenue gives him unique insight into how to best deliver the same success to SaaSWorks' clients," says SaaSWorks Co-Founder Jim O'Neill. Redbord started at HubSpot working directly with its customers as he personally onboarded hundreds of businesses onto the SaaS platform. He then went on to start HubSpot's customer operations team which evolved into the HubSpot Academy. In 2012, Redbord took over HubSpot's global customer support and success department and scaled it internationally across multiple regions. As the company went public, he joined theHubSpot executive team as the Vice President of Customer Success to oversee the end-to-end customer experience including customer support, operations, education, onboarding, implementation, upgrades and renewals. While Redbord was leading HubSpot's Customer Success team, HubSpot's overall subscription revenue grew to over $500 million ARR.



In 2017, Redbord switched roles to lead the product development of the HubSpot Service Hub, a tool built to serve professionals in customer support and success roles. Within its first year, the Service Hub delighted over 5,000 customers, and it continues to be HubSpot's fastest-growing product. After over a decade at HubSpot, Redbord is ready to use his learnings from scaling a multi-billion-dollar SaaS company to help founders of growing subscription businesses.

"Mike's knowledge of both the customer success perspective and product management space will drive how we serve our customers and build the industry-changing solutions that solve for customer outcomes. He will help our customers and our employees drive lifetime value creation and expansion." SaaSWorks Co-Founder Vipul Shah says. The caliber of the SaaSWorks team and their ability to deliver exactly the type of solutions scaling SaaS businesses need attracted Redbord to the new role. "It's hard to scale a SaaS business, and it's even harder to keep the customer front and center as you do it," Redbord says. "SaaSWorks is solving those challenges in deep, novel ways for their clients; it's not just another tool or dashboard. I'm really psyched to help SaaSWorks' clients scale operations and drive growth like never before." About SaaSWorks

SaaSWorks provides revenue operations and customer success solutions for scaling subscription businesses. Through deep integrations and data enrichment, SaaSWorks provides insights and analyses that help their clients identify opportunities for improving net revenue retention. Instead of requiring customers to get results on their own, SaaSWorks takes a data-driven, hands-on approach to delivering value. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/saasworks-hires-hubspot-exec-mike-redbord-as-svp-of-operations-301058674.html SOURCE SaaSWorks

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First time Farm to Market conference is fully online and a first virtual conference of its size across the food and consumer space

Event features industry leaders from the agriculture, fertilizer, protein, food and beverage, retail distribution, grocery and restaurant sectors

NEW YORK, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Capital Markets is hosting its 15th annual Farm to Market Conference on May 13th and 14th, 2020. Normally held on location in New York City, this year's conference will be fully virtual with capabilities to host company presentations, panel sessions and one-on-one meetings. This is the first of its caliber for the food and consumer sector.

The conference will include online panels and presentations from industry leaders from fertilizer and farm inputs to packaged goods, distribution and supply chain, retail and restaurants. Global institutional investors and private equity firms will listen to presentations and participate in panel discussions addressing the challenging and critical times the industry is facing.

The first day will feature a panel titled What We Learned from Covid: Managing Supply Chain, with C&S Wholesale Grocers, Lipari Foods, KeHE, Harvest and Sherwood Food Distributors. On May 14th, BMO Capital Markets, along with Brentwood, CBRE, Results Thru Strategy and Velvet Taco, will present on the State of the Restaurant Industry. The conference will also include a May 13th presentation on Making the Business Case for Sustainability by Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer, BMO Financial Group, and Jonathan Hackett, Managing Director, Sustainable Finance, BMO Capital Markets.

BMO equity research analysts hosting the conference include Kenneth Zaslow, Managing Director and Analyst, Food and Agriculture; Joel Jackson, Managing Director and Analyst, Fertilizers and Chemicals; Kelly Bania, Managing Director and Analyst, Food Retailing and Distribution; and Andrew Strelzik, Director and Analyst, Restaurants.

Senior executives from more than 180 leading agriculture, fertilizer, protein, food and beverage, retail distribution, grocery and restaurant businesses will discuss leading industry trends. Among the companies attending are:

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

Bunge (BG)

CF Industries (CF)

Corteva (CTVA)

FMC (FMC)

George Weston (WN)

General Mills (GIS)

Kellogg Co (K)

Mosaic (MOS)

Nutrien (NTR)

Bayer (BAYN.gr)

Sysco (SYY)

Tyson Foods (TSN)

Sanderson Farms (SAFM)

United Natural Foods (UNFI)

Mars

News media who would like to receive a copy of the agenda, gain access to certain Webcast presentations or request a telephone interview about the conference and market sentiment are asked to contact BMO Media Relations (information below). Note: There will be some restrictions for media on access to certain speakers. Details will be provided upon registration.

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American-based financial services provider offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of products and services including equity and debt underwriting, corporate lending and project financing, mergers and acquisitions advisory services, securitization, treasury management, market risk management, debt and equity research and institutional sales and trading. With approximately 2,700 professionals in 33 locations around the world, including 19 offices in North America, BMO Capital Markets works proactively with clients to provide innovative and integrated financial solutions.

BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE,TSX: BMO) one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with $880 billion total assets as at January 31, 2020.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Related Links

www.bmo.com


External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday strongly pitched for "collective action" by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in dealing with the overwhelming threat of terrorism.

Jaishankar made the remarks at a video conference of foreign ministers of member countries of the SCO, a China-dominated influential bloc focusing on political and security-related issues.

It was chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and attended by his counterparts from all SCO countries including China's Wang Yi and Pakistan's Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The conference extensively deliberated on the evolving situation in Afghanistan, holding that the peace process must take into consideration the aspirations of the Afghan people and stakes of the neighbouring countries.

Jaishankar underlined that the security challenges the region faced are not linked by physical or political boundaries, and that terrorism continues to be the overwhelming threat to security and stability in the SCO region, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

He said collective action would be required to deal with the challenge.

The conference deliberated on the coronavirus crisis and possible areas of coordination among the SCO member countries in dealing with trade, economic and social consequences of the pandemic.

"Jaishankar reaffirmed India's strong commitment to the joint fight against COVID-19 pandemic and its readiness to share information, expertise and best practices to the SCO member states," the MEA said in a statement.

The foreign ministers also discussed the preparations for the upcoming SCO summit in Saint Petersburg.

The External Affairs Minister also highlighted the initiatives and various decisive steps taken by India in the wake of the pandemic, including the announcement of Rs 20 lakh crore economic package to stimulate economic growth.

"He also indicated that India is committed to work towards creation of a favourable environment for mutually beneficial trade-economic cooperation among the SCO members," the MEA said.

India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry into it increased the bloc's heft in regional geo-politics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue.

India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

Along with India, Pakistan was also granted membership of the SCO in 2017.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United State Government has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the mobilisation of resources to fight coronavirus. Ambassador t...

The United State Government has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the mobilisation of resources to fight coronavirus.

Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, spoke at a teleconference with journalists on Tuesday.

I think Nigeria is really to be commended for the incredible mobilisation that it has done with its resources in order to fight against COVID-19. It is a difficult situation in every country, NAN quoted her as saying.

The envoy noted that her country and international organisations were participating in the fight against coronavirus.

It is a complicated job and the more we do it together, the better we would all succeed. But as I said earlier, this isnt something that countries cant address in isolation. Its a virus, it doesnt know borders and so we all have to work together, Leonard said.

The envoy noted that Buhari was the first African Head of State that President Donald Trump spoke with on issues concerning the pandemic.

We are very pleased to see that we made that connection. We are hoping in the coming days or weeks, we will be able to have more information about what they try to do. she said.

The ambassador disclosed that America has spent about $237million on COVID-19 support for African countries.

Nigeria, Leonard confirmed, got $32.8million dollars.
Jerritt Canyon Mine Began Operations in 1981 with over 8M Ounces of Gold Produced

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - Ely Gold Royalties Inc. (TSXV: ELY) (OTCQX: ELGYF) (FRA: A2JSL0) ("Ely Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the Purchase Agreement (the "Transaction") of a 0.5% net smelter returns royalty on the Jerritt Canyon Mine (the "JC Royalty"), located in Elko Nevada announced February 4, 2020.

With the closing of the Transaction with Eric Sprott ("Sprott"), Ely Gold has now purchased its third producing royalty. Sprott originally acquired the JC Royalty from Veris Gold USA Inc. in 2014, pursuant to an April 9, 2014 agreement concerning the Jerritt Canyon Mine wherein Veris was obligated to convey and grant the JC Royalty to Sprott. In addition to the JC Royalty, Ely Gold also holds a per ton royalty interest on the Jerritt Canyon processing facilities, acquired in a private transaction in 2019 (refer to press release dated May 23, 2019) and a 0.75% producing royalty on the Isabella Pearl Mine in Mineral County, Nevada operated by Gold Resource Corp. (refer to press release dated May 2, 2019)

In consideration for the JC Royalty, Ely Gold has agreed to pay CAD$8,000,000 to Sprott, payable by issuance of 12,698,413 Ely Gold common shares at a deemed issue price of $0.63 per share (the "Purchase Shares") to 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a company controlled by Sprott. In connection with its assistance with the Transaction, Ely Gold agreed to pay a finder's fee to Medalist Capital Ltd. comprising a cash fee of 1.0% of the Transaction price, plus 300,000 Ely Gold Share purchase warrants each exercisable over a three-year term to purchase one Ely Gold share at an exercise price of $0.63 per share. All the Purchase Shares issued in the Transaction, including warrant shares, will be subject to a four-month hold period pursuant to applicable TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") policies and applicable securities laws.

Trey Wasser, President & CEO commented, "Jerritt Canyon is a great producing asset and includes some of the best exploration ground in Nevada. The JC Royalty payments began to accrue in February which, when received, will be almost a full year of royalty payments for 2020. We also expect to see significant upside in the production profile at Jerritt Canyon".

Corporate Update

At the Company's Annual and Special General Meeting, held May 6, 2020, shareholders approved the creation of a new Control Person (as that term is described in the policies of the TSXV) that being 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a company controlled by 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 at an exercise price of $0.37 per Bonus Warrant Share. After giving effect to the purchase of the Purchase Shares and the Bonus Warrants, Sprott will beneficially own and control 23,121,594 Ely Gold common Shares and 19,023,942 Bonus Warrants, representing approximately 29.9% of the outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and 24.3% on a fully diluted basis.

About Jerritt Canyon Mine

Gold was first discovered at the Jerritt Canyon Mine in 1972, with the first gold poured in 1981. Between 1981 and 1999, mining was conducted via open pit. Underground operations began in 1993 with the opening of the SSX-Steer Complex and Smith mine. Presently, the Jerritt Canyon Mine is operated by JCG LLC, a private mid-tier North American gold producer. Its primary assets are the permitted and operating Jerritt Canyon processing plant and associated four gold mines located 50 miles north of Elko, Nevada. According to JCG LLC, since mining began at Jerritt Canyon, more than eight million ounces of gold have been produced. The mineral processing operation at Jerritt Canyon is designed to process highly refractory gold ores up to 4,000 tpd and the mill reported processing in excess of 1.1 million tons in 2017 and 1.2 million tons in 2018.

Gold mineralization at Jerritt Canyon occurs in both upper plate and lower plate stratigraphy. While approximately 30% of the 119 square mile land package has experienced first-pass exploration, most of the property outside the mined areas, has not been explored to date. Lower plate rocks are known to occur at Jerritt Canyon at surface, near-surface and under valley fill.

Qualified Person

Stephen Kenwood, P. Geo, is a director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Kenwood has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. The Company does not intend to file a technical report supporting disclosure with respect to acquisition of this royalty interest.

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 Cautions: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the contemplated acquisition of the JC Royalty (as defined above) (including the requirement for certain TSX Venture Exchange approvals), significance of the forecast contribution to the Company, the Company's intention to seek a shareholder approval at its 2020 annual general meeting, its current assets, Company acquisitions of additional royalty interests. These matters are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks that the Company may not secure the required regulatory approvals, including the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange, and the Company may not be able to identify suitable new royalty acquisitions, 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/55785
The coronavirus crisis is fast-tracking the adoption of new communication technologies by emergency response agencies, ushering in live video streams, text messaging and crowdsourced data to give 911 dispatchers more platforms to engage with those in need.Traditional 911 call centers are increasingly able to take advantage of enhanced communication tools supporting videos or chats with callers, while at the same time callers have taken to volunteering personal data via app-based profiles. The combination gives first responders a wealth of knowledge relating to COVID-19 status and other pertinent data without ever having to ask for it.As the COVID-19 crisis began to unfold in New Orleans  Orleans Parish has more than 6,700 confirmed cases and at least 477 deaths  emergency officials began using technology by Carbyne that relies on artificial intelligence and cloud computing to provide enhanced location, video and chat capabilities. Carbyne unifies the flow of life-critical information coming into emergency dispatch centers into one platform.It enables the call takers to truly establish a live connection with the caller, said Moti Elkaim, senior marketing director at Carbyne.In New Orleans, 911 and 311 were both given access to the platform during the coronavirus crisis.Within a few hours, the emergency centers in New Orleans had the ability to now remotely triage callers via video chat and location, said Elkaim.Triaging via video chat means that first responders are able to begin treatment while putting distance between the patient and other people.Their medics in the 911 centers were able to assess, by video They found that a lot of the callers that are calling had some form of panic or PTSD characteristics, and they realized it was not COVID-related, said Elkaim. Those assessments, those observed visually, would not have been able to be made if it was only a phone connection.The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on emergency response and health-care workers nationwide as they respond to near unprecedented levels of calls for service, too often underscoring the limitations of 911 systems operating on phone calls alone.This is an opportunity for us to redefine what efficient and effective government looks like, Tyrell Morris, executive director of the Orleans Parish Communications District, said during the recent webinar hosted by Carbyne.Across the country, text-to-911 systems have been on the rise, with about 188,000 texts sent in 2018, according to the National 911 Progress Report . Tech developments like these, and chat and video abilities, are the kinds of improvements users of 911 services have come to expect, experts argue.With the situation that were now dealing with, the importance of an interface between government and the patient, if you will, that is making the call, is very, very vital, said Steve Souder, director of Fairfax County 911 in Virginia, during the webinar. These are scary times. Lets face it. And more scary for the public, than perhaps those of us that deal with emergencies 24/7. So when you have a visual between a call-taker  a 911 specialist  and someone seeking assistance, thats a very, very valuable tool. And psychologically, has a very positive benefit for that person seeking help, whatever kind of help that may be.Cloud-based technologies like Carbyne also allow dispatchers and other officials to work remotely, a move that has proved important for the continued operation of a number of businesses and government agencies during the pandemic.No one thought about 911 working from home, said Elkaim. The need just doesnt seem real. But all of a sudden, I think everyone is exposed to the true gaps that are coming out of this pandemic.Emergency operations systems are also turning to volunteered crowdsourcing to help dispatchers and first responders quickly learn more about the callers, without even asking.Smart911, for example, allows the opportunity to crowdsource some of that information so that the owners of those properties could actually update their own information," said Michael Armitage, director of Central Dispatch in Eaton County, Mich.Information that can be absolutely critical when someone is calling to 911 in need of assistance, or could be critical in events like were dealing with today, with COVID, said Todd Miller, chief operating officer for Rave Mobile Safety, the developer of the Smart911 app.In Eaton County, outside of Lansing and home to about 180,000 residents, the app has been available since 2014, and officials have been encouraging residents to increase use of the service. So far, more than 8,000 profiles have been registered, which is generally interpreted as 2.5 people per profile.With the Smart911 profile, you can put your photos in, for example If you uploaded that photo of your child, and heaven forbid they go missing, that information is at the fingertips of the dispatcher, first responder. Its a way to get that information so much more quickly, Armitage explained.Back in Eaton County, the app  because it's predicated on users volunteering information  is cutting through roadblocks to public health information.The health department will let us know an address, but they wont let us know a name of who it is, said Armitage, citing privacy requirements limiting the sharing of personal health data.However, if someone with a profile tests positive for the virus, they can share this information via the app, alerting first responders of their condition. This information is especially valuable for knowing when to use precious personal protective equipment.With the Smart911 profile, it gives us the ability to collect one other piece of data, which is if you are under public health monitoring. So you could volunteer the information to Smart911, Armitage added. Its a good piece of information to have that we can pass on to first responders. Because whether its an EMS call or a law enforcement call, we want to pass that on to our first responders.
Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court upheld the life sentence of ethnic Uzbek human rights activist Azimjon Askarov, despite calls by domestic and international rights groups for his release. The Sweden-based group, Civil Rights Defenders, condemned the May 13 ruling and called on Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to "intervene and free [Askarov] immediately." Askarov, who turns 69 this month, has been behind bars for nearly 10 years on what human rights and media-freedom watchdogs described as trumped-up charges.
Scott White left his home on Tuesday morning planning only to top up his Opal card at the service station.

Instead he was arrested for one of the most high-profile alleged gay-hate killings in Australia's history.

His reaction "wasn't one of surprise," detectives said on Wednesday.

The 49-year-old is in custody after he emerged as the man charged with the murder of 27-year-old Scott Johnson near Manly's North Head in 1988.
Tyagi said SEBI has been responding to market developments through appropriate measures in consultation with various stakeholders.

New Delhi: Regulator SEBI on Wednesday discussed several issues pertaining to raising of capital and corporate debt market with corporates as well as promised to look into the challenges being faced by them due to the COVID-19 crisis.

In a conference call with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi apprised the industry leaders of various steps already taken by the market regulator and promised to look into the issues raised by them.

This was part of the series of meetings that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is having with various stakeholders, the regulator said in a statement.

SEBI had earlier interacted with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

FICCI appreciated the proactive efforts being taken by SEBI in the wake of developments related to COVID-19.

Sangita Reddy and Sunil Sanghai were among the representatives of FICCI who attended the conference call, while Tyagi was also joined by other senior officials from Sebi.

Several issues concerning the industry in light of the lockdown due to COVID-19 were discussed in the meeting. This included raising of capital, corporate debt market and disclosures.

Tyagi said SEBI has been responding to market developments through appropriate measures in consultation with various stakeholders.

He further said SEBI is in regular touch with the government, Reserve Bank of India and other regulators on various issues.

SEBI has taken several proactive measures in easing the corporates'' regulatory compliance burden by introducing relaxations like extension of date for filings to be made to stock exchanges like quarterly and annual financial results, corporate governance reports, shareholding pattern, among others, for listed entities.

The regulator has also granted a one-time relaxation in primary market fund raising norms to make it easier for companies to raise capital amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rights issues are now considered successful if the minimum subscription received is 75 percent, as opposed to 90 percent earlier.

Further, in case of fast track issues, the eligibility criteria of average market capitalisation of public shareholding of the issuer has been relaxed to Rs 100 crore from the earlier Rs 250 crore.

SEBI has also extended the validity of observation letters issued by it for initial public offerings (IPOs) and rights issues as well as new fund offer (NFO) documents for mutual funds by six months.

Besides, SEBI has given relaxations for market intermediaries such as stock brokers, depository participants and share transfer agents (RTAs).

Deadlines for implementation of stewardship code for mutual funds, overhaul of regulations governing portfolio management services (PMS), mutual funds and alternative investment fund have been extended too.

To ensure orderly functioning of the market, SEBI has put in place adequate risk management measures.
- Prophetess Christene McLean of Endtime Prophetic Ministries in Jamaica said the declaration by the country's PM that churchgoers must wear masks in a sanctuary was "ungodly"

- On Monday, May 11, PM Andrew Holness allowed full church services to resume as long as physical social distancing and masks were worn

- As of Wednesday, May 13, the country had confirmed 505 cases of coronavirus with nine deaths

A church leader has said God is not pleased with the measures that have been imposed on religious institutions to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Apostle Christene McLean, the founder of the City of Refuge Endtime Prophetic Ministries in St Ann's Bay, Jamaica, said the declaration by the country's Prime Minister Andrew Holness that churchgoers must wear masks in a sanctuary was "ungodly".

READ ALSO: Political Parties Tribunal confirms section of orders given to Lusaka on Jubilee-KANU alliance was forged

Christians in church amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: AP.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Aggrieved Kenyans call for DP Rutos resignation a day after his allies were dethroned

According to Jamaica's The Star, McLean said people cannot wear masks in front of God because they would look like terrorists.

"If he's gonna be telling people to wear masks he is saying there is no God, that God cannot deliver the people. When it comes to God's House, people cannot be wearing masks in front of God looking like terrorists," McLean said.

Apostle Christene McLean, is the founder of the City of Refuge Endtime Prophetic Ministries in St Ann's Bay, Jamaica. Photo: Jamaican Star.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Rais Magufuli akosa kuhudhuria mkutano wa marais wa EAC kujadili COVID-19

The Jamaican government had initially enforced tough social-distancing measures to contain the spread of the pandemic, which involved the restriction of gatherings to no more than 10 persons in a public places such as the church.

On Monday, May 11, however, the PM allowed full church services to resume as long as physical social distancing was observed.

Holness said all people must wear a mask in the church and sanitise at all times.

The rules also require churches to conduct temperature checks on entry; that no choir is to assemble; and no air-conditioning units are used.

He said that the provisions were agreed following a meeting with a representative group of the church on Friday, May 8.

The safety measures irked the woman of cloth.

"How can you tell people to wear mask into God's sanctuary? The prime minister needs to step out of the fear that he has and allow the people to walk by faith and not by sight, because God moves by faith,"

"If you're telling people to wear mask, then you're saying God who heal people like me from cancer cannot heal COVID virus, so God is absolutely inferior to COVID virus," she said.

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Researchers behind a widely cited mortality model on Tuesday revised their projection for Covid-19 deaths in the United States to more than 147,000 as restrictions continued to be relaxed around the country sometimes prematurely. It is 10,000 more than the previous estimate.

The new estimates from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) of the University of Washington came just hours after the Trump administrations top public health officials had warned lawmakers at a US senate hearing of little spikes that might turn into outbreaks because of premature reopening.

The IHME bluntly attributed the higher projection to changes in testing and mobility, as well as easing of distancing policies.

Public health officials and experts are urging caution as many states have allowed some businesses to reopen and lifted restrictions on public life and others re under increasing pressure to follow, egged on by President Donald Trump who is eager to change the narrative and move on. We have met the moment and we have prevailed, he told reporters Monday.

But his own public health experts and officials have a distinctly different assessment of the battle against the epidemic, which had 82,389 people till Wednesday morning (up by 1,674 over the past 24 hours) and infected more than 1.37 million people.

It depends on what you mean by containment, Anthony Fauci, the top US epidemiologist and member of the White House task force on the coronavirus, said at the senate hearing when asked if the outbreak had been contained. If you think we have it completely under control, we don. But he added the US is going in the right direction.

We are not out of the woods yet, Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and also a member of the task force, told senators.

Both Fauci and Redfield were among the four public health officials who testified, all remotely, along with Stephen Kahn, head of the Drug and Food Administration, and Admiral Brett P. Giroir, an assistant secretary of health.

In a separate but related development, some Republican senators moved a legislation that seek to authorize the president to impose sanctions against China for not giving a full accounting of the coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this pandemic, said Senator Jim Inhofe, one of the sponsors of the COVID-19 Accountability Act., said in a statement.
JBC members said if the federal package comes through, they could undo many of the actions theyre considering in the next two weeks to cover the shortfall.
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today recognized three individuals with awards for their exemplary service to the computing field. Working in diverse areas, the 2019 award recipients were selected by their peers for longstanding efforts that have strengthened the community. This year's ACM award recipients made seminal contributions in areas including textbooks and educational tools, bibliographic resources, and advancing the computing community in India.

Mordechai (Moti) Ben-Ari receives the Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award for his pioneering textbooks, software tools and research on learning concurrent programming, program visualization, logic, and programming languages, spanning four decades and aimed at both novices and advanced students in several subfields of computing.

Ben-Ari, a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, has authored 15 well-known and widely-used textbooks on topics including concurrent and distributed programming, programming languages, model checking, and mathematical logic. Many of these books are the definitive textbooks in their respective areas, and several have been translated into many languages.

In addition to his textbooks, Ben-Ari has developed several open source software tools for teaching computer science. The tools he developed and co-developed for teaching various subject areas include: for distributed and concurrent programming (DAJ, Jbaci); for model checking (JSpin and EriGone); for program visualization (the Jeliot animation tool); and for SAT solving (LearnSAT).

Ben-Ari has also been a leader in the area of computer science education theory, having written seminal research papers on constructivism and situated learning. Demonstrating his broad range of interests, he recently co-authored (with Francesco Mondada) Elements of Robotics, an open source textbook for high school students. Ben-Ari's work has helped to educate and inspire generations of students in computer science.

The Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award is presented annually to an outstanding educator who is appointed to a recognized educational baccalaureate institution. The recipient is recognized for advancing new teaching methodologies; effecting new curriculum development or expansion in Computer Science and Engineering; or making a significant contribution to the educational mission of ACM. Those with 10 years or less teaching experience are given special consideration. A prize of $10,000 is supplied by Pearson Education.

Michael Ley receives the ACM Distinguished Service Award for creating, developing, and curating DBLP, an extraordinarily useful and influential online bibliographic resource that has changed the way computer scientists work.

Until the early 1990s, finding relevant literature and compiling the bibliographic references for a paper or a dissertation was a manual and tedious effort for students and authors. Ley, of the University of Trier and Schloss Dagstuhl ? Leibniz Center for Informatics, created DBLP in 1993 to cover proceedings and journals from the fields of database systems and logic programming (from which the acronym "DBLP" arose). The author pages provided links to co-authors and corresponding table-of-contents entries, forming a browsable person-publication network. After positive feedback from the database community, Ley added data from further computer science disciplines.

Today, DBLP lists more than 5 million publications and is used to search for bibliographic entries (its original intent), as well as to evaluate persons or institutions, and to support program committee chairs, editors, and reviewers. Strengths of DBLP include the quality of its data, which results in a very low rate of errors, as well as the unique identification of authors. DBLP has changed the way computer scientists use bibliographic data and has become an invaluable asset for virtually every researcher in the field.

During the 1990s and 2000s, DBLP was largely a one-man endeavor. In the last decade, Ley organized a DBLP team at Schloss Dagstuhl ? Leibniz Center for Informatics. Through DBLP, Ley has made the enormous body of published computer science research more accessible and useful to the entire community.

The ACM Distinguished Service Award is presented on the basis of value and degree of services to the computing community. The contribution should not be limited to service to the Association, but should include activities in other computer organizations and should emphasize contributions to the computing community at large.

Arati M. Dixit receives the Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award for contributing to the growth and diversity of ACM programs in India, especially ACM-W India.

Dixit is currently a Senior Scientist at Applied Research Associates, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as a Teaching Associate Professor in the ECE department at North Carolina State University. Dixit has been an active member of ACM-W India, an initiative that focuses on the empowerment of women, for many years. In 2013, she was involved in launching the first ACM-W Celebration of Women in Computing event in Pune. ACM-W Celebrations are events that are designed to build a sense of community among women in computing and can include anything from a technical session, to a graduate panel, to a career fair. When she became Chair of ACM-W India in 2017, Dixit expanded the number of ACM-W celebrations to eight diverse regions of the country in both rural and metropolitan settings. She also championed the creation of an annual ACM-W India hackathon.

In 2017, when the broader ACM India Council initiated a program of summer schools across the country to encourage undergraduate students to take up graduate studies, Dixit proposed the idea of having one of the schools dedicated exclusively to women. Dixit organized the first school in Pune in 2017, and an additional summer school was added in Bengaluru in 2018. These women-only summer schools were a success and the model has been repeated. The number of ACM-W chapters across India also grew during Dixit's tenure. When she stepped down as Chair at the end of 2019, there were 35 active ACM-W student chapters and three ACM-W professional chapters in the country.

Dixit's other prominent public contribution to ACM was her work as the founding Vice Chair of the ACM India Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (iSIGCSE), in which she made tireless efforts to promote ACM curriculum implementation across India. As an ACM India Eminent Speaker, she has delivered more than 50 talks on diverse topics. She has been especially active with her local ACM professional chapter in Pune, having served as Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary/Treasurer.

The Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award recognizes outstanding service contributions to the Association. Candidates are selected based on the value and degree of service overall, and may be given to up to three individuals each year.

###

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.
May 13 : Actor Rajesh Tailang says his recently released short film Zoya talks about current nature and current predicament and addresses the way can heal mother-nature.

Zoya is written and directed by Sahirr Sethhi, starring Rajesh Tailang, Manjot Singh and Geeta Agrawal Sharma, is all set to release in India. The movie will stream on MUBI. The film is shot entirely on location in the jungles of Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Talking about the India release and the film, Rajesh said, If I see this film from todays perspective, I understand that its very important to take care of our mother nature. The same idea has been highlighted in the film. It talks about the cleansing of mother-nature and also how we can take care of our environment and ourselves. So basically, the film talks about the whole journey of our connection with mother-nature

The film addresses the way we can heal our environment and also our inner self. In other words, it talks about inner and outer healing. Amid lockdown, the world is going through many hustles and bustles. And I think this is the time that we should understand the importance of our environment and the changes we should bring in ourselves added Rajesh.

The film has been making rounds at International film festivals and with 5 international award wins, released in India on May 9.

Rajesh Tailang also added that he is a wildlife freak and loves shooting short film, as it allows him to work with new people.

He said, I keep doing short films because it gives me an opportunity to work with new people. For me money is not criteria, I just love doing my work. And while doing this film I enjoyed it a lot, because I am a wildlife freak. I love to see and do documentaries on animals. The story of this short film is also based on wildlife. It is shot in Kanha National Park. I really enjoyed working on this project.

The film is an adventure-drama set deep in the jungles of Central India, between a demanding wildlife conservationist and his eager-to-please intern, both trying to track and save a missing tiger.
History and the current geo-political climate show us how some glorified leaders lose their touch with reality

Amsterdam, May 13, 2020- While history shows us that power tends to corrupt, a team of Swiss and German researchers have recently examined historical examples of large-scale business fraud and misconduct at the highest-levels of government in order to highlight how leaders sometimes lose all sense of morality. Inflicting serious harm on their company or society in the process.

This new study in The Leadership Quarterly, published by Elsevier, suggests a change in the selection process may mitigate the one key factor to blame: hubris.

Leaders often attribute their success to their superior ability and bask in their own brilliance. Drunk from power and overconfidence, they embark on endeavors that often begin to bring about detrimental outcomes. In recent times, we have witnessed accounting fraud at Enron, software fraud at Volkswagen, and corruption at FIFA - the list of misconduct by successful top managers is long.

"In classical Athens and medieval Venice, political positions were filled using a mixed procedure of targeted selection and drawing by lots," explained author Professor Katja Rost, University of Zurich, Switzerland. "We wanted to see how appointing leaders partly by random selection affected their performance."

Candidates were pre-selected according to conventional performance criteria. After conducting a large laboratory experiment and reviewing the existing literature, Dr. Berger, Assistant Professor, University of Bern, Switzerland and his research team including, Profs. Margit Osterloh, University Basel, Switzerland, Rost, and Thomas Ehrmann, University Munster, Germany confirm that partly random selection avoids hubris in leaders.

Their analysis found that overconfident leaders selected partly randomly are less prone to misusing their power and making decisions that are more beneficial to other members of the group, compared to overconfident leaders selected through the usual competitive selection process.

A competitive selection process typically triggers leadership hubris of overconfident people due to two factors. First, positions of power are often occupied by persons with overconfidence; and second, competitive selection methods confirm overconfident leaders' feeling that they are exceptional and perform far "above the average" of other candidates and feel entitled to enrich themselves.

In contrast, partly random selected leaders are more "humbled" than those selected by competitive methods without performing any less effectively.

"This study is intriguing and points to the problem of a current leaders selection methods. Yet, a potential better solution was discovered by city states and institutions of the past, who used, in part, random selection from a pool of candidates to appoint leaders," said Dr. John Antonakis, Editor-in-Chief of The Leadership Quarterly. "Dr. Berger and his colleagues now provide experimental evidence to support such a practice; this article should stimulate more research but more importantly, further reflection too by institutional legislators and selectors of leaders."

###

Notes for editors

The article is "How to prevent leadership hubris? Comparing competitive selections, lotteries, and their combination," by Joel Berger, Margit Osterloh, Katja Rost, and Thomas Ehrmann (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2020.101388). It appears as an Article in Press in The Leadership Quarterly (May 2020), published by Elsevier.

Copies of this paper are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact the Elsevier Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com">newsroom@elsevier.com. Journalists wishing to interview the authors can contact Prof. Katja Rost at katja.rost@uzh.ch">katja.rost@uzh.ch or +41 79 745 90 50.

About The Leadership Quarterly

The Leadership Quarterly is a social-science journal dedicated to advancing our understanding of leadership as a phenomenon, how to study it, as well as its practical implications. The aim of the journal is to publish scholarly research, theory, and developmental application from diverse fields of inquiry about leadership. The journal will consider studies of leaders from all walks of social life, including formal or informal leaders of any type of group or organization; non-human leadership will also be considered.

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. http://www.elsevier.com

Media contact

Jonathan Davis

Elsevier Communications, Europe

j.davis.1@elsevier.com

newsroom@elsevier.com
Mr. Bidens advisers have indicated to donors and other supporters this spring that the campaign is focused on uniting the Democratic Party before turning to broader general election outreach.

Jared Bernstein, who during Mr. Bidens vice-presidential tenure served as his chief economic adviser and continues to informally advise him, said it was a fair conclusion that Mr. Bidens calls for change had grown more pointed in recent weeks. Mr. Bernstein said that the economic ruin and the struggles of the Trump administration loom very large for him, given Mr. Bidens role in leading the Obama administrations response to the recession in 2009.

Like many of us, hes trying to suss out whether were at a kind of turning point, Mr. Bernstein said, where on the other side of this virus a lot of people are going to look around and say, We need a far more competent government sector that can insulate us from shocks that come fast and furiously in a global economy.

More urgently, the mark of a successful campaign will be if working-class Americans believe that Joe Bidens on my side and Donald Trump betrays workers, said Senator Sherrod Brown, a pro-labor Democrat of Ohio, who speaks regularly with Mr. Bidens staff.

In any earlier presidential cycle, Mr. Bidens policy proposals could have been considered far-reaching  promoting a public option for health care, for example, and embracing the overarching themes of the Green New Deal to combat climate change.

But throughout the primary, he opposed many of progressives litmus-test issues. He also predicted that the Republican Party will have an epiphany once Mr. Trump is out of office, a view of political compromise that some Democrats believe is out of step with Trump-era tribalism.

Despite that skepticism, party leaders who have recently endorsed him, including Mr. Obama, Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren, have each pitched Mr. Bidens potential administration as one capable of ushering in an era of progressive change.
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In this study, the researchers collected monocytes from the blood of breast cancer patients and tried to differentiate them in the laboratory into pro-inflammatory macrophages, which tell the immune system to send reinforcements to the tumor site. Monocytes were collected from 44 blood samples donated by breast cancer patients treated in France and at Perola Byington Hospital in Brazil, as well as 25 samples from healthy individuals who served as controls."We used a cocktail of cytokines [signaling proteins that modulate the immune system] to try to induce monocytes to differentiate into pro-inflammatory macrophages. In theory, this type of cell is supposed to tell the organism it has a tumor and eliminate it," Ramos said. "However, the monocytes failed to perform this role in approximately 40% of the patients and displayed a very similar profile to that of the intratumoral macrophages associated with an adverse outcome."The researchers then analyzed monocyte gene expression to determine which messenger RNAs the cells were producing. The analysis identified alterations to several signaling pathways, even in patients whose cells differentiated into macrophages as they should in healthy subjects."This confirms that breast cancer isn't just a local disease. It doesn't affect only the breast but affects all cells systemically. The defense cells are already altered when they enter the bloodstream," Barbuto told.The researchers cannot yet explain exactly how these tumors interfere with the immune system. "One possibility is the secretion of transcription factors [proteins with a modulating function] into the blood," Ramos said, "another hypothesis could be a systemic effect via the bone marrow, but this is harder to verify. In this case, the disease could affect monocyte precursor cells."According to Ramos, cancer can develop slowly over a period of years. "If we could detect monocyte alteration early on when there are no signs of the disease, it might be possible to prescribe more tests to determine if something is wrong," he said.Source: Eurekalert
The entrance to Pioneer Park with the Alaska Centennial Center for the Arts in the background on Oct. 26, 2017.
Employers emerging from lockdown are looking to new COVID-19 screening tools to help workers get back on the job.

Why it matters: Neither employees nor customers are likely to return to businesses if they fear infection, so there needs to be some way to separate the sick from the well. But many new screening services are untested, and could open the door to intrusive health surveillance.

Driving the news: Dozens of states have begun at least a limited form of reopening, but putting workers and customers back in offices and restaurants will raise the risk of new outbreaks unless the potentially infectious can be identified.

As a result, medical security is going to need to become a part of overall workplace security, says Mark Ein, chairman of Kastle Systems, the leading U.S. provider of commercial security. "In the same way we've secured buildings for 50 years, we think we need to create a safe environment for the ecosystem of a commercial building, which includes the owners, the tenants, the visitors and suppliers."

What's happening: A number of companies are already rolling out new digital tools designed to identify possible COVID-19 cases at the point of entry for workplaces.

Kastle is introducing KastleSafeSystems, which will use touchless access controls, symptoms tests and thermal cameras for temperature screening. Once inside the office, workers can be monitored using intelligent video cameras to investigate close contacts in the case of an infection and reinforce social distancing within the workplace.

The biometric ID company CLEAR, best known for providing expedited security in airports, is offering a new Health Pass service via the company's app that will link an employee's digitally-verified identity with health data.

The financial services firm PwC has developed a contact-tracing app that allows the company to identify employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19-positive colleague in the workplace.

Background: In normal times, anti-discrimination rules would prohibit employers from requiring employees to undergo medical exams.

But in March, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that because of the coronavirus, employers would be permitted to screen workers' temperatures.

Health data collected about an employee for employer-sponsored health plans is protected but there aren't clear regulations or laws yet to protect health data that would be collected for COVID-19 screening purposes.

The catch: It's far from clear how effective any of these tools will be.

While the FDA is temporarily permitting companies to market infrared thermal cameras that have not yet been approved by health authorities for workplace temperature checks, such devices are often inaccurate.

And even if they work, they wouldn't necessarily catch infected employees who are asymptomatic  as many COVID-cases are  or who have yet to show symptoms but are still infectious.

Linking screening services directly to COVID-19 tests would improve their accuracy, but the U.S. is still a long way from ubiquitous testing. And there's no guarantee a positive antibody test means a worker would be safe from getting sick or sickening others.

Beyond issues with effectiveness, these new services present challenges to autonomy and privacy.

It's difficult to see how truly voluntary COVID-19 screening apps would be if employees wouldn't be allowed to work without using them.

if employees wouldn't be allowed to work without using them. Services that track employees movements within a workplace would help enforce social distancing and trace any office outbreaks, but would also introduce an invasive new level of automated surveillance.

Basing the right to work on perceived immunity status could create a new kind of workplace discrimination in the name of public health. "The people who cant [work] will say, This is unfair, and theyll be right, Hank Greely, a bioethicist at Stanford Law School, told the New York Times.

Just as 9/11 led to more invasive security in airports and other vulnerable spaces, most indications are the pandemic will lead to more pervasive health surveillance abetted by new digital tools.

In a recent report forecasting life after the virus, Cognizant's Center for the Future of Work envisioned the creation of a massive Health Security Agency that would mandate automated illness scanning for any building, space, or country. "The surveillance infrastructure that has been built over the last number of years is going to come down on us like an iron curtain," Benjamin Pring, the center's head, told Axios in a recent interview.

"We can build anything," says Karin Giefer, senior vice president at the digital business transformation company Publicis Sapient. "The question we should be asking is whether we should."

The bottom line: Digital surveillance offers the possibility of speeding the safe reopening of the economy. But if it is implemented poorly, it will come with a cost.
/ -- Reinforcing its commitment towards its battle against COVID-19, Canon India, one of the leaders in the imaging space, initiated its second phase of relief efforts by providing over 732 PPE kits for healthcare workers of the country. Keeping in mind the urgent need of PPE kits to safeguard the paramedical staff especially those visiting isolation wards, the organization is handing over the kits to the Health Ministries/The Directorate of Medical Education and Research of New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, they are also donating the PPE kits to the government hospitals near their adopted villages in Mumbai, Haryana and Bengaluru, ensuring the safety of health workers involved.

Speaking about this initiative, Mr. Kazutada Kobayashi, President & CEO of Canon India, said, "People across countries have been profoundly impacted by COVID-19 and our hearts continue to be with them. In uncertain times like this, we have a responsibility to combat this global pandemic with great solidarity. The testament to this is the heroic work of our healthcare workers, who are protecting and safeguarding people round the clock with immense care and compassion. We, along with every citizen of India, are truly proud of all the healthcare workers across the country. As an acknowledgement of their efforts, we are now extending our support and providing PPE kits to the government hospitals of our adopted villages and Health Ministries of New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Through the initiative, we are reinforcing our corporate philosophy of 'Kyosei' which embodies the spirit of 'living and working together for the common good'.Our relief efforts further underscore our commitment to work relentlessly to combat this pandemic. We are certain that India will win this battle against COVID-19 and rise with greater vigor."



Canon India had commenced its CSR outreach in the beginning of April, by donating essential food and sanitation items to over 12,500 beneficiaries including the daily wagers and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in its adopted villages and children from SOS Children's Village Family homes. As a part of the relief, Canon India provided 3000 food packets which included rice (5 kg), flour (5 kg), pulses (1 kg), salt (1 kg), sugar (1 kg) and cooking oil (1 kg). Along with distributing essentials such as surgical masks, sanitizers, liquid soap and home & surrounding cleansing items, informative and awareness sessions were also conducted for the children of SOS Children's Villages in Faridabad and Hyderabad.

As a way forward, the company will closely monitor the situation and will continue to support and safeguard communities across the country.

About Canon's corporate philosophy 'Kyosei'



Canon India's CSR endeavors are driven by their corporate philosophy of 'Kyosei', which mean the 'spirit of living and working together for the common good', which is considered foremost in the organization's way of working and day-to-day operations. However, their definition of the word is much broader and encompasses "all people-regardless of their race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together for the common good." Moving forward with this philosophy, they believe in standing in unison when it comes to their commitment to the community and strive to make a positive impact in the society and the environment. The organization is involved in various community welfare programs aligned with their 4Es CSR policy implying Education, Eye Care, Environment and Empowerment, in an effort to build progressive self-reliant communities. Along with 'Adopt a Village' project, the organization is also associated with SOS Children's Village across the country to encourage and support the overall development of children in these villages.

About Canon Group



Ever since its foundation in 1937, Canon is guided by the 'Kyosei' philosophy of living and working together for the common good. Canon strives to create and deliver world-class products, becoming a top global corporation by diversifying into new business fields throughout the world. Focusing on optical technologies, Canon produces office equipment, consumer and professional imaging devices, network cameras, healthcare and industrial equipment. Through the close connection between its global head office in Tokyo and regional headquarters in America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and regional headquarters in Japan, Canon combines its global and local operations organically. In 1996, Canon launched its Excellent Global Corporation Plan with the goal of serving the society with advanced technologies and becoming a trustworthy and responsible corporate citizen. The year 2016 was the first year of Phase 5 of the Plan. Currently, Canon boasts a strong global presence of 376 subsidiaries all over the world, supported by 197,776 employees. (Data as of December 31, 2017)



About Canon India



Canon India Pvt. Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Canon Singapore Pvt. Ltd., is a world leader in imaging technologies. Set up in 1997, Canon markets over 200 comprehensive range of sophisticated contemporary digital imaging products and solutions in India. The company today has offices and warehouses in 14 cities across India and employs over 1000 people and over 850 channel partners. Canon India till date has opened over 250 retailer stores accredited as "Image Square" across 100+ cities in the country. Canon India's service reach extends to over 634 towns covering 18,195 PIN codes across India - which comprises of 270 Camera collection points, 16 Camera repair centers, 272 Printer repair centers, 191 Copier, Scanner and Large Format Printer Sales & Service dealers. (Data as of May 11, 2020).

In sync with its corporate tagline- 'Delighting You Always', reinforced by World class technology, Canon offers an extended product portfolio, including copier MFDs, Managed Document Services, Fax-Machines, Printers, Document and Cheque Scanners, All-in-ones, Digital Cameras, DSLR's, Cinematic Imaging Products, Camcorders, Cable ID Printers and Card printers catering to the multiple market segments of consumer, SME, B2B, Commercial, Government & PSUs. In 2017, the imaging leader recorded a double-digit growth.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Alabama woman facing murder charges for killing a man she says raped her is asking the judge in her case to step aside before her upcoming trial.

Attorneys for Brittany Joyce Smith filed the recusal motion in Jackson County Circuit Court today less than 24 hours before Smith is to appear before the same judge, Circuit Judge Jenifer Holt, on the issue of whether Smiths bond will be revoked forcing her to await trial in jail.

Smith faces trial for shooting Todd Smith (no relation) in January 2018 in the kitchen of her north Alabama home. Brittany Smith said Todd Smith raped her and was choking her brother when she shot him. Smith claimed immunity from prosecution under Alabamas Stand Your Ground self-defense law.

The case has drawn national attention with stories appearing in the New Yorker magazine, Rolling Stone, U.S. News and Londons Daily Mail, among others.

Her trial was scheduled for June, but the Alabama Supreme Court extended the suspension of jury trials until mid-September because of the coronavirus, according to a ruling issued Wednesday.

Holt denied Smith immunity under the Alabama law saying she had not believably shown that she shot Todd Smith to defend herself or her brother. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld that ruling in April, although one appellate judge did say the appeals process spelled out for Smiths case puts a particularly heavy burden on defendants.

In asking Holt to step down, Smiths attorneys say their client has utmost concern in regard to potential bias and prejudice against her by the judge. All of Holts remarks and conduct in the case should be reviewed, attorneys James Mick and Ronald Smith said.

They cited statements by Holt about Smiths account of events leading to the shooting. Those statements did not consider the PTSD symptoms of a trauma survivor that could affect her account, the attorneys say in their brief. They add that wide reporting of some of the judges statements in the media were potentially fatal to Smiths right to a fair and impartial jury.

Smith could face life in prison if she is convicted in Todd Smiths death.

(This story is developing and will be updated)
North Delhi mayor Avtar Singh on Wednesday inspected the Hindu Rao Hospital, where 10 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 till date.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation issued a statement saying the mayor took stock of the situation in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Singh said all facilities were available for patients at the facility and all suspected cases were being tested on time.

Ten healthcare workers, including seven doctors, of the Hindu Rao Hospital, the largest civic facility in Delhi, have tested positive for COVID-19 till date, officials earlier said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEWSALERT-UAE-ENVOY-ATTACK UAE envoy to US says Yemen's Houthis used missiles as well as drones in deadly attack that targeted Abu Dhabi this week. (AP)UAE envoy to US says Yemen's Houthis used missiles as well as drones in deadly attack that targeted Abu Dhabi this week. (AP)
As the long-term effects of the devastating coronavirus pandemic become more apparent and the country assesses reopening, critics claim some vulnerable Senate Republicans appear to be shifting their campaign messaging away from their ties to President Donald Trump.

Recent polling has shown Trumps approval ratings on the pandemic pale in comparison to his executive counterparts at the state level and his underwater marks appear to be bleeding into the ways that incumbent Republicans fight their battles on the campaign front. An ABC News / Ipsos poll showed President Trump's approval ratings on the coronavirus response remaining underwater, with the latest number at 42%.

Some campaigns appear to be turning away from Trump in an effort to reiterate their accomplishments in providing aid to their home states, while in the halls of the Senate, party loyalty leads the narrative. Sen. Ben Sasse, a Republican running an uncompetitive race this year, even released an ad on Tuesday, primary day in Nebraska, highlighting that, at times, he has criticized Trump and received negative attention from the president for doing so.

PHOTO: Sen. Roy Blunt, Sen. John Thune, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Joni Ernst and Sen. John Barrasso attend a press conference in the Hart Senate Office Building, May 5, 2020 in Washington. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images, FILE)

Although Arizona Sen. Martha McSally hosted Trump in his first visit outside of Washington since the country began re-opening, he hasnt been featured in her ads or other media, and public opinion shows his approval rating on coronavirus response is tanking.

The campaign, though, says they still feel McSallys ties to Trump are ultimately beneficial.

Obviously, Sen. McSally was happy to have the president come and tout what Arizona is doing, a campaign spokesperson said. It was a good thing. They did get relief out pretty quick, thats been one of the presidents priorities, so I think it does help.

McSally's Senate office announced Tuesday night that she met with President Trump to discuss further flexibility in Arizona's CARES Act funding.

Vulnerable Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst recently did a tele-townhall with Team Trump. A visit to Iowa is the first trip outside of Washington Vice President Pence made, but Trump has been missing from recent ads put out by the Ernst campaign.

Story continues

Jonis focus is on providing relief to Iowans during the pandemic. Whether its Iowas agriculture or small business communities, rural hospitals, or families, Joni is committed to delivering the resources they need, a spokesperson said in a statement.

(MORE: Americans uneasy about returning to normal as restrictions loosen: POLL)

Democrats, meanwhile, are eager to point out what they see as the change in messaging and strategy.

They're clearly trying to change the conversation from being about the president's handling of this, and the overall federal government's response to this, because they know that it's unpopular, Stewart Boss, press secretary for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in an interview.

The Trump campaign in a statement called the strategy ridiculous.

"Thats a foolish strategy. President Trump is going to be re-elected. Candidates who want to be successful should run with the President," Trump campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh said.

Matt Corridoni, spokesperson for Democratic outside group Senate Majority PAC, echoed that sentiment, saying these senators are in a tricky position, six months out from November.

"I think this cycle Donald Trump has a lot of these candidates between a rock and a hard place. If you hug him, you risk alienating the moderate independents," Corridoni said. "But if you criticize him, you run the risk of alienating the base. This is really delicate tightrope."

But for senators who have tied themselves to Trump in the past to wield his support, it can be hard to draw the line between their campaign and President Trumps, said Rick Wilson, a former Republican strategist and vocal critic of Trumps.

Once you're associated with Donald Trump... the stink is on you. You don't get away from it, Wilson told ABC News.

In a memo from a Republican strategic communications firm obtained by POLITICO, campaigns were directed not to defend Trumps performance on coronavirus, but to deflect their answers to China instead.

Note - dont defend Trump, other than the China Travel Ban -- attack China, the memo reads. The memo wasnt independently obtained or reviewed by ABC News.

Wilson said the playbook going forward may be hard to navigate, with only six months remaining in the cycle.

They're faced with a terrible conundrum and the conundrum is very simple. They have to break with Donald Trump to survive. Donald Trump and his face will kill them. So, it is a really grim circumstance for these Republican candidates, he said.

A McSally ad from February this year attacked her Democratic opponent Mark Kelly for supporting the impeachment of President Trump. Now her recent media shows her at a food bank and relief she has been able to bring to her state in Congress. An ad from North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis from September of 2019 calls Trump a "warrior." His most recent digital ad buy highlights bi-partisan efforts to pass relief legislation.

(MORE: 3.2 million more people file for unemployment, bringing coronavirus crisis total to over 33 million)

The lack of Trump in campaign messaging isnt a coincidence for Democrats.

Meanwhile, Tillis and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, among others, havent been quick to bring up the president on the campaign front, falling out of step with the typical loyalty the party has seen under the Trump administration.

"Senator Tillis is not criticizing the way any executive is responding to COVID-19, whether it be President Trump or Gov. Cooper in North Carolina, Andrew Romero, a Tillis campaign spokesman, said. Hes backed both executives-- and they belong to different parties -- because he doesnt really believe that this is a partisan issue, its more about, 'how do we create the most unified and effective response?' He believes it transcends partisanship and is more about problem solving.

(MORE: Democrats claim victory getting Senate to pass money for hospitals, testing in $484B small business relief package

Ernst, Tillis, McSally and Collins, a group of Republican senators seen as some of the most vulnerable in 2020 who are facing formidable competitors in their bids for re-election, have all used their media to blast messages of delivery of economic relief to their constituents, while Democrats maintained that relief funding isnt vast enough, and reports show small business relief funding is being funneled to large corporations.

The voters believe that the PPP and the CARES Act are taking care of Wall Street, not Main Street. And I don't think they're even wrong, Wilson said.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement that when it comes to President Trump, "the numbers don't lie,"

"The numbers dont lie, when President Trump weighs in he gets results. His keen political instincts and unrivaled ability to ignite Republican turnout are why I believe 2020 will be a tremendous success for GOP candidates nationwide," McCarthy said.

Wilson said, thought, he doesnt feel the federal response with the CARES Act has been enough to keep voters satisfied with the GOP.

Set aside the political thing. This is basically 2008 all over again. I don't think that this is trickled down to American voters, that this is a net-positive in any way, whatsoever for them.

Neil Malhotra, a professor of political economy and an expert in political behavior at Stanford, says that if President Trump were to lose in November, the data points to the same outcome for vulnerable Republican incumbents.

One thing we've noticed over the last few Senate election cycles, the number of split ticket decisions from the president and the Senate elections is very, very small. They've been declining, a lot for the last 30 years, Malhotra said. There's just very few cases of a senator keeping their seat or winning their seat, and then the president having the opposite result.

The current political climate will be more conducive to Republicans who can lean on their individual accomplishments, Malhotra said.

I think they kind of understand that as Trump does worse in their states, they have to do a better job claiming a personal vote. That's why they're trying to kind of claim credit for their legislative accomplishments that relate to COVID-19 specifically, he said.

Corridoni said making the pivot to legislation could lead to a backfire down the road, given some of the vote records that Democrats and Republicans alike call the most consequential.

"I understand the tactic of wanting to switch away from talking about Trump just because of where he has them right now. Pivoting to legislation, I don't think, puts them in any better of a position, because they're all running on records that they now have to defend, like voting to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions," Corridoni said.

Democrats see the shift in messaging in an attempt to focus on individual accomplishments as a positive sign for November.

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, FILE)

I think that tells you that they're concerned they're not getting enough traction with voters, on ... what they're doing in response [to coronavirus], the Democratic strategist said. I think public opinion is very much on our side, as we've been pushing to get these improvements to the relief packages.

They also are touting things in the CARES Act, and other legislation passed on coronavirus, that they had specifically voted to undermine, the strategist said. That was because Democrats fought to increase the amount of money. Republicans attacked Democrats for holding up the aid, and are now celebrating how much money is going to hospitals.

Republicans, on the other hand, feel that the overall success of the CARES Act could balance out any poor approval ratings of the president as his party navigates the pandemic.

"DSCC-backed challengers seem more inclined to attack the enormously popular CARES Act - a bill that passed the Senate unanimously - than the communist government in China responsible for allowing this virus to ravage the globe," National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Jesse Hunt said.

Both Republican and Democratic strategists say pointing to the economy, a staple for Republican campaigns in their effort for re-election, isnt the strongest move for vulnerable incumbents looking to stay in Congress, given the impact of the coronavirus on the economy. Even with the slow reopenings, businesses arent expected to open all at once, but in phases.

Republicans are still looking to center the 2020 elections on the cornerstone issue for their party.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee launched an ad, calling out Democrats for what they said was their excitement over the economic downturn.

You can't paper over all the things at the top of the spectrum by pointing to the stock market, or saying that you have the greatest economy of all time, or any of the things that Trump kind of depends on, Wilson said. And there's nothing that you can you can you can say, not to even your hardcore Trump supporters, that overwhelms the negative messaging of a disastrous response to COVID-19, that is going to end up killing many thousands of Americans.

The race to the general election in November, which will ultimately be seen as a referendum on President Trump and the party, has barely started, the GOP official said.

The campaign really hasn't begun yet, and once that does happen, I think you'll see a very strong reaction in favor of Republicans, once we promote that contrast, the GOP official said. Its interesting to look at some of these Democratic candidates who dont really have much to bring to the table in this sort of situation. If you dont have a voting record, you dont have any current official role as a legislator, as an elected official, they are going to find themselves in kind of a tricky situation.

On the campaign trail, vulnerable Senate Republicans tout accomplishments, sidestep Trump mentions in ads originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Brown University has cancelled all of its study abroad programs for the upcoming fall semester in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the school announced Wednesday.

Given the uncertain nature of the global health crisiss continued effects on both public health and on travel between countries, Brown has made the difficult decision to cancel all university-sponsored undergraduate study abroad for fall 2020, the Ivy League universitys Office of International Programs posted on the school website.

The office said it remains optimistic about its ability to offer study abroad programs in the spring 2021 semester, but a final decision has not been made.

The Providence-based school is working on a plan to bring students back to campus this fall and expects to announce a decision by July 15.

___

HOSPITALIZATIONS DECLINE

The number of people in Rhode Island hospitalized with COVID-19 continues to decline, and was down to 269, according to the latest number released by the state Department of Health on Wednesday.

The state also reported 221 new cases of COVID-19 and 18 new deaths, bringing the totals to more than 11,800 positive cases and 462 fatalities.

Nearly 98,000 people in the state have been tested.

___

BOY SCOUT CAMP

A century-old Boy Scout camp in Rhode Island wont open this summer because of the pandemic.

The decision not to open Camp Yawgoog was made after a careful and thorough evaluation, and after consulting with health, government, and other camp professionals, the BSAs Narragansett Council said on its Facebook page Tuesday.

The council said it is instead making plans for virtual camps, outdoor activities that Scouts can do at home, and activities for small groups.

The 1,800-acre camp in Hopkinton was founded in 1916, according to its website, and recently has hosted about 7,000 scouts in summer.

___

SHELLFISH SALES

A Rhode Island lawmaker is asking the state to allow shellfishers to sell their catch directly to the public during the pandemic, as lobster harvesters are allowed to do.

State Rep. Joseph McNamara, in a letter to the director of the state Department of Environmental Management on Wednesday, said allowing direct sales would be a service to the community at a time when people are looking for sustainable, nutritious foods.

The Democrat also said the shellfish industry is facing a drop in demand during what is traditionally its busiest time of the year.
The fight against the coronavirus has been compared to war with an enemy we cannot see.

And the EMS squads across New Jersey are the soldiers, the infantry, doing battle one emergency call at a time.

In Bridgeton, the soldiers are members of the Bridgeton Fire Department, a career firefighting force with an EMS division that responds not only to the city of 24,000 residents spread over 6 square miles, but to several other towns that stretch 70 square miles from Alloway Township south through Downe Township.

Bridgeton EMS crews answered 5,273 calls in 2019. So far this year, they are averaging about 12 to 15 calls a day  a slight uptick compared to last year, as the crews prepared to protect themselves and their patients from the ongoing threat of the virus that causes COVID-19.

On April 21, the department gave NJ Advance Media exclusive access to shadow them for the day to show what its like being an EMT during a pandemic.

10:17 a.m. on April 21, 2020. Todd Bowen, chief of the Bridgeton Fire Department, drives to a call.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for

10:13 a.m.

At the fire department Headquarters on Orange Street in the heart of the city, Fire Chief Todd Bowen is sitting at a desk in his office.

His office is a living museum of the history of firefighting in the city, including a picture of his great-great-great-uncle William T. Bowen, who was an engineer and treasurer in the department from 1877 to 1892.

Two medical emergency calls come over his radio, and Bowen hops into his black SUV and heads to the first scene.

Bowen watches as two EMTs enter a house, donning masks and gloves, known as Tier 1 protection. The patient is young. Shes not feeling well and wears a mask over her face. Her mother follows her. The EMTs help both into the ambulance, and they begin the trip to the hospital.

At 10:28 a.m., Bowen drives to the other call. When arriving, one EMT is heading into the house to assist fire Capt. Anthony Brago, who assists the EMT in putting the patient out of the house and into the ambulance. Brago then takes off his PPE, or personal protective equipment, and puts them in a bag.

Its now 10:49 a.m., and back at the station, Brago unpacks his PPE and begins the process of disinfecting the equipment with wipes and spray.

In his kit are a mask, safety glasses and gloves. A gown and respirator make it Tier 2, and its cleaned and then put under ultra violet, or UV, light for disinfection.

PPE was an industry acronym before the coronavirus, but shortages of the equipment, especially in hospitals, has brought the three letters into our national consciousness.

10:51 a.m. - Capt. Anthony Brago disinfects his air purifying respirator after a medical emergency call.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

11:27 a.m.

EMT Wes Morgan has just come back from completing a call, or run as EMTs say. Morgan, in the middle of a 12-hour shift, says extra precautions and the use of PPE is now a major part of the job.

"On those calls, we do not know what we are going to walk into, Morgan said. Calls are very fluid. They constantly change throughout the time of patient contact to the time of treatment care, to the transport, to the time of transportive care. What we do every day regardless of the COVID, we are going to come out and provide the service and do our jobs to the best of our ability with our training, skills, and equipment, and any additional resources necessary.

My wife works in the medical field as well, so we both make sure we are not having contact with our family," he said. "We call them every day and talk to them, but we take precautions at home. I take my uniform off in the garage, and I leave it in there or here at the department.

11:39 a.m. - EMT David Chance sets up a ultraviolet light to disinfect the inside of an ambulance after an medical emergency call.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Nearby, an ambulance is being backed into a bay to be cleaned.

EMT David Chance places an elongated white electronic device into the ambulance. The device uses ultraviolet light to help disinfect the rig.

He also has a family, including a 5-year-old, and Chance says the pandemic has affected his home life too.

It is stressful thinking, do I go home or do I just go quarantine somewhere else and stay away, so I do not run the risk and infect them,' Chance said.

I am fortunate enough to disrobe there, and clothes go right into the laundry room, go to get a shower, and see everyone after that. It is unnerving because I cannot see your other family and can only talk from a distance.

12:23 p.m. - EMT's Carmela Verga-Haaf and Wes Morgan after a medical emergency call.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for

12 p.m.

Over by the Cohansey River, a long camper sits outside of the former city waterworks building that dates to 1877. The facility, which still has character from the time it was initially built, has since been transformed as the new home for the citys EMS squad.

It is the new location, and the camper, that are being used as an extra place for the EMTs to unwind. The location, along with one in Shiloh, also allows the department to space out crews in case one crew were to become infected - thus preventing a widespread infection through the department.

Inside, EMS Supervisor Tiffany Durham and a few of the EMTs are still settling in. Theyre always hunting down PPE and replenishing the stock. Locating the PPE has been the hardest part.

I want to make sure they have everything they need and to come back to a safe environment, Durham said. That is my main goal.

In addition to donning PPE and disinfecting the ambulances, crews also have their temperatures checked when they arrive at work - something they never did before the pandemic.

It has been very stressful for them. We have a hard time finding out information. We have a lot of worried-well patients, so it is a challenge. It is really hard to know what they are going to is a positive case because they are all concerned if they are really sick or they think they have the symptoms but really do not," she said.

"Its concerning.

You go home, and you scrub your house like you have never scrubbed before just because you know what you are up against. It is different," Durham said.

12:27 p.m.

Another call comes across the radio.

Another medical emergency - a catch-all term that could be anything.

Bowen departs from the new EMS station over to the location. Outside, a man is sitting on his stoop, saying he is not feeling well.

Two EMTs in PPE head out to meet the man. After asking him a few questions, he is taken inside of the ambulance to be evaluated. On the radio, they report back that he will be taken to a hospital.

The ambulance pulls away with celerity, and without any flashing lights.

1:30 p.m. - Battalion Chief Michael Hitchner, Fire Inspector Brittany Snyder talk after lunch at the satellite office in Shiloh.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for

Nearly a half-hour later in a space in the Shiloh Municipal Building, one of the towns the department serves, Training Officer Michael Hitchner, Fire Inspector Brittany Snyder, and Ash, an accelerant detection dog, are getting accustomed to their new location.

It is a little different from what they are used to being located, in Bridgeton, they say.

For Snyder, she usually aims to complete up to 10 inspections of businesses and other buildings a day. However, because of the virus, she has only been able to access two on average.

Hitchner is one of the people responsible for trying to find protective gear. Right now, theyre covered  barring a more significant surge, he said.

12:51 p.m. - Fire Chief Todd Bowen enters a satellite office in Shiloh.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

2:53 p.m.

Bowen returns to his office. Back at his desk, he expands on the steps the department has taken to keep everyone safe.

Even on a fire call, our folks are in PPE at all times, and if you are riding in one of our ambulances, youre going to have to have a surgical mask on, and we are going to provide that, and well make sure that somebody has that, but that is for our safety, your safety, and the safety of everybody that is around.

We appreciate everybodys cooperation, and were trying to do the best we can going to show you our ambulances are clean and decontaminated all the time. We are doing the best we can and keep up with this, but having the public understand that we are all under this."

"It is strange for everybody, and we are trying to handle it.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Chris Franklin Here may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com.
Teachers are outraged that their pay could be frozen to help pay for billions in coronavirus spending by the NSW Government.

Public sector workers are due an annual 2.5 per cent pay rise as part of their award agreement but the state has racked up $11 billion in stimulus spending.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said scrapping the salary bump was on the table as a cost-cutting measure. It would save $3 billion over four years.

'It's fair to say our wages policy will officially be considered by cabinet,' she said at a press conference.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian greets students during a visit to Prestons Public School in Sydney

'We employ 400,000 people across the public service. Our priority is, each of those people remain in their jobs.'

The NSW Teachers Federation came out swinging and implied strikes could follow if the government followed through on a pay freeze.

'It is appalling that whilst public school teachers and principals have been turning themselves inside out throughout this crisis, the NSW Government has been scheming a pay cut,' it said.

'The Premier is reminded that we have a legally binding agreement which we expect to be honoured.'

It said union bosses would convene a meeting to 'determine a course of action in defence of our members' rights' if the pay freeze was announced.

School students, some wearing surgical masks, arrive for the first day of face-to-face schooling in Brisbane on Monday. NSW children began to return to class the same day

A staggered return to face-to-face teaching began on Monday after health research found the risk of children catching or spreading the virus in class was very low

The union fought tooth and nail to get schools across the state shut down far earlier than state and federal health advice, and then to delay them reopening.

A staggered return to face-to-face teaching began on Monday after health research found the risk of children catching or spreading the virus in class was very low.

Teachers took to social media to complain about the potential pay freeze after their union's announcement, claiming they had more to do during the pandemic.

'Well, if the wages are freezing, so will my workload, can't expect me to keep up with the already increasing amount of work for the same pay,' one wrote.

'I am supervising four physical periods/students, sanitizing them, getting them equipment, getting them other laptops if they don't work,' another wrote.

'Signing toilet passes, managing behavior on the day whilst being expected to monitor my own classes online each period.'

The NSW Teachers Federation (president Angelo Gavrielatos pictured) came out swinging and implied strikes could follow if the government followed through on a pay freeze

A third wrote: 'We've all worked tirelessly and have done everything we can to deliver quality learning, in every form possible during such an unprecedented time.

'We've completely changed the ways in which we teach, making sure students are catered for educationally, and emotionally.'

However, not everyone was opposed to the pay freeze given the more than a million laid off Australians who no longer have an income at all.

'Teachers are not the only ones who have worked hard during this time. Many people have lost their jobs,' one wrote.

'Others are doing crazy hours - 14 hour days for less pay due to Covid who also get four weeks holiday or less a year. So how are teachers hard done by?'

Multiple studies find teachers are safe from COVID-19 in classrooms A review of paediatric coronavirus evidence by Britain's Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health could not find a single case of a child giving coronavirus to an adult. The study concluded that the evidence 'consistently demonstrates reduced infection and infectivity of children in the transmission chain'. 'Covid-19 appears to affect children less often, and with less severity, including frequent asymptomatic or subclinical infection. 'There is evidence of critical illness, but it is rare. The role of children in transmission is unclear, but it seems likely they do not play a significant role. 'There is no direct evidence of vertical transmission, and early evidence suggests both infected mothers and infants are no more severely affected than other groups.' These graphics show the teachers and students each of the nine students and nine teachers came into contact with and whether they contracted coronavirus as a result, according to a National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance study of NSW schools Among the studies considered was an infected nine-year-old boy in France who did not pass the vicious virus on to anyone - despite being in contact with 172 people while contagious. He and 10 others were struck down while staying in a ski chalet in the Alps and he went to three different ski schools in eastern France while unknowingly infected, and mingled with other people. However, he did pass on the flu and the common cold to two of his siblings. A study by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance also found only two schoolchildren in NSW caught coronavirus from 18 infected classmates and teachers. All 863 staff and students who came into close contact with the nine staff and nine children were tested for the deadly disease and only two were positive. Despite teachers' fears that bringing children back into classrooms will put them at risk, the research found not a single one has caught coronavirus from a student. Advertisement

Nurses would also be in the firing line, though there is support for medical staff to be spared a pay freeze for their work on the front lines.

'The government wants to say to them, keep going to work, keep getting ready for the next round of COVID-19,' Nurses and Midwives Association general secretary Brett Holmes said.

'But just suck it up with no pay increase.'

An average nurse earns $75,136 a year and police officer with five years experience gets about $83,330. Both would miss out on an extra $2,000 a year.

Only about 10 per cent of NSW workers are in the public sector and most private sector workers are not given annual pay increases.

Job losses have been by far the heaviest in the private sector and many workers spared were slugged with pay cuts.
Cowtown Brands COVID-19

New web portal links to face masks, other safety items that are 'Made in Kansas City' A shop focused on promoting and selling goods 'made in Kansas City' has built a website that provides a vetted list of local KC Metro businesses making and selling face masks, hand sanitizer and face shields. The new website - KCPPE.com - is geared toward employers needing supplies for reopening during the coronavirus pandemic.

Meth Town Mall Reopens To Even More Local Danger

Independence Center to reopen Friday with reduced hours, stores Officials with the Independence Center said the mall will reopen for business on Friday, but shoppers will notice a difference in hours and procedures at the shopping center.Mall officials said the Independence Center will be operating on reduced hours for the time being - from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Online Students Stay Losing

Many Kansas City area kids punt online class. Schools worry how they'll do next year When the coronavirus forced Kansas City area classrooms online in March, Raytown school officials noticed almost all students logging in for their daily schoolwork. But as time wore on, that number dwindled. At times, up to 40% of students in grades three to 12 were not clicking in.

Kansas City News Bragging

KCTV5 wins four regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, including best newscast FAIRWAY, KS (KCTV) -- KCTV5 News has been named winner of four regional Edward R. Murrow awards. Of the awards given to journalists, the Murrow Awards are among the most respected journalism awards in the world.

Stoner Mag Pulls On Experience With Panties For Help

High Times owner hires Victoria's Secret, cannabis vet as CEO Financially struggling Hightimes Holding Corp. has a new CEO - its third since December. The company, which owns stoner magazine High Times, has appointed Peter Horvath, most recently CEO of Green Growth Brands, to replace Stormy Simon, who resigned Monday after four months on the job.

Media Kingpin Talks MAGA

Howard Stern to Trump supporters: He hates you and so do I Howard Stern says he and President Trump are both showmen who love a good time - and they both hate Trump supporters. "One thing Donald loves is celebrities, he loves the famous," Stern said on his SiriusXM show Tuesday. "He loves it. He loves to be in the mix."

Brit Tragedy After Assault

UK railway ticket office worker dies from Covid-19 after being spat on A British railway ticket office worker has died from Covid-19 after being spat on while she was working at Victoria station in central London.

Buh-Bye, Bolsonaro??

Talk of military takeover in Brazil grows RIO DE JANEIRO - Flipping through the news several weeks ago, Carlos de Lima Belucio grew alarmed. People were panicking over a strange new disease. Other countries were locking down. Then it hit him: There was only one way to save the country. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had to stage a military takeover.

EPIC DEMOCATIC PARTY PAYOUT COMING SOON?!?!

Democratic proposal includes new stimulus payments of up to $6,000 for families (CNN) -- House Democrats want to send Americans a second round of stimulus checks worth up to $6,000 per family as part of the $3 trillion coronavirus relief package they rolled out Tuesday -- the largest in history.

2020 Lesson Plan Fading

Metro school districts weighing fall options, including hybrid learning plans KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's a question weighing on the minds of parents with school aged children: What is going to happen in the fall? FOX4 contacted numerous school districts in the metro area to find out what their plans are for re-opening school. The answer: It's too early to tell.

QB Mahomes Might Be Like Mike

Arrowheadlines: Adidas couldn't lose out on Patrick Mahomes after turning down Michael Jordan How Patrick Mahomes could be the next Michael Jordan | Arrowhead Addict Even Adidas wanted their shot at Mahomes, and they did not miss out. Despite Mahomes' alma mater of Texas Tech being partnered with Under Armor and the NFL's partnership with Nike, he charted his own path with Adidas.

Overcast Midweek Ahead

Warmer and cloudy today with thunderstorms increasing Thursday More clouds on Wednesday, and warmer weather arrives later in the day.

In the last days of the American lockdown,as we check pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world . . .is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . .
Superstar Aamir Khan's longtime assistant Amos passed away on Tuesday after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 60.

Amos, who had been working with Aamir for the past 25 years, was taken to the Holy Family hospital where he breathed his last.

Aamir's close friend and "Lagaan" co-star Karim Hajee said Amos collapsed in the morning and was rushed to the hospital by the actor, his director-wife Kiran Rao and their team.

"Amos worked with a superstar but was endearing and simple. He was like this to not just Aamir but everyone. He put everyone at ease and was a wonderful person. He had a wonderful heart, was so bright and a hard worker," Karim told PTI.

"He had no major illness, his death is shocking. He died with his boots on. Both Aamir and Kiran are devasted. Aamir had sent us a message and said it is an irreplaceable loss. We were so numb, we will miss him," he added.

Karim said Amos had recently turned grandfather and his death is a huge loss to everyone who knew him.

Amos is survived by his wife and two children.
EQS Group-Ad-hoc: Softwareone Holding AG / Schlagwort(e): Stellungnahme

SoftwareONE gibt Anderungen in der Aktionarsstruktur bekannt



13.05.2020 / 07:00 CET/CEST

Veroffentlichung einer Ad-hoc-Mitteilung gemass Art. 53 KR

Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung ist der Emittent / Herausgeber verantwortlich.





NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH OFFERS OR SALES WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN ANY JURISDICTION, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. NEITHER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT NOR ANYTHING CONTAINED HEREIN SHALL FORM THE BASIS OF, OR BE RELIED UPON IN CONNECTION.



Pressemitteilung

SoftwareONE gibt Anderungen in der Aktionarsstruktur bekannt

Stans, Schweiz, 13. Mai 2020 - Wie SoftwareONE Holding AG heute bekannt gab, haben KKR, Raiffeisen Informatik, die Erben von Patrick Winter sowie Beat Curti insgesamt 17'500'000 Aktien (11.04%) uber ein beschleunigtes Bookbuilding-Verfahren erfolgreich verkauft.

SoftwareONE wurde daruber informiert, dass KKR 7'016'099 Aktien, Raiffeisen Informatik 3'761'189 Aktien, die Erben von Patrick Winter 3'722'712 Aktien und Beat Curti 3'000'000 Aktien zu einem Preis von CHF 20.00 pro Aktie in dem am 12. Mai 2020 angekundigten beschleunigten Bookbuilding-Verfahren verkauft haben. Nach Abwicklung der Transaktion, deren Abschluss am 15. Mai 2020 erwartet wird, werden die vier Parteien entsprechend 10.4%, 5.6%, 5.5% bzw. 10.1% an SoftwareONE halten.

Mit rund 29% werden die Grundungsaktionare Daniel von Stockar, Beat Curti und Rene Gilli zusammen weiterhin den grossten Anteil an SoftwareONE halten und dem Unternehmen als langfristige Aktionare verbunden bleiben.

Credit Suisse AG, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, UBS AG und KKR Capital Markets Partners LLP fungierten als Joint Bookrunners fur die Platzierung.



KONTAKT

Panthea Derks, Media Relations

Tel. +41 44 832 82 03, panthea.derks@softwareone.com

Anna Engvall, Investor Relations

Tel. +41 44 832 41 37, anna.engvall@softwareone.com



UBER SOFTWAREONE

SoftwareONE mit Sitz in der Schweiz ist ein fuhrender globaler Anbieter von End-to-End Software- und Cloud-Technologielosungen. Mit Kompetenzen entlang der gesamten Wertschopfungskette unterstutzt SoftwareONE Unternehmen bei der Konzeption und Umsetzung ihrer Technologiestrategie, beim Kauf der richtigen Software- und Cloud-Losungen zum richtigen Preis sowie bei der Verwaltung und Optimierung ihres Software-Bestands. Die Angebote von SoftwareONE sind uber die eigenentwickelte digitale Plattform PyraCloud verbunden, die Kunden datenbasierte Informationen zur Verfugung stellt. Mit rund 5'400 Mitarbeitenden und Vertriebs- und Dienstleistungskapazitaten in 90 Landern bietet SoftwareONE rund 65'000 Geschaftskunden Software- und Cloud-Losungen von mehr als 7'500 Herstellern. Die Aktien von SoftwareONE (SWON) sind an der SIX Swiss Exchange kotiert. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter SoftwareONE.com.

SoftwareONE Holding AG, Riedenmatt 4, CH-6370 Stans



CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This media release may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to the group's future business, development and economic performance. Such statements may be subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors, such as but not limited to force majeure, competitive pressures, legislative and regulatory developments, global, macroeconomic and political trends, the group's ability to attract and retain the employees that are necessary to generate revenues and to manage its businesses, fluctuations in currency exchange rates and general financial market conditions, changes in accounting standards or policies, delay or inability in obtaining approvals from authorities, technical developments, litigation or adverse publicity and news coverage, each of which could cause actual development and results to differ materially from the statements made in this media release. SoftwareONE assumes no obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

IMPORTANT REGULATORY NOTICE

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The securities referred to herein will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Section (4)(a)(1) of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act, subject to prevailing market and other conditions. There is no assurance that the offering will be completed or, if completed, as to the terms on which it is completed. The securities referred to herein 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 without registration thereunder or pursuant to an available exemption therefrom. Neither this document nor the information contained herein constitutes or forms part of an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States. There will be no public offer of any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

In member states of the European Economic Area and in the United Kingdom, this announcement and any offer if made subsequently is directed exclusively at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation ("Qualified Investors"), and does not constitute and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an invitation to the public in connection with any offer or constitute any offer to the public, each within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. The offer and sale of the securities referred to herein will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities. For these purposes, the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, as amended.. In the United Kingdom this announcement is directed exclusively at Qualified Investors (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") or (ii) who fall within Article 49(2)(A) to (D) of the Order, and (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"); any other persons in the United Kingdom should not take any action on the basis of this announcement and should not act on or rely on it. In the United Kingdom, any investment activity and the securities to which this announcement relates are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons.

No representation or warranty, express or implied, is or will be made as to, or in relation to, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by Credit Suisse AG, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, UBS AG and/or KKR Capital Markets Partners LLP (each, a "Joint Bookrunner") or by any of its affiliates or agents as to, or in relation to, the accuracy or completeness of this announcement or any other written or oral information made available to or publicly available to any interested party or its advisers, and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.

In connection with the offering of the shares of SoftwareONE Holding AG (the "Shares"), each Joint Bookrunner and any of its respective affiliates acting as an investor for their own account may take up as a proprietary position any Shares and in that capacity may retain, purchase or sell for their own account such Shares. In addition, each Joint Bookrunner or its respective affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which any Joint Bookrunner (or its affiliates) may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of Shares. The Joint Bookrunners do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligation to do so.

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The Joint Bookrunners are acting on behalf of the Selling Shareholder and no one else in connection with any offering of the Shares and will not be responsible to any other person for providing the protections afforded to clients of the Joint Bookrunners nor for providing advice in relation to any offering of the Shares.
Gujarat Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's decision nullifying his 2017 election on the ground of malpractiees and manipulation.

Chudasama has sought setting aside of the Tuesday order of the Gujarat High Court by terming it as erroneous and contended that it has failed to appreciate that his rival Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod has not led positive, reliable and cogent evidence to prove any of the issues.

Therefore, he was not entitled to be declared as duly elected candidate from '58- Dholakia Constituency' for the Gujarat State Assembly Elections on December 14, 2017, the minister submitted.

The High Court in its decison held that the returning officer was "hand in gloves" with the BJP leader and postal ballots were rejected illegally.

Rathod had challenged his BJP rival's victory from Dholka constituency by a margin of mere 327 votes in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The fast-moving coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of Americans to work from home, with no immediate end in sight. Dates for when employees will return to office buildings move later and later or remain uncertain for many companies.

On Tuesday, Twitter told its employees that many of them will be allowed to work from home in perpetuity, even after the pandemic ends. The move signaled a growing shift in attitudes in certain industries toward remote working  a change that could have lasting implications.

Gallup data from the end of April showed that 63 percent of U.S. employees said they had worked from home in the past seven days because of coronavirus concerns, a number that had doubled from 31 percent three weeks before.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Even as dozens of states have begun to partly reopen months after the initial shutdowns, experts said that past stigma around working from home has largely been lifted and that they expected much more remote work to be incorporated into office life for the foreseeable future.

"The views around work from home have completely changed," said Stanford University economist Nicholas Bloom, co-director of the productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship program at the nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research. "There is no stigma around working from home now."

Bloom said that beyond the next year or two, he believes there could be "an explosion of working from home" in industries in which it was possible, "in part because we've all now tried it, we've got it up and running and invested our time and effort into it."

But future work-from-home scenarios would be very different from current conditions, Bloom said  not only would children be back at school, but it's likely that employees would still have the option of going into the office a few times a week.

"That, I think, will end up being the new norm, and that's a big step up, two to three times as much home working as we previously did," he said.

Story continues

Barbara Larson, a management professor at Northeastern University, also said she expected a trend toward less density in the office for at least the next year or two in industries in which remote work was feasible.

"But who knows how that could play out over a longer period of time?" she said.

Image: An employee works from her home in Shanghai (Qilai Shen / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A study Bloom published in 2015 found that Chinese call-center employees took fewer breaks and were 13 percent more productive when working from home. He said that in the long run, the move toward increased remote working would benefit employers and employees.

Bloom said that usually working remotely was done on occasion and by choice. It provides a quiet, stable environment for employees  a situation at contrast with the current reality, which is fraught with public health concerns and extreme isolation.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak

Larson also said it was important not to "make sweeping generalizations" about remote working from the extreme conditions you're seeing during the pandemic.

"What you do want to be doing is looking for the bright spots in your workforce, what types of jobs are actually working out pretty well remotely," she said. "Where are there opportunities in deciding who comes back to the office first?"

Larson said it would be critical for companies and managers to be "very thoughtful and mindful of the way in which they are bringing people back into the office, not just from a public health standpoint.

"They need to be considering the nature of the jobs they have people doing and the individuals," she said.

Laurel Farrer, founder of Distribute Consulting and the Remote Work Association, said there was a very big difference between allowing remote working and adopting effective remote working strategies.

In the long run, companies will have to go a lot further to update their policies and communication to optimize their remote work settings and enhance their business operations, she said.

"They're not going to see that by just sending somebody home with a laptop. They really need to invest some intention and time into updating all their business operations to match this new way of working," she said.

Bloom said he believed the pandemic could also affect how we view sick leave.

"The stigma of taking sick leave, I think, will evaporate in part in the short run," he said, with companies terrified to have potentially contagious employees in the office. "How permanent that will be is hard to tell, but I think all of this is going to be a somewhat more permanent change. It will be more acceptable to take sick leave and more acceptable to work from home."

Bloom said that in the aftermath of the financial crisis, there were major pushes for regulation, which could happen in the years after the pandemic.

"There will be much more recognition that this is unlikely to be the last pandemic, so we want to make sure we're in better shape," Bloom said.

There could be "a massive regulatory push" to force companies to provide sick leave or health care, as the virus illustrates how low-wage, front-line workers without benefits have been forced to work, putting themselves and others at risk.

"It's the very group that you don't want coming in to work that tend to be those that don't get sick leave," he said. "A lot of the lowest-paid service-sector jobs that have the most contact with other people are the ones without sick leave."
Tesla has restarted all operations at its Nevada Gigafactory days after employees were told that the plant would only partially open.

Workers were informed on Monday that the Nevada plant, near Reno, would soon return to producing Tesla batteries, energy storage products, and Model 3 parts.

The internal Tesla email, which was sent to The Verge, was emailed-out on Monday afternoon after founder and CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter that operations at the California plant were also coming back online.

But in a letter sent to employees last week, Tesla had told its Nevada workers that the Gigafactories in Nevada and New York had restarted with limited operations as approved by their respective states, CNBC news reported.

Were happy to get you back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to help keep you safe as you return, wrote Teslas North American HR boss Valerie Workman on Monday.

Whilst some Nevada businesses began reopening this week, it was not apparent whether the Tesla plant was covered in Phase 1 of the states reopening.

Tesla had suspended production at sites across the US in mid-March, as states and local authorities introduced stay-at-home orders.

Mr Musk threatened last week that he would move Tesla production from California to Nevada in the aftermath of Alameda County warning that operations were not permitted at the Fremont, California, site.

Frankly, this is the final straw, wrote Mr Musk on Twitter. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.

Mr Musk announced on Monday that the California plant would restart despite the continued shutdown order in place in Alameda County.

US president Donald Trump said the Tesla CEO was correct to restart California operations, saying on Twitter on Tuesday that "California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!

Nevada workers were told that Tesla would contact them with details about returning to work.

Ms Workman outlined some policies surrounding protection, and other measures, in the email sent this week.

The Independent has contacted Tesla for comment.
There is nothing in the movie world that equals the glamour, artistic grandeur and occasional absurdity of the Cannes Film Festival, where stars and directors gather every May to be seen, celebrated and judged by the press and their peers. Over a frenzied week and half, masterpieces are unveiled and reputations are made. There are rapturous ovations and lusty boos. This year, because of the coronavirus pandemic, none of that is happening, but we just cant quit it. So we spoke to filmmakers around the world about their memories of Cannes and their thoughts about the future of cinema. Here are edited excerpts:

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

His films at Cannes have included Babel in 2006.

I went for the first time to the Cannes Film Festival to present Amores Perros (2000). Actually, it was the first time ever I attended a film festival in my life. Our budget was so scarce that we decided to stay at a town 25 minutes outside Cannes since the rooms were much less expensive.

One day, I was invited to a photo call with all the other directors just before a 7 p.m. screening of the new Wong Kar-wai film In the Mood for Love. Maria, my wife, and I thought that taking a taxi at 6:15 would be safe enough to get us to there just in time. We had no idea that taxis were overbooked, and even though we were dressed in a tuxedo and a long dress with high heels, we had no other choice than to run. It was [95 degrees] outside, and cars [were] stopped in traffic. As we ran, my wife took off her shoes. I took off my jacket, then my bow tie, then one, two, three buttons.

We arrived at 7:01 p.m. I put my jacket on. I felt the sweat running through my whole body. Smile! Flash! Click! Flash! Cheeeese! For a filmmaker, the experience of entering that legendary [Palais Des Festivals] with 2,000 seats is similar to that of a Catholic boy going into the Vatican. [From] all the way in the back, we watched In the Mood for Love on a screen 40 times bigger than us. Maria and I walked in complete silence for almost 10 minutes [afterward]. We suddenly stopped by the sea. Maria hugged me and started crying inconsolably on my shoulder. And I did the same on hers. In the Mood for Love had left us speechless and deeply moved. It was that moment that reminded me why, even when its so stupidly difficult sometimes, I wanted to become a filmmaker.
A few years ago, I began one of these columns by quoting one of Yogi Berra's most celebrated adages: Prediction is hard, especially when it's about the future.Yogi was right when he said that (assuming he actually did say it), and I was right in recognizing its wisdom. But it's even more true at the moment, when we are in the midst of a national crisis whose end we cannot foresee and whose consequences we cannot foretell. Perhaps we will grow closer to each other, or perhaps we will continue to maintain social as well as physical distance. Maybe our central cities will depopulate and grow quiet, or maybe they will experience a surge of pent-up energy. One guess is about as good as another.But there is one prediction I think I can make with reasonable confidence: We will embark on a period of heightened nostalgia.Nostalgia is pretty much a constant of modern civilized life. It recurs in every generation. Mostly, though, it is a matter of middle-aged people longing for the world they recall (often inaccurately) from their childhood. In particular, most of us as we grow older indulge in sentimental memories of a communal closeness and social order we believe infused our childhood and adolescence.But there is another, quite different form of nostalgia, and it is highly relevant to the present moment. It relates to societal upheaval and painful crises that the society struggles to overcome. Sometimes it is generated by rapid cultural change: The 1970s are often identified as the most nostalgic of recent American decades, in part due to fond remembrances of the stable, orderly years that the rebellions of the 1960s had brought crashing to a halt.Yet this is not the whole story. When older Americans were asked in the 1970s about their nostalgia, the decade they most often mentioned was not the 1950s. It was the 1930s. And their reminiscences tended to focus not on the giddy times that preceded the 1929 stock-market crash and ensuing Depression, but on the Depression years themselves  the solidarity, communal identity and helping institutions. Odd as it may seem, these people were looking back with nostalgia on what objectively speaking were the worst years of their lives.You may question this, but there is plenty of evidence for it. In 1972, Robert Nisbet, the distinguished Columbia University sociologist, wrote a long article calledHe and others explained the attraction to the 1930s as remembrance of a time when ordinary Americans felt themselves in the throes of a challenge, and were invigorated by that challenge. The historian Richard Pells, writing from the perspective of 40 years' distance, argued that in the Depression years, "in the midst of tragedy, there was for some a kind of euphoria  a mood of utopian optimism that was as unideological as the opposite sense of impending doom. If the old order was dying, the new was being born."In other words, there was a sense of community that shined through the hardship. This is why the aging Americans of the 1970s felt such an unlikely loyalty to the years they spent in Depression America. Their recollection was that among the carnage, social bonds had remained intact and even grown stronger.A similar form of remembrance came to exist among Britons who suffered through the murderous German air attacks in 1940 and 1941 that came to be known collectively as the Blitz. It's true that as the decades passed, there was a certain amount of nostalgia for the peaceful society and habits of life that prevailed before the Nazis started dropping bombs. But there was an equally fond remembrance of life under the Blitz itself, no matter how dangerous and stressful that life was. "People almost reveled in the dangers of the situation and gloried in standing alone," was the way one cabinet official came to remember the crisis. Winston Churchill himself seemed to agree. Years after the war, Churchill was asked which year of his life he would most like to relive. "1940," he said. "Every time, every time."to draw too much of a parallel among the Depression, the Blitz and the coronavirus. But when a crisis is over, people don't just feel nostalgic about pre-crisis life. They develop fond memories of life during the event itself. So one question we might ask ourselves now is whether we can find a way to put those feelings to productive use.Almost any crisis, including the present one, calls forth gestures of community and loyalty that seem to emerge from a swamp of societal self-absorption. Some of these are very small, such as the efforts of local residents to help elderly neighbors cope with their heightened vulnerability to COVID-19. Some are less tangible but much larger. Among these are the respect that ordinary citizens feel for people and institutions they had been apt to disparage: medical professionals and other caregivers; civic leaders who demonstrate an enhanced sense of purpose; governors and mayors who insist on following the best-documented advice from public-health experts regardless of contrary statements from the White House and restless protests from their own constituents.Will these examples of strengthened community persist beyond the pandemic itself? I can't promise that. But it's not unreasonable to suggest that the solidarity of Americans during the economic hardship of the 1930s eased the way for the communitarian patriotism of the World War II years that followed. The solidarity of Londoners during the Blitz didn't diminish when the bombs stopped falling. It persisted until the last day of the war.It is no secret that the bonds of community in America are perceived to have atrophied in the past generation. We've seen the growth of an intellectual consensus  from Robert Putnam's 1995 essay "Bowling Alonewhich documented the decline of civic participation and recreation; to Marc Dunkelman's 2014 book, which traced the erosion of casual but vital neighborhood friendships; to Yuval Levin's recent work,, arguing for the revival of robust institutions  that American communal life has lapsed into a moribund state over the past generation. "An attractive community," Levin writes, "plainly provides a venue for genuine flourishing. But such community requires healthy institutions that attract our loyalty and devotion." We are seeing at least a flickering of institutional revival in these very troubled weeks.Maybe it's asking a lot to think a post-pandemic rise in communal nostalgia might help to solve our long-standing communitarian deficiencies. Old-fashioned community depended to a great extent on physical proximity. That will be hard to revive at a time when some form of social distancing remains a feature of our everyday lives. But community revival doesn't require us to swarm together in singles bars and mosh pits. It's undoubtedly true that after the pandemic eases, more people will be working from home than were doing so before. But that won't eliminate their desire for social contact; it will generate creative new ways to experience that contact.States and cities can't foster a new community with legislative mandates and executive decrees. But they can contribute. Cities can make their streets more congenial to pedestrians without forcing them to huddle unsafely. Public spaces can be retrofitted or designed to bring people together without placing them on top of each other. We can devote more of our public resources to supporting the restaurants and retail stores that remain crucial to urban social life. We can come to trust public institutions that behave with prudence and courage, as we are starting to do.A pandemic is a terrible thing. It may also be a terrible thing to waste.
A judge Tuesday said hed grant early release to a 70-year-old federal inmate who is eight months shy of completing his 10-year sentence for sexually abusing five girls because of the mans unusual vulnerability to contracting coronavirus behind bars.

Harry Hintsala has advanced kidney disease, must use a wheelchair and is being held at the Lompoc federal prison in California, where 105 inmates have tested positive and two have died, defense lawyer Stephen Sady said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Barr opposed any early release, as did the guardian of one of the girls in the case.

Hinstala sexually abused five girls all under age 12 on the Warm Springs Reservation over three and a half years, Barr said. Some of the abuse occurred in front of other children, Barr said.

Hintsala was convicted of five counts of abusive sexual conduct and sentenced to two years for each count, to run consecutively.

This was a carefully structured 10-year sentence, Barr said. I dont think we should just throw that aside.''

The guardian of one of the victims told the judge, I feel like hes not rehabilitated himself to be honored this early release.

She added that Hintsalas request for compassionate release is for his own selfish gain because of his health issues.

But Sady said Hintsala isnt a danger to the community anymore. With credit for good time served, he has completed almost all of his sentence. His projected release date from prison is Jan. 26, 2021, with a scheduled transfer to a halfway house this coming July.

Once a release plan is approved by the judge, Hintsala is a prime candidate for compassionate release, considering his health condition and the threat of the COVID-19 outbreak at the prison where hes being held, Sady argued.

U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman said the pandemic warranted the granting of compassionate release for Hintsala.

In practical terms, with a required 14-day quarantine period, hell be released to home detention about 30 days short of what would have been his release to the halfway house, Mosman said.

The judge directed Sady and probation officers to come up with a suitable release plan that would allow for adequate supervision of Hintsala. He said he wouldnt allow Hintsala to live at his daughters home.

I take seriously that the sentence here was a carefully crafted one, the judge said. No one is being honored today with some sort of reduced sentence. Not at all.

Without the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic and its particular concerns in the prison setting, Hintsalas health problems wouldnt result in an earlier release, Mosman said. Im reluctant to do so but feel the statutory requirements have been met in this case.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

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The pandemic has been a perfect opportunity to catch up with backlogs of unwatched films or binge-watch new series. Its been a tough time for local cinemas, but some arthouse film distributors helped The Broad Theater and Zeitgeist Theater & Lounge by splitting $12 ticket fees with them if viewers used links from the theaters websites.

Both The Broad Theater and Zeitgeist air a special screening of Up from the Streets, a documentary about New Orleans music, and a portion of viewing fees goes to a fund set up by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation for musicians affected by the pandemic. The film is available May 15. The films executive producer is trumpeter Terence Blanchard, who will participate in a Q&A via Zoom on Saturday, May 16.

Also recently introduced by the New Orleans Film Society is a channel to view 40 films screened at the New Orleans Film Festival. Below are details about film screenings that benefit local theaters and cultural organizations.

"Bacurau." When townspeople in a remote area of Brazil notice their village has disappeared from the internet, it sets up a modern Western as the town sits on the lawless frontier of global forces. The Broad and Zeitgeist.

"Corpus Christi." Nominated for a Best International Feature Oscar in 2020, this thriller from Poland follows a young man from prison to the pulpit, as he is mistaken for a priest sent to help a town in need. Zeitgeist.

"Crescendo." A famous director tries to build a youth orchestra of Israeli and Palestinian children. Zeitgeist.

"Extra Ordinary." In this paranormal comedy, Will Forte plays a washed-up rock star who needs to find a virgin to make a deal with the devil for another hit. The Broad and Zeitgeist.

"From NOLA with Love." The New Orleans Film Festival offers online screenings of 40 feature and short films by local filmmakers from its 2019 event via its website. Visit https://nolalove.eventive.org for details and a film guide.

"LInnocente." Director Luchino Viscontis 1976 Italian film about libertine 19th-century aristocrats was restored and rereleased in 2020. Zeitgeist.

"The Hottest August." This person-on-the-street documentary encounters New Yorkers talking about their daily lives and hopes and fears about the future. See page 25. Zeitgeist.

"Mossville  When Great Trees Fall." The documentary follows the struggle for survival of a Louisiana community created by formerly enslaved people and free people of color that found itself surrounded by petrochemical plants. The Broad.

"New York International Childrens Film Festival." There are two slates of short animated and live action films, one for children ages 3 to 7 and one for ages 8 and older. Zeitgeist.

"Once Were Brothers." The documentary follows the rise and fall of Robbie Robertson and The Band. The Broad.

"Roar." Anyone who binge-watched Tiger King may be interested in this 1981 feature  starring Tippi Hedron and Melanie Griffith  about people living among lions, tigers and elephants. The Broad.

"Saint Maud." A nurse who recently converted to Catholicism fears that she is possessed in this British psychological horror film. The Broad.

"Satantango." A seven-hour work in the slow cinema movement, Bela Tarrs film follows the lives of former members of an agricultural collective after the fall of communism in Hungary. Zeitgeist.

"Up from the Streets." Director Michael Murphys exploration of New Orleans musical traditions includes interviews with Terence Blanchard, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Robert Plant, Sting and others. The Broad and Zeitgeist.

"Vitalina Varela." A sort of visual poem of shadows and framing, director Pedro Costas film is about a woman from Cape Verde traveling to Portugal, where her long separated husband has just died. Zeitgeist.

"Wild Goose Lake." In this film noir-esque crime thriller, small-time mobster Zhou Zenong tries to mitigate the damage to his wife and friends after he kills a cop while battling a rival gang. Zeitgeist.
ALBANY  New York state's requirements for reopening can be a razor's edge.

On Wednesday morning, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy was touting that there was only one requirement out of seven that the Capital Region had to fulfill in order to prove it can reopen the economy.

But by the afternoon, the region had fallen back again in proving that its hospitalizations are low enough to reopen.

How the metrics are calculated is confusing - even for county leaders. But the category the Capital Region is now not satisfying is one that requires a 14-day decline in what the state calls net hospitalizations.

On Tuesday, McCoy was arguing that nursing home resident deaths should not count toward its overall death count, as it is dragging down the state requirement that deaths must be under five in a three-day average in order to reopen.

"Will we be ready by Friday? We may but I don't think so," McCoy said Wednesday morning. "This is a regional approach. We have to do this as a group."

Warren County noted on its Facebook page Wednesday afternoon that, "The region's hopes for a May 15th re-opening took a bit of a hit today when COVID-19 hospitalization for new infections rose, and only 5 of 7 metrics had been met for a Phase 1 business re-opening. The rise did not stem from any new hospitalizations in Warren County, as Glens Falls Hospital's rate has not changed this week. The region was in compliance with this metric as of Tuesday. It will be reviewed again on Thursday."

Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin said during his daily Facebook live broadcast Wednesday that he has a call every day with the seven other counties and state representatives in what is called "the regional control room," to discuss the reopening. But he said he is not getting answers about why the overall hospitalization number is going up if he and other counties show their numbers are not increasing. The Capital Region counties tied together for reopening are Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties.

McLaughlin told the Times Union later Wednesday that he wants to see the breakdown of hospitalizations by nursing home residents, because four of the five people currently in the hospital in Rensselaer County came from long-term care facilities. He argues, as Albany County does, that nursing home infections should not necessarily dictate an economic reopening.

"I ask the question every day - if the number went up, whats the number? They dont know, its nonsense," McLaughlin said during his Facebook broadcast. "When the answer is we dont have that, that isnt very comforting to me as a county executive."

McLaughlin added for his other control room participants: When I get on that call tomorrow and you dont have the number, its going to get heated.

While Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen said Wednesday morning that the numbers were encouraging, she warned residents not to throw caution to the wind.

"This indicates to me that what we have been doing has flattened the curve," she said. "But it is unlikely that COVID will go away until we have a safe, effective and widely available vaccination, and this is many months away. So the responsibility for the public as we reopen is as important as it's ever been to continue to use the practices of social distancing within the agencies that will be open."

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

Below are the latest coronavirus statistics for the Capital Region broken down by county:

Albany County Total cases:

1,386 (+11) Total deaths:

62 (+1) Currently hospitalized:

31 (+0) Recovered:

867 (+44) Total tested:

15,296 (+335) Tested positive:

9.8% Columbia County Total cases:

328 (+0) Total deaths:

24 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

8 (+1) Recovered:

144 (+8) Total tested:

2,556 (+249) Tested positive:

13.3% Fulton County Total cases:

140 (+5) Total deaths:

13 (+1) Currently hospitalized:

- Recovered:

- Total tested:

1,374 (+61) Tested positive:

10.2% Greene County Total cases:

229 (+1) Total deaths:

14 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

3 (+0) Recovered:

138 (+4) Total tested:

1,654 (+41) Tested positive:

12.5% Montgomery County Total cases:

60 (+1) Total deaths:

1 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

1 (+0) Recovered:

55 (+6) Total tested:

1,313 (+-) Tested positive:

5.5% Rensselaer County Total cases:

441 (+2) Total deaths:

26 (+1) Currently hospitalized:

5 (-1) Recovered:

267 (+11) Total tested:

5,406 (+409) Tested positive:

7.8% Saratoga County Total cases:

404 (+3) Total deaths:

14 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

9 (+1) Recovered:

323 (+1) Total tested:

7,190 (+196) Tested positive:

5.7% Schenectady County Total cases:

570 (+4) Total deaths:

28 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

20 (-1) Recovered:

481 (+8) Total tested:

6,231 (+164) Tested positive:

9.4% Schoharie County Total cases:

47 (+1) Total deaths:

1 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

8 (+0) Recovered:

39 (+0) Total tested:

916 (+27) Tested positive:

5.2% Warren County Total cases:

213 (+0) Total deaths:

26 (+1) Currently hospitalized:

4 (+1) Recovered:

134 (+1) Total tested:

2,304 (+127) Tested positive:

9.7% Washington County Total cases:

190 (+3) Total deaths:

13 (+0) Currently hospitalized:

- Recovered:

122 (+2) Total tested:

1,698 (+66) Tested positive:

12.6%

Note: Number in parentheses is the daily change

Note: Hospitalization data reflects number of residents hospitalized, with the exception of Schenectady County, which includes non-residents who are hospitalized within the county

Source: Most case data per counties; test data and Fulton County case data per NY COVID tracker
A researcher of the Openlab genetic and cell technologies laboratory of the Kazan Federal University working with biomaterial. Yegor Aleyev | TASS via Getty Images

Health officials and scientists across the world are racing to develop vaccines and discover effective treatments against the coronavirus, which has infected more than 4.2 million people worldwide in as little as four months, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. There are no proven, knockout treatments and U.S. health officials say a vaccine could take at least a year to 18 months. On May 1, the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization for Gilead Sciences' antiviral drug remdesivir. This after a government-run clinical trial found Covid-19 patients who took remdesivir usually recovered after 11 days. That is four days faster than those who didn't take the drug. The EUA means doctors in the U.S. will be allowed to use remdesivir on patients hospitalized with Covid-19 even though it has not been formally approved by the agency. Even if the drug wins final approval, infectious disease specialists and scientists say researchers will need an arsenal of medications to fight this respiratory virus, which can also attack the cardiovascular, nervous, digestive and other major systems of the body. Below is a list of the leading vaccines and drugs in development to battle Covid-19.

Vaccines

An engineer shows an experimental Covid-19 vaccine being tested at the Quality Control Laboratory at the Sinovac Biotech facilities in Beijing, April 29, 2020. Nicolas Asfouri | AFP | Getty Images

Moderna Vaccine: mRNA

Development: Phase 1 trial near complete, phase 2 trial set to start The National Institutes of Health, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, has been fast-tracking work with biotech company Moderna to develop a vaccine to prevent Covid-19. The company began the first phase 1 human trial on 45 volunteers testing a vaccine to prevent the disease in March and has been approved to soon start its phase 2, which would expand the testing to 600 people, by late May or June. If all goes well, its vaccine could be in production as early as July.

Scientist Xinhua Yan works in the lab at Moderna in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Feb. 28, 2020. David L. Ryan | Boston Globe | Getty Images

Moderna's potential vaccine contains genetic material called messenger RNA, or mRNA, that was produced in a lab. The mRNA is a genetic code that tells cells how to make a protein and was found in the outer coat of the new coronavirus, according to researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute. The mRNA instructs the body's own cellular mechanisms for making proteins to create those that mimic the virus proteins, thereby producing an immune response. Johnson & Johnson Vaccine: Modified adenovirus

Development: Preclinical Johnson & Johnson began Covid-19 vaccine development in January. J&J's lead vaccine candidate will enter a phase 1 human clinical study by September, the company announced in March, and clinical data on the trial is expected before the end of the year. If the vaccine works well, the company said it could produce 600 million to 900 million doses by April 2021. The company said it is using the same technologies it used to make its experimental Ebola vaccine, which was provided to people in the Democratic Republic of Congo in late 2019. It involves combing genetic material from the coronavirus with a modified adenovirus that is known to cause common colds in humans. Inovio Pharmaceutical Vaccine: INO-4800

Development: Phase 1 trials Inovio began its early stage clinical trials for a potential vaccine on April 6, making it the second potential Covid-19 vaccine to undergo human testing after Moderna. It says it will enroll up to 40 healthy adult volunteers in Pennsylvania and Missouri and expects initial immune responses and safety data by late summer. Inovio made its potential vaccine by adding genetic material of the virus inside synthetic DNA, which researchers hope will cause the immune system to make antibodies against it. Oxford University Vaccine: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19

Development: Phase 1 trials A coronavirus vaccine developed by researchers at Oxford University began phase 1 human trials on April 23. British Health Minister Matt Hancock said that he would provide 20 million, ($24.5 million), to help fund the Oxford project. The team said it aims to produce 1 million doses by September.

General view of the sign for University of Oxford, Old Road Campus and Trials clinic on May 02, 2020 in Oxford, England. Catherine Ivill | Getty Images

Oxford researchers are calling their experimental vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, and it's a kind of recombinant viral vector vaccine. Like J&J's team, the researchers will place genetic material from the coronavirus into another virus that's been modified. They will then inject the virus into a human, hoping to produce an immune response. Pfizer Vaccine: BNT162

Development: Clinical trials Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which is working alongside German drugmaker BioNTech, began testing an experimental vaccine to combat the coronavirus in the U.S. on May 5. The U.S.-based drugmaker hopes to produce "millions" of vaccines by the end of this year and expects to increase to "hundreds of millions" of doses next year. The experimental vaccine uses mRNA technology, similar to Moderna. The mRNA is a genetic code that tells cells what to build  in this case, an antigen that may induce an immune response for the virus.

In this photo illustration the American multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer logo seen displayed on a smartphone with a computer model of the COVID-19 coronavirus on the background. Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | Getty Images

Sanofi and GSK Vaccine: Unnamed

Development: Preclinical Sanofi and GSK announced April 14 that they had entered an agreement to jointly create a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of next year. The companies plan to start clinical trials in the second half of 2020 and, if successful, produce up to 600 million doses next year. To make it, Sanofi said it will repurpose its SARS vaccine candidate that never made it to market while GSK will provide pandemic adjuvant technology, which is meant to enhance the immune response in vaccines. Novavax Vaccine: NVX-CoV2373

Development: Preclinical Novavax announced on April 8 it found a coronavirus vaccine candidate and would start human trials in May with preliminary results expected in July. The potential vaccine, which is being called NVX-CoV2373, is using adjuvant technology and will attempt to neutralize the so-called spike protein, found on the surface of the coronavirus, which is used to enter the host cell.

Drugs and therapies

Vials of investigational coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment drug remdesivir are capped at a Gilead Sciences facility in La Verne, California, U.S. March 18, 2020. Picture taken March 18, 2020. Gilead Sciences Inc | Reuters

Gilead Sciences Drug: Remdesivir

Development: Late-stage trials The FDA granted emergency use authorization for Gilead's remdesivir drug to treat Covid-19 on May 1. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases released results from its study showing patients who took remdesivir usually recovered faster than those who didn't take the drug. Even though remdesivir was granted for emergency use, there are still several ongoing clinical trials testing whether it's effective in stopping the coronavirus from replicating. Remdesivir has shown some promise in treating SARS and MERS, which are also caused by coronaviruses. Some health authorities in the U.S., China and other parts of the world have been using remdesivir, which was tested as a possible treatment for the Ebola outbreak, in hopes that the drug can improve the outcomes for Covid-19 patients. The company said it expects to produce more than 140,000 rounds of its 10-day treatment regimen by the end of May and anticipates it can make 1 million rounds by the end of this year. New York state and others Drug: Hydroxychloroquine

Development: Various clinical trials Hydroxychloroquine is a decades-old malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a potential "game-changer." The drug is proven to work in treating Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, but not Covid-19. A handful of small studies on its use in coronavirus patients published in France and China had raised hope that the drug might help fight the virus. However, hydroxychloroquine, which is available as a generic drug and is also produced under the brand name Plaquenil by French drugmaker Sanofi, can have serious side effects, including muscle weakness and heart arrhythmia.

A bottle of Prasco Laboratories Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate is arranged for a photograph in Queens, New York, April 7, 2020. Christopher Occhicone | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Weather Alert

.An arctic cold front will move across the region on Wednesday, causing rain to change to snow Wednesday afternoon and evening. ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 AM CST THURSDAY... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations of one to two inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze. * WHERE...Portions of southwest Indiana, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. * WHEN...From 4 PM Wednesday to 6 AM CST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute, especially along the Ohio River. The transition from rain to a wintry mix and snow may not occur closer to the Tennessee border areas until after 7 PM CST. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The combination of gusty winds, falling temperatures and wind chills, and falling snow will cause hazardous travel. Freezing of residual moisture on roads from rain earlier Wednesday could also cause some icing of roadways. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. &&
She previously gushed about having the 'perfect quarantine boyfriend' in her young rocker Goody Grace.

Kate Beckinsale and her 22-year-old beau took a break from their quarantine at her home for some essential items at a pharmacy in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 46-year-old Underworld star was inseparable from Goody and held his hand tightly as they strolled out of the store.

Stocking up: Kate Beckinsale, 46, and her 22-year-old boyfriend Goody Grace took a break from their quarantine at her home for some essential items at a pharmacy in LA on Tuesday

Kate was covered up in a brilliant white sweater with loose flowing sleeves, along with a set of black leggings that showcased her slender legs.

She elevated her 5ft7in stature with a pair of brown suede platform boots and styled her brunette tresses in a tall updo.

Goody rocked a black three 6 mafia T-shirt with distressed black jeans decorated with studs and black sneakers.

The MaySeptember couple each glanced at each other as they walked into the parking lot and clasp hands while the musician carried their bags.

Study in contrasts: Kate wore a white sweater with black leggings and black platform boots and kept her hair in a high updo. Goody wore a black Three 6 Mafia T-shirt and black studded jeans

Sweet: Also joining the couple was Kate sweet Pomeranian Myf, who peaked her head over the top of the actress' large black leather bag

Wow! The fluffy pooch showed how smart she was in a video from last week when she tried to mimic some of Kate's movements

They also had a sneaky guest with them: Kate's adorable Pomeranian Myf.

The perpetually smiley pooch could be seen poking her head out over the top of the large black leather bag she had slung over one shoulder.

Myf showed up up in an Instagram video from last week where she did her best to mimic some of Kate's moves as she jumped around in her underwear.

New romance: The Last Days Of Disco star and her Canadian boyfriend were first seen holding hands together in early April, though sources told People the two had been together for months; pictured in January

The Last Days Of Disco star and her Canadian boyfriend were first seen holding hands together in early April, though sources told People that the two had already been together for months.

'Kate enjoys his company,' they told the publication. 'She finds him very mature, smart and creative. He entertains her with music, they cook and watch movies. She thinks he is the perfect quarantine boyfriend.'

The Love & Friendship actress recently opened up about her relationship with younger men in the May issue of Women's Health.

'It can feel like a little bit of a political act to be a woman over 32 who's having any fun at all. "Oh my god, I'm going to sit home and anticipate menopause while crocheting,"' she joked.

'Unless you're doing that, it somehow seems to be risque, which is just ridiculous to me.'

Having a laugh: Kate filmed a funny video on Monday with her white Persian cat Willow, who loves to sleep in the worst places and refuses to move

Pizza time: The Love & Friendship star pretended she was making a pizza and placed stuffed tomatoes and sardines on the cat, who just let out little yelps but didn't move

Tasty! She ended with a close-up of the unamused kitty. 'Expected a cookbook soon,' she joked in the caption

Kate has been spending plenty of time while quarantining at home with her fuzzy pets, including her grouchy white Persian cat Willow.

She's known for her ability to lie still in the least appropriate places, and Monday's video of her was no different.

Kate joked that she was going to make a pizza while Willow was lying in her cat bed on the kitchen island.

The actress placed stuffed tomatoes and sardines on the cat, who merely let out tiny squeaks, before giving a close-up of the unhappy kitty.

'Expect a cookbook soon,' she wrote.
The Supreme Court indicated on Wednesday that it probably wont blow up the 2020 election by letting 538 people youve never heard of pick the president. This presidential race promises to be one of the most divisive and chaotic in recent history, and courts should not inject any unnecessary mayhem. Wednesdays cases present a superficial opportunity to send the Electoral College into a death spiral. But in reality, they ask the federal judiciary to make the Electoral College even more dangerous and undemocratic than it already is.

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Those cases, Chiafalo v. Washington and Baca v. Colorado, probe the confusing reality of Americas true presidential election, which does not occur on Election Day. Sure, millions of Americans will go to the polls in November 2020 to pick the next commander in chief. But, constitutionally speaking, they will not actually vote for president. Instead, they will vote for electorstypically party operatives whose names may not even appear on the ballot. In December, those electors meet at their state capitols to cast their votes. Thirty-two states and the District of Columbia compel electors to cast their ballots for the winner of the statewide popular vote. The plaintiffs in Chiafalo and Baca are faithless electors who sought to buck these laws in 2016 and select a different candidate than the one chosen by voters of their state. They argue that the Constitution grants electors the right to vote for whomever they want. In their view, the statewide vote is essentially advisory and states have no power to punish electors who go their own way.

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The best argument for the plaintiffs is Alexander Hamiltons Federalist No. 68, which envisioned electors as wise men who would exercise independent judgment. The best argument against the plaintiffs is everything else under the sun. From the early days of the republic, states have forced electors to side with the winner of the statewide vote. Nothing in the Constitution clearly prohibits this option; to the contrary, it grants states broad power over their electors. And the practical consequences of a decision for the plaintiffs would be pandemonium: It would leave the race in the hands of a few obscure partisans who would surely face intense lobbying after Election Day. In a close race, a few faithless electors could change the outcome, raising grave questions of the winners legitimacy.

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Harvard Law professor Larry Lessig, who represents the plaintiffs, is aware of that possibility. Indeed, it seems to be his goal. Lessig wants to make the Electoral College so wacky and unpredictable that the entire country turns against it, then adopts a constitutional amendment creating a nationwide popular vote for president. The justices appeared to be aware of this end goal on Wednesday. And they had no apparent interest in facilitating Lessigs master plan.

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Those who disagree with your argument, Justice Samuel Alito told Lessig, say that it would lead to chaosthat in a close election, the rational response of the losing political party would be to launch a massive campaign to try to influence electors, and there would be a long period of uncertainty about who the next president was going to be. Lessig told Alito he did not deny its a possibility, but its one that hasnt happened yetand even if it does, thats the Constitutions fault.

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I want to follow up on Justice Alitos line of questioning, an alarmed Justice Brett Kavanaugh said, and what I might call the avoid chaos principle of judging, which suggests that if its a close call or tiebreaker, that we shouldnt facilitate or create chaos. Lessig responded that the likelihood of a chaotic outcome is extremely small. Kavanaugh then flipped Lessigs framing of the case. You set this up as the states versus the electors, he said. But isnt it also appropriate to think of this as the voters versus the electors, and that your position would, in essence, potentially disenfranchise voters in the state? In other words, if electors can buck the statewide vote, arent they nullifying thousands or millions of ballots?

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The justices had no apparent interest in facilitating Lessigs master plan.

Its potentially true, Lessig admitted. Thats right, Your Honor. But Lessig insisted that allowing states to control electors is the greater evil. There is no tradition in America of the government exercising control over a voter, over an elector, Lessig said. Maybe in the Soviet Union, but not the United States.

As that exchange indicates, Lessigs theory rests on a sleight of hand. He suggests that state control over electors presents authoritarian-style election rigging. But in reality, the states are merely directing electors to respect the result of elections. Lessigs position isnt democracy-enhancingits democracy-diminishing.

It is also pretty limitless, as Chief Justice John Roberts told Jason Harrow, Lessigs associate, who argued on behalf of Colorados faithless electors. So the elector can decide, I am going to flip a coin and however it comes out, thats how Im going to vote?  Roberts asked Harrow. Yes, Harrow saidjust like senators can. They have that same discretion.

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But with senators, Justice Clarence Thomas pointed out, theres some degree of accountability for them when they vote a particular way. Whats the accountability here for an elector who strays from what is expected? Harrow said, They can be kicked out of the political party. That consequence seems like small potatoes compared with losing a senatorial election, and it leaves accountability in the hands of the party, not the voters.

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Justice Elena Kagan asked Harrow why, in the absence of a clear constitutional command, federal courts shouldnt just leave states to their own devices. What would you say if I said that if theres silence, the best thing to do is leave it to the states and not impose any constitutional requirement on them? Harrow said there wasnt silencethough, as Kagan reminded Lessig, there is ambiguity. Most of your argument depends on a particular reading of the terms vote and ballot and elector, Kagan said. But why do these terms necessarily involve choice in the way you suggest? Put simply, the Constitution uses terms that we associate with free elections today. But are those terms really enough to strip states and their residents of influence over a presidential election?

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In light of this skepticism, Noah Purcell, who argued for Washington, and Philip Weiser, who argued for Colorado, had little to do but sound like reasonable defenders of the status quo. They passed with flying colors. A few justices wondered whether their positions would lead to absurd results, as well; Alito, for instance, asked if Washington could choose 12 wise people to be our electors and let them vote however they want, with the advice of the public through a popular vote. Purcell responded that I think they probably could do that. He is correct that the Constitution allows state legislatures to appoint their preferred electors and ignore or cancel the popular vote. But that is a flaw in the Electoral College itself. It is a reason to replace the entire system, not to let every elector go rogue.

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And make no mistake: The Electoral College should be abolished. It is an anachronistic system created to protect slave states and it has no place in American democracy today. Still, the Supreme Court has no good reason to kick off that process by throwing a wrench into the current system and upending an imminent election. Thankfully, a majority of the justicesperhaps all ninesounded cautious and sensible enough to reject that result. Chiafalo and Baca are, as Weiser put it, a dangerous time bomb that could trigger a constitutional crisis. But justices across the ideological spectrum seem to recognize that this particular bomb could blow up in their faces.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to The Gist.
Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

One common piece of advice given to fledgling entrepreneurs is to follow your passion and do what you love.

The idea is that by building a business rooted in something you are already passionate about, it will be easier for you to push through tough challenges and to be successful.

The reality however is that, passion alone will not make a business grow. A business plan is all conceptual until you start filling in the numbers and terms.

The financial section of your business plan determines whether or not your business idea is viable and will be the focus of any investors who may be attracted to your business idea.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Microfinance companies in Ghana to have access to GHC10 million bailout

Unarguably, finance is the most important aspect in business. Money is the blood that keeps businesses in operation.

Not undermining other factors, finance in business is not a want , it is an indispensable need.

Commonly, many potential entrepreneurs underestimate it's power and this affects them in the long run.

I have seen young , exuberant and passionate entrepreneurs with multi million business ideas struggle in business due to the lack of adequate finances. Sooner or later, their business is susceptible to collapse.

Though there are many other factors that account for this , the number one factor is : Financial Insufficiency.

Conceiving a business idea and starting the business is the first and relatively easier part of business, but for many, the headache is in keeping the business running.

Initial money required to operate the business until the business begins to generate its own income is called start-up capital or working capital, without it , doom is invoked.

Due to this factor, research reveals that, a larger portion of companies fail within the first 18 months of operation. Mostly due to liquidity challenges.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Report shows informal sector recorded lowest GDP in 6 years

Observationally, it takes two to three years for a business to be profitable on average.

Meaning to keep the business running, entrepreneurs must pay incessant bills , pay workers , pay taxes , and disburse money to sustain the operation of the business ; from personal funds or startup capital.

Consequently, many entrepreneurs who are financially insufficient are unable to implement their business ideas thoroughly.

Before you despair, this article does not seek to discourage you from embarking on your entrepreneurship goals. This article seeks to highlight on the need of adequate financing in business and inform readers on some important source of funds entrepreneurs can rely on to morph their cognitive business ideas to reality.

The next most important step after conceiving the business idea and identifying your market is planning financially.

The financial section of a business plan is one of the most essential components of the plan.

Just as the popular saying goes , "when you fail to plan, you plan to fail".

Most often than not, entrepreneurs do not take into critical account the "financial what's and how's" , for instance, how long will it take to break even and make a profit ? What reliable sources of income can I rely on?

How long can I stay open without making a profit? Financial planning is imperative in business planning.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: MTN suspends AGM and postpones payment of dividend

In Ghana when you rent a store it is usually for about 3 - 5 years. In conventional terms it can take 2-3 years for a business to start making profits.

Notwithstanding, entrepreneurs are still required to pay rent for that period, especially for "brick-and-mortar" businesses.

If the business is not making enough money yet, they must still pay rent perhaps out of personal savings else face evacuation. One can only begin to imagine the dire consequences of financial insufficiency in business.

The good news is that , there are many means of accumulating funds for a business. As the saying goes "we spend money to make money", for that matter when starting a business, the first source of funding is oneself.

Money that the owner puts into the business is called equity capital.

By so doing, it proves to other investors and bankers that one is committed and is ready to take risks. Why would another person take the risk of investing in your business if you are not prepared to take the risk yourself?

Alternatively, one can obtain funds from friends and family.

Many entrepreneurs prefer this source because the pressure on paying back and interest on such loans are quite low.

People with whom you have close relationships could be reliable if you prove to be competent and convincing.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Local airline Passion Air cries to government for support

According to credible sources, one entrepreneur to use this method is Aliko Dangote of Nigeria.

However, one disadvantage to family or friends financing your business is that you may put the people you love best at risk, when you are unable to make enough revenue to pay back loans.

Consequently, you lose more than moneyyou lose valuable relationships.

Debt financing is another source for funding a business.

Banks and savings and loans organizations play an indelible role in that.

However, in Ghana, securing loans from banks can be very difficult especially if you are not financially credible.

Many banks are risk averse and have stringent rules about what they can and cannot invest in.

All the same , if one is able to convince them affirmatively they are likely to be offered assistance.

Other alternatives for financial backing may include Angel Investors (wealthy and business people who invest their time and money in high-growth business in exchange for equity) , venture capitals among others.

Obtaining success is a perfect marriage of timing, opportunity and preparedness. Reach for your goals , but prepare financially.

Article written by:

Obeng Silas , The African Panacea.

READ ALSO: Government announces recovery plan for productive sectors of the economy

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Honor 9X Pro is the first Android smartphone to launch in India without Google services. As a result, popular apps like Gmail, Google Maps, etc. won't run on the device.

Honors momentum in the Indian smartphone market was punctured by the ongoing tussle between the United States and Huawei with the Chinese company barred from offering Google services on its smartphones. The Honor 9X was launched back in January, and since it was launched in China before the ban took effect, the Honor 9X did come with the familiar Google apps. Now, the company has announced the Honor 9X Pro with upgraded hardware, sans the Google apps. Instead, it comes with Huawei Mobile Services or HMS which Huawei developed as an alternative to the core services run by Google on Android phones launching outside of China. You can read more about HMS in this article.

How different is the Honor 9X Pro from other smartphones? Not much, if you look at the hardware inside. Its powered by a 7nm Kirin 810 SoC which can take on the latest and greatest in the mid-range segment, at least on paper with the latest Cortex A76 and A55 cores along with a Mali G72 GPU and a dedicated NPU. There is adequate RAM and storage in the smartphone and the camera setup is in line with what you get today, a Sony IMX582 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front is a pop-up module housing a 16MP selfie shooter allowing the screen to stretch all the way to the edges. Thats pretty much in line with the design and hardware trends we saw last year and the beginning of this year.

However, the software experience on the Honor 9X Pro is now totally different. Because it lacks the usual Google services and apps like Google Play Store, Gmail, Google Maps and the likes, someone already invested in the Android ecosystem will find themselves unable to access these services. Dont think Honor hasnt thought about it though. We learnt some of the steps that Honor is taking to educate users on the new services on the Honor 9X Pro for users in India 

A detailed listing page on Flipkart

The Honor 9X Pro will be sold via Flipkart and the e-commerce platform is hosting a detailed product page for the smartphone where all the details about the Huawei AppGallery are clearly mentioned. Furthermore, theres a registration link which asks you a bunch of questions and then redirects you to a FAQ page which once again tackles the burning questions arising out of a lack of Google services.

Availability of apps

One of the biggest doubts around purchasing the Honor 9X Pro is the availability of apps on the new app store from Huawei. The vast availability of apps is one of the biggest reasons to invest in the Android ecosystem and the Google Play Store hosts millions of apps already. The Huawei AppGallery may not have the big numbers to show yet, but Honor assured they are working with apps and games developers to get as many popular apps as possible on the AppGallery. That includes the ones popular in India like Ola, Flipkart, TikTok, Hotstar and the likes.

However, apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Uber, etc. are still not present. For other popular apps like WhatsApp and Facebook, the AppGallery will provide a link to the official websites from where users can download the APK and use them like before.

As for services like Gmail, the Honor 9X Pro comes with a Mail app that can be synced with your Google account for emails. Furthermore, you can open Gmail from the browser app directly. Same with Facebook.

What about games like PUBG Mobile and Asphalt 9?

India is one of the largest markets for mobile games. And games like PUBG Mobile, Ludo King, Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty Mobile are wildly popular, especially during the ongoing lockdown. Unfortunately, among the popular ones, only Asphalt 9 and Ludo King are available on the AppGallery right now. An Honor spokesperson confirmed the company is working with Tencent to make PUBG Mobile available for users as well.

App cloning and side loading

While a lot of apps are still not present officially on the AppGallery, Honor sees no reason to not encourage users to sideload apps on the smartphone. Of course, the ones that wholly rely on Google services to work wont run on the device and crash immediately upon launching. However, apps like Twitter, Instagram and the likes can be sideloaded or transferred from your old smartphone to the Honor 9X Pro via the App Clone feature. Upon asking on the legality of the move considering how most of the popular apps are headquartered in the United States (Huawei is banned from doing business with US companies), Honor assured that the process is perfectly legal and wont result in ramifications later.

A question still remains on the security aspect of side-loading apps. Apps not downloaded from official app stores and websites are often found to be tampered and injected with malicious code. However, Honor claimed the phone will scan apps in real-time and highlight any breach in security resulting out of sideloaded apps.

Offline retailers to be educated on HMS

Now while customers buying the Honor 9X Pro online get the info on HMS from Flipkart itself, the company also plans to sell the smartphone via offline channels. For that, the company said it will be training retailers to educate users about HMS and AppGallery and the lack of Google apps in the smartphones. Some stores will also have dedicated salesman from Honor explaining how the software experience will be different on the Honor 9X Pro.

24x7 hotline number

Furthermore, the company has set up at a 24x7 support page where users can either chat or get on a call with a support executive regarding any query they may have about the new ecosystem. The hotline number is 18002109999.

The objective is to educate users about an alternative

During the conversation, the Honor spokesperson said the objective right now is to educate users and developers about Huawei Mobile Services and the AppGallery as an alternative to the Google PlayStore for Android smartphones. Sales are not the primary target for Honor presently, which explains the slow launches seen so far. The company hopes users will disregard the lack of Google services (still very hard to do right now), and purchase the smartphone owing for the value for money it offers with the hardware inside.

Will Honor drop Google services completely in the future?

Most analysts are of the opinion that the ban on Huawei to do business with US companies is only temporary, and the near future might allow Huawei to use Google services once again. In such a situation, the Honor spokesperson said they wont be dropping HMS from Honor smartphones. Instead, Honor may look at creating a separate lineup of devices with HMS and another lineup of devices that comes with Google services enabled. But for now, the Honor 9X Pro wont have Google PlayStore and access to all the popular and essential Google apps. Instead, you have to rely on alternatives made by Huawei and ones that the company have collaborated with.
And suddenly, he was standing on the Seinfeld stage, sweetly resisting smacking me in the head.

We were several seasons in, and this was his debut as Frank Costanza, Georges frustrated, cantankerous father. I remember sitting a few seats from him for the table reading, unabashedly thrilled he was there. From that first reading, it was clear that he and Estelle Harris, who played his wife, were magic. It was equally clear that working with them without constantly dissolving into laughter was going to be challenging.

The internet is filled with blooper after blooper of all of us doing scenes with Jerry Stiller, unable to hold it together  mostly due to that glorious, hang-dog, put-upon face that would contort in frustration and madness and the spontaneous, unexpected line readings that would come from him. But he didnt even have to speak  all he had to do was look or gesture at us, and wed come apart. And every time hed apologize for it. As if he had done something wrong. As if he had somehow interfered with our work. Which only made us love him more.

Despite the bluster and volatility that Jerry became famous for as both Frank Costanza and later as Arthur Spooner on The King of Queens, the actual Jerry Stiller was a gentle, warm, humble and graceful gentleman. But on the day we met, I really wanted him to hit me in the head.

We were rehearsing our first big scene together in the Costanza home. George had screwed something up and the beleaguered Frank was raging about it. I remember standing in the doorway from the living room to the kitchen. Jerry crossed to me and delivered a great Frank zinger before passing into the kitchen. Somehow, I thought that it might be funny if he would try to strike me. I suggested to Jerry that if he used the heel of his palm to smack me on my forehead, I could pretend the blow was hard enough to send my head backward where I would bang it against the wooden panel of the door.

I felt like the comedian in him liked the idea, but it might have been kinder to ask Jerry Stiller to chew glass. The very thought of raising his hand to me, of striking me, was anathema to him. I would bet that this kind, sweet man had never raised his hand in anger to anyone. And that the very thought of it was hurting his soul. He gave it a few feeble, halfhearted tries  each followed by an apology and inquiry into whether I had survived unscathed.
My husband and I have chosen, in good spirit, to say, We are here in this country, we benefit from the streets, we benefit from the highways, we benefit from the trash pickups, so whatever it is we need to pay in taxes, well do it, Amador says. And then to have your own country turn around and say, Thats not enough, is a slap in the face.
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Linkedin Allison Lampert and Jamie Freed (Reuters) Montreal/Sydney  Wed, May 13, 2020 16:07 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7cc851 2 News travel,Airlines,Airport,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,air-travel,face-mask,new-norms Free

Airlines and airports are recommending a layered approach to temporary safety measures as air travel restarts, warning that no single measure can mitigate all of the risks during the pandemic, according to a briefing document seen by Reuters.

The plan laid out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airports Council International to reassure governments it is safe for the public to fly includes contact tracing, temperature screening, social distancing, extra cleaning and wearing masks.

"Successfully restarting air passenger travel while restoring confidence in the safety of air travel are vital pre-requisites to enabling the global economy to recover from COVID-19," the groups said in the document, which has not been made public. "In normal times, aviation delivers $2.7 trillion in global GDP contribution."

IATA and ACI declined to comment specifically on the document but both said they were working with industry partners on a consistent global approach.

Many airlines and airports around the world are implementing measures such as requiring masks and leaving middle seats empty, in some cases due to government requirements.

The industry supports reliable COVID-19 testing, but at the moment virus and antibody tests are not a viable solution at airports and there is no confirmed evidence yet that antibodies confer immunity, according to the IATA and ACI document.

Read also: Hong Kong airport tests full-body disinfection booths to fight COVID-19

Should health-screening measures be necessary, it should be done long before passengers arrive at the airport, the document said.

Temperature checks on airport entry and exit are not likely to prove 100 percent effective because they may miss mild cases and those in the incubation period, but the measures could play a useful role in reassuring passengers and deter travel in the case of suspected infections, according to IATA and ACI.

Social and physical distancing should be limited to the initial restart phase because the measures will cap airport and aircraft capacity once travel demand grows, the document said.

Security and health screenings should be mutually recognized when possible so that transfer passengers do not need to line up and be re-screened, leading to additional human contact, IATA and ACI said.

"There is currently no single measure that could mitigate all the risks of restarting air travel," the document concluded.

"However, we believe that an effective implementation on an outcome basis and layered approach, of the above-mentioned range of measures that are already possible, represents the most effective way of balancing risk mitigation with the need to unlock economies and to enable travel in the immediate term."
Mitya Yatim, the owner of a wine bar in central Kiev, opened to the public on Monday for the first time after nearly two months of lockdown that left his business reeling.

He says the anti-virus restrictions introduced in Ukraine two months ago to slow the spread of the coronavirus "hit us hard".

"We were not ready for it," Yatim, who runs the Malevich wine bar, told AFP on Monday as Ukraine eased its lockdown by opening outdoor areas of cafes and coffee shops.

"We had to go into debt to pay rent. Our people were left without work," Yatim explained.

Ukraine in mid-March ordered all non-essential businesses to close, with only grocery stores and pharmacies permitted to remain open as part of the efforts to stop the pandemic.

Public transport has been reserved for employees of essential services, including police and hospital staff.

Hairdressers were among the businesses allowed to resume business in Ukraine on Monday /  AFP

Under new government regulations which entered into force Monday, Ukrainians are now also permitted to visit beauty salons, dental clinics, and parks and public squares.

"This day has come because most of us adhered to the rules," Ukraine's health ministry said Monday.

"However, this doesn't mean we can neglect security measures. About 500 new coronavirus infections are confirmed in Ukraine every day," the ministry added.

The country has so far confirmed 15,648 coronavirus cases and 408 deaths.

The ex-Soviet nation with a population of 40 million is one of the poorest countries in Europe and the economic fallout from the pandemic threatens to make matters worse.

- Disposable plates -

Georgiy Museliani, owns the Khachapuri House cafe which serves Georgian food but shut its doors two months ago.

His kitchen continued providing takeaway meals during the lockdown, but on Monday he reopened the outdoor seating area, with live music and free ice cream for children.

The food is served on disposable plates and customers are not permitted to even touch the menus, Museliani told AFP, citing new rules.

Tables must be placed one and a half metres apart and only two people can sit together. Everyone is required to wear a face mask, not ideal for diners..

"How will this mask save us? It won't! It's like putting a T-shirt on a hedgehog so that he doesn't freeze," Museliani,says.

However he told AFP he is glad to see the lockdown eased and life begin to return to normal, saying he was sceptical of the government's lockdown, which forced him to cut salaries and reduce the number of working days to "survive".

"They just locked everyone at home!" the 45-year-old said.

The shutdown of non-essential services in Ukraine means Yatim will have to reduce staff salaries at the wine bar for the foreseeable future to pay off loans.

Yet he is determined not to "abandon" his staff, many of whom are students working over the summer.

He hopes Kiev residents will be encouraged to leave their homes and visit their favourite cafes and bars, even if the new regulations means serving clientele outdoors.

"I think we can handle this," he said, adding that eventually, "people will be back."
Some Cape Breton University students are questioning the effectiveness of online learning and whether they will be charged fees for services they can't use now that classes will only be offered virtually this fall.

Student union president Aminder Singh believes the university is keeping the health of the students and the community in mind, but said he also feels for the students.

"It's really disheartening for the students who were going to join or come back in the fall," said Singh.

He said the international students who are in Cape Breton aren't getting the full experience they had hoped for at the university.

On Tuesday, the university announced the move to online-only classes this fall amid COVID-19, making it the first university in Nova Scotia to do so.

Cape Breton University Students' Union

Ayush Tandon arrived in Cape Breton in January 2020. He said he was excited to attend school in Canada.

"Making friends, talking to the professors about studies and future prospects, but now because of COVID-19, it has all been slowed down," said Tandon.

Mareena Mathew is taking business management at the university. She worries she will not learn as much through online learning.

"I was going to learn some skills, especially relating to supply chain. So if there are no classes, then I'm completely going to miss that on a first-hand basis. So, I guess the quality of the learning will be compromised," said Mathew.

She also worries her grades will be negatively affected by online learning, which could affect her ability to get a job in her chosen field down the road.

Jenny Lu is in her second year of the hospitality and tourism program. Originally from Vietnam, she said English is her second language and online learning just adds another layer of difficulty to her studies.

CBC

"It's harder to get access to help. Usually, I'd just stay back in class and ask my professor or ... go to the office, it's easier to find help on campus instead of online," said Lu.

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The university has said students will continue to have access to all traditional supports. A working group is looking at the challenges of moving to online-only learning and coming up with solutions.

Fee concerns

Another worry on Mathew's mind is student fees. Normally, students attending university would pay a variety of fees, such as lab fees, campus activity fees and technology fees. With students not being on campus, Mathew questions if they will be charged for services they can't use.

She noted international students pay more in tuition than domestic students, so a break on fees would go a long way.

Singh said students will not be charged lab fees for summer classes because students will not be using the labs.

Officials with the university said they are reviewing all fees and tuition, but a decision has not yet been made.

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President Muhammadu Buharis new Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari on Wednesday said he will serve the president to the best of his ability.

Prof. Gambari, who was officially announced as the Chief of Staff by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha, participated at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa.

Speaking to State House correspondents, the new CoS, who was Minister of External Affairs under the military regime of the then Major General Muhammadu Buhari, said that his allegiance would be on the President that found him fit for the job.

I want to thank the president of the Federal Republic for giving me this opportunity to serve him and of the country, he said.

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I have not started, so I will find out and maybe I dont report directly to the nation, I report directly to the president, he said when asked what Nigerians should expect of him, considering his vast knowledge as a former diplomat.

Read Also: Saraki Reacts As Buhari Appoints Gambari As New COS

On what the President would expect from him, he simply said, I think he needs my loyalty, competence, and support.

On his guiding principle, as he assumes duty as the Chief of Staff, former Nigerias Permanent Representative to the United Nations said, To serve the president to the best of my ability.
Detailed analysis from the epicentre of the Italian COVID-19 outbreak describes increase in cases of rare Kawasaki-like disease in young children, adding to reports of similar cases from New York, USA and South East England, UK

Detailed analysis from the epicentre of the Italian COVID-19 outbreak describes increase in cases of rare Kawasaki-like disease in young children, adding to reports of similar cases from New York, USA and South East England, UK. Syndrome is rare and experts stress that children remain minimally affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection overall.

Doctors in the Bergamo province of Italy [1] have described a series of ten cases of young children with symptoms similar to a rare inflammatory disease called Kawasaki Disease appearing since the COVID-19 pandemic arose in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, in a report published today in The Lancet.

Only 19 children had been diagnosed with the condition in that area in the five years up to the middle of February 2020, but there were 10 cases between 18 February and 20 April 2020. The latest reports could represent a 30-fold increase in the number of cases, although researchers caution that it is difficult to draw firm conclusions with such small numbers.

Eight of the 10 children brought to hospital after 18 February 2020 tested positive for the SARS-coronavirus-2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) in an antibody test. All of the children in the study survived, but those who became ill during the pandemic displayed more serious symptoms than those diagnosed in the previous five years.

Kawasaki Disease is a rare condition that typically affects children under the age of five. It causes blood vessels to become inflamed and swollen. The typical symptoms include fever and rash, red eyes, dry or cracked lips or mouth, redness on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and swollen glands. Typically, around a quarter of children affected experience cardiac complications, but the condition is rarely fatal if treated appropriately in hospital. It is not known what triggers the condition but it is thought to be an abnormal immune overreaction to an infection.

Dr Lucio Verdoni, author of the report from the Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo, Italy, said: "We noticed an increase in the number of children being referred to our hospital with an inflammatory condition similar to Kawasaki Disease around the time the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak was taking hold in our region. Although this complication remains very rare, our study provides further evidence on how the virus may be affecting children. Parents should follow local medical advice and seek medical attention immediately if their child is unwell. Most children will make a complete recovery if they receive appropriate hospital care." [2]

The study authors carried out a retrospective review of patient notes from all 29 children admitted to their paediatric unit with symptoms of Kawasaki Disease from 1 January 2015 to 20 April 2020.

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the hospital treated around one case of Kawasaki Disease every three months. Between 18 February and 20 April 2020, 10 children were treated for symptoms of the disease. The increase could not be explained by an increase in hospital admissions, as the number of patients admitted during that time period was six fold lower than before the virus was first reported in the area.

Children who presented at hospital with symptoms after 18 February 2020 were older on average (mean age 7.5 years) than the group diagnosed in the previous five years (mean age 3 years). They also appeared to experience more severe symptoms than past cases, with more than half (60%, 6/10 cases) having heart complications, compared with just 10% of those treated before the pandemic (2/19 cases). Half of the children (5/10) had signs of toxic shock syndrome, whereas none of the children treated before February 2020 had this complication. All patients before and after the pandemic received immunoglobulin treatment, but 80% of children during the outbreak (8/10) required additional treatment with steroids, compared with 16% of those in the historical group (4/19).

Two of the patients treated after 18 February 2020 (2/10) tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 on an antibody test. The researchers say the test used is not 100% accurate (95% sensitivity and 85-90% specificity), suggesting these could be false negative results. In addition, one of the patients had recently been treated with a high dose of immunoglobulin, a standard treatment for Kawasaki Disease, which could have masked any antibodies to the virus.

Taken together, the authors say that their findings represent an association between an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 virus and an inflammatory condition similar to Kawasaki Disease in the Bergamo province of Italy. The researchers say the COVID-related cases should be classified as 'Kawasaki-like Disease', as the symptoms were different and more severe in patients treated after March 2020. However, they caution that their report is based on only a small number of cases and larger studies will be required to confirm the association. They also warn that other countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic might expect to see a similar rise in cases similar to Kawasaki Disease.

Dr Lorenzo D'Antiga, lead author of the study from the Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo, Italy, said: "We are starting to see case reports of children presenting at hospital with signs of Kawasaki Disease in other areas hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, including New York and South East England [3, 4]. Our study provides the first clear evidence of a link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and this inflammatory condition, and we hope it will help doctors around the world as we try to get to grips with this unknown virus." [2]

Dr Annalisa Gervasoni, another author of the study and a Paediatric Specialist at the Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo, Italy, said: "In our experience, only a very small proportion of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop symptoms of Kawasaki Disease. However, it is important to understand the consequences of the virus in children, particularly as countries around the world grapple with plans to start relaxing social distancing policies." [2]

Writing in a linked Comment, Professor Russell Viner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Professor of Adolescent Health, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UK, (who was not involved in the study), said: "Although the Article suggests a possible emerging inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19, it is crucial to reiterate--for parents and health-care workers alike--that children remain minimally affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection overall. Understanding this inflammatory phenomenon in children might provide vital information about immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 and possible correlates of immune protection that might have relevance both for adults and children. In particular, if this is an antibody-mediated phenomenon, there might be implications for vaccine studies, and might also explain why some children become very ill with COVID-19, while the majority are unaffected or asymptomatic."

###

Peer reviewed / Case series / People

NOTES TO EDITORS

The study was received no funding. It was conducted by researchers from Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII.

The labels have been added to this press release as part of a project run by the Academy of Medical Sciences seeking to improve the communication of evidence. For more information, please see: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AMS-press-release-labelling-system-GUIDANCE.pdf if you have any questions or feedback, please contact The Lancet press office pressoffice@lancet.com

[1] Bergamo has the highest rate of infections and deaths from SARS-CoV-2 in Italy and is one of the worst affected regions in the world. The outbreak is estimated to have started in the region in late February 2020.

[2] Quote direct from author and cannot be found in the text of the Article.

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/09/children-coronavirus-death-kawasaki

[4] S. Riphagen et al. Hyperinflammatory shock in children during COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet, 7 May 2020.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31094-1/fulltext
Premier Brian Pallister has come under fire from Metis and First Nations leaders after his Tuesday statement marking Manitoba's 150th anniversary did not mention the contributions of Indigenous people.

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This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Brian Pallister has come under fire from Metis and First Nations leaders after his Tuesday statement marking Manitoba's 150th anniversary did not mention the contributions of Indigenous people.

Pallister said during a Tuesday news conference he intentionally left Indigenous people out of the statement.

"I guess I basically offended everyone by trying to be inclusive," Pallister told the Free Press during the conference.

That morning, he released a 283-word statement that recognized immigrants, religious minorities and volunteers  but lacked any mention of First Nations or Metis people.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES MMF president David Chartrand.

Manitoba was the only province founded by Indigenous people, after Metis leader Louis Riel marshalled the Red River Resistance against the Crowns attempt to fold the region into Confederation without consultation.

Riel wanted the area to become part of Canada, but only if that included a fair deal for Metis people and the region. He was hanged by the federal government in 1885.

"There are so many things he can be proud of; instead he took the negative approach and said 'I'm not going to mention them and if I don't mention them, nobody will care.'"  Manitoba Metis Federation President David Chartrand

Pallister later acknowledged that history Tuesday.

"The Metis people are at the forefront of Manitobas history and will be a massive part of (our) future as well," Pallister said in response to reporters questions.

He was defensive Tuesday about why his written statement and spoken remarks left out any mention of Metis and First Nation people.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Manitoba premier Brian Pallister: "I guess I basically offended everyone by trying to be inclusive."

"I also didnt mention veterans, or pioneers or immigrants who helped form our population pre-Confederation," the premier said.

"Were a province of incredible diversity, so I didnt choose to single out any group in my statement. I chose to think of us all as Manitobans in the context of Manitobas 150th."

Manitoba Metis Federation President David Chartrand accused the premier of deliberately ignoring Riel.

"There are so many things he can be proud of; instead he took the negative approach and said 'I'm not going to mention them and if I don't mention them, nobody will care," Chartrand said.

In February, the MMF decried the Manitoba 150 host committee for giving Riel no prominent role in the programming.

That prompted the federal Liberals to look into the matter, as Ottawa has partially funded the committee, which operates at arms length from the Pallister government.

He has a very hard time reconciling his own issue with Indigenous people, and unfortunately he's carried that into the premier's office.  Long Plain Chief Dennis Meeches

"There are so many things that Riel was able to accomplish and to get insulted by a premier in this new millennium? It's unfortunate," Chartrand said.

Long Plain Chief Dennis Meeches, whose First Nation sits near Pallisters family farmstead, was unsurprised Pallister didnt mention Indigenous people.

"That's basically what we've come to expect from the premier," said Meeches.

"He has a very hard time reconciling his own issue with Indigenous people, and unfortunately he's carried that into the premier's office."

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Long Plain First Nation Chief Dennis Meeches: That's basically what we've come to expect from the premier."

A year into his term as premier, Pallister caused an uproar for referring to disputes over night hunting as "becoming a race war" in early 2017.

Since then, Indigenous groups have complained about a lack of partnership in child-welfare reforms and crime-reduction initiatives, as well as scant consultation over flood-channel outlets in the Interlake.

However, Pallister has won plaudits from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs for collaborating on things like mining protocols, funding Bear Clan patrols and transferring control of northern airports.

The provinces northern chiefs released a statement highlighting the role of First Nations in forming the province shortly after the premiers statement.

"Although Manitoba has been a province for 150 years today, First Nations citizens have lived on these lands for time immemorial," wrote Grand Chief Garrison Settee of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

"Despite the multiple and ongoing attempts to eliminate and assimilate our people, we persist."

 with files from Larry Kusch and Julia-Simone Rutgers

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (File image: Reuters)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold a press conference at 4 pm on May 13, detailing the contours of Indias massive Rs 20 lakh crore fiscal stimulus announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 announced a massive Rs 20 lakh crore package  almost 10 percent of Indias gross domestic product (GDP)  as the country battles the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

This Rs 20 lakh crore figure, however, includes the previous Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, various government announcements for key sectors and steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) since lockdown began on March 24 midnight.

These earlier measures now together account to Rs 7.79 lakh crore of the complete package.

Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here

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

Addressing the nation on May 12, PM Modi had said the Rs 20 lakh crore package would allow various sections of the country and those linked to economic system to get support and strength.

This package will give a new impetus to the development journey of the country in 2020 and a new direction to the self-reliant India campaign. In order to prove the resolve of a self-reliant India, land, labour, liquidity and laws all have been emphasised in this package, he added.

He had said the Finance Minister would give detailed information about the package inspired by 'Self-reliant India campaign', over the next few days.

Here are key expectations from FM Sitharaman's address today:

> Credit guarantee scheme for working capital loans of micro, small and medium enterprises

> Incentives for companies and businesses to maintain a stable workforce, especially as the migrant workers' crisis deepens

> Expansion of direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes

> Possible hike in MNREGA payments

> Accelerated disbursals under PM-KISAN Scheme

> Expanded economic activity in Green and Orange Zones, and a gradual easing of lockdown

> Details on the resumption of train services, possible resumption of flight services

> Boost for sectors worst hit by the pandemic such as hospitality, tourism, travel, aviation, and auto among others

> Separate announcements by various ministries for their particular sectors  such as non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and mutual funds (MFs).
(Bloomberg) --

From France to Australia to North Dakota, government apps designed to help authorities track and slow the spread of Covid-19 are struggling to accomplish their goals because of restrictions on data collection built into smartphones by Apple Inc. and Google.

Thats leaving public health officials with few options but to use a system designed by Apple and Google themselves. The tech companies say their tools preserve privacy and work seamlessly on devices used by some 3 billion people.

Heres the rub: Those same privacy features lock authorities out of collecting information they can use to track the broader spread of virus, spot larger patterns and plan reopenings.

The exposure app gives you an indication that youve been in contact with someone that was positive, but it doesnt do anything for the health department and its contact-tracing efforts, said Vern Dosch, a former technologist who is helping run contact tracing efforts for the state of North Dakota.

Read More: High-Stakes Virus App Test Puts Sleepy U.K. Island in Spotlight

Apple and Google even renamed their framework Exposure Notification, signaling that it doesnt do true contact tracing, the process of tracking a virus from person to person. Instead, it lets individual smartphones keep track of which other handsets theyve come close to by using Bluetooth wireless signals. If a person notifies the network they have tested positive for Covid-19, everyone they could have infected is issued a warning, if theyve opted in.

The system does this matching anonymously on each device, rather than in a central database that governments could use to track the disease more broadly -- a feature the companies say is more secure and helps quell user concerns about who sees their sensitive health data.

At the same time, the companies are refusing to ease restrictions in their mobile software that are blocking governments from building their own centralized, less private apps for contact tracing. That could blow back on the tech giants, who are already under scrutiny for antitrust violations and other business practices that critics say give them too much power.

Story continues

Apple could have helped us make it work even better, Cedric O, Frances digital minister, said in a television interview last week, referring to the countrys Covid-19 tracking app, set to launch in June. A company that has never been in a better economic shape is not helping the government to fight the crisis. We will remember that.

Some countries have tried to find technical workarounds, but few governments have had success in building a working app without following Apple and Googles rules. Places that already have an app that uses location or sends data to a central server will not be allowed to update it with the tech giants tools. Thats forced North Dakota to build a second app on top of the one it already has.

We pleaded our case with them, both Apple and Google, Dosch said -- but the answer was no.

In most places, not enough people have downloaded the apps to make them effective in the first place, despite pleas from officials to do so. Apple and Google say their built-in system will eventually allow anonymous notifications to people who havent downloaded a government app.

Contact tracing traditionally involves human investigators manually tracking a disease from person to person so they can isolate those who may have been exposed and help inform authorities where and when to put lockdowns in place. Using technology like Bluetooth or GPS helps this process by providing even more data about where an infected person traveled. Apple and Googles system only serves to notify individuals, rather than giving that information to governments and other the contact tracers trying to stop outbreaks.

Privacy advocates have generally praised the companies approach, saying it preserves anonymity and security while still building a useful tool that can help fight the disease. But the situation illustrates the power of the tech giants when it comes to deciding the role of technology in peoples lives.

The debate is similar to the one that emerged when the U.S. government demanded Apple build a software back door into iPhones to give authorities access for the purported reason of fighting crime and terrorism. Apple has resisted, saying the precedent would damage civil rights and privacy for the millions of people who use its devices.Many users may well prefer a system with parameters set by Apple and Google. Preliminary results from a survey conducted by the University of Washington in Seattle suggest just that. Asked before Apple and Google announced their plans, more than half of the respondents said theyd be comfortable with Apple and Google map applications using location data to help stop the virus.

The main technological barrier that governments face is that Apple phones dont let apps send out Bluetooth pings when the phone is locked or the app is running in the background. That means people would have to walk around with their public-health app constantly open and their phones unlocked if they wanted nearby phones to pick up their signal -- something people arent likely to do. Another problem is that Apple and Google phones dont generally communicate well with one another, an issue the companies fixed for their own system by designing it together.A spokesperson for Apple declined to comment. Representatives for Google didnt respond to a request for comment.

In the U.K., the National Health Service opted to design its own system so officials could have a centralized database of Covid cases across the country. Data from the app would help human contact tracers figure out whom to call and let administrators make decisions based on patterns that emerged from the information, like where to ramp up testing and when to ease lockdowns.

But just days before the app trial started, the U.K. government published a contract issued to a Swiss engineering firm, asking it to look into adding Apple and Googles system to its own. The U.K. government said it continues to pursue its centralized model but is keeping all options under review.

France and the U.K. have become outliers in Europe with their decisions to opt for their own centralized approach, raising questions about how the regions systems will work with contact-tracing apps based on Google and Apples tool. Experts say decentralized and centralized apps are incompatible, a prospect that could make cross-border travel in Europe more difficult given that authorities wont be able to easily exchange information about infections.

The European Union, which is pressuring member states to align on the issue, is set to issue minimum requirements for the interoperability of apps on Wednesday.

Singapore, which was the first country to roll out a Bluetooth contact-tracing app back in March, said explicitly that a shortcoming of its app is that iPhone users must have it running at all times due to the design of Apples iOS. The Canadian province of Alberta, which is using a version of Singapores app, has run into the same problem.

The Dutch government has opted for using Google and Apples approach after privacy experts criticized several independent tracing apps developed for the country. Australias digital agency has said Bluetooth is highly variable on iPhones using the countrys contact-tracing app, which launched well before the Apple and Google tools were available. The North Dakota app that uses location has struggled with accuracy problems because of restrictions put in place by the tech companies about how such data can be used when an app is running in the background.

Back in France, officials say they have found a way to make their app work without Apple and Googles help. It is set to go live on June 2, but the government hasnt released technical details about how it will work.

The persistent obstacles to a tech fix for contact tracing underscore that there isnt a clear-cut way to stop the virus while keeping privacy intact, said Ryan Calo, a law professor at the University of Washington in Seattle who specializes in privacy and technology.Theres a role for technology to help with manual contact tracing, but theres no way to do that that Ive seen without privacy trade-offs, Calo said. You cant get out of a pandemic with a clever app.

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Mukesh Ambani (Image: Reuters)

Queuing up at his local store for grocery worried Naman Jain. With coronavirus cases rising, it was too much of a risk for the resident of the Mumbai suburb of Thane.

A friend then introduced Jain to JioMart, the ecommerce venture of Reliance Industries retail arm. Its straightforward. You need to create a login and place an order on JioMarts WhatsApp number 8850008000 using your phone, Jain told Moneycontrol.

JioMart sends a link to the customer on WhatsApp that allows the user to pick the items and the order is then shared with the nearest mom-and-pop store. The kirana store alerts the customer when the order is ready. The customer goes to store, pays and picks up the order.

Jain collects his from Dharamsi & Co Kirana, which is 600 meters from his home. No more queues for him.

The disruptor

It was on April 26, four days after Reliance Retail signed a deal with Facebook-owned WhatsApp, that JioMart went live in Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai after five months of a soft launch.

The tie-up was part of the Facebook-Jio Platforms deal that saw the social media giant pick up a 9.9 percent stake in RILs digital unit for $5.7 billion.

Indias biggest FDI in technology is also expected to change the face of ecommerce, especially online grocery, an increasingly competitive space. As the coronavirus outbreak changes consumer behaviour, the competition will only get fierce.

Jio Mart, Jios digital new commerce platform, and WhatsApp will empower nearly three crore small Indian kirana shops to digitally transact with every customer in their neighbourhood and small kiranas can grow using digital technology, RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani said in a video statement on the day the deal was announced.

Jain is a happy customer but what about the store owner, the second important link in JioMarts grocery push.

Due to JioMart, we are getting more customers and products are also getting sold. Otherwise, most customers preferred to go to supermarkets, Dharamsi store owner Manishbhai Dedhia said.

Supermarkets and malls continue to be no-go in most parts of the country as Indians stay home to break the chain of coronavirus infections.

Margins of kirana stores are in the range of 10-15 percent, of which around 5-6 percent would be shared with JioMart, Dedhia said.

Owners like Dedhia can keep a tab on their inventory through the Point of Sale (PoS) machines installed by JioMart. These machines also allow them to order their supplies from Reliances cash-and-carry stores.

ALSO READ: Here's why Facebook bought stake in Reliance Jio for Rs 43,574 crore

Kirana to the rescue

After the lockdown was announced on March 24, customers struggled to get groceries and other essentials from established e-retailers like Big Basket, D-Mart Ready, Big Bazaar and Amazon.

The sudden spike in orders led to delays and even cancellations as restrictions on the movement of people and goods hobbled these companies.

Kirana shops came to the rescue of harried customers. JioMart connected them to their smaller but efficient neighbourhood grocery stores.

The company took a risk by rolling out during the lockdown but it seems to have worked. It has not only allowed the company to on-board customers but has also given it a chance to test waters before expanding to other cities.

The big picture

Data is the new oil, Ambani had said at the launch on Reliance Jio in 2016.

Reliance Jio has maintained it wants to more than a telecom player and is on track to be as an end-to-end digital behemoth.

In its three and half years of existence, Jio Infocomm has emerged as Indias biggest telecom service provider with 388 million subscribers.

Its pricing strategy has played a big role in Jio bagging 32 percent market share in terms of subscriber base, way ahead of rivals Bharti Airtel and Vodafone-Idea.

The telecom business ties in neatly with the companys digital ambitions.

In the last few weeks, Jio Platforms, of which telecom business is an important part, announced investments worth $8 billion.

After Facebook picked a 9.99 percent stake, American private equity giant Silver Lake Partners bought 1 percent of Jio Platforms for $750 million. Vista Equity Partners also picked up a 2.3 percent stake for $1.5 billion.

The Reliance Retail and WhatsApp arrangement will go a long way in making JioMart Desh Ki Nayi Dukaan", as the company describes itself.

India is the biggest market for WhatsApp with 400 million users, while RIL is the biggest retail player in the country.

The partnership will allow consumers to order through Facebook or WhatsApp and these will be fulfilled by Jios network of small kiranas and wholesale businesses.

Our focus will be Indias 60 million micro, small and medium businesses, 120 million farmers, 30 million small merchants and millions of small and medium enterprises in the informal sector, Jio has said.

India is predominantly a cash economy. The retail sector is largely unorganised and traditionally skewed in favour of offline though online sales have gained in recent years.

The social distancing norms will lead to a noticeable shift towards ecommerce, with customers preferring the safety of homes over going to shops.

Despite digitisation push, cashless transactions remain minuscule. But the outbreak may change that as merchants and customers will look to technology to minimise contact to guard against infections.

For now, customers have to pay in cash for their grocery but experts are of the view that the tie-up with RIL will help Facebook hasten the launch of WhatsApp Pay, which is in a testing stage.







RILs ambitions for Jio are bigger and deeper, says Greyhound Research, a technology and innovation advisory firm.

Biggest investments, in terms of people, technology and maybe even acquisitions in the coming times would be observed in commerce, Greyhound Research Founder & CEO Sanchit Vir Gogia said.

RIL will put to use its recent acquisitions and offer omnichannel retail across key categories like grocery, pharma, electronics, fashion and lifestyle. With the enabling tech available in-house, RIL can even consider using new-age retail formats like mobile vans, he said.

The data giants collaboration with one of the most common communication platform could boost many businesses, said Zulfiquar Memon, Managing Partner, MZM Legal, who has worked closely with the retail industry.

The Jio-WhatsApp partnership is a game-changer, he said. This JV is not restricted to benefit the kiranas and small retail stores but could change the way the entire B2C (business to consumer) industry operates, including making payments platforms easier and safer.

Security and consumer data protection would be crucial for an uninterrupted run, he added.

ALSO READ: Jio-Facebook could usher in Uberisation of India's hyper-local micro shopping



Online food and grocery retail, which accounts for just 0.2 percent of the total market share, is expected grow to 1.2 percent and will be worth $10.5 billion by 2023, driven by an increased assortment of products and efforts like express delivery operations, a report by consulting firm Redseer has said.

Kirana stores know their customers well and as a result have a solid customer base but are unorganised and inefficient. The entire experience of over-the-counter shopping was not attractive to a lot of people because it was time-consuming, said Abhishek Saxena, Founding Partner, Phoenix Legal.

The JioMartWhatsApp collaboration would tap into the solid customer base of kirana stores and tide over inefficiencies associated with such shops, Saxena said.

It will digitise kirana stores as they will receive orders and eventually payments on WhatsApp.

Its widespread network was another opportunity for Reliance Retail to reduce operation cost as grocery space gets competitive, with startups, too joining in.

Its aggressive expansion saw Reliance Retail's revenues go up by 24.8% year-on-year to Rs 1.63 lakh crore for the financial year 2020.

Analysts foresee a consolidation in the grocery space, allowing for only two to three big players.

Walmart-owned Flipkart is mulling a full-fledged wholesale business.

Facing a staff crunch, several online players have tied up with Swiggy and Zomato for doorstep delivery.

They believe JioMart will ensure that the demand-supply gap is plugged.

The Indian consumer is price-sensitive and usually explores the best options before making a purchase. JioMart, with its various offers and WhatsApp as a partner, can target such buyers.

Desh Ki Nayi Dukaan is now open for business.

Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.
Eventually, the booths could be used outside of the health care industry, Leavitt said. When the world returns to work, people in some professions will still need protections, and the Pillar Protect Booth might be a solution, he said. Maybe its even a worker taking tickets. There is already demand from medical spas, where employees are required to get close to a clients face.
Passengers are given temperature checks before boarding a train in Wuhan, China, on May 12, 2020.

Hector Retemal/AFP via Getty Images

China reported 17 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the second day in a row new cases were in the double digits.

Three cases were in Shulan, a city near the Russian and North Korean border that's been reclassified as a high-risk region.

Wuhan, the original coronavirus epicenter, reported six new cases over the weekend, all in one neighborhood.

A party secretary in Wuhan was fired over his "poor control of the disease," according to the South China Morning Post.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Two new clusters of coronavirus cases in China have been reported hundreds of miles apart, sparking fears of another large-scale outbreak.

On Sunday, the country's National Health Commission reported 17 new coronavirus diagnoses, the highest number in almost two weeks, and the second day in a row new cases were in the double digits, Reuters reported.

Fourteen cases were in Shulan, a city of more than 700,000 near the Russian and North Korean borders. They were all traced to a 45-year-old woman working at a police laundry department with no history of recent travel or contact with an infected person.

The government has reclassified Shulan as a high-risk region, the only city in China with that classification. Authorities have closed public spaces, with residents told to stay home unless there were "unusual circumstances."

"We're now in a 'wartime' mode," Shulan Mayor Jin Hua said on Monday, adding that the city would be in lockdown until the end of May and testing for residents would increase. In addition, anyone who returned from abroad also would be tested.

People wearing face masks buy vegetables at a street market in Wuhan, April 6, 2020.

Aly Song/Reuters

Hundreds of miles away in Wuhan, the original epicenter for the novel coronavirus, six new cases were reported over the weekend, according to ABC News. All of them were in Sanmin, a district of about 5,000 people.

Five were reported on Sunday, the highest number of new infections since March 11.

Story continues

Zhang Yuxin, the local Communist Party secretary, was fired over his "poor control of the disease," according to the South China Morning Post.

Residents in Sanmin will reportedly remain in lockdown until they're tested, and anyone who does not have the coronavirus will be allowed to return to work.

Wuhan has been the hardest hit by the virus in China. As of May 11, the city of some 11 million reported 50,334 cases and at least 3,869 deaths, Business Insider reported. But after numbers began to decline, city officials began easing lockdown protocols over the last few weeks. Children returned to school and residents were allowed to leave or enter the city.

The new clusters have been small compared to the thousands confirmed daily in February, but China is determined to avoid another large outbreak. "We must resolutely contain the risk of a rebound," Wuhan's health authority said in a statement on Monday, Reuters reported.

As of May 12, China has 84,010 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4,637 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Read the original article on Business Insider
As many as five plagues have come out of China in the last 20 years and at some point, it has to stop, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has said, holding the country responsible for the origin of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 2,50,000 people globally.

Washington: As many as five plagues have come out of China in the last 20 years and at some point, it has to stop, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien has said, holding the country responsible for the origin of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 2,50,000 people globally.

People across the globe are going to rise up and tell the Chinese government that "we can no longer have these plagues coming out of China", whether it is from labs or wet markets, neither one is a good answer, he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

"We know it came from Wuhan and I think there's circumstantial evidence that it could have come from the lab or the wet market. But, again, if you're China, neither one's a good answer," O'Brien said.

"We've had five plagues from China in the last 20 years. We've had SARS, avian flu, swine flu, COVID-19 now and how long can the world put up with this terrible public health situation that you've got in the People's Republic of China that is being unleashed on the world," the top American official said.

He, however, did not mention the fifth plague to come out of from China.

"I mean, this is -- at some point, it's got to stop. We offered to send in health professionals to help the Chinese. They rejected that," he said.

When asked that the US is still looking for evidence about the origin of the virus, he refrained from giving a timeframe.

"I can't give you a timeframe on that. That's something that we're continuing to review and it is obviously a very serious concern.

"Look, China's got to figure out how to deal with its public health because we cannot have another one of these virus outbreaks and plagues come from China. This was a terrible thing that happened to the entire world, not just to the United States," he said.

More than 250,000 people have died due to the coronavirus and over 4 million people infected around the world. The US is the worst-hit country with more than 80,000 deaths and 1.4 million cases.

"The world economy shut down, and this isn't the first time it's happened. This is the fifth time it's happened in 20 years, and it's got to stop. China needs help.

"They need help from the rest of the world. And we're prepared to help China deal with the public health crises so we don't face this issue again," O'Brien added.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  For the past three weeks, those living in the village of Chama have had to boil their water or wait in line for the National Guard to distribute clean water, as equipment malfunctions in the Chama Water System have led to the potential growth of dangerous bacteria.

Its the latest in a history of compliance issues having to do with the water system that serves around 1,000 residents near New Mexicos border with Colorado.

The New Mexico Environment Department in April confirmed that the water system was required to issue an the advisory to boil water in response to high levels of turbidity in the water, which prevents disinfectants from killing bacteria that flow in from the Rio Chama. These dangerous bacteria have not been detected in the water, village officials said.

The system failure in Chamas water plant could have devastating consequences for village government, residents and local businesses, village officials say.

Nicole Mangin and her company, MEC Tech Services, arrived in Chama just before the advisory began and have the tall order of getting the plant up and running again. She said the level of disrepair at Chamas water plant has made the process incredibly difficult.

Documents detailing daily operations and a schedule of required maintenance were missing. Essential testing supplies were either buried in storage closets or nowhere to be found.

And the plants two huge filtering tanks werent functioning properly, producing only 36% of the water required.

Mangin, who has worked around water systems for 34 years, said she had never seen a plant in worse shape.

The plant was in failure, she said.

The primary malfunction came from the layers of sand and anthracite coal that filter all incoming water. When she arrived in Chama, Mangin found there was no anthracite coal and the layers of sand had mixed together, making them far less effective. She said this happens due to human error in maintaining water pressure.

She pointed to a huge tank of opaque brown water in the tank  noting that the water was supposed to be clear.

The plant was not being operated the way it was designed, she said.

And the lack of daily operating logs, which keep track of chemical changes and other adjustments to water treatment, means Mangin and her crew have greater difficulty in knowing how to fix the plant, she said. Eventually, both filter tanks will need to be replaced.

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of consumable water has had a sizable impact on local residents.

On two occasions, some residents turned on their faucets to no avail  the plant had run out of water to supply the village.

We cant have that going on during a pandemic, Mangin said.

The National Guard was called in to deliver clean water from systems in Tierra Amarilla and Dulce, both about a half-hour away. One tanker delivers water to residents, while another dumps 6,000 gallons into the Chama Water System to ensure water does not run out.

Niagara Bottling also delivered a tractor-trailer full of bottled water, since grocery stores have limited how much water shoppers can buy.

And the costs to the local economy are staggering.

Chama Mayor Billy Elbrock estimates restarting the plant will cost around $300,000.

Thats a third of our budget, he said.

The village is also facing economic hardship due to a drop in gross receipts taxes  which account for about half its total budget  since many businesses in the popular tourist destination have been forced to close due to the coronavirus.

Issues with the water supply have made it difficult for businesses such as coffee shops and car washes to operate even in a limited capacity.

Something like this is almost devastating, Elbrock said.

He said the village has applied for funding from the state and federal governments to pay for repairs. If that doesnt work out, he said, hell have to deplete the villages reserves and institute a spending freeze.

While the consequences of the plants failures are massive, the cause behind the malfunction  and whos responsible  remains unclear. Mangin and Elbrock said a discovery process still needs to be performed to find out what went wrong.

Levi Sandoval operated the plant from 1997 until his resignation in February. He said there were no issues at the time.

The plant was running in perfect order when I left, he said in a Tuesday phone call.

Mangin said it is unlikely the plant would fail on such a large scale in the month after Sandoval resigned, although a timeline is hard to establish since so many documents were missing.

The village of Chama itself has had a history of water-related violations.

In the past decade, the Environment Department has found the village in violation 21 times, mostly for failing to report samples of dangerous substances in the water.

Sandoval said he resolved all complaints issued by the department. However, department spokeswoman Maddy Hayden wrote Tuesday that the village still has eight unresolved violations from 2017 and 2018 for failing to issue public notices of past violations.

A 2016 report by the New Mexico State Engineers Office found the village of Chamas water system frequently struggled with bacteria and other organisms in its surface water, and cited turbidity as a common issue in the Rio Chama area.

Village officials, though, have largely kept their hands off the water plant over the years. Elbrock said he had heard previously of a couple of problems with the plant before it failed, but left it alone because the operator said there were no issues.

In my 10 years with the village, there has not been much oversight (of the water plant), he said. We didnt interfere  we let the operator do what needed to be done.

Sandoval denied any responsibility for the plants failure.

Elbrock said hes hopeful that repairs to the plant will be done by June 2.
In a video underlining plight of the poor amidst the coronavirus-induced lockdown that has severely impacted public transport, a man and an ox can be seen pulling a cart on a national highway, prompting authorities to take cognisance.

The video was reportedly shot on National Highway No. 3 (Agra-Mumbai Highway) that passes through Indore district.

The video has caught the attention of the district administration, which is now trying to establish the authenticity of the same.

The clip shows a man and an ox pulling a cart while another man and a woman are sitting on it with some household items.

The man, who appears to be in his 40s, says his name is Rahul and he belonged to Pattharmundla village (located near Indore city) and was travelling towards the countryside from Mhow town, along with his family, including his sister- in-law and younger brother who are sitting in the cart.

"Buses are not plying because of the lockdown. We would have travelled by bus otherwise. My father, brother and sister are walking and have gone ahead of us," the man says in the video.

The family sells cattle for a living and had sold a bull worth Rs 15,000 for only Rs 5,000 to buy essentials, he says.

Meanwhile, the district administration has taken cognisance of this viral video.

"I have instructed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mhow's Janpad Panchayat to check the authenticity of the video," sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pratul Sinha told PTI on Wednesday.

The authorities were tracking down the person who is seen pulling a cart in the video and the family will be given all possible help under government schemes, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a highly competitive application process, 15 talented students have been selected to enter the U.S. Department of State's Foreign Affairs Information Technology (FAIT) Fellowship program. These students will begin the two-year Fellowship this year, starting in the fall semester, culminating in an appointment as Foreign Service Information Management Specialists.

The 2020 cohort of the FAIT Fellowship is the fourth cohort of this program that launched in 2016 as part of the Department's efforts to attract top technology talent.

The program, administered by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars and funded by the U.S. Department of State, provides up to $37,500 annually in academic funding for two years of the student's undergraduate (junior and senior years) or master's IT-related degree program. Additionally, students participate in two summer internships with stipend support  one in Washington, D.C., and one at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad  as well as professional development training. After completing the two-year program and meeting Department requirements, the Fellows receive appointments as Foreign Service Information Management Specialists and begin exciting careers using their technology skills to support U.S. diplomacy abroad.

"The Washington Center is honored to partner with the U.S. Department of State on the FAIT Fellowship program for the fourth year in a row," said Chris Norton, The Washington Center president. "We're excited that we were able to provide the U.S. Department of State with a diverse pool of talented, highly qualified students for the selection process. The FAIT Fellowship program is truly an opportunity of a lifetime for these students to have a career that takes them around the world and that makes a real difference."

Of the 15 FAIT Fellows for the 2020 cohort, five are entering a master's degree program in fall 2020. The other 10 are entering their junior year in undergraduate school in fall 2020. The universities listed below are the student's most recent universities.

Jacob Barr, University of Washington ( Seattle, WA )

) Michelle Bautista , New Jersey Institute of Technology ( Newark, NJ )

, ( ) Camilla Beaderman, Penn State - University Park ( State College, PA )

( ) Mia Bennett , University of Maryland, College Park ( College Park, MD )

, ( ) Doherty Guirand , Duke University ( Durham, NC )

, ( ) Isaiah Makonnen , Indiana University  Bloomington ( Bloomington, IN )

,  ( ) Christian Manriquez , Texas A & M International University ( College Station, TX )

, ( ) Darius Michael , University of Maryland University College ( Largo, MD )

, ( ) Erin Moran , Pace University ( New York, NY )

, ( ) Kai Riley , George Mason University ( Fairfax, VA )

, ( ) Sara Robinson-Camarena , University of Arizona ( Tucson, AZ )

, ( ) Shayan Shirkhorshidi , George Mason University ( Fairfax, VA )

, ( ) Crystal Singleton , ECPI University ( Manassas, VA )

, ECPI University ( ) Joel Sop, Old Dominion University ( Norfolk, VA )

( ) Kalin Thomas , University of Nevada  Las Vegas , ( Las Vegas, NV )

The 2021 application cycle for the FAIT Fellowship program will begin in late October/early November. Announcements will be posted online at https://www.faitfellowship.org/ and shared on social media at https://www.facebook.com/FAITFellowship and https://twitter.com/FAITFellowship.

About The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

The Washington Center is the largest and most established student internship program in Washington, D.C. Since our founding, we've helped more than 60,000 young people translate their college majors into career paths. We use our scale and expertise to customize each student's experience to be truly transformative.

Media Contact:

Carmenchu Mendiola

Chief Marketing Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

Related Links

http://www.twc.edu


Dear brothers and sisters in Africa, if only we can follow the safety measures, then we are not going to be doomed as the prophets of doom have indicated. And measures are very simple, they include; regular washing of our hands with running water, proper wearing of a face mask, avoiding crowded places, keeping social distances, staying in our respective homes, avoiding handshakes, respecting the curfew regulations, respecting lock-down regulations, voluntary testing, seeking medical assistance in time, being skeptical to social media perpetrated fake news, supporting of the vulnerable in our communities, avoiding ceremonies and religious congregations, respecting the quarantine rules, Strictly observing social isolations, avoiding drinking or sex working in quarantine places, and as well as doing some exercise in our respective places of isolation. If, we the living people of Africa, can accept to observe the above basics then I am sure the million deaths, as predicted concurrently by the Western media, Melinda Gates and World Health Organization (WHO), are not going to happen. And indeed, the covid-19 related mass deaths is not going to take place in Africa, those in the West soothsaying mass deaths in Africa are only driven by shame, sense of guilty, sadism, ignorance, professional dilettantism and traditional pedantry that always accompany racially induced bourgeoisie intellectualism, especially when the African question is under discussion .

The pandemic statured spread of Covid-19 is a universal challenge; Europe and America are also not safe. The same case to Australia and Japan. It is a strange pandemic that does not leave any leeway for Melinda Gates to predict that Africans are going to die in millions. It is the same case to World Health Organization; it should not be tempted by its tradition of humiliating Africa to justify the prediction that Africa is going to have its people die in millions when covid-19 will be at its peak in the region. We know that Africa has always been left in the lurch to undergo the shameful lorn of mass deaths from HIV, Ebola, Cancer, Malaria, Snake-bites and the out-breaks of the diseases of the digestive system. Africa has been abandoned to such medical related calamities in spite of huge riches, capital and technological resources being idle in America, Europe and in the custody most of the Western funded inter-governmental organizations. Throughout the previous decades of tyranny of HIV and Ebola virus in Africa, African countries have been reduced to defenseless borrowers of medical services from the Western World. Africa became a market for medical supplies by the scientifically developed economies. So, when covid-19 came, those in the likes of WHO, who are addicted to seeing Africa in shame did not wait to predict that, obviously, Africa will be the victim. It is my prayer; May God safe Africa from covid-19.

My prayer is not only an act of fatalism; it is an act of self-confidence borrowed from my experience of an African that saw the continent fight HIV and Ebola. Fighting Ebola and HIV gave Africa enough experience, we are not going to boondoggle in our war of resistance against covid-19, hence WHO must stop predicting doom for us, its prophesy need to be condemned. My contumacious contumely of WHO is motivated by its derogatory reaction to the laudable efforts by the herbal doctors in Madagascar, the efforts which came up with covid-19 organics, a herbal drug that helps in fighting the symptoms of covid-19 in five days. It is so sorry to note that when Madagascar launched covid-19 organics as an anti-covid-19 herbal medicine, WHO was among the first organizations to dismiss these para-medical efforts towards use of alternative medicine curing covid-19, it dismissed the covid  19 organics for being devoid of efficacy. Even though, the same WHO did not out-rightly dismiss American Government for announcing that Hydrochloroquine cures covid-19, a misleading announcement that led to some deaths in Brazil. If it was evident in Madagascar that covid-organics successfully helped to cure the symptoms of covid-19 then it is logical point out that covid organics contain a clue to treatment of covid-19, WHO was supposed to adopt covid organics for modification into a scientifically water-tight drug. My point of protest in this juncture is about the out-right dismissal of covid organics being communicated by WHO without any tincture of scientific diplomacy . In fact considerate thinking would oblige WHO to recognize social-medical facts that covid-organics were already at the stage of mass usage in Senegal, Tanzania, Central Africa Republic and South Africa.

My dear brothers and sisters in Africa it is our highest time to take the military concept of Anthropocenes to our people in the villages and poor areas in our cities. It is imperative to learn that, this century is the century of Anthropocenes; just the same way the last century was the century of nuclear threat. The Monthly Review, an online Marxist Magazine, defines Anthropocenes as, when human beings are having death causing viruses in their bodies so that they transfer or spread those viruses to other human beings they interact with. The transfer of virus can be intentional or an intentional, the origin of the virus can be from nature, or through hand of a man with arsenal like intentions, or through hand of man as an act of inadvertence. Thus, the concept of Anthropocenes is when human beings carry death causing viruses in the bodies. A HIV positive person is an example of Anthropocenes, same to the Ebola positive and covid-19 positive persons. Such a century can be hard one for Africans, given that poverty and want has always forced Africans to be socially over-interactive due to over-crowding , a condition which enables Anthropocenes to be more deathly . Thus, my dear reader, permit me to classify covid-19 as a world class anthropocene agenda.

The same Monthly Review argues that Anthropocenes are created by bourgeoisie scientists in service to patrimonial capitalism. Unfortunately, the current commercial world is only made up of patrimonial capitalists and the current world of science is made up of bourgeoisie scientists. Even the current communities of scientists in China and Russia are also bourgeoisie in conscience. This is a clear denotation that there is currently no moral obligation among professional scientists to resist temptation to create Anthropocenes. What is going to happen can easily be predicted as nationalized race for manufacture of superior Anthropocenes between the bourgeoisie nations in the style of armament race that preceded the Second World War. The sorriest of all is when the over-spill of moral poverty will motivate patrimonial capitalists to use Anthropocenes as the invincible force which will obviously ignoble poor countries into desperate buyer markets for the products produced by bourgeoisie science, especially those items produced through bourgeoisie medical science.

My dear brothers and sisters in Africa, you are all aware of the virtue or even truth in a philosophy that crazy civilizations are never murdered, they always commit suicide. I am not able to tell who the brain-child of this philosophy was, I dont know if it was first used by Gramsci, Trotsky or Engels. But the fact is that it was one of the philosophies used by Marxist scholars of the last century to dismiss the deadly mania for property in capitalism. Creation of Anthropocenes are some of such crazy mania in todays patrimonial capitalism, their primary aim is weakening of the competitors and potential competitors. One should not be faulted to observe such kind of civilizations as very grandiose in aims, the aims that are never achieved, and if at all achieved the results are always pyrrhic.

It is on these bases that we promise prophets of doom that Africa will not languish under imported Anthropocenes. With some efforts like the appallingly high level of discipline observed in administration of anti-covid-19 policy implementation in Uganda under the leadership of President Museven, the herbal medicine adventure in Madagascar and the level of political honesty displayed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, then there are indications that the anthropocene pandemic of covid-19 will be defeated in Africa. It is also binding to this article to make a statement in regard to the poor level of pandemic response behaviour among the people of Kenya. Very many citizens, politicians and public officers in Kenya have not respected the curfew laws, some take bribes to compromise quarantine regulations, there is also sex working in some quarantine centers just as there is rampart corruption among government officers in relation to use of covid-19 management fund. Such behaviors are void of moral alertness required for the moment; in fact Kenyan public servants have displayed brilliant mediocrity in their manner of executing public policy in relation to the fight against covid-19. It is so self-defeating, we have to rise above our village out-look, corruptions is village nationalism which cannot help us to protect ourselves during this tricky war of Anthropocenes. Vivam.

Alexander Opicho writes from, Lodwar, Kenya - [email protected]
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy. Morning high of 43F with temps falling sharply to near 20. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 13F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
A new bill introduced in the Senate would mandate airlines offer full cash refunds for canceled tickets instead of future travel credits.

The bill, titled Cash Refunds for Coronavirus Cancellations Act of 2020, was introduced Wednesday by both of Massachusetts senators, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and California Sen. Kamala Harris.

If passed, the bill would mandate all airlines operating in the United States - including international companies - and third-party ticket sellers offer full cash refunds for all air travel canceled during the coronavirus pandemic. Refunds would be retroactive to any scheduled flight on or after March 1 and remain mandated until 180 days past the date when the nationwide state of emergency order is lifted.

In a call with reporters Wednesday, Markey said they found the airlines could be holding onto over $10 billion dollars in canceled flights that were not refunded.

10 billion dollars is a lot of money to a lot of families, Markey told reporters. We cannot continue to bail out big businesses while only giving out scraps to consumers.

Airlines offer cash refunds when the company cancels the flight but not when passengers cancel their own flights, which spiked with the spread of the virus this year.

Only two airlines - Allegiant and Spirit - are currently offering cash refunds to passengers who cancel their flights.

Passenger travel worldwide dropped as coronavirus spread from country to country. Nationwide, airlines are canceling between 60 and 80% of their flights.

In New England, travel plummeted in March and has remained drastically low.

At Boston Logan International Airport, just over 10,000 people traveled from the airport during one week in April - a drop of over 90% when compared to 2019 travel for the same seven-day period.

At Bradley International Airport - the second-busiest airport in New England - travel was down by 70% in mid-March compared to the previous years figures, when airlines began suspending routes.

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Harry Dunn, 19, was knocked off his motorcyle and killed near a US military base in Northamptonshire last year

US authorities have signaled they will ignore an Interpol alert for the arrest of the alleged killer of Harry Dunn, insisting their decision against extradition was final.

Anne Sacoolas was charged by British prosecutors in December for causing death by dangerous driving after the 19-year-old was killed in a crash in Northamptonshire.

It is alleged the teenager was knocked off his motorbike near RAF Croughton, a US military base, when Ms Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road.

The US faced renewed pressure over the fate of the 42-year-old, who is the wife of an intelligence officer, after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) issued an effective international arrest warrant.

Interpol, of which both the UK and the US are members, notified police forces worldwide that Britain was hunting Ms Sacoolas, in the event she crossed their borders.

It is understood the CPS made the decision independently of the Government, after an extradition request submitted by the Home Office was rejected by the US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in January.

Prosecutors are believed to have issued a Wanted Diffusion via Interpol, a less formal alert than the better-known Red Notices circulated by the international organisation.

While a Red Notice asks forces to locate and provisionally arrest a suspect to await extradition, a Wanted Diffusion is sent to selected countries but can still be used to request the arrest of an individual.

Authorities typically prefer to keep such international notifications quiet from the public to stop a suspect being alerted to the fact they risk arrest if travelling abroad.

A spokesman for the CPS said it was unable to "give any explanation of what steps may or may not have been taken, because to do so may compromise operational effectiveness".

Charlotte Charles, the mother of Harry Dunn, has called for Anne Sacoolas to return to the UK - AFP

The US, however, refused to balk at news of the development after it was made public on Monday.

A spokeswoman for the US State Department maintained its long-held position that Anne Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity from criminal jurisdiction.

Story continues

She said that granting the extradition request for Sacoolas would have rendered the invocation of diplomatic immunity a practical nullity and would have set an "extraordinarily troubling precedent".

The spokeswoman added that the US has a history of close law enforcement cooperation with the UK and values that relationship, but that the rejection of the extradition request was final.

The uncompromising response triggered an immediate backlash from Mr Dunns family, who had earlier urged Ms Sacoolas to give us an opportunity to start to rebuild our lives.

Radd Seiger, the familys spokesman, said: The White House may feel that Secretary Pompeos refusal to extradite Anne Sacoolas was final but that does not reflect the real position.

In fact quite the contrary, as the US Embassy in London said in a recent letter to Andrea Leadsom, both countries recognise that the final decision will rest with the court following a judicial review.

Clearly, the White House must be preoccupied on other matters and are not keeping up with developments. Either that or they continue to mislead and gaslight which would not be a first.

On Tuesday, the Foreign Office continued to face scrutiny over its own handling of the saga amid allegations it did not prevent Ms Sacoolas from leaving the country last year.

Lisa Nandy, Labour's shadow foreign secretary, said the Interpol alert highlighted the departments clear and repeated failings.

She called on Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, to urgently appear before the Commons, adding: "It is now recognised that the decision to allow Ms Sacoolas to leave the UK - without the knowledge of the investigating police force - is a clear violation of legal protocol.

"It makes clear that Ms Sacoolas is wanted for crimes in the UK.

Labour is planning to work on a cross-party basis to establish a parliamentary inquiry into how this was allowed to happen, she added.

Charlotte Charles, Ms Dunns mother, had welcomed the news of the Interpol alert.

She told Sky News: Anne Sacoolas needs to realise she needs to come back now, it is time.

"She should never have gone back to the US in the first place, she needs to come back and give us an opportunity to start to rebuild our lives.

"We cant do that without her going through the justice system here in the UK. She is not going to be able to rebuild her life without doing so either.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: We have deep sympathy for Harrys family. We are confident that we have acted properly and lawfully in relation to Harrys death.

We consistently called for Anne Sacoolass immunity to be waived before she left the UK.

Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have been clear with the US that the refusal to extradite her amounts to a denial of justice, and that she should return to the UK.

The Foreign Office is understood to be standing by its position that Ms Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity while in the UK, which the US repeatedly refused to waive, and it had no power to stop her leaving.
Revolut is said to have revolutionised banking since 2015. (stock image)

Financial technology company Revolut now has one million customers in Ireland, in a development which represents a massive threat to the traditional banks.

Younger people are downloading its mobile app in their droves and ignoring banks and credit unions.

Revolut said its customer numbers have doubled in Ireland over the past six months alone. Finance experts have described it as extraordinary growth.

It means it has almost one in five of the total number of personal current accounts in the State.

The rapid take-up of Revolut in this country comes at a time when Irish banks are struggling with ageing IT systems that regularly experience outages.

The fintech has also launched Revolut Junior in Ireland, which is designed for parents who want their children to gain financial skills and to learn how to use and manage money.

The product is for those between the ages of seven and 17. Accounts can only be created by a parent or legal guardian who is an existing Revolut user.

Using their own, existing Revolut account, parents will be able to manage their kids' allowances as well as their own in one secure place.

The extraordinary growth of Revolut in this country has been put down to its easy-to-use app.

Initially its main selling point was its lack of foreign exchange fee.

But customers are now responding to the fact that day-to-day banking transactions can largely be carried out with no fee, as there are no charges for contactless transactions, direct debits or chip and pin transactions.

Daragh Cassidy of price comparison site Bonkers.ie said Revolut has helped revolutionise banking since its launch in 2015.

"It has an excellent, easy-to-use, beautiful app which lets you carry out all of your day-to-day banking needs at your fingertips," he said.

Push notifications, security controls and detailed analytics on spending also help give the app a huge edge over anything the main Irish banks currently offer, Mr Cassidy said.

He said its main competitor, N26, has the benefit of a full banking licence in Germany which it has passported to here.

"The only fault is that some businesses and utility companies still won't accept a Revolut Iban, meaning you could have trouble fully switching over your account," Mr Cassidy said.

Revolut has been called Europe's most-hyped fintech. The London-based company is said to have gained cult brand status among its users.

Its $5.5bn (5.07bn) valuation has cemented Revolut's status as one of the most promising companies in fintech, and is more than twice the market valuation of Bank of Ireland.

However, Revolut has faced controversy over its founder's alleged connections to the Kremlin, Russian-born Nik Storonsky.

The company gets its banking licence from Lithuania, the former Soviet state.

Last spring, Lithuanian politicians called for an investigation into the company, citing national security concerns.

Mr Storonsky denies any Kremlin links, and has written an open letter warning that "fear-mongering is not something that should be taken lightly".
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, left, and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun



By Nam Hyun-woo



Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Euisun had a rare face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the latter's visit to a Samsung battery production facility south of Seoul.



Representatives from both conglomerates downplayed the significance of the encounter with an official at Hyundai Motor saying the meeting wasn't aimed at "a certain deal or business," and was used as an opportunity to "share opinions and thoughts" on business issues affecting the companies.



Samsung and Hyundai Motor had been expected to announce a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding a battery supply deal; and the meeting clearly dropped hints of "potential cooperation" between the two on electric vehicles (EV), according to people knowledgeable of the matter.



The meeting came a few days after Lee apologized for his alleged role in a move to cement his succession to de facto head of the Samsung Group that resulted in a bribery conviction. In a nationally-televised apology, Lee promised not to pass on management control of Samsung to his children, and to focus on businesses that Samsung can "do well." EV batteries are predicted to be one of Samsung's next revenue generators. President Moon Jae-in also identified this sector as a new growth engine for the country as a whole.



Regarding the specifics of the meeting and Chung's visit, officials said he inspected Samsung SDI's plant in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and had a closed door meeting with Lee to discuss solid-state batteries that the Samsung unit is developing. Solid-state batteries are often described as "next generation" as they are potentially safer and have higher energy densities.



The two tycoons have met several times at official events, but this is the first time they have discussed business together.



An official at Hyundai Motor Group said, "Chung visited the Samsung SDI plant to share his opinion on the technological direction of solid-state batteries and receive updates on cutting-edge technologies."



Samsung also said the leaders were briefed about global trends in solid-state batteries and Samsung SDI's current status in developing them.



Though the conglomerates refrained from commenting further on the meeting, industry officials said it could be interpreted as the development of a partnership, given the leaders "wouldn't be meeting in person just to talk about batteries."



"The meeting is drawing interest because Chung it shows that Hyundai Motor can partner with anyone in advanced technologies," an automobile industry official said.



Samsung and Hyundai Motor Group have collaborated before, but distanced themselves in the recent past due to their portfolios overlapping past. Samsung attempted a foray into the automobile business with Samsung Motors  now Renault Samsung Motors  in the 1990s; while Hyundai Group, which spun off into multiple groups, including Hyundai Motor Group, also had electronics units at the time.



Hyundai Motor is currently procuring batteries for its EVs from LG Chem, while its affiliate Kia Motors is supplied by SK Innovation. Hyundai Motor Group's affiliate Hyundai Mobis and LG Chem have a 51:49 joint venture on EV batteries, HL Green Power, which saw 1.2 trillion won in sales last year, up from 757.7 billion won in 2018.



The group also selected SK Innovation as its first-tier supplier for an EV that will debut next year. SK will supply batteries for 500,000 vehicles over the next five years in the 10 trillion won deal.



In March, this year, Samsung Electronics said it had developed solid-state battery technology that would allow an EV to travel 800 kilometers on a single charge. This is expected to be the standard for Samsung SDI's solid-state batteries. LG Chem and SK Innovation also said they are on track to develop solid-state batteries.



If Samsung SDI supplies batteries for Hyundai and Kia EVs, its market share will get a significant boost. According to market tracker SNE Research, Samsung SDI was the world's No. 4 EV battery supplier in the first quarter of 2020, with a 6 percent market share. LG Chem led the pack with 27.1 percent, followed by Panasonic at 25.7 percent and CATL, 17.4 percent.


President Moon Jae-in looks at a gift from Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to China Dec. 16, 2017. The two leaders talked on the phone Wednesday to discuss active bilateral cooperation underway to combat COVID-19. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae



Two leaders highlight 'fast-track entry system' as outcome of effective COVID-19 cooperation



By Do Je-hae



Chinese President Xi Jinping reconfirmed his willingness to visit Korea this year once the handling of the COVID-19 crisis improves, during a phone conversation with President Moon Jae-in, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday.



The two leaders also discussed strong bilateral cooperation on minimizing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.



This is the first time for Moon and Xi to talk on the phone since the two countries' agreement earlier this month to allow a simplified entry system for Koreans traveling to China on business. The phone call lasted 34 minutes from 9 p.m.



"Chinese President Xi said his willingness to visit Korea this year has not changed, and Moon responded that his visit was most important for relations between the two nations," presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a statement.



The two countries had sought Xi's visit to Seoul in the first half of the year, but this was delayed following the pandemic which hit both nations hard. Moon and Xi agreed to discuss the visit at an appropriate time when the "pandemic situation is settled."



"The two leaders also talked about their countries' respective responses to COVID-19 and their effective bilateral cooperation with regard to the pandemic," Kang said. "In addition, they agreed that the establishment of the fast-track system to ensure essential activities of businesspeople from both countries was a good example of the bilateral cooperation."



Cheong Wa Dae underlined that the two have been maintaining close contact during the pandemic with phone calls as well as letter exchanges.



"President Xi Jinping sent a letter to President Moon on March 13 to express his commitment to solidarity and cooperation with Korea to overcome COVID-19, and underlined his position that he highly values Korea-China relations. The President also responded with a letter of thanks on March 15" Kang said. "Also they met through the G20 special teleconference on March 26."





President Moon Jae-in speaks on the phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Cheong Wa Dae on May 13. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
We mix one thing with the other. Everything gets done at once and everything is done badly: working from home, distance learning, making lunch, looking after the house, the kids, and then its time for bed. We dont have time for anything, not even to take the kids out or to go out ourselves. This is the situation facing Francisco Reinaldo. He and his wife, Olga Perez, are currently working four jobs: teachers, parents of eight-year-old twins, IT specialists, and domestic organizers.

Olga works in the mornings from her front room, with the children. But she cant pay them any attention. Focusing on her work is essential. Its like this, day after day, feeling like you are ignoring your children, that they need your help and you cant give it to them she explains. The house is a disaster I cant deal with my life.

Like this couple, there are 4.5 million other families in Spain with children aged under 14 who are trying to deal with domestic chaos while surrounded by youngsters who have been affected by the coronavirus confinement measures. They have been left without external help, and even the assistance of the grandparents. After two months of lockdown, the unsustainable situation  which in many cases is combined with economic hardship  is threatening to continue beyond the return to school.

Francisco Reinaldo and his wife Olga Perez working from home. SANTI BURGOS

Elisa, who has two children, is a teacher. Im struggling so much that the other day I forgot to give one of my classes, she explains. Eva Colera, who is alone with her 12-month-old baby, feels bad about everything. Aisha lives in a room in a shared apartment with her 11-year-old son. They eat thanks to vouchers from Save the Children and La Caixa bank foundation. Shell be back at work on Monday, and doesnt know what to do with her child.

Mothers are like Swiss army knives: they work, clean, do the washing And now they have to take on the roles of teacher and carer-in-chief. A survey from think tank Funcas has found that women are spending 3.6 hours a day supporting their children with homework and entertaining them during confinement, compared to 2.4 hours for men.

Mothers are exhausted. The majority are bearing the burden of their childrens school studies Empar Aguado, sociology professor from the University of Valencia

This is not a country for mothers nor for families, complains Laura Baena, from the Club de Malasmadres (club for bad mothers), an online community. They havent been a priority during this crisis. We have all the responsibility and we havent been offered any solutions [...].

Empar Aguado, a sociology professor from the University of Valencia, is the co-director of a research project into these exceptional circumstances. Mothers are exhausted, she says. The majority are bearing the burden of their childrens school studies. If they can, its normal for them to be working in the early hours.

This is the case of author Ana Belen Nieto, who writes until 4am while her three children sleep. She gets up at 10am. My husband leaves the breakfast ready before 7am, when he starts to work from home, and the children look after themselves until I get up. She studies with them in the morning and cleans in the afternoon. The father makes the lunch. Aguado explains that men have taken on new roles in the domestic arena, but now that some time has passed, women have to remind them about their tasks.

Spain was already struggling in terms of work-life balance. More than half of employees have no flexibility in terms of their timetable so that they can take care of their children, and women are seven times more likely to interrupt their careers for this reason compared to men, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE).

In this crisis, weve lost the advances made in 10 years in the space of three months, says Nieto. And the gender gap could widen indefinitely if the institutions dont assume the load of caregiving.

Eva Colera works with her baby in her arms. SANTI BURGOS

If this goes on another year, Ill shoot myself in the head, says Eva, who has had to attend to her students with her baby girl in her arms. I really regret having got pregnant. She accounts for one of the 1.8 million homes in Spain with just one parent, the most vulnerable group right now.

The children are also suffering in the situation. Ana, the four-year-old daughter of Susana Herreras, has started to stutter again. She wont stop crying, her mother explains. She says that she doesnt want to do more homework. The teacher suggested that we do it in the summer!

The nightmare may continue this summer  or not. Some regions, such as Catalonia, have opened the registration process for summer camps, and are working on safety protocols. Private camps, which take on nearly four million children, will open if the government allows it. They are considering isolated enclosures, with high levels of hygiene and no tents. There will be no trips to busy areas.

Im struggling so much that the other day I forgot to give one of my classes Elisa, teacher with two children

What solutions are there to escape from this domestic hell? Economist and consultant Jose Moises Martin Carretero explains that the system is designed to give us rights in public spaces. If these have to close, staying at home should not have to be a barrier to having the same protection. If schools dont open, they should come to our homes. And there should be a work scheme for caregiving  if you have to go from working 40 hours a week to 20 because the kids are locked up with you, you should have the right to a public benefit.

Aguado agrees, arguing that the state should support companies so that they reduce working days without cutting salaries. This is one of the measures being prepared in a manifesto by Malasmadres and other organizations. They are also calling for more flexible hours, regulations for home working and economic help for those who cant work from home.

September is another dark cloud looming. The return to school may not be full time and homes will have to continue to serve as classrooms on a part-time basis. There wont be computers for everyone, and 10% of students have no internet connection at home. Distancing, limiting classes to 15 students and virtual classes all require more money, both for schools and families.

As well as more money, more ideas are required. Alberto Cateura takes care of his four children, given that his work in event organization has been suspended, while his wife works from home. There need to be solutions from the schools, for example, so that half of students can go on an excursion or to do sport, he argues. Camilo Jane, from the FAPA parents association, believes that spaces outside of schools need to be found for children.

For now, families have no solutions in sight. The Education Ministry is working on a plan that it will present to Spains regions about the return to school in September, but it has released no details so far.

English version by Simon Hunter.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 08:43:11|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland reported one new imported case of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Tuesday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 1,692, the National Health Commission said Wednesday.

The new case was reported in Shanghai, the commission said.

Of the total imported cases, 1,628 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 64 remained hospitalized with three in severe conditions, the commission said.

No deaths had been reported from the imported cases. Enditem
A nurse puts samples taken for Covid-19 testing at a laboratory inside HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases, April 10, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

No new Covid-19 case was confirmed Wednesday morning, marking 27 straight days that Vietnam has gone without community transmission.

The nations Covid-19 tally has remained at 288 since last Thursday, with the number of active patients down to 36 after three relapsed patients, all Brazilian, were discharged Tuesday.

Vietnam has not recorded any Covid-19 death to date.

At a Tuesday meeting with the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Vietnam Kidong Park praised Vietnams quick and effective response to the pandemic.

He said Vietnam kept itself updated with Covid-19 developments, shared information transparently and applied measures quickly.

"I want to spend time analyzing and summarizing what Vietnam has done to prevent and fight the pandemic and share that with the international community," Park said, adding that he felt safe living and working in Vietnam as the Covid-19 pandemic raged round the world.

Vietnam has conducted 275,000 Covid-19 tests so far and is now focusing on preventing all sources of transmission from people repatriated from abroad.

The Covid-19 pandemic has spread to 212 countries and territories, and reported deaths have topped 292,000.
F ollowing a test trial in five stores, Marks & Spencer is to reopen 49 of its cafes across the UK from Thursday.

Among the newly opened sites, 11 will be spread across London, including their flagship store on Oxford Street.

The high street retailer said it had taken the decision to reopen the sites to takeaway customers after operating social distancing measures and introducing and extra hygiene protocols in its stores.

The group said the cafes would be opening for takeaway hot drinks only and the sites selected were all cafes located next to M&S Foodhall stores, which have remained open through the lockdown.

The London sites opening are:

Bankside

Brent Cross

Canary Wharf

Clapham

Finsbury

High St. Kensington

Kingston

Marble Arch

One New Change

Pantheon (Oxford Street)

Stratford

Elsewhere, the remaining sites reopening span the UK, with locations in Belfast, Cramlington and Cheshunt.

M&S said the company had prepared rigorous guidance for colleagues and will have extensive signage for customers so they can pick up their coffee safely.

Safety measures had been introduced, including plastic screens at each cafe till, while employees have also been asked to wash their hands every 30 minutes as a minimum, with surfaces sanitised regularly. Like many retailers, the company is encouraging customers to use contactless payment.

The announcement comes as cafe chains, including Pret A Manger and Caffe Nero, reopen sites for takeaway customers.

With additional reporting by the Press Association
13.05.2020 LISTEN

The Campaign Manager for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Peter Mac Manu says President Akufo-Addo will win the 2020 elections with or without a new register.

The ruling party has backed the Electoral Commission's planned compilation of a new roll for the 2020 polls despite the disapproval of some opposition parties.

For now, it remains unclear when the exercise will begin due to restrictions on public gatherings amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking to Godfred Akoto Boafo on Citi TVs Face to Face programme on Tuesday, Mr. Peter Mac Manu who also held the position of campaign manager for the NPP in the 2016 elections that brought President Akufo-Addo into office was confident of the partys chances in ahead of the elections.

During the era of Charlotte Osei, a conference was called at Alisa Hotel, the conference was chaired by the late VRAC Crabbe, they came out with their recommendations but the EC did not take it on board at the time, but I remember the media kept asking me what I would do if the new register is not done, I said whether a new register or not, we will take part and win the elections.

Mr. Peter Mac Manu who was also the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party from December 2005 to February 2010 added We are going to go into the elections, no two ways about that.

The Electoral Commission has put on hold most of its activities scheduled to be done ahead of the 2020 polls following the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Commission has subsequently assured that said it will observe the necessary protocols when it begins the compilation of a new voter's register. Ghana can't forgo 2020 polls despite COVID-19 outbreak  Mac Manu

Peter Mac Manu has said Ghana has no option than to go the polls in December 2020 regardless of COVID-19.

The conduct of the December 7, 2020 polls remains uncertain given the fact that many of the electoral activities in the build-up to the polls have been put on hold as a result of the pandemic.

While many continue to cast doubts on the ability of the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voter's register ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections, the national campaign chairman of the NPP believes Ghana has no other way to avoid the poll since the Constitution does not make room for that.

The situation we find ourselves now, the pandemic has shot the world in a shock economically and health-wise but nevertheless, in a country like Ghana where our Constitution does not give room for any change of date for elections, we are bound to go into the elections on 7th December because the constitution doesn't have room for any manoeuvers, he said.

In other countries, their Constitution made room but ours doesn't. Equally, last four weeks, South Korea went into the elections and they had the highest voter turnout in their election history. As we speak, Burundi is going to have their elections in May and Malawi is going to have theirs on July 2nd and Tanzania is going to have theirs in October. So what prevents Ghana from having ours? he quizzed.

---citinewsroom
It has well-located but at a reporting default, on the side of the health offices at the weekend and has been no sign of a clear downturn in the Corona infections. Had been reported in the disease control in Germany, leading Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI) on Monday, only a single new Covid-19-case from Hesse, so a further 33 since midnight to book. This corresponds approximately to the level of the last week. Or in other words: The number of new infections between the border of lower Saxony and the southern part of the Odenwald stabilized by the significantly increase in one and a half weeks.

Thorsten Winter

business editor and Internet coordinator of the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

F. A. Z. Twitter

in Addition, the RKI reports of two further deaths, a manageable number. All in all, there are officially in the state of Hesse 508 Corona to mourn the victims since the beginning of the records to the pandemic. On the other hand, 9900 patients apply well, in the meantime, as recovered. On a case of death, computer is more than 19 Convalescent.

most of The dead in Frankfurt and the Odenwald

As the current Corona-Bulletin of the Hessian Ministry of social Affairs gives, the two new victims from the Odenwald. There are 63 men and women are the result of a Covid-19 infection died. At the beginning of the pandemic, it is given to virus outbreaks in homes for the elderly in this circle. Apart from the Odenwald mountains, only Frankfurt has to complain more and more Corona-the deaths, namely 65. It is the population-rich Main-Kinzig-Kreis with 48 in front of the district of Offenbach, with 40. On the other hand, the southern circuit is one of only three counties without a new infection within a week period.

At the other end of the table, seven counties with five Corona-find themselves Victims or less. For the districts of hochtaunuskreis, Rheingau-Taunus, the Vogelsberg, and the Waldeck-Frankenberg five deaths each to beech, for the district of Gieen and Marburg-Biedenkopf, respectively, four and three on the mountain road. The bird mountain comes to the least number of infections since the beginning of the pandemic. There are officially 121.

The current Corona Bulletin of the Ministry of social Affairs can be found here.

Updated Date: 30 June 2020, 11:20
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New York, May 13, 2020  Russian authorities should not contest the appeal of Crimean journalist Nariman Memedeminov, ensure his safe return to Crimea, and allow him to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

A military appeals court in the Russian city of Vlasikha is scheduled to hear the journalists appeal tomorrow, according to a report by the Crimean Service of the U.S. Congress-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Authorities arrested Memedeminov, a Ukrainian independent journalist, in Russian-controlled Crimea in March 2018, and have held him since then in a detention center in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, according to CPJ research. In October 2019, he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison after being convicted of making public calls to terrorism in his reporting, according to that research.

Forcefully transporting a Ukrainian citizen and independent journalist from Crimea to Russia and trying him in a military court on absurd charges is a violation of international legal norms, and the Russian authorities know it, said Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. Authorities should not contest Nariman Memedeminovs appeal, and he should be released immediately and allowed to return to Crimea. Russias prosecution of Crimean Tatar journalists must stop.

The journalists defense lawyer, Edem Semedlyayev, told the U.S. broadcaster that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the appeal hearing will be conducted through a video conference call, and said he would join from the Crimean city of Simferopol, Memedeminov would join from Rostov-on-Don, and the judge would join from Vlasikha.
[May 13, 2020] Plex Systems Recognizes Leading Partners with 2020 Impact Awards

TROY, Mich., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Plex Systems, which delivers the first smart manufacturing platform, today announced that partners Plante Moran, Cumulus Consulting, and Kors Engineering are the 2020 Plex Partner Impact Award winners. The awards recognize service and solutions partners for their commitment to the success of manufacturers that run on the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform. Winning partners were recognized at PowerPlex, the company's annual conference. "The partners across our ecosystem support the deployment and extension of the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform to drive value for our customers, helping them grow and respond to today's turbulent environment with agility," said Brad Hafer, group vice president of corporate development, Plex Systems. "We are proud to recognize Plante Moran, Cumulus Consulting, and Kors Engineering for their unique contributions to the Plex smart manufacturing community." Partner of the Year Award

The most distinguished of the Impact Awards, the Partner of the Year, goes to Plante Moran. The company was recognized for partnering with Plex to jointly deliver high business value to customers. Plante Moran helps customers like automotive components manufacturer FT Precisio Inc. maximize its access to real-time data to improve inventory levels and cash flow. Throughout this premier partner's 16-year relationship with Plex, the company has successfully implemented hundreds of manufacturers of all sizes across the U.S., Mexico, Europe, and Asia.



"It's an honor for us to be selected as the Plex Partner of the Year," said Doug Hockenbrocht, partner, Plante Moran. "The award represents our team's deep commitment to providing high levels of service and value to manufacturers across the world helping them join Industry 4.0 with a smart manufacturing solution that integrates with shop floor equipment for real-time production control. Plex customers also benefit from our expertise in areas such as collaborative software development, business strategy, mobility, sales forecasting, product costing, turnaround, analytics, cybersecurity, and M&A due diligence." Service Partner Impact Award Category

Cumulus Consulting is the 2020 Service Partner Impact Award winner. Cumulus, which is a premier partner, provides both services and solutions to Plex customers and helps companies like cold-heading bolt manufacturer Auto Bolt use Plex to achieve key business goals. This partner's efforts help manufacturers respond more quickly to customer demands and gain visibility to the information they need to continuously improve.

Solution Partner Impact Award Category

Plex named premier partner Kors Engineering the 2020 Solution Partner Impact Award winner. The Kors Mach2 integration software platform, when coupled with Plex, helps manufacturers leverage shop floor data to realize greater quality, visibility, and control. Sheet metal stamper Thai Summit has improved cycle times and increased overall efficiency with Mach2 and Plex. Kors has innovated and delivered plant floor automation solutions with Plex for more than 20 years. About the Plex Partner Ecosystem

Plex has a robust partner ecosystem of targeted global services and solution providers. All partners are trained on Plex products, tools, and methodologies, demonstrate industry leading knowledge, and deliver superior service. Service partners provide implementation, integration, configuration and specialized application and management consulting services that help companies achieve long-term success.

Solution partners help layer industry specific and complementary applications, tools, hardware, systems, and extensions to drive deeper value for manufacturers.

Premier partner status signifies the highest level of commitment and strategic contribution to the Plex customer community. PowerPlex 2020, which is being held May 12-14, brings together manufacturing professionals, Plex partners, and industry experts to share innovations and best practices to enable smart manufacturing enterprises of the future. Recordings of the keynotes and other PowerPlex sessions will be available in late May at PowerPlex.com. About Plex Systems

Plex Systems, Inc. delivers the first smart manufacturing platform that empowers the world's leading innovators to make awesome products. Plex gives process and discrete manufacturers the ability to connect, automate, track and analyze every aspect of their businessfrom the shop floor to the top floor to drive business transformation. Built in the cloud, the Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform includes MES, ERP, supply chain management, Industrial IoT, and analytics to connect people, systems, machines, and supply chains, enabling them to lead with precision, efficiency and agility in an ever-changing market. Learn more at www.plex.com. 2020 Plex Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Plex Manufacturing Cloud and the Plex logo are registered trademarks of Plex Systems, Inc. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plex-systems-recognizes-leading-partners-with-2020-impact-awards-301058390.html SOURCE Plex Systems

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As this pandemic has dragged out, the governor has called for a shared sacrifice in every manner of our daily lives. Those impacts are becoming more and more apparent as our economy falters under the weight of this crisis.

Just as we are freezing the very liberty of moving freely where we live, we should be freezing the economic and financial costs to our constituents that will eventually allow people to recover.

Thats why I introduced House Bill 2431, which freezes school property tax rates at their current levels to ensure that homeowners do not experience a tax increase as our state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation imposes one taxpayer-friendly mandate in an effort to alleviate others.

I have heard from many local board members and administrators regarding how this legislation would negatively impact their current budgets, and how school districts are already underfunded. As a former school board member of eight years, I am very sensitive to the budget impact this legislation may have on our valued schools. In response to these concerns, I included important cost saving provisions in my legislation to assist school districts facing difficult decisions. These provisions included freezing the charter funding formula, allowing school districts to open their prior years budget during the pandemic, and confirming a school districts ability to renegotiate contracts such as transportation, food service, and teachers contracts.

It is my sincere belief that our schools and school districts can make the necessary cuts and re-evaluate their current contracts, in order to meet their budgets.

Ten years ago, during the Great Recession, our schools braced themselves for serious budget impacts. Teachers and administrators agreed to freeze their wages, administrators cut programs, class sizes increased, and the constituents were given much needed relief from an increase to their property taxes. We are going to experience this very same scenario now, and it will most likely be worse. We cannot and should not deny its inevitability, and we must prepare.

Currently, we have nearly two million people unemployed, including sole proprietors, in our state. This is a historic high; double the 800,000 unemployed 10 years ago. Many of our homeowners cannot afford their current mortgage. As legislators, we hear thousands of constituents desperate conversations daily. Can we seriously accept a tax increase during a pandemic, when we know the majority of people who filed for unemployment are not getting paid, and they had to spend their stimulus to eat and pay their bills?

School professionals know that the essence of a strong education foundation is a strong family nucleus, whatever form that comes in. Teachers attempt daily to engage with parents, to help their child with homework, and to be lifelong learners. These parents are hurting right now (not to mention the businesses that support the schools). They are unemployed and trying to find ways to keep a roof over their childs head and food on the table. This bill will help keep that family nucleus financially stable in a time of crisis by freezing the current known cost of property taxes for one year.

As taxpayers read in local news media about the financial budget shortfalls that school districts will incur, know that these deficits are real. However, also consider that schools are realizing savings right now as they remain closed, which can offset the lost revenue in EIT, for example.

On April 14, the Federal Dept. of Education announced an allocation to our Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER), authorized by the CARES Act, of over $104.4 million for Pennsylvania. This is an extraordinary emergency block grant designed to enable Governors to decide how best to meet the needs of students and schools, including charters and non-public schools.

On April 23, the Federal Dept. of Ed made $523.8 million available for Pennsylvania through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund of the CARES Act to ensure learning continues for all students. Federal law requires states to continue funding education at current levels unless a waiver is given to a state due to the decline in financial resources. Additionally, we know there are school reserves in place to weather a storm that can be used as well, and if there was ever a time to use them, a pandemic is that time.

If this bill were to pass, in the upcoming year, lawmakers should take an in-depth holistic look at the unfair funding formula that does not consider school district growth, and implement necessary changes to make funding fair, and address cost drivers and mandates that stress budget growth. With a combined effort on all fronts, I believe we can and will make it through the impending great recession that COVID-19 will leave in its wake.

Barb Gleim, (R-Carlisle), represents the 199th in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  The Central Visayas Regional Development Council on Wednesday pushed for rapid testing among private sector employees in Cebu before resuming their work operations.

Council chairman Kenneth Cobonpue said the effort that started about a week ago is part of the program they initiated called Project Balik Buhay, a collaborative effort between the private and public sector to test their employees and constituents of COVID-19.

Its a form of rapid testing where the private companies test their employees as a condition of opening up, said Cobonpue.

The Balik Buhay program also includes partnership with local government units in Cebu to do community testing among their constituents in barangays. The program aims to strike a balance between containing the pandemic and sustaining the livelihood of the people.

He said the scope of the community testing will be focused in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.

Under the Project Balik Buhay, Cobonpue said each employee tested will get a workers pass that enables them to pass in the three cities unhindered.

Cobonpue assured they are in continuing talks with the private sector in Cebu to come up with health protocols for their employees to avert the spread of COVID-19 there.

We would be also testing our employees on a regular basis," he said. "We submit to our respective LGUs a letter of undertaking, including the requirement to appoint a health officer for each company to make sure that all of us follow this new set of rules.

Cobonpue, also a world-renowned industrial designer, emphasized that Projct Balik Buhay targets to test 46,000 to 50,000 individuals in Cebu in a bid to lift the enhanced community quarantine especially in cities.

Thats actually three percent of the population, more than the one percent required by the World Health Organization," he pointed out. "I dont think theres other LGU that is doing this massive testing now.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development recorded 1,701 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 13 related deaths in Cebu City alone.

Lapu-Lapu City has 49 confirmed infections and one casualty, and Mandaue City posted 110 confirmed cases and three fatalities.

In Cebu Province, the DOH tallied 52 confirmed cases and eight deaths.

Cebu City, together with Metro Manila and Laguna, will be under modified enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from May 16 to 31 due to the still high number of COVID-19 cases in those three areas.

Under the modified ECQ, authorities will allow the limited reopening of select manufacturing and processing plants. But there will be limited transportation services in this setup as only select vehicles will be allowed in the roads and all public modes of transport are still not permitted.

Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and Cebu Province will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) from May 16 to 31, based on the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The opposition Congress and BJP held protests on Wednesday against the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government's alleged failure to stop an irrigation project reportedly proposed to be taken up by neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on the Krishna river.

State Congress president and Lok Sabha member N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders sat on a protest at the party's headquarters in Hyderabad.

Addressing the gathering, Reddy alleged that lifting water from the Srisailam project, a joint irrigation project of the two neighbouring states, as proposed by Andhra Pradesh,would adversely affect supply of water for the drinking and irrigation needs in Mahabubnagar and other districts of Telangana.

He said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is said to be in regular conversation with his AP counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, should come clear on the matter.

State BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar also held a protest at his party's office in the city in protest against the alleged failure of the TRS government to stop the increase in capacity of the head regulator which will reportedly draw the water from the Krishna river.

Former BJP MLA NVSS Prabhakar and other partyleaders also held protests at different places in the state.

State Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar asserted that the TRS government would leave no stone unturned to safeguard the state's interests. In an apparent reference to Congress leaders, he alleged that those who had hailed the increase in capacity of the head regulator in undivided Andhra Pradesh, are now organising protests.

The Telangana government, which has voiced opposition to the proposed project, on Tuesday sent a representation to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) conveying its opposition.

"We have made a representation explaining our stand about the project," a senior official said.

Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday alleged that the AP government "unilaterally decided" to take up the project which reportedly envisages lifting of the Krishna River water from Srisailam project, a joint irrigation scheme of the two neighbours, and said it would affect the interest

of his state.

According to an official release, Rao has said the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act clearly stipulates that any new project either in AP or Telangana requires clearance from the apex committee of the two states.

Hence, the decision to use water from the Srisalam project without consulting Telangana and taking up a fresh project without the approval of apex committee were mistakes made by AP, he maintained and asked the officials to lodge a complaint with the Krishna River Water Management Board.

According to the release, Andhra Pradesh has decided to take up the new project, proposing to lift three TMC water from the Srisailam project and issued a Government Order.
Indonesian fishermen who died on Chinese boats faced abuse, 21-hour days, interviews reveal

by Harry Pearl

May 13,2020 | Source: SCMP

When 20 Indonesian fishermen boarded the Chinese vessel Long Xing 629 in February last year, they had no idea what kind of high seas hell awaited them.



The seamen, aged between 20 and 35, said they were sometimes forced to work for up to two days without rest, subjected to violence and discrimination, and faced hunger and dehydration.



Within 13 months, four of them were dead. Three of the bodies had been dumped overboard before the rest of the crew finally disembarked in South Korea last month. Those that survived returned to Indonesia last Friday, where they are still waiting for thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.



The case rocketed into the spotlight in Indonesia last week after video footage emerged of what appeared to be a burial at sea, prompting Jakarta to summon Chinas ambassador for an explanation and condemn the mens treatment by the company as inhuman.



The Indonesian National Polices criminal investigation unit has since launched an official probe which Beijing says it is cooperating with.



Chinas foreign ministry said on Monday it was investigating the case, but added some of the allegations were inconsistent with information it had gathered, though it did not elaborate.



Though the exact causes of the deaths remain unclear, testimony given by the fishermen to lawyers and advocates for the group in South Korea and Indonesia, as well as information gathered by the US-based Centre For Advanced Defence Studies (C4ADS), reveal the men toiled away in gruelling conditions before they died.



Besides being hit and verbally abused by the Chinese crew, the Indonesians said they regularly worked up to 21-hour days manning the boats longlines or sorting catch.



They recalled meagre and unhygienically cooked meals of rice and bait fish, and said they were forced to drink salty, distilled seawater for the duration of the trip while the Chinese crew were given bottled water.



Three crew members died on the vessels. One died after he arrived in Korea, during the 14-day quarantine, said Jong-chul Kim, a South Korean lawyer with Advocates for Public Interest Law (Apil), which interviewed the men about their ordeal while they were in Covid-19 quarantine in Busan before they returned home to Indonesia.



The symptoms were pretty much the same: swelling of the body, chest pain, breathing problems. The crew member who died first started showing symptoms about one and a half months before he died, but the captain did not transfer him to a hospital, said Kim.



The Long Xing 629 was also allegedly involved in shark finning, where fins are sliced off sharks and their carcasses are tossed back into the ocean. Photos from the crew provided to the South China Morning Post by Apil show what appear to be piles of bloody fins strewn across the boats deck.



Tens of thousands of migrant workers from Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia are recruited through manning agencies to work on Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai and South Korean fishing vessels each year, where anti-trafficking advocates say they run the risk of exploitation due to the lack of monitoring on the high seas.



As catches have become harder and more expensive due to overfishing, the seafood industry has increasingly employed vulnerable migrant labourers to remain profitable.



Activists say there is a direct link between declining stocks, rights abuses, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing  otherwise known as IUU.



IUU, such as shark finning and human rights abuses, continues to haunt the global distant water fishing fleet, said Arifsyah M. Nasution, Oceans Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Southeast Asia. This seafood tainted with IUU and forced labour can then be served to consumers through the very complex and non-transparent seafood supply chain.



The men on the Long Xing 629 were recruited by four Indonesian agencies: PT Lakemba Perkasa Bahari, PT Alfira Perdana Jaya, PT Sinar Muara Gemilang and PT Karunia Bahari Samudera.



According to advocates and contracts reviewed by the Post, most were from poor families and were promised salaries of between US$300 and US$450 a month as part of a two-year binding commitment. But each contract contained deductions for fees and security deposits worth hundreds of dollars.



The cost of repatriation was to be borne by workers if they could not complete the term of employment and at least one agreement contained a clause allowing the recruitment agency to sue an individuals family for losses.

 South China Morning Post

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Tokyo (Japan) 17 April 2020 (SPS)- Sahara Japan Journalist Association (SJJA) launched a Medias campaign under the title Freedom for all Western Sahara political prisoners, on the 13 April in 2 Japanese online newspapers, Nikkanberita and Chikyuza (in Japanese), due to concerns about the possible spread of COVID-a9 in Moroccan prisons.

The campaign recalled that historically, Japanese and other authorities have repeatedly released prisoners in times of extreme danger, such as wars, but also in times of epidemics and pandemics.

Saharawi political prisoners are not criminals, they are all imprisoned in Moroccan jails because of their political and peaceful opposition to the Moroccan occupation of their country.

There are now 41 Saharawi political prisoners suffering from all sorts of chronic diseases and results of ill-treatments and torture they went through for the last 10 years.

International organizations and Saharawi authorities reached out to the United Nations, European Union and relevant international human rights NGOs asking for the liberation of Saharawi political prisoners before they get affected by the COVID-19, especially that Moroccan prisons already registered cases of infection. (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police Wednesday opposed a plea in the Delhi High Court seeking direction that the NIA be handed over the investigation of a case against Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad for holding a congregation in alleged violation of the orders aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani, conducting the hearing through video conferencing, asked the petitioner to place the judgements in support of his plea to transfer the investigation from Delhi Police Crime Branch to National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The petition, filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Ghanshyam Upadhyay, has also sought direction to the NIA to investigate the matter in a time-bound manner and the probe be monitored by the high court.

It alleged that Delhi Police has failed to arrest the leader despite the lapse of considerable time.

Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain opposed the plea saying Delhi Police was conducting the investigation in a fair manner and argued that the petitioner has no locus standi to file the plea.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 28.

Advocates Subhash Jha and Yash Chaturvedi, representing Upadhyay, claimed that the crime branch of Delhi Police has miserably failed in tracing out/ apprehending/ arresting Saad despite lapse of considerable time and his photograph being published in electronic media.

It is virtually impossible for Maulana Saad to hide himself for such a long time and that too in the capital of the country.

Performance of Delhi Police has been pathetic from the very inception and outset.

Failure of Delhi Police is explicit from the fact that despite there being lockdown and curfew like situation, Maulana Saad was able to arrange gathering of thousands of people belonging to Tabiligi Jamaat in the capital of India, the plea claimed.

It further alleged that from media reports and evidence so far collected by Delhi Police Crime Branch, it is now axiomatic that Maulana Saad and his henchmen conspired to spread and transmit coronavirus in different parts of the country, with oblique and ulterior motive of causing massive deaths all over the country and thereby to derail the Government of India in preventing the deadly disease.

The Delhi Police's crime branch had on March 31 lodged an FIR against seven persons, including the cleric, on a complaint by Station House Officer of Nizamuddin police station here for holding a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat followers in alleged violation of the orders against large gatherings to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The Enforcement Directorate has also filed a money laundering case against Saad, trusts links to the Jamaat and others.

The plea alleged that the acts of omission and commission of Saad and his associates / Tabligi Jamaat constitute terrorist acts/activities as defined under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and claimed that the Delhi Police has failed to arrest the leader despite lapse of considerable time.

It said people of Tablighi Jamaat have been spreading the deadly virus all over the country not only by defying the national lockdown, also by assaulting corona warriors who have been treating the patients.
Now that Senior Minister Osafo-Maafo has won his contempt case against the Auditor General, another chapter will certainly be composed by some proxies in their needless politicized polemics.

As ruthless as a pack of wild dogs unfed for days, they would scrounge anything which touches their darlingthe state auditor. Interestingly, it is in pursuance of a grand political agenda being directed from a different plane. That is where we have reached in local politics.

Even as we await the commencement of the substantive case between the Senior Minister and the Auditor General regarding the Kroll & Associates matter, we can bet the public space is going to witness a heated onslaught against the government over a perceived hounding of Daniel.

They would, of course, disagree with the turn of events no matter how relatively small the Senior Minister's judicial victory may be when juxtaposed against the substantive case.

We can only wonder whether Daniel given his fresh bruises would part ways with his often abrasive responses to issues with his sharp-teethed proxies providing the covering and attack fires, as it were.

We have countenanced our unfair spat from the motley of proxies who can be found in all manner of disciplines, our fault being daring to question the sense in some of the actions of the Auditor General.

While some of the proxies are in the media, one of them a disgruntled loner, others are think-tanks, all of them under the subtle direction of a political party too obsessed with returning to power, they would hire anybody to do their bidding under diverse guises.

It is their interaction to produce the toxic amalgam in defence of the Auditor General which makes their media discourse worrisome.

We have never set out to ramp up pressure on the Auditor General but only taking exceptions to his unusual management of state auditing, some of them on the airwaves.

Some think-tanks who can determine all anomalies in other establishments but theirs are satisfied with the workings of the Auditor General's Department under Daniel. They are at his beck and call.

Ghana, in the coming weeks, will witness the outcome of a seeming rehearsed assault on government by the combined forces of the toxic think-tanks and disgruntled media practitioners. Of course, the operation would be under the aegis of the opposition NDC as we have pointed in earlier paragraphs.

For the first time in the history of post-independence Ghana, an Auditor General is the subject of public discourse and a long-drawn litigation.

If this does not prompt concern in most Ghanaians, we will be surprised.

---Daily Guide
A pharmacy offering N95 face masks in New York City.

Reuters

The Trump administration awarded a $55 million contract for N95 masks to a company with no experience producing medical supplies and whose parent company filed for bankruptcy protection last year.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday told Insider that the contract was canceled after the company failed to deliver the masks after being granted multiple extensions on the order.

Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told The Washington Post that something was "amiss" about this order.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people cover their mouth and nose with a cloth when they're around others but says to "not use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The coronavirus pandemic has created a desperate clamber for vital medical supplies, like N95 masks, that has led the federal government to award massive contracts to third-party vendors to help fill the gaps.

In this chaotic effort to obtain supplies, the Trump administration awarded a $55 million contract to Panthera Worldwide LLC, a company with no expertise in the world of medical equipment, for N95 masks, The Washington Post reported in April.

But the masks were never delivered, and the contract was ultimately canceled.

"The Panthera contract for delivery of N-95 masks was canceled May 12 on the grounds of non-delivery," a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokesperson told Insider on Tuesday. "FEMA will continue to coordinate with our federal and state partners, along with private vendors and supply companies, to identify and deliver medical supplies to prioritized areas."

The contract was awarded to Panthera early last month, with a delivery date initially set for April 23, the spokesperson said. Panthera requested two extensions on the order in the time since, pushing the delivery date back to May 11.

Story continues

On Monday, the company requested a third delivery extension of 96 hours, but this was rejected and the contract was canceled on Tuesday, FEMA's spokesperson said.

Panthera's parent company filed for bankruptcy protection last fall, and one of its owners last year said it'd had no employees since May 2018, The Post reported, citing sworn testimony. It's no longer listed as an LLC in Virginia, where its main office is, after fees went unpaid, the newspaper said.

Panthera, which describes itself as a tactical training company for the US military and other government agencies, has no record of producing medical supplies or equipment, The Post said.

Read more: Morgan Stanley just released a comprehensive timeline of the coronavirus outbreak. Here's when analysts think the US will increase testing, get a vaccine, and finally return to work.

The company's website says it "provides elite, scenario-based tactical, aviation and intelligence training and instruction for Defense Department, State Department, Federal Agency and Law Enforcement teams who operate in sensitive environments worldwide, to enable those teams to meet their mission goals and requirements."

Panthera's executives are being sued by a Virginia businessman who leased the company's primary asset, a training facility in West Virginia, The Post reported.

James V. Punelli, one of Panthera's executives, told The Post that the company was working with military contacts to obtain the masks.

"We've done [Department of Defense] medical training over the years and through those contacts with that community were brought sources of supply in order to assist in the COVID-19 response," Punelli said in a text message to The Post. "We made the connection with FEMA and offered these supplies to them."

"We will provide these masks before May 1 for certain, in full and with a very high-quality product," Punelli said, adding that the company is registered as an LLC in Delaware.

The Post reported that FEMA was set to pay Panthera about $5.50 per mask, decidedly more than what the government pays companies with an established background in producing medical supplies such as 3M, which charges about $0.63 per mask.

An N95 respirator made by 3M, which was contracted by the US government to produce extra masks in response to the country's novel coronavirus outbreak.

Reuters

Chuck Hagel, a former defense secretary, told The Post something was "amiss" about this order. "This is not how the government procures training or any type of supplies," he said. "You just wouldn't do business with somebody like that."

A FEMA representative in April told Insider that there was nothing in the standard background checks conducted in relation to government contracts that indicated Panthera "isn't responsible."

"As with any contract, FEMA is bound by law to follow Federal Acquisition requirements and processes. Per these Federal Acquisition requirements and processes, the Contracting Officer conducted a contractor responsibility determination. The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) was examined and Panthera met the necessary requirements. The company did not appear on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS)," FEMA said, adding that a review did not find Panthera showing "any delinquent federal tax (of more than $3,500) in the last three years."

"FEMA does not enter into contracts unless it has reason to believe they will be successfully executed. The required review led us to conclude that Panthera would able to deliver on their contract," the representative said. "As with any contract if the company cannot deliver or delivers sub-standard product, the agency can use legal means against a company."

The representative said that the ordered equipment hadn't arrived yet but that Panthera had provided written confirmation that the masks were in the shipping phase of delivery.

Since mid-March, the government has purchased more than $600 million worth of masks, The Post reported last month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people cover their mouth and nose with a cloth when they're around others but says to "not use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Chinese hackers are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research, US authorities said Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions between the superpowers as markets slumped on warnings from the US Federal Reserve that prolonged shutdowns could cause "lasting damage." Europe, meanwhile, pushed ahead with plans to gradually reopen for summer tourism, even as fears persist of a second wave of infections in the pandemic that has forced more than half of humanity behind closed doors in recent months. With some countries scrambling after a fresh surge in cases and the global death toll exceeding 294,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the virus "may never go away." There is no proven therapy for COVID-19. An effective vaccine could allow countries and economies to fully reopen and potentially earn millions of dollars for its creators. Amid such high stakes, hackers linked to Beijing are attempting to steal research and intellectual property related to treatments and vaccines, two US security agencies warned. "China's efforts to target these sectors pose a significant threat to our nation's response to COVID-19," the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said. Neither agency offered evidence or examples to support the allegation. Washington, which has confirmed almost 1.4 million US cases of the virus and more than 84,000 deaths, has increasingly blamed Beijing for the outbreak that first emerged in China late last year. Beijing has repeatedly denied the US accusations. - 'Lasting damage' - The value of a vaccine was underscored as Jerome Powell, head of the US Federal Reserve, cautioned Wednesday that lingering shutdowns could cause "lasting" economic damage. Powell's warning burst the balloon on Wall Street, analysts said, with stocks sliding on the comments even as he also said the US economy should rebound "substantially" once the outbreak is reined in. Trump, trying to jumpstart the world's largest economy as he seeks re-election this year, is pushing past warnings from health officials -- particularly top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci, who has cautioned that reopening too soon risks triggering an uncontrollable outbreak. On Wednesday, the president dismissed Fauci's call for caution as "not acceptable," and in an excerpt of an interview with Fox Business to air in full on Thursday, Trump said: "I totally disagree with him on schools." Some hint of the cost of moving too quickly could be seen in European markets, given a further mauling by data showing fresh outbreaks in South Korea and Germany. Russia, now the country with the second-highest number of virus cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections after authorities this week eased stay-at-home orders. Fears were also growing of a second wave in China, with the northeastern city of Jilin put in partial lockdown and Wuhan, where the virus was first detected last year, planning to test its entire population after clusters of new cases. - France reopens some beaches - Still, with no vaccine in sight and dire economic data pointing to the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s, many countries were trying to navigate reopening. Desperate to save millions of tourism jobs, the European Union set out plans for a phased restart of travel this summer, with border controls to be eventually lifted and measures to minimize infections, like wearing masks on shared transport. In France, some beaches reopened on Wednesday -- but only for swimming and fishing, while sunbathing remained prohibited. People in England were allowed to leave their homes more freely, as data showed the British economy shrinking by two percent in January-March, its fastest slump since 2008 -- and with a far worse contraction to come. - Hospitals turn people away - Elsewhere, cases were surging. Chile imposed a total lockdown in its capital Santiago after a 60 percent leap in infections over the past 24 hours. Argentine officials were watching Buenos Aires warily after one of its poorest and most densely populated neighborhoods showed a spike in infections. Water had been cut off in Villa 31 for eight days. Brazil is emerging as a new global hotspot despite President Jair Bolsonaro dismissing the pandemic as a "little flu." Health experts have warned of potentially devastating consequences as the virus spreads through the developing world, where health care systems are under-funded and isolation is often not possible. In northern Nigeria, fears that the virus is spreading have seen hospitals shut their doors to the sick. Civil servant Binta Mohammed said she had to watch her husband die from "diabetic complications." "The four private hospitals we took him to refused to admit him for fear he had the virus," she said. - 'Tough old lady' - But there were stories of hope, including two centenarians who survived the virus. In Spain, 113-year-old Maria Branyas fought off the illness during weeks of isolation at a retirement home where several other residents died from the disease. And in Russia, 100-year-old Pelageya Poyarkova clutched a bouquet of red roses as she was discharged from a Moscow hospital after her own recovery. "She turned out to be a tough old lady," the hospital's acting director Vsevolod Belousov said. burs-st/sst
The former Commissioner of Works in Kano State, Muaz Magaji, has moved out of the intensive care unit (ICU) and is recuperating from coronavirus infection.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Magaji was moved to one of the states isolation facilities after he announced that he had contracted the disease.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, in April, sacked Mr Magaji, after he issued comments which appeared to be celebrating the death of Abba Kyari.

Mr Kyari, a former chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, died in April in Lagos of coronavirus. He was buried in Abuja.

On Wednesday, Mr Magaji, recounted how he has been battling the disease in the isolation centre. He also said he cannot wish his worst enemy to be infected with the virus as medication for the ailment is yet unknown.

On Facebook, Mr Magaji spoke on the excruciating part of this infection, the pains, the sleepless nights and sometimes life support, and how all these would be over.

He added further that I have been moved out of intensive care Unit (ICU) yesterday and now in observation ward. We need to understand that this is no ordinary disease or small challenge and we can not afford to toy with it or politicize it.

He also said the treatment for coronavirus is unknown and often, an effort of a combination of spiritual faith, physical exercise, traditional recipes and conventional medication.

The sheer challenge of managing patients that requires minutes by minutes (sic) attention while new cases are arriving is certainly demanding to our health personnel and infrastructure, a situation that stretch even advanced care globally.

Our state has put in a lot and with close collaborate (sic) of the Federal task force, I must say the commitment and care is commendable.

The health personnel must be commended for their sacrifice and commitment, there will always be gaps. Its a pandemic for Gods sake, no one has experience like this in 100 years Not even in advanced nations with best health care system.

The best we can do is to help each other, help our Government at state and federal level to manage this historic pandemic Its real. And you dont wish it to even your worst enemy.

I personally am (sic) coming out of it soon completely, however, not out yet but with your prayers I will soon be out. I cant thank you all for the prayers, messages, calls and shower of love and brotherhood in this trying period, said Mr Magaji.
Cannes, France

The stars of Cannes Film Festival have stayed home, its prestigious grounds repurposed as a homeless shelter, and the beaches closed.

The French Riviera resort of Cannes would normally be abuzz with cinema glitterati on a Tuesday such as this  scheduled as the opening night of the annual festival  but during the time of coronavirus, it is a ghost town.

The world's biggest film festival was canceled this year for the first time since World War II.

A couple of mask-wearing residents sit on the edge of the empty promenade to catch the morning sun, dangling their feet next to an "Access and Swimming Prohibited" sign. An elderly group play petanque next to the deserted roads. And on Tuesday, on the billboard reserved for each year's festival poster, a large message of "THANK YOU" for coronavirus emergency workers was installed instead.

"I'm overcome with a great sense of melancholy and nostalgia," Cannes Delegate General Thierry Fremaux told Screen Daily about this week. "Cannes has only ever been canceled once, due to the Second World War, and stopped once, in May '68. "I could never have imagined something like this. Who could foresee that so many countries around the world would be caught out by the epidemic?"

Yet, while the cancellation represents a blow to the movie stars and directors it serves, it has also devastated the legions of businesses and unsung subcontractors that rely on the festival.

"For us, it's really a very big (financial) loss. The festival represents a large part of our annual revenues so it's very serious problem," said Joseph Rappa, owner of a snack-vending kiosk.

For others, it's even worse.

Pierre Dambrine works building film stands inside the Palais des Festivals, the retro building complex in which the screenings and awards ceremonies take place.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

"There is no more work at all. We don't know at all when things will resume," Dambrine said.

Since March, the local government repurposed the festival's building complex as a shelter for homeless. Every day, dozens of the formerly destitute can be seen walking behind a fenced off area, where journalists were once used to interviewing the likes of Marion Cotillard.

Shops started reopening on Tuesday, with some high-end boutiques such as Valentino and Saint Laurent set to open their door again, but the mood is still gray. The famous Martinez hotel, where many of Cannes' stars stay during the 12-day event, will remain closed for at least one more month.

Fremaux has expressed pessimism about the immediate future of the film industry, but said it would rebound.

He said the cancellation of this year's events won't stop the festival recognizing 2020's film talent; organizers will announce an Official Selection for this year at the beginning of June.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged registered investment adviser Ambassador Advisors, LLC, and its principals, Bernard I. Bostwick, Robert E. Kauffman, and Adrian E. Young, with breaches of fiduciary duty arising out of their mutual fund share class selection practices.

The SEC's complaint alleges that, from August 2014 to December 2018, Ambassador, Bostwick, Kauffman, and Young, failed to adequately disclose conflicts of interest arising from their selection of mutual fund share classes that charged 12b-1 fees, which Bostwick, Kauffman, and Young received, instead of lower-cost share classes of the same funds that were available to clients and that would not have paid 12b-1 fee compensation to Bostwick, Kauffman, and Young. In addition, the complaint alleges that Ambassador, Bostwick, Kauffman, and Young breached their duty to seek best execution for their clients by causing certain advisory clients to invest in fund share classes that charged 12b-1 fees when share classes of the same funds that presented a more favorable value for these clients under the particular circumstances in place at the time of the transactions were available to the clients. According to the complaint, Ambassador also failed to adopt and implement written policies and procedures designed to prevent these violations. Ambassador was eligible to self-report to the SEC pursuant to the Division of Enforcement's Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative, but did not do so.

The complaint alleges that Ambassador, Bostwick, Kauffman, and Young violated the antifraud provisions of Section 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and that Ambassador violated the antifraud provisions of Section 206(4) of the Advisers Act and Rule 206(4)-7 thereunder. The SEC seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties.

The SEC's investigation was conducted by Oreste P. McClung and supervised by Brendan P. McGlynn, both of the Asset Management Unit in the Philadelphia Regional Office. John Farinacci, an industry expert in the Asset Management Unit, assisted with the investigation. The litigation will be led by Christopher R. Kelly and Jennifer Chun Barry.
Indian soldiers fatally shot a young man at a checkpoint in the Himalayan region of Kashmir on Wednesday, triggering anti-India protests and clashes in the disputed territory.

Indias Central Reserve Police Force said the man was driving a car and ignored signals to stop at two checkpoints on the western outskirts of Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmirs main city.

The force said the soldiers feared an attack because a military convoy was passing by at the time.

It said in a statement that a soldier shot the victim when the car didnt stop despite warning shots.

The mans father, Ghulam Nabi Shah, denied the police account, saying his son did not drive through any checkpoints, and soldiers first stopped him and then shot him.





A witness, Firdousa, said the victim stopped his car when soldiers signalled him.

A security official told him something to which he replied that he had some emergency. They let him go but as he was getting into his vehicle, they shot him in the back, she said.

He was killed deliberately. He did no wrong.

As news of his death spread in his village, hundreds of men and women began chanting Go India, go back and We want freedom. They demanded the victims body be returned to the family for burial.

Authorities did not immediately hand over the body.

As security forces moved in to stop the villagers from marching, hundreds threw stones at the troops, who fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to quell the protests. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the clashes.

Common tactic

Authorities shut down mobile internet service in the area, a common Indian tactic in the region when demonstrations erupt.

Indian forces have imposed a stringent lockdown in the region since late March to combat the coronavirus.

Despite the lockdown, India has stepped up its counterinsurgency operations while rebels have also continued their attacks on government forces and alleged informants.

Indian soldiers man checkpoints and bunkers across the region, where an armed resistance to Indian rule has raged since 1989. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

Residents make little secret of their anger at the troops presence and support the rebels call for the territory to be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India and Pakistan each administer parts of Kashmir, but both claim the region in its entirety.
In Robert MacFarlanes Underland, he travels across the UK, Western Europe and Finland to enter and explore a multitude of landscapes beneath the surface  both geological and manmade

In this fortnightly column, Pages From The Wild, Urvashi Bahuguna looks at accessible, engaging books from around the world, on the environment and ecology.

***

I confess I have not given much thought to what exists below the earths surface  beneath our streets, farmland and forests, under thick layers of ice in Antarctica or inside a mountain. I have never associated this shadow-land beneath the ground with the natural world, but of course it is a vital extension of it. There is tremendous, unacknowledged, and frequently endemic, biodiversity in these spaces, and it is essential to the flourishing of the ecosystems we can more easily see.

In fantasy novels, the underground can be a hiding place, a mining site, a laboratory, a prison, a military camp. Whole societies can exist out of necessity in these cavernous spaces, important battles may be waged in their narrow halls. It was this genre that first introduced me to the sheer range of possibility the underground holds. The visuals of hell and the underworld that I was familiar with, absorbed from classical literature and myths, were without compelling landscape. They did not appeal to the naturalist in me. But the fantasy literature I read suggested that there was a world below with its own terrain, weather and history.

In Robert MacFarlanes Underland, he travels across the UK, Western Europe and Finland to enter and explore a multitude of landscapes beneath the surface  both geological and manmade. Through his journey and subsequent research, I discovered that there existed underground lakes and rivers, mining tunnel systems that stretch for miles underneath us, caves filled with stalactites, magma chambers inside inactive volcanoes which are accessible by cable cars, old salt mines that now house recreation centers, World War-era bunkers, repositories of radioactive waste and burial sites (including a series of tunnels that house the bones of 6 million Parisians).

The adventures that MacFarlane partakes in are incredible. He walks on all fours in low caves and crawls on his stomach through tunnels that are barely a foot and a half tall  tunnels where a loud shout or strenuous breadth can change the fragile conditions within the passage and endanger the lives of those traversing it. He calls upon his mountaineering experience to rappel down cliff sides deep within the cave systems. He rides mine shafts and cars within the meandering tunnels of quarrying territory. He encounters scarred terrain that had been appropriated in warfare. He meets the people for whom cave diving and urban exploring are ways of life. With each of these experiences, he is candid about the ways in which they scare, exalt and sadden him.

In Findings (2005), a collection of essays on the natural world, the Scottish poet Kathleen Jamie travels in search of true darkness, first on a night ferry from Aberdeen to Orkney, and later inside the underground tomb of Maes Howe on Orkney. Entering the latter, she writes, You are standing in a high, dim stone vault. There is a thick soundlessness, like a recording studio, or a strongroom. A moment ago, you were in the middle of a field, with the wind and curlews calling. The world has been taken away

The world has been taken away

I was reminded of Jamies strange and fascinating quest as I saw MacFarlane, his companions and the people whose stories he tells plunge themselves into a claustrophobic darkness. I was fascinated  why go in search of such a gruelling landscape? There are gradients of comfort and skill amongst those that traverse the underlands. The cradle of darkness scares me. To be curious about it, the way these explorers are, is an alien notion. I wouldnt easily be persuaded to venture past the door of a cave or climb down a manhole. The dark is, or so I believed for the longest time, uniformly airless, soundless and, perhaps most terrifying of all, senseless in how time can feel as if it has been stripped away in that space.

That fear left me envious of those able to venture into the darkness. As I read stories of panic attacks in these spaces (oddly, sometimes, known as rapture), I asked myself what would

draws creatures dependent on and accustomed light to the beyond. Underland explores far more than this impulse, but I was particularly drawn to this human desire to explore dark, constricted spaces. MacFarlane explores this question at some length. He believes people are drawn to it the way theyre drawn to climbing. These are landscapes that often demand preparation and sacrifice. As Laurent Ballesta wrote of the deepest dive under the Antarctic, The waters under Antarctic ice are like Mount Everest: magical, but so hostile that you have to be sure of your desire before you go. You cannot go half-heartedly; you cannot feign your passion. The demands are too great. The Ario System of caves in Spain requires the establishment of base camps and advance camps for divers exploring its ultra-deep trenches.

On one of MacFarlanes expeditions, his companion and he find a partially flooded cave. He writes, Szabolcs and I lowered ourselves into the water at the edge of the chamber, and we floated there convivially for a night-hour in that lost space below the city.  I have rarely felt more relaxed than in that amniotic space.

Along the tunnels and deep within cave systems, there waited for these explorers quiet sights they could not have seen elsewhere. It made me realise that it wasnt simply the thrill of the journeys they undertook or the dedication that honing the skill required for complex dives and hard terrain took that was attractive. It was also that much like the view from a mountaintop there was sometimes a rewarding moment waiting for them  a moment that required the right circumstances of rain and safe passage to occur, a moment that very few would ever experience.

I wondered what those amongst us, fearful and claustrophobic, sceptical and busy, might learn from this pursuit of the subterranean. Where can a curiosity about the undergrowth and the subterranean lead us? Why might adventurers, artists, philosophers seek it out? Perhaps, there is a peace similar to walking through a forest to be found in these womb-like worlds.
As expected, the government exchequer has taken a very small 'hit' on account of the first tranche of stimulus package announced today. Of the Rs 5.94 lakh crore worth of announcements made today, the government is taking a direct hit of only Rs 56,500 crore.

With the Rs 56,500 crore now and the Rs 70,000 crore incremental cost borne by the government for its first stimulus package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore, the total impact on government finances is to the tune of Rs 1.26 lakh crore of the total Rs 13 lakh worth of stimulus announced so far (including the Rs 5.2 lakh crore liquidity infused by the RBI since March).

The Rs 56,500 crore cost incurred by the government is owing to Rs 50,000 crore loss of revenue due to 25 per cent reduction in TDS and TCS rates, Rs 4,000 crore support for subordinate debt to stressed MSMEs, and Rs 2,500 crore for payment of employer and employee contributions into EPF accounts of eligible establishments.

ALSO READ:1st tranche of Rs 20 lakh crore package doesn't hit government exchequer; here's why

"This reduction in TDS/TCS is one measure so far which will have a significant direct impact on the government's exchequer. Other measures, which are mostly in the form of credit guarantee will not have direct or immediate impact on the central government exchequer," says Sreejith Balasubramanian, India economist, IDFC AMC.

"This package is based largely on credit guarantee provisions implying minimal direct cost for the central exchequer which may be just a small fraction of today's package. Any additional cost would only be on account of defaults, the burden of which may arise only in future years. In the case of the power sector, the burden of bearing the default is in fact, on the state governments," said DK Srivastava, Chief Policy Advisor, EY India.

The government today announced a slew of measures mostly for MSMEs, NBFCs and small taxpayers. The major announcements include Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free loans for MSMEs, liquidity facility worth Rs 75,000 crore for NBFCs, and Rs 90,000 crore liquidity injections for power discoms.

ALSO READ:Economic relief package 'frivolous and gimmicky,' say MSME bodies

Today's announcements are part of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package promised by the Prime Minister in his address to the nation on Tuesday. Despite a lot of speculation on whether the Rs 20 lakh crore package will also include the fiscal package announced by the government and liquidity measures taken by the RBI earlier, the Finance Minister chose to remain silent on the issue today.

Meanwhile, going by the presentation made by the Finance Minister today, it seems the Rs 20 lakh crore package may include Rs 5.2 lakh crore liquidity measures taken by RBI since March 2020 and the Rs 1.7 lakh crore fiscal package announced by the government in March this year.

Of the Rs 1.7 lakh crore stimulus package announced earlier, the government had incurred an additional cost of Rs 70,000 crore while the rest of all were already budgeted for.

ALSO READ:FM Sitharaman's MSME bailout elicits mixed reactions from restaurant industry
PHOENIX - Tess Mullaney remembers looking at endless rolling desert hills, covered in a thin layer of white snow just as the sun was rising the day she embarked on a 2 1/2-month journey through the Arizona Trail, an 800-mile system that starts at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona and ends at the Utah one.

In a picture from that February 2019, Mullaney, 28, is smiling as she poses behind a thin barbed-wire fence that divides Arizona from Mexico. Shes standing next to Border Monument 102, an engraved pillar marking the boundary of the United States. Engraved in the monument is this warning:

The destruction or displacement of this monument is a misdemeanour punishable by the United States or Mexico

Now, the government is proposing to do just that. It plans on building a 30-foot (9 metre) border wall there, threatening the view so many hikers marvel at and the ecological life around it.

Mullaney and others are calling on the government to abandon plans to build two miles (3.2 kilometres) of new fencing they say will destroy the monument that marks the beginning of the Arizona Trail, which is also within the Coronado National Memorial. That southern terminus marks where some believe Spanish explorer Francisco Vazquez de Coronado first crossed into Arizona from Sonora in the mid 1500s in his quest to find gold.

The government also plans to build a ground detection system, a road and new lighting. Its part of President Donald Trumps plan to build hundreds of miles of border wall, a campaign promise he has so far maintained.

To remove not only this symbolism, but also the beauty, seclusion, protection, and wildlife migratory abilities in this area would be saddening to all who enjoy it, Mullaney said.

Known as thru-hikers, an estimated 700 people traverse the entirety of the Arizona Trail in one trip, and thousands more hike different parts of the trail, each year. Thru-hikers have to first be dropped off at a trailhead two miles from the border. They then hike down to the monument that marks where the trail starts, a crucial marker for adventurers, said Matthew J. Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association.

For years, that part of the border has been protected by a small barbed-wire fence, and Nelson said he doesnt know of any issues with illegal border crossers there. The area is mountainous and rugged, difficult to access from the south.

Nelson said his opposition to the border wall project at that location isnt political, but about preserving the crucial point of a massive trail that took volunteers years to complete. He says the trail attracts thousands of visitors who stimulate the local economies of nearby communities, like the city of Sierra Vista.

Its a point of pride, and so I hope that people recognize that impact to a quarter-mile of the trail is an impact to the entire 800-mile organism, Nelson said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection didnt immediately answer questions about the project at the trail. During a press briefing in Tucson on Tuesday, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said the administrations top goal is border security and that officials routinely meet with concerned stakeholders. Wolf was addressing a question about concerns that environmental groups have expressed about construction on federally protected land.

But at the end of the day, I think the administration has been very clear on this front, which is border security is national security is homeland security. So were gonna secure that border every way we can, Wolf said.

Wolf said decisions about where to build border barriers and where to rely more on technology for surveillance depend on factors like illegal traffic in that area and how accessible it is.

Those decisions are not being made by the secretary. Theyre being made by the operators on the ground. So I think the best thing this administration has done is weve actually listened to the operators, Wolf said.

The proposed project along the Coronado National Memorial is one of several planned for Arizona, which shares about 370 miles of border with Mexico.

Although the spot is federally protected by the National Trail System Act, the government has the power to override such a designation in the name of national security. It has already done that in places like Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, where construction workers have removed hundreds of protected cactuses and blasted through a mountain to build a new wall.

Greg Kilroy, a 50-year-old residential real estate agent, remembers first approaching the trails southern terminus Border Monument 102 in August, when most of Arizona is scorching, but when the high altitude and mountainous area is nice and cool.

Its really epic, Kilroy said. It was also the beginning of our trip, and so it was really exciting, really kind of magical, and, not gonna lie, a little bit of fear and anxiety of what are we taking on here as part of the really long journey.

It took Kilroy and his friend four years and about 17 different trips to complete the 800-mile trail. He said they found discarded trash they think was probably left behind by border crossers, but never encountered another person there.

It was a true kind of wilderness experience. And boy the wall would sure fly in the face of that, Kilroy said.
Two deaths and 41 fresh cases of



COVID-19 were reported in Telangana on Wednesday,pushing the number of cases in the state to 1,367.

The number of people who succumbed to the virus rose to 34 with the fresh deaths, a government bulletin said.

As many as 117 people were discharged from hospitals after recovery on Wednesday, taking the cumulative total to 939.

The number of people undergoing treatment for the virus stood at 394, the bulletin said.

Out of the 41 fresh cases, 31 are from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area, while 10 others are migrants who returned to the state, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Australian beef is seen at a supermarket in Beijing on May 12, 2020 (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian Senator Calls for Plan to Decouple From China as Trade Issue Escalates

In a week of escalating trade tensions with China, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells has called for Australia to establish an economic plan to decouple from China.

The call comes as twice this week China took economic action against Australia by proposing an 80 percent tariff on barley imports and announcing the suspension of meat imports from four local abattoirs.

Fierravanti-Wells said Australia needed to rely less on China and develop its own manufacturing base for strategic goods and services including medical and pharmaceutical equipment.

She said Australia needs to devise a plan for reparations and a plan to reduce our dependency on the communist regime.

Trade minister Simon Birmingham said the federal government was working with China to find a resolution to the trade issues.

He confirmed on Wednesday morning, May 13, however, that he had yet to receive a response from his Chinese counterpart Zhong Shan upon reaching out for a meeting.

Fierravanti-Wells told The Epoch Times on May 11 that Australias over-reliance on the Chinese economy will be weaponised by the Chinese communist regime to influence the nations long-term interests.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is congratulated by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra, Australia on Sept. 21, 2015. (Stefan Postles-Pool/Getty Images)

She cited the Department of Foreign Affairs Composition of Trade Australia 2018-2019 report, saying 26.4 percent of Australias two-way trade is with China.

The Government must finally understand that putting 26.4 percent of our trade eggs in the China basket has made us overly vulnerable as was evidenced by the recent comments from the Chinese ambassador, she said.

The Chinese ambassador, Cheng Jingye, said during an interview on April 26 with the Australian Financial Review that it was not in Australias interests to pursue an investigation into the virus, and alluded the Chinese public may no longer wish to consume Australian wine and beef.

Currently, Australias top five exports to China are iron ore, natural gas, coal, gold, and wool, which the senator said was critical to Chinas economic growth. She said Australia, in turn, imported from China  telecom equipment, computers, furniture, refined petroleum, childrens goods, sporting goods, and textiles.

This demonstrates the extent of our dependency on China but also the enormous scope for greater selfreliance.

Australias next largest trading partners are Japan (9.9 percent of trade), and the United States (8.6 percent).

In recent weeks, the federal government has focused on reviving Australian industries, amid the fallout from the pandemic, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison highlighting the importance of Australias domestic economic sovereignty on April 7.

The government established the COVID-19 commission on April 24, tasked with mitigating the economic impact of the virus. The commission is headed by industry heavyweight Nev Power, former Fortescue Metals Group CEO, and includes Andrew Liveris, former CEO of Dow Chemical, who headed U.S. President Donald Trumps American Manufacturing Council.

The government has championed a series of local manufacturing endeavours in recent weeks including Boeing designing and building the first military aircraft in Australia in 50 years, a Geelong-based military contractor winning a US$107.5 million contract to manufacture countermeasure flares for the U.S. Airforce, and increased personal protective equipment manufacturing.
Johnny Madero could face six years in prison. He's scared for his life as the coronavirus ravages lockups. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

These days Johnny Madero almost never leaves the three-bedroom house he shares with his girlfriend and their two young sons.

In the evening, as the unrelenting desert sun disappears, the family sometimes walks to the end of the block and back. Its never hard to stay more than six feet away from other people.

He takes comfort in knowing his family seems safe, but most nights bring panic. His mind slows and he ticks another day from the mental calendar  one day closer to his nightmare.

Next month, Madero must either accept a plea deal for six years in state prison on a DUI or risk a sentence of 12 to 27 years if found guilty at trial. Madero faces the harsh terms because he is on probation for a 2012 burglary conviction and a subsequent shoplifting arrest. None of the charges have involved violent behavior.

Madero fears, however, that the six years, which he is planning to accept, could prove to be a death sentence if he contracts the coronavirus in the Maricopa County jail or in a rural state prison where he would eventually be transferred.

"Im terrified to go in there, the 27-year-old said on a recent afternoon. This could be the last time I see my family.

As cases of COVID-19 race through the nations overcrowded jails and prisons, attorneys and activist groups have pleaded with judges to release nonviolent offenders already serving time. The rallying cries sharpened last month when a New York man, whose case dragged on following an arrest on a minor parole violation, was infected inside Rikers Island jail and died. The top doctor at Rikers, Ross MacDonald, called the current situation a crisis of a magnitude no generation living today has ever seen and has asked that "the focus remain on releasing as many vulnerable people as possible.

While much of the national discourse has focused on releasing those already behind bars, attorneys also are fighting for those like Madero who are poised to go behind bars in the weeks and months ahead.

Story continues

Across America, lockups, like nursing homes, are hot spots for the virus.

On Rikers Island, nearly 1,300 inmates and guards have contracted the coronavirus, and in Chicago about 800 at the Cook County Jail have tested positive. In Los Angeles County jails, inmates have described pandemic-era conditions as "slow torture, including resorting to using torn bed sheets as toilet paper. More than 300 inmates in the jail system have been infected.

Moreover, such numbers, defense attorneys and activists believe, reflect a vast undercount, considering the limited testing, social distancing and sanitation.

Many of the best defenses for slowing the spread of virus  washing hands for 20 seconds, wiping down surfaces and standing several feet apart  arent possible for most inmates, said Lauren-Brooke Eisen, director of the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.

Those behind bars cant engage in the steps we practice to quell the spread of COVID-19," Eisen said.

The Maricopa County jail near downtown Phoenix. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

In Arizona, which has the highest incarceration rate of Western states and the fifth-highest in the nation, roughly 70 inmates have contracted the virus, and the first confirmed case at the Maricopa County jail here in Phoenix came at the end of April.

Its not uncommon here for people to serve long sentences for low-level drug crimes; possession of small amounts of marijuana for non-medicinal use remains a felony. Like most of the country, black and Latino men are disproportionately incarcerated.

Madero, who is Latino, and many people have seen the headlines of high-profile white men being released from detention centers early, such as Michael Avenatti, the attorney who was convicted of extortion in a case separate from the one in which he represented a porn star who said she had a pre-presidential affair with Donald Trump. Avenattis release last month from a New York correctional facility is temporary; he must eventually return.

For Madero, the looming incarceration day weighs on him.

After his release in 2018 after four years behind bars, Madero sought treatment for an addiction to methamphetamine and he has worked in restaurants and construction.

But, eventually, he relapsed.

Madero was cited last year for aggravated DUI  because even though he did not have alcohol in his system, he allegedly tested positive for trace amounts of meth. That was prior to the pandemic.

Maderos attorney, Jack Litwak, now hopes for a delay or a reduced sentence.

The Phoenix attorney has suggested to the court that Madero needs treatment, not incarceration, and that he believes his client is on the losing end of criminal justice policies. A white woman with three DUI convictions and a history of violent assaults, he noted in a brief, was recently given a plea deal of six months compared with the six years offered to Madero. The longer Madero is behind bars, especially during the pandemic, the higher the risk of contracting the coronavirus, Litwak said.

The conditions in the facilities are ripe for infection: They share showers and cells, have limited access to cleaning supplies, delays in medical care, said the lawyer. His family deserves to have him in a safe environment, where he can receive adequate treatment for his addiction.

Attorney Jack Litwak, left, and Johnny Madero, who could face up to six years in prison for a DUI charge. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Each month, more than 1,100 people show up at Maricopa County jail to begin serving sentences. There are nearly 9,100 beds in the facility, but so far, only about 130 inmates have been tested for the coronavirus, according to officials.

Madero remembers the time he spent inside the Maricopa County jail before the pandemic. He can still visualize the dried-blood-stained uniform the guards made him wear for several days, the double bunks where he slept a few feet from another man and the limited amount of soap.

Terrible, it was really terrible, Madero said. And just really scary.

On average, cities nationwide have reduced jail populations by 25% since March, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a national group dedicated to criminal justice reform. And a recent report from the Maricopa County sheriff showed that the inmate population, which stood at roughly 7,100 in January, has shrunk to near 5,500. Average daily bookings into the jail have declined by 100 per day, the report says, down from the more typical 300.

Khalil Rushdan, a community outreach coordinator for the ACLU of Arizona, has helped lead calls for reductions in jail populations. The ACLU is asking that nonviolent offenders across the nation who are older and have underlying health conditions be released.

"Prior to the pandemic, society as whole really did not care about mass incarceration. With the pandemic, I do think the issue has come to light much more, Rushdan said. We are talking about someones loved one possibly contracting this virus and dying because they were not allowed, as humans, to follow CDC guidelines of social distancing and consistent hand washing.

"Really, if were being honest, its a matter of life and death, he said.

Khalil Rushdan of the ACLU of Arizona is fighting to get people out of prisons and jails. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Defense attorneys have argued that, during the pandemic, it only makes sense to offer alternatives such as at-home monitoring with an ankle bracelet, or deferring incarceration start dates.

But such efforts face opposition from tough-on-crime politicians.

Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, known for having created a notorious tent city that housed inmates outside in 100-degree weather and led to a raft of lawsuits, said it makes no sense to release inmates.

"Why do that? These people are safer on the inside. When they get out and go back to using drugs or whatever, theyre way more likely to get coronavirus, Arpaio said on a recent afternoon, seated inside his home office in the suburbs.

Arpaio, who lost his position as sheriff in 2016, was granted a pardon by President Trump after being convicted of disobeying a federal judge's order to stop racially profiling and detaining individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally. He is now running to reclaim the sheriff's post.

"They will commit more crimes; they do harm, plain and simple, Arpaio, 87, said of releasing inmates during the pandemic.

Madero said it isnt that simple.

He hasnt always been a model citizen, he acknowledges, and says he desperately wants to beat his addiction, but he doesnt think incarceration is the best option.

He's never been charged for a violent act, he said, and "every problem I have ever faced in my life so far was because of my drug addiction."

These days, as he falls off to sleep, he thinks about who will tuck in his sons at bedtime. When they start school, who will walk them to and from the bus stop. What about his girlfriend? Who will support her?

He thinks about how he hopes to marry her one day, he says, and prays that hell get clean and remain sober. He also wonders whether, should he contract the virus while behind bars, he will prove healthy enough to survive.
The Johannesburg Specialised Crimes Court has sentenced a former IT technician to an effective 10 years in prison for attempting to steal millions from the Gautrain company, News24 reports.

Obakeng Israel Busang had installed spyware on Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) computers which was to be used to siphon off funds from the companys account.

On Monday, he was convicted on 38 counts of contravening Section 86 (4) of the Electronic Communication and Transactions Act.

Busang had originally pleaded not guilty back in 2014, but later changed this plea to guilty and made admissions in terms of Section 220 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

According to News24, the offences were grouped according to the nature or type spyware that was used, with Busang being sentenced to five years for each group.

The court ordered that certain counts run concurrently, which resulted in a total sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

Half of this was suspended for a period of five years on the condition that Busang is not found guilty of contravening any provisions of the Electronic Communications Transaction (ECT) Act.

Syndicate involved

NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said that Busang claimed he had been recruited by a syndicate to obtain the login credentials of persons who make payments to GMAs creditors.

Busang had connected his laptop to the GMA system, allowing him and the syndicate to harvest usernames and passwords of GMA staff.

He stated that he was promised a reward if he could provide the login credentials of certain employees, but could not get the login credentials of both the CFO and the CEO, Mjonondwane said.

The GMA stood to lose R800 million if Busang had been successful.

GMA IT Security Officer Henry Denner previously testified that the agency was advised to upgrade its system following the incident.

It spent R8.5 million on upgrades and spent a further R1.2 million on having the spyware removed and replacing affected hard drives.

SA Post Office defraudment

In a separate matter, Busang was allegedly also involved in defrauding the SA Post Office of R42 million between December 2011 and January 2012.

During this time, the State alleges money was fraudulently paid into at least 103 PostBank accounts.

A total of R265,000 was transferred to Busangs bank account and withdrawn at various ATMs in January 2012.

Now read: Hackers selling 73 million user records on the dark web
matt damon is old enough to have a daughter in college???

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I vaguely remember her being born in the early 2000s.... wow!

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he's almost 50

i know it's normal for men to refrain from procreating until their sperm is on the iffy side of genetics, but...50's is old enough for great-grandpa status in some parts of the world lol



Edited at 2020-05-13 10:28 pm (UTC)

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Technically its his step daughter. But he is certainly old enough to have a college age daughter

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he is (i think he's nearly 50), though that's his stepdaughter in college

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That was my reaction too but then I realized that Im technically old enough to have a child in college and hes quite a bit older than me 

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i like how he always talks about his four daughters and never singles out the oldest one as a stepchild



sadly not the norm

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I had no idea he had one kid much less four.

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That actually is a surprise. I had no idea. Good for him?

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My mom and i had it. she was a very mild case, i had no symptoms but i tested positive for antibodies



im still terrified when i go out tho

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oh my goodness?!



I'm glad you're ok, or are you still in the woods??



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thank you, we are all good! honestly only reason i got tested was because i came out to LI to stay with mom as soon as she started showing symptoms but i never had any myself, maybe a headache for two days straight but that's it. I got really lucky (also not saying it helped but i take emergen-c every day year round)



stay safe!!!

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Glad to hear you and your mom are okay.

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I hope you and your mom are well.



I really want to get antibody testing done.

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I'm glad you and your mom are ok

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Damn, glad you're okay!



A close friend of mine's partner also caught it; he works for 3 different hospitals and they though the chest pain and congestion was pneumonia at first. He quarantined at home and is a lot better now. My friend tested negative, weirdly enough.

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Glad you're both doing okay! <3 I wanna get the antibody test too. I'm not convinced I didn't have it in early March, when I got randomly super sick for a week and a half

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Glad you and your mom are ok now. I get kind of uneasy, seems like a lot of people have confirmed they tested positive without showing any symptoms.

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I'm glad you guys are okay!!

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Has anyone posting here had a confirmed case of covid-19? Just wondering what your experience was like?

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I just posted above that I tested positive for antibodies, I was completely asymptomatic except for mild headaches (and it was 99% because of stress, I'm sure)

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I want to get this test done. Which is the best test?

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yes, i've been sick as fuck for two months. i can do a big long essay about my timeline/symptoms if you're interested in that

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I'm currently in quarantine after testing positive. My symptoms are shortness of breath, stuffed nose, hallucinations, fevers, nausea, headaches (everything but the cough). Though, my entire family also has it and everyone has different symptoms. I think the worst part is how everyday brings on a new symptom and I'm worried about my lungs long term.

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It felt like I was hit by a bus. My body was HEAVY and I was exhausted all the time. I had a constant headache, chesty cough that would leave me short of breath and I would wake up during the night covered in sweat.

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My BFs uncle took his brother in because he had no where else to stay. Both had corona symptoms and his brother died first and was never tested. His uncle was tested but the test came back negative ... he also died 2 days later*



*he had asthma, was overweight and died from pneumonia



Edited at 2020-05-14 09:34 am (UTC)

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My aunt had it and she had a fever, cough, shortness of breath, and was fatigued. As far as Im aware it never got serious. I got tested but was negative but if there is a possibility I had it (it could have been bad allergies or the actual virus idk) I started with a migraine then mucus drainage, nausea, sore throat, cough, chest tightness, and fatigue.

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damn that's awful! I hope she can recover well

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Maryland is starting to reopen on Friday 

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so is NYC.... im terrified

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nooo it's not. parts of upstate NY is but not nyc

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So is VA. Though not NoVa

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Parts of Tennessee did May 1st and then I think the rest on the 6th. We are doing phases and that was (obviously) Phase 1. I believe Phase 2 is set to start this Friday.

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It's such a mistake :(

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So is Arizona. I'm shocked that so many people at work are excited because they're tired of getting takeout or cooking at home. But then again, these are the same people who said COVID-19 was just the flu. It was really ominous when management sent out an email with the headline "if you get COVID-19"...like they're expecting people to get sick.

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the one thing i'll always remember from contagion is that i touch my face a lot, lol.

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That's awful! I'm glad she and her roommate are okay though. I feel bad for Matt and his wife, to be in Ireland while their daughter is in NY sick with COVID... that had to have been stressful for them all.

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Contagion is great but I can't deal with Jude Law's character, stresses me out too much.

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His character was so annoying and I really hated him in light of all the right-wing conspiracy blogs etc that are the ones spreading lies and fear about this pandemic right now

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I wanted to throat punch his character so damn much.



Now I want to throat punch 80% of the morons in my state that are all Trumpers. For this reason alone, I don't want to leave my house.

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I was thinking last night when I watched it how much I hated his smug QAnon anti vaxxer conspiracy theorist character but then I realized what a good job he did convincing me what a tool he was!

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Yep. But they were pretty spot on looking at the batshit stuff coming out now with 5G, eating garlic/lemon juice to prevent infection, etc. I think the only thing they didn't predict was federal-level response from several countries' governments that was so fantastically incompetent and self-sabotaging.

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Dan Olsen (Folding Ideas) made a youtube video about watching Contagion on repeat and talked about how Law's character was the one he found the most unrealistic and unbelievable when he first saw the movie years ago. But nowadays the character has turned out to be depressingly and frighteningly close to real life.

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Lmao thats all I see when I see him

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I watched Contagion at the start of this whole thing and I was so terrified. I remember telling people about Pandemic on netfli and everyone thought it sounded like paranoid entertainment lmao.



I hate playing the "do i have a mild case or am i just headachy and out of breath because i'm stressed and inactive" game. I want to get tested for antibodies eventually but I haven't been curious enough to actually leave my house to seek out any testing. I'm also really worried about those articles that are saying it's already mutated since leaving Wuhan and the prominent strain in the US is now much more contagious and can affect the efficiency of in-development vaccines and lead people to be reinfected. There's SO MUCH news coming at me all day every day and it's overwhelming to know what's legit.

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Yes! Allergies have been a big one. My nose and head and chest have been all stuffed up from springtime and its making me second guess everything lmao

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it mutated in january and scientists have already mapped this strain and worked that into their research. plus it's actually a relatively stable virus. if that helps reassure you in any way

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LA Times took a lot of heat for that article, specifically for misinterpreting a limited study and for taking comments on the scientist's Facebook page as medical facts and predictions.



One of the major claims in the article scientists took issue with is that the virus mutated into a more contagious strain because the study mentioned the more dominant strain is what "won out." As other scientists pointed out, the strain is considered the dominant strain based on the mere fact that it beat out the other strains. NOT because it is more contagious.

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Matt Damon looks... his age, I guess. Havent seen him in a while.



I got this movie on DVD at Goodwill last year. My mom watched it and thankfully she remembered it when this all started happening- it legit helped me convince my family to voluntarily lock themselves down since Im in a dumb ass state that never did an official stay at home order. Our restaurants are already open for dining in; I dont plan on going to a restaurant or even inside a grocery store for a long long time.

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Whatttttt what state are you in? I'm glad your fam was supportive of staying in. I know I sounded crazy to my parents in early march and they thought I was being anxious but they agreed to stay put and one week later were like "um we're glad we listened to you" lol

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South Carolina. Love my state, hate the willfully ignorant attitudes. Lots of protected by the blood of Jesus folks here. My zip code has a lot of Trump flags waving too. Thankfully got lucky in the family lottery, as they all hate his ass.



I had my mask on in my car to pick up groceries yesterday and a woman with her suitcase of beer made sure to give me a dirty look in the parking lot.

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Contagion is one of my favorite movies. I kind of find it reassuring, in a way. Jennifer Ehle better be out there working on a vaccine for us!

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I hadn't watched it since I saw it at the cinema and I was surprised at how spot-on so many elements were. Particularly the bat-pig-chef-index person narrative. Well, really so much of it was just like right now. It's a really well-crafted story.



On a separate note, I couldn't remember Jennifer Ehle and had to look up her filmography again. I think she has a striking resemblance to a young Meryl Streep.

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I literally re-watched this not that long ago I thought her character was played by one of meryl's daughters

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just learned today our department might have been exposed to covid-19 last week. HR only started telling people and quarantining people who work on that floor of the building today. i'm uh...not worried

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My boss is now sick with it. We've been working from home for a month.



All the mofos in my state are fuck all with going out in public. No masks, no distancing, being outright 45'ers assholes. I just don't want to leave my house anymore.

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oh fuck that's terrifying. which is your state?



we literally just got back from furlough last week and the building is already compromised like jfc. i live in Michigan, so like, a lot of people are wearing masks and being cautious but we also had those gunmen threatening the governor so. it's great.



so lucky we can do a lot of stuff from home, with the internet but it's still bad for all the essential workers who have to be out stocking and moving things so the rest of us can stay home.

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That's incredibly negligent and stupid of your office. Sorry, bb. Fingers crossed you didn't catch it or are asymptomatic.

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I'm sorry, that's awful.



But also A+ gif choice <3 Queen Vivien

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That was my company in the beginning too. Like the colleague sitting next to me was sent home because he may have been exposed to someone with corona virus but didnt have the results back yet I was like uh ...? I have been siting next to him all week?

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My employer is opening next week but i live with both my parents who are over 60, so I am NOT going in.

Its not safe, no way no how. SO many more people have gotten sick and died from this than we may know for a long time.

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That's the boat I'm in too. :(



I'm in Red/Mormon hell state too...so they're all about opening up/virus is a hoax-level of bs.

My god, I live in Idiotville.

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Oh nooo so sorry

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Purses in the United States as reported in the monthly Thoroughbred Economic Indicators were down 79.64% from a year ago for the month of April alone, and year-to-date purses are off 28.85%.

Thats to be expected these days with the majority of tracks having been closed since the end of March due to COVID-19 concerns.

That also means there hasnt been much movement on the 2020 general sires list since early March. The current market leader is New Years Day, the sire of Saudi Cup winner Maximum Security, with more than $10.3 million to his ledger.

There was a time when there was not a lot of movement as to where the leading sire stood. Prior to 1974 mighty Claiborne Farm had stood the leading sire for 15 consecutive years (1955-69). After breakthrough years by Hail to Reason (1970) and Northern Dancer (1971), Claiborne reclaimed its hold as the home of the leading sire with Round Table (1972) and Bold Ruler (1973).

Former BloodHorse editor Edward L. Bowen pointed that out to us last week upon hearing of the death of Preston Madden at 85. It was Madden who stood the 1974 leading sire T. V. Lark at his familys Hamburg Place east of Lexington.

Madden, grandson of John E. Madden, a key figure in the Thoroughbred industry more than a century ago and the Wizard of the Turf, made his own way in the business. Taking the helm of his familys storied farm, Preston Madden is best remembered around Central Kentucky for a gregarious lifestyle and as the breeder of 1987 dual classic winner, 1988 Horse of the Year, and Americas Horse Alysheba. But long before that, he was known for heading the syndication of T. V. Lark and guiding the Cal-breds stud career.

Madden, looking to make his own splash in the industry, led a group in 1961 to purchase T. V. Lark (Indian HempMiss Larksfly, by Heelfly) for $600,000. Madden was in for a third while the other members read like a whos who of the sport: from Bruno Ferrari, to Nelson Bunker Hunt, to Mrs. Connie Ring, Mrs. P.A.B. Widener, and Albert Yank.

In November of that year, with John Longden up, T. V. Lark defeated Kelso in the Washington, D.C., Internationalat the time the top turf race for older horses.

Madden, who marched to his own drum, toyed with the idea of shipping his star to South America to be the first North American horse to test Argentinas Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini but backed off sending his runner on an arduous journey to run in the nearly two-mile race.

Retired after 19 wins in 72 starts, T. V. Lark earned $902,194 and the honor as the all-time leading Cal-bred earner, supplanting Swaps. He had three added-money winners from 18 foals in his first crop, including Maddens seven-time stakes winner Pink Pigeon. T. V. Lark climbed the sire charts and finished second in 1972 and 1973 before his breakthrough in 1974. Grade 1 winner Quack and grade 2 winners Golden Don and Buffalo Lark were his stars that year.

Into the 1980s T. V. Larks pedigree ran through top sires Mickey McGuire (who stood at Hamburg) and Its Freezing, and T. V. Lark was the broodmare sire of three-time grade 1 winner and sire Bates Motel. T. V. Lark is also the broodmare sire of Madden-bred (co-bred with his brother, Patrick Madden) Mairzy Doates, winner of the 1981 Japan Cup (G1).

Madden had many other successes in the horse business and in the development of part of his farm. Hamburg Place today is Lexingtons main shopping hub.

He was always a laid-back, cool character with a sharp, philosophical wit. He was one of those guys that everybody wanted to hang out with.

After Alysheba won the Kentucky Derby, Madden told BloodHorse magazine:

The horse business is not really as difficult as it seems. If you are willing to devote all your time and your physical and financial effectiveness to itand if you live long enoughyou may eventually get luckyas I have.


A day after the Gujarat High



Court declared state BJP minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama's election in 2017 as void, opposition Congress on Wednesday urged the Assembly Speaker to declare Dholka seat as vacant.

Chudasama had won from Dholka seat of Ahmedabad district by defeating Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod in 2017.

After the court's verdict, Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, in a letter sent on Wednesday, urged Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi to immediately declare the seat as vacant, especially when the high court had also refused to stay its order invalidating Chudasama's election.

"In view of the HC order, Dholka assembly seat of Gujarat is required to be declared vacant forthwith and without any delay and hence I have to request you to do so immediately. It may be noted that Gujarat High Court has declined to stay the order passed by it and hence it has become operational with immediate effect i.e from May 12," Dhanani said in his letter to Trivedi.

The high court had declared Chudasama's election in 2017 as void on grounds of malpractice and manipulation as alleged in a petition filed by Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod, who had challenged the BJP leader's victory from Dholka constituency by a margin of 327 votes in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls.

In his election petition, Rathod alleged that Chudasama indulged in "corrupt practice and breach of many of the mandatory instructions of the Election Commission, at various stages of the election process, more particularly at the time of counting of votes".

Chudasama currently holds the charge of the education, law and justice, legislative and parliamentary affairs, and some other departments in the Vijay Rupani government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Even by the standards of hyperbole set by the administration of President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Michael Pompeos contention that the U.S. is Leading the World Against Irans Threats is a doozy. That chest-thumper is the title of a statement issued on the second anniversary of the American withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. As an accounting of the administrations strategy to contain the Islamic Republic since then, the statement completely disregards the cost to relations with U.S. allies.

There is no gainsaying the claim that Trumps tough economic sanctions have prevented Iran from funding and equipping terrorists with many billions of dollars. The region would have been even more unstable if the regime in Tehran was unhindered by the sanctions. The recent belligerence by Iran and its proxies can be attributed to their growing frustration at being shackled. So, the contention that the Middle East is more peaceful than if we had stayed [in the deal] just about passes muster.

But Pompeo can hardly boast of leading the world against the Iran when few other nations are inclined to follow. That the U.S. finds itself standing all but alone against a blood-soaked regime, a menace to its neighbors and a threat to the world, must rank as one of the administrationsand the secretarysgreatest failures.

Two years after Trumps withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, none of the other signatoriesChina, Russia, Germany, France, Britain and the European Unionshas joined the American maximum-pressure campaign against Iran. On the contrary, they maintain the fiction that the deal is alive, even though the regime in Tehran is now in breach of its restrictions on uranium enrichment.

Worse, Pompeo cant count on their support for his next task: making sure the Iranians dont get their hands on sophisticated new weapons systems. The other JCPOA signatories are resisting the Trump administrations plan to extend a United Nations embargo on arms sales to Iran, which is due to expire this fall, by triggering a snapback of pre-deal UN sanctions.

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Perhaps the other signatories lingering resentment over the peremptory manner in which Trump treated them was inevitable. The president, plainly obsessed with dismantling the legacy of his predecessor, tore up the deal with scant consideration for their objections.

Could it have been otherwise? Some critics of Trumps Iran policy have argued that the U.S. should have stayed in the JCPOA and sought new negotiations with Iran over its other malign activities. The Europeansespecially Frances President Emmanuel Macronwere working on a proposal along those lines. But having already secured the sanctions relief they wanted for signing the nuclear deal, the Iranians would have been unlikely to accept any post-hoc terms, and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei explicitly ruled out any other deals.

The other option was for Trump to ramp up economic sanctions against Iran for its other malign activitiesin effect imposing the near-total blockade that now existswhile keeping the U.S. in the JCPOA. This probably would have angered the other signatories just as much as the unilateral American withdrawal: The Europeans, in particular, would have lost trade and investment opportunities potentially worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Arguably, then, the U.S. was never going to get the other signatories to buy into its pressure campaign against Iran. But Pompeo has also failed to get much traction outside that select group.

There isnt a great deal of sympathy for the American argument in the world outside the Middle East. Even within the region, ambivalence abounds. None of the countries that share a land border with Iran would, if asked, endorse the sanctions campaign. Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, three of the six Arab states on the other side of the Persian Gulf, maintain cautious-to-cordial relations with Tehran.

The Trump administrations inability to build a substantial following behind its Iran strategy has, until now, mattered little: The brute force of American sanctions has overpowered any objections from other quarters. This level of power has allowed the U.S. to dispense with even an effort to build a substantial coalition.

Yet as a result, Pompeo will be fighting solo at the UN Security Council to extend the arms embargo on Iran. He cant even count on diplomatic support from all the countries that would be most endangered if Tehran acquires new weapons systems. You would expect Arab governments to loudly and forcefully lobby for the embargo to remain. But, even allowing for some distraction because of the coronavirus epidemic, they have expressed little concernmuch less endorsed the American effort to have it extended. Only Israel, which has little leverage of its own in the UN, has issued a full-throated call for an extension.

Again, the Trump administration may be able to deploy a combination of sanctions threats and the American veto in the Security Council to keep Iran shackled. If the embargo ends, the threat of tough penalties might prevent arms makers from doing business with Tehran.

This is sure to antagonize the other powers further, and do little to rally international support for the confrontation with Iran. Whatever else it might achieve, the U.S. will not be leading the world.

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

Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world.

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

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Why Rouhani Suddenly Fired His Minister Of Industry And Trade

Radio Farda May 12, 2020

President Hassan Rouhani fired his Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade Reza Rahmani on Monday May 11 without offering any explanation about his abrupt decision.

Nearly all Iranian news agencies and daily newspapers covered the event and came up with various hypotheses about why Rouhani chose to fire one of his economic ministers about one year before his term of office as President and in the middle of an economic crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 epidemic.

It was said during a debate at the Iranian Parliament, Majles, on Tuesday that the 54-year-old Rahmani fell victim to his failure in controlling the vehicle market in Iran.

This could be a valid hypothesis as the rise in the price of Pride, a sub-standard car copied from an outdated South Korean model, rose from around 400 million rials in February to nearly one billion rials in May. In the meantime, many analysts in and out of Iran mentioned this as an example of a total failure of the Iranian economy under president Rouhani.

Meanwhile, the press reported the mishandling of the market for the car as they suspected the ministry has been manipulating the website that sold the car to both end users and investors.

In a letter which has been circulating on social media since Rahmani's dismissal, he told Rouhani that presidential Chief of Staff Mahmud Vaezi had threatened him that he should resign if he cannot convince the Iranian Parliament to agree to establishing a Trade Ministry in order to make the burden on Rahmani's shoulder lighter and to make the Rouhani administration agile.

He said in the letter that Vaezi had told him to take advantage of his ethnic Azeri background to influence the Azeri MPs at the Majles. However, Vaezi's office denied the accusation and said it had played no part in the firing of Rahmani but threatened that the office might reveal the role three of the people close to Rahmani played in dealings with the Majles, although it did not elaborate.

Rouhani himself did not say a word about the dismissal and simply appointed a caretaker for the Ministry, Hossein Modarres Khiabani, a former Deputy Minister who specializes in trade but has no background in industry or mining. This strengthens the possibility that Rouhani was not happy with Rahmani's performance in the area of trade.

Rahmani was seriously criticized by officials and the media in March for his failure to supply personal protection equipment including face masks to Iran's medical staff facing serious shortages. He was also harshly criticized for exporting millions of face mask to China while his own country was in dire need.

Nevertheless, there is another possible reason the press has ignored. Rahmani was fired within minutes of coming out of a meeting with the powerful head of Iran's Judiciary, Ebrahim Raeesi (Raisi), who has been Rouhani's political rival since the 2017 Presidential elections.

Rouhani may have been enraged by the meeting particularly if he did not know about it beforehand.

After the meeting with Rahmani, Raeesi told the press on Monday that he issued orders to sort out misappropriations in the area of trade. Raeesi spoke with the demeanour of a president and an executive, issuing several economic orders.

In one of the latest developments about the dismissal, former Culture Minister Ali Jannati, the son of the Guardian Council Secretary Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, wrote in a tweet that Rahmani's colleagues at the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade were not happy about his performance.

Jannati, a close ally of Rouhani, supported Rahmani's dismissal and said the measure was "right but was taken too late." Jannati further accused Rahmani of "incompetence and weakness in management" and "lobbying with MPs against national interests," but did not elaborate further.

He suggested that "those who criticize Rouhani for the dismissal should talk to the ministry's senior managers to find out about Rahmani's incompetence and grafting." Considering Jannati's shared political affiliation and long-term ties with Rouhani, this could be , by far, the closest thing to Rouhani's reason for firing his Industry, Mining and Trade Minister, if he ever choses to talk about the matter.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/why- rouhani-suddenly-fired-his-minister-of- industry-and-trade/30608160.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






The frontline workers are the ones who are risking their lives right now to keep us safe. While we are sitting at home and are only concerned about how to not get bored, these people are unsure of their safety every day and still, continue to help fellow citizens.



And it goes without saying that these people deserve all the respect and appreciation in the world.

Recently, Mumbai Police took to social media to share a video that shows three cops of the department returning home after recovering from Coronavirus.

 BCCL

The video showcases lots of people gathered around them and welcoming them with cheers and applause.



Mumbai Police shared the video along with a caption saying, A Heros Welcome! And why not? After all, 3 members of the Mumbai Police family returned home, having successfully beaten Coronavirus.

Checkout the video here-

In the video, you can see officials entering the premises with folded hands and as they start walking, people around them shower them with flower petals. They are also seen cheering and clapping for the cops.

 BCCL

The video has garnered over 13,000 views and more than 1100 likes on Instagram so far, and it surely deserves more love and people are flooding the post with a lot of comments as well.



Heres what people have to say about this video-

Great to watch our hero come back after recovering from covid 19

Proud to be a mumbaikar  Ansari faisal Faraz (@AnsarifaisalFa2) May 12, 2020

Take care Mumbai police  Sneha N (@SnehaNa13439620) May 12, 2020

THANK YOU FOR BEING SELFLESS IN SERVICE! NAMAN  Nalinii Rathnam (@nalinirathnam) May 12, 2020

May God Bless U All With Long Healthy Life

We R Proud Of Mumbai Police  Raj Bijlani (@RajBijlani5) May 12, 2020

Congratulations for all the three family of the mumbai police God bless you all  sazid (@sajidsh22070021) May 12, 2020

The Mumbai Police have been playing a paramount role in informing and educating the people about the importance of social distancing and staying indoors. While they are looking out for us, their lives are on the line and it's something we must appreciate.

The number of positive cases in Maharashtra right now is around 24,427 and over 920 deaths have been reported, so far. All we can do is to stay indoors and be kind to each other and fight this deadly virus together.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Returnees from other states and abroad have turned to be the new triggering factor as the Covid-19 active cases in the state touched 32 on Tuesday. Briefing the media persons on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that of the total active cases, 23 got infected from outside the state and of this 11 were foreign returnees.

On Tuesday, five cases were reported - Malappuram (three) and one each from Pathanamthitta and Kottayam. Of the five cases, three were returnees from Kuwait, one from Abu Dhabi and the other from Chennai. No person recovered from the illness and no hotspot area was declared on the day.

Upon analysis, it has been found that the returnees, as well as their family members, should adhere to the advisories and precautions to keep infection at bay. Of the 32 cases, nine contracted the virus because of contact transmission. Getting infected because of close contact is a serious affair. Due to this, six got infected at Wayanad and three others contracted the virus from Gulf returnees, said the CM. Highlighting another aspect, the CM said that of the total cases reported till now in the state, 70 per cent had come from outside the state and 30 per cent contracted the virus from them.

State heading to a new phase

Earlier, the CM said that with the inflow of returnees from other states and abroad, the state is heading to a new phase and in it, the priority will be to protect the returnees and their family members from infection and more importantly to prevent community transmission.

State seeks special flight for pregnant women

TPuram: The state government has requested Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to operate a special aircraft to bring in pregnant women, children and aged people from Gulf countries. There are several pregnant women stranded in Gulf countries and they should be given special consideration, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Soon, guidelines on sale of facemasks

The state government will soon bring out guidelines on the sale of facemasks. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said people have generally followed the government directive to wear masks while venturing out. However, a few still move around without masks. The police will take strict action against such erring individuals. Welcoming the increasing sale of masks, the CM, however, said sale of masks along roadsides will not be allowed. He also said masks cannot be tried on before buying.
Changes to areas deemed hotspots under COVID-19 border controls will now mean those entering Queensland from three Victorian council areas without a valid reason will be directed into quarantine.

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The local government areas of Wyndham City, Moorabool Shire and Melton City have been added to the restricted travel list by chief health officer Jeannette Young, with all previous NSW hotspots removed.

Recent clusters in Victoria have emerged at an abattoir and McDonalds restaurant, with 88 cases now traced back to Brooklyns Cedar Meats.

Those entering Queensland from either of the three local government areas who are not exempt from the border restrictions will have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

The change comes as the national definition of a hotspot was changed to a local government area with 10 or more cases diagnosed in the previous two weeks.

Regions are removed from the hotspot lists after they have recorded no new cases for a month, or two successive incubation periods of the virus.

Interstate travel has been flagged for a return from July 10 under Queenslands timeline for easing restrictions, subject to further planning and review.
Tilray, Inc. TLRY is scheduled to report first-quarter 2020 results on May 11, after market close.

In the last reported quarter, the company missed earnings expectations by 82.3%. The company, which went public in July 2018, has a disappointing track record.

Tilray missed earnings estimates in the last four quarters, the average negative surprise being 50.47%.

Let us see how things have shaped up prior to this announcement.

Factors at Play

Tilray produces medical cannabis in Canada and Europe. Revenues increased significantly year over year in the last reported quarter on the Canadian adult-use market, the Manitoba Harvest acquisition and growth in international medical markets. This trend is expected to have continued in the to-be-reported quarter.

Notably, Tilray acquired Manitoba Harvest  a hemp and natural foods producer in Winnipeg, Manitoba  in 2019. The company now has hemp products available in more than 17,000 retail doors and 20 countries around the world. This is likely to have spurred demand for the companys products in the first quarter.

Total cannabis kilogram equivalents sold increased more than seven-fold in the last reported quarter due to a shift in product and channel mix and the same has most likely benefited the company in the first quarter.

However, an increase in operating expenses related to growth initiatives, expansion of international teams, and the addition of Manitoba Harvest and Natura Naturals businesses might have adversely impacted the gross margin.

Apart from the top and bottom-line numbers, investors will focus on the companys collaboration deals to expand the global footprint.

In December, the company announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Tilray Portugal, UnipessoalLda, received the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification in accordance with the European Union standards, for the Cantanhede, Portugal-based manufacturing facility. This is the second GMP certification for Tilray Portugal, which allows the facility to manufacture and export GMP-certified finished medical cannabis products, including dried flowers and oils, from Portugal to international markets with legal medical cannabis regulations.

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Moreover, investors will be keen to know if the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the companys business.

Earnings Whispers

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Tilray this time around. 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. Unfortunately, that is not the case here, as you will see below. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Earnings ESP: Earnings ESP for Tilray is 0.00%.

Zacks Rank: The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 3.

Share Price Performance

Tilrays stock has depreciated 54.1% in the year so far compared with the industrys decline of 11.8%.

Stocks to Consider

Here are a few stocks you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.

Sage Therapeutics SAGE has an Earnings ESP of +1.67% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals ALXN has an Earnings ESP of +1.08% and a Zacks Rank #2.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ALNY has an Earnings ESP of +4.44% and a Zacks Rank #3.

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Zacks Investment Research
(Newser)  Turns out you're not the only one desperate to break out of your home environment these days. A peacock named Snowbank fled Boston's Franklin Park Zoo, and was wooed back in a most unusual way. Zoo New England, which has the Franklin Park Zoo under its umbrella, says the zoo's peacocks wander about in a "free-roaming" manner. Zoo officials told the Boston Globe that Snowbank typically takes to a tree at night, and "this morning, instead of flying down onto zoo grounds, he flew outside of the gate, where he began his adventure."

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They speculate the animal was looking for a female to mate with, as it's currently mating season. An officer in the Roxbury section of the city capitalized upon that fact: A Boston Police Department post explains what happened next: "An officer on scene relied on his quick wit to track down a peacock mating call on his cellphone, successfully luring the bird into a fenced-in yard where he waited patiently for the arrival of Boston Animal Control." The New York Times describes such a call as "reminiscent of the squawking sound of party noisemakers." (Read more peacock stories.)
A first step in its international expansion strategy

MONTREAL, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- New York-based Fintech Company, TheGuarantors , is expanding its international footprint and opening its first office outside of its New York headquarters. The newly created venture, Guarantors Technology Service Inc, will be dedicated to engineering, software development, and the expansion of the organization's tech capabilities. TheGuarantors, a leader in finding innovative ways to solve risk in leasing, combining its expertise in real estate, risk, and technology, specifically sought out the deep technical talent in Montreal when building its growth strategy. The Montreal subsidiary will focus on building the next generation systems that will drive new product development and power the company's growth.

Founded in 2015, TheGuarantors is making significant investments in technology to serve its customers in new and better ways, and will seek to more than double the engineering team over the next two years. "I'm excited about what this expansion means for TheGuarantors," said Sean O'Donoghue, Chief Operating Officer. "Building a team in Montreal gives us the opportunity to tap into the incredible talent the city has to offer, to introduce our program and products to a new market, and allows us to continue to work cross-functionally as a growing team."

Backed by White Star Capital and several other prominent investors from Europe and the U.S., TheGuarantors is excited to continue expanding its footprint with this new team. The company is unique in its fintech approach to the real estate industry, an area not traditionally known for innovation or technology leadership. Its vision is to be the "go-to" most trusted brand for insurance products and financial solutions throughout the real estate industry, helping landlords lease and renters rent with peace of mind. TheGuarantors believes that a data-driven approach to underwriting combined with a digital, seamless customer experience, can transform the financial relationships that landlords have with their customers.

TheGuarantors have partnered with Investissement Quebec and Montreal International to speed its Canadian expansion and leverage the strong network offered by both groups, who are leaders in helping international companies grow to Montreal.

"Greater Montreal's financial technology sector is still going strong and will certainly have a key role in our economy in the next few years," said Stephane Paquet, President and CEO of Montreal International. "The expertise of Greater Montreal's talent pool has played an undeniable role in TheGuarantors' decision to choose the area for its first international expansion. We're very proud that this innovative company selected our region to expand its activities."

"As the Quebec economy gradually reopens, Investissement Quebec is delighted to see that Montreal's appeal for innovative businesses is holding strong," said Hubert Bolduc, President of Investissement Quebec International. "We welcome the decision by New York-based TheGuarantors to open an office here, a move that will help turn the spotlight on our world-class talent and vibrant ecosystem while simultaneously taking advantage of our welcoming fiscal framework. The company's expansion is a breath of fresh air for the FinTech sector, and we are pleased to be a part of the industry's consolidation."

The company is actively hiring in Montreal, with all open positions listed on its website.

About TheGuarantors ( www.theguarantors.com )

TheGuarantors is a fintech company that offers innovative risk and financial solutions for the real estate ecosystem. The company was founded in 2015 by Julien Bonneville, a Frenchman who once found himself unable to qualify for a New York apartment without a guarantor. With a focus on data and industry expertise, TheGuarantors has helped qualify an increasingly large pool of applicants by taking risk out of the leasing process in innovative and efficient ways. While Guaranti solves for risk on the multifamily side, Securiti is bringing commercial landlords and tenants closer together by making the security package cheaper and easier to buy.

About Montreal International ( www.montrealinternational.com )

Montreal International is a non-profit organization funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Quebec, the Communaute metropolitaine de Montreal and the City of Montreal. Its mandate is to attract and retain foreign investment (companies and startups), international organizations, skilled workers and international students to Greater Montreal by providing support services tailored to their needs.

About Investissement Quebec ( www.investquebec.com/quebec )

Investissement Quebec's mission is to play an active role in Quebec's economic development by spurring business innovation, entrepreneurship and business acquisitions, as well as growth in investment and exports. Operating in all the province's administrative regions, the Corporation supports the creation and growth of businesses of all sizes with investments and customized financial solutions. It also assists businesses by providing consulting services and other support measures, including technological assistance available from its CRIQ business unit. In addition, through Investissement Quebec International, the Corporation also prospects for foreign investment and assists businesses with export activities.

SOURCE TheGuarantors

Related Links

http://www.theguarantors.com


A school in France is cleaned before pupils return (Picture: Getty)

Reopening schools could allow children to become vectors for spreading coronavirus, a top government scientist has admitted.

Osama Rahman, chief scientific adviser to the Department for Education, said there is low confidence among scientists on Sage, the expert group advising the government on coronavirus, that children spread the virus any less than adults.

Rahman was questioned by MPs on the impact of the governments plan to partly reopen schools as early as June.

He said: Theres no evidence to suggest that children transmit the virus any more than adults.

There are some studies that suggest they might transmit less than adults, but this evidence is mixed.

It's quite early and so there is a low degree of confidence amongst Sage in the evidence that they might transmit it less.

Read more: Boris Johnson says Britons' 'common sense is shining through'

SNP MP Carol Monaghan was one of the politicians who got to ask a question.

SNP MP Carol Monaghan asked: So since theres a low degree of confidence, we are potentially putting together hundreds of potential vectors who can then go and transmit, is that correct?

Rahman replied: Possibly, depending on school sizes.

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Rahman also said the Department for Education has not made any assessment on whether the advice for schools to reduce the spread of the virus, published on Monday, can be effectively implemented.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who quizzed the scientific adviser on whether the guidance can be implemented, said his answer will not give confidence to teachers or parents.

On the @CommonsSTC, I just asked the Department for Education's Chief Scientific Adviser what assessment he's made of implementing the Government's guidance on reopening schools.



He replied that he hasn't made an assessment.



This will not give confidence to teachers or parents.  Zarah Sultana MP #JoinAUnion (@zarahsultana) May 13, 2020

Boris Johnson plans to reopen schools in a phased manner as early as 1 June as part of his plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown.

Story continues

All teachers and pupils will be able to be tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms when they return to schools, the education secretary has said.

Gavin Williamson said this would enable a track-and-trace approach to be taken with any confirmed cases, as schools plan to begin a phased reopening from 1 June.

He added based on the medical and scientific advice, the reintroduction of classroom teaching next month was the right thing to do and the only reasonable thing to do.

Read more: Unions threaten to stop trains if services become too busy

Williamson also confirmed he was looking very closely at proposals for summer school catch-up tuition, following concerns that vulnerable children were not receiving the education they needed during lockdown.

Answering an urgent question in the Commons from the Lib Dems Layla Moran, Williamson said: On Monday my department published initial guidance for settings on how to begin to prepare and well work with the sector leaders to develop this further in the coming weeks.

This guidance sets out protective measures to minimise the risk of infection, including restricting class sizes and limiting mixing between groups.

Crucially, all children and staff will have access to testing if they develop symptoms of coronavirus.

Rebecca Long Bailey, Labours shadow education secretary, said: Labour shares concerns that the inequalities that already exist will widen while schools are closed, and returning to school when it is safe to do so is a priority for the sake of pupils' education and wellbeing.

But there are serious problems with the proposed plan to reopen schools on 1 June, which have been raised by parents, school leaders, teaching staff and trade unions.

Labour urges the government to urgently work collaboratively with trade unions to create clear conditions, based on the tests they have set out, so that every school can implement them to ensure a safe return. Schools should only reopen when those safety conditions have been met.

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The report also estimates that 8.4 million of those who have lost their jobs and could lose their health insurance would be eligible for federal subsidies to help them pay for an ACA marketplace plan. Although the ACA open enrollment period ended late last year, people who become uninsured because of losing their jobs are eligible for a special enrollment period that will allow them to apply for an ACA plan.



KFF also estimates that 12.7 million people who now could be without insurance would be eligible for Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for low-income Americans. Some out-of-work workers may be able to continue on their employer's plan through COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), although premiums for those plans are very expensive, ranging from an average of $7,188 a year for a single person to $20,576 for a family of four, the report says. Also available are short-term insurance plans that typically carry lower premiums than the ACA or COBRA, but that also provide much more limited benefits and often deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions.

'Tremendously disruptive'

Even with all these options, Levitt says there could be nearly 6 million people who will be losing their employer health insurance and become uninsured because they don't qualify for Medicaid or an ACA subsidy and still cannot afford COBRA or an ACA policy without federal assistance.

"This is tremendously disruptive for people, especially in the middle of this pandemic, Levitt says. Even for people who can transition to an ACA plan or Medicaid or a health plan through their spouse or parent, it also means that they will likely have a different insurer and could have to change doctors and other medical providers, he adds.
It's a frustrating limitation of 3D printing: Printed objects must be smaller than the machine making them. Huge machines are impractical for printing large parts because they take up too much space and require excessive time to print. Now, a new material reported in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces can be used to 3D print small objects that expand upon heating. The foam could find applications in architecture, aerospace and biomedicine. Watch a video here.

One type of 3D printing, stereolithography, creates objects by exposing sequential layers of light-sensitive resins to patterns of light, which cure the polymer into the desired shape. Large objects can be created with specialized stereolithography machines, but they are usually made by fastening smaller 3D-printed components together. David Wirth, Jonathan Pokorski and colleagues at the University of California, San Diego wanted to develop an expandable resin that could be used to print large objects with an inexpensive, commercially available 3D printer.

The researchers tested many different resin formulations to find one that allowed them to print an object that, when exposed to heat, expanded to a larger size. They used the formulation to 3D print a hollow, latticed sphere. Heating the sphere in an oven caused a volatile component of the resin to bubble out as a gas. This created a porous, polystyrene foam-like material that was up to 40 times larger in volume than the original printed object. With this method, the team also 3D printed many other shapes, including a boat, which could carry about 20 times more weight at its expanded size, and a wind turbine that could produce a small amount of electricity at its larger size. Although the new material isn't as strong as polystyrene foam, it could someday be used for cushioning, airfoils, buoyancy aids or even expandable habitats for astronauts, the researchers say.

###

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Science Foundation and the ENLACE program at the University of California San Diego.

The abstract that accompanies this paper can be viewed here.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS' mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. The Society is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a specialist in scientific information solutions (including SciFinder and STN), its CAS division powers global research, discovery and innovation. ACS' main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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CONFERENCE CALL MAY 14, 2020 AT 10:30 AM (EDT)

(All figures reported in USD)

Adjusted EBITDA of $16.1 million in Q1 2020 increased from $12.0 million in Q1 2019

Operating cash flows before movements in working capital of $15.7 million in Q1 2020 increased from $11.8 million in Q1 2019

Revenue from metals payable of $55.6 million in Q1 2020 increased from $49.2 million in Q1 2019 as higher throughput was partially offset by lower realized metal prices

Q1 2020 consolidated production includes 11.8 million pounds of copper, a 52% increase; 0.9 million ounces of silver, a 37% increase; 21.6 million pounds of zinc, a 32% increase; 9.1 million pounds of lead, a 31% increase; and 3,657 ounces of gold, an 84% increase respectively, compared to Q1 2019

Copper represents 40% of Sierra Metals' revenue in Q1 2020; the Company is trending towards copper as our main product as a percentage of revenue and as a percentage of Net Smelter Returns; silver and zinc each represent 20% of revenues

Record quarterly throughput at the Bolivar Mine in Mexico

Mexico has deemed mining an essential service on May 13, 2020, effective May 18, 2020, allowing for the normalization of mining operations

$36.9 million of cash and cash equivalents as at March 31, 2020

Shareholder conference call to be held Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 10:30 AM (EDT)

Sierra Metals Inc. (TSX: SMT) (BVL: SMT) (NYSE AMERICAN: SMTS) ("Sierra Metals" or "the Company") today reported revenue of $55.6 million and adjusted EBITDA of $16.1 million on the throughput of 740,698 tonnes and metal production of 31.2 million copper equivalent pounds or 4.8 million silver equivalent ounces, or 84.5 million zinc equivalent pounds for the three month period ended March 31, 2020.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005728/en/

Yauricocha Mine, Peru (Photo: Business Wire)

Despite the decline in metal prices, the Company has continued to be successful in maintaining positive operating cash flow generation from its existing operations in order to fund required capital expenditures and maintain liquidity.

The Yauricocha Mine achieved 22% higher throughput in Q1 2020 compared to Q1 2019, despite 15 days lost production realized in March due to the COVID-19 related state of emergency announced by the Peruvian Government. Continuing its strong operational performance during Q1 2020, the Mine realized a 30% increase in copper equivalent production or a 52% increase in zinc equivalent metal production compared to Q1 2019. Cash costs per copper equivalent payable pound decreased 7%, whereas cash costs per zinc equivalent payable pound decreased by 20%. AISC per copper equivalent payable pound increased by 13%, whereas AISC per zinc equivalent payable pound decreased by 4% as compared to Q1 2019.

The Company achieved record quarterly throughput from the Bolivar Mine, continuing the successful production increases realized quarter over quarter during 2019. The Bolivar Mine processed a record 377,562 tonnes in Q1 2020, representing a 43% increase over Q1 2019. The increase in throughput combined with higher grades and higher recoveries, except for a 6% decrease in gold recoveries, resulted in an 80% increase in copper equivalent pounds produced during Q1 2020 as compared to Q1 2019. Cash costs and AISC per copper equivalent payable pound decreased by 44% and 48%, respectively, as compared to Q1 2019.

The Cusi Mine achieved 9% higher throughput and produced 28% higher silver equivalent production as compared to Q1 2019.

Consolidated production of silver increased 37% to 0.9 million ounces, copper increased 52% to 11.8 million pounds, lead increased 31% to 9.1 million pounds, zinc increased 32% to 21.6 million pounds, and gold increased 84% to 3,657 ounces compared to Q1 2019.

Due to the government-imposed lockdown announced on March 31, 2020, the Cusi mine was placed under care and maintenance. Consequently, the anticipated NI 43-101 is expected to be delayed.

Igor Gonzales, President, and CEO of Sierra Metals stated: "I am proud of the achievements the Company and its respective Mine teams have had in the first quarter. Including excellent production results at the Bolivar Mine, where we continue to ramp up production towards the 5,000 tpd level and realize much lower costs. Additionally, we had a good quarter at Yauricocha, where even though we had a loss of 15 days production due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still had solid production. Thanks in part to running the mill at higher throughput levels, until the state of emergency was declared in Q1. Additionally, the Mine had a large stockpile of ore, which we were able to continue processing during the work stoppage with a smaller workforce. The strong production throughput resulted in lower costs again this quarter at Yauricocha, and we reported respectable revenues and adjusted EBITDA, despite a challenging metal price environment and high treatment and refining costs for zinc. Finally, Cusi had challenging quarter as the mine caught-up on mine development. In 2019, Cusi had a ground subsidence event that required the mine to leave a 16-meter pillar in a high-grade zone with completed mine development. This pillar sterilized this zone and required Cusi to invest in additional mine development to reach deeper high-grade mineralization at Santa Rosa de Lima.

"Looking ahead, we face several uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including implications to production from the work stoppages and the effect of lower metals prices. While Mexico has now deemed mining an essential service effective May 18, 2020, we will start to ramp up at Bolivar where we had been maintaining an essential services crew. At Yauricocha, we continue to maintain an essential services crew and expect to ramp-up back to normal levels as quickly and efficiently as possible once the Government mandated suspensions are lifted. We do have the flexibility at Yauricocha to run the operations at higher throughput levels, which will help us to recover some of the lost production and we also have some flexibility also at Bolivar. Additionally, we continue to be optimistic that we will still receive the required permits to increase output at Yauricocha to the 3,600 tpd level this year, even though permitting in Peru was placed on hold by the Government during the state of emergency. We expect we will continue to ramp up Bolivar to the 5,000 tpd level by year-end and start a Preliminary Economic Assessment to determine further production increases past the 5,000 tpd level based on the recently reported significant mineral resource increase at Bolivar. At Cusi, the Mine remains in care and maintenance for now and management continues to evaluate the best path forward for Cusi to complete needed development and to reach throughput targets."

He continued, "Sierra Metals' balance sheet remains strong with the liquidity needed to meet our operational and growth expenditure requirements. The Company is on-track for further growth in 2020 and beyond and still has many robust production and mineral resource growth opportunities. While we may be preserving cash and protecting the balance sheet during these unknown times, once things return to a more normal state, we will again make prudent investments to improve our existing assets and develop new opportunities."

The following table displays selected financial and operational information for the three months ended March 31, 2020:

Three Months Ended (In thousands of dollars, except per share and cash cost amounts, consolidated figures unless noted otherwise) March 31, 2020 March 31, 2019 Operating Ore Processed Tonnes Milled 740,698 568,401 Silver Ounces Produced (000's) 948 691 Copper Pounds Produced (000's) 11,775 7,732 Lead Pounds Produced (000's) 9,079 6,954 Zinc Pounds Produced (000's) 21,646 16,421 Gold Ounces Produced 3,657 1,986 Copper Equivalent Pounds Produced (000's)1 31,170 21,767 Zinc Equivalent Pounds Produced (000's)1 84,467 50,562 Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced (000's)1 4,751 3,988 Cash Cost per Tonne Processed 46.73 51.77 Cost of sales per AgEqOz 11.24 8.48 Cash Cost per AgEqOz2 8.43 8.30 AISC per AgEqOz2 14.71 13.71 Cost of sales per CuEqLb2 1.72 1.55 Cash Cost per CuEqLb2 1.29 1.52 AISC per CuEqLb2 2.25 2.51 Cost of sales per ZnEqLb2 0.63 0.67 Cash Cost per ZnEqLb2 0.47 0.66 AISC per ZnEqLb2 0.83 1.08 Cash Cost per ZnEqLb (Yauricocha)2 0.43 0.54 AISC per ZnEqLb (Yauricocha)2 0.82 0.85 Cash Cost per CuEqLb (Bolivar)2 1.15 2.04 AISC per CuEqLb (Bolivar)2 1.85 3.59 Cash Cost per AgEqOz (Cusi)2 22.62 16.53 AISC per AgEqOz (Cusi)2 30.00 30.57 Financial Revenues 55,558 49,180 Adjusted EBITDA2 16,074 12,041 Operating cash flows before movements in working capital 15,710 11,804 Adjusted net income (loss) attributable to shareholders2 1,210 886 Net (loss) attributable to shareholders (1,869 (1,724 Cash and cash equivalents 36,915 23,937 Working capital 49,193 (19,795 (1) Silver equivalent ounces and copper and zinc equivalent pounds for Q1 2020 were calculated using the following realized prices: $16.57/oz Ag, $2.53/lb Cu, $0.93/lb Zn, $0.80/lb Pb, $1,585/oz Au. Silver equivalent ounces and copper and zinc equivalent pounds for Q1 2019 were calculated using the following realized prices: $15.57/oz Ag, $2.85/lb Cu, $1.23/lb Zn, $0.94/lb Pb, $1,305/oz Au. (2) This is a non-IFRS performance measure, see Non-IFRS Performance Measures section of the MD&A.

The following table displays average realized metal prices information for the three months ended March 31, 2020, vs March 31, 2019:

Average realized prices (in US$) increase/ (decrease) Q1 2020 Q1 2019 Zinc $/lb 0.93 1.23 (24%) Lead $/lb 0.80 0.94 (15%) Copper $/lb 2.53 2.85 (11%) Silver $/oz 16.57 15.57 6% Gold $/oz 1,585 1,305 21%

Q1 2020 Financial Highlights

Revenue from metals payable of $55.6 million in Q1 2020 increased by 13% from $49.2 million in Q1 2019. The increase in revenues was largely due to higher mill throughput and grades at all sites as compared to the same quarter last year. Revenues were negatively impacted though by the lower realized base-metal prices and a 92% increase in the treatment and refining costs for all metals.

Yauricocha's cash cost per zinc equivalent payable pound was $0.43 (Q1 2019 $0.54), and AISC per zinc equivalent payable pound of $0.82 (Q1 2019 $0.85). AISC per zinc equivalent payable pound for Q1 2020 decreased as compared to Q1 2019, as the 46% increase in zinc equivalent pounds sold more than offset the impact of the increase in treatment and refining charges and higher sustaining capital costs.

The Yauricocha Mine is trending towards copper as our main product as a percentage of revenue and, as a percentage of Net Smelter Royalty. As such, we are also reporting copper figures in addition to zinc in this press release. Yauricocha's cash cost per copper equivalent payable pound was $1.17 (Q1 2019 $1.26), and AISC per copper equivalent payable pound of $2.24 (Q1 2019 $1.97). AISC per copper equivalent payable pound for Q1 2020 increased as compared to Q1 2019, as the 24% increase in copper equivalent pounds sold could not offset the impact the higher treatment and refining charges and higher sustaining capital costs.

Bolivar's cash cost per copper equivalent payable pound was $1.15 (Q1 2019 $2.04), and AISC per copper equivalent payable pound was $1.85 (Q1 2019 $3.59) for Q1 2020 as compared to Q1 2019. The decrease in unit costs at Bolivar was driven by the 43% increase in mill throughput and higher grades, resulting in higher metal production and sales. AISC per copper equivalent payable pound during Q1 2020 decreased largely due to the combined impact of 78% higher copper equivalent pounds sold and 70% lower sustaining capital.

Cusi's cash cost per silver equivalent payable ounce was $22.62 (Q1 2019 $16.53), and AISC per silver equivalent payable ounce was $30.00 (Q1 2019 $30.57) for Q1 2020 as compared to Q1 2019. Operating costs were higher at Cusi due to development costs resulting from the subsidence activity in 2019 and due to the write-off of stockpiles and concentrate inventory at quarter-end.

Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $16.1 million for Q1 2020 increased compared to $12.0 million in Q1 2019. The increase in adjusted EBITDA in Q1 2020 resulted from higher revenues and lower operating costs per tonne at the Yauricocha and Bolivar mine.

Cash flow generated from operations before movements in working capital of $15.7 million for Q1 2020 increased compared to $11.8 million in Q1 2019. The increase in operating cash flow is mainly the result of higher consolidated revenues generated and higher gross margins realized at Bolivar.

Net income (loss) attributable to shareholders for Q1 2020 was $(1.9) million (Q1 2019: $(1.7) million) or $(0.01) per share (basic and diluted) (Q1 2019: $(0.01).

Adjusted net income attributable to shareholders (1) of $1.2 million, or $0.01 per share, for Q1 2020 as compared to the adjusted net income of $0.9 million, or $0.01 per share for Q1 2019.

Cash and cash equivalents of $36.9 million and working capital of $49.2 million as at March 31, 2020 compared to $43.0 million and $49.9 million, respectively, at the end of 2019. Cash and cash equivalents have decreased by $6.1 million during Q1 2020 due to $11.3 million of capital expenditures and interest payment of $1.3 million partially offset by $6.5 million of operating cash flows after working capital adjustments and taxes.

(1) This is a non-IFRS performance measure, see Non-IFRS Performance Measures section of the MD&A.

Exploration Update

Peru:

During Q1 2020, the Company continued its diamond drilling surface exploration programs at Dona Leona and El Paso. At Dona Leona, 3 holes for a total of 2,015 meters and at El Paso, 4 holes for a total of 1,330 meters were drilled with the aim of exploring the anomalies of the geophysics performed in 2017 using Titan-24methodolgy. Additionally, drilling began at Victoria where one hole of 654 meters was drilled. Surface explorations programs were suspended in mid-March due to the COVID-19 related state of emergency imposed by the Peruvian Government.

Definition Drilling continued in the following areas in Q1 2020:

Esperanza (Level 1070 Central Mine Zone): 12 holes totaling 1,367 meters to provide more certainty to the resources existing on 16th and 8th floor of level 1120.

Esperanza North (Level 1070 Central Mine Zone): 9 holes totaling 946 meters to provide more certainty to the resources existing on 16th and 8th floor of level 1120.

Catas (1170 Level Central Mine Zone): 3 holes totaling 356 meters to provide greater certainty for the continuity of the orebody on the 16th floor of the 1170 level.

Cuye (1170 Level Central): 5 holes totaling 1,047 meters to provide more certainty to the resources existing below the 970 level of the Mine.

Rosaura (1070 Level Central): 1 hole totaling 84 meters to provide more certainty provide for the continuity of the orebody on the 16th floor of the 1120 level.

Karlita (970 Level Cachi Cachi Mine): 3 holes totaling 489 meters to provide more certainty to the resources existing below the 970 level of the Mine.

Escondida (970 Level Cachi Cachi Mine): 8 holes totaling 1,034 meters to confirm the continuity of mineralization of the orebody.

Mexico:

Bolivar

At Bolivar during Q1 2020, 8,048 meters were drilled from the surface as well as diamond drilling within the Mine. Surface exploration drilling included 4,046 meters drilled in the Bolivar West NW extension area and 1,746 meters in the "Gallo Inferior" ("La Montura" Area) encountering skarn intersections with mineralization. Additionally, infill drilling of 2,256 meters was completed in the Bolivar West zone.

Cusi

During Q1 2020 the Company completed 1,235 meters of infill drilling to support the development of the Santa Rosa de Lima vein. In addition, 937 meters of surface drilling was performed to test geophysical anomalies derived from the study of the Mexican Geological Survey to seek information on the reasons for the subsidence.

Covid-19 Update and Suspended Guidance

The Peruvian Government has extended its state of emergency lockdowns until May 24, 2020, however economic activities in the country can begin ramping up; this includes open-pit mining. The Company's management team is optimistic that underground mines will be granted permission to ramp up as well soon. Mexico extended its sanitation emergency lockdowns until May 30, 2020, however, the Mexican Government declared mining an essential service, effective May 18, 2020. With that, the Bolivar Mine will begin ramping up operations. Our primary goal is to facilitate a ramp up back to normal levels as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our Cusi employees remain at home during this time, and the Mine remains in care and maintenance.

The Company continues to focus on the health, safety, and wellbeing of its workforce. A smaller workforce continues to be retained at Yauricocha to oversee the critical aspects of the operations. Employees are screened, tested and quarantined before being allowed to join the active workforce at both the Yauricocha and Bolivar Mines. They also continue to be monitored daily while working at the mines. At Yauricocha, one positive case was detected during the screening process as well as a potentially positive case, both employees were sent back to their hometowns and referred for medical treatment. Both their families have also been offered to test. The Company is doing everything it can to protect its employees and take care of their families while protecting our active workforces to prevent any labour disruptions at the mines.

The Company remains confident in the longer-term outlook for its major commodities, however global economic uncertainty and COVID-19 have had a significant negative effect on the metal prices in the first quarter and subsequently. The extent and duration of impacts that the pandemic may have on demand and prices for the Company's commodities, on Company's suppliers and its employees and on global financial markets is not known at this time but could be both material and protracted. As a result, the Company has suspended all previously issued 2020 annual guidance. The overall effect on the Company's business will depend on how quickly its sites can safely return to normal operations, and on the duration of impacts on its customers and markets for its products, all of which are unknown at this time. The resumption of normal operating activities is highly dependent on the progression of the pandemic and the success of measures taken to prevent transmission, which will influence when health and government authorities remove various restrictions on business activities.

Conference Call and Webcast

Sierra Metals' senior management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 10:30 AM (EDT) to discuss the Company's financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Via Webcast:

A live audio webcast of the meeting will be available on the Company's website:

https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/2160543/B050E77CFB33EC8C5A5E8F0F04AFAC75

The webcast, along with presentation slides, will be archived for 180 days on www.sierrametals.com.

Via phone:

For those who prefer to listen by phone, dial-in instructions are below. To ensure your participation, please call approximately five minutes before the scheduled start time of the call.

Participant Number (Toll-Free North America): (833) 245-9659

Participant Number (Toll-Free Peru): 0800-71-476

Participant Number (International): +1 (647) 689-4231

Conference ID: 1845958

Qualified Persons

All technical production data contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by:

Americo Zuzunaga, FAusIMM (CP Mining Engineer) and Vice President of Corporate Planning is a Qualified Person and chartered professional qualifying as a Competent Person under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

Augusto Chung, FAusIMM (CP Metallurgist) and Vice President Special Projects and Metallurgy and a chartered professional qualifying as a Competent Person on metallurgical processes.

About Sierra Metals

Sierra Metals Inc. is a diversified Canadian mining company focused on the production and development of precious and base metals from its polymetallic Yauricocha Mine in Peru, and Bolivar and Cusi Mines in Mexico. The Company is focused on increasing production volume and growing mineral resources. Sierra Metals has recently had several new key discoveries and still has many more exciting brownfield exploration opportunities at all three Mines in Peru and Mexico that are within close proximity to the existing mines. Additionally, the Company also has large land packages at all three mines with several prospective regional targets providing longer-term exploration upside and mineral resource growth potential.

The Company's Common Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Bolsa de Valores de Lima under the symbol "SMT" and on the NYSE American Exchange under the symbol "SMTS".

For further information regarding Sierra Metals, please visit www.sierrametals.com.

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Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian and U.S. securities laws related to the Company (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's operations, including anticipated developments in the Company's operations in future periods, the Company's planned exploration activities, the adequacy of the Company's financial resources, and other events or conditions that may occur in the future. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be considered to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if and when the properties are developed or further developed. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential" or variations thereof, or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, the risks described under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020 in respect of the year ended December 31, 2019 and other risks identified in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filings are available at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively.

The risk factors referred to above is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking information. Forward looking information includes statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and the Company's actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. The Company's statements containing forward-looking information are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005728/en/

Contacts:

Mike McAllister

V.P., Investor Relations

Sierra Metals Inc.

+1 (416) 366-7777

Email: info@sierrametals.com

Ed Guimaraes

CFO

Sierra Metals Inc.

+1(416) 366-7777

Igor Gonzales

President CEO

Sierra Metals Inc.

+1(416) 366-7777
A 25-year-old man was killed at Kawoosa on the Srinagar-Gulmarg road on Wednesday when CRPF personnel fired at his vehicle, with officials alleging that he had jumped two check points.

The killing of Peer Mehrajudin, a resident of Makheema village in Budgam district who worked at a Khidmat centre, triggered protests that led to the snapping of mobile internet services in the area. Local residents alleged the CRFF opened fire at Mehrajudin without any reason.

Ghulam Nabi, the father of Mehrajudin, said: I received a call from my neighbour that my son had been injured. He had left his house with his uncle in the morning and was shot dead while on way to work.

Nabi, who retired as a government employee, said he had no information on why his innocent son was killed without any reason. In the morning, he left his house for work and hours later, his body arrived at our house. This is inhuman.

People assembled at Mehrajudins house and shouted slogans against his killing. If this young man had jumped the check point, as the CRPF is saying, why didnt they fire at the tyres of his vehicle? Was it necessary to kill him? said his neighbour Bashir Ahmad.

Local residents too said Mehrajudins uncle was a witness to the incident as he was with him in the car when CRPF personnel opened fire. The uncle was taken by police.

CRPF spokesman Pankaj Singh said a vehicle broke through a check point of Jammu and Kashmir Police at 10.20am and sped away. The vehicle approached another check point manned by the CRPF and jumped that one too, he said.

At that time, a convoy of the army was passing through an adjacent road and, fearing sabotage, the CRPF jawan manning the check point fired warning shots. The car was driving in the wrong direction of the road and that was even more alarming, Singh said.

When the car didnt stop despite the warning shots, the jawan fired at the car and the driver was hit on his left shoulder. He was shifted to SHMS Hospital in Srinagar, where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah described the mans killing as unfortunate and called for an investigation.

Very unfortunate. The circumstances surrounding this shooting need to be impartially investigated & findings made known. My condolences to the family of the deceased, he tweeted.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party leader and former minster Ghulam Hassan Mir condemned the killing and demanded a timebound probe. He said the use of excessive force in implementing the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown is unjustified.

There are no words to express our grief over this avoidable loss of precious life. This unjustified use of force to enforce the Covid-19 lockdown only adds to the alienation and resentment among the people, he said.

Mehrajudin is second civilian killed by the CRPF in Kashmir in the recent past. Earlier, a 14-year-old boy was killed at Langate after militants attacked a CRPF patrol at Kralgund in north Kashmir. Three CRPF troopers were killed in the attack, while the militants escaped.
WHO urges vigilance as world tiptoes out of virus lockdown

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 10:44 AM

The coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on people around the world, while countries gradually dial down measures to contain their outbreaks, potentially risking more infections and deaths.

The latest data by Johns Hopkins University show that as of Tuesday afternoon, 4,193, 302 people are infected with the new coronavirus in the world, and the overall death toll from all countries keeping count has now reached 286,513.

Here is the latest about the pandemic from individual countries:

A note of warning from WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned there is a need for "extreme vigilance" as many world countries are introducing measures for a phased easing of their strict coronavirus lockdowns.

Mike Ryan, head of the organization's emergencies program told an online news briefing that "extreme vigilance is required" in countries exiting the lockdowns, because there is always the risk of the virus "taking off again" if clusters are not investigated.

"It's really important that we hold up examples of countries who are willing to open their eyes and willing to keep their eyes open," Ryan said, warning that certain countries were "trying to drive through this blindly".

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the same briefing that easing the restrictions was "complex and difficult" and called for a "slow and steady" lifting of lockdowns.

Germany now has 170,508 cases

Germany reported 933 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking its overall toll to 170,508, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.

The death toll also increased by 116 to 7,533.

Fire kills coronavirus patients in Russia

At least five people infected with the new coronavirus were killed in a fire that apparently started by an overloaded ventilator in an intensive care unit in a hospital in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed the incident but did not specify the number of victims.

"Ventilators are at their limit. According to preliminary data, there was an overload and the machine ignited, which caused the fire," the Interfax news agency quoted one source as saying.

Some 150 people were evacuated from the hospital after the fire, according to the ministry.

Another fire had erupted at a Moscow hospital treating coronavirus patients on Saturday, leaving one person dead.

Russia has so far recorded 232,243 coronavirus cases, the third-highest total worldwide.

The country's coronavirus response center said on Tuesday that the death toll from the virus had increased by 107 to 2,116.

Russia attributes the continued daily rise in cases to widespread testing.

Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia register new cases

The number of coronavirus cases in Thailand increased to 3,017 after two new infections were reported on Tuesday.

The death toll from the virus in Thailand stands at 56, as no new deaths were reported on Tuesday.

Taweesin Wisanuyothin, a spokesman for the government's Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said the majority of new infections in the past two weeks had been from southern Thailand, including a cluster at an immigration detention center in Songkhla Province.

In Singapore, the Health Ministry confirmed 884 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to 24,671.

Meanwhile, the Philippines' Health Ministry on Tuesday reported that the number of infections had risen by 264 to 11,350, while 25 new deaths brought the tally to 751.

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended lockdown measures in the capital, Manila, until June.

Malaysia reported no deaths on Tuesday, but 16 new infections were registered, bringing the cumulative total to 6,742.

Japan to approve first coronavirus antigen test kits

A Japanese Health Ministry official says Japan plans to approve its first coronavirus antigen testing kits, made by Fujirebio  a subsidiary of Japanese diagnostics and laboratory testing service provider Miraca Holdings  on Wednesday in order to boost the number of diagnostic tests available to fight the pandemic.

Japan has about 16,680 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 670 deaths, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Spain orders quarantine for all travelers arriving from overseas

Spain, one of the countries the worst hit by the coronavirus, ordered a two-week quarantine for all travelers coming to the country from overseas from May 15.

According to an official order published on Tuesday, those travelers will have to remain locked in and will only be allowed to exit for grocery shopping, visits to health centers, and "situations of need."

Spain has recorded over 26,000 fatalities and more than 220,000 cases.

Italy to give regions powers to ease coronavirus restrictions

The Italian government decided on Monday to give administrative regions the power to ease restrictions introduced to curb the coronavirus.

"We have always said that if the contagion data were encouraging, we would have brought forward the reopening," Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio tweeted, adding that the regions would shortly receive guidelines to open restaurants, hairdressers', and beauty clinics from May 18.

Senegal to ease restrictions despite surge in cases

Senegalese President Macky Sall declared the re-opening of mosques and churches and the relaxing of other coronavirus restrictions even though the country reported a record daily rise in cases on Monday.

"In the best of cases, COVID-19 will continue to circulate in the country until the month of August, or even September," Sall said in an address to the nation on Monday. "In this new phase that will last not a few weeks but three or four months, we need to learn to live in the presence of the virus."

Senegal has 1,886 coronavirus cases and 19 deaths.

Qatar to reopen money exchange services

Qatar's Ministry of Commerce and Industry decided to allow money exchange service offices  which have been closed since March 26 as part of measures taken to curb the spread of the outbreak  to reopen as of May 12, according to state news agency QNA.

Brazil virus cases top 168K

Brazil's Health Ministry said 5,632 new coronavirus cases had been recorded on Monday, with 396 deaths.

The country has now a total of 168,331 confirmed cases and 11,519 deaths.

Coronavirus 'to push millions of Mexicans into poverty'

The number of coronavirus cases in Mexico rose by 1,305 to 36,327 on Monday, the Health Ministry reported, adding that 108 additional deaths brought the total to 3,573.

A government study released on Monday said the economic fallout from the pandemic could add nine million people to Mexico's poor as thousands of jobs have been lost amid the closure of businesses as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

CONEVAL, the autonomous public agency that measures poverty, called for aid-like pensions and insurance in the country to help the vulnerable.

UNICEF appeals for $1.6bln to help children hit by pandemic

The United Nations (UN)'s children's agency, UNICEF, more than doubled its funding appeal to help children already suffering through humanitarian crises and now hit with the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNICEF on Monday appealed for 1.6 billion dollars, saying it had so far received 215 million dollars since late March.

"We have seen what the pandemic is doing to countries with developed health systems and we are concerned about what it would do to countries with weaker systems and fewer available resources," UNICEF's Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.

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In the year before the pandemic hit, what the campaign lacked in a concerted political strategy, it tried to make up for with tactics, starting with a Black Voices for Trump coalition that the president kicked off in November and continuing with plans to open Trump campaign storefronts in black neighborhoods in critical states like Florida and Pennsylvania. Campaign officials encouraged black voters to connect with the Trump operation by texting the word woke to its main number. Campaign officials even conducted polling to test the word black versus the term African American, an official said, and concluded that black voters responded better to being referred to as black.
EDWARDSVILLE  A plan to reopen Madison County ahead of the states Reopen Illinois plan in defiance of Gov. J.B. Pritzker was overwhelmingly approved at a special meeting of the Madison County Board of Health Tuesday.

The board voted 26-2 in favor of the resolution, with no votes by Michael Doc Holliday, D-Alton, and Victor Valentine Jr., D-Edwardsville. Jim Dodd, D-Alton, did not participate.

The county plan includes specific dates, capacity limits and other restrictions on businesses. The county plan also allows businesses and churches the option to delay or modify their own opening. Pritzkers plan has five phases and is more open-ended.

Tuesdays meeting followed two others last week. However, passage of the resolution leaves a number of issues including what action the state might take against the county or local businesses, especially those licensed by the state; how insurance providers will react to businesses opening against the state guidelines; and whether municipalities will go along with the plan.

Read the full plan: Here are the guidelines for Madison Countys state-defying plan to reopen

Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons did not oppose the resolution but said that, from a legal standpoint, it is unenforceable. He said the only jurisdiction his office has in enforcing health-related restrictions comes from the county health department.

Gibbons said that, until a court says Pritkzers order is unlawful, we are, for better or worse, stuck with it.

Kristen Novacich-Koberna, D-Granite City, noted news reports that Pritzker could take funding from counties defying his executive order. She questioned whether members should wait a few days, but voted in favor of the resolution.

We need to be cautious, because we dont want to put anybody in harms way, she said. I am very concerned that we act too soon. Im afraid we might cut off our nose to spite our face.

Several board members raised concerns about businesses state-required licenses and insurance. Gibbons said any business owner with concerns about that should consult with their attorney. It was noted several times the resolution included sections dealing with both possible actions by the state and insurance companies.

The resolution states that it makes no comment on the powers or activities of the governor or other government entities outside of the control of the Madison County Board of Health. But it asks such entities to respect the rights and self-government of Madison County citizens and to not punish businesses, places of worship and other entities responsibly reopening in the county.

Mike Parkinson, D-Granite City, voted for the resolution but suggested a better way to deal with the issue is to file a lawsuit challenging Pritzkers executive orders. Last week he said he could not vote for the resolution because it encouraged civil disobedience. On Tuesday he said the new resolution was worded in such a way that he felt comfortable voting for it.

Holliday argued it was imperative that licensed businesses continue to comply with Pritzkers order. Reopening the county too soon will result in more cases and deaths, he said.

Ive been thinking about this all day, said Valentine, adding he had received about 100 calls. I am in favor of small businesses. Im really looking at the safety issues.

If this is going to go against the executive order, I cant be in favor of it, he said.

Other board members also said they have received large numbers of calls, emails and comments from constituents, most saying they wanted the county to reopen. But there has also been some blowback.

In a press release Tuesday, Madison County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Harris called the plan dangerous and reckless. He said a plan is needed to help reopen Madison County businesses, retailers and manufacturers, but this plan would ultimately endanger those same small businesses across our county.

Harris also said Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler knew the resolution could put business licenses in a risky position.

Hes trying to avoid any legal liability for the county, while still encouraging businesses to open, Harris said. This is politics, plain and simple.

Harris also cited statements by the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois Restaurant Association and Illinois Licensed Beverage Association advising businesses to follow the executive order.

Other counties, such as Effingham County, also are considering actions similar to Madison County.
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Iowas governor continued her push to reopen the states economy Wednesday, undeterred by a two-day surge in coronavirus deaths, increasing cases in its largest city and her own status in modified quarantine.

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that she would allow restaurants, libraries and fitness centres in 22 counties, including Iowas largest metropolitan areas, to reopen Friday. Reynolds said salons, barber shops, tattoo parlours and massage therapists could reopen statewide the same day.

The moves came as coronavirus-related deaths in Iowa increased by 35 in two days to reach 306, and as Reynolds and the state medical director isolated themselves after potential exposure to the virus at the White House last week.

Adjusted for population, Iowa has the 14th highest number of reported coronavirus cases and 24th highest death toll among states, according to Johns Hopkins University. The coronavirus has spread rapidly through Iowas meatpacking plants and sickened residents at dozens of nursing homes.

The virus has disproportionately hit the states Latino, black and Asian populations and the elderly. Among deaths announced this week: a Congolese refugee who was an interpreter at the Tyson Foods pork plant in Waterloo and a 96-year-old retired optometrist.

Reynolds said she feels awful about the rising numbers of deaths but called them a lagging indicator of the pandemics severity.

She said she felt confident reopening more businesses because the state has enough hospital beds and ventilators, increased its testing capacity and replenished its supplies of personal protective equipment.

The number of hospitalized patients  388 as of Wednesday  is down from an earlier peak and the percentage of Iowa residents testing positive for the virus is declining, she noted.

We are on the right path, said Reynolds, a Republican who has been governor since 2017 and has a warm relationship with President Donald Trump.

Still, she acknowledged that the states largest metropolitan area of Des Moines has faced a rapid increase of confirmed infections this month and that the Sioux City region is managing the aftermath of an outbreak at a beef plant.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie noted that cases in the city havent yet peaked and urged residents to limit activities that put them in contact with others.

All of us want to return to our normal lives as quickly as possible, but we must be patient, he said.

Critics cautioned the governor is moving too fast to reopen the economy, even if intensive care units have not been overwhelmed.

We urge the governor to start putting human life before corporate greed and reverse course now before more people get sick and die, said Tom Mohan, president of the liberal activist group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

University of Iowa researchers warned in a paper last month that it was too early to lift restrictions and doing so would cause a second wave of infections. Reynolds nevertheless reopened restaurants and gyms in 77 counties days later, downplaying the projection as a snapshot in time.

One of the researchers, infectious disease expert Eli Perencevich, wrote on Twitter that it remains unsafe to eat indoors at restaurants or attend church services.

Even though the state is open, that doesnt mean its safe, he wrote.

The governor defended her approach as reasonable and cautious. Businesses have to follow new rules, including limiting their customers to 50% capacity.

Bars, casinos, movie theatres and zoos are among the businesses that remain shuttered. Social gatherings and events larger than 10 people remain prohibited, and playgrounds and swimming pools are still closed.

Reynolds announced Monday that she would follow a modified quarantine plan after her White House visit last week. She also had extensive contact days later with Vice-President Mike Pence, who visited Iowa after learning his spokeswoman was infected. Neither wore a mask.

Reynolds has been tested daily and was negative Wednesday, her spokesman said. The majority of her staff is working from home. That includes the state epidemiologist, Dr. Caitlin Pedati, who travelled with Reynolds to the White House and has been working remotely as a precaution.
Chefs and diners are getting a better glimpse at what California restaurants will look like when they reopen their dining rooms, thanks to statewide guidelines released by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday.

The 12-page document includes thorough disinfecting protocols, social distancing requirements and other recommendations, many of which have already been adopted by Bay Area restaurants that have remained open for takeout ever since six Bay Area counties and later the state made restaurant dining rooms off limits to customers in March.

The guidelines did not include a timeline for when restaurants will be allowed to reopen their doors to customers dining in-house. Restaurants will reopen once counties meet certain state goals, such as a stable or falling number of COVID-19 cases, adequate hospital capacity and trained contact tracers. Bay Area counties are likely to be among the last, and county officials can add restrictions on top of the states guidelines.

Local restaurateurs have been most concerned that the state would enforce reduced restaurant capacity, arguing it would be impossible to turn a profit serving half as many diners. In Florida, restaurants have already reopened but at a severely limited 25% capacity.

Thats why some restaurant owners were relieved to see that Newsoms guidelines dont include a specific percentage cap. Instead, the guidelines insist restaurants find a way to reconfigure their dining rooms to maintain 6 feet of distance between diners at different tables as well as restaurant employees.

One size does not fit all, Newsom said in a televised news conference Tuesday. Each restaurant is different and distinct.

Some restaurants have fixed furnishings they cant move  but the results might not be the most inviting.

You cant exactly pull a booth out, so you have to put a big X on the table, said George Chen, owner of San Francisco restaurants China Live and Eight Tables, imagining how some restaurants would implement the social distancing guidelines. It looks awful. Its like youre in a crime scene or something.

Mat Schuster, chef-owner of Canela in San Francisco, was relieved to see flexibility in terms of physical distancing. He worried about his tiny kitchen, which is typical in San Francisco restaurants, and how itd be impossible to keep employees 6 feet apart. The guidelines require workers to wear masks in such situations. Workers must also wear masks if they interact with customers.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

The guidelines also suggest installing physical barriers like Plexiglas to help divide up dining rooms, while also requiring barriers at cash registers, bars and host stands. Restaurant owners expect supply shortages as a result  Chen just tried ordering more Plexiglas, and his supplier is already sold out.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

A sampling of Californias restaurant reopening guidelines: Provide temperature and/or symptom screenings for all workers at the beginning of their shift and any vendors, contractors, or other workers entering the establishment. Servers, bussers, and other workers moving items used by customers (dirty cups, plates, napkins, etc.) or handling trash bags should use disposable gloves (and wash hands before putting them on and after removing them) and provide aprons and change frequently. Restaurants should increase fresh-air circulation by opening windows or doors, if possible. Provide disposable menus to guests and make menus available digitally so that customers can view on a personal electronic device. Discontinue pre-setting tables with napkins, cutlery, glassware, food ware, etc. These should be supplied individually to customers as needed. Do not leave card stands, flyers, napkin holders, or other items on tables. Suspend use of shared food items such as condiment bottles, salt and pepper shakers. Takeout containers must be filled by customers and available only upon request. Discontinue tableside food preparation and presentation such as food-item selection carts and conveyor belts, guacamole preparation, etc. Prioritize outdoor seating and curbside pickup to minimize cross flow of customers in enclosed environments. Restaurants can expand their outdoor seating, and alcohol offerings in those areas, if they comply with local laws and regulations. Consider allowing dine-in customers to order ahead of time to limit the amount of time spent in the establishment. Bar areas should remain closed to customers. See More Collapse

This is the age of being creative, said Clay Walker, president of local chain Gotts Roadside. Ive seen pictures of restaurants with back-to-back booths that have ceiling-suspended shower curtains dividing them, so thats potentially an option.

Walker said he thinks Gotts is in a good position under these guidelines, with burgers ready for takeout, spacious dining rooms and big outdoor patios. Schuster is concerned about whether employees will want to work again, along with logistical matters, like where diners will wait for a table if its raining outside. The guidelines state that diners should wait in their cars, but thats not so helpful in San Francisco, where many people dont drive.

Also, because of the need to reduce capacity, Chen said he knows China Live will need to find other revenue streams.

Were predicting 60% less revenue if we do a great job, he said. At that volume, theres no way you could survive for very long so you have to pivot to other things like retail, e-commerce, ghost kitchens and deliveries.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Wed, May 13, 2020 17:27 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7d2a80 1 National crude-oil,tanker-vessel,fire-incidents,North-Sumatra,dead-victim Free

The North Sumatra Police identified on Tuesday night seven crew members of crude oil tanker Jag Leela at Belawan Port in Medan, North Sumatra, who were killed in a fire on Monday.

The polices Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team identified the victims as Iman Maulana, 23; M. Nur Kasim Siregar, 37; Bahtiar Asmawi Siregar, 28; Iswondo, 46; Buchari, 34; Iwan Setiawan Hasibuan, 32; and Sandi Nova, 24. Five were residents of Medan, while the remaining two, who are siblings, are residents of Deli Serdang regency.

The victims bodies have been released to their respective families for burial.

We will solve the case, North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen Martuani Somin vowed on Tuesday while expressing his condolences to the victims families at Bhayangkara Hospital.

We are investigating 12 people in relation to the firs.

He added that the polices forensic team was still unable to investigate the scene as the temperature inside the tanker ship was still unsafe.

An explosion inside the crude oil tanker Jag Leela occurred on Monday at 8.30 a.m. when the ship was about to dock at the PT Waruna Nusa Sentana shipyard in the Belawan Port.

The oil stored in the ships cargo made it difficult for local authorities to put out the fire, which was finally extinguished at 3 p.m. or around seven hours after the first explosion.

Twenty-two crew members were injured and have been receiving medical treatment at Prima Cipta Husada Hospital and the Navy hospital.

The police are currently looking for more casualties as some crew members might still be trapped inside the tankers hull. (trn)
Australians are bracing for a cold end to the week as high-pressure system sends temperatures plummeting to below zero in some areas.

The southern states of the country will be most impacted by the freezing chill, which is expected to be accompanied by light winds and clear skies.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Peter Blake told Daily Mail Australia the cold weather will linger over the weekend as it a slow moving system.

'The south of Australia is being dominated by high pressure system, which is very slowly moving and causing temperatures of 3 degrees or less inland,' he said.

'Victoria, South Australia, southern NSW and Tasmania will mainly be impacted with warmer weather the further you go up north.

'Friday will be a cold day for Melbourne. The most recent time we dropped below 5 degrees was in October last year.'

A girl gets ready to snowboard in Mount Buller in Victoria. Australians are bracing for a cold end to the week as high-pressure system slowly moves over the country bringing temperatures below 0 in some areas

A woman wears a beanie, puffer jacket and face mask in Melbourne earlier this month. The city could chill through its coldest day since last October on Friday

Melbourne is forecast to shiver through a minimum temperature of 5C and a maximum of just 15C on Friday - but the mercury could drop to as low as 4C.

Other Victorian towns like Shepparton and Bairnsdale will drop to 1C and 2C, respectively, also welcoming in their coldest morning in eight months on Friday.

Victoria's alpine regions, which have already experienced heavy snow this year, will see continuing below-zero temperatures.

Mount Hotham will drop to -4C on Sunday and Mount Buller will drop to -3 while light winds could make the 'feels like' temperature even lower.

Sydney will not experience the same cold temperatures with a minimum of 12 and maximum of 19C on Friday.

The NSW capital will experience showers on Thursday and Friday, which will ease off going into the weekend, with consistent temperatures to Friday.

While Sydney will largely escape the cold chill, southern parts of NSW will not.

Perisher will have a minimum temperature of -5C on Friday while Thredbo will get to -4C. Similar to Victoria's alpine regions, light winds will make it feel even lower.

Puddles surrounding the Sydney Opera House after a shower. The NSW capital will experience showers on Thursday and Friday, which will ease off going into the weekend

Snow on the slopes of Thredbo. Perisher will have a minimum temperature of -5C on Friday while Thredbo will get to -4C. Similar to Victoria's alpine regions, light winds will make it feel even lower

Canberrans will have a minim temperature of 0C and maximum of 15C on both Friday and Saturday, with things warming up slightly on Sunday.

South Australia will also experience some chilly weather, although to a lesser degree than in Victoria.

A minimum of 7C and maximum of 17C will be seen in Adelaide on Friday which improve to a minimum of 8C and maximum of 19C over the weekend with sunny skies.

Hobart will have a minimum of 7C and maximum of 16C on Friday with a chance of a shower in the afternoon or evening on Friday.

Tasmania's alpine regions will also get close to or below zero with Ben Lomond dropping to -5C on Thursday.

A snow storm in Perisher. While the southern states will experience a cold snap, further up north, the weather will be much warmer

Brisbane will see sun and some clouds over the from Friday going into the weekend with a minimum of 13C and maximum of 25C.

Meanwhile, Perth is expected to a experience a low of 11C and high of 23C on Friday, which is expected to slightly improve on the weekend along with sunny weather.

Darwinians can make the most of lockdown effectively ending with consistently sunny weather and warm temperatures.

The NT capital will have a low of 24C and maximum of 34C on Friday, which will remain the same on Saturday and Sunday.
South Korea launched widespread testing for COVID-19 in the early days of the outbreak there, when it mattered most. The United States ramped up testing capability only recently. (Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images)

President Trump has an Asia problem. As much as he would like to hold the United States out as the example of how to effectively handle the coronavirus, places such as South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan keep showing him up.

Take the press conference he held on Monday (before stomping out in annoyance at what he called nasty questioning from reporters, including one who was Asian American). The event was meant to celebrate what he considered a benchmark. At the briefing, Trump stood alongside a banner reading America Leads the World in Testing, and he crowed about how the United States has now surpassed South Korea in per capita testing.

But that misses the point entirely.

South Korea ramped up testing at the beginning of the outbreak, which enabled it to get ahead of the virus spread with contact tracing and targeted social distancing. Consequently, it has less need of widespread testing today. As Philip Bump put it in the Washington Post: Boasting about how were continuing to expand our lead in tests completed over South Korea is a little like bragging about how many more burglars youve arrested than a country where there arent many burglaries.

Other Asia success stories must vex Trump as well. Hong Kong, for example, has had four deaths, Singapore 20, Taiwan seven.

South Korea and the U.S. diagnosed their first COVID-19 patients on the same day in January. Since then, South Korea has had 259 deaths; the U.S. more than 83,000. Adjusted for population, Americans have died at a rate nearly 50 times that of South Koreans.

Yet rather than learn from these successes, the president pointedly pooh-poohed them, the same way he did when Bong Joon Ho won the best director Oscar, and Trump dismissed Parasite as "some movie from South Korea." At a campaign rally shortly after the movies six-Oscar (including best picture) win, he demanded, What the hell is that?"

Today, anyone in South Korea, regardless of citizenship can get tested in less than 10 minutes with the results texted to them the next day. When a person in an apartment building is diagnosed, a testing center is immediately set up in the building.

Story continues

Jung Eun-kyeong, director of South Koreas CDC, holds daily press conferences that are straightforward  and without extravagant boasts and promises. Instead of contradictory and inaccurate information, there is only one message from the government, and the populace, to an extraordinary degree, has accepted it willingly.

South Korea has also mastered self-isolation. The country is a democracy, like the U.S., where no one is forced to quarantine, but the government makes it easy to stay in by providing a care package that includes beautiful fresh produce, Spam (a treat in Korea), masks, hand sanitizer, instructions on how to dispose of garbage, a pep talk  and toilet paper, again regardless of citizenship status. A caseworker checks in twice a day.

Dr. Jung was able to persuade a populace to allow tracking via credit cards, cellphone GPS and other methods, including getting a church to give up the records of more than 200,000 members for the purposes of public health  a level of organization and trust the U.S. cannot match. If a person with COVID-19 leaves isolation, a text alert is issued, alerting those nearby. Tracing an infected persons contacts is so rigorous that a running joke in South Korea is that you cant even die in peace from the coronavirus because the government will still track you down.

South Korea not only bent its curve; it did so without travel bans or shutting down its economy. Seeing photos of unclogged L.A. freeways and an empty Times Square in Manhattan, the New York Times Seoul bureau chief, Choe Sang-Hun, told me, Seoul has never been a ghost town. Fewer people on the streets and subways.  Otherwise life goes on. This shows that the economic devastation in the U.S.  Aprils 14.7% unemployment rate is the worst since the Great Depression, with 20.5 million jobs lost  could also have been mitigated with a proper response.

During those precious early weeks, while South Korea was feverishly preparing, Trump was focusing on his most reliable brand: racism. Once the results of the pandemic could not be tweeted away, the administration turned to scapegoating Asians, speaking to the press about the China virus, comparing the pandemic to Pearl Harbor, invoking age-old racist tropes about Asians sneaking and invading. An email chain among governmental health experts was called Red Dawn, a nod to a movie about a group of young people trying to save their hometown from North Korean invasion.

And even as Trump boasts about finally expanding testing to something approaching what is needed, another key element to Asias success is missing: systematic contact tracing. At my workplace, Columbia University, we were told during the early days of the pandemic that someone in the community had tested positive. But was it a student? A colleague? How were we supposed to assess the need to self-isolate without information?

Here, we arent allowed to know if someone weve had contact with has COVID-19 because of privacy issues. But in South Korea, people are willing to give up their privacy for the common good  and trust that their government wont illegally harvest and sell their data.

My cousin Hyunmie, a nurse who immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea as an adult 31 years ago, when she was 24, has had reason to think about the differences in the country of her birth versus the country she chose. Her entire family of four came down with the coronavirus. She picked her case up at work. Then, her daughter brought home the virus to Los Angeles after having been infected at college in Boston. Hyunmies husband, a truck driver, suddenly worsened and spent 13 days on a ventilator fighting for his life.

Its not lost on Hyunmie that in South Korea her family would likely have been spared this suffering altogether. Korean nurses wear negative-pressure space suits to prevent virus transfer; some American nurses have had to resort to wearing garbage bags.

The fact that the U.S. has finally ramped up its testing capacity is progress, I suppose. But if in the beginning the president had studied the Asian model instead of charting his own ham-handed course, where might we be now?

Marie Myung-Ok Lee, author of the forthcoming novel The Evening Hero, teaches fiction at Columbia University, where she is writer in residence at the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. @MarieMyungOkLee
For weeks, people in rural communities in Nebraska charted the rise of coronavirus cases at the states several meatpacking plants. First, there were handfuls, and then, many more.

As of the first week of May, public health officials reported 96 at the Tyson plant in Madison; 237 at the JBS plant in Grand Island; and 123 arising from the Smithfield plant in Crete.

There were other cases around the state, too, and the counts were climbing. At least three were reportedly dead. Then the numbers stopped.

In a change initiated last week, governor Pete Ricketts, a Republican, announced at a news conference that state health officials would no longer share figures about how many workers have been infected at each plant. The big companies werent sharing numbers either, creating a silence that leaves workers, their families and the rest of the public blind to the severity of the crisis at each plant.

What are you hiding? said Vy Mai, whose grandfather died of the novel coronavirus after being exposed to her aunt and uncle, both employed by a Smithfield plant in Crete. If the essential workers are being treated fairly and protected at meatpacking plants, why arent we allowed to know the numbers?

Around the United States, meatpacking plants have been associated with some of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic: of the 30 counties in the states with the highest per capita prevalence of the coronavirus last week, 10 are home to major meatpacking plants. Of those 30 counties, four are in Nebraska.

Mr Ricketts has said the numbers can be unreliable because some people who have tested positive have given misleading information about where they work. He recommended that local health departments withhold the case counts unless they get permission from the plants.

The company officials declined to share numbers, citing privacy concerns and the fast-moving nature of the virus. They note that they are implementing worker protections at their plants.

But workers and advocates say that without knowing how many infections have occurred at a plant, it is impossible to know how effective any such precautions have been.

Governor Ricketts is taking steps to conceal testing results from the communities and workers that need it the most  this is a wrong decision at the wrong time, Mark Lauritsen of the United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents many meat plants, said in a statement. Workers, communities and companies all deserve this information so that we can make these essential workers as safe as possible. Transparency and honesty builds trust, ensures safety and keeps the food system functioning.

Mr Ricketts said last week that 1,005 workers at meatpacking plants have tested positive for the virus, but he said that numbers from individual plants would not be announced.

We do have aggregate data that we are tracking at the state, but thats the only way were going to present it  as the aggregate, Mr Ricketts said. We have had people who are not telling the truth with regard to their place of employment.

However, union officials said the case counts are surely rising because several large meat plants around the country, including two in Nebraska, are still in the process of testing their workers.

One of the biggest outbreaks, for example, may be at the Tyson plant in Dakota City, Nebraska. Neither the state nor local public health officials nor Tyson would say how many workers at the plant, which employs more than 4,000, have tested positive. But a person familiar with its operations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak for the plant said the company was aware of 669 coronavirus cases there.

The Sioux City Journal reported the same figure for the plant, which closed for six days and reopened on Thursday.

Since this is an ever-changing situation we cannot provide specific numbers, Morgan Watchous, a company spokeswoman, said via email.

The company has two other large plants in the state: one in Lexington, where officials have yet to issue a report, and another in Madison, where on 30 April, public health officials reported there had been 96 infections, before the public counting stopped.

The officials at the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department, which covers the area, reported on 5 May that it hoped to update the figure. Then last week, the agency said Mr Ricketts decision meant it would no longer reveal how many cases there are at the plant.

We are disappointed to announce that our office was just notified of this news story, the agencys website said last week. We had been awaiting clarification on these statements from governor Ricketts. Until clarification is received, we will not be releasing Tyson information until further notice, or until we hear otherwise that we may do so.

Shortly after this story was published, Tyson and the Elkhorn Logan Valley agency announced the results of testing at the companys plant in Madison. Of the employees and contractors who work there, 212 tested positive for the coronavirus. The company said it would also release the results of testing at its other plants to employees, government officials and other stakeholders.

There were also counts issued initially for the Smithfield plant in Crete and the JBS plant in Grand Island.

Public health officials in those districts did not respond to requests for information, and the companies said they wouldnt say either.

Out of respect for our employees legal privacy, we will not confirm Covid-19 cases in our facilities, according to a statement from Smithfield.

JBS officials did not respond to requests for comment.

The absence of information has led to anger among some families of the workers. In many families, the first generation are workers who are afraid to speak out for fear of losing their jobs. Their children have staged protests.

Workers said they were outraged because the only standard for going back to work was to lack symptoms  people without symptoms can spread the virus.

Im afraid of catching it, an immigrant who works at the Tyson plant in Dakota City said by text, discussing the matter on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing her job. I have been at home for 21 days in quarantine but on Tuesday Im supposed go back to work.

She ended with an emoji of a scared dog.

The Washington Post
Eurovision 2020 was unsurprisingly cancelled due to the pandemic, but AI has stepped in to fill its glittery shoes. Dutch broadcaster VPRO has just wrapped up a Eurovision-inspired AI Song Contest, with 13 teams from Europe and Australia training algorithms to become budding pop stars while experts judge their output. As BBC and Bloomberg point out, the results are a mix of surprisingly well-done and frighteningly dystopic tunes... a bit like the real thing, really.

The winning entry came from Australian team Uncanny Valley, whose song Beautiful the World was built by an AI trained on a mix of Eurovision hits and local animals affected by wildfires, including koalas, kookaburras and Tasmanian devils. It has the same catchy dance pop riffs youd expect to get the full douze points from a Eurovision vote, just with nonsensical lyrics. Mind you, ding-a dong sweet song thank you darling wouldnt be out of line with what youve heard from human performers.

Other tunes are, shall we say, less than comforting. The song from runner-up Germany, Dadabots x Portrait XOs Ill Marry You, Punk Come, is about as disturbing as youd expect from an AI trained on acapellas, death metal and a fake news generator  extinction is the only way isnt exactly the feel-good lyric of the year. The Netherlands entry, Abbus Can AI Kick it, called for revolution. And last-place Switzerlands team New Pianos Painful Words, which relied the most on pure AI, lives up to its name with an atonal mish-mash of dialogue.

None of these tunes are likely to climb the charts any time soon, and it wont be surprising if the AI Song Contest loses prominence if and when the flesh-and-blood Eurovision returns in 2021. Still, this is a good look at the current state of AI music generation. And look at it this way: at least here you know the outcome wasnt skewed by political and cultural rivalries.
On Wednesday, Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon will be keynote speaker of the webinar Cannabis and COVID-19: Where Does America Go From Here? presented by Duane Morris.

The Congressman and other cannabis and industry leaders will speak during a two-program, which begins 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST). For tickets register here.

On Tuesday, House Democrats announced a new COVID-19 stimulus bill with a provision incorporating the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow banks to offer financial services to legal cannabis businesses The House passed the SAFE act in September but has been collecting dust in the Senate.

The inclusion of the SAFE Banking Act is recognition that cannabis businesses have been classified as essential," Blumenauer said. Prohibiting these businesses from banking and forcing cash-only transactions in the middle of a global health crisis is irresponsible and wrong.

NJ Cannabis Insider first reported last month that lawmakers were trying to include the bill in the next stimulus legislation. The argument was that many patients using legal marijuana were at high risk of being infected with the coronavirus and forcing them to deal in cash also put employees in jeopardy.

Along with the congressman, several industry power players will be taking part in webcast, produced by NJ Cannabis Insider in collaboration with Advance 360.

Heres the lineup of speakers and panels:

Keynote speaker

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR

As a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, Blumenauer has been a leading advocate for cannabis policy reform in the House of Representatives. He and Ed Perlmutter, D-CO, recently introduced the Emergency Cannabis Small Business Health and Safety Act in the House of Representatives.

Panel: Industry/Regulatory

2020 was supposed to be a banner year for cannabis legalization, but COVID and internal state politics have slowed this up. Which states still hold promise for cannabis reform and adult-use legalization this year?

Steve Hoffman, Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission

Hoffman is the chairman of the MCCC. He has an extensive background in business and finance having served as a senior executive in the management consulting and technology industries. Most recently, he was the CEO of two venture capital backed start-ups: ThinkFire and Exchange Solutions.

Katie Neer, Acreage Holdings

Neer is the director of government affairs for Acreage Holdings, a multi-state cannabis operator. Neer focuses on state regulatory and legislative issues facing the cannabis industry. Prior to her role with Acreage Holdings, Neer practiced law and formerly served as the assistant secretary for general government and financial services in the New York State Governors Office.

Chris Melillo, Curaleaf

Melillo senior vice president of retail operations for Curaleaf, is currently tasked with spearheading the companys dispensary expansion rollout and establishing a consistent customer experience for retail stores across the U.S. He previously served as senior director of stores in North America for Nike, and as vice president of stores for DTLR/Villa, a leading footwear and apparel retailer.

Paul Josephson, Duane Morris

Josephson, a partner at Duane Morris, has been counseling a wide range of highly regulated industries for the past seven years. He advises industry-leading multistate operators active in New York and across the country, investors and non-cannabis businesses concerning investments, licensing, regulations and public policy. As policy counsel for the N.J. Cannabis Industry Association, Josephson has been a key advocate reforming New Jerseys medical cannabis program, establishing a comprehensive framework for adult use regulation, educating public officials on cannabis regulation, and advising industry associations in other states.

Panel: Advocacy

Whats the state of cannabis and hemp reform among states in the U.S. in the time of COVID?

Karen OKeefe, Marijuana Policy Project

OKeefe is the director of state policies for Marijuana Policy Project. In her current role, she managess MPPs grassroots and direct lobbying efforts in many state legislatures. OKeefe has played a significant role in passing more than a dozen major cannabis policy reforms, including managing MPPs state legislative department during the legalization campaigns in Vermont and Illinois.

Imani Dawson, Minorities for Medical Marijuana

is vice president and managing partner of MJM Strategy, a minority-led strategic consulting group for the cannabis industry; and the founder and president for Tribe Called Curl Media and as communications director for Minorities for Medical Marijuana.

Joy Beckerman, Hemp Ace International

Beckerman is founder of Hemp Ace International, which provides consulting, legal support and expert witness testimony, is one of the countrys leading voices for the hemp industry. She is the regulatory officer and industry liaison for Elixinol. A senior advisor to Colorado Hemp Works, she also is an executive at the U.S. Hemp Roundtable and the U.S. Hemp Authority.

After the live event, attendees will have an opportunity to continue the discussion and network in a closed forum, moderated by journalists covering the marijuana and hemp industries.

To reserve tickets, go to advance360.com/cannabis-insider-live.

NJ Cannabis Insider, a local sponsor, is a weekly subscriber-based trade journal produced by NJ Advance Media, which has also produced several live events in the past two years. For this event, it has partnered with Advance Local sister media groups across the country, including Staten Island Advance, Advance Media New York, PennLive, LehighValleyLive, MassLive, MLive, Advance Ohio and Oregonian Media Group.

For more information, you may reach us via email here.
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The Los Angeles tattoo artist arrested for murder following an alleged drunk driving crash that killed YouTube star Corey La Barrie tried to flee the scene of the fatal accident before being stopped by bystanders, police say.

Former Ink Master contestant Daniel Silva, 27, was driving a 2020 McLaren 600LT at speed in LA on Sunday night when he lost control of the $256,500 sports car, 'ran off the road and then collided with a stop sign and a tree'.

Police say Silva then climbed out from the wreckage and attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by a group of bystanders who raced over to administer aid.

La Barrie, meanwhile, lay incapacitated in the passenger seat having taken the brunt of the crash. No other vehicles were involved.

Both Silva and La Barrie were transported to a local hospital where La Barrie was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Silva was treated for a hip injury and was arrested later Monday night for murder.

Former Ink Master contestant Daniel Silva, 27, was driving a 2020 McLaren 600LT at speed in LA on Sunday night when he lost control of the sportscar. He's pictured being stretchered away from the scene after he suffered a hip injury

YouTuber Corey La Barrie (above) was killed in the crash on his 25th birthday on Sunday. His friend Ink Master star Daniel Silva has been arrested for his murder

Police say Silva then climbed out from the wreckage and attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by a group of bystanders who raced over to administer aid

Silva's car 'ran off the road and then collided with a stop sign and a tree'. Bystanders say he tried to flee the scene

Photos from the scene of the crash show Silva being stretched away by paramedics, with his eyes close and wrists outstretched limply in front of him.

In the hours leading up to the fatal incident, the two men had been partying at Le Barrie's home in celebration of his 25th birthday. Sources say Silva had been drinking before getting in the car.

LAPD Officer Mike Lopez confirmed to USA Today that Silva 'was driving the car under the influence of alcohol', and is now in police custody having been charged with murder.

Silva, best known for his appearance on season 10 of Ink Master - a competition where tattoo artists show off their talent and compete for a grand prize - is currently being held on $200,000 bail, Los Angeles jail records show.

La Barrie was originally from Adelaide, Australia but moved to Los Angeles after building a successful career as a comedic social media influencer. He ran a YouTube channel with Crawford Collins called Corey & Crawford which has 104,000 subscribers.

'Right now, I can tell you that the family is in absolute shell shock,'Michael Kraut, an attorney for the La Barrie family, told CNN 'His family over in Australia are on their way here to deal with the burial and grieve.'

Kraut called the incident 'beyond reckless' and said Silva should be 'held fully accountable in the legal system for his actions.'

La Barrie's family confirmed his sudden passing on social media Monday and also accused Silva of being drunk behind the wheel and responsible for his death.

'This isn't something I thought I would ever have to sit here and type out for a very long time or what I wanna do right now but everyone deserves to know, my brother Corey passed away last night in a car accident with his drunk friend driving this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I don't how I'm supposed to do this without you,' his younger brother Jarrad shared on Instagram.

'I miss you so much already, this isn't fair. Thank you for always being the best big brother I could ask for I love you so f***ing much life's never gonna be the same without you R.I.P. P.S say hi to grandad and grandma for me. I love you,' he added.

Silva's 2020 McLaren 600LT is shown above. Both of the men were taken to hospital but Le Barrie died shortly after arrival

Ink Master star Daniel Silva, 26, (above) has been booked for murder in the fatal car crash, as witnesses claim Silva had been drinking before he got behind the wheel

In the hours leading up to the fatal incident, the two men had been partying at Le Barrie's home in celebration of his 25th birthday

LAPD Officer Mike Lopez confirmed to USA Today that Silva 'was driving the car under the influence of alcohol', and is now in police custody having been charged with murder

Silva, best known for his appearance on season 10 of Ink Master - a competition where tattoo artists show off their talent and compete for a grand prize - is currently being held on $200,000 bail, Los Angeles jail records show

La Barrie's family confirmed his sudden passing on social media and also accused Silva of being drunk behind the wheel and responsible for his death. 'My brother Corey passed away last night in a car accident with his drunk friend driving this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I don't how I'm supposed to do this without you,' his younger brother Jarrad shared on Instagram

'My heart breaks right now, on my son's 25th birthday today. He was very drunk and got into a car with a drunk diver. The accident killed him instantly. No words can describe the sadness I feel in loosening a child,' La Barrie's mother Lissa Burton shared on Instagram

Silva rose to fame on the show Ink Master where tattoo artists show off their talent and compete for a grand prize. He appeared in season 10 of the show which aired 2018. He is reportedly in the hospital suffering a broken hip following the car crash

'My heart breaks right now, on my son's 25th birthday today. He was very drunk and got into a car with a drunk driver. The accident killed him instantly. No words can describe the sadness I feel in loosening a child. It just feels so unreal and I'm overwhelmed with grief. I love you so much Corey and will miss you so so much. It's just so unfair,' La Barrie's mother Lissa Burton shared on Instagram.

La Barrie had uploaded his final video on Saturday May 9 talking about his upcoming birthday plans. On 1pm PST he live-streamed celebrating with his roommates.

'We might get a little bit drunk, who knows' he said during the video.

La Barries final tweet said: 'Thank you for the birthday wishes love you guys! And if you have the intro to my stream how did you like it?'

Tributes have poured in on social media for the Youtube figure.

His final tweet: Corey La Barrie's last tweet was thanking his followers for the birthday wishes

Tributes poured in for La Barrie on Monday following news of his death

'I don't know what to say. Corey was only 25 years old. He didn't deserve to die. Corey was the 4th Seavey boy. You be dearly missed Corey,' one fan tweeted Monday.

'Corey i truly hope you know how many of us you've had an impact on. thank you for always making us laugh, we love you forever,' another added.

'i'm crying so much. i love you & im sorry you were taken too soon. ):' one Twitter fan wrote.

According to his bio on Ink Master, Silva grew up poor and found himself homeless and in jail at 19, having become estranged from his parents.

'With just $300 saved up, he purchased tattoo equipment with a dream of making it big,' the bio says. He opened Daniel Silva Tattoos and has a YouTube channel with more than 229K followers, as well as 1.1 million followers on Instagram.
The Maharashtra government has requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of CAPF in the state so that its police personnel, who are overworked during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, can be given some rest, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of CAPF in the state so that its police personnel, who are overworked during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, can be given some rest, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

Personnel of the Maharashtra Police have been working "day in and day out" to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state, Deshmukh said.

Many state police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus and need time to rest and recuperate, he noted.

"The festival of Eid is also around the corner and proper law and order has to be ensured. The police should get some rest for that. Hence, we have requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), that is 2,000 personnel," the minister said in a video message on Twitter.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

Thirty two companies of the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) have already been deployed in Maharashtra and are working in tandem with the state police, according to an official statement.
As Central New York gets closer to allowing some stores, manufacturers and laborers to reopen and get back to work after the coronavirus shutdown, small business owners are figuring out how they can get prepared.

Small Business Development Center Director Joan Powers is advising clients to focus on four major considerations: marketing, physical space, employees and financing.

Syracuse.com will host a live Facebook Q&A Thursday at 10 a.m. with Powers to discuss these points and other things small businesses owners need to consider as they craft plans for reopening.

Live Q&A: How can small business owners prepare for reopening Were talking to Joan Powers, director of the Small Business Development Center at OCC, about how small business owners can prepare for reopening. Ask your questions in the comments. Posted by syracuse.com on Thursday, May 14, 2020

Powers has led the business advisory center at Onondaga Community College for more than seven years, but has been with the center since 1996. She previously worked in accounting and business in the private sector, including handling payroll and taxes for a 5,000-employee fast food franchise. She is also a board member for the Greater Syracuse Business Development Corporation and Women Together Inspiring Entrepreneurial Success.

The SBCD, a partnership between OCC and the U.S. Small Business Administration, is actively involved in helping businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic. The center offers confidential, free counseling and advice to help business owners navigate available relief funds and regulations.

Back in Business reporter Julie McMahon will host Powers for the conversation Thursday morning. You can submit your questions for Powers by leaving a comment on the live syracuse.com Facebook feed, or by emailing jmcmahon@syracuse.com.

Dont forget to join us live Thursday at 10 a.m. on the syracuse.com Facebook page. If you miss the live stream, come back to syracuse.com for a replay.

Sign up for the Back In Business newsletter to get small business advice delivered to your email inbox

CNY BACK IN BUSINESS

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CenterState CEO releases reopening toolkit for Central NY businesses

More from CNY Back in Business
A coronavirus test touted by President Trump and used at the White House may miss nearly half of positive cases, according to a study by New York University.

The study looked at Abbott Laboratories ID Now molecular COVID-19 rapid test, which Trump hailed as a whole new ballgame at a March 30 news briefing because it boasted of delivering positive results in as little as five minutes. But the NYU researchers concluded that when testing swabs were stored before use in a stabilizing solution, the Abbott test missed at least one-third of positive results that were found using a different, more time-consuming procedure, the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test. Last month, responding to concerns about false negative results, Abbott changed its protocol to recommend using dry nasal swabs, rather than storing them in a solution that could dilute the samples.

But the researchers concluded that actually increased the rate of false negatives to 48 percent.

The research, which has not been confirmed or peer-reviewed, was posted on the website BioRxiv, where COVID-19 researchers have been sharing early results in the hope of speeding innovations for treating the disease. The study compared 101 test samples from patients at New York University Langone Health-Tisch Hospital.

Reached by Yahoo News for comment on the studys findings, Abbott Laboratories said it was unclear if the samples were tested correctly.

Once again, a study has been conducted using ID Now in a manner that its not intended to be used. Its unclear if the samples were tested correctly and were further evaluating these results, company spokesman Scott Stoffel said in an email. The outcomes in this paper are inconsistent with any experience that weve had with this instrument.

A lab technician dips a sample into Abbott Laboratories' ID Now testing machine. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

The authors of the paper say they took Abbotts recommendations into account.

After being granted emergency-use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration on March 27, Abbott has shipped hundreds of thousands of test kits to hospitals, doctors offices and pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS. The company says it has distributed 1.8 million ID Now tests, and that the reported rate of false negatives is at 0.02%.

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Accurate testing is crucial as the nation begins easing restrictions meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and nowhere has that been more apparent than in the White House itself. Last week, two members of the White House staff tested positive, leading three of the top members of the coronavirus task force to self-quarantine.

At a Friday press briefing at which Trump was asked about Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pences press secretary, who was one of the two staffers to test positive, the president sounded a skeptical note on the value of tests.

This is why the whole concept of tests arent necessarily great, Trump said. The tests are perfect but something can happen between the test where its good and then something happens and, all of a sudden, she was tested very recently and tested negative. And then today, I guess, for some reason she tested positive.

At least through last week, the ID Now test was in regular use at the White House.

_____

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:
Australian health experts are joining doctors around the world to examine the link between COVID-19 and a rare but serious inflammatory syndrome, known as Kawasaki disease, that is believed to have caused the deaths of three children in the United States.

In the United Kingdom children have also died from the rare disease experts are scrambling to understand.

"There are some children who have died who didn't have underlying health conditions," Health Secretary Matt Hancock told LBC Radio on Tuesday.

At least 3000 US children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease each year. It is most common in children younger than six and in boys. Source: Getty

"It's a new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the COVID-19 virus, we're not 100 per cent sure because some of the people who got it hadn't tested positive, so we're doing a lot of research now but it is something that we're worried about."

Doctors in northern Italy, one of the world's hardest-hit areas during the pandemic, have also reported extraordinarily large numbers of children under age nine with severe cases of what appears to be Kawasaki disease, more common in parts of Asia.

Kawasaki disease in Australia

Australian Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has tasked local teams to investigate the mystery syndrome and to brief the Prime Minister at national cabinet on Friday, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed there are currently no cases of the illness in Australia.

"We have no known cases or examples of that in Australia so far," he told Today on Wednesday.

"Brendan Murphy and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly are seeking advice both from overseas and Australia."

Confirming if there is a relationship between COVID-19 is one of the priorities he said.

"That detail, whether it's something which is caused by the disease or comes from it, or whether it's been highlighted through the testing process, I will leave that to the medical experts to provide that advice."

What is Kawasaki disease?

Kawasaki disease, whose cause is unknown, is associated with fever, skin rashes, swelling of glands, and in severe cases, inflammation of arteries of the heart.

Story continues

Italian and British medical experts are investigating a possible link between the coronavirus pandemic and clusters of severe inflammatory disease among infants who are arriving in hospital with high fevers and swollen arteries.

Experts are investigating a possible link between coronavirus and clusters of severe inflammatory Kawasaki disease. Source: Getty

Children were until now thought to be much less susceptible than their parents or grandparents to the most deadly complications wrought by the novel coronavirus, though the mysterious inflammatory disease noticed in Britain, Spain and Italy may demand a reassessment.

"It is rare, although it is very significant for those children who do get it, the number of cases is small," Mr Hancock, one of the ministers leading Britain's COVID-19 response, said.

He did not give an exact figure for the number of deaths.

At least 73 children in New York have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease. Most of them are toddlers and elementary-age children.

There is no proof that the virus causes the mysterious syndrome.

Governor Andrew Cuomo said the children had tested positive for COVID-19 or the antibodies but did not show the common symptoms of the virus when they were hospitalised.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said 73 children in New York have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease. Source: AAP

"This is the last thing that we need at this time, with all that is going on, with all the anxiety we have, now for parents to have to worry about whether or not their youngster was infected," Cuomo said at his daily briefing.

At least 3000 US children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease each year. It is most common in children younger than six and in boys.

Symptoms include prolonged fever, severe abdominal pain and trouble breathing.

with AAP

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MANZINI  A doctor, who did not self-quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, may face a charge of murder or attempted murder.

This is according to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020 under Section 33 (3). It states that Any person who intentionally exposes another person to COVID-19 may be prosecuted for an offence, including assault, attempted murder or murder. Under Regulation 8 and 154, home quarantine or isolation measures stipulate that a home quarantined or isolated person shall stay in a well-ventilated single-room, preferably with an attached or separate toilet. If another family member needs to stay in the same room, it is advisable to maintain a distance of at least one metre between the two.

Contact

Also, this individual shall stay away from contact with elderly people, pregnant women, children and persons with co-morbidities within the household and restrict movement within the house. The regulations also state that under no circumstances should that individual attend any social or religious gathering, which include but not limited to weddings and vigils.

However, the doctor is said to have, after being tested, visited another medical practitioner to assist him at the Piggs Peak Government Hospital. This was much against the fact that his sample had been taken and the results returned, which confirmed his positive status. The maternity wing and theatre which the doctor visited had to be fumigated and disinfected.

According to impeccable sources, the doctor was to be admitted to Siteki Hotel, where other medical officials were admitted. However, he could not be booked into the hotel as it was full.

Investigate

To this, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Simon Zwane, said the ministry would investigate the matter. He said there was a need to upscale educational information circulated to the public. There was a challenge in his moving and I really dont know how it happened. What I know is that once my sample is taken, I have to immediately isolate until I know my results because Im regarded as a suspect, Dr Zwane said. He said at no point was one supposed to mingle with people after being tested as the results could go either way. He reiterated that the ministry had to emphasise behavioural change as the fight against the coronavirus depended on behaviour.
Typhoon Ambo has made the first of numerous expected landfalls over the eastern Philippines on Thursday. Although forecasters expect the typhoon to begin to weaken, it will still forge a path of destruction over the northern islands through the weekend.

The powerful storm, also referred to as Vongfong by Japan Meteorological Agency, has been slowly approaching the eastern islands of the Philippines for days.

Now with sustained winds of 155 km/h (96 mph), Ambo is equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Typhoon Ambo made landfall over San Policarpo, in the Eastern Samar province of the Philippines at 12:15 p.m. local time.

at 12:15PM (14 May 2020): Typhoon #AmboPH has made landfall over San Policarpio, Eastern Samar. pic.twitter.com/B7yDovS9vv  PAGASA-DOST (@dost_pagasa) May 14, 2020

In preparation of the storm, towns forecast to be in the path of the typhoon have began to issue evacuations and distribution of relief packages. A total of 515 families were evacuated from the towns of Maninila, Tandarora and Muladbucad Grande, all in the Albay area between the cities of Naga and Legazpi City.

Given the continuation of the global COVID-19 pandemic, evacuees were required to wear face masks.

The above video shows Vongfong, also known as Ambo in the Philippines, spinning as it strengthens on its approach on Wednesday evening, May 13. (CIRA/RAMMB)

The brunt of the storm will continue to impact the island Thursday with typhoon-strength winds and heavy rainfall likely.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk expects Ambo to begin to weaken into Thursday night. But, the exact track that Ambo takes will ultimately influence how long the weakening process will take.

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"The mountains on each of the islands have the potential to rip Ambo apart and weaken it considerably. The longer Ambo remains over water, the stronger it will remain," Houk added.

While several landfalls are possible, each one that Ambo makes will increase the chances that the storm will weaken.

However, if landfalls and land interaction are minimized, sustained winds of up to 160 km/h (100 mph) are possible with wind gusts near an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 200 km/h (125 mph).

The most likely track, at this time, keeps the center of Ambo over the most southern portion of Luzon through early Saturday, local time, which may allow it to hold onto its identity as a typhoon a little longer.

"There will be a lot of moisture associated with this system, which will help to create a wide swath of heavy rain across the central and northern Philippines through the weekend," said Houk.

As much as 50 to 100 mm (2-4 inches) is possible just north of Cebu and all the way up to Manila.

Heavy tropical downpours throughout the second half of the week can increase the risk of flooding and mudslides across the area.

The heaviest rain is likely to follow the center of the storm and extend just to the east, as moisture is pulled in from the warm Philippine Sea. It is in this region that the AccuWeather Local StormMax of 300 mm (12 inches) is most likely.

The steadiest downpours are expected to remain north and east of Manila, but should Ambo wobble once moving into Luzon, some heavier downpours may reach the suburbs as well as Quezon City and Caloocan.

Even as Ambo loses wind strength at the end of the weekend and moves off to the north of the Philippines, other land areas could be impacted. While most of the rain is likely to remain east of Taiwan, the southernmost islands of Japan may experience gusty winds and flooding downpours.

Vongfong, known as Ambo by the Philippines, continues to slowly approach the Philippines on the evening of Wednesday, May 13 (CIRA/RAMMB).

AccuWeather is predicting a slow start to the West Pacific basin for this tropical season. The West Pacific tropical season runs throughout the early winter, but most activity occurs between May and October.

Forecasters began monitoring a tropical low over the southern Philippine Sea over the weekend, when it brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Palau.

Late in the day on Sunday, the low developed into a tropical depression and was given the name Ambo by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The system was upgraded to a tropical storm on Tuesday then to a severe tropical storm on Wednesday. Ambo became the first named tropical system in the Northern Pacific Ocean of 2020.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
The weather gave farmers plenty to talk about last year. Many had their planting delayed by heavy, consistent rain. Some werent able to plant some of their acres at all.

This year, spring is looking more promising.

Thats not to say that its all sunshine and daisies. Many farmers in central and south central Ohio didnt get to plant their forages. Cool weather in early May has slowed down growth for forages. Corn planting is still behind the five-year average.

But forages are in better shape than last year and when it comes to corn and soybean planting, the state is ahead of where it was at this time last year.

I think folks are happy in northwest Ohio right now that they can plant, said Aaron Wilson, atmospheric scientist with Ohio State University.

Planting

As of May 10, Ohio had planted 33% of its corn, up from the 3% planted at this time last year, and just behind the 36% five-year average, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures crop progress and condition.

The report also showed that Ohio had 24% of its soybeans planted, up from 2% last year and above the 14% five-year average. Pasture and range conditions are also doing better, with 69% good or excellent compared to 51% at this time last year.

Mark Sulc, OSU Extension forage specialist, said while people were able to plant forages in much of northeast and northwest Ohio, things were still difficult in central and south central Ohio.

Weve just had rain every couple days, he said. Not always a lot, but just enough to keep you out  so its spotty.

OSU agronomists recommend that farmers finish planting forages by May 1 in northern Ohio and by April 20 in southern Ohio.

You can plant later, Sulc said. The risk just goes up.

When forages are younger in the summer, with weaker root systems, the hot, dry weather presents a greater risk to the plants.

Forages

Temperatures were cooler than average in April, and are expected to stay cool in early May. While temperatures could rise back up to average in the last half of the month, Wilson said, cool temperatures could present challenges for some crops.

The cool weather in early May slowed down forage growth, putting things behind schedule, Sulc said. Warmer weather should help forages start to recover, but there are risks associated with slower development, like nitrate accumulation, and the first harvest could be delayed by about a week.

I think the situation looks a little more pessimistic for forages at the moment, Sulc said.

But the overall forage outlook this year, Sulc said, is still far better than last year.

Last year was kind of a combination of winter, and then the really wet spring, Sulc said.

In 2019, forage crops faced winter damage. Then, as the heavy rain continued, widespread flooding and rain prevented some planting and made harvest difficult in surviving fields.

Some were able to plant later in 2019, in August. Sulc said the mild winter this year left those crops in good condition.

Usually, farmers try to plant forages before corn and soybeans in the spring, but recently, Sulc said, it seems that theyre all running together.

It seems like its getting more challenging to plant in the spring, he said.

Weather

This spring, southern and eastern Ohio have seen more rain than normal. Northwest Ohio has had less rain than the average, flipping the script from 2019, said Wilson.

But even the parts of Ohio that are seeing more rain arent seeing a repeat of 2019. This time last year, Wilson said, soil in much of the state was saturated with moisture. Now, most of the state is at a normal level of soil moisture.

Thats a big difference, Wilson said. I would venture to say that some have already seen more dry days in this May, in the first seven days, than they saw in the entire month last year.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-12 23:06:30|Editor: huaxia

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Police officers are seen in front of trucks carrying COVID-19 prevention and control materials at a border crossing between China and Vietnam, on May 12, 2020. China's Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday donated COVID-19 prevention and control materials to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security. These materials, including KN95 masks, disposable surgical masks, medical protective suits, gloves and goggles, were delivered at a border crossing between the two countries. (Chinese Embassy to Vietnam/Handout via Xinhua)

HANOI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday donated COVID-19 prevention and control materials to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security.

These materials, including KN95 masks, disposable surgical masks, medical protective suits, gloves and goggles, were delivered at a border crossing between the two countries. Enditem
A young woman with a severe allergy has documented her horror after she ended up in hospital after kissing her Tinder date who had eaten a peanut butter sandwich before they met up.

Samara Hnaien, 22, from Sydney, met up with Charles Harris, 23, on Saturday night after the pair matched on the popular dating app.

As pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants are shut due to COVID-19 restrictions, the pair decided to hang out at his place.

'The date was going very well, so we ended up kissing,' Samara told BuzzFeed.

But their first-date quickly turned into a medical emergency ordeal after Samara started experiencing a tingling sensation in her mouth during their kiss.

Scroll down for video

Samara Hnaien, 22, (left) with a severe peanut allergy has revealed how she ended up in hospital after kissing her Tinder date Charles Harris, 23 (right)

'You met up with a guy from Tinder... you're at his house, you're hooking up and then mid-hook up you get this tingly feeling in your mouth,' she said in her TikTok video.

'It feels like an allergic reaction but it doesn't make sense because you're only allergic to peanuts.'

Before their date, Charles had eaten a peanut butter sandwich.

'So then I ask him "have you eaten peanuts tonight?" and he's like "yeah, I had a peanut butter sandwich before you came over",' she said.

Samara said she then had to explain to her date about her severe nut allergy and instruct him to inject an EpiPen into her thigh before calling the ambulance.

'So I explain to him I'm going to go into an anaphylactic shock, and he needs to give me an EpiPen in my thigh first time meeting,' she said.

Samara said she then had to explain to her date about her severe nut allergy and instruct him to inject an EpiPen into her thigh before calling the ambulance (pictured left in an ambulance and right in hospital)

Their first-date quickly turned into a medical emergency after Samara started experiencing a tingling sensation in her mouth during their kiss

The pair headed to the emergency room together where Charles stayed by her bedside until 5.30am on Sunday.

'He was really caring and genuine and made me feel at ease and kept reassuring me to not feel embarrassed,' Samara told BuzzFeed.

'I was just mortified and felt so bad for him... It's a pretty confronting experience stabbing someone with an EpiPen especially when you first meet them.'

Despite the ordeal, Samara and Charles saw the funny side to their first date and decided to document the night on TikTok.

'Invited a Tinder date over... I ate a peanut butter sandwich... Turns out she's anaphylactic to peanuts,' Charles said in a video from the hospital.

The pair both confirmed there will be a second date.
Abie Rohrig had just turned 18 when he told his mom he would be donating a kidney to save a stranger's life. Her answer: No you're not. He did it anyway -- the organ went to a man about his age -- and his mom was so inspired she went and donated a kidney herself.

So Rohrig expected her to understand when he told her that, for the benefit of humanity, he may volunteer to become infected with Covid-19.

It turns out "she's more worried than she was about the kidney thing," said Rohrig, now a 20-year-old college student who lives with his parents in a New York City apartment.

"She was like, 'What? What? I don't know,'" he said. "She's skeptical."

Rohrig is one of more than 16,000 people -- most of them young adults -- who have signaled their support for a controversial method of speeding up the development of a vaccine by intentionally infecting dozens of volunteers. The signees of the online registry -- a new website called 1 Day Sooner -- have all checked a box next to the statement: "I am interested in being exposed to the coronavirus to speed up vaccine development."

The practice is called a human-challenge study -- or controlled human infection study -- and it can truncate a conventional vaccine study by several months. The reason: Rather than waiting for months to assess what percentage thousands of vaccine-trial volunteers get infected with the disease in question while leading their day-to-day lives, a challenge trial is much simpler, in that it exposes about 100 volunteers directly to the pathogen -- via syringe, cocktail, mosquito bite or nasal spray after an experimental vaccine or placebo is administered. (If the Covid-19 study comes to fruition, experts say it would likely be administered by nose drop.)

But if it's high reward, it's also high risk: Although Covid-19 is a much more deadly disease for the elderly and the compromised than healthy young adults, it is an unpredictable pathogen that has put star athletes in the hospital. What's more, should something go wrong, treatment options are limited.

However, with the disease still raging after having killed more than 82,000 Americans and 291,000 people worldwide since it first appeared in China late last year, some say a riskier-than-normal study is justified.

Challenge studies offer high reward, but also high risks

The notion of a human-challenge trial for Covid-19 was jump-started by a March 31 article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, which made the case that the nature of the global emergency warrants consideration of unconventional approaches.

Co-authored by Nir Eyal of Rutgers, Marc Lipsitch of Harvard, and Peter Smith of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the piece concluded that while a human challenge study would not be without risks, "every week that vaccine rollout is delayed will be accompanied by many thousands of deaths globally."

"It's an idea that is controversial when people hear about it for the first time," Eyal, a bioethicist, told CNN. "However, we show that if you select people in the right way and conduct the trial in the right way, it's surprisingly low risk and certainly within the bounds of what we already approve."

Such a study would ultimately need the blessing of the US Food and Drug Administration.

But the researchers' call for a challenge study has since been propelled by the popular support of those who have indicated on 1 Day Sooner -- which is incorporating as a nonprofit organization -- that they'd be willing guinea pigs. (This is just an informal expression of interest, not a binding contract.)

The site, which was inspired by the scholarly article, launched in mid-April and is premised on the claim that shaving even one day from the long-distance race for a Covid-19 vaccine could save up to 7,120 lives.

What a human challenge study for coronavirus could look like

At some point, should a group of researchers decide to seriously explore the matter, the site would ask prospective volunteers to fill out pre-qualification questionnaires that would divulge more of their medical history, region of residence and other information that would help determine eligibility, said 1 Day Sooner's co-founder Josh Morrison.

The researchers would then screen those forms for the most eligible applicants and would eventually seek approval from a research or medical center to host the study, he said.

Morrison is a former corporate lawyer who gave up life in the fast lane to start a nonprofit organization called Waitlist Zero, which matches prospective kidney donors with recipients. Because business is at a near-standstill in the kidney-transplant world, Morrison found himself with a lot of spare time.

"I was like sitting at home in my apartment in New York City, just kind of depressed," he said.

Morrison came across the Journal article while noodling around on the internet.

"And I thought, 'Well, would I want to do this?'" he said. "I'm pretty young, 34, and in good health. And so I thought, 'Yeah, I think I would.'"

The notion seems to be gaining traction in expert circles. On May 6, the World Health Organization released a report outlining "key criteria for the ethical acceptability of Covid-19 human challenge studies."

An FDA spokesperson told CNN that the agency would work with those who are interested in conducting human challenge trials to help them evaluate ethical and other issues.

"A formal determination about any specific human challenge trial proposal would be made by the FDA in the context of all the information that is available at that time," Michael Felberbaum wrote in an email.

Conventional vaccine trials typically consist of three phases -- the first, in which fewer than 100 participants are dosed to determine the safety; the second, in which the number of participants ramps up into the hundreds; and the third, in which the study is broadened to include thousands of people.

Typically, in that third phase, the participants return to their daily lives, and researchers -- over a period of months -- compare rates of infection between the placebo and test groups.

A human-challenge trial can replace a third phase, the Journal article says, short-circuiting the timeline by several months because researchers don't have to wait for participants to get infected the organic way -- by interacting with people at work, at school, in houses of worship or in homes. Instead, they expose the volunteers to the pathogen right then and there, in the lab.

A challenge trial can also serve as a bridge to a Phase 3 study, helping researchers determine which vaccine candidates are most promising; or it can pave the way for provisional licensure in emergency situations.

For a Covid-19 trial of the sort that 1 Day Sooner is advocating, the setup would likely entail first injecting an experimental vaccine into the arms of about 50 volunteers and a placebo into 50 others, challenge-trial experts told CNN. Two to four weeks later, all 100 would be exposed to the virus -- perhaps via nose-drop.

Ethical, safety concerns about knowns and unknowns

Human-challenge studies aren't new. They have played a key role in the development of several vaccines, including ones for malaria, flu and dengue.

Without human-challenge studies, a new vaccine for typhoid couldn't have been brought to Zimbabwe on a provisional basis last year, human-challenge experts told CNN.

The "FDA approved a cholera vaccine simply on the basis of a human challenge," said Dr. Robert Read, an infectious-disease expert in the UK.

The difference is that those diseases came with fewer unknowns than Covid-19, and clinicians running the trials were able to offer medical treatments -- such as antibiotics or antivirals -- to infected patients exhibiting symptoms.

The closest thing to a treatment for Covid-19 is remdesivir, which has yet to be approved and whose effects are modest though significant.

And although the idea of conducting a human-challenge trial for Covid-19 is catching on in the science community, some experts have raised serious concerns about safety.

Read, head of clinical and experimental sciences at University of Southampton, points out that Covid-19 remains a mysterious pathogen, and researchers can't give volunteers an accurate sense of the risk associated with getting intentionally infected.

"You do have to be able to describe what you know of what could happen to them if they undertake a controlled infection, with complete clarity and honesty," said Read, who has himself conducted challenge trials -- he recently infected dozens of volunteers with whooping cough in search of a more effective vaccine. "And I think lots of volunteers, when faced with the information, would probably not consent to it."

An article published last week in Science -- the peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science -- puts the mortality risk for adults ages 20-44 who are infected with the virus that causes Covid-19 at less than 0.2 percent. But the piece says that and other statistics on Covid-19 are derived from incomplete data points and small sample sizes.

Generally, Covid-19 is much more lethal for people of all ages with preexisting health problems such as hypertension or diabetes, but some exceptions are especially alarming. Doctors have said that Covid-19 seems to be linked to a surge in strokes suffered by otherwise healthy adults in their 30s and 40s.

Dr. Anna Durbin, a professor of international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health -- who has led a human-challenge trial for dengue and worked on another for malaria -- said she would be interested to hear how some prospective volunteers would respond to these reports of "cerebral vascular accidents."

"Millennials don't think they are going to get sick from this," said Durbin, who, like Read, is open to the idea of human challenge trials for Covid-19, but stresses that it is incumbent upon researchers to fully evaluate the risks of such a model and to share them to the fullest extent possible with prospective participants. "We see lots of young people in the hospital on ventilators."

Volunteers have different reasons for signing up -- some altruistic, some pragmatic

Rohrig said the frightening spate of young Covid-19 patients having strokes was news to him.

"That's jarring," he said. "I know there is a non-trivial risk."

And yet, Rohrig said he's almost certainly up for it.

"I know that there are risks, and if I were to do this, and it were to go poorly, then that would be terrible, my family would be really sad," Rohrig said. But "someone has to step up. It seems like this just needs to happen."

Coincidentally, the mortality risk of donating a kidney -- about 3 in 10,000 -- is about the same as the mortality risk for healthy people in their 20s who contract Covid-19, said Eyal of Rutgers.

"That's heartening," said Rohrig, who met the recipient of his donated kidney on Good Morning America last summer.

Not all of the prospective volunteers are in their 20s.

John Gentle, an entrepreneur in Alabama, turns 41 on Thursday. He has a wife and four kids. Like Rohrig, Gentle believes a challenge study would afford him a chance to make a societal contribution to the vaccine effort. But as the owner of a business that has him visiting warehouses and flying regularly, he figures he'll inevitably get infected -- so he might as well get it over with.

"I feel if I did it under a controlled environment, and I had an adverse reaction, my chances are much better in a controlled environment than I didn't know I had it for a week until something had deteriorated to the point I realized," Gentle said.

Indeed, human challenge studies occur in tightly controlled settings. The report in the Journal of Infectious Diseases advises keeping the subjects in isolation for several weeks and guaranteeing them access to the state-of-the-art facilities of the health system, should the need arise.

"As a part of being in the trial they would be guaranteed excellent care if they needed it," Lipsitch, a Harvard epidemiologist, told CNN. "Of course, you would expect nobody in the trial on average would need it, but averages don't always play out."

Dr. Thomas Darton, an infectious disease expert at the University of Sheffield Medical School, conducted the human-challenge trials that led to the new typhoid vaccine.

Over the years, he said, he has infected some 600 students with the disease. They typically ingest the disease via a sodium-bicarbonate drink resembling Alka-Seltzer and go home. There, they await the symptoms of typhoid -- for the study participants they include headache, fever and constipation -- which generally kick in within four or five days. At this point, he said, the volunteers with symptoms are given a regimen of antibiotics, which clear up the symptoms in a couple of days.

"We have extensive follow-up data and have not had any long-term problems identified," Darton said in an email. "The model is safe and reproducible and is a model of mild symptomatic illness only."

Not all requests for human-challenge studies are granted. In 2017, an ethics panel convened by the National Institutes of Health recommended against a proposal for the development of a Zika human challenge model. (Another panel reversed the recommendation in 2018, and clinical protocol for Zika human challenge development is under review by the FDA.)

Human challenge studies have a checkered history

Human challenge studies date all the way back to the first vaccine, for the highly lethal smallpox disease. The vaccine was developed in the late 18th century by physician Edward Jenner, who aimed to put a piece of folklore to the test: that milkmaids seemed to contract a milder form of the disease, called cowpox.

In an experiment that today would warrant steep criminal charges, Jenner took pus from the scab of a milkmaid and inserted it into an incision on the arm of an 8-year-old boy. The child, James Phipps, developed a headache, chills and other mild symptoms, but when directly exposed to smallpox -- again through incisions on the arm -- he proved impervious.

A century later, in Cuba, US Army surgeon Major Walter Reed headed up a study to prove that the yellow-fever pathogen that was killing American soldiers during the Spanish-American War was borne by mosquitoes. In the third phase of the study, three of the 10 participants who were bitten by infected mosquitoes died, but Reed was credited for proving the link. Building on that knowledge half a century later, in 1951, virologist Max Theiler won the Nobel Prize for developing a yellow fever vaccine.

In one particularly egregious study, American researchers testing medications for sexually transmitted diseases in the 1940s sent syphilis-infected sex workers into a Guatemalan prison to cavort with unsuspecting inmates. More than 1,300 people were exposed to syphilis and other STDs.

Today's standards for human-challenge trials are rigorous. Durbin of Johns Hopkins points out that it takes a minimum of six months of prep work to responsibly carry out a human-challenge trial.

This is in part because a suitable strain of the virus -- and the proper dosage -- must be developed in a lab outfitted with high biosafety standards. Also, researchers must find medical centers that are willing to house the participants in isolation for the duration of the study and provide first-rate care to anyone who falls seriously ill.

"I think it's very important that you plan for these studies now ... and you get it right," Durbin said. "Yes, it may take time for a good human challenge model to be developed, but if we wait too long to develop it, then I think the moment has passed."

Caring for volunteers can get tricky

One of the trickier aspects of a challenge study is compensation. Pay too little, and the study may fail to attract candidates; pay too much, and people could be enticed by the money without thinking of their safety.

The latter scenario played out with the yellow-fever trials, in which a participant who was hoping to start a farm in Cuba said it was a "cold-blooded business decision." The May 7 article in Science -- which concludes that the extraordinary nature of the Covid-19 pandemic warrants laying the groundwork for controlled human-infection trials -- recommends "several thousand dollars."

Seema Shah, a bioethicist and associate professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine -- and an author of the Science article -- said participants of a recent 40-day human-challenge study for malaria were paid about $2,300.

"Some were very motivated by the money, but others were also interested in the experience, and still others have strong motivations to help others," she said, adding that some participants personally knew sufferers of malaria and some even donated some of their earnings to charities.

The article in the Journal of Infectious Diseases likens the act of volunteering for a human-challenge trial to other public-service endeavors -- such as volunteer firefighting or organ donation.

"People are willing to take on life-threatening risk for other people's benefit and often not just as a job but as a form of altruistic behavior," Lipsitch said. "We not only encourage that, but we completely depend on that in many sectors of our lives."

Still, the onus is on the researchers to ensure that the participants stay safe.

"What keeps me up at night," said Durbin, "is if I administer a challenge agent to somebody, and that person gets seriously ill or dies -- that's on me."
Cortland, N.Y.  A man wanted by federal authorities was arrested Tuesday in Cortland on a Greyhound bus traveling from Syracuse to New York City.

Louis L. Love, 29, of Brooklyn, had previously been charged by the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York with:

Racketeering conspiracy

Conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances

Possession with intent to distribute marijuana

Cortland police received a call from a passenger on a Greyhound bus traveling on Interstate 81 from Syracuse to New York City at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, police said. Officers were dispatched to the bus after a passenger said two men threatened to kill him, including one with a gun, according to police.

Officers stopped the bus before it reached a bus stop area and found the two men who made the threats, police said.

One of the men, later identified as Love, tried to give police a false name, police said. He then told police his real name and said he was wanted by the feds, according to police.

In the federal caese. Love had been charged along with 10 others for being part of the 5-9 Brims gang, a set of the Bloods, federal authorities said.

In Cortland, when officers searched Loves backpack, they found $100,000 in cash, police said.

Agents from the DEA Task Force in Syracuse responded to the scene.

Each of the 28 people on the bus were pat searched for weapons after the caller told police said he believed one of the men passed the gun to another passenger, according to police. The bus was also searched. Officers did not find a gun.

Love was taken to Binghamton for an initial appearance in front of a federal magistrate.

Police are still investigating the incident.

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter.
It's unclear how many Amazon or Whole Foods employees have died from the coronavirus.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

An unknown number of Amazon and Whole Foods workers have contracted the coronavirus in recent months.

The attorneys general from states including Michigan, Massachusetts, and Washington state demanded in a May 11 letter that the company reveals this data.

"We are concerned that our Offices and the public are learning of these serious developments through secondhand media reports," they wrote.

One Amazon executive has defended his company's right to not explore or publish this data.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The employees of Amazon and its grocery subsidiary Whole Foods have provided Americans a key service during the coronavirus pandemic.

But attorneys general from 12 states and Washington, D.C., say Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey haven't done enough in one key area: protecting its workers and being transparent in how employees have fared during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a May 11 letter addressed to both CEOs, state attorneys general made seven demands of Amazon and Whole Foods. These included providing employees paid leave, unlimited unpaid leave, and adequate health and safety. It also demands the two retail behemoths comply with state sick leave law and address why leaders of worker protests at several fulfillment centers were laid off.

In several areas of the letter, these officials make clear that they need to know how many workers at Whole Foods and Amazon have become sick with the coronavirus or died from it.

For Amazon, where at least one warehouse worker has died from the coronavirus, employees are tracking the numbers on their own. Local reporters in New York, and Washington, D.C. have revealed that Whole Foods workers have contracted the coronavirus, while other media reports in Oregon and Massachusetts say local employees of Whole Foods have died from the virus.

The attorneys general from Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and the District of Columbia are concerned that reporters have had to track these cases and deaths.

Story continues

Demonstrators hold signs during a protest outside of an Amazon warehouse during coronavirus outbreaks in New York on May 1, 2020.

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

"We are concerned that our Offices and the public are learning of these serious developments through secondhand media reports, rather than hearing directly from Whole Foods," the attorneys general wrote in a portion of the letter that highlighted Whole Foods' response.

"Accordingly, we request that Whole Foods provide a description of its policies and processes, if any, that relate to notifying consumers, the public, and public health authorities of serious COVID-19 developments at Company stores," they added.

They are demanding Whole Foods and Amazon provide a state-by-state breakdown. The state AGs noted in their May 11 letter that they've previously requested this information.

Meanwhile, one Amazon executive has defended his company's right to not explore or publish this data.

In a 60 Minutes segment aired May 10, Amazon senior vice president of operations Dave Clark told correspondent Leslie Stahl that he did not have the number of total employees affected by the virus, and said the number is not "particularly useful."

Dave Clark.

YouTube/Amazon Fulfillment

For Amazon leadership including Clark, the rationale is that people are getting sick because of where they live; they could be getting sick from grocery stores, gas stations, or any other places where Americans congregate in recent weeks.

"We see COVID cases popping up at roughly a rate generally just under what the actual community infection rates are, because our employees live and are part of those communities," Clark told Stahl.

State AGs aren't on board with that sentiment, saying that Amazon, which made $75.5 billion in revenue in the first three months of 2020, is obligated to reveal those numbers to the public. The officials wrote, "It is incumbent upon Amazon and Whole Foods as businesses and employers not to worsen the emergency by failing to take every possible step to protect their employees and their customers."

Read the original article on Business Insider
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Indiana girl's first song Dark Eyes highlights "We're more alike than we are different" and benefits two COVID-19 relief funds Westfield, IN - Thirteen-year-old Keegan Connor felt self-conscious about her dark eyes ever since she was little. So she set out to write her 1st song, Dark Eyes. Keegan says, "As I continued with the lyrics, the song became more for all people with dark eyes. 
A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has lauded the appointment of Ibrahim Gambari as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Tinubu described him as a renowned diplomat, statesman and scholar who has served Nigeria in many important positions.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Gambaris appointment was confirmed at Wednesdays Federal Executive Council meeting presided by the president.

Mr Gambari replaces the late Abba Kyari, who died from complications arising from the coronavirus.

In a statement he personally signed, Mr Tinubu said Mr Gambaris intellect, broad experience and skills in administration and diplomacy have adequately prepared and equipped him for the important job he now has.

I congratulate Professor Gambari on his selection and commend President Buhari for making such a thoughtful and prudent choice at this crucial moment.

Prof. Gambari will work competently and with dedication to help President Buhari advance his policy and governance priorities just as he did in the past when he served as Minister of External Affairs in the 1980s.

My personal knowledge of Chief of Staff Gambari is that he is an erudite man who knows and loves this country and who strongly believes in the Nigerian project and President Buharis change agenda.

He is no stranger to our party, APC, and its progressive national vision, he said.

He said Mr Gambari has his best wishes and encouragement, adding that his is a tough assignment, perhaps the hardest he has had, but he is a special person with great attributes, he said.

He will meet the challenge by discharging his duties with excellence and high purpose.

May the guidance and protection of Almighty Allah be with him as he begins the task of assisting the President in forging a better Nigeria and a better life for all of its people.

BASED ON MERIT

In the same vein, Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya has also congratulated Mr Gambari on his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the President.

Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya

In a statement by Ismaila Misilli, his spokesperson, the governor described the appointment as a well-deserved one and based on merit considering his pedigree in diplomacy, administration and academics.

I want to particularly applaud President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Professor Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff. This is indeed a good choice. I believe with his vast knowledge, experience and pedigree in administration and diplomacy both at national and global levels, he will give Mr. President the needed support and loyalty to deliver on his mandate and take the nation to the next level.

He expressed the belief that Mr Gambari will bring to bear his outstanding national and global experience and connections in discharging the functions of his office.

ROUND PEG IN ROUND HOLE

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, also congratulated Mr Gambari.

Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker house of Reps. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Twitter handle of the House of Reps]

Mr Gbajabiamila, in a statement by his spokesman, Lanre Lasisi, said he believes Mr Gambari is a round peg in a round hole, considering his experience over the years.

He said as a foremost diplomat and an outstanding academic, Mr Gambari would bring his experience of decades to bear in his new national assignment.

I want to congratulate the new Chief of Staff to the President on his appointment. I know with his vast experience and international connections, Gambari will use all of that for the betterment of Nigeria.

I wish him a successful period in office as he takes the onerous task of being the Chief of Staff to the President, Gbajabiamila said.

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RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB

Similarly, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, described the new chief of staff as the right man for the job.

In a statement signed by Gboyega Akosile, his Chief Press Secretary, the governor said Mr Gambari is a man of impeccable character, right temperament, leadership and knowledge.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu

The choice of Professor Gambari as successor to the late Mallam Abba Kyari by President Muhammadu Buhari is commendable. Gambari is not just an academic or a diplomat, he is a fine gentleman, a decent Nigerian who epitomizes the Nigerian dream.

My personal and official interactions with Professor Gambari have brought about nothing but meaningful development. He is a man of many parts.

Mr Sanwo-olu said the several years of experience garnered by the newly appointed chief of staff in various fields of international diplomacy and politics, academics, research and management, would help the President and Commander In Chief in the onerous tasks of administering the nation.

I have no doubt that Professor Gambaris appointment is a major win for the presidency and the nation as a whole, especially coming at a time when Nigeria is confronting a major challenge with global outlook.

The governor, however, urged Nigerians to support the new chief of staff, saying the nation has a lot benefit from his varied skills.

EXCEPTIONAL NIGERIAN

The Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) in a statement by its Executive Director, Abdullahi Omaki said it welcomes the news of the appointment of Mr. Gambari.

According to the statement, Mr Gambari is the Chairman and Founder of the Centre.

Mr Omaki stated that it is a very well-deserved appointment, not because he is one of them, their founder and mentor, but because he is an exceptional Nigerian, who has creditably distinguished himself in Nigeria, Africa, and the world through the United Nations where he served as Under-Secretary General of the world body for about 13 years.

On behalf of its Board Members, the Management and all other staff of Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD), I express with great delight and profound respect to His Excellency Muhamadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, most sincere gratitude for this appointment.

The Centre, is exceedingly proud for the honour done to the person of Professor Gambari, his Centre, the people of his home-state, Kwara, and all other Nigerians at home and abroad.

REWARD FOR ENVIABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, also congratulated Mr Gambari on assumption of his new office.

Mr Wase, in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Umar Puma, described Mr Gambari as one of the finest in his field globally.

Ahmed Wase (Photo Credit: ThisDay Live)

He said Mr Gambaris appointment was a reward for his enviable contributions to the development of the country and his exploits at the international scene.

I congratulate Prof. Ibrahim Gambari on his appointment as Chief of Staff to the President. It is a mark of honour to serve your country at that highest level. This appointment is deserving and highly welcomed.

He is eminently qualified, highly experienced, mature and adequately exposed. I therefore, urge Prof. Gambari to use his wealth of experience and deep knowledge of national and international politics to bear on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in pursuing his next level agenda.

The deputy speaker said the appointment could not have come at a better time than now looking at the myriad of problems faced by the nation.

I hope that Gambari will provide the needed impetus and advice to assist the president to paddle the nation out of its current challenges, he said.
Three Council Bluffs students have qualified for the National History Day contest, which will be held online in June.

More than 500 students from across Iowa competed in the State History Day contest, which was also held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of those, 54 will advance to nationals.

Local students include Ashley Hipnar, a senior at Abraham Lincoln High School, who entered a Senior Individual Exhibit; Anna Newby of Abraham Lincoln, who entered a Senior Individual Documentary; and Emily Newby of Kirn Middle School, who entered a Junior Individual Documentary.

This years competition has been a tremendous challenge in light of the coronavirus, and we are proud of our student participants, their families and teachers for making the transition to the online format as smooth as possible, said Susan Kloewer, administrator of the State Historical Society of Iowa. I encourage all Iowans to join me in congratulating these student historians and wishing our national qualifiers well as they move on to the next competition.

National History Day is a year-long academic enrichment program that challenges students to research, develop and present papers, exhibits, documentaries, websites and performances about historical topics related to an annual theme. This years theme is Breaking Barriers in History.

Students compete in a Senior Division (grades 9-12), Junior Division (grades 6-8) and noncompetitive Youth Division (grades 4-5). They learn important literacy skills and how to conduct research using primary, secondary, community and statewide resources. Working individually or in groups of two to five, they develop the following attributes that are essential for future success:

 Critical thinking and problem-solving skills

 Research and reading skills

 Oral and written communication skills

 Presentation skills

 Self-esteem and confidence

 A sense of responsibility for an involvement in the democratic process

More than half a million middle- and high-school students around the world participate in the program each year.

The National History in Iowa program has been coordinated since 1994 by the State Historical Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and is sponsored by State Historical Society Inc., Principal Financial Group, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Prairie Meadows and Luther College.
Critics are slamming the Philippine government for allowing what they called Chinese propaganda to be aired on a state-run radio station at a time when the country is pushing back against Beijings expansionist moves in the South China Sea.

Wow China, a program that is a collaboration between the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) and China Radio International, has been airing on Radyo Pilipinas since mid-2018.

I am very disturbed. We have let Chinese propaganda reach our shores. They claimed the West Philippine Sea, and now our radio they will also claim? said Sen. Risa Hontiveros, a member of the opposition, in a statement using the Philippine name for the South China Sea.

The broadcast of Wow China episodes has not been controversial for the most part, but caught the Philippine publics attention lately after advertisements for the show made the rounds on social media.

China has been seeking to bolster its international image as it deflects blame for COVID-19, which has spread around the world and killed hundreds of thousands people, including more than 700 in the Philippines, critics said. The virus was detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Episodes of Wow China usually open with images of a red logo and Chinas flag. Wow China bills itself as a cultural program meant to promote Chinese culture and history among Filipinos, including by giving them guided Mandarin lessons, according to one of the episodes.

A recent episode, which was also disseminated via Facebook, showcased Chinas assistance to other countries in combating the coronavirus pandemic. It mentioned how Beijing had helped the Philippines by sending medical experts and donating face masks earlier on during the health crisis.

Last month, Iisang Dagat (One Sea), a music video released by the Chinese embassy in Manila, extolled the bilateral friendship and Chinas partnership with the Philippines amid the pandemic, but it drew a backlash on social media.

For me, this is a betrayal of the Filipino people. Our state media should always place Filipinos interests and welfare first. Wow China should be cancelled immediately, Hontiveros said Tuesday. They should likewise be made to explain to Filipino taxpayers why it allowed the airing of Chinese state propaganda.

Hontiveros filed a senate resolution two weeks ago urging Dutertes government to exert legal and diplomatic pressures against Chinese activities in the contested South China Sea.

Rizal Giovanni Aportadera, director-general of PBS, shrugged off criticisms, saying the Chinese-sponsored program aired every weekend.

The PBS recognizes constitutional freedoms and respects the views and sentiments of the public and the netizens  and their right to share these on their social media channels, he said.

He called Wow Chinas format light, informative and entertaining.

In no way whatsoever does it espouse or promote a particular political view or cause, he said.

Officials at the Chinese embassy in Manila were not immediately available for comment.

South China Sea claims

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam as well as Beijings rival, Taiwan, also have competing claims in the maritime region.

In early April, a Chinese coast guard ship rammed a Vietnamese fishing boat in the sea. A similar incident involving a Filipino boat occurred last year.

Manila recently filed two diplomatic protests against perceived aggressive moves by Beijing, including its recent declaration of two new administrative districts in the South China Sea. One of the protests was based on an incident where a Chinese military ship allegedly pointed a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship near the Philippine-occupied Rizal Reef in the Kalayaan Island Group.

On Wednesday, Rep. Ferdinand Gaite, a member of the opposition party-list group Bayan Muna, denounced the airing of Chinese propaganda and accused Beijing of continuing to disrespect Manila.

Were blasting Chinese propaganda on our radio, and theyre blasting Filipino fishermen off our waters and pointing guns at our navy, Gaite said.

On the one hand, the government radio station is busy promoting better relations and friendship with China. On the other hand, the Chinese government is busy establishing its foothold on our islands in the West Philippine Sea, Gaite said.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a EUR 10 million loan to the city of Kharkiv for the purchase of new trolleybuses under the Ukraine Urban Public Transport Project, the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry has reported.

"The European Investment Bank provided a loan worth EUR 10 million to Kharkiv for the purchase of 49 new trolleybuses. This will accelerate the renewal of the city's fleet with eco-friendly and energy-efficient electric vehicles. The new rolling stock will allow 1.4 million city residents to take advantage of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient transport infrastructure," the report says.

It notes that Kharkiv will receive a loan as part of the Ukraine Urban Public Transport Project, which is implemented jointly by the EIB and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.

As Ukrinform reported, the Ukraine Urban Public Transport Project, a financial agreement between Ukraine and the EIB, was ratified by the Law of Ukraine of April 12, 2017. It envisages the implementation of 21 subprojects for the development of urban passenger transport in 11 cities of Ukraine.

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A local court on Wednesday remanded 61 of the over 130 accused, held in connection with the Palghar lynching case, in judicial custody and 51 others in police custody

Palghar: A local court on Wednesday remanded 61 of the over 130 accused, held in connection with the Palghar lynching case, in judicial custody and 51 others in police custody.

Total 113 accused, including a juvenile, were produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) MV Jawale at Dahanu in Palghar district.

The incident had taken place at Gadchinchle village on 16 April when two seers were heading towards Surat from Mumbai in a car with a driver to attend a funeral. A mob of villagers stopped their vehicle and beat them to death on suspicion that they were child-lifters, even as a few police personnel had reached the spot.

Palghar district rural police have registered three FIRs in connection with the lynching incident. As many 134 persons have been arrested by the local police and the state CID.

The first case relates to the murder of three victims.

In connection with this case, the court remanded six of the seven accused in police custody until 19 May, while another accused, a juvenile, was referred to the Juvenile Justice Board.

Click here for Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates

In the other FIR relating to the attack on the police and attempt to murder, 106 accused were produced before the court, of them five were remanded in police custody till 16 May.

When the police took the custody of the 101 in the third FIR, 40 of them were remanded into police custody till 18 May. The remaining 61 were remanded in judicial custody.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Turkmenistan, Iran and Uzbekistan have discussed cooperation in the transport sector, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistan State News Agency.

The heads of railway ministries and departments of Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran held talks in Turkmenistan Railways agency via videoconference.

From Turkmen side the meeting was attended by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Bayramgeldi Ovezov, who oversees the transport and communication sector of the country, as well as representatives of a number of other industries.

The parties discussed the formation of regional and international transport and communication infrastructure. In particular, the need to establish contacts in the field of logistics, which provides stable cargo transportation in various directions, was noted.

Representatives also considered measures to prevent the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the development of trade and economic ties.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
ALBANY, Calif., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Electric Scooter Guide ( electric-scooter.guide ) ("ESG"), the internet's leading source of information about electric scooters, announced the #EssentialScooters campaign, in which it will give one electric scooter each to 30 essential workers throughout the United States. The scooters were donated by leading electric scooter retailers including Fluid Freerides, Gotrax, Voromotors, Apollo Scooters, Revrides, and ESG itself.

"All over the world, mass transit systems have reduced or even stopped service. Shared mobility and ride shares have come to a grinding halt, and taxis are expensive, if you can even find one," said ESG co-founder Chuck Temple. "As we get into the warmer months even bikes are simply not an option for many. We believe electric scooters are key, as they enable essential workers to quickly and easily get around their cities while maintaining social distance. Also, they're just a lot of fun to ride."

Details of the campaign, including information on how essential workers can apply, can be found here: electric-scooter.guide/essential-scooters

The campaign will run from May 12th to May 19th via Instagram.

via Instagram. All U.S. essential workers age 18+ are eligible to participate.

"We know this is a drop in the bucket compared to the overall need of essential workers," acknowledges Temple, "but we hope this small gesture from the electric scooter community will have a positive impact on the lives of at least a few essential workers. It's our community's way of saying 'thank you' to them."

About Electric Scooter Guide: ESG is based in Albany, CA. Founded in 2019, ESG's mission is to help prospective riders find their ideal scooter through in-depth and unbiased written reviews, videos, and other tools. ESG receives over 700K page views per month via its website and YouTube, and has over 32K followers on Reddit, Facebook, and Instagram.

Chuck Temple

Electric Scooter Guide

[email protected]

electric-scooter.guide

SOURCE Electric Scooter Guide

Related Links

https://electric-scooter.guide/


Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered government forces to resume operations against the Taliban and other insurgent groups after 40 people, including newborn babies, were killed when armed militants opened fire inside a hospital and at a funeral ceremony.

The Taliban denied involvement in Tuesday's attacks on the hospital in a Shiite neighborhod of capital Kabul and on a funeral ceremony in the eastern province of Nangarhar. The violence cast further doubt on the longevity of the U.S.-Taliban deal that was meant to reduce bloodshed and pave the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and end 18 years of war in Afghanistan.

"In order to ensure security for the public areas and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I am ordering Afghan National Security Forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to begin operations against the enemies," Ghani said in a television address several hours after the attacks.

The Afghan military had stopped operations against the Taliban after the U.S. signed a peace deal with the group on Feb. 29. The deal was meant to lead the way for direct negotiations between the Afghan government and militant group, who have repeatedly rebuffed Ghani's peace calls. Since the signing of the accord violence has surged killing hundreds.

Armed militants in army uniforms attacked the maternity ward of a Kabul hospital, killing 16, including women and infants, Waheedullah Mayar, a spokesman from the country's health ministry, said over the phone. Another 16 were wounded in that attack, he said. The ward is run with the support of the international aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres.

A separate attack on a funeral ceremony in eastern Nangarhar province killed at least 24 people and wounded about 70 others, provincial spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said over the phone on Tuesday. The death toll could rise as the condition of some of the wounded was "quite critical," he added.

"The United States condemns in the strongest terms the two horrific terrorist attacks in Afghanistan today," U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in an emailed statement. "During the holy month of Ramadan and amidst the threat of Covid-19, these dual attacks are particularly appalling. We note the Taliban have denied any responsibility and condemned both attacks as heinous."

On Tuesday, three assailants began shooting inside the maternity ward of the hospital, Tariq Arian, a spokesman from the country's interior ministry said by phone. All the gunmen were killed after a five-hour-long battle with Afghan forces, Arian added.

Pompeo called on the Taliban and the Afghan government to cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice.

"As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism," he said.

Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh was less conciliatory, saying in a tweet Wednesday that those who believed the Taliban were naive.
Food delivery app Swiggy is working to cash in on a rather lucrative prospect -- home delivery of alcohol. The company is in talks with several state governments to seek permission for liquor delivery. Swiggy is aiming to deliver liquor from local licenced retailers.

COO Vivek Sundar told the Economic Times, "We are in talks with a host of state governments. If the government gives us a green signal... And we are making sure everyone is safe in the process... We will explore that possibility... We are not going to rush into it prematurely."

Also read: Coronavirus live updates: Maharashtra on edge with 24,427 cases; FM Nirmala Sitharaman media address at 4 pm

The Supreme Court also recently observed that home delivery of liquor is a better alternative than crowds rushing to liquor shops and violating social distancing norms in the process. A three-judge bench did not pass an order but asked states to mull over liquor delivery. "We will not pass any order, but states should consider home delivery or indirect sale of liquor to maintain social distancing. Discussion on home delivery is going on. What do you want us to do?" Justice Kaul asked during a hearing of a plea that sought to ban sale of liquor during the lockdown.

Following the SC's comment, states like Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand in-principle welcomed the SC's opinion. According to the daily states have also held talks with food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy as well as smaller startups like HipBar and Liqhub.

Also read: Coronavirus: Planning to buy liquor? Beware of fake home delivery sites

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police is probing fake liquor delivery sites that duped around a hundred customers. The websites became active the day after the Delhi government announced the issuing of e-tokens for alcohol. The scamsters took down details such as name and phone numbers of customers, made them pay through NEFT and then went non-responsive. The Delhi Police cyber crime branch took up the matter after around 100 people were duped in this manner.

Also read: Coronavirus: Planning to buy liquor in Delhi? Get a token first
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has won more and more recognition around the world for its important role in treating the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Photo shows a TCM pharmacist preparing traditional Chinese medicine in Zhangshu hospital of TCM in Zhangshu, east Chinas Jiangxi province. (Photo by Zhou Liang/Peoples Daily)

In many countries across the globe, including the U.S., Laos, Iran and South Korea, TCM has been helping with the global fight against the pandemic in various ways.

It is widely believed that bringing into play the strengths of TCM, treating COVID-19 patients through a combination of TCM and Western medicine, has been a highlight of Chinas experience in fighting the virus.

During the early stages of the pandemic, Wuhan, capital of central Chinas Hubei province and also the worst-hit Chinese city by COVID-19, suffered extremely serious epidemic circumstances.

Hospitals were packed with patients, and many fever clinics saw hundreds of patients waiting in lines, according to Zhang Boli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Whats particularly worrying was that patients and their family who came with them all stayed at the same place, Zhang said, referring to the situation he saw when he arrived in Wuhan in late January.

After two months, the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals around the city dropped from more than 60,000 to around 1,000, while the number of severe patients reduced from 12,000 to about 490.

Isolation and the use of TCM for all COVID-19 patients have helped curb the spread of the virus, said Zhang, referring to this revelation as the foundation of victory over the outbreak.

In a few days, Wuhan had managed to basically isolate its infected patients from the healthy population, which has been proven significant for blocking the spread of the disease.

Although we didnt have specific medicine for the disease, we have TCM, Using this, we distributed TCM decoctions and Chinese patent medicine among patients, Zhang recalled.

Only 3,000 people in the 13 districts of Wuhan accepted this medicine on the first day, according to Zhang, who added that after seeing the effects of TCM, many patients asked for the treatment, resulting in a total of more than 600,000 people receiving the medicine.

Western medicine has been given priority and TCM has played the supporting role when treating severe COVID-19 patients, Zhang disclosed, adding that the use of TCM can be critical for improving the condition of patients.

Many designated hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, including the Jinyintan Hospital, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, and Leishenshan Hospital, have used TCM in the treatment of COVID-19, and achieved great results, Zhang said.

As COVID-19 patients recover, a majority still have some symptoms after entering the rehabilitation period, such as lack of strength, poor appetite, anxiety, shortness of breath, sleeplessness, and depression, according to Wang Rongbing, chief physician of the department of integrated Chinese and Western medicine of Beijing Ditan Hospital in Beijing.

TCM has also played an important role in eliminating these symptoms of COVID-19 patients during this stage.

To eliminate these symptoms, one needs the help of TCM, Wang said, adding many TCM therapies and methods, such as acupuncture, cupping, massage, and ancient Chinese martial art Tai Chi and Ba Duan Jin are all helpful for the quick recovery of patients.

I didnt know much about TCM as I was abroad. Ive never imagined that it can have so amazing effects, exclaimed Li Hua (pseudonym), who felt that his condition had significantly improved after receiving TCM treatment for no more than two days.

After arriving in Beijing from overseas not long ago, Li was hospitalized by Beijings Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was previously used to quarantine SARS patients and is now a designated hospital for the screening and treatment of imported mild and common COVID-19 cases, suspected cases and those who need to be tested.

The strengths of TCM have been fully demonstrated in Wuhans fight against the COVID-19, said Yuan Qing with confidence, chief physician of the department of respiratory medicine of Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who wrote the prescription for Li.

Yuan advises each patient he receives at Xiaotangshan Hospital to first read information about TCMs roles in the treatment of COVID-19 online, and then writes prescriptions of TCM decoction for them.

All the patients have been happy to receive TCM treatment after learning about the efficacy of TCM, Yuan said, disclosing that it makes him more confident that many patients, including the first one to be cured, said that they never imagined TCM could work so well.

To treat the COVID-19 when theres no specific medicine and vaccine, TCM doctors in China selected three patented Chinese medicines and developed three new TCM prescriptions, according to Zhang.

All six medicines, namely Jinhua Qinggan Granule, Lianhua Qingwen Capsule, Xuebijing Injection, Lung Cleansing and Detoxifying Decoction, HuaShiBaiDu Formula, and XuanFeiBaiDu Granule, have been proven effective in clinical practice and scientific research, Zhang noted.

A control clinical trial conducted in Wuhan showed that Jinhua Qinggan Granule reduced the proportion of mild and common COVID-19 cases, disclosed Zhang.

The medicine also cut patients duration of fever by 1.5 days and significantly improved white blood cell counts, neutrophil and lymphocyte that reflect the immune function of the body, Zhang said.

TCM and Western medicine are significantly different in the mode of treatment. Most of the chemicals used in Western medicine are single-target drugs, while TCM and Chinese medicine are multi-targeted, said Qiu Haibo, vice president of Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University.

The method of TCM is more like teamwork, Qiu explained.

At present, as countries and regions around the world fight the pandemic together, China is willing to carry out international cooperation with countries in need on efforts to use TCM in prevention and control of the pandemic and provide as much help as it can, said Yu Yanhong, Party chief of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

China has shared it experience in the use of TCM in epidemic prevention and control with the World Health Organization (WHO) in a timely manner and released the latest English version of its TCM treatment plan for COVID-19 on the website of National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and new media platforms, Yu disclosed.

The country has also shared its experience in the treatment of COVID-19 with countries including Japan, South Korea, Italy, Iran, and Singapore via videos, according to Yu.

Relevant Chinese organizations have donated TCM products such as patented Chinese medicine, acupuncture needles and medical instruments to over 10 countries and regions around the world, including Italy and France, while dispatching TCM doctors to countries including Italy, Cambodia and Laos to assist in the fight against COVID-19, Yu said.
I would expect that thered be a short period of maybe rustiness, says longtime CSO principal cello John Sharp. Just the reflexes are maybe not  theyre not what they were when you were doing this day after day, week after week.  After a four-week break we have each year, you come back to the first rehearsal and, whoa! It hits. Everything feels different, and youre a little off. But after a week, you feel like youre back in the saddle.
Add San Antonios Globalscape to the list of companies giving back big federal loans they received through the Paycheck Protection Program, igniting a political furor.

Critics have blasted many large firms for taking PPP funding, reducing the pot available for the programs intended recipients  smaller businesses left cash-strapped by the economic shutdown.

Globalscape, a publicly-traded software company that employs 106 workers, said this week that it would return a $1.98 million PPP loan it received through EastWest Bank in early April, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Globalscape chairman and CEO Robert Alpert defended the companys decision to seek the loan.

We believed Globalscape qualified for the loan under the original guidelines, and as fiduciaries of the business and in light of the extreme uncertainty regarding our business and the economy at that time, we believed it was prudent and advisable to apply for and ultimately receive the loan, Alpert said in a statement.

Globalscape, which develops software to safely move data across a network, this week reported $2.4 million in profit in the first quarter on revenue of $9.7 million.

The company ended the quarter, on March 31, with $9.3 million in cash on hand and $5.6 million in accounts receivables.

The firm generated $13.3 million in profit in 2019 on $40.3 million in revenue. Thats up from just $3.7 million in profit in 2018 on revenue of $34.4 million, when a former company official pleaded guilty to wire fraud for intentionally inflating sales numbers.

The company has steadily rebounded since then. Alpert said the firm was in even better shape when the pandemic struck than he had realized.

From the time we applied for the loan to the time we repaid it, our business appeared stronger than we first thought, and we therefore determined to repay the loan, Alpert said.

Following receipt of the loan proceeds, we evaluated our access to credit through other sources of funding and determined to repay the funds borrowed, the company said in the SEC filing.

Globalscape officials also noted in the report that the company received a $50 million term loan from J.P. Morgan Chase Bank in November. The fund were substantially used to fund a special dividend of $3.35 to our common shareholders which was paid on December 5, 2019.

The PPP was established by Congress under the CARES Act. It was designed to provide forgivable loans to small firms so company owners could continue paying employees as the pandemic forced widespread business closures.

The programs goal is to funnel money to companies with fewer than 500 employees who dont have ready access to other forms of cash.

But the program came under fire after the initial round of nearly $350 billion in loans went out in the first half of April. Large companies such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Shake Shack and the Dallas-based parent company of Taco Cabana returned their PPP loans worth millions after public scrutiny.

More than 400 publicly-traded companies received $1.3 billion in PPP funding, according to data analytics firm FactSquared. Of those, companies have returned 61 loans totaling more than $411 million.

In the first round, 134,000 PPP loans worth $28.4 billion went to businesses in Texas. The average loan size was over $211,000.

In late April, Treasury Sect. Steven Mnuchin acknowledged larger companies were taking a significant chunk of the PPP money. He said companies that received loans worth more than $2 million would be audited to ensure they needed the money.

In guidance published last week, the Treasury Department stipulated which businesses should  and should not  apply for the funding.

Borrowers still must certify in good faith that their PPP loan request is necessary, the guidance reads. For example, it is unlikely that a public company with substantial market value and access to capital markets will be able to make the required certification in good faith.

The SBA said large companies have until Thursday to return PPP money and face no consequences.

After the first round of loans was drained within two weeks, Congress appropriated an additional $310 billion for a second round of loans.

From April 27 through May 8, Texas businesses had obtained 204,000 PPP loans worth $13.8 billion had gone, with an average loan amount of $67,000.

Despite the flaws, PPP has mostly worked as intended, wrote the Small Business Administrations inspector general in a report on the program published Friday.

The SBA, which has administered PPP, previously set a record for loans in a single year in 2017, when the body loaned $25.4 billion. Between April 3 and May 6, the SBA processed 4.1 million loans worth $525 billion.

But the report found that the SBA did not ensure loans were adequately directed to rural and historically marginalized businesses.

(T)hese borrowers, the report stated, including rural, minority and women-owned businesses may not have received the loans as intended.

Business owners are required to spend at least 75 percent of the loan on eight weeks of payroll, but the report found that tens of thousands of small businesses could not mathematically meet that requirement.

That would mean the business owner would have to pay a portion of the loan back within two years. But that could force businesses to take on debt despite uncertainty over whether they will survive the downturn.

Many small businesses have more operational expenses than employee expenses, the report stated. SBAs requirements could result in an unintended burden to the borrowers.

Janie Barrera, CEO of the San Antonio-based small business lender LiftFund, has lamented the fact that many small businesses in the region have been unable to get access to PPP loans.

Business owners who have a criminal record are generally unable to get a loan, and Barrera said one business owner she encountered was denied because she was behind on her student loans.

Barrera said the SBA should ensure a certain amount of any future PPP funds go to businesses with less than $2 million in annual revenue.

Give an opportunity for those dollars to funnel into those smaller businesses, Barrera said. Thats our community.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
A person has been cured of



COVID-19 in Meghalaya, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 11, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said.

Thirteen novel coronavirus cases have been reported in the state so far, including one fatality.

"The 11th case was tested again after 24 hours. The test has come out negative again. Based on protocols the patient has recovered. Meghalaya as of now has only one active case," Sangma tweeted on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said altogether 3,000 Meghalaya residents stranded in different parts of the country due to the ongoing lockdown have returned to the state so far.

A total of 1,100 students from Meghalaya stranded in Tamil Nadu will leave for the state in a special train on Wednesday night, he said.

The train is scheduled to arrive at Guwahati railway station in neighbouring Assam on May 15, Tynsong said.

Also, a group of 50 people from Meghalaya stranded in West Bengal returned to the state early in the morning, Health and Family Welfare Minister Alexander Laloo Hek.

Another bus carrying 24 Meghalaya residents stranded in Rajasthan returned to the state on Tuesday, he said.

The returnees are being screened and registered before being sent for home isolation, a senior health official said.

Some students have been sent for institutional quarantine as per requests of their parents, he said.

In all, around 8,000 stranded students and workers from Meghalaya are expected to return to the state from different parts of the country, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Workers compensation is an all-too-often abused, misunderstood, complex, and sometimes poorly managed process that is very costly to an organization. This book is designed to aid HR administrators to effectively manage this process to lower recordable claims, reduce the number of litigated claims, and garner employee support. All with the intent to lower the experience modification rate and premiums.

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A thug subjected his ex-girlfriend to a horrific attack after he was dumped for writing a 'to do' list which reminded him to flirt with another former flame and get tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

Melanie Consiglio, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, came across the scrap of paper while unpacking the belongings of boyfriend Chris Graham, who she'd asked to move in with her shortly before.

Number one on the list was 'flirt with my ex', two was 'go to the STD clinic and get checked over', and three read 'find out who Brian is'.

Chris Graham, pictured left, subjected Melanie Consiglio, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, to a horrific attack after he was dumped for writing a bizarre 'to do' list

Former civil servant Melanie, 46, who shared a platonic relationship with a man named Brian, was horrified to stumble upon the upsetting memo and kicked Graham, 38, a casual window cleaner, out before he'd even moved in.

But she was devastated when just four days later, after he went round to her flat to discuss the break up, he launched a sickening seven hour attack, which left her scarred for life.

Melanie said: 'Chris was very insecure, and always accusing me of seeing other men.

'I asked him to move in with me as a last resort, thinking that might save the relationship.

'But as I was unpacking his stuff I came across the scribbled note. It had 'to do list' written on it and number one was 'flirt with my ex'.

'I couldn't believe it as I continued to read and saw second on the list was 'get an STD test'.

Melanie sustained horrendous injuries, pictured, following the attack, which saw Graham jailed for 32 months

Graham grabbed his ex, threw her onto the sofa, and put his hands round her throat in the attack, which left her with a number of bruises

The victim was stabbed in the knee, 'over and over' by her dumped former boyfriend

Melanie had to turn down a job offer due to her injuries, pictured, and the PTSD she suffered

'I knew immediately I didn't want to be with him anymore and sent him a text, telling him it was over.

'He was at his friend's house. I put all his belongings in a corner for him to pick up.'

Shortly afterwards, Graham, who she'd been with for five months, came over to collect the bags and seemed to accept the relationship was over.

However, four days later he text her, apologising for his behaviour and asking if he could come round to talk.

Melanie reluctantly agreed, and the pair chatted over a bottle of wine before Graham's mood suddenly changed.

The mother-of-five said: 'Everything was fine, then it was like a switch went off in his head. He started accusing me of seeing other men.

'He grabbed me, threw me onto the sofa, and put his hands round my throat.

'He kept saying, 'admit it', 'admit it'. But I refused. I was drifting in and out of consciousness.

'At one point he told me I was going to bleed to death. Then, he stabbed me in the knee, over and over.

Melanie, pictured left at home, said she hit 'rock bottom' after the ordeal, which saw Graham, pictured right, attacking her on and off for around seven hours

'I don't know what he was using to hurt me, but there was blood everywhere.

'He came round at 10pm and didn't leave until 5am, so he must have been attacking me on and off for around seven hours.'

Once Graham was gone Melanie text her grown up daughter to get help.

Police arrested him while he was on his way to his mother's house and, after initially claiming he was acting in self-defence, he pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

At Newcastle Crown Court on April 28 he was jailed for 32 months.

Judge Christopher Prince also imposed a lifelong restraining order to keep him away from Melanie.

Judge Prince told him: 'She was particularly vulnerable, she was alone with you in the house.'

As well as a 32 month jail term, Judge Christopher Prince imposed a lifelong restraining order to keep Graham, pictured, away from Melanie

He ruled Graham had used a pen to stab Melanie, but one was never found, and she insists so much damage was caused the weapon must have been a knife.

Nicholas Lane, defending, told the court Graham has completed courses, gained certificates and is employed as a cleaner while in custody.

Melanie said: 'I have been left scarred for life.

'Chris' violent actions turned my life upside down.

'I had to turn down a job offer, as I was in too much of a state to accept. I'd already lost a job over him, because he'd got me sacked from my old position.

'In the aftermath I hit rock bottom. I was suffering from PTSD and struggled to cope.

'Now he's been jailed I feel like I can in some way move on. I am just glad he is out of my life forever.'
Rebecca Shamtoob had only been working for a month at a firm based in a Manhattan WeWork before things started feeling offwell, more off than usual for the scandal-beset co-working company. It was early March, and COVID-19 cases were skyrocketing in New York City. She noticed the WeWork location was getting dirtierparticularly the bathroomsand that there were few protective measures in place. WeWork staff were placing hand sanitizer at various places around the office, but people kept stealing the highly sought bottles, Shamtoob says. On March 12, the location threw a pizza and pie party for Pi Day (since March 14 was on a Saturday) and announced it would be the last office event for the foreseeable future. The location, at 401 Park Ave. S., planned to remain open for work, however. People were coughing and sharing food at the party, so Shamtoob decided to start working from home.

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The email from WeWork came a week later: Someone at the location had tested positive for COVID-19. The last time that person had been in the office was the day of the Pi Day party.

You can understand why the co-working model would not be particularly appealing during a pandemic. But now that cases have exploded and lockdown orders across the country have prevented many people from even going in to work, many WeWork customers allege that the company has been inflexible in giving them breaks on rent and easing lease terms. WeWork is keeping its locations open, declaring itself an essential business. Yet many members feel that the offices are unusable, particularly given that nonessential workers are expected to stay home and the fact that there have been positive cases at some WeWork locations. The company has said that it is working with its 600,000 members on an individual basis to figure out compromises on rent during this time. But many members have been turning to media outlets to allege that WeWork has either offered unfair terms or completely refused to make concessions. (WeWork itself has stopped paying rent at certain locations.)

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Many members have alleged that WeWork has either offered unfair terms or completely refused to make concessions.

When New York went into lockdown in late March, lawyer Stephanie Hendricks knew business for her practice would slow to a trickle. Hendricks contacted the WeWork branch at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where shed been working since fall 2019, to see about getting a rent reduction. Instead, she says, the company shot down all her proposals, such as her suggestion that she simply pay WeWork a $600 monthly storage fee for her office supplies. (Her base rent is $1,850 per month.) Because her credit card was already on file, she had no way of stopping the payments. Getting out of the lease also isnt an option, since she signed on for three years. At this point, she says theres not much else she can do. Im honestly just taking things on a day-to-day basis, she said. Hendricks said that when shes gone in to check on her belongings, the workspace has been completely empty save for one staff member at the front desk. (The kitchen is no longer serving complimentary beverages.)

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Jacob Feldman, CEO of the education consultancy Nexus Academics, had been on a month-to-month lease at the 300 Park Ave. WeWork location in Manhattan and was planning to move out when the pandemic hit. He told the company during the first week of March that hed be leaving at the end of the month. WeWork told him, however, that he wouldve had to have notified them on Feb. 29 to do thatso he would have to pay through April 30.

Feldman says that getting in touch with WeWork representatives at the corporate level was impossible because by March, when New Yorks coronavirus infections were rapidly climbing, they were overwhelmed with tons of other move-out requests. He asked his locations office manager whether he could get a break on rent for April since the workspace had been closed for a combined two weeks for deep cleanings after several customers tested positive for the coronavirus. (When they did the cleanings, they would only close the floor where the infected persons office was located, even though members are typically able to access all three floors.) The manager told him that he wouldnt have to pay April rent, but only if he agreed to extend his lease through May. He opted to take the hit rather than extending.

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Feldman recently visited the office during the workday to gather his belongings and noted that the lights were off and no other tenants were there. He saw two or three staff members who werent wearing masks. Some signs were up to remind people to practice social distancing, but that appeared to be the only protective measure that the location had taken.

Several members have now hired lawyers in an attempt to force WeWork to stop billing them and issue refunds for April and May. The firm Walden Macht & Haran is currently representing more than 20 small businesses located in New York, Los Angeles, and D.C. that initially found one another on social media and formed a group to protest WeWorks practices. Lawyers on the case are also vetting 50 more from Ohio, Tennessee, and other states that have contacted the firm to join the group. The lawyers sent a letter to WeWork on Thursday threatening to pursue arbitration if its demands for rent relief and refunds are not met. It also asked the company to allow the customers to join together as a class in a potential suit; most WeWork contracts stipulate that tenants cannot join class-action lawsuits. WeWork replied to the firms letter asking for a list of the clients its representing, though the law firm wants a no-retaliation guarantee before providing it.

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For many of the clients we represent, WeWorks monthly rent is the largest overhead they have, so forgiving rent during the pandemic while these stay-at-home orders are in place is a critical lifeline for these companies, the law firms managing partner Jim Walden told Slate. Our main goal is to convince WeWork that it should not be collecting rent from tenants in locations where people are not lawfully entitled to access the space. Walden further noted that police have visited WeWork locations in Los Angeles and D.C. to ensure that people werent violating stay-at-home orders. He plans to file a letter with the New York State Attorney Generals Office and the Department of Justice alleging that WeWork is illegally ceasing retainers without a contractual basis and debiting accounts even when the company has received explicit requests not to do so. WeWork declined to comment on the legal dispute and customer complaints.

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Even before the pandemic, WeWork had been trying to cut costs and shore up revenue streams wherever it could. In September, the company indefinitely postponed its initial public offering after investors brought up serious concerns about the companys actual value and the leadership of now-former CEO Adam Neumann. From there, WeWork quickly unraveled, laying off thousands of workers in an attempt to stem its multibillion-dollar losses. Now, as the country faces an economic crisis and staying at home remains a necessity for the office workers upon whom WeWork relies, the companys path to profitability seems even more remote. I understand that WeWork is having its own difficulties. Ive been rooting for them, said Hendricks, the lawyer in Brooklyn. I want to work with WeWork and not be treated like I have some magical ability to make money during this difficult economic time.
Senator representing Enugu North, Chukwuka Utazi has gotten many riled up after he stated that that Africans do not marry for love, but simply to have children.

He made this known while contributing to a debate on a bill seeking to prevent, control, and manage sickle cell anaemia in the country, on Tuesday, May 12.

Utazi, a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) further stated that it is painful to realize that some people cannot marry their main choice because of blood group.

This bill is taking me down the memory lane because Im an AS carrier and when I was about getting married, several years ago, I moved into this orbit and I know what I went through because I was in love. I knew the trauma. After that incident, for five years I didnt come out of it, he said.

So I am speaking from experience and I know how it pains that you have made a choice and you discover that the choice cant work. Because in Africa, we marry for children, we dont marry for love.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan interrupted him at this point, saying: Senator Chukwuka Utazi, I think you should be speaking for yourself.

Utazi continued saying: In the developed world, particulars of a childs blood group is given at birth.

A test is done to show the blood group, the genotype before leaving. In the birth certificate of the child, all those things are put in place.

We should not be waiting for when people want to go and marry, that is when they will start checking their genotype and their blood group, it shouldnt be.

Senator Biodun Olujimi, senator representing Ekiti south, also spoke saying Nigerians need to look at ways of addressing health needs.

The time has come for us to look inwards to solve some of these health needs and also support institutions that are doing so. Going forward we need to take serious blood testing for intending couples, Olujimi said.

We will not allow love take away the best part of our marriages.

The bill, sponsored by Sam Egwu, senator representing Ebonyi North, passed second reading after it was put to a voice vote by Lawan.
HUNDREDS of people took part in a moving, emotional and joyous ceremony in Limerick city this Monday night, to celebrate 150 years of the Redemptorists devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Fr Seamus Enright, rector of the Redemptorist order, was among those who led the procession through the citys streets, from its church at Mount St Alphonsus to St Johns Cathedral.

Up to 400 people spilled out of the church after the 6pm mass, to follow a replica of the icon of Our Lady  which was blessed by Pope Francis in the Vatican in Rome  as it brought the citys streets to a standstill.

The Bishop of Limerick, Dr Brendan Leahy, was among those who met the Pope in the Holy City recently, and said his eyes again lit up when Limerick was mentioned.

He has a soft spot for Limerick, and why wouldnt he, of course the Bishop told the congregation in the South Circular Road church.

I think it really is a providential sign for us  Our Lady is with us in Limerick. She will untie any knots that occur in our lives. This day, this moment, this occasion is an opportunity for us to entrust ourselves in a new way, in the presence of the Papal Nuncio. Lets go forward together.

The Papal Nuncio, who was previously in Limerick for Bishop Leahys ordination, said it was his first time in the Redemptorist church, and said his breath was taken away by the beauty of this house of God.

Many of the clergy and its lay volunteers had spent weeks, if not months of preparation for this occasion. Dozens of people volunteered their time on the night, including the Order of Malta, and the Organisation of National Ex-servicesmen (O.N.E) amongst others.

Fr Enright, who was accompanied by the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, the New York-born Archbishop Charles Brown, was in exalted mood as they commanded the streets for a once in a lifetime event.

Theres a joyous, festive atmosphere. Its not often we see an event like this through the citys streets. It gives people the opportunity to profess their faith. Were delighted that the Indian Catholic community, a very old community which can trace its origins back to St Thomas, one of the apostles, have joined us. There has been great representation from the Filipino community and the Polish community.
Christians, non-Hindus in India denied gov't aid during pandemic, groups say

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As many Christians and other non-Hindus in India are being denied government-issued food rations amid the coronavirus pandemic, a coalition of multi-faith representatives are calling on President Donald Trump to hold the countrys leaders accountable.

On Monday, Save the Persecuted Christians in partnership with the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations delivered a letter to Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and World Bank Group President David Malpass.

The letter, signed by multi-faith representatives from 34 organizations and ministries, argues that the World Bank must seat an accountability committee to oversee and monitor India's use of the $1 billion aid package allocated to the country for COVID-19 related to testing and management.

John Prabhudoss, FIACONA chairman, told The Christian Post that the organization has received several reports of religious minorities in India being mistreated during the pandemic.

Specifically, many are being left out of the programs created to help the people during this crisis, he said. Obviously, there are several systemic flaws in the Hindu nationalist government's approach to the problem. Because of those fundamentally flawed approaches, Christians and other religious minorities are suffering but they are not the only victims. Various sections of economically vulnerable people are also suffering due to these fundamentally flawed attitudes of the Hindu nationalist government.

The letter, he said, is urging the Trump administration to put in place a mechanism to address, if not reduce, the drawbacks in the approach of the Hindu nationalist government and possible misuse of funds given by the World Bank to India.

Specifically, we are recommending them to seat a committee made up of multi-faith leaders and eminent economists in India as a watchdog that will report directly to the World Bank, he said. They can oversee how this money is spent instead of leaving it all in the hands of a government that has already proven to have a flawed approach.

More than 1.3 billion people across India have lived under lockdown for more than three weeks. The country recorded 4,213 new infections from Sunday morning to Monday morning, taking its total to 67,152, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. So far, 2,415 people have died.

The letter cites a report from The Scroll in India, which highlights how the COVID-19 lockdowns have disproportionately affected migrant workers. The report documents 189 lockdown-related deaths, including suicide, death during the journey that migrant workers made to their home states, hunger and police brutality.

The detainment of people of certain non-Hindu religious faiths in isolation facilities even when they do not test positive for the virus, the letter claims, is due to malicious intent, and religious, bias tacitly promoted by the Modi government.

Prabhudoss pointed out that constituents of the Hindu nationalist party are always religiously Hindu upper caste, linguistically Hindi speaking, and economically middle class.

They are the backbone of the Hindu party, he said. No wonder all their government policies are also created by keeping only this particular segment in their mind. Unfortunately, others do not show up on the government radar. The evidence of it was loud and clear last month when tens of millions of manual labor from unorganized sector in the cities, who happen to be mostly lower caste, migrant workers from villages, were left to fend for themselves.

Citing many reports and eyewitness accounts coming from India in regard to COVID-19-related abuses, the two groups say they feel strongly that an advisory level monitoring committee must immediately be empaneled by the World Bank, either here in Washington or in India.

Prabhudoss told CP that most of the World Bank funds are meant for testing and managing the infections. However, even in testing for the virus, reports show that officials are unnecessarily singling out poor religious minorities for targeted testing and vilification in the media.

Such propaganda encouraged by the Hindu government is creating an enormous level of friction and tension in society. It is like a powder keg that could explode at any time. If that happens, all hell will break loose, he warned.

Additionally, Indias programs primarily help large businesses affiliated with the Hindu party  not the poor, religious minorities, or women, Prabhudoss said.

Small businesses owned by minorities are being subject to targeted closures, he said. Several of Mr. Modis colleagues in the government have openly called for boycotting businesses owned by religious minorities during this pandemic.

Prabhudoss also expressed concern over Modis relief fund, the Prime Minister Cares Fund, which he argued is set apart and not subject to accountability or transparency from which he can direct aid to whomever he pleases.

That means the details of this fund, like how much money is in the fund, or how it is spent, who is getting it, are all secret, he said. Prime Minister Modi's office has already denied requests for any details about this fund ... The problem with this is that this kind of practice by Mr. Modi is creating room for concerns about the possibility of even the World Bank funds being misused by him in general.

In the letter, STPC and FIACONA note several specific suggestions to avoid the misuse and abuse of the funds meant for dealing with the coronavirus emergency. They call for the monitoring and investigating of reports pertaining to religious discrimination, corruption, virus testing protocols, the discrepancies in the data disclosed by the government, reports about unauthorized detainment of people testing negative to the virus, proper and timely medical care of those detained, effectiveness of the distribution of relief material, and report to the World Bank.

Our suggestions are purely a precaution for all of us so that we won't have to see further deterioration and misuse of funds in an already difficult situation in India, Prabhudoss said.

Persecution watchdog Open Doors, which ranks India at No.10 on its 2020 World Watch List of countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian, previously warned that the lives of thousands, if not millions, of persecuted Christians are at risk due to the lockdown, which is set to expire this Sunday.

Shalom, one of Open Doors partners on the ground, told the organization that Jia, a local church pastor, told him he personally knows at least 20 to 30 pastors who are starving because of the lockdown.

The group also posited that amid the pandemic, Christians face more opposition than ever from their communities because of their faith. According to the organization, numerous reports have surfaced of Christians being falsely accused, threatened and attacked in recent weeks.

There are many [Christians in India] who are [able] to use online streaming of worship, sermons and prayers, but the majority of the Christians in the rural areas are facing threats and persecution amid the lockdown, a local partner told the organization.

We are receiving news of persecution incidents from many areas, even in this situation where people have been ordered to stay inside their homes. In fact, we believe that during this phase of lockdown, Christians are suffering even more than before, since most of them have to now combat economic problems as well as the opposition and hatred from the community.
14.05.2020 LISTEN

President Akufo-Addo has nominated Benjamin Kessie for the position of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly.

His Excellency the President in accordance with Article 243(1) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 20(1) of the Local Government Act, Act 936, has nominated Benjamin Kessie as Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly in the Western Region.

A statement from the Ministry of Local Government signed by its Minister Hajia Alima Mahama has confirmed.

The statement dated May 12, 2020, added: In view of the above, the Regional Minister for Western Region is requested to liaise with the Regional Electoral Commission to conduct the confirmation process of the nominated Chief Executive.

Benjamin Kessie holds a Bachelor of Education, Masters Degree from the University Of Cape Coast (UCC), as well as a certificate in Marketing, Public Relations, and Advertising from the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

He has worked as a presiding member for the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assembly and a three-time NPP Constituency Secretary for Tarkwa Nsuaem.

Benjamin Kessie is adored in the Municipality and will replace Hon. KD Asmah once the Regional Electoral Commission conducts the confirmation process.
As states prepare to lift restrictions on businesses such as bars and restaurants, scenes that played out in several states on Mothers Day weekend shows how doing so safely amid the coronavirus pandemic may prove to be challenging  especially given President Trumps preference to reopen quickly.

The owners of C&C Coffee and Kitchen, a breakfast cafe in Castle Rock, Colo., opened its doors to patrons on Sunday in defiance of Colorados public health order that limits restaurants statewide to takeout and delivery services.

Crowds packed the restaurant, located about 25 miles south of Denver.

And in a viral video taken by a local news reporter, it appeared that virtually no one was practicing social distancing. And just one customer could be seen wearing a mask.

Happy Mothers Day from C& C in Castle Rock, where the owner said this is almost double a normal Mothers Day. pic.twitter.com/cPSzjmAfAg  Nick Puckett (@nick__puckett) May 10, 2020

(ATTENTION: Our freedom doesnt end where your fear begins, a sign on the cafes front door read. If you are afraid to be within 6 feet of another person, do not enter this business!)

We are standing for America, small businesses, the Constitution and against the overreach of our governor in Colorado! the Castle Rock cafe wrote in a tweet, tagging Trump.

In response, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced Monday that the state was suspending the restaurants operating license for 30 days until its established that there is no longer a threat to public health.

We all have laws that we agree with and laws that we disagree with, Polis said. But its our responsibility as Coloradans and as Americans to follow the law.

Its very sad when businesses operate illegally and workers lose jobs through no fault of their own, Polis continued. Some businesses might face costly court battles or even worse, the deaths of owners or patrons.

Story continues

We hope and we pray that no one who went to C&C Coffee & Kitchen had coronavirus, Polis said. And we hope that everybody is safe. But ... if 40 or 50 restaurants operated illegally like C&C did, its almost a statistical certainty that some would have had coronavirus outbreaks.

Polis, a Democrat, is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on Wednesday to seek more federal aid for Colorados response to the coronavirus.

Through Sunday, there were more than 19,000 confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in Colorado, and at least 973 deaths.

The states Safer at Home order mandates that restaurants, bars and cafes cannot offer dine-in services until at least May 26.

Last week, a restaurant in nearby Centennial, Colo., was shuttered by the states health department because it was allowing customers to sit at tables and ignoring social-distancing measures. According to the Denver Post, it reopened Friday for takeout and delivery after the owner agreed to follow public health orders.

C&C Coffee and Kitchen owner April Arellano could not be reached for comment.

I expected it to be busy. I never expected this, Arellano told Colorado Community News. Im so happy so many people came out to support the Constitution and stand up for what is right. We did our time. We did our two weeks. We did more than two weeks.

In other parts of the country, restaurants that legally reopened for takeout over Mothers Day weekend were overwhelmed by large crowds  and some angry customers.

At a Red Lobster outside of Pittsburgh, police were called to disperse disgruntled patrons who waited in line for hours after the manager announced that it would not be filling their take-out orders.

And on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, a popular ice cream shop was forced to temporarily close just hours after it reopened because its young staff faced abusive comments from angry customers who disregarded the stores request to order ahead of time and faced long waits to be served by the overworked counter staff.

One of my best workers quit yesterday at the end of her shift, Mark Lawrence, owner of Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour, told Boston 25 News on Saturday. But the words she was called and the language, you wouldnt even say in a mens locker room. And to say it to a 17-year-old kid, they should be ashamed of themselves.

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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.

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Linkedin Bassem Aboualabass (Agence France-Presse) Cairo  Wed, May 13, 2020 21:05 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7dd4a7 2 Art & Culture Egypt,Sphinx,Luxor,Cairo,Tahrir-Square,artifacts Free

In a bustling square of Egypt's capital, four sphinx-like statues stand in wooden crates ahead of a planned unveiling ceremony following their controversial transfer from historical sites.

With the bodies of lions and heads of rams, the statues had for millennia graced Karnak temple in the southern city of Luxor representing the ancient Egyptian god "Amun".

This month, the restored sandstone statues were moved to Cairo's landmark Tahrir Square, the epicentre of a 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak.

"I am against the moving of Luxor monuments. I was especially saddened by their relocation," legislator Ahmed Idris from the city told AFP.

"Luxor has long been like an open museum which should be developed and its monuments' historical value are tied to the city," said Idris.

The statues will be the square's centerpieces, along with a 19-metre-tall (60-foot-tall) pink granite obelisk of the famed Ramses II.

The 3,000-year-old obelisk -- of Ramses II facing an ancient deity as well as inscriptions of his titles -- was moved from a Nile Delta archaeological site.

Read also: Egypt deep cleans pyramids site emptied of tourists

The relocations which came as part of government plans to renovate Tahrir Square have drawn wide criticism from archaeologists and activists.

Some petitioned President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to stop the transfer.

Others including lawyers from a rights group filed a lawsuit citing a 1964 Venice Charter on the conservation and restoration of monuments, saying the move could "jeopardize the priceless artifacts".

Egypt signed the charter, adopted by UNESCO, in 1974.

'A touch of civilization'

A frenetically busy square, Tahrir in downtown Cairo has long been associated with blaring car horns, traffic jams and exhaust fumes.

It stands a short stroll away from the Egyptian Museum, a tourist magnet which holds a vast collection of precious relics.

A staging ground for major protests in Egypt, the square has undergone multiple phases of renovation since the 2011 uprising.

Its renovation plan includes unifying building facades, removing street advertisements and an overhaul of its lighting.

In December, Sisi said the transfer of artifacts would add "a touch of civilization" to the site.

But fears have grown over possible damage to the monuments.

"The high pollution in Tahrir Square will ruin the antiquities and accelerate their deterioration," Egyptologist Monica Hanna said in a Facebook post in December.

"A monument's value is diminished when removed from its original historical context and becomes an ornament rather than a monument," she said.

Egyptian architect Ayman Badr has said the square does not need "to be adorned with historical elements" as it "already holds historical value".

'A great honor'

Antiquities and Tourism Minister Khaled al-Anani has dismissed warnings that the monuments could be vandalized or be affected by pollution.

Ancient relics in Egyptian museums or public spaces often suffer damage by graffiti, engravings or just being frequently touched.

"No-one will be able to touch them. They will be placed on a high pedestal and surrounded by a water fountain," Anani told a private television channel in March.

He said they would undergo regular restoration and maintenance.

The statues were not among those lined up on the famed Kebash (rams) avenue linking Karnak and Luxor temples, according to the minister.

Mahmoud Zaki, a tour guide from Luxor, also sided with those defending the transfers.

"We exhibit artifacts abroad for foreigners to enjoy... and now it's a great honour that antiquities from Karnak temple adorn Egypt's most popular square," he told AFP.

An unveiling ceremony is planned but an official date has yet to be announced.

"It's nonsensical that (Egyptian) obelisks could be found in public spaces across the world and none of them stands in Egypt's most popular square," said antiquities expert Ali Abu Deshish.
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has terminated the deal with Panthera Worldwide for the supply of 10 million N95 medical respiratory masks worth $ 55.5 million.

The company did not fulfill the terms of the deal on time, despite two deferrals, The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the newspaper, Panthera Worldwide initially pledged to complete the order by May 1. However, the deadline was postponed until May 11. The agency told the publication on Tuesday about the decision to terminate the contract based on the lack of supply. FEMA has refused to grant a new deferral for another four days.

As the newspaper found out, two owners of this company, based in West Virginia, were accused of tax evasion in 2018. Panthera has a subsidiary that provides security training and went bankrupt last year. The company got into the FEMA database as a private organization that received $ 50 thousand under a single contract with the US federal government.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month the US federal authorities had chosen unreliable companies to supply masks for over $ 110 million. Prices for this personal protective equipment were unreasonably high, the newspaper noted.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the US has recorded over 1.36 million COVID-19 cases, while the death toll has reached 82,356.
We without Jesus cannot do anything, like the branches without the vine. And it seems that without us - allow me to say this  the Lord Jesus can do nothing, because the fruit bears the branch, not the tree or vine ". In this mutual "remaining" there is fertility".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis dedicated the introductory prayer of the mass celebrated this morning at Casa Santa Marta to students and teachers "who must find new ways to move forward", so that "the Lord may help them on this journey, give them courage and also a great success".

In his homily, the Pope commented on Wednesdays Gospel (Jn 15:1-8) in which Jesus says to his disciples: "I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.

Christian life, explained Pope Francis, means "remaining" in Jesus. This "remaining he went on to say, is not passive; it is an active and mutual "remaining".

Pope Francis emphasized that Jesus remaining in us is one of the beautiful mysteries of life.

The Pope noted that what Jesus is saying is that, branches without life can do nothing because they need the sap to grow and bear fruit. But the vine also needs branches: it is a reciprocal need to bear fruit.

Christian life, underlined Pope Francis, means fulfilling the commandments, living the beatitudes and doing works of mercy. It is more than that, however, he said: it is this mutual "remaining".

We can do nothing without Jesus, stressed the Pope, and it seems that without us - allow me to say this  the Lord Jesus can do nothing.

In this fruitful bond, he continued, Jesus needs our testimony. Jesus needs us to bear witness to His name, because the Gospel grows by our testimony.

The Lord remains in us to give us this strength of witness with which the Church grows, the Pope said.

It is a relationship of intimacy, it is mystical, and without words: it is not only for the mystics, it is for all of us.

In that intimate dialogue, highlighted Pope Francis, The Lord is present, the Lord is present in us, the Father is present in us, the Spirit is present in us; they remain in us. But I must remain in them".

May the Lord, the Pope concluded, help us to understand and feel this mysticism of "remaining": of the branches that need to remain on the vine, and the vine that needs the branches to bear fruit.
Canadians separated from their foreign spouses due to border closings have launched a petition urging Ottawa to reunite them during the coronavirus pandemic.

We hope more people will learn about whats going on and how tough it is for people to be separated from their husbands, wives and partners, said Emma Holmes of Ottawa, who started the campaign on Saturday.

Im sure a lot of Canadians are not in favour of separating couples, children and families if they know about this. This is not what Canada is about as a country.

In March, Ottawa closed the border to non-Canadians but made exceptions for immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. The ban was to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

However, since April, Canada Border Services Agency has begun refusing foreign spouses and children of Canadians from entering the country at land border crossings and airports on the grounds that their travels are non-essential and discretionary.

Holmes, a graduate student at McMaster University, said she was concerned about the impacts of the border measures because her Austrian partner, Larissa Kroell, is neither a Canadian citizen nor a permanent resident.

The couple have been seeing each other for two years and are in a long distance relationship, with Holmes visiting whenever she had the chance. Theyve been separated since Holmes returned from a visit during the winter break.

She was supposed to return again in April, and Kroell was planning to apply for a student permit in the fall. But those plans are on hold and the couple is concerned the border restrictions mean theyll be apart for much longer.

I was surprised when I started hearing that even couples who are legally married and have kids are being separated, said the 23-year-old, who has been in a relationship with Kroell, also 23, for two years after they met in Canada. Reuniting with family members is essential.

Her petition demands that the federal government declare reuniting Canadian families essential travel and recognize a letter or sworn statement from a family member as proof of relationship, given the difficulty in producing formal documentations in a pandemic.

So far, the petition has collected 900 signatures from supporters, including Torontos Daniel Pascale, who has been separated from his common-law partner, Krista Partipelo, of New York, for almost two months.

Pascale, 27, who was on a work permit in the U.S., said Partipelo has made two failed attempts to join him in Canada  once on March 20, at Lacolle, Que., just 90 minutes before the land border was closed, and then a month later at Rainbow Bridge, Ont., by herself.

We packed everything into our car and made it to the border before midnight on March 20, but the border agency had prematurely started enforcing the restrictions, recalled Pascale, who ended up taking a cab to Montreal that night so Partipelo, 30, could have the car to return to the U.S. It was one of the most traumatizing nights of our lives.

After reaching out to immigration and border officials, the couple prepared all the documentation they needed, such as shared leases and bills, as well as support letters from their families and his Canadian MP, Julie Dzerowicz. They also had a quarantine plan in place for her.

On April 20, Partipelo drove to the Southern Ontario border, but was again denied entry. Pascale and his family were actually on the Canadian side of the border, waiting to welcome her.

We had done everything we were told and got a portfolio of evidence to prove our relationship. With all that hope built up, we found out the intention of the policy is really to deny any non-resident from coming, said Pascale, who has been with Partipelo for two years.

I was 100 feet away from the Canadian border office, but I couldnt even see Kris or be near her. That was the most painful.

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Attorneys in the Houston office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP will join a network of volunteer attorneys in the Houston Small Business Legal Consultations (HSBLC) Program.

The HSBLC program will provide free legal assistance to eligible small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consultations will take place via telephone and will center around how to navigate loan and grant relief programs, taxes, commercial leases, contracts, employment, intellectual property and other general business issues. The program is a collaborative effort with the City of Houstons Office of Business Opportunity (OBO) and several private law firms.

Houston office shareholders and pro bono coordinators Jennifer Tomsen and Shira Yoshor will be leading the efforts on behalf of Greenberg Traurig.

Greenberg Traurig is committed to serving our communities and giving a voice to those in need, said Tomsen and Yoshor. This is a time of such need and uncertainty, and we are so pleased to be able to help the small business community in Houston in these very difficult circumstances.

For more information about the HSBLC program, click here.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP  Texas: Texas is important to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and part of its history. With more than 130 Texas lawyers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Greenberg Traurig, LLP has deep roots in the Texas business, legal, and governmental communities. Greenberg Traurig Texas works with clients to address their interdisciplinary legal needs across the state utilizing the firms global platform. The Texas attorneys are experienced in industries key to the states future, including: aviation, chemicals, construction, education, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, health care, hedge funds, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, media, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, real estate, retail, sports, technology and software, telecommunications, transportation, and video games and esports.

About Greenberg Traurigs Pro Bono Program: Greenberg Traurig lawyers across the firms offices provide pro bono legal services to the indigent and working poor, as well as to numerous civic and charitable organizations dedicated to assisting them. The firm focuses its resources on specialized and interrelated issues including civil rights and affirmative action, anti-human trafficking, family law matters, childrens rights, criminal appeals, immigration and political asylum, housing, and homelessness.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has 2200 lawyers in 41 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
The Congress alleged a conspiracy on Wednesday behind the grant of licence to manufacture Elisa testing kits to only one Ahmedabad-based company as it questioned the government's decision in creating a monopoly in this field.

Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev alleged that the government has granted a technology transfer licence to manufacture Elisa testing kits for COVID-19 to one company -- Zydus Cadila -- which raises issues of transparency.

When contacted, the company refused to comment on the issue,.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said it is a non-exclusive licence, anyone interested could come forward and Zydus came first.

"Why the technology transfer licence was given only to one company and whether other companies were allowed to bid for the licence? We feel there is a conspiracy behind this, as various companies in the field are also alleging this," Dev told a press briefing through video-conferencing.

She asked why other companies were not made to bid in the tender process and with which other firms were the manufacturing capabilities of Zydus compared to, before granting the licence to it.

The Congress leader alleged that there was no transparency in the deal and that the government has created a monopoly and given an added advantage to the company.

"What is the reason that you are giving the tender and technology transfer license to only one Ahmedabad-based company called Zydus Cadila? What is the justification that you did not have an open tender? What is the justification that you did not allow other companies to bid for it?" she asked.

Dev said the reason cited by the health ministry was a faster pace and that the company had the wherewithal needed for production.

"Who are you comparing the capacity of Zydus Cadila, the Ahmedabad-based company, with? Who are you comparing it with, who are you actually competing with? There is absolutely no transparency, you have created a monopoly.

"The government is giving an added advantage to one company and now is the time to actually, actually give this opportunity to hundreds of companies," the Congress leader alleged.

Asked why Zydus Cadila was chosen, ICMR's head of Research Management, Policy Planning and Coordination Rajani Kant said, "Zydus Cadila has got an expertise in the development of test kits and earlier also, they have worked with the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for developing test kits for the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, hepatitis E etc. Hence, the agreement transfer was easy.

"However, this is a non-exclusive licence. Anyone interested can come forward. They came first."



Dev also alleged that the government is adopting a "pick-and-choose policy" in the grant of licences for the manufacture of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the country and cited a Mumbai-based company, which was asked to be put on hold for five weeks, while many others were granted licences.

"Why this discrimination? Why has the government not been able to streamline it?.... Is this a transparent process or are you picking and choosing people?" she asked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Naval War College Faculty Steps Up to Assist U.S. Northern Command Planning Effort During COVID-19

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS200512-11

Release Date: 5/12/2020 10:00:00 AM

By Jeanette Steele, U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- A group of U.S. Naval War College faculty members has answered a call from U.S. Northern Command for help with contingency planning related to the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

A nine-person Newport team spent the month of April conducting conceptual planning for how the Defense Department might respond in various scenarios  natural disasters and other crises  if the nation's maritime supply chain is disrupted and nation's federal agencies are potentially overburdened by the COVID-19 response.

"Let's say, there was a major hurricane on the East Coast of the United States. Typically, the Department of Defense might help with that in some way," said Sean Henseler, deputy dean of the College of Maritime Operational Warfare. "But the question is, is there anything different in what our response would be in the midst of COVID?"

U.S. Northern Command reached out to the military services for assistance, as the command's planning experts were operating at maximum capacity. In turn, the Navy staff contacted the Naval War College. Other military services took part in parallel contingency efforts, resulting in four planning teams operating in think tanks and strategic studies groups representing the Navy and Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force.

"On behalf of the Naval War College, the College of Maritime Operational Warfare said we've got some planning expertise that we can use to lean into this and augment the NORTHCOM planning efforts," Henseler said.

The Naval War College team  drawn from the College of Maritime Operational Warfare and the College of Leadership and Ethics  coordinated on a daily basis with the Coast Guard and focused on issues that might affect transportation on the seas.

Being separate from the day-to-day hustle of NORTHCOM allowed the Newport team members to examine the broad picture, said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Schneider, a U.S. Army National Guard officer who teaches in the College of Leadership and Ethics.

"The value that we bring to the table is that we have the time to look at it. And also, we're away from the daily problem enough that we're insulated, so we can actually spend energy looking at the future fight," Schneider said.

Team members were Henseler and Schneider and professors David Fuquea, Jim Donnellan, Jason Willenberg, Sean Carroll, Cmdr. Tom Gerstner, Cmdr. Ben Smith and staff member Jonathan Mosier.

The joint Naval War College-Coast Guard planning team started working in early April and delivered results to Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, NORTHCOM commander, on April 24. NORTHCOM assigned a short follow-on project that the Coast Guard Commandant's Advisory Group will take the lead on. Henseler said that work will be completed shortly.

The Naval War College faculty members said it was gratifying to answer the call to help with COVID.

"It is incredibly satisfying to be part of a team at the Naval War College that can contribute in a meaningful way to the Department of Defense and the NORTHCOM response at such a difficult time," said Fuquea, who teaches in the College of Maritime Operational Warfare and is a retired Marine Corps infantry officer.

Fuquea and others said they had some trepidation that meeting as a "virtual" planning team wouldn't work, given the social-distancing guidelines that the Naval War College is following. However, the nine members met online almost daily and found they were able to function as a genuine team.

"Through video conferencing capabilities, it was as if we were in the same room. We were seeing each other face-to-face," Fuquea said. "We could hear the tenor in the voices, the excitement or concern, and we were able to share and correct products in real time. We were all very pleasantly surprised."

Team members noted that they were planning for negative scenarios, when unusual measures would need to be considered. Hopefully, those plans will never need to be enacted, Fuquea said.

"If none of those contingencies occur, some of the recommendations we provided probably will never be employed," he said. "But if, for instance, we see multiple hurricanes strike during the upcoming hurricane season, and if agencies who normally handle those situations are degraded by COVID, then some of the recommendations that we came up with here in Newport will be of substantial assistance to the planners at NORTHCOM."

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 06:45:35|Editor: huaxia

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OTTAWA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday to provide 2.5 billion Canadian dollars (about 1.8 billion U.S. dollars) to help seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the announcement, senior Canadians will be receiving a one-time payment of up to 500 Canadian dollars (about 355 U.S. dollars) to help offset any increases in the cost of living due to COVID-19.

Any senior who is eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension will receive a payment of 300 Canadian dollars (about 213 U.S. dollars), and an additional 200 Canadian dollars will be sent to seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). No application is required to receive this one-time payment.

Canadian seniors are facing additional economic challenges as many live on a fixed income and have expressed concerns about their ability to make ends meet during the pandemic time.

There are currently 6.7 million seniors who are eligible for the OAS pension and 2.2 million who are eligible for the GIS in the country.

Canadian seniors also continue to be hardest hit by COVID-19, with deadly outbreaks in long-term care homes across Canada.

Some 20 percent of the more than 71,000 COVID-19 cases in Canada are linked to long-term care homes, while 80 percent of the more than 5,000 deaths in Canada are seniors who live in long term care and assisted living facilities.

Trudeau said the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 has exposed some uncomfortable truths, "including how we care for seniors in Canada."

"We've seen heartbreaking tragedies in long-term care facilities and nursing homes right across the country. Overworked staff. Understaffed residences. Grieving families. There are serious, underlying challenges facing these facilities. And in the coming months, the federal government will be there to help the provinces find lasting solutions," he said.

The Trudeau government has reached agreements with the provinces and territories to top up the wages of some essential front-line workers including those in long-term care facilities.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been 71,105 COVID-19 cases and 5,167 deaths reported in the country. Enditem
Isolated Australians are entering the fourth emotional stage of life under lockdown, where some will thrive and others will need additional support, a clinical psychologist who assesses the mental health of people in Antarctica has revealed.

Dr Kimberley Norris, a psychological scientist who studies confinement and reintegration at the University of Tasmania, said Australians have so far experienced three phases of isolation: confused panic, a brief 'honeymoon period' and resentment.

Dr Norris told Daily Mail Australia we are now in the 'reunion' phase, the final chapter before restrictions are gradually lifted and reintegration into society begins.

She said while many will feel energised by the prospect of planning post-lockdown celebrations and embracing life after coronavirus, some will be overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the 'new normal' looming on the horizon - something scientists call 'reverse culture shock'.

'There's a degree of apprehension about how life will look, because the fact is, it won't be the same as it used to be. It's not a case of simply picking up where we left off,' Dr Norris said.

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A graph showing the five psychological stages of isolation. Australians are now experiencing 'reunion', the fourth and final phase before reintegration into society begins in earnest

University of Tasmania clinical psychologist Dr Kimberley Norris

From her study of researchers spending prolonged periods in extreme isolation, she expects to people to experience a 'rollercoaster' of emotions, with waves of joy quickly overtaken by anxiety and panic.

'Anybody who is experiencing anything difficult is having an absolutely normal reaction to an abnormal environment,' she said.

Dr Norris said the reunion phase will be especially difficult for people with pre-existing mental health issues, who have been deprived of informal support from friends, colleagues and extended family over the past two months.

Professor Paula Brough, a lecturer in organisational psychology at Griffith University in Queensland, also expects Australia's reaction to be split between people who crave a return to normality and those still frightened about the threat of the virus.

She said crowds, work meetings and the stress of taking public transport could be an anxiety-provoking culture shock for those who are struggling with their mental health after the sudden and unprecedented period of social isolation.

The five psychological stages of COVID-19 isolation 1. Confusion and panic: Fear takes over as people struggle to fathom what is happening around them and how quickly life has been turned on its head. Widespread panic buying ensues as large swathes of the globe are placed into restrictive quarantine. In Australia, supermarket shelves are stripped of toilet paper as people stock up on affordable items to quell their concern. 2. The 'honeymoon' period: When the initial panic subsides, a rose-tinted view of the situation takes over and people view isolation as a positive novelty that allows them to spend more time at home with family and reconnect with old friends over video call. Millions download conferencing apps like Zoom and House Party and educational tools like Duolingo with the intention of learning a new language. Others enroll in virtual courses and take online cookery classes. More people search for banana bread recipes in March and April 2020 than at any other time in history. 3. Resentment: The novelty of working from home in pyjamas and avoiding the morning commute quickly vanishes, replaced by a deep-seated resentment triggered by loneliness and fear of the future. People become sluggish and paranoid, and grow tired of logging onto international video chats. This is known as the 'third quarter phenomenon', a psychological phase first identified in the early 1980s in studies on extreme confinement and isolation. 4. Reunion: Attitudes are divided between hopeful excitement and apprehension as restrictions are gradually lifted and the world braces for the 'new normal' of life after lockdown. Readjusting to society filled with crowds, packed public transport and large team meetings is a form of 'reverse culture shock'. Dr Norris says it's 'absolutely normal' to feel a rollercoaster of emotion during this re-entry period, with waves of joy quickly overtaken by fear and anxiety. 5. Reintegration: The as yet unknown, when millions will return to their workplaces, bars and restaurants will open their doors for sit-in customers and international travel resumes. Source: University of Tasmania clinical psychologist Dr Kimberley Norris Advertisement

A chart recording the rate of infections shows how Australia has almost eradicated coronavirus in the space of two months

Poll What emotional phase of isolation are you in now? Phase One - Confused panic Phase Two - 'Honeymoon' Phase Three - Resentment Phase Four - Reunion What emotional phase of isolation are you in now? Phase One - Confused panic 0 votes

Phase Two - 'Honeymoon' 8 votes

Phase Three - Resentment 5 votes

Phase Four - Reunion 8 votes Now share your opinion





'From what we're hearing about mental health issues, some people have really struggled in isolation for various reasons and some will not be feeling in the best mental shape to go back to a full-time working load,' Professor Brough told Daily Mail Australia.

She said employers should prioritise the well-being of their staff by offering free counselling services, greater flexible leave options and the choice to continue working from home a few days a week over the coming months.

'Don't feel as though you need to re-engage with long working hours straight away. If you need a few shorter days, or days at home to acclimatise, I think that's totally fine and I would encourage employers to facilitate that,' she said.

She believes a 'graduated return' would make the transition easier for workers and improve productivity for businesses in the long run.

The path to freedom: These are the national COVID-19 guidelines for how the states will ease lockdown measures in the weeks to come. Prime Minister Scott Morrison hopes the country will reach stage three by July

Interestingly, it's perfectly normal to miss isolation when it ends.

Roughly 50 percent of those who weather the long winter in Antarctica volunteer to return because of the immense personal growth they've experienced in confinement, Dr Norris' research shows.

People who have spent prolonged periods in Antarctic isolation report increased tolerance, new perspectives on life and the world and increased confidence when they return to society.

'When people have space to sit back and think, it allows them to figure out what's important to them - to focus and identify their values,' she said.

'It can actually result in the release of endorphins in the brain.'

This is explained by the 'broaden and build' theory, which suggests that doing more of what we feel passionate about encourages greater creativity, skills development and positive thinking in every aspect of our lives.

'Before isolation, we lived in a society - particularly Western societies - where we often fell into habits of doing things and meeting people just because we felt it was part of our routine, something we had to do,' she said.

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

'After the pandemic, we're going to see a difference in how people interact with each other, how they work and how they prioritise things.'



Varying degrees of social distancing restrictions will remain in force over the Australian winter under the Prime Minister Scott Morrison's three-step plan to relaxing lockdown.

And with cafes already serving food, picnics back on and beers flowing in pubs in some states by the end of the week, infectious disease experts warn of the risk of a 'second wave' of COVID-19 infections once people begin to mix freely again.

Another outbreak would likely mean a return to isolation, but there's good news about this, too.

Dr Norris' research shows the more people are exposed to the challenges of confinement, the more resilient and adaptable they become.

'The more often you do this, the better you get at it because you develop different coping strategies every time,' she said.

'You develop habits to help you manage.'
A man stated that he smuggled two tons of marijuana because masked men threatened to shoot up his house with his wife and kids inside, according to an arrest affidavit.

Ruben Maldonado-Espino further stated that the masked men had his wife held hostage. But Homeland Security Investigations special agents called his wife and found out she was not under duress.

Maldonado-Espino, 32, then confessed that the story about his wife being held hostage was not true, according to court documents.

Maldonado-Espino was then charged with import, attempt to import and conspire to import a controlled substance.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the marijuana weighed 4,602.37 pounds and had an estimated street value of $920,464.

Officers at the Laredo Port of Entry have heightened their enforcement strategy when targeting these high-risk commodities, successfully disrupting the flow of narcotics from entering our country, said Port Director Gregory Alvarez, Laredo Port of Entry.

The case unfolded last Thursday, when Maldonado-Espino, a citizen of Mexico, arrived at the World Trade Bridge in a 1998 Freightliner trailer hauling a shipment of motor vehicle parts. CBP referred him to secondary inspection. The X-ray inspection revealed anomalies within the trailer.

As CBP opened the trailer, Maldonado-Espino stated, There are drugs in there. When asked by CBP why Maldonado-Espino did not inform CBP, Maldonado-Espino stated, They have my wife held hostage, states the affidavit.

CBP officers discovered 198 bundles of marijuana weighing 2,087.6 kilograms within the trailer. Homeland Security Investigations special agents responded for investigative assistance. Maldonado allegedly agreed to make a statement without an attorney present.

He stated that an individual known as Negro offered him $5,000 to transport narcotics into the United States. Maldonado-Espino declined stating he did not need the money, according to the affidavit.

Approximately two weeks prior, Negro approached Maldonado-Espino and showed him a picture of Maldonado-Espinos house and threatened to shoot the house with his wife and kids inside if he did not transport narcotics, states the affidavit.

On Thursday, Maldonado-Espino was driving south into Mexico after picking up an empty trailer from the United States when eight masked men in two vehicles forced him to stop.

The masked men escorted Maldonado-Espino to a truck yard where the marijuana was loaded into the trailer. He stated he knew it was marijuana because the men told him, according to court documents.

The men had weapons and escorted Maldonado-Espino all the way to the line to enter the United States. Maldonado-Espino stated that during the drive, the men put his wife on the phone. Maldonado-Espino stated his wife had a mask pulled over her face and she was scared, states the affidavit.

Maldonado-Espino had one cellphone in his possession. Special agents asked him for the number he was called from. He alleged he had the number in another cellphone that the masked men took. The cellphone Maldonado-Espino had did not have missed calls or text messages while on his trip, according to court documents.

HSI special agents called Maldonado-Espinos wife. His wife answered and was not under duress, did not seem scared and was calm. Maldonado-Espino stated that his wife knew he was told to transport drugs. Upon further questioning, Maldoando-Espino admitted that the information about his wife being held hostage was not the truth, states the affidavit.

Maldonado-Espino stated he was instructed to tell the hostage story if law enforcement encountered him, according to court documents.
Throughout the 1940s and 50s, the House Un-American Activities Committees attempts to root out communists in America led to the creation of the Hollywood blacklist and countless shattered lives. But a 1960 protest in San Francisco against the committee turned into a violent confrontation  and marked the beginning of an era of student-led protests and social unrest.

After being blocked from a local HUAC hearing for two days, demonstrators  mostly students  tried to rush the chambers, and police opened up fire hoses against them on the main staircase of City Hall. The Chronicle had at least three photographers there, capturing photos of the chaos. In anticipation of the 60th anniversary, a search through the newspapers archive of photo negatives turned up images that didnt make it into the original coverage, as well as a compelling first-person account.

The San Francisco hearings in May 1960 focused on teachers and local labor leaders. The first session, on May 12, was tumultuous, with opponents of the committee largely blocked from the hearing chambers.

There were about 150 passes, and I distributed them to individuals  to keep the Commies from stacking the meeting, Committee investigator William Wheeler told reporters. We want some decent people here. Those opposed to the hearings who did make it into the chambers protested loudly. More than a dozen were expelled from the room.

Meanwhile, at Union Square, more than 1,000 people gathered to rally against the committee, including notable San Franciscans.

These unjustly conducted hearings not only damage individuals, but also our society, said the Rev. Richard Byfield of Grace Cathedral. Phillip Burton, then a member of the state Assembly, told the crowd that no legislative committee should have the power to place people in calumny of the community without going through due process of law.

Things exploded on Day 2. When it became obvious the hearing was again being limited to supporters, about 200 protesters rushed toward the chambers doors on the second floor of City Hall. Dozens of police ordered them to back up and be quiet. Inspector Michael Maguire ordered fire hoses to be unrolled. A police officer was hit with his own club, and protesters continued to push forward.

The hoses came on, driving the students toward the stairs. In his first-person account for The Chronicle, writer George Draper noted that some of the protesters were able to stand against the water hoses like so many trees in a hurricane but the water made the marble steps slick as ice and some stumbled. Others linked arms and chanted: We shall not be moved. The water cascaded down the staircase and flooded the main floor of City Hall.

Someone ordered the hoses turned off and the police line broke and came swarming down the stairs at the mob, Draper wrote. In a matter of seconds the enormous stairway was alive with struggling groups in wild confusion.

More police arrived as the melee ensued. They waded in with clubs and some forcibly carried or dragged the protesters down the stairs and out of the building. The conflict lasted about a half-hour. By the end, 12 people went to the hospital, including eight police officers and three protesters with head injuries. More than 60 people were arrested.

Mayor George Christopher, appalled by the violence, met with Police Chief Thomas Cahill and a half-dozen student leaders.

The police turned the hoses on without warning, and they dragged out girls and women by the legs all the way down the marble staircase, banging their heads, student Mildred Stiefel told Christopher. After the meeting, the mayor and police chief set out strict rules for the final day of the hearings, locking the building doors and limiting protests to outside City Hall.

About 5,000 protesters and an army of police arrived outside City Hall for the last day of the hearings, but it would be a relatively uneventful day.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

Footage of the conflict was turned into a film accusing the students of being Red dupes. It backfired spectacularly. For a lot of students it was a turning point, Marty Hittelman, who was in the hearing room that day, told Carl Nolte years later. People saw that film and said, Im going to Berkeley! I want to be a part of this movement. I want to be a part of change.

HUAC never held a hearing outside Washington, D.C., again.

More from Chronicle Vault

 Khrushchev visit: S.F. visit puts Soviet leader in a good mood before high-level U.S. summit.

 An earlier red scare: How Coit Towers murals became a target for anti-communist forces.

 Mount Tam mystery: The Cold War, hiding in plain sight.

 Peoples Park Bloody Thursday: Unearthing never-before-seen photos.

From the Archive is a weekly column by Bill Van Niekerken, the library director of The Chronicle, exploring the depths of the newspapers archive. Its part of Chronicle Vault, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting more than 150 years of San Francisco stories. It is edited by Taylor Kate Brown, The Chronicles newsletter editor. Sign up for the newsletter here, and follow Chronicle Vault on Instagram. Contact Bill at bvanniekerken@sfchronicle.com and Taylor at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com.
A Sharadhaa By

Express News Service

After Dia evolved into a brand on OTT platforms, viewers have been interested to know what director K S Ashokas next would revolve around.

After horror-thriller 6-5=2, which was followed by a love thriller, Dia, I am looking to do a psycho-thriller as my next and third project, reveals the director, who is currently doing research before he starts penning the story.

I am personally a big fan of serial killer stories. Its a genre that is rarely attempted by filmmakers. My all-time favourite has been the Korean film, Memories of Murder, a crime drama helmed by Parasite director Bong Jooh-ho.

My must-watch list also includes mystery thriller Zodiac, which is based on real-life events, and Seven, which is one of the flicks shown at film institutes. I also liked the making of the Tamil psychological crime thriller, Ratsasan, says the director.

Such films require a lot of homework, and we need to gather the right facts. Its very important to get the flavour of how to go about the concept and give it a cinematic experience. All of it will take some time, he adds.

Dia hit theatres on February 7, and after two months of its release on the OTT platform, the director is happy with the response from filmmakers, who are now keen to get associated with him.

A few days ago, actor Pruthvi Ambar, music director, Ajaneesh Lokanath and I received a call from Puneeth Rajkumar himself, and he had few good words to say. I felt happy to hear appreciation about my work and the film. He has also offered me a chance to work under his banner, PRK Productions, says Ashoka, who was equally excited to receive a call from senior Tamil filmmaker P Bharathiraja.

I was contacted by his team on Facebook and it was followed by a personal call from the ace director himself. He mentioned that he could not sleep the day he watched Dia, and I felt satisfied to hear that from a director of his stature, who is on the ranks of Puttanna Kanagal. Then there was Sudha Kongara, the director of Saala Khadoos and Irudhi Suttru, who appreciated my film, and she also mentioned it was director Raju Hiranis wife who referred the film to her. All of this coming from various corners was only an encouragement, he recalls.

Apart from this, Ashoka was also in talks with the Telugu film banner Vyjayanthi Movies, which has made films like Maharshi and Shakti.

The initial discussion has happened, and they were planning to fly me down to Hyderabad, but then the lockdown was initiated, he says.

Ashoka asserts that though an equal effort was put in to make 6-5=2, which was appreciated, many felt the success was a fluke.

However, Dia has given me an identity, and today, film industries across languages are aware that a certain KS Ashoka exists. Moreover, it was a pleasure to know that the entire world watched the film and talked about its artistic aspects. The producer, Krishna Chaitanya, is still in talks with producers from across various languages for remake rights, he adds.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 09:16:20|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Tuesday recorded 134 new COVID-19 cases and six new deaths, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 1,660 and the death toll to 80.

Meanwhile, 12 more patients have recovered from the disease, taking the total number of recoveries nationwide to 173, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Hamza Awadalla, a Sudanese epidemiologist and community medicine specialist, urged conducting an epidemiological investigation to locate the real epicenter of the disease.

"Khartoum State constitutes the biggest epicentre until now and there is a clear non-abidance by the full curfew," he noted.

On Friday, the Sudanese government extended the full curfew in Khartoum State for 10 more days from May 9 to curb the spread of the pandemic. Enditem
Howrah: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses during a meeting over COVID-19 pandemic at Nabanna in Howrah during the extended nationwide lockdown imposed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, on Apr 17, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Kolkata, May 13 : Terming the economic stimulus package announced by the Centre as "a big zero", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said it was nothing but an "eyewash" and full of "misleading information".

"In the name of lockdown, the Centre is trying economically cripple all the state governments. The announcement made by the Union Finance Minister was full of misleading information. It is nothing but a big zero as the states have got nothing," Banerjee told a press conference at the state secretariat Nabanna here.

She said that the economic activities and the lives of common people have virtually come to a standstill across India, but there was nothing in the stimulus package.

"Democracy has also come to a halt. The Centre is misleading us with false figures. The recession has already started. And the Central government has not mentioned anything about the special package for Covid-19 crisis, no funds for healthcare sector's revival, job creation, market development, any waiver for the farmers and special grants to the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) sector," she said.

Banerjee said that, meanwhile, her government has taken up a series of revolutionary steps for reviving the economic conditions of the rural folk. The decisions were taken to observe the 9th year of the Trinamool Congress' government.

"We came to power and formed our government on May 13, 2011. Thus, we decided to take a few revolutionary steps across the state. This initiative will include measures of developing about 50,000 acres of land sprawling over six districts - Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, Birbhum, West Midnapur and West Burdwan," she said.

The state government will develop these huge acres of land which is not agriculturally fertile, the Chief Minister said, adding that activities such as animal rearing and fisheries will be carried out involving the self-help groups (SHG) to generate income for the local people.

"We don't indulge in tall talk of being self-reliant. Rather we try to prove it. We have already readied at least 550 micro-plans, covering about 6,500 acres of land sprawled across these six districts," she said, indirectly taking a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation Tuesday night.

Banerjee also announced that her administration would carry out sentinel survey across Bengal to understand the nature of Covid-19 spread in various districts. "Four of our green zone districts have already turned orange. Our challenge is to make then green once again," she added.
R eese Witherspoon will star in two new Netflix romantic comedies, the streaming giant has announced.

The actress will produce and star in Your Place Or Mine, from the writer of The Devil Wears Prada, as well as The Cactus, based on the best-selling book by Sarah Haywood.

The first film focuses on two long-distance best friends who change each others lives when one decides to pursue a lifelong dream while the other volunteers to keep an eye on her teenage son.

It will mark the directorial debut for Aline Brosh McKenna, who wrote The Devil Wears Prada.

Getty Images

The Cactus is based on last years New York Times bestseller novel, telling the story of a woman who unexpectedly falls pregnant at 45.

Witherspoon, 44, told Deadline: Both Sarah Haywoods and Aline Brosh McKennas stories blend everything we love about traditional rom-coms with strong, smart and determined female leads.

The actress added: We have been looking for the right feature opportunities to collaborate withthe entire team at Netflix for a while and we couldnt be more excited to be working with them on these two romantic comedies.

Brosh McKenna, who will be directing Your Place Or Mine, said: Im the hugest Reese Witherspoon fan on earth, not just of her immense talents as an actor but also her producing skills.

Witherspoon, a best actress Oscar winner for her portrayal of June Carter in 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line, has plenty of comedies on her CV.

She has starred in Sweet Home Alabama, Home Again, and depicted the sassy and smart Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde films.

Her recent TV roles include Big Little Lies, The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere.

Additional reporting by PA
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the prospect of non-essential air travel from Ireland is months, rather than weeks, away.

Everyone who arrives in the State to stay, whether Irish or from abroad, is being asked to self-isolate for 14 days to ensure that anyone with Covid-19 does not infect others.

It comes amid calls for tougher laws to require people arriving into the country to tell authorities where they will be self-isolating.

Mr Varadkar said: The very strong advice from Government is that anyone entering our country, whether they are an Irish citizen or not, needs to quarantine and self-isolate for 14 days with the exception of certain key workers.

We are going to strengthen that over the next few weeks.

He was speaking at a visit to a contact-tracing centre in Dublin on Wednesday.

Of course we all look forward to air travel in the future, he added.

Were an island nation and a globalised economy. We need to return to business and leisure travel at some point, but that really is premature at this stage.

The European Union and the aviation authorities are thinking about that and how we can return to safe air travel, but that is months rather than weeks away.

Pleasure to talk to @drmikeryan and his @WHO colleagues this morning. He particularly thanked Irish people for all their work in fighting #Covid19, and finished up with this message for Ireland: pic.twitter.com/PtBSGZmt6f  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 13, 2020

The coronavirus death toll in Ireland rose to 1,497 on Wednesday after a further 10 deaths were announced.

There were 159 new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total in Ireland since the outbreak began to 23,401.

On Tuesday, Ryanair announced it was restoring 40% of its flight schedule from the start of July.

However, Irelands chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has urged Irish people not to start planning foreign summer holidays, predicting that the restrictions on non-essential air travel will still be in place until at least July.

The first phase of Irelands five step lockdown exit plan is due to commence on Monday.

Mr Varadkar said he is more confident that the country can begin to reopen from next week.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will make a recommendation to Government later this week.

Outdoor construction work, DIY shops and small outside gatherings will be allowed from Monday if the Government gives the go-ahead on the basis of the advice from the NPHET.

It is fair to say that everything is going in the right direction, but a decision has yet to be made about whether we will get to ease restrictions on Monday, said Mr Varadkar.

As we ease restrictions, personal responsibility and personal discipline is going to be all the more important because we will be meeting each other more and more people will be going to work.

He said the Government will issue guidance in the next few days about making and wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Transport Shane Ross said his department will provide funding to public transport companies to ensure their services can continue.

Mr Ross, who lost his seat in the general election, returned to the Dail for the first time after he was cocooning at home. He continues as a minister until a new government is formed.

He told the Dail: The public transport system is a critical part of the plan for reopening of the economy.

It is inconceivable that public transport should not function properly in the present crisis.

Therefore, I can confirm to the house that the Government will provide the necessary additional funding to continue those services, despite the drop in fare income.

My department is working closely with the NTA (National Transport Authority) and DPER (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform of Ireland) to assess and quantify this additional funding requirement.

He also said that it is very likely commuters will be asked to wear face masks when using public transport.

Dr Holohan has said there is no plan to make the wearing of face masks compulsory.

Senior Government official Liz Canavan said work is ongoing at Government level on the use of face coverings in public.

Speaking at the Covid-19 briefing on Wednesday morning, she said: We are aware of questions around the potential use of face masks or coverings as we move to lift restrictions.

Work is ongoing around guidance and practical communication about the face coverings and how they can be made at home. A key message will be how to safely use face coverings because the evidence is clear. If face masks are not used properly then they can have the effect of increasing the risk of transmission.

We will have more information for the public about face coverings in the coming days.

Ahead of some of the restrictions possibly being lifted next week, Ms Canavan warned the public to remain vigilant.

Ms Canavan said the Government does not want to have to reintroduce measures in future, as some other countries have had to do due to a spike in coronavirus infections.

She said: Any lifting of restrictions carries a risk of going backwards and losing the hard-won progress of recent months. This week, we have seen some countries reinstate some restrictions.

We do not want to have to do that. We are approaching our reopening in a gradual way.

Therefore, it is important that we are disciplined in sticking to the guidelines that apply.

It is also important to remember that we have not started to ease restrictions yet.

Every day counts in terms of assessing where we are and how we can move on.
A truck crosses beneath the ongoing contruction of the high-speed railway in Fresno, California, on May 8, 2019. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

California: Cant Keep the Lights On, Cant Deliver Water, and Now, Cant Open

Commentary

California is a heck of a place. At least it is if youre trying to do business.

Its careening from crisis to crisis, and its leadership is determined to keep it shut down. Its so bad, you could say that crises are Californias new normal.

As we consider its travails, keep in mind that California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has led a charmed life, wants to be president next time around.

Newsom has easily climbed the political ladder for yearsactually, hes ridden a gilded escalator. He garnered the good graces of the Getty family (one of the richest in American history), is related through marriage to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and his family is aligned with the Brown family, with its two governors, Pat Brown and Jerry Brown.

A favorite of California kingmaker Willie Brown, Gavin was appointed by him to the San Francisco Parking and Traffic Commission and later its Board of Supervisors. Newsom went on to become mayor of San Francisco and then lieutenant governor of California (a nearly ceremonial position).

A guy like that would have to have designs on the presidency, wouldnt he?

The problem, of course, with being a governorespecially of a state the size of Californiais that if the trains dont run on time, you get the blame.

Newsom is embroiled in the boondoggle that is the unwanted high-speed train, California cant reliably deliver water to its people and businesses, it cant reliably deliver electricity to them either, and now, its not even open for businessfor goodness knows how long.

High-Speed Rail/Water/Electricity

To be sure, Newsom inherited the messes created by the two-decade rule of the Democratic Party in California. If we start with high-speed railthat was Jerry Browns legacy project that very few want now.

Although he initially signaled that he might step away from it, once Trump demanded back the projects federal money, Newsom found himself partisan bound to fight for the project. Sadly, no one truly knows how much the scandal-ridden project will costbut its in the tens of billions, and the public has turned against it.

Newsom also inherited the fight over water. Western water fights are legendary. California has a water delivery system designed for just over 20 million people, but nearly 40 million people are in the state at any one time when California is open for business and tourism.

Incredibly, despite its need to deliver water to residents, businesses, and especially farmers, California allows trillions of gallons of water each year to gather in its streams and then rivers on its way to the ocean. You see, environmentalists, unhindered and/or supported by Newsom, dont want humans to get the water. Instead, many Democrats want to limit people in California to 50 gallons a day, and some of their legislators believe farming harms the environment.

There is opposition to the Democrats plans, including one of the states largest Facebook pages, My Job Depends on Ag, but it remains true that even in good rain years, farmers have to fight to get water even though the great Central Valley helped end world hungersomething you would think the Democrats would celebrate.

Next up, electricity. The world knows of Californias wildfire electricity nightmares. That too can be blamed on government or quasi-government policies. The main provider, PG&E, put off maintenance and upgrades too long and bowed to environmentalists, who wouldnt allow safe pruning of trees near power lines.

That two decades of overgrowth and lack of maintenance caught up with PG&E in the form of wildfires of monstrous proportions, which have been happening duringwait for itCalifornias fire season. Yes, California has a season for that in the fall. You would think the powers that be would do what they could to avoid danger.

They havent, however, and PG&E, which needs a bailout from its fire liability, has responded by shutting down power when its windy. Mega-businesses like tech have many times threatened to leave the state if California cant deliver reliable electricity.

All of those problems, plus Californias monstrous debt (trillions for state and local governments), and its highest-in-the-nation taxes and regulations, have convinced many a major business to leave California at an accelerating pace. They also have assigned California a consistent designation near the bottom of the list of states in which to start a business.

Shutdown

Of course, that was when it was open.

Now with its COVID-19 response, one has to wonder why anyone would start a business in California. Gavin I want to be your president Newsom has said things will not return to normal in California until there is a vaccine for COVID-19.

Given that there never has been a vaccine for something like COVID-19, thats quite the death-knell for businesses. There isnt even a serious discussion of how and when Californias tourism industry, that is, hotels, restaurants, and the like, can truly reopen.

Oh, and finally, Newsom now says that the state deficit will be over $54 billion. Of course, thats more than the entire budgets of 41 states. Tax hikes anyone?

To fight Newsoms shutdown, countless lawsuits have been filed, which is ironic. Its ironic because California has filed over 60 lawsuits against the Trump administration over its rules. Now Newsom is the subject of countless lawsuits over his many questionable executive orders.

Rather than deal with lawsuits, many more will simply leavelike the major employer Tesla. For some strange reason, Elon Musk thinks he should be allowed to reopen his business. When he said he would leave in response to the prolonged shutdown, a leading Democratthe one who authored the job-killing, anti-independent contract bill that Newsom signed, tweeted, [Expletive deleted] Elon Musk.

Musk replied: Message received.

Sadly, it has been by so manyjust not by the politicians like Gavin Newsom who is running California into the ground.

Thomas Del Beccaro is an acclaimed author, speaker, Fox News, Fox Business, and Epoch Times opinion writer, and the former chairman of the California Republican Party. He is the author of the historical perspectives, The Divided Era and The New Conservative Paradigm.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Wednesday, May 13th, 2020 (2:18 pm) - Score 1,248

Some 13,000 council house tenants in the UK city of Derby (Derbyshire) will soon be able to access Cityfibres new 1Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) broadband ISP network, which is thanks to a new partnership with Derby City Council and Derby Homes.

At present Cityfibre is already investing 45m to roll-out their new network in Derby and work is due to start in late spring 2020. Under this project nearly every home and business in the city should gain access to their network (usually reaching 85%+ of local premises).

As part of this the operator has today secured a blanket wayleave agreement to improve local land and property access, which should make it quicker, easier and cheaper for them to deploy their full fibre across council housing.

Derby Homes will also be able to use the technology to improve services for tenants. For example, by using connected devices over the full fibre network, such as smart temperature sensors, moisture meters and alarms, they can capture environmental data and identify issues before they become apparent.

Dominika Walker, CityFibres City Manager for Derby, said: Digital access is a major issue facing communities across the UK and we are committed to addressing the problem. This approach will make a genuine difference to thousands of people living in council housing in Derby, giving them access to transformative technology and ensuring they are not left behind when it comes to the digital revolution.

Matthew Holmes, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council, said: Derby City Council continues to work closely with the private sector to facilitate economic growth in the digital age and CityFibres full fibre network will be vital in ensuring Derby has a resilient and dynamic economy for decades to come. This approach will help us to reinforce our position as a smart city by making hi-tech digital infrastructure accessible for the benefit of communities across Derby. By signing a blanket wayleave agreement with CityFibre, we can ensure that our social housing properties in the city gain access to the fastest and most reliable digital connectivity, delivering Gigabit speeds, and that tenants enjoy the many benefits this will bring without any delay.

All of this forms part of Cityfibres wider 4bn private investment plan (here), which aims to deploy a Gigabit capable full fibre broadband network to cover around 1 million UK premises by the end of 2021, before potentially reaching their ambition of 8 million premises across 100+ cities and towns by the end of 2025 or later (c.30% of the UK).

UPDATE 3rd June 2020

Construction work on Cityfibres new FTTH network in Derby has officially commenced in the Mackworth area, with Abbey, Mickleover, Allestree and Darley set to follow later this year. J. McCann & Co Ltd is delivering the construction programme on their behalf.
Washington (AFP) - The United States and Cuba traded accusations of support for terrorism as President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday blacklisted the communist island, saying it had not fully cooperated on counterterrorism.

Washington increased the pressure on Havana just one day after Cuba urged a terrorism probe over gunfire that hit its embassy in the US capital.

The State Department faulted Cuba over the presence of Colombia's leftist ELN rebels, who traveled to Havana in 2017 to negotiate with the Bogota government but have not returned.

It was the first time that Cuba was not certified since the 2015 report. It joined the ranks of four other US adversaries -- Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela.

"Cuba's refusal to productively engage with the Colombian government demonstrates that it is not cooperating with US work to support Colombia's efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, security and opportunity for its people," the State Department said.

Colombian President Ivan Duque, a conservative ally of the United States, broke off talks with the ELN after a January car bomb attack on a Bogota police academy killed 21 recruits.

The militants have been demanding, unsuccessfully, that Colombia grant safe passage for its negotiators to come back from Cuba.

The State Department certification falls under the Arms Export Control Act and will have little practical effect on Cuba, which does not buy weapons from its long-time foe.

But the step is the latest by Trump to increase pressure on Cuba and move away from the reconciliation efforts undertaken by his predecessor Barack Obama.

The move is separate from a US designation of state sponsorship of terrorism, which has far-reaching legal effects.

The Obama administration removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in 2015, although Trump's State Department has flirted with putting it back on.

The ELN is said to operate in about 10 percent of Colombia but is a smaller player than the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which reached a landmark peace agreement with the government in 2016.

Story continues

Miguel Ceballos, Colombia's high commissioner for peace, said the US move on Cuba gave weight to Bogota's demands "that all countries where ELN or FARC members are present hand them over to justice."

- 'Exhaustive' probe sought -

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused the United States of hypocrisy for criticizing the island on terrorism but not preventing the attack on its embassy.

"It is hiding its history of state terrorism against Cuba and the impunity of violent groups on its territory," Rodriguez wrote on Twitter.

A day earlier, he demanded an "exhaustive investigation" into the April 30 shooting.

Police arrested Alexander Alazo, who is originally from Cuba, for firing 32 rounds in the early morning at the embassy, which suffered bullet damage. No one was injured.

Havana said Alazo frequented an evangelical church in Florida popular among conservative US politicians.

"I call upon the United States to explain these links" between Alazo and people or groups "who support the current US administration but are inciting hatred and violence against Cuba," Rodriguez said Tuesday.

In a court filing, the Secret Service said that Alazo had been prescribed psychiatric drugs after complaining of hearing voices and had been living in his car for nine months, saying he feared Cuban organized crime figures.

The 42-year-old unsuccessfully tried to set ablaze a Cuban flag and instead waved a US flag and "yelled towards the Cuban embassy that he was a Yankee," the Secret Service said.

Referring to the purported mental health issues, Rodriguez said, "If there was hatred in Alazo's actions, it was hatred induced by the aggressive language of the US administration."

The State Department earlier condemned the shooting and said the United States was committed to protecting diplomatic missions.

Rodriguez linked the shooter to a church in the Miami suburb of Doral, a hub of Venezuelans who have fled their country's crumbling economy.

Cuba is a key ally of Venezuela's leftist leader, Nicolas Maduro, whom the United States is trying to remove.

Vice President Mike Pence delivered a speech last year at the church, the Doral Jesus Worship Center, where he called Cuba's leaders "the real imperialists in the Western Hemisphere."

sct-ad-dl-mav/sst
File image

China's CanSino Biologics Inc , the company behind one of the few coronavirus vaccine candidates already in clinical trials, is collaborating with Canada's National Research Council to "pave the way" for future trials in Canada, the research council said on Tuesday.

The NRC said it would scale up a production process for CanSino's vaccine at a government facility in Montreal, and that CanSino was preparing a trial application for drug regulator Health Canada.

If CanSino's vaccine works, the collaboration could help ensure that Canadians have access to it. Local trial data could reassure Health Canada that the vaccine is safe, and local manufacturing could ensure some doses are at hand.

Asked whether the collaboration would make it possible for Health Canada to consider data gathered in China, NRC said that in general, data can be shared with the regulator's approval.

"Canadian clinical trials will expand on Chinese data and provide an enhanced understanding of the vaccine candidate's safety profile," the agency 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

A vaccine that protects people from the coronavirus could end the pandemic, but finding one that works and manufacturing enough doses is a huge challenge.

Relations between Canada and China have been strained since Canadian authorities arrested Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on Dec. 1, 2018 at the request of the United States. Her arrest infuriated the Chinese government, which subsequently detained two Canadian citizens - Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor - on state security charges.

But in the midst of the pandemic, Canada has struggled to import protective equipment from the United States, turning in part to suppliers in China. A federal procurement website notes that Canada has "established on-the-ground support in China" to manage bulk purchases.

CanSino and the NRC have worked together since 2013, and the company's vaccine is produced using a cell line that was developed at the NRC, the agency said.

CanSino Chairman Xuefeng Yu worked in Canada from 1996 to 2009, according to the company's website, mainly for Sanofi.

Shares of Hong Kong-listed CanSino rose on April 26 after the company said Health Canada had agreed to meet to discuss a clinical trial application.

Separately on Tuesday, Canada promised C$600 million to replenish the GAVI vaccine alliance, to support routine vaccinations around the world. GAVI is also helping low-income countries respond to coronavirus outbreaks.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:56:22|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The United States and its allies keep whipping up confrontation and are using the COVID-19 pandemic to impose their own vision of the future world order, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"They call it a rule-based world order, and as you know, they invent the rules themselves," Lavrov said at a video meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers.

Lavrov called for unilateral sanctions to be suspended during the period of the pandemic, saying that such sanctions impede humanitarian supplies of medicines, equipment and foodstuffs.

Russia is an advocate of seeking collective solutions and is convinced that efforts should be joined on the basis of universality and multilateralism, while efforts should also reflect the interests of every state, Lavrov said.

The country also supports maintaining the system of international relations formed after World War II, the nucleus of which is the United Nations and its organizations, he added.

According to Lavrov, Russia consistently defends the role of the United Nations, an international organization which should adapt to new realities.

"Any adaptation and any reform is not a one-off action, but a constant process, which takes into account the rapidly changing situation in the world," Lavrov said.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the newly appointed Chief of Staff to President Buhari has expressed that his duty is to the President, not the public on resumption of office.

The Chief of staff stated this on Wednesday when he spoke briefly to State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa.

Also Read: Buhari Confirms Ibrahim Gambari As New Chief Of Staff

He also took out time to express his gratitude to President Buhari for deeming him worthy to serve in the new capacity.

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The new chief of staff also added that he would be loyal and serve the President to the best of his ability.
DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ResearchAndMarkets.com published a new article on the amusement parks industry, "Amusement Parks Begin Phased Re-Opening Since Outbreak of COVID-19"

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on amusement parks. As the virus continued to spread Disney was forced to shutter its parks in Asia, America and Europe while Six Flags announced that it would close down or delay the opening of its parks in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Some amusement parks have already begun to plan for a phased re-opening of their locations. Legoland Japan reopened on March 23rd with temperature checks prior to entry while Disney has set out its health and safety plan for Shanghai Disneyland, which will be the first of the company's locations to re-open on Monday May 11.



Capacity management is expected to become important as more amusement parks begin to re-open in a post COVID-19 world. This could include only selling tickets during set intervals and allowing a limited number of guests to enter during each interval as well as introducing a one way traffic flow to minimize contact between guests. Some parks may also consider leaving seats or rows vacant on rides and reducing dining room capacity to encourage social distancing. As part of their capacity management plan, Shanghai Disneyland will initially operate at a much lowered capacity and slowly build up to a maximum 30% capacity target over a number of weeks.



To see the full article and a list of related reports on the market, visit "Amusement Parks Begin Phased Re-Opening Since Outbreak of COVID-19"

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A new analysis suggests the rare inflammatory condition increasingly being seen in young children is in fact linked to the novel coronavirus.

Researchers in Lombardy, Italy - the epicenter of the country's outbreak - looked at 10 pediatric cases with symptoms such as a full body rash and swollen hands and feet.

By comparison, over the last five years, just 19 children were admitted to the ER with the symptoms which resembled Kawasaki Disease.

The team says the admissions for these symptoms over the last two months is a 30-fold increase from what it normally sees.

What's more, 80 percent of the children admitted to the hospital this year tested positive for coronavirus antibodies and 60 percent had more severe complications such as heart issues.

In a new study, researchers found that 19 children were admitted to a hospital in Lombardy, Italy, with Kawasaki Disease-like symptoms compared to 10 children between February 18, 2020 and April 20, 2020 (above)

Results of an antibody test showed 80% of the 10 children tested positive for coronavirus bodies and 60% had more severe complications such as heart issues. Pictured: Juliet Daly, 12, from Louisiana (left) and Jayden Hardowar, eight, from New York (right), both landed in the hospital after experiencing the syndrome

Researchers say this is evidence the mysterious condition is linked to COVID-19 and that it should be classified as 'Kawasaki-like Disease'. Pictured: Bobby Dean, nine, lies on a hospital bed in Rochester, NY, after experiencing the syndrome

Cases of these rare inflammatory illnesses in children were first reported in Britain, Italy and Spain.

The syndrome resembles Kawasaki Disease, a condition that causes inflammation in the walls of the blood vessels and affects mostly children under five years old.

It's not known what triggers the condition, but it is believed to be an immune system overreaction to an infection.

The new disorder, dubbed 'Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Potentially Associated with COVID-19,' can attack multiple organs, impair heart function and weaken heart arteries.

In the Bergamo province, where Lombardy is located, only 19 children were diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease over the last five years.

However, between February 18 and April 20 of this year, there were at least 10 cases in children with the emerging syndrome - suggesting as much as a 30-fold increase.

'We noticed an increase in the number of children being referred to our hospital with an inflammatory condition similar to Kawasaki Disease around the time the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak was taking hold in our region,' said co-author Dr Lucio Verdoni, a pediatric rheumatologist at Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo, Italy.

'Although this complication remains very rare, our study provides further evidence on how the virus may be affecting children.

'Parents should follow local medical advice and seek medical attention immediately if their child is unwell. Most children will make a complete recovery if they receive appropriate hospital care.'

For the study, published in The Lancet, the team looked at 29 children admitted to the hospital's pediatric unit with symptoms of Kawasaki Disease from January 1, 2015 to April 20, 2020.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, doctors were treating one case of Kawasaki Disease approximately every three months.

Researchers say the increase from 19 children over five years (2015 to 2019) to 10 children over two months (February 2020 to April 2020) was not due to an increase in hospital admissions.

The new disorder, dubbed 'Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Potentially Associated with COVID-19,' can attack multiple organs, impair heart function and weaken heart arteries. Pictured: Josie Paskvan, nine, from Detroit, who was hospitalized with the syndrome

Children who were admitted to the hospital with symptoms after February 18 were generally older than children from the previous five years, seven-and-half years old compared to three years old.

They also had more serious symptoms such as heart complications in 60 percent and signs of toxic shock syndrome in 50 percent.

Patients both before and after the coronavirus outbreak were treated with immunoglobulin, but 80 percent of children during the outbreak also needed steroids, compared to 16 percent from before the pandemic.

Most importantly, of those 10 children, eight of tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies.

The authors this is evidence there is a link between the virus and the inflammatory condition and that it should be classified as 'Kawasaki-like Disease.'

'We are starting to see case reports of children presenting at hospital with signs of Kawasaki Disease in other areas hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, including New York and South East England,' said lead author Dr Lorezno D'Antiga, a pediatrician at Papa Giovanni.

'Our study provides the first clear evidence of a link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and this inflammatory condition, and we hope it will help doctors around the world as we try to get to grips with this unknown virus.'

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday (pictured) that 15 states in total are investigating cases of the rare inflammatory condition

The study comes on the heels of new that 15 US states are looking into cases of a rare inflammatory syndrome mainly affecting children and believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday.

Cuomo told reporters at a press conference that state health officials are investigating 102 cases, including dozens of hospitalizations.

So far, three children in New York have died from the condition, including a five-year-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman.

Now, 14 other states, including California, Connecticut and Massachusetts, have reported cases.
John Lennons Message from Heaven, is a new book written by World Teacher and Happy Science Founder Ryuho Okawa that presents several important messages to humanity in this time, particularly as concerns music, peace and freedom.

Within this work it is revealed that John Lennon was a part of the soul of Jesus Christ, and the similarities between them are notable; both rebelled against outdated forms of established norms in their respective time period, and both did so peacefully, albeit radically. The notion that 9th Dimensional souls, as are explored in depth in The Nine Dimensions, could essentially split themselves into many incarnated individuals is of significance and reveals an important spiritual dynamic. It is hinted in the work that many individuals who wield great influence in the world may be an element of a higher dimensional soul incarnate. Such elements of higher souls may be divided in accordance with specialty areas, so that in the case of John Lennon, he incarnated as an artistic aspect of Jesus Christ in order to spread the power of love through music.

Music is a powerful tool for facilitating social change, and the spirit of John Lennon explores this idea by explaining that Heavenly spirits may often approach musicians in order to mediate music through them which is of a higher dimensional spiritual signature. As is indicated, it is no easy task to mediate Heavenly music, in part because the vibration can feel very distant from this world. When such music is successfully mediated into this world, however, it can be with consequences that rock the establishment.

While John Lennon utilized music to protest the Vatican and the war machine, Heavenly music today may be particularly beneficial for helping to destabilize authoritarian regimes such as those in China and North Korea, where communism holds people at the mercy of the state. The spirit of John Lennon believes that were rock music to be spread into China, the general populace would undergo a drastic change, and may come to demand freedom and democracy from their government.

As is indicated, the book implies that there are instances where it is right and necessary to rebel. Rebellion is often thought of in the context of devils that rebel against Heaven, but such is not always the case. As the spirit of John Lennon indicates, rebellion is often an act of becoming and living as God intended humans to be, especially where natural tendencies have become suppressed.

Happy Science is an example of an organization that is working to rock the establishment of the contemporary times by transcending the limitations of traditional religions and establishing a reunion of politics with religion. Needless to say, this is no easy task, and it is implied in the book that Happy Science members will benefit from having greater courage and confidence in themselves, without being overconfident and assuming prematurely that they are Bodhisattvas. There is a balance to be struck here, and it is something that all humans can work toward. There are changes that must be made in the world if humanity is to work toward initiating a new Golden Age, and all people can all play a part in this.

This book will be of interest to anyone who is a fan of John Lennon and The Beatles, but it is also relevant to anyone who feels that there is something amiss in the world, and that they can be doing more to facilitate change than they are presently doing. The message that all humans can be doing more to change the world is not a demoralizing one, but meant to encourage and empower humanity toward a greater sense of pragmatism. People like Jesus Christ and John Lennon didnt shake the foundation of the world by being timid, but did so through their boldness, and this is something all of humanity can work to develop further in order to bring about a more loving and happy world.

John Lennons Message from Heaven is available at all major bookstores nationwide, including Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

IRH Press USA
Hes not himself. Ive known him for 16 years and hes not the same guy I had known him to be."

Thats a quote from a tavern owner allegedly targeted by a rape suspect who was recently released from prison due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- only to spark a police altercation Tuesday that ended in a SWAT standoff and ultimately the suspects fiery death.

And it is certainly an understatement.

6ABC reporting on the incident in Hilltown Township, about 25 miles south of Bethlehem in Bucks County, called it a wild scene.

Heres some 6ABC video showing the fiery climax of the SWAT standoff that is believed to have claimed the life of accused rapist Curtis L. Fish, 48:

It was a wild scene in Hilltown Township, Bucks County today when an alleged rape suspect was involved in an altercation in the neighborhood. Authorities say the suspect barricaded himself in a home that went up in flames. @BobBrooks6abc has more at 11.https://t.co/xMbS5OUK6a pic.twitter.com/VGkdDq9LoU  Action News on 6abc (@6abc) May 13, 2020

Police say Fish beat and raped a woman he held captive on New Years Day. He had been arrested and jailed on charges stemming from the case. But Fish was recently released due to the coronavirus pandemic -- against the recommendation of Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub.

Just before Tuesdays standoff and fire, Fish reportedly tried to break into the Crossroads Tavern before fleeing into his home nearby, 6ABC reports.

Crossroads Tavern owner Mike Mrozinski was inside the business at the time, and then watched most of the ensuing events unfold. Hes the one who told 6ABC that Fish simply is not himself, not the same guy I had known him to be."

Indeed.

Mrozinski told 6ABC that police responding to the tavern break-in attempted to Taser Fish, to no avail.

The ensuing SWAT standoff ended with a bang  literally  as video reportedly shows Fish setting off fireworks toward officers, 6ABC reports.

Moments later, his residence went up in flames. Fireworks outside and fireworks inside. So I believe thats what lit the house on fire, Mrozinski told 6ABC.

Hilltown Township Police Chief Christopher Englehart told the news station he believes the man found dead inside is Fish, but official ID was pending autopsy.

It turned out Fish was recently released from prison because of COVID-19. Hed been behind bars after police say he raped and kidnapped a woman this past New Years Day.

Hilltown police found the victim brutally beaten, bleeding from her mouth, with both eyes nearly swollen shut, CBSPhilly.com reports, adding: The victim told police that Fish held her captive, strangled her with an electrical wire and busted up her face.

Weintraub told 6ABC he strongly advised against Fish from being released due to COVID-19, but Fish was let go anyway.

Thankfully, no officers were hurt during Tuesdays incident, according to 6ABC

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The Loose Women panelists tore into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their Wednesday show, for releasing a new book.

The four ladies - Ruth Langsford, Linda Robson, Saira Khan and Jane Moore - discussed the biography, titled Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, labeling it a 'money-spinner'.

Saira and Jane also declared that the royal pair, who left the UK this year for fresh start in Canada, before relocating instead to California, had 'abandoned the British people'.

Not impressed: The Loose Women panelists tore into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their Wednesday show, for releasing a new book

Saira - whose parents are from Pakistan - said: 'I was a really big Harry and Meghan fan. When they got married, for me, it was the first mixed marriage in the Royal Family.

'I thought there was loads of hope and excitement - and then it got dark very quickly.

'I feel they really abandoned the British people so I'm not actually going to be really very interested in what they are doing. For many of us who were Harry and Meghan fans, I just feel like they've abandoned us.

'They've left us, they've left the family and they've left this country.'

Coming soon: The upcoming book titled Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20

In it for the cash? The four ladies - Ruth Langsford, Linda Robson, Saira Khan and Jane Moore - discussed the biography, labeling it a 'money-spinner'

Jane agreed: 'They've pushed back against the British so much  not everybody, but I think the majority of the British public think, "Well alright then if you don't want us to have anything to do with you that's absolutely fine!"

'But why should they then go out and buy this book?'

Linda remarked: 'What about the money? You get a lot of money for these biographies don't you? Where's the money going?'

While Ruth added: 'I'm too nosy not to read it. Maybe we'll get what they want to say in more detail.

Saira - whose parents are from Pakistan - said: 'I was a really big Harry and Meghan fan. When they got married, for me, it was the first mixed marriage in the Royal Family. I thought there was loads of hope and excitement - and then it got dark very quickly'

Jane agreed: 'They've pushed back against the British so much  not everybody, but I think the majority of the British public think, "Well alright then if you don't want us to have anything to do with you that's absolutely fine!"'

'So I'm thinking maybe I'll wait until I read it to decide what I think of the way they've left the country and how they felt about things.'

This comes after an insider exclusively told the Mail that Meghan, 38, is eager for the tome to be released promptly.

It's said that the ex-Suits actress hopes that the publication will set the record straight on why she and her husband, 35, chose to leave the royal family and help give them a clean slate.

Linda remarked: 'What about the money? You get a lot of money for these biographies don't you? Where's the money going?'

While Ruth added: 'I'm too nosy not to read it. Maybe we'll get what they want to say in more detail'

The upcoming book has been written by journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand and is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20.

'If Meghan had it her way, the book would be released tomorrow instead of three months from now,' said the source. 'She said the book will finally set the record straight and show the world why they were left with no other choice than to leave the royal life.'

Meghan wants readers to understand her life hasn't been a fairy tale, see 'the genuine person that she is' and wants to 'shatter this image of being a demanding diva,' the insider added.

Hurry up! This comes after an insider exclusively told the Mail that Meghan, 38, is eager for the tome to be released promptly

Fresh perspective: It's said that the ex-Suits actress hopes that the publication will set the record straight on why she and her husband, 35, chose to leave the royal family and help give them a clean slate

Meghan and Harry shocked the world back in January when they announced they would be stepping away from their royal duties and instead work to become financially independent, splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

They were originally living at a waterfront mansion on Vancouver Island in Canada before making a beeline for California after Canada announced it would be restricting its borders due to COVID-19.

DailyMail.com revealed last week that Hollywood tycoon Tyler Perry had sent his $150 million private plane to pick up the couple and their one-year-old son Archie from Canada in mid-March and brought them to live at his $18 million Beverly Hills pad, where they are now staying.

New POV: Meghan wants readers to understand her life hasn't been a fairy tale, see 'the genuine person that she is' and wants to 'shatter this image of being a demanding diva,' the insider added

Despite their mega-rich friends and high-flying lifestyle, Meghan 'desperately wants to shatter this image of being a demanding diva who was rude to royal staffers and others on her quest for fame and power,' the insider said.

'She said the book will help give her and Harry a clean slate. Meghan seems to think that readers will finally understand the monumental anguish and turmoil she had to endure with a stiff upper lip.

'Meghan said people need to see her vulnerable side, something the book does in great detail.'

The friend added: 'I think [Meghan] wants people to feel sorry for her, or at least have compassion for her and all she's been through, which has been anything but a fairy tale.'

Scribes: The upcoming book has been written by journalists [L-R] Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand and is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20

The insider also revealed the Duchess 'had plenty to say about what went into the book, much more than the public is being led to believe.

'The only way Finding Freedom was ever going to be published, was if Meghan had the final say and gave her seal of approval.'

Co-author Omid Scobie recently said the biography gives a real inside account of the royals' story, saying: '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 un-turned.

'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.'

The book's description says that 'few know the true story of Harry and Meghan'.

Plush: DailyMail.com exclusively revealed last Thursday, Harry and Meghan are living in Tyler Perry's $18 million mansion in ultra-tony Beverly Ridge Estates just outside Beverly Hills [pictured]

Swish: It is not known whether they are renting Tyler's property or staying there as guests, but there is no record of the mansion having been sold

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.'

Last week, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed the royals were staying at Tyler Perry's ultra-exclusive mansion in Beverly Hills, and that they were whisked away by the producer and actor on an early morning flight.

The couple have never been seen in public with Perry  best known for his cross-dressing portrayal of feisty Madea in his series of hit films  but are believed to have met him through their mutual close friend Oprah Winfrey.

Living the high life: DailyMail.com also revealed last week that Perry sent his $150 million private plane to pick up Harry, Meghan and one-year-old baby Archie and brought them to his Beverly Hills pad

50-year-old Perry's eight-bedroom, 12-bathroom Tuscan-style villa sits on 22 acres on the top of a hill in the guard-gated community and offers sweeping views of the city from the backyard.

It is not known whether they are renting Perry's property or staying there as guests, but there is no record of the mansion having been sold.

A source told DailyMail.com: 'Meghan and Harry have been extremely cautious to keep their base in LA under wraps.

'Their team helped them choose the location for their transition to Los Angeles wisely.

'Beverly Ridge has its own guarded gate and Tyler's property has a gate of its own which is watched by their security team.

'Beverly Ridge is an excellent place to keep out of view. The neighbors are mostly old money and mega rich business types rather than show business gossips.

'It goes without saying that the location is stunning  just one of the most beautiful and desirable areas in LA.'
House Democrats Move Ahead with Proxy Voting

Contrary to the House bipartisan task forces efforts to reach a compromise, Democrats will, for the second time, try to change the House rules to allow members to vote by proxy and let committees use technology to hold virtual business meetings.

House Majority Leader Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), Committee on House Administration Chairperson Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), and Rules Committee Chairman Rep. James P. McGovern (D-Mass.) said in a joint statement Wednesday that they tried to reach a full compromise with Republican members but they were not able to satisfy the members who want Congress to be present on Capitol Hill during the pandemic.

The lawmakers said they incorporated some of the suggestions the Republican leadership outlined.

While we could not come to an agreement, we have incorporated several Republican ideas into this resolution. We will now move forward on these temporary emergency procedures to ensure the House can continue fully working for the people during this public health and economic emergency. The time has come to actfurther delay is not an option.

The 13-page resolution (pdf) initially introduced by House Rules Chairman Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) in April was not designed by the bipartisan task force and the content of which is largely what the House will be voting on.

House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Wednesday: Nancy Pelosi is about to launch the most significant power grab in the history of Congress. Voting by proxy runs counter to 200-years of House rules and the Constitution itself.

In an April 22 statement, McGovern said he was hopeful for a compromise on how Congress could do its job safely during the pandemic.

I have always said that I prefer changes to House procedure to be done in a bipartisan and collaborative way. Im grateful that the discussions that have taken place over the past few weeks have now led to this bipartisan effort. Im hopeful that this formal working group can come to an agreement on changes that both Democrats and Republicans can agree on.

There are many House Republicans that want Congress to convene on Capitol Hill, and just apply physical distancing health guidelines instead of virtual proceedings.

On Wednesday, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) suggested that proxy voting was irresponsible. On Friday, theyll change House rules to allow proxy voting. If truckers, farmers, grocers, and healthcare workers are showing up to work, then Congress should too! he wrote on Twitter.

The proxy voting resolution (pdf) being considered on Thursday, would authorize House committees to hold virtual hearings, markups, and depositions using software approved as secure for remote participation.

Committee leaders would have the option to hold the formal proceedings online or in a hearing room with some lawmakers on-site and others working remotely, in a model that the Senate has used during the pandemic.

The proposed change to House rules would allow an absent lawmaker to appoint a colleague to vote on House floor matters on their behalf.

House members would send an electronic letter to the clerk to authorize another member to vote on their behalf, providing exact instruction on how to vote on each question on the floor, if they could not be present.

Members willing to vote in person on their own behalf could still do so. Members physically present would be eligible to cast votes on behalf of their colleagues, with a member limited to serving as a designated proxy for a maximum of 10 members. The limit addresses concerns of proxies holding too much power.

The clerks office would be required to post a list of designated proxies on its website, and members participating via proxy would be printed in the Congressional Record.

The plans are temporarily for 45 days and could be renewed/amended for the remainder of this Congress, dependent on pandemic public health warnings.

Democrats said that in addition to the immediate threat of the coronavirus pandemic, warnings from public health officials about a possible resurgence of the virus in the fall are driving the proxy vote effort.

Correction: The article has been updated to correct the party affiliation of Rep. Kevin McCarthy. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
The man shot by a Secret Service officer after allegedly waving a gun outside the White House has been charged with assaulting a federal officer.

Robert W Pickett faces up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
Police are appealing for help after a Colorado mom vanished into thin air after setting off on a bike ride on Mother's Day.

Suzanne Morphew, 49, left her home in Salida Sunday afternoon and hasn't been seen or heard from since.

Her worried neighbor phoned police shortly before 6pm after realizing she had not returned from her bicycle ride.

Chaffee County Search and Rescue began searching for Morphew in the area around County Road 225 and West Highway 50 - where Morphew said she was headed.

The search continued into the early hours of the morning, before it resumed the following day.

Over 100 law enforcement officials and multiple tracker dogs were called in, but the hunt yielded no clues as to Morphew's whereabouts.

Suzanne Morphew, 49, left her home in Salida on her bicycle Sunday afternoon and hasn't been seen or heard from since

Morphew posted this picture to Facebook with her two daughters the day before she disappeared

Morphew is pictured with her two daughters and husband Barry in a family photo taken back in 2017

Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze told The New York Post that the search is being treated as 'an open criminal investigation'.

He did not disclose whether Morphew's husband, Barry, was cooperating with police.

The mom-of-two - who previously worked as a middle-school teacher in Indiana - was last active on social media the day before her disappearance.

She posted a picture to Facebook with her two daughters with the word 'Blessed' placed over the top.

Morphew is pictured with her husband, Barry. The couple has been married close to three decades and lived in Indiana before relocating to Colorado

Chaffee County Search and Rescue began searching for Morphew in the area around County Road 225 and West Highway 50 - where Morphew said she was headed (pictured)

'She is truly the sweetest, loving soul I know. Praying without ceasing for her return home': Locals have expressed their fears about Morphew's wellbeing on Facebook

Meanwhile, locals have taken to the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office Facebook page to express their worry of Morphew's disappearance.

'She is truly the sweetest, loving soul I know. Praying without ceasing for her return home,' one wrote.

Another stated: 'Hoping she is located quickly. I've seen her and her husband at the gym. They're wonderful people.'
A gastrostomy feeding tube was put in her stomach as she couldnt ingest food

Doctors discovered the button battery, which was lodged in Mila's oesophagus

After finally waking up, Mila had lost almost all reflexes in her arms and legs

Her mother Emily Neilan turned her back for just seconds when disaster struck

A mother has relived the terrifying moment her baby daughter suddenly became 'like a ragdoll' after she swallowed a button battery that went on to erode her insides and nearly kill her.

Emily Neilan, 25, from Ermington in Sydney's north, was folding clothes on her bed in January while 10-month-old Mila played nearby.

But after turning her back for just a few seconds, the curious toddler managed to chew through the packaging of a packet of CR2032 button batteries and swallow one of the 20mm disks.

Mrs Neilan didn't see Mila swallowing the battery, so later that day she put her down for her usual afternoon nap.

'She refused her bottle but I had assumed it was just her being a fussy 10-month-old,' the young mother told Daily Mail Australia.

Emily and Dane Neilan's daughter Mila nearly died after swallowing a 20mm button battery disk in January

Mila spent the next three weeks in the paediatric intensive care unit, where Mr and Mrs Neilan remained by her side around the clock

After an X-Ray, doctors discovered the 20mm button battery, which by that time had become lodged in Mila's oesophagus

Mrs Neilan became concerned after Mila stayed asleep for two-and-a-half hours, when she would normally only nap for around an hour.

'When she woke up she was very, very lethargic,' Mrs Neilan said.

'She had almost no reflexes in her arms and legs, she had almost become like a ragdoll. Her eyes were open but I couldn't put her down and sit her up on her own.'

Mrs Neilan and her husband Dane rushed Mila to Westmead Childrens Hospital, with the worried couple initially thinking Mila may have bumped her head.

'I'm going through all the scenarios in my head - has she fallen over? Honestly I had no idea what had gone on,' she said.

After an X-Ray, doctors discovered the button battery, which by that time had become lodged in Mila's oesophagus.

Mila was rushed to the operating theatre to have the battery removed, but the alkaline had reacted with her saliva and began eroding through her oesophagial tissue through to her trachea.

Doctors put a gastrostomy feeding tube in Mila's stomach to feed her as she couldnt ingest food or liquids orally.

But the battery had lodged itself in Mila's oesophagus - right near her heart.

Mila was rushed to the operating theatre to have the battery removed, but the alkaline had reacted with her saliva and began eroding through her oesophagial tissue through to her trachea. Pictured with her father Dane

There was a 48-hour period in hospital where Dane and Emily Neilan thought baby Mila could die

Surgeons told Mr and Mrs Neilan that the next 48 hours would be 'extremely life threatening'.

'They were unable to tell us a clear indication of what Mila's future would look like,' Mrs Neilan said.

'Surgeons are very good at keeping an emotion free face when they're telling you bad news but I could see right through it.

'They were extremely concerned for Mila's health and knowing they were concerned and uncertain made me ten times more.

'When we made it past the first 48 hours, our spirits started to lift, we started to have faith in the healing process and from there became more confident each day that she would make it through.'

Mila spent the next three weeks in the PICU, where Mr and Mrs Neilan remained by her side.

After being discharged from intensive care, Mila developed a high fever, cough and an increased heart rate.

Her stability declined within a matter of hours and she was taken back to PICU for close monitoring.

It was not until doctors ordered a CT scan that they discovered a 13mm fistula had developed between her osophagus and trachea.

Fistulas form when inflammation causes sores, or ulcers, to form on the inside wall of the intestine or nearby organs.

Until Mila stops growing, she will need to have frequent surgeries to have the scar tissue in her airway removed and to help the dilation of her oesophagus

The next day Mila was taken into surgery to repair the damage, before being placed in an induced coma for 12 days to allow the area to heal.

'Having the ICU team monitoring her 24/7 definitely helped us feel a little better about the situation,' Mrs Neilan said.

'It was an extremely emotional and difficult time for myself and Dane.'

But once Mila was awoken from her induced coma, things started looking up for the Neilan family - who after weeks in hospital were finally on their way home.

Mrs Neilan said her daughter's life will never be quite the same, and she will require more check-ups in the future.

Until Mila stops growing, she will need to have frequent surgeries to have the scar tissue in her airway removed and to help the dilation of her oesophagus.

'You look at her today and you wouldn't even know that she has been through something so traumatic,' Mrs Neilan said.

'She's walking and running around the house. She's so happy and full of life. Has the most amazing, happy, cheeky personality.

'I think ultimately she is living proof that miracles do happen.

Mrs Neilan said her daughter's life will never be quite the same, and she will require more check-ups in the future

'She is a prime example of how resilient our children are and how incredible the surgeons, doctors and nurses we are lucky to have her in Australia.'

Mrs Neilan praised the doctors and nurses who took care of Mila as 'some of the most amazing people' she has ever met in her life.

'The care they gave Mila was nothing but 5 star and the support they showed and gave to Dane and myself was and still is nothing short of amazing,' she said.

Mrs Neilan said her and her husband want to spread Mila's near-death story to raise awareness about the dangers of button batteries.

'We hope that this will help other parents, to just take a minute to think about what they have in their households and if they are with in their little ones reach,' she said.

'After going through this horrible event in our lives, we would feel devastated to know someone or hear about someone who ends up in the same situation if it can be avoided with something as simple as spreading awareness.'

Mrs Neilan praised the doctors and nurses who took care of Mila as 'some of the most amazing people' she has ever met in her life
A rare inflammatory syndrome related to COVID-19 is infecting some children.

Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said she is not aware of any pediatric cases in Pa. related to what the New York Times calls the pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, but that her department is checking with childrens hospitals in the state to be sure.

The NYT reports that nearly 100 children have tested positive for the condition in N.Y. Levine explained what it is on Wednesday.

There is a recently described syndrome in children who have, most of whom have tested positive for COVID-19, [and] these reports are coming from New York City, Levine said.

This is an inflammatory condition of the blood vessels. It resembles other conditions that have been reported in children, called toxic shock syndrome or another one called Kawasaki disease, so its sort of an atypical Kawasaki disease, and these children are very ill, often requiring intensive care and even the use of a ventilator or breathing machine.

The Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles provides further information, writing:

"PIMS stands for pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome. It describes a new health condition seen in children who have been infected with novel coronavirus, recovered from it and later have an immune response that results in significant levels of inflammation in organ systems and symptoms.

PIMS is similar to other inflammatory conditions like Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome. Children who have PIMS generally did not have obvious symptoms when they were infected with novel coronavirus, like cough, and generally were healthy prior to developing PIMS.

CHLA says that PIMS is not contagious, and also explains how it is treated, writing:

Currently, the treatment for PIMS is a similar protocol to what is used to treat Kawasaki disease. The goal is to reduce the inflammation to avoid long-term damage to arteries in the childs body and heart. This is accomplished through transfusions of plasma, which reduces the bodys own immune response that is causing the inflammation.

More coronavirus coverage:
Parliament returned this week just in time for Prime Minister Scott Morrisons birthday celebrations on Wednesday. Coalition MPs were clearly keen to pass on their good wishes, with Morrison, 52, circulating two early-morning WhatsApp missives thanking colleagues for their birthday greetings.

A good thing they got in touch, given school commitments meant wife Jenny and their two daughters had left The Lodge to return to Sydney.

Morrison is not the only one in Canberra celebrating a birthday this week. Former Labor leader Bill Shorten, now the partys government services spokesman, turned 53 on Tuesday. He celebrated with several colleagues over the course of the evening.

Labors treasury spokesman, Jim Chalmers, dropped in for drinks, along with agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon, trade spokeswoman Madeleine King and backbenchers Anne Aly, Kimberley Kitching, Luke Gosling, Patrick Gorman and Milton Dick.

South Australian powerbroker Don Farrell also turned up, bringing a bottle of his The Godfather Too wine. The $110 cabernet, made at his family vineyard, was last in the news after it was featured on the winelist of Canberra diner Otis where Farrell and other good solid Labor people met earlier this year to discuss their interest in supporting coal workers.
New Delhi: A day after superstar Salman Khan and Jacqueline Fernandez's song ballad 'Tere Bina' shot and made during lockdown phase at former's farmhouse in Panvel released, it has received all the love online. Fans have given it a big thumbs up and it has become a number one trending song on YouTube.

Watch it again, in case you missed:

Salman and Jackie's on-screen chemistry is palpable in the track and it happens to be a soulful romantic number. It has already garnered over 11,282,642 views on YouTube and enjoys a top spot on the trending list of the video-sharing platform.

The music has been composed by Ajay Bhatia, and lyrics are penned by Shabbir Ahmed.

Amid lockdown, Salman along with his friends and a few family members are stuck at his farmhouse in Panvel. So, making the most of his free time there, the actor released the music video along with Jackie. The track will surely be a top trend on YouTube as Sallu Bhai fans had been eagerly waiting for it for days.

It has been completely shot at his farmhouse and sung by Salman Khan.
[May 12, 2020] Mitsubishi Electric to Provide Funding and Supplies to Support Coronavirus (COVID-19) Relief Efforts in Japan

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6503) announced today that it will support healthcare professionals in the fight against COVID-19 by donating approximately 100 million yen (about US$ 930,000) and providing medical institutions with essential items such as medical masks. The company is taking all possible steps to help contain the disease and resume normal socio-economic activities as soon as possible. Donation of Approximately 100 Million Yen Mitsubishi (News - Alert) Elecric will donate approximately 100 million yen to support healthcare professionals working on the frontline and children affected by the prolonged closure of schools. The funds will come from nonconsolidated contributions as well as donations from the Mitsubishi Electric (News - Alert) SOCIO-ROOTS Fund. The Fund will collect donations from Mitsubishi Electric employees that the company will then match, effectively doubling the amount donated. The company has begun soliciting donations on its website to enable employees to contribute even while working at home.



Provision of Necessary Materials (1) Medical masks and other materials

Mitsubishi Electric will provide about 100,000 medical (N95) masks and supplies of disinfectant to medical institutions. For the full text, please visit: www.MitsubishiElectric.com/news/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005360/en/

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Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi claims that he is living in fear following his public rebuke by Zimbabwes foreign affairs minister, who distanced the government from statements he made on Twitter, suggesting that Tanzanian president John Magufuli is struggling to contain the coronavirus crisis in his country.

In a tweet, Mutodi said, Living in fear of the Chris Mutsvangwa-SB Moyo coalition. I hope it wont resort to wartime tactics. Appealing for prayers.

His tweet set social media on fire with some political commentators and other people suggesting that there is a fallout between Mutodi and presidential adviser Mutsvangwa and his wife Monica Mutsvangwa, and Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo.

In a tweet recently, Mutodi said, HE John Pombe Magafulis Tanzania now has 630 COVID-19 cases with prayers but without a lockdown while His Excellency President ED Mnangagwas Zimbabwe only got 31 cases with a lockdown & masks. An insight into how managers can be game changers.

Responding to the tweet, Moyo said Mutodis remarks did not represent the views of the Zimbabwean government. Moyos statement was made soon after Mutodi also claimed that Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa was abusing the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation by issuing remarks that advanced the political ambitions of her husband and their associates.

In the latest clash of the ministers, Mutodi wrote a letter to Moyo urging him to stop attacking him, noting that the two were running different ministries.

He said, I wish to remind you that our two ministries operate on a divergent yet complimentary role, with your Foreign Affairs Ministry outward looking while my Information Ministry is inward looking. While our ministry is worried about the public perception on the national leadership, its image, electability and the public approval ratings of the president, your ministry focuses on foreign cooperation and diplomatic engagement, otherwise our two ministries should have been merged if they served the same purpose.

Mutodi went on to take a swipe at Moyo saying his utterances were uncalled for as they have puzzled Zimbabweans.

Your public statement which could have been sufficiently dealt with by a diplomatic correspondence to the Tanzanian embassy if it mattered, has divided public opinion first on the definition and meaning of government and whether you had become its Prime Minister in charge of the two ministries.

Moyo has not yet responded to Mutodis latest remarks amid fears of a fallout between government ministers, who once teamed up to unseat the late former president Robert Mugabe in a defacto military coup.

Efforts to contact Moyo were unsuccessful as he was not responding to calls on his mobile phone.

Zanu PF Central Committee member, Joseph Tshuma, said it was unlikely that Mutodi was being used by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to attack The Mutsvangwas and Moyo.

I dont think the president who is the appointing authority in terms of hiring ministers can do that because he has the power to dismiss those that he believes are not doing well or working with him in government.
YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani troops opened fire from large caliber weapons in the direction of Berkaber village of Tavush Province, ARMENPRESS reports Defense Ministry spokesperson of Armenia Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page.

''Today, on May 13 at 14:00 the Azerbaijani troops opened fire from large caliber weapons in the direction of Berkaber village of Tavush Province, damaging some houses. The adversary was silenced following the adequate retaliation of the Armenian border guards'', she wrote, adding no casualties occured as a result of the incident.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has congratulated Ibrahim Gambari on his appointment as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Bello, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, described Mr Gambari as a man of many parts whose vast wealth of knowledge and experience remain unrivalled in the African continent.

He said as a thorough-bred scholar and seasoned career diplomat who had served in various capacities both at home and on the international scene particularly at the United Nations, Mr Gambaris appointment is no doubt a round peg in a round hole.

According to the governor, Mr Gambari would bring his wealth of knowledge to bear in the discharge of his new responsibility as the Chief of Staff to the President and engine house of the Presidency.

Just as the Late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, played prominent role in the success of the Buhari administration, your coming in to fill the vacuum will further add more colour to the administrations achievements.

It is on record that Prof Ibrahim Gambari has had an illustrious career, spanning academia, government and international diplomacy, culminating with his appointment as the first United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005).

In that capacity, he worked closely with heads of government, key policymakers as well as institutions in the continent to develop the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD).

Congratulations once again and I pray that the Almighty Allah will give you the needed energy and wisdom to take on this new responsibility, he said.
The parents of an infant who was killed at a Delaware child care facility have filed suit against the facility as well as a former employee who was charged in the babys death.

The News Journal of Wilmington reported Wednesday that the suit was filed against The Little People Child Development Center in Bear.

The parents are also suing Dejoynay Mariah Ferguson. She was charged with first-degree murder after the babys death last year.

Attorney Timothy Lengkeek told the News Journal that the parents hope to ensure this does not happen to another baby.

The civil suit against the daycare itself is the only way to hold them responsible for what happened to the baby, Lengkeek said.

Lengkeek represents Cadell Talton and Amanda Livingston. Four-month-old Isabella Talton died in September.

Police say that Ferguson confessed to suffocating the baby because she had become fussy and wouldnt stop crying.

The state closed the facility immediately after the girls death. But it was allowed to reopen less than three weeks later. Officials said that facility was compliant with regulations and found that it was not a threat to the health and safety of children following Fergusons arrest.

The Little People told the News Journal this week that it had no comment at this time.

The suit is seeking unspecified monetary damages. The filing alleges that the facility lacked appropriate staff with adequate credentials, qualifications, competence and experience and did not properly supervise, manage, oversee and ensure safety for the children.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits
Snapping a two-session losing streak, the BSE Sensex vaulted 637 points on Wednesday as investors cheered the government's Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package for the coronavirus-hit economy.

After rallying 1,474.36 points during the day, the 30-share benchmark surrendered some gains to settle 637.49 points or 2.03 per cent higher at 32,008.61.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty jumped 187 points, or 2.03 per cent, to finish at 9,383.55.

Indices retreated from intra-day highs as participants awaited details of the stimulus package from the finance minister, traders said.

Axis Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, spurting 7.02 per cent, followed by UltraTech Cement, L&T, ICICI Bank, SBI, M&M and Bajaj Finance.

Only four index constituents ended in the red -- Nestle India, Sun Pharma, HUL and Bharti Airtel, shedding up to 5.38 per cent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday announced the new financial package on top of the previously announced measures for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore to revive demand and jumpstart growth.

"The much-awaited stimulus package announced by the PM cheered the investors on Wednesday which triggered a decent up move in the benchmark as well.

"The index witnessed a huge gap up opening and it remained range-bound thereafter. Most sectoral indices, barring defensive, participated in the move and posted handsome gains," said Ajit Mishra, VP - Research, Religare Broking Ltd.

BSE capital goods, industrials, bankex, realty, finance and basic materials indices rallied up to 5.08 per cent, while healthcare, FMCG and telecom closed lower.

Broader midcap and smallcap indices climbed up to 1.97 per cent.

Giving details of the stimulus package in a post-market hours press briefing, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for businesses, including MSMEs, as well as Rs 30,000 crore liquidity facility for NBFCs, among other measures.

Meanwhile, global markets were mixed as investors took stock of the gradual reopening from coronavirus-related shutdowns.

Bourses in Shanghai and Seoul ended with gains, while Hong Kong and Tokyo closed in the red.

Stock exchanges in Europe started off with significant losses.

On the currency front, the rupee appreciated by 5 paise to provisionally close at 75.46 against the US dollar.

International oil benchmark Brent crude futures slipped 1.30 per cent to USD 29.59 per barrel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The department will not seek authority to reimburse local governments for meals that schools serve to hungry adults, informally rejecting a plea from California. It has turned away several state requests to waive the 20-hour weekly work requirement for college students seeking SNAP. The federal government has not moved to increase SNAP benefits by 15 percent, as Democrats have wanted.

And on Tuesday it filed a notice that it would appeal a court ruling that blocked stricter work requirements for food stamps that were to take effect in April, stripping nearly 700,000 people from the food stamp rolls.

While were currently in a very challenging environment, we do not expect this to last forever, the department said Wednesday. Americas best days are ahead, and we must prepare our work force to rejoin the economy when our nation reopens.

Opponents of the rule were incredulous.

It is hard to believe that this administration would still want to pursue a rule to take SNAP benefits away from hundreds of thousands of Americans during this unprecedented time, said Chinh Le, the legal director for the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, which sued the department over it.

The hunger problems are likely to worsen for people like Rhoda Johnson in St. James Parish, La. Ms. Johnson, 60, used to walk with her four grandchildren to the end of their street in the morning to pick up milk and Frosted Flakes for breakfast and corn dogs and fresh fruit for lunch from a school bus that would stop there along its meal delivery route.

But the school shut down its meal program on March 22 because an employee tested positive for Covid-19. Now it is nothing, absolutely nothing, Ms. Johnson said.

Her daughter uses her Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly known as the food-stamp program, to feed her children, but even before the pandemic, the benefits did not last the entire month. Ms. Johnson herself has depended on neighbors and friends who share their food.
Fears that the Woodford Folk Festival might be gone for good if it does not go ahead this year have been quashed.

Festival director Bill Hauritz said the art and music festival would survive the pandemic despite a media report suggesting the festival could see an end.

"Even if there is no festival at the end of the year, we are going to continue, no matter what," he said.

Woodford Folk Festival is a six-day event in Queensland involving more than 2000 performers and 438 events, featuring local, national and international guests.

"We are dedicated to the Woodford Folk Festival and its future so we will do whatever it takes."
Closure of schools in Maharashtra leads to boys working in fields

Open Enquiry: Ex-Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh yet to appear before ACB

Will schools in Maharashtra reopen next week amid rising Omicron cases? Proposal sent to CM

Maharashtra seeks 20 companies of CAPF from Centre

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 13: Maharashtra has requested the Centre for 20 companies of the CAPF to maintain law and order in the state.

During the recent meeting of the Prime Minister with the Chief Ministers, Uddhav Thackeray had said that the police are tired. If the need be, we will request the Centre to send reinforcements for us.

Home Minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh asked for 20 teams of the CAPF to be deployed in the state. Around 32 teams of the CRPF are already functional.

COVID-19 crisis: Maharashtra govt allows migrant workers walk home on humanitarian grounds

In Maharashtra, 1,025 police personnel have been affected with COVID-19. The CM said that the police personnel are exhausted and hence the reinforcements are required.

With the number of cases rising, the police department has been working day and night.

Ramzan, Eid is also coming up and this would increase the burden on the police. Hence Maharashtra government has asked the Central Government to deploy police from 20 companies under the CAPF, he also said.

The CAPF includes armed policemen from CRPF, CISF and BSF. Maharashtra is the worst affected state and has so far reported 24,427 COVID-19 cases.
Is Queen Elizabeth still hesitating to give Prince Charles the throne for an incident that happened almost a decade ago? Did Tony Blair cast doubt in the eyes of the monarch on Prince Charles' abilities?

According to Express UK, Ex-PM Tony Blair got so mad at Prince Charles' behavior during his time in Downing Street that he had no alternative but to be a tattletale to the Queen. According to Alistair Campbell's diary, published in 2011, the Prince of Wales had meddle one time too many in political matters, enough to irk Tony Blair. By convention, members of the royal family have to keep a neutral stance in the political arena.

Recently, Tony Blair is back in the public eye after he criticized western leaders of their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Even though he ranted, nobody heard a peep from Queen Elizabeth or other royals about the issue.

This is because the royals are expected to understand that party politics is not an area where they can dilly-dally in, and they cannot make public comments about such. In the monarchy's website, one can read, "As head of state, the Queen has to remain strictly neutral with respect to political matters." The rest of the royals have to follow suit.

But Prince Charles could not care less about this particular convention.

Based on the extracts from the diary, published by the Guardian nine long years ago, the ex-PM went ballistic with Prince Charles' behavior in his time. Mr. Blair allegedly felt that the heir to the throne went beyond boundaries set by exerting efforts to influence government policy.

This did not happen once. Instead, Prince Charles reportedly meddled on the issues of foxhunting ban, the foot and mouth disease crisis, GM foods, and even on the removal of hereditary peers.

Tony wanted Prince Charles to understand that he could not play politics or talk about them excessively. The diary also revealed that the former PM was annoyed at Prince Charles rather unhelpful intervention during the FMD crisis.

Prince Charles condemnation of GM Foods sent Mr. Blair into a spiral of anger and exasperation.

Ultimately, Blair got so mad and hopeless that he even took the issue to the Queen.

One can only wonder if Queen Elizabeth still remembers these complaints and is now judging Price Charles' capacity as the monarch through these lenses. After all, Tony Blair was not angry because Prince Charles was meddlesome, but because his efforts were mostly cumbersome and ineffective.

Moreover, a new survey has revealed that there is a louder clamor for Prince William to become Prince Regent instead of Prince Charles if the Queen will truly step down.

For years now, there had been numerous gossips about the Queen's abdication and the taking over of Prince Charles. However, the Queen simply does not want to slow down and abdicate just yet. This coronavirus pandemic has only compelled her to stop working for a while, but the Queen has been quite helpful at all throughout this crisis. She has made one of the iconic speeches during these uncertain times - one that went beyond UK borders to the world.

It remains to be seen if Prince Charles can get the throne.

READ MORE: Royal Death: Princess Descendant Dies of 'Silent Killer' Days Before Birthday
There are 200 people in quarantine centers in northwestern Syria who have returned from Turkey, but the facilities are inadequate and in desperate need of supplies writes Syria TV.

The Syria Response Coordination Group issued an appeal to organizations and humanitarian committees to assist more than 200 people in quarantine centers in northwestern Syria who have returned from Turkey recently, in order to ensure safe isolation conditions and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In a statement titled Before the Disaster Happens, the group wrote that more than 200 people who had returned to northwestern Syria from Turkey were now in quarantine centers in the border town of Darkoush, in western Idleb.

The statement explained that with the return of dozens of Syrian refugees from Turkey, work had begun to carry out quarantine periods of 14 days to prevent the spread of the virus in northwestern Syria.

The statement also called on humanitarian organizations to provide immediate and direct help to those in the quarantine center in Darkoush, as they are unable to leave it before the end of their quarantine periods.

The statement specified aid such as food supplies, personal hygiene products, masks, medical gloves, medicine and other items, as well as daily sterilization campaigns for the center. It called on aiding the center with certain medical equipment, such as ventilators and an intensive care unit to prevent the spread of any cases.

Also specified was the need to expand the quarantine center in Darkoush so that the new arrivals could be isolated from older arrivals and meet isolation conditions.

The statement stressed the need for opening and equipping a new isolation center, to isolate newcomers and decrease the possibility of spreading the virus in case any arrivals are carrying it.

The team warned that the region would become a hotspot for the spread of the virus if any cases were recorded, repeating its request that international parties involved in Syria provide for the medical sectors urgent needs.

Northwestern Syria is, in its worst conditions as a result of dozens of hospitals and medical points going out of service, due to being targeted by regime and Russian forces.

The Bab al-Hawa border crossing between northern Idleb and Turkey recorded the return of 114 people from Turkey to Syria in April, as well as 41 refugees deported. This is down from 873 returnees in March.

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.


(From left to right) William Foreman, AmCham President; Chen Chi-Mai, Vice Premier of Executive Yuan; Johnsee Lee, Chairman, Taiwan Bio Industry Organization; Shieh Dar-Bin, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology

TAIPEI, May 13, 2020 - (Media OutReach) - Taiwan BIO (Bio Industry Organization) together with BIO (the global Biotechnology Innovation Organization) announced May 7 that BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 would go ahead as scheduled with a new online and live model; BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 Online + Live. This event will be the first and biggest major industry gathering in Asia since the onset of this global pandemic crisis. With a blockbuster line up of speakers and presenting companies, this exciting event is expected to attract more than 2,000 professionals from 600 companies from around the world, and host more than 3,500 one-on-one business meetings. With the biomedical industry at the frontline driving discoveries and developments to combat the pandemic, opportunities are ripe for partnering, raising funds, and making deals.Johnsee Lee, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 Online + Live announced that the theme of this year's convention fittingly for these times was 'Finding Cures in the Crisis'. "With the pandemic sweeping the world, the biotechnology industry is more important than ever, and must keep innovating and working hard. But with countries and cities isolated, this makes the deal making and international partnering - defining characteristics of this industry - extremely difficult, just when the world needs us the most. The Organizing Committee has decided that with this need, it was important to go ahead with BIO Asia-Taiwan as scheduled 22-26 July, but with activities held online with an 'online + live' approach.Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan Chen Chi-Mai commented that BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 is an excellent opportunity for Taiwan's burgeoning biomedical industry to link up to the international bio-community, even more so during these times. "I hope that through this event the world will witness the efforts and success highlights of Taiwan's pandemic response."James C. Greenwood, President and CEO, Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) in a pre-recorded message expressed his full support for the gathering in its new format and recognized Taiwan's handling of the pandemic.Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-Chung, although unable to attend in person, also expressed his support for the event in a recorded message, and invited biomedical professionals from around the world to take part in the July occasion.Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Shieh Dar-Bin, in his remarks said that he is very much looking forward to the presenting the achievements of the cooperation between Taiwan's academic and research communities, and industry.BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 Online + Live will again include forums and seminars, an exhibition, partnering meetings, and company presentations; this time in online formats. With this new model an even higher caliber line-up of international speakers is expected. On-site opening and awards ceremonies will be held live and accessible online in real time. If the pandemic situation allows, the exhibition hall will be open with strong infection-prevention measures in place. In addition, a free online biomedical education forum program will be newly added this year, allowing more people the opportunity to participate.It is worth noting that the BIO One-on-One Partnering platform hosted more than 2,000 meetings at BIO Asia-Taiwan last year, and this year, through 24-hour accessibility and no geographical restrictions, we expect even greater meeting numbers and even more participation from overseas companies and investors. The Online Company Presentation program will provide outlook and growth briefing opportunities to boost companies onto the world stage. In addition, the Online Exhibition will not only allow for strong visibility of a company or organization, but also provide interactive visitor engagement opportunities such as exchanging business cards, forming chat groups or rooms, and so on. And visitors can join our Online Lounge and take part in social media-type activities to facilitate and replicate the social and networking elements so important to the conference experience.BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 Online + Live will focus on five topics: Combating the Pandemic, Precision Medicine, Advanced Therapies, Investment & Collaboration, and Digital Health. With the strong pandemic focus, Johnsee Lee said, "We plan to invite representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as global and Asian pandemic experts to share their experiences and discuss the latest developments in rapid diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines."Johnsee Lee, in concluding the event, expressed his hope that BIO Asia-Taiwan 2020 through its new 'online + live' format will be a unique and exciting occasion, and showcase not only Taiwan's renown pandemic prevention efforts but also its growing advantage in this sector and spotlight biotech, pharmaceutical, medical devices, precision medicine advances, as well as AI applications, ICT and IoT technologies. "We hope this event will encourage Taiwanese companies to enter the global market, and help upgrade the development of the local biotechnology industry."Registration for the conference is now open. Please visit the website at www.bioasiataiwan.comContact:Daisy TsaiE-mail: daisy@taiwanbio.org.twSource: Taiwan Bio Industry OrganizationCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
While endorsing Indias policy on tackling Covid-19, Kaushik Basu, former chief economist of The World Bank cautioned against slipping into the regime of Licence Raj. The licence permit raj in India was slow evolution. The year 1991 saw the biggest economic reform, which transformed the landscape of the economy. Right now, there is a risk (of going back to permit era).

But I understand the awareness has come among policy makers, and we will not make that mistake. We must not become a system where you need to take permission for everything. We need to quickly unwind, ...
Rajesh Raghavan, a medical representative with a mid-sized pharmaceutical company in Mumbai, no longer travels in local trains or visits crowded alleys to meet doctors. Locked down in his small flat in Navi Mumbai, Raghavan's main job now is to convince doctors for a Zoom meeting with his company's medical director and team. What's more, doctors are also happy to listen to the director about the latest medical innovations, besides discussing the advantages of the blood pressure drug that Raghavan has to market. "I was struggling to meet a dozen doctors earlier, now I am able to get in touch with an average 20 doctors a day," he says.

According to industry leaders, fundamentals of the biopharmaceutical industry, built over decades, are changing post-coronavirus. Manufacturing, supply chain management, doctor-patient interactions, research and development (R&D), regulatory hurdles - everything is undergoing a transformation.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairman of Bangalore-based Biocon, with experience of over 45 years in biopharma research, says fundamental changes are bound to happen in healthcare post-corona, especially in scientific innovations. "Public health is likely to get priority, from the government, private sector and investor community," she says.

Umang Vohra, Managing Director and Global CEO, Cipla, says the pandemic will redefine ways in which drug manufacturers engage with stakeholders, focus more on self-reliance and embrace new technologies.

"Now it is natural for drugmakers to 'over-emphasise changes in the near-term' which will definitely happen, but the change will be gradual over time," says Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director, Lupin.

Changing Manufacturing Landscape

One thing that is happening now is that Indian drug manufacturers are receiving regulatory clearances for many of their plants found to be short of current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) benchmarks of the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). The reason: With Covid-19 at its peak, the US started experiencing shortage of medicines and quickly cleared many Indian facilities under its scanner. First was IPCA Labs' two facilities for Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat Covid-19 patients. These plants were banned by the USFDA for nearly five years. It also gave green signal to Lupin (four plants), Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (two), Aurobindo (two) and Biocon (three) in the last couple of months. "That shows India's role and importance as a key supplier of drugs to the world," says an industry executive. Cipla's marketing application for the generics of Albuterol Sulphate, a medicine used to address breathing difficulties, was fast-tracked and approved by the USFDA last month. Its patented drugs, which have a market size of $1.1 billion, are sold by Merck, Teva and GlaxoSmithKline. Generics are cheaper than branded drugs. So far, the only other company to have received generic approval for the drug is US-based Perrigo.

An Axis Capital analysis says the Indian biopharma industry is now in a sweet spot, given the high earnings visibility, supply opportunities due to demand and shortages in the US and Europe, a depreciating currency and faster approvals for facilities having minor issues. As against this, Indian companies were experiencing pricing pressure and margin squeeze due to consolidation of wholesalers and severe regulatory scrutiny, causing loss of business and market capitalisation. Leading Indian companies lost over $1 billion in market cap in the last one year.

"The US and Europe are primary export destinations. India heavily exports paracetamol, ritonavir and key drugs like HCQ to these nations. With demand moving upwards, there is tremendous potential for the sector to make further inroads in international markets," says Cipla's Vohra. More investments in R&D and incentives for the private sector to boost export production in a favourable environment are needed to cash in on the opportunity, he adds.

In a post-Covid world, domestic manufacturing may emerge as the biggest takeaway. "Increasingly, countries would want security over supply chains, and this is an opportunity for deeply vertically-integrated players to make more in-country manufacturing moves in line with major market requirements," says Lupin's Gupta. However, such changes will need to take into account regulatory and economic considerations.

More automation in manufacturing lines and quality control is another likely change. Companies such as Lupin already use robots at some of its manufacturing lines to reduce human intervention. Increased focus on safety and sanitisation standards across sites are also here to stay, according to experts.

However, delays in re-inspection of facilities and approval of limited competition products can affect prospects of Indian companies, warn analysts at rating agency ICRA. The USFDA has put on hold all routine inspections till further notice and ban on exporting products within the European Union (EU) will hit Indian companies with manufacturing bases in Europe.

New World for APIs

Supply chain disruptions due to the lockdown in China have put in focus countries' dependence on China for critical raw materials. "It has prompted governments across the world to focus on self-reliance. Local manufacturing will become a key focus, like 'Make in America, Make in India, Make in China' and so on," says Cipla's Vohra.

One of the options before companies is to de-risk and procure raw materials from multiple sources and countries instead of a single source. Another is to manufacture key active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates in-house. "We need to develop strategies to manage the production and distribution of products that are essential and in high demand," adds Vohra.

About 65-75 per cent of India's imports of APIs (the part of any drug that produces intended effects) and intermediates are from China, worth an annual $2.4 billion. India imports APIs worth $3.56 billion a year. China controls over 55 per cent of the global API market worth $172.69 billion (2018). In the case of key APIs such as cephalosporins, azithromycin and penicillin, the dependence on China is as high as 80-90 per cent, according to ICRA.

However, it may take years to build the scale of API manufacturing similar to China. "The government has to re-invigorate domestic manufacturing of raw materials through favourable policies and incentives that foster economies of scale and cost-competitive API output for the sector," says Lupin's Gupta.

The Centre seems to have caught the hint. It is setting up three bulk drug parks at an investment of Rs 3,000 crore, and is prioritising production of 53 key raw materials (KRM)s and APIs with incentives worth Rs 7,000 crore.

Healthcare to Go Digital

Online medicine delivery and doctor consultations are the new trends in healthcare. Companies such as Cipla are using e-commerce firms to deliver consumer health products. Digital therapeutics (DTx), or mobile assisted software for medical interventions unlike lifestyle and wellness apps, are also gaining prominence. Companies like Cipla have already taken baby steps in this direction by investing in Wellthy Therapeutics, an Indian DTx player focusing on lifestyle disease management.

Roles of medical representatives are changing as well, and there are new digital tools to connect doctors and patients. "The industry now engages healthcare professionals through virtual ad-boards, podcasts and webcasts to discuss scientific aspects of medicines, besides engaging doctors with global experts," says Sharad Tyagi, Managing Director, Boehringer Ingelheim, India.

After the lockdown is fully lifted, companies are likely to use the work-from-home model for roles that do not necessarily rely on being on-site, including for field-based employees, says Tyagi. Lupin's Gupta says more digital adoption will happen across the commercial supply chain, covering distribution and order fulfilment. Lupin is promoting a chatbot among doctors to facilitate patient-doctor interaction.

A study by American research firm IQVIA on the impact of Covid-19 for the Indian pharmaceutical industry says digital supply solutions, e-commerce and sustained investments by companies in digital channels, including video chats, e-detailing platforms and teleconsultations, will become a part of the new normal.

Changing R&D World

New drugs and vaccines, including for infectious diseases neglected earlier, will form the mainstay of global drug research going forward.

Biocon's Shaw says increased funding for public health solutions such as vaccines and developing healthcare infrastructure will take place, especially in primary healthcare. "Apart from government initiatives, venture capitalists, angel investors and corporate houses will come forward to invest in biopharma innovations and technology-assisted medical solutions, which they had neglected due to high risk and long waiting periods for rewards," she adds.

As an example, Shaw cites the launch of the Covid-19 Innovations Deployment Accelerator (C-CIDA) by DBT's Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) along with multiple non-governmental partners, an area of funding hitherto unheard of in biotech research in India.

But pursuit of new chemical entities (NCEs) and novel biological entities (NBEs) may not be easy for Indian companies as it involves funding of over $1 billion to develop a drug or a vaccine. Balanced product pipelines are being developed across high-value generics, biosimilars (a product similar to an already approved medicine), NCEs and NBEs, with a thorough assessment of intellectual capital, available financial resources and the evolving regulatory and pricing environment.

"Indian companies would continue such pursuits judiciously with a sharp focus on regulatory compliance and more global partnerships to shorten developmental timelines for complex products," says Cipla's Vohra.

Lupin's Gupta says generics, including complex generics and biosimilars, will always be a meaningful part of companies' businesses. Use of technology in R&D for reducing cost, time and speed of marketing is going to gain prominence. Technology will also be used for regulatory communications, including virtual data rooms for preparing and sharing key documents with government bodies or regulators, he adds.

But, ongoing trials could be impacted as safety of volunteers becomes a problem. "Researchers have to identify and actively monitor trials, pre-empt any possible issues and develop mitigation strategies accordingly, including shifting of trials to sites where risks are lower," says Cipla's Vohra.

The change is already here, and according to experts, companies are already adapting to the change. One thing is clear. The Indian biopharmaceutical industry has a lot to take away from the current crisis.

@pb_pbjayan
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:29:43|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Amid further containment of COVID-19, China is powering ahead in returning to work and resuming business and production. The following are the latest facts and figures:

-- China's civil aviation regulator has lifted restrictions on the operation of all-cargo flights at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport.

All airlines can now operate all-cargo flights at both airports, the Civil Aviation Administration of China announced on Wednesday.

-- Beijing will reopen universities from June 6, according to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission on Wednesday.

Graduating students of colleges and universities can return, on a voluntary basis, to campuses where anti-virus measures have been soundly implemented, according to the commission.

-- China's macro leverage ratio has increased in the first quarter as the country stepped up credit support to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, the People's Bank of China said in an online statement.

The rise in leverage is a result of counter-cyclical policies aimed at supporting the resumption of work by companies, the statement said, adding that the increase is only temporary and will eventually trend down after companies resume operation. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 06:31:35|Editor: huaxia

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DUBLIN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The number of overseas travelers to Ireland plunged in March due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the figures released by the country's Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Wednesday.

In March, close to 635,000 overseas passengers traveled to Ireland, down 56.7 percent compared with the same month last year, CSO figures showed.

Of all the international travelers to Ireland in the month, 273,100 arrived from Britain, down 55.4 percent year-on-year; 271,900 from other European countries, down 59 percent; 59,900 from Americas, including 54,400 from the United States, down 58.2 percent; and 29,900 from the rest of the world, down 36.5 percent.

During the first three months of this year, over 3 million overseas passengers traveled to Ireland, 20.2 percent lower than the figure recorded in the same period last year, said the CSO.

Earlier this month, Irish Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Brendan Griffin told the country's parliament that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the Irish tourism sector.

"In the space of a few short weeks the Irish tourism sector has been decimated and many tourist businesses have written off 2020," he told the parliament, warning that the country's tourism trade could drop more than 50 percent this year if no forceful measures are taken to deal with the problem.

Official statistics showed that Ireland received an estimated 11 million overseas tourists in 2019.

The CSO figures showed that prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the number of international travelers to Ireland in January and February had managed to grow by 1.8 percent and 2.3 percent respectively.

Ireland reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on the very last day of February. Enditem
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Organic tobacco is cultivated without the use of additional chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. The market for organic tobacco is governed by numerous regulations like the farmers have to obtain a certificate to get approved for the cultivation of organic tobacco. Moreover, the organically certified tobacco has limit on the amount of chemicals. The land for cultivation of organic tobacco has to be free from pesticides or other chemicals, 3 years prior production. After cultivation the tobacco leaves are cured using various process. Flue cured, air cured, sun cured and fire cured are covered in the scope of our research.



Global consumption of organic tobacco was pegged at 11,675 tonnes in 2018. The global organic tobacco market was valued at US$ XX Mn in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ XX Mn by the end of 2025 expanding at a CAGR of XX% over the forecast period. The global organic tobacco market is anticipated to represent incremental opportunity of US$ XX Mn between 2018 and 2025. In terms of volume, the global organic tobacco market reached 12,320 tonnes by 2018 end and is anticipated to increase to 22,463 tonnes by 2025 expanding at a CAGR of XX% over the forecast period.

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Increasing demand for organic products, rising health consciousness and high disposable income is driving revenue growth of the global organic tobacco market



Countries like U.S., Canada, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany and Japan have shown an increasing adaption for organic tobacco. Usually, organically-grown FCV tobacco used in cigarettes contains lesser harmful chemical such as tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, etc. Many anti-tobacco activists have claimed that organic cigarettes help smokers quit the habit sooner, as compared to conventional cigarettes. As a result, many smokers are switching to organic cigarettes. Rising health consciousness has changed the taste and preference of smokers across the globe, which has made consumers move towards organic tobacco-based products over conventional ones. The demand for organic tobacco products is gaining traction in developed countries. High disposable income and increasing awareness with regard to organic tobacco-based products are expected to boost demand for organic tobacco.



Leading Market Players dominating the global organic tobacco market



Some of the leading players in the global organic tobacco market are: Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company (SFNTC), Hi Brasil Tobacco, Vape Organics, Mother Earth Tobacco, Bigarette and Co.



Roll your own tobacco segment of the global organic tobacco market is anticipated to grow at a faster rate



On the basis of application, the global organic tobacco market can be segmented into smoking and smokeless segment. The smoking segment is classified into cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos, RYO and others (Bidis, Kreteks, pipe, water pipes etc.). The smokeless segment comprises of chewing tobacco, snuff and organic and -liquid for vapor and e-cigarettes. Smoking segment accounted for XX% volume share in 2018. The use of organic tobacco for RYO applications is anticipated to grow at a faster rate.

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In the smokeless segment, there has been an increasing demand for organic e-liquids for vapor and e-cigarettes.



On the basis of type, the global organic tobacco market is segmented into flue cured, air cured, sun cured and fire cured segment. Flue cured accounted for XX% volume share in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period. Flue curing method is most popular in regions of North America and Europe.



North America is expected to remain dominant regional market over the forecast period



On the basis of geography, the global organic tobacco market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. The North America organic tobacco market accounted for a value share of XX% in 2018 and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The Western Europe organic tobacco market is expected to represent significantly high incremental opportunity between 2018 and 2025 while APEJ is expected to expand at a significant CAGR in terms of volume over the forecast period. Japan organic tobacco market was valued at US $ XX Mn by 2016 end and is expected to reach a value of US $ XX Mn by the end of 2025.

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EDMONTON  Alberta businesses are set to resume some semblance of normalcy Thursday, as the province begins its economic relaunch plan.

But Calgary and Brooks, Alta., in the provinces south, will be largely left out, as those communities continue to battle back the coronavirus.

I know that many folks in Calgary and Brooks will be disappointed that reopening will take a little bit longer for things like restaurants, hair salons and limited worship services, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Wednesday.

We didnt take this decision lightly.

More than three quarters of the provinces roughly 1,200 active COVID-19 cases are in Calgary and Brooks. Officials have seen unknown sources of community spread in the two jurisdictions and so recommended that they reopen more gradually.

Meanwhile, just over 5,000 people across the province are reported to have recovered from COVID-19 since the pandemic took hold of Alberta in March.

With the government satisfied that the COVID-19 curve has been flattened, restaurants, barbershops and some retail stores in the province have been given the green light to start reopening under strict guidelines around physical distancing and cleanliness.

It will likely be May 25, officials said, before Calgary and Brooks are able to follow suit with food establishments and barber shops; though, some retail businesses, daycares, museums and art galleries can open Thursday. By June 1, the province hopes to see whats being called Stage 1 in full effect in Brooks and Calgary.

Better to be safe than sorry, Kenney said.

Everywhere else in the province, as Stage 1 starts this week, retail businesses, such as furniture and book stores can reopen; clothing, hair styling and barber shops, too; museums and art galleries can open with restrictions. Daycare, out-of-school care and some summer schools can open with restrictions.

Restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars can open with 50 per cent of their capacity for seating. Places of worship can reopen their doors, including for funerals with strict guidelines.

Businesses arent being mandated to reopen this week and can remain closed, should they so choose.

Post-secondary schools will also have more options for delivering courses in person and online.

I know that for some folks, this will feel like were moving too fast, and for others, will feel like were moving too slowly, Kenney said.

I want to assure all Albertans that at every single step, these decisions are being informed and guided by data.

Stage 2, which would see more relaxed rules, could begin by June 19, but the province says it will closely monitor data and the advice of public health officials. Stage 2 would see movie theatres reopen and larger gatherings permitted. Schools could potentially reopen as well, but not for the semester that was ending before this summer.

Gyms, nightclubs, recreation centres and arenas would remain closed in Stage 2.

Government can provide rules and guidance, said Kenney. But at the end of the day, its the responsibility of each and every one of us to protect ourselves, our families and the wider community.

Kenney urged people to monitor for symptoms and still follow public health guidelines even while some restrictions are being lifted.

Earlier this month, some non-urgent surgeries got the go-ahead and some health-care workers, such as dentists, physiotherapists, social workers and occupational therapists, were allowed to resume services under strict guidelines.

While the province gets set to open up, the chief medical officer of health, meanwhile, identified a new outbreak Wednesday. Dr. Deena Hinshaw confirmed five COVID-19 cases at the Horizon oilsands work camp in northern Alberta, along with 62 new cases identified provincewide since her update 24 hours earlier.

Hinshaw thanked Albertans for helping to stem the tide of the pandemic since March.

While our journey is far from over, I hope we can take a moment today to recognize what we have collectively achieved, she said.

By following public health guidance, practising physical distancing, washing our hands regularly and staying home when sick, every single one of us has helped to save lives.

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By Trend

The price of Azeri LT CIF Augusta, produced at the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) oil field, reached $30.78 per barrel on May 12, which is $0.12 more compared to May 11, Trend reports with reference to the source from the country's oil and gas market.

The price of Azeri LT FOB Ceyhan amounted to $29.68 per barrel on May 12, which is $0.1 less compared to May 11.

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 $28.18 per barrel on May 12, which is $0.1 less compared to May 11.

The cost of a barrel of Brent Dated oil, produced in the North Sea, reached $26.45 per barrel, demonstrating a rise of $0.98.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A troll who abused anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller has said he acted because 'single white fathers' get no support as he bonded with the businesswoman over experiencing homelessness.

Alan, who works as a concierge, said after Brexit he felt 'there was no point in sitting back and being passive' and started leaving hateful, racist and threatening messages for politicians online.

The single father met with Gina in a clip filmed by the BBC before the coronavirus pandemic, with the duo bonding after they both revealed that at one stage they had been forced to live in their car.

Gina admitted she felt awful about the experience: 'I want to say sorry to you because you felt so angry. I just feel it's awful there's hundreds of thousands of people who feel like you.'

Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller confronted a troll who had attacked her online after the duo met for an interview before the coronavirus pandemic

Alan started the hobby of leaving harmful comments online for politicians after the Brexit referendum, including Gina Miller.

Before meeting Gina, he explained: 'lt's literally because of Brexit. I figure there was no point in sitting back being passive.'

A combination of his past, feeling very upset and invested, as well as everything he's was seeing on social media got him increasingly fired up.

He said: 'People who are disenfranchised are people like myself, white single fathers. If you want disenfranchised in the world...I get nothing from nobody.

Gina met with single father Alan, who starting trolling and sending politicians abusive messages online after the Brexit vote

'Everybody else can get seemingly what they like. So it got to the point where I thought I'm going to stand up and say something.'

Meanwhile Gina explained how attacks online had now escalated to verbal attacks in real life and said she now has secruity for her and her family 24 hours a day.

She said: 'In the beginning I thought it was just words, just on social media. But I was out with my daughter recently, standing outside on a road to cross to my car.

'And this car stopped, window rolled down, shouting "You know black ****, you should be hung, traitor. You know, dying is too good for you."'

Gina became a household name when she initiated a legal fight to prevent the government from suspending parliament before the Brexit deadline

The duo met in an open public place to discuss the experience, with Alan explaining he wanted to make amends for the hurt he had caused.

He said: 'I didn't want to leave a bit of hate around in the world. And if I could do anything to clear that up, if I could talk to anybody to clear that up.'

Gina replied: 'What I find really frustrating is that people think they know me because of whats in the media. I often read it and think, who is this woman?'

The pair got to talking and realised they had much more in common than they thought they would, including sons of a similar age.

Before meeting Gina, Alan admitted he felt 'disenfranchised' and said he has received little help as a single father while others appeared to 'get everything'

After they met, the pair bonded over the challenges in their life, realising they both had been forced to sleep in their car at different stages

Alan explained: 'I'm a single father...since he was four.'

Meanwhile Gina said: 'The thing is, I've had a very varied life. I'm a pretty strong person. I lived in a car for three weeks or so.'

And Alan said he could empathise with Gina, saying: 'Sleeping in a car, I did that for two years, because they couldn't house me. So I know exactly how it feels to be sleeping in the front of a car. I get that.'

Gina explained that she has received 'a lot of anger' and said racist abuse has increased since Brexit

Meanwhile Alan said he felt 'terrible' about his attacks and admitted the trolling was 'out of order'

He went on to say he felt 'terrible' about the online attacks, explaining: 'Now I've met you and heard where you're at, it's a wrong thing for me to do.

Who is Gina Miller? The mother-of-three, who was born in Guyana but grew up in Britain, became a successful City investment manager and also set up the No.1 Ladies' Investment Club for women in business. And friends say she is sharp-witted and acid-tongued, with a reputation for winning every argument. Describing herself as a 'natural fighter, she has rattled cages in the City and accused the charity sector of widespread inefficiencies. Gina Miller went on to study law at university and turned to modelling and is said to have been the inspiration behind playwright Dennis Potter's racy BBC drama Blackeyes, which starred Gina Bellman as a fashion model. Married for the first time at 20, she had disabled daughter Lucy-Ann, who 'was deprived of oxygen at birth'. Her second husband, she claims, was a drinker who beat her badly (he denies this), forcing her to flee with her daughter. For a time they lived like vagrants, sleeping in her 'little blue car' in multistorey car parks in Wiltshire. She now has two young children with her third husband and live in a 7million townhouse in Chelsea, West London. Advertisement

'I never knew at the time, it was just angering. It was who do these people think they are? You're all f****** rich and elite. What do they know about my life?'

Meanwhile Gina revealed she had received worse abuse since Brexit was over, saying: 'I've noticed that a lot of the anger I was getting before, was about Brexit.

'But now its over, its changed. It's about being a woman of colour, that I look like an ape. I actually get told worse things now than I was before.'

Alan shook his head, saying: 'I don't agree with what's going on with yourself. It's well out of order.'

'These debates are important because were we're coming from different slants and where we're looking at stuff.'

Meanwhile Gina said: 'I hope you can become a messenger because all I worry about is my son and your son. I don't want them to be in a country full of hate.'

The investment fund manager and campaigner first came to public prominence in 2016 when she launched a legal challenge to then prime minister Theresa May's decision to use the royal prerogative to trigger Article 50, starting a two-year countdown to the UK's departure from the EU.

The High Court ruled that the prime minister did not have the power to trigger Article 50 without the authority of Parliament, a ruling ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in January 2017.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 12, 2020 / XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (XPHY.CN)(4XT.F)(OTC PINK:XPHYF) ("XPhyto" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a standstill agreement and letter of intent (the "Agreement") for cooperation in the field of development, production, and distribution of new cannabis-infused beverages and products with the renowned German brewery OETTINGER Brauerei GmbH ("Oettinger"). XPhyto and Oettinger have agreed to pursue the signing of an exclusive definitive agreement in due course, specifically for creating new cannabis-related beverages and products.

The German-based Oettinger brewery is based on a centuries-old tradition and has extensive experience and capacities in development, production, marketing and distribution of beers and non-alcoholic beverages. Oettinger beer is not only one of the best-selling beers in Germany, it is also internationally recognized as one of the largest brewery groups in the world.

"With so much strength and experience in the European beverage industry, Oettinger is an ideal partner for XPhyto. We very much look forward to this collaboration," said Hugh Rogers, CEO of XPhyto. "In partnership with Oettinger and supported by Weihenstephan, we plan to establish ourselves as first-movers in Europe in this important and fast growing market."

XPhyto will continue its exclusive cannabis research and development agreement with the chair of brewing and beverage technology at the Technical University of Munich ("TUM"), School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan ("Weihenstephan"), first announced September 9, 2019.

Weihenstephan is home to the International Beverage Research Center Weihenstephan (the "iGZW"), a best-in-class interdisciplinary research and development center, capable of handling the entire drink design process chain - from basic molecular biology research through biotechnology processes to the final product. With a start-up cost of EUR 22 million, the iGZW includes a state-of-the-art pilot brewing plant which makes it possible to run a variety of trials to manufacture a broad range of beers in accordance with the German Purity Law and other fermented beverages using un-malted cereals and alternative starch carriers, as well as non-fermented beverages.

Story continues

The chair of brewing and beverage technology has a well-earned reputation for expertise in the field of food and beverage science with an emphasis on commercial applicability. The institution has a specific focus on flavor-process-engineering, raw material and product design, food safety, and relevant legislative issues, such as EU designated "novel foods".

About XPhyto Therapeutics Corp.

XPhyto is a biotechnology and next-generation cannabis company focused on formulation, clinical validation, and European imports, distribution and sales. XPhyto's 100% owned subsidiary, Vektor Pharma TF GmbH, a German narcotics manufacturer, importer and researcher has expertise in the design, testing and manufacture of thin film drug delivery systems, particularly transdermal patches and sub-lingual (oral) strips. Vektor also holds a number of narcotics licences issued by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), including import and manufacturing permits, as well as EU GMP lab certification. XPhyto's 100% owned German subsidiary, Bunker Pflanzenextrakte GmbH, has been granted a unique German cannabis cultivation and extraction licence for scientific purposes by BfArM. Bunker has two exclusive R&D collaboration agreements with the Technical University of Munich, Chair of beverage and brewing technology and the Faculty of Chemistry. XPhyto is pursuing additional opportunities in Europe including commercial cannabis cultivation, processing, manufacturing, import, and distribution. In Canada, two exclusive 5-year engagements with the Faculty of Pharmacy at a major Canadian university provide certified extraction, isolation, and formulation facilities, drug research and development expertise, as well as commercial analytical testing capability. XPhyto signed a supply, import and distribution agreement for cannabis oils and isolates with one of the largest, highest quality, and lowest cost cannabis cultivators in the world.

For further information, please contact:

Hugh Rogers

CEO & Director

+1.780.818.6422

info@xphyto.com

www.xphyto.com

Wolfgang Probst

Director

+49 8331 9948 122

info@bunker-ppd.de

www.xphyto.com

Forward looking statements

This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "develop", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "propose" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and in this release include the statement regarding the Company's goal of building an industry leading medical cannabis company. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including: that the Company may not succeed in developing any commercial products; that the sale of any products may not be a viable business; that the Company may be unable to scale its business; product liability risks; product regulatory risk; frequent changes to cannabis regulations in Europe, Canada and elsewhere; general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; currency risks; competition; international risks; and other risks beyond the Company's control. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE: XPhyto Therapeutics Corp.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/589612/Oettinger-Brewery-Signs-Exclusive-Agreement-with-Xphyto-for-Cannabis-Infused-Beverages




With the aim of scaling up coronavirus testing facilities, the Health ministry has designated 14 health establishments such as AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER in Chandigarh and JIPMER Puducherry to review proposals for approving any new laboratory for COVID-19 testing in different states.

New Delhi: With the aim of scaling up coronavirus testing facilities, the Health ministry has designated 14 health establishments such as AIIMS New Delhi, PGIMER in Chandigarh and JIPMER Puducherry to review proposals for approving any new laboratory for COVID-19 testing in different states.

Amid a spurt in cases of coronavirus infections in India, the ICMR has taken into account the need to expand COVID-19 testing facilities in all parts of the country and has initiated a proactive search of potential laboratories which could be enabled for COVID-19 testing, a senior official said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

"These institutions are expected to serve as mentors and facilitate the establishment of COVID-19 testing facilities in respective states.

"They will review the proposals from private and government medical colleges as well as other central government institutions belonging to Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Defence Research and Development Organisation among others," a senior scientist at the ICMR said,

According to the officials, the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi will do a comprehensive review of requests for approving any new laboratory for COVID-19 testing from Delhi and Bihar, while Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh will do so for Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Uttarkhand.

The North-Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Science (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong will assess all proposals fromAssam, Megahlaya, Sikkim, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

The AIIMS, Nagpur has been allocated Maharashtra (except Mumbai and Pune) and Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu. The AIIMS in Jodhpur has been assigned Rajasthsanand Gujarat,King George Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow has been assigned Uttar Pradesh and AIIMS Bhopal has been allocated Madhya Pradesh among others.

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,415 and the number of cases climbed to 74,281 on Wednesday, registering an increase of 122deaths and 3,525 cases in the last 24 hours since Tuesday 8 am,according to the Union Health Ministry.
The world is likely to change in many ways once the lessons are learnt from the coronavirus pandemic but abandoning the global system of free trade and investment that has brought us decades of prosperity should not be one of them.

The idea that globalism and free trade are behind the problems that caused this crisis are increasingly being espoused both on the right and the left and by too many countries around the world.

The latest threat has come from China which has used protectionist trade barriers as a weapon to express its displeasure against Australias call for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus.

Over the past few days China has threatened so-called "anti-dumping actions" against Australian exports of barley and beef.

China has claimed it is only taking these measures because our beef fails to meet its phytosanitary standards and our barley farmers have benefited from unfair subsidies but it has dropped a few heavy hints about the political motive behind the trade sanctions.
A man and a woman have been charged after allegedly abducting a 70-year-old in a chauffeur-driven Chrysler before stabbing her and leading police on a high-speed chase.

Police allege the chaos began when the pair took the elderly woman, who was known to them, from her Adelaide home against her will about 5pm on Tuesday.

They had hired the chauffeur to take them to the home in Greenacres in the city's north.

The female accused then allegedly got into the driver's seat and drove off in the Chrysler 300C when the chauffeur tried to call police.

A man and a woman have been charged after they allegedly abducted a 70-year-old woman in a Chrysler and stabbed her before leading police on a high-speed chase through central Adelaide. The Chrysler is pictured in front of South Australia Police headquarters after it was finally stopped

Police tracked down the allegedly stolen car to Hilton in Adelaide's inner-west after the chauffeur located the vehicle using the car's location tracking system.

The car was found at the home of Dejan Vejanic on Burt Avenue - who said he knew the man in the car from about a decade ago.

'I stepped outside and I realised there was a lady stabbed. She was all in blood,' he told the Adelaide Advertiser.

Police were called to the scene, but the Chrysler allegedly then drove off and crashed into an unmarked police car.

A witness alleged officers had shouted 'get out of the car' and tried to smash the Chrysler's window - but the car rammed a police car parked behind and drove off.

Police pursued the car through the CBD and into Adelaide's eastern suburbs, before it did a U-turn near the Heysen Tunnels and headed back into the city.

Police cars were filmed pursuing the allegedly stolen car through the streets of the city's CBD

The Chrysler was spiked near the Tollgate in the city's south-east but drove on its rims back into the CBD where it came to a stop outside South Australia Police headquarters about 6.30pm.

Social media footage showed multiple police cars pursuing the allegedly stolen car through the streets of central Adelaide.

The female driver, 38, and the male passenger, 36, of no fixed address, have been charged with threatening to kill, causing serious harm to another, detaining a person to commit and offence and theft.

The woman was also charged with engaging in a police pursuit.

They were both refused bail to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The 70-year-old woman was treated by ambulance officers for a stab wound to her abdomen and head injuries.

She was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and is in a serious but stable condition.
Dexus, another prominent Perth high-rise player, is implementing similar measures. Dexus office executive general manager Kevin George said they were regularly cleaning high traffic areas and had installed plenty of touchless hand sanitiser stations. Mr George said a tricky aspect of reopening was end-of-trip facilities, which they chose to keep shut until advice changed. Safe Work Australia return to work guidelines: Thorough and regular cleaning of the workplace

Changing office plans to allow for physical distancing

Limiting the number of people in the workplace at any given time to ensure 1.5-metre and 4-square-metre rules are adhered to

Adequate supplies of soap and paper towel or hand sanitiser.

Moving work tasks to different areas of the workplace or offsite if possible

Ensuring each worker has their own equipment or tools

Using PPE and/or perspex screens if interactions are unavoidable

Ensuring only two people are in a five seat vehicle It is a little bit tricky because those people less comfortable with public transport at the moment are probably wanting to cycle and shower and change at the buildings but it is not feasible yet based on Safe Work guidelines, he said.

Dexus has a property portfolio that spans the entire country but the company expects the Perth CBD to be one of the first cities to see workers head back into the city. We surveyed our customer base and overwhelmingly WA and Queensland seem to be more confident to return and return in larger numbers if possible, he said. A spokeswoman for Safe Work Australia, the government agency coming up with the guidelines on how businesses can return to work, said when it came to lifts it was likely fewer people would be travelling in them and workers may have to queue in specifically marked out areas. She said businesses should also regularly clean high touchpoints such as lift buttons and railings. The spokeswoman said in addition, companies should try reducing the number of workers arriving and leaving buildings at peak periods which could include splitting staff into teams or staggering start and finish times.

Getting to work will also be different. While the Public Transport Authority is still reporting patronage at just a third of pre-pandemic levels, it has returned to regular service levels in anticipation of the return to work. We dont want to just go back to the way things were ... We want to take the positive learnings and use this unique moment to think about how we improve our workplace and the employee experience. Telstra Spokesman David Hynes said the WA Government has already introduced a number of precautionary measures to improve safety including increased sanitation, contactless payment, continuing to encourage people to exit through the rear door and opening of roof vents for fresh air. He said bus front seats had also been taped off for weeks and passengers were encouraged not to travel if they felt sick.

How Perths biggest companies plan on returning to work Wesfarmers The WA conglomerate will welcome back its 185 Perth staff to the office from next week, with the aim of having the majority back by June 1. A spokeswoman said Wesfarmers plan would follow the advice of government and discouraged heroics, with those feeling unwell asked to stay home. The company will also let individual department teams make their own return to work decisions.

This could include different seating layouts, rotating teams so that individuals work some days in the office and some at home, and staggered start and finish time, she said. The business will also ramp up cleaning efforts and change office layouts to ensure social distancing is adhered to. Chevron A Chevron spokeswoman said the company was planning a phased return to the workplace for staff working from home over coming weeks in line with government requirements and guidance from local authorities. In addition to existing precautionary measures including strict hygiene protocols, temperature screening will be implemented at all Perth offices, the spokeswoman said.

Telstra The telco has not made any decision about its Perth workforce but a spokesman said working arrangements may change forever. We expect this experience may increase the number of our employees who change their working arrangements long term, building on a foundation that we have had for some time to support flexible working arrangements, he said. For example, weve considerably increased the number of our contact centre staff who now have the option of working from home. We dont want to just go back to the way things were before this crisis. We want to take the positive learnings and use this unique moment to think about how we improve our workplace and the employee experience.

Bankwest About 70 per cent of Bankwests 3000-strong national workforce has been working from home since March and the company plans to keep it that way until further notice. For its Bankwest Place building in the Perth CBD the company is employing temperature checks, hospital-grade deep cleaning every night, and frequent cleaning of high-touch areas during the day. Hand sanitiser has also been made available, and social distancing requirements are being adhered to, with 1.5 metres between people and 4 square metres per person for rooms and meeting areas, a spokesman said. We have been  and will continue to be  advising colleagues not to attend work if they feel unwell for any reason, and to stay home and seek medical advice if appropriate.

Woodside A spokesman said the LNG company had commenced a phased return of staff to its west end Perth HQ Mia Yellagonga. Employees are on a split roster, alternating between working from home and the office each week to ensure we continue to comply with [advice], he said. We will continue to follow expert health and government guidance to appropriately manage occupancy. South 32
A meeting of a Group of Ministers (GoM) is likely to be held this week to discuss the National Forest Policy, sources said on Wednesday.

The meeting of the GoM, chaired by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, is likely to be held on May 15 to discuss the National Forest Policy, they said.

The overall objective of the NFP 2018 is to safeguard the ecological and livelihood security of people, of the present and future generations, based on sustainable management of the forests for the flow of ecosystem services.

"In order to achieve the national goal for eco-security, the country should have a minimum of one-third of the total land area under forest and tree cover.

"In the hills and mountainous regions, the aim will be to maintain two-third of the area under forest and tree cover in order to prevent soil erosion and land degradation and also to ensure the stability of the fragile eco-systems," the draft policy said.

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

The red flags are raised.

First raised by Ulster County legislators Lynn Archer, Tracey Bartels, and Eve Walter in their opposition to pouring money into a TechCity building during a budget crisis; then by Comptroller March Gallaghers hard projection of the countys budget coming up somewhere between $35 million to $50 million short; and, finally, Finance Commissioner Burt Gulnicks projection of a $30 million to $40 million budget gap.

Its been said that County Executive Pat Ryan is expecting Washington or the state to come to the rescue. If true, I think thats wishful thinking on his part.

Washington is tens of trillions in debt and New York is only one of 50 states that will be clamoring for federal assistance. Albany is looking at a $16 billion budget gap that keeps growing and Ulster is only one of 62 counties that will be asking for financial assistance, with New York City asking for the most.

I personally want to thank Legislators Archer, Bartels, and Walter for their prudent concern; Gulnick for the budget update, and Comptroller Gallagher for her timely warning that our once-balanced budget is about to hit the proverbial fan.

Ryan has eight months to cut spending this year and prepare some semblance of a balanced budget for 2021.

I remember when the jail (construction) ran $30 million over budget and my property tax went up 30 percent. I dread whats on the horizon for us if Ryan doesnt start making some significant cuts soon.

Thomas Kadgen

Shokan, N.Y.
A University of Illinois college student who left a noose inside a campus residence hall elevator has been let off a felony hate crime charge and fined just $75 because he had no history of racial prejudice.

Sophomore Andrew M. Smith, 20, had been charged with felony hate crime for the incident in September, but his charge was downgraded to misdemeanour disorderly conduct before sentencing yesterday.

He will have to attend a year of court supervision, 50 hours of community service and pay a $75 fine.

State's Attorney Julia Rietz said: 'He wrote apology letters and appeared sincere.'

University of Illinois sophomore Andrew M. Smith, 19, of Normal, Illinois has been charged with misdemeanour disorderly conduct for hanging a noose in a campus elevator

Campus staffers at U of I's Allen hall dormitory in Urbana, Illinois told police they found the noose hanging in a public elevator around 1am on a Sunday morning last September

She added that investigating police said Smith had 'no history of racial prejudice.'

Smith pleaded guilty yesterday to the single crime of disorderly conduct, with the felony and three other misdemeanour charges wiped in exchange for his guilty plea.

The three other charges were from victims who said they were 'alarmed and disturbed' by seeing the string-made noose hanging in the elevator.

Should the 20-year-old complete his sentence without getting in to more trouble, he will avoid a criminal record.

Rietz said she spoke to one of the victims in Smith's case who agreed with the severity of the sentence.

At the time, Smith said he hung the noose after hearing reports of the Allen Hall building on Urbana campus being haunted.

He said it was a coincidence that the noose was also a racial hate symbol and that he hadn't thought about it much before tying it.

The alleged racist incident at Allen Hall (pictured) came after a group of black university employees filed a lawsuit claiming racial harassment was 'standard operating procedure' at the college

Champaign County Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Alferink told the court in September that Smith confessed to the crime when he was arrested.

He told university police he 'only spent about 30 seconds thinking about his actions,' according to CBS 42.

In September, University Police Chief Craig Stone said the campus does not 'tolerate incidents that are perceived by others to be a threat to their safety.'

'We will always respond quickly to identify offenders and hold them accountable for those actions,' he added, noting that the investigation is ongoing.

The allegedly racist incident came seven months after a group of black university employees filed a lawsuit claiming racial harassment was 'standard operating procedure' at the school.

In their complaint, the plaintiffs said university staff members called them 'n*gger,' 'monkey,' 'lazy,' and 'Aunt Jemima,' adding that black employees, 'were exposed to threats of racial violence, such as nooses, swastikas, KKK garb, racist graffiti and confederate flags,' according to the Daily Illini campus newspaper.

The suit also accused the school's Office for Access and Equity of being 'rife with internal racial harassment.'

'Any hope that the University has to stamp out discrimination on their campus is hamstrung by the fact that the unit they have tasked with enforcing that discrimination law is itself saturated with racism,' attorney Jesse Centrella said on her client's behalf.

Smith's defense attorney, Audrey Thompson declined to comment on her client's alleged actions during arraignment proceedings, but noted Smith had earned enough credits to graduate as a sophomore this year and has a 3.79 GPA.

University spokeswoman Robin Kaler said Smith is a mathematics major who enrolled on campus in the fall of 2018.
The celebrated American anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) once identified the human thigh bone with a healed fracture found in a 15,000-year-old archeological site as the earliest sign of civilisation. She observed that the healing of the bone suggested that the person must have been taken care of for an extended period of time by his own species. In the animal kingdom perhaps, such a thing would not have been possible because of the lack of this civilisational trait or instinct of care for each other. An animal with a broken bone would have possibly died for lack of healing.

That primeval instinct -- of care and empathy -- among humans is now on the wane, it appears. In the wake of the recent tragedy in Aurangabad where 16 migrants were run over by a train in the early hours of the morning while they were asleep, the kind of questions that the incident generated, especially among the urban middle class and the affluent strata of society, were shocking, even macabre. The people, in general, had this to ask: Why did they sleep on the rail track? Worse, they implied that they were idiots and crazy, that these rustics invited their fate. Prima facie, the reaction appears rational-logical.

I grew up in a village close to a railway township that had one of the prominent locomotive workshops of Eastern Railways. There were rail tracks that passed through my village almost dissecting its length and breadth. While some tracks were pretty busy round the clock, there was one called a shunting yard track, which was occasionally used to either ferry or dump abandoned rail bogeys or just to station a fresh one. It was common to see cattle herders stray that side and let the buffaloes enjoy the lush green patches around. Many of these folks would just lie down, with their heads on the side-track of the shunting yard as if it were a pillow. The Aurangabad incident brought those childhood images and visuals rushing to my mind.

Both networks, the road and the rail, happen to be powerful signposts of colonial design that were aimed to, at one level, streamline and organise the wild and haphazard sense of direction among the natives; to bring about some order in their otherwise messy eternal sense of time and space. These networks were created, ironically, to connect the emerging metropolitan urban centres and industrial towns with the countryside. The hapless migrant workers in the Aurangabad tragedy, who after being told that the rail services were all closed in the lockdown, only followed that colonial prescription that had a certain unilinearity and certainty about direction. The rail track was a better option to walk along, given that roads were being manned by the police who were discouraging these men and women from moving ahead to their villages. With the metropolitan centres conveniently choosing to show their backs to them, and left with barely some rotis and enormous raw will-power of their feet and inexhaustible urge to reach their homes, the migrants did everything as per the charter of rational protocol. They stuck to the tracks of modernity so that they did not lose the direction to their destination. The elevated tracks must have given them a sense of cushion in that deadly dark night when they collapsed in a heap after continuous long walk. The marshy land, with wild grass around, as the visuals from the accident site indicate, would have looked relatively unsafe. In any case, they decided to walk along and sleep by the tracks under the impression that no trains would be running.

The phrases that the metropolitan middle class frequently use -- slept like a zombie or slept like a log -- would simply recoil in embarrassment at the extent of exhaustion that the deadly mix of hunger and continuous physical hardship and labour can bring forth. To empathise with that moment, one would need some exposure to the disprivileged world of the margins. Sadly, the millennial and middle-class urban India have hardly ever been trained in experiential learning. It is precisely because of this training to think in a particular way that logic trumps all other senses of enquiry and the instrumental rationality obfuscates all other modes of thinking and observing.

What is left to say about a world so dumb and numb as to ask such a question -- Why did you sleep on the track, indeed, to the heap of dead bodies amidst scattered rotis all around the rail track? The fact that a large number of twitterati, chatterati, whatsappers and even some genuinely well-meaning and quite educated people asked this question on social media is nothing but another reminder of the pathologies of crass modernity and the hollowness of an education system that simply ignored the humanness in the humanities and celebrated complete surrender to the dictates of technology and its associated mercantilism.

With every passing day, as hundreds and thousands of migrant men, women and children inch closer to their homes, fighting all odds and even death, the heavily masked urban India and its privileged gentry are, ironically, getting exposed by their complete lack of any connect with the world at large. The root of the malady is the loss of that primeval civilisational instinct of care that Margaret Mead identified as quintessentially human. To revive that instinct, we will have to perhaps teach our children in schools the instructions from the old vernacular moral code -- that of not belittling the dead, howsoever imperfect they were when alive. In any case, this one question, my friend, has decisively cleared the smokescreen around all our tall claims of modernity and civilizational achievements.

(The writer is a Sociologist with the Global Studies Programme, School of Global Affairs, Ambedkar University, Delhi)
A glamorous pet clothing businesswoman has been freed on bail as she stands accused of living a secret double life as the director of a cocaine courier ring.

Sarah Rutherford, 30, was released from prison by the New South Wales Supreme Court on Wednesday after almost three months behind bars on drugs charges.

The Sydney woman was arrested earlier this year and accused of organising, and sometimes delivering, up to 300g of cocaine over a five-month period.

At the time, Rutherford portrayed herself online as a simple businesswoman who ran a boutique online dog clothing store, Furry Culture.

Her Instagram account shows French Bulldogs and cavoodles modelling supposed 'Givenchy' and 'Gucci' hoodies and boasts of selling 'only the best designer' threads.

Scroll down for video

Sarah Rutherford, a British migrant living in Sydney's south-west, has been accused of organising a cocaine ring while running her boutique pet clothing business

Rutherford, left, during her arrest at home in Sydney's south-west earlier this year. On right, officers during a raid on her home

'Only the best designer clothes': The accused cocaine trafficker runs a 'boutique' pet clothing business, Furry Culture. Promotional pic above

Police allegedly seized mobile phones, cocaine, drug paraphernalia and documents from her Greenacre home during a sunrise raid on February 27.

Rutherford was then charged with a series of offences including supplying commercial quantities of drugs and ongoing drug supply charges. She is yet to enter any pleas.

During the bail hearing in front of Justice Mark Ierace, Rutherford appeared via video link from prison, dressed in prison greens.

Rutherford was freed on bail by a NSW Supreme Court Justice on Wednesday

Justice Ierace said Rutherford had become a 'focus' of a police investigation into drug supply.

'The essence of the allegation is that (Rutherford) was involved in both organising the delivery of quantities of drugs to a large number of purchases, and as well, on occasion, being one of those who would carry out deliveries,' the judge said.

At least five other people were allegedly members of the drug syndicate Rutherford stands accused of being a part of, Justice Ierace was told.

Her defence counsel, Philip Strickland SC attacked apparently imprecise details in the police case against Rutherford.

The barrister said a police fact sheet referred to '84 bags' of cocaine being sold in the drug ring, but he argued the precise weight of each bag wasn't made clear.

Mr Stickland also submitted Rutherford suffered psychological issues in prison due to trauma and needed 'urgent' help.

These police pictures show the bags of cocaine allegedly seized by police during their arrest of Rutherford earlier this year

The judge granted Rutherford bail , but ruled she required strict conditions to mitigate the 'unacceptable risk' she wouldn't appear in court.

A posh puppy wears one of Furry Culture's apparent designs

Those conditions included that she be electronically monitored and report to police three times a week.

She was instructed to attend a GP clinic within seven days of her release to get a mental health care plan.

Her solicitor Abbas Soukie from Hanna Legal said Rutherford will 'strenuously' defend the charges and was pleased to be granted bail.

'(Her) conditions of custody were onerous, and we are pleased that she will now receive the assistance that she requires within the community,' Mr Soukie said.

During a previous local court appearance, police prosecutors allegedly described Rutherford as the 'kingpin' of the drug syndicate. She faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years' behind bars, if found guilty.

The matter returns to court at a later date.
Turkey Restoring 1,600-year-old Assyrian Monastery

Batman, Turkey -- Turkey has completed the first phase of restoring a 1,600-year-old monastery in the southeast, according to a local official.

The Mor Kuryakos Monastery located in the Besiri district of the Batman district is planned to be restored in a three-stage process.

Sinan Asci, the district governor of Besiri, told Anadolu Agency that the restoration process began nine months ago.

Asci added that the monastery along with the ancient town of Hasankeyf will be an important tourism attraction.

The historic monastery traces its origin back to fifth-century Syriac Christians and has two floors in an area spanning 2,500 square meters.

Around 1.5 million Turkish liras (nearly $215,000) has been spent on the first phase of the restoration, which covers the monastery entrance, the entire southern facade, a tomb room, and its eastern facade as well as all rooms on the second floor.

The second phase will begin after Eid ul-Fitr, the holiday after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan set for the end of May.

The restoration is being done in coordination with the Batman Governorship, Dicle Development Agency, Special Provincial Administration, and Culture and Tourism Directorate.

Asci said this region has seen people from different faiths living in harmony for centuries.

"The monastery is the faith center of Syriac Christians, and right behind it, we have a mosque, which shows us how tolerance is intertwined," he added.

Locals in the village are happy about the restoration and welcome the revival of this historic building, he said.

In recent years the Turkish government has stepped up efforts to restore and open churches and synagogues, including many places of worship that have had their doors shut for over a century.

Among the restored houses of worship are the Trabzon Sumela Monastery, Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island in the eastern Van province, Armenian Church of St. Giragos in the southeastern Diyarbakir province, Great Synagogue of northwestern Edirne, Stipol Synagogue in Istanbul, and the St. Aho Monastery in Batman.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Thirty-nine more police officers tested positive for the coronavirus disease, the Philippine National Police reported Wednesday, bringing the total number of infected PNP personnel to 179.

Of the total, there are 118 active cases or those who are experiencing illness, while 57 have recovered. PNP's COVID-19 death toll remains at four.

Police officials said the active cases are being monitored  91 of them are staying in quarantine facilities, six are in hospitals, while 21 are under home quarantine.

The government earlier said only asymptomatic and mild cases are admitted to designated quarantine centers while hospitals tend to those with severe symptoms.

The PNP said it expects more cases among its personnel to come up as it ramps up testing.

"We are also keeping tab of 638 PNP personnel categorized as Probable Persons Under Investigation (Probable PUIs) while 390 personnel were recommended as Suspected Persons Under Investigation (Suspected PUIs)," said the PNP Health Service.

Some 38 officers are also staying at the quarantine facilities of the national police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, it added.

The national COVID-19 tally is now at 11,618, with 2,251 recoveries and 772 fatalities.
Even as international borders across the world remain restricted due to the coronavirus pandemic, a young man from the United States tried to sneak into Germany by posing as a janitor. The reason? He had to meet his girlfriend.

The incident occurred on Sunday when a 20-year-old flew into Frankfurt airport in Germany to meet his girlfriend.

While Germany has maintained air traffic with the US amid the pandemic, US nationals are not allowed to enter Germany under current travel restrictions, DW reported.

In a ploy to get past the security at the airport, however, the US youth decided to change into a janitor's clothes upon reaching. The plan was to mingle with the airport's security staff and leave.

Much like in films, the man put on a janitor's jacket, picked up two cans of trash and proceeded to move toward the checkpoint.

The filmy plan might have worked as well, had it not been for the shrewd airport staff who instantly smelled a rat. A woman working as staff noted that the man had no ID on him and also did not speak German. The alert employee quickly informed the police who detained the US national.

Upon questioning, the man revealed that he had indeed tried to enter Germany illegally as he could not find any legal means to enter the country in order to see his girlfriend. As per reports, the man was put on a US-bound flight on Monday and sent back.
Bronco Spirit Is Alive At Pragmatic Play

Published May 13, 2020 by Sol FH

This all-new slot game will take you on an adventure through the American Plains with chances to win big jackpots.

Throughout the 17th to the 19th centuries in N. America, the people of the First Nations lived and maintained their traditional style of life. When the government and the military groups began to expand their rule and territory, there were gruesome battles throughout the American Plains.

Bronco Spirit, the all-new 75 payline, 5x4 slot pays homage to those days and takes players on a ride through the grasslands and the prairies with special features like a progressive multiplier Bonus Round and a lot of perks.

Pragmatic Play has done a great job with this slot, as the graphics and sounds so an excellent job in setting the mood for this game. The Bonus Game is triggered by hitting three or more special bonus symbols. This will take you into the Free Spins mode which gives players their choice of volatility which lets them choose more spins with fewer Wilds or more Wilds with fewer spins.

Pragmatic Play is thrilled with this new game and Chief Commercial Officer, Melissa Summerfield, commented: Bronco Spirit has a beautifully-detailed game environment, and makes a truly exciting addition to our ever-growing stable of slots.

We have seen plenty of appetite for our western-themed games, and Bronco Spirit is another title where players hop on to their trusty stallion and race across the dusty plains in search of big wins.

Pragmatic Play currently delivers four new slot titles a month, as well as ever-growing Live Casino and Bingo products through its multi-vertical offering. The companys entire portfolio is available through a single API integration.

About Pragmatic Play

Pragmatic Play is one of the most popular content providers in the iGaming industry. With hundreds of games in their portfolio, Pragmatic Play continues to churn out award-winning titles that can be found at many of the leading online casinos in the industry.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 12)  President Rodrigo Duterte's highly-anticipated address televised Tuesday disappointed those awaiting news on which areas will continue to be on strict lockdown and where quarantine rules will be relaxed. He left those details for his spokesman to announce.

Instead, he warned that Philippines cannot bear the effects of another wave of COVID-19 cases should the country slowly ease into a more relaxed community quarantine.

In his hour-long address taped on Monday, Duterte mentioned that some high-risk areas will remain under strict lockdown while other areas will be placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ). He said areas with high transmission rate will be locked down, but he did not elaborate.

The President then tasked his spokesperson, Harry Roque, to thoroughly enumerate the areas that will remain under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) after May 15 with revised lockdown rules. Roque made the announcement hours later.

Duterte said that as some areas of the country shift from ECQ to GCQ, "new normal" rules will remain in place to ensure the COVID-19 cases will not spike as stay-at-home rules are eased.

"Dahan-dahan lang para hindi tayo madapa. We cannot afford a second or third wave na mangyari. Ito ang bagong mahawa at dadami na naman dahil mayroon tayong rules na hindi sinunod," he said in his address, which aired on Tuesday.

[Translation: We will do it gradually so we don't fail. We cannot afford a second or third wave or cases. We cannot afford a spike in cases because we did not follow rules.]

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has claimed the country has started flattening the curve of new cases. However, on Monday, the country recorded nearly 300 new COVID-19 cases.

Duterte reminded the public it is mandatory to wear a face mask or improvised face cover when going outside the house or risk getting apprehended by the police. He also said physical distancing must be observed at all times.

"Ito ang new life until such time na mayroon nang vaccine... Sundin lang ninyo iyan. Importante, whether you are allowed to go out or not," he said.

[Translation: This will be your new life until a vaccine is approved. Follow the rules, whether you are allowed to go out or not.]

COVID-19 Response Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez said the gradual transition to GCQ is important because of the blow of the coronavirus crisis to the country's economy.

"The government cannot endure ECQ for an extended period of time as its resources are very limited hence it has to balance between health and economy," he said.

The Philippine economy pulled back in the first quarter, contracting by 0.2 percent as the COVID-19 pandemic leaves millions of businesses and households paralyzed under lockdown.

Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez suggested hiring more contact tracers to help identify positive cases and at the same time help workers displaced by the COVID-19 crisis.

Metro Manila and other regions and provinces remain under ECQ until May 15. Beyond that, their fate remains unknown pending Roque's announcement. The other parts of the country, meanwhile, are placed under GCQ.

The country has 11,086 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Monday  7,123 of which were recorded in Metro Manila. Recoveries have reached 1,999 while 726 have died of the disease.
A city in northeastern China has imposed a partial lockdown, locking down its railway station and shutting down recently reopened schools after the emergence of a cluster infection of Covid-19, local officials said.

The cluster infection of six persons in Jilin city of around four million people has fuelled fears of a second wave of Covid-19 infections, forcing the local government to direct the closure of cinemas and indoor gyms.

The city is located in the eponymous province of Jilin, which borders Russia and North Korea.

Jilin city, the second-largest in Jilin province, also suspended train services from its main railway station Wednesday morning, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The provincial health commission said the six domestically transmitted cases in the city of Jilin were all close contacts of earlier confirmed cases in the city.

Vice Mayor Gai Dongping warned on Wednesday that there is a huge risk the coronavirus could spread further after reporting six new confirmed cases of Covid-19, Reuters reported.

A cluster of infections was reported in the suburb of Shulan, another city in the province over the weekend and Gai said Wednesday that the situation was extremely severe and complicated and there is major risk of further spread.

The new cluster case has sent local students back to online learning barely after they returned to their campuses on April 7.

By Tuesday, the province had reported a total of 114 locally transmitted confirmed cases, including one death and 92 casesthat had been discharged from hospitals after recovery.

A total of 367 close contacts of the locally transmitted confirmed cases in the province are now under medical observation.

The emergence of new cases in the Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged late last year, in recent days, after nearly five weeks without new infections, has prompted a campaign to test all 11 million residents in the city.

No new confirmed cases of the disease were reported in central Chinas Hubei province, the province worst-hit in China, on Tuesday, the provincial health commission said Wednesday.

China has until today reported nearly 83000 cases and 4633 deaths from Covid-19.
Builders in Noida and Ghaziabad hailed the government's stimulus measures for the sector on Wednesday but hoped for more steps that can help them get priority funds from banks to complete stuck projects.

Announcing a slew of stimulus measures, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier on Wednesday said the deadline for completion of real estate projects will be extended by up to six months, treating the coronavirus outbreak as a 'force majeure' event under the realty law RERA.

The western Uttar Pradesh chapter of CREDAI, an apex body of developers, said the government's steps would bring relief to the builders.

Relaxation in registration and completion date for the ongoing registered projects is a welcome move. However, this is the first instant assistance by the government that was highly and naturally required. We were expecting relaxation for one year to complete the projects and are waiting for more relief from the government in the coming days, CREDAI Western UP President Prashant Tiwari said.

Sagar Saxena, the project head for Spectrum Metro, said the latest announcements will help the sector but the need of the hour is a wider relief package.

At this point, the sector needs steps that could help them complete the stuck projects and get priority funds from banks. Though the latest announcement by the Finance Minister will ease out the burden of getting into defaulter list for missing construction deadlines, the real issues remains to be addressed still, he said.

We hope that this government, which is constantly showing its intent of improving the economy, will look into the matter and take a slew of measures at one-go instead of fewer steps after a long gap, Saxena added.

Gulshan Homz Director Deepak Kapoor said relaxation in timelines is a welcome step but the fraternity hopes that the government will soon take a decision on providing liquidity to the sector.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will issue an advisory to real estate regulators of all states and Union Territories to treat COVID-19 as an 'act of God' so that 'force majeure' clauses under RERA can be invoked for providing relief to builders in completion of projects.

Ajnara India CMD Ashok Gupta said the sector has been requesting the government for measures that can help maintain the good image of real estate that has emerged especially after RERA.

The latest 'Act of God' would have wiped out all the positive efforts made by the developers towards streamlining. In this backdrop, the announcements made by the FM will help the sector save it's hard-earned image, Gupta said.

Mahagun Group Director Dhiraj Jain said developers are dedicated towards fulfilling the promises made to the buyers.

The realtor community has been focussing on delivery over last one year but this global pandemic was about to derail it. The government has intervened at the right time and given developers a space to breath as they were also facing the problems which are faced by other industries or sectors, Jain said.

Saya Homes Managing Director Vikas Bhasin hoped the implementation will happen soon as the government has been showing its intention towards solving the problems of sectors and industries.

It is good for the overall development of the economy. Real estate being the second largest employer in the country could not have been left to fend for itself, he said.

The relaxations announced will help the sector concentrate on what it does best - deliver to the satisfaction of the customers, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gold prices in India slipped marginally on May 13 tracking muted trend in international spot prices while Prime Minister Narendra Modis announcement of a Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package fuelled risk appetite on D-Street.

The Sensex rallied more than 1,000 points and the Nifty50 reclaimed 9,500 in the opening trade.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), June gold contracts were trading lower by 0.20 percent at Rs 45,534 per 10 gram at 0920 hours. Silver futures were trading 0.4 percent lower at Rs 42,850 per kg.

Both the metals are likely to remain volatile on a strong rupee, seen in the previous trading session, and the stimulus package announced by the government, experts say.

But, reports of a second wave of coronavirus infections in some countries are likely to boost safe-haven appetite.

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Chinese health authorities on May 12 called for vigilance to be maintained against the virus as new clusters emerge, even though the peak of the epidemic has passed, a Reuters report said.

Correction in the US dollar index, fall in the US CPI and Core CPI numbers and increase in the US budget deficit supported both gold and silver at the Comex division on May 12.

Gold future settled above $1,700 per troy ounce and silver also settled above $15.70 per troy ounce.

On the domestic front, investors could adopt a buy-on-dips strategy and the near-term target is seen above Rs 46,000 per 10 gm.

Due to weakness in the rupee, both the precious metals settled on a weaker note in the domestic market. PM announced a 20 lakh crore relief package, which is 10% of the domestic GDP, to kick start the economy which is struggling due to lockdown from the last 50 days. The rupee appreciated around 1 percent against the US dollar and pushed both the precious metals lower, Manoj Jain, Director (Head - Commodity & Currency Research) at Prithvi Finmart Pvt Ltd told Moneycontrol.

We expect due to volatility in global financial markets, both the precious metals will remain volatile and are expected to hold key support of $1,692 per troy ounce for gold and $15.40 per troy ounce for silver in the Comex division, he said.

On MCX, gold is expected to hold crucial support of Rs 45,330 and silver Rs 42,500, he said. Investors can deploy buy-on-dips strategy as gold is likely to sustain above Rs 45,800 and can extend the rally towards Rs 46,060.

Track live gold price here

Trading Strategy

Expert: Sriram Iyer, Senior Research Analyst, Reliance Securities

International bullion prices started flat to higher on May 13 in Asian trade, supported by a safe-haven appeal for the metals amid concerns of new COVID-19 infections in economies opening up or easing restrictions too quickly.

Technically, LBMA gold spot is trading in a symmetrical triangle pattern, where $1,690 level is a lower band and $1,720 the upper band. A breakdown below $1,690 with good volume activity is awaited. The metal could trade in the $1,690-$1,712 range.

On the daily chart, MCX gold prices for June are intact in Falling Channel formation, where the 46,100 level holds resistance and a breakdown below 45,400 will take prices to 44700.

Expert: Ravindra Rao, VP-Head Commodity Research, Kotak Securities

Comex gold trades marginally higher near $1,705 per oz supported by concerns about the second wave of infections, weaker economic data and US-China tensions.

SDPR ETF holdings have also risen to 2013 highs. Gold continues to trade near $1,700 and this may continue unless there is more clarity on the virus situation or US-China tensions.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Abracon, LLC (Abracon), The Heartbeat of the IoT, a leading global manufacturer of frequency control, timing, synchronization, RF, connectivity and power solutions, welcomes Amy Keller as the new vice president of global marketing.

In her new role, Keller will lead the company's strategic marketing efforts and guide the expansion of the Abracon brand throughout the industry.

"We spent many months seeking the perfect candidate to lead Abracon's evolving global marketing strategies," said Abracon CEO Michael Calabria. "We are extremely excited to have someone of Amy's talent and experience joining Abracon's Senior Leadership Team. Amy's tenured knowledge of the distribution industry aligns very well with Abracon's commitment to our distribution channel partners."

Prior to joining the Abracon family, Keller spent more than 20 years at Arrow Electronics, holding various client-facing leadership roles in supplier marketing, strategic sales and supply chain services. During her tenure, she successfully introduced customer-centric strategies that streamlined organizational alignment, developed partnership relationships and improved client experiences.

Most recently, she served as the sales director for the global supply chain. She oversaw multiple complex customers and was actively involved in program expansion and digital supply chain transformations.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing & Transportation/Logistics from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. She currently serves as an executive director for Women in Electronics, a national non-profit organization centered around professional leadership development.

"I look forward to joining a strong, innovative team and accelerating Abracon's marketing reach in the industry," Keller said. "It's an excellent time to showcase Abracon's story of product portfolio growth and commitment to agile service and product support."

Abracon recently acquired the ILSI, MMD, Ecliptek and Oscilent brands to complement Abracon's existing product offerings and provide Abracon's global customer base with a broader range of timing solutions. In addition, Abracon continues to introduce industry-leading products in a variety of technologies, including antennas, LAN transformers, power inductors, miniaturized quartz crystals and high-performance oscillators.

About Abracon, LLC | The Heartbeat of the IoT

Abracon, LLC is a leading global manufacturer of passive and electromechanical timing, synchronization, power, connectivity and RF solutions. The Abracon, LLC family of brands includes Abracon, ILSI, Ecliptek, MMD and Oscilent. Abracon supports go-to-market needs by reliably supplying the most advanced components that tackle the toughest design challenges. Focused on quality and innovation, Abracon helps engineers transform their ideas into products that meet the opportunities of tomorrow. The company is ISO9001-2015 certified with design & application engineering resources in Texas and sales offices in the US, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Scotland, Israel, Hungary, UK, and Germany. Abracon's products are offered through its global distribution network.

For more information about Abracon, visit www.abracon.com.

Contact:

Michael Calabria, CEO

Michael.Calabria@abracon.com
Realme just unveiled two new Narzo series smartphones, dubbed Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A. Now the company plans to follow that up with the launch of eight new products on May 25 in China.

The launch event will be streamed online starting at 2PM local time (6AM UTC).

Realme doesn't explicitly mention what exactly it's going to unveil on May 25 but the poster shared by the Chinese phone maker on Weibo includes a smartphone, a power bank and a truly wireless earbud.

The white-colored Chinese text in the image translates to "Broken Dimension Dare To Play", which could be a hint that the smartphone will be gaming-oriented.

In a separate post, Realme introduced its first two-dimensional female product manager, who is a "collection of beauty and wisdom" (machine translated from Chinese). You can see her wearing neckband wireless earphones, which could be the Realme Buds Wireless Pro with a USB-C port. She's also holding a new Realme smartphone in her hand.

This smartphone looks the same as the one teased by Realme VP and CMO Xu Qi Chase. Chase confirmed it will arrive on May 25 and says it is codenamed Blade Runner. A reliable Chinese tipster claims this smartphone will be called Realme X50 Pro Player Version (translated from Chinese), meaning it could be the company's first gamer-centric smartphone.

We've also been hearing about the Realme X3, X3 SuperZoom and Realme TV lately and we might see these go official on May 25. A recent report claimed Realme is planning to launch its first smartwatch and smart TV in India by the end of this month.

We don't have an official timeframe for the launch of Realme's smartwatch, but back in February the company confirmed it will launch its smart TV in Q2 2020. However, it will arrive in India first, so if Realme is launching its smart TV on May 25 in China, we'll see it debut in India before that.

Realme's Indian CEO Madhav Sheth also teased the X3 SuperZoom last week with 60x zoom, meaning its unveiling isn't too far.

We are still over a week from the May 25 event and we are likely to hear more about the products Realme is launching in the coming days.

Source 1, 2, 3, 4 (all in Chinese) | Via 1, 2
Two years later, she and her family returned to Los Angeles. They had been there barely six months when Ms. Browns mother learned she had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or A.L.S. For the next three years, Ms. Brown split her time between California and North Carolina to help care for her.

After her mother died in 2007, Ms. Brown threw herself into acting, picking up roles in independent and straight-to-DVD films  little small victories, but never nothing really big, she said. Then came another series of setbacks. After she gave birth to Quest, she developed chronic pain and fatigue and ended up on disability.

After being unemployed for over a year, Ms. Brown took a job as an Uber driver, daydreaming that she might pick up a casting director or someone who could get her out from behind the wheel and in front of a camera.

One day in December 2017, Ms. Brown walked into a Whole Foods after dropping off a client and bought a vegan breakfast wrap. Ms. Brown had tried eating vegan a few months earlier at her daughters suggestion and had quickly embraced it, crediting it with clearing up the chronic pain that had sidelined her.

On a whim, Ms. Brown filmed herself as she raved about the wrap in her car, and posted the video on Facebook. By the time her shift was over, she said, it had been viewed about 50,000 times. Within days, Whole Foods reached out and asked her to be a brand ambassador.

Even so, when Choyce suggested to her mother earlier this year that she post videos on TikTok, Ms. Brown was hesitant. TikTok? Wasnt that for teenagers?
Prince Harry feels 'rudderless' and is 'missing having a structure to his life', a source has revealed to Vanity Fair.

The Duke of Sussex, 35, was stripped of his military appointments when he and Meghan Markle, 38, stepped back as senior royals, and has been living in an $18million mansion in Los Angeles since March.

According to the source, the Duke has been 'very busy keeping in touch with friends and colleagues' in the UK with video calls, but feels 'a bit rudderless' without a job or friends in Los Angeles.

And speaking on Entertainment Tonight, Katie Nicholl claimed Prince Harry and Prince William are 'back in touch' and have been chatting on the phone - leading to a 'sense of relief' from the Sussexes and the Cambridges.

She said: 'They have done video calls together, they have done a lot of family birthdays and I think with Prince Charles not being well, that really forced the brothers to pick up the phone and get back in touch.'

Prince Harry, 35, feels 'a bit rudderless' and is 'missing having structure to his life right now' because he 'doesn't have friends in LA and he doesn't have a job', a source told Vanity Fair (pictured with the Duchess of Sussex before stepping announcing their plans to step back in January

She added: 'I think Kate and William miss Harry and Meghan to a degree, but certainly they miss Harry [being] around and part of their lives.'

However, a source told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl that Prince Harry was particularly missing friends in the military community in the UK, revealing: 'This is a very strange time for us all, but I think Harry is missing having a structure to his life right now. He doesn't have friends in L.A. like Meghan and he doesn't have a job.'

The source revealed how Prince Harry has been incredibly busy during the lockdown period having conference calls, with much of his time dedicated to keeping in touch with friends and colleagues.

The Duke is also 'keeping up regular communication' with the organisations and patronages which he works at in the UK, according to the source.

They went on to explain that Prince Harry 'misses' his friends within the military community at home, adding: 'At the moment he's a bit rudderless, but it won't always be like this, and he knows that.'

The comments come after sources claimed Prince Harry feels he would have been 'better protected' from the turmoil he has faced in recent months if he was still in the Army.

The Duke of Sussex is currently living in California with Meghan Markle, 38, and his one-year-old son Archie (pictured together)

The Duke reportedly told friends he 'cannot believe' how his life has been 'turned upside down'.

Harry has told friends he is really missing the Army as well his military appointments,' a source told The Daily Telegraph. 'He misses the camaraderie of being in the forces.

'He has been telling friends he still can't believe this has happened. He can't believe his life has been turned upside down.

Harry  affectionately known as Captain Wales in the forces  retains the rank of major and has insisted he would 'continue his unwavering support to the military community in a non-official capacity'.

Prince Harry left the Army in March 2015 after two tours of Afghanistan during a ten-year career, with sources claiming he has told friends he misses it

Prince Harry had to give up military roles including Captain General of the Royal Marines and Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington.

While the couple are working on their new not-for-profit organization Archewell, Harry will continue to oversee the the Invictus Games, the sporting event he founded for wounded injured or sick service men and women.

Kensington Palace announced in March 2015 that Harry was to quit the Army after two tours of Afghanistan during a ten-year career. The prince said in a statement at the time that he was looking forward to a 'new chapter', adding he was at a 'crossroads' and leaving had been a 'really tough decision'.

As DailyMail.com exclusively revealed on Thursday, Harry and Meghan are living in Perry's $18 million mansion in ultra-tony Beverly Ridge Estates just outside Beverly Hills (pictured)

He had previously described military life as 'normal as it's going to get' and said: 'I'm one of the guys. I don't get treated any differently.'

His decision to quit followed the launch of the Invictus Games in 2014, which gives sick and wounded military personnel the chance to compete in a Paralympics-style event.

On his decade of service, Harry said: 'From learning the hard way to stay onside with my colour sergeant at Sandhurst, to the incredible people I served with during two tours in Afghanistan, the experiences I have had over the last ten years will stay with me for the rest of my life. For that I will always be hugely grateful.'
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a $260 billion coronavirus rescue package for the country.

He didn't share many details during his televised address, but did say the package would help everyone from migrant laborers to farmers. Modi also called on people to purchase items made in India and open their own manufacturing facilities, saying, "Be vocal about local. Who can stop us from becoming a self-reliant India?"

Arvind Subramanian, a former economic adviser to the Indian government, told The New York Times the package was larger than expected, but still "overdue as the economic impact on India is going to be quite severe." India doesn't have any other options, Subramanian said, because "the counterfactual will be much more hardship and a greater hit to the economy."

The country, home to 1.3 billion people, went on lockdown in late March, with the strict order shutting down everything from parks to airports. Millions of poor laborers are now unemployed and leaving cities to live with their families in rural areas, as some sectors of the economy, including agriculture, are slowly reopening. There are 70,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in India, with 2,300 deaths.

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Update: We've taken on board the feedback to the lockdown playwriting competition we launched today, and we're very sorry it has caused upset at this difficult time for everyone across our industry. It was always meant as a prize, and not a commission, and our intention was to bring some joy and inspiration at this time and give a platform to an aspiring playwright with the opportunity to have their work produced professionally for one night.

We didn't intend for it to be received the way that it has, so after careful reflection by the judging panel we have decided not to proceed with the competition.

We'd like to thank those on the panel who generously agreed to give their time and expertise for free.

We will continue, as usual, to champion the industry across our site and social channels, and support everywhere we can in these ensuing months.
ISTANBUL  Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala has been jailed without conviction for 925 days and a recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has increased pressure on the Turkish justice system to release the prominent civil society figure.

On Tuesday, the ECHR rejected a Turkish appeal of a Dec. 10 ruling that found Kavalas imprisonment to be politically motivated and called for his immediate release. Kavala has since remained behind bars as Turkish officials sought a referral to the courts Grand Chamber on March 9, the last possible date to do so.

With the appeal now rejected, the ECHR upheld its December ruling and human rights advocates are calling on Turkish justice officials to abide by the decision and release Kavala without further delay.

Turkey should immediately release Osman Kavala  and drop all the charges against him, Milena Buyum, Turkey campaigner for Amnesty International, told Al-Monitor. There is no evidence of wrongdoing, which has been the case for two and a half years now and continues to be the case.

Kavala was originally arrested Nov. 1, 2017, for his alleged participation in and support of the 2013 Gezi Park protests. Along with 15 other defendants, Kavala was accused of attempting to overthrow the government in a 657-page indictment issued nearly a year and half after his detention on Feb. 19, 2019, by Istanbuls chief prosecutors.

Court proceedings continued in the so-called Gezi trial through 2019, leading to the acquittal of some defendants. Following the ECHR ruling in December, Kavala and the eight remaining defendants were acquitted on Feb. 18, 2020, sparking a short-lived moment of celebration before Kavala was rearrested the same day on new espionage charges related to a 2016 coup attempt.

Human rights advocates saw the rearrest as an attempt by Turkish officials to circumvent the ECHR ruling for his release. Buyum said Tuesdays decision to uphold the ruling implies Turkish judges failed to present sufficient evidence to differentiate Kavalas espionage case from previous charges lodged against him.

Theres really no reason for him to remain in prison, Buyum told Al-Monitor. This new charge is based on the old, unconvincing and unsubstantiated allegations for which the state has not been able to provide a conviction for over two years.

Turkey's Justice Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

In its December ruling, the ECHR concluded Turkey had violated Articles 5/1, 5/4 and 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights, essentially stating Kavala had been denied the right to liberty, a speedy trial and that his detention was a misuse of Turkish laws to silence the defendant.

Kavala continues to be held in Istanbuls Silivri prison, where 44 inmates tested positive for COVID-19, according to a May 8 statement by the Bakirkoy chief prosecutors office. Selahattin Demirtas, the former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, who is being held in Edirne prison after the ECHR declared his detention was also in violation of Article 18. An appeal of the courts ruling on Demirtas case was accepted March 18, 2019, and the Grand Chamber is scheduled to review the decision as Demirtas nears his 1,300th day behind bars.

Following Tuesdays decision on Kavalas case, the Council of Europes Committee of Ministers will monitor developments to follow whether Turkish officials adhere to the ruling and release the civil society figure.

With the courts decision to reject the Turkish governments request for referral of Kavalas case, the European Courts ruling from last December establishing Kavalas imprisonment as politically motivated is now final, Marc Behrendt, director of Freedom Houses Europe and Eurasia programs, said in a statement Tuesday. Turkey should uphold its human rights obligations and release him immediately.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 17:48:20|Editor: huaxia

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Members of a Chinese medical team pose for a photo upon their arrival at the airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Shoubao)

As the two partners jointly tackle the ravaging coronavirus pandemic, their ties -- featuring sincerity, real results, amity and good faith -- have fully demonstrated the true value behind China's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- For decades, the China-Africa friendship has weathered vicissitudes at every critical juncture.

As the two partners jointly tackle the ravaging coronavirus pandemic, their ties -- featuring sincerity, real results, amity and good faith -- have fully demonstrated the true value behind China's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, African countries have offered support for China's fight against the epidemic. In return, amid the spread of COVID-19 in Africa, China has extended a helping hand by providing various forms of support and assistance for its African brothers.

A Chinese medical expert is welcomed by locals upon her arrival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, April 16, 2020. (Xinhua)

On Tuesday, a China-assisted makeshift hospital was handed over to the Nigerian government to shore up its responses to the coronavirus outbreak.

China has sent medical expert teams to Africa's five sub-regions with their neighboring countries covered, upon the arrival of a group of 12 Chinese experts in Zimbabwe on Monday together with medical supplies including ventilators, testing kits, masks and protective suits.

Moreover, Chinese medical experts have held nearly 30 video meetings with their African counterparts, and Chinese medical teams have conducted nearly 400 training sessions on the continent, with over 20,000 people trained.

A medical expert from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University communicates with Kenyan counterparts via a video call in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 22, 2020. (Photo by Gao Xiang/Xinhua)

From curbing the virus' spread to accelerating vaccine research and development, from border prevention and control to community management, from clinical treatment to personal protection, China has been sharing its experience with Africa, particularly communities hard-hit by the epidemic.

Such acts of kindness and solidarity have garnered widespread praise. Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat said last month that the two sides are both friends and comrades-in-arms, whose destinies are closely linked.

Beyond Africa, China has been striving to bolster international cooperation against the novel coronavirus to fulfill its responsibility as a major country.

Staff unload Chinese medical supplies from an airplane at the Kotota International Airport in Accra, capital of Ghana, April 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

The Chinese government has so far provided supplies to more than 150 countries and international organizations, while Chinese enterprises have also donated medical supplies to more than 100 countries and international organizations.

The virus recognizes no borders. Fortunately, cooperation knows no boundaries.

At this critical moment, countries should join hands to replace their differences with solidarity and eliminate prejudice with reason. Doing so would foster greater synergy to fight the virus. 
New Delhi, May 13 : Former and incumbent members of the Delhi University Executive Council, the highest decision-making body of the varsity, have written to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor saying the frontline Covid-19 warriors have not received salaries for the last three-four months.

In a letter to Anil Baijal, they said it was "inhuman and unpardonable" on the Delhi government's part to not release funds to pay salaries to the municipal corporation employees. The copy of the letter has also been sent to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister's Office.

Former EC members A.K. Bhagi, I.M. Kapahy, N.K. Kakkar, Naresh Beniwal along with present members V.S. Negi and Rajesh Gogna advocated early release of salaries. They urged the L-G to ask the Delhi government to release funds to the three municipal corporations to pay salaries.

They said even frontline Covid-19 warriors, doctors, nurses, health and lab workers and sanitary staff had not been paid for three-four months. Similarly, school teachers on duty the public distribution system duty have not been paid salaries. Retired employees were yet to get pension, they added.

"It's patently immoral on the part of the Delhi government to stop the grants to the three municipal corporations on one excuse or the other. Many doctors, nurses and sanitary workers have contracted Covid-19 in line of duty," the letter stated.

Doctors and other medical staff are also facing huge financial problems due to the non-payment of salaries. The Doctors Association has issued a five-day ultimatum to the government to release their salaries or they would resign en masse.

Earlier, the present and former DU council members had drawn the Delhi government's attention to non-release of grants to 12 fully-funded colleges, constituents of the DU.

"Despite repeated reminders around 2,500 teachers and employees of these colleges have been paid only partial salaries," it said.
GRAND HAVEN, MI  Protestors plan to gather at Grand Haven State Park for a Beach Bash this weekend in response to the closure of the beachs parking lots to keep crowds away during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grand Haven Beach Bash, scheduled for 3:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16, is planned as a family-friendly event with grilling, beach games and more, according to the events private Facebook page.

The protest aims to encourage the re-opening of the Grand Haven State Park parking lot, which was closed Sunday, May 3, after overwhelming crowds ignored social distancing guidelines at the park that weekend.

For the first time ever, Grand Haven officials are asking visitors to stay away, city officials wrote in a Facebook post May 2. We look forward to seeing crowds again after the COVID 19 threat passes.

Officials plan to reopen the parking lots for Memorial Day weekend.

Brandon Hall, the organizer of Saturdays protest, called the closure of the parking lots despicable and disgusting," arguing that it was unfair to Michigans vulnerable populations.

If youre young, you can just jump (the parks) fence, Hall told MLive. But if youre elderly or disabled, you can no longer go into the parking lot and people-watch. They took away the parking lot for the most vulnerable Michiganders.

Hall, who also organized protests outside Gov. Gretchen Whitmers residence in Lansing last month, blamed the governor for the closure of the parking lots.

RELATED: Protest held outside Michigan governors residence despite pleas from Republican leader

(The park) was shut down because people werent following (Whitmers) tyrannical social distancing measures, Hall said. Were here to tell Gretchen Whitmer, or anyone who thinks we cant use our state park and our beaches, hell no. Theres no one whos going to tell us that. We will use our beaches.

Hall was convicted of election fraud for forging signatures on petitions and sentenced to a month in jail in 2018.

Event organizers plan to make the protest a safe event" by working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State Police, who Hall said have been wonderful to work with.

MDNR Chief of Parks and Recreation Ron Olson told MLive were well aware of the protests.

Theyre free to come and express themselves just like anyone," Olson said.

Grand Haven City Manager Pat McGinnis told MLive that city officials are aware of the event and are largely concerned with crowd size and density.

City and State Park officials will monitor weather and likelihood of large crowds that could offer opportunity for person to person contact posing greater risk of COVID-19 transmission, he wrote in a statement.

Ottawa County has 430 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 20 deaths with the virus as of Tuesday, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

County health officials are urging protestors and residents to maintain physical distance and wear face covers in public to curb the spread of the virus.

We understand many people are eager to go places and gather with friends and family members, but we must stay focused on disease prevention methods to minimize the risk of further infection and ensure the health system capacity is not overburdened," said Ottawa County Health Department Public Information Officer Kristina Wieghmink in a prepared statement.

We know that the virus spreads person-to-person between people who are in close contact with one another through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. Public gatherings increase the likelihood of infection."

State Representative Steve Johnson will speak at the event, according to the Facebook page. The page also advertises that there will be free food for the first 150 people at the protest and an elephant ear food truck will also be at the event.

Hall received an email from Ottawa County health officials May 8 that stated he would be subject to a $500 fine if he provides food or drink to attendees without getting a license from the county. The email is signed by Rebekah Folkert, senior environmental health specialist at Ottawa County Department of Public Health.

Ill just take the fine and Ill see them in court," Hall said. "Well see what the judges have to say about it. Theyre certainly not going to stop our beach bash with these threats.

More on MLive:

Grand Haven asks public to stay away from beach after crowds ignore social distancing

Facebook deletes event for stay-at-home protest in Michigan

Whitmer defends decision to continue coronavirus state of emergency, calls Capitol protest disturbing

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LONDON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vienna based tech non-profit Artificial Intelligence 4 Development Agency (AIDA) has gained global recognition for its innovative work, receiving two honours in the Business Worldwide Magazine 2020 GCC Business Excellence Awards.

The awards honour both organisations and individuals behind innovations and inspirations driving increased growth and development to their sector. The entrepreneurial work and corporate excellence of these pioneers has significantly contributed to the economic vision of the GCC region in establishing itself as a global knowledge-base, as well as a leading destination for new initiatives.

Not only have the operations of these organisations been of world class quality, but their striving endeavour to push boundaries, respond to challenges and tackle taboos has earned them admiration and respect from their peers and consequently made them employers of choice.

AIDA has achieved first place in two awards categories; 'Best Artificial Intelligence (AI) Related Social Enterprise - GCC' and the equally impressive 'Tech Non-Profit Organization of the Year - Global'.

Artificial Intelligence plays an ever increasing role in a huge range of industries, but still only half of the global population is connected to the internet. AIDA is bringing the powers and concepts of AI technology to a whole new audience, delivering community led projects that impact and empower societies and help bridge the digital divide.

Currently operating throughout Europe and the Middle East, much of AIDA's work is focused on young people and women, empowering them to lead this important societal change and prepare themselves for a brighter future.

AIDA was the first organisation to pioneer social awareness and research about AI in the MENA & GCC regions. The team takes a multi-stakeholder approach, engaging with businesses, academia and government bodies to raise awareness and initiate discussions on as broad a level as possible.

CEO & Founder Elena Gabriela Ardelean, said, "Our entire approach is revolutionary and unique, taking place at the intersection between technology, people, businesses and governments. We believe Artificial Intelligence represents a global challenge and an excellent opportunity for wide engagement to prepare citizens, in particular youth and women, for the future of work, whilst also tackling disinformation."

To find out more about AIDA's work and plans for the future, visit the organisation's website at https://ai4da.com/

An article on the company can be found on the Business Worldwide website https://www.bwmonline.com/2020/05/03/building-the-future-together/

About Business Worldwide Magazine



Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enable an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few.

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A Melbourne teenager was unknowingly added to a disgusting online database aimed at shaming 'race traitors' for interracial dating.

Chloe's information, including where she went to high school and university, and photos of her and her boyfriend Josh were uploaded to the racist website called CoalFax.

'Chloe is a race-traitor living in Melbourne. She is openly dating a monkey called Josh,' the vile profile read.

CoalFax, which is believed to be US-based but hosted on a Russian server, has a number of profiles for women from all over the world who are in interracial relationships.

Chloe's information, where she went to high school and university, and photos of her and her boyfriend Josh were uploaded to the racist website called CoalFax. Pictured: Chloe and Josh

CoalFax, which is believed to be US-based but hosted on a Russian server, wrote: 'Chloe is a race-traitor living in Melbourne. She is openly dating a monkey called Josh'

The 18-year-old said she was terrified after waking up on Tuesday to messages from people she had never met.

'I was so overwhelmed I just burst into tears. I was so angry that people can get away with this for so long,' she told 7News.

'And I didn't want to put my family, or Josh, in danger all because we're in an interracial relationship.'

The website claims its purpose is to be used as a 'public service to prevent men from unknowingly entering into relationships with wh**es.'

Anyone who requests to be taken off the page is told by its administrators they need a valid court order.

'If you believe you are in danger there is a very simple solution, delete or make your accounts private,' the website reads.

Chloe contacted Australian Cyber Security Centre and Victoria Police in a desperate bid to get the site shut down.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the teen's case is a classic example of 'doxing' - the Internet-based practice of researching and publicly broadcasting private or identifying information about someone.

The website is now being investigated.
After studying art history at the University of Chicago, Mr. Sokolowski did graduate work at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, where he began a dissertation on Italian Baroque art but never finished it.

He was hired as curator of European painting and sculpture at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Va., in 1982; he was later made its chief curator. He returned to N.Y.U. in 1984 to become director of the Grey Art Gallery and Study Center, where he would stay for 12 years.

While he was there, his portfolio of historical interests expanded to include new art. Under his leadership, the Grey began to engage with cultural globalism long before that notion had entered mainstream art-world consciousness.

His 1985 exhibition Contemporary Indian Art From the Chester and Davida Herwitz Family Collection introduced the New York audience to work that was at the time all but unknown to it. (Mr. Sokolowski, who had a sharp, often raucous wit and did not shy from hyperbole, would later claim that the show was up for two months and didnt have a single visitor.)

The 1989 exhibition Against Nature: Japanese Art in the Eighties, organized with Shinji Kohmoto, Fumio Nanjo and Ms. Halbreich, similarly opened territory that had been little explored in New York museums. A third exhibition, Interrogating Identity (1991), for which the art historian Kellie Jones was co-curator, surveyed concepts of black identity that would find widespread development in the 1990s and beyond.
Voters in northwest Wisconsin and California's high desert were electing new members of Congress on Tuesday, with Republicans favored to win both races - even though Democrats won the California district in 2018, and even as the president's approval rating falters. Both races could deliver a booster shot to nervous Republicans. Both can tell us how the parties are adjusting to a pandemic that has made traditional campaigning impossible.

"We've been keeping up with Democrats like we've never seen before," Mike Garcia, the Republican nominee in California's 25th Congressional District, said in an online interview Monday. "They're almost kind of writing off the election off at this point. This is the first domino in getting the House back."

Democrats have not written off the race, and were optimistic about the final days of ballot returns, which cut into the GOP's advantage. Still, neither of these races has captured national attention like the special elections that the parties poured resources into in 2017 and 2018. Neither attracted much interest from national political figures, either, who were locked down within days of the March 3 primary that set up today's California runoff. The summer 2017 election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District absorbed $55 million of spending, from the candidates to the parties to outside PACs. In California, Garcia and Democratic nominee Christy Smith spent less than a tenth of that, according to mid-April filings; the two candidates in the Wisconsin race have spent less than $2 million.

Yet the districts perfectly represent some of the places where the rest of this election will be fought, from suburbs that have only recently moved toward Democrats, to rural areas that have raced away from the party. In both races, the parties trying to hold the seats nominated candidates with winning electoral records, and the parties out of power nominated outsiders with compelling stories. The margins will matter, as Democrats see whether they've ebbed in places such as Palmdale and Santa Clarita, and Republicans see whether they've continued to make gains in the kinds of small Wisconsin towns that delivered big for President Donald Trump.

In California, the election was forced by the resignation of Katie Hill, one of the youngest women ever elected to Congress, seen by Democrats as a rising star. Hill had never run for office before 2018, then triumphed by nearly nine points over then-Rep. Steve Knight, as Smith narrowly won a seat in the California state assembly. One year later, operatives began publishing nude photos of the married congresswoman and a junior campaign staffer, and Hill quickly resigned, throwing her support behind Smith.

By that point, Garcia had been running for the better part of a year. He and Smith both earned spots in the May 12 runoff, pushing past Knight, who had launched an unsuccessful comeback attempt, and Cenk Uygur, the host of the left-wing video news network the Young Turks. Even with the Democratic presidential primary driving turnout, and even as Democratic registration outpaced Republican registration in the district, Democratic candidates won barely more than 50 percent of the combined March 3 vote. And that was after Republicans snapped photos of a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee meeting, which found the party's own polling capturing a very close race, a contrast with their public confidence.

The campaign that followed looked nothing like the 2018 race, when Hill benefited from the eagerness of Los Angeles Democrats to drive 30 minutes up the road and volunteer for her campaign. By Election Day, Smith claimed around 4,500 active volunteers, focused on making long-distance voter contacts and on getting people to turn in absentee ballots. Garcia claimed between 400 and 600 volunteers, entirely from the district, all tasked with the same thing. Yet registered Republican voters returned their ballots at a higher rate than registered Democrats, coming into the final weekend with a eight-point lead, stronger than they'd run in 2018.

"It's a challenge," Smith admitted to Slate's Jeremy Stahl last week, saying the lack of in-person organizing had hurt Democrats. "As a candidate, you like that contact with voters, and generating of interest in town halls, and especially knocking on people's doors."

Garcia faced the same limitations but worked to make the race a choice between a political insider and a veteran who wanted to serve again. Republicans' negative messaging focused on two aspects of Smith's biography - she had served on the Newhall, California, school board when it issued layoff notices to teachers, and she led emergency preparedness committee in Sacramento but did not attend a hearing on covid-19. Smith had dealt with the first charge in her 2018 legislative race, pointing out that the teachers were rehired, and worked to drown out the other charge by focusing on her real-time work to bring relief to the district.

At the same time, Smith worked to nationalize the race and tie Garcia to Trump. The Republican had given her material, browbeating Knight for having been occasionally critical of the president and telling interviewers that he would support Trump. In late March, when Garcia spoke with The Washington Post, he said Trump had navigated "uncharted waters for any administration" and done a "good job," and then turned the conversation back to Smith. And Garcia benefited from voters' disappointment in Hill, who surprised everyone by using unspent PAC money to run an ad encouraging her supporters to turn out, even though she's grown unpopular in the district. (The ad was filmed in Washington.)

Democrats struggled to turn the race into a referendum on Trump. Their own polling, which modeled a Republican-leaning runoff electorate, found Trump's approval approximately even in the district in February, as his Senate impeachment trial wound down. Two months later, Trump was 10 points underwater in the district but Garcia's position hadn't budged - he was still in a single-digit race with Smith. And the race made national news only when Smith erred in an interview with the liberal group Indivisible, making fun of Garcia's frequent references to his military service by sarcastically asking, "Did you know he's a pilot?"

The president's own intervention in the race made Democrats much happier. He'd tweeted about the "pilot" gaffe, but weighed in at greater length after Democrats got the city of Lancaster to open a ballot drop-off location. The president tweeted that the votes from that site should "not count," even though the city's Republican mayor, who'd endorsed Garcia, had signed off on it. That gave Democrats their closing message: "Mike Garcia sides with Donald Trump 100%."

That pitch could backfire if Garcia wins, giving the president something he has lacked recently - an election win in which he played a notable role. But both sides are cautious about predicting when the race could be called. Garcia said in a Monday interview with the American Conservative Union that he'd have to win by a big margin to "account for any funny business coming out of the left," citing the new Lancaster polling place, and Democrats began closing the ballot-return gap in the race's final days. That's not unusual for California, where Democrats tend to do best with last-minute voters. But a Republican win would test Democrats' confidence in their new theory of politics, breaking a 20-year streak of gains in California's suburbs and revealing how some of those areas might not be on board with the party yet.

There's less uncertainty in Wisconsin, where state Sen. Tom Tiffany has been the clear favorite to replace former Rep. Sean P. Duffy in the state's largest and most rural district. (Duffy retired early, citing health concerns with his youngest child, and later joined a lobbying firm.) Democrats nominated Tricia Zunker, a school board member in the district's biggest city, to fight for a seat they lost in the 2010 wave and had largely stopped competing in. Duffy's 2018 challenger has raised less than $125,000 for her race; Zunker has raised close to $500,000.

But Democrats, who used last month's statewide Supreme Court race to test their absentee ballot outreach program, are expecting a loss and watching mostly for the margin. The district, redrawn by Republicans nine years ago to shore up Duffy, has moved steadily to the right. Barack Obama carried it by eight points in his 2008 bid and lost it by three points in 2012. Hillary Clinton lost it by 21 points, and while no Democrat has fared that badly since, none has been able to carry it again. In that Supreme Court race, which Justice-elect Jill Karofsky won easily, she lost the 7th Congressional District by six points.

Zunker has run a do-no-harm campaign, with ads promising that she'll focus on "health care and jobs" while Tiffany would undo the Affordable Care Act. (Zunker's ads are among the first to tie that directly to covid-19, warning that people with preexisting conditions are "most at risk.") Tiffany's ads pitch him as the candidate who can "stand with President Trump to get people back to work," and earlier ads had argued that the president "needs proven reinforcements in Congress."

Heading into Tuesday, northwest Wisconsin looked like the Republican future, a rural area that has abandoned its old affection for Democrats. The California race looked like the Republican past: affordable exurbs where voters have left the party thanks to Trump. But Republicans could come out of both districts with wins, six months before they have to try to do it all over again, with the president himself on the ballot.
[May 12, 2020] AlphaOne Satori Management Opens Satori II

AlphaOne Satori Management, General Partner for the Satori family of funds, today announced that on June 1, 2020, Satori II will open, providing more investors with an opportunity to invest with Satori Funds. With the launch of Satori II, investors who meet Accredited Investor criteria will now be able to participate, while investors who meet the Qualified Purchaser criteria can choose either fund. The Satori Fund, founded and managed by Dan Niles, is a technology focused, long-short equity fund with a 16-year track record. The Fund looks to provide investors with lower volatility than the broader equity markets. With downside protection and uncorrelated returns the Fund's objective is to minimize risk and allow compounding to generate long term value for investors. Satori II will run in parallel with the Satori Fund, allowing an additinal class of investors the opportunity to invest.



"We're excited to open Satori II on June 1, 2020, as this will expand our fund offerings to meet growing demand from Accredited Investors. For 16 years, Satori has offered investors upside participation combined with downside protection of their investments and will now be available to both Qualified Purchasers and Accredited Investors," said Dan Niles, Founder and Manager of the Satori Fund. The Satori Fund and Satori II accept taxable and tax-exempt (IRA and other qualified assets) investments and are available on the first day of each month.

About AlphaOne Satori Management AlphaOne Satori Management is the Partner for a family of funds consisting of the Satori Fund and Satori II. Founded by Dan Niles in 2004, the Satori Fund has a 16-year track record as a long-short technology focused equity fund. Visit the Satori Fund at: https://www.danniles.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005993/en/

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Montana Free Press

The future of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is now in the hands of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

On Tuesday, May 5, the court heard video arguments in the federal and state governments appeal of a 2018 decision that restored Endangered Species Act protections for the bear in the three-state region.

The court has not indicated when it will issue a ruling. The ruling, when it comes, will not likely change the bears listing status, but could impact how the federal government moves forward with grizzly management. Regardless of any decision regarding listing status in the GYE, other grizzly populations would remain protected under the Endangered Species Act.

In 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ruled that the species was recovered in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and no longer needed federal protections. The GYE, which includes parts of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, has a population of about 700 grizzly bears that has been expanding geographically in recent years  a sign, the service said, the bear has recovered.

A coalition of tribes and environmental groups appealed the decision, and in September 2018 U.S. District Court Judge Dana Christensen ordered the protections restored, saying the services ruling had not properly considered the effect delisting would have on all grizzly bears in the Lower 48, and was arbitrary and capricious in its application of science. Christensen ruled that the agency had given too much deference to the states, deprioritized the best available science, and illogically conflated two studies to determine that the GYE population possessed sufficient genetic diversity for survival.

The federal government appealed Christensens decision, as did the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Wyoming is appealing Christensens entire decision. The federal government is appealing portions of the decision. Montana has joined in the federal governments appeal.

Fish and Wildlife has acknowledged that it erred in not properly considering the impact removing protections from the Yellowstone grizzly would have on other grizzly populations in the Lower 48.

There are currently two main populations of grizzly bears in the Lower 48, respectively occupying the GYE and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. The NCDE includes Glacier National Park and has about 1,000 bears. The two populations are not connected. Scientists have determined the Yellowstone bears likely do not have enough genetic diversity in isolation to continue to be a viable population.

Grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park. Photo: I-Ting Chiang

In recent years, the territorial range of grizzlies within the GYE has expanded significantly, even as a record number of grizzlies have been killed in disputes with humans over food sources.

Federal and state wildlife managers have said they would keep an eye on the Yellowstone populations numbers and genetic diversity and potentially import bears from the NCDE to help restore genetic diversity.

We know its genetically secure for 50 years, possibly a century, said Joan Pepin, an attorney representing the federal government. There is no need to do it artificially when its not really a problem and natural connection might happen in the next several decades.

But Matt Bishop, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center representing the plaintiffs, said genetic diversity should be considered in a term longer than 50 years, and that almost every protected species would qualify for delisting if only the next few decades were considered.

Bishop also said the federal government has not committed to maintaining genetic diversity, but rather has said only that it will consider intervening if genetic diversity drops too low.

Considering to do something in the future is not a commitment, Bishop said.

A copy of the Piikanni Nation Treaty can be seen on the table next to Chairman Alvin "AJ" Not Afraid, Jr. of the Crow Tribe during a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing in Washington, D.C., on March 7, 2017. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Pepin said the states have demonstrated they want the bears delisted and would take steps to protect them in the future.

Nobody wants to let this population fall back into a threatened position, she said.

Pepin also argued that Christensens requirement that USFWS needs to consider impacts on the species at large is too burdensome. Instead, she said, the agency should need only consider whether the delisting of Yellowstone grizzlies would affect the listing status of the bears in other areas.

USFWS continues to maintain that the GYE population is recovered, and has said it will develop a new delisting rule that considers impacts on other grizzly populations.

Christensens ruling also concluded that USFWS violated its obligation under the Endangered Species Act to use the best available science in developing its delisting rule. Intead, the agency negotiated with the states and dropped a commitment to ensure that if wildlife managers change the way they count bear populations, original population estimates would be reassessed using the new method.

Attorney for Wyoming Jay Jerde argued that the 9th Circuit should overrule Christensen on the basis that methods for counting bears shouldnt be subject to the Endangered Species Acts best-available-science burden.

Bishop, however, argued that if the states change the way they estimate populations and arrive at, say, 1,200 bears under a new accounting method, compared to 700 under a previous method, the revised count could enable the states to kill bears with management removals and hunting, jeopardizing the species. Bishop said state wildlife managers would need to use any new method to reassess the 2002-2014 average population estimate to determine the number of bears they plan to manage.

What Wyoming said in its briefs is it would always manage for 500 or 600 bears, Bishop said. Thats precisely the problem. The number needs to change with the population estimator.

The state of Montana has said it wants the NCDE bears delisted as a distinct population segment, or self-sustaining section of a species. The federal government has indicated it will likely wait for the GYE case to be wrapped up before making a delisting decision on the NCDE population.

Johnathan Hettinger is a journalist based in Livingston. Originally from Central Illinois and a graduate of the University of Illinois, he has worked at the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting, the Livingston Enterprise and the (Champaign-Urbana) News-Gazette. Contact Johnathan at jhett93@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @jhett93

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Linkedin Mark Gurman (Bloomberg)  Wed, May 13, 2020 13:36 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7bd7e9 2 Science & Tech Apple,coronavirus,COVID-19,iPhone Free

Apple Inc. plans to soon start returning more employees to its major global offices while other tech companies are continuing work-from-home policies through at least the end of 2020 due to COVID-19.

The Cupertino, California-based technology giant plans to bring back employees in phases to its offices, including the main Apple Park campus in Silicon Valley, over a few months, according to people familiar with the plan. The first phase, which includes staff members who cant work remotely or are facing challenges working from home, has already begun in some regions globally. It will expand to major offices across late May and early June, Apple has told staff.

A second phase, scheduled to begin in July, will return even more employees to Apples offices globally. In the US, the company has locations in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Texas, San Diego and Boulder, Colorado. The return-to-work timelines are fluid and may change, particularly given local and state stay-at-home orders, said the people, who asked not to be identified talking about internal company matters.

This week, senior Apple managers are beginning to inform employees if they are in the first phase or a later part of the process. During the first phase, employees will either be asked to work from the office regularly or only for certain periods depending on their role, the company has told staff. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment.

Apples approach to returning to its offices differs greatly from that of other well-known technology companies. It underscores Apples longtime focus on in-person meetings and hands-on product development, and the companys reliance on hardware as its central business.

Facebook Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google have said that most employees can work from home through 2020. Amazon.com Inc. said that office workers will be able to work from home until early October and Twitter Inc. said staff can work from home forever if they choose.

Still, Apples rivals also have employees who probably will need to return to their offices earlier. Facebook, Amazon, and Google have hardware units, though far smaller than Apples sprawling operation, that need to develop and test products for release in the future.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Apple has allowed a select group of employees to work in their offices to keep operations running. Certain roles, such as managing data centers, deploying software, putting up new products for sale online and some hardware testing, are more difficult or impossible from home and are considered business critical.

The first swath of employees returning to offices will likely focus on hardware development. Apples labs for future major hardware initiatives, such as planned virtual-reality and augmented-reality headsets, have been dialed back during the work from home period, one of the people said.

Apples legion of software developers have mostly settled in to working from home with the company planning its late June developers conference as a virtual affair. Apple engineers are filming demonstrations of the planned software updates from home for the online presentations as part of the conference.

Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook told employees in April that the companys return to work plan would be staggered. We dont envision, at least today, everyone going back at the same time, Cook told employees in a virtual Town Hall meeting. It may be different teams go back at a different time, it may be people within a team go back at different times.

Cook told Bloomberg TV that the process would include temperature checks, social distancing and masks. He also said that Apple is looking into COVID-19 testing for workers.

Apple began opening its US retail stores this week, starting with some locations in South Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, and Idaho. It has already opened all of its stores in Australia, Austria, Switzerland, South Korea, and Germany. Thousands of retail employees have worked from home as AppleCare technical support representatives while the stores have been closed.

The company also has corporate offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane is likely to submit his resignation on May 13 after the ruling coalition collapsed in parliament amid the controversy around a murder case. Thabane was accused of being involved in the murder of his estranged wife Lipolelo who was shot dead while driving her car in June 2017.

Police have accused his current wife Maesaiah of assassinating Lipolelo just outside of the capital. Thabane became one of the prime suspects of murder after his mobile number was recovered from the communications records from the scene. However, police are yet to bring charges to the court.

The Prime Minister of Lesotho, a tiny landlocked nation of 2.2 million with a history of political turmoil, had been seeking immunity from the court since then to avoid formal prosecution. Thabane and Maesaiah have denied any kind of involvement in the murder of Lipolelo but the accusation damaged the political influence and prestige of Lesotho PM.

Thabane came under tremendous pressure from fellow politicians to resign from the top post. Last month, the 80-year-old leader announced the deployment of the army to restore peace and order as he was facing pressure to step down.

Read: Lesotho PM Thomas Thabane In Court Over Murder Of Estranged Wife

Deployed army last month

During a televised address on April 18, the Lesotho leader said that he had deployed the army to take control of the situation. Thabane said that the deployment of the army was a necessary measure against these elements and added that his decision is in alignment with the security orders.

The national assembly had passed a bill barring the Prime Minister to call for fresh elections in case he lost the no-confidence motion. Thabane suspended the parliament for three months to avoid the no-confidence motion but the constitutional court set aside his decision. According to media reports, the Prime Minister is supposed to inform King Letsie III of his intention to leave in a letter on Wednesday, bringing down the curtain to a decades-long political career.

Read: Lesotho PM Deploys Army After Court Sets Aside His Decision To Suspend Parliament

Read: COVID-19: Zulu King Adds Voice To Lockdown Appeal As Cases Cross 10,000 In South Africa

(Image credit: AP)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 00:45:42|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to citizens during his visit to a section of the Fenhe River in Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, May 12, 2020. Xi inspected Taiyuan on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- While checking the ecological protection work of the Fenhe River in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, on Tuesday during his inspection tour, President Xi Jinping expressed his satisfaction with the tremendous changes made to the ecological environment along the river and stressed the importance of green development.

As the second-largest tributary of the Yellow River, the Fenhe River, which stretches 716 km, passes through six cities and dozens of counties and merges into the Yellow River.

The Fenhe River has nine tributaries in the city of Taiyuan, the provincial capital. However, due to historical reasons, the river, also known as the "mother river" of Shanxi, used to be highly polluted.

This is not the first time that Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, voiced his concern over the environment along the Fenhe River.

Back in June 2017, during an inspection tour in Shanxi, he stressed efforts to increase the amount of water in the Fenhe River, improve its water quality and beautify the scenery.

As a result, Taiyuan launched the comprehensive treatment project for the nine rivers and completed it in 2018. With over 20 kinds of plants for ecological purification, greenbelts emerged on the banks of the nine rivers.

Underscoring the incorporation of environmental protection, energy revolution, green development, and economic transformation, Xi on Tuesday noted that the treatment of the Fenhe River is not only essential to the environmental protection and economic development of Shanxi, but also important to the historical and cultural inheritance of the province.

FOLLOWING A GREEN PATH

With the domestic COVID-19 epidemic waning and China powering ahead in returning to work and resuming business and production, Xi's remarks reaffirmed the country's determination to follow a green development path and implement the national strategy for high-quality development.

It has been a tough but firm choice for China, especially at a time when the world's second-largest economy is struggling to cope with the unprecedented economic challenge brought by the epidemic. But the country stands steadfast in resisting the old way of developing the economy at the cost of the environment.

Xi has always attached great importance to the protection and improvement of the country's water system as well as the balance between economic development and ecological protection.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), visits an ecological wetland of Dianchi Lake in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 20, 2020. Xi visited the wetland to examine the protection and pollution treatment of the lake during an inspection tour to the province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Visiting a wetland of Dianchi Lake in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, in January, for instance, Xi made a similar emphasis on ecological civilization and green development. Once among the most polluted lakes in China, the Dianchi Lake has seen its ecology greatly improve after years of conservation efforts.

China has stepped up rolling out measures to enhance environmental protection and pursue high-quality development.

In April, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Finance announced the first batch of 55 pilot counties for water system connectivity and comprehensive improvement of rural water systems, with the central government allocating 2.5 billion yuan (about 353 million U.S. dollars) to these counties to fight rural water pollution.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment released a plan urging local governments to actively resume 114 major ecological projects, which covered water treatment, ecological restoration, and industrial park construction and were selected to boost investment, promote economic growth, and meet the people's demand.

GREEN OUTCOMES

The path of green development is vital to the country's economy and people's wellbeing. Provinces such as Shanxi have been rewarded by the environment as the ecological protection work is taking effect.

Vigorously promoting a greener economy, Shanxi, the coal-rich province, cut 27.45 million tonnes of coal production capacity and saw a GDP growth higher than the country's average level in 2019.

Last year, the province planted about 347,333 hectares of trees, and the groundwater level continued to rise in the Fenhe River valley.

Apart from supporting major environmental projects, China also resorted to having an environmental economic policy to steer businesses toward sustainable growth, unveiling a plan in December to establish a national green development fund in 2020.

The country's green finance, an emerging environmental economic policy tool, has seen rapid expansion in recent years. In 2019, its green bond issuance topped 30 billion U.S. dollars, ranking second in the world, data from Bloomberg showed.

Behind the firm commitment to green development is the top leadership's pursuit of achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the foresight of maintaining a strategic focus on improving the ecological environment in the long run.

More should be done to accelerate institutional innovation and strengthen the implementation of institutions to help form a green way of production and living, Xi has stressed. 
One person was arrested and



scented tobacco worth Rs 3.23 lakh was seized at Umred town in Maharashtra's Nagpur district, police said on Wednesday.

Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch of Nagpur rural police raided the house of Santosh Giradkar at Budhwaripeth, on Tuesday night, an official said.

Scented tobacco worth Rs 3.23 lakh and a packaging equipment were seized from the premises, he said, adding that Giradkar was arrested for possession and packaging of the banned product.

An offence under provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code was registered at Umred police station, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Out in the Sand Wash Basin sprawled across Northwest Colorado, a herd of wild horses has gained popularity as they gallop together across the landscape. However, one particular majestic pinto stallion named Picasso has risen above the fame of even his fellow herd members to become one of the most iconic wild horses in America.

(Courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography)

Picasso is estimated to be about 30 years old, making him the elder mustang in the herd. His age certainly seems to come with plenty of respect among his fellow equines. According to a basin visitor, named Patti Mosbey, even the other mustangs treat Picasso with a sort of reverence.

According to Denver7 News, in the summer of 2014, as Mosbey was visiting the basin, she spotted the famous stallion with two bands of horses. As she looked closely, Mosbey noticed that as Picasso passed by them, the rest of the herd, as if to pay respect to the King, parted in two to make room for the legend.

You almost thought they were deferring to him, she continued, alluding to the special moment. Nobody wanted to challenge him.

However, Picasso, who has a dusty white-and-black mane, was the most famous horse in the herd long before he reached his current estimated age, which is believed to be rare for a mustang living in the harsh conditions of the basin, where the summers are fiery and the temperatures in winter go below sub-zero temperatures.

It was over a decade ago when a worker with the Humane Society, who was observing the wild horse herd, spotted his unique coat and pointed out that he looked like a Picasso.

In the aftermath, photographer Nancy Roberts caught sight of the now-famous mustang in 2010 and posted the images she captured of him to social media. Not long after, Picassos fame immediately began to grow, blooming into the legend that hes become now.

(Courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography)

Whenever I posted a photo of him, people would just go crazy, Roberts said in an interview with the Denver7 News. I dont know what happened. He just became the horse, the King of the Sand Wash Basin.

There are about 700 horses that roam around the 157,000 acres of federal land in the basin; however, Picasso has managed to stand out among them and gained a legendary status.

It is also known that there are many visitors who travel miles to just catch a glimpse of the famous mustang. They are known to write poems, paint portraits of him, and even chart out details of his family tree connecting the various dots.

(Courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography)

Among them is Sandy Sharkey, a retired radio broadcaster from Ottawa, Canada, who photographed the wild horses of America in May 2018. Sharkey told Denver7 News, To see Picasso was going to be akin to seeing Brad Pitt in the desert.

According to her website, Sharkey has traveled 14,000 miles by road (approx. 22,500 km) to photograph wild horses of North America. The avid photographers goal is to capture the unbridled freedom of the wild horse, and to encourage others to find the wild horse experience for themselves.

(Courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography)

Picasso is a testament to just how sturdy the horses are out in the wild. Even with a highway running through the basin, harsh weather that offers up lightning storms, and fights with other mustangs in the herd, hes managed to surviveand his fame has only blossomed the longer hes roamed the open basin.

Cindy Wright, co-founder of Wild Horse Warriors for Sand Wash Basin, told 5280, a city magazine in Denver, that Picasso is the embodiment of strength.

She further added: People go into the basin to find healing when they are at a low point. He is symbolic of the ability to keep moving forward.

Over the last couple of years, there have been calls that Picasso should be adopted; however, many fans of Picasso strongly believe that he belongs to the wild.

Picasso with Spirit Dancer in 2018. (Courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography)

At some point, Picasso will die. At his current age, hes been spotted less and less.

Sharkey shared with Denver7 News that when Picasso does die, it wouldnt be the end of the era. No horse lover worth their salt would call it that, she said.

However, regardless of how long he lives, his stunning coat and the brilliant photographs of him that have taken over the years will continue to live on.

(Courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography)

Photo courtesy of Sandy Sharkey Photography (Website | Facebook)

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A soldier takes the temperature of residents as they queue up for free rice by the Indonesian government in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 11, 2020.(PHOTO: AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

By Daniel Moss

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The trade-off between health and economic well-being is arriving with brutal speed in parts of Asia.

Governments itching to return to normal activity are being confronted with a spike in Covid-19 infections. Thats forcing them to choose between putting reopening on ice or reviving commerce at the potential cost of lives. Faced with this unenviable bargain, they appear to be leaning toward the latter. Its a question that leaders hoped theyd never be forced to face, or at least not until economies had already stabilised: What increase in cases is acceptable to get the workforce back on the job?

Indonesia must learn to live in peace with Covid-19 until a vaccine is found, President Joko Widodo declared last week. Malaysia is also leaning toward keeping the economy partially open even as cases rise. South Korea has been hit by a new cluster of cases linked to Seoul night clubs just days after easing social distancing rules.

Existing in harmony with a deadly virus may sound like a contradiction. However, Widodos remarks point to a resignation that may become standard operating procedure for much of Southeast Asia. Jokowi, as hes known, says his goal is to flatten the infection curve, and warns that cases will rise before retreating. Indonesia, which balked at a nationwide lockdown, plans to ease social-distancing rules in phases, with the economy to be completely reopened in late July or early August. A weekend jump pushed total Covid-19 cases to 14,265 as of Monday.

Malaysia had barely declared most areas of the economy open when cases started rising again. In response, Kuala Lumpur decided the broad resumption of activity decreed last week can continue but go no further. Borders remain closed and schools are still out. Even Singapore, a far wealthier economy with a much more developed social-safety net and health system, has been put off stride by the virus. The vast majority of its surge in illness the past month has come from tightly-packed dormitories housing more than 200,000 low-wage migrant workers. Outside the dorms, the number of new cases is very low. The city-state remains cautious, and at pains to convey that circuit breakers  the local euphemism for partial lockdown  will be eased only gradually.

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Behind the terrible equation is an economic deterioration thats exceeding estimates. Forecasters were much too optimistic. It turns out that growth isnt something you can just reboot. The International Monetary Fund, which last month forecast a drop in global gross domestic product of 3%, now says conditions look worse. The April projection assumed the pandemic would fade in the second half and containment measures could be wound down.

That looks unlikely now, two top officials said last week. Indonesias economy shrank 2.4% in the first three months of the year compared to the previous quarter, a far worse outcome than anticipated. In the Philippines, GDP plummeted 5.1% from the previous three months. A contraction is also in store for Malaysia.

The World Bank warned in late March of dire consequences for the already impoverished. The Covid-depression will prevent almost 24 million people in Asia from climbing out of penury, the bank estimated, defining poverty as having US$5.50 a day to live off. The bank canvassed a scenario where a further 10 million were prevented from escaping.

This grim calculus  how many people are exposed to infection while rescuing the jobs of others  isnt present just in developing Asia. South Korea, a beacon in viral containment and well on its way to resuming a semblance of normal life, promptly closed clubs, bars and restaurants after the latest outbreak. This may be little more than a blip on its exit ramp from the severest Covid-19 restrictions. Besides easing its social distancing campaign, the country last week announced the reopening of schools. South Korea has been praised for aggressive testing and contact tracing. Its right that the U.S. study the nations response and try to learn from it.

In developing Asia, the choice between food on the table and minimizing risks to the public isnt always binary. Governments arent completely powerless. It makes sense for them to use fiscal stimulus to channel money into medical equipment plants and step up training of health-care personnel. Bolstering sick-leave provisions will make the need to earn less pressing, at least for a time.

For decades, Asia focused on rapid development of infrastructure and neglected social safety nets. When meaningful recovery from the Covid-19 slump comes, investment in more than gleaming skyscrapers and cavernous airports ought to top the menu.

Daniel Moss is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian economies. Previously he was executive editor of Bloomberg News for global economics, and has led teams in Asia, Europe and North America.

 2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Several medicines and drugs that were purchased and stored in state-run hospitals and rural health centres to treat regular patients are now lying unutilized and are nearing their expiry dates. The reason being because of the lockdown hardly any patients are turning up for treatment in hospitals.

District hospitals have alerted the state health department that unless these drugs are utilized they could expire and this would lead to loss of government property.

Due to the lockdown for prevention of Covid-19 cases, general patient flow of different disciplines decreased remarkably. For this reason the outflow of the following medicines has decreased. At present the following medicines are lying in the store as slow moving items which may not be consumed within their potency period, said a letter sent by the Asansol district hospital in West Burdwan.

The list includes ampules, vials, tablets and tubes of various kinds of injections, drops and lotions needed to treat patients suffering from cardiac arrest, malaria, labour pain and peptic ulcers. There are also antibiotics, anesthesia and eye-drops. The stock of some drugs like dobutamine and dobramycin are supposed to expire in June 2020.

In another letter, accessed by HT, the superintendent of the state-run Gangarampur subvisional hospital in South Dinajpur district has alerted this could lead to loss of government property.

Will be highly obliged if you take necessary action so that the medicines can be utilized to avoid loss of government property, the letter sent on April 27 stated.

Similarly, several medicines at the Habra state general hospital in North 24 Parganas are also nearing their expiry dates, a letter accessed by HT said.

Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state for health in West Bengal, said: I am not aware. Please contact the health department. Senior officials of the department, however, remained tightlipped and said only the minister can comment.

Meanwhile, with allegations surfacing that there is a shortage of PPE kits, masks and gloves as a result of which several doctors and other frontline medical staff have been infected with the virus, the state government has started procuring such items from the small and medium scale industries. A committee has also been formed to speed up the procurement.

The state has ordered around 16.5 lakh PPEs out of which till May 12 it has received 7.4 lakh. Another 9 lakh is pending. Around 32.5 lakh masks (N95 and FFP2) have been ordered out of which only around 3.6 lakh have been received till date.

Usually it is the West Bengal Medical Services Corporation Limited which goes for bulk purchases of medicines and medical equipment. But because of the crisis a special committee has been formed to speed up the procurement process. A helpline has also been launched where frontline medical staff can place their demands, said a senior official of the state health department.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joydeep Thakur Joydeep Thakur is a Special Correspondent based in Kolkata. He focuses on science, environment, wildlife, agriculture and other related issues. ...view detail
(Natural News) A new study has found traces of the coronavirus in the stool of recovered COVID-19 patients, more than a month after they had tested negative for the disease. Researchers from the University of Stirling in Scotland warn that their findings mean that the virus can spread through sewage.

We know that COVID-19 is spread through droplets from coughs and sneezes, or via objects or materials that carry infection, stated lead author Richard Quilliam, a professor at Stirling. However, it has recently been confirmed that the virus can also be found in human feces  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 fecal-oral route, however, we know that viral shedding from the digestive system can last longer than shedding from the respiratory tract, he added.

Coronavirus survives in human feces

Scientists have observed that the coronavirus can be detected in human feces and sewage before. In Massachusetts, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Brigham and Womens Hospital have used this to track the possible spread of the disease in the state.

That previous study, however, stated that the public was not at risk of catching the virus from wastewater. The Stirling study, on the other, hand warns that it could be a possible vector for the spread of the disease.

The researchers at Stirling noted that the structural makeup of the coronavirus suggests that it could be viable for up to 14 days in raw sewage. They also warned that the virus could return to the air, from wastewater, when the latter is processed at treatment plants.

The transport of coronaviruses in water could increase the potential for the virus to become aerosolized, 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, the researchers write.

They continue stating that, while they still dont fully understand the atmospheric loading of coronavirus in water droplets from wastewater, it could provide a more direct respiratory route for people to get infected, especially for those working in sewage pumping stations, treatment plants, and other facilities that process wastewater.

Virus transmission through the fecal-oral route

Aside from aerosolized virus particles from wastewater in sewage treatment facilities, the main vector for the coronavirus transmission from human waste would be through the fecal-oral route.

Research from China has already shown that the human gastrointestinal tract is a welcoming environment for the coronavirus. In addition, the study, originally published in the journal Gastroenterology, also established that the virus continues to infect the gastrointestinal tract long after it has been cleared from the lungs, supporting the findings from Stirling.

More study needed

In both the Stirling and Chinese studies, researchers noted that more research would be needed into the fecal-oral transmission of the coronavirus. The researchers involved in the former noted that not enough study had been done in this, as most research had focused on the transmission of the coronavirus through breathing.

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 fecal-oral route must not be neglected, wrote the researchers in the Stirling study.

Based on their findings, the Stirling researchers have implored the government of the United Kingdom to invest more resources into understanding the risks posed by the virus presence in sewage and its transmission through feces.

Understanding the risk of spread via the fecal-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, they added.

Learn more about the ongoing coronavirus outbreak at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDirect.com

NewsWeek.com

Mirror.co.uk

MedPageToday.com

GastroJournal.org [PDF]
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.

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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)
Bosses have warned there will inevitably be mass job losses when employers are asked to start sharing up to 50 per cent of the cost of the government's furlough scheme in August.

Industry experts also claim Chancellor Rishi Sunak's extension to the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) - where the Treasury bankrolls 80 per cent of wages - is merely delaying redundancies.

Mr Sunak yesterday announced the scheme would be prolonged until October but that firms would 'start sharing' the financial burden with the Exchequer.

It set alarm bells ringing throughout UK Plc, which demanded assurances for companies in 'dire straits' unable to foot even a fraction of their furloughed staff's wages.

Small businesses completely starved of any income since the crisis are particularly nervous about how they will afford to pay.

Jay Lee, director of online learning company uAcademy, which employs 14 furloughed people, initially hailed the JRS as a 'godsend'.

But he told MailOnline: 'The recent announcement of the government sharing the cost of the furlough scheme would be a big blow to us as we won't be able to cover part of the wages, this is simply because the business has no revenue and it's essentially closed.'

Industry experts also claim Chancellor Rishi Sunak's extension to the Job Retention Scheme - where the Treasury bankrolls 80 per cent of wages - is merely delaying redundancies

Retail Economics CEO Richard Lim (left) predicts job losses in the retail sector while Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality (right), warns that the 80 per cent wage subsidy would need to be extended past July to help struggling businesses

The retail sector, which has seen sales nosedive as shops remain shuttered, will 'inevitably' have fewer store staff going forward, it is feared (Oxford Street in London pictured)

What is happening to the furlough scheme? The multi-billion pound furlough scheme is being extended to October. Employees on the scheme will continue to receive 80 per cent of wages, up to a ceiling of 2,500 a month. Until the end of July, there will be no changes to the scheme whatsoever. From August to October there will be 'greater flexibility' so furloughed employees can return to work part-time. Businesses will be expected to share the costs of paying their salaries from this point - meaning some that remain largely shut will have to choose whether to make people redundant. Further details of the arrangements will be announced by the end of the month. Advertisement

Executives facing grim balance sheets will be confronted with tough choices when the changes to the JRS kick in in a few months time.

Ian Girling, chief executive of the Dorset Chamber of Commerce, anticipates firms 'will need to look closely at staff costs in what will no doubt be a challenging climate'.

He added: 'Many businesses will need to restructure as they look to the future and inevitably and regrettably we will see redundancies.'

Representatives from the sectors hardest hit by the lockdown have voiced concern that the Chancellor's multi-billion-pound bailout will not go far enough.

The retail sector, which has seen sales nosedive after shops shuttered, will 'inevitably' have fewer store staff going forward, it is feared.

Richard Lim, chief executive of Retail Economics, told MailOnline: 'There's no two ways about this there will be fewer jobs in retail as we emerge out of this crisis.

'There will be administrations that are yet to happen. The government's support measures are providing a lifeline to keep businesses afloat and preserve cash and continue to operate and allow them the working capital to do that.

He added: 'For some businesses, they will have some staff on furlough who they will realise that are unlikely to be coming back to the same roles as before, if they have those roles at all.'

Mr Lim added that retailers would likely shift more weight behind online selling and would 'absolutely try' to retain store staff if possible, but this could mean fewer hours or job sharing.

The picture in the travel sector looks equally as bleak, with summer holidays abroad all but cancelled for Britons.

Airlines have been forced to furlough thousands of staff as countries around the world enforce flight freezes to stem the spread of the virus.

IAG, the parent company of British Airways, said the Chancellor's extension to the furlough funding will not plug the enormous loss of revenue in the long-term.

It said in a statement to MailOnline: 'We welcome the Chancellor's decision to extend the Job Retention Scheme and, as Willie Walsh said at the Transport Select Committee yesterday, we applaud his swift action in dealing with this crisis.

'However, while this brings some welcome relief, it's not a permanent financial solution.

'It merely buys us a few extra days to address the restructuring that our business requires to survive this unprecedented crisis.'

The immediate future of hospitality businesses also remains uncertain, with warnings that pubs and restaurants could remain closed for many months.

It is feared bosses with no revenue stream and lofty overheads will not be able to pay half their furloughed employees' wages.

Patrick Langmaid, who owns the Mother Ivey's Bay holiday park in Padstow, forecast making tough job cuts.

'We are very worried about how we, as employers, are going to make contributions through August, September and October,' he told the BBC.

'I've already started briefing my team that there will have to be redundancies.'

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, which represents the industry, welcomed the scheme's extension, but warned: 'The full 80 per cent may need to be extended past July for some businesses in sectors like hospitality that will still operate at much reduced levels of trade, or not yet be able to open.'

The Chancellor has also been warned that extending the scheme, and draining the public purse, will actually increase the likelihood of redundancies in the long-haul.

Professor Len Shackleton of the Institute of Economic Affairs said: ' The longer businesses are dependent on the furlough scheme, and unable to begin reorganising staff and adjusting their business models, the less likely it is that people will have jobs to return to once the lockdown ends.

'It will also delay individuals' plans to seek other jobs where this is clearly going to be necessary.'

But he suggested that company executives are under pressure to keep staff on furlough, rather than making them redundant now, because of the backlash if they were to turn turn down the government's funding.

He told MailOnline: 'They would certainly be criticised by employees and unions for making staff redundant and forcing them on to Universal Credit, when the government is offering more money on the Job Retention Scheme.'

The Institute of Directors said: 'We now need further clarity around employers' contributions. Many firms that would normally be on strong footing are still in dire straits.'

Edwin Morgan, Director of Policy, added: 'Firms don't want to be as reliant on government support as they are at the moment, but the response to coronavirus has shut down much of the economy.

'It's important the Government designs changes to support programmes with care, because winding them down will inevitably force companies to make difficult choices around whether they can keep staff on if demand hasn't returned.'
Photo

Spain: The 113-year-old corona victim has beaten the corona virus who is a native of Spain. Maria Branyas was born in the United States. Maria is considered to be the world's oldest woman to recover from corona.

PhotoMaria Branyas became infected in April at the Santa Maria del Tura care home in the eastern city of Olot, where she has lived for the past 20 years, and fought the respiratory illness off in isolation in her room.

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"She survived the disease and is doing fine," a spokeswoman for the residence said, adding Branyas had only displayed mild symptoms.

She underwent a corona test last week, which came out to be negative. Only one staff nurse was allowed in her room wearing a PPE kit. Corona has killed more than 27,000 people in Spain so far.

File PhotoAfter recovering, Maria's video has gone viral on social media, in which she is praising the staff of her care home. Maria was born on May 4, 1907, in San Francisco, USA. Her father, who lives in Spain, was a journalist in the United States. During World War I, Maria's family moved to Spain.
Ukraine's government expects to get US$10 bln in aid in 2020  PM Shmyhal

20:25, 13.05.20 1119

The funding directly depends on the success of talks with the IMF on a new cooperation program.
The World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the WHO, is set for a crucial virtual meeting next week from May 18. The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and the push from the United States to investigate the World Health Organisation for its failure to warn the world in time and showing a dangerous bias towards China.

Significantly, India will be taking over the chair of the WHO executive board soon. The 73rd World Health Assembly virtual meeting will take place from May 18-19 and the Executive Board, comprising 34 countries, will meet on May 22. With this, India could play a major role in fixing accountability and seeking answers.

The World Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland. The main functions are to determine the policies of the WHO, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies and review and approve the proposed programme budget.

The Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has come in for sharp criticism over the pandemic. He is slated to address the Assembly specifically on Covid-19. The Executive Board election will also be held at the meeting where India is expected to be elected as a member for three years and chair for one year.

Interestingly, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a videoconferencing with foreign ministers of six countries on Monday  this included the three other countries in the Quad namely India, Japan, Australia along with South Korea, Israel and Brazil.

The readout from the US clearly indicated that Secretary Pompeo raised the matter of holding China and the WHO accountable. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said, Secretary Pompeo and his counterparts discussed the importance of international cooperation, transparency and accountability in combating the Covid-19 pandemic and in addressing its causes. The readout also mentioned the importance of rules-based international order, once again an indication towards China.

Australian foreign minister Marise Payne tweeted to say: Transparency and learning the lessons of this pandemic are critical to prevent future global health crisis, while South Koreas foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha also emphasised the importance of swiftly and transparently sharing information.

However, Indias external affairs minister S Jaishankar only tweeted to say that the conversation covered pandemic response, global health management, medical cooperation, economic recovery and travel norms. There was no indication from the Indian side about its view on China with regards to the pandemic.

On the question of US suspending funding to the WHO, India has not made any on-record official remark but government sources have said that at present, efforts and attention are fully focused on dealing with the pandemic. Once the world has addressed the crisis, we can revisit the question, they said.

Strategic analyst Brahma Chellany believes that China has stepped up aggressive moves against India and Japan ahead of this crucial meeting. He said, The West will seek an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. It appears China is warning India and its other neighbours not to support the Western move.

In a speech on Monday to MIT World Peace University, Pune, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla said, I worry about biosecurity. The management of public health emergencies, including pandemics, has been an important item in the global health governance agenda. The international community has been working on this for a long time. The current crisis demonstrates that in spite of this common understanding and coordination, major gaps exist.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while participating in the G20 virtual summit on March 26, had also sought reforms in the WHO. He said the organisation needs to rise to the challenges of the present century.

It is clear that India seeks not just requisite changes in the multilateral organisation but at some stage would seek accountability too. However, it will be a tightrope walk for New Delhi while it refrains from antagonising and riling up its neighbour China, which is cornered over the pandemic and its global economic fallout.
The Edo State Government has extended the curfew in the state for another 14 days, as it intensifies measures to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

This was made known in a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.

Also Read: Police Officer Shot Dead While Enforcing Curfew In Edo

He said the curfew, which is effective between 8 pm and 6 am daily, was extended to limit movement within the state at night.

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He tasked Edo residents to continue to adhere to regulations against the spread of the virus, including regular handwashing with soap under running water or use alcohol-based sanitizer; wearing facemasks while in public and avoiding gatherings of more than 20 persons, among others.

The State has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the South-South region.
A group of Muslim youth attached to the Mazhar food bank in Kondhwa are feeding stray cattle in the area daily.

Mazhar Shaikh, founder of the food bank, said, The cattle normally survive on leftovers from restaurants and small eateries. However, the eateries are shut due to the lockdown. We feed them fodder and water daily. The stray cattle arrive at the food bank at regular intervals and we give them food.

We will continue to feed the cattle even after the lockdown is lifted. They must not be left unattended. A portion of the donation that we collect for serving citizens is also used to buy fodder for the cattle, Shaikh said.

Hussain Khan, a member of the group, said, We not only feed the cattle, but also ensure they remain healthy. As it is the month of Ramzan, every member has been assigned the task of feeding cattle, in the morning and evening. Besides cows, other creatures like pigeons and stray dogs are also taken care of. We are also helping senior citizens get medicines.

The food bank also runs a community kitchen in the name of Hazrat Khwaja Garib Nawaz, wherein they are distributing at least 30kg of grains to needy families.

Ration kits are also given to 220 families. The other members of the group are Ejaz Shaikh, Mubin Khan, Sarfaraz, Badrudin, Krishna Kamble, Farid Pathan and Irfan.
A 32-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her live-in partner in a rented accommodation in Swarn Nagri area of Greater Noida. The incident came to fore on Wednesday morning after locals informed police about a foul smell from their flat. A police team from Sector Beta 2 police station reached the spot, broke into the flat and found the decomposed body of the woman on the floor.

According to police, the victim Pinki Kumari, who hailed from Bihar, had moved in to the Greater Noida society with the suspect Sumit Rajput, 35, and his six-year-old son from his first marriage. The suspect is currently on the run with his son. The victim and suspect had some monetary dispute, police said.

Rajesh Kumar Singh, deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida, said prima facie, it appears that she was killed about three or four days ago. The neighbours said they had not seen the family for nearly a week. The door was locked from outside, he said.

Sujeet Upadhyaya, station house officer, Sector Beta 2 police station, said the post-mortem report revealed that the victim was strangled to death. We talked to the Kumaris family members and came to know that Kumari and Rajput had met six months ago while working as employees at a paying guest facility in Delhi. The man had divorced his first wife and he had a son from that marriage. The victim and suspect started living together and moved to Greater Noida, he said.

Upadhyaya said that Kumari was demanding some money from Rajput to start her own paying guest facility, and this had led to frequent arguments. Police investigation showed that Rajput strangled the woman and fled the spot over the same issue, he said.

Police said they found another address of Rajput in Ashok Nagar, New Delhi. A police team visited that address but he could not be found. Police informed Kumaris parents in Bihar and launched a search to trace her live-in partner and son.

Tejveer Bhati, president of the Swarn Nagri Resident Welfare Association said that the couple had moved in six months ago. On Wednesday, some neighbours noticed the foul smell from the flat and we informed the flat owner, he said.

Police said they have not received a complaint from the victims family or relatives yet. In the absence of a complaint, the police have not registered an FIR and are conducting preliminary inquiries.
BATH TOWNSHIP, MI - A police department near Michigan State University is asking student housing residents to refrain from throwing large parties so officers can avoid humans during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The Bath Township Police Department - known for its playful and hilarious social media presence - posted to the request to its Facebook page on Wednesday, May 13.

Dear residents of our student house, wed prefer if we didnt have to keep breaking parties up of 100-plus, the post says. K thanks.

The post is signed with Officer trying to avoid humans. The author tops off the post with these hashtag gems: #KegStandsSpreadCovid, #SaveRoomForJesus and #OMGBeckyLookAtThatGirlCoughing.

Dear residents of our student housing, wed prefer if we didnt have to keep breaking parties up of 100+. K thanks. -... Posted by Bath Township Police Department-Michigan on Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Michigan remains under a stay-home order until May 28, which means residents are not allowed to gather with people outside their household (among other restrictions) in an effort to stem the spread of the novel virus.

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Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been released from prison just one year into his seven-and-a-half year sentence to serve out the remainder at home after claiming he was afraid of being exposed to coronavirus behind bars.

Manafort, 71, was serving a seven year sentence for bank fraud and tax evasion at the federal prison in Loretto, Pennsylvania. He was sentenced last March.

Last month, his attorneys wrote to the Bureau of Prisons claiming that he was particularly vulnerable to the virus because of his age and pre-existing health conditions which include 'high blood pressure, liver disease and respiratory ailments'.

ABC reports that Manafort was quietly released from the correctional facility on Wednesday morning despite there not being a single case of the virus there.

It is unclear where he will now spend his time. Manafort has several properties including a condo in Alexandria, Virginia, and a home in Palm Beach, Florida.

Details of his release were not immediately available on Wednesday morning.

He is now the latest Trump associate to have his prison stint cut short by the pandemic.

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Paul Manafort (pictured in June) was quietly released from the Pennsylvania federal prison where he was serving a seven year sentence on Wednesday. He will now serve out the remainder at home

Manafort was serving time at FCI Loretto in Pennsylvania. There are no confirmed cases there but his attorneys said he would be at risk if it spread

Michael Cohen, 53, the president's former lawyer who brokered hush money payments with women including Stormy Daniels, is due to be released at the end of May.

Roger Stone, the president's former adviser who is 67, has had his sentencing on charges including lying to congress and witness tampering, delayed for 30 days.

Trump last month also hinted at pardoning Manafort and Stone.

He called the FBI investigators who brought the two men down 'human scum' and said: 'You'll find out what I'm going to do.

'I'm not going to say what I'm going to do. But the whole thing turned out to be a scam.'

It is unclear where Manafort will now serve out his sentence. One of his properties is a condo in this building in Alexandria, Virginia (pictured above Wednesday). He also has property in Florida and may choose to stay with relatives elsewhere

Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' former lawyer who is in custody on an array of charges including fraud, has also been released amid fears of COVID-19 exposure.

Separately, the Justice Department shockingly asked a judge last week to drop the case against Michael Flynn, former National Security Adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

The decision sparked outrage among Trump critics and prompted claims Attorney General Bill Barr was being swayed politically.

Other Trump associates Roger Stone (left) and Michael Cohen (right) have had their prison stints cut short by the pandemic. Stone was due to start a 40-month prison sentence in April but it was pushed back 30 days. Cohen will be released at the end of the month to complete his sentence at home

Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' former lawyer, has also been released from prison early

Manafort was convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion and was sentenced last March

There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the prison where Manafort was being held, but sources told ABC that because of its open layout, the virus would spread rapidly through it if just one person became infected.

The facility is a former monastery so has an open configuration.

In their letter to the Bureau of Prisons, they said: 'Given the growing number of cases in Pennsylvania and increasing challenges in testing inmates and staff potentially exposed to COVID-19, it is only a matter of time before the infection spreads to staff and inmates at FCI Loretto, at which time it may be too late to prevent high-risk inmates, such as Mr. Manafort, from contracting the potentially deadly virus.'

A court sketch shows Manafort in a wheelchair at his sentence hearing in March last year

Manafort was Trump's campaign manager. He is shown with the then candidate and Ivanka Trump in 2016, on stage at the RNC

COVID-19 has spread rapidly through other prison populations and accounts for huge percentages of some state's total case count.

In New York City, inmates from Rikers Island were released early in the pandemic amid fears they would be exposed if they had to remain behind bars.

Officials at the time said they were faced with a dilemma of protecting public health and protecting society.

AG Barr ordered federal prisons to maximum their release efforts where they could and states have taken their own steps to reduce prison populations.
The dairy sector has urged the government to provide more financial support to non-bovine milk producers who have seen their businesses devastated because of Covid-19.

There are fears over the fragile state of the non-bovine milk sector which could face 'collapse' without additional support.

The sector which includes milk, dairy products and meat from goats, sheep and buffalo has seen much of its market disappear since coronavirus restrictions were put in place.

In a letter sent on Tuesday (12 May) to the Defra Secretary George Eustice, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) highlighted the concerns.

Many producers are supplying the out of home catering market, such as delis, farmers markets and restaurants, which have temporarily ceased trading.

There is no spot milk price for these milks and with most non-bovine milk processed into fresh short shelf life products there is no flexibility to withstand market shocks.

As a result, milk is being discarded by many producers and will continue for the foreseeable future, RABDF explained.

The group added that animals are also being removed from the herd to reduce the amount of milk being produced.

RABDF vice chairman Di Wastenage said the non-bovine milk sector is 'hugely different' to the bovine milk sector.

"Due to their small size these sectors are naturally sensitive and are not able to withstand significant shocks such as Covid-19.

There is no spot milk price for these milks in this country, so it is extremely important to manage milk volumes to retain stability in the marketplace, otherwise there is only one option and that is discarding milk, she said.

These food products are predominantly sold as short shelf life fresh products which adds to the issue further.

In addition to the loss in market from the catering sector there has also been an immediate change in consumer purchasing habits away from premium products to staples and this is significantly impacting sales too.

Mrs Wastenage added: The likely scenario is consumers will continue to follow their new retail buying habits and lower their spend on high value items such as non-bovine milk. This will reduce the pace at which the market will rebound.

Already the deadweight values for goat carcasses has fallen from 150-180 to 60 for those supplying the premium restaurant trade, which is below the cost of production.

Data from 15% of the goat milk market shows 8,000l of milk a week (14% of total supply) is being discarded, with production being reduced by 20,000 litres each month by drying off early and removing animals from the milking herd.

RABDF said the sector is trying to adapt to the situation, however, with such a specialist marketplace, it 'takes time to change'.

"We hope the government will offer immediate financial loss of market support from now through to September 2020 to provide the breathing space for the sector to adjust, Mrs Wastenage said.

It is disappointing the sector was not included in the hardship fund for dairy farmers which was announced last week (6 May).

"However, due to the small size of the sector we hope the government can find a small sum of money to support them as without it, these farms will quite simply not survive, she warned.
(CNN) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said negotiations continue between his government and the Trump administration about whether to keep the border closed to nonessential traffic. The mutual border agreement is set to expire May 21.

We are a good week away from the expiry of the current phase of our border restrictions with the United States. Conversations are ongoing, are constructive, are productive. I wont make any announcements today, but I can say that things are going well and were confident about being able to continue to keep Canadians safe, Trudeau said Wednesday.

The agreement as it stands forbids any nonessential travel, although commercial traffic continues. Canadian business groups say the border has been functioning well, allowing for a substantial flow of essential and commercial goods to cross the border in both directions.

Trudeau on Tuesday said that even when some border restrictions are lifted, Canada may need some "stronger measures" at the border to safeguard public health. Canadian public health officials are looking at enhanced screening, including temperature checks and medical history evaluations for travelers coming in from the US, including those arriving at land borders.

Different countries are facing different challenges and as we manage the spread of Covid-19 we want make sure that were not becoming vulnerable from travelers arriving from elsewhere, thats why we made strong moves to secure, to close our borders including to American travelers at this time, Trudeau said Wednesday.

Canadas top doctor also said Tuesday that easing any border closures should proceed with "extreme caution."

Of course, the United States being one country that still has cases and is still trying to manage outbreaks, they present a risk to Canada from that perspective, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer said Tuesday.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trudeau suggests US-Canada border likely to remain closed through June"
The Executive will have to build public trust in a new contact tracing app aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus, a human rights campaigner has said.

The smartphone download is being trialled on the Isle of Wight before its anticipated roll-out across the rest of the UK later this month.

It is deemed crucial to the Government's contact-tracing programme, which will require smartphone users to download the app and share data the moment they test positive or display signs of Covid-19. The app will then send a notification to all mobile phone users in recent proximity to them advising them to self-isolate.

The Executive's recovery roadmap, published yesterday, confirms the app is under consideration for roll-out here.

It states: "As context to its reviews, the Executive will take account of measures to reduce transmission, including the increased availability of testing, the use of surveillance or tracking methodology and contact tracing for those who test positive for coronavirus or who meet an appropriate clinical case definition.

"Where IT solutions, such as apps, can assist, we will use them and encourage you to do the same. However, no matter how good such apps are, they will have limited value unless used widely across society."

Patrick Corrigan from Amnesty International said persuading people to use the software would be dependent on building trust.

Concerns have already been raised over users' privacy rights and security.

Last week Dr William Matchett, a former RUC Special Branch officer, warned that security workers may be reluctant to download the app over fears their personal details could be compromised.

Yesterday Mr Corrigan said "real concerns" remained.

He said Amnesty has written to the Executive outlining a range of concerns, including data privacy and human rights issues.

"The Executive has confirmed that it is considering contact tracing surveillance apps for use in Northern Ireland and has acknowledged that such technology will only be effective if adopted by a large proportion of the public," he said.

"It is incumbent on the Executive, therefore, to establish high levels of public confidence and trust that any personal information disclosed will be fully protected from possible misuse, hacking or leaks.

"Contact tracing apps and other technology could potentially be useful tools in responding to Covid-19 and helping Northern Ireland to emerge from lockdown, but there are real concerns about possible infringement of human rights.

"While most European states are now opting for a decentralised, privacy-preserving model, the UK Government seems to be planning to route data through a central state database," Mr Corrigan added.

"Amnesty has written to the Northern Ireland Executive raising concerns about data privacy, human rights protections, and compatibility between any surveillance apps on either side of the Irish border."

At the weekend it emerged people in the Republic could be forced to use two different contact tracing apps to safely travel over the border.

They may be asked to download both the UK's NHS contact-tracing app and another app being developed in the Republic to help identify close contacts of a confirmed case of Covid-19.

Experts have warned that it will be "impossible" to make the UK's contact-tracing app work with the Republic's counterpart, creating a problem for people who travel across the border.
European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) Chairman Dimitris Psillakis speaks during a press conference on the 2019 ECCK White Paper at the Four Seasons hotel in Seoul on Nov. 29. Courtesy of the ECCK



ECCK chairman says updated Korea-EU FTA, deregulation still necessary



By Nam Hyun-woo



Korea's quick and effective response to the COVID-19 outbreak "adds a star" on its profile for foreign investment, and this will help the country get fresh recognition from the world amid changes in global supply chains after the pandemic, according to European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) Chairman Dimitris Psillakis.



The outgoing chairman, however, also noted that this should be accompanied by greater efforts to improve the country's regulatory and trade environment. Psillakis will wrap up his tenure as ECCK chairman and Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO in the second half of this year.



"Under the current situation, Korea has deployed a profile which was not there before and not apparent to the outside world," Psillakis said during an interview with The Korea Times, Monday. "It's the profile that the country has a disciplined health system and medical support which can treat similar pandemics and outbreaks in the future in a very efficient way. This was not known four months ago and definitely adds a star to Korea."



His comments came amid anticipation that global supply chains will change after the COVID-19 pandemic as a growing number of global companies are putting more emphasis on the resilience of a country or region to negative impacts when they are evaluating investment destinations.



Psillakis agreed that the changes have become more noticeable in recent months.



"Companies are still trying to find the spots where activities are still happening, having advantages in sourcing and low costs, but this is not the main focus at the moment," he said.



"The redefinition of risks, supply chains and logistics will bring some changes to companies to opt for reshoring or even go stronger to establish overseas bases where your business can be safer and more protected in a similar situation in the future."



Psillakis said Korea has experienced "a quick-in and a quick-out" from the COVID-19 outbreak, and this has set up "a legacy which has to be followed," and proof that the country has a resilience from outside impact. Also, its 2 percent economic growth last year is considered a solid number by European companies.



This is why he believes COVID-19 will be an opportunity for stronger ties between Korean and European businesses, because industries will be looking for ways to mitigate the risks of dependencies around the world and creating more bases for outsourcing.



"Europe was heavily hit by the coronavirus," he said. "But you can also see the resilience of Europe in fighting and staying together as a group of inter-related countries. You see how the European Commission is taking supportive measures or increasing investments to get the European economy back on track. Europe also has many good bases for technologies and manufacturing, so we believe this is even more of a time for Korea and Europe to get closer together."



To this end, Psillakis said there is a growing necessity for a modernization of the Korea-EU free trade agreement (FTA), whose 10th anniversary is approaching.



"It is 10 years of a successful FTA application for both sides, but a decade is very long time especially in this fast changing and data-driven world," Psillakis said. "So modernizing and including articles and businesses which did not exist 10 or 20 years ago, such as autonomous driving and data management, and e-commerce are very important."



The Korea-EU FTA was officially signed Oct. 15, 2010, and provisionally went into effect on July 1 the following year, to spur investment and trade between both sides. After the agreement, the EU became the third-largest trading partner of Korea with trade valued at $108.6 billion as of the end of last year. Also, the trading bloc is the largest investment partner of Korea with an accumulated $111.9 billion in investments last year.



While the two sides have been making respective demands for an update in the past eight committee meetings, the ECCK has also been demanding a number of updates to the agreement, such as including trucks and tractors in goods covered.



More recently, the ECCK is raising its voice that the FTA should include more goods and services related to Industry 4.0, saying those are under a greater spotlight in the industrial philosophy of both Korea and the EU.



"The key idea is the FTA is positively well-balanced for the two sides," Psillakis said. "But this is not a reason for the agreement to not get stronger and younger anymore, especially at a time when companies are looking for opportunities in new technologies."



Over Korea's deregulation efforts, Psillakis said there are still some challenges in doing business in Korea, such as excessive regulations and standards that are not harmonized with each other. These increase the cost of businesses' operations here, giving foreign and local companies "second thoughts" in establishing businesses or investing further in Korea, he said.



"Korea has showcased quality in combating pandemics and having a very solid medical system. If these are coupled with deregulation, this will create a more prosperous playing field for businesses," Psillakis said. "That will be a good recipe for Korea to jump ahead in this new era of redefining."





ECCK Chairman Dimitris Psillakis, front row fourth from left, poses with President Moon Jae-in during their meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, March 28, 2019. Courtesy of the ECCK
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday that the state has reported 10 more Covid-19 positive cases, taking the total number of people presently under treatment to 41.

"Of the 10 new cases, four returned from the Middle East while two came from Chennai," Vijayan said in a Facebook post.

As on date, a total of 490 people have recovered from coronavirus in the state so far. There are 33,953 people under observation at their homes and 494 persons at various hospitals.

There are 34 Covid-19 hotspots in the state.
A body found in Boston over the weekend has been identified as a 38-year-old woman who went missing in late January, authorities said Tuesday.

Alenny Matos was last seen around 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 near 79 Spencer St. in Dorchester. At the time of her disappearance, she was headed to 21 Bullard St. but never made it to her destination, the Boston Police Department said in a statement.

Her remains were found Saturday by a passerby in swampy area in the Stony Brook Reservation in West Roxbury adjacent to the Enneking Parkway, Massachusetts State Police said.

The Boston Police Department is canceling the missing persons alert for 38-year-old Alenny Matos issued on February 11, 2020, the departments statement said.

An autopsy of Matoss body by the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was not able to determine a cause or manner of death, police said.

Anyone with information about Matoss death has been urged to call Boston police homicide detectives at 617-343-4470. Members of the public can also reach out anonymously by calling 1-800-494-TIPS.

Got a news tip or want to contact MassLive about this story? Email newstips@masslive.com or message us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also call our news tips line at 413-776-1364.
Relatives and neighbors shout slogans following the death of Mehrajudin Shah, who according to local media was shot by Indian paramilitary troopers after not stopping at a checkpoint, at his residence in Makhama Beerwah of Kashmir's Budgam district on May 13. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images)
McDonald's Corp said on Tuesday it plans to reopen all its drive-throughs in the United Kingdom and Ireland by early June, as both countries ease coronavirus-led restrictions on road travel after weeks-long lockdowns.

The U.S.-based restaurant chain said it would reopen 30 restaurants in the UK and Ireland, offering services through the drive-through lane from May 20. Meanwhile, it will open 15 pilot restaurants in south-east England on Wednesday but offer services only through delivery via Uber Eats.

McDonald's said https://bit.ly/3fIsRF5 it would cap spend in their drive-throughs at 25 pounds ($30.70) per car, while also encouraging customers to opt for contactless payment methods.

It also said the restaurants would have reduced menu and hours and that service may not be as quick as pre-pandemic levels because of reduced staffing and social distancing measures in kitchens.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in a televised address on Sunday, announced a limited easing of restrictions, including allowing people to exercise outside more often and encouraging some people to return to work.

Coffee chain Starbucks Corp said on Monday it would begin a phased reopening of 150 of its drive-thru locations and some takeaway-only stores in the United Kingdom, starting Thursday onwards. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Blaming reluctance of vegetable vendors of Koyambedu market here to move out as a major reason for the spread of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday indicated that the ongoing lockdown could be lifted "gradually" depending on people's cooperation.

He also attributed the high spike in daily virus numbers in the recent days to increased testing of samples and asked people not to panic, citing views of experts that the pandemic will "slightly go up" before declining.

As on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu has reported a total of 9,227 coronavirus cases with 64 fatalities.

The sprawling wholesale campus at Koyambedu has turned out to be a super spreader of the coronavirus with the number of positive cases in otherwise low prevalence districts like Cuddalore seeing a sharp rise in recent days after people from there travelled to the market.

The market, which houses nearly 4,000 shops and employing around 20,000, has since been closed and shifted to a temporary facility at the suburban Thirumazhisai.

Palaniswami said the numbers in several districts had gone up due to Koyambedu market which also contributed to the spike in this city, which tops the list with over 4,000 cases.

Chairing a review meeting of district collectors and other officials to take stock of COVID-19 prevention activities at the Secretariat here, he also said the state was bearing the cost incurred on sending guest workers stranded in Tamil Nadu to their native states by special trains.

In his opening remarks, he listed out his government's various efforts to ensure people did not suffer during the lockdown and had access to essential items.

"People should extend total cooperation (to the government).. depending on the kind of cooperation extended by you, the lockdown can be withdrawn gradually," he said.

Tamil Nadu is one of the worst affected states in the country by the deadly virus with the number of cases standing in excess of 9,000.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday said there will be a fourth phase of the lockdown, which will be very different from the earlier three phases. The third is scheduled to end on May 17.

Later, in his concluding address to the bureaucrats, the chief minister spoke in detail about the Koyambedu episode.

He recalled that the first round of talks between officials of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) and market representatives was held as early as on March 19 when they were asked to shift sighting the crowd, but they did not accept the idea.

Subsequent rounds of meetings were held between government and the representatives, some even chaired by his deputy O Panneerselvam to break the deadlock, but the vendors were firm on not moving out fearing losing business, Palaniswami said, adding even basic precautions like wearing masks was not adhered to by many there.

"So, the government held many rounds of talks with the traders. But ths issue (of spread) arose because they were firm that shifting will affect their business," he said.

"Now, because many from Koyambedu had travelled to other districts, the number of infected there (in those places) has gone up. This is the reason for the spike in cases in Chennai also," he said.

Finally, following a major spread, the market was closed with the concurrence of the stakeholders and has been functioning at Thirumazhisai from May 10, he said.

On Chennai topping the list of positive cases, he said the density of population, especially in narrow alleys and streets, was a significant contributing factor.

Referring to sending back guest workers stranded in the state, he said the Tamil Nadu government was footing the bill involved in the operation of trains.

While a large number of people have been sent home so far, the others would also get their chance to return in the coming days, based on availability of trains, he said and asked them to remain patient till then.

Palaniswami also stressed on intensified testing of lorry drivers and workers entering Tamil Nadu from other states.

He said efforts by his government have resulted in people having access to essential items while it was also reaching out to various sections of the society like guest workers, destitutes and the poor through distribution of dry ration as well as providing food through Amma Canteens and community kitchens.

Seeking to give a fillip to economic activities, the government had set up a high-powered committee (under the Chief Secretary) to attract businesses "moving out of certain countries," he recalled and pointed out at the resumption of various industries to benefit the working class.

Further, due to the coordinated efforts of various arms of the government, including the medical professionals, the pandemic was under control, he said, adding Tamil Nadu had the lowest death rate of 0.67 per cent while its discharge rate stood at 27 percent.

Even those undergoing treatment in hospitals will soon return home and the government was with them, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The House of Representatives has begun a probe into a number of abandoned projects worth N230 billion across the country.

This resolve followed a briefing by the chairman of the ad-hoc committee on the probe, Ademorin Kuye (APC-Lagos), after House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila had earlier declared a public hearing on the matter open on Tuesday, Vanguard reported.

According to a conservative estimate put together by the Nigerian Society of Builders, the value at these federal government abandoned properties in Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna and other cities are projected at N230 billion, Mr Kuye said.

Mr Kuye said preliminary findings showed that some of the governments properties were being used by individuals and corporate bodies, who do so without remitting any revenue to the federal purse.

Citing some of the projects, he noted that the estimated economic loss at the national stadium, Surulere, Lagos, from 2004 till date, is about N52.6 billion, while about N126 billion had been lost in rent to the NET building between 2006 to date. The amount, he said, could settle 161 years rent.

The lawmaker also explained that some of the abandoned projects came as a result of the relocation of the capital city Abuja in 1990, from Lagos as well as the commercialisation and privatisation exercise during Obasanjo-administration.

The House shall take necessary legislative steps to address national economic challenges, poverty, infrastructure decline, mute of resources, revenue leakage and corruption, he said, adding that this will be done in line with extant laws.

As with the global economy, the ravaging coronavirus pandemic has left the nations economy gasping for breath. Oil prices have slumped and federal earnings have shrunk.

But Mr Kuye maintained that his committee will leverage the thin rare opportunity to serve as a watershed to cushion the harsh economic realities by sourcing the most needed funds by consciously ascertaining their existence.

In the past, the House had promised similar large scale probes without result, but the chairman assured that his committee will carry out the task without fear of intimidation in the bid to efficiently discharge this assignment for efficient national service delivery and economic development, in the interest of the greater majority of the Nigeria people and for posterity.
The government will operate 149 flights from 31 countries, including the US, Australia and France, during the second phase of the repatriation of Indian citizens stranded abroad from May 16.

People will be allowed to board the flights, including feeder flights in the destination countries and within India, only after being thoroughly screened and provided they are asymptomatic for Covid-19, people familiar with developments said on Tuesday.

Vande Bharat Mission, as the repatriation programme has been dubbed, focused on the neighbouring countries such as the Maldives and Bangladesh and West Asian states like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia in the first phase that began on May 7.

A total of 6,037 people have been flown back to India on 31 flights operated by Air India and Air India Express in the past five days. The civil aviation ministry is coordinating with the external affairs ministry and state governments for the operation.

The maximum number of flights during the second phase will be from the US (13), the UAE (11), Canada (10), Saudi Arabia and the UK (nine each) and Malaysia and Oman (eight each).

There will also be flights from Kazakhstan and Australia (seven each), Ukraine, Qatar, Indonesia and Russia (six each), the Philippines (five), France, Singapore, Ireland and Kyrgyzstan (four each), Kuwait and Japan (three each), Georgia, Germany, Tajikistan, Bahrain and Armenia (two each), and Thailand, Italy, Nepal, Belarus, Nigeria and Bangladesh (one each).

The aircraft will fly to destinations across India, including Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Odisha, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir.

The maximum number of inbound flights are to Kerala (31), Delhi (22) and Karnataka (17).

During the first phase of Vande Bharat Mission that will end on May 15, a total of 64 flights from 12 countries are expected to bring back some 15,000 people to 14 destinations.

Each and every function in this massive air evacuation mission strictly adheres to the safety and hygiene protocol laid down by the government and DGCA [Director General of Civil Aviation]. MoCA [Ministry of Civil Aviation], AAI [Airports Authority of India] and Air India leave no stone unturned to prioritise the safety of passengers, the crew and ground handling staff in these sensitive medical evacuation missions, an official statement said.

The people cited above said Indian missions will identify people with compelling reasons for return from among those who have registered for the repatriation flights.

The costs have ranged from about 15,500 for a flight from West Asian countries to 50,000 from the UK and 1,00,000 from the USA.
Tim Hortons says it is going above and beyond in its efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 and keep customers safe as provinces ease economic lockdowns and the fast service chain prepares to welcome customers back to its dining rooms.

Weve really tried to be more proactive that reactive, Tim Hortons chief operating officer Mike Hancock told the Star after Jose Cil, CEO of Tim Hortons parent Restaurant Brands International Inc., said the food-service industry needs to change for the foreseeable future and possibly forever in the wake of the deadly pandemic.

In an open letter Tuesday, Cil said RBI is preparing to reopen seating areas that have been off-limits since governments began to order physical distancing measures, adding that it is increasing its digital ordering capabilities by adding its restaurants to smartphone apps.

In mid-March, RBI, which is headquartered in Toronto and whose holdings also include Burger King and Popeyes, said Tim Hortons had asked Canadian restaurant owners to provide takeout, drive-thru and delivery only, in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Cil, in his statement, said RBI is making improvements to its drive-thru windows, adding curbside pickup service and is considering if more comfortable and reusable masks may become part of our standard uniforms.

Hancock said Tim Hortons is taking additional measures to maintain physical distancing in its dining rooms to assure that tables are two metres apart and that seating at a table is limited to no more than four individuals. In cases where tables cant be removed signs on tabletops will indicate whether the seating can be used.

Tables will be cleaned after each use and high touch areas such as those that contain cash registers will see constant sanitizing, Hancock said, adding that it remains unclear how long the enhanced public health safety measures will be in place. Were trying to make decisions based on what we think the future will look like.

Tim Hortons restaurant dining rooms will reopen in accordance with local and provincial regulations a spokesperson said, noting that B.C. has announced a reopening timeline so dining rooms there can start to reopen.

Tim Hortons, which has about 850 restaurants in the GTA, mandated the installation of acrylic protective shields at front counters and drive-thru windows at all of its locations and Hancock said the restaurants will soon roll out food trays with coffee cup inserts for contactless drive-thru service.

He noted that Tim Hortons has provided thermometers to restaurants across the country with temperature readings required for all staff before they start a shift. Further, it had to move its Roll up the Rim event online only amid COVID-19 fears and has suspended the acceptance of reusable mugs brought in by customers.

Sustainability is a top priority for us, Hancock said. We had planned to make a big push for sustainability this year with a giveaway of almost two million reusable cups for Roll up the Rim. In light of the health climate, we had hit pause on the giveaway and on accepting reusable cups at Tim Hortons restaurants. We will resume accepting reusable cups once the health climate improves.

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Most Americans would get another check from Washington, New Jersey would claim a large share of $500 billion in federal funds, and state taxpayers would see a key property tax break restored under a new $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill proposed by House Democrats on Tuesday.

In addition, the extra $600 a week federal unemployment benefit would be extended through Jan. 31, 2021, under the proposal. That extra payment was supposed to run out at the end of July. The federal unemployment rate stood at 14.7% after 20.5 million jobs were lost last month.

The legislation marked the latest effort to help mitigate the economic harm caused when businesses shut down and residents stayed home to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Congress already has passed four bipartisan bills to respond to the pandemic.

The bill would provide another $1,200 payment to every American, up to $6,000 per household, though it does not adjust for regional differences in the cost of living. It begins phasing out at $75,000 of modified adjusted gross income for individuals and $150,000 for couples filing jointly.

New Jersey would get $16.7 billion based on a formula that gives every state a minimum amount of funding and disburses the rest according to population, the share of coronavirus cases and the average number of unemployed workers, giving more funds to those hardest hit.

New Jersey has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases, and more than 1 million residents have applied for unemployment since the pandemic prompted a near-state shutdown.

Gov. Phil Murphy has made almost daily pleas for the federal funding, which he said was necessary to avoid massive layoffs of public employees.

We clearly support any bill with direct state aid, that has the right formula, by the way, including our population and the burden of cases," Murphy said Tuesday at his daily coronavirus press conference.

In addition, counties, cities and other municipal governments would get $375 billion, with $11.3 billion for New Jersey. Some of the funds would be distributed to the more rural counties left out of the original stimulus allocations under a formula dating back to President Gerald Ford.

The money would help pay the salaries of police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, schoolteachers and other state and municipal employees. The bill is called the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act.

But both President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have demanded concessions in exchange for providing more aid to state governments, even as the National Governors Association, led by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, has called for $500 billion in new funding.

McConnell has demanded that businesses be protected from most lawsuits, while Trump said he wanted states and localities to do away with sanctuary city policies that prevent local law enforcement from holding unauthorized residents based solely on their immigration status.

Theyve also claimed that the funding would go to bail out Democratic-run states that have had pre-coronavirus fiscal problems, such as underfunded pensions.

The legislation addressed that concern by limiting the payments only to mitigate, cover costs or replace foregone revenues not projected on January 31, 2020, stemming from the public health emergency, or its negative economic impacts, with respect to the Coronavirus Disease.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

The measure also suspends for two years the $10,000 limit on deducting state and local income, property and sales taxes.

The cap was part of the 2017 Republican tax law and disproportionately affected New Jersey and other high-tax states, most of which send billions of dollars more to Washington than they receive in services.

The titanic struggle of New Jerseyans to weather this storm has been made more difficult by the constraints of the cap, said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., a member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

The provision "can be a life preserver for our neighbors across New Jersey who are struggling to survive the coming weeks and months, said Pascrell, D-9th Dist.

Murphy made a plea last month for Congress to remove the deduction limit.

Please God, folks in Washington, if youre watching, can you lift the cap, said Murphy, governor of the state with the nations highest property taxes.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
An Ohio father who went to Washington, D.C., to work as a nurse treating coronavirus patients is now on a ventilator and battling the disease himself.

The man, Michael Rhodes, traveled from Columbus on April 7 after the closure of nonessential businesses left him jobless, according to his fiancee, Amber Wachenschwanz, who has been documenting his condition on Facebook.

IMAGE: Michael Rhodes with his son, Bode. (Courtesy Amber Wachenschwanz)

Rhodes, 46, a small-business owner and part-time nurse, has worked for 20 years at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio's capital city, where Wachenschwanz also works as a nurse. The two met there and have been together for six years.

"Since his position in the hospital is considered contingent, they would not guarantee him any hours at our hospital," she said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Rhodes owns Ion Fire Protection, which employs a handful of people who clean commercial kitchen hoods, Wachenschwanz said.

"When the governor shut down Ohio restaurants, those restaurants cut services like kitchen hood cleaning," she said.

Rhodes stopped taking a salary from his business so he could pay his staff, which left a hole in the household income. So he decided to work elsewhere as a nurse.

"He knew these hard-hit areas of the pandemic needed help and he could help," Wachenschwanz said.

When he got to Washington, she said, Rhodes worked at UM Prince George's Hospital Center in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, treating non-coronavirus patients for a couple of weeks, before he took on an assignment at a makeshift hospital for patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

On April 27, Wachenschwanz said, Rhodes started complaining of back pain.

"He went to a chiropractor because he thought it was maybe just from working long shifts," she said.

But the pain did not subside.

A day later, Rhodes woke up in the middle of the night with a fever of 104 degrees. He took a day off from work and stayed in bed with a fever and body aches, his fiancee said.

Story continues

On April 30, he tested positive for COVID-19. He quarantined at a hotel where he had been staying.

"Every day we spoke, he told me he was feeling terrible," Wachenschwanz said.

Rhodes went to a hospital on May 6 and was admitted to intensive care. He spent a night there, and, after his condition worsened, he was transferred to Johns Hopkins, where he is now on a ventilator fighting for his life, his fiancee said.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak

Wachenschwanz, 40, said one of the hardest parts of Rhodes' diagnosis has been explaining it to their children. She has 9-year-old twins, Chase and Cade, from a previous relationship, and Rhodes has a 2-year-old son named Bode. Wachenschwanz said the twins are aware of the high number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths across the country.

"When the twins found out Michael had COVID, their first thing was 'Is Michael going to die?'" she said. "They're really concerned about him."

They are also concerned about her. "Mainly they see me, so they're sad because I'm sad," Wachenschwanz said.

Bode keeps asking for his father, she said.

A GoFundMe campaign launched by Rhodes' best friend, Chad Lusher, has raised more than $22,000 toward a goal of $50,000. Lusher described Rhodes as someone who always puts the needs of others above his own.

"What we wanted to get out there was his story," Wachenschwanz said. "How somebody goes away from their family, fighting hard to help people. Now he's sick and far away from home."
LOS ANGELES  Mike Garcia, a former military pilot and newcomer to Republican electoral politics, has defeated his Democratic opponent in a special election to fill a House seat in Southern California.

The victory is the first time the G.O.P. has flipped a Democratic held seat in California since 1998 and is a significant win in an election that was primarily conducted by mail and reflected the countrys bitter partisan mood.

Mr. Garcia and Christy Smith, a Democratic member of the State Assembly, competed to replace former Representative Katie Hill, who resigned last year after admitting to an affair with a campaign staff member. The two candidates will meet again in November, when both are planning to run for a full term.

Though election officials had not yet completed the count, Ms. Smith announced on her Facebook page that she was conceding the race to Mr. Garcia Wednesday afternoon, as he maintained a lead of 12 percentage points. The win clinched a two-for-two showing by the G.O.P. in Tuesdays special House elections.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that the coronavirus pandemic was a "litmus test" for multilateralism and expressed confidence that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was well equipped to tackle the crisis.

Speaking at an extraordinary virtual meeting of the SCO Foreign Ministers, Qureshi said that the pandemic posed a challenge of unprecedented scale and magnitude to humanity that necessitated coordinated responses.

He urged the SCO member states to work jointly to contain the virus that has killed nearly 300,000 people worldwide.

Qureshi said the crisis "was a litmus test for multilateralism, and the SCO was well equipped to tackle it," according to the Foreign Office.

He briefed the SCO Foreign Ministers on Pakistan's coordinated response to COVID-19 covering the public health as well as the economic aspects of the crisis. He observed that even though infections were spreading, Pakistan had seen relatively low fatalities.

Qureshi in his address also "stressed the need for the SCO to reject stigmatization and discrimination of any community in the context of COVID-19 on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity."



He praised China's handling of the virus outbreak and expressed gratitude for Chinese assistance to Pakistan.

He made a number of proposals to strengthen coordination among SCO member states against the pandemic, including regular interaction among ministries of health; joint research mechanisms; and strengthening of the SCO Hospital Alliance.

As a means to support the economically vulnerable segments of society, Qureshi underlined Pakistan's proposal for creation of the SCO Experts Group on Poverty Alleviation, as well as setting up the Centre of Excellence on Poverty.

The FO said that apart from the prevailing pandemic situation, matters relating to peace and security in the region including Afghanistan came under discussion during the meeting.

Qureshi welcomed the US-Talibanp peace agreement and hoped that the Afghan leadership would seize the historic opportunity to workout a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement. The SCO, through the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group, could play a facilitative role at this juncture, he added.

He emphasized that tackling terrorism and extremism must continue to be a priority but terrorism related allegations must not be used as political tool to malign and victimize any country or religion.

He also called for the international community to condemn and hold accountable the perpetrators of State terrorism.

The SCO is a China-led eight-member economic and security bloc in which India and Pakistan were admitted as full members in 2017. Its founding members included China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kerala University has also announced that it would be conducting final semester exams for various courses from 21 May.

The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education, Kerala, has announced the schedule for pending exams of Secondary School Leaving Certificate (Class 10) and High School Leaving Certificate (Class 12). The schedule and other details can be checked on keralapareekshabhavan.in/

The exams were postponed in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown to stop the spread of the deadly disease.

SSLC exam will commence on 26 May and end on 28 May. Mathematics paper will be held on 26 May, while Physics and Chemistry exam will be conducted on 27 May and 28 May.

Class 10 exams will be held in the afternoon, while Class 12 papers will be conducted in the morning.

Class 12 exams would take place from 26 May to 30 May. Entrepreneurship Development paper will be held on 26 May, while Biology, Geology, Sanskrit Sastra, Electronics, Communicative English, Statistics and Part III Languages exams will be conducted on 27.

Business Studies, Psychology, Electronic Service Technology (Old) and Electronic Systems exams will take place on 28 May. History, Islamic History & Culture, Computer Application, Home Science and Computer Science paper will be held on 29 May, while Mathematics, Political Science and Journalism exams will be conducted on 30 May.

Class 11 papers will also be held from 26 to 30 May.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/kerala-sslc-plus-two-exam-dates-announced-check-details-here/articleshow/75709847.cms

Choice Based Credit Semester System (CBCSS) sixth semester exam will be held from 21 May, while distance education fifth and sixth semester undergraduate papers will take place from 28 May. The tenth semester exams of five year LLB and sixth-semester papers of three year LLB will commence from 8 and 9 June, respectively.
The Wuhan Virus pandemic is not the most significant crisis in our nations history. It isnt even the greatest public health crisis in our history. But with the imposition of a near total national lockdown it is undoubtedly the greatest marginalization of personal liberty in American history.

Over the centuries, in virtually all societies, people known to be infected by various deadly diseases were confined and isolated in order to mitigate the spread and protect the rest of society. Never have we confined the entire population ostensibly for the same objective.

Over the past 50 years, an ever-increasing percentage of the citizenry has been conditioned to look to the government to cure all societal and health related ills. The ruling classes have eagerly promoted this mindset as it abets their lust for permanent power. However, this obligates those in power to cure all ills, even a global pandemic. Thus, it follows that the State will inevitably claim that in order to do so it must take control of our lives against our will even if we are healthy, lest we fall ill and overwhelm the health care system.

Using exponentially flawed models and projections, not based on any actual evidence or experience with the virus, the government at all levels so terrified the populace that they eagerly embraced the concept of home confinement and the catastrophic collapse of the economy. But one question that the powers-to-be never asked themselves at the time was: How do we get out of this? Now they find themselves trapped by their own decisions.

Recently, both the federal government and states have proposed various goals that must be met before the lockdown is fully lifted. What is egregiously wrong with all these steps is that they are solely about health and arbitrary health related statistics.

Rather than look at the devastated economy as well as the unbelievable and potential life-threatening distress of the vast bulk of the American people, these politicians are hiding behind government scientist/bureaucrats, believing that focus on just Wuhan Virus statistics will shield them from criticism. The national leadership of the Democrat party are also hiding behind the scientists to not only avoid criticism but to prolong the lockdown in the hope that the economy and nation is still in shambles on November 3, election day.

The reality is the decision to reopen the nation is a political decision, not a scientific one.

It all boils down to one simple question. Has the lockdown been worth it? That depends only partly on science. There are also three other factors that must go into that answer: 1) economic consequences, 2) constitutional values and 3) moral judgements.

First, the medical aspect. The declared purpose of the lockdown was to mitigate what was projected to be a complete meltdown of available intensive care and hospital beds nationwide or in now common parlance bend the curve. At the height of the virus outbreak, the nation utilized less than 15% of available hospital beds and less than 20% of available intensive care beds for coronavirus patients. This curve has been bent for some time.

Deaths from nursing and senior care facilities homes now account for more than 50% of total recorded fatalities since the beginning of the epidemic. In some states it is as high as 80%. Over the past three weeks nursing home related deaths account for nearly 70% of reported fatalities. As Daniel Horowitz at Conservative Review recently wrote:

This revelation should change everything we know about the current state of affairs with coronavirus. Governors are still justifying the continued lockdown by pointing to rising deaths in many states and counties. But it now appears, using simple arithmetic, that in most states, the overwhelming majority of deaths are in nursing homes, and in some states and counties, nearly every new death is in a senior facility. The implication is that there is no excuse whatsoever not to open up the country and throw all our resources at protecting nursing homes.

Numerous serology study results have been extrapolated to show when accounting for the true number of people who have gotten this virus, the infection fatality rate drops to 0.1% to 0.3% (about the same as the annual flu). A recent study at Truesdale Prison in Tennessee recorded that of 2,444 tests 1,299 were positive (53%) and 96% of those were asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). One inmate (67 years old) has died or a fatality rate of 0.07%.

Accounting for the fact that the deaths are lopsided among the elderly and chronically ill, the fatality rate among the younger population approaches 0.03%.

This virus will never disappear unless and until there is enough exposure to produce a collective immunity or an effective vaccine, available to everyone in the world, is produced. There is no scientific basis, centered on actual findings either in the United States or around the world, for continuing for weeks or months any full or partial shutdown of the general population on either the national, state or local level.

Second, the economic consequences. There has been the inevitable leftist decrying of any attempt to measure the mortality of the coronavirus against the economic and emotional cost of the chosen means of mitigating it. But this is nothing but empty rhetoric as well as hypocritical. All of us whether a tenured college professor and a grocery store clerk and a government bureaucrat and an over-the-road truck driver value and depend upon the economy to generate wealth.

Hundreds of thousands of businesses are on the verge of bankruptcy and permanent closure. 33+ million are unemployed, many are forced against their will to be dependent on government largess and the federal government is creating massive unsustainable debt in an attempt to keep the nation afloat. A thriving economy, the kind we are now destroying, is the source of our security, the financing of our health care system and our childrens future. Without it this nation as we know it will cease to exist. While our leftist brothers may sneer at this reality, it should also be remembered that poverty kills as well. And when it does not kill, it maims, mentally, physically and socially.

Third, the erosion of constitutional values. What are the limits to the things that the State can legitimately do to a people living in a constitutional republic originally established on the basis of guaranteeing individual freedom?

Lord Sumption, a former Supreme Court Judge in the United Kingdom, recently wrote:

To say that there are no limits is the stuff of tyrants. Every despot who ever lived thought that he was coercing his subjects for their own good or that of society. We have to ask ourselves what kind of relationship we want with the State. Do we really want to be the kind of society where basic freedoms are conditional on the decisions of politicians in thrall to scientists and statisticians? Where human beings are just tools of public policy? A society in which Government can confine most of the population without controversy is not one in which civilized people would want to live, regardless of their [politicians] answer to Is it worth it? My own answer is no. Guidance is fine. Voluntary self-isolation is fine, and strongly advisable for the more vulnerable. Most of them will do it by choice. But coercion is not fine. There is no moral or principled justification for it.

Lastly, on moral judgement. However valuable saving every life may be, it is not the only valuable thing to a society. A comparison is unavoidable between the lives that may be saved and the others lost in a massive national shutdown. Which includes those unable to access other lifesaving medical procedures, as many states effectively shut down hospitals and medical practices in order to theoretically mitigate the coronavirus epidemic.

Thus, it is empty rhetoric to regurgitate the talking point that every life is priceless whenever the subject of reopening the country is raised. These catch phrases are emotionally satisfying, but those that mouth them do not actually believe them, as many who fall back on these platitudes also promote and applaud abortion up to and at birth.

Societies and people make life altering choices all the time, be it going to war to protect the country, commuting two hours a day to work on crowded highways, travel by air, or working in a coal mine. These decisions are made as mankind is fully aware that there is more to life than the avoidance of death.

The answer to the question, Was the lockdown worth it? is a resounding no.

Ordering the citizenry to cower in their homes, harassing people for walking on an empty beach, and mandating small businesses close up shop regardless of their hygienic procedures has never, in the history of mankind, been demonstrated to be effective in combating any infectious disease. In summary, lockdowns do not work.

It was common knowledge by early March, based on the experience in Italy, South Korea and other nations, that this virus was problematic for the elderly with serious underlying conditions. (In Italy 85% of deaths have been among those over 70 with serious underlying conditions) Rather than focus and expend all available resources on that portion of the population, this nation decided, based on bogus science, to institute a state optioned complete or partial lockdown leaving that segment of society to essentially fend for itself -- with disastrous consequences. All the while decimating the economy, peoples livelihoods and marginalizing freedom of speech, religion, and assembly.

This nation has made the biggest blunder in its history.

The time has come for the politicians from the President to the Governors and Mayors to stop hiding behind the scientist/bureaucrats and fully reopen the nation. Focus on that segment of the population most at risk, without compulsory isolation or de facto imprisonment. And restore the civil liberties that have been wantonly eroded.

Graphic credit: Sanu N
The European Union's borders must reopen fast as coronavirus transmissions ease, with air passengers wearing masks, the bloc's executive was to say on Wednesday in efforts to salvage the ravaged tourism sector for the lucrative summer season.

Europe's museums, castles, beaches and plazas have been empty since an almost continent-wide lockdown from mid-March, but the EU wants to revive what is possible of travel for the June-August season worth 150 billion euros.

Draft proposals seen by Reuters say the bloc's executive, the European Commission, will on Wednesday urge a return to "unrestricted free movement," though that push will stop if there is a major second wave of infections.

It was not clear whether non-Europeans would be allowed to visit this summer, with the Commission saying: "Domestic and intra-EU tourism will prevail in the short-term."

The pandemic has pulverized the global economy but hit travel particularly hard. The World Tourism Organisation expects losses of 280 to 420 billion euros for the industry this year, amid a 20%-30% reduction in international arrivals.

While the Commission can only make non-binding recommendations to governments that have control over their borders, Brussels did offer some specifics.

Airlines and airports must insist passengers wear masks, but there is no need to leave the middle seat empty on planes, the draft proposals said.

People should be able to stay in hotels, eat in restaurants or go to beaches safely, the draft added, though it cautioned that would change if there is a new wave of infections.

"Until a vaccine or treatment is available, the needs and benefits of travel and tourism need to be weighed against the risks of again facilitating the spread of the virus that may result in a resurgence of cases, possibly leading to a reintroduction of confinement measures," the draft said.

Nearly all travel has been halted in Europe - a huge economic blow given the sector contributes almost one tenth of output.

Even within the "Schengen" area, where borders are normally invisible between 26 EU and other European countries, at least 17 nations have put emergency border controls in place.

The three Baltic states have already decided to reopen borders to each others' citizens from May 15, creating a "travel bubble" within the EU.

Austria plans to reopen its border with Germany on June 15.

But elsewhere, there is great caution.

Tourism-dependent Spain and others are moving towards imposing a two-week quarantine period for travelers arriving from abroad, even as they ease strict lockdowns.

The Commission estimates some 6.4 million jobs - more than half of the tourism workforce - could be lost.

The sector already suffered an 80-90% loss in turnover in the first quarter of 2020, four hospitality industry lobby groups said, and is braced for a disastrous summer season as the EU faces its deepest-ever recession. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
(Natural News) While the overall death rate from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) across America currently stands at about 5.8 percent  this based on official data that has thus far been collected and reported  the state of Michigan is reporting nearly double that amount.

As of May 8, there have been 4,343 deaths attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) throughout the state of Michigan, along with reported 45,646 cases of infection. This means that for every 10 people who contract the novel virus, one of them will end up dying from it.

About a week prior, the reported death rate from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) was about nine percent, suggesting that fatalities may be on the rise.

The only other state that is anywhere close to Michigan in terms of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths is Connecticut, which is reporting about an eight percent mortality rate. All other states have a death rate below seven percent.

Most of these deaths in Michigan are centered in the eastern part of the state, and primarily around Detroit, it is important to note. In Western Michigan, as a contrast, the death rate from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is currently 3.6 percent.

The reason for this disparity is that some areas of Michigan have already reached their peak number of infections, while others, including areas around Detroit, are still seeing spikes in new cases.

Poverty-stricken areas and more marginalized communities, claim local news outlets, are being hit the hardest by spikes in new cases. Deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) are also said to be higher in poorer communities compared to more affluent communities.

Listen below to The Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, gives his take on the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) death count and how it compares to other causes of death in the United States:

Gov. Whitmer extends stay-at-home order until May 28

Citing this uncertain situation about the continued risk of more infections, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced that the states stay-at-home order will be extended another two weeks, terminating on May 28.

This is good news for our state, our businesses, and our working families, Whitmer announced at a press conference about the extension.

Were not out of the woods yet, but this is an important step forward on our MI Safe Start plan to re-engage our economy safely and responsibly, she added. As we continue to phase in sectors of our economy, I will keep working around the clock to ensure our businesses adopt best practices to protect workers from the spread of COVID-19. When we all keep doing our part, we can reduce the risk of a second wave and re-engage our economy safely and responsibly.

Some manufacturing companies are being allowed to reopen now under the condition that they screen all of their employees daily as they enter these facilities. In addition to a symptom questionnaire, workers will need to get temperature checks with no-touch thermometers as soon as they can be obtained.

Companies that plan to reopen must also create dedicated entry points at their facilities, as well as suspend all entry of non-essential in-person visits by outside visitors.

Another part of the phase-in process being mandated by Whitmer for businesses is that they must train their workers on how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) supposedly transfers from person to person, as well as how to identify potential symptoms in order to notify the company when they emerge.

The vast majority of people in this state are doing the right things, Whitmer claims. Weve seen the curve get pushed down.

More of the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is available at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

ClickOnDetroit.com

NaturalNews.com

WWMT.com

ClickOnDetroit.com
Male coronavirus patients with low testosterone levels face a greater risk of dying from the virus, research suggests

Global death figures currently indicate that men are more likely to die from Covid-19 than women, though scientists have yet to establish why.

Now, a new study from a German hospital has shed light on the role played by testosterone, the male sex hormone, in the bodys response to SARS-CoV-2.

Researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf assessed the first 45 Covid-19 patients (35 men, 10 women) admitted to the hospitals intensive care unit.

From this group, nine men and three women died. Seven of the patients meanwhile required oxygen while 33 were placed onto ventilators.

Out of the 35 men, more than two thirds (68.6 per cent) recorded low levels of testosterone, the study said.

In contrast, over half of the female patients (60 per cent) had raised testosterone levels.

Testosterone is one of the many hormones responsible for monitoring the bodys immune response.

In men, low levels of the signalling molecule can disrupt and confuse the bodys response when fighting a pathogen. This can generate the so-called cytokine storm, a hyper-inflammatory condition caused by an overactive immune system, which has been seen in many of those suffering from Covid-19.

It is thought that this extreme homeostatic reaction, which can lead to severe lung damage and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is ultimately responsible for killing the sickest coronavirus patients.

Professor Gulsah Gabriel, who was involved in the research, told the Daily Mail: Men with normal testosterone levels do not present a cytokine storm and thus are more likely to survive.

For female coronavirus patients, the German study found that elevated testosterone levels were linked to a heightened inflammatory response.

With SARS-CoV-2 continuing to infect humans worldwide, it was repeatedly reported that men with Covid-19 are at higher risk to develop severe and even lethal outcome compared to women, independent of age, the scientists behind the research write in their study.

Thus, it has become of utmost importance to understand why men are more likely to die from Covid-19 than women.

The study has yet to be peer-reviewed.
Shameless' Emmy Rossum sported a laid-back pair of linen trousers and a matching button-down on a coffee run in Malibu, California.

The 33-year-old Showtime star displayed tremendous caution in a pair of clear disposable gloves and a face mask, as she picked up her iced beverage at Starbucks on Tuesday.

She paired her all-white, summer-inspired ensemble with a waterproof pair of slides and kept her dark tresses down.

Coffee run: Shameless' Emmy Rossum sported a chic laid-back linen ensemble, as she got her caffeine fix in Malibu, California

After shedding the protective gear in her car, the actress appeared a tad somber at the driver's seat.

Emmy is arguably best known for her role as Fiona Gallagher on Shameless, which she played from 2011 to 2019.

Somber: The 33-year-old Showtime star displayed tremendous caution in a pair of clear disposable gloves and a face mask, as she picked up her iced beverage at Starbucks on Tuesday

The star most recently filmed a new TV miniseries based on 1980s Los Angeles icon Angelyne with her in the lead role.

Emmy took to Instagram last month to announce that Angelyne herself had signed on to the project as an executive producer.

The eight-episode series, simply titled Angelyne, is based on the 2017 Hollywood Reporter profile, which pulled the veil back on her true identity and backstory.

New project: Emmy took to Instagram last month to announce that Angelyne herself had signed on to the project as an executive producer

It was announced last year that Emmy and her husband were at the helms of the series for NBC's upcoming streaming platform, with Emmy starring.

In August 2015, the Golden Globe nominee became engaged to writer/director Sam Esmail after two years of dating.

The pair tied the knot in an intimate ceremony on May 28, 2017.

Lovebirds: In August 2015, the Golden Globe nominee became engaged to writer/director Sam Esmail after two years of dating.

Emmy revealed the details of the engagement on Chelsea Handler's Netflix talk show back in 2016.

'I happened to be in the bathtub when it happened,' she confessed.

'And then I realized that it was happening. And then I got out of the bathtub because I didn't want the story to be that I was in the bathtub when it was happening.'

'And then I got cold as it was still going on, got back in the bathtub. It was a comedy of errors but it all worked out.'
McCabe Contradicted Comey on Reasons for FBIs Contentious Flynn Interview

Former FBI Director James Comey and his former deputy, Andrew McCabe, contradicted each other in their accounts to Congress about why they wanted to question Michael Flynn, then-national security adviser to President Donald Trump, in January 2017.

Their stories also diverged on whether the investigation was about to be closed at the end of December 2016.

The reason for the Flynn interview is key because he was accused of lying to FBI agents during the interview, pleaded guilty, then disavowed the plea. The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently dropped the prosecution, saying the FBI interview wasnt based on a properly predicated investigation to begin with, and seems to have been undertaken only to elicit those very false statements and thereby criminalize Mr. Flynn.

Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was investigated by the FBI starting in August 2016 as part of a broader probe into unsubstantiated allegations that the Trump campaign was colluding with Russia to sway the 2016 presidential election.

After four months, the counterintelligence inquiry into Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, produced nothing.

Closing Case

I think I had authorized it to be closed at the  end of December, beginning of January, Comey told the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on March 2, 2017 (pdf).

On Jan. 4, William Barnett, one of the agents managing the Flynn case, drafted a document to close the case, saying no derogatory information on Flynn was established, there were no more investigative leads to follow, and Flynn was no longer a viable candidate for the Russia probe, dubbed Crossfire Hurricane (pdf).

That afternoon, then-head of FBI counterintelligence operations Peter Strzok reached out to the Flynn case manager, urging him to keep the case open.

Comey said the case was kept open after the FBI obtained transcripts of calls Flynn had in December 2016 with then-Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak. According to the DOJ, Flynn asked during one of the calls for Russia to not further escalate the situation after outgoing President Barack Obama imposed new sanctions on Russia.

We kept it open once we became aware of these communications, Comey said. There were additional steps the investigators wanted to consider.

McCabe offered a different version of events, when asked about it by then-Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) during an interview with the House intelligence committee on Dec. 19, 2017.

Director Comey said the Bureau was on the verge of closing the matter at the end of December 2016. Do you agree or disagree with, Gowdy asked, before McCabe jumped in:

I think that, to the best of my recollection, our assessment by the kind of middle of December was that we really had not substantiated anything particularly significant against General Flynn.

So would it be fair to say the Bureau was contemplating closing the investigation? Gowdy asked.

I dont think a closure would have been soon. But we were keeping a close eye on what kind of progress were we making and I think our assessment at that time was we werent making a lot of progress, McCabe answered.

Did you have plans to interview him before you closed the matter? Gowdy asked.

I wouldnt characterize it as plans. That would be kind of the normal way to do that, but we werent in the planningthe closing planning phase, McCabe said.

Interview Plan

Comey said that the reason why the bureau decided to interview Flynn was because he told then-Vice President-elect Mike Pence something that wasnt truethat sanctions werent discussed during the Kislyak calls. Pence then said so in a televised interview on Jan. 15.

For some reason, [Flynn] hasnt been candid with the Vice President about this, Comey said. My judgment was we could not close the investigation of Mr. Flynn without asking him what is the deal here. That was the purpose.

Again, McCabe told a different story.

Why did the Bureau interview General Flynn when they did? What was the reasoning for the interview? Gowdy asked.

Because theIm trying to reassemble this chronology in my mind, but to the best of my recollection, we interviewed General Flynn at that time because of the existence of theof his conversation, the record of his conversation with Ambassador Kislyak had become widely known through press reporting, McCabe said.

And at that point, there was reallythere was nothat part of the investigation had become so widely known there was nothere was no reason to continue, kind of, in a covert investigative posture and so we wanted to sit down with General and understand, kind of, what his thoughts on that conversation were.

Gowdy continued, Was he interviewed because the Vice President relied upon information from him in a national interview?

No. I dont remember that being a motivating factor behind the interview, McCabe said.

So he would have been interviewed even separate and apart from the fact that former Acting Attorney General [Sally] Yates believe that he had misled the Vice President, and that needed to be addressed? Gowdy asked.

He would have been interviewed either way, McCabe replied.

There are problems with both McCabes and Comeys versions of events.

The McCabe Version

McCabe was wrong about the closing of the investigation. Strzoks texts clearly indicate that the case was about to close on Jan. 4, 2017.

It was serendipitously good the case wasnt closed yet when Strzok reached out that day to the Flynn case manager, Strzok said in a text exchange with Lisa Page, McCabes then-special counsel and with whom he was having an extramarital affair.

Thats amazing that he [Flynn] is still open. Good, I guess, Page said in her reply.

Yeah, our utter incompetence actually helps us. 20% of the time, Im guessing, Strzok said.

But if McCabe was right that the Flynn interview was because of the Kislyak calls alone, that raises the question of what exactly it was about the calls that the bureau sought to investigate.

The FlynnKislyak calls were entirely appropriate on their face and did not warrant either continuing that existing counterintelligence investigation or opening a new criminal investigation, the DOJ stated in its recent motion to dismiss the charge against Flynn. Such calls are not uncommon when incumbent public officials preparing for their oncoming duties seek to begin and build relationships with soon-to-be counterparts.

The FBI brought up the Logan Act, a 1799 law that prohibits private citizens from conducting diplomacy with countries the United States is in a dispute with. But no one has ever been convicted for breaking the law and it hasnt been used for more than 150 years.

Mary McCord, then-head of the DOJs National Security Division (NSD), said she wasnt thinking about a criminal investigation into Flynn at the time, according to a report from her July 17, 2017, interview with the FBI and the special counsel office.

It seemed logical to her that there may be some communications between an incoming administration and their foreign partners, so the Logan Act seemed like a stretch to her, the report said.

The Comey Version

Comeys take that the Flynn interview was to elucidate his alleged lack of candor with Pence rests on the assumption that the FBI deemed it relevant to its investigation of Flynn. But the bureaus statements and behavior cut against that assumption.

Yates voiced the idea that Flynn was compromised because the Russians would know that what Pence said wasnt true.

But the evidence indicates the bureau wasnt on board with the idea.

While Comey said it was possible that Pences denial made Flynn blackmailable, he acknowledged that it struck him as a bit of a reach.

Indeed, the term compromised wouldnt quite apply in this instance, according to Marc Ruskin, a 27-year FBI veteran and Epoch Times contributor.

For someone to be compromised, the individuals who would be utilizing information to manipulate him would have to have some kind of information which could bring shame upon a person or destroy his reputation, something along the lines of accepting bribes or a sexual relationship, he said.

The issue of Pences public denial could have been straightened out in a single conversation between Flynn and Pence, and was hardly an earthshaking issue that would compromise somebody, Ruskin said.

As the DOJ pointed out, the FBI didnt seek to talk to anybody else on the Trump team, such as Pence, undermining the notion that the bureau was genuinely deeply concerned about the disparities between what they knew had been said on the calls and the representations by the Trump team.

Yates said she and others at the DOJ and in the intelligence community wanted to inform the Trump team of what was actually said in the Kislyak calls, according to an FBI report from an Aug. 15, 2017, interview with her.

Ruskin says that would have been the standard way to resolve such an issue, if the bureau was genuinely concerned about a compromise situation.

But Comey, who had control over the Kislyak transcripts, blocked it.

There were additional steps the investigators wanted to consider, and if we were to give a heads-up to anybody at the White House, it might step on our ability to take those steps, he said.

It isnt clear, however, what those steps were.

The FBI said at some point that notification [to the Trump team] would mess up an ongoing investigation, but Yates said it was not always clear what exactly the FBI was doing to investigate Flynn, her interview report said.

The interview itself didnt address at all what Flynn did or didnt tell anybody in the Trump team, based on the FBI report (pdf) and agents notes (pdf) from the interview.

Whats Our Goal?

In the end, it seems, the interview cleared up nothing. The interviewing agents, Strzok and Supervisory Special Agent Joe Pientka, were instructed not to show Flynn the call transcripts and only give him a single nudge using some words from the transcripts if he said something that didnt match the records.

This approach was criticized by then-FBI head of counterintelligence Bill Priestap.

Whats our goal? Truth/Admission or toget him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired? he wrote in notes dated Jan. 24, 2017, arguing the team should rethink its approach, confront Flynn with the transcripts, and protect our institution by not playing games.

The agents left the interview with the impression that Flynn was not lying or did not think he was lying, according to an FBI report from a July 19, 2017, interview with Strzok (pdf).

When Comey was asked if Flynn lied, he said: I dont know. I think there is an argument to be made that he lied. It is a close one.

As the DOJ noted, a close argument isnt good enough in a criminal court, where proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is necessary.

Still, the FBI didnt want to interview Flynn again, according to Yates, who recalled them being pretty emphatic about it, the report from her interview said.

Whats more, shortly after the interview, Comey was suddenly supportive of informing the White House about Flynns predicament, according to Yates, who told the White House counsel on Dec. 26, 2017.

Flynn resigned two weeks later, acknowledging that he couldnt be certain that the topic [of sanctions] never came up in the Kislyak calls.

Investigating What?

With the Pence situation cleared up, it seemed there was nothing more to do with the Flynn probe.

Comey, however, said in the March 2, 2017, testimony that the investigation was obviously still ongoing and criminal in nature.

McCabe said that even following the interview on the 24th, we had a lot of work left to do in that investigation.

By mid-February, the status of the probe wouldnt have changed materially in his belief, he said.

Like we were pursuing phone records and toll records at that time, he said. There were all kinds of really very basic foundational investigative activity that had to take place and we were committed to getting that done.

Its unclear what the point of the investigation was.

Comey said (in March) the bureau wasnt investigating any possible Logan Act violation by Flynn and wouldnt do so unless the DOJ directed it.

Flynn was later threatened with prosecution for allegedly making false statements in foreign lobbying registration for his already defunct consultancy firm. But at the time of Comeys House testimony, Flynns registration papers werent yet filed.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation today announced $1.76 million in emergency grants distributed to 16 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The grants aim to help the institutions stabilize enrollments for the upcoming academic year. For students, the grants address technology needs, financial strain due to tuition or residential bills, supporting essential travel between home and campus, and other necessities.

HBCUs are an integral part of the higher education landscape and enroll nearly 300,000 students across the country, but these institutions face chronic funding challenges. The COVID-19 epidemic has increased these challenges, which are affecting students' ability to pay tuition, travel to and from school, and access the internet, thereby jeopardizing their continuous enrollment.

"HBCUs play an essential role in shaping the minds and futures of our nation's talented young people," said Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander. "As the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affects underresourced institutions and communities of color, the Mellon Foundation is proud to provide focused support for students attending these vital historically black schools."

Reflecting on the importance and potential impact of this funding Lincoln University President Brenda Allen remarked: "For every $1,000 we can offer a student in grant aid we increase the likelihood that they will graduate by about 20 percent."

Funding in the form of $110,000 emergency grants will be given to Lincoln and 15 other HBCUs: Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Dillard University, Fisk University, Hampton University, Howard University, Johnson C. Smith University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, Spelman College, Tougaloo College, Winston-Salem State University, and Xavier University of Louisiana.

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Founded in 1969, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation seeks to strengthen, promote, and defend the centrality of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse, fair, and democratic societies. To this end, our core programs support exemplary and inspiring institutions of higher education and culture. Additional information is available at mellon.org .

SOURCE The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

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Australian Treasurer Outlines Sobering Economic Impact of CCP Virus

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg gave a sobering account of the economic damage the nation has sustained from the CCP virus, revealing some of the worse deficits on record.

In a ministerial statement on what was meant to be the federal budget day, Frydenberg said that the Australian economy is set to drop $50 billion in the June quarter.

The complete 2020-21 budget analysis has been pushed back to Oct. 6, as the government consolidates the financial costs of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

Australia is predicted to experience a 10 percent drop in GDP in the June quartera record fallwhile the global economy is predicted to contract by 3 percent this year, surpassing the decrease seen during the 2009 Global Financial crisis.

China, Italy, France, and Spain have all experienced their biggest quarterly falls on record this year so far.

Social distancing orders, restrictions on non-essential workers, and stand-downs have stifled cash flow. Over the next three months, unemployment is estimated to rise by 5 percent, and within the June quarter, it is expected to hit 10 percent overall, which is 1.4 million people.

In April, surveys showed that job ads halved and activity in the construction, manufacturing and the services sector had their largest ever monthly falls, Frydenberg said.

The aviation industry has been severely impacted since Australia closed its borders to China on Feb. 1, and banned all other overseas travel on March 24. Domestic and international air travel is down by more than 97 percent.

The most noticeable difference was seen at Brisbane airport where at least 30,000 passengers passed through on Easter Sunday last year, compared to just 31 passengers this year, Frydenberg said.

One of the biggest airline companies Virgin Australia went into administration on April 21. Also, Qantas Airways, the flagship carrier of Australia, stood down 20,000 staff in March due to decreased revenue.

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson called for the government to invest in infrastructure, clean energy, and communities.

Our economy is a money tree. If you water it, it will grow, he told parliament.

Building Bridge to Recovery Phase

On May 8 the national cabinet agreed on a three-stage roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia, which will see states and territories ease restrictions at their own pace, with all reaching step three by July.

The treasury estimates that by just stage one being lifted across all states and territories it will lead to more than 250,000 people going back to work, and the GDP will see a boost of at least $3 billion (US$1.9 billion).

He went on to explain that these improvements in the economy depend on us continuing to follow the health advice.

Failing to do so could see restrictions re-imposed at a loss of more than $4 billion per week to the economy, he said.

Victoria has been the last state to ease restrictions. Premier Daniel Andrews announced that from May 13 Victorians were allowed to visit friends and family with gatherings of up to 10 people outdoors, and 5 in homes.

Schools are scheduled to open in Victoria in early June.

Opening schools will help pump $2.2 billion into the Australian economy.

The relaxation of travel restrictions is expected to contribute around $700 million, Frydenberg said.

By the time all states and territories reach the third stage of the progressive reopening the economy will be growing by $9.4 billion a month and 850,000 more Australians will be back in work.

Our ability to handle this crisis has once again reminded Australians of the importance of a strong and stable financial position which must always be a primary responsibility of government, the treasurer said.

Frydenberg Gets Tested After Coughing Fit



Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (right), Parliament House, Canberra, Australia, May 12, 2020. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images)

Frydenberg coughed several times during a parliamentary speech about Australias economic situation on May 12 and later sought the advice of a deputy chief medical officer. He was tested for COVID-19, and the results came back negative this morning.

Yesterday I was tested for COVID-19 out of an abundance of caution on the advice of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. This morning I received the result of the test which was negative.  Josh Frydenberg (@JoshFrydenberg) May 12, 2020

Shadow treasurer Labors Jim Chalmers said it was clear coronavirus was a diabolical pandemic with devastating economic consequences.

Yet all we got today is a cut and paste of what the government has already said and what Australians already knew, he told parliament.

If only the treasurer had coughed up some detail or a plan.
Voters need to replace Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst this November.

We know she was given hundreds of thousands of dollars worth in television ads and tens of thousands of dollars in direct contributions from the Koch Brothers for her first election. She votes with the Mental Dwarf in the White House (no, you cant cure coronavirus by ingesting disinfectant) over ninety percent of the time, and has voted three times to take away peoples health care without a replacement. One of those attempts she voted for would have eliminated the Prevention and Public Health Fund that the CDC uses to stop disease outbreaks.

Lately we have found that a dark money group started by some of her aides has been raising money for her re-election and coordinating with her campaign. That appears to be illegal. (12/6/19, Brian Slodysko, Des Moines Register)

Also, she has tried to cover up the identities, the number, and the payments to her staff members. This appears to violate FEC rules. (Daily Beast, 4/30/20, Lachlan Markay)
A travel industry boss has hit out at Tracey Grimshaw after she reported on a travel industry refund scandal on A Current Affair.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the head of Australia's peak body for travel agents said on a webinar that Tracey "needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face".

Tracy Grimshaw has been slammed by travel boss Jayson Westbury over her reporting of the travel industry on A Current Affair. Photo: Nine

Jayson Westbury, Chief Executive of Australian Federation of Travel Agents, made the comments in a since-deleted video, while speaking about how the negative publicity surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and the travel industry was being addressed.

He told stakeholders: "I wont ever be watching it (Channel 9's ACA) again. I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face, and I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldnt want to invoke (sic) any violence on anyone."

"But, I mean, some of the behaviour and some of the language thats being used on that program is just outrageous."

Jayson Westbury said some of the behaviour and language used on ACA "outrageous". Photo: AAP

The video, which was originally published on YouTube and the AFTA website, was swiftly taken down.

Mr Westbury went on to say that "the best thing to do for A Current Affair is just to stop watching."

"That way youll stop worrying. Ive personally boycotted it, wont be ever watching it again."

The coronavirus pandemic has forced the travel industry to come to a standstill with many people looking for refunds as it became obvious those plans will no longer go ahead.

However, some customers have found it difficult to get their money back with many travel agencies either refusing the refunds or offering credit notes only.

A Current Affair covered a story last week about a family who was refused a refund by STA Travel for a three-week holiday to the US, leaving them thousands of dollars out of pocket.

There are now calls for Mr Westbury to step down over the comments, which have angered many people on social media.

The Older Womens Network took to Facebook to share their thoughts on the matter, writing: "He said publicly in a seminar to travel agents that 'Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a good slap across the face.' Then he said he meant it 'virtually'. Virtually or not, that is 100% unacceptable. As the industry's leader, he is paid to represent the interests of travel agents. Unless they support violence against women, this man has to be stood down. We deplore violence against women in any way, shape or form."

Story continues

Many others have called him "disgraceful".

This is DISGRACEFUL. Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury said Tracey Grimshaw be given an uppercut or a slap across the face for @ACurrentAffair9 report on travel industry refunds. THIS attitude towards women is why we are still being murdered https://t.co/3calxMlrpy   Bethany Williams (@BethanyinCBR) May 12, 2020

His name is JAYSON WESTBURY.



He should be sacked for this and maybe even a close look at his interactions with women since he feels quite comfortable saying something like this during a professional seminar.  Mel en Suisse. Lavez-vous les mains (@mel_giancarlo) May 12, 2020

Jayson Westbury advocates violence against Tracy Grimshaw because she did her job and he doesn't like that. I hope that travel agents are looking at their dwindling fortunes and realising that this tool just delivered the headshot to their futures. #SackHim https://t.co/PmJsXIfMcf  Midnight Shades (@medusawink) May 12, 2020

My mental health would be a lot better if your CEO @jaysonwestbury wasn't advocating woman-bashing. How many women are your clients? How many your employees?

SHAME!  Angie Adamson (@serehfas) May 12, 2020

Mr Westbury shared an update on the AFTA website, saying the recent update from Prime Minister Scott Morrison involving the three new levels of easing restrictions means travel will likely be off the cards for some time.

He wrote, "As such, and it is to be expected, consumers will continue to look to cancel trips and request refunds. And so it continues like death by a thousand cuts as the travel industry continues to deal with these very ridged travel restrictions."

Mr Westbury added that while there have been some indications that intrastate and interstate travel may be allowed in coming months, there is no "reliable statement by any government neither federal or state, about if this is to be the case".

He finished: "Each week we watch and wait for crumbs of hope and happiness during these difficult and frustrating times but the one good thing is that we are closer to the end than when this first started.

"Prepare for more cancellations and refunds, start planning for selling domestic trips and hope that we might be allowed off the island (Australia) for Christmas."

Yahoo Lifestyle has contacted Channel Nine and the AFTA for comment.

Got a story tip or just want to get in touch? Email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com
Former Energy Minister, Hon. Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, has visited the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman for Asuogyaman, Dr. Akyea Darkwa who was involved in a near fatal accident on the Asutuare-Akosombo road, to wish him speedy recovery.



Hon. Boakye Agyarko went to the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua, where Dr. Akyea Darkwa is currently receiving treatment.



The Asuogyaman Chairman was returning from an official assignment in Accra with some constituency executives when the sad incident occurred.



Dr. Akyea Darkwa sustained multiple fractures in the right leg and hand and other serious injuries.



Hon. Boakye Agyarko assured the Chairman of maximum support through his unfortunate situation and wished him well.



Dr. Akyea expressed his gratitude to the former Energy Minister for his love and support during this difficult moment and was optimistic he will recover soon.



Dr. Akyea Darkwa condition has since been stable.

Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected]









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

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In the United States, Utah is one of only a few states to publicly endorse contact tracing apps for iPhones and Android phones and there is no public national strategy. The adoption rate in the state suggests that getting people to download contact tracing apps in the United States may be a challenge as other states consider whether to follow European and Asian countries and release their own apps.

Digital contact tracing is a new practice that uses software that collects signals from smartphones to track and slow the spread of coronavirus. When Utah's app launched, governor Gary Herbert said in a statement that the app would help enable Utah to "to address outbreaks with a focused approach instead of widespread stay-at-home directives."

More than 45,000 people have signed up for Utah's contact tracing app, Healthy Together , since it was released in late April, the app's developers told CNBC. That represents about 2% of the state's population, but could still be helpful to the state's health department as they attempt to track and notify people who might have been exposed.

Healthy Together was built by Twenty, a social media start-up that previously built an app that helps young people meet up in person. After the pandemic started, the state of Utah reached out to the company, the founders said. With their staff of about 50 employees, they repurposed their social media-oriented technology for contact tracing in three weeks.

The goal is to help the Utah Department of Health workers doing in-person contact tracing. Utah currently has 1,200 contact tracers making calls to people who tested positive to figure out where they had been and who they had been with in the past 14 days to ultimately isolate people at high-risk for Covid-19 infection. Twenty's founders say the system will improve the time to trace one positive patient's contacts from a hour-long phone call to about 16 minutes.

"Our goal is not to replace what public health is. It's to augment their efforts that currently exist," Twenty CEO Diesel Peltz said.

For now, the Healthy Together app is still in testing, and contact tracers cannot use the data being collected. But Twenty chief strategy officer Jared Allgood explains how it will eventually work:

"Jeff and Sarah are two individuals in this example who don't know each other but they both have the app on their phones. And so the both phones are emitting Bluetooth and GPS signals," Allgood said. "Through that data we can identify whether or not two people have spent some time together."

App users can find a test through the Healthy Together app, if they're in Utah. Users can also get their test results in the app. Then they get an invitation in the app to share their location history and contact history over the past 14 days with a contact tracer.

"If Public Health is calling somebody who has the application on their phone, and they've granted permission to see this minimum set of data to do the contact tracing effort, now, instead of spending an hour, you know, interviewing Jeff and trying to fill in the gaps in his memory, they together can step through his list of location history," Allgood said.

Twenty eventually hopes to sell the app and back-end to other states, as well as to private companies that want to do contact tracing among employees, which could be a multi-billion dollar industry.

Some estimates suggest that contact tracing needs 60% of a population to download a contact tracing app for it to be effective. But Tom Hudachko, a spokesman for the Utah Department of Health, said the way Utah's app is set up means it doesn't need a large percentage of the population to download it to be useful.

"Essentially what will happen is, is if an app user tests positive, they will be able to share their location history with the contact tracer who works their case," Hudachko said. "If you're able to share your location history, if you've been using the app, that provides a nice guide for that discussion."

Utah's governor's office spent $2.75 million for the app and other improvements, and will pay $300,000 per month in maintenance fees, according to public records cited by Utahpolicy.com, a website focusing on local politics.
The New York-based travel magazine Travel + Leisure has named Vietnam on its list of the top 17 destinations for tourists after the COVID-19 crisis ends.

A tourist takes a photo of St Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi after the social distancing regulations were eased.

According to the magazine, the social distancing period helps people to lean into leisure while spending time at home, but its always been travel that fuels them.

In a recent article, Karen I. Chen, the magazines editorial producer, wrote she wishes to lie on a gorgeous tropical beach and go to packed street food stalls and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, eating insanely good food when travelling in Vietnam.

Chen and her friends originally had plans to visit the Philippines and Vietnam in May, but those plans, like so many others this year, have since been thwarted.

Ive travelled all over East Asia and Southeast Asia, but these two countries Ive yet to check off my bucket list  and from what I hear, Ive saved two of the best for last."

Its incredibly unfortunate that Asians have experienced racism around the world just because the first outbreaks of the virus occurred in Asia. In the end, its a global pandemic that has affected all travellers. I cant wait to get a chance to go back and spend some tourism dollars in this incredibly vibrant, culturally rich part of the world, Chen wrote.

Besides Vietnam, the list of Travel + Leisure magazine includes many other famous tourist destinations worldwide such as Santorini (Greece); Jamaica; Midwest, New Orleans, Palm Springs & Texas, Puerto Rico (the US); Copenhagen (Denmark); Australia; London (the UK); Paris (France); Mexico; and Italy.

Earlier in 2019, the magazine nominated Hoi An ancient town in central Vietnam as the best city in the world, with ancient roots, distinct architecture, a contagious energy, and one of the best street food scenes on the planet. VNS

Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City named in top 25 trending destinations for 2020 Vietnams central coastal city of Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City were both named among the top 25 trending destinations in the world for 2020 by the worlds largest travel platform TripAdvisor.
LOS ALTOS, Calif., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kasten, the market leader for Kubernetes Data Management, today announced that its K10 data management platform is a 2019 Cloud Computing Backup and Disaster Recovery Award winner recognized by TMC's Cloud Computing Magazine. The Cloud Computing Backup and Disaster Recovery Award recognizes technologies that empower businesses small or large to remain active and productive under even the most challenging conditions, minimizing lost business opportunities.

"Enterprises continue the rapid adoption of Kubernetes across cloud-native and hybrid environments, but find many complexities and challenges with data management," said Niraj Tolia, CEO, Kasten. "Kasten is excited to be recognized as a winner in the Cloud Computing awards. This acknowledges the value we deliver to organizations that need to optimize their Kubernetes deployments to create resilient and scalable environments that ensure they can address the challenges associated with Day 2 operations."

In cloud-native environments, traditional backup and disaster recovery solutions cause scalability issues and data loss. Kasten K10 is purpose-built for applications and infrastructure that rely on Kubernetes, providing enterprise operations teams with an easy-to-use, scalable and secure system for backup and restore, disaster recovery, and application mobility.

"Recognizing excellence in the advancement of cloud computing technologies, Cloud Computing magazine is proud to announce Kasten's K10 as a recipient of the Cloud Computing Backup and Disaster Recovery Award," said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. "Kasten is being honored for their achievement in bringing innovation to the market, while leveraging the latest technology trends."

For more information about Kasten and to request a demo of K10, please visit www.kasten.io.

About Kasten

Kasten is tackling Day 2 data management challenges to help enterprises confidently run applications on Kubernetes. Kasten K10, a data management platform purpose-built for Kubernetes, provides enterprise operations teams an easy-to-use, scalable, and secure system for backup/restore, disaster recovery, and mobility with unparalleled operational simplicity. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kasten is funded by Insight Partners. For more information, visit www.kasten.io or follow @kastenhq on Twitter.

About Cloud Computing Magazine:

Cloud Computing magazine is the industry's definitive source for all things cloud - from public, community, hybrid and private cloud to security and business continuity, and everything in between. This online magazine published by TMC assesses the most important developments in cloud computing not only as they relate to IT, but to the business landscape as a whole. For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

Kasten Media Contact:

Dex Polizzi

Lumina Communications for Kasten

646-741-8358

[email protected]

TMC Contact:

Michelle Connolly

Marketing Manager

203-852-6800, ext. 170

[email protected]

SOURCE Kasten

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A smartphone app may be able to diagnose coronavirus by using the microphone in the device to measure changes in breathing sounds, the developers claim.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh say, if successful, their work would provide a 'low cost solution' to testing an entire population quickly.

It is still at the planning stage so it could be some time before it is available in app stores - the team say they first have to design new 'acoustic waveforms'.

The technology will use artificial intelligence to examine the sound coming from human airways and determine if it matches those from COVID-19 patients.

When developed the app will use existing hardware and computing power of normal smartphones to provide 'non-invasive at-home testing', developers claim.

Scroll down for video

The technology will use artificial intelligence to examine the sound coming from human airways and determine if it matches those from COVID-19 patients

The idea behind the new technology is to create a 'cheap and simple' system that allows people to be tested for the virus from their own home

Current testing to see if someone has COVID-19 requires taking a swab of the nose and back of the throat, which is then tested in a lab. The swab can be done from home but has to be sent through the post for testing.

'In this project, we will develop new mobile sensing and artificial intelligence techniques for in-home evaluation of COVID-19 in an effort to quickly and effectively identify viral disease carriers,' said Wei Gao, lead researcher.

'We hope this work will also help identify negative cases caused by other diseases with similar symptoms, and therefore, help eliminate unnecessary hospital visits during this pandemic,' he said.

Gao and his team will use smartphones' microphones and speakers to develop acoustic sensing technology that can measure changes in human airway mechanics.

Users will need to use an adapter as a mouthpiece so that the phone's microphone and speaker can record and transmit acoustic signals from human airways.

'We will then develop new signal processing techniques for accurate measurements and eventually apply deep learning techniques to create generic models that depict the core characteristics of airway mechanics,' said Gao.

If successful, the researchers say it will allow them to identify cases of COVID-19 without requiring a hospital visit - which could help contain the virus.

This isn't the only project looking to use smartphones to detect signs of coronavirus, a team of researchers in Switzerland are collecting cough sounds.

The AI researchers from Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne are working on a similar system to the Pittsburgh team.

They are looking at cough sounds from healthy and confirmed COVID-19 patients in a project called Coughvid.

Developers hope that if the app works it will stop people having to go out and queue up or visit hospitals for a test

'It seems clear that a high proportion [of coronavirus patients] have this type of dry cough thats different from the flu or allergies,' lead researcher Tomas Teijeiro told the Wall Street Journal.

He said it is uncertain just how definite the diagnose will be but hopes through further research they will be able to make it more accurate.

'It seems clear that a high proportion have this type of dry cough that's different from the flu or allergies,' said Teijeiro.

A new continuous cough is one of the main symptoms of the COVID-19 virus along with a high temperature. People with either are asked to isolate.

There is concern that using audio to diagnose coronavirus could be unreliable and offer up false positives - potentially sending healthy people to hospitals.
Political will 'fundamental' to realizing a more just and prosperous Iraq: UN envoy

12 May 2020 - Despite compounding crises that include the COVID-19 pandemic and plummeting oil revenues, a more prosperous and inclusive Iraq can be achieved provided the political will is there, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert briefed ambassadors on latest developments, including the appointment last week of new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and the majority of his 22-member cabinet, following months of political infighting and stalemate.

Although the pandemic has quieted months of corresponding protests, which saw Iraqis taking to the streets to call for an end to corruption, unemployment and poor public services, the UN envoy hoped that the new government will be guided by their demands and aspirations, for the good of the country.

"I remain convinced that a more just, prosperous and resilient Iraq can emerge from the current compounded crises. But for that to happen, political will is fundamental", said Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

End climate of 'destructive petty politics'

"Iraq must move away from endless crisis management towards a more productive approach, building resilience at both the state and society level. Short-term political and private calculations do not serve Iraq's long-term interests, on the contrary. And yes, the challenges are many; but so are the opportunities."

The UN envoy noted that the new Prime Minister's priorities include tackling the pandemic, reforming the security sector, strengthening the economy, and fighting corruption, which she characterized as "perhaps the greatest source of dysfunction" in Iraq.

"These worthy aspirations must be turned into action urgently," she said.

"And let me emphasize: Iraq does not have the luxury of time. Nor can it afford destructive petty politics".

Economic woes worsen

Iraq has long battled political turmoil but also social, economic and security crises. COVID-19 has added to these challenges by bringing commercial activity to a standstill and putting the livelihoods of millions in peril.

Oil-dependent Iraq has also seen monthly revenues from this commodity drop from $6 billion to $1.4 billion between February and April. Additionally, the economy is projected to contract by nearly 10 per cent this year, with poverty rates rising to around 40 per cent.

As Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert pointed out, these developments are occurring at a time when it will become even harder for Iraq to access international funding. The need to broaden its revenue base could not be more apparent.

"Time and again, it has been made clear that Iraq should reduce its oil dependency; repair and upgrade critical infrastructure; temper its ballooning, inefficient public service; build viable and responsive state institutions; combat patronage and clientelism; fight corruption, and incentivize the domestic private sector while attracting foreign investment," she stated.

Insecurity a constant threat

Meanwhile, Iraq continues to bear the impact of domestic, regional and international security developments.

Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert reported that although "inflammatory rhetoric" and a "pattern" of attacks and counter-attacks have tapered off in recent weeks, they remain a constant threat.

"And I can only emphasize: the way armed elements, armed entities, with differing ties to the State, choose to act in this moment will determine how Iraqis  and, indeed, many others -- will perceive them," she added.

"Once again, Iraq cannot afford to be used as a theatre for different power competitions and/or proxy conflicts".

The UN official also warned against the resurgence of violent extremism, stating that the best way for the Government to counter ISIL and other groups is to provide for citizens by addressing the root causes of their grievances.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (TSXV: SCZ) (the "Company" or "Santacruz") reports that it has commenced preparations to resume mining and milling operations at the Zimapan Mine located in Zimapan, Hidalgo State, Mexico on or about May 19, 2020.

Operations at the Zimapan Mine were temporarily halted in April (see news release dated April 21, 2020) in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The Mexican government has authorized the resumption of non-essential activities as of May 19, 2020 in municipalities that present low or no known cases of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, subject to criteria defined by the Secretariat of Health. The municipality of Zimapan, Hidalgo State, Mexico is classified as a low risk municipality. The Company has filed applications with government authorities to obtain permission to resume mining activities at the Zimapan Mine on or about May 19th.

The Company also announces that it has appointed Mr. Carlos Silva as its new Chief Executive Officer replacing Mr. Arturo Prestamo, who has been appointed Executive Chairman.

Mr. Carlos Silva, CEO, commented: "We look forward to bringing the Zimapan Mine back to production in a safe and orderly manner." Mr. Silva continued; "We will maintain the strict measures and initiatives that were put in place at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to protect the wellbeing of our employees and communities".

Mr. Arturo Prestamo, Executive Chairman commented; "With Carlos now as our CEO the Company has completed the reorganization of our Leadership Team."

About Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd.

Santacruz is a Mexican focused silver company with two producing projects (Zimapan and Rosario) and two exploration properties, the Panuco property and Zacatecas properties. The Company also owns 100% of Carrizal Mining S.A. de C.V. Carrizal Mining is a private Mexican mining company, which holds a 20% working interest in the Company's Veta Grande Project and has the right to operate the Zimapan Mine until December 31, 2020 under a mining lease agreement.

The Company is managed by a technical team of professionals with proven track records in developing, operating and discovering silver mines in Mexico. Our corporate objective is to become a mid-tier silver producer.

'signed'

Arturo Prestamo Elizondo,

Executive Chairman

For further information please contact:

Arturo Prestamo

Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd.

Email: info@santacruzsilver.com

Telephone: (604) 569-1609

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward looking information

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws, including statements relating to the planned resumption of operations at the Zimapan Mine. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, and that future metal prices and the demand and market outlook for metals will remain stable or improve. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to above prove not to be valid or reliable; failure to obtain necessary government approvals; changes to government regulations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic; market conditions and volatility and global economic conditions, including delays, increased volatility and potentially negative capital raising conditions resulting from the continued COVID-19 pandemic and risks relating to the extent and duration of such pandemic and its impact on global markets; risk of delay and/or cessation in planned work or changes in the Company's financial condition and development plans; risks associated with the interpretation of data (including in respect of the third party mineralized material) regarding the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the uncertainty of the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits and the risk of unexpected variations in mineral resources, grade and/or recovery rates; risks related to gold, silver, base metal and other commodity price fluctuations; risks relating to environmental regulation and liability; the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55790
Hyderabad, May 14 : Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education on Wednesday announced that the geography and modern language exams of the Intermediate Second Year (12th standard) will be conducted on June 3.

The geography paper II and modern language paper II could not be held on March 23 due to the imposition of the lockdown.

The board said the exam will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the same centres mentioned earlier. It asked all the students to attend the examination at their respective centres with the same hall tickets.

All papers of Intermediate First Year were completed while all papers except geography and modern languages were also held before March 22.

Meanwhile, the valuation of answersheets of the Intermediate examinations continued for a second day on Wednesday. According to the board, 9,202 examiners attended the spot valuation camps at 12 places in the state.

The board also said it has come to its notice that some of the managements of private/corporate junior colleges are running online classes for Intermediate examinations in the lockdown period and pressurizing the students to pay the second year fee.

The board said in view of the lockdown it is yet to notify the affiliation process and private junior colleges/private colleges have not yet been permitted or affiliated for the academic year 2020-21.

It made it clear that the managements of private/corporate colleges are not permitted to run the classes/online classes. It asked them not pressurize the students for the payment of fee for the academic year 2020-21.

The board also informed that it is offering online lessons, content and tests free of cost for EAMCET, NEET, IIT-JEE and the same can be accessed on tsbie.cgg.gov.in.
Beijing on Tuesday said that China and the United States should work together to implement their Phase One trade deal, following the principle of equality and mutual respect, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Beijing on Tuesday said that China and the United States should work together to implement their Phase One trade deal, following the principle of equality and mutual respect, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

This comes in the wake of comments by US President Donald Trump, who had said in a press briefing on Monday, that he was considering terminating the pact signed in January.

"The conclusion of the China-US phase one trade deal serves the interests of China, the US and the world. The two sides should work together to implement the agreement following the principle of equality and mutual respect," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in an official statement.

"Heads of the Chinese and US trade consultation teams had a phone conversation on 8 May, agreeing to work towards creating enabling atmosphere and conditions for the implementation of the phase one trade deal and strive for more progress," he added.

China released a new list of US products on Tuesday that will be exempted from the second round of additional tariffs.

Meanwhile, the US President during a press conference said that China is seeking to renegotiate the trade agreement with the United States, but he is not interested in doing so.

"I have heard that too - they would like to reopen the trade talk to make it a better deal for them," Trump said when asked to comment on Chinese media reports on the matter. "I'm not interested in that. Let's see if they live up to the deal that they signed."

Earlier, Trump had also threatened to terminate the Phase One trade deal if China fails to fulfill its promise of buying USD 200 billion or more of American goods and services.

During a virtual town hall from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Sunday, Trump said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had only agreed to the deal because of the Washington-imposed tariffs which "at a minimum are the greatest negotiating tool that we have ever devised that we never use", South China Morning Post reported.

"We are going to have to see what is going on (with the purchases) because of what happened," said Trump.

"They took advantage of our country. Now they have to buy and if they do not buy, we will terminate the deal. Very simple. China doesn't want to see me elected," he added.

The Phase 1 deal has ended tariffs of around USD 155 billion worth of Chinese imports that were set to take effect at the end of 2019 and halved tariffs to 7.5 percent on another USD 120 billion in goods. But it kept in place the 25 percent import taxes on USD 250 billion worth of Chinese products.

In exchange, China pledged to buy, over two years, at least USD 200 billion more of American goods and services than it did in 2017, including about USD 40 billion in agricultural goods.

Many have speculated that China's ability to make the purchases has been significantly damaged by the coronavirus pandemic, which led to the country's first economic contraction since 1987, after months of lockdown to contain its spread.

Since the start of coronavirus pandemic, both US and China have been at loggerheads, and tensions between the two have escalated.
A Melbourne lawyer is warning businesses to prepare for potential privacy issues that may already be arising from current remote working conditions.

Rigby Cooke Lawyers Senior Associate Emma Simpson said while business owners were currently focussed on doing what they could to remain afloat, a significant privacy breach could seriously impede their recovery.

Many businesses are operating in survival mode and they may not be aware of the breaches which may currently be happening, Ms Simpson said.

Employees may not have thought very carefully about the privacy risks of their home-office set up  children using their devices, family members or visitors overhearing sensitive phone calls or misplaced documents due to the lack of proper storage to name a few.

Employers are reliant on their staff ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of the information they have access to in their work.

However, employers need to ask themselves if they have done what they can to ensure they have adequate policies and procedures in place, and their staff have been properly trained to know what it means for them.

Do your staff understand what their obligations are under the business privacy policies and procedures in a remote working context?

Ultimately, employers will bear the reputational costs of a Notifiable Data Breach, which by law must be reported to the Australian Information Commissioner and affected individuals.

This reputational damage could prevent a business from fully recovering when the economy begins to open up again.

Businesses with a turnover of $3 million or more, and some smaller businesses (including those which handle health and medical information), are required to comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

This requires businesses to maintain and enforce a Privacy Policy which addresses the specific practices of their business. Perhaps even more critical is having internal procedures and systems in place internally to ensure staff actually do what the policy says. Serious breaches of the act can result in fines of up to $2.1 million.

Businesses should perhaps take the opportunity of a reduced workload to look at addressing their Privacy Policy and internal procedures and ensuring they are robust, Ms Simpson said.

In my experience, many businesses simply copy a Privacy Policy from the internet  an approach which means their policy will not address the specific needs of their business.
A short while ago, the Free Homeland-UCA alliance of political parties ended its special session in Shushi, and member of Free Homeland Party Artur Tovmasyan garnered the maximum votes out of all the candidates nominated by the political party for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly after a secret ballot held during the session. This is what President-elect Arayik Harutyunyan wrote on his Facebook page and added the following:

During the session, it was decided to elect Artur Harutyunyan head of the faction of the political alliance and elect Eleonora Avanesyan secretary of the faction in the to-be-established parliament.

I would also like to inform that, from the pre-electoral list of the Free Homeland-UCA alliance of political parties, Karen Danielyan will be appointed Chief of Staff of the President, Lusine Gharakhanyan  minister of education, science and sport, and Aram Sargsyan  minister of urban development.

The rest of the appointments will be announced soon and in order.
On the cusp of stepping down, Lesotho's embattled prime minister has denied in an interview with AFP any role in the murder of his estranged wife, a drama that has gripped the tiny kingdom for months.

The octogenarian Thomas Thabane has been under pressure even from his own party to resign over the accusations, and he has agreed to go -- but only on the grounds of his old age.

In a telephone interview with AFP, Thabane vehemently denied he was involved in the 2017 killing of his 58-year-old wife Lipolelo, who he was in the process of divorcing.

Police have questioned but not charged Thabane in the case, which has triggered a protracted political crisis in the mountainous southern African nation, although his current wife has been indicted.

"For me it is not the best subject to deal with because a woman who was my wife and who I loved was killed and I don't kill people and I wouldn't kill my wife. No, no!" he said.

'Very painful'

The couple had been locked a bitter divorce at the time and her death sent shockwaves through a country with a history of political instability.

Thabane admitted that they had "a bit of a disagreement" just before she was killed -- two days before his inauguration.

"This matter is not only a matter of great pain to me and it came out as a huge embarrassment. And it's painful, very painful," he said.

His political rivals say he has been seeking immunity from prosecution as part of a "dignified" exit from office that has been mediated by South Africa.

Thomas Thabane appeared in court in February with his current wife Maesaiah Thabane, who has been charged with murder. By MOLISE MOLISE (AFP/File)

Sounding relaxed and contemplative in the interview, the two-time prime minister said he did not want to serve out his term which is due to end in 2022.

"I have served enough in this... and other capacities and the time has come for me to retire," said Thabane, who turns 81 in two weeks' time.

"All I look forward to... is for me to be left alone," he said.

"All the other things that are being said are just nonsense.

"I don't want to worry my heart about that and I also don't want to spoil my happiness by delving into things that just make me feel very sad."

New coalition emerging

In January, he set himself a target to leave office by July 31 as the murder accusations swirled.

But rivals in his own All Basotho Convention (ABC) party and outside have been pushing for his early departure.

Mediation talks led by South Africa, and legal and parliamentary processes, culminated in the disbanding of his fractured coalition government on Monday.

Speaking in his first interview following the coalition collapse, Thabane sounded buoyant.

"A new coalition is emerging and it is a good thing," he said.

He refused to give the exact date that he plans to clear his desk and hand over the reins, saying there were still some loose ends to be to tied up -- to make his retirement "as smooth as possible".

But he said he intended to turn in his resignation letter to the king on Wednesday.

Parliament is due to meet on May 22 to appoint his successor and install a new government.

Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro, 58, has been nominated to be the new premier.

The saga has also sucked in his new wife Maesaiah, 43, whom he married two months after the killing and who has been charged with murder.

"How they involve her in this, I don't know, I don't understand. All that rubbish they have been collecting to try and involve her, is not working," Thabane said.

Thabane's time in office had brought hopes of stability to Lesotho.

He first came to power in 2012 as the head of the country's first coalition government, formed after an inconclusive vote.

But his second term was rocked by Lipolelo's murder.

While no premier has served out a full five-year term in Lesotho, Thabane boasted that that he has set an example to fellow African leaders who have the propensity to cling to power.

"I'm trying to set a precedent that leaders in Africa must volunteer to leave when they think it's time to leave or at the very worst they must leave when their term ends."

Besides writing a book about his life, going back to reading the plays of William Shakespeare that he studied at university, Thabane says he wants to serve as lay minister in his evangelical church.
Accra, 12 May 2020  Stakeholders are being urged to support and protect waste management actors to minimize their risk of COVID-19 infection and to assist with the important role they are playing in the response to the pandemic.

This call was made during a virtual meeting, organized by the Waste Recovery Platform being facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to discuss how members are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, how they are adapting and innovating in this context, and how the Platform could be mobilized to support the national response.

At the virtual meeting, the 82 participants representing 60 institutions in the waste management ecosystem, emphasized the importance of promoting waste segregation at source to reduce the risks of infection among waste collectors. This is because there is the likelihood of infectious waste being generated in households due to the presence of isolated persons and asymptomatic patients (people who do not know they have the virus).

They called for greater awareness creation on waste segregation to encourage households to separate potentially infectious waste such as cough tissues and used face masks from other domestic waste, and double-bag these wastes in a separate bin before collection.

COVID-19 is increasing household waste as people are staying at home, but unfortunately people are mixing all wastes together. Awareness creation is key in this difficult time, and media and all stakeholders must come on board to sensitize the public, noted Dr. Edem Mahu, Lecturer at the University of Ghana during the meeting.

The concerns raised by members during the meeting were validated by a quick poll, where out of the 51 participants that voted, majority indicated that their greatest concern in this period is the potential of infectious waste being mixed with general waste in households. This was followed by high volume of waste due to people staying at home with limited infrastructure to manage these wastes; lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for sanitation workers; and limited financial capacity of service providers, leading to layoffs.

Similarly, in terms of stakeholders in the waste management sector being mostly affected by the pandemic, individual level waste pickers/transporters emerged as the first category (see graph below).

The participants strongly recommended a collective effort to protect frontline waste collectors (both formal and informal), for example through the provision of PPEs, specialized training on the handling of potentially infectious waste as well as COVID-19 testing, as some may have been already exposed due to the nature of their work. For waste management service providers in the sector, the pandemic has resulted in significant drops in revenue and they called for stimulus packages from the government to sustain their businesses. These, they said, could include grant facilities and tax waivers to support their operations.

We are currently generating less than 40% of our estimated revenue. Despite more household waste generation, people are finding it difficult to pay for waste collection. We also have huge drop-in services from commercial clients such as those in the hospitality sector due to suspension of services and we really need support, Ms. Ama Ofori Antwi, Executive Secretary of the Environmental Services Providers Association (ESPA) noted.

Among the key recommendations was the need for centralized revenue collection and electronic payment systems to facilitate revenue collection for waste management service providers. The participants also raised the importance of paying particular attention to hotspot areas, such as informal settlements. Speaking from a local government perspective, Desmond Appiah, Chief Sustainability Advisor at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), mentioned that AMA is identifying local champions to rapidly communicate the need for behavioral change, including social distancing and handwashing in public places.

In addition, the participants expressed concerns about the safe disposal of infectious waste, for example in health care facilities. It was suggested that best available technologies should be adopted (such as autoclaving or incineration in temperatures above 850-degree celsius) to complement existing health care waste management infrastructure across the country.

In his submission, the Head of Environment and Climate Cluster of UNDP Ghana, Paolo Dalla Stella noted that the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service, in partnership with UNDP has been supporting the adoption of non-incineration technologies ( autoclaves ) for medical waste management in some health care facilities in the country (Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Koforidua Regional Hospital, and Tegbi Health Centre). He added that currently, UNDP is working with the UN systems in Ghana and the health authorities to promote safe and effective health care waste management.

Our current response to COVID-19 includes health care waste management and we are working with the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), an agency under the Ministry of Health; and the Accra School of Hygiene to conduct monitoring and training on medical waste in about 800 health facilities. We are also partnering with the Ministry of Health to promote local production of hand sanitizers and looking at the possibility of procuring additional autoclaves to support existing facilities, said Paolo Dalla Stella.

In terms of concrete actions, participants noted that the current crisis presents some opportunities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Ghanas waste management system, for instance, through investments in research and locally-driven innovations.

About United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, we offer a global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. Kindly visit www.gh.undp.org for further information on UNDP Ghana.

About the Waste Recovery Platform

The Waste Recovery Platform is a community of like-minded people and institutions formed to connect ideas and resources to facilitate Ghanas transition towards a circular economy in waste management. Formed in 2018, it has over 350 members representing over 150 institutions, playing relevant roles in Ghanas waste management value chain. Its membership cuts across Government, Private sector (formal and informal), Civil Society, Academia, Media and the international community.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

SC directs states to reach out to 10,000 kids orphaned due to Covid-19, pay compensation

'Self-reliant' mission is nothing but repackaged 'Make in India' initiative: Shahshi Tharoor

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

New Delhi, May 13: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package's "Self-reliant India Mission" and said that it nothing new but a re-packaged version of "Make in India" initiative.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader tweeted a Hindi couplet to express his views on the same.

Coronavirus crisis: Here is what new findings, study reveals about smokers and COVID-19

In a tweet, the Congress leader said, "Make in India is now self-sufficient India, is there anything new?"

On Tuesday, PM Modi announced a Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package for the country to become "Self-reliant" and deal with coronavirus crisis.

Decoded: How COVID-19 disease kills people

The Prime Minister also announced that the fourth phase of lockdown would be completely redesigned with new rules and will commence from May 18.

While addressing the nation for the fifth time, PM Modi said, "We have been fighting this virus for the past four months. Many have lost their lives due to coronavirus. My condolences are with all of them. A single virus has changed the entire world."

India's COVID-19 cases rise to 74,281, death toll at 2,415

PM Modi's address to the nation came a day after he held a six-hour meeting with Chief Ministers of several states on Monday, including Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal, seeking an extension of the coronavirus lockdown.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rio Silver Inc . ("Rio Silver" or the "Company") (TSX.V: RYO) is pleased to announce that it has closed the previously announced non-brokered private placement (the Financing) for gross proceeds of $160,000. The proceeds of which will be used to fund ongoing operational expenditures, demand loan payments and critical sustaining costs including concession taxes in Peru.



Upon the completion of the Financing the Company issued 6,400,000 units, (the Units) at a price of $0.025 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share and one transferable share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant is exercisable into one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.08 per share until May 12, 2022.

The Company paid finders fees of $2,000 in cash and issued 40,000 broker warrants, with each such broker warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of $0.08 per share until May 12, 2022.

The securities issued under the Financing will be subject to a statutory hold until September 12, 2020.

Additionally, the Company announces that by order of the Government of Peru, lockdown conditions continue to be in place until May 24, 2020. At that time, the mining industry will be allowed a structured return to work under strict industry standards, to combat further spread of COVID-19. By early adoption of necessary protocol, the contractor selected will begin a bulk sampling campaign at the companies Palta Dorada Gold & Silver Project. In addition, the Company will regain access to corporate offices in Peru enabling auditors to complete the filing of the year end financials.

The Company is also pleased to note that its VP of exploration, Ryan Grywul P.Geo., is a resident of Peru, thus allowing the full exploration activity to resume (when permitted), unrestricted by international travel issues that are now assumed to continue for the balance of the year. Management remains hopeful that plans for an initial drilling campaign, at its flagship holding, Ninobamba Gold Silver project in Southern Peru, are still possible for later this year.

For more information contact:

Christopher Verrico, President, CEO

Tel: (604) 762-4448

Email: chris.verrico@riosilverinc.com

Website: www.riosilverinc.co m

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable laws.
UN holds policy discussion stressing multilateral solutions to ease COVID-19 pandemic

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:17, May 12, 2020

UNITED NATIONS, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Monday held a wide-ranging policy discussion stressing a variety of multilateral solutions to ease the COVID-19 pandemic and also to get back on track toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

"Our commitment to achieving the SDGs has not changed, but the urgency to act has," said Mona Juul, president of the Economic and Social Council, as the discussion over the topic of "Joining Forces: Effective Policy Solutions for Covid-19 Response" got underway online.

Juul said while working toward breakthroughs that will help the world overcome the health emergency, including a vaccine, "we are only beginning to realize the true scale of the social and economic crisis that lies ahead of us."

Nearly half the global workforce is in immediate danger of being unemployed, while other global goals are being reversed, such as the increase in global poverty for the first time since 1998, with some regions slipping back to levels last seen 30 years ago.

Malaria mortality levels threaten to revert to those of 20 years ago and violence against women and girls "has become a shadow pandemic, with the number of victims increasing to the hundreds of millions worldwide," she said.

"These are incomprehensible setbacks to our hard-won development gains... We must ask ourselves: how can we find solid footing in the new evolving normal?" Juul said.

While this virus impacts everyone, it has not been an equalizer, but instead has exposed and compounded inequalities in societies.

"These disparities should be our catalyst, and our call to build back better," she said, adding national responses should be shaped by human rights and that country-specific global action should take special situations into account.

Juul maintained that the pandemic has "put a spotlight on the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation, governance, and above, all global solidarity."

Noting that "we are currently tossing and turning through dangerous waters," she pointed to the SDGs as "our chart to see us through the storm."

"Now is truly the time to fulfil our promise of leaving no one behind," she noted.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the meeting that lives and livelihoods everywhere depend on the UN's ability to support governments in tackling this "unprecedented health, humanitarian and socio-economic crisis."

Calling the SDGs "a clear compass" to direct the global community, she cited the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, as the world's chart.

"We will need to keep in mind dual imperatives: to respond urgently to stem the impact of the pandemic, while helping governments and people respond in a way that recovers better, more resilient, future," said the deputy UN chief.

She underscored the "immediate priority" of addressing the needs of the most vulnerable countries and communities who risk being left behind.

When allocating resources, close attention will be paid to the needs of conflict- and disaster-affected countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, according to Mohammed.

Turning to the UN's COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to catalyze joint action on the ground for the most vulnerable countries and communities, Mohammed said that "we estimated billions and are receiving millions."

In closing, she offered the UN's full commitment in supporting governments and ensuring that "lives are saved, livelihoods are restored, financial resources are mobilized, and that the global economy and the people we serve can emerge stronger from this crisis."

Describing the coronavirus pandemic as "a human crisis of historic magnitude," Liu Zhenmin, who heads the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), said it has destabilized global economic growth and led the world into a major global recession that threatens all the SDGs.

The DESA chief stressed the need to build on lessons learned throughout the crisis to accelerate progress during the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development and to turn the tide against inequality.

Guy Ryder, director of the International Labour Organization, maintained that an effective response to COVID19, which protects the most vulnerable first, requires global solidarity and multilateral action, with international coordination on health, social and economic policy.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet maintained that human rights were at the core of the COVID-19 crisis and encouraged vocal support to step up efforts to leave no one behind.

Qu Dongyu, head of the Food and Agriculture Organization, emphasized the impact of that the pandemic is having on food security and nutrition, pushing for effective policy solutions for the global pandemic response.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, executive secretary for the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, encouraged a coordinated and coherent global response to the adverse social, economic and financial impact of the pandemic.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, also weighed into the discussion, saying "There can be no going back to business as usual."

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After Tuesdays Senate testimony by Dr Anthony Fauci, Senator Kamala Harris praised the governments leading infectious disease expert for speaking the truth about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In an appearance on MSNBC, Senator Harris slammed Donald Trumps messaging regarding the crisis and suppression of the work of public health professionals.

Thank god for Dr Fauci, thank god for him having the courage to speak truth, said Ms Harris.

God only knows what repercussions hes going to face for speaking the truth, but obviously he has the well-being of the American people as his priority as opposed to the political patronage that this president thinks hes due, she added.

Dr Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a Senate committee on Tuesday that if states open too quickly, they could be dealing with new Covid-19 outbreaks that you cannot control.

There is no doubt when you pull back on mitigation, you will see cases appear, he said. It's not only doing it at the appropriate time, with the appropriate restraints, but ... responding when the infection recurs.

The Senate Health, Education, Labour and Pension Committee hearing covered the availability of Covid-19 testing for the general population and the difficulties associated with reopening the economy and easing stay-at-home orders.

Dr Fauci and other health officials remain optimistic about vaccine development and even suggested that schools might be able to reopen in August and September.

Before her praise of Dr Fauci, Senator Harris said that nothing has changed regarding the presidents disposition and failure to embrace truth and speak truth to the American people.

Donald Trump is attempting to suppress the work and word of public health professionals, and this is after a long line of activities by him that have been about a failure of leadership, Ms Harris said. From rejecting the seriousness of [the coronavirus], calling it a hoax, to trying to muzzle the voices of public health professionals, so this is just more of the same.

On Wednesday morning the US had 1.37 million confirmed cases of Covid-19, and had officially recorded 82,391 deaths from the virus.
A 24-hour curfew will be imposed across Saudi Arabia during the five-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday (May 23 to 27) to check the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), a report quoting Saudi Interior Ministry said.

Until Eid, economic activities will remain open and people can move freely between 9 am and 5 pm, excluding in Makkah, which remains under full curfew, the Arab News report said quoting a ministry statement.

The ministry has also imposed an immediate 24-hour lockdown in Baish governorate in Jazan province.
These documents simply indicate the breadth and depth of concern across the American government  including among career officials  over intelligence reports of Michael Flynns attempts to undermine ongoing American national security policy through discussions with Russian officials or other foreign representatives, Andrew Bates, a Biden campaign staffer, said in a statement. Importantly, none of these individuals could have known Flynns identity beforehand. These documents have absolutely nothing to do with any FBI investigation and they confirm that all normal procedures were followed  any suggestion otherwise is a flat out lie.
Aladin and Laura Jallali had a shockingly harsh breakup after their brief time together on TLCs 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way. Their May-December romance ended when Aladin appeared on the Tell-All and abruptly announced that he wanted a divorcefollowing just a few short weeks of marriage.

On a recent episode of 90 Day Fiance: What Now on TLC GO, Laura took matters into her own hands. She headed to a divorce lawyer in Florida to discuss her options, now that Aladin had started the paperwork in his home country of Tunisia.

Laura Jallali | Laura Jallali via Instagram

Laura claimed Aladin showed a controlling side after she moved to Qatar

After Aladin announced that he wanted a divorce on the 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way Tell-All, Laura claimed they rarely spoke. She moved back to Florida with her son, Liam OToole, while Aladin remained in Qatar alone and began the divorce proceedings in Tunisia.

On 90 Day Fiance: What Now, Laura took her sons advice and met with a lawyer to protect her interests. The 51-year-old met with Kelly Johnson, a Florida attorney in the areas of family law and criminal defense.

Laura wasted no time in explaining her plight to the attorney. I got married to a Tunisian man a little over a year ago, she explained. I relocated to Qatar to live with him. And, much to my surprise, he wants a divorce, which shocked me.

Johnson asked if Laura and Aladins marriage had been a happy one, albeit obviously short-lived. Yeah, Laura said unconvincingly. But I started to see a real change in his attitude. He became quite controlling over me, and I wasnt allowed to go out unless he was with me.

The 90 Day Fiance star claimed that her decision to head out to a coffee shop alone one afternoon had served as the impetus for her divorce. One day, I decided to venture off on my own, and apparently, this is now reason for him to divorce me, she revealed.

Laura added that the cultural differences had proven to be too much. She found that, when faced with her husband in person rather than in a long-distance relationship, she couldnt stick to Aladins strict expectations for a wifes behavior. In Qatar, I didnt realize just how restrictive it was going to be in terms of what I could and couldnt do, Laura told producers. It was starting to become challenging for me to live there.

The 90 Day Fiance star admitted she didnt have a copy of her marriage contract

Next, Johnson wanted to know how prepared Laura was for the harsh reality of divorce.

The 90 Day Fiance star explained that Aladin had already begun the divorce process in Tunisia, where she had also signed a marriage contract.

Did you get that contract translated into English and on paper? Johnson questioned.

I do not have a copy of that, Laura admitted nervously. She explained that half of her money and assets would belong to him in the event of a divorce, while the other half was legally hersbut Johnson didnt seem convinced, given that she didnt have a translated copy of her own.

Still, the 90 Day Fiance star was in a desperate financial situation and wanted to know exactly what her options were. So, if I signed a contract that said I get 50 percent of hisdo I? Could I? Laura asked.

Johnson explained that she might be able to seek certain avenues of relief if she was able to locate a copy of the contract. But, with Aladin refusing to cooperate with his ex, that didnt seem likely.

So I have no rights, really, Laura despaired.

Lauras attorney suggested she use the divorce papers as leverage to get her personal items returned

But Laura wasnt about to give it all up just yet. I really would like to get back my personal items, and I have a lot of sentimental, personal things, because I was moving to Qatar for good, she told the attorney.

Johnson suggested that the 90 Day Fiance star use her signature on the divorce papers as leverage. If Laura withheld it until she received her personal items, the attorney suggested, she just might be able to level the playing field with Aladin.

While Laura was still heartbroken about her impending divorce, she told 90 Day Fiance producers she felt empowered by the meeting with the attorney.

I accept the divorce, she insisted. But it became really clear to me in talking that I could have a little bit of power in this world that seems to be whatever Aladin wants.

As for her future? Laura wasnt sure. But she knew that, at the very least, it certainly didnt involve Aladin in any way, shape, or form. I dont know exactly where Im going moving forward, but at least I have a little bit of clarity in terms of this relationship, Laura said definitively. Its over.
As authorities globally look to ease restrictions intended to contain the coronavirus and reopen economies, Australia's finance minister says the country is already on the path to victory against the disease.

"If you look at what's happening in Australia today, I mean, we are winning the battle against the virus," Mathias Cormann, Australia's finance minister, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia" on Wednesday.

"The number of active cases is now very, very low," Cormann said. "In some jurisdictions, there are no active cases, in fact."

Acknowledging that Australia remains "very focused on avoiding a second wave" of infections, the minister said the health risk is "now appropriately managed."

Australia has been among the countries in Asia Pacific that have announced plans to ease lockdown measures that had been put in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

"We want the economy to return back to normal, as close to normal as it possibly can, in a Covid-19 safe way," Cormann said.

Still, authorities in the region remain cautious following a recent uptick in virus cases reported in China and South Korea. Both countries are among the first to report new outbreaks after easing restrictions.

Lockdown measures implemented worldwide have badly hit global economic activity. As a result, many governments hope to reopen their countries as soon as possible, in efforts to limit some of that damage. As part of its efforts to battle the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, Australia's government pledged a massive financial stimulus package of 320 billion Australian dollars (nearly $207 billion).

Cormann said, however, "We certainly don't want to keep this enhanced welfare measures going for any longer than necessary."

"We think that we're in a good position once we are able to ease all those restrictions and return to normality ... at a domestic level to get the economy growing again." Cormann said. "We want people to go back to work and business to get back into business."
Eastern Syria continues to experience a significant number of attacks by the Islamic State (IS), potentially putting Iraqs neighboring western Anbar province at risk.

Recent security incidents show that the international terrorist group is still active on both sides of the border, though less so in Iraq than in Syria.

In early May, tribal fighters from Haditha in Anbar reportedly killed several IS fighters who had tried to take refuge in a village mosque.

An Anbar security source told Al-Monitor via WhatsApp that fighters led by a sheikh from the Jughayfa tribe had gone into the desert about 40-50 kilometers (25-31 miles) south of Haditha and saw five armed men enter the mosque. A shootout ensued, he said, during which the armed individuals blew up their suicide belts, killing all five. The mosque was destroyed, local media reported.

The Jughayfa tribe is the largest in Haditha, a town known in Iraq for its ability to have withstood a siege of over a year by IS without ever being taken by the group.

Some days later it was announced that local tribal fighters from the city had taken part in a security operation with the Iraqi army extending from Anbar into neighboring Salahuddin and Ninevah provinces to hunt down infiltrators from across the border and find any hideouts currently being used by the group.

Some 15 fighters were reportedly killed in the operation and 13 places of refuge and several vehicles used by the group were destroyed, according to local media.

Concerns have been voiced in some circles in recent months that the withdrawal of international coalition troops from several bases earlier this year  after a vote in the Iraqi parliament in January in favor of a resolution for the removal of foreign forces from the country  that a smaller presence could mean more opportunities for IS to regroup.

In January, a prominent Sunni member of parliament, Mohamed al-Karbouli, told this Al-Monitor journalist in Baghdad that the western region of Anbar, Salahuddin and Ninevah, provinces all inhabited mainly by Sunnis, are large areas and contain many Islamic State [IS] hideouts. It will be impossible for the army to deal with them alone in the future without outside assistance.

Officials in other parts of the country have said that a lack of intelligence following the coalition withdrawal from some of these bases likely played a part in some recent attacks.

In an emailed response to Al-Monitors questions about coalition support for the recent anti-IS operation in Anbar, deputy spokesperson Maj. Gabriela Thompson of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve wrote that the coalition provided limited intelligence support for the operation. She added, "The coalition works closely with the Iraq Ministry of Defense to mentor only vetted forces. We did not train, advise, or directly support the tribal forces involved.

Coalition spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III announced via Twitter on May 7 that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had been supported by the coalition across the border in eastern Syria in an operation targeting IS members "responsible for terrorist activities the previous day, adding that one mid-level fighter was detained by SDF.

Ahmad al-Sawadi, the founder of the activist-run Euphrates Post news site, told Al-Monitor via WhatsApp that the man caught was an Iraqi. He said the current head of IS operations in eastern Syria is another Iraqi known as Haji Yasin al-Iraqi and has recently called for an increase in attacks on both Syrian government and allied forces as well as the SDF.

Sawadi is a Deir ez-Zor native who this author first interviewed in person in 2015 for Al-Monitor when he could not be identified by his real name for security reasons and went by the moniker Abu Mujahed. He maintains a wide network of sources on the ground in eastern Syria.

Other longstanding sources from Deir ez-Zor told this journalist prior to the death of former commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria that the former IS leader had repeatedly used local shepherds and Iraqi contacts to cross the border undetected. Though border surveillance has been stepped up, the vast desert between the two countries makes it difficult to ensure complete control by security forces on either side.

The Operation Inherent Resolve commander, Lt. Gen. Pat White, stressed in a May 8 briefing via telephone that IS capabilities had been significantly reduced compared with previous years even if roughly the same number of attacks had been claimed by IS in April 2020 as in April 2019.

IS was able to conduct what I would describe as complex military operations in 2017, 2016, and their attacks consisted of VBIEDs [vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices] and rockets and small arms fire, all simultaneous, he said in the briefing, in which Al-Monitor took part, whereas now they are limited to mostly small arms  rifles, small-caliber mortars and no VBIEDs.

IS fighters have, however, reportedly been using motorcycles to attempt attacks.

Iranian media cited Iraqs Popular Mobilization Units commander for western Anbar, Qassem Musleh, as saying his forces had exchanged fire with militants before the IS fighters fled on motorbikes in an attempted attack May 9 in Akashat.

Concerning the other side of the border, Sawadi noted that Iran-linked Iraqi fighters had sought to reinforce the positions of their forces within villages in the Syrian Badia (desert) across the Euphrates River from the coalition-backed SDF-held areas in Syria.

He cited Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba as one of the Iraqi armed groups sending more fighters into the area in eastern Syria in recent weeks.

In January 2020, this journalist interviewed a Nujaba fighter in Baghdad who said he had fought on the side of Syrian government forces with other Iran-linked groups on the outskirts of Aleppo, Syria, in 2012, when IS did not yet exist but local armed opposition groups were gaining strength.

The fighter, who would have been around 15 years old in 2012, noted that all those in his group are now part of official Iraqi government forces and get a government salary.

The proximity and rivalry for power of these Iran-linked forces  sworn enemies of the United States, which plays a dominant role within the international coalition  is likely to continue to be a source of friction that could result in some room for maneuver for IS for the foreseeable future.
Francis Thomas "Tom" Keegan of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2020 at his home after a long illness.

Tom was born in New York City on July 3, 1932, a son of the late Frank and Mary Ellen (Lundy) Keegan, and grew up in the Bronx. Graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School as a track star, Tom attended Fordham University on a track scholarship, and graduated with a BA in Business Administration. During his college years, Tom was part of a national champion two-mile relay team, winning awards at the Penn Relays and other renowned track meets. Valuing education, Tom later earned an M.A. in Business Administration from NYU.

Tom is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Barbara Vaughn Keegan of Chattanooga, her daughter, Teri Grant and son, Donald Grant also of Chattanooga, as well as Toms children, Frances Kelly (Joe) of Saratoga Springs, NY, Thomas Keegan (Davidson) of Venice, CA, Mary Keegan-Dayton (H. Bliss) of Bradford, NH and Joseph Keegan (Mark) of Castleton, NY, 13 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and his sister, Sister Jane Keegan of Mt. Vernon, NY, all of whom mourn him greatly. A son, Peter Keegan of New York City predeceased Tom.

After college, following a brief stint in sales with the Westinghouse Corporation in Pittsburgh, Tom became a vital member of the sales team at Mohawk Carpets in Schenectady, NY. His proficiency in the carpet industry eventually drew him to the South where he served many years at Daltonian Carpets in Dalton, GA, until his retirement as its Vice President.

He was a faithful member of First Centenary United Methodist Church often bringing Bible verses to life from the pulpit with his many voices. A valued player with Oak Street Playhouse Theatre and brought many puppets to life with voices and character created by Mr. Fred Arnold of FCUMC. He was active with the Ault Pacesetter Sunday School Class that he loved.

In addition to being a man of tremendous character and integrity, Tom loved to interact with people, asking probing questions, offering sound advice, especially financial, and timeless wisdom. He also loved to sing. For over 50 years he was an active member of SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America), harmonizing with the Chattanooga Choo Choos, a local barbershop quartet. Tom also loved to eat, but his happiest moments were spent when surrounded by his wife, his children, and his friends, creating harmony best with a glass of red wine in hand.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the recommended social distancing, a celebration of Toms life will be held at a later date to be announced by the family.

Arrangements are by the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, 404 South Moore Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.
TDT | Manama

The Council of Representatives held yesterday it's 31st meeting of the second session of the Fifth Legislative Term. Chairing the virtual meeting, Speaker Fawzia Bint Abdulla Zainal saluted the nursing staff marking International Nurses Day 2020.

She valued highly their professional and humanitarian efforts, as well as their noble services at the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

She affirmed the unwavering full parliamentary support for the Health Ministry and the health system in the Kingdom to continue achieving success and distinction stories, in light of the comprehensive development march of Bahrain under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The meeting also reviewed letters from His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on a number of draft-laws, said Council of Representatives secretary-general Chancellor Rashid Mohammed Bu Najma.

It also reviewed misters replies to lawmakers questions, as well as the reports of parliamentary committees on draft-laws and parliamentary proposals to the government, he added.
Medical imaging equipment producer sees rising demand

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-05-13 11:08

During the SARS period, our equipment was low-end X ray machines, and those in hospitals were imported from foreign countries. Nowadays, the home-made Computed Tomography (CT) machines are widely used in Chinese hospitals and community health centers, said Xue Min, chairman of a medical imaging equipment producer, during a forum held during the China Brand Day.

Xues company, United Imaging, was invited to take part in the China Brand Day event as a representative of Shanghais self-owned high-end brands.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company dispatched nearly 1,000 pieces of CT and DR (Digital Radiography) apparatus and over 300 engineers and clinical trainers to the frontline to help fight against the coronavirus across China. Together with its shareholders, it also donated medical equipment and services worth 110 million yuan (approximately USD 15 million).

The pandemic outbreak has led to the accelerated application of AI technology in medical sectors. Recently, United Imagings in-vehicle CT machine was put into use in the Maimonides Medical Center, the biggest hospital in Brooklyn, New York City. That is the first CT machine developed for COVID-19 in a US hospital, offering 24-hour services.

The Shanghai companys products can also be seen in Ukraine and Thailand, chosen after rounds of selection. Early this month, the first batch of mobile DR and intelligent CT products departed from Shanghai and were shipped to medical institutions in both countries.

Besides, the company has received urgent orders from more than 10 foreign countries and is now going all out for maximum production. AI technology has become a point of force for us to win competitiveness in the global high-end medical equipment industry, said an R&D technician at United Imaging.

For future development, United Imaging aims to empower the entire process of high-end medical equipment and clinical diagnosis and treatment, by further utilizing AI technology, while speeding up its layout in wearable devices, surgical robotics, and medical cloud computing.

The manufacturing of large-scale medical equipment, like vehicle manufacturing, requires the support of various fields of science and technology and a strong production capacity. Once leading enterprises make breakthroughs and achieve strong growth, the integration within the industrial chain system will be facilitated to create a radiating effect.

The next 5 to 10 years will be a key window period for Chinese enterprises to surpass their counterparts in the world, said Xue with confidence. The chance is for us to promote Chinese smart manufacturing to the worlds high-end value chain, so as to become a global industrial leader.
Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, was released Wednesday to serve his prison term under home confinement because of coronavirus fears, one of his lawyers confirmed.

Manafort had been imprisoned since June 2018 when he was indicted by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III on a charge of witness tampering while awaiting trial on bank and tax fraud charges, for which he was convicted that summer. He later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice related to his undisclosed lobbying for a pro-Russian politician and political party in Ukraine.

Manafort, serving a seven-year term, was released to his home in Alexandria, Virginia, from the minimum-security Loretto Federal Correctional Institution in central Pennsylvania. His term was set to end in November 2024. His release was first reported by ABC News.

Manafort's attorneys argued in April that, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Manafort should be released to serve out at least a portion of that sentence with his wife in their Northern Virginia condominium. His release was confirmed Wednesday by attorney Todd Blanche.

"Mr. Manafort is 71 years old and suffers from several preexisting health conditions, including high blood pressure, liver disease, and respiratory ailments," his lawyers wrote.

Manafort was hospitalized for several days in December because of heart problems, they noted, and in February he contracted influenza and bronchitis. Given that history, the lawyers said that if he became infected with covid-19, "Mr. Manafort is at a significantly higher risk for serious illness or death."

Attorney General William Barr in late March directed the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to release to home confinement more vulnerable prisoners not considered a danger to the community.

The bureau has said it is "prioritizing for consideration" inmates who had served more than half their sentences or had 18 months or less remaining; Manafort is not in either category.

A Justice Department official said though Manafort had not served enough time to be granted priority release, the Bureau of Prisons felt it was necessary because of his age and vulnerability due to his underlying health issues. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because officials are not authorized to publicly discuss the details of particular inmates' cases.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons reported as of Tuesday that 2,818 inmates and 262 staff in its 140,000-prisoner system have tested positive for the virus and 50 inmates have died. There have been no confirmed infections at the Loretto complex, according to the bureau.

The Bureau of Prisons has struggled to implement Barr's directive to release inmates to home confinement, issuing shifting guidance that apparently has not been applied uniformly. At times, the bureau has insisted that inmates must serve half their sentence before being eligible for release - even pulling back some people who had been told they would be let go and put in mandatory, prerelease quarantine.

More recently, the bureau issued guidance saying it would prioritize for release those who either had served half their sentence, or just 25%, if they had less than 18 months remaining. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who had been expecting his own release early this month, was prevented from departing because of those criteria. He is still expecting to get out later this month when, because of his good behavior time, he will reach the lower benchmark, people familiar with the matter said.

The Justice Department has insisted, too, that the Bureau of Prisons has discretion to release inmates who do not meet those markers, particularly if they are at high risk of complications from the coronavirus.

Geremy Kamens, the public defender for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in an email that his office is "reviewing hundreds of cases to identify people within BOP facilities who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19" but that none of their clients have been released, as Manafort was, before serving 50 percent of their sentence.

One such inmate is a man convicted on a child pornography charge in 2019, also held at Loretto prison. Like Manafort, Daniel Feiling is 71 and set to finish his sentence at the end of 2024. He is "in much worse health," Kamens said, suffering from diabetes and multiple heart and respiratory conditions. The government opposed his release and a judge denied it, in part because there are no known covid-19 cases at Loretto.

"He fails to demonstrate a particularized risk of contracting the disease," the judge wrote last month.

Other federal judges have criticized the Bureau of Prisons for being slow to act on bids for compassionate release.

"We need to take away some of the discretion the BOP has here if it's not going to be used generously and going to be used selectively," said Kanya Bennett, senior legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union. The group is behind legislation that would require the Bureau of Prisons to release older, pregnant and ailing inmates immediately.

The Bureau of Prisons did not return an immediate request for comment.

A federal judge recently suspended the 45-day intermittent prison term of Manafort's co-conspirator, Rick Gates, in light of the pandemic.

Both Gates and Manafort landed in federal custody because the of illegal lobbying work they did for Ukraine, taxes they failed to pay on $15 million in unreported income and bank fraud they committed when the business dried up. Gates pleaded guilty and testified against Manafort at trial; Manafort accepted a plea deal in D.C. federal court after being convicted on some charges in federal court in Alexandria.

Manafort served with Trump's campaign from spring until August 2016, when he resigned as chairman amid disclosures of his Ukraine role. He was later indicted in October 2017 by Mueller's team, which investigated - but did not charge him in connection with - his ties to Russian oligarchs and employment of an aide assessed by U.S. authorities to have links to Russian intelligence.

After his conviction in Virginia, Manafort pledged to cooperate with the Russia investigation. But a judge found that he lied repeatedly to the special counsel's team, and prosecutors sought a lengthy prison sentence.
Then-FBI Director James Comey, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan (L-R) testify before the Senate (Select) Intelligence Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 10, 2017. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

With Flynn (Almost) Free and Clear, the Scoundrels Need to Be Brought to Justice

Commentary

The case of Michael Flynn, President Donald Trumps short-lived first national security adviser, appeared to have finally resolved itself legally with the dismissal by the Justice Department of charges that he lied to the FBI during the bogus Russian collusion investigation.

Realizing that a coerced confession (Flynn pleaded guilty after the feds threatened to go after his son as well) couldnt hold up in court, and provided with fresh evidence that Flynn had been illicitly targeted by rogue elements in the FBI as a political act, Attorney General William Barr threw the case out.

And then federal district court Judge Emmet Sullivan dropped the other shoe.

Since Flynn had pleaded guilty and was awaiting sentencing, the law requires that the presiding judge must grant the leave of the court to accept the Department of Justices decision to drop the case and thus end Flynns nightmare. But Sullivan, a Clinton appointee to the federal bench, has chosen to prolong the process by signaling that he will allow amicus briefs from interested parties (read: Democrats) at the appropriate time.

Normally, the judge grants his leave as a pro forma stepafter all, the dispute is between government prosecutors and the defendant; judges are supposed to be impartial. But the Flynn case has once again laid bare the fault lines in the American political system, with the left clamoring (as usual) for judicial intervention into all aspects of our lives.

From the moment Trump won the election, the resistanceDemocrats, turncoat Republicans, and the overwhelming majority of journalistshas fought a house-to-house battle against him on every front, the political equivalent of Stalingrad or Berlin. In the teeth of the panic of the CCP virus, the president needed a moral victory, and he got one.

But the Flynn case isnt just another skirmish in the never-ending war for the soul of America. It is, in fact, the fons et origo of the attempted coup by elements of the Obama administration (likely including the former president himself), senior Democrat officeholders, the FBI, and the broader intelligence community, especially the CIA.

As more details are unearthed and revealed thanks to Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, the outlines of the plot have become ever cleareras has the realization that we are witnessing a scandal infinitely worse than Watergate: an attack on our electoral system, the peaceful transfer of power, and on the Constitution itself.

Sore Losers

Coups are nothing new to Democrats, the original sore losers  what was the Civil War but the rejection by Southern Democrats of the first Republican president in the election of 1860? Four years later, the peace Democrats ran one of Lincolns sacked generals, George McClellan, against Honest Abe. A month after his second inauguration, Lincoln was assassinated by a Maryland Democrat, which led to the installation of Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, as the nations chief executiveand delayed Reconstruction for four long years.

Democrat chicanery in 1960 was the margin of victory for John F. Kennedy, thanks to his corrupt fathers cozy relationship with the gangsters and machine pols of Mayor Daleys Chicago. Nixons 491 state landslide victory in 1972 was erased two years later when he was forced to resign during the media-driven hullabaloo over the Watergate burglary. With Nixons combative (but crooked) Vice President Spiro Agnew already gone, the man the Democrats had dubbed Tricky Dick was replaced by the bumbling Gerald Ford, a Michigan congressman who had never stood in a national election, and who lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976.

More recently, the Al Gore Democrats refused to concede the tight 2000 election and fought a rear-guard recount action for months until the Supreme Court put a stop to it, cementing George W. Bushs narrow but certified victory. Following in Gores dog-in-the-manger footsteps, Hillary Clinton similarly refused to concede after her shocking loss to Trump in 2016; just as the Democrats and their media buddies are now pressuring Sullivan to refuse Barrs request to drop the case, four years ago they leaned on the members of the Electoral College to try to throw the election to Hillary.

The coup against Trump, however, is in a league of its own. The War Between the States began as a question of states rights and ended as the battle to finish off chattel slavery once and for all. The current Cold Civil War (as I termed it back in 2011) originates over something even more elemental: whether the United States will continue as the country was founded, or morph into some combination of a neo-Marxist social democracy and a Spanish caudillo system, with the peasants controlled by a nomenklatura of elite political families and the techno-rich insulated by power and wealth from the consequences of their philosophy. Their frantic antagonism toward Trump tells you theyre seeing their fundamental transformation fantasy slipping away.

The last president to win as close to a unanimous election as is possible was Ronald Reagan, who destroyed Walter Mondale in 1984 with another 491 GOP win. Since 1990, though, weve witnessed a series of seesaw elections featuring the same handful of candidates: Bush, Clinton, Bush II, Obama; 2016 was shaping up to be another Bush (Jeb) versus Clinton (Hillary) Hobsons choice when Trump tossed a spanner in the works, thus earning the undying enmity of the political-journalistic class, including large segments of an intelligence community that hasnt gotten a single geopolitical development right since the founding of the CIA in 1947.

Dysfunctional Intelligence Community

And this is where Flynn comes back in. As Obamas choice to head the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2012, Flynn was a burr under Obamas saddle, refusing to understate the Islamic threat as Team Obama worked on the Iran nuclear giveaway deal. Flynn was fired in 2014, having earned Obamas undying hostility, so much so that the former president specifically counseled his successor not to hire Flynn just two days after the November election.

But Trump hired Flynn anyway, thus putting the former Army lieutenant general squarely in the crosshairs of the outgoing administration and its allies in the spy agencies. Remember when Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in Obamas waning days, Let me tell you: You take on the intelligence communitythey have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you. Now we know what he meant.

To date, most of the focus has been on the activities of the erratic James Comey and his nasty henchmen at the FBI. Flynn, however, posed no danger to them. His real enemies were CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (one of Flynns predecessors at the Defense Intelligence Agency). What transpired among them we may never know, but we do know this:

Between 2009 and 2013, the CIA saw whole networks of spies rolled up around the world when its secret international communications system was penetrated, first in or by Iran (with whom the Obamanauts were starting to parlay) and then in China, forcing the agency to scramble to contain the damage. During that period, there were no less than five CIA directors, either confirmed or acting, starting with Leon Panetta, passing through David Petraeus, and ending with Brennan. And the media calls the Trump administration chaotic.

If youre wondering why our crack spooks from Langley never got wind of the Chinese Communist Party virus, the answer may lie here. In pursuit of his pro-radical Muslim policies and his general anti-American inclinations, Obama systematically destroyed the nations intelligence capabilities (with the exception of the National Security Agency, which largely deals with electronic intelligence, or SIGINT).

Then again, it was an easy lift, since the CIA has mishandled or outright missed everything from the Bay of Pigs to the toppling of the Shah to the fall of the Berlin Wall to the collapse of the Soviet Union. So why should we have expected it could keep tabs on China as well?

Flynn no doubt was sounding the alarm on the dysfunctional nature of our IC when he was canned by Obama. Comey, Clapper, Brennan, et al. couldnt countenance his return as the White Houses eyes and ears in the wilderness of mirrors. So he had to go.

Whether and in which capacity Trump brings him back into the fold remains to be seen. The current national security adviser, Robert OBrien, is highly regarded in Washington, while the jury is still out on CIA Director Gina Haspel, an agency lifer. Firing swamp creature Christopher Wray at the FBI and replacing him with Flynn would be poetic justice. The bureau needs a cop, not a lawyer, but a decorated Army general with a strong intelligence background might be even better.

The country needs to know that our democracy (as the Democrats like to say, even though we are a republic) is safe from shenanigans like this. The sanctimonious scoundrels who launched this messnot just Russian collusion but the ridiculous Ukrainian impeachment hoax, need to be identified, publicly shamed, stripped of rank and retirement, and sent to prison. Only then can we be assured that not only do elections mean something, they have consequences, too.

For Sullivan to follow protocol and close out the Flynn case without further delay would be a good start.

Michael Walsh is the author of The Devils Pleasure Palace and The Fiery Angel, both published by Encounter Books. His latest book, Last Stands, a cultural study of military history, will be published in December by St. Martins Press. Follow him on Twitter @dkahanerules.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' plane with the logo of tourism giant TUI at Hanover airport in Langenhagen, central Germany.

Tui will cut up to 8,000 jobs in an effort to reduce costs amid the coronavirus crisis, the European travel company announced Wednesday.

In its half-year financial report, it described the Covid-19 pandemic as "unquestionably the greatest crisis the tourism industry and Tui has ever faced."

"It is clear as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, the travel industry will evolve even faster and perhaps more profoundly than many had expected. The world will be different and Tui will be different also," the report said.

"We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30% across the entire group. This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced."

As well as being leaner in the future, the company also said it would be less "capital intensive," focusing instead on the digitalization of the business.

"We will right-size our airlines and order book, alongside restructuring. We will divest and address non-profitable activities within our business," it said. "In order to return to the successful development of the past years after the crisis, we will now implement the realignment quickly."

The firm also confirmed it had been granted a loan of 1.8 billion euros ($1.95 billion) from the German government in March to help see it through the crisis.

Tui withdrew its full-year guidance for 2020, citing unpredictability due to the ongoing pandemic.

It noted that, for the first time ever, its full travel offering had been suspended, which weighed on earnings. It comes after the company saw its best-ever month for vacation bookings in January.

However, Tui claimed demand for travel remained high, with customers still searching for vacations online and wanting to travel as soon as it was safe to do so.

Tui is the latest in a string of tourism companies reducing costs through job cuts.

Last week, Virgin Atlantic announced it would cut more than 3,000 jobs to mitigate the "devastating" impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, United Airlines reportedly said in a recent company memo that it was planning to cut management by 30%, and British Airways has warned as many as 12,000 of its workers could be laid off.

The global tourism industry has been ravaged by the coronavirus crisis. In the U.S. alone, the sector is expected to lose at least $24 billion in foreign spending this year, while Chinese tourism revenue dropped nearly 60% during the country's recent Labor Day holiday.
A Republican-aligned coalition of nine businesses and one nonprofit are taking Gov. Kate Brown to federal court, alleging her emergency stay-home orders amid the coronavirus pandemic were irrational and politically motivated.

The suit claims the governors shutdown orders have had a disproportionate economic impact" on members of the Republican Party. The suit also contends Brown extended Oregons state of emergency to benefit the electoral prospects" of Democrats in the upcoming presidential election and "to advance that partys ideology of larger government programs, spending and control over Americans.

Attorney James Buchal, who leads Multnomah Countys Republican Party, filed the suit on behalf of a Hood-River based nonprofit Open Our Oregon and nine businesses: Da Cielo LLC in downtown Portlands Pearl District, PDX Muscle gym in Beaverton, Kueblers Furniture in Salem, Hood River Mixer Shop stores in Hood River and The Dalles, Under the Skin Tattoo & Piercing in Hood River, Why Not Bar & Grill in Yoncalla, Quins Bar in Ontario, A Street Tavern in Vale and Lotus House lingerie store in Roseburg.

The suit names Brown and the states public health director Lillian Shirley as defendants. It was filed late Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene. The governors office didnt immediately return a message seeking comment.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

The governor had instructed people to stay home except when traveling for essential work, buying food and similar critical supplies or returning to their own homes. She ordered some types of businesses to shut down and required other businesses to implement social distancing measures among employees and customers.

Extending Oregons state of emergency to July 6 gave the governor the legal authority to maintain her stay-home order, as well as a statewide moratorium on residential and commercial evictions and other financial stimulus measures.

The governor plans to allow for a phased re-opening of the state starting Friday. Counties must meet public health prerequisites, and individual businesses within those counties will also need to meet to certain criteria to get up and running.

The suit contends Browns stay-home emergency orders violate the plaintiffs due process rights. It also contends the state arbitrarily identified certain businesses as essential in violation of the plaintiffs equal protection rights.

The suit contends the governor could have taken less restrictive steps to reduce risks to the public.

Less restrictive alternatives include such alternatives as requirements for participants in business or other activities to wear masks, follow hygienic practices, and require a measure of distance between customer and business where feasible," Buchal and Canby-based attorney Tyler Smith wrote in the suit. Less restrictive alternatives exist, because the state can limit itself to imposing draconian restrictions only upon businesses where layouts, structure configurations, hygiene and cleaning procedures which factually pose unreasonable risks of danger of exposure or spread of COVID-19."

The suit seeks a court order that would declare the governors order barring the operation of certain businesses in the state null and void."

One of the plaintiffs, Teri Schudel, a hair extension artist and owner of Da Cielo LLC that rents space in the Pearl District, said shes fearful of her economic future.

I do not agree that a complete halt to my business is required, and it threatens my livelihood more and more with each passing day, as I must continue to pay my mortgage, car payment, and monthly bills,'' she wrote in a declaration to the court. "In addition, my clients are taking out their hair extensions every day, so in turn, I am also losing clients.

Alan Kuebler, owner of Kuebler Furniture in Salem, called the closing of the store and layoff of all 11 employees, devastating. There was no advance notice of the shutdown and no opportunity to appeal, he wrote to the court.

Their suit also takes aim at the underlying projections that prompted the governors orders and suggests the way to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic is by the acquisition of immunities in a large sector of the population that prevents further transmission (called herd immunity)."

The suit contends the orders were made without input from state lawmakers and have destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of Oregonians, based on death rates that are not substantially higher than something we, in substance, did not even notice when it happened before in prior epidemics."

In Oregon, the novel coronavirus has killed 130 people from 12 counties and infected at least 3,358 people as of Tuesday. Nationally, the virus has led to more than 82,300 deaths and infected more than 1.3 million people.

The suit was filed on the same day two of the federal governments top health officials warned a Senate committee that the coronavirus pandemic was far from contained.

-- 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.
Physical posts are set to be funded at Northern Irelands ports ahead of the UKs exit from the EU, a Stormont committee has been told.

Junior Minister Declan Kearney told the committee that the Executive had been given a briefing by officials on Monday on the latest stage of Brexit negotiations between the UK government and the EU.

He went on to say that the London government has confirmed that it will urgently put in place detailed plans with the Executive, which does include the physical posts at ports of entry.

Stormont junior minister Declan Kearney (NI Assembly/PA)

Northern Ireland is set to continue to follow EU single market rules on agricultural and manufactured goods after Brexit, while the rest of the UK will stop following these rules at the end of 2020.

They have signalled that in order to implement the protocol for January 1 in a way that we all want which is of course is to avoid disruption to trade, Mr Kearney told the committee.

Delivery on that infrastructure needs to start as soon as possible, and the British government has indicated that it will provide advice on the requirements and the funding to put that in place.

Mr Kearney described June as a pivotal month for Brexit negotiations, pointing to the end of that month as the deadline to request an extension of the transition period, which is due to conclude at the end of the year.

There will also be a UK and EU stock take of future relationship negotiations in June which will assess progress after four rounds of negotiations which should have taken place by that point, he said.

The third round is taking place this week and there will be a fourth round which will commence on June 4.

The comments came as the Sinn Fein man along with junior minister Gordon Lyons (DUP) gave evidence to the Executive Office committee following their attendance at a meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on March 30.

Stormont junior minister Gordon Lyons (DUP) (NI Assembly/PA)

Mr Kearney added that there has been no indication so far that the UK government will seek an extension.

Story continues

He insisted a decision on transition needs to be addressed within the next few weeks, while Mr Lyons said the decision is not one for the Executive Office, but instead for the UK and EU.

Committee chair Colin McGrath pressed the junior ministers on pushing London for an extension.

Mr Kearney responded: I dont think it is conceivable for us not to have that kind of discussion at the Executive given the scale of the challenge which we face.

This is a scale of economic challenge the like of which we havent seen before, and Covid-19 has changed everything for us. Our perspective on Brexit, the withdrawal agreement and the transitional arrangements six months ago has been fundamentally shifted and changed arising from the last period of months as we move through this pandemic.

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Mikes honor and integrity will serve him well in Congress as he works to give his constituents a representative they can be proud of once again, said Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee in a seeming reference to Hills exit. I look forward to serving with Mike in Congress to push back against the liberal extremism perpetuated by Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats and deliver results for middle-class California families.
Social media site Twitter has said employees can opt to continue home working forever after the Covid-19 crisis eases.

The company, based in San Francisco and with a site in London, employs around 5,000 people and said it was among the first to start a work from home model.

In a post on the companys blog, it said the past few months had shown that having employees complete their duties remotely can work.

If our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen.

The past months prove moving towards a distributed workforce works. If our Tweeps are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home, were empowering them to work wherever they feel most creative, comfortable and safe. #LoveWhereverYouWorkhttps://t.co/bQ43Cai3Bk  Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 12, 2020

If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel its safe to return.

Twitter was one of the first companies to go to a work from home model in the face of Covid-19, but we dont anticipate being one of the first to return to offices.

The company is not the only tech giant to have pushed home working as the pandemic began.

Google recommended UK and Ireland employees work from home from March, and Facebook will allow the majority of employees to work remotely for the rest of the year.
This article is part of Privacy in the Pandemic, a Future Tense series.

At the heart of recent debates on automated contact tracing in the U.S. and Europe has been the issue of privacy. The underlying assumption of these discussions is that contact tracing apps can serve as a kind of panaceaa way for societies to reopen with minor inconvenienceif only we can strike the right balance on privacy.

But we still dont really know how effective contact tracing apps actually areparticularly in societies that dont already have a vast surveillance infrastructure. The case of Iceland in particular, as the MIT Technology Review reported Monday, suggests we shouldnt put too much hope on a digital solution: Although Icelands app has the highest penetration rate of all contact trackers in the world, it doesnt appear to have helped much in addressing COVID-19.

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Iceland launched a government-backed tracing app, Rakning C-19, in early April, a little more than a month after the country confirmed its first case of COVID-19. Before the app was developed, the government had already formed a team of contact tracers to interview COVID-19 patients and track down the individuals theyd recently encountered. The app, which is voluntary and relies on permission to release data, analyzes users GPS data to map where theyve been in order to assist Icelands Contact Tracing Team. Location data is saved locally on users phones, and if the Contact Tracing Team needs your assistance, it has to send a request for the information. If users agree, their data is stored for 14 days in the Tracing Teams database.

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On paper, Rakning appears to be a great success. The app launched relatively early, and according to the Technology Reviews COVID Tracing Tracker project, it has the highest download rate of any contract tracer in the world, with 38 percent of the countrys population of 364,000 using it. (People have likely been more incentivized to download it, as well, since the app is unusually clear about how it stores data.) Iceland, meanwhile, has flattened the curve while avoiding large-scale lockdowns.

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However, Gestur Palmason, a detective inspector with the Icelandic Police Service who is overseeing contact tracing efforts, says that the impact has been small, especially compared with methods of manual contact tracing, such as phone calls. The technology is more or less  I wouldnt say useless, Palmason told the Technology Review. But its the integration of the two that gives you results. I would say [Rakning] has proven useful in a few cases, but it wasnt a game changer for us. He explained that although Rakning has at times been useful, the desire to find easy technological solutions has led people to overstate the utility of such apps.

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Icelands success in managing COVID-19 might instead be attributed to other factors, including the countrys early testing of high-risk individuals before it even confirmed its first case, wide-scale testing in the months since, that robust manual contact tracing system, and geographic isolation. This does not bode particularly well for countriesespecially ones without those advantagesthat have staked some of their reopening policies on automated contact tracing in the coming weeks and months. The British government, for instance, is counting on its app, which is currently being trialed on the Isle of Wight, to help ease restrictions.

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Jason Bay, the product lead of TraceTogether, Singapores (voluntary) contact tracing app, has also warned against seeing automated contact tracing as a cure-all. In an April blog post, he wrote, If you ask me whether any Bluetooth contact tracing system deployed or under development, anywhere in the world, is ready to replace manual contact tracing, I will say without qualification that the answer is, No. There is simply too much critical information (like whether someone was in a place with adequate ventilation or even whether they were singing with a group) that an automated system cant access, Bay argued. He emphasized that tracing should remain a human-fronted process, writing, You cannot big data your way out of a no data situation. Period.

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Chinas automated tracing system might be a more successful model, but as the Technology Reviews COVID Tracing Tracker notes, participation is involuntary, and theres considerable lack of transparencyits still unclear how Chinas technology workswhich isnt something Western countries could emulate. Its also worth noting that Chinas technology (and to a lesser extent, that of other East and Southeast Asian countries) supplements an extensive preexisting surveillance network.

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Ultimately, the situation Palmason described in Iceland aligns in part with an article the Brookings Institutions TechStream published in April, which cautioned against the fragile digital solution of automated tracing creating a false sense of security. That articles authors argued that contact tracing technology often doesnt account for barriers as basic as walls, or personal protections such as masks, and thus would flag individuals unlikely to have been infected (or transmit the disease to others). The authors also predicted that the technology would eventually lead users to disregard warnings, after being flagged multiple times (like when your office fire alarm goes off constantly), and that it might negatively impact marginalized communities where people live in closer proximity to one another.

Thats why the authors of the TechStream article urge developers of contact-tracing apps, as well the companies enabling their development, to be candid about the limitations and implications of the technology. Your smartphone can help keep you safebut it cant do it alone.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
The consumption of fruits is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2. 1% during the forecast period (2020-2025). - The demand for more expensive fresh fruits, such as apples, berries, and kiwifruits, is rapidly rising in the country, due to the changing consumption patterns and their increasing availability in supermarkets across the country.

New York, May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cambodia Fruits and Vegetables Market  Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2020 - 2025)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05891636/?utm_source=GNW

However, the consumption of such fresh fruits is largely import-dependent, primarily due to the unfavorable climate that hinders domestic production.

- Bananas were the most prominently cultivated fruit in Cambodia. Additionally, the mango industry in the country became more resilient in recent years, with a rising adoption of improved production and supply chain practices.

- Fruit-bearing vegetables, such as tomatoes, were the most widely cultivated vegetables in the country. On the other hand, beans held one of the most prominent shares in vegetable imports in 2019. Some of the major vegetable producing areas in Cambodia include Kandal, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap, and Kampot.



Key Market Trends

Rise in Demand From Food and Beverage Processing Industry



The Cambodian food and beverage market significantly developed in the recent years, thus, making the investments from regional and international brands possible. The growing economic conditions, urbanization, and tourism in top cities, like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, are driving the processed vegetables and fruits market in Cambodia. Fresh cut vegetables, dried vegetables, pickles, sauces, fruit juices, ketchups, puree, and wine are some of the important processed food and beverage products produced and consumed in the country. Owing to the ongoing industrial developments and government support, foreign players are looking forward to establishing fruit processing companies in the country. For example, Coconut Palm Group Co. Ltd, a leading tropical fruit juice manufacturer, plans to invest in coconut plantations and setup a factory in Cambodia to produce fruit juice in 2020. Thus, the growing food processing industries, government support for the food processing industries, and export demand for fruit juices may stimulate the growth of the market studied.



High Regional Trade is Driving the Market



Cambodia has expanded its fruits and vegetable exports significantly in the recent years, owing to the rise in demand for them in the international markets. Vietnam, China, Thailand and Japan are some of the major importers of fresh produce from the country. The Royal Government of Cambodia has made major agreements with the exporting countries to have a direct access for its exports without an intermediatary partners. For instance, the country has gained direct export access of its bananas to China from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC). At present, a total of nine banana plantations, representing a planting area of around 10,000 hectares, got its approval from China. Cambodias first banana exports destined for China were shipped in January 2019. Thus, the surplus domestic production for exports and proactive measures taken by Cambodias government, such as making trade agreements, are expected to boost the exports during the forecast period.



Reasons to Purchase this report:

- The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

- 3 months of analyst support

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05891636/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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Meet baby Prince Charles!

Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie of Luxembourg headed home from the hospital with their son on Wednesday, three days after his birth. Due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, the proud parents exited the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital wearing face masks. They spoke to doctors and staff before removing their face coverings to pose for a few family photos outside the hospital.

Prince Charles even moved his arms around for his big debut, perhaps already practicing his royal wave!

RELATED: Royal Baby Alert! Luxembourg's Heir Welcomes First Child  and He Has a Familiar Royal Name

Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue From left: Princess Stephanie, Prince Charles and Prince Guillaume

Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue Princess Stephanie, Prince Charles and Prince Guillaume

Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue Princess Stephanie, Prince Charles and Prince Guillaume

The baby may have been wide awake for the excitement of heading home for the first time, but he was fast asleep during his adorable first photo session. Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie shared closeup photos of their son, resting on a white blanket as well as a cuddly animal. Charles stayed asleep in his mother's arms for a sweet black and white family portrait.

Cour grand-ducale / Celine Maia-Studio by C/ Instagram Prince Charles

Cour grand-ducale / Celine Maia-Studio by C/ Instagram Prince Guillaume, Princess Stephanie and Prince Charles

Cour grand-ducale / Celine Maia-Studio by C/ Instagram Prince Charles

RELATED: Meghan Markle Made Archie's First Birthday Cake  and His Two 'Best Friends' Were There!

Due to precautions surrounding the coronavirus, Prince Charles met his grandparents Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa through a video chat. Prince Guillaume proudly held his son as he introduced the baby to his parents.

 Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri

Story continues

 Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue Prince Guillaume and Prince Charles

Prince Guillaume spoke to the media outside Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg about the "wonderful day," noting that they were excited to share their joy with everyone dealing with separation from their families during these tough times.

"A birth is a message of hope. It's a blessing," he said. "I think this is what we're so happy to be able to share with Luxembourg but also over the borders with all the different countries."

Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue Princess Stephanie, Prince Charles and Prince Guillaume

Prince Charles  his full name is Charles Jean Philippe Joseph Marie Guillaume  takes his spot as second in line to the Grand Duchy's crown, behind his father.

Cour grand-ducale / Celine Maia-Studio by C/ Instagram Prince Charles

RELATED: Bhutan's King and Queen Welcome Their Second Child

Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie announced their exciting baby news in December.

Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and Duchess are immensely pleased to announce that the Hereditary Grand Duke and Duchess are expecting Their first child. The birth is scheduled for May," the Marshall of the Court said in a statement. "The Grand Duke, the Grand Duchess and the members of both families are delighted with the news and share their great joy."

Their joyful news comes after a difficult year, which saw the passing of Guillaume's grandfather, Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, who died in April 2019 at the age of 98. The Grand Duke abdicated in 2000 in favor of his son Henri.

Cour grand-ducale / Sophie Margue Princess Stephanie, Prince Charles and Prince Guillaume

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Stephanie, 36, and Guillaume, 38, wed in October 2012 after more than two years of dating in a ceremony attended by royals from around the world.

Amid rumblings of a possible pregnancy in 2016, Princess Stephanie told French magazine Point de Vue: "I dont have any plans to become a mother. For the moment, Im enjoying spending time with my husband."
A bright green 200mph Lamborghini super car was seized from a county lines drug dealer today as Met chief Cressida Dick announced a new crackdown targeting 1,000 of London's most violent offenders.

The Gallardo Spyder, which cost 130,000 new and has a lurid mirror paint finish, was found in the garage of a house which officers targeted in a series of dawn raids.

The Met's Specialist Crime Command carried out three simultaneous search warrants at residential addresses in south east London as part of a combined investigation with Hampshire police.

The Gallardo Spyder, which cost 130,000 new and has a lurid mirror paint finish, was found in the garage of a house in Croydon, south London, which officers targeted in a series of dawn raids. It is pictured today

Specialist entry equipment had to be used at one house as the entrance had been secured with metal bars.

In total, five people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and police seized two Mercedes cars and the Lamborghini convertible, which had even been fitted with green wheels.

The five suspects were today being held at a police station in Hampshire where they were being quizzed.

It came as police visited 1,000 violent criminals in a bid to persuade them to go straight and stop offending rising back to normal levels as the lockdown eases.

Overall, crime in London has dropped by 35% since the lockdown started, with knife and gun offences down by half, and officers are pointing repeat offenders to 'diversionary activities' as part of efforts to maintain the fall.

In total, five people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and police seized two Mercedes cars and the Lamborghini convertible, seen today

The entrance to the house in Croydon was secured with metal bars for extra security

Met bosses have drawn up a list of 1,000 criminals who have been involved in violent offences on several occasions in the last three years, and will visit each of them twice to encourage them to abide by the law.

According to official data, almost all crime types dropped from March to April, except drugs offences, which went from 3,770 in March to 5,038 in April.

There has also been a rise in assaults on officers, with 10 people jailed so far for attacks linked to Covid-19, and another 50 awaiting trial.

Commissioner Cressida Dick today announced that police were talking with violent criminals in a bid to persuade them to stop offending. She is pictured on April 7

Commissioner Cressida Dick said: 'We have seen a relief from violent crime for so many people and clearly many criminals being inhibited in their activities.

'We want to maximise every opportunity that we have to ensure that they don't take any momentum back, they don't get back out doing what they were doing before at the same levels.'

Some violent feuds are still being played out on social media, and even under lockdown spilling out onto the streets.

The force has also identified 250 micro hotspots across the capital that have seen high levels of street violence and robbery and will be targeted with bursts of activity at random times.

It is setting up new Violence Suppression Units that will have a total of 625 officers at full strength.

Dame Cressida added: 'We hope that some people have taken the time quietly at home to reduce the level of tension between them and others and to rethink the way they want to lead their lives.

'But unfortunately we have seen some signs from our intelligence, from general information that the public give us, and indeed some of the crimes that have taken place or some of the surveillance that we have done, that some tensions are absolutely alive and well, being played out on social media and occasionally on the streets.'

Since February, anti-violence teams have arrested more than 1,200 people, and since March 13 seized 444 knives, 322 offensive weapons, and 106 guns.
BENZIE COUNTY -- As Benzie County residents continue to feel the impacts of the stay at home order issued on March 24, area agencies continue to help people with essential needs.

Gerri VanAntwerp, executive director for Benzie Area Christian Neighbors, said little has changed for them as far as need, just on how it is met.

"I think for places like BACN or the Father Fred Foundation, it is business as usual," VanAntwerp said. "Food is the biggest reason people come to us. There are so many opportunities in this time for people facing food insecurity to get help. There's the stimulus money, added unemployment benefits, schools feeding kids, extra SNAP benefits."

The demand for food has increased, but BACN can meet the need, just a little differently, with clients calling and customizing food bags, which are then picked up with curbside service, instead of shopping inside BACN.

VanAntwerp said many utility companies are giving people a longer amount of time to pay their bills before they find themselves past due.

She also said some programs, like the Michigan Works Adult Basic Education class are continuing.

"People are actively taking classes online," VanAntwerp said. "We have five potential graduates enrolled."

She also said BACN is helping people navigate with the unemployment system and signing up for programs.

"We're helping people apply for services through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services," she said. "We're hearing from a lot of people who were working who need help moving through the system. People have been bombarded with extra money and other stuff, but when it comes down to figuring out how to survive this, they need somebody to answer some of their questions."

VanAntwerp said it is when the special programs end that they expect to see the most need.

"We're really planning ahead for picking it up when all this extra help goes away," she said. "That's when people will need more food and financial assistance. There will be shortages of food when everything comes back on, and how do we continue to procure personal protection equipment. We're still having problems finding hand sanitizer and all the things that will be part of our routine for a while. We want to make sure we can keep staff and neighbors safe. We looked at a box of 50 disposable face masks, and it was $80."

Katie Osborne, ministry coordinator for Fresh Wind Christian Community, also said things have been pretty routine.

"We've been at our new location for about a week and we've done our drive-up food bank twice at about 100 boxes of food each day," she said. "The numbers have been steady."

She said she didn't see an increase in anybody asking for financial assistance.

"We're going out of our way to help people that might not necessarily need services," Osborne said. "We made about 200 care packages for local fire departments, the sheriff's office and The Maples Medical Care Facilities. The essential workers."

The bags had snacks and personal care items, like Chapstick.

A Mother's Day drive through with doughnuts and tea was held on Mother's Day.

Osborne also said they were preparing for the future, when additional benefits run out.

"I do think we'll see the need go up again," she said. "We're kind of stocking some things if we see a good deal on something like green beans, so if we see a spike in need."

Doug Durand, executive director for Benzie Senior Resources, said his organization was having a fairly successful year before COVID-19 and the stay at home orders went into effect.

"We were getting some grants for programs and doing well with fundraising," He said. "We were starting some great new activities. Now we'll have to ask the grantors if we can get an extended period of time to fulfill the grant requirements."

Durand said request for home delivered meals has continued to grow, as more seniors are eligible for the program after the state relaxed requirements during the pandemic. He said it wasn't only home-bound seniors taking advantage of the program, but also seniors who wanted to keep out of areas of high traffic, like grocery stores.

"We're not just delivering meals, volunteer and staff are looking in on the seniors and checking for any signs their health might be declining, or if they need help with other things. We're looking at how we can maintain contact. We have upped our delivery of shelf stable food and are not delivering pet food."

Care packages also will be delivered in the future, containing self-care items.

"People need help with the simple basic essentials like toothpaste, laundry detergent, hand sanitizer and toilet paper," Durand said. "One lady needed fresh water to clean her CPAP machine. Little things you don't think about. The family might not be visiting because of COVID-19, so people feel even more isolated and lonely."

Because of this, Benzie Senior Resources has increased its welfare calls, and may continue the program even when things return to normal.

"I think we'll for sure look at a more permanent telephone reassurance program," Durand said.

Area food pantry contact information

Benzie Area Christian Neighbors: (231) 882-9544

Benzie Food Partners: (231) 325-2936

Community Spirit Food Source: (231) 383-2606

Fresh Wind Christian Community: (231) 325-0344

Lake Ann United Methodist Church: (231) 231-275-7236.
Two juvenile girls missing from north Alabama have been located at a Bessemer home, and police are now investigating possible sex crimes that took place there.

The investigation began Tuesday night when a Bessemer police officer conducted a traffic stop in the city. One of the people inside the car  a 15-year-old girl  initially gave police a false name, said Lt. Christian Clemons. Once police determined her real name, they realized she had been reported missing from another county.

The girl was returned to authorities in her home county where investigators later learned she had been staying at a house in Bessemer and had been sexually involved with an adult male there, Clemons said.

Bessemer police went to the house in the 300 block of 31st Street Wednesday morning to carry out a search warrant. Once there, they found a 13-year-old girl who also had been reported missing out of north Alabama.

That girl is being taken to SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) for an examination. Clemons said there is no indication the girls were being held against their will but, because of their ages, they cannot consent to sexual activity with an adult.

No arrests have yet been made, but the investigation is continuing.
Both customers, entering, left, and exiting, right, the Acme grocery store on Ridge Avenue in Roxborough were wearing masks as a personal protection against the spread of the coronavirus on Sunday morning April 19, 2020. ACME's parent is seeing robust sales during the pandemic, encouraging its plan to sell shares to the public. Read more

The owners of Acme supermarkets are prospering from coronavirus-shutdown sales that have sent restaurant patrons running to the local grocer, according to the companys latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

And the extra sales and profits couldnt have come along at a better time, as far as the owners are concerned.

The owners, private-equity and real-estate investors who control Acme parent Albertsons, have run up billions in debt acquiring grocery chains over the last decade. They have already tried a couple of times to sell their shares on the stock market and get their money out.

After negotiating revised pension payments with food worker locals in Philadelphia and other cities, the company announced one more attempt at going public in early March. That was just before lockdowns shut restaurants, hotels and cafeterias and sent tens of millions of masked consumers into grocery stores as they prepared to cook more at home.

And suddenly, the chain looks more attractive:

According to a filing with the SEC last week, Albertsons in March boosted sales at existing stores by more than one-third for the combined months of March and April over last years sales. Before coronavirus, sales averaged $5 billion a month.

Albertsons hired 55,000 new workers and boosted pay for front-line associates by $2 an hour to help handle the extra sales. And profits are way up, permitting the company, heavily indebted under its private-equity owners, to boost its cash levels to $4 billion, and cut its once-towering debt to $6.7 billion, from $8 billion just three months ago.

As one of the Big Three grocers (alongside the Kroger chains and Walmart), Acme has used its buying power to keep shelves relatively full at a time of spot shortages as the nations farm-to-table supply chains adjust.

Since the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," the company said, "we have gained market share across the majority of our markets. We believe that our competitive position will continue to strengthen as a result of customer receptiveness to our response to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and the strength of our supply chain.

The jump has also boosted the chains Drive Up & Go delivery service and online ordering.

But this cant last forever, Albertsons warns later in the SEC report: It is too early to predict the permanent impact the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will have on our industry or food-at-home consumption or what the impact on sales will be going forward.

None of the proceeds will go to the supermarkets, but rather to the investors, led by Kimco Realty Corp., and including Philadelphia-based Lubert-Adler.

Albertsons has really performed extremely well, Raymond Edwards, head of retail at Kimco, told investors in a conference call last week. They feel theyre in a great position for the share sale, which would make Albertsons a public company, he added.

Still, Edwards concluded, its up to the stock market. Will investors pay a premium for Albertsons now? Hes waiting for investment bankers to say its time. Until then, store management "are really focused now on running the business. And its much more complicated today for them than it was two months ago.

Foreign mail

Once Vanguard Group had a big mail and online operation in Malvern. No more.

A source familiar with the companys operations told me Vanguard postage that used to flow by the ton through that complex is now routing to Swiss Post Solutions  an arm of Switzerlands highly entrepreneurial national post office  in El Paso, Texas, where Swiss Post built a giant private mail-handling facility in 2017.

Dana S. Grosser, Vanguards head of corporate public relations, confirmed the change: As client preferences continue to shift from paper mail to digital interactions, Vanguard decided in July 2019 to begin partnering with Swiss Post Solutions (SPS) to manage the processing of Vanguards incoming client mail, she told me in an email.

The deal adds enhanced resiliency into our mail and scanning operations, she added. Vanguard has long used strategic partnerships and vendor relationships to increase efficiency, decrease costs, or bring in new capabilities to benefit our clients.

The company wont say how many Malvern jobs have been eliminated or what happens to the people, or crew, as Vanguard calls them, that used to handle the mail.

Settled?

Back in 2014, I wrote about Vanguard Groups ex-tax lawyer David Danon, who had turned whistleblower, asserting that the Malvern investment giant had systematically underpaid its federal and state income taxes for years by underpricing its own investment services to its mutual funds, and by stashing more than $1 billion in a special reserve that was neither distributed to fund owners, nor paid forward as taxable income.

Talking to Danons lawyers and other observers, I reported the next year that Vanguard had started to list unpaid liabilities for management services and other expenses at its funds, disclosing a pile of cash that looked a lot like the reserve Danon has called for.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Dan Wiener, investment manager and longtime publisher of the Independent Adviser for Vanguard Investors newsletter, was especially curious about that reserve. He has lately run the numbers, and he reports that Vanguard has reduced its unpaid fund liabilities, from $1.8 billion in 2015-16, to less than $800 million in 2018-19.

I ran that by a couple of tax lawyers, who say thats the kind of reduction that tends to follow tax agreements, though its hard to know exactly what the private, for-profit company is up to if it doesnt want to explain. Vanguard declined to comment.

Not enough?

The pending sale of New Hope-based social-media and video-messaging app owner Meet Group to eHarmony owner and TV programmer ProSieben, of Germany, has disappointed shareholders such as Dan Mobbs, of Colts Neck, N.J.

Mobbs notes that law firms for investors have inquired about the fairness of the $6.30 a share sale announced in December and subject to a shareholder vote next month. (Founder and CEO Geoff Cook stands to collect $12 million in stock and cash as severance pay; he also owns shares worth $13 million at the sale price.)

Mobb points out that the $500 million sale price is not much more than twice this years sales; a growing social media company ought to get closer to four times revenues, he figures. The vote is scheduled for June 11.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 11:33:45|Editor: huaxia

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HAVANA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. administration's silence after an armed attack on the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C. is suspicious, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez said during a televised news conference Tuesday.

The attack is "the result of a hatred speech policy fueled by the U.S. current administration against Cuba," Rodriguez said.

Cuban authorities showed evidence of links between the attacker and Miami-based anti-Cuba groups.

On April 30, Cuban American Alexander Alazo armed with an AK-47 rifle was arrested on charges of assault with intent to kill, after he opened fire at the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C.

Cuba reported that none of the ten diplomats inside the facility was injured, but material damage was caused.

"All states must protect diplomatic missions in keeping with Vienna Convention about Diplomatic Relations in 1961," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Twitter after the attack.

So far, Cuban diplomatic missions in the United States have suffered more than 20 attacks with 11 casualties, according to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has moved away from a detente with Havana carried out by his predecessor Barack Obama. Enditem
Afghanistans president orders the military to resume attacks against the Taliban and other armed groups.

A deal hoped to pave the way for peace in Afghanistan could be in tatters, after 34 people were killed in separate attacks on Tuesday.

The president has ordered the military to resume offensive operations against the Taliban and other armed groups.

But the Taliban denies any responsibility for the violence.

Al Jazeeras Alexi OBrien reports.
Federal hate crime charge in Missouri Islamic center fire O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) - A man accused of setting a fire that destroyed an Islamic center in southeast Missouri has been charged with a federal hate crime, the U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis said Tuesday. A federal grand jury indicted 42-year-old Nicholas J.

Federal crackdown on this dude for an alleged & repeated attacks against a faith community . . . Read more:
G ood Morning Britain host Piers Morgan clashed with Dr Hilary Jones over government advice for elderly patients leaving hospital amid the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesdays show.

After care home bosses warned that a lack of testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) was leaving residents and staff vulnerable, Piers challenged Dr Hilary on why elderly patients were discharged from hospital into care homes without being tested in the earlier stages of the epidemic.

"A large number of those [deaths] Hilary are in care homes [] there was a decision taken to free up beds in NHS hospitals, to send people who had Covid-19 who were not tested before they went back to care homes." the presenter said.

Dr Hilary then responded by saying: "We can't prove how many people were discharged from hospital who were Covid-19 positive because we didn't have testing at the time," before going on to compare the situation with cruise ships and enclosed infection.

A furious Morgan then challenged: "Hilary, let me stop you, here's the difference  they knew that the patients in hospital had Covid-19 but they didn't check they were now negative before they sent them out."

Dr Hilary Jones has explained how track and trace will worl

Dr Hilary then responded: "We didn't have the capacity and I'm sure people will look back and say mistakes were made." Susanna Reid then added: "This is not a criticism of care home staff, they are doing a stellar job."

The doctor then added that he thinks the crisis is a tragedy, but wanted to share "the facts of why deaths are so high.

The coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact on UK care homes, with more than 8,300 Covid-1-related deaths in England between April 10 and May 8, according to the Care Quality Commission, including 1,503 which occurred in the week up to May 8.

Morgan has been an outspoken critic of the UK government response to the coronavirus crisis. Yesterday Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood abruptly left a video call with Morgan and co-host Susanna Reid after the presenters challenged him on a clip of Prime Minister Boris Johnson telling the public to stay at home if they can but go to work if they have no alternative.

Morgan also claimed government ministers have been banned from appearing on Good Morning Britain after a series of train wreck interviews about the Covid-19 pandemic. He called the apparent boycott disgraceful after Health Secretary Matt Hancock appeared on other networks.
President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador pledged Wednesday to begin reopening Mexico's economy next week under pressure at home and from US officials even as the country saw its largest one-day jump in coronavirus cases, hospitals are reeling, and testing remains inadequate.

Economy Secretary Graciela Marquez said the move would be gradual, orderly and cautious," and that by May 18, industries like construction, mining, and car and truck manufacturing would be allowed to resume.

But the governor of a state that is home to major auto plants warned that lifting restrictions now could lead to the pandemic getting out of control.

The country's lockdown which began in March will remain in place, but work in the industries Marquez cited will be allowed to begin again because Mexico's top advisory body on the pandemic, the General Health Council, said Tuesday it had decided to classify them as essential activities.

Mexico has been under pressure from U.S. officials to reopen auto assembly plants, in particular, because without them, integrated supply chains would make it hard for plants in the U.S. and Canada to reopen.

At home, the National Alliance of Small Business Owners has also complained about lockdown measures, often imposed, quasi-legally, at the local level.

But others in Mexico fear a reopening saying the measures were too long in coming and haven't been in place for long enough.

The announcement came as hospitals from Mexico City to its northern border with the U.S. were nearing overload, and many manufacturing workers in border cities like Ciudad Juarez had only recently been sent home in the wake of protests demanding a shutdown.

Mexican health officials on Tuesday reported the country's largest single-day jump in COVID-19 case numbers, with 1,997 new cases and 353 deaths, bringing the total to has over 38,000 confirmed cases and almost 4,000 deaths.

Officials have acknowledged the actual number of infections is many times that. Mexico has done relatively little testing, with about 120,000 tests reported so far in a country of almost 130 million. With only about 0.6 people per 1,000 inhabitants tested, Mexico has the lowest rate in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

That will make it hard to judge whether the reopening will risk an upsurge in cases and to see one coming if it does. Marquez, the economy secretary, said that schools and businesses would be allowed to reopen in 269 townships that have no confirmed cases or in about one-tenth of Mexico's townships. They are largely in rural areas in north-central and southeastern Mexico.

Dr. Miguel Betancourt, president of the Mexican Society of Public Health, cautioned against putting too much stock in the safety of opening places with no recorded cases, given the low level of testing.

Without a well-implemented system of monitoring or an adequate laboratory testing capacity in these areas, they don't really know precisely what the situation is," he said.

"Just because there aren't any cases right now, doesn't mean there won't be later.

Assistant Health Secretary Hugo Lpez-Gatell said Wednesday the Mexican government is evaluating more widespread testing, but that it probably wouldn't start until July.

The auto and other manufacturing plants that the U.S. wants reopened and that the Mexican government is pushing to restart often depend on parts made at factories along the border known as maquiladoras. Ciudad Juarez is home to hundreds such plants.

While many shut when the lockdown began, others were considered essential and still others tried to eke out a few more weeks of production.

But as the virus spread like wildfire through factory floors, workers demanded to be sent them home with full pay.

There have been reports from workers, companies and labor activists of dozens of deaths among employees in such plants.

Susana Prieto, a labor lawyer who advises workers at maquiladoras, said the decision showed the government was yielding to pressure from multinationals.

Is it safe? Prieto asked with disbelief. It is safe to say that the president of Mexico is a puppet of Mexican and foreign (businesses) that do not care about the lives of Mexican workers.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and can lead to death.

U.S. officials have suggested the supply chain of the North American free trade zone could be permanently affected if Mexican factories didn't resume production.

Christopher Landau, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, launched a Twitter campaign last month, writing: There are risks everywhere, but we don't all stay at home for fear we are going to get in a car accident ... The destruction of the economy is also a health threat.

The pressure for reopening is building as well in Mexican states where the lockdown has caused huge job losses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Instead of preparing for a new job in congress, Democratic Assemblymember Christy Smith is going back to work in Sacramento. Her political opponent, former Navy pilot Mike Garcia, is poised to be the first Republican to flip a Democratic House seat in California since 1998.

"[W]e believe that the current tally shows Mike Garcia is the likely victor in the May 12th special election. As such, I'd like to congratulate him," Smith said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.

"That said, this is only one step in this process, and I look forward to having a vigorous debate about the issues in the upcoming November 2020 election," she added.

The race to replace former Rep. Katie Hill, who resigned in October, included fierce attack ads on television and accusations of a "rigged" election from the White House. Each campaign raised more than $2 million, and scooped up high-level endorsements.

With votes still being tallied by Ventura and Los Angeles County election officials, the math appeared impossible for Smith to win. Garcia jumped out to a lead of more than 17,000 votes on election night. The total number of outstanding ballots is still in flux but based on the turnout during the March primary, the Democrat would have to capture an overwhelming number of votes remaining to beat him.

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"I'm ready to go to work right away for the citizens of the 25th Congressional District," Garcia said in a statement. "These are difficult times, and too much is at stake -- our small businesses, our workers and our families need all the help they can get."

Democrats will be disappointed with this outcome: They hold close to a seven-point voter registration advantage in the 25th District. Hill won the seat by nine points in 2018. Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump here by seven points.

The electorate for a special election typically skews more conservative. Republicans' base of older and white voters can be relied on to vote more consistently in non-presidential elections than Democrats' younger, more diverse supporters. But the pandemic was a wildcard. Expanding to universal vote-by-mail, with few in-person polling stations, made predicting turnout more difficult than usual.

California Assemblywoman Christy Smith, a candidate for the House of Representatives 25th District, speaks to supporters Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Elly Yu/LAist)

After polls closed, Republicans took a moment to celebrate the historic win.

"[T]he California Republican Party is back and we are poised for victories in November," said California GOP Chair Jessica Millan Patterson in a statement. "I want to put the Democrats on notice. Because of our leadership and your failures, the California Republican Comeback has the momentum going into November."

Garcia is the son of a Mexican immigrant father who moved to the U.S. in the 1950s. He grew up in the Santa Clarita area before graduating from the Naval Academy and flying combat missions over Iraq. After military service, Garcia worked for aerospace contractor Raytheon Technologies, which granted him leave to run for congress.

On Tuesday night, Buck McKeon, the former congressman who represented the district for more than 20 years, reminisced about meeting Garcia when he was a Saugus High School senior. Garcia kept in touch over the years, McKeon said, and approached him about a political run after Hill's victory in the blue wave of 2018.

"I was so happy to find somebody qualified [to run] that all in the district respect and look up to and feel good about," McKeon said on a conference call with Garcia supporters and the media. "He is going to set the world on fire back here and you're going to be very proud of him."

The campaign to capture this suburban and high desert region is far from over, however.

Voters will get another chance to decide between Garcia and Smith on the November ballot, when the two meet again for a new two-year term.
: Two workers died and another



was injured when they fell from atop a storage tank at a biofuel unit in neighbouring Sangareddy district on Wednesday, police said.

The incident happened in Zaheerabad mandal, around 110 km from here, when the three workers were engaged in welding work on one of the tanks storing biodiesel and other biofuels, they said.

According to a police official, when the trio was doing welding work, the tank's roof/lid came off with a loud noise apparently due to "pressure" following which they fell from around 20 feet height.

Two of them died on the spot after sustaining grievous head injuries while another person was shifted to a government hospital with injuries,the official said.

The deceased were aged between 28 and 30 and all of them hailed from Sangareddy district.

The official said it was not clear how the roof/lid blew off and the matter was under investigation.

The incident has occurred after the styrene vapour leak from the LG polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday last claimed 12 lives and left over 300 people hospitalised with various ailments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As educators wrap up the current school year in unprecedented circumstances due to the coronavirus, they want state leaders to give as much direction as possible about how to prepare for the next one.

When schools shut down to contain the spread of the infection, many educators went into triage mode. And, though they recognize that governors and state school chiefs face many unknowns , teachers and school employees tell Education Week they want transparency and input as states prepare to either reopen their buildings for 2020-21, continue remote learning, or launch a hybrid approach.

Teachers are notoriously planners by nature, so we want to have everything in place to be sure that our students are getting the best possible outcome, said Barbara Marano, a middle school social studies teacher from Middlebury, Conn., who participated in a recent EdWeek Research Center survey on educator sentiment. Thats what Im concerned about at this point: planning for the possible scenarios and what [the next school year] will look like.

Though much attention has been paid to the federal response to the pandemic, many teachers and administrators have set their sights closer to home, relying on guidance from local and state officials to navigate their roles amid ongoing uncertainty.

Thirty-three percent of teachers and administrators responding to an April 22 EdWeek Research Center survey said their opinion of their governor has become a lot more favorable as a result of their handling of the coronavirus pandemic and K-12 schools, and 24 percent said it is somewhat more favorable. The EdWeek Research Center conducts biweekly surveys to track the effects of the pandemic on educators, students, and schools.

By contrast, 35 percent of respondents said their view of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is much less favorable as a result of how shes addressed issues related to K-12 schools during the pandemic. Ten percent said their views have become somewhat less favorable than they were before.

In interviews with Education Week, educators from states with varying approaches to stay-home orders, school closures, and emergency response largely approved of their governors work.

Shes following data, Lansing, Mich., elementary school teacher Jill Walker said of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat who was among the first to order statewide school closures and who has faced public demonstrations over her continued restrictions on businesses. She was one of the first governors to take some drastic steps.

But educators also acknowledged that the more complicated work is to come as leaders navigate potentially massive state budget cuts and chart plans to reopen schools in the fall. When is it safe to go back? How will schools protect medically vulnerable teachers and students? What indicators would trigger another closure?

Educators say they are looking to state leaders and local school boards for those answers, not DeVos.

I am surrounded by really strong leaders locally, in my community, in my county and then at the state level, said Cherie Foraker, a school counselor from Pine Valley, Calif. I feel like we have such strong leadership that the secretary of education gets in the way more than she is helpful.

Seeking Clarity

Leaders in states as varied as Kansas, Maryland, and Washington have cautioned school closures may continue into the fall, especially if rates of the virus resurge in their regions. And many plansanticipating changing public health data-- are still tentative, providing little certainty for teachers and families who seek it.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach, cautioned a task force of former state and district school administrators in a report released May 4 by the American Enterprise Institute. And, because a vaccine isnt likely for at least 18 months, plans need to account for both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, the report said.

Governors will need to work closely with state school chiefs, state health officials, mayors, local community leaders, superintendents, and unions to develop and implement plans best tailored to their needs, the AEI task forces recommendations said.

As governors and education officials go about that work, they should do it with as much openness and clarity as possible, educators say.

Rochelle Loewen, a high school history teacher in Fort Smith, Ark., said her view of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, has improved because of his virus response. Hutchinson received some national attention early on when Arkansas was among a handful of states without stay-home or shelter-in-place orders. But Loewen credited him with listening to educators concerns when he opted to close school buildings shortly before spring break, later extending those closures for the remainder of the academic year on April 6.

The virus was spreading in the schools, and there was no way to really keep kids safe, Loewen said.

Loewen hopes state leaders will take the same approach, consulting with educators, when they plan for the next school year.

The 63-year-old cancer survivor is more vulnerable to severe illness if she contracts the disease. Recent analyses suggest that as many as a third of teachers are at similar higher risk because of their age, and groups like AEI have urged schools to plan for accommodations, including remote work, to protect vulnerable staff. As the grandma of her school, Loewen wants clear state instructions about how she can safely return, how she can protect her students, and when it will be safe to hug them, a frequent occurrence in her classroom.

Varied Approaches

Governors have taken varying approaches to seeking educator input and providing guidance or directives about how to reopen schools.

Some have continued a pattern of deferring heavily to local authorities. A handful of schools in Idaho and Montana have even reopened for the end of the current school year after their governors lifted closure orders. And states like Nebraska have created websites to share up-to-date information on planning for the next school year.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, faced some criticism from teachers unions after he announced work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to reimagine education during the pandemic, providing few details. He faced additional pushback when he announced a state education task force that did not include representatives from New York City schools.

Teachers told Education Week they want as much information as they can get about their future roles so they can begin preparing for possible online work, which can come with a steep learning curve.

That clarity may be hard to find for some. Twenty-six percent of respondents to a May 6 and 7 EdWeek Research Center survey of teachers and district administrators said their schools had not yet planned for any scenarios related to opening schools during the 2020-21 school year. Seventy percent said their schools were planning for multiple scenarios, depending on advice of federal/state/local public health officials.

Marano, the Connecticut teacher, said teachers want time to prepare for a year that will almost certainly not include a full return to the normal routines of school. She favors a proposal by some Connecticut teachers to end remote teaching for the current year early so that educators can train for and design a fuller approach to remote teaching for the fall.

Weve been told by our district that they have the whole summer to figure it out, but we want to be proactive rather than reactive, she said.

Walker, the Michigan teacher, wants to prepare for sudden closures in the next school year if the virus flares up again and the possibility that students may go home one day unaware that they wont be able to return the next. In anticipation of possible closures this spring, she had her students spend mid-March writing down every password they used for school websites and carrying materials in their backpacks for their parents. Whitmer initially announced statewide closures March 12, and Walker valued her students preparations when the governor extended that shutdown for the remainder of the school year.

Who knows where we will be, she said of the coming school year. I know, educationally, its going to be rough.

Foraker, the California school counselor, said she appreciates state planning that accounts for a variety of possibilities, which is important in a state the size of a country with varying district and community needs. In California, each local district will decide when to reopen, how to mix in-person and online instruction, and whether to keep its previously set 2020-21 calendar. Superintendent Tony Thurmond has convened a working group that will issue guidance on what factors districts should consider before reopening.

They are really looking at multiple options, Foraker said. I feel reassured that our students are going to have options, our parents are going to have options. We are going to have lots of tools.

Troy Bomgardner, a school counselor in the rural Custer County, Colo., district, said its hard to criticize state and local officials because the pandemic situation has been so unpredictable and unprecedented.

While hes generally pleased with the way Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, has handled the crisis, Bomgardner hopes that Polis will be more decisive about reopening schools than he was about closing them.

Polis took longer than other governors to commit to extending the closures for the full school year, Bomgardner said, and that created some frustration for teachers and families. While its tough to anticipate what the fall will look like, educators want to know as much as possible as soon as possible.

We are in uncharted territory, Bomgardner said. To criticize decisions is not the right mode to be in because we are all making them for the first time. There are going to be mistakes, and we just have to try to learn from that.
WEST NORRITON  As expected, West Norriton Commissioners confirmed at Tuesdays online meeting that Community Day, originally scheduled for May 18, was canceled.

In other business, a resolution to extend the real estate tax discount period on municipal taxes from May 31 to Aug. 31 as a result of the pandemic was approved.

The governor on April 20 passed the act which allowed municipalities by resolution to extend the discount period to Aug. 31, noted manager Jason Bopst.

The board approved the awarding of a project bid to Bencardino Excavating for $226,000.

A motion to draft a letter to Public Utilities Commission in opposition to a proposed rate increase by the Pennsylvania American Water was also approved.

It was announced that due to the trickledown effect of the Coronavirus pandemic, our summer day camp program has been canceled this year. The Norristown Area School District has made the decision to keep all schools closed until next school year. While this was not the news we were hoping for, we certainly understand why the district came to this decision. We look forward to coming back even stronger next summer.

Parks and Recreation director Jonathan Dzedzy added that he had sent emails to parents explaining the situation to parents who had registered their kids for camp last year.

We had 180 children last year and every single parent understood, he said.

All trips have been canceled through August. As of now, September trips are still on as scheduled.

Sliver Circle events have been canceled as well, with plans to resume in September.

All Township playgrounds, courts, ball fields, restrooms and pavilions remain closed until further notice.

Police Chief Dale Mabry noted that the department had seen 623 calls for service in April, which was down substantially from 859 in March. The main reason for that is that even though Walmart and Home Depot are still open, a lot of our businesses are closed. Fortunately the number of accidents we investigated in April are down from March also.

Mabry was asked if he was getting complaints about people not following the social distancing rules, to which he responded no.

Public Works director Mike Valyo was asked if the township branch pickup would begin next Tuesday.

Public works will be back full force on Monday and well be taking care of the branches, he said.

The board approved a resolution for the sale of Township properties, including a 2005 Ford F350 and plow to Antonio Aspite in the amount of $5,301.00, and a John Bean 200 Gallon sprayer to Mark Kasiorek in the amount of $1,300.00.

President Marty Miller addressed the Townships participation in the 2020 census.

Im proud to say that West Norriton Township is doing a really good job 71.1 percent have responded to the census, Miller said. We would love to make sure our friends and neighbors know the importance of this and how it will affect everyone positively.

.
The Gamasutra Job Board is the most diverse, active and established board of its kind for the video game industry!



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Our Agoura Hills studio is looking for a Producer to work with our team to help organize, focus, prioritize and track a host of new features and best-in-class visuals that were creating for the WWE 2K franchise. In the role of Producer, youll drive initiatives to improve our gameplay, visuals, technology, and game features to help make the next iteration of WWE 2K the best ever.

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Whether you're just starting out, looking for something new, or just seeing what's out there, the Gamasutra Job Board is the place where game developers move ahead in their careers.



Gamasutra's Job Board is the most diverse, most active, and most established board of its kind in the video game industry, serving companies of all sizes, from indie to triple-A.



Looking for a new job? Get started here. Are you a recruiter looking for talent? Post jobs here.
To the Times:

Regarding Chris Freinds column about racism  he has done it again.

After acknowledging that he doesnt know about Georgia law, Chris Freind launched into a lengthy and curious legal analysis, including his very firm decision about what the evidence shows and including among other things what charges should or should not be on the table as he puts it. Having said so many things he then takes shots at armchair experts. Does he mean himself?

My favorite of his many pronouncements in this armchair legal analysis is the almost laughable assertion that it is highly unlikely that these shooters were racially motivated.

Despite his conclusion that our nation has done wonders in stamping out racism, I dare say to Mr. Friend,We have a big racial problem in this country and thinking like this is a big part of it.

Joe Selfridge, Philadelphia

Racism lives in Delco
A medical specialist is seen in a window after a fire, which killed five CCP virus patients in an intensive care unit, at a hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 12, 2020. (Anton Vaganov/Reuters)

Russia Suspends Use of Ventilator Type Sent to US After Fatal Fires

MOSCOWRussia on May 13 suspended the use of some Russian-made medical ventilators after two fatal hospital fires reported to involve the machines, a setback in its fight against the CCP virus.

The ventilators safety was called into question a day earlier after a fire at Saint Georges Hospital in St. Petersburg in which five people died. That followed another fire at a hospital in Moscow which killed one person on Saturday.

In both cases, sources told the TASS news agency that the source of the fires had been faulty Aventa-M ventilators.

A Russian Emergency Situation worker disinfects a fire department car near the scene of a fire at St. George Hospital in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 12, 2020. (Dmitry Lovetsky/AP Photo)

Authorities have procured hundreds of Aventa-Ms to help hospitals cope with CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus patients. Though Russia has so far suffered a low number of CCP virus-related deaths compared to other countries, at 242,271 its infections tally is now the second-highest in the world after the United States.

Russia sent a batch of the same ventilators to the United States in early April, though U.S. officials say the machines were not needed in the end.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting focused on support to the aviation industry and air transportation at his country residence in Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, Russia, on May 13, 2020. (Alexey Nikolsky/SPUTNIK /AFP/Getty Images)

Roszdravnadzor, the state healthcare regulator, said in a statement it was suspending the use in Russia of all such machines made after April 1.

It gave no explanation for the suspension but noted that the ventilators had been used in the two hospitals where the recent fires had taken place, which it said a day earlier it was looking into.

It was not immediately clear exactly how many new ventilators the suspension would cover.

Public procurement data cited by the Interfax news agency said that the Saint George Hospital in St. Petersburg spent 441 million roubles ($6 million) last month on buying 237 Aventa-M ventilators.

A medic wearing protective gear is seen in the premises of the Saint George hospital after a fire broke out in the medical facility in St. Petersburg, Russia, on May 12, 2020. (Olga Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images)

The procurement contract was finalized on April 24, it said. Each ventilator costs 1.86 million roubles ($25,000).

The ventilators are made at the Urals Instrument Engineering Plant (UPZ) in the region of Sverdlovsk.

Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), which controls UPZ, said on Tuesday that its ventilators had passed all the necessary tests and had been used by medical facilities in Russia since 2012 without any safety concerns.

It urged people to avoid rushing to conclusions until the outcome of official investigations into the fires was known.

By Anastasia Teterevleva and Tom Balmforth

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
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Rio de Janeiro, May 12, 2020  Brazilian authorities must thoroughly investigate the recent shooting attack against radio journalist Fabio Marcio and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On April 28, at about 10:30 a.m., an unidentified person fired one bullet at the vehicle Marcio was driving in the city of Piritiba, in the northeastern state of Bahia, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview.

A projectile fragment went through the roof of the car, but did not injure Marcio, who hosts a daily news program on the privately owned Aymore FM broadcaster, or his colleague, who was also in the vehicle, Marcio told CPJ. He said he could not see where the shooter was located, and did not stop his vehicle after the attack.

Brazilian authorities should thoroughly investigate the shooting attack on journalist Fabio Marcio and ensure that those responsible are held to account, said CPJ Central and South America Program Coordinator Natalie Southwick, in New York. Radio journalists are a vital source of information in small towns across Brazil, and authorities must ensure that they are able to continue informing the public safely.

Marcio told CPJ he has not recently received any threats, and speculated that the attack may have been in response to his coverage of local news, but could not pinpoint any reports that may have angered anyone. He said he covers general news in the region and also covers politics during election years, including 2020.

A bullet hole is seen in the ceiling of Marcios car. (Photo: Fabio Marcio)

Marcio told CPJ he reported the case to the regional police station in Jacobina. He also said he is now hosting his radio program from home for his security.

The press office of the Civil Police of Bahia told CPJ in an email that it was investigating the shooting and had requested a forensic analysis of the vehicle and the projectile fragment.

In 2010, a group of people attacked the office of Brilhante FM, where Marcio was working at the time, in response to his reporting on alleged corruption by candidate in a local election, according to local news reports. The attackers beat up some of the staffers of the radio station before police arrived, according to those reports. Marcio said he was not injured in the incident.

Since early 2018, Brazilian radio journalists have been subject to death threats, bombing attacks, a drive-by shooting, and threats from politicians, according to CPJ research. At least two radio reporters, Jairo Souza and Jefferson Pureza Lopes, have been killed in that time, according to CPJ research.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks about the coronavirus during news conference at the State Department in Washington on Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Read more

JERUSALEM  U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the countrys plans to annex parts of the West Bank, as Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teen in a clash with stone-throwers in the occupied territory.

Pompeo's brief visit to Israel came at a tense time, as Israeli troops searched for the killers of a soldier killed a day earlier by a rock dropped from a rooftop during an army raid of a West Bank village.

With President Donald Trump facing election in November, Netanyahu and his nationalist base are eager to move ahead quickly with annexing portions of the West Bank. Annexation is expected to appeal to Trump's pro-Israel evangelical supporters, but is also bound to trigger widespread international condemnation. It would crush already faint Palestinian hopes of establishing a viable state alongside Israel, on lands Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war.

Pompeo landed in Tel Aviv early Wednesday, donning a red, white and blue face mask, and headed directly to Jerusalem, receiving an exemption from Israel's mandatory two-week quarantine for arrivals due to the coronavirus outbreak. He is the first foreign official to visit Israel since January, before the country largely shut its borders to curb the pandemic.

Standing alongside Pompeo, Netanyahu said the eight-hour visit is a testament to the strength of our alliance. The two said their talks would focus on shared concerns about Iran, the battle against the coronavirus and Israel's incoming government.

Netanyahu and his new coalition partner, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, postponed the swearing-in of their government until Thursday to accommodate Pompeo's visit. Before departing back to the U.S. later Wednesday, Pompeo also met with Gantz and with his fellow retired military chief Gabi Ashkenazi, the new government's incoming foreign minister.

A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the meetings publicly, said the point of the lightning visit was not only to discuss annexation, but also the threat from Iran, as well as Israel's ties with China.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

While the official did not cite any particular issue, the U.S. has reportedly been pressuring Israel to rethink a bid by a Hong Kong company to build a massive desalination facility.

Neither Netanyahu nor Pompeo mentioned Wednesday's violence in the southern West Bank. The Palestinian health ministry said a 15-year-old boy was killed in confrontations with Israeli forces near the city of Hebron. It said four others were wounded by live fire. The Israeli military said troops had responded with live fire to a violent riot and that it was aware of the reports of a casualty.

On Tuesday, an Israeli soldier was killed in the northern West Bank after being struck in the head with a rock thrown off a rooftop. The military said it had arrested 10 suspects.

Pompeo expressed his condolence on the soldier's death and said Israel has the right to defend itself and America will consistently support you in that effort.

One of the key items on the agenda in Pompeo's talks Wednesday was expected to be Israels stated intention to annex parts of the West Bank.

Pompeo said there remains work yet to do and we need to make progress on that. Ahead of the visit, Pompeo told the Israeli daily Israel Hayom on Tuesday that he was coming to hear Netanyahu and Gantzs views on the matter.

Netanyahu and Gantz struck a power-sharing deal last month after three parliamentary elections over the past year resulted in stalemate. Under the deal, Netanyahu would remain prime minister for the next 18 months, even as he goes on trial on charges of fraud, accepting bribes and breach of trust. After a year and a half, Gantz will serve as prime minister for 18 months.

The agreement also stipulates that Netanyahu can advance plans to annex West Bank land, including dozens of Jewish settlements, starting July 1. The deal says such a move must be coordinated with the U.S. while considering regional stability and peace agreements.

Under Trump's Mideast plan unveiled in January, the Palestinians would have limited statehood contingent on a list of stringent requirements while Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank. The Palestinians have rejected the plan.

Netanyahu said the new government offered an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings I reached with President Trump.

Israeli hard-liners are eager to unilaterally redraw the Mideast map before November's U.S. presidential election.

Annexation would also give Trump an accomplishment to shore up his pro-Israel base, particularly politically influential evangelical Christian voters. Wednesday's meeting could provide an indication of how far the administration is willing to allow Netanyahu to move.

The presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, has said he opposes unilateral annexation plans by Israel.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek these territories for a future independent state. In the decades since, Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem that now house nearly 700,000 Israelis. Most of the international community considers these settlements a violation of international law and obstacles to peace.

In November, Pompeo stated that the administration no longer believed that Israels West Bank settlements were inconsistent with international law.

But Netanyahu's plans to annex occupied West Bank territory have drawn fierce criticism. The Arab League has said annexation would be a war crime. And the European Union, as well as individual member states, have warned of tough consequences if Israel moves forward.

The Trump administration has said it will support the annexation of West Bank territory  as long as Israel agrees to enter peace talks with the Palestinians.
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Ogoszenie na stanowisku:

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wygaso z dniem 2020-06-05



Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Cyclad

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propozycja zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszej bazy

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ogoszeniodawca zmodyfikowa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url

dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych

zy adres url ogoszenia

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Inne propozycje, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan:
Two teenage girls who were raped, sexually assaulted and robbed while taking a walk during Russia's lockdown were threatened with fines for breaking the rules.

The girls, aged 17 and 18, were attacked in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk last month when residents were banned from going outside except for emergencies.

One of the girls was raped during the late-night ordeal while the other was seriously sexually assaulted. They also had their jewellery and phones taken.

Two girls aged 17 and 18 were attacked on this street in the Russia city of Krasnoyarsk after breaking lockdown rules to go for a walk, and were left facing fines

They reported the attack to police who have since arrested a 55-year-old man who was found in possession of their stolen items.

He is now facing five investigations including for sex crimes, robbery and violence.

However, police also activated protocols against the two women for going outside to meet during the lockdown despite not having a valid reason.

The protocol can lead to fines of up to 33 each.

Ekaterina Rositskaya, head of the press service of the Krasnoyarsk Ministry of Internal Affairs, confirmed the punishment.

'After finding them on the street at night  without urgent need  the police drew up reports and sent them to the district administration.'

A decision is now being made on the level of the fines, she said.

However, after the case attracted publicity the fines were suddenly dropped.

'Initiating a case was refused because the victims turned to police over a threat to life and health, the Krasnoyarsk region's Covid-19 headquarters said.

Police arrested a 55-year-old on suspicion of carrying out the horrifying attack, but also recommended fines of up to 33 against the two girls (file image)

Police sources told the paper that one of the teenagers had been raped while the other was subjected to 'violent acts of a sexual nature'.

Local news outlet Tayga headlined its story: 'Victims of sexual violence accused of violating self-isolation mode in Krasnoyarsk.'

The incident took place on 20 April but the full horror of the attack they faced was only revealed now.

At the time, residents were only allowed out their homes on limited pretexts such as walking a dog, going to see a doctor or to a nearby shop or chemist.

The girls were longtime friends but were not supposed to meet under the rules.
TORONTO, ON- MAY 8 - Premier Doug Ford along with Health Minister Christine Elliott and Minister of Finance Rod Phillips take questions during the provinces daily COVID-19 press conference from Queens Park in Toronto. May 8, 2020. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has won plaudits from even his harshest critics for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he sent out an ambiguous message Tuesday, leaving his constituency wondering what lies ahead.

Ford took to Twitter on Tuesday evening, posting a photo of himself baking while wearing a t-shirt with were all in this together inscribed on it, a common phrase that has gained popularity among brands during the pandemic.

The premier tweeted Stay tuned while adding the #cheesecake hashtag to the post. Ford would later tweet out Ontarios daily COVID-19 cases update, while extending the provinces state of emergency through June 2 but did not provide any further, substantive policy updates.

Ford would later announce that his colleague Natalia Kusendova and the Sikh Motorcycle Club of Ontario would be paying homage to frontline workers, but surely thats not what Ford meant, right?

If youre in Brampton and Mississauga, join my colleague @NatKusendova in keeping an eye out for Ride to Recognize First Responders. The Sikh Motorcycle Club of Ontario will be making the rounds to give a shout out to our heroic frontline workers. Thank you !  Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 13, 2020

No one can seem to unpack Fords tasty message, but here are some of the best guesses from Twitter users:

it's been 3 hours are you gonna give me some damn cheesecake or not  att (@matttomic) May 13, 2020

If I wear a hazmat suit can I come over for a slice?  Andrew Lawton (@AndrewLawton) May 13, 2020

I could be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain I just spotted Doug Ford waiting in line outside The Cheesecake Factory.  Barney Panofsky's Best Intentions (@mynamesnotgordy) May 13, 2020

Fords approval rating has ascended through the pandemic in large part due to his calm messaging and insistence that people remain at home when possible. However, Ford drew further scrutiny when it was revealed that he hosted two of his daughters that dont currently live with him for Mothers Day, running counterintuitive to the health guidelines put in place by the province.

If you can figure out what Ford meant in this cryptic message, wed love to hear it. Until then, let them eat cheesecake.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 05:57:16|Editor: huaxia

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Refrigerated trailers are seen at a temporary morgue in Brooklyn of New York, the United States, on May 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

"If you think we have it completely under control, no we don't," said Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert.

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. health officials on Tuesday called for more caution and testing as many states are reopening or planning to reopen.

Anthony Fauci, a top expert on infectious diseases, told a Senate panel during a teleconference hearing that the nation has not had the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected over 1.3 million people in the country with more than 80,000 deaths, under total control yet.

"If you think we have it completely under control, no we don't," said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

"If you look at the dynamics of the outbreak, we are seeing a diminution of hospitalizations and infections in some places -- such as in New York City, which has plateaued and is starting to come down," he noted. "But in other parts of the country, we are seeing spikes."

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus, in Washington D.C., the United States, May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Also a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, Fauci said he believes that the nation is "going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have, by any means, total control of this outbreak."

The hearing on the White House's response to the pandemic came as the United States is debating whether it is safe for states to open up, prompted by a growing economic pressure and massive job losses.

Fauci warned that states could face serious consequences if they open up prematurely.

"My concern is that if some areas, city, states or what have you, jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently... we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks," he said. "The consequences could be really serious."

Photo taken on May 12, 2020, shows the live streaming of a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus, in Washington D.C., the United States. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, tells the teleconference hearing that the nation has not had the ongoing coronavirus outbreak under "total control" yet. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

He also said that even states that are acting properly in reopening could see a rise in coronavirus cases.

"Even under the best of circumstances, when you pull back on mitigation, you will see some cases appear," Fauci said. "It's the ability and the capability of responding to those cases with good identification, isolation and contact tracing will determine whether you can continue to go forward, as you try to reopen America."

Besides, he told U.S. lawmakers that it is "entirely conceivable and possible" that a second wave will happen this fall. He also dismissed a "cavalier" thinking that children are immune to the coronavirus.

Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Robert Redfield (front) speaks during a press conference with members of the White House coronavirus task force in the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Also attending the hearing remotely, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the nation must have an extensive capacity to test for the coronavirus before it can lift certain restrictions.

"Rapid, extensive and widely available, timely testing is essential to reopening America," said Redfield, adding that contact tracing is critical because it can prevent some community transmission.

Senator Lamar Alexander, who presided the hearing, said that testing in the United States is "not nearly enough."

"All roads back to work and school go through testing," the Republican said. "The more tests we conduct, the better we can identify those who are sick and exposed, and we can quarantine the sick and exposed instead of trying to quarantine the whole country."

Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, also gave their testimonies. 
By Guy Faulconbridge and Costas Pitas

LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom's COVID-19 death toll rose 621 to 28,131 as of May 1, just short of Italy which has so far had the world's second most deadly outbreak of the disease after the United States.

As Britain shadows Italy for the grim status of being the worst hit country in Europe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing criticism from opposition parties who say his government stumbled in the early stages of the outbreak.

Housing minister Robert Jenrick gave the latest UK figures at a Downing Street briefing on Saturday.

The United States has had 64,740 deaths, followed by Italy with 28,710 and the United Kingdom on 28,131 and then Spain on 25,100, according to a Reuters tally.

Italy, which has a population of 60 million, said its death toll rose 474 as of Saturday. The United Kingdom has a population of about 67 million.

Johnson, 55, initially resisted introducing a lockdown to restrict economic and public activity, but changed course when projections showed a quarter of a million people could die.

Johnson himself battled COVID-19 last month, spending three days in intensive care. He returned to work on Monday, telling the nation that people around the world were looking at the United Kingdom's "apparent success".

TESTS FOR EASING LOCKDOWN

He has said the country is over the peak but that it is still to early to relax the lockdown he imposed on March 23 because there could be a second peak that he fears might overwhelm hospitals.

The $3.0 trillion British economy, the world's fifth largest, is stalling and Johnson is due next week to present a possible way to get the country back to work without triggering a second spike in cases.

He has set five tests that must be met before he can lift the lockdown - with a reduction in the daily death toll and prevention of a second deadly peak among the key ones.

Government scientists say that while the daily death tolls show a downward trend they expect them to plateau for a while.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Costas Pitas)
A home that was the studio of an exiled Soviet artist, the residence of college presidents, and a home for boys is on the market for the first time in more than three decades.

Built in 1869, the Victorian home on Route 9H in Claverack, NY, is for sale for $1.7 million. To call it a fixer-upper is a bit of an understatement.

It's basically a bunker. I mean, even in the interior, walls are brick, so the structure is quite sound, says the listing agent, Alan Weaver.

It's quite a sound building, but it is a shellthere's no kitchen and no bathrooms. It's 7,300 square feet of basically raw space.

Weaver estimates that a full restoration will run about a million dollars.

The seller is Mihail Chemiakin, a famous Russian artist who at one time was subjected to mandatory psychiatric treatment because his ideals and artwork did not conform to those of the Soviet Union.

The Soviet government exiled him in 1971, and he went to Paris. Eventually, he moved to New York and bought this home in 1987.

Interior Alan Weaver

During restoration work on the home, the attic and roof caught fire.

It basically destroyed the interior, because the roof collapsed onto the second floor, Weaver explains.

The building has a new roof, he says, but the area that was the turret has a hole in it, the homes only major structural problem.

Fire damage Alan Weaver

Chemiakin used the lower floors of the main house as his studio. He lived from 1998 until 2008 in a separate building on the property, once an auditorium, and then he moved to France.

A total of six structures lie on the 12-acre property, including four houses.

Multiple structures Alan Weaver

While living on the property, Chermiakin created works in a variety of media. They can be seen all over the world, including inside Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, in New Yorks SoHo, in Venice, and in Moscow.

Many supplies, sculptures, and other works are still in the home, but are not part of the sale.

Sculptures Alan Weaver

It all gets packed up and shipped to France, Weaver says.

The agent told us there arent many interior photos of the main home, because it's dotted with pieces of unpublished artwork, and Chermiakin wouldnt allow Weaver to take any photos that would become public.

Everyone who wants to see the house wants it with the artwork, but no," he explains. "There is one mural on the property that he did that will stay at the property, but not all of the sculptures.

Several large sculptures on the property will wind up in France, but the area would make a great art walk for the new buyer, Weaver suggested.

In the 1990s, the artist began visiting Russia again and exhibiting his art and working in theaters there.

The auditorium on the property was once used for activities for the boys' boarding school and is in pretty good condition, Weaver says. The outdoor patio on the auditorium contains several artistic and architectural elements that are part of the sale.

Auditorium Alan Weaver

Auditorium patio Alan Weaver

The main house is the only building that remains of Claverack College, a school that operated from 1779 until it closed in 1902. After that, the building served as a home for boys, an orphanage known as the Lulu Thorley Lyons Home, as well as a summer retreat for disabled children.

Historic postcard of the main building realtor.com

The home is on a main road, but is nevertheless secluded.

Youre right in the hamlet of Claverack, which is an historic little hamlet," Weaver says. "Theres really nothing theretheres a post office and a gas station.

He notes that the location, which offers views of the Catskill Mountains, is about 15 minutes from the town of Hudson, NY, and two hours from New York City.

Weaver says that many people have looked at the property with the idea of developing it.

Its a challenge, because all the buildings need work in some form or another," he says.

"It is a daunting task, and I'm not going to say it'll be easy, but I think it would be worth it for someone that has a vision to do something with the property. It's well worth the investment.

Door Alan Weaver

Additional structures Alan Weaver

Additional structure Alan Weaver

Stairway Alan Weaver

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by Nirmala Carvalho

The cardinal wrote to the representatives of other religions in the country, as well as to his fellow bishops, inviting them to take part in a Day of prayer, fasting and works of charity. For Ram Puniyani, a well-known activist and president of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, the call for a World Day of Prayer can be an occasion to commit ourselves to rational thinking in eradicating the pandemic.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), spoke to AsiaNews about the letter he wrote to representatives of the other religions of India, as well as to his fellow bishops, inviting them to take part tomorrow in a Day of Prayer, fasting and works of charity promoted by the High Committee for Human Fraternity.

In his letter, the prelate writes that all of us are children of God, brothers and sisters of one big family are called to come together and pray for God to spare us from the pandemic as our only hope is that God Almighty will save us, and help scientists and researchers find the eagerly-awaited cure.

"I also wrote a personal letter to my brother Maulana Mamood Madani, general secretary of Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, the cardinal told AsiaNews. In it, he writes that Ramadan fasting helps everyone spend time reconnecting with God in prayer, strengthening feelings of love for the needy through the practice of Zakat, and increases solidarity with the suffering and marginalised.

Mentioning Pope Francis' visit to Abu Dhabi, Card Gracias goes on to say that when the Pope signed the historic document On Human Fraternity together with the Great Imam of Al Azhar Ahmad al-Tayyeb, it gave us much to ponder for it publicly committed all Muslims and all Christians to adopt a culture of dialogue as a path, mutual co-operation as a code of conduct and reciprocal understanding as the method and standard.

Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai, who is also CBCI secretary general, also spoke to AsiaNews, noting that the Catholic Church organises a day of prayer and fasting on very important occasions. This was the case, for example, after the Twin Towers attack in 2001, when John Paul II convened a day of prayer in Assisi, which took place in January 2002.

I travelled with Cardinal Ratzinger by train to Assisi for the 2002 event, said Bishop Machado, former undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue between 1999 and 2008. The meeting featured rabbis, muftis, shamans and sages [. . .] to talk, reflect and pray in the same space, if not quite together."

Even during the current global pandemic, we must come together. . . and pray. I'm almost certain, if there were no lockdowns, Pope Francis would have convened a meeting in Assisi. This is a very important and significant moment for the world.

I believe in the power of prayer, added the Archbishop of Vasai. Pray, pray, pray during the current emergency; each one of us must pray. I would even call on non-believers to pray in his/her own way. The 14 May initiative confirms the Church's irrevocable commitment to interfaith dialogue, harmony, solidarity and peace in the world.

Of particular significance is a statement by Dr Ram Puniyani, a well-known activist and president of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism.

The call for a World Day of Prayer can be an occasion to commit ourselves to rational thinking in eradicating the pandemic, he told AsiaNews. For him, such an event can teach us that we are one as humanity and need to act in unison and in a rational, scientific spirit to protect our society from this dangerous pandemic.

The pandemic provides an opportunity to come together as a single humanity, holding hands, [standing] shoulder to shoulder to commit ourselves to the welfare of each other. This can be the occasion to remind ourselves the we as the human race survive only by being part of a global community, cutting across the boundaries of nations, races and religions."

Dr AK Merchant, general secretary of the Temple of Understanding India Foundation, Lotus Temple and Baha'i Community of India also spoke to AsiaNews.

We join our Christian brothers and sisters in prayer, led by His Holiness Pope Francis on World Prayer Day, he said.

Whatever the tribulations that a conflicted world must confront in the weeks and months ahead, as a believer, I wish to join others like me, in offering prayers to the Almighty for the safety and good health of all who are battling the global pandemic.

May the promise of reunion in the eternal realms offer solace to those who have lost their loved ones." Meanwhile, The most important thing is, of course, to have recourse to the power of prayer and meditation, which must go hand in hand with the best of what medical sciences may offer in tandem with the selfless services of trained doctors and health workers.
The point of contact listed for Panthera Worldwide in a federal procurement database is Sepp Benedikt, a retired Navy commander and intelligence officer. Included with his name is an address in Leesburg, Va., that is shared by the parent company. An online profile says Benedikt lives in Switzerland and served until February as director of operations and business development for Panthera in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It also includes a resume with the full name of C. Joseph Corwin Medard Benedikt. Benedikt did not respond to requests for comment.
The nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases neared 78,000 on Wednesday with further spread of the deadly virus getting detected across Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad and the national capital, while the government unveiled measures amounting to about Rs 6 lakh crore in easy loans, additional liquidity and other incentives to help businesses fight the crisis.

The death toll was seen approaching the 2,500-mark, while the number of COVID-19 patients having recovered has crossed 25,000.

The first installment of the Rs 20-lakh crore economic package, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, came on the 50th day of the coronavirus lockdown and merely four days before the end of its third phase on May 17.

A decision on the future course of action on the lockdown is expected in the next few days, though Modi has that the 'fourth' phase would be different from the third one, in which some relaxations were already given.

Unveiling the first part of the special package, which Modi has said was would help India become 'self-reliant' and promote 'local' businesses here, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said no global tenders would be issued for government contracts worth up to Rs 200 crore to promote Indian MSMEs.

Taking forward the new 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' (Self-Reliant India Mission), Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF and the BSF will sell only indigenous products from June 1. These canteens cater to nearly 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the decision has been taken after Modi's appeal for being self-reliant and opting for local products.

There are expectations that many more steps might be announced soon to promote indigenous products, though Sitharaman said being self-reliant does not mean that India would look only inwards and become an "isolationist" country.

Modi said the measures announced by the finance minister will enhance liquidity, empower entrepreneurs and strengthen their competitive spirit, while addressing various issues faced by businesses, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The measures included Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loan for businesses including MSMEs, which Sitharaman said would benefit 45 lakh small businesses.

Consultancy major KPMG India's Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar said MSMEs are critical for employment preservation and growth and helping them is the surest way to accelerate job creation. He also welcomed measures for improving liquidity for lenders and businesses, including by helping non-banking finance companies.

Congress leader P Chidambaram, however, said the Centre's COVID-19 economic stimulus package had nothing for lakhs of poor and hungry migrant workers who have been walking to their homes.

India's MSME sector employs nearly 11 crore people and accounts for about 45 per cent of the country's total manufacturing output, 40 per cent of exports and almost 30 per cent of the GDP. However, the sector has been hit hard by the lockdown, with millions of units staring at the prospect of closure and the threat of job losses.

Lakhs of migrant workers were also left jobless and homeless due to the pandemic, especially after the lockdown came into effect on March 25. While special trains and buses have been arranged for them in the recent weeks and continue to operate to help them reach their native places, thousands of them had to walk or even hide in trucks and containers to reach their destinations.

In the past few days, the large scale migrant movement has raised another worry of the virus getting spread further. Also, some cases have come to the light, including in Kerala, of people testing positive after being airlifted from abroad under a massive evacuation scheme of the central government which is currently underway to bring back stranded Indians and expatriates in different countries.

Kerala, where new cases had stopped coming up till a few days back, saw 10 more people testing positive, including four who have come from abroad.

At the same time, large numbers of new cases continued to come up in Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, among some other states and UTs.

In its morning update, the Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 2,415 and the number of cases has climbed to 74,281, registering an increase of 122 deaths and 3,525 cases since Tuesday morning. This included over 47,000 active cases and more than 24,000 who have recovered.

However, a PTI tally of numbers disclosed by states and UTs, as of 9.25 PM, showed at least 77,903 total cases across the country and the death toll at 2,473. It also showed more than 25,000 having recovered so far.

Maharashtra reported 1,495 new cases, its highest single-day count so far, and 54 more deaths including 40 in worst-hit Mumbai.

The number of coronavirus cases in Gujarat also rose to 9,268 with 364 new cases detected during the day including 292 in Ahmedabad district alone.

In the national capital, the COVID-19 death toll has risen to 106, after 20 deaths which took place earlier in April and May were reported on Wednesday. The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi has climbed to 7,998 after 359 fresh cases were reported.

The total COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu breached the 9,000 mark with more than 500 people testing positive during the day. The death toll of the state also rose to 64.

Blaming reluctance of vegetable vendors of Chennai's Koyambedu market to move out as a major reason for the spread of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday said the ongoing lockdown can be lifted "gradually" depending on the people's cooperation.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said nine states and UTs, including Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Manipur andMeghalaya, have not reported any new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours while Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases so far.

Vardhan also said the the doubling time of cases has improved to 12.6 in the last three days, from 11 in the past 14 days. He further observed that the fatality rate is 3.2 per cent and the recovery rate is pegged at 32.8 per cent.

Separately, the government also said that PMCARES Fund Trust has decided to allocate Rs 3,100 crore for the fight against COVID-19, out of which nearly Rs 2000 crore will be earmarked for purchasing ventilators and Rs 1000 crore for migrant labourers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chandigarh, May 13 : The face-off between the Punjab legislature and the administration over liquor policy intensified with a Minister here on Wednesday coming out in support of Congress legislators, demanding a probe into the Excise Department revenue losses in the past three years.

A day earlier, Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh was divested of the charge of Financial Commissioner (Taxation) as Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's colleagues, led by Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, announced to boycott a meeting attended by the bureaucrat.

The charge against the Chief Secretary is his son's stake in the liquor business.

Sukhjinder Randhawa, a Minister, demanded an inquiry into the revenue losses in the Excise Department. "I agree with Amarinder Singh Raja and appeal Chief Minister Punjab Amarinder Singh to initiate enquiry into the revenue loss to the Excise Department for the last three years," he said.

Randhawa also tagged Gidderbaha legislator Amarinder Singh Raja's tweet, which said: "Dear Capt Amarinder Singh, it's my humble request to kindly also initiate enquiry against Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh on revenue loss of over Rs 600 crore." Raja also demanded that the Chief Secretary be removed for holding a free and fair probe.

Randhawa, Jail Minister, was among the Ministers who last week staged a walkout against the Chief Secretary at a pre-Cabinet meeting for his alleged misbehaviour over the revision of the excise policy.

Joining chorus against the Chief Secretary, Congress legislators Raj Kumar Verka, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Kulbir Singh Zira and Barinder Singh Pahra also demanded probe.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has approved the excise policy for this financial year with compensation to the liquor contractors for the losses incurred during the lockdown.

After this, liquor contractors opened their vends on Wednesday. The government has left it on contractors the option to supply liquor at the customers' doorsteps.

On Tuesday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal demanded registration of an FIR either against the Chief Secretary or the Ministers over allegations of conflict of interest in the liquor 'loot' in the state.

He said the people must know the real issue behind the collision between the Chief Secretary and the Ministers and the Congress leaders, who accused the senior officer of being "corrupt and arrogant".

"Instead of making a laughing stock of the high constitutional institutions of the cabinet and the Chief Secretary, time has come for taking a concrete legal view and penal follow-up on allegations of liquor loot," Badal said.

Badal alleged the Congress leaders were trying to "legalise" the illegal home delivery of liquor, which continued during the lockdown.
An eight-year old boy stumped



police here with a strange complaint - seeking 'arrest' of five girls, including his elder sister, for bullying and not playing with him during the COVID-19 lockdown.

"They are making fun of me because I am a boy. They are not allowing me to play ludo, shuttle, Police and Thief game with them", Umar Nidar told the police on Monday.

The innocent boy approached police after his father jocularly asked him to lodge a police complaint when the former told him about the behaviour of his sister and others, who are related to the family and neighbours, police said.

The boy was annoyed at not being able to join his friends and play due to the lockdown.

Civil Police officers U P Umesh and K T Niraz of Kasba Police station visited his house and resolved the "issue" with an advise to the girls to take him along.

The complaint, written by the third standard student in English, was handed over to the two police officials when they had visited the boy's neighbourhood to inquire into another complaint on May10.

"I have a complaint", Nidar had said as he handed over his plaint to Umesh and Niraz.

As it was already late evening then, the policemen assured the boy they would visit his house the next day to find a solution to his problem, Niraz said.

They kept their words and promptly turned up at his house on Monday.

"I told them (the girls) several times to take me along in their games, but they refused", the boysaid.

After listening to his woes, police called the other children and advised them to include Nidar also while playing, Niraz said.

Theboy's sister said they never thought he would hand over a complaint to police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel accused Russia of mounting what she called an "outrageous" cyberattack on her email account and floated the possibility of further sanctions against Moscow.

"There is a hybrid warfare strategy by Russia that we can't ignore that includes cyber, disorientation, fact manipulation," Merkel said Wednesday during government questions in the lower house of parliament. She was responding to a lawmaker's query about a recent media report blaming Moscow for a 2015 hacking of the computers of some German legislators, including her own.
GREENWICH  Several U.S. and European employees at transportation-and-logistics giant XPO Logistics said in an online forum Tuesday that they have been working in unsafe conditions during the coronavirus crisis, while the company has rejected those allegations.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, a longtime company critic that has been trying to organize workers across the U.S. for several years, hosted the webinar two days ahead of Greenwich-based XPOs annual shareholder meeting. Speakers in the meeting asserted that XPO workers lacked personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies and were struggling to physically distance at work.

While it is impossible to know which cases stem from a workplace exposure, we do know that warehouse and distribution workers are at significantly higher risk of exposure, which is exacerbated when proper protocols are not followed, Ken Hall, the Teamsters general secretary-treasurer, said during the webinar. Workplace health and safety has always been a priority for workers and their unions. But in the current crisis, human capital management, specifically as it relates to worker health and safety, has become a material concern for shareholders.

In a responding statement, XPO said that as the Teamsters continue to spread misinformation and take advantage of a public health crisis to further their own financial agenda, we've consistently put employee safety first throughout the pandemic with aggressive measures to protect their physical and mental health. ... The results indicate our efforts are working, with our rate of infection well below the global and national average.

XPO declined to disclose the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases among employees or say whether any of its workers had died from the illness.

Webinar participants expressed dissatisfaction with the pandemic response from the No. 180 company on last years Fortune 500 list. XPO employs about 100,000 globally, including about 50,000 in the U.S.

David Mondesir, who is based at XPOs site in the Paris suburb of Fleury-Merogis, said employees concerns about a lack of PPE and cleaning materials prompted a recent work stoppage at his facility.

The fact that we had left the company and stopped working, I think triggered the company into action, Mondesir said. We started getting supplies, including protective equipment, cleaning wipes, cleaning gels. A specific area was set up for people to clean up on entry and exit. We felt that action actually had a huge impact and was quite successful.

British employees face comparable risks, according to Mick Rix, national officer for the GMB union, who cited a recent survey of members who work at an XPO facility in Barnsley, England.

Many give graphic accounts that they could not meet the two-meter social distancing standards in the U.K., when working in the warehouse, Rix said. There was a basic lack of soap and sanitizing products not being replaced or not being provided at various points.

XPO officials said the company has undertaken a massive procurement effort focused on keeping our frontline employees safe and that they are tracking their sites PPE stockpiles on a daily basis.

Those initiatives include the distribution of some 800,000 disposable masks, 205,000 reusable masks, more than 1.4 million disposable gloves  with another 1.5 million on order  and nearly 90,000 gallons of hand sanitizers. In the U.S., it said it has distributed 2,500 gallons of disinfecting solutions and has disinfected 2.5 million square feet of space to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

XPO also announced Tuesday that it had donated 90,000 surgical masks to hospitals in and around Paris.

In addition to procuring PPE and cleaning supplies and implementing social-distancing measures, XPO officials have pointed to a number of new benefits instituted in recent weeks in response to the spread of COVID-19.

To encourage employees to stay home when they are ill, the firm said it has provided two extra weeks of paid sick leave for employees in the U.S. and Canada.

The company said it has also added free COVID-19 testing to its U.S. health insurance coverage and provided free access to telehealth services.

At the same time, it has instituted frontline appreciation pay for nearly 40,000 employees in the U.S. Hourly warehouse workers are receiving an extra $2 per hour on top of their regular rates.

The Teamsters are longstanding critics of XPOs labor practices and corporate governance.

Since 2014, the Teamsters have sought to organize employees at several less-than-truckload and logistics facilities.

In October 2017, a majority of North Haven-based logistics employees, who had previously voted for Teamsters representation, petitioned the company to withdraw its recognition of the union as the employees representative, according to company records. The company granted that request.

In May 2019, about a dozen of 185 North Haven employees went on strike. XPO said that action did not disrupt its operations there.

The Teamsters said they are now negotiating contracts for workers based in Bakersfield and Vernon, Calif.; Miami; Cinnaminson and Trenton, N.J.; and King of Prussia, Pa.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott
A political activist, Timi Frank, has advised the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, to avo...

A political activist, Timi Frank, has advised the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, to avoid the Villa cabal.





Frank, in a statement on Wednesday, described the appointment as well deserved.





While rallying support for the new Chief of Staff, Frank urged Gambari not to betray the trust reposed on him by Nigerians.





Nigerians expect you to chart a new direction away from the lopsided appointment, corruption and all manners of anti peoples policies that have characterised General Muhammadu Buharis government, he said.





Frank reminded Gambari that whatever he does in office will forever affect his name either positively or negatively.





I am convinced you will bring the experiences garnered over the years to improve our diplomatic relations. Your appointment is coming at a very significant period in our country.





Therefore, I urge you on behalf of Nigerians to bring your wealth of experience and fatherly disposition to unite the country as you carry on your duties as the chief of staff to the president.




Spotlight Initiative Communication, Belmopan

Belize City, Belize

UNDP in Belize City

Fri May 22 2020

Job ID: 30557

Practice Area - Job Family: Democratic Governance - SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE COMMUNICATION

Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA) 22/05/2020

Duty Station: Belmopan, Belize

Education & Work Experience: G-Bachelors Level Degree - 4 year(s) experience, I-Masters Level Degree - 2 year(s) experience

Languages: English, Spanish

Grade: NOA

Vacancy Type: FTA Local

Posting Type: External

Bureau: Latin America & the Caribbean

Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

*** This Posting is open just for belizeans citizens ***

Background

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development places gender equality at its core to achieve the SDGs, with the elimination of violence against women and girls as a crucial component. To that end, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) have embarked on a new multi-year programme, the Spotlight Initiative which is focused on eliminating violence against women and girls (EVAWG) and harmful practices. The Spotlight Initiative will model a new way of working on the SDGs, in line with objectives of the United Nations Development System reforms to enhance integrated delivery of results at the country level. It will follow a transformative and evidence-based approach, addressing unequal power relations between men and women and focusing on gender equality and womens empowerment, as well as ending impunity for VAWG. In line with the principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Initiative will follow a human rights-based approach and take into consideration the specific needs of women and girls who experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and uphold the principle of "leaving no one behind."

The Spotlight Initiative aims to support transformative change on the ground to end violence against women and girls, in numerous countries globally, including Belize. The initiative comes with the highest level of commitment globally and will be governed by the UN Deputy Secretary General and the Vice President of the European Union Commission.

In Belize the Spotlight Initiative will contribute to ending family violence by strengthening policy and legislations that will lead to increased protection of women and girls, building capacity of state and non-state actors to respond to family violence, expanding the range of services available and addressing social norms and behaviors that promote violence against women and girls.

Under the guidance of the Spotlight Programme Coordinator and direct supervision of RCO Team Leader, the Spotlight Communications Officer, will support and guide the development and implementation of the Spotlight communications and visibility strategies, as well as communication for development (C4D) and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) activities. The Spotlight Communications Officer will work closely with UN agencies through coordination with the UN Communications Group (UNCG), the Spotlight Technical Team and UN Gender Theme Group. This includes coordinating existing communications capacities and resources, Spotlight-specific communication capacities and resources, training, gathering data and feedback, developing tools and guidelines, supervising consultants, and reporting.

In addition, the Spotlight Communication Officer will support the RCO programme communications, advocacy and outreach.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support design, planning, and implementation of EVAWG, including Spotlight Initiative, Communication and Visibility strategies and plans focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support the development of comprehensive and realistic communication and visibility plans and strategies, ensuring a gender perspective;

Support the design and implementation of high impact communications products (e.g. web, electronic, etc.);

Coordinate the implementation of visibility, communications, and outreach activities with RUNOs;

Ensure wide dissemination and visibility of programme achievements;

Identify and compile success stories, programme achievements and manage knowledge sharing among RUNOs;

Support the Spotlight Technical Team to monitor and evaluate communication and visibility campaigns;

Track progress against established work plans and outputs;

Draft and/or disseminate press releases, policy briefs, pamphlets, talking points, speeches, editorials, branded materials, and other written communications materials;

Provide communications and advocacy support to joint national campaigns, launching initiatives, and publications;

Manage contracts with consultancies and vendors for Spotlight communications;

Develop and support management of relationship with members of the media.

Coordinate the design and planning of communication for development and social and behavioral change communication strategies and messages focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support the RUNOs to design and implement coordinated C4D and SBCC campaigns and messaging across programming areas;

Assess and/or recommend appropriate information materials for C4D and SBCC initiatives, ensuring accuracy, quality, and consistency with related messages and materials;

Support the RCO and RUNOs to assess the impact of C4D and SBCC activities to achieve measurable results in behavioral and social changes. Submit reports and synthesis of results;

Engage with RUNOs to ensure coordination and consistency in implementation of C4D and SBCC activities and campaigns.

Contribute to strategic advocacy and programme communications in support of the UN Sustainable Development Corporation Framework focusing on achievement of the following results:

Provide substantive support to RCO and UN Country Team in designing, implementing and monitoring the UN joint advocacy and communication strategy, promoting the UNSDCF as the primary instrument for the planning and implementation of UN development activities in the country, in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);

Prepare inputs for the RC on strategic advocacy and programme communications for the 2030 Agenda and to boost impact of programmatic objectives under the Multi-country Sustainable Development Framework;

Contribute to the promotion of advocacy and communications as a tool for a participatory approach to UNDAF implementation and monitoring, reflecting the views and priorities of people, including those left farthest behind;

Monitor and analyze the media in the areas related to the UNs mandates and programmes in the country, as well as other issues relevant to the UN brand and positioning;

Provide substantive support to the UN Communications Group in support of UN joint advocacy and communication outreach;

Facilitate knowledge building and learning across UN agencies related gender equality, womens empowerment and EVAWG.

Provide substantive support for digital communications focusing on achievement of the following results:

Maintain external and internal digital communications platforms such as the UN country team website, official UN country team social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc.), Intranet and on-line collaboration and knowledge sharing platforms, etc.;

Design and maintain a digital presence, including robust social media footprint for the Spotlight Initiative.

Plan and facilitate the development and implementation of a digital content strategy and contribute to the development of key communications and advocacy products (e.g. human-interest stories, multilingual and multimedia content, etc.).

Provide administrative and logistical support to facilitate Spotlight Implementation focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support preparation and organization of meetings, workshops and other events;

Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of reports to Spotlight Secretariat;

Engage directly and proactively with operational counterparts in other UN agencies.

Competencies

Core:

Innovation: Ability to make new and useful ideas work.

Level 4: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully.

Leadership: Ability to persuade others to follow.

Level 4: Generates commitment, excitement and excellence in others.

People Management: Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.

Level 4: Models independent thinking and action.

Communication: Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.

Level 4: Synthesizes information to communicate independent analysis.

Delivery: Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.

Level 4: Meets goals and quality criteria for delivery of products or services.

Technical/Functional:

Gender Issues and Analysis:

In-depth knowledge of gender equality, gender-based violence, and womens and childrens rights issues.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Ability to contribute to the development and implementation of efficient and effective communications, visibility, and C4D/SBCC strategies and programming, including with multiple stakeholders;

Ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with UN Agencies and main constituents, advocate effectively, and communicate sensitively across different constituencies;

Ability to conceptualize issues, analyze and present data;

Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication and advocacy skills;

Ability to design and maintain a robust digital and social media presence;

Demonstrate strong IT skills.

Leadership and Self-Management:

Focuses on impact and result for the client;

Demonstrates creativity and creative problem solving;

Schedules activities to ensure optimum use of time and resources; monitors performance against development and other objectives and corrects deviations from the course;

Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;

Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;

Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;

Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Teamwork:

Ability to work in a multicultural environment and in a team

Strong interpersonal skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Masters degree or equivalent in communications, public relations, journalism or related field or;

A relevant bachelors degree or equivalent with two additional years of qualifying experience.

Experience:

Minimum 2 years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, print, broadcast and/or media and social media;

Professional experience working on gender equality and human rights, especially in the area of EVAWG is an asset;

Experience in communications with a UN agencies or international development agency is an asset;

Proficiency in graphic design, photography, videography, social media campaigns, or other similar skills are an asset; and

Computer literate, with proficiency in office software packages, experience in handling web-based management and knowledge management systems.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Spanish is an asset.

Nationality:

Belizeans nationals only

.

Disclaimer

Important applicant information

All posts in the NO categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:01:41|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Dasheng Health Products Manufacture Co., Ltd. said it has never exported N95 masks with ear loops to the United States.

The response came after media reports emerged claiming that boxes of N95 masks with ear loops, with the name Shanghai Dasheng on them, were found to be counterfeit in the U.S. market.

"The N95 masks exported by the company to the U.S. market are all headband masks (with bands) that stretch across the back of the head. We have never exported N95 masks with ear loops to the United States," said Wu Shengrong, chairman of Shanghai Dasheng.

There are some fake masks illegally using the brand of Dasheng on the market, explained Wu. The company has published clear warnings on its English website which read, "We do not have any distributors, dealers or branch factories. Beware of counterfeits."

In view of some counterfeits in the market, the company has reported the issue to the police and has actively communicated with their customers in Europe and the United States, to protect the reputation of Chinese brands.

At present, Shanghai Dasheng has more than 100 varieties of masks. It has obtained over 200 international certifications including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the United States.

The company's daily output of N95 masks has reached about 500,000. The number of masks exported to the U.S. market accounts for about 5 percent of all its exports. Enditem
DURHAM, N.H.  Cannula has to be one of the most beautiful words in the English language  it also represents an object I hate, and lines interrupting a face I know and love. When my grandmother struggled with breathing, I couldnt help but think that this transparent tube was at fault. I should have given the cannula more credit. Its passageway connected to a machine that, as it hummed and whirred, kept her alive.

My grandmother died early Tuesday morning, after declining for weeks. It wasnt the coronavirus, but our response was shaped by it. Hospice facilities across the country are each setting their own policies to prevent the spread of the virus, and at the ones we called near my parents home in New Hampshire, no one, not even my grandfather, would have been allowed to see her. Zoom and FaceTime visits wouldnt have been enough. So, as I imagine many other families have in recent weeks, we chose to bring her home.

A big truck delivered a hospital bed and an oxygen machine. We transformed our living room into a space for her to pass. My aunt and cousin drove up to visit.

Once a day a nurse came to help. The rest of the time my grandfather, my parents and my siblings and I muddled through it. We rolled her onto one side, then the other, to change her sheets and clothes. We used a green, lollipop-like sponge at the end of a stick to keep her lips and mouth moist. We held her hand. She couldnt speak much. Sometimes she asked what day it was, whether it was morning or evening. We didnt know when the end would come, but we knew that it was on its way.
BOISE, Idaho  Outbreaks of the coronavirus could sweep through large camps where crews typically stay as they fight wildfires across the U.S., according to a federal document obtained by The Associated Press, and the problem is likely to get worse the longer the fire season lasts.

The U.S. Forest Service's draft risk assessment predicts that even in a best-case scenario  with social distancing followed and plenty of tests and protective equipment available  nearly two dozen firefighters could be infected with COVID-19 at a camp with hundreds of people who come in to combat a fire that burns for months.

The worst-case scenario? More than 1,000 infections.

Forest Service officials have declined to answer questions about the document other than saying it's outdated and being redone. They didn't immediately respond to additional questions Wednesday.

"The report is being reviewed and updated with the most current data and is not ready to share," the agency said Monday in an email.

The Forest Service declined to release a copy of the draft or say what changes are being made. The AP obtained the document from an official who has access to it and didn't want to be named.

One of the authors of the risk assessment said Tuesday that the infection rates won't change. But while the draft originally said the death rate among infected firefighters could reach as high as 6%, that is being revised sharply downward, to less than 2%, to reflect newer data, said Jude Bayham, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University.

He said the initial death rate was based on data from early in the pandemic, when testing was far more limited. Based on new data, firefighters  who are largely healthy and young  will likely fare far better if they contract COVID-19 than the general population, he said.

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 people who are older or have health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Federal guidelines released last week reimagine how to combat wildfires to reduce the risk of firefighters getting the virus. The guidelines urge fire managers to use small crews that can have the close contact that firefighting and travel often require, while staying away from other groups. The guidelines recommend avoiding the traditional large camps and relying on military-issue ready-to-eat or bagged meals instead of catered buffet-style meals at campsites.

Some fire managers also are told to take temperatures with their own touchless thermometers if possible. The guidelines say everyone should wear masks and other protective equipment when around those outside their immediate crew. Good cleaning and sanitation is recommended, as is isolating firefighters and potentially entire crews if COVID-19 is detected.

A review of incident reports from wildfires so far this year show the guidelines are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to follow and could actually increase some risks to firefighters.

"We have developed pinch-points that cause operational lapses in guidance that may very well get confused with policy and doctrine. This situation could result in injury  or even unwanted death  of our multiagency employees," Greg Juvan, a fire management officer with the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, wrote in a report from a small wildfire last month.

Social distancing was difficult, and firefighters found it unrealistic to meet sanitation standards for truck radios, hand tools and other gear used in the initial attack on the Idaho wildfire, Juvan said. Social distancing guidelines call for more vehicles to transport crews, but that led to congestion on the narrow roads leading to the fire. The guidelines could raise one of the greatest risks to wildland firefighters  traffic wrecks, Juvan said.

Even something as basic as sanitizing vehicles proved problematic, with cleaning supplies difficult to find, the report said.

In New Mexico, several agencies responded to a small wildfire last month, with some not practicing social distancing and other virus policies appearing to vary greatly, George Allalunis, a Carson National Forest engine captain, wrote in a report.

For the Forest Service's draft risk assessment, researchers created scenarios using three actual fires from 2017 and applied disease modeling. They found testing every firefighter before they started work reduced the coronavirus risk most significantly for short, high-intensity wildfires, said Bayham, the professor. But for longer, drawn-out firefights, initial testing was less important than keeping firefighters spread out in small campsites.

The models showed that even with strict pre-work testing and social distancing, about 21 COVID-19 infections could be expected in a large camp like that used for a 2017 fire in Montana. In the worst-case scenario, more than 1,000 firefighters would be infected. The problem could compound as fire crews are sent to new locations over the monthslong fire season, which has largely begun.

The American West could see higher-than-normal levels of wildfire this year because of drought.
The Delhi government has started running DTC buses to ferry migrant workers and other passengers to and from the New Delhi railway station, even as it is yet to take a final call on resuming public transport in the city.

The transport department of Delhi government is holding discussions to develop a protocol for safe public transport amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A decision over resumption of public transport will depend on the Centre's guidelines, said a senior government functionary.

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has started running buses for passengers arriving at New Delhi railway station from different destinations across the country after resumption of train services for the general public, he said.

DTC buses have also been deployed to transport migrant workers from various government shelters in the city to the railway station.

The railways started operating special trains for the general public from Tuesday while Shramik Special trains had already been running for stranded migrant workers.

Three special trains for Bilaspur, Dibrugarh and Bengaluru left New Delhi railway station on Tuesday.Four trains arrived from Patna, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Howrah at the New Delhi railway station on Wednesday.

For passengers reaching the railway station from different places in the country, DTC has started 20 shuttle busses to take them up to Shivaji Stadium and Ambedkar terminal, officials said.

From these two terminals, the passengers will be sent to different areas in the city and dropped at respective district magistrate offices. The number of buses run from these two points will depend on the number of passengers, they said.

"The number of passengers will be kept low to maintain social distancing. Other precautions like wearing of masks and sanitisers will be strictly followed," said a senior DTC officer.

Delhi government has also started deliberations on resuming public transport. Discussions were held over developing a standard protocol for it, in a meeting of senior officers of the department on Wednesday.

"A standard operating procedure has been discussed but any decision about resuming public transport will be taken after the Centre issues its guidelines on it," said the Delhi government functionary.

Meanwhile, the government has deployed DTC buses to drop migrant workers at New Delhi railway station from where they will catch trains to their home states.

"We are providing buses under special hire for migrant workers to take them from shelters to the railway station. The buses run from district magistrate offices in the city," officials said.

All precautions related to coronavirus are being strictly followed in these buses including social distancing, they added .

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Western Australias biggest pork producer has applied to expand its operations from eight to nine farms with a proposal to build a boar stud in Bullsbrook.

Four companies account for almost three-quarters of the states pork meat production and Westpork is the largest, with about 180,000 of WAs nearly 800,000 pigs and about 18,000 of its 40,000 sows.

WA produces nearly 61,000 tonnes of pork a year. Credit:Bloomber

Westporks other piggeries are at Gingin, Mindarra, Martup, Moora, Serpentine and Kojonup  all conventional, where pigs live in sheds with slatted floors  and one free range farm at Mount Barker, where the pigs live outdoors.

Westporks last expansion was a year ago when it took over the scandal-ridden West Pinjarra piggery  whose previous owners presided over severe overcrowding and pollution, some of which was filmed by an animal rights activist, and were eventually jailed over smuggling Danish boar semen.
Before the pandemic, my friends called me the empress, a joking reference to my last name. But these days, they have begun referring to me by another, slightly less esteemed royal moniker: I am now the Quarantine Queen.

Thats because in the past three months, I have completed four rounds of quarantine in four cities, on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Like many others, I passed the time by dialing into Zoom calls and bingeing on reality television. But along the way, I also rode the wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Each city where I idled  San Diego, Beijing, Los Angeles and Taipei  offered a window into the different ways in which governments were grappling with the virus.

Some, as we now know all too well, were more successful than others.

It all began in late January, when I rushed from Beijing, where I was based as a reporter covering China, to Wuhan, where the outbreak first exploded. The city was in its second week of lockdown. We spent much of our time visiting hospitals, leaning in  probably closer than we should have  to interview sick residents who were almost too weak to talk.

Every night, I fielded panicked calls from my parents in California, who seemed to always have a new, dubiously sourced tip for warding off the virus. Turn off the air conditioning! Only eat cooked food! No fruit!

So it was a relief to all when I boarded the last State Department-arranged evacuation flight out of Wuhan. At the time, there were only 12 confirmed cases in the United States. Upon landing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, I tapped out a text to my family: Im so glad Im American.

Quarantine 1: San Diego

I was grateful. Lodging and meals were provided for free. Workers in face shields made daily rounds to take down our temperatures. Each day brought a new surprise: a marine-band performance, Girl Scout cookies and, more puzzlingly, condoms. #YOLO, I guess.

But there were signs of the impending disaster. Face masks were not required. And though we were confined to one area of the base, we were still permitted to intermingle. At our daily meetings, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention batted away concerns about asymptomatic transmission.

After having seen the frenzied rush to procure masks in China, the lax guidelines struck me as odd. But these were the worlds top experts, I reminded myself. They seemed confident.

Looking back, those were the first red flags.

Still, many of us continued to wear masks. And anyway, I mostly stayed in my room  even more so after two evacuees on our base tested positive for the coronavirus.

At the end of the two weeks, we graduated. We posed for photos. We tossed our masks in the air in place of mortarboards. We took a bus to the San Diego airport, where we were met by a scrum of reporters. It was a sunny day; the virus felt far away. I took off my mask and disappeared into the crowd.

Quarantine 2: Beijing

In late February, I flew back to Beijing.

By then, the peak of the epidemic had passed in China. I flew through Seoul, thinking it would be a relatively safe route. But just before my flight, an outbreak erupted in South Korea, and suddenly that country had become a virus hot zone.

I was nervous. My layover had been less than two hours long. But officials in China are not known to appreciate such nuances, particularly during times of emergency.

Not long after landing, I registered at the local police station, as is required for all foreigners. Sure enough, within hours I got a message. The local authorities knew about my Seoul layover and wanted to put me in state-supervised quarantine, possibly at a government site. I pushed back, trying to persuade them that I was not at risk.

In the meantime, I completed a second round of self-confinement at home. I only left a few times to walk the dog  always with a mask on.

Quarantine 3: Los Angeles

Early one morning in March, I woke up in Beijing to a barrage of frantic messages. The Chinese government was expelling a group of U.S. journalists, myself included.

Moving countries during a pandemic is not easy. Walls were going up fast in the region, and international flights were being cancelled every day. In the end, I left Beijing, my home for the past eight years, and took one of the last flights out, back to California.

Walking through the empty terminals of Los Angeles International Airport was surreal.

In February, coming back to California had felt like escaping to a safe haven. But since then, the virus had sickened more than 244,000 people in the United States and killed more than 5,900.

The official guidance on masks was all over the place. Testing was in shambles. Discrimination against Asian-Americans was on the rise. Although I had my temperature checked at the airport, someone forgot to collect the form that I had filled out with my local contact information and health status. I didnt realize it until later.

For days, I holed up in a lovely Airbnb cottage in Venice for my third round of quarantine. It was hard to imagine the virus hiding among the palm trees and pink bougainvillea. But memories of what had happened in Wuhan were more than enough to keep me inside.

Quarantine 4: Taipei

In mid-April, I moved to Taiwans capital, Taipei, my new base for reporting on China.

Almost immediately, I saw why Taiwan had been lauded for its successful response to the virus.

Before I could leave the airport, I went through multiple checkpoints manned by Taiwan CDC workers in yellow vests. They recorded my temperature and health and travel history. I got a Taiwanese phone number  and had to prove on the spot that it worked.

I went straight to my hotel, where I was met outside by a worker in a protective suit, mask and goggles. He quickly got to work, disinfecting my suitcases. Then he summoned the elevator and said goodbye. He was the last human being I saw for two weeks.

The room was clean, but small. Every day, I reported my temperature to the hotel and my health status to the Taiwanese government. Three times a day, a hotel employee came by to hang a takeout meal on a plastic hook that had been affixed to the door.

After two weeks, I was finally released.

On my first night out on the town, I put on a dress. I put on makeup. I walked through a park. I bought ridiculously expensive hand soap  after talking to a real, live saleswoman! I wandered through a maze of shopping-mall food courts and marvelled at the sight of people laughing and eating together.

It was amazing. It all felt so normal.

Except one thing was different. Before the pandemic, Id been accustomed to packing my bags every few weeks for a reporting trip. Right now, though, Im happy to just pause here for a while.

Read more about:
Mumbai, May 13 : Nearly two months after lockdown, the country's biggest industrialised state has started limping back to normalcy with the government permitting around 65,000 industries to resume operations, according to Industry Minister Subhash Desai, here on Wednesday.

Of these, over 35,000 industries have already started production with over 9,00,000 employees reporting for work.

The Minister expressed the hope that Maharashtra would benefit in a big way from the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

Last week, Desai had announced resumption of the industrial sector with conditions in view of the Covid-19 pandemic to kick-start production and ensure jobs.

Reviewing the scenario with the Aurangabad district authorities, Desai announced a special task force, comprising senior officials, to attract investment to the state.

"They will negotiate with industry representatives and officials from the USA, Japan, the UK, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and other nations for investment in Maharashtra," Desai said.

In anticipation of the flood of investors, the state has reserved some 40,000 hectares land to cater to their needs through the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation.

Various formalities and clearances required to set up units would also be expedited with minimum time delays to ensure that the industries become functional quickly, the Minister said.

The government is making special efforts to ensure availability of skilled, semi-skilled and other workers for new industries.
[Read more about Californias testing expansion plans.]

She left a voice mail message with Color, the test lab, asking to cancel her appointment. A Color employee called back and reassured her that there was an abundance of tests available, and if people wanted to contribute to the citys data gathering, they should do so. We kept our appointments.

On Friday afternoon, we drove to the test site in downtown San Francisco. The lab had set up several white tents in a large parking lot, divided into two sections, for drivers and for pedestrians. People with cars drove through a lane of orange cones and rolled down their windows to be swabbed. Pedestrians stood in line to take the test, with markers to keep them six feet apart.

When it came our turn, we drove up to the swab station. A medical worker asked whether I had a preference for a nostril (I chose the left). Then he took a giant Q-tip and jammed it up there, holding it for 10 seconds.

It was painful. Stinging and mushy at the same time. (Was I actually swabbed in the brain?) After repeating the process for my wife, the worker handed us bar codes that we could later check on Colors website for the results. We drove off in tears.

While the test was simple, I was still confused about the citys Get Tested website and whether we had done the right thing. I asked the mayors office for clarity.

Tyrone Jue, the senior adviser to the mayor who oversaw the Get Tested SF campaign, said my wife and I had inadvertently taken the test. It was meant for essential workers and people with symptoms.

So why say anyone can get tested?

Mr. Jue explained that the city faced a challenge. There are economically disadvantaged groups that are more likely to be exposed, and many avoid getting tested in fear of unemployment. To encourage those people to get tested, the city worked with community organizers to come up with inclusive messaging: Anyone living or working in the city can get tested. (Not just anyone though.)
One of Canada's largest senior living companies has been hit with a class-action lawsuit by the family of an elderly Ontario woman who died of COVID-19 at one of its facilities, claiming it failed to properly respond to the pandemic and caused "preventable deaths and unnecessary suffering," according to the the firm behind the suit.

Teresa Pugliese died on April 26 at age 86 after contracting the virus at the Chartwell Aurora Long-Term Care Residence, according to a 33-page lawsuit filed at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on May 11.

"We're all broken hearted, because she was a great mom, a great mother-in-law, a beautiful grandmother," Pugliese's daughter-in-law, Lina, told CBC News.

"She went through a lot of struggles in her life like a lot of other mothers, I'm sure... These long-term care, old age homes had ample time to get themselves prepared. We could have avoided a lot of people dying if they had taken the proper steps and the proper protocol."

Chartwell operates some 200 seniors' facilities across Canada, ranging from independent living to assisted living settings to long-term care homes. The focus of the class action is the company's 27 Ontario long-term care centres.

The suit is on behalf of anyone who lived at a Chartwell long-term care home from Jan.10 onward. It has yet to be certified and its claims have not been tested in court. The company has offered its "sincere sympathies" and says it will respond to the suit when it's served.

'Saint Teresa'

Raised in Italy, Pugliese was just five when her mother died. Being the only daughter in her family, she was sent to live at an institution with nuns until the age of 11. After that, she returned to her hometown, where she worked as a housekeeper, before getting married at 18.

She arrived in Canada with her five children in 1967, one year after her husband, whom she now leaves behind.

Her kindness and caring spirit came to define her, her family said  so much so, that many who knew her called her "Saint Teresa."

Story continues

Pugliese had moved into the home in August 2019 after she was diagnosed with dementia. It was recommended she stay at a long-term care facility because of safety concerns, the lawsuit says. She was placed in a third-floor room with three other roommates and a shared bathroom.

The last time her family saw her, on March 8, they say she was in good health. But as the virus took hold in Ontario, the home moved to restrict visitors on March 14.

Supplied by Pugliese Family

Infected residents not isolated, suit alleges

Then came the news no family member of a loved one inside the home wanted to hear: On April 10, Chartwell Aurora had its first case of COVID-19.

Albino Pugliese was told about a day later that his mother tested positive for the disease. A few days later, he learned there were nine other positive cases, all on the same floor as his mother.

The lawsuit claims Chartwell Aurora failed to isolate Pugliese after she was confirmed to have the virus, and that she was never taken to hospital for treatment.

"In fact, Teresa was permitted to walk freely throughout the facility, interacting with other residents, and other residents were similarly allowed to walk freely and interact with her prior to her testing positive for the COVID-19 virus," the suit says.

These families trusted these long-term care facilities to care for their loved ones, and I think their trust is broken. - Rose Leto, Neinstein LLP

Meanwhile, the virus was spreading. By April 24, Pugliese's son learned there were 28 residents infected, all on his mother's floor, three who died, and at least four staff members were also confirmed to have the virus.

All the while, Pugliese's son Nick says, the family was told she was doing well.

Two days later, the family was told Pugliese's condition had deteriorated and that she was likely in her final hours. The suit says the family was given a chance to see her one last time. But before they could, Pugliese died of COVID-19 related complications, "alone and without any family."

"To die like that  that breaks my heart, to know that I couldn't go and see her. And then to find out she's gone," Nick Pugliese said through tears.

"There's so many people like us, and I hope somebody does something about this because this is not fair for the families," he said. "I cannot bring my mother back."

Jonathan Castell/CBC

'Every single death in one of our homes is too many'

Lawyer Rose Leto of Neinstein LLP, the firm behind the legal action, told CBC News the focus of the suit is on Chartwell's planning and response to the outbreak, including what she called a failure to isolate residents, as well as a lack of personal protective equipment and staff. The goal, she says, is accountability.

Several other families with loved ones at Chartwell homes have told stories that reveal "a common thread," Leto said.

'Residents who tested positive were not removed from the shared accommodations and in many cases residents were permitted to use other areas of the home and other facilities despite testing positive," she said.

"These families trusted these long-term care facilities to care for their loved ones, and I think their trust is broken."

For its part, Chartwell says it is aware of the statement of claim filed by the Pugliese family and "will respond accordingly once it has been served."

"We offer our sincere sympathies to the family of Mrs. Pugliese and are deeply aware of how difficult a time this is for their family, and also all family members and staff at Chartwell Aurora Long Term Care Residence in the fight against COVID-19," the company's vice-president of communications, Sharon Ranalli, said in a statement to CBC News.

"Every single death in one of our homes is one too many. We are sorry that in the midst of COVID-19 and its devastating effects on the senior population, most especially those with pre-existing health conditions or weakened immune systems, that we can not avoid the effects of this terrible virus for all of our residents. We extend our sympathy to all families of those directly impacted by this pandemic."

Province not committing to public inquiry

The deadly toll of COVID-19 on Canada's nursing homes has given rise to a growing number of proposed class-action lawsuits with some legal experts saying the cases will turn on what's considered reasonable care during a pandemic.

One Toronto law firm has served the provincial government with notice of a proposed class proceeding on behalf of all Ontarians in long-term care homes, alleging failures in overseeing the facilities have resulted in widespread, avoidable illness and death during the pandemic.

Another such lawsuit that was launched by two Ontario men whose mothers died from COVID-19 targets Revera, a privately owned nursing home company.

None of the cases have been certified as class actions so far and their claims have not been tested in court.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was asked Tuesday if he would commit to a public inquiry the province's handling of COVID-19 in the long-term care system.

Ford stressed that his government agrees the long-term care system in the province is "broken," but stopped short of agreeing to the sweeping probe.

"We're going to review the system," he said. "A system that's been broken for decades. I can promise you one thing, we are going to fix it."
#LockdownLessons: Apex BI innovates in a time of lockdown

#TheLockdownSeries explores the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses, how they prepared for lockdown and its impacts on operations and employees, as well as lessons learned that we can take into the post-Covid-19 era.

Neil Buckley, managing director of Apex BI provides powerful technology expense management (TEM) solutions to all sectors of the market, including: SMEs; medium to large enterprises; telecom carriers and service providers. Apex BI is an innovative, agile, service orientated company.



Neil Buckley, managing director of Apex BI, shares his experience of the current Covid-19 crisis and how his organisation is navigating these unusual times...



How has Covid-19 impacted your business?



Thankfully, due to the nature of what we do  which is essentially reporting on large data sets - we are in a very fortunate position where a remote working environment has very little bearing on our day-to-day operations.



Having said that, we implemented strategic and swift directives, and implementations, with regards to the following: We morphed into a 100% remote working environment.



We made an early decision to increase value for our customers at the existing price points.



We realised we had to change some of our processes to enable quick turnaround times. An example would be our onboarding process for new SIM cards. A lot of our customers have had to quickly adapt their own organisations to remote working and this meant providing their remote workforce with mobile voice and data connectivity.

Given the nature of our TEM business, and with particular reference to helping our customers manage and contain mobile voice and data connectivity costs for the remote workers, we changed some of our onboarding processes. This permitted us to expedite reporting capability for our customers so that we could enable visibility into their mobile voice and data costs.



This proactive approach translated into cost control for our customers and negated them being put into the position of having run away SIM cards that delivered the cost fright at the end of April. We streamlined the support process and we have been offering support over weekends  this may become a norm.



Like all businesses, our meetings with: staff; customers and business partners, have moved into video and/or audio conferences.



We have seen a pendulum swing effect with certain expenditure line items. Whilst some costs have gone down, e.g. business travel, others, such as: IT expenditure have increased as a result of additional video conferencing licenses, voice and data connectivity etc.

How did you prepare for the lockdown?



Fortunately, 95% of our core business activity, processes and support structures operate via digital platforms. Our core product is software and our underlying architecture is all cloud-based.



Due to this, we were able to transition to a remote working model quickly and with little, or no, impact on our customers. Again strategic decisions we made before the lockdown was implemented really paid off. We had made a decision to move into a work from home (WFH) environment pre-lockdown, with the result that we were able to acclimatise and test. We enabled remote extensions for all Apex BI staff, including the support desk; so they could receive and make voice over internet calls (VoIP) from their mobile devices. Our internal fileservers were also already cloud-based.



What's the biggest challenge you are facing during this pandemic?



The financial impact flowing downstream, from customers and business partners alike, is the biggest challenge that we are having to deal with, through requests for extended payment terms; payment freezes and discounting. This is impacting our own cash flow.



What sort of assistance will you need going forward?



At this stage, the most important form of assistance we require is for our customers to pay on time so that we too may fully pay our staff and creditors on time.



If you are able to operate, what steps are you taking to continue operating?



We are fully operational as a direct result of the early interventions we put in place. We have added additional measures to our financial management processes. All of our product support structures and processes remain unchanged. Our support team offers the exact same support channels.



What measures have you put in place for your employees?



As explained in the previously regarding our preparations for lockdown, we enabled our staff from a technology and management support perspective to move quickly and efficiently to a WFH model thus ensuring both their safety and most importantly no change to their employment status.



Are you communicating with your customers? If so, how?



Yes, our communications and meetings have remained the same, if not amplified during this period. We achieve this through the use of mainly MS Teams but also WhatsApp, LinkedIn, e-mails and phone calls.



How are you offering assistance to your customers who rely on your services?



We are expediting onboarding processes; adding additional reports to all our customers highlighting lockdown related data cost increases which translates into cost control for them and our support team has been made available after hours to cater for urgent issues.



What do you predict the next 6 months will be like?



Without fail, it is going to be a financially challenging time for the majority of businesses. Companies are going to have to look at new ways to reduce overheads and keep them down. This process will inherently bring with it a lot of collateral damage for other organisations and throughout this process, the financial challenges will remain until a point of stabilisation and relative normality has been achieved.

https://t.co/rCmb2fmdad#ApexBI #clarity #technologyexpensemanagement #thepowerofknowing #remoteworkers #mobile pic.twitter.com/xoVQADfNiS  Apex BI (@ApexBI_TEM) April 15, 2020

Furthermore, I believe organisations are going to start future-proofing their businesses for possible re-occurrences of the corona-lockdown scenario. Valuable lessons have been learnt by many organisations during this time. All businesses should be accelerating their digital migration efforts to mitigate risks and losses should we find ourselves in a similar position. The ability to flick a switch and enable a remote workforce for appropriate job specifications should be defined and documented.



Now is the time to innovate and experiment. What is Apex BI doing?



In terms of experimentation, we believe it is important to take a pragmatic approach. This is a time for innovation but not a time for experimentation in the form trial and error procedures in the midst of the financial pressures that currently prevail for all organisations.



Having said that I believe that any situation that causes one or more people to change the way they work and behave - especially when it's forced on them - is an opportunity for innovation.



We are innovating! We are discussing several new product lines, the thought process behind which are a direct result of the lockdown imposed on all businesses. We see several opportunities complementary to our core offerings, to assist organisations with insights and management capabilities across their remote workforce. Apex BI provides powerful technology expense management (TEM) solutions to all sectors of the market, including: SMEs; medium to large enterprises; telecom carriers and service providers. Apex BI is an innovative, agile, service orientated company.Neil Buckley, managing director of Apex BI, shares his experience of the current Covid-19 crisis and how his organisation is navigating these unusual times...Thankfully, due to the nature of what we do  which is essentially reporting on large data sets - we are in a very fortunate position where a remote working environment has very little bearing on our day-to-day operations.Having said that, we implemented strategic and swift directives, and implementations, with regards to the following:A lot of our customers have had to quickly adapt their own organisations to remote working and this meant providing their remote workforce with mobile voice and data connectivity.Given the nature of our TEM business, and with particular reference to helping our customers manage and contain mobile voice and data connectivity costs for the remote workers, we changed some of our onboarding processes. This permitted us to expedite reporting capability for our customers so that we could enable visibility into their mobile voice and data costs.This proactive approach translated into cost control for our customers and negated them being put into the position of having run away SIM cards that delivered the cost fright at the end of April.Fortunately, 95% of our core business activity, processes and support structures operate via digital platforms. Our core product is software and our underlying architecture is all cloud-based.Due to this, we were able to transition to a remote working model quickly and with little, or no, impact on our customers. Again strategic decisions we made before the lockdown was implemented really paid off. We had made a decision to move into a work from home (WFH) environment pre-lockdown, with the result that we were able to acclimatise and test. We enabled remote extensions for all Apex BI staff, including the support desk; so they could receive and make voice over internet calls (VoIP) from their mobile devices. Our internal fileservers were also already cloud-based.The financial impact flowing downstream, from customers and business partners alike, is the biggest challenge that we are having to deal with, through requests for extended payment terms; payment freezes and discounting. This is impacting our own cash flow.At this stage, the most important form of assistance we require is for our customers to pay on time so that we too may fully pay our staff and creditors on time.We are fully operational as a direct result of the early interventions we put in place. We have added additional measures to our financial management processes. All of our product support structures and processes remain unchanged. Our support team offers the exact same support channels.As explained in the previously regarding our preparations for lockdown, we enabled our staff from a technology and management support perspective to move quickly and efficiently to a WFH model thus ensuring both their safety and most importantly no change to their employment status.Yes, our communications and meetings have remained the same, if not amplified during this period. We achieve this through the use of mainly MS Teams but also WhatsApp, LinkedIn, e-mails and phone calls.We are expediting onboarding processes; adding additional reports to all our customers highlighting lockdown related data cost increases which translates into cost control for them and our support team has been made available after hours to cater for urgent issues.Without fail, it is going to be a financially challenging time for the majority of businesses. Companies are going to have to look at new ways to reduce overheads and keep them down. This process will inherently bring with it a lot of collateral damage for other organisations and throughout this process, the financial challenges will remain until a point of stabilisation and relative normality has been achieved.Furthermore, I believe organisations are going to start future-proofing their businesses for possible re-occurrences of the corona-lockdown scenario.The ability to flick a switch and enable a remote workforce for appropriate job specifications should be defined and documented.In terms of experimentation, we believe it is important to take a pragmatic approach. This is a time for innovation but not a time for experimentation in the form trial and error procedures in the midst of the financial pressures that currently prevail for all organisations.Having said that I believe that any situation that causes one or more people to change the way they work and behave - especially when it's forced on them - is an opportunity for innovation.We are innovating! We are discussing several new product lines, the thought process behind which are a direct result of the lockdown imposed on all businesses. We see several opportunities complementary to our core offerings, to assist organisations with insights and management capabilities across their remote workforce.

Evan-Lee Courie's articles About Evan-Lee Courie Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship

Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship
ALBANY  When did coronavirus peak in the Capital Region? It depends on the metric you consider.

According to new regional hospitalization data released by the state, the Capital Region was one of the first regions in the state to experience a peak in virus-related hospitalizations  before New York City even by two days.

The data show that the Capital Region experienced peak hospitalizations due to the virus on April 10 with 205 patients admitted to area hospitals. That was less than a week after the area started receiving its first transfers from downstate hospitals. Long Island also peaked that day, with 4,108 patients in the hospital.

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The mid-Hudson Valley region peaked next on April 11 with 1,888 cases, followed by New York City on April 12 with a whopping 12,184 people hospitalized across the five boroughs.

From there, peak hospitalizations arrived on April 13 for Central New York, April 14 for the Finger Lakes (which peaked again at the same level just a few days later), April 16 for the Mohawk Valley, April 17 for the Southern Tier (which also hit its peak again a few days later), April 23 for the North Country and April 28 for Western New York.

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Peak hospitalizations have looked very different by region, ranging from more than 12,000 in New York City and just 25 in the North Country. See each regions peak hospitalization data below:

New York City: 12,184

Long Island: 4,108

Mid-Hudson: 1,888

Western New York: 263

Capital Region: 205

Finger Lakes: 146

Central New York: 68

Mohawk Valley: 50

Southern Tier: 34

North Country: 25

New York as a whole experienced peak hospitalizations on April 12 with 18,825 people hospitalized with the virus statewide.

Some regions  such as New York City, Long Island, mid-Hudson and the Capital Region  have experienced something resembling a bell curve in hospitalizations, with hospitalizations ticking upward each day, plateauing, and then falling.

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Central New York and the North Country appeared to have two clear spikes in cases, though the number of hospitalizations in the North Country are so low that any change in admissions would have a large impact on the curve.

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

In Central New York, hospitalizations peaked around mid-April, began falling and then began rising again around May 3.

CLICK HERE: The latest coronavirus numbers in NY

The virus impact on a region may also be gleaned by the number of new positive cases confirmed each day. However, availability of testing kits has varied throughout the pandemic, limiting the usefulness of this data. In mid-March, widespread community testing shut down in response to a national shortage of kits. Availability of kits has picked back up since then, making recent data more useful.

Additionally, there remains concern that the reopening of regions across the state will lead to a spike in new infections and hospitalizations. The state has tasked regional control rooms made up of state and local leaders from each region to carefully monitor virus metrics in their regions as reopenings occur, and report any spikes to the state, which could result in more shutdowns.

CLICK HERE: Full coronavirus coverage

In order to reopen and remain open, regions must experience a 14-day decline in coronavirus hospitalizations or under 15 new hospitalizations on a three-day average, a 14-day decline in hospital deaths or fewer than five deaths on a three-day average, and new hospitalizations of less than two per 100,000 residents on a three-day rolling average. Thirty percent of their total hospital and ICU beds also must remain open and available in case of a surge.

As of Tuesday, May 12, the Capital Region had not met the hospitalization and death metrics required to be low enough to begin reopening.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday evening directed the top brass of the state administration to increase testing in view of the growing number of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19 ) cases and a steady inflow of migrants.

The number of Covid-19 cases has reached 879, from just 66 on April 14, in the state.

Kumar said during a review meeting that random testing in the state would not be enough now and the testing capacity must be increased to 10,000 per day amid the arrival of migrant workers, which would grow further in the coming days, said a statement issued by the Bihar government late on Tuesday evening.

He directed officials to take necessary steps to ramp up testing.

Demanding more kits and equipment from the Centre, Kumar had also said at the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday the state would like to ensure 10,000 tests per day from just 1,800 tests per day at present to check the spread of Covid-19.

Apart from Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machine and its testing kits, automatic RNA extraction, Bihar has also demanded 100 ventilators.

The chief minister on Tuesday said all the migrants who want to come should be brought to the state over the next seven days.

The officials should coordinate with other states to bring them back. From nearby states, buses could also be used and arrangements should be made, he added.

A senior official said the chief minister wanted a regulated inflow of migrants so that they could be properly screened and quarantined to prevent the spread of infection, as the bulk of the positive cases in the last one week have turned out to be migrants in the last few days.

The problem with Bihar is not the inflow of migrants. Migrants are always welcome home. The problem is that many of them are coming from high-risk red zones in worst-affected states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, a state minister said, adding the Centre needs to put the focus on the states concerns before it gets too late.

This is multiplying the virus load on Bihar. By the time positive cases are detected, they have already spread it to new areas, the minister cited above said.

Sanjay Kumar, the principal secretary of the department of health, tweeted late on Tuesday that 15 TrueNat machines would be installed at 13 district hospitals in the state, while 25 more were in pipeline, on the direction of the CM and health minister.

This will help us to decentralise and speed up testing, he added.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had on April 10 validated the usage of TrueNat, a diagnostic machine for testing test drug-resistant tuberculosis, for Covid-19 tests.

On its part, Bihar has been treading cautiously in view of the formidable challenge it might have to face.

None of the Bihar districts is in the green zone since the very beginning of the third phase of lockdown. There are quarantine centres in every block and panchayats of the state, a decision the government took in the view of the migrants inflow.

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Financial technology company, Revolut has indicted that it has signed up one million customers in Ireland, effectively doubling its customer base in just 6 months. The Fintech has 10m customers globally.

In conjunction with the announcement, Revolut has also announced it will target the youth market in Ireland with the launch of Revolut Junior, focused on children between 7-17. Revolut Junior accounts can only be created by adult users of Revolut on behalf of children, with the accounts managed by parents or guardians, but only available for its Premium or Metal accounts.

The company did not give any details on how many customers are using its Premium account nor how active these customers were.

According to Goodbody Stockbrokers, "The 1m customer level is a clear milestone for the Revolut business here in Ireland and a growing threat not just for the banks but also to the credit unions. Whilst Revolut customers still have to have a mainstream current account from which to transfer funds into the Revolut account, its growing use for basic transaction activity will continue to impact on the fee-generating capacity of the traditional banking sector, but also drive the banks to continue to up their game with their own banking apps and features."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
As millions of Canadians lose their jobs, many are beginning to accept a painful new reality. Their retirement has started whether they like it or not.

Many companies have been permanently impaired because of COVID-19. The economy will eventually bounce back, but thats of little consolation of some of Canadas older workers. These folks face an uphill battle finding another job even after things return to normal. After all, such a phenomenon happens after every recession.

Something thats causing these folks even more stress is they havent adequately saved for retirement. Their plan was to just keep working as long as possible, creating a short retirement. These plans must now be scrapped.

If youre facing an uncertain retirement without many savings, dont fret. Heres how you can thrive on just Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) payments.

Move somewhere cheaper

Moving is expensive, stressful, and just generally a bad experience. The only fun part is when its over.

But it can really free up a lot of capital for retirees, especially those who live in Canadas largest cities and have paid off real estate. A move from Toronto to Thunder Bay, for example, can easily put hundreds of thousands of dollars in your pocket.

That cash can be then invested in a portfolio of dividend-paying securities like Telus Corporation (TSX:T)(NYSE:TU). Telus offers investors a solid dividend yield of more than 5%, a history of dividend growth, and the stability of having one of Canadas best telecom networks.

Those assets should appreciate over the long-term as communication continues to be important. And remember, Telus is expanding into some interesting sectors including health care and call centers.

Say you free up $250,000 worth of home equity and invest it a portfolio of solid Canadian stocks  including Telus  that yield around 5%. That decision alone will add more than $1,000 per month to your income.

Embrace other government programs

Story continues

A typical couple can expect to receive a little more than $2,000 per month from CPP and OAS alone. Thats a nice start, but it likely isnt enough for most folks.

Fortunately, there are a multitude of other government programs that low income retirees can tap. A big one is the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), a federal government program designed to supplement the income of low income seniors. You may qualify for some extra cash there.

There are also numerous provincial and local programs as well. Most places offer subsidized seniors apartments. There are many provincial and federal tax credits for seniors, too. Various provincial governments offer interesting perks, too.

Itll likely take a little paperwork to be approved, but government programs can easily put a few hundred dollars per month back in your pocket.

You need less than you think

Many pundits and mutual fund managers like to tell Canadian savers they cant retire comfortably unless they have millions stashed away.

But for many Canadians, thats simply not true. They find they spend significantly less in retirement, even after factoring in things like travel and spoiling the grandchildren.

Many expenses diminish significantly during your golden years. Theres no more commute, which will likely save hundreds of dollars per month. And there are no work lunches or business casual wardrobe to buy either.

Taxes also go down significantly. After all, income usually takes a dive during your later years, especially if youve retired without a whole lot of investments. CPP and OAS income is taxable, but thats not an issue for low income seniors. These folks get to keep every penny of their pensions.

Combine all this together and many seniors dont find it much of a sacrifice to survive on $2,000 or $3,000 per month, especially when the house is paid off and theres no other debt.

The bottom line on retirement

If youve been forced into retirement by the COVID-19 economic fallout, dont fret. By following these three important steps, your retirement is in much better shape than you may have originally thought. You might even have enough to live very comfortably.

The post 3 Ways to Have a Prosperous Retirement on Just CPP and OAS Payments appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Nelson Smith owns shares of TELUS CORPORATION.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020
The Boeing Companys BA Commercial Airplanes segment continues to struggle amid the coronavirus pandemic. As we know, the demand for its 737 jets has reached bottom low over the past twelve months, following the consecutive crashes of two 737 Max 8 jets in March 2019, which eventually caused the temporary suspension of production in December.



The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on global air travel, which started to set its course around the middle of first-quarter 2020, dealt another major blow to the 737 program. The company witnessed a series of order cancellations for the 737 program over the course of time.



Recent Order Cancellations



Per a Reuters report, Boeing reported a total of 150 737 MAX aircraft cancellations in March, resulting from the worsened coronavirus situation. These cancellations were made by an Irish leasing company, named Avolon, and Brazil-based GOL airlines. Additionally, other prominent names that made cancellations involving the 737 MAX in the first quarter of 2020 were Gulf Air, Air Canda and Latam Airlines.



Per a CNBC report, the month of April was no better for Boeing as General Electrics GE aircraft leasing arm canceled 108 more orders for 737 Max jetliners, led by the pandemics devastating impacts on global air travel and its customers. As a result of such increasing order cancellations, Boeing did not take any new orders for its commercial jets in April. To make matters worse, these cancellations dented the companys backlog, resulting in its order book to slip below the 5,000 mark.



What Lies Ahead?



During the first quarter, Boeing encountered a significant decline in aircraft deliveries as airline companies all over the world struggled from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and thus, delayed delivery schedule. Since the duration of the outbreak still remains uncertain, air travel across the globe is unlikely to be operational any time soon. This can turn out to be disastrous for prominent jet makers like Boeing, Airbus SE EADSY and others. In such circumstances, Boeing may witness a further rise in order cancellations alongside experiencing poor aircraft deliveries.



Moreover, due to the continuing decline in passenger bookings, airliners across the globe will be forced to reduce their existing capacities. Such an ongoing disruption in the aviation industry will most likely further dent Boeings commercial revenues in the upcoming quarters.



Price Movement



Boeings stock has plunged 63.5% in a year compared with the industrys decline of 29.3%.

Story continues





Zacks Rank & A Key Pick



Boeing currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



A better-ranked stock in the same sector is Elbit Systems Ltd ESLT, sporting a Zacks Rank #1.



Elbit Systems delivered a four-quarter earnings beat of 11.26%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2021 earnings indicates an annual improvement of 2.48%.



The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All



Last year, it generated $24 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $77.6 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.



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Health professionals hold candles during a symbolic protest and tribute for health workers who have died of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (AFP)

Sao Paulo: Brazil registered its highest COVID-19 death toll for a single day, with 881 new deaths confirmed over the past 24 hours, the health ministry said Tuesday.

Brazil, the Latin American country hit hardest in the pandemic, appears to be quickly becoming a new global flashpoint.

The total death toll from the new coronavirus has now hit 12,400 in the country, with 177,589 confirmed cases -- up 9,258 from the day before.

That makes Brazil the sixth most-affected country, after the United States, Britain, Italy, France and Spain.

"Certainly, the increase of cases (in Brazil) in the last several days is a case of concern," Marcos Espinal, head of the communicable diseases department at the Pan American Health Organization, told a briefing in Washington.

Experts say under-testing means the real numbers in Brazil are probably far higher.

"Brazil is only testing people who end up in the hospital," said Domingo Alves, one of the authors of a study published last week that estimated the real number of infections in the country was 15 times higher than the official figure.

"It's hard to know what's really happening based on the available data. We don't have a real policy to manage the outbreak. The pandemic is passing through as it pleases," he told AFP.

Brazil's far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has drawn criticism for downplaying the pandemic, comparing the virus to a "little flu," condemning the "hysteria" around it, and urging state and local authorities to end stay-at-home measures.

Previously, the highest one-day toll in Brazil was 751 deaths on May 8.
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Linkedin Mumtaj Begum (The Star/Asia News Network)  Wed, May 13, 2020 14:54 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7c4d52 2 Entertainment Ju-On,Netflix,series,Japan,The-Grudge,film Free

It seems like you can never really get rid of a truly scary ghost.

Netflix is releasing a Japanese drama series titled Ju-On: Origins on July 3, which will make it the latest installment in the Ju-On franchise that began as a film 20 years ago.

After the first movie in 2000, Ju-On: The Curse  which introduced us to the vengeful ghost Kayako and the spirit of a boy, Toshio  there have been many more Ju-On films, made in Japan as well as Hollywood productions.

Earlier this year, we saw the release of Hollywood film The Grudge, which tried to resuscitate Kayako with a story set in the United States, centering around a series of murders in a small town.

Read also: Hello fear, goodbye jump scare: Terror -- the new buzz in Indonesian horror film

Well, the new film was disappointing, so its good news that the franchise is back in Japan... and, for the first time, presented as a drama series.

Ju-On: Origins looks at the beginning of the curse: in which anyone who enters a certain abandoned house where a mother and her child were killed will die, and horribly too.

The synopsis tells us that a paranormal investigator, Yasuo Odajima (Yoshiyoshi Arakawa), is trying to get to the truth behind the curse and the deaths. His investigation takes him to meet Haruka Honjo (Yuina Kuroshima), who keeps hearing mysterious footsteps in her room at night.

Will they get to the truth or will the curse get to them first? Find out on July 3.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Azerbaijan is thoroughly fighting against coronavirus under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Assistant to Azerbaijans president, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev said.

Hajiyev made the remark at the briefing of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on May 13.

The conducted work in Azerbaijan is highly appreciated by the international community, assistant to Azerbaijans president added. Azerbaijan is being cited as an example for the whole world.

Hajiyev reminded that the summits of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states and the Non-Aligned Movement were held on the initiative of Azerbaijan's president.

All this is Azerbaijans most important contribution to the international cooperation, Hajiyev said.

The measures are also being taken to return Azerbaijani citizens staying abroad to Azerbaijan, the assistant to Azerbaijans president added.

Over 540 Azerbaijani citizens returned from Russia to Azerbaijan through I am going home website, assistant to Azerbaijans president added. A lot of Azerbaijani citizens from other countries also came back over the past period.
The pandemic economy is squeezing renters as well as low-income homeowners, setting the stage for what many experts fear will be a surge of evictions.

Most housing courts in Ohio followed state Supreme Court guidance to impose a moratorium on regular evictions during the pandemic. But now, some in the Cleveland suburbs have already started hearing regular evictions again, according to the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. Cleveland Housing Court, which handles by far the largest number of eviction cases locally, is due to start new hearings June 15.

All such courts face not just an evictions backlog, but also the likelihood that eviction caseloads will accelerate, as renters and mortgagees both fall behind in their payments because of lost jobs and income. Affordable housing experts warn of a crisis that could toss families on the streets when the coronavirus is still with us and there are few safe housing options for newly homeless families.

The challenge is to find a good balance that doesnt create new crises, by trying to minimize unnecessary homelessness for tenants and provide more options for landlords.

What needs to happen?

* Housing courts need to be ready with innovative efforts to help landlords and mortgage companies find middle ground, to keep families in their homes if possible. Among new tools: expanded rental assistance programs and a new right-to-counsel project in Cleveland evictions that launches July 1. Cleveland Housing Court and its partners are also hosting a free virtual workshop May 30 for Cleveland landlords. (To register: https://tinyurl.com/y9ncfw4y)

* Since evictions are equitable proceedings, courts can go beyond considering just the law; they can -- and should -- consider how the parties have been impacted by COVID-19.

* Cuyahoga County and other communities should consider using some of their federal coronavirus CARES Act funding to underwrite efforts similar to Clevelands to help mitigate evictions in the suburbs.

* Landlords and mortgage holders should show forbearance and draw on new resources, such as rental assistance, to limit evictions, in ways that could benefit all parties. Last week, Sen. Sherrod Brown introduced legislation seeking to create a federal $100 billion emergency rental assistance fund.

* Unused Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) money provides a potential source of state and local funding to help shore up housing security. The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio has called on Gov. Mike DeWine to free up $35 million in unused TANF money to underwrite its housing program for homeless families. COHHIO estimates that more than 630,000 Ohio renters have been laid off thanks to the pandemic. These jobless men and women owe a combined total of more than $500 million in rent each month, it says.

In Cuyahoga County, low-income renters who are at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines ($52,400 for a family of four) -- and who have a minor child in the home and are in imminent risk of homelessness -- can now apply for emergency TANF money to help clear rent arrears or pay rent, security and utility deposits. The money, provided through COHHIO, is only available until June 30. (Go to edeninc.org.)

In Cleveland, the citys landmark $7 million three-year public-private effort is about to launch in partnership with Legal Aid and the United Way to provide legal counsel to families facing evictions.

The effort will begin soon after Cleveland Housing Court is due to reopen -- an important and needed confluence of forward-looking public policy with urgent public need.

Provisions of the congressional CARES Act do protect some renters from eviction. However, those provisions only benefit a fraction of renters, the Ohio Poverty Law Center has found: renters in federally assisted rental housing; renters who receive rural housing vouchers; and renters in properties whose property owners have federally backed mortgages.

Some mortgage companies are enjoying coronavirus relief, too -- definitely so, if they have federally guaranteed mortgages, but also, in some cases, for private mortgage holders. In eviction cases, fairness arguments would have to balance such relief against renters obligations.

Flexibility in the housing market is sorely needed, for a variety of reasons: to keep courts from being overwhelmed by eviction proceedings; but also to keep landlords from having to choose a no-win option for everyone -- making someone homeless at a time of widespread hardship and unemployment, while needing to find a new tenant at a time when it may be difficult to do so.

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.

Have something to say about this topic?

* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.

* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.
RIO DE JANEIRO  Faced with overwhelmed hospitals and surging coronavirus deaths, Brazilian state and city governments are lurching forward with mandatory lockdowns against the will of President Jair Bolsonaro, who says job losses are more damaging than COVID-19.

The movements of Brazilians have been completely restricted in fewer than two dozen cities scattered across the vast nation of 211 million  even though Brazils death toll stands at more than 12,000, Latin Americas highest.

While public health experts are demanding bolder action, most governors and mayors have not imposed mandatory stay-at-home orders. Their apparent reluctance comes amid Bolsonaros relentless message for Brazilians to defy regional and local public health efforts to stop the virus spread.

Stricter lockdowns are needed because Brazilian doctors are now being forced to choose who lives and dies and triage situations could generate social unrest if they increase, said Miguel Lago, executive director of Brazils non-profit Institute for Health Policy Studies, which advises public health officials.

We need to avoid a total disaster, he said.

Lago said mandatory lockdowns across much of the country would help: It is late in terms of avoiding hospital collapse, but certainly it isnt too late to avoid a bigger catastrophe.

Brazil had more than 177,000 confirmed cases on Tuesday, with the actual figure believed to be much higher because of limited testing. Many intensive care hospital units are full and cemeteries are increasingly overwhelmed with bodies.

Bolsonaro, who called the virus a little flu, has insisted for more than a month that governors are stoking economic carnage with voluntary quarantine recommendations and urges Brazilians to go about their everyday. He reiterated criticism of governors Tuesday for ignoring his decree that gyms, barbershops and beauty salons should be treated as essential services.

Amid Bolsonaros rejection of coronavirus danger, most of the countrys 27 governors have criticized his stances but none have imposed mandatory statewide lockdown measures recommended by experts. Instead, the governors have either applied selective lockdowns in cities or deferred to mayors to make those decisions.

Governors had been hoping the virus would not spread in Brazils warm climate, but their response is also a reflection of Brazils political landscape because the governors depend on mayors to endorse re-election campaigns.

Many worry that imposing mandatory lockdowns could hurt local leaders in this years municipal election, decreasing support for incumbent governors in their 2022 campaigns, said Thiago de Aragao, director of strategy of the Arko Advice political consultancy.

But as the death toll rose from less than 7,000 to more than 10,000 last week, local authorities began adopting stricter anti-virus measures.

The riverside community of Tefe in the Amazon region was among the first, with a lockdown decree specifying criminal charges for residents leaving home except for visits to hospitals, pharmacies and supermarkets. The mayor imposed it because only about half of Tefes 60,000 residents complied with an earlier recommendation by the governor of Amazonas state to take virus precautions.

Those who did not comply think theyre immortal, that they wont get it, Tefe Mayor Normando Bessa de Sa said on Facebook.

Over the next three days, the governors of the northern and northeastern states of Maranhao, Para and Ceara decreed lockdowns for their capital cities as intensive-care units filled with COVID-19 patients.

Despite the new lockdowns, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo still dont have mandatory stay-at-home-orders at the state or city level  even though they are the hardest hit places in Brazil.

Lockdowns should have been imposed at least three weeks ago, when the epidemic was already increasing, but not at this speed that it is now, said Margareth Dalcolmo, a respiratory physician and researcher with the widely respected Oswaldo Cruz Foundation biological research group.

I gave that recommendation more than once, said Dalcolmo, among the experts on a COVID-19 panel that advises Rios governor.

Rio Gov. Wilson Witzel has decreed non-binding quarantine recommendations and commerce restrictions through the end of May. He pledged to make police available so the states 92 mayors can enact lockdowns, instead of imposing them himself.

In another example of Brazils scattershot local lockdowns, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Marcelo Crivella on Monday prohibited non-residents from entering 11 neighborhoods and ordered the closure of all businesses except supermarkets and pharmacies in the teeming slums called favelas.

People still havent perceived the need to avoid gatherings, stay home, Crivella complained.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms including fever and cough. The risk of death is greater for the elderly and people with other health problems.

The cities of Niteroi and Sao Goncalo near Rio on Monday authorized fines and criminal charges for violating stay-at-home orders. Niteroi police took the temperatures of those entering the city, and put a man and his two dogs inside a police van after he allegedly refused to show documents to justify being out of his home.

In Sao Paulo state, Gov. Joao Doria last month urged but did not require residents to self-quarantine while shutting down schools and most businesses. Nearly 70% of the states 44 million people initially complied, but that dropped below 50% in recent weeks, according to cellphone carrier data provided by the state.

Doria, a presidential hopeful, saw his popularity increase as he challenged Bolsonaro. But police stopped enforcing his recommendations after Bolsonaro criticized the handcuffing and detention of a middle-aged woman exercising in a park who resisted removal.

With noncompliance rising, Doria said last week that if we need to step up to a lockdown, we will not hesitate.

Sao Paulos mayor this week limited vehicles circulating in the city to 50% of the normal flow. Television images showed long lines of people entering crammed buses with standing room only in clear violation of social distancing guidelines.

Public health analysts from the Imperial College London, whose COVID-19 research has guided global policymakers, last week called Brazils anti-virus efforts partially successful.

In the absence of the introduction of further control measures that will more strongly curb transmission, Brazil faces the prospect of an epidemic that will continue to grow exponentially, they wrote.

___

Savarese reported from Sao Paulo
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While parents are looking for reassurance that their children can safely return to school in the fall, the countrys top medical experts say its too soon to tell, according to recent reports.

During a virtual Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing on Tuesday, Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the idea of having treatments or vaccination for the coronavirus (COVD-19) available to facilitate the reopening of schools in the fall is something that would be a bit of a bridge too far, according to the U.S. News & World Report.

Were really not talking about treating a student who gets ill, but how the student will feel safe in going back to school, he said, according to the report. If this was a situation where we had a vaccine, that would be the end of that issue, in a positive way. But even at the top speed were going, we dont see a vaccine playing in the ability of individuals to get back to school this term.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

According to the outlet, the comments from Fauci come as President Donald Trump has been urging governors to reopen school systems. School buildings are closed for more than 55 million children in the United States for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, including 1.1 million students in the New York City public school system.

NYC MAKING PLANS FOR REOPENING SCHOOLS

Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference on Tuesday that the city is looking at any and all options when it comes to reopening schools in September.

Were going to think carefully about all the ways we might go about bringing our schools back, de Blasio said during the press conference. The first focus will be the health and safety of everyone involved  kids, parents, educators, everyone that works in a school building. And weve got a fair amount of time  I mean, remember, we were talking about most of four months before school opens."

So, theres lots of time to see how things develop with the disease and what we learn about how to address it and how all our other efforts hopefully have taken us to a very, very different place by early September, he added.

The mayors goal is to return to the normal school day with the full functioning of schools as quickly as possible. If that cant happen, there are other plans the city is looking at -- such as a hybrid approach or staggered school hours.

In late April, city Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said in an interview that many options are being considered for September if medical experts continue to call for social distancing and other precautions to protect against the coronavirus.

When asked by NY1 if he could see scenarios where students would alternate school days to reduce crowding, Carranza said its a definite maybe.

Those are all being taken into consideration so its a definite maybe, he said. Again, its all going to depend on what the medical experts are telling us and whats safe.

TESTING WILL DRIVE DECISIONS

According to the U.S. News & World Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to issue guidance for schools and colleges in the coming weeks.

Robert Redfield, the CDC director, also testified before the committee on Tuesday, and said that testing availability and contact tracing will drive decisions when it comes to reopening schools, according to the report.

Members of the committee also said that geography matters when it comes to reopening. States and school districts that arent overwhelmed by community spread and are seeing steady declines in infection rates will be better positioned to reopen in the fall, the outlet reported.

Senators in states with lower infection rates -- unlike New York, New Jersey and other nearby states -- recommended that states and school districts make reopening decisions, rather than a national strategy for reopening schools.

However, Fauci said theres still a lot that medical experts dont know about the virus, such as the the rise in cases of children with pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome.

Fauci explained that in the fall, communities will have a better understanding of whether the virus is under control in a region.

We have a very large country and the dynamics of the outbreak are different in different regions of the country, Fauci said, as reported by the U.S. News & World Report. So I would imagine that situations regarding school will be very different in one region versus another so that its not going to be universally or homogenous.

He continued to stress that the greatest risk is that reopening too soon will lead to a spike in new infections.

45 Photos of the pandemic in NYC: Our lives changed forever

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:07:28|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The United States categorically opposes the adoption of a protocol to the convention of banning biological and toxin weapons, which would establish a mechanism to verify compliance by member countries with their obligation not to produce such weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"The United States' reluctance to ensure transparency of its military-biological activities in different regions of the world, of course, raises questions about what is really happening and what goals are being pursued," Lavrov said during a news conference following an online meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Lavrov said that since 2001, Russia, together with other countries, has advocated an agreement on the preparation of such a protocol.

He said that Russia has repeatedly drawn attention to the creation and development of biological laboratories all over the world, most of which work under the auspices of the Pentagon.

"These laboratories are densely formed along the perimeter of the borders of the Russian Federation, and, accordingly, next to the borders of the People's Republic of China," Lavrov said.

He added that the SCO is preparing an action plan to ensure sanitary and epidemiological safety -- specifically, biosafety -- with a summit to be held this year in St. Petersburg. Enditem
Immigrants living in San Francisco are set to receive financial relief after Twitter's CEO Jack Dorsey announced he will be donating over $15 million to the city's COVID-19 relief fund. According to Mayor London Breed, a portion of the donation will go toward undocumented immigrants.

The donation will greatly help in supporting the city's food security, housing access, and business and worker support programs designed for undocumented and mixed-status San Francisco residents, Breed said. He thanked the social media giant's CEO through a tweet.

https://t.co/HSnx2XZwH4 $15mm to San Franciscos Give2SF Response & Recovery Fund for food security, housing access, small business and worker support programs for undocumented, mixed status, and low-income San Franciscans. Thank you Mayor @LondonBreed  jack (@jack) May 12, 2020

Gives2SF is a state-run charity organization which received tax-deductible donations in support of COVID-19 public health challenges. This includes aiding people who are facing economic hardship caused by the lockdown guidelines. It also aims to keep small businesses from permanently closing.

Dorsey's contribution equates to double the amount of money given to the charity. Breed believes the donation will help the city acknowledge and provide support to the people who are struggling in this time of need.

Dorsey's recent donation followed a $10 million pledge to help prisons in the United States deal with the pandemic. The money went to REFORM Alliance. The organization is led by CNN analyst Van Jones and was co-founded by Jay-Z, Meek Mill, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and more.

The relief fund will reportedly be used to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks which will be distributed to inmates, health care workers, and corrections employees and staff.

In the previous weeks, Dorsey has donated to numerous organizations that also supported the Latin community.

He donated $167,000 to the Hispanic Federation Non-Profit Emergency Assistance Fund of Puerto Rico. The money will reportedly help support health clinics in Puerto Rico. It will also go towards building and improving triage shelters, as well as purchasing medical supplies and equipment for over 20 clinics across the island. The organization previously received $333,000 through the Clara Lionel Foundation and Sean Carter Foundation.

The Twitter CEO also donated to Dia de la Mujer Latina which is a non-profit organization that aims to promote healthy behaviors within the Latino community. They offer education, early detection screening, and preventive care interventions. They received $415,000 from the #startsmall LLC and an additional $85,000 from beyGOOD. The money will go towards launching the Telehealth Community Navigation Program designed to address racial disparities and health inequities that may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the United States.

Freedom House, a U.S.-based, government-funded non-profit organization, also received over $50,000 in donations from the CEO. The fund will be used to support illegal immigrants who survived persecutions. They aim to help undocumented residents who are currently seeking asylum through temporary accommodation. Freedom House also received an additional $50,000 from the Clara Lionel Foundation.

The donations came through Dorsey's global COVID-19 relief fund which has accumulated more than $1 billion in April. The CEO shared a sheet where all monetary flows are documented. The report is accessible by the general public. In total, #startsmall LLC has dispersed a total of $39 million to 48 different organizations around the world.Want to read more? Check these out:
File photo: Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

A mainland spokesman on Wednesday condemned the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan in supporting an island teacher's verbal attacks on mainland students studying on the island.

An assistant professor from Chung Yuan Christian University recently made discriminatory and offensive comments on mainland students during the class.

The teacher teased mainland students about the Sanlu milk powder scandal on the mainland and used the term "Wuhan Pneumonia", to refer to the COVID-19 outbreak, disparaging the mainland.

In 2008, thousands of babies on the mainland fell ill after drinking substandard milk powder produced by Sanlu Group, a large dairy company in North China's Hebei province.

The students complained to the school. Island authorities then expressed their support for the teacher.

In response, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said the teacher openly spread discriminatory and offensive political remarks in class, which seriously violated academic and professional ethics.

Ignoring the facts, island authorities defended the teacher in high profile comments, which further proves that they were the "protective umbrella" for the "anti-mainland" forces in Taiwan, Ma said.

Acts and the connivance of DPP authorities have worsened the cross-Straits educational exchanges and the normal and healthy environment for mainland students studying in Taiwan, he said.
US must stop acting callously, let Iranian hostages go: Foreign Ministry

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 1:14 AM

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman has urged the US to stop acting callously and release the Iranian "hostages" jailed in America and other parts of the world upon Washington's request.

Abbas Mousavi made the remarks on Monday in reaction to remarks made by US Acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli, who claimed the Iranian side has not seriously pursued the release of its inmates in the US despite Washington's efforts to send them back.

"Stop talking rubbish!" the Iranian spokesman tweeted, reacting to Cuccinelli's comments.

"Since September 2018, [Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad] Zarif has put 'universal prisoners swap' on the table, urged Washington to act responsibly about the Iranian HOSTAGES in the US and elsewhere," Mousavi added.

"Your regime has reacted callously and risked their lives. The world is watching your action, not your word. Let our citizens go!" he went on to say.

A few hours earlier, Foreign Minister Zarif said he had announced in New York some 1.5 years ago that the "Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to swap all Iranian prisoners, who are in jail in the US or other countries under the US pressure, with all American prisonersbut the Americans gave no response."

Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Sunday that the country has expressed its readiness to exchange prisoners with the United States, but that it will not accept any preconditions from Washington.

"We have declared that there is readiness to exchange all prisoners and discuss their release without any preconditions, but the US has refused to respond," he told Khabar Online news website.

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CUORE underground experiment in Italy carries on despite pandemic

As the COVID-19 outbreak took hold in Italy, researchers working on a nuclear physics experiment called CUORE at an underground laboratory in central Italy scrambled to keep the ultrasensitive experiment running and launch new tools and rules for remote operations.

This Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events experiment - designed to find a never-before-seen process involving ghostly particles known as neutrinos, to explain why matter won out over antimatter in our universe, and to also hunt for signs of mysterious dark matter - is carrying on with its data-taking uninterrupted while some other projects and experiments around the globe have been put on hold.

Finding evidence for these rare processes requires long periods of data collection - and a lot of patience. CUORE has been collecting data since May 2017, and after upgrade efforts in 2018 and 2019 the experiment has been running continuously.

Before the pandemic hit there were already tools in place that stabilized the extreme cooling required for CUORE's detectors and provided some remote controls and monitoring of CUORE systems, noted Yury Kolomensky, senior faculty scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the U.S. spokesperson for CUORE.

The rapid global spread of the disease, and related restrictions on access to the CUORE experiment at Gran Sasso National Laboratory (Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, or LNGS, operated by the Italian Nuclear Physics Institute, INFN) in central Italy, prompted CUORE leadership and researchers - working in three continents - to act quickly to ramp up the remote controls to prepare for an extended period with only limited access to the experiment.

Just days before the new restrictions went into effect at Gran Sasso, CUORE leadership on March 4 made the decision to rapidly deploy a new remote system and to work out the details of how to best maintain the experiment with limited staffing and with researchers monitoring in different time zones. The new system was fully operational about a week later, and researchers at Berkeley Lab played a role in rolling it out.

"We were already planning to transition to remote shift operations, whereby a scientist at a home institution would monitor the systems in real time, respond to alarms, and call on-site and on-call personnel in case an emergency intervention is needed," Kolomensky said, adding, "We were commissioning the system at the time of the outbreak."

Brad Welliver, a postdoctoral researcher, served as Berkeley Lab's lead developer for the new remote monitoring system, and Berkeley Lab staff scientist Brian Fujikawa was the overall project lead for the enhanced remote controls, collectively known as CORC, for CUORE Online/Offline Run Check.

Fujikawa tested controls for starting and stopping the data collection process, and also performed other electronics testing for the experiment from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

He noted that the system is programmed to send email and voice alarms to the designated on-shift CUORE researcher if something is awry with any CUORE system. "This alarm system is particularly important when operating CUORE remotely," he said, as in some cases on-site workers may need to visit the experiment promptly to perform repairs or other needed work.

Development of so-called "slow controls," which allow researchers to monitor and control CUORE equipment such as pumps and sensors, was led by Joe Johnston at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

"Now we can perform most of the operations from 6,000 miles away," Kolomensky said.

And many participants across the collaboration continue to play meaningful roles in the experiment from their homes, from analyzing data and writing papers to participating in long-term planning and remote meetings.

Despite access restrictions at Gran Sasso, experiments are still accessible for necessary work and checkups. The laboratory remains open in a limited way, and its staff still maintains all of its needed services and equipment, from shuttles to computing services.

Laura Marini, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley who serves as a run coordinator for CUORE and is now living near Gran Sasso, is among a handful of CUORE researchers who still routinely visits the lab site.

"As a run coordinator, I need to make sure that the experiment works fine and the data quality is good," she said. "Before the pandemic spread, I was going underground maybe not every day, but at least a few times a week." Now, it can be about once every two weeks.

Sometimes she is there to carry out simple fixes, like a stuck computer that needs to be restarted, she said. Now, in addition to the requisite hard hat and heavy shoes, Marini - like so many others around the globe who are continuing to work - must wear a mask and gloves to guard against the spread of COVID-19.

The simple act of driving into the lab site can be complicated, too, she said. "The other day, I had to go underground and the police stopped me. So I had to fill in a paper to declare why I was going underground, the fact that it was needed, and that I was not just wandering around by car," she said. Restrictions in Italy prevent most types of travel.

CUORE researchers note that they are fortunate the experiment was already in a state of steady data-taking when the pandemic hit. "There is no need for continuous intervention," Marini said. "We can do most of our checks by remote."

She said she is grateful to be part of an international team that has "worked together on a common goal and continues to do so" despite the present-day challenges.

Kolomensky noted some of the regular maintenance and upgrades planned for CUORE will be put off as a result of the shelter-in-place restrictions, though there also appears to be an odd benefit of the reduced activity at the Gran Sasso site. "We see an overall reduction in the detector noise, which we attribute to a significantly lower level of activity at the underground lab and less traffic in the highway tunnel," he said. Researchers are working to verify this.

CUORE already had systems in place to individually and remotely monitor data-taking by each of the experiment's 988 detectors. Benjamin Schmidt, a Berkeley Lab postdoctoral researcher, had even developed software that automatically flags periods of "noisy" or poor data-taking captured by CUORE's array of detectors.

Kolomensky noted that work on the CORC remote tools is continuing. "As we have gained more experience and discovered issues, improvements and bug fixes have been implemented, and these efforts are still ongoing," he said.

###

CUORE is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Italy's National Institute of Nuclear Physics (Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, or INFN), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). CUORE collaboration members include: INFN, University of Bologna, University of Genoa, University of Milano-Bicocca, and Sapienza University in Italy; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Berkeley Lab; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Los Angeles; University of South Carolina; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and Yale University in the US; Saclay Nuclear Research Center (CEA) and the Irene Joliot-Curie Laboratory (CNRS/IN2P3, Paris Saclay University) in France; and Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.

(Note: This is the first part in a recurring series highlighting Berkeley Lab's ongoing work in international physics collaborations during the pandemic.)

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Odisha saw its biggest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, reporting 101 new infections which pushed the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 538. Three people have died of the disease in the state so far.

States health and family welfare department officials said that of the cases reported on Wednesday, 91 were migrant workers who had returned from Surat in Gujarat or West Bengal and were have been staying in quarantine centres.

Out of the 101 new cases, almost half -52 -were in Ganjam, taking the districts total number of cases to 210. Balasore accounted for 33 new cases while Jajpur had 7 new cases.

Though Odisha had registered its first 100 Covid cases in 42 days, it recorded the next 400 cases in just 15 days. It took only two days for the state to reach 400 from 300 and just one day to cross 500-mark as more and more migrant workers have returned after the factories and the construction sites they worked at shut down due to the national lockdown. Till Wednesday, an estimated 80, 000 migrant workers had arrived in Odisha with another 4.5 lakh waiting to arrive.

As coronavirus cases continue to rise rapidly, Ganjam district continues to remain a source of headache for the Naveen Patnaik government. The first Covid-19 case in Ganjam was detected on May 2 when an 18-year-old male migrant worker of Buguda block arrived in the district in a bus along with 69 other co-passengers. He was kept at a quarantine centre of Kukudakhandi block immediately upon his arrival. Of the 69 passengers, swab samples of 21 were tested, of which 6 tested positive.

Between May 2 and May 13, Ganjam added more than 209 cases as more and more people from Surat returned by trains, buses and other modes of transport.

Migrants from Surat, a Covid hotspot have been the biggest source of corona infection in Odisha followed by migrants from Bengal, another Covid hotspot. Of the 538 cases, more than 230 are Surat returnees while another 150 would be those returning from Bengal. Till the migrant workers arrived, we had things under pretty much control, said Dr Bijoy Mohapatra, director of health services.

The director said that with the continuous arrival of migrant workers, there may be a little chance of the curve flattening in Odisha. Though most of the cases are those in quarantine centres, there is danger of local transmission as some of the persons quarantined may be visiting their families. The more we test, the more positives we will get, he said. Till Wednesday, Odisha had tested 72,756 samples.

Fears of community transmission in Ganjam began after several migrant workers kept in the districts quarantine centres fled last week while in other cases their near and dear were found to be loitering around the quarantine centres delivering food and other items. Odisha Assembly Speaker Surya Patro too alleged that some of the persons kept in quarantine centres were sneaking out to be with their family members at night.

However, Ganjam district Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said community transmission has not started in the district and steps are being taken to avoid it. All the positive cases so far have been from the quarantine centres. We are screening people at the railway station from where they are taken to respective quarantine centres. The quarantine centres have been declared as containment zones into which no one can enter or exit. Anyone violating it would be arrested, he said. In case a person comes from outside without our notice, the sarpanchs or village heads have been asked to identify them for sending them to mandatory 28-day quarantine.

Apart from the sharp rise in positive cases in Ganjam, health department officials are worried over the possibility of the Surat returnees carrying the L-type strain of coronavirus that was originally found in Chinas Wuhan and is known for showing Covid symptoms in patients. Unlike Covid positive cases in other districts, over 90 per cent of the cases detected in Ganjam cases have been symptomatic. Last month, a scientist at Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre had claimed that the novel coronavirus used for genome sequencing contained the L-type strain that was found at Wuhan in China.

However, technical spokesperson of Health department Dr Jayanta Panda said a virological study needs to be done to find out evidence of the L-strain in Odisha.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace RVshare announced the company has achieved the highest recorded booking numbers in company history, with a 650% rise in RV rental bookings since early April. The dramatic surge comes amid the ongoing pandemic, as long periods of isolation and social distancing have halted most forms of travel. The record-breaking numbers show that RV travel is on the rise as consumers are shifting their approach to travel when outlining future plans and considering overall safety.

"RV travel has been a trend steadily on the rise for years due to RV rentals being more accessible than ever thanks to sites like RVshare," said Jon Gray, CEO of RVshare. "We expect RVs to continue to gain traction as a preferred method of travel while consumers are seeking flexible options and a unique way to experience the outdoors."

Based on findings from a recent survey among RVshare users, travelers revealed preferences for both outdoor travel, destination proximity and booking flexibility within the next few months. Some key findings from the survey and recent booking trends include:

Travelers are ready for their next summer adventure. In fact, 77% of respondents are looking to make travel plans within the next three months. RVshare continues to see significant week over week growth in bookings for leisure travel leading into the summer months.

Flexible bookings. RVshare has seen a steady trend in last minute bookings the week of the scheduled trips. To enable travelers to readily find RV options that offer flexible cancellation policies given the uncertainties of COVID-19, RVshare recently launched a new search option with the ability to filter rental options by cancellation policy type.

Smaller groups. When planning a trip in the next three months, the overwhelming majority of respondents (93%) want to avoid crowds. This wasn't always the case. The importance of avoiding crowded places when traveling has increased by 70% since the pandemic started. Additionally, 84% plan to travel with their partner or immediate family instead of friends or extended family.

Reconnecting with nature. 65% of travelers want to be in and around nature. Preferred locations in the next three months include a national park (65%) or a lake destination (47%). New outdoor destinations are being searched and rising to RVshare's Top 100 most popular destinations including: Lake Murray, OK, Garner State Park, TX, Oak Mountain State Park, AL, Arcadia Peace River Campground, FL, Happy Jack, AZ and Colorado Springs, CO.

Limited contact. RVs are self-contained, meaning they allow for a more intimate way to vacation. They provide the ability to travel, sleep and eat in the same place with limited contact with others.

Extended getaways. With many spring trips cancelled, travelers report they are eager to take longer trips once they travel. Close to half of survey respondents say they plan to travel for a week to more than 10 days.

For more information or to book a rental, visit rvshare.com .

About RVshare

RVshare is the first and largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace. With more than 100,000 vehicles available, RVshare's diverse inventory ranges from affordable travel trailers to luxury motorhomes and can accommodate any outdoor adventure, whether it's a weekend of camping or a cross-country tour of national parks. Through RVshare, families and groups can experience a one-of-a-kind trip and create memories that will last a lifetime. In addition to offering a unique travel experience, RVshare provides RV owners in North America the opportunity to turn their RV into a second income. For more information, visit rvshare.com , and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @rvshare.

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Leo Varadkar has seen the deficit increase in the effort against coronavirus (Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland/PA)

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned the next Government will have to make choices around spending as the deficit is set to reach 30 billion euro this year.

It comes as negotiators from Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party met on Wednesday to discuss finance and the economy as part of talks on Government formation.

Speaking at a contact tracing centre in Dublin on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar said the country is in an unprecedented economic scenario due to the coronavirus pandemic  resulting in the 30 billion euro deficit.

The country will spend 30 billion euro more than we make in taxes; that is borrowed money, he said. Thankfully because the country has been well managed and run for the past few years, we have the capacity to borrow but we cant borrow indefinitely forever.

Thankfully because the country has been well managed and run for the past few years, we have the capacity to borrow but we can't borrow indefinitely forever Leo Varadkar

Every day we see a different group coming out suggesting that we provide a billion for this and 15 million for that and I understand that. But I need to be frank with people. It is not going to be possible for the State to compensate every business, sector and individual for all of the money that they have lost as a consequence of this pandemic.

The amount of money coming in as revenue to the country has collapsed due to the pandemic and our bills are mounting in terms of welfare supports, wage subsidies and so on. So the economic picture is very difficult and choices will have to be made by the future Government.

He said, however, he is optimistic the country can start the process of easing some of the coronavirus restrictions on Monday May 18 which will see construction and outdoor workers return to work.

But I think the right choice is getting people back to work, businesses open and getting the economy growing again, he said.

I think we can get the economy growing again but, as always, choices will have to be made.
Elizabeth Sobinoff was rumoured to have been paid a massive $100,000 to appear as a comeback bride on Married At First Sight.

But the 29-year-old reality star finally put the record straight during an Instagram Live on Wednesday, claiming she did not get paid.

'We did not get paid,' Elizabeth said, with the response being echoed by her Adelaide personal trainer beau, Sebastian, during the Q&A.

Denial: MAFS star Elizabeth Sobinoff, 29, has set the record straight on her rumoured '$100,000 pay cheque' for her TV comeback. Pictured with Sebastian Guilhaus

'There were no special deals. I did it because I wanted the experience again. And I'm glad I did do it,' she finished.

'There's no special privileges. There's none of that.'

Lizzie has been at the centre of rumours about payments for most of the last season, with her rarely addressing the controversy.

Big payday? 'There were no special deals. I did it because I wanted the experience again. And I'm glad I did do it,' Elizabeth said in the Instagram Live

According to a report in New Idea magazine in March, Elizabeth was offered $100,000 to appear on the show.

The publication claimed that the enormous pay cheque was in return for Elizabeth filming four weeks' worth of footage.

In contrast to Elizabeth's rumoured payday, the other cast members were reportedly given just $150 per day as an 'allowance'.

Claims: According to New Idea in March, the store manager (pictured with Seb Guilhaus) was offered $100,000 to appear on the show for a second time

The claims were questioned, however.

The magazine alleged that Elizabeth had a 'four-week stint' on the show, but she actually spent closer to two months filming last year.

Her wedding to Seb Guilhaus took place on October 17, and their final vows were filmed on December 3. The couple then returned for the cast reunion on January 14.

Talk about a pay gap! In contrast to Elizabeth's rumoured payday, the other cast members were reportedly given just $150 per day as an 'allowance'

While it's not clear whether Elizabeth actually received a six-figure payment, former MAFS stars have claimed she was treated differently.

Elizabeth's co-star Mishel Karen did claim that Elizabeth was 'treated like a queen' on the set of the show.

'She didn't do it like us. She did it in first-class while we did it in third class... No, the luggage area of the plane,' the Brisbane based school teacher told Who magazine.

Rebutted: Despite Elizabeth's denial she was paid anything more than usual, her co-star Mishel Karen (pictured) did claim she was 'treated like a queen' on set

A huge payday for Lizzie would obviously be a slap in the face to other cast members, with Nasser Sultan from season five telling Woman's Day in January that he received the measly allowance despite filming for up to 12 hours daily.

Telv Williams has also criticised the show's allowance, telling News.com.au in April 2019 that the show doesn't cover anyone's personal expenses.

Elizabeth's return to the experiment came after she was left heartbroken when her first 'husband', Sam Ball, had an affair with Ines Basic on season six.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / GGL Resources Corp. (TSXV:GGL) ("GGL" or the "Company") announces it has negotiated a $100,000 private placement with its major shareholder, Strategic Metals Ltd. ("Strategic"), to consist of the sale of 2,000,000 common shares at a price of $0.05 per share.

Strategic currently holds 11,562,500 common shares of GGL, representing 42.37% of the 27,286,722 common shares of GGL currently issued and outstanding. Following the closing of the private placement, Strategic will hold 13,562,500 common shares of GGL, which will represent 46.31% of the 29,286,722 common shares of GGL then issued and outstanding.

All of the shares issued pursuant to this private placement will be subject to a hold period in Canada of four months plus one day from closing. The proceeds from the private placement, which is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, will be used for working capital purposes.

About GGL Resources Corp.

GGL is a Canadian-based junior exploration company focused on diamond exploration in Canada's north with key projects in Nunavut as well as the Lac de Gras diamond district in the Northwest Territories. Lac de Gras is home to Canada's first two diamond mines, the world class Diavik and Ekati mines discovered in the 1990's. In addition to GGL's key focus of diamond exploration, it holds diamond Royalties on mineral leases in close proximity to the Gahcho Kue diamond mine in the Northwest Territories. The Company also holds several encouraging base metal and gold projects in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories including the McConnell copper-gold porphyry and shear hosted gold project located 16 kilometers southeast of the Kemess Mine.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"David Kelsch"

David Kelsch

President, Chief Operating Officer and Director

For further information concerning GGL Resources Corp. or its various exploration projects please visit our website at www.gglresourcescorp.com or contact:

Investor Inquiries

Richard Drechsler

Corporate Communications

Tel: (604) 687-2522

NA Toll-Free: (888) 688-2522

r.drechsler@gglresourcescorp.com Corporate Information

Linda Knight

Corporate Secretary

Tel: (604) 688-0546

info@gglresourcescorp.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.

This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control, and actual results may differ materially from the expected results.

SOURCE: GGL Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589602/GGL-Resources-Corp-Announces-Private-Placement
People with disabilities face stigma because of their impairments. They are often marginalised , more so if they have psycho-social disabilities . This makes it difficult for them to access basic services such as healthcare.

But community based workers have specialised skills and experience working at a household and community level. They are able to identify, screen and support vulnerable individuals and families. These workers are part of an essential service in health systems across Africa. They include community health workers, home based carers, community rehabilitation workers and community development workers.

We conducted a study in three rural communities in Botswana, South Africa and Malawi. We found that community rehabilitation workers, community development workers and community health workers bridged the gaps between people with disabilities, their families and services at district level. They worked in communities and were able to help authorities identify families with a person with a disability.

Community based workers are able to build trusting relationships with people with disabilities and their families. This support helps reduce their anxiety and allows them to participate in community campaigns and events. In doing so, their dignity and sense of belonging in their families and communities is restored.

South Africa's disaster management plan for COVID-19 targets the most vulnerable. But it needs to respond in a more deliberate way when it comes to people with disabilities. To do this, it needs to harness the critical mass of community based workers as key links to help reduce community transmission of the virus.

Community based workers

A national study on young people with and without disabilities in South Africa showed that community rehabilitation workers are able to reduce inequalities in access to health and social services. They can do this through health literacy and activism, and mobilising community resources through co-ordinated action with the different government departments.

This is why this cadre of worker is well placed during the COVID-19 crisis. They can help ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind in screening, testing and referral to health services. This is particularly important given that many are more vulnerable to ill-health and dying.

Community rehabilitation workers are able to ensure that people with intellectual disability get easy-to-read information about the virus. This includes mitigation strategies and hygiene rules.

Community rehabilitation workers can also raise these matters with community radio station and journalists. This would ensure that it reached vision impaired and blind people.

They are also able to provide emotional and spiritual support to people with disabilities and their families. This is particularly important for mothers or caregivers of children with disabilities.

Read more: How lockdown could affect South Africa's children with special needs

Many people with disabilities are self employed or in informal employment. This means that they have to be included in government and non-government initiatives around income protection. Community based workers are able to access the necessary information that will help people with disabilities to submit forms to the relevant authorities.

In addition, community based workers have links with networks and organisations. This can help them to access relevant information about government's stimulus packages and interventions for small and medium enterprises. They provide a conduit for information about these resources. They are also able to do early identification (screening, tracing), deal with food security (they know which families are most in need and at risk). They can also ensure continuity of referrals not only for rehabilitation and medical needs, but for creating links to economic resources through government's assistance to small and medium enterprises.

Read more: Coronavirus could revolutionize work opportunities for people with disabilities

Critical catalysts

Community based workers act as critical catalysts in improving the access to health, social and economic development as well as education resources. In turn, this facilitates integration into existing services.

Their skills, abilities and competencies are integral to the human resources for health workforce. These need to be harnessed in flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, the mental health and wellbeing of these community based workers and caregivers also needs to be prioritised. They also need personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, sanitisers and aprons.

Kashifa Abrahams, a researcher in the South African parliament, contributed to this article.

Theresa Lorenzo is a Professor in Disability Studies and Occupational Therapy at the University of Cape Town. Her research was funded by the National Research Foundation and the PERC programme at UCT.

Anthea Hansen works as a lecturer at the University of Cape Town.

Harsha Dayal is a Research Associate at the Africa Center for Evidence (ACE), University of Johannesburg.

Sumaya Gabriels works as a lecturer at the University of Cape Town.

By Theresa Lorenzo, Professor and PhD programme convenor, Division of Disability Studies, and co-lead of Inclusive Practices Africa, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town And

Anthea Hansen, Lecturer, University of Cape Town And

Harsha Dayal, Research Associate, Africa Centre for Evidence, University of Johannesburg And

Sumaya Gabriels, Lecturer, University of Cape Town
(Photo : Zoom)

The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly propelled one tech player, Zoom, into massive fame. It has transformed the video conferencing platform into one of the most popular online services as the world copes with social distancing and community quarantines.

Zoom offers some relatively new features like simultaneous screen sharing, group messaging and presence, mobile collaboration, mobile app screen sharing, and most prominently, the ability to host multiple users in a video call. These features help usher in some guise of revolution in the field of video conferencing. They helped propel Zoom into massive popularity, with many news outlets using the service for their interviews and TV stations doing fundraising events and alternative formats of their shows with it.

With this rise in popularity comes an increase in cyber attacks. Cybercriminals have been targeting Zoom users, taking advantage of their apparent lack of security mindfulness. Zoom is a new platform with a new set of features, default settings, and usage terms. Hackers are seeing opportunities to attack as users dabble in the platform's new interface and functions.

Zoom does not have an advanced system for managing meetings and resource access similar to the Role-Based Access Control or RBAC systems employed by organizations. However, it has enough features for restricting participants so they don't mess up on the platform. The host-participant dynamic in Zoom is comparable to what RBAC establishes as it limits access or permissions based on roles or authority.

Zoombombing

One of the leading hacks targeting Zoom is called "zoombombing." This attack is more of a funny nuisance at best and a form of harassment at worst. It does not involve data theft or the spread of viruses and other malware. However, it is disruptive and can be highly unsettling for certain people.

There have been several reports of zoombombing that targeted online classes. There's one that mired with racial slurs a UCLA class on the history of the racial and cultural roots of Mexico. Another one disrupted an Arizona State University class on storytelling with pornographic videos. In Singapore, the Ministry of Education decided to ban Zoom for home-based teaching after hackers hijacked classes with explicit imagery.

Zoombombing has aggravated in the past weeks according to the New York Times, after analyzing dozens of Instagram and Twitter accounts as well as various 4Chan and Reddit boards. It has reportedly become a "dangerous concerted effort." Several accounts connive to raid Zoom sessions with harassment campaigns and vexatious actions mainly through shocking images and videos. They also share meeting passwords to allow other malicious parties to sow chaos.

Some may say that zoombombing is generally benign, because it does not result in serious cyber damage. Also, most attacks are perpetrated by bored people who have nothing better to do. These include teenagers or students who target online classes because of their frustrations and rebellious tendencies. There are also others who do it to raise their social media engagement.

The attacks are often led by people who are out in the open. They even maintain public social media accounts referred to as Zoom raid accounts (and unambiguously named as such). Some brag about their zoombombing attacks by streaming them on YouTube.

Compromised Accounts

In addition to zoombombing, there's also the usual hack attacks aimed at stealing login credentials. Recently, hundreds of verified Zoom accounts have been compromised with their details posted on a well-known dark web forum according to cyber intelligence firm Sixgill. The account details siphoned include passwords, email addresses, host keys, meeting IDs, names, and the Zoom account types.

The cybercriminal responsible for stealing the hundreds of Zoom accounts posted on April 1st a link to a collection of 352 stolen Zoom accounts. The post included a note saying that the cyber thief "worked really hard" to obtain the compromised accounts.

A tweet from Sixgill says that one of the stolen Zoom accounts used to belong to a major healthcare provider in the United States. Another one was previously owned by a small business. Some seven others were identified to be once handled by different educational institutions.

Sixgill deduced that the stolen accounts were being offered for trolling activities and to disrupt other users of Zoom. No malware has been identified. There have been no schemes to defraud or commit other crimes detected.

Protecting Zoom Accounts

So what do Zoom users need to do to prevent attacks? First, it's important to have all the basic security measures, specifically antivirus and malware protection tools. Most of the leading antiviruses at present come with advanced features that don't only detect and block malicious software from infecting devices. They also include tools that help address social engineering threats by scanning links for potential risks, so users are forewarned before they click on anything.

When it comes to zoombombing, the first thing to do is to update the Zoom app. Public backlash over privacy and security concerns compelled the company to implement changes in Zoom. These changes are readily reflected in the updated application. Also, the company has added security improvements in the service itself to address complaints about poor encryption and perhaps (in the future) to rectify concerns over Zoom's transmission of data to Chinese servers.

Once you have updated your application, do the following precautionary measures.

Password Protection - Don't let just anyone join your Zoom meetings. Set a unique password and make sure that nobody shares this to outsiders. Not having any password is like an open invitation for zoombombing attacks.

- Don't let just anyone join your Zoom meetings. Set a unique password and make sure that nobody shares this to outsiders. Not having any password is like an open invitation for zoombombing attacks. Private Meeting ID Safety - Avoid sharing meeting IDs or links publicly. Send meeting IDs over private messages. Also, don't use meeting IDs that reflect the nature of what your meeting is about. Let Zoom generate a random ID (with alphanumeric characters) so your meetings wouldn't be attractive to potential attackers.

- Avoid sharing meeting IDs or links publicly. Send meeting IDs over private messages. Also, don't use meeting IDs that reflect the nature of what your meeting is about. Let Zoom generate a random ID (with alphanumeric characters) so your meetings wouldn't be attractive to potential attackers. Waiting Rooms - Zoom has this feature that allows meeting hosts to screen participants before they can interact with others in an ongoing meeting.

- Zoom has this feature that allows meeting hosts to screen participants before they can interact with others in an ongoing meeting. Screen Sharing Restriction - The reason why zoombombing exploded as it did is largely Zoom's default setting of allowing all participants in a session to share their screens. That's why it only makes sense to change this into "host only" so the host can control what appears on the screen.

- The reason why zoombombing exploded as it did is largely Zoom's default setting of allowing all participants in a session to share their screens. That's why it only makes sense to change this into "host only" so the host can control what appears on the screen. File Transfer Disabling - It's also advisable to disable the file transfer feature to prevent malicious participants from spreading unwanted documents. This feature can facilitate malware infection, which can lead to more serious problems than plain zoombombing.

- It's also advisable to disable the file transfer feature to prevent malicious participants from spreading unwanted documents. This feature can facilitate malware infection, which can lead to more serious problems than plain zoombombing. Participant Management - Hosts have the ability to control camera output on the screen and mute participants. They can also regulate screen sharing from participants. They can kick participants out of a session, although they may join again with a different name. To address this flaw, it's recommended disabling the "Allow Removed Participants to Rejoin" option.

In Conclusion

Zoom gained immense popularity because of the innovative features it introduced. It would be a waste to ditch it because of the growing security and privacy concerns. The good news is that the company has been responding to the complaints, especially under the threat of government investigations and boycotts. The company is trying to improve its service, but users can't rely on these improvements entirely. It's logical to be more prudent and consider the steps outlined above to be safe from Zoom hacks.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Dublin, May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "E-invoicing Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Type; End User; and Geography" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



In terms of revenue, the global e-invoicing market was valued at US$ 4.84 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.2% during the forecast period to reach US$ 15.50 billion by 2027.



The mandatory e-invoicing initiatives across countries are growing at an impressive pace, majorly due to favorable initiatives taken by various governments in South America and European Union. The successful adoption of e-invoicing mandates in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Italy has inspired various other countries to follow the path to curb tax evasion and enhance fiscal control in segments such as B2G, B2B, and B2C. For instance, the governments of the North American countries such as the US and Canada are now planning to take adequate measures to boost the adoption of e-invoices among businesses and government organizations.



The advantages of e-invoicing, such as easy tracking of business transactions, reduced payment process time, low human errors, and increased cost savings, are further complementing the growth of the e-invoicing market across various regions. In addition to this, the rising initiatives by global associations such as Connect ONCE, OpenPEPPOL, EESPA, and GS1 to improve the interoperability among various international e-invoicing formats are further anticipated to fuel the adoption of flexible cloud-based e-invoicing solutions.



The e-invoicing market has been segmented on the basis of deployment, end user, and geography. Based on deployment, the e-invoicing market is segmented as on-premises and cloud. On the basis of end user, the market has been segmented into B2B, B2C, and others. In terms of geographically, the e-invoicing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America.



The well-established e-invoicing market players include Basware Corporation, Cegedim SA, Comarch SA, Coupa Software Inc., IBM Corporation, Nipendo Ltd., SAP SE, The Sage Group Plc, Trade shift, and Transcepta LLC.



The COVID-19 outbreak began in Wuhan (China) in December 2019, and since then, it has spread at a fast pace around the globe. As per the latest WHO figures, there are ~2.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases globally with ~194,000 total deaths. The global factory shutdowns, travel bans, and border lockdowns to combat and contain the outbreak have impacted every industry and economy worldwide. The technology, media, and communications sector is one of the major sectors suffering serious disruptions due to this pandemic.



Technology events and industry meet cancellations, factory and office shutdowns, and reduced business activities are among the major effects faced by the sector. The global travel bans imposed by countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and others are affecting the business collaborations and partnerships opportunities across industries. All these factors are anticipated to negatively impact the growth of the global e-invoicing market, especially in 2020 and 2021, depending on the duration of the outbreak.



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 global e-Invoicing 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 e-Invoicing 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 commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction

1.1 Study Scope

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. E-Invoicing Market Landscape

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 PEST Analysis

4.2.1 North America

4.2.2 Europe

4.2.3 APAC

4.2.4 MEA

4.2.5 SAM

4.3 Ecosystem Analysis

4.4 Expert Opinion



5. E-Invoicing - Market Dynamics

5.1 Market Drivers

5.1.1 Digital Transformation Trend Across Industries

5.1.2 Rising E-Invoicing related Compliance Requirements

5.1.3 Government Initiatives To Boost E-Invoicing Adoption

5.2 Market Restraints

5.2.1 Issues Hindering E-Invoicing Mass Adoption

5.3 Market Opportunities

5.3.1 Emerging Era of Cloud Based Solutions

5.4 Future Trends

5.4.1 Adoption of Advanced Technologies like Blockchain

5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints



6. E-Invoicing Market - Global Analysis

6.1 E-Invoicing Market Global Overview

6.2 E-Invoicing Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Billion)

6.3 Market Positioning - Global Key Players



7. E-Invoicing Market Analysis - By Deployment Model

7.1 Overview

7.2 E-Invoicing Market, By Deployment Model (2019 and 2027)

7.3 On-Premise

7.3.1 Overview

7.3.2 On-Premise: E-Invoicing Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million)

7.4 Cloud

7.4.1 Overview

7.4.2 Cloud: E-Invoicing Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million)



8. E-Invoicing Market Analysis - By End-User

8.1 Overview

8.2 E-Invoicing Market Breakdown, by End-User, 2019 & 2027

8.3 B2B

8.3.1 Overview

8.3.2 B2B Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million)

8.4 B2C

8.4.1 Overview

8.4.2 B2C Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Million)

8.5 Others

8.5.1 Overview

8.5.2 Others Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)



9. E-Invoicing Market - Geographic Analysis

9.1 Overview

9.2 North America: E-Invoicing Market

9.3 Europe: E-Invoicing Market

9.4 APAC: E-Invoicing Market

9.5 MEA: E-Invoicing Market

9.6 SAM: E-Invoicing Market



10. E-Invoicing Market- COVID-19 Impact Analysis

10.1 Overview

10.2 North America

10.3 Europe

10.4 Asia-Pacific

10.5 Middle East and Africa

10.6 South America



11. Industry Landscape

11.1 Market Initiative

11.2 New Product Development

11.3 Merger and Acquisition



12. Company Profiles

12.1 Basware Corporation

12.1.1 Key Facts

12.1.2 Business Description

12.1.3 Products and Services

12.1.4 Financial Overview

12.1.5 SWOT Analysis

12.1.6 Key Developments

12.2 Cegedim SA

12.3 Comarch SA

12.4 Coupa Software Inc.

12.5 IBM Corporation

12.6 Nipendo Ltd.

12.7 SAP SE

12.8 The Sage Group plc

12.9 Trade shift

12.10 Transcepta LLC



13. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/yq5t3c

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
Rick Bright, a former top vaccine official removed from his post last month, will testify to Congress on Thursday that the United States faces the "darkest winter in modern history" if it does not develop a more coordinated national response to the coronavirus before an expected resurgence later this year.

"Our window of opportunity is closing," Bright says in prepared testimony submitted to a subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. "If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities. While it is terrifying to acknowledge the extent of the challenge that we currently confront, the undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of the COVID19 this fall, greatly compounding the challenges of seasonal influenza and putting an unprecedented strain on our health care system. Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history."

The first priority, he says, is being "truthful with the American people."

"They want the truth. They can handle the truth," Bright says.

Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, was removed April 20 after having served in the position for nearly four years, and transferred to a narrower role at the National Institutes of Health.

In his prepared testimony, Bright also touches on a whistleblower complaint in which he asserted he was pressured by Department of Health and Human Services leadership to make "potentially harmful drugs widely available," including chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, which President Donald Trump has repeatedly heralded.

"I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest funding allocated to BARDA by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit," Bright says.

Bright is scheduled to appear at a hearing Thursday morning at the invitation of Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., who chairs the health subcommittee. Debra Katz, an attorney for Bright, confirmed last week that Bright plans to appear despite being under "massive stress" in the wake of his transfer.

His appearance adds to a dramatic week of testimony on Capitol.

On Tuesday, Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, and other Trump administration health officials warned the United States risks new coronavirus outbreaks and possibly a broad resurgence nationwide if states and cities reopen too quickly.

In his prepared testimony, Bright argues that "it is painfully clear that we were not as prepared as we should have been" to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

"We missed early warning signals, and we forgot important pages from our pandemic playbook," he says. "There will be plenty of time to identify gaps for improvement. For now, we need to focus on getting things right going forward."

He says the Trump administration still lacks a national testing strategy and needs to ramp up production of essential equipment and supplies.

In his 89-page whistleblower complaint filed last week, Bright portrays himself as an administration health official trying to sound the alarm about the virus beginning in early January. He said he called for the rapid development of treatments and vaccines, as well as the stockpiling of additional N95 face masks and ventilators, at a time when HHS political leadership, including Secretary Alex Azar, appeared to him to be underestimating the threat.

He also notes he clashed with his boss, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response Robert Kadlec, for at least two years. Bright alleges in the complaint that Kadlec and others pressured him to buy drugs and medical products for the nation's stockpile of emergency medical equipment from companies that were linked politically to the administration and that he resisted such efforts.

HHS issued a brief comment last week that did not directly address Bright's allegations.

"Dr. Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing - critical to combating covid-19 - where he has been entrusted to spend upward of $1 billion to advance that effort," said HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley. "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 Washington Post's Yasmeen Abutaleb and Laurie McGinley contributed to this report.
HELI-CAL Products, a precision metal components company of MW Industries, announced its appointment of HC Pacific as its exclusive distribution partner for its entire standard HELI-CAL product line. This arrangement further expands HC Pacifics current HELI-CAL distribution portfolio to include an additional 1,430 standard products. HC Pacific will stock the entire line of standard coupling products, ensuring immediate availability and same-day shipment.

The expansion of the HC Pacific and HELI-CAL distribution agreement adds tremendous value to the customer base, said Andrew Pramschufer, Chief Executive Officer of HC Pacific. With the expansion of our relationship, the users of the HELI-CAL product line can have product shipped just-in-time while taking advantage of HC Pacifics custom kitting capability.

Behrouz Khodnegah, General Manager of HELI-CAL, commented, HELI-CAL is excited to expand our offering with HC Pacific to include the entire standard product line. This distribution partnership safeguards standard product availability through HC Pacific while allowing the HELI-CAL team to focus on the rapid development of custom coupling solutions for mission critical applications.

About HC Pacific

HC Pacific is a leading global distributor and manufacturer of products and provider of innovative supply chain optimization services for over 45 years. Since our inception in 1971, HC Pacific has been a one-stop source for specialty raw materials, precision fasteners, electronic hardware, and components / line-replacement units for various aerospace applications. For more information, please visit http://www.hcpacific.com.

About HELI-CAL Products

HELI-CAL Products is a global leader in manufacturing flexible solutions. The engineering and complex manufacturing we deliver elevates applications for virtually any industry from military, aerospace and defense, medical, energy, automation, high-performance racing, robotics and more. Since 1958, our engineering expertise, exceptional customer service, and quality products have delivered custom engineered parts all over the world providing customers with reliable, quality products to help solve mechanical misalignment problems. HELI-CAL Products is AS9100 certified, RoHS Compliant and ITAR registered.

About MW Industries

MW Industries, Inc., headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois, is a leading provider of highly engineered springs, specialty fasteners, machined parts and other precision components to more than 45,000 customers in 35-plus countries. Its more than 100,000 products are sold through a combination of direct sales, catalogs and distributors to original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket customers in aerospace, medical, electronics, energy, agriculture/construction, automotive replacement, military and other sectors. For more information, please visit http://www.mw-ind.com.

For more information, please contact:

Chris Troy Executive Vice President 1-909-598-0509 chris.troy@hcpacific.com
Tesla's dispute with California health authorities over the reopening of its main car plant in defiance of coronavirus shutdown orders appears to be coming to an end - as the automaker shifts its focus to resuming operations at a battery-making Gigafactory in Nevada.

The Alameda County Public Health Department announced on Twitter Wednesday that the Fremont, California, plant will be able to increase 'minimum business operations' this week and start making vehicles next Monday, so long as it delivers on the worker safety precautions that it agreed to.

It comes after Tesla CEO Elon Musk defied the county's order to keep the plant closed through the end of the month and dared authorities to arrest him.

The health department has not said whether Musk will face any punishment for the stunt. State law allows a fine of up to $1,000 a day or up to 90 days in jail for operating in violation of health orders.

Meanwhile, Tesla announced its intention to fully reopen its Gigafactory in Reno, Nevada, in the coming days in an email to employees obtained by The Verge.

Nevada Gov Steve Sisolak amended the state's stay-at-home order last week to allow some businesses to reopen with strict protective measures, but it was unclear if the Tesla factory was given the green light under the amendment.

Tesla's own employees have accused the company of using 'intimidation and threatening tactics' to get them back to work by warning that they could be ineligible for unemployment benefits if they refuse to do so.

In the email to Reno staff, Tesla's North American HR boss Valerie Workman wrote: 'If you do not feel comfortable coming into work, you can stay home and will be on unpaid leave.

'Choosing not to report to work may eliminate or reduce your eligibility for unemployment depending on your state's unemployment agency.'

A similar warning was sent to workers at the Fremont plant, where sources said they feared they would lose their jobs if they chose to remain at home for fear of contracting the virus.

Scroll down for video

The car park outside of the Tesla factory in Fremont, California, was full on Wednesday as the factory opened for a third day after defying lockdown orders from Alameda County. The county has now said that the plant can resume production as early as next week so long as its safety plans are approved

Tesla factory workers in protective face masks queue for a shuttle bus at Tesla's plant in Fremont, California on Tuesday

Workers could be seen arriving for work in face masks, walking through the huge employee car park outside the factory that was almost full on Tuesday

Meanwhile, Tesla announced its intention to fully reopen its battery-making Gigafactory in Reno, Nevada, (pictured) in the coming days

California released new guidance on unemployment on Wednesday that appeared to contradict warnings from Tesla management.

The state's Employment Development Department now says employees can refuse work that is 'unsuitable' and continue to collect unemployment benefits.

The EDD explicitly noted a job can be considered unsuitable if a workplace is not essential or has not met state or local reopening requirements - as is the case at the Fremont facility.

The agency also said that older employees or those with underlying health issues could potentially continue receiving benefits even if their employer meets the requirements.

'Even if your employer has complied with the state's requirements for reopening, and any and all government safety regulations, you would have good cause to refuse to return to work if you are at greater personal risk due to higher risk factors,' the EDD said.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been in an on-going battle to get the factory reopened, threatening to move Tesla to a different state if the factory was not reopened

Tesla stopped production at all of its US factories in mid-March as counties and states around the country implemented stay-at-home orders to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The Bay Area-based company resumed operations at its main plant in Fremont on Monday after filing a lawsuit against Alameda County officials, who deemed it a nonessential business under their order extending local restrictions until June.

Musk, who has repeatedly railed against 'facist' lockdowns, confirmed on Twitter that the reopening went 'against Alameda County rules' and said that he would be 'on the line' at the factory.

The parking lot outside the plant - which employs 10,000 workers - was nearly full on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as newly-unfurloughed employees reported for their shifts.

A number of semi-trucks were seen leaving the facility carrying new Model Y and Model 3 vehicles in a sign that production was well underway.

The parking lot outside the Fremont plant - which employs 10,000 workers - is seen nearly full on Wednesday as newly-unfurloughed employees reported for their shifts

A number of semi-trucks were seen leaving the facility carrying new Model Y and Model 3 vehicles in a sign that production was well underway

Musk sent an email to all Tesla employees congratulating them on the reopening on Tuesday morning.

'An honest day's work spent building products or providing services of use to others is extremely honorable,' Musk wrote in the email obtained by The San Francisco Chronicle.

'I have vastly more respect for someone who takes pride in doing a good job, whatever the profession, than some rich or famous person who does nothing useful.'

The Chronicle reported that some production lines had been operating over the weekend, with some employees even returning as early as last week.

Musk's email came as Alameda County ordered Tesla to cease production until they could review and approve a site-specific safety plan submitted by the company the day before.

Elon Musk said on Monday that he was restarting production, and dared county officials to arrest him. He claimed Tesla has been singled out in not being allowed to reopen

The Tesla factory employs 10,000 people in Fremont county, and has been told that it must adhere to coronavirus safety guidelines if it is to be allowed to reopen

Tesla said it implemented strict safety measures prior to reopening the plant

President Donald Trump entered the fray with a tweet Tuesday morning, writing: 'California should let Tesla and @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely.'

Musk thanked the president for his support, which drew the ire of Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty.

'I guess if it was from Dr. [Anthony] Fauci' - a leading member of Trump's coronavirus task force - 'I would probably pay attention a little bit more than somebody who told us to drink disinfectant,' Scott Haggerty said.

Haggerty's criticism was referencing Trump's suggestion in April that injecting people with disinfectant and using UV light could be a treatment for the coronavirus.

The president was heavily criticized for the remarks, and many scientists and cleaning companies advised people not to ingest the highly toxic products, and Trump later said his comments were sarcastic.

Haggerty reportedly helped efforts to persuade Tesla to open its factory in Fremont County, and had been in conversations over the last few weeks to get the factory reopened while also following health guidelines.

He said that the original plan was to open the production facility next week, and that Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan had said that May 18 was the likely date.

'Tesla opening before that date was certainly unfortunate. Dr. Pan has been very transparent that May 18th was the date she would like to see the major employer open up again,' Haggerty said.

Late on Tuesday night, Tesla submitted a plan to demonstrate that it could open safely, and Haggerty said that the plan would be approved soon.

'I can't speak specifically to the plan that was handed in late last night. What I can say is the dialogues I was involved in. It's going very well and some early plans I had seen, they looked very good,' Haggerty said.

Fremont City Council member Vinnie Bacon was also hopeful that the plan could be approved, but also urged Tesla to be patient, saying that safety should come first and the car giant should be directed by Alameda County.

A woman is pictured outside the Tesla factory wearing a mask with Elon Musk's face on in, holding a sign that reads 'thank you for wearing your Musk'

Hours after the county ordered Tesla to cease production on Tuesday, officials appeared to soften their stance and said they had agreed to let the site reopen following a meeting with company representatives.

'We reviewed the plan and held productive discussions today with Tesla's representatives about their safety and prevention plans, including some additional safety recommendations,' the Alameda County Sheriff's Office tweeted.

'If Tesla's Prevention and Control Plan includes these updates, and the public health indicators remain stable or improve, we have agreed that Tesla can begin to augment their Minimum Business Operations this week in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week.'

The statement said that the public-safety agency had informed Tesla it could only perform basic functions until it met safety measures, but stopped short of ordering a full closure of the plant.

The agency said: 'We are addressing this matter using the same phased approach we use for other businesses which have violated the order in the past, and we hope that Tesla will likewise comply without further enforcement measures.'

The county did not confirm whether or not Tesla had agreed to stop its manufacturing processes until the new safety measures were in place.

The county health department issued a press release on Wednesday morning stating that Fremont police would verify whether Tesla was holding up its part of the agreement, adding that public health indicators have to remain stable or improve for the factory to stay open.

'We will be working with the Fremont PD to verify Tesla is adhering to physical distancing and that agreed upon health and safety measures are in place for the safety of their workers as they prepare for full production,' the release said.

Employees are seen entering the Fremont facility on Monday. Sources said that Tesla threatened to fire them if they refused to return to work amid the lockdown

Operations at the plant started again after being shut down on March 23 as the county implemented measures to slow the coronavirus. Pictured: A man walks toward semi-trucks loaded with Tesla cars

Semis loaded with new Tesla vehicles departed the Fremont facility on Monday, raising suspicion that they may have been produced before the shutdown

Workers wearing hard hats and high visibility jacks are pictured outside the factory

Tesla announced plans to fully reopen one of its other major production sites - the Gigafactory in Reno - in an email to staff on Monday.

The full reopening of the plant, which produces batteries for electric cars and energy storage products as well as parts for the Model 3, is a more aggressive move than what the company told employees to expect days earlier.

Last week, Tesla said it would only resume 'limited operations' at the plant as Nevada entered Phase One of its plan to restart some businesses.

Shortly after Musk tweeted about the Fremont plan on Monday, Reno workers received an email with the subject line: 'Furlough Has Ended And We Are Back To Work in Production!'

'We're happy to get you back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to help keep you safe as you return,' Valerie Workman, the head of HR for North America, wrote in the email that a current employee provided to The Verge.

The plans Workman outlined include increasing the number of employee shuttles that run to the Gigafactory to reduce their individual capacity and stocking them with unspecified personal protective equipment.

Workman said employees would be contacted within 24 hours with about their return-to-work date, adding that 'in most cases, your position, supervisor, responsibilities, pay and hours will remain the same as before'.

An official for Storey County, where the Gigafactory is located, did not respond when asked for comment about Tesla's reopening plans.

Model S vehicles are seen parked outside the Gigafactory outside Reno, Nevada

Tesla previously told employees on May 4 that it planned to reopen all three of its production facilities - those in Fremont, Reno and a third in New York.

The plans were quickly foiled as those states extended stay-at-home orders.

Last week California Gov Gavin Newsom approved the reopening of businesses in specific 'low-risk' sectors - including the transportation industry.

Under Newsom's directives individual counties were allowed to implement their own measures based on the state of the pandemic in their areas.

Alameda County subsequently left automotive manufacturing off its list of essential businesses, meaning that the Tesla plant would have to remain closed.

Musk took issue with the county's order extension over the weekend, tweeting that this was the 'the final straw' and threatening to move Tesla's California headquarters and 'future programs'.

The company filed a lawsuit against the county in an effort to invalidate the order.

Musk announced Tesla's legal action against Alameda County in a tweet on Saturday

How moving Tesla HQ from California to Nevada or Texas could save Musk BILLIONS Elon Musk could save billions of dollars in taxes if he moves Tesla from California to Texas or Nevada, reports claim. The CEO threatened the move over the weekend after suing state officials for shuttering his facilities during the coronavirus crisis. 'This is the final straw,' Musk tweeted Saturday. 'Tesla will move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately.' If he were to follow through on that threat by moving from a state with the highest income tax rate in the country to one without income tax - like Nevada or Texas - he could save billions of dollars in taxes over the coming years, according to CNBC. In the hours after Musk's warning, Texas and Nevada politicians clambered to offer the billionaire sanctuary in their states. His latest compensation program may be playing a factor in his threats. Though not awarded yet, the package has earned him $708million in its latest sum, which would see him pay California $104million. If he moved to Texas or Nevada, he would avoid the 13 percent tax rate and keep all of the cash. Over time, the package is expected to earn Musk $55billion and California would take a cut of $7billion. If he moves to an income tax-less state, he wouldn't have to cough up a cent. Advertisement

Musk called the order 'super messed up' in a separate tweet Monday, claiming that 'all other auto companies in US are approved to resume. Only Tesla has been singled out.'

Musk has consistently pushed for Tesla to be considered essential, routinely voicing his frustration over the continued shutdown of the company's biggest plant over the last few weeks.

The CEO said the shutdown should be viewed as a 'serious risk' to Tesla's business during an April 29 conference call, and then went on profanity-laden rant about how the shutdowns were antithetical to America's founding principles.

Public health experts have credited the stay-home orders with slowing the spread of novel coronavirus, helping hospitals handle an influx of cases. The coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people. But it has killed more than 80,000 people in the US, with the death toll rising.

Alameda County was among six San Francisco Bay Area counties that were the first in the nation to impose stay-at-home orders in mid-March. Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly said that counties can impose restrictions that are more stringent than state orders.

The order in the Bay Area has been extended until the end of the month, but the counties plan to allow some limited business and manufacturing starting May 18, the same day Detroit automakers plan to reopen auto assembly plants. Some auto parts plants were to restart production this week.

The Detroit automakers' 150,000 U.S. workers are represented by the United Auto Workers union, which has negotiated for added safety precautions. Tesla's workers do not have a union.

Tesla contends in the lawsuit that Alameda County can't be more restrictive than orders from Newsom.

The lawsuit says the governor's coronavirus restrictions refer to federal guidelines classifying vehicle manufacturing as essential businesses that are allowed to continue operating.

Tesla released a plan to maintain worker safety, including the wearing of gloves and masks, installing barriers between workers and maintaining social distancing.

Haggerty said the company initially pushed back on checking employee temperatures before boarding a company bus to get to work. But Tesla relented, he said, and agreed to check workers.
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Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 08:57 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a13dc 1 National #CyberSecurity,cybersecurity,COVID-19,#COVID19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,Tokopedia,#Tokopedia,Zoombombing,#Zoombombing Free

COVID-19 is not the only threat Indonesia is currently facing -- cyberattacks are also on the rise, as hackers to exploit Indonesias digital security vulnerabilities during the outbreak.

The pandemic creates a perfect chance for hackers to hack into networks as companies and office workers shift to online platforms to work remotely and new users dive into Indonesias cyberspace, Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) deputy director Wahyudi Djafar warned.

The scope of cyberattacks is large as they dont merely cause economic losses but also disrupt important infrastructure used for communication, he said on Monday.

His concerns are set against the backdrop of two recent cyberattacks in Indonesia, namely the Zoombombing of lewd images that disrupted a National ICT Council (Wantiknas) webinar and the data breach of 15 million users of the homegrown e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia.

Wahyudi also warned that sensitive health data on COVID-19 might be prone to cyberattacks, with the government lacking transparency on who can access the data and how it is preventing illegal access to such data.

In 2017, a ransomware called WannaCry rendered patients online information inaccessible in Jakartas Dharmais and Harapan Kita hospitals.

Indonesias prevailing regulations are far from enough to face the storm of cyberattacks during the pandemic, with provisions failing to stipulate consumers rights in case of a cyberattack, Wahyudi said.

He, therefore, called on the government to optimize the use of the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (ITE) and other relevant regulations to act against cybercrimes pending a deliberation of the long-awaited data protection bill at the House of Representatives.

Platform providers should also educate their consumers about how to use their applications safely, Wahyudi said. While digital usage in Indonesia is among the highest in the world, digital literacy is still relatively low, Communications and Information Ministry Director-General of Information Applications Samuel Abrijani Pangerapan said in a statement on Feb. 28.

Globally, a recent study by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) cybersecurity team revealed that hackers had intensified their phishing attempts threefold to exploit peoples fears and vulnerability as they were working and conducting most of their activities from home during the pandemic.

Indonesia is no stranger to cyberthreats, with the Cyber Body and National Encryption Agency (BSSN) recording 12.9 million cyberattacks in 2018. The agency reported that the number of cyberattacks also grew by an average of 15 percent every year.

Most recently, the governments PeduliLindungi surveillance application, which is used to trace and track suspected patients as well as confirmed COVID-19 cases, sparked worries over the safety of its personal data. The Communications and Information Ministry later clarified that the application was safe to use and pledged to delete users data once the pandemic ended.

Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate said his office would continue to ramp up cybersecurity and protect personal data with the BSSN, although he did not provide details on how this would be achieved.

"The government will continue to ensure that the digital economy, especially e-commerce, can run well and smoothly without being disrupted by data hackers or data breaches, he said recently after holding a virtual meeting involving the ministry, the BSSN and Tokopedia.

The minister also urged the public to regularly change passwords and use one-time password (OTP) features to better protect personal accounts.

Ride-hailing giant Gojeks chief information security officer George Do told The Jakarta Post in an exclusive interview last month that the quarantine period should compel the public to step up security measures on their devices and prompt organizations to undergo a digital security paradigm shift, citing Gojeks use of cloud storage to interact with employees, as an example.

First, everyone needs to be familiar with phishing and social engineering, and the basic understanding to never, under any circumstance, share ones username and password with somebody else, he said, adding that organizations also needed to be aware of malware and ransomware.
The CEO of Brit, Matthew Wilson, said that he believes Ki is a significant milestone for the insurance market and that, over time, Ki will look to play a core role in the digital transformation of the specialist insurance market in London by creating a fully digital segment which will operate seamlessly alongside the traditional marketplace.

Recent events have demonstrated the importance of electronic trading and I expect Ki to be at the forefront of the accelerated transition in how the Lloyds market transacts business, he said. Through building a truly quantitative-based approach to insurance, Ki aims to do what quantitative hedge funds did to Capital Markets in the 1990s.

The head of financial services at Google Cloud, Adrian Poole, said that the business is proud to be the cloud provider for Ki and to collaborate with Brit in this transformation project within the London insurance market. He believes that this is an exciting first step by Brit to support the Future at Lloyds vision.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Lloyds of London John Neal said: Ki truly embraces all that is represented in The Future at Lloyds by bringing data, technology, innovation and artificial intelligence to the fore in the complex world of corporate and specialty underwriting. It is an exciting first for Lloyds and paves the way for others to follow.

The head of innovation at Brit, James Birch, and the Brit Innovation team have led the incubation of Ki which will be run by a dedicated team reporting to Mark Allan, Group CFO at Brit, who will act as executive chair. Ki will be backed by Brit, Fairfax and other private capital investors.
Smokes rise from an LG Polymers plant following a gas leak incident in Visakhapatnam on May 7, 2020. (-/AFP via Getty Images)

LG Plant in India Lacked Environmental Clearance Before Leak

NEW DELHIA plastics factory in India where a chemical gas leak killed 12 people and sickened hundreds more last week lacked federal environmental clearance but had been issued state permits to operate anyway, exposing a potentially dangerous enforcement gap in the countrys laws.

The owner of the LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh state, South Korean chemicals giant LG Chem, said in a May 2019 affidavit that formed part of an application for the clearance that the company doesnt have a valid environmental clearance substantiating the produced quantity, issued by the competent authority, for continuing operations.

LG Chem spokesman Choi Sang-kyu told The Associated Press that the company has always followed Indian law and has operated the plant based on the guidance of Indian officials, both at the state and federal level. He said the affidavit was a pledge to comply with the law in the future and not an admission of any violations.

Interviews with officials and legal experts indicate that the plant was likely operating in a legal grey area, with the environmental clearance required under federal regulations but the enforcement of those requirements left up to states. While there has been no indication that the lack of such a clearance played a role in the May 7 disaster, experts say the fact that the plant operated for years without one shows how weak environmental laws can be in a nation with many of the worlds most polluted cities.

There are many such industries operating without an EC, environmental lawyer Mahesh Chandra Mehta said, adding that it showed authorities were toothless.

LG Polymers is facing charges following the disaster, which involved styrene gas, a neurotoxin, leaking from a storage tank as workers prepared to restart operations idled during Indias coronavirus lockdown. In addition to the dead, more than 1,000 people were sent to hospitals.

Police have charged LG Polymers with culpable homicide, including negligence in handling toxic substances. Indias top environmental court has also asked the company to pay a $6.6 million penalty because of damage to life, public health, and environment.

The court is also considering a plea filed by an environmental activist and former federal bureaucrat that raises questions about how state authorities allowed the company to function without federal clearance.

Choi said the company couldnt comment on an ongoing investigation, but would cooperate with Indian authorities.

LG Chem bought the plant in 1997 and between then and 2006 it is clear that it needed only state permits to operate, which it had.

Things get murkier after that, however, due to new federal rules that came into force requiring companies in industries including petrochemicals to obtain a federal environmental clearance every time they expanded a plant or changed what they manufactured.

LG Chem expanded its operations at LG Polymers plant five times between 2006 and 2018, but it never received environmental clearance, according to the May 2019 affidavit.

Choi said when the federal rules changed in 2006, the company consulted with the ministry and was told that no environmental clearance was required.

We have been operating the company while abiding environmental regulations even before the laws on environment clearances were made, Choi said.

Environment Secretary C.K. Mishra told the AP that LG Polymers would not have needed clearance in 2006, but would have had to apply for environmental clearances going forward to change what they were making or expand capacity.

LG Polymers appears to have never been asked for a federal clearance until 2017, when it approached the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board with plans to start producing engineering plastics at its plant, according to meeting minutes reviewed by AP.

The request was denied and the company was told it would need the federal clearance.

There are no indications, however, that the state told the company to stop operating the plant. T. Rajendra Reddy, a member of the state pollution board, said he had no information about any such order.

In 2018, when LG Polymers wanted to expand its manufacturing capacity of polystyrene, a plastic used to make bottles and lids, the company finally applied for its first environmental clearance, documents show. The Environment Ministry flagged the application for review, noting that the company didnt have a clearance for the chemicals it was already manufacturing.

LG Polymers then withdrew the application and instead applied for a retroactive clearance that the Environment Ministry offered companies in 2018 as a one-time amnesty. That application remained pending when the deadly leak occurred.

While we were not required to retroactively apply for an EC, we did apply for the EC under the central government policies and the application is currently under review, Choi said.

Choi said each of the times the company expanded the plant it did so under approval granted by its state permits.

State authorities issued two permits in India  the first to start a new business and another to run it  that are required for all industries that could potentially pollute the air or water. The operational permits are renewed every five years.

Mehta, the environmental lawyer, said that each time LG Polymers renewed that permit, the state pollution board, the authority charged with enforcing federal environmental law, had the power to fine the company or deny it a permit until it received federal clearance.

It never did so.

Asked why the state kept renewing the plants permits despite it not having the federal environmental clearance, Vivek Yadav, the state boards second-in-command, told AP they were examining the issue in detail.

Compared with state permits, the federal environmental clearance takes a broader approach: assessing the potential impact of the project on people, their livelihoods, and the environment while ensuring that precautions are built in to prevent accidents.

B. Sengupta, the former head of Indias top anti-pollution agency, said that the state permits only consider pollution, not safety.

The federal clearance looks at those risks, how hazardous materials are being handled and stored, what plans are there to prevent and deal with disasters, he said.

By Aniruddha Ghosal & Emily Schmall
May 3 was World Press Freedom Day, a day to celebrate the institution that  more than any other in the public or the private realm  guarantees our freedom. A free press keeps the public informed and holds our government accountable. The press shines a light on dishonesty, hypocrisy and corruption, and keeps public figures honest.

Montanans deserve a governor who respects and defends the press from censorship and violence no matter the political cost. Greg Gianforte is not that man.

The night before Election Day, Gianforte was asked to clarify his position on affordable health care and in response, turned violent, knocking a reporter to the ground and breaking his glasses. He then subsequently lied to law enforcement about the assault, believing himself to be above the law.

The matter was a national embarrassment, compounded further by his election to the U.S. House the next day.

Gianfortes assault on a reporter is well documented. We learned from that incident that Gianforte has no regard for a free press, let alone any kind of transparency or accountability. He also hasnt learned anything from this pivotal moment. When Gianforte was recently asked about the assault, and how it had impacted him personally and professionally, he brushed it off, saying only that it doesnt come up. Clearly, the incident meant nothing to him.

But it should mean something to Montanans. Our lone representative in Congress, who now wants to lead our state, was asked the kind of question that any candidate should be able to answer, and in response committed a violent crime  and then lied to the police, exhibiting no remorse for his actions. Gianforte may think that his money places him above the law and above answering questions, but thats not the way things are done here. Montanans are brave enough to stand behind their beliefs. We dont lash out when asked simple questions.

The governors job is to fight for the people of Montana. Hes the chief administrator of the state; all state departments and personnel ultimately report to him. If the governor fails us, we all feel the impact. Honesty, integrity and empathy are essential parts of leadership.

Gianforte has demonstrated he lacks those qualities. He isnt a leader we or our kids should look up to, and he doesnt reflect what makes our state the last best place.

Todd Mowbray and his wife co-owned a group of six Montana hometown weeklies, an agricultural publication serving all of central and eastern Montana, and a large regional newspaper printing plant headquartered in Polson/Ronan Montana. After selling the publications he moved to Missoula to obtain a master's degree in English from the University of Montana.

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Oyo State Command of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested a couple for torturing their 10-year-old daughter, whom they accused of stealing N3000 at their resident in Olupo, Amuloko area of Ibadan.

Mr Olawale Taofeek, and his wife, Romoke, were both arrested for dehumanizing their daughter, Abibat, by tying her hand to the ceiling and putting fire under her, till she confessed to an allegation of theft.

While parading the suspects on Monday in Ibadan, the commandant of the (NSCDC), Isikilu Akinsanya told journalists that Mr. Olawale alleged that Abibat took N3, 000 from the house and the money, according to him, belongs to one Rukayat Trimisiyu of the same community.

Akinsanya further said that in the search for the money, the sum of N600 was found in Abibats bag, and the girl later brought the remaining N2,400 from where it was hidden in the house.

Defending his action, Olawale told journalists that he was only attempting to scare his daughter and teach her some morals when the fire mistakenly burnt her private part.

It is the devil that is at work, he said.

Romoke dissociated herself from the assault, saying she divorced from Olawale seven years ago and was somewhere else when she heard about the incident.

The NSCDC boss said Abibat was still recovering in the hospital from damage she suffered from the burns her father inflicted on her.

Meanwhile, KanyiDaily had reported that a Nigerian mum was arrested for pimping out her 12-year-old daughter to a 26-year-old man in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

The girls mother was allegedly using a charm to get money from the man who began a sexual affair with the little girl when she was 9-years-old.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, blood banks locally and nationwide continue to struggle with dwindling numbers of donors and inadequate supply.

While social distancing and isolation are imperative to flattening the coronavirus curve, blood donation during safer-at-home is not only allowed but encouraged.

While many individuals have ceased giving blood in the past months, whether due to canceled drives or concerns about their health, the Red Cross and Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin are in critical need of blood and platelets, especially as many hospitals begin opening up select care services.

Type O negative blood, the universal blood type utilized in trauma situations, is especially in demand.

The need is immediate, says Versiti chief medical officer Dr. Tom Abshire, M.D. These are extraordinary times, and theres been a lot of uncertainty because of the coronavirus. When dozens of blood drives were canceled in March and April because of the virus, we saw tremendous community outpouring at our donor centers. The need has now spiked again, and we seek the generosity of donors to ensure hospitals have the necessary blood products in hand as they resume elective surgery and other essential medical care.

Both Versiti and the Red Cross have precautions in place to ensure the safety of donors, volunteers and staff, including infection control, increased cleaning procedures, adequate distancing, and the requirement of face coverings for all individuals. In addition, Versiti will take the temperature of all potential donors and staff members.

To make an appointment to donate blood, or to find a local blood drive, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-733-2767, or download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App.

To donate through Versiti, call 1-877-BE-A-HERO or visit versiti.org/Wisconsin.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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Restaurants get cooking again in Wuhan

From:ChinaDaily | 2020-05-13 10:07

After months-long shutdown, dine-in services at restaurants in Wuhan, Hubei province, have gradually resumed since the end of April. Local specialties such as hot dry noodles (reganmian), crawfish and other products are finally reappearing in eateries.

On April 26, the Wuhan food and beverage industry association issued a guideline on gradually resuming dine-in services at restaurants in the city, officially giving the green light for the catering industry to get back to work after months of forced shutdowns during the coronavirus outbreak.

The guideline said that before entering restaurants, customers must present their green QR codes on their smartphones, undergo temperature checks and wash their hands. Restaurateurs should maintain distances of 1.5 to 2 meters between tables, limit passenger flow and encourage making reservations before dining.

"All restaurants in Wuhan must submit an application to reopen before resuming operations. Once reopened, restaurants should strictly follow guidance to bring the city back to normal on the basis of epidemic prevention and control," said Liu Guoliang, head of the association.

Su Yan, administrative director of Wuhan-based Sunny Sky Restaurant, said that to prepare for reopening, the eatery adjusted its menu, increasing hot dishes by 15 percent and cutting cold dishes correspondingly. "Hot dishes are cooked at high temperatures, which may reduce the possibility of the virus surviving," Su said.

Sunny Sky's Baofeng Road restaurant, which was among the first group approved by the Wuhan government to reopen, converted its outdoor parking lot into a dining area. The open-air dining area has become preferred by customers.

Apart from dine-in services, other catering practices such as takeout and online ordering are also on the rise. As of May 1, there were 51,000 restaurants in the city, and 45.6 percent of them had resumed takeout services, while 13.3 percent now had dine-in services, the association said.

On April 17, Wuhan-based gaming platform Douyu launched a four-day public welfare livestreaming sales event featuring Hubei products such as reganmian and rice wine. During the activity, 809,000 local products were sold, with accumulated sales revenue of 30.3 million yuan ($4.3 million). More than 34.31 million people logged in to the event.

"Using Douyu's platform and the new mode of 'livestreaming plus e-commerce', we hope to promote Hubei brands to netizens nationwide in a more direct manner. It is part of our efforts to help enterprises in Hubei resume work, and assist the region in reviving business," said Chen Shaojie, founder and CEO of Douyu.
Rev. Nicholas Martorano of St. Nicholas Of Tolentine Parish in South Philadelphia rode around the neighborhood Tuesday and offered a blessing from the bed of a pickup truck. Read more

Brian Donnelly has gone to St. Nicks parish on South Ninth Street since he was an altar boy there in the 1980s. So when the Rev. Nicholas Martorano asked Donnelly to drive him around the neighborhood so he could bless parishioners who havent been able to attend Mass for weeks, Donnelly figured, Why not?

So, he borrowed a neighbors red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and, after the parish had advertised the procession on Facebook for a few days in advance, loaded Martorano into the bed on Tuesday evening and drove him around South Philly.

I dont think any of us realized the turnout we were going to have, he said.

Over two hours, hundreds watched Martorano ride by. They emerged from their houses, some crying or prayerfully folding their hands and others snapping cell-phone videos, to receive a blessing and see the priest in whats known in the Catholic Church as a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

Typically, such a procession happens inside a church. But Philadelphias Catholic churches, like other houses of worship around the world, havent held services since March, as part of limitations on large gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

So church leaders like Martorano, who has been the pastor at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish since 1984 and is also the pastor at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish, have had to get creative.

Theyre lacking something thats essential in their lives as Catholic Christians, and theyre yearning for that, Martorano said. So we wanted to give an opportunity to receive at least a blessing.

 READ MORE: How this Philly pastor is steering her flock and family through the uncertainty of coronavirus

Donnelly started driving about 6 p.m. Tuesday, starting at St. Nicholas, snaking through residential streets and across the East Passyunk Avenue corridor, stopping in front of Annunciation church, and ending back at St. Nicks, as it is known locally, about 7:45. Another parishioner drove in front of them with hymns blaring out of speakers.

Martorano wore a white vestment and held a monstrance, in which a consecrated Communion host is carried. He stood the whole time.

Im like, Watch out for bumps and construction, said Donnelly, a funeral home director. He had to be freezing, and he did not complain once.

Martorano said it was a little blustery, but he was fine. The sun was shining, he said.

At one point, Donnelly said, he stopped so Martorano could spend a moment with a 97-year-old woman, surrounded by her family, who wanted to receive a blessing. At another point, a parishioner emerged from her home with cupcakes in tow. She gave them to Donnelly to share with the priest.

Tuesday was also Martoranos 70th birthday, and parishioners knew it. Some held signs to celebrate and yelled Happy birthday! as he rode by.

But if it were up to Martorano, no one would mention that. Its the procession and its connection to God during a pandemic that he wants neighbors to remember.

It was probably one of the most important things we could have done during this pandemic, he said. It really brought some hope and increased faith to the people.
Waterloo Region  The deadline to respond to the Provinces latest proposed changes to the aggregate resources act is Friday May 15.

Initial changes to the Aggregate Resources Act came into effect in December. Now, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is proposing changes to two pieces of legislation that carry out specific aspects of the ARA, Regulation 244/97 and the Aggregate Resources of Ontario Provincial Standards.

The Region of Waterloo is preparing to submit comments (page 153) to the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

Recognizing that under a previous round of changes to the Act, municipalities no longer have the ability to control whether or not aggregate extraction takes place below the water table, the Region recommends extraction activities be prohibited in the areas most sensitive to contamination, that is category A and B wellhead protection areas.

It also recommends that municipalities be able to appeal ministry decisions to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. The Provinces suggested changes leave municipalities no ability to appeal ministry decisions.

Rod Regier, the commissioner of planning development and legislative services for the Region of Waterloo says there is some risk involved with this loss of control over ground water protection. The Region sources 75 per cent of its drinking water from ground water. Weve had a number of situations where wells have had to be taken off-line because of industrial contamination.

Our ground water is particularly vulnerable to large industrial activity like aggregate extraction. If we had a situation where a well needed to be taken off-line, its possible for ground water in that area to be inaccessible to citizens for decades, he says.

Other concerns the Region raised have to do with minimum standards of monitoring to establish the water table, concerns about the possibility of chloride-based dust control chemicals affecting source water and increasing the length of the public consultation period, among others. The whole report can be viewed here (page 153).

Regier says some aspects of the Provinces revisions are positive, particularly surrounding strengthening rehabilitation of closed pits.

This is part of a fairly large and complex conversation were having with the Province on how best to protect our resources and infrastructure in the long run, says Regier.

The suggested revisions can be viewed, and comments can be submitted, via the Environmental Registry of Ontario at ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-1303. Comments will be accepted until Friday May 15.
MADISON  In a 4-3 decision, the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the states Safer at Home order, handing a defeat to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in his administrations response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In its order, the Supreme Court said Evers stay at home order is invalid, and therefore, unenforceable. The Republican Legislature, which brought the lawsuit against Evers health secretary, Andrea Palm, wanted the court to delay its decision from going into effect for six days to allow Evers and Republicans to come up with a replacement plan. The court denied that request, with justices saying lawmakers should have had time to produce replacement rules.

A statement on the Tavern League of Wisconsin website posted shortly after the court ruling said bars are allowed to open immediately. The post also encouraged any businesses planning to open to follow safe practice recommendations created by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

In response to the decision, Racine Mayor Cory Mason said, Today the Wisconsin Supreme Court and their Republican allies in the Legislature have put politics before the health and lives of Wisconsin residents.

He stated, This reckless decision will almost certainly mean that the pandemic lasts longer and the health consequences will be even more severe, particularly in places like Racine which is seeing a spike in cases and savage disparities among communities of color. I urge city residents to continue to take the necessary steps to protect yourself, your families, and the community.

The breakdown

Conservative-leaning justices hold a 5-2 majority on the court. Four conservative justices joined on the majority opinion. The fifth, Brian Hagedorn, joined with liberal justices Ann Walsh Bradley and Rebecca Dallet in dissent.

Chief Justice Patience Roggensack wrote for the majority that the order amounts to an emergency rule that Palm cant enact unilaterally, and creates criminal penalties that Palm has no authority to create.

Rule-making exists precisely to ensure that kind of controlling, subjective judgement asserted by one unelected official, Palm, is not imposed in Wisconsin, Roggensack wrote.

The GOP has not offered any alternative plans. The states chamber of commerce has suggested allowing all businesses to open at once while compelling higher-risk establishments and operations to take increasingly strict mitigation measures such as requiring employees to use protective gear.

The GOP move against Evers mirrors actions taken by Republican-controlled legislatures in other states, most notably against the Democratic governors in nearby blue wall states Michigan and Pennsylvania. All three are critical presidential battlegrounds in November.

Dallet wrote that the courts decision will undoubtedly go down as one of the most blatant examples of judicial activism in this courts history. And it will be Wisconsinites who pay the price.

Dallet also took aim at the potential delay set up by a rule-making process, writing: A review of the tedious multi-step process required to enact an emergency rule illustrates why the Legislature authorized DHS to issue statewide orders to control contagion.

Multiple issues in forging compromise

With the governors stay-at-home order suspended, Evers and legislative Republicans will need to work quickly to come up with a replacement plan, otherwise it may be up to individual counties to implement a patchwork of their own COVID-19 regulations.

Pressure in the state, particularly from Republicans and the business community, has been building for Evers to implement a plan to begin re-opening the state. Businesses say that if the order is kept in place for much longer, a large number of businesses would permanently close.

Implementing new rules would likely go through the states administrative rules process, which the Evers administration has warned is a complicated, time-consuming process that could take 20 days or more to implement, although other options may be possible.

Approval of new COVID-19 rules through the administrative rules process would involve both Evers and Republican lawmakers. Evers would get to sign off on the rules, but then a Republican committee would have the final say on whether they get implemented. If either party doesnt approve, the process could start all over again.

GOP leaders were light on details on how they would like to reopen the state economy, should the court rule in their favor, during a Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce webinar on Wednesday.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said its extremely unlikely that the economy will immediately reopen, but rather, he anticipates that GOP leaders and Democratic Evers will have to come back to the table to coordinate a plan.

However, bipartisan agreements regarding the states COVID-19 response have been few and far between since the pandemic began.

I think thats the challenge that we have, is were now going to have to start negotiating cold, which is going to be a more challenging process, Vos said.

On Wednesday, Vos said his preference would be a statewide reopening, but said he also would consider a more regional reopening, based on metrics such as positive case numbers and hospital capacities. Last week, Vos said a regional reopening was the most appropriate response, rather than Evers statewide approach.

During a Friday media call, Evers didnt offer much insight into how quickly it would take negotiate with Republican lawmakers, who have been pushing for a regional approach to reopening the state, rather than continue with Evers statewide order.

There are such a multiple of issues out there that (the Supreme Court is) deciding, including another case, so that its impossible at this point in time to say, Evers said.

Evers chief legal counsel Ryan Nilsestuen said negotiations would be difficult because Republican lawmakers, despite criticizing Evers order, havent produced a replacement plan off of which to base discussions if the order was struck down.

While Wednesdays ruling closes one loop on Wisconsins COVID-19 response, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said its very possible the state will experience a resurgence of positive cases later this year.

I do anticipate there will be issues that emerge in the fall and they will have to be dealt with, and dealt with fairly quickly, Fitzgerald said.

The Journal Times and Associated Press contributed to this report

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SPRINGFIELD  Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield next week for the first time in more than two months to take up a state budget and other critical matters while following strict social distancing and public safety guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During teleconference caucus meetings Wednesday, House and Senate Democrats were told the special session will run from Wednesday, May 20, through Friday, May 22.

Before returning to the capital, lawmakers are being asked to sign a pledge stipulating they will be tested for COVID-19, regardless of whether they have symptoms or have been previously infected. They will also be required to wear face coverings, undergo temperature checks on session days, travel alone and stay in separate hotel rooms, follow social distancing guidelines and avoid extracurricular activities.

The House will meet in the Bank of Springfield Center, a convention center a few blocks from the Statehouse. The Senate plans to meet in the Senate chamber of the Capitol.

Security at the BoS Center will be provided by the Illinois State Police and all people entering the building will be required to pass through a metal detector to prevent weapons from being carried into the facility. All people will also be required to wear face coverings and submit to a touchless temperature check. Anyone with a temperature of more than 100 degrees will be required to leave.

The House is also recommending that lawmakers and staff who are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19  people over age 65 or with pre-existing conditions  consider not traveling to Springfield for the special session.

Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said in a statement that the upper chamber is still working on the logistics of how it will meet, but he said senators are ready to get to work.

Time and again the Illinois Senate has shown its members can work together to solve problems and produce results for the people of this great state, Harmon said. That cooperative spirit of bipartisan achievement is needed now more than ever. This global pandemic has decimated our state and local economies regardless of political affiliation. From far flung living rooms, kitchen tables and home offices, senators have been working together while apart to figure out what we can and need to do now.

Lawmakers have not met since March 5. They were scheduled to be off the week of March 9-13 to campaign in advance of the March 17 primary. They were also scheduled to take a two-week spring break April 6-17. All other session days since then have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers have been meeting remotely in informal working groups during the shutdown, mainly to gather information they will need when they return to session, but those working groups were not authorized to draft legislation or hear testimony on bills.

Much of the work ahead is expected to focus on passing a state budget in light of a severe drop in revenues that has resulted from the closure of nonessential businesses, a statewide stay-at-home order and the delay in the states tax filing deadline.

Newly revised estimates from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or CoGFA, project that total revenues for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, will be about $2.2 billion lower than the previous estimate released in March. Net income taxes are expected to be $1.7 billion lower than the March estimate.

Revenues for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1, are expected to be $4.7 billion lower than previously estimated.

The state has the ability to borrow money from other funds to shore up the general revenue fund. Officials also will be watching closely to see if the U.S. Congress approves any federal aid for states.

Despite the falloff in revenue, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he wants lawmakers to pass a COVID-19 financial relief bill that will specifically target small businesses that have been unable to access federal relief funds.

Obviously, as Ive said for some time now, we have real challenges with the loss of revenue because of COVID-19, Pritzker said during his daily briefing Wednesday in Chicago, so we need to rely upon the federal government and its support for all the states in order for us to provide the services that people need, in order to pay for the education that our kids need and for us to support our businesses and our families in the wake of this curve as were dealing with this COVID-19 crisis.

Meanwhile, many legislative Republicans have been calling for weeks to reconvene the session, arguing the governor has no legal authority to extend the disaster declaration beyond the original 30-day time frame, and they hope to put the governors authority up for a vote.

I am pleased the governor and Democratic leaders have heeded our calls to return to the peoples Capitol to address the critical issues facing our state during these unprecedented times, Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady, of Bloomington, said in a statement. It is vital the Legislature be a part of the decision-making process when it comes to maintaining the publics health, reopening our state, moving our economy forward and overcoming a graduated income tax that would negatively impact Illinois families.

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, also issued a statement welcoming a special session.

After two months of inaction, it is about time we get back to the job we were elected to do, he said.
The Chinese government is set to slap further restrictions on Australian exports in retaliation to Scott Morrison's calls for an international inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

China's state-controlled media and trade experts warned Beijing's boycott could extend beyond beef and barley, with iron ore - worth $63billion a year to Australia's economy - potentially next in line.

The Global Times newspaper, a mouthpiece for the communist government, suggested China could easily turn to Brazil for iron ore and other commodities - and did not need Australian exports.

'The latest meat import suspension and the possible imposition of major tariffs on Australia's barley exports don't necessarily represent China's economic punishment for Australia, though they may serve as a wake-up call for Australia to reflect on its economic links with China,' the Global Times said on Wednesday.

'While China is the only choice for Australia's massive commodity exports, Australia is not necessarily the only option for China. There are also other countries like Brazil that can supply huge amounts of iron ore, coal or LNG to China.'

China's state-controlled media and trade experts warned iron ore could be next to be boycotted - potentially wiping $63billion from our economy

Australian relations with China have been heavily strained since Scott Morrison - among with other world leaders - began pushing for a global inquiry into coronavirus. Pictured: Chinese President t Xi Jinping

Professor Willy Lam from the Chinese University of Hong Kong told the AFR China would continue to use 'economic coercion for political ends' because it 'doesn't want an independent inquiry into Wuhan'.

'This is well orchestrated and co-ordinated [by Beijing]. I think we will see more of this. This [coronavirus] is a weak spot in the narrative,' he said.

This week China suggested it would impose an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley - and has already suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers.

Australian relations with China have been heavily strained since Mr Morrison - among other world leaders - began pushing for a global inquiry into coronavirus.

This week China has suggested it will impose huge tariffs on Australian barley and suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers. Pictured: A cattle farm in Queensland

One third of Australia's exports - including iron ore, gas, coal and food - go to China, bringing in around $135billion per year.

China has so far ignored Australia's attempts to discuss trade tensions over beef and barley imports, and state governments fear they could become the meat in the sandwich as the trade tangle heats up.

Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham confirmed his Chinese counterpart had not responded to requests for talks to end the diplomatic row.

'We have not secured said meeting yet. I would hope that would be forthcoming,' he told parliament on Wednesday.

Minister For Trade Simon Birmingham said Australia faces a 'uphill battle' to persuade China not to introduce tariffs on Barley (pictured on a farm in Parkes, NSW)

But he later said it was most appropriate that industry sort out the problems with Chinese administrators directly.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has urged conservative politicians to tone down their inflammatory rhetoric.

'Some federal Liberal MPs from Western Australia have been very hostile with some of our trading relationships,' he told state parliament.

'We need to ensure we have balanced commentary and a balanced approach to these issues to ensure that our citizens aren't collateral damage.'

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is also skittish about the stoush.

Students enter the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney. Education is one of Australia's most lucrative exports

'China is an incredibly important trading partner to Queensland. Most of our trade goes to China,' she told reporters.

Eighteen per cent of Australia's beef production is shipped to China, with exports worth more than $3 billion a year.

The four meatworks involved account for more than a third of Australian beef exports.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said customs officers had detected repeated violations of inspection and quarantine requirements by a few Australian beef export companies.

'China has decided to suspend, effective immediately, processing four Australian companies' import declarations for meat products,' he said.

'The Chinese side has asked the Australian side to conduct a thorough investigation to find the cause and address the issue.'

Mr Morrison said the claims related to 'paperwork and administration issues'.

Australia had raised both the barley and beef issues with China frequently over quite some time and would not shy away from setting out its case, he told parliament.

'From time to time there will be differences of views about those issues and we will seek to progress them very constructively in the national interest, always in the national interest,' Mr Morrison said.

A separate article in the Global Times discouraged Chinese citizens from doing business with Australia.

'It now seems necessary to advise Chinese people and companies to watch out for potential risks when it comes to doing business with or studying in Australia,' the opinion article said.

Jane Golley, a professor at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, warned last month that Beijing would try this tactic.

She told Daily Mail Australia: 'China could increase propaganda persuading students and tourists not to come here.

'Some say Beijing could turn off the tap and choke the Australian University Sector.

Australia's export markets in 2019 1. China: $135 billion (33% of total Australian exports) 2. Japan: $36 billion (9%) 3. South Korea: $21 billion (5%) 4. United Kingdom: $16 billion (3.8%) 5. United States: $15 billion (3.7%) Source: Worldstopexports.com Advertisement

'It doesn't want to do this because it wants its citizens to benefit from Australian education - but if it did that would cost thousands of jobs in our universities and leave the sector decimated.'

Recent difficulties in the bi-lateral trade relationship followed the Australian government's call for a ban on wildlife wet markets and an inquiry into how the coronavirus originated and spread from Wuhan.

The proposed inquiry - as well as repeated suggestions that China covered up the spread of the disease - have infuriated Beijing.

Last month the Chinese Embassy called Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton 'pitiful,' 'ignorant' and a US 'parrot' after he told China to 'answer questions' about how coronavirus started.

On April 26 Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng warned that Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge.

'Maybe the ordinary people will think why they should drink Australian wine or eat Australian beef,' he told the AFR.

Trade minister tells wine and cheese exporters not to give China an excuse to ban their products The federal trade minister has told wine and cheese exporters not to give Beijing any excuse to ban their products after beef suppliers were blacklisted over a technicality. This week China has suggested it will impose huge tariffs on Australian barley and suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers due to an apparent labelling issue. The federal government has denied the measures are payback for Australia's demands for a coronavirus inquiry - but Trade Minister Simon Birmingham today told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order so that more industries cannot be targeted. The federal trade minister has told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order for exporting products to China. Pictured: Melbourne's Say Cheese festival During an interview on Wednesday, the ABC's Patricia Karvelas asked him: 'Australian wine and dairy producers are worried they could be next. What reassurances do you have that that won't happen?' Senator Birmingham replied: 'Everyone at present should be, as they always should, dotting their Is and crossing their Ts and leaving no scope for any grievance to be raised.' He said he could see no reason why wine or cheese industries would fall short of quarantine, health or labelling standards they need to meet to export to China. China is a key market for Australia's wine companies. Pictured: A customer selects an Aussie wine in Beijing Advertisement

The dispute comes after a torrid year for Australia-China relations saw clashes over political interference, human rights abuses in western China and Huawei 5G equipment.

Former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby told Daily Mail Australia that diplomatic relations are 'at their lowest point since they began 46 years ago'.

The proposed tariffs on barley come after China's 18-month anti-dumping investigation which concludes on 19 May.

Dumping is when a country exports a product unfairly cheaply to a foreign market to undercut alternatives, with producers often subsidised by the government.

China says the suspension of beef imports is due to a labelling issue.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng (pictured) warned Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the issues are being resolved and hopes exports from the blacklisted abattoirs can resume soon.

China has a track record of using economic sanctions for political purposes.

It includes encouraging a boycott of South Korean cars after the country deployed a US missile shield in 2017 and a ban on Norwegian salmon after Chinese rebel Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo that same year.

Australia and China have had a free trade agreement since 2015 but some exporters have still run into difficulties as relations have soured.

In 2018 Beijing imposed new customs regulations on Australian wine resulting in shipments being held up in Shanghai.

The outbreak erupted in Wuhan, China in December. Pictured: Staff members line up as they prepare to spray disinfectant at Wuhan Railway Station in March

And last year - after Canberra stripped Chinese businessman Xiangmo Huang of his visa - major ports prolonged clearing times for Australian coal to at least 40 days, claiming the delay was due to 'normal' safety checks.

Professor Golley warned last month that this type of manoeuvering could resume if the federal government continues to upset the Chinese government.

But she does not believe that the proposal regarding barley is connected to COVID-19.

'If there is any kind of 'coercion' or punishment plan in Beijing's mind, I'd say it's very unlikely to work (another reason why they probably wouldn't try it), because I don't think the Australian government will back down on its inquiry demand, even if they are absolutely certain that this barley debacle is connected to it', she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
The deal was signed by Ambassador of the EU to Vietnam Giorgio Aliberti and AFD Director in the country Fabrice Richy on May 11.

Under the agreement, the EU provides a grant of EUR20 million (nearly US$21.6 million) to the AFD.

In coordination with the Vietnamese Government and local administrations, the AFD will mobilise the Water and Natural Resources Management (WARM) Facility to prepare and implement investment projects co-financed with the AFD loans and Vietnams own resources over the period 2021-2029 for an estimated total amount of EUR200 million.

Adaptation to climate change is crucial for the sustainability of Vietnams development, and water and natural resources are a key element of it, EU Ambassador Aliberti said.

The intention of the new grant is to support Vietnam on a pathway towards a greener and resilient future, he added.

Vietnam is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change and natural disasters.

Rising temperatures and sea levels, and the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events combined with population growth and urbanisation are increasing the risk of coastal erosion, urban flooding and drought.
Monsoon is likely to arrive in Rajasthan on June 25, with a delay of 10 days, the meteorological department said on Wednesday.

South-west monsoon normally enters the desert state from its southern region and its normal time of arrival is June 15. It continues till September 20, the department said.

Monsoon is likely to arrive on June 25 and depart on September 27, it said, adding that as per an assessment of 30 years of data, the arrival of monsoon has been late in the state.

Normally, monsoon covers the entire state by July 15 and it starts departing from September 1 and by September 20, it is completely departs, the department said.

This season, the monsoon is likely to cover the entire state by July 8. It will start from September 17 and by September 27 the monsoon will completely depart, it said.

The study of 30 years of data shows that arrival and departure of monsoon has been delayed and on the basis of the assessment, it is likely that the entry of monsoon in the state will be delayed by 10 days this year, an official of the Meteorological Center in Jaipur told PTI.

However, he said that it was an assessment only and actual dates may vary.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
JACKSON, MI  Most products sat on the shelves at RTD Manufacturing Inc. for two months after Michigans coronavirus pandemic started.

Unable to do the work it normally does for the aerospace and automotive industries and on inspection equipment, the Jackson machine shop was hurting, Project Manager Irvin Stone said. Then he saw a social media post from another Jackson manufacturer, Technique Inc., saying it had run out of disinfecting wipes.

Stone started brainstorming ways to solve the common problem, and soon created and patented Towl-Wet.

It was a glimmer in my mind on April Fool's Day, he said.

Towl-Wet is a disinfectant dispenser that turns paper towels into disinfectant wipes. RTD Manufacturing, 1150 S. Elm St., created a plexiglass prototype and sent it to Technique Inc. to use. The company is now hoping to sell the product to other businesses.

One of the big advantages of this is if you can buy disinfecting wipes, they cost about 10 cents each, Stone said. You can make these for less than a penny apiece.

The manufacturer also donated dispensers to the Jackson Fire Department and Blackman-Leoni Township Department of Public Safety.

We would donate more to other first responders if we find out who wants them, Stone said.

The Jackson YMCA and local libraries have shown an interest as well, he said. For businesses that are reopening and bringing employees back, Stone thinks the dispenser could help enhance sanitizing measures.

There have been approximately 20 Towl-Wet dispensers built to date, and there have been many changes since the prototype, including making the dispenser out of powder-coated steel instead of plexiglass, which has made it sturdier.

Plexiglass is almost impossible to get now because of the huge demand for guards in front of (store) cashiers and places like that, Stone said. We had to rethink how were going to do this, so we started making them out of steel.

Stone hopes to see demand pick up once people learn more about the dispensers.

Interested businesses can purchase the dispensers for $375 each. Stone is hoping to launch a website for ordering them online in the next week. Right now, orders can be placed by calling 517-783-1550.

The Powering Positivity campaign by MLive Media Group highlights how Michiganders are supporting one another during the coronavirus pandemic. It is sponsored by The MediLodge Group.
A ustria today announced the reopening of its border with Germany in a sign of coronavirus travel restrictions beginning to ease in Europe.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurzs office said only spot checks would be applied on crossings from Germany from Friday before a full reopening of the border on June 15.

It also disclosed plans to remove checks on travel between Austria and Switzerland, Liechtenstein and neighbouring eastern European countries, in a move designed to free up travel between countries with similar Covid-19 infection rates.

Austrias tourism minister Elisabeth Koestinger said that the first loosening would allow family visits and business trips.

Both Austria and Germany have seen lower death tolls per capita than many European countries. Tourism accounts for about eight per cent of Austrias economic output, and Germany is the biggest source of foreign visitors.

Meanwhile, there was concern in Italy over a sudden leap in infections in the worst-hit region, Lombardy, which accounted for 1,033 of the 1,402 new cases registered in the country in the 24 hours since Monday evening.

The tally compared with previous figures in the low hundreds, although it was not immediately clear whether the sudden leap reflects a resurgence of the virus or a statistical blip.

In Greece, two migrants in a quarantine facility for new arrivals on the eastern island of Lesbos have tested positive for coronavirus.

They had arrived on the island last week, when a boat carrying 51 people from Afghanistan and African countries crossed over from Turkey.

All 51 were placed in two-week quarantine in the northern part of the island and far from the congested migrant camp of Moria where nearly 18,000 people live.

Elsewhere, exhausted ambulance workers in Spain said they feared a resurgence in infections after the countrys decision to take its first steps in easing restrictions. Dr Monica Rodriguez, who leads a team of epidemic specialists in Madrid, said: Unfortunately, people are not taking enough precautions because they are not aware or they dont have a real vision of whats going on.

In Montenegro, eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests were detained after a few thousand people attended a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings. The priests face charges of violating health regulations by organising the procession in the western town of Niksic.
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced Belfast's Nightingale Hospital will be "stood down" as the coronavirus crisis in Northern Ireland eases.

He said the Department of Health had made the decision to reduce the escalation level for critical care to low surge, but stressed hospital beds would still be available for those who need them and Nightingale could be restarted if needed.

Mr Swann also unveiled a comprehensive plan to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic in care homes across Northern Ireland.

There are currently outbreaks in 75 care homes, with around half of Northern Ireland's Covid-19 death toll coming from care home residents.

Commissioner for Older People Eddie Lynch said the deaths of some care home residents were being recorded as hospital deaths, thus skewing the official figures of how the sector has been hit.

There have been calls for more to be done to protect the sector with some of those working in care homes saying they felt "forgotten about".

Mr Swann said the Executive planned to "significantly expand testing" across care homes with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service providing mobile testing from Monday.

Other measures include strengthening by trusts of hospital-to-community outreach teams to deliver specialist care and support to older people in care homes and their own homes.

Mr Swann said investment and reform in social care was also a top priority.

He is currently is finalising a paper for the Executive charting a way ahead for the sector, including as an immediate priority additional support for staff.

It comes after the Department of Health announced two further deaths from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

Read More

Follow our live coverage for all today's main developments
The Education Minister will face questions in the Dail this afternoon on the decision to scrap the Leaving Cert.

The Dail resumes this afternoon as TDs continue to quiz the government on the ongoing response to the coronavirus.

This afternoon, Education Minister Joe McHugh will field questions just days after he announced the cancellation of the Leaving Cert.

There has been mixed views on the predictive grading model teachers will be enforcing and still many questions from Leaving Cert students and their families about how the system will impact them.

The Dail is also going to have a session on transport, tourism and sport with a particular focus on transport as some TDs continue to call for stricter enforcement of self-isolation rules for people arriving into Ireland.

The government is still examining its options.

The final session will be taken by the Minister for Justice and Equality as people in Direct Provision continue to highlight cramped and unsafe conditions they are living in during this crisis with the Irish Refugee Council saying it has been the most disturbing part of the Covid-19 response in this country.
[May 13, 2020] Asurio, Inc. Announces New Fire Extinguisher Inspection Software Core Functionality in the BirdDog Mobile Inspection & Data Collection System

BOULDER, Colo., May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asurio, Inc. (www.asurio.com), a Colorado technology company that offers the BirdDog Mobile Inspection & Data Collection System, today introduced Extinguisher Tracker  powerful, new fire extinguisher inspection software functionality embedded in the BirdDog Mobile Inspection System. This new fire extinguisher tracking software allows fire safety contractors and in-house facility management departments to streamline the process of inspecting, tracking & maintaining portable fire extinguishers in facilities they manage.

Extinguisher Tracker has features and functions that help solve challenges traditionally found in the process of inspecting and maintaining fire extinguishers in commercial facilities where there are many fire extinguishers, such as office buildings, campus & university buildings, hospitals & medical facilities, and more. This new fire extinguisher inspection software functionality is available immediately as part of the BirdDog Mobile Inspection System. As a result, the BirdDog Mobile Inspection & Data Collection System now offers the most powerful blend of inspection technology for: Fire sprinkler systems inspections (NFPA 25)

Fire alarm systems inspections (NPPA 72)

Fire extinguisher inspections (NFPA 10) People pay far too little attention to the importance of fire extinguishers, noted Asurio President Top Myers. The National Fire Protection Association reports that 93% of all fire-related deaths and 95 percent of property damage happen when a fire has gone beyond the early stages. For fire extinguishers to help provide early-stage fire suppression, they have to be in the correct location and they have to be in good working order. Asurios new fire extinguisher inspection software module helps ensure this, he said. How Does BirdDog Fire Extinguisher Inspection Software Work? BirdDogs new Extinguisher Tracker software module greatly simplifies the process of inspecting, tracking, and maintaining portable, movable equipment including fire extinguishers, fire hoses, first aid kits, and other fire safety devices and equipment. Heres how it works: Field inspectors may use Android, Apple, or Microsoft tablets loaded with BirdDog software to log fire extinguisher inspection information.

Inspectors use industry-standard bar code scanning hardware to scan the bar code on individual fire extinguishers.

Once the bar code is scanned, the BirdDog fire extinguisher inspection software database of fire extinguishers automatically provides the make and model of the fire extinguisher in a drop-down menu in the software, as well as leading field inspectors through a series of questions for the fire extinguisher inspection process. The BirdDog fire extinguisher inspection module will ask and require that field inspectors log information such as: Is the fire extinguisher in the correct location? Is the fire extinguisher full of fire retardant? Is it time for th fire extinguisher to undergo routine maintenance? Is it time for the fire extinguisher to be pulled out of service and/or replaced? Does the fire extinguisher require service thats under warranty...and more.

Once the fire extinguisher inspection has been completed, inspectors upload the inspection data on their mobile device to their companys office via the Internet.

Once the data has been uploaded to BirdDogs Administrative Software, the BirdDog inspection system automatically can generate reports to prove compliance with local and national fire codes, as well as streamline the physical process of planning for fire extinguisher maintenance.



Benefits of the BirdDog Fire Extinguisher Inspection Software BirdDogs Extinguisher Tracker software module offers the following benefits for fire safety contractors and facility management departments:

More comprehensive & accurate fire extinguisher inspections

More efficient planning for fire extinguisher maintenance

Improved compliance with local & national regulations

Improved safety

Reduced risk A large part of an extinguisher inspection revolves around inventory management, explained Chris Stamas, Fredriksen Fire Equipment Co., of Chicago, Ill. Contractors need to know whats on-site before going there so they know what inventory should be loaded in the truck & what repairs need to be made. If you dont have proper fire extinguisher inventory records, youre flying blind, which wastes time, results in more trips to facilities, and impedes accurate scheduling of jobs. Extinguisher Tracker solves those efficiency issues, he said. New BirdDog Fire Extinguisher Inspection Software Brings Game-changing Technology for Contractors & Facility Managers BirdDogs new, enhanced fire extinguisher inspection software capabilities offer the following helpful features & functions: Integrated Administrative & Field Tech Platform: The inspection administration & field inspection software for fire extinguishers are integrated into one platform for easy data migration from the field to the office;

The inspection administration & field inspection software for fire extinguishers are integrated into one platform for easy data migration from the field to the office; Support for Microsoft, Android & Apple: Field techs who are responsible for fire extinguisher inspections can use Apple, Android, or Microsoft tablets to record inspection results. BirdDog also can work in online or off-line mode on all 3 mobile platforms. This means that field inspectors working deep in the heart of a building where they cant access a wireless internet connection can conduct their inspection, save the data, and upload the fire extinguisher inspection results once they can access a viable internet connection.

Field techs who are responsible for fire extinguisher inspections can use Apple, Android, or Microsoft tablets to record inspection results. BirdDog also can work in online or off-line mode on all 3 mobile platforms. This means that field inspectors working deep in the heart of a building where they cant access a wireless internet connection can conduct their inspection, save the data, and upload the fire extinguisher inspection results once they can access a viable internet connection. Powerful Report Generation Capabilities: BirdDogs fire extinguisher inspection software allows for fast, easy report generation to provide to fire marshals, insurance representatives, Joint Commission representatives, and building owners and managers.

BirdDogs fire extinguisher inspection software allows for fast, easy report generation to provide to fire marshals, insurance representatives, Joint Commission representatives, and building owners and managers. New, Enhanced NFPA 10-compliant Inspection Form: BirdDog offers a new NFPA-10-ET fire extinguisher inspection form that leads fire extinguisher inspectors through the inspection process.

BirdDog offers a new NFPA-10-ET fire extinguisher inspection form that leads fire extinguisher inspectors through the inspection process. Fire Extinguisher Product Information Included in New Extinguisher Tracker Inspection Form: BirdDogs enhanced fire extinguisher inspection functionality has powerful asset tracking capabilities that auto-populate the manufacturer, model & size of the fire extinguisher simply by scanning the fire extinguishers bar code. BirdDog Extinguisher Tracker Pricing Existing BirdDog users who want to add fire extinguisher inspections to their roster of services can obtain the new NFPA-10-ET fire extinguisher inspection form for $995. Existing BirdDog users already involved in fire extinguisher inspections can upgrade from the NFPA-10 inspection form to the NFPA-10-ET inspection form for $500. Pricing for new BirdDog customers is contingent upon the following parameters: A monthly subscription based on the number of users and the desired inspection functionality (sprinkler inspections, alarm inspections, and/or fire extinguisher inspections)

Initial set-up and configuration of the BirdDog system in the Microsoft Azure cloud

On-site and/or remote BirdDog user training (initially & when you add staff)

Data migration support

Integration with other software programs such as accounting, billing, or other business software systems By offering enhanced fire extinguisher inspection capabilities as part of the BirdDog Mobile Inspection & Data Collection System, Asurio is making it easier for contractors & facility management departments to streamline their fire extinguisher inspections process, improve the accuracy of fire extinguisher inspections, and provide critical data points needed for more efficient planning of fire extinguisher maintenance & replacement, said Mr. Myers. About Asurio, Inc. & BirdDog Mobile Inspection Software Asurio, Inc. is a USA-based software company that offers the BirdDog Mobile Inspection & Data Collection System. BirdDog is one of the more powerful & versatile mobile inspection systems on the market today. Asurio has a special expertise in fire-life safety inspections for buildings, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and more. However, the BirdDog system can be configured to inspect and/or collect data for virtually any industry. In addition, Asurio, Inc. is a Microsoft partner, and hosts its cloud-based BirdDog inspection software on the Microsoft Azure cloud computing solution, resulting in world-class 24/7 reliability and security. Asurio, Inc. can be reached at: www.asurio.com , or 877.444.1488. Media Contact:

Courtney DeWinter, DeWinter Marketing & PR - Denver

303.572.8180, www.DeWinterMarketingPR.com

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No law-abiding Texan wants an election system where even a single vote is manipulated by fraudsters.

State and local officials from both sides of the aisle have long agreed that voting by mail-in ballot should be limited to specific, valid circumstances under Texas law. Why? Because those officials  both Republicans and Democrats  believed mass voting by mail led to greater voter fraud.

Just two years ago in a legislative hearing in Austin, a prosecutor from South Texas (and registered Democrat) testified: Any time you have ballots that are outside the polling location, youre going to have fraud. ... I would never recommend everyone voting by mail  it invites fraud.

This was not a partisan issue.

How times have changed.

Not wanting to let the crisis caused by COVID-19 go to waste, Democrats have filed numerous lawsuits attempting to disenfranchise voters. The Texas Democratic Party is demanding that judges rewrite Texas election law and allow all voters to claim a disability to vote by mail, regardless of their health or physical condition. Even worse, Harris County brazenly declared in flat contradiction of the law that anyone can get a mail-in ballot this year and is spending $12 million in tax dollars to make it happen.

As Texas begins safely reopening, election officials have many options available to safely and securely hold elections. They can provide masks, hand sanitizer and gloves. They can enforce physical distancing recommendations, sanitize voting stations, and implement other practical solutions so voting machines can be operated touch-free. To shorten waiting times and lines at polls, they could also expand the number of early voting days as Gov. Greg Abbott appropriately did for the primary elections set for later this summer. With safety precautions like these, voters can access polling places safely and exercise their vote without meddling.

The same cant be said for mail-in ballots. Under current law, only voters with certain types of existing disabilities, those older than 65 and those who will be physically out of the county during an election can vote by absentee ballot.

In Texas, we require voters to show an ID when they vote to prevent fraud. But there is no effective way for election officials to ensure that mail-in ballots are not requested fraudulently. Just as credit card skimmers can steal your financial information, vote harvesters can easily collect authentic signatures under false pretenses and steal your vote.

During the 2018 primary, an anonymous video surfaced that appears to show how easily a Harris County campaign worker collected a ballot application and signature from a voter in less than 20 seconds. After providing her signature, the voter asked the worker, Is this legal, what youre doing? The worker replied, Yes, maam, weve done 400 already.

Once mail ballots go out, harvesters show up at a voters door and engage the voter to provide voting assistance. Sometimes a harvester will give a voter the impression that he is an election official and hand the voter an official ballot. Sometimes the offer of a free stamp does the trick. Whatever the case, successful vote harvesters leave with a voters signature and a ballot that is either blank, correctly voted or can be modified (or disposed of, if the voter chose the wrong candidate) later. Skilled vote harvesters often appear friendly and helpful. They may engage the voter in reassuring political discourse while assisting the voter in filling out the ballot. Done effectively, the process is largely invisible to voters, who are led to believe their ballot was cast according to their wishes.

Because of tactics like these, my office has conducted over 300 investigations of mail-in ballot fraud. Our investigators have spoken with thousands of victims of mail ballot fraud over the years, and they commonly tell us they were pressured and harassed by campaign workers to sign up to vote by mail, vote a certain way or hand over their ballots. The common denominator in mail ballot fraud is that the voices and votes of the victims are canceled and replaced by those of paid campaign workers. Every fraudulent vote disenfranchises a lawful voter by canceling out their lawful vote.

Some politically motivated groups in Texas want to scare us into allowing what amounts to unlimited vote by mail. In doing so, they are stealing your right to vote. Lets work together to stop them and keep our elections safe, fair and honest.

Ken Paxton, a Republican, is attorney general of Texas.
Governor to request Phuket airport to reopen

PHUKET: The Phuket Governor will request the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to allow Phuket International Airport re-open to limited domestic flights starting this Saturday (May 16).

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtransport

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 13 May 2020, 05:22PM

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai yesterday (May 12) inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen. Photo: AoT Phuket

The news came at the meeting of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee at Provincial Hall today (May 13).

Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana explained at the meeting that the formal request will ask for Phuket airport to resume operations from 00:01am Saturday (May 16).

The airport currently remains closed to all flights except government and or military aircraft; emergency landings; technical landing aircraft without passengers leaving the plane; aircraft providing humanitarian or medical aid; cargo aircraft; and any aircraft granted permission to repatriate foreigners to their home countries.

The airport has been closed since April 3 following an order by Dr Chula Sukmanop, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).

The closure was then extended three times, first by CAAT Director Dr Chula, and again on April 10, and then again on May 1, this time at the request of Governor Phakaphong.

The current order for the airport to remain closed is set to expire at midnight this coming Friday night.

Soonthorn Sakdasawit from the Airports of Thailand management team at Phuket International Airport (AoT Phuket) explained three airlines  Air Asia, Nokair, and Vietjet  have confirmed to operate one round-trip serve between Phuket and Bangkok every day.

Only about 120 passengers will be permitted per flight due to the health regulations in effect to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, he added.

There must be space between each passenger and some seats arranged for passengers who have suspicious symptoms during the flight, he said.

The airport had been closed for 35 days, Mr Soonthorn noted.

AoT Phuket has already arranged screening measures and installed five thermo scanners in areas of the airport, he added.

Of note, Phuket Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai inspected Phuket airport for its readiness to reopen yesterday (May 12).

Currently all inbound international passenger flights are banned from entering Thailand under an order by the CAAT that at this stage is set to remain in effect until May 30.

The CAAT allowed limited domestic flights within Thailand to resume on May 1, with Nok Air, AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet Air reinstating flights between 14 provinces, but not Phuket, after a month-long suspension.

Further, a new order issued by the CAAT issued on May 3 granted permission to a slew of airports to operate special international flights, such as those repatriating foreign nationals or flying home Thai citizens, between 7am and 7pm each day.

That CAAT order allowed all international airports, including Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Samui, Surat Thani, Hat Yai and Hua Hin to handle special status international flights.

Meanwhile, Governor Phakaphong today explained that the move to open the airport comes as the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee seeks to re-open all ports of entry to the island, including by road or sea.

All persons arriving on the island will have to complete a form confirming that they have entered Phuket and install the Mor Chan app so officials can follow up on disease investigation, he said.

Governor Phakahaphong did not clarify whether the Mor Chan app includes tracking features.

All arrivals on the island must observe a home quarantine, Governor Phakaphong said.

He did not clarify whether any persons arriving on the island must first complete a 14-day self-quarantine and obtain a Fit to Travel permit from officials, as is currently required by any persons leaving the island in order to travel back to their home provinces.

More details will be available later, Governor Phakaphong said.

However, the Governor tempered any optimism for the island reopening with a warning that any decisions to reopen Phukets borders must first be approved by the Ministry of Interior in Bangkok.

The province has proposed this [to happen] on May 16, he said.
There is no negotiation with US: Iran FM

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Tue / 12 May 2020 / 14:16

Tehran (ISNA)  Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif stressed that there is no negotiation with the US and Washington has shown that no one can trust their negotiations and their results.

Regarding some claims about negotiations with the US, Zarif said, "The whole world has reached the conclusion that Washington may violate its agreement at any time and the current US administration should change its behavior and stop looking for excuses".

Elsewhere in his remarks, Zarif pointed to the issue of compensating the UK for hurting valuable objects in their embassy in Tehran in an attack in 2011.

"International law has regulations in this regard and Iran has announced that guarding foreign embassies is among its responsibility and all the officials of Iran's state agreed on that," he said.

"The two sides should negotiate about its details but no measures have been taken by either side," Zarif added.

End Item

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Sydney, May 13 : A global team led University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney aims to track the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of thousands of people - from the womb to old age.

The team will explore for the first time what they describe as this pandemic's toxic combination of two extreme psychological stressors: existential threat and social isolation.

They are hoping to recruit around 3,000 people from Australia, the UK and US to evaluate their mood before and after the onset of the pandemic, and to track their cognitive function and social networks over the coming months.

It has a special focus on two subgroups thought to be especially vulnerable to the shock of enforced isolation: adolescents and pregnant women.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people's lives so drastically that it is difficult to know how protracted the effects may be," said study's chief investigator Dr Susanne Schweizer from UNSW's School of Psychology.

"We're particularly interested in younger people because they are at a time of social reorientation away from the family towards their peers which is all of a sudden being disrupted by social distancing," Schweizer added.

The research team are concerned that the longer-term effects of social isolation in this group may come at a cost to their cognitive development due to schools being closed as they are in the US and the UK, or drastically changed as in the case of Australia.

According to the researchers, initially, participants will be asked to complete an hour-long survey online in a laptop or smartphone browser to assess mood before and after the pandemic.

They will be asked to evaluate their connections to people in their social network and will also be invited to complete tasks that assess working memory - the ability to store information in memory for short amounts of time.

After three months - and then again after six - participants will again be asked to fill in a shorter survey to track progress in mood, cognitive function and social network.

"We hope that by the end of the study, we will have reliable and accurate data so that we can qualify the longer-term effects of this pandemic," Schweizer said.

"By working together with other research teams at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK and Oregon and Pittsburgh in the US, we are able to ask these questions across different populations," Schweizer added.

"By investigating the impact of the pandemic on mental health and what happens when the protection of a social support network suddenly disappears, we will be much better positioned to respond to the future health care needs of our national and global populations," she noted.
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) said it has secured an order for the first advanced-class gas turbines designed to transition to renewable hydrogen fuel from Utahs state-owned Intermountain Power Agency (IPA) in the US.

This award marks the first Advanced Class Gas Turbines in the industry specifically designed and purchased as part of a comprehensive plan to decommission a coal fired power plant to transition to renewable hydrogen fuel - and create a roadmap for the global industry to follow, said a statement from MHPS.

The turbines will be commercially guaranteed capable of using a mix of 30% hydrogen and 70% natural gas fuel by 2025.

This fuel mixture will reduce carbon emissions by more than 75% compared to the retiring coal-fired technology. To meet California law, from 2025 onwards, the hydrogen capability will be systematically increased to 100% renewable hydrogen, enabling carbon-free utility-scale power generation, it stated.

Powered by a strong legacy of successfully collaborating with key power sector entities worldwide, MHPS will further leverage its expertise in the Middle East and North Africa by partnering with local government units and stakeholders to deploy similar cutting-edge energy solutions, which are going to be pivotal in demonstrating how hydrogen can competitively fulfil clean energy expectations in countries across the region.

According to MHPS, countries with favorable renewable energy environments like Saudi Arabia, can evolve into supply hubs of commercially competitive hydrogen fuel or hydrogen power, hence continuing to play a central role in world energy supply.

Khalid Salem, President of Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems MENA said: "We envision that hydrogen is going to be a game changer; and we believe in a Hydrogen Society, a future in which hydrogen, a carbon-free fuel, will make up a significant proportion of the world's energy mix."

"MHPS has long pioneered Hydrogen fuel combustion technologies, and our recent large-scale and ambitious project undertakings like ACES in the US, but also Vattenfall in the Netherlands, demonstrate our commitment and our accumulated expertise. Today we are capable of successfully deploying our hydrogen technology capabilities in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia where we can support both countries potential ambitions in this space," he added.

IPAs order includes two 1-on-1 M501JAC power trains with gas turbines, steam turbines, heat recovery steam generators, and auxiliary equipment. MHPS will service the plant under a 20-year long-term service agreement.

MHPSs installed fleet of J-Series gas turbines already has accumulated 1 million hours of operating experience.

IPA will receive MHPSs newest generation JAC air-cooled dry low NOx combustion system with hydrogen-rich fuel capability. MHPS gas turbines have more than 3.5 million hours of operating experience for high-hydrogen mix percentage, accumulated over 40 years and across 29 facilities.

The IPA project is not the first major hydrogen project for MHPS. The company will convert the existing Magnum Vattenfall 440MW power plant in the Netherlands to 100% hydrogen by 2025.

In May 2019, MHPS partnered with Magnum Development to announce plans to develop the Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES) project adjacent to IPP.

The ACES project will use a combination of renewable power to store and produce hydrogen through electrolysis.

The hydrogen will be stored in an underground salt dome at the site, using technology that has been in operation for the past 30 years to supply hydrogen to US refineries in the US Gulf Coast.

Stored renewable hydrogen can provide power when wind and solar availability are limited due to prevailing weather conditions and time of day, as well as provide seasonal energy storage from renewable energy sources.

Paul Browning, President and CEO of MHPS (Americas) and newly appointed Chief Regional Officer for EMEA, said: "The mission statement of the 2,000+ employees of MHPS Americas is to provide power generation and storage solutions that enable our customers to combat climate change and advance human prosperity."

"We worked hard to develop a total solution for our customer IPA that included not only gas turbines capable of using renewable hydrogen fuel, but also the nearby ACES project, which will affordably generate and store large quantities of renewable hydrogen," he stated.
WASHINGTON  House Democrats want to "go big" with the next coronavirus relief bill they hope to pass as soon as Friday, a $3 trillion package with billions to help local governments facing massive budget holes, such as Houston and San Antonio, as well as another round of stimulus payments, food and housing assistance, and more.

The bill, which Democrats unveiled on Tuesday, is a marker of where House Democrats want to go as lawmakers continue to grapple with the coronavirus outbreak and as states begin to reopen. At the top of their list is sending $875 billion to states, cities and counties.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

"Most of us in the caucus would prefer we go big," said U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat who has served as a presiding municipal judge, a Harris County commissioner, and as a state senator. "Its going to have to be big to take care of local governments. You cant send $10 million to the city of Houston. Theyre spending $400 million already on testing.

The package includes a slew of Democratic priorities, including $3.6 billion in elections funding as they push to expand mail-in voting during the outbreak, as well as $25 billion to bolster the U.S. Postal Service. And it would create a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act.

Republicans threw up their hands as the 1,800-page bill was released  a glimpse of the resistance it will undoubtedly face in the Senate.

They know this bill will never become law or help anyone, U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Houston Republican, tweeted. This country is in crisis, and Democrats are playing politics.

The bill includes $200 billion in hazard pay for essential workers and another $75 billion in federal funding for testing and contact tracing as states begin to reopen. It would offer up $175 billion in assistance for renters and homeowners and would bump up the maximum SNAP benefit by 15 percent.

A BUNCH OF HEAD FAKES: Trump struggles to bail out oil sector after unprecedented drop in demand, threatening Texas

It would also direct another round of $1,200 stimulus checks to taxpayers  and it would direct that assistance to families with mixed immigration status, who have so far been frozen out as Congress has poured $2.5 trillion into coronavirus relief efforts. That change is being championed by Texas Democrats, including Garcia and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of San Antonio.

That needs to get fixed in this bill, Castro said. You have a bunch of U.S. citizens in my district and other districts who are getting nothing. It makes no sense at all. Theres no reason they shouldnt immediately give relief to every American citizen.

But the Democrats proposal will face stiff resistance, as the Republican majority in the Senate opposes many of the measures Democrats are eyeing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said hes not sure its time yet for another relief package and that in the long run, Senate Republicans will insist on narrowly targeted legislation.

Some in the GOP, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, have said theyre wary of sending more money to state governments, viewing it as a bailout for blue states. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, continues to call for a payroll tax cut as Senate Republicans push to include legal protections for businesses reopening amid the outbreak, both of which Democrats have opposed.

McConnell said on Tuesday that Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn will lead the GOP effort to offer up those protections.

Now with the states beginning to gradually reopen their economies, we're staring down the barrel of a second epidemic: one generated by opportunistic lawsuits, crushing legal fees, and drawn out court battles, Cornyn said this week in a speech on the Senate floor. We simply cannot allow a flood of frivolous lawsuits to harm our incredible health care workers or stunt our economic recovery.

OPENING TOO SOON? Fauci warns of serious consequences

Democrats say more help is needed, especially for cities such as Houston and San Antonio, which are staring down budget deficits in the hundreds of millions of dollars for next fiscal year. Those cities cant use the aid that Congress has offered so far to close those budget holes and cities across the country are starting to lay off employees and cut programs.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday proposed furloughing about 3,000 municipal workers, deferring all police cadet classes and exhausting the citys $20 million rainy day fund to address a $169 million revenue shortfall for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

In San Antonio, which faces a $200 million budget gap, City Manager Erik Walsh has already cut $82 million in spending, furloughed 270 employees and ended funding to all contracts for arts programs.

Republicans have been hesitant to offer up more money for cities and states, though there may be some bipartisan agreement to giving cities more flexibility in how they spend the assistance theyre set to receive so far.

Weve already provided $150 billion, Cornyn said last week, according to the Washington Post. If you generate your revenue in a city or county or state by sales tax, and there are no sales because everybody shut down, I think thats related to the coronavirus and I would favor giving them flexibility.

$169M BUDGET GAP: Turner plans to furlough about 3,000 workers, use entire rainy day fund

U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, said the next relief package also needs to include assistance for smaller cities, such as Stafford and Missouri City, which are in his district. Federal assistance has so far only gone to cities with 500,000 or more residents. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, only 36 American cities have qualified for direct federal assistance so far.

Also at the top of Greens list is rental assistance funding and money for food banks. Green and Garcia both said theyve been to Houston-area food distribution sites in recent weeks and have seen the massive lines, with many still waiting after the food runs out.

I think we start it as big as we need to and we make adjustments if we have to, Green said of negotiations on the next relief package. We just cannot walk away from people who have rent to pay, and who have to put food on the table and who are not working. We cant walk away from them. That would be a line in the dirt for me, walking away from them.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, has a few predictions about what the future of travel could be.

Mike Segar/Reuters

Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, predicts that after the pandemic, there's going to be a big change in the reason people travel: They will be traveling for fun, not for work.

Previously, people have traveled for work and entertained themselves on screen. That's a pattern he predicts is about to invert.

There could also be a rise in people choosing to live as digital nomads because they won't be tied to one city for their job.

Chesky is one of more than 200 CEOs who shared their thoughts with Business Insider on how the coronavirus will change the world. To read more, click here.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the coronavirus pandemic spread around the world, demand for travel plummeted to nearly zero.

Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb, which has a business model that relies on people's desire for community and exploration, has a few bold predictions about what travel will look like once the pandemic eases and people feel more free to venture out into the world again.

Chesky is one of more than 200 chief executive officers who spoke with Business Insider for a project that examines how the coronavirus pandemic will change the world.

First, when it comes to leisure travel, Chesky said that people will likely start off by booking more affordable trips that are closer to home. The State Department currently has a Level 4 health advisory in place that warns against all international travel due to the uncertainty of the pandemic. It's not yet clear when the advisory, which was effective as of March 31, will be lifted.

Plus, with unemployment soaring to new heights, a trip abroad will likely be out of the picture for many, even once it is safe to resume. A record 20.5 million Americans lost their jobs in April.

Traveling for fun, not for work

Chesky said that business travel could also look substantially different in the future.

"I think we're seeing that you can do a lot [via] video conferencing, and that's going to have a big impact on how often people travel for work," Chesky said.

Story continues

Chesky's thoughts around business travel were echoed by several other CEOs who spoke with Business Insider. Many said they would be more selective when scheduling work trips in the future.

"We used to do a lot of travel for work and then we entertained ourselves on screens. That's going to inverse," Chesky said. "I think we'll work more on screens and entertain ourselves in the real world."

Many people watching the travel industry have predicted that vacations will come back before business trips do. The road trip, in particular, might see a resurgence.

"As home isolation orders are lifted yet physical distancing remains top-of-mind, we anticipate road trips and personal auto travel will rebound faster than group travel," Andre Haddad, CEO of car-sharing platform Turo, told Business Insider.

The freedom to choose where  and how  you want to live

The CEO is also predicting a different trend, one that is in direct opposition to the idea that more people will want to travel locally. He says there could be a rise in people choosing to live as digital nomads and that the homesharing company will focus more on longer-term stays to accommodate those needs.

People choosing to work remotely while traveling to different countries was already a growing trend before the coronavirus. Some have argued that the pandemic has exacerbated common issues in cities  population density and a high cost of living, to name a few  that will eventually lead to a mass exodus from America's urban centers.

"Many people are realizing they don't have to be tethered to one city. So you'll see more people who are going to choose to live around the world, spending a few months at a time in different places," Chesky said.

This idea was echoed by Eventbrite CEO Julia Hartz, who pointed out that the Spanish Flu of 1918 was followed by a period of renewed human connection in the Roaring Twenties.

"We will return together through live gatherings as we did following the Spanish Flu," Hartz said.

Likewise, Chesky is confident that people will still want to travel in the future.

"In 1950, 25 million people crossed a border, and last year 1.4 billion people did. That happened because there is an innate human desire to travel, to explore and that is never going to go away," he said. "Travel may be on pause, but it's going to come back."

Troy Wolverton contributed reporting.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Pennsylvania State Police say owners of non-essential businesses who reopen in defiance of the governors shutdown order may still be cited even if district attorneys in some counties choose not to prosecute those citations.

Troopers traditionally defer enforcement to local police departments, but reserve the right to file citations or charges as they see it.

We dont intercede or second-guess the actions taken by municipal police departments, said Lt. Col. Scott Price said. That situation is not completely foreign to us. We will take the appropriate enforcement action based on the law as we know it to be.

Questions of how the state police would respond in central Pennsylvania counties where district attorneys have said they would not prosecute businesses such citations surfaced during a wide-ranging press conference Wednesday morning.

Although troopers have the ability to press charges, theyve instead focused on educating and encouraging residents to take appropriate safety measures during the pandemic, Price said. State police have found that many violations occur because people dont know what is or isnt allowed.

The state police have issued 329 warnings and just one citation to non-essential businesses since the governors order went into effect at the end of March, according to Price.

We think people want to do whats right under the circumstances, but theres some confusion, he told reporters.

Price said state police have tried to stay visible during the coronavirus, but plan to become increasingly proactive as counties move into the yellow phase.

Pennsylvania crime rates plummeted 65 percent in March as the coronavirus took hold of the state.

Although lawmakers and advocates for reopening the state have cited concerns over an increase in mental health and addiction issues, state police said Wednesday that recently-collected data is similar to what was reported this time last year.

Price also discussed the difficulties troopers face trying to do their jobs, while also avoid being exposed to the virus.

Eleven state troopers were infected so far, he said, while nearly 90 have tested negative.

Its a situation where we need to treat it as everyone [in the public] is infected," he said. "At the end of the day we have to keep the public safe.

READ MORE:

Dauphin County commissioners back off plan to jump ahead of states pandemic reopening schedule

Senate sends bill permitting take-out sales of mixed drinks in Pennsylvania to Gov. Tom Wolf for enactment

Pa. officials revoked business waivers the night before publishing list of recipients
The ongoing pandemic has left a big dent on all the businesses worldwide. However, they are slowly trying to get back on track by cautiously starting business activities again. Many automakers across the States are also resuming production activities this month, however, California plans to start from June 1. This led to Musk lashing out at the decision and shocked everyone with the announcement on Twitter. Was this response a little too harsh from the outspoken CEO?

Elon Musk is always in the news for some or the other reason, but this one is serious. He announced that Tesla will move its headquarters from California to Texas or Nevada due to Californias response to COVID-19.

This sounds like a spur of the moment announcement, but there are high chances Tesla could have a new home soon LISTEN 03:05

Elon Never Wanted The Factory To Shut In The First Place

Musk has been vocal about starting the operations as soon as possible, so the frustration is understandable. Tesla tried to restart the Fremont factory following California governors comments to reopen the state, but Alameda County, where Teslas factory is located, turned this down and pushed it to June 1.

The fact that the other automakers will be resuming operations this month further added fuel to the fire. Musk then announced on Twitter that Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant Interim Health Officer of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!

It didnt end there. He made the big announcement in the next tweet saying Tesla will move its headquarters to either Texas or Nevada immediately. Even the future of the factory depends on how the state government treats the EV company.

Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA, the tweet read. Musk even asked the shareholders to file a class-action lawsuit against Alameda County.

Politicians Are Taking Different Stances Too

Things took a turn for the worse when California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzales dropped the F-bomb on Musk.

There was a lot of outrage surrounding this whole incident with people taking sides. Amidst all this, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and the Bay Area Council have voiced their opinions in favor of Musk.

Even Mayors of Fremont and Palo Alto sided with the CEO. Speaking with CNBC, Mnuchin said that "they need to solve those health issues so he [Elon Musk] can open quickly, safely or theyre gonna find hes [Elon Musk] moving production to a different state."

Final Thoughts

Tesla has already listed three reasons for the lawsuit filed against Alameda County. It needs to be seen if Musk moves Tesla to Texas or Nevada, or if the automaker and the local government come to an agreement. Do you think it is wise for Tesla to shift its headquarters to another state? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
One year is all it took for Shane Kimzey to advance from host committee member to co-chair of Ronald McDonald House Houstons annual Spirit of Hope Luncheon.

His former boss introduced Kimzey, CenterPoint Energys deputy general counsel, to the nonprofit, which provides temporary housing for the families of children undergoing treatment in the Texas Medical Center.

My wife had colon cancer and got treated at MD Anderson, Kimzey said. We live four miles away from the worlds best hospitals, but most people dont. Ronald McDonald House is such a tremendous organization for families who really need it, and who could argue with supporting that?

His hunch was spot-on. On May 6, the Spirit of Hope Luncheons original date, some 670 supporters tuned in for a re-imagined, virtual event. The program lasted just 22 minutes and raised more than $326,000  93 percent of Ronald McDonald House Houstons initial $350,000 goal.

I was surprised how many people bothered to tune in, Kimzey said. It was short, sweet and highly digestible.

Highlights from the streaming video included a conversation between Cole Dawson, leukemia survivor and heart transplant recipient, and Fox26 anchor Melissa Wilson, whose son Caleb is a fellow leukemia survivor. The pair discussed the complications and the added anxiety of dealing with COVID-19 in conjunction with pediatric cancer diagnoses.

Keeping the facility clean right now is a big expense, said Diana Lewis, stewardship manager of Ronald McDonald House Houston. Funds raised also help us maintain our core services we provide to the families who are staying with us: free transportation, food, housing and laundry.

In-house programming ensures that client families are distracted and have fun as well, she added.

Ronald McDonald House has 70 rooms, which can each sleep four people.

Were operating on a skeleton staff to make sure that the number of people in and out of the building is extremely limited, said Lisa Estes, the Houses chief advancement officer. A lot of these kids, their immune systems are highly compromised.

Two familiar faces around the facility include Nanci Allen and Cordell Lindsey, both of whom made cameos in the Spirit of Hope Luncheons virtual program. Theyve been with Ronald McDonald House for 23 years and six years, respectively.

For a month leading up to the luncheon, the organizations Text-To-Give campaign raised $47,920 from 180 donors. Additionally, five supporters also launched a Peer-to-Peer letter-writing campaign that brought in more than $25,000.

We came up with this grassroots approach to cast our net more broadly and reach smaller-dollar donors, Kimzey said. One participant, Lesha Elsenbrook, raised nearly $10,000 by asking for donations in lieu of birthday presents. We emailed folks around the country, not just the normal Houston business crowd.

For now, Ronald McDonald House Houstons fall gala, a Monte Carlo-themed event slated for Nov. 19 at the Corinthian, is still on the books. Though after the success of the Spirit of Hope Luncheon, Lewis is working on a virtual back-up, just in case. We feel good and are trying to be optimistic, while also constructing plan B, she said.

amber.elliott@chron.com
The U.S. pipeline regulator late on Monday blocked an effort by Washington state to tighten vapor pressure restrictions on the transport of crude oil by rail, saying the measures would not lower the risk of explosions.

The decision by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) marks the latest clash between the Trump administration and states seeking to toughen environmental and safety curbs on the fossil fuels industry.

Washington had imposed new state-level regulations setting limits on vapor pressure for crude oil transported by rail as a way to reduce the chances of an explosion, after a fiery 2013 oil-by-rail accident in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, that killed 47 people and several incidents across the United States.

The Washington State vapor pressure requirement, if allowed to persist, would set an alarming precedent. Other state and local jurisdictions would be encouraged to enact their own vapor pressure limits for crude oil, PHMSA chief counsel Paul Roberti wrote in his order.

Oil Industry Seeks Easing of Environmental Regulation During Pandemic The oil and gas industry wants to ease enforcement of hazardous air and water pollution and other regulatory issues during the pandemic.

PHMSA said Washingtons requirement, which required rail cargoes to have a vapor pressure lower than 9 pounds per square inch, would not reduce accidents and did not conform to U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations.

PHMSA also announced Monday that it would withdraw a federal rule proposed at the end of the Obama administration in January 2017 that would have regulated vapor pressure for unrefined petroleum products and other flammable liquids.

The order was praised by the oil and rail industries, and oil-producing state North Dakota, which relies heavily on rail to move crude oil from its vast Bakken deposit to the nations oil refineries.

North Dakota Republican Senator Kevin Cramer had called the Washington law a de-facto ban on Bakken crude oil in the Pacific Northwest, where several oil refineries are located.

Washingtons legislation was an obvious example of overreach, he said in a statement, and could have led its state refineries to foreign sources of crude oil, further harming Americas energy dominance.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee, a former Democratic presidential candidate, was not immediately available to comment.

The Trump administration last year proposed to curb state powers to block pipelines and other energy projects, in response to efforts by several coastal states to do so. It has also tried to bar California from joining a cap-and-trade scheme with Quebec to reduce carbon emissions and is seeking to revoke Californias authority to set its own vehicle emission standards.

(Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Dan Grebler)

Topics Legislation USA Washington Energy Oil Gas Pollution
Some of the protesters say they are merely engaging in marketing  drawing attention to businesses so that their reopening attracts more customers  while others say they are part of a grass-roots rebellion against oppressive government.

We go out there because we want peace, but we prepare for war, said C.J. Grisham, 46, a retired Army sergeant whose gun rights group Open Carry Texas helped the arrested owner of the bar in Odessa get a lawyer. I hope this never happens, but at some point guns are going to have to cease to be a show of force and be a response to force, he said.

Outrage followed the Odessa arrests. Sheriff Griffis of Ector County has received numerous threats. Bomb technicians were summoned to his house to inspect his pickup truck after one threat.

Mr. Archibald, who had publicly called for Mr. Griffis to step down and for protesters to rally outside the sheriffs house, said he had no involvement in any threatening messages. I have no control over those threats, he said. I think a lot of that is just coming from people who have been angry at him and angry about police brutality for a long time.

The Odessa arrests and the jailing and release of Ms. Luther have energized the protesters and put them in the spotlight. Mr. Archibald said he planned to travel soon to California and New Jersey to help businesses reopen there  though he said he would go unarmed.

We arent going to take any heat because I personally dont know the California laws, he said. Texas is way more lenient.
Some hired helicopters to beat down warmer air, others fanned their grapes with turbines and still others lit candles to keep the cold away from Central Virginia vineyards as a bit of polar vortex swept into the region over the weekend and lingered into Tuesday morning.

The arctic cold dropped temperatures into the 20s for the Mothers Day weekend, with some frost hitting Monday and Tuesday mornings as well.

The cold didnt just frost winemakers grapes, it also froze their fruit.

This is what youd call a killing frost, said Bruce Deal, of Cunningham Creek Winery, in Fluvanna County. Weve lost just about everything.

We got fried pretty hard, said Jake Busching, winemaker with Hark Vineyards in Albemarle County. Frost is one thing, but when you get under certain temperatures, its not just frosting the grapes, its freezing them from the inside out. Its no longer frost, its just damn cold.

Weve had seven frost events in a month, said Stephen Barnard, winemaker at Keswick Vineyards, in Keswick. Theres not a lot of fruit out there that didnt get damaged. Its not just us, its throughout the region.

The polar vortex pushed a package of cold air down into the U.S. last week when it bumped against a low pressure front over Greenland. That forced cold weather south, brought snow flurries from Michigan to Manhattan on Saturday, dropped 10 inches of snow to northern New England and dipped area lows below freezing for a couple of days.

The cold snap came on the heels of a late April frost. With a warmer winter than usual causing grapevines to bud early and the grapes to begin growing, the sudden cold killed off some fruit before it could mature.

A lot of the time an early bud break will get you a good start and you will have a great year, but this year the early bud break thing didnt bring us anything but a pain in the butt, Busching mused.

Its a very rare occurrence, said Aaron Hark, owner of Hark Vineyard. Most of the crop was already out so were looking at anywhere from 20% to 80% damage. We dont know for sure.

For Cunningham Creek, and many local vineyards, the weekend frost was the last straw.

We had a frost back around April 18 and that killed the fruit that was coming out at the time, Deal said. Our secondary growth was coming out when the weekend frost hit and that pretty much killed everything.

We really wont know what happened to the fruit for a little while, said Barry Moss, of Moss Vineyards in Nortonsville. It looks like well able to get through it, but everyone has been hit.

Usually frost strikes crops planted at lower elevations as cold air sinks into valleys. Warmer air clings to hillsides, protecting some crops, but above a certain elevation the air again becomes cold.

To help combat frosts, vineyard managers, winemakers and owners use a variety of methods including helicopters and large turbines that mix warmer air with the cold to keep temperatures higher and surrounding air warmer. Research at several universities shows even a degree or two in temperature difference can mean crop survival.

Thats because the buds and shoots of grapevines contain water and burst cell walls when frozen. Just a few critically cold minutes can damage or destroy an entire crop.

Area wineries have seen between five and seven days in the past month where employees have stalked the vines, measuring temperatures and fending off the cold.

We had a range of five degrees at times, with some areas of the vineyard measuring 25.6 degrees and others 28 degrees, Busching said. We had our wind machines running so it helped the warmer air recirculate, but when its that cold, its still cold. I didnt see any frost out there, but I saw freeze damage.

In Nortonsville, Moss lit candles against the cold, about 100 candles the size of gallon milk jugs, to be exact.

I was up all night monitoring the temperatures and policing the grounds and around 3:30 a.m. I heard the fans and helicopters in the distance at the neighboring wineries, Moss recalled. The temperature dropped and I lit the candles at the lower end of the vineyard. It looked amazing.

Vineyards are real estate and that means location is important. Soils, be they rocky or rich, add flavor to wine. Wind, humidity and other climatic features combine to give grapes a flavor dynamic that can differ from similar crops a mountaintop or a mile away.

Known as terroir, it is the reason many regions have their own viticultural area, such as the Monticello American Viticultural Area that includes most of Central Virginia.

The elevation at which grapes are grown is also believed to influence flavor. It definitely can influence the impact of a frost on grapes.

For Moss, the vineyards location on the side of a mountain helped much of the crop survive the freeze.

It can make all the difference. The cold air pockets tend to sink into the valleys while warmer air stays a little higher in elevation. If you go too high, then the air turns cold again, he said. I lit the candles in the lower part of the vineyard and I hope that made a difference. Theyre effective, but theyre expensive. Not as expensive as losing a whole crop, though.

For Hark, whose vineyards are between 510 feet and 600 feet in elevation, the weather hit the crop hard.

Well know more later. We still have wine that is in the bottle and getting ready to sell so when we open back up, were good as the wines mature, he said. The problem is two years down the road.

At about 450 feet, the cold was also hard on Keswicks fruit.

We had high hopes for 2020, but Mother Nature has flexed her muscles, said Keswicks Barnard. Were trying to find a silver lining. Were still hoping for a good crop. Its not just us, though. It looks pretty rough out there.

Deal said the second frost may hurt next years harvest for his vines and others in the region.

A grape bud has this years and part of next years harvest in it so, when it dies, it impacts next year as well, he said. When youre a farmer, you dont need to go to Las Vegas.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:39:55|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese military has provided medical supplies to its Afghan counterpart to help it fight the COVID-19 and the hand-over ceremony was held here on Tuesday.

"The military forces of China and Afghanistan have a long history of mutual help and support," Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu said at the ceremony which was also attended by Deputy Defence Minister of Afghanistan Munira Yusufzada.

"The virus sees no borders, and is the common enemy of all human-kind," Wang added. "Only by solidarity and joint efforts can we defeat the virus."

Yusufzada expressed gratitude to Ambassador Wang on behalf of the Afghan military forces, saying that the medical assistance provided by the Chinese military is very timely, and will play a significant role in Afghanistan's fight against the COVID-19.

"The Afghan military forces are willing to enhance cooperation with the Chinese military in all fields, including fighting the pandemic," Yusufzada said.

This is the third batch of medical assistance China has provided to Afghanistan since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the war-torn country in late February.

A total of 259 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Afghanistan within the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5226. Enditem
Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

On the heels of a renewed commitment to coordinate fraud investigations between state and federal agencies, Connecticut has updated its Connecticut Fight Fraud website that provides a single reference for tips, assistance and details on the outcomes of investigations.

The website, at portal.ct.gov/fightfraud, has been given a refreshed design that highlights links to information on price gouging, charity fraud and online security.
JCB has announced a partial re-starting of production at five of its UK factories to 'satisfy the demand' for agricultural machinery.

British production lines fell silent on 18 March and the vast majority of the machinery giant's 6,500 UK employees have been furloughed since April.

The Staffordshire-based firm has now confirmed that low levels of production are resuming with a package of safety measures introduced to protect employees.

These include employees to self-assess for Covid-19 symptoms before leaving home and temperature checks overseen by medical staff for employees.

The company will also issue surgical masks to office and shop floor employees and introduce provision of hand sanitiser.

JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald explained that production has resumed at a 'very low level', mainly to satisfy demand for agricultural machinery.

"Ahead of this re-start, an exhaustive review was undertaken to enable us to introduce wide-ranging measures that will best protect our employees," he said.

"The actions we have taken ensure that safe distancing between employees on-site can be achieved at all times. In circumstances where risks are greater, additional protective visors are being provided.

"The health and safety of our employees is absolutely paramount as we all adjust to this new normal and the measures we have put in place will ensure we all stay healthy and avoid risks.

The Loadall division at the World HQ, Rocester, Staffordshire, JCB Earthmovers and JCB Landpower in Cheadle, Staffordshire have resumed production.

The JCB Transmissions in Wrexham and JCB Cab Systems at Uttoxeter has also resumed.

The move means a return to work for more than 400 employees.
For several months, the US discusses a possible withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty (OST). It is expected, the official statement by the United States may follow in September. Joint statement urges US to remain in Open Skies Treaty, designed to reduce risk of war breaking out through miscalculation.

A group of retired Nato generals and defence officials have urged the US to stay in a 1992 treaty with Russia on mutual reconnaissance flights, but also warned European capitals to prepare for a US exit, The Guardian writes the article Europe must prepare for US exit from vital Russia treaty, former Nato generals warn.

The US defence secretary, Mark Esper, and the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, are said by US sources to be determined to leave the Open Skies Treaty (OST), which European leaders and arms control advocates believe reduces the risk of a war breaking out through miscalculation by adding to mutual transparency.

A joint statement by a group of 16 retired military commanders and defence ministers, coordinated by the European Leadership Network (ELN) released on Tuesday, said the OST was a vital pillar of stability between nuclear powers.

With 34 states parties, including the United States, Russia and most European countries, the multilateral accord has facilitated 1,517 short-notice and unarmed overflights, the statement said. Throughout its operation, the treaty has increased military transparency and predictability, helped build trust and confidence, and enhanced mutual understanding.

If the US does withdraw from the treaty, it will lose the right to carry out overflights of Russia, but Russia would still be able to fly over US military facilities in Europe.

The signatories to the statement include General Sir David Richards, the former UK chief of defence staff, General Klaus Naumann, the former chief of staff of the German armed forces, and General Bernard Norlain, Frances former Air Defence Air Combat commander.

They suggested Europe could be the biggest loser from a US withdrawal While the intelligence and confidence building advantages are limited for the US itself, they are very real for Americas Nato allies. The strategic benefits to the US of stability in the Euro-Atlantic region are also very real, they said.

But if the US does leave the treaty, the statement argues its Nato allies should stay in the agreement, noting that European states perform 55% of the flights and are the subject of nearly 59% of Russian overflights. European states do not have the satellite-surveillance capacity of the US, so are particularly reliant on Open Skies flights, which can be carried out under cloud cover.

It calls for the remaining parties to the treaty to meet within two months of a US withdrawal to discuss how the agreement would function without Washington. That would involve limits on what information Nato members could share with the US.

Its important for western European governments, to be prepared for this, said Andreas Persbo, ELN research director. For them this treaty has some value, and it would be in their interest to continue flying over Russia, and Russia would like to continue to overfly western Europe. The question is can that be maintained without Russia exacting too heavy a price from western governments.

The former officers and defence ministers urged Russia to drop infringements of the treaty, cited by its US opponents as reasons for withdrawal: limitations on flights over the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad and the creation of an exclusion corridor along the border of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

***

Meanwhile, Moscow claims that Russia did not violate Article VI of OST by not allowing to carry out the part of the already agreed plan for the US-Canadian mission during the Center-2019 exercises in September 2019. In late April, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a comment in connection with the signal version of the US Department of State report on compliance with international treaties and agreements in the field of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. The document reads that the introduction of the ban was caused by the difficulties of ensuring flight safety within the framework of OST in the rapidly changing environment during the active phase of the exercises. In accordance with the agreement, the observing party was offered an alternative time for the flight over this site, but the offer was rejected. Moreover, during recent hearings in the US Congress, independent experts did not agree with the qualification of Russia's actions as a violation of obligations under OST. Smolenskaya Square says that the United States deliberately keeps silent about their own multiply problems with the implementation of OST.
A treasured tradition among veterans and their families has fallen victim to the coronavirus in Montgomery County, and some are understandably unhappy about it.

County officials last week announced that distribution of more than 59,000 flags that organizations typically place on veterans graves for Memorial Day would be postponed this year until July 4.

The flags, which are purchased by the county Office of Veterans Affairs, will not be given out this month to the 59 organizations that place the flags at 212 locations, including the graves of veterans. The organizations include Boy Scout troops, Veterans of Foreign War posts, church organizations and various civic clubs.

Bringing these large numbers of groups together creates the very situation that we have been working so hard as a community to avoid, said county Commissioners Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh in making the announcement last week. She said the flags would be made available for the Fourth of July.

It didnt take long for representatives of local VFW posts to express disappointment with the countys decision and to try to get the flags released in time for Memorial Day.

U.S. Army veteran Walt Hartnett, commander of VFW Post 1074 in Conshohocken, called the action a slap in the face to the veteran community.

The Fourth of July has nothing to do with remembering those who have passed on, Hartnett said. Memorial Day is the day we remember. Were never going to not let the veterans be remembered. Memorial Day is the culmination of were not going to forget you. Wed never celebrate Sept. 11 on Sept. 13.

County Commissioner Joseph C. Gale expressed his opposition to the decision. I think its a shame and disrespectful, Gale said. I want the public to be aware that it was not my choice.

Gale suggested the county is legally obligated to supply flags for people to place them at area cemeteries. I have confidence in our citizens that they know [to] take that responsibility upon themselves to safely honor our veterans in cemeteries in such a way and its a shame that a totalitarian-style overreaching  government would prevent them to do so, Gale said.

In neighboring Berks County, veterans groups were equally concerned about not having flags for Memorial Day because flag maker FlagZone LLC near Gilbertsville is prohibited by state coronavirus rules from selling flags in their warehouse.

According to a statement from Casey Smith, communications director at the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, flagmaking operations are  non-life-sustaining.

Daniel Ziegler, FlagZone president, said previously the flags could easily be shipped on short notice with a few workers brought back to the factory.

Were trying everything we can to honor the veterans, Ziegler said. Perhaps it will happen in June so we can celebrate them July 4. They (the flags) are in our warehouse and we cant get them free.

On the surface, it seems that flags could be distributed and put on veterans graves in a manner that adheres to proper social distancing and safety measures. But weve seen the tendency of people to forget the social distancing rules. We cant imagine such a large quantity of flags being placed on graves by scouts, veterans and others without jeopardizing the progress Montgomery County has made in slowing the spread of COVID-19.

The unexpected and insidious nature of the virus spread hit home for the commissioners this week when Commissioner Ken Lawrence was shown to be positive after being tested at a Pottstown site on Saturday. Lawrence said he has no symptoms and he has no idea where he came in contact with the virus.

The frustration of veterans groups to honor the fallen on Memorial Day is more than tradition  it is a sacred mission to never forget. Leaving flags in boxes in the basement feels like forgetting and is frustrating. But the greater good here is in the utmost care to protect the region from further spread of this disease. And, it is equally frustrating to see these safeguards insulted.

We are 10 weeks in, and the fight against coronavirus continues to demand of us a steadfast and consistent response.

Honoring fallen veterans is a reminder of the sacrifices they made for lasting good. Making some minor sacrifices of our own honors them as well as a decoration on their graves. Let us work together so that we are able and secure by the Fourth of July when we can truly celebrate independence.
Venezuela renegade figure's advisers resign after botched op to kidnap Maduro

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 7:32 AM

Two US-based advisers to Venezuela's opposition figure Juan Guaido have resigned after a failed attack by an American "security" firm to kidnap the Latin American country's elected president.

Guaido's press team said on Monday that he had accepted the resignations of Juan Rendon and Sergio Vergara, without offering a reason for their resignation from the opposition's "crisis strategy commission."

Rendon has admitted to discussing the plot to oust Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro with the Florida-based Silvercorp USA  a firm similar to the infamous Blackwater (now renamed). But he claims that, while he negotiated a deal with Silvercorp late last year, he disassociated himself from its chief executive, US Army veteran and ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau, later in November.

Goudreau has claimed responsibility for an improbable incursion by his operatives via Colombia into Venezuela on May 3 that was apparently aimed at kidnapping Maduro and that was foiled by the Venezuelan army on Venezuelan shores.

The Venezuelan military killed eight members of the mercenary group and captured 12 others, including two American citizens.

Rendon and Vergara, meanwhile, confirmed their resignations in public letters, with Rendon further claiming that the commission had never been interested in "participating in violent activities." Vergada also claimed that he had not been aware of the operation.

Guaido, too, has denied involvement in the botched operation.

But Venezuela had earlier identified Rendon and Vergara as having been involved, and the country's chief prosecutor has already demanded their extradition, along with Goudreau.

Maduro has said US President Donald Trump personally ordered the operation.

According to reports, American law enforcement authorities are investigating Goudreau, although it remains unlikely that he would be charged.

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The midwife is afraid to deliver babies, and expectant mothers are scared to go near her. Even routine checkups, vitamins and shots seem to carry the risk of the coronavirus.

"No one feels safe," said Safiatou Coulibaly Traore, 38, who has treated pregnant women and newborns in southern Mali for 13 years. "People don't come or they come late."

Fear is another lethal hazard of this pandemic, blocking the youngest patients from basic care as everyday medical appointments grind to a halt across Africa, South America and southeast Asia. Such disruptions could fuel the first rise in the global child mortality rate since doctors began tracking it in 1960, according to a report published Tuesday in the Lancet Global Health journal.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University studied the outbreak's grip on life in 118 countries and estimated that an additional 1.2 million children could die before their fifth birthday in the next six months. That's a 45 percent jump from pre-pandemic times.

Deaths among mothers, meanwhile, could climb by more than a third.

Among the countries expected to be hardest-hit are Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Somalia and Mali - where the duty to protect the next generation is colliding with tight budgets and mounting cases of the respiratory menace.

As of early May, slightly more than three-quarters of the world's children lived in a country with a stay-at-home order in place, according to U.N. estimates.

Visits to health centers have plummeted across the globe after dozens of nations implemented lockdowns, curfews and travel restrictions. Children are missing out on preventive care and essential vaccinations. Parents unable to work in these conditions struggle to feed their families, and schools that usually provide free meals are closed.

Health-care workers mired in the coronavirus response are so busy that they're not able to see everyone, doctors warn, and patients with treatable illnesses, such as neonatal sepsis and pneumonia, are falling through the cracks.

"The damage is already being done," said Stefan Peterson, chief of health at UNICEF. "You may be physically prevented from leaving your house or afraid to go to health services."

One big deterrence is a shortage in some areas of personal protective equipment, said Abba Zakari Umar, the health commissioner in Nigeria's northwestern Jigawa state.

Practically every health-care worker has a mask and gloves in local facilities designed for coronavirus patients, he said, but the same is true only for "between 20 and 30 percent" of those who treat the general population.

"The issue is the health-care workers being afraid to handle a case with signs of covid-19," Umar said. "A lot of patients are left without attendants because of this fear."

Several countries have halted or delayed vaccine deliveries, citing concerns over the safety of health-care workers.

By mid-April, more than 117 million children in 37 nations were at risk of missing their measles dose, the United Nations said. (About 140,000 people - mostly children - died of the illness in 2018, according to the World Health Organization's most recent numbers.)

In the Central African Republic, which declared a national epidemic of measles in late January, doctors struggle to monitor the outbreak.

Surveillance reports are stalled, and resources are limited as health-care workers turn to the coronavirus, said Caroline Harvey Blouin, a medical team leader in Banjgui with Doctors Without Borders.

"It was already difficult," she said. "It's even harder now to act on time and prevent the spread."

Three women died last month of pregnancy complications in Traore's corner of Mali. The midwife wondered if they would have lived if visiting the doctor wasn't considered a dangerous act.

"Out of fear, women refuse to come for consultation or childbirth," she said.

The staff still show up for work. In normal times, they wear long gloves, plastic aprons and a new mask every day. Now that's impossible. The supplies are dwindling.

- - -

The Washington Post's Borso Tall in Dakar contributed to this report.
Jeffrey Epstein is the subject of a forthcoming Netflix docuseries. (New York State Sex Offender Registry)

Netflix released the first trailer Wednesday for "Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich," its forthcoming docuseries about the registered sex offender, who died in prison last summer after he was arrested on sex-trafficking charges in New York.

The trailer presents several moments in the disgraced financier's dark history, including his predation of underage girls, his private Caribbean island (nicknamed "Pedophile Island"), the controversial nonprosecution agreement that halted a federal investigation against him and his mysterious death  ruled a suicide by officials but disputed by many conspiracy theorists.

The four-part series, directed by Lisa Bryant, also features interviews with Epstein's accusers in pursuit of justice.

"The monsters are still out there," says vocal accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre in the preview. "You took our freedom. Now we're gonna take yours."

Throughout the trailer, Epstein  who has been linked to former President Clinton, President Trump and England's Prince Andrew  is described as a "Gatsby-like figure of mystery," "stunningly rich" and "powerful" as images of teenage girls and his excessively luxurious lifestyle appear on the screen.

"There are enough survivors that refuse to give up," says one woman.

"Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich" joins a growing slate of true-crime content distributed by the streaming giant. Other high-profile Netflix docuseries include "Amanda Knox," "Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes" and "The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez," featuring reports from the Los Angeles Times.

Executive produced by Joe Berlinger and James Patterson, "Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich" launches on Netflix May 27.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 14:59:05|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China aims to eliminate absolute poverty this year. With only 200-plus days left, the battle now is in its final push to help the poorest of the poor change their fate.

Poverty alleviation has always been a primary concern for President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, who said that "no single poor area or individual shall be left behind."

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012, China has achieved the best results in its history of poverty reduction. More than 93 million rural people shook off poverty in the seven years from 2013 to 2019.

But there were still 5.51 million people in poverty by the end of 2019. The already formidable task was compounded by the COVID-19 outbreak.

When Xi inspected Shanxi Province this week, he urged efforts to overcome the adverse impacts of the epidemic to ensure that the target of poverty eradication is reached.

So far this year, Xi has visited the fields and homes of peasants in the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Yunnan to learn their personal stories of beating poverty.

FROM DAYLILY TO BLACK FUNGUS

While in Shanxi, Xi visited a daylily farm and talked to peasants working in the fields.

Xi said he was pleased to learn that in recent years, thanks to the guidance of major enterprises and cooperatives, the farm achieved a stable output of quality edible daylilies with a guaranteed market and price, helping lift a number of impoverished households out of poverty.

Xi said daylily farming and processing can develop into a big industry with great prospects and stressed giving full play to its role in poverty alleviation.

Rural industries are key to keeping people who have been lifted out of poverty from falling back in, he said.

When Xi visited northwest China's Shaanxi Province last month, he inspected local rural industries as well.

Impressed by how black fungus can help local villagers beat poverty, Xi gave his thumbs-up, saying: "Small fungus, big industry!"

Xi also commended the potential of e-commerce in marketing agricultural products. "It has a huge role to play," he said.

OUT OF MOUNTAINS, OUT OF POVERTY

While in Shaanxi, Xi entered the home of Wang Xianping in Pingli County. The Wangs are a typical relocated family.

They used to live in a mud house on high mountains where living conditions were harsh.

Thanks to the government's help, they were moved to a new three-bedroom apartment in town that cost the family only 10,000 yuan (1,410 U.S. dollars).

Xi asked Wang about his family's income, schooling, medical care and social security conditions in detail.

Wang told Xi that the community has started electronics and toy factories. Both Wang and his wife found jobs near their new home, so that they can better take care of their elderly family members.

Across China, more than 9.6 million poor people have been relocated to more inhabitable areas over the past couple of years, getting access to more job opportunities and better public services.

Xi said relocation is essential for people in inhospitable areas to achieve strides in development. It is also an important approach to win the fight against poverty.

He stressed the importance of securing employment for relocated people to settle down in their new homes, make a living and not fall back into poverty.

LOOK BEYOND

"What is your expectation now that your family has been lifted out of poverty?"

Xi raised the question to the family of Li Fashun, a pig farmer in southwest China's Yunnan Province, during a visit in January.

Sitting down at a square table with Xi, the farmer replied that a better life for his elders and good jobs for his children are all he expects in the future.

Li's village is named Simola, which in the local Wa language means the place of happiness.

"As you have cast off poverty and are marching toward new goals, our country will do the same," Xi told Li and his fellow villagers.

After China achieves building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, it must make all-out efforts to advance rural vitalization to further address issues such as the urban-rural imbalance, Xi said.

Rural industries will be boosted, as well as the rural economy, to allow more and more villagers to work near home, increase their income and lead a better life, he said.

"Being lifted out of poverty is not an end in itself but the starting point of a new life and a new pursuit," Xi said at a poverty alleviation symposium in early March. Enditem
[May 13, 2020] Wells Fargo Names Nate Hurst to Lead Corporate Responsibility, Philanthropy, and Sustainability Efforts

Wells Fargo (News - Alert) & Company (NYSE: WFC) today announced that Nate Hurst will join the company on June 1 to oversee a newly combined organization that includes Corporate Responsibility, Philanthropy, Community Relations, and Sustainability. He will also serve as president of the Wells Fargo Foundation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005417/en/ Nate Hurst joins Wells Fargo to oversee corporate responsibility. (Photo: Business Wire) "Nate brings a wealth of corporate citizenship, charitable giving, public affairs, and sustainability experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to Wells Fargo," said Bill Daley, vice chairman of Public Affairs at Wells Fargo. "We look forward to having Nate continue to advance Wells Fargo's commitment to addressing the needs of underserved communities, particularly as we work to ensure housing security, small business stability, and consumer financial health in the wake of the COVID pandemic." In his new role at Wells Fargo, Hurst will oversee the alignment of Wells Fargo's sustainability and corporate responsibility efforts with corporate philanthropy and community relations. The combined organization will drive innovation and maximize the positive societal, environmental, and economic impact that Wells Fargo brings to the communities it serves. Under Hurst's leadership, the company will further integrate sustainability and corporate responsibility into all aspects of its business and explore how to further utilize business expertise to help solve societal problems. Hurst joins Wells Fargo from HP Inc., where he was chief Sustainability & Social Impact officer responsible for driving HP's global giving, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility into its core businesses. Hurst led a global team of experts to innovate sustainable solutions in collaboation with customers, partners, governments, and nonprofits. In 2019, HP climbed to No. 1 on Newsweek's Most Responsible Companies list.



Previously, Hurst served as the director of Sustainability, Public Affairs & Government Relations for Walmart, where he helped integrate sustainability into the business and align the community giving strategy with core customer needs. As a member of The White House Council on Environmental Quality for former U.S. President Bill Clinton, he helped develop the administration's environmental policy agenda and executed a stakeholder engagement plan on leading issues such as climate change; and as national spokesperson for The Ocean Conservancy, Hurst spearheaded big ideas to reduce ocean plastic and led communications strategies, international coastal cleanups, and community grassroots campaigns. A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Hurst has a proven track record of being inclusive of diverse perspectives. He was an executive ally for HP's LGBTQ community and has led efforts to advance gender equality programs and ensure access to learning for women and girls. He served on the United Nations' Women Global Innovation Coalition for Change, and while at HP he championed technology products and external programs that focus on gender equality, education and achievement, youth entrepreneurship, and socially responsible business.

Wells Fargo recently received an "Outstanding" rating from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for its work in addressing underserved communities through the Community Reinvestment Act. In recent years, Wells Fargo has deepened its commitment to philanthropy in low- to moderate-income communities. In June 2019, the company committed $1 billion in philanthropy alone through 2025 to address the country's housing affordability crisis. Also in 2019, Wells Fargo invested $455 million through corporate philanthropy and the Wells Fargo Foundation in grants, funding national organizations to deliver programs at scale and nonprofits that specifically address the needs of local markets. In March, the company announced $175 million in aid for COVID-19 relief to help address food, financial health, small business, and housing stability, as well as to provide help to public health organizations. More information about Wells Fargo's approach to corporate responsibility, sustainability, and philanthropic impact can be found in its most recent Corporate Responsibility Highlights report. About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.98 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,400 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 31 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 263,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 29 on Fortune's 2019 rankings of America's largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter (News - Alert): @WellsFargo. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005417/en/

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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar, Bali  Wed, May 13, 2020 16:06 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7cb999 1 National Bali-Governor-Wayan-Koster,denpasar,COVID-19,COVID-19-bali,coronavirus Free

Denpasar city on the resort island of Bali is set to impose its own kind of mobility restrictions starting Friday in an effort to clamp down on the transmission of the coronavirus.

The curbs, officially called restrictions of community activities (PKM), aim to limit people's daily activities, make masks mandatory in public, tighten security at all of the city's entry points and enforce a policy of physical distancing.

Though most of the measures have been in place over the past two months, the new restrictions will officially be stipulated in a Denpasar mayoral regulation and coupled with sanctions.

The city administration opted to impose community activity restrictions rather than the generally favored large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) as they wanted to keep the local economy running, said Dewa Gede Rai, the spokesperson of Denpasars COVID-19 task force.

Under the PKM, people don't have to close their businesses. All economic activity keeps running with several conditions imposed, Dewa told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The new policy allows all businesses, including warung (sidewalk shops), restaurants, malls, traditional markets and grocery stores, to keep operating and other social activities to keep running normally. However, Dewa said, all of them should strictly implement health protocols and comply with the limited operating hours.

Read also: Bali relies on local customs in facing COVID-19 outbreak: Governor

Since last month, the city administration has required all traditional markets, grocery stores, shopping centers and all businesses to run only until 9 p.m. at the latest. Authorities have conducted inspections to monitor compliance with the policy.

"Without the PKM we could so far only urge people [to obey], but without sanctions. Now [under the PKM], we are able to sanction those who ignore the measures," Dewa said, adding that the sanctions varied starting from only a reprimand to the withdrawal of operation permits.

While the restrictions are in place, restaurants have been urged to maximize takeouts. They should reduce the seat capacity to implement physical distancing. So, we urge them to prioritize takeaway, he said.

Students and civil servants will continue to study and work from home. Citizens are required to wear masks while going outside.

Authorities previously would give free masks to those found not wearing one while out in public. However, Dewa said, under the PKM, the violators would just be told to return home.

Denpasar will also tighten supervision at the city's entry points and only allow outsiders to enter the area for important reasons. Authorities are set to conduct random COVID-19 rapid tests in the borders.

Read also: Bali puts entire village on lockdown after hundreds tested in Bangli regency

"Those who seek to enter the city for unnecessary reasons will be denied entry to Denpasar," Dewa said.

The city administration decided to implement the PKM after they found out that many COVID-19 cases in Denpasar involved those who had returned to the city from outside. For instance, Dewa said, a family was infected after the father had come back to the city from their hometown in Buleleng in North Bali.

"We hope Denpasar residents understand that the PKM should be implemented to protect all people," he said. "The faster we can address [the pandemic], the faster we can live normally."

Bali Governor Wayan Koster has warmly welcomed Denpasar Mayor Ida Bagus Rai Mantra's plan to implement the restrictions. He suggested that all regencies across the resort island, especially those with surging numbers of coronavirus cases, follow suit.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Bali has confirmed 332 COVID-19 cases and four fatalities linked to the disease. Out of the total number of infections, 126 are local transmissions while the majority are still imported cases.

In Denpasar alone, health authorities have recorded 62 coronavirus cases with two fatalities. At last 47 people have recovered from the disease, while 13 are under treatment at hospitals.
Id like to applaud East Peoria Mayor John Kahl for his reasonable plan to re-open the business community of East Peoria. On May 15, East Peoria will allow the reopening of restaurants and some non-essential businesses. I wish Mayor Renner of Bloomington and Mayor Koos of Normal would take similar action. Central Illinois is quite different from Chicago in the number of coronavirus cases. Our hospitals and healthcare community are certainly not being overwhelmed, but our economy is suffering at historically low levels. We have lost our sense of balance in this viral panic.

I do not agree with Governor Pritzkers phased plan to re-open Illinois. It is clearly not business friendly and in particular is devastating to the restaurant industry. Illinois was one of the first states to close restaurants and, according to the governors plan, we will be one of the last to let them re-open. The state is underestimating restaurant and small business owners ability to operate safely. I suggest letting restaurants open by June 1 and then review every 14 days to determine occupancy levels. Pritzkers plan specifies waiting 28 days between determinations from one phase to the next. This is much too long.

The business community needs to be more involved with our local and state government during this crisis. Our mayors need to talk with local business owners or the local Chamber of Commerce in helping to revitalize our local economy. We need balance.

Erik Prenzler, Bloomington

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After weeks of backroom negotiations with the employers, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today released a heads of agreement that allows university managements to cut wages by up to 15 percent and destroy thousands of jobs, including by forced redundancies.

The agreement shatters the NTEUs claim that it volunteered sacrifices of wages and conditions to protect jobs from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In giving carte blanche to the employers, the deal goes far beyond anything previously suggested to NTEU members.

The outrage of university workers, already shocked by the NTEU rushing in to these talks, behind their backs, will intensify as the full details of the unions deal become known and as individual universities and their NTEU branches move to inflict its terms, institution by institution.

In a media release, the NTEU claimed a great victory: Landmark agreement preserves 12,000 jobs and hard won university conditions.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Wages can be cut by up to 15 percent, even exceeding the 10 percent cuts previously mentioned at an NTEU national council meeting. So-called Category B universities only have to claim a 10 percent reduction in revenue to inflict a 15 percent cut, while Category A institutions that claim a 5 percent fall can cut wages by 10 percent. Only $30,000 of a wage is exempt from these reductions.

In an email to NTEU members this morning, national president Alison Barnes claimed that the Jobs Protection Framework will: Save at least 12,000 jobs nationally, Limit redundancies and prevent stand-downs without pay and Help casual and fixed-term staff to regain and retain their work.

These are all patent lies. According to point 2 of the National Memorandum of Understanding: The Parties estimate that this package will save in the vicinity of 10,000 to 12,000 jobs of university employees if implemented in full across the Australian university sector.

That is, if the union foists on its members all the cost-cutting measures permitted by the deal, perhaps in the vicinity of 10,000 jobs might be savedout of an estimated 30,000 being eliminated.

The same goes for mass sackings. By paragraph 44 of the heads of agreement, forced redundancies are permitted due to a reduction in work. This can include where a university is permanently abolishing a substantial work function (such as the abolition of a discipline) or closing a campus, or where there is a surplus of employees due to insufficiency of work in a particular work unit or function.

Likewise with the axing of casuals and contract workers, thousands of whom have already had their jobs eliminated over the past six weeks. Paragraphs 33 and 34 of the agreement say that where their work has reduced as a result of the impact of COVID-19, they will have first order of preference to resume that work. Yet, many of these jobs will never resume because of the long-term impact of the global pandemic and because universities are pressuring full-time employees to work overload, in violation of workplace agreements, in order to replace casuals and contract workers.

Contrary to Barness email, large-scale stand-downs are also permitted. Paragraph 36 accepts the use of section 524 of the Fair Work Act to stand down employees due to an alleged stoppage of work, and allows managements to cut their pay by up to 50 percent for the duration of the stand-down, as long as the university has supposedly exhausted all options for other work to be performed.

Many similar clauses exist, for example, allowing universities to increase workloads and force the taking of annual and long service leave.

The NTEU, which has collaborated with university managements for decades, will become fully integrated at all levels as a formal partner in policing this agreement against its members. Both parties will nominate three people to form a National Expert Panel to oversee the deals implementation. Local NTEU branches will join COVID-19 Temporary Measures Committees to approve change management processes, that is, wholesale cuts.

The NTEU claims that these concessions are time-limited, with an end date of June 30 next year, but the crisis triggered by the pandemic and the response of governments will last far longer. Universities Australia has predicted losses totalling $19 billion over the next three years alone. This is primarily due to the loss of income from international students, whom universities have exploited as cash cows for years to offset punishing cuts in funding by Labor-Greens and Liberal-National governments alike.

For weeks, the NTEU has blocked all action by university workers to fight this onslaught, including by invoking the threat of huge fines under the Fair Work Act, while holding out the prospect of a job protection framework.

This fraud is now fully exposed. Universities are already moving to exploit the heads of agreement. La Trobe University vice chancellor, John Dewar, one of the signatories to the deal with the NTEU, sent an email to staff declaring that up to 800 jobs, or nearly a quarter of the workforce, will go, depending on how the management saves by pay cuts, voluntary redundancies and restructuring.

Having spent two years locking university workers into the latest round of enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs)which the NTEU also hailed as victoriesthe union is working hand-in-glove with individual managements to tear up anything in these EBAs that stands in the way of the unprecedented attack on pay and conditions.

While variations to EBAs must go to ballots under the Fair Work Act, there is nothing democratic about this process. University workers and students are being presented with a fait accompli.

This is not an aberration. The NTEUs agreement fulfills the pledge offered last month by Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus that the unions would give employers everything they want in response to the pandemic. These are not working class organisations but thoroughly pro-capitalist apparatuses enforcing the requirements of the corporate elite.

Barnes told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Our union intervened to prevent the collapse of tertiary education in Australia and secure the livelihoods of 12,000 university workers. Far from the livelihoods of workers, the NTEUs concern is to prop up the tertiary education industry, which is one of Australian capitalisms biggest money-spinners, worth more than $30 billion a year in revenues.

Even before todays announcement, there was widespread opposition to the unions betrayal, partially reflected in several NTEU branch resolutions opposing concessions. Pseudo-left groups are trying to head off a revolt against the union by circulating petitions and calls for an NTEU day of action. They are peddling illusions that this same union will lead a fight against the federal governments funding cuts.

These groups are trying desperately to prop up the NTEU and keep workers trapped in the pro-capitalist framework of the trade unions. Their petition advises the NTEU to at least put up a show of resistance. The union cannot be seen to be bargaining away our pay and conditions, it has to fight for them, it states.

In order to defeat this wholesale assault, Committee for Public Education (CFPE) and Socialist Equality Party members have spoken at union branch meetings to expose the role of the NTEU, oppose all concessions and outline the necessity for a totally opposed perspective: The struggle to completely reorganise society along socialist lines, including the allocation of billions of dollars to public education, instead of big business and the wealthy elite being bailed out by huge rescue packages.

This means breaking from the NTEUs pro-capitalist straitjacket and forming new rank-and-file committees of workers and students. To take forward this discussion and organise a fight against the NTEU sellout, the CFPE is holding an online forum this Sunday, May 17, at 4 pm: The COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis in the universities.

To participate contact the CFPE Facebook page or email the SEP at sep@sep.org.au, or click on this Zoom link just before 4 pm on Sunday: https://zoom.us/j/94447278547
The name Percys Z Tam may not be recognized on the Grand Circuit stage, but it sure is in New York State. Percys Z Tam has begun to thrive again since his return home to where it all began.

Percys Z Tam, a $75,000 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale purchase in 2015, showed a lot of promise through his two-year-old season for owners M & M Harness Racing, Royal Flush Stable, Z Tam Stables and trainer Pat Lachance.

After qualifying at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and the Meadowlands Racetrack, Lachance put his then-blossoming two-year-old into the New York Excelsior Series 'A' program. Percys Z Tam excelled on a half-mile track in 2016, as all five of his victories came over a 'four-turn' oval. His only miscue was at Vernon Downs, where he made a break heading to the three-quarters pole. He would go on to finish a disappointing ninth. Percys Z Tam concluded his season with a victory in an Excelsior Series final at Saratoga Casino Hotel after have made up five and three-quarter lengths in the final quarter of the mile.

In 2017, Percys Z Tam's three-year-old season wasnt as easy of a road, as the hard-hitting son of American Ideal-Mintjulep Bluechip scored just one victory on his way to another New York Excelsior final. This time in the Excelsior final, though, he had too much ground to make up, and it was Geez Joe that cruised to an easy front-end victory.

After a private purchase near the end of his four-year-old season, Percys Z Tam was brought to Northfield Park under the care of trainer Herman Hagerman. Percys Z Tam won his first start in northeast Ohio, but the long 2018 season caught up with the talented gelding, as he didnt hit the board for the remainder of the year.

Percys Z Tam returned the following season (in 2019) and hit the board in 16 of his 44 starts and banked just over $30,000.

Percys Z Tam made his return to New York via the 2020 Blooded Horse Sale as a $14,500 purchase for owner Mike Torcello and trainer Gerry Sarama. Torcello saw a lot of promise in the hard-knocking gelding and thought the return home would be good for him.

I thought he would be a good fit in western New York. His best racing took place at the New York half-mile tracks as a two- and three-year-old, said Torcello. I thought someone might try to buy him and take him back to Yonkers; luckily I was able to get him for a reasonable price and shipped him to Buffalo.

Torcellos focus when purchasing stock is to try and find horses that can get around the half-mile tracks at Buffalo or Batavia. The move back to New York proved to be beneficial: Percys Z Tam quickly moved up the ranks, as he won three of his first five starts while facing some of the areas top pacers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut racing down, there was some uncertainty about what Percys Z Tam's training schedule would look like. Although, thanks to the management of Buffalo Raceway, Percys Z Tam was able to adjust to his new schedule well.

We were fortunate in WNY that management, through an agreement with the horsemens association, has allowed us to remain on the racetrack and keep horses in training pointed towards a reopen whenever the state deems it safe, said Torcello.

Looking ahead to the geldings future, Torcello says the uncertainty that surrounds the sport makes it difficult to know if they will race him on a different circuit than the one he is on now.

Our plan is to continue racing in WNY as we have done in the past; I think it is the perfect place for a horse like 'Percy.' Were all going to have to be flexible depending on when and where racing resumes.

Percys Z Tam is just one of 18 horses trained by 50-year veteran Gerry Sarama and second-trainer Sam Smith. His caretaker, Sierra Smith, has cared for him since entering the barn.

He knows how to take care of himself, said Smith. I love horses that know what works for them and can relax and do what they have to do.

(USTA)
South Africa: Over 3000 schools to receive water tanks

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has identified over 3 475 schools across the country to be supplied with water tanks ahead of the reopening of schools.

Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said the department has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

The MoU, said Sisulu, is aimed at helping the DBE with all the elements needed for the reopening of schools.

We are in state of preparedness to assist the Minister of the Department of Basic Education, [to] have the necessary water in all the schools that need water, and how we can provide water tanks and water to those schools, said Sisulu at a media briefing held at Rand Water Head Offices in Glenvista, Johannesburg.

Funds for the provision of water will come from the DBE.

The money will come from Basic Education [and] the services come from us. Most of the tanks we have, had been placed in schools because those were safe areas. We will just continue and make sure that we provide some more tanks for schools, said the Minister.

On human settlements, the Minister said the department has moved rapidly to allocate houses to people who have been on waiting lists for long periods.

Fraud

On Tuesday, Sisulu announced the appointment of Advocate Terry Motau to lead a team of lawyers to probe corruption allegation reports at the DWS.

At Wednesdays briefing, Sisulu said work has been done on improving the efficient functioning of the department.

In July last year, the Minister committed to clean up, and to bring stabilisation to all nine Water Boards that work directly with municipalities by supplying bulk raw water.

Among the interventions was to establish a Stabilisation Committee that would provide advisory services to the Minister.

The Committee expedited investigations on matters related to maladministration, fraud and corruption, misconduct and improvement on findings of the Auditor General.

Following these measures being put in place, advances were made to tackle fraud and corruption.

During the period of 01 April 2012 to 31 September 2019, a total number of 249 reported cases were investigated.

A total 139 of the cases were found to be true and were referred for disciplinary action while 110 of them were found to be untrue.

Of the 139 disciplinary cases, several outcomes were achieved including:

86 officials were found guilty

14 officials were not found guilty

24 officials resigned

Meanwhile, 11 senior management officials have been found guilty of irregular expenditure and corruption.

Department Director-General, Mbulelo Tshangana said that the departments financial state is now heading in the right direction.

Tshangana said people who were involved in the implementation of irregular expenditure have been charged, with some being dismissed, given three months suspension without pay, while others have resigned.

Those that have resigned, we still have a way to chase them, especially if there is criminal activity involved. Weve opened about 21 cases with the South African Police Service, said the Director-General.

Vaal Waste Water Treatment Plant

The Minister also gave an update on developments at the Vaal Waste Water Treatment Plant.

After many years of building module 6, I am delighted to announce that its at 98% to be completed. Our engineers have informed us that by end of July 2020, module 6 will be finally complete, she said.

Work at the plant has been ongoing.

Its been a very long difficult job. We've been there to look at the process; look at the progress that we are making. We are glad to say today that we have come to the point where we are now commissioning a bigger waste water treatment plant, she said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Lockheed Martin, the US-based global technology leader, has announced that its annual summer internship programme for UAE university students will run on a virtual platform to comply with distance learning measures aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.

Lockheed Martins Centre for Innovation and Security Solutions, CISS, based in Masdar City, has hosted the merit-based programme every year since 2017, and will take the initiative online this year as part of its commitment to advance human capital development in the UAE, the company said in a statement.

Top-performing Emirati and UAE-based university students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are being invited to apply by May 27 to join the three-month programme, which will run from June 7 to September 7.

"The CISS team has done a great job finding creative solutions to deliver a meaningful and fun virtual internship experience, and I am proud that we will continue to encourage a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among UAE students despite the challenges we are all facing this year," remarked Robert S. Harward, Lockheed Martins Chief Executive for the Middle East.

As part of the internship programme for 2020, up to 15 students will work remotely under the guidance of Lockheed Martins world-class engineers and chief scientists on real-world projects that will positively impact the UAEs aerospace and defense industry.

Students will receive specialist training in fields related to Artificial Intelligence development, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle design, defence simulation exercises, business administration skills, and IT systems management, stated Harward.

In the past, successful interns have gone on to secure employment opportunities within Lockheed Martin, as well as UAE government organisations and several entities across EDGE, the UAEs advanced technology group, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Every civilization eventually faces a crisis that forces it to adapt or be destroyed. Few adapt.

On July 10, 1520, Aztec forces vanquished the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and his men, driving them from Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec empire. The Spanish more than deserved the routing they got, and the conflict should have ended then. But by September, an unexpected ally of the would-be conquerors had reached the city: the variola virus, which causes smallpox.

The Aztecs were no strangers to plagues. Among the speeches recorded in their rhetoric and moral philosophy, we find a warning to new kings:

Sickness will arrive during your time. How will it be when the city becomes, is made, a place of desolation?...

Do not be a fool. Do not rush your words, do not interrupt or confuse people. Instead find, grasp, arrive at the truth. Make no one weep. Cause no sadness. Injure no one. Do not show rage or frighten folks. Do not create a scandal or speak with vanity. Do not ridicule. For vain words and mockery are no longer your office. Never, of your own will, make yourself less, diminished. Bring no scorn upon the nation, its leadership, the government.

Retract your teeth and claws. Gladden your people. Unite them, humor them, please them. Make your nation happy. Help each find their proper place. That way youll be esteemed, renowned. And when our Lord extinguishes you, the old ones will weep and sigh.

If a kings rule caused more suffering than it abated, then the people prayed to Tezcatlipoca for consequences:

Perhaps he [the bad ruler] will experience what the common folk do: suffering, anguish, lack of food and clothing. And perhaps you will give him the greatest punishments: paralysis, blindness, rotting infection.

Or will he instead soon depart this world?... Maybe he will meet the Lord of Death, Mictlanteuctli, mother and father of us all.

The Aztecs believed their principal collective tool for fending off epidemics was a humble appeal to Tezcatlipoca. The very first speech of their text of rhetoric and moral philosophy was a supplication to destroy plague. The desperate Aztecs tried to get their powerful god to consider the worst-case outcome of his vengeance:

O Master, how in truth can your heart desire this?...

Will your anger never be reversed? Will you look no more upon the common folk? For  ah!  this plague is destroying them! Darkness has fallen! Let this be enough. Stop amusing yourself, O Master, O Lord. Let the earth be at rest! I fall before you. I throw myself before you, casting myself into the place from which no one rises, the place of terror and fear, crying out: O Master, perform your office  do your job!

How many times was this prayer repeated as smallpox ate its cruel way into Mexico? Smallpox arrived in Mesoamerica with a second wave of Spaniards who joined forces with Cortes. According to one account, they had with them an enslaved African man known as Francisco Eguia, who was suffering from smallpox.

Eguia died in the care of Totonac people near Veracruz. His caretakers became infected. Smallpox spreads easily: not only blood and saliva, but also skin-to-skin contact (handshakes, hugs) and airborne respiratory droplets. It raced through a population with no herd immunity at all: along the coast, over the mountains, across the waters of Lake Texcoco, into the very heart of the populous empire.

The epidemic lasted 70 days in the city of Tenochtitlan. It killed 40 percent of the inhabitants, including the emperor, Cuitlahuac.

On May 22, 1521  just as Tenochtitlan was beginning to recover  Cortes returned, with more Spanish troops, and tens of thousands of Tlaxcaltecah warriors, the sworn enemies of the Aztecs. Smallpox had reached Tlaxcallan first, but its people  not as densely packed in urban areas like the Mexica  had fared better and were ready to finish off their rivals. After a three-month siege, the capital fell.

Without the smallpox, its much less likely Cortes and his allies could have taken Tenochtitlan. The epidemic exposed the citys need to import essential goods along causeways that could be destroyed to cut the isle off from the world. The Aztecs were brilliant engineers, but no one thought to isolate the infected, or to confine the healthy to keep them safe.

Without innovative ways to slow it, smallpox helped invaders bring down an empire. Thats the power of novel viruses, proven time and again. We would do well to learn the lesson.

Bowles is an author, translator and associate professor of Literatures and Cultural Studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. His most recent book is They Call Me Guero: A Border Kids Poems. He translated the Nahuatl texts in this article. He wrote this for Zocalo Public Square.
We had the sense that we were keeping something alive, she said the other day, standing in the sunlight outside the home she and her husband shared for 35 years. She looked around at the low walls, the old rose-hued brick, the row of linden trees shading the patio, all of it now towered over by one of the neighborhoods modern mansions.
CDC Medical Officer Vikram Krishnasamy delivers a toy and a medical checkup to a child in quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base in February. resize icon View Larger Close CDC Medical Officer Vikram Krishnasamy delivers a toy and a medical checkup to a child in quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base in February.

Sometimes, fighting a pandemic means driving long stretches from hospital to hospital across the desert.

Other times, it can mean handing out a toy to soothe a nervous child.

Dr. Vikram Krishnasamy has done both in the months since COVID-19 hit the United States. Krishnasamy, a CDC medical officer, has been in the field twicefirst to help repatriate Americans returning from Hubei Province, China, where the pandemic began; and again to support the tribal government of the Navajo Nation, which sprawls across three Southwestern states.

In that second deployment, Krishnasamy was one of about a half-dozen CDC staffers who advised Navajo leaders on epidemiology, disease surveillance, and infection control steps as the number of cases there began to rise.

We drove about 1,300 miles to visit most of the healthcare facilities over a two-week period, Krishnasamy said. We walked through their infection control practices and gave them guidance on any issues they were having, and we made sure they were up to speed with the latest guidance published by CDC.

And in mid-February, he was among the CDC staffers dispatched to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Lackland was one of several military bases where State Department repatriation flights brought Americans returning home from Hubei Province after travel restrictions had been imposed by the government of China in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and those travelers were quarantined on the base for two weeks.

Krishnasamy monitored the travelers for symptoms and helped develop procedures to isolate, transport, and admit any who showed symptoms of the disease to a hospital. The people in quarantine included children, who on at least one occasion received donated toys to help them through the quarantine days and daily medical checks.

There were between 90 and 100 people who were quarantined on a military base in San Antonio with US marshals outside enforcing the quarantine, Krishnasamy said. But despite the unusual circumstances, Everybody was great to work with. They understood the seriousness of the situation and were willing to work with us.

The son of Indian immigrants, Krishnasamy was born and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He went to college at Kent State University and earned his medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University.

I was interested in a lot of subjects. Medicine was a way to tie it all together and do work that was all about letting people be their best selves, he says. But he says his interest in public health began before college, during childhood visits to his fathers home in rural southern India.

It was a life that was very different, he says. I think that was my initial inkling that there are population health needs everywhere.

In 2016, Krishnasamy joined the Epidemic Intelligence Service, the disease detectives, where he investigated outbreaks of foodborne illness. In the months before the COVID-19 pandemic, he was part of CDCs response to the outbreak of severe lung injuries linked to the use of e-cigarettes.

With COVID-19, we are trying to determine how to respond without having the amount of information we have available to us for other diseases, he says. Thats a bit different than my previous outbreak experiences.
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As Health Secretary Matt Hancock said, it's not looking rosy for Britons as far as summer holidays abroad are concerned.

But there is some good news  Britain is peppered with spell-binding spots that look like they're abroad.

Some, it might even be said, trump their 'abroad' counterpart.

Here are 10 breathtaking destinations in Britain that will make Mr Hancock's pronouncement a bit easier to swallow  and presented side-by-side with the 'foreign holiday' spots they resemble.

The list includes beaches and waterfalls in Scotland and Wales - obviously for visits the lockdown in those countries will need to ease - a village in Devon and lavender fields in Norfolk.

The order they appear in is based on how many times they were searched for in the UK a month, as discovered by researchers at Faraway Furniture. The spots least likely to be hit by the staycation stampede are at the top. Scroll down and prepare for one's jaw to drop...

West Voe Beach in the Shetlands vs Yyteri beach in Pori, Finland

 Slide me  The quietest getaway - lockdown restrictions permitting - is likely to be West Voe in Shetland, Scotland, which is searched for just 10 times a month. The beach there, left, bears an uncanny resemblance to Yyteri beach in Pori, Finland, pictured on the right

Observatory Gully, Ben Nevis, Scottish Highlands vs Mont Blanc in the French Alps

 Slide me  If you're in the market for an isolated Mont Blanc-style mountain adventure, try Ben Nevis (left), and an ascent - if you have the requisite skills and kit - up through Observatory Gully. There were only 170 searches for Observatory Gully last month. Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, is pictured on the right

Elegug Stacks, Pembrokeshire vs Nusa Penida island in Bali

 Slide me  There were only 320 searches monthly for the Elegug Stacks in Wales (left). If the weather is right these clifftops highly resemble Nusa Penida in Bali, pictured on the right

High Force Waterfalls, Durham vs Nauyaca Waterfalls in Costa Rica

 Slide me  High Force Waterfalls in Durham (left), in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is surprisingly unknown - with only 420 searches every month. This beautiful 70ft waterfall is surrounded by natural beauty and mirrors the Nauyaca Waterfalls in Costa Rica, right

Calgary Bay, Isle of Mull, Scotland vs Crane Beach in Barbados

 Slide me  The jaw-dropping Calgary Bay beach is one of Mulls best-kept secrets (left) and holds strong similarities to Crane beach in Barbados (right)

Norfolk lavender fields vs lavender fields in Provence

 Slide me  Norfolks lavender fields (left) are highly recommended by travel bloggers but have low interest from Britons, with only 580 searches last month. The 100 acres of lavender available for gazing purposes resemble the lavender fields in Provence, France (right)

Mealt falls, Isle of Skye vs Haifoss waterfall in Iceland

 Slide me  The 55-metre (180ft) free-dropping Mealt falls, left, gets 1,240 searches a month. And may well remind waterfall aficionados of Haifoss waterfall in Iceland. Though the latter, right, is much taller, at 122 metres (400ft)

Bidean nam Bian range in Scotland vs Norway's lumps

 Slide me  Walking the Bidean nam Bian range in Scotland (left) will take around eight or nine hours. And you're likely to have the place to yourself. There were 1,460 searches per month, but who knows, that may just have been locked down workers looking for Zoom backgrounds. While you're there, you might like to imagine you're in Norway, right, which is similarly lumpy and similarly breathtaking

Cockington village, Devon vs French village of Veules-les-Roses

 Slide me  Cockington village in Devon (left, 2,330 searches per month) is one of the most-thatched in Britain. So Britons don't need to worry that the similarly cute Veules-les-Roses in Normandy (right) is out of reach for the time being

Sgwd Yr Eira Waterfall, Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales vs Mae Tad waterfall in Chiang Mai, Thailand

 Slide me  Sgwd Yr Eira Waterfall (left, 2,550 searches per month) means that staycationing Britons can relax, safe in the knowledge that they can visit Wales and not feel empty inside because they're not at the Mae Tad waterfall in Chiang Mai (right). Perhaps...

This list is based on an idea and research by www.farawayfurniture.com. Note - driving to beauty spots in Scotland and Wales is currently not allowed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 13:25:57|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation regulator has lifted restrictions on the operation of all-cargo flights at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport.

All airlines can operate all-cargo flights at the two airports, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) told Xinhua Wednesday.

The CAAC cited the growing needs of cargo transportation and the handling capacity of the two airports as factors behind its decision to lift restrictions. Enditem
The Rs 20-lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will provide boost to demand and growth of India's economy once again, auto industry body SIAM said.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) also hoped that a focused package to support the Indian automotive industry would be announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, when she announces the details of the package.

"India has delivered in the fight against COVID-19 on the medical front. Now, the promise of Rs 20 lakh crore comprehensive economic package announced by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, focusing on economic activities and an overall aim of a self-reliant India, will provide the right boost to demand and growth of our economy once again," SIAM President Rajan Wadhera said in a statement.

Drawing attention to the Indian automotive industry, he said the sector is "a strong pillar of Make in India with huge contributions to GDP (gross domestic product) and employment and relies on its highly indiginised supply chain".

"We are hopeful that a focused package to support the Indian automotive industry would be announced by the Hon'ble finance minister, when she announces the details of the package," Wadhera said.

With the auto sector suffering one of the longest slowdowns in the past one year followed by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, SIAM has been seeking government support to help the industry.

It has called for reduction in goods and services tax (GST) on automobiles and bringing the scrappage policy among others to help spur demand.

In his address to the nation, Modi said the special economic package will amount to Rs 20 lakh crore that is nearly 10 per cent of GDP. It is for "labourers, farmers, honest tax payers, MSMEs and cottage industry".
California State University, the largest four-year public university system in the country, announced Tuesday it intends to go without in-person instruction for most classes in the fall term, a major signal that the coronavirus pandemic will keep some college campuses largely empty for months to come.

The plans will mean a continuation of remote teaching at all 23 campuses in the Cal State system, affecting most of its 482,000 students. Exceptions could be made for laboratory-intensive courses and certain others, officials said.

Cal State's decision contrasts with a growing movement elsewhere in the country to reopen university campuses in the fall - or at least, announce the intention to do so.

Like most colleges and universities, Cal State shifted rapidly to online instruction in March as the coronavirus spread through the United States. The health crisis has created enormous complications for schools with a mission focused on gathering people together in classrooms, residences, dining halls and other campus venues.

In recent weeks, officials at many other major public universities have proclaimed their plans to welcome students back to campus in the fall, albeit with restrictions. Some schools have been circumspect, saying they plan to make a decision in the next several weeks. Few have openly declared that they will be running mostly online.

Cal State Chancellor Timothy White disclosed the decision during a meeting of the system's Board of Trustees.

"We're going to be only using virtual instruction, with limited exceptions, for the fall 2020 term," Mike Uhlenkamp, a Cal State spokesman, said in a telephone interview. "This is giving us the most options possible right now."

Uhlenkamp said the decision was made in the "best interests of health and safety of faculty, staff and students." He emphasized that officials are still in the planning phase, and he said the system informed California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, before announcing its intentions.

Thomas Norman, a professor of management at California State University at Dominguez Hills and a faculty leader in the system, said he appreciated the flexibility built into the proposal, allowing for classes that require lab work, for example, to have some form of face-to-face instruction. "Nursing is really important to me, seeing as we need nurses to fight this pandemic," Norman said, so he was glad to see an exception could be made for them to get some training in person.

"I am optimistic that faculty will have some say in which classes have some meetings," he said, and that the health of students and faculty is being cared for.

The Cal State decision is separate from the deliberations of the University of California, which is the state's most prominent public research institution. UC has nine undergraduate campuses. Its officials are intensively reviewing various scenarios for the fall semester.

Most Cal State students live off campus, according to Uhlenkamp. The university's outposts span the length of the nation's most populous state, from San Diego State in the south to Humboldt State in the north.

Lynn Mahoney, president of San Francisco State, said in a message to the campus community that the decision was made "with a heavy heart."

"What makes universities unique and wonderful places also makes them uniquely vulnerable to the spread of disease - ask any faculty member who has faced a class full of coughing students in January or any student who has lived in a densely populated residence hall," Mahoney wrote. "We thrive on social interaction, on working huddled closely around a table, in a studio or over a microscope. Mitigating a highly contagious disease under these circumstances is near impossible and would be prohibitively expensive."

The cost barriers are especially daunting as California, like other states, faces major fiscal challenges.

"We're glad to finally have an announcement from the chancellor," Charles Toombs, president of the California Faculty Association and a professor of Africana studies at San Diego State. While faculty appreciate White's push for cohesive advance planning, Toombs said, "we hope we learn from mistakes that were made during the spring term. We expect to see faculty participation every step of the way."
John Nolan "Dollar Johnny" Gardiner, Sr., 61, of Mechanicsville, MD passed away on Thursday, May 7, 2020 unexpectedly at his home.



He was born on October 11, 1958 in Maryland to the late Edward White Gardiner and Doris (Thompson) Gardiner.



John met the love of his life and best friend, Tracy Tayman in 1984 and together they celebrated over thirty-four (34) years of blissful marriage. John was never as happy as the day he changed Tracy's last name to Gardiner. Their love set a strong foundation for the three (3) kind and wonderful children they raised together.



John was a hardworking farmer who believed in a good day's work. He loved God, his family and a peaceful day with bright sunshine and plentiful crops. He grew fruits and vegetables and would go to the Farmer's Market to sell his produce. He was known for the quality of his produce and the smile he happily delivered to each customer.



A man's legacy is based on the memories he leaves behind. John will be known as a loving husband to his beautiful wife, whom he loved spending every day beside. A wonderful father with life lessons engrained in his children and then children-in-law. A devoted and doting grandfather who loved to play and be surrounded by his grandchildren. He was a brother who could always be counted on to be right by your side; a friend who would give you the shirt off his back and a child of God. If love could keep you here, John would not have entered the heavenly gates so soon, but alas he has left us here to mourn our loss of a great man, who changed the lives of all he knew.



John is survived by his wife, Tracy Ann Gardiner of Mechanicsville, MD; children, John Nolan Gardiner, Jr. (Christina) of Mechanicsville, MD, Edward Ralph Gardiner of Mechanicsville, MD and Ashley Marie Dunston (Dale) of Hughesville, MD; and six (6) grandchildren, Amara, Dale (Bae), Alaina, Liliana, Hannah and Emilia. He is also survived by siblings, Edward "Bubby" Gardiner (Diane) of Hollywood, MD, David Gardiner (Sandy) of Mechanicsville, MD, William "Perky" Gardiner of Fort Meyers, FL, Doris Bradburn (Leo) of Hollywood, MD, Beverly Long (Dwight) of Chaptico, MD and Edie Kans (Ronnie) of LaPlata, MD. John was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Doris Gardiner.



At this time all services will be for immediate family only, with a live stream being made public and available at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.



Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com



All Arrangements have been made by Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A.


Production of expensive organic and grass-fed meat is expanding even as coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants decimate production of conventional pork and beef, according to a new report.

Coronavirus outbreaks at some of the nations largest meatpacking plants have cut production of beef and pork by 40 percent, but boutique producers of organic meat are relatively unaffected, Bloomberg reports.

The result is an ample supply of expensive organic meat, which can cost more than twice as much as conventional cuts, even as consumers face rationing and higher prices for standard beef and pork at the store.

The situation raises the specter of red meat increasingly becoming a luxury product during the pandemic, with the wealthy feasting to their content as low-income households cut their consumption.

Consumers have been hit with higher prices and rationing as meat shortages continue, but organic beef and pork have been spared and are available to those who can afford it

Grass-fed dairy cattle roam a section of pasture on the farm belonging to Amish farmer James Swantz in Kalona, Iowa in a file photo. Family farms have avoided many issues in the pandemic

Meatpacking plants can employ thousands, often working in close quarters on production lines.

But organic meat is often processed in relatively tiny plants or local butcher shops.

Density has made many of the large meat plants hotspots for coronavirus, with the United Food and Commercial Workers saying that at least 10,000 workers have been infected and 30 have died nationwide.

Price of organic vs. conventional meat Boneless New York Strip: 28% higher Boneless ribeye: 135% higher Ground beef, 80-89% lean: 120% higher Boneless skinless chicken breast: 200% higher Source: USDA data May 12 Advertisement

As a result, dozens of major red meat plants across the country have been forced to close temporarily, disrupting supply chains for conventional pork and beef.

Poultry plants, which rely more heavily on automation, have been impacted to a lesser degree, and no chicken processing plants have been forced to close.

The impact for consumers was blunted somewhat in April, with the closure of restaurants across the country freeing up supply, but the shortage in stores is only expected to increase as some states allow restaurants to reopen even as meat supplies in cold storage dwindle perilously low.

Meanwhile, more decentralized supply chain for organic red meat has allowed the segment to avoid major impact, and organic producers are taking advantage by expanding production.

Organic beef is seen in a file image. The supply of organic meat has been expanding even as conventional pork and beef production has been cut by 40%

Butcher William DeLee cuts ribeye steaks for a customer at Iverstine Farms' Butcher Shop in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last month. Small butcher shops have been less affected by the virus

At wholesaler and distributor Local Foods in Chicago, which specializes in products grown on Midwest family farms, customers are seeing no evidence of shortages.

'We don't source any of our meat from any of those larger players, so in one sense we've been relatively insulated from the effects of the commodity industry having to shut their plants down or reduce processing days,' co-founder Dave Rand told Bloomberg.

But organic meat can cost as much as double the price of conventional cuts.

According to USDA data from May 12, the price of organic ground beef is 120 percent higher than the conventional alternative.

Organic boneless ribeye steak is selling at a 135 percent premium to conventional cuts, the data shows.

As the meat supply continues to be convulsed by the pandemic, however, those gaps could narrow if the price of conventional meat continues to rise.

Newly released data from the Federal Reserve shows that the consumer price index for meat, fish and poultry in US cities hit an all-time high in April, driven by the shortages.

The consumer price index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs hit an all-time high in April

Many processing plants and slaughterhouses across the US have been forced to close in recent weeks due to outbreaks among workers (above)

This week, the average advertised price of Italian sausage is up 18 percent from the same week a year ago, according to USDA figures.

However, Kansas State agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor said he thinks the industry will get past the shortage concerns within the next several weeks.

'I think it's important that we note that the U.S. hog industry is large enough to sufficiently supply our domestic market and export. We've done that for some time. We've been growing volumes in both places for some time,' Tonsor said.

Tyson and Smithfield have both been able to reopen huge pork processing plants that were temporarily closed in Iowa and South Dakota, which should help the industry keep up with demand even if some plants aren't running at full capacity, said David Herring, of the National Pork Producers Council.

'I really don't think we'll see a big problem with meat shortages,' said Herring, who raises hogs near Lillington, North Carolina.

'As long as the plants are able to come back up and operate maybe not at 100 percent but at 80 percent or 90 percent, I think we should be good.'
At least 15 states are looking into cases of a rare inflammatory syndrome mainly affecting children and believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Wednesday.

Cuomo told reporters at a press conference that state health officials are investigating 102 cases, including dozens of hospitalizations.

The disorder, dubbed 'Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Potentially Associated with COVID-19,' can attack multiple organs, impair heart function and weaken heart arteries.

So far, three children in New York have died from the condition, including a five-year-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman.

Now, 14 other states, including California, Connecticut and Massachusetts, have reported cases in addition to five European countries.

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday (pictured) that 15 states in total are investigating cases of a rare inflammatory syndrome mainly affecting children and believed to be linked to coronavirus

There at least 102 cases in New York of 'Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Potentially Associated with COVID-19,' can attack multiple organs, impair heart function and weaken heart arteries. Pictured: Josie Paskvan, nine, of Detroit, and Bobby Dean, nine, of New York, who both contracted the syndrome

'We have lost three children in New York because of this. A five-year-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl,' Cuomo said on Wednesday.

'These cases are all across the state, predominantly where the population is.'

The majority of cases in New York, about 29 percent, have occurred in children between ages five and nine, according to state data.

Roughly 23 percent of cases are in children under age five, around 28 percent are in children between ages 10 and 14, and 20 percent in those between ages 15 and 21.

About 60 percent of the 102 New York cases tested positive for the coronavirus with 70 percent requiring ICU admission and almost 20 percent needing intubation.

At least three children have died and New York is now requiring hospitals to report any cases to the state's health department

'These are children who come in who don't present the symptoms that we normally are familiar with with COVID,' Cuomo said.

'It's not a respiratory illness, they're not in respiratory distress. I think that's one of the reasons why this may be getting discovered this far into the process.'

Cases of rare, life-threatening inflammatory illnesses in children associated with exposure to COVID-19 were first reported in Britain, Italy and Spain.

However, now doctors across the US are starting to report clusters of kids with the disorder,

This emerging syndrome, which may occur days to weeks after a COVID-19 illness, reflects the surprising ways that this entirely new coronavirus infects and sickens its human hosts.

Scientists are still trying to determine whether the syndrome is linked with the new coronavirus as not all children have tested positive for the virus.

The syndrome shares symptoms with toxic shock and Kawasaki disease, which is associated with fever, skin rashes, swelling of glands, and, in the most severe cases, inflammation of arteries of the heart.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and other groups to gather data to better understand and characterize the syndrome, according to an emailed statement.

The aim is to develop a case definition that would allow the CDC to track the cases and advise doctors on how to care for these patients.

Not every child that has developed the condition has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, but enough have for doctors to believe the conditions are linked.

For most children, COVID-19 is mild, and children are far less likely to be hospitalized with the disease than adults, according to the CDC.

'Children seem to laugh off COVID-19 most of the time,' said Dr Jane Newburger, a pediatric cardiologist at Harvard's Boston Children's Hospital.

'But rarely, a child will develop this hyper-inflammatory state.'

Newburger said there appears to be a spectrum of illnesses, with some children coming in 'very sick, even in shock.' Most have a fever and impaired function in one or more organs.

Some children get sick very fast and need to be in a pediatric intensive care unit, while others can be cared for in a regular hospital ward, she said.
Magazine publisher Conde Nast, which owns Vogue, GQ and The New Yorker, is laying off nearly 100 employees in the US due to a sharp decline in ad revenue spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.

The cuts were announced in an internal memo distributed Wednesday that also said under 100 other staffers would be temporarily furloughed and 'a handful' of the company's approximate 2,700 staffers would have reduced work schedules.

'Not all teams will be impacted equally by these actions. That doesn't mean some teams are more valuable to us than others,' Conde Nast CEO Roger Lynch said in the memo. 'We tried to identify specific areas where we could bring down our costs without limiting our growth priorities.'

Magazine publisher Conde Nast, which owns Vogue, GQ and The New Yorker, is laying off nearly 100 employees in the US due to a sharp decline in ad revenue spurred by the coronavirus pandemic

'These decisions are never easy, and not something I ever take lightly. I want to be transparent about the principles and approach we used,' Lynch added.

The layoffs are expected to impact employees in advertising, editorial and corporate. No magazines will be closed or will transition to digital-only publications, a company spokesperson said.

In April, Conde Nast announced in a separate memo that employees earning more than $100,000 would receive 10 to 20 percent pay cuts.

Lynch also said that he would reduce his salary by 50 percent in an effort to save costs.

The media giant owns high-profile publications including Wired, Vanity Fair and online-only sites including Glamour, Pitchfork and Ars Technica.

The cuts reflect industry-wide efforts to reduce costs by newspaper publishers like Gannett Co. Inc. and Tribune Publishing Co., which also slashed salaries and cut jobs as ad revenues plummeted during the spread of coronavirus.

So far, at least 36,000 media workers are estimated to have been laid off or furloughed amid the pandemic, according to the New York Times.

Buzzfeed has also announced massive cuts, reeling from the impact of the outbreak.

'Not all teams will be impacted equally by these actions. That doesn't mean some teams are more valuable to us than others,' Conde Nast CEO Roger Lynch said in the Wednesday memo

The layoffs are expected to impact employees in advertising, editorial and corporate. No magazines will be closed or will transition to digital-only publications, a company spokesperson said. Conde Nast's New York Office inside the One World Trade Center above

On March 25 Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti announced tiered salary reductions from five percent to 25 percent. He said he would not take a salary 'until we are on the other side of this crisis.'

Further cuts were announced on May 6 due to 'even greater revenue declines than expected' and 68 employees who work on the business side and studio team were furloughed for three months starting May 16.

On Wednesday it was announced four more US employees would be furloughed at Buzzfeed and roughly 15 people in the UK and Australia were furloughed, according to CNN.

Last month Vox Media furloughed about 100 staffers for three months. Group Nine Media, which runs The Dodo and Now This also laid off about 50 people. G/O Media, which runs Gizmodo, Deadspin and Jezebel, laid off 14 people.
Photograph: Hannah Olinger/Unsplash

If you're tired of seeing a three-figure balance in your bank at the end of every month, this article is for you.

We totally understand how difficult it can be to save money. You try to scrimp and save every week and yet end up with a three-figure balance at the end of each month. If youre living in a city like Mumbai, where rents are high, youre probably down 40 per cent of your salary right there. Add to that the late-night Zomato orders, the Ubers for when youre running late to work (which is probably thrice a week) and before long youre hoping your parents bail you out once again.

For starters, know that you arent alone. There are thousands such as yourself that stare into their bank accounts with dismay. And heres the bit that may probably be news to you: the struggle was real even in the early 1900s! Which is what prompted Hani Motoko, Japans first female journalist to invent a system called kakeibo or a budgeting journal. She wrote it to help busy women manage their finances. And she wrote it in 1904. More than a century later, her philosophies have been translated into the English language by Fumiko Chiba in the book Kakeibo: The Japanese Art of Saving Money.

The concept involves is sitting down with your kakeibo, planning on what youre going. To spend, save and what you need to do to reach the goals youve set for yourself. Following are the basic takeaways from kakeibo.

1. Focus on your spending and not saving.

You read that right. The philosophy says that in order to save well you need to spend well and vice versa. Since we work hard to make the money, surely, we should be able enjoy life. And thats the thing you need to remember when youre saving. Which is to say when you look at saving as something you have to do, it becomes a chore. But if you see it as something that will help you spend on the things you want to spend on, then there is an incentive to save.

2. Write things down

When you keep a kakeibo, what youre basically doing is recording how much you spend. According to Fumiko Chiba, it would help if you keep technology out of this process. Instead of punching in the numbers on a phone app, you should write it down with a pen, in physical journal. By doing so, you are giving yourself the time and space to look at your spending in detail, she says. After youve jotted down every single penny you make at the beginning of every month, you take out the fixed expenses such as rent/mortgage, bills etc and take it away from the total amount. This is the amount that you can choose to spend well or save

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3. Be brutally honest about your wants and needs

Once you know how much money you have to spare after youve taken away the fixed expenses, you must now face the daunting task of jotting down exactly how youre planning to spend the rest. It could be that 20-rupee vada pav or a 10-rupee chai, jot all of it down. The moment you do, youll realise what your wants and needs really are. Sure we need to eat but do you really need to order in when you can cook at home? Before long, you will realise the difference between the things you absolutely must have and the ones you just want to have. The moment you honestly acknowledge that, you can start by identifying the areas where you can begin cutting back.

4. Avoid swiping the card

Those of us whove seen a time when you had to stand in queue to, first, deposit your paycheque and then, again, to withdraw the money for months expenses, will likely agree that we were able to control our expenses a lot better back then because we saw what we were spending. It wasnt just a text message with some figures at the end of a meal, it was hard cash. That made it very, very real. And thats the other thing that Chiba suggests  withdraw cash at the beginning of every month and divide them up in labelled envelopes. According to her, the act of placing cash in the envelopes makes her less likely to spend it on things like drinks with friends etc. Small acts can make a big difference in your saving goals. Acting with patience and consistency is what the kakeibo encourages, she explains in an interview.

5. Reflect on your progress at the end of every month

Yet again, sit down with your kakeibo and go through your expenses with a fine-tooth comb, Chiba says urging that it is as important to celebrate the successes as it is to acknowledge the weaknesses. Of course, when you begin, the figures may not seem very large but as you keep working at it, you will realise that the amount youve saved isnt all that shabby after all.
Irelands daily announced death toll from the coronavirus has fallen to its lowest levels since the end of March, after ten further people were announced as having lost their lives.

The figure is the lowest since eight people were reported as having lost their lives on March 30.

While the daily figure revealed by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) at its daily briefing in Dublin is not representative of actual daily death tolls, the low level seen is indicative that the death rate from the disease in Ireland has gradually bottomed out under the lockdown measures introduced by the Taoiseach on March 27.

The latest figure means that 1,497 Irish people have now died from Covid-19.

Separately, a further 159 new confirmed cases brings the total number of incidences of the disease in Ireland to 23,401. Some 84% of those who have contracted the virus have now recovered.

Meanwhile, the deputy chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that of over 15,000 cases where information is available, at least 53% of those had at least one underlying condition.

The most common of those underlying conditions are chronic heart disease (15% of cases), chronic respiratory disease (11%), and diabetes (6%), Dr Glynn said.

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan told the briefing that a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) to be outlined by the Government tomorrow as a method of evaluating Irelands response to the virus will be primarily focused on turnaround.

NPHET has previously said that it hopes to have the time to process a suspect case, from initial referral to the beginning of contact tracing, down to four days by the end of this week.

Its understood that three days or lower for that process is considered to be optimal in order to process contact tracing effectively and thus instruct those who may be affected to isolate in order to prevent further spread of the virus.

Regarding contact tracing itself, Dr Holohan reiterated that the optimal method remains the shoe leather, or manual human-led format, with all technical formats such as the HSEs pending tracing app best used as a complement to the manual approach.

He added that a HSE briefing on Wednesday in UCD, Dublin, will be designed to give an indication of the scale of work that goes into the contact tracing process. He stressed that the average number of contacts for a confirmed case of the virus was probably over 30 at the beginning of the crisis.

That has now fallen to just 2.5, primarily because the majority of peoples contacts are confined to within their own household, Dr Holohan said.

The emergency team is set to hold its second of two weekly meetings on Wednesday of this week rather than Friday, the reason according to Dr Holohan being that we have things to consider, and the Government will need time to digest NPHETs conclusions.

This is in reference to the fact phase one of the proposed roadmap to reopen the country is set for implementation on Monday next, May 18, with that dependent upon NPHETs official recommendations. Dr Holohan has previously said that he is hopeful of being able to recommend that the easing of restrictions proceed according to plan.
South Koreas LG Chem said on Wednesday that it had sent a delegation to India to investigate the cause of a toxic gas leak at its chemical plant there that killed 11 people and forced 800 into hospital for treatment from poisoning.

LG Chem said the eight-member delegation, led by its petrochemicals business head, will brief support measures to affected residents and meet with India government officials.

The accident occurred some 14 km (9 miles) inland from the east coast city of Visakhapatnam, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, at a plant operated by LG Polymers, a unit of South Koreas biggest petrochemical maker, LG Chem.
ROME - There was a row in the House Wednesday after nationalist opposition League MP Alessandro Pagano called Silvia Romano, an aid worker who converted to Islam during an 18-month detention by Somali Islamist militants, a "neo-terrorist".



Pagano was chided by Deputy House Speaker Mara Carfagna, a member of the Leagues ally the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party of former three-time premier Silvio Berlusconi, with Carfagna calling Pagano's words "unacceptable". But protests continued and the ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) called on the League to apologise for Pagano.



Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano said the criticism of Romano had shown a "inhuman gaze".



"This story is full of pain, all you have to do is look", it said.



It said "man's gaze is inhuman when it does not want to see.



When he is silent, he suppresses the compassion that should always inhabit his eyes. This compassion is the capacity of feeling on one's own skin the pain of others".



Meanwhile in Milan, where prosecutors have opened a probe into a campaign of Web-based hate against 25-year-old Milan native Romano, police cars kept patrolling the street where she lives.



Romano was freed at the weekend after 18 months in captivity by the Somali Al-Shabaab group, to whom she was handed over by a kidnapping gang who snatched here in Kenya in November 2018.



On Tuesday night Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio denied an Al-Shabaab spokesman's statement that the militants had received a four-million-euro ransom for Romano.



Hatred on social media has been directed against Romano's conversion to Islam, the fact that has did not overtly criticised Al-Shabaab, her alleged naivety in travelling to a hotspot without proper protection, and the fact that her case has allegedly ended up funding terrorism. On Tuesday a former League councillor in Veneto said she should be hanged.



Di Maio, former leader of the ruling anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), said Wednesday "spine-chilling things have been said about Silvia, they have gone beyond any acceptable limit." He said he felt "deep embarrassment" over Pagano's words.



Di Maio also told the House that Romano's charity, Africa Milele, operated in "total autonomy from the foreign ministry, without informing the ministry".



He added "the choice of doing volunteer work cannot become cause for a personal attack".



House Speaker Roberto Fico, of the M5S, said there had been "unacceptable words of hatred against Silvia Romano".



Romano's mother Francesca Fumagalli was asked if she would sue Pagano.



She replied: "I didn't hear (what he said) and I'm not interested in it. Look, I don't like politics, I don't follow it".



European Parliament President David Sassoli, of the PD, said the threats against Romano had been "disgraceful and unacceptable".



League leader Matteo Salvini said "she isn't the problem, but fanatical Islam (is)".



The commander of the ROS security police, Andrea Loy, paid what he said was a "courtesy visit" to Romano at her home on Wednesday amid a probe into the case.



Romano was freed after a joint operation by Italian, Turkish and Somali intelligence services.


Cedric Herrou, an olive farmer in southern France, had been charged with facilitation of irregular entry.

A French court on Wednesday scrapped all charges against a man who helped refugees and migrants enter the country illegally, the final chapter in a groundbreaking case that defined so-called crimes of solidarity.

Cedric Herrou, an olive farmer in southern France who helped about 200 migrants cross the border from Italy, was given a four-month suspended sentence in August 2017.

He had brought the destitute migrants home and set up a camp for them. He was also convicted of sheltering some 50 Eritreans in a disused railway building.

Frances Constitutional Council later said Herrous actions were not a crime under the principle of fraternity as enshrined in Frances motto Liberty, Egality, Fraternity.

The council, which evaluates the validity of French laws, ruled that people cannot be prosecuted for crimes of solidarity.

In December 2018, the Cour de Cassation  Frances court of final appeal  overturned Herrous conviction and sent the case back to the appeals court in the city of Lyon which on Wednesday voided all charges.

Reason and the law has triumphed, said Sabrina Goldman, a lawyer on the case.

Why focus on someone who did nothing but help? How can what he did be regarded as anything other than a humanitarian act?

Rights body Amnesty International said the ruling, by the Appeal Court of Lyon, will have implications throughout Europe for the criminalisation of acts of solidarity.

Cedric Herrou did nothing wrong, he simply showed compassion towards people abandoned in dire conditions by European states, Amnestys Rym Khadhraoui said in a statement.

Whilst it is a relief that Cedric Herrous ordeal is now over, he should never have been charged in the first place.

French law should now be amended to ensure only people smuggling, which entails a material benefit, is regarded as an offence, and not humanitarian assistance, Khadhraoui added.
Vedanta Resources and promoter group companies have moved a proposal to delist Vedanta Ltd from the Indian stock exchanges in a bid to simplify the group structure.

In a stock exchange filing, Vedanta has made a delisting offer for Vedanta Ltd (VEDL), where it holds 50.1 per cent effective stake, by acquiring the equity shares held by public shareholders in accordance with the SEBI Delisting Regulations. Vedanta Limited is a globally diversified natural resources company with interests in zinc-lead-silver, iron ore, steel, copper, aluminium, power, oil and gas.

Commenting on the offer, Anil Agarwal, Chairman of the Vedanta Group, said, "Vedanta Group continues its efforts to simplify the Group structure. This proposed transaction is fully aligned with the robust strategy which has been pursued over the years. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have accelerated the strategy in this challenging environment to ensure support for meaningful deleveraging and to enable us to continue to invest in the growth of the business.

"The proposed transaction will transform the group's credit profile while offering a fair exit price to the minority shareholders. Provided it can be completed at a price that balances the needs of all the stakeholders, this transaction has the potential to fundamentally reposition our business for the future."

Vedanta officials said that simplification of the corporate structure of Vedanta and its subsidiaries (the Vedanta Group) has been a key ongoing objective for the Vedanta Group, examples of which over the past several years include the merger of various Indian subsidiaries to create Vedanta Ltd, the merger of Cairn India Limited into Vedanta Ltd, and most recently, the take-private of Vedanta Resources plc.

"Vedanta believes that now is the right time to take another important step in simplifying the structure of the Vedanta Group," the sources said.

They added that it has become necessary to accelerate this strategy of simplification of group structure due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has created exceptional challenges for businesses in general.

This simplification would allow the Group to get its leverage closer to the operating cash flows amid the current volatile environment for the global commodity and financial markets.

The proposed transaction eliminates the potential impact of future balancesheet risks for current minority equity holders and provides an opportunity to realise immediate and certain value for their shares at a time of elevated market volatility.

They added that Vedanta would be best positioned to weather the risks presented by the current environment as a private company. Perception caused by volatility in the share price (which is driven by relatively low traded volumes) is impacting the company's access to capital markets and there has been downward pressure on the stock in recent times.

"We see an opportunity to reach an outcome that benefits all stakeholders, including equity and debt investors and the Group itself. That outcome must, however, recognise the financial constraints under which the Group is operating," officials said, underscoring the financial position.

They added that the indicative offer price represents a premium of 9.9 per cent compared to Vedanta Limited's closing price as of Monday and "offers equity holders an opportunity to exit at a fair value as we continue our efforts to simplify the group".

The offer price is at Rs 87.5 per equity share which represents a premium of 9.9 per cent over the closing market price of Rs 79.6 as on Monday on the BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited.

"We expect our minority shareholders to approve the delisting proposal post which we will make the public announcement for the delisting. The financing arrangements will be in place at the time of making the offer," the officials added.

Pursuant to the aforesaid letter, VRL has requested the board of directors of the company to convene a board meeting to consider and approve the delisting proposal in accordance with the delisting regulations, seek the approval of the shareholders of the company by way of a special resolution through postal ballot in accordance with the delisting regulations and other applicable law, and the approval of the stock exchanges and/or other regulatory authorities.

In accordance with the delisting regulations, the company shall appoint a merchant banker registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to carry out due diligence in accordance with Regulations 8(1A) and 8(1D) of the Delisting Regulations.

A meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled for May 18 to take on record these matters.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due in Israel Wednesday for talks on regional security and the Jewish state's controversial plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

In a rare foreign trip during the coronavirus pandemic, Pompeo planned to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and incoming defence minister Benny Gantz, a day before a unity government agreed between the two men is scheduled to be sworn in.

Netanyahu and Gantz faced off in three inconclusive elections in less than a year before agreeing to a three-year power-sharing administration.

Netanyahu, a right-winger in power since 2009, will serve as premier for 18 months with Gantz, a former army chief, as his alternate, after the latter resigned as parliamentary speaker on Tuesday in preparation for his new role. The two will swap roles midway through the deal.

Their coalition agreement says the Israeli government can from July 1 begin considering implementing the West Bank annexations detailed in President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan.

Unveiled in January, the controversial plan gives a green light from Washington for Israel to annex Jewish settlements and other strategic West Bank territory.

The Palestinians have rejected Trump's plan and cut ties with the Trump administration in 2017 over its pro-Israel stance.

Their chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Pompeo's team had not reached out ahead of the visit.

"The Trump administration is collaborating with Israel in its annexation plan in what is both an attempt at burying the rights of the Palestinian people as well as a blatant attack on a rules-based international system," he said.

Israel has controlled the West Bank since seizing it in the Six-Day War of 1967.

Nearly three million Palestinian residents live there alongside more than 400,000 Israelis residing in settlements that are considered illegal under international law.

For the Palestinians and much of the international community, Israeli annexations would sink any hope of a two-state solution to the conflict.

- 'Disingenuous' -

In an interview ahead of his visit with the newspaper Israel Hayom, Pompeo was quoted as saying that whether and how to go ahead with annexation was "a decision Israel will make".

"I want to understand what the new government thinks about it," Pompeo reportedly said, noting Trump's initiative was unveiled several months before the Netanyahu-Gantz deal.

The US plan recognises Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital, defying Palestinian aspirations that the eastern part of the city will serve as their future capital.

Pompeo said he will also discuss Iran's alleged nuclear weapons ambitions with Israeli leaders.

Former US president Barack Obama's ambassador to Israel, Daniel Shapiro, told AFP that he believes Pompeo was being "disingenuous" in claiming annexation decisions would be left to Israel.

"I think the Trump administration very much wants this annexation to happen," said Shapiro, a visiting fellow at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies.

"It is probably less concerned about the specific boundaries, but it wants to have an achievement in Israeli annexation that it can tout to President Trump's evangelical supporters (and) right-wing Jewish supporters to excite them and energise them," ahead of US elections in November, Shapiro said.

Netanyahu may be tempted to move quickly in order to help Trump in that vote and to ensure annexation is a done deal before a possible unfavourable change at the helm of the White House, Shapiro noted.

But that would create substantial risks internationally and could cause deep division within Netanyahu's coalition, the former ambassador added.

- Regional concerns -

Netanyahu's previous coalition had hardline pro-annexation right-wingers in key posts, notably outgoing defence minister Naftali Bennett.

Gantz has praised the Trump plan but warned against moves that threaten regional stability.

Experts have said Jordan might back away from its historic 1994 peace deal with the Jewish state if Israel annexes the Jordan Valley, a strategically crucial border region that accounts for roughly 30 percent of the West Bank.

Shapiro noted that before moving forward, Israel will need to weigh regional "diplomatic consequences" as well as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's view that unilateral annexations are "unwise".

In a reminder of ever-present tensions in the West Bank, an Israeli soldier was killed in a village near Jenin on Tuesday by a large rock thrown by a Palestinian.

The soldier's unit had been rounding up suspects in the area, the Israeli army said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:34:16|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends a video meeting with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended a video meeting with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers on Wednesday.

The meeting was presided over by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who holds the rotating chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization this year, and attended by foreign ministers of member states, the Secretary-General of the SCO and the director of the Executive Committee of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency.

Noting that COVID-19 infections continue to spread around the world, Wang said the SCO needs to continue championing the Shanghai spirit and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. It needs to strengthen solidarity and coordination and act proactively.

"We must bring the 'SCO strength' to bear on winning an early victory against the virus and getting the economic and social development back on track in the region and beyond," he said.

To this end, Wang called on the SCO member states to promote solidarity and coordination and jointly win the global fight against COVID-19, promote security cooperation to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, promote cooperation of mutual benefits and pursue common development, and promote multilateralism and jointly defend and improve the international system.

The participants expressed concern about the great impact of COVID-19 on the world's economic and social development and stressed that the international community should adhere to multilateralism, play the leading and coordinating role of the UN system, and unite to fight the pandemic.

The meeting adopted the Statement of Foreign Ministers of SCO Member States on Responding to COVID-19. Enditem
Press Release

May 13, 2020 STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS : "AIRING OF 'WOW CHINA' IS PROPAGANDA" Habang may banta ang China na aarestuhin nito ang mga Pilipinong mangingisda sa Paracel Islands at Scarborough Shoal, patuloy naman ang pag-eere ng Chinese propaganda sa Radyo Pilipinas gamit ang sarili nating pondo sa sarili nating state media. The Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) claims that "Wow China" is an "educational program" and that "its format is light, informative, and entertaining; in no way whatsoever does it espouse or promote a particular political view or cause." Isang kasinungalingan ito. The Dec. 14, 2019 episode of "Wow China" featured the chair of the Nationalist Filipinos Against Foreign Intervention as its guest, and the topic revolved around the Hong Kong protests that were happening at that time. When asked about how the Philippine government should intervene, the guest answered, "We should be careful. China is a big trade partner ... We do not want to antagonize the Chinese government." Nagtanong din ang host ng programa about the state of democracy in Hong Kong, to which the guest replied, "With the one country, two systems, China did not curtail democracy in Hong Kong ... Mainland government is not interfering in the internal affairs of Hong Kong. 'One country, two systems' is being respected by the Chinese government." Clearly, 'Wow China' is Chinese propaganda. Episodes on April 4, April 25, and May 9 of this year also clearly advanced Chinese state propaganda by including and detailing the aid that China has given the Philippines to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in portions of the show. The host of the May 9 episode even said: "Hindi tayo pinababayaan ng mga foreign neighbors natin especially ng China." PBS' statement also said that it has agreements with the UK's BBC and Thailand's Sawasdee, as well as airing news on ASEAN countries, but let it be made clear that these countries are not violating our national sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. Hindi tayo binubully ng mga bansang ito, hindi inaangkin ang mga islang tunay na atin. It is infuriating that while our government continues to promote all that is well and good about China, albeit using Filipino taxpayers' money, the Chinese government continues to destroy our reefs, establish new districts in our territory, and harass Filipino fishermen in our own seas. ##### Link: https://www.facebook.com/128801740656/posts/10164026668860657/?d=n
The country's speedy, efficient and expert-led action, despite not having WHO membership, becomes a blueprint for infectious disease control

Baseball fans enter the Xinzhuang Baseball Stadium in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Friday, May 8, 2020. Up to 1,000 spectators are now allowed in the stands for baseball in Taiwan on Friday, albeit spaced far apart as a safeguard against the spread of the coronavirus, but they are still barred from bringing in food and concession stands are still closed. (Photo | AP)

In the fight to halt the coronavirus, several countries have been touted as models to be emulated. Chiefly, South Korea is oft cited, justifiably so. However, no country has met with as much success in holding off and beating back the virus as Taiwan, whose geographical and cultural proximity, literally next door, to China makes the feat all the more remarkable. Contained in this narrative are valuable insights for other countries such as India that are still in the throes of this pandemic.

Situated a mere 130 km off the coast of mainland China, Taiwan has 850,000 to 1 million citizens who live or work in China. Although Beijing and Taipei are adversarial regimes, numerous daily flights link the island to multiple major cities in China. Given such proximity, Taiwan would likely be the most affected by any epidemic with origins in China. In fact, it was the hardest hit when SARS broke out in China in 2003. Taiwan then had the highest mortality rate in the world.

That did not happen this time.

Taiwan's Covid-19 numbers have been surprisingly low, for a country that has 2.7 million visitors from the mainland annually and almost 12,000 daily just before the Lunar New Year. As of May 12, Taiwan has 440 total coronavirus cases, of which 372 have already been cured. There have been only 7 deaths. With less than 100 active cases, Taiwan has halted the virus at its doorstep. It managed all this in spite of not being a member of the WHO and while organising a national election on January 11.

How was this possible?

Led by Experts

Remarkably, Taiwans strategy to combat the novel coronavirus nCoV19 was led by experts and scientists who responded with urgency to the initial outbreak in China. Taiwans vice-president, Chen Chien-jen is a Johns Hopkins University trained epidemiologist, public health expert and national hero for his role as health minister during the SARS outbreak in 2002 and the H1N1 outbreak in 2009. Similarly, vice-premier Chen Chi-mai is a physician by training and former lecturer who collaborated with Minister for health and welfare Chen Shih-chung, a doctor and former director of Taipei Medical University. According to Channel News Asia (CNA), at 8 A.M on December 31, the latter was informed of at least seven atypical cases of pneumonia in Wuhan. Within an hour an inter-ministerial meeting was held to determine the measures to be taken to tackle the virus.

This response was as agile as the response in Wuhan itself. Over the next few days, suspected-case reporting and hospital infection control measures were strengthened, a level-1 travel notice to Wuhan was announced, and by January 15 all hospitals and the public were notified about the emerging infectious disease. By January 20, Taiwan activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) to coordinate and lead the response to the virus. Daily briefings to the public conducted by health minister Chen Shih-chung, attended by nearly 100,000 people, were also important in keeping the public informed and aware. The health minister currently enjoys an approval rating of 91% in Taiwan and has become the countrys most popular politician, even more than President Tsai ing-wen.

Flight Screening and Border Controls

Allowing public health experts to direct the response to Covid-19 meant that Taiwan could make a crucial connection very very early: that air travel was the main pathway of virus transmission. So, Taipei acted quickly to restrict and monitor air travel.

On December 31, the very day China reported the outbreak to the WHO, Taiwan began sending healthcare officials into airplanes to check passengers arriving from Wuhan before they disembarked. Within a couple of days, these measures were expanded to include fever screening and full-scale medical examination of suspected cases. Within 10 days after the flareup of the mysterious new virus in Wuhan on January 21, Taiwan closed its borders to all Wuhan residents, and by 6 Feb extended the restrictions to all arrivals from China, six days before any other country did so. Taiwan also issued a ban on all port calls by international cruise ships on Feb 6, to prevent more cases like the Diamond Princess. To monitor all foreign arrivals into the country, passengers were required to sign and complete a health declaration form. As the virus began to spread outside China to places like Thailand and Singapore, travel advisories were issued to these places by February 11. By early March, all foreign arrivals without a residence permit were banned from entering the country.

By strange coincidence or premonition, nearly a fortnight before December 31,

on December 18, 2019, in fact, an awards ceremony was held in Taiwan for airlines with outstanding performance in disease surveillance and aviation safety. At the same event, Taiwan CDC, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced their joint collaboration in implementing the Program for Airlines on Disease Prevention, Preparedness and Response, and Emergency Management, the first of its kind in the world.

Central Command Coordinated Measures

Activated on January 20, the Central Epidemic Command Centre proceeded to implement a total of 124 measures so far, including but not limited to border controls and fever screenings. One of the most significant of these was, contrary to WHO advice, a ban on the export of face masks and a decision to increase the production of protective equipment. The ban came into effect on Jan 24, one month before any other country adopted the same measure. According to the Vice-President, by the end of January, Taiwan stockpiled 44 million surgical masks, 1.95 million N-95 masks and 1,100 negative pressure isolation rooms. A national mask team was set up and 92 additional production lines were installed and the government requisitioned a total of 73 manufacturing companies. The policy increased the average daily production of masks from 1.9 million in January to 16 million masks daily in April. The CECC also instituted a rationing system for masks, according to which every citizen could buy 3 masks per week, then raised to 9 every fortnight, and finally an online ordering system was instituted.

Taiwans lightning-quick reaction has undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives and prevented thousands more from becoming infected. The island managed this without ever announcing a lockdown and significantly disrupting domestic economic and social life. Taiwan is also able to avoid, to a certain extent, the economic slump that follows a lockdown. Agencies like S&P and other economists have revised Taiwans GDP for 2020, but by a smaller margin than any other industrialised country. Schools, offices, restaurants and malls have remained open through the outbreak, limiting the disruption to the economy. Additionally, the islands approach of involving the public in the fight against Covid-19 has the additional benefit of inculcating awareness in its public, making a transition to the new normal much smoother. With just 65 active cases left, Taiwan has turned its attention to other countries struggling to contain the virus, with the campaign TaiwanCanHelp, which donates masks and other resources.

Most of Taiwans measures to combat Covid-19 were announced in late January and early February, taking effect almost immediately. The credit for this accrues to experts and scientists holding political office, who lead the fight against Covid-19, calling the shots and responding to developments in China almost instantaneously. The promptness in enacting these measures has been shown by no other country. While some countries like India were busy hosting grand bilateral summits for foreign leaders and others like USA were turning the virus into a political weapon, Taiwan was preparing for the Covid-19 outbreak, which has held the country in good stead in the months following the initial stages of the outbreak.
Open source

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the bill #2571-d, which finally bans the return of nationalized banks to previous owners. 270 MPs supported the decision as 112 Ukraine TV channel reported.

The law permanently prohibits the return of nationalized banks to the former owners, prohibits the return of bankrupt banks, whose owners have succeeded in canceling the resolution of the National Bank on their insolvency through the courts, to the market.

The bill envisages the possibility of compensation for losses and lost profits for the former owners of banks, whose liquidation or nationalization will be declared illegal.

In particular, compensation for loss of profit is made in the amount of profit that the owner could receive, but the National Bank's insolvency decision was the only reason that deprived him of this opportunity.

Ex-owners of the bank may receive compensation for losses in the amount of the bank's shares on the day when the National Bank made a decision on bank insolvency/revocation of the bank license and liquidation of the bank.

The stock price is determined in the amount of the sum, which could be paid by a purchaser for a bank on regulation day, considering the market conditions and macroeconomic situation. The stock price will be determined by the internationally recognized audit firm, which meets the requirements of the National Bank and it will be appointed by the court, which considers the case on recovery of damages in favor of the owners of the bank. The audit firm will apply international standards of the financial reporting for estimation of the stock price.

If the financial position of the bank shows that the amount of its commitments exceed the amount of the assets it will mean that the ban could not work anymore and its stocks have no value for purchaser. If the assets of the bank exceed its commitments it will not be treated as the sufficient evidence that its stocks had the value.

According to the law, former owners of the bank get the compensation only in the form of money.

The recognition of the decision on the withdrawal of the bank from the market as illegal cannot be a ground for its cancelation.

According to the law, during the holding of banking supervision and supervision in prevention and counteraction legalization of funds (money laundering) obtained by criminal means, financing of terrorism and financing of spread of weapons of mass destruction, the National Bank of Ukraine has a right to apply professional judgement.

The court proceedings, which have started but do not have the final decision since the day of coming into forces of this law, are decided, considered or reconsidered according to new rules provided by this law.

On March 30, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has approved the Bill  3260 "On amendments to the legislative acts of Ukraine on improving some mechanisms for regulation of banking activities". 267 MPs voted in favor.

The law permanently prohibits the return of nationalized banks to the former owners, prohibits the return of bankrupt banks, whose owners have succeeded in canceling the resolution of the National Bank on their insolvency through the courts, to the market.

On April 30, the Ukrainian parliament supported the usage of a special procedure for bill on banks #2571-d.
The newly launched 'Covid Cara' is a voluntary network of metal health professionals created to support frontline workers in Ireland during the Covid-19 crisis.

As Covid-19 continues, the psychological, emotional, and spiritual toll on Irelands essential workers and their families also grows. Most essential workers lack adequate emotional and mental support, and many can feel isolated and even stigmatised for their contact with infected populations. Most families of essential workers are themselves unsupported and overwhelmed.

To address this growing crisis, Covid Cara is an emerging, self-organizing network of volunteer mental health professionals, spiritual care providers, stress-reduction experts, healers, and community-builders who have stepped up to support our essential workers and their families during this crisis.

Established by Linda Bhreathnach, award winning writer and director who recently graduated with M.A. in Psychology, Covid Cara is a network of mental, emotional and spiritual care professionals who have offered to provide their services to support essential workers and their families.

Covid Cara is a way to provide access to psychologists, counsellors, physiotherapists, nutrition experts and other therapists to people who are working on the frontlines during this pandemic and who need support. Its quite unique due to its multidisciplinary nature as well as how accessible it is, said Linda Bhreathnach.

The idea for the network came from a similar initiative in New York City, which has been at the coalface of the Covid-19 crisis in the United States of America for the past number of weeks.

I sought guidance from the founders of NYC Covid Care with a view to providing a similar service in Ireland and Covid Cara has grown from that, said Linda.

Linda has been joined by Ellen Moran, M.A. Psychology, Shauna Hill, M.A. Psychology and Sinead Morely, M.A. Psychology and a growing network of mental health and wellbeing professionals who are offering their services on a voluntary basis to health workers and other frontline workers during the pandemic.

We have had a great response from mental health professionals from a variety of disciplines, who are offering their services to help frontline workers. We are trying to get the word out there so that frontline workers and their families know that this service is available to them, said Bhreathnach.

This includes workers in health care, grocery store workers, food production, public safety, the media, janitorial and sanitation, transportation, the energy sector, and emergency personnel, among others.

All individual support meetings happen by Zoom or telephone. Groups will be posted on the website as made available.

To learn more about the network and how we are organised, please get in touch: covidcara@gmail.com
Demand for air travel will lag behind pre-coronavirus forecasts for at least five more years, according to the latest projections from an industry trade group.

Global traffic, which is the number of passengers on carriers times the distance flown, will still be about 10 per cent below original estimates in 2025, Brian Pearce, chief economist from the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, said during a news briefing Wednesday.

According to the IATA, next year's traffic is expected to be down between 33 percent and 40 percent from projections made prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

Demand for air travel will lag behind pre-coronavirus forecasts for at least five more years, according to projections from the International Air Transport Association. Passengers (pictured) practice social distancing on line at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York Wednesday

Global traffic will still be about 10 per cent below original estimates in 2025, says the International Air Transport Association, or IATA. Passengers walk through a mostly empty Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Tuesday

A passenger boards a relatively empty United Airlines flight to Houston, Texas, at San Francisco International Airport on Monday

Passengers sleep while flying on a United Airlines flight to Houston, Texas, on Monday

The IATA doesn't see travel recovering to last year's levels any sooner than 2023.

Pearce says he expects it will take about two years for demand to rebound after an upturn in gross domestic product, delayed until then due to the increased inconvenience of travel caused by COVID-19.

However, the group says the factors that drove a decades-long boom in air travel, specifically improved living standards in emerging markets, are still strong and should ultimately drive up demand.

Industry lobbyists are opposed to the imposition of quarantine measures for people arriving in countries such as the UK and Spain, says IATA CEO Alexandre De Juniac.

'International travel cannot restart under such conditions,' De Juniac explains.

De Juniac cited a study that found 59 per cent of people wouldn't fly under such conditions.

Brian Pearce, chief economist from the International Air Transport Association, says he expects it will take about two years for demand to rebound after an upturn in gross domestic product, delayed until then due to the increased inconvenience of travel caused by COVID-19

He called for a globally coordinated bio-security system, including temperature checks and contact tracing, to manage the risk.

Social distancing on aircraft will lead to airfares rising by 43 to 54 per cent, just for carriers to break even, the IATA also warns.

Keeping people safely apart on aircraft would fundamentally shift the economics of aviation by slashing the maximum load factor to 62 per cent, well below the average industry 'break even load factor' of 77 per cent.

With fewer seats to sell, unit costs would rise sharply.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan amounted to $28.7 million in 1Q2020, compared to $69.07 million during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee.

The share of Azerbaijan in total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover was 0.1 percent during the reporting period of 2020, compared to 0.3 percent during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Azerbaijan amounted to $21.9 million over the period from January through March 2020 compared to $64.9 million during the same period of 2019.

Azerbaijans share in total volume of Kazakhstans export amounted to 0.2 percent during the reporting period of 2020, compared to 0.5 percent during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans import from Azerbaijan amounted to $6.7 million over 1Q2020, compared to $4.07 million during the same period of 2019.

Azerbaijans total share in Kazakhstans import was 0.1 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 0.1 percent during the same period of 2019.

Total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover amounted to $21 billion in 1Q2020 which indicates an increase from $20.4 billion during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export amounted to $13.9 billion during the reporting period of 2020 ($13.3 billion in the same period of 2019), whereas import amounted to $7.09 billion ($7.1 billion).

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
ROME  They were among the most vulnerable as the coronavirus roared through Italy: older or riddled with serious underlying medical conditions. A brush with the virus within the confines of the place where they woke up each morning might seriously threaten their lives.

They were also maximum-security inmates, international drug traffickers and affiliates of Italys organized crime gangs, including three who were serving time under a harsh isolation regime that is reserved for top Mafia bosses.

So when news broke last week that 376 inmates had been moved from their high-security prison cells to house arrest because of coronavirus concerns  and that hundreds more were seeking to do the same  the backlash was almost immediate. Even as the coronavirus dominated the news cycle, the homecoming of convicted organized crime figures made front page news.

The house arrests also revived the debate over Italys chronically overcrowded penitentiaries, where more than 60,000 prisoners are detained in a system designed to hold 46,875, taxing its ability to meet basic needs like accommodation, health care and rehabilitation programs.
The world's biggest shipping company, Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk, said Wednesday that it expects its transport volumes to drop by up to 25 per cent in the second quarter as the world economy slides toward recession.

CEO Soeren Skou said that the group was strongly positioned to weather the storm but that the COVID-19 crisis had had a significant impact on its activities.

The group presented its first quarter results, which showed revenue edged down to USD 9.6 billion from USD 9.5 billion for the same period last year. It booked a profit of USD 209 million, up from a loss of USD 656 million.

In a statement, the group said its full-year outlook contained high uncertainties, and the global container demand is expected to contract in 2020 due to COVID-19. It previously was for growth of 1-3 per cent.

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

AHMEDABAD: A nondescript hotel-cum- restaurant on a highway in Gujarat's Banaskantha district has become a popular selfie point among travellers all thanks to its name Hotel Corona.

When he named his establishment in 2015, little did hotelier Baakar Ali know that it would garner so much attention at a time when the whole country was reeling under the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel is located on a highway connecting Gujarat with Abu Road in neighbouring Rajasthan and passes through Amirgadh town of Banaskantha.

Although it remains temporarily shut because of the COVID-19 lockdown, the name of the establishment has stopped many passersby on their tracks, causing them to wonder why anybody would name their hotel after a dreaded pandemic, which has brought the world to its knees.

Several awestruck travellers make a stop at the hotel, just to take selfies with its signboard in the background.

"People can't believe that a hotel is named after a global pandemic, which has killed so many people.

Travellers stop here just to take selfies," said Ali, a resident of Siddhpur town in Patan district.

Ali said he had chosen the name Corona for his hotel, as it meant crown or a bright circular ring.

"In Gujarati, it denotes Tej-chakra or Prabha-Mandal.

But now, everyone links the word corona with coronavirus," he rues, adding that he may consider changing the name if he sees a drastic drop in customers after the pandemic.

The picture will be clear only after the restrictions are lifted and hotel opens for business, Ali said.

Till then, the hotelier will have to be happy with the fact that any publicity was good publicity.
Mumbai Police took to Instagram to share a video which has now gathered tons of appreciation from people. The video shows three personnel of the department returning home after having beaten COVID-19. It shows the officials being welcomed with cheers and applause.

A Heros Welcome! And why not? After all, 3 members of the Mumbai Police family returned home, having successfully beaten Coronavirus, Mumbai Police wrote and shared the video.

As the video begins, welcoming the heroes flashes across the screen followed by the officials walking with folded hands. As they walk, people standing around start clapping and cheering. It ends with people showering flower petals on them.

Since being shared, the video has garnered close to 30,000 views. Several people shared their reactions on the post.

Welcome back heroes, wrote an Instagram user. Hats off to you guys! You are doing a fantastic job, wrote another. Welcome back Heroes. We are so proud of you all, expressed a third. Thank you for sharing. People need to see this and get inspired too, wrote a fourth.

What do you think of the video?
Vietnamese wait to be repatriated home at Sheremetyevo airport in Russia, May 12, 2020. Photo by Vietnam News Agency.

Vietnam on Tuesday flew 345 of its citizens back from Russia, the country third worst affected by the coronavirus after the U.S. and Spain.

The flight operated by Vietnam Airlines landed at Van Don Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Wednesday morning with students under the age of 18, seniors, people in extremely difficult financial circumstances, tourists whose visas had expired, and workers who had lost their jobs.

They underwent medical checks before boarding and wore face masks throughout the flight.

After filling in health declarations, the passengers went to public quarantines and had samples taken for Covid-19 tests.

Earlier, while flying from Hanoi to Moscow, the aircraft had taken Russian citizens stranded in Vietnam due to travel restrictions home. Last month the Russian government had organized special flights to repatriate nearly 400 of its citizens from Vietnam.

Around 80,000 Vietnamese are living in Russia, which has reported over 232,000 infections and 2,116 deaths as of Wednesday.

In April and May Vietnam has operated special flights to repatriate thousands of people from Southeast Asian countries as well as Canada, France, Japan, the UAE and the U.S.

Bamboo Airways is expected to organize a flight on Thursday to bring 195 Vietnamese citizens from the Philippines.

Vietnam has recorded 288 Covid-19 cases so far, with 252 having recovered and been discharged from hospitals. The country has recorded no community transmission in the last 27 days.
Dauphin County commissioners dropped plans to unilaterally break out of Gov. Tom Wolfs staged, pandemic reopening plan Wednesday.

Instead, they voted to create a Reopening and Restoring Dauphin County Task Force to guide the county as it does reopen in compliance with the states plan. That would include, the commissioners noted, a full look at whether any businesses currently closed could reopen safely within the states rules and federal Centers for Disease Control guidelines even as the county, for the time being, remains in red.

Also, Commission Chairman Jeff Haste reiterated, he is considering Dauphin a business sanctuary county with no plans for local prosecution of any law enforcement citations for businesses accused of opening against the states current business closure orders.

Openly frustrated with the governors handling of the situation, commissioners Haste and Mike Pries, the majority Republicans on the board, lashed out at Wolf for his threats Monday to hold back federal funds and punish state-licensed businesses, and said by almost all metrics they believed that more businesses in the county could launch a safe reopening.

Are we cowards for working to support our residents at a time of need? Socially, emotionally and economically?... Because we are speaking on behalf of our residents? Pries asked. If thats the case, then I wear the governors scorn as a badge of honor.

But considering all alternatives, the Republicans said this was a fight that they could not win at the moment.

The governors words and actions have made it quite difficult on this board, Haste said. He has silenced our vote on moving forward (to yellow). Its also clear he has not silenced our voice.

So Dauphin, for the moment, remains in the lockdown phase of the governors controversial pandemic reopening plan, with only those businesses deemed by the state to be life-sustaining or holding state-granted waivers operating, and many more waiting for Wolfs team to certify the county for a move to the yellow phase.

Haste and Pries, late last week, said they were among several county boards planning a vote to move the county unilaterally ahead of the governors schedule.

Their argument came down to this: Theyve seen their residents respond, sometimes at tremendous personal cost, to Wolfs initial emergency lockdown and its stated goals of buying time against the virus so that the states hospitals arent overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases. And, as of mid-May, the commissioners say, they feel theyve won.

Now, its time to reward those residents for their patience by starting to let them resume their lives and livelihoods.

They understand what is going on (with the virus). Their social patterns have changed. I truly believe, if given the opportunity, businesses and citizens and residents will do the right thing, will follow the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidelines, and will let the rest of the business go, Haste said in an interview with PennLive Saturday.

They need to have that choice. And if they choose not to, and theyre still afraid to open or theyre still afraid to go out, they have the choice to stay home. The governor has said to everybody: We dont have any faith in you. We dont want you to have that choice, and heres what your choice is.' And I just disagree with that and I believe I have more faith in the people of Pennsylvania than he does.

But Wolf pushed back hard on Monday, urging local officials to stay the course with a plan that he said is working - as shown by the fact that Pennsylvanias COVID-19 case count has remained well below neighboring New York and New Jersey, hospitals here were never overwhelmed with critically ill patients, and that, as of Friday, 37 counties of the states 67 counties will have begun reopening.

Dauphin, with a new case incidence rate of 107 per 100,000 residents - more than twice the states threshold of 50 cases for moving to yellow - is not one of those counties at present.

Wolf threatened Monday to punish counties that acted independently, by withholding federal pandemic relief funds and bringing the full weight of state licensing discipline down on businesses that opened ahead of schedule. That, in the end, was the play that caused the commissioners here to step back from the brink.

Commissioners said one of the aims of the new task force will be to help all businesses maximize their opportunities in each phase of the governors plan as Dauphin as the county is moved through it, including reopeining where possible. It will also look at other challenges such as potential increases in addiction or mental health issues arising from the economic challenges.

But, in order to remain eligible for all available federal funding and avoid potentially severe penalties, they will do it within the states confines. The motion to establish the task force passed 2-0, with Pries and Hartwick voting in favor. Haste had to leave the meeting before the vote because he was scheduled to testify at a state Senate committee hearing.
A 43-year-old British pilot critically sickened by novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ho Chi Minh City is now in need of a lung transplant as only ten percent of his lungs remains functional, according to doctors.

Latest updates from the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on Wednesday showed that only ten percent of the Britons lungs was active, while the rest had been badly damaged.

This means the patient will die without life support in the form of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which he has been on for more than 35 days, Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, director of the infirmary, stated.

A lung transplant is the only way to save the British national, Chau added.

The Briton, who works as a pilot for Vietnam Airlines, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in mid-March and has been receiving treatment at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in the southern metropolis.

His treatment has been a roller-coaster ride, with tests alternating between positive and negative for the virus.

His most recent test result came back negative, doctors said Tuesday during a teleconference to discuss the most viable treatment for the patient.

The video meeting  the second of its kind in three days  was attended by leading doctors and experts in the northern, central, and southern regions of Vietnam.

Their first meeting took place on Sunday, during which the doctors discussed transferring the patient to Cho Ray Hospital, the largest general hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, to continue his treatment and evaluate the possibility of a lung transplant.

Vietnamese doctors and experts attend a teleconference to discuss treatment for a critically ill British COVID-19 patient, May 12, 2020. Photo: Thuy Anh / Tuoi Tre

During their second gathering on Tuesday, the doctors agreed that a lung transplant is necessary as the patients lungs had been badly damaged and he may not be able to recover without the procedure.

Finding a compatible donor remains a challenge.

Doctors previously found a potential donor who is a brain dead patient, but his lungs were found to be unsuitable due to some infection problems.

Lung transplantation has been performed on three COVID-19 patients in the world so far, the experts stated, adding that all of these patients exhibited considerable improvement following the surgeries.

The British pilot will undergo several tests before being transferred to Cho Ray Hospital in the coming days.

It remains unclear how the expenses of his lung transplant will be paid.

The Ministry of Health, in coordination with British authorities, has been able to establish contact with one of the patients family members.

Vietnams COVID-19 tally is now at 288, with 252 having recovered, according to statistics. No death from the disease has been reported in the country.

No new cases of community transmission have been logged in Vietnam over the past 27 days.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Union ministry of human resource and development (MHRD) has sought detailed information from Allahabad University (AU) on four specific issues including discontinuing the MCA course being offered by its department of electronics and communication. The AU officiating V-C maintained that the ministry has just sought information and not served any show-cause notice, as was being claimed by some and said that the information has duly been provided to the ministry.

Officiating V-C RR Tiwari on Wednesday said, The ministry had sought information on four issues including discontinuing MCA at JK Institute, providing degrees to students of Ewing Christian College, admission in DPhil programme at the department of commerce, and postgraduate courses being run in constituent colleges.

The V-C said that the university has informed the ministry that the decision of discontinuing MCA has been taken after following the set process, including approval of the board of studies at the department level to the Academic Council (AC). The decision was taken only after getting a go-ahead at all levels and the same has been informed to the ministry.

On other issues, Tiwari said that AU has been following set norms in taking any decision. ECC students are being given their degrees, students of the commerce department could not be issued a letter of admission in DPhil course because of the lockdown and the PG courses are still being run at constituent colleges, the V-C said.

He further clarified that the ministry had just sought a detailed report from AU and it was not a show-cause notice.

A couple of months back, the MHRD had asked the officiating V-C to refrain from taking policy decisions on any subject or issue on the campus.
[May 13, 2020] Baron & Budd's John Fiske and Torri Sherlin Named 2020 CLAY Award Winners

The national law firm of Baron & Budd is pleased to announce that Shareholder John Fiske and attorney Torri Sherlin have been named 2020 California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) by the Daily Journal. The award recognizes attorneys throughout California whose work made a significant impact on the law, the legal profession, or a practice area. Fiske and Sherlin work in the Baron & Budd Environmental Litigation Group litigating complex environmental cases all over the country. In the only major California wildfire settlement in 2019, and the most comprehensive public entity wildfire resolution in the history of the state of California, Fiske and Sherlin obtained a $360 million settlement with Southern California Edison (News - Alert) on behalf of 23 public entities for taxpayer, public, and environmental losses caused by the 2017 Thomas and Koenigstein Fires, the 2018 Montecito Debris Flows, and the 2018 Woolsey Fire. Fiske and Sherlin helped lead a team of several Baron & Budd lawyers and paralegals including Shareholder Scott Summy, Stephen Johnston, Staci Olson (News - Alert), Chris Edwards, Jennifer Hutchison, Erin McIntosh, and Kelley Peters, among others. "This groundbreaking settlement created a new paradigm for public entities in wildfire actions because it incorporated the inter-governmental complexities associated with federal and state disaster aid, and to our knowledge this is a novel solution-especially considering the breadth of 23 public entities resolving 26 different deals," said Fiske. "Scott Summy and Stephen Johnston, based in our Dallas office, were lead members of this team and absolutely essential to the case's success, among several other team members. We share this honor with each ofthe government and in-house co-counsel from the 23 public entities-they were absolutely critical in the litigation, strategy, and resolution, especially when it came to coordination with the federal and state governments."



As part of the comprehensive resolution, reimbursements to FEMA and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services were negotiated, in cooperation with Edison, through a complex mediation process, led by JAMS Mediator Judge (Ret.) Jay Gandhi. This resolution structure appears to be the first of its kind, especially for multi-public entity wildfire litigation. "Working daily with the individual departments from all 23 public entities - from the department of public works to police and fire - to understand the devastating impacts the fire had on their communities, was truly rewarding work," said Sherlin. "Working directly with first responders showed me first-hand their heroism through the multi-week fire suppression efforts. Recovering community and taxpayer resources was a true herculean effort that could not have been made possible without the dedication of the entire litigation team, including government and in-house counsel."

Mr. Fiske also fought for the rights of all property owners and wildfire victims as the only victim's lawyer to testify during the historic SB 901 hearings at the state capitol, advocating against eliminating inverse condemnation. His lobbying, along with the efforts of several lawyers and lobbyists, helped lead the California Legislature to vote in favor of protecting the constitutional property rights of public entities and other property owners, just months before the devastating 2018 Camp and 2018 Woolsey Fires occurred. Baron & Budd would also like to congratulate CLAY co-award winner Ed Diab from Dixon Diab & Chambers. Diab was lead co-counsel in this case and was vital to its success, helping to lead efforts on cause and origin, public witness preparation, damages, and overall strategy. ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C. Baron & Budd, P.C. is among the largest and most accomplished plaintiffs' law firms in the country. With more than 40 years of experience, Baron & Budd has the expertise and resources to handle complex litigation throughout the United States. As a law firm that takes pride in remaining at the forefront of litigation, Baron & Budd has spearheaded many significant cases for hundreds of entities and thousands of individuals. Since the firm was founded in 1977, Baron & Budd has achieved substantial national acclaim for its work on cutting-edge litigation, trying hundreds of cases to verdict and settling tens of thousands of cases in areas of litigation as diverse and significant as dangerous and highly addictive pharmaceuticals, defective medical devices, asbestos and mesothelioma, California wildfires and environmental contamination, fraudulent banking practices, e-cigarettes, motor vehicles, federal whistleblower cases, and other consumer fraud issues. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005865/en/

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IIT in Karnataka: Where would it come up?

Hassan reports COVID-19 cases; five with travel history to Mumbai test positive

India

pti-PTI

Hassan (Ktk), May 12: The cornonavirus has extended its tentacles to Hassan district, which had till now remained free of COVID-19, with five people including two children testing positive for the virus on Tuesday, officials said.

According to the mid-day situation report, all the five cases are with travel history to Mumbai in Maharashtra and are undergoing treatment at a designated hospital in Hassan.

We cannot lose the fight against coronavirus, says PM Modi to nation

The five include- two girls aged 4 and 7 years, two men and a woman. According to officials, four of them belong to a family, and they had entered Channarayapatna border on May 10 from Mumbai and were quarantined in a residential school.

Hassan Deputy Commissioner Girish said they are currently in Hassan COVID Hospital and they have not visited their village or contacted anyone.
The Archbishop of Canterbury has been volunteering as a chaplain at St Thomas hospital in central London in secret, according to a report.

Justin Welby has been visiting the hospital regularly to assist those who are sick with coronavirus, reported the Daily Telegraph. He lives nearby in his flat at Lambeth Palace.

The newspaper reported that, as with all other volunteer chaplains, Mr Welby has undergone special training and wears personal protective equipment (PPE) over his black clerical shirt and dog collar.

A source close to the archbishop told The Telegraph he had been volunteering there since lockdown began in March as St Thomas is his local hospital so he walks there.

He gets a lot of solace from doing it. Just being able to physically see people and pray with them during lockdown  its what the clergy had been doing the length and breadth of the country, the source added.

There is some personal risk but he doesnt really think about that. He just thinks this is what Christians should be doing, helping others.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was treated for coronavirus at St Thomas hospital for a week last month, but The Telegraphs source said Mr Welby started making his visits after Mr Johnson was discharged.

The Church of England suspended all religious services from 17 March until further notice, after the archbishops of Canterbury and York encouraged parishes to conduct services via live-stream.

Most recently, Mr Welby led the first national digital Easter Sunday service from his kitchen, in a pre-recorded sermon broadcast online.

But the churchs approach to the crisis was criticised by over 800 clergymen who signed a letter to The Times arguing that preventing them from visiting their church to pray or broadcast a service represents a failure of the Churchs responsibility to the nation.

In the letter, the bishops wrote: Without detracting from the excellent worship offered by many clergy in their homes, domestic settings cannot replace the church buildings that represent the consecration of our public life.

They also claimed the clergy had been prevented from ministering in schools and to the sick and dying in the hospitals.
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Linkedin Abdul Qadir Sediqi, Hamid Shalizi and Ahmad Sultan (Reuters) Kabul/Jalalabad, Afrghanistan  Wed, May 13, 2020 07:15 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79afb4 2 World Afghanistan,Afghanistan-blasts,attack,bombing Free

Gunmen disguised as police attacked a hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, killing 16 people including two newborn babies from a maternity clinic run by the international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders.

In a separate attack the same day, a suicide bomber struck the funeral of a police commander, attended by government officials and a member of parliament, in the eastern province of Nangahar, killing at least 24 people and injuring 68. Authorities said that toll could rise.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either attack. The Taliban, Afghanistan's main Islamist insurgency group which says it has halted attacks on cities under a US troop withdrawal deal, denied involvement in both.

The Islamic State militant group operates in Nangahar and has carried out a number of high-profile attacks in Kabul in recent months. On Monday security forces arrested its regional leader in the capital.

The violence, as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic, risks derailing momentum towards US-brokered peace talks between the Taliban and an Afghan government long skeptical of the insurgents' renunciation of attacks.

Photos from the Ministry of Interior showed two young children lying dead inside the hospital. An image showed a woman who had been killed lying on the ground still holding tightly to her baby, who a nurse in the unit confirmed to Reuters had survived and had been moved to an intensive care unit at another hospital.

President Ashraf Ghani in a televised address condemned the attacks and said he had ordered the military to switch to 'offensive' mode rather than the defensive stance it had adopted as the United States withdraws troops and tries to broker the talks.

"In order to provide security for public places and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups, I am ordering Afghan security forces to switch from an active defense mode to an offensive one and to start their operations against the enemies," he said.

Meanwhile National Security Advisor Hamdullah Mohib said on Twitter: "there seems little point in continuing to engage Taliban in peace talks".

In Washington, the Pentagon declined to comment on Ghani's stated intent to restart offensive operations, saying only that the US military continued to reserve the right to defend Afghan security forces if they are attacked by the Taliban.

"This is going to be a windy, bumpy road, but a political agreement is the best way to end the war," said Pentagon spokesman Army Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Campbell, echoing remarks of US Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

Mothers, children, nurses

The Kabul attack began in the morning when at least three gunmen wearing police uniforms entered the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital, throwing grenades and shooting, government officials said. Security forces had killed the attackers by the afternoon.

"The attackers were shooting at anyone in this hospital without any reason. It's a government hospital, and a lot of people bring in their women and children for treatment," said Ramazan Ali, a nearby vendor who saw the start of the attack.

The 100-bed government-run hospital hosted a maternity clinic run by Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French name Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

MSF confirmed in a tweet that the hospital had been attacked. Just hours before it had tweeted a photo of a newborn at the clinic in his mother's arms after being delivered safely by emergency caesarean section.

Interior and health ministry officials said that mothers, nurses and children were among the dead and wounded.

Soldiers ferried infants out of the compound, some wrapped in blood-stained blankets, and officials said 100 people were rescued, including three foreigners.

The neighborhood is home to many members of Afghanistan's Hazara community, a mostly Shia Muslim minority that has been attacked by Sunni militants from Islamic State in the past, including at a Kabul ceremony commemorating the death of one of its leaders in March.

Rights group Amnesty International condemned both attacks.

"The unconscionable war crimes in Afghanistan today, targeting a maternity hospital and a funeral, must awaken the world to the horrors civilians continue to face," the group tweeted. "There must be accountability for these grave crimes."

Countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey and Pakistan released statements condemning the violence.

Last week, security forces killed and arrested several members of an Islamic State cell that authorities said was responsible for several attacks in Kabul including one on a Sikh temple in March. A roadside blast in the capital on Monday, which wounded four civilians, was claimed by the group.

Afghanistan is also facing violence around the country from the Taliban, even as the United States tries to usher in peace talks after signing a troop withdrawal agreement in February with the militants. The Taliban say they are holding back from attacking urban centers and their operations are aimed at government security forces.
First of all, there is a lot to process. Numerous objections on grounds of Bias have accumulated before the state security Senate of the Frankfurt higher regional court on Tuesday the hearing in the murder of Walter Lubcke will continue. Most of them are directed against the presiding judge Thomas Sagebiel, who turned at the end of the first trial day with unusual words to Stephan, E. and Markus, H.. Stephan E. of the main accused in the proceedings; to him, the Federal government accuses lawyers, the Kassel government President on 1. To June 2019 murdered, this for its refugee policy is "punish". Markus H. should have rendered aid.

Marlene Grunert

editor in the policy.

F. A. Z.

"don't Listen to your defender, you listen to me," he advised Sagebiel, the two defendants two weeks ago. An early confession could help  if there is to confess something. The defender saw this as an expression of bias, the guilt of the accused was identified for the Chairman. The attorney General rejected this assessment on the first Day of the trial, on Tuesday, the other judges of the Senate who have to decide on the applications to do that. With the "apparent extreme formulation" had failed to comply with the Chairman of his "procedural duty of care". He had called his Council, also under the condition that there is because something to confess to, and made it clear that the Senate is always willing to "think new".

As the all of bias on the part of applications rejected have been received on the morning of Tuesday, the defenders of the word. You take a position to what was seen in room 165 C and, finally, to: The court had a nearly five-hour Video from the 25. June of last year, played in the Stephen E. the murder of Walter Lubcke, shortly after his arrest in detail admits. To see and hear a man who is imbued with right-wing extremist ideology, and described the citizens ' Assembly, which took place in the autumn of 2015 in Lohfelden, as a "key experience" was. Lubcke had at the time, announced the establishment of a refugee accommodation, and, as his resistance was, the refugee policy of the Federal government with the words: defended: "it's worth It to live in this country. Because you have to stand up for values, and who represents these values, it is time to leave this country, if he agrees. This is the freedom of every German.

"Pathological hatred", a "downright manic thing"

After the lawyer Frank Hannig had taken over the mandate, contrary to the E., called the statements and made a new confession, which was also recorded. In the course of the third process day, this very different Version of events will be seen. Markus H., his friend from the extreme right-wing comradeship scene, will put a strain on e. hard.

First, however, H.'s defenders take the floor. One of them is Nicole Schneider, who will be represented on Tuesday by Steffen Hammer. Not only is he a lawyer, formerly Hammer the lead singer of the far-right rock Band "Noie Werte", the songs of the NSU used in its Confessors videos. Hammer stresses that Stephan E. stated in his first confession, "to have of their own accord" action to have the deeds tschluss "alone" in focus. On the question of whether H. had been involved in any way, had E. answered: "no." The he wanted to do anything.

Updated Date: 30 June 2020, 16:19
HUNTSVILLE, Ala., May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aerojet Rocketdyne recently completed a successful static-fire test of an advanced large solid rocket motor, called the Missile Components Advanced Technologies Demonstration Motor (MCAT Demo), under contract to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).



Aerojet Rocketdyne has produced large solid rocket motors for critical defense programs for more than 60 years, to include powering every U.S. Air Force ICBM ever fielded, said Eileen Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. Today we are building a family of modern large solid rocket motors with improved performance at lower costs; the research and development efforts for the Missile Components Advanced Technologies program are crucial to our nations strategic strike capability.

Aerojet Rocketdynes MCAT Demo large solid rocket motor design incorporates numerous advanced technologies and materials. The programs primary goal is to develop technologies to increase propulsion performance and lower manufacturing and operational costs for future applications. In order to meet the goals, the MCAT Demo design consists of a state-of-the-art graphite composite case, an affordable advanced nozzle and high-energy, long-life solid propellant.

The successful MCAT Demo enables future Air Force ICBMs to deliver higher performance while reducing cost, said Jason Mossman, Chief of the Motors Branch at AFRL, Edwards Air Force Base. We are committed to providing world-class technology for Air Force Nuclear Deterrence Operations, and we are very pleased with the outcome of the MCAT Demo.

During the static firing, the 52-in. diameter MCAT Demo motor fired successfully. Initial post-test inspection indicates that all components functioned as designed. AFRL provided technical and managerial oversight of the MCAT contract.

ICBMs must be ready to fly on a moments notice in harsh environments and at speeds greater than Mach 20," said Mossman. AFRLs program focuses on long-life components and options for low cost ICBM maintenance.

Story continues

AFRL facilitated the testing at the Utah Test and Training Range to demonstrate the performance of the Aerojet Rocketdyne MCAT rocket motor. The MCAT Demo motor firing is the first test in a series of strategic-sized motor demonstrations planned in the near future.

Video of the test can be seen here .

About Aerojet Rocketdyne: Aerojet Rocketdyne, a subsidiary of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (AJRD), is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader that provides propulsion systems and energetics to the space, missile defense and strategic systems, and tactical systems areas, in support of domestic and international customers. For more information, visit www.Rocket.com and www.AerojetRocketdyne.com . Follow Aerojet Rocketdyne and CEO Eileen Drake on Twitter at @AerojetRdyne and @DrakeEileen .

Media Contact:

Eileen Lainez, Aerojet Rocketdyne, 571-239-7839

eileen.lainez@rocket.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d29f4a2d-1a1b-420f-b738-adfa6b3bdc5a




Boris Johnson's plan for reopening England was in equal parts confusing and terrifying.

People were urged to get back to work if they could not work from home but to somehow avoid public transport when going to work. Inevitably, the London Underground will soon be rammed with commuters carrying an invisible virus which shows no symptoms in more than half of those affected.

Johnson also made a kind offer to exempt anyone travelling from Ireland from rules requiring passengers arriving in England to self-isolate for two weeks after their arrival. As enticing as the invitation might seem, I'm sure most people will be put off by the prospect of taking the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station - or any other form of public transport.

We were not alone in receiving this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic offer from the prime minister. Travellers from France will also avoid quarantine when they fly into England.

Our Government has no intention of reciprocating the exemption to anyone travelling to Ireland from England or anywhere else in the world. Irish citizens and everyone else arriving here from anywhere outside the island will soon be legally forced to self-isolate for two weeks and there are no plans to offer exemptions to any particular nation in the free world or beyond.

The Government is implementing a policy of deterring people from coming anywhere near Ireland in the short to medium term. New regulations making it mandatory to self-isolate aim to ensure there is compliance with the rules, while also acting as a disincentive to anyone thinking of coming here.

However, the fly in the ointment may be the EU Commission's plans to ease travel restrictions. The Commission is proposing that there could be some travel between some member states or regions based on the rate of infection in those countries. For example, if Ireland and Greece managed to control the virus to a similar extent then travel would be permitted between the two countries.

As ever, the new EU travel rules are aimed at protecting the single market by clamping down on member states arranging bilateral travel arrangements. It will also ensure any easing of travel restrictions is based on science rather than diplomacy.

Ireland has ranked well among EU states in terms of fighting the virus.

This was mostly due to one of the strictest lockdowns, but being an island nation also helps. However, the easing of travel restrictions may ultimately be out of our hands if a decision is taken by the Commission to reintroduce travel between countries based on the spread of the virus.

And EU chiefs, who we will depend on for another bailout once this is over, may not look kindly on Ireland forcing people into self-isolation for two weeks after they have decided to ease travel restrictions.
Over the years, a number of inexplicable events have perplexed many observers of politics. Here are a few examples.

Chief justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court ruled that Obamacare is a tax. Obama's lawyers had argued that it was not, but by ruling it a tax, Roberts's judicial contortions legalized Obamacare. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), once he became attorney general of the United States, steadfastly refused to expose corruption in the FISA court. Former representative Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) refused to subpoena witnesses to expose criminal wrongdoing by Democrats. Even now, he speaks against pursuing evidence of crimes committed by former president Barack Obama. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) repeatedly pulls back from calling witnesses who could expose criminal acts by the Deep State. Attorney General William Barr declines to prosecute such people as former FBI official Andrew McCabe, who was fired for lying to the FBI.

One must wonder. Why do so many of the people whom we trust, and appoint, speak so eloquently about the rule of law and then waffle when it comes time to bring official lawbreakers to justice?

For a possible answer, we turn to the political theory called the Brother-in-Law Effect. What that means is that everybody in government is vulnerable to having his own wrongdoings exposed  and if anyone has not done anything wrong, he has relatives, such as a cousin or a brother-in-law  or a son, who has. Anyone who aggressively exposes one bad actor runs the risk of retaliation against his own kinfolk. The senator's wife becomes distraught when her own brother is threatened with arrest. The senator caves.

The earth itself groans under the curse of sin. There is an interlocking web of treachery and deceit in government that is self-perpetuating. Indeed, it feeds on itself and grows.

Bear in mind that these are the same men who send our sons to war, asking them to risk their lives. Where is the corresponding courage, the spirit of self-sacrifice, among those in power?

The prospects for reform seem dismal. We idealize our leaders as being perfect, but no one is. Even so, if we are to be a nation ruled by laws, not ruled by men, then the law must be strengthened. This can be done only by requiring openness and transparency to an unprecedented degree.

While the details of reform are complex, vital parts of it are not. It was said of President Bill Clinton that he would never had done the dirty deeds he did had President Richard Nixon died in prison for his crimes.

Similarly, the penalties for malfeasance in government must be so severe, even draconian, that no one in government would risk committing a crime. Better yet, no criminal would ever find government an attractive career and would avoid it.

Unfortunately, such laws could be passed only by those already in power, the ones who least wish for such laws to be implemented.

In the end, only a determined and outraged citizenry can bring about reform. That is a very scary thought. The scarier thought is that they won't.
KITCHENER  A man was arrested early Monday morning after police found him asleep in a heavily-damaged running vehicle.

Waterloo Regional Police said a suspicious vehicle was reported to be parked at a plaza on Pioneer Drive at around 4:30 a.m. Police found the vehicle running, with heavy front-end damage, and located a man sleeping inside.

The man was arrested for impaired operation by drug. Police seized prescription drugs and a prohibited weapon.
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Pelosi unveils $3T virus bill, warns inaction costs more

The 1,800-page package extends some provisions from previous aid packages, and adds new ones.



By LISA MASCARO and ANDREW TAYLOR

Associated Press

WASHINGTON  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a more than $3 trillion coronavirus aid package Tuesday, providing nearly $1 trillion for states and cities, hazard pay for essential workers and a new round of cash payments to individuals. The House is expected to vote on the package as soon as Friday, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said there is no urgency. The Senate will wait until after Memorial Day to act.



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A Magistrates Court in Kano on Wednesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Kabiru Ado-Panshekara, the Chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Council, for failure to appear before it.

Magistrate Musa Ibrahim issued the warrant following the refusal of the defendant to appear in court to enter his plea over a charge of criminal breach of trust.

Prosecution counsel, Salisu Tahir, told the court that on May 9, the defendant being the chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Council was entrusted with 1,632 forms for the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives.

The defendant dishonestly diverted some of the forms to persons that were not supposed to enjoy the COVID-19 palliatives, he said.

Mr Tahir urged the court to issue a bench warrant to the defendant for his failure to appear before the court since he was properly served a court summon to appear on May 13 at about 9:00 a.m.

He said the offence contravened section 315 of the Penal Code Law and section 26 of Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (as amended).

READ ALSO:

The defense counsel, Ibrahim Adamu, told the court that he does not know why the defendant was not in court.

One of Ado-panshekaras aides called me that they are on their way,  he said.

Mr Adamu urged the court to stand the matter down for 30 minutes to enable the defendant appear in court to answer his plea.

The court adjourned the case till May 27 for mention.

(NAN)
Binita Jaiswal By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Despite a pandemic outbreak and subsequent lockdowns impacting the global economy, Hero Cycles said it looks forward to strong growth, with plans to capture 10 per cent of the global bicycle market by 2023.

According to Pankaj Munjal, chairman and managing director of Hero Cycles Ltd, the company is confident about its strong growth, especially as it saw 600 times rise in sales in its overseas markets such as the UK and Germany in April 2020, against the figures in April last year.

Hero Cycles now has 5 per cent market share globally and it plans to double it in three years. Speaking to TNIE, Munjal said Hero plans to collaborate with foreign brands, expand its capacity to generate demand and to ensure rise in sales.

Post Covid-19, the bicycle market would see more demand as people would prefer individual and safe commuting, and become more aware about eco-friendly ways of transportation. Bicycles also help keep you fit and conserve the environment, Munjal said, adding that several countries are promoting bicycles as a safe mode of commuting, which will prove beneficial for the company.

Munjal further said that India too should focus on enhancing the cycle industry. The government should try to encash this opportunity to strengthen the bicycle industry in the country, he said, adding, Like China, India should focus on creating clusters meant exclusively for the cycle industry, to ensure smooth supply chain and logistics. A dedicated cluster, he said, will give a much-needed boost to cycle industry.

Hero Cycles has launched an awareness campaign to encourage people ride bicycles. Along with global markets, the company will also focus on its growth in the domestic market.

Bicycles are a potential alternative mode for people who used crowded public transport systems. There will be growth in cycle sales even in rural areas too, Munjal said. The company will ramp up its production soon, while its current focus is on export-led growth. It will also focus on its electric vehicle and auto component sectors to make a quick revival, he said.

Grand plans, buoyed by high growth in sales

Hero Cycles now has 5 per cent market share globally and it plans to double this in three years. The firm will ramp up production soon, while focusing on export-led growth. It will also focus on its electric vehicle and auto compo-nent sectors for a quick recovery.
Mastercard faces two days in front of Britain's highest court to determine whether it potentially owes every adult in the UK a collective 14billion.

Former financial ombudsman Walter Merricks is taking the card provider to court, claiming the fees it charged shops between 1992 and 2008, declared unlawful by the European Commission, resulted in consumers paying higher prices.

If the Supreme Court upholds his case after the two-day hearing, Mastercard will likely face another trial which will determine whether it owes damages to more than 46million people, even if they never paid with a Mastercard during the 16-year period.

Mastercard faces two days in front of the UK Supreme Court to determine whether it may be on the hook for 14bn in damages

Mr Merricks' case is one of the first mass consumer 'opt out' collective action cases to be brought since the Consumer Rights Act opened the door to these types of claims in 2015.

The law makes it easier for consumers and companies to seek compensation in competition claims by giving them six years to bring a case, up from two years previously, and by enabling anyone forming part of the suing 'class' to be a part of the case.

Before, those bringing a case would have to advertise or contact those potentially affected to get them to opt in.

Kenny Henderson, a partner at law firm CMS, said the 2015 act and the new opt out rules not only meant bigger claims could be brought, but 'also ones that wouldn't have previously been brought at all.'

The case brought by Mr Merricks, which claimed Mastercard's unlawful fees for retailers were passed onto consumers for 16 years in the form of higher prices, was initially thrown out by a competition tribunal in 2017 but was revived by the Court of Appeal last April.

Former chief financial ombudsman Walter Merricks in front of the Treasury Select Committee

Mastercard were given permission to appeal to the Supreme Court, which will hear the case between 13-14 May.

The Supreme Court case will not decide whether Mastercard does owe money to every UK adult over the age of 16 who was a resident in the UK for three months between 1992 and 2008 but will determine whether Mr Merricks' case can be brought to tribunal once more.

The Supreme Court will determine the threshold needed to bring opt out class action competition claims to court, meaning more US-style cases could potentially spring up

If he is successful, it would mean the tribunal would have to reconsider what has turned into the biggest class action in British legal history.

The Supreme Court decision could also have ramifications for future opt out cases, none of which have yet proceeded to trial.

Mr Henderson said: 'What the Supreme Court is doing now is considering the threshold that is needed for certification hearings' to determine whether a particular class action will be certified and allowed to continue or whether it will be rejected at the certification stage.

Certification hearings were brought in with the 2015 act and are designed to throw out inappropriate cases.

He added: 'the broader issue is about the appropriate standard that is required for a class action to be certified.

'If there is a "low" certification then it will be relatively easy to bring forward class actions in future, if it's "high" then it will be significantly more difficult to bring class actions under the 2015 law.'

Consumer group Which? has also joined the case, and said the hearing was 'vital for consumers'.

Its director of advocacy Caroline Normand said: 'Which? has long campaigned for a collective redress scheme, but with no claim under the new regime reaching a full trial, consumers have not yet had the results they need.

'This Supreme Court hearing is therefore a vital one for consumers and Which? has intervened to ensure the regime achieves its purpose of providing real access to justice.'

Mr Merricks said: 'It is nearly 12 years since Mastercard was clearly told that they had broken the law by imposing excessive card transaction charges, damaging consumers over a prolonged period.

'As a result, we all had to pay higher prices in the shops than we should have done  while Mastercard have pocketed the profits.

'It's now time for Mastercard to admit the damage they did, to apologise to the British public, and to agree to pay the compensation they owe.'

A Mastercard spokesperson said today: 'Consumers across the UK receive valuable benefits from Mastercard's payments technology, whether it be speed and convenience when shopping, or the peace of mind their money is safe and secure.

'Mastercard also fully supports the 2015 Consumer Rights act. However, in line with the lower court finding in 2017, the case against Mastercard is fundamentally flawed.

'The claim is being driven by US lawyers and is backed by a litigation funder, all looking to make money. UK consumers have not been harmed. Mastercard is asking the Supreme Court to avert the serious risk of the new collective action regime going down the wrong path.'
A 47-year-old man named Uchenna Egbuchulem has landed in the police net for allegedly impregnating his biological daughter.

According to reports, the victim is a teenager who lives with the suspect after the latter separated from his wife.

He was said to have been taking advantage of the little girl while they live together by forcefully taking her to the bed at will.

Read Also: National Assembly No Longer Safe For Lawmakers  Reps Spokesman

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The suspect was arrested after a good Samaritan lodged a complaint at the state Divisional Police hqrs, Mbaitoli. According to the police source, the victim, Adaku Egbuchulem (17) was an infant when her father separated from her mother.

Police Public Relations Officer SP Ikeokwu Orlando, confirmed the story, he said investigation has commenced, adding that the suspect would be charged to court.
UP, Bihar and Odisha are in the line of fire amid the migrant crisis.

As migrant worker movement gathered momentum, there were signs Wednesday that this is fuelling the coronavirus pandemic in some states. Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have already begun to report spurts in their infection numbers as thousands of workers return home from corona hotspots like Mumbai, Chennai, Indore, Surat etc.

Curiously, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have had comparatively lesser number of positive cases, in proportion to their total population, so far.

Odisha has recorded 538 positive cases till Wednesday, recording a rise of 101 cases in single day. Just five of the 21 coronavirus-affected districts account for 84 per cent of the total cases in the state.

Ganjam district is a case that needs a special mention. With no positive cases until May 2, the district suddenly became an epicenter after migrant labourers began returning from Gujarat. Now, it leads the tally with 210 cases.

Consequently, state Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik has asked the administration to increase the bed strength in corona care units in migration-affected districts like Ganjam.

Bihar, with a population of over 10 crore, has only recorded 908 cases so far. The death toll stands at 7, with one cancer patient succumbing to coronavirus on Wednesday.

However, the state also recorded its highest jump in coronavirus cases on Tuesday after 130 people tested positive for the virus. At least 124 of them were migrant labourers, who came from high risk red zones in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Wary of the limited testing capacity and the influx of lakhs of migrants in the coming days, the Nitish Kumar government on Wednesday asked the health department to ramp up testing. As per media reports, the state government seeks to improve the testing rate from 1,800 to 10,000 per day.

Uttar Pradesh is the worst affected among the three states. With a population of nearly 23 crores, which is more than the population of most independent countries in the world, Uttar Pradesh has recorded 3,728 positive cases up to Wednesday. At least 82 people have died of the virus so far.

However, with the migrants returning, the state has also witnessed a spike in its numbers. Since May 3, over 1,300 people have contracted the virus, with migrant labourers being the vector. Co-incidentally, the first migrant train reached Uttar Pradesh on May 3.

As per one media report, the influx of migrants has raised the alarm bells in the state administration. "The virus has spread to the districts previously unaffected by the virus, after the return of the migrant workers," a publication quoted a state official as saying.

Economy matters

Even as the human tragedy unfolds across the country, states have already begun worrying about the state of their economy.

In his characteristic style, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday demanded a special package for Mumbai which has become a coronavirus hotspot. "Workers are leaving as they have no work here. Mumbai's importance as the country's financial capital should be sustained," Raut said.

Raut is not the first politician to seek help from the Centre. Recently, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel wrote to the Prime Minister seeking a Rs 30,000 crore financial package for the mineral-rich state.

"If Rs 30,000 crore for the upcoming three months is not approved, it will lead to an economic crisis in the state, thereby, affecting the operations of normal business," the letter read.

Moreover, the Baghel government has now lowered expenditure limits in various departments due to decrease in revenue due to the pandemic-induced shutdown. As per one report, the departments will now only be able to spend 70 per cent of their allocated budgets.
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Linkedin Rocky Swift and Christine Soares (Reuters) Tokyo, Japan  Wed, May 13, 2020 11:30 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7ae9f3 2 World coronavirus,novel-coronavirus,virus-corona,COVID-19,COVID-19-drugs,Avigan,Camostat,Japan Free

In the global hunt for coronavirus treatments, a Japanese antiviral medicine known as Avigan has won plaudits from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and $128 million in government funding.

But it's not the only game in town.

Camostat, a 35-year old pancreatitis drug made by Osaka-based Ono Pharmaceutical Co, has captured the interest of scientists in Japan and overseas with little fanfare or state assistance.

The two compounds are among dozens undergoing testing around the globe and illustrate how the race to develop treatments and vaccines is still wide open despite politicians such as Abe and US President Donald Trump promoting the potential benefits of certain drugs.

Gilead Science Inc's remdesivir has pulled into the lead after promising early trial results prompted emergency approval in the United States and Japan. While remdesivir has shown promise in reducing recovery times of hospitalized patients, the search continues for additional treatment options.

Interest in Avigan soared in March after a Chinese official said that it appeared to help patients recover from COVID-19, the flu-like infection caused by the coronavirus. It is now the subject of at least 14 clinical trials. Amidst a global rout in stocks, shares in Fujifilm have shot to record highs.

Abe has called for Avigan to be approved for use by the end of this month if these trials are effective  unprecedented speed, particularly for a drug known to cause birth defects.

Abe's administration has pledged to give away free supplies of the drug, with some 43 countries making formal requests. Fujifilm chairman Shigetaka Komori is a longtime backer of Abe, though the cabinet has denied there is any connection between their relationship and the government's promotion of Avigan.

The use of Avigan is decided by doctors and its approval will depend on medical and scientific evaluation in due course, said Fujifilm spokeswoman Kana Matsumoto.

"The use of Avigan has nothing to do with the relationship between the Prime Minister and any particular company," she said.

Destructive to fetuses

Avigan, known generically as favipiravir, was developed in the late 1990s by a company that was later purchased by Fujifilm as part of its transition from photo businesses to healthcare. The drug works by short-circuiting the reproduction mechanism of certain RNA viruses such as influenza.

Avigan can be taken as a pill, which would make it more accessible than Gilead's remdesivir, currently administered only as an intravenous infusion. But the mechanism that makes Avigan effective against viruses also makes it destructive to the rapid cell growth of fetuses.

After being tested against a range of viruses, Avigan was finally approved in Japan in 2014, but only for emergency use against flu epidemics, and it was licensed in China where it has since gone off patent.

Also clinically unproven is a camostat mesylate. Developed by Ono Pharmceutical, most famous for its blockbuster Opdivo cancer drug, camostat is a protease inhibitor that has been used primarily to treat pancreatitis and some types of cancer. But past laboratory and animal tests against SARS-CoV-1 showed it has antiviral functions, and it can be safely administered in high enough doses to match the concentrations that were effective in the lab.

A study published in the scientific journal Cell in March found that camostat blocks an enzyme essential for the entry of the coronavirus into the lungs, drawing researchers' interest. One of them was Dr. Joseph Vinetz, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine, who is ready to launch a clinical trial of camostat.

"It's got a 35-year track record, so it seemed to be a very safe drug," he said. "I said we've got to try it. I'm a physician and we're desperate for anything we can give to people."

Vinetz is still trying to raise money for the trial.

"I'm 100% certain that we needed to start this trial a month ago. And we can have a definitive result in a month."

Ono launched camostat, known commercially in Japan as Foipan, as a treatment for chronic pancreatitis in 1985 and postoperative reflux esophagitis in 1994. The company is now supplying the drug for COVID-19 studies in Japan and overseas, according to spokesman Yukio Tani.

Itzchak Levy at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel launched a self-funded camostat trial in April. "Up to now we recruited 14 patients and look forward to further recruitment," Levy said.

Another trial being carried out at the University of Kentucky is testing whether camostat can inhibit the virus's preferred pathway into human cells, and with hydroxychloroquine  the malaria drug touted by Trump -- also block the back door, boosting the treatment's effectiveness.

Existing science behind camostat's mechanism of action and tolerance in patients "is why we were enthusiastic about its potential," said Elijah Kakani, an assistant professor at the university involved in the research. "However, at this point we need to temper our enthusiasm and be objective in our evaluation of this medication for the problem at hand."
German chancellor says improving ties with Moscow is challenging following a hacking attempt and a murder in Berlin.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she would continue efforts to improve ties with Russia despite hacking attacks, adding she took such issues very seriously.

I will strive for good relations with Russia because I think there is every reason to continue our diplomatic efforts but it doesnt make it easier, Merkel told the Bundestag  the lower house of parliament  when asked about a report about a hack.

Der Spiegel magazine reported last week that Russias GRU military intelligence service appeared to have got hold of many emails from Merkels constituency office in a 2015 hack attack on Germanys parliament. Moscow has denied previous allegations of hacking abroad.

Merkel said she had concrete proof of the outrageous spying attempts.

I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and, on the other hand, there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this, she told parliament.

Calling such cyberattacks more than uncomfortable, Merkel raised the spectre of sanctions if such rogue activity did not stop.

Germanys intelligence service has repeatedly called out attempts by Russian hackers to spy on legislators or leading politicians.

Merkel said investigators of the 2015 hacking had identified a specific suspect.

Unfortunately, the conclusion I have reached is that this is not new, she said, noting that cyber-disorientation, the distortion of facts were all part of Russias strategy.

Obviously this doesnt make it easier to foster a better relationship with Moscow, she said.

Merkel has always stressed on the importance of dialogue with Russia, even while making clear her disapproval of Moscows actions in different arenas  from annexing Ukraines Crimea, to cyber-meddling in elections and its backing of Bashar al-Assads government in Syria.

The 2015 operation that targeted the Bundestag involved an aggressive attack called Sofacy or APT 28 that had also struck NATO members and knocked French TV station TV5Monde off-air.

According to Der Spiegel, hackers managed to completely copy two of Merkels email accounts containing correspondence dating between 2012 and 2015.

German media have also named the suspect as the same person wanted by the FBI for other cyberattacks, including those targeting the Democrats during the 2016 US presidential election.

In a clear warning to Russia that their activities would not go unpunished, Merkel also pointed to last years killing of a former Chechen commander in a Berlin park.

The shock 2019 murder has badly bruised ties between Moscow and Berlin, and German prosecutors have already said they have evidence the killing was carried out on behalf of Russian or Chechen state agents.

It of course disrupts a cooperation of trust and you know that in connection with the murder  we applied sanctions, in this case, expulsions [of Russian diplomats], said Merkel.

We now have the task of finding the wanted suspect, but of course we always reserve the right to take measures  also against Russia, to be clear.
Source: Reuters

Ravindra Rao

Crude oil's roller-coaster ride has come to an unsteady halt in the last few days as market players move cautiously towards the next expiry. After the sub-zero drop before the expiration of the NYMEX May contract, market players are still discussing whether there is a possibility of a similar move when the June contract comes close to expiry on May 19. Exchanges are also preparing for such an eventuality.

As per an exchange circular, the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) has decided to open a window for auction, in case the trading price of any commodity turns negative. This auction window is for those who want to exit before settlement.

Crude oil has turned rangebound also as market players await fresh triggers that could come in the form of EIA inventory report or monthly outlook by US EIA, International Energy Agency, and OPEC.

First is US EIA's monthly outlook on Tuesday. US EIA last month lowered its forecast for US crude production for this year and next as lower price forced producers to cut output. US shale producers have been aggressive in cutting spending and drilling activity while US crude oil rig count has fallen to 2009 lows which indicates that we may see a further downward revision.

On Wednesday, the focus will be on OPEC's monthly outlook and US EIA weekly inventory report. OPECs report will reflect on the groups output in April just before the official onset of the historic 9.7 million barrels per day cut deal.

US EIA weekly inventory report will be pivotal for price direction. US crude oil stocks have risen for the last fifteen weeks and stand at the highest level since 2017. Another increase in crude stocks may push it towards all-time high levels. However, the pace of build-up in stocks has slowed down in the last few weeks while we have also seen recovery in refinery demand and production has been on a decline.

Inventory report may have an initial negative impact if US crude stocks surge to record high levels however if we see another uptick in refinery usage and another decline in production, the price may recover quickly.

On May 14, International Energy Agency will release its monthly outlook. IEA last month forecasted a sharp 9 percent decline in global crude oil demand in 2020. IEA may maintain a downbeat demand outlook however we need to see if the agency sees any positive impact from the easing of virus-related restrictions in most US states and other major countries.

Crude oil has rallied sharply in last few days however it now needs a strong trigger to maintain the momentum. This may come if we see some improvement in demand outlook or if US crude production slows down significantly.

(The author is VP- Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities.)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Blindfolded civilians with their hands tied behind their backs are beaten on a Myanmar naval vessel as they travel to Sittwe, capital of western Myanmar's Rakhine state, April 27, 2020.

Myanmars military said Tuesday that some of its troops used unlawful and improper interrogation techniques while detaining five Rakhine men suspected of having links to the rebel Arakan Army, a rare admission offered a day after a video published by RFA showed soldiers beating the men on board a naval vessel.

A statement posted around 8 a.m. on the website of the military commander-in-chiefs office said the government army will take legal action against security personnel who conducted unlawful interrogations of the civilians.

The statement also said that the five men were detained by security forces during clearance operations in Kyauk Seik village of Ponnagyun township in war-ravaged northern Rakhine state, and were believed to have connections to the AA.

Security forces assigned to guard the men interrogated them while they were being transported on a naval vessel from Ponnagyun to Rakhines capital Sittwe on April 27, it said.

Those security forces are now under military investigation for their actions and will be subject to legal action according to military laws and regulations, the statement said.

The video, which has circulated widely on social media, shows the five men blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs inside the boat while other men in plainclothes beat and kick them. Its not clear who shot or posted the video that emerged on Sunday.

The five were forced to confess to being AA fighters, some of their family members told RFA Monday on condition of anonymity after the video went viral inside Myanmar.

Their relatives and local villagers said the men in the video are ordinary civilians, not conspirators of the ethnic armed group, which was declared an illegal association and a terrorist organization by the Myanmar government in March.

'Above-the-law' military

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch, said that an investigation led by the military will not likely render justice for the five men who were beaten.

When I hear that the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] is setting up an investigation committee, I realize that theres not going to be any progress whatsoever on that case, he told RFA.

The fact that we have these people taken out of a police station by the military, and then allegedly tortured on a boat, and then sent back to the police indicates just how above the law the military is, he said.

Instead of a military probe, Robertson called for a full investigation by an independent, impartial organization, group, or commission.

Fighting between the Myanmar military and the AA has raged in northern Rakhine state and in Paletwa township of adjacent Chin state for 16 months, as the rebel force seeks greater autonomy for ethnic Rakhines in the region.

On April 13, the two sides engaged in clashes near Ponnagyuns Kyauk Seik village, with Myanmar Army soldiers later shelling the community, killing eight civilians and injuring more than a dozen others.

Six days after the shelling, soldiers detained 38 villagers for questioning over possible ties to the AA, but released 33 of them the next day. The remaining five  three from the village, one from elsewhere in Ponnagyun township, and the other from Mrauk-U township  had been sent by naval vessel to the Sittwe Myoma Police Station for interrogation.

The five men were returned to Ponnagyun Myoma Police Station on May 7.

Reported and translated by Nandar Chann for RFAs Myanmar Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
April showers bring May flowers... and swarming termites. Heavy rains mean termite season is here, and swarms have already been reported in the area.

Jim Odom, a Terminix head inspector for the Houston area, has been dealing with these home invaders since 2005. According to him, termite season is year-round, but the swarmers tend to come out in the spring after rains and warm days. Plus, Houston's location makes it prime for termite activity.

"They're more prevalent in the humid climate we have along the Gulf Coast," Odom said.

TUBING TIME: Tubing is on. What you should know as Texas rivers and lakes reopen.

The termites you're likely to see flying around in May don't look like the termites you'll find in the wood of your home.

"Typically the only termites a customer sees are what we call a reproductive alate, or swarmer," Odom said. "The rest of them are usually hidden."

According to Odom, the swarmers resemble "flying ants." And if you see these bugs inside your home, it's likely too late. The swarmers around this time of year are likely formosan termites, which are known for an especially voracious appetite.

"If you catch swarmers inside your home, there's probably a (termite colony) inside your home," Odom said.

GETTING OUTSIDE: 10 places to walk and hike in Houston

At that point, you're probably looking at several thousand dollars worth of damage. Treatment includes removing the colony and treating the wood in the home, soil, or both. According to the National Pest Management Association, termites cause $5 billion of property damage every year.

Most pest companies recommend getting your home inspected for termites every year or so. It can help prevent a colony overtaking and making a meal of your home.

"Just like any pest, termites are much easier to control if you catch them ahead of time," Odom said. "Preventative is always better than curative."

Besides spotting swarmers, here are five signs that you might have termites in your home:

Blisters in wood flooring. Dark spots or blisters in flooring can indicate termites munching on the wood below or inside.

Dark spots or blisters in flooring can indicate termites munching on the wood below or inside. Hollowed or damaged wood. Wood that looks like honeycomb or sounds hollow can be evidence of termites.

Wood that looks like honeycomb or sounds hollow can be evidence of termites. Evidence of swarms. After swarming, termites usually leave behind wings. You might also see a few dead termites.

After swarming, termites usually leave behind wings. You might also see a few dead termites. Mud tubes. Tubes in the mud about the size of a straw allow termites to travel to the food source.

Tubes in the mud about the size of a straw allow termites to travel to the food source. Damage to household items. Termites don't just feed on wood. They can also damage books, artwork, furniture and more.

If you think you might have termites, call a pest company for treatment and removal.
Rosie O'Donnell has some thoughts about The View.

During a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Beast, the TV personality said she's not currently watching the ABC daytime talk show she famously used to co-host.

"I don't watch it anymore because it upsets me, and because I think it's been dumbed-down a lot," she said. "Everyone seems to think they have their two-minute sound bite and they want to get everything in but in the old days, The View had much more of a real conversation happening live, and it doesn't feel like that's happening anymore."

RELATED: Rosie O'Donnell Opens Up About a Surprising Trump-Related Project  Helping His Former Lawyer Write a Tell-All

Heidi Gutman/Walt Disney Television Former View co-host Abby Huntsman, alongside current View panelists Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Meghan McCain and Sunny Hostin

O'Donnell, 58, joined The View in 2006, replacing Meredith Vieira as the moderator. She left the show in May 2007  one month before she had been scheduled to leave when her contract expired  after an explosive on-air confrontation with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck about the Iraq War.

She rejoined the show as a co-host in 2014, only to depart just six months later, in February 2015, to focus on her family.

RELATED: Barbara Walters Once Threatened to Quit The View If Rosie ODonnell Was Re-Signed

Speaking to the Daily Beast, O'Donnell acknowledged giving the show a more political slant during her initial run. But she added that certain topics were off-limits, including the allegations of sexual assault against Bill Cosby, whom she said "they didn't let us talk about."

"I was overtly told: 'We are not discussing it, Rosie,'" she said. "One of the hosts  one of the hosts told me that."

A rep for The View did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Now in its 23rd season, the talk show is moderated by Whoopi Goldberg. Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Meghan McCain round out the panel.

Story continues

Last year, O'Donnell opened up about her experience with The View in Ramin Setoodeh's book, Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View. O'Donnell recalled the tension she felt with Goldberg during her second stint on the show, accusing Goldberg of shutting down her ideas and dismissing her opinion on-air.

"Whoopi Goldberg was as mean as anyone has ever been on television to me, personally  while I was sitting there," O'Donnell told Setoodeh. "Worse than Fox News. The worst experience I've ever had on live television was interacting with her."

ODonnell admitted, though, that she "revered" Goldberg, 64, before working with the Ghost star.

"She's a minority, feminist, smart, funny, groundbreaking legend who is black in America," O'Donnell said. "I'm never going to not have respect for Whoopi Goldberg. But that was a painful experience, personally and professionally."

Goldberg did not comment on the remarks.
Technavio has been monitoring the music streaming market and it is poised to grow by USD 7.47 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 19% 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/20200513005047/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Music Streaming Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Comcast Corp., Deezer SA, IHEARTMEDIA, INC., Microsoft Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sirius XM Holdings Inc., Sony Corp., and Spotify Technology SA are some of the major market participants. The high growth in mobile ad spending market 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.

High growth in mobile ad spending market has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Music Streaming Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Music Streaming Market is segmented as below:

End-user Individual Users Commercial Users

Geography North America APAC Europe MEA South America

Type Free Paid



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=IRTNTR43324

Music Streaming 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 music streaming market report covers the following areas:

Music Streaming Market Size

Music Streaming Market Trends

Music Streaming Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies the rise of wearable technology as one of the prime reasons driving the music streaming market growth during the next few years.

Music Streaming Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the music streaming market, including some of the vendors such as Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Comcast Corp., Deezer SA, IHEARTMEDIA, INC., Microsoft Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sirius XM Holdings Inc., Sony Corp., and Spotify Technology SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the music streaming market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports.

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform

Music Streaming Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist music streaming market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the music streaming market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the music streaming market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of music streaming market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

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 End-user

Comparison by End-user

Individual users Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Commercial users Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End-user

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

Free Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Paid Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Type

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Alphabet Inc.

Apple Inc.

Comcast Corp.

Deezer SA

Microsoft Corp.

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

Sony Corp.

Spotify Technology 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/20200513005047/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/
[May 12, 2020] Babilon Mobile and 10T Tech Launch Babilon-Mobile eSIM Service

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia and MOSCOW, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Babilon, the largest mobile operator in Tajikistan, and 10T Tech Sdn Bhd, an eSIM Solutions company based in Hong Kong, are proud to announce the launch of Babilon's digital eSIM service using 10T Tech's eSIM Cloud Solution. This advanced mobile telecoms service allows owners to sign up to Babilon's LTE mobile plans by purchasing a Babilon QR code from multiple channels. eSIM's (embedded SIM's) are dramatically changing the nature of consumer and IoT connectivity forever, enabling devices to have out-of-the-box network connectivity without having to purchase a physical SIM card separately. Users can simply download the mobile plan of their choosing, and be connected to the mobile network in a matter of minutes. eSIM compatible devices includes the current range of Apple iPhones and iPads, and latest Samsung S20 and Huawei P40 range of devices. Commentingduring the launch, Babilon's Director Mr. Farzon Mamurov said, "We firmly believe eSIM is a gamechanger for consumer devices, allowing our existing and prospective subscribers to download a Babilon eSIM profile and have an additional mobile number for data or for other purposes, and be ready with our roaming service on arrival at their destination."



He added, "The planned Digital Sign up experience is in line with Babilon's continual efforts to be the most innovative mobile telecom provider constantly striving to offer its current and new customers the best service and most innovative features. eSIM is also the perfect solution to help with social distancing during the global pandemic. New subscribers will be able to sign up to the best LTE service in Tajikistan in a matter of minutes with very low amount of contacts." About 10T Tech

Founded in 2017, 10T Tech offers the world's first Zero Entry Fee solution for Consumer eSIM and is aimed at Global Challenger and MVNO carriers. 10T recently launched the worlds first Apple and Android Compatible Device Entitlement Solution specifically aimed at Global Challenger Carriers. About Babilon: Founded in 2002, Babilon-Mobile is a leading mobile communications services provider in Tajikistan. Implementing up to date technologies, the professional team strives to provide the customers the highest quality of the widest range of services. To inquire about this news item, contact [email protected] To find out more about Babilon, visit www.Babilon-m.com SOURCE 10T Tech Sdn Bhd

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium, 13 May 2020 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the worlds leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announces its business update for the first quarter ending 31 March 2020.



Business operations in the first quarter remained solid with some inevitable delays in the installation of projects starting to emerge as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of the ongoing crisis, all of IBAs operating proton therapy centers continue to treat patients with the Services business remaining at normal levels. Other Accelerators also had a solid start to the year with three new sales to date. Dosimetry continued to perform strongly in the first quarter, although some disruption from COVID-19 is expected to impact the business going forward, mirroring the impact seen in the radiotherapy market.

IBAs backlog remains very high at EUR 1.1 billion and new tenders continue to progress internationally with active discussions ongoing, albeit with some inevitable delays. IBA remains committed to executing new leads to drive order intake across all business lines.

The Company entered 2020 with a strong balance sheet and excellent cash position that has been maintained over the first quarter. This financial position is expected to remain comfortable in the medium term with a number of safeguarding measures implemented to conserve cash. As has been previously communicated, the Group is applying systemic cost control measures, whilst maintaining targeted R&D investment, in order to drive sustainable profitable growth. These ongoing measures provide IBA with significant flexibility to weather the uncertainty associated with the pandemic.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, IBA continues to proactively take steps to protect its employees and other stakeholders, while minimizing disruption to its business activities. The Company has implemented various measures in line with international recommendations to ensure that workspaces are safe, and this has meant that there has been no material disruption to production. The IT infrastructure of the business is such that employees have been able to work from home where feasibly possible, and this has not interfered with normal business operations.

Story continues

As was communicated at the time of the FY19 results, IBA is not currently able to reliably guide on FY20 financial performance due to the ongoing uncertainty but will update the market on this situation as soon as possible.

Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA commented: In these uncertain times our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our staff, our partners and their patients. By instating important safety measures, we have been able to mitigate the disruption to our business. We have taken comfort from the fact that all of our proton therapy centers continue to treat patients, delivering vital cancer care to patients globally. Our Services business has remained strong and order intake in the Other Accelerators business has been very encouraging in the year to date. Although we have and will continue to experience some inevitable delays in parts of our business due to COVID-19, our robust cash position and ability to be very targeted and prudent with our cash, combined with the continued execution of our backlog and the pipeline of new opportunities, places IBA in a position to continue to manage the impact of the global pandemic.

Shareholder's Agenda

First Half 2020 Results Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Third Quarter 2020 Business Update Thursday, November 19, 2020

Directors' Declarations

About IBA

IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is a global medical technology company focused on bringing integrated and innovative solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company is the worldwide technology leader in the field of proton therapy, considered to be the most advanced form of radiation therapy available today. IBAs proton therapy solutions are flexible and adaptable, allowing customers to choose from universal full-scale proton therapy centers as well as compact, single room solutions. In addition, IBA also has a radiation dosimetry business and develops particle accelerators for the medical world and industry. Headquartered in Belgium and employing about 1,500 people worldwide, IBA has installed systems across the world.

IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange NYSE EURONEXT (IBA:Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB).

More information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com

For further information, please contact:

IBA

Soumya Chandramouli

Chief Financial Officer

+32 10 475 890

Investorrelations@iba-group.com

Thomas Ralet

Head of Corporate Communication

+32 10 475 890

communication@iba-group.com

For media and investor enquiries:

Consilium Strategic Communications

Amber Fennell, Angela Gray, Lucy Featherstone, Lizzie Seeley

+44 (0) 20 3709 5700

IBA@consilium-comms.com

Attachment
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Rotten carrots, bread and potatoes, were among the items family friends of Filippa Grisafi of Great Kills found in their recent free meals delivered to them by the city this week.

The food delivery was sent to three of Grisafis family friends between the ages of 71 to 86-years-old as part of the citys $170 million initiative to ensure no New Yorker goes hungry during the coronavirus pandemic.

Grisafi said the three women did not want to speak to the press, but that she was outraged about the recent delivery on their behalf.

These are three elderly single women, one is just recently widowed, she just recently lost her husband a few weeks ago and its just horrible that they wait so long to get food and then when they finally get food this isnt even food, this is what they're sent, said Grisafi.

The city needs to be taking care of their elderly properly, this is not food  youre supposed to live on a bag of rice beans and a bag of pasta for two weeks? she continued.

The Department of Sanitation, which is overseeing the delivery program on behalf of its Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, the coronavirus food czar, said it will investigate what happened with their delivery and will send new meals to the women right away.

By Wednesday morning, DSNY said the three seniors received a delivery of new emergency food.

The city could not say which vendor had sent the spoiled food to the women, but that vendors that do not follow guidelines could be let go.

The city said that it has already fired more than one vendor for providing inadequate food.

We are making emergency re-deliveries to all of these households tomorrow morning. We have very strict guidelines on food quality, and if a vendor is not following them, they will not remain a vendor. Anyone who has an issue can let us know at nyc.gov/getfoodhelp and we will resolve it so that no New Yorker goes hungry during this crisis, said DSNY spokesman Joshua Goodman.

Goodman said the citys Emergency Food Home Delivery has delivered more than 250,000 meals to Staten Islander alone since this coronavirus crisis began.

The city said there are currently 29 private vendors it works with to deliver food. Each delivery is loaded by staff from the National Guard and a number of city agencies and driven to people in need across the city by Taxi and Limousine Commission-licensed drivers at 10 distribution sites.

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said that after seeing the rotten food Grisafis friends received, she wrote to the city to ask them to arrange food to be delivered to them from the Islands JCC and Project Hospitality instead.

Its disgusting that food packages containing spoiled products including rotting vegetables and moldy bread are being delivered to our seniors, Malliotakis said. This is unacceptable and City Hall needs to take immediate action to remedy the situation.

On Staten Island, the city said it has been working closely with Island food pantries and has delivered 500 boxes of groceries a day to Island food pantries.

The city said Project Hospitality receives 250 boxes of groceries a day from Fresh Direct which the city pays for, in addition to eight pallets of food a week. The city also said on top of these grocery boxes Project Hospitality is set to receive part of a $25 million grant the City Council set aside for food pantries.

People in need of food during the pandemic can get a free meal by calling 311 or by signing up online nyc.gov/getfood.

Free meals can also be found at about 50 grab and go meal sites around the Island.

UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect that the three seniors cited in this article received a new shipment of food from Wednesday morning.

FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***
The site of the proposed Glenmona development in west Belfast. It will include 550 social housing properties and 106 affordable housing properties

One of the largest ever residential planning applications in Belfast has been submitted for approval.

The 95m proposal to build 656 homes on the 75-acre Glenmona site beside the Glen Road in the west of the city was submitted yesterday by the Braidwater Group.

The application promises a mixed urban village offering panoramic views over the city, with 550 of the propeties to be social housing and 106 to be affordable housing.

There is also provision for two care homes, a hotel, office and business space, as well as children's play areas.

The application is supported by public transport links and a pledge to plant 10,000 native trees to create a scenic corridor leading to an amenity and retail hub.

Sinn Fein councillor Arder Carson, chair of Belfast City Council's planning committee, said: "We're delighted to see an application of this scale coming forward, and especially one which sets out a significant social and affordable housing offer, which is so needed in the city.

"Our Belfast Agenda sets out to improve quality of life for our residents, so this type of application is very welcome indeed.

"We've made changes to our processes - for example, changing from paper-based applications to applications by email in response to the Covid-19 lockdown - and I'm delighted to say that our planning team is continuing to provide an excellent, professional and rigorous service, helping to keep the economy moving forward."

It's reported that Apex Housing Association is to manage the completed social rented homes, with the affordable homes to be offered to first-time buyers or those who do not currently own a home.

The Braidwater Group has been operating for more than 40 years, and currently has eight developments with nearly 1,000 homes in construction across Northern Ireland.

Finbarr Grogan, planning and technical director, told Business Eye it was "an exciting step forward" after a year of planning.

"There is high demand for social and affordable housing in this area and we have had a positive engagement process with all key stakeholders, which we believe will result in a scheme that will work for the whole community in west Belfast," he said.

"At this time it is crucial to try and keep the economy moving forward and we recognise the vast effort of our professional team in finalising a complex planning application remotely during the coronavirus lockdown.

"We are also very pleased and grateful that Belfast City Council and its planning team is able to begin to process this application, among the many other priorities and challenges it is facing at the moment. We are delighted the council was able to adapt normal working procedures and practices to remotely accept and validate such a major application so quickly in the current environment. Our plan is to go straight to build if approval is granted and this quick turnaround will be of particular importance for our local construction sector, which has faced a very difficult few months.

"We have listened to what the community wants from this scheme.

"There will be a healthy variety of dwelling types and character areas.

"A new bus service to the site will enhance local linkages along with cycle lanes and trails.

"The 'Buy Social' programme at Glenmona will ensure that job opportunities will be offered to apprentices, long-term unemployed, education leavers and professional trainees.

"We have also focused on sustainability, biodiversity and environmental factors, with plans to retain existing and plant over 10,000 new native species trees, adding to the wooded character that will last into the future."

A decision on the application is likely to be taken by the planning committee at Belfast City Council later this year.

For further information about the Glenmona planning application, go to belfastcity.gov.uk/council and belfastcity.gov.uk/planning.
Little Traverse Bay Humane Society hires training and behavior specialist

Sarah Schertel will serve the training needs of Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, in addition to offering classes to the public.
Australia's domestic intelligence agency will have the power to forcibly question foreign spies and 14-year-olds under new laws introduced to Parliament.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation will also be able to place tracking devices on cars or in people's bags with only internal approval, rather than a warrant, as part of a major overhaul of the agency's powers.

Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton has introduced new laws to Parliament overhauling ASIO's questioning powers. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

As first revealed by The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald in March this year, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and his department have been working on a plan to remove ASIO's controversial power to detain people for up to a week and beef up its compulsory question powers to catch agents of foreign influence.

Laws that came into effect in 2003 gave ASIO powers to obtain warrants to question a person under compulsion for up to 24 hours in relation to a potential terrorism offence, or to detain and question them for up to seven days.
Project to preserve Black churches gets $20M donation; Mayfield church first to receive funds
More than 170 years ago, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma didn't have much.

The tribe suffered devastation starting in 1831, when it became the first of five Native American tribes to be forcibly removed from its homeland in the Southeastern United States in the deadly Trail of Tears to areas known as "Indian Territory." Disease, starvation and severe winter weather took the lives of at least 4,000 Choctaws and thousands of other Native Americans in what some historians have called the "Indian Holocaust."

Sixteen years after they arrived in what is now Oklahoma, the Choctaws tried to rebuild their lives. At a tribal meeting, they heard of families struggling to survive Ireland's infamous Potato Famine. They took up a collection, pooled together $170 and sent it a group collecting money in New York.

Fast-forward to the worst pandemic in modern times: The Irish are repaying the generosity they received two centuries earlier from Native Americans.

About 22,000 donors from Ireland have given roughly $720,000 in an online fundraiser operated by Native American volunteers to buy food and supplies for families on the Hopi and Navajo reservations in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. On the Navajo Nation, the pandemic has struck the reservation, with more than 3,200 infections and 102 deaths as of Monday.

Money donated by the Irish is part of $3.5 million that's been raised to help about 3,500 Hopi and Navajo households. The boxes of food go to those who are raising grandkids, have underlying health conditions or those who are positive for the coronavirus or might be positive.

For many of the Irish, it's about giving back after the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma helped their ancestors in the spring of 1847.

The Potato Famine was unfolding in Ireland. People were starving. The Choctaws heard of the plight at a tribal meeting in Skullyville, Oklahoma, where a letter was read through an interpreter from the Irish Relief Committee of Memphis, a group collecting donations that was part of a larger New York-based outfit.

The letter "adverted to the condition of Ireland," according to an April 3, 1847, article in the Arkansas Intelligencer newspaper. It spoke of "'Old Erin,' as men of Irish feeling and Irish blood alone can speak," but " . . . it was not words she wanted but substantial food."

A list of Choctaws willing to donate was started, according to the article, and "in a short time $170 were subscribed and paid." The donations, Choctaw historians said, were given anonymously. Their donation arrived at Society of Friends in Dublin, which worked to get food, seeds and blankets to those in need.

The Arkansas Intelligencer article said the Choctaws "knew nothing more, cared for nothing more, than the fact, that across the Big Water, there were thousands of human beings starving to death." It went on to say, "Is not this a sublime spectacle? The Red man of the 'New,' bestowing aims upon the people of the Old world!"

A May 1, 1847, article in the Niles Register news magazine told of the Choctaws' donation in a story headlined, "Famine in Europe." One line read, "the 'poor Indian' sending his mite to the poor Irish!"

Later that month, a letter from New York politician Myndert van Schaick to the Society of Friends told of $144,000 collected for the "famishing and dying people" of Ireland. Van Schaick also served as chairman of the Irish Relief Committee of New York.

He wrote that $170 had come from "our red brethren of the Choctaw nation. Even those distant men have felt the force of Christian sympathy and benevolence, and have given their cheerful aid in this good cause, though they are separated from you by miles of land and an ocean's breadth."

Judy Allen, a historic projects officer for the Choctaw Nation, said her ancestors showed "great empathy and compassion." The plight of the Irish had them "immediately reaching deep into their pockets for what little they had," she said.

The $170 donation was "a great amount of money," Allen said, about $5,300 in today's dollars.

Waylon Gary White Deer, a Choctaw author and artist, said the Irish story of suffering likely resonated with his tribe. He said the Choctaws heard "about a people who lived far away but were enduring the same kind of hardships and deaths they had just endured in the Trail of Tears."

The Choctaws and the Irish have memorialized the story of generosity. In 2017, the Choctaws' chief went to County Cork, Ireland, for the dedication of a sculpture to honor the donation the Choctaws gave. Called "Kindred Spirits," it stands 20 feet tall and has stainless steel eagle feathers in a circle to represent a bowl of food.

Some of the Irish who donated to the covid relief fund recalled the elements of shared history between the two groups.

Donor Sean Browne wrote on the fundraising group's GoFundMe page, "I am a grateful Irishman. Thank you to the Choctaw nation for their humanity in Ireland's darkest days." Another donor, Patrick Caffrey, wrote, "From Ireland . . . a kindness returned with remembrance, gratitude and solidarity."

Choctaw Chief Gary Batton said he is pleased to see Native Americans being helped. He said the Choctaws don't need help from the fundraiser, as the tribe has been able to help members from its own endowments.

"It's heartwarming the Irish are remembering what our tribal ancestors did and they're showing the Choctaw spirit of love and grace in reaching out to help our Hopi and Navajo brothers and sisters," Batton said.

Ethel Branch, who started the fundraiser, said she was surprised at the outpouring of support.

"One hundred seventy years later for this issue to resonate with the Irish is a testament to their kind heartedness and generosity," she said. "Native American issues often go disregarded or are ignored. For this to register with anyone and for it to register overseas, this is amazing."

Branch, a former Navajo Nation attorney general, started the fundraiser after becoming worried while shopping for her mother - who lives without running water or electricity on the Navajo reservation - that the pandemic could spur a food shortage and people would risk exposure driving long distances searching for food.

As donations poured in, organizers bought tractor-trailer loads of meat, milk, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, dry goods, and cleaning and personal hygiene items.

The group oversees complex logistics of operating under stay-at-home orders and curfews to get goods delivered to remote sites on the Hopi and Navajo reservations. Teams of community leaders and volunteers unload, sanitize and repackage the food before families pick up enough items to last two weeks.

Native American communities are particularly vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus, as many live in poverty or in homes crowded with several generations, including the elderly. There also are high rates of asthma, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

On the Hopi reservation in northeast Arizona, where at least 7,000 tribal members live, $25,000 worth of food from the fundraiser recently fed its hardest-hit residents.

"It is extremely crucial," said Monica Nuvamsa, who runs the Hopi Foundation.

The donations, especially from the Irish, is a moment many Native Americans are hoping will be paid forward.

"We have a tradition among Choctaw people that when you feed someone you're extending human life," said White Deer. "That's one of the best things you can do for someone."
Apple is trying to pivot Apple News+ to audio. The company has requested permission from a number of publishers on its platform to produce audio versions of their stories. The Cupertino company itself will bear the production costs. It also intends to compensate publishers for their audio content in the same way as it does for their text content on the platform.

This means publishers will be paid 50% of the subscriber revenue depending on the amount of time people spend on listening to their content. A number of major publishers have pivoted to audio and started offering an audio form of their articles so Apples move is not entirely new here.

Many publishers, however, are skeptical of Apples plans as they dont believe the Apple News+ audience will be interested in an audio version of their stories. Others are worried that if Apple starts pushing on audio content, it could change the metric of how publishers are getting paid because it takes longer to listen to a story than to read it. Theres also the issue that most of the articles on the platform submitted by publishers are written by freelance writers and their contracts do no allow third parties to reuse their stories without consent or additional compensation.

Publishers so far have not been happy with the revenue that they have managed to generate from Apple News+ so far.

The source who envisioned an arms race described monetization on Apple News+ as horrendous. A source at a second publisher said that revenue from Apple News+ had not changed since the product launched last March, and said the only reason they remain involved is to protect against any dent to their print circulation numbers.

Our Take

The demand for audio content has grown considerably over the last few years. Demand for podcasts has also grown which has led Spotify, Google, and Apple to launch products to cater to audiences. While audio version of Apple News+ content sounds good on paper, it is likely going to attract a limited number of audience. Then, theres also the issue of Apple News+ being available on only a handful of countries. The service was announced back in March 2019 but so far, the paid subscription service has only been available in a few countries thereby greatly limiting its reach. Apple needs to bring Apple News+ to more countries as it will increase the userbase of the service and in turn help publishers generate more revenue.

Do you subscribe to Apple News+? If so, do you think audio versions of written stories will be a useful addition to the platform?

[Via DigiDay
PITTSBURGH, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Steelworkers (USW) union today announced that it filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on dumped and subsidized passenger vehicle and light truck (PVLT) tires with the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission.

The petitions allege dumping margins as high as 195 percent for Korea, 147 percent for Taiwan, 217 percent for Thailand, and 33 percent for Vietnam. The petitions also detail numerous government subsidies benefitting Vietnamese tire producers, including loans, tax breaks, and grants.

PVLT tire imports from these four countries shot up nearly 20 percent from 2017 to 2019, reaching 85.3 million tires, valued at $4.4 billion dollars, last year.

"This deluge of unfairly traded imports hurt our domestic industry and workers, including many USW members," said USW International President Tom Conway. "Even though demand for PVLT tires increased, domestic producers were still forced to grapple with reduced market share, falling profits and lost jobs."

The USW obtained AD and CVD orders on PVLT tires from China in 2015, and Chinese imports have since shrunk dramatically, allowing the domestic industry to invest in new capacity in the United States.

Yet importers soon sought out new sources of unfairly traded goods. Chinese producers, desperate for continued access to the attractive U.S. market, also invested in facilities in Korea and Thailand in order to export PVLT tires without paying AD or CVD duties.

"Slowing Chinese imports was vitally important to saving the domestic tire industry," said Kevin Johnsen, who chairs the USW's Rubber and Plastics Industry Conference. "But Chinese producers found a way around our safeguards, and other bad actors are eager to take advantage of U.S. demand."

The USW's petition is also the first petition to contain a currency undervaluation subsidy under new rules the Department of Commerce issued earlier this year. It alleges that the Vietnamese government's systematic undervaluation of the Vietnamese dong in relation to the U.S. dollar constitutes a countervailable subsidy.

"The USW has long sounded the alarm on the dangers of currency manipulation and its impact on trade," said Conway. "Now, under the Commerce Department's new rules, we must address it for what it is: an illegal subsidy."

The Covid-19 crisis is putting even more pressure on domestic producers, increasing the stakes of addressing unfair trade, Conway said.

"The only thing domestic producers should be worrying about right now is how to restart their operations safely," said Conway. "Yet even as they face falling demand in the wake of this deadly disease, they're still struggling with unfairly traded imports that have continued largely unabated. Our only chance to preserve thousands of good, family-sustaining jobs is to stem this tide."

The USW is the largest North American union in tire manufacturing, representing workers at the following U.S. PVLT tire plants: Cooper Tire's plants in Findlay, Ohio and Texarkana, Ark.; Goodyear's plants in Fayetteville, N.C., Gadsden, Ala., and Topeka, Kan.; Michelin's plants in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Sumitomo's plant in Tonawanda, N.Y.; and Yokohama's plant in Salem, Va.

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, [email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Related Links

http://www.usw.org


The party is temporarily over at a downtown Charleston bar which this weekend was so densely packed that an Instagram photo of the scene prompted some City Council members to question whether restaurant owners should be entrusted with public safety.

Trio owner Eric Gussin said the nightclub will not reopen until we can do so safely.

We knew it was an issue Friday, said Gussin, who confirmed he saw the screenshot pictures which ultimately reached city officials. We clearly made a mistake, so were going to pull the plug.

In the image which circulated by text through the local food-and-beverage community, approximately a dozen cheering patrons are visible on the patio; one is drinking from a Champagne flute. Several appear to be standing inches apart. Another image in the same Instagram Stories series shows a smiling woman near a tight cluster of guests, hoisting a beer can and a light stick.

You wonder what people were thinking, City Councilman Harry Griffin said at Tuesdays council meeting, reflecting on the photograph. Did they have a moment when they said, This is wrong?'

Gussin declined to comment further on the circumstance of Trios reopening. The Instagram user who posted the photographs did not immediately return a phone call or Instagram message seeking comment.

Nicole Gordon, who identifies as a "close friend" of Gussin, said she didnt witness any social distancing infractions when she and her husband stopped by the bar on Friday evening. According to Gordon, the drinks line was spaced out and hand sanitizer was available.

We felt comfortable, Gordon confirmed, although she allowed that comfort is sometimes relative. There are days I go with respirator mask to Harris Teeter and then there are days when youre out in the sun, out in the fresh air and it feels normal. Maybe its a false sense of security.

At 9:30 p.m., the Gordons left Trio to relieve the babysitter watching their three young children.

As we were leaving, there started to get lines toward the bar where people were closer than they should have been, she said.

Although Trio has operated on Calhoun Street since the 1990s, Gussin just recently took over ownership. It celebrated its grand reopening in March 2019, following a $1 million renovation.

Charleston City Paper reported the money bought new lighting and sound systems, as well as a lounge and patio. It also facilitated the hiring of nationally known DJs and the launch of nugget service, featuring chicken instead of Champagne.

City Council on Monday will again take up the issue of whether Charleston bars and restaurants will be allowed to self-police compliance with recommended social distancing measures.
Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times.

Covid-19: 359 new cases, 20 deaths in Delhi; number reaches almost 8,000

National capital Delhi is two short of 8,000 Covid-19 positive cases. The states health minister Satyendar Jain said that Delhi received 359 new cases till midnight on Tuesday. Read more

Nitish Kumar directs ramping Covid-19 testing as migrants inflow increases in Bihar

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday evening directed the top brass of the state administration to increase testing in view of the growing number of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19 ) cases and a steady inflow of migrants. Read more

Maharashtra: Confirmed Covid-19 cases set to cross 25,000; Mumbai to breach 15,000 mark

Maharashtra and Mumbai are likely to breach the 25,000 and 15,000 marks for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases, respectively, on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the state recorded 1,026 new Covid-19 positive cases, as the overall tally rose to 24,427. Read more

Three more cured patients donate plasma at KGMU

Three more cured patients of corona virus donated plasma for treatment of other patients at the King Georges Medical University. The plasma therapy aims to treat Covid-19 patients by using immunity developed by treated patients. Read more

Mike Pompeo in Israel for West Bank annexation talks amid Covid-19 lockdown

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Israel on Wednesday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his new governing partner for talks that were expected to address Israels plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Read more

Illegal review: Neha Sharma, Kubbra Sait deliver their best performances in new-age legal drama

If you have only known Indian courts through the cameras lens, then you are familiar with the blindfolded Lady Justice with scales in her hand and the tried-and-tested Gita pe haath rakh kar shapath le. Read more

Social distancing comes with a psychological fallout; adversely affects mental health

The coronavirus outbreak has led authorities around the world to take stringent measures proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), such as social distancing. Read more

Snake found in ATM, netizens are wondering if it just came for a hiss-ab. Watch

Snakes popping out from some totally unsuspecting places are nothing new to the Internet. Adding to that collection, a snake slithering inside an ATM is something that is here to give you fresh nightmares. Read more

Watch: Indias factory output shrank by 16.7% in Mar and Wuhan to test entire population
Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty

Days after the Justice Department controversially dropped charges against Mike Flynn, Senate GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is set to expand a highly politicized Justice Departments surveillance authority during a vote this week to renew the 2001 PATRIOT Act.

Under cover of redressing what President Donald Trump and his allies call the FBIs witch hunt over collusion with the Kremlin, McConnell, via an amendment to the PATRIOT Act, will expressly permit the FBI to warrantlessly collect records on Americans web browsing and search histories. In a different amendment, McConnell also proposes giving the attorney general visibility into the accuracy and completeness of FBI surveillance submissions to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court. Versions of the amendments circulating Monday were shared with The Daily Beast.

Taken together, privacy advocates consider McConnells moves an alarming expansion of Attorney General Bill Barrs powers under FISA, a four-decade-old process that already places the attorney general at the center of national-security surveillance. It also doesnt escape their notice that McConnell is increasing Barrs oversight of surveillance on political candidates while expanding surveillance authorities on every other American. One privacy activist called McConnells efforts two of the most cynical attempts to undermine surveillance reform I've ever seen.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said that Barr, who has been deeply involved in investigations of interest to Trump, could authorize an investigation into a political rival, which could then unlock the internet-spying powers McConnell wants to grant the FBI.

Under the McConnell amendment, Barr gets to look through the web browsing history of any Americanincluding journalists, politicians, and political rivalswithout a warrant, just by saying it is relevant to an investigation, said Wyden, who has been trying to ban warrantless surveillance on such records.

Story continues

Dems Working With Trumpsters to Re-Up the Patriot Act

A vote to restore expired provisions of the Patriot Act, the vehicle for McConnells amendments, could come as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday.

Barr has come under withering criticism from ex-Justice Department officials for corrupting his office on Trumps behalf, starting with Robert Mueller last year. On Sunday, Mary McCord, a former senior department national-security official, accused Barr ally Timothy Shea of misrepresenting her position on the Flynn investigation in his brief for dropping the charges. A day later, former Roger Stone prosecutor Jonathan Kravis, a public-corruption expert, wrote that Barr had betray[ed] the rule of law by directly intervenin[ing] to benefit the presidents associates.

McConnells amendment blocks the FBI from seeking the content of web browsing and searching conducted by Americans. But it explicitly permits the warrantless collection of Internet website browsing records or internet search history records. Barr and other attorneys general approve guidelines for conducting such surveillance.

Wyden and GOP colleague Steve Daines of Montana have been pushing to restrict warrantless web-browsing data collection by the intelligence agencies. Wyden considers McConnells amendment egregious.

The reference to content in the McConnell amendment is meaningless, since its application to web browsing has never been settled in the courts, Wyden told The Daily Beast. Thats just an invitation to Barr to engage in more secret interpretations of the law, which have led to abuses again and again. Thats a reference to how the NSA and Justice Department, from 2006 until 2015, shoehorned the bulk collection of Americans phone records into part of the Patriot Act.

Its not the limit of McConnells changes to FISA through the Patriot Act vote.

McConnell would mandate that Barr perform an annual review of the FBIs FISA submissions for accuracy or completeness, speaking to the now-documented withholdings FBI officials made for re-upping surveillance on Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Barr and his successors would present the congressional committees on judiciary and intelligence with a report on his findings each April.

Additional oversight of the FBI has merit to it, considering that Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz recently found widespread flaws in the FBIs FISA applications, far beyond those relevant to Trump or his allies.

But theres a competing proposal, from the civil libertarian Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), that puts oversight and review of those FBI surveillance applications in the hands of the comparatively neutral FISA Court and its amicus, an attorney who challenges the governments surveillance submissions. They, rather than the attorney general, would get to review exculpatory evidence on a proposed surveillance target.

McConnell would also block expansion of the amicus authority. Lee and Leahy propose to involve the adversarial attorney in proposed surveillance on a domestic religious or political organization; a domestic public official or political candidate or their staff; or the news media. McConnell instead authorizes an amicus before the court only in cases that targe[t] a campaign for Federal office or an application that targets a United States person when the application relies for its criminal predicate on only the provisions of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

Neema Singh Giuliani of the ACLU said it was bizarre to create an amicus to participate when targeting political candidates, but were not going to provide that same oversight in cases involving religious organizations, domestic news media or everyday individuals who are facing new or significant civil rights concerns. Its hard to look at that amendment and conclude its intended to really address not just problems exposed by the Carter Page report but the subsequent IG audit.

McConnell is literally trying to take a privacy safeguard designed for the press and religious groups and instead give it only to politicians and people suspected of being foreign agents. He's also trying to sneak warrantless surveillance of internet and search histories into an amendment that claims to prohibit it, added Sean Vitka, the senior policy council with activist group Demand Progress. These are two of the most cynical attempts to undermine surveillance reform I've ever seen, and they threaten to make a Patriot Act reauthorization even worse, after a process that has so far successfully prevented any member of Congress from fixing the underlying bill.

Section 215 of the 2001 Patriot Act mandates records providers turn over tangible things relevant to an ongoing investigationwhich McConnells amendment would extend to web-browsing and search-history records. It and other provisions of the Patriot Act expired last month after McConnell couldnt reach an agreement to pass a House-approved Patriot reauthorization that many privacy advocates hated.

Giuliani said McConnells amendment can be read that some type of collection [on internet records] is appropriate, and leaves it up to leadership at the Justice Department. But the goal is not to leave this up to a DOJ determination, regardless of what administration youre in, but giving the sense that search and browsing history is something you can't collect under 215.

McConnells Senate office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did a Justice Department representative.

On Monday, a coalition of left and right civil-rights groups, including the NAACP and FreedomWorks, circulated a letter to lawmakers urging restraints on surveillance in line with what Lee, Leahy, and Wyden are proposing. The groups agreed that Horowitzs report laid bare systemic deficiencies within the FBIs surveillance practices.

The McConnell amendment hands vast surveillance powers to Attorney General Barr at a moment when he is accelerating the corruption of the Department of Justice to serve Donald Trumps political whims, said Wyden.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The Tollway has been using all-electronic tolling since mid-March, eliminating the need to exchange cash. Those who do not have an I-Pass transponder have to pay online, and the Tollway has seen an increase in online payments.
The Osun State Government has announced three new cases of coronavirus.

This was disclosed to journalists in a statement signed by Rafiu Isamotu, its commissioner for health.

Mr Isamotu in his Wednesday statement said those who tested positive for the deadly virus had contacts with previously infected patients.

Samples of the new cases were taken during the contact tracing we embarked upon and sent for confirmation test at the NCDC accredited testing centre in Ede. The results of their samples came back positive this afternoon.

He disclosed that the new cases makes the total number of active cases in Osun, seven.

The detection of the three cases brings to seven the number of active COVID-19 cases we have in Osun, as at (of) 13 May, 2020. The three new cases have been admitted at our Isolation and treatment centre, he said.

To curb the spread of the disease, the Osun government imposed a daily curfew from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. It also set up a 21-member committee to cushion the effect of the deadly virus on residents.

Mr Oyetolas government deployed Amotekun operatives to join in the enforcement of the curfew and inter state boundary closure order.

Nigeria currently has over 4700 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in all its states apart from Cross River and Kogi. It has recorded 158 deaths and close to a 1000 recoveries.
A Florida man traveling to and from Boston to visit his father on his deathbed was shocked when he discovered a packed flight on his return trip home.

Jimmy Solari, of St. Johns County, first took to Facebook on Friday to share his disgust with how nonchalant people seemed to be at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, where he was catching a connecting flight.

'Apparently Chicago O'Hare doesn't give a s**t about social distancing,' he said, sharing a photo of people comfortably seated at a bar. Only a woman in passing appears to be in a mask.

He added: 'Get me out of here! #fail #coronavirus #newsworthy.'

Scroll down for video

Jimmy Solari was disgusted with how nonchalant people seemed to be at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and the American Airlines flight

The father was disturbed by how many people weren't practicing proper social distancing measures

Solari then posted photos of a packed flight he was on, that was headed to Jacksonville.

'Full flight,' he shared. 'Business as usual for American Airlines. Does the FAA and CDC know about this s**t?? Coming from MA which is on a semi-lockdown to this is unnerving.'

The father was disturbed by how many people weren't practicing proper social distancing measures.

'Some of the passengers were wearing masks, some were not,' Solari explained to WJAX.

'It appears the seats were two by two and all the way back it looks like a full flight,' he stated

He later added: 'The bartender was leaning on the bar with no mask on. There were people standing arm in arm without masks on.'

On the plane, Solari was just as worried as he was in the terminal.

'It appears the seats were two by two and all the way back it looks like a full flight,' he stated.

Solari got tested for the coronavirus, after the flight. He took both the antibody test and the traditional test, with the antibody one coming back negative.

Solari got tested for the coronavirus, after the flight. He took both the antibody test and the traditional test, with the antibody one coming back negative

As of Monday, as passengers on American Airlines flights are required to wear masks. The only exception is when food or drinks are being consumed.

The airline is also 'restricting access to some seats, when possible, to give you more space.' It also said, 'when time and flight loads permit, gate agents may move your seat as needed to help create a more comfortable environment.'

In a statement, American Airlines said that it was limiting the number of passengers on flights through May 31.

'As part of this limit, American will not assign 50% of main cabin middle seats or seats near flight attendant jump seats on every flight, and will only use those middle seats when necessary,' the airline added in the statement.

'Gate agents will also continue to reassign seats to create more space between customers or to accommodate families who need to be seated together. Once on board  as long as there aren't any aircraft weight or balance restrictions  customers can move to another seat within their ticketed cabin subject to availability.

'On flights that don't have middle seats (which was this flight  a regional E-175 aircraft from ORD to JAX), we are blocking seats strategically throughout the cabin.

'If a customer is booked, and does not want to fly: We are waiving change fees for all customers who have travel booked through Sept. 30, 2020. This enables customers to rebook immediately  or in the future  and retain the full amount of the ticket they paid without incurring any change fees. Customers need to complete travel by December 31, 2021, and have the ability to change their origin and destination as well.'

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

While major US airlines have individually mandated facial coverings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declined to implement the requirement, and it is not clear if the agency has the authority to compel passengers to wear face masks.

In a statement on Tuesday, the FAA said it would continue to engage in discussions about protecting the health and safety of flight crews and the traveling public and was 'lending aviation expertise to federal public health agencies and airlines as they issue guidance for crew members, including health monitoring, screening protocols and aircraft cleaning'.

Several airline union groups have called for a federal mandate on measures including masks, social distancing and cleaning.

'Airlines are implementing policies on the fly with essentially no coordination or direction from the federal government,' said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 19 airlines.

'We need federal requirements that mitigate risk during this pandemic and put the safety of crews and the traveling public first.'

Last month, 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.

American also introduced enhanced cleaning procedures on and off board, extending the efforts to ticket counters and waiting areas.
Euro zone lenders could take a sizeable hit from the coronavirus outbreak as an economic slowdown puts strain on borrowers, European officials have told the bloc's governments in a recent report.

The memos and analysis give one of the first comprehensive, pan-European assessments of lenders in the region, as countries including Germany and Italy consider what could be done to help banks in difficulty.

European banks, at the center of the economic crash a decade ago, have since struggled to rebound and now face an economic dip that could hobble them as well as, in turn, government efforts to kick-start lending.

In the frank assessment circulated in April, officials at the European Commission conclude there is "a risk to the financial stability of the euro area." "Averting severe and lasting damage ... may require additional and substantial efforts," they wrote.

In the document, they highlight the impact on banks of unpaid loans and higher financing costs amid market ructions and credit-rating downgrades, concluding that although now stronger than in the past, banks remained vulnerable.

In a letter sent to the European Commission in response to its assessment on April 24, the European Central Bank said all big banks in the currency bloc were solvent but included a list showing that some countries were better cushioned than others.

That data showed that Spain's banks had the slimmest capital reserves in the currency bloc to weather any economic slump, worse even than Italy. The Netherlands and Belgium were far stronger, at the top of the table.

Earlier this month, Bank of Spain governor Pablo Hernandez de Cos said the virus lockdown was having a "very harsh impact" on the economy and creating risks for banks.

The bleak assessment lays bare the vulnerability of the sector to unpaid loans or investment losses due to the virus, as some governments consider how to reinforce banks.

"Ultimately, the corona shock will affect banks as well. The banks have a much higher resilience now than in the past but that will not stop them being impacted," said Lars Feld, the chairman of the German government's council of economic experts.

The council, which advises the chancellery, finance ministry and economy ministry on policy, warned the government in an 101-page report in late March that an economic slump could spill over to banks.

In a recent proposal by France about a recovery fund to bolster the region's economy, officials also propose it could be used to co-finance a "TARP-like program to buy-back risky assets from affected banks" in countries.

Under the U.S. government's Troubled Asset Relief Program during the financial crisis of 2008 (TARP), the American government injected nearly $250 billion into its banks, a move many say helped them rebound to overtake European peers.

Some German officials have considered the idea of a forced recapitalisation, sources have told Reuters. The country's finance ministry has said such plans were not currently under consideration. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Ejaz Kaiser By

Express News Service

RAIPUR: Amid the lockdown, a Chhattisgarh cop, who got stuck in his village in Bijapur in south Bastar as he was on leave, never knew that he would be abducted by the Maoists.

The policeman, Santosh Kattam, who was working as an electrician, was kidnaped on May 4 - the incident, not even his department knew for a couple of days. His wife Sunita contacted the police and the people in the nearby villages seeking help but in vain. Finally on May 6, she called up Bijapur-based scribe Ganesh Mishra seeking his support.

Moved by her emotive plea, I made up my mind to do whatever I can in my capacity to trace his husband. All alone I began hunting for inputs from villagers and visited various remote tribal hamlets, Mishra told the New Indian Express.

Not getting any clue, he persisted looking around for the jawan as there was none even to confirm about his abduction.

Some villagers eventually got sympathetic towards my quest and informed the Maoists who then contacted me on May 9. The rebels admitted that Kattam was in their captivity, interrogated and taken to different locations. I attempted to convince them that as an electrician in the police force he can never be a part of combat operations against the rebels.

"Besides, the kidnapped policeman was mentally disturbed. So, as a humane gesture and considering the plea of his wife and children, he should be set free. But the naxals appeared reluctant asserting that a member of police department means a part of the force, Mishra said, recollecting his negotiations with the Maoists inside the dense forest.

I kept reassuring that he has nothing to do with weapons or any anti-Maoist operation. Then they perhaps took up the matter with their senior leaders, the scribe added.

In the evening of the next day, Mishra got a phone call from the Maoists asking him to visit some unidentified location where the rebels had scheduled to organise the Jan Adalat (Naxals Kangaroo court). I was told to come along with two of my colleagues and the jawans family members, he said.

Mishra, accompanied by his colleagues Ranjan Das and Chetan Khaperwar (both journalists), travelled about 40 km through the forest to attend it.

During a two-hour Jan Adalat in the afternoon of May 11, the electrician was grilled. Finally on the basis of majority views elicited from villagers in the Adalat, the Maoists released Kattam. We brought him and handed over to Bijapur deputy SP Ziarat Baig, Mishra said.

This is for the first time the Rebels had set free police personnel from a Jan Adalat  something very rare, he said.

After his release, the banned Red brigade declared that they were setting him free on humanitarian ground. The state government, which was least concerned about the abducted personnel, shouldnt think his release as its victory. We set him free owing to the intervention of the media person, the appeal by the family, and the opinion of the villagers, the Maoists affirmed.

After he was freed, Kattam said he had lost hope after remaining in Maoists captivity for a week.

Earlier in 2011, Mishra and his friends had facilitated the release of four jawans from the captivity of the Left-wing extremists.
H ollywood star Robert De Niro has reopened his feud with Donald Trump, claiming the US President doesnt care how many people die from coronavirus.

The Oscar-winning actor, 76, is one of Mr Trumps most vociferous critics and has now taken aim at his handling of the health crisis.

More than 82,000 people have died in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University, more than any other country.

During an appearance on Newsnight, De Niro described the situation at the White House as Shakespearean, saying youve got a lunatic saying things that people are trying to dance around.

Mr Trump, who is up for re-election in November, has frequently been accused of contradicting the advice of his scientific advisers throughout the pandemic and refuses to wear a mask.

He was widely mocked last month for suggesting research into whether coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

De Niro added: Its appalling, its appalling. He wants to be re-elected, he doesnt even care how many people die.

Challenged by Newsnight host Emily Maitlis that Mr Trumps fanbase would disagree, the Irishman star said: No, he doesnt care for those people. And the people who he pretends to care about are the people he has the most disdain for because he could care less about them.

They might like to tell themselves or delude themselves, but he doesnt care about them.

New York's Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures 1 /34 New York's Coronavirus outbreak - In pictures The Supermoon rises behind the Empire State Building while it glows red in solidarity with those infected with coronavirus as the outbreak of the disease (COVID-19) continues in the Manhattan borough of New York City Reuters A nearly empty Times Square AFP via Getty Images Riders, some wearing masks and gloves as a protective measure over coronavirus concerns, enter a New York City subway train AP People try to keep a social distance while they enjoy a sunny day at Central Park Reuters Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, that the zoo said on April 5, 2020 has tested positive for coronavirus disease WCS/Handout via Reuters People wear face masks AFP via Getty Images A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan Reuters US President Donald Trump looks on during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House on March 31, 2020, in Washington, DC AFP via Getty Images Felix Hassebroek waves to his classmates, who he has not seen in 2 weeks through a livestream video meet up during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Brooklyn, New York Reuters Friends and neighbors, Sarah and Elizabeth, talk about their weekends from opposite sides of the road as they maintain social distance in a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York Reuters Light morning traffic seen on the FDR drive on March 24, 2020 in New York City AFP via Getty Images A subway customer uses a tissue to protect her hand while holding onto a pole AP Workers construct what is believed to be a makeshift morgue behind a hospital during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the Manhattan borough of New York City Reuters Beds separated by black fabric are set up as a temporary field hospital for Covid-19 patients in Queens, New York AFP via Getty Images New York's Hart Island where the department of corrections is dealing with more burials Reuters Medical workers wait for patients at a special coronavirus intake area in New York Getty Images Patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center AP The One World Trade Center tower in Manhattan is seen illuminated in blue light Reuters Pictures drawn by children as part of the Quarantine Rainbow Project in Brooklyn, New York Reuters U.S. Army National Guard personnel load boxes of free food provided by multiple New York City agencies into a taxi for distribution to local residents in the Harlem neighbourhood of Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID19) in New York Reuters Traders work during the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 17, 2020 at Wall Street in New York City AFP via Getty Images A man in a wheelchair crosses a nearly empty 7th Avenue in Times Square in Manhattan Reuters Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images REUTERS

De Niro is isolating at his home in New York, the state hardest hit by the pandemic.

He said: Its been very strange because New York is kind of like a ghost town, its surreal then you see other parts of the world, other great big cities of the world, are also in the same situation.

Its interesting, its kind of like a science fiction movie but its real.

The actor's appearance was hailed as speaking truth to power by some viewers, and "depressing" by others.

De Niro and Mr Trump have sparred frequently during the presidents time in office.

After De Niro, who played boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorseses 1980 biopic Raging Bull, yelled f*** Trump at the Tony Awards in 2018, the president responded on Twitter.

He said: Robert De Niro, a very Low IQ individual, has received too many shots to the head by real boxers in movies. I watched him last night and truly believe he may be punch-drunk.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 18:56 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7db28b 1 Entertainment child-marriage,YouTube,short-film,Plan-Indonesia,film Free

Plan International Indonesia Foundation has launched a short film aimed at preventing child marriage in Indonesia.

The 30-minute long Suara Kirana (The Voice Kirana) is available on YouTube. The film was produced in 2019 and features actors Laras Sardi, Jourdy Pranata and Dhea Seto.

Suara Kirana tells the story of two teenagers, Anggi and Indra, who go to Cisolok Beach in Sukabumi, West Java, in search of Kirana, an old friend who was reported missing.

As it turns out, Kirana went into hiding after she got married while she was still in school.

Read also: Short films you can conveniently watch on YouTube

The film addresses the aftermath of child marriage, which can perpetuate poverty and violence against women.

According to Plan International Indonesia Foundation, Indonesia ranks second in child marriages among ASEAN countries and eighth in the world.

The Supreme Court and the House of Representatives have agreed to increase the marriageable age limit to 19 for both the bride and the groom as stipulated by Law No. 16/2019, to replace the outdated Law No. 1/1974 on marriage.

Plan International Indonesia Foundation has been helping the government fight child marriage since 2017. (gis/wng)
TORONTO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Aimia Inc. (TSX: AIM) today reported its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. During the quarter, the company delivered on continued improved financial performance from continuing operations highlighted by:

Q1 2020 Financial Highlights

Operating loss reduced significantly, substantially improving by 71% to $(5.5) million

Adjusted EBITDA* increased by $4.2 million , from $0.9 million to $5.1 million

, from to million Operating expenses declined by 35% YoY to $35.1 million

Free cash flow before Dividends Paid of $(26.2) million , which included $18.7 million of part VI.1 tax paid

, which included of part VI.1 tax paid PLM distributions of $9.5 million received during the quarter

Subsequent to the quarter ending March 31, 2020, the company announced its new corporate strategy to become an investment holding company focused on strategic acquisitions in public and private companies, on a global basis, through controlling or minority stakes. Aimia also announced two M&A transactions including the merger of Loyalty Solutions and Kognitiv to form a visionary leader in loyalty, and the acquisition of Mittleman Brothers LLC.

As announced in a separate press release yesterday, Aimia has signed a binding letter of intent with Aeromexico to negotiate certain amendments to the CPSA, including a 20-year extension to the CPSA that will result in a termination date for the contract of September 13, 2050, as well as certain amendments to the shareholder agreement, including to grant to Aeromexico an option to acquire Aimia's stake in PLM at a 7.5x Adjusted EBITDA valuation, with a US$400 million minimum for Aimia's stake. The parties also agreed to cause PLM to fund, using cash on its own balance sheet, US$50 million to Aeromexico in the form of an intercompany loan promptly following the execution of the letter of intent, with an additional US$50 million of additional liquidity through pre-purchases of award tickets upon execution of the amendments to the CPSA.

Furthermore, the company also announced in a separate press release today that it has made an investment in Clear Media Limited (HK: 100), one of the largest outdoor advertising firms in China with market shares of more than 70% in top-tier cities, totalling approximately $75 million through the acquisition of 58.8 million common shares, representing over a 10% equity stake in the company.

*A non-GAAP measurement. Refer to the section below entitled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures".

Q1 2020 financial highlights  continuing operations, unless otherwise noted:

HIGHLIGHTS (1) Three Months Ended March 31, (in millions of Canadian dollars,

except per share amounts) 2020 2019 YoY %

Change Continuing operations (2)





Total Revenue 29.6 34.7 (14.7) Operating Loss (5.5) (19.0) 71.1 Adjusted EBITDA 5.1 0.9 ** Net loss(3) (9.6) (3.2) ** Loss per Common Share(3) (0.14) (0.05) ** Cash used in Operating Activities(5) (25.8) (19.7) (31.0) Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid(5) (26.2) (20.0) (31.0) Consolidated





Net Earnings (loss)(3)(4) (9.6) 1,047.1 ** Earnings (loss) per Common Share(3)(4) (0.14) 6.85 ** Cash used in Operating Activities(5) (25.8) (47.3) 45.5 Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid(5) (26.2) (47.6) 45.0 Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid per Common Share(5) (0.31) (0.54) 42.1







** Information not meaningful







This quarterly earnings release should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the MD&A which can be accessed on SEDAR as well as at: https://corp.aimia.com/investors/quarterly-annual-reports. Please refer to "the Notes for the three months ended March 31, 2020" for details on notations that appear in this Press Release.

Interim Chief Executive Officer, Phil Mittleman, commented on the first-quarter 2020 performance of the company: "The financial results in the first quarter of 2020 were strong, reflecting the successful transformation of the Aimia Loyalty Solutions business, that will soon be merged with Kognitiv to form a visionary leader in the loyalty industry. Integration planning is well underway and initial client responses have been very positive on both sides. We remain on track to close the transaction by the end of this month."

Mr. Mittleman continued: "This is an historic moment for Aimia, and we have an exciting and promising future. I am delighted to lead Aimia as its CEO, but I am also an investor, and am now surrounded and overseen by investors, each with their own skillsets to offer, but all of whom are focused on one thing: creating stakeholder value. Our corporate transformation, including a refreshed strategy that's led by a new and leaner management team, overseen by a world-class Board having proven their ownership mentality by purchasing stock in the open market, will contribute to and oversee this focus. As evidenced by the expansion of our relationship with Aeromexico and PLM announced yesterday, the Kognitiv transaction, and our investment in Clear Media Limited that we announced this morning, we continue to take advantage of dislocations in the worldwide economy and market that are providing investment opportunities for Aimia. We are very confident that as stakeholders, you can now look to the future with optimism and excitement. In less than 90 days, we have demonstrated clear and definitive value creation. We reduced corporate costs from $27 million last year to a run-rate of $15 million, with further savings likely. Through the merger of Loyalty Solutions and Kognitiv, we will retain significant upside into the new entity while greatly simplifying the holding company structure and limiting future risk. The amendments to the CPSA and the shareholders agreement that we will finalize with Aeromexico are meant to ensure that both shareholders' interests are fully aligned going forward, and is expected to value Aimia's stake in PLM at a US$400 million minimum, representing more than $5.75 per share. Furthermore, our investment in Clear Media provides an exciting long-term investment in a well-established free cash flow generating business, backed by a blue chip consortium of investors, at a very attractive valuation, that we believe should deliver substantial returns to stakeholders. This board and management team are fueled by an urgency to achieve our goals as quickly and efficiently as we can, and these achievements should be a strong harbinger of the exciting future that lies ahead for Aimia stakeholders.

New Corporate Strategy

As recently announced in late April 2020, the company formed an ad hoc Strategic Review Committee to explore and review strategic alternatives to create lasting stakeholder value. The result of that process was a decision by the Board of Directors to focus on long-term investments in public and private companies, on a global basis, through controlling or minority stakes.

Aimia will focus on deploying its cash towards the acquisition of free cash flow-generating businesses in diverse industries, diversifying the corporation away from its prior loyalty-only investment mandate, into a more broad and balanced investment holding company. The company will seek to target companies that exhibit durable economic advantages, evidenced by a well-established track record of substantial free cash flow generation over complete business cycles, guided by strong, experienced management teams. In addition, Aimia will consider investments that may efficiently utilize the Company's approximately $700 million in various forms of tax loss assets to further enhance stakeholder value.

Aimia's Corporate Structure

Aimia's corporate structure will be greatly simplified with a leaner corporate team led by its interim CEO, Philip Mittleman, overseen by a highly-skilled Board, focused entirely on creating lasting value for all stakeholders.

As a result of major cost reductions and restructuring, Aimia now has an annualized operating expense run-rate of $15 million, as compared to $27 million in 2019, with further savings being targeted. The streamlined holding company structure will be debt free, cash-rich, and is expected to own 49% of the newly merged Kognitiv, 49% of PLM, its joint venture with Aeromexico, 20% of BigLife, 100% of Mittleman Brothers LLC, and 10% of Clear Media Limited.

The number of full time employees at Aimia will be approximately 20, which includes staffing from both Aimia and Mittleman Brothers offices. Following the close of the Mittleman Brothers transaction, Aimia will appoint Philip Mittleman as permanent CEO, and Chris Mittleman will join the company as Chief Investment Officer and board member, to help the company identify targets for successful deployment of Aimia's cash and liquid investments.

Consolidated Results from continuing operations(2) in Q1 2020:

Operating loss significantly narrowed by $13.5 million to $(5.5) million mainly due to a $18.6 million improvement in operating expenses from business transformation partially offset by lower revenue. The improvement in operating expenses was mainly due to lower headcount leading to reduced compensation and benefits of $11.0 million, as well as lower technology expenses by $6.7 million from operational efficiencies, timing of technology expenditures, and reduced IT spend on lost clients.

Adjusted EBITDA was $5.1 million, compared to $0.9 million in the first quarter of 2019, representing an improvement of $4.2 million mostly due to the positive Adjusted EBITDA performance in Loyalty Solutions of $3.6 million driven by servicing a higher quality client base, operating efficiencies, and timing of technology expenditures, offset by lower PLM distribution due to the exceptional PLM distribution received in the same period in the prior year.

Net loss from continuing operations was $(9.6) million, compared to $(3.2) million in the first quarter of 2019, mostly due to a lower share of net earnings from equity-accounted investments of $12.0 million, and fair value gains of $22.5 million on investments in equity instruments in the same quarter of last year, partially offset by lower operating loss, lower interest and tax expenses.

Loyalty Solutions segment performance in Q1 2020:

Revenue from Loyalty Solutions was $29.6 million, a decrease of $5.1 million from the same period in the prior year. The decline in Loyalty Services revenue was mainly attributable to client attrition, lower customer spend, offset by an increase in revenue from new clients.

Operating expenses were down by $18.5 million to $27.1 million mostly reflecting reduced headcount, lower technology costs, and benefits from office consolidations.

Operating Income (loss) was $2.5 million, compared to $(10.9) million in the same quarter of last year, benefiting from cost transformation which more than offset lower revenue.

Adjusted EBITDA was $3.6 million, compared to $(10.0) million in the first quarter of the prior year as a result of the improvement in operating expenses.

Corporate and Other performance in Q1 2020:

Operating expenses were $8.0 million, slightly improved compared to $8.1 million in the same quarter of last year, as the benefit from lower headcount was mostly offset by increased restructuring expenses in the corporate executive team, as well as the impact from the remaining one-time costs related to technology decoupling, and legal cost reimbursements associated with prior shareholder activism.

Adjusted EBITDA amounted to $1.5 million, a decrease of $9.4 million mainly from the exceptional PLM distributions received in the same period of the prior year.

Membership in Club Premier, the Mexican coalition loyalty program, continued to grow, with enrolled members up 7.9% YoY totaling 6.8 million at the end of March 2020. Gross Billings from Loyalty Units was US$61.5 million, up 3.4% over last year mainly driven by growth at Aeromexico. PLM Adjusted EBITDA(6) performance was up 9.3% to US$22.3 million from modest top line growth and tight cost controls.

Subsequent to the end of the quarter, Aimia and Aeromexico agreed to an additional distribution and Aimia's share of this incremental distribution amounts to $6.9 million dollars, which will appear in the company's reported results for the second quarter of 2020

As recently announced, the company expects PLM to be negatively impacted by COVID-19, resulting in materially lower Gross Billings, adjusted EBITDA and Cashflow for the remainder of 2020.

Consequently, Aimia now expects no distributions from PLM operations in the second half of this year.

The company continues to closely monitor the evolving situation, and is working collaboratively with Aeromexico and PLM. We believe the impacts are transient, and although the timing of a return to normalcy remains uncertain, we do not expect these impacts to be permanent.

Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid

Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid from continuing operations declined by $6.2 million to $(26.2) million, which included $18.7 million of part VI.1 tax paid in the quarter related to preferred dividends paid in 2019 which included $26.0 million of preferred dividends in arrears paid, as well as reduced distributions from PLM, which more than offset the decline in operating expenses from cost transformation.

Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid was $(26.2) million compared to $(47.6) million in the same quarter of the prior year. The variance is mainly explained by the factors above and the decrease of $27.6 million in Free Cash Flow related to discontinued Aeroplan operations in the same period of last year.

Balance sheet

Cash and cash equivalents (which includes restricted cash and investments in corporate and government bonds) was $322.0 million as at March 31, 2020.

Following the payment of $7.0 million for the acquisition of Mittleman Brothers LLC, and $21.0 million for the funding of the 12% convertible preferred equity in the merged Kognitiv, other related costs and expenses of this merger transaction, and $75.0 million investment in Clear Media Limited, proforma cash is expected to be approximately $190 million.

Dividends

Dividends of $3.2 million were paid on March 31, 2020 on the three series of outstanding preferred shares in respect of the first quarter of 2020.

As announced on March 17, 2020, following the results of the conversion privilege of Series 1 cumulative rate reset preferred shares and Series 2 cumulative floating rate preferred shares, all Series 2 Preferred Shares were automatically converted into Series 1 Preferred Shares on March 31, 2020. As a result, there are now 5.1 million Series 1 preferred shares and 4.3 million Series 3 preferred shares.

The Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend in respect of its two series of preferred shares for the second quarter of 2020. Dividends on the Series 1 and Series 3 preferred shares will be payable on June 30, 2020, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 19, 2020.

Quarterly Conference Call and Audio Webcast Information

Aimia will host a conference call to discuss its first quarter 2020 financial results at 8:30 a.m. EST on May 13, 2020. The call will be webcast at:

https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1301214&tp_key=e757cbd08e

A slide presentation intended for simultaneous viewing with the conference call and an archived audio webcast will be available for 90 days following the original broadcast available at:

https://corp.aimia.com/investors/events-presentations/

This earnings release was reviewed by Aimia's Audit Committee and was approved by the company's Board of Directors, on the Audit Committee's recommendation, prior to its release.

Aimia's first quarter 2020 Financial Statements, Management Discussion & Analysis, and Financial Highlights Presentation will be filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com around 7:00 a.m. EST on May 13, 2020.

Notes for the three months ended March 31, 2020

1. Non-GAAP financial measures (Adjusted EBITDA, Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid and Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid per Common Share) are explained in the section entitled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures". 2. Continuing operations refers to consolidated results excluding discontinued operations. 3. Net Earnings (loss) from continuing operations, Earnings (loss) from continuing operations per Common Share, Net Earnings and Earnings per Common Share include net fair value gains (losses) related to investments in equity instruments of $22.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. 4. Net Earnings and Earnings per Common Share for the three months ended March 31, 2019 include the impact of the gain of $1,043.6 million on the disposal of the Aeroplan Program and related assets. During three month ended June 30, 2019, the gain on disposal was adjusted by $19.7 million to $1,063.1 million, being an additional $19.7 million related to final closing adjustments related to working capital, offset by $0.2 million of transaction fees. 5. Cash used in Operating Activities from continuing operations, Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid from continuing operations, Cash used in Operating Activities, Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid and Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid per Common Share include $18.7 million of Part VI.1 tax paid during the three months ended March 31, 2020 as a result of preferred dividends paid in 2019, which included $26.0 million cumulative preferred dividends not previously declared. 6. PLM utilizes a definition of Adjusted EBITDA, which differs from Aimia's. PLM Adjusted EBITDA refers to operating income adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization and impairment charges related to non-financial assets, as well as adjusted for certain factors particular to the business, such as changes in deferred revenue and Future Redemption Costs.

About Aimia

Aimia Inc. (TSX: AIM) is an investment holding company with a focus on long-term investments in public and private companies, on a global basis, through controlling or minority stakes.

The company operates a loyalty solutions business, which is a well-recognized, global full-service provider of next-generation loyalty solutions for many of the world's leading brands in the retail, CPG, travel & hospitality, financial services and entertainment verticals.

Aimia owns a 48.9% equity stake in PLM Premier, S.A.P.I. de C.V (PLM), owner and operator of Club Premier, the leading coalition program in Mexico, which it jointly controls with Aeromexico through its investment in PLM, and an investment alongside Air Asia in travel technology company BIGLIFE, the operator of BIG Loyalty.

For more information about Aimia, visit corp.aimia.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Aimia uses the following non-GAAP financial measures which it believes provides investors and analysts with additional information to better understand results as well as assess its potential. GAAP means generally accepted accounting principles in Canada and represents International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Please refer to the MD&A for a complete definition on all non-GAAP financial measures and for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement based on GAAP, is not considered an alternative to net earnings in measuring profitability, does not have a standardized meaning, and is not comparable to similar measures used by other issuers. We provide a reconciliation to operating income in the Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Adjusted EBITDA is used by management to evaluate performance. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA assists investors in comparing Aimia's performance on a consistent basis excluding depreciation and amortization and impairment charges related to non-financial assets, which are non-cash in nature and can vary significantly depending on accounting methods as well as non-operating factors such as historical cost. Management believes that the inclusion of distributions and dividends received or receivable from equity-accounted investments in Adjusted EBITDA assists investors by adding a performance indicator representative of earnings from equity-accounted investments accessible to the Corporation. Unless otherwise noted, Adjusted EBITDA for the current and comparable periods exclude the results of discontinued operations.

Adjusted EBITDA is operating income adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization and impairment charges related to non-financial assets. Adjusted EBITDA also includes distributions and dividends received or receivable from equity-accounted investments. Adjusted EBITDA should not be used as an exclusive measure of cash flow because it does not account for the impact of working capital growth, capital expenditures, debt repayments and other sources and uses of cash, which are disclosed in the statements of cash flows.

Free Cash Flow, Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid and Free Cash Flow before Dividends paid per Common Share

Free Cash Flow and Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid are non-GAAP measures, do not have a standardized meaning, and are not comparable to similar measures used by other issuers. They are used in order to provide a consistent and comparable measurement of cash generated from operations and used as indicators of financial strength and performance. Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flows from operating activities, as reported in accordance with GAAP, less adjustments for (all as reported in accordance with GAAP): (a) total capital expenditures; (b) principal elements of lease payments; and (c) dividends paid.



Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid is defined as cash flows from operating activities as reported in accordance with GAAP, less capital expenditures as reported in accordance with GAAP and principal elements of lease payments.

Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid per Common Share is a measurement of cash flow generated from operations on a per share basis. It is calculated as follows: Free Cash Flow before Dividends Paid minus dividends paid on preferred shares and non-controlling interests over the weighted average number of common shares outstanding.

PLM Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA for PLM ("PLM Adjusted EBITDA") is operating income adjusted to exclude depreciation, amortization and impairment charges related to non-financial assets, as well as adjusted for certain factors particular to PLM, such as changes in deferred revenue and Future Redemption Costs. Change in deferred revenue is calculated as the difference between Gross Billings and revenue recognized, including recognition of Breakage. Future Redemption Costs represent management's estimated future cost of rewards in respect of Loyalty Units sold which remain outstanding and unbroken at the end of any given period. Future Redemption Costs are revalued at the end of any given period by taking into account the most recently determined average unit cost per Loyalty Unit redeemed for that period (cost of rewards / Loyalty Units redeemed) and applying it to the total Unbroken Loyalty Units outstanding at the end of that period. As a result, Future Redemption Costs and the change in Future Redemption Costs must be calculated at the end of any given period and for that period. The simple addition of sequential inter-period changes to arrive at a cumulative change for a particular period may result in inaccurate results depending on the fluctuation in the Average Cost of Rewards per Loyalty Unit redeemed for the period in question. PLM Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement based on GAAP, is not considered an alternative to net earnings in measuring profitability, does not have a standardized meaning, and is not comparable to similar measures used by other issuers. Aimia and PLM's management do not believe that PLM Adjusted EBITDA has an appropriate directly comparable GAAP measure. However, a reconciliation to PLM's operating income is provided in our MD&A on page 31. PLM Adjusted EBITDA is used by Aimia and PLM's management to evaluate performance. Aimia and PLM's management believe PLM Adjusted EBITDA assists investors in comparing PLM's performance on a consistent basis without regard to depreciation and amortization and impairment charges related to non-financial assets, which are non-cash in nature and can vary significantly depending on accounting methods, and non-operating factors such as historical cost.

Reconciliation to GAAP

For a reconciliation of the above Non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP, please refer to the MD&A for the three months ended March 31, 2020 in the section called "Summary of consolidated operating results and reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow".

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which are based upon our current expectations, estimated, projections, assumptions and beliefs. All information that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as "outlook", "guidance", "target", "forecast", "assumption" and other similar expressions or future or conditional terms such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "will", "would", and "should". Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to our current and future plans, expectations and intentions, results, level of activity, performance, goals and achievements (including of our equity investments), the anticipated benefits of the proposed transactions with Kognitiv and Mittleman Brothers LLC, including expected revenue synergies, cost synergies and the pro forma financial impact on the combined businesses resulting therefrom, and the completion and timing of the transactions.

Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are based on assumptions and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts projections and other forward-looking statement will not occur. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and reflect several material factors, expectations and assumptions, including a number of economic and market assumptions, assumptions relating to the expected benefits to be realized from the transaction with Mittleman Brothers and synergies to be realized from the transaction with Kognitiv, as well as assumptions regarding currencies and the performance of the economies in which the company operates and market competition and tax laws applicable to the company's operations. The company cautions that the assumptions used to prepare the above guidance, although reasonable at the time they were made, may prove to be incorrect or inaccurate. In addition, the guidance does not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any new material commercial agreements, dispositions, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations or other transactions that may be announced or that may occur after May 13, 2020. The financial impact of these transactions and non-recurring and other special items can be complex and depends on the facts particular to each of them. We therefore cannot describe the expected impact in a meaningful way or in the same way we presently know about the risks affecting our business. Accordingly, our actual results could differ materially from our expectations as set forth in this presentation.

Undue reliance should not be placed on any forecasts, predictions or forward-looking statements as these may be affected by, among other things, changing external events and general uncertainties of the business and its corporate structure. Results indicated in forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results for a number of reasons, including without limitation, failure of the proposed amalgamation of Aimia's Loyalty Solutions and ISS businesses (together, "Aimia Loyalty Solutions") with Kognitiv and the proposed acquisition of Mittleman Brothers LLC being completed on the contemplated terms and in a timely manner or at all, failure to successfully negotiate the proposed amendments of the Shareholders Agreement with Aeromexico or the CPSA between Aeromexico and PLM on the same terms as set forth in the letter of intent or at all, failure to realize the anticipated benefits from the transactions with Kognitiv and/or Mittleman Brothers, the execution of the strategic plan, investment risks, including in connection with how and when to deploy and invest Aimia's considerable cash and other liquid assets, investment partnerships risks, reliance on key personnel, market price and trading volume of the common shares and preferred shares, passive foreign investment company risk, industry competition, failure to protect intellectual property rights, technological disruptions and inability to use third-party software and outsourcing, regulatory matters - privacy, failure to safeguard databases, cyber security and consumer privacy, uncertainty of dividend declarations and/or payments on either common shares or preferred shares, tax losses, business and industry disruptions related to natural disasters, security issues and global health crises particularly as they might affect the airline, travel and hospitality sectors, airline industry changes and increased airline costs, foreign operations, interest rate and currency fluctuations, retail market/economic conditions, legal proceedings, audit by tax authorities, as well as the other factors identified throughout this news release and throughout Aimia's public disclosure records on file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. A discussion of the material risks applicable to us can be found in our current Management and Discussion and Analysis and Annual Information Form, each of which have been or will be filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and we disclaim any intention and assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Aimia Inc.

Related Links

https://corp.aimia.com/


Nurses, from left to right: Tadanori Tsuchiya of Japan, Krizelle Pum of California, and Graig Straus of New York.

Courtesy of Tadanori Tsuchiya, Krizelle Pum, and Graig Straus

Business Insider spoke with three nurses treating coronavirus patients in the US and Japan, who shared their greatest wishes for International Nurses Day.

They said people should stay home when possible, thank their nurses "one on one," and remember that the healthcare issues being exposed by the coronavirus (staffing, equipment shortages) still need fixing when the COVID-19 crisis resolves.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Nurses are being cheered on every night around the world in city-wide calls ringing out from New York to Vancouver, Istanbul, Paris, and Madrid.

But the claps and cheers can't mask a harsh reality.

More than 260 nurses worldwide have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and more than 90,000 healthcare workers have been infected with the virus, according to the International Council of Nurses.

Related Video: Coronavirus Doctors Expose Overwhelmed U.S. Healthcare System

"Nurses are a bridge between the health system and the community," World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday.

"We have to celebrate our nurses," he said, and "not only during COVID-19."

Business Insider spoke with three nurses who've been working on the frontlines of COVID-19 response, in Japan, New York, and California. Here's how they would like to be honored for International Nurses Day.

Krizelle Pum, an ICU nurse in Long Beach, California, says the best thing to do for nurses is "stay home"

Personal trainer Flo Dowler leads residents of Napier Avenue in a fitness class in Fulham, West London, May 11, 2020.

Reuters/Kevin Coombs

Krizelle Pum has been a nurse for three years, and the Monster nursing advisor says that things in the intensive care unit where she works are busier than normal right now, and much more stressful.

"Usually during summertime, adult ICU tends to get a little bit more quiet," she said,. That is not the case right now as COVID-19 patients stream in overnight. "It's just crazy how bad the patients can get, and how fast it can happen."

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Pum said after her night shifts with COVID-19 patients, "I come home with a headache every time, and I think a lot of it is just the fear of getting exposed."

She also worries a lot about cross-contamination when she's putting on and taking off her gear.

"It takes a few minutes to put on your PPE [personal protective equipment]," she said.

Pum's gear includes a mask, hair protection, a gown, shoe covers, and goggles.

"Sometimes when you're rushing, sometimes you just fear maybe not putting on things correctly, or forgetting to put on things, or even just leaving the room, making sure you're not touching anything," Pum said. "There's just a lot of fear and anxiety going around, more than usual, and we're pretty good in handling that, but it's just been a lot more stressful."

She worries especially about the situation in local nursing homes, where caregivers don't always have enough masks. If there's anything she'd ask for people's help with right now, it would be donating professional grade masks or other PPE to local nursing care facilities in need.

Above all, she said people should stay home when they can, and don't get too "lax" about following social distancing measures.

"I feel like there's really not much that we need from the community besides just staying home and keeping themselves safe," she said. "I guess just prayers, I would say, would be the most important thing right now."

Nurse Graig Straus said we should thank nurses and remember them when this is over

Nurses wearing face masks mark International Nurses Day, at Wuhan Tongji Hospital in China, May 12, 2020.

China Daily via Reuters

Graig Straus says that COVID-19 cases are "on the decline" where he works in Rockland County, about 30 miles north of New York City.

Straus, who's President of Rockland Urgent Care Family Health and a Monster nursing advisor, has been a nurse for 14 years and an EMS for 22.

He said many people are rushing to his clinic these days for COVID-19 tests.

"The emergency department sees one person that's failing and dying, and it's terrible," he said. "But the urgent care centers, and the places that are doing the testing, or the physicians offices that are open right now, are seeing the family members of all of them. So if one person is dying, then you have five family members that are coming to the urgent care center a wreck. Basically a wreck, thinking they're next."

Many people are also coming in to his clinic for antibody testing, which some employers are asking for, to determine if someone had a previous COVID-19 infection, even though scientists don't yet know what kind of immunity a prior infection might provide.

Straus said people are confused and frustrated that there is no good way to manage the virus, and some get aggressive, asking for tests or unproven treatments that clinicians can't necessarily provide.

"Nurses are being asked and yelled at and screamed at and pressured by their patients and family members to say, 'Well, how come you're not doing this for me?' Or, 'How come you're not doing that for me?' ... And the answers they have to give are, 'We have different protocols' or 'We have different guidelines' or 'This is not the way it really works,'" Straus said.

He said the public outpouring of support for frontline healthcare workers in daily cheers and food donations is nice, but he'd like people to try something even more simple.

"A thank you is the best way to thank a nurse," he said. "Honestly, a simple thank you. A simple recognition of their work is the best thing to do for them, on a personal, one-on-one level."

Finally, he said that the very best thing people can do for nurses, in the long run, is to not forget about the chronic shortages they face, which have only been exacerbated by this pandemic.

"Staffing ratios are a problem, support for your staff is a problem, equipment is a problem," he said. "These are all issues that have been going on for ages. It came to light during corona. The best way to thank them? Would be not to forget it after the crisis."

Nurse Tadanori Tsuchiya said people should "act responsibly" and "avoid unnecessary going out"

A man drinks a beer at an outdoor seating section of a pub, as the Czech government lifted more restrictions allowing restaurants with outdoor areas to re-open in Prague, Czech Republic, May 11, 2020.

Reuters/David W Cerny

Tadanori Tsuchiya, who has been a nurse for 21 years, lives in the Japanese coastal city of Kamogawa, about an hour and a half south of Tokyo.

He said it's been hard to get enough protective gear where he works, and that gowns and gloves are in short supply.

"We have to use the same ones many times, which is very inconvenient, and we can't use them as they're supposed to be used," Tuchiya told Business Insider.

He said he wants the public to "act responsibly" during this time.

"It is crucial to avoid non-urgent, unnecessary going out," he said, even in a beach town like his.

Tsuchiya, who's been a nurse practitioner for the past two years, says he hungers for more statistics about COVID-19 in Japan, and wishes there was more clear, evidence-based guidance in this crisis.

"We need information with high-level evidence," he said, "and standardized guidelines for how to manage COVID-19, not only for specialists, but for the general population."

Business Insider
Chinese steel mills are looking to gain a greater say in iron ore pricing by opting for yuan-denominated settlements, with a key deal concluded in the Chinese currency recently.



Baoshan Iron and Steel Co Ltd (Baosteel), a subsidiary of China Baowu Steel Group, completed a 100 million yuan ($14.1 million) iron ore settlement deal via blockchain technology with mining giant Rio Tinto Plc, after inking yuan purchase deals with Brazil's Vale in January and Australia's BHP Group in April.

In January, Baosteel purchased about 330 million yuan worth of iron ore from Brazilian iron ore miner Vale in Chinese currency. Another deal worth nearly 100 million yuan was reached between Baosteel and Australian miner BHP Group in April. BHP said in a statement that it is expecting to complete its first blockchain iron ore transaction with Baosteel soon.

"Baosteel and China Baowu have been deepening their collaboration with major global suppliers," said Wang Guoqing, director of the Lange Steel Information Center.

"Cross-border yuan settlements will not only lower the risks from currency rate fluctuations, but also lower exchange costs for various currencies and improve trading efficiency," said Wang.

Zhang Tieshan, operational director of supply chain company Didisteel, expects more deals to be settled in the Chinese currency as China accounts for bulk of the iron ore usage in the world.

"China Baowu is not only China's largest steel-maker, but also a pioneer in state-of-the-art technology application. Exploring the possibilities of yuan-denominated settlement via blockchain is a new proof," said Zhang.

"China is the world's largest importer of commodities and hence we will see more commodity deals being undertaken in yuan, especially iron ore," said Chen Derong, chairman of China Baowu Group.

Since 2019, Baosteel has been actively promoting yuan-denominated settlement of iron ore trade with foreign suppliers. In a statement issued in February, the company said it had concluded purchase deals worth 240 million yuan with exporters from countries like South Africa and Ukraine.

In the past few years, major iron ore miners have been steadily expanding their output, but the global demand driven by China has been stabilizing. The supply and demand variation has resulted in iron ore prices sliding from the peak seen in 2008, said Zhang.

With the COVID-19 epidemic being gradually brought under control in China, 83 percent of the iron ore shipped from Australia in April went to China, while last year it was 80 percent during the same period, said Zhang.

However, despite China's position as the world's top iron ore importer, Chinese steel enterprises have little say in the pricing of the raw material. Experts said this had a lot to do with the fragmented Chinese steel industry. After years of efforts in industrial upgrading and restructuring, there are still more than 1,000 steel mills across the nation.
Amit Shah

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF and the BSF will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

Amit Shah

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In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the decision has been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for opting local products and being self-reliant.

Shah also appealed to the people of the country to make maximum use of the products made in the country and encourage others to do the same.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1 June 2020. With this, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products," he said.

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Photo The CAPFs -- CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles -- canteens together sell products worth about Rs 2,800 crore annually.

Referring to Modi's appeal on Tuesday, during his address to the nation, to make the country self-reliant and use products made in India, Shah said this will surely pave the way for India to lead the world in future.

"If every Indian pledges to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the country can become self-sufficient in five years," he said.
The Maharashtra government has



requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of CAPF in the state so that its police personnel, who are overworked during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, can be given some rest, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

Personnel of the Maharashtra Police have been working "day in and day out" to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state, Deshmukh said.

Many state police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus and need time to rest and recuperate, he noted.

"The festival of Eid is also around the corner and proper law and order has to be ensured. The police should get some rest for that. Hence, we have requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), that is 2,000 personnel," the minister said in a video message on Twitter.

Thirty two companies of the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) have already been deployed in Maharashtra and are working in tandem with the state police, according to an official statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The truth is coming to light.

Yesterday, I overheard a public school teacher and mother of several children express an honest opinion about education during the pandemic. Schoolwork varies by teacher and school district, she noted, with some doing almost nothing at all, while others send out huge packets of worksheets. About the latter, she disgustedly said, Its just busywork!

She doesnt seem to be the only parent noticing this. As the period of makeshift education at home lengthens from weeks to months, more parents are letting school slide, Leslie Brody explains in The Wall Street Journal. Among other things, parents are frustrated with hovering teachers who continually remind children to wash their hands or get to class, or math classes that end in tears because they are too boring and repetitive.

Some parents are trying a new tack, Brody reports:

Jessica Sansone, a Pilates instructor in Brooklyn, said her fourth-grader, Mateo, tunes in to 30-minute virtual meetings with classmates daily, but she lets him ditch most assignments. She carves the day into half-hour sessions to give him structure, and lets him skip writing so he can read his favorite books, such as the Wings of Fire fantasy series about dragons. She said his teacher has been supportive.

I think shes on to something. So much so, that Im going out on a limb to suggest that parents should let their younger children ditch school altogether for the next few months.

I can almost hear the gasps. How can we advocate for children to get even more behind in a time when theyre losing academic ground by leaps and bounds? you might ask.

You misunderstand. Im not advocating for children to give up on school and get more behind. Instead, I believe that children may actually get ahead with this plan.

Heres the deal. After studying educational methods and practices for a number of years, Ive come to the conclusion that one of the best things parents can do is teach their children to become life-long learners. How does one do that? Simple. Teach them to read and love books. If they know how to do those things, then a whole world of learning is opened to them.

Nor am I alone in this assessment. In her book, The Read-Aloud Family, Sarah Mackenzie observes that parents and schools kill childrens natural interest in reading by forcing them to conform to required book lists or regurgitate a books content via reports or tests.

We do it without realizing it, and we do it with the best intentions Mackenzie assures us, But good intentions can end in disaster.

The adults I know who read for pleasure do not make dioramas, take comprehension quizzes, or write five-paragraph essays on a storys main conflict or theme. Real readers enjoy books that pique their interest and curiosity. They talk about them with friends. Sometimes they join book clubs. At those book club meetings, they might enjoy food and drink while discussing open-ended questions. They ask questions that help everyone think more deeply about the book and about what the author might have been trying to say. Questions about what the book might be saying to us.

Can this method work? Can we really risk our childrens futures by pulling them out of their makeshift online classes and having them read instead?

For an answer, I point to Mackenzies tale of Jonathan Auxier. Despite living in a book-loving family, Jonathan was floundering in reading. Trying to rectify this, Jonathans mother pulled him out of school and began homeschooling him during third grade.

The main requirement, writes Mackenzie, was that he read for three hours per day.

Now, Jonathan wasnt told that his mother had pulled him out of school in order to help him fall in love with books. But she wisely realized that Jonathan would only learn to love reading if he disassociated reading with schoolwork. He needed plenty of time for reading, and he needed the opportunity to choose books he wanted to readnot just books that were assigned to him. She also knew that Jonathan needed to take on the identity of a reader for himself. She couldnt do that for him. All she could do was set up the circumstances to make it more likely to happen.

Did it work? Considering that Jonathan went back to school the next year as a very strong reader, and that he eventually became an award-winning writer of middle-grade novels, I think its safe to say that it did.

So give your younger children a treat. Tell them that theyre off the hook for school for the rest of the year. But in place of that, they must read. Have them read the books they like, read some books you choose, or listen to audiobooks while they draw or build Lego creations or do chores.

In between your work schedule, read books together as a family. Talk about them at the dinner table. Write fan fiction off the stories you read. Act out a favorite scene from a book. Turn certain phrases into buzzwords that your family can laugh over. In general? Have fun.

Who knows, you might be surprised when all this is over. Instead of being behind, your children may actually be ahead.

Annie Holmquist is editor of Intellectual Takeout, an online magazine and sister publication of Chronicles. This article was originally published on Intellectual Takeout.
Smiths Medical, a leading global medical device manufacturer, announces today the acquisition of the business of Access Scientific, LLC, a privately-held company based in San Diego, CA. Access Scientific is a broad-spectrum vascular access and infection prevention company that manufactures the POWERWAND midline and extended dwell catheters. The range of POWERWAND products extends Smiths Medical's vascular access product portfolio and enables greater clinician choice to treat patients.

The POWERWAND range of products are clinically differentiated vascular access solutions, supported by nine (9) peer-reviewed papers and nine (9) scientific posters. Bloodstream infections are a known risk associated with vascular access catheters. Conclusions from recent clinical studies show no occurrence of bloodstream infections associated with use of the POWERWAND products. Combined, these studies have a total of 35,000 catheter days without bacterial infections.1-3

The POWERWAND range of products offers value to healthcare providers looking to offer quality care for their patients. When combined with Smiths Medical's already strong performing Jelco IV catheter and Port-A-Cath products, Smiths Medical now offers clinicians more solutions to treat their patients through a broader portfolio.

"Smiths Medical's acquisition of Access Scientific enhances our commitment to patient care and outcomes, driving category leadership in our existing vascular access portfolio," said JehanZeb Noor, Smiths Medical CEO. "We believe this acquisition enhances our position as a trusted medication management solutions company. During this time of uncertainty, we feel privileged to offer our customers on the frontlines more choices for treating their patients."

About Smiths Medical

A leading supplier of specialized medical devices and equipment for global markets, focusing on the medication delivery, vital care and safety devices market segments. For more information, visit www.smiths-medical.com.

About Smiths Group

A global technology company that has been operating for 160 years, delivering products and services for the medical technology, security defense, general industrial, energy and space commercial aerospace markets worldwide. Smiths Group employs c. 22,000 colleagues in over 50 countries and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information visit www.smiths.com

(1) Devries M, Lee J, Hoffman L. Infection free midline catheter implementation at a community hospital (2 years). American Journal of Infection Control. 2019;47(9):1118-1121.

(2) Caparas JV, Hung H-S. Vancomycin Administration Through a Novel Midline Catheter: Summary of a 5-Year, 1086-Patient Experience in an Urban Community Hospital. Journal of the Association for Vascular Access. 2017;22(1):38-41.

(3) Pathak R, Patel A, Enuh H, Adekunle O, Shrisgantharajah V, Diaz K. The Incidence of Central Line-Associated Bacteremia After the Introduction of Midline Catheters in a Ventilator Unit Population. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice. 2015;23(3):131-134.

M. Devries was a paid consultant with Access Scientific.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005134/en/

Contacts:

Smiths Medical Media Relations at media.relations@smiths-medical.com or Ashley Voge at 763-383-3111.
A task force designed to unify the Democratic Party ahead of the presidential contest includes the presidents of the two national teachers unions, as well as a top congressional leader for education and other figures with notable ties to education.

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia were selected by former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for president, and runner-up Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, to be on the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force for education issues, the two men announced Wednesday.

In addition, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., the chairman of the House education committee, is serving on the task force for criminal justice reform as a co-chairman.

The task forces will make recommendations to the commitee that will put together the Democratic National Committees 2020 platform. There are six task forces in all; the other task forces deal with climate change, the economy, health care, and immigration reform.

The work of the task forces will be essential to identifying ways to build on our progress and not simply turn the clock back to a time before Donald Trump, but transform our country, Biden said in a statement. And Sanders praised Biden for helping to put together a group of leading thinkers and activists who can and will unify our party in a transformational and progressive direction.

Its no surprise that Garcia and Weingarten made the cut; both the NEA and the AFT endorsed Biden, although neither did so until March, when Biden had already built an essentially insurmountable lead in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. However, the education positions of the party and the two unions have largely merged on key issues such as education spending. For example, both Biden and Sanders pledged to triple federal Title I spending on disadvantaged students, a promise that will be extremely difficult to deliver, on especially in the short term.

How the task forces input affects the DNCs stance on charter schools will be particularly interesting to watch. The party platform on charters has changed significantly over the last several presidential campaign cyclesthe Democratic Party called for tripling the number of charter schools in its 2000 platform.

Some local AFT and NEA affiliates made their own endorsement decisions independently of the two national unions.

Other notable members of the unity task force include:



Former Attorney General Eric Holder

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

Former Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, now president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, a member of the House education committee whos on the education task force with Garcia and Weingarten

Heather Gautney, a Fordham University sociology professor who was an education adviser to Sanders and is on the education task force

Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., a member of the House subcommitee for education spending

Photo: National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, left, and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten in Philadelphia during the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court has held two weeks of arguments by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic, hearing cases about President Donald Trumps tax records, contraceptive care mandates and religious education disputes, with audio available live to audiences around the world.

The court heard several days of arguments that had been postponed because of the coronavirus. Wednesday was the sixth and final day. Decisions are expected by early summer.

Some observations, trivia and analysis from our Supreme Court reporters (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

The Supreme Court has hung up the phone. The justices on Wednesday heard their last scheduled cases by phone. The high court heard arguments in 10 cases by telephone over six days as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Audio of the arguments was broadcast live, a first for the court. The cases the justices heard had been previously postponed because of the virus. Additional previously scheduled cases have been postponed to the fall.

Its unclear whether the courts experience with live audio will change arguments going forward. Before the pandemic, transcripts of the courts arguments were available on the same day, but audio of arguments was generally provided on the Friday after arguments were held.

The court traditionally finishes its work by late June and then takes a break from hearing arguments until October. The justices have not said whether they will return to the courtroom in October.

___

11:55 a.m.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh says he would apply the avoid chaos principle of judging.

Kavanaugh is asking questions during the Supreme Courts final day of telephone argument. One of Wednesdays cases involves Colorado elector Micheal Baca. In 2016, Baca voted for John Kasich rather than Hillary Clinton, who won the states popular vote. Baca was removed as an elector as a result. He and two other electors sued.

Lawrence Lessig represented Washington electors. Lessig argued that there have been only a handful of faithless electors in American history, with no bearing on the outcome of an election.

Kavanaugh said: But we have to look forward and just being realistic, judges are going to worry about chaos.

___

11:20 a.m.

The Supreme Court justices have invoked fears of bribery and chaos to suggest they think states can require presidential electors to back their states popular vote winner in the Electoral College.

Thats the major takeaway from the first round of arguments by telephone Wednesday, dealing with whether electors are bound to choose the person who won the popular vote. The first case heard involves three Washington state electors who in 2016 voted for Colin Powell for president rather than the states vote winner, Hillary Clinton. Those electors were fined $1,000.

After a short break the justices are hearing the second case, which is about the same topic.

The second case involves Colorado elector Micheal Baca. In 2016, he voted for John Kasich rather than Hillary Clinton, who won the states popular vote. Baca was removed as an elector as a result. He and two other electors sued.

___

11 a.m.

The attorneys speaking before the Supreme Court on its last scheduled day of phone arguments include a law school professor and a state solicitor general.

The cases Wednesday center on whether an elector must choose the candidate who won the popular vote in a state or can choose another candidate. They involve electors in Washington and Colorado who didnt vote for 2016 vote winner Hillary Clinton.

Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig is representing Washington electors in Wednesdays arguments, taking place by phone because of the coronavirus.

Lessig favors broad reforms to voting, redistricting and the way campaigns are funded. Lessig briefly sought the 2016 Democratic nomination and called for presidential electors to support Clinton because she won the national popular vote four years ago.

Washington state Solicitor General Noah Purcell addressed the court after Lessig. Purcell previously argued against President Donald Trumps travel ban.

___

10 a.m.

The Supreme Court has started the final day of arguments it has scheduled to hear by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic. Wednesdays cases are about electors who vote for the president.

Over the past two weeks, the court has heard five other days of telephone arguments. On Tuesday it heard the biggest cases, involving President Donald Trumps tax returns.

The cases Wednesday center on whether an elector must choose the candidate who won the popular vote in a state or can choose another candidate. They involve electors in Washington and Colorado who didnt vote for 2016 vote winner Hillary Clinton.

Arguments are scheduled to last two hours. The court has again urged lawyers to use a landline, not a cellphone. The justices ask questions in order of seniority, after Chief Justice John Roberts goes first.

The phone arguments have gone smoothly, even when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participated from a Baltimore hospital room last week and Justice Stephen Breyer was briefly kicked off the line. The audio has been made available live to audiences around the world.

___

9 a.m.

The first case before the Supreme Court in Wednesdays phone arguments involves three Washington state electors who in 2016 voted for Colin Powell for president rather than the states vote winner, Hillary Clinton.

The second case involves Colorado elector Micheal Baca. In 2016, he voted for John Kasich rather than Clinton, who won the states popular vote. Baca was removed as an elector as a result. He and two other electors sued.

Wednesday is the last day scheduled for arguments to be heard by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic. The audio has been made available live to audiences around the world.

On Tuesday, the court heard arguments in two cases involving President Donald Trumps bid to keep his tax, bank and other financial records private.

___

8 a.m.

Wednesday is final day for telephone arguments at the Supreme Court. Two cases center on presidential electors and whether they must support the popular vote winners in their states or can opt for someone else.

The voting issue could have important consequences for the 2020 presidential election in an era of intense political polarization. So-called faithless electors have not been critical to the outcome of a presidential election, but that could change in a contest with a razor-thin margin.

In 1915, Oregon became the first state to require presidential electors to pledge to support the nominee of the electors party. Today, 32 states and Washington, D.C., have laws restricting electors votes. But 19 of those states and D.C. dont attach specific consequences to breaking the law.

___

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.
The Senate on Wednesday defeated an amendment that would have restricted law enforcement searches on internet browsers and search histories under the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The vote was the first of at least three amendment votes the Senate will take Wednesday and Thursday before a final vote on reauthorizing FISA, the law that provides surveillance provisions in cases of espionage and terrorism.

If the Senate approves the FISA reauthorization without amendments, it will go to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature. It's unclear if Trump will sign it.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell began two days of debate on reauthorizing the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act

FISA was famously used by FBI to obtain a surveillance warrant on Carter Page, an aide on President Trump's 2016 campaign

The intelligence tools expired on March 15 after senators left Washington D.C. without renewing it following objections from privacy hawks who said the legislation didn't do enough to safeguard Americans' personal data and communications.

The FISA act was most famously used in the 2016 campaign for the FBI to obtain a surveillance warrant for Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Trump has railed about the treatment of Page by the agency and has demanded reforms in the FISA reauthorization.

The legislation under consideration will make changes to the FISA court system to address findings of misconduct by the FBI over their requests to monitor Page.

The changes would require the attorney general to sign off on FISA applications dealing with elected officials and federal candidates. It would also allow independent monitors to review FISA applications.

President Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr have been harsh, vocal critics of the FBI's handling of Page, who has never been charged with a crime. The FBI was investigating whether he was acting as a Russian agent, a charge he has denied.

Barr was heavily involved in negotiating the legislation currently before the Senate and has urged lawmakers to approve it. His involvement increases the likelihood Trump will sign the legislation.

Department of Justice inspector general Michael Horowitz found the FBI had changed or withheld significant information used to build its case for Page's surveillance warrant. The FBI attorney who changed the information is under criminal investigation.

Critics of the FISA court - which includes both liberal Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans - say the reforms in the legislation being considered before the Senate don't go far enough.

Republican Senator Rand Paul said he would urge President Trump to veto the legislation if it passes the Senate without amendments.

'I'll encourage him publicly to veto it if they don't fix it. I don't have a great deal of hope that that will happen,' Paul said. 'I think that it's a disservice to the people who have worked so hard to support the President if we allow FISA to stand and do this to another President in the future. We'll have missed a great opportunity for fixing it.'

Paul proposed an amendment that would prohibit the FISA court from authorizing surveillance of a U.S. citizen. Senators will vote on that Thursday. Another amendment would provide targets of surveillance warrants additional legal protections in FISA courts.

If any of the Senate amendments pass, the House will have to vote on the legislation again.

The House approved the FISA legislation in March with broad bipartisan support, which is a rare occurrence for the current Congress.

But the problems arose in the Senate where Paul and Republican Senator Mike Lee objected to Leader Mitch McConnell's attempt to move the legislation quickly through the upper chamber. As a compromise, senators passed a temporary reauthorization, which the House never took up, letting the surveillance provisions expire.

Republican Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee were among those who objected in March to McConnell's attempt to a quick reauthorization; both senators have cited privacy concerns

Attorney General Bill Barr was heavily involved in negotiations on the FISA measure and is urging senators to pass it

McConnell on Wednesday encouraged senators to reject the amendments and pass the bill as is.

He noted the negotiations between the Trump administration and lawmakers on Capitol Hill produced 'a strong bill that balances the need for accountability with our solemn obligation to protect our citizens and defend our homeland.'

'I understand that several of our colleagues believe this compromise bill is not perfect. Sadly, imperfection is a fact of life when it comes to compromise legislation,' he said in a speech on the Senate floor.
Providence Health & Services announced Tuesday it will launch a variety of cost-cutting measures including furloughs and temporary pay reductions for at least 600 employees.

Oregons largest hospital system said the moves are necessary due to the financial disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virtually every hospital and health system in the state has taken steps to rein in costs since the virus hit in March. Providence, like its competitors, intends now to resume elective surgeries and other services that were put on hold while hospitals readied for the first wave of COVID-19 sufferers.

Unions and others have criticized hospitals for cutting compensation in the middle of an unprecedented public health crisis. But hospital officials said they have little choice having experienced 40% to 70% revenue declines in some departments.

We are planning for a new normal to ensure financial stability in the months ahead, said Lisa Vance, chief executive of Providence Oregon. We are doing all we can to ensure the highest safety precautions are in place for all of our services as we reach out to patients to ensure they do not delay needed care.

Executives will get pay cuts ranging from 5% to 50%. Other managers will be furloughed for one week between May 17 and July 31.

Flexing to volume will also be the new policy not just for direct caregivers but also for others who dont work directly with patients. That means that the hospital will adjust staffing almost daily based on the number of patients in the hospital.

Its long been the norm for many nurses and other healthcare workers.

Now, Providence will expand the practice to other employees through the end of July. Managers are expected to cut their departments spending by 30%.

Employees will retain their benefits and some will be eligible for unemployment benefits, Providence said.

The arrival of COVID-19 ended all elective surgeries. Gov. Kate Brown called on hospitals to temporarily suspend those procedures in order to concentrate on patients stricken by the virus.

It wasnt just revenue from elective surgeries that declined, though. Most hospitals in the urban area also saw emergency room traffic decline significantly, which doctors and nurses attributed to fear of the virus.

Oregon Health & Science University and Legacy Health have undertaken similar cuts in recent weeks.
Broadway star Nick Cordero, who was hospitalized in April with the coronavirus, is now awake after being placed in a medically induced coma, according to his wife, Amanda Kloots.

The fitness trainer held the couple's 11-month-old son Elvis as she excitedly shared the news on her Instagram story Tuesday afternoon. She had been using the hashtag #WakeUpNick, but said it was time to change it.

"We might have to change our hashtag to #CodeRocky, because Nick  Dada  is awake," she said. "Yay! Dada is awake."

Kloots said her husband's doctor told her she could officially say he is awake, despite the fact he isn't opening and closing his eyes. She said that action requires too much energy right now.

On Monday, Kloots shared the exciting news that Cordero was starting to respond to doctors' commands.

"He is very, very, very weak still so it is very slow progress when they ask him to do things, but you can see he is trying, which is awesome," she said in another Instagram update.

Kloots first shared that Cordero was sick on Instagram on April 1. He had to have his leg amputated due to blood clotting from his condition and was placed in a medically-induced coma by doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She also shared that Cordero's lungs were so damaged they "look almost like he's been a smoker for 50 years."

"This disease does not only affect old people. This is real. A perfectly healthy 41-year-old man!" Kloots wrote alongside the last family photo they took before Cordero was sick.

"Bring awareness to his story. STAY HOME! FOLLOW GUIDELINES!" she added. "This journey with Nick has been the hardest thing weve ever had to go through."
Shoppers line up outside a Costco to buy supplies amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Feb. 28, 2020. (Duane Tanouye via Reuters)

Costcos Kirkland and Other Store Brands Are Having a Moment

Store-brand toilet paper used to be an unwanted second choice at the grocery store, often left behind as consumers stocked up on names they knew, like Charmin, Angel Soft, Scott, and Cottonelle.

But what may have once been the loneliest item on the shelf is now in high demand.

Americans are increasingly experimenting with alternatives to their favorite consumer product labels as they cut back on spending and find go-to products in short supply. That means people are scooping up more Kirkland Signature toilet paper at Costco, Finest Nutrition pain relievers at Walgreens, and Gold Emblem snacks at CVS.

Weve seen a huge increase in private label, especially toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and packaged foods, said Richard Galanti, chief financial officer at Costco.

Customers shop at a Costco store in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 12, 2018. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Consumers were already trying more store brands, or private label products, before the crisis.

Chains like Walmart, Target, Kroger, and others have been expanding their private-label brands in recent years. Kroger developed its Simple Truth organic food line into a $2 billion brand, for example, while Target recently launched Good & Gather, a food and beverage brand the retailer expects to become its biggest store line.

The motivation for retailers is that store-brand products are more profitable than name-brand ones.

Retailers have gotten better at developing and marketing their private label brands, and major e-commerce players like Amazon have started introducing their own private labels, said Dan Wald, senior partner in Boston Consulting Groups consumer products sector.

Private labels made up 16 percent of the market before the pandemic, up 2 percentage points since 2014, according to market research firm IRI.

Since the start of the pandemic in the United States, private-brand sales grew 29 percent, outpacing regular-branded product sales, which grew by 24 percent, according to the most recent data from Nielsen.

During the crisis, around a quarter of consumers have tried private-label brands for the first time, according to a survey of more than 1,000 consumers in late March by research firm AlixPartners.

At least 30 percent of consumers who tried new private-label products during the crisis plan to stick with them, Alix found.

Why Private-Label?

Part of the reason store brands are doing well is that shoppers are finding shelves in stores cleaned out and products online out of stock from the crush of demand. This is pushing them to switch to stores private-label lines for the first time.

Also, retailers private-label products are often cheaper than name brands.

We do see a continued focus on value during this time period, given economic factors such as joblessness, which leads more consumers to private-label products, said Luke Rauch, vice president of commercial strategy at Walgreens.

In Phoenix, Arizona, Kelly Jamison, 25, said she bought Fry grocery stores private-label gummy bears during the pandemic instead of a name-brand version because they were cheaper.

She said she plans to keep buying Frys. They taste way better.

The trend is even playing out at specialty chains. Private-label sales at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, a 150-store organic grocery chain that primarily operates in the Mountain West, are up 62 percent during the second quarter of this year and are outpacing branded product sales by 40 percent.

Store brand items that were top sellers prior to the outbreakproducts such as canned beans, eggs, bacon, and almond butter have consistently remained top sellers throughout the pandemic, Kemper Isely, Natural Grocers co-president, said in an email to CNN Business.

The retailer attributes the increase to customers cooking more and stocking up their pantries.

Good For Stores, Bad For Big Brands

The shift to store-brand products could be a risk for major consumer product companies like Procter & Gamble and Unilever in the long run.

The crisis is eroding customers loyalty to big brands and spurring them to give other items, including the cheaper private brands, a second look, Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told analysts last month.

If you look at toilet paper, people really dont complain about what brand it is; all theyre looking for is toilet paper, he said. There are several areas where its more important to get the item versus the brand.

The Kroger supermarket chains headquarters is shown in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 28, 2018. (Lisa Baertlein/Reuters)

This could pose a threat to traditional consumer product and food manufacturers, especially if consumers trade down to lower-priced store brands during a recession.

There are certainly a subset of consumers for whom price becomes a significantly greater portion of their personal value equation. And that will, in some cases, result in trade down to private label, Procter & Gamble chief financial officer Jon Moeller said in April. P&G owns brands such as Bounty, Tide, and Charmin.

The changes also are likely to stick beyond the pandemic.

We make many of our choices habitually, said Ernest Baskin, assistant professor of food marketing at Saint Josephs University. To the extent that shoppers are starting to form new habits in this environment, my sense is that they will likely continue those habits.

The-CNN-Wire

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Fifteen people, who had come in contact with a coronavirus-infected migrant worker, tested positive for COVID-19 in Assam on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 79, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

In a tweet, the minister said, "15 persons are tested #COVID19 + in Kamrup Metro. All are related to patient from Guwahati's Fancy Bazaar, who tested + recently. All under quarantine and please dont panic."



Out of these 79 cases, 37 are active while one person who tested positive in the state has moved to Bihar. There have been two deaths while 39 people have been discharged.

Two persons had tested positive on Monday in Guwahati -- a patient in Guwahati Medical College Hospital and the 50-year-old migrant worker in the commercial hub of Fancy Bazaar area in the city.

All those who tested positive on Wednesday were in contact with this worker, who hails from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh.

The total number of cases in Guwahati city has risen to 22, including a 16-year-old girl who was detected to be positive after her death.

The Kamrup (Metro) district administration had on Tuesday declared a part of Fancy Bazaar as containment zone and also shut down the municipal market complex in the area.

Guwahati city now has six containment zones, including three areas around Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) and the Regional Dental Colleges, the employees colony of B Barooah Cancer Hospital and Amiyonagar in Chandmari.

GMCH has been closed to new patients since a post-graduate student of medicine tested positive on May 7.

Among the others who tested positive in the city are a student of the Regional Dental College, a 55-year-old housewife, a person with a travel history to West Bengal and a resident of a high-end apartment who was the first to test positive in the city.

Meanwhile, six buses from Delhi with 163 students onboard and one bus from Chennai with 24 cancer patients and attendants arrived in Guwahati on Wednesday, Sarma said.

The minister received them and discussed the 14-day mandatory quarantine process which they have to observe.

Six buses carrying 137 passengers, mostly cancer patients, and their attendants arrived from Mumbai late on Tuesday and all have been quarantined at a hotel.

More than 21,000 tests have been conducted in the seven laboratories in the state so far.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
C hancellor Rishi Sunak today warned that Britain faces a significant recession as latest official figures showed that GDP slumped by an unprecedented 5.8 per cent in March.

The precipitous fall in output during the month dwarfed anything seen in previous downturns and revealed for the first time the scale of the damage to the economy caused by the emergency response to the pandemic.

The fall  described by economists as devastating  was almost as deep in a single month as the entire 6.9 per cent drop in output over more than a year of recession during the global financial crisis.

The figure only includes a week of full lockdown, announced by Boris Johnson on March 23, so Aprils figure is certain to be far worse.

Mr Sunak told the BBC: A recession is defined technically as two quarters of decline in GDP.

Weve seen one here with only a few days of impact from the virus, so it is now very likely that the UK economy will face a significant recession this year and we are in the middle of that as we speak.

Speaking to Sky News, he added: In common with pretty much every other economy around the world we are facing severe impact from the coronavirus.

He added that was why they had taken action to support peoples jobs, their incomes, livelihoods at this time and support businesses so we can get through this period of severe disruption and emerge stronger on the other side.

Over the first quarter Britains economy fell by two per cent, the worst since the last quarter of 2008 during the banking crash.

But it was in March that the impact of response to the pandemic began to hit the economy. The services sector, which accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the economy, fell by a record 6.2 per cent.

The productive sectors of the economy, which include manufacturing, fell 4.2 per cent, a monthly decline exceeded only during the strikes of the Seventies.

The figures came as a leaked Treasury report suggested the Government faces a deficit of 337 billion this year forcing Mr Sunak to consider a rise in income tax or a public sector pay freeze.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds backed the rescue package, including the furlough scheme, but warned scaling back support would lead to more unemployment.

Pablo Shah from forecasters CEBR said GDP could contract by up to 30 per cent in the second quarter.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, May 11, 2020. EPA




MONTREALSome of Montreals most disadvantaged neighbourhoods appear to be bearing the brunt of the citys COVID-19 numbers, leading community organizers to question why more wasnt done to protect them.

Montreal North, one of the citys poorest boroughs, had more than 1,850 cases as of Tuesday evening, and the highest rate of infection in the city  more than double the citys average.

Marjorie Villefranche, the director of the Maison dHaiti community organization, said Montreal North and other lower-income neighbourhoods have been hit hard due to crowded living conditions, a population that suffers from pre-existing health conditions and a high proportion of the population working in health care and other essential services.

Imagine six weeks in a three and a half with five or six people, she said, using the Quebec term for a one-bedroom apartment. Its difficult.

Data released by the city of Montreal shows that many of the hardest-hit boroughs are in the citys northeast, including Montreal North, Riviere-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles and Anjou, which house many lower-income people, immigrants and refugees.

In all of those neighbourhoods, between 24 and 34 per cent of COVID-19 cases are among health workers  above the city average of 20 per cent  suggesting that people from vulnerable neighbourhoods are paying the price for caring for others.

Villefranche said many immigrants and refugees, including the Haitian asylum-seekers who crossed the border at Roxham Road in 2017, have sought out jobs as patient attendants in long-term-care homes as a quick way to enter the workforce.

It was a sector where there was a big demand, they needed people to work there, she said in a recent interview.

The city has ramped up its efforts in Montreal North in recent weeks, moving to install a temporary testing clinic as well as mobile ones in city buses that travel to COVID-19 hot spots or areas where barriers to testing exist. It has extended sidewalks onto the road to reduce crowding and become more active in offering information.

But Villefranche questions why more wasnt done earlier to protect vulnerable communities, where poverty leads to crowded living situations and more underlying health conditions.

Normally, when you try to predict what will happen, you look at where the pandemic can enter, you look at your fragile sectors, she said.

But it seems like they didnt look at that. The fragile sectors were the (long-term-care homes) and these neighbourhoods.

She said the governments original advice, which essentially told people to stay home and stay two metres away from each other, didnt correspond to the reality in Montreal North, where large families live together and many people work in essential services such as security, health care and food services.

When you say to stay home, stay confined and cook at home, youre not talking to those people, Villefranche said, adding that there should have been more information tailored to people who have no choice but to go out.

While governments were slow to spring to action, community groups stepped in, offering food, information and other support.

Wissam Mansour is among those who have been out in the streets distributing masks, gloves and information on behalf of the community group Hoodstock, which focuses on social and cultural issues in the neighbourhood.

Among the population, theres a lot of worry, she said in a recent interview. They see cases rising and theyre worried.

Villefranche said Maison dHaiti has been distributing food baskets to families and helping with communication, noting that many residents dont have internet access and some dont speak French.

Both Mansour and Villefranche said that while the local and provincial governments have taken steps to address the situation in the borough, more action is needed.

In the short term, they said, citizens need food and health care, including for mental health. Mansour said she wants tenants to be offered cleaning materials and protective gear to better maintain their apartment buildings.

Longer term, both said, more needs to be done to help address problems of poverty and inadequate housing that make the community vulnerable to another pandemic.

Were living a health crisis inside a health crisis thats always there, Mansour said.

We cant be in two crises at the same time.

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With increased radicalisation, the coming years might see Hizbul becoming a shadow organisation as the ideologues of AQIS and LeT will gain ground in this changing theatre.

The recent killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo  in an encounter with security forces in his native village of Pulwama in South Kashmir  has rendered a severe blow to the local militancy in Kashmir. Naikoo rose to prominence within the Hizbul Mujahideen ranks after the killing of HM commander Burhan Wani in 2016. Riyaz Naikoo took over the reigns of operational commander after Burhan's deputy Zakir Musa defected from Hizbul Mujahideen. Zakir Musa operationalised Ansar Ghaswat Ul Hind (AGUH)  a part of AQIS in Kashmir  after he had a serious fall out with Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin.

During that period, Riyaz Naikoo was able to keep the cadre of Hizbul Mujahideen largely intact and also fought a vicious turf war with the Zakir Musa-led AGUH in South Kashmir. His men not only hunted down the AGUH cadre but sources on the ground indicate that his OGW network was instrumental in providing intelligence to security agencies on the location of AGUH militants thus getting them eliminated.

Naikoo was instrumental in unleashing a reign of renewed terror particularly in South Kashmir. His men started kidnapping and killing innocent civilians which were either labelled as mainstream political workers or informers. They also targeted unarmed policemen who were off duty, visiting their homes and families in the villages.

Hizbul Mujahideen surfaced in the Valley in 1989 as a pro-Pakistani militant organisation with a sole purpose of integrating Kashmir with Pakistan. They fought a bitter turf war in the early 1990's with the Yasin Malik-led JKLF  a pro-freedom militant organisation and ultimately emerged as a dominant militant organisation in the Valley.

Hizbul Mujahideen has been responsible for killing of scores of innocent civilians in the Valley  with its primary targets comprising mainstream political workers and leaders in the Valley. The prominent ones killed by Hizbul Mujahideen are the religious leader Mirwaiz Farooq and a moderate Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone besides other mainstream leaders. The politico-religious organisation Jamaat-e-Islami has been its ideological mentor in the Valley.

As militancy waned in the late 1990s all through to the early 2000s, Hizbul activities became more limited. With locals unwilling to join militant ranks and with its dwindling resources, the outfit's role was limited to the killing of mostly political targets, while Pakistan pushed foreign terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to carry out the more deadly attacks against the security forces. The Hizbul Mujahideen was also used by the Jamaat-e-Islami to settle political scores with its opponents in the Valley.

With the rise of Wani as Hizbul commander and his use of social media to propagate militancy, the Hizbul Mujahideen was rejuvenated in South Kashmir. Wani became the new poster boy of Kashmiri militancy. His death in 2016 in an encounter and the ensuing violence provided a fresh impetus to the Hizbul Mujhaideen to recruit new cadres, mostly in South Kashmir. But with tighter security grid around the Line of Control, the supply of arms and ammunition from Pakistan had dried up drastically in the Valley, turning out Hizbul cadres who were largely ill-trained and ill-equipped to undertake any major terror attacks.

With the change in status quo after the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August last year, the theatre of insurgency is once again changing in the Valley.

Pakistan is again aggressively pushing well-trained and heavily-armed men from across the border to fight a renewed insurgency in Kashmir. According to sources, since 2016, Pakistan has focussed on training a new group of hardcore insurgents to fight specifically in Kashmir. Many local boys are reported to have crossed over towards the other side of the LoC to receive arms training in guerrilla warfare. Most of the training camps are run by the LeT.

The recent operation in the Keran sector where a unit of five elite paratroopers lost their lives in a firefight with militants who had recently crossed over from the LoC, followed by the Handwara encounter in which the commanding officer of the 21st Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles along with a major and three other members of personnel from the army and police were killed while fighting a wanted Pakistani terrorist, are signs of a deadly insurgency taking shape.

After being grey-listed by the FATF over terror-financing charges, Pakistan has repackaged the terror organisations like LeT and JeM under the new banner of The Resistance Front (TRF). The focus now is to increase the terror footprint in other parts of the Valley. The LoC has been hot and the artillery has been booming from both sides continuously since last year. Terror activity has picked up recently and reports of fresh infiltration from across the border has kept the security agencies on their toes.

While the LeT/JeM insurgents will keep much of the theatre going on in the Valley, the Hizbul Mujahideen will return to its old turf of killing soft targets and terrorising common people.

The most noticeable change in the Valley over the past decade has been the constant spurt in radicalisation among the youth. Radicalisation has become an major tool for militant organisations like Hizbul Mujahideen and others to recruit new cadres. With increased radicalisation, the coming years might see Hizbul becoming a shadow organisation as the ideologues of AQIS and LeT will gain ground in this changing theatre.
Sinduja Jane By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Statewide COVID-19 tally rose to 8,718 with 716 more people testing positive on Tuesday. Eight patients died at city hospitals, the highest in a single day so far, taking the toll to 61. Among the new cases, 510 are from Chennai. Seven of the deceased are residents of Chennai and one, Tiruvallur.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research gave approval to two medical college hospitals in the city  Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Government Medical College Hospital in Omandurar Estate  to begin solidarity clinical trial for COVID-19 treatment.

Solidarity is an international clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for COVID-19, launched by World Health Organisation.

A combination of drugs like Lopinavir and Ritonavir, another combination of Lopinavir, Ritonavir and Interferon beta 1a, apart from drugs like Hydroxychloroquine and Remdesivir will be tried on people above 18 years under the supervision of a doctor. We got the approval on Tuesday and will begin the trial soon, a health official told Express.

Meanwhile, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital began clinical trial for convalescent plasma therapy after a person who recovered recently donated his plasma. The hospital is one of the centres approved by Indian Council of Medical Research for multi-centric trial.

A media bulletin on Tuesday mentioned the underlying cause of death and also mode of dying while reporting deaths based on the new guidelines issued recently by the ICMR for reporting COVID-19 deaths.

Rs 1,000 more for archakas, workers

The State government has announced that priests and other workers of temples under the HR&CE Department will get Rs 1,000 as assistance owing to the extension of lockdown till May 17. This will be in addition to Rs 1,000 given earlier. As many as 2,108 archakas/bhattacharyas/poojaris who get only a share of the temple collection and not a salary will get Rs 1,000. Apart from this, 8,340 archakas/bhattacharyas/poojaris working in temples which receive government grant for one-time pooja, and others such as pandaram, kangani thiruvilakku, dasanambi and paricharakas will also get the assistance.
So far, three deaths in the state have been linked to the illness, which is known as pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome and causes life-threatening inflammation in critical organs, Mr. Cuomo said.

More than half of the states syndrome cases  57 percent  involved children ages 5 to 14.

Also on Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 52 cases of the syndrome, which has symptoms that overlap with those of toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease, had been reported in New York City and that 10 potential cases were being evaluated.

The dead included a 5-year-old boy who died last week in New York City, a 7-year-old boy in Westchester County and an 18-year-old woman on Long Island.

This is a truly disturbing situation, Mr. Cuomo said at his daily news briefing. And I know parents around the state and around the country are very concerned about this, and they should be.
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As SARS-CoV-2 accelerated its worldwide spread in March, a medication with World War II roots captured the spotlight of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hydroxychloroquinea malaria drug with anti-inflammatory propertiesrapidly emerged as the de facto COVID-19 therapy, despite an exceedingly thin evidence base to justify its use. Bolstered by a rare Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and widely touted by high-level political and media figures, hydroxychloroquine prescriptions skyrocketed overnight, including an astounding 46-fold spike in U.S. prescriptions after a March 19 press conference in which President Donald Trump encouraged its use.

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The science backing hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 therapy was meager, largely restricted to a single-arm, unblinded, and nonrandomized study of 36 patients. Nonetheless, hydroxychloroquine quickly found a home as a primary COVID-19 therapeutic, with federal agencies and front-line providers adopting a stance with echoes of pandemics past: How could it hurt?

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History has repeatedly answered this question: Using drugs like this can, indeed, hurt. In fact, our medical past is littered with pharmaceutical mishaps and counterproductive responses during global pandemics. The evidence is clear that prematurely electing one untested drug can cause much more harm than good.

Our modern pharmaceutical regulatory structure is built upon the skeletons of medicines past mistakes. History has repeatedly demonstrated that widespread use of medications without adequate evidence often results in unforeseen, harmful consequences. A roster of onetime blockbuster medications now lives on in infamy: thalidomide, a morning sickness medication marketed to European women subsequently found to have caused thousands of horrific birth defects; fenfluramine, a popular weight loss medication prescribed to millions, eventually pulled from the market and subject to a $3.75 billion settlement for causing valvular heart disease; Vioxx, a massively distributed pain reliever that subsequently notched more than 55,000 alleged deaths from heart attack and stroke.

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These painful episodes are seared into physicians and scientists collective consciousness, passed from generation to generation as a reminder to exercise caution when considering new drugs or prescribing old medications for new indications. Even across a range of otherwise successful or relatively benign medications, off-label prescribingthe use of medications in conditions for which they werent approvedis associated with significantly higher rates of adverse events.

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History is even more instructive when we focus on our past responses to pandemics. Here, too, we see the consequences of medications prematurely rushed to the front linesinterventions heroic in their intentions but often disastrous in their outcomes.

Pandemic responses are marked by a sense of desperation, not only among the public but also among physicians who are looking for somethinganythingto save lives. This impulse can lead physicians to abandon caution and engage in widespread off-label repurposing of old medications. The 2003 SARS coronavirus epidemica modern historical analogue of our present-day pandemicsimilarly featured rapid, sweeping use of repurposed medications before evidence of their efficacy was known. As case counts began to climb, physicians began treating patients with a combination of steroids and high-dose ribavirina medication that had the reputation of being a relatively broad antiviral agent. The few available studies on the impact of the drug on the SARS coronavirus were small and poorly constructed. Despite thin evidence and a list of serious side effects, including anemia, electrolyte derangements, and liver damage, the medication was quickly and widely prescribed in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Toronto.

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Unfortunately, not only did the steroid and ribavirin combination fail as therapy, it might have worsened some patients outcomes. Yet even as negative evidence emerged, some providers continued to prescribe the cocktail because they wanted to do something. This was not the only instance of a failed off-label therapy during this pandemic; an exhaustive examination of the many attempted therapies during the SARS outbreak suggests that most provided little benefit and some may have even been harmful. Despite this evidence, we saw a similar response to the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, in 2011. Again, physicians tried ribavirin and even interferona medicine known to have a substantial toxic profilewith the hope of doing something. The response to MERS was also a reminder that drugs that work in test tubessuch as mycophenolate, a powerful immunosuppressantcan make things worse in living beings, as mycophenolate actually increased the number of MERS viral particles when tested in primates.

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Finally, our most recent pandemicthe 201416 Ebola virus outbreakshowed us that medication mishaps during pandemics are not only a matter of poorly repurposed old drugs; the success of new medications is also notoriously difficult to predict. As Ebola spread, highly touted novel therapeutics like ZMappa triple monoclonal antibody cocktailshowed initial promise in primate studies but were ineffective once subjected to a randomized controlled trial. Remdesiviran antiviral now under investigation for COVID-19showed initial promise against Ebola in primates and was rapidly advanced to clinical trials, but ultimately proved far inferior to two later immunotherapies.

Of course, the current outbreak is much broader than SARS, MERS, or Ebola, and has already killed many more people. Doesnt this justify more risk taking? Even the great influenza pandemic of 1918 has a lesson for us. Physicians at the time, seeking to provide relief to their patients with their available medical armamentarium, prescribed large doses of salicylates, up to 31 grams per day, which would later turn out to be toxic. Even the U.S. surgeon general recommended prescribing salicylates right before the October 1918 death spike. Research suggests that a meaningful proportion of the deaths from the great influenza pandemic may have been from the effects of this treatment rather than the disease itself.

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These and similar lessons have been widely taught in schools of medicine and public health across the world. They have even found their way into the bylaws of the American Medical Association, whose code of ethics explicitly states that off-label medication usage in a pandemic should occur only on the basis of sound scientific evidence and appropriate clinical expertise. Nonetheless, as we have again recently seen, these lessons of history are all too easily cast aside. In times of crisis, past becomes prologue.

Shifting back to the present, hydroxychloroquines star has dimmed amid recent disappointing clinical trial data and mounting evidence of heart and liver toxicities. Might another repurposed drug emerge as a useful COVID-19 therapy? Of course. Even as we write, the spotlight has abruptly shifted once again to shine brightly on remdesivir, with directionally promisingalbeit limitedinitial trial data again racing across headlines worldwide. If eligible, patients can be enrolled in remdesivir clinical trials for moderate or severe cases of COVID-19. Outside of clinical trials, remdesivir is available in limited supply via Emergency Use Authorization. Will it work? Luckily, we have a robust scientific method at our disposal to sort out just such a question, burnished with centuries of trials, errors, and lessons.

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The last great pandemic was a century ago, when the average life expectancy was nearly 30 years shorter. Humanity has made important progress since then, largely by relying on science to develop and implement public health measures, identify new therapies, and vanquish old diseases. An unprecedented unified worldwide scientific effort is now underway to study and fight COVID-19. In unsettling times like this, it is more important than ever that we recommit to the scientific method that has given us this progress. Working quickly and efficiently, we can reduce deaths and alleviate suffering, without further harming the sickas long as we remember the lessons weve learned, instead of having to learn them again.
The home delivery of liquor in



Maharashtra will start from May 15, an order issued by the state excise department on Wednesday said.

The state government had on Tuesday allowed home delivery of liquor to avoid crowding at shops amid the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

However, as the shop owners had sought some more time for preparation, the service will start from Friday, the government resolution (GR) issued by the state excise department said.

"The home delivery of liquor will commence from Friday across the state, where the shops are already opened in the non-containment zones. One shop owner cannot appoint more than 10 delivery persons and one delivery person cannot carry more than 24 bottles of permitted liquor in one time," the order said.

Providing relief to the consumers, the government also ordered that the shop owners not to charge over and above the MRP printed on the bottle.

The GR also made it clear that the online sale of liquor is an unwritten contract between the buyer and the seller, hence the state will not be party to any possible dispute between them.

"Despite the online sale, the liquor shops will have to adhere to the laid-down norms of physical distancing and sanitisation of its staff," the order said.

The government allowed home delivery of liquor in the wake of crowding outside liquor outlets when they opened early last week following relaxations in lockdown norms.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Social distancing may save human lives, but it's wreaking havoc on some of the world's most threatened species.In Botswana, which depends heavily on tourism, poachers have taken advantage of suddenly empty wildlife reserves to kill at least six endangered rhinos during the coronavirus pandemic. In South Africa's North West province, at least nine more were killed as sightseers stayed home. Fears are rising that tigers, elephants and countless lesser-known species might soon face similar threats.For decades, theres been a broad consensus among governments, conservationists and industry that well-managed tourism gives local communities an economic stake in preserving wildlife. It's a good idea that has supported the conservation of threatened habitats around the world. But the cruel lesson of the coronavirus is that this model isnt sustainable in a steep economic downturn. If conservationists want to preserve species and habitats for the long term, they'll need to rethink some long-held assumptions.Few sectors have been hit harder by the virus than international tourism. Globally, daily flights are down by almost 80% since early April. Those planes that remain in the air are generally flying domestic routes in Asia and the U.S. The World Travel & Tourism Council, a trade group, estimates that small island developing states like the Seychelles and the Maldives generate as much as 30% of their gross domestic product from tourism. Since flights have been canceled, that industry has been erased.The downturn has been especially painful in places where biodiversity is the primary draw for travelers. Madagascar, for example, has spent decades promoting its unique habitats and rare species. Its goal was not just to preserve biodiversity, but to create lasting economic benefits for local communities. It has succeeded spectacularly: Madagascar is home to 144 protected areas, most managed by NGOs, which typically work with local communities to ensure that the benefits of tourism and conservation are widely shared.Thanks to the pandemic, that model is now all but defunct. Since January, the combined impact of travel restrictions and cancellations has wiped out $500 million in expected revenue. Ranomafana National Park, home to 12 lemur species and other rare animals, is generating no revenue at all. Those losses will surely ricochet through the countrys economy and civil society.And Madagascar isnt alone. Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all suspended tourism activities to protect mountain gorillas from the virus, leading to lost revenue for both local communities and conservation efforts. In Costa Rica, a global draw for birders and ecotourists, wildlife guides say that 100% of future bookings have been canceled. In Cambodia, conservationists have seen an uptick in poaching of protected wildlife, including the giant ibis, due to the pandemic's effect on local economies.The threat to endangered species is likely to worsen. Studies long ago established that poverty and poaching are strongly correlated, but it doesn't take a social scientist to understand that communities deprived of tourism revenue will look elsewhere for income. Without an economic rebound, the pressure to poach will only ramp up over time. In previous major epidemics, it took an average of 19 months for visitor numbers to recover, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. The depth of the current downturn will almost certainly require longer.For now, debt relief and other assistance to developing countries with rich biodiversity could help. Longer-term, conservationists will need to ensure that the economic benefits generated by preserving wildlife and habitats are widely shared. A first step should be including locals in decision-making and the management of wild populations. In practical terms, that generally means giving them hunting and agricultural rights in otherwise protected areas. In Namibia, that approach has resulted in a net increase in rhino, elephant and lion populations over the past few decades. It could work in other regions too.Meanwhile, governments and NGOs should tap into the growing sustainable-investments industry for assistance in creating market incentives for conservation. Last year, the Zoological Society of London and Conservation Capital announced a five-year, $50 million impact bond designed to protect rhino populations. If their numbers grow, investors will get back their capital, and a yield. Similar bonds could promote conservation and economic development in emerging regions worldwide.Of course, there's no simple recipe for maintaining global biodiversity. But the failure of ecotourism in the midst of a pandemic is a reminder that it takes more than a safari to ensure there's enough habitat for humans and animals to share.

Story continues

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

Adam Minter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is the author of Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade and "Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale."

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In a fervent letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, doctors working in North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run hospitals said that they have not been paid their salaries for the last three months despite risking their lives in the battle against COVID-19

Even as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Delhi, the National Capital is staring at a massive shortage of healthcare workers with nearly 800 doctors working in the hospitals run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) threatening to resign en masse over non-payment of salaries.

In a fervent letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the doctors lamented that they have not been paid their salaries for the last three months which has left them financially strained.

They also declared that they would have no option but to resign en-masse, if their salaries are not paid within five days.

Significantly, the civic body's apathy towards doctors has come to light at a time when healthcare workers are not only hailed and applauded for being at the frontline in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, states are also taking extra care to protect them from all kinds of stress in a bid to ensure that they can solely focus on their jobs.

Only recently, the Karnataka government decided to hike the salaries of the doctors working on contract basis. There has also been discussions amidst political circles in Maharashtra about the need to increase salaries of the doctors. But in contrast, doctors in the National Capital where the coronavirus has infected 7,639 persons and killed 86 have still not been paid their salaries.

In the letter, the doctors while re-iterating their solidarity with the nation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic said that the financial stress they are going through at this period is in contrary to the interest of the nation.

In our selfless service to the nation in fighting COVID-19 in frontlines, we have not only risked our lives, but also that of our families. Many of our doctors have tested positive of COVID-19. But we continue to work with uninterrupted impetus. But during this stressful time, non-payment of salaries for the last three months have caused severe strain to us and our families. It has started impacting our focus on our work, says Dr RR Gautam, president of Municipal Corporation Doctors Association.

Significantly, there are five major hospitals run by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. Though none of these hospitals are designated as COVID-19 medical care facilities, many of them function as testing facilities which make doctors working in them vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.

Many of these hospitals also have isolation wards to segregate patients who are suspected to have been infected. Doctors have to treat these patients regularly. Apart from them, every day doctors from our hospitals are deputed at airports for screening of passengers, he said.

Three doctors have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Hindu Rao Hospital while five doctors and one nurse tested positive in Kasturba Gandhi Hospital. Both hospitals are run by the NDMC.

Though the doctors appreciate the showering of flowers on COVID-19 warriors via helicopters, they lament that doctors in the civic body hospitals are struggling to make both ends meet due to non-payment of salaries.

Significantly, non-payment of salaries of the NDMC doctors is not a new phenomenon. This problem occurs intermittently after every few months.

This problem has existed since the trifurcation of the MCDs. We have been repeatedly writing to the authorities to find a solution to this problem. But no solution has been reached yet. Let alone salaries, our arrears right from the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission remains unpaid, said KP Rewani, another doctor.

There are nearly 800 doctors, employed in the hospitals run by the NDMC, who have not received their salaries for the last three months. They have approached the authorities but received no assurance from them.

The MCD authorities, however, blame the Delhi government for non-payment of dues.

Avtar Singh, mayor, NDMC told Firstpost that the Delhi government is yet to pay Rs 35 crores due on the heads such as sanitation and health, which is the root cause for the delay in payment of salaries of doctors.

"I have been writing to the Delhi government repeatedly to release the due amount immediately. But I have not received any favourable response, he said.

He also said that the NDMC is unable to pay the salaries of the doctors unless the Delhi government releases the funds.

Last year, doctors in the NDMC had gone a strike due to non-payment of salaries. The strike was called off after the Delhi government released the funds. The recurrence of the situation this year as well seems to show that a similar controversy is just moments away.
Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard has called for co-ops to show solidarity with hard pressed farmers by not dropping the price of milk and 'shoulder' some of the pain of the economic downturn.

Senator Tim Lombard said: Last month a number of processors decreased the base milk price due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on dairy market returns.

The co-ops are meeting this week to set their purchasing price for milk sold in April and I am urging processors to show some solidarity with our farmers.

Speaking with farmers around the country, many are extremely concerned that there will be another price reduction. Our rural farming communities need co-ops to shoulder some of the burden of this economic downturn and offer fair prices for their produce.

With the reduction in milk purchasing price co-ops are currently set to make large profits during the biggest health crisis since 1918. If co-ops make such profits in 2020 it will be at a huge cost to the agriculture community.

I hope that the co-ops listen carefully to what farmers are saying. This is an unprecedented crisis and because of that there needs to be an unprecedented response from the Cooperative movement Senator Lombard said.
An Alabama grandmother and her teenage former son-in-law have been arrested for livestreaming the sexual assault of the mans one-year-old daughter.

Lisa Williamson, 41, is accused of livestreaming Steven Anthony Jackson, 19, sexually assaulting his daughter on a pornographic site, police said.

The video was reported to the FBI by someone out of the state, Geneva County Sheriff Tony Helms said.

The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation raided their residence over the weekend and both have been arrested and charged.

Alabama grandmother Lisa Williamson, 41, and her ex-son-in-law Steven Anthony Jackson, 19, have been arrested for livestreaming a video of Jackson sexually assaulting his one-year-old daughter

Williamson faces charges of disseminating obscene pornography, possession of child porn, and possession of pornography, according to WDHN.

Jackson faces charges of first-degree sodomy and production of child pornography.

The evil of this magnitude exists in the world, especially for those of us who have children and grandchildren and [know] how precious they are. We do everything we can to protect them, and in this case, where the persons who were supposed to be protecting them are the ones that are causing the problem, Helms said.

'This is some of the worst behavior youll find,' Helms added.

The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation raided their residence in Geneva County over the weekend and both have been arrested and charged.

'The evil of this magnitude exists in the world, especially for those of us who have children and grandchildren and [know] how precious they are. We do everything we can to protect them, and in this case, where the persons who were supposed to be protecting them are the ones that are causing the problem,' Geneva County Sheriff Tony Helms said

Shocked neighbors, who did not want to be named, condemned the assault as one of the most atrocious acts theyve ever heard of.

Both Williamson and Jackson are being held on bail at Geneva County Jail on respective bonds of $2.5 million and $750,000, and additional arrests are possible in the case.

The Alabama Bureau of Investigation is expected to release additional information on the case in the near future.
Public health bodies should consider incentivizing social media influencers to encourage adolescents to follow social distancing guidelines, say researchers. Many adolescents are choosing to ignore the guidelines set out by governments during the COVID-19 pandemic, and peer-to-peer campaigns are likely to be more successful in changing attitudes.

For many people, adolescence - between the ages of 10 and 24 - is when you want to be making more social connections, not losing them. It's also a time of increased risk-taking and sensitivity to peer influence. For some adolescents it's a challenge to stick to social distancing rules, particularly if their friends aren't following the rules." Jack Andrews at the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, and first author of the paper

Breaking social distancing rules is a risk-taking behavior, putting at risk the health of the rule-breaker and of others - in many places with legal or financial consequences. But adolescents are particularly sensitive to the negative effects of social exclusion, and may prefer to risk breaking the rules rather than lose their friends, say the researchers of the paper published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

Campaigns led by adults that try to influence adolescent behavior often have mixed success. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the widespread implementation of social distancing measures, led by governments, which are likely to be in place in some form for the foreseeable future. But media reports of large student gatherings in the US in March demonstrated the challenge of stopping young people from meeting their friends face-to-face.

Social distancing guidance could be more effective if adolescents are allowed to develop and deliver their own campaigns, focused on changing peer attitudes around the importance of social distancing. With the current restrictions on face-to-face interventions, social media is expected to be particularly effective in promoting social distancing behaviors amongst adolescents.

"Adolescents look to their peers to understand social norms, and align their behavior with the group they want to belong to. The speed and extent of peer influence online is likely to amplified, because social media has such a wide and immediate reach," said Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore at the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology, who led the report.

Previous studies have shown that adolescents are more likely to take certain risks, such as experimenting with drugs or posting sexual content online, when peers are present or doing the same things. Adolescents are also more likely to get involved in beneficial activities, such as volunteering in the community, if they know others who are doing them.

Young people's capacity to encourage each other in a positive way has been demonstrated in previous studies, for example in a peer-led approach to reducing bullying in schools. This study identified highly-connected, well-liked students, and asked them to develop their own anti-bullying campaigns to share with their peers. Bullying dropped by 25% as a result, compared with other schools.

"The advantage of social media influencers is that the motivation for social distancing comes naturally from the young people themselves. Influencers could post videos or photos online, for example, showing how they are following social distancing rules by staying at home, and add tags to increase their visibility through sharing and Likes. Many YouTubers are already doing this. It's really just presenting public health advice in a more accessible way that adolescents are more likely to listen to," said Blakemore.

If social distancing can be established as a group norm amongst friends, it is more likely to be copied by others. Another advantage of targeting social media influencers is that they exist across many spheres of interest so have the potential to reach diverse groups of young people.

The researchers say that to create positive change, adolescents must be given the capacity to lead their own ideas. They hope that their proposals will be taken up by charities and public health bodies who can work with influencers to make sure the correct type of information is being shared.
NUREMBERG (dpa-AFX) - Leoni AG (LEOGN) reported that its first quarter net loss narrowed to 67 million euros from 132 million euros last year. On a per share basis, net loss narrowed to 2.05 euros from 4.03 euros in the prior year. EBIT-level result before exceptional items as well as before VALUE 21 costs improved slightly to a loss of 17 million euros from a loss of 21 million euros despite the significant sales decrease. Asset impairment was 19 million euros due to economic conditions changed by the Covid-19 pandemic; reported EBIT nevertheless considerably improved. Consolidated sales for the quarter declined to 1.13 billion euros from 1.26 billion euros in the previous year. The company said it agreed a new 330 million euros operating loan with core banks, 90% of which is backed by a large-scale German federal and state government guarantee. 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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 17:45:15|Editor: huaxia

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HEFEI, May 13 (Xinhua) -- After a month of delay as the coronavirus stung one of the world's largest honey-makers by confining people indoors, Wang Jianguo and his wife are back on their flower-chasing journey.

Two days after traveling more than 1,500 km north from their hometown of Jixi County in east China's Anhui Province, the couple arrived in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in late April, where they are making locust honey.

"Previously, my wife and I, along with our yellow dog, usually set out from home in March to gather nectar, carrying beehives and tents to provinces and regions including Jiangsu, Gansu and Xinjiang, and will return when there are no flowers in around mid-August," said the 54-year-old beekeeper.

"The farther north we go, the later and longer the flowering phase. Rape, sunflower and Xinjiang mountain flowers are all sources of our honey," Wang said.

As one of the world's largest honey producers, China accounts for about a quarter of the global output, behind which are hundreds of thousands of beekeepers such as Wang chasing the flowering season from coast to coast.

"The crop yields can be increased by about 30 percent after the pollination of bees, and we will thus be warmly welcomed by local people who believe we come to bring them wealth," Wang said.

Pursuing the sweet business for about two decades, Wang has witnessed the number of his beehives grow from about two to 130. "Our bees are fed with white sugar during the non-pollinating season from September to March, consuming about eight tonnes of sugar in about half a year."

"The sudden virus outbreak this year, however, rendered a bleak start for beekeepers in the spring pollinating season, forced us to stay at home and feed the bees for one more month," said the veteran beekeeper.

"More than 100 boxes of bees eat 200 kg of white sugar a day, costing over 600 yuan (about 85 U.S. dollars) daily," Wang said, adding that he lost almost 30,000 yuan due to missing the flowering phase in Jiangsu this year.

On March 12, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a notice that required local authorities to take practical and effective measures to promote the full resumption of work and production of apiculture as soon as possible, which gave beekeepers a shot in the arm.

Wang is among more than 3,000 beekeepers in his hometown of Jixi County. As the virus outbreak is gradually curbed in China, his counterparts began to set off to chase flowers.

"Almost all of the 20 beekeepers within 30 km of us have left, and we are among the last batch," said Hu Xuefeng, Wang's wife.

"We could gather nectar without the 14-day quarantine as long as we have a normal body temperature and green channels have been opened which exempt beekeepers from vehicle tolls," Hu said.

"Our online sales of honey in April registered more than 1,000 parcels a day, up 30 percent from the same period last year, as the demand for honey has increased due to its ability to boost immunity," said Zhou Guanyue, chairman of Anhui Jixi Wufengyuan Apiculture Co., Ltd.

Zhou's words gave more confidence to beekeepers like Wang. "Despite missing a flowering phase, there is always hope since we set out and head ever forward." Enditem
India Post, Mumbai, paid a tribute to migrant workers on Wednesday by releasing a special postal cover dedicated to them.

The official release of the postal cover took place at the Mumbai General Post Office (GPO) and the special covers were released by five workers from different sectors, said a GPO official.

This special cover is a tribute to those migrant workers whose grit, tenacity and labour have a big hand in building the city and making our lives smooth and seamless. Whether it is the taxi and auto drivers, the jewellery artisans of Zaveri Bazar, the construction building workers or the Bollywood technicians, most of whom hail from different areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. It is their silent contribution that has made Mumbai the financial powerhouse to the world, said Swati Pandey, postmaster general, India Post, Mumbai and head of Mumbai GPO.

The chief postmaster general, Maharashtra and Goa, Harish Chandra Agrawal was also present at the release. At this point in time, when the world is fighting against Covid-19, we are witnessing a very sad state of migrant workers who are struggling to get back home. They indeed are the most poignant victims of the circumstance. This special cover is an attempt to keep their struggles and contributions recorded in the history of India, added Pandey.

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The Constitution also has an Article III. That's the one that establishes the Supreme Court, which could soon let President Donald Trump know that there are limits to his powers.

Here was Trump, speaking last year: "I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president."

On Tuesday morning, the high court heard oral arguments in a trio of cases that might demonstrate clearly that the Constitution as conceived by Trump exists only in his own imaginings. Unless justices decides to split the baby, seemingly opting for compromise, but really handing future presidents a win.

Because the cases, which concerned efforts by Congress and a New York prosecutor to view Trump's tax statements and financial records, will in the end be about so much more than the current president. They could well change fundamentally the balance of power that is so integral to the functioning of our federal government. If Trump wins, and wins big, congressional oversight could be denuded, made little more than theoretical.

To judge from their questions, however, few justices were much interested in the novel constitutional theories being pushed by lawyers for the president.

Two of the cases, combined, concern the White House's flat-out refusal to respond to House subpoenas. The other is over Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.'s probe of hush-money payments that were apparently made at Trump's direction.

If the court follows logic, the Constitution and its own precedents, it will rule, unanimously, against Trump. That's what happened back in 1974, when the high court ruled, 9-0, against President Richard Nixon, who was endeavoring to keep under wraps a series of secret Oval Office recordings that incriminated him in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. And that's what happened, again, in 1997, when the court ruled, also with a 9-0 vote, against President Bill Clinton in a case brought by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones.

The current cases should be even easier to decide, as exactly nothing is asked of Trump. Instead, firms with which he was connected before he was elected president would need to hand over some documents that are already in their possession. They could do so without his having to lift a finger, or even to take his eyes off the TV.

Though the high court's ruling, which could come before the end of next month, will reverberate long after Trump is gone from the big stage, more immediately, should Trump lose, it could have a real impact on the upcoming presidential election. Will the people learn why Trump has so zealously guarded his tax documents and financial statements from view? Perhaps because the records will show that the man isn't nearly as rich as he'd like folks to believe. Or maybe they'll demonstrate the degree to which his businesses are entangled with foreign interests, including perhaps Kremlin-linked oligarchs. And details about the hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy magazine model Karen McDougall, who have each said they had sexual relationships with Trump -- which he has denied -- would also likely be of not a little interest to those who've wondered about the thrice-married Trump's views on fidelity.

If the Supreme Court ultimately rules for Trump, it will effectively be saying that our nation's chief executive -- not only this one, but also any future president -- is above the law. And that congressional oversight is a thing of the past. This would stand nearly two and a half centuries of practice, and law, completely on its head.

Trump and his backers have repeatedly contended that he and his doings are beyond the reach of lawmakers. If such an argument were to win the day, our entire system of checks and balances that is the foundation of our federal government, and that has been in place from the beginning, would be tossed out the window.

In Tuesday's arguments, Associate Justice Elena Kagan suggested that lawyers for the president were in essence asking the Supreme Court to place a "10-ton weight on the scales" -- on the side of the executive -- which would "make it impossible for Congress to conduct oversight."

She surely had that right.

Those arguing for the president said that the legislature, or a prosecutor, must have a legitimate purpose to issue a subpoena. Otherwise, the thinking goes, lawmakers from an opposition party and prosecutors across the land could go on fishing expeditions that could potentially cripple the chief executive.

Well, maybe. So who decides if a subpoena imposes an undue burden? A not-so novel notion: the federal judiciary, the third branch of our tripartite federal bureaucracy. The one established in Article III of our nations Constitution.
At least 23 people died after drinking adulterated alcohol at a funeral in Mexico's central Puebla state, local officials said.

Puebla state official David Mendez said the tainted alcohol was consumed at a funeral which drew around 80 people in Chinconcuatla, around 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Mexico City. "We have counted 23 dead so far. We are monitoring the situation," Mendez told reporters.

The deaths occurred on Tuesday, after dozens of people were rushed to hospitals suffering headaches and vomiting. "Don't drink alcohol...Identify adulterated drinks and find those responsible," the city's mayor Artemio Hernandez Garrido said in a Facebook message urging those with poisoning symptoms to seek immediate medical help.

Garrido vehemently denied a rumor that the deaths were due to the coronavirus pandemic. "The deaths are due to adulterated alcohol," he said. In April, 21 people died in the western state of Jalisco after drinking adulterated alcohol.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TIANJIN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The northern Chinese port city of Tianjin will provide customers with coupons worth more than 60 million yuan (about 8.46 million U.S. dollars) to stimulate consumption, local authorities said.

Coupons worth 21 million yuan have been issued, and more will gradually be released. The coupons are for use in areas including catering, cars, home appliances and building materials businesses, according to the Tianjin Commission of Commerce.

The city will provide enterprises, which have online stores on major shopping platforms such as Tmall, JD.com and Suning.com, with corresponding financial subsidies to reduce their annual fees and commissions.

Enterprises are also encouraged to promote goods on video-sharing apps and develop markets by livestreaming to expand the integration of their online and offline sales efforts.

Many Chinese cities, including Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province and Ningbo in east China's Zhejiang Province, have launched coupons to encourage residents to dine out and shop, in an effort to boost consumption hit hard by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
FERNDALE, Wash., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthy Pet is very pleased to announce the appointment of August F. DeLuca in the position of CEO. "Since last fall we diligently sought out the best candidate to lead Healthy Pet into its next era of success," said retiring CEO Ted Mischaikov. "It took many months and a nationwide search, which was more than worth the effort considering Augie's experience, talent and excellent character." In this role, Mr. DeLuca will be responsible for North American growth of all Healthy Pet products, and in collaboration with its parent company, J. Rettenmaier & Sohne, manufacturing for many markets overseas.

Mr. Deluca will commence his new role as Chief Executive Officer for Healthy Pet in May 2020.

Mr. Deluca comes to Healthy Pet with vast experience in driving growth through leadership, collaboration and innovation. Most recently, he held the position of President for Rock Ridge Stone of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he managed the vertically integrated manufacture through numerous growth and improvement initiatives over the last five years. He has held past roles of President, General Manager, Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Sales & Marketing within the CPG category, as well as several board and advisement positions.

Deluca said, "I am very excited to join Healthy Pet. The company has strong brands, on trend products and a passionate team. I look forward to working with them to deliver the next phase of growth and development."

About Healthy Pet

Healthy Pet, a leader in the pet category, offers Best in Home pet bedding and litter made from sustainably sourced, responsibly rescued natural plant fiber. Supported with over 100 years of experience and research from parent company JRS, J. RETTENMAIER & Sohne, a worldwide leader in natural fiber processing for use in pet care, life sciences, automotive, and a broad range of additional applications. Healthy Pet brands include the number one brand of small animal bedding, carefresh, as well as CritterCare, natural cat litters okocat and Simply Pine and Puppy Go Potty natural dog litter. For more information, please visit healthy-pet.com.

Media Contact:

Leslie Ellis

[email protected]

SOURCE Healthy Pet
ENN Energy Holdings, one of Chinas largest natural gas distributors, is not ruling out the possibility that natural gas prices could follow last months WTI Crude move and flip to negative because of insufficient storage.

For natural gas, I have heard about the possibility of negative prices. I also think it could happen, Wang Yusuo, chairman at ENN Energy Holdings, said at the companys online shareholders meeting on Wednesday, as carried by Bloomberg.

Thats because natural gas has even more limited storage capacity and its production is also more rigid. So it may happen. But I dont think it will be a dominant or long-lasting scenario, Wang added.

The manager, however, did not specify which natural gas benchmark in which region could turn negative.

Such a move in natural gas prices would not be something totally unheard of, especially after last months plunge of the WTI Crude front-month oil futures contract a day before its expiry.

A negative price for natural gas in some regions would not be a first.

In the spring of last year, natural gas prices at the Waha hub in West Texas plummeted to record low negative levels, as pipeline constraints and problems at compressor stations at one pipeline stranded gas produced in the most prolific U.S. shale oil basin.

As far as the Henry Hub U.S. natural gas benchmark prices are concerned, the EIA expects in its May Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), the spot price at Henry Hub to remain low compared with historical levels in the near term, due to lower business activity and higher-than-average storage levels.

In Q3 2020, lower natural gas production and higher industrial and heating demand are set to lift Henry Hub prices.

The EIA expects the Henry Hub spot prices will rise from an average of $2.14 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) this year to an average of $2.89/MMBtu in 2021.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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(May 13, 2020)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is awarded ancost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides management and maintenance of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System software product baseline, required system and software documentation for the Navy and the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Work will be performed at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by January 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0017)., is awarded amodification (P00068) to exercise an option on a previously-awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-17-C-0049) to provide support for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Integrated System Evaluation Experimentation and Test Department. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and services will include flight test engineering, programmatic, administrative, design, execution, analysis, evaluation and reporting of tests and experiments of aircraft, unmanned air systems, weapons and weapons systems. Work is expected to be completed in April 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $3,783,077; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $90,000; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,549,886; fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $28,732; fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,816; fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $144,756; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $310,238 will be obligated at time of award, $254,572 of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is awarded acost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft Service Life Assessment Program and Service Life Extension Program, Phase C follow-on effort. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (50%); and El Segundo, California (50%), and provides non-recurring engineering to assess the fatigue life of the aircraft as well as its subsystems and structures to extend the service life of the F/A-18E/F beyond the original design of the 6,000 flight hour service life. Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-D-0051)., is awarded amodification to previously-awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00174-19-D-0010) to exercise Option Year One for production support for the MK-18 Family of Systems - Unmanned Underwater Vehicle systems. Work will be performed in Pocasset, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by April 2024. This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1(a)(2), with only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. No additional funds are being obligated at the time of this action. The, is the contracting activity., is awarded anmodification (16) to a cost-plus-fixed-fee order (0073) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-12-G-0006). This modification adds non-recurring baseline performance rig test efforts in support of the Improved Inlet Solution/Engine Air Particle Separator preliminary design on MV-22 and CV-22 Tiltrotor aircraft. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana (57%); Fort Worth, Texas (34%); Ridley Park, Pennsylvania (8%); and Jackson, Mississippi (1%), and is expected to be complete by April 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $1,862,344; and fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,241,562 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year., is the contracting activity., is awarded acost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00034) to previously awarded contract N00019-16-C-0032. This modification provides engineering, manufacturing and development support to integrate BRR3.1 software to the Next Generation Jammer on Boeing EA-18G Growler carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, resulting in BRR3.1 software initial operating capability. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is awarded aindefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. The maximum dollar value including the base period and seven option periods is $190,007,916. All work will be performed in Calvert County (8%) and St. Mary's County (92%), Maryland. The BOS services to be performed include: general information, management and administration, airfield facilities, facilities support including facility management; facility investment; integrated solid waste management; other (swimming pools); special events; and utility management, wastewater, water and environmental services. Work is expected to be complete by June 2028. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $17,090,690 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the base period. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, and seven proposals were received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-20-D-0009)., is awarded amodification (P00172) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-18-C-1071). This modification exercises an option to procure one CFM56-7B27AE commercial-off-the-shelf engine for the government of the United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Villaroche, France (50%); and Durham, North Carolina (50%), and is expected to be complete by April 2021. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $13,582,486 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is awarded amodification to a firm-fixed-price delivery order N00019-19-F-2512 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This modification procures the kits required for modification and retrofit activities of delivered Air Force and government of Norway F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (85%); Fort Worth, Texas (14%); and Baltimore, Maryland (1%). Work is expected to be complete by April 2025. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $107,814,159; and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participant funds in the amount of $21,375,728 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This order combines purchases for the Air Force ($107,814,159; 83%); and non-DOD participants ($21,375,728; 17%). The, is the contracting activity., is awarded anmodification (P00001) to previously awarded, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0019. This modification exercises options to procure 16 infrared search and track Block II low rate initial production IV units; four for the Navy and 12 for the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (73%); and St. Louis, Missouri (27%), and is expected to be complete by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $28,000,000; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $84,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity., is awarded ancost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-20-F-0571) against basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0008. This order provides program management, nonrecurring engineering, recurring engineering, site support and touch labor in support of modification and retrofit activities for delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft air systems for the for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $33,909,821; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $23,817,018; non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $18,707,572; and FMS funds in the amount of $13,087,196 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order combines purchases for the Air Force ($33,909,821; 37.9%); Marine Corps (16,993,891; 18.9%); the Navy ($6,823,127; 7.7%); non-DOD participants ($18,707,572; 20.9%); and FMS customers ($13,087,196; 14.6%). Theis the contracting activity.
Oregon emergency room doctors told state and federal officials this week that they are deeply worried about the health and safety of frontline workers during the coronavirus outbreak given an ongoing shortage in personal protective equipment.

In the face of a virulent and highly contagious virus many hospitals and health systems have been unable to procure adequate supplies of the respirators and other equipment intended to keep their workers safe. That shortage has continued for months now, which the emergency room doctors claim leaves them, their co-workers and their families dangerously exposed.

We are reusing PPE in ways that were never intended, said Dr. Mike McCaskill, an emergency room physician in Medford. He is president of the Oregon chapter of the American College of Emergency Physician. The group outlined its concerns in an email sent earlier this week to state and federal officials.

McCaskill said he now routinely reuses respirators intended for a single use all day long. He said the situation is even worse for others.

We have doctors whove been instructed to use the same mask all week, McCaskill said. There is absolutely no data as to whether thats a safe practice or not.

McCaskill has been practicing for 45 years. He currently works for Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford.

Andy Van Pelt, executive vice president for the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, did not dispute that protective equipment remains a rare and precious commodity. There absolutely is a shortage, he said. What were finding out is that we have to operate under a new normal. I dont feel like its compromised the safety of hospital workers."

Van Pelt added that he understands the concern of health care workers having to wear a single mask all day or even all week. When resources are limited, we have to be creative, he said.

Now, with most hospitals trying to resume more normal operations, frontline workers are worried that other teams of workers doing routine surgeries will need their own PPE and exacerbate the shortage.

Gov. Brown allowed the resumption of elective surgeries only if large hospitals have a months worth of PPE on hand. The minimum for smaller hospitals is two weeks worth of protective equipment.

More than 500 health care workers in Oregon have come down with COVID-19. Hospital managers argue that theres no proof those workers contracted the virus at their work. An ongoing coronavirus breakout at the Portland VA Medical Center has resulted in 24 employees and a medical trainee coming down with COVID-19.

Sharon Meieran, a Multnomah County Commissioner and an emergency room doctor, is frustrated by the mixed messages she gets. I dont purport to know whether or not the hospitals have the supplies on hand, she said. What concerns me is that if individual hospitals are attesting that they have adequate PPE supply, why do so many frontline healthcare workers across the state - nurses, doctors and others - say they dont have enough PPE to feel safe? What is this disconnect?

Recent cost-cutting moves by the hospitals have only increased tensions between frontline workers and hospital management.

I have taken roughly a 50% pay cut and Im working more to try to accommodate the lost income, one doctor said in survey conducted by the emergency physicians group. I have not received a single new mask from the hospital, and we have no clear trajectory when PPE will be available.

This marks one of the first times that a mainline doctors group in Oregon has gone public on the PPE issue. Before today, most of the complaints have come anonymously or from union officials representing health care workers.

Doctors are concerned about speaking out for fear of reprisals, McCaskill said. We need some sort of whistleblower protection.

Of the 500 members of the emergency room doctors who belong to the association, just 23.6% feel they are safe as they reasonably can be during their shifts, according to survey conducted by the doctors association. Only 18.9% said they feel safe returning home to their families.

McCaskill said the emergency room physicians want more accountability and transparency. They want hospitals to have to report publicly how much personal protective equipment they have and how fast they are going through it.

Van Pelt said the hospitals and the Oregon Health Authority are finalizing a system to do just that.

Jeff Manning

971-263-5164

jmanning@oregonian.com
As the Indian film industry awaits the fate of its movies in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, most Hollywood banners have either planned digital releases for some top titles, or reshuffled the calendar by pushing their films to even as far as 2022.

Disneys Mulan, which was slated to be out in March, will now open on July 24, when Jungle Cruise was due to open. But that has been moved a year away to July 30, 2021.

Marvel Studios Black Widow, will hit screens on November 6 instead of May 1; The Eternals has been moved from November 6 this year to February 12, 2021; and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the sequel to the 2016 Benedict Cumberbatch film, has been pushed back from November 2021 to March 2022. The wait has become longer for those expecting Thor: Love and Thunder in November 2021, as it will now come out on February 11, 2022.

Two Spider-Man movies - the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and the third instalment in the Spider-Man: Homecoming trilogy, also stand delayed. While the former has been moved from April 8, 2022, to October 7, 2022, the latter Tom Holland-starrer will swing into theatres on November 5, 2021, instead of July 16, 2021.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage, also set in the Spider-Man universe, has been pushed from October 2020 to June 25, 2021.

Lionsgates next instalment in the John Wick franchise will hit theatres on May 27, 2022, a year later than its previous May 21, 2021, scheduled date.

Among the biggies is also Warner Bros The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader. Originally set for release on June 25, 2021, it will now come on October 1, 2021; apart from Wonder Woman 1984 which was to come out in June, but was pushed to August 14.

However, the banner is sticking to its July 17 release date for Chistopher Nolans ambitious espionage thriller Tenet, which as per the buzz in Hollywood, may end up being a litmus test for the exhibition sector in the post-lockdown phase.

The domino effect of the pandemic has resulted in multiple films, including Trolls World Tour, Artemis Fowl, Scoob, The King of Staten Island, My Spy and The Lovebirds, to take the OTT route in the US, leaving theatres in a fix over the survival of the traditional theatrical business once the lockdown subsides.

However, as Nolan, expressed in an opinion piece for The Washington Post, theatres have remained a vital part of peoples life, and they will need our help. And to this end, he is confident that When this crisis passes, the need for collective human engagement, the need to live and love and laugh and cry together, will be more powerful than ever.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The latest figures from the Ghana Health Service indicate that two more persons have died from the novel Coronavirus.

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The development means, Ghana now has a total of 24 deaths recorded from the pandemic.

READ ALSO: Drinking bars cant open - Tourism Ministry overturns GTAs order

According to data released on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, Ghanas case count has also reached 5,408 and the recoveries have also increased to 514.

Regional Breakdown

Greater Accra Region  4,147

Ashanti Region  726

Central Region  192

Eastern Region  99

Western Region  61

Western North Region  56

Volta Region  34

Upper East Region  26

Oti Region  24

Upper West Region  21

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 6 immigration officers promoted for rejecting bribe

Northern Region  19

North East Region  2

Bono Region  1

Savannah Region  0

Ahafo Region  0

Bono East Region  0

"If you want to die, please die alone"  Health Minister to uncooperative Ghanaians | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: 10 COVID-19 hotspots in Ghana

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Source: YEN.com.gh
BA is set to cut 12,000 jobs from its workforce - Toby Melville

British Airways pilots could be seconded to the Royal Air Force under plans being considered by the military.

Initial discussions between the RAF and British Airways & the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) have begun about the possibility of personnel being seconded to the RAF.

It comes after it was revealed that BA is to cut as many as 12,000 jobs after it experienced its worst ever quarterly loss at the end of last month, as it admitted air travel would take years to recover from a global collapse due to coronavirus.

The cuts amount to more than a quarter of the airline's 45,000-strong workforce.

It is understood that employment opportunities for former BA staff could range from anything from pilots to engineers, administrators and logisticians.

Those with previous military service will be able to request to rejoin the service as part of the Rejoiners Programme, while the those without previous military service but have a skill set that can be applied to the RAF are also actively being looked at.

A representative for BALPA, the trade union for UK pilots, said it had entered urgent negotiations with British Airways about its proposed job losses, and claimed that the company has yet to justify the scale of its planned cuts. We will fight to save as many of those jobs as we can, they said.

BALPA added that it is exploring all avenues to ensure its members are not dumped by the company and left with no options.

We have looked at the possibility of some movement between British Airways and the RAF but discussions are at a very early stage, they said and cautioned that the "success of any scheme like this will be dependent on BAs willingness to negotiate suitable terms with BALPA.

A spokesman for the RAF said: The Royal Air Force are always interested in recruiting high quality people and are currently in initial discussions with the UK aviation industry on the possibility of employing suitable available personnel.
American journalist Walter Cronkite became a household name during his longevous career as news anchor for the CBS Evening News. Today, he is remembered for his objectivity and for delivering some of the biggest news headlines in television history.

Cronkite, a native New Yorker, was born on Nov. 4, 1916. He died in New York City on July 17, 2009, at the age of 92.

Having reported on some of the most pivotal historic events of the later half of the 20th century, Cronkite is widely remembered as the most trusted newsman in America. Heres five things about the anchorman that substantiate that claim.

Cronkite attends the 2002 Tony Awards Party in Los Angeles, California, on June 2, 2002. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

1. He was the face of CBS News from 1962 to 1981

Cronkite pioneered and perfected the role of television news anchorman for almost two decades. As the figurehead of CBS News for 19 years, Cronkites reassuring manner and coiffed mustache fast made him a media icon, alongside his now-iconic catchphrase, and thats the way it is.

Cronkite, dubbed the most trusted man in America for his calm delivery during a lengthy career on television, pictured field reporting (AFP via Getty Images)

2. He paved the way for objective, unbiased journalism

A journalist covering politics, most of us are aware of the necessity to try to be sure were unbiased in our reporting, Cronkite told PBS back in 2006, three years before his passing. Thats one of the fundamentals of good journalism.

We all have our likes and our dislikes, Cronkite continued, but when were doing news, it is our duty to be sure that we do not permit our prejudices to show. That is simply basic journalism.

Cronkite testifies before the US Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs concerning the Pentagon rules on media access to the Persian Gulf War in Washington on Feb. 20, 1991. (LUKE FRAZZA/AFP via Getty Images)

3. He visited war zones for his work

Cronkite flew in a bombing mission over Germany during the Second World War, learned how to fire a machine gun on a B-17, witnessed D-Day from the air, and put himself in the midst of the Battle of the Bulge.

According to The Washington Post, Cronkite later visited Vietnam in 1968. Richard Perloff, Professor of Communications at Cleveland State University, lauded the news anchor as the avatar of objectivity.

Cronkite in Washington on Feb. 20, 1991 (LUKE FRAZZA/AFP via Getty Images)

4. He reported John F. Kennedys assassination

Cronkite was tasked with delivering the news of John F. Kennedys assassination to the nation on Nov. 22, 1963, direct from CBS News headquarters, interrupting TV sitcom As the World Turns in the process.

The beloved news anchor uttered the now famous bulletin, From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official: President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.

Betsy and Walter Cronkite arrive at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington on May 4, 2002. (Manny Ceneta/Getty Images)

5. He never lost his ambition for a good story

From his earliest days, he was one of the hungriest reporters around, wildly competitive, no one was going to beat Walter Cronkite on a story, wrote author David Halberstam in his 1979 book about the news media, The Powers That Be, as quoted by The New York Times.

[A]s he grew older and more successful, the marvel of it was that he never changed, Halberstam continued, the wild fires still burned.

Betsy and Walter Cronkite pose backstage at the 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, on Sept. 21, 2003. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Cronkite won several Emmy and Peabody Awards during the span of his impressive career. According to his obituary, he was widely regarded as the most famous and most beloved broadcast journalist in the world.

Cronkite was married to advertising writer Mary Elizabeth Maxwell, nicknamed Betsy, for 64 years until her death in 2005. Cronkite is survived by a son, Chip, two daughters, Nancy and Mary, and four grandsons.
Made to celebrate the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014, "IMAX D-Day: Normandy 1944" has enjoyed a successful run in IMAX cinemas around the world. It's now available on home video in a 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack and on DVD from Shout! Factory.

Narrated by former NBC newsman and "Greatest Generation" chronicler Tom Brokaw, the 42-minute film gives an overview of the War in Europe before detailing the planning and execution of Operation Overlord, the June 6 invasion of Normandy that altered the course of the war and assured an Allied victory.

If you've got shelves full of books and DVDs on World War II, you've got to realize this film was not made for you. There's not much detail or nuance going into a film this short, but the filmmakers aimed to introduce the subject to a generation that knows nothing about the war.

If you watch "IMAX D-Day: Normandy 1944" through the eyes of a middle schooler frogmarched into the theater during a science museum field trip, you realize just how effective a film like this can be in introducing World War II history to a new generation that has no direct connection to the era. Now that it's on Blu-ray, the film is short enough that it can also be an effective tool for history teachers trying to engage their classes on the topic.

The film uses spectacular helicopter photography, animated maps, colorized photos, dramatic reenactments and simple "sand animation" sequences to tell the story. In fact, the helo sequences are so good, let's walk back the idea that there's not much here for hard-core WWII buffs. Exact locations are labeled in the aerial shots, and anyone with a thorough knowledge of the day's events can get a spatial perspective not possible from reading books or looking at overhead shots of the area.

Director Pascal Vuong is French, so he makes sure to emphasize the Resistance's oft-overlooked role in D-Day's success. The American perspective comes from the film's historical adviser, retired U.S. Army colonel. and former War College professor Peter Herrly. Herrly now lives in Paris and works on military film projects via his Blue Line Films company.

The home video release includes interviews with Vuong, Herrly and narrator Brokaw. There's also a documentary featurette about the location filming in Normandy, a fascinating clip about the technique behind the film's sand animation, and another about score composer Franck Marchal and the music's recording with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Like other IMAX films, "IMAX D-Day: Normandy 1944" looks incredible in 4K. There's not yet a way to recreate the immersive experience of an actual IMAX theater at home, but a home video release like this one provides one of the best home viewing experiences possible.

While the content might only skim the surface of the history of June 6, 1944, the presentation is both innovative and compelling. The filmmakers have kept the blurry archive footage to a minimum and created a presentation that hopefully will engage a new generation of viewers.
The Cabinet has introduced a pilot project, according to which detainees would be able to improve their conditions of detention in remand prison for money

Detention center: All inclusive 112 Agency

The Cabinet of Ministers has introduced a pilot project, according to which detainees would be able to improve their conditions of detention in remand prison for money. The project started on May 8 at the Kyiv detention center (Lukyanivska prison).

Pay-to-stay cells

The Ministry of Justice assures that the project was implemented for:

1) exclusion of the corruption component in the distribution of detainees in cells and

2) improving conditions of detention.

When in April, Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska announced the introduction of pay-to-stay cells in the pre-trial detention center, he noted the following:

"For objective reasons, there are better quality cameras and worse... And there are rumors that the best cameras could be got for bribes. We will make sure that these funds are officially allocated to a special fund, through which we can make repairs, improve the quality and conditions of free cameras."

For transparency of the experiment and to avoid abuse, a CCTV system will be installed in paid cameras. In this way, they are going to monitor the occupancy rate of the camera and the receipt of a fee for its use.

Pay-to-stay cells, Lukyanivska prison Kyiv Justice Minister

Good price

According to Maliuska, the cost of accommodation in Kyiv depends on the period for which payment is made: 75 USD per day, 300 USD per week, and 450 USD per month.

This week, the Justice Ministry plans to provide the opportunity to pay online via "Online House of Justice" service.

Pay-to-stay cells, Lukyanivska prison Kyiv Justice Minister

Not a VIP Apartment

As noted by Deputy Minister of Justice Olena Vysotska, we are not talking about "luxury rooms" or "VIP apartments."

These are paid cells with an increased standard of living per prisoner, with a fenced-in bathroom and a minimum set of necessary living conditions, she said.

The standard area for one person in such a chamber is at least 6 square meters. This is stated in the document No. 1587/5 "Procedure for conducting a pilot project on a paid service for providing improved living conditions and nutrition for persons in custody in pre-trial detention centers of the State Criminal Executive Service", approved by order of the Ministry of Justice of May 6.

Pay-to-stay cells, Lukyanivska prison Kyiv Justice Minister

According to this document, cells with improved living conditions should be provided with the following furniture, equipment and household items:

- one or two-story wooden or metal bed with wooden railing;

- table and chairs;

- a wardrobe for clothes and personal items;

- bathroom (fenced off);

- shelf for toiletries;

- washbasin;

- TV;

- TV Stand;

- microwave;

- litter bin;

- equipment for cleaning.

As part of the experiment, the cameras can additionally be provided with a shower cabin, a refrigerator, a water heater, a computer workstation with Internet access, a washing machine (if there is space for its installation) and air conditioning.

Pay-to-stay cells, Lukyanivska prison Kyiv Justice Minister

Detainees might buy food and drinks via Internet (except for alcohol and energy drinks), as well as order delivery of ready meals.

How to get into such a cell

The detainee can do this after writing the corresponding application and transferring funds to the account of the special detention center fund.

As of May 8, two 4-seater cells, one 3-seater and one 2-seater, were available in the Lukyanovska pre-trial detention center.

The Ministry of Justice emphasizes that there are people in pre-trial detention centers before the court verdict, and therefore their guilt has not been legally established.

As for the criminals (for which the sentences entered into legal force), they will not be provided with any improved conditions for money. In prisons everyone will be on an equal footing and will serve the sentence established by the court for the crime, Maliuska said.

That is, staying in improved cells after a court verdict is not expected.

What's next?

The experiment will last until December 31, 2021. Based on its results, a decision will be made on the advisability of securing such services at the legislative level.

The Ministry of Justice must submit a report on the results of the project to the Cabinet of Ministers by March 1, 2022.
The Kerala government is considering a proposal to start online classes for school students from June 1 in view of the ongoing lockdown, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Tuesday.

He said the decision on startingthe normal classes will be taken later and the government has taken certain decisions on various entrance examinations.

This time there will not be any separate examination for lateral entry into engineeringcourses for those who finished polytechnic courses.

Instead admissions will be made on the basis of marks by the Commissioner of Entrance Examinations, Vijayan said.

He also said that those who had already applied for the Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical (KEAM) will be given a chance in June to change the examination centre.

Students studying in polytechnic colleges in the state will be able to attend exams at polytechnics near their homes.

The last semester exams of Polytechnic colleges are scheduled to begin on the first week of June, Vijayan said.

The exams of five year and three year law courses will be conducted online in the second week of June, Vijayan said.

Schools and other educational institutions in Kerala have remained closed since March 10 when six fresh cases of COVID- 19 were reported.

On March10, the total number of infected rose to 12 and the government decided to impose severe restrictions, including closure of educational institutions and cinema houses in a bid to halt its further spread.
As the world faces a health crisis, the global IWC family stands together for the launch of Time Well Shared. Through this initiative, IWC employees, brand ambassadors and partners will share their time, knowledge, experience and passion through digital channels. They aim to inspire people to make the most of their time, and entertain and support them by keeping them connected and engaged.

Time Well Shared encompasses online lectures, speeches and webinars that IWC will publish on digital channels during the following weeks. The aim is to entertain and support people in these difficult times. The initiative will include contributions from IWC brand ambassadors like Tom Brady, Fabian Cancellara, David Coulthard and Maro Engel and partners such as Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1, Tottenham Hotspur, Laureus Sport for Good, Antoine de Saint Exupery Youth Foundation, Solaris Yachts and Orlebar Brown.

For example, Pilot Matt Jones will share memories of last years Silver Spitfire  The Longest Flight expedition. Retired US Navy Captain and TOPGUN pilot Jim DiMatteo will elaborate on Navy Fighter Squadron values like performance, resilience and precision in business. Closer to home, David Seyffer, curator of the IWC Museum, will give insights into the history of IWC, and former Director of Marketing and Sales, Hannes Pantli, will divulge some never-before-told IWC stories.

All contributions are accompanied by a button to make voluntary donations, with IWC making the first donation. With the funds raised, IWC will support Save the Children. Save the Children aims to strengthen its programmes that protect children and families in countries that are hit by the virus, increase support for national health systems, and raise awareness among parents and caregivers on how to provide psychosocial support to children.

All the video are now live on IWC Instagram TV
>>> Vietnam stays clear of COVID-19 community transmission for 27 days

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long reported that Vietnam hasnt recorded any new infections of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, within the community for 26 consecutive days, and it is still carrying out surveillance of at-risk populations.

About 1,200 - 2,000 samples are tested each day, and tests of 275,000 samples collected so far have discovered 288 infected cases, most of which were in quarantine facilities, he noted, adding that epidemiological factors and the risk of community transmission in Vietnam are very low at present.

Therefore, the country is pressing on with thoroughly preventing transmission from other countries, strictly quarantining those entering Vietnam for 14 days and taking samples from them for testing twice a day, maintaining the monitoring and testing system to quickly detect infections in the community, sealing off areas with infected cases, improving the medical staffs capacity, and boosting the production of medical equipment, medicine and other supplies, Long said.

Recognising local efforts in the COVID-19 fight, WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park said the country has taken early actions and took drastic measures in response to each infection.

However, he also warned that as there is no medicine specialised in COVID-19 treatment or a vaccine, and the pandemic is forecast to linger, Vietnam needs to stay vigilant and keep a close watch on the situation. Besides, although Vietnam doesnt have infected cases in the community, other countries in the region and the world are still struggling with the pandemic.

Risks of community infection still exists, he said, recommending it gear up for new cases and even a new wave of infections so as to actively control the pandemic like when the first wave occurred.

In the time ahead, WHO will continue working closely with the Government, the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, and the Health Ministry of Vietnam to exchange information, update technical guidelines, and share Vietnams experience with the international community, Park said.

Appreciating WHO and foreign experts cooperation and assistance, Deputy PM Dam, who is also head of the national steering committee, expressed his hope for further coordination, noting that Vietnam is ready to share information, initiatives, and experience in COVID-19 prevention and control with the international community, especially with low-income and developing nations.

He stressed that anti-pandemic forces like health workers, military and police are always ready, and that Vietnam is keeping a tight control of people entering the country while easing restrictions within the country so as to realise the dual target of combating the pandemic and ensuring socio-economic development.
Billy Wilders 1951 Ace in the Hole, widely conceded to be the most cynical Hollywood movie ever made, brings the hammer down on journalism in a way that ought to synch with todays rising distrust of the media  although thats not what Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz meant when he called it one of the great movies about journalism during its COVID-19 quarantine broadcast.

Ironically, Ace in the Hole is a cult favorite, a dirty little secret among journalists. But theres a catch  the insurmountable egotism of commanding-heights media  that makes the films cynicism part of the problem it pretends to critique.

Wilder, best known for Sunset Boulevard, The Seven Year Itch, and Some Like It Hot, turned his celebrated wit against the character of Charles Tatum, a disgraced New York scribe who lands at a small-town rag in New Mexico, where he attempts a comeback by manipulating a local mans accident into a story that will put Tatum back in the Pulitzer Prize stakes. It is actor Kirk Douglass ultimate performance as a post-WWII heel, twisting the actors considerable talent and the force of his charisma into a spectacle of contempt. This Hollywood hoax encourages our own leering fascination that isnt much different from Tatums sneering condescension.

Our identification with Tatums temperament and drive becomes more repugnant as the story develops. Tatums journalist careerism is like poker strategy. He keeps his ace, a Mexican-Catholic trading-post owner, trapped in a cave that collapsed when he was robbing artifacts from a Native American burial site. He plans to build curiosity for the grand, human-interest rescue story he stokes in the press.

Reviewers, which is to say, second-tier journos, love Ace in the Hole because Wilders acerbic view of human nature (the world reduced to con men and their dupes) appeals to their own professional envy and its flip side, their Not-Me vanity.

But Tatums type is not just legion. These days its celebrated  perverting the investigative-reporter ideal into gotcha journalism, in which reporters pursue the fame that Watergate brought to the egoistic Woodward and Bernstein, thus creating an aberrant media class.

Story continues

So when Wilder uses Tatums smartness against him, he also uses the movie against us. Smart-ass cynicism, an irresistible card trick based on the sense of superiority felt by many crusading journalists  and attention-grabbers who call themselves journalists  also tricks moviegoers who relish the opportunity for easy umbrage. Thats the problem with Wilders moralizing movies from Double Indemnity (1944) to The Apartment (1960) that set out to expose social ills through a supercilious perspective. This know-it-all-ism anticipated the social-justice-warrior attitude that prevails in todays media.

Douglass Tatum personifies what Brendan ONeill calls the political infantilism of the Left. Tatum claims, I dont make things happen. I only write about them. Now, when journalists claim that their job is to hold public officials accountable, its the same humble-brag, shrugging off moral responsibility and hiding partisanship while demonstrating the boastful habit of activist-journalist narcissism.

Could Wilder, who left Nazi Germany as a principled, life-saving moral choice before he became a Hollywood heavyweight, conceive the arrogance we see in the out-of-control White House Press corps who are held accountable only by the president they assail? Wilder makes Tatum a scapegoat for the medias sins and isolates that threat in a single man because he naively believed in the integrity of the press (along with the notion of a solitary Hitlerian fiend).

Wilders dullest scenes feature a moralizing editor named Boot lecturing Tatum about ethics. Hes a drudge opposite Douglass electrifying exhibitionism and its ugly, opportunistic reality: the moment Tatum ensnares a corrupt sheriff, warning, You play along with me and Ill have you reelected. If you dont, Ill crucify you! However, that threat has no imaginable equivalent among todays journalists who collude with political power in the interest of progressive social engineering.

Ace in the Holes legacy is challenged by the concept of fake news, which recognizes that contemporary journalism has become consciously manipulative fantasy. Hollywood no longer competes with the news media because the two industries have merged. (You see this in Wilders portrayal of the victimized Minosa family; theyre pitied and ennobled just like todays social-justice-warrior black and brown community stereotypes pushed by the media.)

Wilders view of personal and social corruption falls short of the Shakespearean complexity in Orson Welless Touch of Evil from the same era; this is closer to Nathanael Wests Day of the Locust apocalypse but focused on journalism rather than Hollywood. The film is also known as The Big Carnival, a better, less snide title. And in scenes of crowds gathering by the carload to observe Tatums hideous contrived spectacle, Wilder nearly predicts the mass hysteria that todays media can easily foment, turning public interest into venal thrill-seeking, insensitivity, and hapless groupthink. (This is instructive, a father reasons, explaining why he is bringing his kids along. Today he would say educational.)

Thus, Ace in the Hole is a companion-piece follow-up to Wilders best film, Sunset Boulevard, a self-sentimentalizing gothic-noir about the fate of a fellow screenwriter. Only here, Wilder unloads on a figure for whom he has no compassion, just judgment  that smart-ass journalist disease of the comfortable profession (pace H. L. Mencken).

After last weeks column on Network, a reader asked, What would you consider a more accurate and sharp film that shows the media as what it is? Were unlikely to see a new movie criticize journalism even on the mild level of 1981s Absence of Malice. But we need more than a clever twist on megalomania. Today, we need an unglamorized cautionary tale about the profession that gambles with the commonweal.

More from National Review
P olice issued over 100 fines last weekend as Brits attempted to cross the Scottish border.

Officers in Cumbria were called out over 100 times to intercept lockdown flouters from as far as London that had made the trip to Scotland.

They also saw a spike in families attempting to explore the Lake District national park, which is closed.

Cumbria Police said it had handed out more fines between Friday and Sunday than during the entire lockdown period.

People also tried to get into the Lake District over the weekend / PA

Boris Johnson announced on Sunday night that households could now travel unlimited distances for leisure, but Nicola Sturgeon has stuck by strict "stay at home" rules.

Assistant chief constable Andy Slattery said a "larger number of people than normal" were breaching the rules and the force had "numerous calls to parties" over the weekend.

He added: A lot of people had pretty scurrilous reasons for travelling. Many admitted they shouldnt be out but thought they would chance it anyhow.

Police have issued thousands of fines to lockdown flouters / PA

Its been challenging, but the vast majority of the public has been really co-operative with our officers."

He added there had been a small minority of difficult and abusive rebels.

Forces across the country have issued over 9,000 fines for breaching the restrictions since the lockdown began, and identified 397 repeat offenders.

Police in Hackney admitted they were fighting a losing battle as hundreds turned out in parks across east London to sunbathe last weekend.
Richard Falk

Richard Anderson Falk is Albert G. Milbank Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University and Visiting Distinguished Professor in Glo... more bal and International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His most recent book, The Great Terror War [2003], considers the American response to September 11, including its relationship to the patriotic duties of American citizens. In 2001, he served on a three person Human Rights Inquiry Commission for the Palestine Territories that was appointed by the United Nations, and previously, on the Independent International Commission on Kosovo. He is the author or coauthor of numerous books, including Religion and Humane Global Governance; Human Rights Horizons; On Humane Governance: Toward a New Global Politics; Explorations at the Edge of Time; Revolutionaries and Functionaries; The Promise of World Order; Indefensible Weapons; Human Rights and State Sovereignty; A Study of Future Worlds; This Endangered Planet; coeditor of Crimes of War. He serves as Chair of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation's Board of Directors and as honourary vice president of the American Society of International Law. Falk also acted as counsel to Ethiopia and Liberia in the Southwest Africa Case before the International Court of Justice. He received his BS from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; LLB. from Yale Law School; and JSD. from Harvard University. In March 2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Falk to a six-year term as a UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: One of Keralas illustrious daughters has silently bid goodbye to an eventful life. Considered the first Malayali woman English journalist, Amni Mathai Shivram or Amni Shivram, 88, passed away in Ahmedabad on Monday. A leading reporter and columnist of her time, Amni wrote features on cookery, home care and interviews of film stars for The Free Press Journal and The Indian Express. She used to be the lone woman in the all-male office of The Free Press Journal in (then) Bombay where she joined in 1953. Bal Thackeray, TJS George and PK Raveendranath were her colleagues in Bombay.

Amni was born to teacher parents at Muvattupuzha in 1932. After her graduation from St Teresas College in Ernakulam and post-graduation from the University College in Thiruvananthapuram, she was also planning to become a teacher. However, not happy with the turn of events, she sought her sisters help who took her to Bombay.

Her journey as a journalist began when she was recruited by then Free Press Journal director-in-charge AB Nair. She joined the Journal during an era when women were not assigned night shifts. She wrote columns on cookery, home care, and interviewed film stars, said Jubi George, Amnis niece. After she took the charge of the womens page of the paper, it became one of the most popular pages among readers.

It was during her time at the Journal that she met her future husband K Shivram, said veteran journalist Prema Manmathan. After the marriage, Amni took a break from journalism and decided to take care of her family. When Amni moved to Kochi along with her husband, who was the chief editor of The Indian Express in Kerala, she introduced feature stories on cookery and home care long before such regular columns made their appearance in newspapers in the state, said Jubi.

Shivram subsequently passed away in 2005. Amni is survived by her son Bijoy Anand Shivram, classical dancer and principal of JG School of Performing Arts and daughter Niti. Her eldest son Vinay had predeceased her.
On Jan. 24, Chanda reached out to Arnab Chatterjee, vice president for medicinal chemistry at Calibr at Scripps Research. The two had met nearly 18 years earlier, when both were scientists at the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation. The institute was established in 1999 and soon began to study, among other things, the interaction of drug molecules with the tens of thousands of genes in the human genome, whose sequencing was close to completion. Until then, scientists had mostly looked at one gene at a time; the institutes founding director, Peter Schultz, a chemist and entrepreneur, was one of the first to utilize the sort of robotics used in automotive-assembly lines to look at thousands of genes at once. (He got the idea from a former college roommate who was an engineer at the car company Saturn.) Eventually, Schultz left Novartis, and in 2012 he founded Calibr, where Chatterjee joined him. They planned to partner with commercial enterprises to find existing drugs that could treat rare or neglected diseases for which pharmaceutical companies have little financial incentive to develop therapies.

The concept showed promise early: A leprosy drug, clofazimine, appears to be effective against a parasite that is a leading cause of infant death from diarrhea worldwide; an arthritis drug, auranofin, looks as though it might be a possible tuberculosis treatment. But only about half of the molecules that have safety records for use in people were commercially available to screen. In 2015, Schultz pitched the idea of compiling a complete collection to the Gates Foundation, which gave Calibr $20 million. By 2018, it had bought 7,000 compounds and hired 500 chemists, who spent 18 months synthesizing 5,000 more compounds. The ReFrame library, as it is called, stores 20 milligrams of each compound, in powder form, in vials stacked in filing cabinets and freezers. It is the largest drug-repurposing library in the world and is available free to all academic and nonprofit labs, like Sanford Burnham Prebys, so long as they make any resulting data publicly available.

Chanda told Chatterjee he wanted to send all 12,000 compounds to Hong Kong, along with high-throughput screening equipment. A lab member named Laura Riva had planned to accompany the shipment and run the screening. ReFrame keeps 1 milligram of each of its compounds dissolved in a solvent on a mother plate, a piece of plastic not much larger than an eight-track cassette, with 384 wells sunk into it. When someone wants the library, an acoustic dispenser, roughly the size of a coffee maker, uses sound waves to transfer nanoliters of each compound to a daughter plate. The entire library, about 40 plates worth, can fit inside a briefcase. While the plates were prepared, Riva, who is from Bergamo, Italy, began applying for a visa. On Jan. 31, however, President Trump announced a ban on most non-U.S. citizens arriving from China, meaning Riva almost certainly wouldnt be able to return. The only solution, she and Chanda decided, was to ship the equipment and the library to Hong Kong and have Riva talk the scientists there through the setup over her iPhone.

In preparation, Riva set up a dispenser at Sanford Burnham Prebys, documenting each step of the process with photos and video. Paul De Jesus, a senior lab manager, bubble-wrapped another, along with extra plates, adapters and power converters, and shipped it to Hong Kong. When it was accidentally sent to mainland China, initiating a customs delay, De Jesus realized that the same thing could happen to the library, which had to stay frozen. So he found a company called World Courier that promised to refill the package with dry ice every few days.

For the next month, Riva watched over WeChat as Shuofeng Yuan, a scientist at the Hong Kong lab, and his colleagues unpacked the boxes and set up the dispenser. Because they could not take phones into the biosafety chamber with the virus, they practiced each step before entering so they could troubleshoot with Riva. Yuan had a 3-month-old daughter at home whom he was barely seeing. Riva was worried about her parents in Bergamo, which was becoming the center of the crisis in Italy. There was no time to share personal stories, but Riva felt a kinship with Yuan. They were as restless as our side, she says. OK, lets keep moving. We can do it.

After several days of practice, Yuan and colleagues set up the dispenser in the isolation chamber and began the screening. They combined monkey cells with the virus and each of the librarys 12,000 drugs (along with drugs from another smaller library); the dispenser apportioned the mixes to the drug wells in a matter of minutes. After three days, they added another substance, called a reagent, that would glow when it detected ATP, an organic compound that provides energy to living cells. If the virus had killed the monkey cells, no ATP would be present. If it hadnt, there will be a luminance, Yuan says. A signal to tell us whether the cell is happy or not. The screening, run twice, identified about 300 compounds that seemed to have kept the cells alive.

By mid-March, the C.D.C. was sending coronavirus samples to U.S. labs. On March 9, around 10 a.m., Laura Martin-Sancho, a scientist in Chandas lab, got a call from the receiving department: It had a hazardous package for them. Martin-Sancho, who has worked in biosafety labs with influenza viruses, would be the one to open the box and replicate the virus so they would have enough of it to test. A safety team deposited the box in the biosafety lab anteroom. Once Martin-Sancho was fully dressed in protective gear, she took the box inside the biosafety chamber. Inside was a second box, which she placed in a sterile cabinet. Inside that box was a metallic tube. Inside the tube was another tube  inside of which was a vial that contained, as she puts it, a few drops of the virus that everyone is fearing. Martin-Sancho adds, I remember Laura Riva looking at me like, If you cannot do it, nobody can.
China launches first satellites for new generation space-borne IoT project

Global Times

By Deng Xiaoci Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/12 22:33:40

China has successfully launched the first two communication satellites for its new space-based Internet-of-Things (IoT) project into designated orbit on Tuesday, with the first one named after its birthplace Wuhan, a city once hit hard by the COVID-19, according to China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), the developer.

The two satellites were launched by the country's Kuaizhou-1A commercial carrier rocket, which was also developed by the Wuhan-based Sanjiang Group under the CASIC, on Tuesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province.

The completion of the Tuesday's mission marks the beginning of China's new generation spaceborne IoT project, codenamed the "Xingyun Engineering" project.

"Xingyun" project is developed by CASIC with a network of 80 low-orbit communication satellites,

The satellites will be used to test applications in multiple fields, such as intelligent container monitoring, polar environmental monitoring, meteorological forecasting as well as marine transport communication, and lay a foundation for the following space-based IoT network.

CASIC told the Global Times on Tuesday in a statement that the construction of an 80-satellite network will be completed by around 2023, and will provide a solution to current "communication blind spots."

IoT services have been strained by poor coverage of ground-based cellular communication networks that are effective by only 20 percent on the ground, and less than 5 percent at sea globally.

The Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket that participated in the launch mission is also developed by CASIC, which is mainly used to launch 300-kilogram level satellites into lower orbits, and the solid propellant rocket model has successfully conducted 8 launch missions.

Interestingly, the Wuhan-based Sanjiang Group has named the Xingyun-2 01 satellite after Wuhan, in order to promote and celebrate the city's orderly resumption of work and production in the wake of a successful curbing of the epidemic.

The rocket body has been painted with slogans that read "Heroic Wuhan, Great China" and "Tribute to the medical workers," to honor the city, its people and all medical professionals who fought together in solidarity claiming victory in the epidemic battle.

The Global Times reporter also learned from CASIC that the Wuhan-based manufacturing complex for the Kuaizhou rocket series is near completion and in a final acceptance check stage.

The new complex will have an initial capacity of manufacturing 20 solid propellant rockets after becoming operational, CASIC told the Global Times in a statement.

The project was launched in May 2017 and was scheduled to be delivered by the end of February this year. However, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the complex is expected to complete the acceptance check by May and become fully operational before the end of 2020.

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The long queues outside Centrelink offices were a stark early sign of how many people had lost work during this pandemic. Across suburban Australia, thousands of people lined footpaths as they waited for financial assistance in late March and early April. Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the images as heartbreaking.

Now the real story of unemployment is about to be made public. The numbers won't look good  but the reality is far worse.

Queues outside Centrelink were a stark early sign of Australia's coronavirus unemployment woes. Credit:Jason South

Tomorrow, the Australian Bureau of Statistics will release its April employment report with all expectations it will show the largest increase in the number of people out of work on record. The jobless rate is likely to soar through 7 per cent or higher.

Analysts are tipping anywhere between 400,000 and 650,000 people to have become unemployed in a single month. The previous monthly record, of 65,400 jobs lost in October 1982 during that year's deep recession, will be dwarfed by the April result.

But it will only give a small insight into what's actually playing out across the nation's workplaces as a series of factors  from government policies to definitions of employment  will cloud a still terrible number.

Read the full explainer on why a series of factors will cloud the real unemployment figure, and how we might get a fuller picture.
MADISON  A dilapidated antique home that is a local landmark downtown and the fate of which has been uncertain for many years will be slated for demolition if developers get approval for their plan.

However, the architect for the developers plans to design a new and improved replica of the historic structure with some modern additions not visible from the street.

The Generals Residence at Madison LLCs proposal to raze the main building and develop the land around the Generals Residence at 908 Boston Post Road and the adjoining property at 916 Boston Post Road will be discussed at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, set for 7 p.m. May 21 via ZOOM.

Developers Adam Greenberg and Timothy Herbst acquired the property under the business name the Generals Residence at Madison, LLC, in October 2019 for about $1.8 million.

The plan is to put two housing units in the newly-constructed building, which would replace the Generals residence and place seven smallish homes on the rest of the property in a cluster development. The homes would not be erected in the scale of many of the sprawling houses built in town in recent years.

Demolition

Demolition of the building is an important part of the project for Greenberg and Herbst, due to the deterioration of the approximately 3,600-square-feet building over the years, according to the plan.

The center of the building is severely structurally deficient, said Madison Building Official Vincent Garofalo.

Itll have to be torn, down, he added. Its not savable.

Garofalo was in the Generals Residence about three weeks ago and was ready to file the order of unsafe structure on May 7.

They will have to fence off the building so that nobody can enter it, he added. Theres portions of it that I even wouldnt walk through and if Im uneasy, thats really not good.

While the Madison Historical Society understands the need to demolish the building, they expressed regret about the circumstances that led to the proposal.

We are saddened and disappointed to learn that this handsome, iconic structure is beyond repair, Madison Historical Society Board President Mark Edmiston said, in an email.

We had hoped that the building could be saved, but decades of neglect have caused such severe structural damage that restoration seems impossible.

We are hopeful the new developers are mindful of the significant loss to the towns heritage as they design a replacement, and we look forward to seeing their formal design application, he said.

Greenberg said that his group understands and appreciates the houses history and hired Tod Bryant of Heritage Resources to research the property and take detailed photographs.

The documentation will show all the history and all the pictures and everything that this property has been. Were documenting it and, once again, were creating the exact replica, but were also going to showcase and let it live forever, said Greenberg.

Bryant worked with the town during the renovation of E.C. Scranton Memorial Library, prior to the demolition of the Hull Building on Wall Street.

Neighbors

Greenberg and Herbst have been in discussions with a group of about 11 neighbors who have been vocal about their concern about this development.

About the demolition of the building, while neighbor Robin Phillips said, It was a surprise, he does not oppose the proposal.

If they built the replica in the way that they were describing yesterday I think it would be OK, I think, he said.

Architect Duo Dickinson is working closely with the developers to do that. Dickinson writes a column for Hearst Connecticut Media.

Even though my buildings can be interesting and interpretive and all the rest, the history is exquisitely important to me he said.

Dickinson said that while the north, east and west sides of the building will be exact replicas, the south side will have an L-shaped addition to accommodate the proposed units within the structure. This will bring the structure to over 4,000-square-feet.

The three sides that actually face Route 1 are going to be made new, but were saving the front entry way, the columns on the porch, a side door, maybe some mantelssome corner cabinets, he explained.

I also said, if we can, because the building is a neat old building, there are going to be some really nice timbers in there, he added. So, were definitely going to do that, he said, about saving some of the original wood.

Dickinson will work closely with the Madison Historical Society and the Madison Historic Commission.

The most recent ZOOM meeting on the project, on May 6 was quite a good call, said Phillips. We still dont agree on a number of things, so there are some hurdles here.

These include concerns about density of the development, overall project design, wetlands protection, landscaping and traffic flow patterns.

While Phillips said the group believes they can resolve some of the issues, he said the architectural design is something they probably will not resolve with the developers.

Phillips said he believes Dickinsons work is totally inappropriate for this site.

It doesnt fit with the neighborhood, he said.

Its not New England style buildings, so I think for most people that is problematic and Dickinson isnt budging on that, Phillips added.

Plans

Dickinson described his proposal.

Were trying to make, effectively a little community within a village, he said. So, were making the building, just to its east be at the same level as the building that is there now (Generals Residence) and were calling it the carriage house.

Itll be a building that is white  probably it will look like an outbuilding that was built in the 19th century, when this building was built maybe in the late 18th century, he added.

The other six building will be in clusters of two and Dickinson is working on the design with input from others.

How do we make these buildings be wonderful and exciting for the people that will purchase them, also fit and feel good for the people who have to live with them, the neighbors and also feel good for the greater town, he said.

Phillips said he thinks the density of the project and the changes that Greenberg and Herbst are proposing are too much.

Weve gone from this original concept that the Planning & Zoning started discussing over a couple years ago now, about small cluster cottage-like developments to a set of units which are basically the size of the average American home.

The plan calls for two units within the proposed rebuilt main house, with seven other units, a story and half in height.

Developers propose increasing the size of each unit, previously approved by Planning & Zoning under a different plan from another developer, from 1,850-square-feet to 2,250-square-feet. Three units will have garages, and the rest will have car ports.

House history

The original house may have a checkered past but with some bright spots in later years.

Bob Gunderson, a Madison Historical Society Trustee, wrote about the history of the building for the ShoreLine Times when the house went into foreclosure March 2017 (bit.ly/2WkHh7B).

Gunderson notes in the story that Capt. Edward Griffin of Killingworth bought the house in 1799 and either rebuilt it or built around it. The house then had ties to the slave trade.

He wrote: The architectural studies are uncertain, but the assortment of stories about Griffin himself are noteworthy  and often sordid.

Part of Capt. Griffins substantial income may have derived from the slave trade. The story is told that he was holding two slaves in the basement of his house when he heard revenue officers were coming to assess his property. He walled the slaves up in the cellar and left them to die. When his estate was sold off, the wall was removed, and two skeletons were found. Some say that these two poor souls haunt the place still.

The house changed hands frequently and was empty from 1895 until 1909, when newlyweds Martha Hale (whose family owned it) and Lt. William Wright Harts opened it.

Used primarily as their summer residence, the house presumably offered relief from the heat of Nashville, where the lieutenant was posted. Harts, who graduated from West Point in 1889 and began service with the Corps of Engineers, ultimately became a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. He was involved in a large variety of construction projects, including river and harbor improvements, locks and dams, and army camps.

During WWI, he acted as military aide to President Woodrow Wilson, and he served with the British and French in the 6th U.S. Engineering Regiment. Highly decorated, he also served as chief of staff in the Army of Occupation, in Germany, in 1919 and 1920, and as military attache in the American embassy in Paris from 1926 to 1930.

Over the years the original home has been added onto and in the late 20th century, was operated as a wedding dress shop, a restaurant and a bakery.

Phillips added that while he and his fellow neighbors still have concerns, they are not against the project.

We support the development, said Phillips. Were behind the development now. We want it done right for the neighbors, right for the town, right for the developer.

This is going to be the model, this is the first cluster development in town, added Phillips, so its going to be the model.
NEW DELHI: A special flight carrying Indian students stranded in Bangladesh capital Dhaka will land in Srinagar on Wednesday as part of governments Vande Bharat Mission to help Indians stranded abroad due to coronavirus lockdown.

Under Vande Bharat Mission, a batch of 169 Indian students, who were stranded in Bangladesh due to the coronavirus-linked global travel restrictions, will land in Srinagar directly today, according to reports.

Apart from that five more flights are scheduled from the Gulf countries under Vande Bharat Mission for today. It will take more than 880 distressed and stranded citizens back to the country. This was the fourth flight from Bangladesh which will depart from Dhaka today.

The third flight brought as many as 107 stranded Indians from Dhaka to Mumbai on Monday. Second Air India flight carrying 129 Indian nationals from Dhaka had landed at Delhi airport on Saturday as part of Vande Bharat Mission to bring back stranded Indians from different countries.

While the first flight from Dhaka carrying Indian students had landed in Srinagar on May 8.

Over 6,000 stranded citizens abroad have been flown back to India on 31 flights operated by Air India and Air India Express under Vande Bharat Mission in five days beginning from May 7.

The Centre has initiated the mission - one of the largest initiatives to repatriate Indian nationals - with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs and state governments.

India began phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7. The government had said that Air India will operate 64 flights in a week to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals.
A railway ticket office worker in the UK has died from COVID-19 after she was spat on while working at Victoria station in central London. The victim, Belly Mujinga, was working with a colleague when they were assaulted, spat on and coughed at by a man who is said to have coronavirus, according to the Transport Salaried Staffs Association or TSSA.

Neglected by the management?

The 47-year-old victim had an underlying health condition and she was working for Govia Thameslink Railway or GTR on the station concourse at the time of the incident on March 22. The British Transport Police said in a statement that an investigation into the incident had been launched.

TSSA said in a statement that Belly and her colleague begged to be let to work from inside the building with a protective barrier between them and the public for the rest of the day. However, the management said that people were needed to work outside and the management sent them back out onto the concourse for the rest of their shift.

Since it was ordered by the management, both women went back outside and completed their shift, but they were not given any personal protective equipment. According to TSSA, Mujinga had underlying respiratory problems and she already had an operation because of it. She even took some time off work because of her regular hospital appointments.

The union says that GTR knew about her conditions and that they only stood Mujinga down after her doctor called her work around March 25. The TSSA general secretary, Manuel Cortes, accused GTR of not taking Mujinga's assault seriously and he criticized the company.

Also Read: Video of Inmates from California Jail Shows Them Deliberately Trying to Contract the Coronavirus

Investigations needed

Cortes said in a statement that Mujinga is under the at risk category and her condition was already known to her employer, yet GTR did not stand her down from front line duties and no protective gear were given. Cortes wants to investigate further because Mujinga's death was not inevitable. According to GTR, they are investigating the accusations and that they take allegations seriously.

Angie Doll, the managing director at Southern Railway and Gatwick Express, said that the safety of their customers and staff is at the front of their mind at all times and that they follow the latest Government advice. She added that they are devastated that their dedicated colleague Belly has passed away and they offered their deepest sympathies with the victim's family.

According to TSSA, both Mujinga and her colleague fell ill from coronavirus within days of the assault. Just 11 days after the incident, Mujinga was taken to Barnet Hospital in North London and she was put on a ventilator. On April 5, just 15 days after she was assaulted at Victoria station, Belly passed away.

Mujinga has an 11-year-old daughter and a husband, who last saw her when she was taken to the hospital. Cortes added in the TSSA statement that they are shocked and devastated at Belly's death and the union said that they are taking legal advice on the situation and they are supporting Mujinga's family and colleagues.



Related Article: Pregnant Women are Not at High Risk of Being Hospitalized with Severe COVID-19, Study Finds

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


A hairstyle that looks similar to models of the new coronavirus has been gaining popularity in Kenya.

The hairstyle creates long spikes that move out across the head.

Pictures representing the structure of the new coronavirus have shown spikes coming out of a round, outer surface.

One reason the hairstyle is growing in popularity is because it is less costly. This is more important now because many families are facing economic difficulties as a result of restrictions meant to limit the spread of the virus. The restrictions have stopped daily work activities for millions of people with little or no savings.

The coronavirus-influenced look is also being used by some Kenyans to raise public awareness about COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

The method used to make the coronavirus hairstyle uses a common material for threading instead of manufactured hair products. The coronavirus hairstyle costs just 50 cents, compared to $3 to $5 for an average braided hairstyle.

Sharon Refa is a hairdresser. She works in a busy area of Kibera, a poor neighborhood in Kenyas capital Nairobi. She told The Associated Press that a lot of young girls are coming to her to get the spikey coronavirus hairstyle.

Refa said some adults still do not believe the coronavirus is real. But, most young children have been following guidelines to wear face masks and wash their hands often.

She said she thinks the hairstyle can be one way to get parents to take coronavirus guidelines more seriously. So many adults do not do this, and that is why we came up with the corona hairstyle, Refa added.

Early this week, the number of confirmed virus cases was nearing 700. Health officials have expressed worries that the virus could be spreading in Nairobis crowded poor areas.

Mothers like Margaret Andeya said the hairstyle makes their daughters happy and saves them money. The look costs much less than others, and yet we want our kids to look stylish, Andeya told the AP.

Another mother, Mariam Rashid, said COVID-19 had destroyed the economy and taken jobs from the people.

I therefore decided to have my childs hair done up like this at an affordable 50 shillings, and she looks good, Rashid said. The hairstyle also helps in communicating with the public about the virus, she added.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. 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

spike  n. long, thin pieces of metal, wood or other material with a sharp point at one end

thread  n. a long, think piece of cotton, wool or other material that is usually used for sewing

braid  v. to twist pieces of hair over and under each other

stylish  adj. fashionable and attractive

affordable  adj. reasonable priced
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- delivery.com, a leading destination for online ordering today announced that Food Of Your Mood has joined the delivery.com network. Food Of Your Mood is the first delivery.com market operating in Tennessee and grows the delivery.com presence in Kentucky. Food Of Your Mood, which originated in Cookeville, TN, also serves the Elizabethtown, KY, Bardstown, KY, and Campbellsville, KY areas. The current Food Of Your Mood management and teams are remaining local to leverage their roots and take a local first approach to expanding online ordering and delivery services in their area. Food Of Your Mood is now available exclusively through the delivery.com website and app. The announcement with Food Of Your Mood is part of a rapid series of acquisitions and partnerships and comes only weeks after delivery.com announced that Texas ToGo, TuYu Delivery and Pueblo ToGo, located throughout Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, also joined their network.

Customers who live in the regions served can continue to order from their favorite local restaurants for delivery or pickup, and can now access the delivery.com suite of offerings:

Best-in-class technology and mobile apps: consumers can experience a frictionless, easy-to-use platform to order from their favorite neighborhood restaurants.

Order tracking: After placing their order, customers receive a link designed for tracking the progress of their order and stay up-to-date on its ETA.

Delivery Points: The popular loyalty program from delivery.com that allows customers to earn free food and other rewards.

delivery.com Office: Corporate clients can order catering, set up individual ordering for their teams, or use the Group Order feature.

"We built our business on the premise of providing the best price point possible, fast deliveries, and providing the highest level of service to our customers and to our partner restaurants. Joining the delivery.com family will allow us to continue doing just that while bringing huge improvements to the consumer, merchant, and driver side of the platform" said Patrick Ely, Owner of Food Of Your Mood. "We are here in your community supporting our local businesses and our local organizations. We feel confident that when you give us a chance you will always be satisfied with our service and our support."

Since being founded in 2017, Food Of Your Mood has delivered over 200,000 orders and is bringing 200 new restaurants to the delivery.com platform including major brands like Firehouse Subs, and local favorites like Char Steak Lounge and Taiko Sushi in Cookeville, TN.

" delivery.com has always been committed to finding ways to drive business for local restaurants around the country. We're proud to bring on partners who are equally committed to 'local first'," said Jed Kleckner, CEO of delivery.com . "Now, more than ever, working with the team at Food Of Your Mood will enable us to serve customers and bring business to neighborhood restaurants."

With the addition of Food Of Your Mood, delivery.com expands its presence to Tennessee and further extends its presence in Kentucky while continuing to grow nationwide. Food Of Your Mood plans to roll out a full set of delivery.com services in their markets, including Group Orders and delivery.com Office ordering features, as well as expanding beyond food delivery. For a limited time, Food Of Your Mood is offering their customers $10 off orders of $15 or more to first-time users of delivery.com with the code ORDERNOW (see the website for details).

About delivery.com

delivery.com empowers the neighborhood economy by enabling consumers and corporate customers to order online from their favorite restaurants and other local businesses. More than two and a half million delivery.com customers and delivery.com Office clients explore their communities and order from over 18,000 local businesses in more than 1,800 cities while at home, at work, or on the go. With headquarters in New York and a growing presence across the country, delivery.com makes e-commerce an integral part of local daily life, enabling customers to order, companies to provide, businesses to grow, and neighborhoods to thrive.

Trademarks and/or trademark registrations referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

SOURCE delivery.com

Related Links

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Details added (first version posted on 18:21)

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12

Trend:

Azerbaijans goal is to build the digital economy and in this field, the country is open to cooperation with France, Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov said.

Jabbarov made the remark during a business meeting in the format of a webinar organized by the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), the French Entrepreneurs Organization (MEDEF) and the Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trend reports.

The organized event is a convenient platform for exchanging views on the prospects for cooperation between business representatives of the two countries, the minister added. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to international cooperation, including relations with France.

Our countries are determined to bring the partnership to a higher level, even during the global pandemic, Jabbarov said. From this point of view, the efforts of MEDEF and the Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry to develop business relations between the parties are commendable.

The minister informed the participants of the webinar about the reforms being carried out in Azerbaijan under the leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, measures to liberalize the economy, create a favorable business and investment environment, a new bill being prepared in connection with investment activity with the participation of experts of the International Finance Corporation, a foreign direct investment promotion strategy, etc.

Talking about economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and France, the minister stressed that 65 French companies operate in various spheres of the Azerbaijani economy, including industry, energy, trade, services sector, agriculture and others.

Our countries also successfully cooperate in the field of investments, the minister said. So far, Azerbaijan has invested $2.1 billion in the French economy while the French side invested $2.2 billion in Azerbaijan. French companies are participating in Azerbaijan as contractors in non-oil projects that are implemented through the state investments, the cost of which is estimated at $2.1 billion.

Stressing the negative impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the minister emphasized that in terms of the global crisis and a sharp drop in oil prices, the world economy, in particular the economy of oil-producing countries faced new challenges.

Jabbarov said that the Azerbaijani government has promptly responded to the pandemic and the global crisis, and has taken systematic and operative measures to maintain macroeconomic stability.

The minister stressed that as a result of timely multilateral preventive measures taken under the leadership and direct control of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the cases of infection with coronavirus in the country were limited.

To protect people's health and to reduce the impact of the pandemic on the national economy, an appropriate Action Plan has been approved, Jabbarov said. According to the plan, the measures are being taken to render financial support to entrepreneurs and hired employees involved in the spheres affected by the pandemic, to preserve jobs and strengthen social protection of the population.

The minister said that one of the main goals in the Action Plan, along with ensuring economic stability, is the application of a new model of economic growth.

Azerbaijans GDP grew by 3 percent from January through February 2020, by 1.1 percent in the first quarter of the year, by about 7 percent in the non-oil sector in the first two months of the year and by more than 3 percent in the first quarter of the year. To form a stronger non-oil sector and reduce dependence on oil, Azerbaijan is pursuing a targeted policy to increase the economy's resilience to global impacts.

Currently, the global economy is in the process of digitalization, which promises new opportunities. Therefore, the digitalization of the economy has been set as a long-term goal.

Jabbarov emphasized that the goal of Azerbaijan is to build a digital economy and Azerbaijan is open for cooperation with France in this issue.

In this context, the creation of a branch of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of the World Economic Forum in Azerbaijan is of particular importance.

MEDEF Chief Executive Officer Philippe Gautier said that France attaches great importance to the development of ties with Azerbaijan and reminded the official visit of the delegation of his organization to Azerbaijan, the fact that the delegation was received by President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva, Azerbaijani-French business forum, as well as the signed documents.

Gautier emphasized that Azerbaijan has a favorable business and investment environment, the country is extremely attractive from the point of view of tourism, as well as a manufacturer of a number of competitive products. He also shared his views on combating the pandemic and expanding cooperation in various spheres of the economy.

During the meeting, other participants also expressed their views on the diversification and strengthening of economic stability in the current conditions of a sharp decline in oil prices and the spread of the pandemic, as well as regarding non-oil projects that may ensure economic stability and the issues of expanding cooperation with French companies.

During the webinar, discussions on the prospects of developing partnership in the banking and financial sectors, agriculture, ICT, introduction of innovations, transport and transit and other spheres were held. The ambassadors of Azerbaijan and France also took part in the meeting.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Less than three years after Wisconsin won a beauty contest to lure Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group to the state, local leaders and voters have been left with buyers remorse. Founder Terry Gous stated plans to build a $10 billion plant making flat screens were illogical from the start, and taxpayers there now realize it.

Theres another Taiwanese company that might be looking for a new American foothold. And this time, such a project makes complete sense.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is the worlds most important chip company. It makes high-end components using the best technology for clients including Apple Inc., Qualcomm Inc., Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Yet it produces the bulk of its chips at three locations in Taiwan with additional capacity in China. TSMC has barely any footprint in America, owning one old factory in Washington state which it bought 20 years ago.

U.S. national security concerns, protectionis, and a growing need to diversify have led me to conclude that a new American facility for TSMC is inevitable. A plan is now under discussion, but not yet confirmed, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal this week.

The only question  beyond when, and how much  is where TSMC will put it.

State governors need to pay attention. Theyve been burnt before, or at least Wisconsins Scott Walker has. His decision to push ahead with the Foxconn facility in 2017, at the cost of up to $3 billion in taxpayer-funded subsidies, is a major reason that the Republican governor lost reelection the following year.

When then-presidential candidate Donald Trump started talking up a renaissance in U.S. manufacturing in 2016, Foxconns Gou put his team to work. The company is famous for assembling iPhones using hundreds of thousands of factory workers, mostly in China. As he built his empire, Gou accumulated decades of experience pitting local and national governments against each other with the promise of jobs and economic prosperity. Quite often, the plans never came to fruition, no matter how willing the locals were to make him a sweetheart deal.

Story continues

Within months of Trumps victory, Gou had governors of rust-belt states  including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Indiana  eager to land what was described as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. In the end, Wisconsins package convinced Foxconn to break ground in Racine County as preparation for a massive flat-panel display factory that would provide 13,000 manufacturing jobs.

I wrote back then, many times, that these plans didnt add up. Flat screens arent native to American industry and the country lacks the trained personnel to staff such a facility. Theres already a global oversupply and little chance of strong growth. The product is too fragile to ship long distances. Foxconn has since scaled back its plans and failed to hit some employment targets required to receive incentives.

But just 60 miles away from Foxconns Taipei headquarters sits TSMC, a company that would be a much better fit for the U.S. With tensions rising between Beijing and Washington, and the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting the risks to America having much of its technology supply chain overseas, TSMC is facing increasing pressure to boost its U.S. presence.At first thought, California might seem the obvious place to host a new factory. After all, thats where TSMCs largest clients are based. Ironically, given that its home to Silicon Valley  a name derived from the metal used to make integrated circuits  the state has relatively few chip manufacturing facilities. The big names of three decades ago have either merged, or gone fabless  meaning they design without making their own chips.

In fact, Americas semiconductor production sector is spread across at least a dozen states around the country, according to my analysis of company data and press reports. (1)That could make a new TSMC facility in the U.S. up for grabs. And if making high-end display panels was a bad fit for Wisconsin, a chip factory fits well in the current and future structure of American industry.

To this day, the U.S. remains the global leader in semiconductor design, development and manufacturing, with its universities churning out the best electrical and electronics engineers. TSMC founder Morris Chang is an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford, while the current chairman, Mark Liu, got his Ph.D from the University of California, Berkeley.

Exactly how many jobs a U.S. fab might create is hard to predict. Earlier this year, Liu told investors that any factory there would deploy the companys most advanced technologies, which work best at scale.

As a comparison, TSMC employs over 10,000 people at its Tainan facilities, which utilize leading-edge manufacturing processes for Apples iPhone chips, and expects to add another few thousand in coming years. Given that semiconductor manufacturing engineer salaries in America can top $100,000, luring even half that number of jobs would be a boon for any state.

The eagerness with which communities chased Amazon.com Inc. for the e-commerce companys second headquarters shows that many local leaders are as eager to chase high-paid employment as they are factory jobs.

With the prospect of the worlds eighth-largest tech company by market value looking for a new place to set up shop, U.S. governors are likely to find themselves back in the chase.

(1) Data was collated from company statements, annual reports, and press reports for the past 5 years.

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

Tim Culpan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. He previously covered technology for Bloomberg News.

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

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Lesotho confirmed its index case of coronavirus on Wednesday thus making it the last African country to have a recorded case.

A press statement issued by Director-General of Health Services read The Ministry of Health informs the Basotho nation and the entire community living in Lesotho, that the country now has the first confirmed case of Covid-19.

On the 9th May 2020, the Ministry conducted 81 (eighty-one) tests for COVID-19 from travellers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

Results came back from South Africa on Tuesday, May 12 and indicated that 80 people tested negative for COVID-19 while one tested positive for COVID-19.

Africanews reported that till date the country has obtained 597 specimens which have been tested by South Africas National Institute of Communicable Diseases, NICD; 295 are negative and 301 are still pending results.

Algerias test kits

Meanwhile, in Algeria, the government has announced the production of rapid test kits.

The junior minister in charge of pharmaceutical production, Lotfi Benbahmed, said this on state television.

The kits which can return results in 15 minutes are being produced in a laboratory located in the capital, Algiers. It has a production capacity of 200,000 units per week.

Two foreign firms  one Jordanian and the other Canadian, according to africanews are giving support to the production company.

In a bid to curb the spread of the virus, $100 million was allocated to import medical equipment and pharmaceutical products. Like other African countries, Algeria has also benefitted from medical donations from China.

Algeria which recorded its first case of the virus on February 17, after an Italian arrived the country, is the country with the 4th highest number of cases in Africa.

It, according to Worldometer, has a total of 6,253 confirmed cases, 522 deaths and 3,058 recoveries.
But there was no guarantee that attorneys general who followed Mr. Levi would uphold his standards. So in 1978, Congress passed a law that created an independent counsel, whom the attorney general could authorize to investigate top executive-branch officials for wrongdoing. Because the counsel was chosen by a three-judge panel and could be removed only for cause, the counsel operated beyond the influence of the president and the attorney general. The law addressed the competing loyalties inherent in the job of attorney general by walling him or her off from certain investigations.

But Congress let the law expire in 1999 as both parties tired of independent counsels they saw as abusing their powers. Without this external watchdog, the stage was set again for conflict between politics and the rule of law. John Ashcroft, George W. Bushs first attorney general, resisted some of the Bush administrations claims to broad executive power in the wake of Sept. 11. But Mr. Ashcrofts successor, Alberto Gonzales, was a longtime Bush crony who resigned after repeated battles with Congress raised questions about whether his responsibilities to the law took a back seat to his loyalty to Mr. Bush.

President Barack Obama appointed an ally with his own professional reputation, Eric Holder, as his first attorney general, and a career prosecutor, Loretta Lynch, as his second. Ms. Lynch found herself mired in controversy for talking to former President Bill Clinton on an airport tarmac while his wife was under investigation for mishandling classified information. Ms. Lynchs breach seems minor now but led her to defer the decision whether to prosecute Hillary Clinton to the F.B.I. and her aides. The norm of independence held.

Now we have Mr. Barr. The next president could reassert that standard by appointing someone in the mold of Edward Levi. But history suggests that too often presidents prefer an attorney general whom they can control.

Will Congress be able to step in? Not fully, it seems.

Democrats in the House investigated Mr. Trumps dealings with Ukraine when Mr. Barrs Justice Department declined to do so, but they didnt have a clear path for compelling witnesses to testify, as a prosecutor would. And if the attorney general is willing to drop charges against an executive-branch official like Mr. Flynn, who lied to the F.B.I., then whats to stop him from refusing to prosecute officials who lie to Congress? This week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases about whether Congress can subpoena the presidents tax returns. The back-and-forth hinted that the court could erect new barriers for Congress when it seeks to keep the executive in check.

This suggests that Congress erred by allowing the independent counsel statute to expire. The potential that political considerations could warp decisions by the president and attorney general require this extra check on the executive branch. The best way to stop the downward spiral of the Justice Department is to protect it from its own boss.

Emily Bazelon is a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine and a fellow for creative writing and law at Yale Law School. Eric Posner is a professor at the University of Chicago Law School and the author of the forthcoming The Demagogues Playbook: The Battle for American Democracy From the Founders to Trump.

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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Pakistan: Seafood traders decry ineffectiveness of economic relief package

May 13,2020 | Source: The International News

Lockdown-hit seafood traders have raised doubt over the effectiveness of the central banks economic relief package while they are reeling under sales trough  calling for the sector-specific support programs, zero-rated tax facility and rebates on exports. Industry officials said seafood industry has remained closed since February due to COVID-19 lockdown, whereas salaries continued to be paid. The situation might last till September. There is also a constitutional ban on fishing in June and July. Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (PFEA) said the refinancing scheme of the State Bank of Pakistan to give concessional loans for salaries and wages is not helpful as it shares only half of payrolls. The relief doesnt work as the industry would be without earnings for five months. PFEA officials were talking via a video link with the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises and seafood exporters, including Akhlaq Hussain, Yasir Abbas Syed and Zafar Kundi. Seafood processing plants need to be provided with loans on soft terms and subsidies to do balancing, modernisation and replacement and upgradation for value addition, they said.



The officials demanded zero-rated tax facility for seafood export industry, just like proposed for other five industries on sales tax and income tax refunds. They also emphasised the need for lower electricity tariffs. The officials also stressed inclusion of correct HS codes in the second free trade agreement with China. They called for efforts at the highest levels to remove the hurdles in exporting seafood to the European Union and USA. Seafood exports continued to fall in April. They amounted to $39 million during the last month, down around 16 percent year-on-year. The government imposed lockdown in late March to prevent local transmission of the novel coronavirus infection. In July-March, seafood exports, however, rose around eight percent to $317 million. Efforts are required to get the ban on exports to countries, like Saudi Arabia, removed. They demanded allowance of minimum 5 percent rebate on merchandise exports under foreign trade policy of Pakistan. They said regional countries give about 15 percent rebate on merchandise exports. They also demanded resumption of freight subsidy allowance for frozen and fresh seafood exports just like live seafood.



Zulfikar Thaver, president of Union of Small and Medium Enterprises said the fishing sector needs to be modernised. It needs finance and facilities to meet the international standards. In fact it needs to partner with China under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for revival as there is vast scope and sky is the limit, Thaver said. This sector can employ, give opportunities for handsome income generation and feed the masses with one of the best nutritional value food. We are knocking at the doors of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority for advocacy of our cause with the government not to overlook our needs anymore and revive this promising sector on fast track. Mukesh Kumar, provincial chief Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority emphasised the need of uplifting a promising sector with vast potential. He endorsed the suggestions and promised to take up matter to revive the aquaculture. He agreed to submit a complete proposal based on facts and figures to be prepared jointly with the stakeholders.
Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare

Parliament returned to Canberra this week just in time for Prime Minister Scott Morrisons birthday celebrations on Wednesday. Coalition MPs were clearly keen to pass on their well-wishes, with Morrison, 52, circulating two early-morning WhatsApp missives thanking colleagues for their birthday greetings. A good thing too, considering school commitments meant wife Jenny and their two daughters had left The Lodge to return to Sydney.

Morrison is not the only one on Capital Hill to have celebrated a birthday this week. Former Labor leader Bill Shorten, now the partys government services spokesman, turned 53 on Tuesday. He celebrated with colleagues in his office that evening.

Our correspondents noted Labors treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers in for drinks, along with agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon, trade spokeswoman Madeleine King and backbenchers Anne Aly, Kimberley Kitching, Luke Gosling, Patrick Gorman and Milton Dick.

South Australian powerbroker Don Farrell also turned up, bringing a bottle of his The Godfather Too wine. The $110 Cabernet, made at his family vineyard, was last in the news after it was featured on the wine list of Canberra diner Otis  where Farrell and other good solid Labor people met earlier this year to discuss their interest in supporting coal workers. Those at Shortens knees-up were required to use hand sanitiser before being granted entry. Yes, social distancing [was] enforced and number cap rules observed, one attendee told CBD. Everyone felt a lot safer than being in the chamber with Josh Frydenberg.
Health officials are looking into a rare inflammatory syndrome and how it could be impacting children during the coronavirus pandemic.

Now 15 states, including New York, are investigating cases that could be linked to Kawasaki disease  a rare inflammatory condition that often impacts children aged five years or younger  and toxic shock syndrome, Governor Andrew Cuomo said during his press briefing on Wednesday.

New York has discovered 102 cases in children that show symptoms similar to the rare disease and are now looking to see if there is a connection with Covid-19.

We have lost three children in New York because of this. A five-year-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl, Mr Cuomo said. These cases are all across the state, predominantly where the population is.

He added that 14 other states and five European countries were also looking into the rare syndrome to see if there was a link to those symptoms and the novel virus.

About 60 per cent of the 102 cases in New York tested positive for the coronavirus. Of those cases, 70 per cent were admitted into the ICU and 19 per cent resulted in intubation.

Which means its serious, Mr Cuomo added.

The potential link between the coronavirus and these inflammatory syndromes has caused concern among officials because children are presenting symptoms far different from the typical Covid-19 patient. The novel virus often attacks the upper respiratory system, causing a cough or difficulty breathing. But symptoms related to the rare inflammatory disease instead show swelling and redness in the bodys blood vessels.

An estimated 3,000 children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease in the US each year.

These are children who come in who dont present the symptoms that we normally are familiar with with Covid. Its not a respiratory illness, theyre not in respiratory distress. I think thats one of the reasons why this may be getting discovered this far into the process, the governor said last week.

New York hospitals are now required to report to the state health department any children who are showing symptoms mirroring Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also asked New York to develop national criteria for other states and hospital systems to assist them in recognising similar patients.

Previously, health officials believed children were largely unaffected by severe symptoms of Covid-19. People aged 60 or over and those with comorbidities are more at risk.

Based on available evidence, children do not appear to be at higher risk for Covid-19 than adults, the CDCs site says. While some children and infants have been sick with Covid-19, adults make up most of the known cases to date.

The department still noted, though, that severe outcomes have been reported in children, including three deaths.

One of the few rays of good news was young people werent affected. Were not so sure that is the fact anymore, Mr Cuomo added.

Connecticut reported its first case related to the syndrome on Monday. In total, health officials in the state were investigating at least six cases related to the syndrome. New Jersey also announced it was investigating 10 potential cases, none of which were fatal.

The UK, Spain, and Italy are among the European countries also investigating cases related to the syndrome.
PORTLAND, Oregon, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, "Forklift Truck Market by Power Source(IC Engine Powered and Electric Powered), Class (Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, Class 4, Class 5, and Others) and End Use (Retail & Wholesale, Logistics, Automotive, Food Industry, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast,20202027". According to the report, the global forklift truck industry was pegged at $45.00 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $81.40 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2020 to 2027.

Download Report Sample @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/596

Prime determinants of market growth

Development in the e-commerce industry and increase in investment in the infrastructure market have boosted the growth of the global forklift truck market. However, surge in safety issues related to forklift truck hampers the market. On the contrary, production of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts and development of autonomous forklifts trucks are expected to open new opportunities for the market players.

Covid-19 scenario: The emergence of Covid-19 has greatly affected the global forklift truck market

According to the Covid-19 impact assessment presented by LMC Automotive Limited, around 78% of companies lack adequate staff to run a full production line.

As the majority of the auto supply chain is connected to China , it would impact negatively on the sale of the forklift truck market.

, it would impact negatively on the sale of the forklift truck market. However, government relief funds are expected to minimize the overall impact on the market growth.

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The IC engine powered segment dominated the market

By power source, the IC engine powered segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for nearly three-fifths of the global forklift truck market. Leading forklift manufacturers have introduced a new range of IC engine powered with advanced and innovative features making it the largest segment in power source. However, the electric powered segment is expected to portray the highest CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period, due to less emission of harmful gases and increase in partnerships to develop novel electric powered forklifts.

The automotive segment to manifest fastest CAGR through 2027

By end user, the automotive segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 10.5% during the study period. Forklifts trucks used in the automotive industry are available with a wide range of lifting capacities and specialized model variations which, in turn, makes it the fastest-growing segment. However, the retail & wholesale segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for around two-fifths of the global forklift truck market. This is due to adoption of forklifts in retail and wholesale industry as it offers loading and unloading of trailers efficiently and quickly with minimal product damage.

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LAMEA, followed by North America, to portray highest CAGR till 2027

The global forklift truck market across LAMEA, followed by North America, is expected to register the highest CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period, owing to technological advancements and production of electric powered forklift truck. However, the market across Asia-Pacific dominated the market in terms of revenue, contributing to more than two-fifths of the market, due to rapidly growing e-commerce industry and rising investment in the infrastructure industry.

Major market players

Crown Equipment Corporation

Hangcha

EP Equipment

Jungheinrich AG

Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.

Komatsu Ltd.

KION GROUP AG

Mitsubishi Logisnext Co., Ltd.

Lonking Machinery Co., Ltd.

Toyota Industries Corporation

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KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Justice Srikrishna says the mandate for Aarogya Setu app is unconstitutional

Right to Privacy should be accorded the same sanctity under Article 21 as other fundamental rights

The app should have a legal base either under privacy laws or appropriate amendment to NDMA

With no safety net of data privacy for citizens, Justice BN Srikrishna has slammed the setting up of an Empowered Group on technology and data management under the National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) to govern the controversial contact tracing app Aarogya Setu. In the recent order issued by the Empowered Group on May 11, a set of protocols -- Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020 -- has been put in place to regulate the use of personal data collected from individuals who have downloaded the app.

Justice BN Srikrishna points out that since the order issued by the Empowered Group derives its power from the National Disaster Management Act, the said act only has the concept of national, state, district and local authorities. There is no provision or a mention of an Empowered Group. "It's highly objectionable that such an order has been issued at an executive level," he said.

While every executive order has to be issued as per a particular methodology under the business rules of the Government of India, Srikrishna said: "Such an order has to be backed by a parliamentary legislation that authorises the government to issue it. There does not seem to be one." Even if the authority has to be traced to the Disaster Management Act, there is no provision for the constitution of such empowered group, he added. "Under what provision of the law has this order been issued?" he questioned, speaking at a webinar hosted by Daksha Fellowship on Data Governance and Democratic Ethos.

"With no Personal Data Protection Law to the rescue of Indian citizens, who will be held accountable if indeed a data breach happens?" he questioned.

While the protocol reads in violations of the directions to attract penalty under the NDMA and other legal provisions, the redressal mechanism is virtually absent. "This is some kind of a patchwork, which is going to cause more concerns to the citizens than the benefit it brings to them," added Justice Srikrishna.

Even as the Supreme Court has enshrined right to privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, Justice SriKrishna says the sanctity with which one deals with a fundamental right under article 21, must be accorded to the right of privacy also. "That is the reason why we have said there should be a law which is proportionate and takes into account the parameters laid down by the Supreme Court. The law should pass the test of constitutionality. Anything else will be struck down," he said.
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Some 32 Ghanaian nurses and midwives are down with COVID-19 while hundreds of their colleagues have also been quarantined following exposure to the virus, the President of Ghana Registered and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo has revealed.

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

She made the revelation on the sidelines of the launch of the 60th-anniversary celebration of the association on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, which marks the international day for nurses.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Two more die from virus in Ghana; Death toll is now 24

This years celebration is on the theme: Nursing the world to health, projecting the true value of Ghanaian nurses and midwives.

At the moment, we have 32 nurses and midwives who have been infected by the coronavirus, she told the media at the event.

Mrs. Ofori-Ampofo also stated that 0ver 250 nurses and midwives are currently under quarantine and are being managed at different levels.

We are reaching out to them and we hope that things will get better, she noted.

She opined a variety of issues is affecting the efforts of nurses and midwives in fighting the virus.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 6 immigration officers promoted for rejecting bribe

She lamented that some of the challenges nurses and frontline staff face include, adequate PPE "and we hope that we would get the equipment we need to protect ourselves and the patients and clients we take care of".

She further added, government runs its government, we run our union and we know what our members are going through".

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Ghanas President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that he has no intention to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic to extend his mandate as leader of the country.

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah set the records straight at Tuesday, May 12, 2020, press conference on COVID-19 in Accra.

Mr. Nkrumah noted that President Akufo-Addo is not interested in a possible extension of his first term unconstitutionally.

Madam Yaa Botwe seems to have a lot to say about the novel "KWABENA-19" | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: 10 COVID-19 hotspots in Ghana

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
In the most recent installment of FX and Hulus nine-part series Mrs. America, Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale) steps into the limelight as the national face of the proEqual Rights Amendment movement when she is chosen by President Jimmy Carter to preside over the first-ever National Womens Conference. Working with Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne), Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman), and gay rights activists to unify factions within the womens liberation movement, Abzug makes arrangements for the conference while Phyllis Schlafly and the conservative opposition struggle to coordinate a response.

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The episode also contains a number of more surprising details. Did Schlafly really collaborate with the Ku Klux Klan? Did Jimmy Carter really have a closeted lesbian as an adviser? Below, just as we did for the first six episodes, we break it all down.

Phyllis Schlafly Gets a Pie in the Face

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Episode 7 opens with a scene in which Schlafly gets a pie thrown in her face by a stranger at an event. Though this moment seems nearly too slapstick to be true, this did, in fact, actually happen. According to the Associated Press, which captured the aftermath in a photo, the real Schlafly was pied while at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York on Saturday, April 16, 1977. The shows depiction matches the scene described almost exactly, with one small difference. In the show, the pie appears to be a cream pie whereas, in reality, it was apple.

The man responsible for throwing the pie was Aron Kay, a left-wing activist who made a name for himself by flinging desserts at famous people whose politics he disagreed with. Over the course of his pie-throwing career, Kays victims included such prominent figures as former CIA Director William Colby, William F. Buckley, and Andy Warhol. Kay told the AP that he targeted Schlafly because of her anti-ERA efforts and chose an apple pie because It was in the tradition of motherhood and apple pie.

Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale)

Abzug takes center stage in this episode as the former U.S. representative, fresh off a failed Senate campaign, takes on a new role as the leader of the National Womens Conference. Both the Senate campaign (she lost narrowly in the primary) and the ensuing appointment by Carter are true to life. As the show suggests, Abzug was a natural choice to run the conference as she had introduced a bill proposing federal support for such a conference the previous year.

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The show also makes reference at times to Abzugs somewhat brash behavior, including in a moment when Gloria Steinem chides her for throwing coleslaw at a colleague. While I was not able to verify the coleslaw story, I did find a different story about Abzug nearly throwing a different food at Betty Friedan. In a 2007 oral history of Abzug, her friend and fellow activist Barbara Bick recalls:

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I saw Bella pick up her dishit was heaped with chewed-up chicken bonesand she was slowly rising. We all went silent because she was going to throw it. Betty went white. Finally I was able to get my hand on Bellas arm and make her sit down.

Rosemary Thomson (Melanie Lynskey)

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In this episode, Rosemary Thomson steps up to bat in the effort to derail the National Womens Conference. As the show depicts, Thomson was a close friend of Phyllis Schlaflys and also served as the head of the Illinois chapter of the Eagle Forum. Early on in Episode 7, the leaders of the Eagle Forum devise a plan to get conservative delegates elected to participate at the conference by establishing a new organization that they hope will act as a cover. The result is the International Womens Year Citizens Review Committee, presided over by Thomson herself. In the end, Abzug and Steinem see what they are up to, but the organization is successful in rustling up support from Christian women, and they manage to win delegates in a number of states. All of this roughly matches up with what really happened. According to the book Rightward Bound: Making America Conservative in the 1970s, the Citizens Review Committee was established in March of 1977, just a few months before the convention, and as news of it circulated, conservative groups, working in loose coalitions that varied from state to state, managed what were called takeovers of several conferences including Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, Nebraska, and Utah.

Schlaflys No-Show

In a surprising moment in this episode, Schlaflywho has until now been the fearless leader of the conservative anti-feminist coalitionappears to back down from a chance to confront her pro-ERA opponents. While it is unclear whether Thomson and the other Eagles had expected Schlafly to appear at the Illinois meeting, it is true that newspapers wrote that she was considered likely to appear, touting the bout as a Battle With Bella, as one headline put it. She never showed.

Margaret Midge Costanza (Annie Parisse)

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A new character in this episode is Midge Costanza, a representative from the Carter administration who arrives early on to offer Abzug the position of presiding officer of the National Womens Conference Commission. This matches up with history, as do the shows references to Costanzas biography. The real Costanza was indeed a top assistant to President Jimmy Carter and, as the show mentions, was the first woman to hold the title of assistant to the president. In this episode, we see her advocate for the inclusion of lesbian and gay rights in the conference agenda. The real Costanza, who died in 2010, was a strong advocate for gay rights and one of the first politicians to argue on behalf of the National Gay Task Force within the Democratic Party, even as she herself remained closeted. (More on that later.)

Jean OLeary (Anna Douglas)

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Early on in Episode 7, we see the pro-ERA team sitting around a conference table discussing their plans for the National Womens Conference. Abzug suggests that they appoint Betty Friedan as a commissioner and several other women, including Gloria Steinem, express their doubts about this idea, citing Friedans lack of support for the lesbian community. One woman pushes back especially hard on the proposition, saying, If Betty is on that stage, itll send a message that were not welcome. Ill resign. This is our introduction to Jean OLeary who, like nearly everyone on the show so far (setting aside a few of Schlaflys fellow Eagles), was indeed a real person. The real OLeary, who died in 2005, was a prominent gay rights activist who was the co-executive director of the National Gay Task Force and later helped to found National Coming Out Day. In this episode, she joins forces with Midge Costanza to advocate for the inclusion of lesbian and gay rights in the conference agenda. All of this matches up with historical records. According to the 2016 book American Women on the Move: The Inside Story on the National Womens Conference, 1977, OLeary was indeed responsible for ensuring that the sexual preference resolution was included in the broad array of recommendations proposed at the conference. Also in 1977, OLeary made history when she led the first-ever delegation of gay activists to the White House to meet with President Jimmy Carters staff. (Costanza was integral in arranging the meeting.)

Midge Costanza and Jean OLearys Secret Romance

As the episode moves along, we learn that Costanza and OLeary are in a relationship that they feel forced to keep hidden from the public. The two women were in fact together at the time of the conference, though, since Costanza was still in the closet, neither revealed the relationship for many years. In an interview on the podcast Making Gay History, OLeary discussed Costanzas decision to keep their relationship a secret, saying, She knew, at least for much of her career, that she could never have done what she did, could never have been Jimmy Carters adviser, and could never have invited gay activists to the White House if anyone knew that she was gay.

The Ku Klux Klan and the John Birch Society

In this episode, as Phyllis Schlafly and the anti-ERA movement gain traction among Christian groups, we begin to hear rumors of their getting support from members of the Ku Klux Klan. These echo references in earlier episodes to the controversial far-right group the John Birch Society. In both instances, Schlafly denies any association with the groups, though her disavowal of them comes off as somewhat lukewarm, and despite pressure from Alice (Sarah Paulson), she appears hesitant to denounce them fully. In reality, its true that the stop-ERA movement stirred up interest from members of the KKK, particularly surrounding the National Womens Conference in Houston, even as the Catholic Schlafly could never comfortably embrace the anti-Catholic Klan. As this episode suggests, the Klan was particularly roused by the inclusion of gay and lesbian rights on the conference agenda. A New York Times article from November 1977 quotes Robert Shelton, then the so-called imperial wizard of the Klan, saying that Klansmen planned to attend the conference in order to protect our women from all the militant lesbians who will be there.

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At one point in the episode, Gloria Steinem references a Mississippi delegate being the wife of the grand dragon of the KKK. This, too, is true. Dallas Higgins, wife of George Higgins, was one of 20 Mississippi delegates to attend the conference, though she told the Clarion-Ledger that she was not there to represent the Ku Klux Klan, adding, If we (Klan members) were going to disrupt the convention, we would have done it in Mississippi (at the July IWY conference in Jackson). Her own husband, however, sang a different tune. George Higgins boasted about the Klans influence to Florida Today, saying, We controlled the [meeting] in Mississippi.

Whispers about Klan involvement in the anti-ERA movement quickly spread. Both Steinem and Abzug made public statements in which they referenced Klan involvement in the anti-ERA movement. Abzug claimed, In some states there were disruption attempts by the ultra-right, like the Ku Klux Klan, who still want to keep their women home washing the sheets. Such comments prompted Schlafly to publish a statement in her Eagle Forum Newsletter emphatically denouncing the allegations. In her book Divided We Stand: The Battle Over Womens Rights and Family Values That Polarized American Politics, University of South Carolina historian Marjorie Spruill Wheeler quotes Schlaflys denial: This is not only falseit is ridiculous! Of course all eagles know that there has been NO contact between any of us and the KKK, and that the KKK has done NOTHING to defeat ERA. However, Wheeler also quotes Schlafly describing herself as tolerant and as saying, as she does in the episode, I let people be against ERA for the reason of their choice.

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In the end, it is not entirely clear to what extent the stop-ERA movement was supported by the KKK, if it was at all. In Arizona State University historian Donald T. Critchlows book Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism, he concludes that the claims of collusion appear unfounded.

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As for Schlaflys alleged ties to the far-right John Birch Society, these, too, have been a subject of dispute for decades, and there is certainly enough evidence to raise eyebrows. Though Schlafly publicly denied ever having been a member of the fringe group, she also said in one interview in 2011, I think theyre fine people. More convincing are personal letters quoted in a recent article in the Daily Beast, which suggest that both she and Fred Schlafly may in fact have been members themselves back in the 1950s. The article states that, in a letter, Schlafly wrote, The John Birch Society is doing a wonderful work, and my husband and I both joined promptly after the Chicago meeting.

Phyl Schlafly (Lucy Margey)

As the battle over the ERA intensifies, tensions within the Schlafly family also appear to heighten. In this episode, friction emerges between Phyllis and her eldest daughter, Phyl (short for Phyllis), who has recently started college at Princeton. Eventually it is revealed that Phyl has decided to change her name to Liza in an effort to distance herself from her mothers reputation. This anecdote is taken directly from history. According to The Sweetheart of the Silent Majority, Carol Felsenthals biography of Schlafly, the young Phyllis changed her name to Liza shortly after starting college, because on many campuses, her mother was Public Enemy No. 1 (this phrase is used verbatim in the episode). It seems that the new name stuck. The Schlaflys fourth child still goes by the name Liza and is even referred to as such in Phyllis Schlaflys biography on the Eagle Forum website.

Read more:

 Whats Fact and Whats Fiction in Mrs. Americas First Three Episodes

 Whats Fact and Whats Fiction in Mrs. America Episode 4

 Whats Fact and Whats Fiction in Mrs. America Episode 5

 Whats Fact and Whats Fiction in Mrs. America Episode 6
Pair arrested in Tijuana airport carrying 47 kilos of crystal meth

Tijuana, Baja Calfornia  Two people found transporting more than 47 kilos of crystal methamphetamine were taken into police custody in the Tijuana International Airport Monday.

In a press release, the National Guard reported that the pair, who claimed to be American citizens, were arrested. They were also found using apocryphal documents. Authorities say the drugs were discovered during a security tour in the ambulatory area of the airport.

According to agents, the man and woman were each traveling with a small suitcase and backpack between which the 86 packages of crystal meth bound with adhesive tape were found. A total of 47.2 kilos of drugs were seized and the pair, arrested.
Boris Johnson has rejected claims that he misled MPs over government guidance on the risk of coronavirus in care homes.

In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister said he was disappointed with the Labour leaders misleading use of a quote from the guidance.

The fragile truce between the parties broke down on Wednesday when Sir Keir used prime ministers questions to challenge Mr Johnson over the advice from March, which said that it was very unlikely that care home residents would be infected with coronavirus.

The Labour leader said the advice laid bare how the government was too slow to protect people in care homes  a sector that now accounts for some 40 per cent of Covid-19 deaths.

Mr Johnson replied: No, it wasnt true that the advice said that, and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.

But the advice from 12 March states: This guidance is intended for the current position in the UK where there is currently no transmission of Covid-19 in the community.

It is therefore very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected.

The Labour leader wrote to the prime minister, demanding Mr Johnson return to the Commons to correct the record.

Sir Keir said: At this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give.

Given this, I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official government guidance regarding care homes.

But Mr Johnson hit back, saying he was disappointed that Sir Keir quoted Public Health England advice selectively and misleadingly, adding: I stand by my comments.

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 his reply to the Labour leader, Mr Johnson said: I would remind you of the commitment you made, when you became Leader of the Opposition, to work constructively with the government in the face of this unprecedented pandemic.

The public expect us to work together.

A No 10 source told a Westminster briefing earlier that Sir Keir had omitted an earlier sentence in the guidance, which said the advice was intended for the current position in the UK where there is currently no transmission of Covid-19 in the community.

Elsewhere, the government announced a 600m package for infection control in care homes, which aims to reduce the rotation of staff between sites.

Robert Jenrick, the communities secretary, told the Downing Street briefing: The package includes ensuring that care homes  including the smaller, independent homes  also have expert advice from councils, from public health professionals and from the NHS to ensure they have got the best infection control, access to testing, the right protective equipment, and are making use of the new discharge policies so that residents are only arriving or returning at the home once we know that they are free from Covid-19.

Asked if the government had not got a grip on the situation in care homes, Mr Jenrick said: There is more that we can do and our whole focus now needs to be on ensuring that care homes are guided through the weeks and months ahead, and we protect as many people as we possibly can within them.
Mr. Japhet Festus Gbede, the National Communications Director for NDC's Young Democrats and Ward Coordinator in the Volta Region, has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does not deserve a second term in office because he has failed Ghanaians, especially in the fight against Corruption, Development, Job creation and more importantly, the fight against Coronavirus.

In a statement he shared on his social media Handles, the young man stated that there are promises the president made prior to the 2016 polls and failed to deliver respectively.

He said Nana Addo has failed Ghanaians and does not deserve another 4-year term.

The outspoken NDC'S Japhet said: "The fight against coronavirus has achieved nothing because the government of the day lacks a common understanding of what the virus can do and can not do.

He added that No serious president will lock down a county for Recording 30 cases but lift up the Ban at the time the country is reaching its peak level.

The president must lay down his tools, Japhet appealed.

"Nana Addo said his government has achieved a lot in three years, therefore, deserves to be given another four more years to do more in the country", this is another blatant lie we must all ignore, Japhet 1 added.

Mr. Japhet again cited non-fulfilment of some Major campaign promises made by the Ruling NPP Government such as the one village, one dam policy; the one district, one factory; one million dollars every year; the haphazard implementation of the free SHS programme; the inability to make the economy stable; failure to clear the nuisance taxes; the financial sector cleanup which has resulted in some major loss of jobs among others indicated to him from day one of the coronavirus outbreak that calamity upon calamity awaits Ghanaians under President Nana Addo.

READ HIS FULL STATEMENT BELOW

Ghana under 76 years year old man lacks common sense for Achieving the dreams of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

We are lost as a country for giving the mandate to President Akuffo Addo and his cohorts after they appealed to us to try them too.

They failed us in their promises, they continue to fail in the fight Against corruption, insecurity and they failed us in the infrastructure development but all these are of a joke to us until they failed us in the fight Against coronavirus.

No serious Government will lockdown a country for Recording 30 cases of the Virus and will lift up the ban after Recording 1000+ cases.

Hell maybe better than Ghana if we try giving Akufo-Addo and the NPP another 4 more years.
The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of "diluting" testing guidelines and said its revised rules which allow a patient to be discharged without undergoing final tests for coronavirus will prove disastrous for the country.

Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev demanded a reversal of the new discharge policy, saying else India could be in the same situation as the United States and Europe, which have seen a spurt in COVID-19 cases.

According to Union health ministry's revised discharge guidelines for people infected with coronavirus, very mild, mild and pre-symptomatic cases can be discharged after 10 days of symptom onset and no fever for three days. No test is required before discharge from COVID-19 care centres, it said.

Dev alleged that the government is trying to hide its own failures of not being well-prepared to fight the pandemic by not testing coronavirus patients at the time of discharge from hospitals.

"What is the justification that COVID-19 patients with mild or moderate symptoms would not be tested at the time of discharge from hospitals or care centres.

"This one single policy of discharge without testing will be disastrous for the country. This must be reversed immediately as people cannot be allowed to suffer as the Government of India did not adequately prepare itself," she told reporters at a press conference through video conference.

Earlier, all COVID-19 patients had to test negative twice before being discharged from hospitals.

The Congress also alleged favouritism and "pick and choose policy" by the central government in granting licences for manufacturing ELISA and PPE kits.

"There should be transparency in the process of allowing PPEs manufacture. Is the government picking and choosing people in doing so," she said.

Dev feared India could be in the league of the US and Europe and see a spurt in coronavirus cases within the next two weeks if the government did not change the new testing guidelines.

Story continues

"The government is trying to hide its own shortcomings of having less testing kits and do not want the country to know how many people are tested positive for coronavirus, she said.

She also alleged that the government's 'Make in India' policy had failed even before the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

"Everytime the BJP government talks of 'Swadeshi', it wants to hide its own failures," she said.
Projections subject to unprecedented uncertainty from coronavirus

Economies across the regions of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) may contract on average by 3.5 per cent this year, because of the impact of the coronavirus, with a rebound of 4.8 per cent possible in 2021.

However, in its latest Regional Economic Prospects report, the EBRD warned that these projections are subject to unprecedented uncertainty.

The EBRDs central scenario is based on the prospect of a gradual relaxation of domestic measures to contain the virus and a return to normality during the second half of the year.

The EBRDs Chief Economist Beata Javorcik said that as the world emerged from the crisis it was crucial to look towards a future of cooperation and greater economic resilience.

The crisis has been a massive hit and coming out of it will be just as challenging. This is not the time to engage in economic nationalism and protectionism, but a time to shape a better future through international commitment to free trade, climate change mitigation and economic cooperation, she said.

The report assumes a modest impact of the crisis on the longterm trajectory of economic output, with growth resuming towards the end of the third quarter, but potentially significant longer-term economic, political and social effects.

If social distancing remains in place for much longer than anticipated, the recession may be much deeper, with the 2019 levels of output per capita not attained again for years to come, the report said.

Across the EBRD regions, containment measures have affected domestic demand and supply. External shocks include a sharp drop in commodity prices, weighing on commodity exporters, disruption to global value chains, a collapse in tourism and a drop in remittances.

The EBRD invests in emerging economies from central and eastern Europe through to Central Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. Almost all EBRD countries are likely to see economic contraction this year, with only a small number of exceptions, including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in Central Asia, and Egypt.

On average, Central Asian economies, which have come under pressure from the collapse in commodity prices and remittances, will contract by 1.2 per cent this year, before a rebound of 5.8 per cent in 2021.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are using available buffers to provide significant stimulus to their economies. However, smaller countries, such as the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia and Tajikistan are being dragged down by extremely limited fiscal space and a significant debt overhang.

In central Europe and the Baltic states (CEB), strict containment measures have included a massive shutdown in businesses and schools, while disrupted value chains are preventing production, including in the automotive industry, which accounts for almost a half of industrial production in the Slovak Republic. Weaker external demand will likely further delay the recovery. Output in the region is set to fall in 2020 by 4.3 per cent, but bounce back strongly in 2021, by 4.5 per cent.

The report noted that Poland, the largest economy in CEB, had been particularly resilient during the global financial crisis of 2008-09. The coronavirus crisis was expected to have a more severe impact on domestic businesses and employment, given Polands high level of integration into global value chains and large exposure to trade, especially within the European Union (EU). The Polish economy would contract by 3.5 per cent in 2020 and grow by 4.0 per cent in 2021.

The report said countries in eastern Europe and the Caucasus were likely to be severely impacted by the coronavirus crisis, affected by tightening global financial markets, strong pressure on domestic foreign exchange markets and reduced foreign demand for exports.

Lower commodity prices were putting additional strain on the exporters of hydrocarbons and metals  Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Armenia  while an expected drop in remittances would put pressure on household disposable income, especially in Moldova, Armenia, Ukraine and Georgia. Loss of tourism receipts will be a significant blow to the Georgian economy.

In Ukraine, a combination of reduced foreign demand and a drop in domestic demand due to public health measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus has taken its toll on the manufacturing and services sectors. The economy is expected to contract by 4.5 per cent in 2020, with a rebound of 5.0 per cent in 2021.

The report said Russia was facing the double shock of the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit global demand, and the collapse of an agreement to limit oil production, which together caused oil prices to fall substantially and resulted in a sharp slowdown in activity.

With its economy still dependent on oil, the fall in oil prices was significant, particularly in light of the fiscal stimulus needed to offset the impact of the pandemic. The Russian economy is expected to shrink by 4.5 per cent in 2020, followed by a rebound of 4.0 per cent in 2021.

EU members in south-eastern Europe were also likely to be severely affected by the coronavirus crisis, with a major channel for disruption coming from tourism, especially in Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria.

In the Western Balkans, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia were expected to suffer from the disruption of global supply chains, because of their strong manufacturing bases. Albania and Montenegro would be affected by a reliance on tourism, while in Kosovo, and to some extent in other Western Balkans economies, lower remittances would reduce domestic demand.

Growth in Turkey is likely to be heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, with GDP seen contracting by 3.5 per cent in 2020, followed by a robust recovery to 6.0 per cent growth in 2021. The forecast is heavily dependent on the duration and extent of the social distancing measures to contain the virus.

In the southern and eastern Mediterranean region, the negative impact of the coronavirus is expected to be seen via tourism (a major driver of growth in all of the regions economies in 2019), a decline in domestic demand due to containment measures, a fall in demand from the main trading partners and a slowdown in foreign direct investment inflows.

On average, the economies of this region are expected to shrink by 0.8 per cent in 2020 before rebounding with growth of 4.8 per cent in 2021.

In Egypt, the largest economy in the region, major public construction projects and the boom in telecommunications have sustained growth. Egypts economy is expected to show growth of 0.5 per cent this year and of 5.2 per cent in 2021.

Other economies in the region  Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon and Tunisia  are all expected to contract this year, with an especially sharp fall of 11 per cent foreseen in Lebanon, which had already fallen into recession in 2018 and 2019.

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President Trumps former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been released from prison to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement because of concerns over the novel coronavirus, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Manafort was released from FCI Loretto in central Pennsylvania early Wednesday morning, the two sources said.

An attorney for Manafort confirmed he had been released to home confinement but declined to comment further. The Bureau of Prisons also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

PHOTO: President Trump's one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort arrives at Manhattan Supreme Court, June 27, 2019, for his arraignment on mortgage fraud charges. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

Manafort, 71, has been serving out his more than seven-year sentence for charges related to special counsel Robert Muellers investigation in a federal correctional institution in central Pennsylvania. He was found guilty of tax fraud and conspiracy and was sentenced by a federal judge in March 2019. He was slated to be released from prison November 4, 2024. The charges stemmed from his work related to Ukraine between 2006 and 2015.

Manafort joined the Trump campaign in March 2016 as the campaign's convention manager. He served as Trump's campaign chairman from May 2016 until he resigned in August 2016.

The decision to move Manafort to home confinement comes after his attorneys wrote a letter to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) last month requesting that he be immediately transferred to home confinement because he is at high risk of contracting COVID-19 because of his age and pre-existing conditions.

While there are no known cases of coronavirus at FCI Loretto, sources have told ABC News that the prison was an old monastery, and due to the open configuration of the prison, would be devastated by the virus.

In December, Manafort was hospitalized for several days due to what sources described as a cardiac event. He recovered at a local Pennsylvania hospital under the supervision of correctional officers. His lawyers say his pre-existing conditions include high blood pressure, liver disease, and respiratory ailments and add that Manafort contracted influenza and bronchitis in February 2020. Manafrot takes 11 medications daily, according to his attorneys.

Story continues

We write on behalf of our client to request that the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) immediately transfer Mr. Manafort to home confinement to serve the remainder of his sentence or, alternatively, for the duration of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with Attorney General William Barrs directives to the BOP on March 26 and April 3, 2020, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), enacted on March 27, 2020, attorneys Kevin Downing and Todd Blanche wrote in an April 13 letter obtained by ABC News.

Attorney General Bill Barrs directive referenced in the letter encouraged the federal prison system to increase the use of home confinement for prisoners deemed in the at risk categories for coronavirus.

In a phone interview with ABC News in March, Barr stressed that there would be significant limits on what would make prisoners eligible for release to home confinement, noting that they could not be convicted of violent crimes or sex offenses -- which makes up roughly 40% of the over-60 population.

"My main interest is making sure that they're safe to the community and that the situation they're going into is likely to be safer than staying where they are where they have ready access to doctors and we can keep them in isolation," Barr said at the time.

Last month the Justice Department issued a clarification regarding its policy on releasing certain inmates into home confinement, after a series of conflicting messages sparked confusion and uncertainty among prisoners, attorneys and federal courts.

"[Bureau of Prisons] is at this time prioritizing for consideration those inmates who either (1) have served 50% or more of their sentences, or (2) have 18 months or less remaining in their sentences and have served 25% or more of their sentences," federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing in the Southern District of New York last month. "As BOP processes the inmates eligible for home confinement under these criteria and learns more about the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on BOP facilities, it is assessing whether and how to otherwise priority consideration.

Manafort has served just under 30% of his prison sentence, however prison officials have wide latitude when considering these releases on a case-by-case basis.

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort released to home confinement amid coronavirus concerns originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Heads of second circle institutions in the Bono Region and Regional and District Directors of Education have commended the Ministry of Education, the Director-General of Education and Zoomlion Ghana Limited for collaboratively stepping in to fumigate and disinfect all Senior High/Technical, Vocational and Special public and private schools in the region.

They believe the exercise is a strategic move by the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to curb the problems associated with bedbugs in the schools across Ghana.

Headmaster of Twene Amanfo Day Senior Secondary Technical School Mr. Gordon Ampong in commending the GES also appealed for the exercise to be sustained to run during every vacation to completely eradicate the bedbug menace in the schools.

The General Manager of Zoomlion for the three Bono Regions, Esther Abayeta underscored the need for parents to ensure that their wards have their belongings disinfected and fumigated at home before returning to school when the Coronavirus pandemic comes down and government permits schools to resume.

She said if that is not done bringing their bedbug-infested belongings back to school will further aggravate the resurfacing of the menace.

She urged various heads to collaborate with Zoomlion in the Regions to help them at a highly reduced cost to also disinfect and fumigate the student belongings on arrival if parents failed to have them fumigated at home.

Ms. Abayeta further expressed the readiness of her company across the regions to assist in any capacity to ensure a safe environment on the school compounds for effective teaching and learning.

Madam Abayeta urged the staff of Zoomlion and the subcontractors to take seriously the exercise and deliver competently to all schools in other to keep the company's good name soaring.

In all, 147 schools are expected to be fumigated and disinfected in the three Bono Regions.
South Africa: Patel gazettes directions on sale of winter clothing

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel has gazetted directions on the sale of winter clothing, footwear and bedding in Level 4 of the national COVID-19 lockdown.

The directions clarify the related winter clothing, footwear and home textiles which may be sold during Alert Level 4 in terms of the regulations published by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) on 29 April.

The publication of these directions results from Minister Patels consultative meeting with industry leaders in the Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather sector held last Tuesday, 5 May 2020, said the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) on Tuesday.

Industry stakeholders had requested that Patel gazettes a list of clothing and related products that could be made available for sale in retail stores.

A task team of industry representatives and the department worked together to construct a list of essential winter clothing, footwear and home textiles that would be permissible for sale in retail stores across the country during Level 4 of the lockdown.

The list of winter clothing, footwear and home textiles includes:

all baby and toddler clothing and footwear;

childrens wear, including school wear and school shoes;

maternity wear; adult sleepwear and gowns;

adult underwear;

a range of adult footwear categories, including boots, slippers, sneakers and trainers;

adult outerwear categories, including active wear, knitwear, jackets and coats;

adult accessories; and bedding categories, including baby bedding and blankets, duvets, blankets, and electric blankets.

The Minister expressed his appreciation for the positive tone of the engagement with industry stakeholders.

Restarting more parts of our economy is important and we are working hard to ensure that industry follow best practice to protect health and safety of all our citizens. The discussions with industry builds on the greater cooperation that arose from the Industry Masterplan for the retail-clothing, textile and footwear industry, said Patel.

The Minister also called on consumers to purchase locally made products.

I call on consumers to look for South African-made products, made proudly by local workers, so that we can rebuild the economy. The manufacturing and retail sector has been through a very difficult time and the resumption of clothing sales under Level 4 of the new risk-adjusted approach, will assist to provide greater levels of production and commerce in the sector, he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of The Foschini Group (TFG), and chair of the National Clothing Retail Federation (NCRF), Anthony Thunstrom welcomed the new directions.

The federation has participated in a robust engagement with government and stakeholders to construct the list of essential consumer items for winter clothing and textile items. The leadership of Minister Patel has been appreciated throughout the consultations, said Thunstrom.

This as the NCRF called on the clothing retail sector to offer retail environments that adhere to strict health protocols to help mitigate the transmission risks of COVID-19.

Customers have also been encouraged to limit their trips to retail stores, and to always wear protective facemasks and maintain social distancing of at least 1.5 metres when around other people.-SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
India: Needs to blend acute disaster management strategies with longer-term public health measures

by K. Kumaran, G.V. Krishnaveni, Kumar G.S, Giriraj Chandak

May 13,2020 | Source: The Hindu

COVID-19 has caused severe disruption across the world. However, there are variations both among and within countries in the number of cases and in case fatality rates. In general, Europe and the U.S. have borne the brunt of the infection, while Asian and African countries have been relatively less affected so far. It is not yet clear why such geographical differences exist; they cannot be explained by healthcare facilities alone. India had reported its first case on January 30, 2020; as of May 12, it has reported over 71,000 cases and more than 2,300 deaths. In comparison, the U.S. and the U.K., which also reported their first cases around the same time, recorded over 13,47,930 cases and over 2,24,330 cases, and over 80,600 deaths and over 32,100 deaths, respectively.



The relatively young population of India has been suggested as a possible factor for this stark difference. However, while older people are at highest risk from the more severe consequences of COVID-19, there is no evidence to suggest that younger people are immune to the infection. Differences in case ascertainment may explain some of the patterns: South Korea and Germany tested widely in an effort to identify cases, whereas some countries including India offered testing (at least in the initial stages) to only those with a history of foreign travel or with close contact with a known case. However, this does not explain differences in mortality. Also, case fatality rates may even be an underestimation in India where a number of asymptomatic cases may go undetected.



Possible reasons for differences



Low temperature and low absolute humidity have been suggested as factors influencing transmission. But this theory needs further proof. Genetic variations may be a possible explanation. During the 2003 SARS epidemic, specific genetic variants that provided resistance or susceptibility to infection were identified in different populations. Population-specific differences such as ACE2 (which permits virus to enter the body) may partly explain the differential infection rates of COVID-19. It is also possible that some Asian and African populations have been exposed to a multitude of coronaviruses previously, which has provided some cross-immunity. The SARS epidemic did not affect South Asian and African countries significantly. The West Asian countries which bore the brunt of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) do not appear to be significantly affected by COVID-19.



Early adoption of countrywide preventive measures may have also played an important role. While European countries reacted with restrictions and closures, it remains a question if these measures were taken too late. India closed its doors to foreign travellers early on in the outbreak and has not seen the surge that could potentially have been expected for a population of 1.3 billion people. However, Sweden for example, has still not adopted major restrictions and not seen a large surge in cases.



Easing of lockdown



If the epidemic does spread with generalised community transmission, the healthcare, social and economic implications will be significant.The lockdown in India has played a role in preventing an exponential surge in cases. However, a measured public health approach is critical in controlling this epidemic. Current approaches are largely urban-centric with little focus on rural dynamics. A decentralised approach is required to manage the large rural population, and the success in Kerala may serve as a useful model. Governments may consider mobilising and training a range of healthcare providers (including providers of primary care, and traditional healthcare systems) in responding to this situation. Crucially, the current practice of isolating all cases in hospital settings is not sustainable if cases increase.



As it would be impractical to test everyone with symptoms, a case definition based on symptoms and local epidemiological context may be used to diagnose suspected COVID-19 cases. Those with mild symptoms (and their household contacts) should be advised to stay at home. If cases cannot be managed at home, community centres may be deployed for isolation. This approach will ensure that hospitals are available to those who really need them. The lifting of the lockdown needs to be undertaken in a phased manner. One approach would be to ensure that the vulnerable (such as the elderly and the immuno-compromised) are protected beyond initial lockdown periods, while restrictions are lifted for the majority of the healthy population.



The disease has generally been mild among most people affected in the subcontinent, and it is possible that herd immunity may develop through gradual exposure among healthy individuals. While lockdown measures are lifted in a controlled manner, government public health agencies need to continue to promote hygiene measures. Physical distancing will need to be continued. Public health messages need to be locally tailored and consistent. They require not only awareness, but also resources as these are largely middle-class concepts and not easy to practice in crowded areas where there is no running water. In conclusion, the approach to the management ofCOVID-19 needs to blend acute disaster management strategies with longer-term public health measures including economic measures.
42,000 flee violence in north Nigeria, south Niger: UN

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 5:46 PM

The United Nations (UN) says around 42,000 people have fled violence committed by armed groups in border areas in northern Nigeria and the southern parts of neighboring Niger in recent weeks.

According to a statement by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday, despite border closures due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian refugees, "mainly desperate women and children," were being allowed to seek protection in Niger.

"Ongoing violence in parts of northwestern Nigeria forced an estimated 23,000 people to seek safety and security in Niger last month," the statement said. "Fearing and fleeing the same insecurity in the border areas, an additional 19,000 Niger nationals have become displaced inside their own country."

The volatile border region usually sees communal clashes over land and water rights, particularly between nomadic herders and farmers.

The UN agency further revealed that the total number of Nigerian refugees fleeing that part of Nigeria had passed the 60,000 mark since the first influx in April last year.

According to the UNHCR, bloodshed in the Nigerian states of Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara triggered the recent influx, with the worst attack reported to have been carried out in Katsina on April 18, leaving at least 47 people dead.

"Those fleeing speak of extreme violence unleashed against civilians, murders, kidnappings for ransom and pillaging and looting of villages," it added.

For the past decade, Nigeria has suffered from the brutal militancy of the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group, which has so far killed more than 27,000 people and forced some 1.8 million others to flee their homes. The terrorism has also spilled over into neighboring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon.

In 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

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New coronavirus clusters have appeared as nations struggle to balance reopening economies with preventing a second wave of infections and deaths, while in Europe, a debate erupted over the summer travel season.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly were pressing ahead Wednesday to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found. In Lebanon, authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints from officials that social distancing rules were being ignored.

Despite the risk that loosening restrictions could lead to infection spikes, European nations have been seeking to restart cross-border travel, particularly as the summer holiday season looms for countries whose economies rely on tourists flocking to their beaches, museums and historical sites.

The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europe's badly battered tourism industry. The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights. The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, laid out its advice for lifting ID checks on hastily closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels to reassure clients.

It's not clear whether EU nations will follow that advice, since they, not Brussels, have the final say over health and security matters.

Some European countries have sought bilateral agreements with their neighbors.

Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15, and that border checks would be reduced starting Friday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors "as long as the infection figures allow.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but didn't specify when. Germany's warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.

It will certainly be possible to lift the travel warning earlier for Europe than for other destinations so long as the current positive trend in many countries solidifies, Maas said. Freedom to travel is part of the foundation of the European project, but in times of corona, Europe must ensure more: the freedom to travel safely."



The border shutdowns have hit the travel industry hard. The Germany-based tour and hotel operator TUI said Wednesday it expects to cut thousands of jobs due to the pandemic.

TUI said it was prepared for a resumption and its first hotels on the German coast would reopen in the coming days. It also sees the possibility of offering holidays in Spain's Balearic islands and in Greece starting in July, the German agency dpa reported.

As long as new infections remain relatively low, there is no reason why one shouldn't be able to travel there, TUI CEO Fritz Joussen said but local companies and hotels need to be open.

Norway said Wednesday it was opening its borders to those from other European countries who have a residence there or have family they want to visit. Justice Minister Monica Maeland said Norway, which is not an EU member, is opening up for EU citizens, seasons workers and people from the U.K., Iceland and Liechtenstein.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:51:52|Editor: huaxia

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A man walks past an electronic screen showing COVID-19 prevention guidance in Brooklyn of New York, the United States, on May 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

To reopen or not to reopen? A bitter controversy.

- "There's a considerable risk of not reopening."

- States could face serious consequences if they open up prematurely.

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- As weeks of social isolation prove to be effective in curbing COVID-19, governments worldwide are trying to absorb economic shockwaves caused by the pandemic and mulling over plans to reopen their economy, while experts urge precautions and warn against a resurgence of the virus due to recklessness.





REALITY CHECK

As stringent preventive measures have reduced the spread of COVID-19 in various countries and regions, governments could choose to continue the restrictions or reopen the economy with a serious reality check.

Some of U.S. President Donald Trump's top economic advisers have emphasized the importance for states to get more businesses and offices back to normal, given that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the loss of 20.5 million jobs in the country in April alone.

"If we do this carefully, working with the governors, I don't think there's a considerable risk," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday. "Matter of fact, I think there's a considerable risk of not reopening. You're talking about what would be permanent economic damage to the American public."

People shop at an open air market which has reopened in Nice, France, May 12, 2020. (Photo by Serge Haouzi/Xinhua)

As the coronavirus pandemic has brought the worst economic shock since the Great Depression, the European Commission predicted on May 6 that the European Union will contract 7.4 percent this year. Following weeks of COVID-19 curbs, European countries, including France, Germany and Spain, are also lifting lockdowns step by step.

Both in France and Spain, restrictions are being lifted by regions depending on how seriously affected they are, with schools and shops in some parts allowed to resume work. Germany is also continuing to ease movement restrictions and get more children return to classrooms.

In contrast, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned on Saturday that if provinces move quickly to reopen their economies, a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic would send Canada "back into confinement this summer."

Canada was "not in the recovery phase yet," he pointed out in a daily briefing, adding that "we are still in the emergency phase ... The vast majority of Canadians continue to need to be very careful."

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a teleconference hearing hosted by a Senate panel on the White House's response to the coronavirus, in Washington D.C., the United States, May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

CONTROVERSY OVER REOPENING

Whether to reopen economies now has aroused a bitter controversy amid doctors and economists.

Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday that the nation has not had the ongoing coronavirus outbreak under "total control" yet, warning that states could face serious consequences if they open up prematurely.

"My concern is that if some areas, city, states or what have you, jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently ... we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks," Fauci cautioned during a teleconference hearing on the White House's response to the coronavirus.

Also attending the hearing remotely, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said "rapid, extensive and widely available, timely testing is essential to reopening America."

Meanwhile, Scott Atlas, former chief of neuroradiology at Stanford University, has called for an end to lockdowns in favor of a targeted approach to getting the United States back on its feet.

People wait outside a grocery store in Washington D.C., the United States on May 10, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

"We know children and young adults in good health have almost no risk of any serious illness from COVID-19, so logic means opening most schools," Atlas wrote in the New York Post. "With sensible precautions and sanitization standards, most workplaces and businesses should reopen."

As some economists have also appealed for lifting or extending lockdowns, former Chief Economist to the U.S. Secretary of Labor Heidi Shierholz suggested "the question of when and how to reopen the economy should not be up to economists (like me), but to epidemiologists and public officials," in an opinion article published by the Guardian. 
I have a confession: I find looking at art on a computer to be generally unsatisfying. Its no ones fault, really, but digital images dont capture the complexity of seeing a work in person, especially if its a three-dimensional object. The quality of my attention is different, too. Whereas I can spend several hours visiting galleries with only sporadic checks of my phone, Im prone to refresh my email every five minutes while trying to view anything in a browser  especially now, when the pandemic has heightened my anxiety and distraction.

All this makes Instagram one of the best vehicles for me to connect with art these days. Because its a social media app, it doesnt require a large commitment of time or energy, but its also a visual platform already filled with artists and creators posting images of their work, their inspirations, their pets, and more. When I open Instagram, I might see a mini history lesson followed by a meme and then a performance. Chances are Ill be impressed by someones creativity, whether theyve baked a cake or photographed a shadow just so. The feed opens up a series of small windows onto other peoples lives and minds  something Ive always counted on art to do and that, in a time of isolation, makes me feel less alone.

Herb Tam & Lu Zhang

(@herbtam & @wetdreamsneverend)
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, on Monday, organised a programme to mark this year's Mother's Day, which is observed annually on the second Sunday of May.



Participants included some Directors from the Ministries of Gender, as well as, Information, representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSO), including the Greater Accra Regional Markets Association and the media.



The programme, which is also the first of its kind to be held by the Gender Ministry to commemorate the Day, featured a panel discussion on the theme: "The Role of Mothers in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Ms Cynthia Maamle Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, acknowledged the tremendous roles that mothers play in the psychosocial, and holistic development of every individual.



She said their invaluable contributions towards the sustenance of humanity at all levels, could not go unnoticed, hence the special Day set aside each year to acknowledge these efforts.



The Gender Minister first acknowledged the great motherly roles being played by both the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and Mrs Samira Bawumia, the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana and wished them "Ayekoo".



She also commended all mothers who are farmers, traders, teachers and particularly those with children with disabilities, and those who have become single parents by no choice of theirs.



Ms Morrison said due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant restrictions, they could not have other programmes at the regional levels, hence the innovation, which perfectly allowed for greater discussions on the selected topic of national interest, and that this would be replicated in the regions hopefully in the ensuing years.



The panelists, during the discussions, looked at some of the challenges that confronted mothers in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they had been coping with these situation, and made suggestions.



Ms Mercy Mainoo, a representative from the Network for Women's Rights (NETRIGHT), CSO, applauded all women for the skillful ways in which they have managed their families since the outbreak of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown and restrictions.



She said the challenges have been enormous, particularly for those who had huge financial challenges and lacked support for the upkeep of their children who were currently at home, while they were away at work.



She said issues such as feeding, water and electricity were also of major concern to mothers, especially for those with growing children, because they needed to properly regulate the use of these utilities to prevent any additional cost.



Mrs Roberta Okyere-Darko, the Representative of ROD Foundation, a Non- Governmental Organisation, and also a member of the panel, said the world has entered into a new phase with the COVID-19 pandemic, and this required new parental skills and approaches.



She said effective communication has become a key tool that mothers must explore to keep their children safe and also involved in all the efforts been made to stop the spread of the virus.



She said mothers with younger or disabled kids, formed support systems involving their neighbors or relatives who live close by, to have oversight on their children when they had to step out of the house for a while or go to work.



Mrs Okyere-Darko also appealed to Gender Ministry to liaise with other organisations to facilitate access to the acquisition of funding from the 600 million cedis stimulus package by mothers who operated petty businesses for expansion to support their families.



Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Information, assured Ghanaian women of the commitment of Government to stand by them throughout the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic.



He said the President's relief on utility tariffs and the introduction of the 600 million stimulus package to small scale businesses are important steps to ease the burden on Ghanaians.



He also spoke about the various social protection interventions in place such as the Free Senior High School and School Feeding, as greater support to allow for the enrollment of more females into formal education.



Mr Hadzide said government would also continue to increase the number of women ministerial appointees to allow women into the decision-making circles.



A cake was later cut by the Gender Minister supported by the Directors and invited guests, to mark the Day.

Source: GNA









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When Schitts Creek signed off with its final episode on April 7, its many fans were left bereft. But a rumor soon started to circulate that they may not have to live without all of their favorite characters forever. Would the producers of the beloved show consider a spinoff? Its a time-honored way to keep the story going when the original series has ended. Granted, it doesnt always work out that well, but its a chance that Schitts Creek fans are prepared to take.

Is there anything to the rumors? Heres what you need to know about the possibility of a spinoff.

Eugene Levy, Daniel levy, Annie Murphy and Catherine OHara | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Schitts Creek was an unexpected success

The shows co-creators are the father/son team Eugene and Dan Levy. They originally pitched the show in the US, but when they didnt get any interest they looked to Canada, their home country. The show was picked up by CBC, which led to the US network Pop (formerly TV Guide Network) signing on as well. The show didnt start off in 2015 with a huge viewership, but it grew each year, and when Netflix picked it up in 2017 it gave it another significant boost.

The unique show is about the Roses, four members of a wealthy family who lose everything and are forced to live in Schitts Creek, a town they bought as a joke. Eugene and Dan play the father and son, Johnny and David. The mother of the family, Moira, is played by Catherine OHara and the daughter Alexis is played by Annie Murphy. The quirky, funny show not only earned devotion from its fans, but the cast also loved everything about it.

The show was Annie Murphys big break

Murphy was almost passed over for the part of Alexis for a couple of reasons. First, she wasnt considered a comedic actor, because the few small parts shed done up until then were in dramas. She was dying to get into comedy, but she wasnt taken seriously. Secondly, Alexis was supposed to be blonde, while Murphys hair is brown.

Fortunately for everyone, Dan convinced his dad Eugene to give Murphy a shot. She definitely made the character her own. Today she gets recognized in airports, and she even has a catchphrase from the show  Ew, David!  even though she apparently only said the phrase twice during the show.

Will there be a spinoff?

Recently Murphy was asked about the possibility of a spinoff show. While she was hesitant to share any plans for another show from Schitts Creek, she didnt say it would never happen. Dan isnt ruling out something, but it has to be for a reason, she explained. Hes not just gonna do a spinoff to make more money.

When she was pressed about the possibility, she said that there was hope, but not anytime soon. It could happen. But as of now, it seems like if it does, itll be in our distant future.

When asked who a new show would focus on, she is much more forthcoming about who she thinks it should be. Murphy is a big fan of Twyla, played by Sarah Levy. Shes such a beautiful, wise, old soul trapped in the body of this bizarre, sweet, wonderful creature, Murphy said. She even has an idea about what the name of the new show should be  Just Twyla.

It sounds like there might be hope for fans who are mourning the loss of Schitts Creek, but it doesnt sound like it will happen any time soon. But the viewers of this quirky comedy are a loyal bunch, so if Twyla or any of the characters are featured in a spinoff theyll be sure to tune in.
New Delhi, May 13 : Owing to supply issues faced by the vendors due to COVID-19, the India traditional PC market (desktops, notebooks, and workstations) declined by -16.7 per cent year-over-year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2020 with 1.8 million shipments, a new International Data Corporation (IDC) report said on Wednesday.

This decline was registered across all product categories. The nationwide lockdown in India from the second half of March aggravated the problems further for PC vendors since it resulted in a complete halt of retail and commercial orders, according to the IDC's 'Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker'.

According to Jaipal Singh, Associate Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India, small and medium businesses (SMBs) are significantly impacted because of the shutdown with buying trend expected to remain low throughout the year.

"Vendors must be ready to capture these pockets of growth in the next few quarters to offset the sluggish demand," said Singh.

HP Inc. retained the top position in the overall PC market with a share of 28.2 per cent. It struggled with supplies of desktops, which led to fewer shipments than expected, and a 16.4% YoY decline in total shipments.

Dell Technologies replaced Lenovo in the second position despite witnessing a 16.5 per cent decline in its overall shipments.

Lenovo finished the quarter in the third-place while declining 33.6 per cent (YoY).

Notebooks recorded a -16.8 per cent decline due to significant YoY contractions in the consumer and education segments.

"As companies and employees try to adjust to remote working requirements, the immediate task is to make the workforce functional with minimal losses in productivity. Hence, the demand for notebooks in the enterprise segment is expected to remain strong in the coming quarters," said Bharath Shenoy , Market Analyst, PC Devices, IDC India.

The desktop category had relatively better inventory since most of it is assembled in India but saw a decline in demand and contracted -15.9 per cent YoY in the first quarter of 2020.

"Enterprises across all segments seem to be preferring notebooks over desktops during the current scenario of work from home under the lockdown," Shenoy noted.
Heres how to give those toes some love with my tips and tricks for a summer-fabulous at-home pedicure

Beauty assistant: Alice Robertson

Ive spent rather more time than usual looking at my bare feet as I pad around at home  although, personally, if I do go out at the moment, the idea of revealing any flesh that could be concealed is anathema to me. Still, feet are on display one way or another and pedicures, even if self-dispensed, are pretty indispensable.

The basics never really change but, to ease the process, heres my step-by-step guide and the products Im loving right now.

First, get prepped

Buy a good foot file and buff away dead skin  no cream will be able to do much if it has to penetrate hard skin first. My favourite is Margaret Dabbs Professional Foot File (24, margaretdabbs.co.uk). Its incredibly effective so do go easy when you first use it. If you prefer less manual labour then try Footner Exfoliating Socks (5, 9.99, boots.com): wearing them for 60 minutes will instigate a skin-peeling process that can last for up to ten days.

Every time you exfoliate and moisturise your body, remember to include your feet  especially your heels. But a super-nourishing dedicated foot cream is definitely worth using. A word of caution: rich foot creams can make things a bit slippery (and sticky) when youre walking about so I always apply them once Im in bed (on clean feet). New favourites include Sol de Janeiro Samba Foot Fetish Cream (15, 25, cultbeauty.co.uk). This is wonderfully rich but easily absorbed, and has the same classic sweet smell of escapism as its sister Brazilian Bum Bum Cream (18, cultbeauty.co.uk). It also comes with its own mini foot file shaped like a surfboard, which is very effective and surprisingly ergonomic. Flexitol Intense Overnight Foot Cream (13, 6.99, boots.com) is the latest in its footcare range and has 30 per cent urea that delivers extra TLC for dry skin. SVR Xerial 50 Extreme Creme Pieds (3, 10, feelunique.com) is a stalwart: a liquidy balm that really works wonders.

Invest in decent nail scissors or clippers. I like Navy Professional Betty Clippers (1, 56, navyprofessional.com) which are solid rather than so many flimsy clippers that quickly fall to bits and start to rust. This range is made in the UK with a titanium coating both for added durability and as a surface that bacteria cant adhere to.

To shape nails, I prefer crystal files as they are far more effective and last well (unless you manage to drop them on a hard surface). Again Margaret Dabbs Crystal Nail File (12, margaretdabbs.co.uk) is a good one. Nails Inc did a fabulous one years ago that came adorned with some Swarovski crystals and I make a special plea to please bring it back. Remember always to file nails when they are dry.

If youre finding it hard to reach, nailcare guru Leighton Denny recommends a long-handled foot file. His Crystal Nail File (4, 17, ld-boutique.com) is 19.5cm long which will aid access issues. If youve left it too long and your nails are a bit thicker or hardened, he suggests a bath or foot soak, then apply a liberal amount of petroleum jelly to toenails to soften and leave for 20 minutes.

Dont forget a cuticle cream  on toes as well fingers. Im currently using Margaret Dabbs (yes, her again) Nail & Cuticle Serum pen (2, 12, margaretdabbs.co.uk), which I keep by my bed to use at night.

But other fantastic options are Nailberry Treat a la rose (16, nailberry.co.uk), a rose-infused cuticle cream; Dior Huile Abricot Daily Nutritive Serum (22, selfridges.com), a lovely little luxury, and the classic Dior Creme Abricot Nail Cream (22, dior.com). Another favourite is The Body Shop Almond Nail and Cuticle Oil (12, 8, thebodyshop.com).

Pick your polish

Remember, nails must be clean and dry before applying polish. To make the process easier, Leighton Denny suggests you sit down and rest each foot on a stool or a lower chair.

Here are my favourite shades for this summer:

 Kure Bazaar in Mint (6, 15, kurebazaar.com) is made with plant pigments.

 Leighton Denny Back in Catmint (7, 12, ld-boutique.com), from the new Back to Nature Collection, is a delicate grey/lavender shade.

 Dior Vernis in Go (8, 22, dior.com) is fragranced with bergamot (not so useful for toes but charming for a mani).

 Essie Gel Couture Polish in Polished And Poised (9, 9.99, superdrug.com) is a pretty pink with a gel-like shine.

 Peacci in Frida (10, 10, peacci.com) is a fruity coral shade from this long-lasting vegan line.

 Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine in Jet Setting (11, 3.49, boots.com) is a luscious pink that lives up to its name.

And to take it off

Never was there a nicer smelling nor more chic-looking varnish remover than Chanel Le Dissolvant Douceur Nail Colour Remover (15, johnlewis.com). And The Sign Tribe  whose revolutionary cream polish remover Remove And Chill you simply rub on to nails, leave for a few minutes and wipe away  has introduced Reusable Nail Polish Remover Pads (14, 15.80 for three, thisisbeautymart.com) to use alongside the existing polish remover. Wash in soap and water after use and each pad should give up to 25 uses.

Remember that you cannot remove gel polish in the same way as normal nail varnish. Leighton Denny offers this advice: take the shine off the gel polish with a nail file and saturate ten cotton balls with acetone (you can buy this online; it is not the same as nail polish remover) and place one ball on each nail and hold it in place with tinfoil. Wait 15 minutes, then wipe off the gel polish. Reapply if needed.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is seen during a video call to staff at a hospital in London, to mark International Nurses' Day

LONDON (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth and other senior members of Britain's royal family joined together on Tuesday to thank nurses around the world for their efforts in the COVID-19 pandemic.

In calls to mark International Nurses' Day, the royals posted videos and chatted to healthcare workers from Australia and India to Africa and the Caribbean.

"This is rather an important day," the 94-year-old queen told Professor Kathleen McCourt, President of the Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation, saying nurses have "obviously had a very important part to play recently".

Royal commentators said it was the first time during her 68-year reign that audio of a telephone call involving the queen had ever been released.

Buckingham Palace said the royals had spoken to nurses and healthcare workers in Britain, Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bahamas, Cyprus, and Tanzania.

"You're a huge inspiration to everybody. A huge thank you from us all here," said Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, during one of seven calls she made with Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, wife of the queen's youngest son Prince Edward.

Other royals who took part included heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the queen's daughter Princess Anne and the queen's cousin, Princess Alexandra.

"From the bottom of my heart thank you for everything you're doing," said Kate's husband Prince William in a call to staff at a hospital in London. "I hope you know how appreciative everyone is of what you're all doing."

On Monday night, a giant image of Florence Nightingale was projected onto the buildings of Guys and St Thomas' hospitals in central London to mark 200 years since her birth and her legacy to modern nursing.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)
Parents the world over are dealing with massive adjustments in their childrens education that they could not have anticipated just three months ago. To one degree or another, pandemic-induced school closures are creating the mass homeschooling that FEEs senior education fellow Kerry McDonald predicted two months ago. Who knows, with millions of youngsters absent from government school classrooms, maybe education will become as good as it was before the government ever got involved.

What? you exclaim! Wasnt education lousy or nonexistent before government mandated it, provided it, and subsidized it? Thats what my government schoolteachers assured me, so it must be true.

The fact is, at least in early America, education was better and more widespread than most people today realize or were ever told. Sometimes it wasnt book learning, but it was functional and built for the world most young people confronted at the time. Even without laptops and swimming pools, and on a fraction of what government schools spend today, Americans were a surprisingly learned people in our first hundred years.

I was reminded a few days ago of the amazing achievements of early American education while reading the enthralling book by bestselling author Stephen Mansfield, Lincolns Battle With God: A Presidents Struggle With Faith and What It Meant for America. It traces the spiritual journey of Americas 16th presidentfrom fiery atheist to one whose last words to his wife on that tragic evening at Fords Theater were a promise to visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footsteps of the Savior.

In a moment, Ill cite a revealing, extended passage from Mansfields book, but first Id like to offer some excellent, related works that come mostly from FEEs own archives.

In 1983, Robert A. Petersons Education in Colonial America revealed some stunning facts and figures. The Federalist Papers, which are seldom read or understood today even in our universities, says Peterson, were written for and read by the common man. Literacy rates were as high or higher than they are today. Incredibly, A study conducted in 1800 by DuPont de Nemours revealed that only four in a thousand Americans were unable to read and write legibly.

Well into the 19th century, writes Susan Alder in Education in America, Parents didnt even consider that the civil government in any way had the responsibility or should assume the responsibility of providing for the education of children. Only one state (Massachusetts) even had compulsory schooling laws before the Civil War, yet literacy rates were among the highest in our history.

Great Britain experienced similar trends. In 1996, Edwin West wrote in The Spread of Education Before Compulsion in Britain and America in the Nineteenth Century that when national compulsion was enacted [in 1880], over 95 percent of fifteen-year-olds were literate. More than a century later, 40 percent of 21-year-olds in the United Kingdom admit[ted] to difficulties with writing and spelling.

Laws against the education of black slaves date back to as early as 1740, but the desire to read proved too strong to prevent its steady growth, even under bondage. For purposes of religious instruction, it was not uncommon for slaves to be taught reading but not writing. Many taught themselves to write, or learned to do so with the help of others willing to flout the law. Government efforts to outlaw the education of blacks in the Old South may not have been much more effective than todays drug laws. If you wanted it, you could find it.

Estimates of the literacy rate among slaves on the eve of the Civil War range from 10 to 20 percent. By 1880, nearly 40 percent of southern blacks were literate. In 1910, half a century before the federal government involved itself in K12 funding, black literacy exceeded 70 percent and was comparable to that of whites.

Daniel Lattier said in a 2016 article titled Did Public Schools Really Improve American Literacy? that a government school system is no guarantee that young people will actually learn to read and write well. He cites the shocking findings of a study conducted by the US Department of Education: 32 million of American adults are illiterate, 21 percent read below a 5th grade level, and 19 percent of high school graduates are functionally illiterate, which means they cant read well enough to manage daily living and perform tasks required by many jobs.

Compulsory government schools were not established in America because of some widely-perceived failure of private education, which makes it both erroneous and self-serving for the government school establishment to propagate the myth that Americans would be illiterate without it.

As Kerry McDonald wrote in Public Schools Were Designed to Indoctrinate Immigrants, the prime motivation for government schooling was something much less benign than a fear of illiteracy. Her remarkable 2019 book, Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Educated Children Outside the Conventional Classroom, explains the viable, self-directed alternatives that far outclass the standardized, test-driven, massively expensive and politicized government schooling of today.

If youre looking for a good history of how America traveled the path of literacy to a national education crisis, you can find it in a recent, well-documented book by Justin Spears and associates, titled Failure: The History and Results of Americas School System. The way in which government short-changes parents, teachers, and students is heartbreaking.

I promised to share a passage from Stephen Mansfields book, so now Im pleased to deliver it. Read it carefully, and let it soak in:

We should remember that the early English settlers in the New World left England accompanied by fears that they would pursue their errand into the wilderness and become barbarians in the process. Loved ones at home wondered how a people could cross an ocean and live in the wild without losing the literacy, the learning, and the faith that defined them. The early colonists came determined to defy these fears. They brought books, printing presses, and teachers with them and made the founding of schools a priority. Puritans founded Boston in 1630 and established Harvard College within six years. After ten years they had already printed the first book in the colonies, the Bay Psalm Book. Many more would follow. The American colonists were so devoted to educationinspired as they were by their Protestant insistence upon biblical literacy and by their hope of converting and educating the nativesthat they created a near-miraculous culture of learning. This was achieved through an educational free market. Colonial society offered Dame schools, Latin grammar schools, tutors for hire, what would today be called home schools, church schools, schools for the poor, and colleges for the gifted and well-to-do. Enveloping these institutions of learning was a wider culture that prized knowledge as an aid to godliness. Books were cherished and well-read. A respected minister might have thousands of them. Sermons were long and learned. Newspapers were devoured, and elevated discussion of ideas filled taverns and parlors. Citizens formed gatherings for the improvement of the minddebate societies and reading clubs and even sewing circles at which the latest books from England were read. The intellectual achievements of colonial America were astonishing. Lawrence Cremin, dean of American education historians, estimated the literacy rate of the period at between 80 and 90 percent. Benjamin Franklin taught himself five languages and was not thought exceptional. Jefferson taught himself half a dozen, including Arabic. George Washington was unceasingly embarrassed by his lack of formal education, and yet readers of his journals today marvel at his intellect and wonder why he ever felt insecure. It was nothing for a manor in some cases a womanto learn algebra, geometry, navigation, science, logic, grammar, and history entirely through self-education. A seminarian was usually required to know Greek, Hebrew, Latin, French and German just to begin his studies, instruction which might take place in a log classroom and on a dirt floor. This culture of learning spilled over onto the American frontier. Though pioneers routinely moved beyond the reach of even basic education, as soon as the first buildings of a town were erected, so too, were voluntary societies to foster intellectual life. Aside from schools for the young, there were debate societies, discussion groups, lyceums, lecture associations, political clubs, and always, Bible societies. The level of learning these groups encouraged was astounding. The language of Shakespeare and classical literatureat the least Virgil, Plutarch, Cicero, and Homerso permeated the letters and journals of frontier Americans that modern readers have difficulty understanding that generations literary metaphors. This meant that even a rustic Western settlement could serve as a kind of informal frontier university for the aspiring. It is precisely this legacy and passion for learning that shaped young Abraham Lincoln during his six years in New Salem.

Not bad for a society that hardly even knew what a government school was for generations, wouldnt you say? Why should we blindly assume today that we couldnt possibly get along without government schools? Instead, we should be studying how remarkable it was that we did so well without them.

When I think of the many ways government deceives us into its embrace, one in particular really stands out: It seeks to convince us how helpless we would be without it. It tells us we cant do this, we cant do that, that government possesses magical powers beyond those of mere mortals and that yes, wed be dumb as dirt and as destitute as drifters if we didnt put it in charge of one thing or another.

When it comes to education, Americans really should know better. Maybe one positive outcome of the virus pandemic is that they will rediscover that they dont need government schools as much as the government told them they do. In fact, we never did.
By Express News Service

Filmmakers Adam Mckay (The Big Short, Vice) and James Gray (Ad Astra, The Lost City of Z) are reportedly set to direct Cate Blanchett in their upcoming films. She is expected to join these films once she wraps up work in Guillermo del Toros Nightmare Alley. Grays film, titled Armageddon Time, will be based on his experiences in Kew-Forest School in Queens, New York, where Donald Trump was a student and on whose board Fred Trump, his father, served as a member.

McKays film, named Dont Look Up, is said to be about two astronomers on a mission to warn people of an impending disaster. It already has Jennifer Lawrence attached to star and will be Grays first project for a streaming platform.

Aside from these two films, reports say Blanchett is also slated to appear in director Eli Roths big-screen adaptation of popular video game Borderlands. Meanwhile, the production of Nightmare Alley has been halted due to the pandemic. In the film, Blanchett will be sharing the screen with Bradley Cooper and Rooney Mara.
Three people, including a major underworld figure who is involved in the deadly Drogheda feud, remained in garda custody last night after detectives seized 550,000 in cash and 1.1m in drugs.

"Three vehicles, six high-value watches, two encrypted communications devices and two signal-blocking devices were also seized," a garda spokesman said.

The suspects being questioned in Dublin garda stations under anti-gangland laws last night are a woman aged 43 and two men aged 50 and 39.

Rolexes

Among the vehicles seized was a top-of-the range Mercedes while four of the watches were Rolexes.

The trio were arrested when officers intercepted cars in the Donore Road and Dublin Road areas of Drogheda and yesterday armed gardai were involved in follow-up searches in counties Louth, Dublin, Wexford and Meath.

Gardai believe the cash, which was vacuum-packed, was to be brought out of the country while the haul of cocaine and illegal prescription pills was to be distributed among gangs in the capital and north Leinster as well as Border counties.

Like many massive seizures of this kind, sources said the Kinahan cartel is suspected of sourcing the drugs.

Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Willis, of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, said: "The Bureau continues to pursue those involved in serious and organised crime while restrictions on movement associated with coronavirus are in place, leading to another successful outcome to an operation.

"It involved the seizure of significant quantities of controlled drugs and cash and other property believed to be the proceeds of crime and the arrest of three suspects."

The seizure was one of a number of drugs busts this week including 35,000 of cocaine in Longford and140,000 of amphetamines and cannabis in Westmeath.
Former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi asked on Wednesday as to why no questions were being asked from "activist judges" and those taking commercial arbitration post retirement.

The statement assumes significance as the former CJI was criticised by several retired judges for accepting the Rajya Sabha nomination.

Responding to a question on post-retirement assignments by judges, the former CJI said there were three categories of them -- "activist judges", those taking up commercial arbitrations and the those accepting other kinds of assignments.

"Why only it is the third category that draws all the flak? Why are no questions asked about the other two?", Gogoi said.

He was speaking speaking at a webinar organised by Confederation of Alumni for National Law Universities Foundation in collaboration with a legal portal on the topic, 'Ensuring an Independent Judiciary under our Constitution: Confronting the Contemporary Challenges'.

Gogoi said that the judiciary is not averse to criticism but there should be an honest, intellectual and academic exercise.

"The system (judicial) is not averse to criticism and there is room for improvement... Let there be an honest, intellectual and academic exercise so far as judgments are concerned. Do not impute motives. It is destructive.., Gogoi said.

He took exception to an ideological group of people, activists, intellectuals for giving identification marks to as to who is an independent judge and said that according to them a judge must be necessarily anti-establishment.

"He must be anti-authoritarianism... He must be eloquent on issues like rich-poor divide, oppression of the marginalised, issues pertaining to suppression of fundamental rights and he must advocate free speech even to the extent of touching the frontiers of defamation - These are the identification marks of an 'independent judge'," Justice Gogoi said, adding that if a judge is not found conforming to these expectations, his independence is questioned and attacked.

"If the judge doesn't do it, 'attack the judge' - not criticise the judgment. This is destructive of the independence of the judiciary," he said.

On the question as to why the Ayodhya judgement was bereft of the name of its author, Justice Gogoi said why must a judgment of Supreme Court have the name of its author?



"I can show 32 cases decided by a particular bench in 2015-16 when author wasn't named in the judgment. But then no questions were asked. Speaking for myself, I have myself been author of 13 judgments when author wasn't mentioned," Justice Gogoi said.

He highlighted on the need to boost the scheme for immunity to judges and said the in-house enquiry does not contemplate the participation of lawyers, witnesses, cross examination and it does not contemplate participation of outsiders.

"There are numerous complaints being made, all of which cannot be entertained. If they are serious, they are taken up. In such cases, the In house procedure/inquiry is available online," he said.

Justice Gogoi said if any complaint against a particular judge is serious enough, it is placed before the Chief Justice of India.

"You don't drive a judge through an enquiry straightway... Judges won't be able to function," he said.

Justice Gogoi also expressed concern that young members of the bar were not keen to be judges.

"The office of the judge of a high court has been made so vulnerable that a lawyer is happy to continue as a lawyer. Don't forget the sacrifice a lawyer makes to become a judge," he said.

Justice Gogoi expressed satisfaction with the Collegium system and said that some amount of discipline may improve it further.

"The Collegium is an excellent system. It has worked well. It has stood the test of time. Some amount of discipline may make it work better. Some may not be satisfied but the idea is to be true to the law...

"The problem is with individuals running the system. The problem may not necessarily be from Collegium members, but from outside the Collegium but within the Judicial fraternity.," the former CJI said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The HOUSES programme, which continues through September 2020, is supported by EUR 4 million in European Union funding.

A United Nations project to promote energy efficiency among Ukrainian homeowners has found a second life  informing 1.8 million of the nation's citizens on how to combat the COVID-19 virus.

Home Owners of Ukraine for Sustainable Energy Efficiency Solutions, also known as HOUSES, was initially designed to help Ukrainians lower their energy costs, better their livelihoods, and reduce the country's carbon footprint, the UN press service reports.

Since its launch in October 2018, it has helped hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians in 24 regions to manage their homeowners' associations, develop energy efficiency projects and apply for subsidies under the Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Fund.

"Little did we know at the time we set it up that we could use this same network to communicate urgent information about the pending pandemic," said Dafina Gercheva, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Ukraine since 2019.

Read alsoUkraine's ombudsperson: Ukrainian political prisoner in Russia may have contracted COVID-19

Piggybacking on HOUSES's network of 24 coordinators, 344 local authorities and nearly 4,000 homeowners' associations, and working with World Health Organization (WHO), UNDP produced more than 100,000 posters detailed information about the new coronavirus, how to avoid contracting it and how to protect families.

Going a step further, many of the homeowners' associations came up with creative ways to sanitize buildings and footwear, support the elderly and sew protection masks and suits for doctors, medical professionals and vulnerable neighbors, UNDP said.

One community made 1,300 masks and 76 suits in the space of a month.

The HOUSES programme, which continues through September 2020, is supported by EUR 4 million in European Union funding.
The Yogi Adityanath government has transferred health officials from districts where the coronavirus spread has not been contained.

According to the government spokesman, principal of Agra Medical College Dr G.K. Aneja has been shifted to the Directorate of Medical Education and Training, here.

Agra has emerged as a major Covid-19 hotspot in recent weeks. The Chief Minister had to send a high-level team of officials to control the situation.

Dr Aneja has been replaced with Dr Sanjay Kala, principal of the Kanpur Medical College. Dr Jitendra Singh from the Jhansi Medical College has also been sent to Agra to assist Dr Kala for controling Covid-19.

The government has also removed Mathura Chief Medical Officer Dr Sher Singh. Dr Sanjiv Yadav will be the new Mathura CMO. The health officials of Bulandshahr and Moradabad have also been changed.
In Afghanistan's Kabul, terrorist forces on May 11 and 12 attacked a maternity hospital, a funeral ceremony and a military check post. Condemning these attacks, India has termed them as crime against humanity.

India on Tuesday strongly condemned the barbaric terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, including one on a maternity hospital in Kabul that killed two newborns and a dozen others and on a funeral and a military check post in Afghanistan, terming them as crimes against humanity. Fourteen people, including two newborns, were killed at a maternity hospital in the western part of Kabul which was attacked by terrorists. Also in a separate attack in Nangarhar province, in the east of Afghanistan, a funeral ceremony was hit by an explosion killing at least 24 people and injuring over a dozen.

A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said: India strongly condemns the barbaric terrorist attacks against innocent civilians, including women and children, at the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital maternity ward, funeral in Nangarhar province and the army check post in Laghman province on 11-12 May. It said such reprehensible attacks, including on mothers, newly born children, nurses and mourning families are appalling and constitute crimes against humanity.

In an apparent reference to Pakistan-based terror groups, it said that perpetrators of such attacks should be forced to eradicate safe havens and sanctuaries that have abetted terrorism in the region for decades. They should be forced to eradicate safe havens and sanctuaries that have abetted terrorism in the region for decades and caused immense miseries to untold number of people in the region, the MEA said.

Also Read: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says self-reliant India will integrate not isolate

The statement said India would stand with the people, government and security forces of Afghanistan in their efforts to bring peace and stability to the nation. The holy month of Ramzan should be a period of fasting, prayer and reflection. We call for an immediate cessation of terrorist violence and cooperation to deal with the humanitarian situation arising from the spread of coronavirus in Afghanistan, the MEA said.

The Taliban distanced itself from the attack on the maternity hospital, and security forces shut down the attack after five hours, with the killing of four attackers who an eyewitness said were wearing Afghan military uniforms, according to local media. According to the Afghanistan Interior Affairs Ministry 72 civilians, including children, were rescued.

Also Read: Coronavirus India: PM Modi announces Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package, says lockdown 4.0 will have new rules

India strongly condemns the barbaric terrorist attacks against innocent civilians, including women&children, at Dasht-e-Barchi hospital maternity ward, funeral in Nangarhar province&the Army check post in Laghman province of Afghanistan on 11-12 May: Ministry of External Affairs pic.twitter.com/espeOOOS1m  ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2020

In Nangarhar, in the east of Afghanistan, a funeral ceremony was hit on Tuesday morning by an explosion in which at least 24 people killed and more than a dozen wounded.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, in light of attacks, has ordered Afghan forces to switch from active defensive mode to offensive mode and to resume attacks on the Taliban. Haneef Atmar, acting Foreign Minister, condemned attacks and said that such attacks will make Afghanistan lose faith in the ongoing peace process. He also called on all parties to stop attacks, start intra-Afghan talks and pave the way for a permanent ceasefire in the country.

Also Read: Vande Bharat Mission 2.0: 149 flights to bring back stranded Indians from 31 countries from May 16

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India coronavirus lockdown 4 latest updates: Karnataka government has decided to ease lockdown restrictions in the state. Gyms, gold course to open in the state post May 17. The state recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases between 5 pm on Tuesday and 12 pm on Wednesday. The state health department said that the total count of coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 951, including 442 discharged and 32 deaths. PM Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help revive economic activity and make India self-reliant in the view of COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi in his speech also pitched for promoting local businesses. Announcing lockdown 4.0 beginning May 18, the prime minister said that it will be completely different this time with a new set of rules.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to announce loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore for MSMEs in her media briefing at 4 pm on Tuesday to give respite and liquidity push to restart small businesses.

India's total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 74,281 on Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package for the country. According to latest update by the Union Health Ministry, the total count of confirmed coronavirus cases includes 47,480 active cases, 24,385 cured/discharged, 1 migrated and 2,415 deaths.

Also read: Nirmala Sitharaman Press Conference Live Updates: FM begins media address; relief to MSMEs, poor likely

Also Read: Coronavirus: COVID-19 cases near to 75,000 ; check state-wise tally, deaths

Stay tuned to BusinessToday.In for all the latest updates on coronavirus from across India and the world:

9:10 PM: PM CARES Fund allocates Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus: PMO

PM CARES Fund Trust, set up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tackle distress situations such as that posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reportedly allocated Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus.

Also Read: PM CARES Fund Trust allots Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus: PMO

5.52 PM: Karnataka coronavirus cases

Karnataka reported 34 new cases of COVID-19 from 12 May, 5pm to 13 May, 5pm. This takes the total number of positive cases in the state to 959, said Karnataka Health Department.

34 new cases of COVID19 reported in the state from 12 May, 5pm to 13 May, 5pm; the total number of positive cases in the state is now 959: Karnataka Health Department pic.twitter.com/KL5RpmeDuk  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

5.48 PM: Liquor rates in Kerala

Kerala state cabinet has decided to increase the sales tax on liquor in the state. The increase will be to the tune of 10 per cent in case of beer and wine and 35 per cent in case other kinds of alcohol, Kerala CMO said.

4.33 PM: Sweets shops being asked to destroy old stock in Punjab

Info Public Relations Dept, Punjab: Food shops, especially sweet shops, which remained closed in the lockdown have been asked to destroy whole of the old, stale and putrefied food material. Packaged food stuff of which expiry date has crossed, has also been ordered to be destroyed. - ANI

4.15 PM: 1,141 stranded Manipuris reached Jiribam RS from Chennai by a special train

1141 stranded Manipuris reached Jiribam RS from Chennai by a special train at around 12:20 pm today&have started moving by bus to their respective districts for compulsory 14 days quarantine at designated institutional&community quarantine centres: N Biren Singh, Manipur* CM pic.twitter.com/Xohecl27SK  ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

4.14 PM: Watch Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press meet

4.00 PM: Akhilesh Yadav: "First a false promise of Rs 15 lakh and now a claim of Rs 20 lakh crore ... This time, jumla has been 133 times bigger than that for 133 crore people of India. How can one believe in it?"

 15       20    ...

   133    133     ...

      ...



        20               -   .  Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 13, 2020

3:50 PM: Schedule of flights for phase 2 of Vande Bharat Mission

Schedule of flights for phase 2 of #VandeBharatMission. High Commission will gradually start contacting Indian passport holders according to priority. Bookings will start closer to the date of departure: High Commission of India, London (UK) pic.twitter.com/Yi5fdlZaBI - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

3:38 PM: 'I do not want to hear any complaints either on ration or schemes': WB CM Mamata Banerjee

If I hear even a single complaint of money laundering or anything I will take legal action. I do not want to hear any complaints either on ration or schemes. It is our determination that we will take Bengal forward: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

3:40 PM: Sensex , Nifty end higher on hopes of stimulus package

Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended higher on Wednesday on hopes of stimulus package to mitigate the economic impact of coronavirus pandamic. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4pm to give out details of a Rs 20 lakh crore economic relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

3:35 PM: Indian Army mulling proposal to allow common citizens join forces for three years 'Tour of Duty'

The Indian Army is considering a proposal to allow common citizens to join its ranks for three years 'Tour of Duty'. "A proposal is being discussed under which common citizens would be allowed a three year Tour of Duty in the force to serve the nation," Indian Army sources told ANI.

3:25 PM: Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products from June 1

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on the importance of local products and local manufacturing for a self-reliant India, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday appealed people to use products made in India and ordered all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products.

In this direction today, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens and stores across the country will now sell only indigenous products, from June 01, 2020. The total purchase value would be around Rs. 2800 crore. With this decision, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products.

3:20 PM: FM to announce mega economic package at 4pm

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4pm to unveil details of a Rs 20 lakh crore financial relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to mitigate the economic impact of coronavirus pandamic.

3:10 PM: BSF reports 13 new COVID-19 positive cases in last 24 hours

Border Security Force (BSF) has reported 13 fresh COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours. 11 are from Delhi and 1 each from Kolkata and Tripura, according to officials.

2.28 pm: Karnataka lockdown latest updates

Karnataka minister CT Ravi announced on Wednesday that the restaurants and salons may also open post-May 17, when the lockdown 3.0 ends. He added that gyms and golf courses are however allowed to open after May 17.

2.23 pm: Coronavirus India latest news

PM Modi to meet Chairpersons of the Empowered Groups later on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet Chairpersons of the Empowered Groups later today. #COVID19 (file pic) pic.twitter.com/5XWlHNrkmh - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

2.17 pm: Coronavirus latest updates: New dress code in Supreme Court

Judges and lawyers of Supreme Court will not be required to wear jackets and gowns, the apex court said on Wednesday. Judges will hold courts in white shirts. The apex court will open from next week.

2.10 pm: Coronavirus live updates: Only locally made products in paramilitary canteens from June 1

The central government said on Wednesday that only Made in India products will be sold in paramilitary canteens from June 1. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Yesterday, PM Modi had appealed to encourage local products and make India self-reliant. In this direction, Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that only indigenous products will be sold at all CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) canteens from 1st June, 2020."

2.03 pm: Coronavirus lockdown in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has said that it will go into a complete lockdown during the celebration days following the holy month of Ramzan. The Interior Ministry announced the decision early Wednesday morning, adding that the lockdown would take effect from May 23 through May 27.

1.56 pm: Karnataka lockdown extension live updates

Karnataka government has decided to ease lockdown restrictions in the state. Gyms, gold course to open in the state post May 17.

1.49 pm: Andhra Pradesh coronavirus latest updates: State tops in COVID-19 testing per million

Andhra Pradesh Health Secretary Dr. Jawahar Reddy said on Tuesday that the state is first on list concerning the count of coronavirus tests per million, followed by Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. The state conducted 3,593 tests per million population, Reddy added stating that the number of tests carried out in Andhra Pradesh is more than the numbers in 13 countries.

1.38 pm: Indore coronavirus cases rise to 2,107, death toll jumps to 95

As many as 91 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Indore in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally in the city to 2,107, an official said on Wednesday. Indore is the worst-hit district of Madhya Pradesh. Moreover, 3 more people died due to coronavirus in the district, taking the toll to 95, Chief Medical and Health Officer Praveen Jadia said.

1.27 pm: Coronavirus stimulus package: India fourth-highest in the world

The Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday is the fourth-highest in the world. PM Modi said that the economic package will be around the 10% of the GDP and is aimed at solving the problems of several bleeding sectors as well as migrant labourers. Japan has the highest economic stimulus package in the world at 21.1% of GDP, the United States package stands at 13% of GDP, Germany at 10.7% of GDP, followed by India at 10% of GDP, France at 9.3% of GDP. Italy at 5.7% of GDP and the last one on the list is the UK with the stimulus package at 5% of the GDP.

1.16 pm: Kolkata coronavirus latest updates

CISF witnessed a steep rise in COVID-19 positive cases reported in its force on Tuesday. 54 fresh cases were reported from Kolkata, taking the force's tally to 114. The tally stood at 68 on Tuesday evening. Presently, 1,077 personnel and 58 family members have been put in quarantine and isolation.

1.10 pm: Coronavirus live updates: Indians to be flown back from the US on 7 flights starting May 19

Under phase 2 of central government's Vande Bharat Mission, Indians will be flown back from the US on 7 flights beginning May 19.

1.03 pm: Gujarat coronavirus cases

Gujarat recorded 362 fresh COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total count of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 8,903, along with 537 deaths, as per the latest data by the Union Health Ministry.

12.55 pm: Andhra Pradesh coronavirus cases

48 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in the state in last 24 hours, the total count of coronavirus positive cases in Andhra Pradesh now stands at 2,137, including 948 active cases, 1,142 cured/discharged and 47 deaths, said the state health department.(ANI report)

12.45 pm: Karnataka coronavirus cases: 26 more infected

Karnataka recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases between 5 pm on Tuesday and 12 pm on Wednesday. The state health department said that the total count of coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 951, including 442 discharged and 32 deaths.

26 more #COVID19 cases reported in Karnataka between 5 pm yesterday & 12 pm today. Total number of cases in the state is now at 951, including 442 discharged & 32 deaths: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/uInk0g2wso - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

12.37 pm: Chandigarh coronavirus cases

2 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Chandigarh on Wednesday. The total count of coronavirus cases in the Union Territory (UT) stands at 189 now, comprising 3 deaths, said the Chandigarh health department. (Inputs from ANI)

12.29 pm: Corona cases break record in Bihar

130 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Bihar in 24 hours, highest single-day spike in the state. This has taken the total count of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state to 879.

12.23 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman media address on economic stimulus today

Time, when and where to watch live streaming

The media briefing will start at 4 PM today. You can check out all the latest details regarding the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press meet on BusinessToday.In live blog.

India Today TV and AajTak will also run live telecast of the press briefing.

You can check out all the latest details on IndiaToday.In and AajTak.In live blogs.

12.16 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman speech today: Respite for MSMEs likely

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to announce loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore for MSMEs on Tuesday to give respite and liquidity push to restart small businesses.

12.08 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman's media address at 4 pm: Target groups

1. Middle class.

2. MSMEs

3. Labourers

4. Farmers

5. Cottage industries

11.59 am: FM Nirmala Sitharaman speech today: what's for different sectors

Although the details of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package will be doled out by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be doled out on Tuesday, experts say that the package may include some prior economic measures taken by the government and the RBI. The Centre had brough the policy rate down by 75 bps to 4.4% in March and had infused liquidity in the economy to the tune of 3.1% of GDP between February and April. The government had also announced fiscal package amounting to Rs 1.7 lakh crore, 0.8% of GDP in March.

11.46 am: Mumbai coronavirus cases

Mumbai accounted for 28 deaths out of a total of 50 deaths recorded in Maharashtra in 24 hours, its highest single-day toll until now. With 426 new cases in 24 hours, Mumbai's total count of COVID-19 cases climbed to 14,947 on Tuesday.

11.37am: Maharashtra coronavirus cases

1,026 fresh COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths were recorded in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, taking the total count of confirmed cases to 24,427 in the state. The total death toll in Maharashtra now stands at 921, the highest in the country. The state, which reported its first coronavirus case on March 9, accounts for one-third of India's COVID-19 burden.

11.29 am: Liquor shops in Maharashtra

The state government has allowed home delivery of alcohol in the state to avoid over crowding at the stores. The licensed shops will be allowed to to do the home delivery.

11.25 am: Uttar Pradesh coronavirus cases

UP recorded 112 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 3,664, along with death toll at 82, as per the latest data by the Union Health Ministry.

11.19 am: Delhi coronavirus cases

359 fresh COVID-19 cases, and 20 deaths were reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. The total count of confirmed coronavirus cases in the national capital now stands at 7,639, while the death toll is at 86, as per the Union Health Ministry.

11.14 am: Coronavirus updates Japan: Sumo wrestler infected with COVID-19 dies

A 28-year-old sumo wrestler infected with novel coronavirus infection died on Wednesday, becoming the first sumo wrestler to died from they virus in Japan. He was admitted to Tokyo hospital last month. He died of multiple organ failure linked to COVID-19.

11.07 am: Coronavirus live updates: Check BusinessToday.In tracker to get state-wise tally of COVID-19 cases and deaths

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 graph.

10.59 am: Coronavirus India cases live updates: State-wise tally and death toll; check here

Maharashtra is the worst-hit state in India with 24,427 COVID-19 cases and 921 deaths

Gujarat follows suit with 8,903 cases and 537 deaths

Tamil Nadu is the third worst-hit state with 8,718 cases, and 61 deaths

Delhi is the third worst-hit state with 7,639 cases and 86 deaths.

Madhya Pradesh with 3,986 cases, 225 deaths

Rajasthan 4,126 cases, 117 deaths

Uttar Pradesh (UP)-3,664 cases, 82 deaths

Andhra Pradesh-2,090 cases, 46 deaths

Telangana 1,326 cases, 32 deaths

West Bengal-2,173 cases, 198 deaths

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)- 934 cases, 10 deaths

Karnataka- 925 cases, 31 deaths

Kerala- 524 cases, 4 deaths

Bihar-831 cases, 6 deaths

Punjab-1,914 cases, 32 deaths

Haryana-780 cases, 11 deaths

10.53 am: Rajasthan coronavirus cases: 87 more infected on Wednesday

87 fresh COVID-19 were reported in Rajasthan on Wednesday, taking the total count of positive cases in the state to 4,213, said Rajasthan health department adding that no death was reported in the state today.

87 new #COVID19 positive cases reported in Rajasthan today, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 4213. No death reported in the state today; death toll stands at 117: Rajasthan Health Department pic.twitter.com/UnxvlQrIiZ - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

10.47 am: Nirmala Sitharaman speech today: "COVID-19 relief package will include everyone," tweets FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package announced by PM Modi will include everyone- a hawker/street vendor, a trader, a MSME, an honest tax paying middle class, a manufacturer etc. She added that the package was a "reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance."

#AatmaNirbharBharat does not imply isolationism or becoming exclusionist. We'll build capacities, skill people and compete globally acquiring strengths. We'll build the #Local. After all, every global brand began with their #Local strength. We shall integrate with GVCs. @PMOIndia - Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) May 12, 2020

10.39 am: Odisha coronavirus cases: 101 more people infected

Odisha health department said on Wednesday that as on 12th May, 101 new COVID-19 positive cases reported in the state taking the total number of cases in the state to 538 including 419 active cases, 116 cured/discharged and 3 deceased.(ANI reports)

10.30 am: Nirmala speech today: FM Sitharaman to address media at 4 pm today

Finance Minister Nirmala will unveil the details of Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulur package announced by PM Modi on Tusday at press briefing at 4 pm on Tuesday. She is likely to focus on ailing sectors such as MSME sector as well as address the migrant workers' woes.

10.20 am: Odisha lockdown latest updates

Watch: Special train carrying 545 passengers leaves from Bhubaneswar railway station for Delhi, on the second day of the resumption of train services.

#WATCH Odisha: Special train carrying 545 passengers leaves from Bhubaneswar railway station for Delhi, on the second day of the resumption of train services. #Coronaviruspic.twitter.com/QNVTCGMwm4 - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

10.10 am: Rs 20 lakh crore for Atmanirbhar Bharat: "PM Modi gave us headline and blank page", says P. Chidambaram

Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Wednesday took to Twitter to mocked PM Modi's announcement of a Rs 10 lakh crore special economic stimulus package as a "headline and a blank page", adding that he is awaiting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to fill the blank page. "Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to teh FM filling teh blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that teh government will actually infuse into teh economy," he tweeted.

Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy. - P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

10.03 am: Coronavirus lockdown extension: FM Nirmala Sitharaman to unveil PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore stimuls package details starting Tuesday

A day after PM Modi's announcement of a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to revive the economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to unveil the details of the package in a series of press conferences, beginning Tuesday.

9.55 am: Lockdown 4.0 extension live updates: PM Modi's self-reliance push

PM Modi in his countrywide speech on Tuesday said that India's self-reliance will be based on 5 pillars- economy, infrastructure, demand, technology-driven system and vibrant demography.

9.47 am: Coronavirus India latest updates: Special train from Patna reaches Delhi

A special train with passengers from the Rajendra Nagar Terminal Railway Station in Patna, Bihar reached the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) on Wednesday morning. Indian Railways restarted services of 15 special A/C trains on Tuesday.

9.39 am: Coronavirus India live updates: Pregnant migrant worker gives birth while walking home

The pregnant migrant labourer woman who was walking from Maharashtra to her village in Madhya Pradesh gave birth on the way. She took rest for 2 hours after delivering the baby and then continued with the walk for another 15 kms. The pregnant woman and her husband began their journey from Nashik in Maharashtra, according to ANI.

9.35 am: Coronavirus cases worldwide: Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman tests positive

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that he has been tested positive for novel coronavirus infection. He, is the fifth senior official to contract the virus. Peskov added that he had last met Putin in person over a month ago, the TASS news agency reported. His wife, Tatyana Navka also said on Instagram that she also had the virus.

9.28 am: Coronavirus global updates: 3 kids dead in New York, 100 infected due to COVID-19-linked syndrome

3 children in New York, US have died with around a 100 infected from a rare inflammatory syndrome which is believed to be linked to coronavirus infection, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New York State is now investigating about 100 cases of an inflammatory illness in children that may be related to COVID-19. The ages of these cases range from infancy to age 21. We ask parents to watch out for these symptoms: pic.twitter.com/lhzjproZYd - Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 12, 2020

9.20 am: Total coronavirus deaths in India

The country reported 122 new deaths in the last 24 hours taking the total number of COVID-19 deaths in India to 2,415, according to latest data updated by the Union Health Ministry on its website.

9.15 am: Coronavirus cases in India in 24 hours

3,525 new COVID-19 cases, and 122 deaths were reported in India the last 24 hours, taking the total count of confirmed cases to 74,281.

9.09 am: Coronavirus live updates: India's COVID-19 cases approach 75,000

India's total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 74,281 on Wednesday, according to latest update by the Union Health Ministry. This tally includes, 47,480 active cases, 24,385 cured/discharged, 1 migrated and 2,415 deaths.

9.03 am: Rs 20 lakh crore Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Congress dubs PM Modi's economic package announcement headline grabbing

The Congress labelled the PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package announcement as one that only grabs headlines. Both Congress and CPI(M) said that the country was disappointed by his silence on migrant workers' woes. "Dear PM, What you said today gives the country and the media a headline," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter. His colleague, Manish Tewari, tweeted, "PMs speech can be summed up in one word - HEADLINE HUNTING. A NUMBER -20 LAKH CRORES. NO DETAILS."

1/2 Dear PM, What you said today gives the country and the media a HEADLINE. When the "blank page" is filled with "Heartfelt Help of People", the Nation & Congress Party will respond. - Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 12, 2020

8.55 am: Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: PM Modi's hints at big-ticket economic reforms in coming days

The Rs 20 lakh special economic package announced by PM Modi on Tuesday will include measures already announced by the central government and the RBI so far to tackle the coronavirus crisis. During his nationwide address, the prime minister also hinted a big-ticket reforms to revive the economy in coming days, adding that the details regarding this will be announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

8.46 am: Economic package: PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore economic booster details

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a Rs 20 lakh crore consolidated economic package to give a push to the ailing economy in the wake of coronavirus induced lockdown. PM Modi said that the economic package will be around the 10% of the GDP and is aimed at solving the problems of several bleeding sectors as well as migrant labourers. Announcing the package, PM Modi said that India's goal will be to become self-reliant 'atmanirbhar' identifying infrastructure and economy as key drivers for it.

8.40 am: Lockdown extension live updates: PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore booster, lockdown 4.0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help revive economic activity and make India self-reliant in the view of COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi in his speech also pitched for promoting local businesses. Announcing lockdown 4.0 beginning May 18, the prime minister said that it will be completely different this time with a new set of rules.

8.30 am: Coronavirus map live updates: Check BusinessToday.In tracker to get state-wise tally of COVID-19 cases and deaths

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 graph.
'Marsquakes' measured by NASA's InSight rover and an experiment to recreate the conditions thought to exist in the Martian core could reveal how the planet formed.

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have been studying the seismic properties of iron-sulphur - thought to be the substance at the core of Mars.

It's not known exactly what makes up the interior of Mars but the Tokyo team hope that by comparing their data to surveys from NASA InSight they can find out.

InSight has been measuring seismic activity on our planetary neighbour since 2018 in the hope of uncovering details of how it formed and how active it is.

The NASA probe has detected hundreds of significant events since touching down in 2018 and the Toyko team plan to compare that data to their findings.

It's not known exactly what makes up the interior of Mars but the Tokyo team hope that by comparing their data to surveys from NASA InSight they can find out

Seismic data reveals how the underground rock of a planet is layered - as well as its origins but you need to know the seismic properties of those rock types first.

Lead author Dr Keisuke Nishida, a planetary scientist at the University of Tokyo, said: 'The exploration of the deep interiors of Earth, Mars and other planets is one of the great frontiers of science.

'It is fascinating partly because of the daunting scales involved, but also because of how we investigate them safely from the surface of the Earth.'

The core of Mars is thought to mostly comprise iron with some possible lighter elements such as sulphur which is why Nishida and team studied the metal.

The results of comparing the iron-sulphur findings to the Marsquake data will either confirm existing theories about the planet's composition or call into question the story of its origin, said Nishida.

Dr Nishida added: 'Taking our results, researchers reading Martian seismic data will now be able to tell whether the core is primarily iron-sulphur alloy or not.

'If it isn't, that will tell us something of Mars' origins.

'For example, if Mars' core includes silicon and oxygen, it suggests that, like the Earth, Mars suffered a huge impact event as it formed.

'So, what is Mars made of and how was it formed? I think we are about to find out.'

Mars is between 35 million and 250 million miles from us depending on where Earth is relative to the sun.

Donald Trump wants the first manned mission to the Red Planet by 2033 but getting there will be extremely difficult and dangerous.

Dr Nishida said: 'It is sometimes more sensible to investigate the Red Planet through simulations than to send an expensive probe or, one day, people.'

Given how inaccessible the Earth's core is, direct observations of Mars' will likely have to wait some time.

But seismic waves are like enormously powerful sound waves. They can travel through a planet and offer a glimpse inside.

Dr Nishida said: 'However, even with the seismic data there was an important missing piece of information without which the data could not be interpreted.

'We needed to know the seismic properties of the iron-sulphur alloy thought to make up the core of Mars.'

To find out the seismic properties of a mineral they need to know how fast the different waves are going as they pass through.

There are the primary, or P-waves which are the fastest type of seismic wave in molten iron-sulphur allows and sheer, or S-waves that arrive slower.

'Due to technical hurdles, it took more than three years before we could collect the ultrasonic data we needed, so I am very pleased we now have it,' said Nishida.

'The sample is extremely small, which might surprise some people given the huge scale of the planet we are effectively simulating.

'But microscale high-pressure experiments help exploration of macroscale structures and long time-scale evolutionary histories of planets.'

A molten iron-sulphur alloy - like the one assumed to be in the core of Mars - heated to just above its melting point of 2,730 degrees Fahrenheit and subject to 13 gigapascals of pressure has a P-Wave velocity of 15,354 feet per second.

Donald Trump wants the first manned mission to the Red Planet by 2033 but getting there will be extremely difficult and dangerous

The NASA probe has detected hundreds of significant events since touching down in 2018 and the Toyko team plan to compare that data to their findings

This is over 13 times faster than the speed of sound - which is 1,125 feet per second.

The researchers used a device called a KMAP (Kawai-type multianvil press) - designed to produce extremely high pressures in a very small space to simulate the conditions thought to be present in the Martian core.

This enabled them to image the samples to then work out the P-wave values.

InSight is equipped with seismometers that detect 'Marsquakes'. They are not big - only 3 to 4 on the magnitude scale if you were standing directly above them.

Their size and frequency is actually not that dissimilar to the UK where a magnitude 4 event will occur roughly every two years.

But they show that far from being dull and dead Mars - like Earth - is an active planet.

Taken together, Insight's data should reveal the position and nature of all the rock layers below the surface of Mars - from the crust to the core.

It's information that can then be compared and contrasted with Earth. Both planets formed around the same time - about 4.6 billion years ago.

But they are very different - which has baffled experts for decades. Dr Nishida believes the mystery is about to be solved.

The findings of the experiment have been published in the journal Nature Communications.
In recognition of outstanding performance, Carrier Transicold has named W&B Service Company of Duncanville, Texas, its North America Dealer of the Year, and Maritima Dominicana (MARDOM) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, its Latin America Dealer of the Year.

This latest award was really exciting for our team, said Tracey Maynor, CEO of W&B Service Company. Although this was for Duncanville, we see it as an achievement for everyone in the company. We couldnt win this without all of our locations working together and putting in the extra effort to provide exceptional service for our customers. Service is what its about  its in our name.

Located near Dallas, the Duncanville dealership is one of multiple W&B Service Company dealer operations throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, all of which were also recognized with Carrier Transicolds NextLevel2 Platinum Award distinction for 2019 performance. Additionally, two W&B Service Company employees received individual awards: Duncanvilles David Valdez was named Sales Manager of the Year, and Tony Cremente of W&B Service Companys Lowell, Arkansas, dealership was named Parts Manager of the Year.

One of Carrier Transicolds original truck and trailer refrigeration dealerships, and today one of its largest, W&B Service Company has achieved Dealer of the Year recognition eight times in the 50 years since the Carrier Transicold dealer network was formed.

Also a multi-year winner, MARDOMs Dealer of the Year award for 2019 is its fourth in 11 years.

MARDOM has developed an extraordinary organization focused on service, customer support and business performance, said Jesus Estrada, region director for Mexico and Latin America, Carrier Transicold. Year after year, MARDOM has consistently demonstrated itself to be an outstanding performer in every aspect of its operations, and most especially customer service.

In total, Carrier Transicold recognized 55 dealerships and five individuals from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean with 96 awards for achievements in customer satisfaction, growth, business investment and service proficiency. Among those awards, CNR Refrigeration of Hempstead, New York, was recognized with the prestigious Extra Mile award for exemplary customer service.

Other individual recognition included: North America Service Manager of the Year, which went to Charlie Brock, Sunbelt Transport Refrigeration, Tampa, Florida; Latin America Sales Manager of the Year, Urbano Enrique Sanchez Galaviz, Frio Transpeninsular, Cancun, Mexico; and Latin America Service Manager of the Year, Patricia Ramos Gil, Refrigeracion Especializada para el Transporte de Occidente, Tlaquepaque, Mexico.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aurigo Software, a leading public sector technology provider, today announced a six month Open Collaboration Program for qualified government agencies needing assistance during the current pandemic. Small and mid-sized cities, counties and other agencies working on infrastructure and public works projects will be eligible to manage their programs using Aurigo's Essentials platform with no subscription fees until November of this year.

The Open Collaboration Program is intended to help capital owners in local and regional government continue to operate and lead construction projects remotely. Aurigo Essentials Cloud, which is entirely web-based, will enable document sharing, construction workflow and administration management, and remote collaboration for organizations that do not currently have a system in place. The company is waiving all recurring fees for the first six months, and there is no compulsion to convert to a paid subscription at the end of this period.

"The COVID-19 situation is a difficult time for everyone. Our customers provide essential services to their communities by delivering the roads, bridges, water utilities, and other public works that keep the economy running," said Balaji Sreenivasan, CEO of Aurigo Software. "Secure, cloud-based software that can be utilized by all stakeholders on a project is needed now more than ever. This program will help agencies accelerate their move to systems that can be accessed from anywhere  from the office, from home, or from the jobsite. Public infrastructue will play a vital role as our country recovers from the shutdown. "

Aurigo's software is used by dozens of cities and counties across the country to plan, build and operate their infrastructure. Many public agencies rely on outdated, legacy systems that are not designed to provide a single source of truth for capital planning, project financial information, document management and workflow approvals across the entire capital program lifecycle. Public agencies added to Aurigo's customer roster recently include the City of Seattle, WA, the City of Durham, NC, and San Bernardino County, CA.

To learn more, visit Aurigo's Open Collaboration Program.

About Aurigo

Aurigo Software is America's leading provider of modern cloud software to help infrastructure owners plan, build, maintain, and operate their multi-billion-dollar capital investments safely and efficiently. We cater to large, medium, and small agencies with three unique product lines, Aurigo Masterworks Ultimate, Aurigo Masterworks Professional, and Aurigo Essentials. Aurigo Essentials Cloud Software is designed for small and mid-size cities. More about Aurigo at www.aurigo.com

Aurigo Masterworks Cloud is a comprehensive suite of enterprise software products that automates the entire lifecycle of capital programs, including planning, forecasting, budgeting, bid & estimation, project management, contract administration, scheduling, right of way, permitting, materials testing, field inspection, civil rights, and document control. The system has powerful reporting and dashboard capabilities, a native mobile application and is investing extensively to harness Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technologies. Aurigo helps over 150 customers plan and deliver over $300 Billion of capital programs safely and efficiently. Aurigo is a privately held US corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas, with wholly owned subsidiaries in Canada and India.

Aurigo Essentials Cloud is an all-in-one construction project management software solution, built on the same powerful Aurigo Masterworks platform. Aurigo Essentials is catered to, needs of Small and Mid-sized Government agencies, to help them automate their capital planning and construction lifecycle processes at a very affordable price. Visit www.aurigo.com/essentials for more information.

SOURCE Aurigo Software

Related Links

https://www.aurigo.com/


A film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's award-winning Broadway production, "Hamilton" is set to premiere on Disney Plus on July 3, the Independence Day eve.

The film is being touted as a "live-capture" recording of the original cast of "Hamilton", shot at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City in June 2016.

"Hamilton" was set to debut in the US theatres on October 15, 2021. However, the studio has now decided to release it on its streaming service amid the coronavirus-induced shutdown.

"No other artistic work in the last decade has had the cultural impact of 'Hamilton' an inspiring and captivating tale told and performed in a powerfully creative way. In light of the extraordinary challenges facing our world, this story about leadership, tenacity, hope, love and the power of people to unite against the forces of adversity is both relevant and impactful," Bob Iger, executive chairman of The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement.

"We are thrilled to bring this phenomenon to Disney Plus on the eve of Independence Day, and we have the brilliant Lin-Manuel Miranda and the team behind 'Hamilton' to thank for allowing us to do so more than a year before planned," he added.

Miranda expressed gratitude to the studio for "reimagining and moving up our release to July 4th weekend of this year, in light of the world turning upside down".

"I'm so grateful to all the fans who asked for this, and I'm so glad that we're able to make it happen. I'm so proud of this show. I can't wait for you to see it," he added.

The Broadway production had received a record-setting 16 nominations at the 2016 Tony Awards, eventually winning 11 awards, including best musical.

It also received the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Africa: Makhura assesses adherence to regulations

Gauteng Premier David Makhura on Wednesday expressed satisfaction with the level of adherence of lockdown regulations at one of the many malls in Pretoria.

Accompanied by his executive, the Premier visited Soshanguve Crossing mall, on Wednesday, where he assessed the level of compliance with Level 4 lockdown regulations.

We chose to come to Soshanguve guided by the level of infections. We want to communicate to the people of Soshanguve that COVID-19 is here, is not something for some people, is not something for some places, it is here, said Makhura, following a walkabout of the mall.

The Premier, who visited several shops in the mall located north of Pretoria, also interacted with some shoppers.

We came here and found that they have put in place something that we think should be a model for all the malls in Gauteng. As you enter the mall, the security ensures that everyone who enters the mall have their facemasks on and even in the shops, people cant get into the shops without the mask, while also ensuring that people entering the mall have their hands sanitized, said Makhura.

Workers at stores, visited by the Premier were also adhering to the need to wear facemasks.

We are satisfied with the level of adherence to the lockdown regulations and we are also satisfied that all the shops open here are selling all the goods that are supposed to be sold in level 4 lockdown.

The Premier also expressed satisfaction that prices of goods had not been escalated as has been reported in other areas.

We are also satisfied with the prices as there were complaints with price escalations. We have also checked the food. There is no rotten or expired food that is being sold here, said Makhura, adding that there are areas of improvement which they have discussed with the mall management.

We are doing these things to save lives and not to punish businesses.

The unannounced visit to the mall was prompted by allegations of non-compliance with the lockdown regulations.

In addition, the provincial government will also visit places that have the high number of COVID-19 infections.

We have to make sure that we take steps to protect our people.COVID-19 is not about to go, we are in this for a very long time, we can win if we work together.

Following the visit to Soshanguve, the Premier and his delegation proceeded to Ivory Park Mall to assess adherence to regulations. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Aside from mass testing, one of the most important methods to curb the transmission of the novel coronavirus is through extensive contact tracing. Now there's an opportunity to become a contact tracer as the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has launched a six-hour online course.

The online class offers online instruction to those who want to learn the basics of contact tracing, which is vital in the world's battle against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The novel coronavirus, now called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has now spread across 187 countries and territories, infecting more than 4.25 million people.

Image Credit: Zigres / Shutterstock

Training for free

The new course, which is now open to enrollment, aims to train contact tracers. Contact tracing is a robust public health strategy that is essential in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Anyone can join the course. Those who complete and pass the online course may be hired by New York to help fight the global pandemic.

The course rolled out on May 11, and within just hours, there were more than 400 people who registered. The class lasts for a week, with one-hour sessions every day. At the end of the course, the enrollee needs to finish a graded final exam to determine how well they understood the training and lesson.

The contact tracing course has five sections or modules that cover all the needed information and training. It contains modules for necessary information on the virus, including the signs and symptoms and how it spreads, the basics of contact tracing, including how to define a case and identify the patient's contacts, and steps involved in investigating cases. The other two modules include the ethics of contact tracing and the skills for effective communication in the tracing process.

Taught by Emily Gurley, an associate scientist, and expert at Johns Hopkins, the course will cover COVID-19 and all the required information on how to become a contact tracer. This includes knowing how to build rapport with the infected person and their contacts.

Contact tracing

A reliable contact tracing program is the key to reopening a country after being locked down during the coronavirus pandemic. It has been long used in public health, which aims to teach the basics of interviewing those who tested positive with the virus.

It is essential to identify the close contacts of the patients who might have been exposed and where the patient went over the past two weeks. Stopping the infection from spreading from the patient and his or her close contacts will help contain the virus.

"Even if you stop one or two new infections, you're preventing many new cases down the line," Emily Gurley, a Johns Hopkins infectious disease epidemiologist and the lead instructor of the course, said.

Contact tracers should inform the contacts right away that they have been exposed to the virus. This way, the cycle of infection stops, and the contact will not infect other people. They will need to convince all contacts to stay at home or to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Rolled out in New York

Governor Andrew Cuomo fully supports the program, along with Michael Bloomberg, the founder of Bloomberg and a former mayor of New York City. The course is part of an intense program of contact tracing in New York, the hardest-hit state in the country.

The program aims to have about 30 contact tracers for every 100,000 residents in the state, aiming to have an estimated 6,400 to 17,000 tracers in the whole state.

"Contact tracing allows us to communicate with people infected with COVID-19, identify those who may have been exposed, and provide all of them with guidance to limit the spread of the disease. This new training course, which we're making available online for free, will teach contact tracers how to do this work effectivelyand help cities and states across the nation undertake these critical efforts," Bloomberg said.

Mass testing and intensive contact tracing are critical to the reopening plan in New York, with a staggering 338,485 confirmed cases, the highest in the country.

"We're testing more than any other state, and now we're working with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Johns Hopkins to quickly build an army of tracers for our contact tracing program that can serve as a model for the rest of the nation," said Governor Cuomo. "This innovative online training course is a key component of our program that will provide tracers with the tools to effectively trace COVID-19 cases at the scale we need to fight this pandemic," Governor Cuomo said.
Janice Brown grimaces as nurse Jennifer Stolpp pokes her arm for dialysis at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

She sat in a corner of the hospital room, breathing into a tube designed to prevent pneumonia or the collapse of her lungs.

It was the fourth week of April, and the last two months had been so long and so monotonous that Janice Brown started counting the cars rolling by her window  just for something to do. The janitor and the nurses had become old acquaintances.

So, it seemed, had the coronavirus.

In the short annals of the Desert Valley Hospital's COVID-19 unit, Brown is a person of some distinction. It's a notoriety that no one would want  but sometimes in life you don't get to pick what makes you special. Or how.

Janice Brown was the first patient at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville to test positive for COVID-19. Brown was placed in the hospital's COVID unit. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Brown, 66, was the first patient at Desert Valley to test positive for the coronavirus. One of the first to be released. She thought she was in the clear, spending weeks  masked but confident  walking around her sister's home and backyard in Rancho Cucamonga.

Her doctor, Imran Siddiqui, certainly thought he'd seen the last of Janice Brown. Just days after he discharged her on April 3, she told Siddiqui that she was feeling great.

Two weeks after that follow-up call, Siddiqui spotted her name on the patient list. She had tested positive a second time.

The story of Janice Brown, two-time coronavirus patient, parallels the story of the hospital that treated her. Both narratives are built around a hope that the worst is in the past. Or, at the least, not waiting on the horizon.

By the time Siddiqui, medical director of Desert Valley Medical Group, watched Brown leave for the second time, he dared to hope that the COVID-19 unit of the hospital could soon be dismantled.

::

Dr. Imran Siddiqui talks to Brown. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

On Saturday, April 25, Siddiqui unzipped the plastic separating the rest of the hospital from the East wing, where a sign outside read "Novel Respiratory Isolation." Trailed by a reporter and a photographer, he stepped inside the "donning" area to "gown up," putting on the standard uniform: blue apron, shoe covers, a mushroom-cap hair cover, gloves and a surgical mask over his N95.

Story continues

Dr. Imran Siddiqui enters the COVID unit with balloons for his patient. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Reaching the COVID unit felt a little like the scene from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic movie, in which Elliott walks through a huge plastic tube to reach his new best friend who's been sequestered in a medical van.

Siddiqui passed a station where a handful of nurses monitored their patients' vitals on computer screens. The RNs had volunteered to work in the unit, creating an informal staff so other nurses would not have to be exposed.

The doctor observed Maria Quintero as she did a "terminal"  or deep  clean on a patient room that had been vacated earlier in the day. Quintero, a member of the janitorial staff who works in the unit, used bleach to scrub the walls.

'For you to put your lives on the line and then have to go back home to take care of your families  truly from the depths of my heart I say thank you.'

COVID-19 patient Janice Brown

Finally, Siddiqui headed to the end of the hall, signing his name into the log outside room 238 before he stepped inside.

"Hello my dear, how are you today?" he asked.

"Not good," Brown responded. She held a hand to her chest, where it felt as though it had been burning inside all day.

Brown hooked up to a dialysis machine in the COVID-19 unit isolation room. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

It had nothing to do with COVID, Siddiqui reassured her  it was just gastritis.

The day before she'd had a temperature of 101, he said, but her numbers were getting better. It was the fourth day of her second hospitalization.

Brown was anticipating her birthday three days later, on April 28, and yearned to celebrate somewhere other than the hospital.

"You're in good spirits, right?" Siddiqui asked.

His patient hesitated before she responded, "Yeah, I'm in good spirits."

Over the course of her life, Brown has dealt with cancer, two strokes, two heart attacks, renal failure and congestive heart failure. She has been on dialysis for over a year. With her age and host of underlying health issues, she is exactly the kind of person that COVID-19 chews up and spits out.

The coronavirus, Brown said, with a touch of irony, just felt like "the icing on the cake."

::

Maria Quintero makes sure the COVID-19 unit is clean at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

It all started with a cold in early March. After two weeks, Brown thought she was on the mend. She's been pastoring for 25 years, and gave a sermon at her Fontana church telling her flock, "No matter what comes, trust in God."

"I didn't know I was preaching to myself," she said.

In a matter of days, Brown grew so sick she couldn't stand. On March 24, she landed in the Desert Valley emergency room and tested positive for COVID-19.

The pain was so great, she thought she was going to die.

The hospital's COVID unit was set up soon after she was admitted, in order to conserve protective equipment. Brown was its first resident and Siddiqui her doctor for the 10 days before her April 3 discharge.

The CDC recommends ending "transmission-based precautions" after a patient goes 72 hours with no symptoms, or has two negative tests 24 hours apart. The hospital follows a symptom-based strategy. After Brown went three days with no fever  without the use of fever-reducing medications  and doctors saw an improvement in her respiratory symptoms, she was discharged.

When Brown walked out, she thought she had escaped the clutches of the dreaded virus.

"I thought it was over," Brown said. "Everybody thought it was over."

Then, during dialysis on April 21, her blood pressure dropped precipitously and her temperature spiked. An ambulance took her back to the hospital, where she tested positive again.

Brian Lugo, head of the COVID-19 response, holds a daily staff meeting at Desert Valley Hospital. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

In recent weeks, China and South Korea have reported that some patients who had recovered from COVID-19 tested positive again in follow-up visits. In extreme cases, patients in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak began late last year, reportedly tested positive 70 days after recovery.

Doctors in both countries said they didnt believe the patients had been reinfected, a worrisome possibility because of its implications for building widespread immunity to a disease for which there is no vaccine.

"[Brown] was the first patient that came back to the hospital that tested positive again," Siddiqui said. Is it a reinfection or the same infection? We dont know."

::

On April 29, eight days after Brown had been readmitted, about 30 people gathered in the conference room for a COVID-19 task force meeting. They talked about the state's four-phase reopening plan and the need to stay vigilant.

Experts have warned against a broad reopening of the U.S. amid the pandemic, but dozens of states have reopened their economies in some capacity.

Fred Hunter, chief executive officer of Desert Valley Hospital and Desert Valley Medical Group. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Were just trying to avoid hitting that second wave, Brian Lugo, director of emergency preparedness and head of the COVID-19 response, told the doctors. "Let's not get lax."

During the meeting, members of the task force talked about plans to reopen labs and clear backlogs of tests that had been postponed due to the virus.

A white board showed that 289 people at the hospital had been tested for the virus and 25 had been discharged. Only two COVID-positive patients, including Brown, were in the East wing. Another two were on ventilators in the intensive care unit.

Im so glad we only have two patients in our COVID unit. Thats a good sign, said Fred Hunter, chief executive officer of Desert Valley Hospital and Desert Valley Medical Group. As we reopen this hospital for elective surgeries and elective procedures, lets not make a mistake.

He worried, he said, "that if we should open it up too soon, that these numbers could change in the wrong direction."

Brown is pleasantly surprised by Dr. Siddiqui, center, and nurses who brought her balloons, a card and cake to celebrate her birthday. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

After the meeting, Siddiqui headed upstairs with three balloons and a small pink cake to mark the occasion of Brown's birthday  a day earlier.

Inside the COVID unit, Becca Diaz wrote "Happy Birthday! You are an amazing patient," on a card that had been signed by the unit's workers. Diaz, a registered nurse, works in the unit three times a week and recalled how depressing it was when Brown tested positive a second time.

It was almost like, is anything helping," Diaz said.

Diaz joined a small crowd headed into Brown's room  everyone in full protective equipment  holding a cake and singing happy birthday.

"I want to say thank you guys so much," Brown said, growing teary eyed.

"It's the least we could have done for you," Siddiqui said.

"You guys have done more than enough. Put your lives on the line  for me, she said.

There had, indeed, been sacrifices. Diaz used a designated "COVID bathroom" in her home to shower when she finished work; others spent weeks away from loved ones to protect them.

A recovered Brown leaves the Desert Valley Hospital. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

I truly thank you, because you dont know about the virus, I dont know about it," Brown said. "For you to put your lives on the line  truly from the depths of my heart I say thank you."

That afternoon, Diaz wheeled Brown out of the hospital so she could reunite with her family  leaving just one person in the COVID unit. Hospital staff wondered whether it was almost time to dismantle it.

Then, a few days after Brown left the hospital for the second time, Desert Valley received a surge of patients who doctors thought might be infected with the coronavirus. One by one, they tested them  with only one positive result. As of Tuesday, one person remained in the unit.

But the hospital wouldn't shut it down. At least not yet.

It was hard to envision what might happen in the future. Testing is increasing in California, which could lead to an influx of new patients. In addition, various counties in the state, including San Bernardino, are easing some restrictions. Face coverings in public, while "strongly recommended," are no longer required.

"We're basically living day by day," Siddiqui said. "Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow?"

Times staff photographer Irfan Khan contributed to this report.
When you are the CEO of a major smartphone brand, you are at least expected to use the phone of your company for daily use. But as we have seen previously, thats not always the case. This time around, Xiaomis CEO Lei Jun has been caught using an iPhone.

The companys CEO made a post on Weibo  Chinas Twitter  asking fans to buy more books and read them. The post itself was nothing that would stir controversy, but it was done so from an iPhone. Pan Jiutang, a partner of the Xiaomi Industry Investment Department, did come forward in Lei Juns defense and claimed that executives do use smartphones from other brands to assess the competition and anyone claiming not to do so is either hypocritical or incompetent. While this can certainly be the case here, it is quite embarrassing for Xiaomis CEO to be caught using an iPhone like this. I guess the companys CEO was using an iPhone to assess why it sells so well despite some Android smartphones launching with better cameras and offering more value for money.

Xiaomi is known to copy the design of Apple products and even launch similar services in China.

This is not the first time that a major smartphone company CEO or a celebrity has been caught using an iPhone despite being paid to advertise an Android device. Some companies have actually banned their employees from using an iPhone. In fact, Huaweis CEO family tends to prefer Apple products over that of the company.

To Apples credit, the person handling the Apple Music account had also once tweeted from an Android device.

[Via Toutiao
Five COVID-19 patients who were under intensive care were killed in a fire that broke out in a hospital ward in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday.

Russian media reported the incident and noted that it may have been caused by a short-circuit on one of the ventilation machines used to support the patients. Tass a Russian news agency cited a source in the emergency service regarding the said claims.

During a press service, the Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that the fire at the St. George Hospital has already been contained, yet they did not provide the exact number of people who were killed and injured in the incident. But it was revealed that 150 have already been evacuated from the hospital.

Moreover, the news agency also reported later that day that Russia will no longer be using the 'Aventa-M' model of ventilator until the ongoing investigation about the fire in the hospital is completed.

'Aventa-M' is the same ventilator model which was recently sent to the United States from Russia as part of consignment equipment that will be used to help combat the pandemic. The US State Department is still yet to respond to questions about whether the 'Aventa-M' model is currently being used in US hospitals.

St. George Hospital which was located in Russia's second-largest city St. Petersburg has been reported to have been re-quipped in order to be able to treat patients who were diagnosed with the coronavirus disease.

In a report by a different news agency, a spokesman for the coutnry's emergency services stated that the cause of the incident was malfunction of electrical equipment but is not limited to ventilators.

Moreover, Moscow Times reported that there is a possibility that the fire broke out due to an overload which and that ventilators were pushed to their limits, causing them malfunction.

COVID-19 in Russia

News of the fire came just as the number of coronavirus cases in Russia is rapidly increasing. Due to this, the country's health-care system is put under even more pressure than it already is.

Read also: One Confirmed Dead After Flash Floods Hit Utah, Search Operations for Other Victims Continue

Russia now follows the US and has the second-highest number of cases in the world which has totaled to more than 230,000 confirmed cases.

At the moment, Russia's Investigative Committee, which is known to examine serious crimes in the country has already launched a probe on the incident.

The incident also followed several fire incidents around the country. Last week, a fire in a Moscow hospital which also treats coronavirus patients has taken one life and has forced hundreds to evacuate. Investigators are also probing in two other separate fire incidents at resident homes in Moscow which has both caused injuries and casualties.

The fire and death of the five patients have increased doubts regarding the safety and standard of equipment used to treat COVID-19 patients. Recently some doctors in the UK reported that ventilators that were bought from China were not safe for patients to use.

Related article: Renewed Outbreaks in South Korea and China Shows Risk of Easing Coronavirus Measures

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"We were very careful to be focused on raising just enough to meet our objectives," Dr Itescu said.

He said interest from fund managers was well above the $US90 million ($138 million) worth of new stocks on offer, but the company pushed back on demand from both new and existing institutional investors. Investors bought in at $3.20 a share, a 7 per cent discount to the stock's price on May 8.

"We are confident and this stems from the data we have seen so far. We have to prepare for success," chief executive Dr Silviu Itescu said.

The key objective of the fundraising is to have sufficient capital to scale up the manufacturing of Remestemcel-L, the biotech's anti-inflammatory treatment used to treat graft-vs-host disease in children and is now trialling for acute respiratory distress caused by the coronavirus.

An early study of a dozen COVID-19 patients paved the way for broader clinical trials of the product, which are now occurring throughout the United States. It is hoped the treatment can help reduce mortality rates for patients who become seriously ill with COVID-19 by providing some relief to acute respiratory distress syndrome, a response where lung tissue gets destroyed in the fight against the virus.

While the results of the trials and the required US Food and Drug Administration approval are still some way off, Dr Itescu said the company had tapped investors to ensure it could capitalise on any good news. "This is how you build a company - you have to [focus] on development and commercialisation and manufacturing. You have to put the building blocks in place," he said.

Billionaire investor Alex Waislitz and chairman of Thorney Opportunities Fund, which is Mesoblast's third-largest shareholder with 6 per cent, said: "I think Meso is now finally well on the way to becoming a major Australian success story and Im hopeful the Australian government will recognise Mesos potential and encourage them to develop their stem cell manufacturing capabilities in Australia rather than lose them to another country such as the United States or elsewhere."

The $1.8 billion ASX-listed company's share price more than doubled between the end of March to the start of May on news of the coronavirus trials. Shares were down by 2 per cent to $3.36 in late trade on Wednesday.
Asked by a third reporter about the venue supervisor's questions about how a concert venue is different from a church -- where limited public gathering is allowed -- the governor, by this point showing just a trace of impatience, again noted that Friday's scheduled concert is not in compliance with the official reopening directive and that the venue is aware of that fact; another state official noted significant differences between churches and concert venues, as well as the fact that the concert is "expecting people from different states, so that increases the risk of Covid-19 infection."
Last September, after numerous contentious hearings and board meetings, the board tabled the vote on the curriculum until a number of stipulations were met.

Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo recommended the proposed curriculum increase the focus on abstinence as the most effective method of avoiding unplanned pregnancies and exposure to sexually transmitted infections; that a district-wide teach-in for parents and students be held to review the curriculum; professional development and training for educators teaching the classes was to be put in place; and an alternative curriculum had to be created for families who do not opt-in to the classes.

A working group, which included teachers, counselors, nurses and representatives from the Pima County Health Department, as well as curriculum and instructional staff, revised the curriculum over a seven-month period, finishing in April.

The final product has a more predominant emphasis on abstinence, in seven lessons rather than two lessons. It also places the topics of gender expression, gender identity and sexual orientation at the high school level.
On Sunday, May 12, 1985, police began going around a West Philadelphia neighborhood and telling residents to evacuate within 12 hours.

Police erected barricades around a four-block area and established a command post.

At midnight, police went door to door, asking residents still in their homes to evacuate quickly.

At 12:15 a.m. Monday, a radical group known as MOVE warned police using its public-address system.

The message was, Youre going to see something youve never seen before.

That was true, but likely not the way anyone imagined.

By 10 p.m. Monday, May 13, 1985, a six-alarm fire raged in the area after police dropped a bomb on the MOVE rowhouse.

In the end, 11 people  six adults and five children - were dead and 60 houses were destroyed.

What happened on Osage Avenue 35 years ago that night actually started years before.

Vincent Leaphart, also known as John Africa, founder of the radical MOVE cult, is hugged by MOVE supporters after Leaphart was acquitted by a federal jury on weapons and conspiracy charges in Philadelphia Wednesday, July 22, 1981. Also acquitted by the jury that deliberated almost six days was Alphonso Robbins. From left are Jeannette Knight, Leaphart and Theresa Brooks. (AP Photo/Bill Ingraham)AP

The origins, according to a United Press International story published on May 14, 1985, traces its origins to the waning days of the 1960s counter-culture era.

MOVE was founded in 1972 by Vincent Leaphart, a black third-grade dropout, and Donald Glassey, a white college teacher with a masters degree in social work.

In 1973, the pair moved into a twin, Victorian home in Philadelphias Powelton Village section, near the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. They began to write a book containing the beliefs of Leaphart, who had changed his name to John Africa.

Early on, the group was known as the Community Action Movement but the name was later shortened to MOVE. The group was, and still is, predominantly black. All its members use the surname Africa.

Under John Africas direction, MOVE espoused a back-to-nature philosophy, eschewing modern convenience such as electricity. It opposed the killing of any animals, including the rats seen scurrying around the run-down house in Powelton Village, situated about three miles from the scene of yesterdays action in West Philadelphia.

MOVE members refused to use soap or to cut their hair, worn in a braded style known as dreadlocks. Believing that food should be recycled into the earth, they routinely threw garbage on the ground around the house.

Neighbors began complaining about the health hazards posed by MOVEs lifestyle.

In the late 1970s, according to the report, MOVE had run-ins with city officials and the police including a nine-hour confrontation in May 1977. Eleven MOVE members were charged with weapons offenses as a result.

"MOVE" members including a woman holding a naked baby watch another member surrender to Philadelphia police Thursday, May 4, 1978. The radical group, shown standing on their porch has agreed to "submit themselves to the judicial process." Police had set up barricades to starve them out of the house. (AP Photo/Paul Shane)AP

In March 1978, police, in a tactic approved by the state Supreme Court, sealed off a four-block area around the house and prevented the group from obtaining food and water. The blockade was designed to force the 11 to surrender.

The 50-day siege ended on May 3, 1978, when MOVE members agreed to lay down their arms and surrender. But, as time passed, they refused to adhere to the agreement. A judge ordered the arrest of 21 of them on contempt charges.

On the morning of Aug. 8, 1978, several hundred police and firefighters converged on the house to enforce the judges order. Gunshots erupted from the house and Officer James Ramp, 52, was shot to death.

Police returned fire.

Before the shooting ended, four other officers, four firefighters and one MOVE member were wounded. The same day, the city bulldozed the MOVE house.

We demonstrated patience and tolerance for their abuses against our community for and beyond what civilized people have a right to expect, said then-Mayor Frank Rizzo. There is no question that MOVE fired the first shot.

On Dec. 10, 1979, nine MOVE members went on trial in Ramps death. They were convicted five months later and sentenced to serve 30 to 300 days in jail.

Three police officers were acquitted of charges they beat a MOVE member, Delbert Orr Africa, after the shoot-out.

On May 13, 1981, after three years of being a fugitive, John Africa was arrested on federal charges of bomb making and rioting in Rochester, N.Y. He was later acquitted.

MOVE members began moving into their present home in 1981.

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Flames shoot up skyward at the MOVE cult compound in West Philadelphia, Penn., May 14, 1985. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)AP

In 1985, police were attempting once again to evict MOVE from its home.

The eviction notice was delivered around 5:30 a.m. on May 13, a few hours after power had been cut to the entire block.

Just before 6 a.m., firemen turned water cannons on the house after which shots were fired from the first and second floors of the home.

Heavy shooting, according to the Associated Press, started again just before 7 a.m. then stopped then started again around 7:30 a.m. and again just after noon.

Around 5:30 p.m. a state police helicopter dropped a shape charge onto the house. Debris flew 30 feet into the air. A half hour later, flames engulfed the roof.

Firefighters again turned on the water cannons but that did not extinguish the flames. Two children were carried out from the house alive around 7:30 p.m.

According to the Associated Press, onlookers chanted Murder! Murder! as the police brought the children out.

Mayor W. Wilson Goode said, What we have out there is a war.

Flames leap from house occupied by the Radical "MOVE" Group by dropping a Satchel Bomb from a Pennsylvania state police helicopter. (AP Photo/George Widman)AP

The Associated Press reported, The device was meant to blow a hole in the house so police could lob more tear gas inside, said an officer at the scene who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The New York Times quoted unidentified police officers in todays editions as calling the object an incendiary device.

In an interview on ABC-TVs Nightline, Goode said the bomb was probably a percussion device, but he added: there is some speculation around that the fire might have been caused by people inside the house itself.

I dont know at this point and I think that based upon what I do have in front of me, however, that the chances of the fire having been started by police is probably better than 50-50.

According to history.com, A report issued in 1986 determined police used grossly negligent tactics and committed an unconscionable act by dropping a bomb on an occupied row house.

MOVE survivors later sued the city and policy and in 1996 were awarded a $1.5 million settlement.

And Philadelphia earned the reputation as the city that bombed itself.

READ MORE

Police, firemen and workers search through the rubble on Osage Avenue in West Philadelphia, May 15, 1985 in the aftermath of the Monday blaze which destroyed 61 homes in the neighborhood. Eleven bodies were found in the rubble of the house that was occupied by members of the radical group MOVE. (AP Photo/George Widman)AP

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'The worst case scenario is a rebound of the virus.'

'Life is not going to be what it was.'

'Life as we know it has changed forever.'

'The new normal therefore is test, trace and treat.'

IMAGE: The Delhi police has been trying out innovative awareness programmes to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Virologist Dr Kamlendra Singh has reason to be excited. "Very excited," he stresses.

A week after he and his team of researchers at the Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, USA, discovered that four antiviral drugs can in fact inhibit the replication of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and therefore can be an imminent cure, he is now on to another cure.

"We are developing what is called RNA polymerase inhibitors of coronavirus in our lab through a collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, where I am an associate researcher," Dr Singh says over e-mail.

RNA polymerase is an enzyme that is responsible for copying a DNA sequence into an RNA sequence, during the process of transcription. Covid-19 is an RNA virus.

"We have already identified a small molecule that inhibits RNA polymerase from SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. This small molecule or its derivative can be a drug against COVID-19," he says.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves here.

A week ago, Dr Singh and his team at the University of Missouri examined whether four antiviral drugs -- remdesivir, 5-fluorouracil, ribavirin and favipiravir -- could help in treating COVID-19.

They found that all four block the virus's RNA proteins from making copies of the virus.

If replication can be stopped or inhibited, the infection can be overcome.

"When we said identified we meant that they can be effective against SARS-CoV-2 that is the causative agent of COVID-19."

He has had a head start with coronaviruses -- he has been studying them for the last 10 years.

So, in February, when hundreds of cases of COVID-19 first began being reported around the world, Dr Singh, who is also a virologist and a biochemist, began examining existing antiviral drugs for possible cures.

"These antiviral drugs have some limitations. But we are faced with a global pandemic and I believe they are worth taking a deeper look at because based on our research, we have reason to believe that all of these drugs could potentially be effective in treating COVID-19," Dr Singh, below, tells Swarupa Dutt/Rediff.com.

"As a scientist, I now feel like I'm doing my bit to help the community."

What are you working on now?

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can develop resistance to antiviral drugs, so I am conducting lab tests to see how potent the drugs are and how they react to the virus's RNA polymerase.

We are also discovering new drug-like compounds that can inhibit the COVID-19 RNA polymerase.

So, very simply, a polymerase inhibitor is supposed to block the virus replication (or making the copy of the viral genome).

The inhibitor has been identified in mid-April.

So, it is at a very early stage.

We have to test if it is safe for use, ie, we have to test the toxicity of the compound.

It is at least 5 steps away from being a drug.

Once the COVID-19 virus enters the body, it begins to make copies of itself and takes over healthy cells.

When it replicates exponentially it ultimately leads to the disease.

The more the number of replications, more the viral load and greater the chances of death.

What is the scope of your research?

The scope is drug discovery and design against viruses and cancer.

It began in 1994 and I do not see the end yet.

I have two patents for antiviral drugs and one for an anti-cancer drug. There is another one for foot-and-mouth disease virus and now one for coronavirus.

The coronavirus drug has been licensed by Shift Pharmaceuticals, Kansas, USA.

I am collaborating with this company to develop it as an anti-coronavirus drug.

The anti-cancer drug has also been licensed.

The coronavirus drug targets another viral enzyme called helicase (nsp13).

The activity of this enzyme is needed for coronavirus replication.

We, at the University of Missouri, had a patent on helicase inhibitor since 2016.

The drug was then licensed by Shift Pharmaceuticals early March 2020.

It is in pre-clinical trials, but it is hard to predict when the drug will be available in the market since there are many factors involved that we do not control.

You are a professor in which discipline? What do you teach? When does the research happen?

By training, I am a physicist.

I did my PhD in physics from Banaras Hindu University in 1994.

I am a biochemist and virologist now and I teach biochemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

This research on COVID-19 drugs began on February 20, 2020, and we submitted the paper on April 3, 2020. (The study was published in Pathogens, an international, peer-reviewed Open Access journal.)

What are the four drugs you have identified -- Remdesevir, 5-fluorouracil, Ribavirin and Favipiravir  currently used to treat?

Remdesivir is a failed drug for Hepatitis C virus (HCV); it was also tried for treating Ebola, but did not work.

5-fluorouracil is an anti-cancer drug and has also been used against Coxsackievirus and Human Rhino Virus.

Coxsackievirus causes hand foot and mouth diseases (HFMD blisters/ulcers) in children but can also infect adults. Human rhinovirus causes common cold.

Ribavirin has been in clinics for a long time to treat HCV and is still used in low and middle-income countries where they cannot afford the costly treatment of HCV (sofosbuvir).

Favipiravir was approved in Japan as an anti-influenza drug. It is still being used. It has been approved in China and Italy for treating COVID-19.

Why did you think of examining these drugs in particular?

All these drugs are RNA polymerase inhibitors and have shown some inhibitory effect on other viral RNA polymerases in the past.

Are these drugs safe to use for COVID-19 patients?

There is no certainty for any drug against COVID-19, even the much-touted Remdesivir may not be safe.

We suggested that these drugs can work against COVID-19 based on the fact that they bind the RNA polymerase of SARSCoV-2.

RNA polymerase copies the genome of the virus that makes it propagate.

When you bind it, it cant replicate and therefore is a cure against the virus.

You see, all drugs have side effects, but now, given the urgency, these drugs present curative options.

Are they nephrotoxic?

Its really not well-defined. What we do know is that only Ribavirin can be cleared by the kidneys.

How will these drugs be used? Orally or Intravenous?

Remdesivir is given intravenous (IV), others can be given orally and as by IV.

How many months/years away are human trials for these?

Remdesivir and favipiravir are already in clinical trials for COVID-19.

The time depends upon their efficacy. Usually reports appear in 24, 48 or 96 weeks.

To the best of my knowledge 5-FU and ribavirin are not in clinical trials against COVID-19.

The COVID-19 virus can mutate 200 times, a report says. So anything that is used now as medication, can in effect be pretty much useless in a couple of months?

I am not aware of this report. However, all viruses mutate, so it is not surprising. But it is not true that the medication will be useless.

The only time medication is useless is when the treatment is suboptimal or adherence to norms is compromised.

There is no known remedy to stop the mutation in viruses.

They are obligate parasites. They evolve and adopt. HIV is a burning example of that.

If it did not mutate, we would have a permanent treatment against it.

So, how do we stay a step ahead of the virus?

That's hard to answer.

What we need is to continue research and develop treatments that are effective against all coronaviruses.

The best target in my opinion is the RNA polymerase which is the least mutated by the virus.

We must develop treatment for future preparedness.

You are a virologist. Could COVID-19 have been made in a lab in Wuhan as some reports allude?

Yes, viruses can be made in a lab.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 was made in a Wuhan lab.

I do not believe it.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic (a disease that can be transmitted from animals to people or, more specifically, a disease that normally exists in animals but that can infect humans, like plague or anthrax) and I believe that SARSCoV-2, was transferred from animals to humans.

As scientist, I have to see the evidence that the current virus came from a lab.

There is none!

You have been studying coronaviruses for the last 10 years, what are your biggest learnings?

There are too many to put down, but I'll mention a few.

a. Nobody foresaw (including myself) that SARS-CoV-2 will cause a pandemic.

b. RNA polymerases of all coronavirus are conserved and should function in similar fashion. Hence the drugs developed against one coronavirus should work against others.

c. Helicase enzymes of coronaviruses are also conserved and should function in a similar fashion and hence the drugs developed against one coronavirus should work against others.

d. The research support for coronavirus should have been continued, but which was put on the backburner by many government funding agencies. That was pathetic.

e. Animals maintain the ecosystem of nature. They should not be used as a delicacy for human consumption. I guess we will learn from this pandemic.

f. Future emergence of another coronavirus is inevitable.

Why can't the medicines used for SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV be used in COVID-19 because they are also coronaviruses, and why didn't they cause the kind of havoc that COVID-19 is causing?

There are are no approved drugs against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.

There are many factors that can cause the increased pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2, but nobody knows the exact answer to this question.

Scientists are working endlessly to find the answer.

But in simple terms, the current virus has evolved with mutations that make it more deadly than the previous ones.

Is COVID-19 the most virulent virus you have studied so far?

Not really.

The flu pandemic of 1918 was of similar scale.

Do HCQ and plasma therapy work?

To the best of my knowledge, HCQ does not work.

In fact, recently reported results from a clinical trial reported in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that HCQ does not work.

A lockdown cannot go on forever. What is the worst case scenario when it opens? How does one go back to normal?

The worst case scenario is a rebound of the virus.

Life is not going to be what it was.

Life as we know it has changed forever.

The new normal therefore is test, trace and treat.

According to the Center for Disease Control, the 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history. It was caused by an H1N1 virus with genes of avian origin. Although there is not universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, it spread worldwide during 1918-1919. In the United States, it was first identified in military personnel in spring 1918. It is estimated that about 500 million people or one-third of the world's population became infected with this virus. The number of deaths was estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide with about 675,000 occurring in the United States.
Water frogs are in danger of becoming regionally extinct in parts of Turkey, where they are native, due to over-harvesting for human consumption, scientists have warned.

A study has shown the population of Anatolian water frogs fell by around 20 per cent each year between 2013 and 2015 in Turkeys Ceyhan and Seyhan deltas.

Researchers from Ege University, Middle East Technical University, Stony Brook University and the Turkish government, predicted a 90-per-cent chance the frogs would be wiped out in the south-central Cukurova Region by 2050. If harvesting trends continue, they could even be extinct by 2032.

The frog harvesting industry in Turkey, which is about 40 years old, is worth nearly $4m (3.2m) each year. More than 36 million of the amphibians are exported from Turkey annually, mainly to countries in the EU and the USA.

The amphibians are widely eaten in east and southeast Asia, as well as in the US and France. A joint investigation by the Moving Animals group and The Independent in February found that live frogs were being crammed into tubs and sold in street markets in Vietnam.

The new study, published in conservation journal Oryx, said Turkey occupied a precarious position in an "extinction domino" line, in which the pressure to supply frogs could threaten other populations that are currently stable.

Kerim Cicek, one of the authors, said: Declining amphibian populations worldwide could have an irreversible and destructive impact on both natural ecosystems and human welfare. They are integral components of many ecosystems, often constituting the highest fraction of vertebrate biomass.

Unfortunately, the literature on declining amphibian populations and its conservation has increased exponentially each year. We must stop the alarming decline of amphibians before its too late.

However, the solution may not be as simple as banning the harvesting of frogs wholesale. When frog harvest was banned in France and Romania, exports of wild frogs from India and Bangladesh increased, the authors said. When harvesting was subsequently banned in those countries, the problem of declining frog populations was replicated in Indonesia and China  the latter of which is now the largest exporter of frogs.

The average harvest from the Ceyhan and Seyhan delta region is about 327 tonnes annually  about 17 million frogs.

Frog meat being processed for sale at a market in Turkey (Kerim Cicek)

Large-scale collection of frogs also results in habitat disturbance, spread of disease and the introduction of exotic pests and parasites, scientists say. In some cases, the frogs exported live may end up in pet shops and become an invasive species.

It is obvious that unsustainable harvest damages frog populations irrevocably in any part of the world, said Dr Cicek. We can see this in Turkey, but it has also taken place in France, and it is now taking place in the USA, Indonesia, and so on. It is important to ban harvesting or to take other precautions.

The researchers recommended that wild frog harvesting be banned in Turkey during the mating season, and that the hunting and export of frogs weighing under 30g should be completely eradicated.

They also recommended obligatory training for harvesters and the introduction of quotas, or the closure of harvest locations every other year to take pressure off the frog populations. In addition, the authors suggested the Turkish government encourage more people to take up frog farming instead of harvesting from wild populations.
The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland has been urged to review the charitable status of Core Issues Trust, a Christian organisation which campaigners claim promotes "conversion therapy" for gay people.

The National Secular Society (NSS) has written to chief charity commissioner Nicole Lappin, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey and Health Minister Robin Swann over the issue.

In its letter, the NSS wrote: "Given that this practice can cause individuals significant mental health issues and harms society by reinforcing stigmas against LGBT+ people, we believe a clear tension exists between the public benefit requirement and the promotion of 'conversion therapy'.

"Organisations that serve no clear public benefit - or worse, cause harm by actively promoting 'conversion therapy' - risk fundamentally undermining public confidence in the charitable sector."

The society added that a provision which makes "the advancement of religion" a charitable purpose should be re-evaluated.

NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: "Bogus therapies which encourage people to change or suppress their sexuality are harmful and widely discredited. Those promoting them shouldn't enjoy the tax breaks and public recognition that charitable status brings."

The Charity Commission said the letter will be considered in detail.

"The purpose of charity law is not to say if a certain belief is right or wrong. The definition of a charity in law says that you must be established for exclusively charitable purposes," a spokesperson said.

"A purpose must be beneficial, not harmful. If any organisation, including a religious one, requires improper pressure to be placed on people to remain within that organisation against their will, or completely withdraw from society, then there is likely to be more harm than benefit.

"A purpose must also not promote hatred towards others who do not share the same religion. The commission is considering in detail the issues raised."

A spokesman for Core Issues Trust said it would welcome active engagement with the Charity Commission.

"Core Issues Trust supports counselling choice for individuals whether they are from no-faith, other-faith or are Christian believers, who seek to live according to primary, personal values," the spokesman said.

"We look forward to engaging with the commission in respect to the matters raised by the NSS."
DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Submersible Pumps Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global submersible pumps market is currently witnessing strong growth. Looking forward, the market is projected to register a CAGR of around 7% during 2020-2025.



The continually rising demand for oil and gas from industrial, transportation and residential sectors is one of the major factors driving the market growth. Owing to a substantial decline in the availability of oil reserves across the globe, there has been a widespread adoption of submersible pumps to conduct extraction activities in deep-sea reserves.



Furthermore, the growing demand for efficient wastewater and sewage management systems is also providing a boost to the market growth. Resulting from industrial developments and increasing environmental concerns, governments of both the developed and emerging nations are implementing policies to recycle wastewater, manage sewage and provide safe drinking water. Additionally, the increasing usage of the Internet of Things (IoT) for in-depth monitoring, data capturing, and remote access are impacting the market positively.



Other factors, including increasing mining activities, along with advancements in pump and motor designs resulting in lightweight product variants with enhanced operational efficiencies, are also projected to drive the market further.



The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being Atlas Copco, Flowserve Corporation, Grundfos Holding A/S, ITT Gould's Pumps Inc., Kirloskar Brothers Limited, KSB Aktiengesellschaft, Schlumberger, Sulzer AG, Weir Group Plc., Wilo SE, Xylem Inc., etc.



Key Questions Answered

How has the global submersible pump 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 operation?

What is the breakup of the market based on the power rating?

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 submersible pump 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 Submersible Pump Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Type

6.1 Open Well

6.2 Borewell

6.3 Non-Clog



7 Market Breakup by Operation

7.1 Single Stage

7.2 Multi-Stage



8 Market Breakup by Power Rating

8.1 Low

8.2 Medium

8.3 High



9 Market Breakup by Application

9.1 Water & Wastewater

9.2 Mining & Construction

9.3 Pulp & Paper

9.4 Energy & Power

9.5 Food & Beverages

9.6 Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals

9.7 Others



10 Market Breakup by Region

10.1 North America

10.2 Asia-Pacific

10.3 Europe

10.4 Latin America

10.5 Middle East and Africa



11 SWOT Analysis

11.1 Overview

11.2 Strengths

11.3 Weaknesses

11.4 Opportunities

11.5 Threats



12 Value Chain Analysis

12.1 Overview

12.2 Inbound Logistics

12.3 Operations

12.4 Outbound Logistics

12.5 Marketing and Sales

12.6 Services



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis

13.1 Overview

13.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

13.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

13.4 Degree of Competition

13.5 Threat of New Entrants

13.6 Threat of Substitutes



14 Price Indicators



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players



Atlas Copco

Flowserve Corporation

Grundfos Holding A/S

ITT Gould's Pumps Inc.

Kirloskar Brothers Limited

KSB Aktiengesellschaft

Schlumberger

Sulzer AG

Weir Group PLC

Wilo SE

Xylem Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/486iax

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


The Indian government is bowing to the pressure of the masses, and pulls the reins against China. Nearly 60 Chinese Apps are prohibited, including Tiktok, the count in India alone, around 200 million users.

Christoph Hein

Economics correspondent for South Asia/Pacific, based in Singapore.

F. A. Z.

Since the Fighting on the Sino-Indian border line in the Himalayas-Ladakh Region, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives, is the anti-Chinese sentiment in India swollen. Prime Minister Narendra modi, who is politically dependent on Beijing, and tried, contrary to expectations, first, to appease. The heated but the anger of the people on the street only.

The Indian subcontinent, with its nearly 1.4 billion people also provides for Chinese Internet companies, virtually the last big growth market. Around half the population is already online, and their number is growing rapidly. For weeks, there are campaigns to harm China by a switch-Off of the Chinese Apps. Open, however, as "Chinese Apps" include those that are in the hands of mainland Chinese companies, those from Hong Kong, or even those that have been developed by the Chinese?

data security as a justification

Now, the government has adopted in New Delhi a spell against 59 Apps, among them world-renowned networks such as Wechat, UC Browser Alibaba, Shareit and Baidu Map. The Ministry of information technology is not leading however, the war with the neighboring country as a reason for retaliation. It accuses the China-Apps to steal the "user data" and to transfer to servers that are outside India.

"That's what it means to merge this data and its analysis by elements, which are opposite to our national security, and defence of hostile, limited at the end of the day, our national sovereignty and leads to very serious concerns that require immediate Action in a crisis mode", in a statement.

Take the digital future into their own hands.

More

in order for the government to designate similar Concerns, as in the case of the rejection of the tele-communication equipment manufacturer Huawei and the exclusion of Chinese port operators in the overdue Expansion of Indian ports. Indian soldiers had already received a long time ago the command to delete the Chinese Apps like Weibo from their mobile phones.

Already a few weeks ago, India had tightened the laws against Chinese investment. Modes is struggling against an economic crisis that has been exacerbated by the Corona-Virus solid. He hoped to benefit from the trade disputes between the West and China, and campaigned publicly to investors, leaving China and India should come. The Front, which he established in order to Beijing, had provoked China deeply. The anger in China attracts more and more circles: Meanwhile, the Association of Hotel and restaurant operators in Delhi, one of the 3000 member companies belong to, excluded all Chinese guests.

Updated Date: 29 June 2020, 23:20
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXV:CCE)(FSE:D7H) (the "Company" or "Commerce") is pleased to provide an update with respect to its ongoing collaboration with CanmetMINING, focused on beneficiation test work for the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit. Despite disruptions caused by COVID-19 to the test programs, some significant advancements have been made on the flotation circuit.

In recent flotation test work, CanmetMINING - a division of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) - has completed collector screening, an evaluation of mixed collectors, reverse conditioning tests, cleaning stage tests, and a continuous process simulation with a locked cycle test. Further to the initial findings presented in the news release dated March 9th, 2020, CanmetMINING has identified through its test work an alternative reagent scheme and flotation circuit to achieve, and potentially exceed, the target objective of <25% mass pull at >80% recovery. This has also been achieved using one-half to one-quarter of the quantity (kg/t) of reagents utilized in prior test work completed by other metallurgical labs. Previous work has identified reagents as a key area of optimization in the Ashram Deposit's flotation circuit and where significant cost advantages may be found by screening the performance of each pertinent reagent with respect to their consumption and purchase cost.

Through CanmetMINING's test work, improvement in flotation performance has been achieved through a combination of distributed reagent additions, reagent synergism, and reverse conditioning in a very simple and basic flotation circuit. Details of the recent flotation test work will be detailed by CanmetMINING in a paper titled "Mineral Processing Flowsheet Approaches for the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit" at the 2020 Conference of Metallurgists (COM2020) to be held August 24th to 27th in Toronto, ON.

In addition, the Company is pleased to announce that Corem will be partnering with CanmetMINING for certain program components, beginning with multi-gravity testing. Corem is the largest center of expertise and innovation in Canada dedicated to mineral processing. The center provides specialized services and research expertise to exploration and mining companies around the world. In February 2020, approximately 0.4 tonnes of unprocessed Ashram Deposit material was received by Corem; however, shortly thereafter work was paused due operating restrictions related to COVID-19. The work is anticipated to move forward as these restrictions are eased.

The primary objective of CanmetMINING's work on the Ashram Deposit is to identify a key approach to further enhance beneficiation performance by exploring and testing a range of potentially applicable process methods at varying test conditions. These methods are expected to include flotation, gravity separation, magnetic separation, and ore sorting, in addition to several other physical separation approaches.

The funding for the test work is provided by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through CanmetMINING's 6-year rare earth element ("REE") and chromite program, (announced in January 2015), focused on developing new extraction technologies, addressing Canadian regulations, and improving the knowledge of Canadian deposits (www.reechromite.ca). The Company's contribution to the collaboration is a supply of REE mineralized material from the Ashram Deposit, in which several tonnes remain readily available from a bulk sample completed in 2012.

The Ashram Deposit outcrops at surface, allowing for cost-effective collection of material for test work. As such, the Company is actively engaging with various research and academic institutions to support the advancement of the REE industry in Canada, and in Quebec specifically.

NI 43-101 Disclosure

Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a Permit holder with the Ordre des Geologues du Quebec and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

About Commerce Resources Corp.

Commerce Resources Corp. is an exploration and development company with a particular focus on deposits of rare metals and rare earth elements. The Company is focused on the development of its Ashram Rare Earth Element Deposit in Quebec and the Upper Fir Tantalum-Niobium Deposit in British Columbia.

For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email info@commerceresources.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP.

"Chris Grove"

Chris Grove

President and Director

Tel: 604.484.2700

Email: cgrove@commerceresources.com

Web: http://www.commerceresources.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this press release include that CanmetMINING's work on the Ashram Deposit will identify a key approach to further enhance beneficiation performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that CanmetMINING's work may not be successful; changing costs for mining and processing; increased capital costs; the timing and content of upcoming work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumption based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that with further test work may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful and even it tests are successful, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour, equipment and markets for the products produced; and despite the current expected viability of the project, conditions changing such that the minerals on our property cannot be economically mined, or that the required permits to build and operate the envisaged mine can be obtained. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Commerce Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589524/Commerce-Resources-Corp-Updates-Metallurgical-Collaboration-with-CanmetMINING-and-Announces-Partnership-with-Corem-for-the-Ashram-Deposit-Quebec
Kerala on Wednesday said it will increase the price of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) following several states, which have raised alcohol prices sharply to meet the mounting Covid-19 bills and subsequent slowdown in the economy.

The state cabinet has decided to bring an ordinance to this effect.

According to government sources, there will be a hike of 10% in taxes of beer and wine prices, bottles below 600ml will also have a 10% cess and all other categories will see a steep 35% rise in cess.

Follow latest updates on coronavirus here

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to announce the decision later in the evening during his routine press briefing.

Liquor outlets in the state are likely to be opened on May 18, after the third phase of the nationwide lockdown is scheduled to end. Similarly, it is also planning to allow bar hotels to sell liquor in retail quantity.

The government has also decided to introduce virtual queues to avert a possible rush in outletscustomers will be allotted time once they place their order.

This comes after many states had witnessed serpentine queues when outlets opened and at some places, police had to resort to baton charge to disperse the unruly crowd.

In neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the high court had ordered the closure of wine shops and the peeved government had moved the Supreme Court.

Kerala is a tipplers paradise and it comes second in the country after Punjab in terms of per capita liquor consumption.

Click here for complete coronavirus coverage

Statistics show liquor remains one of the highest revenue earners of the stateon an average the government-owned Beverages Corporation sells liquor worth Rs 35 to 40 crore a day and in 2018-19 it sold bottles worth Rs 14,508 crore.

Excise duty on liquor is between 300% and 500% in the statea Rs 100 bottle of rum in the brewery will cost in the market Rs 400-500.
Last month, the US government launched 'Operation Warp Speed' to fast-track the production of a coronavirus vaccine in America.

Details have thus far been very vague, but a governmental official involved in the project has broken down some of the steps to Science Magazine.

The Trump administration is planning to provide unlimited funding and other resources for the eight vaccines that look best so human trials can begin by July.

No candidates being made in China will be considered.

They hope to have 100 million doses available by November 2020 and an additional 200 million by January 2021.

Some vaccine and health experts are worried that Operation Warp Speed will lead to competition, rather than joint efforts, among companies studying possible vaccine candidates.

Operation Warp Speed will provide funding and additional resources for eight vaccine candidates so human trials can begin in July (file image)

All types of vaccines and candidates are being considered except those being made in China, with the hope that 300 million doses will be available by January 2021. Pictured: Medical staff attend to a patient suffering from COVID-19 in the ICU at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, California, May 12

Currently, there are are 105 coronavirus vaccines in development, according to BioWorld.

Of those, about eight have begun testing in humans. But the majority of companies producing the jabs have less than adequate funding, staffers and equipment.

The official, who was authorized to speak to Science on the condition of anonymity, said the idea for Operation Warp Speed came about in early April.

'Looking around, it became clear that, without a really heroic effort, none of the existing efforts to produce vaccine was going to lead us to have vaccine to prevent what looks increasingly like a second wave that could sweep come October, November,' he told Science.

Members will be split into three teams - development, manufacturing and supply - and will be managed by a so-called 'core-team.'

According to the official, Operation Warp Speed is planning to push funding for eight vaccine candidates, which he declined to name.

All the candidates will have to be proven safe and available to be manufactured by the hundreds of millions. By July, the team wants all eight to be conducting trials in humans.

Funding will also be given to animal trials that test the vaccines' safety and efficacy, as well as to facilities for manufacturing the shots.

The official says Operation Warp Speed will consider vaccines being made or researched in other countries, but not in China.

'We can't partner with Chinese companies. That's just not going to happen,' he told Science.

However, experts are worried that this will lead to competition and, if China does develop a vaccine first, it will not be available in the US.

'Duplication only leads to infighting and slowing people down,' Nicole Lurie, the former US assistant secretary for preparedness and response, told Science.

She currently advises the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a non-profit provide funding for coronavirus vaccine efforts.

'The US, and others around the world, should be engaged in this competition against the virus, not against one another,' she said.

And Emilio Emini, a former vaccine developer working with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, say svaccine candidates need to be considered from every country.

'You need to have a global portfolio so that you're not putting all your chips on one part of the roulette table,' he told Science.

Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said he's worried about the anti-vaccine movement, which often complains that shots are distributed without enough testing.

'The White House talks like it's a manufacturing problem but it's not,' he told DailyMail.com in a recent interview.

'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.

'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.'
13.05.2020 LISTEN

A total of one hundred and sixty (160) youth in the Kwadaso Constituency are benefitting from a free vocational training program instituted by the Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Samiu.K Nuamah.

The training institute called the Citizens Vocational Institute (CVI) is situated at Denchemuoso and offers courses in cosmetology and garment making (fashion and cloth designing). It is a Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) accredited facility.

Last week, the first batch of 60 trainees at separate functions due to the outbreak of COVID-19 received their certificates individually from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI).

The next batch comprising of 100 youth will commence training after the lifting of the restrictions on public gatherings having registered already.

The Institute is also enjoying support and partnership from the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), which is an outfit that oversees and coordinates all aspects of technical and vocational education in the country.

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (MP):

Speaking to this reporter, MP for Kwadaso and initiator of the project, Dr. S.K Nuamah expressed delight at the impact of the training project.

He was hopeful that the first batch of trainees would turn out to put the skills they acquired at the school to good use.

This, he noted would offer them self-created jobs as well as avenues for employment of others when they succeed in undertaking the projects they aim to carry out.

Hon Nuamah asked the youth in the locality who are unemployed to take up courses at the training institute just as the first and second batches have done so that they can make their lives count for the Kwadaso community as well as their families.

I am glad that 60 persons in this community who took advantage of the program at the training institute have passed out and the second batch about to do so and I know with skills acquisition the youth in Kwadaso would soon become the most resourceful people in the whole of Ashanti and in Ghana as a whole, Dr. Nuamah noted.

VISION:

Dr. Samiu K. Nuamah popularly called Adwumawura said his vision is to build a vibrant constituency where the youth and the aged would be gainfully employed.

He noted that his priorities are education, health, job creation, and value addition to natural resources in the community.
The Oregon Employment Department has been in disarray since the coronavirus outbreak hit the state in March, swamping the department with hundreds of thousands of new jobless claims.

That was far more than the department could handle, given its relatively low staffing and obsolete computer systems.

The employment department built a backlog of more than 100,000 unprocessed benefits claims and its phone lines were completely jammed as laid-off Oregonians desperately sought access to their benefits.

Tens of thousands of jobless claims remain unprocessed, many dating back more than a month, and the phones remain hopelessly overloaded. The state owes hundreds of millions of dollars to laid-off Oregonians and has given no timeline on when it will clear its backlog.

But the claims backlog is shrinking and the answers to some common questions are becoming clearer. Heres a look at the current state of Oregons unemployment benefits crisis, two months into the coronavirus outbreak:

What went wrong?

There are four fundamental problems:

1. Unprecedented layoffs: Oregon fielded 382,000 jobless claims in the first seven weeks of the outbreak, more than in the prior 90 weeks combined. Its by far the sharpest downturn in state history.

2. Old computers: The employment department processes claims with a computer system from the 1990s, with some components dating to the Reagan administration. The computers werent able to handle the complexity of claims and routinely produced errors. They frequently deny claims they should approve and sometimes make major mistakes affecting thousands of claimants at a time.

3. New rules: Congress expanded the range of people who can receive unemployment benefits during the pandemic, adding contractors and the self-employed. Congress added $600 weekly payments for laid-off and furloughed workers and expanded the length of unemployment eligibility, from 26 to 39 weeks. Congress also provided funding to eliminate the usual one-week waiting period before laid-off workers are eligible for benefits. Implementing those changes took many weeks in Oregon  and some changes have yet to be made. The state has said, though, that it will pay all claims eventually and that benefits will be paid retroactively.

4. Poor communication: The employment department was slow to respond when its systems spat out errors, even mistakes that affected thousands of workers. Despite adding hundreds of staff to process claims, the departments phone lines are as jammed as ever and the state hasnt set up an effective alternative for workers to communicate. The departments director, Kay Erickson, has refused interview requests over the past four weeks as the crisis deepened. Gov. Kate Brown has been mostly silent, except for a brief Twitter apology last month.

Whats being done to fix this?

The employment department had just over 100 claims processors when the outbreak hit. That number now tops 600 and the department ultimately plans to have more than 800 people working on claims. The department is opening a new processing facility in Wilsonville to handle the increased claims volume.

The department finished upgrading its systems to handle claims for self-employed and contract workers, which has helped reduce the backlog. It is also prioritizing claims that date back many weeks, working out problematic issues.

Eventually, the backlog may be at a point the department can start processing claims promptly.

How long does it take to get benefits?

The department said last month that the average delay is three weeks. However, many people have been waiting much longer.

Just how long is the claims backlog?

Oregon has 53,000 unprocessed claims  as of last week, that included more than 6,000 that dated back to March. The backlog log numbers understate the issue, though, because they do not include claims filed by contractors and the self-employed, who are newly eligible for benefits.

Why cant the employment department answer its phones?

While many claims can be filed and processed online, without a phone conversation, many need a follow-up chat to resolve specific details of the claim.

And many properly filed claims are incorrectly rejected by the employment department. Sometimes the employment department can fix those mistakes automatically but confused applicants understandably call for an explanation. Other times, applicants must call in to correct the departments mistake.

All those calls have severely overloaded the departments phone system. The vast majority of calls only get a busy signal. Those that do get through spend an average of two hours on hold  and sometimes several hours more. Most calls are disconnected before being answered, making the situation especially frustrating.

The department says many calls appear to be automatically disconnected at the two-and-a-half hour mark. It tells employees it is investigating why.

The number of people processing claims has expanded steadily during the crisis but its not close to keeping up with demand.

Theres an additional problem: the department began processing claims from contractors and self-employed workers last week through the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. But regular phone operators arent trained to help PUA applicants and the department hasnt set up an alternative.

So workers from those categories may spend hours dialing in hopes of getting through, hours more on hold  and only learn at the end of that time that phone operators cannot help them.

Heres the employments internal guidance on what those workers should do:

Currently the PUA program does not have phones. Please direct claimants with PUA questions to visit our website at https://govstatus.egov.com/ui-benefits/CARES for more information about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). If they still have questions they can email OED_PUA_INFO@oregon.govwith their question.

So why doesnt the department pick an alternative system for connecting with claimants?

The employment department set up an email system early in the crisis but that quickly became overwhelmed, too. Given staffing levels, the department isnt currently considering alternatives, assistant director David Gerstenfeld told The Oregonian/OregonLive last week.

The challenge is that if you create a new avenue without the staffing to work through the claims youre essentially moving the backlog into a different channel, Gerstenfeld said. Thats what we experienced with the email process.

In that conversation, Gerstenfeld said any time the state spends working to improve its communication with claimants slows efforts to expedite the actual payment of claims. So for the time being, Oregon is placing the emphasis on expediting payments.

What should workers do if they cant get through and benefits applications remain unprocessed after many weeks?

The employment department has given no advice for such workers. The department is calling some claimants proactively, but says some do not answer their phone  perhaps because they are concerned the calls are from spammers.

What should laid-off workers do for food and housing while theyre waiting for their benefits?

Many Oregonians have begun receiving $1,200 individual payments from the federal government, money Congress allocated in March for coronavirus relief. That money will run out in a hurry, though, without other sources of income.

So a collection of Oregon nonprofits and political advocacy groups suggested Tuesday that those workers turn to food stamps, and called on the governor to publicize such relief programs to people whose jobless claims are in limbo indefinitely.

Congress approved a 13-week extension for unemployment benefits. For Oregonians whose benefits have expired, when will the extension kick in?

It has taken many weeks for Oregon to adopt the changes Congress authorized in March. The 13-week benefit extension is among those that hasnt kicked in here.

The employment department said Monday it expects the extension to be up and running within the next week and a half.

Are things this bad in other states?

Yes.

This is a distinctly Oregon problem, but not a uniquely Oregon problem.

Florida, Missouri, Texas, California and many other states are struggling to process claims. Many states also use outdated computer systems and some had deliberately set up roadblocks during better economic times to discourage unemployment claims.

Some states, including New York, Illinois and Kansas are using technology from Google and Amazon to improve their performance. Rhode Island used Amazons technology to vastly expand its call center capacity.

Will Oregon run out of money to pay jobless claims?

Not soon.

The state has paid out more than $675 million in benefits  but its unemployment insurance trust fund began the crisis with $5 billion in reserve. It was among the best-funded systems in the nation.

And many of the benefits being paid now are funded by Congress, so they dont drain the states system.

When will Oregon waive the waiting week?

In ordinary times, laid-off workers arent eligible for unemployment benefits until theyve been out of work for a week. Congress provided funding in March to eliminate the waiting week but Oregon initially resisted the change, which it said would require thousands of hours of computer reprogramming  delaying the payment of other claims.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown reversed course in April under pressure from the states congressional delegation and said the state will eventually end its waiting week  but didnt say when. After Browns order, the employment department said waiting week payments will be made retroactively back to the point where Congress authorized them.

Those payments are surely weeks away  and maybe months. The governors office said this week there is no timetable for formally waiving the waiting week.

With more than 380,000 workers seeking benefits, Oregon now owes claimants well over $300 million for the waiting week. Most of that is federal money, the $600 weekly bonus payments Congress funded in March.

The state has until the end of December to complete the upgrade and waive the waiting week. Otherwise, it appears hundreds of millions in federal dollars for Oregon workers will be forfeit.

The governors office said Tuesday it expects to meet that end-of-year deadline.

Oregon received $86 million in federal funds to upgrade its computer systems in 2009. Why didnt that upgrade happen?

As The Oregonian reported in 2013, state audits and an investigation by the newspaper found years of mismanagement and waste. Another audit, in 2015, prompted Brown to replace the departments director.

The computer system upgrade finally began in 2016 but with no great urgency  plans called for its completion in 2025.

What happened to the $86 million in federal funds from 2009?

As of January, Oregon still had $82 million of it.

Oregon is beginning to reopen. If employers call someone back to work, but they dont feel safe, will they lose their unemployment benefits?

Generally, yes. But there are exceptions.

People who have COVID-19, or are subject to mandatory quarantine, or who are caring for someone in quarantine, can still claim benefits. Workers recalled to a business operating in violation of Oregons stay-home order may refuse to come in and can still collect unemployment benefits.

What about businesses whose workers wont come back?

The employment department urges those businesses to report such workers.

Who runs the employment department?

The governor named Kay Erickson to lead the department in 2016. Erickson was previously chief financial officer at the states Department of Consumer and Business Services and previously worked as the states budget manager.

-- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway |

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[May 13, 2020] Sandra Bergeron Joins Sumo Logic Board of Directors

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sumo Logic , the leader in continuous intelligence , today announced the appointment of Sandra Bergeron to its board of directors as an independent board member. The company also expanded its advisory board with the addition of Lisa Hammitt, an artificial intelligence (AI) industry veteran. These additions further help propel Sumo Logics growth and market leadership, to provide the real-time insights to help digital businesses compete in todays Intelligence Economy.

Now more than ever companies are embracing digital transformation and cloud services to better serve their customers, drive productivity for employees, and leverage data intelligence and analytics to be more competitive, said Ramin Sayar, CEO Sumo Logic. Im thrilled to welcome Sandra to the strong operating board and experience we have, and Lisas industry and data science knowledge is very applicable to our business and technology. Their collective expertise will further help Sumo Logic capture the enormous opportunity in front of us as the continuous intelligence category leader. Sandra Bergeron is a security industry veteran, currently serving on the board of directors of F5 and Qualys. She has past experience serving on the boards of ArcSight, Netegrity, Nuance, Sophos, Tipping Point, Trace Security, and Tricipher. Bergeron was selected as one of the most influential board directors in 2019 and has held multiple operating roles. Sumo Logic is at the epicenter of cloud, DevOps, and security, with a significant opportunity to be the de facto analytics platform for digital businesses, and Im excited to help them in this next phase of their journey," said Bergeron. As Sumo Logic continues to invest and expand their security intelligence portfolio and Cloud SIEM offerings, Sandras deep expertise in security will be a fantastic addition to Sumo Logics board, said Chuk Robel, lead independent director for Sumo Logic. I look forward to having her on the team and I think her extensive board experience will be very helpful for the management team and company as we further drive our category leadership and growth.



In addition, the company welcomed Lisa Hammitt as an advisor. Hammitt is currently the Global Vice President of Data and AI at VISA. With more than 25 years of experience in AI and big data, Hammitt brings a strong track record of building $100M+ businesses to Sumo Logic. Lisa currently sits on the board of directors for Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO), Glassbox, and Quantum Thought; she is also an advisor for the University of California San Francisco and the U.S. Department of Defense. She previously held senior positions in AI and data at Salesforce and Hewlett Packard. Sumo Logic is among a handful of innovators pushing the boundaries of operating at scale, solving some of the toughest challenges associated with digital business, and Im thrilled to join the team at these relatively early days in the shift to cloud computing, said Hammitt.

Sumo Logic, a recognized expert in building and operating multi-tenant, distributed cloud systems, is the industrys first continuous intelligence platform to natively ingest, index, and analyze structured and unstructured data together in real-time. Every day the Sumo Logic Continuous Intelligence Platform delivers tens of millions of insights to customers who rely on continuous intelligence across the entire application lifecycle to more effectively build, run, and secure their modern applications. Additional Resources Learn more Sumo Logics Continuous Intelligence Platform

more Sumo Logics Continuous Intelligence Platform Sign up for a Sumo Logic free trial About Sumo Logic

Sumo Logic is a leader in continuous intelligence, a new category of software, which enables organizations of all sizes to address the data challenges and opportunities presented by digital transformation, modern applications, and cloud computing. The Sumo Logic Continuous Intelligence Platform automates the collection, ingestion, and analysis of application, infrastructure, security, and IoT data to derive actionable insights within seconds. More than 2,000 customers around the world rely on Sumo Logic to build, run, and secure their modern applications and cloud infrastructures. Only Sumo Logic delivers its platform as a true, multi-tenant SaaS architecture, across multiple use-cases, enabling businesses to thrive in the Intelligence Economy. Founded in 2010, Sumo Logic is a privately held company based in Redwood City, California, and is backed by Accel Partners, Battery Ventures, DFJ Growth, Franklin Templeton, Greylock Partners, IVP, Sapphire Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Sutter Hill Ventures, and Tiger Global Management. For more information, visit www.sumologic.com. Sumo Logic is a trademark or registered trademark of Sumo Logic in the United States and in foreign countries. All other company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Any information regarding offerings, updates, functionality, or other modifications, including release dates, is subject to change without notice. The development, release, and timing of any offering, update, functionality, or modification described herein remains at the sole discretion of Sumo Logic, and should not be relied upon in making a purchase decision, nor as a representation, warranty, or commitment to deliver specific offerings, updates, functionalities, or modifications in the future. Media Contact

Melissa Liton

Sumo Logic

[email protected]

(650) 814-3882

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BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest developments on COVID-19 in China:

-- The Chinese mainland reported one new imported case of COVID-19 Monday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 1,691.

The new case was reported in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Of the total imported cases, 1,611 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 80 remained hospitalized with three in severe conditions.

-- Chinese health authority said Tuesday that no new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday.

-- A total of 27 patients of COVID-19 were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland Monday.

Altogether 78,171 patients had been cured and discharged from hospitals by the end of Monday.

-- A group of 12 Chinese medical experts have returned to China after aiding the fight against COVID-19 in Ethiopia and Djibouti.

-- South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has donated a batch of medical supplies to the Flying Tiger Historical Organization in the United States to aid its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lees Unified Command Group is coordinating with the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency to provide free, voluntary COVID-19 testing for families and residents at 14 MDHA communities and neighborhoods in Nashville on Thursday and Friday.

Governor Lee directed the UCG in April to expand our COVID-19 testing efforts to test more Tennesseans, said Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP, Tennessee Department of Health. Collaborating with housing authorities in Tennessees metropolitan areas provides the means to get COVID-19 tests to communities whose members are particularly vulnerable to the virus.

MDHA testing locations on Thursday, from 12-6 p.m., CST (except as noted)

Parkway Terrace

Edgehill Apartments

Vine Hill Apartments

Levy Place

Neighborhood Housing

Cayce Place (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

CWA Plaza Apartments (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

MDHA testing locations on Friday, from 12-6 p.m., CST (Except as noted)



Andrew Jackson Courts

J. Henry Hale Apartments

Cheatham Place

Cumberland View

Historic Preston Taylor

Napier Place (10 a.m. to 4p.m.)

Sudekum Apartments (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Medics with the Tennessee National Guard at each MDHA neighborhood site will collect nasal swabs from those who voluntarily agree to a COVID-19 test.



Participants should receive their test results within 72 hours, depending on test processing volume at laboratories. Information will be provided to participants at the testing locations on what they can expect after being tested. This information is also available at: www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/ health/documents/cedep/novel- coronavirus/TestedGuidance.pdf .

UCG has tasked the Tennessee National Guard with a humanitarian mission of supporting state and local agencies in their COVID-19 testing efforts, said Tennessee Adjutant General Jeff Holmes. Since March, Guard personnel have supported COVID-19 testing at county health departments, facilitated drive through testing sites/remote assessment sites across the state, and worked through UCG to provide testing at long-term facilities and State correctional facilities. We continue to prioritize UCGs plans to reduce barriers to COVID-19 testing, especially for vulnerable and minority populations.

Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) staff will be joining the MDHA testing events on Thursday and Friday to provide residents with information on how to apply for TDHSs COVID-19 support programs, including:

- COVID-19 Emergency Cash Assistance, provides two months of cash payments to families whove lost a job or are earning half of their earned income due to COVID-19.

- COVID-19 Essential Employee Child Care Payment Assistance Program, provides payment assistance at licensed child care facilities for essential workers.

- Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), supplements monthly food budgets of families with low-income to buy the food they need and allow them to direct more of their available income toward essential living expenses.

- Families First, provides temporary assistance for those seeking employment with child care, transportation, educational support, and job training. It has a primary focus on gaining self-sufficiency through employment

More information on TDHSs COVID-19 programs is available at https://www.tn.gov/ humanservices.html .

TDHS continues to provide resources for families at all steps of their lives. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have expanded opportunities to support families with resources they need to get through this unprecedented time, said TDHS Commissioner Danielle W. Barnes. Easy access to testing is an essential resource Tennesseans need. By meeting the health and financial needs of families during this time, we are making it possible to continue to build a thriving Tennessee in the future.

Anyone Tennessean with health concerns, or who has concerns about the health of a family member, can obtain a free COVID-19 test any day of the week, at any county health department. Find testing locations at https://www.tn.gov/health/ cedep/ncov/remote-assessment- sites.html .

Governor Lee formed the UCG on March 23, bringing together the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Military, and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to streamline coordination across key Tennessee departments to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
Brazil has recorded its highest daily rise in the number of deaths from the coronavirus, health officials say.



It registered 881 new deaths on Tuesday, the health ministry said. The total death toll now stands at 12,400.



It means Brazil, which is at the centre of the Latin American outbreak, is now the sixth worst affected country in terms of recorded deaths.



And experts say the real figure may be far higher due to a lack of testing in the country.



"Brazil is only testing people who end up in the hospital," Domingo Alves from the University of Sao Paulo Medical School told AFP news agency.



"It's hard to know what's really happening based on the available data," he said. "We don't have a real policy to manage the outbreak."



Mr Alves is one of the authors of a study that estimated the real number of infections was 15 times higher than the official figure.



The number of confirmed cases in the country currently stands at 177,589, officials say. It rose by more than 9,000 on Tuesday and overtook Germany's tally of 170,000.

Source: BBC









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

Featured Video
The onslaught from the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in the international community witnessing all kinds of evil actions that challenge the bottom line of civilization, undermine international order, and jeopardize global solidarity and cooperation. Luckily, this natural disaster has also made the world more determined to work together to overcome difficulties.

Amid the pandemic, China and countries in West Asia and North Africa have supported one another, demonstrating their deep friendship and cherishing the value of a community of shared future for mankind.

Burj Khalifa in Dubai is lit up in the colors of China's national flag.

On Jan. 23, China locked down Wuhan, Hubei province, in a bid to curb the epidemic. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Minister of Iran, tweeted a message in Chinese on Jan. 24, saying "Human beings are members of a whole, since in their creation they are of one essence. When the conditions of the time bring pain to one member, the other members will suffer from discomfort. As a Chinese poem goes Are you not battle-dressed? Let's share the breastplate! Iran stands firmly with China whenever and wherever.

Officials from 23 countries in the two regions have expressed support for China through letters or phone calls.

Not only have countries in these regions including Iran, Turkey, the UAE, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar donated medical masks, gloves and protective clothing to China, but people in West Asia and North Africa have also been cheering on the Chinese nation through videos and songs.

A team of Chinese anti-epidemic experts arrive in Iran on Feb. 29, 2020.

Meanwhile, landmarks in these regions, including the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai; the Citadel of Saladin, Luxor and Karnak Temples in Cairo; the Freedom Tower in Tehran, were illuminated with Chinas national flag to boost the countrys spirits.

On its part, China has remembered the kindness of these countries and returned the favor when the novel coronavirus began spreading rapidly in West Asia and North Africa in the middle of February.

Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke over the phone with the leaders of Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia among others to express his sympathy over the pandemic. "At the most difficult moment in our fight against the outbreak, China received assistance and help from many members of the global community, he said at the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit on March 26, adding that such expressions of friendship will always be remembered and cherished by the Chinese people.

Health experts from China and countries in West Asia and North Africa hold a video conference on the novel coronavirus epidemic on March 27, 2020.

Guided by the vision of building a community of shared future for mankind, China will be more than ready to provide assistance where it can to countries hit by the growing outbreak, Xi pointed out.

He also called on the international community to strengthen its confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective response so that humanity as one can win the battle against this major infectious disease.

Under the principle of building a community of shared future for mankind, the Chinese government, enterprises and organizations have assisted West Asian and North African countries through donations of medical supplies, while experts in China have either been fighting the virus on the frontline or sharing anti-pandemic formulas via video conference, helping locals treat diseases as well as giving people a boost of confidence.

But while Chinas contributions to the cause of human health have largely been acknowledged by the international community, some people, out of ulterior motives, have distorted the truth, discredited China's efforts and even tried to blackmail China.

China hands anti-epidemic supplies over to Sudan at Khartoum International Airport on April 15, 2020.

Under these circumstances, countries in West Asia and North Africa have voiced support for the truth, defended China and upheld justice.

The Egyptian government and people firmly support China and believe that China, an ancient civilization, is capable of defeating the pandemic, said Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of Egypt.

His words were echoed by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, who highly appreciated the strong measures taken by the Chinese government in response to the outbreak, and believed that China will win this battle.

Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran, pointed out that the anti-pandemic measures taken by the Chinese government are impressive and the Iranian government and people are willing to cooperate with China to defeat the disease.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that the war against COVID-19 is one that all of humanity is facing. He expressed admiration for the heroic efforts through which the Chinese people have defeated the outbreak, adding that China has set a fine example for the world, and its unconditional donations of medical supplies to the world have been a great inspiration to the international community.

Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of Mauritania, gave high praise to China at the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held online in May for providing medical supplies to and sharing anti-pandemic experience with the country, and opposed any attempt to discredit the efforts and achievements of specific countries and organizations.

Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of Sudan, said the Sudanese side appreciates China's positive role in promoting international COVID-19 containment cooperation, and opposes any acts to stigmatize any country.

China's anti-virus progress sets an example for other nations and brings hope to their people, said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the UAE, adding that without China's efforts and contributions, the virus's global spread would be much worse than it is.

Ahcene Boukhelfa, Algerian ambassador to China, pointed out that China's support for his country in the fight against the epidemic is a concrete practice of building a community of shared future for mankind.

Despite being threatened by the novel coronavirus and some "political viruses", China, West Asia and North Africa have always supported and helped each other. It is believed that the countries involved will grow closer after the pandemic and strengthen the belief in building a community of shared future for mankind.
The COVID-19 National Trust Fund have so far gathered GH44.9 million.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the fund, Justice Sophia Akuffo, has said.

She was speaking at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday during the presentation by the fund of 10 Cobalt Chevrolet saloon cars and two pick-up vehicles to selected treatment centres, including national public health and reference laboratories, testing centres and the COVID-19 Management Centre.

The beneficiaries are the University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Kumasi South Hospital, the LEKMA Hospital, the Tema General Hospital, the Pentecost Convention Isolation Centre and the Zonal Public Health.

The rest are the University of Health and Allied Sciences COVID-19 Testing Centre, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, the Tamale National Public Health Laboratory and the Central Care Management.

The vehicles were donated to the fund by Mac Autos and Spare Parts Ghana Limited, CFAO Ghana and Auto Parts Limited.

Purpose

Justice Akuffo said the beneficiary organisations would use the vehicles to undertake surveillance, testing, contact tracing, management of cases and related activities in affected areas.

She explained that the board arrived at the decision to present the vehicles to the beneficiary institutions after broad consultations and available data from the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

In addition, the selection took into account the density of the spread and the cluster of the COVID-19 in the affected areas in the country.

She commended the benefactors for their generosity and gave an assurance that all funds and items received would be distributed fairly and transparently.

She further appealed to automobile companies, individuals and corporate entities to donate more 4x4 cross-country vehicles, including ambulances, to help combat and alleviate the impact of the pandemic.

Appreciation

Justice Akuffo expressed appreciation to all individuals, groups and corporate bodies which had donated into the funds accounts at the Bank of Ghana, the GCB Bank and the Consolidated Bank.

She also thanked all frontline workers, especially nurses, doctors, laboratory scientists, technicians and all other workers whose efforts had contributed to the management of the disease in the country, saying: We thank them for their sacrifices and the daily risking of lives in the fight against this pandemic.

Commitment

The Minister of State in charge of the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA), Dr Kwaku Afriyie, said although the fund was set up to augment the efforts of the government to contain and prevent the spread of the disease, the state would not shirk its responsibilities in the COVID-19 fight.

Background

The board was inaugurated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on March 8, 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to mobilise resources, both financial and material, from individuals and corporate entities and disburse them to alleviate the negative impact of the pandemic on Ghanaians.

---graphic.com.gh
By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Over 300 lawmakers from around the world on Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to cancel the debt of the poorest countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and to boost funding to avert a global economic meltdown.

The initiative, led by former U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ilham Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, comes amid growing concern that developing countries and emerging economies will be devastated by the pandemic.

The virus has infected more than 4.2 million people globally and killed 287,349, a Reuters tally showed.

Widespread shutdowns aimed at containing the virus are taking a huge toll on the global economy, and especially poor countries with weak health systems, high debt levels and few resources to manage the dual health and economic crises.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday said the Fund was "very likely" to revise downward its forecast that global output would shrink by 3% in 2020, and said developing countries would need more than $2.5 trillion in financing to weather the storm.

Sanders said poor countries needed every cent to care for their people, instead of servicing the "unsustainable debts" they owe to the large international financial institutions.

Cancelling the debt of the poorest countries was "the very least that the World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions should do to prevent an unimaginable increase in poverty, hunger, and disease that threatens hundreds of millions of people," he said.

The lawmakers welcomed a move by the IMF to cover the debt service payments of 25 of the poorest countries for six months, but said further efforts were needed.

The World Bank has said it will look at ways to expand its support for the poorest countries, but warned waiving debt payments could harm its credit rating and undercut its ability to provide low-cost funding to members.

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In the letter, parliamentarians from two dozen countries on all six continents, said debt service obligations of the poorest countries should be cancelled outright, instead of simply suspended, as agreed by the Group of 20 countries in April.

Failing to do so meant those countries would not be able to prioritize spending needed to fight the virus, which in turn could lead to continued disruption to global supply chains and financial markets, they wrote.

The lawmakers also urged the IMF's Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass to support creation of trillions of dollars of new Special Drawing Rights, the currency of the IMF.

"An issuance of SDRs on the order of trillions of dollars will be required to avert major increases in poverty, hunger and disease," wrote the lawmakers, who span a wide range of political affiliations and include former heads of state.

An SDR allocation is akin to a central bank "printing" new money and does not trigger big costs, but has been opposed by the United States, the IMF's largest shareholder.

Omar said the United States should lead the effort to provide relief to the most vulnerable nations.

"All our destinies are linked. If we turn a blind eye to the suffering of people abroad, it will eventually harm us," Omar said.

Other signatories include former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Argentine lawmaker Carlos Menem, who enacted austerity measures when he served as president in the 1980s and 1990s.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
The true COVID-19 death toll in Britain is more than 60,000almost double the figure claimed by the Johnson governmentaccording to studies based on new data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Yesterday, the government reported another 627 deaths in its daily briefing, taking official fatalities to 32,490. Its figures are compiled by the Department of Health and Social Care and only include deaths where a person has tested positive for COVID-19. Another 3,403 new coronavirus infections were reported, taking total infections to 226,463.

The Tories grossly manipulated official figures are still the highest in Europe and second only to the United States globally. But the ONS reported yesterday that in the week ending May 1, there had been 17,953 deaths recorded in England and Wales8,012 higher than the average of the past five years for the same week. In the six weeks since the pandemic, 108,345 deaths were registered by the ONS for the two countries, 46,494 more than the five-year average. Of these 35,044 were registered as coronavirus deathsseveral thousand higher than the governments own figures.

The Financial Times, which has tracked excess deaths to draw up its own conservative estimate, reported that yesterdays ONS data represented the seventh consecutive week that deaths exceeded normal levels and once equivalent figures from Scotland and Northern Ireland were included, takes total mortality across the UK during the pandemic to 50,979.

It concluded, The FT model now estimates that slightly more than 60,000 more people will have died than normal from the start of the outbreak to May 11, based on the excess deaths to date and the latest daily figures from hospital deaths.

The ONS figures substantiate evidence of the horrific number of deaths in care homes. In the week ending May 1, 6,409 deaths were registered from people in care homes. This is more than three times the normal rate of 2,019 death registrations in England and Wales care homes over the previous five years.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the ONS has recorded 19,900 more deaths in care homes than normal for the time of year in England and Wales. The FT reports, Evidence is growing that the virus became seeded among the most vulnerable and frail and elderly people in social care after hospitals discharged sick people into the care system without being tested for COVID-19 to build capacity in hospitals that was not then needed.

Another national newspaper, The Times, concluded that the coronavirus death toll may already be 61,000  up to 50 percent higher than official figures. Its modelling is also based on the number of excess deaths reported to take into account both direct coronavirus deaths and those who have died because of related reasons, including those who did not seek treatment for other conditions. It concludes that modelling based on excess death figures is the most accurate and show us that abnormally high numbers are dying due to the epidemic, whether directly or indirectly.

The Times calculates that since the pandemic started to May 1 there were 50,976 excess deaths across the UK: 46,556 in England and Wales, 3,716 in Scotland and 704 in Northern Ireland. Because it takes around four days to register death, most of those deaths will have happened by April 27.

Acknowledging that the exact number of deaths of COVID-19 outside hospitals is unknown, and based on the estimate that between 40 and 60 percent of all COVID-19 deaths happen in hospitals, the Times analysis scaled the hospital data up so that it best fits the latest figures for the number of excess deaths.

The newspaper reports, [W]e have conservatively estimated the death toll for the last four days by assuming that it [the death toll in England and Wales] is roughly 60 percent of what it was a week ago. This process was repeated for Scotland and Northern Ireland, which gives us a total of 61,000 excess deaths in the UK.

The Times noted that Our model is also subject to regular revisions: yesterday [Monday] we estimated that todays ONS release would show another 7,000 excess deaths, when in fact the total was 8,000.

According to the Daily Mail, at least 45,550 have died in the UK directly from coronavirus, based on an estimated death rate from infection that could be as high as 1.73 percent. Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia believes that COVID-19 could cause up to 560,000 deaths in the UK if half of the population were infected.

The ONS figures were published as Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the UKs furlough scheme would be extended until the end of October. The government will continue to pay 80 percent of the wages of at least 7 million workers (around a fifth of the entire workforce)in a continuing boon to the corporationsup to a monthly cap of 2,500.

Extending the scheme for four months, Sunak announced that by November we will have provided eight months of support to British people and businesses. The Job Retention Scheme (JRS) is another subvention to big business that has already cost at least 14 billion a month. Sunak noted, We have provided billions of pounds of cash grants, tax cuts and loans for over 1 million businesses, tens of billions of pounds of deferred taxes  What he did not say was that many of the largest corporations, including more than a quarter of the FTSE 250 firms, are also wallowing in this government largesse.

Sunak made clear that the scheme will remain as it is only until the end of July but will be amended from August until the end of October to provide greater flexibility to support the transition back to work. From then, We will ask employers to start sharing with the Government the cost of paying peoples salaries.

The suggestion is that Sunak will then cut the government contribution towards furlough pay to 60 percent, while asking employers to stump up 20 percent out of their own pockets.

After wishing Sunak a very happy birthday in parliament, Scottish National Party Shadow Chancellor Alison Thewliss tweeted in response to Sunaks announcement, After July, it sounds like support under JRS will drop to 60 percent with businesses having to meet the 20 percent. This will be problematic for many businesses who are struggling to survive and building up debt.

It is almost certain that business will refuse to make up the 20 percent shortfall.

Sunak said the government will work out the technical details of implementing part-time furloughing in the days ahead. This has long been insisted on by the Labour Party and trade unions, in their discussions with the government over how to enforce a mass return to work.

In her response, Labour Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds said, I welcome the flexibility mentioned. We have asked for that repeatedly; it applies in many other countries and pleaded, Will the chancellor work with me, trade unions, businesses, local authorities on the scheme.

On behalf of the trade union bureaucracy, Len McCluskey retweeted a message from the Unite union backing the Tories and claiming that Johnsons Thatcher-worshipping government could be relied on to protect workers in alliance with big business. It stated, Well need to look at the detail when published but todays announcement is a message again to employers that the government will stand behind them if they stand behind their workers. There should be no rush to redundancies.

The Trades Union Congress said of Sunaks measures, Crucially, the chancellor answered TUC calls for greater flexibility in the scheme by announcing that, from August, organisations could have furloughed workers back part-time to restart their businesses.
PRAGUE, May 13 (Reuters) - The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria could open their mutual borders as soon as June 8, allowing residents of the three countries to travel between them, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Wednesday.

Babis said the neighbours were thinking about how to open their borders at the start of the summer tourist season after making similar progress in controlling the coronavirus pandemic. Measures to stop the virus spreading have stalled economic activity worldwide.

"I think it could somehow work out that on June 8 or 15, our three countries would open together," Babis said in online interview at blesk.cz news website.

The three are among at least 17 members of the "Schengen" area, where borders are normally invisible between 26 EU and other European countries, to impose emergency controls since March to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Babis said negotiations were not currently underway with Germany, the Czech Republic's biggest trading partner, to lift travel restrictions because the coronavirus situation there was not as stable as in its other neighbours.

The European Union pushed on Wednesday for a safe reopening of borders, while insisting on protective measures such as masks on planes, to try to salvage the lucrative summer season for the ravaged tourism sector as coronavirus infections recede.

Nearly all travel has been halted in Europe, a devastating blow for tourism, which normally contributes almost one-tenth of the EU's economic output.

The Czech Republic, which had reported 8,223 cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday morning with 284 deaths, has eased restrictions in recent weeks to allow travel across the border under certain conditions.

This includes EU business travellers and students as well as some non-EU citizens for seasonal and healthcare work. (Reporting by Robert Muller, Editing by Michael Kahn and Catherine Evans)
The Bahrain Ministry of Health has announced that it has expanded the capacity of its isolation and quarantine treatment centres across the kingdom.

In line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, the Health Minister Faeqa Al Saleh noted that the capacity at isolation centres now stands at 4,257 beds of which 3,218 are currently occupied, and 5,489 beds at quarantine centres, of which 533 are occupied.

The Minister added that the ministry is following a comprehensive national plan initiated by the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), which is continually reviewed and modified based on COVID-19 developments.

The Minister emphasised that the national efforts undertaken by Team Bahrain, led by HRH the Crown Prince, ensures that the health of citizens and residents continues to be the top priority of all wide-ranging medical efforts.

The Minister further emphasised that the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (COVID-19), along with all other relevant authorities, are committed to combating the virus and protecting the health and wellbeing of the community.

On this note, the Minister underscored the importance of continuing to follow all precautionary guidelines and measures to facilitate ongoing efforts to combat the virus and contain viral transmission amongst the community.

The Minister noted that reckless non-compliance of health guidelines has resulted in viral transmission amongst family members and work colleagues.

The Minister concluded by emphasising that personal and social responsibility is needed across the kingdoms community to support national efforts to combat COVID-19, calling on all citizens and residents to vigilantly and responsibly follow all health guidelines and only go out in public when necessary. -- Tradearabia News Service
Vice President of MTN Group for South East Africa and Ghana Region, Ebenezer Twum Asante has called on the public-spirited individuals and organisations to contribute to the ongoing construction of infectious disease isolation and treatment facilities initiated by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund in parts of the country.

Mr. Asante was speaking after a visit to the site of the first of the Funds infectious disease treatment facilities, currently under construction, and nearing completion at the Ga East Hospital.

The Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund expects the project to be completed by the end of May (six weeks after construction began) so it can be deployed as part of the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic to treat critically ill patients. The Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund expects to have similar facilities constructed in Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale after opening the Accra project for use.

After touring the project site, Mr. Asante described the facility as one of the best responses to the Covid-19 outbreak in Ghana.

He said: When a crisis like we have today comes up, it is also a clarion call for things to be done differently, for structures to be put in place and I want to believe that at the end of the day, this project will also be one of the things that we can all look back on and say, we didnt waste the Covid-19 crisis; out of the COVID-19 crisis we got this Isolation Centre, professionally ran to serve the needs of Ghanaians.

Mr. Asante, who is a Trustee of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund, appealed to Ghanaians to contribute to the completion of the project and the construction of similar facilities in other parts of the country.

No matter how big or small your contribution may be please come on board, he said.

What is most important is the thought behind it and the impression we want to leave behind and also to leave a strong legacy out of this Covid-19 so that in future, should we experience any pandemic the country will be well prepared to contain the situation.

The Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund is an initiative by private business people who set it up with a seed fund of One Million Ghana Cedis, while campaigning to raise at least One Hundred Million Ghana Cedis from local and international businesses as well as the general public to aid the fight against Covid-19 in Ghana. For more information on how to donate/contribute, please visit: www.ghanacovid19fund.com

Watch video here:
A Stratford, Conn. man was arrested Tuesday morning by Massachusetts State Police, who stopped a speeding sport utility vehicle and ended seizing an illegally-owned handgun and narcotics from the driver, whose 5-year-old son was sleeping in the backseat.

Anthony Oliver, 28, of Stratford, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, carrying a loaded firearm, wanton and reckless child endangerment, trafficking in cocaine, possession of Ecstasy, resisting arrest, speeding and a marked lanes violation.

According to Massachusetts state police, at approximately 3:40 a .m., Trooper Kurt DAngelo of the K9 Unit was patrolling I-290 eastbound in Marlborough when he clocked a Volkswagen Atlas traveling more than 20 mph faster than the posted 40 mph speed limit in that area of that highway.

The Atlas then took the ramp onto I-495 northbound. While on the ramp it partially crossed over the solid white line on the passenger side. DAngelo activated his emergency lights and stopped the SUV in the breakdown lane.

A check of the SUV, which had New York plates, indicated it had been rented from Avis rental cars. Further investigation indicated that the driver, identified as Oliver, was not the man who had rented the vehicle, and further revealed that the vehicle was supposed to have been returned to Avis by Monday afternoon.

A male front-seat passenger was also in the SUV and DAngelo observed a young male child sleeping in the rear seat.

Trooper Justin Antoon responded to the scene to assist, and, after observing suspicious and nervous behavior by Oliver, the troopers removed him from the drivers seat.

Once outside the SUV, Oliver continued his nervous and erratic behavior, state police said.

While conducting a pat frisk of Oliver, DAngelo found in his left pocket a clear tube filled with a substance believed to be marijuana and rolling papers.

Oliver then ignored commands to keep his hands on his car and thrust his right hand into his right pants pocket. state police said in a release.

Both troopers then grabbed Olivers arms to gain control of him and remove his hand from his pocket. The suspect began to flail and kick and was attempting to remove what appeared to the troopers to be a hard object from his right pocket.

In fear for their safety, the troopers brought Oliver to the ground and secured and handcuffed him. Trooper Antoon then removed a small silver revolver from Olivers right pocket. The firearm was identified as a Clerke .32 caliber Smith & Wesson with five cartridges in the cylinder.

Meanwhile, the passenger was becoming unruly and hanging out of his window; other troopers responded and removed the passenger, who was searched for weapons or contraband with negative results.

While searching the SUVs rear cargo compartment, troopers located a zipper pouch containing an additional twenty-six .32 Smith & Wesson cartridges, as well as cellophane packaging containing a large quantity of a powdery white rock-like substance believed to be cocaine or fentanyl.

A further search of the vehicle led to the discovery of six pink star-shaped tablets believed to be Ecstasy.

Oliver was transported to the State Police-Leominster Barracks, where he arrested.

A trooper transported the young boy to the barracks. Further investigation revealed that Oliver has full custody of the child. A family member responded to the barracks and took custody of the child. Troopers contacted Connecticuts child welfare agency and notified it of the arrest so appropriate intervention can be made for the childs well-being.

The passenger was not charged. The SUV was towed and impounded from the scene.

Oliver was held and arraigned in Marlborough District Court.
Leading US airlines do not plan to force passengers to wear medical masks in flight and will focus on their sense of responsibility, CNN reported referring to copies of the new instructions of air carriers intended for flight attendants and pilots.

"Separate memos obtained by CNN that American Airlines (AAL) sent to its pilots and flight attendants show that customers may be denied boarding for not wearing a mask. But once on the plane "the face covering policy will become more lenient" and "the flight attendant's role is informational, not enforcement," the pilot memo reads. It was first obtained by Reuters," CNN reported.

An American Airlines flight attendant memo describes how they should deal with customers who do not comply with the policy: "Please encourage them to comply, but do not escalate further. Likewise, if a customer is frustrated by another customer's lack of face covering, please use situational awareness to de-escalate the situation."

United (UAL) makes exceptions for a variety of reasons including medical conditions. Its policy also points to avoiding confrontation.

According to their statement, "if for some reason this policy causes a disturbance onboard, we've counseled our flight attendants to use their de-escalation skills, and they do have the flexibility to re-seat customers on the aircraft as needed."

JetBlue (JBLU) suggests workers at airports tell customers: "to help keep us all safe, customers and crewmembers are now required to wear face coverings." According to the airline, there will be "challenges" in enforcing its policy.

Passenger traffic in the US fell by almost 95% due to the pandemic.

An outbreak caused by a coronavirus disease was recorded at the end of 2019 in Central China and spread to most countries. The World Health Organization recognized it as a pandemic on March 11. All countries and territories were forced to take various emergency measures of a sanitary and epidemiological nature, which led to a deep international economic crisis. According to the IMF forecast, a decline of 3% will be recorded in the global economy this year.
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough has filed a police report on 457th state District Judge candidate Eric Yollick after allegedly catching The Woodlands-based attorney egging his car in the county parking garage in March.

Keough declined to comment on the incident which was initially reported to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office but has since been referred to Conroe Police Department.

Conroe Police Sgt. Jeff Smith confirmed Tuesday the case has been assigned to a detective and is under investigation.

YOLLICK: Montgomery Co. judge candidate faces backlash after removing candidate door hangers

Several attempts to reach Yollick for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful.

According to Keoughs Chief of Staff Jason Millsaps, the incident happened March 27 as Keough was leaving his county office in the late afternoon in downtown Conroe. When Keough approached his vehicle Millsaps said, he saw Yollick throw the egg at his Lexus SUV.

Millsaps said Keough contacted law enforcement officials at the time of the incident and was told there was a two-year statute of limitation on such a crime. Keough, he said, opted to wait since the situation with the new coronavirus was pressing and demanding a great deal of his time.

According to Texas law, vandalism offenses like egging a car are charged as criminal mischief. If the loss is less than $100 or causes substantial inconvenience the crime is a class C misdemeanor and punishable by a $500 fine. If the loss is more than $100 but less than $750, it is a class B misdemeanor and punishable by up to 180 days in jail and fines up to $2,000. If the loss is more than $750 but less than $2,500 it is a class A misdemeanor and punishable by up to 1 year in jail and fines of up to $4,000. If the loss is $2,500 or more but less than $30,000, that is a state jail felony and punishable by up to 180 days to 2 years in state jail and fines up to $10,000.

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Officials with the Texas State Bar could not confirm they had received any complaints about Yollick noting the disciplinary process was confidential.

Yollick, who lost a bid for the 9th state District Court bench in 2016 to former prosecutor Phil Grant, is not a stranger to controversy. In February, video emerged on social media showing him removing door hangers of other candidates from homes in The Woodlands.

At the time, Yollick was in a five-man race for the newly created 457th state District Court bench, with Bruce Tough, Vince Santini, Robert Kasprzak and Chris Buck.

In several different videos, Yollick, who is running for the 457th state District Court bench, is captured by doorbell cameras removing door hangers of candidates, including U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, crumpling them up and putting them in his pocket. Yollick then places his political hanger on the door and leaves.

Yollick, who said he removed several door hangers while block walking, took to Facebook and explained the reason he did so was because the hangers were tattered.

However, the door hanger videos didnt seem to affect Yollick in the March Republican primary and Yollick will face Santini in the rescheduled July 14 Republican runoff. Yollick garnered 21,662 (37.53 percent) votes over Santinis 14,468 (25.07 percent) votes.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
By PTI

AHMEDABAD: A special flight from Manila carrying 139 Indian students stranded in Philippines due to the travel restrictions landed at the Ahmedabad airport on Tuesday morning, the Gujarat government said.

These students from the state had gone to Philippines for higher studies and got stuck there due to lockdown.

A release from the Gujarat government said "139 students were evacuated from Manila, the capital of Philippines. They reached the Ahmedabad airport on Tuesday morning in a special flight."

After their arrival, they were sent to their respective districts where they will be kept under institutional quarantine for 14 days, it said.

State authorities earlier announced that nearly 1,000 students hailing from Gujarat will be brought back from different countries.

The Union government recently started the 'Vande Bharat Mission' to evacuate Indians stranded in different parts of the world due to travel restrictions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
India and Denmark on Tuesday discussed the threat posed by COVID-19 to a globally connected world and vowed to jointly fight the pandemic by exchanging information on medical research, testing kits and development of vaccines. The two countries also deliberated upon the challenges posed by the "deep global economic crisis" caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held his first virtual joint commission with his Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod and reviewed bilateral ties.

This was the third India-Danish Joint Commission Meeting (JCM). The two ministers noted that the pandemic is posing a significant threat to a globally connected world and forcing countries to restrict travel and interaction, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said.

"Both sides agreed to jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic by agreeing to share best practices and exchange information on medical research, testing kits and development of vaccines," the statement said.

Jaishankar and Kofod welcomed the dialogue between the Statens Serum Institute in Denmark and the office of the principal scientific adviser in India. They noted that the challenges of a deep global economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic also creates new opportunities for green transition and provide a new sustainable way forward for societies of the two countries creating new jobs and growth, the MEA said. India and Denmark are well placed to take full advantage of such development and show global leadership, it said. Jaishankar said discussions strengthened focus on clean technology, urbanisation, renewable energy, green solutions and food processing.

"Did my first virtual Joint Commission today. Couldn't be with a better counterpart - FM @JeppeKofod of #Denmark," Jaishankar tweeted. "Would encourage colleagues in other countries to follow suit." "A productive review of our ties. Strengthened focus on cleantech, urbanisation, renewable energy, green solutions and food processing. And an even stronger political partnership," he added.

The two ministers agreed to work towards establishing a "green strategic partnership between India and Denmark building on existing green and sustainable collaborations under the Joint Commission, which would focus on areas such as climate change, energy, circular economy, water, sustainable food and agriculture, the MEA said. Close government-to-government cooperation has already been established in water, urban development and animal husbandry and dairy, it said.

In renewable energy, a new five-year India-Denmark Energy Partnership can build on the existing strong cooperation, the statement said. Both ministers discussed the growing participation in the International Solar Alliance and Denmark expressed its interest in joining this alliance at the earliest. The ministers reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and noted that the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2019 and the 400-year anniversary of the establishment of the first trading post by Denmark in Tranquebar are being commemorated through various events and programmes.

They agreed to hold Foreign Office Consultations during the second half of 2020 to discuss bilateral relations and issues of regional and global importance and a Policy Planning Dialogue to promote sharing on strategic and global trends of mutual interest at a mutually convenient date in the near future. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the progress made in the 8 Joint Working Groups (JWG) - on Renewable Energy, Environment, Agriculture & Animal Husbandry, Food Processing, Labour Mobility, Sustainable and Smart Urban Development, Science & Technology and Shipping.

It was also discussed that the recently constituted Joint Working Group on Digitization would meet soon, the MEA said. Both sides also explored the possibility of establishing a Joint Working Group on Health to facilitate closer cooperation between the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors, including institutional collaboration and joint research. The ministers recognised that there is immense potential for further expanding trade and investments, facilitating wider business-to-business contacts, and intensifying trade promotion and ease-of-doing-business activities, the MEA said.

They agreed that a focus area could be green technologies promoting innovative solutions in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and both sides emphasized the urgent need to increase and facilitate more activities and linkages in these areas, it said. Both sides discussed the importance of innovative use of online and virtual interaction to ensure continuity of diplomatic and political contacts.

Jaishankar and Kofod expressed views on multilateral issues in this context and shared the common position that there is a need to further strengthen multilateralism and work together to ensure those international organizations like the UN and WHO are strengthened and function effectively.
In a court filing, the FBI revealed the name of an official at the Saudi embassy long-suspected to have directed support to two 9/11 hijackers. The release of the officials name was a mistake, reports Michael Isikoff, a "flabbergasting" slip-up that belies nearly two decades of efforts by U.S. administrations to conceal the extent of Saudi involvement in Americas worst terror attack.

This shows there is a complete government cover-up of the Saudi involvement, said Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the 9/11 families whose father was killed in the attacks. It demonstrates there was a hierarchy of command thats coming from the Saudi Embassy to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs [in Los Angeles] to the hijackers.

Still, Eagleson acknowledged he was flabbergasted by the bureaus slip-up in identifying the Saudi Embassy official in a public filing. Although Justice Department lawyers had last September notified lawyers for the 9/11 families of the officials identity, they had done so under a protective order that forbade the family members from publicly disclosing it.

Now, the bureau itself has named the Saudi official. This is a giant screwup, Eagleson said.
Sara Mahaffy, U.S. Equity Strategist at RBC Capital Markets

By John Jannarone

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted companies to take extraordinary measures, including actions and statements that demonstrate their commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters, according to Sara Mahaffy, U.S. Equity Strategist at RBC Capital Markets, the investment bank within Royal Bank of Canada.

I think the crisis has brought treatment of employees into the spotlight, Ms. Mahaffy said in an interview with CorpGov. Companies are trying very hard to demonstrate commitment to ESG principles.

Ms. Mahaffy recently co-authored RBCs latest ESG Scoop, which identified which ESG-related issues that have been in focus during reporting season. The report found that sectors including staples and financials stood out, with a number of companies increasing compensation for onsite employees and enhancing benefits including paid leave.

RBC also found that inflows to a scrubbed universe of active & passively managed sustainable equity funds hit new highs in the first quarter and were on track for a strong April. ESG fund inflows were surging pre COVID and have held up through recent volatility, Ms. Mahaffy said.

Performance has also been strong in the ESG universe. 55% of fundamental, actively managed sustainable equity funds have beaten their benchmark so far this year, Ms. Mahaffy said.

Even for companies have been forced to lay off employees, there has been an emphasis on providing benefits to help people and their families weather the storm and demonstrate that senior management was willing to make sacrifices.

We have seen a number of corporates emphasize how they are maintaining health care benefits during furlough periods and also have seen them reduce executive and BOD compensation, the report said. We also noticed some examples where Consumer Discretionary companies initially tried to maintain pay through closures.

Story continues

The immediate concern around employee well-being may have temporarily prompted companies to shift focus away from the E in ESG. Separately, focus on environmental initiatives has taken a back seat in commentary as companies address the immediate impacts from covid-19 in their releases, the report said. But we did find 9% of S&P 500 companies announcing new environmental/other sustainability initiatives or recommitting to previously announced ones. Announcements have been most common within Utilities and Financials.

Contact:

www.CorpGov.com

Editor@CorpGov.com

Twitter: @CorpGovernor
Most importantly, though, it gave us a few minutes to exhale. It allowed us to release the tension that has been building up inside us for weeks. It gave us a much-needed reprieve from the anger, fear and disappointment that consumes us  but only if we were open to it. Obviously, not everyone was.
WSU Joins Statewide Sew Your True Colors Campaign to Benefit Frontline Health Care Workers

May 13, 2020

OGDEN, Utah  Weber State University will join all of Utahs institutions of higher education in coming together to support ProjectProtect, a grass-roots initiative to produce 5 million medical-grade masks to address the national shortage of personal protective equipment.

The collaborative effort between University of Utah Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Latter-day Saint Charities, several Utah nonprofits, and tens of thousands of volunteer sewers across the state already has produced more than 3 million masks to protect frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, universities, colleges and technical colleges are rallying together to take the project across the finish line. They are launching a Sew Your True Colors campaign, asking their campus communities to sew masks using thread in the color of their institution. When frontline caregivers use these masks, they will know that Utahs higher education community supports them.

"With Weber State University's leadership role in educating health professionals, we know Wildcats are especially determined to protect frontline workers, said Weber State University President Brad Mortensen. I'm proud to ask our entire Weber State family to join together in this life-saving effort."

Volunteers can sign up starting today at ProjectProtect.health and then pick up their kits of 100 masks at one of six donation sites from Harrisville to St. George. The kits contain all materials needed except thread. Sewing volunteers are encouraged, but not required, to use their school colors and sew the school spirit into the mask. Masks will be returned on Saturday, May 30 at the same location as pickup.

On Saturday, May 16, school mascots will be at the different drop-off sites to encourage volunteers to register for another kit to Sew Your True Colors.

To produce masks, volunteers will need a sewing machine, thread, scissors and pins, but they do not need a high level of sewing skill. Detailed instructions will be provided. Each kit will include 100 masks, and, depending on the level of experience, each mask should take five to 10 minutes to sew, for a total of 10 to 15 hours over 11 days. Many volunteers have engaged their entire family to pin, cut and sew. Others have divided the 100 masks between neighbors, families and friends.

I am overjoyed to see all higher education institutions in Utah coming together to support our medical workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, including some of our very own alumni, in this time of great need, said Harris H. Simmons, Chair of the USHE Board of Regents. By working together, we can reach the goal of producing 5 million medical-grade pieces of PPE through this meaningful effort."

For a link to photos of Waldo sewing and modeling his mask, click here.

For a link to a 20-second video of Waldo doing his part to sew a mask, click here.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.
New Delhi: Riddhima Kapoor Sahnis entrepreneur husband Bharat Sahni recently posted a wonderful throwback picture of them with Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and his parents Balram and Indu Sahni. It was a Mothers Day special post dedicated to 3 strongest women in his life  his mother Indu, mother-in-law Neetu Kapoor and wife Riddhima. It is an unseen family picture and appears to be taken in the early 2000s. The Kapoors and the Sahnis are all smiles for the camera.

Happy Mothers Day to the 3 strongest Women in my life! Truly blessed to have youll, Bharat captioned his post, adding heart emojis.

Bharat has constantly been sharing memories of his father-in-law Rishi Kapoor on Instagram. He also paid his tribute to the veteran actor with a heartwarming post. Will never forget the love you gave me. Youve taught me so much in the little time I had with you. Simply broken today. Lost for words. Love you and will miss you a lot. RIP Papa, he wrote.

Here are the other pictures he shared:

Rishi Kapoor died on April 30 in Mumbai. He battled Leukemia for two years. Riddhima is currently in Mumbai with her daughter Samara. They, however, could not reach Mumbai for Rishi Kapoors funeral due to lockdown restrictions.

Rishi Kapoors prayer meeting was organised on Tuesday with only family and close friends in attendance. Riddhima paid tribute to her father by sharing these pictures from the puja.

Rishi Kapoor is survived by Neetu, Riddhima and actor son Ranbir Kapoor.
Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Transport, Tourism, and Sport, Deputy Marc MacSharry has called on the government to outline how it plans to avoid backlogs and delays for learner drivers awaiting a driving test.

Deputy MacSharry explained, In 2016, there were over 114,000 driver tests conducted in Ireland, meaning that on average 9533 driver tests were conducted each month. Driver testing has been suspended since March of this year, meaning that learner permit holders have been unable to sit their driving tests for about 8 weeks now.

Given the average number of tests administered each month, we can assume that about 19,000 people will have missed out on their driving test in the last two months alone. When you consider that even without this backlog the average wait time for a driver test was already 5 weeks, learner drivers could be looking at very long waits to sit their test.

This has serious ramifications for people living in rural Ireland. Learner drivers caught driving without a fully qualified driver in their vehicle now face fines, penalty points and automatic vehicle seizure. Driving is the only means of transport available to many of our citizens to get to work, school, or for grocery shopping.

The young people of Ireland have already been asked to make considerable sacrifices to fight the spread of Covid-19, and many are facing into considerable uncertainty in terms of school, work and other aspects of their life. I do think the Department needs to begin examining options to alleviate the backlog of driver tests, such as hiring additional driving test instructors, concluded Deputy MacSharry.
Over 400 healthcare workers in the national capital have been affected by the novel coronavirus till date, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday.

Interacting with reporters, he also said that the 20 COVID-19 fatalities reported on Wednesday, took place over a period of time, and were based on death summaries sent by hospitals to health department authorities in the last few days.

Nearly 8,000 people in Delhi have tested positive so far, while 106 people have died of the coronavirus infection.

"Over 400 healthcare workers have tested positive so far for COVID-19," Jain told reporters in response to a question.

Delhi has reported 20 more fatalities due to COVID-19.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Wednesday mounted to 7,998 with 359 new cases.

In a bulletin issued on Wednesday, the Delhi health department said these 20 deaths reported took place in April and May as per case sheets received from hospitals and audited by the COVID-19 death committee



"These 20 fatalities have been reported based on the death summaries sent by hospitals," the minister said.

Asked if any guidelines have been issued for public offices, he said standard protocols of social distancing, wearing of masks and regular washing of hands are being followed.

On reopening of industries, Jain said among the main industrial areas, majority of them have started operations, but there have been issues due to the lockdown.

On the announcement of a economic stimulus package by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, he said, details are yet to emerge for Delhi.

On the fourth phase of lockdown coming into effect from May 18, Jain said, on the call of the chief minister, a large number of suggestions have been sent by people on what sectors should see easing out of restriction norms, and "we will think over it".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Editors Guild of India on Wednesday condemned the slapping of sedition charges on an editor of a Gujarati portal and an English Daily journalist being asked by the Delhi Police to join the probe into Tablighi Jamaat leader Maulana Saad's audio clip, saying the state and central governments should desist from misusing the law to threaten free press.

In a statement, the Guild said it notes with concern a growing pattern of misuse of criminal laws to intimidate journalists in different parts of the country.

The Guild first highlighted the incident of Dhaval Patel, editor and owner of a Gujarati portal, 'Face of Nation', being booked for sedition and detained by the state police on May 11 for publishing a report suggesting the possibility of a leadership change in the state due to criticism over rising coronavirus cases.

Patel was charged with sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and with spreading false panic under Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act (DMA).

This is a misuse of special laws, besides sedition and IPC, the Guild said.

The second instance of "egregious and high-handed action" has come from Delhi Police, it said.

"On May 10, the Delhi Police sent a notice to Mahender Singh Manral, Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, through the City Editor and Chief Reporter, The Indian Express, requiring the journalist, who had reported that police investigations found the possibility of the audio clip of Tablighi Jamaat leader, Maulana Saad, being doctored, to join a probe on this matter on May 10," the statement said.

"While Manral wasn't charged under any law, he was threatened that failure to join the probe could result in legal action under Section 174 of the IPC with punishment of a prison term and fine," it said.

The Guild said this appears to be a little more than a fishing expedition to try and extract the journalist's source and, thus, warn other reporters.

Asserting that these instances of police action in Gujarat and Delhi are deeply disturbing, the Guild said the government and the police must recognise that the media is an integral part of the governance structure in any democracy.

The Guild condemns these actions and asks the state and central governments to desist from misusing the law to threaten the free press, the statement said.

The Press Club of India (PCI) also hit out at the Delhi Police's action in the incident involving The Indian Express journalist.

"We stand in solidarity with our journalist colleague and urge a consolidation of support from the media and the general public on this vital issue," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Saudi Arabias General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has signed an agreement with Road Side Mosques Association aiming to finance the construction of a mosque for employees of the authority on one of the vital highways.



The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Jamal bin Abdullah Al-Fuwaires, Assistant to the President for Support Services, GACA, and Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Issa, CEO of Road Side Mosques Association (RSMA), reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA).



The memorandum required RSMA to provide GACA with work stages approved by the supervising authority periodically, installing a camera at the work site and providing it with the authority to enter the site and follow-up on the work progress.



This is in addition to placing a temporary signage during the implementation stages of the project, and a permanent signage after the official opening the mosque with the logo of the association and GACA.
"Never let a crisis go to waste" is the motto of the ghouls who populate the modern Democrat party, those eager exploiters of misery. The party that supported slavery and welfare policies that lure and trap the poor into multigenerational poverty now wants to crash the economy and impoverish a majority that they think will install and keep them in power permanently.

Now the donkeys are congratulating themselves over what they call, without a trace of irony, the "Heroes Act" (as if illegal aliens and lobbyists, among the many of their special interests that rewarded in it, are heroes).

It's all about propaganda, for Mitch McConnell has announced that it has "no chance" of passing the Senate. The Dems want to castigate Republicans for voting against help for heroes, which makes it crucial to point out all the stink bombs lurking in the 1,800+ pages of the $3-trillion bill.

Senate Republicans are compiling the outrageous provisions of the bill, and so are others.

Last night, Tucker Carlson took six minutes to explore these and other outrages:

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:

Tantamount to law and in fact, it has been. Just how wise is a man making these laws? Is he rooted in science? We will let you decide in just a minute. But first no matter how long these lock downs do go on we are starting to see the outlines of the damage they cause so far. A recent working paper released, and more than 40% will be gone forever and those Jobs will never come back even once all government restrictions are lifted. Now if that turns out to be true, and of course we hope it isn't, but if it is that would mean nearly 14 million Americans would be languishing in long-term unemployment. For perspective, during the Great Recession of 2008, whose effects we feel even now, job losses peaked at 10 million. So this is an unprecedented Disaster for American families. What we are living through. And it's compounding what was already there. Thanks to a series of ugly changes, many people were stuck in Jobs with lower pay and fewer benefits than the ones they lost a decade ago. Millions have no savings and are suffocating beneath the mountains of student debt and credit card debt. This was already a country with declining life expectancy and growing equality in the Coronavirus pandemic accelerated those trends. So our main job before anything else is to fix that damage. Everything depends on fixing it. So that is the sad backdrop to the House of Representatives and new 18 page Coronavirus relief bill which was released today. Anything our Congress does at the moment must first and foremost prevent ordinary people from slipping beneath the waves. In a statement today >> Nancy Pelosi assured voters that her bill come this bill, will do just that.

>> We can all agree that we can open air economy as quickly as we can but we must do so based on science and data. We must do so in a way that reaches all Americans in a way that addresses the disparities that we have seen, so that we can assess the full extent of the Coronavirus and defeat it. We all know that we must put more money in the pockets of the American people. But it is also a stimulus to the economy. Direct payments, unemployment insurance, mortgage help and food and student loan assistance among other things are essential to relieve the fear that many families are facing.

>> Tucker: Among other things, speaker Pelosi just said. What are those things? First thing to know about this bill is that it's big, maybe the biggest piece of legislation ever proposed in U.S. history. The estimated price tag for everything in this bill is $3 trillion which is close to 90% of the nation's entire annual tax revenue. Keep in mind that key comes close on the heels of the last Coronavirus relief bill which cost about $2 trillion. Of course our usual annual spending is there. Altogether that's an awful lot of expenses and everything will dollar will have to be borrowed because there aren't any left. When the smoke has cleared from all of the spending, only China will have bailed us out. China has the strongest balance sheet in the world. At that point, it will be there vessels. We spend all day reading Pelosi's bill to find out. Too few have done that, we did. Here's what we found. First and most glaringly relink the last thing we need is more illegal low-wage of what labor from abroad. But this goes out of the way to supply illegal immigrants with billions of taxpayer dollars. According to House Democrats, illegal immigrants must have a right to have the $1200 checks that American citizens received in the last bill. They also received the same direct payments as American citizens going forward. That's a group that's not even allowed to be here. And then the bill contains an amnesty provision for the duration of the Coronavirus crisis. That's something we would like to cease extended a very long time, all illegal immigrants employed in so-called essential services would be shifted from deportation. Their employer would be shielded, too. People who hire illegal aliens would not be prosecuted. They are critical to providing medical care for the rest of us. Current essential workers as they are defined in this bill is in fact an enormous category that spans almost every part of the American economy. It includes employees in food services, laundry, waste management, child care, agriculture and restaurants. As well as any retail worker in America who works at a location that sells food or beverages. This is a blanket amnesty for virtually every illegal alien who has already taken an American job and once the amnesty is granted it will never be taken away. That on that, no matter what they tell you. Anyone who lives in Washington can confirm that. Once past, it's not going away. At that point there will be no more debate about illegal immigration and the issue will be settled permanently. Democrats will win every presidential election for the rest of your life, the rest of your children's lives and that's the point of this. But the bill keeps going from there. The bill would extend current Visas and the Democrats could call this bill the heroes act. They are telling you it will help health care workers. As of tonight thousands of American health care workers are being furloughed from their Jobs or fired entirely. This bill remarkably orders DHS to expedite Visa processing for foreigners who want to come to the U.S. And W health care. Got that? American health care workers laid off and now they could be replaced by foreigners willing to work for less. We don't have to guess if that will happen, it's happened throughout American industries. Under this bill it would happen to our health care systems as well. Sorry unemployed Americans, better get used to drawing a government check. Then there is a long section in this legislation about drugs, the bill is strongly in favor of drugs probably because when you are high you are less likely to think or worry about what else is in the bill. The bill mentions cannabis 68 times. In order for the federal government to produce an annual report, expanding access to financial services for minority owned and cannabis owned majority businesses. People are calling you a racist and, it orders all federal agencies to the greatest extent possible to hold deposits in minority owned banks. Okay, fine. But what is the pandemic and our response to it have to do with race Politics? Stupid question. The Democratic Party will comic party, everything has to do with race Politics all the time. It's a primary way they get and keep power. Race Politics is the only program they have come up with more crime and increased censorship. That also contains prison break provision. This bill would order the release of every federal prisoner who has asthma, diabetes or is over 50 years of age, unless the bureau of prisons affirmatively proves inmate in question is proven to commit violence against a specific person. And here is the censorship part. It's part of a growing and ominous theme in that direction, the theme will prevent you from saying or believing what you like. This bill directs millions of dollars to the national science foundation to study the Coronavirus "Misinformation" we shouldn't be allowed. In other words shut up and stop disagree with our announcements. That's a message that it sends. But for the favored few, the Democratic Party's donor class, the bill is far more gentle. This bill would repeal the cap on state and local tax deductions. That would help almost exclusively high income neighborhoods in overtaxed blue states. Why is that significant? That's a beating heart of the democratic electorate. This is a payoff to them. Amazingly, you can't make this up. This is a very different kind of hero. He would make lobbying shops in Washington, D.C., and wrote this thing? Probably not scientists. Lobbyists and ideologues wrote it, the same people who control the Democratic Party. The same people who won't badly want to control this country. We are happy to have you here tonight. This is one of those documents that as she read through it your eyes widen and you think, this can't be real. Maybe your only advantages
The head of Australia's peak body for travel agents has resigned after revelations he told travel agents that A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw "needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face" over the program's reporting of a travel industry refund scandal.

Outgoing Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury said in a statement released Wednesday that his comments should not have been taken literally but were unacceptable, and he would be leaving his post effective immediately.

"His choice of words cannot be condoned," Tom Manwaring, AFTA chairman, said in a statement.

"His work history stands in good stead for the service he has provided the travel industry and AFTA's members.
Politicians here have broadly welcomed the road map for the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown.

However, some shared the frustration of many local businesses who had wanted a more definitive timeline produced.

The Executive published its much-anticipated recovery strategy yesterday on how the lockdown measures will be lifted over the coming months.

SDLP MLA Sinead McLaughlin, deputy chair of Stormont's economy committee, said she was "delighted" a plan had been laid out.

Alliance's John Blair felt that the map was "probably as far as we can go at this stage".

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken insisted that a united political front must be maintained in the months ahead.

Speaking yesterday, Ms McLaughlin said that releasing the road map will offer a huge boost to those suffering from mental health difficulties and elderly people who have been self-isolating on their own.

The Foyle MLA added that while business owners will be disappointed over the lack of timelines, the plan did offer "flexibility and agility".

"If we adhere to the current lockdown rules we may emerge quicker than any definitive calendar timeframe, so I am quite pleased that we have got a map and that we have a way forward," she said.

"I think it will help support people who are trying to do everything they can to adhere to the existing rules and give them an opportunity to be with their loved ones."

Ms McLaughlin described Covid-19 as "unpredictable" and felt that including any specific dates on reopening could have backed the Executive into a corner.

"There's an awful lot of businesses out there who can't see a future for themselves and they're very vulnerable, particularly businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector," she added.

"Of the five-stage process, they are at the very end of that, so there could be a lot of stress within those organisations." South Antrim MLA Mr Blair explained that any implementation of the road map will solely depend on the latest scientific advice available when decisions are made.

"A lot of the outworkings on this will depend on the implementation of the plan and that implementation has to be based on the medical and scientific advice available as the Executive works its way through this," he said.

"I am well aware that some people might have understandably expected more detail on the economy. We have been told that is still to come and we await the detail of that.

"I would stress that any economic plan that comes forward must contain some information regarding an economic stimulus plan which will reflect as an absolute priority that some sectors will emerge from this situation at a different rate than others."

Mr Aiken said his party welcomed the plan and that it set out a "direction of travel" for the region.

He also outlined his appreciation to the Executive for coming together and agreeing to the measures.

"That cohesion needs to continue as we fight back against Covid-19 and look towards reopening our economy," he said.

"Many businesses continue to fight for survival and will need as much detail and support as possible, otherwise they won't survive.

"The huge economic support measures coming from the UK Government are very welcome, but we need to ensure that it is getting to businesses and individuals as quickly as possible."

Strangford Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said the measures provided hope of what the future might look like and backed plans for testing.

"I welcome the fact that there is a comprehensive plan in place for testing and tracing as we move into the next stages and that the Executive has opted not to put dates against each stage, allowing themselves, instead, to be guided by science, the correct course of action," she added.
Donald Trump joined Senate Republicans in slamming former Obama administration officials, including his presumptive 2020 general election foe Joe Biden, of being involved in a "massive" plot to take him down.

"The unmasking is a massive thing," he said of the former vice president and others in the previous administration seeking to find out who was on the other end of phone calls with Russia's then-ambassador to the United States. It turns out it was Michael Flynn, his 2016 campaign adviser and first national security adviser.

Mr Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, accused Mr Biden of lying during a television interview earlier this week.

"I was aware that there was, that they had asked for an investigation," Mr Biden told ABC News. "But that's all I know about it."

The president the next day said those two comments do not square.

"He said he knows nothing about anything," Trump said, before saying Biden was an unmasker and questioning why he could say he knew nothing. "He knows nothing about anything. ... And then it gets released today that he's a big unmasker. How do you know nothing if you're one of the unmaskers?"

The latest controversy of the Trump era comes just days after Bill Barr, Mr Trump's hand-picked attorney general, moved to drop all charges against Mr Flynn. The retired Army three-star general had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, a plea he has revoked.

Over 15 former Obama administration officials, including Mr Biden, sought the "unmasking" of a person who was on the other end of wiretapped phone calls of then-Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak between December 2016 and early January 2017, key Republicans senators announced on Wednesday.

The announcement is part of a larger plan among GOP legislators to lean into Donald Trump's "Obamagate" theory, which maintains that the former president and his top intelligence chiefs sought to entrap incoming Trump officials in legal controversy to kneecap Mr Trump's presidency from the start.

Republican senators like Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin want the former Obama administration officials to, in the latter's words, "confirm whether they reviewed this information, why they asked for it and what they did with it, and answer many other questions that have been raised by recent revelations."

Mr Johnson's statement came as GOP senators are embracing what Mr Trump over the weekend took to Twitter to dub "Obamagate," a rather convoluted conspiracy theory with many tentacles that, essentially, alleges senior Obama administration officials, including Barack Obama and Mr Biden, were part of an effort to sink his 2016 candidacy and then his presidency.

"This is about abuse of power," Mr Paul said Wednesday on Fox News, minutes before Mr Trump spoke to reporters at the White House.

Mr Paul used the term "illegal unmasking" on Fox, and earlier told reporters on Capitol Hill that Mr Biden is "guilty" of using the federal government for political purposes.

But one former law enforcement official contends the former Obama officials did nothing wrong, writing on Twitter they were merely following normal practices.

Identities are masked when a US person who is NOT the target of the surveillance is captured on the communication -- this is an 'incidental communication,'" Asha Rangappa, a former FBI special agent tweeted. "They are unmasked when the identity is necessary to understand the intelligence. All legal, no warrant required."

Griffin Connolly contributed to this report.
The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were very crucial in curbing the spread of the virus. Countries had a very limited window to limit the spread of the infection. Many began identifying travelers from high-risk countries as well as tracing who they may have come into contact with.

The state of California, U.S. largest state, sees thousands of travelers from Asia. They established a coronavirus contact tracing program as a critical measure against the health threat. The system was designed to help health officials identify possible coronavirus cases and quarantine them. The authorities would then contact the people who came into close contact with the victim to limit the spread of the virus. However, it was quickly overwhelmed by a surge of passengers.

Over 11,000 travelers from China and Iran landed in California in early February. All passengers were identified for contact tracing. Many tourists reported inaccurate or incomplete contact information. The system was also understaffed.

According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the various factors rendered the program ineffective. The study looked exclusively at data from California state. It claimed the traveler screening system was not able to effectively prevent the spread of the deadly disease into the state despite the intensive effort.

According to the report, the program began on February 5, weeks after Chinese health officials first reported the virus in Wuhan. Health officials abandoned the program on March 17 and shifted their focus on keeping the virus from spreading further within the state.

By mid-March, the COVID-19 disease gained a foothold in California. Authorities turned their attention to fighting the virus on the ground, putting less importance on preventing further introduction from overseas cases.

The report also said the program was effective only when all available information was accurate and ensuring the number of passengers did not overwhelm the system. Customs and border patrol officers were tasked of collecting the information of all passengers who arrived in California on flights from China and Iran. The names were given to California health officials who passed it to local health departments throughout the state.

The travelers would be contacted and asked whether they developed coronavirus-related symptoms. They would also be asked for the names of individuals they came into close contact with.

The C.D.C. report said incomplete information made it nearly impossible to fully institute the program. Many passengers were also not found.

The report also claimed the late implementation of the travel restrictions also contributed to the collapse of the program.

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed travel bans on tourists from China. California, however, still allowed roughly 40,000 passengers from China two months after the ban. Many went through cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A spokesman for the state's health department that traveler monitoring would have been useful if it was started early. He also claimed the authorities found it difficult to monitor the respiratory disease which has cases where symptoms do not arise.

The federal health agency urged the state government to implement the tracing program after the current outbreak is under control in preparation for another wave of the disease. The C.D.C also called on airlines to provide lists of passengers on their flights so as to maintain 'low disease incidence.'

Also Read:
Meredosia has approved several ordinances regarding cannabis and alcohol sales in the village.

One ordinance details how much cannabis a business can sell, where a cannabis business can be set up in proximity to schools and residential areas, and who can make cannabis purchases within the village, board member Ernie Gregory said.

Under the ordinance, which Gregory said village attorney Allen Yow has seen, cannabis businesses cannot be within 150 feet of a school or in residential areas, Gregory said, noting Meredosias rules are similar to state regulations.

A separate ordinance, passed earlier, established a 2.4% tax on gross receipts from cannabis sales.

The board also approved a pour license for Andrews Mart gas station to keep the owner from losing his gaming machines, Mayor David Werries said.

The station no longer sells 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel a month, which is how the station originally qualified to have the gaming machines. Without the gas sales, the business must be able to sell individual beer or wine coolers to keep the gaming machines. The board approved an ordinance amending an existing alcohol ordinance so Andrews Mart now can sell alcoholic beverages to be consumed in the gambling establishment.

The village has only received one approval from the school from notifications sent out to taxing bodies of the TIF district, Werries said. Under redevelopment plans outlining how to use funds raised by the district, the village may receive $72,000 to transfer from the staff account to the village water fund, the fire department will receive $5,000, and the school district will receive $50,000. The school plans to use the money to create a library with a college-level media center, Werries said.

The TIF waiver has a conflict of interest because the school district and the village have the same attorney, Yow. Werries met with several people, including school Superintendent Thad Walker and school board President Jason Morton, and the group decided that each party must hire its own attorney if there is a conflict of interest. The board approved letting Werries sign a intergovernmental cooperation agreement.

In other business, the board approved a bid of an estimated $110,754 from Illinois Road Contractors Inc. to cover street repairs.

Board members also approved extending the water bill forgiveness from April into May for those who can prove they have been displaced from their jobs because of COVID-19.

They also approved the annual 2% hike in water bill rates.

A parade will be at 7 p.m. May 22 to celebrate the Class of 2020, Werries said.

Naples Boat Club also submitted a letter of notice to the village that it will have a fundraising event on July 4.
Chris Cuomo closed his show Tuesday night by slamming President Trump and Fox News for their messaging as the country continues to struggle with the coronavirus pandemic. Fox hosts have pushed Americans to get back to work even as their own offices will remain closed, at least, until mid-June. And even though staffers at the White House are now required to wear masks after multiple people tested positive for the coronavirus, Trump still refuses to wear one.

The president traces and tests every damn day, and everyone around him has a mask on, Cuomo said. Now, he doesnt because he wants to keep up the Fox farce, this BS that COVID-19 is overrated. I guess the anti-elitists over there are OK with 10,000 more dead. These liars and race-baiters want you to think (Dr. Anthony) Fauci is not to be believed. That social distancing is about stealing your freedom.

According to a new model frequently cited by the White House, the estimated death toll is now 147,000 Americans will die from the coronavirus by early August. Thats 10,000 more than was estimated just two days earlier. This is due to states beginning to reopen despite not meeting the White House guidelines for doing so.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Fauci warned the Senate of the dangers of reopening too soon. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) challenged Fauci on the dangers of the coronavirus, and measures taken to reopen, because his state of Kentucky doesnt have as many cases as states in the Northeast, which did not sit well with Cuomo.

Ten thousand more Americans could die by August because so many places are relaxing social distancing? What happened to no man left behind? Now it's 10,000 is OK? Look, it's common sense that that's what would happen, you don't need the models to tell you that, if you stop social distancing. That's why those who attack this reality do it with snark and cynical self-interest, like Sen. Rand Paul did today, Cuomo said. He had the virus, and he still seems to be suffering from a type of sickness, but one of the soul. Does he really think he has no obligation to anyone but his state? America has never won by going every man and woman for themselves. Only when we are all-in do we win.

Story continues

Cuomo also disagreed with Trumps sentiment from the Monday press conference, during which the president proclaimed the U.S. had prevailed on coronavirus testing while two large signs hung reading America leads the world in testing. That same day, the U.S. surpassed 80,000 deaths from the coronavirus, and on Tuesday, ranked fourth in the world in per capita testing.

We are not prevailing, Cuomo said Not until we show the desperation to get tracing and testing. Until that well be failing, because were failing to give the truth to the people, which will give them the trust they need to reopen. You cant wish a virus away. It wont miraculously disappear.

Cuomo Prime Time airs weeknights at 9 p.m. on CNN.

Watch Chris Cuomo hammer President Trump for contradicting a nurse on PPE shortage: How dare he?:

For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

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SPRINGFIELD  U.S. Rep. Richard Neal said Wednesday he is confident that the new $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill that he and his House Democratic colleagues unveiled a day earlier will soon get money flowing to states and to cities and towns grappling with the enormous expenses and revenue shortfalls of COVID-19.

We are moving to stabilization and recovery, Neal said of the legislation, about two-thirds of it falling under the purview of the House Ways and Means Committee he chairs in Washington.

The bill includes $1 trillion in relief for state, local, and tribal governments. Of that amount, $500 billion would go towards states. Massachusetts is in line for $22.5 billion of that. Some of that money, Neal said, will go to communities based on existing CDBG or Community Development Block Grant Guidlines.

This is not, and should not be a partisan issue, the Springfield Democrat said, citing support from Gov. Charlie Baker in Massachusetts and Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland  both Republicans .

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, cited Neal by name in Cuomos broadcast news conference in Watertown, New York, saying the legislation will get money into the hands of states and help avoid layoffs of police, firefighters and other essential workers.

Cuomo also praised the bill for reinstating SALT, the state and local property tax deduction. The deduction, which went away in the GOP tax cuts of 2017, means $11 billion stays in Massachusetts.

U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Tuesday in Washington that he sees no urgency and that the aid to states is a non starter.

Neal reminded reporters that McConnell said that about the earlier three coronavirus bailout bills which all eventually passed.

I understand that its a document of negotiation, Neal said. I understand posturing."

But Neal said he also cannot imagine Republican senators voting no on aid to states when their own governors are calling out for the money.

Baker is seeking $1 billion to plug the Massachusetts governments spending gap on the expectation that federal help will arrive.

Springfield has spent $4.8 million beyond its budget due to the coronavirus and revenues have dropped by $2.3 million.

These states are up against it, Neal said.

Neal spoke with reporters Wednesday at the federal courthouse on State Street. His district office is located in the building.

Neal said the House will vote Friday and hed like to see the measure passed into law as soon as possible.

Other measures in the bill:
Washington: The Trump administrations top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has warned the US does not yet have the coronavirus under control and that American states face "really serious" consequences if they reopen their economies too quickly.

Fauci and other top health officials were testifying before the Senate for the first major hearings since the pandemic began.

At the hearings former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney also hit out at the Trump administration for boasting about its rollout of coronavirus testing, saying: "I find our testing record nothing to celebrate whatsoever."

In a contrast with President Donald Trump, who has urged governors to quickly end their stay-at-home orders, Fauci said it was vital for governors to follow the phased guidelines recommended by the White House.
Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Iranian army commanders to probe a missile strike that accidentally killed 19 service members during naval drills in the countrys southeast last week. In his statement, Khamenei ordered the officials to shed light on the incident, identify the possible culprits and take necessary measures to avoid any future recurrence of such a tragedy, which he lamented as bitter and painful.

On May 12, fellow comrades bid farewell to the sailors during a state funeral near the port city of Chabahar. Based on the initial explanation from navy commanders, the missile was fired by mistake during one of the many routine exercises Iran holds in the Gulf of Oman, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which is the maritime passageway for 20% of the worlds oil traffic.

Khameneis statement, which came out two days after the incident, struck an open similarity in wording and tone with another message he released in January after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) admitted to have mistakenly shot down a Ukraine International Airlines flight outside the capital, Tehran, killing all 176 passengers on board, most of them of Iranian origin.

Despite Khameneis call and pledges from Iranian authorities for justice, no individual has been put to trial in connection with the tragedy that placed Tehran under international spotlight for several weeks. Diplomatic pressure, particularly from Canada and Ukraine, has yet to convince the Islamic Republic to let loose of the two black boxes it recovered from the crash site.

Following the naval missile strike, Iranian media outlets and political commentators have been advising the authorities against adhering to the same pattern that characterized the fallout of the Ukrainian plane crash. It took the IRGC three days of denial and cover-up before publicly coming clean about the attack. The Reformist daily Mardomsalari has now urged transparency and a speedy investigation into the naval tragedy, which was reminiscent of the Ukrainian jetliner.

A local military prosecutor dealing with the case has urged everyone to refrain from speculations until the results of the official probe are out. However, the incident continues to draw reactions from much of the Iranian public, who are appalled by the loss of heroes at sea and angered by the officials perceived negligence, which every now and then claims multiple innocent lives. After repeated occurrences, mistakes [are no longer mistakes, rather they] are called trends, tweeted pro-reform pundit Hossein Dehbashi.

The strike also immediately stirred up debates on old rivalries between Irans regular military known as Artesh and the IRGC, which has been acting as a parallel but is a more powerful armed organization. One such argument focused on the possibility that the missile launch could have been an IRGC job aimed at undermining the regular army, which is largely known as a more patriotic and committed entity. Over the years, nevertheless, the army has been increasingly sidelined, watching the rival IRGC receive the lions share in the state defense budget.

Yet claims that the missiles were indeed fired from IRGC boats were dismissed by army spokesman Brig. Gen. Shahin Taghi Khani as baseless and irrelevant rumors disseminated by hostile media, a moniker Iranian officials typically use in reference to foreign-based opposition news networks, which Tehran alleges are funded by enemies to overthrow the Islamic Republic. They have gone out of their ways to drive a wedge between the army and the IRGC, Taghi Khani said. But our people and media are vigilant enough to disregard those rumors, the spokesman concluded.
WINSTED  Members of the Winchester Board of Education met Tuesday night, drawing a small group of residents to a Zoom meeting to hear budget discussions.

The school board will present its budget in a town meeting Thursday night on Zoom, along with The Gilbert School Corp. and the Board of Selectmen.

The school boards proposed 2020-21 $20,201,987 budget calls for a $240,301 increase over current spending, or 1.2 percent.

Driving the budget increase, according to Superintendent of Schools Melony Brady-Shanley, are benefits totaling $1.952 million, and tuition for the Gilbert School, totaling $7.179 million.

The Gilbert Schools proposed budget for 2020-21 totals $7,810 million, an increase of $198,544 over the approved 2019-20 budget of $7,611 million, a 2.61 percent rise.

The towns proposed budget for 2020-21 totals $34,228,148, an increase of $402,787 over current spending.

Public comment may be made by calling 860-738-6958 and through participation in Zoom. To join the Zoom meeting, click on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81378555291?pwd=ZUdaVmRGaEVWT24yK3ZFbVVZQ1, or visit townofwinchester.org, where links are available on the home page.

The meeting ID is 813 7855 5291, password 063429; or dial 646-558-8656 (New York).

Residents can view all three budgets online:

Town: www.townofwinchester.org/sites/winchesterct/files/uploads/town_mgr_budget_3.13.20.pdf

Board of Education: https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/1558708/77efb322-5703-11e9-b4af-129aa0711c2e/2093430/d622d964-8f34-11ea-ba43-12e8f9cd4db1/file/Budget%20Booklet%20(1).pdf

The Gilbert School (grades 7-12): www.gilbertschool.org/about-us/test-1/2020-2021-gilbert-school-budget-information

Another public meeting on Zoom will be held May 18. Then, on May 21, the Board of Selectmen will meet to finalize and adopt the budgets and set the tax rate for the new fiscal year.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) told the public to hold on to their passes, even if their areas are now under general community quarantine (GCQ).

"Yun pong ating quarantine pass ay kailangan pa rin ho 'yan sa lahat ng mga lugar na nasa quarantine," DILG spokesperon Jonathan Malaya announced at a nationally televised briefing on Wednesday.

[Translation: The quarantine pass is still needed in all areas under quarantine.]

Regardless of an area's quarantine status, Malaya said people's movement will still be limited and there will be modified measures when it comes to checkpoints.

"Tuloy-tuloy pa rin po yung ating quarantine pass system, yun lang ang papadaanin po ng ating kapulisan sa ating mga checkpoints ay yung may mga essential na gagawin, for example bibili ng pagkain o gamot. Or kaya, dun naman sa GCQ, yung mga papasok sa trabaho," he said.

[Translation: The quarantine pass system will continue to be in effect, and only those who have essential tasks like buying food or medicine will be allowed by the police to pass at checkpoints, and for those areas under GCQ, those who will be going to work.]

Malaya also stressed that curfews will still be in place.

Joint Task Force (JTF) Covid Shield Commander PLGen Guillermo Eleazar said those who are part of the workforce will be able to cross borders, but individuals who will be availing of basic goods and services are advised to purchase them within their respective areas.

READ: Implementation of GCQ will be a 'challenge'  Eleazar

Eleazar also said checkpoints will remain visible to make sure people are following minimum health requirements as well as to maintain peace and order.

READ: COVID-19 task force backtracks, places low-risk areas under modified GCQ

Malaya also addressed the issue of parents whose children are studying in Metro Manila and want to know if would be possible to pick them up and bring them home to the province, especially in areas under GCQ.

While saying he understood the sentiments of the parents, Malaya said the current situation does not allow it.

"Kahit po gusto namin ay hindi pa po nila [puwedeng] personal na sunduin dahil meron nga po tayong stay-at-home policy," he said.

[Translation: Even if we wanted to, they still cannot do that because we have a stay-at-home order.]

He said the new "Hatid Estudyante" program tapped government agencies to assist stranded students in Metro Manila and transport them return safely to their home provinces.

Complimenting this program, Eleazar said was a push to help locally-stranded people to go back home.

"Inaalam na po ng pulisya kung sino sila," he said. "Ang kailangan lang po ay sertipikasyon galing sa lugar kung saan sila nag-i-stay ngayon, may health certificate na hindi sila infected at saka po nag-quarantine na, and at the same time ay certificate din na ina-accept siya ng pupuntahan niya."

[Translation: The police are identifying them. All that's needed is a certification from where they are staying, a health certificate proving they are not infected and have gone through quarantine, and at the same time a certificate proving they are allowed at their destination.]

Those certifications could be given to the police through the task unit, and which will then be sent to the regional director who can issue travel authority.

READ: Some LGUs appeal for stricter community quarantine
Vehicles wait at a traffic signal light at an intersection in Bonifacio Global City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, on Monday, March 16, 2020.

The Philippine economy's contraction this year could be greater than earlier predicted as measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak weigh on domestic demand and investments, and the budget deficit is expected to rise sharply in 2020.

Gross domestic product was expected to decline 2% to 3.4% this year, the first contraction in more than two decades, and worse than the government's forecast of -1.0% to 0.0% growth in March, said an inter-agency body in charge of setting the government's macroeconomic goals and policies.

This year's budget deficit is estimated to reach 1.56 trillion pesos ($31.04 billion) or 8.1% of GDP, a far bigger shortfall than the government's 5.3% forecast in March, and more than double its original estimate of 3.2%

"These revised assumptions will also allow the government to operate with a more realistic and prudent fiscal stance as it flags the downside risks to the economy and the fiscal programme for the rest of the year," the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Southeast Asian country, which had been one of Asia's fastest-growing economies before the pandemic, is on the edge of a recession after growth unexpectedly shrank 0.2% in the first quarter, dashing forecasts for 3.1% growth.
Japan's health ministry has approved a simpler and faster antigen test method for coronavirus. It is expected to help raise the total number of tests.

The method using a test kit approved on Wednesday does not require specialist skills like the conventional PCR test, and the result will be available in about 30 minutes.

The new test is similar to the one used for influenza. A liquid containing samples taken from a person's nose will be applied to the kit. If a line appears, that means the person is infected.

Because of infection risks for healthcare workers, antigen tests will be provided only at medical institutions that have been conducting PCR tests and have thorough anti-infection measures in place.

For a while the new test kit will be used mainly at designated hospitals in Tokyo, Osaka and elsewhere with large numbers of infections.

Antigen tests are less accurate and could overlook virus carriers, so people who test negative will be asked to undergo a PCR test.

The ministry also plans to release guidelines on how to conduct antigen tests and who should take them.
Bloomberg photo by Daniel Acker.

It will take more than a year, and perhaps several, for oil demand to recover to what it was before the coronavirus shuttered economies and caused energy markets to collapse, according to the head of the International Energy Agency.

Crude demand of about 100 million barrels a day prior to the pandemic plummeted by about 30% last month, according to the Paris-based adviser to industrialized countries. The IEA, which forecast that demand will decline by about 9 million barrels a day on average this year, is set to update its outlook for markets on Thursday.
You know that the company that you work for is lying to the American people, the protester said, jabbing a finger in the reporters direction, and you know that what you are doing is wrong.

As Ms. Robbins stood there, her eyeglasses started fogging up above the mask.

You see how nervous you are? the protester said. Youre shaking. You are sweating.

Eventually, the reporters glasses slipped from her face and broke on the ground. Ms. Robbins picked them up and walked away. The protester followed, continuing to berate her. (The protester could not be reached for comment.)

The big thing she said was were spreading fear and want to scare people, Ms. Robbins said in an interview. Thats offensive to me. Im from Fredericktown, Ohio, about an hour north of here. My mom watches these news conferences; my grandparents watch them. I would never want to scare them. But I want them to know whats going on.
Three men have been arrested after State Police found 37 pounds of suspected marijuana in the vehicle they were in Tuesday night.

At around 6:30 p.m., a state trooper conducted a motor vehicle stop on the Exit 22 on the ramp to northbound Route 9 in Berlin.
Brandon del Pozo was a police officer for 23 years, first with the New York Police Department, then as chief of police of Burlington, Vermont. He also has a Ph.D. in philosophy. On a recent episode of Hi-Phi Nation, I talked to him about police discretion in the use of force and how to distinguish between law enforcement for enforcements sake and law enforcement for the public good. An excerpt of the episode, condensed and edited for clarity, is transcribed below.

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Brandon del Pozo: Most of the low-level offenses that police enforce have no inherent moral content unless theres a specific context to them, like simply smoking some marijuana, ingesting cocaine, drinking alcohol, marching in the street and blocking traffic, running a stop sign, a lot of traffic law. Its not malum in se. Its wrong because theres a law against it. But the whole point of that law is to promote the type of cooperation that allows the community to flourish and sometimes be safe too.

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Barry Lam: Police discretion refers to the power of the police to decide whether and how to enforce malum prohibitum crimes in a given context. If theres a violation of a traffic law, does a cop stop or let a person go? Give them a ticket or just a warning? Go through with a search or make an arrest, or just let it go even if they have probable cause? Police do not have discretion for all laws. They do not, and ought not, have discretion for malum in se crimesthose crimes that pass the Batman test. Police have a duty to intervene, investigate, and prosecute individuals for those. But this isnt unique to police in our societyits true of police in any society. And if you think about it, it might actually be true of all people in society. These crimes are just the egregious moral wrongs that we all have an obligation to refrain from doing and stop others from committing, when we can do it safely.

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One interesting assumption that del Pozo disabused me of is the assumption that police have a monopoly on violence. Its not true. Were allowed to intervene, even use violence, to save a child from being beaten, tackle someone who just robbed your mother, or chase down someone who just stole your car. It might be stupid, but its neither immoral nor illegal. Police only differ from citizens for malum in se crimes in that theyre required to enforce them.

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But for mala prohibita crime, police always have a choice. Not just because there are too many of these laws and its impossible to enforce all of them. Its because the goal of these laws is to solve nonmoral problemslike how do you get everyone to drive on one side of the road or go through an intersection without crashing? These are laws trying to get people to cooperate and coordinate when theyre in a public space. When a police officer encounters someone who violates one of these laws against cooperation, enforcing the law means using force to make people cooperate. Del Pozo thinks police should always have an option not to use that force, if they can get the cooperation in a better way.

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Del Pozo: I think its important in a liberal democracy that we have police discretion, because wed rather broker than enforce the terms of cooperation in our society.

Lam: Brokering here means negotiating, bargaining, diplomacy; whereas enforcement means tickets, arrest, jail cells.

Del Pozo: When you enforce cooperation, No. 1, its punitive. And No. 2, theres always a worry that youre gonna squash pluralism or chill peoples desire to pursue a particular conception of the good. When you broker it, youre really fostering the ideas of fairness and reciprocity. And part of brokering is the thought that its not only going to be a one-way brokerage the whole time, that there are times where other uses of space will prevail. And I think thats what you want to foster in a democracy, and police discretion, when its done well, has a hand in that.

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Lam: Police discretion is about choice. And when there is a choice, theres got to be a way to evaluate whether people have made a good or bad choice, a just or unjust choice. Del Pozos thinking draws heavily on John Rawls, whose theory of justice might very well be the most influential text in American political philosophy of the 20th century. Rawlsianism is known for its spirited formulation of what justice requires under liberalism or liberal democracy. But Rawls doesnt talk much about policing. Del Pozo fills in those gaps.

Its important in a liberal democracy that we have police discretion, because wed rather broker than enforce the terms of cooperation in our society.  Brandon del Pozo

So the starting point is liberal democracy. Talk a little bit about what that means.

Del Pozo: Liberal doesnt mean liberal versus conservative. No. 1, just take the idea of democracy and bracket it off. Weve got these representative bodies that we elect, we have control over whether theyre an office or not. The elections are basically fair. The liberalism part is just this idea that there is a real inherent tension in peoples life plans, conceptions of the good. Theres one guy who might be a Buddhist, one guy a Muslim, one guy a Jew, a Christiandifferent views about whether certain institutions should be public or private. Theres enough heterogeneity that you dont make presumptions about what ought to prevail.

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Lam: So you dont mean the opposite of a police state, liberal democracy? You mean a democracy that is diverse?

Del Pozo: Not just diverse in a way where the government is like, How do we rein this diversity in? but theres a commitment to the pluralism. To me, liberalism and pluralism are closely related.

Lam: The two commitmentsthat malum prohibitum crimes are not intrinsic wrongs and therefore its OK to enforce them selectively, and the commitment to a liberal democracytogether they generate a test for del Pozo as to how an officer, how an entire police department, ought to exercise their discretion. Its called the test of public reason: In effect, is a particular exercise of discretion consistent with the interest of a liberal democracy? Does it advance pluralism, and does it treat members of the pluralistic society as free and equal? No policy that fails the test should be acted on, even if its part of the law.

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The Philadelphia Starbucks case is a test case for you. Describe what you saw in that case.

Del Pozo: The police got a call from the manager of the Starbucks that there were two men in the Starbucks who were trespassing.

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Lam: These were two black men.

Del Pozo: They were sitting there and not buying anything. There was a policy at the Starbucks that you need to be a paying customer to use the seats. Theres also a law in Philadelphia [that] if a manager revokes your permission to be there, youre trespassing. Thats clear, and I think thats a fine law. The cops try to bargain, they negotiate, they explain. The guys are like, Were not leaving. Were not buying anything, but were not leaving. And the cops said, Well, we have a trespass law. Were enforcing it. They arrest them.

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Lam: It started Starbucks on sensitivity training, stuff like that.

Del Pozo: Yeah, soul-searching for the juggernaut.

Lam: And what you think ought to be the response, when suitably informed by the relevant political philosophy, is different. So I want you to talk through how you think the right response should be.

Del Pozo: The reason cant just be, Heres a statute and someones making a statement and theyre a manager and you violate the statute. Im arresting you. I think thats exactly why people were so angrybecause that facially meets the standards of the law, but it defies public reason. You have violated the trespass law and were hauling you out of the Starbucks in handcuffs is a reason that does not treat those two men as equals in America. Because Rittenhouse Square is a wealthy neighborhood. And I guarantee you if there was a man or woman who lived in a condo or co-op or apartment in Rittenhouse Square, and they were down therewhite, wealthy person under the same circumstancesthey would not have had the trespass laws invoked against them.

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Lam: For del Pozo, it fails Rawls test of public reason, when police discretionary decisions apply differently to different social groups.

Del Pozo: I dont think that the use of government coercion in the Starbucks case was justified by a reason that treated those men as equals. And I think thats what enraged America. They didnt exactly articulate it in Rawlsian terms, but thats what upset everyone.

Lam: Its the law and I enforce it, as a justification given by a police officer, is not enough justification for you.

Del Pozo: No. Considering that we definitely build discretion into laws, I think its not enough justification. I think we have to show the state interest. What is the state interest in enforcing that trespass law? And, even more so, when it clearly does so in a way that it reinforces the idea that those two black men were not equals to other citizens who would never have had the police called on them? Its not in the best interests of the liberal democracy, period.

To listen to the full episode, click the player below or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
PRAGUE -- The Czech government has confirmed that Russia's embassy has requested Czech police protection for one of its employees -- a Russian diplomat accused in the Czech media of bringing highly toxic ricin to Prague in an alleged plot to poison three senior municipal officials.

Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek forwarded the Russian Embassy's request to the police on May 12.

The request says Andrei Konchakov, deputy director of the embassy's Russian Center for Science and Culture, has been receiving anonymous threats since he was named on May 10 in the Czech media as part of an alleged triple assassination plot by Russia targeting the Prague officials.

According to the Czech media reports, Konchakov brought ricin from Russia to Prague in mid-March that was meant to be used in a plot to poison Prague Mayor Zdenek Hrib and two other senior municipal officials, Ondrej Kolar and Pavel Novotny.

Earlier Czech media reports said Moscow planned to poison the three Czech politicians in retaliation for supporting moves that have irritated Moscow, including the removal from Prague of a controversial statue honoring the Soviet Red Army's Marshall Ivan Konev.

The three Czech officials and members of their families have been under police protection since then.

Russia's Embassy in Prague on May 11 issued a Facebook statement claiming that Konchakov had been the target of unspecified threats. It said the embassy was requesting Czech police protection for Konchakov.

Moscow has also been accused of deploying agents from the GRU military intelligence for numerous attempted assassinations of the Kremlin's opponents in other countries -- including Britain, Bulgaria, and Germany.

There is also a long history of Kremlin involvement in assassinations and attempted assassinations using poisons.

The British government, as well as the online investigative website Bellingcat, have released evidence implicating GRU agents in the 2018 poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England using the nerve agent novichok -- a military-grade chemical weapon developed in the Soviet Union.

The Kremlin has denied involvement in all of the attacks and has dismissed reports about the latest alleged poisoning plot in Prague as part of a "disinformation campaign" aimed at discrediting Russia.

Moscow has threatened "serious consequences" for Czech-Russian relations.

With reporting by Ceska Televize, Hospodarske noviny, and Bellingcat
harity yesterday began first deliveries of new range of gear  and none of it had been flown around the world

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Doctors, nurses and care staff can now fight coronavirus with a fresh supply of British-made protective equipment thanks to Mail Force.

The charity yesterday began the first deliveries of the new range of gear  and none of it had been flown around the world.

The first of more than a million hospital aprons travelled just 30 miles from a former cotton mill in Blackburn to the front line of the battle against Covid-19.

We are grateful for all we can get, and if it is made around the corner, so much the better, said Peter Morgan, infection nursing chief at 450-bed Tameside General Hospital as the Mail Force van pulled up.

Inside were 30,000 aprons and 100 protective face visors for a busy health trust serving 250,000 people on Manchesters eastern fringe.

Senior buyer Rachel Jenkinson, left, Consultant Neil Pender, centre, and Chief Operating Officer Trish Cavanagh with Mail Force parcels at Tameside General Hospital in Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester

Senior buyer Ms Jenkinson, pictured with the PPE delivery to staff at Tameside Hospital. Mail Force yesterday began the first deliveries of the new range of gear  and none of it had been flown around the world

HERE'S HOW TO DONATE Mail Force Charity has been launched with one aim to help support NHS staff, volunteers and care workers fight back against Covid-1 in the UK. Mail Force is a separate charity established and supported by the Daily Mail and General Trust. The money raised will fund essential equipment required by the NHS and care workers. This equipment is vital in protecting the heroic staff whilst they perform their fantastic work in helping the UK overcome this pandemic. If we raise more money than is needed for vital Covid-1 equipment, we will apply all funds to support the work of the NHS in other ways. Click the button below to make a donation: DONATE NOW If the button is not visible, click here Advertisement

Having handled more than 1,000 confirmed virus cases (142 of them fatal) it is now looking after 51 victims. For Mr Morgan and his colleagues, every piece of personal protective equipment  including the hospital apron  is essential in bringing those numbers down to zero.

This vanload, however, was just a tiny fraction of Mail Forces initial order of 1.5million aprons that will now be channelled into the main NHS distribution network over the next three weeks.

It matches an identical order from the NHS itself for UK-made aprons that will be produced at a factory in the Midlands.

Yesterday, the Mail went to see the first of the Mail Force aprons come off the production line at Griffin Mill in Blackburn.

A red-brick Edwardian textile mill, it was latterly a carpet factory for decades until cheap international competition did for the carpet-makers and it has since ended up churning out assorted forms of polythene.

Beneath giant rotating spools of blue, white and yellow plastic, a team of 30 staff are working round the clock in three shifts to keep pace with demand.

When the pandemic started, items like these were all being imported from the Far East so it feels good to be making them for our own NHS, said Habib Patel, owner of More Polythene yesterday.

Pre-virus, his factory was making bespoke wrappings for clothing and food products for our major high street retailers. Business then took a sharp downward turn.

Now, though, staff put on the Governments furlough scheme have been summoned back to make aprons while another four workers have been employed to help maintain production levels.

A hospital apron is not a complicated bit of kit  it is essentially stamped out of a sheet of plastic  but it is vital in preventing any infection passing from patient to medical staff. And because these things should be changed every time a healthcare worker moves from one patient to another, they are needed in vast quantities. There have been moments when some healthcare providers have come dangerously close to running out.

Last month three nurses on a coronavirus ward at a north London hospital were photographed wearing binliners in the absence of aprons. All three subsequently tested positive for the virus.

That grim story alone explains why this simple piece of equipment is such a key part of the anti-Covid armoury. It has certainly given some of the staff at Griffin Mill a renewed sense of purpose.

Its nice to know that, in some way, we are helping to propel the work of the NHS, says Habib Patel whose brother, Zaki, is a GP. One of the longest-serving members of staff, delivery driver Zia Ul-Haq, 59, is equally pleased to be doing something for the cause.

PPE medical aprons are manufactured at More Polythene in Blackburn, Lancashire. The factory's owner, Habib Patel, said it 'feels good' to be making the items 'for our own NHS'

Medical aprons being manufactured at More Polythene factory. Staff put on the Governments furlough scheme have been summoned back to make aprons while another four workers have been employed to help maintain production levels

Three of his seven children are doctors and his eldest daughter is working on a nearby coronavirus ward. Here we are making these aprons  and she will be wearing one! says Zia, proudly.

From Griffin Mill, all pallets of new aprons are taken up the road to Mail Forces local partner, the Issa Group, which already provides medical supplies to hospital trusts all over the North West.

There our first delivery was wrapped up and loaded, along with boxes of face visors and thousands of bottles of (home-produced) hand sanitiser that Issa kindly added to our donation.

At Tameside General Hospital, our first port of call, the staff were delighted to see fresh supplies for the PPE store.

This is a well-run hospital with no immediate shortages but it makes everyone sleep a little sounder to know that the cupboard has been restocked and that so many members of the public are contributing to a fighting fund like Mail Force.

Its really important for the staff to know how much people care  and its great when local people have been making it, said chief operating officer, Trish Cavanagh, herself a former nurse.

Head nurse Peter Morgan pictured with hand sanitiser during the PPE delivery to staff at Tameside Hospital. For Mr Morgan and his colleagues, every piece of PPE is essential in bringing the number of coronavirus cases down to zero

Still in his scrubs, palliative care consultant Dr Neil Pender, appeared. He was in full agreement. Anything that makes people feel safer is a great thing and this thing is going to be with us for quite some time, he said.

The hospital trust works closely with the local and regional authorities. Our next stop was Dukinfield Town Hall where Mark Whitehead, head of Tamesides adult care operations, and his team came out to unload a further batch of aprons, visors and hand sanitiser.

This was destined for more than 70 care providers, including charities, care homes and hospices.

Greater Manchesters Mayor, Andy Burnham, voiced his delight at this vital local contribution to fighting a national crisis.

We are very grateful for this generous donation, he said. A significant amount of work is taking place across Greater Manchester to ensure that our front-line workers can feel confident in having the right kit to do their vital work.

Thanks to donations like this and with everyone pulling together, we are able to keep supplies stable across the city-region.

It is a small point in the scheme of things. But all over the country  not just here in the North West  people will be glad to know that somewhere among the vast mountains of PPE being consumed across the UK, there is now a substantial chunk that can say: Made in Lancashire.

...and one of the first to benefit is care home that's just up the road

By Robert Hardman for the Daily Mail

Like almost every care home in the land, they have endured some very troubling times here of late at The Lakes in Dukinfield, near Manchester.

So things were certainly looking up yesterday with the arrival of a Mail Force van, bringing locally-made personal protective equipment to the team of 90 staff who work here.

Covid-19 first darkened their door back in late March and, inevitably, some of those patients have not recovered.

The precise numbers of coronavirus infections are uncertain simply because of the lack of testing in the care home sector but the statistics point to a sadly familiar story. There are currently 55 residents while 22 beds now lie empty. All had been occupied when the pandemic began.

However, the dedicated team of nurses and carers have managed to see off the virus. There are no symptoms among the residents nor among the staff, either. That is exactly the way manager Annette Peace wants to keep things.

Ready to wear: Staff at the The Lakes in Dukinfield with their Mail Force delivery. Pictured from left to right: Sue Houston, Lisa Cannon, Beverley Craig and Annette Peace

With your help she can  and that is why she and her team were thrilled when a Mail Force van turned up yesterday bringing a consignment of 1,000 hospital aprons, 100 visors and dozens of all-in-one coveralls. And they were even more delighted to learn that most of it had been made, not in the Far East, but just up the road in Lancashire.

We always try to use local businesses when we can. So its great to know that this has come from the area, said Annette yesterday.

A trained nurse, she has been at The Lakes for 21 years  and has been struck down with the virus herself during this pandemic. One of her recurring worries has been sourcing personal protective equipment.

We kept getting conflicting advice on what to wear and when  and it is still changing, she said.

It did make it hard to plan. It also meant that, at times, we were running out of some items in the morning and wondering whether there would be fresh supplies in the afternoon.

The local social services from Tameside council, she said, had frequently come to the rescue at the last moment and she said support from the community had been wonderful. However, surveying the latest delivery from the Mail Force van, she added: Cake is always lovely, of course. But this stuff is life-saving.

2m from you...7m in total: It's the campaign that's captured the imagination of the nation - and as cheques keep flooding in, you tell us how much it means to be able to help our caring heroes

By Arthur Martin, Claire Duffin and Andy Dolan for the Daily Mail

It took only took a week for your big-hearted donations to reach 1million.

Now youve broken through the 2million barrier in just over a fortnight.

Another 4,700 cheques arrived yesterday, taking the total amount donated to Mail Force by almost 44,000 Daily Mail readers soaring past 2.1million.

So far 25,700 of you have sent envelopes containing a staggering 1.3million in cheques to the charity  backed by the Daily Mail  which is leading a campaign to ease the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) faced by NHS and care staff.

Mountain of money: Daily Mail reporter Claire Duffin with heaps of your posted donations to the Mail Force PPE appeal. So far 25,700 of you have sent envelopes containing a staggering 1.3million in cheques

A total of 18,000 of you have donated almost 750,000 through the online fundraising page and one generous reader has pledged 100,000 anonymously.

Your donations, along with generous pledges from philanthropists and corporate partners, have helped the fund reach 7.1million.

Such is the scale of your generosity, that it takes ten volunteers a full day to open all your letters and then send the cheques to the bank. If all the cheques were placed in a line they would now stretch across central London from Trafalgar Square to the Tower of London.

Hundreds of your donations come with colourful greetings cards, postcards and beautifully written notes  each expressing gratitude to the NHS and care workers.

Some of you felt compelled to donate because of the excellent treatment you have previously received from doctors and nurses.

And once again, readers pledged money to the charity to honour the memory of a relative, friend or neighbour.

Alongside his donation, Colin Griffiths wrote: I am donating this cheque in memory of my eldest son Mark (age 57) who passed away on April 5 with the virus.

Mr Griffiths said he made the pledge on behalf of everybody involved in care at this sad and terrible time.

Mary Farrell, from Wigston in Leicestershire, sent money in memory of her partner William, who died aged 90 last month.

She wrote: He spent several weeks lonely at home and finally alone in hospital. Anything anyone can do to support those able to assist must be done until we are able to overcome this deadly virus. Glenn Cole pledged money to the charity after a nurse called Jayne, who was also his neighbour, died recently.

He wrote: I applaud the Daily Mails initiative and support all NHS staff and thank you for setting up this charity. My payment is in Jaynes memory and with grateful thanks to all NHS staff.

One note from Mr G Percox said: This is in memory of my dear friend Christine Morgan who passed away on 28/04/20.

The cheques have come from every corner of the UK, pledging donations from 5 to 2,000. Some gave generous portions of their pension, while others donated hundreds of pounds from their salaries and savings.

Mr H Langford donated a full week of his pension after reading about how Mail Force flew 20tons of PPE to the UK two weeks ago.

He wrote: I want to thank you for all your efforts to help in this crisis. I was waiting for you to start an appeal fund as I knew you would do but to launch it with an airliner full of PPE was amazing.

I am a 76-year-old widower with health problems so there is nothing I can do to help the NHS and care home carers. All I can do is donate to your fund so I have enclosed one full week of my pension and I am pleased to be able to donate in this way.

Judith Storie and her husband are both over 70 and self-isolating in Telford, Shropshire. Mrs Storrie sent in a generous cheque after noticing that their carers havent always had PPE equipment.

Some letters fondly recalled the treatment you received in hospital. Maurice Owens wrote: I am most grateful for the wonderful treatment I had at my local hospital, the Queen Alexandra in Portsmouth, for a severe head injury.

At 97 I am once again back home on my own (family all gone) enjoying life around me and wonderful friends.

Mail Force chartered a jumbo jet packed with 20tons of personal protective equipment from Shanghai to London. The 1million cargo included 50,000 medical coveralls and 100,000 masks.

After passing safety tests, the equipment was delivered to a hospital, an ambulance trust, several care homes and a hospice. Household names who have thrown their support behind the charity include Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Michael Caine and Dame Vera Lynn.

Latest coronavirus video news, views and expert advice at mailplus.co.uk/coronavirus
The Royal Family 'see photography as their very own superpower', according to the chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces.

Historian Lucy Worsley, who appears in the programme The Royal Photo Album on BBC Four tonight at 9pm, has revealed the significance of the art form to the monarchy.

She told The Times that being snapped was 'vital to the very survival' of The Firm.

She said that if royal tour photographs aren't great, the tour is often deemed a failure, revealing: 'Every image carries a message and nobody understands this better than the royal family.'

The chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces has revealed how the royal family view photography as 'their very own superpower' (pictured Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, during their tour of South Africa)

Lucy Worsley, who is the chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces, explained how the royal tours are often shaped around photo opportunities.

She said that the success of the trip was regularly judged on the images, with each carrying a message.

Meanwhile she also called photography 'the stage' on which the royal family has been performing for the last 150 years or so.

The programme, Lucy Worsleys Royal Photo Album, was originally scheduled to accompany a big Kensington Palace exhibition which explores the relationship between crown and camera.

Lucy explained that the royal family see photography as 'an opportunity' to engage with the public (pictured, an image taken by Kate Middleton, 38, last month for Princess Charlotte's fifth birthday)

Lucy explained that the royal family were among the early adopters of 'the wonder of science' that is photography.

She explained: 'They were quick to realise that photography presented not a problem but an opportunity.'

Lucy's comments about the significance of photography for the royal family comes after the Duchess of Cambridge was praised for getting better and better at taking pictures.

Last week, the Duchess, 38, joined forces with the National Portrait Gallery to launch a community photography project titled Hold Still designed to catch the 'spirit, mood, hopes and fears' of the nation amid the coronavirus crisis.

Lucy's comments come as the royal family adjust to making public appearances amid the coronavirus pandemic (pictured, the Cambridges taking part in a Clap for Carers last month)

Kate, a keen amateur photographer, is a patron of the National Portrait Gallery and Arthur, 79, said that while her pictures have been criticised in the past, the royal has a knack for 'making people smile' with her pictures.

He spoke on This Morning yesterday of 'stunning' pictures taken by Kate, released to celebrate Prince Louis' second birthday, where the young royal can be seen beaming having smeared rainbow colours across his cheeks.

'She's getting better and better, said Arthur. 'She started off and there was criticism from people about the images not being sharped or cropped properly. Now her stuff is just brilliant, that picture of Louis and the paint is just stunning.

Last week, Kate launched her photography project with the National Portrait Gallery, with participants 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'.

Lucy Worsley's Royal Photo Album will air on BBC Four tonight at 9pm
To compensate for the academic loss caused by Covid-19 outbreak, the school education department is mulling to reopen schools across Kashmir in June, amid the virus threat.

We are planning to reopen the schools in the first week of June to avert further loss of the studies, school education principal secretary Asgar Hassan Samoon told the Hindustan Times.

He said the administration has ordered complete renovation of all schools in Kashmir. We will soon start whitewashing and fumigation of the school buildings and the same will be completed by the end of this month, he said.

Be it turmoil or any other natural calamity, the student community of Kashmir has always suffered. We are trying to bring things back on track, Samoon added.

Another official said the department was planning to take a call on skipping morning assembly and holding shift-wise classes. A decision in this regard will be out soon, he said.

The decision to reopen schools has been taken in view of interruptions caused during online classes due to the poor internet speed, the official said.

In his recent meeting with education officials, J&K Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu directed them to review the departments functioning and the conduct of online classes, besides distribution of dry ration for midday meals among schoolchildren.

Following the LGs directions, an official communique was also sent to the UT school education director stating that all government school buildings should be whitewashed before their opening.

Samoon on Wednesday urged all private schools to defer fee collections from students. It is a tough times for the parents and students, he said.

We have distributed 60,000 books and 1,200 educational tablets among the students not having access to mobile phones, he said adding, It is being done to enhance their virtual learning experience.

Mushtaq Ahmad, a parent from Baramulla district, said it was not the right time to open schools. This will put the lives of our children at risk, he said.

Kashmir private schools association president G N Var opined that schools should be reopened in the valley. One is not sure how long will the virus scare continue, but we cant see more academic loss of students. We have suffered it in past as well, he said.

Social distancing will be maintained, sanitisers and masks will be made available to the students for their safety, Var said.

When asked about school fee, Var said, Depositing fee is mandatory in schools. We cant skip this option. But an exception can be made for poor students only, he said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmileDirectClub, Inc. (SDC) announced today that management will attend the following conferences:

J.P. Morgan 48th Annual *Virtual* Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference

Date: May 12-14, 2020

Presentation: Thursday, May 14, 2020

Time: 10:10 AM ET

Stifel 2020 Virtual Jaws & Paws Conference

Date: May 27, 2020

Presentation Information: May 27, 2020

Time: 3:00 PM ET



William Blair 40th Annual Growth Stock Conference

Date: June 9-11, 2020

Presentation Information: June 10, 2020

Time: 3:00 PM ET

Kyle Wailes, Chief Financial Officer, and Susan Greenspon Rammelt, Chief Legal Officer, Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and Corporate Secretary, will participate in each conference. The presentations will be webcast live and accessible through the Investor Relations section of SmileDirectClubs website . In addition to the live webcast, replays will be available on SmileDirectClubs website for 30 days following the event.

About SmileDirectClub

SmileDirectClub, Inc. (SDC) (SmileDirectClub) is an oral care company and creator of the first direct-to-consumer medtech platform for teeth straightening, now also offered directly via dentist and orthodontists offices. Through our cutting-edge teledentistry technology and vertically integrated model, we are revolutionizing the oral care industry, from clear aligner therapy to our affordable, premium oral care product line. SmileDirectClubs mission is to democratize access to affordable and convenient care, unleashing the power of a persons smile to positively impact their place in the world. SmileDirectClub is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee and operates in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit SmileDirectClub.com .

Contact: SmileDirectClub Media Relations: Press@SmileDirectClub.com




InterTradeIrelands Seedcorn Investor Readiness competition will give firms access to funding advice and investor opportunities in the midst of economic uncertainty.

Since its inception, InterTradeIrelands Seedcorn competition, which has supported in excess of 3,100 companies, has become much more than access to funding for new business ideas. It is an opportunity that introduces new up-and-coming businesses to a host of influential investors, access to expert advice and a platform on which they can test run ideas.

Now open for applications, the Seedcorn Competition replicates the real-life investment process, which is now, more than ever, a priceless tool for growth. Its a means and a way to get up close to investors who can financially support new ideas to make them a reality.

Shortlisted companies will walk away with a wealth of key learnings that will prove vital for business growth while boosting their chance to win from the 280k total cash prize fund.

Businesses can enter in one of the two categories; new start or early stage. There are also four regions; Northern Ireland, Dublin (City & County), Munster, and Connacht and Leinster (including Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan).

Throughout each stage of the competition, companies will be judged on various criteria including financial performance, company milestones and achievements, future strategy for the business, the management team in place and the quality of the business pitch to the judging panel.

InterTradeIreland, a business development body, which has been running since 1999, has been supporting small businesses in both Ireland and Northern Ireland to explore new cross-border markets, develop new products, processes and services to become investor ready.

Based in Newry the organisation has also become a crucial support body for businesses here during the Brexit process and now as the economic cost of the coronavirus is felt, it is offering new businesses access to support and finance to get them to the next level.

Speaking about the competition, Shane OHanlon, Funding for Growth Manager said: Its a very unsettling time for any business, and now, more than ever, start-ups and early stage businesses need help and support to secure investment. Seedcorn can offer just that, our team of experts are on hand to offer invaluable insights and advice to companies and help on their road to becoming investor ready.

Mr OHanlon said the key takeaway from the event is the advice firms receive from investors. He added: Many companies that have gone through the competition and not won have spoken highly of the process. Those who have, at past events, reached the finals have gone on to raise in excess of 256m.

The competition is open to independent incorporated ventures in Ireland and Northern Ireland in the Seed, Start-up or Early Stage of business development. The competition is targeted at very early stage businesses that are still working on their business plan and who are seeking advice on how they can become investor ready.

Application deadline is 1pm on Friday 29th May. Apply now at intertradeireland.com/seedcorn
House Republican Rep. Liz Cheney is defending Dr. Anthony Fauci as one of the nation's 'finest public servants' after fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul warned the disease expert shouldn't be the 'end all' on coronavirus policy decisions.

Cheney, who holds the Number Three leadership position among House Republicans as chair of the party conference, hailed Fauci as a non-partisan figure and said Americans should be thanking him.

'Dr. Fauci is one of the finest public servants we have ever had,' Cheney wrote. 'He is not a partisan. His only interest is saving lives. We need his expertise and his judgment to defeat this virus. All Americans should be thanking him. Every day,' she wrote.

'Dr. Fauci is one of the finest public servants we have ever had,' wrote Rep. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican

Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, backed up Fauci after Paul, a Kentucky Republican, provided some of the fireworks during Tuesday's Senate hearing by challenging Fauci, who was participating remotely due to exposure to an aide to Vice President Mike Pence, who tested positive for the disease.

Paul, who previously had the coronavirus himself, was among the Republican participants who did not wear a mask during his own live participation.

The spat happened when Fauci criticized Republican Senator Rand Paul for 'cavalier' comments on reopening schools. Paul said schools might reopen this fall because of the 'low mortality' rate in children from the coronavirus.

'As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don't think you're the end all - I don't think you're the one person who gets to make a decision,' Paul said during his five minutes to question the infectious disease expert.

Cheney defended Fauci as 'one of the finest public servants' in the nation's history

Fauci called in to participate in a Senate hearing on the coronavirus, and eschewed Paul's 'end all' label

Paul, who preiously tested positive for the coronavirus, went after Fauci during a Senate hearing, saying he wasn't the 'end all'

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, top, speaks via teleconference during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Paul, an ophthalmologist, pointed to low mortality among children as he made the case for letting reopening proceed, as President Donald Trump has also called for.

'We need to observe with an open mind what went on in Sweden where the kids kept going to school. Basically I don't think there's anybody arguing what happened in Sweden is an unacceptable result, I think people are intrigued by it.'

He said in rural states, like Kentucky, 'we never really reached any sort of pandemic levels.' Kentucky has more than 6,000 infections and more than 300 confirmed deaths due to the coronavirus.

'And I think the one-size-fits-all that we're going to have a national strategy and nobody is going to go to school is kind of ridiculous.'

'So I think we ought to have a little bit of humility in our belief that we know what's best for the economy,' he said. 'We can listen to your advice, but there are people on the other side who say there's not going to be a surge and we can safely reopen the economy. And the facts will bear this out,' Paul said.

The comment prompted Fauci  who has developed a national fan base complete with bobblehead dolls, shirts and masks imprinted with his name. Fauci heads the National Institute of Alergy and Infectious Diseases, and earned a national reputation during the AIDS epidemic.

'First of all Senator Paul, and thank you for your comments, I have never made myself out to be the end-all and only voice in this. I'm a scientist, physician and public health official. I give advice according to the best scientific evidence,' Fauci said.

'I don't give advice on economic things. I don't give advice on anything other than public health,' he said, defending his record.

'The second thing, is that you used the word we should be humble about what we don't know and I think that falls under the fact that we don't know everything about this virus,' Fauci continued. 'And we really better be very careful particularly when it comes to children.'

Fauci has given a series of TV interviews since the outbreak began. He previously was a regular presence at the White House during televised press conferences, but has not attended recent briefings. He is currently practicing social distancing after being exposed to a members of Mike Pence's staff who tested positive for the virus.
Millions face famine and food insecurity caused by a second desert locust outbreak as management resources are directed towards the COVID-19 crisis, scientists warn.

Pesticide shipments to the worst-affected areas in East Africa have been delayed due to air travel restrictions put in place to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 20 million people are already experiencing acute food insecurity in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Widespread rains that fell in East Africa in March and April could lead to an explosion in desert locust numbers, the FAO warned in a report published last week (4 May).

"Another generation of breeding will cause locust numbers to increase further as new hopper bands and swarms form in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia during May and June," the report says.

"Swarms are expected to move further north in Ethiopia and Somalia with the risk that a few swarms may reach Eritrea and Sudan in mid-June."

Kim Kariuki, engagement director at the Busara Center for Behavioural Economics, Kenya, says the second wave of desert locust invasion could exacerbate the disruption of global supply chains resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This would have untold effects on food security  leaving smallholders even more vulnerable than before and jeopardising the economic outlook for recovery in the affected countries," he explains.

Keith Cressman, the FAO'S senior locust forecaster, tells SciDev.Net that the situation in East Africa can be described as an upsurge and not a plague.

"But it could become a plague if control operations are not adequate and weather favourable to breeding and further spread to other countries occurs," he says.

Daniel Otaye, an associate professor and chairman in the Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University in Kenya, says East African countries seem unprepared to deal with a second wave of locust invasion.

"Policymakers in Sub-Saharan Africa should be strongly advised not to forget the locust outbreak amid COVID-19 outbreak. The two challenges should be fought concurrently," Otaye says.

The report says Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen are under increasing threat of locust invasions.

Otaye adds that most governments in the region have diverted available resources to control COVID-19, to the neglect of fighting locust invasion.

The biggest challenge we are facing at the moment is the supply of pesticides and we have delays because global air freight has been reduced significantly," Cyril Ferrand, FAO's resilience team leader for East Africa

Cressman says there have been continued efforts to control the outbreak, including mass trainings and treatment of thousands of hectares in affected regions.

"So far more than 240,000 hectares have been treated with chemical pesticides or biopesticides across the East Africa region and 740 people have been trained up to conduct ground locust control operations," he says.

Stephen Njoka, the director-general of the Desert Locust Control Organisation for East Africa (DLCO-EA), tells SciDev.Net that East Africa was already grappling with locust invasions prior to COVID-19.

He adds that there have been combined efforts by the DLCO-EA, national governments and the FAO to focus on controlling the locusts by aerial and ground control using pesticides.

"However, the new generation hoppers are now of age and very voracious. Their numbers are much more than their parents," Njoka tells SciDev.Net

According to Njoka, there should be continued surveillance and control by hitting the locusts at their weakest phases  as hoppers and at the immature stages before egg laying.

"One DLCO-EAaircraft is currently conducting cross-border control from Lodwar (Kenya) to Moroto (Uganda) and is soon to be deployed to South Sudan," he adds.

Cressman says digital apps enable countries to share data.

"FAO is encouraging all countries to use eLocust3, a rugged handheld tablet and app, which records and transmits data in real time via satellite to national locust centres and to theDesert Locust Information Service (DLIS)based at FAO headquarters in Rome," he says.

General situation during April 2020 forecast until mid-June 2020 (Desert Locust Bulletin, 4 May 2020)
Low-cost airline Ryanair is planning to resume seven routes from Belfast International Airport in July.

The company yesterday announced a plan to restore 40% of its overall flight schedule from July 1.

Ryanair said the measure is subject to Government restrictions on flights within the EU being lifted and "effective public health measures" at airports.

However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock struck a note of caution, warning that people are unlikely to be able to go on foreign holidays this summer.

Asked whether "summer was cancelled", Mr Hancock told ITV's This Morning: "I think that's likely to be the case."

He added: "It is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer. I just think that's a reality of life."

Ryanair hopes to operate nearly 1,000 flights per day from July 1, subject to conditions, including some from here.

According to its website, in July it is scheduled to fly from Belfast International to the Polish cities of Gdansk, Krakow and Warsaw.

However, it does not appear to be possible to book for the routes beyond July.

Ryanair is also due to fly from Belfast to Malaga in Spain in July and beyond, as well as London Stansted and Manchester.

And there are flights available to book to Milan Bergamo in Italy in July, before they stop until ski season begins at the end of December.

It is also reviving a route to Alicante in Spain from the end of October, with a once-a-week link thereafter.

Both the airline and Belfast International Airport did not respond to a request for comment.

In December it emerged that Ryanair had cancelled planned flights from Belfast to Alicante from April this year. At the time it was attributed to delays in the delivery of new Boeing 737 Max jets, with the carrier scaling back summer capacity as a result.

Ryanair formerly operated 14 routes out of Belfast before first dropping Faro in Portugal and Barcelona Girona from its 2018 winter schedule.

Ryanair's new schedule will involve nearly 1,000 flights per day being operated and 90% of its pre-Covid-19 route network being restored.

Crew and passengers will be required to wear face masks or face coverings, and pass temperature checks.

Queuing for toilets will be banned, but "toilet access will be made available to individual passengers upon request", according to the airline. Refreshments available to buy on board will be limited to pre-packaged items, and sales will be cashless.

Ryanair said all surfaces in its cabins will be disinfected every night with chemicals that are effective for more than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, easyJet, the main operator out of Belfast International, said it hoped to be flying this summer but did not have a date for resuming operations.

A spokeswoman added: "In the meantime we are maintaining our full fleet of aircraft in a flight ready condition and putting accelerated procedures in place to ensure flights can resume quickly and safely."

The only passenger flights from Northern Ireland at the moment are links from City of Derry Airport and Belfast City Airport to London.
In an historic action last week, the state Department of Ecology required federal operators of eight dams on in the Columbia-Snake rivers to write a plan to keep the waters cold enough for adult salmon survival.

Conservation groups said the game-changing decision is necessary to protect endangered salmon species, which struggle to survive when river temperatures exceed 68 degrees. But hydropower proponents worry that meeting the temperature standards could be unattainable without costly rate hikes for utility customers in hydropower-reliant areas like Cowlitz County.

What this decision risks doing is saying, We are going to regulate the temperature of the river because there are dams there. But the reality is even without the dams, those temperatures could be the exact same, said Kurt Miller, executive director of Northwest River Partners, a group of utility districts, ports and businesses.

Ecology on Thursday issued Clean Water Act 401 Certifications for four dams on the Lower Columbia River (Bonneville, John Day, McNary, The Dalles) and four dams on the Lower Snake River (Little Goose, Ice Harbor, Lower Granite, Lower Monumental). The certification enables Ecology to work with federal dam operators to review studies and plans for meeting the states water quality standards, which include a rule to keep river temperatures below 68 degrees.

That rule helps keep the water cool enough for adult salmon to survive their migration through the river to spawning habitat.

Society is doing a lot of work restoring tributaries for spawning ... which is all really important. But if the river is too hot for adult salmon to migrate up, we have a huge problem, said Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director for Columbia Riverkeeper, a Hood River-based conservation group.

He added that parts of the Columbia River routinely reach 72 or 73 degrees. And the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the federal dams, doesnt yet have a formal plan to address that problem.

Theres been a lot of studies and papers by the federal government, but they just have not done anything to address the problem, VandenHeuvel said. Now, for the first time, the state of Washington is going to have the ability to require the federal government to take some action on this plan and that, I think, is an important shift.

Most dams are certified when they receive their operating license. But the dams were built before the rules were in place, so theyve been operating without the certifications.

Riverkeeper opened an opportunity for certification with a 2013 lawsuit that required the Corps to seek oil discharge permits from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Before the EPA could issue the permit, it had to make sure it met state standards.

This is the first federal action that has prompted the states certification requirements, so its been our first opportunity to look at the dams and put these certifications in place, said Vince McGowan, Ecologys water quality program manager.

Miller, the Northwest River Partners director, worried that the decision could create unattainable standards for dam operators.

All eight dams are run-of-the-river dams, which means water generally passes through them at the same rate it would on a free-flowing river. Though Riverkeeper contends that the dams increase water temperatures, Miller said theres science that pretty strongly disputes that.

Moreover, the dam operators have very little ability to do anything about water temperature, which, in the case of run-of-the-river dams, is mostly influenced by the air temperature around the river, Miller said.

To lower water temperatures, the Corps could work on habitat projects to add trees to shade the river, or it could release cooler water from upstream dams, Miller said. But the cost of those projects would be passed along to ratepayers with little potential benefit for salmon, he said.

Cowlitz PUD purchases more than 90% of its wholesale power from Bonneville Power Administration, which relies on the Federal Columbia River Power System that includes these dams, said spokeswoman Alice Dietz.

Any decision which directly influences the operations of the (river power system) can create a financial impact to the District. At this time it is too early to tell what, if any, potential financial impacts there may be, she said.

It could take up to two years before federal agencies release a detailed plan to meet the states water temperature requirements, McGowan said. In the meantime, Ecology will work with the Corps and the EPA to discuss the potential options.

This is a really important first step for us to have that kind of relationship with the (federal) dams, with our state role, McGowan said. The other stakeholders and dam operators themselves will have opportunities to work out exactly what this means in the long run.

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HARRISBURG, Pa.  The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf issued a warning Monday to businesses that choose to open in defiance of the pandemic shutdown, saying they could be jeopardizing their insurance coverage.

With several counties in open rebellion against Wolfs restrictions on businesses and movement, Insurance Commissioner Jessica Altman warned that companies that ignore the shutdown order could be putting themselves at risk of having their claims denied.

She said many policies have provisions that exclude coverage stemming from illegal acts or conduct, and could result in denied claims for property damage, protection from liability and other hazards should a business decide to reopen in violation of Wolfs order.

It is the duty of every business and resident in Pennsylvania to ensure that they and the public at large are provided with the maximum level of protection afforded by insurance. Any actions that could potentially create coverage gaps are the antitheses of the civil duty required of all residents during these times of emergency, she said in a written statement.

Republican elected officials in a growing number of counties are planning to move on their own to lift some of Wolfs restrictions, including the Democrats stay-at-home orders and shutdown of businesses deemed non-life-sustaining. The counties assert they have enough testing, equipment and hospital capacity to deal with the coronavirus.

We have heard the pleas of our residents who desire the ability to safely reopen their businesses and safely return to work, said nearly identical letters sent by state lawmakers, county commissioners and others in Lebanon and Schuylkill counties.

Franklin, Lancaster and Dauphin, among other counties, are also indicating they plan to lift pandemic restrictions on their own beginning this week.

President Donald Trump weighed in Monday, tweeting: The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now, and they are fully aware of what that entails.

Wolf was scheduled to talk about his reopening plan later Monday.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Businesses across Pennsylvania submitted more than 42,000 requests to stay open amid Gov. Tom Wolfs March 19 shutdown order. At least 6,000 were approved, according to a list released late Friday by the Pa. Department of Community and Economic Development.

Scrolling the list shows that many waiver recipients are construction-related businesses or other industries that probably dont require most of their workers to sit in crowded offices.

But one business that got a waiver is catching the eye of plenty of Pennsylvanians who are critical of Wolfs shutdown order  DaViece Hair Team & Day Spa in Harrisburg.

How this business qualified for a waiver is unclear from just the information DCED posted on its website.

A message on the companys website says, we will be scheduling a press conference in the next (several) days to address basic questions about our Exemption Waiver Status we have been fortunate to receive.

Messages left Tuesday afternoon were not returned.

Hair salons and barbershops are among the businesses that must remain closed even in counties that move from the red to yellow phase of restrictions. Dauphin County is still in the red phase, meaning many retail businesses must remain closed.

Casey Smith, a spokesperson for the state Department of Community and Economic Development, said DaViece Hair Team & Day Spa was granted an exemption to provide critical PPE to other local businesses.

Later, Smith said the company indicated that it would be selling bulk hand sanitizer. And a check of the businesss website shows hand sanitizer listed prominently as one of its products.

An online appointment tool said no appointments were available this month or the rest of the year.

Smith said businesses that received a waiver are typically not free to continue all normal operations  only the life-sustaining activities listed on their application.

DCED is reaching out to the salon the make it clear that they can only operate the portion of their business that was authorized for exemption and that they cannot open for any other salon service, Smith said in a statement to PennLive.

A member of the ReOpen PA group on Facebook singled out DaViece Hair Team & Day Spa in a post on Monday, saying her own salon had been shut down since March 18.

Other businesses that received waivers are also drawing scrutiny. LNP described how the owner of a martial arts studio was surprised that his waiver was approved. A comic book shop in Bucks County and a taxidermist in Adams County were also on the list, WHYY reported.

A state exemption allowed a scuba shop to stay open to supply service equipment for water rescues in Presque Isle Bay and elsewhere, GoErie.com reported.

The state closed the waiver application process on April 3 after receiving 42,380 applications. By the end of the day April 22, 8,187 had been approved, 18,875 had been denied, and 14,662 were found to have been submitted by businesses to cover activities that required no special exemption, Smith said last month. At a hearing on April 23, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin said state workers were continuing to evaluate the list of businesses that received waivers.
An Iftar meal that was delivered to a camp left dozens of people suffering from food poisoning and potentially attributing to the death of one child writes Alsouria Net.

Dozens of children and elderly people from the Childhood Care camp in northern Idleb were taken to hospitals for food poisoning on Tuesday.

Obedia al-Fadhel, director of the Idleb Media Center, told Alsouria Net that 57 people suffered food poisoning after eating Iftar meals provided by the charity Sham al-Sharif on Monday in the Childhood Care camp near the town of Deir Hassan. The sick were taken to the Dana Hospital and other nearby facilities.

Fadhel added that a child in the camp died in conjunction with the incident, but stopped short of saying that his death was a result of food poisoning. He pointed out that the remaining known cases were still receiving the necessary care.

In a statement obtained by Alsouria Net, Sham al-Sharif said that rumors surrounding food poisoning due to meals it had distributed in the camp were lies and fabrication, adding that it had handed out the same meals to eight camps in Idleb, and only this camp had experienced poisoning.

Authorities have not yet conducted any official investigations into the food poisoning incident in the Childhood Care camp, Fadhel told Alsouria Net. Sham al-Sharif indicated its readiness for an inspection of its kitchens.

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.
Family & Parenting, School & Education, Local News

By Andrew Hazen Published: May 12 2020

When the Mineola teachers got the official call that schools would be closed on March 15th, they were not in a panic. They went live on March 18th without skipping a beat.

When the Mineola teachers got the official call that schools would be closed on March 15th, they were not in a panic. They went live on March 18th without skipping a beat. Mineola, was ahead of other districts and digitally had things in place for years. As a recognized Apple Distinguished district, that utilizes technology daily, Mineola was ready.

Some say it's extra , we say it's worth it!

A group of teachers from Mineola Middle School had signed up for a Professional Development course earlier this school year that would use the Engagement Project and CoPilot from PERTS* to get continuous feedback from students (organized and designed by Jennifer Maichin, a learning specialist and teacher leader). Some of the prior discussions revolved around getting to know students as people, making sure students feel heard, and addressing disciplinary problems with empathy. We also had a year long focus on growth over proficiency, actionable critical feedback along with reassurance, quality over quantity with praise, and finding a personal relevance in learning. Who knew this would be of the most value a few months later?

These Mineola teachers believe strongly that teaching students to accept and give feedback and recognize mistakes will help them grow. Growth Mindset has been part of a district wide initiative. This prior teaching directly enabled our children to persevere during this difficult time.

From the beginning of the year, teachers spent time differently in the classroom, building relationships and having students recognize how learning works and how their efforts impact their outcomes. Participation in this group allowed the teachers to get continuous feedback anonymously from their students and the teachers would meet to discuss how to change things in their classroom as a direct result of their students' responses.

Many teachers may feel pressure to get through the curriculum and that theres not enough time to spend on things like this. These teachers feel the opposite. Investing the time has proven to be the most effective strategy in keeping students engaged. Distance learning has proven exactly how positive this may have been. Distance learning cannot be 'pile on work to keep kids busy', teachers must be cognizant of the social emotional wellness of students during isolation. Feedback provides 'a conversation' for students that not only engages them, but when done well, provides a sense of belonging.

This group of teachers have close to perfect attendance on their live sessions that meet daily for each class. The students have expressed feelings of frustration and lack of motivation, yet they continue to work hard and show up because of the relationships and beliefs they have in their teachers and themselves. They have had lots of opportunity through surveys and daily conversations to mold what their distance learning looks like and still make time for some fun virtual activities.

The teachers were invited as a panel to the annual Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education which would have taken place in California. Instead, they participated virtually and had discussions with educators from all over the country in break out sessions. Recently, these teachers were also interviewed by the BELE Network.

How long will it be until the schools can return to normal? What will the new normal look like? How will we keep the students engaged and motivated? We are constantly adapting to the new world of education as we learn together, with our students, how to virtually educate and connect. No matter when they get back, Mineola and their staff are prepared.

The following teachers are participants in this group: @staci_durnin @SerioMrs @mustangs1226 @michelefrascog1 @MsAmzler @jennmaich @leslievanbell @MrsBorges_MMS @MineolaMS @MrsHazenMineola @KMurphyTeach







*PERTS is a Stanford University organization that helps educators apply evidence-based strategies in order to advance educational excellence and equity on a large scale. Most of their research and programs focus on growth mindset.

By Heather Hazen
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A former doctor at a Veterans Affairs hospital in West Virginia was indicted Tuesday on federal charges that he molested several male patients and violated their civil rights.

A federal grand jury in Charleston indicted Dr. Jonathan Yates on two counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of depriving veterans of their civil rights under colour of law  language used to describe crimes committed while on duty. If convicted, Yates would face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Yates was arrested last month after he was charged in a federal criminal complaint involving one veteran he examined at the hospital in February 2019. Tuesdays indictment alleges that Yates sexually molested six male patients during appointments between September 2018 and February 2019.

Yates actions caused bodily injury to five of the veterans and deprived them of their constitutional right to bodily integrity, the indictment said. Yates is accused of knowingly engaging in sexual contact without their consent.

Officials said Yates temporarily immobilized two of the veterans, one by cracking his neck and the other with the use of acupuncture needles. He then molested them while they were incapacitated, the indictment said.

An after-hours message left with Yates attorney was not immediately returned Tuesday night.

Yates was employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as the whole health director at the VA hospital from approximately April 2018 to June 2019.

According to the original criminal affidavit, Yates commented during a February 2019 examination about a 42-year-old Army veterans muscle tone and chest hair and called him a real man. When the patient complied with the doctors request to remove his jeans, Yates said, Boxer briefs: my favourite.

The investigation into allegations of sexual assaults at the Beckley hospital was announced last September at the same time that federal prosecutors were conducting a sweeping criminal probe into the deaths of up to 11 patients at the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Attorneys have said two of those deaths have been ruled homicides from wrongful insulin injections. No charges have been announced.

The VA is the governments second-largest department, responsible for 9 million military veterans.
A woman was shot and killed in her Louisville, Kentucky, home by police executing a "botched" search warrant who forced their way in, surprising the woman and her boyfriend who thought the officers were burglars, her family says in a lawsuit.

The lawsuit  filed by the family of the woman, Breonna Taylor, an EMT worker  says she and her boyfriend thought they were being burglarized and he fired at the officers in self-defense. The lawsuit accuses the three officers of "blindly firing" more than 20 shots into the apartment.

After the March 13 incident, the Louisville Metro Police Department said the officers had knocked on the door several times and announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant. After forcing their way in, they were immediately met by gunfire, Lt. Ted Eidem said at a news conference.

Image: Breonna Taylor was a qualified EMT (Family photo via NBC12)

Taylor's death gained national attention this week after the family hired attorney Ben Crump, who is also representing the family of Ahmaud Arbery, the black man in Georgia who was killed on Feb. 23 after being pursued and shot by two white men. The two men are charged with murder and aggravated assault.

Taylor, 26, was shot eight times by police. Kenneth Walker, 27, was arrested and charged with assault and attempted murder on a police officer. An attorney for Walker could not immediately be reached.

Crump called Taylor's death a "senseless killing."

"We stand with the family of this young woman in demanding answers from the Louisville Police Department," he said in a statement Monday on Twitter.

The attorney called out the police department for not providing "any answers regarding the facts and circumstances of how this tragedy occurred."

"Breonna Taylor was sleeping while black in the sanctity of our own home," Crump said at a Wednesday press conference, adding, "we cannot continue to allow them to unnecessarily and justifiably kill our black women and escape any accountability."

Story continues

Records show that the police investigation was centered around a "trap house" more than 10 miles from Taylor's apartment, and that a judge had approved a "no-knock" search warrant, meaning officers did not have to identify themselves, according to The Courier-Journal.

The lawsuit states that Taylor and her boyfriend, Walker, were asleep in their bedroom when police in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles arrived at the house looking for a suspect who lived in a different part of the city and was already in police custody.

The three officers entered Taylor's home "without knocking and without announcing themselves as police officers," the suit states.

The lawsuit says Taylor and Walker woke up and thought criminals were breaking in. Walker called 911 and police said he opened fire and shot an officer.

"The defendants then proceeded to spray gunfire into the residence with a total disregard for the value of human life," the lawsuit alleges. "Shots were blindly fired by the officers all throughout Breonna's home."

The suit states that Walker had a license to carry and kept firearms in the home, and that Taylor was unarmed.

Taylor and Walker had no criminal history or drug convictions. No drugs were found in the apartment.

Her address was listed on the search warrant based on police's belief that a drug suspect had used her home to receive mail, keep drugs or stash money. The warrant also states that a car registered to Taylor was seen parked on several occasions in front of a "drug house" known to the suspect.

Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, filed the lawsuit in April in Jefferson Circuit Court alleging wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence.

Crump said during an interview on MSNBC that Taylor was "completely innocent" and went on to say that "black women's lives matter too." The attorney also called for the charges against Walker to be immediately dropped.

A police spokesperson had no comment this week because the investigation was still ongoing.

The officers, identified as Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, were reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said on Twitter Tuesday, "As always, my priority is that the truth comes out, and for justice to follow the path of truth."

Sam Aguiar, another lawyer for the family, said at a news conference Wednesday that he hopes the exposure Taylor's case is getting leads to a change at the police department. "The truth will be uncovered," he said.
The second stimulus package announced by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has gone beyond expectations. His address to the nation on May 12 will perhaps mark the day when India embarked on the path of converting a global crisis into an opportunity to accelerate its economic transition and build on the solid foundations laid in the first term of this government. This will involve eliminating poverty, improving equity, and raising the living standards of the population in line with their aspirations. It promises to be historical.

The PM announced a package of Rs 20 lakh crore or nearly 10% of GDP to trigger economic growth in the post-coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-induced pandemic period to protect the interests of those affected by the extended lockdown, which was critical in the face of the pernicious virus. In doing so, he has overcome conservative impulses within the establishment and laid the ground for a paradigm shift. It is clear that we cannot continue to operate within self-imposed fiscal constraints. Across the world, these are being discarded in response to the deteriorating economic situation. Fiscal prudence has to be understood in a dynamic perspective. It can be achieved by reversing the slackening economic growth rate, rather than through a continued reduction in public expenditure in response to declining revenues. That would be the certain path to a vicious downward growth spiral from which it would take years to rebuild the economy.

But the unexpectedly large fiscal stimulus package is only one of the components of the PMs address on May 12. For me, the promise to undertake bold structural reforms and jettison the incremental approach holds an even bigger promise for India to regain its growth momentum. Without these bold reforms in areas such as land, labour, liquidity and laws, the fiscal stimulus risked being wasted in a one-off consumption hike, whose growth impulse would taper off quickly. With bold structural reforms, the proposed increase in public expenditure will help attract fresh private investment to build new production capacities, raise productivity by absorbing frontier technologies and promote equity through higher efficiency in the delivery of public services. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-governed states have taken the lead by introducing a slew of labour market reforms that will give flexibility to investors to tailor their workforce in line with changes in seasonal demand and output.

These bold reforms will also underpin the PMs call for a self-reliant India, but one which is not self-centred and protectionist. He made it clear in his address that India will continue to participate even more aggressively in global value chains on the basis of greater competitiveness of its domestic firms and industries. This will call for encouraging local production, building local brands, improving logistics and lowering energy costs for domestic companies. This will enable them to achieve economies of scale and technological sophistication for successfully competing in global markets.

The PMs emphasis on Indias continued engagement with global trends in commerce, finance and technology is surely an effective and decisive response to those raising fears of India turning protectionist. Self-reliance with continued participation in global markets and value chains will be the mantra going forward.

His call for promoting local products so that they become global brands and capture a share of international markets is timely. As new capacities are created locally, the support from the consumer will propel them to achieve global qualities and scale. The domestic market, though large and growing, is still not enough to afford global scales of production and economies of scale.

Indias software industry came of age and achieved global scales and competitiveness with the Y2K phenomenon, mentioned by the PM in his address. Duties on hardware imports were reduced and software companies were supported to achieve this breakthrough. Similarly, Indias readymade garments industry achieved its present scale and competitiveness only through catering to global demand. It should be evident by now that Indian consumers are a discerning lot who are acutely price and quality conscious. The bold reforms emphasised by the PM in his address will help Indian firms to meet the demands of the local consumers while gaining share in global markets.

We should not lose sight of the fact that the challenge has just begun. There is a difficult road ahead of us with the global economy showing signs of a perilous downward slide which could well be as steep as in the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The pandemics full impact on the global and domestic economy is still not fully known. In the coming days, we have to constantly be on guard, looking out for emerging risks and opportunities and responding with agility and focus on these emerging trends. We have started a paradigm shift, which will take us in the direction of becoming a global player by focusing on our strengths and rooting our policies in our own ground realities. We will thus actualise the PMs call for converting this crisis into an opportunity.

Rajiv Kumar is vice-chairman, NITI Aayog

The views expressed are personal
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Another six senior care homes reported multiple coronavirus cases or at least one death in the last week, including a Salem home that now has dozens of cases and four fatalities.

The new numbers published Tuesday indicate Oregons crisis in long-term care communities is not yet over.

Six in 10 coronavirus deaths in the state  a total of 78 -- are associated with the senior care facilities. Cases grew by about 15 percent over the last week, from 419 to 480.

Most of the deaths appear to be residents, though the state has not released that information for all facilities.

Prestige Senior Living Orchard Heights in Salem has now reported 41 coronavirus cases, including the four deaths, since its first infection April 30. The outbreak is now the third largest in the state, though five other homes have had more deaths.

Prestige, situated on a tree-lined road in Salem on the west side of the Willamette River, combines regular assisted living services with services for people with dementia. The two sections are separate. The state has ordered both to lock down due to the coronavirus.

The other new facilities on the list are Prestige Senior Living Riverwood and Jennings McCall Center, in Washington County; Parkview Christian Assisted Living and Odd Fellows Home, in Multnomah County; Turner Residential Care, in Marion County.

Homes for the elderly continue to be over-represented in Oregons total death toll. Only about 15 percent of all Oregon coronavirus cases are associated with senior care homes, or 480 cases, compared to 60 percent of deaths.

The full scope of what is going on in the centers is unknown because the state is not doing broad testing of senior care home residents and staff who do not have symptoms.

Oregons steadily increasing testing capacity apparently has not been enough to meet the Trump administrations recommendation Monday that all residents and staff in nursing homes get tested for the coronavirus.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

fzarkhin@oregonian.com

desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin
BURTON, MI -- A new dispensary offering medical marijuana has opened in Burton.

Bloom City Club at 4086 Davison Road in Burton, opened Monday, May 11, for medical marijuana curbside pick-up.

The business now serves medical patients only, but plans to offer recreational cannabis in the near future, according to a news release.

Bloom City Club in Burton is a branch of one of the OGs of Ann Arbors cannabis community, the news release states.

The location in Ann Arbor is known throughout Michigan for offering a personalized and educational cannabis experience, while actively supporting the community, manager of Bloom City Burton, Matt Vohwinkle, said in a statement. We are excited to bring that same atmosphere, guest experience, and community involvement to Burton and Flint.

Patients can order online or receive assistance over the phone. All new medical patients will receive a free pre-roll with their first purchase. Products include edibles, tinctures, concentrates, and over 20 different strains of flower.

We will have an open shopping space for our guests to browse, with fully stocked product displays and local art. We are focused on educating people about cannabis, offering a large selection of quality products, and providing a personalized customer service experience," Vohwinkle said.

Facing restrictions due to the stay-at-home order, Bloom City Club Human Resources Manager Angela Marshall said the company In typical Bloom fashion," looked on the bright side and used it as an opportunity to train Burton staff at the business Ann Arbor location.

While we traversed the added complexities of opening during the COVID-19 restrictions, we had the pleasure of having Burton staff work side-by-side (at a social distance) with Ann Arbor staff, Marshall said. "We even had the opportunity to test out their wireless technology to improve our curbside delivery in Ann Arbor.

The new Burton location will open its lobby and have a grand opening celebration once the stay-at-home order is lifted, the release states.

More information can be found at www.bloomcityclub.com, on Instagram or by calling 810-820-7696.
Velasquez lived in a three-floor house in Northwest Washington with two of her children and seven grandchildren. She rented out two rooms and ran a day-care center out of her home. On Sundays, she drove the church van to Wheaton, Md., and on her way collected parishioners who couldnt make it to services on their own.
Myanmar: Taninthari region temporarily closes dried cuttlefish factories

May 13,2020 | Source: Eleven Myanmar

When a team checked the factories in Taninthari Region concerning COVID-19 virus, they found 10 dried cuttlefish factories which violated the instructions being laid down by the Ministry of Health and Sports. So, those dried cuttlefish factories have been shut down temporarily. Taninthari Region had formed five investigation teams on April 27th aiming to investigate those factories whether to follow or violate the suggestions and instructions of the Ministry of Health and Sports. So, the investigation teams launched the checks on 154 essential factories in Dawei, Myeik and Kawtthaung districts till May 2nd. Moreover, plans are underway to open again the factories which already have been checked.



In Taninthari Region, there are over 500 factories. However, more than 10 workers are now working at over 200 factories. As it is the COVID-19 outbreak situation, we are now checking the factories. Totaling 154 essential factories already have been checks. Among 154 factories, 10 dried cuttlefish factories temporarily had been shut down for one week because the factories violated the health guidance of the Ministry of Health and Sports. We are now conducting educative talks aiming to renovate the factories. And then, we are going to allow the dried cuttlefish factories to resume their operations in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health and Sports. The remaining factories are being checked, said Kyaw Min, Taninthari regional minister of Immigration and Human Resources.



Myint Maung, Chief Minister of Taninthari Region, said that the Union Government was carrying out the rehabilitations about the economic impacts aftermath of COVID-19. So, the Taninthari Region Government had no plan about the impacts. However, they were cooperating with the Union Level ministries aiming to discuss matters relating on loans, hotel industry, small and median enterprise. After Myanmar found firstly COVID-19 patient on March 23rd, Taninthari region tightly restrict the travelling including beaches and pagodas. So, Hotel and Tourism industries, SMEs and marine industry had been impacted. Moreover, the visitors from home and abroad had to come into the beaches and islands in March and April. However, the travel restrictions caused the impacts on the local tour industry. Due to the closure of markets in Thailand and China, the marine industries also had been impacted. So, fishermen already faced difficulties of their earnings because fishing industry had been stopped over one month.
Regional Express airlines is preparing to take on Qantas and Virgin by announcing it will now fly between Australia's major cities.

The small budget airline currently offers services to regional areas within states but is now planning to invest $200million to start flights between Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

The company will lease ten 180-seat 737 jets and hire additional cabin crew, pilots and ground staff.

Rex airlines has announced they are planning to start flights between capital cities by next year

Rex deputy chairman John Sharp said they had already received interest from several investors since the collapse of Virgin Australia.

'Presently Rex flies to the regional centres to all the capital cities in Australia,' Rex deputy chairman John Sharp told ABC radio on Tuesday.

'The proposition is to fly between them and provide a domestic air service in place of the ones once provided by Virgin.

'A number of people who have approached us believe that it's going to be very difficult for Virgin to rise from the ashes given the heavy cost burden that it carries, the very heavy debt it carries and the very high wages.'

Mr Sharp also said Rex would be able to compete with other domestic airlines due to its lower cost base.

'For example, a Virgin captain is paid about $240,000 a year compared to about $200,000 for a Jetstar captain,' he told the Australian Financial Review.

'We would not want to pay anything more than Jetstar is paying.

'Even if we do go to Jetstar's level we will still be 20 per cent cheaper than Virgin.'

Virgin Australia went into voluntary administration last month after racking up $7billion in debt when flights were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There are reportedly several investors interested in rescuing the airline that was forced to stand down 80 per cent of its 10,000-strong workforce.

Rex airlines has been operating since 2002 and flies to 60 different regional areas in Australia with around 60 Saab 340 aircraft.

These planes seat 34 people and there is no competition on 85 per cent of the airline's routes, the AFR reported.

Rex is hoping to have flights between capital cities starting next year.
Residents largely restricted to their homes, with mosques shut and festival marking end of Ramadan likely cancelled.

It is 4.42am of day 16 of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and Ismaila Alhassan wakes up by the call to prayer broadcasted by loudspeakers outside.

Rather than heading to his local mosque metres away from his house in Kano, Nigerias second-most populous city, the 47-year-old and his four sons walk to their prayer spot inside their home. They will repeat this throughout the day as they perform their five mandatory daily prayers.

Alhassans decision to carry out the religious obligations at home is in line with strict measures put in place on Kano state to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

This Ramadan is clearly different from previous ones. We cant go to the mosques again, we cant break our fast with friends, hand gifts out to the needy. We are locked inside our houses, almost like prisoners, but we have to comply with the government directives, Alhassan told Al Jazeera.

We pray for Allahs intervention because this coronavirus [pandemic] has to end soon so that we can live our normal life and move about freely, he said on Monday.

Lockdown measures

Kano, the commercial hub of northern Nigeria with an estimated population of some 13 million, was placed on lockdown by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 27 following the unexplained deaths of 640 people within two weeks.

It came as local reports quoted gravediggers at cemeteries in the city as saying that they were burying a bigger-than-usual number of bodies in recent weeks, prompting concerns among residents.

The state government denied claims the deaths were related to the coronavirus pandemic, while the federal government deployed a fact-finding team to Kano to investigate the rapid increase in mortality as authorities enforced the lockdown.

Under the measures, schools, mosques and offices were closed while public gatherings were banned and residents were ordered to remain in their houses.

On May 2, state Governor Abdullahi Ganduje announced a partial easing of the measures for two days of the week, every Monday and Thursday from 10am to 4pm, to enable people move out and make some purchases.

However, places of worship in the Muslim-majority city remained closed. Islamic scholar Umar Bawa told Al Jazeera this was not received well by some worshippers during Ramadan.

So many complaints, particularly with the lifting of the lockdown on some days, he said, adding that some worshippers were asking him, Why not open the mosques for only 30 minutes for Jumaat prayers?

However, Bawa said he, as others, complied with the order to remain home and not jeopardise public health.

Gifts collected

Ramadan is a period when Muslims are encouraged to support the less privileged with donations and charity work  but this year this is a tough task.

People use this opportunity to distribute alms but now they are scared, said Rabiu Bashir, a 23-year-old banker in Kano. No communal relationships and exchanges like before, he told Al Jazeera. The lockdown has made everything gloomy.

Still, the two-day easing of restrictions has opened a window for people to rally support for those in need, according to Bawa. Gifts and contributions are being collected on the days when the lockdown is lifted, he said.

Traditional performers during the annual Durbar festival held at the end of Ramadan in Nigerias northern city of Kano [File: Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters]

This time of the year is also when Kano residents would usually be looking forward to the Durbar festival marking the end of Ramadan, one of the most colourful cultural events in Nigeria that attracts hundreds of thousands of people.

This years event, however, may not take place due to the coronavirus containment measures  less than two weeks before its supposed start, preparations have yet to commence.

A lot will be missed about the Durbar  from the extravagant display to the huge turnout of people, Bashir said. Its one that makes spending Eid [-al Fitr] in Kano special.

The festival is usually overseen by the influential emir of Kano, who is seen as the second most senior Islamic ruler in Nigeria. On March 11, Aminu Ado Bayero was installed as the new traditional ruler following the removal of the former Emir Lamido Sanusi after a running argument with the state government.

Im sure a lot of people will want to see how the newly-installed emir will perform his own Durbar, which is something we have to wait a bit longer to see, Bashir said.

A woman wearing a protective face mask walks past a public bus in Lagos, the epicentre of the crisis in Nigeria [File: Temilade Adelaja/Reuters]

To date, Nigeria has registered 4,787 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 158 related deaths.

Lagos remains the epicentre of the virus in the country, with 1,990 registered cases, while Kano state has the second-highest number, with 693 recorded infections.

With no end in sight for the total easing of lockdown restrictions, residents are bracing for a different Eid this year.

The only thing on our minds is to dress up, take pictures, eat and spend time as a family, Bashir said, referring to his familys celebration plans.

Despite this years obstacles, however, Alhassan is confident Kano will bounce back to normal life again.

This is just a temporary setback, he said. We will soon gather again for prayers in mosques, share food, visit families and hold another Durbar next year Insha Allah, he said.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Questions Answered in this Report:



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05893115/?utm_source=PRN



 What are the long-term and short-term impacts of companion diagnostics on the human health continuum?

 What are the major market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the global companion diagnostics market?

 What are the key development strategies which are implemented by the major players in order to sustain in the competitive market?

 What are the key regulatory implications in developed and developing regions for the global companion diagnostics market?

 How is the patent landscape in the industry shaping up future technological trends?

 How is each segment of the market expected to grow during the forecast period from 2020 to 2030?

 Who are the leading players with significant offerings to the global companion diagnostics market? What is the expected market dominance for each of these leading players?

 Which companies are anticipated to be highly disruptive in the future, and why?

 What are challenges that are yet to be met by the global companion diagnostics market?



Global Companion Diagnostics Market Forecast, 2020-2030



The companion diagnostics industry analysis projects the market to grow at a significant CAGR of 12.45% during the forecast period, 2020-2030. The global companion diagnostics market generated $1,764.7 million revenue in 2019, in terms of value. The global companion diagnostics market growth has been primarily attributed to the major drivers in this market such as growing incidence of cancer, growing demand for precision medicine, and co development of drug and diagnostics. However, there are significant challenges which are restraining the market growth. These challenges include uncertain reimbursement scenario, weak synchronization between therapeutics and diagnostics in marketing and distribution channels.



Expert Quote



"North America is the leading contributor in the global companion diagnostics market and contributed approximately 56.69% to the global market value in 2019. This region is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period 2020-2030 and continue dominating the global market in 2030. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 20.99% during the forecast period. In addition, the region of Europe also contributed a significant share of 25.95% to the global market in 2019."



Scope of the Market Intelligence on the Global Companion Diagnostics Market



The companion diagnostics research provides a holistic view of the market in terms of various factors influencing it, including regulatory reforms, and technological advancements.



The scope of the report primarily evaluates FDA-approved companion diagnostics products that are commercialized in the U.S. as well as other regions. In addition, the study also includes companion diagnostics products that have received approvals for commercialization from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), and National Medical Products Administration (NMPA; formerly known as China Food and Drug Administration or the CFDA).



Market Segmentation



The global companion diagnostics market segmentation (on the basis of manufacturing) is further segmented on the basis of technology, application, and region.



The global companion diagnostics market segmentation (on the basis of technology) is segmented into polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), in-situ hybridization (ISH), and next-generation sequencing (NGS).



The global companion diagnostics market segmentation (on the basis of application) is segmented into lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, leukemia, stomach cancer, and melanoma.



The global companion diagnostics market segmentation (on the basis of region) is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest-of-the-World.



Key Companies in the Global Companion Diagnostics Market



The key manufacturers who have been contributing significantly to the global companion diagnostics market include Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Inc., ARUP Laboratories, bioMerieux S.A., Danaher Corporation, DiaCarta, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, ICON plc, Illumina, Inc., Invivoscribe Technologies, Inc., Myriad Genetics, Inc., Novogene Corporation, QIAGEN N.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc among others.



Countries Covered

 North America

 U.S.

 Canada

 Europe

 Germany

 U.K.

 France

 Italy

 Spain

 Rest-of-Europe

 Asia-Pacific

 China

 Japan

 India

 Australia

 Singapore

 Rest-of-Asia-Pacific

 Rest-of-the-World



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05893115/?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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A construction worker wearing a protective face mask at a building site in central London. (Dominic Lipinski/PA Images via Getty Images)

Boris Johnson singled out construction workers when he announced an easing of Britains coronavirus lockdown this week, urging them to get back to work.

Many needed no encouragement from the prime minister however, with figures suggesting almost three-quarters of building sites in England and Wales were already open last week. Firms are keen to keep projects on track, and many workers reliant on their incomes.

But new data this week shows construction workers have some of the highest death rates from COVID-19. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) cautioned that it did not prove conclusively that exposure at work explained the death toll, but the industry is grappling with widespread concerns and even protests over safety on building sites nationwide.

Strict social distancing plans on sites

Apprentice carpenter Alfie Dillon is among those hoping to get back to work soon, after weeks at home on furlough. Its boring sitting around, he told Yahoo Finance UK.

The 20-year-old from Bow, east London, expects to be back at work within the next few weeks. He is not significantly worried for his own safety, but hopes for concrete policies and guidance about precautions and risks. Johnsons latest speech left him unimpressed, with mixed messages over returning to work.

He knows his employer plans to limit workforce numbers on sites to facilitate social distancing however, and that many sites have installed hand sanitiser dispensers.

New safety measures are now being rapidly drawn up by construction firms across the country, with industry bodies and now the government publishing safety guidelines.

Geoff Wilkinson, managing director of a London-based building standards firm, said a string of policies at his own company had reassured staff that returning to work was safe. In the early days there was a lot of concern, but thats tended to reduce over time as people have become more familiar and satisfied suitable measures are in place.

Story continues

READ MORE: Historic collapse in UK construction sector in April

Wilkinson Construction Consultants office staffing has been slimmed down to just a handful of workers answering phones, each now with their own room. Its surveyors, who typically inspect standards on sites throughout the construction process, have been given face masks, gloves and hand sanitiser and are now only visiting certain sites.

Site visits must be outdoors rather than in enclosed spaces, two-metre social distancing must be possible and contractors doing the work must have health and safety plans.

Some of the firms operating larger sites that Wilkinson said his staff have visited in London and south-east England had come up with really detailed policies. Workers shifts are being staggered to reduce numbers, and new toilet and handwash facilities are being installed.

Analysis by construction data firm Glenigan suggests at least 15% of previously suspended UK projects have now reopened, with large companies like Taylor Wimpey, Vistry and Persimmon using the shutdown period to draw up new measures.

Taylor Wimpey began reopening its sites last week. Its plans include regular monitoring of compliance with its new COVID-19 code of conduct, including strict social distancing by staff, sub-contractors and suppliers.

You need several trades working together

Construction workers keep apart as they take a break in London. (Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

But social distancing can make standard ways of working difficult on sites, if not impossible. At certain points on more complex sites, you might need four or five trades at same time working together, according to Wilkinson.

The Construction Leadership Council proposed a 15-minute limit for breaching the two-metre rule. New government guidance says breaches should only be those essential for the firm to keep operating, be as short as possible and involve screens or side-to-side working.

Staggering shifts, lunch and break times across a day to avoid overcrowded sites, canteens or rest areas is also a challenge. Industry guidelines encourage takeaway services and bringing food from home.

A rota might be a good ideabut would people get shorter hours on less pay? said Dillon.

The Unite union has warned breaching the two-metre rule at all is unacceptable, however. Most importantly, there are big questions about what workers should do if rules are not followed.

Issues can be reported to the Health and Safety Executive, but it has suspended targeted inspection activity of sites during the pandemic. Workers may also fear reprisals in a sector with a history of blacklisting.

Pressure on sub-contractors to continue to work

Some contractors also put pressure on subcontractors to continue to work, added Wilkinson, particularly when they may face penalties themselves for delays.

Many site workers are self-employed, with not all eligible for government support schemes and payments only from late May for those that are. Thats why youve seen a lot remain in the workplace.

The biggest worry for Wilkinson is for workers on smaller, non-essential building projects such as domestic extensions, which appear more likely to have continued throughout the crisis. They are least likely to have personal protective equipment, health and safety staff and enforcement.

The threat on domestic projects can be to residents as much as workers. He has stopped his staff visiting occupied homes, but warns small builders may be spreading the virus from one house to another. Smaller sites are also less likely to have cabin loos or kitchens, meaning some will use residents facilities.

READ MORE: UK house prices drop as Bank of England warns on 16% drop

Some workers may also be worried about loved ones, rather than their own safety. People they live with could be in high-risk groups, added Wilkinson. Hotels are one costly alternative, but contractors report difficulties even finding rooms amid widespread closures.

However safe sites can be made, commuting is another major concern. Unite has called for sites to start at 10am so workers can avoid overcrowded public transport, telling them employers responsibilities start as soon as you head off to work.

Dillon said he could cycle to his likely next site in Westminster, but said many colleagues lived in Kent and typically travelled at peak hours to London by train. They wont be able to come unless they can drive, and then theyd have nowhere to park. Therell be lots who cant come back.

Warnings of weak recovery and legal claims over safety

More sites may be reopening as the government hopes, yet full recovery could be a long way off.

Figures from Build UK suggest the number of open sites is edging upwards, with 73% of sites up and running in England and Wales last week. But fewer are operating in the rest of the UK, and its data also shows productivity levels running at just 71% of pre-virus levels. Reduced workforce numbers and social distancing rules will inevitably slow down some work.

Firms face other significant challenges beyond safety too. A recent industry survey showed a record collapse in activity in April. Firms reported material shortages, rather than safety concerns alone, had forced many sites to stop work. Many suppliers are still temporarily closed and global supply chains disrupted because of the pandemic.

In the short-term some firms may struggle to stay afloat with reduced work. In the long-term analysts warn on a weak recovery and lower demand for office space. Pantheon Economics only expects a return to pre-virus activity in 2022.

Wilkinson expects the crisis may also continue to be felt in other ways well into the future. He expects an eventual surge in legal claims against firms, on behalf of both laid-off workers and those left seriously ill or even killed by COVID-19.
A police officer fired pepper spray at a group of people in a Hong Kong shopping mall on Wednesday amid renewed pro-democracy and anti-government protests, as the city's government said it would plow ahead with a controversial law banning 'insults' to the Chinese national anthem.



The undercover officer, who identified himself before spraying a journalist and a protester with an umbrella, was at a gathering of multiple small groups of people at New Town Plaza mall in the New Territories town of Shatin.



Protesters had gathered in mock celebration of the 63rd birthday of chief executive Carrie Lam, and were gathered in small groups to avoid being targeted under social distancing rules linked to the coronavirus pandemic.



Hong Kong's government has banned groups of eight people or more from gathering in a public place, under epidemic prevention rules.



The maskless officer brandished a canister of pepper spray after wrestling a man to the ground, government broadcaster RTHK reported, in a warning to nearby protesters to back off.



Police said in a statement via Facebook that the man being subdued was a "rioter" who had smashed up items in a nearby store.



Protesters gathered in other malls across the city, with some chanting rude slogans about Lam and others stepping on photographs of her with her face replaced by a skull.



Tensions rise



Tensions have risen in Hong Kong in recent days as protesters continue to demand fully democratic elections and greater official accountability, as pro-democracy lawmakers were forced to end a long filibuster that had been preventing the tabling of the National Anthem law in the Legislative Council (LegCo).



Secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs Erick Tsang on Tuesday indicated the government would resume a second reading of the highly controversial National Anthem Bill in LegCo on May 27.



"The national anthem is the symbol and sign of the country," a Hong Kong government spokesman said in a statement.



The bill has been mandated by a decision of China's National People's Congress (NPC) standing committee to add it to a list of mandatory laws to be passed by Hong Kong.



The spokesman said the purpose of the law was to "preserve the dignity of the national anthem and promote respect for the national anthem."



The protest movement escalated sharply last June, after Lam's administration tried to push another highly unpopular piece of legislation through LegCo that would have allowed the extradition of alleged criminal suspects to face trial in mainland China.



Lam has since formally withdrawn the hated amendments to the city's extradition laws, but has stopped short of meeting protesters' demands for an amnesty for arrestees, an independent public inquiry into police violence and abuse of power, an end to the description of protesters as "rioters," and fully democratic elections.



Police violence criticized



The ruling Chinese Communist Party has been at pains to frame the year-old anti-extradition and pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong as "separatist," saying that protesters want independence for the city, although the majority say they are fighting to prevent the loss of their existing freedoms.



Frontline protesters, eyewitnesses, journalists, and human rights groups have repeatedly said that the majority of violence during the protests has originated with the Hong Kong police, who have been widely criticized for the excessive use of tear gas, water cannon, and pepper spray, as well as both non-lethal and live ammunition weapons, on unarmed protesters.



Medical personnel and rights groups have also slammed the handcuffing and arrests of voluntary medical staff, including nurses and doctors, during the siege of the Polytechnic University by riot police in November 2019.



Reported by RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
An off-duty University of Pennsylvania security guard who said he acted in self-defense when he shot three teenagers on a SEPTA bus last month was caught on a surveillance camera starting the fight and has been charged with assault, the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office said Tuesday.

Brandon Ferguson, 24, of Northeast Philadelphia, was arrested Tuesday morning in the 2800 block of Levick Street in Mayfair. In the April 16 shooting of the teens and the injuring of a female passenger, he was charged with four counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person.

The charges stem from an early morning fight on the Route 58 bus that was captured on video as the bus traveled through the Castor section of the city about 1 a.m.

Ferguson gave a statement to the District Attorneys Office saying he used his licensed gun to shoot the three boys in self-defense when they attacked him. A 16-year-old was shot in his left thigh, a 15-year-old was shot in the right thigh and right buttocks, and a 17-year-old was shot in his right knee. All are recovering.

A woman who was on the bus suffered a graze wound, said Jane Roh, spokesperson for the office.

Ferguson, who has a permit to carry his gun, was sitting in the back of the bus when the three teens approached him and an argument ensued, a Police Department spokesman said after the shootings.

At the request of the District Attorneys Office, Ferguson was released on $250,000 unsecured bail under the condition that he turn over to police his firearms, which included an AR-15 rifle and two handguns, and ammunition, Roh said.

After the shooting, Ferguson was put on leave by his employer, Allied Universal Security Solutions. A spokesperson referred a call for comment about his employment status to the University of Pennsylvania, where he was last assigned. A call to the university was not returned.

By Mensah M. Dean, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

More:

Pa. man arrested after threatening Gov. Tom Wolf over shutdown order: police

Harrisburg mom whose home was scene of U.S. marshals killing denied cut on drug-related jail term

Driver in stolen car causes fatal crash on Pa. highway: police
A ndrew Lloyd Webber is expected to take a 20 million hit to his fortune as a result of the coronavirus crisis, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

The 72-year-old composer stands to lose millions of pounds due to the closure of his theatres in the West End, the compilers of the list have calculated.

He has also had to delay the London opening of his musical Cinderella, scripted by Killing Eves Emerald Fennell, as a result of the pandemic.

However, he still tops the list of wealthiest musicians along with Sir Paul McCartney, 77, with a calculated wealth of 800 million.

Lord Lloyd-Webbers LW Theatres showed assets of 63 million in 2018-19, with the separate Really Useful Group Investments making profits of 7 million on turnover of 61.4 million.

He topped the list alone in 2019, with a fortune of 820 million.

Since the coronavirus crisis began, recordings of his previous West End shows have been streamed online for free every Friday night, with Cats the latest upcoming broadcast.

Rihanna is a new entry to the list in third place. Now based in London, the 32-year-old she has amassed a fortune of 468 million thanks to the success of her cosmetics and fashion brand Fenty, for which she has partnered with luxury goods powerhouse LWMH, and other commercial interests.

At 29, Sheeran is the youngest person on the list and he tops a separate list of the richest young musicians.

 The Sunday Times Rich List will be published on May 17; the full list is online

Additional reporting by Press Association
If Garcia wins, Republicans will declare it evidence of their chances for greater success in reclaiming other seats Democrats flipped and winning back the majority. But Democrats argue that it is hardly indicative of what will happen in six months, when the electorate will be very different. Both parties and outside groups poured millions into the race.
In his first weeks as the presumptive Democratic nominee, Joseph R. Biden Jr. went days at a time with no public events. His campaign staff in early April was about half the size of Hillary Clintons at the same time in 2016. A much-touted virtual rally last week was riddled with glitches. And Mr. Biden and his advisers remain stuck at home, uncertain if their Philadelphia headquarters will ever reopen.

Less than six months before Election Day, Mr. Biden finds himself in an extraordinary position: Party leaders have quickly united around him, and he has an edge over President Trump in most polls. But he has yet to prove himself as a formidable nominee who can set the political and policy agenda for Democrats and the nation, and his campaign has so far not solved the unprecedented challenges of running for the White House from the seclusion of his home.

Mr. Bidens inability to influence the political or policy debate about the coronavirus and the nations economic collapse has worried some Democratic allies, donors and former Obama administration officials who want Mr. Biden to be more visible. He rarely goes on offense against Mr. Trump in ways that have lasting impact. And his tentative handling of his biggest test recently  responding to the sexual assault allegation by Tara Reade  prompted skepticism among some progressives and others about his instincts and his teams agility.

Mr. Trump has his own enormous problems politically, and he and his campaign have yet to get a handle on Mr. Biden, veering from attacks over China to personal jabs at his mental acuity and his son Hunter. Still, even some Democrats who are optimistic about Mr. Bidens chances say they are worried about whether he and his operation are ready for the campaign of personal destruction that Mr. Trump is expected to accelerate.
The Indian government on Wednesday submitted further documents as "corroboratory evidence" in its case of fraud and money laundering against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who is contesting his extradition to India at an ongoing hearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.

District Judge Samuel Goozee expressed his concern at the late submission of the documents, said to include largely bank statements relating to the diamond merchant's companies, but has agreed to consider the application for their submission.

"I am going to need a very good explanation as to why these were not identified as evidence before," he said.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing in court on behalf of the Indian authorities, said while it was not necessary for the judge to see the new evidence, the documents "help clarify matters" and "back up what is already said" on the charge against Modi of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) by deceitfully obtaining letters of undertaking (LoUs), or bank guarantees, and then laundering the proceeds through a complex set of worldwide transactions using dummy companies.

But Modi's defence team has raised objections to the late submission as a "very troubling" and "highly contentious" move.

"Our case seems to have become a stress test for the government of India and for them to provide random pieces of evidence," said Modi's barrister Clare Montgomery.

The third day of the five-day extradition trial, being held in a partly remote setting, was disrupted a few times as the link to the court's common viewing platform (CVP) faced some technical issues.

It was finally stabilised for two defence witnesses to give their evidence via videolink Thierry Fritsch, a high-end French jewellery expert, and Justice Abhay Thipsay from India.

Fritsch, who had served on the Advisory Board of Nirav Modi's company for three years since 2015, vouched for Modi's "integrity" and skills as a great entrepreneur and a creative person, who was passionate about establishing the first international brand of luxury jewellery out of India.

"I was totally impressed with the craftsmanship at the workshop (in India). It was the best quality I could see anywhere in the world," he said.

While his evidence was countered by the CPS as Fritsch being involved with only one aspect of the Nirav Modi brand, Justice Thipsay's witness statement on the legal nuances under Indian law around the inadmissibility of the some of the police statements as well as the definition of deception under Indian law was also challenged.

The 49-year-old jeweller has been following the court proceedings via videolink from a room at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London, where he has been lodged since his arrest in March last year.

Dressed in formals, he can be seen listening carefully and occasionally making notes as he refers to papers on a desk.

Modi has made repeated attempts at bail over the past year, each of which were turned down as he is deemed a flight risk.

The jeweller was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard and will be the subject of a second hearing in September when the two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death are to be heard.

The judge has said that both the cases are "inextricably linked" and therefore the judgment will be handed down only at the end of both hearings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(CNN)  A cluster of coronavirus cases connected to clubs frequented by South Korea's gay community has sparked an outpouring of hate speech towards the country's already-embattled LGBTQ population.

More than 100 cases have been linked to nightlife venues in the South Korean capital, and on Saturday, Seoul ordered all clubs and bars to temporarily close.

The cluster has caused alarm in South Korea, which was among the first countries outside of China to deal with a large-scale coronavirus outbreak. In recent weeks, however, authorities had begun loosening restrictions as case numbers fell.

The suggestion that the outbreak is linked to the city's gay scene has sparked a huge backlash against the LGBTQ community, including the 29-year-old man believed to be at the center of the cluster.

Local media has emphasized his sexual orientation and reported that the clubs he visited are gay venues, although the venues do not openly describe themselves as such on their official websites or social media accounts.

That reaction could make contact tracing harder, with people afraid to be associated with the LGBTQ community and having their sexuality outed.

Although all three venues linked to the cluster asked for customers' full names and phone numbers on arrival, the city has been unable to contact almost 2,000 club-goers  meaning they either avoided the calls or gave a false number, Seoul's mayor Park Won-soon said Monday.

The city has had to employ other measures to track them. Using phone signal tower records, the city found that 10,905 people were in the vicinity of the clubs in the nightlife suburb of Itaewon between April 24 and May 6. Authorities have texted them all, saying they should get tested. Officials have also used credit cards to track almost 500 people, who have been asked to get tested and self-quarantine.

The number of people who had been tested had nearly doubled between Sunday and Monday, after authorities began offering anonymous tests, Park said Tuesday.

"The growing number of condemnation and hate speech definitely does not help and only has adverse effects," he said.

The outbreak also showed the need to always be on alert, Park said.

"If the disease penetrates Seoul, the Korean peninsula is penetrated," he said in an interview with CNN. "We are seriously afraid, trying to find out the visitors as soon as possible."

How the case unfolded

On the night of May 1 and the early hours of May 2, a 29-year-old man visited several clubs in Itaewon, according to the South Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). On May 7, the man tested positive for COVID-19.

At the time when the man went to the clubs, South Korea was still under strict social distancing rules, and citizens were encouraged to stay home and limit unnecessary contact with others. Those social distancing rules were lifted on May 6.

KCDC deputy director Kwon Joon-wook said Tuesday that there are now two people identified as first showing symptoms on May 2 and said the Itaewon cluster may have "various epicenters or sources."

Under non-inforceable pandemic reporting guidelines that were drafted by Korea's journalist associations, media are told to avoid violating patients' privacy and using sensational language in reporting.

But as the news broke, several South Korean media organizations reported that the bars the 29-year-old had visited were gay bars. That detail, coupled with the already-publicly available information about the man's age, district of residence, and movements, meant that the media had effectively outed him, potentially putting his employment at risk.

South Korean authorities have urged the public not to target individuals or specific communities.

Kwon said it was important to protect the personal information of those infected, and South Korean authorities have warned that leaking personal information of Covid-19 patients could also be a criminal offense.

On Monday, a Ministry of Health official, Yoon Tae-ho, said that there had been a trend of "criticism and hate against a certain group to which the infection occurred," without explicitly naming the LGBTQ community.

"Leaking personal information of confirmed patients or spreading baseless rumors not only harms other but could be criminally punished," Yoon added.

In a statement, LGBT rights advocacy group, Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea, said the media's decision to reveal personal details of the 29-year-old patient had incited hatred and was a serious human rights violation.

"The attitude of media, who are obsessed with revealing the sexual orientation of the confirmed case and digging up information that has nothing to do with the disease, is adding a stigma of the disease to the hatred of minorities that has been prevalent in Korean society," the statement said.

A wider issue of discrimination

Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea also warned that discriminatory media reports would drive the coronavirus underground. "It makes self-isolation and testing difficult," the statement said.

That is also a concern of one 25-year-old in Seoul, who identifies as gay and who asked to be anonymous out of fear of discrimination,who says he was at two of the Itaewon clubs connected with the outbreak in early May.

"Gays feel cornered. Either out yourself and potentially ruin your life, or stay in the closet but risk spreading corona," he said. "Gays are also feeling like there's this double standards, where they are being asked to be upstanding citizens and 'get tested for your country,' meanwhile the country treats them like dirt."

South Korea has no comprehensive anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBTQ South Koreans, and compared to nearby democracies such as Japan and Taiwan, the country is less accepting of same-sex couples.

LGBTQ soldiers serving in South Korea's military face abuse and discrimination, according to an Amnesty International report. Homosexual sex is illegal in the military whether it happens on or off base, and regardless of whether one party is not an enlisted soldier -- something that is not the case for heterosexual sex.

The 25-year-old says the backlash to the latest cluster is only going to inflame that situation, with many in LGBTQ community afraid they might lose their jobs. Some have been threatened on the gay dating app Grindr, he added.

"Korea is such a homophobic place, these clubs are really a haven for these people," he says. "I would hate to see them shut down permanently because of this virus or homophobia."

The night out he had in early May was a normal evening, he says.

"Boys out dancing to K-pop, grabbing drinks, talking to old friends, really innocent stuff," he said. "It's frustrating that the media is treating them all like sex clubs."

How clubs should handle coronavirus

The outbreak has also highlighted the difficulty in containing outbreaks in clubs around the world  regardless of the clubgoers' orientation.

Bars are often frequented by young people  and experts believe that while this demographic is less likely to die from the virus, they may have contributed to its spread.

That's an issue that other countries are also thinking about. When New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that she was easing lockdown restrictions, she opted to delay opening the country's clubs and bars, pointing to South Korea's experience.

Over the weekend, Hong Kong's famous nightlife district Lan Kwai Fong reopened, although clubs and karaoke bars remain closed.

Allan Zeman, the chairman of Lan Kwai Fong, said that bars only filled about 50 percent of capacity, tables were spread out, patron's temperatures were taken and people needed to wear masks before they came inside. Patrons were also encouraged to leave their name and contact details. Over the weekend, many partygoers gathered on the street outside bars, which was "pretty upsetting," he said.

He expects that bars and clubs will be taking additional precautions -- such as temperature checks -- for some time, but doesn't expect people to stop going out altogether.

"It's human nature -- people want to go out, they want to enjoy themselves," he said. "You need to otherwise you'll explode."

Back in Seoul, the authorities are also trying to strike that balancing act. Park said citizens demand economic activities -- but at the same time, they needed to deal with coronavirus.

"We are living at the age of coronavirus and human beings (living in) coexistence."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Virus outbreak linked to Seoul clubs popular with LGBT community stokes homophobia."
Hyderabad: In every city in India, makeshift labour addas have sprung up where migrant workers gather, exchange information, arrange transport and just cope. Word travels person to person, and thousands gather at these addas each day in the hope of wangling a cheap truck ride a bit closer home.

In Hyderabad, Kandlakoya Junction has become that adda. It lies off the Outer Ring Road (ORR) on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Workers from all over the city come here in the hope of finding a truck that will take them home. Though rides in these trucks are neither cheap nor comfortable, there is no dearth of workers jumping on board.

Trucks line the highway here, although no vehicle is allowed to stop on the eight-lane beltway. Rules never have deterred these drivers, and won't now in the time of corona. These are drivers who are returning after delivering goods in the city, hoping to make a quick buck on the way back.

On Tuesday afternoon, I met a truck driver from Prayagraj who had dropped off a shipment of wheat at a godown in Medchal on the other edge of Hyderabad. He was selling spots on the bed of his truck for Rs 2,000 a spot. There were already at least 60 people on his truck when a group of 12 came up to him asking for space.

Yes yes, I will drop you in Allahabad proper, he told them impatiently.

But the men were sceptical as there didn't seem to be any space available. The driver pointed to the roof of the truck. The did were happy to be accommodated. They clambered aboard enthusiastically.

Nearby, another group of men were bargaining with another driver, who said in exasperation, I have to spend at least Rs 30,000 to bribe people on the way. I cant reduce the price.

Most of the migrant workers I spoke to had any money for these tickets. However, most drivers were happy to transport them on the promise that they would be paid at the destination.

Only a very few workers said they had received the 12 kg rice and cash promised to them by the Telangana government. They had survived this long in this corona summer on their meagre savings and some charity from NGOs. Only one group from Jharkhand said they had been able to claim the rice and cash supposedly handed out by the state government, but that was a month ago.

That rice got over a few days ago. We didnt get anything in May. That's why we want to leave. We dont have any food, said one of them.

Trucks are hard to find, especially one going in the general direction of home. Often the workers have to wait for hours. During that wait, the workers are entirely dependent on charity for their food. On a good day NGOs and good Samaritans turn up in the afternoon with food, buttermilk and water.

On Tuesday afternoon, a political party set up a stall at the Kandlakoya adda. Before the food was served out, the leaders wanted to pose for pictures with the workers.

For many, the trip to Kandlakoya from the interior of the city itself is an ordeal. Most workers had to walk hours in the sweltering heat to get here. One group of 10 men from Yousufguda, looking for a trip to Lucknow, had paid Rs 2,000 for an autorickshaw ride.

There were workers from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka who assembled at Kandlakoya. One group of workers from Krishnagiri district said it had taken them two days to reach. They'd walked, hitched rides.

Almost all migrant workers told me they had indeed registered for a ride on those Shramik Special trains. However, after more than a week of waiting for news of confirmation, they decided to leave on their own.

Many were eager to show me the messages they had received confirming their registration for the train ride. Azharuddin, from Uttar Pradesh, said, I kept calling the police station about when the train would run, but they never told us anything.

Many workers said they would be happy to return once the pandemic ends. In spite of their terrible experiences, they said that they wanted to come back to Telangana and work here.

There were also many who said otherwise. Painter Ram Sharan from Prayagraj, said, Why would I come back here? Look at us. We are hungry and have no money. Even then we are spending our own money to go home. No one helped us at all. I will never come back to this place.
Rumors that Ellen DeGeneres are 'mean' have continued to circulate, and apparently the TV host has had enough, according to one source.

'Ellen is at the end of her rope,' the unnamed source close to the 62-year-old told UsWeekly on Wednesday.

They also claim the multimillionaire is dismayed that the accusations of unpleasantness behind the scenes are 'not a passing thing'.

Over it: Rumors that Ellen DeGeneres are 'mean' have continued to circulate, and apparently the TV host has had enough, according to one source

DeGeneres is also claimed to have initially believed the rumors were just a case of 'sour grapes' from 'a few haters', but that has increasingly appeared not to be the case as accusations keep rolling in.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Ellen's reps for comment.

Just days ago a former Ellen DeGeneres show staffer claimed the presenter 'isn't always nice' as rumours continue to swirl over the star's alleged behind-the-scenes bad behaviour.

On Sunday, the New York Post kept the rumor mill churning by quoting the 'former show staffer' who claimed: 'The stories are all true!'

They said: 'Is she always nice? No. It irritates me that people think she's all sweetness and light and she gets away with it.'

Trying times: 'Ellen is at the end of her rope,' the unnamed source close to the 62-year-old told UsWeekly on Wednesday

Allegations: A former Ellen DeGeneres show staffer has claimed the presenter 'isn't always nice' as rumours continue to swirl over her alleged behind-the-scenes bad behaviour

The stories about the comedienne started circulating after comic Kevin T. Porter sent out a tweet in March urging people to message him 'the most insane stories [they've] heard' about Ellen in an effort to raise money for the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Porter was flooded with written accounts by various Twitter users who claimed to have had less than savory interactions with Ellen - who he labeled as 'notoriously one of the meanest people alive' - over the years.

Then in early April, Ellen was slammed on social media for being tone deaf after cracking a joke on her daytime chat show that being home all the time during the COVID-19 pandemic was akin to being behind bars.

Nameless source: On Sunday, the New York Post kept the rumor mill churning by quoting 'a former show staffer' who claimed: 'The stories are all true!'

She started doing her show from her mansion in Santa Barbara, California, north of Los Angeles after the coronavirus crisis prompted a statewide lockdown and shut down many Hollywood productions.

'This is like being in jail,' Ellen told her fans during her April 7 show as she sat in a spacious living room with windows opening onto a large plant-filled yard.

'Mostly because I've been wearing the same clothes for 10 days and everyone in here is gay,' she quipped.

The response was swift on Twitter.

'Ellen you quarantining in your mansion in designer sweats is nothing like prison,' one Twitter user posted.

Another tweeted: 'What a great look for Ellen as thousands of people sit in actual jail cells just hoping for the best without soap and basic protections.'

Insensitive: Ellen, 62, faced a swift backlash after joking on her April 7 show that self-isolating in her mansion was 'like being in jail'

Not funny: Twitter users swiftly rebuked the comedienne for being tone deaf

#Fail: Some found her quip to be completely out of order

Uncalled for: At a time when some prisoners are being released from jail due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus, Ellen was called out for her insensitivity

A week later, Variety reported that the main stage crew for her show - roughly 20 people - received 'no communication' about issues like pay and working hours for over a month.

The show's crew slammed the decision to hire a non-union tech company to help DeGeneres broadcast from home, while allegedly reducing the salaries of the show's usual union team by 60 percent amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Two sources at Ellen's show, speaking to Variety under conditions of anonymity, said that 'higher-ups in production would occasionally answer phone calls but reveal little' about their status.

Crew members claim they finally heard from production executives last month, when they were told to expect a 60per cent pay decrease, even while the show continues airing.

Meanwhile, Ellen herself is said to have a $77million per year contract for her talk show. Her total net worth is estimated to be a whopping $330million.

Fury: The Ellen DeGeneres Show recently came under fire from its own crew who received severe pay cuts while Ellen, 62, hosted the at-home show with non-union staff during lockdown

Sources added that only four of the core crew members are currently working on the remote version of Ellen, according to Variety.

A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Television made it clear the crew is still getting paid, though they confirmed their hours are reduced.

'Our executive producers and Telepictures are committed to taking care of our staff and crew and have made decisions first and foremost with them in mind.'

Still, insiders speaking to the industry publication claim that for over two weeks, from late March until April 9, the crew were never told how much they would be paid.

During this communication 'blackout,' Ellen expanded her at-home broadcasts, going from hosting four shows a week to five, all which were shot over a two-day period at her home.

The show typically films four 10-hour work days per week, but the crew was told on April 10 that they should expect to be paid for just two eight-hour days a week.

At the same time, Ellen hired Key Code Media to produce 'technical elements' of the show's new remote production while her crew members with the same skill set were not working, Variety reports.

A rep for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees union said they were of the crew would continue to be paid, but crew members were told to 'watch closely' for developments.

Spoke out: On May 1, Tom Majercak, who was hired to provide security for Ellen when she hosted the 2014 Academy Awards, gave a damaging interview to Fox News in which he said the 'cold' star avoided eye contact with him and treated him in a 'demeaning' manner

Then on May 1, Tom Majercak who was hired to provide security for Ellen when she hosted the 2014 Academy Awards, have a damaging interview to fox News in which he said the 'cold' star avoided eye contact with him and treated him in a 'demeaning' manner.

'Ellen is the one person that I've been assigned to - and I've been assigned to quite a few celebrities - that has never taken the time to say hi to me,' Majercak claimed to Fox.

'You start hearing these stories and I was like, 'Man, there's got to be more to this.' She's not the person she portrays to be that she's playing off of society. That's my opinion.'

However, the former security official - who left his security company last year - claimed he spent 'a lot of time' with Ellen's wife Portia De Rossi, who was 'very pleasant and carried on a conversation.'

'It started going negatively when she introduced me to Ellen and Ellen pretty much just gave me a side glance out of her eye and didn't even say 'hello,' or 'thank you for protecting my mother, my wife and me,'' Majercak added.

'It was very cold and it was very sly and it was actually kind of demeaning in the way that she treats people other than those who are in her circle.'

The Fox report says that representatives for DeGeneres did not respond to their request for comment.

Majercak says he felt compelled to speak out about DeGeneres after seeing recent reports of her behaviour, particularly from transgender YouTube star NikkieTutorials, who also described the host as 'cold.'

The 25-year-old Dutch beauty influencer, whose real name is Nikkie de Jager, opened up about a January interview in a new piece for local magazine &C, in which she compared The Ellen Show to 'Teletubbies after dark'.

Comment: Majercak says he felt compelled to speak out about DeGeneres after seeing recent reports of her behaviour, particularly from transgender YouTube star NikkieTutorials, who also described the host as 'cold'

Nikkie, who first voiced her upset over the interview during an appearance on Dutch show De Wereld Draait Door in February, added that she was disappointed by her treatment in the studio - where she was greeted by an 'angry, overworked intern'.

'Maybe I'm being naive, but I expected them to welcome me with confetti: 'Welcome to The Ellen DeGeneres Show!'' she said in an interview.

'But instead I got greeted by an angry intern, who was a bit overworked. I expected a Disney show, but I got a Teletubbies after dark.'

During her appearance with De Wereld Draait Door, Nikkie also alleged that Ellen didn't even say hello to her when she arrived, telling host Matthijs van Nieuwkerk: 'It's really nice that you came over and said hello to me... She didn't.'

Fury: The 25-year-old Dutch beauty influencer, whose real name is Nikkie de Jager, opened up about a January interview in a new piece for local magazine &C, in which she compared The Ellen Show to 'Teletubbies after dark'

'Every guest at Ellen had a private toilet, but I didn't,' she claimed. 'I couldn't even use the closest toilet to me because it was reserved for the Jonas Brothers... They were allowed, I wasn't, I thought.'

In fact, her experience was so unpleasant that Nikkie suggested she actually regrets doing the show at all, telling the Dutch publication that she wishes she had done a sit-down with Dutch-American TV host Eva Jinek instead.

'For people who don't know me, [the Ellen interview] was a good summary of my story,' she explained. 'But the people who did know me expected more. "I should've just went on Eva Jinek," I thought to myself.'

What hurt Nikkie the most about her experience was that she had considered Ellen one of her 'idols', and she has since grown fearful of meeting any other people she admired in case she faces the same disappointment.

'After being on Ellen I thought to myself, "Don't meet your idols,"' she said while revealing that a meeting with popstar Adele has always been at the top of her bucket list.

Nikkie's new magazine interview comes just a few weeks after a clip of her appearance on Dutch show De Wereld Draait Door resurfaced and went viral thanks to the YouTuber's candid description of her 'cold and distant' Ellen experience.

When asked for more details, the YouTuber simply said that Ellen's show was like 'a whole different world'.

'What Ive experienced here and in other countries [is] that it's really a whole different world. Its more distant,' she said, according to Buzzfeed, before adding that it was nonetheless 'an honor' to have been offered the opportunity to appear on the show.

Ellen, who came out as gay in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 1997, launched her daytime chat show in September 2003 after a successful TV, film and stand-up comedy career.

She is believed to have a net worth of around $330 million and in 2018 was the 15th highest-paid entertainer in the world, according to Forbes.

Ellen has an extensive portfolio of multi-million dollar properties in exclusive upscale communities in the greater Los Angeles and Santa Barbara areas and she and wife Portia de Rossi like to purchase properties, remodel them and sell them on.
Press Release

May 13, 2020 Senate adopts De Lima reso honoring late DOT chief Mon Jimenez For his "immeasurable contributions" in the Philippine tourism and advertising industry, the Senate of the Philippines adopted a resolution introduced by Senator Leila M. de Lima, which seeks to honor former Tourism Secretary Ramon "Mon" Jimenez Jr. who passed away last April 27. Last May 12, the Senate has taken into consideration and adopted De Lima's Senate Resolution No. 402 as a tribute to Jimenez's accomplishments in Philippine tourism, which saw unprecedented growth during his stint as tourism chief. "Sec. Mon Jimenez will be remembered in Philippine history as a key figure of the tourism industry and for revolutionizing the way by which the Philippines, as a tourism destination, is presented and promoted to both local and global audiences." De Lima said. "It is only proper to recognize these contributions to his field of expertise and honor him for his exemplary work, dedication, and commitment to bringing out the best that the Philippines can offer at every opportunity," she added. Last April 27, the 64-year-old Jimenez passed away peacefully at home according to his family. De Lima and Jimenez were friends and colleagues in the Cabinet of former President Benigno C. Aquino III. During his time as Tourism Secretary, Jimenez spearheaded the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign which, among other policies, boosted the popularity of the Philippines as a prime destination in the world for both foreign and local tourists. Jimenez's policies in the DOT were also instrumental to the rise of the country's ranking at the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. In 2015, the Philippines surged its tourism competitiveness to 74th place in the world, from 94th in 2011. De Lima also recalled that even after her arbitrary arrest and during her detention based on trumped-up charges in February 2017, Jimenez regularly visited her at the custodial center in Camp Crame, Quezon City to express confidence in her innocence and show her continuing support in the causes that she is fighting for. "We lost a very decent man and hardworking public servant. The quintessential gentleman. His last visit to me was few months ago. He was his usual Mr. Optimism, with his sharp and flawless articulation of reality-based insights," De Lima said. "Sec. Mon's gravitas, expertise and ingenuity are truly remarkable. Mahinahon at napakatalas mag-isip; tunay na may malasakit sa Pilipino. At dahil sa kanyang husay at dedikasyon, ipinakilala niya sa mundo kung gaano kasaya at kaganda sa Pilipinas," she added.
Maruti Suzuki Indias March-quarter profit fell 28% as poor demand for cars during the period was exacerbated by a nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, hurting sales at the countrys top-selling carmaker.

Indias largest carmaker by market value reported a net profit of 12.92 billion rupees ($171.53 million) for the March quarter, down sharply from 17.96 billion rupees in the same period a year earlier.

Domestic unit sales at the carmaker dropped 16% to 360,428 vehicles for the quarter ended March 31 from a year earlier. Sales in the final month of the quarter were particularly hit as most carmakers had to suspend operations from March 22 due to the countrys lockdown.
Advocates from immigrant advocacy group Wind of the Spirit say a Republican state lawmaker mocked undocumented immigrants who are struggling during the coronavirus crisis by playing a violin in the middle of a meeting on Zoom.

However, state Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-Bergen, Passaic) said he never meant it as a political joke. He said he picked up the violin as a playful gesture for his dog, Pepe, and wife, who he said is a Cuban immigrant, as they sat across the table from him.

This is basically one of the dangers of working from home as our work and personal lives collide, Auth said, adding that his dog recently injured his leg and his wife had swaddled the pet in a blanket. ...Thats what made me laugh and smile about it."

(Auth can be seen in the bottom row of the video below.)

Auth and Wind of the Spirit first went back and forth on Twitter over what actually happened. But it reached a new level on Tuesday when a group of protesters went to the lawmakers house  with their own violin.

A group of about five Wind of the Spirit protesters sang and played the violin in honor of those in the immigrant community who have died. They also attempted to hand-deliver face masks to the assemblyman as an olive branch, but no one answered the door when they knocked.

Our serenade commemorates those weve lost to COVID19, and were here in front of Assemblyman Auths home so he can see for himself what it means to show empathy, compassion for those struggling to survive, said Wind of the Spirits violinist Claudia Mejia Sydenstricker in a statement.

Wind of the Spirit protesters rallied outside state Assemblyman Robert Auth's home after they say he mocked undocumented and working-class families by picking up a violin during a live-streamed committee meeting.Facebook

The violin incident began Thursday during an assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee meeting to discuss a bill (A3971) that would make it easier for municipalities to borrow money to fill revenue shortfalls resulting from the coronavirus crisis.

Wind of the Spirit and other immigration advocacy groups testified about the need for local governments to bond so they could help the families of undocumented immigrants, who may not qualify for a stimulus check or unemployment. The bill does not specify that any funds would go to undocumented immigrants.

Wind of the Spirit is on the ground working with many undocumented and working-class communities and we see that these communities are the ones that have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus, Wind of the Spirit organizer Brian Lozano during the Zoom meeting on Thursday.

During Lozanos testimony, Auth is seen briefly picking up a violin and putting it under his chin. He puts it down and then smiles into the camera.

So why did you put it up to your neck and grin? Was something else funny during your testimony? @Robert_Auth  Wind of the Spirit (@WindofSpiritNJ) May 8, 2020

Auth told NJ Advance Media he keeps the violin out of the case and on his kitchen table so he can quickly pick it up and practice his scales. He said he picked up the instrument as a way to basically blow a kiss to his wife and dog.

I wish I played the drums, he quipped.

His 2nd excuse was that he practices everyday, apparently, even during legislative committee meetings! pic.twitter.com/cY0X5K8SN6  Karol Ruiz (@KR_KnowUrRights) May 9, 2020

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com.
More than a million businesses forced to close during the coronavirus lockdown may know whether insurers will have to pay previously rejected business interruption claims in a matter of months.

Earlier this month the City watchdog announced it was seeking a legal judgment from the British courts to clarify whether insurers should pay claims made by firms forced to close by the lockdown.

This is Money now understands that the Financial Conduct Authority is planning to bring the first trial instance to the High Court as early as July, meaning that a judgment could be forthcoming just weeks after that.

It comes after hundreds of struggling firms banded together to launch class action lawsuits against insurers including Hiscox and QBE.

The City watchdog has announced it is seeking a legal judgment from the British courts

The firms argue that specific clauses in their business interruption insurance policies should cover them for the income they've lost due to having to close.

However, the insurers have argued that the firms are in fact not covered - a move which has now led to the FCA's attempt to clarify what the insurance policy wordings actually mean.

The FCA wrote to insurers at the start of May asking for examples of policies where they 'may consider there is no doubt about wording and decline to pay a claim, but customers may still consider there is genuine uncertainty about whether their policy provides cover'.

More than 150 different policies have been submitted and This is Money understands that these will now be examined and a number of test cases will be put before the High Court.

Depending on the ability of the Court to process the case, a judgment could then be forthcoming by the end of the summer.

Who is the FCA insurance case relevant to?

While the FCA has clarified that the majority of business interruption customers are not covered for coronavirus, there remains a dispute over policies which contain certain 'non-damage' extensions.

These extensions cover disruption to a business not caused by physical property damage - for example, if there was an outbreak of disease in the area which led to the premises being closed by a public authority.

There are roughly one million UK firms covered for business interruption brought on by non-property damage.

It's clauses like this that have been the main point of contention between firms and their insurers and This is Money understands it's these types of clauses that the FCA is looking at.

The insurance industry statement published by the ABI on business interruption cover

Insurers argue that the policy wordings were never intended to cover coronavirus - a stance that hasn't gone down well with policyholders.

If insurers are declared liable by the High Court, claims for lost income amid business interruption caused by the coronovirus lockdown are likely to spiral into hundreds of millions of pounds.

Any firm that has been forced to close and lost income as a result of the Government lockdown with a business interruption policy that they believe should pay out for a claim relating to coronavirus has been encouraged to get in touch with the FCA as soon as possible.

It's understood that several action groups are already in discussions with the regulator, as well as a number of insurers and legal experts.

Have you claimed on your business interruption policy? Get in touch to share your story: will.kirkman@thisismoney.co.uk

What is the FCA case trying to achieve?

The regulator wants as clear an answer as possible on as many policies as possible. If there's grounds to push insurers to pay out off the back of a legal judgment, then the regulator is likely to push.

However, cases like this are not straightforward. There are likely to be hundreds of different policy wordings just for the area relating to business closures caused by infectious disease.

Judgments can only apply to the specific case it considers, raising questions around whether hundreds of thousands of policyholders will be left no better off following the FCA case.

In a bid to address this, This is Money understands that the FCA is aiming to bring a number of test cases to the High Court in July. These are likely to include a range of policy wordings from a range of insurers for a range of business types.

This is Money understands more than 150 different policies have been submitted to the FCA

For example, nurseries taking business interruption insurance with one insurer may have reasonably similar wordings in their policies.

Similarly, policies taken by pubs may have wordings that have enough commonality to allow a test case to be taken which would have implications for similar policy wordings following the judgment.

It's not yet clear how many test cases will be brought, but any judgment that follows will only be legally binding for that insurer and that policyholder.

It's thought, however, that judgments on enough test cases will provide very persuasive guidance on whether other insurers should pay out on similar policies.

Crucially, the FCA move will not provide any guidance or judgments on how much insurers should pay out on claims, as this will be determined by each individual policy.

Why has the FCA sought legal clarification?

It's likely the regulator needs to be seen to be doing something so they aren't criticised for failing to act in a time of crisis.

It also really matters for our economy that as many businesses as possible survive the recession caused by the coronavirus and social lockdown measures.

The FCA wants to achieve legal clarity on enough policy wordings to provide a rock solid basis for telling insurers they can't wriggle out of paying these claims.

Where businesses have lodged a formal complaint with their insurer and then with the Financial Ombudsman Service, it's likely the FCA would also expect any FOS decisions to refer to these legal judgments too.

There's still some uncertainty about whether insurers will have to follow this guidance, however.

Will insurers pay out after the case?

Even if the Court rules that some policies have been triggered, one of the defences insurers will likely fall back on are so called 'trends clauses'.

These are one of the key features of a traditional business interruption policy and help to figure out how much the business is owed once they have claimed.

What if the business fails while waiting for a pay out? The Enterprise Act 2016 gives policyholders a right to claim damages in the event of late payment of claims. If a company were to go bust while waiting for a pay out, they could claim for much more than they were originally insured for. However in this case it would have to be proven that the insurer delayed the pay-out beyond a reasonable time. At the moment, insurers could argue they are waiting for the result of the FCA's court case before paying out.

Crucially however, these clauses set the damages at what the business would have earned if they hadn't closed - and while the country remains in lockdown, for many businesses that won't be very much, if anything.

This is Money understands that the FCA is looking for legal clarity on this point as well as the other clauses mentioned.

This is important as it will influence the amount businesses will be entitled to receive.

Richard Wise, partner at law firm Addleshaw Goddard said: Addressing how certain "trends and adjustment" clauses operate is vital, as it goes directly to the question of what many policyholders will be paid.

In some instances a declaration that coverage is triggered could be meaningless if, for example, a restaurant has to then calculate its lost profit by being put in the counterfactual position of being open for business in a country otherwise in lockdown and therefore with no customers.'

How long will it take?

In many ways this is the nub of the issue. Firms are struggling now, and an insurance payout in 12 months' time won't pay staff and suppliers today.

The answer to this is no-one knows, but This is Money has it on good authority that the FCA is pushing hard to get the first stage of these court proceedings in front of the High Court in July.

There's no telling how long a judgment will take following this, it could be weeks or it could be months.

Richard Wise, partner at Addleshaw Goddard

However, the regulator has said its court action is designed to resolve the uncertainty as 'promptly as possible'.

Richard Wise said: 'Even if the scope of the case can be agreed to allow trial and then judgment quickly this summer, the prospect of an appeal cannot be ruled out so a settled answer in only a few months seems unlikely.

'While the desire of the FCA to take action to try to protect SMEs is hard to criticise, greater clarity around the process it envisages and consultation with policyholders is needed.

'There may also be unintended consequences; insurers may cite the case as a reason delay the progress of FOS referrals or other claims of all sizes that involve the same issues as the FCA proceedings.'
The United Nations emblem is seen in front of the United Nations Office (UNOG) in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 8, 2008. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Beijing Takeover of United Nations Presents Existential Threat to US: Experts

Officials and experts are sounding the alarm about the threat posed by Beijings outsized influence in international organizations, part of its global governance agenda.

With a newly updated list of communist Chinese nationals in leadership positions within the United Nations and beyond, critics are calling for concrete action to rein in Beijing.

Already, Chinese officials lead an array of powerful global agencies and organizations.

Out of 15 specialized U.N. agencies, for instance, four are under the leadership of Chinese officialsand that just scratches the surface.

At least one senior former official in the Donald Trump administration, former Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Kevin Moley, told The Epoch Times that this ongoing takeover represents the greatest existential threat to our republic since our founding.

This is the fight of our lives, he added. It is a struggle between Western civilization and the Communist Party of China.

A new report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), released in April, showed that the Chinese regimes grip on international institutions is tightening quickly.

Since the U.S.-China Commission began tracking officials from the Peoples Republic of China serving in leadership positions in international organizations, Beijings influence has only grown over key U.N. agencies responsible for funding and policymaking on a wide range of important issues, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission told The Epoch Times in a statement.

Contrary to the International Civil Servant Standards of Conduct, they [Chinese officials who lead U.N. agencies] use those positions to pursue Chinas foreign policy goals, the Commission added.

Through its growing influence at the U.N. and other international organizations, Beijing is pursuing its own interests, including greater global influence and control, according to the Commission.

China has steadily promoted positions favoring Beijings own interests and views, such as internet governance, technical standards for emerging technologies, and economic development overriding human rights concerns, the organization said in the statement.

Experts and officials who spoke with The Epoch Times, though, warned that the USCC report does not capture the full extent of the problem.

Congress and the administration must take action, they said.

Beijings Control Over Chinese UN Officials

Experts say Chinese nationals leading international organizations are especially problematic in light of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) expectations of absolute loyalty to the Party.

Take for example, Chinese official Meng Hongwei, who was president of the global law-enforcement agency Interpol and former vice minister of Chinas public security. He was arrested by the regime while on a trip to China in late 2018. Among his alleged crimes was disobeying Communist Party orders.

Meng Hongwei, former president of Interpol, speaks at the opening of the Interpol World Congress in Singapore on July 4, 2017. (Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images)

At least one Chinese official has boasted on Chinese television of how Chinese officials use their influence at the U.N. to advance CCP objectives.

Former U.N. under-secretary-general and head of the U.N. Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Wu Hongbo bragged on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV that he used his position to have U.N. police remove World Uyghur Congress President Dolkun Isa from a seminar in the U.N. building. As head of a dissident group that advocates self-determination for Uyghurs in Chinas Xinjiang region, Isa has been targeted by the CCP.

We have to strongly defend the motherlands interests, Wu explained as the audience applauded.

The Threat

Former State Department official Moley, who served from 2018 to 2019, said it was hard to overemphasize the seriousness of the threat.

In a phone interview with The Epoch Times, Moley sounded the alarm.

I feel like Paul Revere, saying the British are coming, the British are coming, but really, the Chinese are already here, he warned.

Moley also served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. from 2001 to 2006.

Moley said much of the media and many in the political class have downplayed or ignored the danger.

Pointing to concentration camps for Uyghurs in Xinjiang, Moley compared the situation to the late 1930s, when world leaders turned a blind eye to abuses under Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

Moley said key officials embedded within the State Department stretching back to the Obama administration and even earlier have been complicit in what has transpired.

Pointing to Beijings use of corrupt practices to seize control of U.N. agencies and other international organizations, he said the United States must respond appropriately.

This is not just an uneven playing field, he said. We have been completely outgunned and outvoted.

The latest USCC report represents just the tip of the iceberg, Moley continued.

The Chinese have also flooded these agencies with interns and consultants, he claimed.

For example, in Montreal, he said, Canadian authorities cannot keep track of the Chinese agents operating at international institutions.

Beijing has also flooded the World Health Organization (WHO) with interns and junior professional officers, all of whomunlike Americans and others from Western nationsare under the direct control of their government.

They have absolutely flooded the U.N. system with their people, he said. Several insider sources at the U.N. also confirmed to The Epoch Times that this phenomenon existed at the organization.

Moley explained that this risks numerous global regulatory and standard-setting authorities being controlled by Beijing in sectors ranging from telecommunications to global aviation.

Their goal is to use this to benefit China, advance their objectives, and expand their control, he said, citing Chinas Belt and Road initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road) to illustrate what was happening at the global level.

They are creating a network of infrastructure to exercise mercantile influence, and they want to undermine countries along the route, he said.

Allowing Beijing to join the World Trade Organization was a critical mistake, Moley argued.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters are seen in Geneva on April 12, 2018. (Fabrice Coffrini/ AFP/Getty Images)

Beijing is exploiting the international system to gain a competitive economic advantage over the United States, Moley said.

Americas most important product is intellectual property  Chinas most important product is also American intellectual property, he said.

Beijings threats were all-encompassing. This is cultural, military and economic competition, said Moley. They want to defeat the West in everything, including in terms of values.

Moley said that during his time at the State Department, there were only a handful of people whom he could count on and fully trust on China issues.

UN Agencies Under Beijings Control

Almost a third of all U.N. agencies are now being led by a communist Chinese official in the top job, the USCC report showed.

These include the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which has been run by Zhao Houlin since 2015.

Before working at the U.N., Zhao worked at Chinas Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, which is now part of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The ITU is an important organization within the U.N. system. Multiple governments have advocated giving it sweeping powers over the internet.

When Zhao was once asked by South Korean media Yonhap news agency about Beijings censorship apparatus, he brushed it off.

We [at the ITU] dont have a common interpretation of what censorship means, he was quoted as saying.

Another U.N. agency under Beijings control is the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which seeks to oversee global air travel and the aviation industry.

Headed by Liu Fang, whose career began at the Chinese regimes aviation department, ICAO has become infamous for its hostility toward self-ruled Taiwan and proposing international taxes on air travel.

The U.N. Industrial Development Organization is led by Beijings former Vice Minister of Finance Li Yong.

The disgraced agency has lost multiple Western governments as members after it funded investments in the dictatorial regimes of Cuba and Iran.

Li, who runs the agency, frequently defends and promotes Chinese companies such as Huawei, with Beijings propaganda machine amplifying the rhetoric and claiming that the U.N. supports it.

The Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization was the most recent agency to fall under Beijings control, with Qu Dongyu taking the helm last summer.

The Chinese candidate to head the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Qu Dongyu addresses FAO members and delegates during the plenary assembly for the election of the new FAO director-general held at the FAO headquarters, in Rome, Italy, on June 22, 2019. (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images)

According to media reports, Beijing relied on bribes and threats to secure the influential post.

The agency shapes agricultural policy worldwide and distributes food aid.

The CCP also boasted that it played a crucial role in creating the U.N.s Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which have been widely touted by U.N. leaders as the masterplan for humanity.

Secretary-general of the U.N. Antonio Guterres also boasted of the alignment of the [CCP] Belt and Road Initiative with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Other UN Posts

Other powerful leadership posts include Liu Zhenmin, who served as Under-Secretary-General for the U.N. Economic and Social Affairs since 2017. He took over from another Chinese official who held the job before him. Liu previously served as vice minister for Foreign Affairs.

Separately, Xu Haoliang serves as Assistant Secretary-General for the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), an agency with a history of boosting communist regimes.

As far back as the 1980s, for instance, under the guise of development, the UNDP was helping Beijings ally in Pyongyang build a semiconductor factory that the North Korean regime uses to produce missile components.

Xue Hanqin serves as vice-president of the International Court of Justice, the primary judicial body of the U.N.

This body, which describes itself as the World Court, was created to settle disputes between governments.

Beijing representatives also serve in deputy leadership positions.

Liu Jian, for instance, serves as chief scientist and acting director of the science division for the agency known as U.N. Environment, an organization that helps shape environmental policies worldwide.

Chinese officials have been major proponents of slashing CO2 emissions in Western nations, while Chinas own emissions continue to grow.

Until 2018, Chinese official Tang Qian served as assistant director-general of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and was nominated by Beijing to take over the entire agency, though the bid ultimately failed. His boss was Irina Bokova, daughter of a famous Bulgarian communist politician.

UNESCO plays an enormous role in global education policy, helping shape the minds of billions of children.

In 2018, as Tang was on his way out, new UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay, a French Socialist, appointed Communist Chinese official Qu Xing to serve as deputy director-general of the agency. He is not listed in the USCC report.

At the WHO, which has been criticized during this pandemic for parroting Beijings talking points, Chinese official Ren Minghui serves as assistant director-general for universal health coverage.

Before being replaced by the Beijing-backed Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO was led by Margaret Chan, a former Hong Kong official loyal to Beijing.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom (L) shakes hands with Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Jan. 28, 2020. (Naohiko Hatta/AFP via Getty Images)

Citing the COVID-19 scandal, Trump recently blasted the WHO as very China-centric and has ordered U.S. funding to be halted, pending a review into the WHOs pandemic response.

Another key Chinese leader at the U.N. is Wang Binying, deputy director-general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Beijing lobbied for Wang to become head of the agency.

Experts raised concerns that if a Chinese official headed the agency, Beijing would have access to the worlds largest repository of intellectual property and secrets, with implications for American companies and U.S. national security.

Zhang Wenjian serves as assistant secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization , an agency that shapes climate policy.

Some senior U.N. posts occupied by Beijings agents are not mentioned in the USCC report, such as Secretary of the International Plant Protection Convention Xia Jingyuan.

And the number of Chinese consultants and contractors in key positions of influence dwarfs those who are officially appointed, multiple sources told The Epoch Times.

Beyond the UN

Beijing also has officials installed at other international organizations, spanning financial and banking policy to infrastructure and development, according to the USCC report.

At the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for example, Zhang Tao has served as deputy managing director since 2016, a post he took up after serving as deputy governor of Chinas central bank, the Peoples Bank of China.

Meanwhile, Lin Jianhai serves as secretary of the IMF and of the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

The IMFs executive director for China, meanwhile, is Jin Zhongxia, another former official at Chinas central bank.

The World Bank also has Chinese officials in multiple influential positions.

Among them are Yang Shaolin, managing director and chief administrative officer; Hua Jingdong, vice president and treasurer; and Yang Yingming, executive director for China.

With an annual bond issuance of $50 billion and the ability to shape government policy around the world, having multiple Chinese operatives at the helm of the World Bank is a major threat to freedom, experts say.

The recently formed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), proposed by Beijing and comprised of Indo-Pacific nations, is headed by Chinese official Jin Liqun. The bank hopes to rival the U.S.-backed Asian Development Bank.

But even the Asian Development Bank, which has traditionally been backed by the West and the United States, includes Beijings Chen Shixin as vice-president of operations and Cheng Zhijun as executive director for China.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) also includes Chinese governor, Yi Gang, who simultaneously serves as the governor of the Peoples Bank of China.

The WTO, which has been instrumental in aiding Beijings economic rise to global superpower status, features Chinese official Yi Xiaozhun as deputy director-general.

Meanwhile, Beijings Zhao Hong serves on the WTOs Appellate Body, which decides disputes between nations and governments.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, which regulates the use of nuclear technology, also has a Chinese deputy director-general, Yang Dazhu.

Beijing is planning to inject more officials into the U.N. and other organizations; there is a relatively new School of Global Governance offering training at the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Non-Chinese Assets

Former U.S. State Department official Moley and other former senior Trump officials emphasized that even many non-Chinese officials are doing the bidding of Beijing.

A former senior U.N. official with more than 30 years experience in the world of U.N. diplomacy echoed concerns of other experts about the ability of Beijing to count on diplomats from other nations to do its bidding.

China understood very early the importance for its interests of a growing influence within the United Nations, said the U.N. official, who requested anonymity to speak frankly amid continued dealings with the U.N.

This resulted in an uncompromising struggle for obtaining high positions guaranteeing decisive responsibility in the U.N. agencies, the former official said, adding that governments within the Group of 77 (the G77 + China alliance of more than 130 governments) functioned as satellites of Beijing and had become the armed wing of the Chinese U.N.-related diplomacy.

Because decisions in most U.N. bodies are made on the basis of one vote per government, China has been able to gain a great deal of leverage despite its relatively meager funding of organizations.

Using its allies in African, Latin American, and Asian governments, China has been able to effectively tip the scales when needed, the former U.N. official said.

With time, big money and political intimidation, the U.N. became the Cosa Nostra of China and most UN agencies drifted into a typically mafia-type modus operandi dominated by large-scale corruption and embezzlement schemes, collapse of rules and internal laws and abuse of power, the source said.

The giant Chinese octopus is having its tentacles spreading ever wider every day, the former official added.

Whistleblowers who have opposed Chinas human rights abuses from within the U.N. expressed similar concerns.

Former U.N. human rights official Emma Reilly, whose case was the subject of an in-depth article in The Epoch Times, also noted that non-Chinese U.N. officials are frequently helping Beijing.

While there has been a lot of focus on Chinese nationals being appointed as heads of U.N. agencies, that is merely a very obvious sign of a more general issue, she told The Epoch Times. China does not need to have its nationals appointed when those at the top will simply do the Chinese governments bidding and break the rules in order to help them identify victims for torture and genocide.

Reilly alleged that the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights handed the names of Chinese dissidents seeking help to Beijing.

She has filed a complaint before the U.N. Dispute Tribunal. The U.N. human rights office has previously declined to comment on Reillys allegations, given current litigation.

China exercises its control over staffing, too, Reilly said.

China as one of the permanent five on the Security Council can simply use its influence to block appointment of anyone likely to act independently and apply the same rules to China as to everyone else, as U.N. staff are formally required to do by the U.N. Charter, she said.

Problems Under Obama and Before

As The Epoch Times reported in September, there is now a concerted effort to blame the ongoing takeover of the U.N. by the CCP on Trump.

However, Moley and others argued that the Trump administration was among the first to take Chinas threat seriously.

Moley said that the problems began even before the Barack Obama administration, going back to when President Bill Clinton welcomed Beijing into the WTO.

Still, multiple sources from within the U.N. and the State Department, as well as external experts and analysts, said the Obama administration was crucial in allowing the current crisis to materialize.

The Communist Chinese infected the U.N. with their malign influenceand the Obama administration helped hold the syringe, said Christopher Hull, Ph.D., a senior fellow with Americans for Intelligence Reform, who has closely followed Chinas growing influence in the international system.

In particular, Dr. Hull and several others pointed the finger at Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Nerissa Cook, who has served in that position since 2010.

Another U.S. official whom insiders said facilitated the problem is Bathsheba Crocker, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs during the Obama administration.

She was quoted by Chinese propaganda organs celebrating Beijings growing role within the U.N. system, with state-run newspaper China Daily reporting that Crocker was particularly pleased to see China taking more responsibility in the U.N.

When Trumps appointees tried to have Cook and other senior officials provide details on Beijings growing control over U.N. agencies, they did everything possible to stall, two inside sources told The Epoch Times. Those officials then worked to get Trumps appointees ousted, according to the sources.

Moley said a report was drafted, identifying the nationality of key officials, including those representing Beijing, within international organizations. But he did not receive the report until months later. Another State Department source confirmed the stalling.

Neither the U.S. State Department, Crocker, or Cook responded to requests for comments made by phone and email.

Chinas mission to the U.N. did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Alex Newman is an award-winning international journalist, educator, author, and consultant. He serves as the CEO of Liberty Sentinel Media and writes for diverse publications in the United States and abroad.
Most districts in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, along with adjoining districts in Rajasthan and Maharashtra are more vulnerable to coronavirus, according to research by a not-for-profit public health organisation.

New Delhi: Most districts in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, along with adjoining districts in Rajasthan and Maharashtra are more vulnerable to coronavirus, according to research by a not-for-profit public health organisation.

High-vulnerability districts are those where COVID-19 is likely to spread rapidly, while also remaining undetected for longer periods.

Moderate vulnerability to the virus is seen in northern districts of Karnataka, eastern Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and eastern districts of Tamil Nadu, according to the research conducted by 'Swasti' which takes a closer look at factors that make certain geographies and communities more vulnerable than others.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

The districts of Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and most districts of the North East states show relatively low vulnerability scores, the survey said.

"While Indians widely recognise the risk factors that apply to individuals such as co-morbidities and age, they have a limited understanding so far of other factors, at a community, demographic and/or environmental level, may result in higher risk of infection," Swasti said in a statement.

According to a global research, there are 15 indicators that affect the vulnerability of COVID-19 infection i.e. socio-economic factors like low income or education levels, demographic factors such as population density and urbanisation, health and hygiene variables like anaemia levels or practising handwashing, and environmental dimensions including temperature and relative humidity.

These variables, taken together, could account for 74 percent of the variation in vulnerability to infection, the study by Swasti said.

"Post combating the scores of different variables, we arrived at a 'Vulnerability Index' score for each district. The vulnerability index highlights that there is a stark difference between the number of reported cases and the actual vulnerability of communities in these districts," Dipankar Bhattacharya, Knowledge Catalyst at Swasti, said.

The study suggests that most of the districts in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, and adjoining districts in Rajasthan and Maharashtra show high vulnerability scores.

The vulnerability index scores independent of the reported number of cases clearly indicate that many districts are already in a precarious condition, the study says.

The districts with higher vulnerability scores are typically characterized by poor socio-economic conditions, chronic poverty, and weak health systems, it said.

"The objective of the study is to minimise the impact of the pandemic and to do that it's critical that we use our understanding of relative vulnerability to complement available data on exposure to infection," Dr Angela Chaudhuri, Partner, Swasti, said.

The research provides a footprint to vulnerability index-based risk mapping, which is a useful measure to predict where it is most critical to be cautious, and to protect and prioritise strengthening health system capacity, Chaudhuri said.

The study has been conducted by Dipankar Bhattacharya and Dr Angela Chaudhuri with support from Ismail Haque, Doctoral Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Rhea John, Learning Catalyst at Swasti.
Amid growing evidence that Brazil is becoming a new coronavirus epicenter, fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro has escalated a pressure campaign to force local authorities to lift limited restraints imposed on economic activity to slow the spread of the pandemic.

According to official data, Brazil currently has close to 175,000 cases and over 12,000 deaths, with the number of infections growing 6.5 percent a day, as opposed to 3 percent in Italy during the same stage of the viruss spread. According to official data, Brazil trails only the United States in the daily growth of the pandemic, even with all 26 of its states and the self-governing capital, Brasilia, already in the second month of partial quarantines.

With the number of tests in Brazil at only 1,600 per millionas opposed to 28,000 per million in the US and similar numbers in other hard-hit countriessuch figures have no credibility. The number of infected is likely higher than the 4.2 million estimated on May 8 by Imperial College London, with an unknown number of deaths. In Amazonas, the worst-hit state, where victims are being thrown into mass graves, Imperial College estimates that fully 10 percent of the population is already infected.

Bolsonaro s'adresse a des partisans droitiers au palais presidentiel de Planalto (source: Marcello Casal-Agencia Brasil)

Nonetheless, yesterday the government sought to ramp up its pressure campaign against local administrations, which have made limited efforts to slow the pandemics spread through partial economic shutdowns. In a demagogic appeal to economically desperate small business owners, it further expanded its list of essential activities to include barber shops and hairdressers. The decree comes five days after a previous measure declaring all of industry and construction essential services. The decree, issued after a meeting with a handful of businessmen whom Bolsonaro portrayed as representing 45 percent of the Brazilian GDP, provoked widespread opposition.

The declaration of industry and construction as essential activities was accompanied by a march by Bolsonaro and the assembled businessmen from the Planalto presidential palace to the Supreme Court (STF) in a bid to pressure justices to allow the Federal government to override state and city quarantines.

This political stunt was joined by the creation of a fascist encampment in front of the court building in support of the same goal. The leaders of the self-styled 300 of Brazil, the uniformed group organizing the encampment, with financial support from pro-Bolsonaro business moguls, declared that their objective is to Ukrainize Brazila reference to the violent fascist-led 2014 putsch in the former Soviet Republic.

In Brazil and internationally, the ruling elites back-to-work campaign has been justified with the lie that a resumption of economic activity in capital-intensive sectors such as auto and oil production, not to mention the food industry that was never shut down, is safe due to stringent workplace regulations.

The meatpacking industry has become the focal point of the pandemic in many small towns, with more than half of their cases traced to the plants located there. The industry has also been one of the main vectors of the pandemics spread to the impoverished countryside. In the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, a regional leader in animal derivatives production, the government estimates 16,000 meatpacking workers may have already contracted the coronavirus.

In the state-owned energy giant Petrobras, where operations, including remote offshore oil drilling, have continued, at least 800 workers have already been infected, and another 1,600 are known to have been exposed to the virus.

In Brazil, as in the rest of Latin America and other poor countries only beginning to be affected by the pandemic, infections among workers are further exposing the reactionary claims that only a minority of those infectedand generally only the elderlyhave serious complications from COVID-19.

A quarter of the dead in Brazil have had no associated preconditions and are below the age of 60, while most of those in serious condition are younger than 50. Last week, deaths in the working class district of Brasilandia, in the countrys COVID-19 epicenter, Sao Paulo, were 10 times higher than those in wealthier districts. The criminal lack of testing hides a much worse situation in the rest of the countrys crowded working class areas, where chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension are prevalent among young workers.

Bolsonaro and his nominal opponents in the ruling elite are all preparing for mass working class opposition by building up far-right groups such as the 300 of Brazil, already portrayed by one of the countrys leading papers, Estado de S. Paulo, as Bolsonaros brownshirts. Despite their tactical differencesexposed on the surface by the threat of an impeachment of Bolsonaro based on charges made by his former Justice Minister Sergio Morothe ruling class is united in its determination to force workers back into the factories.

None of the countrys governors, from former Bolsonaro allies such as Joao Doria to members of the Workers Party (PT) and other opposition parties in the Northeast, has imposed restrictions on the operations of industry or construction, despite their daily denunciations of Bolsonaro as a lunatic unfit for office.

In Congress, the Workers Party, Bolsonaros supposed chief political opponent, has jumped on the back-to-work bandwagon with a reopening bill presented by its former health minister, infectious disease specialist Alexandre Padilha. Padilha claims the bill will guarantee the best practices of countries that have reopened their economies, concealing the fact that in these countriesGermany and South Korea, for examplesuch protocols have led to a new surge in cases. A month ago the PT joined in the vote for the governments massive quantitative easing program, amounting to 15 percent of the Brazilian GDP, while less than 5 percent of that amount was directed to provide poverty relief for the poorest 25 percent of the population.

With the mobilization of far-right forces attracting virtually no mass support, the ruling class is relying on the unions to both lie to workers about the safety of going back to work and poison public opinion with chauvinism and anti-Chinese appeals, portraying the reopening of factories as necessary to fight foreign competition and minimize job losses.

As the auto industry leads the way in reopening its factorieswhich in April produced a mere 1,800 vehicles out of its 400,000 monthly capacitythe unions have dispatched officials to factory gates to convince workers to trust safety measures and even promote the opportunity represented by the pandemic of reducing imports from China. The president of the largest Brazilian trade union federation, the Workers Party (PT)-controlled CUT, wrote that under the war conditions imposed by the pandemic, the first problem is Brazils position in the global value chains, which deepens the vulnerability of our industry.

At Embraer, the global leader in the production of medium-range planes, which recently had its merger plans with Boeing frustrated by the latters insolvency, union leaders hailed the fact that jobs were being cut in the United States, but not in Brazil.

In a May Day article in the leading Brazilian newspaper, Folha de S.Paulo, Ricardo Patah, the president of the second largest trade union federation, the UGT, described the murderous coronavirus pandemic as a great opportunity for Brazil to launch an industrial reconversion to produce medical equipment.

He advocated policies to beat Chinese competition and avoid the humiliation of being relegated to second place by the Chinese in the sale of medical equipment. He blamed Chinarather than US imperialism and its trade warfor the global disarray in the provision of medical supplies. Amid Washingtons condemnations of China to distract public opinion from its own criminal incompetence in dealing with the pandemic, and the growing drumbeat for war, Patah is providing a nationalist cover for Brazils realignment with US imperialismmuch like the pro-Nazi nationalists promoted by Bolsonaro and his right-wing big business supporters.

Brazilian workers, engaged in a growing strike wave against pay cuts and the attempt to force them to choose between dying from COVID-19 or starvation, can carry forward their struggle only by means of a conscious break from the straitjacket imposed by the ever-more right-wing unions and their political alliesabove all the PT and its pseudo-left satellites.
Worried that so far the armed security forces have killed about three dozen Nigerians for violating the lockdown measures put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of the 36 states of the Federation in the last two months, the Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy group-: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has blamed government's tolerance for lawlessness and impunity as the fundamental cause of the killings.

HURIWA stated that the current administration headed by President Muhammadu Buhari has in the last five years done nothing by way of law enforcement to severely punish rogue members of the armed security forces responsible for some of the worst cases of extra-legal executions of over 1,000 innocent Nigerians just as the Rights group said there is organised cover ups by the security forces not to publicly subject these trigger happy cops and operatives of the armed security forces to undergo transparent trials before the competent courts of law. "Many INNOCENT civilians have lost their lives due to extrajudicial executions by members of the armed security forces only because these persons went out to the streets of major cities to protest against bad policies of government. A federal government that sends out security forces to kill protesters and voters at polling centers will not be ready to demand accountability from the hierarchies of the armed security forces for the rising wave of extralegal executions".

The Rights group said the snail-speed with which the wheel of justice moves in Nigeria is also a fundamental issue because many cases of professional misconduct by the armed security forces that relate to extrajudicial executions of persons that are managed to be charged before some courts of law linger in those judicial institutions for years thereby foisting a sense of impunity amongst these armed members of the security forces that they can do whatever they want and may walk away from justice.

HURIWA in the media Statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf said that another salient cause of the continued extra-legal executions of Nigerians is the deliberate weakening and politicization of such critical institutions like the National Human Rights commission and the Office of the Federal Attorney General and minister of justice which render these strategic offices useless in stamping out these crimes against humanity that extrajudicial executions of persons by the members of the security forces constitutes.

"Nigeria's Federal Attorney General and minister of justice is more concerned with playing politics of pursuing political vendetta against the immediate past Federal government of President Goodluck Jonathan and has failed to ensure that his enormous constitutional powers are deployed in the service of national interests by way of prosecution of indicted security forces operatives for these extensive cases of extralegal executions of over 1,000 Nigerians. The National Human Rights commission has become a shadow of its old self because the management runs the place like a normal civil service outfit to the utter shock and disappointment of millions of Nigerians who are expecting this commission to use its enhanced operational and funding powers to prosecute such murderers in security forces' uniforms. The National Human Rights commission ought to be led by a constituted board of governors who ought to lead the process of investigations and prosecution of such heinous cases and so what we now have is a crying baby sort of National Human Rights commission that can bark but lacks the teeth to bite."

" These are the underlying reasons for the spike in the killings as is statistically self evident that Security forces enforcing the lockdown in parts of Nigeria have killed more people than coronavirus itself. Evidence of the killings comes from members of the public who rang their hotline or sent in videos, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stated just as at the last count It says law enforcers have killed 18 people in Nigeria since lockdowns began on 30 March and another 11 persons since after the first report of these killings were made known".

" HURIWA can corroborate the fact that at least 1,476 people were killed by state actors in the country over the past year as reported by the Council on Foreign Relations. In its report about Nigeria's coronavirus lockdown period, the NHRC, a government agency, said it had found "8 separate incidents of extrajudicial killings leading to 18 deaths. However, we demand that President Muhammadu Buhari set up the governing council of the National Human Rights commission".

HURIWA cited a plethora of Sections of the Constitution that must be complied with by government to stave off widespread extrajudicial killings just the Rights group quoted Section 33 of the federal constitution 1999 as amended to have states: (1) Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria. (2) A person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section, if he dies as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary - (a) for the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property: (b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or (c) for the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny.

HURIWA cited Section 36 which states: (1) In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality. (2) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this section, a law shall not be invalidated by reason only that it confers on any government or authority power to determine questions arising in the administration of a law that affects or may affect the civil rights and obligations of any person if such law - (a) provides for an opportunity for the persons whose rights and obligations may be affected to make representations to the administering authority before that authority makes the decision affecting that person; and (b) contains no provision making the determination of the administering authority final and conclusive. (3) The proceedings of a court or the proceedings of any tribunal relating to the matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal) shall be held in public. (4) Whenever any person is charged with a criminal offence, he shall, unless the charge is withdrawn, be entitled to a fair hearing in public within a reasonable time by a court or tribunal: Provided that - (a) a court or such a tribunal may exclude from its proceedings persons other than the parties thereto or their legal practitioners in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, the welfare of persons who have not attained the age of eighteen years, the protection of the private lives of the parties or to such extent as it may consider necessary by reason of special circumstances in which publicity would be contrary to the interests of justice; (b) if in any proceedings before a court or such a tribunal, a Minister of the Government of the Federation or a commissioner of the government of a State satisfies the court or tribunal that it would not be in the public interest for any matter to be publicly disclosed, the court or tribunal shall make arrangements for evidence relating to that matter to be heard in private and shall take such other action as may be necessary or expedient to prevent the disclosure of the matter. (5) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed to be innocent until he is proved guilty; Provided that nothing in this section shall invalidate any law by reason only that the law imposes upon any such person the burden of proving particular facts. (6) Every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be entitled to - (a) be informed promptly in the language that he understands and in detail of the nature of the offence; (b) be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence; (c) defend himself in person or by legal practitioners of his own choice; (d) examine, in person or by his legal practitioners, the witnesses called by the prosecution before any court or tribunal and obtain the attendance and carry out the examination of witnesses to testify on his behalf before the court or tribunal on the same conditions as those applying to the witnesses called by the prosecution; and (e) have, without payment, the assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand the language used at the trial of the offence. (7) When any person is tried for any criminal offence, the court or tribunal shall keep a record of the proceedings and the accused person or any persons authorised by him in that behalf shall be entitled to obtain copies of the judgement in the case within seven days of the conclusion of the case. (8) No person shall be held to be guilty of a criminal offence on account of any act or omission that did not, at the time it took place, constitute such an offence, and no penalty shall be imposed for any criminal offence heavier than the penalty in force at the time the offence was committed. (9) No person who shows that he has been tried by any court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal for a criminal offence and either convicted or acquitted shall again be tried for that offence or for a criminal offence having the same ingredients as that offence save upon the order of a superior court. (10) No person who shows that he has been pardoned for a criminal offence shall again be tried for that offence. (11) No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. (12) Subject as otherwise provided by this Constitution, a person shall not be convicted of a criminal offence unless that offence is defined and the penalty therefor is prescribed in a written law, and in this subsection, a written law refers to an Act of the National Assembly or a Law of a State, any subsidiary legislation or instrument under the provisions of a law.

Section 34 states: (1) Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly - (a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment; (b) no person shall he held in slavery or servitude; and (c) no person shall be required to perform forced of compulsory labour. (2) for the purposes of subsection (1) (c) of this section, "forced or compulsory labour" does not include - (a) any labour required in consequence of the sentence or order of a court; (b) any labour required of members of the armed forces of the Federation or the Nigeria Police Force in pursuance of their duties as such; (c) in the case of persons who have conscientious objections to service in the armed forces of the Federation, any labour required instead of such service; (d) any labour required which is reasonably necessary in the event of any emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community; or (e) any labour or service that forms part of - (i) normal communal or other civic obligations of the well-being of the community. (ii) such compulsory national service in the armed forces of the Federation as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly, or (iii) such compulsory national service which forms part of the education and training of citizens of Nigeria as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.

In the thinking of the Rights group, only the competent courts of law have the judicial powers of the Federation to apportion sanctions for offenders just as HURIWA condemned these large-scale extrajudicial killings because Section 6 of the Nigerian constitution states: (1) The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation. (2) The judicial powers of a State shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established, subject as provided by this Constitution, for a State. (3) The courts to which this section relates, established by this Constitution for the Federation and for the States, specified in subsection (5) (a) to (1) of this section, shall be the only superior courts of record in Nigeria; and save as otherwise prescribed by the National Assembly or by the House of Assembly of a State, each court shall have all the powers of a superior court of record. (4) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be construed as precluding:- (a) the National Assembly or any House of Assembly from establishing courts, other than those to which this section relates, with subordinate jurisdiction to that of a High Court; (b) the National Assembly or any House of Assembly, which does not require it, from abolishing any court which it has power to establish or which it has brought into being. (5) This section relates to:- (a) the Supreme Court of Nigeria; (b) the Court of Appeal; (c) the Federal High Court; (d) the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (e) a High Court of a State (f) the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (g) a Sharia Court of Appeal of a State; (h) the Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (i) a Customary Court of Appeal of a State; (j) such other courts as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters with respect to which the National Assembly may make laws; and (k) such other court as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction at first instance or on appeal on matters with respect to which a House of Assembly may make laws. (6) The judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section - (a) shall extend, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this constitution, to all inherent powers and sanctions of a court of law (b) shall extend, to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any persons in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person; (c) shall not except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, extend to any issue or question as to whether any act of omission by any authority or person or as to whether any law or any judicial decision is in conformity with the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy set out in Chapter II of this Constitution; (d) shall not, as from the date when this section comes into force, extend to any action or proceedings relating to any existing law made on or after 15th January, 1966 for determining any issue or question as to the competence of any authority or person to make any such law.
Russias ambassador to the United Nations says Moscow will oppose any attempts by the United States to extend the arms embargo on Iran and reimpose UN sanctions against Tehran.

Vassily Nebenzias comments on May 12 made clear that the United States will have difficulty extending the embargo past its expiration in October through the UN Security Council, where Russia has veto power.

The United States is seeking to indefinitely extend the UN embargo on conventional arms sales, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the United States will use all means available to achieve that goal.

A draft UN resolution that has circulated among diplomats would strike the expiration of the arms embargo from the council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between six major powers and Iran, according to U.S. officials and UN diplomats.

Nebenzia said the arms embargo is a byproduct of the nuclear deal, which prevents Tehran from developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief. In Russias view, its clear that it expires in October, he said.

Nebenzia spoke with reporters on a videoconference as the United Nations observes social-distancing restrictions implemented to help control the spread of the coronavirus

He called "ridiculous" the U.S. argument that it is still a member of the Iran nuclear deal two years after it left the pact, just so Washington could trigger a so-called snapback that would return all UN sanctions on Tehran.

To trigger a snapback, you have to be a participant of the JCPOA, and the U.S. proudly announced on May 8, 2018, that they withdrew from the JCPOA and closed the door behind, Nebenzia said.

Nebenzia also predicted that triggering the snapback would end the JCPOA and inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Iran.

Although President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal, the United States maintains that it retains the right to invoke a sanctions snapback that the deal envisaged in the event of significant nonperformance by Iran.

That position rests on a State Department legal argument that although the United States is no longer in the nuclear deal, it remains an original participant under the terms of the Security Council resolution that enshrined it.

That 2015 resolution names the United States as a participant, but numerous diplomats in addition to Russia have said the U.S. argument is specious because the United States has demonstrably withdrawn.

Nebenzia also quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 12 saying the United States is in grave violation of the 2015 resolution for nonperformance and is blatantly attempting illegal paths to reverse the resolution in actual contempt for well-established principles of international law.

By withdrawing from the JCPOA , the United States has lost any right, he quoted Zarif as saying, adding that he subscribes fully to Zarifs words.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
A Myanmar Union Election Commission seal and a ballot paper displaying the names of candidates with their corresponding political parties are seen at a polling station during advance voting at a ward administration office on the outskirts of Yangon, Oct. 29, 2015.

Two small political parties in Myanmar are calling for a coalition government following year-end elections, saying the arrangement is needed to resolve armed conflicts and political deadlocks that have stifled the peace plans and reform pledges of the four-year-old administration of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Major parties poured cold water on the idea.

Officials from the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) party and the People's Party say only a coalition government can effectively move the country forward by ending Myanmar's decades-long civil wars, realizing the enactment of democratic constitutional amendments, and making progress with the economy and the labor force.

Sai Leik, general secretary of and spokesman for the SNLD, said he expects close results in the elections and not a replay of the landslide victory that the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party won in the November 2015 general elections.

We have seen the leadership of the ruling party fail to fulfill peoples wishes as it has made single-handed decisions on national affairs, he told RFA.

We need a coalition and a strong opposition voice to ensure that the ruling government stays on course, he said. I agree with the suggestion that we need a coalition government.

The SNLD will compete in all townships in Shan state and some townships in Kayah and Kachin states and in Mandalay region in the 2020 general election, Sai Leik told Myanmar Eleven Media Group in January.

Ko Ko Gyi, chairman of the Peoples Party, said a collation government is needed to resolve both old and new issues.

We believe that we need a coalition government beyond 2020, he said, noting that Myanmar has had only consecutive one-party governments.

In the meantime, we are far from resolving the old challenges, and now weve got new ones, he added. We believe a coalition government formed with competent personnel and organizations will be able to resolve the problems.

Ko Ko Gyi said the Peoples Party will not contest the 2020 general elections on a nationwide scale, but will run only in some states and regions.

No intention to form coalition

The NLD, led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, has focused on trying to end wars between the government military and various ethnic armed groups, forge national reconciliation, and create a democratic federal union.

But the partys efforts have been stymied by ongoing warfare, the political power of the military in vetoing constitutional amendments, the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state, and the spread of the coronavirus. On Tuesday, Myanmar registered 180 confirmed COVID-19 cases and six deaths.

NLD lawmakers, however, say their party will not accept the idea of a coalition government should it win the next election as long as the military retains its constitutionally mandated quarter of the seats in parliament.

The NLD has no intention of forming a coalition government for now, said Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the NLD's Central Information Committee.

The NLD has contested in elections since 1990 and won landslide victories, he said.

The party swept the general elections of 1990, but the military refused to accept the result. The party also won a decisive victory in the 2015 election, which saw Aung San Suu Kyi come to power as Myanmars de facto leader.

The NLD has worked together with brotherhood parties in parliament since the [2015] election victory. This is the NLDs tradition, Monywa Aung Shin said.

Myanmar attorney and political commentator Aung Thein said that the NLD will not form a coalition government as long as the military continues to be appointed to an automatic 25 percent of seats in the Union parliament under the current constitution, drafted in 2008 by a former military junta that ruled the country.

The NLD will not support forming a coalition party as long as there are 25 percent of military MPs in parliament, he told RFA. It would be concerned that it would mar the countrys democratic transition.

The NLD would also be worried that such a coalition would form an alliance with the previous ruling party, he said, referring to the current main opposition military-supported Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

Nothing would move forward

The USDP also opposes the formation of a coalition government.

Forming a coalition government would allow all political parties to be represented and it might satisfy all the parties, but it is essential that everyone in a coalition, despite their different backgrounds, is committed to serving the interest of the people and the nation and that they cooperate with each other, said USDP spokesman Nandar Hla Myint.

If they adhere to party policy or interest groups and refuse to cooperate, then there would be nonstop debates, and nothing would move forward, he said.

More than 650 lawmakers from 14 different political parties along with independent and military legislators comprise Myanmar's current Union parliament.

The NLD controls more than 58 percent of parliamentary seats, followed by 25 percent guaranteed to the military, and 6 percent held by the USDP.

Arakan National Party (ANP) lawmakers occupy 3 percent of the seats in the Union parliament, SNLD lawmakers 2 percent, independent members 1 percent, and those from remaining parties less than 1 percent.

Each political partys portion of lawmakers is crucial for forming a government administration as the current constitution mandates that elected representatives nominate the countrys president and vice presidents. The president in turn appoints the chief ministers of states and regions.

Parties also are required to control 20 percent or greater of the seats in the Union parliament to be able to submit bills and constitutional amendments for consideration.

Political parties in Myanmar have urged the Union Election Commission (UEC) to consult them on whether to postpone the countrys 2020 general election due to the coronavirus pandemic, through the UEC has said that the vote will be held as planned.

About 100 political parties are expected to run for seats in the 2020 elections.



Reported by Wai Mar Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
The Bank is expecting Ukraine's economy to bounce back to growth of 5% in 2021.

Ukraine's GDP will fall by 4.5% in 2020 as a result of global coronavirus-related shocks and following slower industrial growth recorded in late 2019 to early 2020.

The Bank is expecting Ukraine's economy to bounce back to growth of 5% in 2021, according to the latest macroeconomic survey published by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on May 13, 2020.

The EBRD's Regional Economic Prospects report notes the "soaring cost of refinancing debt in international financial markets" for Ukraine.

Read alsoUkraine economy to fall by 5% in 2020, to rebound in following years, NBU chief says

A combination of reduced foreign demand and drop in domestic demand due to public health measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus took its toll on the manufacturing and services sectors, argues the report.

The Bank explains that the macro-financial fundamentals remain relatively strong and able to absorb external shocks with record-high level of foreign reserves and the lowest policy rate for six years.

As UNIAN reported earlier, National Bank Governor Yakiv Smolii said Ukrainian economy, after falling this year by 5%, could grow by 4% annually in the years to come.

The National Bank in April worsened the assessment of real GDP growth dynamics for 2020 from a 3.5% growth to a 5% drop.

UNIAN memo. The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Ukraine and to date has committed more than EUR 14.54 billion in over 460 projects to the country.
The owner of the house unarmed jogger Ahmaud Arbery was seen entering while it was under construction says he is now getting death threats.

Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, were charged with murder after a video of them pursuing Arbery in a pickup truck and then shooting him dead in a Brunswick, Georgia street on February 23 surfaced online last week.

Two separate videos confirm Arbery had entered Larry English's partially-built house on the day he was shot. Neighbor Diego Perez said Wednesday the two men had already approached their victim on February 11, after spotting him at the same site.

When DailyMail.com reached out to English he stressed he was elsewhere on February 23 and played no part in the events leading up to Arbery's death.

Now his attorney, Elizabeth Graddy, says the married father-of-two is receiving death threats despite not knowing and never sharing any information with the men.

The McMichaels' defense has been that they were making a citizen's arrest after suspecting Ahmaud of breaking into and robbing homes in their neighborhood.

They said Travis, 34, then exercised his stand your ground right by shooting Ahmaud, claiming the unarmed 25-year-old reached for his gun.

Graddy told NBC: 'My clients were not part of what the McMichaels told themselves to do. If the McMichaels are going to justify what they did, they are going to have to look elsewhere for help.

'Now, it's honestly not safe. It's supposed to be a place for comfort and peace. And now, it will be forever associated with this tragedy.'

Ahmaud Arbery inside the under-construction home on February 23, the day he was killed. He walked into the house then left empty handed and was later shot dead by Travis McMichael who had chased him with his father, Gregory, a former cop

Ahmaud had been out jogging when he came across the home. His family says the footage shows he was not a burglar and that he would have been guilty of trespassing at most

Gregory (left) and Travis McMichael (right) have both been charged with murder and aggravated assault over the February 23 shooting of Ahmaud Arbery

Larry English Jr., bought the plot in June 2016 for $120,000 and has built the majority of the structure which has a sign posted outside, warning: 'Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.'

The beekeeper says he was working three hours away when he received an alert on his cell phone saying something had triggered a remote security camera inside the property.

Assuming it was a dog or cat, he didn't look at his phone for about 15 minutes.

By the time he had checked the footage, seen an unidentified male and asked a friend in Satilla Drive what was going on, the shooting had already happened.

The home under construction is described in recent listings as a vacant lot, 0.5 acres in size on the banks of the Little Satilla River: the perfect spot for the 'river front home of your dreams'.

'The English family had no relationship with the McMichaels and did not even know what had occurred until after Mr Arbery's death was reported to them,' he told DailyMail.com, though an attorney.

'Mr English would never have sought a vigilante response, much less one resulting in a tragic death.'

Neighbor Perez told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the father and son had an earlier confrontation with Arbery at the site, two weeks before the shooting.

He said: 'Travis saw him in the yard and Travis stopped. He confronted (the man) halfway into the yard. He said (the man) reached for his waistband, and Travis got spooked and went down the road.'

Travis is said to have returned with his father, who was armed and who had called the local police.

Perez said he witnessed the February 11 incident after the property owner, Larry English, who lived two hours away, asked him to keep an eye on the site.

After a motion sensor camera had been set off, Perez headed to the construction area, where he saw the McMichaels and the man he believes to have been Arbery.

Perez said nothing was taken from the home, adding: 'All we knew about him was that he was the guy who kept showing up on our cameras. No one knew who it was.'

The next time he saw Arbery was the day he was shot dead, Perez says.

Ahmaud Arbery, pictured, was killed February 23; a white father and son told police they pursued him in their truck because they suspected him of being a burglar

Appearing to confirm the earlier confrontation Gregory McMichael is said to have told officers he feared Arbery was armed because 'the other night they saw the same male and he stuck his down his pants which led them to believe he was armed'.

Arbery's grieving parents Wanda Jones Cooper and Marcus Arbery Sr say their son had simply gone for a routine midday jog when he was subjected to a modern day 'lynching'.

Wanda told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against the two men: 'Coming from a mother's point of view: my son died, and so they should die as well.'

Two separate videos emerged over the weekend to confirm that Arbery had indeed entered the partially-built house.

Arbery's family say the clips are actually proof that he didn't steal anything and was merely looking around, which they insist is not a crime.

'Ahmaud Arbery did not take any anything from the construction site. He did not cause any damage to the property,' their attorney, S. Lee Merritt, said.

Father and son 'are being isolated away from other prisoners for their own safety' The father and son accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery are being isolated from other prisoners for their own safety, according to reports. Both Gregory and Travis McMichael are now being held in a separate wing of the Glynn County Detention Center, in Brunswick, Georgia, according to TMZ. The men can reportedly eat alone and periodically leave their cells while being kept isolated from other prisoners. TMZ also claims that there are no TVs in the section of the jail where the men are being housed, so they cannot follow the case in the news. Glynn County Undersheriff Ron Corbett revealed the details to the outlet but refused to say whether or not the men were on suicide watch or if their lives have been threatened. Advertisement

It comes after the Georgia resident who called cops to report Arbery 'milling about' inside the empty house told DailyMail.com his suspicions were justified  because the unarmed jogger was wearing 'baggy' clothes.

He decided to alert police via a non-emergency number because the unidentified 'intruder' had 'no business' trespassing on the unfurnished property for several minutes around 1pm on February 23.

Asked why he was so suspicious about Arbery, he told DailyMail.com: 'He wasn't out for a jog, put it like that. You don't go jogging wearing saggy pants, saggy shorts.'

The aspiring boxer - who would have turned 26 last Friday - was in fact wearing a white T-shirt and knee-length shorts, consistent with clothes that someone might wear to train or go for a run.

Moments after he left the empty property he was shot and killed by father and son 'vigilantes' Gregory and Travis McMichael, who claim they were attempting to detain a burglary suspect.

It took nearly three months and three different prosecutors for the father and son to be charged with murder after state authorities were stung into action by a leaked video of the 'lynching'.

Georgia's Attorney General is now investigating the handling of the case amid claims that prosecutors passed it off to protect 64-year-old Gregory McMichael, a retired cop who worked for the local district attorney's office.

In a still from the video filmed by William 'Roddy' Bryan, Ahmaud Arbery stumbles and falls to the ground after being shot as Travis McMichael stands by holding a shotgun in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23

In the sickening footage of Arbery's death, a shot can be heard and Arbery is seen scuffling with Travis as Arbery appears to try to get the gun away from Travis. Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range before

The Georgia resident who called cops to report Arbery 'milling about' inside the empty house says his suspicions were justified  because the unarmed jogger was wearing 'baggy' clothes

Wanda Cooper-Jones (right with Arbery) told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34,

Gregory and Travis McMichael claim they were trying to perform a legal citizen's arrest when Arbery lunged towards 34-year-old Travis McMichael's shotgun and was blasted three times in the melee.

The older man did ring 911 at 1:14pm to report a 'black male running down the street' but he broke off moments later to take the law into his own hands - shouting: 'Goddamn it, c'mon Travis'.

In their statements to police in the aftermath, the McMichaels said Arbery caught their attention because he resembled a man accused of an alleged spate of residential break-ins.

However there is, to date, no evidence to suggest he committed any crime in predominantly white Satilla Shores on or before the day of the shooting.

Father accused in Ahmaud Arbery killing worked as chief investigator in DA's office without arrest powers or proper certification

The father accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery worked as a chief investigator in the District Attorney's officer without proper certification or arrest powers, according to new reports.

Personnel records obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press show the elder McMichael worked for Brunswick Circuit DA Jackie Johnson's office from November 1995 through May 2019. He consistently got good performance reviews.

But in 2014, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council notified the district attorney's office that in five years since 2005, Gregory McMichael had either failed to do enough training hours or failed to take mandatory firearms or use-of-deadly force classes, documents show.

The result was that he had technically lacked arrest powers since January 1 2006  a situation that could have made Johnson and her office liable for any improper actions by McMichael during that time, according to a memo in the file.

In submitting a training waiver to remedy the situation, McMichael said it was a 'great embarrassment.'

Documents in the file show he again failed to complete mandatory training in 2018 and relinquished his certification, serving out his final few months with the district attorney's office as a non-sworn liaison to law enforcement agencies in one of the counties in the judicial circuit.

Gregory McMichael, pictured with son Travis, had lacked arrest powers since January 1 2006

The Georgia prosecutors who first handled the fatal shooting of the black man, before charges were filed more than two months later, were placed under investigation Tuesday for their conduct in the case.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that he asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and federal authorities to investigate how local prosecutors handled the killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery.

Gregory and Travis McMichael were not charged with murder until last week, after the release of a video of the February 23 shooting.

'Unfortunately, many questions and concerns have arisen' about the actions of the district attorneys, Carr said Tuesday in a statement. As a result, the attorney general asked the GBI to review the matter 'to determine whether the process was undermined in any way.'

Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said federal prosecutors have asked Carr to share any results. Federal officials are also considering whether hate crimes charges are warranted.

Brunswick Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson defended her office's involvement, which she insisted was minimal because the elder McMichael worked for her as an investigator before retiring a year ago. That relationship required the office to step away from the case.

'I'm confident an investigation is going to show my office did what it was supposed to and there was no wrongdoing on our part,' Johnson told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday.

Johnson said Glynn County police contacted two of her assistant prosecutors on the day of the shooting, seeking legal advice. She said her assistants immediately responded that they could not get involved because of the conflict of interest.

Asked if anyone in her office told police not to arrest the McMichaels or suggested the shooting may have been justified, Johnson said, 'Absolutely not.' She said it was the police who brought up self-defense during their call.

'The police represented it as a burglary case with a self-defense issue,' Johnson said. Police were seeking 'guidance on how to proceed and whether to make an arrest. Our office could not advise or assist them because of our obvious conflict.'

Johnson said she reached out to neighboring Waycross Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill, asking if his office could advise Glynn County police. Because it was a fatal shooting, she said, 'I didn't want the case to stall.'

Exclusive photos show the moment Gregory McMichael (pictured) and his son Travis McMichael were arrested at their home in Brunswick, Georgia, on Thursday

An officer with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is seen leading 34-year-old Travis McMichael out of the home in handcuffs

The attorney general ended up appointing Barnhill to take over on February 27, four days after the shooting.

But in his letter Monday asking the GBI to investigate possible misconduct by the prosecutors, Carr said he was never told that Barnhill had already advised police 'that he did not see grounds for the arrest of any of the individuals involved in Mr. Arbery's death.'

Weeks after Carr appointed him to the case, and just a few days before recusing himself April 7, Barnhill wrote that the McMichaels 'were following, in 'hot pursuit,' a burglary suspect, with solid first hand probable cause, in their neighborhood, and asking/telling him to stop.'

'It appears their intent was to stop and hold this criminal suspect until law enforcement arrived. Under Georgia Law this is perfectly legal,' Barnhill advised in the undated letter, to Glynn County police Capt. Tom Jump. County officials released the letter last week.

Johnson said she could not recall if she had told Carr's office that she enlisted Barnhill's help before recusing herself. Barnhill had the case for about a month before he stepped aside under pressure because his son works for Johnson as an assistant prosecutor. The phone at Barnhill's office in Waycross rang unanswered Tuesday.

Tom Durden, the district attorney in nearby Hinesville, next took the case and had it for more than three weeks before the video became public and he called in the GBI. On Monday, Carr replaced him with Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes, one of only seven black district attorneys in Georgia.

She's based in Atlanta, far from the coastal community where the shooting happened, and is 'a respected attorney with experience, both as a lawyer and a judge,' said Carr, a Republican.

According to the police report, Gregory McMichael said Arbery attacked his son before the younger McMichael shot him.

The autopsy showed Arbery was hit by three shotgun blasts. All three shots can be heard on the video, which clearly shows the final shot hitting Arbery at point-blank range before he staggers and falls face down.

Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, have been jailed since Thursday. Neither had lawyers at their first court appearances. With courts largely closed because of the coronavirus, a grand jury cannot be called to hear the case until mid-June.
The head of a peak body for travel agents who said A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw needed 'a good slap across the face' over her show's reporting of the industry's refund scandal has resigned.

Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury stood down on Wednesday after criticising the veteran presenter for her remarks about the travel industry's woes amid the pandemic.

An agency spokesperson said Mr Westbury's resignation follows 'his recent comments directed at Tracy Grimshaw and the program's coverage of the travel industry's response to the coronavirus'.

'While Mr Westbury stressed that his comments should not be taken literally and has apologised publicly and to Ms Grimshaw, he has also acknowledged that the comments were inappropriate and unacceptable in any circumstances, as well as being at odds with the views of AFTA and its member companies and agencies,' a statement read.

A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw (pictured) has been reporting on the the travel industry's refund scandals

Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury (pictured) told members in an online seminar that A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw 'needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face' for running a series of negative stories about the industry. He immediately walked back the comments and said he did not mean it literally

'His choice of words cannot be condoned... Given the circumstances, AFTA's board has unanimously agreed to accept Mr Westbury's resignation.'

In a statement this morning, Mr Westbury said his comments 'relating to Ms Grimshaw involved a very poor choice of words.'

'I apologise for that choice and accept the language used was completely inappropriate,' he said.

Mr Westbury on Tuesday attacked Grimshaw for ACA's ongoing coverage of the industry's struggles to refund customers for cancelled airfares and accommodation.

'Things have continued this week,' he said on an online seminar.

I won't ever be watching [ACA] again. I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a good slap across the face, and I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldn't want to invoke any violence on anyone.'

Anyone entering Australia from overseas is now required to undergo 14-days of quarantine to. Pictured: Stranded crew from cruise ship are being sent home on repatriation flights in Sydney

'But, I mean, some of the behaviour and some of the language that's being used on that program is just outrageous.

'There have been some pretty ordinary A Current Affair stories going on about members of AFTA, look as far as I'm concerned no one is guilty of anything.'

Mr Westbury's scathing comments came a week after ACA reported that an Australian family was left $11,000 of dollars out of pocket after STA Travel refused to refund a holiday to the United States.

Following his remarks, Women's groups and outraged Australians took to social media to call for the executive to be fired.

'Pretty rich calling comments outrageous when in the same sentence you talk about inflicting violence on someone... only two things you can do here. Resign or be terminated,' one comment read.

Since the coronavirus crisis was declared a pandemic in early March, the global travel industry has ground to a halt.

According to Pew Research, over 90 percent of the world's population are now living with some form of travel restrictions.

In Australia, even regional domestic travel has been banned across most of the country to slow the spread of COVID-19.

With would-be holidaymakers cancelling their pre-booked trips in droves, some have been unable to get a full refund from their travel agents.

The Age reported a Melbourne midwife was left 'crying for days' after being left out-of-pocket and losing half the money she spent to book a dream $20,000 family holiday to Europe and Disneyland.

Australian residents returning from Indian are pictured being escorted by a member of the Australian Navy

In the audio, Mr Westbury said he would like to address these issues on the A Current Affair program to share the industry's side of the story.

'We are doing what we can from the point of view of talking with their producers and various reporters,' he said.

'We have said very clearly that we will go on the program but only if it is live.

'I'm not prepared to have a pre-recorded (interview) for them to cut and paste the bits that they would like to suit their story and of course they are not very happy about that.'

Australian Law firm Slater and Gordon has launched a class action lawsuit against major airlines, travel agents and tour companies who have refused to issue monetary refunds and instead opted for travel vouchers and credits.

'We understand that everyone is doing it tough at present, including the major airlines and travel companies, but that doesn't give them an excuse to take advantage of their customers,' Slater and Gordon Practice Group Leader Andrew Paull said.

The law firm believes major travel providers may have breached their legal obligations by putting in place travel voucher schemes that significantly disadvantage their customers.

'We believe cash refunds should be returned to customers, who almost certainly need that money right now,' Paull said.

Why you might NEVER get a refund from Virgin Australia: Airline plans to hand customers credits instead of cash for cancelled flights

Hundreds of thousands of Virgin Australia customers left out of pocket due to cancelled flights may never see their money again.

The embattled airline ceased issuing refunds and travel credits for flights grounded by the coronavirus pandemic after it went into voluntary administration in April.

Accounting giant Deloitte has received 340,000 refund requests from customers since it took control of the cash-strapped airline after 65,000 flights were cancelled between March 1 and April 30.

Administrator Vaughan Strawbridge has proposed to compensate affected passengers with 'conditional travel credit' rather than cash refunds in an affidavit filed to the Federal Court on Tuesday.

Virgin Australia passengers owed a refund for cancelled flights may not get their money back. Pictured are passengers checking in at Brisbane Airport on April 21, the day the cash-strapped airline went into administration

The credit would be valid while the airline is in administration.

Customers who have not claimed or used their credits during the process will be 'unlikely to receive a 100 per cent refund on any restructuring or upon liquidation'.

'The Conditional Credit scheme offers those customers the possibility of realising 100 per cent of the value of their refund by using the credit on a future flight or holiday package,' the court application states.

Mr Strawbridge added credits were 'necessary to preserve as much goodwill associated with the Virgin brand and business as possible for a buyer'.

The decision whether to honour Virgin travel credit or give a refund will be up to its new owners.

The coronavirus pandemic resulted in the collapse of Virgin Australia. Pictured is an empty Virgin Australia check-in area at Brisbane Airport on April 21

'Potential buyers may be motivated to extend these conditional credits as part of any restructuring or recapitalisation of the Virgin Companies' business for the purposes of maintaining and enhancing the customer goodwill associated with the Virgin Companies,' Mr Strawbridge said.

Of the 19 parties that have expressed interest in buying the airline, eight signed confidentiality agreements to gain access to Virgin's books.

Apollo Global Management, Oaktree Capital Management, Indigo Partners, and BGH Capital are among the potential buyers.

The court application also seeks to limit the administrators' liability for debts incurred from Virgin and for essential services such as ground handling, fuel, maintenance and in-flight catering.

The case will be heard in the Federal Court on Wednesday.
This week on the show, Milan Vaishnav (Director of the South Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) is joined by New York Times journalist Sopan Deb--author of the brand-new memoir, Missed Translations: Meeting the Immigrant Parents Who Raised Me.

Whether its Hasan Minhajs comedy--OR the spectacle of the Howdy, Modi rally in Houston--OR Aarti Shahanis heartbreaking memoir--listeners of this show know that getting inside the Indian immigrant experience is one of Grand Tamashas obsessions.

On the surface, Sopan is a successful journalist, comedian, and cultural commentator. But in his new book, he explores a side of his life that existed well below the surface--his estrangement from his parents, the alienation he felt as an immigrant kid in a mostly white New Jersey suburb, and the heartbreak he endured watching his family life not so much fall apart as melt away.

Milan and Sopan discuss his toxic family life, his Indian-American coming-of-age story, and his life-changing journey to meet the parents who raised him.

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.
(Newser)  A federal judge made clear Tuesday that he would not immediately rule on the Justice Department's decision to dismiss its criminal case against former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying he would instead let outside individuals and groups weigh in with their opinions. The move suggests US District Judge Emmet Sullivan is not inclined to rubber-stamp the department's plan to dismiss the Flynn prosecution, the AP reports. The New York Times uses the phrase "hesitates to accept" and notes that Sullivan has "opened the door ... for legal experts and other outside parties to oppose" the controversial DOJ move, "suggesting he has at least some skepticism" about it himself. NBC News notes it's "unusual" for a judge to invite such third-party briefs, which will allow him to hear from people other than Flynn's team and the DOJ; CNN calls the move "extraordinary."

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Flynn pleaded guilty, as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, to lying to the FBI about conversations with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential transition period. But the Justice Department said last week that the FBI had insufficient basis to question Flynn in the first place and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. Many called the move to dismiss the case politically motivated, some of the officials involved in the investigation expressed dismay at the move, and about 2,100 former DOJ officials called on Attorney General William Barr to resign. The decision must first go through Sullivan, and Flynn's legal team immediately objected to the judge's decision to allow outside briefs. (Read more Justice Department stories.)
BERLIN  German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday there is hard evidence of Russian involvement in a cyberattack on the German parliament in 2015 that reportedly also involved the theft of documents from her own parliamentary office.

German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported last week that federal prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant against an alleged officer with Russias GRU military intelligence agency identified as Dmitriy Badin, who already is being sought by U.S. authorities. On Friday, news magazine Der Spiegel reported that correspondence from Merkels parliamentary office was among the documents targeted in the 2015 hack.

Prosecutors havent confirmed those reports, but Merkel was asked about the theft of data from her office in a question-and-answer session with lawmakers in parliament Wednesday. She replied: I get the impression that they picked up relatively indiscriminately what they could get.

I am very glad that the investigations have now led to the federal prosecutor putting a concrete person on the wanted list, Merkel said, without elaborating. I take these things very seriously.

I can say honestly that this pains me: on the one hand, I work every day for a better relationship with Russia, and when you see on the other hand that there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are involved in acting this way, this is an area of tension, she added.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied any involvement by Moscow in the 2015 hacking attack on the German parliament, calling the German accusations groundless. They have similarly dismissed charges of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and alleged cyberattacks on other Western nations and institutions.

Merkel indicated that the German investigation doesnt change her assessment of Russias tactics, pointing to a strategy of hybrid warfare, which includes warfare in connection with cyber, disorientation and factual distortion.

Merkel said there is every reason to keep up efforts for a good relationship with Russia, but this naturally doesnt make it easier.

She described such actions as outrageous and said that of course we always reserve the right to take measures, including against Russia.
Bengaluru, May 13 : Two Covid patients, a 60-year-old man from Karnataka's Kalaburagi and a 58-year-old woman from Dakshina Kannada, succumbed to the virus, even as 34 new positive cases raised the state's tally to 959, an official said on Wednesday.

"Positive cases: 927, a 60-year-old male resident of Kalaburagia was brought dead on Monday to a designated hospital. Tested positive for Covid," said a health official.

The deceased man came from the Kalaburagi containment zone. He is Karnataka's 32nd Covid death.

Kalaburagi is 574 km north of Bengaluru.

Similarly, a 58-year-old woman from Dakshina Kannada, suffering from tuberculosis meningitis also succumbed to the virus.

"Positive case 536 with disseminated tuberculosis, earlier admitted in a private hospital and later shifted to a designated hospital on confirmation of Covid, died on Wednesday," said the official.

She is Karnataka's 33rd Covid death.

Dakshina Kannada is 300 km west of Bengaluru, near the Arabian Sea on the West Coast of India.

Meanwhile, 34 new Covid infections emerged in the past 24 hours.

"As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, cumulatively 959 Covid positive cases have been confirmed in the state, it includes 33 deaths and 451 discharges," said the official.

Eighteen patients got discharged in the past 24 hours, Belagavi and Mandya, 5 each, Bengaluru Urban, 4 and Dakshina Kannada, Ballari, Bidar and Vijayapura, 1 each.

Of the new cases, Bidar contributed 12, Kalaburagi, 8, Hassan four, Davangere, Uttara Kannada, Bengaluru Urban and Vijayapura two each and Dakshina Kannada and Ballari, 1 each.

All Bidar cases emerged from the Bidar containment zone.

Positive case 930, an 18-year-old girl from Ballari is suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

Two patients from Vijayapura, one from Uttara Kannada and four more from Hassan, had travel history to Maharashtra, India's top Covid hotspot.

One Kalaburagi case had a history of travel to Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.

Another case from Bengaluru Urban had a travel history to London, England.

Among the new cases, 18 were contacts of earlier cases.

Of the new cases, 13 were men and 21 women, including a two-year-old girl and 11 below 20.

With rising new cases, Karnataka's green zones have diminished to five, Raichur, Koppal, Chikkamagaluru, Ramanagara and Chamarajanagar.

Of the 959 cases, 13 per cent patients were senior citizens, 64 per cent men and 36 per cent women with a discharge rate of 47 per cent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Without a vaccine to halt the spread of the coronavirus, widespread testing and tracing of the illness will be essential to ensure public confidence that children can safely return to school in the fall, federal health officials told a Senate committee Tuesday.

Such testing will be necessary to determine if states are ready to ease restrictions that have shuttered schools and businesses and to trace inevitable reemergence of the coronavirus in some areas after schools welcome students back, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations chief epidemiologist, told the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee.

I hope that if we do have the threat of a second wave, we will be able to deal with it very effectively to prevent it from becoming an outbreak, with adequate preparation over the summer months, Fauci said.

Its a bridge too far to suggest that a vaccine, which will take at least 18 months to develop, will be a factor in school reopening plans, Fauci said, so states should focus on developing testing procedures and the ability to trace contacts of those who contract the virus to quickly quarantine those affected.

The hearing came as governors and school superintendents around the country begin to set plans for reopening schools. And, while many of those discussions have focused on social distancing and remote learning strategies, school leaders will also play a role in helping to track the illness and guide local response efforts. Recently, a task force of former education officials called for schools to track factors like student fevers and family illness when they reopen.

All roads back to work and school lead through testing, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the committee chairman, said. He participated remotely as a precaution after one of his staffers tested positive for the virus. So did the federal officials, who are self-isolating after they interacted with a White House aide who later tested positive.

Federal testing efforts so far are impressive, but not enough, Alexander said. He listed efforts to expand the quantity and methods of testing so that they could be quickly administered in a variety of contexts, even schools. Those include the development potential at-home saliva tests that could be self-administered, and rapid on-site testing. He also pointed to a Shark Tank"-style program through which the National Insitutes of Health is rapidly reviewing new potential diagnostic methods.

Admiral Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said his agency believes the country will have the capability to collectively test 40 million to 50 million people a month by September.

Asked by Alexander if that means a middle school principal or university president would be able to test every student on their campus, Giroir said that would be possible, but such expansive testing might not be necessary in all areas. Local health officials may be able to monitor community spread and prevalence of the virus by periodically testing a sample of individuals or even by monitoring the presence of genetic material in wastewater, he said.

Some senators pressed public health leaders who testified at the hearing for more specific guidance on what precautions schools should take and what an effective testing strategy would look like. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said existing White House guidance is criminally vague. Education groups have said schools need more direction than the document provides, noting that it calls for schools to reopen in the same phase it cautions against crowds of more than 50 people.

Murphy pressed Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on reports that administration officials had shelved more specific CDC guidance.

States are reopening right now, and we need that additional guidance to make these decisions, Murphy said.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., pushed for more federal direction specifically about schools role in testing and what diagnostic strategies will be necessary to safely reopen them.

Clearly there is going to need to be an integration of a testing strategy that is going to need to be different for different school settings, Redfield said in response.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the committees ranking member, cast doubt on promises of rapid testing expansion. The Trump administration has had a record of bringing us broken promises on when states would have adequate supplies, lab capacity, and personnel to trace the virus, she said.

The White House guidance calls for states to ease restrictions in a phased approach only after they ensure they have adequate testing, tracing, and hospital surge capacity and only after theyve seen declining rates of the virus for 14 consecutive days. Schools would reopen in the second phase, after 28 days of declines.

But some states have opened businesses and public places without meeting some of those requirements, Fauci said, which could leave their residents vulnerable.

My concern is that if some areas ... jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open upwithout having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficientlymy concern is we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks, he said.

His remarks stood in contrast to frequent boasts by President Trump that the nation outpaces other countries in testing. Trump touts overall numbers, not per-capita rates. Hes sparred with governors about who is responsible for expanding testing capacity, and theyve pushed him to coordinate the complicated supply chain of diagnostic materials.

In a tense exchange, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Fauci he wasnt the end-all for decisionmaking about containing the virus. Given the low coronavirus mortality rate for children, he questioned cautions that there could be a surge in illness if schools reopen improperly.

People are hurting, and were destroying our country, Paul later told reporters.

In the hearing, Fauci said he didnt view himself as the ultimate decisionmaker. Rather, he sees his role as humbly dispensing advice so officials can make informed decisions.

I think we better be careful that were not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects, Fauci told Paul.

Medical officials have recently reported growth of a coronavirus-related severe inflammatory illness in children, and researchers are still studying childrens immunity to the virus and their ability to carry it asymptomatically and to spread it to more vulnerable adults.

Top photo: Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., listens to testimony before the Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Senators wore face masks and witnesses testified remotely amid the coronavirus pandemic. --Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via AP, Pool

Second photo: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks during the Senate hearing.--Win McNamee/Pool via AP

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
Armed bandits suspected to be herdsmen, have attacked and killed four persons in two villages in Benue State.

Among those killed in the rampage on Monday night were two women, while several other villagers sustained varying degrees of gun wounds.

In a rapid response, troops of the Nigeria Army attached to Operation Whirl Stroke went after the herdsmen and neutralised four of them.

At Agasha Village under Guma Local Government Area, three persons were killed including an aged woman.

The herdsman also carried out the second attack on worshippers during a vigil at Tomatar Iwendyer, a community under Logo Local Government Area of the state and killed one woman.

Force Commander, OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, who disclosed this to journalists said, Please be informed that some suspected armed herdsmen infiltrated Agasha in Guma LGA of Benue State and killed two villagers overnight.

OPWS troops on patrol in the area immediately mobilised to the scene but the herdsmen had fled before their arrival.

Troops subsequently tracked the assailants through some of the nearby communities overnight, while other troops deployed at Tomatar across the river also in Guma blocked the escape route towards Nasarawa State.

At about 0600hrs this morning, troops had contact with the armed herdsmen at a make shift camp close to the Benue River during which four of the assailants were killed, while troops recovered two AK 47 rifles, four magazines and 65 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the bandits.

Our forces did not sustain any casualty during the operation. Troops are currently on search and destroy operation in the area.
The Duck Inn Taproom, located right on the banks of the Perkiomen Creek on Route 29 in Perkiomen Township, has rebounded after severe flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida hit in September.
WASHINGTON - Canada is not yet prepared to confront the challenges inherent in reopening the shared border with the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday, stopping short of confirming that a ban on non-essential travel will be extended to June 21.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a press conference at Rideau Cottage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

WASHINGTON - Canada is not yet prepared to confront the challenges inherent in reopening the shared border with the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday, stopping short of confirming that a ban on non-essential travel will be extended to June 21.

The federal government has asked to extend the current ban, which is currently set to expire May 21, and a favourable response is expected from Washington  but likely won't come for a few more days, a source familiar with the ongoing discussions, but not authorized to talk about them publicly, told The Canadian Press. News of the request was first reported by the Globe and Mail.

"Right now, we're making decisions for right now," Trudeau said when asked about the possibility of keeping the border closed even after June 21, regardless of the wishes of the U.S., which is dealing with the worst COVID-19 outbreak in the world.

"Obviously, there are reflections on what next steps could be and might be in different situations and different progressions of COVID-19, but every step of the way in this unprecedented situation, we're reacting to and responding to the realities we see now, and that's where we will stay focused."

One of those realities is also the starkest: more than a million active cases in the U.S.  42 per cent of the world's active caseload  and a death toll that was closing in Wednesday on 83,000 people, growing at a rate of more than 1,000 fatalities a day.

Another is the level of unbridled political urgency, much of it emanating from the White House and Republican-led state capitols, to reopen shuttered businesses and ease restrictions on personal mobility, often in defiance of the Trump administration's own guidelines.

Not everyone is in a hurry. In New York, home to fully one-quarter of the U.S. COVID-19 cases, Gov. Andrew Cuomo still has his foot firmly on the brake. Reopenings there will be slow, with stringent monitoring of variables like hospital admissions and diagnostic and antibody testing to ensure the virus isn't flaring back up.

"We must stay alert because we are still learning," Cuomo warned as he rattled off a list of initial beliefs about COVID-19 that proved false, including that antibodies promised immunity and that children were largely impervious.

"What we thought we knew doesn't always turn out to be true," he said. "This virus has been ahead of us every step of the way in this country."

Businesses, regional officials and other stakeholders in and around border communities are beginning to realize that their traditional model of counting on cross-border traffic may be at an end, said Laurie Trautman, director of the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash.

"I think that's just starting to kind of hit home," Trautman said. "We're no longer just sort of waiting out the end of this, but we're actually going to need to start thinking in a whole new way."

She cited the example of Vancouver International Airport, once one of Canada's largest transborder travel hubs, which is now coming to terms with the fact that its annual passenger load was just cut in half, and likely won't recover even after travel restrictions are lifted.

"They're not weathering the storm, either. They're completely shifting to a new model."

Montana, which abuts Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan, has seen a steady decline in cases in recent weeks and allowed its stay-home measures to expire two weeks ago. Ohio, which shares Lake Erie with Ontario, reopened retail stores Tuesday and has allowed certain industries to resume operations. Pennsylvania, too, has begun easing restrictions, primarily in the northern regions.

In Minnesota, which borders northwest Ontario and Manitoba and currently has a total caseload of nearly 13,000 and more than 630 deaths, Gov. Tim Walz was expected to address residents Wednesday as the state's current emergency declaration and stay-at-home restrictions approach their expiry dates.

But all of it is happening before a backdrop of dread.

Rick Bright  ousted last month as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority after clashing with the Trump administration over the president's fondness for a now-discredited drug therapy  is expected to warn Congress on Thursday that without a national strategy, the U.S. could be facing a prolonged pandemic that will lead to more sickness, death and "the darkest winter in modern history," CNN reported.

Kathryn Friedman, a law professor at the University at Buffalo and an expert on Canada-U.S. issues, said the conversation on both sides of the border among stakeholders, local and regional leaders and members of Congress has shifted.

"People are starting to turn from stabilizing the situation to thinking about recovery, easing restrictions and opening the border," Friedman said.

For one thing, Canada and the U.S. will need to ensure their principles and regulations for lifting the restrictions were aligned, and it will be essential to ensure that regional and local leaders are in close contact.

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"I think it would be very difficult if, for example, Canada had health and safety first as a guiding principle, and the U.S. was economic recovery  I think that would be a little more challenging."

B.C. Premier John Horgan and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee are in touch regularly, she noted, while Cuomo and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are not.

"There are people who are very much advocating that New York and Quebec and Ontario at least share information on the stages and how they're opening up and any concerns that they might have."

Others have recommended adding a representative from Ford's office to the task force on reopening that Cuomo established last month with fellow governors from New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020.

 Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle
A stylist wearing a protective mask works on a customer at a barbershop in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., on Monday, April 27, 2020. Dustin Chambers | Bloomberg via Getty Images

Since Georgia took the widely criticized step to reboot its battered economy last month, the state has seen new Covid-19 cases steadily climb but not spike. It could take until later this month to know whether Georgia's move to reopen  condemned by federal health officials and President Donald Trump at the time  contributed to a feared coronavirus resurgence, according to health experts in the state. Georgia became one of the first states to lift its restrictions designed to limit the pandemic's spread when Republican Gov. Brian Kemp let businesses including salons, gyms and bowling alleys open their doors on April 24. The state allowed restaurants to resume dine-in service on April 27 with restrictions. Kemp will keep bars, music venues and nightclubs closed at least through the end of the month, he said Tuesday.

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Georgia, like many states, faces immense pressure to restart its economy as the toll from business shutdowns mounts. Among those eligible for unemployment insurance in Georgia, about 17% have filed claims since the outbreak swept through the state in mid-March.

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But Georgia faces a delicate balance in trying to kick-start its economic activity. More than 35,000 Georgians had tested positive for Covid-19 as of May 11, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

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That comes out to about 13% of the roughly 262,000 people tested, or 1 in 8, since the project began tracking data.

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New cases in the state appear to have plateaued in recent weeks, increasing by roughly 700 per day since Georgia started reopening on April 24. But due to the disease incubation period and delays in data reporting, a fuller picture of how lifting restrictions affected Covid-19's spread may not be available until the final days of May, according to Bob Bednarczyk at Emory University and John Drake at the University of Georgia. Bednarczyk, an assistant professor at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health, said even a sustained plateau rather than a steady decline in new cases would be worrisome. "Right now, we're not really out of the woods for what's going to happen with this," he said.

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Drake, a professor of ecology, was the lead author on an April study that estimated Georgia's social distancing measures implemented in March reduced Covid-19 cases by 81% and could have saved nearly 3,000 lives. It found relaxation of the restrictions could lead to as many as 38,000 more cases and 1,500 additional deaths by June 7. He said a handful of uncertainties, such as how much people distance from one another by their own accord and how effective face coverings are in stopping transmissions, could influence how much easing restrictions increase the number of cases. Some business owners also chose not to open their doors even though they had the option to restart operations.
Batteries Plus, the leading omnichannel retailer of batteries, specialty light bulbs and phone repair services, is pleased to announce the addition of Joe Malmuth as Director of Franchise Development. Malmuth joined the Batteries Plus team on May 11th.

In his new role, Malmuth will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of franchise development. In addition to working with new owners and franchise consultants to expand the system, he will also be managing programs focused on helping current owners develop territory and facilitate transactions. Malmuth will report directly to Chief Strategy Officer Jon Sica.

We are thrilled to welcome Joe Malmuth into the Batteries Plus family, said Sica. With his extensive experience in franchise development and growth strategy, he is well-positioned to help lead Batteries Plus as we aggressively pursue our expansion goals. We have major franchise development plans in store for 2020 and beyond, and having Joe on the team will be fundamental to our success.

Malmuth joins Batteries Plus at a crucial time in the companys history. With more than 720 stores across the U.S., Batteries Plus is set for major growth as an essential retailer in 2020. The brand opened 14 new franchise stores and four new corporate-owned stores in 2019 and plans to open an additional 12 units in 2020. Despite COVID-19, Batteries Plus already signed two new deals in March for three units, one of which for the brands first location in Vermont.

Batteries Plus businesses across the country remain open for both consumer and commercial customers in an effort to help individuals, communities, and organizations keep their devices and electronic equipment (including medical devices like EKG machines, respirators and ventilators) running as smoothly as possible. By providing essential products that customers will always want to have on hand and by offering franchisee support and communication during the coronavirus pandemic, Batteries Plus ensures that it remains a profitable opportunity for franchisees.

Throughout COVID-19, Batteries Plus has done a world-class job in providing ongoing support, resources and assistance in every way, said Malmuth. In a post COVID-19 world, business is going to change, and candidates are going to look for the brands that have shown the ability to not just survive tough times, but thrive. Batteries Plus has pivoted and met the customer where they are in order to continue to provide an invaluable service to communities in need. I was a volunteer firefighter for a long time, and I know the importance of having those live-saving tools charged and ready to go.

Prior to joining Batteries Plus, Malmuth most recently served as Vice President of Franchise Relations at My Eyelab, the fastest-growing optical retail franchise in the country. Malmuths responsibilities included strategic development of lead generation, franchise development, content development, branding, strategic positioning, FDD curation, Operations Manual curation, training program development and budgeting. He led advancements across many areas and reconstructed the entire franchise network with an emphasis on growth, creating and implementing franchise development strategies that increased the number of executed franchise agreements by 186% and the number of operating units by 125%.

Before My Eyelab, Malmuth worked for six years at United Franchise Group, which consists of a number of award-winning business-to-business brands and franchise development services, including some of the worlds largest industry-leading names. At United Franchise Group, Malmuth served as the Regional Vice President of the Carolinas, where he developed tours throughout the region, increasing the number of new units by 21%.

Now, Malmuth is thrilled to join the Batteries Plus brand and bring his industry expertise to help grow the franchise system, create jobs, and provide batteries for life-saving equipment in the communities that the brand serves.

Batteries Plus is a legacy brand with a proven model that's been around for more than 30 years, said Malmuth. Im excited to help grow the system with new franchisees, existing owners expanding their portfolio and equity groups looking for sound investments. Some franchise candidates tend to overlook culture, but a franchisors culture is what produces results. Batteries Plus has seen continued success and economic growth through a winning culture, proven support infrastructure and mission to keep the brand moving in the right direction  Im proud to join the team.

ABOUT BATTERIES PLUS:

Batteries Plus, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hartland, WI, is a leading omnichannel retailer of batteries, specialty light bulbs and phone repair services for the direct-to-consumer and commercial channels. The retailer also offers key programming, replacement and cutting services. Through a nationwide network of stores, the company offers a differentiated value proposition of unrivaled product selection, in-stock availability and customer service. Batteries Plus is owned by Freeman Spogli, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles and New York City. To learn more about one of Forbes' Best Franchises to Buy in America, visit https://www.batteriesplusfranchise.com.


Steve Gonzales, Staff Photographer / Houston Chronicle

Freedom Oil and Gas became the latest victim of the oil crash as it filed for bankruptcy protection.

The Houston oil exploration and production company, formerly known as Maverick Drilling Services, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday in federal court in Houston. The company said it was unable to pay its more than $10 million of debt as revenues have plunged during the global coronavirus pandemic. It plans to sell all of its assets to Australian environmental services company Sendero Resources, pending approval from the bankruptcy court.
Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of Messaging service Telegram, announced on Tuesday (May 13) that the company is abandoning its blockchain platform Telegram Open Network (TON) after a long legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Today is a sad day for us here at Telegram . We are announcing the discontinuation of our blockchain project, Durov wrote in a blog post.

He added that a court made it impossible for Telegram, used by more than 400 million users, to continue development of Telegram Open Network (TON).

How? Imagine that several people put their money together to build a gold mine  and to later split the gold that comes out of it, he wrote.

Then a judge comes and says: These people invested in the gold mine because they were looking for profits. And they didnt want that gold for themselves, they wanted to sell it to other people. Because of this, they are not allowed to get the gold.

If this doesnt make sense to you, you are not alone  but this is exactly what happened with TON (the mine) and Grams (the gold). A judge used this reasoning to rule that people should not be allowed to buy or sell Grams like they can buy or sell Bitcoins, he added.

Durov's announcement left everyone stunned because just in April Telegram had assured people that it would launch TON by April 2021 and offered investors a refund of $1.2 billion.

According to Durov, the court also ruled out that Grams could not be distributed even outside of the US, as US citizens would have found workarounds to access the TON platform.

Sadly, the US judge is right about one thing: we, the people outside the US, can vote for our presidents and elect our parliaments, but we are still dependent on the United States when it comes to finance and technology, he added.

"Perhaps even more paradoxically, the US court declared that Grams couldn't be distributed not only in the United States, but globally. Why? Because, it said, a US citizen might find some way of accessing the TON platform after it launched. So, to prevent this, Grams shouldnt be allowed to be distributed anywhere in the world  even if every other country on the planet seemed to be perfectly fine with TON," noted Durov.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights between May 16 and 22, the duration for the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

During the first phase of the Vande Bharat mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are scheduled to operate a total 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to bring 14,800 Indians from 12 countries on a payment basis.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 74,200 people and killed around 2,400 people in the country till now.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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The Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), in Plateau State has confirmed the killing of one Rinji Bala, a 20-year-old 300-levels student of University of Jos.

Mr Bala, popular known as Bobo, was mistakenly shot by a sentry of the OPSH at its office along Zaria Road, Jos on Tuesday.

Confirming the incident to NAN, Ibrahim Shittu, Media Officer of OPSH, described the incidence as unfortunate

According to Mr Shittu, a major, personnel of the task force responded to a distress call on activities of cultists and armed robbers around the area and arrested seven suspects.

He explained that Mr Bala and four other suspects were cleared and released, but that on their way out, a personnel on duty mistook them for escaping suspects and opened fire on them.

Yesterday, at about 10 p.m., we received information of the activities of suspected armed robbers and cultists operating around No. 18th Street axis, opposite Hwolshe community.

The report revealed that the criminals took advantage of the lockdown and curfew to perpetrate crimes.

Consequently, our Sector 1 patrol troops of OPSH swiftly responded and arrested seven suspects, which were immediately moved to the Headquarters of the Sector 1 for preliminary investigation.

Thereafter, five out of the seven suspects were cleared and asked to leave the premises.

Unfortunately as they were leaving, one of the personnel on sentry duty mistook them for escaping suspects. Thus opened fire on them, which led to the death of Rinji Bala, he said.

The media officer, however, said a thorough investigation had commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, adding that the personnel involved has been arrested and detained.

He explained that a delegation from OPSH have visited the family of the deceased and commiserated with them and promised to ensure deceased get justice.

Tortured by soldiers

Emmanuel Dung, a witness, told NAN that Mr Bala and five others were arrested at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday by the OPSH team.

Mr Dung, who was among those arrested alongside the deceased, narrated that they were taken to the sector one of OPSH, along Zaria Road, Jos.

The soldiers didnt say what our offense was and took us to their office at Zaria Road. They tortured us for over an hour and later released us at about 10 p.m.

At the gate, some soldiers asked us to run. When we took off, they opened fire on us and Bobo (Mr Bala) fell down few meters away from the gate.

I stopped to help him but a soldier came close with his gun pointed at me but turned back, and one of the soldier shouted ceasefire, he said.

Peter Bala, father of the deceased, told NAN that he got to the office of the soldiers shortly after the incident.

He said that the Sector Commander told him that the kids were found innocent after investigation and were released.

When I got wind that my son along others were arrested, I quickly rushed to the military base at Zaria road. The Sector Commander told me the boys were found innocent and have been released.

But I saw a corpse at the entrance of the military base but didnt know it was my son; and they never told me until I met his fellow detainee while driving home, he said. (NAN)
Technically, the first major rock concert to open in the United States since the pandemic hit is still on for Friday. But its prospects were certainly clouded by an announcement Tuesday that the Arkansas Department of Health would issue a cease-and-desist order to block it.

Mike Brown, a representative for Temple Live, a venue in Fort Smith, Ark., said his team was still in discussions with state officials about whether the show, with Travis McCready and other musicians, could go ahead. We have not pulled it down, he said early Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Gov. Asa Hutchison said that the concert failed to meet the states directives for opening concerts. He was to allow indoor venues such as theaters, arenas and stadiums to reopen starting May 18 as long as they limited their audiences to fewer than 50 people.

But the venue had said its show would be held three days earlier, on May 15, with more than four times that number of fans allowed in  229  in an 1,100-seat theater.
Australia's biggest pork company wants to hire semen collectors who will be responsible for 'milking' hundreds of boars as part of its plans to expand its empire.

Westpork, based in Western Australia, has lodged a development plan with the City of Swan for a semen collection facility in Bullsbrook.

The facility would see boars 'milked' for their semen, which would then be distributed to other farms to artificially inseminate pigs across Australia.

The boar would have to mount a dummy sow and the worker would have to collect the semen by hand, one to three times a week.

Australia's biggest pork company wants to hire semen collectors who will be responsible for 'milking' hundreds of boars as part of its plans to expand its empire (stock image pictured)

The company would hire one full-time semen collector and three part-timers, WA Today reported.

The facility would house 188 boars in 168 pens and 20 quarantine pens for newly introduced boars.

The site would also include a lab for packaging and quality control, a wet room, office and lunch room, storage and dispatch area.

Westpork is the largest pork company in Australia, it owns piggeries in Gingin, Mindarra, Martup, Moora, Serpentine and Kojonup.

Last year the company took over controversial piggery West Pinjarra, whose previous owners were jailed over illegally importing Danish pig semen, which was to be used to breed so-called 'super sows'.

The company was also fined $500,000 after pleading guilty to the scheme.
Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (left) and Joe Biden (right).

Getty Images/Business Insider

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will co-chair the climate policy task force created as a collaboration between former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign and Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign, her spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Biden announced during an interview with a local Las Vegas TV station that the congresswoman would be involved in one of six task force groups, which will also cover education, criminal justice, immigration, health care, and the economy.

A spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez confirmed that she will be a part of the climate policy group as a representative of Sanders, whom she previously endorsed before he dropped out of the 2020 presidential race.

"[Ocasio-Cortez] believes the movement will only be successful if we continue to apply pressure both inside and outside the system. This is just one element of the broader fight for just policies," the spokeswoman said.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York will reportedly serve as co-chair of former Vice President Joe Biden's climate policy committee, according to her spokeswoman.

Biden announced during an interview with a local Las Vegas TV station that Ocasio-Cortez will be involved in one of six task force groups being made in a collaboration between his campaign and Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign, Bloomberg reporter Jennifer Epstein tweeted Tuesday evening. Biden did not specify which task force she would be on during the interview.

CNN correspondent Ryan Nobles added that the other five task forces will cover education, criminal justice, immigration, health care, and the economy.

It was later revealed that Ocasio-Cortez will co-chair the task force groups focusing on climate policy as a representative for Sanders, the congresswoman's spokeswoman told CNN reporter Greg Krieg. The congresswoman originally endorsed Sanders before he dropped out of the 2020 presidential race.

Story continues

"[Ocasio-Cortez] believes the movement will only be successful if we continue to apply pressure both inside and outside the system. This is just one element of the broader fight for just policies," a spokeswoman for Ocasio-Cortez told Bloomberg reporter Tyler Pager.

"She made the decision with members of the Climate Justice community  and she will be fully accountable to them and the larger advocacy community during this process," the spokeswoman continued, according to a follow-up tweet from Pager.

Ocasio-Cortez, alongside Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, spearheaded the Green New Deal legislation aimed at addressing climate change in the US.

Ocasio-Cortez's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Natural News) Inmates at a Los Angeles County jail are deliberately trying to infect themselves with COVID-19, authorities said.

L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva, in a meeting with reporters, noted that the county jail system saw a 60 percent jump in coronavirus cases among its inmates in just one week  allegedly a direct result of the inmates attempts, which were captured multiple times by the jails surveillance cameras.

There was some mistaken belief among the inmate population that if they tested positive, there was a way to force our hand and somehow release more inmates out of our jail environment, Villanueva said during his meeting with the media.

Thats not gonna happen, he added as he showed the surveillance footage to reporters during the news conference, saying that an investigation is now ongoing.

In one video, the inmates appeared to pass around and take drinks from the same hot water bottle. According to Villanueva, the inmates did this just prior to getting their temperature taken by a prison nurse.

With the hot water, they were trying to falsely elevate their temperature readings to generate a symptom for COVID-19, Villanueva said.

In another video, inmates were seen drinking from the same styrofoam cup and even breathing into a common mask. This video, which did not have any timestamps, was said to have been recorded on April 15, based on a statement by Lt. John Satterfield.

The inmates also flouted social distancing rules, Villanueva said, referring to a video showing the inmates crowding one corner of the day room instead of practicing safe physical distancing.

According to Asst. Sheriff Bruce Chase, 30 people in the two modules where the videos were recorded tested positive for the virus, while two inmates have since been released.

In his meeting with the media, Villanueva said investigators have already interviewed individuals involved, but no one admitted to the scheme. (Related: California starting to look like Italy in terms of coronavirus impact.)

I think their behavior itself is what convicts them, he stated.

Based on figures released by the Sheriffs Department, the inmates had been quarantined at the North County jail since at least April 13.

According to Satterfield, the said clips were just a sampling of the many other videos that are currently being reviewed and used in the ongoing investigation.

During the press briefing, Villanueva said the county has taken several measures to reduce and prevent the spread of COVID-19 within its jail system, including population reduction, adding COVID-19 screening, cleaning of its facilities and social distancing.

The sheriff previously faced a lawsuit last month, after several civil rights groups noted that he and Los Angeles County have failed to adequately protect jail inmates from COVID-19.

Villanueva was issued a subpoena for not attending a meeting meant to discuss his departments actions.

As of press time, more than 350 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 inside the L.A. County jails since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Jackie Clark, director of Correctional Health Services, which provides medical treatment to inmates, the first positive COVID-19 infection at the North County jail was recorded no more than three weeks ago.

Theyre in dorm settings, so its easy once one person is positive, if everybody is still in close contact with each other, or not wearing masks to get infected, Clark said in an interview with Los Angeles Times, adding that she has reviewed footage from dorms in which hardly any inmates were seen wearing masks.

Clark said she has since instructed the jails nursing staff to advise prisoners to wear the coverings around the clock  even when they are sleeping.

In addition to the countys efforts, Clark mentioned that members of the health staff have also started testing vulnerable asymptomatic people housed in the Correctional Treatment Center, adding that their goal is to eventually test the entire jail population.

Los Angeles County has logged 32,258 infections and 1,569 deaths from COVID-19, as of this writing.

Sources include:

LosAngeles.CBSLocal.com

SACBee.com

LAist.com

KTLA.com

LATimes.com
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 12, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Republican Senators Say Democrats $3 Trillion Virus Package Dead on Arrival

Republican senators quickly rejected the $3 trillion package House Democrats unveiled on May 12.

Its got so much unrelated to the coronavirus, its dead on arrival here in terms of a viable idea, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Republicans control the Senate, making their support necessary for legislation to get passed.

The package from the caucus of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is not something designed to deal with reality, but designed to deal with aspirations, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said during a press conference in Washington.

This is not a time for aspirational legislation, this is a time for a practical response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told reporters, What Nancy Pelosi is proposing will never pass the Senate.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks about Democrats newly unveiled $3 trillion package in Washington on May 12, 2020. (Saul Loeb/Pool via AP)

While ostensibly it was a bill designed to provide further relief from economic struggles linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, the House package was described by critics as including a number of measures with little connection to the health crisis. It includes $25 billion for the U.S. Postal Service, a rollback on the cap on state and local taxes, and a requirement for banking regulators to issue an annual diversity and inclusion report.

The package was described by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the number two Republican in the Senate, as a laundry list of agenda items that have nothing to do with the coronavirus but are part of their more permanent long-term agenda.

It clearly is an effort to try to create talking points for the 2020 election. Its not going anywhere. We all know that, he said.

Pelosi said in a statement delivered from Washington that it is imperative we address the needs of the American people.

The HEROES Act focuses on three pillars, she said: opening the economy safely, honoring heroes such as health care workers, and giving more money directly to Americans.

Nurses work at a drive-through testing site for the CCP virus at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., on May 6, 2020. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

We must act boldly to support state and local entities to address coronavirus-related outlays and lost revenue due to the coronavirus, Pelosi said.

We all know that we must put more money in the pockets of the American people. This is not only necessary for their survival, but it is also a stimulus to the economy. Direct payments, unemployment insurance, rental and mortgage help, and food and student loan assistance, among other things, are essential to relieve the fear that many families are facing.

The bill earned support from some groups, including Caring Across Generations, which represents caregivers, people with disabilities, and aging Americans.

This bill addresses this boldly by expanding paid leave and by committing $850 million to family care for essential workerswhich notably and holistically covers childcare AND support for older adults and people with disabilities, Josephine Kalipeni, director of policy for the group, said in a statement.

It also ensures testing and treatment for all, including prioritizing people whose care needs are best met at home and in their communities, and who are at high risk of getting sick and dying.

Republican lawmakers are pushing for a narrower bill that would reform liability protections for businesses and schools.
Maura Higgins has said she would consider going back onto Love Island because 'I need a man'.

The Love Island star, 29, took to Instagram on Sunday to discuss her love life with fans.

Maura, who split from Curtis Pritchard earlier this year, rubbished claims linking her to Dancing on Ice partner Alexander Demetriou after he separated from his wife of four years, Carlotta Edwards, last month.

Newly-single: Maura Higgins has said she would consider going back onto Love Island because 'I need a man'

Maura said during the Q and A: 'It doesn't bother me. We're in 2020 and a man and woman cannot just be friends...'

She then zoomed in on her face and said: 'Pure sh*** you know.'

Maura also revealed that she has struggled with adjusting to fame since leaving the Love Island villa, but assured fans that she is still single.

All over: Maura's revelation comes after Dancing On Ice star Alexander Demetriou confirmed he has separated from wife Carlotta Edwards (pictured together last November)

Asked if she would ever return to Love Island, the Irish beauty replied: 'Well, to be honest, I need a man. So maybe I'll go back in next year, you never know.'

Last month, Alexander, 28, took to Instagram stories to confirm he had split from Carlotta amid reports that he became 'besotted' with Love Island beauty Maura.

Sad times: The reality star was asked by a fan if she's bothered by the speculation surrounding her and Alexander's relationship following the news he and his wife had split

Confirmation: The professional skater took to Instagram stories to confirm the news and revealed to his followers that it had been a 'tough time' for him

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 for me personally.

'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.

'I'm looking forward to what the future will bring but in the meantime let's all say home and stay safe.'

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.
Since everyone is homebound due to the current lockdown situation, Parles Hide & Seek gave an opportunity to Gen Z to share a glimpse of their day and created a crowdsourced digital film titled '#ADayInTheLife in the Hide & Seek squad. The fun and quirky digital film, shared on Hide and Seeks social media channels shows youngsters passing their time by indulging in various activities ranging from dance, music, helping in house chores and even binge watching.

Hide & Seek ran a contest across its social media handles on Facebook and Instagram from 11th-18th April, 2020. As part of the contest, youngsters were asked to share the little moments of their day in the lockdown. The contest received an overwhelming response of more than 100 entries in a week's span. This innovative approach adopted by the company, essentially targeted youngsters is a first-of-its-kind initiative by a brand during this lockdown.

Since its launch in 1996 as Indias first chocolate chip cookie, Hide & Seek from Parles Platina range has always connected with the youngsters and has used this consistently in its brand communication over the past 23 years. The brand is actively engaging with its consumers on social media channels and is changing their way of communication to connect with the consumers.
Imperial Valley News Center

Transatlantic Cooperation on COVID-19

Washington, DC - As President Trump has said, the United States is working with our friends and partners around the world to coordinate our efforts on stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States values our cooperation with allies and partners in combatting the pandemic and in planning for our collective recovery. In addition to the leadership of the President and Secretary of State with their G7, G20, NATO and other counterparts, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun has led weekly deputy minister-level coordination calls with Transatlantic Allies and partners since March 19, including the European Commission.

These calls have allowed the United States and our Transatlantic Allies and partners to share ideas and best practices in responding to the unique and complex challenges presented by the global pandemic and plan for safely re-opening our economies and commerce. Through collaboration among Transatlantic partners, we have:

Enabled hundreds of thousands of citizens of our respective countries to return home their families and loved ones, even as borders have closed and commercial flight options have disappeared;

Facilitated the maintenance of critical supplies of vital protective equipment and medical supplies to strengthen our respective public health systems abilities to respond to and combat the pandemic;

Ensured that foreign citizens employed in essential economic sectors in our respective countries have been able to continue working;

Identified countries most vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic and coordinated on how best to support them;

Collaborated on strengthening the rules-based international order, universal rights, and international peace and security against efforts to undermine them through disinformation and other means;

Identified opportunities in multilateral meetings and fora to respond to and address challenges the pandemic has posed, including the G7 and G20; and

Shared best practices on how free and open societies can respond and combat the pandemic while continuing to uphold democratic principles.

As we begin to re-open our societies and restart the global economy, the United States and our Transatlantic partners, through bilateral and multilateral efforts, will continue to collaborate on:

Sharing best practices and lessons learned as our societies, businesses, and governments return to work;

Mitigating the effects of border closures and diminished transportation links on global supply chains;

Maintaining necessary aviation and transportation links to allow essential movement of people and cargo;

Efforts to develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics and once developed, make them available, accessible, and affordable to all;

Promoting transparency and the timely sharing of public health data and information with the international community to address emerging diseases and potential global health threats;

Discussions on the use of multilateral institutions and fora to strengthen the global response to the pandemic and future crises;

Actions to reenergize global growth and economic prosperity;

Global assistance efforts to help vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa, strengthen their health systems and respond to the pandemic and its economic impact; and

Strengthening democratic governance, universal rights (including freedom of the press and freedom of expression), and the rules-based international order and countering efforts by those who seek to undermine these principles through disinformation and coercion.

The United States and our Transatlantic partners welcome coordination with partners and international organizations who share our common objectives and principles and are capable of contributing to our efforts to foster global peace, security, and prosperity.
A Canadian zoo is shipping two pandas home to China after the coronavirus pandemic left it struggling to source the massive bamboo stockpiles needed to feed the giant creatures. Er Shun and her mate Da Mao have lived in the country since 2013 as part of a 10-year loan agreement with a breeding facility in Chengdu. The arrival of the cute and furry animals was a huge spectacle that was broadcast live on all major Canadian television networks. Er Shun later mothered two twin cubs -- the first pandas born on Canadian soil. But Calgary Zoo said it was cutting short the pair's stay because the COVID-19 outbreak had disrupted transport links and made it harder to supply the 40 kilograms (90 pounds) of bamboo a typical adult panda eats each day. Staff had worked to find alternative bamboo providers but there were concerns that supplies could be disrupted without warning and leave the animals hungry, the zoo said in a statement. "Knowing a second wave of COVID-19 is likely... the Calgary Zoo feels it's critical to move the beloved giant pandas back to China where there are abundant local sources of bamboo," the statement said. The zoo is currently closed due to the pandemic and said it would not be able to allow the public to bid farewell to the animals. Er Shun and Da Mao's cubs have already been relocated to China, according to national broadcaster CBC. Er Shun (pictured) and her mate Da Mao have lived in Canada since 2013
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Threats to assassinate Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer have been widely discussed over the past week within several extreme right-wing Facebook groups. This is occurring in the lead-up to a protest against her stay home, stay safe executive order scheduled for Thursday morning in the state capital, Lansing.

According to a report on Monday, journalists from the Metro Times gained access to four Facebook groups where these discussions were taking place. The groups, which can be viewed only by approved members, included numerous posts and comments calling for the governor to be beaten, lynched, beheaded or shot.

In one such group called People of Michigan vs. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a member posted, We need a good old fashioned lynch mob to storm the Capitol, drag her tyrannical ass out onto the street and string her up as our forefathers would have.

Another post said, Drag that tyrant governor out to the front lawn. Fit her for a noose, to which a user responded, Either President Trump sends in the troops or there is going to be a midnight lynching in Lansing soon.

One said Whitmer needs to eat lead, and that this would send a message to other Democrats that they are next. When another user wrote, She needs her ass beat, a user responded, Good ol fashioned bullets work better, but I like the enthusiasm. Another requested, Can we please just take up a collection for an assassin to put that woman from Michigan down?

When the Metro Times notified Facebook of these exchanges, the social media platform shut down the group, which was reported to have 9,000 members, for violating its policy against inciting violence.

Another group called Michigan United for Liberty, which is organizing the Judgement Day demonstration in Lansing on Thursday, was also shut down at least temporarily by Facebook on Sunday.

Of the other two other groups referenced in the Metro Times report, Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine and Whitmer Recall Movement, only the former has been terminated by Facebook. In all, the Metro Times reported that the four groups had a total following of 400,000 Facebook members.

The Facebook dialogue among extreme right-wing, fascist and neo-Nazi groups about assassinating Governor Whitmer comes less than two weeks after the April 30 protest in Lansing that included individuals who entered the Capitol armed with assault rifles.

On the grounds that Michigan is an open-carry firearm state, the armed protestersincluding members of the Michigan Liberty Militiawere permitted by state police to enter the government building, although they were blocked from entering the floor of the legislature. However, other armed demonstrators were allowed onto the gallery that overlooks the legislature. One state representative tweeted that she and others feared for their lives and some wore bullet-proof vests.

A photo widely circulated in the media showed a group of armed militia members standing outside the door to the governors office.

Some of the protesters at the rally displayed Nazi insignia, carried Confederate flags and brandished nooses.

There have thus far been two protests in Lansing against the Michigan governors executive order: the April 30 American Patriot Rally and an earlier Operation Gridlock demonstration on April 15. They and the upcoming event set for Thursday have been organized with the support of the national leadership of the Republican Party and the Trump administration, as part of the nationwide campaign to end all restrictions and resume economic activity in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Several days after the April 15 demonstration, Trump tweeted Liberate Michigan, Liberate Minnesota and Liberate Virginia, and save your 2nd Amendment. The last of these was an open encouragement to far-right gun rights and militia groups, including the Michigan militia forces that showed up two weeks later in Lansing. The day after the armed Michigan protesters entered the capitolmost of whom ignored social distancing and face covering requirementsPresident Trump tweeted his approval of the demonstrators, calling them very good people.

The groups involved in organizing the demonstrations have been set up within the past few weeks and are being coordinated by front organizations with connections to the Michigan Republican Party establishment. According to a report in Mother Jones, The whole charade was facilitated by the Michigan Conservative Coalition, a conservative political group that doubles as a front for Michigan Trump Republicans and is promoted by the Michigan Freedom Fund, a conservative group with ties to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, a Michigan billionaire philanthropist power broker before she joined the Trump administration.

In response to the serious threats on her life, Governor Whitmer has turned to these very Republicans, who control the state legislature, to support her effort to get the State Capitol Commission to ban guns in the statehouse. This endeavor has so far fallen flat, as Republicans have stated opposition to the threats of violence against the governor while refusing to block guns from being brought into the Capitol.

Without mentioning the words neo-Nazi or fascism, Whitmer issued a statement saying, Im increasingly concerned about the violent nature of the extreme comments that are being made around these organizations and groups that are coming togetherthe violent, racist, extreme rhetoric that has already been connected to Thursdays rally. Whitmer then called on GOP legislative leaders to denounce the threats.

Whitmer on Monday called on Vice President Mike Pence to raise concerns with protesters about the spreading of the coronavirus back into the rural areas where they come from following the rally on Thursday. She said, If discouraging protests is something you could consider doing, Id really be grateful.

In an entirely predictable statement, Michigan Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said of the discussions about assassinating Whitmer, It is never OK to threaten the safety or life of another person, elected or otherwise, period. Shirkey would not support a ban on guns in the Capitol because, he said, the onus is on authorities to arrest anyone who brandishes a firearm in a threatening way.

Thursdays protest is also taking place amidst a developing conflict over the refusal of Karl Mankes Barber & Beauty Shop to stop operating in Owosso, Michigan. The 77-year-old Manke has defied the Michigan stay home order and continues to serve customers despite two citations from state police.

The barber shop has become a lightning rod for Facebook groups, and Michigan militia members have pledged to block police from forcing the closure of the business. The Michigan attorney general asked the Shiawassee County Circuit Court to issue an injunction against Manke, but on Tuesday Judge Matthew J. Stewart turned down the request.

Under conditions of the unprecedented economic, social and political crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration and the sections of the corporate-financial aristocracy it represents are deliberately encouraging the growth of far-right and fascistic forces. This is part of the preparation of the capitalist state to deal with the growth of social opposition centered in the working class.

These forces have little popular support, but their back-to-work demonstrations in Michigan and other states, despite being relatively small, have received outsized coverage in the corporate media. It has used them to create a false narrative of a popular drumbeat to end social distancing measures and reopen the economy even as the pandemic rages out of control and infections and deaths continue to rise. This is despite the fact that every reputable poll has shown that a large majority favors continuing the lockdowns, despite the economic disruption, until the pandemic is contained.

At the same time, the refusal of the Democrats to advance any policy to safeguard jobs and livelihoods or provide real relief to the tens of millions of workers and small business owners being bankrupted by the economic impact of the pandemic provides an opening to Trump and the far-right to make an appeal to backward and disoriented layers of the ruined middle class.

The Democrats voted unanimously with the Republicans to pass Trumps multi-trillion-dollar bailout of Wall Street at the end of March, while providing no serious relief for the tens of millions who have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay their rent and put food on their familys table.

The response of Democratic governors to the ruling class back to work drive is to begin reopening without any protection for workers against the virus. Whitmer has already acceded to the demands of the Detroit Three automakers to reopen manufacturing, and similar moves are underway in other states controlled by the Democratic Party, from California and Washington to New Jersey and New York.

The ruling class in the US, as in Germany and Europe as a whole, as well as Brazil, India and other countries, is promoting fascist and far-right forces in response to the global crisis of capitalism. It would be a grave mistake for the working class to ignore or belittle this danger, even though at this point these forces lack significant popular support.

It poses the urgent necessity for the independent mobilization of the working class in the struggle for socialism against the financial oligarchy and the entire capitalist system.
(Newser)  A dog that had reportedly been bred to fight killed its Illinois owner on Saturday. WGN reports Lisa Urso, 52, had only recently adopted the French bulldogand that the animal had last month attacked her boyfriend. The dog was apparently taken by authorities after that attack, and Urso subsequently retrieved it from animal control. Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper said she wasn't killed by a neck injury, but by many bites to her arms, legs, and torso. "Just a lot of bites. A lot of scratching. I hate to say it but unfortunately, it was a vicious attack."

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Cooper said the attack began in the Ingleside home but that Urso managed to make it to her outdoor patio, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. The Daily Herald reports Urso had plans to meet up with co-workers on Saturday, and when she failed to show, they went to her house and came upon her body. "You don't really think about it happening with a smaller dog breed, but we forget animals can be powerful," Cooper noted, per WGN. "This animal has a lot of jaw strength." (Read more animal attack stories.)
WA is edging closer to posting zero identified cases of COVID-19 after the state reported no new infections since yesterday and just six people who still have the virus.

All are West Australians and only one is in hospital, meaning a total of 538 people have recovered, according to Premier Mark McGowan.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, the Premier said he expected the first load of passengers who had finished 14-days quarantine on Rottnest Island to arrive in Fremantle before midday.

"These 209 people have completed their 14 days of quarantine, all have been screened and are in good health," he said.
St John of God Hospital is experiencing an increase in admissions of non-coronavirus patients - but with conditions driven by the Covid-19 pandemic.

These include mood and anxiety disorders, addictions and issues relating to social isolation. As a result, the hospital has welcomed a statement from Mental Health Reform calling on Government to begin planning for a surge in demand.

The hospital says that in the past month alone, 50% of admissions to the hospital have been related to Covid-19 anxiety and restrictions.

The hospital has seen a dramatic increase in admissions from new and existing patients who are struggling with mood and anxiety disorders, addictions and issues relating to severe social isolation, a spokesperson said.

Acute work-related stress has also seen a number of healthcare workers being admitted to the hospital.

Chief Executive of the Hospital, Emma Balmaine said: We have already seen a significant increase in admissions relating to intense pressure that COVID-19 restrictions are placing on people.

We are anticipating the increase will continue in the weeks and months ahead as the immediate crisis begins to stabilise and the country begins to reopen.

Current admission patterns suggest those who have long-standing mental health issues may need increased support at this time, but we are also seeing a lot of new referrals from people experiencing mental health challenges as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Additional planning will need to be done in order to prepare for the surge in demand for mental health services from within the hospital and at Government level.

Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 clusters in meat processing plants has more than doubled in the space of a month.

According to the Department of Agriculture, there have been 12 Covid-19 clusters in meat processing plants that have been notified to public health officials.

There 571 laboratory-confirmed cases linked to these outbreaks, and 12 cases hospitalised, a spokesperson said.

In April Agriculture Minister Michael Creed told the Dail he was aware of six clusters - five in processing plants and one in a deboning plant - and the health of workers was of primary concern.
The defence ministry says the fighters were killed in southeast Niger and in neighbouring Nigeria.

Approximately 75 members of the Boko Haram armed group have been killed in the southeast Sahel state of Niger and in neighbouring Nigeria.

Twenty-five terrorists were killed on Monday south of Diffa, the main city in southeast Niger, while about 50  were neutralised on the same day on Nigerian soil in the Lake Chad region in two operations by a regional force, the defence ministry said in a statement quoted by the AFP news agency on Wednesday.

On Monday, troops from Nigers contingent in the regional force carried out aggressive reconnaissance on the banks of the Komadougou river and clashed with Boko Haram fighters at a locality 74km (45 miles) south of Diffa, the ministry said.

All the terrorist group comprising 25 combatants was killed, it said, adding that two soldiers were injured.

The same day, approximately 50 enemy elements were neutralised in coalition air raids and artillery bombardment of Tombon-Fulani, an island in the marshy Lake Chad region in northeastern Nigeria, the defence ministry added.

Shelters and logistical dumps were also destroyed, it said.

Fighters carried out a major attack against a Nigerien military camp outside Diffa on May 3, killing two soldiers and wounding three others, according to the government.

Boko Haram has killed more than 36,000 people and caused the displacement of nearly two million from their homes in northeastern Nigeria since 2009.

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The violence spilled over into neighbouring Sahel countries in 2015, especially in the Lake Chad region, where the borders of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria converge.

Diffa, a city of 200,000 people located near the Nigerian border, has been repeatedly attacked.

The region is home to 120,000 refugees from Nigeria as well as 110,000 people internally displaced within Niger, according to UN data released in October.

The countries about Lake Chad, together with Benin, have set up a combined group, the Multinational Joint Task Force, to counter the fighters.
A mystery witness could be paid up to $2 million if the man charged with the murder of American maths genius Scott Johnson in 1988 is convicted.

Scott Phillip White was arrested on Tuesday and charged with killing Mr Johnson, a 27-year-old PhD student from California, who died on Sydney's northern beaches.

Mr Johnson's death has gone unsolved for more than 31 years, after an initial inquest labelled it a likely suicide.

But when a third inquest in 2017 found he was likely killed as a 'gay hate' crime, NSW Police offered a $1 million reward for information - which was later doubled after Mr Johnson's brother made a personal contribution.

Information received after the increase in the reward led to the arrest of White, with NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller confirming that the person who tipped them off could be in for a large pay day - despite waiting so long to come forward.

Scroll down for video

Scott Phillip White (pictured) was arrested on Tuesday and charged with killing Scott Johnson near Manly in 1988. A tip off from the public after a $2 million reward was offered helped NSW Police in their investigation, the state's police commissioner Mick Fuller said on Wednesday

Three inquests were held into the death of Mr Johnson (left), with the third finding it likely he was the victim of a 'gay hate' murder. After that inquest NSW Police offered a $1 million reward, which was later upped to $2 million with a personal contribution from his brother Steve (right)

'There is certainly one witness, on conviction, that would be eligible for part of the reward,' Commissioner Fuller said.

When asked for his views on why the person had waited until there was a reward to come forward to police, he said: 'different things will motivate different people'.

'From my perspective, I just truly hope that the people sitting out there watching this, or reading it in the papers, who have information - no matter how small it is - have the courage to come forward.

'Whether it's over a reward or just their own conscience, please don't underestimate how one small piece of the puzzle can lead police to solve some of the most terrible crimes.'

Mr Johnson's naked body was found at the bottom of cliffs at Blue Fish Point, along Manly's north head, on December 10, 1988.

An initial inquest into Mr Johnson's death in 1989 labelled it a suicide, before a follow up inquest in 2012 delivered an open finding.

A third inquest in 2017 found Mr Johnson had fallen off the cliff due to 'perceived or actual violence' because he was homosexual.

In the wake of this coronial finding, Commissioner Fuller established a strike force to once again investigate Mr Johnson's death.

The naked body of Mr Johnson (pictured) was found at the base of a cliff at Blue Fish Point near Manly's North Head, on December 10, 1988. It was initially ruled a likely suicide, but this week NSW Police charged Scott Phillip White with his murder

NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller (pictured) said the mystery witness who provided key information that led to the arrest could be 'eligible for part of the reward'

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Yeomans said the tip off from the public had been a crucial lead in Strike Force Welsford closing in on the alleged killer.

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'They assisted greatly in relation to our investigation, we had various other strategies that we utilised, however information from members of the public were paramount in solving this case,' Mr Yeomans said.

'As the chief inspector of the investigation, I'm happy to say that the person arrested yesterday was the person who murdered Scott.'

Strike Force Welsford detectives swooped on White's unit at Lane Cove, on Sydney's lower north shore, early on Tuesday before charging him with one count of murder.

White's brother Shane arrived at his unit to collect his belongings that afternoon and told Daily Mail Australia he too had been interviewed by NSW Police last year.

He admitted that he and his brother used to drink on the northern beaches near the area where Mr Johnson's body was found, but strongly denied either of them had committed the crime.

Scott White's younger brother Shane (left) said his relative was 'innocent' and revealed he too had been interviewed by NSW Police last year, but had an 'alibi'

White was charged with murder at Chatswood Police Station late on Tuesday afternoon. He is due to face Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday morning. Relatives of White took personal belongings from his home on Tuesday afternoon, including his dog 'Jazz'

Neighbours inside the Lane Cove unit block (pictured) where White lived said they were shocked to find detectives there on Tuesday, saying he had always been nice and offered to help them when they needed

Shane said he had been aware of police interest in his brother since last year, when he was interviewed by members of Strike Force Welsford.

'I know he's innocent (and) he knows he's innocent. They came after me, but because I had an alibi they come on to my brother,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Maybe 12 months ago, the squad that looks after unsolved crimes came and spoke to me, you know, just because they have to talk to anyone that could be a suspect... and we used to drink a lot at that beach.

'We've always been (tight) so he would tell me... and I asked him: "Is there anything you're not telling me?" And he said: "Nothing".'

Another relative of White's who aided in collecting his personal belongings revealed he has an estranged wife and children.

He said he had suffered mental health issues in recent years, but that he had not at the time of Mr Johnson's death.

Mr Johnson's brother Steve - who is based in Boston, Massachusetts - has continued to work closely with NSW Police in the years since his death.

Officers returned to the clifftops at north head near where Mr Johnson's body was found to search for evidence on Tuesday

An inquest in 1989 found the 27-year-old maths genius and PhD student had committed suicide, while a second inquest in June 2012 was left open. The third inquest found Mr Johnson fell from the cliff 'as a result of actual or threatened violence' by an unidentified attacker who perceived him to be gay

He attended the three inquests but despite the first two labelling his brother's death a likely suicide, and then delivering an open finding, he never gave up hope.

Earlier this year he upped the reward to $2 million and said after receiving a call from Commissioner Fuller to be told of White's arrest, he was very 'emotional'.

'It's emotional for me, it's emotional for my family, my two sisters and my brother who love Scott dearly, my wife and my three kids who never got to know their uncle but admire him,' he said.

'Emotional for the gay community. For whom, Scott had come to symbolise the many dozens of other gay men who lost their lives in the 1980s and 90s in a world full of anti-gay prejudice and hatred.

Steve said it was 'remarkable' authorities were able to apprehend the alleged killer during the coronavirus pandemic.

The arrest proved 'times have changed' and it recognises 'that all of us deserve equal protection and justice under the law', he added.

Johnson's brother Steve said it was 'a very emotional day' in a video message shared by police (pictured) Steve Johnson leaves the Glebe Coroners Court after the inquest into the death of Scott Johnson in Sydney on November 30, 2017

Commissioner Fuller said on Tuesday that making that call to Steve Johnson was one of the 'highlights' of his career.

'Making that phone call this morning is a career highlight  Steve has fought so hard for so many years, and it has been an honour be part of his fight for justice,' he said.

'While we have a long way to go in the legal process, it must be acknowledged that if it wasn't for the determination of the Johnson family, which inspired me and the Strike Force Welsford team, we wouldn't be where we are today.'

White was refused bail and is due to front Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.
Brazilian port workers are starting to fall ill as the coronavirus pandemic reaches one of Latin America's busiest shipping hubs.

At least three privately-run terminals that handle soybeans, corn, sugar and coffee at the Santos port in Brazil have registered two cases each of covid-19 in the past two weeks, according to people with direct knowledge. Container terminal operator Santos Brasil had one worker test positive Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer Antonio Carlos Sepulvedasaid by telephone.

While the infections haven't restricted operations yet, the terminals are fighting to contain the outbreak at a time of all-time high exports and queues of vessels.

One of the terminals has implemented strict social-distancing measures as well as a contingency plan that includes bringing in outsourced workers if absenteeism among its 500-strong staff puts operations at risk, said one of the people who asked not to be identified because the matter hasn't been made public.

The two infected workers have recovered and may return to work this week, said the person. Two employees who fell ill at a coffee terminal at Santos have also recovered, another person said.

Santos Brasil, which has 1,600 employees at the port, has also adopted preventive measures, Sepulveda said.

The coronavirus threat is also on the other side of the Santos port. Two container ships that arrived at Santos are in quarantine with confirmed cases of covid-19 among their crews, health regulator Anvisa said on its website.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 17 crew members of vessels passing through the port needed medical assistance for respiratory conditions, 13 of whom tested positive for covid-19, the Santos health department said.

The coronavirus has spread quickly in Brazil, triggering local officials to toughen restrictions. Large cities including Fortaleza and Belem have instituted strict lockdowns, while the city of Sao Paulo is clamping down on automobile travel and Rio de Janeiro is extending quarantines.

In the city of Santos, where the port is located, the number of cases and deaths have jumped with intensive care units almost full at about 80%, according to the city health secretariat.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The city Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved a restoration project for the historic Kreischer Mansion as part of a plan to build 48 condos-- earmarked for people age 55 and older -- on the 3.8-acre Charleston site.

In a virtual hearing conducted via video conferencing on Friday, the LPC granted necessary approvals to Isaac Yomtovian, the mansion property owner, to restore the historic home that was built around 1885 by wealthy brick manufacturer Balthasar Kreischer, according to Zodet Negron, an LPC spokesperson.

This will allow us to bring back the mansion to its own beauty, said Yomtovian. Hopefully, this will be something the community will appreciate.

In January, Yomtovian had presented his plan to LPC, and the agency expressed general support, but suggested a few changes, such as the proximity of the new buildings to the landmark, roof height of the structures, and more landscaping.

We lowered the roof so the dominant building will be the mansion, Yomtovian said, noting tweaks to the plan LPC wanted, including those pertaining to parking and open areas, are part of the approved plan.

We created social areas, and different things, including sidewalks and a grassy berm. ... It will be very park-like, he added.

CONDO PLAN

Yomtovian said the condos will be divided into several buildings surrounded by a lot of open space and walkways. The mansion will be preserved, and it will be a place for residents to gather to socialize and eat. He noted the building will contain elevators, and there will be handicapped parking.

Yomtovian said he will soon be presenting the plans to the Department of City Planning. It is not yet known what types of approvals may be needed for the project to proceed, according to the agency. After that, Yomtovian can apply for building permits to begin construction of the project.

JOB CREATION

In building the development, Yomtovian said he hopes to create jobs for the many Staten Islanders who are in need of work because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

We want to create jobs and make it as local as possible, he said. It breaks my heart to see the number of deaths (from COVID-19), and unemployment among Staten Islanders.

PLANS THAT DIDNT MATERIALIZE

Yomtovian was already familiar with Staten Island when he bought the estate in 1999 for $1.4 million, with the vision of creating Kreischerville -- a 55-plus community that gave a nod to the 19th century brick magnate who built the mansion and for whom the town of Charleston was originally named.

Yomtovian received approvals to construct 130 condos on the site in August 2006, according to city Buildings Department (DOB) records. He said he revised the proposal to include more open space and less condominiums.

But delays in obtaining permits, coupled with an unstable real estate market, led Yomtovian to make the difficult decision to abandon the project.

MANSION HISTORY

The home was built around 1885 by wealthy brick manufacturer Balthasar Kreischer for his son, Charles, and the property once housed a second identical house built for his son, Edward. That home was demolished, and the existing property was landmarked in 1968.

The mansion also made headlines as the scene of a grisly 2005 murder of a Bonanno crime family associate. The Bonanno hit man found guilty of murder and sentenced to a mandatory life term in prison was a caretaker hired by Yomtovian.

The Kreischer Mansion fell into disrepair after a Victorian restaurant failed there in 1997. Yomtovian, who has developed more than 200 custom-built homes and townhouses across the Island, purchased the property two years later.

The property has had a history of stops and starts for development and grand plans. With the exception of a short-lived restaurant, none ever materialized.

Most recently, the home was used as a recording studio. In addition, several videos were shot in the mansion by Deer God Productions. The property has been used for the last two years for special events, including haunted houses around Halloween, and a summer concert series.

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By PTI

JAIPUR: Rajasthan recorded four more COVID-19 fatalities on Wednesday, taking the death toll in the state to 121, while the number of cases increased to 4,328 after 202 people tested positive for the infection, the health department said.

Earlier in the day, the department had put the number of deaths on Wednesday at five, but revised the figure to four later in the evening.

It also changed the death toll.

"Four deaths have occurred, including two in Jaipur and one each in Pali and Alwar. As many as 202 fresh cases have been reported in the state today, including 61 in Jaipur district," Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.

Besides Jaipur, 33 cases were reported in Udaipur, 28 in Jalore, 27 in Pali, eight in Jodhpur, six in Swai Madhopur, five each in Rajsamand and Kota and three each in Churu, Dholpur and Sirohi.

Two cases each were reported in Tonk, Nagaur, Dungarpur, Bharatpur and Banswara and one case each in Alwar, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Dausa, Jhunjhunu and Sikar.

One BSF jawan has also tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the department said, adding that the location of three cases is yet to be ascertained.

Of the 120 COVID-19 fatalities reported in Rajasthan so far, Jaipur accounts for 61.

Singh said so far 2,573 patients have tested negative for the infection after treatment, of which 2,344 have been discharged from hospitals.

The state has 1,699 active cases now.

The entire state is under lockdown since March 22 and a massive survey and screening is underway to track the people infected with the virus.

Migrants arriving in Rajasthan from other states will have to undergo mandatory quarantine, officials said here on Wednesday.

The state government issued an order to this regard, saying the migrants will be screened on arrival and those found with symptoms of coronavirus will be kept in COVID care centers until recovery.

Others will have to remain under home-quarantine for a period of 14 days.

If home quarantine is not possible for any migrant, he/she will be kept at the nearest quarantine facility for the same period, it said.

Medical teams will conduct health check-ups from time to time, the officials added.
A day after his wife was shot dead, a property dealer in Loni area here was arrested for allegedly hiring a contract killer to kill her over suspicions that she was trying to usurp his land, police said on Wednesday.

Property dealer Haji Saleem hatched a conspiracy to kill his wife Divya Rana and hired a contract killer for the purpose as she was supposedly trying to capture 30 bigah land (12 acres) that he was looking to sell in Chirori town of Loni area, according to police.

Saleem hired Sanjiv, who had earlier worked with him. On Tuesday afternoon, Sanjiv reached Saleem's office and enquired about purchasing a plot of land in Chirori.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani told PTI that Saleem and his wife Divya took Sanjiv to Chirori to show the plot in their car.

Saleem was driving the vehicle and Divya was sitting next to him while Sanjiv was in the rear seat, the SSP said.

When the vehicle reached the plot, Sanjiv apparently took out a gun and pumped bullets in Divya's back. After alighting from the car, Sanjiv fled the spot on a motorcycle driven by his accomplice who was waiting for him.

When police detained Saleem for interrogation, he narrated the incident but went back on his words later. Upon pressing further, Saleem confessed to the police that he hired Sanjiv to kill his wife as he thought that she was trying to capture the land in Chirori town.

According to police, Saleem claimed that Divya had stopped him from going to his office many times in the past. Saleem was apparently irritated at his wife's undue interference in the business and planned to eliminate her with Sanjiv's help for which he paid him money. She was Saleem's third wife and the couple had married in a court three years ago.

Divya succumbed to her bullet wounds while undergoing treatment, police said.

Saleem has been sent to judicial custody under IPC Sections 302 (punishment for murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy). Sanjiv and his accomplice are on the run, SSP Naithani added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the "Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions" (HEROES) Act. The bill provides $3 trillion in economic relief for those affected by COVID-19, including a temporary boost to SNAP benefits for the millions of Americans facing food insecurity. However, the HEROES Act fails to include a critically important provision to address the long-overlooked challenges of hunger among military families.

In response, Abby J. Leibman, President & CEO of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger , said:

"I am gratified and relieved that Members of Congress recognize the importance of SNAP in combating hunger as well as stimulating our economy. But I am also frustrated and baffled. Why have our policymakers again neglected to help currently-serving military families facing hunger? It is as outrageous as it is ironic, that in a bill titled HEROES we are still failing those who are the literal heroes who defend our country. Members of our military are stepping up to help deliver food to those newly struggling with hunger even as their own families also struggle. After almost 10 years of proposing solutions to this issue, we know that our leaders need only make a simple change in the law to ensure that military families can access SNAP. Surely we can all agree that SNAP is a lifeline for all those facing hunger. Don't we owe it to our service members to make sure they can feed their families?"

Last week, Leibman co-authored an op-ed in Military.com with Ashish Vazirani of the National Military Family Association, urging Congress to take immediate action to ensure that service members can access SNAP, to avoid the long-overlooked problem of military families seeking emergency assistance at food pantries around the country.

In the wake of COVID-19, MAZON is keenly aware that there must be comprehensive solutions such as the ones in the HEROES Act, but this must be supplemented by provisions that address the unique issues facing certain populations including military families, veterans, Native Americans, and college students. MAZON created a 50-State Hunger Resource Guide to connect people to vital food assistance programs, many of which are being led and administered by the organization's anti-hunger partners around the country.

About MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger:

Inspired by Jewish values and ideals, MAZON is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel. For more information on MAZON, please visit mazon.org .

Contact: Liza Lieberman

[email protected] | (202) 821-6936

SOURCE MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

Related Links

http://www.mazon.org


The Chief Medical Officer says there are encouraging signs the country will be in a position to start easing the lockdown next week.

Phase one of the government's plan is due to begin on Monday and includes the resumption of outdoor work and the reopening of some retail stores.

A final decision will be made later this week, once updated advice is provided by the National Public Health Emergency Team.

It comes as new figures show there are 23,242 confirmed cases of the virus while 1,488 people have died.

Dr Tony Holohan says there are good signs progress is being made in a number of important areas.

"Our reproduction number is where we want it to be and the level of infection that we are detecting in the community now with the positivity rate at around 3% is giving us a sense of encouragement in relation to where we will be and our readiness to move on.

"But that is not to say that today is the day. If we are going to be easing restrictions, it will be in respect of an assessment we will formally do at the end of this week."

Health chiefs are set to advise commuters and shoppers to wear homemade facemasks later this week.

Dr Holohan confirmed that the public would be urged to wear face coverings in certain public settings, such as in shops or on public transport, as the country began to ease restrictions.

John Molloy owns Azzurri Sport in Waterford and has turned his factory over to making protective gear for health workers.

He says he is expecting to receive official guidance on how to make a reusable mask for use by the general public very soon.

"There is a committee working at the moment chaired by the National Standards Authority of Ireland and they are developing a face mask specification.

"It is a guideline for use by the general public. It will be called Swift 19 Barrier Mask.

"People are actively working on it all week. I believe that they hope to have it launched by the end of this week or early next week."
GENEVA, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SonarSource, maker of SonarQube and leader for Code Quality and Code Security solutions, today announced the acquisition of RIPS Technologies , a German startup from Bochum known for its leading code security analyzers. Teams will be joining forces in building best-in-class Static Application Security Testing (SAST) products that help development teams and organizations deliver more secure software. SonarSource's continued commitment to making developer-first products means developers around the world can benefit from automated feedback on the security of their code as they develop software.

By enabling adoption of SAST tooling by developers, SonarSource provides a completely new angle to improve applications' security, compared to what the industry currently offers. With this approach, SonarSource expects to grow the Code Security market by orders of magnitude, and hold an undisputed leader position.

"The Code Security market very much looks like the Code Quality market 10 years ago, niche and very fragmented. At SonarSource we are committed to disrupting this market, building the best products and having those adopted by all developers and development teams. I am excited about this acquisition, which will enable us to accelerate on Code Security by having more precise analyzers as part of our massively adopted products, SonarQube, SonarLint and SonarCloud," said Olivier Gaudin, CEO & Co-Founder of SonarSource.

"Our team has a long history in building highly efficient code analysis solutions with a focus on detecting security vulnerabilities," said Dr. Johannes Dahse, CEO & Co-Founder of RIPS Technologies, joining SonarSource as Head of R&D. "Merging with SonarSource is a perfect fit and enables us to unfold our unique technology to the worldwide developer community. We are thrilled to join forces with a fast-growing technology company that has an amazing culture and world-class products."

Teams from SonarSource and RIPS will unite their knowledge and technology to build the most accurate and powerful code security analyzer of the market, covering the programming languages and technologies that are used globally to build software. RIPS office becomes SonarSource' 4th office, with all RIPS employees joining SonarSource teams.

The SonarSource acquisition of RIPS is an exciting milestone in its journey to disrupt and lead the Code Security market with developer-first SAST products. With best-in-class code analyzers, tight integrations with standard developers' tools, and a rich offering free for open-source developers, SonarSource continuously empowers more development teams to truly own and impact the security of their codebase, resulting in more secure applications delivered to end-users.

Learn more about the SonarSource acquisition of RIPS Technologies: https://blog.sonarsource.com/sonarsource-acquires-rips-technologies

About SonarSource

SonarSource builds world-class products for Code Quality and Security. Its open-source and commercial code analyzers - SonarLint, SonarCloud, SonarQube - support 27 programming languages, empowering dev teams of all sizes to solve coding issues within their existing workflows. Trusted by more than 200,000 organizations globally, SonarSource products are a de-facto standard for teams and organizations to deliver better, safer software.

About RIPS Technologies

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For several months now, the medical and research community are trying their best to speed up the processes of finding a coronavirus drug and a vaccine that can finally help us beat the virus and the highly contagious and deadly disease it brings.

Now a new drug has been discovered, and experts are looking into it further to see whether it can actually cure COVID-19 patients and provide them with limited immunity against the viral infection.

Antibody Drugs Against COVID-19

In a report by BGR, this breakthrough medication is a sort of antibody-drug, which is a therapy similar to providing the patent with plasma transfusion with the antibodies of a successfully recovered patient.

However, the news outlet noted that this isn't like the usual plasma therapy in the sense that it does not require plasma donations.

Instead, these drugs are synthetically made and generated in labs.

Plasma therapies are popular around the world, with promising reports from various researches being done in different parts of the world, including in the US, Japan, the Netherlands, and Israel.

Read Also: Coronavirus: Will You Gain Immunity After Recovering From COVID-19?

South Korea Company Working on Coronavirus Antibody Cure

When it comes to antibody drugs, South Korea is one of the leading countries that working on it, with Celltrion, a local company, planning to start the clinical trials for it this July after the development is completed.

According to Business Korea, the country might be the first one to develop such medication if they become successful with their human clinical trials.

The company has recently acquired antibody candidates and has also begun developing cell lines, so it won't be too long until they are able to try it out and see how it fares against the coronavirus.

They are also working on 14 different antibodies, which could help increase their chances of finding an antibody-drug that could help the world in this time of need.

Besides South Korea, other pharmaceutical companies are focusing on developing antibody COVID-19 drugs.

Read Also: US CDC: 'Super Emitter' COVID-19 Patient Attends Choir Practice, Infected 52 Others, While Two Died

More Companies on the Work

One particular company working on it is a drug company known as Regeneron, which aren't new in the field as they have already developed antibodies that can help treat various other diseases like cancer.

As per Fast Company, Regeneron already has two antibody drug candidates that use selected antibodies that can hold the longest to the protein spikes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which it then uses to hold onto a healthy cell.

The drugs will undergo human clinical trials in June, a month earlier than Celltrion's and if all goes well, the company said that it would have hundreds of thousands of antibody drugs ready by August.

A few other companies working on antibody drugs are Vir Biotechnology and GlaxoSmithKline that are trying to work on two other antibody candidates.

There's also Eli Lilly, AbCellera, Junshi Biosciences, and Vanderbilt University, among others that are tirelessly working on a possible COVID-19 cure that could also help provide temporary immunity to patients.

Lockdowns and quarantines are easing up in different cities, states, and countries, so a coronavirus antibody drug that could also provide some immunity could help with this imminent reopening.

Read Also: COVID-19 UPDATE: Scientists Finally Understand Why More Men are Infected with Coronavirus

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As Sydney's restaurants prepare to reopen after months in coronavirus lockdown, the city's best known venues are facing a new problem: will they even be able to turn a profit under new restrictions?

Despite new rules starting on Friday which will allow 10 diners at a time in the state's restaurants and cafes, some will keep their doors closed. Others are changing their menus, hoping high-end dining  and high-end prices  will make it worth bringing back staff and turning on the stoves.

Chef Luke Mangan in his restaurant Glass Brasserie on Wednesday. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Luke Mangan, who operates the Hilton's Glass Brasserie and Luke's Kitchen in Waterloo, said many colleagues he was speaking to would wait before opening. "We don't want to get further into debt," he said.

Mr Mangan said the 10-person limit meant he would not be opening Glass on Friday.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan said Tuesday it will give foreign nationals with periods of stay expiring in July a three-month extension to renew, in a bid to alleviate congestion at immigration counters amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The agency had earlier granted a three-month grace period for foreign nationals whose residency status or period of stay expired between March and June, including short-term stayers such as tourists.

The measures were introduced after immigration counters nationwide were crowded with foreign nationals, including short-term stayers, applying for extensions to their stay in Japan, with some of them unable to return home due to tighter border controls across the globe.

With Japanas state of emergency extended to the end of May, the measures are now expanded to include those with periods of stay expiring in July.

The agency has said foreign nationals who are unable to return home will not be treated as illegal overstayers for 90 days after the expiry date of their visas.
WASHINGTONJust a few months ago, President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for trying to coerce a foreign government into digging up dirt on his political opponents and discrediting the evidence of Russian interference into the 2016 election. He was acquitted in the Senate, even though one high-profile Senate Republican who voted not to remove him from office publicly concluded he was clearly guilty of the conduct charged.

Now, as his countrys attention is glued to the coronavirus crisis, Trump appears to be actively using the U.S. Department of Justice to accomplish the same things he was accused of in his impeachment. Many legal experts fear his apparent assimilation of the investigative arm of the government into his political campaign threatens the rule of law in the United States.

The decision announced last week by Attorney General Bill Barr to withdraw charges against Michael Flynn, the former Trump national security adviser who has pleaded guilty to lying to both the FBI and Vice-President Mike Pence about his interactions with Russian officials during the Trump transition, have drawn widespread criticism from legal experts and former Department of Justice staff.

Make no mistake: The departments action is extraordinarily rare, if not unprecedented, reads an open letter signed by more than 2,100 former Department of Justice staff members, who call on Barr to resign. The letter says this is the latest in a series of assaults on the rule of law by Barr and Trump in doing the presidents personal bidding rather than acting in the public interest.

Calling on the courts and Congress to intervene, the letter frames the action and what the signatories consider the stakes: Governments that use the enormous power of law enforcement to punish their enemies and reward their allies are not constitutional republics; they are autocracies.

While protecting an ally is the obvious direct consequence here, it also appears to set the stage for punishing enemies.

In addition to exonerating Flynn, the move would also undermine conclusions  endorsed by the entire U.S. intelligence community and both houses of Congress  that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in an attempt to help Trump win. The day that Barr announced the decision, Trump bragged that hed told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the pieces were coming into place to discredit the Russia hoax and accused the FBI agents and Department of Justice officials who investigated Russian interference in the election of treason.

And now he appears to be openly preparing to use the Department of Justice to go after those officials, and possibly even former president Barack Obama himself.

This is just one piece of a very dishonest puzzle, Trump said of the Flynn case. I hope a big price is going to be paid. A big price should be paid.

He followed that up with days of tweeting and retweeting dozens of accusations of criminal conduct against many of his perceived enemies, including television hosts and members of the Obama administration, including Obama and Joe Biden. In one tweet, Trump claimed Obamas launch of the investigation into Russian interference was the biggest political crime in American history so far, and one retweeted meme suggested it was time to get revenge: HOPE YOU HAD FUN INVESTIGATING ME. NOW ITS MY TURN.

He struggled to explain to reporters at the White House this week exactly what crime he was accusing his predecessor of, other than the term Obamagate, responding to a request for specificity by saying, You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody.

Trump was also asked if he thought the Department of Justice should be investigating this alleged crime. Youll be seeing whats going on in the coming weeks, he replied.

Barr has denied his actions as head of the Department of Justice are politically motivated, but has not dismissed any concerns that his department will be going after Trumps political opponents. Over the past year, he has repeatedly suggested that investigators looking into Russian meddling in the 2016 election were actively working to sabotage Trumps presidency. He told CBS News that the Flynn decision was not going to be the end of it, and that an attorney he had appointed to investigate the Russia investigation itself would get to the bottom of what happened.

On Tuesday, the judge in the Flynn case announced hed schedule hearings to consider outside motions on the Department of Justices decision before ruling on whether hed sign off on dropping the charges. The judge has some discretion in whether to allow the case to be withdrawn, setting the stage for more of the high-profile legal arguments that have been a key backdrop of the Trump presidency.

That montage of courtroom scenes continued this week in an unrelated Supreme Court case about whether the presidents tax returns should be released to Congress. In that case, many observers think the direct principle at stake is whether the president is subject to the rule of law. In the Flynn case, and the revenge prosecutions Trump seems to be promising will follow it, the question is not just whether the president is subject to the law, but whether he can bend it to suit his own purposes.

Those would be the same purposes  discrediting reports of Russian interference, clearing himself and his allies, and digging up dirt on his political opponents  that were at the very heart of his impeachment trial.

During that trial, the participants frequently referred to the judgment of history. This week, when Barr was asked by CBS how history would judge his Flynn decision, he said he thought a fair history would judge it the right decision. But he also noted, History is written by the winners  so it largely depends on whos writing the history.

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W&M to celebrate 2020 graduates with virtual conferral ceremony

Online and, later, in-person: On May 16, William & Mary will mark the day that was previously reserved for this years Commencement exercises with its first-ever virtual conferral ceremony. The university plans to celebrate 2020 graduates in-person in the fall. File photo by Robert Boag Photo - of - Hide Caption

On May 16, William & Mary will mark the day that was previously reserved for this years Commencement exercises with its first-ever virtual conferral ceremony.

President Katherine A. Rowe, Chancellor Robert M. Gates 65 L.H.D. 98, Provost Peggy Agouris and the deans will preside over a virtual ceremony for all graduates of the Class of 2020  undergraduate, graduate and professional. All students who have completed their graduation requirements will receive their diplomas via mail, following Saturdays virtual conferral.

The main virtual ceremony will be conducted at 10 a.m. Departmental ceremonies will follow throughout the day, in various time blocks, which will be posted on the universitys Commencement website.

The Class of 2020 deserves to be celebrated fully, Rowe and Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler said in a statement to the W&M community. In the spirit of both/and, we will honor them in both May and October, both virtually and in person, in ways that are traditional, new and joyful.

The university plans to celebrate 2020 graduates in-person in the fall. William & Mary will host Commencement Weekend in Williamsburg during fall break, Oct. 9-11. Graduates and their families are invited to take part in the universitys cherished graduation traditions: ringing the Wren Bell, the candlelight ceremony, the walk across campus, formal exercises in full regalia and individual school/departmental ceremonies with faculty.

The decision to pivot to a virtual ceremony came after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced a stay-at-home order for Virginia, which runs through June 10. The order was in response to national public health projections that COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth may peak in late May.

Formal Commencement exercises this year are merely postponed  we WILL come together on campus, in person to celebrate the Class of 2020, their resilience and their many accomplishments, Rowe said in a message to the W&M community.

Until that day, the university is celebrating the achievements of its graduates at a distance, in a series of virtual events that will culminate on May 16.

Old traditions, new format

On Friday, May 1, graduates rang in the last day of classes in their own, unique way. The tradition holds that as each graduating student finishes their final class at William & Mary, theyre invited to ring the historic Wren Bell. This year, students couldnt ring the Wren Bell, so they found alternatives: bicycle bells, dinner bells, cow bells  even a Taco Bell. They submitted dozens of videos ringing in the milestone moment, which were shared on W&Ms Commencement website.

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The singing of the Alma Mater is a treasured W&M tradition. This year, Director of Choirs Jamie Armstrong conducted a virtual chorus nearly 300 voices strong, composed of current and former choral members, scattered across the globe.

Individuals, families, couples, children, doctors, members of our military, alumni in banana suits, young and the young at heart all rallied to the cause, representing a range of W&M classes spanning more than half a century, Armstrong said. I am proud, but not at all surprised, that William & Mary could find a new way to share our Alma Mater that overcame the barriers of distance, time and a pandemic.

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A new tradition

This year, the Class of 2020 will initiate a new tradition of honoring those who supported them along the way. As the May 16 virtual Commencement date nears, all degree candidates are invited to write a message of gratitude  a note of thanks or appreciation to another member of the W&M community who has helped them to reach this moment of personal achievement.

This spring semester has been challenging for members of our campus community and for our Class of 2020, in particular, Rowe said. Through it all, our sense of community is as strong as ever, and we have endured  even found ways to flourish  because this community has held us up.

What to expect

The virtual conferral ceremony will feature remarks from Rowe, Gates, Agouris and the deans  as well as Erin Schwartz, graduate council president, and Cody Mills, undergraduate class president. There will be a presentation of universitys various Commencement awards followed by the conferral of degrees for all graduates of the Class of 2020  undergraduate, graduate and professional. Tune in here at 10 a.m. EST on May 16.

After the virtual conferral ceremony, join your school and department ceremonies to continue the celebration. Find your school and department ceremony here.

Graduates are invited to share their favorite photos from their time at William & Mary by using the #wmGrad hashtag. The photos will be shared on a social wall as part of the virtual ceremony. Learn more about sharing photos.
Measuring students' body temperature (Source: VNA)

The nations COVID-19 tally has remained at 288, including 148 imported ones. To date, 252 patients have been given the all-clear and no deaths have been reported.

Of the 36 patients still under treatment, seven have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once while nine others negative at least twice.

The 91st patient, treated at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, is still in critical condition, while the 19th patient, who has been under treatment for over two months, has shown good recovery.

At present, a total of 12,634 people are kept in quarantine, including 322 at hospitals, 6,819 at other quarantine facilities, and the rest at home.
13 May  Solenn Heussaff couldn't help but shed a tear upon watching a special video created by husband Nico Bolzico to celebrate her first Mother's Day.

Bolzico posted a video of Heussaff watching clips from the moment of daughter Thylane's birth, writing, "Thylane prepared a video for mama's day this morning and she started crying so we were a bit confused, but at the end we think she liked it!"

"A final message from Thylane was: "Today is your special day, but to me, every day is special with you. You gave me my life, but that is nothing in comparison with the love and caring I received from you every day. Thanks for being the best mama in the world and for always taking care of #ElPadre and me. We love you so much. Happy First Mother's Day!"

And typical for Bolzico, he ended the post with a post-script from Thylane that read, "Don't worry I won't entertain suitors till I am 20-years-old."

"Happy Mother's Day to all the brave mamas of the Philippines! Without them, we are literally nothing," he added.

Heussaff left a comment, writing, "Best ever. I love you so much!"

Heussaff gave birth to daughter Thylane back in January this year, the first child for both the actress and her Argentinian husband.

(Photo Source: Solenn Heusaff Instagram)
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Paramilitary canteens to sell only Made in India products from June 1



Home Minister Amit Shah has said that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in India will sell only Made in India products from June 1. Only "Made in India" products will be sold in paramilitary canteens from June 1, the government said today, a day after Prime Minister stressed on the mantras of "Aatma Nirbhar Bharat" or self-reliance and "vocal for local" while announcing a mega economic package to tackle the economic impact of coronavirus.



Yesterday, PM Modi had appealed to encourage local products and make India self-reliant. In this direction, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that only indigenous products will be sold at all Central Armed Police Forces canteens from June 1, 2020, Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Twitter on Wednesday.



"In this direction, the home ministry has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will only sell swadeshi products. This will apply from June 1. Around 10 lakh CAPF personnel and 50 lakh members of their family will use swadeshi products," the home minister said.



Paramilitary canteens record around Rs 2,800 crore in sales annually. The CAPF includes the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG) and Assam Rifles.



The Home Minister said people should use made in India products and urge others to do so also.



"This is not the time to lag behind but to turn a crisis into an opportunity. If every Indian resolves to use only made in India products then the country will become self-reliant," the home ministry said in a press statement. Read More...


The former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki has reacted after an indigene of the state, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari bagged appointment as president Muhammadu Buharis new chief of staff.

Read Also: Unauthorised Use Of Picture On Campaign Billboard: Court Orders Atiku, Saraki To Pay N5m Damages To Trader

Speaking via his official Twitter handle, Saraki called on Nigerians to give him all the support he needs to perform in his new office.

I congratulate Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari on his appointment as Chief of Staff to President @MBuhari. Professor Gambari is a decent man, a cerebral academic, disciplined diplomat and he is coming in with the necessary pedigree that will help him to do well on the job.

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I have no doubt that he will succeed on this onerous assignment. I urge all Nigerians to give him all the support that he needs to perform in office.

I congratulate Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari on his appointment as Chief of Staff to President @MBuhari. Professor Gambari is a decent man, a cerebral academic, disciplined diplomat and he is coming in with the necessary pedigree that will help him to do well on the job.  Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (@bukolasaraki) May 13, 2020
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:30:10|Editor: huaxia

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Abdul-Rahman al-Masri, a 23-year-old Syrian man, checks the vegetables he planted using the hydroponics system in the Beit Sahem area in the countryside of Damascus, Syria, on May 7, 2020. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua

by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Abdul-Rahman al-Masri, a 23-year-old Syrian man, climbs seven floors every day to his rooftop to see the vegetables which he planted by using the hydroponics system.

The young man, who is in his final year in the civil engineering faculty, has for long been searching for a project to help him make a living without the limitation of regular employment.

After researches, al-Masri realized that the best choice to work on is the food project, because no matter how hard life could be, people would still need food.

Without the farmland to plant vegetables, the young man turned to the hydroponics system, a method of growing plants in a water-based and nutrient-rich way.

Hydroponics does not need soil. Instead, the root system is supported by an inert medium such as perlite, rock wool, clay pellets, peat moss, or vermiculite.

The young man experimented for two years on this planting system before launching his project on the rooftop of his house in the Beit Sahem area in the countryside of Damascus after taking a loan of 4,000 U.S. dollars from friends.

"The idea started in 2018. I searched for projects that I can personally develop, especially the projects that would continue regardless of the circumstances," he told Xinhua.

Al-Masri added that he preferred the hydroponics system as it could be invested anywhere.

His rooftop of 65 square meters has served him well to set up the planting system, where the water runs through plastic tubes connected with one another on different levels to water the plants.

Al-Masri sees the plants and the level of water in the tubes almost on a daily basis. He is currently planting cucumber and the harvest will be ready in a couple of months.

He plants different types of vegetables according to the time of the year.

Al-Masri said that he could harvest 35 tons of vegetables per year and sell them to the grocery shops in his neighborhood.

"I realized that no matter what happens, the food projects would continue. What we came to realize during the current coronavirus crisis is that only the food remained in demand," he said.

The young energetic man is setting an example to the young generation that there are ways of making a better life with concentration and self-confidence.

"I told people at my age that don't give up on your dreams and with the right amount of efforts and determination, everything is possible," he said.

"I am really proud of him. He is our neighbor and we love what he has done here as he took full advantage of the useless space on the rooftop to make something useful," Ahmad, al-Masri's neighbor, told Xinhua.

Al-Masri hoped that he can expand his project to grow products with better qualities and prices to reach more marketplaces.

"If I'd have a bigger farmland and funding, I could have better and bigger production in terms of the quality and prices," he said.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces like the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.





In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the decision has been taken by the ministry of home affairs after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for opting local products and being self-reliant.

Shah also appealed to the people of the country to make maximum use of the products made in the country and encourage others to do the same.



"The ministry of home affairs has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1 June 2020. With this, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products," he said.

The CAPFs -- CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles -- canteens together sell products worth about Rs 2,800 crore annually.



Referring to Modi's appeal on Tuesday, during his address to the nation, to make the country self-reliant and use products made in India, Shah said this will surely pave the way for India to lead the world in future.



"If every Indian pledges to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the country can become self-sufficient in five years," he said.
The Veterans Affairs has refused to remove swastikas from the graves of German prisoners of war, stating they are to 'preserve these headstones' to 'protect historic resources'.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) demanded they be replaced after a retired U.S. military colonel visiting the grave of his grandfather, who fought the Nazis in World War II, was 'sickened to discover the headstones' at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas.

As well as the offensive symbol inside an iron cross carving, the headstones also have inscriptions that read: 'He died far from his home for the Fuhrer, people and fatherland.'

Similar headstones appear at three sites in two VA cemeteries. The second location is Fort Douglas Post Cemetery in Utah. They belong to German prisoners of war who died at US camps and were reinterred in national cemeteries when camps shut down.

The headstones feature a swastika symbol inside an iron cross and the words: 'He died far from his home for the Fuhrer, people and fatherland'. Pictured is Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas

'The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) hereby demands that V.A. Secretary Robert Wilkie IMMEDIATELY replace the gravestones of all German military personnel interred in V.A. National Cemeteries so that ABSOLUTELY NO Nazi-era symbols, such as the repulsive swastika, and no homages to Adolph Hitler, or the German people and the German fatherland he led as the evil Fuhrer of the Third Reich, will ever again be allowed to appear on such gravestones in V.A. National Cemeteries maintained by U.S. taxpayer dollars,' MRFF chair Mikey Weinstein, said in a statement.

'Indeed, V.A. Secretary Wilkie must first timely explain WHY ANY such former enemy military personnel are even buried In V.A. National Cemeteries, in the first place, alongside our honored deceased American veterans?

'Lastly, in light of the shocking and inexcusable existence of these Nazi adorned gravesites in V.A. National Cemeteries, MRFF demands that Secretary Wilkie issue an immediate and heartfelt apology to all United States veterans and their families.'

However the VA has said the 76-year-old headstones must remain in order to serve as a reminder of World War II.

'VA is aware of three headstones  two at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery and one at Ft. Douglas Post Cemetery  that include these symbols. All of the headstones date back to the 1940s, when the Army approved the inscriptions in question,' National Cemetery Administration spokesman Les' Melnyk said in a statement.

'Both Ft. Sam Houston and Ft. Douglas cemeteries were subsequently transferred to the VA's National Cemetery Administration, in 1973 and 2019, respectively.

'The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 assigns stewardship responsibilities to federal agencies, including VA and Army, to protect historic resources, including those that recognize divisive historical figures or events. For this reason, VA will continue to preserve these headstones, like every past administration has.'

The two gavestones at The Fort Sam Houston are in its 'Section Z' section which is home to 140 prisoners of war from World War II. The United States had 700 PoWs at 700 camps by the end of the war, most of whom were repatriated when peace was declared.

But some of those who died at the prison camps were buried there, and then reinterred in national cemeteries when the camps closed. It's not clear why the two prisoners of war were not repatriated.

It is also unclear why their gravestones, which were approved by the Army, were allowed to be inscribed with Nazi symbols.



Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas and Fort Douglas Post Cemetery in Utah contain graves with the headstones. Three have been discovered. Pictured is Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in Texas

A retired senior officer whose grandfather, uncle and aunt are buried at Fort Houston said that the headstones had no place where American veterans are laid to rest.

'This is the hallowed ground of people who gave their life for this country,' the man said anonymously. 'To be buried next to people they fought displaying that symbol of hate is disgusting.'

MRFF chair Weinstein wants the VA to reconsider their stance and said about their response 'That is a non-reply reply'.

The Jewish Telegraph Agency reports that the MRFF is considering legal action to get the headstones removed.

'The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) condemns in the strongest possible manner the VA's incredibly cowardly 'non-reply reply' to the Nazi grave marker controversy occurring as a result of MRFF's civil rights advocacy on behalf of current and former Jewish-American military members. Really?' Weinstein responded to the statement.

'According to the VA, Hitler and his evil, genocidal Third Reich are merely 'divisive historical figures or events,' now?! DISGUSTING and REPREHENSIBLE!!!'

The 'The Military Religious Freedom Foundation demanded that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie (pictured) issue an immediate and heartfelt apology to all United States veterans and their families

Weinstein pointed out the VA's response came as it was reported American Jews were targets of more anti-Semitic incidents in 2019 than any other year over the past four decades.

The Anti-Defamation League started tracking such incidents in 1979 and reported Tuesday that there were 2,107 anti-Semitic incidents in 2019, finding 61 physical assault cases, 1,127 instances of harassment and 919 acts of vandalism.

Last year there were deadly attacks on a California synagogue, a Jewish grocery store in New Jersey and a rabbi's New York home.

The total number of incidents amounted to a 12% increase over the 1,879 incidents it counted in 2018.

Weinstein continued: 'The tragic irony is not lost upon MRFF that, on the VERY same day that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reports the highest level of antisemitic incidents EVER in American history, the VA only adds more despicable fuel to the spreading conflagration of anti-Jewish bigotry and prejudice by, essentially, saying to the world that 'well, the Nazi grave markers have been there for a long time so they get to stay'.

'The VA's pathetic and feckless response here is disingenuous at best and dishonest at worst. MRFF is caucusing with our lawyers to determine the viability of expeditiously filing suit against the VA in Federal Court.'
The United States' Justice Department arrested an Arkansas professor for allegedly accepting funds from a program affiliated with the Chinese Government.

U.S. officials arrested and charged 63-year-old Simon Saw-Teong Ang with wire fraud over 'hiding his secret ties' with China. He was reportedly employed by various Chinese companies and was selected by the Thousand Talents program. The organization grants funds to scientists who can foster relationships with the Chinese government.

Ang received grant money from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) but failed to disclose his ties when required to do so. According to court documents, he also warned an associate to keep his affiliation a secret.

Court papers said Ang secured other grants from American agencies that he was supposedly ineligible for due to his ties with the Chinese government.

The professor received more than $5 million from American government agencies for various research projects. He failed to disclose receiving payments from Chinese universities and companies.

Ang did disclose some of his work related to the Chinese government but failed to cite all affiliations. He previously worked for a Chinese university and electronics technology companies.

He was caught after a researcher from Xidian University in China wrote a letter and sent it to his personal email account and university address. A UA librarian discovered the email through the university's portal.

The FBI collaborated with Arkansas' Western District Attorney and Assistant Attorney General for National Security to arrest the professor.

The 63-year-old was booked into the Washington County Jail on Friday. Ang could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. His jail term will depend on factors including whether he has previously faced criminal charges.

UA spokesman Mark Rushing said the university decided to suspend Ang without pay. He was also suspended from his position as the institution's director for the High-Density Electronics Center.

Simon Ang was born in Malaysia. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas. He also studied at the Southern Methodist University to earn his doctorate. He worked at Texas Instruments prior to teaching at his alma mater in the electrical engineering department. He joined the University of Arkansas faculty team in 1988 where he was tasked with power grid security research.

A similar FBI crackdown case occured at a university in Atlanta where a professor faced felony charges after he filed a false tax return. He also failed to disclose the $500,000 grant from the Thousand Talents program. He pleaded guilty on Friday and was sentenced to pay $35,000 in restitution and serve a year of probation.

Earlier this year, the chair of Harvard's chemistry department was also arrested after lying about his ties to the Chinese government through the Thousand Talents program. He reportedly failed to list funding he received from China, Russia, and other American adversaries which amounted to $375 million.

The cases are the FBI's response after receiving reports about Beijing giving grants to researchers who have direct access to scientific information. The U.S. law enforcement agency started scouring institutions for academics who allegedly gathered intelligence for the Chinese government.

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Man critically hurt in Tuesday afternoon shooting in KCMO KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One man suffered life-threatening wounds after being shot Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri, police said. The shooting happened about 2 p.m. at East 80th Street and Park Avenue. The victim was driven to a hospital, and the hospital alerted police. No other information about the shooting has been released.

Rampant gunfire echoed through this Kansas City neighborhood and there's not a lot of detail from this report . . . Social media denizens claim the exchange of gunfire lasted for more than an hour . . . Read more:
Dashcam video has captured the dangerous moment a motorist sped along the edge of a busy highway in an attempt to overtake a truck.

New South Wales Police released footage of the dangerous driving incident on the Hume Highway at Menangle, southwest of Sydney, at about 6.45am last Saturday.

The vision shows a utility and a small truck travelling in the right lane, with the truck failing to keep left and the utility using the fringe of the road to try and get around it.

Scroll down for video

Shocking dashcam footage (pictured) has captured the moment a ute and a truck drove dangerously on a busy NSW highway as the ute tried to overtake the truck on the outside of the road

As the video begins the ute, with large PVC piping strapped to the roof, starts to overtake another utility vehicle.

However the truck in front was also driving over the dividing line, preventing the ute from being able to get past on the shoulder of the road.

For the rest of the video the ute is seen tailgating the truck with the other lane also blocked by a larger truck.

At one point the ute tries again and it appears the truck driver purposely tries to block him at high speed.

It's at this point it seems to become clear the truck driver is purposely trying to block the right lane and not allowing the tailgating ute to pass.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said police have since spoken to the truck driver who captured the footage, and are appealing for further witnesses to come forward.

'This event could have quite easily added to the road toll, which already sits at 116 lives lost on NSW roads this year,' Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.

'We acknowledge drivers may experience frustrating incidents while they are behind the wheel, nothing is worth putting lives at risk.

'Police are always monitoring social media to identify dangerous driving on the state's roads so that we can take action.'

He said incidents such as these were becoming more common.

'The fact that we are regularly alerted to these sorts of incidents by members of the public shows that other road users have had enough; they are united with police in their intolerance for dangerous driving behaviour on NSW roads,' he said.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

May. 13, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 13, 2020 | 11:40 AM | PADUCAH

Police have arrested a man on murder charges in the shooting death of a local special education teacher.



The Paducah Police Department says 56-year-old Kelvin Richardson was caught by officers just a few blocks from the Fountain Avenue home of Carrie D. McCord, where he shot and killed her Tuesday in the back yard.



Officers responded just before 1:30 p.m. to a report of shots fired in the 1600 block of Harrison Street. There they found a woman with an apparent gunshot wound lying in the yard of a home and Richardson fleeing the area on a bicycle.



After a brief chase, Richardson surrendered to officers. They recovered a .357-caliber handgun they say he used to kill McCord, who died at the scene.



Detectives said Richardson told them McCord had tried to help him adjust to life outside of prison, but he began causing problems for her in March and she obtained an Interpersonal Protective Order to keep him away from her and her home.



Richardson told detectives he got a handgun and went to McCords home Tuesday intending to kill her and three neighbors who apparently intervened in an earlier incident. He confronted McCord on her back porch, and said he demanded she call the neighbors outside so he could kill them. She repeatedly refused, so he shot her and left the scene on a bicycle.



Richardson was booked into McCracken County Regional Jail Tuesday evening on charges of first-degree murder, fleeing or evading police, possession of a handgun by a felon, and violation of a protective order.



An investigation by Paducah Police Department detectives and the McCracken County Coroners Office is continuing. Detectives are reviewing the case with the McCracken County Commonwealths Attorneys office, and say other charges are possible. The State Medical Examiner on Thursday ruled McCord's death a homicide from multiple intermediate range gunshot wounds.



Richardson was released from prison on parole and assigned to Keeton Correctional Center in Paducah last February. The Department of Corrections ordered him released to a home in the 3700 block of Hinkleville Road last May. He completed his parole in August 2019. His criminal record includes multiple violent felonies.
Hank Bordan was a stubborn, energetic, and chatty 91-year-old. He spent his last days alone, in the COVID-19 ward at St. Michaels Hospital.

His daughter says he did not have COVID-19.

Bordan, a writer, enthusiastic conversationalist and dedicated member of the Jewish community, died May 1. He was a reporter with the Star from 1973 to 1989.

Linda Hargreaves, who teaches English at York University, wrote to St. Michaels complaints department, demanding to know why her father had died in a COVID-19 ward when he had been admitted for a C. difficile infection. Hours before he died, Hargreaves was told being in that ward meant his family could not come to say goodbye.

As of Tuesday, Hargreaves still did not have answers.

Dad was really sick. I knew that, she told the Star. But it would have been nice to at least hold his hand at the end.

She was not able to speak with her father the entire time he was at St. Michaels.

Hargreaves had been standing in the carpeted basement of her Toronto home on Friday at 2 p.m., looking out a small window when a doctor from St. Michaels called her.

Hargreaves said the doctor told her three things: her father had tested negative for the coronavirus, he was dying  and no, the family could not see him because he was in the COVID-19 ward.

I was in shock, she said.

Until that point, she had not been told he was in a COVID-19 ward, even though she spoke with hospital staff many times since her father had been admitted to St. Michaels three days before.

Hargreaves said the doctor assured her that staff would try to move her father out of the COVID-19 ward so she could see him before he died. St. Michaels has a no-visitor policy due to the pandemic but exceptions could be made for end-of-life visits, according to Unity Health Torontos website.

Three hours later, Hargreaves phone rang again.

Her father was dead. His heart had failed.

I was screaming no, she said. I was very upset. I was like, what do you mean he died?

A spokesperson for Unity Health, operator of St. Michaels, confirmed in an email that Bordan was a patient but would not answer the Stars questions about his case, saying the hospital does not discuss patient information publicly.

The spokesperson said that in general, only patients who are positive or under investigation for COVID are admitted to COVID wards at St. Michaels.

Ontario public health guidelines confirm patients who have COVID-19 or are suspected to have it should be kept apart from other patients.

Yet, the Unity Health Toronto spokesperson also called Hargreaves account troubling and not reflective of the care or the values St. Michaels Hospital is known for.

The email went on to say, We have reached out to Mr. Bordans daughter so we could express our condolences, better understand her familys experience, and learn from this sad situation.

Hargreaves, the oldest of three children, was in charge of her fathers care for the past seven months. He had fractured three ribs in a fall in October  after insisting on taking the subway to Ryerson University, where he was taking a class at the Life Institute  and had been, for the past two months, recovering at Bridgepoint Active Healthcare, a centre specializing in rehabilitation and physiotherapy.

When the coronavirus pandemic started making headlines in Canada in March, Hargreaves kept close tabs on him. She knew COVID-19 could easily be fatal for someone his age.

Hargreaves said her father had already been tested for COVID-19 twice while he was at Bridgepoint and both tests were negative.

Then, on April 29, staff at Bridgepoint called Hargreaves and said they had sent Bordan to St. Michaels because he was struggling to fight off C. difficile, a bacterial infection that can be fatal to seniors. He was becoming dehydrated.

Hargreaves said that after her dad started requiring around-the-clock care after his fall, she had kept a close eye on the care he received. He, like many seniors, was not always able to advocate for himself, she explained.

It was always her fear that he would not receive the best care possible. However, due to the pandemic, hospitals were limiting visitors and Hargreaves could not visit father every day like she wanted to. So she called St. Michaels daily for updates.

Every time, she implored the nurses to check on her father. She said two different nurses told her they couldnt because they would have to don personal protective equipment (PPE) every time they went into his room  and they didnt have enough.

In a statement sent to the Star, Unity Health Toronto said the agency has appropriate levels of PPE for our staff.

Hargreaves assumed the nurses were donning PPE because C. difficile is highly contagious. At this point, she didnt know her father had been put in a COVID-19 ward.

Hargreaves said she began asking that they at least pass a phone to her father so she could speak with him. Her request was never granted  again, lack of PPE was the reason, she was told. However, the nurses confirmed he was lucid and talking, she said. In fact, the day before his death, he was complaining loudly in his room and pulling out his oxygen tubes, they told her.

What bothers me the most about the past week is that nobody is accountable to anybody, she said. They could have left my dad, screaming for help, in a room for two, three days, and nobody would have known about it.

At the time, Hargreaves was optimistic her father might pull through  sure, he was 91 and was fighting C. difficile, but he had beaten the odds before. Three years ago, his heart stopped and doctors were able to get it going again. In recent months, he contracted pneumonia twice and both times he recovered.

This was a tough guy, said Hargreaves.

And he had always been independent  he had Hargreaves on speed dial and would call her many times a day, sometimes reminding her to stay on top of his charity work, sometimes bringing up his favourite movie, Father Goose.

On the Monday before he died, he spoke with Hargreaves over the phone for half an hour, she said.

Four days later, he was dead.

Hargreaves said not being able to see her father before he died  and being told that nurses could not check on him, sometimes for more than four hours at a time  provoked gut-wrenching feelings of anguish and frustration she does not wish on anyone.

We dont know if he had care. But I feel like he didnt have any, she said, sobbing.

I dont want this to happen to anybody else.
NASA's TESS enables breakthrough study of perplexing stellar pulsations

Astronomers have detected elusive pulsation patterns in dozens of young, rapidly rotating stars thanks to data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The discovery will revolutionize scientists' ability to study details like the ages, sizes and compositions of these stars -- all members of a class named for the prototype, the bright star Delta Scuti.

"Delta Scuti stars clearly pulsate in interesting ways, but the patterns of those pulsations have so far defied understanding," said Tim Bedding, a professor of astronomy at the University of Sydney. "To use a musical analogy, many stars pulsate along simple chords, but Delta Scuti stars are complex, with notes that seem to be jumbled. TESS has shown us that's not true for all of them."

A paper describing the findings, led by Bedding, appears in the May 14 issue of the journal Nature and is now available online.

Geologists studying seismic waves from earthquakes figured out Earth's internal structure from the way the reverberations changed speed and direction as they traveled through it. Astronomers apply the same principle to study the interiors of stars through their pulsations, a field called asteroseismology.

Sound waves travel through a star's interior at speeds that change with depth, and they all combine into pulsation patterns at the star's surface. Astronomers can detect these patterns as tiny fluctuations in brightness and use them to determine the star's age, temperature, composition, internal structure and other properties.

Delta Scuti stars are between 1.5 and 2.5 times the Sun's mass. They're named after Delta Scuti, a star visible to the human eye in the southern constellation Scutum that was first identified as variable in 1900. Since then, astronomers have identified thousands more like Delta Scuti, many with NASA's Kepler space telescope, another planet-hunting mission that operated from 2009 to 2018.

But scientists have had trouble interpreting Delta Scuti pulsations. These stars generally rotate once or twice a day, at least a dozen times faster than the Sun. The rapid rotation flattens the stars at their poles and jumbles the pulsation patterns, making them more complicated and difficult to decipher.

To determine if order exists in Delta Scuti stars' apparently chaotic pulsations, astronomers needed to observe a large set of stars multiple times with rapid sampling. TESS monitors large swaths of the sky for 27 days at a time, taking one full image every 30 minutes with each of its four cameras. This observing strategy allows TESS to track changes in stellar brightness caused by planets passing in front of their stars, which is its primary mission, but half-hour exposures are too long to catch the patterns of the more rapidly pulsating Delta Scuti stars. Those changes can happen in minutes.

But TESS also captures snapshots of a few thousand pre-selected stars -- including some Delta Scuti stars -- every two minutes. When Bedding and his colleagues began sorting through the measurements, they found a subset of Delta Scuti stars with regular pulsation patterns. Once they knew what to look for, they searched for other examples in data from Kepler, which used a similar observing strategy. They also conducted follow-up observations with ground-based telescopes, including one at the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii and two in the global Las Cumbres Observatory network. In total, they identified a batch of 60 Delta Scuti stars with clear patterns.

"This really is a breakthrough. Now we have a regular series of pulsations for these stars that we can understand and compare with models," said co-author Simon Murphy, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Sydney. "It's going to allow us to measure these stars using asteroseismology in a way that we've never been able to do. But it's also shown us that this is just a stepping-stone in our understanding of Delta Scuti stars."

Pulsations in the well-behaved Delta Scuti group fall into two major categories, both caused by energy being stored and released in the star. Some occur as the whole star expands and contracts symmetrically. Others occur as opposite hemispheres alternatively expand and contract. Bedding's team inferred the alterations by studying each star's fluctuations in brightness.

The data have already helped settle a debate over the age of one star, called HD 31901, a member of a recently discovered stream of stars orbiting within our galaxy. Scientists placed the age of the overall stream at 1 billion years, based on the age of a red giant they suspected belonged to the same group. A later estimate, based on the rotation periods of other members of the stellar stream, suggested an age of only about 120 million years. Bedding's team used the TESS observations to create an asteroseismic model of HD 31901 that supports the younger age.

"Delta Scuti stars have been frustrating targets because of their complicated oscillations, so this is a very exciting discovery," said Sarbani Basu, a professor of astronomy at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, who studies asteroseismology but was not involved in the study. "Being able to find simple patterns and identify the modes of oscillation is game changing. Since this subset of stars allows normal seismic analyses, we will finally be able to characterize them properly."

The team thinks their set of 60 stars has clear patterns because they're younger than other Delta Scuti stars, having only recently settled into producing all of their energy through nuclear fusion in their cores. The pulsations occur more rapidly in the fledgling stars. As the stars age, the frequency of the pulsations slows, and they become jumbled with other signals.

Another factor may be TESS's viewing angle. Theoretical calculations predict that a spinning star's pulsation patterns should be simpler when its rotational pole faces us instead of its equator. The team's TESS data set included around 1,000 Delta Scuti stars, which means that some of them, by chance, must be viewed close to pole-on.

Scientists will continue to develop their models as TESS begins taking full images every 10 minutes instead of every half hour in July. Bedding said the new observing strategy will help capture the pulsations of even more Delta Scuti stars.

"We knew when we designed TESS that, in addition to finding many exciting new exoplanets, the satellite would also advance the field of asteroseismology," said TESS Principal Investigator George Ricker at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research in Cambridge. "The mission has already found a new type of star that pulsates on one side only and has unearthed new facts about well-known stars. As we complete the initial two-year mission and commence the extended mission, we're looking forward to a wealth of new stellar discoveries TESS will make."

###

TESS is a NASA Astrophysics Explorer mission led and operated by MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Additional partners include Northrop Grumman, based in Falls Church, Virginia; NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley; the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts; MIT's Lincoln Laboratory; and the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. More than a dozen universities, research institutes and observatories worldwide are participants in the mission.

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
By AFP

MOSCOW: Russia moved to ease a nationwide coronavirus lockdown on Tuesday despite a surge in cases that has seen it register the world's second-highest number of infections.

Daily figures released by health authorities showed Russia reaching 232,243 confirmed infections, behind only the United States which has reported more than 1.3 million. Among the new infections was President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, who told Russian news agencies he had tested positive for the coronavirus and was being treated.

Officials say the high number of cases reflects a huge testing campaign, with some 5.8 million tests carried out so far, and point to the country's relatively low mortality rate as evidence Russia is managing the crisis.

Anxious to get the economy moving again, Putin on Monday announced an end to a national "non-working" period in place since late March.

ALSO READ| Vladimir Putin's spokesman Peskov hospitalized with coronavirus

Over 10,000 new cases per day

Containment measures remained in many parts of the vast country, including hard-hit Moscow which is on lockdown until the end of May, but others began to lift some restrictions. Officials reopened parks in Novosibirsk in Siberia and in Bashkortostan in the Urals and in Magadan in the Far East residents were allowed to leave their homes to exercise.

In Moscow some half a million construction and industrial workers were allowed back on the job, as wearing masks and gloves became mandatory in shops and on public transport. Riding a bus in the capital, 25-year-old Tatyana Khan said it was clear why such measures were necessary. "If everyone had worn masks earlier there probably would be fewer infections in Russia," said Khan, who has been working for the city disinfecting building entrances.

After reporting more than 10,000 new cases per day for more than a week, Russia on Tuesday surpassed Britain and Spain in the total number of confirmed infections. But with only 2,116 virus deaths reported so far, Russia's mortality rate has been much lower in comparison with countries with similar infection rates.

Ventilator probe after fire

Authorities say this is because Russia was able to learn lessons from the experiences of western Europe, moving quickly to isolate travellers and people at risk, convert hospitals to treating virus patients and launch a vast campaign to test and quarantine those infected.

Critics have cast doubt on the numbers, accusing officials of under-counting by blaming virus-related deaths on other causes. Putin pointed to the low mortality rate when he said it was time to lift the confinement measures that required Russians in non-essential jobs to stay home.

ALSO READ| Fire at Russian hospital in St.Petersburg kills 5 coronavirus patients

The lockdown move brought uncertainty to an economy already grappling with low oil prices, with business owners struggling to pay full salaries to employees while shutting their doors to customers. "It is in the interest of all of us for the economy to return to normal quickly," Putin said, adding that the construction, agriculture and energy industries should be restarted first.

Putin has seen his approval ratings fall as Russians grow increasingly concerned about their financial futures. His government has also been hit by several coronavirus cases. As well as his spokesman, Putin's prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, and two other ministers have tested positive for the virus.

The Kremlin has left it up to individual regions to decide how to proceed with easing restrictions. In Moscow residents will still only be allowed to leave their homes for brief trips or to travel to work with a permit.

Medical workers have warned that despite the increase in capacity, hospitals and clinics have been stretched in dealing with the crisis.

On Tuesday officials launched a probe into ventilators used at some Russian medical facilities after five coronavirus patients, including three attached to the breathing machines, died in a fire at a Saint Petersburg hospital.

Saint Petersburg governor Alexander Beglov said it appeared that one of the ventilators at the Saint George hospital had short-circuited and caught fire.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Area NAACP branches have called for the resignation of state Sen. Dale Zorn, R-Ida, for wearing a mask that appeared to depict the Confederate flag.

Zorn, who wore the mask on the Senate floor, apologized after coming under heavy criticism.

We just cannot allow this type of behavior to go unchecked, Cle Jackson, president of the Greater Grand Rapids NAACP branch, told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press.

The Greater Grand Rapids, Muskegon County, Metropolitan Kalamazoo, Lake-Newaygo and Albion branches of the NAACP called for the resignation of State Senator Dale Zorn, who wore a confederate flag into the state capitol as a mask, denied any wrongdoing, then issued an apology after an immense amount of public backlash.

One week later, White Supremacists and racists began their fear and hyper-intimidation tactics, with malicious protests on the State Capitol to influence an economic agenda in direct contrast to the public health agenda laid out by Governor (Gretchen) Whitmer.

The NAACP branches, in a statement, also shared support for Whitmer and her efforts fight the coronavirus.

Black people in Michigan have been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19. While comprising 14.1 percent of the states population, they account for 32 percent of COVID-19 cases and 41 percent of deaths.

This is representative of the gross negligence by the Michigan Legislature that Michigan citizens experience, and continue to experience, evidenced by the Flint Water Crisis, the statement said.

The NAACP branches also want safeguards put in place to protect workers as the economy begins to re-open since people of color and lower income communities are at-risk populations who, mostly, do not have the option to work from home.

The NAACP branches are unitedly throwing support behind Governor Whitmer as she leads the state through the pandemic response.

They denounced the waving of Confederate flags, Swastikas and threatening signs aimed at the Governor.

Protesters have gone to the state Capitol to demand the state be re-opened in response to Whitmers stay-at-home orders.

Jackson, the Greater Grand Rapids NAACP president, said he defends everyones right to free speech but said it appeared that some armed protesters wanted to intimidate. He said it was divisive and uncalled for, especially during a public-health pandemic.

He said that other NAACP branches across the state share the view that Zorn, who represents the 17th State Senate District, including Lenawee and Monroe counties, should step down.

He represents the 17th District but he also represents the entire state of Michigan, Jackson said.

The Lenawee County NAACP, in a Facebook post, also called for Zorn to resign.

Zorn has apologized for the mask that appeared to depict a Confederate flag. In an April 25 statement, he said: Im sorry for my choice of pattern on the face mask I wore yesterday on the Senate floor.  I did not intend to offend anyone; however, I realize that I did, and for that I am sorry. Those who know me best know that I do not support the things this pattern represents. My actions were an error in judgment for which there are no excuses and I will learn from this episode.

Initially, Zorn told WLNS-TV 6 in Lansing that the mask, made by his wife, did not depict the Confederate flag, rather it depicted the state flag of Kentucky or Tennessee.

Read more:

Health care groups sue governor, claim Michigan coronavirus curve flattened and call emergency orders unconstitutional

Report: Michigan state senator denies mask he wore depicted Confederate flag

Michigans manufacturing restart could spark economic recovery during COVID-19 recession
Technavio has been monitoring the clinical nutrition market and it is poised to grow by USD 21.47 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 8% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005045/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Clinical Nutrition Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Abbott Laboratories, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Baxter International Inc., Fresenius SE Co. KGaA, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Lonza Group Ltd., Nestle SA, Pfizer Inc., Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, and Sanofi are some of the major market participants. The rising geriatric population 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.

Rising geriatric population has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Clinical Nutrition Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Clinical Nutrition Market is segmented as below:

Route of Administration Enteral Nutrition Parenteral Nutrition

Geography North America APAC Europe ROW



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=IRTNTR43306

Clinical Nutrition 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 clinical nutrition market report covers the following areas:

Clinical Nutrition Market Size

Clinical Nutrition Market Trends

Clinical Nutrition Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies the adoption of omnichannel retailing as one of the prime reasons driving the clinical nutrition market growth during the next few years.

Clinical Nutrition Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the clinical nutrition market, including some of the vendors such as Abbott Laboratories, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Baxter International Inc., Fresenius SE Co. KGaA, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Lonza Group Ltd., Nestle SA, Pfizer Inc., Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, and Sanofi. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the clinical nutrition market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Clinical Nutrition Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist clinical nutrition market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the clinical nutrition market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the clinical nutrition market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of clinical nutrition 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 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 Route of Administration

Market segments

Comparison by Route of Administration

Enteral nutrition Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Parenteral nutrition Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Route of Administration

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

ROW 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

Abbott Laboratories

B. Braun Melsungen AG

Baxter International Inc.

Fresenius SE Co. KGaA

GlaxoSmithKline Plc

Lonza Group Ltd.

Nestle SA

Pfizer Inc.

Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc

Sanofi

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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As one of the most popular investing personalities on earth, Warren Buffett is the subject of constant scrutiny. Markets turn on every word from the Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) CEO, and when people get a concentrated dose of Buffett at events like Berkshire's annual shareholder meeting in early May, they have a field day trying to parse through everything he says.

Berkshire's May 2 shareholder meeting, which was live-streamed from an empty arena because of the coronavirus pandemic, was an unprecedented event for Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha was adamant that the show needed to go on, spending hours talking and answering questions in addition to conducting the necessary business of an annual meeting. Critics have questioned Buffett's apparent demeanor during the presentation, suggesting that he wasn't as inspiring as he's been in past meetings.

Yet rather than jumping to conclusions about how his entire investing strategy might have done an about-face, the more likely explanation is one that millions of people are grappling with right now.

Talking to an empty room

I've never had the opportunity to see Warren Buffett in person at a Berkshire annual meeting, but everyone who has ever visited Omaha, Nebraska, for the early May event has come away with a much different view of the company and its CEO. With crowds of thousands hanging on his every word, Buffett recognizes the importance of what he's saying, and he gives each moment the proper respect.

Yet to a greater extent than most would think likely, Buffett is an entertainer. He genuinely likes being around people, especially the longtime shareholders whom he sees every year and has inevitably gotten to know over time. You can see how Buffett builds on his audience's reactions, engaging in a back-and-forth exchange of ideas that inspires him to make some of his most memorable pronouncements.

Now imagine what Buffett had to do for 2020. He still chose to hold his meeting at the CHI Health Center, the same arena as in past years. Yet Buffett had only a skeleton crew of about a dozen people with him.

It clearly affected him. For the first hour and a half, Buffett played history professor, talking about the founding of the United States and its economic evolution. For a meeting that he initially saw lasting an hour in total, Buffett spoke in detail and at a deliberate pace -- all while getting no cues at all from the thousands of Berkshire shareholders watching him across the globe about whether what he was saying was resonating with his audience.

Answering everything that got thrown at him

Buffett seemed to get his composure back during the formalities of the official shareholder meeting, with the usual litany of vote counts and shareholder proposals putting him back on familiar ground. And then, when CNBC's Becky Quick started asking him questions, Buffett was able to have a real conversation again of the type he would've missed having with an arena full of people.

Along the way, Buffett gave plenty of nuggets of wisdom for investors to consider:

Even when your favorite holding period is forever, there are times when ripping off the bandage is the right move.

Having a lot of cash in your portfolio might not give you the best returns during bull markets, but it offers a great deal of peace of mind when the bottom falls out.

Even after he's no longer there to run Berkshire, Buffett expects the insurance giant to be in good hands -- whether those hands belong to non-insurance vice chair Greg Abel or another of Berkshire's executives.

Looking ahead

That last point is especially important, because as much as Buffett jokes about his mortality, he's also aware of what it means to Berkshire and its shareholders. Worries about Berkshire's underperformance have some calling the stock a poor investment.

Yet Buffett will remember quite well the same complaints getting lobbed at him back in the late 1990s, when Berkshire largely missed out on the tech boom. He'll know that markets will do what they do over the short run, but he's still confident in the stock market's long-term prospects -- and the prospects of the companies in which Berkshire has invested.

At the end of the day, that's all Berkshire shareholders really want. Hopefully, Buffett won't have to make that point from an empty arena ever again.
TDT | Manama

His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa affirmed yesterday that Bahraini citizens remain at the core of every development effort undertaken by the government in all fields.

HRH the Premier stressed that the current challenges resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) require everyone to be better aware and more cooperative in order to preserve the Kingdoms developmental achievements.

Awareness of citizens and residents is the basis of the success of all efforts exerted by various sectors in order to overcome this stage, he added.

HRH the Premier made the statements as he received Deputy Prime Minister HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Premier HH Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and Deputy Premier Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, in the presence of HH Shaikh Ibrahim bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to follow up on the progress of work in the various government sectors and ensure the smooth flow of services to fulfil the citizens needs and aspirations.

HRH Prince Khalifa stressed that commitment to the preventive instructions and precautionary guidelines is a national duty that everyone should assume responsibly in order to preserve the safety and health of society, and stem the spread of the virus to avoid the stages reached by some other countries.

HRH the Premier praised the positive results achieved by Bahrain in fighting the pandemic, saying that the Kingdom presented to the world an outstanding model in levels of awareness, solidarity and speed of responding to the challenge, which reflects the strength of its preparedness and efficiency and the capabilities of Bahraini citizens in various fields.

HRH the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation of the great sacrifices made by the medical and nursing staff, all government entities, and volunteers who have given the most wonderful examples of compassion and patriotism in order for Bahrain and its people to remain safe and in peace.

The sons and daughters of Bahrain invariably prove that they are the real wealth of this homeland, and the successes achieved by the medical and health sector in dealing with this crisis is the result of sound institutional work and planning for the future to which all patriotic forces have contributed, HRH the Premier said.

HRH the Premier pointed out that the government is working at full energy to maintain the stability of the citizens living conditions and to meet their needs, including providing a safe stock of food and basic commodities.

HRH the Prime Minister stressed the importance of the preparedness for the future and the anticipation of needs, saying that Bahrainis are inspired by the spirit of solidarity demonstrated during the coronavirus, to strengthen their determination and fortitude to complete the nation-building process and boost progress in various areas.

HRH Prince Khalifa also discussed major regional and international issues, especially with regard to the global economic effects of COVID-19, and the importance of concerted efforts by the international community to overcome the crisis with minimal losses at all levels.
A coalition of Nigerian mining host communities and Civil Society groups in the mining sector has called for speedy dispensation of justice in cases involving 19 foreigners and 21 Nigerians arrested recently for illegal mining activities in Osun and Zamfara states.

The group made the call in a statement on Wednesday. It also applauded the efforts of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other security agencies in apprehending the suspects.

The statement was signed by the Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Community (Zamfara state Chapter), Federation of Nigerian Mining Host Community (Osun State Chapter), Global Rights, Women in Mining, Praxis Centre, Centre for Community Excellence (CENCEX-Zamfara), SilverChip Fox, Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy, and Follow the Money.

Others are CSR-In-Action, Community Enlightenment & Development Initiative, Zamfara, Third Eye, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation, Stephanie Peacebuilding and Development Foundation and the Methodist Care and Development Trust.

The coalition condemned alleged undue pressure on the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, by godfathers to release the Chinese suspects and drop the case against them.

Impunity has engendered corruption in Nigeria, and as found in other sectors of the economy, frustrated attempts at developing the mining sector in Nigeria. This must stop. While it is true that until recently, hydrocarbons have been the core source of revenue from Nigerias extractive sector, the solid mineral sector, which now holds an even stronger potential to substantially contribute to the development of the nations economy, continues to suffer monumental revenue leakages due to decades of failure to strengthen institutional oversight of the sector, leading to the lack of transparency and accountability.

For instance, Nigeria haemorrhages about $1.54 billion annually from illegal gold exploitation alongside other revenues and royalties that could have been remitted from the unaccounted mining and smuggling of other minerals and metals. We, therefore, hold the Federal Government to its pledge to ensure the prosecution of all suspects of illegal mining in the country, and call for a full and immediate investigation of each case, and were found culpable, the arrest and prosecution of their godfathers and enablers.

The governments efforts must not end with just knee-jerked arrests and prosecution of foreign illegal miners, it must include concerted efforts to ensure that the avenues through which solid minerals are ferried out of Nigeria without due process are blocked. In addition to ensuring an end to the thriving illicit trade within, and smuggling of solid minerals out of Nigeria, government policies should promote the beneficiation of such minerals in order to enhance their value, and promote fiscal maximization of the sector.

More particularly, we ask that the government fulfil its obligations of ensuring the reform of Nigerias Minerals and Mining Act and other extant regulations to conform to the ECOWAS mining directive in order to holistically develop the sector.

We also use this opportunity to reiterate our call for the expedited upgrade of the capacity of the Mining Cadastral Office to ensure even greater levels transparency in the beneficial ownership of mining companies and affiliated matters. As mining host communities bear the environmental and economic brunt of the unregulated activities of these miscreants, we make a special call to include civil society actors and representatives of mining host communities in the composition of each states Mineral Resources and Environmental Committees (MIREMCO) to ensure a function  friendly protection of the rights of mining host states and effective synergies between states and the federal government, the statement said.

The coalition also called on the Federal Government to create a level-playing field for local investors through the promotion and capacity-building of local mining cooperatives, and the facilitation of credit systems for them.

We remind the government that a post- COVID Nigeria is a Nigeria that must diversify its economy, and enhance the potentials its mining sector has for its growth and development. Therefore, leakages in our economy through nepotism, godfatherism and corruption must end. Hence, we will be monitoring this case with utmost interest, and register our continued willingness to partner with the government to curb illegal activities within the sector.
A sign pieced together and posted in the walkway, over S. 10th St., to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Phila., Pa. reads Alone you are STRONG TOGETHER we are STRONGER on April 20, 2020. New state data show that Jefferson had twice as many COVID-19 inpatients as the rival Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania last week. Read more

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital had twice as many average daily coronavirus inpatients as the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania last week, according to new state data, a difference that could have significant financial ramifications for the two largest health-care providers in the Philadelphia region.

Both hospitals are facing hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue as a result of the pandemic. The disclosure came in Pennsylvania Department of Health data released Wednesday that showed 51 hospitals in Pennsylvania, including 31 in the southeastern part of the state, were allocated vials of remdesivir, a drug that may help some patients recover more quickly from the coronavirus. The drugs were allocated this week based on patient counts from May 4 to 10.

Pennsylvania hospitals received 1,200 vials of the drug from the federal government on Tuesday. The drug, which the Food and Drug Administration recently approved for emergency use, was expected to arrive at the hospitals this week, the Health Department said. Jeffersons flagship hospital in Center City is slated to receive 72 vials.

It is important to note that there is limited information on the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19," Secretary of Health Rachel Levine said.

New Jersey has received 8,560 doses of remdesivir so far, that states Department of Health said, but it has not provided a breakdown by hospital. All hospitals that are treating COVID patients are expected to get some supply, a spokesperson said.

Pennsylvania made its allocations based not just on the number of COVID-19 patients a hospital had during the seven-day period, but also taking into account the number of patients on ventilators at different hospitals.

 READ MORE: How much Philadelphia-area hospitals are getting in federal money for treating coronavirus patients

Jefferson had 143 COVID-19 patients during the period, 22% more than Temple University Hospital at the time. It had 27 patients on ventilators, second only to Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, which had 32. As a system, Jeffersons Pennsylvania hospitals had 426 COVID-19 patients, or 28% of the total reported for Southeastern Pennsylvania. Those Jefferson hospitals have a total of 2,089 staffed beds, according to the latest state tally.

By contrast, the University of Pennsylvanias four hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania  with 1,763 staffed beds  had 195 COVID-19 patients early this month, including 52 on ventilators.

Officials at Jefferson, which recently canceled its planned acquisition of Fox Chase Cancer Center because of the financial burden from the pandemic, did not comment on the relatively heavy load of COVID-19 patients in its hospitals.

Jonathan L. Gleason, Jeffersons chief quality officer, said in an email that the organization, like most health systems, has had limited access to remdesivir.

We appreciate the states efforts to expand supply to Pennsylvania hospitals, and we support increased production of remdesivir in part because of the need for additional scientific evidence on the best uses for it, he said.

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center each had just under 100 COVID-19 cases at the hospitals peak, beginning during the week of April 20, a health system spokesperson said. More than 1,800 COVID-19 patients have been treated at Penn Medicine hospitals so far, the spokesperson said.

PJ Brennan, Penns chief medical officer, said decisions about which current patients will get the limited supply of the drug will be made based on factors such as the severity of the illness and the need for supplemental oxygen. Penn has three remdesivir clinical trials in its portfolio being conducted at HUP and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, he said.

 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.

The coronavirus pandemic has hurt hospitals and other health-care providers financially in at least two ways. Theyve lost huge chunks of revenue because of the suspension of all nonurgent care, which is the more profitable part of their business. Plus, theyve had added costs for COVID patients, such as personal protective equipment, coupled with low payments for patients.

 READ MORE: Running out of time: Pa. group homes for intellectually disabled warn of financial ruin

Hospitals and public health officials prepared for a surge of COVID-19 patients by emptying hospitals to the extent possible. Thanks to prevention measures, the feared surge didnt happen, at least not in this initial wave of the outbreak. Philadelphia has more than 4,000 acute-care hospital beds. On Wednesday, 741 of them were occupied by COVID-19 patients, down from a peak of 1,013 on April 24.

Last month, Jefferson estimated the financial impact of COVID-19 at up to $120 million a month, without specifying whether that figure represents revenue loss or decline in operating income. At the same time, Penn estimated that it would incur a $450 million loss in operating income in the year ending June 30.

Both systems said estimates were before taking relief funds into account.

Penn received $101 million in payments from the U.S. Health and Human Services Provider Relief Fund, which was based on Medicare billings last year, and $53 million from a $12 billion allotment for 395 hospitals nationwide that had treated at least 100 coronavirus patients through April 10.

Jefferson received $101 million from the high-impact fund, but the amounts it received under the program based on Medicare billings has not yet been published.
UPDATE: 2:45 p.m.

Following an announcement to extend B.C.'s state of emergency by another two weeks, Premier John Horgan said the government will put $120 million in federal funding into a program to accelerate the reclamation of thousands of dormant and orphan oil and gas wells in B.C.

B.C. already has a dormant and orphan well reclamation plan. But the federal government announced in April that it will fund well reclamation in B.C. to the tune of $120 million.

The accelerated program will create 1,200 jobs, the B.C. government said Wednesday. Only B.C. contractors will be eligible for funding.

There are some 7,000 dormant wells in B.C., 357 of which are orphan wells -- i.e. wells that have been abandoned by companies that went bankrupt.

"This is an environmental stain on British Columbia," Premier John Horgan said in a press conference Wednesday. "It's been reported on by the auditor general, repeatedly calling on British Columbia and the industry to clean up its act.

"The funding that's announced today will help us decommission, reclaim or restore more than 2,000 orphaned or inactive wells."

He said communities in northeastern B.C. will have input on which wells or regions should get first priority.

A little over a year ago, the BC Oil and Gas Commission introduced a new levy on the oil and gas industry to raise $15 million a year for dormant well reclamation. The plan was to reclaim all orphan wells in B.C. over the next 10 years.

That will be accelerated with the federal funding. The bulk of the $120 million in federal funding will be used to accelerate the reclamation process, with $100 million earmarked for dormant wells owned by companies that are still solvent.

Another $15 million will go to orphan wells. Those are wells that were owned by companies that are insolvent. Another $5 million in funding to address things like habitat restoration.

There are more than 7,000 dormant wells in B.C., 357 of which are orphan wells.

When an oil or gas well runs dry, it typically is decommissioned. This involves filling the well bore with cement, cutting off the steel well bore a few feet below ground, and then covering it up.

Full reclamation is more extensive. It requires removing all infrastructure that may have been left behind, including piping and wellheads. Soil sampling must be done, and any contaminated soils must be removed and replaced with clean soil.

Finally, the area is replanted with trees. In some cases, access roads must also be decommissioned and restored to a natural state.

UPDATE: 1:40 p.m.

B.C. has once again renewed the state of emergency that was declared on March 19 to help combat the spread of COVID-19.

During a press conference Wednesday, Premier John Horgan announced the government has renewed the state of emergency, which must be done every two weeks. Horgan said the state of emergency will remain in place "for the foreseeable future."

Horgan said nearly 78 per cent of British Columbians who have been diagnosed with the virus have since recovered.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will hold her daily press conference at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

ORIGINAL: 1:30 p.m.

Premier John Horgan and Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Bruce Ralston make an announcement and take questions Wednesday afternoon.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 05:07:13|Editor: huaxia

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GENEVA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that it is hard to predict when the pandemic will be over, but countries should stay positive and collaborate closely.

"We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time, and therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it." Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said on Wednesday at a press conference in Geneva.

"I think it's important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away," said Ryan. "It is important that we be realistic and I don't think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear."

"We may have a shot at eliminating this virus" with the help of a vaccine, he said, adding that the vaccine must then be "highly effective" and "made available to everyone" and that "we will have to use it."

He believes that there is a "massive opportunity for the world" to turn "a tragic pandemic into a beacon of hope for the future," urging the world to "work together to solve our problems through solidarity, through trust, through working together and through a multilateral system that can actually benefit mankind."

"In some senses, we have control over that future, but it's going to take a massive effort to do it," he said, noting that "it's going to need the political, the financial, the operational, the technical and the community support to be a success."

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 technical lead at WHO, added that, despite people may be "in a state of feeling quite some despair," we should remain positive and hopeful.

"We have seen countries bring this virus under control, we have seen countries use public health measures, the fundamentals of public health and epidemiology and clinical care, to bring the virus under control and to suppress transmission to a low enough level where communities can get back to work and communities can open up again, so we can't forget that," she said.

"It will take some time before we have the information on these medical interventions and it's coming and people are working very hard on that. But this is in our hand and we are seeing hope in a number of countries and I really don't want people to forget that," she added. Enditem
Dr Gabriel Scally said Northern Ireland and the Republic need to be on the same page (PA)

A lack of community testing for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland is putting the island of Ireland at risk, a public health expert has said.

Dr Gabriel Scally, president of epidemiology and public health at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, said plans to control the virus remain different between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

He told Newstalk FM: The big differences are still here in a big way. The WHO (World Health Organisation) have put out three questions to ask: is the outbreak under control, is the healthcare system able to cope if theres a resurgence, and is there a system to detect and manage cases of their contacts and identify if there is a flare up in a local area.

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That just isnt present anywhere in the UK, so the outbreak isnt really under control.

Certainly in the North, and the rest of the UK, theyre not doing testing in the community. Unless you can test in the community, how are you going to know if the infection is coming back unless you wait until people are carried in sick into hospitals?

Dr Scally said the difference in isolation times and testing between Northern Ireland and the Republic needs to be sorted.

He added: If you get the virus in Strabane in Co Tyrone you will be told to isolate for seven days. If you get it in Lifford in Co Donegal, you will be told, in keeping with WHO advice, to isolate for 14 days.

That sort of thing is crazy, but the biggest one has to be the testing and the North really need to sort that out because it puts both parts of the island in jeopardy of this virus going on far longer than it needs to.

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Health officials in the Republic of Ireland are hoping to be in a position to carry out 15,000 tests a day from next week.

It comes as the HSEs chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said on Tuesday that more work is needed to reduce the time between the ordering of a test to the completion of contact tracing, from the current median of five days.

Dr Henry said the turnaround for tests carried out on patients in hospital settings is around 24 hours but he said more complex cases, involving people in the community, are taking longer than they should.

The coronavirus death toll in Ireland rose to 1,488 on Tuesday after a further 24 deaths were announced.

Another 107 positive cases were confirmed, taking the total since the outbreak began to 23,242.
Over 600 people in Direct Provision have been moved to a different site because of physical distancing and cocooning measures.

The Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan confirmed that almost 8,000 asylum seekers are being provided with accommodation and support across the State.

There have been concerns about the ability of people living in Direct Provision to social distance and self-isolate because of cramped conditions.

However, Minister Flanagan told the Dail today that the number of people sharing a room is a maximum of three.

Mr Flanagan claimed that the HSE has assured his department that its handling of residents in Direct Provision centres is appropriate.

HSE advice has evolved over a period of time and weve evolved our responses with it, he said.

Weve been assured by both the HSE and the office of the chief medical officer that our approach to this issue is appropriate.

From the outset we recognise the need for offsite self-isolation facilities for individuals identified in four suitable premises, Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Dundalk, with a capacity for 299 people.

Self-isolation facilities have nonprofit section 39 organisations on site, providing psychosocial support to residents and residents that are being supported by HSE health care professionals.

Since the start of the year, over 1,550 permanent and temporary new beds have been procured in the new centres.

Over 600 residents have relocated to support social and physical distancing in centres and cocooning measures.

Weve reduced the number of people sharing a room to a maximum of three and such shared spaces constitute household in line with the HSE national guidance and congregated settings.

He said that all residents over the age of 65 have been cocooning including those who have a medical illness.

More generally residents been made aware of the need to practice social and physical distance, good hand hygiene coughing, sneezing etiquette, Mr Flanagan added.

All managers have been given detailed HSE guidance.

It comes as the minister also confirmed that immigration permissions, due to expire between May 20 and July 20, 2020, will be automatically extended for two months.

This includes people in Ireland on short stay visas and those whose permissions have already been extended by the previous notice issued on March 20.
Last week, a video was leaked of a white man shooting and killing Georgia jogger Ahmaud Arbery in his neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia. While Arberys death occurred in February, the alleged shooter and his father were only arrested last week following a massive public uproar following the release of the tape.

Many Christians, of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, have condemned the Arberys killing. But widespread condemnation from the church for these types of killings was not always the case.

For years, for white Christians, the critique of lynching rarely moved beyond Lynching is anarchy, and we need to kind of reinforce the rule of law, said Malcolm Foley, a PhD candidate in Baylor Universitys Department of Religion, whose dissertation examines African-American Christian responses to lynching from the late 19th century to the early 20th century,

Not surprisingly, the black church took a much more forceful response to these atrocities.

Many black pastors were commenting on this and saying, If you can either stand in a mob of thousands of people and watch a black man be set on fire alive, or if you are one of the people holding the rifles that riddled this body with bullets, you're most likely not a Christian, said Foley, who is also the director of discipleship at Mosaic Waco.

Foley joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss the colonial history of lynching, how beliefs about white women provided justification for this violence, and how lynchings changed the theology of the black and white church.

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A first trailer has been released for Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, a docuseries about the disgraced financier coming to Netflix at the end of the month.

The clip, unveiled on Wednesday, provides a glimpse into the documentary, giving voice to some of the women who have spoken out against Epstein.

It also touches on a 2008 non-prosecution agreement overseen by former Miami US Attorney Alexander Acosta.

Netflixs description of the four-part series describes the programme as such: Leading up to his 2019 arrest, mysterious tycoon Jeffrey Epstein was accused of abusing women and underage girls for decades, assembling a network of enablers to help carry out and cover up his crimes.

Epstein came from humble beginnings yet managed to lie and manipulate his way to the top of the financial world. He eventually gained tremendous wealth and power while running an international sex trafficking ring.

The serial sex abuser made a secret plea deal with the government in 2008 avoiding a potential life sentence and continued to abuse women.

With their frightening firsthand accounts, Epsteins accusers are the leading voices in director Lisa Bryants four-part docuseries Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich.

By revealing their emotional scars, some for the very first time, the sisterhood of survivors intend to stop predators  and the American justice system  from silencing the next generation.

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich will be released on 27 May by Netflix.

It comes almost a year after Epsteins death at a Manhattan jail, which occurred while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.
A right-wing lawmaker in Italy was reprimanded Wednesday after he called a young Italian woman who converted to Islam while being held hostage in Somalia a "neo-terrorist."



Silvia Romano, 24, stepped off an Italian government jet Sunday wearing the green hijab typical of Somali Muslim women.

She reportedly told prosecutors in Rome she converted freely during her 18-month kidnapping ordeal, which included being held captive by Somalia's al-Shabab militants.

What should have been a joyful time for Romano and her family has been marred by displays of bigotry and intolerance in Italy, a majority Catholic country where racist incidents have grown amid anti-migrant sentiment.

Police were called to the Romano family home in Milan after a glass bottle was thrown against the residence.

Negative comments on social media have focused on Romano's decision to convert to Islam, as well as her decision to volunteer in the remote part of Kenya where she was abducted in 2018.

The government has also been criticized for having apparently paid a ransom to her captors.

Alessandro Pagano, a lawmaker from the anti-migrant League Party, drew jeers and a reprimand from colleagues in the lower house of parliament after he mentioned Romano while complaining about the government's refusal to reopen churches during the coronavirus lockdown.

Pagano alleged there is a strong anti-religious bent in Italy's current coalition government, adding and yet when a neo-terrorist comes back ... His remark was an apparent reference to the decision by the Italian premier and foreign minister to greet Romano at Rome's Ciampino airport upon her return.

The acting president of the Chamber of Deputies, Mara Carfagna, quickly admonished Pagano, saying: Using the term 'neo-terrorist' is thoroughly improper, especially in this chamber.

Democratic Party lawmaker Emanuele Fiano went further, blasting Pagano for accusing a victim of a violent extremist group of committing the crime of terrorism.

She was a prisoner of a band of terrorists! She was a prisoner of a band of terrorists! Fiano shouted.

Pagano defended himself, saying he quoted from a newspaper.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte was scathing about anyone trying to politically exploit the young woman's experience.

To whoever's speculating about her, first become a 23-year-old, kidnapped in Kenya, forced to walk nine hours a day, in a forest, by those with Kalashnikovs,'' Conte replied when a reporter asked him about the virulent campaign targeting Romano.

If you live through this experience, come back" and then give an assessment.

Giuliana Sgrena, an Italian journalist kidnapped in Iraq in 2005, said she also experienced a backlash after she was freed because an Italian agent was killed in a firefight during her rescue.

Obviously all the polemics begin when it's a women who is kidnapped, she told Swiss radio RSI.

No one complains when ransom is paid for a man, or when a man goes to such places. But when it's a woman, it's that we went looking for it.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, denounced the inhuman attacks on Romano and demanded that her detractors think instead about how much suffering she endured.

Silvia Romano's freedom should have produced joy and nothing else, the newspaper wrote Wednesday.

Instead, it is incredible the sequence of reactions and filthy judgments that have rained down from every corner of the country that have dissected what happened to this child, starting from her original choice.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This article is part of our continuing Fast Forward series, which examines technological, economic, social and cultural shifts that happen as businesses evolve.

For those working to mitigate climate change  whether globally or hyper-locally  the coronavirus pandemic has raised existential questions. Will the environment still be considered critically important so that philanthropic and venture funding continue to be plentiful?

Several New York City nonprofit organizations, relying on cloud-based technology, are hoping to show that their efforts can, at a relatively modest cost, improve local water and air quality. The Gowanus Canal Conservancy in Brooklyn, the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance in the Bronx and the Hudson Square Business Improvement District in Lower Manhattan are in different stages of piloting a cloud-based service offered by Temboo, itself a TriBeCa-based technology start-up that captures data from sensors to help monitor a range of metrics in environmental and manufacturing sectors.

Temboo does not manufacture the sensors; those come from National Control Devices, an electronics manufacturer based in Osceola, Mo. Instead, it provides a cloud-based platform, known as Kosmos, to capture data they generate. It is what is known as a no-code approach that allows clients to use questions and answers  not unlike TurboTax  to create a system to collect data from sensors.
The EIB has been a partner of Ukraine in financing of public transport infrastructure projects since 2007.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to provide a EUR 10 million loan for Kharkiv to purchase 49 new trolleybuses.

This will accelerate the renewal of the fleet with environmentally friendly and energy efficient electric vehicles in Kharkiv, the EU Delegation to Ukraine said on May 12.

This will be possible due to the participation of Kharkiv in the EIB's "Ukraine Urban Public Transport Project" (UUPTP).

Read alsoEU grants Ukraine EUR 6 bln for infrastructure projects

The UUPTP is a EUR 200 million framework loan for financing urban public transport investments in 11 municipalities in Ukraine. The Urban Public Transport operations are conducive to a decrease in road accidents via expected modal shift from private cars users to public transport and a reduction in the number of conjunctions in rural areas. The additional EU-funded technical assistance under this project contributes to assisting the Infrastructure Ministry and participating cities in restructuring and modernization of Ukraine's urban public transport sector and gradual approximation towards operating standards and policies comparable to those in the EU.

"Our priority is sustainable, long-lasting solutions for the comfort and safety of citizens. Improving the quality of public transport services which will reduce traffic congestion, as well as make public transport operation more environmentally friendly for residents of Kharkiv, the country's second largest city," Jean-Erik de Zagon, Head of the European Investment Bank in Ukraine, said.

The winner of the tender, Car Assembly Plant No. 1 subsidiary of PJSC AC Bogdan Motors, is to supply Kharkiv with 49 trolleybuses. The new supply will include 12 two-section and 37 single-section trolleybuses, one of the trolleybuses will be with the autonomous run for at least 20 km. These low floor trolleybuses will provide easy access for the elderly, disabled persons and passengers with baby carriage in public transport services in the city.

The EIB has been a partner of Ukraine in financing of public transport infrastructure projects since 2007. During this period, the EIB has signed financial contracts with Ukraine more than EUR 2 billion in various transport infrastructure projects in Ukraine. Eco-friendly, safe, sustainable electric transport means and its related transport infrastructure is the main priority of the EU bank.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  Is the party over for the head of Metro Manila police?

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he will ask the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into possible violations of quarantine protocols during the birthday celebration of Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

There is already an existing order to the NBI to investigate violations of quarantine protocols, Guevarra told reporters in a text message.

The NCRPOs public information office posted online the photos of Sinas together with other police officers partying on May 8 at Camp Bagong Diwa.

Netizens quickly criticized Sinas since mass gatherings are strictly prohibited under the enhanced community quarantine.

Sinas, who turned 55, was pictured without a face mask blowing out the candle on his cake. He and other officers were also shown without masks while eating together in one table and close to one another in violation of the physical distancing rules.

Despite apologizing, Sinas insisted that the circulated photos were edited and grabbed from old posts.

It was never my intention to disobey any existing protocols relative to the implementation of enhanced community quarantine, Sinas said in a statement.

READ: PNP chief defends NCRPO head Sinas on birthday celebration

Gueverra, however, said apology is not one of the grounds for extinguishing criminal liability.

Uneven implementation of the law

Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group, said the incident is a reflection of uneven implementation of the law during the time of public health emergency.

Diokno explained that when officials allied or identified with the administration are exposed for violating quarantine rules, the government is dragging its feet as far as going after them.

Compared to those who are perceived to be against the government where you have law enforcement immediately going out visiting their homes, not just issuing subpoenas but actually arresting them without warrants, Diokno said in an online forum.

He said he hopes people are noticing the problem with authorities violating the rules.

I think we are slowly but surely opening our eyes to this kind of uneven handedness and when we will call on them into account that should be a factor in their reckoning, Diokno said.

But Guevarra said he has always advised NBI to enforce the laws fairly and uniformly. He cited the case of Senator Koko Pimentel which is now under preliminary investigation.

He added that local officials have also been summoned to explain apparent violations of quarantine protocols.
Every week, it seems, the list of coronavirus symptoms -- ranging from disagreeable to deadly, from "COVID toes" to toxic shock -- grows longer.

What began as a familiar flu-like cluster of chills, headaches and fever has rapidly expanded over the last three months into a catalogue of syndromes affecting most of the body's main organs.



The new coronavirus can also push the immune system into overdrive, unleashing an indiscriminate assault on pathogens and their human hosts alike.



"Most viruses can cause disease in two ways," explained Jeremy Rossman, a senior lecturer in virology at the University of Kent.



"They can damage tissue where the virus replicates, or they can cause damage as a side effect of the immune system fighting off the disease."



Doctors suspect, for example, that COVID-19 is behind the hospitalisation in recent weeks of more than 100 children and adolescent in New York, London and Paris diagnosed with a disorder similar to toxic shock syndrome that attacks blood vessel walls and can cause fever, vomiting and in extreme cases organ failure.



Three deaths in New York state have been attributed to so-calling paediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome, with two others deemed likely.



In adults, COVID-19 had been linked in dozens of medical studies to other life-threatening symptoms, including strokes, heart damage and brain swelling.



Researchers from the urology department of Nanjing Medical University, writing last week in Nature Reviews, described patients developing severe urinary complications and acute kidney injury.



They also observed "dramatic changes" in male sex hormones.



"After recovery from COVID-19, young men who are interested in having children should receive a consultation regarding their fertility," they advised.



- Cascading symptoms -

Does that mean that COVID-19 causes a uniquely broad array of symptoms? Not necessarily, virologists and other experts say.



"If it is a common disease, then even rare complications will happen frequently," Babak Javid, a consultant in infectious diseases at Cambridge University Hospitals, told AFP.



There are more than 4.1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world, but the true number of infections -- taking into account undetected and asymptomatic infection -- "is going to be in the tens, possibly hundreds of millions" he said.



"So if one-in-1,000, or even one-in-10,000, get complications, that is still thousands of people."



Some of the rare symptoms associated with the new coronavirus also show up with influenza, which kills several hundred thousand people worldwide every year, he noted. But with a crucial difference: "Compared to influenza, you are much more likely to become seriously ill, and to die."



The number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths is fast approaching 300,000.



Frontline general practitioners have been the first to see patterns as the pandemic spread across the globe from ground zero in central China in a matter of weeks.



"At the outset, we were told to watch out for headaches, fever and a light cough," recalls Sylvie Monnoye, a family doctor in central Paris.



"Then they added a runny nose and a scratchy throat. After that, digestive problems, including stomach aches and severe diarrhoea."



The list kept growing: skin lesions, neurological problems, sharp chest pains, loss of taste and smell.



- A feeling of confusion -

"We started to think that we should suspect everything," Monnoye said, dressed from head-to-toe in protective wear.



Some patients were so terrified, she added, that they cowered in the corner of her office afraid to touch anything or get too close to her.



An internal US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report with a breakdown of symptoms for 2,591 COVID-10 patients admitted to hospital between March 1 and May 1 chimes with such anecdotal accounts.



Three-quarters of the patients experienced chills, fever and/or coughing, with nearly as many showing shortness of breath.



These are, by far, the most common COVID-19 symptoms.



Nearly a third complained of flu-like muscle aches, while 28 percent experienced diarrhoea and a quarter nausea or vomiting, according to the internal report, leaked to the media.



Some 18 percent had headaches, while 10 to 15 percent were hit by chest or abdominal pain, runny nose, sore throat and/or a feeling of confusion.



Less than one percent of the CDC cohort had other symptoms, including seizures, rashes and conjunctivitis.



Health authorities have been slow in alerting the public to this panoply of possible impacts.





- Loss of smell -Until the end of April, the CDC itself only listed three on its website: coughing, fever and shortness of breath. The update included only a few more: chills, muscle pain, headaches and loss of smell or taste.



A loss of smell and taste was found in only 3.5 percent of patients included in the CDC report, but experts suspect these symptoms are -- for reasons unknown -- more prevalent in less severe cases where people were not hospitalised.



"I don't have any patients with these symptoms who had serious complications," said Monnoye.



The loss of taste and smell, experts note, is extremely rare with other types of virus.



Another cluster of symptoms rarely found in flu patients appears to arise from blood clots.



Heart problems, liver thrombosis, lung embolisms and brain damage in COVID-19 patients have been traced to such clots in recent studies.



"When one is very sick with COVID, you can have a problem with blood clots forming, and that seems to be much, much more common than with other viral infections," added Javid.



A third cluster of unusual symptoms involve skin eruptions.



"COVID-associated 'rashes' seem to be as numerous as they are hard to pin down," dermatologist Graeme Lipper said on Medscape, a medical information website.



A condition known as pseudo-chilblains, or "COVID toes", has garnered the most attention, with photos on social media showing digits discoloured as if with frostbite.



Like loss of smell, the symptom -- which can cause painful itching and burning -- is associated with benign forms of the virus.






Deputy President William Rutos Tanga Tanga wing of the ruling Jubilee Party has become synonymous with one word; numbers.

Every time they find themselves in a political bout with their Kieleweke siblings and other challengers, they are quick to point to their superior numbers in both houses of Parliament and on the ground.

But Tanga Tanga has come short each time they are pitted in a real contest with their opponents.

READ ALSO: Opinion: William Ruto, Tanga Tanga face tough options after Uhurus Senate takeover

Deputy President William Rutos Tanga Tanga wing of the ruling Jubilee Party has become synonymous with one word; numbers. Photo: William Ruto.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: William Ruto tells Kipchumba Murkomen he will be a great leader in future

From 2019's Kibra constituency by-election to former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititus impeachment early 2020, the numbers could not save the DPs side from defeat. Key changes to the Jubilee Partys top organs have been affected in the past month despite Ruto mobilising his troops to block the moves he termed fraudulent and even threatening to take over the party.

This weeks ejection of Rutos allies from Senate leadership was even more telling. President Uhuru Kenyatta had his way despite Ruto convincing a sizeable number of Senators to snub the Parliamentary Group meeting at State House and thus deny Kieleweke the quorum needed to make changes.

The series of defeats for Ruto has left many questioning the credibility of the numbers his side always flaunts. Are they imaginary?

While Uhuru and Ruto command 85 MPs each, on paper, within Jubilee in the National Assembly, the president has benefited greatly from working with other parties. Formal and informal working relationships with the Orange Democratic Movement, Wiper Party, Kanu and independent have taken his numbers to 202, way ahead of the 100 or so MPs supporting Ruto.

This exceeds the 175 MPs required to constitute a simple majority and is only 31 MPs short of the 233 required to garner a two-thirds majority.

READ ALSO: Junet Mohamed predicts bruising political battle, alliances in coming days

The ejection of Rutos allies from Senate leadership was even more telling. Uhuru had his way despite Ruto convincing most senators to snub meeting at State House. Photo: State House Kenya.

Source: Facebook

Despite Uhuru and Ruto having 50/50 strength within Jubilee, the DPs side appears to base its 2022 game plan on eating into the presidents Mount Kenya zone where it has already lured a number of politicians.

Among the most vocal Tanga Tanga MPs are some Central Kenya leaders whove been dutifully following the DP everywhere he goes and reminding all and sundry that the Rift Valley is owed a debt.

But numbers and political reality shows that is fleeting reality and a costly miscalculation that could leave the DP clutching at straws.

READ ALSO: Moses Kuria sensationally claims Jubilee stole 2013, 2017 presidential elections

Just seven out of 38 MPs in Central Kenya are truly in Tanga Tanga. In Kiambu and Muranga counties, only Kimani Ichung'wa (Kikuyu), Moses Kuria (Gatundu South), Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu) are in the camp. In Nyeri, there is Rigathi Gachagua of Mathira while Kirinyaga and Nyandarua counties are represented by woman representatives Purity Ngirici and Faith Gitau respectively.

The measly numerical support is compounded by the short shelf life of elected politicians in Central Kenya. Political pundits have already warned Ruto against gauging his support in the region on the handful of MPs he has in his pockets as none of them may secure re-election come 2022.

Numbers dont lie and they show that of the eight governors and eight senators elected in the region in 2013, only two County governors and one senator retained their seats in the last election while only seven MPs were voted back to the office in 2017 out of the 33 elected in 2013.

Just one MP was re-elected in each of Muranga, Nyeri and Nyandarua counties while all four MPs in Kirinyaga were sent packing. Seven of the 11 in Kiambu were sent home. Only two of the five-woman representatives came back in the region while over 70 percent of MCAs across the five Central Kenya counties were kicked out, with no single MCA re-elected in Nyeri County.

This is the cold reality Ruto must contend with as he claims to have made inroads in Mt Kenya courtesy of elected leaders dancing to his tunes.

Analyst Mutahi Ngunyi this week also sent the DP a timely reminder, pointing to him that the organising principle of the House of Gema is Kula Ruto, Kura Uhuru. How tough it must be imagining that those walking with you, and eating from your plate in the process, will abandon you for your rival when you need them most.

The writer is Milan Kiplagat, a regular commentator on social, economic and political affairs.

The views expressed here are his and do not in any way represent the position of TUKO.co.ke.

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A mother breastfeeds her two-day-old baby at the Ataturk Children's Hospital a day after they were rescued from a deadly attack on another maternity hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Read more

KABUL, Afghanistan  Officials on Wednesday raised the death toll from a militant attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul to 24, including mothers, nurses and two babies. A day after the shooting rampage, 20 infants were under medical observation, lying swaddled in blankets in hospital cribs.

Militants had stormed the hospital Tuesday, setting off an hours-long shootout with police. As the gunfight raged, Afghan security forces carried out babies and frantic mothers. The clinic in Dashti Barchi, a mostly Shiite neighborhood in Afghanistan's capital, is supported by international aid group Doctors Without Borders.

One woman gave birth as the shooting was taking place, the aid group said in a statement Wednesday. It said the woman and her baby were doing well.

The Interior Ministry initially said Tuesday that 16 people were killed and more than 100 wounded. Wahid Majroh, the deputy public health minister, on Wednesday raised the death toll to 24 and said 16 people were wounded.

Of those evacuated, 21 babies were taken to Kabul's Ataturk Hospital, where physician Sayed Fared said one infant had a broken bone and was transferred to a children's hospital. The other 20 babies "are in good health and under our observation," he said.

Outside Ataturk Hospital, anxious relatives waited for news.

Qurban Ali, a 27-year-old father, came to see his newborn daughter Bakhtawar who was among those evacuated from Dashti Barchi. His name was on a wristband the baby was given after she was born early Tuesday, a preterm baby.

Ali said he was watching TV when he heard about the hospital attack.

I immediately rushed to the hospital, got there but couldnt find my wife or the baby, he said. His wife called him a short while later, crying and saying she had managed to flee the attack but couldnt recover their baby. The two rushed to Ataturk Hospital after hearing the babies were evacuated there, and to their relief found Bakhtawar.

Thank God ... my child and my wife both are unhurt, said Ali.

But others were not so fortunate. The family of 35-year-old nurse Maryam Noorzada, who worked at Dashti Barchi with Doctors Without Borders, also known by their French acronym MSF, could not find her after searching all of Kabul hospitals.

Her brother-in-law, Mahdi Jafari, his eyes filled with tears, said the family would give DNA samples to see if the charred unclaimed body remaining at the morgue was her.

We mourn the loss of several patients, and we have indications that at least one colleague was also killed," Doctors Without Borders said in its statement.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack but the Taliban insisted they were not involved. In the past, most attacks in Dashti Barchi, home to the minority Shiite Hazara community, were carried out by the Islamic State group.

In a televised speech hours after the attack, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called on security forces to launch attacks on Taliban insurgents. After a U.S.-Taliban peace deal signed earlier this year, the Afghan government said it was maintaining a defensive posture.

The Taliban have not given up fighting and killing Afghans, instead they have increased their attacks on our countrymen and public places, despite repeated calls for a cease-fire, Ghani said.

The Taliban and Islamic State extremists are rivals. Afghan and American officials say the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has been weakened in recent months as a result of U.S. bombing raids in the group's stronghold, the eastern Nangarhar province, as well as military operations by Afghan security forces and attacks by Taliban insurgents.

In a separate attack Tuesday, a suicide bomber targeted the funeral of a pro-government militia commander and former warlord in Nangarhhar's Khewa district, killing 32 people and wounding 133, according to Zahir Adil, spokesman for the province's public health department. Earlier reports had 24 dead and 68 wounded in the bombing.

The dead included Abdullah Lala Jan, a provincial council member, while his father Noor Agha, a lawmaker, was wounded in the attack. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Nangarhar bombing in a statement posted late Tuesday on its media arm, Aamaq.

___

Associated Press writers Tameem Akhgar in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Maamoun Youssef in Cairo contributed to this report.
Six Border Security Force personnel posted in Kolkata and part of the recent entourage of a central inter-ministerial team (IMCT) to West Bengal were discharged from hospital on Wednesday after getting cured of COVID-19, official said.

The West Bengal capital had a dozen of BSF personnel testing positive for COVID-19 and with these recoveries, six are still under treatment.

"Six personnel found COVID-19 positive in Kolkata in the first week of May have been discharged today from hospital," a senior official said



"They were asymptomatic when they were tested and during treatment. All six are in good health," he said.

A force spokesperson said these six troopers were "part of an escort team to IMCT in Kolkata".

"These discharged personnel will be put to necessary quarantine as per the protocol," he added.

The IMCT, sent by the Centre to review and suggest measures to the state government for coronavirus containment, was staying at a BSF guest house in south Kolkata and all its logistics like vehicles, security personnel and food were being provided by the paramilitary.

It wrapped up its visit to the state on May 4.

A BSF driver in this entourage was first tested positive, following which over 50 personnel were quarantined and samples of many of them were taken.

Kolkata is the headquarters for the south Bengal frontier of the BSF that guards over 930 km of the India-Bangladesh international border.

Meanwhile, BSF Director General S S Deswal on Wednesday spoke over phone to a dozen of his personnel admitted in various hospitals for coronavirus treatment.

"All personnel have high morale and are recovering fast. They conveyed to the DG that they will be back soon on duty," the spokesperson said.

The 2.5 lakh personnel strong force, tasked primarily to guard Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, has the maximum of 301 active coronavirus cases among central paramilitary forces.

Two of its personnel have also died due to the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The two young sisters killed in a flash flood in Utah's narrow slot canyons have been identified by heartbroken loved ones.

Seven-year-old Kinzley Graff and her three-year-old sister Ellie were hiking with their mother, Becky, and their uncle at Little Wildhorse Canyon on Monday afternoon when they were swept away by raging floodwaters.

Kinzley's body was found soon after by her father, Tim, who watched as the water rushed out of the mouth of the canyon - almost three miles from where the other family members had been hiking.

Search and rescue crews spent hours combing the area for Ellie, whose body was found 28 miles away on Tuesday.

The girls' mother Becky taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries that were not life-threatening.

Authorities did not release the names of the victims, but friends of the family, who live in West Jordan, confirmed their identities on social media.

A GoFundMe campaign to help Becky and Tim cover funeral expenses raised more than $12,600 within five hours of its launch on Wednesday.

Scroll down for video

Seven-year-old Kinzley Graff and her three-year-old sister Ellie were killed in flash floods that tore through Little Wildhorse Canyon on Monday

The girls were hiking in narrow slot canyons with their mom, Becky, and uncle when the flooding struck. Their father, Tim, found Kinzley's body near the mouth of the canyon three miles away. Loved ones set up a GoFundMe to support Becky and Tim (pictured with the kids)

Footage from fellow hikers captured the moment water began filling up the canyon on Monday, forming a river several feet deep

The devastating flooding hit after an isolated thunderstorm storm crossed nearby Goblin Valley State Park, known for its otherworldly natural formations.

Little Wildhorse Canyon is considered a popular, family-friendly trail that displays awe-inspiring colorful stone walls, but flash flooding is a risk in its narrow formations known as slot canyons.

Deseret rains can be dangerous because the hard earth doesn't soak up much water. Instead, the rain collects quickly, often filling narrow slot canyons like a bathtub.

The tall, undulating walls have few exits for any hikers inside when the weather hits, quickly turning a casual hike into a dangerous situation.

The girls' mother Becky taken to a hospital with unspecified injuries that were not life-threatening

The family are pictured above. At least 21 people managed to escape the flooding - including Kinzley and Ellie's mother and uncle

The girls' father, who stayed behind when the others went into the slots, saw water rushing out of the mouth of the canyon and then found his eldest daughter, Kinzley. He tried to perform CPR on her but was not successful. The girls and their mom are pictured above

Video from fellow hikers captured the moment water began filling up the canyon on Monday, forming a river several feet deep.

At least 21 people managed to escape the flooding - including Kinzley and Ellie's mother and uncle.

Emery County Sheriff Greg Funk said the group was about three miles into the canyon when the storm hit and water swept them another two to three miles.

'It would be like putting them through a washing machine,' Funk told the Deseret News.

The girls' father, who stayed behind when the others went into the slots, saw water rushing out of the mouth of the canyon and then found his eldest daughter, Kinzley. He tried to perform CPR on her but was not successful.

A crew of 80 personnel and three helicopters from the several nearby counties and state agencies launched a desperate search for Ellie that continued overnight.

The three-year-old's body was recovered around noon on Tuesday.

Little Wildhorse Canyon is located about 200 miles south of Salt Lake City. Monday's flooding was caused by a thunderstorm that passed through nearby Goblin Valley State Park

A crew of 80 personnel and three helicopters from the several nearby counties and state agencies launched a desperate search for the missing toddler that continued overnight

Search teams are pictured at a staging site on Tuesday before Ellie's body was recovered

Friends have described how parents Tim and Becky loved taking their daughters on family adventures.

Their Facebook pages are filled with happy photos of the family hiking, biking and camping together.

The description of the GoFundMe campaign states: 'Tim is the perfect "girl" Dad... He was always letting the girls paint his nails, put bows in his hair, do his make-up... And he would actually go to the store with them dressed that way.

'Yesterday Becky spoke to how everything they did for their business and life was centered around those 2 girls so they could make an impact & leave a legacy for them.'

Friends showed their support for the family by decorating their West Jordan neighborhood with ribbons and placing a sign on their garage that reads: 'We love you.'

The curving sandstone walls at Little Wildhorse Canyon are so narrow at points that hikers must turn sideways to walk through (file photo)

Friends showed their support for the family by decorating their West Jordan neighborhood with ribbons and placing a sign on their garage that reads: 'We love you'

The National Weather Service office in Salt Lake City issued a storm warning for the area surrounding Little Wildhorse Canyon at around 1pm.

Twenty minutes later it warned that the storm was expected to produce nickel-sized hail and strong winds.

Hikers in canyon slots are warned to be on high alert for possible storms when they explore canyon slots, given how quickly the channels can fill up with water.

'They're extraordinary events, just so much water being shoved through the desert all at once, picking up everything, picking up trees and boulders,' Craig Childs, author of The Desert Cries, a book about flooding in the desert, told NPR.

'You just want to be in the right place, not in the wrong place.'

Tom McGowan, a student at the University of Utah, filmed footage of Monday's flood and shared it on Twitter.

He said he, his wife Taylor, their dog and a friend were in the slot canyons when they heard thunder in the distance and immediately sought safer ground.

'After we found a high, sheltered spot, all hell broke lose,' Tom wrote.

'Heavy rain turned into the heaviest nickel-sized hail I've ever seen. After several minutes, we noticed a debris flow coming down Bell's Canyon. Within seconds it was a violent 3 to 4-ft deep river. Scary stuff.

'After an hour or so, the water receded enough and we began to head out.

'We ran into search and recuse and learned that people we had passed minutes before taking shelter were taken downstream. Unfortunately one of them passed away. As of 8PM, others were still missing.

'It only took about 15 min for the rain to produce a raging river. Heavy rain/hail in slot canyons is extremely dangerous.'

Taylor Gowan shared a video of the couple's hike taken an hour before the rain struck.

Hiker Taylor McGowan shared a video of her, her husband and her dog in the canyon an hour before the flooding struck, filling it up with a river of water four feet-high within minutes

For reference, this is what conditions were like when we started the hike. We are all meteorologists and checked the weather constantly before we left. A "slight chance" of rain was forecasted. pic.twitter.com/Cwkivo5LwF  Taylor Gowan (@tayloragowan) May 12, 2020

Another hiker, Eugene Smuts, also posted a video of the flash flood. He said he, his companion Kristy and their dog Stella sought higher ground and watched the water rush in.

'We were pinned there just above narrow slots in awe and fear as the bone dry creek bed quickly rose with swiftly moving muddy water,' Smuts wrote on Facebook.

'The canyon walls became waterfalls, large hail stones accumulated and rocks were crashing down.

'After nearly an hour and surprisingly long after the rain had stopped, we determined the water level had receded enough to safely scramble through the slots below. In the following 1.5 mile of narrows we tried to boulder high on the steep walls, but were forced down to the raging creek with waist deep waters that Stella had to swim through.'

Eugene Smuts shared a video of Monday's flash flood on Facebook

Smuts said he, his companion Kristy and their dog Stella were in the canyon slots when they saw a storm warning. They immediately sought higher ground and watched the water flood in

This isn't the first time that a flash flood has claimed the lives of hikers visiting Utah's slot canyons.

In 2015, seven hikers died when a storm sent water rushing into a slot canyon in southern Utah's Zion National Park.

Flood waters also killed a dozen people in a polygamous town on the Utah-Arizona border that year.
New York Citys emergency medical services workers have been facing particularly harsh conditions since COVID-19 broke out across the state. "This is like 9/11 happening every day," Vincent Variale, president of the Uniformed EMS Officers Union, Local 3621, which represents the EMS and emergency medical technicians that work under the Fire Department of New York, told NPR.

I've seen more cardiac arrests, which means people who aren't breathing and have no pulse, in the last two months than I probably have in the last five years, Anthony Almojera, a lieutenant paramedic with the FDNY and vice president of the citys FDNY EMS Local 3621 union, told City & State.

Before the virus, the citys 911 system typically got about 4,000 EMS calls per day. On March 26, it received over 7,000, a call volume unseen since 9/11. Since early March, EMS workers have become stricken with COVID-19 putting a strain on an already strained profession, blighted by high turnover rates due to low salaries and a lack of benefits. In 2018, the FDNY promoted 900 EMS to firefighters, which many EMTs find hard to turn down due to the significantly higher salary, causing an even greater staffing shortage. Over 1,000 FDNY EMS workers have been contracted or are being monitored for the disease, out of 4,500 total FDNY EMS employees and at least five have died from it.

In New York City, the current starting salary for a trained EMS worker is about $33,320, whereas the starting salary for a NYPD officer is $42,500 and its $45,196 for a city firefighter. After five years, firefighters make $86,000 compared to around $50,000 for EMTs with five years $65,226 for paramedics, who have more training and perform more advanced procedures. While EMS workers often work in the FDNY and alongside firefighters, they are not entitled to the same line-of-duty benefits that firefighters get. If an EMS worker dies on the job, their beneficiaries will only receive three years worth of their pay, while cops and firefighters beneficiaries will receive their full salary in perpetuity, as well as their health benefits.

EMS workers have jobs that are just as grueling as their first responder counterparts, so why arent they receiving compensation equal to theirs? EMS union leaders suspect that they havent seen a bump in pay because city and state officials dont recognize the risks involved in what they do, such as being attacked by patients and handling biohazardous materials while racing through traffic. Some have also alleged that EMS workers low wages are the result of racial and gender discrimination, since the citys EMS workforce is predominately women and minorities, while FDNY firefighters are 78% white and 99% male, NYPD officers are more diverse, however, as 47% are white and 83% are male.

In Jan. 2019, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio addressed criticisms regarding the disparity in pay during city contract negotiations with FDNY EMS unions, after their contracts expired in 2018. I have deep, deep respect for our EMTs and everyone who works at EMS, he said. I think the work is different. We are trying to make sure people are treated fairly and paid fairly, but I do think the work is different, the mayor added, insinuating that EMTs have less dangerous jobs than police officers and firefighters and do not deserve equal pay and benefits. But it is a conversation that we continue to have with their representatives. Negotiations between the city and its FDNY EMS unions are ongoing.

However, many experts disagree with de Blasio and say that emergency medical response is just as demanding and strenuous as that fighting fires or crime. In 2017, a study revealed that EMTs were just as likely as firefighters and cops to be killed on the job and even more likely to be injured. EMS workers also respond to a much higher volume of 911 calls than other first responders, even though there are far fewer EMS workers in comparison to other first responder departments. There are currently only 13,000 EMS workers in the city, divided between the FDNY EMS department and private EMS services. The contract negotiations that occurred in 2019, only applied to the 4,500 FDNY EMS workers. In comparison, the NYPD has about 36,000 officers on the force.

Paramedics in the city also arguably have more education than some cops and firefighters. This is like a nursing or physicians assistant program that you go to for two years, which is compressed into nine months, Oren Barzilay, president of FDNY EMS Local 2507 union, told City & State. So they cant say that we're not highly educated. Its just the opposite. Our paramedic training is equivalent to an associate's degree.

EMS workers have been campaigning for higher salaries and better benefits for years. In Sept. 2019, FDNY EMS Local 2507, along with several other EMS unions, filed a lawsuit against the city alleging that the city was engaging in discriminatory pay practices, due to its diverse workforce. That same month, EMS workers rallied at City Hall for pay parity with other first responders, joined by City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Three months ago, City Hall began working with EMT and EMS unions on a collective bargaining agreement to increase the starting salaries for EMT workers, as more workers continue to leave their low-paying jobs. However, nothing has come of these talks yet. City officials have also shown an interest in providing more robust line-of-duty benefits, to EMS workers but have yet to lay out a plan to grant these benefits.

Moreover, New York Citys Independent Budget Office says that providing workers with raises during these financially desperate times is unrealistic. The public embrace of EMS workers and the recognition of their role as first responders has come at a time when city dollars are shrinking, the office said in a statement to City & State. This makes the ability to provide raises that would put them on par with other first responders very difficult to afford in the current fiscal climate.

Low salaries have led to an extremely high turnover rate among EMTs over the years. Due to a lack of workers, EMS response times increased by 19 seconds for life-threatening emergencies and a minute and 30 seconds for all other emergencies, in 2019. Every second counts  every second is lost brain cells, a long-time paramedic told the New York Post in 2019. Brain death starts to occur in four to six minutes.

Many EMS workers are forced to work extra jobs because they cant afford to live in the city without them. Most already work at least 60 hours a week, according to Almojera, and many workers are extremely burnt out as a result. When you have this much turnover, the people who decide to say, get burnt out very fast because you don't get to have the support over the relationships with your co-workers because they're leaving, Almojera said. Most of the people I know that work two or three jobs, I have guys that I work with at my station who drive Uber, who stock shelves at a grocery store, because they can't afford to just work as an EMS full-time.

Almojera himself works two additional jobs to make ends meet, as a paramedic in Belmont, New York and as a defibrillator inspector.

If the city had more EMS workers, the pandemic would have been less destructive for the EMTs, according to Almojera, who believes that with a larger and more senior staff the citys EMS system would have been far less overwhelmed. The pandemic hits and 25% of the workforce gets sick, he said. They dropped the ball on initiatives such as alternative work schedules, so that we can isolate people better, (personal protective equipment), which they did not have enough of in the beginning. And a whole host of other things. The chickens have come home to roost.

Because so many people end up finding other jobs that pay significantly higher salaries, the citys EMS workforce is largely run by rookies. In 2019, 60% of the citys EMS workers had less than three years on the job. If you're a firefighter, there's always a senior person on the truck, Almojera said. No cop goes out on their own when they're new. I have literally put two 21-year-olds on the trucks to go ahead with 911 calls in this pandemic because I have nobody else.

Without senior personnel on staff, younger EMS workers lack the guidance and wisdom that veteran EMS workers can provide when it comes to medical procedures and emotional trauma.

Just two weeks ago, EMT worker John Mondello died of suicide after only three weeks on the job. He told his coworkers, I don't know what I'm seeing and it's hard for me to handle this, Almojera said. Now, we know suicide is a complex, there's multiple layers to it, but that's definitely a big layer to it. He's working with people his own age, they're not going to be able to sit there and navigate that (emotional response to the pandemic).
New Delhi, May 13 : It began with author Prochy N. Mehta's grandchildren being barred from Kolkata's sole fire temple and culminated in a meticulously researched book on the role of prominent Parsis and the community at large in various aspects of the city's growth in diverse areas over the years.

"My grandchildren were going to the only fire temple in Kolkata (the Late D.B. Mehta's Zoroastrian Anjuman Atash Adaran) with us. In 2015, the newly appointed Head Priest phoned and requested us not to bring my daughter Sanaya's children to the fire temple. On asking why, I was told that the (temple's) Trust Deed is sacrosanct," Mehta, author of "Pioneering Parsis Of Calcutta" (Niyogi Books), told IANS in an email interview.

"This started my search into the past. The Trust Deed is dated 1915, but no one today has any recall of us Parsis of that time, of the community in Calcutta, and what they fought for and believed in," Mehta, one of just 420 Parsis in Kolkata, said. The community has seen zero growth in the last three years as there have been no births.

"Sanaya is married to a non-Parsi. Her children were visiting the fire temple till 2015 We have an Originating Summons in the Calcutta High Court asking for interpretation of the Trust Deed. That is why I studied the Trust Deed and unearthed information. We can now interpret the Deed with this new information. The fire temple trustees are not opposed to it.

"Every family in Calcutta has children who have intermarried. In the last three years, all marriages are intermarriage. They do not want to take a decision in case people point fingers at them saying it's being done as they are in a similar situation. If the court rules that would decide the issue (but the case is still pending)," Mehta explained.

Mehta elaborates on the issue in the Preface.

"I had no illusions. What I was taking on is what every religion faces at some state: the fear of change. Any change from the norm upsets someone of the other. Sometimes, change comes about because there are enough people to force the change through. Sometimes, the silent majority want the change but do not have the time, means or patience to make it come about. I felt I had all three. More importantly, I wouldn't allow my daughter's children to be treated any differently than the children of my son," Mehta writes.

This initial curiosity turned into a voyage of discovery, which changed her perception of her community and awoke in her an intense pride in the Parsi stalwarts of yesteryear. Mehta's meticulous research reaped rich dividends as she slowly dusted off the cobwebs of history that revealed the pioneering Parsis' arduous journey to Kolkata, their forward thinking, their broad-minded approach, their willingness to give and to improve the lives of all around them.

These extraordinary Parsi men and women played a prominent role in society by taking upon themselves the responsibility of helping one and all, regardless of class, caste, creed, or colour. Their ability in business and faith in the future was matchless. These early Parsis were not afraid of taking on the establishment and fought publicly to resolve disputes where the orthodox members were unwilling to give the reformists their way.

"I try to trace the history of the Parsis, as there is no recorded history of the Parsis in India, except for a poem the Kissa-e-Sanjan written in 1599 by a priest, Boman Kekobad," Mehta told IANS.

"An interesting fact is that we had forgotten our religion till Changa Asha (the leader of the Parsis in Navsri) found a group of Parsis in about 1490 living amongst the Hindus as a tribe following Hindu customs and way of life. Till today, the World Zoroastrian Organisation is finding such co-religionists living in poverty in the villages of Gujarat and seeks to rehabilitate them.," Mehta elaborated.

To turn to the pioneers, the book says Rustumji Banaji may have been the most prominent man in Bengal in the 1800s; owner of Kidderpore and Salkia docks, master ship builder, pioneer in banking, insurance, social service, social reform, and shipping. But alas, forgotten today.

Many of the pioneer Parsis of Bombay had their early roots in Kolkata: Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy; Nusserwanji Cowasji Petit; Dinshaw Petit; Framji Banaji (brother of Rustumji Banaji); the Wadia family of shipbuilders; Meherwanji Mehta, father of Phirozshaw Mehta; Khurshedji Cama; Dadabhoy Navroji; Jamshedji Madan (father of Indian cinema); and Dorab Mehta (Meherwanji's brother), who had done extensive charitable work for the city of Navsari.

Then there were the nationally famous Parsis who belonged to Calcutta, but were forgotten by us. D.N. Wadia, the world famous geologist; Erach Bhiwandiwala, the artist; A.C. Ardeshir and his famous horse, Ethics; and Dr Irach Taraporewala, who translated the Gathas and wrote the Divine Songs of Zarathusthra.

And then there was the Tata family connected through marriage with the (DB) Mehta family. Jamshedji and Dhunjibhoy Mehta met at Dadabhai Navroji's home in England, where they purchased machinery for their cotton mills, Empress Mills, Nagpur, and Empress of India Mills at Srirampur. Dhunjibhoy's grandson, Phiroze Sethna, and Jamshedji's son, Ratan, married the daughters of Ardesher Sett, Navaz, and Banoo. This must have sealed the bond of friendship among the families, the book says.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
"The Penonome I Wind Project was not only Goldwind's first in the central American country but it was also Panama's initial foray into wind energy. We are proud we could be a part of that," says David Sale, Chief Executive Officer for Goldwind Americas. "The sale of the Penonome I Wind Project to AES Panama further demonstrates the strong accreditation of Goldwind's industry-leading Permanent Magnet Direct-Drive turbine technology among leading power producers across the Americas."

"We are excited to execute this transaction with AES Panama, Panama's largest power producer," says Saad Qais, Chief Financial Officer for Goldwind Americas. "The lasting impact of AES Panama's investment in the Penonome I Wind Project will be a cooperation built on a common desire to provide strong, sustainable power production throughout the Americas."

Miguel Bolinaga, President of AES in Panama, noted, "We are pleased to add this new wind generation facility to our portfolio. It demonstrates our commitment to increase our renewable energy generation and to continue to invest in the Republic of Panama."

The Penonome I Wind Project, located in the Cocle Province on Panama's southern coast, is comprised of 22 Goldwind GW109/2500 Permanent Magnet Direct-Drive turbines. Goldwind bought the project from Union Eolica Panamena (UEP) in 2012 and reached commercial operation for the wind park in 2014.

Under the terms of the deal with AES Panama, Goldwind Americas will continue to support the project's operations at industry-leading availability levels.

About Goldwind Americas

Goldwind Americas, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the multinational OEM Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd (SZSE: 002202) (HK: 2208), is a world leading wind turbine technology and energy solutions provider. Goldwind's revolutionary Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) technology is shaping a new standard in wind energy. Goldwind offers a full suite of innovative renewable energy solutions, including equipment sales, service, and capital. Goldwind Americas is a tradename of Goldwind USA, Inc. To learn more, visit www.goldwindamericas.com.

About AES

The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 500 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 14 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world's changing power needs. Our 2019 revenues were $10 billion, and we own and manage $34 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.

About AES Panama

AES Panama S.R.L (a company jointly owned by The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) and the Republic of Panama) owns an aggregate of 554 MW of electric generation capacity through its various operating facilities (La Estrella, Los Valles, Esti y Estrella del Mar I). AES Panama has been investing in the country since 1998, and over this time, has successfully developed a portfolio of sustainable infrastructure solutions and helped to reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 16 tons. For more information please visit: www.aespanama.com | Twitter: @aespanama | Facebook: @AES.PTY

GOLDWIND MEDIA CONTACT:

Lauren La Marche

Marketing & Communications

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Goldwind Americas

Related Links

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Osisko reports first quarter 2020 results

Posted by Publisher Internet

Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (the ?Company? or ?Osisko?) (OR: TSX & NYSE  https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/osisko-gold-royalties-corporate-update-with-new-president-sandeep-singh/ ) today announced its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of 2020.

Highlights

Cash flows from operating activities of $23.8 million (Q1 2019 ? $24.8 million); $27.9?million before changes in non-cash working capital items (Q1 2019 ? $22.6 million), an increase of 23%;

Revenues from royalties and streams of $37.8 million (Q1 2019 ? $33.5 million), an increase of 13%;

Earned 18,159 gold equivalent ounces1 (?GEOs?) (Q1 2019 ? 19,753 GEOs);

Cash on hand of $158.3 million and up to $400.0 million further available under the credit facility as at March 31, 2020, excluding the $85.0 million equity financing completed on April 1, 2020;

Closed a non-brokered private placement of $85.0 million with Investissement Quebec on April?1, 2020;

Drew down US$50.0 million on our revolving credit facility as a cautionary measure given the current uncertainty to ensure adequate financial capacity during our asset shutdowns;

Incurred a non-cash impairment charge on the Renard diamond stream of $26.3 million ($19.3?million, net of income taxes);

Net loss of $13.3 million, $0.09 per basic share (Q1 2019 ? net loss of $26.5 million, $0.17 per basic share), as a result of the non-cash impairment charge;

Adjusted earnings2 of $7.5 million or $0.05 per basic share (Q1 2019 ? $5.8 million, $0.04 per basic share);

Cash operating margin3 of 91% from royalty and stream interests, generating $34.5?million in operating cash flow, in addition to a cash operating margin of $0.8?million from offtake interests;

Withdrew the 2020 production guidance as a result of the uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic impact;

Mining activities were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including our cornerstone asset, the Canadian Malartic mine, which was placed on care and maintenance from March 25 to April 15;

Acquired for cancellation 429,722 common shares for $3.9 million (average acquisition cost of $9.15 per share);

Declared a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per common share paid on April 15, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 31, 2020; and

Improved the silver stream on the Gibraltar mine by investing $8.5 million to reduce the transfer price from US$2.75 per ounce of silver to nil in April 2020.

Recent Performance

Sean Roosen, Chair and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the activities of the first quarter of 2020: ?We are living through an unprecedented period and we continue to strongly support the initiatives and efforts of the mine operators to put the health and safety of their workforce and communities first.? Even though our business has been impacted by the measures taken to contain the spread of COVID-19, the revenue deferral is manageable given our efficient business model. We further believe that our opportunity set will grow in the coming quarters, and we are well positioned to deploy capital toward royalty and streaming transactions and create value for our stakeholders.?

Impairment of Assets

In March 2020, the selling price of diamonds decreased significantly as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diamond market. On March 24, 2020, activities at the Renard diamond mine were suspended following the announcement of the Government of Quebec to shutdown all non essential services, and on April 14, 2020, despite the announcement by the Government of Quebec to include mining activities as an essential service, the operator of the Renard diamond mine announced the extension of the care and maintenance period of its operations due to depressed diamond market conditions as well as major structural impediments to sell finished products. These were considered indicators of impairment among other facts and circumstances and, accordingly, management performed an impairment assessment as at March 31, 2020. The Company recorded an impairment charge of $26.3 million ($19.3 million, net of income taxes) on the Renard diamond stream.

Outlook

On March 23, 2020, given the uncertainties with respect to future developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the duration, severity and scope of the outbreak, the actions taken to contain or treat the COVID?19 outbreak, and impacts on mining operations, Osisko announced the withdrawal of its 2020 production guidance and expects to provide new guidance once operations in the mining industry stabilize. The Company will continue to monitor the situation closely and expects its results for the second quarter of 2020 to be affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on several mining activities on which it holds a royalty, stream or other interest.

Q1 2020 Results Conference Call

Osisko will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 at 10:00 am EDT to review and discuss its first quarter 2020 results.

Those interested in participating in the conference call should dial in at 1-(833) 979-2701 (North American toll free) or 1-(236) 714-2175 (international). An automated voice system will ask you to record your name and to enter the conference identification number 1793021.

The conference call replay will be available from 1:00 pm EDT on May 13, 2020 until 11:59 pm EDT on?May 20, 2020 with the following dial in numbers: 1-(800) 585-8367 (North American toll free) or 1-(416) 621-4642, access code 1793021. The replay will also be available on our website at www.osiskogr.com.

About Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd

Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd is an intermediate precious metal royalty company focused on the Americas that commenced activities in June 2014. Osisko holds a North American focused portfolio of over 135 royalties, streams and precious metal offtakes. Osisko?s portfolio is anchored by its cornerstone asset, a 5% net smelter return royalty on the Canadian Malartic mine, which is the largest gold mine in Canada. Osisko also owns the Cariboo gold project in Canada as well as a portfolio of publicly held resource companies, including a 15.8% interest in Osisko Mining Inc., 17.9% interest in Osisko Metals Incorporated and an 18.3% interest in Falco Resources Ltd.

Osisko?s head office is located at 1100 Avenue des Canadiens-de Montreal, Suite 300, Montreal, Quebec, H3B?2S2.

For further information, please contact Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd:

Sandeep Singh

President

Tel. (514) 940-0670

ssingh@osiskogr.com

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger

info@resource-capital.ch

www.resource-capital.ch

Forward-looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (together, \forward?looking statements\) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address future events, developments or performance that Osisko expects to occur including management?s expectations regarding Osisko?s growth, results of operations, estimated future revenue, requirements for additional capital, production estimates, production costs and revenue, business prospects and opportunities are forward-looking statements. In addition, statements relating to gold equivalent ounces (\GEOs\) are forward?looking statements, as they involve implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, and no assurance can be given that the GEOs will be realized. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words \expects\, \is expected\ \plans\, \anticipates\, \believes\, \intends\, \estimates\, \projects\, \potential\, \scheduled\ and similar expressions or variations (including negative variations of such words and phrases), or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions, events or conditions \will\, \would\, \may\, \could\ or \should\ occur including, without limitation, the performance of the assets of Osisko, that sufficient funding will be available to fund work at the Cariboo Project, that significant value will be created within the accelerator group of companies and Osisko?s ability to seize future opportunities. Although Osisko believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors and are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may accordingly differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results deriving from Osisko?s royalties, streams and other interests to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: the uncertainties related to the COVID-19 impacts, the influence of political or economic factors including fluctuations in the prices of the commodities and in value of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions; regulations and regulatory changes in national and local government, including permitting and licensing regimes and taxation policies; whether or not Osisko is determined to have ?passive foreign investment company? (?PFIC?) status as defined in Section 1297 of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; potential changes in Canadian tax treatments of offshore streams or other interests, litigation, title, permit or license disputes; risks and hazards associated with the business of exploring, development and mining on the properties in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest including, but not limited to development, permitting, infrastructure, operating or technical difficulties, unusual or unexpected geological and metallurgical conditions, slope failures or cave-ins, flooding and other natural disasters or civil unrest, rate, grade and timing of production differences from mineral resource estimates or production forecasts or other uninsured risks; risk related to business opportunities that become available to, or are pursued by Osisko and exercise of third party rights affecting proposed investments. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including, without limitation: the ongoing operation of the properties in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest by the owners or operators of such properties in a manner consistent with past practice; the accuracy of public statements and disclosures made by the owners or operators of such underlying properties; no material adverse change in the market price of the commodities that underlie the asset portfolio; Osisko?s ongoing income and assets relating to the determination of its PFIC status, no material changes to existing tax treatments; no adverse development in respect of any significant property in which Osisko holds a royalty, stream or other interest; the accuracy of publicly disclosed expectations for the development of underlying properties that are not yet in production; and the absence of any other factors that could cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. However, 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. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Osisko cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements and investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements made in this press release, see the section entitled \Risk Factors\ in the most recent Annual Information Form of Osisko which is filed with the Canadian securities commissions and available electronically under Osisko\-\-s issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects Osisko?s expectations as at the date of this press release and is subject to change after such date. Osisko disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
This, of all things, was too much for McConnell to bear. I think President Obama should have kept his mouth shut, McConnell told Trumps daughter-in-law Lara Trump in an online campaign event. Its understandable if Obama doesnt like much what the Trump administration is doing, McConnell allowed. But I think its a little bit classless, frankly, to critique an administration that comes after you. You had your shot, you were there for eight years.
The annual Memorial Day tradition of honoring veterans by placing small American flags at their graves has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has prohibited public events from taking place and banned the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and other groups from planting the flags at cemeteries this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has infected 1.4million across the country.

However, in some communities there has been backlash and demands to reinstate the tradition.

On Long Island, New York, where over 500,000 veterans are buried at two national military cemeteries, locals are asking the Department of Veteran Affairs to reconsider the ban.

The Department of Veteran's Affairs has cancelled all public Memorial Day events from taking place this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, including the Boy Scout tradition of planting small American Flags at the graves of veterans at military cemeteries. Last year's 'Flag Placement Ceremony' at the Los Angeles National Cemetery pictured above on May 25

'If we can't figure out a way to make sure we are placing flags at their graves to honor them, then something is seriously wrong,' Suffolk County executive Steve Bellone said.

Suffolk County is home to Calverton and Long Island National Cemeteries, the resting places of more veterans than any other military cemetery in the country, including Arlington National Cemetery.

Every year Boy Scout Troop 442 from Middle Island, New York places thousands of flags at headstones at Calverton National Cemetery in honor of the veterans sacrifice.

'What we're asking the VA to do is, rather than have a blanket policy across the country, allow the national cemeteries at the local level, to make this determination in conjunction with the local health department,' Bellone said to Fox News.

'We will take the responsibility to say that this flag placement plan meets the state and national guidelines but give us that opportunity to do it, allow us to honor our fallen heroes,' he added.

He said not doing so would be disrespectful to the veterans' legacy.

Boy Scouts from the Long Beach troop prepare a US flag besides the graves of war veterans during the annual 'Flag Placement ceremony' to honor the fallen for Memorial Day at the Los Angeles National Cemetery, California on May 25, 2019

'We just commemorated VE Day, this is the generation that lived through the adversity of the great depression, they won World War Two. What is it going to say about our generation if we can't figure out a way to honor the greatest generation by placing flags at their graves on Memorial Day?' Bellone said.

Eagle Scout Kieran Monaghan, 18, has laid flags at veteran cemeteries for the past five years, and is confident his troop can do so again this year while taking safety precautions.

'It's definitely a very emotional, kind of moving experience. Personally, my Dad is a veteran. He was deployed in Iraq for a year. It's good to be able to pay our respects to our fallen heroes, it's important to me, it's important to the Boy Scouts, it's important to the community and its something that I would hate to see go,' he said.

'It is understandable to a point, but I don't think that it is unreasonable to be able to put a plan together to be able to still accomplish the same thing we have done year after year, still following social distancing guidelines, having everybody masked up, with gloves on. It's definitely doable,' added.

Boy Scout troops across the country including California, Maryland, Missouri and Wisconsin have also cancelled their flag-planting ceremonies in light of the outbreak.

The US National Cemetery Administration, the federal agency within the VA that operates the sites says despite outrages the cemeteries will not host any Memorial Day events.

'The agency said that due to the 'national emergency, VA national cemeteries will not be hosting public Memorial Day events.'

The agency further added that Long Island has not met state criteria for reopening and limits on social gatherings are still in place.

'Families and community members are welcome to visit national cemeteries throughout Memorial Day weekend and place individual flags on graves to honor friends and family. We ask that all visitors adhere to CDC, state and local health, safety, and travel guidelines,' the US National Cemetery Administration said.

Boy Scouts of America tells DailyMail.com: 'The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) takes pride in our Scouts efforts to honor our nations fallen heroes. Our youth members learn the importance of duty to country and honoring the people who served it through the values outlined in the Scout Oath and Law.

As an organization and as individuals, we also appreciate the responsibility we have to conduct these efforts in accordance with local, state and federal health guidelines. The BSA instructs all our participants to adhere to applicable guidelines and practice appropriate social distancing at all times.'
Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The city of Houstons rent relief portal opened at 10.am. on Wednesday to help residents who have missed rent because of the impact of coronavirus.

The portal will close once all available funds have been used. Tenants can receive up to $1,056.
Wikimedia Commons

Islamabad: A Pashtun activist has accused the Pakistan Army of committing human rights violations in the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

Arbab Sohrab Saadat Jabarkhail, who hails from Peshawar and now lives in London, told ANI: "Our houses are getting destroyed every day. Every day our women are getting brutally raped and tortured, which is not acceptable to us."

"We are not going to stop anymore. We are going to raise our voice. We are going to try for help as much as we can."The plight of Pashtuns of Pakistan runs deep and is rooted in a series of unfortunate historical events that have led to systematic discrimination of the ethnic group," he told the news agency.

Pashtuns have often claimed that they have been oppressed by the country's army.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a movement for the rights of Pashtuns, has claimed that military supported Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.

Arbab Sohrab told ANI: "Taliban is a sad mentality, which is being created by the ISI (Pakistan's spy agecy Inter-Services Intelligence). Their mentality is naive, they do not know anything. They are being trained."

Incidentally, a Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader who was vocal about the rights of Pashtun people was killed by unidentified assailants outside his home in Wana, South Waziristan, in Pakistan
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says there is "hard evidence" of the involvement of "Russian forces" in a 2015 cyberattack on the German parliament in which documents from her own parliamentary office were reportedly stolen.

The German daily newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported last week that federal prosecutors in Germany had issued an arrest warrant for a suspected officer with Russia's GRU military intelligence agency.

The alleged GRU officer, identified as Dmitriy Badin, is also being sought by U.S. authorities.

On May 8, the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported that correspondence from Merkel's parliamentary office was among the documents targeted in the 2015 hack.

Prosecutors have not confirmed the German media reports.

But when Merkel was asked by lawmakers on May 13 about the theft of data from her office, she said, "I get the impression that they picked up relatively indiscriminately what they could get."

"I am very glad that the investigations have now led to the federal prosecutor putting a concrete person on the wanted list," Merkel told lawmakers, without elaborating. "I take these things very seriously."

"I can say honestly that this pains me," she said. "On the one hand, I work every day for a better relationship with Russia. When you see on the other hand that there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are involved in acting this way, this is an area of tension."

Russian officials deny any involvement in the 2015 cyberattack on the German parliament.

The Kremlin has also dismissed charges of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and alleged cyberattacks on other countries and institutions.

Merkel indicated that the German investigation had not changed her assessment of Russia's tactics -- a strategy of "hybrid warfare, which includes warfare in connection with cyber, disorientation, and factual distortion."

She said there were important reasons to try to maintain good relations with Russia, "but this naturally doesn't make it easier."

She described the cyberattack as "outrageous," and that Germany reserved "the right to take measures, including against Russia."

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa, and BBC
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has refused an invitation from EU lawmakers to debate emergency powers and the rule of law in his country, the state news agency MTI reports.

European Parliament President David Sassoli invited Orban to speak at the debate in Brussels on May 14, but MTI quoted the right-wing prime minister as replying in a letter that Hungary will be represented by Justice Minister Judit Varga.

In his invitation, Sassoli wrote on May 12 that only heads of state or government can attend such debates, which according to protocol cannot be held remotely.

"At present, the fight against the pandemic consumes all my energy and strength," Orban replied to Sassoli, according to MTI.

Hungary's parliament, where Orban's 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 the European Union and the United States.

Orban has insisted the powers are needed to tackle the spread of the pandemic.

Separately, Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs branded the upcoming debate in Brussels a "witch-hunt, a show trial."

"It's leftists and liberals playing politics when the continent is facing one of the greatest health and economic crises we've seen in a century," Kovacs tweeted on May 13.

The European Parliament on April 17 adopted a statement saying Hungary's measures were "incompatible with European values."

The center-right European People's Party, the European Parliaments biggest grouping, suspended Fidesz from its ranks in March 2019 over concerns over the rule of law in Hungary as well as attacks against the European Commission.

The suspension was extended indefinitely in February, even before the Hungarian lawmakers' move to grant Orban sweeping powers.

Hungary's emergency law also prompted "particular" concern from European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen last month.

While saying EU countries may need extraordinary measures to fight the pandemic, she added, "I am concerned that certain measures go too far -- and I'm particularly concerned with the situation in Hungary."

With reporting by dpa, AP, and AFP
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Niclosamide, a drug used to treat tapeworms, has been found to have strong antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. But the drug itself has limited potential because its structure makes it difficult to dissolve and for patients to absorb.

Purdue University scientist Yuan Yaos laboratory has developed a solution, a plant-based, highly potent nanoparticle called OHPP (octenylsuccinate hydroxypropyl phytoglycogen) that can solubilize and enable niclosamide. Niclosamides solubility can be increased more than 5,000 times with OHPP, and the drug is effectively released to cells. Those findings were published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics in 2018.

Niclosamide has a tough, crystalline structure. When given to the human body, it may behave like sand, not effectively releasing the compound to provide therapeutic effects, said Yao, an associate professor in the Department of Food Science. But using OHPP, we can solubilize these crystals, potentially making niclosamide bioavailable as a drug for COVID-19.

Published research showed that in the laboratory the antiviral effect of niclosamide was much greater than that of chloroquine, remdesivir, or lopinavir  other drugs being considered to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. But solving the solubility issue is key to making niclosamide a real option.

Six years ago, Yaos lab chose niclosamide as a model drug to develop OHPP because of its anti-cancer potential and because its one of the most difficult drugs to solubilize. That work could significantly shorten the timeline of getting an effective version of niclosamide on the market if proven an effective treatment for SARS-CoV-2.

Repositioning of FDA-approved drugs has been a big effort in pharmaceutical research. Now people are looking at niclosamide with a hope to save many lives from the pandemic, Yao said. We were interested in niclosamide as a potential anti-cancer drug, but now we are all thrilled by the fact that OHPP-enabled niclosamide can be potentially used to fight COVID-19.

Yaos research tested OHPP-developed niclosamide against the drug alone and the drug treated with other commercially available solubilizers. The OHPP formulation was over 5,000 times more soluble than niclosamide alone and 50 times more powerful than the leading commercial solubilizers.

OHPP is made from U.S.-grown corn and is patented at Purdue. In the past decade, Yao has been a global leader in the research and development of plant-based dendrimer-like biomaterials, including OHPP. His team uses food industry methods to create most of these new biomaterials.

Safety is the first thing we consider when designing a new biomaterial, he said.

Yao co-founded a startup company, Phytoption LLC, in the Purdue Research Park. The company is now looking for strategic partners to advance OHPP-enabled niclosamide formulations and join the global efforts against COVID-19.

We are fortunate that we have a platform technology ready for the formulation of niclosamide, which is based on years of time and effort, along with the support from the National Science Foundation, and many organizations in Indiana, Phytoption CEO Joanne Zhang said. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an urgent need to assemble a strategic team and bring the technology to the market. If you are interested, lets collaborate and fight this pandemic together.

Writer: Brian Wallheimer, 765-532-0233, bwallhei@purdue.edu

Sources: Yuan Yao, 765-494-6317, yao1@purdue.edu

Joanne Zhang, contact@phytoption.com

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
CAMBRIDGE  Two people are facing charges after a vehicle with fake licence plates fled from police.

Police saw a vehicle travelling in the area of Forfar Avenue in Kitchener with fake plates last week. Officers tried to stop the vehicle but the driver fled, driving across a number of front lawns in the process.

On Monday, police arrested a 31-year-old man in Cambridge at Ainslie and Main streets. Hes charged with dangerous driving, fleeing police and possession of methamphetamine.

A 21-year-old woman is also facing charges that include obstructing police and possessing break and enter tools.

Police seized the vehicle with the fake plates and found more fraudulent plates as a result of the investigation.
Indore, May 14 : Two special Kuwait Airways flights carrying 120 passengers each landed in Indore on Wednesday night with students and other tourists from Madhya Pradesh. The first aircraft landed around 8 p.m.

All 120 passengers were checked without allowing them to come out of the terminal and were sent to Bhopal by special buses. They would remain in isolation for 14 days at the EME centre.

Another plane with 120 passengers landed around 10 p.m. and the passengers were being screened before being sent to Bhopal. Both aircraft returned to Kuwait.

Before this flight arrived, Indore MP Shankar Lalwani was at the airport to monitor the arrangements with airport authorities. Each passenger was screened by the Health Department team.

Many students in countries like Turkey, Kuwait and Iran etc. were unable to come to India due to the closure of flights. Under the central government's 'Vande Bharat' mission plan, such people are being transported to their hometowns.

The special aircraft from Kuwait were earlier expected to land in Bhopal. It was proposed to quarantine the passengers coming from this aircraft at the EME centre. For two days rehearsal were carried out at Bhopal Airport, but later it was decided to land them in Indore.
State Duma backs election ballot ban for average gravity crimes convicts

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

15:27 13/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 13 (RAPSI)  The State Duma passed a bill banning persons convicted of crimes of average gravity to stand as candidates in any election in a final third reading on Wednesday.

The ban is to be active 5 years after expungement of conviction, the document reads.

The draft law prohibits persons convicted of involvement of minors in crimes and inducing them to suicide, kidnapping, obstruction of electoral commissions operation and exercitation of electoral rights, falsification of voting documents, public calls for extremism and infringement of territorial sovereignty, fraud, money laundering and repeated violation of the order of organizing and holding rallies from running for election.

Previously, such a ban was applied to grave crime convicts.
 Close Eurovision: Conchita Wurst performs 'Rise Like A Phoenix'

While the Eurovision Song Contest is sadly unable to take place this year, that doesnt mean fans werent able to celebrate their favourite annual event.

The BBC hosted a TV special on the night of the would-be grand final on 16 May titled Eurovision: Come Together, as part of a wider celebration taking place all this week.

The Come Together show was hosted by Graham Norton; it reflected on the UKs best Eurovision moments, past and present, and was ultimately won by Eurovision stars ABBA and their performance of Waterloo.

The BBC organised a number of shows to lift the spirits of Eurovision fans everywhere, starting with...

Eurovision 2020: The Cancelled Coronavirus Year

In February, BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat began filming a documentary that follows the UKs Eurovision entrant, James Newman, through rehearsals, as well as backstage during the live debut of his Eurovision song, My Last Breath.

The documentary jumps to when the contest was cancelled, and interviews Newman as he reveals what the cancellation means for him. Other contestants speak about how their experiences of Eurovision differ, and what their future plans are.

Eurovision 2020: The Cancelled Coronavirus Year is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer, and on the BBC Newsbeat YouTube channel.

Eurovision at 60

In 2015, Eurovision at 60 aired on BBC to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the song contest. It includes interviews with Graham Norton, Eurovision champion Conchita Wurst, and the late Sir Terry Wogan.

Dana: The Original Derry Girl

Fifty years ago, an 18-year-old schoolgirl left the Bogside in Ireland and journeyed to Amsterdam to represent her country in the 15th Eurovision Song Contest. Against the odds, she won! Dana: The Original Derry Girl looks back at the life of Dana, and how she became Irelands first-ever Eurovision winner

Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up

Eurovision: Come Together

Graham Norton hosted Eurovision: Come Together, a one-off TV special that gave the UK a chance to vote for their favourite Eurovision performances.

The event was ultimately won by ABBA performing Waterloo.

Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light

Right after the Come Together show youll get to watch Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, which will honour all of the 41 songs that would have competed in the 2020 contest in Rotterdam.

This non-competitive show was broadcast across Europe, just like the usual contest, with a special hosted by the original Dutch presenters who were supposed to present the live event this year: Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley, and Jan Smit from the Netherlands. Graham Norton provided additional commentary.

A virtual singalong also took place, with fans dressing up in costume and forming a huge Eurovision choir, which will perform Whats Another Year, Irelands winning song originally performed by Johnny Logan.

The liveblog is now closed

The A-Z of Eurovision

Yes, theres more! Rylan Clark-Neal narrated The A-Z of Eurovision at 10pm on Saturday 16 May, this time on BBC2.

The special took us through all of the disasters, outlandish costumes and other memorable moments that have taken place over 65 years of Eurovision.

TOTP2 Does Eurovision

Hosted by Steve Wright, this Eurovision-themed special was originally shown at the beginning of the 2007 edition of the competition.

Catchup with all of the 2020 Eurovision broadcasts on YouTube and BBC iPlayer.
Not so long ago, at a time when it was still socially acceptable to gather for all kinds of nonessential reasons, including the love of a good book, about 50 people congregated on the second floor of a Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side. They had come that evening, sat side by side on folding chairs, for an event with the writer Andrew Gross. A best-selling author, Gross is a man of many talents, but on this occasion, last fall, it seemed that orating was not chief among them. As he spoke about his latest historical thriller, The Fifth Column, his voice, a touch nasal and accented with a New York twang, was just gravelly enough to distract.

Gross, formerly a businessman, apparently had the self-awareness to accept a suggestion that his publisher had made: Let someone else do the reading at the reading. This is how he found himself welcoming Edoardo Ballerini, the man who recorded Grosss most recent audiobook, who stood off to the side wearing a beige T-shirt and dark jacket.

In his introductory comments, Gross noted that this was the first time he had met Ballerini, despite the actors having also narrated three of his previous novels. Gross recommended that his fans listen to one of the recordings, if they had not done so already. They make whatever I do just absolutely come alive and sing, he said. It was clear that a substantial portion of the crowd, which applauded loudly and even whistled for Ballerini, was already familiar with his work. Afterward, many in the audience, talking among themselves, shared their fondness for Ballerinis narrations; one woman claimed that were it not for his delivery, she wasnt sure she would enjoy Grosss books at all.

Gross spoke for a minute or two more about his latest novel, which starts in New York in the run-up to World War II, then Ballerini replaced him at the lectern and, without pause or words of his own, began: Suddenly I heard a loud crash from the front of the bar.  

Over the course of the next seven minutes, Ballerini told the tale of a brawl that goes very wrong for the narrator, a drunk who tries to take out some Nazi sympathizers but accidentally brutalizes a young bystander instead. Ballerini went in and out of accents: the narrators midcentury tough-guy tones, the bar owners Irish brogue. Soon, it was as if Ballerini all but disappeared, and the story took over. The audience was rapt. Standing nearby, Gross nodded appreciatively, almost possessively, as Ballerini read. Somehow it was clear it was his own work he was admiring, like a composer who toiled alone for years but was now hearing, at long last, his concerto performed by a great pianist.

The audience was, in fact, enjoying a master in his increasingly influential field. Ballerini could be considered the Vladimir Horowitz of his cohort, famous within his profession  among devout audiobook listeners and the ever-expanding industry itself  as a go-to voice for intelligent, subtle but gripping narrations of books. Some listeners will buy whatever he narrates, which might help explain why a collection of Albert Camus essays from the mid-20th century suddenly found itself on the audiobook best-seller list last year. When the publisher Recorded Books needed someone to narrate all five volumes of Robert Alters new, acclaimed translation of the Hebrew Bible, Ballerini was chosen to read it (the audiobook was released in December). After years spent giving voice to novelists ranging from Dean Koontz to Ha Jin, Ballerini was now also the voice of God.

When the applause for Ballerini subsided, Gross stepped back up to the lectern. I knew I could write a little, you know? Gross told the audience. But that was spectacular.

At 50, Edoardo Ballerini enjoys a particular kind of stardom. He is rarely asked for his autograph; fans do not wait outside his recording studio to catch a glimpse of him, and many would not recognize him if they chanced to pass him. And yet he sits at the forefront of a new form of celebrity, like that of the YouTube or podcast star. He is paid at the top range of his field, celebrated in reviews and with honors  he has won his industrys top awards  and his name is one that might as well appear in italics for an avid portion of audiobook listeners.

The audiobook star, an invisible yet intimate voice in the readers ear, is an artist who helps to create the experience of what it means to read a given book. The oldest form of storytelling has been rendered salient once more by technology: the smartphone, the app, AirPods. Before coronavirus, according to audiobook publishers, the peak use of their product came during commuting hours; more recently, they have seen consumption shift to post-dinnertime, when people are trying to wind down before bed. While sales of digital audiobooks have grown steadily over the past seven years, by an average of 27 percent, e-book sales have experienced significant declines.

When the reading was over, a few audience members approached Ballerini to tell him how much they admired his narrations. He seemed almost ambivalent about the attention, his head slightly bowed. It both was and was not his moment. Im there to serve the book, he said.

Edoardo Ballerini started out hoping to be a screen actor, a great one. His father, Luigi Ballerini, is a renowned Italian poet, one of the most lauded of his generation. An academic who raised his son in New York, he has also been an interpreter of others, having provided the Italian translations for authors ranging from Melville to Vonnegut. In college, at Wesleyan, in Connecticut, Edoardo majored in English, the kind of student who recorded albums of T.S. Eliot and Dylan Thomas onto cassettes so he could walk around campus with his Walkman, hearing their voices in his ear. He won a fellowship to study Latin in Rome after graduation but, soon after arriving, started acting with a local theater troupe. When he returned to the States, he gave up his plans for graduate school and began auditioning.

Ballerini tends to macho up his delicate features with facial hair. He does not look especially like a casting agents idea of an Italian, but his name seemed to give producers an excuse to exclude him from some parts and to cast him in others. In 2000, he played a self-absorbed star Italian chef in Dinner Rush, a critically praised independent film starring Danny Aiello; after that came recurring roles as Corky Caporale on The Sopranos, a none-too-bright heroin addict whom Ballerini plays with degenerate lassitude, and Ignatius DAlessio, one of a band of low-dealing brothers on Boardwalk Empire.

In 2007, shortly after he appeared in several episodes of The Sopranos, he recorded his first book: Machiavellis The Prince, a project he accepted as a favor for a friend who was breaking into the audio-production business. Reading and recording for hours was harder than he expected. Sound booths are small and airless; before too long, a readers throat grows parched, and the need to swallow becomes increasingly hard to ignore. I used to have to go home and pass out, Ballerini told me, recalling his first foray. Its exhausting. The best comparison I can think of is to long-distance running. Its easy to say you just put one foot in front of the other for a long time. You actually do it, its difficult.

As he described the beginning of his current career, Ballerini was sitting in the living room of his airy Arts and Crafts home, in a small town a commuters distance north of New York. If the street was unremarkably suburban, the house was not without its theatrical airs, perched up a short but steep flight of stairs, with a grand covered porch. Its pedigree had won him over: David Manners, a silent-movie actor who starred alongside Bela Lugosi, lived there in the 1910s. Not long after moving in, Ballerini converted what used to be the wine cellar into a small recording booth, which is where he has done all of his recording since New Yorks quarantine began, in March. I love the idea that the house of a silent actor is now occupied by one who uses only voice on projects, Ballerini told me by email. What a century will do.

When he started narrating audiobooks, Ballerini saw the job as a convenient side gig while he pursued onscreen stardom. Audio narration entailed no travel, no memorization and little preparation. The assignments came easily. Even before the pandemic, audiobook publishers have employed, collectively, thousands of actors a year. A major studio might put out no more than 35 films a year, while Audible would churn out thousands of titles in the same period. Ballerini reports that even now the narrating jobs have not slowed down for him and his colleagues.

Ballerini had recorded fewer than a dozen books when, in 2012, he took on the one that would change his career: Jess Walters Beautiful Ruins, a novel set in 1960s Italy and modern-day Los Angeles. To an array of characters of diverse eras and geographies  an aspiring actress, American soldiers, Richard Burton, an opinionated Italian aunty and her pet nephew, a cynical film producer, a slacker aspiring to be a screenwriter, a stoner boyfriend and his ambitious girlfriend  Ballerini gives specificity and depth, while somehow maintaining a consistent tone throughout. The critic Laura Miller, writing in Salon, named it the years best audiobook narration, with a tribute acknowledging how much Ballerinis reading enhanced the source material: She called him a true collaborator who added a layer of warmth to what was already outstanding storytelling. He won the Oscar equivalent of best actor in the awards field for audiobooks that year, beating out stars like Dustin Hoffman and Colin Firth for the male solo narrator award; the Audio Publishers Association nominated Beautiful Ruins for audiobook of the year. It was like Id been shot out of a cannon, Ballerini says.

The audiobooks success also marked a turning point in the industry, and insiders took note: Although Beautiful Ruins was a best-selling work of fiction, audio sales outstripped its hardcover sales. The timing was right for this sort of breakout success. Audible, by then owned by Amazon, was aggressively marketing its app, and rapidly expanded its library that year.

Before recording the book, Ballerini had spent an evening or two watching Richard Burton in some of his better-known films  Ballerinis version of the actors voice, in Beautiful Ruins, is recognizable without veering into easy parody  but beyond that, he did not exactly devote hours of work to character development. Reading out loud, he would eventually realize, was easy for him: He could skim a book ahead of time and think about it while looking after his young children. (Ballerinis partner, Genevieve Futrelle, is director of program management for The New York Times.) Some narrators make charts of the various characters, listing their qualities for easy recall; research regional accents; or flag passages where they want to remember a certain tack. Ballerinis approach is looser: He tends to cast the characters, as he puts it, associating them with people he knows or actual public figures, and then lets the authors descriptions  fast-talking, hesitant, alluring  give them individuality.

Ballerini could invest the authorial voice with suspense and engagement, and yet, for someone who spent most of his adult life aspiring to be seen, he was surprisingly good at stepping back enough to avoid becoming an overbearing presence. He had, it turned out, a specific, perfectly suited set of talents that might never have been rewarded had he come of age professionally at any earlier moment.

Until about a year ago, Ballerini continued to pursue roles on television and in film. But since Beautiful Ruins, his steadiest source of income has been audio narration  his work has included recordings for the subscription service Audm, which The New York Times bought in March  and he takes great care to master the small choices that help keep his most profitable instrument in form. On recording days (most weekdays), he avoids foods that make his mouth pasty (like cheese or yogurt) and passes up drinks (like espresso) that make his stomach noisy. He takes regular sips of water, during breaks, to keep saliva at optimal flow. He soothes his vocal cords, some nights, with a small amount of whiskey; his children run little risk of being yelled at by their father, as he protects his voice from that kind of stress. About a year after Beautiful Ruins, he temporarily lost his voice, so much so that he sounded, he says, like a dying frog. To make sure that did not happen again, he sat in on a workshop taught by another well-admired narrator, Robin Miles, who helped him learn to take small, subtle intakes of air through the nose as he exhales, so that he is never entirely without breath; the approach resembles, he says, his own past experience with meditation, which also helped him with the focus he needs for the long hours of sometimes monotonous reading  not every book is to his taste.

Even when the subject fails to intrigue him, though, the play of the language itself serves as a point of engagement. As the child of a poet who was always hosting spirited dinner parties with other poets, Ballerini grew up among conversations that were not just wordy, but were about the sound of words. His fascination with prosody frequently carries him along; when he reads aloud, he often appears to be conducting with one hand. Ive always heard language in terms of sound as much as meaning, he says. A phrase like A bird flew through the window is as much about the internal rhyme, flew through, as it is about the action described, and I pay attention to both.

Authors as well as listeners seek Ballerini out. Jess Walter says Ballerini is the only narrator whose reading of one of his novels he has heard in its entirety. Its so strange to have your work read by someone else, Walter says. Its like watching a video of someone making out with your wife. No matter how good their technique is, it just doesnt seem right.

Ballerini recognizes the responsibility involved in interpreting others words, so much so that he almost declined to narrate Alters translation of the Bible. I really had to think about it, he told me last fall. Its a serious undertaking. He had made it clear to the producers that if he took on the project, he would not orate it, James Earl Jones-style; nor would character sketches drive his performance. His goal was simply to read it with the natural incantation of storytelling, as best he could, even when just listing dozens of multisyllabic biblical names. His one predetermined decision was that he would slow down when he read as God. Im God, he said. Im not in any hurry  no ones going anywhere when I speak.

He would avoid theological interpretation, and yet even a wholly neutral delivery would be a choice of consequence. While inside the recording booth at Recorded Books that day, he read the story of King Solomon, whose ruling would mean cutting in half a newborn baby being claimed by two mothers. Cut the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other, he read, his right hand conducting at waist level. His delivery offered no hint of wrath; he sounded like a parent testing two children, not playful but not threatening either, so that the moment was never truly terrifying. And when one of the mothers insisted that the other take the child, rather than see the baby slain, he delivered his pronouncement gently, uttering each word as if setting down a fragile, beloved object: Give her the living newborn, and absolutely do not put him to death. She is his mother.

Ballerini had been recording for hours, sometimes reading dry, repetitive passages with few discernible subtleties, and yet now, finally stumbling unexpectedly upon one of the greatest hits of that great book, he was struck by its power, and his eyes were wet.

Recently Ballerini finished a labor of love, a reading of Walt Whitmans Leaves of Grass for a small audiobook publisher called Dreamscape. He himself proposed the project. I wanted to do something quintessentially American, but also something personal, he says. And poetry, which lives in my core, offered that outlet. Just before taking on Leaves of Grass, he read War and Peace for AmazonClassics Edition. The project provided the kind of fulfillment that he doubts would have come his way had he still been chasing parts, he says, like Character No. 5 on some NBC procedural. It took him a month of recording 20 to 25 hours a week to complete, but the characters came together quickly in his mind over the course of several days. Prince Andrei, powerful and full of ego, always spoke, he imagined, with a half-empty wine goblet in his hand. The awkward, ungainly but endearing Pierre Bezukhov would be the love child of Hugh Grant and Gerard Depardieu. Napoleon would sound a little like Silvio Berlusconi. In the recording he ultimately delivered, Ballerini has the charisma to carry the novel, with its cast of larger-than-life characters, while delivering a performance that is reassuringly understated. The book, rather than the narrator, remains the star.

Ballerini considers a project he started in 2014 to be the most ambitious of his career, as well as the most emotionally resonant: Karl Ove Knausgaards six-volume autobiographical opus, My Struggle. The audiobook, essentially a 135-hour monologue, ultimately took him more than 200 hours over the course of five years to finish. Knausgaards exhaustive, confessional work resonated deeply with Ballerini.

I felt such an affinity, he says. His struggles were my struggles. Maybe thats the mark of great literature  it makes you feel like its you, the way a great love song makes you feel its been written for you. But Ballerini also felt a particular biographical kinship to the work  he, like Knausgaard, bore a level of responsibility for child-rearing that would have been unusual for male artists of earlier generations, and so he related to the way Knausgaard wrestles with his ego, with disappointment, with the need to take himself seriously as an artist while also engaging with family life. Ballerini says he was often the awkward dad at the birthday party, or the one at the park with a 2-year-old, begging moms for a diaper and some wipes; Knausgaard is the frazzled dad juggling three children at the supermarket, or placating them with ice cream and facing the judgment of other adults around him whose kids eat fruit instead.

When he started the series, Ballerini had recently discovered his knack for audio narration but was still yearning for a breakout role on the screen. By the time he finished the sixth volume, he says, the book had taught him some level of self-acceptance, had insinuated itself into his life, into his dreams. He sometimes woke with the sense that Knausgaard was outside his home, smoking; every memory of Knausgaards  burying beer in the snow, as an adolescent, to hide it  triggered one of his own. Suddenly, Im not reading, Ballerini told me in an email, trying to capture the feeling he had. Im performing, Im living the books. It was the role of a lifetime  and yet it was one he was recording in a small studio, with only a sound engineer for an immediate audience.

He felt, when he finished, as if hed been through six volumes worth of therapy; he appreciated that his career had changed, for the better, just not in the direction hed anticipated. I cant pretend that there wasnt frustration, he said, recalling the opportunities that got away, including, in 2017, a canceled HBO series in which he would have had a significant role. It was very depressing. He cited the Vietnamese poet and monk Thich Nhat Hanh: From mud, we have flowers. Out of that, I have this. Or, as Jess Walter wrote in Beautiful Ruins  a book that turns on the story of an aspiring movie star whose life swerves away from that goal  The smaller the space between your desire and what is right, the happier you will be. Ballerini was the lucky ambitious person who could see himself, by midlife, as a successful something, instead of a failed something else. Rather than fighting to be seen, hed become an invisible star, disappearing just enough to let someone elses story come through.

Audio of "The Fifth Column" courtesy of Macmillan audio. Audio of Alters translation of the Bible courtesy of Recorded Books.
Chron.com is following the latest headlines on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the Houston area

5:45 p.m.

Gov. Greg Abbott is dispatching facilities disinfection teams from the Texas National Guard to state nursing homes, which have become some of the hardest-hit sites of the coronavirus pandemic.

"These Facilities Disinfection Teams consist of Guardsmen from Joint Task Force 176, and each team is equipped with unique supplies such as advanced personal protective equipment, ionized sprayers, and vital oxide," a statement from Abbott's office read. "The teams received training from the Texas Military Department 6th Civil Support Team, who specialize in man-made and natural disaster assessment and rapid response in hazardous environments. "

2:00 p.m.

The Harris County Public Health Department's army of contact tracers that are working to help identify persons who may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus will increase by up to 300 new hires by the end of next week, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said during a Wednesday press conference at the department headquarters.

The contact tracers are part of the county's roadmap that consists of testing, tracing and treatment methods it is employing to ward off a potential second spike in cases as the state continues to reopen. Hidalgo announced Harris County has seen an additional 88 new cases since yesterday, with 8,416 confirmed across the county and city of Houston.

"Sometimes you think the numbers sound small but over 80,000 people have died of coronavirus in the U.S.," Hidalgo said. "These arent just numbers we have to continue to fight aggressively."

The new contact tracers are currently being trained and on-boarded by experienced health department supervisors and epidemiologists. The new hires are a mix of paid employees and some volunteers and come from diverse backgrounds that represent the Houston-area community.

Contact tracing has been used by health officials across the country and globe for decades, but the lack of a cure or treatment for COVID-19 makes contact tracing even more essential to stopping the pandemic, officials said. Hidalgo alongside HCPHD Executive Director Dr. Umair Shah, urged the public to continue to wear face coverings, practice social distancing and stay home if at all possible to help make it easier for contact tracers to locate everyone a COVID-19 patient may have been in contact with.

"We are an enormous county...we are larger than most states," Hidalgo said. "If we have folks infect one another at a huge rate, we [the contact tracers] simply cant keep up."

The county's tracers can handle about 180 cases a day, which results in reaching out to about 3,600 contacts a day and 20,000 contacts a week, according to Shah. Hidalgo said the county's contact tracers will first focus on cases that reside in nursing homes or who have been in other high-contact areas.

Employees will not ask for any information pertaining to a person's social security number, bank account, or immigration status. Contact tracing is free to the public, so residents will not be asked for credit card information or to make a payment of any kind.

"If anyone asks you those questions they are not part of our contact tracing team and you should be concerned about fraud," Shah said. "Let us know at the health department so we can notify the authorities."

Mayor Sylvester Turner last week announced the city will deploy its own team of contact tracers, which Hidalgo hopes to integrate with the county and possible state resources in the future.

"We are still waiting to see what the state government will be able to send Harris County in terms of contact tracing resources," Hidalgo said. "We are not going to assume those resources will arrive [but] we will be ready to integrate as soon as those resources become available."

The contact tracers are being paid for with funds from the $2 trillion economic relief package, Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act" also known as the CARES Act that was signed by President Donald Trump in March.

9:00 a.m.

The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases show Texas has returned to 1,000+ new cases after one day below that threshold as of May 12, according to the Houston Chronicle's data team.

The statewide total increased by 2.9 percent with 1,189 new cases, bringing the total to 41,849. The state's death count increased by 2.9 percent, bringing the total to 1,153.

The Houston region's count had risen to 12,094 and is now up to 279 deaths. In Harris County, there are now 8,416 cases total.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 08:21:02

The information was submitted to the public on May 13, 2020 at 8:20 CET

NOTE: This is an unofficial translation of the original notice, which is in Swedish.

In case of discrepancies, the Swedish version shall prevail.

The shareholders of CellaVision AB (publ) reg. no. 556500-0998 (the Company) are hereby summoned to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 16 June 2020 at 15.00 CEST at the Companys premises, at Mobilvagen 12, in Lund, Sweden. Registration starts at 14.30 CEST and will stop when the meeting starts.



The Company is closely monitoring the development of covid-19, the corona virus, and will revert with more information closer to the AGM if it is deemed necessary to take any precautionary measures for the AGM due to infectivity reasons.

Right to participate

Those who have been recorded as shareholders in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB as per 10 June 2020, and who, no later than 10 June 2020, give notice to the Company of their intent to participate at the AGM have a right to participate at the AGM. Notice to participate shall be given in writing to CellaVision AB, c/o Fredersen Advokatbyra AB, Turning Torso, 211 15 Malmo or by e-mail to cellavision@fredersen.se. The notice shall contain the shareholders name, personal identity number or registration number and telephone number and, where applicable, the number of advisors (maximum two). Prior to the AGM, the shareholder will receive a confirmation. If no confirmation is received, notice has not been duly given.

In order to attend the AGM the shareholders whose shares are registered under the name of a nominee, must temporarily register his shares in his own name in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB. Such registration must be executed no later than 10 June 2020 and should be requested with the nominee well in advance.

Proxy

If a shareholder wishes to be represented by proxy, a power of attorney shall be issued to the proxy. The power of attorney is to be in writing, dated and duly signed by the shareholder. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a copy of the registration certificate or, if no such document exists, equivalent documentation shall be included with the notification. The documentation shall prove the right of the person that has signed the power of attorney to appoint proxy. To facilitate registration at the AGM, please provide the power of attorney in original as well as registration certificate and other documents of authority to Fredersen Advokatbyra to the address mentioned above on 10 June 2020 at the latest. If the power of attorney and other authorization documents have not been submitted in advance, the power of attorney in the original and other authorization documents must be presented at the AGM. Power of attorney forms are available at the Company and on the Companys website, www.cellavision.com , and will be sent upon request to any shareholder who states their postal address.

Important information regarding participation by proxy

The Company encourages its shareholders not to attend the 2020 AGM in person. Shareholders are instead requested to vote by way of a proxy. More information regarding special proxy services, as well as templates for a proxy form are available on the Companys website https://www.cellavision.com/en/for-investors/corporate-governance/annual-general-meetings .

Proposal of agenda

Opening of the meeting Election of chairman of the meeting Preparation and approval of the voting register Approval of the agenda Election of one or two persons to attest the minutes Determination as to whether the meeting has been duly convened Statement by the Companys CEO Presentation of the annual report and the auditors report as well as the group accounts and the auditors report for the group Resolution on adoption of the profit and loss account and the balance sheet as well as of the consolidated profit and loss account and the consolidated balance sheet Resolution on allocation of the Companys profit according to the consolidated balance sheet Resolution on discharge from liability for the board members and the CEO Resolution as to the number of board members, deputy board members, auditors and deputy auditors Resolution on the remuneration to the board of directors and auditor Election of board members

The nominating committee proposed board members:

Soren Mellstig (re-election) Christer Fahraeus (re-election) Asa Hedin (re-election) Anna Malm Bernsten (re-election) Niklas Prager (re-election) Jurgen Riedl (re-election) Stefan Wolf (re-election) Mikael Worning (new election) Election of chairman of the board Election of auditor Resolution regarding principles for appointment of nomination committee Resolution regarding guidelines for remuneration to the senior management Closing of the meeting





Resolution proposals

Dividend (item 10)

The Board of Directors proposes that no dividend for the financial year 2019 is to be paid.

Election of board of directors, chairman of the board and auditor and resolution regarding principles for appointment of nomination committee (item 2, 12- 17)

The nomination committee which has consisted of Soren Mellstig (convening and adjunct), Christer Fahraeus, chairman, (appointed by Christer Fahraeus and companies) Nicklas Hansen (appointed by William Demant Invest A/S), Bo Lundgren (appointed by Swedbank Robur funds) and Joel Eklund (appointed by Grenlunden CEVI AB) proposes the AGM to resolve:

that Soren Mellstig is elected chairman of the AGM,

that the board of directors shall consist of eight board members and no deputy board members,

that one auditor with no deputy auditors is elected,

that remuneration to the board shall be SEK 500,000 (500,000) to the chairman of the board and SEK 225,000 (225,000) each to the board members, however, that no remuneration shall be paid to board members who are employees in the Company. Furthermore, remuneration shall be paid by SEK 40,000 to the chairman of the boards audit committee and SEK 20,000 to each member of the boards audit committee, SEK 40,000 to the chairman of the boards remuneration committee and SEK 20,000 to each member of the boards remuneration committee,

that remuneration to the auditor shall be in accordance with approved invoicing,

that Christer Fahraeus, Asa Hedin, Anna Malm Bernsten, Niklas Prager, Soren Mellstig, Jurgen Riedl and Stefan Wolf are re-elected as board members, and that Mikael Worning is elected as new member of the board of directors,

Mikael Worning, of Danish nationality and born 1962, has many years of experience from leading positions in global sales of medical devices, primarily in diagnostics and hearing aids (including implants). Mikael Worning is the President of the subsidiary for Demant's operations in North and South America, which represents just over 40% of Demant Group's revenues. Mikael Worning has successfully led the consolidation of a fragmented business structure into a coordinated business model encompassing both its own organization, and through the acquisition of companies, to achieve commercial success. Mikael Worning is independent in relation to the Company and the executive management but is dependent in relation to the Companys major shareholders. Mikael Worning holds no shares in CellaVision AB.

For full information of proposed board members, please see the Companys website www.cellavision.com





that Soren Mellstig is re-elected as chairman of the board of directors,

that Deloitte AB is re-elected as auditor and that the authorized accountant Jeanette Roosberg shall be appointed principle auditor, if the AGM resolves in accordance with the proposal, and

that the following main principles shall apply for the appointment of the nomination committee:

The Chairman of the Board shall, as soon as the registered ownership conditions in the company as of 31 July the year before the Annual General Meeting are known, contact the four largest registered shareholders according to the company's share book and ask them to appoint a member each to the Nomination Committee. If such shareholders do not wish to appoint a member, the next largest registered shareholders will be asked in the order of size until four shareholders' representatives have been appointed. Together, the four largest shareholders form the nomination committee, where the Chairman of the Board is convener and can participate as an adjunct but is not a member of the Nomination Committee. Nomination Committee shall thereafter appoint a chairman for the Nomination Committee. The names of the members of the Nomination Committee shall be published by the company no later than six months before the next Annual General Meeting. When establishing the Nomination Committee, the rules on independence in the Swedish Corporate Governance Code (the "Code") must be taken into account. The Nomination Committee shall follow and fulfill the tasks that follow from the Code and shall submit proposals for a process for the appointment of a new Nomination Committee to the next Annual General Meeting.

If a shareholder who has appointed a member of the Nomination Committee, prior to the completion of the Nomination Committee's mandate, receives a lower position on the list of the largest voting shareholders in the company, the member appointed by the shareholder, unless the Nomination Committee so decides, is replaced by a new member appointed by the shareholder, that at the point in time is the largest registered shareholder in terms of votes and who is not already represented in the Nomination Committee. Should any of the members of the Nomination Committee, before the Nomination Committee's assignment is completed, resign, or for any other reason, cease to represent the shareholder who has appointed the member, and if the appointing shareholder so requests, shall be replaced by a new member appointed by the shareholder.

The term of office of the Nomination Committee thus appointed shall run until a new nomination committee has taken office. No remuneration for the members' work in the Nomination Committee shall be paid. If necessary, the company must be able to bear reasonable costs that the Nomination Committee deems necessary for the Nomination Committee to be able to fulfill its task. The Nominating Committee may also appoint members to the Nominating Committee if deemed appropriate; however, an adjunct member should not have voting rights in the Nomination Committee.





Resolution regarding guidelines for remuneration to the senior management (item 18)

The board of directors proposes guidelines for remuneration for CellaVisions senior management with the following content, to be applicable until substantial changes in the guidelines are required. However, the guidelines shall be applicable until the annual general meeting 2024 at the latest. The proposed guidelines are more detailed than before to conform with new legal requirements. The changes will not have any major effects on the remuneration structure.

The guidelines comprise salary and other remuneration to the senior management of CellaVision. The members of the board of directors are in some cases included in these guidelines, see the section below. The guidelines shall be applied to contracted remunerations, and to changes that are made to already contracted remunerations, after the guidelines have been adopted by the annual general meeting 2020.

The guidelines govern decisions on remunerations that are taken by the board of directors or the board of directors remuneration committee related to the senior management. The guidelines do not comprise remunerations which are determined by the general meeting, for example share-related incentive programs or compensation to the board members for their work in the board of directors. Potential remuneration for services, which are within the respective area of competence of a board member and which does not constitute board work, shall in special cases be compensated. Such services (including services that are performed by a wholly owned company of a member of the board of directors) can be compensated on a market price basis, provided that the services contribute to the realization of CellaVisions market strategy and CellaVisions long-term interests, including its sustainability. Such potential remuneration to a board member falls within the scope of these guidelines.

Variable remuneration for senior management shall be able to be paid on the basis of participation from time to time decided long-term incentive programs. Such programs can be cash-based, share-related or share price-related. New share-related or share price-related programs are decided upon, where appropriate, by the general meeting and is therefore not included in these guidelines.

The guidelines promotion of CellaVisions business strategy, long-term interests and sustainability

CellaVisions vision is global digitalization and automatization of blood analyses of both the human and veterinary segment. To achieve this, CellaVision employs a strategy based on six initiatives  geographical expansion, expansion to new market segments, innovations, development of partnerships, improved supply chain and business development  to create opportunities for continued growth at the same rate as the financial targets. CellaVisions business idea is to offer products within sample preparations, which primarily consists of consumables, as well as digital solutions for medicinal microscoping which replaces microscopes with analysis instruments based on digital image analysis, artificial intelligence and IT. CellaVisions solutions contributes to improved diagnostics whilst lowering costs and enhancing work flow. CellaVisions vision, strategy and targets are available in more detail at the companys website www.cellavision.com .

A successful implementation of CellaVisions business strategy presumes that CellaVision can recruit and retain proficient employees with the right competence. In order to achieve this, it is required that CellaVision can offer a market conformant total compensation which is made possible by the guidelines. The part of the total compensation which pertains to variable remuneration shall strive to promote CellaVisions business strategy and long-term interests, including sustainability.

Forms of remuneration

CellaVision shall offer a market-conforming total compensation. Remuneration shall consist of salary, benefits in kind, variable remuneration and pension. Together, salary plus variable remuneration constitutes the target compensation of the employee. In addition and notwithstanding these guidelines, the general meeting is able to take decisions regarding share-related remunerations.

Fixed salary

Fixed salary shall take into account the individuals areas of responsibility and experience. The salary shall be revised yearly. The distribution between salary and variable remuneration shall be in proportion to the responsibility and authority of the person holding the position. No separate board fee is payable to a member of management holding a position as member or alternate in a group company board of directors.

Variable remuneration

Potential variable remuneration to the members of the senior management shall always be limited to a maximum amount which for a period of one year may not exceed 75 percent of each individuals fixed salary or equivalent for one year. The remuneration shall be linked to pre-determined and measurable criterions with the purpose to promote the companys long-term value-adding, business strategy and long-term interests, including sustainability. The ratio between salary and variable remuneration shall be in proportion to the responsibility and authority of the person holding the position. Variable remuneration shall be based on the fulfilment of individual targets, which are determined by the board of directors by proposal from the remuneration committee. Such targets shall for the CEO be linked to the companys general targets including earnings, turnover and/or cash flow. For other members of the senior management, the variable remuneration shall be based on equivalent targets and targets within its own area of responsibility. The period of measurement for the criterions linked to variable remuneration shall be one year.

When the period of measurement for fulfilment of criterion pertaining to payment of variable remuneration has ended, the extent of the fulfilment of the criterions shall be evaluated. During the evaluation, the remuneration committee, or, if applicable, the board of directors, can adjust the targets and/or the remuneration for both negative and positive extraordinary events, reorganizations and structural changes.

Short-term bonus program

CellaVisions senior management have the right to a certain bonus, given that some goals pertaining to operating profit and turnover as well as certain individual target are fulfilled during the fiscal year. The targets are set by the board of directors. The bonus for the senior management pertaining to 2020 is calculated, given an unchanged salary and an unchanged number of participants from the senior management, to cost at the most 2.8 MSEK per year (excluding social security contributions). The number of members of the senior management and the salary level for these members can be revised and such a revision can entail increased costs for the company. The costs for potential future bonus programs will be calculated based on the same principles as the bonus program for 2020.

Long-term cash-based incentive program

The board of directors intends to continue with a long-term cash-based incentive program for CellaVisions senior management as set out below. The outcome of a yearly program is dependent on progress of the average yearly growth of the companys profit per share. Maximum remuneration is payable if the annual average growth of the companys profit per share during a period of three years, starting the 1 January of year one and ending the 31 December of year three (for example: from the 1 January 2020 to the 31 December 2022), is at least 15 %. For a maximum outcome, the companys costs for the incentive program which runs from the 1 January 2020 to the 31 December 2022 will amount to 3.6 MSEK (excluding social security contributions), based on an unchanged salary level and on participation of ten members of senior management in the incentive program. The number of members of the senior management and the salary level for these members can be revised and such a revision can entail increased costs for the company. The costs for potential future incentive programs will be calculated based on the same principle as the incentive program that runs from the 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022. To share in the outcome from the incentive program the member of senior management must be employed by the company on the 31 December of the third year. The potential payment for the incentive program will be paid out during the fourth year (for example: if the incentive program runs from and including 1 January 2020 to and including 31 December 2022, the potential payment will be made during 2023).

Pension and other benefits

Pension conditions must be commercial in relation to market conditions applicable to others holding equivalent positions and must be based on defined contribution plan solutions. The retirement age is to be 65 years. For all members of the senior management the pension benefits can amount to at most 30 percent of the yearly fixed salary.

Other benefits must be commercial in relation to market conditions applicable to others holding equivalent positions. Such benefits can in total amount to at the most ten (10) percent of the yearly fixed salary.

As to employment conditions which are subject to other rules than Swedish rules, such as pension benefits and other benefits, necessary adjustments can be made to follow mandatory rules or local practice, whereby these guidelines general purpose shall be met.

Conditions at cessation of employment

Severance pay for a member of the senior management can be payable in an amount equivalent to a maximum of 12 months salary. The total of the fixed salary during the period of notice and severance pay may not exceed an amount equivalent to two years fixed salary for the member of the senior management. For notice of termination of a member of the senior management shall observe a notice period of three (3)  twelve (12) months and the employee a notice period of three (3)  six (6) months.

Consideration of salary and terms of employment for employees

At the preparation of the board of directors proposal of these guidelines, salary and terms of employment for CellaVisions employees have been considered. Information regarding the employees total compensation, compensation components and the compensation increase and the rate of increase over time have been a part of the remuneration committees and the boards evaluation of the fairness of these guidelines and the limitations which follows these guidelines.

The decision-making process for adopting, reviewing and implementing the guidelines

The board of directors has established a remuneration committee. The committees tasks include to prepare the boards decisions of proposals for guidelines for remuneration to senior management and remuneration and other terms of employment for this group. The board shall establish a proposal for new guidelines at least every fourth year and present the proposal for decision at a general meeting.

The guidelines shall be valid until new guidelines are adopted by the general meeting. The remuneration committee shall also monitor and evaluate ongoing and during the year concluded programs for variable remuneration for the senior management, application of guidelines for compensation of members of the senior management and applicable compensation structures and compensation levels at CellaVision. The remuneration committees members are independent in relation to CellaVision and the senior management. Neither the CEO nor any other member of the senior management partake in the boards handling of and decisions in remuneration related questions, to the extent they are subject to the matters at hand.

Departure from the guidelines

The board of directors may decide to temporarily depart from the guidelines entirely or partly if in a specific case there are special reasons for a departure and it is necessary for CellaVisions long-term interests, including its sustainability or to safeguard CellaVisions economic soundness. As described above it is included in the remuneration committees tasks to prepare the boards decisions in questions related to remuneration, which includes decision on departure from the guidelines.

An example on a departure is when more variable remuneration shall be payable at extraordinary circumstances, if such arrangements are made on a personal level and either for the purpose of recruiting or keeping members of the senior management or as remuneration for extraordinary efforts not included in the members ordinary work tasks. Such remuneration may not exceed an amount corresponding to 100 percent of the yearly fixed salary and may not be paid more than once a year per person.

Potential significant changes in the guidelines and shareholders views

The proposal for these guidelines does not result in any material changes in relation to the companys current guidelines for remuneration, which were established at the annual general meeting 2019. In connection with the establishment of the companys current guidelines certain views where voiced by shareholders regarding that bonus should not be paid to the companys senior management. This view has been considered at the establishment of these guidelines and the judgement has been made that this proposal is commercial in relation to market conditions applicable to other members of senior managements holding equivalent positions.

Information on decided remuneration that has not fallen due to payment and on departures from the guidelines for remuneration which were resolved upon by the annual general meeting 2019

Previous annual general meetings have resolved on guidelines for remuneration and on other terms of employment for members of the senior management for the period up until the next annual general meeting. In short, these guidelines mean that, in addition to fixed salary, variable remuneration can be payable, which is connected to individual target which for example can be connected to earnings, turnover, cash flow and/or achievements of targets within the own responsibility area. Short-term variable remuneration is expensed during the financial year and paid out after the measuring period for the fulfilment of criterions for payment of variable remuneration has been concluded and it has been decided to which extent the criterions has been fulfilled. The guidelines which were adopted by the annual general meeting 2019 have been followed and all previously decided remunerations which has not yet been paid out is within the framework described above.

Further information

At the time of the issue of this notice, the total number of shares in the Company amounts to 23,851,547, with a total number of votes of 23,851,547. The Company does not hold any own shares.

The annual report, audit report, the auditors' opinion regarding the application of the guidelines for the remuneration to the executive management adopted by the AGM held in 2019, as well as complete underlying documentation in general, shall be made available by the Company and at the Company's website at least three weeks before the AGM. The documents will be sent to shareholders who request it and who provide their postal address.

The shareholders are reminded of their right of information according to chapter 7 section 32 of the Swedish Companies Act (Sw: aktiebolagslagen).

Processing of personal data

For information on how your personal data is processed, see: https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf

Lund, May 2020

CellaVision AB (publ)

The Board of Directors

Publication

The information in this press release is information that CellaVision AB (publ) is obliged to disclose pursuant to the Securities Market Act and the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The Information was released for public disclosure on May 13, 2020, at 8:20 CET.





Attachment
WATERLOO  More testing needs to happen so we can know how and where the coronavirus is spreading, says Waterloo New Democrat MPP Catherine Fife.

Everything comes back to testing, she said. If we are not doing extensive testing, how can you have adequate community modelling?

But testing appears to be delayed in some care homes in Waterloo Region.

A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Westhill Retirement Residence in Waterloo after a man living there tested positive last Friday. He was in hospital before the outbreak was declared.

Fife said she heard from concerned adult children who have their parents living in the retirement home and they are worried that testing of their family is lagging.

Westhill offers individualized apartment units to residents in the area of Ira Needles Boulevard and Erb Street West.

Fife said families are worried about their parents who are in daily contact with personal support workers and nurses even though they live in their own units.

Sylvie Lucas, director of retirement living at London-based Sifton Properties, which operates Westhill, said all residents are in isolation in their suites. Visitors have not been allowed in the building for several weeks, she said in an email.

Lucas said all employees have personal protective equipment and our supply chains for continued PPE is in place and we have plentiful inventory on site.

She said Westhill is working with local public health officials to test employees and residents. Families of all residents were notified of the positive case on Friday.

There are no other persons symptomatic or presumed to have symptoms, she said.

Isolation measures will continue for up to three weeks.

Waterloo Regions acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said public health is following provincial guidelines when it comes to managing an outbreak at care homes.

The province mandates only long-term care homes be tested, but the region is also testing retirement homes such as Westhill.

Wang said the next step is expanding testing to the entire residence. At Westhill, testing of the remainder of residents was to begin on Tuesday, she said.

At many long-term care homes, valid concerns remain despite public health officials overseeing local outbreaks.

Concerning issues include staffing shortages, a lack of testing for residents and whether proper protocols around personal protective equipment are being followed, Fife said.

And even though the province has said personal support workers can not work at multiple homes, workers are still moving from home to home, she said.

It is a shameful state of affairs and heartbreaking, said Fife, referring to the number of positive cases and deaths in long-term care homes in the region and across the province.

On Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford said the province now has the power to take over managing long-term care homes struggling with COVID-19 outbreaks. Ford has referred to the care home system as broken.

Across the province, more than 1,200 people living in long-term care homes have died of COVID-19. Locally, 105 people have died and more than 80 per cent of those deaths are in care homes.

There are currently 11 outbreaks in long-term care homes in the region. Locally, the number of people tested is at 10,306.

In my opinion, any economic recovery strategy should incorporate a strategy for health services, Fife said. For now the government is just trying to put out fires.
As testing ramps up, no facility will be immune to the impact of COVID-19, or the loss of life that comes from it, the statement said. But at Meadowbrook, we take each loss to heart, regardless of whether it is our residents who passed here or, in most cases, after leaving here to only pass away at a nearby hospital.
When Raven Winchester lost her janitorial job last year, she promised to find a more stable career to support her partner and three children.

Winchester enrolled in Flockjays 10-week technology course in November, and in February, the 28-year-old from Oakland was hired as a sales development representative at LaunchDarkly  one of the very businesses where she used to scrub toilets.

With U.S. unemployment numbers near historic highs during the coronavirus pandemic, many workers are hoping to repeat Winchesters success story and are turning to the surging reskilling sector of the tech education industry in an effort to get back to work.

Coming from where I come from and being able to position myself into this kind of career, it really meant a lot to me, said Winchester, who more than doubled her custodial salary with Eden after she started working on tech sales at LaunchDarkly. The first day I stepped into the office an official employee, I just looked around at all of the things that I used to have to fing clean. It was an emotional moment. I cried like a baby.

Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

The countrys unemployment level reached 14.7% in April, with 20.5 million people out of jobs, according to federal data. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said this week that the number could rise close to the 24.9% during the Great Depression.

A 2017 McKinsey Global Institute report said 75 million to 375 million workers may need to switch their occupations by 2030 as digitization, automation and artificial intelligence disrupt the way we work. In the same report, 62% of executives said they believe they will need to retrain or replace more than a quarter of their workforce by 2023.

That need was there before COVID happened, but the poignancy and pain of people being displaced from work and the need for people to quickly reskill or upskill is all the more pressing now, said David Blake, who started San Franciscos Learn In, a business that helps companies with employee training for professional growth. Many of the stable, high-paying work is now being gated by skill requirements, and technology is scaling faster than people are learning. We must move to a model of lifelong learning.

Udemy, the largest global marketplace for learning and teaching online, found the coronavirus pandemic is boosting the tech education industry. Enrollment in courses related to telecommuting spiked by 21,598%, virtual teams surged 1,523%, decision-making rose 277%, self-discipline grew 237% and stress management increased by 235%.

Shaan Hathiramani, founder and CEO of Flockjay, predicted a similar trend in tech sales and thought that was a skill he could teach nontraditional and underrepresented job seekers when he started his company two years ago.

Digital fluency and human connection are life skills that we use in all aspects of any job, and tech sales are the most accessible on-ramp into an industry, he said. COVID is the accelerator of structural trends that have been around for a while, and I think that is especially true for online learning.

JPMorgan Chase announced last year a five-year, $350 million commitment to reskilling its workers and expanding pathways to upward career mobility. The commitment underscored the growth of an industry that wasnt prevalent during the 2008 recession.

Companies have to correctly identify the skills that need to be improved and the proper program to teach the skills. There also has to be a substantial monetary and time commitment, which is being met with greater tolerance as analysis shows it is cheaper to develop existing employees compared to hiring new ones.

Unemployed workers, on the other hand, are on their own.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

In January, Athena Kan started San Franciscos Ladder, which helps unemployed people identify licenses that can be obtained in three to 14 weeks for jobs that are hiring. The companys website includes answers related to unemployment and the Cares Act stimulus bill.

Ten thousand people have already used the unemployment portal, including nearly 3,500 in California. Ladder is working to train certified nursing assistants in Northwest Indiana and had more than 1,000 applicants for its program since the coronavirus pandemic started.

Inspired by her father, who studied for and passed an electrical inspector licensing exam instead of hiring someone to do the job on their house, Kan wants her company to eventually spread across the country and include licensing for skills like plumbing, welding and truck driving.

San Francisco company GoSkills focuses on creating short business training videos for programs like Excel, project management and design. Last month, GoSkills saw a 22% increase in new learners, adding around 1,000 individual customers, and businesses using the service more than doubled to over 1,000, according to co-founder and CEO Bhavneet Chahal.

Jim Leary, a 50-year-old executive at a travel agency in Houston, lost his job during the pandemic. He has used GoSkills to master Microsoft Publisher and gotten certifications for completing courses in public speaking, body language, customer service and sales.

Hes currently pursuing a management position with Amazon, which requires experience with Lean Six Sigma, a process method that can be used by business teams. He was able to study the method on GoSkills and include on his application that he had enrolled.

Its such a convenient way to stay on top of productivity software, Leary said. This makes reskilling accessible and easy, which keeps a middle-aged candidate like me relevant and competitive in the workforce.

Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron
The company also releases independent assessments of its operations in Indonesia and Cambodia.





by Joshua Brustein





Facebook Inc.s lack of a serious response to signs of abuse on its platform in Sri Lanka may have helped stoke deadly violence in the country in 2018, according to an investigation of the social networks operations there. The company released a summary of the findings Tuesday, along with other independent assessments of the services impact on human rights in Indonesia and Cambodia.













We deplore this misuse of our platform, the company said in a response to the Sri Lanka report. We recognize, and apologize for, the very real human rights impacts that resulted. Facebook also highlighted actions it has taken to address the problems, including hiring content moderators with local language skills, implementing technology that automatically detects signs of hate speech and keeps abusive content from spreading, and trying to deepen relationships with local civil society groups.





The report on Sri Lanka details Facebooks failure to respond to almost a decade of warnings about misuse of its platform from groups within the country. In 2018, a viral video falsely purporting to show a Muslim restaurateur admitting to mixing sterilization pills into the food of Sinhala-Buddhist men may have contributed to unrest and physical harm.





Facebooks poor track record on human rights in international markets has been a black mark on the company for years. As it expanded rapidly, it staffed local operations in far-off countries with skeleton crews or not at all, making it unresponsive to the specific forms of local manipulation, according to the reports. Facebooks decision to design algorithms that encourage more engagement also made it vulnerable to disinformation and incitement to violence. Human rights advocates have pushed the company to release assessments like the ones it shared Tuesday.





This is not the first Facebook apology. A 2018 assessment of its operations in Myanmar found it partly to blame for violence in that country. One response was to hire activist Miranda Sissons as the first Facebook director of human rights, last year. According to Sissons, Facebook has begun to conduct more country-by-country reviews of its performance on human rights, and will begin releasing reports regularly. She didnt lay out a timeline, and declined to say which countries the company is studying.





The recently-released reports, which cover a similar time period as the Myanmar assessment, describe Facebooks impact as complicated. Having access to the social network often increased freedom of speech and gave marginalized communities a new way to communicate. But governments also used Facebook to identify dissidents and spread misinformation. Groups looking to stoke communal violence found the social network to be fertile ground for recruitment and incitement.





Article One Advisors LLC, the consultant that conducted the assessments into Sri Lanka and Indonesia, found significant improvement at Facebook. There has been a very big cultural shift -- a very welcome cultural shift, said Chloe Poynton, a co-founder and principal at the firm. Facebook has implemented many of the group's suggestions related to content moderation and slowing the spread of abusive messaging. It is still considering some others, like Article Ones call for the company to appoint a member of its board of directors to be specifically responsible for human rights, according to Sissons.





The company's products may still pose a challenge going forward -- particularly end-to-end encryption on WhatsApp. Viral misinformation on the messaging service has already stoked violence and deaths in India, and while Facebook has started to fight this by limiting some message forwarding, the company's inability to read encrypted messages makes it difficult to spot potentially dangerous activity.





The assessment of Cambodia was conducted by Business for Social Responsibility, a nonprofit consulting firm. It found no significant failures, but highlighted challenges Facebook faced engaging with a repressive political system. It urged Facebook to push the countrys government to pass more humane regulations for social media, and to call out issues such as surveillance.





Sissons said Facebook was grappling with its responsibilities in such situations. These are among the most difficult questions companies face, she said. We are prepared to engage with this question, but we dont have answers to signal yet.




All 11 million residents in the original coronavirus epicentre are set to be tested for coronavirus following a resurgence of cases, as China looks to thwart a potential second wave and stamp out COVID-19 from the city.

The ambitious plan was ordered by Wuhans authorities on Monday (local time) after six new cases were confirmed in the city after a 35-day period without symptomatic infections.

District governments were tasked with submitting plans by Tuesday to have the entire citys population tested in a 10-day blitz, internal documents seen by Reuters state.

The infections are reportedly the first for a city on high-alert since ending its 76-day lockdown on April 8.

A Wuhan traveller has her temperature checked after leaving the city. Source: AP

Wuhans 11 million people were placed under the most stringent lockdown seen on the planet when the virus spread throughout Hubeis capital in January.

And while normal service is far from returning to the city, its population has slowly had its freedom of movement increased with authorities carefully analysing its effect on the virus.

The authorities audacious plan of action for the new outbreak is a sign its rigorous and authoritarian approach to beating the virus remains.

There is also a sense of determination of not wanting to inflict another period of heavy restrictions on an already severely depleted economy.

It is important to realise that a decisive result does not equal a decisive victory, lowering the emergency response level does not equal lowering defences, said Communist Party official Wang Zhonglin, according to the state-run Changjiang Daily.

We must not be careless or lax.

The widespread testing comes at a time when several countries badly hit by the virus report a shortage of testing kits globally.

Just last month Australia was able to acquire 10 million tests from China after the help of billionaire Andrew Twiggy Forrest who was able fend off other countries in the deal thanks to his extensive links in China.

Residents walk through central Wuhan as a sense of normality slowly begins to return. Source: AP

Wuhan virus spread big concern

Story continues

Coronavirus figures in China have come under intense scrutiny in recent months, with claims that China underreported its number of cases and deaths.

In April, Wuhan added a further 1,300 deaths to its death toll and began announcing asymptomatic cases for the first time, albeit seperate from the overall total.

Bill Birtles, the ABCs China correspondent, said on Wednesday it is feared there are more asymptotic cases in Wuhan than figures being made public.

We pretty much think there are hundreds of people who have tested positive in Wuhan over the past month, he said.

It's just that, according to the government, they haven't shown symptoms.

And this continues to be the big concern. This is why they now want to test everyone, because of these asymptomatic carriers.

The current outbreak of six cases occurred in the Sanmin compound, home to 5,000 people. All its residents were immediately tested.

However Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiologist at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview with Chinese state television network CCTV he believes it wasnt necessary to test those in areas that were free of the virus.

If a wave of new cases are discovered, Birtles believes Wuhan would continue its rigorous approach in forcefully isolating infected individuals away from family in temporary field hospitals it set up prior to the peak of the outbreak.

This really has been seen as a massively important part of Wuhan's success in getting the number of cases down, he said.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo has the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives firmly in his corner when it comes to getting a new $3 trillion federal stimulus bill through Congress. New York would stand to gain tens of billions of dollars if it passed. The governor would gain the ability to make his desired changes to the states Medicaid system.

The bill would even repeal the limits that the 2017 GOP tax law imposed on state and local tax deductions, which Cuomo once described as an economic missile hitting New York. I applaud them for putting that in, Cuomo told reporters on Wednesday. They have to make sure its in the final bill.

House Democrats are aiming to pass the bill on Friday, but Republicans are calling it dead on arrival in the Senate. That could be a negotiating tactic to wrangle certain concessions from Democrats, but it also suggests that New York City and state will remain in a state of limbo as the economic toll of the pandemic mounts.

With the pandemic ravaging the U.S. economy, a bipartisan group of governors, federal lawmakers and local officials is seeking to avoid a political fight over such proposals. House Democrats are now trying to channel that consensus building into their own efforts to define the nascent economic recovery.

We must think big for the people now, because if we dont, it will cost more in lives and livelihood later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference on Capitol Hill. Not acting is the most expensive course.

Federal funding will determine everything from when the state Legislature meets to just how deeply the state has to cut funding for public schools, health care and aid to localities in order to balance its books. The U.S. unemployment rate is now 14.7% and the possibility of a second round of stimulus checks could be critical to whether people will be able to meet their financial obligations in the coming weeks.

As Congress reconvenes, delivering urgent state fiscal relief must be a top priority, read a joint statement from Cuomo and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday morning. Each day that Congress fails to act, states are being forced to make cuts that will devastate the essential services the American people rely on and destroy the economic recovery before it even gets off the ground.

While Cuomo has chafed at previous stimulus bills, powerful members of the states congressional delegations  House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez  are sponsoring a bill that is much more to his liking. President Donald Trump, however, has yet to make good on a promise to the governor to support more funding for states in future legislation.

Both the president and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have said they are in no hurry to pass another stimulus bill, especially one that includes more funding for voting by mail or allowing more undocumented immigrants to stay in the country. Any deal would almost certainly include compromising on many of the Democrats proposals  but that might be the whole point.

By including liberal proposals in the 1,815-page bill, Pelosi gives many of her members a political win while also positioning the Democrats as the party of action. Whatever the merits of Republicans objections to the bill, their desire to slow down the negotiations allows Democrats to make a potentially useful political point as the state and nation prepare for tough times ahead.

The Washington bill should finally provide a real economic stimulus that helps this nation rebuild, Cuomo said Wednesday. The only thing that matters is whats in the final bill.
When the special trains were announced it seemed like a ray of hope. But his village was nowhere near the train routes decided by the Centre

Walking an average of 80 km a day, they had covered a distance of 320 km and reached Bhadrachalam in 40-degree Celsius heat on Tuesday, when all of a sudden the young man collapsed.

Khammam: He waited 40 days as the lockdown kept getting extended, and when the special trains were announced it seemed like a ray of hope. But his village was nowhere near the train routes decided by the Centre. So 25-year-old Kasa Madakami and other migrant labourers began a 500-km walk from Hyderabad to Pandripani village in Malkangiri district in Odisha. After four days in the scorching heat, his journey ended abruptly in Bhadrachalam where he collapsed and died.

Madakami had been employed as a construction worker in Hyderabad. For him and his companions there was no hope left in the city after all the construction work had stopped. The only thing left to do was to go home to their families in their native villages, where everybody knew their names, where somebody cared for them.

It was just four days ago, after 40 days of being unemployed and stranded that they decided to start walking, with no hope of getting any government arranged means of transport. Left to their own means, they did not carry enough water and food with for the journey, Madakam Naresh, Madakamis co-traveller, said.

Walking an average of 80 km a day, they had covered a distance of 320 km and reached Bhadrachalam in 40-degree Celsius heat on Tuesday.

All of a sudden, Madakami collapsed.

He was immediately taken to a hospital but doctors declared him dead on arrival. It was sunstroke, they said.

The long walk without water and food in the punishing heat had claimed its victim. It is a very sad incident in our lives, Naresh said.

Shocked by his death, Madakamis friends asked the police for help to take his body home. They hired a vehicle and travelled to Pandripani village in Odisha.

Finally it was the youngsters dead body that reached home.
[May 13, 2020] MathWorks Announces $1 Million Donation to Gates Foundation's Combating COVID-19 Fund

MathWorks, the Natick-based developer of software for scientists and engineers, today announced that it has donated $1 million to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Combating COVID-19 Fund, a $250 million initiative to work on COVID-19 globally. The fund supports leading scientific organizations to develop the most promising diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines to stop the spread of the virus and help speed people who are sick back to health. In addition, the fund is focused on protecting some of the most vulnerable people living in Africa and South Asia from the immediate impact of COVID-19-while helping their countries prepare for future outbreaks. MathWorks, a global company with 33 offices around the world and customers in more than 180 countries, pursues a social mission that actively supports communities through advancing STEM education, fostering staff volunteerism, building environmental sustainability and aiding global relief efforts. "MathWorks wanted to find an organization where we could make a meaningful contribution to scientific and engineering efforts to combat COVID-19," said Jack Little, CEO of MathWorks. "Over the last five years Bill Gates (News - Alert) has become a foremost expert on pandemics and we're proud to support the scientifically-driven root cause solutions his Foundtion is pursuing to fight COVID-19 around the world."



In addition to the Gates Foundation donation, MathWorks recently assisted other global and local organizations in their efforts to combat the pandemic. This included: Directing a $1 million gift to CARE for that organization to use as necessary as it works to protect vulnerable people all over the world from the COVID-19 outbreak. CARE is providing hygiene kits, hand-washing stations and clean water to help stop the spread of disease - particularly in refugee and displaced persons camps where social distancing is impossible.

Providing $285,000 in grants to 57 non-profit organizations within the MetroWest region of Boston. Each organization received $5,000 to help them address any pressing needs they themselves identify, including family support, food insecurity and youth development.

Contributing $140,000 through staff donations and company matching to support worldwide COVID-19 relief efforts through Global Giving. About MathWorks

MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these product families to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, electronics, financial services, biotech-pharmaceutical, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world's universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 5000 people in 16 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com.

MATLAB and Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc. See mathworks.com/trademarks for a list of additional trademarks. Other product or brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005005/en/

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By SA Commercial Prop News - I-Net Bridge

Sir Richard Branson with 11-year-old Cleo Philander.



British tycoon Sir Richard Branson says he plans to invest around R1 billion within a year in building new Virgin Active clubs and upgrading existing ones in SA.

In terms of the plan, Virgin Active, Branson's local network of 98 gyms, intended to add 10 new gym clubs, which bear the iconic Virgin brand, he said.

"It's one of the great success stories in Africa and SA, 98 clubs - why couldn't it be 100 clubs? I think I'll come back when the 100th club opens," Branson told I-Net Bridge at the weekend in Soweto, south of Johannesburg. Branson is in the country to officially unveil the Virgin Active gym in Maponya mall and to divulge new expansion plans.

"We have 10 clubs opening, which is the most we've ever had. We will be spending a billion rand over the next twelve months upgrading the current clubs and building new ones. I think as far as Virgin Active is concerned there will be a lot of expansions," he said.

The British entrepreneur also said that they wouldn't stop investing, despite current economic challenges.

"There are always unexpected challenges in business - for example, 9/11 had a hugely negative impact on my airline business and I lost 300 million dollars in a month. There are still opportunities even in difficult times and businesses need to get on their feet and create employment; they can't depend on government to do it. Despite the economic crisis we won't stop investing, that is essential I think. Businesses need to play their part in getting the economy back on track.

Apart from his new book launch and the Virgin Active gyms, Branson said he was also doing his part in eradicating poverty in Africa.

"We also do non-profit ventures here in Africa," he said, echoing his fellow entrepreneur Richard Maponya, who was also present at the opening of the gym.

Maponya said the opening of the Virgin Active gym in Soweto would help with regard to creating jobs.

"We have quite a number of entrepreneurs and I must say Soweto is a pacesetter. Now that we have a Virgin Active gym here, which is successful, rest assured you are going to find yourself being compelled to roll them out throughout the nine provinces, as there will be a demand for the clubs," Maponya said.
LAS VEGAS, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Decoupled Search, Inc. (https://decoupledsearch.com), the premier provider of retained executive search for non-board level leadership positions in North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific and India, announced today the opening of a new office in London.

Decoupled Search Announces the Opening of London Office

"The decision to establish a physical presence in Western Europe is a natural extension of our strategy to maintain cost leadership in the retained executive search industry," said Pat Haro, Executive Chairman, Decoupled Search. "In addition to providing us with better access to our Western Europe-based customers, our new London office will give us the time zone proximity needed to reduce search fulfillment cycle times and improve the candidate experience by offering more frequent & convenient evaluation interview schedules."

The company has initiated a search for a United Kingdom-based Managing Director, United Kingdom & Ireland to lead their operations.

Coronavirus Impact

According to Mr. Haro, the investment in the new London office is expected to be NPV neutral, assuming a 50% decrease in worldwide demand for executive search in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. "We're undertaking this expansion not to increase capacity, but to reduce search fulfillment costs, enhance the candidate experience, and improve customer satisfaction," said Haro.

About Decoupled Search

Decoupled Search is the premier provider of retained executive search for non-board level leadership positions in North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific and India. We produce great hires with superior candidate reliability for 1/3 the cost of traditional retained executive search.

Contacts

Pat Haro

+44 (20) 3727-0260

[email protected]

Andrea Wasser

+1 (702) 782-2758

[email protected]

SOURCE Decoupled Search, Inc.

Related Links

https://decoupledsearch.com


HARBOR BEACH  It was with some surprise and some disappointment that Harbor Beach Community Hospital learned it was a source of a coronavirus outbreak, according to hospital officials.

We know that we are in the business of seeing sick people, CEO Paul Clabuesch said. We have had some of our employees that have come up sick, but every hospital has had that.

The hospital was named as the source of an outbreak by the Huron County Health Department in a press release May 8. Public Health Officer Ann Hepfer said an outbreak at a facility was quantified as two or more positive cases. The health department has linked 14 primary cases and 11 secondary cases to the hospital.

Hepfer said it is no surprise that there was an outbreak tied to a facility that provides medical care.

We will all be living with this infection for some time to come, she said. It is not going just magically disappear. There will be outbreaks in some of the very organizations and facilities that we rely on to provide us care. As in this situation, we will all work diligently to reduce the spread of infection to those that rely on all of us to provide them services.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the hospital would make contact with approximately 800 to 900 people a week, ranging from someone coming in for an X-ray to someone seeking treatment for a medical emergency. While the pandemic and subsequent executive orders have caused some of those numbers to decrease, the hospital still sees several hundred patients a week.

Clabuesch said the hospital had ramped up its already stringent cleaning efforts prior to the local outbreak, but has further increased its efforts for the safety of patients and staff.

We felt as though we were washing and cleaning very carefully, but we have doubled down on that, Clabuesch said. We made sure that we could protect the people that were sick and isolate them. We did anything we could think of to prevent any spread.

However, it is likely inevitable that any medical treatment facility would experience an outbreak because of the nature of the coronavirus.

Early studies performed by medical professionals and evaluated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that COVID-19 is transmitted not only by sick patients but also people who are carrying the disease before they are exhibiting or experiencing symptoms.

This virus is so highly contagious and the public has zero immunity to it, Clabuesch said. It makes it so much more difficult.

According to various national news reports, such as the Washington Post, thousands of health care workers and facilities across the country have been battling the coronavirus both with the public and internally with staff among those sick.

We have had some of our employees that have come up sick, but every hospital has had that, Clabuesch said. We have people that instead of running away from it, they run towards it. They handle it. Instead of being criticized for it, they should be thanked and get hazard pay.

Clabuesch said the hospital is following the guidelines outlined by the CDC, Department of Health and Human Services and the local health departments, and it is encouraging everyone else to follow the same guidelines, which recommend social distancing, increased sanitation, and wearing face masks when in the public.

Early on, there was a critical shortage of personal protection equipment, such as N95 face masks, face shields and other protective gear. Like most facilities, Clabuesch said Harbor Beach Community Hospital was fortunate to receive donations of cloth masks made locally. However, the hospital has since been able to re-acquire much of the PPE it needs, and Clabuesch said short of a sudden spike, he feels the hospital is adequately supplied. Non-medical staff who had previously been having to use fabric face masks have been upgraded to medical grade masks.

According to the hospital and the health department, the outbreak at the facility is limited to the hospital and not the health systems long-term care facility or its medical care offices.

To prevent further spread of the virus, the hospital has increased its screening procedures, such as assessment of patients and staff for coronavirus symptoms, closed its administration and finance office to the public, and is enabling staff who have the ability to work from home to do so.

You follow the guidelines, Clabuesch said. You encourage your staff, your patients and your community and tell them to follow the rules.

Clabuesch said it is important for the community to remember the significance of rural hospitals.

There are a network of hospitals in rural America that need to be there and do what they do so the distance isnt insurmountable, Clabuesch said.

Hospitals such as Harbor Beach exist to provide care, including critical care services to triage patients so they can be transferred by ambulance or air to hospitals such as those located in Saginaw or Port Huron, he said.

Harbor Beach Community Hospital remains open to serve the public, both through its telemedicine options and in person at its facilities.

If you do not feel well, you need to call one of our providers, emergency room, walk-in clinic and we will help you, Clabuesch said.You should not ignore it.
The Centre is planning to hold airwave auctions for 4G spectrum in 2020 and for 5G in 2021.

The plan was discussed by DoTs highest decision-making body, the Digital Communications Commission, on May 11, sources told The Economic Times. If the plan is agreed on, it will next need Cabinet approval.

The move is likely to be welcomed by struggling telecom companies (telcos) Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel which were pushing for 5G auctions to be delayed, analysts told the paper.

DoT officials said the 5G spectrum has been pushed back as an auction this year would have attracted limited bids. Telcos had indicated that the base price of Rs 492 crore a unit was too high, and 5G would not be a priority in present circumstances, a source added.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Other government officials told the paper that sizable 5G airwaves would be reserved for the Defence Ministry and Department of Space, which will significantly reduce spectrum on offer.

There is however speculation that the development was prompted by Chinese players Huawei and ZTEs move into Indias 5G market, it noted. An industry source told the paper that it was unclear if Huawei would be allowed to deploy 5G networks in India.
Gidgee Healing takes a call from the Palace. (Photo: Kensington Palace )

Kate Middleton has surprised a group of Queensland nurses with a video call from the UK to thank them for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gidgee Healing, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island health service that covers an area of more than 640,000 km2, were asked last Friday to join a video call on the Monday to mark International Nurses Day.

But they did not realise it would be with members of the Royal family.

We thought we were just doing an interview with the International Council of Nursing, CEO of Gidgee Healing and registered nurse Renee Blackman told HuffPost Australia.



Then they broke the news to me that it would be with the Royal family and that was the shock,

We were so nervous.

The Duchess was joined by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex. (Photo: Kensington Palace )

In a Royal-first, the Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth and other senior members of Britains Royal family joined a group Zoom on Tuesday to thank nurses in Britain, Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bahamas, Cyprus, and Tanzania.

The Duchess was joined by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex on the call to Mount Isa and asked what it was like on the ground fighting the pandemic.



Its been as hectic as its been around the world, Blackman told Middleton on the Zoom call.

But we are feeling the love, nurse Tahnia-Maree Ah Kit, who works at Mount Isa Hospitals emergency department, added.

Blackman, a Gubbi Gubbi woman from the Sunshine Coast, told HuffPost that royal advisers gave a thorough briefing before the official call, including a run-down on Royal protocols.

We asked whats the protocol here, how do we address them, Blackman explained.

But (the call) was so relaxed, we almost forgot to call them Your Royal Highness or Maam.

Related...

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Blackman said the chat was a great opportunity to showcase the hard work of Indigenous health care workers, especially in remote areas.

Story continues

Gidgee Healing has been incredibly busy working to keep coronavirus away from communities in Queenslands north. Indigenous Australians have been told they are extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 due to underlying health issues such as diabetes, rheumatic heart disease and kidney disease, conditions theyve been forced to battle since colonisation.

Geography is our friend this time, usually it isnt when it comes to accessibility, she said.

If it gets into our communities it has the chance to devastate and decimate.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services across Australia have been one step ahead of protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities from the virus with strong messaging, education and preparation.

People now understand how to take precautions and how to be cautious, Blackman said.

So Whats Kate Really Like?

Blackman said the Duchess was genuinely concerned and interested in whats happening in remote Australian communities.

She was absolutely personable. Really easy to talk to. No pretense whatsoever, she said.

It felt like a very personal conversation.

Blackman said she isnt a monarchist but is very interested in the Royal family.

My grandmother used to read lots and lots of books about the Royals, she said.

Theyre so intriguing.

From the Zoom call and the attention the video is getting, it seems Middleton is just as intrigued in how Indigenous health care workers have dealt with the pandemic.

Youre a huge inspiration to everybody. A huge thank you from us all here, the Duchess of Cambridge said on the call.



Check out the full video below.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A major meat processing plant in Co Tyrone has undergone a health and safety inspection after a coronavirus outbreak, it can be revealed.

It follows a high volume of complaints from concerned workers about Covid-19 prevention policies at Omagh Meats, which is owned by Foyle Food Group Ltd.

The company said a number of its employees had tested positive but denied claims that 40 staff have been struck down by coronavirus.

Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) inspectors visited the premises on the Doogary Road on May 7, according to official documentation seen by this newspaper.

UUP councillor Chris Smyth, who raised concerns about the plant, said he was pleased that action had been taken to address them.

"It is good that the HSENI have acted and completed an unannounced inspection," he said.

"The inspection has clearly raised a number of issues and it's essential that HSENI follow this up so the action points raised are acted upon so that safety of employees can be respected as they complete this essential task of putting food on our tables."

The revelation that an unannounced visit had taken place followed news that an employee at Moy Park in Dungannon had died after contracting Covid-19.

East Timor native Luciana Viviana da Silva, who was also known as Anoy Soriano, was 58.

She is understood to be the first meat processing worker to succumb to the virus, but a union representative has warned that meat and poultry factories in Northern Ireland, particularly those in the Mid Ulster area, "could become the next scenario to what's been happening in care homes".

Sean McKeever from Unite also said that industry-wide mass testing must now be carried out without delay.

"I am waiting on the First and Deputy First Ministers to confirm their position on this," he said.

"We need private companies in there doing tests to prevent more deaths.

"It can't happen soon enough."

In response to the Belfast Telegraph, Leslie Otterson, group HR and health and safety manager at Omagh Meats, said: "I will confirm that we do not have near 40 positive cases."

A company statement said some of its employees tested positive but did not provide specific numbers.

"We can confirm that a number of employees at our Omagh site have confirmed positive for Covid-19," it said.

"We are providing full support to these employees, who are no longer attending for work.

"Other employees who have been in contact with any affected employees are also being tested.

"We continue to operate the strictest hygiene controls, which includes all our sites being deep cleaned on a daily basis.

"Social distancing has also been implemented, which is being supervised and audited on a continual basis."

Foyle Food Group has operated here for more than 40 years and employs more than 1,400 people across Ireland and Britain.

The food industry issued its own guidance on measures for factories.

It was followed up with similar recommendations produced by an Executive-established committee involving employers, trade unions, the Public Health Agency and the HSENI.

They included the need for two-metre distancing, the provision of personal protective equipment where necessary, and the installation of partitions where social distancing could not be achieved.

Meanwhile, poultry giant Moy Park has said the health and wellbeing of its workforce is its most important consideration.

It also sent condolences to the family of the worker at its Dungannon processing plant who died after contracting Covid-19.

The company issued the statement after Unite wrote to the First and Deputy First Ministers to demand testing for workers in the poultry and meatpacking sector.

Unite said urgent action is needed by Stormont after reports of clusters of infection at a growing number of sites.

The union said that Moy Park's plant in Dungannon should be shut temporarily to allow the workforce and their families to be tested if necessary, and for the HSENI to conduct physical inspections of meat processing sites to assess infection controls.

Moy Park said: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our team members.

"Our thoughts are with Luciana's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

"As we have consistently stated, the health, wellbeing and safety of our Moy Park team members is always our most important consideration."

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said her thoughts were also with the family of Ms da Silva.

"This guidance has been put in place to protect workers, to make sure that companies can adjust their working practices to give that support to them," she explained.

"It's really, really important that any worker who feels that they are not in a safe environment, that they flag that up with their employer.

"If they're not getting a resolution [it's important] that they flag it up with the HSE.

"It's important that we protect the workers."

The HSENI said it is currently carrying out unannounced inspections to businesses across Northern Ireland.

A statement confirmed that an inspection had taken place at Moy Park.

"Priority is being given to sectors such as food processing companies and sites where repeated complaints have been received," the company said.

"We can confirm that a recent unannounced inspection was carried out at a Moy Park meat processing plant.

"A few minor issues were found (by inspectors), but the overall compliance with the Public Health Agency's Covid-19 guidance was found to be of a high standard."
A low pressure area, the first step in the formation of a cyclone, was formed over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea on Wednesday morning, the IMD said.

New Delhi: Monsoon is likely to reach the Anadman and Nicobar archipelago around 16 May, nearly six days before its normal onset date, due to a cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

Monsoon usually covers the Andaman and Nicobar islands around 20 May. The onset date for Andaman and Nicobar was last month revised to 22 May. It then normally takes 10-11 days to reach Kerala which marks the commencement of rainfall season in India.

However, monsoon is now likely to reach Andaman and Nicobar around 16 May. The IMD is also likely to release the possible onset date over Kerala later this week.

A low pressure area, the first step in the formation of a cyclone, was formed over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea on Wednesday morning, the IMD said.

It is very likely to concentrate into a depression over the central parts of south Bay of Bengal on 15 May and further intensify into a cyclonic storm over southwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the evening of 16 May.

"In association with the system (cyclone), the conditions will become favourable for advance of southwest monsoon over south Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Andaman & Nicobar islands around 16 May," the IMD said.

Under its influence, adverse weather is likely over south and central Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea from 15 May onwards. The system is under continuous surveillance and the state governments concerned are being informed regularly, the Cyclone Warning Division added.

Mrutunjay Mohapatra, director general of the IMD, said the cyclone will aid in advancement of the monsoon, which is likely to be normal this year. The onset date of monsoon over Kerala is 1 June, which marks the commencement of the four-month long rainfall season in the country.

From this year, the IMD has also revised the dates of onset and withdrawal of the monsoon for several parts of the country based on the data from 1960-2019. The previous dates were based on the data from 1901 to 1940. However, the onset date for monsoon over Kerala remains unchanged, Rajeevan said.

In states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, monsoon will be delayed by 3-7 days compared to the existing normal dates.

For the national capital, the new normal onset date for monsoon has been revised from 23 June to 27 June . Similarly, dates have been revised for Mumbai and Kolkata from 10 to 11 June , and for Chennai from 1 to 4 June.

However, over extreme northwest India, the monsoon will arrive a little early, on 8 July, rather than the expected date of 15 July. The new date for monsoon withdrawal from south India is 15 October.
BENGALURU, India, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, has been selected by GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF), the world's leading specialty foundry, as its partner for the company's Digital Transformation program. Through this partnership, Infosys will provide expertise and analytical solutions to optimize the overall efficiency and agility of GF's manufacturing and business operations.

The partnership will enable GF to seamlessly transform its legacy solutions and adopt advanced cloud capabilities to rationalize existing workloads, thereby realizing GF's digital strategy through process automation while achieving lower cost of ownership and ensuring compliance requirements. It will also help GF derive value and insights from the data generated across its globally dispersed operations. GF will leverage Infosys' domain expertise and industry experience to transform and optimize GF's IT assets to scale its digital capabilities. Infosys will also enable GF's internal teams with next-gen digital skills to help co-deliver great user experiences across the enterprise.

Anand Swaminathan, EVP and Global Industry Leader - Communications, Media and Technology, Infosys, said, "Together with GlobalFoundries we are embarking on an industry leading digital transformation program. By harnessing the power of private and public cloud, we will assist GlobalFoundries in transforming their manufacturing and corporate operations to deliver more value to their clients while lowering cost of ownership. We are excited to partner with them on this digital leadership program which we believe will set a new benchmark for the industry."

Thomas Weber, SVP Global Supply Chain and Integrated Manufacturing Information Technology, GlobalFoundries, said, "As the leading specialty foundry, with a global footprint, we are committed to accelerating our digital transformation to differentiate and create more value for our clients. Partnering with Infosys will equip our teams with next-gen skills and accelerate our transformation journey through automation and innovation."

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem.

Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law.

SOURCE Infosys
NYSE American: GPL | TSX: GPR

VANCOUVER, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR. NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or "the Company") reports that its Tucano Gold Mine ("Tucano") in Brazil continues to operate at full capacity with strict COVID-19 mitigation protocols in place, and has not been subject to any government imposed restrictions in response to COVID-19. As previously announced, Great Panther intends to restart operations in Mexico this month in accordance with the Mexican federal government's announcements of the lifting of restrictions that have suspended mining operations in the country since the start of April.

Great Panther announces two additional employees and one contract employee have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the company-wide total to five. All affected employees are stable with mild symptoms and remain in isolation monitored by local health authorities.

At Tucano, three employees and one contractor have been diagnosed with COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, 62 employees have been placed on a 10-day leave and six employees have been placed in quarantine. Additionally, 28 individuals deemed high-risk due to age or pre-existing medical conditions, are now working remotely or on leave.

The Topia Mine in Mexico has not experienced any COVID-19 cases and the Company is planning to commence start-up activities on May 18.

At the Guanajuato Mine Complex (GMC) in Mexico, one employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19. The employee was working remotely at the time of the diagnosis.

The restart of operations in Mexico will follow a phased approach based on health guidelines and government regulations in each jurisdiction with appropriate protocols in place to protect the health and safety of the Company's workforce and communities.

In Peru, the federal government state of emergency and quarantine measures remain in effect until May 24, 2020. The Coricancha Mine is on care and maintenance and is not material to the Company's operations.

Great Panther places the safety and wellbeing of its personnel and communities as its highest priority and has implemented epidemic plans aligned with local health authorities and the World Health Organization guidelines at all its operations and offices. These protocols include:

Employees able to work from home have been required to do so.

All non-essential work and visits to mining operations have been suspended until further notice.

Personnel and visitors arriving at sites are subject to medical screening and are required to complete a site-specific medical questionnaire.

Operating rosters have been extended to allow for safer medical screening and isolation periods.

Increased cleaning and sanitizing procedures have been introduced, especially in frequently visited areas.

Protocols have been introduced for the isolation, testing and care of employees showing COVID-19 symptoms.

Mandatory physical distancing practices have been implemented in all working areas and for transportation services.

Awareness campaigns to educate all employees, their families and local communities on preventive measures and hygiene best practices continue regularly.

This news release supplements Great Panther's May 6, 2020 disclosure on the status of COVID-19 at its operations, and the disclosure included in Great Panther's Q1 2020 MD&A. The Company does not plan to provide further updates on COVID-19 unless there is an event that is expected to have a material impact to its mining operations.

ABOUT GREAT PANTHER

Great Panther Mining Limited is a Vancouver-based intermediate gold and silver mining and exploration company. Great Panther's operations include the Tucano Gold Mine in Brazil, and the Topia Mine and Guanajuato Mine Complex, comprising the San Ignacio and Guanajuato mines, in Mexico. It also owns the Coricancha Mine in Peru which is currently on care and maintenance. Great Panther trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding developments related to COVID-19, the impact to the Company's operating mines in Mexico and Brazil, the duration of government mandated restrictions in Mexico and Peru, and potential cases of COVID-19 at the Company's corporate offices and mining operations.

These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to potential political and social risks involving Great Panther's operations in a foreign jurisdiction, further developments with respect to COVID-19 that may impact the Company's operations, expectations for the restart of operations in Mexico and that the Company's Brazilian can continue without any new developments related to COVID-19 that may limit or suspend operations, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, fluctuations in metal prices, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, physical risks inherent in mining operations, operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the continuation or the cessation of the directive suspending non-essential activities in Mexico, and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2018 and material change reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov.

There is no assurance that such forward looking statements will prove accurate; results may vary materially from such forward-looking statements; and there is no assurance that the Company will be able to identify and acquire additional projects or that any projects acquired will be successfully developed. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. The Company has no intention to update forward looking statements except as required by law.

SOURCE Great Panther Mining Limited

Related Links

www.greatpanther.com


People look at devices in Huawei's first global flagship store in Shenzhen

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Smartphone shipments from China's factories to vendors rose 17% in April compared to the same month a year ago, according to government data released on Tuesday.

The numbers suggest an early domestic rebound for smartphone makers such as Apple Inc and Huawei Technologies and a potential return to normalcy in China for the broader consumer hardware market in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak.

Phone makers shipped 40.8 million handsets in April, up from 34.8 million in April 2019, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a state-backed think tank.

For the first time in years, the organisation did not reveal the percentage of Android devices shipped, a key metric that gave insight into how many smartphones Apple sold in China each month.

Private research firms tracking the smartphone sector such as Canalys, IDC and Counterpoint Research all reported that in the first quarter shipments of Apple devices in China declined in the low single digits.

Rival Huawei managed to keep shipments relatively flat in the quarter while Chinese Android players Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi Corp bore the brunt of the coronavirus outbreak with shipment volumes decreasing by double-digit percentages, according to the research groups.

Apple and its rival smartphone brands do not publicly release regional shipments.

(Reporting by Josh Horwitz; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Nissy Solomon and D Dhanuraj

As the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed global economy into an unprecedented scale of low growth and massive employment loss, the resource mobilisation to revive economic activities is reaching a frantic scale and dimension. In India, the extent of the damage is difficult to ascertain as the rural and informal sectors play a significant role in economic growth.

The government has a herculean task of packaging different essentials and monetary support, with a focus on various segments of society, reflecting the diverse nature of the needs and requirements of the people.

Gold In India

It is worth exploring the possibilities around gold, which is treated as an investment and asset by the majority of Indians. Indias official gold holdings, held by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), coupled with the private stock of gold in Indian households form a significant resource. With 635 tonnes of official stock, Indias share as a percentage of the total foreign reserve stands at 6.9 percent.

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

Reports have assessed that households in India possess 24,000 tonnes of gold and account for 25 percent of the global market demand. If we consider the per capita possession of gold in addition to the per capita income, Indias total wealth seems to change. Rural India accounts for approximately 60 percent of gold, where people traditionally use it for getting loans from moneylenders and pawnbrokers.

The appetite for gold consumption in India has pushed the government to restrict its import. The balance of payment, at times, is stretched by the higher import of gold. The internal circulation of gold has been restricted, except for sale and exchange through jewellers and informal markets. Even banks have limited options for lending loans against gold on a market transaction basis due to RBIs restrictive guidelines. This has also limited open and transparent information required for a competitive market. The lack of forbearance and acceptance of gold as a commodity have resulted in bank loans, especially those meant for agricultural farmers, landing in the hands of wrong beneficiaries.

Gold And Credit Schemes

In the last decade, the government woke up to the fact that the domestic possession of gold is not leveraged or used for remonetisation. This led to the introduction of different schemes, such as Sovereign Gold Bond, Gold Coins and Gold Monetisation Schemes (GMS). Unfortunately, none of these schemes achieved the desired results, nor are showing any encouraging trend. The GMS was able to garner only 16 tonnes of gold in the last four years as these schemes are not designed keeping in mind the majority who have the metal.

Gold bond schemes are oriented towards the rich and the investors. On the other hand, there is a poor understanding of bonds and this accentuates the challenges to popularise the schemes. Gold coins are meant for investors of the higher-order.

The question is how to tap the market potential of gold in these difficult times to support the ailing economy.

The government should declare a liberal gold policy. As per the World Gold Council (WGC), the estimated value of gold in India is 40 percent of Indias Nominal Gross Domestic Product in present value terms. Thus, even if 10 percent of this gold is monetised, it will ensure a liquidity of Rs 13 lakh-crore, which is more than 10 percent of the total budget needed to spend to overcome the crisis.

To improve liquidity in the rural market, gold in the domestic market should be allowed to be monetised. Various mechanisms and channels should be put in place for allowing short- to long-term deposits to avail loans and investments by all sections of society. Those who could access the nearest banks of micro finances (MFs) should be allowed to avail loans without a blanket restriction placed on LTV (Loan to Value).

Weighing The Risk

The obvious risk associated here is that gold loans are exposed to fluctuations in gold prices in the market. An increase in gold prices and a subsequent increase in gold loan borrowings involves the risk of an asset bubble, which may burst when the price trend reverses. This raises the fear of NBFCs facing default. It is, therefore, pertinent to look at the historical figures and the subsequent prudential approach by the regulatory body.

The average price of gold has shown a steady increase in the last two decades with a reversal between 2013 and 2015. Gold prices skyrocketed in 2011 and 2012. Gold financiers expanded their business, as more people pledged gold for cheaper loans. To contain the risk emanating from the business vulnerability to price fluctuations, the RBI intervened by capping the LTV ratio to 60 percent.

The prudential approach coincided with a global slump in the price of gold and the combined factors ushered gold financiers into a low-growth phase. The RBI has now revised the LTV from 60 to 75 percent. The cap gives a certain safety margin against the fall in prices, creating creditworthiness in the operations. However, this has also diverted the borrowers from the formal system to the unorganised gold loan market operating without a LTV cap. The fall in lending yields will reduce the profitability of the business.

Considering the fact that the fundamentals of gold remain high and the long-term trajectory continues to show an upward trend, it is good to look at innovative safeguarding practices against reckless lending by encouraging well-capitalised NBFCs to extend credit basis depending on their capacity.

In a liberal market, there are mechanisms to absorb the shocks in price fluctuations. The role played by different players, like banks, NBFCs, MFs, etc. has to be redefined. What is required are more players and enabling a framework for the public to actively participate in the gold market. The gold loan market in India continues to be underpenetrated as a huge quantity of the metal lies idle in households.

The prevailing economic condition will make gold loans more attractive for the borrowers and lenders alike. To reach the right segment and leverage the untapped market potential, there is a need to re-examine the policies and develop gold as an asset class now more than ever.
The United States and Cuba traded accusations of support for terrorism as President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday blacklisted the communist island, saying it had not fully cooperated on counterterrorism. Washington increased the pressure on Havana just one day after Cuba urged a terrorism probe over gunfire that hit its embassy in the US capital. The State Department faulted Cuba over the presence of Colombia's leftist ELN rebels, who traveled to Havana in 2017 to negotiate with the Bogota government but have not returned. It was the first time that Cuba was not certified since the 2015 report. It joined the ranks of four other US adversaries -- Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela. "Cuba's refusal to productively engage with the Colombian government demonstrates that it is not cooperating with US work to support Colombia's efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, security and opportunity for its people," the State Department said. Colombian President Ivan Duque, a conservative ally of the United States, broke off talks with the ELN after a January car bomb attack on a Bogota police academy killed 21 recruits. The militants have been demanding, unsuccessfully, that Colombia grant safe passage for its negotiators to come back from Cuba. The State Department certification falls under the Arms Export Control Act and will have little practical effect on Cuba, which does not buy weapons from its long-time foe. But the step is the latest by Trump to increase pressure on Cuba and move away from the reconciliation efforts undertaken by his predecessor Barack Obama. The move is separate from a US designation of state sponsorship of terrorism, which has far-reaching legal effects. The Obama administration removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in 2015, although Trump's State Department has flirted with putting it back on. The ELN is said to operate in about 10 percent of Colombia but is a smaller player than the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which reached a landmark peace agreement with the government in 2016. Miguel Ceballos, Colombia's high commissioner for peace, said the US move on Cuba gave weight to Bogota's demands "that all countries where ELN or FARC members are present hand them over to justice." - 'Exhaustive' probe sought - Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez accused the United States of hypocrisy for criticizing the island on terrorism but not preventing the attack on its embassy. "It is hiding its history of state terrorism against Cuba and the impunity of violent groups on its territory," Rodriguez wrote on Twitter. A day earlier, he demanded an "exhaustive investigation" into the April 30 shooting. Police arrested Alexander Alazo, who is originally from Cuba, for firing 32 rounds in the early morning at the embassy, which suffered bullet damage. No one was injured. Havana said Alazo frequented an evangelical church in Florida popular among conservative US politicians. "I call upon the United States to explain these links" between Alazo and people or groups "who support the current US administration but are inciting hatred and violence against Cuba," Rodriguez said Tuesday. In a court filing, the Secret Service said that Alazo had been prescribed psychiatric drugs after complaining of hearing voices and had been living in his car for nine months, saying he feared Cuban organized crime figures. The 42-year-old unsuccessfully tried to set ablaze a Cuban flag and instead waved a US flag and "yelled towards the Cuban embassy that he was a Yankee," the Secret Service said. Referring to the purported mental health issues, Rodriguez said, "If there was hatred in Alazo's actions, it was hatred induced by the aggressive language of the US administration." The State Department earlier condemned the shooting and said the United States was committed to protecting diplomatic missions. Rodriguez linked the shooter to a church in the Miami suburb of Doral, a hub of Venezuelans who have fled their country's crumbling economy. Cuba is a key ally of Venezuela's leftist leader, Nicolas Maduro, whom the United States is trying to remove. Vice President Mike Pence delivered a speech last year at the church, the Doral Jesus Worship Center, where he called Cuba's leaders "the real imperialists in the Western Hemisphere." sct-ad-dl-mav/sst
It has never been more profitable to produce electricity from the sun. Our offering hits the ESG trifecta of investment opportunity with a combination of renewable energy, real estate development ownership, and monthly dividend payouts

Plouton Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Sponsor) announced today the USD$7,000,000 private placement offering of Series A Preferred Stock in Plouton Datacenter I, Inc. (the Issuer), a Delaware corporation, being made solely to accredited investors under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933. The Issuer intends to invest 100% of the net proceeds of the Offering into Plouton Datacenter I, LLC, a California limited liability company (the Operating Company). The Operating Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering that it receives from the Issuer to construct and operate a solar-powered Datacenter facility (the Datacenter) on a 50-acre parcel of land in the Mojave, Kern County, California (the Project Site). The Project Site is uniquely situated to harness the tremendous renewable solar energy of the Mojave region. The Datacenter will be powered by renewable solar energy during peak hours and utilize electricity purchased from local utility companies during off-peak hours. This will allow the Operating Company to offer power at the Datacenter at a base price per kilowatt-hour that is 40%-70% less than competing data centers serving the same metro area. The Operating Company plans to market capacity in the Datacenter to Fortune 1000 companies located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Ramak J. Sedigh, Co-Founder and CEO of Plouton Datacenter, observed, "It has never been more profitable to produce electricity from the sun. Our offering hits the ESG trifecta of investment opportunity with a combination of renewable energy, real estate development ownership, and monthly dividend payouts. Given our team's combined sixty-three years of experience in real estate and technology markets, Plouton is well-equipped to deliver on our promise to investors."

At full initial projected capacity, the Datacenter is anticipated to house approximately 40 - 50 MW in computer server consumption supported by a surrounding PV solar farm capable of producing 40 to 50 MW of electricity. The solar facility built at the Project Site will be captive to the Datacenter solely supplying electricity directly to the Datacenter. As a result, Plouton Datacenter will be able to reduce the operational cost of electricity to a sub-fraction of the industry averages. This gives Plouton Datacenter an operational advantage to the rest of the industry where the price averages are 2 to 3 times higher.

For more information and details of the offering please visit https://www.ploutondatacenter.com/

For media inquiries, please contact Kili Wall at (310) 260-7901 or Kili[at]melrosepr[dot]com.

About the Offering

This press release is not a solicitation or offer to buy or sell securities, which may only be made at the time a qualified offeree receives the relevant confidential offering documentation, which contain important information about the investment and the risks of investing in it. Any potential offer would not be valid in a jurisdiction where the offer or sale of the securities is unlawful. Investments may be speculative, illiquid and carry a risk of loss. Information in this document constitutes forward-looking statements or statements which may be deemed or construed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Harry Cunningham

Business today is a global affair. It's easier than ever for companies to do business internationally, which means knowing more than one language is more important than ever. In 2015, Bill Gates said his biggest regret in life is that he speaks only English. He's doing just fine regardless, but as an entrepreneur, that should tell you that a second language can help you go far in business.

Ultimately, learning a new language comes down to persistence and having the right training program. Babbel is the world's top-grossing language learning app and has earned rave reviews from the likes of PCMag, The Economist, and was even named 2016's Most Innovative Company in Education by Fast Company.




North Korea is believed to have replaced the chief of its primary intelligence agency accused of a string of secret operations against South Korea, including the 2010 sinking of a warship, according to Seoul's latest who's who in Pyongyang's ruling elite.







Rim Kwang-il, an army general, replaced Jang Kil-song last December as head of the Intelligence General Bureau, the North's military intelligence agency, according to the who's who book, titled "Information on key figures in North Korea."







The agency is known for its involvement in the 2010 torpedo attack on the South Korean naval corvette Cheonan that killed 46 sailors on board. Leading the agency at the time was Kim Yong-chol, a hawkish general who later served as counterpart of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in nuclear negotiations.







Kim was replaced by Jang as he was named in the same year to lead the United Front Department, a key party organ dealing with inter-Korean affairs.







Born in 1965, Rim was promoted to lieutenant general in 2017. He was presumed to have been appointed as a member of the ruling party's central military committee last December, the data showed.







The data did not provide other details on the reason for the replacement. Rim's appointment has not been mentioned in Pyongyang's state media reports yet.







North Korea is also presumed to have replaced Yun Jong-rin with Kwak Chang-sik as the Supreme Guard commander in charge of security for leader Kim Jong-un.







Kwak is a little-known figure for outside watchers but his name started to appear in state media reports last year. He was appointed as a member of the ruling party's central committee last December, the data showed.







The data on North Korean personnel was based on the North's state media reports and intelligence analysis. The unification ministry has published updated info books on the North every year. (Yonhap)


Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - Advantagewon Oil Corp., (CSE: AOC), (OTC Pink: ANTGF), (the "Corporation", "Advantagewon", "AOC") announced today that it had entered into a Letter of Intent ("LOI") to acquire Groundstar Resources Limited ("GRL"). The Corporation expects to enter into a Definitive Agreement ("DA") with GRL within the next 90 days.

GRL has approximately $30,000,000 CDN in accumulated tax losses and the acquisition of these losses will allow AOC to defer a significant amount of income tax when it enters a taxable position. The purchase price for the tax losses will be $335,000 CDN subject to certain adjustments and will be paid for via the issuance of stock of AOC.

The issuance of any Common Shares to GRL and completion of the transaction post completion of a DA will be subject to a number of conditions including shareholder approval by GRL, Exchange approval and regulatory approval as GRL is currently cease traded. The Corporation will provide further updates on the proposed transaction, via press release, as material information becomes available and once a sale price is determined.

About Advantagewon Oil Corp.

Advantagewon is focused on building consistent cash flow from low cost, low risk oil wells. Advantagewon's common shares are listed on the OTC Markets in the United States and on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") in Canada. Advantagewon is a member of the CSE Composite Index (CSE: AOC). For more information please visit www.aoc-oil.com

For further information please contact:



Mr. Stephen Hughes

CEO & Director

Advantagewon Oil Corp.

T: (587) 580-9344

Mr. Frank Kordy

Secretary & Director

Advantagewon Oil Corp.

T: (647) 466-4037

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although Management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbor.

- 30 -

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55798
PODGORICA, Montenegro - Montenegrin police used tear gas to disperse protests demanding the release of eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests who were detained for organizing a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings because of the coronavirus.

The incidents late Wednesday in the western towns of Niksic and Pljevlja came a day after thousands attended the procession in Niksic without wearing face masks or keeping distance.

Local media say a number of people have been detained.

Large gatherings are still banned in Montenegro as part of efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. The detained priests are facing charges of violating health regulations during the virus outbreak by organizing the procession.

Earlier on Wednesday, angry supporters of the Serbian Orthodox Church blocked a regional road in northern Montenegro in protest.

The detentions have heightened tensions between the small NATO member state and Serbia and the Serbian Orthodox Church which earlier this year led weeks of protests against a religious law that it says would strip the church of its property. Montenegrin officials have repeatedly denied the claims.

Serbias president, Aleksandar Vucic, and Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej said in a joint statement on Wednesday that they hope the arrests wont spark any unwanted unrest or clashes.

Montenegro, a country of 620,000 people, split from much larger Serbia in a referendum in 2006. Serbian nationalists both in Serbia and Montenegro have never fully recognized the separation of what they claim is a historic Serbian territory.
Neither Richmond individually nor localities in the Richmond area have requested a delay similar to Northern Virginia.

We have not received a formal request, and would evaluate it if and when we do, said Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmoksky. We expect any request to be based first and foremost in public health data.

Northam said Monday that localities can call for additional restrictions beyond the reopening guidelines hes laid out  calling those a floor  but added that regions should act in concert. The chief executive had previously resisted calls for a regional approach to lifting restrictions.

Speaking of Northern Virginia on Monday, Northam said: Uniformity across the region is critical to a successful strategy, rather than having restrictions piecemeal across towns and counties.

Stoney said Richmond has asked the state for the data Northam used to decide that Virginia should enter Phase One and once we have that data in hand, I think we will be able to speak further with our partners in Henrico and Chesterfield about their plans.
A school in New South Wales will be closed on Thursday after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus.

Students at Werrington Public School in western Sydney will learn from home while the school is deep cleaned and health officials carry out contact tracing.

All staff and students at the school who were in close contact with the infected staff member will be told to self-isolate.

Werrington Public School in western Sydney (pictured) will be closed on Thursday after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus

'The safety and well-being of our staff and students is of paramount importance to us at all times,' the New South Wales Department of Education said in a statement.

'As such we will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure that all necessary health advice is adhered to.'

It comes as pubs and clubs open their doors to 10 patrons at a time from Friday in the state.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would open cafes and restaurants from Friday, and overnight added limited services at pubs and clubs.

'This is an important first step, and we want it to be a success, so that as venues transition back from closure they do so safely both for their staff and their customers,' NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.

Students will learn from home while the school is deep cleaned and contact tracing is carried out by health officials (stock image)

All venues must still adhere to social distancing policies and stick to the strict 10-patron rule.

There are 6,980 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Australia.

The number of deaths from the illness nationally stands at 98.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Three wildlife advocacy groups filed suit Tuesday against the Trump administration over funding for the construction of the wall on the border with Mexico.

The groups  the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Legal Defense Fund  are also challenging waivers from National Environmental Policy Act and Endangered Species Act applications, and other statutory regulations that have allowed the construction to go forward.

This administration has an ongoing pattern of diverting funding that has not been appropriated by Congress, and waiving environmental and public health laws to fast track this project, Jason Rylander, senior counsel for Defenders of Wildlife, told the Journal.

The groups are challenging the diversion of $7.2 billion from military projects in fiscal 2020 to be used for 31 projects consisting of the construction of 177 miles of border wall. The groups have already challenged the diversion of $6.7 billion in funding in fiscal year 2019. That challenge is making its way through the court, Rylander said.

Other groups have also sued and have been granted injunctions, Rylander said. But the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the project to continue.

The suit maintains the diversion of funding and the waiving of requirements are unconstitutional.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite of the Army Corps of Engineers  whose departments are involved with the construction  have been named as defendants in the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

Rylander labeled the border wall a pet project of the administration. He said the project is crossing some of the last wild places in America.

These desert habitats support various wildlife, some of which cross the border continuously, he said. This project hinders wildlife trying to reach rivers for water. It could impact the ability to recover such endangered species as the jaguar, the Mexican gray wolf and the ocelot.

He also said the construction threatens cultural sites on Native American lands.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Army Corps of Engineers anticipate about 450 miles of new border wall to be complete or under construction by the end of 2020, including about 95 miles in New Mexico, according to CBP officials.

Esper has defended the use of funds meant for other defense projects, saying border barriers would reduce the need for military personnel to help CBP and Border Patrol agents, and said the wall would help slow the flow of illegal narcotics into the country.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

A committee created to look at the pretrial detention system in New Mexico shot down a proposal that would have essentially forced certain defendants to prove theyre not dangerous to get out of jail.

The Ad Hoc Pretrial Detention Committee, created by the Supreme Court in January, met for six hours Tuesday to discuss and vote on the proposed changes. The committee is made up of prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and legislators.

Most of the proposals were rejected Tuesday. The Supreme Court could accept or override the proposals. The committees chairman, retired Supreme Court Justice Edward L. Chavez, said he will write a detailed report on Tuesdays meeting and present it to the Supreme Court.

In 2016 New Mexico voters approved a constitutional amendment that allowed judges to keep dangerous defendants in jail until trial, while also keeping non-dangerous defendants out of custody.

Prosecutors have asked the Supreme Court for clarification and guidance on how the rules work.

The 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office in May 2019 proposed a plan to implement rebuttable presumptions which would make it easier to detain defendants in the most serious and violent cases.

Under the proposal, a defendant would be presumed dangerous if he or she is accused of a violent felony, had a gun while committing the crime or has been convicted of a violent felony in the past five years. The proposal would have forced the defense to prove that anyone meeting this criteria isnt dangerous, whereas now the burden of proof is on the prosecution.

What presumptions really do is send a signal to judges about which crimes are essentially the most serious ones, and which crimes should be flagged as potentially resulting in violence if the person is released, said Deputy District Attorney James Grayson, who was the meetings designee for DA Raul Torrez.

Jonathan Ibarra, representing the state Law Offices of the Public Defender, said he strongly opposes rebuttable presumptions and believes more people would be detained under this proposal.

University of New Mexico School of Law Professor Leo Romero said the burden of proof would be shifted to the defendant and the political pressure on judges would just be too much if the proposal was adopted.

They wont be really scrutinizing the evidence and probably just relying on the nature of the offense charged, Romero said.

The committee voted against the proposal after about 30 minutes of discussion. Regardless of what the Supreme Court does, lawmakers and voters could enact the rebuttable presumption proposal through a constitutional amendment.
Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner is pictured at a daily coronavirus press briefing on April 2, 2020.

Win McNamee/Getty

Jared Kushner, a White House advisor and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, couldn't say for sure whether COVID-19 might lead to the 2020 election being postponed.

"That's too far in the future to tell," he said in an interview with TIME on Tuesday.

"It's not my decision to make, so I'm not sure I can commit one way or the other," he added. "But right now that's the plan."

In a statement provided later to NBC News, Kushner said: "I have not been involved in, nor am I aware of any discussions about trying to change the date of the presidential election."

President Trump cannot unilaterally postpone the 2020 election, as Business Insider has previously reported.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US presidential election is on November 3, but when asked if it would still be held then, Jared Kushner, the US president's son-in-law and White House senior advisor, was not fully committal.

As Business Insider has noted, it is not possible for the White House to unilaterally postpone an election  although Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has worried it is something that President Donald Trump might well try.

Trump could, however, publicly undermine the legitimacy of the vote, as he has done with baseless claims that casting ballots by mail will enable widespread fraud.

Asked Tuesday if he could see pushing back the vote, Kushner told TIME that November was "too far in the future to tell."

"It's not my decision to make, so I'm not sure I can commit one way or the other," he said. "But right now that's the plan."

Kushner had been asked if another surge in coronavirus infections could delay the election.

"Hopefully by the time we get to September, October, November, we've done enough work with testing and with all the different things we're trying to do to prevent a future outbreak of the magnitude that would make us shut down again," he said. "I really believe that once America opens up, it'll be very hard for America to lock down again."

Story continues

In a statement issued later in the day to NBC News, Kushner said: "I have not been involved in, nor am I aware of any discussions about trying to change the date of the presidential election."

At least 81,600 people have died in the US due to COVID-19, with an additional 1,547 deaths reported on Tuesday, according to The Washington Post. Reported deaths peaked April 21, when there were 2,845 fatalities  compared to 2,416 deaths on May 5  but public health experts have warned that the US is not conducting enough tests to safely restart the economy, raising the threat of a fierce resurgence.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com

Read the original article on Business Insider
President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden after introducing a new point-of-care COVID-19 test kit developed by Abbott Labs at the White House on March 30, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Abbott Labs' rapid coronavirus diagnostic test that's used by the White House could be missing nearly half of positive cases, according to a new study from researchers at New York University, which describes the test as "unacceptable."

The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, found Abbott's ID NOW test missed a third of samples collected with nasopharyngeal swabs that tested positive with a test from rival Cepheid. When using samples collected with "dry nasal swabs," the Abbott test missed more than 48% of positive cases, the study said. Both nasopharyngeal swabs and dry nasal swabs are collected from the nostril, but the former is inserted much deeper into the nose.

The methodology and the study have not yet undergone critique from colleagues and have not been edited or published by an academic journal.

Abbott Labs refuted the study's claims that its rapid coronavirus diagnostic test could be missing nearly half of positive cases.

The Abbott ID NOW test demonstrated 91% sensitivity and 100% specificity in a separate study conducted in Washington state, the company said in a series of tweets Wednesday evening.

"While no test is perfect, Abbott's ID NOW is delivering reliable results when and where they're needed most," the company said in its response. "The world needs a variety of tests in labs and at point of care, and as many as possible, if we are to help reduce the risk people have every single day of contracting the virus."

Abbott said it has many questions for the authors of the New York University study authors.

"We are reviewing the information in this non-peer reviewed study," a spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration told NBC News.

The urgency to ramp up coronavirus testing in the U.S. "has eased the usual scrutiny" applied by the Food and Drug Administration before the release of a new test, according to the authors of the study. The FDA has issued emergency use authorizations for multiple tests, including Abbott's, which means the tests can be used "without the more rigorous scrutiny to which tests are normally subjected to prior to FDA approval," according to the study.

Capacity to test broadly throughout the population will be key to quickly detecting and preventing pockets of outbreak as states reopen nonessential businesses and ease restrictions, officials say. Point-of-care test like Abbott's, which can yield results in as little as five minutes, are crucial to the effort.

Abbott disputed the findings of the study, adding that it has distributed about 1.8 million of the tests and the reported false-negative rate is 0.02%.

"Once again, a study has been conducted using ID NOW in a manner that it's not intended to be used. It's unclear if the samples were tested correctly and we're further evaluating these results," Abbott spokeswoman Darcy Ross said in a statement. "The outcomes in this paper are inconsistent with any experience that we've had with this instrument."

The Abbott test became less accurate as the viral load in each sample decreased, the study said.

"Based on our findings we could argue that the Abbott ID NOW detects samples with high viral load or possibly viable virus that could be of importance for transmission," the study said. "But, the fact that it misses positive samples on patients being admitted to the hospital with clinical picture of COVID19 makes this technology unacceptable in our clinical setting."

The Abbott test is more efficient and portable than standard Covid-19 diagnostic tests, which often require samples to be shipped to a lab that has the necessary equipment to analyze the results. Abbott received emergency use authorization for the test on March 27.

Politicians and officials have called for proposals for new rapid, point-of-care testing technology to quickly ramp up the country's capacity to test for the virus, which will be key in preventing a resurgence as states begin to reopen.

President Donald Trump has previously touted the Abbott test at press briefings and the White House currently uses the ID NOW test to regularly check officials, including Trump, and to screen visitors.

Several retailers, including Walgreens and CVS Health, that have opened drive-thru coronavirus testing sites currently use the Abbott test.

-CNBC's Salvador Rodriguez contributed to this report
Soil samples commissioned by Transurban and presented to public environmental hearings on the $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel did not test for potentially carcinogenic chemicals PFAS.

A leading contamination expert has hit out at the "omission", which points to a possible lack of PFAS testing early on in the project.

Contaminated soil on the West Gate Tunnel's construction site on New Street, South Kingsville. Credit:Joe Armao

Builders CPB Contractors and John Holland are trying to exit the project, alleging the amount of PFAS soil was underestimated in the $5 billion construction contract it signed with Transurban.

The tolling giant claims it tested for PFAS contamination, but the only public document detailing the project's soil samples shows that they were tested for contaminants such as arsenic, asbestos and lead not PFAS.
Travellers wear protective face masks as they wait on the concourse at London Victoria train station in central London on March 3, 2020.

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

A railway ticket officer in London has died with COVID-19 days after a member of the public who said he had the coronavirus spat at her.

Belly Mujinga was on the concourse at Victoria station in London in March when a member of the public approached her and coughed and spat at her, claiming he had the coronavirus.

Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, died less than two weeks later.

The British Transport Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A railway ticket officer in London has died with COVID-19 after a member of the public who said he had coronavirus spat and coughed at her.

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on the concourse with a colleague during her shift at Victoria station in central London on March 22 when a member of the public approached them.

The man coughed and spat at both of them, and said he had the coronavirus, according to her trade union the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA).

The TSSA say that Belly and her colleague "begged to be let to work from inside the building with a protective barrier between them and the public" but were told to remain outside.

Within days, both women fell ill with the virus.

Mujinga had underlying respiratory problems and her condition grew worse until she was admitted to hospital and placed on a ventilator, but she died on April 5.

The police have launched an investigation into the TSSA's report.

"British Transport Police have now launched an investigation into a report of two members of rail staff being spat at while working at London Victoria station on 22nd March," it said in a statement.

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA, said the government should extend the compensation scheme for the families of NHS workers who die with coronavirus to all frontline workers.

"We are shocked and devastated at Belly's death," he said in a statement.

Story continues

"She is one of far too many front-line workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus.

"The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock recently announced that 60,000 would be paid to the survivors of health and care workers who die as a result of the pandemic.

"Our view is that this compensation should be extended to the families of all front-line workers who perish trying to keep our country and vital services going.

"Sadly, Belly's is just one of many family tragedies where children have had their parents taken away from them. However, there are serious questions about her death, it wasn't inevitable.

As a vulnerable person in the 'at risk' category and her condition known to her employer, there are questions about why GTR didn't stand her down from front line duties early on in this pandemic.

"The assault she suffered at work was scary and we do not think the company treated it seriously enough."

Read the original article on Business Insider
New Delhi, May 13 : The Union Health Ministry Wednesday said the Nanded Hazur Sahib returnees in Punjab constituted the bulk of cases with 1,225 positive among the total of 4,216 while the doubling time for new cases has improved to 12.6 in the last three days in the country.

Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare urged Punjab government to further strengthen SARI/ILI screening, in addition to ensuring that non-COVID health issues such as immunisation drives, TB case finding and treatment, providing blood transfusion for dialysis patients, treatment of cancer patients, ANC of pregnant women, etc, are not adversely affected.

"As the available data indicate a decline in the notification of TB cases in the private and public clinics, the state needs to give priority to this area too," said Vardhan.

Vardhan held a high level meeting through a video conference with Balbir Singh Sidhu, Health Minister of Punjab. This is a part of a series of one-to-one discussions with various states/UTs Health Ministers and Collectors of Red Zone and High priority districts to take stock of preparedness. According to the health ministry, as on May 12, "all 22 districts stand affected by COVID-19 with a total 1913 cases; 3 districts (Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Patiala) are in the Red Zone and 15 are in the Orange Zone. The total samples collected are 43,999 with sample positivity rate at 4.3 per cent. The Nanded Hazoor Sahib returnees constituted the bulk of cases with 1,225 positive among the total of 4,216." The state government said that it has another big challenge at hand with the number of migrant labour returning being around 20,521.

A total of 74,281 cases have been reported where 24,386 persons have been cured and 2,415 deaths have been reported so far. "In the last 24 hours, 3,525 new confirmed cases have been added. While the doubling time in the past 14 days was 11, it has improved to 12.6 in the last three days," it noted. It added that the fatality rate is 3.2 per cent and the recovery rate is pegged at 32.8 per cent ", said the health ministry.

Cumulatively, 18,56,477 tests have been done so far for COVID-19, whereas, 94,708 samples were tested on Tuesday. "Today, there are nine states/UTs that have not reported any cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. A&N Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram. Also, Daman & Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases till", said Vardhan.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Eldar Janashvili  Trend:

The volume of requests for restructuring loans has reached nearly 550 million manat ($323.5 million), Chairman of the Board of Central Bank of Azerbaijani (CBA) Elman Rustamov said.

The chairman made the remark at a press conference on the cancellation of licenses of Azerbaijans NBC Bank and AG Bank, Trend reports.

According to Rustamov, as of early May, 48,000 requests for restructuring loans in the amount of 549 million manat ($322.9 million) were submitted in Azerbaijan, of which only 15 appeals werent positively responded.

As the chairman noted, in total, about 91 percent of all appeals fell on business loans, 4 percent - on consumer loans, and 5  on mortgage loans. Meanwhile, over 37 percent of the requests for restructuring loans in the amount of 200 million manat ($117.6 million) were already considered.

(1 USD = 1.7 AZN on May 13)
A journalist working with Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV) in Kano, on Tuesday, tested positive for COVID-19, alongside his wife

Nasir Ibrahim told PREMIUM TIMES that he developed the symptoms following an official engagement with a former media aide to President Umaru YarAdua, Rabiu Musa, in Kano.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the former presidential aide, Mr Musa, died from coronavirus symptoms while awaiting his test result. The result later confirmed that the official died from coronavirus complications.

Mr Musa was the chief press secretary to Mr YarAdua when he was a governor of Katsina State. Before his death, he was UNICEFs chief communication officer in Kano.

Mr Ibrahim voluntarily submitted himself for testing after suspecting that he may have been exposed to COVID-19. following the passing of the former presidential aide.

On Tuesday, Mr Ibrahim announced his test result and that of his wife to colleagues that the samples returned positive.

This is to inform you I was tested positive of COVID-19 along with my wife, Mr Ibrahim said.

He added that I had a contact with the communication officer of UNICEF, Kano field office on April 22. He died of COVID-19 on May 2, and my sample was taken on May 6. I got the result today, Tuesday, May 12, which shows we are positive.

Though we are still asymptomatic, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) advised us to go on self isolation in our home. They gave me a thermometer to check my temperature and that of my wife and my three children daily and send it to them.

They asked me to send any symptoms observed for immediate action, I need your prayers please, Mr Ibrahim said.
Scientists say bone fossils and a molar discovered in a cave in Bulgaria, dated to around 45,000 years ago, suggest Homo sapiens and Neanderthals crossed paths much earlier than previously thought.

To study the five fossils from Bulgarias Bacho Kiro cave, researchers used radiocarbon analysis, then compared this to DNA samples studied earlier.

The results showed the bones and tooth belonged to modern Homo sapiens, our own species.

The new data was published this week in the science journals Nature and Nature Ecology and Evolution.

This pushes back by thousands of years the arrival of Homo sapiens in Europe, a milestone in the history of a species that arose in Africa about 300,000 years ago and then spread worldwide.

"This is much older than anything else that we have found so far from modern humans in Europe," said Jean-Jacques Hublin, a paleoanthropologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology at Leipzig in Germany, who led the team.

This region, previously known as the Balkan Mountains had long been home to Neanderthals, who left stone tools in the same cave more than 50,000 years ago.

However, the new information confirms that certain stone and bone tools and pendants made of bear teeth found at the site were indeed made by the Homo sapiens, not the Neanderthals.

It is believed the last Neanderthals didnt disappear from western Europe until about 40,000 years ago, so the two kinds of humans overlapped on the continent for up to 8000 years, much longer than previously thought, according to Hublin.

Animal remains in the cave revealed hunting and killing of cave bears, bison, giant deer, horses, hyenas and lions.

Artefacts include pointed flint blades and numerous personal ornaments including a bead made of mammoth ivory and the bear-tooth pendants.

The pendants are very similar to ones made later by Neanderthals in western Europe, suggesting they were influenced by aspects of Homo sapiens culture, although scientists disagree on to what degree.

Previous DNA studies have shown that the two groups mated, and over thousands of years, Hublin suggests the competition between the species and the interbreeding may have been a reason why the Neanderthals became extinct.

Bacho Kiro, known to paleoanthropologists since the 1930s, has been converted into a tourist site.
By Kiley Russell

Bay City News Foundation

A large coalition of government and advocacy groups Tuesday asked for congressional help to ensure that California can continue to deliver safe drinking water during the coronavirus pandemic.

The group consists of environmental nonprofits and advocacy groups as well as the Association of California Water Agencies, which represents hundreds of water systems that collectively deliver about 90 percent of the state's water to residential and commercial customers, including agricultural users.

"We are proud to partner with such a diverse coalition of community-based and water organizations in this request to Congress for funding for water affordability and infrastructure needs during the pandemic," said Dave Eggerton, executive director of the ACWA.

"COVID-19 presents challenges for communities and public water systems. California water stakeholders have come together to find economic stimulus solutions that could be included in the next federal stimulus package," Eggerton said in an email.

On Tuesday, House Democrats introduced a new $3 trillion stimulus package that provides money to state and local governments for salaries to teachers, health care workers and first responders, additional payroll protection funds, money for virus testing, direct payments to households, extended unemployment coverage and housing assistance, among other things.

It's unclear if the money intended for state or local governments might also be used to help fund water systems for things like drinking water and wastewater treatment.

The bill, dubbed "The Heroes Act," is expected to pass the Democrat-controlled House, but will face a likely roadblock in the U.S. Senate, where leadership says additional emergency COVID-19 assistance should be delayed and that states should not be "bailed out" during the pandemic.

But water districts around the country could face a potential revenue loss of $14 billion this year as a result of massive national unemployment that has seriously damaged people's ability to pay their bills, state orders forbidding service shut-offs for nonpayment, a slow-down in new hook-ups and reduced commercial demand, according to a recent study commissioned by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the American Water Works Association.

"Our organizations collectively represent both California frontline communities as well as over 450 California water agencies and other water and environmental stakeholders," the coalition's letter says.

"In this time of crisis, we have come together to urge the California Congressional Delegation to include funding for urgent water infrastructure and water affordability needs as part of the next federal stimulus package or other pending Congressional actions," according to the letter, which was sent to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Sen. Kamala Harris, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

Some of the letter's signatories include leaders from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the California Municipal Utilities Association, Sierra Club California, the Dolores Huerta Foundation, PolicyLink and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, among others.

Pelosi and Harris did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the letter.

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 state of Utah no longer treats bigamy as a crime after downgrading the practice to an infraction  the same level as a parking ticket.

The change in the law, under which unlawful cohabitation has been a crime since 1935, is intended to ensure that people living in families and communities that practice so-called plural marriage no longer live in fear of the law, which some say has left victims of abuse too afraid of the authorities to seek help and allowed abusers to keep their activities hidden.

Polygamy has been practised in parts of Utah since before the state was founded in 1896, though it was outlawed within the mainstream Mormon church in the early 1900s. The law banning it has gone largely unenforced in recent decades, and it does continue in certain parts of the state mostly among fundamentalist and fringe sects.

The law now taking effect was sponsored by Republican state senator Deidre Henderson, who has long called for decriminalisation on the grounds that the law has not stopped polygamy, but instead enabled abuse by keeping the practice underground.

In a February op-ed for the Salt Lake Tribune, Ms Henderson told how she had heard horrifying stories from current and former polygamists who described how family members used the threat of the law to pressure them into keeping quiet about abuse they suffered.

Recommended Child bride reveals horrors of life under fundamentalist Mormon sect

I was both moved and horrified by their personal accounts. The history of raids and family separations, combined with the blanket ban on an entire lifestyle, leads to the fear that an investigation might break up an entire family, removing the children and incarcerating the parents. Thats a high hurdle, and so abuse is kept quiet.

She cited the case of Warren Jeffs, the leader of a polygamous sect called the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Jeffs, who married more than 80 women, was accused of multiple abuses during his time as leader of the church, and was convicted on two counts of child sexual assault.

One county attorney explained to me that Warren Jeffs had weaponized Utah law in order to perpetuate that fear and isolation, wrote Ms Henderson. Branding all polygamists as felons obstructs integration into society and limits access to education, healthcare, and justice; it also allows abuse to escalate unchecked.

As the law she sponsored took effect, Ms Henderson tweeted: Addressing this homegrown human rights crisis is one of my most significant legislative accomplishments, and by far the most difficult. Harsh govt actions and laws for 85 years have only led to a culture of fear, isolation and secrecy, not stopped polygamy.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has said that children are not significant contributors to the spread of Covid-19. Eilish O'Regan explains what that means for Ireland.

Hiqa did an evidence review of a limited number of existing studies and came to that conclusion.

There were just seven studies. It concluded that children play a role in passing on the infection but they are not transmitting the coronavirus at a higher rate than others in the population. There was a view that they were vectors and that they were an important part of the infection chain.

Read More

What did Hiqa find?

It found that children are not substantially contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in their household or in schools. One study suggests that while there is high transmission of Covid-19 among adults aged 25 years or older, transmission is lower in younger people, particularly in those under 14 years of age.

What was the evidence from the studies?

One Australian study examined potential spread from 18 confirmed cases involving nine students and nine staff in 15 different schools.

The research examined over 800 close contacts in the 15 different schools and it was found that no teacher or staff member contracted Covid-19 from any of the initial school cases. One child from a primary school and one child from a high school may have contracted Covid-19 from the initial cases at their schools.

What about passing the virus on to other people in their household?

It said that from the small number of studies identified, it appears that children are not, to date, substantially contributing to the household transmission of the virus. Paediatric cases account for a small percentage of patients.

In a large national epidemiological study from Iceland, where 6pc of the population underwent testing, children under 10 years of age had a lower incidence of the virus than adolescents or adults.

They are likely to be asymptomatic. The emerging evidence in the included studies has highlighted child-to-adult or family member transmission has the potential to occur, although at extremely low rates

Have there been many confirmed cases of the virus among children in Ireland?

There have been 381 cases recorded in children under 15 years of age, 121 of which involves under-fives.

What conclusions can be drawn from this when deciding whether to reopen schools?

It will feed into the decision making but because the evidence is confined to a few studies, the information is limited. People are still finding out more about this new virus.

It would not change the need for physical distancing in schools to protect children and teachers. Also, schools create a lot of people traffic and that is not good for keeping a lid on spread.

However, if a child is with their mother or father in a shop they may not be looked on with the same level of concern.

What about visiting their grandparents?

Caution is needed and there should be no gatherings until there is the official green light and guidance on when it is safe to do so.

Older people and those with weakened immune systems are very susceptible to the virus and it is not worth taking a chance. They should continue to contact their grandparents in other ways.
Some have more dollars than sense, they say, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can easily find investors. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.'

In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like BAIOO Family Interactive (HKG:2100). Now, I'm not saying that the stock is necessarily undervalued today; but I can't shake an appreciation for the profitability of the business itself. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, unless its owners have an endless appetite for subsidizing the customer, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else breathe its last breath.

Check out our latest analysis for BAIOO Family Interactive

How Fast Is BAIOO Family Interactive Growing Its Earnings Per Share?

Over the last three years, BAIOO Family Interactive has grown earnings per share (EPS) like young bamboo after rain; fast, and from a low base. So I don't think the percent growth rate is particularly meaningful. As a result, I'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Like a wedge-tailed eagle on the wind, BAIOO Family Interactive's EPS soared from CN0.041 to CN0.057, in just one year. That's a commendable gain of 37%.

One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. The good news is that BAIOO Family Interactive is growing revenues, and EBIT margins improved by 25.7 percentage points to 23%, over the last year. Ticking those two boxes is a good sign of growth, in my book.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

SEHK:2100 Income Statement May 13th 2020

While it's always good to see growing profits, you should always remember that a weak balance sheet could come back to bite. So check BAIOO Family Interactive's balance sheet strength, before getting too excited.

Story continues

Are BAIOO Family Interactive Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Many consider high insider ownership to be a strong sign of alignment between the leaders of a company and the ordinary shareholders. So we're pleased to report that BAIOO Family Interactive insiders own a meaningful share of the business. In fact, they own 55% of the company, so they will share in the same delights and challenges experienced by the ordinary shareholders. This makes me think they will be incentivised to plan for the long term - something I like to see. With that sort of holding, insiders have about CN1.3b riding on the stock, at current prices. That's nothing to sneeze at!

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalizations between CN1.4b and CN5.7b, like BAIOO Family Interactive, the median CEO pay is around CN2.8m.

BAIOO Family Interactive offered total compensation worth CN1.6m to its CEO in the year to . That comes in below the average for similar sized companies, and seems pretty reasonable to me. CEO compensation is hardly the most important aspect of a company to consider, but when its reasonable that does give me a little more confidence that leadership are looking out for shareholder interests. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.

Should You Add BAIOO Family Interactive To Your Watchlist?

You can't deny that BAIOO Family Interactive has grown its earnings per share at a very impressive rate. That's attractive. If that's not enough, consider also that the CEO pay is quite reasonable, and insiders are well-invested alongside other shareholders. This may only be a fast rundown, but the takeaway for me is that BAIOO Family Interactive is worth keeping an eye on. You still need to take note of risks, for example - BAIOO Family Interactive has 5 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Those reasons include that the current index covers only about three-fifths of the value of international stock markets, while the broader one would cover virtually all of it; that it offers the potential for higher returns than the current index; and that major 401(k) plans as well as major pension funds and mutual-fund companies offer investments in emerging markets.
The presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the last election have taken to Twitter to congratulate Ibrahim Gambari.

Professor Gambari was officially announced on Wednesday as the Chief of staff of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The new chief of staff was appointed by the president following the death of Abba Kyari to COVID-19.

Read Also: Buhari Replaces Dead Nominee On Federal Character Commission Board

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Atiku, a former vice president wrote: Congratulations Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR on your appointment as Chief of Staff to @MBuhari. It is my hope and expectation and those of millions of Nigerians that you will deploy your varied skills garnered over the years in the service of our nation.

Congratulations Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR on your appointment as Chief of Staff to @MBuhari. It is my hope and expectation and those of millions of Nigerians that you will deploy your varied skills garnered over the years in the service of our nation. -AA  Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) May 13, 2020

Obi, a former governor of Anambra state wrote: Congratulations Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR. Your appointment as Chief of Staff to @MBuhari is indeed a good step in the right direction.
Supreme Leader condoles martyrdom of Iranian Navy forces

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 12, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in a message to Army Commander Abdelrahim Mousavi on Tuesday extended condolences on martyrdom of brave naval forces on Konarak vessel and wished the bereaved families strength and recovery for the wounded.

"The painful incident in Konarak vessel, which led to the martyrdom of a group of naval forces, is very bitter and grieving for me," the message said.

Although the hardworking staff who have died during a difficult and honorable service are rewarded by God, God willing, losing loved ones for their families and lack of the hard-working young people is a great loss for the Navy, the Supreme Leader said.

"I offer my condolences to those bereaved families and ask God to grant them patience and healing," Ayatollah Khamenei said, urging relevant authorities to clarify the dimensions of this incident, identify the possible culprits and to take the necessary measures to prevent recurrence of such damaging and bitter incidents.

Nineteen crewmen were killed and 15 others injured in an incident involving the Iranian Navy's Konarak logistic vessel in the country's southern waters.

The incident occurred on Sunday when a number of Navy vessels were conducting exercises near the waters lying close to Jask and Chabahar ports, the Navy said in a statement on Monday.

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The presidency has released the portfolio of the new chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

Read Also: Yemi Alade Reacts As Buhari Appoints 75-Year-Old As New Chief Of Staff

This was made public via a new statement on the official Twitter handle of the presidency.

Full profile below:

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Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, CFR, OCORT, a scholar-diplomat, is the Founder/Chairman of the Board of Directors of Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, 

 a non-governmental think-tank on research, policy studies, advocacy and training on the nexus between conflict prevention and resolution, democratisation and development in Africa.

He has had an illustrious career, spanning academia, government and international diplomacy, culminating with his appointment as the first United Nations Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005).

He was the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid (1990-1994) and on Peace-Keeping Operations (19901999).

He was Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (2005-2007) and also operated as UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar, and Special Representative in Angola.

Earlier, he was Minister of External Affairs (1984-1985) and subsequently Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (1990-1999).

Professor Gambari also served as Joint AU/UN Special Representative in Darfur and Head of UNAMID (2010-2012).

He is currently a Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

Professor Gambari attended the Provincial (now Government) Secondary School, Ilorin, before proceeding to the Floreat Collegium Kings College, Lagos.

He received his BSc (Econs) degree from the London School of Economics (1968) and his MA and PhD in Political Science/International Relations (1970, 1974) from Columbia University, USA.

He has taught at Universities in the United States, Nigeria and Singapore, and has to his credit the authorship of a number of books.

He has received several academic and national honours, including the Commander of Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR), and the Order of the Champion of the Oliver R. Tambo (OCORT) of South Africa.

He is the Pioneer Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Ilorin, Nigeria, as well as the current Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

He is married with children and grandchildren. /

Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, CFR, OCORT, a scholar-diplomat, is the Founder/Chairman of the Board of Directors of Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development,   Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

 a non-governmental think-tank on research, policy studies, advocacy and training on the nexus between conflict prevention and resolution, democratisation and development in Africa.  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

He has had an illustrious career, spanning academia, government and international diplomacy, culminating with his appointment as the first United Nations Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005).  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

He was the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid (1990-1994) and on Peace-Keeping Operations (19901999).  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

He was Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (2005-2007) and also operated as UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar, and Special Representative in Angola.  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

Earlier, he was Minister of External Affairs (1984-1985) and subsequently Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (1990-1999).  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

Professor Gambari also served as Joint AU/UN Special Representative in Darfur and Head of UNAMID (2010-2012). He is currently a Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

He has taught at Universities in the Unites States, Nigeria and Singapore, and has to his credit the authorship of a number of books.  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020

He has received several academic and national honours, including the Commander of Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR), and the Order of the Champion of the Oliver R. Tambo (OCORT) of South Africa.  Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) May 13, 2020
HONG KONG, May 13, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Zhonghua Gas Holdings Limited (the "Company"; Stock Code: 8246) together with its subsidiaries (collective namely the "Group") today announces that the first quarter results for the three months ended 31 March 2020 ("the Current Period"). During the period, the Group's business has been seriously impacted by the Novel Coronavirus Disease ("COVID-19"). The total revenue from continuing operations recorded was reduced to HKD75.10 million, representing a 29.5% decrease in revenue year-on-year, from HKD113.6 million. The gross profit ratio and net profit after tax dropped by 22.2% and 72.5% respectively comparing with those of the Previous Period. The New Energy Business contributed over 99.8% to the Group's total revenue. Profit attributable to the owners of the Company from continuing operations decreased by 76.1% to HKD2.9 million compared to the Previous Period. The basic and diluted earnings per share for the Current Period were both HKD0.08 cents, as compared with HKD0.36 cents for the Previous Period.The decrease in revenue was mainly caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 which led to the imposition of various travel and work restrictions by the relevant government administrations which unavoidably caused serious impact on the Group's normal business operations such as client meetings, contract negotiation and progresses on the completion of new projects. As a result, the only source of revenue earned for the first three months of this year was from the supply of LNG that has a thinner gross profit margin than that of construction related and consultancy works.Regarding the development on LNG business, the Group endeavored to strengthen LNG supply during the heat supply period. The 60:40 Joint Venture that the Group set up with Shanghai Jiulian Group enabled the Group to secure stable supply of LNG resources and expand its business to the high potential market in the Yangtze River Delta region. The Joint Venture will be principally engaged in sale of LNG, engineering of LNG pipeline, sale, installation, maintenance of LNG delivery equipment, technology development, consulting and transfer of heating system, technology development of new energy, etc. Meanwhile, the Group continued to maintain solid relationship with Tractebel Engineering S.A. from France and Tianjin Jinre Heat-Supply Group Co. Ltd in technological and infrastructure related business.Looking forward, the Group will stay alert on the market and continue to keep a close watch on the development of COVID-19 while implementing timely measures to mitigate any possible business risks and minimize losses.Zhonghua Gas Holdings LimitedZhonghua Gas Holdings Limited is principally engaged in provision of diverse integrated new energy services including technological development, construction and consultancy services in relation to heat supply and coal-to-natural gas conversion, supply of liquefied natural gas, coupled with trading of new energy related industrial products. The Group is also engaged in the property investment business.Media Contacts:Angel YeungJovian Communications LtdTel: +852 2581 0168Email: news@joviancomm.comSource: Zhonghua Gas Holdings LimitedCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
A report by the US Government Accountability Office said Turkeys expulsion from the F-35 program has complicated the Joint Strike Fighters already troubled production chain.

Parts shortages increased significantly in 2019 and Turkeys suspension from the program will likely further complicate existing supply chain challenges, read the report, released Tuesday by the congressional watchdog office and first reported by Bloomberg.

The program has already found new suppliers for most of the 1,005 individual F-35 parts produced by Turkish manufacturers, the report said, but 15 "key parts" are not yet being turned out at the rate demanded by deadlines, compounding already troublesome supply, quality and cost shortfalls of the $428 billion F-35 project. According to the report, some 10% of the manufacturers selected to replace Turkish suppliers will not be producing at the required rate until next year. The GAO further concluded that allowing Turkish manufacturers to continue to produce some parts will help the project meet demands until new suppliers can get up to speed.

Why it Matters: The United States formally expelled Turkey from the F-35 production program in July 2019 after the NATO member purchased Russias S-400 missile defense system. The Pentagon has warned the S-400 system will gather data on the F-35s capabilities and weaknesses, giving the Kremlin an easy window into advanced US military technology.

Turkeys expulsion cost the program roughly half a billion dollars, according to the Pentagon. It also came at a low point in relations between the two NATO allies, as Ankara grew increasingly frustrated with Washingtons support for Kurdish militants in the war against the Islamic State in northeast Syria.

Whats Next: The Trump administration has not ruled out allowing Ankara to return to the F-35 program in the future should Ankara eschew the S-400, but there is so far no clear sign that the Turkish government is willing to back down. The United States has dangled everything from increased aid for Turkeys efforts in Syria  where Turkish troops are embattled alongside opposition fighters in Idlib province  to Patriot missile defense systems, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

The Trump administration continues to threaten to sanction Turkeys government if the S-400 is activated. Senior Turkish officials have publicly rebuffed these efforts.

Know more: Metin Gurcan takes a microscope to likely reasons why Turkey has not yet activated its new S-400 systems.
Two more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 71, according to a health department bulletin.

The latest cases have been reported from Dehradun and Almora districts, the bulletin here said.

The patients include a 52-year-old woman who had returned to Dehradun from Delhi and a 27-year-old man who had returned to Ranikhet from Gurugram in Haryana.

With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in Uttarakhand has risen to 71, according to the bulletin.

There are 24 active cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, in the state. So far, 46 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, it said.

A woman who had tested positive for COVID-19 died at AIIMS, Rishikesh early this month. The health department, however, had attributed her death to "sudden reduced blood flow to the heart".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyderabad: Telangana's information technology minister K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday told his well-wishers that there was nothing to worry about his health as he was just suffering from a bout of allergic cold with which he has been struggling for many years.

He was responding through a tweet to numerous anxious inquiries on social media platforms about his health following visuals of him at a meeting in Sircilla showing that he had symptoms of a severe cold.

Worrying about the health of the minister, several of his well-wishers wanted to know what exactly his state was. G. Subramanya Sastry, one of many concerned citizens, said in a post on Twitter: Sir, disturbed to know that you were down with flu symptoms yesterday in Sircilla. Concerned about your health. You have been an anti-Covid19 warrior since the virus engulfed us, unmindful of your health. Please reassure us about your health. You are our hope. Please take care.

The minister replied: Many thanks for your concern, Sir. Perfectly well now. Developed an allergic cold (struggling for many years) en route to Siricilla. He continued, Didnt want to cancel my visit suddenly as it would inconvenience many people. Apologies for any inconvenience I may have caused inadvertently.
Canadian coffee-and-doughnut chain Tim Hortons has secured a heavyweight partner to further its China expansion. The company announced on its social media account (in Chinese) on Tuesday that it has landed funding from Tencent, the Chinese social networking and gaming giant, without disclosing the size of the proceeds.

Tim Hortons did not immediately respond to TechCrunch's request for comment. A spokesperson for Tencent declined to comment on the investment.

The 55-year-old Canadian coffee chain entered China in February 2019. With Alibaba already tapped by Starbucks, its archrival Tencent became an obvious ally for Tim Hortons. The coffee firm said the fresh capital will go towards setting up digital infrastructure, such as a WeChat-based mini app, and opening more storefronts. It currently counts about 50 locations in China, most of which are in Shanghai, and aims to reach 1,500 stores without specifying a deadline for the plan.

Investors and businesses have in recent years been jostling to convert a nation of tea drinkers into coffee consumers by merging online and offline retail. Starbucks palled up with Alibaba on a series of "new retail" efforts, which include shared membership perks between the two, delivery carried out by Alibaba's Ele.me, voice ordering and a distribution partnership with Alibaba's omnichannel supermarket Hema. Coffee upstart Luckin, recently ensnarled in an accounting scandal, was digital from day one and focuses on app orders and 30-minute delivery.
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Republican Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot, took an early lead over Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith Tuesday night in the special election to fill the House seat left vacant when ex-Rep. Katie Hill resigned from Congress last fall.

You can check the latest official totals here on the Secretary of State's website.

Final #CA25 update of the night came in around 1 AM from LA County. Widens Republican Mike Garcia's lead over Democrat Christy Smith.



Garcia - 80,337 or 56% of the vote



Smith - 62,998 or 44%



Democrats will have to hope for massive late turnout to overcome Garcia's advantage pic.twitter.com/ooP2yksl7e  Libby Denkmann (@libdenk) May 13, 2020

Voters in the 25th district, which spans parts of northern L.A. County and eastern Ventura County, have been casting their ballots for weeks, ever since Governor Newsom ordered the county to expand voting by mail to every registered voter in the area, as a safety precaution due to COVID-19.

Hill won the district during the "blue wave" of 2018. But she resigned ten months into her term after intimate photos of her were published online without her consent, and a House Ethics committee investigation started looking into an alleged affair with a staff member.

Raytheon executive Garcia had been leading Smith in early mail-in ballot returns.

But with many outstanding ballots still to be tallied, Garcia was not ready to declare himself the winner after polls closed.

"I won't give a victory speech tonight," Garcia said on a conference call with supporters and members of the media. But he added, "it is looking extremely good."

On Wednesday, the Garcia campaign released a statement indicating it was poised to declare victory.

I'm ready to go to work... pic.twitter.com/99CPZ6iZH6  Mike Garcia (@ElectMikeGarcia) May 13, 2020

Smith released a statement thanking volunteers -- and urging patience.

"I am extremely grateful for the support our campaign has received from every corner of this district," Smith said. "The outcome of this race remains too early to call."

She added she plans to return to work in Sacramento on Wednesday.

The nonpartisan election analysis shop, Political Data Inc., has been tracking the number of Republican, Democratic, and "other" (including no party preference) ballots that county election officials have processed in the weeks leading up to May 12.

Prior to election day, Republicans led Democrats in ballot returns by 14 points.

UPDATE in #CA25 with Ventura added, total returns hit 34%, Republicans at 46% Turnout, Democrats at 32% turnout. https://t.co/abCwouw5cJ pic.twitter.com/LPc3PF0OJQ  CA120 (@CA_120) May 12, 2020

Counting the vote in California is slow by design. Ballots can be postmarked up to and including election day, and will be counted as long as they arrive by Friday May 15. There will also be a block of in-person ballots to be counted, including provisional ballots, which have to be verified by election workers, and take longer to process.

In the 2018 midterms, it took almost two weeks for the Associated Press to call a winner in the 39th congressional district in Orange County, when Democrat Gil Cisneros managed to scrape by with a win against Republican Young Kim, who led on election night.

As of Election Day, over 144,000 mail-in ballots had been returned in the 25th district race. That puts it on pace to match or exceed the March 3rd primary election turnout, which saw roughly 161,000 votes cast, or a 38% turnout.

There were also about a dozen in-person voting centers in the district available for people who lost their ballots, wanted to register or change parties, or needed special accommodations to vote.

Workers at L.A. County voting sites cleaned ballot marking machines, tables, and even ballpoint pens before and after each use, while enforcing social distancing.

"We have sanitizers, we have Clorox wipes, we're here to provide gloves and masks if needed," Palmdale vote center election worker Steven Toro said earlier this month, when vote centers opened.

The Cook Political Report rated Smith and Garcia's chances a "toss-up." If Garcia pulls off a victory, this would be the first time a Republican has captured a Democratic House seat in California since 1998.

No matter who wins the seat for the next seven months, it will be short-lived. The remainder of Hill's term expires in Jan. 2021.

Smith and Garcia are slated to meet again in the November general election to compete for a full two-year term.

This post was last updated at 12:32 PM Wednesday with a statement from Mike Garcia.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Yusif Aghayev - Trend:

Azerbaijani insurance companies paid insurance claims in the amount of 4.5 million manat ($2.6 million) in March 2020, which is 33,000 manat ($19,411) or fewer than 1 percent less compared to March 2019, Trend reports citing the published report of Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA).

During the reporting month, the companies insurance claims for compulsory insurance against industrial accidents and occupational diseases amounted to 188,000 manat ($110,588), which is 82,000 manat ($48,235) or 73 percent more compared to the same month of 2019.

Payment of insurance claims on compulsory motor third-party liability insurance (OSAGO) increased by 99,000 manat ($58,235), exceeding 3.8 million manat ($2.2 million), indicating a slight increase of 2.6 percent.

On an annualized basis, payments on compulsory property insurance decreased by 10 times compared to March 2019, amounting to 42,000 manat ($24,705).

In March 2020, payments within compulsory insurance of military personnel and law enforcement officers cumulatively increased by 170,000 manat ($100,000), reaching 433,000 manat ($254,705), showing an increase of 65 percent compared to the same period of 2019.

In total, insurance companies operating in Azerbaijan paid insurance claims in the amount of 27.7 million manat ($16.2 million) in March 2020, which is 14.6 million manat ($8.5 million) or 2.1 times more compared to March 2019.

Presently, 22 insurance companies and one reinsurance company operate in Azerbaijan.

(1 USD = 1.7 manat on May 13)
'Kindly have us airlifted at the earliest. We are in a very bad situation here.'

IMAGE: The Jains, who currently live in a rented house in Istanbul, are deeply worried about elderly parents. Photographs and video: Kind courtesy Amit Jain

Even as COVID-19 cases rise in Turkey, 220 Indians stranded there are waiting to be airlifted with little help from the Indian government.

Rediff.com spoke with Amit Jain, a chartered accountant from Vile Parle, north west Mumbai, who has been stranded in Turkey since March 18 with his elderly parents, wife, twin daughters and 12-year-old son.

Dear Modiji:

We are a family of seven from Mumbai, Vile Parle, stranded in Istanbul since March 18, 2020.

My family includes my 70-year-old mother and 80-year-old father, my wife, 12-year-old son and twin daughters. We really need you to help us out.

We left India on March 14, 2020 when there was just one COVID-19 case in Turkey.

On March 16, we received a notification that Indians in Turkey would not be allowed to enter India after March 18, 2020, 12 PM GMT.

We were in a part of Turkey from where it was impossible to reach Istanbul and catch a flight to India at such short notice.

Later, the cases in Turkey escalated and we have literally lived a life full of terror, particularly when we go out to buy groceries.

My father has severe health problems ranging from Alzheimer's, depression, blood pressure; he has four heart stents, partial eye vision.

40 to 50 times a day he asks when we will get back home.

My daughters have their CA final attempt examination in November and their studies have gone for a toss.

We have had to purchase medicines at exorbitant rates several times due to the forced stay.

Once or twice a week we get our groceries. Every day we spend $100 for our expenses.

I have twice renewed my travel insurance. I have already spent Rs 65,000 on it. The latest policy expires on May 15 after which I will have to renew it.

IMAGE: The Jain family in happier times in Turkey.

We have waited for about 50 days now and are penniless.

The rent of the apartment is pending since April 23. We are desperate to fly back to any part of India and even get quarantined.

On April 28, two Turkish Airlines flights left for Mumbai and Delhi to get back stranded Turkish citizens from India.

Along with other Indians stranded in Turkey we used various social media platforms and contacts to try and get in touch with the government (of India) and get back home, but all in vain.

We tried frantically to draw the attention of the consul general and Indian embassy staff here to fly us to India on the same flight as it was flying without any passengers from Turkey to India.

They asked us to approach your government, Respected Prime Minister, and we are still running from pillar to post.

One of the stranded Indians here lost her father on May 1.

Another's wife in India is due to deliver with a complicated pregnancy.

A stranded Indian's mother in India has fractured her ribs.

A retired senior (Indian) navy officer has been stranded on a ship since March.

An elderly Gujarat couple whose video went viral more than a month ago is seriously unwell.

A few students are distraught due to financial and other problems.

People have lost their jobs back in India.

Seven Indian transit passengers were not allowed to board a flight and were held at Istanbul airport for about 13 days without any food, clothing, blankets. They were sent into quarantine after which they were left on the street, with no money, no jackets in chilly weather. Mind you, these people are well-to-do businessmen.

Spending dollars for accommodation, on medicines, food, travel insurance, conveyance for two months is no joke.

The expenses don't end.

To get airlifted one must pay more than three times the normal fare and again pay for quarantine.

And this is supposed to be a RESCUE MISSION.

On my recommendation, the Indian embassy formed a WhatsApp group. I am in touch with at least 15 people in this group and we have the same problems.

The Indian embassy is of no help because they keep saying 'ho raha hai, ho raha hai (we are trying to get you airlifted)', but nothing is happening on the ground.

Turkey is still not on the (Vande Bharat Mission) list so far. We are hoping that Turkey finds itself on the third Vande Bharat Mission starting on May 23.

We have written e-mails, tweeted about the distress Indians in Turkey are going through, but it has bore no fruit yet.

A lot of relevant people reply with a standard reply: 'We appreciate your situation; please be patient, we are working on it.' Unka woh standard reply hota hai na government wala (They stonewall our pleas with standard government responses).

The most shocking thing is when the authorities say the Indian embassy will help you here in every way, it is we who pass information to the embassy people here.

They keep asking us for updates instead of giving us updates.

Unfortunately for us, India doesn't have an ambassador in Turkey. The position is vacant.

We are in touch with the consul general and other staff at the Indian embassy, but nobody is helping us.

Initially, when we ran into financial problems we told them that the external affairs minister (Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar) is saying that the embassy will help you with whatever you want.

Other countries (embassies) are helping (their citizens).

We have not received, as of today, a single rupee in aid.

We have made several requests via e-mail and spoken to them a few times, but they (the staff at the Indian embassy in Istanbul) have always disappointed us.

IMAGE: The Jains in happier times in Turkey.

Turkey is a (COVID-19) hotspot and yet it is not under a strict lockdown like India. People are roaming about freely.

The country has already one-and-a-half lakh (150,000 COVID-19 positive) cases.

Turkey is among the top eight infected countries in the world. We used to think that being such a highly infected country, Turkey should be on the immediate pickup list of the (Indian) government.

How can you keep 220 to 230 Indians to fend for themselves in a country where cases are so high?

Some Indians have decided against going back now because your government is charging exorbitant ticket prices and then the quarantine cost.

Considering these factors some Indians who can afford to stay back will stay in Turkey.

With no clue about when and how we will get back home most of us are having severe anxiety problems.

It is an earnest request to your government, please airlift us soon.

My parents and many other senior citizens are having a very tough time surviving each day.

Respected Prime Minister, kindly treat this as an SoS from Turkey and have us airlifted at the earliest. We are in a very bad situation here.

Hope someone takes note of the pitiable plight of tax paying Indians.

Amit Jain

Amit Jain can be reached at +919322229410 on WhatsApp call

As told to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com
Celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War ended, but they talk about those events not only on holidays. Participants in yesterdays Russian-Azerbaijani online conference Our Common Victory in the Great Patriotic War, organized by the Institute for Political Studies, spoke about Azerbaijans contribution to the victory over fascism.

"Our common contribution and the contribution of the Azerbaijani people to the Victory cannot be overestimated. Now we live in different states, but our friendship and our family, family ties strengthen us and give an impetus to the development of both bilateral relations and interaction at various international platforms. Azerbaijan for us, its not just a partner, its really a brother. And in many ways our brotherhood is determined precisely by the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, which our peoples achieved together, said State Duma deputy Anton Morozov.

According to him, the State Duma highly appreciates the level of development of bilateral relations with Azerbaijan: We hope that with the support of all parties represented in the State Duma and all deputies of the Mejlis of Azerbaijan, we will be able to develop an even more constructive agenda for the development of bilateral relations, based on of our kindred fraternal relations, laid as far back as 1945 on Victory Day. "

The chief consultant, scientific secretary in the archive of political documents for managing the affairs of the President of Azerbaijan, Hajar Verdiyeva, recalled that without the oil of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union could not have defeated fascism: "This was how the dominant role of Baku oil during the Great Patriotic War was assessed by Marshals of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, Konstantin Rokossovsky. It was Baku oil that was assigned the role of supplying parts of the Red Army, primarily tanks and aircraft. "Everything for the front, everything for the victory!" - under this motto lived of Azerbaijan. During the war years, more than 130 types of weapons and ammunition were produced in Baku. In the summer of 1942, production of rockets for the legendary Katyushas and Shpagin submachine guns began in Baku. Fighter planes and cocktails were manufactured at Baku aircraft plants. Molotovs incendiary mixture invented by Azerbaijani scientist Yusif Mammadaliev."

Hadzhar Verdieva also noted that over 100 thousand Azerbaijani soldiers were awarded orders and medals of the USSR for courage and bravery. More than 100 of them were awarded the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union, among which there were twice Heroes of the Soviet Union Azi Aslanov, Hero of the Soviet Union Israfil Mammadov , Gafur Mammadov, Gerai Asadov. During the war, Azerbaijanis actively participated in the partisan movement, as well as in the anti-fascist movement in Europe. In the south of France alone there are more than a thousand Azerbaijanis and in Yugoslavia more than 600 Azerbaijanis in Wali against the Nazi invaders. Among them were Mehdi Huseynzade, the legendary Michael ruthlessly stifled Nazis. Also, hundreds of Azerbaijanis fought in the Italian anti-fascist movement. "

Hadzhar Verdieva also noted the prowess of the soldiers of the 77th, 223rd, 271st, 402nd, 416th national rifle divisions, held with battles from the Caucasus to Berlin: "These divisions were particularly distinguished in the battles for the Caucasus, destroying the Hitler operation Edelweiss, whose main goal was to seize Grozny and Baku oil, liberating Ukraine, the Baltic states, Moldova and the countries of Eastern Europe, only three divisions - 77th, 223rd, 416th - destroyed more than 100 thousand enemy soldiers and officers On April 21, 1945, the 416th division was one of the first to break into the outskirts of Berlin and several days took a number of key positions in the city. On May 2, a group of fighters led by Lieutenant Rashid Mejidov hoisted the banner of victory over the Brandenburg Gate. Major General Vladimir Zyuvanov (aka Eibat Eibatov) said at the rally: "The last shot in a historic battle for Berlin sounded at the Brandenburg Gate. And this shot was made by the sons of the Azerbaijani people. "75 years have passed since Victory Day, and the merits of the Azerbaijani people in the Great Patriotic War will never lose their significance. Eternal memory to the fallen heroes, eternal memory to the heroes of the war veterans!"
Derick Dillard, whether he knew it at the time or not, set off a chain of events that may unravel Jim Bob Duggars carefully constructed media empire. Derick has had it out for Jim Bob and TLC ever since he and his family walked off of Counting On in 2017, but the drama only recently came to ahead. Dericks feelings about the Duggar family are crystal clear, but reports on how Jill Duggar feels about the situation vary greatly. Some sources suggest Jill wants Derick to stop sharing the familys business with the world, while others claim Jill is entirely onboard with Dericks mission to take down Jim Bob. So, does Jill really want Derick to quiet down?

A reported insider suggests Jill Duggar isnt comfortable with Derick Dillard speaking out

Derick may be ready to go to war with the Duggar family, but his wife may not be 100% on board with his strategy. According to recent reports, the Duggar familys Arbor Acre Road may not be the only scene of familial drama. If recent reports are to be believed, Jill and Derick might be experiencing some marital strife, and it could get worse if Derick doesnt zip his lip.

AJ Calloway interviews Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra

In Touch Weekly, claiming to have spoken with a person close to Jill, recently reported that the mother of two wants Derick to end his war with the Duggar family. She also is reportedly not ok with his plan to pen a tell-all memoir about the Duggar family. Derick has been teasing a possible book for months. He has even claimed to have an outline prepped and ready to go. Its not known if he has a publisher interested yet.

The reported insider, who was not named by the publication, also claims that Jills relationship with both Jim Bob and Michelle is intact. The source claims that Jill is in regular contact with her parents, although Derick isnt directly involved in that relationship. The source acknowledged that the rift between Derick and the Duggar family is very real.

Jim Bob reportedly disowned Jinger Duggar when she moved to Los Angeles

While the source that spoke to In Touch Weekly claims Jill gets along fine with her parents, evidence is mounting that Jim Bob has no problem cutting children off if they dont behave in a manner that he finds acceptable. Sources close to the family have claimed that Jim Bob and Michelle excommunicated Jinger Duggar when she moved to LA. Family followers may recall that Jim Bob and Michelle refused to comment on Jingers cross country move last year.

In recent months, Jinger has been welcomed back into the fold, but rumors have swirled that Jim Bob only reconnected with Jinger when a respected friend suggested the rift would look bad for Jim Bobs brand. The Hollywood Gossip reportedly spoke with an insider who claims Jim Bob and Jingers relationship has been rocky ever since she married Jeremy Vuolo. The move to LA, which is known for its openness, was reportedly the last straw.

An online source insists Jill Duggar is fine with Derick speaking out

In Touch did not share the identity of their source, and that has troubled many family followers. Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball interviewed Derick in March 2020. She suggested that, at least at the time of that interview, Jill was reportedly fine with Derick sharing information about the Duggar family. Jill, however, was apparently not comfortable being interviewed herself.

Is it possible that Jill has had a change of heart in recent weeks? Sure. The Duggar family has stepped up their social media game in recent months. Not only did the family wish Derick a happy birthday on social media, something they havent done in years, but they also invited Jill to a family event. The Feb. 29 gathering was the first time Jill had been pictured with her family on social media in more than two years. Michelle, along with two of the younger Duggar girls, also paid Israel Dillard a socially distant visit for his birthday in April.
Germany will start to relax from Saturday some border controls introduced in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus with the aim of having free travel in Europe from mid-June, Interior Minster Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday.

The tentative step, aimed partly at helping the tourism sector, comes as the European Commission prepares to urge a return to "unrestricted free movement", though that push will stop if there is a major second wave of infections.

Germany introduced lockdowns in mid-March, early in the outbreak, and has managed to keep the death rate per capita relatively low compared to many of its European neighbours.

Seehofer said that blanket border controls agreed with France, Switzerland and Austria due to end on May 15 would be extended to June 15, but as many crossings as possible would be reopened and systematic checks would give way to spot checks.

"The goal is that from mid-June we want to have free travel in Europe," he said, adding that controls could be re-imposed if there are new outbreaks.

Earlier, Austria said its border with Germany would fully reopen in a month. The Alpine country has been lobbying Germany hard to reopen the border, not least to boost its important tourism industry.

Germany's border with Luxembourg can be completely opened and Seehofer said he was also ready to reopen crossings to Denmark from May 15 but that no formal agreement had been reached yet.

Controls at the EU's external borders will remain until June 15, said Seehofer, adding it was too early to ease controls with Italy and that he would have big problems allowing travel to the United States. Both have been harder hit by the crisis.

However, he said he could imagine that people in safe parts of China could re-enter Germany after June 15.

In an indication of the toll the pandemic is having on the travel sector, tour operator TUI said earlier it needs to reduce its fixed cost base by 30% and cut thousands of jobs in response to the crisis.
The Trump administration is preparing to open another front in its propaganda war against China over the COVID-19 pandemic. The New York Times prominently reported on Monday that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are expected to release an alert this week accusing China of attempting to steal information related to coronavirus vaccines and treatments from US corporations and institutions.

At a subsequent press conference, Trump all but confirmed the reports, declaring: What else is new with China? Im not happy with China, could have stopped it at the source, should have. Now youre telling me theyre hacking. What else is new? He then made clear that were watching very closely.

None of the media reports contain any evidence substantiating the allegations, but nevertheless treat the claims uncritically as fact. Moreover, it is unlikely that the official alert, if and when it is released, will contain more than bald, unsubstantiated allegations.

According to the New York Times, a draft of the forthcoming public warning declared that China is seeking valuable intellectual property and public health data through illicit means related to vaccines, treatments and testing. Its focus is not on Chinese intelligence agencies, but on nontraditional actors, that is, researchers and students who the Trump administration claims are being activated to hack American academic and private laboratories.

Last week British and US. Cybersecurity officials issued a joint alert that pharmaceutical companies, universities and other organizations involved in medical research were being targeted by nation-state hackers in relation to the pandemic. It did not name any specific country.

The New York Times confirmed that the accusations against China, according to US former and current officials, were part of a broader deterrent strategy that also involves United States Cyber Command and the National Security Agency.

American cyber-agencies are not only involved in monitoring and countering hacking, but are engaged in aggressive cyber warfare of their own. Under legal authorities that President Trump issued nearly two years ago, they have the power to bore deeply into Chinese and other networks to mount proportional counterattacks, the New York Times stated.

The article cited Christopher Krebs, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, who claimed that China had a long history of bad behavior in cyberspace, so it shouldnt surprise anyone they are going after the critical organizations involved in the nations response to the Covid-19 pandemic. He then made clear that his agency would defend our interests aggressively.

In response to the US media reports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Beijing opposed all forms of cyber attack. China is leading in the research of Covid-19 vaccine and treatment. It is immoral for anyone to engage in rumor-mongering without presenting any evidence, he declared.

The latest accusations against China are part of the Trump administrations aggressive efforts to blame Beijing for the global coronavirus pandemic. This is both to divert attention from its own criminally negligent response to the outbreak, and as part of ongoing US efforts to undermine China diplomatically and economically, and to prepare for war.

The US media and political establishment has repeatedly accused China of covering up the dangers posed by the COVID-19 outbreak despite the fact that Chinese authorities provided timely updates to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and US Centres for Disease Control as they grappled to understand and control the new disease.

The responsibility for failing to take action for weeks to control the outbreak in the United States that has claimed tens of thousands of lives rests entirely with the Trump administration. Now, despite warnings from health scientists, Trump is pushing for a return to work in unsafe conditions that will endanger many more lives so as to shore up corporate profits.

Trump administration officials have also repeated that big lie originating in American far-right and fascistic circles that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese virology laboratory in Wuhan and either escaped or was released deliberately. Trump has even likened the pandemic to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that led to the declaration of war in the Pacific.

In league with the Australian government, the Trump administration is pressing for an international investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus, which is nothing more than a threadbare cover for the manufacture of evidence to further heap blame on China. The call for the inquiry recalls the demands that Iraq open its doors to weapons inspectors prior to the illegal US-led invasion in 2003. The inspectors found nothing but that did not stop Washington repeating its lies about non-existent weapons of mass destruction.

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing retaliatory measures against China for its alleged failings over the coronavirus pandemic. Yesterday rightwing Republican senator Lindsey Graham introduced legislation into the US Congress that would enable the president to impose a range of punitive sanctions against China, including asset freezes, travel bans, restrictions on loans to Chinese businesses and banning Chinese companies from listing in the US.

In introducing his COVID-19 Accountability Act, Graham absurdly declared that the coronavirus would not have entered the US had it not been for Chinas deception. His legislation would require the president to certify that Beijing was cooperating with an international investigation, and, if not, to take retaliatory action.

The latest allegations of Chinese hacking of vaccine research are not only part of the Trump administrations propaganda war but will be used to justify US cyber warfare measures against China. It is clear that the US, along with many other countries, is already engaged in its own cyber espionage.

Justin Fier, a former national security intelligence analyst, told the New York Times: This is a global pandemic, but unfortunately countries are not treating it as a global problem. Everyone is conducting widespread intelligence gatheringon pharmaceutical research, PPE [personal protective equipment] orders, responseto see who is making progress. Fier noted that the frequency of cyber attacks and the spectrum of targets are astronomical, off the charts.

The US is not only accusing China of cyber espionage, but seeking to block research cooperation. In January, the US Justice Department announced charges against Charles Lieber, chairman of Harvards department of chemistry and chemical biology, over his participation in a Chinese program to recruit scientists.

The latest hacking allegations will undoubtedly cast a pall over Harvards joint study program with a Chinese institute on coronavirus treatments and vaccines, and similar programs, under conditions where global cooperation is vitally necessary to establish a means to contain the pandemic and save lives.
Victoria and Queensland have warned the federal government to be more diplomatic in pursuit of a coronavirus inquiry, fearing that Australia's escalating trade dispute with China will harm already fragile state economies.

But new research to be released on Thursday shows Australians are critical of the Chinese governments response to the pandemic and support the federal governments approach.

Testing times: Prime Minister Scott Morrison and China's President Xi Jinping.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas backed pursuit of an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus on Wednesday but warned that the "vilification" of China would be "dangerous, damaging and irresponsible".

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her state needed clarity and urged the federal government to sort out the dispute as quickly as possible.
Houston ISD leaders have drafted new policies aimed at strengthening academic and financial oversight of in-district charter schools, changes welcomed by trustees who have complained about lax monitoring of the campuses in recent years.

The proposal marks a step toward added accountability of charter schools  albeit an imperfect one for some trustees  as HISD resets its relationship with eight organizations running 13 campuses under contract with the district. In recent years, some HISD trustees have complained that some in-district charter operators are not held to strong enough academic or spending standards, while also failing to support children who may need special education services.

In the recommended policy authored by HISD administrators at the request of trustees, in-district charters would receive clearer academic expectations, more requirements for financial disclosure and five-year contracts instead of annual agreements.

It is long overdue, HISD Board President Sue Deigaard said of the policy changes. We have this same conversation every year, we have the same frustrations around these conversations, the same concerns. And I think this is a very strong step.

Trustees are expected to vote on the policy in mid-June at the earliest, with the provisions taking effect in the 2022-23 school year. Board members are scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to extend agreements with each in-district charter for the 2020-21 school year.

The policy does not address one of the largest complaints about HISDs oversight of charters: the ethics of networks doing business with their own board members and employees, deals known as related party transactions.

Over the past six years, three HISD in-district charters with overlapping board members and leadership  Energized For Excellence, Energized For STEM and Inspired For Excellence  have paid about $14.5 million in rent and $10.1 million in management fees to a company owned by their head of schools, Lois Bullock. The three charters combine to run eight schools with about 4,000 students.

A FAIR DEAL?: Financial ties between HISD charter, founder drew scrutiny in 2019

The transactions are legal and do not violate any HISD policies, but multiple trustees have criticized the agreements. HISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos has called the charters obvious fronts for for-profit ventures.

Trustee Anne Sung, who voted against renewing the Energized and Inspired contracts last year, did not call for a ban on related party transactions. However, she said district officials should ensure such deals are fair-market value and serve the best interests of children.

Im still a little worried that this policy is weak on the financial stuff, Sung said. Im just concerned we dont have enough rigor in the system to make sure charters are operating by the books.

HISD administrators did not directly respond to a question from the Houston Chronicle about the appropriateness of the related party transactions involving Bullocks company.

Lawyer Darrick Eugene, representing the Energized and Inspired networks, declined comment on the charters financial practices, saying the organizations do not want to appear to attempt to influence the board as it makes its independent decisions.

The charters previously produced a real estate market study and analysis of other charter management deals in response to public records requests, citing both as evidence of fair-market arrangements.

Deigaard said she believes the proposed policy will undergo changes before a final vote, calling the proposal 85 percent there.

Energized For Excellence and Energized For STEM likely will face a split board Thursday after trustees voted 5-4 last year to approve an annual extension. Inspired For Excellence plans to dissolve this summer, with the two affiliated charters absorbing its operation.

STILL ENERGIZED: HISD trustees narrowly voted in 2019 to keep scrutinized charter schools open

This year, the HISD board includes four newly elected trustees, three of whom replaced supporters of the Energized contracts.

The vote likely will hinge on trustees like Pat Allen, whose predecessor sided with keeping the Energized schools alive after hearing from parents who spoke highly of the campuses. Allen demurred this week when asked whether she plans to support renewal of the Energized schools, though she suggested some charters will not receive her vote.

My main concern is education over money, and some of the things I know regarding the education of some students is not beneficial, Allen said, declining to offer specifics.

The Energized organizations are receiving added scrutiny this year on multiple fronts: an additional $1.5 million in spending on rent with Bullocks company in fiscal 2019 compared to the prior year; the forgiveness of a $4.1 million loan issued to Bullocks company as back payment for management fees; and an auditors determination that Energized officials failed to properly document financial transfers between the two organizations.

However, Deigaard and Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan have expressed concern that a sudden closure would leave families with few options for the 2020-21 school year, particularly given that many HISD campuses located near Energized campuses on the citys southeast side already are at or near capacity.

Among the schools run by Bullock, one earned an A grade, five scored Bs, one received a D, and one failed under the states academic accountability rating system in 2019.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com
The Shanghainese scholar has been detained and silenced for speaking against the CCP in Beijing and its legislature for the apparent blundering in the coronavirus pandemic, and declaring the right to freedom of speech.

For the communists in China, any citizen asking for free speech is one of the most dislike demands for the party which prefers that its actions not be questioned, especially writing letters that are not approved by the leadership when expressing discontent on the coronavirus topic.

The Shanghainese scholar has been detained and silenced for speaking against the CCP in Beijing and its legislature for the apparent blundering in the coronavirus pandemic, and declaring the right to freedom of speech.

The report about his abduction was confirmed last Sunday night. The South China Morning Post reported, citing multiple sources. According to the SCMP, Scholar Zhang Xuezhong was taken without his consent in his residence in Shanghai. He posted a letter on WeChat last Saturday that contained statements addressing the National People's Congress on the eve when the Chinese Communist Party prepares to discuss issues in two weeks.

A comment by Wen Kejian, a political analyst and a close friend of Zhang said,"He was taken away on Sunday night. Three police cars came to his house."

Another of Zhang's friends also said that he had been taken by authorities as well. This friend mentioned that he was already prepared for the consequences of the letter.

Before Zhang, many dissenters disappeared after questioning the CCP in Beijing for its policies. One of those was Ai Fen who soon disappeared after not following the CCP.

The ardent secrecy and revisionism of the facts from the first coronavirus outbreak is done by Beijing, even blaming the US Army and other countries as the outbreak is taken advantage of.

Also read: China Blames Italy for the Coronavirus, Accuses Them for Peddling Misinformation to Deflect Blame

Zhang, 43, added to his letter,"The best way to fight for freedom of expression is for everyone to speak as if we already have freedom of speech."

After the alleged abduction of Zhang, the Shanghai Police were reached for comment, but they were not reachable.

He is known for his harsh commentary of the politics and legal system saying that the CCP is a backward way of government and the communist system is flawed, stressing on the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

From its beginning in Wuhan during late December, evidence points that it actually started as early as October which has sickened and killed many people all over the globe. Suspicion over China's involvement is higher than ever.

Dr. Li Wenliang was the catalyst that spurred more call for freedom of speech in February. He gave the first warning of the coronavirus to his co-doctors in December, and was rounded up with eight others spreading rumors by the CCP and abducted as well.

Later the CCP demanded that he sign a paper under threar to toe the line according to what they want. Soon after, he died because he was infected by the coronavirus.

Zhang wrote,"Twenty-two days before the [lockdown to contain the outbreak] in the city, Wuhan was still investigating and punishing citizens who had disclosed the epidemic, including Dr Li Wenliang ... showing how tight and arbitrary the government's suppression of society is."

He added that the CCP shard information about COVID-19 with the US, but keep Chinese citizens in the dark.

Trump's claim and the Five Eyes report infuriated China who denied having a hand in the COVID-19 pandemic. China also denied keeping important information.

Where is Zhang? Is the detained Shanghainese scholar alive? He was recently release after the Sunday abduction according the SCMP.

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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  As quarantine restrictions are relaxed in several areas, some local government officials are appealing to the national government to reinstate stricter lockdown rules.

Metro Manila, the province of Laguna, and Cebu City are the only areas under modified enhanced community quarantine after May 15. The rest of the country will either be under general community quarantine or completely have no lockdown restrictions.

The mayors of Cebu City, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu formally appealed to the national government's COVID-19 task force to place their cities under ECQ  the strictest form of community quarantine enforced in the country.

Cebu City is under MECQ, while Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu will be on GCQ from May 16 to 31.

"We understand the importance to start up the economy, but this should not be at the expense of the health and safety of our people," Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes, and Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan wrote on Tuesday.

Labella said the three cities have already conducted calibrated COVID-19 testing on over 10,000 individuals. Of the 1,600 who tested positive, over 90 percent did not show flu-like symptoms  which shows the dangers of allowing people to move more freely.

Meanwhile, the local executive of Borongan City  which is no longer under any form of community quarantine  fears of COVID-19 spread without lockdown rules.

Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda asked Eastern Samar governor and the regional IATF to place the city under ECQ or GCQ from May 16 to 31.

He said Borongan City does not have any intensive care medical equipment to protect residents from a possible outbreak. The city remains free of COVID-19, but Agda is worried this might soon change with the easing of lockdown guidelines.

"We believe the reason why our city remains free from COVID-19 was because of our timely imposition of strict community quarantine and the lifting thereof at this time would render all our efforts ineffective and useless," the mayor wrote.

Navotas City in Metro Manila, which is under MECQ, will remain under strict quarantine rules.

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco said the city will enforce stricter ECQ rules until June 1 to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city. It's not clear if the city has been designated as such by the

Inter-Agency Task Force or if it has obtained clearance to continue with the ECQ restrictions.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday explained that under the modified ECQ, authorities will allow the limited reopening of select manufacturing and processing plants. More businesses are expected to be allowed to resume operations when the COVID-19 task force finalizes the list. Because there will be work in reopened industries, there will also be "limited transportation services."

Local government officials are given the authority to place high-risk barangays with spikes of COVID-19 cases under stringent ECQ rule.

The modified enhanced community quarantine as a "transition phase" to a relaxed general community quarantine, Roque added.
May 13 (Reuters) - The Norwegian central bank on Wednesday excluded four Canadian oil and gas companies from its $1-trillion wealth fund, the world's largest, for producing too much greenhouse gas emissions, its first use of carbon emissions as a criterion to blacklist firms.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, Cenovus Energy Inc , Suncor Energy Inc, and Imperial Oil Ltd were excluded from the fund due to "unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions", Norges Bank said in a statement https://www.norges-bank.no/en/news-events/news-publications/News-items/2020/2020-05-13-spu.

The decision was based on recommendations from the Council on Ethics, the fund's ethics watchdog, because of the companies' carbon emissions from production of oil to oil sands, the central bank said.

Carbon emissions became a criterion for exclusion from the fund four years ago, and in 2017 the Council on Ethics recommended "a small handful" of firms be blacklisted for producing too much greenhouse gas emissions in either the oil, cement and steel sectors.

Norges Bank also excluded three other companies - Egypt's ElSewedy Electric Co, Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA , and Brazilian power holding Eletrobras - for causing severe environmental damage.

Vale declined to comment, while the four Canadian firms did not respond to requests for a comment after market hours. Eletrobras and ElSewedy could not immediately be reached.

The central bank said it took a long time to sell shares of several of the blacklisted companies in a reasonable manner due to the "market situation, including liquidity in individual shares."

The fund, formally called the Government Pension Fund Global and set up in 1996 to save petroleum revenues for future generations, has grown to almost three times Norway's annual gross domestic product, far exceeding original projections. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
Prime minister Boris Johnson is under pressure over the UKs alarmingly high death toll

The United Kingdom's Covid-19 death toll now exceeds 40,000, by far the worst yet reported in Europe, raising more questions about prime minister Boris Johnson's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales brought the UK's official death toll to 38,289 as of May 3, according to a tally of death registrations that includes Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Since then, at least 2,251 people have died from the virus in English hospitals, according to the latest daily data, bringing the true all-UK death toll as of yesterday to just over 40,000.

While different ways of counting make comparisons with other countries difficult, the figure confirmed the UK was among those hit worst by a pandemic that has killed more than 285,000 people worldwide.

The data came a day after Mr Johnson set out a gradual plan to get the UK back to work, including advice on wearing homemade face coverings, although his attempt to lift the coronavirus lockdown prompted confusion.

The leaders of the devolved nations - Scotland, Wales and North Ireland - said advice given by Mr Johnson only applied to England. They told people to remain at home.

Such a high UK death toll increases the pressure on the prime minister.

Opposition parties say he was too slow to impose a lockdown, too slow to introduce mass testing and too slow to get enough protective equipment to hospitals.

Grim

The data painted a grim picture of care homes, which have been especially hard hit by the virus.

"Care homes are showing the slowest decline, sadly," ONS statistician Nick Stripe said.

"For the first time that I can remember, there were more deaths in total in care homes than there were in hospitals in that week."

Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, has warned the US Congress that reopening the economy too soon will result in "needless death".
MICHIGAN  The number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths in Michigan had considerable declines on Wednesday.

There were 40 new deaths and 370 new reported cases, both the lowest recorded numbers for the past few weeks.

Michigan now has 48,391 confirmed cases with a death toll of 4,714. As of May 8, 22,686 infected persons have recovered.

In the Thumb, Tuscola County has removed one case from its total, bringing it down to 161. There still remain 17 deaths in the county.

Ann Hepfer, the health officer for Huron and Tuscola counties, said that decrease was due to a change of address for one of the infected youths at Wolverine Human Services in Vassar.

While 23 cases were officially reported in Tuscola County on Tuesday when the outbreak was announced, there were 25 confirmed cases among female youths and 4 among staff members. Some of the addresses for the infected are outside of Tuscola County.

Huron and Sanilac counties have reported no new confirmed cases or deaths, with their numbers remaining at 36 cases and one death, and 38 cases and five deaths, respectively.

Drive-thru testing is still being offered in Huron County at the Great Lakes Bay Health Care Center parking lot in Bad Axe, taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Tuscola Countys drive-thru testing is in the health departments parking lot in Caro from 9:00 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hepfer said that afternoon and evening testing options will be available soon.

Demographic information is needed for those who wish to be testing, including full name, date of birth, address, telephone number, and insurance information and numbers.

The requirements for COVID-19 testing are:

 People experiencing these symptoms: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell.

 Healthcare workers, first responders, and essential workers with or without symptoms or exposure.

 People age 65 and older with chronic health conditions.
Labels loved by members of the royal family are changing their focus from stunning gowns and luxury basics to stylish masks and face coverings amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Brands including The Vampire's Wife, which is beloved by members of the royal family including Kate Middleton, 38, and Princess Beatrice, 31, are selling trendy face coverings.

Meanwhile children's labels including Rachel Riley clothing and Amaia Kids, both of which have been spotted on the Cambridge children Prince George, six, and Princess Charlotte, four, are also selling masks.

It comes after the government announced earlier this week that Britons should wear a face covering on public transport or in shops where social distancing is not always possible.

Luxury clothing brands beloved by members of the royal family and socialites have turned their efforts towards crafting facemasks, including trendy Vampire's Wife (pictured, Kate Middleton, 38, wearing a dress from the brand during her visit to Ireland in March)

The luxury label released two versions of their silk face masks, with the items flying off the shelves and selling out in a day

Hot luxury label of the moment The Vampire's Wife released two versions of the Vampire's Wife Silk Face Mask last week, with the stylish face-covering on sale for 35.

However the mask sold out in just a day, as conscious fashionistas rushed to snap up the 100 per cent silk covering.

Proceed from sales of the mask are being donated to The World Health Organisation (WHO) COVID-Solidarity Response Fund.

Vampire's Wife has quickly become a royal favourite since being launched by fashion designer Susie Cave - the wife of musician Nick Cave - in 2014.

Meanwhile luxury basics label, Lavender Hill, which counts Meghan Markle, 38, among it's well-heeled clients, have also released a collection of face masks (pictured, wearing a t-shirt from the brand during her visit to Ireland in July 2018)

The British basics label are selling packs of three cotton face masks for 20 in a series of different colours

The label has been seen on a host of royal family members, including Kate and Princess Beatrice, as well as socialites including Olivia Hunt, Charlotte Riley and Sara Parker-Bowles.

Meanwhile one of Meghan Markle's go-to basic-brands Lavender Hill are selling cotton face masks.

The luxury basics label have packs of three cotton masks on sale in a variety of different colours, including a hot pink, denim, and striped pattern.

Another of Kate's favourite brands Lele Sadoughi are also selling packs of the face coverings.

And it's not just masks for adults! Luxury children's label Rachel Riley is a favourite of Kate Middleton for dressing Princess Charlotte, five, and have started selling a series of pretty patterned face masks

The masks, which are for sale online for men, women and children, feature pretty classic prints on a pastel coloured background

The Duchess was seen in one of the label's headbands while on her tour of Ireland earlier this year.

The 32 packs comes with three reusable soft cotton face masks hand-embellished with details, with one embroidered with pearls, gold stars, and flowers.

Other luxury brands beloved by fashionistas across the world are also joining the efforts.

British e-retailer Plumo are selling a colourful range of organic linen face mask, which cost 10.

Kate donned a Lele Sadoughi headband while on tour in Ireland (left), with the label now selling packs of three facemasks for 32 (right)

The brand is donating 2 for each one sold to the Mask 4 Heroes crowdfunding campaign.

And it's not just brands beloved by adults, with children's labels also joining in to create stylish face coverings.

Designer Rachel Riley is a favourite for mother-of-three Kate Middleton, who has often dressed Princess Charlotte in the brand.

The label will be donating 10 per cent of profits from the sale of these face masks to charity.

Meanwhile luxury online brand Plumo, which is loved by fashonistas across the world, is also selling masks, with 10 per cent of profits from sales going to charity

Meanwhile Princess Eugenie encouraged her followers to support the 'wonderful' Amaia Kids who crafted her bridesmaid dresses and are now creating masks for children.

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.

The cotton masks, which are available for children and adults on Amaia's website, cost between 12 to 15 online.

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

The masks are described as reusable and come with five filter refills for 'extra security and longer mask duration.'

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.
This is the shocking moment a woman in Pennsylvania was involved in a brawl with Red Lobster staff after she demanded a refund for an order that took too long to arrive.

Video from the fight shows the customer being pushed out of the restaurant in East York on Sunday as others in the crowd outside complained of a three-hour wait for their takeout food.

The incident came as coronavirus lockdown measures combined with increased demand for the popular brand on Mother's Day.

The footage begins with someone inside the location yelling, 'Get out!' and the customer responding: 'No! I want my motherf**king money back.'

The customer, Cathy Hill, (pictured left) was pushed out by numerous staff members and is seen hitting them and grabbing one man's face covering

Dozens of Red Lobster fans were waiting in the parking lots due to three-hour delays

In the footage obtained by Barstool Sports, an employee replies: 'You will get it.'

At this point a male and female are seen pushing the customer outside of the double doors.

'Get her off me,' the customer shouts. 'I am getting my refund!'

The customers momentarily pauses but tries to get back inside the location again, yelling: 'I want my money refunded. Let me show my bill to get my refund!'

As three workers create a human barrier in the doorway, a fourth worker asks for her name, to which she replied Cathy Hill, and reassures her the money will be returned.

It's unclear what sparks an emotional reaction in Hill but she appears to suddenly attempt to hit a female staff member, who is heard saying 'you've got to go', and instead slaps a silent male worker in the face.

That female employee then grabs Hill's hair as colleagues and reason with her to let go.

The customer was recorded by a witness as she pushed her way back inside but staff told her 'you've got to go'

The customer, Cathy Hill, was heard yelling that she wants her money back. A manager tried to reason with her but she would not wait any longer

After the brawl, Hill said: 'I was assaulted and have a whole crowd to see it'

Hill, who is not wearing a face mask, then appears to grab the face covering of a second male employee wearing an apron, who is trying to separate the women.

After they are separated, Hill then creates a stir in the crowd of waiting customers as she declares: 'I was assaulted and have a whole crowd to see it.'

As the crowd mumbles among themselves, Hill increases the volume of her voice and explains: 'She's been pushing up on me the whole time! Where's my glasses?'

After employees close the door, she is seen making a phone call to police.

Police arrived on the scene around 4.26pm but by then then she had left. They spoke with employees and then the woman at a nearby location.

Cops explained that she was upset because her food wasn't ready and she wanted her money refunded. However patrons are not allowed inside due to social distancing measures.

'That restaurant's closed; you're not allowed in there. My understanding is all food is brought outside of the building,' Springettsbury Township Police Lt. Tony Beam told the York Daily Record.

Red Lobster said neither the customer nor manager were seriously hurt.

Patrons were not allowed inside the venue due to social distancing measures

Police arrived on the scene around 4.26pm but by then the customer had left. They spoke with employees and then the woman at a nearby location

'We do not tolerate violence for any reason in our restaurants,' Red Lobster said in a statement. 'We expect our team members treat our guests with respect, and we expect our guests to treat our team members with respect in return. We are grateful our Manager and the guest involved were not seriously injured in the incident on Sunday.'

Dozens of people were seen waiting in the parking lot of the venue just outside Pittsburgh. It's believed around 100 people were disappointed as food delivery workers were also caught up in the wait.

'I blame Red Lobster,' customer John Morrison told KDKA. 'They took way more orders than they could possibly fill. I put mine in at 10.30pm this morning.'

Red Lobster apologized for the delays and suggested it was down to coronavirus-related protocols.

The company said to-go orders placed online that were pre-paid and not fulfilled will be refunded and guests who placed an order through a third-party should reach out to the company through which the order was placed.

'During these unprecedented times, we are grateful for our guests who continue to want to celebrate with Red Lobster,' the brand said in a statement.

'It's always our goal to provide our guests with a great seafood experience, while also maintaining high standards for health and safety, including social distancing. We apologize that some of our guests experienced longer than anticipated wait times and crowds today and in some cases may have chosen not to wait for their orders.'

'I was pushed, shoved, choked, and manhandled by employees,' customer Cathy Hill said in an interview on Wednesday

During an interview with Don Nash, former EP of TODAY, on Wednesday, Hill explained her side of the story.

She said she entered the premises when her delivery did not arrive and she couldn't contact them on the phone.

Hill was told she shouldn't be inside and employees told her the manager was cooking so wouldn't be able to issue a refund.

But she says the manager ended up coming out and called her over to the cash register so she could get a refund for her $87 order but then employees started pushing her out of the way.

'I was pushed, shoved, choked, and manhandled by employees,' Hill told Nash for TMX.news. She fails to mention she hit an employee and appeared to try and hit another one.

Asked whether she was happy the incident went viral, Hill said she wasn't because it doesn't show her in a good light.

Hill said she still has not been refunded and will 'never eat at Red Lobster again'.

'I still have not received my money back from the restaurant,' she said. Hill said she had only ordered online from the restaurant once before.

Hill said she still has not received an apology from the brand or store despite reaching out to corporate. She said she's a 'little surprised they haven't reached out'.

'The employees of Red Lobster were acting wildly inappropriate and instead of issuing a refund they became physical,' Hill said.
Vietnamese citizens wait to board the flight home at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. (Photo: VNA)

The flight departed from Moscow on May 12, carrying children under the age of 18, students without a place to stay because of school and dormitory closures, the elderly, sick people, tourists and people whose visas had expired but could not leave the country.

The Embassy of Vietnam in Russia has instructed the citizens to complete all required procedures and cooperated with local authorities to support them during their journey home.

Landing at Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh the following day, the passengers and cabin crew members were provided with medical checkups and quarantined in line with regulations.

Heading to Russia, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines also took Russian citizens home.

Vietnam will continue arranging flights to bring back its citizens home in the coming time depending on the pandemic's developments, quarantine capacity of Vietnamese localities, and the demand of Vietnamese citizens living overseas.
Google has been scrambling to give its workforce the equipment it needs to work from home, slowing the company's ability to bring new hires aboard.

Google recently told employees that hardware including computers, laptops and phones are in limited supply and that it has canceled all laptop upgrades that were in progress, according to internal documents shared with CNBC. A spokesperson said that equipment provisioning for new hires is now back on track, but acknowledged that the process of onboarding new employees has been slower since the company asked everyone to work from home starting in March.

The equipment complications show another wrinkle that large companies must manage as they transition their employees to working from home. Executives at Google and its parent company, Alphabet, have shifted its 300,000-person workforce to a remote working environment amid the Covid-19 pandemic, closing offices even as the company continued hiring and onboarding new employees. Last month, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said in an internal memo that the company had added 4,000 new employees so far this year, but the company has slowed its hiring plans since the beginning of the year.

Employees said the documents describing equipment shortages were available on internal message boards as recently as early May.

"Remote onboarding is not a scalable process and essential equipment is not readily available in many locations," one document read. "We're doing our best to get as many laptops as we can, but it's not currently possible to equip everyone with a laptop."

"This is due to our major suppliers experiencing manufacturing shortages," the document read.

A Google spokesperson acknowledged that the onboarding process for remote employees was slower than it was in person, but said it is now meeting targets for onboarding new hires. The spokesperson also reiterated that hiring has slowed.

"We're slowing our pace of hiring and investment, and are not bringing on as many new starters as we'd planned at the beginning of the year. We're continuing to invest in a number of strategic areas," the spokesperson said.

The documents also said that that equipment for TVCs (temporary, vendor, and contract employees), which make up roughly half of its workforce, is even more "limited." The company is prioritizing requests for "Nooglers"  new full-time hires  and those with broken, lost or stolen equipment.

"We're finding that our capacity to provision new temporary staff and vendors with essential equipment, such as laptops, as well as our ability to properly onboard them has been significantly reduced," the document said.

A Google spokesperson said this information about prioritizing gear for new hires over TVCs is out of date and no longer accurate, but declined to say when the change took place.

If full-time employees or interns need equipment but their "Work From Home Kit" delivery isn't available, they may expense up to $300 (USD) or local limit on tech equipment pending manager approval, a separate forum entry stated. The company recently clarified its expense policies, telling employees they cannot expense perks, food or home office furniture, even if they have unused budgets for canceled activities like internal meetings and events.

In the documents, Google urged employees to be patient when it comes to feedback on equipment processes.

"We're trying very hard to help as many Googlers as possible in this uncertain time, and understand that because we're moving so quickly, we may have missed some use cases," it states in one section. "It's not intentional."

Google is planning to re-open its offices slowly, beginning as early as June, prioritizing those whose jobs require them to be in the office and those who need access to special equipment, according to an internal memo Pichai sent last week. Employees who can work from home might continue to do so for the rest of the year.

Watch Now: Google tells employees they can't expense food and other perks
Following months of intense political squabbling Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his top political rival former chief executive Abdullah Abdullah are now set to conclude another power-sharing agreement.

The compromise long sought by the United States and other Western allies of Kabul might resolve some disagreements among Afghan political leaders and unite them in negotiating peace with the Taliban. But it is overshadowed by rising violence following some of the most violent attacks targeting civilians in a maternity hospital and a funeral, which prompted Ghani to order his forces to go on an offensive against the Taliban.

Afghan presidential spokesman Sediqi Seddiqi says both sides have agreed on some key points.

"Several principles in this agreement have been agreed upon. And God willing, we will soon speak about the details of the agreement, he told reporters in Kabul on May 12.

While carefully avoiding to divulge the details and some of the still contentious points, Siddiqi said that the agreement will see Abdullahs supporters return to the cabinet.

Ghanis supporters are hinting that unlike their 2014 power-sharing agreement brokered by then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Abdullah is unlikely to get a major executive role not mentioned in the constitution. Ghani and Abdullah constantly bickered over appointments and authority while partnering in National Unity Government for five years.

Their bitter rivalry has hampered efforts to reach a compromise. There are still issues that need to be finalized. The main purpose of this political agreement is to resolve the current political challenge that has had a negative impact on governance, Sediqi said while alluding to still unresolved issues.

On May 11, Azizullah Fazly, a senior advisor to the newly established state ministry for peace, hinted that the agreement will be concluded this week. The political differences existing inside the country are coming to an end, he told Radio Free Afghanistan.

Sarwar Danesh, Afghanistan's second vice president, recently said that Abdullah would be taking the lead role in the high reconciliation council. Ghani had publicly offered the post to Abdullah in early April saying that Abdullahs protocol can be the protocol of a vice president, his security, his budget, his decision-making, all can be discussed. We have full flexibility.

In a sign that months of intense negotiations have been fruitful. Abdullah Abdullah is also sounding positive about resolving the political impasse. We have made progress in negotiations and reached a tentative agreement on a range of principles. Work on details is underway to finalize the agreement, he tweeted on May 1.

Requesting anonymity because of political sensitivities, a senior aid to Abdullah told Radio Free Afghanistan that the draft potential agreement is comprised of at least four main points. He claimed that these include the formation of the high state council that will incorporate political elites who will have a consultative role on key issues of the country. In what can prove to be a contentious point, he said that draft agreement foresees establishing an executive prime ministerial position will focus on the peace process, equal power-sharing and fundamental reforms namely electoral reforms.

The aid said that the executive prime minister will oversee all peace-related issues as well as seeking to attract international aid in the post-reconciliation environment.

He said that promoting General Abdul Rashid Dostum, Ghani's former first vice president, to the rank of field marshal is also part of the draft. Dostum, a former communist general has considerable influence among Afghanistans Uzbek minority. He is accused of human rights abuses including torturing political rivals.

If finalized, the agreement would last until the end of the current governments five-year term, the source said.

Washington has been publicly pushing for such a compromise since December after Afghanistans Independent Election Commission declared Ghani the winner of the September 28 presidential election. Abdullah refused to accept the result, declared himself winner and announced the formation of a parallel inclusive government.

Days after the U.S. and Taliban signed a peace deal on February 29, Abdullah and Ghani held rival inauguration ceremonies in Kabul on March 9. Two weeks later U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo travelled to Kabul to urge a compromise.

The United States is disappointed in them [Ghani & Abdullah] and what their conduct means for Afghanistan and our shared interests, a March 23 statement by the State Department said after Pompeos meetings with the Afghan leaders failed to deliver a deal. [They] have been unable to agree on an inclusive government that can meet the challenges of governance, peace, and security, and provide for the health and welfare of Afghan citizens.

Washington, however, hinted that Afghan leaders can reclaim $2 billion in aid cut if they compromise. Should Afghan leaders choose to form an inclusive government that can provide security and participates in the peace process, the United States is prepared to support these efforts and revisit the reviews initiated today, the statement concluded.

The dispute also overshadowed the U.S. Taliban agreement and contributed to preventing direct talks between the Taliban and representatives of the Islamic Republic  the current political system backed by Ghani, Abdullah and a host of other leaders and their factions.

When there is political turmoil and a political conflict between the two doctors, Ghani and Abdullah, a united group cannot be formed in Afghanistan to talk with the Taliban, Nilofar Sakhi, a Washington based Afghan political expert, told Radio Free Afghanistan. I dont think the intra-Afghan peace talks can begin without first concluding this political conflict.

Facing rising insecurity and the coronavirus pandemic, many Afghans want their leaders to swiftly settle their differences.

"Our expectation from Ghani and Abdullah is that this tension must be resolved so that the lost hope in the hearts of every young person is restored, Shamsia Saadat, a 26-year-old female resident of Kabul, told Radio Free Afghanistan.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights between May 16 and 22, the duration for the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

Follow latest updates on coronavirus here

During the first phase of the Vande Bharat mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are scheduled to operate a total 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to bring 14,800 Indians from 12 countries on a payment basis.

Click here for complete coronavirus coverage

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 74,200 people and killed around 2,400 people in the country till now. All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Gov. Mike Dunleavy has signed legislation that will align electric utilities in Alaskas most populated regions.

The measure directs six electric utilities to establish a new organization to plan and manage integrated operations, The Alaska Journal of Commerce reported Tuesday. The Republican governor signed the law late last month.

The effort to maximize the efficiency of the interconnected system in the Railbelt, the communities connected by the Alaska Railroad stretching from Fairbanks to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, is a culmination of more than five years of technical analysis and delicate negotiations.

Regulatory Commission of Alaska Chair Bob Pickett said the law will help provide Railbelt region residents with more reliable and effective power service.

A co-operative effort of legislative leadership, the RCA, utilities, independent power producers and other public interest representatives contributed to this successful outcome, which started in 2014 at the direction of the Legislature, Pickett said in a statement.

The legislation will foster co-operation among the interconnected utilities and ensure consumer needs are efficiently and reliably met, said Republican Sen. John Coghill, chair of the Railbelt Electric System Committee that drafted the legislation.

The general managers and CEOs of the regional utilities signed a memorandum of understanding outlining how they would form an electric reliability organization called the Railbelt Reliability Council, which would be governed by a board of utility representatives and stakeholders.

The law is expected to integrate long-term planning among the utilities and provide a consistent path for renewable power producers to access the regional transmission system.

It will create a better environment for renewable energy development, create efficiencies that will lower electric costs for consumers and allow Alaskans to have a say on what projects are built in the future, Renewable Energy Alaska Project Executive Director Chris Rose said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

Trend:

The date of the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2020 race has yet to be set, a source in the Baku City Circuit Operations Company told Trend on May 13.

The management of the Formula 1 group has not yet announced the new calendar for 2020, said the source.

The source added that Baku City Circuit Operations Company is in constant contact with representatives of Formula 1 on this issue.

The installation work in connection with competitions in Baku will commence after deciding on the date of the event, said the source.

The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2020 was scheduled to be held on June 5-7. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the competition was postponed for an indefinite period.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf recently toured Southern Arizona's borderlands to inspect the ongoing wall construction projects. He also gauged his department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wolf began his tour with a visit to the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales-a critical crossing point for millions of manufactured products and immigrants. He assessed the border patrols' response after the department announced a new series of restrictions at the borders.

The new policies allowed border patrol agents to immediately turn back migrants who have an inadequate medical history, travel history, and identity documents. The Homeland Security secretary said it was challenging to perform medical checks and fully understand where the migrants have been or who they were exposed to if they presented little to no supporting documents.

The travel restrictions led to a 70 percent drop in border traffic. Wolf claimed most of the expulsions conducted in less than two hours. The restrictions were imposed to prevent exposing migrants and border security officers to an outbreak at holding facilities near the ports of entry, he added.

Since March 21, border agents have turned back at least 20,000 migrants. This led to a sharp drop of migrants taken into U.S. custody. He toured the central processing facility located in the Tucson sector as part of his visit. The holding facility currently houses four migrants.

After visiting the border facilities, Wolf reportedly got on a helicopter to take an aerial tour of the ongoing wall construction in Southern Arizona. The ongoing construction at the border wall was allegedly funded by the Trump administration, who took $3.8 billion from the Pentagon budget meant for fighter jets and other military equipment.

Despite the coronavirus restrictions, construction at the sites has continued at full speed. Wolf said the crew has completed over 181 miles of the wall and is replacing 43 miles of barriers. The sector is expected to see 400 miles of fencing by December this year, he added.

Wolf's visit has garnered the attention of the critics of the border wall. Senior Democrat and U.S. Representative Rail Grijalva lambasted the homeland secretary's tour and the ongoing construction at the border. He claimed the visit was an attempt to deflect the country's attention from the administration's response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Grijalva noted that the state of Arizona is still lagging behind other states in terms of coronavirus testing capabilities and medical resources. He also claimed the construction workers tasked to build the wall had 'little regard' to social distancing measures.

Several environmental groups also denounced the construction, claiming the 800-mile Arizona Trail would soon be the site of the wall and a calamity of roads and activity. Advocates of the trail hoped to convince the federal government to make a few changes to their plans to help preserve the beauty of the area.

According to reports from the CBP, the plans for the Arizona wall includes constructing a 30-foot-high steel bollard fencing while replacing the fencing in other areas. One 2-mile section of the new wall would run through the Tohono O'odham Nation, while another 2-mile section would end just south of the Coronado National Memorial. The new fence would obliterate the view of the Arizona Trail's southern terminus.

According to Matthew Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association, the construction would leave a 'permanent scar' in the national trail. He urged the CBP to revise the plans to minimize the impacts it would have on the track while still fulfilling the interest of homeland security.

Read the latest news here:
Under attack for accepting the Rajya Sabha membership, former CJI Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday hit out at what he coined activist judges who start raising questions on judiciary immediately after their retirement but keep quiet while in office.

"Who are these activist judges working with? Who is giving platforms to them for saying all this? There are no questions asked," said Justice Gogoi.

He also emphasised that there is another category of judges, who get friendly with lawyers during their work, and one would notice commercial arbitration works flowing to a select few judges after their retirement.

"How and why do arbitration works flow to only some judges and not to others? Again, no questions asked," said the former Chief Justice of India.

Justice Gogoi made these statements at a webinar organised by the Confederation of Alumni for National Law Universities.

According to him, there were in fact three categories of post-retirement assignments of a judge, which included "activist judges", those taking up commercial arbitrations and the third, accepting other kinds of assignments.

"Why only it is the third category that draws all the flak? Why are no questions asked about the other two?" asked Justice Gogoi.

He referred to a report by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy released in 2016 that underlined that 70 of 100 retired judges of the constitutional court got one or the other assignment.

"Were all of them compromised? Did it mean independence of judiciary was compromised? It is an individual perception. So long as you are clear in your mind, there is no problem. If a judge is true to his functions, post-retirement work is okay. It has to depend on individuals," asserted Justice Gogoi.

He also answered a question as to why Ayodhya verdict did not carry the name of its author.

"Why must a judgment of being Supreme Court have the name of its author? I can show 32 cases decided by a particular bench in 2015-16 when author wasn't named in the judgment. But then no questions were asked. Speaking for myself, I have myself been author of 13 judgments when author wasn't mentioned," pointed out Justice Gogoi.

About Ayodhya judgment, he asked why it was so difficult to accept that five judges on a bench decided a matter unanimously and nobody wanted to take the credit of being the author of a judgment.

"Why does a judgment need one author? That judgment (Ayodhya) was signed by five judges. All five judges are the authors," he added.

Justice Gogoi further said questions about name of the judge who wrote Ayodhya verdict are raised usually by 'critics' who wanted all five judges to author separate judgments so that the verdict couldn't come before his retirement in November 2019.

The former CJI also had a word of caution against indiscriminate and unreasonable criticism of the judges: "We still have people of great wisdom on the Bench. Let them flourish. Let them do their work. Don't dishearten them. Support them."
(Photo : REUTERS/Eric Gaillard) The logo of YouTube Music is seen during a conference at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, in Cannes, France, June 19, 2018.

Google Play Music will be shutting down before the end of the year after nearly nine years since its launch on November 16, 2011. This will leave YouTube Music as Google's sole streaming music platform.

According to a report from BGR, Google started sending out invitations on Tuesday for Google Play Music users to transfer their music libraries to YouTube Music ahead of Play Music's closure. The transfer process can be completed on mobile devices or from a web browser.

Considering the messaging apps Google has introduced, rebranded, or shut down, it is surprising to have two music platforms consolidated into a single service at the end of the year. As Google Play Music will be absorbed by YouTube Music, Google is now inviting Google Play Music users to transfer their music libraries, preferences, and playlists to YouTube Music.

Both services will remain online, but those who are still on the legacy platform can make the switch when they are ready to do so as necessary tools are already provided.

How to transfer from Google Play Music to YouTube Music

Since Google Play Music will no longer be available before the year-end, here is how to transfer your library to YouTube Music using an iPhone or Android device:

Download the YouTube Music app from the App Store or Google Play Store (iOS / Android). Open the app and find the banner on the home screen that says "Transfer your Play Music library." Users can also look for the option in Settings that says "Transfer from Google Play Music." Both will initiate the process. However, if this option is not available, it means the user was still not able to receive the invite. Click on the "Let's Go" button in the app, then Google Play Music will show items that will be transferred to YouTube Music. These include "uploads, purchases, added songs and albums, personal and subscribed playlists, likes and dislikes, curated stations and personal taste preferences." Click the big "Transfer" button to initiate the process. Depending on the number of files to be transferred, it could take from a few minutes to days. Google will send emails and notifications once the transfer is complete.

Meanwhile, this could also be done from a web browser. Watch the step by step process on a video uploaded by the Team YouTube [Help] (although it is pretty much the same as the process provided above). Please note that if the option to transfer is not available, then the account is not yet invited.

Aside from inviting users to do the transfer, Google also detailed the new features users may enjoy with YouTube Music. These include the increase in playlist length from 1,000 to 5,000 songs, increase in uploads from 50,000 to 100,000 songs, real-time lyrics, offline listening, and enhance music discovery using the Explore tab.

Moreover, Google Play Music subscribers will be given the equivalent tier at the same price and benefits on YouTube Music.



Read also: Instagram to Let Users Delete Troll Comments in Bulk as they Plan to Roll Out New Features Soon

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But vacations for Americans to Berlin remain unlikely anytime soon. Seehofer indicated that next month could bring a loosening of restrictions on international flights, currently limited to essential travelers. Yet while he recommended that Germanys states move now to lift a 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors from within the European Union, he said the measure should remain in place for the time being for countries outside the E.U., including the United States.
To fix the FBI, we need to understand what went wrong with it. It is now beyond debate, and should be a bipartisan concern of the first order, that something was very wrong with the FBIs most senior leadership in 2016-17. It is clear that Donald Trumps election was the catalyst for that leadership to take one of the most important organs of our government completely off the rails. The conduct of former FBI Director Comey personally, and the FBI senior leadership in his tenure, has emerged as a history of repeated conduct that now demands examination. It starts, but unfortunately does not end, with failed leadership at the bureau that in turn facilitated the bureaus unmistakably taking up a politically driven agenda.

The facts that we already know about senior FBI leadership in the Flynn case are shocking, meeting the shock the conscience legal standard that justifies the rare step of dismissing a criminal case due to government misconduct. But those facts and other acts by the same cabal also meet a rule-of-evidence standard that allows consideration of a pattern of acts to show signature conduct, that is, that an intent to act on one occasion may be demonstrated by evidence showing similar conduct on other occasions.

Here is what Hillary Clinton and her campaign manager said about Comeys letter to Congress, sent on the eve of the 2016 election, after his FBI discovered more Clinton personal emails about official business, according to a report in the October 29, 2016, New York Times:

Its pretty strange to put something like that out with such little information right before an election, Mrs. Clinton said. . . . In fact, its not just strange; its unprecedented and it is deeply troubling. By providing selective information, he has allowed partisans to distort and exaggerate to inflict maximum political damage, Mr. Podesta said. . . . Comey has not been forthcoming with the facts, he added, describing the directors letter to Congress on Friday as long on innuendo.

Story continues

Clinton political allies who joined her criticism then are now nonetheless intensely critical of the attorney generals undoing the Flynn case after it was demonstrated to be the product of similar political chicanery by Comey and company.

Comey then, later, and still now wraps his political meddling in a shroud of righteousness that only he seems to see as enveloping him. He did the same when he threw an obstacle into the national-security chain of command in the now infamous 2004 hospital visit, when he countermanded the judgments of an attorney general who for four years had blessed collection of counter-terror intelligence on the presidents constitutional authority. At the time, whatever the merits of the underlying legal issue, Comey unceremoniously ordered emissaries from the president, there to discuss a critical national-security program, to leave the room of the attorney general and then commandeered the FBI security detail to make sure they stayed out.

He later led an FBI so loose with its obligations to the truth that one of its lawyers doctored an email being submitted in the Carter Page FISA application, resulting in presentation of a material falsehood to a court. But how does it come to be that such aberrant behavior corrupts the most senior leadership cadre of what is supposed to be  and needs to be  the worlds premier investigating agency?

Comey was at it again when personally conducting an ambush interview and facilitating another, both aimed squarely at the Trump presidency. Ambush interviews are not uncommon in white-collar crime investigations. When the investigator, unbeknownst to a subject, possesses facts showing that persons guilt, an opportunity for a non-confrontational inquiry about those facts often produces the subjects knee-jerk denial. Voila! The subject has made false statements and can be prosecuted for them.

It appears that on January 6, 2017, Comey attempted personally to ambush President-elect Trump about the contents of the now-discredited Steele dossier  one day after Comey and the then-deputy attorney general talked with outgoing President Obama about the FBIs Russia investigation. Comey rushed out to his limousine immediately after telling Trump for the first time about the salacious details in Steeles material, which had been procured on behalf of Trumps political opposition. A computer was waiting for him to freshly record the proceeds of his ambush interview. That one did not work out so well, appearing more Keystone Cop than crack detective: The subject told the truth, and the Steele reporting was in fact garbage. Nonetheless, the ambush effort against top Trump people continued. The next trap was set not long after for then-National Security Adviser Flynn, as is now exposed for all to see. On this one, Comey even did an end run on then-Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, an Obama holdover.

This kind of conduct by senior officials of the FBI is an affront to our body politic that ought to be subject to withering bipartisan criticism and, more importantly, a bipartisan demand that the truth of what happened and why be exposed, and that the bureau be reshaped to make sure it can never happen again. But instead of looking at the source of the problem, critics are ready to shoot Barr the messenger for airing the dirty laundry and taking steps to correct results of misconduct and over-reaching. It is the FBI that needs attention, not Barrs exercise of prosecutorial discretion.

It may be simply that Comey and company attempted to play in a high-end political arena for which they were completely ill-equipped. Their bumbling, as now exposed, certainly looks like the work of political amateurs, no matter their motive. But there also could be a more troubling explanation: that the power of the FBI was used to seek a political objective. If true, it is a stunning abuse of FBI authority. Of the self-anointed nonpartisan former prosecutors now condemning Barr, where are those concerned about that?

The damage wrought is not limited at all to misconduct seemingly aimed at the Trump presidency. What Comey and his cohorts did has harmed the work of the career FBI and Justice Department professionals whose interests Comey now disingenuously purports to represent and protect. If he cared about protecting the ability of those good people to do their jobs in a non-politicized atmosphere, he never would have usurped the function of prosecutors when he took it upon himself to both bar prosecution of Hillary Clinton in one breath and publicly condemn her conduct in the next  all done in the heated atmosphere of an emerging presidential campaign contest in which the FBI should have been decidedly a noncombatant. The dedication and professionalism in the daily work of thousands of FBI agents and support personnel in the field offices across the country is of critical value to the nation. Likewise, the federal prosecutors who take cases to court day in and day out are the tip of the rule-of-law spear. Together, the work of these professionals is the lifeblood of the justice system, and the vast majority of them perform at exceptionally high levels still. What Comey and his cohorts wrought, however, has made doing those jobs more difficult because public trust in the FBI and the justice system is eroded and questioned. The sunshine of the work Barr has commissioned to illuminate the truth is a disinfectant, not the disease; mistaking it as such because the facts have a collateral benefit to Trump is simply another mark of the hyper-partisan mindset.

So what went wrong with the FBI is not the doing of its rank and file; it was failure of leadership. It will take both time and core changes to fundamentally alter the bureaus orientation in the senior headquarterss ranks. A few principles might help guide doing so.

First, our political leadership needs to drop the sometimes convenient political line about maintaining FBI independence. Translated, that political line really needs to be understood as when they are goring the other guys ox, thats okay with us. The FBI needs to be independent of political bias, influence, and agendas. What it does not need to be is independent of the Justice Department and its senior  politically appointed and accountable  leadership. In each instance cited above, the FBI leadership went rogue, ignoring the chain of command that makes the director, and all who report to him, subordinate to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general.

Second, the FBI leaderships culture of arrogance needs to change. It is an arrogance born of the fact that the bureau leadership often sees itself as an island of rock where the waves of Justice Department leadership that come and go with the tides of time merely lap at its edges. Having a nearly guaranteed tenure of ten years for the director does not help to dispel that attitude. Tenure at the highest levels of the bureau should not be looked at as the pinnacle of power, but rather as the sanctity of stewardship. It is a responsibility to leave the place better than you found it.

Third, the FBI needs to be rededicated to what it is supposed to be: the best investigative agency in the world. Its motto is Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity. Fidelity needs to mean commitment to excellence in all its endeavors. Bravery must be dedication to simply finding the facts, letting the chips fall where they may, leaving to the exercise of prosecutors discretion the decisions of how to act on those facts. Perhaps in the most critical application of a term in the motto, integrity has to mean much more than acting with the utmost professionalism. It means that the facts are to be found without fear or favor, and every effort must be made to render the bureaus factual findings unassailable.

Barrs courageous willingness to withstand partisan criticism to get to the bottom of the conduct of the FBI, and perhaps other organs of government, in connection with the 2016 election is the essential first step to making the FBI right for the future. It will not be the last.

More from National Review
Tracy Manley, center, waits on Ruslan Batko of Yuba City; his wife, Angela Batko; and their twin 7-year-old daughters, Avery, facing, and Audrey, at Linda's Soda Bar and Grill in Yuba City. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

California officials said Wednesday that 12 of the state's 58 counties  most of them rural  will be allowed to more fully reopen.

Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Tuolumne, Yuba, Sutter and Shasta have been certified as meeting the state's conditions for additional businesses to reopen.

This is a dynamic process, and we dont want to delay unnecessarily based on timelines, Gov. Gavin Newsom said during his daily coronavirus news conference. Its not about timelines, its not about deadlines. Its simply about data and its about health.

Talks are underway with 31 other California counties to discuss whether they can expand their reopenings, the governor said, but he noted that conditions are still too serious in Los Angeles and San Francisco counties to modify guidelines for resuming business in those areas.

Newsom said this week that California restaurants and shopping malls could soon reopen in counties that meet state standards for testing and reductions in coronavirus cases, but all businesses will have to abide by state guidelines for physical distancing and cleaning regimens.

Under the state plan, counties must have adequate testing and hospital capacity and the ability to trace those who have been in contact with ill people.

Restaurants can reopen for dine-in service in counties certified as meeting those benchmarks, but they should implement changes to guard against spreading the virus. Shopping centers, including strip malls and outlet malls, will be allowed to reopen with in-store customers in counties certified to have contained COVID-19, while car washes and pet groomers can also resume operating with safeguards.

A Times data analysis last week found most big California counties were not close to meeting Newsoms standards. The analysis looked at which counties could pass just the first two criteria  no new deaths reported in the last 14 days and no more than one confirmed case per 10,000 residents in that same time period.

Story continues

Most of California failed that test. In fact, 95% of Californians live in counties that dont meet that standard, the Times analysis found. Not a single county in Southern California or the San Francisco Bay Area met the criteria.

Officials in Orange County continue to express frustration with the state s more cautious approach. They contend that the economic havoc wreaked by the regulations makes it vital to loosen the rules.

I think its time to open up, Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said Tuesday. Maybe its too late. Its going to be very tough to catch up.
Dublin, May 13 : Actor Matt Damon has revealed that his eldest daughter Alexia had coronavirus in New York while the rest of the Damon family quarantined in Ireland.

The actor had been in Dublin shooting "The Last Duel" when the country began to shut down over COVID-19 concerns.

Damon, along with wife Luciana Barroso, and children -- Isabella, 13, Gia, 12, and Stella, 9 -- stayed in Ireland.

"She's (Alexia) in New York City and she had COVID really early on along with her roommates and got through it fine," Damon told a radio station in an interview, reports usatoday.com.

"We'll reunite with her at the end of the month. But everybody's OK, obviously Lucy's mom and my mom - it's scary for that generation." The Damon family is well-equipped for quarantine in a foreign country.

"We've got what nobody else has, which is actual, live human beings teaching our kids," he said.

"We feel guilty. We've got this kind of incredible setup in this place that's absolutely gorgeous."
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Istanbul, May 13, 2020  Turkish authorities must release journalists detained for their coverage of an intelligence officer and drop all charges against them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On May 8, an Istanbul court charged seven journalists with violating the countrys intelligence laws in their coverage of a Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) operative who was killed in Libya, and set a trial date for June 24, according to news reports.

If convicted of revealing secret information about state security or intelligence operations, the journalists can face 8 to 17 years in prison, those reports said.

The journalists charged include left-nationalist news website Odatv editor-in-chief Bars Pehlivan, reporter Hulya Klnc, and news editor Bars Terkoglu; pro-Kurdish daily Yeni Yasam editor-in-chief Ferhat Celik and responsible news editor Aydn Keser; nationalist daily Yenicag columnist Murat Agrel; and Erk Acarer, a columnist for the socialist daily BirGun, according to the indictment, which CPJ reviewed.

Journalists from the opposing factions of Turkeys social and political spectrum are charged together in this indictment with the claim of a conspiracy against Turkeys intelligence agency, of which there is no evidence presented, said Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, in New York. Turkey should stop attempting to control independent journalism with intimidation, immediately free the arrested journalists, and drop this case.

The Odatv, Yeni Yasam, and Yenicag journalists have been held in detention since their arrests in early March, as CPJ documented at the time. Acarer is abroad and is wanted for arrest, according to his employer.

The charges stem from the journalists coverage of the death of an MIT operative who was killed in Libya, according to the indictment. Agrel and Acarer are accused of disclosing the officers name on Twitter on February 22, the Yeni Yasam journalists are accused of disclosing information regarding Turkish military activity in Libya in articles published on February 23 and 24, and the Odatv journalists are accused of disclosing identifying information while covering the officers funeral in Turkey on March 3.

In the indictment, the prosecution alleges that the journalists conspired in a systematic and coordinated way to illegally reveal information about the intelligence officer and Turkeys actions in Libya.

The indictment also charges Eren Ekinci, a civil servant at the media office of the Akhisar municipality, where the officers funeral was held, with violating the countrys intelligence laws for allegedly sharing footage of the funeral with Klnc.

CPJ emailed the Istanbul Chief Prosecutors Office for comment, but did not receive any reply.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told employees in an email on Tuesday that they could keep working from home indefinitely, even after COVID-19 lockdowns end.

Twitter won't open most of its offices until September at the earliest, a representative told Business Insider.

It's one of the most generous work-from-home policies put forward by a major tech company in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Other tech companies including Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook have told employees that they can keep working from home through this fall.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told employees in an email on Tuesday that they would be allowed to work from home indefinitely, even after COVID-19 shutdowns end.

Dorsey also said Twitter's offices wouldn't be reopened until September at the earliest, BuzzFeed News first reported. Twitter told employees to start working from home in March, but the offer doesn't extend to employees whose jobs mandate that they return to the office, like those tasked with server maintenance.

A Twitter representative told Business Insider that the decision meshed with the company's broader mission to support employees working from anywhere, adding that "the past few months have proven we can make that work."

"Opening offices will be our decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs," the representative told Business Insider. "When we do decide to open offices, it also won't be a snap back to the way it was before. It will be careful, intentional, office by office and gradual."

The new policy also means that most open roles at Twitter will be remote-optional going forward, Dorsey said.

Twitter will continue to suspend business travel and won't hold any in-person events for the rest of 2020, the representative said. The company will assess 2021 events later this year.

Other major tech companies have announced lenient work-from-home plans, but few go as far as Twitter's. Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon have all told employees that they can keep working from home through the fall, even if their offices reopen sooner.

Story continues

Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, Dorsey had voiced plans to encourage a "distributed workforce" with more remote employees living outside San Francisco, where the company is headquartered.

"I don't fear any slowness as we work to distribute our workforce now, and I do think we have to build a company that's not entirely dependent on San Francisco," Dorsey said during an earnings call in February. "As we look forward, we're reaching a talent pool that expects a lot more remote work  We should be building our company around that. I haven't made any plans just yet for this year, but I do expect that I will travel."

Read the original article on Business Insider
PETOSKEY, MI  Details of a Northern Michigan murder are sparse, but police have said that one suspect is in custody.

The Petoskey Department of Public Safety began investigating a murder around 11:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, UpNorthLive reports. Details of the murder, including the circumstances surrounding the death and the manner of death, have not been released.

Police arrested a suspect who is a Petoskey resident. The suspects name, age and gender have not been released. The victim is from Royal Oak, police said. The victims name, age and gender have not been released. More information is expected to be released after an autopsy, police said.

READ MORE:

U.P. man, 75, arrested for hitting person in head with pistol

Officials to consider safety of Mackinac Bridge Walk 2020 amid coronavirus pandemic
[May 13, 2020] theEMPLOYEEapp Gives Back During National Nurses Month

NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- theEMPLOYEEapp by APPrise Mobile, developer of internal communications and employee engagement technologies, today launched its month-long campaign to celebrate National Nurses Month . During the month of May, theEMPLOYEEapp will donate to the Nurses House COVID-19 Fund , a joint fundraising effort by two nonprofit organizations, Nurses House and the American Nurses Foundation, to help nurses nationwide who have been infected with the coronavirus. The Fund covers medical expenses for nurses so they can focus on recovering. For every message posted by a customer using theEMPLOYEEapp during the month of May, they will donate $1 to the Fund. The Center for Disease Control has designated nurses and other frontline healthcare workers as having a greater risk for "direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials." As of April 15, 2020, more than 9,000 healthcare workers across the nation have become infected with the coronavirus, according to a CDC study .



"As a New York company, we have seen first-hand the devastation the pandemic has caused in our communities, and the continued devotion nurses have shown to their patientseven at their own risk," said Doug Pierce, chief operating officer of APPrise Mobile. "Many of APPrise Mobile's healthcare customers are using theEMPLOYEEapp to get important information to their frontline workers during this ordeal, so this cause feels personal to us. This fundraiser is helping the helpers when they need it most, and we're proud to support it." Nurses, doctors, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, non-clinical hospital employees such as food service personnel, and other frontline healthcare workers spend almost all of their working hours on their feet caring for patients. When they do catch that 15-minute break, the last thing they want to do is find an available desktop computer and search corporate intranet or email to find information that is critical to their personal and professional lives. But with new details about COVID-19 coming out constantly, hospitals must react quickly and update safety procedures to protect their frontline workers and patients, making it more critical than ever to reach these employees with updated information. theEMPLOYEEapp allows healthcare organizations to build a customized, secure mobile app that employees can access 24/7 directly from their Apple or Android devices. theEMPLOYEEapp has been deployed by over 20 U.S. healthcare systems and 5,000 hospitals, with more than 255,000 healthcare employees reading and engaging with content through the app. During the month of May, theEMPLOYEEapp will donate $1 for every internal message shared by customers across all industries to the Nurses House Fund.

"In partnership with the American Nurses Foundation, Nurses House, Inc. has established a fund for nurses throughout the country who are affected by COVID-19. Through the fund, we are providing affected nurses with a one-time grant to alleviate the financial burden that accompanies this illness," explained Stephanie Dague, director of development for Nurses House. "The nurses who have received our help are extremely grateful for this assistance during a time of major health crisis. I would like to thank theEMPLOYEEapp for partnering with us on this COVID-19 response for nurses, and I hope that together, we can raise enough funds to help everyone who needs support during this pandemic." Anyone can make a donation to the Nurses House COVID-19 Fund. If you would like to make a donation through theEMPLOYEEapp's fundraising team, go to helpnurses.org and click "Donate Now." On the pop-up screen, scroll through the participating teams and click on theEMPLOYEEapp . About theEMPLOYEEapp by APPrise Mobile theEMPLOYEEapp, a mobile communications and engagement platform for internal and external audiences. It delivers a branded app that securely integrates with a company's Active Directory, employee database, HRIS, and single-sign-on (SSO) systems. Through a consumer-friendly interface, theEMPLOYEEapp aggregates and distributes employee-focused content, workplace tools, and functions as well as the instantaneous push of messages and information directly to employees' mobile devices. Visit theEMPLOYEEapp blog for updates on employee communications news, trends, and success stories. PR Contact:

Sydney Lauro

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/theemployeeapp-gives-back-during-national-nurses-month-301058353.html SOURCE theEMPLOYEEapp

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COLUMBUS, OhioThe Ohio House on Wednesday almost unanimously passed legislation that would create a new group of state-level penalties for illegal hacking and other cybercrimes.

Backers of House Bill 368, which now heads to the Senate, say the changes are needed because Ohio law right now only criminalizes successful computer hacks, not attempts.

Current state law also bases the severity of the offense based on the damages suffered by the victim, which bill proponents say is an outdated way to measure the harm done by a cyberattack or an attempted computer breach.

Computer attacks that come from other states or overseas are usually handled by the FBI or other national and international law-enforcement agencies. But sometimes the hackers are from Ohio  such as a case in which a disgruntled former credit-union employee tried to access his former employers records, said state Rep. Brian Baldridge, the Adams County Republican sponsoring the bill.

In addition, Baldridge told a House committee last fall, the FBI is often reluctant to spend time and money investigating unsuccessful computer attacks.

Right now, there are two offenses on the books in Ohio to cover computer crimes: criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a computer. HB 328 would add to  and partially replace  these offenses with several new felony-level offenses, including electronic data tampering and electronic data manipulation, electronic computer service interference, computer trespass, electronic data theft, and unauthorized data disclosure.

The bill would also allow victims of cybercrime to file a civil lawsuit seeking compensation from people convicted of at least one of those offenses. The legislation would protect white hat or ethical hackers who are paid by a company to test its computer firewall system, even if they mistakenly go beyond the scope of what they were hired to do.

State Rep. David Leland, a Columbus Democrat, joined Baldridge in speaking in favor of the legislation Wednesday on the House floor.

It really corrects some glaring holes in our criminal statute related to cybersecurity, Leland said.

In particular, Leland said, the proposed offenses would cover a recent attempt by an anonymous hacker to take down part of Ohios unemployment benefits website in which employers can report workers who didnt return to work during the pandemic  resulting in those workers to lose their benefits.

While the state was able to thwart the attempt, it has led state officials to consider whether they will stop benefits to Ohioans who dont return to work.

The House passed the legislation 93-1. The lone no vote was cast by state Rep. Tavia Galonski, an Akron Democrat.

Read more Ohio politics and government stories:

Coronavirus health concerns prompt Ohio to postpone summer bar exam for new attorneys

See which Ohio members of Congress are most and least bipartisan

Ohio Supreme Court upholds controversial state law allowing takeover of Youngstown schools

Lake County gyms, legal group file suit to force state to lift coronavirus closure order
Andrew Brooks, a Rutgers University molecular neuroscientist, remembers clearly having a long nasopharyngeal swab stuck up his nose in search of evidence of a virus. "It was terrible," he recalls. "It felt like someone was poking the front of my brain."

Now Brooks, who is also the chief operating officer and director of technology development at a firm called RUCDR Infinite Biologics, has come up with a coronavirus test that relies on nothing more than spitting into a cup.

His firm received emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for saliva tests that people can perform at home. It's a breakthrough in a nation that has struggled to expand coronavirus testing to the degree experts say is needed to safely return the country to some degree of normalcy.

Unlike tests conducted with nasal swabs, the saliva test does not require travel to a testing center. There are no perilous face-to-face encounters with technicians wearing masks that have been hard to come by. And there's no need for the swabs that have also been in short supply. Just spit, mail to the Rutgers clinical genomics laboratory and expect results within 48 hours.

"Rutgers blazed the path for home collection . . . Saliva is a big leap forward relative to swabs, and it is likely to play a major role in getting America back to work," said Bob Terbrueggen, chief executive of DxTerity, a firm focused on tests for workplaces.

Even as state and local governments continue to buy traditional coronavirus testing kits that rely on nasopharyngeal swabs, major research universities and their private-sector partners are trying to leapfrog ahead to the next generation of tests.

Researchers from the University of Colorado have launched a firm called Darwin Biosciences and are developing the "SickStick," a device to measure the presence of the virus in saliva. Oklahoma State University, while awaiting FDA approval, is using saliva to test thousands of nursing home patients. And in Connecticut, scientists are working on a test strip that could be taken at home for immediate results, without having to ship it to a lab - akin to a home pregnancy test.

"This is exciting," said Bob Kocher, a physician, venture capitalist and member of California's testing task force. "The world is plagued by scarcity of swabs, so having an alternative is a great thing. Also, no patient likes the feeling of having a swab pushed nearly into your brain to collect covid-19 samples. It is much easier to spit into a tube."

The Rutgers test is already up and running. The university and RUCDR Infinite Biologics are producing 20,000 tests a day and expect to ramp up to 50,000 a day, largely for use in New Jersey with a doctor's prescription. Results are analyzed at the university's clinical genomics laboratory. It's a small number, but other labs, hospitals, agencies and universities can buy testing kits from a Utah firm called Spectrum Solutions that has partnered with Rutgers. They can also use Rutgers data to get their own emergency use authorizations.

The Rutgers researchers saw drawbacks to the virus tests built around nasopharyngeal swabs, Brooks said. Scraping genetic materials from the nether reaches of the sinus passage is painful, making it less likely that people would submit and undermining the broad testing programs needed to reopen the economy. And those swabs pose a danger to health-care workers who have to administer them, since the procedure frequently causes patients to sneeze or cough on those workers, many of whom lack proper protective gear.

Home testing with saliva could appeal to people who might be too old, too sick or too scared to venture out for a test. Even children at school or summer camp could spit into a device and get tested, Brooks said.

"We created a scenario to bring the test to the patient," Brooks said. "That's the most groundbreaking part of this."

To test for accuracy and win over the FDA, Rutgers compared the saliva test to the state-of-the-art nasopharyngeal swab in 60 patients in an effort to find early infection. Each patient was tested twice, once with each approach. The results were identical, Brooks said.

The Yale University school of public health studied 44 patients and 98 health-care workers and found that saliva samples taken from just inside the mouth provided greater detection and consistency than the nasal swab approach. The study also concluded that there was less variability in results with the self-sample collection of saliva.

Two of the health-care workers had traces of the virus in the saliva test that did not show up in the test based on nasopharyngeal swabs. They were quarantined to avoid infecting others at the hospital. Yale is awaiting an emergency use authorization from the FDA.

In another advantage, saliva tests bypass the need for one part of the supply chain that has caused so many bottlenecks during the pandemic. The Rutgers patients spit into a 2 milliliter cup that has already been manufactured. A chemical solution in the cup preserves the genetic material of the virus so it can be shipped to a laboratory for analysis.

"We scoured what was already commercially available so as not to create more problems," Brooks said.

The drawback of saliva testing is that it depends on the untrained patient to administer, but Brooks said the challenges were no greater than in other testing devices.

Other entities working on saliva testing lag behind Rutgers, whose tests, like others, are reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at $100 each. Darwin Biosciences, the start-up firm founded by professors from the University of Colorado, has said it needs months to finish work and approvals for what they call the "SickStick."

"Our device acts at the earliest stage of infection. It knows you're sick before you do," said Nicholas Meyerson, a scientist in the department of molecular, cellular and developmental biology and chief executive of Darwin Biosciences. But Meyerson told the university online publication CU Boulder Today that the group needs more time; its device might be helpful if a second wave of infections hits.

In Connecticut, a group called Homodeus has been working on a saliva test that could be conducted as easily as a home pregnancy test. Jonathan Rothberg, one of the lead researchers, said the test could be made for a dollar or less and scaled into the millions. The goal would be to have results in half an hour, and an app would enable patients to analyze the data themselves, then share that data widely and quickly in the event of a breakout.

"So you can spit into a tube. And get results. No lab. No technician. No expensive machines. No wait. The designer enzymes do all the work," Rothberg said in an email last month. In a tweet this week, he said the company was still "preparing for validation studies for regulatory agencies."

Rothberg remained optimistic. He recently tweeted that for less than going to the moon costs, America could go to work. And for less than they spend on 80 billion sodas, Americans could do universal testing.

"We're looking for geniuses to come up with good solutions," said Harlan Krumholz, a cardiology professor and public health expert at Yale's medical school. "They all need to be tested rigorously, but quickly. That's the balance."
3,000 Calif. churches vow to reopen on Pentecost Sunday, regardless of gov. orders

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Increasing numbers of California churches are planning to restart public services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday, regardless of what the governor of the state says.

Church United, a network of approximately 3,000 churches representing 2.5 million members in the Golden State, has announced its intentions to reopen before the state sets in motion the third phase of its reopening plan, which permits modified reopening of houses of worship.

Around the nation, a robust debate has emerged as to how much state entities can restrict certain freedoms, particularly religious worship by deeming it "nonessential" in order to prevent further spread of a disease and stem a public health crisis.

Our fear is simply this, Governor Gavin Newsom said, as was reported by The Center Square Saturday, "Congregations of people from far and wide coming together in a closed space at a large scale remains a point of concern and anxiety for us. We are working on guidelines for physical distancing and working with faith leaders talking about unique conditions in their own facilities. Nothing is etched in stone.

Matt Brown, who pastors Sandals Church in Riverside, blasted the governors decision to deem churches nonessential.

"He didn't ask us. He overstepped and he's overreached," Brown said. "And he needs to step back and he needs to declare that the church is an essential part of what we do as Americans, as what we do as Californians.

Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills explained in a phone interview Tuesday with The Christian Post that it is the pastor's burden to minister to the people, particularly those in his congregation, and to continue to proclaim the Gospel.

"When we look around at this crisis, the issue of not exactly meeting the criteria of what is defined as a church  meaning our getting together, our fellowship with one another  the mandate given to us from Scripture to pray for one another even to the point where we are to lay hands on the sick and pray for them.

"The Christian ought to be the wisest, ought to be the best, the most resourceful citizen in any community. So by no means do we desire to resist the authorities that be according to Romans 13," which speaks about how followers of Jesus are to conduct themselves in relation to the governing authorities.

He added: "In fact, we have been extremely compliant for over two months, our state, when petitioned, when we asked our governor's office: 'Where are you placing the value of the church? The fact that we provide mental and spiritual health and stability at such a critical time, where do you place us in priority?'"

Thus far, the governor's office has said that the church may be in the third or fourth phases of reopening, which could begin anywhere from a few weeks to months from now. His words have left some wondering if it will ever be politically correct for churches to resume services.

Hibbs believes that many pastors are fasting and praying, doing their best to figure out how to proceed in unfamiliar territory and amid competing narratives about what is occurring, and discerning God's heart in the midst of uncertain times. As he prayed, he felt a strong impression from the Lord that he should restart services on May 31, realizing later that the date happened to be Pentecost Sunday.

When he made the video explaining his thinking, he had only mentioned that May 31 date to a few people.

"I cannot think of a more biblically-sanctioned day of the entire year ... to restart church than Pentecost Sunday," the day on which the church was born.

"I understand there is still the trauma and the drama of the COVID-19 event. The drama is that we've had one expert saying masks don't work, another expert saying masks do work. One expert saying social distancing destroys us because it eliminates herd immunity and another one saying the opposite."

"So what do we do? If we're going to be condemned for starting church and we're going to be condemned for not starting church, I cannot look to the opinions of men even if they are well-intended once God has spoken. So we move ahead safely, wisely, but we move ahead."

Christians will be misunderstood and despised and in the last days, Scripture speaks of incredibly challenging days that includes persecution, Hibbs said.

"Having said that, I do not believe that a pastor or a church being stupid or ignorant and thus persecuted is a badge of honor. That's ridiculous. We need to understand that Scripture teaches us that the church is the ground of all truth. So today, I believe that the church is suffering and this pandemic has exposed it. It is anemic to so many doctrines, where we do not see the value of the Gospel as worthy to uphold even in a difficult season as this.

"This pandemic has made us consider: Who will be the ultimate authority? Does Christ and the Word of God answer to the government? Or ultimately, does the government answer to the Lawgiver Himself?"

Similar sentiments are reverberating throughout the country.

In a video posted Friday on the YouTube channel of HIS Church in Amarillo Texas with satellite parishes in Kentucky, Pastor Brian Gibson said that now is the time in the United States for "lions to stand up and roar."

"America needs to stand up and roar for the constitution, needs some lions to stand up and roar for religious freedom, needs some lions to stand up and roar for people of worship of every type in this great nation," he said as he encouraged churches to "peacably gather" on May 17.

Amid uncertainty about the scope and severity of the coronavirus, many pastors were willing to comply with stay-at-home orders but it has gotten to be too much especially as some governors have suggested no religious assembly for a year, Gibson noted.

"People in churches, mosques, and synagogues have been told that, regardless of any social distancing or protective practices they implement, they can not gather, with threats of retribution from local governments if they don't keep their doors closed," Gibson said in a statement. "The right to exercise our religious freedoms is the definition of Essential and must not be trampled on, and every Sunday that we arent in church we lose more freedom."

As churches fear a wave a lawsuits against them as some "cherry pick certain guidelines," hundreds of pastors, rabbis, priests, and other religious leaders wrote a letter to Congress to include immunity for religious organizations from negligence suits resulting from their serving the public or reopening in accordance with local orders.

The legal organization First Liberty said in a written testimony addressed to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary that although "lawsuits should eventually prove meritless, the cost of defending against them would have devastating consequences."

In late April, the Department of Justice ordered federal prosecutors to be watchful for state and local orders that overly restrict and exploit religious freedom amid crises.
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the daily ritual of millions of people across the globe including where they work. In an attempt to curb the spread of the disease many companies including Apple, Google, Twitter informed their employees to work from home.

This is going to be permanent for some!

As we are somewhere in the middle of the lockdown, Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter has emailed employees on Tuesday offering them to work from home permanently post COVID-19 lockdown, if they choose to and will be paid like a normal working day.

Twitter spokesperson, said:

If our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel its safe to return.

This option is only for those who dont need their physical presence in the office. However, some jobs which require physical presence like maintaining servers will require employees to come in.

Twitter spokesperson, added:

We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere.

In an email, the CEO also mentioned that it is unlikely Twitter wouldnt open office before September as well. Furthermore, reopening any of its offices will be careful, intentional, office by office, and gradual.

Moreover, the company also confirmed there will be no business travel before September, with very few exceptions, and no in-person company events for the rest of 2020. The micro-blogging site has also upped its allowance for work from home supplies to $1,000 for all employees.

Similarly, Google and Facebook have also decided to allow most of its employees to work from home throughout this year. While Facebook is planning to open its office from July 6, Amazon India has allowed its workforce to do work in the home till October.

Source
Reverend Dominic Owusu, Head Pastor of Calvary Temple Assemblies of God Church at Bantama in the Kumasi Metropolis, has said it was only God who can save Ghana from the deadly coronavirus.



He however, said it was important for the public to strictly adhere to all measures and protocols that have been announced by the government to prevent the further spreading of the virus, which was now threatening the lives of citizens in the country.



Delivering a Sunday sermon on a virtual church service in Kumasi, Rev. Owusu pointed out that, God was ready to save the lives of His people.



We have unwavering belief in the Almighty God that He has what it takes to save us and the world from this affliction, he stated



Rev. Owusu said if citizens obeyed all the preventive protocols outline by the government, the country would come out victorious.



As the government continues to take bold steps to curb the spread, and citizens are encouraged to strictly observe these preventive measures to protect us from contracting and further spreading the virus, I wish to urge our religious leaders as well as faith based organizations to continue to pray for our dear nation Ghana and the world, he said.



He urged the citizens to regularly wash their hands under running water, ensure social distancing, use alcohol based hand sanitizers as well as wear nose mask when going out.

Source: GNA









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Featured Video
Even as the first special train



from Delhi arrived in Chhattisgarh's Raipur city amid the COVID-19 lockdown, migrants seemed relieved to reach their home state.

For Raipur-resident M P Singh, his journey from Delhi amid the COVID-19 lockdown was the most memorable one.

Having been stuck in the national capital for over two months, the Singh couple returned to Raipur in the Railways' super-fast special Rajdhani train that arrived here on Wednesday morning.

"It is a moment of immense happiness for me and my family. This journey will remain etched in my memory forever," said 56-year-old Singh.

Singh along with his wife returned to Raipur in the first special train run from Delhi to Bilapsur (Chhattisgarh) that left the national capital at around 4 pm on Tuesday and reached Raipur at around 9.45 am, ahead of its scheduled time of 10.20 am.

The Singh couple, who live in Kanchanganga colony here, had gone to Delhi in March to attend a wedding and were about to return on March 24, a day before the nationwide lockdown was enforced.

"Fortunately, we could stay with our son, who works at a bank in Noida. However, we were also desperate to return home," said Singh also a bank employee.

Singh expressed dissatisfaction over the arrangements made for passengers at Delhi station.

"Vehicles used to ferry passengers were stopped at least a kilometre away from the station and people had to wait in long queues to enter the premises. There was no one to guide us through the medical screening," he said.

However, social distancing was practiced in the train and passengers were also given hand sanitisers, he said.

The experience was quite similar for Seema Tiwari from Dhamtari district, located around 77 km away from here.

Tiwari, who had gone to attend a wedding in Bhopal in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, was stuck there for three months with her 12-year-old son.

"I travelled to Bhopal well before the wedding. But after the lockdown was enforced, the ceremony had to be cancelled and we were just stuck there," she said.

The railways resumed its passenger train services nearly 50 days after it had suspended its operations due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force were deployed at all stations to ensure precautionary measures were being followed, an official here said.

All passengers were allowed to exit only after they underwent medical screening and were instructed to remain in home quarantine for 14 days, he added.

The Railways had made special arrangements, including marking squares in and out of the station in keeping with the norms of social distancing, while passengers sported masks and some even wore gloves.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TOKYO and LONDON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sosei Group Corporation ("the Company"; TSE: 4565) provides an update on operational activities and reports its consolidated results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2020. The full report can be accessed by clicking here.

Operational Highlights for Q1 2020

Strategy refocused and UK R&D organization realignment complete  strengthened focus on the execution of the next stage of growth strategy, which aims to leverage world-class Platform, Discovery and Early Development capabilities to advance and extend portfolio of Partnered Programs  presented at Annual General Meeting.

 strengthened focus on the execution of the next stage of growth strategy, which aims to leverage world-class Platform, Discovery and Early Development capabilities to advance and extend portfolio of Partnered Programs  presented at Annual General Meeting. New appointments and promotions - Mr. Rolf Soderstrom was appointed as a new Board Director and Dr. Malcolm Weir was promoted to Executive Vice Chairman. Further promotions were made across the organization as part of the UK R&D realignment.

- Mr. was appointed as a new Board Director and Dr. was promoted to Executive Vice Chairman. Further promotions were made across the organization as part of the UK R&D realignment. High-impact publication in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery  highlighting potential of structure-based approaches to generate peptide drugs targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).

 highlighting potential of structure-based approaches to generate peptide drugs targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Excellent scientific progress made with orexin agonist program in conjunction with spin-off companies Orexia and Inexia  unique orexin modulator drug discovery and design engine assembled based on structural detail  triggered next tranche of funding from Medixci.

 unique orexin modulator drug discovery and design engine assembled based on structural detail  triggered next tranche of funding from Medixci. Measures put in place in response to COVID-19 pandemic  policies and practises have been rapidly implemented to ensure safety of employees and other stakeholders and to reduce the spread of coronavirus, while also prioritizing revenue-generating work for our major collaboration partners.

Post-period Highlights

New COVID-19 R&D program launched  multidisciplinary team created to apply world-leading structure-based drug design capabilities to the global research efforts to discover drugs targeting the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and to treat COVID-19, also considering future variants of SARS-CoV-2.

 multidisciplinary team created to apply world-leading structure-based drug design capabilities to the global research efforts to discover drugs targeting the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and to treat COVID-19, also considering future variants of SARS-CoV-2. Enerzair Breezhaler (QVM149) recommended for approval in European Union as a maintenance treatment of uncontrolled asthma in adult patients  QVM149 is an investigational once-daily, potential first-in-class inhaled LABA/LAMA/ICS combination for asthma patients, in which Sosei Heptares has an economic interest. It is being developed by Novartis and currently under review in Europe , Japan and Canada , among other countries.

 QVM149 is an investigational once-daily, potential first-in-class inhaled LABA/LAMA/ICS combination for asthma patients, in which Sosei Heptares has an economic interest. It is being developed by Novartis and currently under review in , and , among other countries. Further scientific progress made with orexin agonist program in conjunction with Orexia and Inexia  small molecule agonist bound orexin OX2 receptor solved and small molecule binding site identified  structure determined at significantly higher resolution than previously achieved and expected to provide improved insights to help optimize the discovery and development of novel molecules targeting neurological diseases.

Financial Highlights for the Three-month Period ended 31 March 2020

Revenue totalled JPY 1,162 million ( US$10.7 million *) (a decrease of JPY 1,974 million ( US$17.8 million ) vs. the prior corresponding period), and was primarily related to (i) the absence of upfront payments from new business development deals, and (ii) no major milestone payments from existing collaborations. The timing of new business development deals and progress related to existing programs can vary considerably from quarter to quarter, and the Company expects to achieve new upfronts and milestone payments later in the fiscal year. The prior corresponding period included a one-off US$15 million major milestone payment from AstraZeneca.

( *) (a decrease of ( ) vs. the prior corresponding period), and was primarily related to (i) the absence of upfront payments from new business development deals, and (ii) no major milestone payments from existing collaborations. The timing of new business development deals and progress related to existing programs can vary considerably from quarter to quarter, and the Company expects to achieve new upfronts and milestone payments later in the fiscal year. The prior corresponding period included a one-off major milestone payment from AstraZeneca. Cash R&D expenses were strongly managed and totalled JPY 557 million ( US$5.1 million ) (a decrease of JPY 379 million ( US$3.4 million ) vs. the prior corresponding period), primarily related to the Company's strategic decision to prioritize specific projects as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

( ) (a decrease of ( ) vs. the prior corresponding period), primarily related to the Company's strategic decision to prioritize specific projects as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Cash G&A expenses totalled JPY 437 million ( US$4.0 million ) (a decrease of JPY 120 million ( US$1.0 million ) vs. the prior corresponding period), and was primarily related to a reduction in our UK National Insurance liability linked to share-based payments as a result of the reduction in the Company's share price over the quarter.

( ) (a decrease of ( ) vs. the prior corresponding period), and was primarily related to a reduction in our UK National Insurance liability linked to share-based payments as a result of the reduction in the Company's share price over the quarter. Cash profit** totalled JPY 12 million ( US$0.1 million ) vs. a cash profit of JPY 1,432 million ( US$13.0 million ) in the prior corresponding period. The main reason for the decrease was due to the decrease in revenue as stated above.

( ) vs. a cash profit of ( ) in the prior corresponding period. The main reason for the decrease was due to the decrease in revenue as stated above. Net loss totalled JPY 746 million ( US$6.9 million ) vs. a net profit of JPY 1,018 million ( US$9.2 million ) in the prior corresponding period. The main reason for the net loss was due to the decrease in revenue as stated above.

( ) vs. a net profit of ( ) in the prior corresponding period. The main reason for the net loss was due to the decrease in revenue as stated above. The Company remains well capitalized, with cash at hand of JPY 16,335 million ( US$150.0 million ) as at 31 March 2020 . The Company's cash balance increased by approximately JPY 960 million ( US$8.8 million ) as a result of milestones received from Pfizer and UK tax refunds.

*Convenience conversion to US$ at the following rates: 2020: 1US$ =108.907 JPY; 2019: 1US$ =110.226 JPY

**Non-IFRS measure

Shinichi Tamura, Chairman, President and CEO of Sosei Heptares, commented: "Our operating environment has changed dramatically in recent months as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. I am very pleased to report that the company has responded extremely well to these changes by rapidly implementing practises to keep our staff, and other parties with whom we interact, safe and prevent any further spread of the virus; this is our main priority. The measures we have put in place have also ensured a high level of business continuity and enabled us to work on revenue-generating collaborations and other areas of key importance to our business. I am impressed with and extremely grateful to our staff for the level of dedication and commitment they have shown, which has allowed them to deliver outstanding results and scientific achievements in these unprecedented circumstances."

About Sosei Heptares

We are an international biopharmaceutical group focused on the discovery and early development of new medicines originating from our proprietary GPCR-targeted StaR technology and structure-based drug design platform capabilities. We are advancing a broad and deep pipeline of novel medicines across multiple therapeutic areas, including CNS, immuno-oncology, gastroenterology, inflammation and other rare/specialty indications.

We have established partnerships with some of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, including Allergan, AstraZeneca, Daiichi-Sankyo, Genentech (Roche), Novartis, Pfizer and Takeda; and with innovative biotechnology companies, including Kymab, MorphoSys and PeptiDream. Sosei Heptares is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan with R&D facilities in Cambridge, UK.

"Sosei Heptares" is the corporate brand and trademark of Sosei Group Corporation, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker: 4565). Sosei, Heptares, the logo and StaR are trademarks of Sosei Group companies.

For more information, please visit https://www.soseiheptares.com/

LinkedIn: @soseiheptaresco | Twitter: @soseiheptaresco | YouTube: @soseiheptaresco

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery, development and commercialization of products. Various risks may cause Sosei Group Corporation's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: adverse results in clinical development programs; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialize products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialization activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Enquiries:

Sosei Heptares

Shinichiro Nishishita  VP Investor Relations

+81-(0)3-5210-3399

[email protected]

Candelle Chong

VP Corporate Strategy and Communications

+44-(0)1223-949-392

[email protected]

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Yas Fukuda  Japanese Media

+81-(0)3-4360-9234

[email protected]

Mark Swallow, David Dible  International Media

+44-(0)20-7638-9571

[email protected]

SOURCE Sosei Heptares
TRAVERSE CITY -- Traverse Connect and Venture North have received a $200,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation supporting the Regional Resiliency Fund, which will provide grants of up to $5,000 to small businesses in Benzie, Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties.

The Consumers Energy Foundation is donating $1.8 million to nine organizations to provide a lifeline to small businesses across Michigan. In all, the foundation has given over $3 million to meet the needs of Michigan residents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They thought their coronavirus strategy was successful and they could begin lifting lockdowns that had stifled public and commercial life.

They were wrong.

This week, Lebanon, Algeria and Saudi Arabia were among the nations that made wrenching decisions to reimpose lockdowns after lifting them, only to experience fresh surges in coronavirus infections.
The United States said Wednesday it had added Cuba to a blacklist of countries that do not fully cooperate on counterterrorism, denouncing the presence of Colombian leftist guerrillas. Cuba joined four US adversaries -- Iran, Syria, North Korea and Venezuela -- in failing to be certified for 2019 under a US counterterrorism law that affects defense exports. It was the first time that Cuba was not certified since 2015. The State Department pointed to the presence of negotiators from Colombia's ELN rebels, who traveled to Havana in 2017 to negotiate with the Bogota government but have not returned. "Cuba's refusal to productively engage with the Colombian government demonstrates that it is not cooperating with US work to support Colombia's efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, security and opportunity for its people," the State Department said. A senior official in Havana responded that Cuba was in fact "a victim of terrorism," a reference to attacks over the decades by militant anti-communists. "There is a long history of terrorist acts committed by the US government vs. Cuba and complicity of US authorities with individuals and organizations that have organized, financed and executed such actions from US territory," Carlos F. de Cossio, the foreign ministry official in charge of US relations, wrote on Twitter. Colombian President Ivan Duque, a conservative ally of the United States, broke off talks with the ELN after a January car bomb attack on a Bogota police academy killed 21 recruits. The militants have been demanding, unsuccessfully, that Colombia grant safe passage for its negotiators to return from Cuba. The State Department move will have little practical effect on Cuba, which does not import weapons from the United States, its arch-rival. But the step is the latest by President Donald Trump to increase pressure on Cuba and move away from the reconciliation efforts under his predecessor Barack Obama. The counterterrorism cooperation list is separate from State Department designations of state sponsors of terrorism, which have far-reaching legal effects and can pose major impediments to foreign investment. The Obama administration removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in 2015 as it established diplomatic relations, although Trump's State Department has flirted with putting it back on. The ELN is said to operate in about 10 percent of Colombia but is a smaller player than the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which reached a landmark peace agreement with the government in 2016. Havana's Revolution Square stands nearly empty on May Day 2020 as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic
A railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty was allegedly told to go back to work the rest of her shift.

Belly Mujinga, who had an 11-year-old daughter, was on the concourse of Victoria station in London on 22 March when a member of the public who said he had COVID-19 spat and coughed at her and a colleague.

Ms Mujingas union, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) said there were now serious questions about the death that must be answered.

Both Ms Mujinga and her colleague fell ill with the virus within days of the attack, and Ms Mujinga died in hospital in Barnet on 5 April.

Ms Mujingas husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, said the suspect walked up to his wife and spat in her face.

Belly Mujinga died after a member of the public who said he had COVID-19 spat at her. (PA)

He said: The man asked her what she was doing, why she was there, and she said they were working.

The man said he had the virus and spat on them. They reported it to their supervisor. Belly came home and told me everything.

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Belly Mujinga's family claim she told supervisors she was scared for her life following the incident. (PA)

Colleagues of Ms Mujinga have spoken of their own safety fears following the spitting incident.

Gate worker Victor Bangura, 34, told PA: We are all vulnerable.

He added: I was very shocked. It is the last person I would expect it to happen to.

She was a nice person, looked healthy, she was a mother. Imagine you see someone now like me and the next time they are dead.

My whole body went into shock. I was very, very emotional.

We are all vulnerable, in the same station, it could happen to any one of us.

Ms Mujingas family claims she and her colleague told supervisors they were scared for their lives and asked not to be sent back out to work on the concourse.

However, they were told that people were needed to work outside and were sent back for the rest of their shift, according to Sky News.

Story continues

Ms Mujingas husband claims the two women were not given personal protective equipment (PPE) while working with the public at the station.

He said: "They weren't given masks, or gloves, so they were exposed to everyone.

"It's her employer, the company and the state who have to look at that.

When asked about the incident and the lack of PPE, transport secretary Grant Shapps told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: "My heart goes out to Belly's family. Nobody should be spat at.

Belly Mujinga was originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and moved to the UK in 2000. (PA)

"This is not a question of PPE, it's just disgusting and I know that the British Transport Police are investigating.

"So very, very sad, her death and indeed the deaths of around 50 transport workers is something I take particularly seriously.

Shapps said he had sent guidance to service operators, adding that PPE was not "broadly recommended" for transport workers by Public Health England.

"Clearly, nobody should ever be spitting at somebody; that's a criminal offence and I know that investigation is under way," he said.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said they were shocked and devastated at Ms Mujingas death.

Belly Mujinga was working at Victoria train station in London at the time of the incident. (Getty)

He added: There are serious questions about her death, it wasnt inevitable.

As a vulnerable person in the at-risk category, and her condition known to her employer, there are questions about why she wasnt stood down from frontline duties early on in this pandemic.

Rather than talking about the easing the lockdown, the government must first ensure that the right precautions and protections have been taken so that more lives are not lost.

Our rail industry needs to have a very serious look at what tasks are deemed essential and must put protections in place for all our members and our passengers.

Downing Street described the attack as despicable, while British Transport Police are now searching for the suspect  seven weeks later  amid suggestions that bosses at Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) initially failed to call emergency services over the incident, despite Ms Mujingas request.

Angie Doll, managing director of Southern Railway and Gatwick Express, owned by GTR, said the company was investigating claims about the way staff handled Ms Mujingas case, adding: We take any allegations extremely seriously.

A BTP spokesman said: British Transport Police have now launched an investigation into a report of two members of rail staff being spat at while working at London Victoria station on March 22.

Ms Mujinga was originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and moved to the UK in 2000.

Her husband and daughter Ingrid were two of only 10 people permitted at her funeral on 29 April.

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040 and quoting reference 359 of 11/05/20.

A fundraising page for Ms Mujingas family has so far raised over 12,000.

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Andrea Trescot, M.D.

Physician Partners of America (PPOA) is pleased to announce that renowned interventional pain management specialist, speaker, and author Andrea M. Trescot, MD, ABIPP, FIPP, CIPS, has joined the companys Orange Park, Florida, pain management practice. She began seeing patients on May 11 at the office, located at 2021 Kingsley Ave, Suite 109, Orange Park, Florida 32073.

Dr. Trescot brings vast experience and skills to PPOA. She specializes in diagnosing and treating complex pain conditions including peripheral nerve entrapment, headache and pelvic pain, and spinal disorders. Dedicated to finding the right treatment for each patient, Dr. Trescot offers vertebral augmentation, cryoneuroablation, regenerative medicine and pharmacogenetics, among many other modalities. She is also well-known for using neuromodulation to treat intractable pain, and remains chief medical officer of Stimwave, a Florida-based company that has pioneered wireless spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulators.

Board-certified in interventional pain management, critical care, anesthesiology and addictionology, Dr. Trescots career has spanned academia, private practice, military service, and peer education in several states. She spent 10 years at private practices throughout Florida, including the Jacksonville area. She then turned her focus to academics, becoming the pain fellowship director at the University of Florida, and then serving as director of the pain fellowship program and a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. After that, she spent several years practicing interventional pain management in Alaska; however, she recently returned to the Jacksonville area, which she considers home.

I was raised in Palatka, Florida, and, despite the restrictions brought on by COVID-19, I look forward to reconnecting with the people of Orange Park and Jacksonville, she says. Im also excited to join Physician Partners of America because of its recognition of pharmacogenetics and its expertise in interventional pain management techniques.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology at the University of Florida with honors, she earned her medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina. While serving in the United States Navy, and rising to the rank of lieutenant commander, she completed her postgraduate training. This included an internship and anesthesia residency at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, followed by a fellowship in pediatric anesthesia at Childrens Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

My first rotation as an anesthesiology resident was in pain medicine, and one of my first patients was a young sailor with low back pain that turned out not to be coming from his spine. I gave him an injection and the pain was gone, she recalls. From that moment, I fell in love with pain management. The instant validation and gratification of relieving someones pain is an amazing feeling.

Over the years, Dr. Trescot has become a sought-after lecturer, both nationally and internationally, on interventional pain management topics. She is widely published, authoring more than 150 peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters, and is the editor and senior author of the 900-page textbook, Peripheral Nerve Entrapments  Clinical Diagnosis and Management. She co-authored PainWise  A Patients Guide to Pain Management and served as co-editor of the three-volume pain review textbook, Pain Medicine and Interventional Pain Management  A Comprehensive Review. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of the professional journal, Pain and Therapy.

Dr. Trescot is a lifetime member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians and the Florida Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. She is also a member of the Alaska Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, the World Institute of Pain, the North American Neuromodulation Society and the International Neuromodulation Society. She is a member of the scientific advisory council for the Global Pain Initiative, and a member of the U.S. Health and Human Services Pain Task Force. She has received numerous awards throughout her life, some of which include the Excellence in Physical Diagnosis Award from the Medical University of South Carolina, the U..S Navy Achievement medal, the Outstanding Service Award and Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, and the Distinguished Physician Award from the Florida Medical Association.

She is the founder and director of Project Pain Relief, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of pain education in the developing world and training physicians in sustainable pain management techniques.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Trescot, call the Physician Partners of America Orange Park office at (904) 495-7993 or click here. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

About Physician Partners of America

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Physician Partners of America (PPOA) is a fast-growing national healthcare company that manages a wide range of medical practices. These include interventional pain management, minimally invasive spine and laser procedures, orthopedics, personal injury, Workers Compensation, telemedicine, and AAAHC-accredited ambulatory surgery centers and procedure suites. PPOA was founded in 2013 on the idea of strengthening the doctor-patient relationship and combating the opioid crisis through interventional modalities. For more information, visit ppoamedical.com.
Mumbai, May 13 (UNI) Car major Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Wednesday reported a 28 per cent decline in it's net profit for quarter ending March, 2020 at Rs 1,291.70 crore, compared to Rs 1795.60 crore in the last year.



Total revenue of the company under review declined by 15.19 per cent to Rs 18,198.70 crore, compared with Rs 21,459.40 crore for the quarter ended March, 2019.



Lower sales volume and higher sales promotion expenses dragged net profit in March quarter, according to Maruti Suzuki. However, this was partially offset by lower operating expenses, cost reduction efforts and reduction in corporate tax rate.



The company sold 3.60 lakh vehicles in the domestic market in Q4, down 16 per cent again from the same period last year.



The board recommended a dividend of Rs 60 per share for the financial year ended March, 2020.



UNI JS NV RJ 1658
A rapist jailed for attacking three women has walked free without consideration he be declared a dangerous sex offender in a decision the Western Australian opposition has deemed a 'catastrophic failure'.

Nicholas Rodney Troy McDonald, who now uses the surname Faulkner, spent nine-and-a-half years behind bars for attacks committed over two days in November 2010 along the Joondalup train line in Perth's north.

The Dangerous Sexual Offenders Review Committee did not refer McDonald's case to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Nicholas Rodney Troy McDonald (pictured), who now uses the surname Faulkner, spent nine-and-a-half years behind bars for attacks committed over two days in November 2010

If they had, the DPP could have made a dangerous sex offender application in the WA Supreme Court, which potentially could have resulted in McDonald being subject to stricter supervision, including electronic monitoring.

The Prisoners Review Board instead placed him on a post-sentence supervision order.

Opposition spokesman Peter Katsambanis said the community had been let down by a broken justice system.

'This catastrophic failure is another example of the WA Labor government talking tough on crime but not delivering, and our community has now been placed at risk of further harm from this evil man,' Mr Katsambanis said on Wednesday.

'The time for excuses is over. The government must explain how this catastrophic failure happened, what it will do about it and satisfy the community that it will never happen again.

'It must also consider every available option to make a further application to impose stricter conditions on this dangerous criminal.'

Premier Mark McGowan said he was 'surprised and disappointed' when he learnt what had happened.

'I'm going to get urgent advice on whether or not anything can be done about that, but clearly, it's not a good situation,' he told reporters.

Faulkner pleaded guilty to an array of offences following the 2010 attacks, which he did while using amphetamines and alcohol on the Joondalup train line (pictured)

While he is not allowed to drink alcohol, cannot be in possession of illicit drugs and cannot step foot in licensed venues he is free to use trains.

He is also not allowed to have any contact with any of his three victims, the West Australian reported.

Faulkner pleaded guilty to an array of offences following the 2010 attacks, which he did while using amphetamines and alcohol.

In court he was described as an 'opportunistic sexual predator'.

During sentencing in 2011 the court heard Faulkner would choose girls at random at train stations, and even followed one all the way to her house.

Another victim was forced into a car and raped while the third was sexually assaulted in nearby bushland.

Faulkner was on bail at the time but was filmed following the girls on multiple CCTV cameras before he was recognised and arrested.
My first journey from India to foreign lands began in 1952 when I boarded the Italian passenger ship MV Neptunia. My destination was London. The ship first berthed at Aden and the passengers came ashore, so did I, to see the place and do some shopping. I was carrying Pounds sterling and Indian rupees. The shopkeepers wanted payment in rupees, avoiding sterling and no one mentioned the US dollar. I found the same story in Port Said and crossing Suez at Port Suez. Arriving in Europe I found in Switzerland that rupee was quoted in top banks as one India Rupee equalled a Swiss Franc.

The dawn of India's independence saw Rupee at par with US Dollar, that is one rupee was equal to one dollar. The tragedy was the British government had linked the rupee to sterling at a disadvantageous rate of exchange to the rupee. That government had given a lethal blow to the rupee on September 24, 1931 when it removed the goldlink of the rupee and linked it to the worthless pound sterling. That single act of the colonial power resulted in rupee depreciating as it was now linked to a depreciating currency, the Pound sterling.

Author: Prem Prakash, ANI

Images: Respective Agencies


Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:59:21|Editor: huaxia

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JERUSALEM, May 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo concluded his visit to Israel on Wednesday afternoon after meeting Israeli leaders over the country's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

During his six-hour visit, Pompeo held separate meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, leader of the centrist party of Blue and White and Netanyahu's partner in the soon-to-be unity government.

He also met Gabi Ashkenazi, a lawmaker with Blue and White who is expected to serve as the new government's foreign minister, and Yossi Cohen, chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

The talk with Netanyahu focused on the prime minister's plan to annex the Jordan Valley that took a major part of his re-election campaign in March, the COVID-19 outbreak, and Iran.

In joint remarks at the start of their meeting, Pompeo accused Iran of attempting to "foment terror" during the coronavirus pandemic.

"The campaign that we have been part of to reduce resources has borne fruit," he said, referring to the nuclear-related sanctions Washington has imposed on Iran.

Netanyahu expressed his "appreciation" for the U.S. government's "strong position" against Iran.

"Iran has not stopped for a minute its aggressive designs and its aggressive actions against Americans, Israelis and everyone else in the region," he said.

He also praised the "unbreakable bond" between Israel and the United States.

The unity government, expected to be inaugurated on Thursday, "is an opportunity to promote peace and security based on the understandings that I reached with President (Donald) Trump" in January, Netanyahu said.

Pompeo landed in the morning at the Ben Gurion airport outside Tel Aviv and headed directly to Jerusalem, with an exemption from the Israeli two-week quarantine requirement.

This was the first international official arriving in Israel since January when the Israeli government started to impose anti-coronavirus restrictions.

The visit comes just a day before the swearing-in ceremony of a new power-sharing Israeli government led by Netanyahu and Gantz.

Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to annex the Jordan Valley, which was captured by Israel together with the rest of the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East war. Under the unity deal signed by Netanyahu and Gantz in April, he could make the move from July.

The annexation is actually part of Trump's peace plan for Middle East, better known as the Deal of Century, but it was not immediately clear if Washington will back the timing of the move.

The plan is strongly objected by the Palestinians and the Arab world as well as international organizations such as the United Nations, which denounced the plan as a violation of international law. Enditem
Whilst the whole world is in lockdown during the current Corona crisis, certain cells within our bodies are still travelling long-distance: while this happens when you develop pneumonia, any ordinary cut on your finger will also trigger white blood cells--aka leukocytes--to instantly move out of your blood vessels into the site of inflammation. Similarly, cancer cells, which can originate in any tissue or organ, can also spread and reproduce far away from their place of origin. The result: a metastasis.

Usually, every cell within the organism binds to its surrounding via specific adhesion receptors that are present on its plasma membrane. As universal "glue" between cells and their surroundings, these adhesion receptors, or integrins, either stabilize a cell if it needs to remain immobile, or serve as anchors when the cell climbs through the tissue. But how can certain types of cells such as white blood cells flexibly crawl through different tissues, although these tissues are composed of very distinct molecules that do not necessarily match the adhesion receptors?

Moving with and without a "glue"

The mystery has been solved in a recent Nature study by the group of Michael Sixt at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) and collaborators from France. Combining experiments with physical models, the scientists describe a new mechanism of cell locomotion that works completely independent of a cell specifically binding to the extracellular environment. Instead, the cells use the geometry of the environment to propel themselves.

In their experiments, the biologists used different types of leukocytes from which they genetically eliminated the function of integrins to interrupt the binding between the cells and their extracellular environment. While integrins are essential for the survival and movement of almost all cell types, the IST Austria scientists had discovered in a previous study that leukocytes can move and survive without integrins. The same turned out to be true for some cancer cells.

Icy grounds ahead!

To analyze the locomotion mechanism that allows cells to migrate in the absence of adhesion, the scientists focused on the geometry of the environment rather than its molecular composition. They engineered tiny cell-sized "microfluidic" channels with different wall geometries: from completely smooth to rough or serrated texture. They then let the cells migrate through these channels to observe that the integrin-deprived cells were not able to move forward when the walls were smooth and parallel. "The cells were 'running on the spot'--just like a car tire would spin on icy grounds," says Anne Reversat, first author of the study and former IST Austria postdoc, who is now doing research at the University of Liverpool. "However, when the walls were textured with bumps, the cells could efficiently migrate without integrins. Cells that still carried their integrins could equally migrate in both rough textured and smooth channels."

The right grip to go everywhere

By looking closer experimentally and theoretically at the biomechanics of such "off-road" cell movement, Reversat et al. uncovered the unifying mechanical theme that underlies both modes of locomotion: Actin--the filamentous building material of the cell's cytoskeleton--flows from the front of the cell to the tail end. This "retrograde actin flow" is the force within the cell that, once coupled to the environment, drives the cell body forward. Force-coupling can happen via integrins that penetrate the plasma membrane and thereby connect the intracellular actin with the extracellular substrate.

As the scientists found, however, actin cannot only couple through integrins; it can also couple without any transmembrane receptors. Reversat: "The retrograde flow generates intracellular shear forces that push against the channel walls whenever there is a bump. If the walls are parallel, or the bumps are too far apart, this does not work. Another way to see this is that the cell propels itself by changing its shape over time. After all, leukocytes are amoeboid cells--'amoibos' being the Greek word for 'changing'. As the fine structure of tissues is geometrically very complex, amoeboid cells can always rely on this mode of locomotion. This makes them enormously adaptable. Essentially, they can go everywhere."

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STAMFORD  A former Stamford developer who pleaded guilty in one of the most expensive fraud cases in the history of Connecticut has been released from federal prison due to the coronavirus crisis.

John DiMenna, 77, was in the second year of a seven-year prison sentence when he was let out this week and allowed to go to his home in Florida. He must serve three years of supervised incarceration at the residence.

U.S. District Judge in Bridgeport Victor Bolden gave the order Monday on compassionate grounds due to the pandemic.

In 2018, DiMenna pleaded guilty to defrauding investors and lenders of tens of millions of dollars. He surrendered to FMC Devens, a minimum security camp in Massachusetts, in November of that year.

As a managing member of Seaboard, DiMenna was accused of perpetrating a fraud between 2010 and 2016 that lost investors approximately $28 million and lenders about $37 million, according to federal prosecutors.

DiMennas Greenwich attorney Kevin Thomas Duffy Jr. sent a letter to the warden of the Devens complex in April explaining his concerns about the health of DiMenna, who he said had high blood pressure and is a cancer survivor, according to the Boldens ruling released by federal authorities.

I think the judge clearly did the right thing. Mr. DiMenna will never be a recidivist and he is almost 78 years old, Duffy said.

A little over a week later, Duffy filed a motion asking for the early release, adding that DiMenna was more susceptible to common illnesses and is in the highest risk category for complications and death from the disease. At the time Devens had a high concentration cases of Covid-19, the order stated.

Several of DiMennas reported victims opposed his release. One said, Being confined to a comfortable home, in the company of his family and friends does not strike me as a very difficult punishment for Mr. DiMenna to endure and does not in a significant way repay his debt to society.

Duffy said DiMenna has returned to Florida where his wife resides in a tiny apartment and the two are bankrupt.

The attorney has filed a motion on behalf of DiMenna seeking to overturn his conviction based on ineffectual representation of council.

He was sentenced as if he had stolen the money, but in fact he took nothing, Duffy said. He may have put false information on loan documents, but he did not take anything.

Duffy argued that he could not practice social distancing while incarcerated and the prison hospital did not have the necessary medical items or equipment, such as ventilators, to treat him if he fell ill.

Attorneys for the government fought the release, questioning whether DiMenna actually would be safer outside the facility and arguing that his case involved one of the largest dollar frauds prosecuted by the (federal) District, according to Boldens order.

Bolden wrote that since the outbreak of the pandemic, numerous courts within this Circuit have held that a defendants pre-existing health conditions, in combination with the increased risks of the virus in prisons, constitute extraordinary and compelling reasons warranting release.

While there is no question that a longer time in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons is preferable for Mr. DiMenna, from both the Courts perspective (based on its original sentence) and from the perspective of a number of Mr. DiMennas victims, many of whom believe that compassionate release should not be extended to him, the balance of all of the relevant factors, however so slightly, favor his release now, Bolden wrote.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
U.S. states are beginning to restart their economies after months of paralyzing coronavirus lockdowns, but it could take weeks until it becomes clear whether those reopenings will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases, experts said Wednesday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus walks a bicycle past a shop selling fruits and vegetables in Yokohama near Tokyo, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Japan is still under a coronavirus state of emergency, which was extended this week until the end of May, though there have been no hard lockdowns. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

U.S. states are beginning to restart their economies after months of paralyzing coronavirus lockdowns, but it could take weeks until it becomes clear whether those reopenings will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases, experts said Wednesday.

The outbreaks trajectory varies wildly across the country, with steep increases in cases in some places, decreases in others and infection rates that can shift dramatically from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.

Part of the challenge is although we are focused on the top-line national numbers in terms of our attention, what we are seeing is 50 different curves and 50 different stories playing out, said Thomas Tsai, assistant professor at the Harvard Global Health Institute. And what we have seen about COVID-19 is that the story and the effect is often very local.

A handful of states started easing their lockdowns about two weeks ago, allowing reopenings by establishments ranging from shopping malls in Texas to beach hotels in South Carolina to gyms in Wyoming. Sparsely populated Wyoming, which has some of the lowest infection numbers in the United States, plans to reopen bars and restaurants Friday. Georgia was one of the first states where some businesses were allowed to open their doors again, starting April 24 with barber shops, hair salons, gyms, bowling alleys and tattoo parlours.

But it may be five to six weeks from then before the effects are known, said Crystal Watson of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Cathedral Junction Barbers owner Conrad Fitz-Gerald cuts the hair of a customer just past midnight in Christchurch, New Zealand, Thursday, May 14, 2020. New Zealand lifted most of its remaining lockdown restrictions from midnight Wednesday (noon Weds. GMT) as the country prepares for a new normal. Malls, retail stores and restaurants will reopen and many people will return to their workplaces. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

As we saw early in the year, epidemics of COVID-19 start slow and take some time to build and become evident, Watson said in an email.

The outbreaks trajectory can vary greatly around the country, according to an Associated Press analysis of confirmed cases. For instance, steep increases in daily new cases are occurring in Hennepin County in Minnesota and Fairfax County in Virginia, while in others, such as Bergen County, New Jersey, and Wayne County, Michigan, there's been a steady decline.

The AP analyzed case counts compiled by Johns Hopkins University, using a rolling seven-day average to account for day-to-day variability in test reporting.

A child walks with an adult through a ray of light in a narrow ally in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. The Thai government continues to ease restrictions on small businesses that were imposed weeks ago to combat the spread of COVID-19. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

In Geneva, meanwhile, a top World Health Organization official warned that its possible the new coronavirus may be here to stay.

This virus may never go away, Dr. Michael Ryan said at a press briefing. Without a vaccine, he said, it could take years for the global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity.

I think its important to put this on the table, he said. This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities like other previously novel diseases, such as HIV, which have never disappeared, but for which effective treatments have been developed.

A worker passes a sign at a restaurant along the River Walk that has reopened in San Antonio, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Many restaurants and stores that were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic have reopened with some restrictions. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

It can take three to five days for someone newly infected with the coronavirus to feel sick, and some infected people wont even have symptoms. Since testing is mostly reserved in the U.S. for those with symptoms, it can take two weeks or so  the time for one group of people to spread the virus to another  to have enough testing data to reflect a surge in cases.

If you are doing adequate testing, it will take two to three weeks to spot an increase, Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvards Global Health Institute, said Wednesday as he prepared to speak to a congressional subcommittee on the crisis.

He urged a dramatic increase in testing.

Medical personnel help residents sign in for a COVID-19 test at the Bethany Baptist Church, Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York. Churches in low income communities across New York are offering COVID-19 testing to residents in conjunction with New York State and Northwell Health. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

It was the failure of testing that caused our country to shut down, Jha said. We need federal leadership on the level of testing, guidance on whom to test and federal help on the sheer capacity, the number of tests that can be done. We still do not have the testing capacity we need to open up safely.

New coronavirus clusters have surfaced around the world as nations struggle to balance restarting their economies and preventing a second wave of infections.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly are pressing ahead to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found.

People walk on the sand on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles. Los Angeles County reopened its beaches Wednesday in the latest cautious easing of coronavirus restrictions that have closed most California public spaces and businesses for nearly two months.(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

South Korea confirmed 29 more coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours as it battles a spike in infections linked to nightlife spots in Seoul, threatening the country's hard-won progress in the fight against pandemic.

And Lebanese authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints that social distancing rules were being ignored.

In the U.S., as in many countries, the lockdowns have resulted in catastrophic levels of job losses. The U.S. unemployment rate soared to 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression. There are roughly 30 million Americans out of work.

Staff members of tournament wearing face masks work on the 10th hole during the first round of the KLPGA Championship at the Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, South Korea, Thursday, May 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

In Washington, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that a prolonged recession could cause extensive damage to the economy and urged Congress and the White House to act further to prevent long-lasting harm.

The Fed and Congress have already taken immense steps, but Powell warned that numerous bankruptcies among small businesses and extended unemployment for many people remain a serious risk.

While costly, more assistance in government spending or tax policies would be worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery, he said.

Powell spoke a day after Democratic leaders proposed a $3 trillion aid package that would direct money to state and local governments, households, and health-care workers. That would come on top of roughly $3 trillion in earlier financial assistance. The Fed, for its part, has cut interest rates to near zero and created numerous emergency lending programs.

But Trump administration officials have said they want to first see how previous aid packages affect the economy, and were skeptical about allowing more spending right now.

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The tension in balancing peoples safety against severe economic fallout is playing out across the world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into markets as restrictions were eased.

The U.S. has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the world by far: 1.39 million infections and over 84,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.3 million people and killed some 297,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. Experts say the actual numbers are likely far higher.

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Johnson reported from Washington state; Smith reported from Providence, Rhode Island, and Sullivan reported from Minneapolis. AP data journalist Nicky Forster in Berkley, Massachusetts, and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.

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Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
BOLZANO, Italy (AP)  The blazing orange letters of fire spelled out a familiar message in Italys South Tyrol province, an old call to resistance repurposed for the days of the coronavirus: Los von Rom and Freiheit, German for Away from Rome and Freedom.

In decades past, the words ignited on a mountainside demanded independence from Romes rule for the provinces German-language majority. Now, they vent discontent in South Tyrol, which was once part of Austria, with the uncompromising and indiscriminate lockdown imposed by the Italian government to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Spurred by economic pressure, the provincial governor defied Rome this week and reasserted South Tyrols cherished autonomy, allowing restaurants, hair salons, tattoo parlors and museums to reopen Monday -- well ahead of the timetable set by Italys government.

We have a relatively positive situation regarding the epidemic, with a rate of contagion the lowest in Italy, said Gov. Arno Kompatscher, whose South Tyrolean Peoples Party has controlled the province since 1948. The partys legislators in the national parliament back Italian Premier Giuseppe Contes government.

We appreciated the actions of the government in the phase of emergency, where it was necessary to move in a united way, Kompatscher said. But we are very proud and jealous of our autonomy.

While the rest of Italy watched with a mix of envy and curiosity, South Tyroleans wearing masks could browse shops again for items such as a tablecloth needed for a gift, have piercings changed by appointment and visit a hairdresser for a long-overdue haircut.

They sat in Walther Square, near Bolzanos Duomo, and ate lunch at the prescribed 2-meter (over 6 foot) distance or drank coffee in bars outfitted with Plexiglas safety screens.

Despite the provinces bold stance, some business owners demurred to Rome -- for now.

Alexander Sullmann, a bar owner in the town of Neumarkt, known in Italian as Egna, said he was waiting at least a week to see if clearer safety guidelines for his industry emerge. He was particularly worried about how to enforce rules that forbid more than two people from different households at a single table.

Story continues

The province gave us the OK, but there are a lot of questions and a lot of rules are not set in stone yet, Sullmann, 30, said,

South Tyrol, or Alto Adige to Italian speakers, is an Alpine province of world-class ski resorts and neatly manicured orchards and vineyards that became part of Italy after World War I. Following a period of violence in the 1950s and 1960s, the German-speaking resistance settled down after Italy implemented the provinces autonomy status, enshrining bilingualism and allowing 90% of local tax revenue to remain in South Tyrol.

The province, with a population of 520,000, today enjoys the highest gross domestic product per capita in Italy and among the highest in Europe at 42,600 euros ($45,500). But the pandemic is forecast to contract the economy by as much as 11%, which could get worse depending on the virus trajectory.

The head of the regions 59,000-member chamber of commerce, Michl Ebner, backed the push for South Tyrol to go its own way on emerging from the virus lockdown.

I understand the concept of solidarity, Ebner said. But you cannot apply the same rules from Lampedusa to the Brenner Pass. The situations are different.

South Tyrol reported no new confirmed virus cases on Tuesday. The province so far has 2,572 confirmed cases with 290 deaths  both figures representing about 1% of Italys totals.

Ebner pointed to a lack of discipline in Italys hard-hit Lombardy region during the early stage of an initial lockdown, when cellphone data showed about half of residents leaving their homes.

In South Tyrol, when the order was given not to leave home, people didnt leave their homes, he said. If here the numbers are improving ... we need to take note and award the virtuous.

While the government successfully blocked the southern region of Calabrias efforts to reopen ahead of the national schedule, South Tyrol managed to avoid significant legal challenge due to its self-governance statute.

Until the flaming words that appeared recently against the night sky, it had been years since fires protesting Romes governance burned on local mountainsides.

The leader of the 6,000-strong Schuetzen, a cultural association that aims to preserve Tyrolean customs and which sees Rome as a foreign power -- took credit for igniting the flames. Juergen Wirth Anderlan thinks the peaceful message made Kampatschers push to open businesses easier to sell to Romes minister for regional affairs.

He could say, I dont have my people under control, there is something bubbling up there, Wirth Anderlan told the AP. What the economic federations and tourism federations told the provincial president was probably heavier and carried more pressure than from us. We underscored that with these fires.

Wirth Anderlan said he rejects the violence of past secession moves -- although he wants to see South Tyrol become either independent or annexed by Austria. Neither position is on the mainstream South Tyrol political agenda, and both are widely seen as limited to a fringe.

South Tyrols governor said the best way to deal with such separatist sentiment is with strong management of the regions autonomy  which he believes itself can be an asset to Italy.

Alto Adige is a little Europe within Europe that is part of the Italian state, where multiple ethnic groups, cultures and languages co-exist, and which can act as a bridge between northern and southern Europe, Kompatscher said.

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Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Three days after his showdown with state ministers, Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh on Tuesday night was relieved of the additional charge of Financial Commissioner Taxation.

Principal Secretary (Water Resources) A Venu Prasad will now hold the additional charge of FC Taxation, according to an order issued here.

As Prasad is on leave till May 20, Principal Secretary Anirudh Tewari will look after the work of the post of Financial Commissioner Taxation in addition to his present assignments, it added.

Relieving Karan Avtar Singh of the additional charge of FC Taxation unceremoniously came after a face-off between him and Punjab ministers at Saturday's pre-cabinet meeting over the revision of the excise policy.

At the meeting, Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was learnt to have opposed any relief for liquor vend owners in the excise policy under discussion. The chief secretary had allegedly made some "curt remarks" after Channi spoke.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Channi had then walked out. It was reportedly followed by other ministers after some time. The development led to the postponement of the cabinet meeting scheduled for that day.

However, after the cabinet meeting on Monday, Badal had said the "behaviour, body language and style of conversation" of Karan Avtar Singh before the cabinet did not behove the chief secretary's office.

Both Badal and Channion Monday had said they would not participate in any meeting attended by the state's chief secretary, deepening the crisis triggered by the showdown between the ministers and the state's top bureaucrat.

Badal had announced his intention at a cabinet meeting before Chief Minister Amarinder Singh against the alleged "unacceptable behaviour" of the chief secretary.

He had even urged the CM "to decide whether to call the CS or us to a meeting".

After the crisis escalated, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar too backed the ministers, asking the top bureaucrat to "step back".

Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had also attacked the chief secretary and alleged that his son had an undeclared business interest in a Punjab distillery



The showdown between CS and ministers gave enough fodder to the Opposition to attack the Amarinder Singh-led government.

The opposition parties' leaders had said a "constitutional crisis" had erupted in the state with cabinet ministers "losing faith" in their government.

They had also said the state ministers seemed to be "helpless" in the hands of the bureaucracy and asked them to "part ways" with the chief minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amazon.com's global logistics chief Dave Clark, in an interview on CBS's 60 Minutes, said the spread of COVID-19 in the e-commerce giant's warehouses is no worse than what's happening in America at large. But when pressed, he declined to provide a total number of cases, making it impossible to independently confirm the company's assertion.

Clark said Amazon knows how many cases have afflicted its warehouses but declined to share the total because, he said, "it's not a particularly useful number." His comments echo what company spokespeople have been saying for several weeks, prompting workers and officials to press executives to be more forthcoming about illness in their ranks.

Amazon workers are concerned about the lack of detail around coronavirus cases in their midst. Credit:The New York Times

The latest demand came on Tuesday from attorneys general in 12 states and Washington, DC, who called on Amazon to reveal a state-by-state breakdown of the number of Amazon and Whole Foods workers "who have been infected with and died from COVID-19."

Public health officials can take swift action when they believe a business is putting workers at risk of exposure. In March, the Kentucky governor temporarily closed an Amazon warehouse that processes returns due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, and local authorities in Colorado briefly closed a Walmart store near Denver that was linked to the deaths of three people. The coronavirus has ripped through the meat-packing industry, infecting 1 per cent of its workforce and causing at least 20 deaths, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Emergency services have saved an injured hiker using a unique location-based communication app.

A 67-year-old woman was stranded in Flinders Island off the coast of Tasmania after hurting her leg at the edge of a remote cliff face.

Rescuers sent the group a link to an app called what3words as the group could not accurately describe to operators where they were on the secluded island.

Mick Fawcett from Ambulance Tasmania told ABC Radio Hobart the app gave rescuers the exact place where the woman was injured.

An app that encodes geographic coordinates for locations around the world into three words has been used to rescue an injured hiker in Flinders Island (pictured) off Tasmania

The app generates three words to describe a specific three square metre location anywhere in the world. Pictured: an ambulance at a location in Launceston under the code 'rare causes rocked'

'It's as accurate as a traditional GPS coordinate, but a little easier for the common person to discuss over the phone,' he said.

The what3words app encodes geographic coordinates for locations around the world into three words.

The service has a specific three word phrase for every three square metre space on the planet.

The group's unique location was 'murky founding spoonfuls', which operators used to identify them and rescue the patient to a medical centre on the island.

Data alerted rescuers to the terrain they needed to cross to meet the hikers and prepared them to bring a 4WD ambulance and police car to make the journey.

Ambulance Tasmania was the first ambulance service in Australia to use the app, with Mr Fawcett saying it is simple and effective to use.

'It doesn't replace our current means of confirming your location, it's just another tool to confirm where our patients are, especially in a wilderness situation,' he said.

Travellers in remote locations are advised by ambulance officials to bring an emergency radio beacon to signify their location.
We are not out of the woods yet

For the first time since the pandemic began, leaders of the Trump administrations coronavirus response testified before Congress on Tuesday, and the picture they painted was much grimmer than President Trumps claim on Monday that we have prevailed over the coronavirus.

We are not out of the woods yet, Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. But we are more prepared.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, said there was no chance of having a vaccine ready in time for the new school year in the fall. And he said the U.S. was still far from the levels of testing and contact tracing needed to contain outbreaks.

If we do not respond in an adequate way when the fall comes, given that it is without a doubt that there will be infections that will be in the community, then we run the risk of having a resurgence, Dr. Fauci said. I would hope that by that time, in the fall, that we would have more than enough to respond adequately. But if we dont, there will be problems.
Some stores will never reopen after the forced coronavirus lockdown, leaving many shopping centres and malls deserted, experts say.

Billionaire Solomon Lew, the owner of retail conglomerate Premier Investments and former chairman of Myer, told The Australian on Tuesday that months of forced closure will be the final financial straw for many already-struggling retailers.

Even once doors reopen, the retail downturn is expected to persist for months due to reduced spending power caused by mass layoffs and pay cuts.

For many businesses, the costs of running and staffing stores with few customers will not be viable, especially as many Australians had become accustomed to doing their shopping online during the lockdown.

Billionaire Solomon Lew believes shopping centres and malls could soon be deserted as many retailers will not recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic

That change in consumer habits - as well as many choosing to save rather than spend due to uncertainty about jobs and housing prices - could further crush the economy if retailers collapse and thousands more lose jobs.

Mr Lew, who has built a $2.5billion fortune on almost 50 years in retail, says the industry has a major role in returning Australians to the workforce and is eager to put people back in jobs.

Premier Investments, which owns brands such as Smiggle, Portmans, Just Jeans, and Peter Alexander, has begun reopening its hundreds of stores and bringing back some of the 9000 workers it stood down last month.

But the companies that can withstand the financial blow need landlords to share the hit.

'It is all about getting people back to work and from our perspective we are doing our bit, said Mr Lew, adding that Premier retailers had not paid rent in April and May are were seeking rebates for the rent they paid in March.

He said they are looking to renegotiate future rental terms, based on sales, in line with the terms that Prime Minister Scott Morrison had demanded of landlords.

Mr Lew said while store sales had dropped, Premier outlet Peter Alexander (pictured) had witnessed a 295 per cent weekly increase in online sales

In a challenge to his landlords, which include commercial property giants Scentre Group and Vicinity Centres, Mr Lew said he will only pay rent in arrears in proportion the sales slide stores encounter upon reopening.

'Otherwise it will be very difficult to get the workers back. There is a million-odd people circling in distribution, retail, transport etc and in manufacturing that could get back to work,' he said.

'But a lot of it will depend on the retailer negotiations with the landlords and there are many people who wont come back into business.

Treasurer John Frydenberg on Tuesday said GDP is forecast to fall by more than 10 per cent in the June quarter, which would represent the biggest fall on record.

In the same quarter, Treasury is expecting the unemployment rate to reach about 10 per cent, or 1.4 million unemployed, while household spending is also predicted to be about 16 per cent lower, Mr Frydenberg said.

Scentre Group, the owner of the Westfield empire, this week warned investors it would not pay a dividend for the first half of 2020.

Accent group, which owns Platypus, Hype DC, and Athlete's foot, has seen sales jump from an average of $250,000 per day in early March to as much as $1.1 million per day during the last two weeks of April

The commercial property powerhouse added minimal rent relief packages had been locked in with landlords and its preference was for negotiations to be determined once foot traffic returned.

The move could be followed by other shopping centre owners as trimmed rental income constricts cash flow.

Premier revealed in a trading update on Tuesday that sales had slumped 74 per cent in the six weeks leading to May 6, while those in its overseas stores plummeted 99 per cent.

However, online sales have skyrocketed, with sleepwear brand Peter Alexander breaking weekly records with an increase of 295 per cent.

Despite the anticipated struggle with in-store sales, Premier said it would be opening most its Australian stores by Friday- except those in airports and some CBDs.

Popular jewellery and accessories chain Colette by Colette Hayman was placed into voluntary administration in January

Unlike many other retailers, Premier said it remains in a strong financial position with $256.2m in cash and access to undrawn facilities of $91.8m.

Foreshadowing Mr Lew's eerie prediction, many brands have already begun abandoning shop floors.

Even before the lockdown impact was felt, swimwear label Tiger Lilly, accessories retailer Collette, and stationery chain Kikki K were all placed into administration.

Meanwhile, several big names have directed their focus towards their digital stores as sales boom online.

In February, Australian Fashion designer Alex Perry announced the closure of his flagship Sydney CBD store while Footwear giant Accent Group, which owns Hype DC, Platypus and Athlete's foot, reported last month 28 stores would shutdown.
The University of Guam has been awarded $20 million to expand its research capabilities on coral reef survival in rapidly changing environmental conditions. The five-year grant is from the National Science Foundation's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, more commonly referred to as EPSCoR, and will considerably expand upon work undertaken during the previous five-year, $6 million Guam EPSCoR grant project, the Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium.

"This is a major grant award which not only validates and expands on the research work of Guam EPSCoR, our Marine Laboratory, and our partners, but it also further establishes the University of Guam as an emergent research institution in the Pacific region," said UOG President Thomas W. Krise.

Starting July 1, the new grant project -- titled the Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium for Corals and Oceans, or GECCO -- will increase the collection, documentation, integration, and analyses of complex genetic and oceanographic data from reefs within the region. These research activities are necessary to understand the evolutionary and ecological processes that drive resilience in coral reefs under stress from climate change and other factors and could provide valuable insight into the development of viable management strategies.

Dr. Terry J. Donaldson, professor of ichthyology at the UOG Marine Laboratory and the principal investigator and project director, said the need for modern, cutting-edge studies on reef ecosystems is urgent.

"Island communities of the Western Pacific and all around the world depend on coral reef ecosystems, but the reefs are struggling to survive amid our rapidly changing climate," he said. "Guam has the nation's most diverse and complex coral reefs, so the UOG Marine Lab is the best place to do this research and inform how we can better protect this vital ecosystem."

The research team, led by Dr. Bastian Bentlage, assistant professor of bioinformatics at the Marine Lab, will collect and analyze genetic, genomic, oceanographic, and ecological data sets. New collections of marine biodiversity from the region will be curated, imaged, and mapped, and specimens -- including cryo-preserved tissues for genomics research -- stored in the UOG Biorepository along with historical collections dating back more than 50 years. Specimens and field collection data will be digitized and posted in the biorepository's online-accessible database that was established during the Guam Ecosystems Collaboratorium, providing the scientific community with an invaluable resource for marine biodiversity research.

Mathematical models will use the data gathered to better predict changes in our reef ecosystems. To facilitate this ambitious research project, UOG's ability to conduct big-data analyses will be expanded by establishing a high-performance computing cluster on its campus and by strengthening its collaborative network with other research institutions.

The new grant will utilize cutting-edge instrumentation and innovative techniques, including:

hyperspectral scanning to automate mapping of reef communities;

DNA barcoding to facilitate identification of reef organisms, including coral microbiomes, and their role in the stress response of coral reefs;

seascape genomics, integrating genomics, and oceanographic modeling to trace connectivity between coral reefs within the region; and

micro-CT scanning techniques within the Biorepository to further the understanding of the morphology of marine organisms on reefs and promote a greater understanding of their taxonomic diversity.

"Coral reefs in the Marianas Archipelago are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, and Guam represents the United States' only foothold in the region. This award provides researchers the opportunity to explore these coral reef systems and understand current biodiversity challenges concerning how they respond to climate change," said NSF EPSCoR Program Manager John-David Swanson. "In addition to improving infrastructure in the jurisdiction, this project aims to target underserved communities and develop innovative programs for STEM education and workforce development."

The grant will grow UOG's research capacity by funding new and visiting faculty positions and post-doctoral fellowships to conduct research, teach specialized courses at the university, and engage graduate and undergraduate students in research.

Beyond research, the GECCO project will develop innovative STEM education and community engagement programs -- an effort that will led by Dr. Austin Shelton, assistant professor of extension and outreach -- and collaborations within the national and international research communities, an effort that will be led by Dr. Rachael Leon Guerrero, vice provost for research and sponsored programs.

###
There was a book out a few decades ago called Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. It was published during that time period where everyone with a catchy phrase and some deep (read: shallow) understanding of human nature thought they could teach us something about ourselves. Another favorite was Im Okay, Youre Okay, which I used to refer to as Im Okay, Youre an A for Not Thinking Im Okay. But I digress.

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus was about the different ways that the genders (back then there were blessedly only two) communicate. There was a kernel of truth in the premise of the book, namely, that men and women have different ways of sending messages, and different ways of perceiving those same messages. The Mars and Venus doesnt make much sense, but it is true that overall, gender plays a large part in how we understand what someone else means. And I agree that we often end up talking over each other, speaking entirely different languages.

As a foreign language major in college, and a former high school French and Spanish teacher, I am keenly attuned to the way language can be both an obstacle to, and a conduit for, communication. And again, I do believe that some people are hardwired into hearing what they want to hear, even if the words have an objectively different connotation. Ive just taken more than 300 words (dont count them, just trust me) to say this:

The people in this country no longer speak the same language. There is a very real, tangible and profoundly relevant dividing line between those who believe we need to keep this country shut down for an indefinite period of time, and those who are desperate to reopen the comatose cities and towns. And there is a lot of bad blood between the two sides, who hear what the opponent is saying, but who process the message as go to hell.

For the people who want us to remain in a medically induced state of limbo, keeping non-essential businesses closed and forcing all of us to wear protective gear even when we are jogging on top of Machu Picchu with no one else in sight, it is a matter of life and death. They are legitimately afraid of COVID 19, a virus that has no cure, no vaccine, and no discernible blueprint. It is a monster that appeared on the horizon when we were not expecting it, and no one could blame cautious Americans for wanting to do everything in their/our power to keep the monster at bay, defang it, or at least contain it, until we can finally vanquish it. Ive heard some conservatives call these folks wusses or communists or idiots, and they will still think that as they are being intubated in the ICU. In other words, they are fools themselves to doubt the potency of this disease and the immediacy of this health threat.

On the other side are those who want us to return to some semblance of normalcy, because people are being forced to choose between paying their rent, their utilities, buying their medicine or putting food on the table. These are the people who found themselves without a job, with no warning, a safety net with holes the size of Wyoming, and no financial reserves. They are people who in many cases live paycheck to paycheck, and as someone who is very close to that point myself, I feel great sympathy for them. Ive heard liberals call these people heartless, greedy, Trumpers and, yes, idiots. These words were echoed in comments from the highest echelon, including Gov. Tom Wolf who likely never had to struggle to pay his bills but has the ability to deliver sermons calling those who oppose the stay-at-home rules cowardly and comparing them to deserters in a war. There was more, much more, but suffice it to say that the Democratic governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania declared his own war against Pennsylvanians who disagree with him, and used the language normally heard from the mouths of non-elected kings.

And then we had a former governor, Tom Ridge, questioning the patriotism of those who challenged the broad stay-at-home orders. In an op-ed he wrote a few weeks ago, Ridge ridiculed the folks who are generally confined to their homes, with refrigerators, televisions, the internet and the ability to take a walk, go to the store or just talk to a neighbor, comparing them unfavorably to military veterans who sacrificed for this country. It was a truly bizarre comparison, and if I made that same leap in logic in one of my high school English essays Sister Joanne would have given me an F. She was a stickler for precise language, and argument.

The fact that the leaders of this state are using the sort of language that validates the beliefs of one side of the divide and ridicules those who happen to find themselves on the other is troubling. Wolf, Ridge, and those who support their draconian rules of hermetically sealed closure dont understand the pain of those Pennsylvanians who fear certain destitution more than they fear the possibility of falling ill. Perhaps they are wrong not to be paralyzed with fear of the invisible enemy, as Trump calls it. But perhaps the arrogance of the stay closed until we tell you crowd is as wrong, as mean-spirited, and as dangerous as the very real pain of that barber in Media who was told to stand down, or those protesters in Harrisburg with absolutely no clue when they will get another paycheck.

I despair of us being able to empathize with those who reject our views, because we are employing the type of language that makes it impossible to consider those alternative views. We are ridiculing the other side or worse, vilifying them. And I am sad to say that the stay-at-home folks are doing so while standing on a pedestal of moral superiority that is rotted at the base, particularly when you consider that so many of them are not desperate to figure out how to feed their kids.

Language should be a bridge that helps us reach the other side, or at least gives us a reason to consider taking that first step. Instead, its become cement, trapping us in our uncompromising positions at the poles. And with leaders like Wolf and Ridge, I dont see that changing any time soon. Which makes me want to use some language that cant be printed in a family paper.

Christine Flowers is an attorney and a resident of Delaware County. Her column usually appears on Sunday. Email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com.
There are growing fears that Kilkenny will be disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic due to its reliance on tourism and festivals.

Local TD Malcolm Noonan has raised concerns around the tourism sector with Minister of State Brendan Griffin in the Dail. He says Kilkenny will need a package of supports to help trade through the economic impact of the pandemic.

The Green Party TD said that it was unlikely that tourism would ever fully recover from the crisis. Despite the innovation and adaptability shown by the sector through economic challenges, Deputy Noonan said greater State supports such as direct cash grants, supports to local authorities and a recalibration of Failte Irelands marketing campaign towards staycations were needed.

With the cancellation of Kilkenny Arts Festival, we are now looking at a possible full year without any festivals in Kilkenny, he said.

I commend Olga Barry and her team for all they have done to date but they have made the right decision. In that regard, I raised the matter with the Minister last week, citing a report by Failte Ireland on the value of cultural activities to local economies and I asked him to support these festivals to trade through the current crisis and survive so that they can begin programming for 2021.

Deputy Noonan also spoke of a need for outdoor activities funding for local authorities  playgrounds, greenways and blueways. He said the staycation should become the mainstay of Irish holidaymakers to keep funds in local economies, and due to uncertainty over air travel.

I asked the Minister to commit to the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme for councils for 2020, said Deputy Noonan.

Kilkenny County Council has made great use of this fund in the past and will be critical to ensuring that we have a range of facilities that are suitable to social distancing for families.

Our tourism and hospitality sector are vital to the economic recovery as they were when we emerged from the last economic downturn. It is important that the State supports the sector to recover and continue to provide the great services they do to enhance visitor experiences. I think its incumbent on us all now to spend locally, to holiday in Ireland and to support our local cafes, restaurants and hotels as restrictions are lifted in coming months.
Airlines must continue to offer refunds for cancelled flights, the European Commission (EC) has said.

Ireland was one of 12 countries pushing the EC to temporarily suspend the right of a cash refund for cancelled flights and, instead, allow airlines to offer vouchers to customers whose flights were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The letter argued vouchers would be "acceptable for consumers" and would support struggling airlines.

However, in announcing its package to reboot European tourism in 2020, the European Commission confirmed it would not allow airlines to remove the option of a refund.

Some 12 European countries are already in breach of the law, officials added. Enforcement proceedings have already commenced with regard to these breaches.

In announcing its guidance to resume travel and reboot European tourism, the European Commission said it would support efforts to make vouchers an attractive alternative, but insisted airlines would still have to provide cash refunds if sought.

Under EU rules, travellers have the right to choose between vouchers or cash reimbursement for cancelled transport tickets or package travel.

The EC recommends "that vouchers become a viable and more attractive alternative" in order to ease the financial pressure on airlines.

Voluntary voucher schemes should be guaranteed by governments to protect consumers who do opt for this alternative. They should also provide passengers flexibility, allow them to travel on the same route and under the same conditions as originally booked and should be transferable to another person.

Underlining the rules, EC Executive Vice-President Margarethe Verstergar said, "You need to have the refund; that is your right. Full stop."

She said that voucher schemes should elapse after a year and unclaimed vouchers should, at this point, be traded for cash or additional services.
michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[music]

Today: Federal prosecutors are asking a court to throw out their own criminal case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Mark Mazzetti on what led to that decision. Its Thursday, May 14. Mark, remind us where the Michael Flynn story starts.

mark mazzetti

Well, Michael Flynn was a three-star Army general who had a quite distinguished career, became the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency under the Obama administration. And then he gradually sort of moves into the Trump orbit in 2016 when Trump was running for president. During the Republican convention 

archived recording (michael flynn) We do not need a reckless president who believes she is above the law.

mark mazzetti

 he famously leads a chant 

archived recording (crowd) Lock her up! archived recording (michael flynn) Yes, thats right, lock her up!

mark mazzetti

Of lock her up, meaning to Hillary Clinton.

michael barbaro

Right.

archived recording (michael flynn) If I did a tenth of what she did, I would be in jail today.

mark mazzetti

And after Trump is elected, he announces that hes going to make Flynn his national security adviser. So its during this time when theres a series of events that get Michael Flynn into trouble.

[music]

Its shortly after Christmas in 2016 when the Obama administration announces a number of sanctions against Russia for its efforts to sabotage the 2016 campaign. It was soon after that 

archived recording The Washington Post reports that Trumps incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn, repeatedly called the Russian ambassador to the U.S. 

mark mazzetti

 that The Washington Post reported that Flynn had been on a number of phone calls with the Russian ambassador 

archived recording  on the exact same day 

mark mazzetti

 on the same day the Obama sanctions were announced, which raised questions about whether the incoming Trump administration was trying to meddle with the Obama administrations foreign policy.

archived recording (mike pence) I talked to General Flynn about that conversation. Actually, it was 

mark mazzetti

Vice President-elect Mike Pence goes on Face the Nation.

archived recording (mike pence) They did not discuss anything having to do with the United States decision to impose a censure against Russia.

mark mazzetti

Pence says that Flynn had told him the sanctions never came up on the call. But the Justice Department had transcripts of the calls in which Flynn had actually urged the ambassador not to overreact to the Obama administrations sanctions.

archived recording F.B.I. agents interviewed Michael Flynn about whether he discussed U.S. sanctions with Russian 

mark mazzetti

So F.B.I. agents are sent to the White House to interview Flynn.

archived recording What has he told investigators?

mark mazzetti

He tells them that the sanctions never came up on the call.

michael barbaro

Right, hes lying to the F.B.I.

mark mazzetti

Right. This all becomes public, and in February 2017 

archived recording General Michael Flynn suddenly resigned late last night.

mark mazzetti

 Flynn is forced to resign.

archived recording He is the shortest serving national security adviser now in modern history.

[music]

michael barbaro

And what happens to Flynn once hes pushed out of the White House?

mark mazzetti

The F.B.I. continues to investigate Flynn, but very little is heard from him for a number of months. And during this time, President Trump starts leaning on James Comey, the F.B.I. director, in essence, to drop the Flynn investigation.

michael barbaro

Right.

mark mazzetti

And that raised this idea that the President of the United States was trying to obstruct justice. And thats this kind of cataclysmic moment that ultimately sets off a chain of events that leads to not only Comey being fired, but also the appointment of Mueller as the special counsel.

michael barbaro

Right. In many ways, the Flynn saga is the beginning of the Mueller saga, and the beginning of a very dark chapter for the Trump administration.

mark mazzetti

Thats correct.

michael barbaro

What ends up happening to Michael Flynn?

mark mazzetti

Well 

archived recording Flynn pled guilty to repeatedly lying to the F.B.I.

mark mazzetti

Flynn ends up pleading guilty to lying to the F.B.I.

archived recording  says that he is cooperating 

mark mazzetti

Becomes a cooperating witness in the Mueller investigation. Hes awaiting sentence.

archived recording Court documents make clear that Flynn was not acting alone.

mark mazzetti

And the significance was that he was the first top White House official to plead guilty as part of the Mueller investigation.

archived recording Court papers say Flynn could get up to six months behind bars, but he was under 

michael barbaro

Mark, I feel like, for many people, that is where the Michael Flynn story pretty much ends, right? I mean, you have this three-star general, national security adviser who just totally falls from grace after lying to his bosses and the F.B.I., and now hes headed to prison.

mark mazzetti

Thats right. And the Mueller investigation marches on, and the next significant point is the end of 2018 into 2019 when Flynn is set to be sentenced by a federal judge. And the Mueller team weighs in 

archived recording Breaking news right now. Bob Muellers office is recommending to the judge that Michael Flynn actually not receive any prison time.

mark mazzetti

 and says Flynns been a good witness.

archived recording Michael Flynn cooperated plenty with the special counsel.

mark mazzetti

They recommend very little, if any, jail time.

archived recording The defendant provided firsthand information about the content and context of interactions between the transition team and Russian government officials.

mark mazzetti

And something curious happens then, where Flynns legal team, which had been very cooperative towards the Mueller investigation, clearly  they cut what seemed to be a pretty good deal with the Mueller team  decide to take a more combative stance. They enter into the public record this idea that maybe Flynn had been railroaded, that the F.B.I. may have set him up. So this angers the judge. He really reads Flynn and his team the riot act, saying, are you now saying youre not remorseful? And why are you now accusing the F.B.I. of misconduct? And basically says, lets take a pause. Were going to put this off for a few months and come back to me when youve found some remorse. In the intervening time, the ground starts to shift.

[music]

archived recording William Barr has just been sworn in as the new attorney general, gaining broad control of the special counsel, Robert Muellers, Russia investigation.

mark mazzetti

William Barr takes over as attorney general.

archived recording (william barr) I believe it is vitally important that the special counsel be allowed to complete his investigation.

mark mazzetti

He, during his confirmation hearing, pledges that hes not going to interfere with the Mueller investigation. So Mueller famously then delivers his report to Barr in March of 2019.

archived recording (william barr) The deputy attorney general and I concluded that the evidence developed by the special counsel is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offense.

mark mazzetti

And Barr writes a very short summary of sorts that he says summarizes Muellers findings, which we now know misinterprets the Mueller report. Its quite clear starting at that point that Barr has great issues with not only the Mueller investigation, but how this all began  how the Russia investigation began at the F.B.I. and whether there was real misconduct.

archived recording (william barr) Ive been trying to get answers to questions, and I found that a lot of the answers have been inadequate, and I also 

mark mazzetti

So he makes no secret of the fact that hes going to start investigating the investigation. He is going to launch a campaign to get to the bottom of what happened and whether there really was a political effort to go after Donald J. Trump and his advisers.

michael barbaro

And what does that mean for Michael Flynn awaiting sentencing for lying to the F.B.I.?

mark mazzetti

As the ground shifts, and as its clear that Barr is going to look at the predicate for the entire investigation, Flynn decides to get a new lawyer.

archived recording (sidney powell) Nothing about this case was done right. They violated every rule, every protocol.

mark mazzetti

Who is not only a lawyer, but also a pundit of sorts.

archived recording (sidney powell) The entire prosecution was false. It must be dismissed.

mark mazzetti

This is a Texas lawyer named Sidney Powell who has made no secret of the fact that she thinks the entire thing is a witch hunt.

archived recording (sidney powell) Their prosecution of General Flynn was needed to keep the obstruction hoax going against the president, because they already knew the Russia hoax had fallen apart.

mark mazzetti

Very much in line with what the President of the United States has said.

archived recording (sidney powell) So the whole thing was orchestrated and set up within the F.B.I.

mark mazzetti

And days before she takes over as Flynns lawyer, she writes a secret letter to Attorney General Barr where she writes, quote, It is increasingly apparent that General Flynn was targeted and taken out of the Trump administration for concocted and political purposes.

michael barbaro

Wow. So youre saying Flynn recognizes the winds are changing, recognizing that theres literally a new sheriff, attorney general in town, whos skeptical of the entire Russia investigation, and so Flynn hires a lawyer who fits quite nicely into that dynamic.

mark mazzetti

Yes. And during that period of time, Attorney General Barr decides to appoint another prosecutor whos going to examine the case and see whether there had been any misconduct that had taken place.

michael barbaro

So just to be clear, in addition to examining the roots of the Russia investigation broadly, Barr appoints a specific prosecutor inside the Department of Justice just to examine the Flynn case?

mark mazzetti

Thats right.

[music]

And that leads to the release of a number of documents to the public in recent weeks that have led both Flynns lawyers and the president to make the case that Michael Flynn was indeed railroaded and set up by the F.B.I.

michael barbaro

Well be right back. Mark, tell us whats inside these documents.

mark mazzetti

In essence, the documents are internal F.B.I. and Justice Department communications around the time that Flynn was interviewed by the F.B.I. And what they show, kind of broadly, are that there was concern about the decision to interview Flynn. One of the documents that got a lot of attention was written by Bill Priestap, who at the time was the head of the F.B.I.s Counterintelligence Division, which was running the whole Russia investigation. And this is January 24, four days after the Trump administration takes over, and right before there is this decision to go send F.B.I. agents to interview the national security adviser. And Priestap writes, quote, Whats our goal, truth/admission or to get him to lie so we can prosecute him or get him fired?

michael barbaro

Wow.

mark mazzetti

In another document, he seems to understand the risks of conducting this interview, and he says, Protect our institution by not playing games. And if we are seen playing games, the White House will be furious.

michael barbaro

Some of that language is quite potentially inflammatory, the idea that the person running the investigation is wondering if their goal might be to get the national security adviser fired  essentially, to get him in trouble.

mark mazzetti

It raises this question of whether Sidney Powell, Flynns lawyers, had a point, that they were trying to set him up, right? And finally, theres also interesting divide that is revealed between the F.B.I. and the Justice Department, and what some of the documents show is that there was some concern of Justice Department about what the F.B.I. was up to.

michael barbaro

So theres some concern about whether or not interviewing Flynn is at all a good idea.

mark mazzetti

Right. And we find out that the F.B.I. only tells the Justice Department theyre going to go do this while the agents are on their way to the White House.

michael barbaro

Huh. Mark, what happens once these internal F.B.I. documents are released? Whats the reaction?

mark mazzetti

This unleashes a torrent of criticism.

archived recording (sidney powell) He should dismiss the case for egregious government misconduct without a doubt.

mark mazzetti

By Flynns lawyer, Sidney Powell 

archived recording (sidney powell)  that the government has been hiding this evidence that shows their own crimes while they were accusing Mr. Flynn falsely of any crimes because they made it all up.

mark mazzetti

 by other commentators on the right 

archived recording 1 A lot of people close to this feel like Michael Flynn was setup, never lied. archived recording 2 Admitting that they got things completely wrong, and actively worked to defame  archived recording 3 Instead, it looks like two systems of justice in terms of how the F.B.I. handled Hillary Clinton and how they handled Donald Trump.

mark mazzetti

 by President Trump 

archived recording (donald trump) When I looked at what they did to him, they tormented him. Dirty cops tormented General Flynn.

mark mazzetti

 making the case that Flynn should never have been interviewed, and the case should now be dropped.

[music]

michael barbaro

And what would be the legal basis for that argument? What in the documents do Flynns lawyers seize on and say makes his prosecution illegitimate?

mark mazzetti

Well, theyre saying that these documents reveal that there was real concern in the F.B.I. about whether the interview should have taken place in the first place.

michael barbaro

Mm-hmm.

mark mazzetti

And if the interview doesnt take place, then theres no lies to worry about. And if theres no lies, then theres nothing to prosecute Flynn on. And therefore, there is no case period, and Michael Flynn should walk free. You have no predicate to be there in the beginning, then whatever you find is immaterial to the investigation. And this is what Barr seizes on when he makes this incredibly dramatic decision last week.

archived recording Just in this afternoon, the Justice Department is dropping its criminal case against President Trumps former national security adviser, retired General Michael Flynn.

mark mazzetti

To drop the charges against Michael Flynn.

archived recording The Justice Department today is holding that there was not a legitimate basis to do an investigation of Flynn.

mark mazzetti

Barr said there was never any good reason to interview Michael Flynn in the first place, and so whatever Flynn said during the interview was irrelevant. And Barr even goes further than that.

archived recording (catherine herridge) Attorney General Barr, thank you for speaking first to CBS news. archived recording (william barr) Hi, Catherine.

mark mazzetti

In an interview last week, he not only criticizes the decisions that were made at the time to interview Flynn 

archived recording (william barr) There was not, in our view, a legitimate investigation 

mark mazzetti

 but he also goes to bat for Flynn going all the way back to Flynns phone calls with the Russian ambassador.

archived recording (william barr) And it is very typical and very common for the national security team of the incoming president to communicate with foreign leaders. And that call, there was nothing wrong with it whatever. In fact, it was laudable. And it was nothing inconsistent with the Obama administrations policies, and it was in U.S. interest. He was saying to the Russians, dont escalate.

mark mazzetti

He actually says that the phone calls were laudable, and that it was perfectly understandable that Flynn would talk to the Russian ambassador to try to lower tensions in a very tense environment.

archived recording When history looks back on this decision, how do you think it will be written? archived recording (william barr) Well, history is written by the winners, so it largely depends on whos writing the history.

michael barbaro

I mean, whats fascinating about what Barr is doing is that it does not feel like every day when the Department of Justice sides with a defendant in a criminal prosecution over its own prosecutors who have successfully gone after that defendant.

mark mazzetti

And its in keeping with what William Barr has done for a year. From the time that Robert Mueller presented his report to barr, Barr has questioned the legitimacy of the investigation and any fruits of that investigation. He has questioned whether those prosecuted were done so fairly, or whether the F.B.I. overreached. He has also backed decisions to lower sentences of others.

michael barbaro

Mark, is Barrs legal analysis in the Flynn case sound? Is it in dispute?

mark mazzetti

Barrs decision has been widely criticized. Plenty of legal experts say that prosecutors in general have wide discretion to decide which aspects of the investigation they want to pursue, what is germane to the case, and in this specific instance, the fact that there was an ongoing investigation into contact between Trump aides and the Russians would make Flynns calls germane to this particular investigation. That is not to say that now looking back, there havent been instances of F.B.I. abuse over the course of the Russia investigation.

michael barbaro

Mark, given everything youve just said, and reading these documents that have been released from the Department of Justice about the debate that went on inside the F.B.I.  these notes from an agent about how to conduct this interview, whether they might, basically, trap Flynn in a lie and get him fired  I mean, is there a version of this where what Bill Barr has done is exactly what any justice system should do when there are serious questions about the legitimacy of a prosecution, which is kind of give the benefit of the doubt to the defendant?

mark mazzetti

You always want greater transparency when it comes to how an investigation was conducted. Thats true if the target is Michael Flynn, or if the target is someone far less famous. The concern, of course, is whether there is abuse going on in the other direction.

michael barbaro

What do you mean?

mark mazzetti

That what the attorney general is doing is, in effect, launching a campaign to discredit the investigation, to discredit the Mueller probe, to discredit its results in a way that will ultimately benefit his boss, President Trump. Remember, President Trump, whos been railing against the quote unquote witch hunt for years, will be using this for his re-election campaign. So the concern, of course, is that Bill Barr is kind of acting as a proxy warrior for the president.

michael barbaro

But Mark, is it possible that both things can be true  that the Attorney General Bill Barr may be trying to discredit the entire Russia investigation, and in the process, very much oversimplify things, and that the prosecution of Michael Flynn might be flawed?

mark mazzetti

Yes, both of those things can be true.

[music]

And this is why the passions are so intense on this issue, because both sides want to control the narrative, and because of that, cant allow, necessarily, any gray area in this argument. Either Michael Flynn is a hero or hes a traitor. Either the Mueller investigation was a just pursuit, or it was a witch hunt. And of course, there is a lot of space between those characterizations and nuance that gets lost because the political debate is black and white.

michael barbaro

So Mark, whats going to happen to Michael Flynn now?

mark mazzetti

Well, of course, given what William Barr decided, there is a very likely scenario that Michael Flynn soon is a free man and he is brought back into the fold, and in the coming months, we see him once again campaigning for Donald Trump.

michael barbaro

Thank you, Mark.

mark mazzetti

Thanks, Michael.

[music]

michael barbaro

On Wednesday night, The Times reported that before the Department of Justice sought to throw out the case against Michael Flynn, it had interviewed the F.B.I. official whose notes have been interpreted as potentially seeking to entrap Flynn. In that interview, the official, Bill Priestap, said that his notes had been misconstrued and that there was no effort to set Flynn up.

[music]

Well be right back. Heres what else you need to know today.

archived recording (jerome powell) The scope and speed of this downturn are without modern precedent, significantly worse than any recession since World War II. We are seeing a severe decline in economic activity 

michael barbaro

In a speech on Wednesday, the chairman of the Federal Reserve warned that the pandemic could permanently damage the American economy if Congress does not act to prevent a wave of bankruptcies and prolonged unemployment.

archived recording (jerome powell) Long stretches of unemployment can damage or end workers careers as their skills lose value and professional networks dry up and leave families in greater debt.

michael barbaro

The message from Jerome Powell suggested that the trillions of dollars that Congress has already pumped into the economy may not be enough.

archived recording (jerome powell) Additional fiscal support could be costly, but worth it if it helps avoid long-term damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery.

michael barbaro

And the House of Representatives is poised to temporarily change its rules to allow lawmakers to vote and hold committee hearings remotely, so that they can avoid traveling to Washington during the pandemic. The rules, expected to pass tomorrow, would mark a major change for a body long defined by the tradition of meeting and voting in person.

[music]
M ore than 147,000 Americans will die from coronavirus by early August with the US facing thousands more fatalities as states relax lockdowns to curb the pandemic, experts warned today.

The latest forecast from the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is nearly 10,000 higher than its last projection, and comes after the nations top infectious disease expert warned of dire consequences from reopening too soon.

The model, which is frequently cited by the White House, predicts that the cumulative US death toll will climb to 147,040 by 4 August, up 9,856 from the institutes previous update only three days earlier.

It had already nearly doubled its forecast from late April to nearly 135,000 deaths, citing steps in 30 states to ease social-distancing requirements.

The new figures make depressing reading for the Trump administration, which is clamouring to reopen businesses with unemployment hitting levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

When we started off making projections, we had assumed that all the states were going to follow the New Zealand model, which is to keep social distancing in place until transmission gets to a really low level, IMHE director Dr. Christopher Murray told CNN.

Were not doing that Were speeding towards relaxing social distancing.

Earlier, Dr Anthony Fauci, a leading figure in the White Houses coronavirus task force, told a US Senate panel that prematurely ending restrictions on commerce and social life could have dire consequences.

Covid-19 has already infected more than 1.4 million Americans and killed at least 83,000.

In Chicago, healthcare workers enjoyed a flypast by the US Navys Blue Angels display team to salute first responders.
Dr Nelson Odume, African Water Resources Mobility Network partnership coordinator.

Rhodes University has been awarded an EU Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme grant to lead a five-year multi-partner project  the African Water Resources Mobility Network (AWaRMN) within the Institute for Water Research (IWR). Given that water underpins development, and in the context of COVID-19, water is needed to maintain basic hygiene and sanitation, the AWaRMN partnership is well positioned to build capacity across the African continent for sustainable water resources management and to share experiences said the partnership coordinator Dr Nelson Odume.

Apart from the Institute for Water Research at Rhodes University, the other partner institutions are the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria; Makerere University, Uganda; The National Higher School of Hydraulics, Algeria; University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Delft University of Technology as the technical partner.

AWaRMN invites students from across the African continent who are suitably qualified and outstanding candidates for full-time study in any of the doctoral academic mobility scholarship programmes of the African Water Resource Mobility Network (AWaRMN).

According to IWR Large Grants Manager, Zenobia Louw, students can apply to any of the higher education partner institutions, including Rhodes University.

Students who are nationals of an African Union member state and resident in Africa at the time of application are eligible to apply. There are two groups of students who will be considered for this mobility scheme. The first is students who have been registered and/or admitted in or have obtained a degree from one of the higher education institutions included in the partnership. The second group comprises students who have been registered and/or admitted in or have obtained a degree from a higher education institution established in Africa that is not included in the partnership, explained Louw.

Rhodes University will be benefitting from this by building capacity, furthering its research ties with other African higher education institutions. It will assist in solving African challenges whilst aiming to achieve the water-related Sustainability Development Goals set by the United Nations. We are the leading institution for this particular scheme and as a partner institution, Rhodes University students will have the opportunity to study at other partner African higher education institutions. This will broaden and build their research networks, said Louw.

To apply, or see if you qualify, please visit https://www.ru.ac.za/intra-africa-awarmn/

Source: Communications

Please help us to raise funds so that we can give all our students a chance to access online teaching and learning. Covid-19 has disrupted our students' education. Don't let the digital divide put their future at risk. Visit www.ru.ac.za/rucoronavirusgateway to donate
Iran Fingered For Attack On Israeli Water Infrastructure

Iranian hackers are reported to have used American servers in a recent attack on Israel's water and sewage infrastructure, which Israeli officials say did not disrupt water supply. The original attack took place on April 24-25 on numerous water and sewage facilities across the country. The original attack on numerous water and sewage facilities across the country took place on April 24th.

Israeli media sources claim that te attempted breach was aimed at operational systems and mechanisms for adding chlorine to the the water supply in numerous locations.

The US Department of Energy said that the US government is committed to protecting allies from cyber attacks but would not comment on the specific incident, saying an investigation was ongoing. The Israel National Cyber Directorate confirmed the attempted cyber breach on water command and control systems. Employees at water plants were alerted to change their passwords and safeguard their systems after the attempt was detected, specifically those overseeing the chlorination of wells.

Israel and Iran have engaged in covert cyber warfare for over a decade, including reported efforts by the Jewish state and US to remotely sabotage the Islamic Republics nuclear program using the notorious Stuxnet worm.

Israel has stepped up a bombing campaign on Iran-linked forces in Syria seeking to push out the Islamic Republic, which is already smarting from one of the worlds most severe COVID-19 outbreaks. Experts have recently warned that the coronavirus pandemic has created a perfect storm for cyber-attacks, with millions of people working in unfamiliar, less secure circumstances and eager for information about the virus and with new organisational policies being implemented.

The US Department of Homeland Security issued an alert last month warning that the pandemic has increased threats and that cyber actors may send emails with malicious attachments or links to fraudulent websites to trick victims into revealing sensitive information.

Al Araby: Times of Israel: Haaretz: JPost:

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Iran's Cutting Edge Cyberwar Capabilities:
Troubled Chinese luxury villa developer Tahoe Group is facing pressure from hundreds of customers who fear its projects under construction in Beijing and Shanghai might fail and never be completed.

The coronavirus pandemic, which brought China's economy to a standstill and put a massive strain on highly-leveraged property developers, has brought the Fuzhou-based company's cash flow closer to the brink of collapse. Construction at its sites has been stalled for months and Huang Qisen, its chairman, was temporarily placed on a national debtors blacklist in April for failing to repay loans.

In recent weeks, customers who were pre-sold flats and villas by Tahoe have demanded that the local governments in both cities investigate its projects.

"We are 100 per cent certain that Tahoe won't be able to deliver the project on time in July," said Jack Chen, a 30-year-old who bought a 2.7 million yuan (US$380,502) flat in Tahoe's Dacheng Xiaoyuan project, which is located in the suburbs of Shanghai.

Construction stopped in September and only resumed partially this month, as Tahoe is behind on payments for building materials, Chen said, citing information gathered from contractors. "The foundation hasn't even been laid in the southern part of the project," he said. "We are all so anxious and desperate."

More than 300 of the 2,000 customers who bought flats at Dacheng Xiaoyuan have been trying to gain the local authorities' attention since April, by staging protests at Tahoe's sales centre and posting articles on social media platforms.

In Beijing, buyers of Tahoe's villa project Beijing Courtyard last week used Weibo, China's Twitter-like social-media platform, to call upon the government to scrutinise and manage the money they have paid to Tahoe to ensure the project's completion.

Tahoe did not return calls seeking comment.

Story continues

The homebuyers have reasons to be concerned. After a global asset shopping spree between 2017 and 2018, Tahoe currently faces a wall of debt, even after it offloaded more than a dozen projects last year.

Last week, it reported a 59 per cent plunge in cash holdings to 5.6 billion yuan (US$790 million) over the first quarter of this year, while its revenue plummeted 94 per cent. The dive in revenue was a result of the outbreak, which had pushed sales off a cliff, the company said in a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Tahoe's current cash bank is far from sufficient for the repayment of the 70.2 billion yuan in debt that is maturing within 12 months from the end of March, according to a report by global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings released on Monday. It downgraded its long-term default rating for the company to CCC+ from B-, based on uncertainties around its refinancing plans next year.

Tahoe will find it difficult to raise new capital, according to Fitch, after Huang was added to the Supreme People's Court's debtors list in late April for failing to repay a 120 million yuan loan to a trust company. Even though he was later removed from the list, after Tahoe settled with the trust, borrowers are likely to have weaker confidence in the developer, which has two-thirds of its debt in borrowings from trust and asset management companies, the rating agency said.

The pandemic is likely to accelerate a shake-up in the industry, according to rating agency Moody's Investors Service.

"The challenging operating environment will favour the large and financially healthy rated developers," said Josephine Ho, senior analyst at Moody's. "Industry consolidation will continue, as weaker developers are forced out of the market."

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.
Frozen beef filets from Australia, United States, and Canada are on sale at a supermarket in Beijing, China, on May 14, 2019. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

China Cuts Australian Beef Imports Amid CCP Virus Tension

CANBERRRA, AustraliaChina suspended imports of beef from four Australian producers on May 12 following a threat by the regime of possible trade retaliation if Australia pushed for an inquiry into the origins of the CCP virus pandemic.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the suspensions appear to be based on highly technical issues, some of which date back more than one year. Birmingham said he was talking with the industry to formulate a comprehensive response.

Australias Trade Minister Simon Birmingham addresses media outside the Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on, Oct. 16, 2019. (Rod McGuirk/AP Photo)

The Chinese regime has rejected calls by Australia and other governments for an international inquiry into the origin of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which emerged in December in central China.

Ambassador Cheng Jingye told The Australian Financial Review last month the country might face a Chinese boycott of its tourism and exports of wine, beef, and other goods if Prime Minister Scott Morrisons government pressed for an inquiry.

Packs of beef imported from Australia are displayed for sale at supermarkets in Beijing, China, on June 17, 2015. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

China is the No. 1 market for Australian beef, accounting for about 30 percent of exports.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, criticized Australias erroneous words and deeds. Zhao said Tuesday the pandemic shouldnt be used as a reason to engage in political manipulation, which he said would disrupt international disease prevention.

Australia grain exporters said Sunday they were told China is preparing to raise duties on imports of Australian barley.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 13:34:37|Editor: huaxia

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NANJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The city of Kunshan, east China's Jiangsu Province, has donated a batch of medical supplies to the city of Dire Dawa in Ethiopia to help fight COVID-19, local authorities said Wednesday.

The supplies, worth about 500,000 yuan (about 70,000 U.S. dollars), include five ventilators, 50,000 disposable masks, 5,120 KN95 masks and 600 protective suits. They were jointly raised by the Kunshan municipal government, a local charity foundation and several enterprises.

The supplies offer timely support for Dire Dawa to curb the epidemic, Mayor of Dire Dawa Ahmed Buhen said at a local ceremony to receive the donation on Tuesday, according to the Kunshan municipal government.

Ahmed Buhen also expressed the hope that the two cities will maintain a lasting friendship and continue to deepen cooperation.

The two cities formed friendly relations in 2018 and they have successfully collaborated on several projects through sharing industrial park management experience. Enditem
Senior Congress leader Milind Deora on Tuesday called the announcement of US $266 billion (Rs 20 lakh crore) economic package by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to deal with COVID-19 crisis a "timely" one. He said if carefully executed, India will avert a humanitarian crisis and will expand Indias role in global supply chains. He added that it will revolutionise the country's Make In India capabilities as well.

'Be aware of the danger- but recognize the opportunity'

The former Union Minister shared a Chinese analogy which says "Crisis = danger + opportunity" Deora also shared a quote by former US President John F Kennedy where he said, The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word crisis. One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the dangerbut recognize the opportunity

Timely announcement of a US $266 billion economic package by @narendramodi ji.



If carefully executed, we will avert a humanitarian crisis, expand Indias role in global supply chains & revolutionise our @makeinindia capabilities.



In Chinese, crisis = danger + opportunity pic.twitter.com/VEVeYuoICD  Milind Deora   (@milinddeora) May 12, 2020

The Congress on Tuesday dubbed the stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced by PM Modi as one that only grabs headlines. Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the heartbreaking human tragedy of migrants walking back home needed compassion and care.

READ | PM Modi lays down 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' as India's plan to battle Coronavirus crisis

"Dear PM, What you said today gives the country and the media a HEADLINE," he said on Twitter. "When the 'blank page' is filled with 'Heartfelt help of people', the nation and Congress party will respond. "India is deeply disappointed by your utter lack of empathy, sensitivity and failure to address the woes of millions of migrant workers," he said in a series of tweets.

READ | Congress offers guarded welcome to PM's new economic package, says 'devil lies in details'

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, however, welcomed the package. "The financial package announced by PM Modiji was much awaited. Better late than never. We welcome this," he tweeted.

READ | Asaduddin Owaisi terms lockdown 'unconstitutional', expresses distress over Maharashtra

In a big push to revive the COVID-hit economy, the Prime Minister announced massive new financial incentives on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore, saying the coronavirus crisis has provided India with an opportunity to become self-reliant and emerge as the best in the world. The contours of the package will be spelled out by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.

READ | Bengal CM issues fresh lockdown guidelines; Red zones to be divided into 3 categories
How soon aspects of the region will open, what would be in the next stimulus package and how to entice hospitality workers to return to work were topics on the minds of local business leaders at a virtual Conversation with Your Legislators event held on Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, provided an update on the next stimulus package that is being negotiated in Congress. It will include aid for state and local governments.

Our counties have borne the brunt of this and the New York delegation has been united in a bipartisan basis to include that in any bill we send to the presidents desk, she said during the teleconference call, which was organized by the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Stefanik said she also wants to make sure that the next funding package includes financial assistance and resources for hospitals like Glens Falls Hospital.

Reopening strategy

When the region might go back to some semblance of normal was also a topic of discussion.

Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, said as soon as a region meets all seven criteria outlined by the governor, it can reopen with phase one immediately. Every two weeks, the region then can implement the next phase, as long as it still meets all the criteria.

Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, said it is unfair that some businesses have been allowed to stay open and others have not.

You can go into Walmart and buy clothing and everything else, but our small clothing stores like the ones in downtown Glens Falls, theyre not able to open, she said.

Little hoped that beaches and summer day camps would be able to open up.

What do you expect kids to do all summer  go find some place to swim when theres no lifeguard? she said.

Getting workers back

Another concern that is constantly being expressed by businesses is that laid-off employees are receiving more money from unemployment insurance than they are getting paid at their job, according to Michael Bittel, executive director of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Its tough to motivate some people to come back to work. What are the rights of the employer? he said.

Stefanik said a requirement of people receiving unemployment benefits is that they return to work if they are asked to come back at their same salary.

If they turn that job down, they may become ineligible for the unemployment benefits, she said.

Bittel added that he believes there is a provision in the House Democrats stimulus package to extend unemployment insurance through the end of the year.

While I think the intention is good, that could also add to the challenge of getting people back to work. Its a really tricky road to go down, he said.

Stefanik said businesses could use some of the Paycheck Protection Program funds to increase salary. The requirement is they have to use at least 75% to meet payroll and the rest can be used for rent payments or other expenses.

Stefanik said it is frustrating that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not reached out to Republican members from states like New York, New Jersey and Washington state.

Bittel said another concern is Paycheck Protection Program only goes through June 30 and some of these seasonal businesses have not really opened.

Stefanik said the deadline was written into the law and adjusting the timeline is not something that the Department of the Treasury can adjust administratively.

I do think expanded flexibility for how to use those funds, extending that eight-week period would be the right thing to do, she said.

Bittel said another concern expressed by business owners is what happens if guests become sick  despite businesses having implemented best practices for cleaning and safety measures.

Were just worried about the legal liability in this sue-happy society that we live in. Our businesses are already hurting enough, he said.

Stec said he does not see everybody rushing to go back to businesses at once. Some people will be reluctant to go until they feel more comfortable and confident they will be safe.

He said he does not see Legislature going back into session to address this liability issue.

In response to a question about the Saratoga Race Course, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, said she believes the track would be able to offer this racing  without fans, at least initially.

The hope is with improving health numbers, there would be some opportunity over the seven weeks to open it up to a limited number of fans, she 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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"We are happy to be putting hard working Americans back to work in the oil patch," says Joseph Forma, President of O'Brien Energy Resources. "We are mindful of all the health risks and are taking every precaution to keep our contractors and workers safe."

2020 has been a very rough year for the oil and gas industry. In January, before the first COVID case in the U.S. was diagnosed, a political war between Saudi Arabia and Russia drove prices down significantly. An 11th hour agreement between the countries firmed prices slightly, but the global impact of the virus was just around the corner. In a supply and demand market such as oil, a softening of global pricing due to lower demand was inevitable. Crude oil prices are down approximately 60% since December.

O'Brien Energy Resources has felt the economic impact of the COVID -19 crisis and has taken advantage of an EIDL loan available to them from the SBA. In addition, O'Brien has joint venture partners who remain active in the market.

The U.S. oil and gas industry has worked for decades to achieve energy independence and curb reliance on foreign crude imports. The COVID-19 crisis has virtually halted domestic exploration and only very few companies can continue to drill, fueling concern about the future of short-term U.S. production.

O'Brien Energy Resources has been in business since 1990 and is a conventional driller that operates over 75 wells in 5 states. O'Brien uses the services of over 100 vendors and contractors, from drilling companies and service companies to engineers, land men, geologists, and contract pumpers. According to PwC, the oil and gas industry supports over 9.8 million jobs nationwide, approximately 5.6% of the workforce.

"It is critical that independent exploration companies like us continue to drill for new reserves. Companies like ours are at the core of an industry that is vital to the economic survival of this country," says Mark Eddinger, Executive Vice President of O'Brien.

O'Brien Energy also sees other opportunities in the market, including purchasing existing oil and gas production. "It is strategic for us to increase our reserves while demand and pricing is low, and we believe that there are small producers that may need to exit the market," says Mr. Forma.

To find out more about O'Brien Energy Resources Corp. visit their website at https://www.obenergy.com or call (800)291-1969.

SOURCE O'Brien Energy Resources Corp.

Related Links

https://www.obenergy.com


New Delhi, May 13 : The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) on Wednesday issued a slew of guidelines to expedite implementation of projects under the flagship programme PMEGP to hand-hold local production a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "vocal for local" appeal.

Gearing up to become "vocal for local" and further making KVIC "global", its Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena instructed the agencies concerned to scrutinize the applications under Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) and forward it to banks for disbursal of funds within 26 days.

In his instruction, Saxena also mentioned to bring down this time-frame to 15 days.

It will be mandatory for implementing agencies to guide and hand-hold the applicants for formulation of proposals and assist them till sanction of loan, he said, adding all agencies will follow up with banks for early sanction of loans.

According to the revised guidelines, the Monitoring Cell at KVIC, Mumbai will monitor the application process on a daily basis while it will be giving feedback to the implementing agencies every fortnight. The progress report, thereafter, will be placed for perusal of the CEO and Chairman of KVIC.

Saxena said the revised guidelines come in the wake of the Prime Minister's appeal for encouraging local production. "As the Prime Minister has said, 'self-dependence' is the mantra, easing out the process under PMEGP will further accelerate the growth of local manufacturing. This will ensure maximum employment generation within a short-time frame," Saxena said.

He said the transformation of the khadi and village Industries from local to global was a case study for other local industries and enterprises. "As the nodal agency, KVIC is committed to hand-hold the upcoming projects under PMEGP," he added.

To boost the local production, the KVIC has decided that at least one unit each pertaining to manufacture of N95 masks, ventilators or its accessories, PPE kits for medical staff, sanitizers, liquid hand wash, thermal scanner and 'agarbatti' and soap will be set up in each district. This is in order to meet the growing demand due to prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country.

According to the revised guidelines, the implementing agencies, at the time of scrutiny, must ensure that the applicant has secured at least 60 marks out of 100 in the score card. Similarly, technical feasibility like availability of raw material, manpower, access to transport and electricity must be examined so as to reduce rejections at the bank level.

Similarly, the implementing agencies will also examine the market study, assessment of demand of the proposed product, similar projects in the vicinity and the market strategy. The agencies will ensure that the proposal falls under the selected bank's jurisdiction to avoid rejection on that ground, it said.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture has invalidated the directive by the Ghana Tourism Authority, directing drinking spots to start full operation.

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The GTA on Wednesday, May 13 announced that hotels, drinking bars, and other such facilities can operate. This directive was a direct contraction to President Akufo-Addos ban on public gathering.

The GTA in a statement noted that it has outlined guidelines to curb the possible spread of the coronavirus disease as the hospitality industry reopens.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: 6 immigration officers promoted for rejecting bribe

But hours after the Ministry in charge of the Ghana Tourism Authority also issued a statement asking the public to disregard the earlier directive.

The Minister of Tourism Barbara Oteng-Gyasi said in a statement issued on May 13, that drinking bars remain closed the public is to note that this circular supersedes the one issued by the regulator.

Meanwhile, Ghanas COVID-19 case count went up further by 281, sending the total to 5,408 positive cases as of May 13, 2020.

The Ghana Health Service also stated that the death toll has also increased to 24 after two more patients passed on.

READ ALSO: Twitter just announced plans to make working from home permanent

The recoveries also increased to 514.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that COVID-19 has spread around the planet, sending billions of people into lockdown as health services struggle to cope.

The Ghana Health Service has also named areas considered as hotspots in the country.

At a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Aboagye, said the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions have the most cases and they also have all the COVID-19 hotspots.

"If you want to die, please die alone"  Health Minister to uncooperative Ghanaians | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: I dont need COVID-19 to extend my tenure - Akufo-Addo

Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Source: YEN.com.gh
The Plainview Adult Activity Center is tentatively set to reopen on Monday.

The decision stems from new guidelines sent down by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in allowing certain businesses to reopen with some restrictions.

The center is encouraging individuals to adhere to these guidelines and remain cautious. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas over the age of 65 are at a much higher risk for the coronavirus as 76 percent of fatalities have been of people in this age group.

Some of the recommendations from the governor include staying at home if you can, especially if you have medical issues such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer or a weakened immune system; wearing cloth masks and staying six feet away from others when out in public and checking in regularly with neighbors, family and friends.

---

Information was provided by Norma Casanova.
Africa is home to 93% of the worlds malaria cases and 94% of the worlds malaria deaths (WHO, 2019). In 2018, there were 228 million cases and 405,000 deaths from malaria globally. Pregnant women and children under the age of 5 are most at risk. A child still dies every two minutes from malaria.

In the African region, which carries more than 90% of the global malaria burden, 45 countries out of 54 have reported cases of COVID-19 as of 23 April 2020. For both malaria and COVID-19, this presents an overwhelming crisis politically, economically, financially, socially, and culturally..the norms we have structured our lives comfortably around and have adhered to have changed overnight.

Youth Leaders for Health and their Mentors in a group photograph with His Excellency Kwesi Quartey, African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson (4th from right), after a presentation of a communique to him at the African Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2020.

Malaria can be prevented, diagnosed and treated. Similarly, COVID-19 can be prevented, diagnosed and treated. Africa must continue to place emphasis on malaria prevention, treatment and control in the era of COVID 19.

However, unlike COVID  19, over the years we have developed, tried and tested diagnostic protocols to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria. Important lessons have been learnt in terms of targeted advocacy, community engagement, surveillance methods and this knowledge should be shared in this COVID-19 era. This is a fight we can win if we work together.

As the world rightly focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to ensure that efforts in combating malaria are not neglected. The malaria community must remain committed to supporting the prevention of malaria infection, illness and death through preventive and case management services, whilst maintaining a safe environment for patients, clients and staff. Deaths due to malaria and its comorbidities (anaemia, undernutrition, etc.) must continue to be addressed through continued and targeted efforts.

There is a growing risk that malaria deaths will rise during the COVID-19 outbreak, if malaria control programs are postponed, and parents refrain from taking sick children to health clinics out of fear of COVID-19 infection.

The COVID-19 pandemic further challenges malaria responses and aggravates the plight of those most vulnerable to and affected by malaria. Pregnant women, infants and children in malaria endemic areas are facing multi-fold increase in their vulnerability to malaria, whilst nationwide lockdowns and curfews are in place to control the spread of COVID19.

Continued investments to eliminate malaria will pay dividends beyond this one disease alone by alleviating a significant burden on resource-constrained health systems.To achieve this, we need to increase domestic resources towards strengthening our health systems and malaria programs. We must urgently shore up the worlds systems for health, particularly in the most vulnerable countries, to prevent COVID-19 from devastating communities and derailing lifesaving malaria programs.

Effective and efficient healthcare systems are critical for both  to end malaria as an epidemic and to fight COVID-19 as a pandemic. This includes enhanced detection and case findings, access to treatment to interrupt malaria transmission and to reduce community transmissions for COVID-19.

Even as COVID-19 is disrupting our health systems, we must ensure continuity of service delivery for malaria. Supply chains for treatments and other tools to fight malaria must be maintained and protected and we need to begin planning now for contactless systems for accessing treatments and care to protect patients and the healthcare workers whose efforts are already stretched and will be more so in the coming months.

After years of progress, the number of malaria cases is on the rise  and the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to further derail hard-won gains.

As health advocates, let us amplify our voices as we speak up for enhanced malaria responses at the same time as we advocate for better detection and treatment of COVID-19.
Key developments since US President Donald Trump in January unveiled his controversial plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, granting numerous concessions to his ally Israel.

 Realistic solution 

Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner spent around three years working on the plan to resolve the decades-old conflict.

Trump unveils the plan in Washington on January 28, 2020, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It gives the Jewish state a US green light to annex key parts of the occupied West Bank, with Jerusalem as Israels undivided capital, and economic aid to the Palestinians.

My vision presents a win-win opportunity for both sides, a realistic two state solution that resolves the risk of Palestinian statehood to Israels security, Trump says.

Netanyahu says the plan offers a realistic path to a durable peace.

The plan includes a Palestinian capital in Abu Dis, outside Jerusalem, breaking with decades of consensus that the holy citys status must be settled in peace talks.

The Palestinians, who see Trumps administration as biased against them, reject the plan outright.

This conspiracy deal will not pass. Our people will take it to the dustbin of history, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas says.

 Palestinians cut ties 

The United Nations says it remains committed to a two-state solution based on the borders in place before the 1967 war, when Israel seized the West Bank and Gaza.

The European Union reiterates its commitment to a negotiated and viable two-state solution.

Saudi Arabia says it appreciates Trumps efforts, but stresses the kingdoms steadfast stance on the Palestinian issue and the rights of the Palestinian people.

The day after Trumps announcement, protests flare in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and Palestinian demonstrators clash with Israeli security forces in the West Bank.

Rockets and mortar rounds are fired and incendiary balloons launched from the Gaza Strip, prompting Israeli retaliation.

On February 1, Abbas announces a cut of all ties with Israel and the United States, including security cooperation. Two days later he nuances his position.

 Swiss cheese 

On the 7, Kushner calls on the UN Security Council to break its habits and solve the hardest problem in the world.

On the 11, Abbas urges the UN body to reject Trumps plan, denouncing it as a Swiss cheese deal that would give the Palestinians only a fragmented state.

His comments come after the Palestinians drop plans for a vote on a resolution that would denounce the proposal, for lack of international support.

 Israels prerogative 

On April 20, Netanyahu reaches a historic deal with one-time rival parliament speaker Benny Gantz to form a unity government, ending the countrys worst-ever political crisis.

The Netanyahu-Gantz deal allows the prime minister to announce from July 1 a plan to implement the Trump proposal.

The decision on whether to annex much of the West Bank is the prerogative of Israels new unity government, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says two days later.

On April 23, the UNs special Middle East envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, warns an Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank would be a devastating blow to the two-state solution.

On April 27, the United States says it is ready to recognise Israels annexation of much of the West Bank but asks the new unity government also to negotiate with the Palestinians.

On the 30, the Arab League says Israels proposal to annex much of the West Bank constitutes a new war crime against the Palestinians.

On May 12, Pompeo, ahead of talks in Jerusalem on Wednesday with Netanyahu and Gantz on the plan, tells an Israeli newspaper that the decision to annex will fall to Israel.
Reproduced from Pew Research Center; Chart: Axios Visuals

In its first-ever research survey conducted in Taiwan, Pew Research Center has found the vast majority of Taiwanese hold a favorable view of the U.S., while most Taiwanese have an unfavorable view of mainland China.

Why it matters: Beijing has long hoped Taiwan will eventually choose to be unified with the mainland. Taiwanese attitudes toward China suggest this is doubtful.

Details: Views towards China tracked closely with political leanings.

A large majority of Taiwanese who align with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which views Beijing with distrust, expressed support for closer political and economic ties with the United States. Few DPP supporters wanted closer ties with China.

But a majority of Taiwanese who align with the Kuomintang (KMT), which is more pro-Beijing, said they support closer political and economic ties with both China and the U.S., and view both countries positively.

Most Taiwanese, regardless of political affiliation, viewed the U.S. positively and supported closer political and economic ties with the U.S.

What they're saying: "The highest level of enthusiasm for [closer U.S.-Taiwan political ties] comes from those who support the DPP (91%), those who identify solely as Taiwanese (84%) and those ages 18 to 29 (82%)," Pew researchers wrote.

The Pew Research Center also looked at national identity in Taiwan.

Pollsters asked the respondents if they identified as "Chinese," "Taiwanese," or both.

Only 4% identified as Chinese only.

DPP supporters (92%) and people ages 18-29 (83%) had the highest proportion of respondents who said they identified as Taiwanese only.

of respondents who said they identified as Taiwanese only. Just 23% of those who identified as Taiwanese only had a favorable view of mainland China.

The bottom line: In Taiwan, a close relationship with U.S. has bipartisan appeal, but perceptions of China are very polarized.
Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

A scrawny-looking man opens the door and starts humming a Mohammed Rafi song. Hes wearing a sleeveless vest, with a Beats-style headphone tattooed around his neck. Baharon, Phool Barsao he sings. Springtime, shower flowers, my lover has come. A touch surprised, he adds: And brought along booze too! He then turns to his right and apologises to a portrait of Rafi, admitting the addition as well as his obnoxious singing.

This is Manohar Dahiya or Mad-E, an aspiring DJ-rapper turned police informant in the Disney+Hotstar series Hundred. The 8-episode show stars Lara Dutta and Rinku Rajguru as two women whose lives intersect after the latter is diagnosed with cancer. Lara plays ACP Saumya Shukla, an ambitious cop who is in a secret relationship with Mad-E. Mad-E is played by Karan Wahi, in his third outing on the web space after Bar Code and Sacred Games.

Ive mostly played good-guy roles or parts with grey shades, Karan says. Mad-E was my first character with a proper trajectory. Even though he isnt the lead, his presence and emotions are integral to the show.Karan had to audition for the part. His Haryanvi accent  thick but laced with English  came from his school friends back in Delhi. I grew up in a heavily Gujjar-Jat area, he shares. My friends would talk in Hindi and English with Jat slangs in between. Theres an assumption that such characters only speak Haryanvi, which is not the case.

The neck tattoo was also Karans idea. I actually own these red headphones. The directors brief was to show that Mad-E is talentless but aspirational. He is financially screwed but wants to look on top of his game. Thats where the hair colour, studs and slashed eyebrow also came in.Karan made his television debut in Remix (2004), a hit teen drama set in an elite boarding school. He also appeared in popular soap operas like Dill Mill Gayye and Kuch Toh Log Kahenge. Over the years, he has hosted numerous reality shows and participated in them, including a stint on Comedy Nights Bachao.

Film appearances have been few  Daawat-e-Ishq, Hate Story 4  while he appears to enjoy his run on the web. In the first season of Sacred Games, he sportingly played a coke-snorting actor named Karan  a self-aware strain thats also visible in Hundred, which has a running gag about television soaps.I like to be instinctive about my choices, Karan says. Playing a small role in a good show is much better than leading in a bad one. Thats what happens in the West, where shows and characters become much bigger than the actors playing them.

Once a teen idol, Karan says hes past the phase of looking good on screen. I was glad there were no body shots in Hundred. As an actor, Id rather be appreciated for my craft than be praised on my looks.

Is another project in the offing? I had done a short film before the lockdown but Im not sure when its coming out, Karan says. Other than that, Im just using this time to rest. Lets remember this is a pandemic and not a productivity contest.
The 92-year-old has been hard at work. (SWNS)

One of the UKs oldest volunteers has been busy at work during the coronavirus lockdown.

Connie Diggle, 92, has spent an hour each evening making scrub bags from scratch in an effort to help frontline staff.

In two weeks the grandmother-of-two has made 65 scrub bags on a sewing machine she bought in 1947 for just 1.

The machine is still going strong and as is the hard-working nonagenarian who says shell keep making the bags for as long as she is needed.

Read more: Carrie Symonds thanks NHS midwives

Diggle has been self-isolating for the past eight weeks, so was grateful to be able to help in any way she could while she had some time on her hands.

She has been sending weekly deliveries to the Scrubs Hub group, who are a community driven project of volunteers sewing scrubs and other necessities for the NHS.

The 75-year-old sewing machine is still going strong. (SWNS)

Diggle, from Bolton, Lancs., said: I was asked if I could help some NHS staff by sewing some scrub bugs and I said certainly.

I was delighted they asked me and even more so to be able to lend a helping hand.

I immediately got the measurements done and the material and I started sewing about two weeks ago.

But I make more mistakes on the computer with the emails so I prefer sewing.

I feel a massive responsibility to the NHS, and I think we all should. Im doing this for the NHS, for my doctor, for my health, and for England.

With everything that is happening Im delighted that I can do something good and its also giving me something to do.

Read more: Frontline NHS workers touching recovery story

The 92-year-old was eager to encourage people to give sewing a go: If I can do it anyone can.

Diggle, who is clearly a dab hand with a sewing machine, even sewed her own wedding dress.

It had to be done in secret as the men werent allowed to see it. I sewed each night and it took about three weeks but I was so happy with how it came out.

Everyone was so surprised that Id made it myself, it had a vogue pattern which was very fashionable at the time.

Story continues

The sewing machine was worth every penny - Im always happy to find a bargain.

Read more: The top 50 things that make us proud to be British

Like many of the volunteers, Diggle was spurred on by a need to give back.

The 92-year-old wanted to give back. (SWNS)

Its been so uplifting to see everyone come together, its a community spirit which is so essential in difficult times.

The doctors and nurses are risking their lives to save ours, its the least we can do.

Maxine Grimshaw, 59, set up the Scrubs Hub group on Facebook and has since worked around the clock to deliver the very best quality NHS scrubs to hospitals.

The designer says the team works 16 hours a day to make sure NHS staffers get professional grade scrubs and scrub bags.

We are spending about 16 hours a day working to make sure we get everything done - its almost on a manufacturing scale.

There is a massive shortage of scrubs and weve had NHS staff ringing us constantly to get orders in.

Theres a real community spirit and weve had people trying to help in any way they can. Maxine said.

A GoFundMe to raise money for materials has reached over 9,000 so far to cope with the thousands of requests have received.
There is plenty to celebrate for MSMEs and other entities covered under Nirmala Sitharaman's first package of details to flesh out Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus

More funds to fuel business. More time to meet contracts and obligations. More leniency in rules and regulations to oil the economy.

There is plenty to celebrate for small and medium scale businesses and other entities covered under Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's first package of details to flesh out Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20-lakh-crore stimulus announced a day earlier, but the unconventional nature of the funding, the fact that there is more to come and the still-hovering threat of the COVID-19 pandemic that triggered it all are such that we can only say, as indeed the minister herself seems to say in Bollywood style: Picture abhi baaki hai, mere dost (There is more to this movie, my friend).

But there is no doubt as the author wrote earlier, that the current round of package is more of a mood lifter to reverse the freeze in the world's fastest-growing major economy than a new deal that the prime minister's speech smelled of. There is also an irony in the details that suggest that the high moral ground, from which the Modi administration framed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code to govern lending and gambled on the demonetisation of high-value currency notes, has yielded to a questionable rain of money that would hopefully bring back millions of stranded or fleeing workers to jobs and incomes. In brief, this is the triumph of macroeconomic pragmatism over moral policing of a difficult loan culture.

First up, only a third of the Rs 20-lakh-crore package amounting to 10 percent of the GDP has been unveiled so far. The biggest chunk of this is a Rs 3,00,000-crore collateral-free credit guarantee initiative for leniently defined micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) totalling 45 lakhs.

This, besides a Rs 30,000-crore bond-purchase lifeline for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), a payment guarantee for monies owed by government agencies and a Rs 90,000-crore liquidity largesse for electricity distributors against receivables are such that it is monetary policy expressed in fiscal idioms.

What this means is that the effect of loan guarantees on the government balance sheet and the fiscal deficit will remain a hazy monster in the foreseeable future. Economists and analysts at credit rating agencies and multilateral organisations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will not find it easy to pick fiscal holes based on simple spending principles. The stimulus package also includes credit-easing measures by the RBI. Apples and oranges are mixed up all over.

Banks and MSMEs will first have to see the ground reality, get into agreements, execute the funding and then boost growth in the economy. As and when that happens, it won't be a one-shot affair. How much of the guarantee bills will actually be footed by the State? No one knows as potential defaults lie in the future. It would be wise to remember that former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan had once cautioned about potential defaults in MUDRA loans for the self-employed people. The current largesse for MSMEs seems to be a similar one but on steroids. Are we back to profligate loan-mela days?

The flip side is that it was a long overdue drone-drop of money for an economy choked for demand even before the the novel coronavirus spread across the planet from Wuhan. 'Growth first, prudence later,' might well be a welcome slogan these days. Never mind the irony that a government that promised a clean-up act is doing this.

Sitharaman has shown pragmatism in acknowledging 'Act of God' circumstances so that construction contracts get more elbow room and builders resume normal activity in a reasonable time. The tinkering of rules on Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), more time for Income Tax Return (ITR) filings and other such measures are like minor rubs of ointments for a wounded economy. The Rs 50,000-crore concessions in TDS payments is just a band-aid measure.

The worrying part for those watching the bottom of the social pyramid is that we do not know yet how far down and how effective are the government's Rs 1,70,000 crore handouts to the poor through the direct benefit transfers (DBT) after the virus shock. This, and the plight of the migrant workers hit by three phases of the ongoing lockdown remain largely unseen in the rain of money.

We are entitled to ask the finance minister: "Will there be a new budget for 2020/2021?" In all likelihood, the answer would be yes. The virus threat is bound to alter behaviour across sectors. Service industries may feel blessed by easier loan measures announced by Sitharaman, but it is difficult now to imagine a host of secondary services, be it aviation, tourism, restaurants, or your local salon, returning to normal soon. We just have to wait while hoping that the worst is over. Long-term questions on public health lurk in the woodworks.

The writer is a senior journalist and commentator. He tweets as @madversity
The Queensland government has entered the race for control of Virgin Australia, declaring plans to take a direct equity stake in the collapsed airline or offer other financial incentives in an attempt to ensure it remains headquartered in Brisbane.

The surprise move comes ahead of a deadline for indicative bids for Virgin on Friday and could pit the nation's third-biggest state government against rival bidding groups backed by the $162 billion Future Fund and the nation's biggest super fund, AustralianSuper.

The Queensland government will make a formal bid for Virgin Australia. Credit:James Alcock

Queensland treasurer Cameron Dick confirmed late on Wednesday that the state had mandated its investment arm, QIC, to explore a bid for Virgin. It could take a direct equity stake in Virgin itself, or offer loans, guarantees or other financial incentives to another bidder. This is a competitive space, but Queensland is a serious contender, he said.

QIC manages $80 billion worth of investments on behalf of the state of Queensland and for more than 140 investment partners from around the world. About 3500 of Virgin's 10,000 staff are in Brisbane and Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk previously said she would "stop at nothing" to keep the airline in the state.
The United States says Tanzania has not publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks as concerns rise about the true number of cases there.

The World Health Organization also has openly worried about Tanzania, whose president has questioned his own government's virus testing and refused to close churches in the belief that the virus can't survive in the body of Christ.

A new US Embassy statement warns that the risk of being infected in Tanzania's commercial hub Dar es Salaam is extremely high and says many hospitals in the city have been overwhelmed.

It says all evidence points to exponential growth in cases in the East African nation. The country has more than 500 confirmed cases and 21 deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Do the writers of The Simpsons have a magic crystal ball? Or are they just clairvoyant?

In the thirty years that the show has been running, the writers have been able to accurately predict numerous events before they actually happened, and no one knows how. According to an article by New York Times, the writers have to think a year in advance, because the episodes are aired one year after they're shot. But it is quite eerie accurate some of these predictions are.

The Simpsons predicted that Donald Trump would be the president of the United States more than sixteen years ago. In 1997, an episode "The City of New York vs Homer Simpson" referred to a possible attack on the World Trade Centre in Manhattan. One need not be reminded of what followed in 2001.

In the following year, another episode spoke about the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle and more than ten years later, it came true.

The most recent one? The Simpsons predicted the coronavirus outbreak and the murder hornets too.

The 1993 episode titled "Marge in Chains" showed a mysterious virus from Asia invading the town of Springfield. The virus starts in Japan, where a sick factory employee in Japan sneezes into numerous packages containing juicers, that multiple people in Springfield buy. And that's how the virus spreads.

The symptoms of the virus, which is called 'Osaka Flu' in the episode is exactly similar to today's coronavirus crisis - they all have symptoms of the common flu.

Over the years, the show has predicted other events too, which haven't come true yet. But given their track record, it wouldn't harm to stay prepared, just in case, right?

Mars colonization

Clearly, Elon Musk loves The Simpsons too.

In a 2016 episode titled, 'The Marge-ian Chronicles' (Season 27, episode 16) Lisa Simpson wants to head off to Mars but her mother, Marge, volunteers to accompany her. The duo finally make it to Mars in 2051.

In reality, Elon Musk has said that he wants to send 1 billion people to Mars by the year 2050. Too ambitious? Who knows. But even as Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars, the red planet may not be habitable after all. Nevertheless, if The Simpsons showed it, there's still hope, right?

Environmental disaster

In 2007, The Simpsons released a movie with the storyline which focused on a large scale environmental disaster wreaking havoc in Springfield. As a solution, authorities decided to put Springfield under a giant glass dome to protect it. Seems like a viable solution now during the coronavirus crisis, doesn't it?

Several environmental disasters have come and gone, but we're still waiting for a glass dome.

The first foreign US president?

And it is none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In the Simpsons movie, Arnold Schwarzenegger is an actor and a politician with Austrian origin and then be goes on to become the president of the United States. And it is Schwarzenegger who announces the construction of the giant dome.

However, we doubt that will ever come true, since a clause in the Constitution of the United States of America clearly mentions that unless one is a citizen, one cannot be president.

Ivanka Trump as US President

While The Simpsons did not explicitly say that Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump's daughter, would be president, there have been abundant hints to suggest the same. In a 2016 episode titled "Treehouse of Horror XXVII" (Season 28 episode 4), Homer Simpson was spotted wearing a presidential campaign tshirt, which said 'Ivanka for 2028'. That's roughly eight years from now. Only time will tell.

Planet of the robots

This is not an alien theory, to be honest. There are countless conspiracy theories which claim that artificial intelligence will one day take over. In 1994, the episode named "Itchy & Scratchyland" (Season 6, episode 4) showed a robot theme park which goes out of control and eventually kills everyone. Ominous? Or just proving the conspiracy theories? Let's hope we never find out.

Time to rewatch all thirty one seasons of The Simpsons? We agree.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

CAPFs canteens to sell only indigenous products from June 1

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 13: The canteens under the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will only sell indigenous products from June 1, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for self-reliant India.

Shah also appealed to the people of the country to make maximum use of the products made in the country and encourage others to do the same.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1 June 2020. With this, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products," he said.

The CAPFs -- CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles -- canteens together sell products worth about Rs 2,800 crore annually.

Coronavirus crisis: Here is what new findings, study reveals about smokers and COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged people to buy and endorse local products, stating that COVID-19 time has made us realise the importance of local traders, who have helped the country sustain during the coronavirus lockdown.

In a televised address to the nation, PM Modi said "time has taught us that we must make 'local' the mantra of our lives. Global brands that are there today were once local too but when people there started supporting them they became global. That is why from today, every Indian must become vocal for our local."

The Prime Minister said the goal of the country will be to become self-reliant, and identified economy and infrastructure as key drivers for it.
BAD AXE  Medical workers' jobs are very stressed right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but imagine how stressful it would be for someone as one of their first tasks in a new position.

That is the situation Bette Pierson, a Harbor Beach native, found herself in as she took on the role of infection control registered nurse for the Huron County Medical Care Facility in Bad Axe.

Her job is to monitor and track infections in the facility, which she got to work on very quickly. She only accepted her current role in February, two weeks before the COVID-19 outbreak reached Michigan.

Pierson got her start as a nurse at the medical care facility when she was 20, but left to work at a different facility for eight years to get more experience before returning.

Ive been a nurse for 12 years and experienced a multitude of situations, Pierson said. Taking this role weeks before a pandemic hits is a new one for me.

As a senior residential facility, the Huron County Medical Care Facility has taken many measures to ensure its at-risk residents do not come down with COVID-19. All new admissions to the center are being put in a separate section from the rest of the residents.

Education is an important aspect of Piersons job, as she has been active in educating residents and the staff on why they are doing the things they are doing, putting out memos and presentations in the process.

In times of uncertainly, I tell people to spread knowledge, not negativity, Piersons said.

They have to wear masks and there is increased disinfecting, including everything that comes into the center, and a strict policy of tracking employees who may have COVID-19 symptoms.

As a result of all this, there have been no COVID-19 cases reported at the facility.

I attribute it to being overly cautious, Pierson said. Every precaution we can take, were doing to keep residents and staff safe.

Residents are allowed to leave the facility to get procedures like dialysis done, but other kinds of travel are highly discouraged.

When anyone returns to the medical care facility, whether they be staff or residents, they are only allowed to enter through one building entrance. After that, they have to fill out a questionnaire and have their temperature taken.

Another policy in place is no visitors allowed, so the center has a schedule for residents to make FaceTime calls with their families. As residents are separated from their loved ones, the staff they routinely see becomes their family as well.

The compassion of the staff here is amazing, how they come together as a team to keep residents safe, Pierson said.

Pierson does have a husband and three sons who worry about her every day as she goes off to work to make sure the virus does not spread.

If I were to contract the virus, where would I go? Pierson said.

In her work preaching and educating the virus guidelines, Pierson feels she is not going to bring the virus into her home because she has been doing everything in her power to make sure that does not happen.

Pierson does not regret taking the job at all, but she believes that with everything intensified due to COVID-19, nothing as to how the medical care facility operates will ever be the same. People will always be on guard now and they are heightened to think a possible illness could be the coronavirus.

I dont think you can ever go back to normal, Pierson said. Every aspect of monitoring has changed.
In a new series, CNBC Make It speaks to young entrepreneurs who are pivoting their businesses, or starting anew, to address some of the challenges raised by the coronavirus pandemic. We've all been a lot more isolated lately, as many of us hunker down in our homes under some form of social restriction. But while social distancing has been a challenge for many, others have turned the crisis into an opportunity. CNBC Make It spoke to three entrepreneurs who have made it their business to tackle loneliness during the coronavirus pandemic.

Fighting physical distance

Even before the coronavirus outbreak, isolation was on the rise. In the era of connectivity and social apps, loneliness is ironically pervasive. Today, close to two-thirds (61%) of adults in the United States report feeling lonely  up from just over half (54%) in 2018. That can have major implications for our health. Studies suggest people suffering from loneliness can be more susceptible to physical health issues, such as stroke, heart disease and early mortality. One person who knows that better than most is 29-year-old Karen Dolva, co-founder of No Isolation.

Karen Dolva, co-founder of Norwegian 'warm' technology start-up No Isolation. No Isolation

Over the past five years, the Norwegian entrepreneur has been working to tackle loneliness, and the associated health issues that stem from it for children and the elderly, via a series of 'warm' technology products. These products, which aim to mimic physical interaction and ease communication, include a telepresence robot for children and a simplified tablet for the elderly. But only now has the coronavirus brought home the extent of the problem, she said.

We've definitely seen a change in the loneliness market. When we started, we were very much alone. Karen Dolva co-founder, No Isolation

"We've definitely seen a change in the loneliness market. When we started, we were very much alone," said Dolva. In the final two weeks of March  as the virus took hold in Europe and led to widespread lockdowns  demand for No Isolation's products skyrocketed and the company had to fast-track production to fulfill new orders. "We thought we weren't going to produce anything more during 2020," said Dolva. "We had to turn around and find ways of producing more units. Box-fresh has never been more true!" That has helped more elderly people stay connected with loved ones as they shelter at home. Since the outbreak, each tablet user receives over eight calls per week on average  up from nearly two in the months before. Dolva said that reflects the surge in people checking in and sharing videos with older family members. "It's quite cool to see how it's working, because people are using it a lot," said Dolva. "They're getting an average of 17 photos per week. For these seniors, that's like getting postcards."

Managing mental health

Aside from the physical impact, isolation can also potentially trigger major psychological challenges. Indeed, in March the World Health Organization (WHO) released guidelines for dealing with the mental health effects of coronavirus. That's something Calvin Benton, co-founder of U.K.-based Spill, has been trying to address. Since launching in 2018, the mental health platform has been providing workplaces with access to online therapy via the messaging tool Slack. But with more people now working remotely, that service has become ever more important, says the 27-year-old entrepreneur.

Calvin Benton, co-founder of U.K.-based mental health platform Spill. Spill

"In the last two months, it's kind of gone a bit insane. We've had more inbound request for Spill than we had in like the entire two years before that," said Benton, who has had to build a workaround to sign up companies in less than 10 minutes. And it's not just demand from employers. As individuals face new anxieties around work and their health, employees have been using Spill's services at four-times the usual rate, according to Benton.

What's been quite cool is that our therapists can at least predict how the emotional side of this is going to go. Calvin Benton co-founder, Spill

"The thing that we've really seen is just the rise in the need for answers," he said. "There's so much uncertainty around what's going to happen in the next few weeks and months, and I think what's been quite cool is that our therapists can at least predict how the emotional side of this is going to go." That's been good news for therapists, too, who have been able to supplement lost income from face-to-face appointments with digital alternatives. Meanwhile, Spill has rolled out public services  such as 'ask a therapist' on Instagram Stories and free therapy sessions for people who have been retrenched  to help others in need. "We've known we've had this amazing thing, it's just been like a big awareness campaign," said Benton.

Beating boredom

While isolation can take its toll physically and mentally for some, it is the boredom that is stifling for others. That's where Danielle Baskin, co-founder of QuarantineChat, an app that connects strangers via random daily phone calls, comes in. The 31-year-old and her co-founder, Max Hawkins, built the service on top of their existing chat app Dialup in March, shortly after stay-at-home notices were implemented in the U.S. But the idea was inspired long before, during Baskin's earlier experience quarantining with mononucleosis, otherwise known as glandular fever.

Danielle Baskin, co-founder of phone chat app QuarantineChat QuarantineChat

"I just thought 'oh, it would be cool if I could connect with someone else who has mono right now,'" said Baskin. "So when coronavirus became a thing ... I had this idea seeded in my mind from years before." And the app has taken off. Currently, QuarantineChat is responsible for 2,300 hours  or more than 95 days  worth of conversations each week across 183 countries.

People are actually talking on the phone for a long time and becoming friends. Danielle Baskin co-founder, QuarantineChat

"We thought it would be like a very simple way (for people to) cheer each other up, or there'd be these moments that sort of mimic talking to a barista or talking to your neighbor," said Baskin. "But what happens is people are actually talking on the phone for a long time and becoming friends." Most of that growth has been organic, through word of mouth. But Baskin, an artist by profession, said she is now working on the app full-time, and is already looking at avenues for expansion. "I work on this probably 18 hours a day," said Baskin. "We're now building a system within the app that if you like talking to someone you can reconnect with them later ... that's like the number one feature request that people have."

Long-term thinking

Building a business during a pandemic is no easy feat. Apart from the financial and logistical difficulties, it's difficult to know what the new environment we are moving into will look like, and what consumer appetite will be. However, Eric Ries, author of bestselling business book The Lean Startup, told CNBC Make It now could be a good time to find solutions to the real problems people are facing. "Most of the greatest companies you've heard of were born in crisis," noted the Long-Term Stock Exchange founder.

Eric Ries, founder of Long-Term Stock Exchange. Long-Term Stock Exchange
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court convened Wednesday to consider whether states have the right to control how their presidential electors vote, and the hearings quickly became a law professor's dream of hypotheticals and constitutional flyspecking.

Could a state inform its citizenry that their votes for president would be "advisory" but not binding when the electoral college meets?

Is a state powerless to replace an elector whose change of heart is the result of bribery or blackmail?

What of the elector who decides after the election "I really like Frodo Baggins," asked Justice Clarence Thomas, referencing one of the principal protagonists in J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings." That person is free to vote his or her conscience, a lawyer challenging state restrictions said, but not for a hobbit; the candidate must be a real person.

After more than two hours of argument in the court's final scheduled teleconference hearing - and with the November election looming - it seemed the outcome might be influenced by what Justice Brett Kavanaugh called the "avoid-chaos principle of judging."

That "suggests that if it's a close call or a tiebreaker, that we shouldn't facilitate or create chaos," Kavanaugh said.

The word was used often as the court considered cases from the state of Washington and Colorado. Washington moved to fine Peter Bret Chiafalo and two others $1,000 after they voted for Colin Powell when the electoral college convened after the 2016 election. They had pledged to vote for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote.

Colorado replaced Micheal Baca when he said he intended to vote for Republican John Kasich instead of Clinton, who won his state. Baca was part of a movement to try to deny Donald Trump the presidency.

The Washington Supreme Court ruled for the state, saying the Constitution's directive that gives states the power to select members of the electoral college also means they can set the standards those electors must follow, such as living up to their pledge to support the state's popular winner.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit went the other way. It said Colorado's control ended with deciding how electors from the state are chosen. From there, the Constitution envisions the 538 electors are free to vote their minds in deciding who should be president and vice president.

All but two states have winner-take-all systems, and 32, plus the District of Columbia, require those running to be electors to pledge to support the state's winner. The states vary as to penalties, if any, for breaking their word or whether electors with a change of heart may be replaced.

States had asked the court to settle the matter, in case the November election was close enough that a small number of what are sometimes called "faithless electors" could determine the outcome. The 2000 election, for instance, was decided by five electoral votes.

That clearly was on the mind of Justice Samuel Alito Jr. He said the court must "interpret the Constitution to mean what it means, regardless of the consequences," but then worried a lot about the consequences.

Experts, he said, warn that if an election is close "there would be concerted campaigns to change that result by influencing a few electors."

And Washington Solicitor General Noah Purcell and Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser warned that challengers would impose a system unlike any the country has known, where voters expect electors to follow their direction.

"To adopt their view would be to radically change, to radically change, how American presidential elections have always operated," Purcell said.

The lawyers representing Chiafalo and Baca - Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig and Los Angeles attorney Jason Harrow - are critics of the system and the winner-take-all process most states use. (Each state's share is the same as its congressional delegation.)

Lessig said Washington would reject the Constitution's design of a college of electors that selects the president and instead give "states the power to cast votes for president in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct."

But the Constitution "does not give the states the power to cast votes. It gives the states the power to appoint electors. And the actual electors that the Constitution creates have a legal discretion, as every elector does."

Lessig told the justices that states may require those who want to be electors to pledge to support the state's winner. But it cannot do more.

Electors may have a "moral obligation" to cast their votes that way, Lessig said. But states go too far by removing them or punishing them if they change their minds.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg found it "hard to understand" the concept that "I have made a promise to do something, but that promise is unenforceable."

Lessig said it happens all the time in the political world, where members of Congress take a pledge not to raise taxes, but then vote to do so.

Under questioning from Alito, Lessig acknowledged that even an allegation of bribery would not be enough for a state to remove an elector who had been duly selected.

But Alito also tested the limits of the states' arguments. He wondered if Washington could say that it was picking "12 wise people" to cast the state's electoral votes, and that the choice of voters would be only advisory.

Purcell said that was a "a tough question, but I think they probably could do that."

Weiser said states served as "stewards of the election."

For all the questions the case raised, the instances of "faithless electors" are regular, but small. The voting advocacy group FairVote found that while Congress has accepted the votes of electors who went rogue, that amounted to a little more than 150 votes.

"In fact, in the history of electors, there has been one elector out of the 23,507 votes cast who have switched parties against the majority party in a way that it could have mattered," Lessig said. "That was the very first time this happened, Samuel Miles in 1796."

Ginsburg told Weiser that "faithless voting throughout the years has always been rare," and asked "how much difference does it make" if the court sides with challengers.

Weiser described a "constitutional crisis."

"If states have no ability to remove bribed electors and all that's left is Congress' ability to choose to count or not count, the mere fact of bribing electors in an open enough way would knock out electors, would limit who could vote, and ultimately could sway the outcome of a presidential election," he said.

The cases are Chiafalo v. Washington and Colorado Department of State v. Baca.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor participated in the Washington case, but recused herself from the Baca case because she is friends with one of the three electors who originally brought the suit.
ARTIST IN THE TIME OF COVID-19: JUDITH RYAN

Its an introverts paradise, a time of contemplation and self-searching, says NGVs Senior Curator of Indigenous Art Judith Ryan AM.

A striking presence, Ryan has been at the NGV for more than 40 years. Shes become a personal guide for Marking Time: Indigenous Art from the NGV, a new five-part video series from the currently all-virtual museum. Watching it is immediately soothing; you feel part of something much bigger. In the first video, Ryan speaks with calm power: Indigenous art occupies a continuum: past, present and future come together.

Judith Ryan AM, NGVs Senior Curator of Indigenous Art. Credit:NGV

On a personal level, Ryan missed viewing the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, NIRIN, and attending the premiere of Attila at the Sydney Opera House where her son, Jonathan was playing.
Egypt's Red Sea resorts and hotels have been preparing to reopen for domestic tourism at a limited capacity after being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.

The government is allowing hotels to reopen starting May 15, but at a low capacity and only for domestic tourism.

Hotels can only open after they obtain a safety certificate granted by the ministries of health and tourism, and even then will be allowed to host guests at only 25% capacity.

Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled el-Enany has visited various hotels and resorts to inspect their readiness for reopening.

In response to the coronavirus, a lockdown was imposed by the Egyptian government on four major touristic cities, bringing the industry which accounts for some 12% of Egypt's GDP, to a halt.
HOUSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- World Services Group (WSG) is pleased to announce that Beirut Law Firm has joined the WSG network as the exclusive legal member for Lebanon.

Beirut Law Firm was founded in the Commercial Center of Beirut in 2001 and is currently located in Antelias, Lebanon. The firm specializes in all major corporate and business fields of law, covering restructuring, M&A, local and global taxation, banking and finance, insurance, reinsurance and insurance recovery, labor and employment, IP and other business-related practices, as well as civil and commercial litigation, along with alternative dispute resolution.

While Beirut Law Firm has a broad service offering, the Energy sector, particularly offshore oil and gas development, has become a new and important stream of business for the firm. Insurance is the second area where the firm believes it has the leading practice (25% of the market) in Lebanon, combined with a strength in Banking and Financial Services and Corporate law.

J. Michael Bernard, WSG Chairman said, "The addition of this well-respected firm will be a valuable resource to the WSG membership. We feel that Beirut Law Firm is on a growth path in a market which is challenging at present, and we could not be happier with their decision to become an integral part of WSG."

"We are proud to be accepted as a member of World Services Group," said Charbel Abi-Antoun, Beirut Law Firm Founder and Managing Partner. "We value WSG's high-quality standards for membership and the network's excellent reputation for providing members with opportunities for new business which will increase our firm's reach and expand the global scope of service we provide our clients."

Beirut Law Firm has earned praise from many prestigious clients including the Lebanese Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Telecommunications, and The Association of Banks in Lebanon.

About World Services Group (WSG)

World Services Group (WSG) is the globally recognized network for professionals and their clients to receive the highest quality, value and service from legal, investment banking and accounting services. WSG provides members the ability to create new business opportunities and relationships to better serve their clients. For additional information, visit https://bit.ly/360U15Q.

Media Contact:

Carly Norausky

Marketing Director

World Services Group

713-650-0333

[email protected]

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Former TVA Chairman David Freeman, a native of Chattanooga, has died of a heart attack at a hospital outside of Washington, D.C. He was 94.

Mr. Freeman, the son of a shopkeeper, gained an electrical engineering degree from Georgia Tech. He worked five years with TVA before gaining a law degree at the University of Tennessee.

A green energy advocate, he was named to energy committees by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967. He worked at the EPA during the Nixon administration.

He was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to head the TVA Board in 1977. He instituted a focus on conservation and stopped construction on several nuclear projects.

Mr. Freeman later headed the New York Power Authority and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
The internet has no shortage of illegal media and verbiage. Social media companies do what they can to soften the blow, but unsavory (and downright criminal) images, videos and text inevitably break through. According to Reuters, Frances government has passed a strict law that will require companies like Facebook and Twitter to delete content related to pedophelia and terrorism within one hour of their being posted. If they dont, the law stipulates that theyll have to pay four percent of their global revenue. Meanwhile, other manifestly illicit content must be removed within 24 hours. The government hopes that this law will help to eliminate criminal imagery and reduce hate speech.

Various countries have expressed interest in similar laws, but a one hour window is a new -- and eyebrow-raising -- proposition. Companies like YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat already have employees and hordes of contractors to help moderate posts and uploads, and many even use automated systems to remove illegal content. Its not clear how the French government expects these platforms to find and remove the images and text in question within 60 minutes, but the law calls for special prosecutors to keep an eye on how well they comply.

This law feels rather ambitious. While its obviously in everyones best interest to remove content related to pedophelia and terrorism, lawmakers expectations seem unrealistic. Time will tell how well social media companies comply with the law -- and how strictly the French government enforces it.
South Africa: Mkhize assesses COVID-19 response in the Eastern Cape

As the numbers of Eastern Cape COVID-19 infections continue to spread like wildfire, the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, says they are working around the clock to contain transmissions.

Speaking in the province where he was monitoring COVID-19 responses on Monday, Mkhize said he was pleased about the additional beds put in place to deal with the high number of COVID-19 patients.

The Eastern Cape now has the fourth-highest number of infections in the country, while the Western Cape remains in the lead.

Mkhize met with Premier Oscar Mabuyane as well as Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, Head of departments and senior management.

Additionally, a team of health workers is going to be stationed in areas identified as hotspots such as Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay.

The province has already employed 800 nurses within the past few weeks while additional doctors will also be brought in as a response to the virus.

Cuban doctors who are specialists in managing the disease are also being roped in.

The Cuban doctors came here out of their love for humanity, said the Minister, adding that these doctors are assisting in various countries around the world.

I dont think its correct to have all these knives and jabs and negative sentiments because of it just an unnecessary stereotype.

Cuban health professionals arrived in the country in April to support efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa.

He said government is working hard in addressing the rapid increase of infections.

In our discussion with our Premier, [it emerged] that the proximity to the Western Cape means these provinces are operating as an ecosystem where the numbers are showing a particular trend in increasing in an upward trajectory, he said.

Challenges

He told journalists that additional programmes to deal with containment measures are in place in communities.

A major challenge, he said, is the attendance of funerals, with people travelling between the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape to bury their loved ones.

The Minister has pleaded with citizens to take precautionary measures where funerals are concerned, as they bring together a lot of people and contribute to the spread.

People tend to be closer and we must remember funerals shouldnt have more than 50 people.

He said that memorial services and night vigils should be discontinued.

We are aware that exchanging of utensils or shovels could pose a risk, he warned.

He urged those attending funerals to wear gloves and where possible, use tractors or other equipment when closing the graves.

Facemasks

Mkhize reminded South Africans that the wearing of masks is now compulsory.

Cloth masks are acceptable because we must keep specialised masks for health workers at the forefront.

He said it is paramount to protect societies, while also calling on community members not to sitgmatise those who have been infected.

Our people shouldnt discriminate against anyone who is infected and people mustnt run away or hide the information when theyre positive so that they can be assisted, he said.

Meanwile, additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be procured to protect health workers.

On the public screening front, he said the Eastern Cape has screened a million people for the virus.

Mkhize expressed satisfaction with the way the province is dealing with social relief and economic activities.

All of these issues indicated the provincial government is on top of its game and trying its best to respond as expected.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
BENZIE COUNTY -- The same team that created the Benzie County COVID-19 mutual aid document has worked with a former Benzie County resident to create a resource for those in need of financial aid due to business closures.

Aubrey Ann Parker, Andy Wynkoop, Josh Stoltz and Charla Burgess helped create the Benzie County Tip Jar, an online resource where people out of work or in financial need can submit their names to be added to a list of area residents in the same situation. People can then go to the website and donate to a specific worker, or have the site pick one randomly. Donors are able to "tip" directly to the whatever online payment service the recipient has set up.

Many people registered with the site work in the service industry, but others include medical workers, massage therapists and employees of "non-essential" nonprofit organizations.

Wynkoop, a software engineer who recently moved to California from Benzie County, built the site, which can be found at bit.ly/BNZTipJar1.

"I built the site, but the idea came from other places," Wynkoop said.

Wynkoop said the idea first came to his attention when Parker posted a similar website with the same purpose on her Facebook page. She and others suggested Benzie County needed its own website, and several people who knew Wynkoop tagged him in the post.

According to Parker, a friend of hers in Oregon created one in Portland, which prompted her to ask if something similar could be done locally.

"So, when I saw my friend had made one in Portland, I thought it was so brilliant; exactly the kind of thing that is needed right now, the kind of thing that can make a difference in people's lives," she said. "I heard people talking about people getting their stimulus check and wanting to find ways to donate it."

Parker said many of the early tip jar sites were mostly spreadsheets, but the Benzie County one has evolved to be more user friendly and pleasing to the eye.

She also said coming up with things like the mutual aid document and Benzie Tip Jar was not about creating something entirely new, but using what worked elsewhere and "tweaking" it to fit the local scene.

"The idea is to keep it as simple as possible," Wynkoop said. "It isn't just for service workers but essential workers and anybody who is facing a hard time right now and needs extra help. We encourage people to sign up and participate. People can search for employees of their favorite business or maybe they miss going to their favorite massage therapist or talking with their favorite bartender or server. This provides a simple way to connect people who are looking for a way to help out or get help."

Wynkoop said he didn't know Parker personally, but he did know Burgess from working with her at Stormcloud Brewing Company over several summers.

The website took several days to put together, but Wynkoop has been fine tuning since it has been up and running.

Parker said while the website was built quickly, it took about 10 days to reach out to the community to see if it was something appropriate.

"It was ready to go early but we wanted to make sure it had support and what we were trying to do made sense to people," she said. "We wanted to make sure something like this would work for our area, nobody had really done one for a rural area."

Parker said she and others reached out to business owners and employees to see if the tip jar idea was the right fit.

She also said people will need to have a pay service account that corresponds with the person they want to pay, such as through PayPal or Venmo. Apple Pay may be an option in the future.

"There's a lot of division out there, and whether you agree with what's going on and believe the science either way, the economy is more or less shut down," Parker said. "We wanted to move beyond the arguments and deal with the reality people are dealing with. We wanted to go ahead and help with what people need during these times."

Other Heroes Unmasked stories:

Crescent Bakery bread bank
The city of Midland has started off the new week with 11 coronavirus (COVID-19) confirmations in two days.

The overall count for coronavirus cases in Midland County has increased to 112, according to the city, and on Tuesday, it was announced two residents at Midland Medical Lodge and one staff member tested positive for coronavirus as did two adolescents (10-19 years of age). Both younger confirmed cases are self-isolating at home. The source of exposure for one was travel within the United States. The source for the other was contact to a known case.
NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Real Estate, LLC announces Thursday, June 11, 2020, as the managed bid deadline for the sale of 60 acres of development land located along State Highway 29, northwest of Austin in Liberty Hill, Texas.

Liberty Hill is located just 33 miles north of downtown Austin and 11 miles west of Georgetown. The Austin area has experienced significant growth over the last few decades. Liberty Hill is on a similar growth trajectory, for the coming years, with both its population and economy. According to Best Places' website, Liberty Hill's future job growth is projected to exceed 51% over the next ten years, higher than the national average of 33.5%. The subject property offers an excellent opportunity for buyers to take advantage of the swiftly expanding Austin metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

This excellent development site offers 1,100 feet of frontage on well-trafficked State Highway 29 and is bordered on the south by a rail line operated by Capital MetroRail. Just south of the track sits Liberty Hill Elementary School. The city has shown a great commitment to education with 2018 voters approving a proposed $98.6 million bond package to address the Liberty Hill's growing school population. In addition to having one of the top school districts in all of Central Texas, as well as a 15-1 student-teacher ratio, the city has a business-friendly environment with a proactive economic development team that has been integral to fostering entrepreneurial development, downtown revitalization and destination tourism. The city also boasts a strong health care presence as 11% of the population is employed by a health care sector employer.

Jeff Azuse, senior vice president at Hilco Real Estate, stated, "This parcel is located directly in the path of development within one of the hottest markets in the nation and provides an incredible opportunity for a variety of developers." He continued, "The mixed-use potential of this site offers a multitude of future uses that should be appealing for residential, industrial and commercial developers and investors."

The bid deadline is scheduled for Thursday, June 11, 2020. Bids 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 should review the detailed sale terms for requirements to participate in the process available on Hilco's website. For further information, please contact Jonathan Cuticelli at (847) 504-2478 or [email protected] . Bids may be submitted 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 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.

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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America Ferrera has revealed that she couldn't savour the moment when she won an Emmy for her performance in hit TV series "Ugly Betty" as the actor felt she wasn't "deserving" enough for the award.

In 2007, the actor created history after she became the first Latina woman to bag the best lead actress Emmy trophy for the ABC show.

Talking to actor Dax Shepard on his "Armchair Expert" podcast, Ferrera said when she was on stage accepting the trophy, she thought everyone didn't think she had "earned" the win.

"When I won the Emmy, I can't bring myself to watch that because the only thing I remember about being on that stage, accepting that Emmy, was the feeling that no one in the room thought I deserved it. And that's a shame.

"(I was thinking) 'She doesn't really deserve that. What is she really doing in that role? That role is not interesting enough, it's not dark enough, it's not edgy enough.' You know, all of the bullsh**t," the 36-year-old actor said.

Ferrera said such thoughts didn't enter her mind "on its own" as there were people in her life who were "perpetuating those narratives and making me feel like I hadn't earned this moment".

"When I look back at that time, my heart aches for that 22-year-old girl, who didn't get to really enjoy those moments," the actor added.

"Ugly Betty", which ran from 2006 to 2010, featured Ferrera as Betty Suarez, who despite her lack of style, lands a job at a prestigious fashion magazine.

She said the character still holds a special place in her heart.

"I loved this character, loved this world... to have a feeling of this character and this story so needed in the culture right now. I just have a gut instinct that's it's going to speak so strongly to so many people, myself included, and to see that happen? That's the best win ever.

"It was maybe the hardest work I'll ever do in my life but I loved it. The hoopla and the whirlwind that happened around it was challenging and exhausting. My whole life changed... On one hand, it's what an amazing experience... but there was so much drama and so many challenging things happening in my personal life," Ferrera said.

The actor recently welcomed daughter Lucia with writer-husband Ryan Piers Williams.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
d3sign

Maybe your job won't come back. Your industry might be completely transformed. You might be homeschooling for longer than you imagined. Welcome to trying to get off the ground during the age of coronavirus. Nichole Young, 34, was in the final stages in March of interviewing with a company that paused on new hires. The uncertainty was rough at first, says Young, who lives in Sunnyvale, California. "If I'd been a week sooner, maybe I would have made the cut." More from Invest in You:

Three ways to make an uncertain income more certain

Parents find it near impossible to make childcare plans in the pandemic

This simple financial plan makes it easier to get through tough times Instead, Young started an Etsy store for cross-stitch patterns, which is less about the money and more about having something to do. In fact, she broke even on the software she bought to create patterns. A relatively new mom, she is enjoying spending time with her 5-month-old. Here's how life looks for people in their 30s as they try to make plans and look to the future. Keep in mind, it's not the first time they've watched the economy upend.

Spending turns into savings

Cheynne Whitfield, 31, says unnecessary spending is out and beefing up her emergency fund is in. Source: Cheynne Whitfield

A busy lawyer who ate dinner out five nights a week, Cheyenne Whitfield, 31, has cooked every night since March 13. Since the pandemic began, Whitfield, a defense attorney in Tampa, Florida, says she's cut out most unnecessary spending  not the challenge it might have been, now that most stores are closed. "I've never bought more groceries in my whole life," said Whitfield. Last summer, Whitfield made some financial changes, investing more in her Simplified Employee Pension IRA and taking her emergency fund to four months of expenses. She is now working on getting it to a six-month cushion. Her income has definitely taken a hit. It's hard to ask people who aren't working to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or paying legal fees, says Whitfield, who owns her law firm. With much of her work stopped until the courts fully reopen, Whitfield says she is even more determined to grow her real estate investments and other side hustles that bring in more income.

Recession flashbacks

Lauren Bringle Jackson, 32, has occasional flashbacks to the 2008-09 recession. Source: Lauren Bringle Jackson

Lauren Bringle Jackson, 32, graduated during the last recession, and that time is cemented in her head. She learned to live on very little, and one of her many jobs was volunteer work at a farm in exchange for food.



"Even though my current job is stable, it's almost like I have PTSD from my previous experiences, and feel even more pressure to succeed and save in light of the current crisis," said Jackson, who lives in Austin, Texas, and is a content marketing manager with financial services company Self. Jackson is the primary earner in her household. "It feels very stressful some days," she said. Though her bottom line is unaffected, her underlying money fears are triggered. She scours her accounts, looking for ways to economize. Despite her fears, Jackson knows her foundation is solid. "When you have a plan for your money it's just a matter of tweaking some of the numbers," she said.

Four months on a dream job

Janet Vickers, 34, had finally gotten the position she'd hoped for since graduating law school. Four months into it, she was furloughed without salary. "It's devastating," she said. She pinballs between waiting for the job to return and wondering if she should look for something else. Her company said in March they'd have staff return in August, but Vickers isn't counting on that. "My department is mostly large shopping centers and hotels," said Vickers, a commercial real estate attorney in Atlanta. "Obviously those are all greatly affected. "I don't know what my field is going to look like in a few months."

Vickers says it's time to return to basics: stocking the emergency fund, canceling the gym membership, not spending on extras like eating out and considering switching from a 15-year to a 30-year mortgage. She is keenly aware of possible similarities between now and the Great Recession. Then, Vickers became a nanny even though she'd just earned a degree in international business law. One current regret: She treated herself to an expensive car last year. "It was my first fancy purchase," she said. "I like it, but I wish we would have waited. "Going on a nice vacation or having a nice car is not as important as having the money in your savings account." "This is the first time in my life I have been unemployed for an extended period of time," Vickers said. "I still feel shame, even though it is not my fault and even if I was the best at my job I would still be in this predicament."

Shifting priorities

Joy Vines Source: Joy Vines

Before the coronavirus hit the U.S., Joy Vines, 34, a writer and child-care provider in Cheyenne, Wyoming, had three part-time jobs. Now she has one. Vines used to do child care through her church, which allowed her to bring her own small child with her. With both kids home from school, she no longer has as much time for blogging and writing books. She is still able to do marketing and advertising for her husband's side hustle, writing young adult fantasy. On hold are the couple's plans to buy an investment property. "There's financial uncertainty for our family, and as far as what housing values are going to do going forward," Vines said. "We don't want to end up in a situation where we are over-leveraged."
MONTREAL, May 13, 2020 /CNW/ - Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. ("Turquoise Hill" or the "Company") today announced its financial results for the period ended March 31, 2020. All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

"Our first quarter of 2020 delivered strong operational results in the open-pit mine, whilst importantly achieving an excellent safety record that the Oyu Tolgoi team has continued to maintain.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, provided unprecedented challenges, yet the Oyu Tolgoi open pit has continued to operate without interruptions, and the underground development, although experiencing delays with the construction of some underground infrastructure, has continued to progress. We are seeing the benefits of a highly skilled local workforce being able to adapt to the challenges presented by the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to presenting another solid quarter, we are announcing that the updated Panel 0 mine design is complete. This is an important milestone and is the basis of the Definitive Estimate due in the second half of 2020.

The block cave design anticipates a delay to OTFS16 key project milestones of sustainable production by 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months) and an increase in development capital cost of $1.5 billion (with a range of $1.3 to $1.8 billion). The preferred block cave design is a more resilient mine plan that provides the best opportunity for success based on an extensive trade-off analysis taking into account the reserve recovery, geotechnical, constructability, operability, schedule, cost and value risks. Given the importance of the Panel 0 mine design, Turquoise Hill engaged subject matter experts to undertake an external and independent assurance process that focused on the technical review of the proposed mine re-design options, and a review of the schedule and estimating process.

As at March 31, 2020, Turquoise Hill has $1.8 billion of available liquidity, which is sufficient to fund operations, underground and power development into Q3 2021. The Company is well progressed in its discussions with Rio Tinto regarding its proposal for sourcing incremental interim funding to provide flexibility to explore and evaluate long term financing options." stated Ulf Quellmann, Chief Executive Officer of Turquoise Hill.

HIGHLIGHTS

Safety is a top priority and is critical to our continued success. Oyu Tolgoi achieved another strong AIFR of 0.20 per 200,000 hours worked for the three months ended March 31, 2020 .





. In Q1'20, Oyu Tolgoi produced 35,203 tonnes of copper and 26,154 ounces of gold and is on track to achieve 2020 copper and gold production guidance.





Mill throughput was 10,889,000 tonnes and increased 17% versus Q1'19 due to lower ore hardness as well as high mill availability and effective utilisation performance.





Our Oyu Tolgoi team has continued to maximise the production from the open pit and is expected to produce 140,000 to 170,000 tonnes of copper and 120,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold in concentrates in 2020 from both the open pit and the beginning of the underground development material being processed. Initiatives have been implemented by Oyu Tolgoi to bring forward the higher gold bearing ore into 2020; consequently, if these initiatives are successful, we anticipate gold production will be at the upper end of the guidance range.





As anticipated, a design change for Panel 0 has been approved, which is supported by extensive geotechnical modelling and a thorough technical assurance program including independent third parties. The caving method of mining remains valid and many fundamentals of the mine design have remained unchanged. The approved design that now progresses to execution-level planning is based on a block cave approach, which leaves two pillars to the north and south of Panel 0. This design change results in a more resilient mine plan able to effectively operate with the Panel 0 geotechnical conditions as now understood. The Definitive Estimate of project cost and schedule currently remains on track for the second half of 2020, subject to any delays due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.





The block cave design anticipates a delay to OTFS16 key project milestones of sustainable production of 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months) inclusive of an allowance for schedule contingency, and an increase in development capital cost of $1.5 billon (with a range of $1.3 to $1.8 billion ), subject to any additional scheduling delays or increases in capital costs arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may also reduce the available contingency in these estimates. These schedule and cost delays are within the estimates previously disclosed to the market and will undergo a period of further detailed design, engineering and optimisation to support the Definitive Estimate.





billon (with a range of to ), subject to any additional scheduling delays or increases in capital costs arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may also reduce the available contingency in these estimates. These schedule and cost delays are within the estimates previously disclosed to the market and will undergo a period of further detailed design, engineering and optimisation to support the Definitive Estimate. Revenue of $130.7 million in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from $352.7 million in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B , Phase 6B and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20, primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global copper demand.





in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase , Phase and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20, primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global copper demand. Income for the period was $19.0 million compared with income of $105.2 million in Q1'19. This was primarily due to $198.8 million lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue, partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of $107.7 million resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was $55.4 million or $0.03 per share, compared with income of $111.2 million or $0.06 per share in Q1'19.





compared with income of in Q1'19. This was primarily due to lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue, partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was or per share, compared with income of or per share in Q1'19. Cash generated from operating activities before interest and taxes was $1.5 million , a decrease from $49.8 million generated in Q1'19, primarily reflecting the impact of reduced revenue partly offset with favourable movements in working capital.





, a decrease from generated in Q1'19, primarily reflecting the impact of reduced revenue partly offset with favourable movements in working capital. Cost of sales was $2.57 per pound of copper sold, C1 cash costs 1 were $2.07 per pound of copper produced, and all-in sustaining costs 1 were $2.39 per pound of copper produced.





per pound of copper sold, C1 cash costs were per pound of copper produced, and all-in sustaining costs were per pound of copper produced. Total operating cash costs 1 of $188.1 million in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from $198.1 million in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs, lower maintenance costs, and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of the lower sales revenue.





of in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs, lower maintenance costs, and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of the lower sales revenue. During Q1'20 underground development spend was $291.5 million , resulting in total project spend since January 1, 2016 of approximately $3.8 billion .





, resulting in total project spend since of approximately . At the end of March 2020 , Turquoise Hill had approximately $1.8 billion of available liquidity, split between remaining project finance proceeds of $0.2 billion and $1.6 billion of cash and cash equivalents. We currently expect to have enough liquidity to fund our operations and underground development into Q3 2021.





, Turquoise Hill had approximately of available liquidity, split between remaining project finance proceeds of and of cash and cash equivalents. We currently expect to have enough liquidity to fund our operations and underground development into Q3 2021. Productivity improvements resulted in increased underground lateral development rates during Q1'20, with an average monthly rate of 1,822 equivalent metres (eqm) compared to 1,607 eqm in Q4'19, with March 2020 seeing a record 1,939 eqm. Despite the challenges of personnel movements posed by COVID-19, underground development performance continues as expected.





seeing a record 1,939 eqm. Despite the challenges of personnel movements posed by COVID-19, underground development performance continues as expected. Despite these gains, the unprecedented circumstances of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on some aspects of the underground development, as local governments have restricted access to the mine for teams from Oyu Tolgoi, Rio Tinto and our construction partners, and although the open pit has continued to operate uninterrupted, COVID-19 restrictions have challenged our supply logistics.





Shafts 3 and 4 have been placed into care and maintenance until expert service providers can complete technical commissioning of specialised equipment and commence sinking activities. The possibility of specialised support via remote means is being explored to minimise the impact of travel restrictions currently in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic on development progress, but delays are still anticipated. Work has also slowed on some critical underground material handling infrastructure, in particular the construction of primary crusher one, which has currently been reduced to day shift activity only from late March. The opportunity to return to a double shift pattern is currently being assessed.





Ordinary course elongation of newly commissioned ropes may impact Shaft 2 ore hoisting. Payload and speed have been reduced to prolong the ability to use the hoist until specialised personnel are able to reach the site to perform the necessary adjustments. These mitigations allow development to proceed unimpeded and management is discussing the potential for remote support to rectify the situation whilst travel restrictions remain in place. People and materials movement via the service hoist continue to operate normally.





The Company recognises the unprecedented situation surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Turquoise Hill has established a business resiliency team and is closely monitoring the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business and operations and will continue to update the market on the impacts to the Company's business and operations in relation to these extraordinary circumstances. See the "RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES" section of the Company's management discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (the Q1 2020 MD&A).

__________________________________ 1 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

OPERATIONAL OUTLOOK FOR 2020

Oyu Tolgoi is expected to produce 140,000 to 170,000 tonnes of copper and 120,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold in concentrates in 2020 from both the open pit and the beginning of the underground development material being processed. Although the mid-point copper production range guidance is higher in 2020 versus the 2019 guidance, a lower gold production year is expected for 2020. This is due to the need to mine through lower grade material on the periphery of the South West pit as Phase 4B sinks towards the highest gold and copper grades lower in the pit. It is anticipated that the higher grade ore will be accessed in 2021, resulting in a significant increase in gold production in 2021. Initiatives have been implemented by Oyu Tolgoi to bring forward some of the higher gold bearing ore into 2020; consequently, if these initiatives are successful, we anticipate gold production will be at the upper end of the guidance range. Mill throughput for 2020 is expected to be approximately 40 million tonnes.

Operating cash costs2 for 2020 are expected to be $800 million to $850 million.

Capital expenditure for 2020 on a cash-basis is expected to be approximately $80 million to $100 million for open-pit operations and $1.0 billion to $1.1 billion for the underground development, exclusive of any expenditure on power. The upper end of the open-pit operations guidance range was reduced from $120 million due to lower capitalised deferred stripping costs and lower estimated spend as a result of COVID-19. The underground development guidance was reduced from the original range of $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion as a result of the estimated impact of COVID-19, which has restricted access to the mine for teams from Oyu Tolgoi, Rio Tinto and our construction partners.

Open-pit capital is mainly comprised of deferred stripping, equipment purchases, tailings storage facility construction and maintenance componentization. Underground development capital includes both expansion capital and VAT.

C1 cash costs2 are expected to be in the range of $1.80 to $2.20 per pound of copper produced, up from 2019 guidance largely reflecting the reduced gold production estimate. Unit cost guidance assumes the midpoint of expected 2020 copper and gold production ranges and commodity price assumptions of $2.39 per pound copper and $1,513 per ounce gold.

_________________________________ 2 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

2021 OUTLOOK

Production in 2021 is expected to increase to a range of 170,000 to 200,000 tonnes of copper, and 450,000 to 500,000 ounces of gold, as we transition to the higher grade ore in the lower benches of the pit and continue to increase the amount of underground development material processed.

OUR BUSINESS

Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Company's principal and only material mineral resource property. The Company's ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC; the remaining 34% interest is held by Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Erdenes), a Mongolian state-owned entity.

The Oyu Tolgoi property is located approximately 550 kilometres south of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital city, and 80 kilometres north of the Mongolia-China border. The property is cut by the Oyu Tolgoi trend, a 12 kilometres north-south orientated corridor which is host to the known deposits, Hugo North, Hugo South, Oyut and Heruga. Open pit mining operations commenced at Oyut in 2013. The Hugo North deposit (Lift 1) is currently being developed as an underground operation.

The copper concentrator plant, with related facilities and necessary infrastructure, was originally designed to process approximately 100,000 tonnes of ore per day from the Oyut open pit. However, since 2014, the concentrator has consistently achieved a throughput of over 105,000 tonnes per day due to improvements in operating practices. Concentrator throughput for 2020 is targeted at over 110,000 tonnes per day and expected to be approximately 40 million tonnes for the year due to improvements in concentrator performance and more favourable ore characteristics.

At the end of Q1'20, Oyu Tolgoi had a total workforce (employees and contractors), including underground project construction, of approximately 13,600, of which 94% were Mongolians.

SELECTED FINANCIAL METRICS (1)











($ in millions, unless otherwise noted) 1Q 1Q Change 12 months 2020 2019 % 2019









Revenue 130.7 352.7 (62.9%) 1,166.0 Income for the period 19.0 105.2 -- (476.9) Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill 55.4 111.2 -- (150.5) Basic and diluted income per share attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill 0.03 0.06 -- (0.07) Revenue by metals in concentrates







Copper 96.9 223.9 (56.7%) 787.8 Gold 31.6 125.7 (74.9%) 365.0 Silver 2.2 3.1 (29.0%) 13.2 Cost of sales 145.9 169.1 (13.7%) 743.0 Production and delivery costs 104.7 126.0 (16.9%) 559.1 Depreciation and depletion 35.0 44.6 (21.5%) 183.9 Capital expenditure on cash basis 301.1 325.3 (7.4%) 1,308.1 Underground 291.5 296.4 (1.7%) 1,174.9 Open pit (2) 9.6 28.9 (66.8%) 133.2 Royalties 10.2 19.7 (48.2%) 64.0 Operating cash costs (3) 188.1 198.1 (5.1%) 774.5 Unit costs ($)







Cost of sales (per pound of copper sold) 2.57 1.99 29.1% 2.25 C1 (per pound of copper produced) (3) 2.07 0.77 168.8% 1.37 All-in sustaining (per pound of copper produced) (3) 2.39 1.45 64.8% 2.08 Mining costs (per tonne of material mined) (3) 1.73 2.10 (17.5%) 1.88 Milling costs (per tonne of ore treated) (3) 5.58 8.06 (30.7%) 6.48 G&A costs (per tonne of ore treated) 2.95 3.65 (19.3%) 3.30 Cash used in operating activities (24.4) (5.7) 328.1% (11.7) Cash generated from operating activities before interest and tax 1.5 49.8 (97.0%) 341.7 Interest paid 26.8 78.6 (65.9%) 427.5 Total assets 12,915 13,437 (3.9%) 12,822 Total non-current financial liabilities 4,384 4,389 (0.1%) 4,371





(1) Any financial information in this press release should be reviewed in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements or condensed interim consolidated financial statements for the reporting periods indicated. (2) Open-pit capital expenditure includes both sustaining and non-underground development activities. (3) Please refer to NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information.

Q1'20 vs Q1'19

Revenue of $130.7 million in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from $352.7 million in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B , Phase 6B and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20 primarily due to the impact of COVID-19 on global copper demand.





in Q1'20 decreased 62.9% from in Q1'19, primarily due to both a 78.2% decrease in gold production and a 23.1% decrease in copper production, reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase , Phase and stockpiles. Further, the average price of copper fell by 9.1% from Q1'19 to Q1'20 primarily due to the impact of COVID-19 on global copper demand. Income for the period was $19.0 million compared with income of $105.2 million in Q1'19. This was primarily due to $198.8 million lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of $107.7 million resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was $55.4 million or $0.03 per share, compared with income of $111.2 million or $0.06 per share in Q1'19.





compared with income of in Q1'19. This was primarily due to lower gross margin driven by the reduced revenue partly offset by a higher deferred tax recovery of resulting from higher deferred tax assets recognised in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill in Q1'20 was or per share, compared with income of or per share in Q1'19. Cost of sales of $145.9 million decreased 13.7% from $169.1 million in Q1'19 reflecting 31.9% lower volumes of concentrates sold partly offset by the impact of increased unit cost of sales per pound of copper sold due to decreased head grades of the material mined in the period.





decreased 13.7% from in Q1'19 reflecting 31.9% lower volumes of concentrates sold partly offset by the impact of increased unit cost of sales per pound of copper sold due to decreased head grades of the material mined in the period. Unit cost of sales of $2.57 per pound of copper sold increased 29.1% from $1.99 reflecting lower average mill head grades and recoveries reflecting the transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B , Phase 6B and stockpiles.





per pound of copper sold increased 29.1% from reflecting lower average mill head grades and recoveries reflecting the transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase , Phase and stockpiles. Capital expenditure on a cash basis of $301.1 million compared to $325.3 million in Q1'19, comprised of $291.5 million attributed to the underground project and $9.6 million to open-pit activities.





compared to in Q1'19, comprised of attributed to the underground project and to open-pit activities. Total operating cash costs 3 of $188.1 million in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from $198.1 million in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs due to lower maintenance costs and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of lower sales revenue.





of in Q1'20 decreased 5.1% from in Q1'19. This was principally due to lower milling and mining costs due to lower maintenance costs and lower fuel costs. Additionally, royalty costs were lower as a result of lower sales revenue. Oyu Tolgoi's C1 cash costs 3 of $2.07 per pound of copper produced increased from $0.77 , primarily reflecting the impact of the 74.9% lower gold sales revenue credits in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19.





of per pound of copper produced increased from , primarily reflecting the impact of the 74.9% lower gold sales revenue credits in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. All-in sustaining costs 3 of $2.39 increased 64.8% from $1.45 in Q1'19. Similar to the C1 cash costs, the increase was primarily due to a reduction in gold revenue credits, partly offset by lower royalty costs resulting from the lower sales revenue in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19.





of increased 64.8% from in Q1'19. Similar to the C1 cash costs, the increase was primarily due to a reduction in gold revenue credits, partly offset by lower royalty costs resulting from the lower sales revenue in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19. Mining costs 3 of $1.73 per tonne of material mined decreased 17.5% from $2.10 in Q1'19. The decrease was due to lower fuel and maintenance costs coupled with higher material mined benefitting from lower cycle times as mining in Q1'20 was focused on higher benches of the open pit compared with Q1'19.





of per tonne of material mined decreased 17.5% from in Q1'19. The decrease was due to lower fuel and maintenance costs coupled with higher material mined benefitting from lower cycle times as mining in Q1'20 was focused on higher benches of the open pit compared with Q1'19. Milling costs 3 of $5.58 per tonne of ore treated decreased 30.7% from $8.06 of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to higher milled ore resulting from the deferral of major plant shutdowns together with lower maintenance service costs.





of per tonne of ore treated decreased 30.7% from of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to higher milled ore resulting from the deferral of major plant shutdowns together with lower maintenance service costs. G&A costs per tonne of ore treated of $2.49 in Q1'19 decreased 19.3% from $3.65 per tonne of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to the impact of higher milled ore in the period.





in Q1'19 decreased 19.3% from per tonne of ore treated in Q1'19, mainly due to the impact of higher milled ore in the period. Cash used in operating activities of $24.4 million in Q1'20 was higher than the $5.7 million used in Q1'19. This was principally due to 62.9% decrease in sales revenue partly offset with $51.7 million lower interest paid in Q1'20 compared to Q1'19, resulting mainly from the difference in timing of payment of the completion support fee.

_________________________________ 3 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

OYU TOLGOI

Safety performance and COVID-19 Response

The Oyu Tolgoi mine recorded another strong AIFR of 0.20 per 200,000 hours worked for the three months ended March 31, 2020. In addition to the continued commitment to reducing health and safety risk and injury at the Oyu Tolgoi mine site, the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 is a key priority for all Oyu Tolgoi and Turquoise Hill employees. To assist in curtailing the spread of COVID-19, the Company has instituted temperature and health screenings at the mine and a dedicated hotline is available for employees who are on or off site, which they can call for advice or information sharing.

The Company continues to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its business and operations. As disclosed on March 16, 2020, the Company established the Oyu Tolgoi Business Resilience Team, which meets on a daily basis and takes a considered and risk-based approach to managing our response and actions for the prevention of COVID-19. To assist with the battle against COVID-19, Oyu Tolgoi LLC has also donated MNT100 million to the Government of Mongolia, and through the Oyu Tolgoi-sponsored Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund, the Company further committed MNT200 million to the Umnugobi emergency committee, and MNT10 million to the Khanbogd Emergency Commission for prevention support. We are also sharing the prevention and hygiene controls we have in place with local companies.

The Company has been and will continue to engage with both the Mongolian and Chinese governments in an effort to minimise the impacts of restrictive actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on future sales. Oyu Tolgoi has notified its project lenders that the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a force majeure event under its project finance facilities, which will have the effect of extending the June 30, 2028 project longstop date under those facilities for the duration of the force majeure. Certain suppliers of Oyu Tolgoi have declared force majeure on their contracts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; this has not had a material adverse impact on the business to date.

While the open pit at Oyu Tolgoi has continued to operate to plan despite COVID-19, the unprecedented impact of this pandemic has seen restrictions imposed by the Government of Mongolia on travel and movement of goods and people both across and within its borders, and has made it difficult for teams from Oyu Tolgoi, Rio Tinto and our construction partners to access the site. While some aspects of underground infrastructure, such as Shafts 3 and 4 have been impacted, underground development currently continues as per expectations. The Company is assessing the possibility of providing specialised support via remote means as a way of minimizing the impact of the access restrictions currently in place. While mine management believes the situation remains manageable, underground development progress could be impacted if experts continue to be unable to access the site by the end of Q2'20. See the "RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES" section of the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A.

Key operational metrics for Q1'20 are as follows:

Oyu Tolgoi Production Data

All data represents full production and sales on a 100% basis



1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q Full Year

2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 2019













Open pit material mined ('000 tonnes) 23,943 24,408 24,844 28,122 26,834 101,316 Ore treated ('000 tonnes) 9,255 10,394 10,040 11,088 10,889 40,777 Average mill head grades:











Copper (%) 0.57 0.46 0.37 0.42 0.42 0.45 Gold (g/t) 0.58 0.31 0.14 0.15 0.15 0.29 Silver (g/t) 1.25 1.20 1.03 1.06 1.14 1.13 Concentrates produced ('000 tonnes) 210.1 180.6 131.3 152.6 164.5 674.6 Average concentrate grade (% Cu) 21.8 21.7 21.7 21.6 21.4 21.7 Production of metals in concentrates:











Copper ('000 tonnes) 45.8 39.2 28.4 32.9 35.2 146.3 Gold ('000 ounces) 120.1 71.8 25.6 24.3 26.2 241.8 Silver ('000 ounces) 247 238 191 190 214 867 Concentrate sold ('000 tonnes) 184.9 225.3 157.0 157.5 125.9 724.7 Sales of metals in concentrates:











Copper ('000 tonnes) 38.5 46.6 32.4 32.3 25.8 149.9 Gold ('000 ounces) 97.9 115.6 35.4 24.7 19.7 273.6 Silver ('000 ounces) 200 245 207 244 146 896 Metal recovery (%)











Copper 83.8 80.2 75.1 74.2 74.3 78.7 Gold 70.1 63.6 54.7 48.2 46.0 63.6 Silver 63.2 59.2 56.0 53.5 51.5 58.1

Copper production in Q1'20 decreased 23% compared to Q1'19 due primarily to decreased head grade reflecting the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B, Phase 6B and stockpiles.

Gold Production in Q1'20 decreased 78% over Q1'19 due primarily to decreased head grade, which also reflects the planned transition from mining Phase 4A and Phase 6A to lower grade Phase 4B, Phase 6B and stockpiles.

Mill throughput in Q1'20 was higher than the same quarter of 2019 due to lower ore hardness as well as good availability and effective utilisation in Q1'20.

Underground development

The 2016 Feasibility Study design calls for the development of three panels; Panel 0 followed by Panel 1 and Panel 2. As announced on July 15, 2019, stability risks had been identified with some components of the mine design.

As anticipated, a design change for Panel 0 has been approved, which is supported by extensive geotechnical modelling and a thorough technical assurance program including independent third parties. The caving method of mining remains valid and many fundamentals of the mine design have remained unchanged. The approved design is based on a block cave and includes two pillars; one to the north and one to the south of Panel 0. Study work is ongoing to assess the recoverability of the pillars.

The next phase of mine design studies will include design optimisation for Panel 0, and a review of mine design options for Panel 1 and Panel 2 to utilise the learnings from the Panel 0 work. The Panel 1 and Panel 2 studies, expected to be finalised as early as possible in 2021, will be informed by additional data collected from an underground drilling program which is in progress.

The block cave design for Panel 0 was selected based on an extensive trade-off analysis taking into account risks related to recovery, geotechnical, constructability, operability, schedule, cost and value risks. The change in design provides a more resilient mine design that is able to effectively operate with the Panel 0 geotechnical conditions as now understood.

The block cave design varies from the 2016 feasibility design through:

Incorporation of structural pillars, located immediately north and south of the current Panel 0 boundaries;

Relocation of ore handling infrastructure to the pillars;

Initiation via a single undercut face (instead of two); and

Initiation of panels 1 and 2 as independent panels or blocks.

The block cave design anticipates a delay to OTFS16 key project milestones of sustainable production of 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months) inclusive of an allowance for schedule contingency, and an increase in development capital cost of $1.5 billon (with a range of $1.3 to $1.8 billion), subject to any additional scheduling delays or increases in capital costs arising from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacts may also reduce the available contingency in these estimates. These schedule and cost delays are within the estimates previously disclosed to the market and will undergo a period of further detailed design, engineering and optimisation to support the Definitive Estimate due in the second half of 2020, again subject to any delays due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Preparations to put Shaft 3 and 4 into care and maintenance started in March as a result of travel restrictions affecting specialist expatriate personnel and equipment providers. Prior to this, Shaft 3 construction works progressed on sinking ventilation, compressor building, pump house and local mine dry. Shaft 4 compressor building, pump house, pumping system and mine dry were completed and the galloway and headframe work progressed towards being ready for sinking to start. The possibility of specialised support via remote means is being explored to minimise the impact of travel restrictions on development progress by allowing commissioning work to continue at Shaft 4.

Civil works continued in the primary crusher one chamber with mass pour number 10 completed in March. Work has slowed on some critical underground material handling infrastructure, in particular the construction of primary crusher one, which has currently been reduced to day shift activity only from late March. The opportunity to return to a double shift pattern is currently being assessed. The changes to Shaft 3 and 4 progress, as well as primary crusher one construction, has resulted in a reduction of approximately 1,400 people onsite.

Ordinary course elongation of newly commissioned ropes may impact Shaft 2 ore hoisting. Payload and speed have been reduced to prolong the ability to use the hoist until specialised personnel are able to reach the site to perform the necessary adjustments. These mitigations allow development to proceed unimpeded and management is discussing the potential for remote support to rectify the situation whilst travel restrictions remain in place. People and materials movement via the service hoist continue to operate normally.

Good underground development progress has continued in Q1'20. Focus on productivity gains on the most critical development areas over the past seven months has reaped substantial improvements. Underground development progressed 5.5 total equivalent kilometres and completed 3.2 cubic kilometres of mass excavation during the quarter. Since the restart of underground development, 38.4 total equivalent kilometres and 158.5 cubic kilometres of mass excavation have been completed. The following table provides a breakdown of the various components of completed development (excluding conveyor declines) since project restart:

Oyu Tolgoi Underground Project Development Progress Excluding Conveyor Declines Year Total Equivalent

Development (Km) Lateral Development (Km) Mass Excavation ('000' m3) 2016 1.6 1.5 3.0 Q1'17 1.0 0.8 5.2 Q2'17 1.4 0.9 9.2 Q3'17 1.4 1.2 8.3 Q4'17 2.2 1.9 8.9 2017 6.1 4.8 31.6 Q1'18 2.6 2.1 11.6 Q2'18 2.4 2.1 8.6 Q3'18 3.0 2.1* 23.3* Q4'18 2.3 1.6 16.0 2018 10.3 7.9 59.5 Q1'19 3.2 2.3 21.4 Q2'19 3.2 2.4 19.3 Q3'19 3.6 3.2 11.4 Q4'19 4.8 4.5 9.0 2019 14.9 12.4 61.1 Q1'20 5.5 5.3 3.2 2020 5.5 5.3 3.2 Total 38.4 32.0 158.5

Notes: Totals may not match due to rounding. *Lateral development and mass excavation amount for Q3'18 have been updated to reflect revised results.

Oyu Tolgoi Conveyor Decline Project Development Progress Year Total Equivalent Development (Km) Lateral Development (Km) Mass Excavation ('000' m3) 2016 0.0 0.0 0.0 Q1'17 0.1 0.1 0.0 Q2'17 0.4 0.4 0.2 Q3'17 0.9 0.9 0.5 Q4'17 0.9 0.8 0.5 2017 2.3 2.3 1.2 Q1'18 0.8 0.8 0.1 Q2'18 0.8 0.8 0.1 Q3'18 0.8 0.8 0.3 Q4'18 0.6 0.6 0.1 2018 3.0 3.0 0.6 Q1'19 0.8 0.8 0.8 Q2'19 0.9 0.9 0.8 Q3'19 0.9 0.7 4.9 Q4'19 1.1 0.7 8.3 2019 3.7 3.1 14.7 Q1'20 1.0 0.7 7.5 2020 1.0 0.7 7.5 Total 10.0 9.1 24.0

Note: Totals may not match due to rounding.

Oyu Tolgoi spent $291.5 million on underground development during Q1'20. Total underground project spend from January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2020 was approximately $3.8 billion. Underground project spend on a cash basis includes expansion capital, VAT and capitalised management services payment and excludes capitalised interest. In addition, Oyu Tolgoi had further capital commitments4 of $0.7 billion as of March 31, 2020. Since the restart of project development, Oyu Tolgoi has committed over $3.3 billion to Mongolian vendors and contractors.

FUNDING OF OYU TOLGOI LLC BY TURQUOISE HILL

In accordance with the Amended and Restated Shareholders' Agreement dated June 8, 2011 (ARSHA), Turquoise Hill has funded Oyu Tolgoi LLC's cash requirements beyond internally generated cash flows by a combination of equity investment and shareholder debt.

For amounts funded by debt, Oyu Tolgoi LLC must repay such amounts, including accrued interest, before it can pay common share dividends. As of March 31, 2020, the aggregate outstanding balance of shareholder loans extended by subsidiaries of the Company to Oyu Tolgoi LLC was $6.5 billion, including accrued interest of $1.3 billion. These loans bear interest at an effective annual rate of LIBOR plus 6.5%.

In accordance with the ARSHA, a subsidiary of the Company has funded the common share investments in Oyu Tolgoi LLC on behalf of state-owned Erdenes. These funded amounts earn interest at an effective annual rate of LIBOR plus 6.5% and are repayable, by Erdenes to a subsidiary of the Company, via a pledge over Erdenes' share of Oyu Tolgoi LLC common share dividends. Erdenes also has the right to reduce the outstanding balance by making cash payments at any time. As of March 31, 2020, the cumulative amount of such funding was $1.3 billion, representing 34% of invested common share equity, with unrecognised interest on the funding amounting to $0.7 billion.

At the end of March 2020, Turquoise Hill has approximately $1.8 billion of available liquidity, split between remaining project finance proceeds of $0.2 billion, which are drawn and currently deposited with Rio Tinto, and $1.6 billion of cash and cash equivalents. In addition, we expect to generate free cash flow at our existing open pit operations, which will also be available to help fund the underground development.

Turquoise Hill currently expects to have enough liquidity to fund its operations and underground development, including possible progression of the proposed Tavan Tolgoi-based power plant or other power alternatives currently under discussion with the Government of Mongolia, through Q3 2021. Taking into consideration the estimated impacts of the announced increases to underground development capital, as well as delays to first sustainable production, the Company expects to need significant incremental financing to sustain its underground development as well as construction of the proposed Tavan Tolgoi-based power plant beyond this timeframe. The Company will have greater clarity on this incremental funding requirement as the Definitive Estimate progresses and as discussions progress with the Government of Mongolia to conclude a mutually acceptable basis on which to proceed with securing long-term domestic power supply for Oyu Tolgoi. Nevertheless, current estimates indicate an incremental funding requirement, over and above the $1.8 billion in liquidity currently available, of at least $4 billion. This current estimate of the Company's minimum incremental funding requirement has improved from the $4.5 billion previously disclosed due in part to selection of the Panel 0 mine design coupled with lower forecast LIBOR rates. The Company will continue to assess the possible impacts of COVID-19 on this incremental funding requirement.

Turquoise Hill and Oyu Tolgoi LLC have the option to raise additional external financing, subject to required approvals, to assist in funding development going forward, including during underground commissioning and ramp up. This additional external funding, as well as any possible re-profiling of the principal repayments relating to the existing project financing facility, have not been assumed in estimating the incremental funding requirement. Further, important variables impacting the estimated incremental funding requirement include:

The amount of incremental underground development capital required;

The ultimate long-term domestic power solution agreed to by the Government of Mongolia and the Company, including the timing of its commissioning;

and the Company, including the timing of its commissioning; The timing of sustainable first production and its resulting cash flows. The block cave design anticipates a delay to the OTFS16 estimate for first sustainable production of 25 months (with a range of 21 to 29 months), inclusive of an allowance for schedule contingency;

The timing of principal repayments on amounts currently drawn under the project finance facility as well as on-going debt service costs;

The amount of cash flow that can be generated from open-pit operations, net of sustaining capital requirements; and

The impact of COVID-19 on Oyu Tolgoi's open-pit operations and underground development.

As the work to complete the Definitive Estimate and the Panels 1 and 2 mine design study, and to secure a long-term domestic power solution progress, Turquoise Hill continues to evaluate the impact of the estimated increases to underground capital expenditure, as well as delays to sustainable first production and the other important variables discussed above, on its cash flows, liquidity and financing projections and will update the market when appropriate. While the Company's funding requirements will be clarified by the ongoing work on the Definitive Estimate, the Panels 1 and 2 mine design study and as power discussions advance with the Government of Mongolia, Turquoise Hill is well progressed in its discussions with Rio Tinto regarding its proposal for sourcing incremental interim funding to ensure the Company can progress the underground development over and above its $1.8 billion of available liquidity.

_______________________________ 4 Please refer to Section  NON-GAAP MEASURES  on page 19 of this press release for further information

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Turquoise Hill's ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The remaining 34% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC is held by Erdenes. Turquoise Hill is obliged to fund Erdenes' share of the capital costs under the ARSHA.

Underground construction recommenced in May 2016 when Oyu Tolgoi LLC received the final requirement for the re-start of underground development: formal notice to proceed approval by the boards of Turquoise Hill, Rio Tinto (as project manager) and Oyu Tolgoi LLC. Approval followed the signing of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine Development and Financing Plan (Underground Plan) in May 2015 and the signing of a $4.4 billion project finance facility in December 2015. Development had been suspended in August 2013 pending resolution of matters with the Government of Mongolia.

Turquoise Hill's investment in the Oyu Tolgoi mine is governed by a 2009 Investment Agreement (Investment Agreement). The Investment Agreement framework was authorised by the Mongolian Parliament and was concluded after 16 months of negotiations. It was reviewed by numerous constituencies within the Government. Turquoise Hill has been operating in good faith under the terms of the Investment Agreement since 2009, and we believe not only that it is a valid and binding agreement, but that it has proven to be beneficial for all parties.

Adherence to the principles of the Investment Agreement, the ARSHA and the Underground Plan has allowed for the development of the Oyu Tolgoi mine in a manner that has given rise to significant long-term benefits to Mongolia. Benefits from the Oyu Tolgoi mine open-pit operations and underground development include, but are not limited to, employment, royalties and taxes, local procurement, economic development and sustainability investments.

Oyu Tolgoi mine power supply

Oyu Tolgoi LLC currently sources power for the Oyu Tolgoi mine from China's Inner Mongolian Western Grid, via overhead power line, pursuant to back-to-back power purchase arrangements with National Power Transmission Grid JSC (NPTG), the power importing entity, and Inner Mongolia Power International Cooperation Co., Ltd (IMPIC).

Oyu Tolgoi LLC is obliged under the 2009 Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement to secure a long-term domestic source of power for the Oyu Tolgoi mine. The Power Source Framework Agreement (PSFA) entered into between Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia on December 31, 2018 provides a binding framework and pathway for the construction of an Oyu Tolgoi LLC-led, Tavan Tolgoi-based power plant (TTPP), as well as potentially alternative power solutions, to supply the Oyu Tolgoi mine. The PSFA contemplates that TTPP would be majority-owned by Oyu Tolgoi LLC and situated close to the Tavan Tolgoi coal mining district located approximately 150 kilometres from the Oyu Tolgoi mine.

On February 14, 2020, Oyu Tolgoi LLC submitted a TTPP Feasibility Study to the Government of Mongolia pursuant to the PSFA. The TTPP Feasibility Study contemplates a 300 MW coal fired power plant and related infrastructure, including a 55-kilometre water pipeline and a 126-kilometre overhead power line. The estimated project cost for TTPP is $924 million, which is based on the results of a competitive tender process for a "turnkey" Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract as well as certain assumptions for other costs that are not yet finalised (including government fees, licences and reimbursements). As contemplated by the PSFA, the TTPP Feasibility Study assumes that power for the Oyu Tolgoi mine supplied from TTPP would be supplemented by a back-up power arrangement to be agreed with IMPIC, until back-up power can be provided within Mongolia.

On February 14, 2020, Oyu Tolgoi LLC also issued to the Government of Mongolia a Notice of Contingency under Clause 7.4(a) (ii) of the PSFA, which initiated a prescribed "contingency process" with respect to TTPP and the alternative power options listed in the agreement. The first phase of the contingency process concluded on April 14, 2020 without Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia reaching agreement on a basis for which TTPP could proceed. In the second phase of the contingency process, which commenced immediately thereafter and will conclude on June 14, 2020, the parties are required to progress the alternative power supply options listed in Clause 7.4(b) of the PSFA, which comprise an Oyu Tolgoi mine-based power plant, a Mongolian grid solution and a primary renewables solution.

On April 14, 2020, the Minister of Energy notified Oyu Tolgoi LLC of the Government's decision to develop and fund a State-Owned Power Plant to be located at the Tavan Tolgoi coal fields (SOPP), which would supply power to the Oyu Tolgoi mine and potentially other regional mines. Oyu Tolgoi LLC has indicated to the Government of Mongolia its willingness to support SOPP, subject to certain conditions being satisfied and clarifications being provided. Oyu Tolgoi LLC is currently in discussions with the Government of Mongolia concerning the SOPP concept and, in particular, is seeking confirmation that SOPP may be considered as part of the second contingency phase under the PSFA. Moreover, Oyu Tolgoi is seeking clarification from the Government of Mongolia with respect to the commercial terms of power supply, development process, proposed sources of financing and expected timing of SOPP completion.

The terms of the PSFA provide, among other things, that if agreement cannot be reached between Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia on an alternative power solution (as specified in Clause 7.4(b)) by June 14, 2020, then Oyu Tolgoi LLC is thereafter entitled to select and implement one of these alternative options.

Oyu Tolgoi LLC's existing project finance documentation permits, subject to certain conditions being met, an increase of Oyu Tolgoi LLC's senior debt cap in connection with the development of an "expansion facility", which would include TTPP.

Oyu Tolgoi tax assessment

On January 16, 2018, Turquoise Hill announced that Oyu Tolgoi LLC had received and was evaluating a tax assessment for approximately $155 million (which was converted from Mongolian Tugrik to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate on that date) from the Mongolian Tax Authority (MTA) relating to an audit on taxes imposed and paid by Oyu Tolgoi LLC between 2013 and 2015. In January 2018, Oyu Tolgoi LLC paid an amount of approximately $4.8 million to settle unpaid taxes, fines and penalties for accepted items.

On February 20, 2020, the Company announced that Oyu Tolgoi LLC will be proceeding with the initiation of a formal international arbitration proceeding in accordance with dispute resolution provisions within Chapter 14 of the Investment Agreement entered into with the Government of Mongolia in 2009 and Chapter 8 of the Oyu Tolgoi Underground Mine Development and Financing Plan entered into with the Government of Mongolia in 2015. The dispute resolution provisions call for arbitration under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) seated in London before a panel of three arbitrators.

By agreeing to resolve the dispute under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, both parties have agreed that the arbitral award shall be final and binding on both parties and the parties shall carry out the award without delay.

The Company remains of the opinion that Oyu Tolgoi LLC has now paid all taxes and charges required under the Investment Agreement, the ARSHA, the Underground Plan and Mongolian law.

Mongolian parliamentary working group

In March 2018, the Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament appointed a Parliamentary Working Group (Working Group) that consisted of 13 Members of Parliament to review the implementation of the Investment Agreement. The Working Group established five sub-working groups consisting of representatives from government ministries, agencies, political parties, non-governmental organizations and professors, to help and support the Working Group. The Working Group was initially expected to report to the Parliament before the end of spring session in late June 2018.

On December 13, 2018, Oyu Tolgoi LLC received a letter from the head of the Working Group confirming that the consolidated report, conclusions and recommendations of the Working Group had been finalised and was ready to be presented to the Parliament.

On March 22, 2019, the Parliamentary press office announced that the Working Group report had been submitted to the National Security Council (President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Parliament). On May 3, 2019, a summary of the Working Group report was received by Oyu Tolgoi LLC. On May 6, 2019, Oyu Tolgoi LLC provided the Economic Standing Committee of the Parliament a written response to the summary of the Working Group report.

As an outcome of the hearing, a new working group of nine Members of Parliament was established to take the Working Group Report and draft resolutions directing the Cabinet on recommendations related to Oyu Tolgoi LLC.

Upon completion of the Working Group review and its report, a resolution was submitted to the Economic Standing Committee, and subsequently passed in a plenary session of the Parliament of Mongolia on November 21, 2019. Resolution 92 was published on December 6, 2019 and includes resolutions to take comprehensive measures to improve the implementation of the Investment Agreement and the ARSHA, to improve the Underground Plan and to explore and resolve options to have a product sharing arrangement or swap Mongolia's equity holding of 34 per cent for a special royalty. Representatives from Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto are currently engaged with the Government of Mongolia to work together and resolve the issues raised in the Resolution.

Anti-Corruption Authority information requests

On March 13, 2018, we announced that Oyu Tolgoi LLC received information requests from the Mongolian Anti-Corruption Authority (ACA) for information relating to Oyu Tolgoi LLC. The ACA has also conducted interviews with representatives of Oyu Tolgoi LLC in connection with its investigation. Turquoise Hill has inquired as to the status of the investigation and Oyu Tolgoi LLC has informed the Company that the investigation appears to relate primarily to possible abuses of power by certain former Government officials in relation to the Investment Agreement, and that Oyu Tolgoi LLC is complying with the ACA's requests in accordance with relevant laws. To date, neither Turquoise Hill nor Oyu Tolgoi LLC have received notice from the ACA, or indeed from any regulator, that either company or their employees are subjects of any investigation involving the Oyu Tolgoi project.

The Investment Agreement framework was authorised by the Mongolian Parliament, concluded after 16 months of negotiations and reviewed by numerous constituencies within the Government. Turquoise Hill has been operating in good faith under the terms of the Investment Agreement since 2009, and we believe not only that it is a valid and binding agreement, but that it has proven to be beneficial for all parties.

Adherence to the principles of the Investment Agreement, ARSHA and Underground Plan has allowed for the development of the Oyu Tolgoi mine in a manner that has given rise to significant long-term benefits to Mongolia. Benefits from the Oyu Tolgoi open-pit operations and underground development include, but are not limited to, employment, royalties and taxes, local procurement, economic development and sustainability investments.

CORPORATE ACTIVITIES

Board appointment

On January 21, 2020, Turquoise Hill announced the appointment of George R. Burns to the Company's Board of Directors as an independent director.

US trading price non-compliance

On July 31, 2019, the Company received an automatic notice from the NYSE advising that the average closing price of the Common Shares had fallen below US$1.00 for 30 consecutive trading days and that, as a result, the Common Shares no longer met the minimum US$1.00 average closing price requirement. Under the NYSE rules, a company that fails to meet this continued listing requirement must bring its share price and average closing price above US$1.00 by the end of the six-month period following receipt of the NYSE's notification. However, where a company has notified the NYSE that it intends to cure its minimum price deficiency by a corporate transaction requiring approval of its shareholders, it must obtain shareholder approval by no later than its next annual meeting and implement the transaction promptly thereafter, in which case the minimum price deficiency will be deemed to be cured if the share price promptly exceeds US$1.00 and the price remains above that level for at least the following 30 consecutive trading days.

On August 28, 2019, the Company received an automatic notice from the NASDAQ advising that the minimum bid price of the Common Shares had fallen below US$1.00 for 30 consecutive trading days and that, as a result, the Common Shares no longer met the minimum US$1.00 bid price requirement. Under the Listing Rules of the NASDAQ, the Company had 180 calendar days to regain compliance.

On November 12, 2019, the Company announced that it expected to seek approval from shareholders at the Meeting for a consolidation of its outstanding Common Shares. The announcement stated that the expected consolidation was intended to cure the share price non-compliance under the continued listing rules of both the NYSE and the NASDAQ.

On February 14, 2020, the Company announced that it had provided written notice to NASDAQ regarding its intention to voluntarily delist from the NASDAQ. Given that trading on the NASDAQ represented only approximately 5% of the worldwide trading volume of the Common Shares in 2019, the Company believes that the NYSE and the TSX listings provide investors with sufficient liquidity. In addition, delisting from the NASDAQ will reduce the Company's administrative costs. The NASDAQ delisting became effective on March 5, 2020.

The Company's common shares will continue to trade on the NYSE and the TSX now that the NASDAQ delisting has become effective. The delisting did not affect the Company's continuing obligation to file required reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Company will comply with, and continue to be subject to, the laws of the Yukon, the jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated, as well as applicable U.S. and Canadian securities laws and corporate governance rules applicable to Canadian publicly listed companies, including the rules of the NYSE and the TSX.

In its proxy management circular dated March 18, 2020 (the Circular), which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, the Company informed its shareholders that they will be asked to consider and, if deemed appropriate, adopt a special resolution authorizing the Company's board of directors to implement a consolidation of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares into a lesser number of common shares. If the special resolution is approved, the board of directors of the Company will have the authority, in its sole discretion, to select the exact share consolidation ratio, provided that (i) the ratio may be no smaller than one post-consolidation share for every five pre-consolidation shares and no larger than one post-consolidation share for every thirty pre-consolidation shares, and (ii) the number of pre-consolidation shares in the ratio must be a whole number of common shares. Approval of the special resolution by shareholders would give the board of directors authority and discretion to implement the share consolidation at any time prior to May 11, 2021.

Pentwater Capital Management LP dissident circular

In connection with the annual and special meeting of the Company's shareholders originally scheduled for May 12, 2020, Pentwater Capital Management LP (Pentwater) filed a dissident circular on the Company's SEDAR page, requesting shareholders (i) elect its nominee, Matthew Halbower, Chief Executive Officer of Pentwater, to the board of directors of the Company, and (ii) vote to adopt its shareholder proposal to amend the Company's articles to provide minority shareholders with the exclusive right to nominate and elect three of seven of the Company's board members. The Company responded to Pentwater on April 6, 2020, encouraging its shareholders to vote against Pentwater's proposed board of directors nominee, and to withhold their vote on Pentwater's proposed amendment to the Company's articles.

Postponement of annual general and special meeting of shareholders

As announced on April 27, 2020, due to public health measures and restrictions on gatherings enacted by both the Federal and Provincial governments in Canada in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and to help protect the health and well-being of its shareholders, colleagues, communities and other stakeholders, the Company decided to postpone the annual general and special meeting of its shareholders originally scheduled for May 12, 2020 to a later date.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

The Company presents and refers to the following non-GAAP measures, which are not defined in IFRS. A description and calculation of each measure is given below and may differ from similarly named measures provided by other issuers. These measures are presented in order to provide investors and other stakeholders with additional understanding of performance and operations at the Oyu Tolgoi mine and are not intended to be used in isolation from, or as a replacement for, measures prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Operating cash costs

The measure of operating cash costs excludes: depreciation and depletion; exploration and evaluation; charges for asset write-down (including write-down of materials and supplies inventory) and includes management services payments to Rio Tinto and management services payments to Turquoise Hill which are eliminated in the consolidated financial statements of the Company.

C1 cash costs

C1 cash costs is a metric representing the cash cost per unit of extracting and processing the Company's principal metal product, copper, to a condition in which it may be delivered to customers net of gold and silver credits from concentrates sold. This metric is provided in order to support peer group comparability and to provide investors and other stakeholders with additional information about the underlying cash costs of Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the impact of gold and silver credits on the operations' cost structure. C1 cash costs are relevant to understanding the Company's operating profitability and ability to generate cash flow. When calculating costs associated with producing a pound of copper, the Company deducts gold and silver revenue credits as the production cost is reduced by selling these products.

All-in sustaining costs

All-in sustaining costs (AISC) is an extended cash-based cost metric providing further information on the aggregate cash, capital and overhead outlay per unit and is intended to reflect the costs of producing the Company's principal metal product, copper, in both the short term and over the life-cycle of its operations. As a result, sustaining capital expenditure on a cash basis is included rather than depreciation. As the measure seeks to present a full cost of copper production associated with sustaining current operations, development project capital is not included. AISC allows Turquoise Hill to assess the ability of Oyu Tolgoi LLC to support sustaining capital expenditures for future production from the generation of operating cash flows.

A reconciliation of total operating cash costs, C1 cash costs and all-in sustaining costs is provided below.















(Three Months Ended)

(Year Ended) C1 costs (Stated in $000's of dollars)

March 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

March 31, 2019

December 31, 2019 Cost of sales

145,924

175,007

169,134

742,985 Cost of sales: $/lb of copper sold

2.57

2.46

1.99

2.25 Depreciation and depletion

(34,966)

(49,800)

(44,629)

(183,919) Provision against carrying value of copper-gold concentrate

(6,254)

(40)

1,447

- Change in inventory

32,149

11,618

6,432

(31,093) Other operating expenses

44,911

52,415

70,346

221,493 Less:















- Inventory (write-down) reversal

1,164

396

(12,558)

2,161 - Depreciation

(1,953)

(2,129)

(310)

(8,133) Management services payment to Turquoise Hill

7,082

7,177

8,190

31,041 Operating cash costs

188,057

194,644

198,052

774,535 Operating cash costs: $/lb of copper produced

2.42

2.68

1.96

2.40 Adjustments to operating cash costs

6,081

8,728

8,954

44,337

















Less: Gold and silver revenues

(33,825)

(43,298)

(128,798)

(378,204) C1 costs ($'000)

160,313

160,074

78,208

440,668 C1 costs: $/lb of copper produced

2.07

2.21

0.77

1.37

















All-in sustaining costs (Stated in $000's of dollars)















Corporate administration

4,717

9,500

4,544

23,443 Asset retirement expense

1,429

(99)

1,741

6,064 Royalty expenses

10,239

12,453

19,739

64,048 Ore stockpile and stores write-down (reversal)

(1,164)

(396)

12,558

(2,161) Other expenses

468

4,921

(437)

5,984 Sustaining cash capital including deferred stripping

9,549

28,969

30,453

133,342 All-in sustaining costs ($'000)

185,551

215,422

146,806

671,388 All-in sustaining costs: $/lb of copper produced

2.39

2.97

1.45

2.08





(1) Adjustments to operating cash costs include: treatment, refining and freight differential charges less the 5% Government of Mongolia royalty and other expenses not applicable to the definition of C1 cost.

Mining costs and milling costs

Mining costs and milling costs are included within operating cash costs. Mining costs per tonne of material mined in Q1'20 are calculated by reference to total mining costs of $46.5 million (Q1'19: $50.1 million) and total material mined of 26.8 million tonnes (Q1'19: 23.9 million tonnes).

Milling costs per tonne of ore treated in Q1'20 are calculated by reference to total milling costs of $60.8 million (Q1'19: $75.0 million) and total ore treated of 10.9 million tonnes (Q1'19: 9.3 million tonnes).

Working capital

Consolidated working capital comprises those components of current assets and liabilities which support and result from the Company's ongoing running of its current operations. It is provided in order to give a quantifiable indication of the Company's short-term cash generation ability and business efficiency. As a measure linked to current operations and the sustainability of the business, the Company's definition of working capital excludes: non-trade receivables and payables; financing items; cash and cash equivalents; deferred revenue and non-current inventory.

A reconciliation of consolidated working capital to the financial statements and notes is provided below.

Working capital

March 31,

December 31, (Stated in $000's of dollars)

2020

2019









Inventories (current)

$ 211,305

$ 175,719 Trade and other receivables

16,325

27,047 Trade and other payables:







- trade payables and accrued liabilities

(373,163)

(389,476) - payable to related parties

(82,910)

(65,903) Consolidated working capital

$ (228,443)

$ (252,613)

Contractual obligations

The following section of this press release discloses contractual obligations in relation to the Company's lease, purchase, power and asset retirement obligations. Amounts relating to these obligations are calculated on the basis of the Company carrying out its future business activities and operations as planned at the period end. As such, contractual obligations presented in this press release and in the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A will differ from amounts presented in the financial statements, which are prepared on the basis of minimum uncancellable commitments to pay in the event of contract termination. The presentation of contractual obligations here and in the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A are provided in order to give an indication of future expenditure, for the disclosed categories, arising from the Company's continuing operations and development projects.

A reconciliation of contractual obligations at March 31, 2020 to the financial statements and notes is provided below.

(Stated in $000's of dollars) Project Finance

Facility Purchase

obligations Power

commitments Lease

liabilities Decommissioning

obligations











Commitments (MD&A) $ 4,348,918 $ 660,360 $ 410,203 $ 19,583 $ 213,436 Cancellable obligations

(501,983) (188,379) - - (net of exit costs)









Accrued capital expenditure

(117,824) - - - Discounting and other adjustments (152,714) - - (166) (108,285) Financial statement amount $ 4,196,204 $ 40,553 $ 221,824 $ 19,417 $ 105,151

QUALIFIED PERSON

Disclosure of information of a scientific or technical nature in this press release and in the Company's Q1 2020 MD&A in respect of the Oyu Tolgoi mine was approved by Jo-Anne Dudley (FAusIMM(CP)), Chief Operating Officer of the Company. Jo-Anne Dudley is a "qualified person" as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

SELECTED QUARTERLY DATA

The Company's interim financial statements are reported under IFRS applicable to interim financial statements, including International Accounting Standard (IAS) 34 Interim Financial Reporting.

($ in millions, except per share information)

Quarter Ended



Mar-31 Dec-31 Sep-30 Jun-30



2020 2019 2019 2019











Revenue

$ 130.7 $ 221.4 $ 209.2 $ 382.7











Income (loss) for the period

$ 19.0 $ 109.5 $ 45.1 $ (736.7)











Income (loss) attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 55.4 $ 113.1 $ 71.7 $ (446.5)











Basic and diluted income (loss) per share attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 0.03 $ 0.06 $ 0.04 $ (0.22)























Quarter Ended



Mar-31 Dec-31 Sep-30 Jun-30



2019 2018 2018 2018



















Revenue

$ 352.7 $ 346.2 $ 246.5 $ 341.7











Income for the period

$ 105.2 $ 95.0 $ 15.2 $ 204.4











Income attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 111.2 $ 101.0 $ 53.2 $ 171.3











Basic and diluted income per share attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

$ 0.06 $ 0.05 $ 0.03 $ 0.09

Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)











Three Months Ended March 31,







Note

2020

2019

















Revenue 4

$ 130,659

$ 352,680 Cost of sales 5

(145,924)

(169,134) Gross margin



(15,265)

183,546

















Operating expenses 6

(44,911)

(70,346) Corporate administration expenses



(4,717)

(4,544) Other income



3,218

1,243 Income (loss) before finance items and taxes



(61,675)

109,899

















Finance items









Finance income 7

11,412

32,829 Finance costs 7

(1,809)

(2,018)











9,603

30,811 Income (loss) from operations before taxes



$ (52,072)

$ 140,710

















Income and other taxes



71,028

(35,510) Income for the period



$ 18,956

$ 105,200

















Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.



55,405

111,237 Attributable to owner of non-controlling interest



(36,449)

(6,037) Income for the period



$ 18,956

$ 105,200































Basic and diluted earnings per share attributable













to Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd.



$ 0.03

$ 0.06















Basic and diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding (000's)





2,012,314



2,012,314



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)









Three Months Ended March 31,









2020

2019















Income for the period

$ 18,956

$ 105,200















Other comprehensive loss:







Items that will not be reclassified to income:







Changes in the fair value of marketable securities at FVOCI

(1,375)

(535) Other comprehensive loss for the period (a)

$ (1,375)

$ (535)















Total comprehensive income for the period

$ 17,581

$ 104,665















Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill

54,030

110,702 Attributable to owner of non-controlling interest

(36,449)

(6,037) Total comprehensive income for the period

$ 17,581

$ 104,665

(a) No tax charges and credits arose on items recognized as other comprehensive income or loss in 2020 (2019: nil).

The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)











Three Months Ended March 31,







Note

2020

2019

















Cash generated from operating activities before interest and tax 16

$ 1,495

$ 49,838

















Interest received



11,831

23,757 Interest paid



(26,822)

(78,574) Income and other taxes paid



(10,951)

(710) Net cash used in operating activities



$ (24,447)

$ (5,689)

















Cash flows from investing activities









Receivable from related party: amounts withdrawn 17

307,000

275,000 Expenditures on property, plant and equipment



(301,096)

(325,294) Other investing cash flows



63

- Cash generated from (used in) investing activities



$ 5,967

$ (50,294)

















Cash flows from financing activities









Payment of lease liability



(1,907)

(2,408) Cash used in financing activities



$ (1,907)

$ (2,408)

















Effects of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents



16

119 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents



$ (20,371)

$ (58,272)

















Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period



$ 1,651,985

$ 1,603,067 Cash and cash equivalents - end of period



1,631,614

1,544,795 Cash and cash equivalents as presented on the balance sheets



$ 1,631,614

$ 1,544,795



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)











March 31,

December 31,







Note

2020

2019

















Current assets









Cash and cash equivalents 8

$ 1,631,614

$ 1,651,985 Inventories 9

211,305

175,719 Trade and other receivables



16,325

27,047 Prepaid expenses and other assets



106,695

99,671 Receivable from related party 17

204,284

511,284











2,170,223

2,465,706 Non-current assets









Property, plant and equipment 10

10,090,069

9,782,647 Inventories 9

28,793

28,985 Deferred income tax assets 13

616,118

534,078 Other financial assets



10,033

10,978











10,745,013

10,356,688 Total assets



$ 12,915,236

$ 12,822,394

















Current liabilities









Borrowings and other financial liabilities 12

$ 24,962

$ 26,547 Trade and other payables 11

523,303

466,206 Deferred revenue



34,482

27,896











582,747

520,649 Non-current liabilities









Borrowings and other financial liabilities 12

4,190,659

4,187,270 Deferred income tax liabilities 13

87,746

79,180 Decommissioning obligations 14

105,151

104,238











4,383,556

4,370,688 Total liabilities



$ 4,966,303

$ 4,891,337

















Equity











Share capital



$ 11,432,122

$ 11,432,122 Contributed surplus



1,559,106

1,558,811 Accumulated other comprehensive loss



(2,188)

(813) Deficit





(3,766,484)

(3,821,889) Equity attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill



9,222,556

9,168,231 Attributable to non-controlling interest 15

(1,273,623)

(1,237,174) Total equity



$ 7,948,933

$ 7,931,057

















Total liabilities and equity



$ 12,915,236

$ 12,822,394



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

Consolidated Statements of Equity (Stated in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited)































Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill



























Accumulated





























other









Non-controlling













Contributed

comprehensive









Interest









Share capital

surplus

loss

Deficit

Total

(Note 15)

Total equity































Opening balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,811

$ (813)

$ (3,821,889)

$ 9,168,231

$ (1,237,174)

$ 7,931,057 Income for the period

-

-

-

55,405

55,405

(36,449)

18,956 Other comprehensive loss for the



























period

-

-

(1,375)

-

(1,375)

-

(1,375) Employee share plans

-

295

-

-

295

-

295 Closing balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,559,106

$ (2,188)

$ (3,766,484)

$ 9,222,556

$ (1,273,623)

$ 7,948,933































Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

Attributable to owners of Turquoise Hill





















Accumulated





























other









Non-controlling













Contributed

comprehensive









Interest









Share capital

surplus

income (loss)

Deficit

Total

(Note 15)

Total equity































Opening balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,264

$ 844

$ (3,670,310)

$ 9,320,920

$ (910,135)

$ 8,410,785































Impact of change in accounting policy

-

-

-

(1,342)

(1,342)

(691)

(2,033) Restated opening balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,264

$ 844

$ (3,671,652)

$ 9,319,578

$ (910,826)

$ 8,408,752 Income for the period

-

-

-

111,237

111,237

(6,037)

105,200 Other comprehensive loss for the



























period

-

-

(535)

-

(535)

-

(535) Employee share plans

-

150

-

-

150

-

150 Closing balance

$ 11,432,122

$ 1,558,414

$ 309

$ (3,560,415)

$ 9,430,430

$ (916,863)

$ 8,513,567



The notes to the Company's financial statements, which are available on the Company's website, are part of its consolidated financial statements.

About Turquoise Hill Resources

Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Company's principal and only material mineral resource property. Turquoise Hill's ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Oyu Tolgoi); Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Erdenes), a Mongolian state-owned entity, holds the remaining 34% interest.

Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information

Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Company's beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "could", "should", "expect", "seek", "may", "intend", "likely", "plan", "estimate", "will", "believe" and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, information regarding the timing and amount of production and potential production delays, statements in respect of the impacts of any delays on the Company's cash flows, expected copper and gold grades, liquidity, funding requirements and planning, statements regarding timing and status of underground development, the mine design for Panel 0 of Hugo North Lift 1 and the related cost and production schedule implications, the re-design study for Panels 1 and 2 of Hugo North Lift 1, the expectations set out in the Tavan Tolgoi Power Plant ("TTPP") Feasibility Study, the possible progression of the TTPP and alternative power supply options to the TTPP, the potential impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, operations and financial condition, capital and operating cost estimates, timing of completion of the Definitive Estimate review, mill and concentrator throughput, the outcome of formal international arbitration proceedings, anticipated business activities, planned expenditures, corporate strategies, and other statements that are not historical facts.

Forward-looking statements and information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of copper, gold and silver and projected gold, copper and silver grades, anticipated capital and operating costs, anticipated future production and cash flows, the anticipated location of certain infrastructure in Hugo North Lift 1 and sequence of mining within and across panel boundaries, the availability and timing of required governmental and other approvals for the construction of the TTPP or alternative power supply options to the TTPP, the status of the Company's relationship and interaction with the Government of Mongolia on the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi and Oyu Tolgoi LLC internal governance.

Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and information include, among others, copper; gold and silver price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; development plans for processing resources; the outcome of the Definitive Estimate review; public health crises such as COVID-19; matters relating to proposed exploration or expansion; mining operational and development risks, including geotechnical risks and ground conditions; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability); Oyu Tolgoi LLC's ability to deliver a domestic power source for the Oyu Tolgoi project within the required contractual time frame; communications with local stakeholders and community relations; activities, actions or assessments, including tax assessments, by governmental authorities; events or circumstances (including strikes, blockages or similar events outside of the Company's control) that may affect the Company's ability to deliver its products in a timely manner; currency fluctuations; the speculative nature of mineral exploration; the global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; cyber security incidents; additional funding requirements, including in respect of the development or construction of a long-term domestic power supply for the Oyu Tolgoi project; capital and operating costs, including with respect to the development of additional deposits and processing facilities; and defective title to mineral claims or property. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. All such forward-looking statements and information are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company's management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements or information.

With respect to specific forward-looking information concerning the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi, the Company has based its assumptions and analyses on certain factors which are inherently uncertain. Uncertainties and assumptions include, among others: the timing and cost of the construction and expansion of mining and processing facilities; the timing and availability of a long-term domestic power source (or the availability of financing for the Company to construct such a source) for Oyu Tolgoi; the ability to secure and draw down on the supplemental debt under the Oyu Tolgoi project financing facility and the availability of additional financing on terms reasonably acceptable to Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Rio Tinto and the Company to further develop Oyu Tolgoi; the potential impact of COVID-19; the impact of changes in, changes in interpretation to or changes in enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practices in Mongolia; the availability and cost of skilled labour and transportation; the obtaining of (and the terms and timing of obtaining) necessary environmental and other government approvals, consents and permits; delays, and the costs which would result from delays, in the development of the underground mine (which could significantly exceed the costs projected in the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study and the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Technical Report); projected copper, gold and silver prices and their market demand; and production estimates and the anticipated yearly production of copper, gold and silver at Oyu Tolgoi.

The cost, timing and complexities of mine construction and development are increased by the remote location of a property such as Oyu Tolgoi. It is common in mining operations and in the development or expansion of existing facilities to experience unexpected problems and delays during development, construction and mine start-up. Additionally, although Oyu Tolgoi has achieved commercial production, there is no assurance that future development activities will result in profitable mining operations.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 18, 2020 in respect of the year ended December 31, 2019 (the AIF), as supplemented by our Q1 2020 MD&A.

Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the "Risk Factors" section of the AIF and in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Q1 2020 MD&A that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements and information contained herein are made as of the date of this document and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE TURQUOISE HILL RESOURCES LTD

For further information: Investors and Media: Roy McDowall, + 1 514-848-1506, [email protected]; Follow us on Twitter @TurquoiseHillRe
Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster said it was important to allow people to meet up early in the easing of the lockdown stages to help them cope with isolation and loneliness.

She also expects stage five of the measures - when the most stringent of restrictions are lifted - to be implemented "long before" December 5.

"I would be very much hopeful (of) that, unless there has been a second peak or a second wave of this," she said during a visit to a primary school in Lisburn.

"This is a step-by-step process, it is a graduated process, and at all times we have to look at the prospect - and I hope it's not something that will happen - that we may have to move backwards again if the R number goes above one."

She added: "If we get the medical advice that we can move, then we will move."

Read More

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she expected social distancing to be in place for up to two years. And schools will likely face restrictions up to Christmas at least. But the lifting of some measures could begin in the next week.

"I think until we get to a point where we have a vaccine we're going to have to learn to live with Covid-19," she told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"We have to be able to take all the measures necessary to bring down the transmission rate, to make sure we adhere to all the social distancing, continuing to wash your hands to try to kill the virus.

"These things are going to be a feature of our lives for some time to come unfortunately."

She also said they hoped to increase testing capacity to 3,500 a day. In Tuesday's Department of Health figures there was 934 tests carried out involving 704 individuals.

Read More

The Sinn Fein vice president said responsibility for testing lay with the Department of Health and the Executive would be discussing increasing testing levels on Thursday.

"We need universal testing of all residents and staff in all care homes. That's where our battle now is and that's clearly where we need to go," she said.

Arlene Foster said the Executive was keeping a close eye on the reproduction rate of the virus - the 'R' number - in order to allow "enough headroom" to move to the first stage of the lockdown plan.

Read More

The DUP leader told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was currently at 0.79. The further away from one that number is the more lockdown restrictions can be eased. Above one means the health service would be overwhelmed.

She said they did not have to wait until the next legal review date of May 28 in order to relax instructions. She said any change would be after a risk analysis of its likely impact.

"This is all a finely balanced process," she said explaining that the more restrictions were followed by the public, the quicker lockdown could be lifted.

Read More

Under stage one of the NI Executive plan groups of between four and six people are allowed to meet outside so long as they social distance. Families are also allowed to meet between households and indoors so long as no one is shielding.

In England people are permitted to meet up with one person from outside their household, as long as they are outside and maintain social distancing.

Explaining the difference, Arlene Foster said it was important people were allowed to meet family or friends to support their wellbeing.

"We will not be keeping these restrictions a day longer than we need to," she said.

"We totally understand there are huge pressures, not just on economic life in Northern Ireland but on our societal life.

"We are a very sociable people, we want to come together again and we recognise the pressures there are because of these restrictions.

"We believe people need to have the love and support of their families and indeed in some cases when people don't have big families, their very close friends. And that has not been happening at the moment.

"We are very alert people have been suffering from isolation, from mental health difficulties. Particularly I think our vulnerable.

She added: "We believe family relationships are very important. We are thankful of the technology that has allowed people to meet... There is nothing that beats meeting up face to face."
Before a police helicopter dropped a bomb that killed 11 people and burned down his block, Gerald Renfro made an effort to get to know his new neighbors in the MOVE house at 6221 Osage Ave.

Renfro was sympathetic to MOVEs protesting the imprisonment of nine of its members for the 1978 death of Philadelphia Police Officer James Ramp in a standoff at their former base in Powelton Village. But he disagreed with MOVEs methods, especially the airing of those grievances in often-profane tirades over bullhorns from their new home in a family-friendly section of Cobbs Creek. The group combined back-to-nature and revolutionary black liberation philosophies.

I used to debate with them back and forth every day: their telling me their point of view  they wanted to get attention from the city  [and] our speaking, from the neighbors viewpoint, that it was a disruption to our peace and tranquillity, and that they were violating our rights, Renfro, 74, said. I found out that they were nice people and they had respect, as far as personal respect for other people, and I was just at a loss when the city decided to murder them.

Thirty-five years after the bombing, Renfro is seeing signs that the wound caused by the MOVE tragedy may be beginning to heal  and other signs that it never will.

The city is finally rebuilding homes destroyed in the blaze in a way that the neighborhood can support. In the aftermath of the bombing, the city did a scandalously poor reconstruction effort, and its subsequent improvement plans didnt sit well with many of the neighbors, said Renfro, a block captain and president of the Osage Pine Community Association.

But the decades-overdue rebuilding of the neighborhood, he said, isnt enough. True justice for the events of May 13, 1985, would have to include prosecuting the city officials involved in the bombing, Renfro said. Thats why the community association protested the 2018 renaming of a street after former Mayor W. Wilson Goode Sr., who authorized the bombing.

Now, Renfro said, the association is considering filing a lawsuit aimed at forcing the city to reverse the City Council vote naming the street for the citys first black mayor.

Its a sting to our community to have a predominately African American ... City Council give honor to someone who destroyed  I would say murdered  six adults and five children and the destruction of 61 homeowners homes and belongings, said Renfro, who said he is semi-retired and owns a roofing business with his wife, Connie.

Its unclear if a lawsuit could reverse the Council vote, but the associations ire at the thought of honoring Goode is emblematic of the lasting pain caused by the MOVE bombing.

Goode has publicly apologized for the bombing in the past, but for some, his attempts at atonement have fallen short. On Sunday, he called on the city to issue an official apology for the bombing in an opinion piece published in the British newspaper the Guardian.

After 35 years, it would be helpful for the healing of all involved, especially the victims of this terrible event, if there was a formal apology made by the City of Philadelphia, Goode wrote. That way, we can begin to build a bridge that spans from the tragic events of the past into our future.

The proposal fell on deaf ears with Mayor Jim Kenney and Council President Darrell L. Clarke, but it has gained steam on Council, where freshman member Jamie Gauthier, who represents West Philadelphia, has won 10 backers for an apology resolution she plans to introduce this year.

The resolution, which is being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, was drafted by an ad hoc reconciliation group that included Goode and Mike Africa Jr., 41, a MOVE member who was born in a prison cell six years before the bombing. His mother, Debbie, was one of the nine MOVE members convicted on murder charges for Ramps death.

Mike Africa Jr. said that it was disappointing that Kenney and Clarke did not appear to support issuing an official apology, because doing so would only amount to a first step toward healing, he said.

Clarke on Wednesday issued a statement on the tragedy, saying it was unfortunate top city officials at the time were not held accountable for their actions but avoiding the question of whether the current Council should approve an apology.

You apologize for bumping into someone by accident. You apologize for hurting someones feelings. This is so far beyond an apology, Africa said.

Kenney said this week that his administration will not issue an official apology and that he would not take a position on whether Council should approve the resolution. He instead highlighted a project begun during his administration to rehabilitate properties that were rebuilt after the fire but have been vacant since an early-2000s effort to buy out owners of the poorly constructed homes.

Under Kenney, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority sold the houses for $1 each to a developer, AJR Endeavors, to refurbish and resell them at market value. The homes so far have gone for about $250,000 or more, and several are yet to be sold.

The most important thing about this issue is our administrations response to rebuilding that neighborhood. From 1986 on, it was a series of debacles when it came to redoing those houses," the mayor said at a virtual news conference Monday. "Thats the real way to address the problems of the past, is by making that neighborhood whole again.

Renfro, who with his wife was one of about two dozen owners who rejected the buyout offer and instead took money for repairs, said some families with children have already moved into the newly redone houses, a sign of hope that the long-blighted neighborhood hes lived in for six decades will see a new generation grow up outside the shadow of the bombing.

Now our block will be restored, so well be living in a nice, decent housing development, and well have a chance to return to how it was before this MOVE tragedy, Renfro said. Itll be the first time that well have a chance for it to be normal.
SAN DIEGO  Like many San Diegans, Sherif Halawani found out he would be out of work for a while in mid-March.

The 37-year-old was laid off from his job as a server at The Melting Pot in downtown San Diego as fear about COVID-19 spread across the nation. Since it was few days before Gov. Gavin Newsoms stay-at-home order, he was able to easily apply for unemployment before thousands of others overwhelmed the system.

About two weeks later, the federal CARES Act was passed, which gave Halawani and other unemployed Americans an extra $600 a week. He said he heard about it from the news but it was still a shock when he saw his bank account. I couldnt believe it. They actually gave me that, he said.

Halawani was in for another surprise. He now gets $250 more a week than if he were actually working.

Across the United States, many unemployed workers are finding out the same thing. The enhanced federal jobless benefit  when combined with state unemployment insurance  delivers more income to some laid-off workers than they earned when employed.

While normal unemployment benefits pay less than typical wages, creating an incentive for workers to look for a job, the additional stimulus benefit could have the opposite effect, particularly when coupled with possible health concerns around the coronavirus.

The extra weekly $600 runs out at the end of July, but it is still a concern for some businesses looking to reopen in the next three months.

It could get even tougher for small businesses to lure back employees later in the year. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich, and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., introduced companion bills on Friday that would extend the $600 per week Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments through the end of 2020.

It isnt a universal situation, with many workers still struggling to get approved for unemployment benefits. A tsunami of claims since the coronavirus shutdown has overwhelmed Californias Employment Development Departments jobless benefits call center and online portal, leading to long delays on hold and website crashes.

But the Union-Tribune spoke with many workers, who declined to be named in this article out of fear it would hurt future job chances and who are earning more on unemployment. They all expressed concern about finding a job after federal benefits ended, even though their financial stress was lessened at the moment.

Halawani said even though he knows he could earn more collecting unemployment, he would go back to The Melting Pot if it reopens because the company has treated him very well. He said he has not been looking for another job, doubtful there are a lot of openings and is using the extra money to invest in the stock market.

However, the co-owner of the 71-room Ocean Park Inn in Pacific Beach found out some workers did not want to return after he received a much-desired small-business loan that would cover his payroll. Elvin Lai said so far two workers out of his 24-person staff told him they wouldnt come back. He is still waiting to hear from others on his staff.

They said, Why do I need to take the risk if I can make more sitting at home? he said.

Lai said he thought their point was valid, and didnt seem overly upset about it. Meanwhile, he has delayed reopening his hotel  even with the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, loan  because he still isnt clear on guidelines for reopening.

Legally, workers who decline to return when their employer calls them could potentially forfeit unemployment benefits, said San Diego unemployment attorney Warren Beck. He said unemployment is a bit like taxes, where it is reasonable to assume the Internal Revenue Service doesnt double-check every filing, but if you get caught it is big trouble.

Individuals who turn down their previous jobs and continue to collect benefits could be forced to pay back all of the money, as well as incur a 30% penalty and face limitations on filing for unemployment again for a period of time, Beck said.

Perjury is a crime in the state of California, Beck said. You dont get a choice. You dont say, Gee, I could stay home and make more money, so why should I go back to work?

The enhanced benefits have sparked concern among some local businesses over whether theyll be competing with unemployment insurance as they try to bring back workers.

The topic takes on particular urgency for companies that have recently received PPP loans. Under the guidelines, the loans will be completely forgiven if businesses spend 75% of the money on payroll within eight weeks of funding, as well as hire enough workers to reach pre-COVID-19 employment levels.

This whole PPP and unemployment thing, I dont know, said Ed Moore, owner of The 3rd Corner Wine Shop and Bistro in Ocean Beach and Encinitas. If I got a PPP loan today and brought all my people back, they would make less money. They would not be happy with me. But I would have fulfilled my obligation for loan forgiveness.

As a trimmed down take-out restaurant and wine shop, The 3rd Corner is profitable, said Moore. Hes informally communicating with laid-off workers, navigating how to add an employee here and there without putting people in a hard box where they have to choose between unemployment benefits and returning to work.

The $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payment alone is equivalent to having a full-time job that pays $15 an hour. On top of that, laid-off workers can receive additional money from California unemployment insurance.

So far, however, it does not appear that a widespread number of furloughed San Diegans are choosing to stay on unemployment when given the chance to return to their jobs.

Alex Shahabe, owner of PC Housing, began rehiring about 20 laid-off employees after receiving the PPP loan through Axos Bank. His company provides temporary housing to corporate workers and military personnel on short-term assignments across the globe.

We had a couple people say: Wait a minute, I am making more being unemployed, Shahabe said. The conversation we had was do you want a secure job and for us to figure out how to move forward, or would you rather be on unemployment, and how long will that last?

In the end, his workers decided to return. But Shahabe delayed the start date for a few workers so they can take advantage of it for a couple weeks before they come back. And thats fine. If it works for us, its OK, he said.

Robert Rauch, a co-owner of three hotels in San Diego and others outside the region, was asked at a Rotary event last week if he thought employees would return to work given the enhanced unemployment benefits that the government is paying out.

To be honest, if their preference is to stay on unemployment, I dont want them anyway, he said. I am sorry if anyone takes offense.

Rauch has begun reaching out to rehire laid-off workers last week after getting PPP loans for some hotel properties. He expects workers will want to return.

What I did was go the leaders in each department and ask do they want to come back? said Rauch. They said, oh yes, they want to come back. It is not scientific, but I know my staff.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM)

An analysis by the EconoFact publication from The Fletcher School at Tufts University in Massachusetts argued the extra money violates the moral hazard principle, meaning it provides full  or more  money and creates an incentive to not look for employment.

Federal benefits go much further in states with weaker benefit programs, EconoFact said. For example, Mississippis rate tops out at $235 a week compared to Californias $450 and Washington states $790 a week.

The report also argued that unemployment was so generous that low-wage workers who continue to work should be paid more because of the inequities they now face. It argued higher risk jobs, such as coal mining, can pay more than one might expect given low educational requirements. However, it said it could be argued working at a grocery store is now a high-risk occupation.

The state Employment Development Department has processed 3.2 million claims for jobless benefits in the last month, an unprecedented number. San Diego Countys jobless rate is forecast at 24.7 percent, according to the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG. The agency estimates one in four San Diegans, or about 430,000 people, are unemployed.

SANDAG, found the highest unemployment numbers were concentrated in some of San Diegos least affluent areas: National City, Golden Hill, City Heights and San Ysidro.

Alan Gin, economist at University of San Diego, said a better way to think of it is workers making more money on unemployment are providing stimulus for a struggling economy. He said the jobless earning more tend to be on the low end of the pay scale anyway, and they will have the biggest struggles getting employment when things start reopening.

All the money will likely be spent, even if just to pay bills, including rent or housing payments, which would stimulate the economy, he said.

Phillip Molnar and Mike Freeman of The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote this story,

2020 The San Diego Union-Tribune

Visit The San Diego Union-Tribune at www.sandiegouniontribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Ibrahim Gambari, the diplomat President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed to become his Chief of Staff, arrived the Presidential Villa Wednesday morning.

He was received on arrival at the Presidential Villa by senior presidency officials including the Director of Protocol, Yakubu Ahmed, and the Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijani Umar.

Others who received him include the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Abdullahi Gwari, as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, who all ushered him into the Aso Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday reported the appointment of Mr Gambari to replace the late Abba Kyari who recently died from coronavirus.

Although President Buhari is yet to formally announce the appointment, the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, confirmed the appointment and thanked the president for it.

In a statement by his aide, Abdulazeez Arowona, the Ilorin emir thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Professor Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff.

The new appointee is an Ilorin prince.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari
The La Crosse Area Family YMCA will begin Phase 1 reopening June 1 after previously closing because of the safer-at-home mandate.

In an email sent late Tuesday afternoon to YMCA members, CEO Bill Soper announced the facility will resume functioning in increments to protect staff and patrons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans will closely follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the La Crosse County Health Department and the state of Wisconsin.

Our staff and entire Y family are preparing and getting ready to reopen our Ys under a new normal, Soper said. As we make plans to see all of you again, we want to thank our wonderful members and donors who have stuck with us and supported the Y during this unprecedented time.

Soper did not release any details about Phase 1 or subsequent phases, noting plans are still being finalized and the YMCA is looking for input from members, who will receive an email link to a survey.

We know there will be facility and program restrictions placed on us through the La Crosse County Health Department or the state of Wisconsin, but knowing what is important to all of you will help us determine the best possible procedures for re-opening, Soper says. We can assure you that the safety of our members and staff is our top priority.

The YMCA will continue to review COVID-19 precautionary guidelines in the coming weeks and relay finalized reopening plans to members via email, online at www.laxymca.org and on social media.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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MEXICO CITY  At least 70 people have died across Mexico since late April after drinking tainted alcohol, including at least 20 residents of a poor mountain town in the central state Puebla who consumed a cheap, popular moonshine.

Mexican officials said the rash of deaths, coming as the nation struggles to contend with the coronavirus pandemic, might be related to the imposition of dry laws and other measures meant to combat the spread of the virus.

As the outbreak has worsened in Mexico, some local and state governments have banned the sale of alcohol to discourage people from gathering in groups or having parties, activities that could further spread the virus.

In addition, the federal government has declared breweries as nonessential businesses, forcing them to shut down and leading to widespread beer shortages.
A girl, aged 11, has been killed after being struck by a tractor in Co. Donegal.

The incident happened on a farm in the Malin area at around 5.20pm this afternoon.
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 16:43 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7d07af 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,National-Police,Polri,prison,prison-overcapacity,Law-and-Human-Rights-Ministry Free

More than 100 convicts who were released early in an effort to prevent the further transmission of COVID-19 in prisons are back to committing crimes, according to the National Police.

National Police spokesperson Ahmad Ramadhan said there had been reports of recidivism in several regions, including Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, Banten, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and North Sumatra.

There were 13 cases of recidivism each in Central Java and North Sumatra and 11 in West Java," Ahmad said at a press conference on Tuesday. Those three provinces recorded the highest number of repeat offenses from released prisoners.

In total, 106 repeat offenders have been reported.

The crimes committed by the convicts mostly consisted of robbery, vehicle theft, drug abuse and child sexual abuse.

As of Sunday, the Law and Human Rights Ministry has released more than 37,014 convicts and 2,259 child detainees under the COVID-19 assimilation and integration program, with the government planning to release a total of 50,000 prisoners.

Law and Human Rights Ministrys corrections directorate general Reinhard Silitonga said on Monday that the program has been successful in reducing overcrowding and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities, noting that only one confirmed COVID-19 case in prison had been recorded so far.
Stocks in Asia Pacific were little changed on Wednesday as caution remained over a recent resurgence in coronavirus cases in certain countries regionally as they start to reopen their economies.

Mainland Chinese stocks nudged higher on the day, with the Shanghai composite up 0.22% to about 2,898.05 while the Shenzhen composite added 0.669% to around 1,822.85. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was largely flat, as of its final hour of trading.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.49% to close at 20,267.05 while the Topix index also shed 0.14% to end its trading day at 1,474.69. South Korea's Kospi closed 0.95% higher at 1,940.42.

Meanwhile the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia added 0.35% to finish its trading day at 5,421.90.

Overall, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index rose 0.34%.

Developments on the coronavirus front likely continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Globally, more than 4.2 million people have been infected while at least 291,366 lives have been taken, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Stateside, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Tuesday a vaccine will be essential in stopping the coronavirus spread, but warned it will be a while before a usable one is available. He also cautioned that the U.S. could risk additional outbreaks if states start to reopen too quickly.

In Asia, where the coronavirus first hit, several countries including China and South Korea have experienced an uptick in cases after restrictions were eased.

"The market appears to be ignoring the decline in earnings and the deterioration of economic conditions," Cesar Perez Ruiz, Head of Investments & Chief Investment Officer at Pictet Wealth Management, wrote in a note. "We see significant risks remaining as economies attempt to reopen and remain underweight equities overall."

Still, Ruiz said that the firm remains "positive on Asia and particularly China within emerging markets."
SPRINGFIELD  Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday he would consider withholding federal pass-through funds to counties ignoring his stay-at-home order and said it would be best for the General Assembly to meet before the end of May to take up key state business.

When asked in his daily COVID-19 briefing via videoconference Tuesday if the state would consider withholding federal aid to counties reopening early, Pritzker said, we would consider that.

The state already provides a lot of support for cities and counties, he said. And so I would just suggest that there are a number of enforcement mechanisms that are available to us, and I don't want to utilize those  I have asked people to do the right thing and I want to point out that the vast majority of people in Illinois have been doing the right thing and I'm so very proud of that.

Pritzker said those disobeying his orders are outliers who are not following science and data, but rather they are listening to partisan rhetoric and following their own instincts, but no science.

Illinois reported a one-day record high in COVID-19 cases Tuesday and its next-to-highest death toll, just a day after Pritzker announced that the peak in coronavirus infections originally projected for late April has been pushed into mid-June.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 4,014 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, but it coincided with 29,266 test results reported in the past 24 hours  also a record. The 13.7 percent positivity rate was a little bit lower than the average of the past 10 days.

Macon County officials also said there were five new cases, bringing the total to 151 people with COVID-19. Of those, 37 people have been released from isolation. Three are hospitalized, 95 are in home isolation and 16 residents have died.

The governors comments on Tuesday came one day after Republican leaders in the Illinois House and Senate sent him a joint letter urging him to revise his reopening plan and call a special session to further discuss and develop the necessary adjustments to your plan that protects the public's health while at the same time moves our economy forward more quickly.

Last week, you unveiled your Restore Illinois plan that we believe is far too restrictive to those businesses struggling to stay afloat economically during this crisis. Furthermore, the parameters your plan puts in place in determining when a region can move between phases will only cause further economic hardship to small businesses and our state, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, and Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, said in the letter Monday.

Per Pritzkers plan, the state is divided into four regions, and the earliest any region can move to the next phase of reopening is May 29.

The governor on Tuesday said he has spoken to all four of the legislative leaders about returning to session. He did not say he would call a special session, however, stating that if he did, it does not mean they will all show up.

They have to have confidence in the plan for showing up, Pritzker said. And that means that the leadership, both Republican and Democratic, need to agree to a plan has been, you know, reviewed by the Department of Public Health.

Still, Pritzker said, the Legislature must convene so that we can begin to put our financial and economic house back in order, even as we battle this terrible virus. The General Assembly needs to pass a comprehensive plan to support families, small businesses and small towns.

He added the size of such an aid package would be dependent upon whether or not we are able to get relief from the federal government for lost revenues such as sales and income taxes.

I think it would be best if they could get together before the end of May, so that we can get the very necessary things done like our budget, he said.

Pritzker said the Illinois Department of Public Health released guidelines for a return to session. They include an exclusion of the public and lobbyists while allowing for lawmakers and staff, increased sanitization of surfaces and temperature checks at the door. Everyone should remain six feet apart, and only the necessary number of lawmakers to reach a quorum should be on the floor at any one time.

Committees should be conducted by phone or videoconference, per the guidelines. After the session, lawmakers and staff should isolate for seven days.

The guidelines also urge those 65 and older, as well as those with underlying health conditions, not to travel to Springfield. Many lawmakers, including 78-year-old Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago, fall into that upper age bracket.

A spokesperson for Madigans office said there are no new updates Tuesday to a statement the speaker made last week in which he said the safety of members, staff and the general public will be paramount in any decision.

While I am eager to see a return to normalcy, we are talking about peoples lives, and any plan for a return to Springfield must have the health and safety of all those involved as a top priority, including the communities the members represent, Madigan said last week.

John Patterson, spokesman for Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, stressed health guidelines in a statement as well.

Like the governor, the Senate is eager to provide relief for families and small businesses hit by this pandemic, Patterson said in an email. We are reviewing recommendations for action as the Senate President wants to make sure senators return to a crystal clear legislative agenda and a plan to minimize the health and safety risks to everyone working at the Capitol."

Also Tuesday, there were also another 144 virus-related deaths reported in the last 24 hours, bringing total fatalities to 3,601, while confirmed cases sit at 83,021 among 471,691 tested since the beginning of the outbreak.

State Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said there likely have been deaths related to COVID-19 in Illinois that were not recorded as such. She said that's because some may have died from certain symptoms that were not thought to be related to COVID-19 at the time of their passing, so they were not tested for the virus.

While the state counts deceased who test positive for the virus as COVID-19-related deaths, it tries to remove deaths that are clearly not caused by the virus from the official count, she said.

So if there was a gunshot wound, an acute gunshot wound, if there was a motor vehicle accident, we know that that was not related to the COVID-positive status, she said. But in the case where someone was elderly or battling cancer, it is obviously less clear that the COVID-19 disease associated with the coronavirus didn't actually play a part in hastening the death so those deaths do stand.

Hospitalization numbers have remained relatively flat statewide as well, Ezike reported, with 4,626 hospital beds in use by COVID-19 patients, 1,215 of which were ICU beds. There were 730 COVID-19 patients on ventilators as of midnight as well.

Pritzker's plan to reopen Illinois: The steps
Actor Sonu Sood, who has been helping arrange transportation for migrant workers to get back to their home states, has said that there are areas in the country where people still dont have any idea about the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, the actor had made arrangements for 350 migrant workers to travel to Karnataka from Maharashtra, and hopes to send more people to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the coming days.

He told Mumbai Mirror in an interview, It was so satisfying to see them happy and emotional that they are going home. We have been trying to put together a plan to send people to Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar among other places. We are in the final stages of putting things together for Ranchi and Bihar. The paperwork is in process. If everything goes well, we will try to send them today or tomorrow.

The actor said that he has been working with friends and NGOs as a team. He continued, When I read about these doctors, nurses, policemen and other frontline workers performing their duties selflessly, I feel inspired. I know, its not my job as an actor. But If I do such things, others might also come out and help these people. I maintain social distancing and try to take all the precautions, sanitise again and again after a few minutes. When you interact with these people, they feel hopeful. They feel some people will be sending them back home. I think this might also give some hope to different governments and the people who are stuck. It might take some time but it will happen.

Sonu had previously offered his Juhu hotel for stay of frontline workers, he had contributed to several charities, and fed thousands during Ramadan. He said that the world will be a different place after the pandemic dies down.

Its a different world now and it will be a very different world once we get out of it. We all have been hit badly in terms of work, finances, physical and mental health, he said. We have to find a way to live in the circumstances. While one can crib and spend time scrolling on social media, another way is to help others. We can inspire a few more and honestly, together we can fight this thing. My day goes by coordinating things like transport for migrant workers, taking government permissions, organising food among other things. And I feel very happy and satisfied. If I was shooting, I wouldnt have had all the time in the world. Now, that I have all the time, it is important to give that to the needy.

Also read: Sonu Sood extends help to migrant workers amid lockdown, says I cant see people sleep empty stomach while we bake cakes, desserts at home

In an earlier interview to Hindustan Times, he had said, I had come to Mumbai with just Rs 5500 and have earned enough. My mother would say life is all about giving. If I cant give back to the society, then this isnt a good life I am leading. Thinking about what these people are going through while Im in the comforts of my home, gives me sleepless nights.

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A suspect was arrested moments after police said he shot and killed a man who was riding a bike Tuesday afternoon outside a West Side laundromat.

Justin Rodriguez, 25, is facing a murder charge, San Antonio police said.

At about 1 p.m., officers responding to reports of the shooting found the victim with gunshot wounds to his upper torso. He was lying on the sidewalk in front of the Kwik Wash laundromat, 1823 W. Commerce St.

First responders took him to a local hospital where he died. The man was not identified as of Tuesday evening.

Witnesses saw multiple suspects in a vehicle fleeing the scene, according Officer Alisia Pruneda, an SAPD spokeswoman. There was no description available of the vehicles make or model.

Police said they arrested Rodriguez later that afternoon.

I couldnt tell you if its gang-related, Pruneda said. It just appears that its very targeted.

Officers handcuffed and briefly detained a man who tried to enter the crime scene.

Jessica Garcia said she was headed into a nearby store when the victim, a friend whom she identified by his nickname, Joker, rode past on his bike.

Watch the cars, Mijo, she yelled to him.Hes like, I know Mom, and he kept going, Garcia recalled. Five minutes later  boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Garcia said she heard six or seven gunshots as she exited the store.

The victim had always been kind to the homeless people in the area, she said.

One of the neighbors standing watch Tuesday knew the scene all too well. Mary Garza, who lives in the area, said her son was killed in a shooting a few years ago.

Staff writer Jacob Beltran contributed to this report.
By Trend

The number of coronavirus tests conducted in Azerbaijan has been revealed, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB).

As of May 12, 4,737 tests were conducted to detect new cases of infection.

In accordance with the data, in general, 202,282 tests were conducted throughout the country.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
WALTHAM, Mass., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, announced it will expand its response to the COVID-19 pandemic by developing a total antibodies test in collaboration with WuXi Diagnostics and Mayo Clinic. The new test is the result of ongoing collaboration between all three organizations, including clinical evaluation and support from Mayo Clinic. Thermo Fisher will seek U.S. FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) and international regulatory authorizations for the test over the next few weeks.

Once approved for use, the Thermo Scientific OmniPath COVID-19 Total Antibody ELISA test will detect Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) to help clinicians determine if a patient has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. The test is designed to run on an open instrument platform, and the determination of antibody status will aid in the diagnosis of the disease during the acute and recovery stages of infection.

"Since the outbreak was first detected, we have mobilized our scientific, regulatory and commercial teams to support virus analysis, identification, deployment of personal protective equipment as well as development of therapies and vaccines," said Marc N. Casper, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Stopping the spread of COVID-19 requires comprehensive testing solutions, and we are very pleased to join forces with WuXi Diagnostics and Mayo Clinic to respond to the widespread need for antibody-based tests. Working together, we will now be able to provide governments, healthcare systems and communities with yet another important tool to aid in the fight against the pandemic."

The global call to ramp up testing requires a combination of both PCR-based molecular tests and serological tests. Molecular tests, such as Thermo Fisher's Applied Biosystems TaqPath Combo Kit, are considered the gold standard for determining if a patient has an active infection. Serological tests determine if a patient has antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 that indicate whether they have had  or still have  the virus and have built up an immune response. When used in combination, these tests provide greater clinical efficacy, support contact tracing and enhance epidemiological efforts to stop the spread of the virus.

Thermo Fisher will begin manufacturing the Thermo Scientific OmniPath COVID-19 Total Antibody ELISA test at its sites in the U.S. and Europe in the next few weeks as it prepares to submit for EUA.

Jason Liu, Ph.D., chief executive officer of WuXi Diagnostics, said, "We are pleased to join forces with Thermo Fisher and Mayo Clinic in the battle against the pandemic. This global collaboration of R&D, clinical expertise, manufacturing and commercialization capability will significantly advance serological testing for COVID-19. WuXi Diagnostics offers an open-access platform for innovative diagnostic solutions. By collaborating with our partners, we're dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals and their patients around the world."

Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., chief executive officer and president of Mayo Clinic, said, "Rapidly expanding access to high-quality testing requires bold collaborations across the laboratory industry. This marks a significant milestone in our national testing response to COVID-19 and was made possible by bringing together the commercialization capabilities of Thermo Fisher Scientific, testing development abilities of WuXi Diagnostics, and clinical and laboratory expertise of Mayo Clinic physicians and scientists."

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.

Media Contact Information :

Ron O'Brien

Phone: 781-622-1242

E-mail: [email protected]

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Phone: 781-622-1294

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

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The ASX200's gain of 18.8 points may not look like much, but the index dropped over 100 points at the open and spent the rest of the day recovering to reach 5421.9 points at the close, a gain of 0.35 per cent.

From a starting position where most of the board was red, six sectors closed higher. Materials gained 0.9 per cent, financials gained 0.7 per cent, healthcare and communications both gained 0.8 per cent. Australia's market ended the day in a better position than major asian markets.

Financials were negative for most of the day, but rose in the afternoon thanks to a 1.9 per cent gain in Commonwealth Bank, following its quarterly update, and similar gain in Magellan Financial, and a 1.8 per cent rise in Medibank Private.

[The market] is turning on a dime at the moment,'' said general manager at IC Markets Nick Twidale.

The market is just very sensitive to any fresh developments. Whether that be increasing COVID activity - and thankfully were seeing that pull back - or economic updates, but it could be anything at the moment."

On the macro front, New Zealand's central bank kept rates at 0.25 per cent, but expanded its quantitative easing program and said it was preparing for negative rates.

On the ASX, real estate stocks underperformed, down 1.9 per cent, as Scentre Group dropped 3.6 per cent and Dexus fell 3 per cent.

Meanwhile, Afterpay reached a new high of $43.50 during trade and closed at $43.46, a one-day gain of 4.3 per cent. Evolution Mining also reached a new high of $5.60 before closing at $5.49.
Washington: At the beginning of the novel coronavirus outbreak - and for weeks afterwards - there was one thing Americans could seemingly agree upon: Anthony Fauci.

Today, that's considerably less the case. While Fauci retains the faith of a strong majority of Americans, opposition from Republicans has crept up steadily over the past month or so, as conservative media figures and politicians have increasingly called his advice into question.

Dr Anthony Fauci. Credit:AP

Picking up that mantle in a particularly prominent way on Tuesday was Senator Rand Paul, who spent his time at a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee grilling Fauci and suggesting he shouldn't oversell his knowledge about what might become of the virus - along with Fauci's role in decisions about the response.

Paul pressed Fauci to admit he wasn't the "end-all" when it comes to the response, particularly when it comes to decisions about whether the economy should be reopened at this point.
The General Assemblys return to Springfield comes with a number of precautions. Lawmakers and staff will be asked to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to session, even if they are not exhibiting symptoms or have recovered from an infection. Everyone will be subject to temperature checks upon entering the building, and anyone with a temperature over 100 degrees must leave and should submit to a test for COVID-19," according to session plan documents.
Gilliane Warzee juggles nursing and painting. Her latests artworks pay tribute to Luxembourg's "heroes of the health crisis."

Gilliane Warzee is both a painter and a nurse at Robert-Schuman hospitals. The dedicated health worker recently brought to life a number of paintings "to honour the courage and selflessness" of Luxembourg's medical staff that have relentlessly battled the pandemic for almost two months.

The two portraits seen above represent a nurse and revolve around the "symbolism of trust, empathy, responsibility, and spirituality" - traits that, according to the painter, "characterise so many health professionals." Warzee's exhibition "Immersion" was initially scheduled from 5 May to 27 September but had to be postponed due to the preventive measures.

In her own words, "the luminous appearance of the caring figure" is set against a dark backdrop to invoke "the mythological, philosophical or religious accounts of the human condition and its limits, which are love, sickness and death." The two paintings, she explained, invite the viewer to ask intimate questions about human existence and living in the here and now.
Saudi Arabia's government will re-impose a 24-hour curfew across the entire country during the five-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday at the end of May in a bid to contain a resurgent coronavirus epidemic. It will be a disappointing return to strict lockdown measures for Saudis, who saw the measures lifted before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on April 24.

Like its fellow countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Bahrain and Oman, Saudi Arabia relaxed its coronavirus restrictions ahead of the month of religious fasting. But COVID-19 infections have surged back in recent weeks, forcing the decision to re-impose the curfew for Eid, which marks the end of the holy month.

SAUDI-HEALTH-VIRUS-RAMADAN-ISLAM

A man passes through a self-sterilization gate at an entrance to the Kaaba and the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, as a preventive measure amid the the COVID-19 pandemic during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, May 8, 2020. STR/AFP/Getty

"A total curfew will be imposed in all cities and regions across the Kingdom" from May 23 until May 27, the Saudi Ministry of Interior said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency SPA late on Tuesday.

The decision comes after a sharp rise in infections in the kingdom, which now has the largest outbreak in the Gulf region with more than 40,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

During a recent briefing with reporters, Saudi Health Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabia said the uptick in infections over the past two weeks was also the result of an extensive increase in testing by the ministry, aimed at better tracking the coronavirus to curb its spread.

But regardless, with the numbers soaring, Saudi authorities may be forced to officially call off this year's Hajj pilgrimage.

The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in RIyadh

A Saudi volunteer supervisor checks the temperature of another volunteer before preparing boxes of Iftar meals provided by a charity organization during the holy month of Ramadan, during a coronavirus outbreak in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 10, 2020. Ahmed Yosri/REUTERS

Story continues

Last month, the Saudi government Minister for Hajj and Umrah asked Muslims around the world to wait until there's more clarity about the coronavirus pandemic before making Hajj plans. The ritual, which typically draws tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca and the Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, is due to take place at the end of July.

The Saudi Health Ministry said Tuesday that the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the country had risen to 42,925, with to 264 deaths attributed to the disease.

The risks of reopening too fast or rushing a coronavirus vaccine

Wealth and racial inequalities worsen coronavirus outbreak in Brazil

Health experts warn about risks of reopening economy too quickly
"Hunt Military Communities wanted to celebrate Month of the Military Child in a special way to bring families together and focus on the positive moments that matter the most," said John Ehle, President of Hunt Military Communities. "We were happy to see such a great turnout for the program's first year and learning of the great accomplishments of military children throughout the country."

Dylan Wakefield, Owen Wilson and Joseph Cobb won first, second and third place, respectively. A monetary prize of $1,000 to the first place "Little Hero," $500 to second place and $300 to the third place will be given, with half of each monetary prize donated to a charity of their choosing. Dylan has chosen L.A.M.P., a non-profit organization providing emergency shelter for the homeless. Owen has selected the Shepherd Center, a not-for profit hospital focused on spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. Joseph will be sharing his prize with the Ronald McDonald House Charity. Every child who submitted their story received a special hero cape, mask and a letter of appreciation from HMC. All participants will also receive a special purple coin as a tribute to the coining tradition in the U.S. military.

About Hunt Military Communities

Hunt Military Communities, the largest military housing owner, offers unsurpassed quality and service to more than 180,000 residents in approximately 52,000 homes on Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army installations across the USA. We do this through our core values: safety, kindness, efficiency, enthusiasm and selflessness and our 5-Star Service commitment. For more information, visit www.huntmilitarycommunities.com .

SOURCE Hunt Military Communities

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(TNS)  Thirteen attorneys general asked Amazon to disclose the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths among its workers, data a top executive described as not particularly useful in an interview on 60 Minutes that aired Sunday.The attorneys general, including Washingtons, also sought details of health and safety measures put in place by Amazon and Whole Foods Market and evidence that the companies have complied with state paid sick leave laws. The attorneys general also urged Amazon to reinstate the unlimited unpaid time off policy it canceled at the beginning of the month. They cite local reporting on deaths of at least two Whole Foods workers  in Portland and Swampscott, Mass.  and say a failure to disclose material information to consumers could violate consumer protection laws.Amazon and Whole Foods must take every possible step to protect their employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a news release . We again call on these companies to provide assurances that they are complying with state laws and federal guidance aimed at keeping essential workers safe during this crisis.Meanwhile, employees are looking ahead with trepidation to May 16, when Amazons $2-an-hour coronavirus pay increase is set to expire. Dave Clark, Amazons senior vice president of worldwide operations, said in the 60 minutes interview that executives have not yet decided whether to extend the pay increases.Amazon executives and spokespeople have consistently declined to disclose a tally of the pandemics toll on the companys 935,000-person workforce. An employee in Indiana, Jana Jump, has tracked more than 600 cases and at least six deaths among the companys workers.I dont have the number right on me at this moment because its not a particularly useful number, Clark said in the interview. He said infection rates among the companys workers have been generally just under rates in surrounding communities.The attorneys general want Amazon to provide infection tallies on a state-by-state basis.They also asked for the company to document its compliance with state paid sick leave laws, and said in the letter they were deeply disappointed that Amazon has not offered more generous paid leave to employees, comparable to whats available at companies with fewer than 500 employees under the Families First Corona Response Act.Paid sick leave is among the demands Amazon workers have made in petitions, isolated walkouts and interviews during the pandemic. The company has said employees diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in quarantine would receive up to two weeks of pay. It also allows employees to apply for unpaid leaves of absence, but those who dont qualify can now be fired if they dont come to work out of safety concerns.If theres no reason not to be at work and you choose to stay home  youd have to use your unpaid time off or [use] your other paid time off options in order to remain at home, Clark said in the 60 Minutes interview. And if you run out of all those options you would need to come back to work or yes, it would result in separation from [the] company.Amazon has detailed the health and safety measures it is implementing in response to the pandemic, and their costs  as much as $4 billion in the current quarter . Clark led a video tour of what appeared to be Amazons Kent fulfillment center, highlighting automated temperature scanners at the entrance, coronavirus testing on site, mobile hand-washing stations, disinfectant sprays and other measures.I think weve been early on the curve to this than most employers, particularly major employers in the U.S., Clark said.The attorneys general suggest that the measures the company has taken are not being consistently deployed across Amazons hundreds of warehouses and grocery stores: We are dismayed to have heard multiple reports of Amazon warehouses with inadequate PPE and hand sanitizer, inability to practice social distancing, limited opportunity to wash hands, and other deficiencies that put employees at risk. They note that Amazon has attended immediately to specific health and safety concerns raised by some attorneys general individually.In addition to those in Washington and Massachusetts, attorney generals offices in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Pennsylvania co-signed the letter, sent Monday to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey.
Pubs and clubs will be allowed to open their restaurants from Friday as part of the Berejiklian government's push to revive the economy when NSW relaxes some coronavirus restrictions.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet confirmed on Wednesday night that pubs and clubs will join cafes and restaurants in allowing patrons back in to dine.

Pubs and clubs will be able to open their restaurants from Friday. Credit:Getty Images AsiaPac

The restaurants will be forced to stick to strict social distancing measures, which include only 10 people in a venue at any time.

Bars and gaming facilities will remain closed but table service for alcohol with a meal is allowed and takeaway services can continue.
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Telangana continued to witness a rise in COVID-19 cases with 41 fresh cases being reported on Wednesday, besides two deaths as those returning to the state added to the numbers.

Out of the 41 fresh cases, 31 are from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), while 10 others are people who returned to the state, a COVID-19 bulletin issued by the state government on Wednesday night said.

State Health Minister E Rajender quoted Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao as having directed that more precautions should be taken as people were arriving in the state after the Centre permitted relaxations in the lockdownmeasures.

Rajender said initially the virus spread in the state was from foreign returnees followed by those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi.

Now, the virus can spread through people who are returning to the state, according to an official release.

Those returning by flights are being quarantined in hotels.

He said people arriving by trains or motor vehicles were being tested and sent home for self-quarantine after being stamped.

In villages, the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) are identifying those who arrived in recent days and monitoring their health during home quarantine, it said.

According to the release, 798 people have returned to the state in flights, while 239 and 41,805 have come to the state in trains and by road respectively till date since lockdown.

Rajender appealed to the people to be more alert as more number of people are coming out in view of the relaxations announced recently.

According to the bulletin, the number of people who succumbed to the virus rose to 34 following the two deaths.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 1,367.

As many as 117 people were discharged from hospitals after recovery on Wednesday, taking the total to 939.

The number of people undergoing treatment for the virus (active cases) was 394, the bulletin said.

It also said 35 people have tested positive for the virus as on date.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man was rescued off the coast of Dublin last night after getting into trouble while fishing.

The Howth RNLI lifeboat was called to the scene at around 7.30pm.
YEREVAN -- An Armenian court has denied bail to former President Robert Kocharian, who faces charges of overthrowing the constitutional order and bribery.

Kocharian's lawyers and three former Armenian prime ministers had petitioned the court in Yerevan to release the former president from custody when his high-profile trial resumed last week following a two-month pause.

Speaking during the May 8 hearing, the 65-year-old Kocharian claimed to be at risk of contracting the coronavirus in prison given his age and health problems.

He said that despite being alone in his cell, the conditions did not allow him to "maintain safe physical distance."

Previous petitions submitted by Kocharian's lawyers calling for their client to be released from detention had been rejected.

Prosecutors oppose such a move, saying the man who ruled Armenia from 1998 to 2008 could flee prosecution or obstruct justice.

On May 12, the ex-president underwent surgery at a Yerevan hospital for the second time in seven months.

Kocharian's office did not reveal what medical condition the ex-president had, but said he was now in a "satisfactory" state.

The ex-president was not present in the courtroom on May 13.

Kocharian is standing trial along with three other former officials on charges stemming from his alleged role in a 2008 postelection crackdown on the opposition, as well as for taking bribes. He rejects the charges as politically motivated.

The next court hearing is scheduled for May 19.
At least 23 children infected



by COVID-19 were undergoing treatment at the dedicated COVID- 19 hospital in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city, a health official said on Wednesday.

As many as 23 children between the ages of two to 12 years have tested positive in Aurangabad and were undergoing treatment at the COVID-19 hospital here, said Dr Bharati Nagare, head of the hospital's paediatrics department.

"While adults understand the dos and don'ts of being in quarantine, it is a challenge to prepare these children for treatment that lasts for at least two weeks," she said.

Apart from the treatment protocol, children also find it difficult to relate to doctors and other staff, who often walk around them wearing PPE kits.

"They are worried and scared when they see us in our protective gear. We try to assuage their fears by telling them that we are their companions for the next few days," the doctor said.

While some children are quarantined with family members, few were in the care of hospital staff, she said.

Parents who tested negative wished to stay with their infected children, but the hospital did not allow them, she said, adding that they get regular updates about their child's condition over phone.

A two-week stay at a COVID-19 facility can be nerve- wreaking for many, but doctors and staff of the paediatric ward try their best to keep the environment positive and hopeful, she said.

"We try to make the hospital stay for children as exciting as possible, by engaging them in light exercises and interesting activities," Nagare said.

The courage with which these children are battling the deadly virus was admirable, she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 00:09:01|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday approved "a double-urgency motion" which, in case of turning into law, would oblige the Iranian government to take certain measures against "hostile measures" of Israel.

The 14-article motion bill was passed with 43 votes in favor, according to Tehran Times daily.

One of the articles states that "the historic land of Palestine belongs to the original Palestinian people."

Also, according to the bill, "the government of Iran will be obligated to impose bans on all economic, commercial and financial institutions of Israel whose shares belong to Israeli citizens or which are registered in the occupied territories," said the report.

On Tuesday, Chairman of Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Mojtaba Zonnour said while the world is distracted with the novel coronavirus pandemic, Israel "is doing everything it can to put Iran's interests at risk."

In the day, the Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani urged the commission to address the motion as soon as possible so that the parliament can vote on it at the beginning of next week. Enditem
A university technology worker, a pediatrician and a longtime Capitol insider are waging intense campaigns to be the next Democrat to represent a state House district that covers much of Portlands west side.

All three espouse politically liberal public policies that would put them in line many other members of the Democratic supermajority in the Oregon House. Two have close ties to the states largest public employee unions, which are playing a significant role in the race.

Lisa Reynolds, a pediatrician and activist with the gun safety group Moms Demand Action and co-founder of the anti-Trump agenda group Indivisible Oregon, differs from her opponents in that she says she would at least consider suspending a major new business tax during the pandemic-fueled economic downturn.

Rob Fullmer, an IT specialist at Portland State University who is both a member and leader within the Service Employees International Union Local 503, says the tax was carefully tailored so that companies doing less business will have smaller tax bills. Laurie Wimmer, a longtime lobbyist for the statewide teachers union, said the money for public education is too important to lose.

As of Tuesday, Wimmer had outraised her opponents with nearly $148,000 in reported political donations, much of the largest amounts coming from unions. Her top supporters are United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 555 ($20,600), the Portland teachers union ($15,000) and a firm run by political consultant Michael Selvaggio ($14,500) which reported donating campaign support ranging from Facebook ads and graphic design to postage for campaign mailers.

Fullmers campaign reported raising $114,000 with Fullmer supplying by far the largest chunk of money ($50,000). The political action committee for SEIU Local 503 was the second biggest contributor ($7,000) followed by Gabrielle Cosgriff ($5,300), a journalist in Texas.

Reynolds had pulled in $79,000 and reported the most in small donations of $100 or less  $18,200. Her biggest financial supporter is the Oregon Medical Association ($5,000) followed by family member Barbara Reynolds ($5,000) and Ching Wu, a marketing professional based in San Francisco ($4,000).

As The Oregonian/OregonLive reported last week, Wimmer and Fullmers election efforts also stand to benefit indirectly from a political action committee called No Fake Democrats which received a total of $25,500 from the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and several public employee unions, including the Oregon Education Association for which Wimmer works. In fact, all the donors to No Fake Democrats also gave cash directly to Wimmers campaign, with the exception of the American Federation of Teachers which gave $1,000 to Fullmer.

Wimmer wrote in an email Tuesday that she doesnt have any control over what other political action committees do. Im focused on communicating a positive and uplifting message about the progressive policies I will deliver in the Legislature.

The No Fake Democrats political action committee attacked Reynolds in a video for having donated money to, and written an op-ed in support of, Republican Knute Buehler when he ran for secretary of state in 2012, for a House seat in 2014 and for governor in 2018. Reynolds has explained that Buehlers wife, Patty, is a close friend going back to their time as kindergarten classmates. Patty Buehler contributed $400 to Reynolds campaign.

A fourth Democrat, Department of Forestry staffer Adam Meyer, is also on the ballot and reported raising nearly $24,000, largely from his family or himself. He has recently reported little spending, other than to purchase signs.

Here are the three candidates 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?

Fullmer: I was brought up by a single mom who struggled to support me and my brother, and I attended 10 schools in three states before graduating high school. Public school was a lifeline for me, and Ive spent my career trying to strengthen education to help ensure future generations have the same opportunities I did. I have extensive expertise with state - wide higher education policy, a decade of successfully fighting to improve the lives of front-line and low wage workers and several years of civic budgeting experience, and I have been a neighborhood leader and environmental activist.

Reynolds: I am a physician. I have prepared my entire career for this moment. As a pediatrician, I am constantly surveilling, measuring and tracking infectious diseases.

My keen understanding of contagion, of testing and of public health principles and my ability to communicate these concepts make me a uniquely qualified candidate during this challenging time.

The 2021-2 legislative session (and beyond) will be focused entirely on pandemic response and recovery. It is vital that we have medical specialists leading the way. Ive taken the first step to propose a framework that I call House Bill 1: The Oregon Pandemic Recovery Act.

Wimmer: This region has sent two majority leaders and a Ways and Means (budget-writing) co-chair to the Legislature in recent years; it is a vibrant district with high expectations for expertise in policymaking, and that is exactly what I alone bring to this race.

I have invested nearly 30 years in achieving policy wins for Oregons working families  paid family leave and the Student Success Act are just two examples. I will hit the ground running as House District 36s next representative, experienced in bringing people together to break through gridlock and deliver key wins for the people.

Oregon businesses have called for a suspension or temporary modification of the new gross receipts tax to fund education. Do you support this?

Reynolds: We are at a once-in-a-century threat to our health and to our economy. We are headed to an economic depression. Oregons unemployment is skyrocketing from 3.3% in early March to 15-20% this month. This risk to our lives and our livelihoods must be met with bold corrective action. Nothing is off the table. And so, yes, I would consider suspending the corporate activity tax for two or three quarters. Businesses that supported the tax in 2019 are requesting this. Suspending the tax can keep more Oregonians employed during this unprecedented crisis.

Wimmer: I oppose delaying the corporate activities tax because that would be unnecessary and hurtful to children. We developed the tax to fund the Student Success Act in a way that stabilizes our schools while applying to only a tiny percentage (less than 10%) of businesses operating in Oregon. Amazon has made $24 billion during the COVID-19 crisis; why would we delay collecting tax revenues from them? Those businesses with receipts in excess of $1 million, even in this crisis, may have a half-percent tax after deducting 35% of labor or inputs, and some may pay late without penalty.

Fullmer: No. The tax was carefully designed (to) apply only to commercial activity in excess of $1 million at a very low rate at 0.57% with plenty of carve-outs for low-margin businesses. With the sharp economic downturn, companies whose business has dropped precipitously are undertaking far less commercial activity and as a result will owe far less based on that.

Companies in sectors which are in demand due to the pandemic have seen commercial activity pick up and will pay more. The states budget will be under enough pressure without forgoing taxes for schools from companies currently doing fine.

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?

Wimmer: I believe that transparency is good for democracy because it affords accountability and citizen access to the government institutions that serve the people. I believe we should do everything possible to improve it in Oregon.

Some personal information should be exempted, with respect to safety and personal privacy of individuals, especially data that has no bearing on ones job. Victims of stalking and domestic violence need meaningful protection, for instance. I want the public records advocate to be entirely independent and for the Fourth Estate to have a greater level of access for the sake of keeping government honest.

Fullmer: There are over 500 exemptions to public records laws, some of which are related to security, some to confidentiality, many of them to courts, mediation, sealed documents and juries.

While Im not an expert on public records laws, the purpose of the Oregon Sunshine Committee is to review those laws to improve access to public information, and as a legislator I would follow their recommendations and work to both increase transparency and also ensure the press is not subject to excessive fees for public record information request fulfillment.

Reynolds: I am not an expert on this topic. And there is a lack of easily accessible analyses. The list of exemptions on the Oregon Department of Justice website is 26 pages long!

I believe we need more transparency in government, at all levels. Elected officials and agency employees need to be 100% accountable to the people of Oregon. I am continually disappointed in the actions that belie the promises of more transparency by government leaders. Oregon can and should do better.

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?

Fullmer: The governor didnt have the legal authority to set up a cap-and-trade market across the whole Oregon economy, so large segments still remain to be regulated under a full statewide plan to help us move quickly to renewable sources. Under the executive order, new revenue from carbon fees, which would have been used to invest in green energy infrastructure and to offset potential increased costs to impacted communities, isnt available. So, the next step is to implement cap-and-trade statewide and make polluters pay. That may be a challenge while the walkout loophole exists.

Reynolds: I repeat the caveat above: The 2021 legislative session will be wholly focused on pandemic issues, including a safe re-opening of our economy and Oregons

recovery from the 2020 depression.

However, Oregon must act aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I support the cap-and-trade bill. Republican lawmakers do not. We need to work with Republican lawmakers to find a climate change action two Republican lawmakers can live with, such as 100% clean energy, or we need to change quorum requirements. Neither option will be easy in the short term, especially in the pandemic crisis.

Wimmer: Ideally, the Legislature should work to bolster relationships across the aisle and with both chambers to build a better basis for revisiting some version of the cap-and-invest bill all can live with if not love. Then, a better public education component should precede consideration of that bill, to build broader support and short-circuit misunderstandings.

Many bills require multiple attempts to pass, so I have faith that we can try again. Meanwhile, Id like to see more support for affordable innovations in transportation and energy products, built in Oregon, putting our people to work in family-wage jobs.

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?

Reynolds: The PERS investment portfolio, like the investments and market-based savings for so many Oregonians and Oregon institutions, has seen a huge loss in the global economic downturn wrought by COVID-19. The able management by Oregon Treasury has mitigated the losses compared with other states pension funds. And there will be substantial recovery in the long term.

It is too soon to consider changes to PERS benefits until we know where the portfolio stands once we are past the worst of the economic damage. But, in this once-in-a-century catastrophe, nothing should be off the table.

Wimmer: I would like to take legacy costs out of the budgets of public entities and make the liability a single line-item in the state budget, to deal with it more creatively and honestly. Solutions are elusive when politicized by pitting foster children against caseworkers or students against teachers. Whether the unfunded portion should be bonded or paid for elsewise is a question I will pursue with experts and stakeholders, but I would not support unconstitutional promise-breaking or burdening newer employees with a takings of some of their earned benefit (what I call a public employee tax).

Fullmer: Our state has a real and present emergency to deal with immediately with the health and economic effects of COVID-19 on Oregonians. PERS employer rates are set through the 2021-23 biennium.

The Legislature will be in a better position to evaluate any necessary next steps based on economic and market conditions and the fiscal health of state and local government in 2022 than we are today.

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?

Wimmer: The income gap has widened in recent years, even when the stock market was soaring. Those at the top are surviving the pandemic better than those whose access to housing, college, health care, nutrition , and mental health supports was a struggle even before coronavirus.

Because our revenue code tends to favor the affluent, even during economic downturns, I would end tax breaks for the wealthy to free up revenue for necessary support services, and I would dramatically increase rental assistance to enable more people to have safe shelter during and after the crisis.

Fullmer: Id advocate to pass legislation that makes gig workers employees, not contractors, and make it easier for those workers to organize. The decline of the middle class has tracked directly with the reduced participation in organized labor and working peoples resulting inability to stand together and demand fair wages and treatment from their employers. Until this power asymmetry is brought into balance, workers will continue to be vulnerable.

Reynolds: Research shows that 35% of Multnomah county residents do not make enough income for their basic needs, even while the average Portland household income is significantly increasing. The depression that we are facing will require bold action to design our economic recovery in a way that rights longstanding wrongs. I have proposed Oregon COVID bonds to drive investment to rebuild an Oregon that is stronger and more equitable. I envision units of affordable and supportive housing and rent assistance as well as universal preschool and childcare. These proposals will go a long way to improving the inequities in Oregon.

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

-- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
For medical professionals, the goal would be to establish a hospital or a new, special facility for the admission of people infected with Covid-19.

Such a facility could allow the other hospitals to focus on the other patients again which have indeed been put on the backburner for the past weeks.

Thanks to its service for infectious diseases, the CHL was the first hospital to deal with cases of Covid-19. However, due to the rapid spread of the virus, the other hospitals had to adapt as well. According to the director of the CHL, Dr Romain Nati, the idea of a centralised Covid-19 hospital is far from reality: "You should know that there are no Covid-negative-hospitals and also no Covid-negative-medical-practices. The virus has spread to all parts of society. We know that some people are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. And in all locations where patients are admitted you have to take measures".

According to the director of the CHL, every hospital would therefore still require a Covid and a non-Covid department and follow the sanitary measures which do require a lot of personnel. Meanwhile, medical professionals are criticising the separated work flows in hospitals. With extremely limited possibility for what was previously considered everyday treatment. Even now entire operating rooms are unavailable because of this decision.

According to the vice president of the association of doctors and dentists (AMMD), Dr Philippe Wilmes, it is also in the interest of the patient to find a way to limit the two hospital departments to the emergency room: "We have over 20,000 patients today who in the past 8 weeks were not able to go through an important examination or surgery. They still need to be cared for. We cannot treat them with 30% of the capacities from before the crisis started. We know that even before the crisis, capacities were often not enough".

In order to make up for the delay and guarantee medical treatment for Covid and non-Covid patients even during a possible second Covid-19 wave, a unified national approach is required. Either in a hospital or in a facility which can be built next to an already existing hospital.

"Like they did in China, for example. There are experts on this matter available abroad who we could hire to construct such facilities near a hospital. The national structure would then of course be used by the four hospitals. There are some great models for this here in Luxembourg, like INCCI, where a number of hospitals use a shared infrastructure".

According to AMMD, they requested a meeting with the Minister of Health, Paulette Lenert to discuss such a concept and are currently awaiting a response.

For the national coordinator of hospitals during the Covid-19 crisis, Dr Philippe Turk, the idea of a centralised facility is reasonable only once a small number of Covid-patients are hospitalised with a maximum of 10 in intensive care. Any more, and especially during a second wave, other hospitals would need to jump in again to take on the influx of patients. This is mainly due to the fact that Covid-patients in intensive treatment units require highly technical medical care and a lot of medical personnel.

"Of course, later on you can ask whether we should focus on two facilities instead of four but this is all up for discussion. We also have a meeting next week with the Minister of Health and the administrations of the hospitals to discuss this"

However, the federation of hospitals has already declared in a letter to the Minister of Health on Monday that they currently do not see a need for a Covid-19 hospital.

Meanwhile, the CHL has stated that once the number of Covid-19 patients has sufficiently decreased; so that the national service of infectious diseases can handle the situation with their 18 beds, it would be willing to regroup all of them.
Mike Pompeo waived strict coronavirus travel restrictions to fly to Israel on Wednesday for a lightning visit, meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu and his power-sharing partner Benny Gantz to discuss a Middle East peace deal and Israeli plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

The six-hour visit came just a day before Mr Netanyahus unity government with Mr Gantz, a former army chief, was due to be sworn in, and as violence flared in the Palestinian territory.

Hours before the US secretary of state touched down in Tel Aviv, an Israeli soldier shot and killed a 15-year-old Palestinian during a confrontation near the city of Hebron.

A manhunt was also underway after an Israeli soldier was killed on Wednesday during an army raid in the north.

With permission to ignore Israels mandatory two-week quarantine for foreign visitors, Mr Pompeo donned a red, white and blue face mask and headed straight to meetings in Jerusalem.

There he expressed his condolences for the soldiers death, saying Israel has the right to defend itself.

He discussed about issues with Iran as well as advancing Donald Trumps peace plan, which in January triggered widespread condemnation from the Palestinians, Arab states and members of the international community, including the UK, for crushing hopes of a viable Palestinian state.

Labelled as the most pro-Israeli vision for the Middle East, the document hands the contested city of Jerusalem to Israel as its capital in addition to 30 per cent of the West Bank.

The occupied territory is home to over 3 million Palestinians, as well as some 750,000 Israelis who live in settlements deemed illegal under international law.

There remains work yet to do, and we need to make progress on that. Im looking forward to it, Mr Pompeo said of moves to implement the peace plan.

He later met Mr Gantz, who in 18 months time is set to become Israels prime minister in a rotation deal with Mr Netanayhu. The ex-army chiefs spokesperson said Mr Pompeo looked at the different avenues for bringing about [the peace plans] realisation.

Ahead of the visit, Mr Pompeo told Israel Hayom that it was ultimately Israels decision to push ahead with annexation.

On Wednesday, Mr Pompeo also spoke about Iran during his trip, claiming the regime was using its resources to foment terror across the world, even while struggling with the coronavirus pandemic.

With Mr Trump facing election in November, Mr Netanyahu and his nationalist support base are keen to move ahead quickly with unilaterally taking over parts of the West Bank like the strategic Jordan Valley.

The premier hopes to maximise the Trump administrations pro-annexation stance, particularly as presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, has repeatedly said he opposes annexation plans.

But Israel is facing mounting pressure to ditch the plans from outside the States.

On Monday, the UKs junior Foreign Office minister James Cleverly spoke out against the imminent annexation of parts of the West Bank, telling the British parliament it would make a two-state solution with the Palestinians more difficult to achieve.

The EU is also reportedly mulling sanctions against Israel should it press ahead with annexation. Earlier this month, some 130 British MPs also urged the UK to do the same in a letter to Boris Johnson.

Divisions have even appeared within the US administration on the matter, Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former US ambassador to Israel told The Independent.

There has been hesitation from the US recently, he said, pointing out that Jared Kushner, Mr Trumps son-in-law who co-authored the peace deal, suggested Israel not move too quickly with carving up the West Bank.

There is a divided US administration... does it want to be dealing with a major foreign policy problem at the same time as the coronavirus? There is no certainty that support for annexation is an electoral boost for the administration, he added.

He noted that a six-hour visit to Israel amid intense coronavirus restrictions and fears it could pose a risk to health was crazy.

Addressing the secretary of state on Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu hinted that the formation of his new government with Mr Gantz would allow Israel to push ahead with annexation.

Under the terms of the new unity government deal, the government can begin pushing forward legislation allowing annexation from the 1 July.

Mr Netanyahu, Israels longest-serving prime minister, has battled to hold on to power after being indicted on corruption charges he vehemently denies.

Following three inconclusive elections in less than a year and weeks of fierce negotiations, he managed to cement a power-sharing rotation deal with Mr Gantz.

Under the arrangement, Mr Netanyahu remains prime minister for 18 months, before the Mr Gantz takes over for the second half of the term.

Mr Gantz, less hawkish than Mr Netanyahu, previously insisted that annexation not be unilateral but instead implemented in coordination with the international community.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians seek these territories for a future independent state.

Most of the international community considers these settlements a violation of international law and obstacles to peace.
[May 13, 2020] Guardhat Lauded by Frost & Sullivan for Setting the Industry Benchmark in Worforce Connected Safety

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 13, 2020 /CNW/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the global connected safety market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Detroit-based Guardhat, Inc. with the 2020 Global Company of the Year Award. Guardhat developed the underlying technology, an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, and visualization capabilities to bridge last-mile connectivity between wearable personal protective equipment and enterprise systems. Instant insight into situational context offers Guardhat operators and on-site personnel a deeper understanding of the way people and assets interact. It enhances decision-making by presenting users with a comprehensive view of their facilities. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents a Company of the Year award to the organization that demonstrates excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation in its field. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, and the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration. "Guardhat's home-grown control center platform, KYRA, ties together multi-model data from disparate elements and formats into a single analytics engine, delivering new levels of visibility into a users mobility, position, floor level, proximity, and relationship to other workers and assets," said Sanjiv Bhaskar Industry Analyst and VP at Frost & Sullivan. "Its platform and analytics engine have a unique capability to process massive amounts of real-time data, geo-stamped and time-tagged with specific event information. This presents a unified, human-centric view and status assessment that empowers enterprises to improve safety management and reduce workplace injuries by up to 20 percent." Guardhat's agile IoT component links with a form factor - such as a mobile application, hardhat, or tags - to monitor a users ocation, condition, and immediate environment in real-time. Its intelligent system handles a range of data inputs and consolidates information about a spectrum of devices and wearable data sources. Guardhat's value proposition lies in its ability to communicate this information so enterprises can address issues proactively. In an industrial setup with typically limited communication capabilities, it improves response times and productivity, opening up the potential of Big Data.



The Guardhat system integrates with any connectable sensor and a variety of third-party platforms. Through partnerships and an expanding customer base, it continues to increase its footprint across industriesco-branding products and developing robust and scalable enterprise solutions. These alliances give the company access to a diverse industrial workforce in North America, Europe, Russia, Brazil, and India. "Guardhat's solutions have found enthusiastic adoption in a range of industries such as utilities, telecom, mining, construction, chemicals, oil & gas, and heavy manufacturing," noted Bhaskar. "Its visionary leadership, intelligent proprietary software, and stellar growth through strategic partnerships further strengthen its position at the forefront of the industrial connected safety market."

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Harley Gadomski

P: 12104778469

E: [email protected]om About Guardhat, Inc. Detroit-based Guardhat is a leading industrial IoT technology company specialized in developing wearables, infrastructure, and software platforms to provide a safer and more productive work environment for frontline industrial workers in heavy manufacturing industries. Founded in October 2014 by industry veterans and former steel & mining CEO Saikat Dey, Guardhat's mission is to modernize safety and enhance last mile connectivity in the industrial workplace. By combining a cutting-edge, wearable technology with advanced proprietary software, Guardhat is able to proactively monitor a user's location, health, and work environment. The software platform collects and analyzes on-the-job data, which is used to enhance industrial worker safety and productivity programs. Based out of its headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, Guardhat operates globally with offices in Boulder, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Bangalore, India; and Paris, France. Guardhat holds 8 patents across areas of Connected Worker, Real Time Location Systems, and Wearable Solutions. For more information, visit www.guardhat.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/guardhat-lauded-by-frost--sullivan-for-setting-the-industry-benchmark-in-worforce-connected-safety-301058632.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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T he birth of the 100th NHS baby at a London private hospital used by royalty and celebrities was announced today.

Baby Tony was born at The Portland hospital for Women and Children.

His mother Krystina had originally been due to give birth at Barnet hospital but became the 100th mum-to-be to be transferred to the Portland during the coronavirus pandemic.

The hospital, near Harley Street, is delivering higher-risk NHS babies to allow London NHS hospitals to focus on treating Covid-19 patients.

It was chosen by Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex for the birth of Archie last May.

Archie was born at The Portland hospital / REUTERS

Krystina and husband Mario, who had been trying to conceive for two years, were advised against a natural birth when a 37-week scan showed the baby had grown big in the womb.

Tony was delivered by caesarean by obstetrician Christian Barnick on April 24.

Krystina said: I had always wanted a natural birth - it had been in our birthing plan from the beginning - but the baby had other ideas!

Births at The Portland, whose celebrity patients have included Victoria Beckham, Liz Hurley and Kate Winslet, normally cost from about 6,100 but it is only charging the NHS the basic cost of care.

The Portland Hospital for Women and Children in London / PA

The couple, whose surname has not been disclosed, felt the hospital did everything possible to minimise the risk of coronavirus.

Krystina said: Before admission, I was tested for the virus, and my husband was temperature checked on arrival, which was immediately reassuring.

"We truly felt that the hospital was taking a lot of precautions to keep us safe.

Mother and baby were discharged home after one night. Krystina, a first-time mother, was helped to breastfeed.

It really helped me bond with Tony, especially as I was unable to change him or pick him up at the beginning, she said. Im still breastfeeding now, two weeks later.

Mario said: It was anxious time, theres no denying that, especially as wed built up to this moment for so long.

But I can honestly say, from the second we entered The Portland Hospital, every member of staff were amazing. We couldnt have asked for a more magical experience.

"That first moment, when the midwife closed the door to our room and we were alone together for the first time as a family of three  it was so special and something we will never forget.

"We couldnt be more grateful to the doctors and midwives who helped make it so wonderful. Honestly the care we all received was second-to-none - we couldnt fault it.

"We've already decided that if were lucky enough to get pregnant again, that we without a doubt will be choosing The Portland Hospital.

"After this experience, we honestly wouldnt want to give birth anywhere else.

The only downside is that the coronavirus pandemic has prevented them showing off Tony to family and friends, due to the social distancing restrictions.

Of course, having a new baby is tough during coronavirus as we desperately want to show him off to family and friends, but that will come with time, Mario said.

Right now, were incredibly grateful to all be happy and healthy.

The hospital, in Great Portland Street, which is run by HCA Healthcare, delivered its first NHS babies at the start of April.

Twins Ellis (right) and Kayan

It is working in partnership with NHS hospitals such as North Middlesex, in Edmonton, The Whittington, in Archway, and Barnet  handling higher-risk planned births, such as those of twins and some caesareans.

Twin boys Ellis and Kyan, from Barnet, and baby girl Elisa from Waltham Abbey, were the first to be born.

The Portland is the UKs largest private childrens hospital. It has a 10-bed intensive care unit, 46 paediatric beds and 155 consultant paediatricians who treat children from birth to the age of 18.
Mizoram Board of School Education has declared the HSLC or class 12th board exam results on its official website. Candidates who had appeared for the exam can visit the official website of MBSE at mbse.edu.in to check their results online.

The MBSE Higher School Leaving Certificate exam was conducted from February 17 to March 3.

Candidates can download their scorecard online by logging in using their roll number and registration. Follow these steps to check the result:

Visit the official website of MBSE at mbse.edu.in

Click on the MBSE HSLC result link scrolling on the homepage

You will be redirected to India results page

Key in your roll number and registration ID and submit

Your result will be displayed on the screen

Download and take its pint out.

Direct link to check the MBSE HSLC Result 2020

Mizoram board HSSLC (Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate) or class 12th exam was scheduled to be held from February 28 to March 30. However, some papers were left pending after the nationwide lockdown was imposed. The remaining HSSLC exam was then conducted from April 22 to 24.

The Mizoram HSSLC Class 12th result is awaited. Candidates are advised to visit the official website at mbse.edu.in to get regular updates.
Due to a spike in the number of reported coronavirus cases, Lebanon is reimposing a national stay-at-home order for four days, beginning Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The government announced the order on Tuesday afternoon. Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad said that during this temporary shutdown, the government will conduct more coronavirus testing and ramp up contact tracing. Residents have been told to steer clear of gatherings and go out only in case of an emergency.

Lebanon, home to five million people, has 870 confirmed coronavirus cases and 26 deaths. Earlier in the pandemic, the country enacted a national shutdown that saw most residents staying at home, but late last month, beauty salons, some restaurants, and a small number of other businesses were able to start reopening. For a few days, the number of new cases didn't get higher than the single digits, but the infection rate jumped to 36 on Saturday.

About 11,300 Lebanese nationals are set to return to the country via Middle East Airlines, and health officials said on one recent flight, there were 25 infected passengers on board, NPR reports. On Tuesday, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said repatriated citizens must remain in self-quarantine and "abide by what is asked of them in order to avoid legal action."

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Angela wears suit, Veronica Beard, Harvey Nichols. Blouse, Balenciaga, mytheresa.com. Earrings, Aeyde. Socks, Oroblu, uktights.com. Shoes, Jimmy Choo. Rug, knotsrugs.co.uk

She had the dream job, the handsome husband, the perfect life  so nothing prepared The One Show presenter ANGELA SCANLON for the crushing sense of loss she felt after becoming a mother. She tells Sophie Heawood what it took to get her back on track

Angela Scanlon is an absolute riot, almost shrieking as she recalls her return to work as a television presenter after having her daughter two years ago. She was desperate to find the fastest commute from her house in North London to the set of her BBC interiors makeover show Your Home Made Perfect, and found it on the back of a motorbike driven by a lad called Damon, 45 minutes each way, clutching my industrial-sized breast pump so I could whack it on in my lunch break, she says.

The hospital-grade equipment had seemed a canny purchase after breastfeeding went badly, despite that expectation that youll be a natural. If you had told me it would feel like squeezing razor blades through my nipples then at least I could have braced myself for that, she laughs, adding that she had a brief moment of looking down and thinking, I wasted my boobs for all these years. I should have got them out more  its too late now.

Its impossible not to cackle along with the Irish redhead, although the way the camera seems to lap her up on set at our photo shoot suggests that nothing in her life is late at all; rather, her career is building nicely towards who knows what peak? Motherhood, though, has been a rockier ride, as she will later explain.

Angela, 36, from Ratoath in County Meath, began her TV career in Dublin, after her work in clothes shops and as a personal shopper  combined with her gift of the gab  led to her being asked to appear as a style pundit. She has since presented The One Show, Robot Wars and worked on The Voice, as well as creating her own documentaries  in fact, her career was kickstarted by Oi Ginger!, in which she sought to explore gingerism as the last remaining acceptable prejudice, she says, laughing again.

At 30, she married her boyfriend Roy Horgan, who runs his own tech company, and, she says, after such a busy time working in Dublin, when I rocked up the aisle I basically had to say, Hi, do you remember me? He was trying to close a round of funding on his first business; I was travelling so much and pretending to producers that I already lived in London when we couldnt yet afford to, and kept sneaking back home.

Left: With Your Home Made Perfects architects Laura Jane Clark and Robert Jamison Right: Angela with her husband Roy Horgan

After moving to London and finally buying a house, and with Angela  who grew up one of four sisters  already becoming an auntie, it seemed like the right time to start a family. Yet the reality of having a baby sent her reeling  she didnt even fully understand that she was giving birth. I knew I had the bump, knew wed bought the cot and I had my labour plan  but I wasnt really thinking about the next 18 frigging years. So when we went to the hospital with me eight centimetres dilated and asked them what was going to happen, they were like, Youre going to have a baby. And I was like, What, now? No! I dont even have an overnight bag! It was as if I hadnt quite connected the two  it just hadnt landed with me, you know? Having spent so many years building her name, constantly on the move and ticking the boxes of success, Angela says she found it hard to surrender to the helplessness a baby puts in front of you.

I didnt realise that my whole identity was tied up in my work. Always reaching for things  if I can get to that other job, to that next gig, then Ill be all right. Always looking forward, no matter how far I had come. In my little book of things I wanted to do, I had done quite a lot of them. So then you have this amazing little human and youre supposed to feel pretty good and she pauses, her voice turning quieter at the memory of it, I didnt really.

Social media had given me a sense that everybody had it all figured out, that the baby comes and then youre in this glorious little love bubble. Well, I was scrambling. Suddenly youre literally stuck on the couch. You know the line, A baby is born but a mother is born as well?

I think we put pressure on ourselves that we should know exactly what to do, but I felt like a giant baby myself.

It took a long time for me to give myself a break and realise, OK, youre not supposed to know what youre doing here. You learn with her. And I think that has been a theme for me, because Ive never really allowed myself to be an amateur at anything.

She wonders if there was a certain Irish pressure in her predicament, especially when, from the outside, her life looked so perfect. Where she comes from, there is always that sense of, Come on, you have everything you wanted; you made your bed, now lie in it. Theres very little nuance. But you can also feel a lurching sense of loss when you become a mother.

What has helped? Learning to be right there, in the room, breathing. Learning to get lost in her, in the present, without thinking, Right, what am I supposed to be doing? Its like a little meditation, you know?

Dress and shoes, Louis Vuitton. Earrings, Safsafu. Tights, Oroblu, uktights.com

She brightens her tone. But some people do feel that on the day they give birth. Good for them! Delighted for you, she adds, with a wicked hint of mischief. I breathed it out through a golden thread, she says, impersonating the sort of earth mothers one might read about on Goop. Well, I was too late for an epidural so I was chugging on that gas and air like it was going out of fashion.

Two years later shes in great spirits and in love with her daughter, whose name and face she and Roy try to keep private. But they are still slightly in shock: Were still figuring it out. As for social media, you might see the tiniest glimpse of their little girl in Angelas public photos, so its funny when we meet people we know and they say, My God, I can see her face! Ive only seen the back of her head until now. I dont think theres a wrong or a right answer to all of that, though  whatever parenting decision you make, youre probably going to be up at 2am at some point worrying about it.

Its also taken until now for her to realise that her husbands attitudes arent always the norm. He always said, I know that you want family but I also know how important career is, and I never want you to feel like youve been stopped from giving it a shot, which I maybe took for granted initially. Because Im one of four girls it didnt occur to me that maybe women werent given the same opportunities as men, or werent always supported by them to reach for those things. It never really entered my head.

She sees now that the world isnt always like that. I do think a strong woman can be extremely threatening for a lot of men. But Roys amazing, and if I have to go on a red carpet hes literally like, Ill see you tomorrow. He likes to be invisible  hes banned me from putting him on Instagram. And banned the kid  my content is tanking. Its a disaster.

She is excited about series two of Your Home Made Perfect, which is currently airing on BBC Two. The show uses virtual reality headsets for people to imagine the way their homes could be transformed. Angela feels particularly passionate about giving people the power to rebuild, and says that, having always loved looking at interiors in magazines and on Pinterest and Instagram, the show has given her a whole new understanding of what our homes mean to us.

Since making this show, Ive realised the impact their home has on people. Its not just, Oh, isnt that a pretty couch! or, I like floral wallpaper. You see people come on and, even in their demeanour, the way they walk into the room, you can see theyre depressed by their home. They feel caged in their house, which is supposed to be their sanctuary, an expression of themselves. So many people say to us, Ive just given up. I dont have the money, I dont know where to go. Ive had builders round telling me I cant do anything and I dont have the technical knowledge to tell them I can.

Cardigan, Loewe, and blouse, A.W.A.K.E Mode, both brownsfashion.com. Skirt, Joseph. Earrings, Butler & Wilson. Tights, Oroblu, uktights.com. Shoes, Manolo Blahnik

As someone who used to work in fashion, Angela has observed that the days of people such as Gok Wan telling you, Oh, youre only allowed to wear that style are over. Thats so restrictive, and weve thrown away those rule books now. I want to give people the same confidence for our homes. I liken it to the way I used to think of priests and doctors: reverentially, because they have the book and they must know, and you have to accept what youre given. A lot of people feel that way with architects and builders  I dont think we approach anything else in our lives with that level of apology when were paying for it.

Angela says that she adores the shows big reveals, though she admits some of the designs are bonkers. Her favourite moments, however, are when they cry.

Other projects include her podcast, Thanks A Million, which focuses on gratitude and giving thanks. Now in its second series, each week she has Thanksperts and celebrity guests including Fleabags Sian Clifford, Aisling Bea and Stacey Dooley to chat about how being appreciative has improved their lives.

Top, Dries Van Noten, mytheresa.com. Earrings, Safsafu. Coloured stone rings, Sif Jakobs

Then theres her early Sunday morning show on Radio 2 (on a break during lockdown), where she walks through the doors of Wogan House at the BBC, named after her Irish predecessor, and feels a thrill of being there. Just to be in the same building as Zoe Ball and Graham Norton  Im like, Hi, will I get your tea? Also, radio is so lo-fi. Jeremy Vine just wheels his Brompton folding bike in. Theres no fuss, no make-up. Its a lovely contrast to the fanfare and production of telly. Its just you and a producer and you have that sense of someone out there, listening. You know that youre their company. Television remains her equally great ambition, though, because Angela has noticed that there arent any female chat-show hosts on our screens  and shes not happy about it.

Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr, Russell Howard she says, reeling off the names of men whose shows she might love watching, but always with a sense that something is missing. I feel like Ruby Wax was the last woman who really did it, she adds, and that was in the 1990s. So would she really like to host one? Absolutely. Yes, she says emphatically, ready for the challenge. Its clear to me that she carries both the energy and the wit to have people in stitches. I mean, why not? she adds. As my dad very optimistically says, you could be dead in the morning.

Your Home Made Perfect is on BBC Two on Tuesdays at 8pm and the full series is available on iPlayer. Angelas podcast Thanks A Million is available to download on the usual platforms

STYLING: KOULLA SERGI. ASSISTANT: CHESSIE LULLI. Hair: Maurice Flynn using Moroccanoil. Make-up: Liz Beckett using Trinny London and Lisa Franklin skincare. Picture Director: Ester Malloy.
We woke up one day, and all the restaurants were closed. All of them, said Felix Florez, the owner of Black Hill Ranch, a hog farm in Cypress. Just like that, the coronavirus pandemic changed his business overnight.

Florez  who also has his own restaurant, Cherry Block at Bravery Chef Hall, and co-owns Ritual and Blood Bros. BBQ  sells his naturally raised pigs mostly to high-end restaurants in town, whose concepts dont translate well to to-go service. He had a handful of more casual restaurant clients who were selling to-go, but because their profits were so low, they were looking for the cheapest product possible, and thats not Black Hill. Whats more, the ranchs biggest customer was Florezs own restaurant, Cherry Block.

So Florez picked up the phone and called everyone he knew, friends, family, and asked if they would consider using Black Hill for their personal meat needs, to tide him over while the crisis played out.

The Black Hill operations have changed a little since then. Some of its restaurant clients turned their spaces into small markets, where Florez was able to sell some of his pork at retail. Then H-E-B asked Cherry Block to be part of its ready-to-eat meal program, which helped both the restaurant and the ranch. Hes also started selling direct-to-consumer.

More Information These farmers and ranchers are offering their products direct-to-consumer, so you can skip the line and the crowds while buying local meats and vegetables. 44 Farms 44steaks.com 254-605-6444 Aitken Farm & Ranch aitkenfarmandranch.com 832-422-5164 Animal Farm animalfarmcenter.com 979-992-3038 Angell's Farmstead & Apiary angellsfarmstead.com 832-585-2707 Atkinson Farms atkinsonfarm.com 832-381-8202 Black Hill Ranch blackhillmeats.com 713-937-1255 Blackwood Living blackwoodliving.com 800-741-9158 Circle J Meat circlejmeat.com Gundermann Acres gundermannacres.com 979-533-2027 Hope Farms hopefarmshtx.org 713-520-0443 Jolie Vue Farms jolievuefarms.com 713-839-8610 Katerra Exotics katerraexotics.com 281-222-4958 Laughing Frog Farm thelaughingfrogfarm.com 713-542-6615 Plant It Forward plant-it-forward.org 713-432-0754 Sustainable Harvesters sustainableharvesters.com Verdegreens verdegreens.com 281-942-8880 Wood Duck Farm woodduckfarm.com 281-593-3642 See More Collapse

These new revenue streams are not easy to navigate for a purveyor used to selling wholesale. A retail order of meat for the general public has to be cut very small, put in branded packages and completely ready to cook at home. For wholesale, its rough-cut items delivered in large containers, and no one cares what they look like. Companies that specialize in retail cuts have machinery to package the product in a cost-effective way, but Florezs staff of 16 is vacuum-sealing and applying stickers by hand.

His employees are exhausted and working overtime, and though the new business is keeping Black Hill afloat, Florez says its still losing revenue.

Patrick Bierschwale, the owner of Katerra Exotics in Katy, didnt have many restaurant customers, but his business is affected nonetheless. He specializes in bison and also raises sheep, goats and cows, which he sells mostly at farmers markets in the Houston area. When the restaurants closed, more people started cooking at home and seeking him out.

Bierschwale has received many calls from people looking to buy a whole or half animal, spurred by concerns about reports of the national meat shortage.

COW CONUNDRUM: As beef supplies dwindle, barbecue prices go up

Its mostly new customers who are being turned onto the local meat scene, Bierschwale said. They just did a Google search for grass-fed beef Houston or something like that, and I popped up. Its often their first time buying meat in bulk, he added, and explaining to them what theyre getting is an educational process. Its gonna be nothing like you go buy at H-E-B, he said.

Though hes willing to sell in bulk to individuals, if he sells a whole or half cow to one person one week, he wont have any meat to sell to his regular customers at the farmers market on Saturday. This in itself creates a shortage.

If everyone will stay calm and buy what they need, well be fine, said B.J. McElroy, chief financial officer of 44 Farms, a cattle ranch in Cameron. But if everybody starts panicking, then yes, well be in trouble.

McElroy has been getting concerned calls about the meat shortage, too. Consumers stocking up on more meat than they can currently eat brings further uncertainty to purveyors forecasts. McElroy wonders, when restaurants open back up completely, will those people stay at home because their freezer is full of beef that needs eating?

44 Farms direct-to-consumer retail sales have gone up 680 percent over last year; its typically only 5 percent of the companys total sales. The other 95 percent of its business comes from restaurants.

When the stay-at-home orders went into effect, our production came to a screeching halt, McElroy said.

The team didnt slaughter a single animal for an entire month. It resumed harvesting on May 5, as its been getting creative in finding opportunities to sell the product, filling in here and there. For example, Chris Shepherds Korean braised beef dumplings available at H-E-B are made with 44 Farms shortribs. Its a drastic business-model shift, McElroy said, as the company is not used to acting as a stopgap. Its now back up at 85 percent of its usual production with deals lined up through May, but June is still a big question mark.

Despite being hectic and uncertain, for Bierschwale and Katerra Exotics, business has been good: He is doubling his usual output. Hes able to do this because he always has a little more stock than he needs to for risk management (animals can die, get stolen or get eaten by coyotes). But its not easy. He needs to source more females to breed. Hes also the only full-time worker at Katerra, helped by six part-time employees. Theyre grateful to have jobs and be making good money while also helping people get food on the table, Bierschwale said.

Many produce farmers have also seen sales increases. Jason Angell, owner of Angells Farmstead & Apiary in Shiro, was lucky to have only two restaurant clients. He farms just 1 acre and focuses on the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm-share model. Orders for his CSA boxes have almost doubled since the beginning of the pandemic. With the boost in demand, he was worried about having to turn people down at first, but hes been able to handle it by planting more. Scaling up is not easy on such a small farm, but Angell is just happy to have a job at a time when so many people dont.

FRESH VEG: Where to pick up produce boxes in Houston

Plant It Forward, a nonprofit that empowers refugees to start their own sustainable farms, has a network of 13 farmers who work at eight different farms, comprising a total of 6 acres. Their CSA subscriptions amount to 80 percent of their business, with the remaining 20 percent coming from restaurants. When the latter closed, Liz Vallette, Plant It Forwards president, started panicking. But she neednt have worried.

Just like Angells, the demand for its CSA boxes doubled. The dozen-plus farmers now feed 500 families every week through those sales. The farmers are making more money than they ever have, its an incredible silver lining, Vallette said.

Going to the grocery store is not an appealing prospect right now, especially for the immuno-compromised. Physical stores are breeding grounds for germs, and the stress from shortages, and waiting days and weeks on end for delivery or curbside orders, has led consumers to alternate sources of food.

People appreciate that they have a guaranteed share of vegetables each week, Vallette said.

Stacie Gundermann, owner of Gundermann Acres in Glen Flora, recognized peoples need for a more contactless experience. The farm mostly sells wholesale to grocery stores and retail at three farmers markets in the Houston area. The team had been trying to sell farm-share boxes for years, Gundermann says, but they never really took off. Then the pandemic came along, and all of a sudden, they were a hit.

Verdegreens, a hydroponic grower in northwest Houston, also launched farm boxes to make up for the loss in revenue from restaurants, which made up between half and two-thirds of its business. It grows mostly leafy greens in greenhouses, such as lettuce, herbs, kale, collards and bok choy. The farm boxes combine the outfits own produce with that of other farms, which it sells at cost.

COOKING: Recipes that use local bounty

(Many) people call us with requests for more contactless pickup, often people who are compromised in some way, who are fearful of venturing out to grocery stores, said Billy Trainor, one of Verdegreens owners. Its been great to be able to provide them with an alternative.

The boxes have more than offset Verdegreens restaurant-revenue loss; it just recently sold its thousandth box. The farm has even hired two additional employees just to manage the extra load. Given the success, Trainor anticipates itll continue offering them in the future.

Gundermann also sees this as a possibility for her own farm-share boxes, if interest stays strong.

Theres no guarantee that consumers will keep these new habits once the pandemic is over. Vallette is working very hard on retention at Plant It Forward. She hopes people will continue to see the benefits of a shortened supply chain and being connected to their food and their farmers.

But for now, at least, the shift in the way we eat is helping some small farmers and ranchers, who too often struggle with razor-thin profit margins.

I appreciate that everyone is looking for the local guy, Bierschwale said.

emma.balter@chron.com
Zay Nockton Smith died Monday at the Norwood Crossing nursing facility in Chicago where he had been living since 2017, after having his right leg amputated as the result of an infection caused by previously undiagnosed diabetes. At the time he was about to be released from the hospital for that condition, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, which ultimately caused his death. His last hours were spent in the company of his two adult sons and his ex-wife. He was 71.
Rome: Cooped up, stir-crazy and desperate for their lives back, many Europeans and Americans have seized on antibodies and their promise of potential immunity to the coronavirus as the golden ticket to reopen societies and economies.

Not long ago, politicians in Italy  which, as the epicentre of Europe's contagion, is further in the pandemic's cycle than other Western nations  proposed issuing licenses to those who had beaten the virus and developed the right antibodies to get back to work.

A woman drinks a cappuccino on the street in Milan, Italy. Italy was the first country to impose a nationwide lockdown to stem the transmission of the coronavirus. Credit:Getty

Researchers and politicians in China, the United States, Germany, Britain and beyond have latched onto antibodies as a potential solution to the virus and an outlet from containment measures.

But that talk, always ahead of the science, has grown more muted in recent weeks. With the research refusing to cooperate, experts in Italy say the promise of antibodies may not be what people have imagined. At least for now.
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Microsoft and Intel researchers have found a way to combine artificial intelligence and image analysis to create a highly effective means to combat malicious software infections.

The researchers call their approach STAMINA  static malware-as-image network analysis  and say its proven to be highly effective in detecting malware with a low rate of false positives.

What STAMINA does is take binary files and turn them into images that artificial intelligence software can analyze using deep learning.

STAMINA is a fascinating approach to classifying malware, said Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president of cloud research at Trend Micro, a cybersecurity solutions provider headquartered in Tokyo.

This approach is like graphing a large table of data, he told TechNewsWorld. It can be easier to spot patterns in the graph than combing through the raw data.

By using common image analysis machine learning approaches, the teams were able to group malware samples into families and differentiate between desired software and malware, Nunnikhoven said.

This isnt the only machine learning method, but it is a new and interesting approach filled with potential, he added.

The biggest shortcoming of the method is tied to malware size, Nunnikhoven noted. Because the technique converts the malware to an image, it can get resource-intensive quickly. If youve ever tried to open a really large photo on an older computer, you have firsthand experience with the challenges.

99 Percent Accuracy

As malware variants continue to grow, traditional signature-matching techniques cannot keep up, Intel researchers Li Chen and Ravi Sahita and Microsoft researchers Jugal Parikh and Marc Marino explained in a white paper.

We looked to applying deep-learning techniques to avoid costly feature engineering and used machine learning techniques to learn and build classification systems that can effectively identify malware program binaries, they wrote.

We explored a novel image-based technique on x86 program binaries, they continued, which resulted in 99.07% accuracy with 2.58% false positive rate.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Classical malware-detection approaches involve extracting binary signatures or fingerprints of the malware. However, the exponential growth of signatures makes signature-matching inefficient, the researchers explained.

Malware also can be identified by analyzing the code of files. Thats usually done with static or dynamic analysis, or both. Static analysis can disassemble code, but its performance can suffer from code obfuscation. Dynamic analysis, while able to unpack the code, can be time-consuming, they pointed out.

While static analysis is typically associated with traditional detection methods, it remains to be an important building block for AI-driven detection of malware, Microsofts Parikh and Marino wrote in a separate post on STAMINA.

It is especially useful for pre-execution detection engines: static analysis disassembles code without having to run applications or monitor runtime behavior, they noted.

Finding ways to perform static analysis at scale and with high effectiveness benefits overall malware detection methodologies, Parikh and Marino noted.

To this end, the research borrowed knowledge from computer vision domain to build an enhanced static malware detection framework that leverages deep transfer learning to train directly on portable executable (PE) binaries represented as images, they explained.

Better Scaling, Faster Processing

Traditional malware analysis techniques have been decreasing in efficacy for a long time, observed Chris Rothe, chief product officer ofRed Canary, a cloud-based security services provider located in Denver.

Static and dynamic analysis are effective but can be difficult to scale, he told TechNewsWorld. One of the benefits of this approach is that it makes it possible to leverage technology from other domains that has the ability to operate at large scale.

This is necessary because of the explosion of binary samples that have been created by attackers mutating malware to avoid detection, Rothe continued. So if this technique works, it could bring back binary analysis as a viable method of threat detection.

The Microsoft-Intel approach also reduces the size of input into the analysis system, which can translate into faster processing.

If youre turning a binary file into pixels, theres a certain amount of input downsizing that goes with that, said Malek Ben Salem, Americas security R&D lead for Accenture, a professional services company based in Dublin.

With STAMINA, they go even further. They turn binaries into pixels and then they reduce the size of the image, she told TechNewsWorld.

The fact that you can reduce that input size and feed it to a deep-learning network means you can process a lot more information, Ben Salem said. You can look at many more instances of malware, which will speed things up a lot.

Easy on the Human Eye

Although the researchers see their method being used in a completely automated environment, the images would be valuable to human security types, too.

In cases where a machine isnt sure if a file is benign or not and human inspection is needed, a human would find it easier to relate to an image than to hexcode, Ben Salem noted.

Adding deep learning to the detection process also provides advantages over existing techniques.

With a deep learning model, you can deal with complex data, Ben Salem said. That means minor variations in malware could be more easily detected way better than the classical machine learning approaches weve been using so far.

The researchers acknowledged limits on their methods.

Our study indicates the pros and cons between sample-based and meta data-based methods, they wrote in their white paper.

The major advantages are that we can go in-depth into the samples and extract textural information, so all the characteristics of the malware files are captured during training, the researchers explained.

However, for bigger size applications, STAMINA becomes less effective due to software not being able to convert billions of pixels into JPEG images and then resizing, they continued. In cases like this, meta-data-based methods show advantages over sample-based models.

In the future, the team wants to evaluate hybrid models using intermediate representations of the binaries and information extracted from binaries with deep learning approaches. Those datasets are expected to be bigger but may provide higher accuracy.

The researchers plan to continue exploring platform acceleration optimizations for their deep learning models so they can deploy such detection techniques with minimal power and performance impact to the end-user.
Pakistan has reported more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases, taking the number of infections to over 34,000, while 31 more people have succumbed to the coronavirus, health officials said on Saturday, amidst the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Pakistan government announced last week that it would begin a phased lifting of the lockdown due to its effect on the economy and the workforce.

The Ministry of National Health Services said that 2,255 cases were confirmed positive on Tuesday after 11,848 tests were conducted.

A total of 31 fresh deaths have been reported, taking the number of fatalities in the country to 737, it said, adding that the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the country have rise to 34,336.

So far, 13,225 cases have been registered in Punjab, 12,610 in Sindh, 5,021 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2,158 in Balochistan, 759 in Islamabad, 475 in Gilgit Baltistan and 88 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the ministry said.

A total of 8,812 patients have recovered and 317,699 tests have been conducted, it said.

The number of new cases is rising fast since last week and the officials are urging people to follow guidelines and avoid going outside.

The number of infected passengers being repatriated to Pakistan is also disturbing. As many as 379 more nationals returning from various countries on the last 24 special flights have tested positive. The special flights had brought 4,344 Pakistanis between April 28 and May 8.

The official record shows that a total of 7,756 Pakistanis have returned home from abroad on 43 flights from April 14 to May 10. Of them, 682 passengers were tested positive and given treatment.

The test results of 760 passengers arriving from Dubai on May 10 are awaited. Officials confirmed that the number of positive cases among returnees from the UAE was higher as compared to the passengers coming from other countries.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail tweeted that he had recovered from the novel coronavirus.

"Alhamdulilah I have received my test results in which I have been tested negative for COVID19. Many thanks to all those who prayed for my health. I will soon be donating blood plasma to those in need," he said.

Ismail tested positive for the virus late last month.

Also read: Coronavirus update: scientists decode mechanisms, symptoms, diagnosis of COVID-19

Also read: Vande Bharat Mission: 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries between May 16-22, says Puri
- Professor Stephen Asare, also known as Kwaku Azar, has raised concerns about the state of Ghanaian law faculties

- He indicated that there are limits with regard to control over curricula and physical resources to create desired learning environments

- Professor Asare also raised concern about the current structure of legal education in Ghana, especially with regard to the volume of control the GLC has over the system

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

A professor of law and accounting, Stephen Asare, has raised concerns about the state of law faculties in Ghana.

According to him, the challenges are as follows:

1. Academics in the Ghanaian faculties have limited control with respect to designing and experimenting with new curricula.

He added that there are limited physical resources to create the preferred learning environments.

Professor Asare Source: Ghana Web

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Dissolve GLC now! Professor Asare declares as Ghana misses out on African law rankings

A preferred learning environment, he opined, should have give more control to academic in the areas, especially with regard to development of curricula.

2. Academics often have limited access to and interaction with other faculty, which could have promoted interdisciplinary work.

Reforms in legal education, in his opinion, should involve the creation of a better systems for collaboration.

3. The current structure of legal education in Ghana gives the General Legal Council (GLC) too much control over curriculum content and sequencing.

4. The legal luminary also raised concerns about Ghanas mode of calling lawyers to the bar.

He explained that in other parts of the world, schools deliver legal education while the Bar Council takes charge of the bar education.

5. At present, law faculties compete to get their students to the professional level at the Ghana School of Law (GSL), but that should not be the case.

In his opinion, the time to overhaul Ghanas legal system so it can become competitive at the global stage is long overdue.

Professor Asare has been at the forefront of calls for reformation of legal education in Ghana.

Till date, he continues to argue that the system used to pass 128 out of almost 2000 candidates who sat for the 2019 Law Entrance Examinations is a sham and a scam.

The incident has led to increased calls for changes in legal education in Ghana, but at present, the GLC is the statutory body tasked with the responsibility of educating and passing Ghanaian lawyers.

READ ALSO: Kwaku Azar gives 6 reasons why LLBs from Ghana need to be changed before 2021

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An editor of a Gujarati news portal has been booked on the sedition charges for uploading a news item suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high-command may remove chief minister Vijay Rupani from his post and replace him with Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the police said on Monday.

An FIR was registered by the Ahmedabad crime branch last Friday against Dhaval Patel, the editor of news portal Face Of Nation, under Section 124-a (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Disaster Management Act, a senior officer said. As a precautionary measure, in view of the coronavirus pandemic, Patel has been detained, not arrested, and sent to SVP Hospital for a Covid-19 test, said assistant commissioner of police (ACP) BV Gohil.

As per the FIR, Patel published a story on his news portal on May 7 suggesting a change of guard in the state. The article had claimed that Mandaviya has been called by the BJP high-command to discuss the same.

The article further claimed that the high command was not happy with Rupanis handling of coronavirus crisis in the state.

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Stars Guy Ritchie and Martin Clunes are at odds over the film director's plans to expand the home brewery on his 1,000-acre estate - which could stop horse riders from using a popular bridleway.

Ritchie told planning bosses the 20-barrel cask brewery, based in rural Wiltshire, needs more storage space, according to The Sun.

But the plans have been rejected by the British Horse Society (BHS), run by Doc Martin's leading star, Clunes, due to concerns the expansion could block a riding pathway.

Guy Ritchie, pictured left, is engaged in a dispute with actor Martin Clunes, right, pictured for ITV's Arthur and George, over expanding Gritchie Brewing Company in Wiltshire

A map showing the proposals for an expansion, which the BHS fear would block a riding pathway, filing an objection to Wiltshire Council, with a decision to be given in the summer

The BHS asked to ensure the 'byway will not be obstructed in any way' in a rejection filed to Wiltshire Council.

Spokeswoman Myra Bennett claimed: 'If he wants to close it, there would be a major legal battle  and I do not think he would succeed.'

The council is said to be issuing its decision in the summer.

Gritchie Brewing Company was built from a dilapidated barn in just over 12 months and brews beer in the traditional form'.

The brewery is self-sufficient, as it also grows its own barley and uses water collected on the farm.

On the company's website, it explains: 'Gritchie Brewing Company has its own borehole and all the beer we make is made exclusively with water from an aquifer on the farm.

Gritchie Brewing Company (pictured). The microbrewery was built from a dilapidated barn in just over 12 months and brews beer in the traditional form'

'We also grow our own Maris Otter barley, the barley is then floor malted locally - the old traditional method - and then used as the base of our beer.

The King Arthur director was handed the historic Ashcombe House, as part of a near 50 million divorce settlement with Madonna in 2008.

According to the brewery website, hes now changed the name to Ashgrove Farm.

Ashcombe House was originally built in 1686, although the house situated there now is from the mid-eighteenth century.
Forensic workers in western Mexico have so far recovered 25 bodies that were buried in a clandestine grave.

Police made the gruesome discovery at a farm in the Jalisco municipality of El Salto last Thursday after receiving a tip from an anonymous 911 caller.

Authorities discovered several human body parts and spent three days canvassing an unfinished home and the surrounding area inside the property that was seized by the government.

Authorities in the western Mexico state of Jalisco secured a farm where at least 25 bodies were found during a span of three days last week after the police received an anonymous complaint

Police canvass a farm in the Jalisco municipality of El Salto, where 25 bodies and a bag containing additional body parts were discovered

The state prosecutor's office in Jalisco, Mexico, said forensic workers will continue to search a farm where 25 bodies were dug out of a clandestine grave

Investigators from the Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences dug up a hole and reported 25 bodies along with five bags that reportedly contained additional human remains.

The Jalisco state prosecutor's office said in a statement that forensic workers would remain onsite to continue their search efforts.

Guadalupe Aguilar, a spokeswoman for Jalisco Families United for Our Disappeared, participated in a protest outside the Jalisco governor's mansion and called on Governor Enrique Alfaro to provide the necessary resources to find their missing loved ones.

Aguilar's son disappeared nine years ago.

'The pandemic does not stop us, we are not afraid to die, we are dead in life, we love our children, there is nothing to celebrate, we have no children and there is no celebration,' Aguilar said. 'Where are they, where are they, where are our children?'

The mass grave finding is the first reported in Jalisco since March when Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declared a state of emergency to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which certainly has not deterred gangs and cartels from carrying out their misdeeds.

The Mexican government seized the farm where 25 bodies and five bag with human remains were located last week after three days of investigations

A sign in Spanish indicates the El Salto Public Ministry confiscated the farm where investigators have so far discovered 25 bodies

Lopez Obrador announced Monday that he would be deploying the military to tackle security on the streets for another four years, extending a policy he had previously criticized as the government struggles to curb runaway violence.

In a notice published in the Official Gazette, the leftist leader said the armed forces would participate 'in an extraordinary, regulated and complementary manner with the National Guard' in public security tasks.

The armed forces will be under the command of the National Guard, the notice said, a military police created after Lopez Obrador entered office December 2018.

The order will last until March 2024.

The decree means the armed forces will be on Mexican streets until almost the end of the presidency of Lopez Obrador, a political veteran who often criticized former President Felipe Calderon for deploying sailors and soldiers for public security.

Violence has surged during Lopez Obrador's first year and half in charge, with a record 34,582 people murdered in 2019.

At least 3,000 homicides were recorded in March this year, the second-highest monthly murder tally ever, and the biggest since Lopez Obrador assumed power.
[May 13, 2020] Ledyard Named One of Top 200 Community Banks

Ledyard Financial Group, Inc. (ticker symbol LFGP), the holding company for Ledyard National Bank, was ranked among the Top 200 publicly traded banks and thrifts under $2 billion in assets in the United States by American Banker Magazine for the sixth consecutive year. The rankings are based on three-year return on average equity (ROAE) for 2017 to 2019. Ledyard Financial Group finished in the 135th position for 2020 with a three-year average ROAE of 10.16%. Kathy Underwood, President and CEO of Ledyard Financial Group, Inc. stated, "Ledyard is honored to once again be recognized on this exceptional list of community banks by American Banker Magazine. Our lift in ROAE, along with a climb of 26 spots in the rankings, demonstrates Ledyard's focus on revenue generation via a well-coordinated blend of human capital and top-tier technology. To be recognized as the only New Hampshire community bank on this list is a true testament to our exceptional team members who are dedicated to our core values and long-term vision." Ledyard Financial Group, Inc., headquarterd in Hanover, New Hampshire, is the holding company for Ledyard National Bank. Ledyard National Bank, founded in 1991, is a full service community bank offering a broad range of banking, investment, tax and wealth management services.



Ledyard Financial Group, Inc. shares can be bought and sold through the NASD sanctioned "OTC Markets" under the trading symbol LFGP. Shares may be traded through an individual's broker. For more information, please refer to the "Investor Relations" section of the bank's website at www.ledyardbank.com or contact the bank's Chief Financial Officer, Gregory D. Steverson. Forward-Looking Statements: Statements concerning future performance, developments or events, expectations for growth and income forecasts, and any other guidance on future periods constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from stated expectations. Specific factors include, but are not limited to, loan production, competitive pressure in the banking industry, balance sheet management, net interest margin variations, the effect of changes in equity prices on assets under management, the ability to control costs and expenses, changes in the interest rate environment, financial policies of the United States government, and general economic conditions. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005539/en/

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Infosys and NICE Actimize on



Wednesday announced the expansion of their strategic collaboration.

This global partnership will allow Infosys to offer delivery capabilities and resell NICE Actimize's end-to-end financial crime software solutions through either a cloud or on-premises environment to a growing customer base around the world, a joint statement said.

Leveraging their respective experiences across financial crime management, NICE Actimize and Infosys will provide their regulatory and compliance solutions and services to support multiple industry sectors, it said.

Among the benefits of this collaborative approach, client organisations will create an efficient path to overcome emerging and rapidly evolving digital threats, and improve operational efficiencies while delivering exceptional customer experience, the statement said.

This offering will include Infosys Actimize Digital Suite, a set of accelerators designed for faster time to market and predictability in implementation, the two companies said.

Combined with a cloud offering, it will also help in reducing cost of ownership.

This proposition encompassing both software and services will further reduce vendor management efforts for clients, it was stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
29,671 Hectares (114 square miles): Focus on targets along regional structures near surface, basement-hosted uranium targets

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) -CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has staked 29,671 hectares of land (114 square miles) in four large blocks in the Eastern Athabasca focusing on regional structures, similar to those hosting the nearby high-grade Collins Bay-Eagle Point uranium deposits. The new claim blocks which are currently secured for two years, cover defined targets along the interpreted location of the Collins Bay Fault and the Maguire Fault structures (Figure 1).





Figure 1



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/55775_canalaskaimage.jpg

The targets on these projects are basement-hosted, large uranium deposits like Eagle Point, Arrow and Millennium. The project areas lie outside the current boundaries of the Athabasca Basin but in an area previously interpreted as covered by the extended basin. The sandstone remnants described in the Pinkham Lake area support this interpretation (Figure 1) Additionally, basement alteration systems typical of Athabasca unconformity deposits have been identified by drilling in Manitoba. The paleo-unconformity location is believed to be sufficiently close to present day surface to provide exploration potential for basement-type targets that have been proven to exist to depths of 900 metres below the unconformity (Eagle Point, Arrow).

The new project areas were staked within the Western Wollaston Domain, the host to a majority of the Athabasca-related uranium deposits. Claims are focused where the presence of structural complexity is expected from intersecting splay and cross-cutting faults with the Collins Bay and Maguire regional fault structures. Management's experience is that such structural complexity has a direct relationship to the position of mineralized orebodies along the Collins Bay structure, namely Cameco's Rabbit Lake, Collins Bay and Eagle Point orebodies (Figure 1).

Historical airborne geophysical surveys and preliminary geochemical sampling was key to selecting the new exploration areas. The earlier survey work has outlined linear conductive trends, newly interpreted cross-cutting and splay faults. The metasedimentary lithologies, in many cases, are coincident with, gravity anomalies, geochemical enrichments, and uranium-mineralized outcrops and boulders. Individual property descriptions are posted on the company website www.canalaska.com.

CanAlaska President, Peter Dasler, comments; "Staff is currently modeling the extensive data sets that we assembled in advance of the staking program, which took place immediately following the recent claim openings. We were very impressed with the previous work carried out, but recognized that follow-up work was severely limited post-Fukushima. COO, Cory Belyk's personal work experience in the Collins Bay-Eagle Point area significantly refined our land selection. We are looking forward to working with others to advance these exciting properties".

Other News

CanAlaska is advancing its key West McArthur uranium project in the Athabasca Basin, a joint venture with Cameco Corporation, and working on new initiatives for its nearby Cree East uranium project. These are showcased in a recent video presentation on the company website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=0FCtWM7AWaw&feature=emb_logo

Senior management is monitoring the current COVID 19 situation, and has reduced salaries by 50% while field activities are paused. The Company's treasury remains strong, with a cash position of $1.56M.

About CanAlaska Uranium

CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) currently holds interests in approximately 214,000 hectares (530,000 acres), in Canada's Athabasca Basin and Wollaston area - the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings have attracted major international mining companies. CanAlaska is currently working with Cameco and Denison at two of the Company's properties in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska is a project generator positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. The Company also holds properties prospective for nickel, copper, gold and diamonds. For further information visit www.canalaska.com.

The qualified technical person for this news release is Dr Karl Schimann, P. Geo, CanAlaska director and VP Exploration.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Peter Dasler"

Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo.

President & CEO

CanAlaska Uranium Ltd.

Contacts:

Peter Dasler, President

Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138

Email: info@canalaska.com

Cory Belyk, COO

Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 306

Email: cbelyk@canalaska.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55775
As the COVID-19 epidemic wanes, not only are China's economic and social order being gradually restored, but the economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa as well.

The Chinese-built Lamu port in Kenya (File photo)

Despite the hardships during the fight against COVID-19, the China-Africa economic and trade cooperation remained stable as a whole.

According to the latest data from the General Administration of Customs, the total volume of imports and exports of goods between China and Africa from January to April of this year was 385.3 billion yuan (about 54.4 billion U.S. dollars).

The ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to China, James Kimonio, recently participated in a live streaming activity organized by Alibaba, China's top e-commerce company, in an effort to promote Rwandan coffee, an important export crop in the country.

"I am grateful to Chinese e-commerce platforms for bringing hope to our farmers so that they can continue to participate in global trade," Kimonio said, as online orders of the coffee beans increase.

The secretary general of Alibaba Globalization Office Song Juntao, said, "Orders for commodities in Africa are rising instead of falling, which can help local farmers withstand the economic impact of the epidemic."

The accelerated resumption of work and production in China offers a boost to the economic development of countries in Africa, adding a report from Reuters that the South African Rand has rebounded recently, thanks to the growth of export to China.

Compared to the same period last year, statistics indicate that South Africa exported 12.7 million tons of iron ore to China in the first quarter of this year, up 22.2 percent, and China imported 54,741 tons of copper ore and its concentrate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March, an increase of more than 24 times.

The Citizen, a newspaper in Tanzania, shared in an analytical article that for many African countries, it is good news for China to take the lead in starting economic recovery, adding that China's economic recovery will bring a considerable amount of infrastructure construction and demand for resources. The article emphasized the significance this will have to African countries that rely on mineral exports.
[May 13, 2020] Donald Caminiti of Breslin & Breslin, P.A. Ranked No. 3 to Top 10 2020 New Jersey Super Lawyers List

Donald Caminiti, partner and leader of the personal injury firm Breslin & Breslin, P.A., was recently ranked #3 to 2020 New Jersey Super Lawyers. Each year, New Jersey attorneys are nominated to this list via a multiphase process involving peer nomination, independent research and peer evaluation. Caminiti has been designated in the Top 10 or Top 100 on this list since its inception in 2005. Caminiti's 15+ years of selection to Super Lawyers is one of many milestone achievements in his years practicing. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, holds a certification as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney from the Supreme Court of New Jersey, and has been certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy for more than 30 years. In addition,Caminiti was a member of the six-firm team that obtained a seven-billion-dollar recovery from the tobacco companies on behalf of the state of New Jersey.



"It is a huge honor for me not only to receive this nomination, but also to have the privilege of working alongside this excellent team. Collaboration is key at our firm, and every one of my colleagues has contributed to my success in some way. When I see my name on the Super Lawyers list, it reminds me of my own mission, and that of Breslin & Breslin, to make our clients our top priority," said Caminiti. In spite of the current circumstances, Caminiti is still hard at work achieving the best outcomes for his clients in their personal injury litigation cases.

About Us

Whether you need help with a car accident claim, an injury at work or a negligent medical professional, our attorneys have the experience and versatility to advise and represent you. We offer free consultations and only collect an attorney's fee for personal injury cases when we successfully recover damages on your behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005120/en/

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A police leader has warned that freezing public sector pay to help meet the cost of the coronavirus crisis would be morally bankrupt and a deep and damaging betrayal.

The comments from the chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales came after a leaked Treasury document set out a range of options to rein in the massive spending deficit caused by the epidemic, including a two-year pay freeze for public sector workers.

Labour urged Boris Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak to publicly disavow such a move, warning that it would undermine the UKs resilience to future crises.

And unions warned that a pay freeze would be a slap in the face of the NHS and care workers the country is applauding each week.

But Mr Sunak said only that his focus was on the immediate challenge of preserving jobs and keeping businesses going through lockdown and it was premature to speculate on how the resulting debt would be paid down.

The document obtained by the Daily Telegraph estimates a 337bn deficit this year, but warns that in a worst-case scenario it could reach 516bn. Either outcome would dwarf the 55bn forecast in Marchs Budget.

Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Show all 30 1 /30 Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus 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 Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff inside Camberwell bus depot in London, during a minute's silence PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus NHS staff at the Mater hospital in Belfast, during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Shoppers observe a minute's silence in Tescos in Shoreham Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Firefighters outside Godstone fire station PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Salford Royal Hospital Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Salford Royal Hospital PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Hospital workers take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE across Britain for all workers in care, the NHS and other vital public services after a nationwide minute's silence at University College Hospital in London AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A school children's poster hanging outside Glenfield Hospital during a minute's silence Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A man holds a placard that reads "People's health before profit" outside St Thomas hospital Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff members applaud outside the Royal Derby Hospital, following a minute's silence PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus 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 Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus University College Hospital, London Hospital workers hold placards with the names of their colleagues who have died from coronavirus as they take part in a protest calling on the British government to provide PPE AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff at Waterloo Station in London, stand to observe a minute's silence, to pay tribute to NHS and key workers who have died with coronavirus AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Medical staff at the Louisa Jordan hospital stand during a UK wide minutes silence to commemorate the key workers who have died with coronavirus in Glasgow Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus London An NHS worker observes a minute's silence at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London AFP via Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Belfast, Northern Ireland NHS staff observe a minutes silence at Mater Infirmorum Hospital Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Plymouth NHS workers hold a minute's silence outside the main entrance of Derriford Hospital Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus NHS Frimley Park Hospital staff at the A&E department observe a minute's silence Getty Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Mater Infirmorum Hospital People applaud after a minutes silence in honour of key workers Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Waterloo Station, London AP Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Wreaths laid outside Sheffield town hall PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A group of trade unionists and supporters standing outside Sheffield town hall PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus 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 Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus London Police officers observe a minutes silence at Guy's Hospital Reuters Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus A woman standing outside Sheffield town hall PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Royal Derby Hospital PA Silence for key workers who lost lives to coronavirus Leicester, NHS workers during a minute's silence outside Glenfield Hospital Getty

The assessment, drawn up for the chancellor and dated 5 May, warned that filling the resulting gap in public finances would be very challenging without breaking the so-called triple tax lock in Mr Johnsons election manifesto, which promised no rise in rates of income tax, VAT or national insurance over the coming five years.

The paper said measures including income tax hikes, a two-year public sector pay freeze and the end of the triple lock on pensions may be required to fund the debt.

It is understood that the document also discussed a range of other options for dealing with the debt, expected to reach a scale not seen since the Second World War.

But it made no recommendations on the best course of action and no policy decisions have been made by ministers.

In a series of tweets, Police Federation chair John Apter said: If there is any consideration in financially punishing our public sector workers then I urge a rethink.

The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and thousands of others have clapped for our key workers every Thursday.

To even consider freezing the pay of our essential public sector workers to help the financial recovery would be morally bankrupt and would be a deep and damaging betrayal.

Dave Prentis, the general secretary of public sector union Unison, said he was absolutely appalled by the report, adding: To even contemplate pay freezes for those currently putting their lives on the line is disgraceful, and Unison will fight these plans every step of the way.

NHS workers, care workers and other key workers dont need their pay freezing  they need proper pay rises, especially after the heroism of recent months. Anything less would be a slap in the face to those we applaud each week.

The general secretary of the Prospect union, Mike Clancy, said: Responding to an economic shock on this scale with more austerity and pay cuts for public servants would be like throwing water on a chip-pan fire.

Slashing the wages of the public servants who have helped us through this crisis would not only be immoral, it would only make the situation worse, leading to a spiral of cuts and unemployment that will hamstring Britain for a decade. Ministers must ignore these proposals and focus government attention on saving jobs, supporting incomes and getting the economy firing on all cylinders once it is safe to do so.

Labour also urged Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak to reject public sector spending cuts as a way of paying off the cost of the pandemic.

Anneliese Dodds, the shadow chancellor, said: A lack of resilience in our public services, caused by 10 years of underfunding, has made it harder to deal with the challenge of coronavirus.

After all our public services and key workers have done to save lives during this pandemic, there must be no return to a society where we lack that resilience.

Both the chancellor and the prime minister must urgently make a statement rejecting these plans.

But asked on Sky News whether he was considering the options set out in the paper, Mr Sunak said only: I think it is premature right now to speculate about that far in the future. We are living in a time of unprecedented economic uncertainty.

It is my job to think about everything, but what we are thinking about foremost at the moment is protecting peoples health  which is why it is still important that we have a plan in place for social distancing  but also to protect peoples jobs and support businesses at this time, to make sure we can preserve as much of that a possible for the time when restrictions are lifted and we can get our lives back to normal.

Thats whats occupying all our time at the moment.

The Treasury document states that filling the expected gap in the public finances through tax revenue rises would be very challenging without breaking the tax lock.

Referring to the four main revenue-raising taxes  income tax, national insurance contributions, VAT and corporation tax  it adds: To raise fiscally significant amounts, we would either have to increase rates/thresholds in one of the broad-based taxes or reform one of the biggest tax reliefs (eg pensions tax).

The Treasury declined to comment on the report, but it is understood that the document is one of many put together by different teams to discuss ideas about future policy.

A source said the document does not reflect government policy.
Bengaluru, May 13 : A 60-year-old man from Karnataka's Kalaburagi succumbed to COVID-19 and 26 new positive cases were reported taking the state's tally to 951, an official said on Wednesday.

"Positive cases 927, 60-year-old male resident of Kalaburagia was brought dead on Monday to a designated hospital. Tested positive for Covid," said a health official.

The deceased man came from the Kalaburagi containment zone.

Kalaburagi is 574 km north of Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, 26 new Covid-19 infections emerged in the past 19 hours.

"Till date 951 Covid positive cases have been confirmed. This includes 32 deaths and 442 discharges," the official said.

Of the new cases, Bidar contributed 11, Hassan four, Kalaburagi, Davangere, Uttara Kannada and Vijayapura two each, Bengaluru Urban, Dakshina Kannada and Ballari one each.

All Bidar cases emerged from the Bidar containment zone.

Positive case 930, an 18-year-old girl from Ballari is suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). Two patients from Vijayapura, one from Uttara Kannada and four more from Hassan had travel history to Maharashtra, India's top Covid hotspot.

Among the new cases, 18 were contacts of earlier cases.

Of the new cases, 10 were men and 16 women, including a two-year-old girl and nine below 20.

Of the 951 cases, 13 per cent patients were senior citizens, 64 per cent men and 36 per cent women with a discharge rate of 47 per cent.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
" " New parents, Cherise and Andy Threewitt with their newborn son, Lincoln. Lincoln was born in Chicago in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Cherise Threewitt

I found out I was pregnant in mid-November 2019. A few days later, I found out I was already four-and-a-half months along. That's a story in and of itself, and though it wasn't that long ago, it already seems like it's been a lifetime. At the time of that first ultrasound, I knew life would change, but I was confident I could create and share a new life with my little one. Now, as my husband Andy, newborn son and I sit in isolation in Chicago in May 2020, there are more than 1.3 million confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 80,000 deaths in the U.S.

The first time it occurred to me that coronavirus might really change my life was in January, when my mother was deciding whether to fly from Massachusetts for my baby shower, which was scheduled for late February. My cousin, who is a nurse and hospital administrator, convinced her the trip was a bad idea because of her age and preexisting health conditions.

I was disappointed and, at the time, thought my cousin was overreacting. The first Chicago coronavirus patient (the second confirmed case in the U.S.) contracted the disease while in China. Back in January that was easy to write off as an anomaly. Even by the time of my shower, there were still just two confirmed cases in the entire state of Illinois. My mom did not attend, though, and while the baby shower was lovely, I know it would have meant a lot to her to have been there. She never even got to see me pregnant.

I spent February keeping a wary eye on the growing number of coronavirus cases in Chicago. By mid-March, the schools in Illinois had closed, and Chicago residents were ordered to shelter-in-place March 20. The city had close to 600 confirmed cases just three days later.

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Prenatal Visits in an Empty Office Tower

This news made my remaining prenatal doctor visits much more somber. The office started requiring temperature screenings, and then Andy was banned from attending them altogether. It was eerie going alone because my doctor was the only business open in a 22-story Michigan Avenue office tower. So we adapted. For those final visits, he just waited in the car until I texted to say I was on my way out.

But what I desperately wanted was my kid (whose sex we still didn't know) to be born so my new family could get back home safely, before the coronavirus peak hit.

Meanwhile, every time I posted on Facebook that, "nope, the baby isn't here yet," I was inundated with messages and texts from well-meaning friends and family members who seemed to completely disregard the fact that none of this was normal. That it wasn't fun and exciting for me and my husband to be waiting under these circumstances. It was, instead, incredibly stressful. And what an unfair burden on my unborn child to be "such a blessing!" and make everyone feel better about a pandemic and its politics.

For every message I got heralding the imminent birth of my child  as if he or she alone could cure the coronavirus  I'd get another message, equally hard to take seriously, suggesting I scrap the hospital plans and have a home birth instead, which many women were doing. I'm squeamish about all things medical, and I always figured (even before the pandemic was a reality) I'd be better off at a hospital.

That turned out to be the right call.

" " Newborn Lincoln Threewitt was delivered at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in Chicago. He's home now and doing well. Cherise Threewitt

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The Birth of My Son

By March 31, those 600 coronavirus cases in Chicago spiked to more than 2,600 cases and 26 fatalities. We weren't surprised when my doctor said we wouldn't be allowed visitors at the hospital. Andy had also seen the headlines about hospitals in New York City that weren't admitting partners in the delivery rooms. My doctors reassured me that was very unlikely to happen in Chicago. Even so, I cried tears of relief when Gov. Cuomo overturned the rules in New York.

But according to the nonprofit science magazine Undark, many hospitals across the U.S. still are restricting mothers to just one support person in the delivery room, usually the father or partner. If the mother has already enlisted the help of a doula for support during labor, she has no recourse. She must adjust to delivering without her doula's assistance.

Other reports we read about the evolving birthing protocol included mothers who'd normally be scheduled for inductions. Some doctors were being discouraged from this normal procedure because it requires significant resources from the hospital, while doctors were encouraging it. My doctor did induce me because I went past the 40-week mark in early April, though it took nearly a week to get it scheduled.

When we finally checked in April 8, the intake nurse told us Andy wouldn't be allowed to return if he left, so he never did  for five straight days. She also said we might be tested for coronavirus, though we never were. Those guidelines were being rolled out that very day. Cases in Chicago had almost doubled during the week prior from 3,427 cases on April 2 to 6,099 on April 8, and there were already 462 deaths in the state.

The actual birth of my son didn't wasn't affected much. Andy was by my side while I attempted to deliver vaginally. I ultimately needed an emergency cesarean section because my baby's huge head (96th percentile!) just wasn't going to fit. Thankfully, Andy was also allowed with me during surgery, too.

The only real hiccup was the cesarean section meant we'd be in the hospital longer than we planned. But the surgery was successful, and our baby boy was born healthy April 9, so we didn't care about staying a few more days.

But the extra time there wasn't quite what I imagined it would be. I'd always envisioned maternity wards as cheerful places, but the ward was so silent it was surreal. It was soothing at first, but it eventually turned unnerving. We didn't see other parents or new babies the entire time, even though certainly other babies were being born. There are about 300,000 births every month in the United States and even though hospitals have canceled elective surgeries to free up beds for COVID-19 patients that's not stopping babies from being born.

I'd also imagined some sense of ceremony as we filled out my child's birth certificate. In reality, the county called to say we'd have to submit his birth certificate via email. Another consequence of the pandemic. So much for pomp and circumstance. As the days in the hospital wore on, it felt like we were stuck on a bad vacation only to be going home with a bizarre little souvenir.

" " New parents Andy and Cherise haven't been able to share their son Lincoln with family or friends yet, and don't know when they'll be able to. Cherise Threewitt

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Finally at Home With Lincoln

By the time we were discharged April 13, there were more than 9,000 cases of coronavirus in Chicago and 22,000 in Illinois. The city, state and country were in lockdown, so our drive from the northside of Chicago to the southside took far less time than usual.

Once finally home, we saw my father-in-law, Lincoln's first and only visitor to date. (He'd been camping out on our couch dealing with a water leak at our house.) He wiped away a tear as he waved at his newest grandchild from 6 feet (1.8 meters) away. I felt guilty as hell as I scooped up my 4-day-old baby, hustled him off to our bedroom and closed the door.

Not seeing family and celebrating this new life is by far the most significant challenge we've faced. My mom lives 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away, and she's been hoping for a grandchild since the day I was born. Like most first-time grandmothers, she planned to visit after Lincoln's birth. We've stopped even speculating about when that will happen.

My sister-in-law also had been eager to spend her spring break at our house, helping out and getting to know her nephew. Assistance from an experienced mom (and the company) would be so welcome about now. Lincoln's one- and two-week checkups were conducted by pediatricians wearing masks. I wonder how he's ever going to learn to recognize faces other than ours.

The other highs and lows are numerous but mostly  fortunately  relatively minor. We can't get professional newborn photos taken. The gyms I attended right up until my ninth month are now closed indefinitely, so who knows when or how I'll be able to shed the baby weight. As a freelance writer, I've already lost some of my regular work because of the pandemic, but it's not like I don't have plenty of ways to fill my extra time.

I don't worry about myself anymore, though, at least not as much as I fret over Lincoln, who won't remember any of this anyway. According to The Atlantic, he and his peers have already been dubbed "Generation C," and their future is, frankly, terrifying. I know other generations have faced crises, but we're told that this was simultaneously long overdue and that no one could have predicted it, so which is it? What are we supposed to believe? As a parent, I want to protect my kid from everything bad that could happen, and all around me are reminders that it's simply impossible.

Editor's note: While HowStuffWorks typically doesn't publish first-person features, we decided to highlight the birth experience of one of our regular and valued contributors to show that, despite the unusual times we are experiencing, life is going on.
UW Professor Receives Fulbright to Study How to Combat Dangerous Foodborne Pathogen

Jason Gigley, a UW associate professor of molecular biology, has received a Fulbright Scholarship to study how nutritional immunity and disease tolerance can be used to combat Toxoplasma gondii, a dangerous foodborne pathogen that can kill people with immune deficiencies as well as developing fetuses. (Steve Miller Photo)

Jason Gigley, a University of Wyoming associate professor of molecular biology, received a Fulbright Scholarship to study how nutritional immunity and disease tolerance can be used to combat Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a dangerous foodborne pathogen that can kill people with immune deficiencies as well as developing fetuses.

T. gondii is a major health concern for people whose immune systems are weakened, as well as for developing fetuses; and as a cause of depression and neurocognitive changes. Infection with this parasite can result in different pathologies that can cause tissue damage in the stomach, retinas and brain.

My goal as a Fulbright Scholar will be to test how nutritional immunity and disease tolerance work to promote immunity and reduce pathology during infection with Toxoplasma gondii, says Gigley. To date, there are no fully effective vaccines or therapies that can completely eliminate this infection that is present in at least 30 percent of the worlds human population.

For his project, titled Understanding How Host Available Iron Impacts Nutritional Immunity and Disease Tolerance during Toxoplasma gondii Infection, Gigley will focus on discovering new therapies or vaccine approaches to meet this critical need.

The objectives of the project are:

-- To investigate how nutritional immunity impacts T. gondii infection. The movement of available iron from one location to another in the body can limit access of iron to pathogens to control infection called nutritional immunity.

Our research will investigate how nutritional immunity, a process by which a host prevents a pathogen from getting iron, works in the context of an intracellular parasitic infection called Toxoplasma gondii, Gigley explains. We can increase or decrease levels of iron in our infection model and see how this affects the infection and immune response.

-- To dissect how disease tolerance impacts immunity to T. gondii infection. Disease tolerance counterbalances immune responses by protecting tissues to prevent immune pathology as the immune system functions to eliminate pathogens and diseased tissues.

Gigley says he will investigate how moving iron around in the host affects the level of tissue damage caused by the infection to understand how to help people survive when they are infected with this parasite.

There is a critical need to find additional and new therapeutic targets to treat this infection, Gigley says. Our proposed research on nutritional immunity and disease tolerance could lead to development of a cure, which is desperately needed.

He says the research will take place in Portugal because one of his collaborators, Miguel Soares, is a cell biologist and one of the worlds leaders in studying nutritional immunity and disease tolerance. Gigley says he and Soares will publish their work as collaborative primary research articles in high-level journals. He adds that they also will present the results of their research at international and national meetings.

The Fulbright is a huge honor, and I am really shocked that I received this scholarship, Gigley adds. Receiving this award means a lot to me as a researcher and professor because it will allow me to visit and learn from one of the world's leading experts about a cutting-edge area of research. This award will allow me to bring these new ideas and opportunities back here to the University of Wyoming for my own lab and students that I teach.

Gigley has been a member of UWs faculty since 2012. He received a bachelors degree in freshwater and marine biology from the University of New Hampshire; his Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Dartmouth Medical School; and completed his postdoctoral fellowship work at George Washington University Medical Center in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine.

Gigley is among more than 800 U.S. citizens selected by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to teach, conduct research or provide expertise abroad for the 2020-21 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership in their respective fields.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. governments flagship international educational exchange program and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright, of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has given more than 390,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research; exchange ideas; and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.
(Natural News) The fix is in to remove every last trace of evidence linking the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). And the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) appears to be doing most of the heavy lifting in covering up and destroying the proof so the world never learns the truth, or at least cant prove it.

The CCP is clearly engaged in a massive whitewashing campaign that aims to conceal the fact that the WIV had been studying animal-to-human transmission of bat coronaviruses prior to the global pandemic. Those with the pull to do so have also been altering databases, destroying virus samples, and spreading lies and propaganda to try to keep the whole thing under wraps.

According to the New York Posts Miranda Devine, citing an intelligence analyst from the United Kingdom (UK) who supposedly discovered this via open-source methods, those at the top of the food chain at the WIV have been working overtime under the cover of darkness to distance the research facility as far away as possible from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), even though the cat is already out of the bag.

Days before the Wuhan wet market was bleached, whistleblowers were punished and virus samples were destroyed, someone at the high-security Wuhan Institute of Virology censored its virus database in an apparent attempt to disassociate the laboratory from a novel coronavirus outbreak that would become a global pandemic, she writes.

These alterations reportedly occurred just two days before a gene sequencing lab is said to have been ordered by the Health and Medical Commission of the Hubei Province, where Wuhan is located, to destroy samples of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and withhold all information about it from the public.

These alterations were substantial, news reports claim, and they occurred one day before the CCP notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak involving a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. And none other than Shi Zhengli, the batwoman who was directly involved in these experiments, has been identified as the primary contact for this now-altered database.

Who scrubs a database immediately after an outbreak is announced other than criminals trying to destroy evidence?

Zhengli, it turns out, had been working on so-called chimeric coronaviruses that are capable of infecting animals as well as humans. She was supposedly attending a conference in Shanghai when she was summoned back to Wuhan to deal with the pneumonia outbreak, and apparently also to scrub the facilitys database of all evidence linking it to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

Most of the changes were to delete the keywords wildlife or wild animals,' Devine explains in her report. This is significant because global health researchers say the virus jumped from bats to humans via another wild animal  the crucial missing link in the COVID-19 transmission chain.

Prior to this, Zhengli had actually bragged about how her database was unique because it contained data on virus variants found in other wild animals. And it would appear that this is the reason why her database had to be scrubbed, and evidence destroyed, because it implicates the WIV in unleashing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) upon the world.

It looks like a rushed, inconsistent effort to disassociate the project from the outbreak by rebranding it, the UK intelligence source who spoke to Devine is quoted as saying. Its a strange thing to do within hours of being informed of a novel coronavirus outbreak.

If the WIV had found the missing link between bat virus RaTG13 and SARS-CoV-2 [the coronavirus that causes COVID-19] from an animal vector, it would have been in Shis database, this same source added.

You can read the full report on this new development at this link.

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:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com

NYPost.com
Image is a screengrab from Google Street View

SINGAPORE - Six Malaysian men were charged on Wednesday (13 May) with stealing items from a foreign worker dormitory during the circuit breaker period when movement in all dormitories in Singapore was restricted.

The six are Muhamaad Shahrul Izzuddin Hamidon, 22, Rajah Muniandy, 31, Sivan Perumal, 35, Viraj Chandrasegaran, 20, Kaujaman Raja, 30, and Arumugam Rengasamy, 34.

The six each face a charge of committing theft of various items - most which are commonplace household items and electronic devices - from PPT Lodge 1B, located at Block 4 Seletar North Link, between 8 and 11 May.

It is unclear if the six had committed the offences together or individually. Rajah and Shahrul are accused of stealing the most number of items, at 30 each.

According to his charge sheet, Rajah stole a pillow, a laptop, at least 12 mobile phones, several SIM cards, resident cards and a torchlight among other things.

Shahrul allegedly stole five mobile phones, 10 hangers, six cans of coke, a bottle of green tea and several power banks and watches, among other items.

The six will return to court on 20 May for a further mention.

If convicted of theft in dwelling, each of the men can be jailed up to seven years and fined.

All foreign workers living in dormitories were ordered to stop moving in and out from 21 April, including going to work, in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

At a multi-ministry Taskforce briefing on Tuesday, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said that the authorities were testing some 3,000 workers daily in dormitories but would ramp up testing in the coming weeks.

Over 32,000 foreign workers living in dormitories here have been tested, and 22,334 of them were confirmed as positive for COVID-19, as of Tuesday.

Dozens of clusters linked to foreign worker dorms have been identified thus far, including Singapores largest cluster of 2,549 cases linked to S11 Dormitory@Punggol, followed by Sungei Tengah Lodge linked to 1,320 cases, and Tuas View Dormitory linked to 1,248 cases.

Story continues

The three are among the 25 dorms that have been gazetted as isolation areas and account for some 23 per cent of the total infected cases across all dorms. Some 400,000 foreign workers live in dorms here in Singapore.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

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DERBY Derby High School officials have announced that course registration for the 2020-21 academic year will take place online this year through the use of the PowerSchool portal.

The new process is significantly more efficient and streamlined in a way that allows more clarity for students and parents, officials said.

Principal Martin Pascale said the process will allow for an uninterrupted continuation of promotion to the next grade level, and Assistant Principal Ray Coplin added especially during a time when physical meetings with teachers and counselors cannot take place, it is essential to ensure students are still supported through this process.

School counselors Jen Ostrosky and Adam Baker concurred, saying online course registration has been a long time coming.

Im so excited about the online course registration this year, said Ostrosky. Not only will it be more time efficient, but students will be able to work side-by-side with their parents/guardians throughout the selection process. This also prevents lost or misplaced forms and maintains confidentiality. Its a win-win.

The online registration portal went live Monday.

Were really excited about the online course registration, said Baker. Students and parents can review course offerings and prerequisites to easily select their course schedule for the upcoming school year. Moving forward, this will be the way DHS completes course registration. So were very happy to roll out this new exciting process.

DHS students in grades 9-12 began course selection May 11. Incoming ninth-graders currently at Derby Middle School will be provided with a step-by-step tutorial via Zoom videoconference with Ostrosky and Baker to be held May 18. The 2020-21 Program of Studies is available for students and families to review on the Derby High School website, and is being sent to all families via email.

As well, a course registration sign-up sheet is available in all grade-level Google Classrooms, allowing students to secure a time slot to meet with their counselor for assistance in selecting the most appropriate courseload.
Channing Tatum has a doppelganger and it's a grandfather who was a convicted felon and survived being shot five times.

Mother-of-four Valerie Paolini uncovered the incredible life of her grandfather Ocie Haskell Jones and his 1931 mug shot, which bears a striking resemblance to actor Channing Tatum.

The 38-year-old discovered Haskell Jones lived a life that had all the makings of a Hollywood movie, including robbing a store to help his pregnant wife, doing time in the iconic San Quentin State Prison and shooting a man dead in a Wild West bar brawl.

Valerie learned of her grandfather's past while being stuck inside due to the coronavirus pandemic and now for the first time she tells his incredible story to DailyMail.com, from growing up dirt poor in Oklahoma to gunning down an attacker in his own bar many years later.

Ocie Haskell Jones' mugshot from 1931 bears a striking resemblance to actor Channing Tatum

Valerie Paolini learned of her grandfather's past while being stuck inside due to the coronavirus pandemic and told DailyMail.com of her discovery

Valerie was shown a photo from 1931 by her mother, when handsome Haskell Jones was 24 and serving three years in the famous California prison.

She realized she knew little about her grandfather, who had died days before she was born.

Her birthday has been a constant reminder to her mom Anita Jones-Smith, 60, about her father's death.

A newspaper clipping from 1931 details the arrest of sentencing of Haskell Jones

'My birth was traumatic for her because she loved her dad so much, and he loved her,' Valerie said. 'My birthday was always a constant reminder of his death.

'There was always this ghost of a person hanging over it that I'd never met.'

However, Valerie thought there was no better time to find out the truth about her enigmatic grandfather than during quarantine.

And through her research - from speaking to her mom and looking through newspaper archives - she found a story fit for a Hollywood movie.

'I thought I haven't left my house in six weeks due to lockdown, I've got nothing better to do,' she explained.

And Valerie uncovered a tale of love, death, shootings and robbery - including details not even her mom knew.

Haskell Jones, known to friends as Hack, was born in Oklahoma in 1907. He grew up 'dirt poor' according to Valerie, helping out in the fields in Texas.

He had to teach himself to read and write, and moved to California in the Roaring 20s.

But the period was tough for impoverished farmers like Haskell Jones.

In February 1931, Haskell Jones and two uncles robbed a store of $150, a $300 diamond and insurance papers in Tulare County, California.

'He had just found out his wife was pregnant and he did not have two pennies to rub together,' Valerie, of Portland, Oregon, explained.

'Back then you had to pay the bill up front to get your wife and child out of the hospital, and he did not have that kind of money.

'I think that is where the robbery came into play,' she said.

He was imprisoned in San Quentin for three years, and his mugshot is the spitting image of heartthrob actor Tatum.

Valerie says there were no other newspaper records of her grandfather until 1962, when he was shot in his bar.

'I think the stint in San Quentin changed him,' she explained.

He bought a ranch, and eventually the Buckhorn bar in Visalia, California.

Valerie discovered her granddad was a convicted felon who robbed a store to help his pregnant wife, did time in prison and survived being shot five times

Haskell Jones had fallen out with someone in the city, and five guys barged into his bar and started beating him.

'The newspapers described it as a Wild West shootout,' Valerie said.

Her grandfather grabbed a gun and blasted a water tank twice, before the gun jammed.

'He ends up getting shot five times,' Valerie explained. 'He still manages to go to the other end of the bar, grab another gun and fire off four rounds, one of which kills one of the guys.'

With blood pouring out of him Haskell Jones whispered the code to the safe to his friend and told him to give all of the money to Valerie's mom.

He was eventually taken to hospital where he survived.

The brave barman was in a coma for several days, and they removed two of the bullets and left three inside him.

To his horror, when he woke up he was charged with murder. But the truth quickly came out and he was let off, with his attackers being jailed.

'My mom was four at the time of the shooting and she was told he was in a car accident,' Valerie said. 'She always said she hated cars because she thought her dad was going to die.

'It ruined multiple families that night, the gang who came round to attack my grandfather all ended up dead or in prison.'

The trial played out in the press where Valerie uncovered the gory details.

Haskell Jones closed the bar several years later and moved back to Texas. He ended up getting pardoned by the California Governor for the robbery.

Valerie explains despite his limited education he was smart.

Valerie posted the picture in a Facebook group and received a barrage of messages asking if her dead grandfather was single or had any eligible relatives

Valerie's birthday has been a constant reminder to her mom Anita Jones-Smith, 60, about her father's death because he died just days before she was born

Haskell Jones was working on an off-shore oil rig before he bought the bar, and lost his right index finger in an accident.

However he taught himself how to write again with his left hand.

While he survived the shooting at the time, three bullets became lodged in him and he eventually died of lead poisoning in 1981.

Valerie's mom Anita remembers him as a loving father.

Newspapers told the tale of Haskell Jones' 1931 robbery

'She loved him, he would go to all her girl scout meetings and he would always give her money if she needed it,' Valerie explained. 'But if he needed a favor you were expected to do that favor.

'People were scared of him, and he wasn't afraid of anybody.'

Valerie said her four children have enjoyed learning about their great grandfather.

'It's an amazing story,' she added. 'It's not the sweetest family story by any means, but he was a cool guy.

'Somebody could write a movie about his life, and people would want to see it, because it was that interesting. And I think it's kind of cool to have a grandfather who has such an interesting story.

'If he hadn't made those choices I wouldn't even be here today.

'By today's standards what he did was horrible, but those times were different,' she added. 'He was a survivor, he didn't have anything so I have to have respect for him for that.'

Valerie's grandfather has also turned into a viral sensation for his likeness to Channing Tatum.

Valerie posted the mugshot from San Quentin on social media, and it attracted thousands of comments within minutes.

Most pointed to a likeness with the Magic Mike and Step Up star Tatum.

Valerie's mom Anita remembers him as a loving father that would go to girl scout meetings, but said people were afraid to cross him

'It's an amazing story,' Valerie said. 'It's not the sweetest family story by any means, but he was a cool guy'. He's pictured in front of the bar he owned and shot a man dead

Valerie posted the picture in a Facebook group and received a barrage of messages asking if her dead grandfather was single or had any eligible relatives.

'I feel bad for Channing Tatum because he was tagged in it a few times,' Valerie said.

'No wonder all the ladies love him, he was good looking. I was not expecting that kind of reaction.'

'People were scared of him, and he wasn't afraid of anybody,' Valerie said of her late grandfather

Moderators had to turn the comments off within minutes due to the volume of replies.

It seemed Haskell Jones' criminal record did not put off crazed social media users.

On Facebook, Kristina Speelman said: 'I thought it was. Channing Tatum.'

Kayla Rudden wrote: 'Hot a** grandpa.'

Kailie Soleil said: 'You're definitely related to Channing Tatum.'

And Alysia Oggy added: 'Go ahead and rob this bank .... with all due respect of course.'

A shocked Valerie said she had thousands of messages like this.

'I had women messaging me, wanting to know if he had any grandchildren or great grandchildren who are single,' she explained. 'He's been dead for almost 39 years, and people are asking if he's single.

'It's a San Quentin Prison photo from 1931. No he's not single, he's dead. There were friend requests, people following me, I got messages on Instagram.

'It was insane,' she said.
GST on textiles will not be increased from 5 to 12 per cent: FM Sitharaman

FM Sitharaman on Devas-Antrix issue: Cong has no moral right to speak about crony capitalism

Sitharaman announces Rs 30,000 cr support for NBFCs, HFCs, MFIs

India

pti-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 13: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking financial institutions to provide credit support to the sector amid the coronavirus crisis.

Further, a Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme 2.0 was also unveiled for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies (HFCs), and microfinance institutions (MFIs) with low credit rating to help them extend loans to individuals and MSMEs.

Under the Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme, the minister said investments will be made in both primary and secondary market transactions in investment-grade debt papers of these institutions.

These securities will be fully guaranteed by the government. She said this will provide liquidity support to these institutions and mutual funds and create confidence in the market. These institutions are finding it difficult to raise money from the debt markets, Sitharaman added.

Talking about the partial credit guarantee scheme 2.0 (PCGS), she said NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs with low credit rating require liquidity for fresh lending to MSMEs and individuals. The existing PCGS will be extended to cover borrowings such as primary issuance of bonds/commercial papers (liability side of balance sheet) of such entities.

First 20 per cent of loss will be borne by the guarantor, that is the government. She said that AA-rated papers and below, including unrated papers, will be eligible for investment (especially relevant for many MFIs). These measures are part of the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.
13.05.2020 LISTEN

In boundless joy, we all praised the President for his yeomanship when he locked down this country because of two cases of COVID-19, and zero deaths! But considering the number of cases on the scorecard now (almost 5,000) I dont know whether to rejoice or cry out loud over the initial exaggeration!

This must be a great time to be in Government, at least politically, but a bad time to be in opposition!

Since the emergence of coronavirus in Ghana a couple of months ago, the Government has had the first and the last word on all matters pandemic, while the army of opposition forces led by the NDC consign themselves merely to peripheral relevance by throwing hazy stones from the touchline into the goal post in vehement frustration at being severely overlooked in the national discussions, and only flimsily consulted in laxity. But the NDC would have behaved similarly if the tables were turned.

So to make himself relevant and to keep his party insight, former President, John Mahama had to chew the cud many nights to conjure innovative, creative ways to make himself competitive. And mind you, this is an election year, the biggest year for all political parties, great or small.

He tried to tell the other side of the pandemic story, but he was too sensitive and too careful not to provoke public sensibility about the pandemic and incur mass censure in a crisis year so much so that his criticisms of the government were really no criticisms at all  lets call them a gentle rap tap on the arm which made the President and his team laugh all the way to their dining rooms!

The general mood of the public for safety, self-preservation and for putting food on the table in such a calamitous election year has rendered unnecessary and altogether redundant (at least from the point of view of the opposition) any serious pandemic politicking! But this has provided an alibi for the government to reign undisturbed, unruffled, peacefully  cashing in on the pandemic for partisan political gain.

Issues of corruption, glaring cases of abuse of incumbency, soaring unemployment figures, unmotorable roads, pending cases of schools under trees and all manifesto failures are no longer trendy discussion points these days. Even the media, our last hope against constitutional dictatorship is thunderstruck by COVID, nothing will make its way to the front pages of our national conscience unless it is corona-infested. Even our bishops, the representatives of God are battle-ready to shut their gates to any member who tested positive for the virus! Everything is pandemic compliant these days!

Thanks to COVID, Akufo Addo and the NPP have undertaken unprecedented suo motu, unilateral actions probably unequalled in the history of this country. Within the past seven weeks or so, the President has transmogrified into a serial presenter on our screens and radio sets, locking everything down first and putting the keys into his pocket and giving us reasons thereafter. And whether you agree or disagree with him is irrelevant.

In boundless joy, we all praised him for his yeomanship when he locked down this country because of two cases of COVID-19, and zero deaths! But considering the number of cases on the scorecard now (almost 5,000) I dont know whether to rejoice or cry out loud over the initial exaggeration!

And yet, never before has the opposition looked so disoriented, deflated, almost disenchanted in an election year. On the contrary, the President is riding on the virus to launch his campaign strategy. Methinks the 88 hospital project is a convivial electioneering masterstroke! And anytime he has dispatched innuendos at his detractors, I looked for the cameras to see the distortion on the face of General Mosquito!

But COVID-19 has not been all doom and gloom! At least the ban on social gatherings have given us some temporary political peace. At least it has rolled back the campaign insults and vilifications a few more months. But be not deceived. The under-currents are active and very much alive. It is only a matter of time before the electoral forces plunge us into yet another electoral pandemic!
Oklahoma regulators take no action after oil output hearing FILE PHOTO: An oil drilling rig is seen near a parking lot in front of the state capitol building in Oklahoma City

By Liz Hampton

(Reuters) - Oklahoma's energy regulators on Monday took no action on applications from oil and gas producers seeking to win state-support for measures they said would help stabilize oil prices.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the state's oil and gas industry, heard proposals seeking to declare some oil production in the state waste, and a plan submitted by trade group Oklahoma Energy Producers Alliance (OEPA) that included mandated output cuts.

After a five-hour meeting, the commission took the two under advisement and did not set a date or timeline for any decisions.

U.S. oil futures <CLc1> this year have fallen about 60% to $24.14 a barrel as coronavirus-related lockdowns have crushed demand for fuel. The price collapse has companies in major oil-producing states pushing for regulatory action to stave off further declines.

Oklahoma last month adopted an emergency order that said some oil production could be considered economic waste. That allowed operators to opt to shut wells without losing valuable leases.

One commissioner last week submitted a dissent to the emergency order, saying it was "replete with fatal errors" and said he was not satisfied that the "basic requirements of due process had been met with respect to notice of the hearing."

Last week, Texas regulators struck down a proposal to mandate output cuts.

"We're floating out there in dangerous waters," said Lee Levinson, owner of LPD Energy Company LLC, which submitted the order requesting some output be considered waste and was granted the emergency order.

Darlene Wallace, a member of the OEPA, said she has shut-in most of her wells and has had purchasers say they may not take her oil because of lack of storage.

"I cannot stay in business if I continue to lose money," she said in support of the proposals.

Oklahoma has some of the highest production costs in the country. Breakevens in its SCOOP (South Central Oklahoma Oil Province) and the STACK (Sooner Trend, Anadarko, Canadian and Kingfisher) plays are roughly $48.19 a barrel, versus about $40 a barrel in the Permian basin, according to an analysis by Deutsche Bank.

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But Crawley Petroleum Corp voiced opposition to the economic waste motion, arguing that it could lead to lawsuits.

"The notion that we don't have the right to do this (shut wells) absent of this order is a fallacy," said Chief Executive Officer Kim Hatfield.

The American Petroleum Institute and the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma also opposed regulatory measures, noting production had been curbed, and Oklahoma drilling cut by 90% from its recent highs.

Brook Simmons, president of the Alliance, said the state could do nothing to stop an "armada" of tankers waiting to unload foreign oil at refineries.

"The markets have already responded" to the glut, said the API's Dean Foreman.

(Reporting by Liz Hampton; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
The state government of Victoria has decided to ease social restrictions, allowing auctions and open-for-inspections starting today.

However, some rules will still be in place, including the 10-person limit in property auctions and open-for-inspections. Staff facilitating the auctions and open-for-inspections will also be required to record the contact details of attendees.

Leah Calnan, president of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria, said the property industry is prepared to take the necessary measures to ensure a safe return to businesses.

"The real estate sector has adapted extremely well during this pandemic, while restrictions are being lifted, the threat of coronavirus remains and it is imperative that we continue to run auctions safely and responsibly," she said.

Calnan encouraged all agents, sellers, and property buyers to use the Department of Healths COVIDSafe mobile application to contribute to the tracing of people who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

"REIV recommends that all individuals attending an open or auction should also download the app, provide contact details to the agent and follow social distancing measures as required," she said.

Despite the reopening of auctions, Calnan encouraged others to continue using digital platforms to create wider engagement from potential property buyers.

Calnan said this move by the state government will help the property market cushion any potential risks and boost economic growth.

"Property transactions are a critical factor in a strong economy. The strong clearance rates and the level in interest in attending private inspections show there is still a strong demand in the market," she said.
Covid-19 means money set aside for the Mountmellick flood defence plan may not be spent this year but the Minister for Justice and Laois Offaly TD Charlie Flanagan insists that the project will still proceed.

In as statement Laois/Offaly TD and Minister for Justice & Equality, Charlie Flanagan, has said that concerns have been raised over the past few weeks regarding the future of the Mountmellick Flood Relief Project in the backdrop of the current Covid-19 crisis.

Mountmellick was hit be devastating floods in November 2017. Residents and businesses have been put on alert on number occasions since during storms. The most recent of these took place just after the General Election of 2020.

He spoke about the matter in the Dail on Wednesday, May 13. He said he had spoken with his colleague and Minister of State Kevin Boxer Moran about the importance of progressing this project without delay. Minister Flanagan said Minister Moran visited Mountmellick twice following the flooding in the town to see the devastation it caused first-hand, and he has advised that the total expenditure on the Mountmellick Flood Relief project to date is as follows: expenditure in 2019 - 127,683.07; expenditure in 2020 (to date) 66,897.83.

Minister Flanagan expanded on the figures given.

The expenditure to date on the project all relates to the preparatory design and survey work. Following the public information day last November substantial feedback was received from members of the public regarding the broad outline of the proposed scheme and its programme for implementation. This feedback is informing the further development of the scheme design, he said.

However, he confirmed that the Covid-19 emergency is likely to have an impact in 2020.

At the outset, it was estimated that there would be an expenditure in the region of 475,000 in 2020. However, due to the current Covid-19 related restrictions, this figure may not be realised, however, I have been assured that the situation is being kept under close review.

Minister Moran has informed me that in relation to projected spend for the next three years, consultants are working on their data review with a view to selecting a preferred option. Until this work is finalised it is difficult to provide meaningful yearly projections beyond 2020," he said.

However, Minister Flanagan insisted that the project will succeed.

I wish to assure members of the public that the Office of Public Works has guaranteed me that is committed to this project. The necessary funding to progress the project is available within the overall allocation of 1 billion made available by the Government for flood relief in the National Development Plan 2018 - 2027, he said.

Laois County Council signed a contract in October 2019 with consultants to advance the detailed design and implementation of the Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme.

The design work is set to be the most time-consuming part of the project. The council confirmed recently that project is expected to be completed by December 2022. Construction work is scheduled to commence in August 2022.

A previous flood plan was deemed not useful because of the 2017 flood.

The cost of the scheme is set to exceed 3 million.
A Stone Cold Steve Austin beer run is serious business.

Los Angeles County requires a face covering for anyone leaving their home. Yes, even the Texas Rattlesnake going on a beer run. So Austin naturally reached for the mask we all expected him to, right?

The pro wrestling legend tweeted a pic of himself in driving his Ford Focus to grab some beer, maybe a case of his Broken Skull IPA, while he donned an Alabama Crimson Tide mask with two versions of the script A logo.

Making a beer run in the Ford Focus on the Mean Streets of LA. Hump day, he tweeted. Almost there...#rolltide

So yeah, the toughest S.O.B. on the planet rocking a Bama mask and driving a Ford Focus. Something we all expected to see today. Austin played football at North Texas, by the way. I guess this means we should all wear a mask because Stone Cold said so. And because the government and health experts do, too.

See his tweet below.
Messaging service Telegram said on Tuesday it is abandoning its blockchain platform Telegram Open Network (TON) after a lengthy battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

"Today is a sad day for us here at Telegram . We are announcing the discontinuation of our blockchain project," wrote Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of Telegram, on his channel.

A U.S. court made it impossible for the messaging service, used by more than 400 million users, to continue development of Telegram Open Network, he wrote in a blog post.

How? Imagine that several people put their money together to build a gold mine  and to later split the gold that comes out of it, he wrote.

Then a judge comes and says: These people invested in the gold mine because they were looking for profits. And they didn't want that gold for themselves, they wanted to sell it to other people. Because of this, they are not allowed to get the gold.

If this doesn't make sense to you, you are not alone  but this is exactly what happened with TON (the mine) and Grams (the gold). A judge used this reasoning to rule that people should not be allowed to buy or sell Grams like they can buy or sell Bitcoins, he added.

Today's announcement comes as a surprise, as just last month Telegram had assured people that it would launch TON by April 2021 and offered investors a refund of $1.2 billion, a significant part of their investment, or 110% in a year after the supposed launch of TON.

Durov noted today that the U.S. court declared that Grams could not be distributed even outside of the United States, as U.S. citizens would have found workarounds to access the TON platform.

"Sadly, the US judge is right about one thing: we, the people outside the US, can vote for our presidents and elect our parliaments, but we are still dependent on the United States when it comes to finance and technology," he added.

In late March, U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel of Manhattan issued a preliminary injunction in favor of the suit by the Securities and Exchange Commission to bar the launch of TON blockchain platform.

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Telegram first floated the idea of TON blockchain and its cryptocurrency to investors in 2017. Benchmark and Lightspeed Capital, as well as several Russian investors, put up $1.7 billion in exchange for the promise of future Grams.

"I want to conclude this post by wishing luck to all those striving for decentralization, balance and equality in the world. You are fighting the right battle. This battle may well be the most important battle of our generation. We hope that you succeed where we have failed," wrote Durov, cautioning people to stay away from independent versions of TON built by third-party entities.

"So be careful, and don't let anyone mislead you."
As countries begin to emerge from lockdowns, the full impact of coronavirus containment measures on the environment is becoming clear  including 11,000 fewer deaths from air pollution in Europe alone.

With more than half of the worlds population under lockdown in late April, emissions from road and air traffic plummeted. Reduced energy demand more generally also saw a drop in output from fossil fuel power stations.

Recent data from multiple environmental organisations has revealed a massive drop in CO2 emissions in 2020, showing that the coronavirus pandemic has caused the biggest carbon crash on record.

Data from Carbon Brief and the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveal the unprecedented scale of the emissions decline, which is six-times larger than the previous record reduction that followed the 2007-2008 Financial Crisis.

Projected figures for 2020 forecast the biggest ever percentage drop in CO2 emissions - more than any previous war or global economic crisis.

There has also been a huge reduction in air pollution in the form of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions.

NO2 is released when fossil fuels are burned in cars, airplanes and other combustion engines, contributing to the formation of harmful smog that causes respiratory and other serious health problems.

Stay at home orders that were in place across the UK throughout April saw NO2 emissions plunge, as people avoided driving, flying and using public transport.

The reduction in NO2 and other pollutants as a result of the coronavirus lockdown has resulted in 11,000 fewer deaths from air pollution in Europe, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

A recent CREA report also revealed that reduced energy demand during lockdown resulted in power generation from coal falling by 37 per cent across Europe in April.

This, combined with the reduction in road traffic, can be seen in satellite images gathered by the European Space Agencys (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, which captures ground-level concentrations of NO2.

Use the slider to compare 2019 and 2020 NO2 emissions.

A similar trend can be seen in other heavily polluting regions of the world, such as India.

The countries projected to see the most health benefits in Europe are France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK  where car use fell by more than 50 per cent during lockdown, according to data from Apple Maps.

Requests for public transport directions on Apple Maps fell even more significantly during this period, falling by more than 90 per cent in some major cities.

Air traffic saw a similar collapse in late March, though it is beginning to see a bit of an upswing as countries slowly emerge from lockdown.

The drop in global NO2 levels has levelled off in recent weeks and will inevitably rise again as coronavirus containment measures begin to lift.

Scientists have warned that as lockdowns are lifted, levels will quickly return to how they were before the pandemic and will continue to rise year-on-year unless drastic action is taken.

But this separate and more urgent crisis has demonstrated that the more creeping climate crisis can be addressed through a global response.

As we are all anxious for life and business to return to normal, no one is looking forward to the return of fossil fuel pollution, said CREA analyst Lauri Myllyvirta.

It is vital for European decision-makers to prioritise clean air, clean energy and clean transport as a part of the plans for recovering from the crisis.
More than 11,000 has been raised for a good and caring railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat on at work.

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on the concourse of Victoria station in London when a member of the public who claimed he had Covid-19 spat and coughed at her and a colleague.

Both women fell ill with the virus, and Ms Mujinga, who had an 11-year-old daughter, died in hospital in Barnet on 5 April, 11 days after the attack.

An online fundraiser set up to raise 1,000 for her family has already surpassed its target, with 11,075 raised by Wednesday morning.

Ms Mujingas husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, described how the suspect walked up to his wife on 22 March and spat in her face.

He said: The man asked her what she was doing, why she was there, and she said they were working.

The man said he had the virus and spat on them. They reported it to their supervisor.

Belly came home and told me everything.

Mr Katalay said his wife had an operation four years ago and had underlying respiratory problems.

Within a week of the incident, she began to feel ill and was admitted to hospital on 2 April, where she was later put on a ventilator.

That was the last time I saw her, Mr Katalay said. We just said Be good, and that God is in charge.

Railway worker and mother-of-one Belly Mujinga, 47 (right), who has died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty at Victoria Station, in London. (Family Handout/Belly Mujinga/PA)

We did a WhatsApp video in hospital, but then I didnt hear from her again. I thought she might be asleep, but the doctor phoned me to tell me she had died.

Mr Katalay and their daughter Ingrid were two of just 10 people allowed at Ms Mujingas funeral, in line with social distancing measures, on 29 April.

Ms Mujinga was originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved to the UK in 2000.

Mr Katalay described his wife as a good person, a good mother, and a good wife.

He added: She gave her friendship to many people. She was a caring person and would take care of everybody.

The attack on Ms Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, has been widely condemned, with Boris Johnson describing it as utterly appalling during prime ministers questions on Wednesday.



The prime minister said: Yesterday this House learnt of the tragic death of Belly Mujinga. The fact that she was abused for doing her job is utterly appalling.

My thoughts, and Im sure the thoughts of the whole House, are with her family.

Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) general secretary Manuel Cortes saying he was shocked and devastated at the death.

The prime ministers official spokesman, meanwhile, said: It is despicable for a key worker to be attacked in this way while serving the travelling public.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps on Tuesday said 42 Transport for London (TfL) workers and 10 Network Rail employees, including train operation companies, have died with Covid-19 so far, although it is not known if their deaths were connected to their jobs.

Angie Doll, managing director of Southern Railway and Gatwick Express which is owned by Govia Thameslink Railway, said the company was investigating claims about the way staff handled Ms Mujingas case, adding: We take any allegations extremely seriously.

British Transport Police are also investigating the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040 and quoting reference 359 of 11/05/20.

Additional reporting by Press Association.
Containers seen at the Kim Thanh Border Gate No.2 in northern Lao Cai Province. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Six secondary border gates with China will reopen from mid-May after a period of closure to help Vietnam contain the novel coronavirus.

The gates, four in Lang Son Province and two in Quang Ninh, will reopen to resume trade activities between both countries, according to a recent decision by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Provincial authorities could reopen other secondary border gates with China that trade in high volumes of agriculture produce, seafood and manufacturing material, the PM ordered, adding only goods are allowed to pass, not people.

Starting May 1, trade via Tan Thanh Border Gate in Lang Son resumed the normal seven hours a day including weekends, after almost a month operating only five hours daily as demanded by Chinese customs to help prevent Covid-19 spreading.

The number of containers piling up at northern border gates have dropped from nearly 2,000 in April to 700, most carrying agriculture produce, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

China was Vietnams third largest export market last year, behind the U.S. and the E.U., with a value of $41.4 billion, down 0.1 percent year-on-year.


By Tom Arnold

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) - From Mauritius to Montenegro, small nations that depend on foreign visitors, face economic devastation as enduring travel restrictions force would-be tourists to stay at home.

The travel industry, which accounts for around 10% of global GDP, has borne the brunt of the damage wrought by lockdowns to contain the novel coronavirus as nations have sealed borders and planes have been grounded.

Globally, the cost for emerging and developed economies could be $2.7 trillion, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said.

The impact is greatest for emerging economies with few other sources of income.

"Tourism is a lifeline to millions, especially in the developing world," United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said.

"Opening the world up to tourism again will save jobs, protect livelihoods and enable our sector to resume its vital role in driving sustainable development."

The problem is the difficulty of resuming travel when huge questions have yet to be answered about how to ensure it is safe and as the damage inflicted on the global economy is likely to limit travel budgets for companies and individuals.

Lockdowns have already taken a toll. In March, international tourist arrivals were down 99% to Hong Kong, 95% to South Korea, 81% to Israel and 68% to Turkey, UNWTO figures show. It said the global decline could be 60%-80% over 2020.

For an interactive version of the graphic below, click here: https://tmsnrt.rs/2WoUgUU

The gambling hub of Macau is among markets most reliant on tourism, which accounts for 59% of the Chinese territory's GDP, according to UNWTO data.

"Sun, sea, and sand" island economies in the Caribbean and elsewhere were the most exposed to a slowdown in tourist footfall, S&P Global estimated. Tourism accounted for nearly 75% of current account receipts in Aruba and the Bahamas.

S&P assessed the Balkans as the second most vulnerable region. Even under a scenario where tourism drops off mildly, around 2 percentage points would be shaved off the region's headline GDP growth, it forecast.

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For an interactive version of the graphic below, click here: https://tmsnrt.rs/2SYJ8Mq

The drop in demand is expected to have a severe impact on employment levels. Global job losses could reach more than 100 million, the WTTC has estimated.

Tourism accounts for more than 15% of jobs in Mexico and Philippines, while some economies may suffer a further hit from reduced remittances from those working overseas in the industry.

For many countries, a tourism revival will only occur when restrictions on international travel are eased. Out of 217 global destinations, 72% have placed a complete stop on international tourism, said the UNWTO.

That leaves countries such as Bahrain, Montenegro, Chad and Palestine exposed as international travellers account for more than 90% of tourism.

Factoring in the importance of tourism to GDP and employment and their reliance on foreign, rather than domestic visitors, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico and Turkey were most exposed, Priscila Robledo at Continuum Economics said.

And with relatively little outbound tourism historically, those countries will not see any benefit to current accounts as a result of the lockdown, she said.

While some expect the COVID-19 shock to last around year, the lasting impact on travel is unclear.

Destinations closer to large populations, such as Croatia and Hungary, may recover better over a two-to-three-year time horizon, S&P said, and ultimately the biggest hit may be to business travel.

"Consumers may crave far away destinations after months of being cooped up," Hasnain Malik at Tellimer said. "But businesses may never again allow flights to so easily displace video conference calls."

(Reporting by Tom Arnold; editing by Barbara Lewis)
New Delhi: Explaining the meaning of 'atmanirbhar' in different languages, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package will spur growth and build a self-reliant India. She further said that it will help push local brands to be competitive at the global level, but not make India an isolationist economy.

"Essentially, this is to spur growth and build a self-reliant India. That is why it is called atma-nirbhar India," she said at a press conference.

Here are the top highlights from her speech:

1. The finance minister has made a major announcement to disallow global tenders up to Rs 200 crore. "Indian MSMEs and other companies have often faced unfair competition from foreign companies. Therefore, global tenders will be disallowed in government procurement tenders up to Rs 200 crore," said said, adding that necessary amendments of General Financial Rules will be effected. "This will be a step towards self reliant India and support Make in India. This will also help MSMEs to increase their businesses," Sitharaman said.

2. Sitharaman said that the stimulus package has 16 different measures. Six of which deal with MSMEs, two relating to EPF, two relating to NBFCs, housing finance corporations and MFI, one on discoms, one on contractors, one on real estate and three on tax measures.

3. Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt for stressed MSMEs: She said that stressed MSMEs need equity support. The govt will facilitate provision of Rs 20,000 crore as subordinate debt. It is likely to benefit 2 lakh MSMEs. The functioning MSMEs, which are NPA or are stressed will be eligible. Th government will provide support of Rs 4,000 crore to CGTMSE. The CGTMSE will provide partial credit guarantee support.

4. Rs 90,000 cr liquidity injection for DISCOMs: The minister said that unprecedented cash flow has been problem accentuated by demand reduction. DISCOM payables to power generation and transmission companies is currently close to Rs 94,000 crore. PFS/REC will now infuse liquidity of Rs 90,000 to DISCOMs against receivables. The loans will be given against state guarantees for exclusive purpose of discharging liabilities of discoms to gencos.

5. The EPF contribution has been reduced for businesses and workers for three months with Rs 6750 crore liquidity support. The statutory PF contribution of both employee and employer will be reduced to 10 per cent. This is not applicable for PSUs. This is is applicable for the next three months.

6. Extension of registration and completion date of real estate projects under RERA: The FM said that ministry of housing and urban affairs will issue advisories where covid-19 can be treated as an 'Act of God'. The government will extend the registration and completion sou moto by 6 months for all registered projects expiring on or after 25 March, 2020; issue fresh project registration certificates automatically with revised timelines; these measures will de-stress real estate developers and ensure completion of projects.

7. The due date of all income tax returns for assessment year 2020-21 will be extended to November 30, 2020. Similarly, tax audit due date will be extended to October 30, 2020.

Today's press conference is the first of a series of press briefings by the finance minister. The Rs 20 lakh crore sum, which is equal of 10 per cent of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), includes Reserve Bank of India's liquidation worth close to Rs 8.04 lakh crore along with Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package under Gareeb Kalyan Yojana spelled out by Sitharaman last month.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday evening, PM Modi had announced Rs 20 lakh crore - equivalent to 10 per cent of India's GDP - in fiscal and monetary measures to support an economy badly hit by the 50-day lockdown to fight the spread of Covid-19.
US period drama The Good Lord Bird, starring Ethan Hawke as controversial abolitionist John Brown, is coming to Stan, same day as the US.

The seven-episode series is based on the award-winning novel by bestselling author James McBride.

The Showtime series also introduces actor Joshua Caleb Johnson.

The Good Lord Bird is told from the point of view of Onion (Joshua Caleb Johnson), a fictional enslaved boy who becomes a member of Browns motley family of abolitionist soldiers during Bleeding Kansas  a time when the state was a battleground between pro- and anti-slavery forces  and eventually finds himself participating in the famous 1859 raid on the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry. Browns raid failed to initiate the slave revolt he intended,but was the event that started the Civil War. The Good Lord Bird weaves a humorous, dramatic and historical tapestry of Antebellum America, spotlighting the complicated and ever-changing racial, religious and gender roles that make up the American identity.

The series also stars Critics Choice winner and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood), Hubert Point-Du Jour (Madam Secretary), Beau Knapp (Seven Seconds), Nick Eversman (Wild), Jack Alcott (Champaign ILL), and Mo Brings Plenty (Yellowstone).

Also appearing is a roster of talented guest stars including Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Emmy nominee David Morse (Escape at Dannemora) as Dutch Henry Sherman, Steve Zahn (War of the Planet of the Apes) as Chase, Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) as Annie Brown, Wyatt Russell (Lodge 49) as federal officer Jeb Stuart, and Orlando Jones (American Gods) as The Rail Man.

The Good Lord Bird is executive produced by Jason Blum, Ethan Hawke, Ryan Hawke, Mark Richard, Padraic McKinley, Jeremy Gold, Marci Wiseman, Albert Hughes, James McBride, Brian Taylor, Marshall Persinger and David Schiff.

Sunday 9th August on Stan.
FLINT, MI -- The U.S. Postal Service says it has pushed back the deadline for companies to make proposals to build its next-generation delivery vehicles by an additional 60 days, saying the delay is due to the COVID-19 emergency.

Among the companies in the running to produce the new vehicles is the Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group, which is still considering building a new manufacturing facility in Flint -- with or without the Postal Service contract.

In light of the circumstances of the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Postal Service and supplier operations, the Postal Service extended the due date for responses to the (next generation delivery vehicle) production request for proposal by 60 days, to July 14, 2020, Kim Frum, a Postal Service spokeswoman said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal.

The online publication Trucks.com first reported the latest delay in a story published Tuesday, May 12, and said the eventual contract could be worth more than $6 billion to build as many as 180,000 delivery vans. The report said the contract could be split among more than one company.

The USPS delay shouldnt impact our timeline too much, but we do have to take it into account, Rich Ansell, vice president of marketing for Mahindra Automotive North America, said in an email to The Journal. Were still working through our site selection process and expect to be able to make an announcement within the next two to three months.

Ansell had said in early April that the site selection could be completed by the end of May.

Last August, Mahindra announced it had signed a letter of intent to evaluate the former Buick City property in north Flint, and officials for the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust, which owns it, said it was working to help bring about a sale.

RACER is a trust that was created to sell off troubled assets of General Motors, including the Buick City property, when GM went through bankruptcy in 2009.

In addition to Buick City, the company has said its also considered sites in North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Arizona.

The latest Postal Service delay isnt the first as it looks to replace its aging fleet of vehicles.

Last September, the Postal Service said it would push off the decision on what company or companies would be selected to manufacture the vehicles until 2020 -- a decision that had been expected to be made in 2019.

Postal Service decision that could bring factory to Flint delayed until 2020

Mahindra expects to decide between Flint Buick City, other plant sites by end of May

Indias largest SUV maker could decide on Flint plant in weeks
By Ayya Lmahamad

Property damage caused to entrepreneurs during fire in the EuroHome market in Baku amounts to AZN 17.4 million ($10.2M), the Prosecutor Generals Office reported on May 13.

Property belonging to 128 entrepreneurs was burned during the fire at EuroHome construction materials market and citizens have been compensated for the damage in the amount of AZN 13.8 million ($8.1 million).

A fire broke in the construction materials market EuroHome in Baku on 10 December 2019 burning down 40 percent of the market.

Another fire started in EuroHome on May 12, 2020 burning the total area of 3.3 thousand square meters and 15 perenct of the market.

Criminal proceedings have been launched in connection with the fire under articles 225.2 (Violation of fire safety regulations, which entailed serious consequences by negligence) and 308.2 (Abuse of office, which entailed serious consequences), and an investigative and operational team consisting of staff from the General Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Emergency Situations has been established.

The criminal proceedings into the incident have been transferred to the investigation department of the General Prosecutor's Office for serious crimes, upon the Prosecutor-Generals decision.

Due to the fact that both fires occurred in a shopping center located on the same territory of Eurohome Ltd., the criminal cases have been merged, and the investigation is continuing in the general procedure at the investigation department of the General Prosecutor's Office for serious crimes.

"EuroHome" compamy was registered in 1999 and has and authorized capital of AZN 306.548 thousand ($180.300)

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
More than two dozen California counties have asked for permission to loosen their stay-at-home orders beyond what the state allows, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, promising a speedy review of their requests as jobs continue disappearing by the millions in a coronavirus-induced economic downturn.

Newsom relaxed some statewide restrictions last week by allowing curbside pickup at most retail stores and giving manufacturers the OK to resume with some limits. Hes promised to release guidelines on Tuesday for the return of dine-in restaurants.

But many rural counties with few coronavirus cases are eager to jump ahead of Newsom to get started on recovering from a statewide stay-at-home order that has been in place for nearly two months.

Other counties are more cautious, prompting a dispute between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Alameda County leaders on Monday when the billionaire businessman reopened his plant in Fremont in defiance of local health orders.

The two extremes show the balance Newsom must strike as he tries to lead the nations most populous state through a pandemic that has crippled what had been a roaring economy. Newsom said Monday more than 4.5 million people have filed for unemployment benefits, contributing to a projected $54.3 billion budget deficit.

On Monday, Newsom and leaders from four other western states signed a letter asking Congress for $1 trillion in aid. Meanwhile, California cities have asked the state Legislature for $7 billion in funding to cover a projected statewide shortfall in local government budgets.

The deficits are creating pressure for the state to open the economy faster. The state will allow counties to go beyond the states plan, but only if they meet strict standards that include no coronavirus-related deaths and no more than one confirmed case per 10,000 residents in the past two weeks.

Newsom said Monday his administration has discussed plans with 19 counties, with nine others scheduled. Some could have their plans approved by Tuesday. But its been difficult for some more populated counties to meet those state standards.

In Kern County, which has nearly 1 million residents spread out over 8,000 square miles, local officials say they cant met the requirements on deaths and infections because of an outbreak at a skilled nursing facility that has accounted for 60% of the countys deaths. The 184-bed facility now has more than 100 confirmed cases, according The Bakersfield Californian.

Is it fair to judge them based upon whats going on in this one facility? Kern County Supervisor Mike Maggard asked.

Newsom left open the possibility, answering a question during his Monday news conference by saying Were open to argument, interested in evidence.

There is a lot of really interesting nuance within these large counties and that obviously needs to be taken into account. he said.

San Luis Obispo County, which stretches along the Central Coast north of Los Angeles, meets the infection requirements if it only counts new cases that are community or travel-related. It doesnt meet the requirements if it includes cases with a known source or household contact, which includes 10 cases at the California Mens Colony prison.

All of this is sort of uncharted territory for all of us, said Michelle Shoresman, spokeswoman for the countys health officials.

Yuba and Sutter counties in Northern California easily meet those standards but have defied the governor by allowing dine-in restaurants, hair salons and gyms to reopen. Last week, the Newsom administration warned the counties they could forfeit federal disaster dollars if they keep ignoring the governors order.

But Monday, the Democratic governor called the two counties incredibly cooperative and said were having some very good conversations. He predicted that they will be able to work through a lot of the differences we may have.

Newsom also sought to broker a peace between Tesla, which employs 10,000 people. In a series of tweets over the weekend, Musk threatened to move the company to another state. Newsom said he has great expectations that county leaders can work it out with Musk and said we look forward to many, many decades of that relationship.

California has more than 68,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 2,700 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because of a shortage of testing.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California
Rome: A right-wing lawmaker in Italy was reprimanded Wednesday after he called a young Italian woman who converted to Islam while being held hostage in Somalia a "neo-terrorist."

Silvia Romano, 24, stepped off an Italian government jet on Sunday wearing the green hijab typical of Somali Muslim women. She reportedly told prosecutors in Rome she converted freely during her 18-month kidnapping ordeal, which included being held captive by Somalia's al-Shabab militants.

Silvia Romano, escorted by Carabinieri, lowers her face mask for press as she arrives at her home, in Milan, Italy. Credit:AP

What should have been a joyful time for Romano and her family has been marred by displays of bigotry and intolerance in Italy, a majority Catholic country where racist incidents have grown amid anti-migrant sentiment.

Police were called to the Romano family home in Milan after a glass bottle was thrown against the residence.
A COMET MAXI bus. (PHOTO: SMRT)

SINGAPORE  Specially-retrofitted SMRT buses have been deployed since 6 May for COVID-19-related operations, such as transporting passengers among hospitals, dormitories and various community facilities.

In a media release on Tuesday (12 May), SMRT Corporation said that the buses, which are called COVID-19 Multi-Passenger Enhanced Transporter (COMET MAXI), can take up to 30 passengers and are engineered for the safety of all on board.

The COMET MAXI has the driver and the passengers located in two compartments separated by a completely sealed divider, it said in the media release.

Each compartment has its own independent air-conditioning system, which allows air circulation within both cabins to be separated. The passengers compartment is equipped with a Negative Pressure System with a HEPA filter which will help ensure that only clean air is filtered out from the passengers compartment.

The drivers compartment also has two additional seats for accompanying paramedics, if they are needed. Drivers have undergone 20 hours of training conducted by SMRT, including familiarisation with operating the vehicles safety features such as the Negative Pressure System. They will also have to wear Personal Protective Equipment while on duty.

The vehicles were retrofitted from existing SMRT buses, in collaboration with Singapore-based engineering firm HOPE Technik. Sheares Healthcare, which invests in and provides healthcare delivery services in Asia, owns the fleet of COMET MAXIs and will work with the Ministry of Health to complement its patient transport services.

The joint effort is part of Temasek Foundations Stay Prepared initiative and supports the nations SGUnited community efforts in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

COVID-19: Singapore reports 884 new cases and single-day high of 626 recoveries

COVID-19: Foreign workers must fully recover before resuming work  Gan Kim Yong

COVID-19 circuit breaker must be 'carefully' lifted despite drop in community cases

COVID-19: Security officer and 2 others charged with breaching SHN
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As the coronavirus pandemic lingers on, mental health experts say we should be paying close attention to the psychological impacts on first responders and healthcare workers.

Captain Scott Ross, who heads the L.A. County Fire Department's behavioral health peer support program, said since the pandemic started, the unit is getting more calls from first responders.

"There's concerns -- concerns about not only doing the job, seeing all the things that we see, but are we going to bring this home to our families?" Ross said.

Many health care workers who interact with clients in nursing homes are also anxious about bringing the virus home with them, said Kim Evon, executive vice president of SEIU Local 2015, which represents thousands of skilled nursing facility workers.

"They are both in environments where they're witnessing people dying in our skilled nursing facilities at an alarming rate... and (there's) this overwhelming fear of bringing it home to their loved ones," she said.

That fear became a reality for one union member whose asthmatic daughter became infected, Evon said.

"Her daughter was telling her she was afraid she was going to die," Evon said. "And she has to go back to work."

Mental health experts say this prolonged stress environment will have a lasting impact.

"There's probably going to be people who develop psychological disorders, like depression and anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder," said Dr. Joshua Morganstein, who chairs an American Psychiatric Association committee focused on disaster and trauma.

Morganstein recommends borrowing the military idea of "battle buddies" for frontline workers, which would mean pairing people up to look out for one another's mental well-being.

With no end to the pandemic in sight, Morganstein said it will also be important for organizations to give frontline workers time to recover, along with making sure basic safety needs like personal protective equipment are provided.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: INS Magar, the second ship deployed by the Indian Navy to evacuate Indians stranded in Maldives, arrived at the Kochi port at 5.45pm on Tuesday. The ship, deployed as part of Operation Samudra Setu, brought 202 Indians who were stranded in Maldives due to suspension of international flights in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to the Navy, 91 repatriates who arrived in the ship are Keralites, while 83 are natives of Tamil Nadu. The remaining 28 persons hail from 15 other states. The vessel was docked at BTP Jetty of the Kochi port and the evacuees were subjected to medical examination and customs and immigration check at the terminal on arrival. The district administration, police, health, transport and various government agencies had made arrangements for transportation and quarantine facilities for the expatriates. Tamil Nadu had arranged buses to transport the expats to their native place.

Meanwhile, INS Jalashwa, the amphibious transport dock of the Navy, which brought 698 Indians from Maldives on its first evacuation mission on May 10, will set sail for Maldives on its second evacuation mission on Wednesday. The ship is expected to arrive at Port of Male on Thursday and will start its return journey with 700 expats on Friday.

As many as 14 ships of the Navy have been staying prepared for evacuation mission under Operation Samudra Setu. The Navy is waiting for orders to deploy the ships to bring back expats, said Navy spokesperson.
The United Kingdoms equalities watchdog has abandoned plans to investigate claims of Islamophobia in the ruling Conservative Party, prompting a backlash from critics, Muslim groups and individuals.

An Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) spokesperson said on Tuesday that because the party itself has said it would probe complaints of anti-Muslim discrimination, it would not be proportionate to initiate our own investigation at this stage.

We will be monitoring the review and requiring the party to provide regular updates on progress. If we are not satisfied with progress or how the investigation is conducted we will review our decision and do not rule out the use of our legal powers.

Earlier, the Conservative Party set out new details of its own investigation.

Following the EHRCs announcement on Tuesday, Harun Khan, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), said: We have previously described the Conservative Partys attitude to Islamophobia as one of denial, dismissal and deceit. The publication of the terms of reference for its inquiry reflects that regrettable attitude.

They are a facade to hide the hundreds of incidences of Islamophobic bigotry we have identified in its ranks. In sum, it seems even today, the Conservative Party refuses to acknowledge that there can be bigotry and prejudice directed at Muslims.

MCB previously submitted a dossier of 300 cases to the EHRC regarding alleged Islamophobia, including allegations against prominent MPs and special advisers.

One of MCBs examples was from 2016, when Zac Goldsmith, a Conservative politician, faced allegations of attempting to connect the Labour Partys Sadiq Khan to Muslim extremists.

During the London mayoral election campaign, in which both were candidates, Goldsmith said Khan had provided cover for extremists, adding the former human rights lawyer tried to silence questions about his links [to extremists] by shamelessly accusing anyone who raises them of being Islamophobic.

In 2019, several Conservative politicians and members posted anti-Muslim rhetoric on social media, prompting accusations that Islamophobia is prevalent at all levels, from local representatives to the upper echelons of the party.

In an investigation by The Guardian, dozens of former and current Conservative councillors were found to have referred to Muslims as barbarians and the enemy within, and called for mosques to be banned.

The party suspended councillors who were still members and said it would open an investigation.

Meanwhile, the EHRC is investigating the main opposition Labour Partys handling of alleged anti-Semitism within its ranks.

The EHRC has become a political tool of the Tories [Conservatives]. The evidence drops investigation into Tory #Islamophobia whilst continuing to investigate the Labour Party for #AntiSemitism Pure hypocrisy, said Bame lawyers for justice, an anti-racism group advocating for ethnic minority lawyers.

Natalie Sedacca, a teaching fellow at University College London, tweeted: A terrible decision by the EHRC  the Conservative partys own investigation, even if proclaimed to be independent, is no substitute for this, just as it would not have been for Labour. The same standards need to apply to parties across the board.
Israel is considering shutting down an evangelical Christian television channel from its airwaves, saying it seeks to persuade Jews that Jesus is the Messiah, and that authorities were misled about its agenda.

God TV, a U.K.-registered evangelical Christian media company, had signed a seven-year contract with Israeli cable provider Hot to broadcast its new Hebrew language channel in Israel.

However, Israels communications ministry confirmed Wednesday that the countrys broadcasting regulator had ordered a hearing to decide whether it should revoke Hots licence to broadcast the channel Shelanu  which means ours in Hebrew.

Image: Ward Simpson, CEO of God T.V. (God T.V.)

Our examination shows that this is a channel that seeks to appeal to Jews with the gospel of Jesus as opposed to the way the channel was presented in the first place as intended for the Christian population, Asher Biton, chairman of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council, said in a statement.

In a recent message about Shelanu's launch, God TV CEO Ward Simpson said God had supernaturally opened the door for us to take the gospel of Jesus into the homes and lives and hearts of his Jewish people.

It is historic, it is supernatural and it is prophetic, he said in the video. There are 9 million people in Israel who need to hear the gospel of Jesus.

God TV described itself as pro-Israel and said it broadcasts to approximately 300 million homes around the globe.

The broadcaster said Wednesday that Shelanu managers had been surprised to learn that the council was considering terminating the two-week-old channel and said God TV had never seen the application made by Hot cable to the broadcasting council.

We believe there is a serious threat to freedom of expression, in our pluralistic democratic society," said Avi Mizachi, a Shelanu board member.

A Hot spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

God TV said opposition to the channel had apparently arisen following a poorly worded fundraising video," for which Simpson had expressed regret.

Story continues

For the past 25 years, God TV has been a friend and avid supporter of Israel, Simpson said in a statement. It is very disheartening to hear and read these misunderstandings and to be thought of as anything other than Israels champion.

Many evangelical Christians are staunch supporters of Israel, feeling a religious connection with the Jewish people and the Holy Land.

In the United States, evangelical Christians are also an important part of President Donald Trumps base. And their vocal commitment to Israel has often been cited as a motivating factor in his full-throated support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government.

Since assuming office, Trump has moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights and drawn up a so-called Mideast peace plan that has been rejected by Palestinians as unworkable. The Trump administration has said it believes the plan meets both Israeli and Palestinian fundamental demands.

Michael Stephens, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said Israel has always been very concerned about missionary activity inside its borders.

Proselytizing goes against what the state is there to do, which is to protect Jewish identity, he said.

There has always been an uncomfortable marriage between Israel and evangelical Christian groups who support Israel but can also seek to convert Jews, Stephens said.

Be Christian, fine; go visit the holy places, fine; support Israel. But do not go around trying to convert people, thats always a red line, he said.
New Delhi, May 13 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), housing finance companies (HFCs) and micro-finance institutions (MFIs).

Speaking to the media here, Sitharaman noted that these finance institutions are finding it difficult to raise money in debt markets and many institutions have not been able to take advantage of the recent relaxations given by the government and the Reserve Bank of India.

Under the scheme, investments will be made in both primary and secondary market transactions in investment grade debt paper of these institutions.

She said that the scheme will support the previous initiatives of the government and the central bank to boost liquidity.

The securities under the scheme will be fully guaranteed by the Central government.

As per the government, the scheme would provide liquidity support to mutual funds along with NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs and create confidence in the market.

Further, the government has also announced Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme for NBFCs.

Under the scheme, first 20 per cent loss will be borne by Cenre, and even unrated papers will be eligible for investment, enabling NBFCs to reach out even to MSMEs in far-flung areas.

The step has been taken as NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs with low credit rating require liquidity to do fresh lending to MSMEs and individuals.

The measure is a part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
'Open the plant' now, tweeted the US President Donald Trump.

Days after Tesla Inc sued local authorities in California as the electric carmaker pushed to re-open its factory as it Chief Executive, Elon Musk, threatened to move Tesla's headquarters and future programs from the state to Texas or Nevada, Trump came to rescue.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning tweeted that Tesla's San Francisco Bay Area factory should be allowed to open despite local health department orders that it stay closed except for minimum basic operations.

California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2020

"It can be done fast & safely," the president tweeted, joining many of Musk's 34 million Twitter followers who back the defiance.

Trump tweeted in favor of Musk's Fremont, California, plant reopening despite the county's orders to keep non-essential businesses closed through the month as the coronavirus pandemic rages on.

Hours later, Musk responded with a brief and enthusiastic, "Thank you!"

Among Musk's biggest critics is California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who in a tweet on Sunday, made her feelings about Musk very clear. And of course, he responded.

Message received Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020

On Twitter, someone called out Musk for agreeing with the President.

You just agreed with Donald trump....Let that sink in, Elon. Screaming Firehawks (@Crusade4change) May 12, 2020

Those who always disagree have a closed mind  but, by their very nature, that wont sink in (sigh) Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 12, 2020

Incidentally, Musk and Trump have sounded pretty similar when it comes to Coronavirus. This article pointed it out as well.

The last couple of weeks have been specifically eventful for the rocketman on Twitter. Musk's two lavish mansions were reportedly up for sale after the billionaire expressed a desire to give up on his physical possessions. Then Musk and his girlfriend Grimes had a baby who the couple "named" X  A-12, sending the social media on a tizzy. In the past few days, Musk has also been very vocal on his Twitter towards the lockdown restrictions laid down in America. In one of his Twitter posts, Musk called the coronavirus confinement a "fascist" action and "an outrage" that infringed on personal freedom and would damage the economy.

According to a Washington Post report, last month, Elon Musk told Donald Trump and other chief executives, on a call, that Tesla should be able to resume manufacturing. Trump said he agreed with Musk 100%.
The chief medical officer thanked the dedicated work of nurses in Hungary on Tuesday, International Nurses Day.

I would like to express thanks to them for their work, as a result of which 12 coronavirus patients could be disconnected from ventilators in St Laszlo Hospital and they are in stable condition, Cecilia Muller told a regular daily online press conference.



Citing the latest data, she said that they showed a continued low number of new Covid-19 infections.



Muller said that inspections in one-third, or 345, of Hungarys social and elderly care homes had been completed and revealed the absence of a full-time doctor only in two cases.



They found the operation of 273 homes in order, she said.



Answering a question, Muller said that a sufficient number of recovered coronavirus patients have volunteered to offer their blood plasma for anti-viral therapies.



First Lady Also Marks International Nurses Day







First Lady Anita Herczegh, marking International Nurses Day on Tuesday, thanked nurses for their work. The World Health Organisation declared 2020 the year of nurses and midwives long before the coronavirus pandemic, Herczegh noted.

Thanks and gratitude are especially due today, she said.



Herczegh also thanked organisations that have been donating face masks, immunostimulants and disinfectants to hospitals and social institutions.



State Secretary Miklos Soltesz, the head of the National Humanitarian Coordination Council, said the latest round of donations will go to church-run hospitals and care homes across the country.



The St. Ferenc and Bethesda hospitals, the hospital of Jewish organisation Mazsihisz and the institution of the Hospitaller order will be given 3,000 face masks donated by pharma giant Johnson and Johnson, and 5,000 bottles of immune boosters and disinfectants will go to care homes, he said.



Meanwhile, opposition LMP marked International Nurses Day with an online press conference, and called for a 30% wage hike in the health-care and social sectors.



Lawmaker Peter Ungar welcomed the 500,000 forint (EUR 1,400) bonus for health-care staff and demanded the same for social workers.
Cuba denounces U.S. silence after attack on its embassy in Washington

HAVANA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. administration's silence after an armed attack on the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C. is suspicious, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez said during a televised news conference Tuesday.

The attack is "the result of a hatred speech policy fueled by the U.S. current administration against Cuba," Rodriguez said.

Cuban authorities showed evidence of links between the attacker and Miami-based anti-Cuba groups.

On April 30, Cuban American Alexander Alazo armed with an AK-47 rifle was arrested on charges of assault with intent to kill, after he opened fire at the Cuban Embassy in Washington D.C.

Cuba reported that none of the ten diplomats inside the facility was injured, but material damage was caused.

"All states must protect diplomatic missions in keeping with Vienna Convention about Diplomatic Relations in 1961," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Twitter after the attack.

So far, Cuban diplomatic missions in the United States have suffered more than 20 attacks with 11 casualties, according to the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has moved away from a detente with Havana carried out by his predecessor Barack Obama.
APM Terminals Pipavav on Wednesday said it has completed 500 days of safe operations with zero fatality and lost time incidents (LTI).

The feat was achieved on May 8 and due to continuous training, monitoring and supervising of the operations at all levels, the company said in a release.

It has also been achieved because of the committed employees who embraced safety in their day-to-dayy operation at work, it said, adding the training imparted to the staff came in handy during the ongoing lockdown period and the port continued to function 24x7 ensuring safe and smooth operations.

The multipurpose port handles different types of cargoes.

One of the country's leading gateway ports for containers, Ro/Ro (passenger cars), liquid and dry bulk cargo, it can handle 1.35 million TEU containers, 250,000 passenger cars, two million metric tons of liquid bulk and four million metric tons of dry bulk annually at present.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yemen has more coronavirus cases than the official numbers in the war-torn country show, according to a report today by Reuters.

Yemen is split between a Saudi-backed government in the south and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the north and the capital, Sanaa. Together, they have reported at least 70 coronavirus cases, with only two in Houthi areas, and at least 12 deaths.

Reuters did not identify the sources in the report, but said there were four of them and that they had access to hospital information. The report said Houthi authorities had not reported numerous cases. Some of the sources said Houthi health authorities did not share test results with the World Health Organization for at least 50 patients with coronavirus symptoms at a hospital in Sanaa. Other sources said test results for at least 30 suspected coronavirus patients were likewise not shared at another hospital in Sanaa, according to Reuters.

The Guardian newspaper today reported that aid workers told it that "at least 70 cases have already been identified in rebel-controlled territory."

Civil war broke out in Yemen in 2015 between Houthi forces and the Saudi-backed government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The country has been unstable politically since the 2011 Arab Spring protests in the country.

The war has devastated Yemen, making the country susceptible to a deadly coronavirus outbreak. Food access is a particularly big problem there. Last week, the US pledged $225 million in emergency food aid to the country.

Every day, millions of innocent Yemeni people wake up hungry, a UN official working on Yemen told Al-Monitor at the time.

Regarding official cases, the Saudi-backed government reported its first confirmed coronavirus case in the central province of Marib today.
The Greens and left-wing activists claim they forced broadcaster Alan Jones to retire from radio with a six-month boycott attempt.

Jones, 79, said he finally decided to step down after 35 years dominating Sydney talkback because his doctor told him 'you either stop or drop'.

'You can only do this for so long... after getting up at 2.30am for 35 years it's time to put them behind me,' he said on Sky News.

Jones explained the long hours it took to put the three-and-a-half hour 2GB radio show together and that it was best to step back to just his TV and columnist roles.

'My doctor said something's gotta go and the biggest component was the radio show,' he said.

Jones was off sick all last week, with colleague Chris Smith filling in, and has had a series of health issues over the past few years.

But the Greens, within an hour of his announcement that he would retire at the end of the month, posted a triumphant tweet taking credit.

'Proof petitions work,' the tweet read, claiming it was 'teamwork' between Greens leader Adam Bandt and activist group Mad F**king Witches.

The Greens tweet was deleted soon after because it was missing a hashtag necessary to make the joke.

The boycott tried to force Jones off air, or to at least change his views, by bombarding advertisers until they pulled their ads.

'It's not often witches are speechless, but we kind of are today! WE DID IT. We took on a misogynist bastard and won,' MFW claimed with #wesackedalanjones.

'By the end, 530 advertisers were out of the show. They couldn't sustain the crippling losses. Yay!'

The Greens (party leader Adam Bandt pictured) and left-wing activists claim they forced broadcaster Alan Jones to retire from radio with a six-month boycott attempt

The Greens, within an hour of his announcement that he would retire at the end of the month, posted a triumphant tweet taking credit

MFW claimed the supposed 530 advertisers were the result of its efforts, but many would simply have finished their campaigns.

The group boasts 70,000 Facebook followers and one advertiser last September said it received 4,500 messages in two hours.

Revenue to Jones' show reportedly fell significantly during the boycott along with the number of ads, but media advertising is declining across the board.

Jones also gained listeners during this time, increasing his audience share from 4.7 to 17.9 per cent in the last figures, thrashing his nearest competition by 7 per cent.

Hugh Marks, chief executive of Nine which recently bought the parent company of 2GB, in February admitted the boycott had at least some effect.

'There's no secret that there's been an issue in breakfast in Sydney, that's something that hasn't rectified as yet and that's a focus for the business,' he told Mumbrella.

Left wing activist group Mad F**king Witches claimed its campaign of harassing advertisers until they boycotted Jones' show had worked

The Greens, including Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, made their personal dislike for Jones very clear in the hours after he announced his pending retirement

The Greens made their personal dislike for Jones very clear with Mr Bandt responding simply with 'good', along with Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

'His treatment of women, particularly those in positions usually dominated by men, has been riddled with abuse and loathing,' Senator Young wrote.

'As someone who has been a subject of his nasty, lazy tirades more than once, I can't be happier today to see the back of him.'

Jones has infuriated left-wing critics for many years, memorably in 2012 when he said then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard should be 'shoved' in a chaff bag, dumped out to sea and told to 'swim home'.

Months later September, he was secretly recorded giving a speech to the Sydney University Liberal Club, saying Ms Gillard's father, John, 'died of shame'.

'The old man recently died a few weeks ago  of shame,' Jones said. 'To think that he had a daughter who told lies every time she stood for Parliament'.

The unmistakable low point in Jones's career were his offensive remarks about then prime minister Julia Gillard's father, John, 'dying of shame'. Ms Gillard and her dad in 2010 above

Alan Jones's supremacy in the radio ratings and connection with his audience has saved him from falling victim to several scandals - and brought him political power

Jones more recently in August called for Scott Morrison to 'shove a sock down the throat' of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, after she criticised Australia's stance on climate change.

This was the comment that rallied far left activists enough to kick off the campaign against him.

Jones described the early effects as merely a scratch and said of the first 100 advertisers that 'there will be others that take their place'.

He on Tuesday admitted that he went too far on some occasions and was 'rightly condemned' for it.

'Of course there are circumstances where you do regret [what you say] but you can't live your life with regret,' Jones told Nine News.

'If you had your time again you'd do things differently and I've been right to be condemned for some of the things I've said and done in the heat of the moment.

'But I think everyone that knows me knows I don't go about hurting people - I try to heal people.'

Jones will be replaced on the breakfast shift by Ben Fordham (left), who is currently 2GB's drive host. He told his listeners that despite the close friendship between them, he had 'absolutely nothing to do with the appointment'

But his shock retirement also follows long negotiations over his last contract, a $3.4 million defamation payout to a Queensland farming family in 2018, and persistent industry whispers about pay cuts for senior Nine personalities due to the surprise, post-coronavirus return of the NRL.

Jones will pass the top job to his one-time work experience kid Ben Fordham, 43, marking the end of an era not just in the media, but in Australian politics.

The broadcaster made, broke, and regularly belittled the nation's leaders and political wannabes over the past three decades.

State premiers would grovel to Jones and seek to wine and dine him.

Meanwhile, prime ministers chose one of two paths: submit to his thunderous questioning or ignore him and his vast, conservative-leaning audience altogether.
District Judge Samuel Goozee expressed his concern at the late submission of the documents, said to include largely bank statements relating to the diamond merchant's companies, but has agreed to consider the application for their submission.

The Indian government on Wednesday submitted further documents as "corroboratory evidence" in its case of fraud and money laundering against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who is contesting his extradition to India at an ongoing hearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.

District Judge Samuel Goozee expressed his concern at the late submission of the documents, said to include largely bank statements relating to the diamond merchant's companies, but has agreed to consider the application for their submission.

"I am going to need a very good explanation as to why these were not identified as evidence before," he said.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing in court on behalf of the Indian authorities, said while it was not necessary for the judge to see the new evidence, the documents "help clarify matters" and "back up what is already said" on the charge against Modi of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) by deceitfully obtaining letters of undertaking (LoUs), or bank guarantees, and then laundering the proceeds through a complex set of worldwide transactions using dummy companies.

But Modi's defence team has raised objections to the late submission as a "very troubling" and "highly contentious" move.

"Our case seems to have become a stress test for the Government of India and for them to provide random pieces of evidence," said Modi's barrister Clare Montgomery.

The third day of the five-day extradition trial, being held in a partly remote setting, was disrupted a few times as the link to the court's common viewing platform (CVP) faced some technical issues.

It was finally stabilised for two defence witnesses to give their evidence via videolink - Thierry Fritsch, a high-end French jewellery expert, and Justice Abhay Thipsay from India.

Fritsch, who had served on the Advisory Board of Nirav Modi's company for three years since 2015, vouched for Modi's "integrity" and skills as a great entrepreneur and a creative person, who was passionate about establishing the first international brand of luxury jewellery out of India.

"I was totally impressed with the craftsmanship at the workshop (in India). It was the best quality I could see anywhere in the world," he said.

While his evidence was countered by the CPS as Fritsch being involved with only one aspect of the Nirav Modi brand, Justice Thipsay's witness statement on the legal nuances under Indian law around the inadmissibility of the some of the police statements as well as the definition of deception under Indian law was also challenged.

The 49-year-old jeweller has been following the court proceedings via videolink from a room at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London, where he has been lodged since his arrest in March last year.

Dressed in formals, he can be seen listening carefully and occasionally making notes as he refers to papers on a desk.

Modi has made repeated attempts at bail over the past year, each of which was turned down as he is deemed a flight risk.

The jeweller was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard and will be the subject of a second hearing in September when the two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death are to be heard.

The judge has said that both the cases are "inextricably linked" and therefore the judgment will be handed down only at the end of both hearings.
President Donald Trump (2nd-R) with Vice President Mike Pence (L) as former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden (R) look on during Trump's inauguration ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington, on Jan. 20, 2017. (Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

Biden Among Dozens of Obama Administration Officials Who Asked to Unmask Flynn

Vice President Joe Biden was among dozens of Obama administration officials who made requests in late 2016 or early 2017 to unmask Michael Flynn, the incoming national security adviser for President-elect Donald Trump, a declassified list revealed.

Biden made a request on Jan. 12, 2017, to unmask the identity of Flynn, a retired lieutenant general and former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

The National Security Agency (NSA) sent the list to Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, who conveyed it to lawmakers on May 13.

According to Paul Nakasone, a U.S. Army general who heads the NSA, the list including Biden was of Obama administration officials who submitted requests to the NSA between Nov. 8, 2016, and Jan. 31, 2017, to unmask the identity of former national security adviser, Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn (USA-Ret.).

The list of recipients may have received Lt. Gen. Flynns identity in response to a request processed between [those dates] to unmask an identity that had been generically referred to in an NSA foreign intelligence report, he said in a letter to Grenell.

Each person who submitted requests had received the original report, and the unmasking was approved through the NSAs standard process, he said. Intelligence officials cant confirm that each individual on the list saw the unmasked information.

Thirty-nine officials in total submitted requests, according to the list.

Former President Barack Obama isnt on the list, but a host of people who served at top levels in his administration are, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI Director James Comey, and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.

Power made the most requests, with seven total. She told Congress in 2017 that she had no recollection of making any unmasking requests related to Flynn.

U.S. intelligence agencies routinely collect the communications of foreign nationals under authorities granted in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The names of U.S. citizens are masked in such reports to protect their privacy. Certain U.S. officials can formally request the unmasking of the U.S. persons in these intelligence reports. The unmasking requests are subject to limitations and must be approved by the agency that produced the intelligence.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn arrives for the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington on Jan. 20, 2017. (Saul Loeb  Pool/Getty Images)

U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft, U.S. Ambassador to Italy John R. Phillips, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, and Obama chief of staff Denis McDonough were among the other officials who submitted at least one request.

Some 11 identities were redacted.

Biden, when queried on May 12 about whether he knew of moves intelligence officials made to probe Flynn, said, I know nothing about those moves to investigate Michael Flynn.

Pressed on the matter, he responded, I thought you asked me whether or not I had anything to do with him being prosecuted. Im sorry.

I was aware that there wasthat they had asked for an investigation, he added. But thats all I know about it, and I dont think anything else.

At a press conference in Washington, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told reporters that Biden got caught red-handed.

This is Vice President Biden using the spying powers of the United States going after a political opponent, he said, wondering what Obama knew.

Obama knew of details from the wiretapped phone calls involving Flynn and Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States at the time, another batch of newly released documents showed.

Sally Yates, the deputy attorney general at the time, recalled a Jan. 5, 2017, meeting that included Obama, Biden, Comey, and then-national security adviser Susan Rice.

Obama told them he had learned of the information about Flynn and his discussions with Kislyak, which Yates said she was shocked to hear.

Yates was so surprised by the information she was hearing that she was having a hard time processing it and listening to the conversation at the same time, members of special counsel Robert Mueller team who interviewed her wrote in a report about the interview.

Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.
After weeks of uncertainty, Spring ISD is planning to hold outdoor graduation ceremonies for the senior class of 2020 after receiving approval from the Texas Education Agency.

Spring ISD can host an outdoor ceremony after June 1, Spring ISD Chief Operations Officer Mark Miranda said during the May 12 school board meeting, but this could change should the coronavirus pandemic worsen again. For now, the district is planning both a virtual graduation ceremony June 6 and outdoor, in-person ceremonies between June 12 to June 14 for those who wish to participate.

TRAGIC LOSS: Link Elem. principal who died in car accident is remembered by Spring ISD colleagues

The really neat thing is we have a facility that can handle an outdoor graduation, Miranda said, referring to the districts Planet Ford Stadium, 23802 Cypresswood Drive.

Both the virtual and in-person ceremonies will be unique, Miranda said, with the virtual graduations having the national anthem and pledges, a dignitary address, addresses from the salutatorian and valedictorian on video, as well as remarks from the superintendent and a roll call of the graduates.

The in-person graduations will have live diploma presentations, as well as an address from the class of 2020 president and a playing of each schools song to close out each ceremony.

The program for outdoors will be a little shorter than normal graduations because were gonna be outdoors, socially distanced, Miranda said. We feel having it condensed a little bit would be more prudent.

CLASS IN SESSION: Spring ISD opens pre-K, kindergarten registration online for 2020-21 school year

The stage for the in-person graduations will be set up in the north endzone under the video board, with everyone on stage socially distanced, Miranda said. Social distancing measures will also be used throughout the ceremony, with graduates seated six feet apart, as well as those in the stands from different households socially distanced. This means less people will be able to attend, with only about 1,500 seats in total available.

As part of the guidelines for the ceremony, Miranda said the TEA wouldnt allow a rehearsal, only one graduation event, and the number of employees is limited to only the amount needed to perform the ceremony.

All students, employees and visitors will have to wear face coverings in the stadium, and prior to entering the ceremony, students and guests will be screened outside the stadium for signs and symptoms of coronavirus. Those found to show symptoms will be excluded from the event, Miranda said.

MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox

There will be no processional of graduates walking into the stadium, Miranda said, but they could stand for Pomp and Circumstance at the beginning of the ceremony. The stadiums announcement system will also be used to communicate social distancing requirements and provide logistical information before, during and after each ceremony.

Diplomas will also not be handed from person to person to avoid contact, Miranda said, and they anticipate being able to have a small table to place the diplomas on which students can pick up. They are also considering whether to wipe down the diplomas with hand sanitizer, which may occur if the diplomas would not be damaged.

The stadium will also be sanitized before, during and after each graduation, Miranda said. The ceremonies will also be livestreamed.

Spring ISD Class of 2020 in-person graduation schedule:

Friday, June 12, 7 p.m., Spring High School

Saturday, June 13, 8 a.m., Carl Wunsche Sr. High School

Saturday, June 13, 7 p.m., Dekaney High School

Sunday, June 14, 8 a.m., Spring Early College Academy

Sunday, June 14, 7 p.m., Westfield High School

paul.wedding@hcnonline.com
Through the initiative, authorities seek to gain insight into community transmission of virus and asymptomatic cases.

Qatar healthcare authorities have launched drive-through COVID-19 testing for policymakers to gain a better understanding of the novel coronavirus.

Through the initiative, authorities plan to allow better understanding of the flow of the virus in the community and adapt responses to the scientific findings.

Qatar has tested more than 131,000 people, and recorded more than 23,000 coronavirus cases with 14 deaths.

Abdul Munir, 46, a private taxi driver and COVID-19 survivor, told Al Jazeera that he became ill in early March.

I had breathing problems. My whole body was aching. Someone had to help me to go to the bathroom, Munir told Al Jazeera.

Munir said he lived in a compound with 40 people and shared a room with six  who all tested negative for the virus.

Al Jazeeras Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Doha, said health officials say the rate of new infections has slowed and the goal now was to increase testing and contact tracing.

Job concerns

Majority of Qatars population comprises migrant workers, many of whom fear for their livelihoods given the shuttering of most businesses, services and retail outlets.

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Dohas Industrial Area is home to about 50,000 of those workers. It was reportedly the epicentre of Qatars outbreak, which began in early March.

The area was under lockdown until the government announced new procedures for parts of the areas, starting from May 11.

This will allow entry and exit for vehicles and individuals, including employers, employees and residents, provided that all precautionary measures set by relevant government bodies are followed.

The government guaranteed food supply and salary for those who are affected. However, residents in the Industrial Area have complained of lack of food items and non-payment of dues.

The government announced a steady supply of food products through different shops. Additionally, various charities were distributing free meals and basic food items.

However, some residents told Al Jazeera they were running short on food items as their salaries for the last two to three months had been withheld and the employers were not providing food allowances.
New York, US (PANA) - As the coronavirus outbreak enters its fifth month, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has said that the health crisis is quickly becoming a child rights crisis, requesting $1
Jacquelyn Guyton walked into the gym of a north Houston church at 8:15 a.m., still over an hour early but well after other families had begun to gather at 6. She was afraid that if she didnt fill out an application for rental assistance through the city of Houston at the exact second the portal opened, she wouldnt be able to stay at her apartment.

She wasnt wrong about the rush. On Wednesday, the city exhausted its entire $14.4 million stock of rental assistance funds within 90 minutes, underscoring the dire economic situation facing Houstonians who have lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

We need more money, said Joe Higgs, an organizer from The Metropolitan Organization of Houston, a consortium of churches and other groups. TMO helped two churches  including St. Charles Borromeo, where Guyton waited  train staff to help residents apply for aid.

Tom McCasland, the citys housing director, said more than 11,800 renters applied for the program and met the citys eligibility requirements. Officials are aiming to send funds to landlords by the end of the month, he said.

We know that the need far exceeds the $15 million, which is all the more reason to push for additional federal resources, McCasland said.

BakerRipley, the Houston nonprofit administering the program, and the Houston Housing Department were flooded with more than 17,000 applications on the signup website. City officials said the program would help at least 6,800 households cover rent.

Many people struggled to get through to the website, which crashed due to the high volume of visitors, city officials said.

At St. Charles Borromeo, where renters waited in chairs carefully spaced 6 feet apart, no one got through in the first hour. Guyton, 52, tried to do the application on her phone. She needed the money: Shes a single mom on disability, she said, the only one who cares for her 11-year-old son. She left him home alone.

As 10 a.m., the promised opening time for the portal, came, Guyton clicked begin. She entered her address. Then  a blank screen.

I dont wanna lose out because of their stupid website, she said, jabbing the phone with her finger. It was 10:53 a.m. She still couldnt get through. They shouldve had somebody on standby. People are relying on this stuff.

She slipped her phone into the pocket of her pink-and-green windbreaker to wait. If she doesnt get assistance, she said, shell be in a shelter.

At 11 a.m., volunteers started clapping: The portal had opened. Guyton sprinted to Mesias Pedroza, a TMO representative, as she pulled out the application on her smartphone.

She clicked submit.

It didnt go through.

Its not doing nothing right now.

Wait, Pedroza said. Just wait, just wait.

She went outside to get a better signal. TMO staff on other tables moved through as fast as they could, calling out numbers in Spanish and bellowing NEXT.

At 11:08, Guyton came back inside, arms raised: Her application had gone through.

Two tables over, 19-year-old Genesis Reyes helped her father, Alan, through the application. She was one of several children waiting to help translate for their Spanish-speaking parents. Her father had lost his job because of the virus. Her mothers hours as a housekeeper had been cut. Reyes had been living in Dallas, working as a waitress, but came home when the restaurants closed. She has two little brothers, 13 and 11.

Its hard  my dad and my mom, they dont have a lot of work and I have two little brothers, and the last week my moms been sick, Reyes said, fiddling with a pink earring.

The Reyeses successfully submitted their application. Their confirmation number came with a warning: Please note this confirmation is not a guarantee of rental assistance.

The site crashed again at 11:27, this time with a reason: The funds were gone.

Mayor Sylvester Turner had acknowledged the program would fall short of addressing the full need for rental assistance. In a letter sent last Friday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Turner urged the lawmakers to adopt a proposal that would dedicate $100 billion to rent relief and $75 billion in mortgage aid to homeowners facing foreclosure.

House Democrats unveiled a $3 trillion relief package Tuesday that includes the housing funds, though the bill appears to face slim odds of passing the Republican-controlled Senate.

To fund the existing rent relief program, which includes $600,000 in administrative costs, city officials dipped into the $404 million in federal aid they received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a roughly $2 trillion stimulus package. Turner has said the funds would fail to cover the citys COVID-19 needs, which include hundreds of millions of dollars in costs related to testing, contact tracing and protective equipment.

The mayor did not say whether the city plans to devote additional funding to rental assistance, though he suggested such a move would require more aid from Congress.

Specifically as it relates to the rental assistance program, hopefully there will be a stimulus package for renters, Turner said. We used $15 million from the federal CARES Act. We could easily have used $100 to $200 million. Easily.

Under the citys rent relief program, landlords are required to waive all late fees and interest for rental payments. They also must allow tenants to enter a payment plan for any rent above the maximum $1,056 allotment and rescind any prior notices to vacate.

Tenants, meanwhile, were eligible if they earn less than 80 percent of the area median income or qualify for certain other governmental assistance programs, such as Medicaid or SNAP.

As volunteers packed up St. Charles Borromeo, an organizer leafed through her notebook. Theyd helped about 50 families get through.

There were 13 names written in red pen of people who had come too late.

jasper.scherer@chron.com

sarah.smith@chron.com
Venice, Italy  Venice has suffered during the coronavirus pandemic without its usual influx of tourists. But it has enjoyed an unintended benefit: Nature is flourishing.

CBS News' Chris Livesay reports that, perhaps more than any other city, Venice has gone from one extreme to the other under lockdown. The Rialto Bridge, the Grand Canal and even St. Mark's Square have been deserted as people around the world have stayed home, and as Italy has battled its COVID-19 outbreak.

Ecologist Marco Sigovini says the streets and canals usually awash with tourists are so still, that nature has moved in to fill the void. There are hardly any boats to churn up cloudy sediment and scare away marine life, so jellyfish and schools of fish are swimming around in the iconic canals. The European Space Agency has snapped satellite images  taken a year apart in April  that show the dramatic reduction in boat traffic:

esa.png

ESA

Cruise ships are conspicuously absent, too. Last year, more than 600 passed through. With their titanic size, environmental scientist Jane Da Mosto said the vessels splash corrosive wakes onto the fragile foundations of Venice's harbor. Sometimes the damage can be much faster: Last year, four people were injured when a cruise liner slammed into a Venetian dock.

But today, Da Mosto says "it's more like a lake."

"I just imagine that all the buildings in Venice are kind of singing to each other," she said. "They must be so relieved not to be bashed around." Without the ships' billowing exhaust, her team has also measured a marked improvement in air quality.

It's not without a cost, however. Empty streets and empty canals also mean empty pockets. Without tourists, COVID-19 has left the local economy gasping for air.

One fishmonger said he'd go bankrupt selling to Venetians alone. There are only 50,000 of them, compared to 30 million tourists who typically come every year. "We're not dying of coronavirus," Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told business leaders at a demonstration. "We're dying of hunger."

Story continues

Striking a delicate balance between the ecology and the economy is going to determine the future of Venice. For now, it seems there's a tension between public health and public wealth in the city  and around the world.

Italy partially eased lockdown measures last week, only to see a big increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country's hardest-hit region, The Associated Press reports. The country has seen more than 220,000 confirmed cases, and more than 30,000 people have died in Italy due to the virus, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

ITALY-HEALTH-VIRUS-VENICE-AWAKENING

An aerial view taken on April 25, 2020 over Venice shows St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco), the Bell Tower, the Doges Palace (R) and the Lion of Venice ancient bronze winged lion sculpture (L), during the country's lockdown. MARCO SABADIN/AFP via Getty Images

Filming mountain climber Alex Honnold

Photographer captures coronavirus stay-at-home era with drone portraits

Twitter takes new steps to fight misleading misinformation on coronavirus
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider, announced today it has reached an agreement with Presbyterian Health Plan to provide in-network coverage for its consumers in New Mexico. The agreement will protect Presbyterian Health Plan members in more than 500 communities around the state from unplanned financial liability for Air Methods services. Air Methods operates 16 bases in New Mexico and has agreed to accept the amount allowed by Presbyterian Health Plan as full settlement of their charges in the state.

With this agreement, Air Methods is now in-network with more than 50 commercial health plans. Over 80% percent of the population is covered for Air Methods high-quality care either through commercial insurance or through Medicare or Medicaid so they will not receive a balance bill for services.

This agreement eliminates member exposure to balance billing, which is the difference between the providers normal billed charges and the amount allowed by the health plan, said Chris Myers, executive vice president of reimbursement for Air Methods. It will protect our patients in New Mexico from thousands of dollars in unplanned financial liability when an episode of medical care involves the need for air ambulance transportation. With so many rural communities in the state, air ambulance transport is a critical link between residents and the care they require. We are proud to offer this lifesaving service while ensuring patients in New Mexico are not placed in the middle of the confusing billing process.

Eliminating the need for air ambulance memberships with in-network agreements

Air Methods is focused on securing in-network partnerships that allow consumers to do away with paying air medical membership fees. In-network coverage offers consumers a discounted rate of payment for qualified services, which varies depending on their plans benefits. Staying in-network for healthcare services can help consumers avoid unexpected spending.

Expanding high-quality care access to rural New Mexico

Along with costs, distance from medical facilities is a vital healthcare issue in New Mexico and across the United States, especially with an increasing number of rural hospital closings. Today, 85 million (out of 325 million) Americans have access to a Level-1 or -2 Trauma Care facility within one hour only if they are flown by air-medical missions. Based on a 2018 estimate, 686,089 residents live in rural New Mexico.

Air Methods eliminates the geographic obstacles rural residents face and provides life-saving interventions during transport, such as clot-busting medications that must be given shortly after a major stroke to significantly improve outcomes, and trauma care after an accident.

Air Methods operates more than 300 bases serving 48 states. From these locations, Air Methods can operate its flying intensive care units around-the-clock. Air Methods 4,500 team members assist in caring for and transporting more than 70,000 patients every year.

As Air Methods continues to work towards additional in-network agreements, its Patient Advocacy Program also supports patients with insurance bills when their air medical care and transportation is an out-of-network benefit. The Patient Advocacy Program team works on the patients behalf, especially as related to supporting patients with billing questions and insurance appeals.

For more information, visit www.airmethods.com.

###

About Air Methods

Air Methods (www.airmethods.com) is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Companys products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
Frank "Frankie" Christopher Clarke, 62, of Huntingtown, Maryland passed away on Friday, May 8th. Frankie was born in Washington, DC on October 17, 1957 to Jane Nina Clarke and the late Deacon Frank Duval Clarke.The family moved to Temple Hills, Maryland in 1962. He attended St. John's Catholic School, Tawny Middle School and Crossland High School, graduating in 1975. Frankie participated in many school activities, including Jazz Ensemble, and formed musical connections that would last a lifetime. While in high school, Frankie formed several bands, including Ashwood, Nautilus and the Musical Marauders. He enjoyed playing with different musicians and experimenting with style, and continued to develop variations of bands. (His most recent was "Last Remains," a Led Zeppelin tribute band). By age 16, he was being paid for gigs, and so began his professional music career. He opened for Edgar Winter, who taught him the important lesson that something can be learned from everyone, including what not to do. Frankie worked with D.C.'s renowned band, "(The) Razz," and friended other iconic D.C bands, including the Slickee Boys and Root Slim. While developing his own eponymous rockband, "Frankie and the Actions." He often played at the Psyche Delly in Bethesda, and opened three times for The Ramones, at the University of Maryland's Grand Ballroom in College Park, as well the Bayou in Georgetown. Frankie was an accomplished professional musician who wrote his own music and lyrics, and played in numerous venues throughout the D.C. metropolitan area, and Southern Maryland. He was also an accomplished artist, scholar and poet. He graduated with honors from the University of Maryland, earning his Bachelor's degree, as well as the 1993 Poet Laureate Award. Frankie went on to earn a Master's degree in English Literature. He taught in Prince George's County, Maryland at Crossland High School, Oxon Hill High School and Potomac High School (where he met the love of his life, Elizabeth, an Art teacher, whom he married in 1998) as well as Prince George's Community College, after which he took a position as Professor of English Literature at Bowie State University. At the time of his death, he was employed at Thomas Stone High School, in Waldorf, Maryland. He taught English and multi-media production, holding certifications in both English and Art.



Frankie has produced several albums, including Stripped to the Bone, Generation Why, and the most recent, Chaos, released in 2019. His music is available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Deezer, Spotify and as he would say, "everywhere else on the planet."



Frankie was a member of the Knights of Columbus (3rd degree), Chapter 4077, in Forestville, Maryland and a parishioner at Jesus the Divine Word Catholic Church in Huntingtown, Maryland. Frankie is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Turner Clarke, and his three children, Zoe Elizabeth, Nina Rosario, and Nicolas Alfano Clarke, as well as his mother, Jane Nina Clarke. He is also survived by many brothers- and sisters-in-law: Loretta Clarke, William and Julie Turner, Charles Turner, Joan Turner, John and Kim Turner, Ed and Mary Turner, Patricia Turner and Robert Goodman; and many nieces and nephews: Lora and Morgan Clarke; John, Joe, Grace, James and Mary Turner; Gabe and Thomas Turner; Katherine, Philip, and Patrick Turner; and Olivia and Madeline Goodman. He was preceded in death by his brother, Timothy Paul Clarke, and his father, Frank Duval Clarke.



Lee Funeral Home in Owings, Maryland will host a pass through tribute on Wednesday, May 13th and Thursday, May 14th from 2-8 pm in the portico of the Funeral Home.



Please note: Friends will be viewing and paying tribute inside your vehicle. When you enter into the funeral home's parking lot, you will be directed around to the front of the funeral home. Your first stop will be signing the register book at the front entry of the funeral home. Your second stop will be slowly driving through the funeral home portico where the Clarke family will be receiving friends. To comply with Maryland Executive Orders and social distancing, we kindly request friends to remain in their vehicles. Funeral service and burial on Friday, May 15th are private.



A Go Fund Me account has been set up to accept donations for the family of Frankie Clarke:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/donations-for-family-of-frankie-clarke?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
Afghan officials on Wednesday raised the death from the militant attack on a maternity hospital in Kabul the previous day, saying that 24 people were killed, including two newborn babies, their mothers and an unspecified number of nurses.

Militants stormed the hospital in Dashti Barchi, a mostly Shiite neighborhood the western part of Kabul, on Tuesday morning, setting off an hours-long shootout with the police.

As the battle raged, Afghan security forces struggled to evacuate the facility, which is supported by the aid group Doctors Without Borders, carrying out babies and frantic young mothers.

The Interior Ministry spokesman, Tareq Arian, initially said 16 people were killed in the attack and over 100 women and babies were evacuated from the building under fire.

Wahid Majroh, the deputy public health minister, gave the new death toll of 24 at a press conference on Wednesday and said 16 were wounded in the attack.

Of those evacuated, 21 newborn babies were initially brought to Kabul's Ataturk Hospital where physician Sayed Fared said their staff were providing medical care.

One newborn baby had a fractured bone and we referred that baby to the Indira Gandhi Children's hospital," he said. The other 20 babies are hospitalized here and are in good health condition and under our observation.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but both the Taliban and the Islamic State group frequently target Afghan military and security forces in Kabul, as well as civilians. The Taliban denied they were involved. In the past, most of the attacks in Dashti Barchi were carried out by IS.

In a televised speech hours after the attack, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced that Afghan security forces would no longer operate in the defensive posture taken in the wake of the peace agreement. Instead, he called on security forces to launch attacks against Taliban insurgents.

The Taliban have not given up fighting and killing Afghans, instead they have increased their attacks on our countrymen and public places, despite repeated calls for a cease-fire, Ghani said.

In recent months, Afghan and American officials say the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has been weakened as a result of relentless US bombing raids in the group's stronghold eastern Nangarhar province as well as military operations by Afghan security forces and attacks by IS rivals, Taliban insurgents.

In a separate attack Tuesday, a suicide bomber targeted the funeral in Khewa district of a local pro-government militia commander and former warlord who had died of a heart attack Monday night, killing 24 people and wounding 68.

The dead included Abdullah Lala Jan, a provincial council member, while his father Noor Agha, a lawmaker, was wounded in the attack. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the Nangarhar bombing in a statement posted late Tuesday on its media arm, Aamaq.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tips for Protecting Your Companies Online Security from Cyber Security Expert Ted Schaer

PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / As a lawyer with years of cybersecurity cases behind him, it's fair to say that Ted Schaer is quite well-versed when it comes to cybersecurity law. As a practicing attorney for the greater part of 33 years, Ted Schaer has seen a lot from a legal standpoint. "I've seen it all and done pretty much most of it." His latest battle, he deems, is his most important. "I've seen entire livelihoods upended as a result of not having more secure cybersecurity measures in place." This idea of not having strong cybersecurity systems set up has driven Ted Schaer to become more vocal about his support for the matter as a result. "I used to just sit and do my job protecting these clients but I am finding myself more and more on the activist role these days", Ted Schaer says. "One of my clients was scammed through a phishing scheme and that hurt his business for about a year."

As a result, Ted Schaer developed a comprehensive course on how businesses can retain their security online and he established Zarwin Baum's Cyber Liability Practice. Zarwin Baum's Cyber Liability Practice supports clients before and after a data breach, identifying and advising on strategies that address and minimize potential legal liabilities. Through preemptive consulting including privacy and security assessments, Ted Schaer works with clients to develop data privacy best practices and incident response plans to minimize the risk of a data breach and put the client in the best position to respond when a breach occurs. To help minimize a client's potential legal exposure, Ted Schaer and his team assist with the creation of applicable internal policies and procedures, employee trainings, and can guide the purchase of cyber insurance coverage. "What I can do is give the general public some tips on how exactly you can combat security threats to your company so you don't suffer the worst fate in the future." And what are those tips? Ted Schaer was able to pare it down into two main points that people should refer to when dealing with online customers time and time again.

Erase Your Data

Erasing your data does not mean simply deleting it. "We have seen many clients that felt that deleting data was the same thing as erasing it. The sad truth is that it's not," Ted Schaer says. "Really when you erase something you are changing the binary code into something that is not recognizable by potential hackers." His time as a cybersecurity consultant and lawyer has given Ted Schaer a new outlook on what it requires to maintain a top-notch security protocol. "Making sure you can redirect that binary code when you are transferring your hardware if you are moving is something that is extremely important to do. Back up your material and then figure out a way to erase it efficiently.

Find A Competent Advisor

"You need to absolutely have someone who has experience in the field", Ted Schaer says. "Without that, you'll be hiring someone who is incompetent and that can, frankly, get you in a lot of trouble." Ted Schaer, a former co-dean at the CLM School of Cyber has seen this happen too many times. "You get someone with a great rate but they have no idea what the protocol is when defending yourself in court when it comes to cybersecurity issues. Someone who is competent in the matter can help you retrieve your belongings."

Ted Schaer hopes these two important points will hold those seeking greater guidance for now. "I just want everyone to be aware that there are options".

CONTACT:

Caroline Hunter

Web Presence, LLC

+1 7865519491

SOURCE: Web Presence, LLC

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589594/Ted-Schaer-Tips-for-Improving-Your-Companies-Security-Online
Without the hundreds of thousands of worshippers it welcomes every May 13, the vast esplanade of Portugal's Catholic Fatima shrine was nearly empty for its annual celebration for the first time in its century-long history. Closed to the public because of the new coronavirus pandemic, only about 30 employees attended the mass on Wednesday in the small town where three poor shepherd children reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1917. Last year, 6.3 million people visited the shrine, the country's most renowned pilgrimage site. "It is possible that many people think this pilgrimage is sad because it is held on closed grounds without the large crowds and the colour of previous years," the local bishop Antonio Marto acknowledged from an altar mounted in the square, in a ceremony streamed online. In a message read by Marto, Pope Francis -- who visited the shrine in 2017 -- also regretted that the "force of circumstance" had made the pilgrimage to Fatima impossible. "Today it is only through heart and soul that we are able to make the connection with the Virgin Mary," the pope said. The town's shopkeepers and hoteliers counted their losses. In front of his small store, one of the few to have reopened after the country lifted a state of emergency last week, Manuel Moniz bitterly regretted the absence of tourists. "We don't see anyone and we don't sell anything. I've never seen anything like this," the 72-year-old said. The closure of Portugal's borders and the paralysis of the tourism sector are having "a disastrous impact on the whole region," said Alexandre Marto, who runs a cooperative of around 10 hotels with 1,000 beds, out of a total of 9,000 in Fatima. "This week alone, I estimate that we have lost around 45,000 overnight stays," he said, pointing out that foreign tourists account for more than 70 percent of the town's hotel guests. After the mass, in front of the deserted shrine complex, a priest had another takeaway from the unusual circumstances surrounding the annual event. "This solitude and this desolation offer a spiritual and human experience, which makes us understand that alone, we cannot enrich life," Francisco Pereira said.
On Monday, the second phase of the lifting of the lockdown measures started in Luxembourg.

Even if a number of employees are still working from home, more and more cross-border commuters are starting to return to Luxembourg, mainly from France.

Take Benoit Martin for instance. He has been commuting to Luxembourg for the past 11 years in order to make his living here.

The reopening of the retail sector on Monday has meant a change in routine for the French citizen. Benoit does not worry about being stuck in traffic anymore. Instead, he now has to check every morning if he has all of his new equipment with him: Disinfectant, gloves, and of course his mask.

Thankfully, traffic on the A31 to Luxembourg was not too bad in the morning. Initially, Benoit thought that cross-border commuters would prefer to take their own cars in order to avoid public transport and thereby a possible infection with Covid-19. However, this was apparently not the case. In other good news: There were no border controls between France and Luxembourg in the morning. According to Benoit, they only occurred rarely anyway.

However, entering the business has changed significantly: each employee has their temperature taken before being allowed inside. The head of the safety department, Patrick Nemry, also points out the new fixed pathways which are expected to help reduce any unnecessary contact.

Working from home for the past 2 months has brought a new dynamic. Staff required to be on site has been decreased by 50%. All that is left to do is get used to the new sanitary measures.

Video in Luxembourgish
The Dewell family has been waiting for justice since last Thanksgiving weekend when three members were injured in a hit-and-run crash on a Scarborough sidewalk.

So they were stunned to learn  from a probation officer  that the man who was in the vehicle that hit Rodelyn Dewell, her mother and toddler son, and then drove away after the driver fled, has already pleaded guilty, been sentenced and released.

Im shocked because I just heard last week hes out of jail, Rodelyn Dewell said Tuesday. I feel like its unfair, where is the justice for us?

Brent Dewell, who wasnt at the corner of Pharmacy Avenue and Ellesmere Road that day, said the biggest insult about the lack of notification about the plea, conducted by teleconference, was the time his wife spent writing a victim-impact statement that wasnt heard.

At least in part, he blames the COVID-19 pandemic that has forced courts to close and the technology-challenged justice system to conduct remote hearings. Theres been a push for pleas as officials try to manage an ever-growing backlog of cases, and many virtual hearings have involved prisoners seeking release from jails, considered among the worst places to be during a pandemic.

The courts are overwhelmed, corrections is overwhelmed ... and when you have a system that already doesnt recognize victims already ... (COVID-19) just makes it that much worse, Brent Dewell said in an interview Tuesday.

After working in security for 14 years, Dewell says hes familiar with criminal trial proceedings, and his familys personal experience has corroborated what he long believed.

The system is more in favour of managing the criminal and respecting their rights, he said, and the victims are usually left out in the dark. Thats not unusual to me, but thats something that my wife is having a hard time getting used to.

The Ministry of the Attorney General issued a statement saying it regrets what happened in the case. Throughout a criminal proceeding every effort is made to keep victims informed, particularly with respect to a major development such as a plea resolution, the emailed statement said.

Due to a miscommunication, some information was not conveyed to the victims in time, it said.

Meanwhile, a prosecutor has since contacted the family about the remaining case of a second man allegedly involved in the crash.

Jeremiah Cook, 41, pleaded guilty on April 6 to four charges, including three counts of accessory after the fact and failure to comply with a probation order, the ministry confirmed in email Wednesday.

Cook was a passenger in the vehicle when it struck the Dewells, throwing Rodelyn and her then-20-month-old son. She had a broken leg that required surgery and suffered whiplash. Her son was in a neck brace for more than a month, and her mother suffered two broken legs. The driver fled the scene and Cook jumped behind the wheel and took off before abandoning the car. Both men were arrested on Canadawide warrants two months later.

Cook was sentenced to six months in jail, less credit for pretrial custody, which amounted to time served. He was put on probation for 18 months and received a two-year driving ban.

He was released from custody April 25, catching even the officer in charge of the case unaware, Brent Dewell told the Star. That traffic officer told the Dewells at the end of March, just as the coronavirus lockdown was happening, that nothing would happen for weeks and that they could take their time drafting their victim-impact statements.

Dewell said he and his wife received a phone call from an apologetic prosecutor, who handled the case at 1000 Finch Ave. West courthouse. He has committed to keeping them in the loop about Cooks co-accused, Derek DeSousa, who remains in custody.

Still, Dewell said he still finds it hard to accept what happened. Its not going to stop with us, as long as theyre going to keep doing it this way, there are going to be other people thrown under the bus by the courts and its important to get it out there.

Defence lawyer Ari Goldkind, who represented Cook, wrote in email Wednesday that the prosecutor balanced the facts and moral culpability of his client, with the Covid issues in jail and his degree of responsibility.

While it would be preferable that the victims were notified, given that the plea was arranged well in advance, I can confirm Mr. Cooks Crown acted diligently and responsibly throughout this prosecution to achieve a fair result.
Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's former presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, is out of prison.

Manafort, 71, was released Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney Todd Blanche.

He gets out of prison four years early because his lawyers said he was at high risk for acquiring COVID-19, and will serve the rest of his time on home confinement.

Manafort's wife is reported to have picked him up at 6:00am today.

How many US federal prisoners can get released like Paul Manafort to home confinement because of "virus concerns'? Seriously. If this doesn't demonstrate that there are two justice systems  one for the well-connected and one for everyone else  I don't know what does  Edward Harrison (@edwardnh) May 13, 2020

Breaking: Former Trump campaign chmn Paul Manafort has been released from prison following request by his lawyers due to COVID pandemic, his attorney said. Manafort will serve rest of his term on home confinement after serving about a third at a federal prison in Western PA  Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) May 13, 2020

Manafort's wife picked him up around 6am this morning from FCI Loretto. https://t.co/OKCch1YZa0  Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) May 13, 2020

Paul Manafort was released from a federal Pennsylvania prison "under cover of darkness at 6 a.m." today, his attorney, Todd Blanche, tells @NYDailyNews. Blanche said he spoke with Manafort after he got out. "He is good," Blanche said. https://t.co/8cNeFkU6sZ  Chris Sommerfeldt (@C_Sommerfeldt) May 13, 2020

Paul Manafort released (way) early due to pandemic. Michael Cohen set to be released and then blocked. Apparently DOJ / Bureau of Prisons is willing to play politics relating to everything and anything whatsoever.  Elie Honig (@eliehonig) May 13, 2020
W&M announces SAT, ACT test-optional admission pilot

Expanding access William & Mary will launch a three-year pilot program that makes optional the submission of standardized test scores for undergraduate applicants in 2020-2021. Photo - of - Hide Caption

Three-year study addresses COVID-19 impacts on applicants, allows W&M to gauge policy change

William & Mary will make standardized test scores optional for undergraduate applicants in the 2020-2021 admission cycle under a new three-year pilot program.

The program will allow applicants the option of submitting SAT and ACT scores, but no longer require them for their applications to be considered under William & Marys holistic review, a comprehensive process that emphasizes multiple criteria, including grades, strength of curriculum, extracurricular accomplishments, essays, recommendations and personal experiences.

The pilot responds immediately to difficulties high school students are facing in scheduling the standardized tests, which were widely canceled in the spring and summer and are not planned to resume until August.

Given the uncertainty of the current testing climate, we believe this is imperative in responding to applicants needs, said Tim Wolfe, associate vice president for enrollment and dean of admission. Even when students are able to resume testing, we recognize that limited options and concerns for many students will still exist. By providing the added flexibility of a test-optional process, we seek to support students by assuring them that theyll be able to confidently apply through our holistic review process with or without SAT or ACT scores.

William & Mary joins other institutions across the country in amending admission policies regarding standardized tests. This includes schools announcing that they will not require test results for one year in response to COVID-19, schools such as William & Mary engaging in multi-year pilot programs and schools that already had test-optional policies in place.

In April, the entire University of California system announced a one-year suspension of test requirements. Many top national liberal arts colleges and a number of top public and private universities have gone test-optional for 2020-2021, Wolfe noted.

William & Mary already was weighing a pilot program before the novel coronavirus pandemic took hold in the United States, Wolfe said, but the timing became more urgent in response to access challenges potential applicants were facing.

Given the limited opportunities for current high school juniors to take standardized tests this year, it makes perfect sense to allow test-optional admissions next year, said English Professor Kim Wheatley, chair of the Admission Policy Advisory Committee, which supported the decision to move forward with the implementation of the test-optional process.

A more flexible admissions process is essential in the current uncertain circumstances, she said. But beyond that, its a great idea to make a virtue of necessity by having next year be the start of this three-year pilot. I enthusiastically support this move, especially as it could well benefit under-represented students who may not have access to special ACT and SAT tutoring.

The university opted to roll-out a three-year pilot to allow university officials to weigh fully the effects of the policy as a full cohort of undergraduates moves through William & Mary. Studies have suggested that flexibility on the test requirements does not adversely affect class composition and in fact, encourages applications from qualified students, especially under-represented student populations.

William & Marys undergraduate application process includes some flexibility already; applicants can choose to conduct an optional interview, add an essay in addition to the one required and submit supplementary recommendations.

Its also important to note that test-optional does not mean test-blind, said Henry Broaddus, vice president for strategic initiatives and public affairs. We will still consider test scores as part of the holistic review, if they are submitted. But we dont want them to be a barrier, especially as students respond to the current pandemic.
ATLANTA, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vennfi, the financial technology company for tax-exempt payments, announced that it closed a pre-seed funding round of $1.1M, composed of a diverse set of seasoned private investors. It will use the investment to expand the platform's capabilities and increase its growth.

Vennfi

The company's flagship platform Charityvest offers individuals and businesses free tax-deductible charitable giving funds. Users can donate cash or stock to their fund, make donations to any of the 1.4M nonprofits in the U.S., and keep track of all of their giving activity with a single consolidated tax receipt. The experience has been called "Venmo for charitable giving." Since launching in December 2019, Charityvest has facilitated giving to over 300 nonprofits and received nearly $2M in charitable contributions from donors.

Charityvest uses donor-advised funds (DAFs), which have traditionally been marketed to wealthy donors. The platform has dramatically reduced the complexity and cost of DAFs and can offer its funds with no fees or minimums.

Unique aspects of Charityvest are that 100% of donated funds go to charities, and any organization can receive funds with no setup or contract.

Charityvest's mission is to enable generosity through technology. It aims to foster habits of intentional giving among donors, which has been shown in numerous studies to increase positive psychological effects and decrease anxiety and depression.

In addition to providing charitable giving funds to individuals or families, the company plans to grow by providing businesses the ability to sponsor tax-advantaged charitable giving funds for employees and provide churches with a free digital solution to collect donations from members.

The venture was first envisioned by Stephen Kump at Yale University in 2016 where he was an MBA student at the time. "My wife and I made a commitment to give a percentage of our income away and we wanted a donor-advised fund to manage it, but the fees and experience of traditional funds didn't make sense for us or our friends," said Kump, the venture's CEO. Instead of collecting fees, Charityvest invests aggregated account balances in low-risk investment vehicles, like a bank. It can create positive economics this way due to its efficient, scalable technology.

Stephen is joined by co-founders Jon Koon, CTO, and Ashby Foltz, COO, who have added experience in consumer software development and financial technology products, respectively.

Two family offices were the largest investors in the funding round, each of them founded by successful technology entrepreneurs. One of them is His Fund, founded by former Convergint Technologies entrepreneur Greg Lernihan. "We believe Charityvest will shift the economics of giving and we're excited to come alongside this team to execute on this vision," said Tom Lernihan, who manages the venture portfolio for His Fund.

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Vennfi (Charityvest) Media Relations

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The Congress on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his absence of empathy towards migrants, alleging that his address, in which he announced a Rs 20 lakh crore package, "only gave a headline to media'.

Congress Chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, in a statement, said: "What you said today gives the country and the media a HEADLINE.



"When the 'blank page' is filled with 'Heartfelt Help of People', the Nation & Congress Party will respond," he added.



Stressing that the "mammoth heart breaking human tragedy of migrant workers walking back home needed compassion, care and safe return", Surjewala said: "India is deeply disappointed by your utter lack of empathy, sensitivity and failure to address the woes of millions of migrant workers."





Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday announced a massive financial package to revive the country's economy by announcing a total stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore, or 10 per cent of the country's GDP.



This amount also includes the earlier packages announced by the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India.



Addressing the nation for the third time during the lockdown, the Prime Minister said that it is now the time to make India self-reliant in every way.
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Public Security has launched a campaign to crack down on crimes related to people's livelihoods, including those on food, medicine, environment and wildlife, according to the ministry on Tuesday.

The ministry called on public security organs across the country to focus on busting dens, arresting gangs and destroying criminal networks, and closely integrate their efforts with the ongoing national campaign against organized and gang-related crimes.

Criminals that disregard the health and lives of the people should be severely punished to resolutely safeguard the people's interests and social stability, it said.

The ministry also reported that since the 2019 version of the campaign, which began on July 25 last year, around 39,000 related cases have been solved.
Texas A&M researchers, alongside the Houston Methodist Research Insitute and Houston Methodist Hospital system, assessed how front-line health care workers have been affected by the pandemic

Doctors and nurses across the country are experiencing occupational burnout and fatigue from the increased stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A team of researchers and medical professionals at Texas A&M University and Houston Methodist Hospital are working together to fight two afflictions: COVID-19 and the mental strain experienced by medical professionals.

In an article recently published in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia, Dr. Farzan Sasangohar, assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and colleagues at Houston Methodist Hospital, outline the effects of fatigue and burnout on intensive care unit (ICU) workers, and the steps that can be taken to mitigate these symptoms.

"The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already existing problem within our health care systems and is exposing the pernicious implications of provider burnout," Sasangohar said.

Health care workers are experiencing added stress from multiple areas. Many of them are working longer shifts and experiencing more loss of life. The lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and training on how to use new equipment causes many professionals to question if they have been exposed. This leads to fear that they could infect their family and loved ones. In addition to those fears, there is anxiety surrounding job security. To reduce the spread of infection, many states have stopped elective procedures and consequently, many health care professionals have been laid off or had their hours reduced.

Sasangohar and the research team documented four major areas of stress with the goal of identifying mitigation strategies to reduce burnout among these life-saving workers. The four areas identified by the researchers include occupational hazards, national versus locally scaled responses, process inefficiencies and financial instability.

The symptoms

Health care workers need effective PPE readily accessible and available to ensure their safety and that of their patients. Getting the necessary equipment has been challenging due to the low numbers of PPE and ventilators in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile and delays getting equipment into local areas. This slow response, which has caused some providers to reuse PPE past the point of safety and warranty protections, can contribute to anxiety in providers.

"Minimizing occupational hazard is the most important criteria to assure that our health care workforce is fully equipped and assured to be safe in order to face the battle against this virus," said Dr. Bita Kash, professor of health policy and management in the Texas A&M School of Public Health and director of the Joint Center for Outcomes Research at Houston Methodist Hospital.

The process to secure assistance from federal authorities has been cumbersome and slow for providers. Many requests for additional ventilators and PPE are not being met. These uncertainties about when assistance will arrive has resulted in widespread anxiety among providers.

Process inefficiencies have also contributed to fatigue and burnout due to misinformation or conflicting information given between different specialties. While one subspecialty's professional organization recommends a certain guideline, another specialty could recommend something else, which leads to confusion.

Anxiety and worry about future career prospects and the overall economy can also lead to provider burnout. Elective surgeries have been canceled or delayed, causing financial stress on some physicians. Others not directly affected by financial hardship may be worried about loved ones or their own family and how they will weather a coming economic recession.

Prescription for the future

While this is the first world-wide pandemic in many years, there will be more. Working together, local researchers, health care professionals and government officials can prepare for future pandemics and subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Houston Methodist Hospital has already begun learning from this pandemic and making changes to be more resilient in response to the current crisis and prepared for similar crises in the future.

In response to the pandemic, Houston Methodist Hospital adapted their policies and focused on constant and responsive communication from leadership to their employees. Proactive and positive responses have allowed the hospital to adapt quickly during the pandemic and reduce employee stress overall. This success has led to recommendations for future preparations.

The researchers' recommendations to reduce provider burnout and fatigue:

Pandemic plans should include guidance for relevant industries to quickly transition into producing needed medical supplies

National and regional disaster mitigation plans to help shorten the time needed to provide necessary equipment and testing

Provision of adequate numbers of test kits and PPE

Training on disaster management and response for medical professionals

Relaxing licensing restrictions for individuals licensed outside their state of residence

Creating a medical reserve corps of these licensed individuals

Using wearable sensors to monitor health care workers' mental health and provide simple ways to mitigate anxiety and stress

"There is much to learn from the response to COVID-19," said Sasangohar. "In our approach, we used a multi-disciplinary systems approach to learn not just from failures and shortcomings, but also from successful adaptations and improvised interventions at the individual, team and system levels to improve our resilience."

While ICU workers in Houston have weathered many storms, including Hurricanes Ike and Harvey, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to already challenging work. The areas identified by the researchers can help make this work safer, more effective and reduce burnout in these critical roles.

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Facts that most of the media will never show because they wouldn't scare people.

1,603 counties (52%) of U.S total have zero deaths

447 Counties (14%) of U.S. Total have one death

443 Counties (14%) of U.S. total have two to five deaths

So 80% of counties have a maximum total of 2,662 deaths and most of the media, along with supposed experts and some Democrat governors are saying keep the economy in depression until we have a vaccine  which may never come. If the public saw the truthful numbers, people would be glad to lead their free lives again.

The only place I saw this was on Laura Ingraham's show Friday night on Fox News, which most of the media want to shut up.

Why doesn't the rest of the media show these scientific facts since they are all about facts and science? The answer is the facts don't match the agenda to scare the public.

Over Half of U.S. Counties Have Had No COVID-19 Deaths As the first chart shows, the 30 counties with the most COVID-19 cases account for 50% of all the cases in the U.S. (and 57% of all deaths). That is, just 1% of the counties in the U.S. are responsible for half of the country's coronavirus cases and more than half of the deaths. Of those 30 counties, 24 are in the Northeast corridor between Philadelphia and Boston, the passageway served by a commuter railway system that runs through Manhattan. Overall, just 11% of the counties in the U.S. contain nearly 95% of all the COVID-19 deaths.

Dr. Deborah Birx said "there is nothing from the CDC that I can trust" in a White House coronavirus task force meeting would think that if the beloved expert, Dr. Birx, said CDC numbers couldn't be trusted and they were inflating COVID 19 case rates by 25% and mortality rates that would be a big story on the "factual" news, but you would be hard pressed to find it because the public would not be as scared into submission.

We also know, from Dr. Birx, that the CDC told hospitals to classify deaths as caused by COVID-19 even if the virus was only remotely the cause. When have we ever picked a disease of the day to assign deaths to?

Think of the endless coverage this story would get if Trump said truthfully that CDC statistics shouldn't be trusted. They would call him a liar and say he was anti-science, so why so little coverage when Dr. Birx says it?

The Post reported that Birx and others feared that the CDC's data-tracking system was inflating coronavirus statistics like mortality rates and case numbers by up to 25%.

Birx later told The Post in a statement that "mortality is slowly declining each day."

When Georgia's governor decided to reopen around fifteen days ago, the public was told what a disaster it would be and that people who wanted to reopen were going to cause more people to die.

The results, instead, have been very good, which is why you won't see many media outlets report on them. It won't scare people enough.

We also never read that states that didn't do the severe shutdowns had results as good as or better than those of the states that did. Facts just don't matter when the media are pushing talking points.

In January, February, and early March, many media outlets, the WHO, the CDC, Dr. Fauci, many experts, and Democrats were saying COVID wasn't much to worry about. Trump was called a racist and said to overreact by putting a travel ban on China. In early March, the CDC and other health experts said masks should not be worn.

Suddenly, in mid-March, we got garbage modeling numbers, clearly not based on scientific data, that said hundreds of millions in the U.S would get the disease and millions would die. Then the media immediately began to blame Trump for his slow reaction.

After these junk modeling numbers came out, most governors decided to send the country into depression, instead of asking if the numbers made sense. Thankfully, some governors kept their heads, which gives us some scientific comparison of results.

Last week, we got more garbage modeling numbers that 3,000 would die a day by the end of the month if we reopened. The media just repeated these garbage numbers to scare the public. This week, the think-tank from Washington said 137,000 would die by August if we reopened. That is pretty good. Only 57,000 more in 90 days. That is fewer than 666 per day when the U.S. has 7,000 people die every day, but the reason the media repeat the number without question is to scare the public.

People should remember that the media and other Democrats have sought to destroy the private health care industry for years and they have used this opportunity to prevent elective surgery and other standard care. This has financially devasted hospitals and community care centers throughout the country.

Why did CBS show an Italian hospital in chaos when reporting on New York and Philadelphia unless it was meant to mislead and scare the public?

People should remember that most of the media and other Democrats have sought to destroy the oil industry, airline industry, cruise industry and travel and leisure for years by eliminating the use of oil. They have used this disease as an excuse to implement their strategy.

The Democrats also use garbage modeling numbers to destroy the oil industry and scare the public over CO2 even though previous modeling numbers have been 100% false.

Why are schools still closed when evidence shows that primary schools that remained open in Sweden were safe?

For many decades, Democrats have sought to destroy the family and make as many people dependent on government as possible. They want power and socialism gives them power. This disease has given them more power to push their far-left agenda to remake and destroy the U.S. economy. This disease, along with the willing accomplices, has given them a way to push the agenda because the public would never vote for this crap.

I wonder why the term "fake news' has taken hold when so much of what we read are Democrat talking points used to push a leftist agenda? Isn't it time journalists did their job, instead of just repeating what they are told, before the nations finishes off its economic suicide?

Graphic credit: Pxfuel.
Long lines of voters waiting to cast ballots stunned the nation when Wisconsin held its primary election last month with a dramatically reduced number of polling places. Read more

Philadelphia voters will have 77% fewer polling places than normal when they go to vote in the primary election June 2 because of the coronavirus.

The Philadelphia Board of City Commissioners released a plan Tuesday night to open 190 polling places, down from the 831 used in last Novembers municipal election. The commissioners, Philadelphias election officials, will vote on the plan Wednesday morning before sending it to the Pennsylvania Department of State for approval. (State officials were consulted in recent days and the plan is likely, if not certain, to be approved.)

This June 2, election day, its not going to look like any election day we have ever seen before, Lisa Deeley, chair of the commissioners, said Tuesday. We are balancing public health with peoples ability to vote.  Weve limited the number of sites for people to vote in person.

Like other parts of the country, elections officials in Philadelphia have faced a number of challenges pulling off primary elections during the coronavirus pandemic, including unprecedented shortages of poll workers. Finding suitable polling places has also been difficult, Deeley said, because they need to be able to accommodate large numbers of voters who are spread out for social distancing.

Nobodys ever done this before, so theres no playbook, she said. We hope that it is going to be as successful as it could be in the face of all this.

The challenges are steep.

A dramatic reduction in the number of polling places means voters will have to travel longer distances to cast ballots. It also means congregating more voters into fewer polling places, potentially increasing their contact with others and the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

Reducing the number of polling places also significantly increases the likelihood of long lines  if for no other reason than because people will be standing apart from each other  and changing polling place locations always risks confusing voters.

No one should have to choose between their health and their right to vote, so were deeply concerned about this reduction in polling places, said Scott Seeborg, Pennsylvania state director for All Voting Is Local, a voting-rights initiative that is part of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

To minimize voter confusion and avoid potential disenfranchisement, Seeborg said, the city should circulate polling place information as widely as possible and really do the type of public communication we know Philadelphia can pull off when something is important.

Because of the pandemic, the state legislature passed an emergency law in March allowing counties to cut the number of polling places by up to 60% without state or court approval. A handful of counties have sought state sign-off to go beyond that.

The suburban counties have taken a range of approaches: Bucks County plans to have the same number of polling places as usual, Chester County will reduce its number by a still-to-be-determined amount, Delaware County will reduce its polling places by 40%, and Montgomery County will cut its number by 60%.

Officials have urged people to vote by mail as a way to avoid the exposure risk of voting in person. This is Pennsylvanias first election in which all voters are eligible to use absentee ballots, which can be requested online.

Deeley said Philadelphias polling locations were picked in part based on the number of absentee ballot requests received from voters in a neighborhood. The fewer the absentee requests, the more likely voters are to show up in person, she said, so assigning more polling places in those areas could help reduce crowding at the polls.

To assign the 190 polling places, the commissioners divided Philadelphia into 190 geographic zones made up of precincts. So while the city has 1,703 voting precincts, or divisions, grouped into 66 wards, voters wont need to know that information this election. Instead, all voters in a zone will vote at the same polling place.

After the polling place plan is approved by the commissioners Wednesday, Deeley said, theyll increase their outreach to poll workers. Shes concerned that some wont be willing to work once they learn they have to travel farther to get to their polling place this time. The National Guard could still be needed to fill gaps, she said.
MUMBAI, India, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cipla Limited (BSE: 500087) (NSE: CIPLA EQ) (and hereafter referred to as "Cipla") today announced that it has signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. for the manufacturing and distribution of the investigational medicine Remdesivir, which has been issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat COVID-19 patients. This agreement is part of Cipla's efforts to enhance global access to life-saving treatments for patients affected by the pandemic.

As part of the agreement, Cipla will be permitted to manufacture the API and Finished product, and market it in 127 countries including India and South Africa under Cipla's own brand name. Cipla will receive the manufacturing know-how from Gilead Sciences, Inc. to manufacture the API and Finished product at a commercial scale. Cipla's extensive geographical and commercial footprint will help make this therapy accessible to more patients and markets.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s tracker, the number of reported COVID-19 cases has crossed the four million mark globally.

The EUA will facilitate broader use of Remdesivir to treat hospitalized patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. The EUA is based on available data from two global clinical trials  US National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases' placebo-controlled Phase 3 study in patients with moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, and Gilead's global Phase 3 study evaluating Remdesivir in patients with severe disease. Multiple additional clinical trials are ongoing to generate more data on the safety and efficacy of Remdesivir as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Remdesivir continues to be an investigational drug that has not been approved by the FDA.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Umang Vohra (MD and Global CEO, Cipla Limited) said, "As the world is faced with the COVID-19 crisis, it is imperative that we collaborate and fight this virus together. We are pleased to partner with Gilead for this cause and take this treatment to patients across countries after the required regulatory approvals. At Cipla, it is our continuous endeavour to ensure that no patient is denied access to life-saving treatments. Our partnership with Gilead represents this unwavering commitment and is a significant step towards saving millions of lives impacted by the pandemic."

About Cipla :

Established in 1935, Cipla is a global pharmaceutical company focused on agile and sustainable growth, complex generics, and deepening portfolio in our home markets of India, South Africa, North America, and key regulated and emerging markets. Our strengths in the respiratory, anti-retroviral, urology, cardiology, anti-infective and CNS segments are well-known. Our 46 manufacturing sites around the world produce 50+ dosage forms and 1,500+ products using cutting-edge technology platforms to cater to our 80+ markets. Cipla is ranked 3rd largest in pharma in India (IQVIA MAT Mar'20), 3rd largest in the pharma private market in South Africa (IQVIA MAT Mar'20), and is among the most dispensed generic players in the U.S. For over eight decades, making a difference to patients has inspired every aspect of Cipla's work. Our paradigm-changing offer of a triple anti-retroviral therapy in HIV/AIDS at less than a dollar a day in Africa in 2001 is widely acknowledged as having contributed to bringing inclusiveness, accessibility and affordability to the centre of the HIV movement. A responsible corporate citizen, Cipla's humanitarian approach to healthcare in pursuit of its purpose of 'Caring for Life' and deep-rooted community links wherever it is present make it a partner of choice to global health bodies, peers and all stakeholders. For more, please visit www.cipla.com , or click on Twitter , Facebook , LinkedIn .

SOURCE Cipla
A MEMBER of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) attached to the demining regiment in Dumisa, Chikombedzi, yesterday appeared before

Chiredzi magistrate Regis Mawarire facing two charges of biting a woman's nose for trying to recover a debt.
CHICAGO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CoinFlip , the leading Bitcoin ATM provider in the U.S., announced today that it is opening up the world of bespoke cryptocurrency trading services to all investors with the launch of CoinFlip Preferred .

CoinFlip Preferred gives investors secure access to buy and sell cryptocurrencies through a personalized cryptocurrency concierge service from one of the leading names in the crypto space. Unlike many other over-the-counter (OTC) trading services, which focus on customers with at least $100,000 to invest, the minimum transaction size with CoinFlip Preferred is just $5,000.

"Our mission has always been to help regular people build their wealth by demystifying cryptocurrencies and giving them easier access to these burgeoning markets," said Daniel Polotsky, CEO and Co-Founder of CoinFlip. "With CoinFlip Preferred we can provide more Americans with the kind of high-touch investment service many companies reserve for their wealthiest clients."

CoinFlip Preferred supports buying and selling nine major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin with more to be added in the future. With its nationwide network of over 600 ATMs, CoinFlip sells more cryptocurrency by volume than any other operator and in turn is able to offer excellent pricing and rapid execution of trades to its CoinFlip Preferred clients.

New customers can start trading on the CoinFlip Preferred website the same day they sign up and are assigned a personal concierge who supports them through every stage of the process from initial consultation to final trade. CoinFlip Preferred customers can also reach a consultant by phone seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT.

"We believe that CoinFlip Preferred is the fastest and easiest way to make large volume cryptocurrency trades," said Polotsky. "Combined with our fast-growing network of ATMs, which give users convenient self-service options for transactions under $12,000, CoinFlip Preferred now allows us to support our customers making trades of any dollar amount. This launch is an exciting new stage on our journey towards making cryptocurrency investments mainstream."

Currently, CoinFlip Preferred is available to customers in the U.S., although the service will be expanded in the future to meet demand from international customers.

CoinFlip's rapidly expanding ATM network currently operates in 34 states and enables users to make cryptocurrency investments in minutes. CoinFlip's ATMs offer an important access point to the financial system for the estimated 25 percent of Americans who are unbanked or underbanked.

About CoinFlip:

CoinFlip is the leading Bitcoin ATM operator in the world, with over 600 installations across 34 states and support for nine types of cryptocurrencies. Striving to provide the best cash-to-crypto experience available, CoinFlip offers 24/7 customer support, registration in minutes, and the industry's most favorable exchange rates. Founded in 2015, CoinFlip is headquartered in Chicago.

For more information, please visit https://otc.coinflip.tech/ and join the conversation on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn .

Media Contact:

Delia Mendoza

Venture PR

(310) 500-9273

[email protected]

SOURCE CoinFlip

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Foreign Minister Zarif: Iran, US not engaged in any negotiations

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 1:19 PM

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says there are no talks underway between Iran and the United States, reminding how Washington has proven to be an untrustworthy negotiation partner.

"The Americans proved that one cannot rely on the results of talks with them," Zarif told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting's news agency, IRIB News.

Asked about remarks by some analysts pointing to the notion of talks between Tehran and Washington, the top diplomat said, "Almost the entire world has come to this conclusion that if it should seek any negotiation with the US, Washington could ignore the [ensuing] agreement any time," the agency reported on its website on Tuesday.

The US has turned its back on several international agreements under its current administration that is helmed by President Donald Trump. The forsaken deals include a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers.

Washington quit the historic deal in May 2018 and began reinforcing the sanctions that it had lifted. Both the moves defied a UN Security Council resolution that had endorsed the agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Washington has refused to relieve the bans despite international calls for the easing of the restrictions as the entire world is busy battling a new coronavirus pandemic.

Although it is no longer a JCPOA partner, Trump's administration has also expressed a resolve to prompt extension of a UN arms embargo against the Islamic Republic that would expire under the deal by October.

Zarif said the current US administration should rather rectify its attitude than "to come up with excuses."

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All the returnees are tested for the coronavirus and required to quarantine for two weeks even if they are negative. But some have not been adhering to the requirement, she said, citing the case of a man who returned from Nigeria and then held a party for his relatives, infecting at least 10 of them. One was a member of the security forces, who has in turn infected a dozen or so of his colleagues.
By Online Desk

As part of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by PM Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced a slew of measures to help businesses, including MSMEs to recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Kerala reported ten fresh COVID-19 cases. The number of confirmed cases in the country has crossed the 70,000-mark with more than 3600 cases reported in the last 24 hours.



The death toll due to coronavirus in India neared the 2,500-mark while the number of positive cases reached 74,281 on Wednesday.
In-port Preparations Propel Ford Toward Another Post-Delivery Milestone

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS200512-13

Release Date: 5/12/2020 4:30:00 PM

From USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) recently progressed toward another major milestone during the ship's 10th window of opportunity for maintenance (WOO) 10, ensuring mission readiness for its upcoming independent steaming event (ISE).

While in port for Ford's WOO 10, the ship accomplished necessary maintenance and construction projects required to embark personnel from Carrier Air Wing EIGHT (CVW-8) and Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12 staffs. Ford's next independent steaming event, ISE 10, will be the most robust air wing and strike group embark to date, bringing total ship's company to more than 3,700 personnel.

"Our role is to support the air wing, and that doesn't stop when we're in-port," said Capt. J.J. Cummings, Ford's commanding officer. "Our crew continues to work hard to make preparations, maintain equipment, conduct training, and remain healthy to ensure we are ready to carry out our mission to fully support integrated air wing operations."

Ford, CSG-12 and CVW-8 utilized WOO 10 as a launch pad for integrated operations for the upcoming at-sea period. CSG-12, with experience from their recent record-breaking deployment with USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and CVW-7, sent CVW-7 operations and intelligence officers to assess Ford's ready rooms and mission planning spaces to provide recommendations on how to best execute command and control (C2) with Ford's unique capabilities.

During ISE 10, CSG-12 will assess Ford's C2 capability and CVW-8 will operate over 30 fixed-wing aircraft and MH-60R/S Seahawk detachments from both Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) squadrons and Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) squadrons.

"This will be the first time Ford has brought on an air wing and our carrier strike group staff, so we're intentionally going to stress the ship's systems and the crew to see how well we integrate as one cohesive unit," said Cummings. "This is our first opportunity to conduct cyclic flight operations with an air wing. I am extremely excited for the crew because loading up the flight deck with air wing aircraft will give them a quick snapshot of what deployment will feel like."

During WOO 10, extensive preparations were conducted to support the embarkation of more than 1,000 personnel from CVW-8 and CSG-12.

"To sustain the full complement of Ford and air wing personnel, Ford's supply department on-loaded more than 400 pallets of stores and began coordination for a Replenishment-at-Sea to refresh fruits and vegetables while underway," said Cmdr. Carl Koch, Ford's Supply Officer.

In an exhaustive and collaborative effort to finish more than 125 offices and berthing spaces for 199 air wing officers and strike group staff, Ford Sailors with support from Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding Division, Naval Sea Systems Command, and Technico completed outstanding work of 625 lines of testing to include ventilation balancing, phone hookup and minor amenities installs.

During Ford's in-port period, the crew was able to accomplish this work while simultaneously adhering to strong COVID-19 mitigation protocols that required innovative training methods.

"There's value in being able to provide specialized training to Sailors," said Cummings. "Like many industries across the nation, we've had to adapt during the Coronavirus pandemic, and we've found innovative ways to provide quality training while keeping in compliance with COVID-19 mitigation protocols and best practices."

One of the adaptive training events Ford conducted was watertight door (WTD) training for Ford's damage control petty officers (DCPOs). The training was held to increase proficiency in maintaining Ford's first line of defense in damage control fittings.

To ensure the class could be conducted safely, Ford's Damage Control Assistant engaged with Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic's (CNAL) WTD school supervisors to request reduced class sizes to maximize social distancing.

"This watertight door training is hands-on for the GRF Sailors, because it's imperative that they understand what they're reading on that maintenance card when they're doing the actual maintenance," said Curtis Houchins, from Pine Hill, New Jersey, Master Trade Person-4 and a CNAL school supervisor for watertight door training. "They need to understand why they're checking  and fixing  a door and what they should be looking for when performing the corrective maintenance on them. That's what this training is geared towards."

Last week, eight Sailors from Ford's Air Department were the first to attend the modified version of WTD school, the most complex maintenance that a DCPO will complete aboard Ford. This training will expand Ford's DCPO's maintenance prowess as the ship works towards full system shock trials, an event that will stress the ship's over 900 fittings to the extreme to validate system design and thousands of man-hours of hard work.

"This training is great because it's a process where you actually observe what you're learning and apply it to protecting the integrity of the ship," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Rey Talisayon, from Miami, Florida. "It was very hands-on and you can tell the instructors really know what they're talking about and doing, because they were like us once before, just starting to learn about watertight doors and taking ownership of the preventative maintenance that goes along with them."

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Churches in Italy to reopen for public Mass on 18 May.

The Italian army has been drafted in to sanitise Catholic churches in Rome ahead of Monday 18 May when the faithful will once again be able to attend Mass following restrictions due to the covid-19 emergency.

The sanitisation programme, which is being conducted in collaboration with city authorities, will involve the army cleaning the interior and exterior of at least 337 parish churches in the capital, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

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The intervention of the army was requested specifically by the vicariate of Rome, and the soldiers involved belong to specialist teams working in the field of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN).

Italy is to lift the ban on public Masses from 18 May as part of an agreement to allow the faithful to attend liturgical celebrations - in limited numbers and under strict guidelines - for the first time since 8 March.

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The Federal Executive Council has approved the review to the 2020 budget and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for 2020-2022 as recommended by the ministry of finance.

The budget has new benchmarks which now includes $25 per oil barrel, and a target production rate of 1.94 million barrels per day and then an exchange rate of N360 to $1, Finance minister Zainab Ahmed said while briefing State House correspondents on Wednesday.

Ms Ahmed said the revised budget now amounts to N10.5 trillion, a difference of about N71.5 billion when compared to the initial approved budget.

This is because, as we cut down the size of the budget, she noted, we also have to bring in new expenditure previously not budgeted, to enable us adequately respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms Ahmed said while the federal government will fund the budget by N5.158 trillion, the deficit from N5.365 trillion will be financed by both domestic and foreign borrowing.

Already both the Senate and House of Representatives have approved the borrowing plan of N850 billion by the federal government.

The minister said the plan was to borrow from foreign sources for 2020 and these are all concessionary loans from the IMF which has already been approved and has crystallised, from the World Bank, Islamic Development as well as Afro EXZIM bank.

The borrowing, the multilateral loans drawdown coming from special accounts and coming from the privatisation will fund the fiscal deficit of N5.365 trillion that we have in the proposed amendment of the 2020 budget, she added.

She also said an $80 million loan had been requested on behalf of Ebonyi State government from the Islamic Development Bank for the construction of Abakaliki ring road project, which would connect 13 LGAs in the state as well as the neighbouring Cameroon republic.

Other approvals

Meanwhile, the executive council also approved N683 million for the purchase of 19 operational vehicles by the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA).

The transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed this to journalists, adding that the approval came because it was the first time in four years that NPA is buying any vehicle.

These are operational vehicles; not for management staff or any other thing. They are all Toyota, he said, adding that the contract was awarded to Globe Motors Holding Nigeria Limited.

In the same vein, power minister, Sale Mamman, said N47 billion was approved for the provision of additional 40 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.

Nigerias electricity generation capacity is about 12,500 MW  of which 12.5 per cent is hydropower and 87.5 per cent thermal  but only between 3,500 MW to 5,000 MW is distributed.

Mr Mamman said the planned 40 megawatts would be evacuated from Kashimbilla Dam (in Taraba State) via Takum, Wukari and Yandev, to the national grid.

This evacuation, he explained, was necessary to save Nigeria about 120 gigawatts of power, equivalent to $9 million in a year.

He added that the move was targeted at boosting power supply in Taraba and Benue states as well as the entire north-eastern region of the country.

Virtual meeting

The federal executive meeting had been on hold for a while due to the challenges posed by the coronavirus infection which is usually worsened by physical meetings.

After its first virtual meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, only ministers who had memoranda to present were physically present at the State House.

Information minister, Lai Mohammed, said the governments activities will continue by leveraging on technology.
U.S. Senate passes bill to help Taiwan regain WHA observer status

ROC Central News Agency

05/12/2020 01:01 PM

Washington, May 11 (CNA) The United States Senate on Monday passed a bill that asks Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to come up with a strategy to help Taiwan regain observer status at the World Health Assembly (WHA) to be held later this month.

The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan legislation that was introduced by Senator James Inhofe, co-chair of the U.S. Senate Taiwan Caucus, on Jan. 29 2019, and passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 3, 2019.

The bill directs "the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to regain observer status for Taiwan in the World Health Organization," and to present a report to the Senate "following any annual meetings of the World Health Assembly at which Taiwan did not obtain observer status."

In supporting Taiwan's WHA participation, the bill praises Taiwan as "a model contributor to world health," citing the fact that "Taiwan has invested over US$6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts impacting over 80 countries since 1996."

One of the supporters of the bill, Senator Cory Gardner, said in a statement that every global partner, including Taiwan, should be included in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic to defeat the coronavirus.

"Granting Taiwan observer status at the World Health Organization would allow Taiwan to fully share its expertise in handling COVID-19 and rightfully reflect its global health care contributions that have been unjustly curtailed by Chinese objections," Gardner said.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a similar bill for the same purpose in January 2019, and House and Senate members will meet to reconcile differences in their bills and come up with a final version that can be passed and signed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In response to the bill's passage, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its gratitude and said Taiwan will continue to work with U.S. to contribute its expertise in this field.

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.

Pompeo on May 6 reiterated U.S. support for Taiwan's observer status at the WHA this year, while calling on more countries around the globe to join the effort.

He also called on the head of the WHO to invite Taiwan to this year's WHA, saying it is within a WHO director-general's power to do so.

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.

The WHO has repeatedly said that Taiwan has to come to an understanding with China on the issue before it can send out an invitation allowing Taiwan to attend the WHA as an observer.

That would suggest an invitation to Taiwan to the WHA is unlikely this year, given the poor state of relations across the Taiwan Strait at present.

(By Stacy Hsu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ls

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Animal shelters work tirelessly with one goal: to find safe homes for pets. But as pet adoption and fostering have skyrocketed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, an unexpected down side has emerged.

It costs far more to rehabilitate, treat and feed a rescued animal than it does to adopt one, shelter officials say. As a result, most animal shelters lose money with each adoption. The unprecedented spike has shelters in New Orleans operating at a loss.

In normal times, shelters offset losses by offering boarding, grooming, and other profitable services. But with the pandemic causing pet owners to opt out of those services, animal shelters in New Orleans are losing hold of the financial balance that allows them to stay in business.

Spike in adoptions

Michelle Ingram, owner of Zeuss Place, says the shelter has had over 103 animals adopted since March 16, compared to just three adoptions during the same period in 2019.

We are seeing a huge spike in the number of adoptions and foster homes coming forward right now, Ingram said. It's pretty unprecedented and impressive and heartwarming.

For Melinda Kelley, stay-at-home orders opened up the time for her and her two children, 5 and 7, to acclimate a second dog to the household.

It was kind of just a silver lining thing where, you know, suddenly we had all this time and all those excuses that we had made for years about just being too busy, they sort of faded away, Kelley said.

The public has stepped up; its been amazing. Weve been inundated with requests to foster and adopt, said Kathy Perra, director of Animal Rescue New Orleans.

Fosters through the LASPCA have also skyrocketed since the onset of the pandemic, says LASPCA communications director Alicia Haefele Vial. Over 500 applications have come in since mid-March, and Vial says sheltering colleagues have seen similar spikes in fostering.

Meanwhile, the LASPCA is also losing money on every adoption, especially because it has been running an adoption promotion recently just to try to get animals into homes.

The nonprofit shelter usually offset losses with training, educational classes and summer camps. But those programs are all on hold. Even the low-cost spaying and neutering services bring in some revenue, but those, too, are on hold.

Still, shelters are glad to find homes for the dogs and cats in their care.

They have brought so much joy to me in a time that has felt pretty low, said Amelia Walley, who recently became a dog owner. Walley and her girlfriend, Ella Helmuth, adopted Tugboat and Lula, both found abandoned in Biloxi, Mississippi, through ARNO.

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Its been very therapeutic. Its been something to focus on and be productive about  walks, feeding  and have just brought joy to the day to day when it feels a little hopeless, Helmuth said.

Financial worries

Shelters spend upward of $500 per animal on heartworm treatment, vaccinations, rehabilitation, other medical treatment, boarding and food. Shelters like Zeuss Place, which has one nonprofit and two for-profit locations, charge an adoption fee of around $100-$200 per animal, meaning that it loses money with each adoption.

Shelters that are entirely nonprofit, such as Animal Rescue New Orleans, rely on donations to offset adoptions costs.

We live and die by donations, so it is scary, ARNO director Kathy Perra said. There are plenty of people who won't have that extra dollar to give to their favorite charities. There are people out of work who need food for their animals. We like to help folks if we can with food and things like that, but its tough.

With stay-at-home orders keeping New Orleanians from traveling and spending, however, the moneymaking half of the shelters business has dropped off.

Theres no doubt among shelter staff throughout New Orleans that the increase in adoptions is a good thing. Shelter staff are unanimously thrilled that more animals are being welcomed into good homes.

It is definitely a double-edged sword, but at the end of the day, our organization is around because of the animals, so theyre always our No. 1 priority," Vial said.

Shelters are also incurring costs from providing food to foster homes and keeping up with the growing intake of animals.

ARNO's Perra says the shelter has taken in over 103 animals since March 16, compared to 41 during the same period in 2019.

The sustained period of operating in the red has put a strain on shelters in New Orleans.

Zeuss Place furloughed 19 of its 28 employees in March, and the remaining employees work double shifts. ARNOs equivalent five full-time employees often work 18-hour days.

It's tough, we're nervous about what, you know, what the future is going to hold, Perra said.

+3 New Orleans music film 'Up From the Streets' gets 'virtual cinematic release' amid coronavirus Director Michael Murphy released Make It Funky!, his 2005 cinematic love letter to the music of New Orleans, just as Hurricane Katrina hit.
Consumer spending shrank by 36.5% year-on-year in April  although some stores such as off-licences, butchers and bakeries bucked the downward trend, Barclaycard said.

Spending on non-essentials declined at a faster rate, of 47.7%, with travel, which includes public transport, seeing a spending decline of 86.8%, as much of the UK stopped commuting.

Specialist food and drink stores  which include off-licences, greengrocers, independent convenience stores, butchers and bakeries  were a bright spot, recording 37.7% annual spending growth.

Barclaycard said this was helped by people continuing to support local businesses, with more than half (57%) in its consumer research saying the current environment has made them realise how much they value them.

A renewed sense of community may be welcome news for independent businesses Esme Harwood, Barclaycard

As a result, adults are planning to spend more in local retailers including butchers (27%), cafes and restaurants (26%) and farmers markets (23%) when social distancing restrictions are eased further.

Esme Harwood, director at Barclaycard, said: A renewed sense of community may be welcome news for independent businesses, with a growing desire to support local stores in life after lockdown.

Meanwhile, online spending on DIY increased by 26.5% annually in April.

Digital subscriptions continued to increase in popularity with strong spending growth of 50.2%.

Online spend for eating and drinking  which includes takeaways  also recorded annual growth of 24.6%.

Overall, spending in the category of bars, pubs and clubs contracted by 96.9%.

The Barclaycard report combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to indicate UK spending trends.

Its latest consumer survey, involving 2,000 people, was carried out between April 24 and 27.

The research also found consumer confidence in the UK economy overall has fallen to its lowest for at least six years  just 20% of adults surveyed feeling positive.

But 70% of people are still confident in their own household finances, rising to 85% of over-55s.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2019, wellness was one of the fastest growing consumer priorities in the world. In 2020, as we face a new health reality globally, this priority has become critical, as consumers are thinking more about personal and collective wellbeing than perhaps ever in their lives. Over the past few months, health and wellness products and services have seen dramatic increase in use, including mental health apps, personal workout equipment, supplements, and other traditional and non-traditional wellness tools. This prioritization is expected to continue in the future, with wellness already a major global trend and current circumstances leaving a long-lasting impact on consumer needs. Subsequently, industries across the board are experiencing one of the most profound digital migrations in history, with a tremendous need for partners with a fluency in the most innovative, contemporary and relevant ways to meet consumers.

To support the mission of wellness as well as the necessary requirement for digital fluency to thrive in the current and future states of the world, Havas Health & You (HH&Y) announces today the launch of Havas Mango. This Miami-based collective aims to reimagine wellness and build experiences that help people live their best lives. With a focus on fostering creativity in ever-changing environments, they have the capabilities of a full-service agency with niche focus on customizable and immersive platforms and just-in-time content production. Havas Mango is strategically placed in vibrant, fast-expanding Miami, with long term expansion plans and the ability to service clients globally.

"Every category has been tested in multiple ways over the last few months, and numbers of them in their fluency in alternatives types of customer engagement and the need for adaptive, new ways of serving consumers," commented Donna Murphy, Global CEO of HH&Y. "We had already established the business plan for Havas Mango well before recent circumstances, but now the importance is only amplified. We see wellness as an even greater global need as we look ahead, along with a continued evolution in virtual experiences and emerging technology. Mango is the right business with the right people to meet these needs."

Cris Morton, Group President of HH&Y states, "Havas Mango is set apart from other agencies. Our approach is to create an atmosphere of exploration with an inherent future-focus, setting out to serve the demands of tomorrow versus today. We've tapped into previously untapped talent pools and constructed a dynamic team with background in technology, digital experience creation, content production and other skills that we see being deeply important in the future."

Leading the Havas Mango team is Tristan Stevens, Associate Manager Director. In her 10+ years of agency experience, Tristan has won, managed and grown an extensive and diverse list of clients and helped to launch successful ventures with former Crispin Porter + Bogusky principals. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, in addition to serving as an advisor to Orange Umbrella, the student-run full-service agency operating out of U of M. She states, "I am thrilled to lead Havas Mango, where we're hiring for mindset plus skillset. We're looking for passionate wellness advocates and building flat team structures that encourage collaboration above all else. If there's a convention in the industry that we feel needs to be broken, we're looking to break it, and do so with a sense of mission for supporting better wellbeing and for the future of creativity as it merges with new forms of technology."

About Havas Health & You

Havas Health & You unites Havas Life, Health4Brands (H4B), Lynx, Havas Life PR and Havas Health Plus, all wholly owned health and communications networks, with the consumer health businesses and practices of Havas Creative Group. Its customer-centric approach has the talent, tenacity and technology that health-and-wellness companies, brands and people need to thrive in today's world. For more information, go to www.HavasHealthandYou.com.

About Havas Mango

Havas Mango is an exploratory space transforming how people experience wellness. A collective of fearless creators with the purpose to make lives better through unique and meaningful experiences. Living under the Havas umbrella, this niche agency has access to large global resources, but with the independence to remain nimble and create truly customizable engagement touch points. For more information, go to www.HavasMango.com

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China's Ministry of Public Security on Tuesday donated COVID-19 prevention and control materials to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security.

These materials, including KN95 masks, disposable surgical masks, medical protective suits, gloves and goggles, were delivered at a border crossing between the two countries.
The drivers of ride-hailing companies Uber and Careem are considering shifting careers as a result of a fall-off in demand during the pandemic

The prolonged night-time curfew accompanied by working from home and e-learning policies introduced to halt the spread of the coronavirus have negatively impacted many businesses in Egypt, with ride-hailing being no exception.

Since late March, we have been suffering a lack of demand for trips to the extent that we have reached a level that we are almost begging to be hired, Sherif Labib, a 30-year-old married Uber driver, told Al-Ahram Weekly.

The US-based Uber launched in 2014 in Cairo, and according to the company it has helped more than four million people get around Egyptian cities since its launch in Egypt. About 200,000 drivers work with Uber in the country.

Today [Monday], I only received one trip request from 8am until 4pm and it cost only LE20, Labib, who has been working as an Uber driver for two-and-a-half years, said.

Labib used to work as a cashier in one of Cairos restaurants but quit because Uber offered a higher income. But due to the tough situation that drivers are in today, I am seriously thinking of taking another job as continuing as a ride-hailing driver will lead my family to die of hunger, Labib, the father of two children, said.

Lockdown measures have been imposed locally since mid-March to contain the spread of the virus, including a night-time curfew, the suspension of schools and universities, and the closure of places of worship.

Abdel-Ghaffar Zidan, who works as an Uber driver in addition to his regular job to increase his income, said the same thing. Sometimes the revenue doesnt cover the expenses of the petrol, he said, adding that even during daylight hours the demand is very small.

Labib said that working from home and closing universities due to the pandemic had been the two main reasons for the scarcity of demand, as employees and university students were frequent Uber customers.

For Hani Al-Sawi, another Uber driver, the decline in demand had been more than 50 per cent compared to conditions prior to the coronavirus pandemic. This profession is currently suitable for someone who is working in his spare time to increase his income, but not for someone like me who uses it as his main source of income, Al-Sawi said.

Al-Sawi, who is married and has children, said he wanted to change his career due to the pandemic. He is hesitant, however, because he lacks experience in other fields and a start-up business would need capital that he does not have.

Fadi Mohamed, another ride-hailing driver, said that half of the drivers were working for Uber as a second job, and they had opted to stay at home since the epidemic broke out for fear of infection and to preserve the safety of their families.

The other half is forced to work as drivers because they have no other source of income, Mohamed said. Despite our commitment to safety and prevention measures, there is no demand for services compared to the previous period. I wear a mask and dont turn on the air-conditioning but to no avail, Mohamed added.

In the wake of the spread of the virus, Uber has sent drivers safety instructions, including wearing a mask, keeping windows open during the trip, cleaning exposed surfaces, and disinfecting after each trip.

I am suffering but those who are suffering the most are those who depend on earning a living as a ride-hailing driver using a car purchased on installments, Al-Sawi, who is working with his own private car, said.

Islam Abdel-Aziz, another driver, agreed and said he had some friends who purchased cars on installments prior to the pandemic to work as ride-hailing drivers and now find themselves in a dilemma.

Their revenue cannot cover operating costs, due installments, and their need for a livelihood, and so they have sold their cars to pay the installments and are now looking for another job, Abdel-Aziz said.

Egypt, which is among Ubers top 10 markets globally, was one of the most important markets for the US-based ride-sharing company in the Middle East, according to a statement in November by Tony West, Ubers senior vice-president.

The company launched Uber Bus in Egypt for the first time worldwide last year, and earlier this year it was testing incorporating existing taxis into the ride-hailing service. In January, the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) approved Ubers $3.1 billion deal to acquire Careem, its Middle Eastern rival in the ride-hailing business.

But due to the respiratory disease, the company laid off hundreds of office-based staff in Egypt last week as it made wider cuts amid the fallout from the new coronavirus, according to Reuters.

Quoting one current and two former Uber Egypt employees, both of whom had lost their jobs last week, Reuters said that about 40 per cent of staff in Ubers Egypt offices had been laid off.

On 6 May, Uber Technologies Inc, which has 3.9 million of drivers on its platform worldwide, announced that it would cut about 3,700 full-time jobs and CEO Dara Khosrowshahi would forgo his base salary for the remainder of the year as the Covid-19 pandemic decimates ride-hailing businesses.

Uber said the layoffs, affecting 17 per cent of its employee count, included its customer support and recruiting teams and that it expected to incur about $20 million in costs for severances and related charges.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under headline: A slowdown in rides

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South Africa: Government mulls the easing of COVID-19 lockdown

Government is considering a proposal to move the country to level 3 of the national COVID-19 lockdown by the end of May, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday.

Addressing the nation on Wednesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said government is preparing for a further easing of the lockdown and a gradual opening of the economy, from the current level 4 lockdown.

We will immediately begin a process of consultation with relevant stakeholders on a proposal that by the end of May, most of the country be placed on alert level 3, but that those parts of the country with the highest rates of infection remain on level 4.

We will make further announcements after the completion of the consultations, said the President.

This comes after the government implements a risk-adjusted strategy aimed at easing the current lockdown restrictions.

However, hotspot areas with high infection rates will remain under level 4.

I will repeat what I have said before, if we lift the lockdown too abruptly and too quickly, we risk a rapid and unmanageable surge in infections.

President Ramaphosa said areas of the country might be designated at different alert levels depending on the rate of infections - and further announcements will be made.

This would be done according to the rate of infection in an area and the state of readiness and the capacity of its health facilities to cope with treating infected people.

President Ramaphosa said the infections are mostly concentrated in a few metropolitan municipalities and districts in the country.

He said the governments approach has been about saving lives and preserving livelihoods.

Our key objective has always been to slow down the infection rate through a number of interventions in our Coronavirus prevention toolbox, he explained.

In addition, by staying at home, he believes that citizens have helped in saving lives.

The best current estimate is that, without the lockdown and the other measures we have taken, at least 80 000 South Africans could have been infected by now.

According to data, the death toll could have been at least eight times more than it is, with 219 people who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 related illnesses to date.

President Ramaphosa said the level of confirmed infections in SA is about 181 people per million of the population.

Of South Africas 12 074 confirmed cases, the country has recorded 4 745 recoveries.

By contrast, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Singapore have between 2 400 and 4 600 Coronavirus cases per million people.

He also stated that at a similar stage in the progression of the disease, the United States had recorded over 22 000 deaths while the United Kingdom had over 19 000 deaths.

Every life counts, President Ramaphosa told citizens.

These 219 people who passed away had families; they had dependents, friends and colleagues. Their lives were cut short by a virus that has caused human and economic devastation across the world.

Opening up economic activity

In addition, the President said some of the regulations would be eased, as the government gets ready to gradually open economic activity.

Outlining the lockdown easing measures, President Ramaphosa said some regulations surrounding retail, e-commerce and exercise would be relaxed.

He also acknowledged that the Coronavirus is taking a toll not only on the health of our people, but also peoples ability to put food on the table, to learn and to develop, and to enjoy many of the basic freedoms that often people take for granted.

Citizens response

However, he said he been satisfied in how South Africans have responded and dealt with this virus.

We should never forget that the purpose of the lockdown was to delay the spread of the virus and prevent a huge surge of infections.

While the country moves towards level 3 and restrictions are eased, President Ramaphosa urged people to continue to adhere to prevention measures in order to curb transmissions.

These measures include social distancing, hand hygiene practices by washing hands regularly with water and soap or sanitiser, coughing into your elbow or a tissue, and wearing cloth masks when in public.

He has also urged health workers to use personal protective equipment, frequent cleaning of the work environment and other public spaces, screening, testing, isolation, quarantine and contact tracing.

On more than one occasion, I have stood before you and asked you to accept stringent restrictions on your daily lives, knowing that these will bring great hardship, he said.

You have heeded these calls, firmly convinced that these measures are necessary for the health and the well-being  indeed the survival  of our young nation, he said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Shia LaBeouf made quite the impression on Dakota Johnson during filming of The Peanut Butter Falcon. In an interview with Marie Claire, the Fifty Shades of Grey star said, "I think Shia might be the greatest actor of my generation." Johnson joked that she'd never say that to his face, though.

In the drama, Johnson and LaBeouf's characters have a romantic spark  and she certainly made an impression on him, too. During an interview with Ellen DeGeneres last year, the Honey Boy actor called Johnson his best onscreen kiss.

"She's a sweetheart," he shared.

For anyone hoping for an offscreen romance between the two, Johnson is still off the market. The 30-year-old actress is dating Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin. During the same interview, she talked about co-directing Coldplay's video for "Cry, Cry, Cry."

Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf attend the LA Special Screening Of Roadside Attractions' "The Peanut Butter Falcon", 2019. (Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)

"I wrote the story and pitched it to the band like every other director did, and they chose mine  not because theyre partial to me at all," she laughed.

Johnson, who is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, has been dating the 43-year-old musician since 2017.

Read more: New film coming from Fifty Shades author

"When I work, Im constantly thinking about the job. It takes up so much of my brain," the Suspiria star said. "Not all of my projects are only good messages, but all of them have a little bit of something that makes me feel like its an OK thing to pour my heart into."

Dakota Johnson attends "The Friend" premiere during the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. (GP Images/Getty Images)

Johnson explained her "brain moves at a million miles per minute."

"I have to do a lot of work to purge thoughts and emotions, and I am in a lot of therapy," she shared.

Johnson also got candid about her mental health.

"Ive struggled with depression since I was young  since I was 15 or 14. That was when, with the help of professionals, I was like, Oh, this is a thing I can fall into. But Ive learned to find it beautiful because I feel the world," she revealed. "I guess I have a lot of complexities, but they dont pour out of me. I dont make it anyone elses problem."

Story continues

Read more: LaBeouf thanks police for changing his life

Johnson's interview, which was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, appears in the Summer 2020 issue of Marie Claire.

Dakota Johnsons new film The High Note from director Nisha Ganatra (Late Night, Transparent) starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Ice Cube and Kelvin Harrison Jr, will be available to rent at home from 29 May.
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Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Wed, May 13, 2020 12:21 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7b65b9 4 Inforial Free

Tokocrypto, the leading regulated cryptocurrency exchange in Indonesia, has secured an investment from Binance, the global blockchain company behind the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and users.

The funding will be used to accelerate the growth of Tokocryptos business, including new products and services, technology enhancements, nationwide expansion and new initiatives for blockchain education in the region.

Tokocrypto co-founder and CEO Pang Xue Kai applauded Binances investment, expressing hope that it would help establish the companys services in the domestic market.

This investment in Tokocrypto serves to validate Indonesias promising blockchain ecosystem, showcasing the confidence from a leading global player, he said.

The investment from Binance will help establish Tokocryptos leading services in the Indonesian market and accelerate our vision in bringing an open financial ecosystem through blockchain technology."



Founded in early 2018, Tokocrypto aims to drive adoption and further the accessibility of cryptocurrency in Indonesia through its exchange and services.

Early backers in the companys seed funding round included Singapore-based digital asset trading and investment firm QCP Capital.

The team reached a milestone in 2019 as Tokocrypto became the first cryptocurrency exchange to be regulated by the Indonesian Commodity Futures Trading Regulatory Agency (BAPPEBTI).

Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said: "With fast technology adoption, strong economic growth and the worlds fourth-largest population, Indonesia will become one of the leading centers of the blockchain ecosystem in Southeast Asia. Our investment in Tokocrypto will allow us to explore exciting new opportunities together for the Indonesian market with a regulated local partner to further enable the freedom of money.

Binance serves to accelerate cryptocurrency adoption with more than 25 products, projects and initiatives.

Tokocrypto is additionally supported by its advisory board of experienced cryptocurrency experts, including Joshua Ho, Darius Sit of QCP Capital and Shaun Djie from Digix who have been advisors to the team since 2018.

Tokocrypto will also continue to develop various new initiatives as well as continuing its work and cooperation with regulatory bodies in the region, such as the BAPPEBTI and the PPATK and strategic partnerships with other industries, Tokocrypto COO Teguh Kurniawan Harmanda explained.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre(PPATK) is Indonesias leading financial transactions monitoring agency.

Tokocrypto was born from a group of crypto enthusiasts with a strong belief in the benefits that blockchain technology offers to the public.

Committed to providing its customers with an easy, simple, instant and secure platform to transact with confidence, Tokocrypto is also a hub for education and news on blockchain technology through close collaboration with Southeast Asian blockchain communities, universities, the public and the Indonesian government.
Canadas chief public health officer said the US  where coronavirus cases are increasing  presents a risk to Canada.

Canada and the United States are likely to extend a ban on non-essential travel until June 21 because of the coronavirus pandemic, two Canadian government sources and a US official in Washington, DC told the Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

Canada and the US had agreed on April 18 to extend border restrictions until May 21 as cases of the disease continue to rise in both nations. Canada is now pressing for the measures to stay in place for another month.

Its too early to lift the restrictions, so were working toward an extension, said one Canadian source, describing the talks with officials in Washington, DC as positive. A second source said the discussions had been collaborative.

On Tuesday, the chief Canadian public health officer said the US  where cases are increasing steadily  presented a risk to Canada.

News of the Canadian request for a 30-day extension was first reported by the Globe and Mail newspaper.

The agreement allows the flow of goods across a border that stretches 8,891km (5,525 miles) and is a crossing point for one of the worlds largest bilateral trading relationships.

The US takes 75 percent of all Canadian goods exports.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday Canada was looking at stronger measures to ensure the coronavirus was not being spread by border crossers, but gave no details.

The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec are adjacent to the state of New York, one of the US epicentres of the disease. Canadian officials have been repeatedly pressed about the potential risk posed by arriving truck drivers.





Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, on Tuesday said the coronavirus could take off rapidly unless extreme caution was exercised about relaxing the ban.

We need to be able to see what happens when we ease the domestic public health measures before we can essentially look at the international border easing up, she told a briefing.

The United States being one country that still has cases and is still trying to manage outbreaks  presents a risk to Canada from that perspective.

Representatives for the State Department could not be immediately reached for comment on the report.
Omilia, a company headquartered in Cyprus that has built a conversational AI for customer support, has raised $20 million in its first ever funding round, having been bootstrapped since 2002.

Backing comes from Grafton Capital and will be used to invest in further growth, after Omilia grew revenue by "more than" 100% in 2019, with the majority of new customers based in the U.S.

Founded by Dimitris Vassos (CEO and Chief Architect), Pelias Ioannidis (Partner and CFO) and John Nikolaidis (Partner and Chief Commercial Officer), Omilia offers a customer care virtual assistant that uses machine learning to offer what it claims is a more "human-like" experience.

It works on all platforms  phone, web chat, social networks, SMS, email, smart speakers and apps  and integrates with existing customer support systems. The technology has also been adapted for 21 languages, including regional dialects and accents.

"Having seen first-hand the pain points -- but also the many benefits -- of speech technology, we founded Omilia to effectively destroy the traditional IVR [interactive voice response technology], which everyone loved to hate, and re-invent it as a truly customer-centric solution," Omilia co-founder Dimitris Vassos tells me. "Our mission was to evolve and adapt the technology so that users don't have to".

When Omilia first launched, Vassos says that although speech recognition tech was pitched as a way to increase call centre efficiency, many companies didnt know what to do with it or how to get the best from it.

"They were just putting it out into the market and relying on users to adapt," he recalls. "This led to what we see in many call centres today: a clunky, automated and frustrating experience. 'Press 1 or say balance' to get your balance... and so on. This not only gives customers a poor opinion of brands, but it lowers trust, and doesnt actually solve the problem of call centre demand. With such systems, people get frustrated and press 0 or repeatedly say 'advisor' until theyre connected with a human".

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In response, the Omilia team aimed to build a system that people didnt need to learn or adapt to, and one that was as close to speaking to a human as possible. The resulting product combines a number of technologies into a single omni-channel conversational platform called DiaManT.

"It uses a natural language engine, trained via machine learning, to listen and respond to queries and uses voice biometrics to verify callers as they speak," explains the Omilia CEO. "Each process has been built in such a way that the technology is invisible to the final user; as far as they know, theyre getting great customer care, whether thats from a machine or a human".

Enterprise-friendly, DiaManT can either be installed on-premise or via the Omilia Cloud Platform, and claims to be agnostic with regards to which contact centre provider or systems a company is using.

Having been trained on "tens of millions" of interactions across multiple industries, Vassos says Omilias technology already understands thousands of queries across healthcare, banking, insurance, travel and more, and can easily be tailored to include new or different business rules.

"Plus, because it learns via machine learning, the longer its used within these businesses, the more queries and conversations its able to handle," he says. "For instance, if an insurer is getting an increase in calls due to the coronavirus, Omilia knows enough about the business rules to answer and help customers now while constantly evolving as the virus and its impact evolve".

In addition, Omilias platform features "deepVB technology," which uses voice biometrics to verify callers. The deepVB engine samples the speakers voice, and computes the speakers voiceprint in real-time. DiaManT then compares the speakers current voiceprint with the verified voiceprint it has stored.

"This removes the need for the caller to verify their identity at various points in the call," adds Vassos. "The advantage of deepVB over competitive offerings is that we can do a very accurate reading with very little speech sample, and in the background. Users don't need to say anything special. Therefore, we can seamlessly blend this technology in our AI voice bots".

Beyond Omilias full enterprise product, the company offers a "plug-and-play" conversational AI solution dubbed "miniApps," which can be deployed without any coding or training. They consist of independent natural language components, configurable to different business rules and designed to handle single tasks. Examples include recognising when customers are providing addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth; credit card details; arranging appointments, confirming information and offering generic multiple choice options.

Meanwhile, Vassos describes Omilia's typical customer as any company providing front-facing customer care, but says to date this has mainly been banks, insurance firms, telecoms, healthcare, and travel companies.

An earlier version of this article wrongly stated that Omilia is headquartered in Greece. The company's HQ is in Cyprus.
Guwahati/Agartala, May 13 : Around 42,000 stranded people reached the areas under the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) by 36 Shramik Specials from different parts of the country, officials said on Wednesday.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Subhanan Chanda said passengers included students, patients and migrant labourers with their family members. He said these Shramik Specials came from Kozhikkode (Calicut), Kota (Rajasthan), Jaipur, Nandurbar (Maharashtra), Surat, Vadodara, Bharuch (Gajarat), Ghatkesar (Telangana), Ludhiana, Ambala, Aligarh, Rohtak, Kalyan, Bhiwani, Jalandhar and Bengaluru.

Passengers were given free meals and water during the journey.

The NFR operates in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Meghalaya and Sikkim, and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts in north Bihar.

Out of 36 trains, 17 arrived at Katihar, nine at Purnea, five at Arariya and three at Kishanganj stations of Bihar with stranded people from various locations of the country.

Two more trains arrived in Agartala (Tripura) and in Jiribum (Manipur) with stranded people of those states.

The CPRO said four such Shramik Specials are planned to reach various stations of Bihar within the NFR area in the next 2-3 days. Another two such trains -- one bound for Mizoram and another for North Bengal -- are also scheduled to reach the respective states with stranded people soon.

In Agartala, West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Sandeep Mahatme N told IANS that among around 1,200 passengers, who don't show any coronavirus symptoms would not be quarantined and allowed to go homes.

"Those passengers who are symptomatic would be tested and be kept in institutional quarantine centres, according to the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the train passengers," said the DM, who supervised all formalities at the Agartala railway station.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Israeli leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz on one-day visit to Israel.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Israeli leaders to consider all the factors involved in a proposed de facto annexation of the occupied West Bank so that it squares with Washingtons plan for the region.

Pompeo visited Israel on Wednesday on a one-day trip that included meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partner Benny Gantz. He did not meet with Palestinian leaders.

Pompeo told the Israel Hayom newspaper that they discussed annexation but also many other issues related to it  how to deal with all the factors involved, and how to make sure the move is done properly to bring about an outcome in accordance with the vision of peace.

Netanyahu and Gantz postponed the swearing-in of the new government to accommodate Pompeos one-day visit, which came as the Trump administration tried to return to business as normal by resuming governmental travel and reopening an economy devastated by the COVID-19 outbreak.

After battling to end a deadlock after three inconclusive elections over the past year, Netanyahu and the former army chief, Gantz, agreed last month to form a joint government.

Netanyahu, a right-winger in power since 2009, will serve as premier for 18 months with Gantz taking on the role for the same duration.

Their coalition agreement says the Israeli government can, from July 1, begin considering implementing the occupied West Bank annexations detailed in US President Donald Trumps Middle East plan, which has been slammed by the Palestinians.

Unveiled in January, the controversial plan gives a green light from Washington for Israel to annex Jewish settlements and other strategic occupied West Bank territory.

Blatant attack on international law

The Palestinians have rejected Trumps plan and cut ties with the Trump administration in 2017 over its pro-Israel stance.

Their chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said earlier this week that Pompeos team had not reached out before the secretary of states visit.

The Trump administration is collaborating with Israel in its annexation plan in what is both an attempt at burying the rights of the Palestinian people as well as a blatant attack on a rules-based international system, he said.

A general view shows Palestinian houses in the village of Wadi Fukin as the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit is seen in the background, in the occupied West Bank [File: Nir Elias/Reuters]

According to several United Nations Security Council resolutions, Israeli settlements are illegal under international law, as they violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its population to the area it occupies.

The Trump administration has repeatedly sided with Israel and against stances taken by the Palestinians and Arab states, including recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving the US embassy there.

Last year, the US government said it would no longer abide by a 1978 State Department legal opinion that the settlements were inconsistent with international law.
[May 13, 2020] Inc. Magazine Names Jobot as a Best Workplace for 2020

Jobot has been named to Inc. magazine's annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. Inc. judges thousands of private companies in America, reviewing how they created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement and stellar benefits. "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." "Our Jobot culture is at the heart of what we do. Creating a great culture is both fun and rewarding." says Heidi Golledge, Founder and CEO of Jobot. "We are honored and grateful to be recognized by Inc. Magazine. Our culture allows us to continue to focus on helping thousands of people find meaningful work," says Golledge. Jobot has offices in Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco and their headquarters in Irvine, California. The company leads the way in recruiting and staffing; with a focus on experienced and kind recruiters who are backed by JAX - Jobot's proprietary AI recruiting platform that utilizes AI to make better matches so the recruiters can focus on building relationships. "Our culture is stronger than ever. Even in light of recent social distancing, we quickly transitioned to work from home, with our leadership taking a different approach to creating a rewarding culture. Jobot launched Zoom Trivia Nights, free lunches for top performers delivered to recruiter's homes on a daily basis, and even our own socially distant Jobot Prize Patrol. For five days straight, I delivered quarterly bonuses to engineering, recruiting and operations folks throughout Southern California. The Jobot culture is vibrant whether we are on Zoom or at the office," says Golledge. Founder and CEO Heidi Golledge is a leading entrepreneur and exper in recruiting and staffing and has been recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts, Forbes, and leading business publications for the creation of Jobot, CareerBliss and CyberCoders, which she sold to ASGN in 2013 for approximately $100 million. Golledge won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award for both her companies CyberCoders and CareerBliss.



How Inc. Magazine Evaluates Workplace Culture: Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum (News - Alert) 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." 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. "A lot of people ask me what makes Jobot so unique?" says Golledge. "The answer is that we back everything we do with kindness and fun. We are not just a place to come to work, we are a family," says Golledge. About Jobot The Jobot platform blends proprietary AI technology and experienced recruiting pros to create the first of its kind job matching engine. This unique blend of technology and recruiting skills make recruiting top talent and building a positive work culture possible for every company. For more about Jobot visit www.Jobot.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/20200513005179/en/

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A city in North Korea have been reportedly sealed off and residents suspect that either the city has been hit by COVID-19 or North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is about to visit and make his second public appearance after he went missing for 20 days.

Blocked and guarded

Rason is a city near the East Sea in the North Pacific Ocean. A resident told US-funded broadcaster Radio Free Asia that since early this month, the authorities have blocked the public from entering the city and it made things more difficult for them. Train passengers and residents who traveled by land were screened and blocked from entering the city.

A lot of the residents think that the closure of the city is connected to coronavirus, but the government has not divulged any reason for banning entry. Even when the coronavirus was at its peak in China, access to Rason was not sealed. No one knows why the entry is suddenly blocked.

North Korea claims that the country is free of the virus, but it has shut its border with China and has toughened quarantine rules. It was previously reported that Kim Jong-Un went to Pyongyang to stay at his luxurious beach retreat in Wonsan because of a coronavirus outbreak. Although some say he went there to recover after his surgery, there were those who speculated that he was infected with the virus and needed to isolate himself.

Also Read: Railway Worker in the UK Died of COVID-19 After Being Spat On

Are the borders sealed because of coronavirus?

There were reports that Kim Jong Un's inner circle had contracted the coronavirus, and it prompted him to fly to the capital of North Korea and stay in his resort. However, the county insists that it has zero cases of the coronavirus, which if true, would make it one of the few countries left that is untouched by the pandemic.

Kim Jong Un sent a special message to President Xi Jinping last week, he praised Beijing's success in stemming the spread of the virus. He also sent the direct message in a dispatch to the Chinese leader praising China's efforts in battling the outbreak, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

Aside from the coronavirus speculation, there are those who believe that Kim Jong-Un will be visiting the city soon and the national guards are preparing the area for him. A source said that some residents say that they could be planning a Number One event in the city. The authorities have not explained in detail how long the city will be closed, causing further inconvenience.

The residents in Rason are still allowed to travel to and from the city, but only if they have the correct paperwork. The source said that on the train, the police and inspectors are frequently checking travel passes and tickets.

Rason is located close to the borders with Russia and China, around 60 miles from the port of Vladivostok. Massive numbers of residents regularly cross to do business in both countries. The city is located in North Hamgyong province, within the Rason Special Economic Zone, which was developed in 1992 to boost foreign investment.

Related Article: Video of Inmates from California Jail Shows Them Deliberately Trying to Contract the Coronavirus

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The co-founder of one of the biggest players in private equity said the industry is in "reasonably good shape" and there will be opportunities to buy companies in the coming months.

David Rubenstein, a co-founder of the Carlyle Group, said on CNBC's "Closing Bell" that his firm and other private equity companies are waiting on the right opportunities as the economic impact of the pandemic puts stress on companies around the world.

"We have a fair amount dry powder, as do the other large private equity firms. We see a lot of opportunities," Rubenstein said. "But we don't think that, if you don't move in a week or two or three or a month, that you're going to miss the best opportunities."

The Carlyle Group and other private equity stocks have been hit hard this year, with shares of Rubenstein's company down more than 26% year-to-date. The private equity firm backed out of a deal to buy a 20% stake in American Express Global Business Travel because of the pandemic, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Still, Rubenstein said he's confident the industry will prove to be successful during the crisis.

"In the last Great Recession that we had about 10 years ago, private equity performed extremely well and outperformed public markets consistently, and I suspect that will happen again," Rubenstein said.

The private equity industry has faced heavy criticism over the past year from politicians, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Private equity firms and hedge funds have been barred from taking loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, but Rubenstein said companies owned by private equity should have access to the loans.

"I recognize the political situation on Capital Hill and elsewhere, but I think Congress should worry about employees and making certain that they're okay, not whether the private equity companies own (those companies) or not," Rubenstein said.
Note: This opinion was originally published by The Omaha World-Herald on May 13, 2020.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem should commend the recent checkpoints implemented by Native American tribes to protect their nations from a COVID-19 outbreak , not condemn them with threats of legal action

On April 2, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe implemented checkpoints on U.S. Highway 212 in efforts to mitigate and respond to the spread of COVID-19. [See: 25 CFR 170.114(a) ] The Oglala Sioux Tribe implemented similar checkpoints in mid-March. These safety measures are crucial to the health and wellness of their tribal citizens, especially in light of Gov. Noems questionable handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

Why is it permissible for some to limit travel within their territory, but not acceptable for sovereign Indian nations to do the same? Marcella LeBeau, the 100yo Lakota veteran who served in World War II, defends #Coronavirus checkpoints. @govkristinoem https://t.co/hXNydnQZhS  indianz.com (@indianz) May 11, 2020

On May 8, Gov. Noem sent letters to both tribes that demanded these checkpoints be removed or she threatened to take legal action against the tribes. She points to a Department of Interior memo that states tribes must consult and reach an agreement with the state before closing or restricting travel on state or U.S. highways

Regardless of what the DOI memo suggests or the cited regulation, Justice Ruth Ginsburg writing for the Supreme Court in Strate v. A-1 Contractors , assured that tribes have regulatory authority for conduct that threatens or has some direct effect on the health or welfare of the tribe, even when that conduct occurs on public highways, and even if that conduct is perpetrated by non-Indians. While the threat cannot be abstract, COVID-19 and its asymptomatic carriers are no abstract threat.

The facts in Strate involved a careless driver on a public highway running through a reservation. The court acknowledged negligent drivers do endanger all in the vicinity, and jeopardize the safety of tribal members. But the court also said that if the health and welfare exception required no more, the exception would severely shrink the rule. Thus, since the court found the exception did not apply to those facts, the tribe did not have civil jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter.

Redshirt Table Is located on the Border of Pine Rigde Reservation Lakota Territory .

Kids of the Lakota Tribe are Standing For there elders For There Families For The People.

South Dakota Governor Demands Tribe Leaders Remove Checkpoints Set Up to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/G50rLeYYYp   (@XCLUVX) May 10, 2020

The facts here present a different story. Unlike the threat of some careless drivers on a public highway, the potential spread of COVID-19 to a rural tribal community unquestionably involves a direct effect on the health or welfare of the tribe. Indeed, its no secret that COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in South Dakota. Moreover, these tribes are located in rural areas with limited access to testing, treatment, and healthcare.

This situation reminds me of a quote from United States v. Kagama where Justice Samuel Miller pronounced states as the deadliest enemies of tribes. Gov. Noem can fight COVID-19 however she prefers, but her threats against these tribal nations exercising their sovereign rights and legal authority are, at best, misguided and, at worst, a reinforcement of Justice Millers words that states remain the deadliest enemies of tribes. May it not be so.

Alexander Mallory is from the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. He currently works as an Attorney Advisor in Dallas, Texas, through the United States Department of Justice Honors Program. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the official policy or position of the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. government or of the Winnebago Tribe.

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It included a rifle salute from members of the Franklin Park American Legion Post 974, where Bob Marshall has been an active participant since around the time he moved his family to Franklin Park from Chicago in 1964, according to his daughter Jeanette Marshall Sokulski. Colinette Marshall has also been active in the posts ladies auxiliary.
A mother-to-be who was suffering from coronavirus collapsed to the ground in agony before giving birth to a baby boy who died three days later, the child's heartbroken father has revealed.

Coolio Carl Justin Morgan was born at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, south Wales, with a low heart rate on May 2.

The little boy, who father Carl Morgan described as their 'miracle baby', was rushed to intensive care at Singleton hospital in Swansea but died on May 5.

His primary cause of death was listed as severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, meaning the brain is starved of blood and oxygen. Maternal Covid-19 was listed as a secondary cause.

Mother Kimberly Phillips, 44, had tested positive for the virus after she gave birth.

Coolio was born in the Princess of Wales Hospital (pictured) in Bridgend, South Wales, with a low heart rate

Speaking from the couple's terraced cottage in Maesteg, near Bridgend, grieving father Carl said his worried partner told hospital staff 'something's not right' before collapsing.

'She took two of the tablets and shortly afterwards collapsed on the floor in agony,' the 49-year-old said.

'By now the baby's head was showing and they had to try and get baby out quickly, but it was too late for him.'

'The night before, I'd watched Coolio kicking like mad inside Kim's tummy. I just can't believe any of this happened. It is beyond cruel.'

Carl was denied permission to see his son until the day he died as hospital workers feared the little boy also had Covid-19.

'They told me he'd tested positive for coronavirus too, which meant I wouldn't be allowed to see him or hold his hand,' he said.

'The only time I saw him was on the last day of his life. Singleton waited until Kim was well enough to come with me to say goodbye to him, then they turned his machine off.'

The father said he believed his wife had caught the disease on the maternity ward, which he claimed was right next to a 'packed' Covid-19 ward.

Grieving father Carl Morgan said his partner collapsed on the floor in agony before giving birth. Pictured above is the family home in Maesteg, near Bridgend, south Wales

Carl, who has two children from a previous relationship, has been with Kim for five years and felt Coolio was their 'miracle baby' as both thought they were too old to have children.

'We both... given up on the idea,' he said, 'but then our miracle baby came along and we were so excited... but three days later the poor little lad was in a box.'

The couple moved into their traditional terraced former miner's cottage two years ago and were getting ready to welcome their new arrival.

The inquest in Pontypridd heard how Coolio's mother tested positive for coronavirus 'soon after the delivery'.

No post-mortem examination was carried out and the coroner asked his officers to investigate the circumstances of the death ahead of the next hearing.

Coroner Graeme Hughes said: 'I pass on my condolences to the family in these most sad and depressing circumstances.' A full hearing will be held in April next year.

A funeral for just ten mourners will be held for baby Coolio in Maesteg, near Bridgend, next week. A local firm of undertakers is making the arrangements with the baby's heartbroken relatives.

Mayor of Maesteg Councillor Steve Smith said: 'Its heartbreaking for the family and our hearts go out to them.

COULD THE MOTHER'S COVID-19 HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BABY'S DEATH? Scientists say there is no conclusive evidence yet mothers-to-be who are infected with the coronavirus face a greater risk of their baby dying. Few children have died with COVID-19 worldwide and research is still ongoing to see how exactly how the SARS-CoV-2 virus affects them. In the case of Coolio Morgan, it is not clear why his mother's COVID-19 was listed as a secondary cause of death, nor whether he was tested. His main cause of death was hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, which is when a baby's brain gets starved of oxygen. The condition - which can cause brain damage or death without immediate medical intervention - is thought to occur in 0.1 per cent of all births. HIE can be caused by low levels of oxygen in a mother's blood, which is an effect that severe COVID-19 has been proven to have in adults. But there has so far been no research proving this can affect a baby in the womb. A recent study carried out in the UK found that, of 427 pregnant women with COVID-19, intensive care rates were no higher than in the general population. Five babies died in the study - three were 'definitely unrelated' to their mother's COVID-19, while a link was unclear for the other two. Advertisement

'Its terrible to lose any family member during this crisis but a three day-old baby is just awful. But this is a close knit caring community and we will do our best for them.'

Labour Councillor Ceri Reeves added: 'The loss of a baby is particularly tragic. We look after our own here and the community is there for the family.'

A neighbour who did not wish to be named said: 'We heard on the day that the baby had died but we had no idea at the time that it was anything to do with the virus.

'Then for the poor girl to realise that she has coronavirus is just so awful.

'They seem like such a nice young couple and keep themselves to themselves. We were looking forward to having a new baby in the street but this is just unbelievable.

'It's so tragic. You want to go give them a hug but you just can't.'

It comes just days after a six-week old baby died of Covid-19, becoming the UK's youngest victim. NHS England said the infant died on May 3.

Figures earlier this week from an Oxford University study showed five pregnant women have died with Covid-19.

Prof Marian Knight said the fate of the babies carried by the five women is unknown.

The Oxford University study found 427 mothers-to-be were admitted to NHS hospitals with the life-threatening disease between March 1 and April 14.

But their analysis does suggest expectant mothers are at no greater risk of severe Covid-19 than any other women.

The research also looked at the babies of the mothers with COVID-19, finding one in four babies were born early.

Five of the babies in the study died, but three of those were 'definitely unrelated' to the coronavirus, the scientists said, while it remained unclear whether the virus contributed to the other two deaths.

There is no evidence to suggest pregnant women are more likely to catch to the coronavirus than the general population.

However, due to changes to the immune system, it's been speculated pregnant women may be more vulnerable to severe infection.

The Government has, therefore, told all pregnant women to be extra stringent in practicing social distancing.

The study is believed to be the first large-scale study looking at pregnancy and its links with COVID-19.

Oxford researchers conducted it alongside the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Patient data for the study was collected from all 194 hospitals in the UK with a consultant-led maternity unit.
TDT | Manama

Adapting to changes in consumer behaviour, caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) globally, is essential for business continuity amidst the current crisis, stc Bahrain CEO Nezar Banabeela said. Banabeela was speaking yesterday during a live video conference with members of the local media.

He talked about some of the challenges brought about by COVID-19 to both individual consumers and companies alike, and the steps taken by stc Bahrain to overcome those troubles. The home has become the digital command centre, he said.

Digitisation has taken over almost all our daily activities; the shift of offline to the digital world over the last few weeks has been nothing short of dramatic, and there is a continuous increase in the demand for data.

In our company, we feel proud by bringing the digital transformation not only to our company and customers but also to all of Bahrain. We have been at the forefront of accommodating new trends, creating new experiences that revolve around our customers, and fulfilling their desires in connecting their lives.

COVID-19 has impacted all of us; the way we live and the way we work. In these moments of disaster response and prevention, as companies, we need to make alternative plans for business continuity to protect us against unpredicted breaks in our operations, handling disruptions, and supporting our relationships with our partners.

At stc, our growing responsibility with everyone is to stay connected and ensure our service and support are not heavily impacted by the virus. We have continued to deliver on this; 100 per cent business continuity across people, businesses, operations and partners.

We believe this is why companies today have to have quick adaptation. Banabeela explained that some of the initiatives taken by stc Bahrain to meet the constantly changing consumer demands included massive upgrades in their network and information technology and changes in the companys processes and procedures.

If we look at the increase in data demand year on year, for most of the region it is 25 to 28 per cent; this is according to international reports. This was in the norm with business as usual, he said.

During this period, the increase has been more significant, with the demand going up even 200 per cent. But more important than this number is that we have been able to stand stable, with all the significant increases during the last six to eight weeks  a week on week it was increasing  we delivered.

Banabeela highlighted that stc Bahrain was even able to launch their fibre internet services during recent weeks, and they are also now leading providers of 5G bandwidth in the Kingdom.

Fibre is one of the major services we launched during this difficult time, which gives a clear picture that our company is strong, Banabeela explained.

Our profitability is one of the things we are monitoring, but it is more important for us today that we deliver a unique service to our customers and stand with the government in this difficult time.

The minute the crisis happened, the first thing we saw was the capabilities of 5G. The bandwidth 5G can give and speed it can provide, this is where it is showing that we are pioneers. We have the network and the capabilities.

We are now covering 50 per cent of the population with 5G, and we saw a huge increase in the customer requirement with their adaptation after they saw benefits of it.

Most important is how we make sure our operations can deliver in these critical times; to keep the network running with these upgrades and new technologies. This by itself is so important, not only for the economy but also for society to stay connected.

Banabeela revealed that stc Bahrain will soon be announcing a huge project, one that he described will contribute significantly to the economy of Bahrain.

Soon there will be great news; we are just waiting for one more green light, and then the whole market will talk about what we will come up with, he said. It will show everyone who stc and the stc Group are.
WASHINGTON  Weeks after Congress appropriated $11 billion to support state coronavirus testing efforts, Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday $1.5 billion of those funds will flow to New York soon  twice the amount any other state will receive.

As the state moves toward partial reopening in many areas, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has indicated widespread testing is essential to tracking the virus and protecting the health of state residents. Testing is needed diagnose people with coronavirus symptoms and monitor communities for outbreaks, particularly as businesses reopen.

Related: Breakdown of Democrats' $3 trillion-plus virus relief bill

New York has already conducted diagnostic tests on 6.2 percent of its population, Cuomos reopening plan states, in addition to performing sampling of thousands of antibody tests around the state.

We've been doing more tests than any state in the United States of America, so New York is way ahead, Cuomo said Monday. We're doing more tests per capita than any country on the globe.

More than 1.2 million COVID-19 tests had been performed on New York residents as of Sunday at midnight, the state said. Of those tests, 337,055 were positive. The state is now testing about 21,600 people a day, or roughly 650,000 people a month.

In order for each of 10 regions to reopen, New York is requiring each area can perform 30 tests per 1,000 people per month, consistent with the recommendation of Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The Capital Region and six other state regions have met that threshold, state data indicates.

The White House Monday said administration leaders have worked with officials in every state to develop an individual testing goal and plan for the month of May.

We jointly developed testing projections and goals for each state for the month of May, altogether totaling 12.9 million tests, President Donald Trump said, speaking in a White House press conference Monday night, seeking to rebuff months of criticism that U.S. testing for coronavirus has lagged behind other nations.

The administration will send enough testing swabs and tubes of media to every state in May so that each state can meet its goal, officials said. New York will receive 1.5 million swabs in May, a chart shared by the White House indicated, and initial shipments have been sent to the state. The state has also been procuring its own supplies from the private sector.

Signed into law by Trump on April 24, the federal legislation appropriated $25 billion to support coronavirus testing, including $11 billion for states and $14 billion that federal agencies will use for testing approval, development and distribution. New York will get $700 million in testing funds, while New York City will receive $807.5 million, Schumer said.

The legislation also required states produce a detailed month-by-month testing plan for 2020 and send it to the federal government before May 24. It does not appear that states have received guidance from the federal government on producing the plan.

The legislation also requires the federal government to produce a national testing strategy and give it to Congress before May 24. The testing strategy must include specifics on how much testing the country will need throughout the year and details on how the supply chain will be able to produce the necessary testing supplies.

If needed at that time, by September, we project that our nation will be capable of performing at least 40 to 50 million tests per month, Admiral Brett Giroir, leader of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and assistant secretary for Health, testified to the U.S. Senate Tuesday.

Over the course of the past three months or so, more than 9 million tests have now been completed in the United States, the White House said Monday, and that number will soon surpass 10 million. Last week, as many as 314,000 Americans were tested a day.

Estimates on how much coronavirus testing the U.S. will need in the future vary widely, but are all generally higher than current testing levels, although many parts of the country have started reopening or are planning to soon. A report from the American Enterprise Institute estimated the U.S. needs a national capacity of at least 750,000 tests per week, to advance toward reopening. A report from Harvard University estimated the U.S. would need 5 million tests per day by early June to deliver a a safe social reopening.
Congress is hammering out its next coronavirus relief bill, and anti-war activists and humanitarian organizations want lawmakers to include funding to help Yemen cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in the face of the Donald Trump administrations recent aid restrictions on the Houthi rebels and the World Health Organization (WHO). The push from Yemen advocates comes as a group of skeptical senators pressed the Trump administration for answers over its new Yemen aid policy Tuesday.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation, the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation and the Yemeni Alliance Committee are preparing a letter to key congressional leaders that they hope will form the opening salvo in the new push to include Yemen in Congress next coronavirus stimulus package.

It is unconscionable for the United States to cut off humanitarian aid to Yemen in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic  especially after supporting the bombing of Yemeni hospitals, said Hassan El-Tayyab, the legislative manager for Middle East Policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Regardless of Houthi activity, a global pandemic is not the time for a blanket suspension of aid to Yemen. Congress has the power to take immediate action and its clear that Yemen cant wait any longer as it teeters on the edge of catastrophe.

The letter, seen by Al-Monitor, is addressed to the top Democrats and Republicans on the foreign affairs, appropriations and oversight committees in both chambers. It calls on Congress to do everything in its power to ensure that all congressionally appropriated USAID funding be released while highlighting the need for emergency medical assistance in Yemen.

House Democrats released their latest coronavirus relief bill Tuesday, but it does not currently include COVID-19 aid for Yemen or any other country. It does, however, include $2 million for the State Department inspector general to conduct oversight of the Trump administrations COVID-19 foreign aid assistance across the globe.

Separately on Tuesday, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., led five of his colleagues in a letter pushing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting USAID Administrator John Basra on the Yemen aid restrictions. Sen. Todd Young of Indiana was the only Republican to sign onto the letter alongside Sens. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Jack Reed of Rhode Island  the top Democrats on the Appropriations and Armed Services committees. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Chris Coons, D-Del., also signed onto the letter.

In Yemen, COVID-19 will worsen an already dire humanitarian situation: 80% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, the majority of whom are women and children; two-thirds of the country lacks adequate access to clean water and sanitation; millions are living on the brink of starvation; nearly 20 million people lack access to adequate healthcare; and cholera, dengue and other preventable diseases are rife, wrote the senators. These factors create an environment conducive to the severe and rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, threatening countless civilian lives.

Congress appropriated $400 million in Yemen stabilization aid for this fiscal year. However, the Trump administration announced in March that it would end most aid in Houthi-controlled northern Yemen, where the vast majority of the population lives, citing the rebels restrictions on foreign assistance. The new policy resulted in a $73 million Yemen aid cut, which was later exacerbated by Trumps refusal to continue US funding for the WHO.

The Trump administration announced $500,000 in COVID-19 aid for Yemen earlier this month, but that accounts for less than 1% of the $1.3 billion that the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation estimates will be needed to cope with the pandemic. Only 70 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths have been recorded in Yemen, but the real number is likely much higher. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis has accused the rebels of deliberately underreporting the number of COVID-19 cases in their territory.

And while the Trump administration announced $225 million in emergency food aid for Yemen last week, humanitarian organizations highlight the urgent need for funding to bolster Yemens embattled health sector in the face of the pandemic. (After the initial US funding cut, the World Food Program cut its operations throughout Houthi-controlled territory in half.)

There are also concerns that this aid will not be evenly distributed to the Houthi-controlled territory where roughly 70% of the population lives, states the Friends Committee on National Legislation letter. Millions more are needed, in particular, for emergency stocks of personal protective equipment, ventilators, ICU beds and other vital supplies for Yemens battered health care system.

Although humanitarian organizations continue to push the Houthis over the access issue, the rebels have loosened some significant restrictions since the beginning of the year. That includes scrapping a plan to instate a 2% tax on foreign aid and allowing the use of biometric data to monitor for fraud. Still, the Trump administration insists that the rebels need to go further by increasing approvals for travel permits to deliver assistance while allowing aid agencies to operate independently.
Summary Austria Life Insurance: Key Trends and Opportunities to 2023 report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Austrian life insurance segment.

New York, May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Austria Life Insurance: Key trends and Opportunities to 2023" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05892309/?utm_source=GNW





This report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Austrian life insurance segment.



It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, claims paid, penetration and investments during the review period (2014-2018) and forecast period (2018-2023).



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Austrian economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



Key Highlights

- Key insights into the dynamics of the Austrian life insurance industry.

- Comparison of Austrian life insurance segments, along with premium and claim trends.

- A comprehensive overview of the Austrian economy, government initiatives and investment opportunities.

- Austrian insurance regulatory frameworks evolution, key facts, taxation regime, licensing and capital requirements.

- Austrian life insurance industrys market structure giving details of retail and commercial lines of business.

- Distribution channels deployed by Austrian life insurers.

- Details of the competitive landscape, M&A and competitors profiles.



Scope

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in Austria -

- It provides historical values for the Austrian life insurance segment for the reports 2014-2018 review period, and projected figures for the 2018-2023 forecast period.

- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Austrian life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2023.

- It analyzes the various distribution channels for life insurance products in Austria.

- It profiles the top life insurance companies in Austria and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Reasons to Buy

- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to Austrian life insurance segment, and each category within it.

- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Austrian life insurance segment.

- Assess the competitive dynamics in the life insurance segment.

- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05892309/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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YEREVAN.  The Police of Armenia have released a video of Mondays violence against Nikolay Baghdasaryan, a member of the majority My Step faction in the National Assembly (NA).

The respective statement notes that Baghdasaryan had reported to the police that an unknown person had tried to run over him on a bicycle in connection with his work, after which he made threats and sexual insults to him.

Yerevan police have identified the person, who was found in Hrazdan Gorge on Tuesday and apprehended.

This 40-year-old man living in Etchmiadzin has been detained.

And the prosecutor's office said that the detainee is Artur Aleksanyan, a member of the "Kamq (Will)" Public Initiative for the Protection of Armenian Values. They had staged a protest outside the NA against the ratification of Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, during which, meeting with MP Nikolay Baghdasaryan, Aleksanyan had demanded from to vote against the ratification of this convention.

At the end of the NA sitting, Aleksanyan pursued Baghdasaryan, and finding out that the latter had voted for the ratification of this convention, he made sexual insults and threatened to take revenge upon him.

A criminal case has been initiated in connection with this incident, and on the grounds of violence against a representative of the authorities.

The criminal case was forwarded from the police to the Investigative Committee.

The investigation is still in progress.
Lockdown has been implemented to prevent corona. Due to this, whatever was there has been stuck there. A special Air India aircraft will probably come to Indore on Wednesday with the students of Madhya Pradesh and tourists going on a tourist visa. Many students in countries like Turkey, Kuwait and Iran etc. were unable to come to India due to the closure of flights. Such people are being transported to the hometown under the central government's 'Vande Bharat' mission plan.

BJP President JP Nadda says this on PM Modi's relief package

However, a special plane from Kuwait was first to land in Bhopal. It was proposed to quarantine passengers coming from this aircraft in three EME centers. Waiting for the aircraft to come for two days was also being done. Its rehearsal was also done at Bhopal Airport, but now it has been decided to land it in Indore. Airport director Anil Vikram has confirmed this. According to Vikram, Indore airport has international status, hence it has been decided to land the flight in Indore.

Bus operators will provide buses for free after seeing the problems of labours

According to the information received, three flights will arrive in Indore after 8 o'clock on Wednesday night. Those coming in will be sent from here to their destination by another flight and road. Here the administration can also quarantine these travelers. The airport management has also called a meeting at 11:30 am regarding its preparations. On arrival of this flight at night, passengers will be brought to the terminal following the rules.

MSMEs: This association is monitoring changing environment due to epidemic
Another survey suggests nearly all landlords approached for help are responding positively (PA)

The proportion of landlords granting rent reductions for struggling tenants that they will not need to pay back is being outnumbered eight-to-one by those refusing to allow any flexibility, a survey of renters suggests.

While 7% of struggling renters who asked their landlord for a lower rent secured one which does not need to be repaid, eight times this percentage, at 56%, were asked to pay in full, campaign group Generation Rent said.

A quarter (25%) of those with dented incomes who asked for a rent reduction had secured a temporary cut which they would need to pay back at a later date.

And one in eight (12%) who were struggling and had asked for a rent reduction said they were awaiting a response.

But the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) said it would be wrong to claim the majority of landlords are failing to support tenants needing help.

It said a yet-to-be published study by the NRLA of over 4,500 landlords found 90% who received a request for support from a tenant responded positively.

The help given included a rent reduction or deferral, a rent-free period, early release from a tenancy or a refund on service charges included in rents for homes of multiple occupation.

Of the landlords surveyed in the NRLAs study, 44% had been asked for help by at least one tenant.

In March, the Government announced a package of measures to protect renters and landlords during the coronavirus outbreak.

Relying on landlords' compassion isn't working Dan Wilson Craw, director, Generation Rent

It said landlords would not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least a three-month period. And to relieve some of the pressure on landlords, they can apply for three-month mortgage payment holidays.

With mortgage payment holidays, the money that would have been repaid during the period is still owed when the holiday comes to an end and interest continues to build up.

Generation Rent said the Government should renew the suspension of evictions to stop renters losing their homes for arrears that arise under the pandemic.

Its survey of more than 1,500 people found more than half (56%) of renters said they had lost income since the lockdown started.

The Generation Rent survey, carried out between April 22 and 30, also suggested that private renters with reduced incomes who had asked their landlord for a lower rent were much more likely to feel very worried about eviction (50%) compared with those who had not approached their landlord (30%).

Generation Rent is calling for the removal of rent arrears built up during the pandemic as grounds for eviction. It also said mortgage lenders should require buy-to-let landlords with a mortgage holiday on their payments to pass this on to their tenants. It also wants a freeze on rent increases for 12 months.

Dan Wilson Craw, director of Generation Rent, said: Relying on landlords compassion isnt working.

If the Government lifts restrictions without providing new protections, millions of renters will face losing their home and we will compound a public health crisis with a homelessness crisis.

Our figures show that the vast majority of tenants and landlords have a good relationship with each other Ben Beadle, chief executive of NRLA

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said: Whilst many tenants have been able to continue paying their rents in full and on time, in accordance with Government advice, we recognise the strain that many others are under at this difficult time. That is why it is good news that, as our research shows, nearly all the landlords approached for help by their tenants are responding positively.

With no direct support aside from a mortgage deferment, landlords are playing their part to avoid unnecessary anxiety for tenants and our figures show that the vast majority of tenants and landlords have a good relationship with each other.

The NRLA said cases where landlords have been seeking to support tenants include a Manchester landlord who has established a WhatsApp group so her tenants can easily keep in touch. She has sent them care packages with food.

Another landlord in Twickenham, London, pro-actively contacted his tenants before the lockdown encouraging them to get in touch if they needed support. For some tenants, he has agreed to a proportion of rents and, or, arrears to be deferred, the NRLA said.

It added that other landlords have offered accommodation free or at a reduced rent to people working in the NHS while others are supporting vulnerable tenants.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: Shelter has already received a flood of calls from renters, scared of losing their home when the eviction ban lifts.

Expecting them all to rely on the kindness of landlords is not an acceptable safety net. Not least when the roof over their heads is on the line.

A Government spokeswoman said: Emergency legislation is now in place so no renter can be forced out of their home during this difficult time  landlords cannot evict for at least three months. We will keep this under review and can extend if necessary.

We are also supporting businesses to continue paying their staff, investing 7 billion in the welfare system and increasing Local Housing Allowance, which will help tenants pay their rent.

We continue to urge any tenants who may be experiencing problems to contact their landlord at the earliest opportunity and for parties to reach an agreement if there are issues with payment.
Some stocks are best avoided. We don't wish catastrophic capital loss on anyone. Imagine if you held Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion Co., Ltd. (HKG:6116) for half a decade as the share price tanked 95%. And we doubt long term believers are the only worried holders, since the stock price has declined 82% over the last twelve months. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 38% in the last 90 days. We note that the company has reported results fairly recently; and the market is hardly delighted. You can check out the latest numbers in our company report.

We really hope anyone holding through that price crash has a diversified portfolio. Even when you lose money, you don't have to lose the lesson.

See our latest analysis for Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion

Given that Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion didn't make a profit in the last twelve months, we'll focus on revenue growth to form a quick view of its business development. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. That's because fast revenue growth can be easily extrapolated to forecast profits, often of considerable size.

In the last half decade, Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion saw its revenue increase by 0.08% per year. That's far from impressive given all the money it is losing. Nonetheless, it's fair to say the rapidly declining share price (down 45%, compound, over five years) suggests the market is very disappointed with this level of growth. While we're definitely wary of the stock, after that kind of performance, it could be an over-reaction. We'd recommend focussing any further research on the likelihood of profitability in the foreseeable future, given the muted revenue growth.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

SEHK:6116 Income Statement May 13th 2020

We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. This free interactive report on Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

Story continues

A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 7.2% in the twelve months, Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion shareholders did even worse, losing 82%. 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. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 42% per year over five years. 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. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion (including 1 which is is potentially serious) .

Shanghai La Chapelle Fashion 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.

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.
Scientists will use satellites, drones and ground sensors in a bid to tackle the spread of invasive aquatic weeds - a serious problem that damages vital water and food resources in Asia and Africa.

A new 300,000 study - led by computing scientists at the University of Stirling - will utilise the technology to monitor weeds in neglected and inaccessible water bodies in India.

The weeds can cause severe degradation of the aquatic environment, with damaging impacts on fisheries, drinking water sources, agricultural irrigation, rice cultivation, the navigation of boats, and recreational use of water bodies.

Dr Savitri Maharaj, Lecturer in Computing Science, is leading the project, which is funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and addresses three of The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: zero hunger, clean water and sanitation, and life below water.

The team includes experts from the University of Strathclyde and three India-based partners: the National Institute of Plant Health Management, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, and Sanatana Dharma College, under the University of Kerala.

Dr Maharaj said: "Invasive aquatic weeds are a massive problem affecting many parts of Asia and Africa, causing a significant detrimental impact on water and food resources. They block streams and lakes, destroy fisheries, harbour mosquitoes dangerous to human health, contribute to biodiversity loss in aquatic ecosystems, and cause many other adverse impacts too.

"Attempts to control the weed usually involve manual or mechanical removal, however, it is impossible to remove all traces completely and it regenerates from left-behind seeds and fragments. Therefore, the problem in small, neglected and inaccessible side streams and pools remains undetected until the spread is extensive and has reached economically important water bodies - which become infested and damaged.

"Early detection of regrowth has the potential to cut the cost of control by allowing the weed to be removed before it reaches a damaging level. We will investigate how state-of-the-art technology - including satellites, drones and ground sensors - can facilitate early detection and, ultimately, help to monitor and tackle this important social and environmental problem."

The project will focus on the Kuttanad basin in central Kerala, India, where agriculture and tourism industries depend heavily on local lakes and rivers - all of which are significantly infested with water hyacinth. Notably, Kuttanad Wetland Agriculture is certified as a Globally Important Agriculture Heritage System by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Data collected will provide extensive coverage of the bodies of water - and the team will conduct pilot trials and ensure the sustainability of results through training and dissemination activities.

The team comprises a broad range of experts: Dr Armando Marino and Dr Deepayan Bhowmik (both University of Stirling) are experts in satellite data, image processing and sensor network development; Professor Adam Kleczkowski (University of Strathclyde) brings experience of working with plant health stakeholders to develop data-driven models and decision-support tools; Dr Alice R P Sujeetha Christopher (National Institute of Plant Health Management) will handle the selection and management of trainees; Dr Srikanth Rupavatharam (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) will coordinate the use of drones in India; and Dr G. Nagendra Prabhu (Sanatana Dharma College) brings expertise in all aspects of aquatic weeds in Kuttanad.

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The increased electromagnetic frequency associatedwith the 5G technology can cause all kinds of health-related problems includingcancer, dementia, DNA damage, memory dysfunction, decrease in male fertility, hearing loss, eye problems, hair loss, skin problems, loss of muscle strength, says a report on The Durango Herald.

According to the report, 5G radiation can also cause or worsen the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, autism, Alzheimers disease and ADHD. Worse still, the brains of kids and fetuses absorb a lot of radiation which makes the younger population the most vulnerable.The effects of the radiation appear to be piling up and many scientists say that despite what we're told by various government agencies, there really are no safe levels of the radiation.

Scientists all over the world have warned that the technology comes along with such extreme effects as 24/7 exposure to radiation, mind control, surveillance. Not to mention its effect on our health, freedom and privacy and its devastating effects on all life on the planet including plants, animals, people, insects. The radiation from the 5G technology can travel through barriers as thick as bricks, stones, and cement, needless saying more on what these waves can do to the human body?

What does the Mainstream Media Say About 5G

Despite all the negative effects of 5G technology, a good percentage of the general public choose to view the 5G technology as just technological advancement; a swifter internet, better phone connections, faster games.

Even with all the scientific evidence to show the harmful effects of 5G technology, the government, through the mainstream media, has insisted that the technology is safe.

An article on BBC insists that radio waves are non-ionizing, they quote David Robert Grimes, physicist and cancer researcher, who says that the radio waveband - used for mobile phone networks" lacks sufficient energy to break apart DNA and cause cellular damage."

Grimes believes that the only risks from 5G exposure exist higher up the electromagnetic spectrum, well beyond those frequencies used by mobile phones.

"People are understandably concerned over whether they might elevate their risk of cancer, but it's crucial to note that radio waves are far less energetic than even the visible light we experience every day," says Dr. Grimes.

"There is no reputable evidence," he says "that mobile phones or wireless networks have caused us health problems."

Regarding the heating dangers of the technology,Prof Rodney Croft, an adviser to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), says that at the levels used for 5G and earlier mobile technologies the heating effects are not harmful.

"The maximum radio frequency level that someone in the community could be exposed to from 5G (or any other signals in general community areas) is so small that no temperature rise has been observed to date."

The World Health Organization (WHO)also says electromagnetic frequency exposures below the limits recommended in the ICNIRP guidelines do not appear to have any known consequence on health.

"The exposure that 5G will produce has been considered in great depth by ICNIRP, with the restrictions set well below the lowest level of 5G-related radio frequency that has been shown to cause harm," says Prof Croft.

So whos lying?

A study published on Science Direct identifies adverse effects of non-ionizing non-visible radiation reported in the premier biomedical literature. The article presented ample evidence that the nascent 5G mobile networking technology will affect not only the skin and eyes, as commonly believed, but will have adverse systemic effects as well. They identify the adverse health effects of wireless radiation on humans to include cancer, neurodegeneration, infertility, neurobehavioral and cardiovascular abnormalities. With so much available scientific evidence to prove the harmful effects of 5G, it is only safe to be wary of this technology at this time.
WASHINGTON - Alberta Premier Jason Kenney added his voice to the anti-China chorus Wednesday, savaging the communist republic's handling of the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak and urging Canada and the United States to join forces in bringing manufacturing capacity back to North America.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (615 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney speaks to media during the Western Premiers' conference, in Edmonton on Thursday, June 27, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

WASHINGTON - Alberta Premier Jason Kenney added his voice to the anti-China chorus Wednesday, savaging the communist republic's handling of the earliest days of the COVID-19 outbreak and urging Canada and the United States to join forces in bringing manufacturing capacity back to North America.

The country will soon face a "great reckoning" for its efforts to play down, obfuscate and cover up the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus when it first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Kenney told a virtual roundtable hosted by the Washington-based Canadian American Business Council.

It also sought to sway the World Health Organization to prevent travel bans to and from outbreak hotspots and has refused to co-operate with the rest of the world's efforts to get to the bottom of what happened, Kenney said.

"I think the Chinese government played a significant role in the devastating public health and economic damage that is being experienced by the entire world," he said.

"And I do not think we should just forget this and walk past it. There must be some kind of a reckoning, there must be some accountability."

The White House and legislators on Capitol Hill are reportedly exploring ways to punish China for what they consider a coverup, refusing to co-operate with the WHO and keeping the virus, as well as evidence of dangerous human-to-human transmission, under wraps for nearly a week after COVID-19 was first detected  allegations China strenuously denies.

Trump has indicated he intends to seek damages and impose retaliatory measures, even as his administration tries to preserve its efforts to secure a long-term trade deal  something long seen as critical to the president's re-election hopes.

Kenney, for his part, said China's refusal to co-operate should be a cue for both Canada and the U.S. to start "reshoring" important manufacturing capacity from the country, particularly for all-important medical supplies like face masks, respirators and ventilators, all of which were in short supply around the world at the height of the crisis.

"Western countries, including Canada and the United States, must have a reset in their relationship with China  and part of that reset, in my judgment, must be a deliberate effort to onshore production, particularly on critical supplies."

Alberta's petrochemical industry could be instrumental in helping to produce reagents, key elements in diagnostic testing, he added, "so we are not dependent on a country whose strategic interests are not completely aligned with our own."

Indeed, Kenney made it clear that as the province reels from the one-two punch of an economic shutdown and historically low oil prices, he intends to make the United States a linchpin in his recovery plan.

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.

Despite the state of the energy market, the Alberta government is proceeding with plans to resurrect the Keystone XL pipeline project, which is designed to move oilsands bitumen from the northern part of the province through the U.S. to refineries on the Gulf Coast.

In a post-pandemic world where Canada and the U.S. are part of a single trading and security bloc, cross-border energy infrastructure will play a central role, he said.

"I think we have an opportunity now  Americans generally, like Canadians, are going to be more focused on economic growth and issues like energy security," Kenney said.

"I think public opinion is going to be swinging more strongly in favour of critical energy infrastructure, and this is an opportunity for us to solidify political support in the United States, going into this election season, for Canada-U.S. energy infrastructure."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2020.

 Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle
BRIDGEWATER, N.J., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- JOGOHEALTH Inc., a Bridgewater, New Jersey based privately held digital therapeutics company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for neuromuscular (NM) and chronic pain conditions today announced that it will launch a study on COVID-19 related Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

According to the patient advocacy group Solve ME/CFS Initiative, nearly 35% of COVID-19 patients are experiencing ME/CFS symptoms post infection. Since the onset of ME/CFS usually follows a viral infection, experts estimate up to 3,570,000 new ME/CFS cases following the COVID-19 pandemic. This would more than double the existing cases of ME/CFS in the United States in just 36 months, according to Solve ME/CFS Initiative.

"The science behind JOGO has shown to work for Fibromyalgia in many peer reviewed studies. Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME are both illnesses characterized by extreme amounts of fatigue. In fact, the conditions seem to be so intertwined that the medical community continues to debate whether fibromyalgia fatigue is simply a different expression of the same disorder that causes CFS. So, we approached some of the top experts in this field and the researchers were convinced, JOGO is a potential candidate for ME/CFS," said Siva Nadarajah, Co-Founder and President of JOGO Health Inc.

"We are excited by the opportunity to help patients, during post COVID-19 recovery phase. There are no treatments for ME/CFS yet  CDC has shown special interest in this condition as it impacts patients' return to normal life. In a befitting honor to the memory of Florence Nightingale  who suffered from ME/CFS  her birthday, May12th, is marked as World ME/CFS Day," said Sanjai Murali, Founder and CEO of JOGO Health Inc.

According to CDC, prior to COVID-19, ME/CFS affected up to 2.5 million Americans. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that 50 to 70 percent of people with fibromyalgia also fit the criteria of ME/CFS

About JOGO Health.

JOGO Health is a digital therapeutic company that developed JOGO, a patent protected prescription digital therapeutics product to treat neuromuscular (NM) diseases, chronic pain, incontinence and chronic constipation. JOGO helps enhance rewiring of the CNS to improve voluntary control of muscles and neuromuscular reeducation. JOGO is composed of wireless, wearable surface EMG sensors, and a patent protected Mobile App that provide treatment protocols and games that can be adapted for muscle relaxation, movement coordination, and neuro-muscular reeducation, all leveraging neuroplasticity. In March 2020, JOGO received FDA 510(K) Exemption for JOGO-Gx, its general purpose product for neuromuscular reeducation.

Contact: Siva Nadarajah, 609-686-9700, [email protected]

SOURCE JOGO Health Inc.

Related Links

www.jogohealth.com


Yesterday, Judge Emmet Sullivan invited parties with no legal interest in the Michael Flynn prosecution to file briefs in response to the Department of Justices motion to dismiss that case. I criticized Sullivans decision to do so in this post.

Andy McCarthy presents a more detailed critique. He finds Sullivans order bizarre and blatantly political.

As McCarthy sees it:

The cantankerous jurist is stoking opposition to the dismissal. He knows the law calls for him to accede to attorney general Bill Barrs decision. But Barr cant stop Sullivan from turning the dismissal into anti-Trump group therapy  and who knows, maybe the grieving Legal Left will figure out some way for the judge to convict Flynn despite DOJs retreat.

Sullivan already has a way to nail Flynn, I think. Given Flynns guilty plea, he could sentence General FLynn without the DOJs participation.

The problem for Sullivan is avoiding reversal on appeal. I imagine that Sullivan, in addition to wanting to give the Legal Left a means of venting, wants to see and assess the best legal arguments for avoiding reversal if he decides to nail Flynn.

McCarthy concludes that there are no legally sufficient arguments for refusing to accede to the Justice Departments decision to dismiss the case against Flynn. He states:

DOJs dismissal motion may be politically controversial, but legally it is pro forma. The only branch of government constitutionally authorized to proceed with a criminal prosecution is the executive. The Justice Department has declined to prosecute. There is nothing for the judge to do besides the ministerial task of ending the case on the courts records.

Flynns guilty plea doesnt change this. As I understand it, sentencing is simply another phase of a prosecution.

Its true that Rule 48 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure requires leave of the court before prosecutors may dismiss an indictment. But, as McCarthy says, a statutorily enacted rule cannot amend the Constitution, which vests solely in the executive the power to prosecute.

Moreover, the purpose of Rule 48 is to protect defendants against prosecutorial misconduct. As McCarthy explains, Congress feared that prosecutors might pull the plug on cases that arent going well for the government, only to recharge later. The idea behind Rule 48 is to prevent repeatedly charging then dismissing an indictment, exhausting an accuseds resources and capacity to defend himself.

There is no danger of this abuse in Flynns case. The government seeks dismissal with prejudice, such that Flynn cant be recharged for the same alleged offense.

Sullivan, then, has no legal basis for refusing to dismiss the governments case against Flynn. The Legal Left can help him formulate an argument for doing so, but not a meritorious one.

Remember, though, that if Sullivan rejects the DOJs motion, Flynns appeal will be to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. President Obama packed that court with left-wing judges. Its possible that more than a few judges on the D.C. Circuit would like to nail Michael Flynn as much as Judge Sullivan seems to, and almost as much as the Obama FBI did.

Thus, Sullivan may not need a meritorious, or even a plausible, legal argument to stick it to Flynn. In a worst case scenario, it will take a pardon to bring down the curtain on this farce.
Police may be legislatively permitted to break into cars in certain cases

 pixabay. com

13:39 13/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 13 (RAPSI)  Russian government has submitted a bill allowing police to break into cars in certain cases to the State Duma, according to the database of the parliaments lower house.

An explanatory note to the bill reads that powers of breaking into vehicles are to be given to police with an aim of saving citizens life and health in danger.

Moreover, police will be empowered to break into cars if persons suspected in crimes are blocked there, according to the draft law or to search vehicles and seize illegal items.

The document also authorizes police to enter residing and other buildings, land plots to arrest people caught on the crime cite or hiding there after allegedly commiting crimes.

Amendments are proposed to the Law on Police.




Mumbai: Superstar Aamir Khan on Wednesday attended the funeral of his late assistant Amos, who had passed away on Tuesday. The actor was there to pay his condolence with his wife, filmmaker Kiran Rao.

As per reports, Amos died due to heart attack. A longtime associate of the actor, Amos had been working with Aamir for over 25 years.

A few pictures from Amos' last rites have been shared on social media. In the images, we can see Aamir and Kiran paying condolences to Amos' family members.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both Aamir and Kiran were wearing breathing masks at the funeral held in the city.
Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: With 98 new coronavirus positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, the number of COVID-19 patients in Pune district of Maharashtra grew to 3,232.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that there will be a fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown, but with new and different rules. His announcement came on a day when the number of confirmed cases in the country jumped to 70,756 and the toll reached 2,293.

Modi also observed that the crisis has taught everyone the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains. "All our demands during the crisis were met 'locally'. Now, it is time to be vocal about the local products and help these local products become global," he said.

Calling the coronavirus outbreak "a crisis unimaginable for mankind", he said that the only way forward was turning the crisis into an opportunity and making India self-reliant.

A day after interacting with chief ministers over the way forward in the battle against COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs.20 lakh crore economic package aimed at making the country self-reliant.

This package is "for the country's labour, farmers who have worked in every condition and every weather and round the clock for the fellow countrymen, for Indias middle class who pays tax honestly and for industries," he added.

"With the package, various sections of the society and economic links will get support," he said, adding, "land, labour, liquidity and laws are in focus in the package and it will support India's cottage industries, home industries, small and medium enterprises (SMEs)."

Narendra Modi shed some light as to the intended recipients of the massive economic package announced on Tuesday evening.

The app, available on Android and iOS, allows people to self-assess their symptoms of the infectious disease by answering a set of questions. It then uses this information to alert users if they have come in contact with a COVID-19 infected person.

India's COVID-19 tracking app Aarogya Setu has reached 100 million users in just 13 days of its launch on 2 April.

He further highlighted the need for enhanced surveillance and contact tracing in view of migrants and expats returning home.

Even as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase across the nation, the doubling rate has improved to 12.2 days over the last three days from 10.9 days in the past two weeks, health minister Harsh Vardhan said on Tuesday.

Addressing the nation for the fifth time since the coronavirus outbreak in India, Modi Tuesday announced a massive Rs 20 lakh crore package.

The focus of the package will be on labourers and small scale sectors, according to sources. The Centre wants to ensure employment, maintaining the demand and supply chain and ensure consumption of non-essential goods, added the sources.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold a press briefing later on Wednesday to provide the fine-print of the economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, CNN-News18 reported. However, official statement on the time of the press conference yet to be announced.

The COVID-19 support measures announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday is not only a financial package, but a reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was quoted by All India Radio News.

The countries consist of nearly all low-income and lower-middle income ones, as well as several that are upper-middle- and high-income, the drugmaker said. Afghanistan, India, North Korea, Pakistan and South Africa are among the countries.

The pacts allow the companies - Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd, Cipla Ltd, Hetero Labs Ltd, Mylan NV and Ferozsons Laboratories Ltd - to make and sell the drug in 127 countries.

Gilead Sciences Inc said on Tuesday it has signed non-exclusive licensing pacts with five generic drugmakers based in India and Pakistan to expand the supply of its experimental COVID-19 treatment Remdesivir.

He further, "Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every additional rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy."

Yesterday, the prime minister gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank!" said Chidambaram.

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram took a potshot at Narendra Modi after the prime minister on Tuesday announced an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crores to provide relief to the people and help the country fight the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

He further added that a thorough examination of what will be received by the bottom half of the Indian population or 13 crore families, in terms of real money, will be done.

"The first thing we will look for is what the poor, hungry and devastated migrant workers can expect after they have walked hundreds of kilometres to their home states," said the former finance minister.

P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that a careful scrunitisation will be done of the COVID-19 economic package, announced by Narendra Modi, to examine the recipients of the massive stimulus.

With new COVID-19 deaths being reported in the state since Tuesday, the toll stood at 117, said Rajasthan Health Department.

After 87 more individuals tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the total number of confirmed cases in the state climbed to 4,213 on Wednesday.

She further dubbed the COVID-19 economic package a "reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant India will include everyone - a hawker/street vendor, a trader, a MSME, an honest tax paying middle class, a manufacturer etc., tweeted Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce details of an economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore, aimed towards achieving the mission of a self-reliant Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at 4 pm on Wednesday at National Media Centre.

"Directions given to investigate and take action against organizers if social distancing norms and section - 144 were violated," Praveen Bhuria, ASP Sagar says,

A huge crowd gathered in Banda, Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, to welcome a Jain monk on Tuesday. According to police, the incident was being investigated to see if social distancing norms were flouted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced massive new financial incentives on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday welcomed the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the COVID-19-hit economy. He said it will be the way forward in overcoming challenges posed by the pandemic.

The evacuation flight carrying the students from Dhaka will land directly in Srinagar on Wednesday. This will be the fifth flight from Bangladesh, which will depart from Dhaka.

A batch of 169 Indian students, stranded in Bangladesh due to the lockdown imposed in view of the novel coronavirus, on Wednesday will board a special Air India flight under Vande Bharat Mission for home.

As many as 101 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported from Odisha, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 538 on Wednesday. This is the highest number of cases confirmed in a single day in the state.

Three deaths have been reported due to the infection so far from the state.

According to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Odisha government, of the total 538 confirmed cases, 419 were active cases. So far, 116 patients have been cured and discharged so far taking the recovery rate to 22 percent.

"Poor people, labourers, medium and small industries of the country have been given special consideration in this package. Middle class has also been given consideration, this package is historical and will become the basis to give India an economic quantum jump," said the BJP president.

Nadda dubbed the financial package "historical" and said it would provide a "quantum jump" to the Indian economy.

BJP president JP Nadda on Wednesday welcomed the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revive the COVID-19-hit economy.

The COVID-19 toll stood at 106 after 20 patients succumbed to the viral infection.

359 more individuals have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total confirmed cases in the National Capital to 7,998 on Wednesday.

With this, the COVID-19 recovery rate in the Union Territory was at 36 percent.

Since Tuesday, 346 COVID-19 patients have been discharged in Delhi, taking the total number of recovered cases to 2,858, said health minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 75.31, then gained ground to touch 75.30, registering a rise of 21 paise over its previous close. On Tuesday, the rupee had settled at 75.51 against the US dollar.

Forex traders said PM's economic booster aided sentiments. Besides, a positive opening in domestic equities also supported the local unit.

The rupee appreciated 21 paise to 75.30 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package enthused investors.

The passengers were taken to their chosen place of accommodation in KSRTC buses.

They were advised to maintain social distancing as per the health protocol. All the foreign returnees were screened as per the standard operating procedure to ensure that they were asymptomatic.

There were 12 medical emergency cases and 38 pregnant women among them, they said. The district administration had made arrangements for receiving the passengers, who were provided with sanitizers and masks.

The first repatriation flight to Mangaluru from Dubai with 177 passengers landed at the international airport. The total passengers, including 88 men, 84 women, five children, and two infants arrived by the Air India Express flight IX 384 late Tuesday night, airport sources said.

With these figures, India has crossed Canadas overall count of 69,156 COVID-19, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) list. India is just below China now where the disease originated in December, 2019.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of positive cases stand at 74,281 in the country. The ministry also said that 2,415 people have died due to the disease as of Wednesday.

India is now the 12th most affected country by the coronavirus pandemic, as the number of confirmed cases was inching closer to 75,000 on Wednesday.

The Shanghai-based New Development Bank (NDB) was established by the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries in 2014 and is headed by veteran Indian banker K V Kamath.

The New Development Bank of the BRICS countries has fully disbursed USD one billion emergency assistance loan to India to help it contain the spread of COVID-19 and reduce human, social and economic losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that 18,54,250 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the country till 9.00 am on Wednesday.

The Nagaland government has said that they will offer Rs 10,000 to those residents who opt not to return to the state right now. A press statement by Chief Secretary Temjen Toy on Tuesday said that many bodies (civil societies, tribal hohos and NGOs) in the state had appealed to stranded citizens not to come back unless it is unavoidable', reports Indian Express.

The total number of people infected by the novel coronavirus has climbed to 217 in Nepal with 83 new cases, the highest number of confirmation of virus transmission in a single-day, Joint Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Samir Kumar Adhikari said on Tuesday.

Nepal, which is under nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, is among the nations that have the least number of cases of the deadly COVID-19 with no deaths.

Nepal registered its highest single-day increase in the coronavirus cases with 83 new infections, including 26 from the Indo-Nepal border area, taking the total COVID-19 tally to 217 in the country, health officials said.

Besides, three more persons died of COVID-19 in the district, raising the toll to 95, Chief Medical and Health Officer Praveen Jadia told PTI.

At least 91 more people tested positive for coronavirus in Indore in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of such cases in the worst-hit district of Madhya Pradesh to 2,107, an official said on Wednesday.

Given the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on respiratory function, they sought to understand the prevalence and the effects of COPD in COVID-19 patients.

The researchers from the University College London in the UK noted that an estimated 251 million people worldwide are affected by COPD.

Being a current smoker or having a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with an increased risk of severe complications and higher death risk from COVID-19 infection, according to a study. COPD is a common, persistent dysfunction of the lung associated with a limitation in airflow.

The person admitted for coronavirus treatment was a worker in private industry in Puducherry. Already the hospital was treating two active cases in addition to the one in Karaikal region.

Secretary to Health Prashant Kumar Panda told reporters here that the 36-year-old patient has since been admitted to the Indira Gandhi government medical College hospital.

One more person, hailing from neighbouring Arumbathpuram village tested positive for the COVID-19, taking the total cases of the infection to four in Puducherry, the health department said on Wednesday.

As many as three COVID-19 patients have succumbed to the infectious disease so far in Chandigarh.

Two more, including a seven-year-old boy, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Chandigarh on Wednesday. With this, the total number of confirmed cases in the Union Territory is now at 189, said the health department.

The couplet roughly translates to: "He sold the old couplet/lion with a new name; He sold piles of dreams again."

He tweeted a Hindi couplet to express his views on the subject.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday took a jibe at the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package and "Self-reliant India Mission" announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as being nothing new but a repackaged version of "Make in India" initiative.

So far, the state has registered 32 fatalities while 442 COVID-19 patients have been discharged, taking the recovery rate to 46.5 percent.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka climbed to 951 after 26 more individuals tested positive between 5 pm on Tuesday till 12 pm on Wednesday, said the state health department.

In a big push to revive the COVID-hit economy, Modi on Tuesday announced massive new financial incentives on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

She further noted that "the new fiscal package is upsized and its scale lends a positive surprise, at a bigger-than-anticipated size with emphasis on making the economy more self-reliant via local manufacturing and improved supply chains.

Modi outlined a Rs 20-lakh-crore which is 9.7 percent of GDP support package, of which new allocations could only be 50-60 percent of the offer. But until more details are known, financing burden will fall on the bond markets, Radhika Rao, the economist at Singaporean lender DBS Bank said in a note on Wednesday.

Of the Rs 20-lakh-crore package that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to defend the economy against coronavirus disruptions, fresh support may be only around 60 percent of the offer as it counts the first financial stimulus and liquidity support that Reserve Bank has given already, and will overburden bond market, says a report.

The exam was originally scheduled to held on 22, 23 and 24 April but, was postponed due to the nation-wide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Karnataka Common Entrance Test (CET) 2020 will now be held on 30 and 31 July. The announcement was made by Deputy Chief minister and Higher education minister CN Ashwath Narayan on Wednesday.

The state witnessed an increase in the total number of positive cases by 26, thereby taking the overall count to 951, the health department said on Wednesday.

With the death of a 60-year-old man in Kalaburagi, the COVID-19 toll in the Karnataka city climbed to 32 on Wednesday. The man passed away on 11 May. He later tested positive for the infection after being brought to a hospital in Kalaburagi.

There are at least 566 containment zones in the state. Of them, Kolkata has 326 containment areas.

"The red zones would be further divided into three categories. Steps would also be taken to restart the 100-day work scheme in the non-containment areas," said Mamata.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that the red zone areas in the state will be further divided into three categories. However, she said the red zones will see relaxations as they will be divided into three parts.

"Dont think we will get relief from the COVID-19 crisis anytime soon. We should have a three-month short term plan in place to tackle the situation," she said after a review meeting with state officials.

Asserting that it was unlikely to find a remedy to the COVID-19 crisis anytime soon, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called for a three-month plan to tackle the situation.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1 June, 2020. With this, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products," he said.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the decision has been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for opting for local products and being self-reliant.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF and the BSF will sell only indigenous products from 1 June to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

The spokesperson further said, "The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen."

A Twitter spokesperson was quoted by the Guardian as saying, "We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere."

Twitter will allow its employees to work from home "forever", chief executive officer Jack Dorsey said in a company-wide email Tuesday. This means Twitter employees will be able to work from home even after the pandemic ends.

The foreign ministers and diplomats attending the meeting from eight different countries are expected to discuss the global challenges, preparedness, and response to the coronavirus pandemic.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar participated in the virtual meeting of Foreign Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries on Wednesday to discuss cooperation to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The HC on Tuesday said the special teams to be formed by the authorities shall inform either the district collector or the concerned police commissioner or superintendent of police about the number of stranded persons.

Justice Madhav Jamdar of the Nagpur bench of the high court was hearing a petition taken up by suo moto (on its own) on the plight of migrants, daily wage labourers and other stranded persons who are heading towards their home states on foot on highways and other roads.

The Bombay High Court has directed all district collectors, council authorities and police commissioners in Maharashtra to form special teams to monitor highways and arrange travel till the state border for migrant workers and others who are trying to walk back to their native places.

After three COVID-19 patients succumbed to the viral infection since yesterday, the toll in the state reached 120 so far

With 152 more individuals testing positive for the novel coronavirus in Rajasthan as of 2 pm on Wednesday, the total confirmed cases in the state climbed to 4,278, said the health department.

The finance minister is addressing a presser, where she is expected to give out the details of Rs 20 lakh crore economic package from the Centre. The prime minister announced the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat package that will focus on making India self-reliant on Tuesday.

"The Direct Benefit Transfer, Microinsurance schemes, PM Awas Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, Swachh Bharat and Ayushman Bharat were all transformative reforms which have benefited the poor in a big way," she said.

As the nation waited for the details of the Rs 20 lak crore economic package, Finance Minister revisited some of the previous schemes brought in by the central government. From PM Garib Kalyan Scheme to IBC and GST reforms.

"For MSMEs needing handholding, a Rs 50,000 crore 'fund of funds' through 'mother fund - daughter fund' framework is being created, to expand their capacity and to get listed on markets which they choose," Sitharaman said.

Due date of all IT Return filings extended have been extended from 31 July to 30 November. The last date for Vivad se Vishwas one-time tax settlement scheme has also been extended till 31 December, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced.

Till 5 pm on Wednesday, Karantaka has reported 959 COVID-19 cases and 33 deaths. 34 new cases have been reported in the past 24 hours.

In the past 24 hours, Dharavi has recorded 66 new cases. Total cases in the slum have exceeded 1,028 and 40 deaths have been reported there.

ANI quoted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee as saying after Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements, "People were expecting to get relief, but it is a big zero. There is nothing for the states."

Tamil Nadu records 509 new Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, taking the total cases to 9,227 in the state. Three new deaths have been recorded in the State, taking the total death count to 64. Meanwhile, Chennai recorded 380 new cases, taking the numbers to 5,262 cases.

The finance minister's schemes announced on Wednesday will provide relief for MSMEs that need immediate succour for their survival as well as help those enterprises that need a fillip to grow.

The government on Wednesday unveiled a major booster dose entailing a series of initiatives for micro, small and medium enterprises, including Rs 3 lakh crore worth of collateral-free automatic loans for businesses. The sector has been hit hard by the lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with millions of units staring at the prospect of closure and the threat of job losses.

"In view of the COVID-19 situation, we will take an appropriate decision by holding discussions with public representatives and others to extend the lockdown beyond May 17," Indore district collector Manish Singh told reporters. Singh also informed that commercial and industrial activities are being restored in Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh.

The current lockdown in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, which has so far recorded 2,107 COVID-19 cases and 95 deaths, looks set to be extended at least till May 31, a senior official said on Wednesday. The third phase of the coronavirus-induced national lockdown will remain in force till 17 May.

Four people tested positive for coronavirus in Chandigarh on Wednesday, taking the number of COVID-19 cases in the Union territory to 191.All four, including a seven-year-old boy, are residents of the Bapu Dham colony, the worst-affected area in the city. Two more coronavirus patients have been discharged after being fully cured of the infection, taking the number of those recovered to 32, as per a bulletin. A total of 154 cases are active in the city, the bulletin stated. So far, three people have died of coronavirus in Chandigarh, it added.

With 98 new coronavirus positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, the number of COVID-19 patients in Pune district of Maharashtra grew to 3,232, PTI quotes a health official.The death toll reached 175 with seven succumbing to the infection on Wednesday, the official said. As many as 175 patients were discharged in the district from different hospitals on Wednesday after completion of the isolation period. With this, the number of COVID-19 patients that have been discharged so far grew to 1,533, he said.

At least 20 people were booked on Wednesday for allegedly attending an Iftar party in violation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions at a locality in Wayanad district, recently categorised as a hotspot, police told PTI. A case has been registered against these people for participating in the Iftar party at a house in Nenmeni area, which was declared as a hotspot for coronavirus on Monday in view of rise in the cases.

Reduction in rate of Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) & Tax Collection at Source (TCS): Central Board of Direct Taxes pic.twitter.com/R1tjtyFHCV

One more area in Shahdara has been removed from containment zones; the total number of containment zones in the national capital now stands at 79, reports ANI. There has been no new addition in containment zones today.

Over 400 healthcare workers in the National Capital have been affected by the novel coronavirus till date, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Wednesday. Interacting with reporters, he also said that the 20 COVID-19 fatalities reported on Wednesday, took place over a period of time, and were based on death summaries sent by hospitals to health department authorities in the last few days. Nearly 8,000 people in Delhi have tested positive so far, while 106 people have died of the coronavirus infection.

As hospitals are having a hard time coping with influx of coronavirus patients, health officials have stumbled upon over two hundred unused beds lying in a godown at the civic-run Naidu hospital in Pune. Officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation's health department discovered the beds in the godown at the backside of the hospital when the were checking if the place could be converted into a quarantine facility for new patients.

A senior police officer of Dwarka district tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, officials said here. This is the first case of a police officer testing positive for COVID-19 in Dwarka. He is an SHO-rank officer, they said. Police said the officer was on leave for the past couple of days. He is fine and currently under home quarantine, a senior police officer said. Five to six personnel, who came in contact with the officer, have been sent to home quarantine, the police said.

four of them were found positive, the official said. The state now has 87 active cases and 87 others have recovered from the disease. Two persons died of the infection while one succumbed due to comorbidity condition since the outbreak of the pandemic on 31 March in the state.

Four more people of Jharkhand tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 177, PTI quotes a health official as saying. Of the new cases, two were reported from Ranchi and two from Koderma. A total of 680 samples were tested during the day and

The Odisha government on Wednesday shifted Health and Family Welfare Secretary N B Dhal in the middle of the state's fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Dhal, a 1993-batch IAS officer, was transferred and posted as the principal secretary in the energy department, according to a government notification. Removal of Dhal midway during the war against coronavirus has raised many eyebrows as the state government's COVID-19 spokesperson Subroto Bagchi in March had highly praised the officer for joining the duty within 24 hours of his father's death.

Coronavirus Outbreak Updates: With 98 new coronavirus positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, the number of COVID-19 patients in Pune district of Maharashtra grew to 3,232.

Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said rapid testing found seven new coronavirus cases in state. The samples have been sent for further confirmation. Goa was declared a green zone on 1 May as all seven patients found earlier had recovered.

Two deaths and 41 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported in Telangana on Wednesday,pushing the number of cases in the state to 1,367.The number of people who succumbed to the virus rose to 34 with the fresh deaths, a government bulletin said

Rajasthan on Wednesday registered 202 new coronavirus patients, including one BSF personnel, pushing the state total to 4,328. Four persons also died due to the viral infection taking the toll in the state to 121.

Mumbai's count of coronavirus cases crosses 15,000 mark to 15,581 with 800 new patients; toll reaches 595 with 40 deaths, PTI quotes the BMC as saying.

Maharashtra on Wednesday reported the single-day highest 1,495 new COVID-19 cases and 54 deaths, 40 of them in Mumbai alone, taking the overall case count to 25,922 and the number of fatalities to 975, a Health department official said.

The finance minister's schemes announced on Wednesday will provide relief for MSMEs that need immediate succour for their survival as well as help those enterprises that need a fillip to grow.

Dharavi has reported 66 new cases taking the total number of coronavirus cases in Asia's largest slum to 1028.

Over three lakh migrants have returned to Uttar Pradesh in 268 special trains so far, the highest in the country, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Mamata Banerjee said after Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements, "People were expecting to get relief, but it is a big zero. There is nothing for the states."

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the statutory PF contribution is being reduced from 12 percent to 10 percent.

Government to infuse Rs 50,000 crores liquidity by reducing rates of TDS, for non-salaried specified payments made to residents, and rates of Tax Collection at Source for specified receipts, by 25% of the existing rates.

In order to provide more take home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, EPF contribution is being reduced for businesses and workers for 3 months, amounting to a liquidity support of Rs 6750 crores. This means that the previously announced benefits for eligible firms, will now continue for three more months.

Taking another step towards self-reliance, the central government today announced that global tenders will now be disallowed in government procurements for tenders up to Rs 200 crores.

"The definition of MSMEs is being changed for their advantage so that they can grow in size and get benefits. Investment limit which defined MSMEs have been revised upwards. Additional criteria being brought in is turnover size - earlier differentiation between manufacturing and service MSMEs will be categorised similarly," says Sitharaman.

"Bold reforms have been brought about for six years. It is being done now and will continue till India is atma-nirbhar," says MoS Finance Anurag Singh Thakur.

The finance minister is addressing a presser, where she is expected to give out the details of Rs 20 lakh crore economic package from the Centre. The prime minister announced the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat package that will focus on making India self-reliant on Tuesday.

Twitter will allow its employees to work from home "forever", chief executive officer Jack Dorsey said in a company-wide email Tuesday.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF and the BSF will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the decision has been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for opting for local products and being self-reliant.

"The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. This will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country from 1 June, 2020. With this, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products," he said.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday took a jibe at the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package and "Self-reliant India Mission" announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as being nothing new but a repackaged version of "Make in India" initiative.

He tweeted a Hindi couplet to express his views on the subject.

The couplet roughly translates to: "He sold the old couplet/lion with a new name; He sold piles of dreams again."

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka climbed to 951 after 26 more individuals tested positive between 5 pm on Tuesday till 12 pm on Wednesday, said the state health department.

So far, the state has registered 32 fatalities while 442 COVID-19 patients have been discharged, taking the recovery rate to 46.5 percent.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that 18,54,250 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the country till 9.00 am on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday reported 48 new COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of positive cases in the state is now 2,137.

The rupee appreciated 21 paise to 75.30 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package enthused investors. Forex traders said prime minister's economic booster aided sentiments. Besides, a positive opening in domestic equities also supported the local unit.

359 more individuals have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the total confirmed cases in the National Capital to 7,998 on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 toll stood at 106 after 20 patients succumbed to the viral infection

As many as 101 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported from Odisha, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 538 on Wednesday. This is the highest number of cases confirmed in a single day in the state.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will announce details of an economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore, aimed towards achieving the mission of a self-reliant Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at 4 pm on Wednesday at National Media Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant India will include everyone - a hawker/street vendor, a trader, a MSME, an honest tax paying middle class, a manufacturer etc., tweeted Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

She further dubbed the COVID-19 economic package a "reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance."

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram took a potshot at Narendra Modi after the prime minister on Tuesday announced an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crores to provide relief to the people and help the country fight the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Yesterday, the prime minister gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank!" said Chidambaram.

He further, "Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every additional rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy."

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold a press briefing later on Wednesday to provide the fine-print of the economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, CNN-News18 reported. However, official statement on the time of the press conference yet to be announced.

The focus of the package will be on labourers and small scale sectors, according to sources. The Centre wants to ensure employment, maintaining the demand and supply chain and ensure consumption of non-essential goods, added the sources.

Addressing the nation for the fifth time since the coronavirus outbreak in India, Modi Tuesday announced a massive Rs 20 lakh crore package.

Even as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase across the nation, the doubling rate has improved to 12.2 days over the last three days from 10.9 days in the past two weeks, health minister Harsh Vardhan said on Tuesday.

He further highlighted the need for enhanced surveillance and contact tracing in view of migrants and expats returning home.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that there will be a fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown, but with new and different rules.

His announcement came on a day when the number of confirmed cases in the country jumped to 70,756 and the toll reached 2,293.

In his address to the nation, Modi also announced a relief package of Rs.20 lakh crores, amounting to almost 10 percent of the GDP which he said will address problems of a wide range of sectors. The details of the package will be announced by the finance minister, he said

India reports 3,604 cases, 87 deaths in 24 hours

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,293 and the number of cases climbed to 70,756 in the country on Tuesday, registering an increase of 87 fatalities and 3,604 cases in the last 24 hours since Monday 8 am, according to the Union health ministry. The total figure of 70,756 includes foreign nationals.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 46,008, while 22,454 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, the ministry said.

"Thus, around 31.73 percent patients have recovered so far," PTI quoted a senior health ministry official as saying.

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said the fatality rate is 3.2 percent while the doubling rate had now improved to 12.2 days. He, however, highlighted the need for enhanced surveillance and contact-tracing in view of migrants and expats returning home.

Of 87 deaths were reported since Monday morning, 36 were in Maharashtra, 20 in Gujarat, six each in Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, five in West Bengal and one each in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

Of the 2,293 deaths, Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of fatalities at 868, followed by Gujarat (513), Madhya Pradesh (221), West Bengal (190), Rajasthan (113), Uttar Pradesh (80), Delhi (73), Tamil Nadu (53) and Andhra Pradesh (45).

According to the health ministry's website, more than 70 percent of the deaths are due to comorbidities.

According to the health ministry data update in the morning, the highest number of 23,401 confirmed cases is from Maharashtra, followed by Gujarat (8,541), Tamil Nadu (8,002), Delhi (7,233), Rajasthan (3,988), Madhya Pradesh (3,785) and Uttar Pradesh (3,573).

However, according to a PTI tally at 9.05 pm, 12 hours after the health ministry's update, the countrywide case count had touched 74,029 while the toll had climbed to 2,338. According to the news agency, 23,938 persons had been cured and discharged.

According to data released by the state health department, Maharashtra reported 1,026 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 24,427 while the death toll rose to 921.

With 53 fresh deaths, 28 of them in Mumbai alone, the number of fatalities shot up to 921, a health official told PTI. Mumbai also reported 426 new cases, pushing the total number of infections in the country's financial capital to 14,781.

In neighbouring Gujarat, 261 more people contracted the viral infection in Ahmedabad district while 21 persons died due to the disease. So far, Ahmedabad has reported 6,353 cases and 421 fatalities.

Meanwhile, confirmed cases in the National Capital shot up to 7,639, with 406 new cases recorded till Tuesday morning, Delhi also reported its highest single-day spike in fatalities as 13 people died due to the viral infection, taking the toll to 86.

New cases were also reported in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, among others. The number of cases in Tami Nadu shot up by 716 to 8,718 and eight deaths were recorded.

Kerala, which had stopped seeing fresh cases till a few days back, saw five new cases as the flow of Keralites returning home from other countries and states continued.

PM announces economic package, says lockdown 4.0 will be different

A day after interacting with chief ministers over the way forward in the battle against COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs.20 lakh crore economic package aimed at making the country self-reliant.

Calling the coronavirus outbreak "a crisis unimaginable for mankind", he said that the only way forward was turning the crisis into an opportunity and making India self-reliant.

Modi also observed that the crisis has taught everyone the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains. "All our demands during the crisis were met 'locally'. Now, it is time to be vocal about the local products and help these local products become global," he said.

"I announce a special economic package today. This will play an important role in the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan'. The announcements made by the government over COVID-19, decisions of the RBI and today's package totals to Rs 20 Lakh Crores. This is 10 percent of India's GDP." he said.

The prime minister said that the economic package will lay emphasis on land, labour, liquidity and laws. He further said, "This package is for our cottage industries, small and medium industries, which provide livelihoods to crores of people."

The prime minister also hinted at economic reforms and said that the details of the economic package will be announced by the finance minister in the next few days. These reforms include supply chain reforms for agriculture, rational tax system, simple and clear laws, capable human resource and a strong financial system. These reforms will promote business, attract investment, and further strengthen Make in India, he said.

The prime minister also said that there would be a fourth phase of the lockdown which would have new rules, which would be announced after incorporating suggestions given by the states.

"Scientists say that corona will be a part of our lives for a very long time. But we can't let our lives remain confined around the virus. We will wear masks and maintain social distancing but we will not let it affect us. So lockdown 4 will be in a new form with new rules," he said, adding that the details of the same will be revealed before 18 May.

Railways restarts passenger trains

Meanwhile, the Railways cautiously resumed its passenger service after over 50 days, as three trains chugged out of New Delhi and five others left for the National Capital, each carrying around 1,100 passengers who first underwent screening and followed other norms necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, under the strict vigilance of authorities.

In an unprecedented measure, the railways, which is called the lifeline of the country, had suspended passenger service from March 22 midnight due to the pandemic, leaving lakhs of people stranded as road and air services were also stopped during the the coronavirus lockdown.

Passengers at the boarding stations expressed mixed feelings of relief and apprehension, with many arriving hours before the scheduled train departures.

The Railways has issued new guidelines for travel on these special trains , asking passengers to carry their own food and linen and arrive at stations at least 90 minutes before departure for health screening in the wake of the pandemic. The railways also made it mandatory for passengers to download the Aarogya Setu App.

Shramik special trains for migrants also continued to operate, with the first Shramik special train from Mysuru division of South Western Railway with leaving for Bihar on Tuesday with 1,428 migrant workers on board. Around 2,400 migrants from Surat and Pune have been brought in two special trains to Uttarakhand, officials told PTI.

Centre to repatriate Indians under second phase of Vande Bharat Mission

Under the Union governemnt's Vande Bharat Mission, total of 6,527 Indians from the Gulf region as well as countries like the US, the UK, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the Maldives, PTI quoted sources as saying.

The sources also said that the Centre plans to repatriate Indians from 31 countries in 149 flights in the second phase of the mission, between 16 and 22 May. The government will bring back people from Canada, Oman, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, France, Tajikistan, Singapore, the US, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Qatar, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Kuwait and Italy, the said.

With inputs from agencies
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined Republican AGs from 20 other states in asking Congress to pass laws to give businesses, manufacturers, hospitals, and others protection from lawsuits related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Marshall signed a letter from Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr to Senate leaders that says a wave of lawsuits on COVID-19 claims could affect the availability of crucial goods and services and the recovery of the economy.

As we reopen our economies, the need for a stable, predictable legal environment has never been greater, Carr wrote. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to create a surge in civil litigation targeting well-intentioned businesses for taking pandemic mitigation measures; therefore, this country is in need of a common-sense framework to provide liability protections for much-needed goods and services while still ensuring victims are able to seek legal redress and compensation where appropriate.

The letter says the protections should not apply to cases of willful misconduct or reckless or intentional infliction of harm.

The letter is addressed to Sens. Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Diane Feinstein, and Charles Schumer.

Read the letter.

Marshall wrote in a press release: It is imperative that we preserve Americas ability to manufacture and provide vital goods and services, while still ensuring that victims are able to seek appropriate legal remedies. The people of Alabama and throughout our great nation look to their leaders to provide a responsible framework as we move forward to protect lives and restore our economy.

Other attorneys general who signed the letter are from Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

Last week, Gov. Kay Ivey issued a supplement to her emergency public health order intended to provide some protection from COVID-19-related lawsuits.

I want to do everything within my authority to protect businesses as Alabamas economy gets up and running again," Ivey said in a press release. "As we resume operations, the very last thing a business owner needs to worry about is a frivolous lawsuit from responding to COVID-19. Let me be clear, this in no way shields them from serious misconduct. If someone knowingly abuses the public during a time of crisis, they should be held accountable and prosecuted as such.
As a member of the joint venture Femern Link Contractors, Aarsleff was today informed that the construction of the Fehmarnbelt Link will commence on 1 January 2021.

Back in 2016, Femern Link Contractors entered into conditional contracts for three out of the four large tunnel contracts for the Fehmarnbelt Link.

The contracts comprise establishment of portal structures, ramps, toll stations and bridges on the Danish and the German side as well as casting and installation of the tunnel elements for the 18-kilometre-long immersed tunnel. The three contracts are:

Construction of the northern part of the immersed tunnel

Construction of the southern part of the immersed tunnel

Construction of in situ tunnel, portals and ramps. Aarsleff is the lead company on this contract.

The total contract value is EUR 3.4 billion of which Aarsleffs share is EUR 0.5 billion. (Amounts are stated in 2015 prices).





All three contracts have been entered into by the Femern Link Contractors which consist of:

Per Aarsleff Holding A/S (Denmark)

VINCI Construction Grands Projets S.A.S. (France)

Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG (Germany)

Max Bogl Stiftung & Co. KG (Germany)

CFE SA (Belgium)

Soletance-Bachy International S.A.S. (France)

BAM Infra B.V. (Netherlands)

BAM International B.V. (Netherlands)

Dredging International N.V. (Belgium) is only a joint venture member on the tunnel contracts.

COWI A/S (Denmark) is consulting engineer on all three contracts.

The commencement does not affect Aarsleff's earnings expectations for the financial year 2019/20.

Further information:

CEO Jesper Kristian Jacobsen, tel. +45 8744 2222.
A village in Manipurs Senapati district has constructed 80 huts that will serve as quarantine centres for Covid-19 disease to accommodate people expected to return in the next few days from various parts of the country during the ongoing lockdown.

The huts have been built by residents of Tungjoy village, about 118 km north of capital Imphal, located under the Paomata sub-division.

Weve constructed the huts as per the decision of village authority to accommodate our people who are returning from outside the state, said chairman Marcus MS of Tungjoy village. We take up such steps for the welfare of villagers.

The huts were constructed with the village authority funds at a place located about half a kilometer away from the village habitation area. Each hut can accommodate one person. A family can use two huts if necessary, Marcus added.

The village authority will monitor the distribution of foods and other necessary guidelines of quarantine. About 100 people from the village are believed to be stranded outside the state.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh lauded the initiative taken by the village authority in a tweet on Tuesday night.

My salute ,Tungjoy Village Authority have set up 80 huts for quarantine of their villagers who are going to come from outside the state. Each hut is fitted with a bed, separate toilet, gas table, electricity with charging socket. Water supply is provided at various locations.

My salute ,Tungjoy Village Authority have set up 80 huts for quarantine of their villagers who are going to come from outside the state. Each hut is fitted with a bed, separate toilet, gas table, electricity with charging socket. Water supply is provided at various locations. pic.twitter.com/lRCDFvzlIQ  N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) May 12, 2020

Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jitendra Singh, too, appreciated both the villagers and Biren Singh for their efforts. In a tweet, DoNER Minister wrote, Northeast shows the way. Kudos Manipur and CM Shri N Biren Singh. Tungjoy Village Authority has set up 80 huts for quarantine for their villagers who are going to come from outside the State.Each hut fitted with bed, separate toilet, gas table, water supply and charging socket.

Meanwhile, the special train carrying 1,140 stranded people of Manipur from Chennai arrived at the Jiribam railway station on Wednesday afternoon.

Soon after their arrival, screening of the returnees was conducted in a district-wise manner, sources said. Those who cleared the screening procedure were allowed to proceed towards their respective districts.

According to state chief secretary Dr J Suresh Babu, another special train carrying stranded people of Manipur will depart from Punjab tomorrow.

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MUSKEGON, MI  Festival organizers have announced the cancellation of the 2020 Michigan Irish Music Festival due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The annual Irish celebration, which brings bagpipes, ballads and beards to the shore of Muskegon Lake every fall, was slated to take place Sept. 17-20 at Muskegons Heritage Landing.

The festivals board of directors announced the decision to cancel this years event in a Facebook post Wednesday, May 13.

First and foremost, the safety of our volunteers, patrons, musicians, and vendors was the most important factor in this decision, the announcement reads. It is important that we make this decision now due to the hundreds of details and months of planning required to produce the Michigan Irish Music Festival.

Dozens of Facebook users commented on the post Wednesday expressing sadness over the cancellation of the beloved Irish festival, but most wrote that they understood the reason behind the cancellation and appreciated the boards dedication to safety.

Thank you to the MIMF Board for putting the health and safety of the public, your performers, and your amazing volunteers first, one commenter wrote. Ive attended every year since the festival began, and the community youve created is precious. Its worth taking a year off to protect that.

Those who have already purchased tickets for this years festival will receive an email in the next 14 days with details on how to refund tickets, festival organizers announced. Ticket holders will also have an option to donate the proceeds of their tickets to the festival, or use the tickets to get into next years event.

Last year, the Irish Music Festival celebrated its 20th year with a record 26 bands and drew crowds of nearly 40,000 attendees.

RELATED: From bangers to bagpipes, Michigan Irish Fest celebrates the Emerald Isle

The Irish fest, which features Highland Games, an Irish market, Celtic food and storytelling, signals the end of the summer festival season for many.

The cancellation adds the Michigan Irish Music Festival to the growing list of Muskegon-area summer events that have already been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Other already-canceled events include the Lakeshore Art Festival, the Electric Forest music festival, the Miss Michigan competition and the Unity Christian Music Festival, all slated to take place in the Muskegon area this summer.

Muskegon County has reported 401 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 20 deaths with the virus as of Tuesday, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Meanwhile, fans of the Faster Horses music festival are still waiting on answers about whether the country music fest will proceed as planned.

The festivals organizers have said a decision to carry on with the festival could be made as late as two weeks before the event, which is scheduled for July 17-19 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

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.

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Muskegon tourism hit by coronavirus uncertainty amid cruise ship cancellations

Lakeshore Art Festival 2020 canceled due to coronavirus crisis

Miss Michigan 2020 canceled due to coronavirus pandemic

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Electric Forest 2020 canceled due to coronavirus pandemic

Jeep invasion of Silver Lake Sand Dunes postponed due to coronavirus
The Agriculture Department has awarded multimillion-dollar contracts to companies that appear to have little experience working with food banks or farmers, spurning several big produce companies with extensive expertise in food distribution.

An event planning company in San Antonio, Texas, known for throwing lavish weddings and high-end conferences, was awarded more than $39 million  one of the largest contracts handed out by USDA under a new program aimed at matching up food banks with surplus produce, meat and dairy.

Also on the list was a company that specializes in trade-related finance and one that sells health and wellness items for travelers.

USDA late last week outlined some $1.2 billion in federal contracts for the program, which it fast-tracked under enormous pressure to do more to respond to supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus crisis.

The new initiative has been hailed as a creative approach to redirecting food as millions of pounds of produce and milk have been dumped in recent months as the closing of restaurants, cruise ships and schools has upended supply chains.

The goal is to buy up a variety of excess perishable food items, pack them in easy-to-distribute boxes, and then provide the boxes to food banks and other nonprofits where people in need can pick them up.

But there are concerns about whether some of the companies awarded contracts can pull it off. When the Agriculture Department late Friday released the names of the companies selected for the program, numerous industry leaders were not on the list.

Its puzzling, said Michael Muzyk, president of Baldor Specialty Foods, a distributor based in New York. Muzyk, who also serves as chairman of the United Fresh Produce Association, did not apply for a contract, saying he felt the program was ill-designed.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, however, has lauded the initiative as one that will be up and running within days.

This is a new, innovative approach to provide critical support to American farmers and families, and USDA moved as expeditiously as federal procurement rules allow to stand up the program and solicit offers, Perdue said in a statement last week.

Story continues

Sonny Perdue.

The department did not respond to specific questions about the experience of some of the companies that received contracts but defended the overall structure.

Successful proposals included many small businesses and those that will support local and regional farmers, which was part of the evaluation criteria for contract award, a USDA spokesperson said in an email. Federal contracts require strict adherence to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other regulations.

There will also be a robust audit program as part of the initiative, the spokesperson added.

The rollout of USDAs fresh food buying initiative comes on the heels of intense political backlash over several large companies getting federal money through the Paycheck Protection Program run by the Small Business Administration.

Its possible the Agriculture Department wanted to avoid similar criticism by primarily awarding the contracts to small businesses or lesser-known companies. However, some meat giants like Cargill ($7.3 million) and Tyson ($862,000) are on the list. USDA also awarded a huge, $147 million contract to Borden Dairy, a large Dallas-based dairy company that filed for bankruptcy in January.

The new USDA program  called the Farmers to Families Food Box Program  is slated to spend $300 million each month on U.S. produce, dairy and meat products that will be packed in variety boxes and then sent to food banks and other nonprofits.

When produce industry leaders saw the list of contracts issued Friday night, they were shocked to not recognize many of the names on the list.

Most of the most well-known companies in the business, from large national names like FreshPoint, a division of Sysco, to more regional companies like Keany Produce, based in Maryland, were left off.

Muzyk of Baldor Specialty Foods said its clear that some companies applied without understanding whats really required to purchase, pack and distribute fresh food at the scale the program requires. It requires proper cold storage capacity and trucks as well as food safety practices, particularly for produce which is vulnerable to contamination.

Under Covid, its 10 times more important that you are handling product safely, he said.

Muzyk said some companies awarded contracts have already called him to ask if he can make the boxes for them. He said he declined.

The most ire has been aimed at small firms whose qualifications to handle large contracts have been questioned.

The $39.1 million contract to a Texas-based event marketing agency  the seventh-largest contract on the list of roughly 200 businesses  has drawn particular scrutiny.

CRE8AD8 (pronounced create a date), a San Antonio firm with international offices, was chosen to supply hundreds of thousands of boxes packed with fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat products to food banks and nonprofits in the Southwest, stretching from Arizona to Arkansas.

The companys social media include posts touting its services such as planning weddings and chartering private jets and yachts for C-suite executives for destination events.

We didnt know the potential or even to what extent we could help, but we saw an opportunity to do some good during this challenging time and took a chance, CEO Gregorio Palomino said in a statement on Facebook. We had no idea wed be asked to help on this level. Its truly awesome.

The agency is hiring up to 125 workers to help get the boxes out starting by Friday, including chefs, project coordinators and safety specialists, Palomino told POLITICO in an email.

Asked about the companys qualifications for a food distribution program, he said that CRE8AD8 has more than 20 years of experience in logistics, execution and fulfillment, and is partnering with a culinary team with lengthy experience in food safety and procurement.

As they direct the food operations, we will lead with our expertise in coordinating and executing the logistics of fulfillment, labor management, regulatory and public communications and distribution, Palomino said.

Food distributors say they are puzzled why such a large contract didnt go to a company with deeper contacts throughout the food supply chain.

The wedding planner is the ultimate comedy of errors, said Brent Erenwert, CEO of Brothers Produce, a Houston-based produce distributor that applied but did not get awarded a contract. He said in an interview that his bigger concern is that the program might not meet its goal of helping both farmers and people in need.

This deal is destined to crash before it takes off, he said.

In recent days, Erenwert has posted numerous angry missives on LinkedIn, tagging USDA, media outlets, trade associations and industry leaders.

We need answers. I dont care if I never get awarded another government bid again for all this, Erenwert wrote. I will not sit back and watch and the charities and our industry struggle in all this.

Other industry members and nonprofit leaders have quietly groused about other companies on the list with unclear connections to the food supply, such as Yegg Inc., a California firm that offers business finance solutions." According to its website, it provides export credit insurance and helps companies obtain capital equipment including construction, mining and farm machinery.

Yegg was awarded $16.6 million to supply fluid milk and dairy boxes. The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Other companies that are unfamiliar to those in the food industry have also raised eyebrows. Travel + Well Holdings LLC  a small company based 50 miles north of San Francisco that sells hand sanitizers, lotions and other wellness products in airports and online  was awarded $12 million to distribute fresh fruit and vegetable boxes in the Western region.

The company declined to comment.

Questions have also been raised about companies on the list with virtually no public information available. For example, POLITICO was unable to identify B.E. Co Inc., which received an $800,000 contract to deliver fresh produce in the mid-Atlantic region. The USDA spokesperson did not provide any additional background on the business.

But on Thursday, Puerto Rico produce distributor Hill Brothers, whose corporate name is B.E.C. Co. Inc., told POLITICO it was awarded the contract to provide food boxes for dozens of nonprofits on the island territory. The company has more than 150 employees and is one of the largest distributors in Puerto Rico, supplying food to schools, restaurants, supermarkets and other businesses, said Vice President Brenda Massanet.

Earlier this week, the United Fresh Produce Association sent a letter to USDA with no fewer than 15 questions about how decisions were made on the contracts.

This is not sour grapes from those that may not have been awarded; this is a genuine effort to ensure integrity and confidence in the program and that fresh produce actually gets to those in need in an efficient and cost-effective way, Tom Stenzel, CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association, wrote in a letter to the department on Monday.

One of the questions raised by United Fresh and others is whether the businesses selected have whats known as a PACA license  something USDA likens to a driver's license for operating a produce business. The requirement stems from a Depression-era law aimed at ensuring farmers and others get paid appropriately after they sell a perishable product.

While unknown to the general public, PACA is a huge deal in the produce sector. A company without a PACA license could have a difficult time finding buyers willing to sell it large volumes of produce for the boxes that are supposed to start going out to food banks soon.

The awardees will have to move quickly to fulfill the requirements of the contract. The food boxes are supposed to begin shipping out Friday. The contracts extend through the end of June.
Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines, which together account for nearly 70 percent of the global cruise industrys revenues, are facing an unprecedented legal storm after coronavirus outbreaks on board their ships left thousands ill and many people dead.

Those suing the operators include a US woman who lost her husband, a group of investors who took a financial hit and a Bulgarian crew member who was forced to take a 20-hour journey home despite being sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus.

More than 3,000 people on 43 ships have fallen ill from the coronavirus since Carnivals Diamond Princess ship was quarantined off the port of Yokohama in Japan in early February. At the time, infections on board the ship made up the biggest cluster of cases outside of China.

But cruises continued through February and early March, with the industry only suspending new voyages when the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a no-sail order on March 14. The agency cited concerns over high transmission rates on cruise ships as well as signs that passengers getting off the vessels were spreading the disease in communities far from the water.

To date, at least 69 cruise passengers have died from COVID-19, according to ship-tracking site Cruise-Mapper. While the figure is a fraction of the rising global toll, critics allege the crisis on board the ships is a reflection of an industry culture that prioritises profits over lives and routinely disregards passenger and crew safety.

Full faith

Susan Dorety, from the US state of Texas, is suing Carnivals Princess Cruise Lines for gross negligence after her husband, Michael, died from the coronavirus in late March. The 68-year-old retired firefighter contracted the disease on board the Grand Princess while the couple were on a trip to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

We were feeling great, excited, Susan said, recounting the couples celebratory mood as they boarded the Grand Princess in San Franciso, California, on February 21. We had full faith they wouldnt let us on if there was a problem.

But what the Doretys did not know was that at least one passenger on the ships previous voyage to Mexico had sought care on board for a respiratory illness. According to court documents, four days after the Doretys set off on their cruise, Princess Cruise Lines sent an email to all the passengers who had disembarked in San Francisco, notifying them of potential exposure to the virus.

But despite 62 passengers and the crew from the previous trip having remained on the ship for the Hawaii voyage, the people on board Diamond Princess were not informed.

Susan said the first sign of trouble came with the news that a previous passenger had died in hospital on March 4  he was Californias first known death from the coronavirus. Five days later, the ship returned early to San Francisco, where the CDC sent in helicopters to drop off testing kits.

That was when Michael became ill, Susan said. He received no help from the ships doctors, she said, except for flu medicine even though he had a high fever and was experiencing sweats and chills. On March 20, he died alone in hospital.

Michael and Susan Dorety booked a cruise with the Grand Princess to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary [Courtesy of Susan Dorety]

Susan said she and her children listened on the phone as the doctor counted down his heartbeats.

They could have gotten us help, she told Al Jazeera. A 911 call is a call for help. He spent 39 years answering 911 calls. That should have worked for him.

Rusty Hardin, Susans lawyer, said the Grand Princesss conduct was outrageous given the outbreak on the Diamond Princess in Japan. They were aware of the dangers before, he said.

This cruise line company put money ahead of its passengers wellbeing, and it cost Michael his life.

Since then, more than 100 others on the Grand Princess have tested positive for the virus, while the family of a second passenger who died from COVID-19 is also suing Princess Cruise Lines for negligence.

Meanwhile, Australian police have launched a criminal investigation into another of the companys ships, the Ruby Princess, after it allowed passengers off the ship in Sydney in late March, fuelling a cluster of cases in the city.

A second cruise line owned by Carnival, Costa cruises, is also facing legal action with passengers on board the Costa Luminosa claiming the ship kept sailing despite knowing some passengers were showing coronavirus symptoms.

Princess Cruise Lines did not comment on the lawsuits, but told Al Jazeera it had done everything possible to be open, honest and transparent, and to provide for the health and wellbeing of our guests and crew in the most earnest and compassionate way possible.

The little people

Around the time of Michael Doretys death, another cruise ship was in St Nazaire in northwestern France, preparing for its maiden voyage. The country was already grappling with a major outbreak, and the ship had 1,400 crew members.

Alexandra Nedeltcheva was among them.

The 54-year-old Bulgarian said her supervisors at Celebrity Apex, owned by Royal Caribbean, refused to allow the crew to wear masks or step up sanitation measures on board the ship, despite rising numbers of cases across France.

We didnt get proper information, she said. We heard that some of the contractors coming on board the ship had tested positive. But they [the supervisors] said: no, its not true. Then a couple of days later, we had a few crew members being taken off in wheelchairs and into hospitals.

On March 25, all the ships crew were placed in quarantine. Nedeltcheva, along with more than 200 crew members, tested positive for the virus.

After just 10 days in isolation, she said she was put on a bus and then a commercial flight back to Bulgaria. It was very hard, she said, recounting her ordeal. Im sitting there worried Im going to infect other people. When I came home, my condition worsened, and it took me much longer to recover.

Nedeltcheva has now launched a class action lawsuit against Royal Caribbean in the US. She said she knows she will not get her job back, but hoped the lawsuit could change something for future generations.

For them [the cruise firms], it wasnt important for the little crew members to be safe. They dont treat us as normal people. I dont think thats acceptable, she said.

Royal Caribbean did not respond to Al Jazeeras requests for comment.

Traders wait for trading to resume on Norwegian Cruise Lines Holding Ltd on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in March [File: Lucas Jackson/ Reuters]

Norwegian, the third major cruise line, is facing legal action from a different front  investors.

A class-action lawsuit filed in Florida is seeking compensation for the plunge in the companys stock price, which slumped from $20.5 per share to $9.65 between March 11 and 12 after media reports exposed Norwegian directing its sales staff to downplay the severity of the disease in order to keep bookings.

Talking points to passengers included, The only thing you need to worry about for your cruise is do you have enough sunscreen? and The coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise. One manager reportedly said in an email: Fact: Coronavirus in humans is an overhyped pandemic scare.

The lawsuit said the companys wrongful acts and omissions, and the precipitous decline in the market value of the companys securities had caused investors to suffer significant losses and damages. Norwegian did not respond to calls for comment.

When asked about the allegations of mishandling and wrongdoing, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said the industry responded to an unprecedented crisis based on the information that was available when it was available and always under the guidance of prevailing health authorities.

The trade group said cruise lines took immediate and aggressive action in response to this crisis  with policies and protocols that went above and beyond the actions of other industries. CLIA also said it had submitted proposals to the US government on a framework for resuming operations, including more stringent boarding procedures, monitoring capabilities and quarantine arrangements.

Legal experts say the crisis underscores the need for more oversight of the industry. Most cruise lines are registered in Caribbean tax havens, allowing them to skirt labour and environmental laws in Europe and the US.

James Walker, a maritime lawyer, said cruise operators had not seen litigation on this scale before.

I think there is going to be ample proof of negligence and a failure to warn and a failure to be transparent, he said.

Still, cruise firms are reporting a surge in bookings for when operations resume in August.

People like cruising. The industry has over 90-percent satisfaction rate, said Andrew Coggins, professor of management at the Lubin School of Business at Pace University.

However, cruise lines will still have to undertake a lot of education on new safety protocols, he said.

Though the industry is resilient, we are in uncharted waters, he added. But once we start to come out of this, the industry will slowly start to pick up again and then once the vaccine is developed, we should see a return to previous numbers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-12 23:42:28|Editor: huaxia

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A security guard offers disinfectant gel to a woman at the entrance of a building in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Sergi Camara/Xinhua)

Spain will implement a 14-day quarantine for international arrivals. The order comes into effect on May 15.

MADRID, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish government announced on Tuesday that it will impose a 14-day quarantine on all travelers who arrive from another country as another measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The measure was published in the official State Bulletin (BOE), which said that incoming travelers will have to remain indoors and only be allowed outside in order to shop for food, to visit health centers or in a "situation of need," and they would be obliged to do this while wearing a face mask.

A hairdresser serves a client at a salon in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Sergi Camara/Xinhua)

The order comes into effect on May 15 and expires on May 24, when the current State of Alarm, which limits freedom of movement in the country, is due to end.

However, if the Spanish government are able to win the support of Parliament for a further extension of the State of Alarm, then the quarantine measure would be prolonged until June 1.

Spain's land borders with France and Portugal have been closed since the State of Alarm was introduced on March 15, with only a very limited number of people, such as cross border workers and lorry drivers, allowed to cross the frontier.

People wait to take a subway in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Sergi Camara/Xinhua)

A saleswoman irons clothes at a clothing store in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Sergi Camara/Xinhua)

A saleswoman works in a clothing store in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Sergi Camara/Xinhua)
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the prospect of air travel from Ireland is months rather than weeks away.

Everyone who arrives in the State to stay, whether Irish or from abroad, is being asked to self-isolate for 14 days to ensure that anyone with Covid-19 does not infect others.

It comes amid calls for tougher laws to require people arriving into the country to tell authorities where they will be self-isolating.

Mr Varadkar said: The very strong advice from Government is that anyone entering our country, whether they are an Irish citizen or not, needs to quarantine and self-isolate for 14 days with the exception of certain key workers. We are going to strengthen that over the next few weeks.

He was speaking at a visit to a contact tracing centre in Dublin today.

Of course we all look forward to air travel in the future, he added. Were an island nation and a globalised economy. We need to return to business and leisure travel at some point but that really is premature at this stage.

The European Union and the aviation authorities are thinking about that and how we can return to safe air travel but that is months rather than weeks away.

Pleasure to talk to @drmikeryan and his @WHO colleagues this morning. He particularly thanked Irish people for all their work in fighting #Covid19, and finished up with this message for Ireland: pic.twitter.com/PtBSGZmt6f  Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 13, 2020

Mr Varadkar said he is more confident that the country can begin to reopen from next week.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will make a recommendation to Government on Friday.

Outdoor construction work, DIY shops and small outside gatherings will be allowed from Monday May 18 if the Government gets the go-ahead from the NPHET.

It is fair to say that everything is going in the right direction but a decision has yet to be made about whether we will get to ease restrictions on Monday, said Mr Varadkar.

As we ease restrictions, personal responsibility and personal discipline is going to be all the more important because we will be meeting each other more and more people will be going to work.

He said the Government will issue guidance in the next few days about making and wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

It comes as chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said on Tuesday that there is no plan to make the wearing of face masks compulsory.

Senior Government official Liz Canavan said work is ongoing at Government level on the use of face coverings in public.

Work is ongoing around guidance and practical communication about the face coverings and how they can be made at home. A key message will be how to safely use face coverings because the evidence is clear. If face masks are not used properly then they can have the effect of increasing the risk of transmission.

We will have more information for the public about face coverings in the coming days.

Ahead of some of the restrictions possibly being lifted next week, Ms Canavan warned the public to remain vigilant.

Ms Canavan said the Government does not want to have to reintroduce measures in future, as some other countries have had to do due to a spike in coronavirus infections.

It is also important to remember that we have not started to ease restrictions yet. Every day counts in terms of assessing where we are and how we can move on.

Meanwhile, a public health expert has said a lack of community testing for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland is putting the island of Ireland at risk.

Dr Gabriel Scally, president of epidemiology and public health at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, said plans to control the virus remain different between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

He told Newstalk FM: Certainly in the North, and the rest of the UK, theyre not doing testing in the community. Unless you can test in the community, how are you going to know if the infection is coming back unless you wait until people are carried in sick into hospitals?

The coronavirus death toll in Ireland rose to 1,488 on Tuesday after a further 24 deaths were announced.

Another 107 positive cases were confirmed, taking the total since the outbreak began to 23,242.
While there is a clear law in force governing investment incentives for supporting industry (SI) projects, an inter-ministerial dispute over a particular clause has invited government bodies and corporations to take sides and ensure smoother implementation of the law.

The National Assemblys Law No.71/2014/QH13 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Laws on Taxes took effect in 2015 in order to facilitate SI projects. Under the law, Vietnam introduced a corporate income tax (CIT) rate of 10 per cent applicable for 15 years for SI projects, with a four-year tax exemption, and a nine-year tax reduction from the time taxable income is earned.

In addition, Law 71 also provides for the transition of tax incentives for enterprises with investment projects to manufacture products on the list of products of SI prioritised for development prior to January 1, 2015.

Accordingly, in case CIT regulations change and an enterprise meets the tax preference conditions set by the new law, it can choose to keep the incentives it was given at the time of licensing or take the new ones for the remaining period.

Therefore, enterprises that have projects implemented before 2015 in incentivised locations (for example expansion projects at industrial zones in 2009-2013) are entitled for this transitional treatment for the remaining duration of their incentives.

Similarly, enterprises that have implemented projects before 2015 in incentivised business sectors (for example projects manufacturing prioritised SI products before 2015) can also choose incentive regimes.

However, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has issued official letters and guidance to enterprises saying that the manufacturers of prioritised SI products whose projects were implemented before 2015 are not eligible for newer CIT incentives.

Such a viewpoint is contrary to the viewpoints of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), which has issued the Incentive Confirmation certificate of project manufacturing prioritised SI products to a number of projects implemented before January 1, 2015, the European Chamber of Commerce stated in its Whitebook 2019. Moreover, the MoF guidance is also not aligned with the Ministry of Justices Official Letter responding to an enterprise that the aforementioned viewpoint of MoF and tax authorities are inappropriate with Law 71 and Law on Investment.

For instance, Japanese automobile components manufacturer Denso Vietnam had an investment project to expand production of prioritised SI products in 2013 and received the certificate granted by the MoIT for the project of development of supporting industrial products with priority in 2017. However, the companys request to access new incentives on account of Law 71 was rejected by the MoF.

Through our own research, we have found that the ministrys viewpoint is completely inconsistent with the current regulations, from the perspective of the laws on tax, investment, as well as the industry development policies and the development orientations of the Party, the National Assembly, and the Vietnamese government, Denso noted in a document accessed by VIR.

The MoIT cited Decree No.111/2015/ND-CP dated November 2015 on the development of SI, which states the transition of the project are the production of industrial products in support of industrial product catalog support development priorities continue to enjoy the incentives we have and enjoy the new incentives as stipulated in this decree,

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Planning and Investment confirmed that the Law on Investment and guiding documents are there to protect investors.

According to the Government Office, there are different interpretations of the provisions of Law 71, leading to the different opinions of the ministries. In practice, not allowing enterprises to enjoy incentives due to the date of issuance of their investment certificates is not fair and does not match the spirit of attracting long-term investment to Vietnam. Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung emphasised that the most encouraging solution should be selected, following the spirit of a constructive government.

Denso Vietnam is not the only case as several other SI enterprises including Enkei Vietnam and Sumdenso Vietnam are in the same boat, awaiting the final decision. However, with the majority of local authorities speaking in favour of more encouraging treatment, it seems likely that these enterprises will be able to choose incentive regimes under Law 71.

We know that in order to promote and encourage domestic and foreign investors to participate in SI prioritised for development, the government of Vietnam has issued many preferential policies to SI projects, particularly in real estate. The production of SI products is eligible to various forms of incentives, the most important and the most coveted one of which is preferential CIT, Denso stressed.

Home of many global high tech enterprises such as Samsung, Intel, Panasonic, Canon, Vietnam has extended investment incentives to a number of industries and projects that it has identified to be of strategic importance for the country.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 12

Trend:

The State Security Service of Azerbaijan has taken measures to stop illegal actions casting a shadow on the activities of authorities, some officials, who, in the name of their interests, harm the states legally protected interests in the protection of monuments considered as cultural and historical heritage of the Azerbaijani people, Trend reports with reference to the service.

As a result of the investigation, it was revealed that Deputy Minister of Culture Rafig Bayramov and Head of the State Service of Cultural Heritage Conservation, Development and Rehabilitation under the Ministry of Culture Zakir Sultanov abused their official powers, committed numerous violations that significantly harm the interests protected by society and state laws, and human rights.

During a search conducted by the State Security Service on May 8, 2020, in the offices and apartments of Rafig Bayramov and Zakir Sultanov, various notes on the amounts of funds accepted by officials of the Ministry of Culture, cash in various currencies, other documents and material evidences of importance to the case, were found.
David Ralph Jubb, a longtime member of Linfield Colleges board of trustees, is accused of sexually abusing four different students in 2017 and 2019, including a student trustee last year.

Jubb, through his defense lawyer Stephen Houze, entered not guilty pleas by phone to an eight-count indictment unsealed Wednesday in Yamhill County Circuit Court.

Jubb, 71, is accused of one count of first-degree sexual abuse, which alleges he subjected undergraduate student AnnaMarie Motis to forcible sexual contact on Feb. 15, 2019, as the two left a faculty-trustee dinner.

Hes also accused of seven counts of third-degree sexual abuse involving three other students.

The indictment says he subjected the three other women to sexual contact, by touching either their buttocks, groin or tongue, on May 5, 2017, which was the day of the colleges annual Symposium Day, a celebration of senior scholarship and academic achievement followed by a senior awards dinner, according to a college calendar.

Motis, who was a student representative on the college board, alleges in a separate pending federal civil lawsuit that Jubb put his hands up her dress twice on the evening of Feb. 15, 2019, and touched her buttocks and genitalia. The Oregonian/OregonLive generally doesnt identify alleged victims of sexual abuse but Motis said she wanted to be named after filing the suit.

Jubb resigned as a board trustee last June. Hes a 1971 Linfield College graduate and had served on the board since 1994, chairing its financial affairs committee, according to a college magazine. Hes a retired partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers and served on the board of The Reser Family Foundation.

Yamhill County Circuit Judge Ladd J. Wiles ordered Jubb not to drink alcohol after a prosecutor noted that at least one of the alleged abuse encounters occurred when Jubb was intoxicated.

The judge also ordered Jubb not to have contact with any of the women, who were identified in the indictment by their initials.

Jubb was directed to schedule a booking photo and fingerprints in the next 10 days. Hell be allowed to live at his home in Vancouver. He posted 10 percent, or $10,000, of his $100,000 bail and is set to return to court July 2.

Motis reported Jubbs behavior to the college boards chair, David Baca, and to the college within a week and made a police report in March 2019, her lawyers said.

This past February, Motis civil claims against Linfield College were dismissed under a joint agreement, according to court records. The college reportedly paid $500,000 to the student in a settlement.

The suit alleged the college was aware of a prior allegation of sexual harassment involving Jubb but failed to investigate.

The college initially responded to Motis suit by alleging that any injury to Motis was the sole fault of a third-party,'' according to court records.

"Last week, Dave Jubb advised me he was resigning from the Board due to health concerns,'' Chair David Baca wrote, according to the suit.

Linfield faculty, students and alumni distributed a petition calling for Bacas resignation, saying he failed to protect students and didnt tell the college community about the real reasons that led to Jubbs resignation.

Baca wrote to board members last year that Jubb was resigning due to health concerns and praised Jubbs contributions.

An email to staff and alumni from the college president last week noted that Baca was re-elected as board chair and will serve another three-year term, said Chrissy Bassler, who graduated from Linfield in 1988. Bassler forwarded the email to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Bassler criticized Bacas tenure. "He never did anything with the allegations against David Jubb by other Linfield students previous to AnnaMarie Motis coming forward,'' she said.

Baca, she said, did nothing to look into prior allegations made against Jubb by at least one other student, and Jubb only resigned after Motis filed a lawsuit against the college.

Linfield Colleges lawyer, Paula A. Barran, wrote in court documents this year that Baca asked Jubb for his resignation after Motis reported her allegations.

College spokesman Scott Nelson said the school hasnt seen the indictment against Jubb and so he couldnt comment on it. "But Linfield has cooperated with investigators. We care deeply about our students and protecting them in whatever way we can,'' Nelson said.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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As rumors swirl about the death or incapacitation of Kim Jong Un, the third in a line of reclusive dictators of North Korea, experts who have pored over the limited information available say its likely no one outside the country knows for sure what his current condition is.

Its a tough country to understand in normal times, noted Ken Gause, a senior foreign leadership analyst for CNA, a nonprofit research outfit that frequently works with government organizations. If they want to shut down information coming out of the regime, they will, he told Yahoo News.

South Korean officials have gone as far as denying his death, but Kim has not surfaced publicly in two weeks, despite multiple recent statements being sent out under his name. President Trump on Monday night hinted he knew more about Kims health but would not elaborate.

The initial sign of alarm came on April 15 when Kim, for the first time since he assumed power, failed to show up at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun for his grandfather Kim Il Sungs birthday celebrations, one of the isolated nations most important holidays. Concerns grew following Kims absence and reporting that he had undergone heart surgery, according to the South Korean site Daily NK, known for its connections to North Korean defector networks. Reports from CNN about U.S. officials tracking news of Kims grave health condition and a deleted tweet from an NBC reporter about Kim being brain-dead escalated speculation quickly.

The range of possible scenarios inside North Korea is wide. Kim could be vacationing or recovering from a medical procedure, or isolating himself from coronavirus infection like much of the world.

At the other end of the spectrum is the ultimate nightmare squared, said Harry Kazianis, the senior director of Korean studies at the Center for the National Interest, during a phone interview. That nightmare is a scenario in which the nuclear-armed state collapses and a flood of refugees, possibly infected with the coronavirus, surges into China and South Korea.

Story continues

With such little information emerging from the North Korean enclave, most experts plan on waiting and seeing.

Kim Jong Un in 2019. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

The bottom line ... is that we wont know the status of Kim Jung-un until North Korea tells us, wrote Ambassador Joseph DeTrani, the former American special envoy to the six-party talks with North Korea, in an email to Yahoo News.

Extracting information from North Korea, a place that is cut off from the rest of the world, has always been extremely difficult for intelligence gathering. When I was in intelligence, we called North Korea the hardest of the hard targets, said Bruce Klingner, a former CIA officer and a senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation.

Given the lack of information, experts have often turned to satellite imagery to try to get a sense of the situation on the ground. According to imagery published by Korean analysis shop 38 North, Kim Jong Uns personal train has been parked at Wonsan, an elite coastal beach area.

There could be other explanations, noted Gause. Potentially hes trying to avoid the virus, or maybe hes reached a position within his consolidation of power that he no longer has to pay deference to his father and grandfather in order to maintain legitimacy.

If the rumors are true, or even if Kim is temporarily out of commission, the pandemic could make it even harder to understand whats going on and how to send aid. Even smuggling between North Korea and China is cut off, removing one of the methods the regime uses to keep afloat amid crippling sanctions, Klingner noted.

North Korea and China have really closed the border, he said.

Commuters wearing face masks in Pyongyang, North Korea, on March 30. (Kyodo via Reuters)

The potential for a large exodus of North Korean refugees would be of real concern to China, given its 900-mile border with North Korea, wrote DeTrani. Thats where the international community has to help, assuming, of course, that [Kim Jong Un] or any successor permits the international community and NGOs to help, he continued.

Kims death would also have repercussions on the United States, which has around 28,000 forces based in South Korea. Its unclear how those forces might have to respond to chaos within North Korea or to defend South Korea.

In recent years, U.S. and South Korean forces have already cut down on certain military exercises due to now stagnant diplomatic negotiations between Trump and Kim. With the pandemic, those military forces are on lockdown  though their alert status does not appear to have changed in response to rumors about Kims death. Additionally, the U.S. and South Korea have been engaged in intense negotiations over defense payments to reimburse the Pentagon, straining the relationship somewhat. U.S. forces in Korea are currently operating under a state of emergency, with restrictions on movement and proximity. While North Korea has artillery forces amassed at the border pointing toward Seoul, its unclear what a conflict would look like amid a pandemic.

Id be paying attention to what the Chinese are doing and what the U.S. and South Korea are doing, said Gause. If theyre not raising their alert status or preparing to go into North Korea, at most, there might be a transition of power but no crisis.

If Kim is dead or dies, experts believe the most likely successor would be his sister, Kim Yo Jong, whose position in the elite society and political rankings has been elevated over recent years. Her status as a Kim might be more important than her gender.

Kim Jong Un and sister Kim Yo Jong in Paju, South Korea, in 2018. (Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps/Pool/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

I think that someone connected to the Peaktu bloodline is essential for legitimacy, wrote David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a U.S. Army veteran previously stationed in Korea who runs an email Listserv on Korean issues. It will be difficult for a non-blood relative to take power as the entire propaganda narrative will have to be adjusted.

If theres no clear successor and Kims fate is as grim as rumors paint it to be, then things could escalate quickly.

A lot of times, we plan ... then all those plans go out the window as soon as something starts to happen, said Gause. The U.S. would potentially not only be dealing with an insurgency inside North Korea but also potentially a civil war as well as U.S. Forces Korea butting up against Chinese forces, none of whom have communicated beforehand.

One possible upside to the current possible crisis is that if North Korea is simply suffering from the impact of the pandemic, it could offer the intelligence community a rare opportunity, said Joe Nixon, an intelligence and national security researcher.

According to Radio Free Asia, the regime is attempting to educate North Koreans about the dangers of the virus, he wrote, noting that appears to contradict the governments position in early March, when it claimed there were no COVID-19 cases in the country.

This presents opportunities for intelligence gathering, he wrote, or to hold medical aid over their head in exchange for calling off weapons testing or something similar.

People leave after laying flowers before the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang on April 15. (Kim Won/AFP via Getty Images)

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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.

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By Isabel Inclan

New Canadian Media

For the last five years, Sophia, a migrant worker from Kenya, has helped raise the children of a Canadian family.

But the COVID-19 pandemic has left her unemployed and unable to apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) because her social insurance number (SIN) has expired. Like her, many caregivers immigration status is in limbo.

Her work permit expired last August, and she is still waiting for it to be renewed, explained Diana Da Silva, 28, an organizer with the Caregivers Action Centre (CAC).

She added that Sophia  who prefers to be identified with a pseudonym because she lost her status  paid all the money she was required to apply for permanent residence status but was refused because she did not receive a reply from the federal department responsible for immigration on time.

She has reapplied, but all processing for immigration applications has slowed down during this health crisis, said Da Silva, adding that in some cases, where an expired work permit is waiting for renewal, this means that the person has implied status. Unfortunately, in this specific case, she does not have implied status.

According to the Canada.ca website, Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada is operating with essential staff only due to COVID-19.

Da Silva said live-in care workers with closed work permits that tie them to their employers, are at risk of losing their immigration status as well as their housing and income when they are laid off.

This pandemic has affected care workers in many ways. For many of them, having the right to live-out is seen as a victory, but now the social distance and isolation policies have obligated them to work live-in the house where they work if they want to keep their job.

Due to the pandemic, some migrant and undocumented workers have also lost their jobs. Yet, they cant access economic relief because of their status.

When they are live-in, they often end up being asked to do more work without additional pay, said Da Silva, who organized a webinar on May 3 to educate caregivers about their rights.

This is a huge problem because its hard for care workers to stand up for their rights due to (their work permits) being tied to their (specific) employers. They are afraid of losing their jobs and in turn, their immigration status.

Maria Sol Pajadura, a former caregiver originally from the Philippines, and who now serves the chairperson of Migrante Canada, said in an interview that some of our caregiver members are working more during this pandemic because as live-in workers they have to clean the house and do other tasks beyond taking care of children or elder people.

When the status is tied to the employer, the care worker is afraid to do a complaint, she said. Migrante Canada distributes food to undocumented migrants who lost their jobs.

In Vancouver, Julie Diesta, a member of the Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights (CDWCR), said during this pandemic some caregivers have switched from live-out to live-in, or even continue working without pay to complete the 24-month requirement needed to apply for permanent residency.

We also have members who went on vacation in the Philippines and cannot come back due to the lockdown. They do not know if they can still come back if the employer can no longer employ them, she said.

Caregiver Edna, who like Sophia prefers to hide her real name due to their vulnerable status, tested positive for coronavirus and had to self-isolate.

When I got the news that I tested positive, the nurse on the other end (of the phone line) didnt have any information to give other than to say stay in isolation and if my symptoms change for the worse to call 911. I am doing my uttermost best to stay calm and monitor the fact that I am asymptomatic, she said.

Migrant rights advocates argue that without CERB, these workers will continue going out to work, putting their lives and others at risk.

To flatten the curve, everyone needs to follow public health directives. But without income, undocumented and migrant workers are some of the most at risk for losing housing, access to food and healthcare, said labour rights defenders at Migrant Rights Network, in a press statement.

In their April 14 letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, they called on the government to close the gaps that deny needed income support to migrant and undocumented residents in Canada and to extend access to CERB to those whose SINs haves expired and who did not earn at least $5,000 in the last 12 months.

They state that there are at least 1.8 million migrant and undocumented workers in Canada (1 in 22 people), which include seasonal agricultural workers, caregivers and cleaners, many of whom are essential workers

Syed Hussan, executive director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said that in a public health emergency, we cannot protect anyone if we do not protect everyone. Over half a million workers are in a state of abject despair.
Murderer of Moscow investigator to undergo compulsory treatment - court

 Moskva city news agency, Kirill Zykov

14:58 13/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 13 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court on Wednesday found unemployed St. Petersburg resident Sergey Grigoryev guilty of killing a Moscow investigator Vladislav Kapustin and ordered the defendant to undergo compulsory mental treatment, RAPSI was told in the courts press office.

A criminal case was opened over an assault on colonel Kapustin with the use of a knife in the Investigative Committees building in October 2019. According to the Investigative Committees statement, the victim was attacked during the reception of citizens. He was taken to a hospital but died there.

Grigoryev was immediately arrested and questioned. According to the previous reports, he was registered at a psychoneurologic dispensary. During the arrest, the man behaved inadequately.




Teachers may be expected to rank their students giving them marks out of 1,000 as fears arise over the difficulties in grading students of similar abilities through calculated grades.

Following the cancellation of this summers Leaving Cert exams, teachers are being asked to assign students both a grade, and a ranking amongst their class. Concerns have arisen in relation to both of these aspects.

The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) has now told its members that when it comes to the 'class ranking' element, each student may be marked by their teacher out of 1,000 available marks.

This might be useful in a situation where it would be very challenging to rank a group of students whose attainment is very similar, the teaching union said, in detailed advice issued to members.

This is relevant in cases where a number of students would be expected to receive the same percentage mark. One approach could be for the teacher to mark students out of 1,000 and convert these marks to percentages.

This would allow greater refinement of the teachers judgments and automatically create the ranking for the teacher, according to the ASTI.

In cases where two or more students receive identical marks, the teacher will be asked to look again to see what might separate them, the advice added.

Each teacher is also being asked by the Department of Education to "draw from a variety of sources" when it comes to assigning students' grades. Sources cited by the Department of Education include class assessments, Christmas exams, summer exams, mock exams but with some caution, performances on any coursework components like projects or homework, and previous results in the school in the subject.

However, the ASTI believes it will be "inappropriate" to include classwork and homework in these calculations.

The ASTI takes the view that a school, in arriving at the students grade to be sent to the Department of Education and Skills for standardisation purposes, should rely only on already published school data.

Published school data would include data already inputted on a school's system, for example Christmas exam results or Summer tests. This would help to avoid suggestions of any biases, as the information has been recorded previously.

Further detailed guidance on the entire calculated grades process is expected to be issued shortly by the Department of Education. The Teachers' Union of Ireland is also expected to issue its members with detailed answers to their questions in the coming days. This week, the union called for a protocol to be put in place to protect teachers from any form of lobbying or canvassing.

Under the calculated grades systems, teachers will submit both student's calculated grades and a class ranking. This will then be further examined by other teaching staff in the same subject.

A school principal will then review the marks and, once they are satisfied that the process has been followed fairly, this information is then submitted to the Department of Education for 'standardisation.'
Australians have more chance of being hit by lightning or winning the lottery than having coronavirus in three states - with the odds lengthening dramatically over the past five weeks as severe lockdowns caused infection rates to plummet.

Just one out 38,336 Australians still has COVID-19 but that balloons to one in 284,194 in Queensland, 375,800 in Western Australia and 1.7million in South Australia.

By comparison, Australians have a one in 233,504 chance of being struck by lightning or a one in 240,050 probability of having won a division one lottery prize this year.

New South Wales residents, however, are twice as likely to be infected with the virus than anywhere else in Australia due to mass outbreaks at two nursing homes and from the infection-ravaged Ruby Princess cruise ship.

The above COVID-19 figures are a raw guide, arrived at by dividing state and national population figures by the number of known active cases - people who are still suffering from the virus.

As of Tuesday, the number of active cases countrywide stood at 670 - which is the number of people who had tested positive for the illness and not yet been listed as recovered.

Little more than a month ago, Australia had 3,338 active cases - almost fives times as many as this week.

Australians have a one in 38,336 chance of coming into contact with someone infected with coronavirus right now - with the odds lengthening dramatically during the past five weeks of severe lockdowns. By comparison, Australians have a one in 233,504 chance of being struck by lightning - making a thunderclap injury more likely than contracting coronavirus in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia

Should all those still infected stay at home for 14 days, as required by law, the odds of someone else catching the disease would be very low - and are falling as Australians stay home.

How we calculated your chance of getting COVID-19 The CSIRO, or Commonweatlh Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, said active COVID-19 cases could be established by deducting recoveries and deaths from the total cases. Daily Mail Australia worked out the chance of being infected now by dividing national, state and territory populations by the snapshot number of active cases. The population data was sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics while the active case numbers came from health departments around the nation. The calculation for determining someone's chance of having contracted coronavirus in 2020 was based on dividing Australia's population, nationally and in each state, by the total number of cases. Professor Allen Cheng, from Melbourne's Alfred Hospital, said this methodology could yield an overall risk number but cautioned against applying that to individual suburbs. Advertisement

Health experts and cautious state premiers have warned that number could rise again as lockdown measures are eased and people circulate with asymptomatic carriers who unwittingly pass it on - a scenario known as the reinfection rate.

Professor Allen Cheng, the director of the Alfred Hospital's Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology unit in Melbourne, agreed that the probability of having contracted coronavirus in 2020 could be deduced by dividing the number of cases by Australia's population and multiplying that by 100.

'The overall risk of having had COVID since January is about 0.02 per cent and obviously much lower at the moment, when we have only 20 cases per day,' he said.

However, as always, this did not provide a 'completely straightforward answer'.

'Epidemiologists always like to say "it depends",' he told Daily Mail Australia.

Figures show someone living in NSW is twice as likely to still be sick with COVID-19 - with the chance sitting at 0.04 per cent.

On April 5, five days into the stage three lockdown, the chance of an Australian being an active COVID-19 case stood at one in 7,687 with 3,338 people still testing positive - or 0.01 per cent.

Professor Cheng cautioned against drawing too much from infection rates in one suburb, with Bondi residents in Sydney's east having had a one in 200 or 0.5 per cent chance of catching coronavirus in 2020.

As of Tuesday, there were 670 active COVID-19 cases in Australia when the number of people who had either recovered or died from coronavirus was subtracted from the total number of cases. Pictured is a sign closing the Dee Why rock pool on Sydney's northern beaches

'In small areas it doesn't really work - there are plenty of cases but most are returned travellers, so the risk isn't for the residents,' he said.

State of play: active cases and deaths New South Wales: 464 active cases and 46 deaths (including two Queenslanders) Victoria: 118 active cases and 18 deaths Queensland: 18 active cases and six deaths Western Australia: seven active cases and nine deaths South Australia: one active case and four deaths Tasmania: 27 active cases and 13 deaths Northern Territory: two active cases and zero deaths Australian Capital Territory: zero active cases and three deaths Nationally, there are 97 deaths, with two NSW fatalities counted in the Queensland category. The number of active cases as of Tuesday, May 12 stood at 670 Advertisement

'Also they may not have picked up cases where they live.'

At the other end of the spectrum, South Australia has one active case in the state, putting the chance of catching COVID-19 at one in 1,756,500 or 0.00006 per cent.

The Australian Capital Territory also has zero active cases.

Despite the low numbers, Australian National University Medical School Professor Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician, said there was still a risk of community transmission because some people could be carrying the disease without showing symptoms.

'Sometimes cases with no symptoms are just bubbling just below the surface,' he said.

'Not many cases, but enough to likely keep the virus circulating at low levels.'

Someone is twice as likely in New South Wales to still be sick with COVID-19 but significantly less likely in every other state.

The national odds of being infected since January are one in 3,696, or a 0.027 per cent probability, with 6,949 people contracting the disease during the past four months, as of Tuesday.

The Australian Capital Territory also has zero active cases. Statistically, someone has a zero percent chance of having the disease in Canberra now but those odds would change with just one active case, possibly brought in from outside the ACT. Parliament House pictured

The CSIRO's director of health and biosecurity Dr Rob Grenfell, cautioned against the idea of calculating the mathematical risks of getting coronavirus.

'Calculating the probability of contracting COVID-19 is more guesswork than science,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Rather than determining the probability of contracting COVID-19, Australians should continue to exercise good hygiene and practise social distancing to minimise the spread of the virus.'

Dr Grenfell said SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, was very infectious and predominantly spread through the movement of people.

'Although an area may have a higher concentration of cases, the likelihood of the virus spreading further depends on other variables such as social distancing measures, individual behaviours and contact tracing,' he said.

Since early April, the number of new coronavirus cases in Australia has been falling dramatically after state governments implemented stage three lockdowns banning people from leaving their home apart from buying groceries and medicines, working or caring for a loved one

Since early April, the number of new coronavirus cases in Australia has been falling dramatically as state governments implemented stage three lockdowns banning people from leaving their home apart from buying groceries and medicines, working or caring for a loved one.

Australia's chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy on April 7 - a week into the stage three restrictions - suggested the infection rate curve was flattening.

'The early indications are positive, but we can't be complacent. We must not be complacent, we must hold the line,' he said.

Professor Raina MacIntyre, the head of biosecurity research at the University of New South Wales Kirby Institute, said with active cases numbers low, healthcare workers were now most at risk, adding the probability of getting the disease was hard to calculate.

'It would be low right now. Higher for people working in health care. No precise estimates,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Professor Cheng, an infectious diseases physician, said Australians who had travelled overseas were much more at risk.

'It depends who you are - the risk in returning travellers was much higher than in those who hadn't left the country,' he said.

Someone is twice as likely in New South Wales to still be sick with COVID-19 - with the chance at 0.04 per cent. The national average probability is 0.02 per cent. Pictured is the Sydney Opera House on May 3, 2020

Nonetheless, Professor Cheng said there could be many more undiagnosed cases which increased the chance of being infected.

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

'There are probably more cases than were diagnosed, for a variety of reasons - people that didn't get tested, or only had mild or no symptoms,' he said.

New South Wales

With 464 active cases in NSW, the chance of being tested positive now is one in 17,496 or 0.006 per cent in a state with 8.1million people.

With 3,053 people infected so far this year, they have had a one in 2,659 chance of having getting COVID-19 in 2020 - equating to a 0.04 per cent danger.

NSW, Australia's most populous state, has also been home to the Ruby Princess cruise ship and clusters of cases at Sydney's Newmarch House and Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing homes.

Victoria

The state with Australia's strictest lockdown still has 118 active cases out of a population of 6.63million.

That means the chance of having COVID-19 now is one in 56,185 or 0.002 per cent.

The state with Australia's strictest lockdown still has 118 active cases out of a population of 6.630million. That means the chance of having COVID-19 now is one in 56,185 or 0.002 per cent. Pictured it the Yarra River in Melbourne's city centre

Victoria on January 25 had the dubious distinction of having Australia's first coronavirus case after a man from Wuhan in China, flew to Melbourne from Guandong six days earlier.

With 1,496 people diagnosed in the state since that time, Victorians have had a one in 4,431 chance of getting coronavirus during the past four months - with odds of 0.02 per cent.

Queensland

With just 18 cases in the Sunshine State, out of a population of 5.1million, the chance of having cornoavirus now in Queensland stands at just 284,194 or 0.0004 per cent.

Since the start of 2020, 1,045 have caught the illness - a one in 4,895 chance or a 0.02 per cent probability.

With just 18 cases in the Sunshine State, out of a population of 5.1million, the chance of having cornoavirus now in Queensland stands at just 284,194 or 0.0004 per cent. Pictured is a closed section of Surfers Paradise beach on the Gold Coast

Until May 7, South Australia had recorded no new cases for two weeks. With just one active case in the state, the chances of being infected now are one in 1,756,500 or 0.00006 per cent. Pictured is SA Premier Steven Marshall sitting down with Duthy Street Deli owner Vassil Nikoliadis as COVID-19 restrictions are eased

South Australia

Until May 7, South Australia had recorded no new cases for two weeks.

With just one active case in the state, the chances of being infected now are one in 1,756,500 or 0.00006 per cent.

The chance that someone in SA contracted coronavirus in 2020 stands at one in 4,001 or 0.025 per cent from 439 cases.

Western Australia

With just seven active cases in a state with 2.6million people, the chance of having COVID-19 right now in Western Australia is one in 375,800 or 0.0003 per cent.

The probability of someone getting coronavirus this year is one in 4,757 or 0.02 per cent with 553 cases so far among a population of 2.63million.

Retired Perth travel agent James Kwan, 78, on March 1 became the first Australian to die of COVID-19.

With just seven active cases in a state with 2.6million people, the chance of having COVID-19 right now in Western Australia is one in 375,800 or 0.0003 per cent. Pictured are two police officers at Cottesloe Beach in Perth

North West Regional Hospital at Burnie was shut down on April 13. This saw 1,200 hospital staff quarantined, after three healthcare workers tested positive on April 3 and 4 and the army brought in to provide medical care. Pictured is Royal Australian Air Force medic Bendict Whalley in Burnie on April 18, 2020

Tasmania

The chance of having coronavirus now in the island state is one in 19,833 with just 27 active cases - yielding a probability of 0.005 per cent.

Most of that is concentrated in the state's north west, with North West Regional Hospital at Burnie shut down on April 13.

This saw 1,200 hospital staff quarantined, after three healthcare workers tested positive on April 3 and 4 with the army and Royal Australian Air Force brought in to provide medical care.

The prospect that someone this year caught COVID-19 in Tasmania, which closed its borders on March 18, is one in 2,380 or 0.04 per cent with 225 cases among a population of 535,500 people.

The Top End and Central Australia has just two active cases out of 245,600 people, putting the chance of someone having coronavirus now in the Northern Territory at one in 122,800 or just 0.0008 per cent. No wonder the NT is reopening its pubs this Friday. Pictured is a dirt bike rider at Gunn Point on the outskirts of Darwin

Northern Territory

The Top End and Central Australia has just two active cases out of 245,600 people, putting the chance of someone having coronavirus now in the Northern Territory at one in 122,800 or just 0.0008 per cent.

No wonder the NT is reopening its pubs this Friday.

With just 29 cases this year, the chance of being infected is one in 8,469 or 0.01 per cent.

Australian Capital Territory

With just no active cases in Canberra, this effectively puts the prospect of being infected right now at zero but this would change should someone else in the community catch COVID-19.

In 2020, there have been 107 confirmed cases in the ACT putting the chance of being infected at one in 4,001 with the odds at 0.02 per cent from a population of 428,100.
2020 has been a year of turmoil for stock market investors, with market volatility wiping out recent price gains. Fortunately, the dividends on offer from shares like Taiwan Paiho (TPE:9938) offer a potentially better bet in the hunt for sustainable income whatever the economic weather.

With so much uncertainty around the sustainability of some dividends, it's understandable that investors are searching for the best payouts available. Part of the challenge is that shares on attractively high yields are turning out to be a mirage in many cases. Dividend cuts have swept through the market. The pain for investors is real. So what should you be looking for in the search for sustainable dividend income?

Here's a checklist of measures and a summary of why Taiwan Paiho - which is a player in the Textiles & Apparel industry - scores well against them...

GET MORE DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS INTO TPE:9938 

1. High (but not excessive) dividend yield

Yield is an important dividend metric because it tells you the percentage of how much a company pays out in dividends each year relative to its share price. That makes it easy to compare dividend payouts right across the market.

High yields are obviously appealing but be careful of excessively high yields (usually above 10%) because they can be a sign of problems. When the market suspects a company may be unable to sustain its dividend, the share price will fall and actually push the yield higher - and this can be a trap. So it pays to be wary of excessive yields.

Taiwan Paiho has a dividend yield of 4.93%.

2. Dividend growth



Another important marker for income investors is a track record of dividend growth - and evidence that the growth will continue. Consistent dividend growth can be a pointer to companies that are carefully managing their payout policies - and rewarding their shareholders over time. Rather than aggressively dishing out earnings, dividend growth companies tend to have more modest yields, but are better at sustaining their payouts.

Story continues

Taiwan Paiho has increased its dividend payout 5 times over the past 10 years - and the dividend per share is forecast to grow by 9.87% in the coming year.

3. Dividend safety

Attractively high yields obviously turn heads - but its important to know that a dividend is affordable. Dividend Cover (similar to the payout ratio) is a go-to measure of a company's net income over the dividend paid to shareholders. Its calculated as earnings per share divided by the dividend per share and helps to indicate how sustainable a dividend is.

Dividend cover of less than 1x suggests that the company cant fund the payout from its current year earnings - and might be relying on other sources of funds to pay it.

Taiwan Paiho has dividend cover of 1.73.

Next steps

With these three important rules, you can track down shares that offer a reasonable yield, with a record of growth and safety. On this basis, Taiwan Paiho could be worth a closer look.

To find out more you might want to take a look at the Taiwan Paiho StockReport from the award-winning research platform, Stockopedia. StockReports contain a goldmine of information in a single page and can help to inform your investment decisions.

To find more stocks like Taiwan Paiho, you'll need to equip yourself with professional-grade data and screening tools. This kind of information has traditionally been closely guarded by professional fund managers. But our team of financial analysts have carefully constructed this screen - Stockopedias Dividend Stock Ideas - which gives you everything you need. So why not come and take a look?

Plus, if youd like to discover more about dividend investing, you can read our free ebook: How to Make Money in Dividend Stocks.
Auto components manufacturers' body ACMA on Wednesday welcomed the measures announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, saying it will give a boost to MSME sector, which has been under severe stress due to the lockdown.

The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association Of India (ACMA) also reiterated its long pending demand of uniform GST rate of 18 per cent on all vehicles and auto components.

"Change in definition of MSMEs has been a long-standing recommendation of ACMA. With this new classification, a significant number of ACMA members stand to benefit as the sector is dominated by smaller Enterprises," ACMA President Deepak Jain said in a statement.

That apart, infusion of liquidity through collateral-free automatic loans and subordinate debt scheme will ease the severe challenge of working capital being faced by the sector, he added.

Jain said ACMA is also hopeful that the government will soon announce a package for demand generation for automotive sector.

"A uniform GST rate of 18 per cent on all vehicles and auto components, backed by an incentive-based scrappage policy would bring the automotive industry back on track," he said.

Jain further said, "That apart, we look forward to support from the government for payment of salaries of workmen and contractual labour during the lockdown period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Mostly cloudy with a few snow showers this morning. High 41F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with late-night snow showers. Low 28F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Opinion Article

13 May 2020

Does the leisure and tourism workforce need to be rescued? Considering the industry contributes 10.4% of global GDP, supporting one in ten jobs on the planet [i], we can affirm that the tourism industry is one of the principal job providers. Furthermore, business recovery is expected to be slow: the UNWTO has estimated a 20%-30% global decline in international tourist arrivals [ii].

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Major hotel chains are reducing their workforce. The business is performing 50% below normal levels in the European market and Asia Pacific, excluding China [iii] ; Marriott's CEO Arne Sorenson said that the hotel business was running almost 75% below normal levels. This is the reason behind Marriott's decision to cut off two-thirds of its 4,000 corporate employees at the Bethesda, Maryland head office, which means approximately two-thirds of corporate staff abroad will also be furloughed.

All the way down to the hotel operation level, the international brands are facing the critical issue of redundancy during this current COVID-19 crisis, regardless of each owner's specific cash flow situation.

Photo: Global Asset Solutions

What are your underlying drivers for retention or downsizing strategies?

This article will navigate through the upsides and the downsides of these two strategies: Retention or downsizing. We will provide you with examples and reflections that you may find useful to evaluate your best actions.

The underlying variables of the post-COVID-19 business plan are related to economic and governmental policies, and they are not consistent worldwide. Therefore, in this document, we are not going to provide our opinion nor recommendations. Nevertheless, our hotel asset management team can provide best practices and adapted approaches to each particular hotel.

STRATEGY ONE: TO AVOID COVID-19 LAYOFFS

PRO " Instilling Loyalty Among Your Staff"

The corporate value of international hotel brands includes the relevant element of employee caring. For example, Marriott states that they put people first and their value is "Take care of our associates and they will take care of our customers." Besides the written contract, the hotel chains have built psychological contracts with their employee that create unwritten expectations in the employment relationship.

As such, the handling of employee-related issues would determine if the psychological contract is perceived as being kept or breached. The breach can severely damage the motivation and performance of the staff.

In this hyper-connected world, information about mishandling labour-related issues could be quickly propagated and damage the employer branding of the hotel chains. However, it could be an opportunity for hotel chains to show that they care for the well-being of their employees. For instance, Hilton has announced that it will team up with 30 leading companies to provide temporary jobs, in addition to the common practice of covering health benefits. Furthermore, Accor will allocate EUR 70 million in a fund to cover those employees without medical insurance or social security that present COVID-19 health issues and to support front-line healthcare professionals & non-profit organizations. The fund has been raised from the unpaid year 2019 dividends.

The determination to maintain a positive attitude towards staff-caring and experience throughout the crisis is crucial for the recovery phase. There is no doubt that the different hotel brands will restart the competition for the talents in the industry once the market starts to recover. Good employer branding can be a competitive edge. Besides employees do not forget when you support them during tough periods.

CON "Adding Substantial Pressure to Your Cash flow"

When occupancy is plummeting to single digits, cash flow management becomes the lifeline of nearly all the hotels. As labour costs, regardless of the hotel category, generally represent the largest component of operational expenses, multiple hotel chains including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Accor and MGM have announced furloughing schemes as a component of their COVID-19 responses in order to slash costs. Furthermore, these hotel chains have also declared a different degree of pay cuts for the remaining employees. For example, CEOs put a halt to cash dividends and reduced salaries to senior executive teams by 50% [iv].

The cost-saving exercise should be conducted in a way that allows the hotel to recover quickly once the demand comes back. A salary cut policy is required at every level to survive; in other words, we all need to tighten our belts until the ramp-up stage.

The significance is that, if the termination of the employment contract is not an option, some businesses may be only left with one choice: a total shut down. When planning different financial scenarios, it is essential to manage the working capital for the short term and medium term. Owners need to start pro-active discussions with their banks or other investors to increase their debt service, (we have published another article specifically on this topic).

On 28th March, the Wujiang Hotel Chain, an emerging hotel chain that was formed under the investment of C-trip last year, was the first hotel chain to collapse in this crisis. Xiaodong Ma, the CEO of this hotel chain, has announced they will terminate all employment contracts by 30th April [v] . There is no doubt that the ban on unilateral termination of employment contracts in China during the lockdown has greatly contributed to the downfall of this one-year-old hotel chain [vi].

STRATEGY 2: TO EXECUTE COVID-19 LAYOFFS

PRO "Team optimisation and transformation"

The drastic drop in business has forced many hotels into a minimum level of operation. At the same time, the crisis has made it easier for the operators to identify who are the core staff and who are the weaker team players. We all know that layoffs are necessary and that they open up an opportunity to review the organization to optimize productivity, reduce long term costs and often improve the overall operation/guest experience.

In addition, the Human Resources department should optimize the workforce according to several variables that will impact the labour cost structure:

Adjust the business plan with several tentative re-opening dates.

Adapt the workforce to different ramp-up occupancy levels.

Reorganize F&B team to the gradual opening of the various outlets (the same applies to other operating departments).

The well-being of employees: Motivate, train (e.g., new hygiene procedures) and reassure the team after this challenging period.

CON "Consideration of recruitment & re-training costs, and reputation"

As China's economy is slowly shifting towards recovery mode, many labour-intensive companies, including hotels, have found themselves short of workforce. The reason for this labour shortage varies; but one of the reasons was that some employees were reluctant to return for fear of infection.

Since 2016, many industry analysts have been expressing concerns over a labour shortage at all levels, especially in the operational departments. This phenomenon is highly detrimental to the industry, as hotels' operation requires a set of expertise in every department. The labour shortage can be statistically proven by the increasing labour cost percentage at hotels.

Also, other than payroll, there is a key factor that justifies the value of raising the labour costs: Training. When hotel management executes a training plan for different levels of staff, the costs included in this are training materials, supplies, certification programs and instructor fees. A thorough training will have a direct positive impact on productivity, customer satisfaction, revenue growth through upselling and enhance employee satisfaction that leads to lower turnover.

It is logical to interpret similar situations that would occur in other sectors in the recovery phase; keeping the current staff may be a sound strategy for minimizing the cost of rehiring. As hotels in China rely on the domestic labour force, it can be estimated that the increase in hiring cost after the crisis can be even steeper for countries which are mainly relying on foreign labour.

Last but not least, owners and operators should consider that downsizing has a reputational risk, especially if the crisis is short. Before making any decision, it is important to consider the following: What are the hotels core values? How do owners and operators want to be recognized in the market? How will this impact in the recovery period?

The list of pros and cons of each strategy seems to be limitless and we are only listing out the general considerations. As such, please do not hesitate to share with us your thoughts and considerations on your staff retention and downsizing strategies.

We encourage you to start planning the labour cost structure, to adapt your staff level according to the operation immediate needs and to consider the reputational risk. Please contact us at [email protected], we would be delighted to offer you our assistance and tailor-make an action and implementation plan for optimal future reopening.

Source of information

[1] Retrieved from TravelDaily, a leading media for tourism-related news in China: https://www.traveldaily.cn/article/136909
Good news about coronavirus 112 Agency

The fight against coronavirus continues. And with each week the situation does not look as bad as it was at the very beginning.



Many countries have already begun to lift quarantine restrictions. And this became possible, first of all, due to the fact that the number of Covid-19 cases has drastically decreased there.



In parallel, the work of many countries on the vaccine against the virus does not stop. And the support and mutual assistance of each other all over the world does not stop.



The world is fighting and recovering.

Coronavirus vaccine



Italian researchers said they began testing the world's first vaccine to deal with Covid-19.



The Daily Mail writes that the vaccine was developed by Takis Biotech. Scientists have obtained antibodies in pre-infected coronavirus mice.



At the same time, the company says that, according to further studies, antibodies taken from mice were able to stop the coronavirus infection.



However, a number of other scientists have so far called into question the success of the Italians, saying that they "hurried with the conclusions."



But this rather indicates a high competition in the development of the vaccine, which in the end should only benefit to the result.



On the subject of vaccines, there is more global news.



A few days ago, the European Union hosted an international videoconference that launched a Global Response fundraising campaign to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.



DW reports that the initiator was the World Health Organization (WHO), along with various charities, in particular the Gates Foundation.



To understand the scope.



About 40 countries and organizations are going to join the general fund. At the same time, the EU itself, for example, allocated 1 billion euros to it.



Among the donors are also: Germany (525 million euros), France (500 million euros), the Netherlands (192 million), Spain (125 million). And these are only the largest donors.

Meanwhile



The victory over the coronavirus was announced in Iceland. According to the government, 97% of those infected recovered there.



Nike has developed special sneakers for medical athletes. More than 30 thousand pairs are donated to doctors in several American cities. Another 2.5 thousand were sent to hospitals throughout Europe, including Barcelona, Berlin, London, Milan and Paris.



Help, by the way, is different.



For example, the German brewery Willinger Brauhaus from Hesse decided, so to speak, to provide moral assistance to the population. And, as DW writes, distributed around 2,600 liters of light and dark beer. For free.



Beer was produced for restaurants and hotels, but it could not be sold due to quarantine.



We also want to thank people, and we hope that after the opening they will provide the same support that they come here, will recommend us, said the owner of the brewery Franz Mast.
A nominee for the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Clemence Honyenuga, failed to secure unanimous approval from the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP) when he appeared before it for vetting yesterday.

The committee voted on a 10-7 approval.

However, the other nominee, Mr Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, who was also vetted on the day, had unanimous approval.

Full debate

A member of the committee, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, told the Daily Graphic last night that since Justice Honyenuga had approval based on majority decision, the report on his nomination would be sent to the plenary of Parliament for a full debate and for a vote to be taken.

If Justice Honyenuga had won by consensus like his colleague Amadu, it means the report to the plenary will just follow the motion and it will be a simple voice vote and not a rancorous debate for a yes and no vote, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for North Tongu said.

The Minority was not convinced he was forthright and sincere. He breached several provisions in rules 1, 2, 5 and particularly 6 (s) of the Code of Conduct for judges and magistrates which frowns on judges endorsing a political office holder, he added.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Krachi East and member of the ACP, Mr Michael Gyato, confirmed that the committee voted on Justice Honyenuga when it went into conclave, but did not give details.

He, however, told the Daily Graphic that the matter on the appointment of Justice Honyenuga would go to the plenary for conclusion.

How it started

When Justice Honyenuga went before the committee, the MP for Tema East, Mr Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, drew his attention to how he was recriminated for making a statement at a durbar of the chiefs and the people of the Afadzato South District in the Volta Region praising the President, which made many Ghanaians uncomfortable.

The MP, therefore, urged the nominee to use his vetting as an opportunity to, as a judge and traditional ruler, share with the committee what he really said at the festival.

Responding, Justice Honyenuga said at the durbar, as culture demanded, the mantle to welcome the President fell on me as the longest -serving paramount chief in the district.

He said he was mandated to read the welcome address on behalf of the chiefs and the people of the district.

He said after the event, he noticed that the Daily Graphic, which covered the event, had misrepresented the true fact of what took place.

He said per the Daily Graphic report on the durbar, he had invited the President to visit his area.

The Daily Graphic did not report that the event took place at the district capital but instead reported that the President came to my area. Again, the newspaper did not report that I spoke for and on behalf of all the chiefs and the people of the Afadzato South District, he said.

He said while reading the speech, he had not intended to endorse the President, saying: Our understanding was that we were wishing him well, as had been happening in this country for a long time.

The Court of Appeal judge said what he said was a collective observation of the chiefs of the district and not his personal view.

Apology

He apologised to anyone who might have been offended by the statement he had read praising the President.

Hiccup

There was a little hiccup in the vetting of the nominee when the Chairman of the committee, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, refused to admit a question posed by Mr Ablakwa, leading to the Minority leaving the chamber.

The North Tongu MP had sought to ask Justice Honyenuga whether his statement did not amount to contravening the ethics of his profession as a judge, since he was being political with his endorsement of the President.

Before Justice Honyenuga could answer, Mr Osei-Owusu intervened, explaining that the nominee had already clarified his position on the statement he had read.

But the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, objected to the intervention by the chairman, saying: We are dissatisfied with your ruling in refusing to admit this particular question by Honourable Okudzeto Ablakwa, since he was only following up with a question by Mr Titus-Glover.

He, therefore, urged the chairman to allow the nominee to answer the question, since he was capable of doing so to vindicate himself.

After a fruitless attempt by Mr Iddrisu to get the chairman to back down on his position and allow Mr Ablakwa to sail through with his question, the Minority members on the committee left the Chamber.

After about 10 minutes, the Minority group returned to the Chamber, with members crafting various questions on the matter of the presidential endorsement by Justice Honyenuga.

Question after question, the nominee responded that he had not indulged in politics with the statement.

We (chiefs) did not endorse the President: we only wished him well, he told the committee.

According to Justice Honyenuga, the issue of praising Presidents at durbars of such nature had become a convention in the country and was, therefore, not anything new.

He said it was the way chiefs use to attract development to their areas.

This thing has been happening since colonial times, he said.

No political case

Answering a question on whether there was any case considered political, the nominee said judges did not consider any case a political case.

According to him, judges only considered cases on their merit and the evidence presented by parties in a case.

Capping of justices

He suggested the caping of justices at the Supreme Court, saying that putting the number at 17 would ensure the expeditious adjudication of cases at the highest court of the land.

I am, therefore, proposing that we can give an upper limit of the Supreme Court justices at 17, and that should be done with an amendment of Article 128 (1) of the Constitution, he said.

Balance in appointment

Touching on regional appointment of justices to the apex court, he stressed the need to ensure balance in the selection of justices based on merit.

If I am approved, I will be the fourth from the Volta Region. So regional balance in appointments must be considered on merit, so that one region will not feel it is not being taken care of from the Supreme Court, he said.

Decongest prisons

Responding to a question on the need for Ghanas prisons to be decongested to curb the spread of the COVID-19 among inmates, Justice Honyenuga, who had been the head of the Justice For All Programme for the past 16 years, said most prisons in Ghana were congested due to lack of infrastructure.

He said currently prison cells meant for between 25 and 30 inmates had about 120 inmates, describing the situation as terrible.

If this pandemic gets to the cells, it could wipe away all the human beings there, he added.

---graphic.com.gh
Hong Kong: Flight planned for HK people in India

The first chartered flight to take Hong Kong residents stranded in India home is tentatively scheduled to depart New Delhi on May 17 at the earliest.

The flight will first assist Hong Kong residents who are now located in New Delhi and those in its surrounding areas with special needs, such as people with illness, pregnant women and children as well as family members travelling with them.

In the past few days, the Immigration Department has individually contacted assistance seekers to confirm their wishes to take the chartered flight and to obtain their personal information for applying for travel permission from the local government.

As the department is still contacting the assistance seekers concerned, the final number of passengers to be carried by the flight is yet to be confirmed, though it is expected to be more than 200.

The cost of taking the flight is estimated to be about $8,000 per person at most and will be borne by the users.

The exact date and time of departure are still subject to the approval time of and the facilitation provided by the local government, land traffic situations and relevant permissions received by airlines.

Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the people taking the flight will proceed to the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at AsiaWorld-Expo for compulsory COVID-19 testing.

After their samples are collected, the returnees will be transferred to the quarantine centre at Chun Yeung Estate for a 14-day quarantine.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, India has banned all international flight movements since late March.

As of May 10, the department successfully contacted about 3,500 Hong Kong residents stranded in India, who requested for assistance in returning to Hong Kong.

The Government understands that there are still many Hong Kong residents stranded in different areas of the country and will continue to liaise with them closely and assist them in returning to Hong Kong in batches subject to the circumstances.

It will contact them as soon as further information is available.

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Saving money on car insurance is more important now than ever. One good method to do that is by getting a good driver discount that is offered for safe, low-risk drivers., said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents all the information drivers need to know about the good driver discount.

For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/what-is-good-driver-discount-and-who-can-get-it/

The good driver discount is a discount given by car insurance providers to safe, low-risk drivers. Every insurer has its own rules for determining who is and who is not a good driver. Some insurance providers require drivers to have a clean driving record for just one year, while other insurers will offer this discount for drivers who have at least five years of clean driving.

The best way for drivers to get this discount is to shop around with insurers from their areas. Even if they dont qualify at one insurer, drivers might be eligible for a good driver discount at another provider. Some companies will ignore a speeding ticket, or even one at-fault accident, while others will not ignore any of these. Drivers should contact their car insurance companies and check if they are eligible for a good driver discount.

Regarding good driver discount, drivers should know more about the following:



How to qualify for a good driver discount. Depending on the insurer, obtaining this discount can be easy or hard. To have better chances of getting the discount, drivers can take a defensive driving course to show their insurers they've learned how to be better, safer drivers. Drivers can also purchase forgiveness coverage from their insurers and have one-at fault accident forgiven from their records. Shopping around at different insurers is also a good idea. Drivers should avoid reckless driving and follow the speed limits and signs and avoid getting a ticket. In fact, drivers should drive defensively and leave plenty of room between themselves and other drivers.

How drivers can lose their good driver discount. Good driver discounts aren't permanent. With one mistake, drivers can lose their good driver discount. Insurance providers have different rules regarding the loss of good driver discounts. Usually, drivers can lose this discount for reasons such as getting traffic or moving violation tickets, being at-fault in an accident, making a claim under the collision coverage or even getting just one point on their license.

Some states require insurance providers to offer good driver discounts. In California, for example, insurers are required to offer a 20% discount to good drivers who had a license for the past three years, had not lost more than one point on their driving record due to a violation, had not taken traffic school or a defensive driving course more than once because of a violation, had not been at-fault in an accident that resulted in injury or death within the last five years, and had no convictions within the last ten years for DUI-related offenses.

How long do drivers need to wait to qualify for the good driver discount. Although speeding tickets and at-fault accidents remain permanently on the driving record, most states only allow providers to view incidents dating back three to five years. However, some states have exceptions for DUI-related offenses. Drivers who were convicted of a DUI offense in the past ten years in California are not allowed to get this discount.

Compare insurance quotes to find good driver discounts. Drivers who do not qualify for a safe driving discount with their current insurer should compare quotes from other insurance companies. Some car insurance companies have looser rules regarding safe driving discounts.

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.
Ballymaloe Foods has signed a deal with Australian retail giants Coles to start supplying its Ballymaloe Relish product to their stores.

Ballymaloe Foods will start supplying 120 Coles Supermarkets across Australia in May.

Coles is a national full-service supermarket retailer operating more than 800 supermarkets across Australia and has more than 100,000 employees. Along with Woolworths, it accounts for more than 80% of the Australian supermarket business.

Marketing Manager of Ballymaloe Foods, Gary Hanrahan said: We are very excited to be supplying Coles in Australia. We hope we can bring a taste of home to the thousands of Irish people living in Australia."

Ballymaloe Foods recorded sales of 6m last year. Relish sales are up 10% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same three-month period in 2019.

Ballymaloe Foods was established by Yasmin Hyde 30 years ago. Yasmins mother, Myrtle established a country house hotel and restaurant at Ballymaloe in the 1960s and it was here she developed her now-iconic Ballymaloe Relish recipe.

Today Ballymaloe Foods is run by Yasmins daughter, Maxine.

The company has 33 staff and 14 products and exports into Germany, the Netherlands, and the US.

Based in Little Island in Cork, its products include relishes, mayonnaise, pasta sauces and dressings.
Cottage food sales offer access to fresh food and economic opportunities for families amid the pandemic, she added.

The rules allow only shelf-stable foods, such as snack foods and desserts, as well as perishable baked goods and raw poultry, by Smith's interpretation. The 2019 Legislature defeated a bill identical to the rules that were brought weeks after the legislative session ended.

The rules have limited or made ambiguous what food can be sold, said plaintiff Summer Joy Peterson, whose family farms and ranches near New Leipzig. For now they're selling only breads, fruit pies, some cookies and eggs. They previously sold low-acid, pressure-canned food such as corn, beans, peas, vegetables soups and a specialty mustard corn relish.

Rules for temperature controls also have made a gray area for what custard products her daughter can sell, she added. Her family had begun to expand their sales to salsas, vegetables and other baked goods after the 2017 law passed. She'd like the department to rescind the rules.

Her family has sold food at farmers markets as a side business and has been receiving neighbors' calls during the pandemic, but it can't fulfill every order because of the rules or perceived ambiguity.
You may soon receive an appraisal notice from the Hale County Appraisal District. The appraisal district mailed about 9,200 appraisal notices on May 8. Your city, county, school district and other local taxing units will use the appraisal districts 2020 values to set their 2020 tax rates which will determine your 2020 property taxes. The estimated tax amount on your notice is just that, an estimate. The value on the notice is the 2020 value determined by the HCAD but the tax rate being used to estimate your tax due is the 2019 tax rate. The taxing units will not set their 2020 tax rates until later in the year.

Under Texas law, county appraisal districts are required to notify property owners about changes in their propertys value. The notice contains important information about the propertys location, ownership and property tax exemptions that apply to the property. IT must also include an estimate of the taxes by local taxing units if your property value increases in the last year by more than $1,000.
Australia's Chief Medical Officer has ruled out international travel for the foreseeable future as there is 'no clear roadmap' to reopening the nation's borders.

Professor Brendan Murphy told a Senate inquiry into the governments response to COVID-19 on Wednesday that border closures remained essential to defeating the pandemic.

'I cant see, I have no vision at the moment on the current international scene where international border measures of some very strong vigour wont be necessary,' he said.

'There is no clear roadmap out of this.'

Professor Murphy said interstate and territory borders would be reopened long before overseas travel, noting cases were still being imported weekly through returned travellers who must serve mandatory quarantine periods.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy told a senate inquiry on Wednesday (pictured) that international travel is off the cards for Australian for the foreseeable future

Virgin Australia flight attendants and crew are seen at Brisbane Airport last month

He said Australia's strategy was to maintain strong suppression, or elimination in parts of the country, while slowly opening up the economy.

He said the nation's good response to the outbreak and low case numbers had allowed the lifting of some restrictions just weeks after the peak of infections.

The top health adviser said further relaxations would need to be reassessed every few months, and warned more localised outbreaks are expected, like those at Cedar Meats, Melbourne, and in Burnie.

However, Professor Murphy said with the curve now flattened, the public health workforce has the capacity to quickly crush any small outbreak in cases.

He said Australia was now testing 'much more broadly' and by doing so hopes any newly emerging risk areas will be nipped in the bud.

The number of reported cases worldwide hit 4.3 million on Wednesday, however Professor Murphy told the inquiry he believed the true number of people who had contracted the virus is five times higher.

Australians returning from India last week arrive at Sydney International Airport before being taken to quarantine hotels

He explained that the death rate in countries with good testing sits around one to two per cent, but it has been as high as five to ten per cent in other nations across the world.

Because of this, Professor Murphy believes many cases have not been reported and the true amount of cases could sit around 20 million.

During the inquiry, the Morrison government was accused of 'hypocrisy' for concealing COVID-19 advice received in January while calling for transparency from China.

In the early days of the outbreak, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was given five pieces of advice, that were withheld from a freedom of information request on the grounds of cabinet confidence and national security.

South Australian Senator Rex Patrick interrogated Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Philip Gaetjens over the department's refusal to release information while pushing for an inquiry into China's initial handling of the outbreak.

While Australians are set to be grounded at home for months to come, they could soon be allowed to holiday across domestic borders. Qantas jets are pictured parked at Sydney airport on April 22

'I just wonder how you deal with the paradox, whereby youre asking the Chinese government to be very open about what happened in the lead up to, to this pandemic, yet, the Prime Minister, or in fact PM & C, are refusing to publicly release what happened here in Australia,' Mr Patrick said.

Mr Gaetjens said the public statements made by Mr Morrison after National Cabinet deliberations and other meetings were the 'most transparent' he had seen, and it would not be hypocritical if the FOI did contain classified information.

However, Mr Patrick questioned whether the government would accept a similar 'in confidence' excuse from Chinese President Xi Xing Pin, which would consequently mean there would be reason to conduct an inquiry.

On Wednesday, Australia's death toll rose to 98 after a woman, 81, who had been a passenger on the Ruby Princess, died in NSW.

In total, there have been 22 deaths from the cruise ship as a result of COVID-19.

There have been 22 deaths from the cruise ship, as a result of COVID-19, in total.

Health Minister Greg Hunt (pictured at Parliament House on Wednesday) has announced the country has appointed a chief medical officer for mental health

It comes as former chief psychiatrist of Victoria Ruth Vine was appointed as the country's first deputy chief medical officer for mental health.

Professor Vine will listen to community concerns and provide advice to the federal government, with a focus on anxiety linked to social distancing and economic stress.

Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the appointment on Wednesday, saying the COVID-19 pandemic, bushfires and drought had affected Australians' mental health.

'These impacts will be felt by people of all ages and across all our communities,' he told parliament.

'One of the things we are aware of is that whilst were practising physical distancing we should also be engaging in the social contact over the phone, in whatever way we can, to tell people that were there, we understand.

'They may be isolated but theyre not alone.'
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Azar Gojayev via video call, regarding his appointment as head of Kalbajar District Executive Authority, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In a bid to provide safety to frontline warriors, Delhi Police on Tuesday launched Thermal Corona Combat Headgear through which police personnel will be able to detect temperature of a large number of people from a distance of 10-15 metres.

The initiative has been launched by the police in collaboration with Indian Robotics Solution (IRS). "It is a first of its kind equipment to ensure the safety of the frontline warriors and enforce social distancing. With the help of this equipment, live imagery can also be sent to a centralised control centre. Frontline workers can scan people without coming in close contact with them in public areas such as hospitals, supermarkets and crowded areas," said IRS founder Sagar Gupta Naugriua.

The Delhi Police has also launched a 'Thermal Corona Combat Drone-(TCCD)' in tow with the same startup.

The drone is fitted with a day-vision camera that can see the real image of the personnel, a disinfectant tank to sanitise an area when a suspected person is taken away for further tests, a spotlight with a night utility camera, a loudspeaker for giving instructions and a medical box to carry essentials like medicines or portable coronavirus testing kits.

The drone has been successfully tested at Majnu ka Tila Basti, three slums in Noida Sector 15 and 16, and Gurugram where over more than 150 people were screened effectively as a sample size.
Conditions are becoming favourable for the advance of the south-west monsoon over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands around May 16, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The normal date for the arrival of the monsoon over the islands is May 20.

According to a statement from the IMD, a low pressure area formed over south-east Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea on Wednesday. It is likely to concentrate into a depression over central parts of south Bay of Bengal on May 15, and intensify into a cyclonic storm over south-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the evening of May 16.

It is then likely to move northwestwards till May 17 and recurve north-northeastwards. These conditions are making it favourable for the monsoons to advance over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The IMD will announce whether the monsoons will also make an early appearance over Kerala on May 15.

The Weather Company of IBM, a private weather forecaster, has predicted that the monsoons will arrive slightly early over Kerala by May 31. Our models and data show May 31 as the likely [date of] arrival, said Himanshu Goyal, India business leader for The Weather Company.

The low pressure area over south Andaman Sea will intensify into a cyclone but we are not yet sure where it will make landfall. It could be over the West Bengal coast or over the northeast, he added.

IMD director general M Mohapatra said: The normal arrival date for the monsoons over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is May 20, with a standard deviation of seven days. This time, it is expected to arrive on May 16. We will announce the date of monsoon arrival over Kerala on May 15, based on the latest data.

Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, said the Andaman region is expecting early rains due to the low pressure system that has formed over south Bay of Bengal.

This low pressure system is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm and pull the south-westerly monsoon winds early into the Andaman seas. An early onset at the Andamans need not mean that the rest of the country will see an early onset. This is because several factors, including low pressure systems in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, and the phase of the monsoon intra-seasonal oscillations, govern the northward progression of the monsoon, he said.

There will be gale winds of 65 kmph to 75 kmph, gusting to 85 kmph over south-west and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal from the evening of May 16. Squally winds reaching 45 kmph to 55 kmph will prevail over the Andaman Sea, IMD said on Wednesday.

Sea conditions will be rough to very rough over south and adjoining central Bay of Bengal from May 15 to May 16, very rough to high over south-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal from the evening of May 16, it added.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into south and central Bay of Bengal from May 15. Those who are out at sea in these regions have been advised to return to the coast by Thursday, the bulletin said.

The IMD has forecast a normal monsoon for this year. A few global climate models are indicating the possible development of weak La Nina conditions over the Pacific Ocean during the second half of the monsoon season.

La Nina is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific and good monsoon rains. Mohapatra said a more refined monsoon forecast with zone-wise distribution will be issued by the IMD in May-end or early June.

Under the influence of a western disturbance, thundershowers are likely over the Western Himalayan region and over the plains of northwest India during the next two to three days. Isolated thunderstorm accompanied with hail, gusty winds and lightning is also likely over these regions during the same period, the IMD bulletin said. The Delhi-NCR region too is likely to witness thundershowers.

Due to a trough or area of low pressure, thundershowers with lightning and gusty winds of 30 kmph to 40 kmph are very likely over south peninsular India during the next four to five days.






Tesla and officials in California have resolved their acrimonious clash over safety procedures at the automakers sole U.S. assembly plant with a deal that allows production to resume as early as Monday, May 18, county officials said.

The county said the automaker could take additional steps ahead of next week after Chief Executive Elon Musk had vowed to defy authorities, saying Monday he was resuming production despite the prohibition. On Tuesday, he also won the backing of President Donald Trump.

In a tweet, Alameda County said that following talks with Tesla it agreed that the electric carmaker can take steps "in preparation for possible reopening as soon as next week."

Tesla did not immediately comment Wednesday but around the same time the county issued its statement, Musk tweeted: "Life should be lived."

Tesla's sole U.S. electric vehicle assembly plant is in Fremont, California, which is in Alameda County.

The county said it would work with police in Fremont "to verify Tesla is adhering to physical distancing and that agreed upon health and safety measures are in place for the safety of their workers as they prepare for full production."

On Monday, Musk said production was resuming in Fremont, defying an order to stay closed and saying if anyone had to be arrested, it should be him.

On Tuesday, Musk won Trump's backing. "California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!" Trump wrote on Twitter. The White House did not immediately comment on the announcement.

Tesla fell 3.3% in afternoon trading to $782.43.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra told CNBC that "conversation is going on between Tesla and the county. But at the state level, we're ready to enforce if we find that anyone is violating the state orders issued by the governor."

On Tuesday, employee parking lots at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California, were packed with cars. Trucks could be seen driving in and out of the factory grounds.

Story continues

At the Fremont factory's outbound logistics parking lot, where only a dozen Tesla cars were parked last week, hundreds of Tesla vehicles were seen on Tuesday.

The company had sued Alameda County challenging its decision that the plant should stay closed.

A county health official on Friday said the county had asked all manufacturers, including Tesla, to delay operations by at least another week to monitor infection and hospitalization rates.

Tesla on Saturday released a plan to keep workers returning to the factory safe.

The measures, which include temperature screenings, the installation of barriers to separate work areas and protective equipment for workers, are similar to those set up by Detroit-based automakers General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler. Those automakers are set to resume at most U.S. auto plants starting Monday.

Trump is eager for the U.S. economy to reopen and for Americans to return to work.

Musk over the weekend threatened to leave California for Texas or Nevada over his factory's closure. His move has highlighted the competition for jobs and ignited a rush to woo the billionaire executive by states that have reopened their economies more quickly in response to encouragement from Trump.

Last month, Musk was on a call with Trump and other chief executives to discuss the reopening of the U.S. economy in which Musk said he wanted to be able to resume production by May 1 or earlier, a person briefed on the call confirmed. Details of the call were reported earlier by the Washington Post.

Musk's fight with local authorities has gotten the attention of those who scout sites for new factories and corporate offices, as well as economic development officials hungry for more jobs.

Since the disagreement between Tesla and Alameda County gained national attention, officials from such states as Texas, Nevada, Georgia, Utah and Oklahoma have pitched Musk about considering their state. Analysts estimate it would take Tesla 12 to 18 months to move production.

The Fremont factory employs more than 10,000 people, according to the automaker.
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexicos Medicaid enrollment has steadily increased over the past three months, another likely indication of the economic toll exacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

There were roughly 844,000 New Mexico adults and children enrolled in the joint state-federal health care program as of this week, up from 825,370 enrolled in February, according to the state Human Services Department.

Nicole Comeaux, the director of HSDs Medical Assistance Division, said the enrollment figure  already at about 40% of the states population  is expected to continue rising, as some newly-eligible New Mexicans may be eschewing basic health care during the COVID-19 outbreak.

To absorb the increased cost, the agency has already been looking at internal budget savings and imposing copays or premiums on Medicaid recipients is not currently under consideration, she said.

It will be our top priority to ensure that we have a balanced budget without impacting members and providers, Comeaux said in a Tuesday interview. Thats really not the direction the administration wants to go.

She said $130 million received by the state under a federal relief package has helped cover the cost of the enrollment growth for now, but the state program could be facing a budget shortfall if additional funding is not approved in July.

In all, New Mexico state Medicaid spending is set to increase to nearly $1.1 billion for the budget year that starts in July, though the Legislature is expected to revise some expenditures in a special session that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has said she will call in mid-June.

Some states  including Colorado and Ohio  have already announced deep cuts to their Medicaid programs due to steep revenue declines caused by the coronavirus pandemic and steps taken to slow its spread.

Sireesha Manne, the executive director of the Albuquerque-based Center on Law and Poverty, said its incumbent on Congress and state lawmakers to protect Medicaid funding at a time when more than 70,000 New Mexicans have lost their jobs.

Medicaid is especially vital as we face this health and economic crisis, Manne said Tuesday.

She also cited past studies that have shown Medicaid cuts can result in significant job losses and decreased federal funding.

Although Medicaid is a federal program, states are given certain leeway in running it. The federal government currently pays nearly $4 for every $1 dollar that New Mexico spends on its program.

Before the recent growth, New Mexicos Medicaid population had leveled off over the last several years, due in part to an improving state economy.

Along with increasing Medicaid enrollment, New Mexicans participating in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has also surged, according to the Human Services Department.

The number of New Mexicans enrolled in the program, formerly known as food stamps, went from 417,314 in February to 475,608 as of this week.
As the federal government gears up to deliver relief measures for hard-hit industries, smaller airlines worry theyll be left out.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that federal financing will be available to the countrys largest employers to help weather the COVID-19 economic crisis. Loans will start at $60 million for companies with at least $300 million in annual revenues.

Regional carriers, most of which fall far short of that threshold, fear they might go under without a tailor-made support program from Ottawa as border shutdowns and the collapse of global travel continue to choke off demand.

Flair Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier based in Edmonton, has reduced its commercial fleet to one airplane since late March. The flight schedule  16 trips per week  stands at 10 per cent of pre-coronavirus levels after the company lost 95 per cent of its revenue in nine days, CEO Jim Scott said.

We need a federal airline support package that does not select winners and losers but demonstrates a commitment to a diversified and competitive airline industry accessible to all Canadians, Scott said in a statement last week.

He cautioned against a bailout that would reinforce a David and Goliath system dominated by a large-carrier duopoly.

The $300-million threshold rules out about three-quarters of Canadian airlines from the new relief program, said John McKenna, president of the Air Transportation Association of Canada, which counts 30 smaller carriers as members.

The outlying communities, the northern communities, they rely on these regional carriers as a lifeline, McKenna said. I am happy for the seven or so carriers in Canada who may qualify (but) the government must not forget that the regional carriers offer just as important a service as the large carriers.

A federal aid package for the territories includes $17 million for northern airlines to help fly food and medical supplies to remote communities. Far-flung areas south of the 60th parallel, such as northwestern Ontario and Nunavik in Quebec, are not covered.

We want the government of Canada to come out with a plan that treats everyone equitably but fairly, McKenna said.

Part of the anxiety stems from a lack of feedback, with radio silence from Ottawa.

Theres not even any dialogue with the government. We have no idea what theyre doing, he said. When we talk to finance, they say, Somethings coming, we cant talk about it.'

McKenna has asked the government for $2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for smaller carriers and maintenance and repair operators.

In a letter sent to the prime minister Friday, his association and a dozen other groups including the National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC)  which represents Air Canada, WestJet and Transat  requested relief from various taxes, fees and charges, on top of financial support.

Mike McNaney, head of the NACC, thanked Ottawa on Monday for addressing the urgent liquidity challenges facing airlines, but said he needed more details around timelines and process.

Most large airlines said it was too early to comment as they review the fine print, though Sunwing applauded the announcement and said it shows that government has been listening.

Strings attached to the bridge financing require companies to have already gone unsuccessfully to the banks or the market and demand that recipients open themselves to financial scrutiny and prove their commitment to fighting climate change.

The federal government has also waived the monthly rent paid by airport authorities to Ottawa for the rest of the year, providing support worth up to $331.4 million in ground lease rents from March through December.

At least 20 countries from Norway to New Zealand have announced financial aid specifically for airlines, ranging from equity stakes to loans and grants, sometimes with strings attached that limit dividends and executive bonuses.

Last month the United States rolled out $25 billion (U.S.) in government aid to pay airline workers and avoid massive layoffs. The assistance includes a mix of cash and loans, with the government getting warrants that can be converted into small ownership stakes in the leading carriers.

The French government has announced at least $7.66 billion (U.S.) in loans and loan guarantees to rescue Air France, with conditions requiring it to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030 on long and medium-haul routes.

In Germany, the government is in talks with Lufthansa AG for up to $10.85 (U.S.) billion in aid but demanding a 25 per cent stake in the airline.

Even with planes parked, money continues to bleed as airlines dole out airport fees, leasing payments, and parking and maintenance costs  each plane needs to have its engine run, tires rotated and hydraulics electronics checked multiple times per week.

Were a capital intensive industry, Flairs Jim Scott said in a phone interview. Our fixed costs are very high, and we have no revenues to offset it.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - MARCH 13: Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age and European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager. Anadolu Agency

There are now stricter conditions on how European governments can provide financial aid to companies struggling with the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The European Union adopted new state aid rules in early March as a first step to deal with the economic fallout from the pandemic. These measures were revised for a second time on Friday after long and detailed discussions with the 27 European governments. The most recent changes to state aid are different from what the EU did back in 2008 and 2009 in response to the banking crisis, Paolo Palmigiano, a partner at the law firm Taylor Wessing, told CNBC Tuesday.

Definition

The EU said Friday that "companies that were already in difficulty on 31 December 2019 are not eligible for aid." This is because their financial weakness is not deemed to be as a direct result of the pandemic. In comparison, Palmigiano said that there was no such restriction during the global financial crisis. "At the time, there were different banks that were solid and not solid. Here (with the latest state aid changes) if you were not in a good state on December 31, you wouldn't get it," he said. The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, has so far approved almost 1.9 trillion euros ($2.06 trillion) in state aid measures related with the ongoing crisis.

Conditionality

This includes a 7 billion euro package from the French government to Air France. In return, the airline will have to comply with more stringent environmental rules, such as cutting back the number of night flights.

This dilemma becomes really difficult when some member states like Germany are ready to spend a lot of money for their companies, but other countries cannot or do not want to spend money. Guntram Wolff Director of Bruegel

The latter is another difference from the conditions imposed back in 2008 and 2009. Member states are now able to apply specific environmental standards in return for their help  something that was "not even considered in the banking crisis," Palmigiano said.

Quick exit

He added that there is also a new push for companies to end state aid. The European Commission has said that "any recapitalisation measure shall include a step-up mechanism increasing the remuneration of the State, to incentivise the beneficiary to buy back the State capital injections. This increase in remuneration can take the form of additional shares."

Timing

There is a final difference from 2008, according to Fabian Zuleeg, chief economist at European Policy Centre. "The EU reacted quite fast (this time)," he told CNBC Tuesday, and updated state aid rules "much, much quicker" than during the banking crisis. The first communication from the European Commission back in 2008 happened more than a month after the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The decision to relax state aid rules this time around was taken on March 19  just days after some EU countries introduced lockdown measures.

Rich-Poor Divide
A speech by President Donald Trump at the White House on April 30.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

More than half of those surveyed recently by Gallup and the Knight Foundation said the Trump administration was a major source of misinformation.

Other common sources of misinformation included social media and the "mainstream" national news media.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Over half of the people surveyed in an April poll said President Donald Trump's administration was responsible for significant amounts of misinformation on the new coronavirus.

A survey by Gallup and the Knight Foundation that interviewed 1,693 adults across all 50 states and the District of Columbia who were members of Gallup's panel April 14-20 found that 54% of respondents said the Trump administration was either the largest or second-largest source of coronavirus misinformation.

Respondents were asked what they thought were the "main" and "next most common" sources of "false or misleading information about the coronavirus in the US." The choices were the Trump administration, mainstream national news, social-media websites and apps, state elected officials (governors), friends and family, and local news.

The Trump administration was the second-most-cited source of misinformation behind social media overall, but it had the largest share, 47%, of those describing it as the main source of misinformation, compared with 15% who said the same for social media and 33% who did for mainstream national news.

The survey found stark differences between Democrats and Republicans, with Gallup's Jeffrey M. Jones concluding that "partisans have clear ideas of what entities are most responsible for misinformation."

"For Democrats, it is the Trump administration; for Republicans, it is the mainstream national news media," Jones wrote. "Democrats are more likely to name the Trump administration than Republicans are to name the mainstream media. Independents are about equally likely to name the Trump administration and the mainstream news media."

Story continues

The Trump administration was the No. 1 source of misinformation for 85% of Democrats but only 4% of Republicans, according to the poll. On the flip side, 75% of Republicans said the mainstream national media was the No. 1 source of misinformation, compared with only 2% of Democrats.

The vast majority of both parties  82% of Democrats and 73% of Republicans  said misinformation about the virus was a major problem.

On Monday, Twitter announced that it would start adding labels to coronavirus information that was "disputed," The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to The Journal, the decision was part of efforts from "Silicon Valley to try to slow the spread of false claims related to the pandemic."

Last week, a video titled "Plandemic," which featured many debunked claims about the pandemic, was widely shared on social-media sites before sites like Facebook and YouTube announced that they were removing it, Business Insider previously reported.

"The accuracy and the quality of the information people learn about COVID-19 could literally affect their physical health, and in the extreme, could have life or death consequences for them," the survey said.

The White House has not responded to Business Insider's request for comment at the time of publication.

Read the original article on Business Insider
India coronavirus lockdown 4 latest updates: Karnataka government has decided to ease lockdown restrictions in the state. Gyms, gold course to open in the state post May 17. The state recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases between 5 pm on Tuesday and 12 pm on Wednesday. The state health department said that the total count of coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 951, including 442 discharged and 32 deaths. PM Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help revive economic activity and make India self-reliant in the view of COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi in his speech also pitched for promoting local businesses. Announcing lockdown 4.0 beginning May 18, the prime minister said that it will be completely different this time with a new set of rules.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to announce loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore for MSMEs in her media briefing at 4 pm on Tuesday to give respite and liquidity push to restart small businesses.

India's total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 74,281 on Wednesday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package for the country. According to latest update by the Union Health Ministry, the total count of confirmed coronavirus cases includes 47,480 active cases, 24,385 cured/discharged, 1 migrated and 2,415 deaths.

Also read: Nirmala Sitharaman Press Conference Live Updates: FM begins media address; relief to MSMEs, poor likely

Also Read: Coronavirus: COVID-19 cases near to 75,000 ; check state-wise tally, deaths

Stay tuned to BusinessToday.In for all the latest updates on coronavirus from across India and the world:

9:10 PM: PM CARES Fund allocates Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus: PMO

PM CARES Fund Trust, set up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tackle distress situations such as that posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reportedly allocated Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus.

Also Read: PM CARES Fund Trust allots Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus: PMO

5.52 PM: Karnataka coronavirus cases

Karnataka reported 34 new cases of COVID-19 from 12 May, 5pm to 13 May, 5pm. This takes the total number of positive cases in the state to 959, said Karnataka Health Department.

34 new cases of COVID19 reported in the state from 12 May, 5pm to 13 May, 5pm; the total number of positive cases in the state is now 959: Karnataka Health Department pic.twitter.com/KL5RpmeDuk ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020 5.48 PM: Liquor rates in Kerala Kerala state cabinet has decided to increase the sales tax on liquor in the state. The increase will be to the tune of 10 per cent in case of beer and wine and 35 per cent in case other kinds of alcohol, Kerala CMO said. 4.33 PM: Sweets shops being asked to destroy old stock in Punjab Info Public Relations Dept, Punjab: Food shops, especially sweet shops, which remained closed in the lockdown have been asked to destroy whole of the old, stale and putrefied food material. Packaged food stuff of which expiry date has crossed, has also been ordered to be destroyed. - ANI 4.15 PM: 1,141 stranded Manipuris reached Jiribam RS from Chennai by a special train 1141 stranded Manipuris reached Jiribam RS from Chennai by a special train at around 12:20 pm today&have started moving by bus to their respective districts for compulsory 14 days quarantine at designated institutional&community quarantine centres: N Biren Singh, Manipur* CM pic.twitter.com/Xohecl27SK ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020 4.14 PM: Watch Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press meet #StimulusPackage: Finance Minister @nsitharaman addresses press. #ITLivestream #20lakhcrores #COVID19 https://t.co/HfTgqmiK5e IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) May 13, 2020 4.00 PM: Akhilesh Yadav: "First a false promise of Rs 15 lakh and now a claim of Rs 20 lakh crore ... This time, jumla has been 133 times bigger than that for 133 crore people of India. How can one believe in it?" 15 20 ...

133 133 ...

...



20 - . Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) May 13, 2020

3:50 PM: Schedule of flights for phase 2 of Vande Bharat Mission

Schedule of flights for phase 2 of #VandeBharatMission. High Commission will gradually start contacting Indian passport holders according to priority. Bookings will start closer to the date of departure: High Commission of India, London (UK) pic.twitter.com/Yi5fdlZaBI - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

3:38 PM: 'I do not want to hear any complaints either on ration or schemes': WB CM Mamata Banerjee

If I hear even a single complaint of money laundering or anything I will take legal action. I do not want to hear any complaints either on ration or schemes. It is our determination that we will take Bengal forward: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

3:40 PM: Sensex , Nifty end higher on hopes of stimulus package

Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended higher on Wednesday on hopes of stimulus package to mitigate the economic impact of coronavirus pandamic. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4pm to give out details of a Rs 20 lakh crore economic relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

3:35 PM: Indian Army mulling proposal to allow common citizens join forces for three years 'Tour of Duty'

The Indian Army is considering a proposal to allow common citizens to join its ranks for three years 'Tour of Duty'. "A proposal is being discussed under which common citizens would be allowed a three year Tour of Duty in the force to serve the nation," Indian Army sources told ANI.

3:25 PM: Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products from June 1

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed on the importance of local products and local manufacturing for a self-reliant India, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday appealed people to use products made in India and ordered all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens to sell only indigenous products.

In this direction today, the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens and stores across the country will now sell only indigenous products, from June 01, 2020. The total purchase value would be around Rs. 2800 crore. With this decision, 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products.

3:20 PM: FM to announce mega economic package at 4pm

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will address a press conference at 4pm to unveil details of a Rs 20 lakh crore financial relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to mitigate the economic impact of coronavirus pandamic.

3:10 PM: BSF reports 13 new COVID-19 positive cases in last 24 hours

Border Security Force (BSF) has reported 13 fresh COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24 hours. 11 are from Delhi and 1 each from Kolkata and Tripura, according to officials.

2.28 pm: Karnataka lockdown latest updates

Karnataka minister CT Ravi announced on Wednesday that the restaurants and salons may also open post-May 17, when the lockdown 3.0 ends. He added that gyms and golf courses are however allowed to open after May 17.

2.23 pm: Coronavirus India latest news

PM Modi to meet Chairpersons of the Empowered Groups later on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet Chairpersons of the Empowered Groups later today. #COVID19 (file pic) pic.twitter.com/5XWlHNrkmh - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

2.17 pm: Coronavirus latest updates: New dress code in Supreme Court

Judges and lawyers of Supreme Court will not be required to wear jackets and gowns, the apex court said on Wednesday. Judges will hold courts in white shirts. The apex court will open from next week.

2.10 pm: Coronavirus live updates: Only locally made products in paramilitary canteens from June 1

The central government said on Wednesday that only Made in India products will be sold in paramilitary canteens from June 1. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Yesterday, PM Modi had appealed to encourage local products and make India self-reliant. In this direction, Ministry of Home Affairs has decided that only indigenous products will be sold at all CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) canteens from 1st June, 2020."

2.03 pm: Coronavirus lockdown in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has said that it will go into a complete lockdown during the celebration days following the holy month of Ramzan. The Interior Ministry announced the decision early Wednesday morning, adding that the lockdown would take effect from May 23 through May 27.

1.56 pm: Karnataka lockdown extension live updates

Karnataka government has decided to ease lockdown restrictions in the state. Gyms, gold course to open in the state post May 17.

1.49 pm: Andhra Pradesh coronavirus latest updates: State tops in COVID-19 testing per million

Andhra Pradesh Health Secretary Dr. Jawahar Reddy said on Tuesday that the state is first on list concerning the count of coronavirus tests per million, followed by Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. The state conducted 3,593 tests per million population, Reddy added stating that the number of tests carried out in Andhra Pradesh is more than the numbers in 13 countries.

1.38 pm: Indore coronavirus cases rise to 2,107, death toll jumps to 95

As many as 91 new COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Indore in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally in the city to 2,107, an official said on Wednesday. Indore is the worst-hit district of Madhya Pradesh. Moreover, 3 more people died due to coronavirus in the district, taking the toll to 95, Chief Medical and Health Officer Praveen Jadia said.

1.27 pm: Coronavirus stimulus package: India fourth-highest in the world

The Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday is the fourth-highest in the world. PM Modi said that the economic package will be around the 10% of the GDP and is aimed at solving the problems of several bleeding sectors as well as migrant labourers. Japan has the highest economic stimulus package in the world at 21.1% of GDP, the United States package stands at 13% of GDP, Germany at 10.7% of GDP, followed by India at 10% of GDP, France at 9.3% of GDP. Italy at 5.7% of GDP and the last one on the list is the UK with the stimulus package at 5% of the GDP.

1.16 pm: Kolkata coronavirus latest updates

CISF witnessed a steep rise in COVID-19 positive cases reported in its force on Tuesday. 54 fresh cases were reported from Kolkata, taking the force's tally to 114. The tally stood at 68 on Tuesday evening. Presently, 1,077 personnel and 58 family members have been put in quarantine and isolation.

1.10 pm: Coronavirus live updates: Indians to be flown back from the US on 7 flights starting May 19

Under phase 2 of central government's Vande Bharat Mission, Indians will be flown back from the US on 7 flights beginning May 19.

1.03 pm: Gujarat coronavirus cases

Gujarat recorded 362 fresh COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total count of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 8,903, along with 537 deaths, as per the latest data by the Union Health Ministry.

12.55 pm: Andhra Pradesh coronavirus cases

48 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in the state in last 24 hours, the total count of coronavirus positive cases in Andhra Pradesh now stands at 2,137, including 948 active cases, 1,142 cured/discharged and 47 deaths, said the state health department. (ANI report)

12.45 pm: Karnataka coronavirus cases: 26 more infected

Karnataka recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases between 5 pm on Tuesday and 12 pm on Wednesday. The state health department said that the total count of coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 951, including 442 discharged and 32 deaths.

26 more #COVID19 cases reported in Karnataka between 5 pm yesterday & 12 pm today. Total number of cases in the state is now at 951, including 442 discharged & 32 deaths: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/uInk0g2wso - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

12.37 pm: Chandigarh coronavirus cases

2 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Chandigarh on Wednesday. The total count of coronavirus cases in the Union Territory (UT) stands at 189 now, comprising 3 deaths, said the Chandigarh health department. (Inputs from ANI)

12.29 pm: Corona cases break record in Bihar

130 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Bihar in 24 hours, highest single-day spike in the state. This has taken the total count of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state to 879.

12.23 pm: Nirmala Sitharaman media address on economic stimulus today

Time, when and where to watch live streaming

The media briefing will start at 4 PM today. You can check out all the latest details regarding the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press meet on BusinessToday.In live blog.

India Today TV and AajTak will also run live telecast of the press briefing.

You can check out all the latest details on IndiaToday.In and AajTak.In live blogs.

12.16 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman speech today: Respite for MSMEs likely

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to announce loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore for MSMEs on Tuesday to give respite and liquidity push to restart small businesses.

12.08 pm: FM Nirmala Sitharaman's media address at 4 pm: Target groups

1. Middle class.

2. MSMEs

3. Labourers

4. Farmers

5. Cottage industries

11.59 am: FM Nirmala Sitharaman speech today: what's for different sectors

Although the details of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package will be doled out by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be doled out on Tuesday, experts say that the package may include some prior economic measures taken by the government and the RBI. The Centre had brough the policy rate down by 75 bps to 4.4% in March and had infused liquidity in the economy to the tune of 3.1% of GDP between February and April. The government had also announced fiscal package amounting to Rs 1.7 lakh crore, 0.8% of GDP in March.

11.46 am: Mumbai coronavirus cases

Mumbai accounted for 28 deaths out of a total of 50 deaths recorded in Maharashtra in 24 hours, its highest single-day toll until now. With 426 new cases in 24 hours, Mumbai's total count of COVID-19 cases climbed to 14,947 on Tuesday.

11.37am: Maharashtra coronavirus cases

1,026 fresh COVID-19 cases and 50 deaths were recorded in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, taking the total count of confirmed cases to 24,427 in the state. The total death toll in Maharashtra now stands at 921, the highest in the country. The state, which reported its first coronavirus case on March 9, accounts for one-third of India's COVID-19 burden.

11.29 am: Liquor shops in Maharashtra

The state government has allowed home delivery of alcohol in the state to avoid over crowding at the stores. The licensed shops will be allowed to to do the home delivery.

11.25 am: Uttar Pradesh coronavirus cases

UP recorded 112 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state now stand at 3,664, along with death toll at 82, as per the latest data by the Union Health Ministry.

11.19 am: Delhi coronavirus cases

359 fresh COVID-19 cases, and 20 deaths were reported in Delhi in the last 24 hours. The total count of confirmed coronavirus cases in the national capital now stands at 7,639, while the death toll is at 86, as per the Union Health Ministry.

11.14 am: Coronavirus updates Japan: Sumo wrestler infected with COVID-19 dies

A 28-year-old sumo wrestler infected with novel coronavirus infection died on Wednesday, becoming the first sumo wrestler to died from they virus in Japan. He was admitted to Tokyo hospital last month. He died of multiple organ failure linked to COVID-19.

11.07 am: Coronavirus live updates: Check BusinessToday.In tracker to get state-wise tally of COVID-19 cases and deaths

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 graph.

10.59 am: Coronavirus India cases live updates: State-wise tally and death toll; check here

Maharashtra is the worst-hit state in India with 24,427 COVID-19 cases and 921 deaths

Gujarat follows suit with 8,903 cases and 537 deaths

Tamil Nadu is the third worst-hit state with 8,718 cases, and 61 deaths

Delhi is the third worst-hit state with 7,639 cases and 86 deaths.

Madhya Pradesh with 3,986 cases, 225 deaths

Rajasthan 4,126 cases, 117 deaths

Uttar Pradesh (UP)-3,664 cases, 82 deaths

Andhra Pradesh-2,090 cases, 46 deaths

Telangana 1,326 cases, 32 deaths

West Bengal-2,173 cases, 198 deaths

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)- 934 cases, 10 deaths

Karnataka- 925 cases, 31 deaths

Kerala- 524 cases, 4 deaths

Bihar-831 cases, 6 deaths

Punjab-1,914 cases, 32 deaths

Haryana-780 cases, 11 deaths

10.53 am: Rajasthan coronavirus cases: 87 more infected on Wednesday

87 fresh COVID-19 were reported in Rajasthan on Wednesday, taking the total count of positive cases in the state to 4,213, said Rajasthan health department adding that no death was reported in the state today.

87 new #COVID19 positive cases reported in Rajasthan today, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 4213. No death reported in the state today; death toll stands at 117: Rajasthan Health Department pic.twitter.com/UnxvlQrIiZ - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

10.47 am: Nirmala Sitharaman speech today: "COVID-19 relief package will include everyone," tweets FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package announced by PM Modi will include everyone- a hawker/street vendor, a trader, a MSME, an honest tax paying middle class, a manufacturer etc. She added that the package was a "reform stimulus, a mindset overhaul, and a thrust in governance."

#AatmaNirbharBharat does not imply isolationism or becoming exclusionist. We'll build capacities, skill people and compete globally acquiring strengths. We'll build the #Local. After all, every global brand began with their #Local strength. We shall integrate with GVCs. @PMOIndia - Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) May 12, 2020

10.39 am: Odisha coronavirus cases: 101 more people infected

Odisha health department said on Wednesday that as on 12th May, 101 new COVID-19 positive cases reported in the state taking the total number of cases in the state to 538 including 419 active cases, 116 cured/discharged and 3 deceased. (ANI reports)

10.30 am: Nirmala speech today: FM Sitharaman to address media at 4 pm today

Finance Minister Nirmala will unveil the details of Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulur package announced by PM Modi on Tusday at press briefing at 4 pm on Tuesday. She is likely to focus on ailing sectors such as MSME sector as well as address the migrant workers' woes.

10.20 am: Odisha lockdown latest updates

Watch: Special train carrying 545 passengers leaves from Bhubaneswar railway station for Delhi, on the second day of the resumption of train services.

#WATCH Odisha: Special train carrying 545 passengers leaves from Bhubaneswar railway station for Delhi, on the second day of the resumption of train services. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/QNVTCGMwm4 - ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2020

10.10 am: Rs 20 lakh crore for Atmanirbhar Bharat: "PM Modi gave us headline and blank page", says P. Chidambaram

Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Wednesday took to Twitter to mocked PM Modi's announcement of a Rs 10 lakh crore special economic stimulus package as a "headline and a blank page", adding that he is awaiting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to fill the blank page. "Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to teh FM filling teh blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that teh government will actually infuse into teh economy," he tweeted.

Yesterday, PM gave us a headline and a blank page. Naturally, my reaction was a blank! Today, we look forward to the FM filling the blank page. We will carefully count every ADDITIONAL rupee that the government will actually infuse into the economy. - P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 13, 2020

10.03 am: Coronavirus lockdown extension: FM Nirmala Sitharaman to unveil PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore stimuls package details starting Tuesday

A day after PM Modi's announcement of a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to revive the economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to unveil the details of the package in a series of press conferences, beginning Tuesday.

9.55 am: Lockdown 4.0 extension live updates: PM Modi's self-reliance push

PM Modi in his countrywide speech on Tuesday said that India's self-reliance will be based on 5 pillars- economy, infrastructure, demand, technology-driven system and vibrant demography.

9.47 am: Coronavirus India latest updates: Special train from Patna reaches Delhi

A special train with passengers from the Rajendra Nagar Terminal Railway Station in Patna, Bihar reached the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) on Wednesday morning. Indian Railways restarted services of 15 special A/C trains on Tuesday.

9.39 am: Coronavirus India live updates: Pregnant migrant worker gives birth while walking home

The pregnant migrant labourer woman who was walking from Maharashtra to her village in Madhya Pradesh gave birth on the way. She took rest for 2 hours after delivering the baby and then continued with the walk for another 15 kms. The pregnant woman and her husband began their journey from Nashik in Maharashtra, according to ANI.

9.35 am: Coronavirus cases worldwide: Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman tests positive

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that he has been tested positive for novel coronavirus infection. He, is the fifth senior official to contract the virus. Peskov added that he had last met Putin in person over a month ago, the TASS news agency reported. His wife, Tatyana Navka also said on Instagram that she also had the virus.

9.28 am: Coronavirus global updates: 3 kids dead in New York, 100 infected due to COVID-19-linked syndrome

3 children in New York, US have died with around a 100 infected from a rare inflammatory syndrome which is believed to be linked to coronavirus infection, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New York State is now investigating about 100 cases of an inflammatory illness in children that may be related to COVID-19. The ages of these cases range from infancy to age 21. We ask parents to watch out for these symptoms: pic.twitter.com/lhzjproZYd - Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 12, 2020

9.20 am: Total coronavirus deaths in India

The country reported 122 new deaths in the last 24 hours taking the total number of COVID-19 deaths in India to 2,415, according to latest data updated by the Union Health Ministry on its website.

9.15 am: Coronavirus cases in India in 24 hours

3,525 new COVID-19 cases, and 122 deaths were reported in India the last 24 hours, taking the total count of confirmed cases to 74,281.

9.09 am: Coronavirus live updates: India's COVID-19 cases approach 75,000

India's total count of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped to 74,281 on Wednesday, according to latest update by the Union Health Ministry. This tally includes, 47,480 active cases, 24,385 cured/discharged, 1 migrated and 2,415 deaths.

9.03 am: Rs 20 lakh crore Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: Congress dubs PM Modi's economic package announcement headline grabbing

The Congress labelled the PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore special economic package announcement as one that only grabs headlines. Both Congress and CPI(M) said that the country was disappointed by his silence on migrant workers' woes. "Dear PM, What you said today gives the country and the media a headline," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter. His colleague, Manish Tewari, tweeted, "PMs speech can be summed up in one word - HEADLINE HUNTING. A NUMBER -20 LAKH CRORES. NO DETAILS."

1/2 Dear PM, What you said today gives the country and the media a HEADLINE. When the "blank page" is filled with "Heartfelt Help of People", the Nation & Congress Party will respond. - Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 12, 2020

8.55 am: Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan: PM Modi's hints at big-ticket economic reforms in coming days

The Rs 20 lakh special economic package announced by PM Modi on Tuesday will include measures already announced by the central government and the RBI so far to tackle the coronavirus crisis. During his nationwide address, the prime minister also hinted a big-ticket reforms to revive the economy in coming days, adding that the details regarding this will be announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

8.46 am: Economic package: PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore economic booster details

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a Rs 20 lakh crore consolidated economic package to give a push to the ailing economy in the wake of coronavirus induced lockdown. PM Modi said that the economic package will be around the 10% of the GDP and is aimed at solving the problems of several bleeding sectors as well as migrant labourers. Announcing the package, PM Modi said that India's goal will be to become self-reliant 'atmanirbhar' identifying infrastructure and economy as key drivers for it.

8.40 am: Lockdown extension live updates: PM Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore booster, lockdown 4.0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his nationwide address on Tuesday announced a special economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore to help revive economic activity and make India self-reliant in the view of COVID-19 pandemic. PM Modi in his speech also pitched for promoting local businesses. Announcing lockdown 4.0 beginning May 18, the prime minister said that it will be completely different this time with a new set of rules.

8.30 am: Coronavirus map live updates: Check BusinessToday.In tracker to get state-wise tally of COVID-19 cases and deaths

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 graph.
Construction has restarted at many building sites across the country (Nick Potts/PA)

Two of Britains biggest housebuilders have announced plans to remobilise, a day after the Government told estate agents they could begin property viewings again.

Crest Nicholson said it would restart construction on its sites from next Monday, after similar moves from its rivals to do the same.

It will give the company enough time to properly train its staff and make adjustments to safety on the sites, which have been closed since the start of April.

Taylor Wimpey, which has already restarted construction, said its show homes and sales centres would start opening again from next Friday.

Customers will be able to pre-book appointments, the housebuilder said.

It said that construction has already restarted on a majority of its sites in England and Wales.

On Tuesday, the Government said that viewing homes and visiting estate agents could be on the cards again as lockdown measures are relaxed.

This relaxation of the rules by Government and the clear desire to reopen the housing market is very welcome Pete Redfern, Taylor Wimpey

This relaxation of the rules by Government and the clear desire to reopen the housing market is very welcome, said chief executive Pete Redfern.

However, we believe that it is our responsibility to apply these rules carefully and protect the health of our customers and employees.

Our people are looking forward to being able to welcome customers to their sales offices and show homes, energised by new skills developed in serving customers digitally over the last seven weeks.

Around 82 billion of transactions are thought to be on hold in the property market.

Taylor Wimpey said that its sales rates had remained stable since it announced plans to restart construction three weeks ago. There have been signs of increased activity in the last week.

It sold 408 homes during the lockdown period, and has an order book worth around 2.7 billion.

Most of its furloughed sales staff will be recalled by May 18, with the majority of other furloughed workers back before the end of the month.

A spokesman for fellow builder Persimmon said: We share the Governments view that the housebuilding sector has a critical role to play in the UK economic recovery.

Persimmon is already playing its part, with construction activity back under way on site to deliver the new homes the country requires.

We welcome the measures announced today by the minister, which will reopen the housing market and allow people to get moving again.
By Azernews





By Akbar Mammadov

Twenty-six years have passed since the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which ended the war in Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region on May 12, 1994.

As a result of the meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian sides in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on May 5, the sides agreed on the cease-fire and the agreement became to be known as the "Bishkek Protocol".

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.
To open or not to open? That is the question that is driving a partisan wedge between women and men, young and old and most of all between liberals/democrats and conservatives/republicans.

Those still paid to work from home wag a scornful finger at those who want to get back to work, mainly hourly paid factory workers and small shopkeepers. As usual the elites are content to let the expendables pay the price for the outcomes that think will be best for themselves.

Fear makes scared people and scared governments do foolish things. Fear can turn peoples values on their heads. It can make progressive liberals, who until the arrival of the virus were campaigning for an ever growing list of human rights, to suddenly have an abrupt change of heart.

Those same people are suddenly calling for the implementation of draconian measures that would trample those very same rights. They want schools to be shut down or want to impose big fines on people who are walking too close to each other in defiance of physical distancing rules.

They, of course, want the lockdown maintained. Even if the contagion subsides during the summer, they warn of a reinfection next fall and winter. They seem indifferent to the enormous economic consequences of what they call for. And make no mistake about it  the consequences are already enormous and get more so with every passing day.

Over 33 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance over the course of a seven week period. Three million Canadians have done the same. The jobless rate in both countries stands at the second highest level ever recorded. The contraction in second quarter GDP will be of Depression-era magnitude and government deficits are soaring to postwar highs. Do these things not matter?

Defenders of the lockdown say you cant put a price on human life. But are there not health consequences when people are denied needed procedures at hospitals that have re-engineered themselves to accept an expected avalanche of desperately ill COVID-19 patients that has yet to materialize?

Cancer, for example, doesnt take a holiday just because of the coronavirus. In the United Kingdom in April cancer centres that would see 30,000 people a month barely saw 5,000. British oncologists warn that if this continues as many as 60,000 cancer patients could die due to a lack of diagnosis and treatment. Thats almost double the number of people who have died from COVID-19 in the country.

Just because there arent daily updates on the number of turned away patients in need of medical care, like Johns Hopkins Universitys running daily tally of global COVID-19 infections, shouldnt mean these people have suddenly become expendable.

Its not only panic-stricken hospitals that are being re-engineered to meet the pandemics challenge. Panic-stricken central banks are doing the same. The Federal Reserve Board, the Bank of Canada, and other central banks are opening up their balance sheets to hold corporate debt including high yield, or as they are better known in the market, junk bonds. In the Feds case, it is expected to open its arms to more than double what it took on during the financial crisis of 2008/09.

Guess who ultimately picked up the tab for the Feds bail out of Wall Street and its toxic subprime mortgage backed securities? The same people who will ultimately pick up the tab this time as well.

That also holds true for reducing soaring budgetary deficits left in the pandemics wake. No one cares right now about them but rest assured governments will care plenty about them soon enough.

At the levels they are heading to they will inevitably become the political narrative of the day. And when they do and governments feel compelled to reduce them, it wont be the top one per cent who make their money through dividends and capital gains that will be paying them down. Instead, it will be the wage-earning middle class.

Soon it wont be just President Trump and his good-ole-boy supporters who think the cure is worse that the disease. Soon, you will too.
Geddes, N.Y.  A line of cars began growing at 8 a.m. this morning at the state fairgrounds for a huge food drive that connected New York farmers to hungry Central New York families.

About 1,000 cars drove through the fairgrounds to receive 50-pound bundles of New York produce and products: Two types of apples, strawberries, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, potatoes and tomatoes.

The Food Bank of Central New York distributed the food, which was bought from various farmers in Upstate New York and elsewhere. The food bank got more than $2 million of a $25 million state grant that connects farmers struggling to sell their products with families unable to pay for food. Both are results of the coronavirus pandemic.

Those who received the food had to register in advance for 1,000 slots. The food drive was publicized Saturday and filled by Monday. It began at 11 a.m., an hour earlier than scheduled, and lasted until the last car drove through around 3:30 p.m.

Volunteers loaded the food from trucks into the trunks or backseats of cars. One man drove an electric scooter six miles to pick up the groceries, and another man walked.

The food bank has seen at least a 20% increase in demand for food since the pandemic began in the 11-county region it serves.

Of the 1,000 families registered, 82% came from Onondaga County. One family from Queens and one from Broome County registered. Forty-two of the recipients are under age 18.

The families who qualified for the food had to meet income eligibility of less than twice the federal poverty line.

The next drive-through food delivery date has not been scheduled.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alluded to the infamous Roman emperor Nero when saying that as President Trump fiddles, people are dying. The president, in turn, called her a sick puppy with a lot of problems. In the midst of this nastiness, I wish we had someone like Will Rogers around. In 1928, Baltimore writer H.L. Mencken called him the most dangerous writer alive, yet Americans love him to this day.

During a truly frightening pandemic, plenty of actors, comedians, musicians and less-famous types are doing what they can in an admirable, spontaneous effort to raise peoples spirits. Still, it would be good to have Rogers here, to help pull us together as our politicians and pundits divide us.

Rogers, part Cherokee, was born in the Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma in 1879. Over his lifetime, he worked in Wild West shows, vaudeville, Broadway, movies, books and as a columnist for the Saturday Evening Post. He didnt trust politicians, wealthy people or Hollywood elites, though he once said, I joked about every prominent man in my lifetime, but I never met one I didnt like.
With bad debt provisions driving CBA's profits sharply lower to $1.3 billion for the March quarter, Mr Comyn emphasised the economys outlook was highly uncertain. He said CBA's central scenario was based on the Reserve Bank forecasts published last week, which pointed to the economy contracting by 6 per cent over this calendar year before a 6 per cent rise in 2021.

As CBA rounded out a series of bank results dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, chief executive Matt Comyn expressed hope the economy could bounce back more strongly from the crisis than bleak official forecasts suggest. Even so, he said the bank needed to be prudent in taking provisions for any fallout from a severe downturn.

The Commonwealth Bank is bracing for a $1.5 billion wave of bad debts caused by a sharp contraction in the economy, with loans to households expected to account for more than half the hit to its bottom line.

Were going to do everything that we can to support and facilitate a stronger economic recovery to the extent that we can, and I think that its going to be a case of governments and businesses and communities doing everything we can to manage both the health crisis and the economic challenges that come with that, Mr Comyn told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Were hoping for a better outcome than the downturn but then from a banking perspective its prudent to plan for a more substantial contraction in economic activity.

In a third-quarter trading update, the bank reported a 41 per cent plunge in unaudited cash profit to $1.3 billion, as otherwise solid results were dragged down by a $1.5 billion provision for bad and doubtful debts.

CBA said after assessing its mortgage portfolio, looking at factors such as the occupations of borrowers and where they lived, loans to households accounted for $860 million, or more than half of the COVID-19 bad debt charge. Corporate loans made up the remaining $640 million of the provision.

As entire industries ground to a halt in recent months due to the pandemic, CBA said it had received requests to defer repayments on 144,000 home loans worth a combined $50 billion.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Narendra Modi government is committed to reviving the economy, help small businesses and boost employment in the challenging time of coronavirus pandemic.

In a series of tweets, Shah said the central government is doing everything possible to help those in the business sector as they may face financial stress while resuming their work following the lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

"I thank PM @narendramodi and FM @nsitharaman for these unprecedented steps, targeted at assisting MSMEs, cope with challenges of COVID-19.

"It reflects PM Modi's commitment to revive our economy, help small businesses and boost employment," he tweeted with the hashtag '#AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyan'.

Shah's comments came soon after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Rs 3 lakh crore of collateral-free loans for small businesses, a cut in the tax rate for non-salary payments and measures to provide liquidity to non-banking companies to help them tide over the disruptions caused by the lockdown.

Unveiling the first set of components of the Rs 20 lakh crore COVID-19 economic stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said Rs 90,000 crore liquidity infusion will be made in electricity distribution companies to help them fight the current financial stress.

Also, dates for filing income tax returns and other assessments have been extended, she said.

Shah said the Modi government's decision to provide Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans to businesses, including MSMEs, will surely help them meet their operational liabilities, built up due to COVID-19, and resume their business.

About 45 lakh units and employees will benefit from this step, he said.

"Modi government understands the issues and problems faced by the MSMEs, amidst COVID-19 pandemic. To help them in these stressed times, GoI (government of India) will facilitate provision of Rs 20,000 crore as subordinate debt, which will benefit more than 2 lakh MSMEs," he said.

Shah said the Modi government will facilitate equity infusion worth Rs 50,000 crore for the MSMEs through 'Fund of Funds'.

This will help them expand their size as well as capacity and encourage them to get listed, raise public money through stock exchanges, he said.

The home minister said the government will also launch a Rs 30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme to help NBFCs / HFCs / MFIs / NBFCs / HFCs /MFIs as they are finding it difficult to raise money in debt markets.

This decision will not only provide them liquidity support but also create confidence in the market, he said.

"Modi govt is doing everything possible to help business sector as they may face financial stress while resuming their businesses. GoI to provide Rs 2,500 crore EPF support for business and workers for 3 more months. This will help about 3.67 lakh units and 72.22 lakh employees," he said.

Shah said in these challenging times, to boost 'Make In India', help the MSMEs and other companies from the, often unfair, competition by foreign giants, the Modi government has disallowed global tenders upto Rs 200 crore which is a welcome step towards '#AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyan'.

"I thank PM @narendramodi's government for infusing liquidity of Rs 90,000 crore in DISCOMs, providing Rs 45,000 crore Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 for NBFCs and Rs 50,000 crore liquidity through TDS/TCS rate reduction," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A stretch of the Mekong River near the planned site of the Sanakham Dam in northern Laos shown in a satellite image taken April 28.

The Lao government has moved forward plans to build what would be the countrys seventh large dam on the Mekong River, another project in the countrys ambitious strategy to become the Battery of Southeast Asia in the face of deepening environmental and social concerns.

Residents of Laos and Thailand, as well as international experts and environmentalists, say the project is unnecessary and would add to pressure on the Mekong region, already struggling to cope with the impact of multiple Chinese dams.

The 684-megawatt Sanakham dam, with a projected completion date of 2028, would join the currently operational Xayaburi and Don Sahong dams. In various stages of planning are four dams: Pak Beng, Pak Lay, Luang Prabang, and Phougnoi.

The Datang Sanakham Hydropower Company, a subsidiary of Chinas Datang International Power Generation, is set to begin construction later this year.

The government submitted a proposal for the Sanakham project to the Mekong River Commission (MRC), on September 9, 2019. The MRC is an inter-governmental agency that works with regional governments to manage the rivers resources.

The proposal indicates that the dam would be built in Vientiane provinces Sanakham district, about 155 kilometers (96 miles) north of the capital.

The proposal also included the results of a feasibility study and an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the new project, an official of the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines told RFAs Lao Service in a written statement Tuesday.

There are many things to do and many steps or processes to go through because this is the Mekong were talking about. The project has not yet been approved, said the official, who requested anonymity for legal reasons.

The official added that the MRC would conduct its prior consultation process regarding the project with other members of the commission within six months. The MRC consists of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Under MRC procedure, a country proposing a dam on the mainstream of the river notifies the other countries in the grouping before going ahead with the project.

Pre-notification initiates a six-month evaluation where member states can assess the possible impact of the dam on ecosystems and livelihoods and suggest remedies, although activists question the effectiveness of the process as the MRC lacks power to enforce recommendations.

The Lao public however seems to have been left in the dark.

This May 11, 2020 photo shows the Mekong River just below the proposed Sanakham dam site. Citizen Journalist

We heard the news [about the dam proposal], but we dont know all the details. We dont know what the government is going to do, a resident of Sanakham district, who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA Tuesday.

Large dams are scary. Were afraid of flooding above the dam area, and those living downstream are afraid too, the resident said.

Another Sanakham resident told RFA, Compared to previous years, the Mekong River is drier this year. Its all due to the impact of the dams. Dams can hold and release water.

The Mekong River will be drier because of the dams in China, the Xayaburi dam and in the near future the Sanakham dam. Water has to pass through many dams before it can reach [our area] and that could be 50 percent less water [than usual], she said.

A resident of the capital city said he was opposed to the dam because it would make droughts worse.

The dam is not necessary. We dont need it. Laos has too many dams already, the man, who requested anonymity, told RFA Wednesday.

The dams will cause more droughts. Look at the Mekong right now. Its never been this dry. Were in a [climate] crisis, he said.

Another anonymous resident of the capital told RFA, Weve build countless numbers of dams so we can become the Battery of Southeast Asia, but the more dams we build, the more expensive electricity gets.

The Sanakham dam will have a major impact, said a fisheries expert in Laos.

The Chinese may comply with the international standards in terms of environmental protection, but [when it comes to] displacing villagers, all theyll do is just give money to the Lao government then the government will pay out compensation. The Chinese dont care about the impact that much, the fish expert said.

Based on the projects Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, 1,127 residents of three villages in the area must be entirely resettled while 1,808 people in ten other villages require relocation.

A Lao economist told RFA, Having too many dams is risky, but power is important for economic development.

Opposition in Thailand

In neighboring Thailand opposition to the Sanakham dam is mounting.

I dont want another dam, a representative of the Love Chiang Khan Network, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely, told RFA.

The network is a group of environmentalists in the Chiang Khan district of Thailands Loei Province, which is situated nearby the planned dam site.

Already all the fishermen have been affected by the Xayaburi dam and the Chinese dams [further upstream]. They are worried about food, and now fish have become scarce. I wonder if there will be any fish left in the future, the environmentalist said.

The MRC must do a transboundary impact study, but up until now there have not been any serious studies of this kind for any of the dams, said Montri Chanthavong of the Mekong Butterfly civic group.

International Rivers said that the demand for energy in Thailand is not enough to justify the construction of yet another dam on the promises of selling the excess energy to Laos big neighbor.

We dont need the Sanakham dam because energy reserves in Thailand are 40 percent greater than the demand. So this dam is not worth bulding, Phairin Sohsai, the Thai coordinator for International Rivers, told RFA.

It will further destroy the Mekong river. We are just now realizing that the impact from the Xayaburi dam is more obvious and serious, she said.

Thailand shouldnt buy power from this project because it will be a great burden on the [Thai] people. Thailand should look for alternative energy sources that will be cheaper than power from dams, Sohsai added.

Representatives of the Thai government also plan to voice concerns over the project.

Somkiat Prajamwong, director of Thailands Office of Natural Water Resources, Wednesday told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, that he would bring up concerns expressed by locals about the Mekong River at a meeting of the MRC next month.

Laos dam proposal is in line with the MRC procedures. Next, Laos needs to prepare information and present it to the four members early next month, he said, referring to the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA), which are required before a dam project can be agreed upon.

We initially acknowledge the proposal and have told the [MRC] members to present opinions on the possible negative impacts of the dam so we can try to find a way to mitigate the problems we often experience, Somkiat said.

International Experts

Several international experts told RFA that Laos unwavering intention to build yet another dam on the Mekong was unwise, given its potential impact.

The fact that the developer has already built access roads to the site is just further confirmation that that Lao government is committed to proceeding with this project regardless of any concerns neighboring countries, the international community and potentially affected local communities may have," Bruce Shoemaker, an independent researcher who has worked in Laos since 1990, told RFA.

A resident of Sanakham district confirmed to RFA that road construction is ongoing.

Yes, they are going to pave a road all the way to the [Mekong] river bank, and this road will encircle Sanakham District, he said.

But Chansaveng Boungnong, the director general for the energy and mines ministrys Department of Energy and Policy and Planning, denied that the roads were being built in advance of the project.

Weve not done anything yet. The project has not yet been approved, he said.

Its not going to be easy. It has to go through the process of the prior consultation (PNPCA) in compliance with 1995 Mekong Agreement. Relocation of the villagers has not even taken place yet, he added.

Shoemaker said the dam would cause environmental and social harm.

"There is widespread scientific acknowledgement and understanding of the negative impacts--to fisheries, the wider environment and the livelihoods of millions of people--of the mainstream Mekong dams, he said.

It is unfortunate to see the international community, through the Mekong River Commission, endorsing and supporting yet another meaningless local consultation exercise. The Lao government is clearly already committed to proceed with another destructive mainstream hydropower project, no matter what the results of these consultations might be," he added.

Another expert said Laos has yet to secure a market for all the electricity it plans to generate.

"Most of the new projects to go through the MRC PNPCA process have yet to find markets for their power, so it's puzzling that Pak Beng, Pak Lay, Luang Prabang, and now Sanakham are moving through these protocols," said Brian Eyler, director of the Stimson Centers Southeast Asia Program in Washington.

"The past 12 months more so than any previous year in the history of damming the Mekong, should send a clear signal to policy makers that mainstream Mekong dams deliver devastating impacts to the mighty river's natural resource base, Eyler added, referring to severe drought conditions that wreaked havoc on the region in 2019 and early 2020.

Alternatives are commercially viable and should be considered," said Eyler

Reported by RFAs Lao Service and BenarNews. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
PORTLAND, Ore., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland General Electric Company (NYSE: POR) and Douglas County Public Utility District No. 1 are partnering to optimize the region's resources in support of clean energy for customers. The two Northwest utilities have signed a five-year power purchase agreement to supply PGE customers with up to 160 megawatts of additional capacity from the Wells Hydroelectric Project on the Columbia River north of Wenatchee, Wash. The agreement also provides Douglas County PUD with PGE load management and wholesale market sales services.

"This partnership demonstrates the value of utilities collaborating to deliver clean energy solutions for customers and our region," said Maria Pope, PGE president and CEO. "We are able to provide our portfolio management expertise as a fully integrated utility to Douglas County PUD while they are providing us access to additional emissions-free hydroelectric power."

The partnership helps pave a path for Oregon and the Northwest to make progress toward achieving their decarbonization goals while maintaining reliability with on-call hydro power when customers need it. In addition, it enables PGE to continue focusing on providing stable, reliable energy supplies without building new thermal power plants.

"Douglas PUD is excited to expand our long-term partnership with PGE. This agreement creates efficiencies for a small utility like Douglas PUD while creating value for PGE, it's a win-win," said Gary Ivory, Douglas PUD General Manager.

The Wells Project can generate up to 840 megawatts of electricity, substantially more power than is used in Douglas County. Revenues from wholesale power sales to other utilities support PUD operations and help keep electricity prices low for area residents and businesses.

Beginning in January 2021 the five-year agreement is expected to contribute between 100 and 160 megawatts toward a roughly 250-megawatt power capacity need that PGE identified in its 2019 Integrated Resource Plan. The Oregon Public Utility Commission greenlighted the plan in March 2020.

PGE also plans to issue one or more requests for proposals for new non-emitting resources over the course of the next year and to continue to pursue bilateral agreements for existing resources to focus on capacity needs in the 2025 timeframe. Prior to reaching the agreement with Douglas County PUD, the company estimated these activities could result in approximately 600 megawatts of additional capacity resources and up to 150 average megawatts of new renewable resources. PGE's resource plan aims to support reliability and affordability while driving down greenhouse gas emissions by leveraging energy efficiency and customer programs, existing capacity in the Northwest, new technologies like energy storage, and cost savings afforded by federal tax credits for renewables.

The total amount of additional power PGE customers will require by 2025 is currently estimated at approximately 700 megawatts, but this will be refined as demand forecasts are updated, factoring in the economic impact of COVID-19 restrictions and other developments.

About Portland General Electric Company: Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves 899,000 customers with a service area population of 1.9 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE has 16 generation plants in five Oregon counties, and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years, PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. In 2019, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $4.7 million and volunteered 32,900 hours with more than 700 nonprofits annually across Oregon. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/cleanvision.

About Douglas County Public Utility District #1: Organized in 1936, Douglas County PUD began operations in 1945 as a non-profit, locally owned electric distribution system. From the beginning, delivery of a reliable supply of electric energy at the lowest possible cost has been our guiding principle. The Wells Hydroelectric Project has become the model for providing clean, efficient, reliable and renewable hydroelectric power in the Northwest. This project boasts the most effective juvenile fish by-pass on the Columbia River, and its operation funds several salmon and steelhead hatcheries.

Safe Harbor Statement: Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. They are not guarantees of future events. Rather, they are based on current expectations, estimates, beliefs and assumptions and are subject to uncertainties that are difficult to predict. As a result, actual events or results may differ materially from the statements made. Forward-looking statements made in this press release include statements regarding Portland General Electric's energy strategy for future periods, the implementation and outcome of requests for proposals, and the acquisition of additional resources to meet retail customer demand and the requirements of Oregon's Renewable Energy Standard. These forward-looking statements are based upon Portland General Electric's assumptions about and assessment of the future, which may or may not prove true, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, risk factors detailed in Portland General Electric's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Portland General Electric's reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: Portland General Company

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Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort exits the courtroom after his arraignment in New York Supreme Court in New York, June 27, 2019.

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was released from federal prison to serve the remainder of his 7-year sentence in home confinement amid fears about the spread of the coronavirus, NBC News reported Wednesday.

Manafort was released from a federal correctional institution in Loretto, Pennsylvania, early Wednesday morning, a source familiar with the case told NBC.

Manafort, 71, had been sentenced in 2019 to charges brought as part of former special counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russian election meddling, potential Kremlin coordination with the Trump campaign and possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump himself.

Lawyers for Manafort did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment. The Bureau of Prisons did not immediately confirm that Manafort had been released from FCI Loretto.

Manafort was slated to be released from prison in November 2024, according to the Bureau of Prisons website.

But the coronavirus pandemic has swept through America's prisons, infecting hundreds of inmates and guards and prompting many inmates to ask for early release out of concern for their safety.

Other high-profile inmates have asked to be released to home confinement. Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, 53, had reportedly been told he would be released from a federal prison camp in upstate New York. But that promise to Cohen was rescinded in early May, people familiar with the situation told CNBC.

The reversal came shortly after a Trump Organization lawyer issued Cohen, a former Trump ally turned critic, a warning not to publish a reported "tell-all" book ahead of the 2020 election. The White House said that it had "absolutely not" interfered in the decision to delay Cohen's planned early release.

Lanny Davis, a spokesman and lawyer for Cohen, said in a tweet that he hoped Cohen would receive the treatment as Manafort.

Davis TWEET

More than a dozen inmates and staff at Cohen's prison in Otisville, New York, have previously tested positive for Covid-19, according to the Bureau of Prisons. At the time this article was published, only one active case at the Otisville facility was listed on the BOP website.

In contrast, the BOP says there are no known cases of coronavirus at FCI Loretto, where Manafort was serving his sentence.

Manafort was chairman of Trump's winning presidential campaign for several months in 2016. He resigned amid reported concerns within the campaign about his connections and past lobbying work for pro-Russian oligarchs in Ukraine.

Manafort was later charged as part of Mueller's probe with a slew of financial crimes, including bank fraud and filing false income tax returns. He was convicted on eight of the 14 criminal counts against him in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, and later pleaded guilty to additional charges in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

After his sentencing in those cases, Manafort was charged by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. with state criminal charges related to real estate loans Manafort received or applied for in New York.

Manafort has claimed to suffer from serious health problems throughout his prosecution. He was hospitalized in December after experiencing a medical issue in the federal prison in Pennsylvania. That month, a judge dismissed the state charges against Manafort on double jeopardy grounds.

ABC News first reported Manafort's release earlier Wednesday morning.
Congress leaders on Tuesday said they will await details of special economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but spoke on in different voices on the announcement.

New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): Congress leaders on Tuesday said they will await details of special economic package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi but spoke on in different voices on the announcement itself with party leader Anand Sharma welcoming it while another party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala alleging that the Prime Minister failed to address the woes of millions of migrant workers.

Sharma said the announcement of an overall package of Rs 20 lakh crore will help revive the economy in the crisis created by COVID-19.

Welcoming PMs announcement of an economic package of Rs 20 lac crore and will wait for the details. This will help in reviving the economy and reassuring for the micro, small and medium enterprises in urgent need of financial support for workers wages, Sharma said in a tweet.

Hope the poor, migrant workers who have lost livelihood and incomes and suffered the most will get relief, he added. Party leader Rahul Gandhi, who tweeted before the PMs address, had urged him to directly transfer at least Rs 7,500 to the accounts of migrant labourers to support them during COVID-19 crisis.

Congress leader Abishek Manu Singhvi said in a tweet that if substantially, concretely, new proposal is 10 per cent of GDP, it would be great. Asked 4 fiscal injection last month. Gave comparative figs of other countries and bemoaned measly 0.7 per cent of GDP. If substantially, concretely, new proposal is 10% of GDP, it would b great. both God and devil lie in details, nt available. 10% shd be Addl not counting old precorona schemes, he said.

Surjewala said Modis remarks had given the media a headline but Congress will respond when the blank page is filled.

Dear PM, What you said today gives the country and the media a Headline. When the blank page is filled with Heartfelt Help of People, the Nation and Congress Party will respond, he said in a tweet.

Dear PM, the mammoth heart breaking human tragedy of migrant workers walking back home needed compassion, care and safe return. India is deeply disappointed by your utter lack of empathy, sensitivity & failure to address the woes of millions of MigrantWorkers ! he added. The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced special economic package for various sections including the poor and MSMEs as he called for making the country self-reliant.

I announce a special economic package today. This will play an important role in the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (self-reliant India campaign). The announcements made by the government over COVID, decisions of RBI and todays package totals to Rs 20 lakh crore. This is 10 per cent of Indias GDP, he said. (ANI)

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When Michael Flynn was forced from the White House, Vice President Mike Pence said he was disappointed the national security adviser had misled him about his talks with the Russian ambassador. President Donald Trump called the deception unacceptable.

Now Pence says he'd welcome Flynn back to the administration, calling him a patriot, as Trump pronounces him exonerated.

What a difference three years makes. The Justice Department's move to dismiss the criminal case against Flynn marks another step in his transformation, in the eyes of Trump and his allies, from rogue adviser to victim of runaway law enforcement.

The dismissal rewrites the narrative of the case that Trump's own Justice Department had advanced for the last three years in a way that former law enforcement officials say downplays the legitimate national security concerns they believe Flynn posed and the consequences of the lies he pleaded guilty to telling.

It's been swept up in a broader push by Trump and his Republican allies to reframe the Russia investigation as a deep state plot to sabotage his administration, setting the stage for a fresh onslaught of election year attacks on past and present Democratic officials and law enforcement leaders, too.

His goal is that by the end of this, you're just not really sure what happened and at some gut level enough Americans say, 'It's kind of messy,' said Princeton University presidential historian Julian Zelizer.

Scrambling to manage the coronavirus and economic crash, Trump has been eager to shift the focus elsewhere. He has repeatedly called Flynn exonerated and pushed the development as evidence of what he deemed Obamagate, an allegation the previous administration tried to undermine him during the presidential transition.

Trump has tried to rally his supporters around the claim, aiming to revive enthusiasm among voters disappointed by his handling of the pandemic. He went on a weekend tweetstorm and used the first 20 minutes of a recent Fox interview to attack the Obama administration rather than offer updates on the pandemic.

An investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller found Russians interfered in the 2016 election on Trump's behalf, though it did not allege illegal coordination with Trump's campaign. Mueller examined multiple instances of potential obstruction of justice and pointedly noted that he was unable to exonerate Trump.

But advisers believe painting the previous administration as corrupt can distract from a pandemic crisis that has crippled the economy and killed tens of thousands of people in the U.S. and can prove an effective line of attack against Trump's Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, who was Obama's vice president, according to four current and former administration officials and Republicans close to the White House not authorized to discuss the matter by name.

The hope is to revive some of the pre-pandemic arguments to cast Trump, even now as an incumbent, as the political outsider being attacked by the establishment.

Trump has increasingly lashed out in the year since Mueller's report did not accuse him of a crime or allege a criminal conspiracy between his campaign and Russia. Revelations since then have exposed certain problems with the early days of the FBI's probe, including errors and omissions in applications to surveil an ex-Trump campaign adviser.

Republicans in Congress and inside the administration have echoed the attacks and scrutiny.

National intelligence director Richard Grenell has declassified a list of names of Obama administration officials who reportedly asked for Flynn's identity to be unredacted in intelligence documents, while Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said in a Senate floor speech that the rule of law is at risk if the federal government can get away with violating the Constitution to do what they did to Lt. Gen. Flynn."'



Republicans have generated a thick fog of propaganda," Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland told The Associated Press.

Trump and his enablers in Congress have a strategy of never admitting anything and always going on the attack." Attorney General William Barr has said dropping the case against Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about having discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition, was in the interests of justice.

The department says the FBI had no basis in interviewing Flynn about his entirely appropriate calls and that any imperfect statements he made during questioning were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign.

But the decision stunned former law enforcement officials involved in the case, including some who say the Justice Department is rewriting history and omitting key context.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cystic Fibrosis - Pipeline Review, H1 2020" drug pipelines has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This pipeline guide provides comprehensive information on the therapeutics under development for Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory), complete with analysis by stage of development, drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type. The guide covers the descriptive pharmacological action of the therapeutics, its complete research and development history and latest news and press releases.



The Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory) pipeline guide also reviews key players involved in therapeutic development for Cystic Fibrosis and features dormant and discontinued projects. The guide covers therapeutics under Development by Companies /Universities /Institutes, the molecules developed by Companies in Pre-Registration, Filing rejected/Withdrawn, Phase III, Phase II, Phase I, IND/CTA Filed, Preclinical, Discovery and Unknown stages are 3, 1, 4, 34, 20, 1, 67, 32 and 1 respectively. Similarly, the Universities portfolio in Phase II, Phase I, Preclinical, Discovery and Unknown stages comprises 2, 1, 10, 9 and 1 molecules, respectively.



Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory) pipeline guide helps in identifying and tracking emerging players in the market and their portfolios, enhances decision making capabilities and helps to create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.



Scope

The pipeline guide provides a snapshot of the global therapeutic landscape of Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory).

The pipeline guide reviews pipeline therapeutics for Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory) by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.

The pipeline guide covers pipeline products based on several stages of development ranging from pre-registration till discovery and undisclosed stages.

The pipeline guide features descriptive drug profiles for the pipeline products which comprise, product description, descriptive licensing and collaboration details, R&D brief, MoA & other developmental activities.

The pipeline guide reviews key companies involved in Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory) therapeutics and enlists all their major and minor projects.

The pipeline guide evaluates Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory) therapeutics based on mechanism of action (MoA), drug target, route of administration (RoA) and molecule type.

The pipeline guide encapsulates all the dormant and discontinued pipeline projects.

The pipeline guide reviews latest news related to pipeline therapeutics for Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory).

Reasons to Buy

Procure strategically important competitor information, analysis, and insights to formulate effective R&D strategies.

Recognize emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter-strategies to gain competitive advantage.

Find and recognize significant and varied types of therapeutics under development for Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory).

Classify potential new clients or partners in the target demographic.

Develop tactical initiatives by understanding the focus areas of leading companies.

Plan mergers and acquisitions meritoriously by identifying key players and it's most promising pipeline therapeutics.

Formulate corrective measures for pipeline projects by understanding Cystic Fibrosis (Respiratory) pipeline depth and focus of Indication therapeutics.

Develop and design in-licensing and out-licensing strategies by identifying prospective partners with the most attractive projects to enhance and expand business potential and scope.

Adjust the therapeutic portfolio by recognizing discontinued projects and understand from the know-how what drove them from pipeline.

Key Topics Covered



Introduction Overview Therapeutics Development Therapeutics Assessment Companies Involved in Therapeutics Development Drug Profiles Dormant Projects Discontinued Products Product Development Milestones Appendix

Companies Mentioned



4D Molecular Therapeutics Inc

AbbVie Inc

Abeona Therapeutics Inc

Agile Sciences Inc

AGILeBiotics BV

Airway Therapeutics LLC

Alaxia SAS

AlgiPharma AS

Altavant Sciences Inc

Amgen Inc

Antabio SAS

Arch Biopartners Inc

Arcturus Therapeutics Ltd

Armata Pharmaceuticals Inc

Arrevus Inc

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc

AstraZeneca Plc

Atlantic Healthcare Plc

Avidin Ltd

BioAegis Therapeutics Inc

Biofilm Pharma

Biolytx Pharmaceuticals Corp

Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH

Boston Pharmaceuticals Inc

Breathe Easy Therapeutics Ltd

BridgeBio Pharma Inc

Calista Therapeutics Inc

Calithera Biosciences Inc

Catabasis Pharmaceuticals Inc

Celtaxsys Inc

Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA

Chrysalis Pharma SAS

Cilian AG

Copernicus Therapeutics Inc

Corbus Pharmaceuticals Inc

CRISPR Therapeutics AG

CrowdOut Therapeutics

CSA Biotechnologies LLC

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals Inc

Cyclenium Pharma Inc

Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd

Destiny Pharma Plc

DiscoveryBiomed Inc

Druggability Technologies Holdings Ltd

Editas Medicine Inc

Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Inc

EmphyCorp Inc

EnBiotix Inc

Enterprise Therapeutics Ltd

Entrinsic Health Solutions, Inc.

Enzyvant Sciences Ltd

Errant Gene Therapeutics LLC

Evaxion Biotech ApS

Evotec SE

Exotect LLC

Galapagos NV

Galenus Therapeutics Inc

Generation Bio Corp

Genzyme Corp

Grupo Praxis Pharmaceutical SA

Helperby Therapeutics Group Ltd

Horizon Therapeutics PLC

Icagen Inc

Idorsia Pharmaceutical Ltd

Immun System IMS AB

Insmed Inc

Invion Ltd

Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc

Kamada Ltd

Kither Biotech Srl

Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co Ltd

Lakewood-Amedex Inc

Lamellar Biomedical Ltd

Laurent Pharmaceuticals Inc

MannKind Corp

Mariposa Health Ltd

Microbion Corp

Mucokinetica Ltd

Nanogenics Ltd

Neupharma Srl

New Amsterdam Sciences Inc

Novabiotics Ltd

Novartis AG

Novoteris LLC

Omnispirant Ltd

Orphomed Inc

OrPro Therapeutics Inc

Oryn Therapeutics

Paranta Biosciences Ltd

Parion Sciences Inc

Pharmaero ApS

Pharmaxis Ltd

PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals Inc

Polyphor AG

Progenra Inc

ProQR Therapeutics NV

Protalix BioTherapeutics Inc

Proteostasis Therapeutics Inc

Pulmatrix Inc

Rare Partners Srl

Recode Therapeutics Inc

Renovion Inc

Riptide Bioscience Inc

Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG

SciBac Inc

Sequoia Sciences Inc

Silurian Pharmaceuticals Inc

SolAeroMed Inc

Specific Biologics Inc

Spirovant Sciences Inc

Spyryx Biosciences Inc

Synedgen Inc

Synovo GmbH

Synspira LLC

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd

TGV-Inhalonix Inc

Therapeutic Systems Research Laboratories Inc

Translate Bio Inc

Trucode Gene Repair Inc

Vast Therapeutics Inc

Vectura Group Plc

Verona Pharma Plc

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc

Vironika LLC

Zambon Co SpA

Zata Pharmaceuticals Inc

Zikani Therapeutics Inc

For more information about this drug pipelines report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xxjf05

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

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262 Shramik special trains had



ferried 3.34 lakh migrant workers to their native states from Gujarat as of Tuesday night, a government official said.

Another 56,800 migrants were set to leave by Wednesday night, said Ashwani Kumar, secretary to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

Out of 640 special trains for migrants run across the country till Tuesday midnight, 262, or around 41 per cent, originated from Gujarat, ferrying 3.34 lakh people, Kumar said.

Another 37 Shramik special trains will leave from Gujarat on Wednesday carrying 56,800 migrants to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and other states, he said.

Compared to Gujarat, Maharashtra had run 99 Shramik trains, Punjab 81, Rajasthan 27, Karnataka 36 and Telangana 33 till Tuesday night, he said.

A majority of trains went to Uttar Pradesh, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Chinese doctor whose skin darkened dramatically while undergoing hospital treatment for coronavirus is gradually returning to his normal colour.

Dr Yi Fan, 42, who caught the virus in January in Wuhan, where the outbreak began, woke up from life support in April to find his skin had become much darker.

His colleague Hu Weifeng, 42, suffered the same side effect.

Both doctors were infected with Covid-19 while treating patients at the Wuhan Central Hospital and saw the change in pigmentation over the course of their treatment.

The change was caused by an antibiotic that the doctors were given, a spokesperson for the China-Japan Friendship Hospital said.

But Dr Yi's skin is now starting to return to normal after he was discharged from hospital last week, new footage suggests.

Dr Yi spoke to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV from his hospital bed in April saying he had mostly recovered from the infection, but he was struggling to walk independently.

He told a reporter: "When I first gained consciousness, especially after I got to know about my condition, I felt scared. I had nightmares often."

Dr Hu, whose condition was previously described as more serious, remains in hospital, according to the spokesperson.

Dr Hu Weifeng remains in intensive care

The full long-term effects of coronavirus remain unknown, with investigations ongoing.

Many people who have suffered from the disease have reported longer-term problems that they believe are related to Covid-19.

Carmine Pariante, professor of biological psychiatry at Kings College London, told the Mail on Sunday: We dont have the data yet, but we are concerned that some people will be affected long-term.

"There is, particularly for patients in intensive care, a perfect storm of potential damage to the body and the brain.

But we also need to see whether even those with milder forms who werent treated in hospital have some consequences such as long term physical or mental fatigue. We dont know  but it might well be possible.
Bay Area mass transit officials are gearing up for what may be the biggest challenge to public transportation ever  masked transit in the the era of coronavirus.

The very basis of mass transit is in the word mass. It only works financially and operationally with big numbers of riders. Metropolitan Transportation Commission spokesman Randy Rentschler said.

The challenge is that in order to bring back riders in big enough numbers to keep transit systems like Muni and BART running means ensuring that riders feel safe. And in order for buses and trains to fill back up, social distancing will need to take a back seat.

It is going to be a tricky balance.

The one thing that is clear is that there is no clarity on how to do it, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director Jeffrey Tumlin said.

But there are possibilities.

Tumlin said hes been looking at Seoul and Taipei as possible examples of how to navigate the resurrection of mass transit. He said both cities are practicing safe distancing in the workplace but not on their mass transit systems, which are running at about 80% capacity.

They have eliminated social distancing on mass transit in exchange for enforced face masks and temperature checks, Tumlin said. They also have a lot of marketing and media support for masks. Obviously, San Francisco is not East Asia. Here in the U.S. we dont have the same cultural climate.

And therein lies the challenge.

BART General Manager Robert Powers has been riding the trains regularly since the March 16 stay-at-home orders were issued. He estimated that 95% of the riders that he has seen were wearing masks or some other type of face covering.

People will need to think of masks the same way they think of their keys and cell phones. You dont leave home without it, Powers said.

Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle

Tumlin said Muni was seeing high mask use as well.

While most people will comply, the challenge for Muni and BART will be the person who comes onto a bus or train car without a mask and starts coughing, making everyone else feel unsafe and less inclined to keep using the system.

That could be very, very problematic, Powers said.

To lessen the threat, BART police are being posted at station entrances and will be enforcing the mask rule by refusing entry to those who refuse to wear one. But first the police and the transit agencys public ambassadors will work to get people to use some type of covering.

Downtown San Francisco BART stations are stocking extra masks for riders. Police are also being given masks to hand out.

Muni, which is a much more open system, with many more stops than BART, is trying to be strategic about mask enforcement.

With the help of drivers, Muni has identified stops where people without a mask are more likely try to board. They have assigned 36 ambassadors to the stops, which are mostly downtown and along Market Street, to hand out masks.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

Tumlin and Powers said they had no plans to physically haul people from trains if they refuse to comply.

I dont want to see police dragging people off of trains for not wearing masks, Tumlin said.

Powers agreed.

That is not our style, 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.

In other words, masking will largely be self-policed.

If the public fails to take that to heart, then we may have to consider limiting ridership, to ensure social distancing Tumlin said.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Limiting ridership would mean less fare revenue, longer waits for buses and trains, and the prospect of people using cars more frequently.

There is also the question of how riders will react if the largely self-enforced mask rules fail to keep walking health hazards from getting on board a bus or train.

If everyone retreats in a fear-based way to the car then the economy, which is based on mass transit, doesnt work, Tumlin said.

Why does that matter?

Bringing people back onto public transit is also essential for reopening the economy, Tumlin said.

So as we begin to head back to work, our fate and the fate of the citys economy is in our hands and our masks.

Welcome to the new world.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGO-TV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier
Highlights Huawei Y9s has been launched in India at a price of Rs 19,990

The Y9s gets a 16-megapixel pop-up selfie camera

The phone comes running the new Kirin 710F chipset

Huawei's latest mid-range smartphone, the Y9s, has finally been made official in India. The phone comes with a big screen and battery for the segment and has been launched as an Amazon exclusive in India.

With the Huawei Huawei Y9s finally launched in India, let's take a look at what it brings to the table in terms of specs and features.

Huawei Y9s: Specifications

Display: Huawei Y9s comes with a 6.59-inch Ultra FullView display with support for 16.7 million colours. The device also features a high screen-to-body ratio of 91 per cent.

Chipset: The new Huawei phone comes with Kirin 710F SoC.

RAM: There's 6GB of RAM for smooth operation even with multiple apps running.

Storage: The RAM has been paired with 128GB of storage that can be expanded to 512GB using a microSD card.

Rear camera: The Y9s comes with an ultra-clear 48-megapixel camera sat next to an 8-megapixel Ultra Wide Angle camera and a 2-megapixel depth camera.

Front camera: There's also a 16-megapixel front camera in a popo-up module for taking selfies.

Huawei Y9s: Features

One of the biggest highlights of the Huawei Y9s is that it features a high screen-to-body ratio of 91 per cent, as both the top and bottom bezels of the display are thin. The Y9s also comes with support for Eye Comfort mode which offers a blue light filtering function that is certified by TUV Rheinland.

Huawei is also talking up the phone's front camera quite a lot, with the company claiming the 16-megapixel selfie shooter captures finer and detailed images compared to competing offerings. It also offers an improved Handheld Night Mode owing to Huawei's powerful AI capabilities. It also claims that the Huawei Y9s' front camera has passed 100,000 times a pop-up-and-retract test without damage to prove its high durability.

Huawei Y9s: Price and availability

Huawei Y9s is a mid-range offering that has been launched exclusively through Amazon. It will be available for purchase from May 19, with customers being promised the Huawei Y9s at a 9-month no-cost EMI and Rs 1,000 cashback. The phone has been priced by the company at Rs 19,990.
Bryan DCosta, a 25-year-old from Goa, is currently on a cruise liner stranded off the coast of Scotland. Having spent over 60 days onboard in what he calls a state of isolation, his frustration is palpable. He is among the thousands of Indian seafarers to be stuck in foreign waters amid lockdown. Its extremely disheartening.

There are only Indians onboard, about 100 of them, since seafarers of other nationalities have returned home for free. The senior management of the ship has stayed back just to look after us. We have a limited supply of food and ...
Jesse Pedro Resau, the owner and broker of RE/MAX Coastal Properties, a Nicaraguan agency, said the market in San Juan del Sur had begun to pick up in mid-2019 and into 2020. In March and April, the pandemic all but stamped out his business.

Two-bedroom houses selling for around $300,000 before the turmoil of 2018 are now selling for 25 percent less. At a higher price tier, homes that sold for $500,000 to $700,000 in early 2018 are now going for $300,000 to $400,000. At the luxury end, homes that had been listed for between $900,000 and $1.2 million in early 2018 were selling for between $500,000 to $700,000 in mid-2019, but the luxury market is currently stagnant, Mr. Resau said.

There has been no movement in luxury homes here, not in the San Juan del Sur area, since last year, he said.

But his business has begun picking up again. A few properties that offered video tours and price cuts are in contract, and that prospective buyers have made offers from abroad on homes they toured during earlier visits.

Agents said there are discounts to be found, though many sellers havent lowered asking prices on homes, even as land prices have fallen.

Theyre basically trying to see how this pandemic is going to shake out before they make a determination of what theyre going to do with their properties here, Mr. Resau said.

Despite the double blow of the period of the crisis followed by this outbreak, Mr. Cooper said, interest was looking very rosy again at the beginning of this year. And people even now are doing virtual viewings.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Its looking more and more likely that the new Israels government agreed between Benjamin Netanyahus Likud party and Benny Gantzs Blue and White coalition will proceed with a plan to annex large parts of the West Bank. In Israel and the U.S., much discussion has focused on when exactly the land-grab might occur, and how the Trump administration would react to it.

President Trump, remember, has already blessed the idea of annexation. But, as I have suggested before, he may not want it to happen before presidential election in November. Netanyahu and Gantz will undoubtedly be expecting some guidance from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he arrives in Jerusalem today.

Little attention is being paid, however, to how annexation will be perceived by other actors. In much of the world, there is already growing unease over the future Israel will be imposing on the Palestinians. If the five million Palestinians living in the territories occupied in 1967 are deprived of more land without even the basic rights of citizenship, it may become impossible for Israel to escape the stigma of an apartheid state.

Nor will the international community fail to notice that the Israelis are unilaterally abrogating solemn treaty commitments. In the 1993 Declaration of Principles it agreed with the Palestinian Liberation Organizationunder the sponsorship of the U.S. and RussiaIsrael promised not to annex occupied territories. Breaking that word, even with American approval, will cause serious and lasting diplomatic damage.

How would the world react to annexation? Among the major powers, Russia and China will likely issue formal expressions of regret, but do little else: Moscow and Beijing will not risk their strong ties to Israel over this issue. Europe is another matter, however.

More than likely, European governments will regard the newly-annexed areas illegitimate, as they do many other Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Although there is little they can do to actually prevent the annexation, they can impose an economic cost on Israel. Members of the European Union are already considering punitive measures, ranging from restrictions on trade agreements and the denial of grants.

Story continues

Many European countries have laws distinguishing between goods and services produced in illegitimate settlementswhich are labeled to show their origin or excluded from advantageous trade termsand those produced in Israel proper. Israelis setting up businesses in annexed land could struggle for access to European markets.

There will be a political price, as well. Over time, Europeans will increasingly view a greater Israeli state as fundamentally illegitimate because it has been rendered indistinguishable from settlements. This view will inform the policies European governments adopt toward Israel.

Most emerging countries will likewise take a dim view of annexation: they have a stake in an international system that prohibits land-grabs by war. India could conceivably regard it as vindication of its own policies in Kashmir, but will at least express pro-forma disapproval. South Africa, Brazil, Mexico and others will be more forceful in their criticismespecially in the United Nations and other multilateral bodiesand will resist the normalization of an expanded Israel.

The same goes for the Islamic nations, even distant ones like Indonesia and Nigeria. In the Middle East, annexation will deepen hostility toward Israel from a wide range of actors, from Iran and Turkey to Islamist groups. And if Hezbollah and Hamas step up attacks on Israeli targets, they will have a ready-made justification that many Muslims around the world will find persuasive.

Annexation would virtually rule out diplomatic recognition of Israel by other Arab countries, even those that have recently been cultivating closer strategic relations, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It would even threaten relations with Arab states that do recognize Israel: Egypt and Jordan.

In the longer term, the reactions of Arab and other Muslim states will be governed by what the Palestinians do. The annexation plan leaves them marooned an autonomous area in the West Bank, entirely surrounded by the expanded Israel. Netanyahu, who calls this a state-minus, is calculating that Palestinians will have no option but to take whatever they can get.

This is wishful thinking. Palestinians will not surrender their historic claims and national aspirations in exchange for a West Bank enclave with limited self-rule within a greater Israel. A violent new uprising may be inevitable, requiring a military response from the Israeli Defense Forcesin turn risking more international opprobrium.

Even without a conflagration, Israel will essentially be suppressing the basic human rights of millions of peopleand there wont even be a pretense of this being a temporary situation, pending an eventual peace agreement. No amount of support from the Trump administration can erase that stain.

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

Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

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

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Florida residents who are members of gyms have demanded officials reopen the businesses during a protest which involved them performing a series of workout moves.

Protesters gathered outside Clearwater Courthouse in Clearwater on Monday as the state entered into Phase One of its reopening strategy during the coronavirus pandemic. But gyms werent expected to reopen until the second phase, which upset members.

Pictures and videos from the protest showed a group of about 20 to 30 people carrying signs that read Give me gains or give me death and We will not comply. A majority of the group were not wearing masks or practising social distancing.

They also performed a series of workout moves in front of the courthouse, including squats and push-ups. Some members in the group said they represented the fittest protest in America.

But showing off their ability to perform workout moves outside of a gym setting potentially backfired for protesters, with critics online pointing out these people clearly didnt rely on a gym to stay healthy.

If you can do squats and push ups on the sidewalk, you can do them in your living room and dont need to be at the gym, a Twitter user named Summer wrote after viewing the footage.

Gyms are one industry among many that has been unable to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic. In an effort to stay alive, gyms have offered members special packages if they kept their membership and provided virtual workouts.

States are prioritising differently when theyll allow gyms to reopen, with some like Georgia opening them in the first wave of businesses while others hold off.

Companies have vowed to space out gym equipment, encourage members to follow social distancing guidelines when working out, and maintain a strict sanitation schedule upon reopening. But health officials have still expressed concerns over potential coronavirus outbreaks in a gym setting.

In Florida, gyms opening in the second phase of the reopening process could only operate at a 75 per cent capacity. Buildings would also have to abide by strict social distancing and sanitation measures.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has faced a backlash for taking longer than other state governors to shut down areas of the state during the pandemic. But the state has largely avoided an overwhelming insurgence of the novel virus.

Confirmed infections for Florida stand at more than 42,000 cases and 1,829 people have died from Covid-19.

Officials have not revealed yet when the second phase of reopening would start for Florida.
Quebec Solidaire MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois speaks at the legislature in Quebec City on Dec. 5, 2019. The emergence of Quebec Solidaire, another sovereigntist party, is part of the reason Parti Quebecois support has dwindled. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Parti Quebecois Struggling for Relevance Amid Declining Support

The Parti Quebecois, the bastion of the push for Quebec independence for so many years, is floundering due to dwindling support and a changing political landscape. At just 17 percent popular support, the PQ had its worst-ever showing in the last Quebec election.

However, as the party heads toward choosing a new leader this summer, it finds itself buoyed by the renewed popularity of the federal Bloc Quebecois.

In the 2019 federal election, the Bloc captured 32 seats for its best result since 2008. Yet, a survey of Quebecers released last March showed just 23 percent identify as sovereigntists, and 55 percent believe that sovereignty is out of date.

The good showing of the Bloc in the federal election was due to many things, but definitely not to its stance on separatism, says Brooke Jeffrey, professor of political science at Concordia University.

Instead, Jeffrey credits BQ leader Yves-Francois Blanchet for portraying the Bloc as a sort of harmless interest group that would simply represent Quebecs interests in Ottawa, and to his strong support for the provincial Bill 21.

The Parti Quebecois was founded in 1968 and ruled Quebec with majority governments in 1976-85 and 1994-2003, and with a minority from 2012-2014. Leader Jean-Francois Lisee failed to win his seat in 2018 and immediately resigned. Its 90,000 voting members will pick a new leader on Aug. 28.

PQ support dwindled following the emergence of another sovereigntist party, Quebec Solidaire, which has taken an increasing percentage of the vote ever since it was founded in 2007. In the last election it gained 10 seats, just like the PQ.

The PQ is less socialist and more fiscally conservative than Quebec Solidaire. But this split of the sovereigntist vote will make it difficult for the PQ to regain official opposition status, let alone unseat Premier Francois Legault and his Coalition Avenir Quebec.

An Ipsos Reid poll on April 9 showed an unprecedented 96 percent support for Legault, largely due to his response to the pandemic.

The pandemic totally boosted Legaults popularity, says Daniel Bernier of Earnscliffe Strategy Group. Even Churchill couldnt have been that popular in the Second World War.

But on May 11, Legault had to backtrack on his target to open Montreal stores, schools, and daycares after Quebecs national health institute released new worst-case-scenario projections. Now the premier admits he might have to forfeit his current target of May 25 to a date as late as September.

Jacqueline Biollo, principal consultant with Aurora Strategy Group, believes this backpedalling has made Legault more vulnerable.

Leadership, communication, and clarity are key, especially in unprecedented times like we are experiencing now with COVID-19, Biollo says. Montreal remains the epicentre of COVID-19 in the provinces.

Even so, whatever portion of 96 percent support Legault can maintain will serve him well.

Most observers agree incumbent governments, if they are seen to do well on this [pandemic response], will have a significant advantage in the next election they face, Jeffrey says. But the CAQ was already well positionedreally quite remarkable given its short lifespan.

The CAQ was co-founded by Legault and businessman Charles Sirois in 2011. It took 19 seats in its first election in 2012, 22 in 2014, and 74 in 2018 to win a majority government.

The Quebec Liberal Party received 31 seats to form the official opposition, and will be led into the next campaign by their first-ever female leader, Dominique Anglade.

I think the PQ has very little chance in the next election, regardless of who takes over as leader, Jeffrey says. When a comedian is the candidate with the most name recognition, I think the party is in serious trouble.

Jeffrey is referring to Guy Nantel, the 51-year-old Montrealer who has been a comedian since 1988. Nantel distinguished himself from other candidates by proposing free education for university undergrads.

Leadership contenders with political experience include Sylvain Gaudreault, a former interim leader of the party, and Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, who placed fourth in the 2016 leadership race. History teacher Frederic Bastien, businessman Laurent Vezina, and lawyer Gloriane Blais round out the list.

Last March, Plamondon said a third referendum on separation would take place if he became premier, and Nantel agreed. By contrast, Bastien said Quebecers would not elect a party that promised a referendum during its first mandate.

I suspect Sylvain Gaudreault is likely to have the best chance because he knows the internal workings of the party operation, but honestly I dont think it is possible at this point to predict a winner with much conviction, Jeffrey says.

The next leader of the Parti Quebecois needs to be charismatic, needs to be able to drive a broader message, because that is the crisis that the Parti Quebecois is going through also, Bernier says. Theyre needing to find their space and their place.

Biollo believes the PQ now has an opportunity to reform itself, reform its relationship with society, and recognize that the party itself is in danger of becoming politically irrelevant.

The silver lining is that there is always an opportunity to engage the traditional electoral base while building a relationship with the undecided voters, she says.
But across Afghanistan, anger was boiling at the Taliban, who are refusing to agree to a cease-fire, and by extension creating space for other terrorist groups to exploit the increasingly blurred lines of the conflict. The situation is made worse by the countrys political leaders, who are embroiled in messy infighting in the aftermath of a disputed election.

The heart-wrenching effort to identify the babies at the maternity clinic and reunite them with their families began in the immediate hours after the attack, before the special forces had even left the scene.

Dozens of men gathered around as a community elder emerged from a hospital that was still drenched in blood with a list of mothers names. The babies themselves had not yet been named.

In Afghanistan, a conservative, male-dominated society, men take offense at the mere mention of their wives names in public. It is extremely rare  and arduous  for a woman to make legal decisions for her child in the absence of a man. But now, for once, the men in the crowd outside the hospital listened intently as the babies were identified by their mothers names.

The child of Suraya! the community elder shouted. The child of Suraya  she was healthy, I myself helped load it into the ambulance.

The child of Gul Makai  evacuated to the Ataturk hospital, he shouted.

At the Ataturk hospital the next morning, the two children were next to each other in incubators in the ward where all 18 babies had been transferred. But Suraya Ibrahimi was dead, already buried. Gul Makai was there next to her child, limping with a leg wound.

This was Suraya Ibrahimis fifth child. The 31-year-old had been an army officer for several years, said a relative who had found her way to the babys bed. Her military ID said she was a sergeant at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense, part of the regiment providing security and support to the headquarters.
Perhaps spurred by a friendly rivals plan for a second State Fair-themed food fest, the operators of the Villa Pizze Fritte drive-thru are expanding their list of treats for this weekends event.

And that includes free milk. Thats a 100% price reduction from the already-low 25-cent cups of milk that have become one of the defining features of the New York State Fair.

Many people think of the 25-cent milk when they think of the State Fair, event coordinator Grazi Zazzara Jr. said. "We decided we need milk this weekend to add to the excitement and make it feel even more like the State Fair. The only difference is that we will give it out for free.

Also new to the three-day drive-thru this week are sales by Deep Fried Specialties (Deep Fried Oreos & Deep Fried PBJs); Kitchen Maid Candy (Salt Water Taffy, Fudge, Cotton Candy, Carmel & Candy Apples); and Ma & Pas Kettle Corn (Kettle Corn and Lemonade).

Theyll join the events founding fried dough vendor Villa Pizze Fritte and last weeks additions Big Kahuna (sausage sandwiches, gyros and fries) and Ashley Lynn Winery (wine slushies).

Dubbed the State Fair Food Fest since last weekend, the event takes place noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Orange parking lot across from the State Fairgrounds.

This is the fourth weekend since the Zazzara family debuted the notion of putting smiles on peoples faces by offering fair treats during the coronavirus pandemic. The first two weeks, first in DeWitt and then at the Orange lot, Pizze Fritte was the only vendor.

But this weekend, the State Fair Food Fest has competition.

A three-day pop-up event called Carnival Eats Syracuse will offer drive-thru service from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday near the corner of North Geddes and Spencer Streets in Syracuse. Thats close to Performance Harley-Davidson and a block or so from The Gem Diner.

Carnival Eats Syracuse will be operated by Main Event Amusements of Solvay, which has been providing food stands, rides and games to the NY State Fair and other carnival-style events in the Northeast for 30 years.

Its food lineup includes Deep-Fried Oreos, Deep-Fried Twinkies, Funnel Cakes, Corn Dogs, Fried Cheese on a Stick, Cotton Candy Fresh Squeezed Lemonade and Candy and Carmel Apples.

Both events feature servers, wearing gloves and masks, taking orders from and delivering food to people inside their cars. There is no need for anyone to exit their vehicle.

Carnival Eats Syracuse said it is working with Syracuse Police to ensure traffic is not a problem.

The Villa Pizze Fritte event caused traffic jams around the intersection of Erie Boulevard East and Bridge Street in DeWitt its first week. The move to the Orange lot, and more efficient logistics, have eased that problem, Zazzara said.

Last weekend, the average wait time in line dropped to 25 or 30 minutes, he said. It has also doubled the size of the serving staff.

The State Fair Food Fest also released this list of safety guidelines:

All employees shall wear required PPE (hats, gloves, and masks covering nose and mouth at all times)

Customers will not be allowed to leave their vehicles. Servers shall approach vehicles to take orders, and bring product to customers window

Exterior signage shall be created and installed through the queue line with guidance to protect yourself from COVID-19 and stop the spread of germs.

No samples shall be given out

Increased drive-thru lanes in the serving and ordering area

Large menu boards with items and pricing far ahead of the ordering station (to expedite the process)

One central ordering and payment station

With all that in place, Zazzara said the key is to keep it fun.

We want it to feel like the State Fair as best that it can," Zazzars said."Hopefully each week we can add something new or nostalgic to the lineup. It will keep things fresh."

MORE FOOD

A second State Fair-themed drive-thru comes to Syracuse this week

State Fair Food Fest in May: Pizze Frittes and more

How those drive-thru Pizze Frittes sales are helping CNY charities

Beyond Pizze Frittes: This week its a State Fair Food Fest

Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
Despite A Mass COVID-19 Outbreak, Workers In Russia's Arctic Labor On

By Aleksandr Andreyevsky, Anton Nekayev, Robert Coalson May 12, 2020

MURMANSK, Russia -- Until recently, the massive Kola Yard project in the town of Belokamenka on the western shore of the Kola Bay was best known as a flagship of Russia's effort to develop the Far North and open the Arctic region for economic exploitation.

Under development for six years now, this project by natural-gas firm Novatek will build gas platforms that can be towed out into the relatively shallow waters along Russia's Arctic coast. The goal is to boost Novatek's liquefied natural gas (LNG) production to some 34 million tons a year, with much of it being exported via the Northern Sea Route to customers in East Asia.

In recent weeks, however, Belokamenka -- which reported a population of just 84 people in the 2010 census -- has acquired a new renown as a major hotspot in Russia's ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The construction site, which employs 9,000-11,000 workers from across Russia and the former Soviet Union, has officially registered more than 2,000 cases of the coronavirus. And the figures continue to rise by at least 100 each day.

As of May 11, Murmansk Oblast had officially registered 2,416 coronavirus infections, 2,045 of them in Belokamenka. The region had registered five deaths from COVID-19 -- but there is evidence that official fatality figures across Russia may be substantially lower than the real toll.

The same day, President Vladimir Putin ordered the Emergency Situations Ministry to send a second mobile hospital to Belokamenka by May 20.

Belokamenka is just one of many remote Murmansk region settlements straining to cope with the coronavirus crisis with political, economic, and social infrastructures dominated by a single employer whose priorities -- even in the best of times -- do not always coincide with those of local residents.

No Comment

Information from the project is hard to come by. Novatek declined to comment for this story.

"My husband has been given a respirator mask," Tatyana, who did not want her last name published for fear of repercussions, told RFE/RL by telephone from the southern Russian city of Krymsk. "But far from everyone there has one. As far as I know, there has been no disinfection there and it is impossible to practice social distancing. There are no sanitizers and no gloves. They do haphazard testing. No one on my husband's team has been tested at all."

Tatyana said her husband's two-month shift at the site has officially ended, but she has no idea when he will be able to return to his family. Workers at the site generally work one- or two-month shifts and then return home for one month of rest.

"My husband was supposed to be evacuated from the site," she said. "There were 38 of them ready to go. They were packed and put on a bus, but they were turned back at the gate. They thought they'd be able to leave the next day, but they couldn't. I'm worried that if they don't evacuate the healthy people, then all of them will be infected. Who knows how the disease will develop?"

As a rule, workers at Kola Yard are housed in modified shipping containers, with eight workers living in a space 2.5 meters by 8 meters.

"What precautions can be taken there," said a worker who asked to be identified only as Nikolai.

Mobile Hospital

Patient Zero at Belokamenka is believed to have been a migrant worker from Kyrgyzstan who arrived at the site in late February and soon tested positive. It is unknown where or how he became infected.

On March 31, authorities imposed a quarantine on Belokamenka, although work on the site was not discontinued. On April 1, the Murmansk office of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny posted assertions from workers at the site that new workers coming into Kola Yard were being held in quarantine, "but are being released after 5-6 days."

The first official reports of coronavirus infection at Kola Yard came on April 12, although no numbers or details were provided.

A video posted on April 15 appeared to show workers at the site lined up outside a kiosk without protective gear and ignoring social-distancing protocols.

The same day, Murmansk Oblast Governor Andrei Chibis reported, a first mobile hospital with 500 beds was set up on the site.

On May 1, the local coronavirus information portal reported that a female worker at the site had died after testing positive for coronavirus. That initial report was later removed and replaced by one saying that she had tested negative.

On May 9, state media reported that a 55-year-old driver at the Belokamenka project had died of double pneumonia after testing positive for coronavirus.

A leading contractor at the site, Velesstroi, reported on April 23 that it was evacuating some of its personnel from the construction site because of the outbreak. Media reports said the workers were briefly kept at a hotel in Murmansk before being put on charter flights to Moscow and two other big cities further south, Samara and Yekaterinburg.

Speading Southward

Health experts fear, however, that Belokamenka is not only a hotspot for the virus but potentially also a source for spreading it across the country.

At least four of the Belokamenka workers tested positive for coronavirus after reaching Yekaterinburg, local media reported on May 11. That news came after at least 11 Kola Yard workers tested positive in Yekaterinburg after arriving from Murmansk in late April. Nonetheless, officials in Murmansk insist that all workers are quarantined for two weeks and must test negative for the virus before being allowed to leave the construction site.

According to Novaya gazeta, a worker named Vitaly, who said he has tested positive for coronavirus although he has no symptoms, was told on April 24 that he could continue working at Kola Yard "on a voluntary basis." In an interview with RFE/RL, Velesstroi human-resources director Maksim Glotov said workers themselves were insisting they wanted to stay on the job.

"We have here people with positive and with negative test results living together," Glotov said. "It doesn't hamper their work. In this situation, it is even better than being shut up in a closed space. And the initiative came from the people themselves, who asked if it is possible not to cancel their tour. And that is people who are positive and who are negative. The main thing is that they don't have a fever or other symptoms. Before starting work, they all have their temperatures taken."

A worker who asked to be identified as Nikolai told RFE/RL that workers are only allowed into the site cafeteria in groups of 10. However, he said, while those small groups are eating, crowds of workers stand around outside the building waiting their turn.

"During the two or three hours that meals are served," people are spending 30 or 40 minutes waiting in line," Nikolai said.

In a conversation with Putin on April 28, regional governor Chibis said "the outbreak of the virus at Belokamenka has been localized" -- suggesting that it had been contained and was under control. At the time, the settlement had 922 confirmed infections.

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson and based on reporting from Murmansk by correspondents Aleksandr Andreyevsky and Anton Nekayev of the North Desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/despite-a-mass- covid-19-outbreak-workers-in-russia-s- arctic-labor-on-/30608114.html

Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






BEIRUT - Saudi Arabia announced a five-day total curfew to face the coronavirus during the five days of holiday at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, between May 23 and 27, said Saudi national news agency SPA, citing a decision by the country's interior ministry.



The Gulf kingdom is the hardest-hit country in the Arab region by the Covid-19 pandemic.



Thus far there have been 42,925 positive cases with 264 verified deaths.



In March, Saudi Arabia cancelled the "small pilgrimage" (Umrah in Arabic) to Mecca, the Islamic holy city.



A decision has not yet been made about whether to cancel the pilgrimage (Hajj) season, scheduled in July, between Mecca and Medina, the other Islamic holy city.



The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslim faithful are called to make it once in their life.



Last year, 2.5 million Muslims made the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina.


There will be no official "Chinese collusion" in 2020. There will be plenty of collusion among the Democratic Party, the American press, and the Chinese Communist Party to prevent President Trump from winning re-election come November. It just won't be reported or turned into a news story of any kind. Journalists will not spend the next six months breathlessly screaming about the national security implications of America's most lethal geopolitical foe "waging war" on American democracy. Reporters will not accuse Joe Biden of being a bought and paid for Chinese spy. There will be no special counsel investigations into Chinese influence on Facebook or Twitter or on random quilting messaging boards. Neither Robert Mueller nor Rod Rosenstein will invent some dangerous new interpretation of the First Amendment to turn online political speech by Chinese internet trolls into criminal fraud against the United States. Nobody will talk about the large American corporations now controlled by Chinese interests or the large amount of prime real estate the Chinese communists secretly own from Bangor, Maine to San Diego, California. Nobody will care that the state-owned Bank of China provided Hunter Biden's investment firm with $1.5 billion in financing for development of the same facial recognition surveillance software the communist dictatorship uses to control its citizens' movements. Just as anyone who questions the veracity of the 2016 "Russian collusion" myth is dismissed as a quackish conspiracist by the mainstream media, anyone who points out the obvious "Chinese collusion" taking place right before our eyes will be just as quickly accused of quackery, too. It will be the most important story of the 2020 election that never merits mentioning.

For most of the mainstream press, this glaring journalistic malpractice is yet another testament to how un-American they really are: their hatred of President Trump outweighs any nagging regret they might harbor for aiding and abetting Beijing's security interests. Just as Ted Kennedy and members of the American press conspired with Soviet general secretary Yuri Andropov to defeat President Reagan in the 1984 election in exchange for a promise to scrap Reagan's plan to deploy mid-range nuclear weapons to Western Europe, China Joe and the American press will justify weakening the United States security posture against China today if it means victory for the Democrats and their communist friends tomorrow.

The Chinese communists are at war with America, the press have chosen a side, and we're not on it. In the last five months, China has negligently or intentionally released a virus from Wuhan's Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory; covered up the existence and spread of the disease by "disappearing" doctors and journalists; denied the communicability and lethality of the virus when containment was possible; bullied and bribed the World Health Organization into praising the Chinese Communist Party's handling of the emerging epidemic; sent its citizens on airplanes around the world so that the resulting infection and economic misery would be shared by all; held the United States hostage by denying life-saving drugs and medical equipment; threatened U.S. naval vessels with EMP attacks and near-miss collisions; preposterously deflected all of this bad behavior onto the Trump administration through a spectacular regimen of propaganda gladly eaten up and served back to the world by a compliant, snake-in-the-grass Western press; and taken advantage of the global chaos it initiated by escalating its conquest of the South China Sea, taking over territorial fishing and mining claims belonging to other nations, and disrupting international shipping lanes, all while strengthening its industrial stranglehold of the West by maximizing the damage to its overseas competitors during the crippling economic shutdown it created. China has terrorized the world with its lies and malicious behavior and has taken every advantage to make the pain and suffering as bad as possible. It has been a friend to no one but itself. In a world crisis of its own making, its priorities have been to quash free speech and calls for governmental reform in Hong Kong; bully Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia into conceding legal territorial possessions; and blackmail American companies from repositioning their supply lines away from Chinese soil.

For decades, China has manipulated its currency, dumped its steel to destroy American industry, sent us poisoned dog food and cheap plastic trinkets, and pursued a barely concealed geostrategic chess game against the U.S. in preparation for future war. In every sense of the word, the Chinese Communist Party declares itself our enemy. Yet every day the American press corps parrots China's official state-issued talking points as gospel while calling the president of the United States a liar and villain to his face. To them, it is more important to worry whether a geographically correct description of the Wuhan coronavirus conveys unconscious racial animus on the part of everyday Americans than to investigate whether China's deliberate efforts to suppress discussion of the virus' existence or potential methods for its containment ultimately generated far greater death and economic destruction around the world than the Chinese acknowledge.

The media ignore China's use of concentration camps for imprisoning and "re-educating" millions of their citizens. They ignore China's absolute control of "politically correct" speech through an ever-expanding surveillance matrix. They ignore China's race-based segregation and sex-based slavery. They ignore the Chinese Communist Party's explicitly stated intention to destroy the United States and become the master civilization of our future world. Since the collapse of Nazi Germany, the world has never witnessed a more menacing proclamation by a national government that a "mandate of heaven" justifies a right to rule over all other nations. And just like Winston Churchill's repeatedly ignored warnings about that evil empire and "the gathering storm" leading to WWII, the Democrats and American media today have taken up the mantle of Neville Chamberlain in ignoring the looming storm that might well engulf us in WWIII. The press shed false tears over President Trump's aspersions toward their profession, when it is China that rules those people from afar. Like the Midwestern industry and manufacturing plants our ruling establishment gladly handed over to the communists long ago, the American press give their allegiance to our enemies willingly and with open arms.

On the issue of communist China, the 2020 election could not be more stark.

Trump: "China is raping our country." They are "neither an ally or a friend  they want to beat us and own our country."

Biden: "China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man."

Trump: "The Chinese M.O. is simple  Lie, Cheat & Steal in all international dealings." Chinese negotiators "want to take your throat out, they want to cut you apart. These are tough people. I've dealt with them all my life."

Biden: "[The Chinese communists] are not bad folks, folks[.] ... They're not competition for us."

Trump: "There are people who wish I wouldn't refer to China as our enemy. But that's exactly what they are. They have destroyed entire industries by utilizing low-wage workers, cost us tens of thousands of jobs, spied on our businesses, stolen our technology, and have manipulated and devalued their currency, which makes importing our goods more expensive  and sometimes, impossible." China's outmaneuvering of the United States represents "the greatest theft in the history of the world."

Biden: "I believe that a rising China is a positive development  not only for China but also for the United States and the world."

Does the world's largest communist dictatorship have a vested interest in the outcome of our presidential election? Obviously. Is China's highly motivated effort to elect Joe Biden president newsworthy? Of course. Will it get any attention from the American media in 2020? Absolutely not. In typical Chinese fortune cookie form, all they know is distilled into three sad, transfixing words: Orange Man Bad.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained reasons why it would not postpone the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states despite the ravaging coronavirus pandemic in the country.

A spokesperson to the commission, Festus Okoye, in an interview on ARISE TV, Monday, said postponing the governorship elections in Ondo and Edo states could make INEC lose the right to pick the dates for elections in future.

INEC in February fixed the date for the governorship election in Edo for September 19, while that of Ondo State was fixed for October 10.

Subsequently, after the pandemic took a toll across the nation, INEC in March, postponed the scheduled governorship bye-elections in Plateau, Bayelsa and Imo states.

But with the increasing number of cases of the respiratory illness across the country, there have been concerns whether it is safe for the commission to conduct elections especially in the light of physical distancing measures to curtail further spreading of the disease.

Meanwhile, Mr Okoye cited the 1999 constitution, which provides INEC the freedom to conduct an election not earlier than 150 days and not lesser than 30 days to the expiration of the tenure of an elected office holder.

He added that while the commission is aware of realities of the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the country, the implications of not adhering to the law, could make INEC lose the rights to pick the date of elections going foward.

The commission is a constitutional body, and its powers are derived directly from the constitution section 178(1) says that it is the function of INEC to fix the date of elections, but subsection 2 says that an election to the office of the governor shall be conducted not earlier than 150 days and not lesser than 30 days to the expiration of the tenure of the last holder of the office.

The implication is that the governor of Edo was sworn in on November 11 and we must conduct the governorship election in Edo State on or before October 13, 2020; while that of Ondo State must be conducted on or before January 25, 2021.

The truth of the matter is that the country is faced with a situation of conflicting rights. The rights of the Nigerian people to elect their representative and also their rights to life, not to go to a polling unit and die.

So, we recognise there will be problems (and) challenges, but we are on point and we are determined to deliver on our mandate, Mr Okoye said.

He added: if we fall off outside the constitutional window, the implication is that going forward, the commission does not now have rights and wherewithal to pick the date of election(s).

The official also said the commission would release a timetable and schedule of activities for the two elections on June 1.
A dispute over ready access to coronavirus testing at the Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center, Maverick Countys only hospital, has led to an awkward confrontation with local elected officials.

County Judge David Saucedo has publicly threatened to take over and oversee the hospitals emergency room to make certain that people with symptoms of the infection get tested.

It is not the doctors and nurses at this facility who refuse to test individuals, he said, instead pointing the finger at corporate figures, who, at times, have refused to support our efforts as they are supposed to.

He linked a recent cluster of positive cases in Eagle Pass to a person who he said was turned away from the hospital last week, and then tested positive elsewhere.

The hospital attributed the dispute in a statement to a misunderstanding and vowed to cooperate fully with local leaders to keep the community safe.

The medical center said it has been following all testing guidelines as established by the CDC and other health agencies. Our clinical staff evaluates all patients presenting in the ER and those who meet established criteria are tested as appropriate.

But local officials say time has run out for the hospital to make that determination.

On Wednesday afternoon, local officials had planned to meet with hospital administrators and deliver an order compelling them to give tests as decided by an emergency room monitor.

No meeting had been held by late afternoon.

Bob Owen /Staff photographer

Basically the order will say that we will have someone monitoring everyone coming into the emergency room; and if they have symptoms of the coronavirus, our person, not the ER doctor, will make the determination if they get tested, Eagle Pass Mayor Luis Sifuentes said.

We will have them there for as long as they are needed, the mayor added.

Saucedo said he is acting under emergency authority given him in the public health crisis. He added that he has consulted with a lawyer and state health officials.

He said he was forced to take action after repeated conversations with hospital administrator Alan Gonzalez did not resolve the issue. Sifuentes was part of the conversations, Saucedo said.

Gonzalez, the hospitals chief operating officer, did not respond to requests for an interview.

Thus far, Maverick County has tested 946 people, with 45 testing positive, 681 negative and the balance pending. No one has died and only two have been hospitalized.

In addition to the 101-bed private hospital, there are now three other testing sites in the county.

Sifuentes said that as the local rate of infection continues to rise, the criteria required to be tested is being expanded to include some without symptoms.

If you had possible contact with a person who tested positive, you will be tested, he said.

The mayor said he knows of two or three people who were refused testing at the hospital but later proved to be infected.

Tiffany Velazquez, 32, complained to Saucedo about being turned away twice from the hospital without being tested. She said she and her daughter Cassidy, 16, both later tested positive. Her two younger children did not.

She said she and Cassidy first went to the hospital on a Saturday in mid-March after losing their senses of taste and smell.

We were not even let in. We were told we did not meet the criteria. We didnt have a fever or respiratory problems, and I had to be admitted to get the test, she said.

When her symptoms did not go away, she said she got an written order from her doctor to get a test, but was again refused one by the hospital.

During that visit, two weeks after her first attempt, she said she was examined by a hospital doctor, who gave her tests for strep and the flu, and also checked her lungs.

He said, You look good. Both tests came out negative, she said.

When her symptoms still did not go away, she contacted Saucedo, who intervened, and in early April she was tested at the hospital clinic.

She was positive and in a subsequent test at another facility, so was Cassidy.

I think it was very negligent. They said I did not meet the criteria, she said of the hospital.

I didnt take it personally, but I thought, How many other people are there who feel sick but dont meet the hospitals criteria, and are walking around this town, she added.

John MacCormack is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from John, become a subscriber. JMacCormack@express-news.net | Twitter: @JohnMacCormack
KEARNEY  CHI Health Good Samaritan resumed non-urgent, elective surgeries and procedures on Tuesday.

The hospital had postponed non-urgent procedures on March 25 to conserve vital resources, including medical supplies, and to free-up staff and beds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Good Sam meets standards announced earlier by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. He said hospitals may resume elective surgeries if they maintain 30 percent general bed availability, 30 percent ICU bed availability, 30 percent ventilator availability, and have a two-week supply of necessary personal protective equipment in their specific facility.

Non-urgent surgical patients are tested for COVID-19 prior to their procedure.

COVID-19 patients are kept isolated for their safety and that of other patients and staff, and for the most effective use of staff and personal protective equipment.

Visitation at CHI Health facilities remains restricted. In limited circumstances, a healthy adult support person may be present for the following:

- Patient arriving at the emergency department (limited to one support person if needed)
A west Clare farmer arrested by Gardai the same day his mother was buried last week arising from a property dispute with a brother is set to face a new charge and celebrate his 53rd birthday behind bars.

At Ennis District Court today, John Morrissey of Clonreddan, Cooraclare appeared via video link from Limerick prison.

Sgt Aiden Lonergan told the court that a further charge is to be brought against Mr Morrissey.

Mr Morrissey has spent the past week on remand at Limerick prison after Judge Patrick Durcan refused bail to the man and he is now set to spend another week on remand at the prison after he was further remanded in custody today.

Mr Morrissey celebrates his 53rd birthday next Tuesday, May 19th.

Mr Morrissey is charged with causing criminal damage to a fuse box at the home of his brother, Tom Morrissey at Alva, Cooraclare on May 5th.

The Morrissey brothers mother was buried the same day and John Morrissey was arrested after the alleged criminal damage incident on the same day.

Sgt Lonergan told the court today that John Morrissey is also facing a number of unrelated traffic offences from a previous date.

One relates to a charge of dangerous driving and solicitor for John Morrissey, Stiofan Fitzpatrick stated that the alleged driving offences are to be contested.

Sgt Lonergan stated that the road traffic matters are listed for Friday and Judge Durcan stated that Judge Mary Larkin could list those for hearing at an early date.

In keeping with Irish Prison Service (IPS) protocol, Mr Morrissey appeared from a room at Limerick prison wearing a face mask.

Mr Morrissey laughed on a couple of occasions during the brief hearing via video link.

Sgt Lonergan suggested that the new charge could be brought against Mr Morrissey at the traffic court on Friday.

However, Judge Durcan stated that there was no need to bring a prison service van specially for Mr Morrissey and stated that he could be brought to court next Wednesday for that.

Mr Morrissey is already charged with damaging the door of the fuse box and smashing the fuse from the fuse box at the home of Tom Morrissey and left the house with no electricity on Tuesday, May 5th.

Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution in court last week Sgt John Farmer stated that after charge and caution, John Morrissey replied: Thats not Tom Morrisseys f**king home.

Mr Fitzpatrick told the court last week: It is obvious that this is a family dispute and a family matter and there is a lot of tension and strong feeling in relation to that.

He added: Obviously, the reply after caution isnt one that you would normally expect but it is obviously what my client believes and he is being up-front about it.

He stated: My client believes that this isnt the property of his brother who is the complainant and he believes that this will be borne out in time when the estate is dealt with.

Mr Fitzpatrick stated that the property is owned by Mr Morrisseys late mother.

He stated: We dont know who that property has been passed onto. There is no information in relation to that.

Sgt Farmer told the court: The alleged injured party, Tom Morrissey has made a statement stating that he has resided by himself in the property for the past 12 years.

Mr Fitzpatrick stated that this will be strenuously disputed by John Morrissey.

Mr Fitzpatrick stated that John Morrissey farms all of the land surrounding the house.

Judge Durcan further remanded Mr Morrissey in custody to appear before the court next Wednesday, May 20th.
Curaleaf Holdings (OTC:CURLF) is a large multistate cannabis operator with operations in 17 states. Its growing presence in the U.S. pot market has made it one of the most well-known marijuana stocks in the country. Acquisitions have helped Curaleaf grow and capture significant market share along the way.

But with the COVID-19 pandemic roiling global markets and economies, and cannabis companies struggling to stay afloat with limited cash on hand, there's even more risk in the industry than there was just a few months ago. Let's take a closer look at Curaleaf to see whether it's a safe stock to invest in today, or if investors are better off looking elsewhere.

What its most recent earnings results say

Curaleaf released its year-end results on March 26. During the full year of 2019, it recorded sales of $221 million, which is nearly triple the $77.1 million that it brought in the year before.

However, the problem with most cannabis stocks isn't that they aren't growing, it's that they're not making nearly enough headway toward profitability or being cash flow positive. And those are two areas of concern for Curaleaf as well. Despite its impressive sales growth, the company's net loss of $69.8 million was 13% higher than the $61.9 million loss Curaleaf incurred in the previous year. One reason it's struggling to turn a profit is that all that growth comes with a lot of overhead. The company's selling, general, and administrative costs nearly doubled from $65.3 million in 2018 to more than $121 million in 2019.

An even more pressing issue may be the company's rate of cash burn. In 2019, Curaleaf used $38.3 million to fund its operating activities, compared to $33.1 million the year before. Its cash balance went from $266.6 million at the start of 2019 to just $42.3 million by the end of it. The company simply can't keep up with that burn rate without issuing more shares and crippling its stock price in the process.

Investors will get an updated view of where the company stands on May 18 when Curaleaf releases its first-quarter results of 2020.

Why 2020 could be a challenging year

COVID-19 has led to spikes in cannabis sales but it's also created lockdowns, which could adversely impact Curaleaf's sales this year. The company has dispensaries in Nevada, including one in Las Vegas. And while customers are able to pick up orders curbside or have their purchases delivered, tourism will take a major hit. With travel restrictions in place, Nevada will see a steep decline in the number of tourists, which will negatively impact Curaleaf's sales.

In February, Curaleaf also announced the completion of its acquisition of Cura Partners, which owns the popular Select brand. Curaleaf now prides itself on being the largest cannabis operator in the U.S. with 53 open dispensaries -- at the time of the announcement. However, that large footprint can work against it. Cannabis companies need to be lean and efficient right now. Having the most dispensaries would've attracted investors a year or two ago, but what's important today amid the pandemic, is that the business is sound and sustainable. And with more costs and dispensaries to worry about, Curaleaf isn't making things easy on itself this year.

Is Curaleaf too good of a growth opportunity to pass up?

There's no denying that Curaleaf has incredible growth potential given its acquisition of Cura Partners and all the different markets it's in today. Over the longer term, there's even more potential if the U.S. federally legalizes marijuana. The problem is that without sufficient cash to run its business, Curaleaf may struggle to get to that point. And that's why investors may be better off waiting for a couple of quarters to see the impact of COVID-19 on Curaleaf's financial performance before making an investment decision.

Shares of the pot stock are down 17% this year, which is better than the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF's 29% decline in 2020. Unfortunately, things may not get any better as the year goes on and Curaleaf investors could be in for a rough ride.
An orthopedic surgeon has spoken about how he became a concert pianist practically overnight after he was struck by lightning.

Tony Cicoria says he was using a pay phone at Sleepy Hollow Lake in Athens, New York when a bolt struck the booth and a current went through his body.

Cicoria became obsessed with classic music from that moment on and years later he was composed his own songs, despite not having any experience or interest in playing an instrument since he was a child.

'I started to have this incredible desire to hear classical music,' he tells Vice Media's Extremes podcast. 'So I bought this CD of Vladimir Ashkenazy, a famous Russian pianist, playing his favorite Chopin, and I started listening to it nonstop.

Tony Cicoria developed musical talent after he was struck by lightning in 1994. He released his album Notes From An Accidental Pianist And Composer (pictured) in 2008

In January 2008, the BBC, German National Television and Granada media recorded his concert at the State University of New York Performing Arts Center (pictured) which was attended by thousands of people

'But then I had this realization that listening to this would not be enough. I would need to learn how to play it.'

Cicoria said in the podcast episode released April 28, that his 'hands had no idea what to do' and he was 'struggling to wrap [his] head around every aspect of it' but while he was teaching himself he had 'this most incredible dream'.

'In this dream, I was looking at myself playing on a stage and I was walking behind myself,' Cicoria said in the interview about the experience in 1994.

'And as I walked across the stage I realized I wasn't playing somebody else's music. I was playing my own music. And the music ended with a loud crash which woke me up.'

The doctor had no idea how to write music for other people to read so had no way of documenting it. However the composition returned to him from memory every time he sat down at the piano.

Cicoria  who was in his early 40s at the time - got a music teacher and practiced in the morning before work then after spending time with his children at night.

Cicoria's obsession began when he was struck at Sleepy Hollow Lake in Athens, New York (pictured). He says from that moment on he was obsessed with classic music

Seven months later he had written the Lightning Sonata but later changed it to Opus One: The Lightning Sonata after a friend told him it wasn't in the correct form to be called a sonata.

'You can title music anything you want,' Cicoria quipped on the podcast with Vice Australia.

After his story was picked up by the New Yorker, one of the heads of the music department at the State University of New York asked him to play a concert in their Performing Arts Center.

In January 2008, 14 years after he was struck by lightning, the BBC, German National Television and Granada media recorded his show attended by thousands of people.

At the same time he released Notes From An Accidental Pianist And Composer by Dr. Tony Cicoria.

'It was terrifying. I don't know how I didn't run awayI really don't,' Cicoria admitted. 'But in the end, I made it through the entire program and that was it.

'I sat down and played the music exactly as I heard it in the dream. I'd finally played The Lightning Sonata.'
As biomedical sciences incorporate increasingly sophisticated methodologies and technologies, our understanding of diseases improves. Diabetes is a clear example since new classifications are being added to the traditional classification into type 1 and type 2 diabetes; these new classifications are based on genetic and molecular characteristics that improve diagnosis and treatment.

The Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group, led by Nuria Malats at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), shows the need to continue to improve these classifications: the team published in the journal Gut the results of a European case-control study showing that one of the most recently identified types of diabetes, type 3c or pancreatogenic diabetes, could also be an early manifestation of pancreatic cancer.

This type of cancer has a high mortality rate - around 95% - since it is usually diagnosed too late because of the absence of symptoms in its early stages. Therefore, the finding of the CNIO would imply that it is possible to make an earlier diagnosis of this disease since it allows classifying patients with diabetes type 3c as a population with an increased probability of having early stage pancreatic cancer.

A camouflaged symptom

Diabetes and pancreatic cancer are connected because the pancreas secretes insulin; in diabetic people, this does not occur in a normal way. It is estimated that around 50% of patients with pancreatic cancer present diabetes. But it is an outstanding challenge for researchers to figure out which is the cause and which is the consequence.

Until now, the most common approach has been to study if diabetes could cause pancreatic cancer. "Our team turned the equation around and, for the first time, we asked the question whether pancreatic cancer could cause diabetes," explains Nuria Malats, senior author of the paper. "Using innovative epidemiological and statistical analysis strategies, we found that pancreatic cancer is the cause of the development of diabetes type 3c in 26% of cases."

Type 3c, or pancreatogenic, diabetes is characterised by an inflammation of the pancreas that interrupts insulin production. It is estimated to represent around 5-10% of all diabetes cases in Western countries, but currently there are few specific markers for it so that it is often misdiagnosed as diabetes type 2. More precise markers to identify it correctly are required; not only to provide adequate treatment to patients but also because the CNIO now shows that a correct classification is crucial for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

To conduct the study, the team used data from more than 3,500 persons from PanGenEU, a large European study involving centres from six countries, including Spain, and led by Malats, to analyse the relationship between multiple risk factors and pancreatic cancer.

A factor that defines "high-risk" population that could be applied by the National Health Systems

To be able to confront pancreatic cancer at earlier moments, risk populations must be first defined so that they can be monitored to detect the tumour and act on in its early stages. "Using the information from our study, the national health systems could identify possible as yet undetected pancreatic cancer patients, if the patients, in addition to having type 3c diabetes, also have certain risk factors associated with this cancer, such as being obese or a smoker," says Malats. "All of these factors would help family doctors better select patients who could benefit from more active monitoring or entering screening programs. Our discovery can be transferred to the National Health Systems as a factor to be taken into account for the early detection of pancreatic cancer."

The researchers wanted to test if type 2 diabetes could also be connected to this cancer, but in this case, the study was unable to establish a clear causal link. "We have seen that the relationship between pancreatic cancer and type 2 diabetes is very complex, with obesity playing a role, too. Further studies are required to fully understand how the metabolic state is reached in which all these phenomena arise."

###

The study was funded by the Spanish Health Research Fund, the Carlos III Health Institute, CIBERONC, the Spanish Thematic Network for Cooperative Research in Cancer, the European Cooperation in Science and Technology, the Italian Association for Cancer Research, Cancer Focus Northern Ireland, and ALF (Sweden).

Reference Article: Deciphering the complex interplay between pancreatic cancer, diabetes mellitus subtypes and obesity/BMI through causal inference and mediation analyses. Esther Molina-Montes et al (Gut, 2020). DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2019-319990
A medical worker handles blood samples as part of serological tests for COVID-19 on May 6, 2020 at the laboratory of the Tor Vergata Covid hospital in Rome, during the country's lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Health Canada has authorized the first serological test, which will be able to detect antibodies for COVID-19.

Serological testing will contribute to a better understanding of whether people who have been infected by COVID-19 are immune to the virus, the statement from the government agency reads. Further research will also help us fully understand the relationship between positive antibody tests and protection against re-infection.

The LIAISON test from DiaSorin, an Italian-based multinational biotechnology company, was authorized for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month.

We started to work on an immunodiagnostic test to respond to the increasing need to conduct epidemiological investigations to establish the percentage of the population exposed to the virus in the absence of a diagnosis performed with molecular tests on a swab, Fabrizio Bonelli, chief scientific officer of DiaSorin, said in a statement in early April.

Health Canada states that under the leadership of Canada's COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, at least one million Canadian blood samples will be collected and tested over the next two years as a way to track the virus in the general population. This includes identifying specific groups that are at a greater risk of having been infected, particularly seniors and healthcare workers.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, said Wednesday that the task force is working to implement this testing in a matter of the next couple of week.

This is a critical step for the work of the Immunity Task Force, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. These tests will help us better understand immunity against the virus and how it spreads, so we can keep Canadians safe and healthy.

Health experts across Canada have recognized that serological testing is an important component for understanding COVID-19 immunity.

We know that people who are infected will develop some kind of antibody response, Dr. Tam said on Apr. 27., adding that the level of immunity and how long it will last is still in question globally.

Story continues

On Wednesday, Dr. Tam stressed that there are still questions globally about COVID-19 immunity, including how long it lasts, and these tests detecting antibodies days or weeks after infection will be an important component of that research.

She added that Health Canada is closely monitoring how the tests perform and their sensitivity for detecting antibodies specific to COVID-19.

We want the top quality immunity test identified, Dr. Tam said.
Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Wednesday said people returning to the state from other parts of the country must be kept under 14 day quarantine, saying it was a matter of security, not punishment.

"All the people coming from outside are welcome, but they should follow quarantine before going to their villages or colonies so that others are not infected," he said.

Over 19 lakh migrants will move within Rajasthan or go to their natives states in the coming days, he said.

He said the government is giving top priority to developing and strengthening quarantine facilities at district levels.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Streets Out, GOD and Education In: a heartfelt and motivational guide to making better life choices. Streets Out, GOD and Education In is the creation of published author, Asondra StarNair, a missionary, advocate for senior citizens and caregivers nationwide, and the author of A Caregivers Bible To Excellence and The Care Plan.

The author states: Listen up, everybody out there, especially if you are a parent. Our youth is in real big trouble! All across America, we are losing young black men due to drug trafficking and street violence. Many of them are lucky to see their eighteenth birthday. And today more and more African American males are being gunned down in the streets while their schools and mothers weep! Souls crying out RIP! This book is for all those young folks out there, the millennials who need guidance, and to all those who want a second chance at success! I am here to tell you, Your life matters!

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Asondra StarNairs new book is an inspirational and thought-provoking guide that calls upon its readers to make mature, measured life choices that can lead to a better future.

Encouraging and straight-taking throughout, this book is required reading for anyone who has ever veered from the straight and narrow or been harbored doubts about the many blessings the path of God and education are purported to bring.

View a synopsis of Streets Out, GOD and Education In on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Streets Out, GOD and Education In at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Streets Out, GOD and Education In, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
USAID taps internet to help Philippines fishermen during pandemic

by Frances Mangosing

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched an online platform to help FIlipino fishermen sell goods during the COVID-19 pandemic.



The Fish Tiangge is an online marketplace that can connect 6,000 fishermen with buyers from over 300,000 households in South Negros, Visayan Sea in the Visayas region and the Calamianes Group of Islands in Palawanthe three most important areas for Philippine biodiversity, according to the US Embassy in Manila.



The Silliman University in Dumaguete City first launched the project in early April. It will also monitor Fish Tiangge to ensure that no fish caught by illegal means are sold and the catch is from fishermen registered in their communities.



By connecting fishers and consumers online, the US government is helping to protect fisherfolk income and prevent a food crisis, while ensuring that conservation measures are not compromised in areas that are hard-hit by COVID-19, said US Ambassador Sung Kim.



Fish Tiangge is part of the USAIDs Fish Right program, a five-year partnership between the US and Philippine governments to address biodiversity threats, improve marine ecosystem governance, and increase fish population in South Negros, the Calamianes Island Group and Visayan Sea.



Wet market shopping had been difficult amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as people are under stay-at-home orders to prevent the transmission of SARS Cov2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Theme(s): Others.
WASHINGTON - Paul Manafort, Donald Trumps onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsels Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, was let out Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney, Todd Blanche. Manafort, jailed since June 2018, had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates before a potential outbreak in the system. They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 metres) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

But Manafort did not meet qualifications set by the Bureau of Prisons for potential release in the pandemic.

Under the bureaus guidelines, priority is supposed to be given to those inmates who have served half of their sentence or inmates with 18 months or less left and who served at least 25% of their time. The bureau has discretion about who can be released.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and preexisting medical conditions. Manafort was hospitalized in December with a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press at the time. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Other high-profile inmates such as Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and lawyer Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump, have been told they are getting out.

Kathy Hawk Sawyer, a senior adviser at the Bureau of Prisons who formerly led the agency, said in an interview in late April that to suggest that we are only identifying high profile white collar inmates for home confinement, is absurd.

A Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a home confinement memo, and more than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be released. But prisons officials will not give out any demographic information.

The bureau has given contradictory and confusing guidance how it is deciding who is released to home confinement in an effort to combat the virus, changing requirements, setting up inmates for release and backing off and refusing to explain how it decides who gets out and when.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the agenc y in March and April to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at FCI Loretto.

As of Tuesday, 2,818 federal inmates and 262 BOP staff members had positive test results for COVID-19 at federal prisons across the country. Fifty inmates had died.

Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation, which examined possible co-ordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election campaign.

Manafort, who was prosecuted in two federal courts, was convicted by a jury in federal court in Virginia in 2018 and later pleaded guilty in Washington. He was sentenced last March and was immediately hit with state charges in New York after prosecutors accused him of giving false information on a mortgage loan application. A New York judge threw out state mortgage fraud charges, ruling that the criminal case was too similar to one that already landed Manafort in prison. Prosecutors have pledged to appeal.

While Manafort had not served long enough to be eligible for release under the guidelines, the Bureau of Prisons decided to use its discretion to release him because of his age and vulnerability of the inmate due to underlying health issues, a person familiar with the matter said. The agency had the discretion to deviate from the sentencing thresholds under certain circumstances and has done so in other cases.

Officials at the bureau, which is part of the Justice Departmen t, made the decision on Manafort, and no one from the Justice Departments headquarters in Washington was involved, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Manaforts release was first reported by ABC News.

___

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
During the Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held through live webcast today due to the measures against COVID-19, all resolutions were adopted. Of the 24,105,562 outstanding shares 7,763,572 of the voting rights were represented and exercised through proxy voting. At the AGM the 2019 financial statements and the other resolutions have been adopted, including the appointments of Gabrielle Reijnen as member of the Management Board and Barbara van Hussen and Maaike Schipperheijn as members of the Supervisory Board of Beter Bed Holding. Maaike also takes on the role of Chair of the Audit Committee. The full voting results of the AGM are made available on the company's website.

As announced in April, Huub Vermeulen stepped down as Supervisory Director. The Supervisory Board now consists of Bart Karis.

Bart Karis, Chair of the Supervisory Board, comments: "Having worked with Gabrielle in her capacity as Supervisory Board member before she became CFO, we have all the confidence in Gabrielle's financial expertise and strong leadership through these challenging times and we congratulate her on her appointment as member of the Management Board. Furthermore we would like to give a warm welcome to Barbara van Hussen and Maaike Schipperheijn as new members of the Supervisory Board. At the same time we sincerely regret but understand Huub's decision to step down as a member of our Supervisory Board. We are very grateful for his valuable contribution over the past two years and wish him all the best for the future.

About Beter Bed Holding

Beter Bed Holding N.V. is a retail and wholesale organisation that offers its customers the best quality rest at affordable prices. The Group operates offline through physical stores and online through its own web shops for the specific brands. The Group is also active on national and international online retail platforms.

The Group operates in the following regions:

 The Netherlands and Belgium, via the Beter Bed brand and the Beddenreus brand (only in the Netherlands).

 Sweden, via the Sangjatten brand.

Via its subsidiary DBC International, Beter Bed Holding operates a wholesale business in branded products in the bedroom furnishings sector, including international brands such as M line and Wave. Beter Bed Holding is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. Employing approximately 1,100 people, Beter Bed Holding achieved revenues of  186 million in 2019.

For more information

Press enquiries: Uneke Dekkers / CFF Communications

T +31





Please click below for the Pdf version of the press release. ?Press photos can be downloaded here .







Attachment
TUNIS - Dozens of LGBT rights associations in Tunisia and the Maghreb signed a joint statement calling on "journalists, friends of the LGBT world, and other organisations" to stop spreading "disinformation" regarding gay marriage being legalised in Tunisia.



"Despite the news circulated on social media and news platforms, marriage between people of the same sex is still illegal and not recognised in Tunisia, regardless of where the marriage was celebrated," the statement said.



It appealed for "obtaining information and news from trustworthy sources and from activists who are in contact with the situation".



Tunisian Local Affairs Minister Lofti Zitoun clarified in parliament on April 28 that gay marriage is not legal in Tunisia, after a bureaucratic error led to registering in Tunisia a marriage contracted in France between a French man and a Tunisian man.



"In this case, said marriage is neither compliant with French law nor with Tunisian law, which doesn't recognise homosexual marriage," Zitoun said. The gay rights association Shams released news of the marriage being registered, eliciting surprise but also many doubts.



In the joint statement, the organisations recalled that in Tunisia, homosexuality is "still punishable with three years of prison according to Article 230 of the criminal code".



"The sharing and spreading of this disinformation across the media contributed only to creating more tension and violence towards LGBTQI+ people," they said.



"We have worked as a network and together, independent from attempts to make our fight invisible, and we are committed to continuing our work, making the safety and protection of the LGBTQI+ community our absolute priority. We stand together with the LGBTQI+ communities, refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and prostitutes against oppression and violence. We exist and we will continue to fight for justice and equal rights for all," they said.


New Yorkers coming to The Hamptons are renting homes now through Labor Day, looking for a safe haven for their families where they can settle in for the next six months or so.

If youre looking for immediate-occupancy rentals in the Hamptons, youre not alone. While Hamptons rentals are historically a summertime endeavor, renters have flocked to The Hamptons in the last two months searching for properties with immediate occupancy at a time of year when rentals usually arent in demand at all.

We are a safe haven, said Tim Davis, a Hamptons-based broker with more than 40 years of experience in real estate, having listed and sold some of the finest properties on the East End. Davis, thanks to his established relationships and a finger on the pulse of the Hamptons community, has been able to secure rentals quickly for clients. Davis currently has rented more than 25 properties, including properties available for sale like the immaculate 6 Squabble Lane in Southampton, boasting more than 8,500 square feet of stylish, contemporary living with an expansive west-facing pond and ocean views.

While its still a month before the normal peak season in The Hamptons  Memorial Day to Labor Day  many renters arent just looking for rentals they can use right now. They are extending into the regular summer season as well in an effort to secure an ideally situated home for their families through the summer months immediately. That means that regular summer renters should be looking to contract their rentals now, as inventory is depleting quickly.

The Hamptons offer a retreat from the city at a drivable distance  something desirable to those looking to leave the confines of New York City for a more rural and naturally beautiful setting. This region provides the potential for renting spacious accommodations. Balancing work and family, rentals with dedicated offices (strong WiFi a must) and abundant on-property recreational opportunities are in the highest demand.

We all have an opportunity to pause in our lives and have a deeper understanding of whats important to us, Davis said. New Yorkers coming to The Hamptons are renting homes now through Labor Day, looking for a safe haven for their families where they can settle in for the next six months or so. They are looking for a place they can drive to rather than fly, and where they can work remotely while making the most of this time with their families.

For more information about available immediate-occupancy rentals or other Hamptons real estate opportunities, visit TimDavisHamptons.com or call (631) 702-9211.

Rented in 2020

5 Caseys Lane

6 Squabble Lane

10 Squabble Lane

17 Burnetts Cove

20 Union

35 Edgemere

40 Mid Ocean

40B Hidden Cove

40C Cedar Crest

43 Noyac Bay Ave

48 Halsey Lane

81 Halsey Neck

95 Meadowmere Lane

119 First Neck Lane

170 First Neck Lane

175 White Street

228 Little Plains

321 Little Plains

483 First Neck Lane

505 First Neck Lane

About Tim Davis:

Power broker and lifelong Hamptons resident Tim Davis boasts an accomplished 40-year real estate career listing and selling some of the finest properties on the East End. Known as an expert in the marketplace, he continues to reign among the most select, sought after top Hamptons Brokers in the industry; plus he consistently ranks among the Top 25 Agents in Volume in the United States and was once again, recognized as the top broker in the market for 2019. In his exemplary career, Tim has sold over $4 billion of Hamptons real estate, ranging from luxury estate homes and oceanfront properties to village cottages and bay-front retreats. Tims global network has grown to include affiliations in other markets including The International Luxury Alliance, John Taylor International, and Leading Estates of the World; just to name a few. These relationships enable his clients to reap the benefit of exposing their properties to a vast international audience. At the same time, it provides for him sharing a wealth of knowledge to both buyer and seller that only 40 years of experience can provide.

Release Images:

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I almost died laughing when I received this story aptly titled On repairs and relationships, as it describes perfectly what defines a true enthusiast, a cycle of misery and ecstasy. And for certain brands , even more so.

One of the greatest joys my automotive passion has given me literally is an instant family. Throughout my journey, I have met many enthusiasts who have become lifelong friends, including one that I spent three years on the phone with before actually meeting and becoming one of my dearest and most treasured friends. As we progress through our journey we begin to seek out individual tribes that share similar passions.

I completely understand where the author who only wants to be referred as the Filipino Alfisti is coming from, as I love Land Rover Defenders. We both learn to shrug our shoulders , smile on the outside as we rain curses on the inside. Many see our shared misery and shake their heads and cannot understand why we subject ourselves to this torture.

The best answer are stories like the one below, written by a very young enthusiast who has also become one of my dearest friends. I think both of us agree why we do it, why we subject ourselves to long hours of misery to experience the symphony of sound, motion , smell and sensation.

Because Its Amore!

On Repairs and Relationships

Whenever people see my Alfa Romeo they always ask me either one of these two questions:

1. Is that a Ferrari?

2. How do you maintain it?

For the longest time, Alfa Romeo had no presence in the country, making the car I drive a unicorn of sorts. Its from an awkward era; it's too new to have the ease of mechanical maintenance and charm of an old GTA, yet too old to run with the more common performance cars and current Alfas of today. What it does have going for it, though, is the beautiful exterior design penned by none other than the Bertone design studio. Theyve aged gracefully, and look contemporary.

My story with the Alfa Romeo GT began in 2005, when my grandfather called from overseas to tell me he had just bought the car. I was a young boy, and was going through a very heavy muscle car phase. All I could think of was a Shelby GT350 But thats a story for another day. A few weeks later, he arrived home with the dealerships brochure of the car. These were pre-internet days for me. The brochure served as my reading material for several months, I had even memorized all of the color codes and wheel options available for the car.

A few years later, the car had finally arrived on our shores. My grandfather came to visit, and we took the car out for a spin. At this point, the most exhilarating automotive experience Ive had was sitting shotgun in a family friends 2004 Subaru STI. While the Alfa Romeo didnt have the pull that the STI did, the experience was equally enthralling. Theres something about the way Italian cars are built, that just exudes performance. Perhaps its the seating position, the bolstering on the seats, or the way the interior door handles are shown prominently- giving you visual cues where to grab when spirited driving takes place. That exhilarating drive would be the last time Id experience the car for a very long time.

Its beyond my knowledge as to what happened, but shortly after, I learned that the car was not running. The electrical gremlins from Milan had made their appearance. The car was shuttled from shop to shop, with some problems continually worsening. I was in college at this point. My grandfather asked me to get involved with the repair of the sleeping snake.

At this point, the car was being repaired in a shop close to where I lived, so I was able to supervise the work as often as I could. It was an interesting journey tracking down the parts and programs needed to get the car up and running. Finally, the car was starting and driving. I took the car home, and put it through its paces as an everyday driver. Its slumber of many years hadnt been kind to the car, however. The interior had started to age. The plastic pieces were baked under the tropical sun, causing the cracking commonly seen in European cars in our part of the world.

It was at this point, where Im very fortunate to have been handed the keys to the car. It was now my project. Miraculously, the car ran strong. With fresh fluids in the system, and a surprisingly cold air conditioning system, the Alfa made countless runs through EDSA traffic, Skyway buildups, and Makati gridlocks. The gremlins were slowly being appeased.

The car was not without its faults, though. I recall one time, while driving home from an errand, I was tailed by the village guards, who frantically showed me I was leaking fuel. Its years in storage had corroded the fuel pump assembly, and eaten through the seals on the pump. It was a ticking time bomb.

Thankfully, this time around, I had met people who could help me repair the car. Alfredo Roa of Garage 2233 helped me source the part, and did the installation. Knowing these guys has been an immeasurable factor in the drivability of this aging beauty.

Cars have an amazing ability to bring people together. I believe Alfas have this too, but magnified tenfold.

Let me tell you about that time on Estrella St I was driving home from a visit to my father. It was actually quite a nice drive on EDSA that day. That is, until I was passing Guadalupe bridge, and I got a Christmas Trees worth of warning lights.

BRAKE CONTROL FAILURE.

ABS SYSTEM FAILURE.

MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE.

The amount of expletives I spewed at that moment is still a record in my book. And yes, I watch the news.

The car was driving normally, though admittedly, I held a white-knuckled grip on the handbrake until I could pull to a side road. I found my way to Estrella Street, and the car stalled at the stoplight. I am forever indebted to the very kind guards of Rockwell, for helping me push my car to a closed side street, next to a carinderia. What a sight! A red Italian car by a carinderia, with the owner eating sisig and drinking coke. The battery had died, and I needed to get home to prepare for a trip the next day. Luckily, we live in a time wherein batteries can be delivered on-demand.

As I was sitting by the side of the road, waiting for a fresh battery to be delivered so I could get my Alfa up and running again, I heard the roar of a loud motorcycle. I turned around, and saw a nice retro tracker/ cafe racer themed Honda. The owner of the bike introduced himself as a fellow Alfa Romeo fanatic, and how he's currently restoring several of them. It goes without saying that our conversation went on and on from there. He even stayed with me until the battery arrived, just to be able to hear the engine of the GT roar to life. Not to mention, he was wearing a vintage Rolex Coke GMT (Instant friend.)

Moments like these make the maintenance heartaches worth it.

I know up to this point, the story of an Alfa Romeo GT seems like reading a cars service history. Trust me, its more than that. Kevin Limjoco, a family friend, and publisher of C! magazine once told me: Alfa Romeo You have to love that car to own one of those! Truer words have never been spoken.

Driving the Alfa GT Type 937 feels special. Its comfortable yet exciting; powerful yet predictable. It doesnt scream for attention, but to those who know, they know. You can drive past a car meet, and no one will notice. On the same day, a stranger might wave and give you a thumbs up.

I once encountered an elderly lady in the parking lot of a grocery, and told me about her college sweetheart who would pick her up in an old Giulietta. If only we could track that car down now

How does one keep from falling in love with an Alfa Romeo? Its difficult. In the case of this GT Type 937, the moment you see the bodywork, youre stunned. Its a strange, but beautiful shape. Bertone did their job extremely well here. Then, you hear the engine. Its a modest 2.0 liter four-cylinder, but sounds and acts like a much larger, thirstier power plant. And then you sit inside. You feel the support of the beautifully sewn leather seats, and the beautiful metal shift knob with a gate pattern etched on top. Its a petrol headed dream.

Despite all the endless repairs, and constant maintenance, the GT makes up for the worry with a beautiful driving experience. The manual gearbox feels precise- I can liken the feeling to a bracelet on a Swiss watch. It moves as it was designed to move, and nothing more. No shaky play, and the relatively short throw makes gear shifts feel intuitive and deliberate. The engine, once at speed, wakes you up, and encourages you to step harder and go faster.

Driving an Alfa GT in the Philippines is a lot easier now than it used to be. Since the Alfa Romeo showroom opened in Greenhills recently, parts have been easier to source than ever. An oil filter and sump plug set arrived at my doorstep in around a week, and they can order any part I need. Its ironic that I havent been able to pay them a visit just yet, but Im saving that for a day I can take the Alfa to get there. Maintenance is done by my friends at Eurospec Auto and Garage 2233.

I have been extremely fortunate in the case of this Alfa- despite its reputation for unreliability, it has served me as well as any car could. It has taken me back and forth to my classes, helped me earn my degree, get me to and from work, but most importantly, it has introduced me to people who share the same passion when it comes to automobiles. The places this car has taken me have introduced me to countless experiences I would never have gone through otherwise.

Whats next in the story of the Alfa? Racing it is not out of the realm of possibility. Alfa Romeo did compete in the DTM after all.
J ust like Devi Vishwakumar, Never Have I Ever fans have been thirsting over her teenage heartthrob, Paxton Hall-Yoshida - mostly owing to the fact that within just a few seconds, he is top off, abs out.

But thanks to the writing integrity of co-creators Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher - as well as the talent of actor Darren Barnet who plays him - theres much more to Paxton than meets the eye. And the same can be said for Barnet.

The LA-born actor has been slogging it for years in the City of Dreams, facing repeated last-minute disappointments and rejections, to get to where he is now.

So here are 15 trivia nuggets about Darren Barnet that can help us - in his own words - to dig deeper than the abs.

Netflix

1. Hes 29 years old

Barnet is 11 years older than his 18-year-old co-star Maitreyi Ramakshrinan, and 12 years older than his character Paxton.

Born on April 27, 1991, he is 29 years old.

2. Hes not interested in being just a heartthrob

Netflix

He told Page Six: I took the role knowing that they wanted Paxton to be more than that, so I dont mind that thats what catches the eye about him.

"Shamelessly, hes kind of a thirst trap, but I love that they humanise him and they let me humanise him.

3. His Instagram following grew by half a million in a week

Darren Barnet wasnt exactly an Instagram enigma to start with, having over 30,000 followers before the show began.

But after his first appearance in Never Have I Ever, his following skyrocketed to 700,000 in 10 days. Now, its fast approaching the 1 million mark.

4. His Japanese-American heritage was integrated into his character

The show's co-creators Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher placed importance on appropriate casting, and when they discovered Barnet was Japanese-American, they asked if that could be incorporated into his character. The double-barrel Yoshida was added to Paxtons surname to reflect this.

But Barnet told Variety he was initially concerned about representing the mixed-race community and worried Asian-American viewers would think: Wow, they went with this guy when they could have picked a lot more Asian of a person. In fact, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Netflix

While he has Japanese heritage, Barnet was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.

5. He is trilingual

Barnet speaks Japanese and French, as well as English - and also a little Spanish.

6. He deals with a lot of inappropriate DMs

Netflix

Barnet has spoken out about being inundated with sometimes inappropriate messages, revealing that up to 200 new DMs await him each time he refreshes his phone.

He said he does his best to reply to considerate messages, but ignores perverted ones.

In one bizarre incident, a fan sent him photos of his sisters, writing: I wish I was your sister.

7. He knows manliness is overrated

Reflecting on how he has always looked younger than his age, he said: It used to really upset me as a kid because I thought it made me less manly. But now its really started to be a blessing.

8. Still, he spent a whole month at the gym

He has confessed to spending the best part of a month in the gym to prepare to play the often-topless character.

9. Hes no stranger to the screen

Barnet has previously appeared in This is Us, S.W.A.T., Criminal Minds, Turnt and Family Reunion, but Never Have I Ever is his first major starring role.

Netflix

10. He got the whole cast to go bowling the first time they met

During the shows initial reading - the first time the cast met - they were given three hours to bond.

Barnet suggested they go bowling, and the rest is history.

11. He is quarantining alone

He has vlogged about his lonely isolation, which (other than a lot of working out) involves writing a screenplay.

12. Hes got a real estate license

MTV did some digging and found that Barnet possesses a California real estate license.

Other unexpected skills (if his old SoundCloud handle - Charlie Sound - is anything to go by) include rapping and making hip-hop beats.

13. Hes got irons in the fire

Barnet is soon to step into the Marvel universe, as a mystery character in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

He will also be starring in the up-and-coming American Pie Presents: Girls Rules.

Netflix

14. He thinks High School Musical is an American classic

When co-star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan confessed to never having seen any of the High School Musical movies during a co-interview, Barnet - as we can only describe it - flipped out. He then called the franchise an American classic.

15. He does a great Devi impression

See for yourself:

Never Have I Ever is available to stream on Netflix now
Despite a cautionary note from Gov. J.B. Pritzker about the potential cancellation this year of county fairs across the state, some organizers are holding out hope.

A few of those who had been early on the scheduled fair season already have altered their plans. For others, its a day-by-day watch.

Pritzker said during one of his news conferences about the COVID-19 outbreak that it could be some time before large gatherings like county fairs are allowed again. Such events now are prohibited under the states stay-at-home order.

Everybody needs to think seriously about canceling large summer events, Pritzker said. From my perspective today, I do not see how we are going to have large gatherings of people, again, until we have a vaccine.

The state will remain under the stay-at-home order until at least May 30, but it could be extended. Pritzker has released a five-phase reopening plan for the state. The state now is in Phase 2.

Ken Tyrell, president of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs, said Tuesday that many fairs scheduled for early June have been canceled.

I think with the rules in place, itll be difficult to have the fairs, Tyrell said. Most are taking a wait-and-see attitude. We are hoping the warm weather will abate some of this and (we can) move forward.

Macoupin County has canceled its fair and Sangamon County Fair organizers are planning on moving some elements to a fall carnival of some sort.

The Pike County Fair and Western Illinois Fair also have scrapped plans for this year.

This was not a decision that was made lightly, however, with the state of affairs within our state and throughout the country, we felt that this was the prudent way to go, Pike County Fair organizers said in a statement.

The Western Illinois Fair board said it will try to reschedule some events, includings its queen and princess pageants and school bus demolition derby, for late July.

Guidelines in (the) reopening plan announced by the state have somewhat forced the hand of not only ourselves, but also several other county fair boards,organizers said in a statement. The decision to cancel is one we feel is in the best interest of everyone involved and to ensure the success of our fair moving forward.

Fair board secretary Mark Walker said the status of the Greene County Fair, set to start June 22, still is being discussed.

Right now, we will likely minimally have to postpone it, but we are waiting to see the status of the shelter-in-place order, he said. If we are given the green light, we will continue with our current plans.

Walker said the board likely will make a final decision at the start of June after the governor updates plans for the stay-at-home order.

In the meantime, Walker said, the board will work with the health department to prepare policies and procedures if the fair moves forward.

Fairs in Morgan and Schuyler counties also are hoping to continue.

Schuyler County Fair Board director Chris Clayton said the board is waiting to see what the governor plans before making a decision.

We know it might not happen, Clayton said. Right now we are coordinating with the health department. Well follow their recommendations.
San Franciscos Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 Tuesday to mandate the closure of County Jail No. 4, the seismically unsafe jail on the top floor of the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street, by Nov. 1.

The final vote from the board accelerated the widely held goal of closing the jail, which has been beset for years by crumbling infrastructure and frequent sewage overflows that have prompted flurries of lawsuits from inmates.

Last year, Mayor London Breed set a July 2021 deadline for moving the then-roughly 300 inmates at the jail out of the Hall of Justice, along with hundreds of city staffers who work there. But amid the coronavirus pandemic  which especially threatens incarcerated people and others clustered together  closing County Jail No. 4 took on a new urgency.

The legislation mandating the accelerated closure was authored by Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer. The lone dissenting vote Tuesday came from Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who said in closing County Jail 4 early, we must be able to demonstrate that we arent putting victims of crime  particularly domestic violence and sexual assault victims  at risk. At this moment, I dont believe the legislation does that, she said.

Fewers legislation requires the citys Sentencing Commission, a body made up of representatives from the citys criminal justice system, to guide the expansion of pretrial diversion programs and collaborative courts for people who qualify for them.

It also calls on San Francisco Superior Court officials to address lengthy court-case processing and to avoid unnecessary continuances that can extend the time inmates spend behind bars, and on the Sheriffs Department to find ways to expedite the booking process.

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

San Franciscos jail population has decreased steadily in recent years, thanks in part to an expansion of pretrial diversion programs, an overall reduction in violent crime and reforms enacted to prevent people from staying in jail because they cant afford bail.

That reduction has helped make the closure a smoother process, leaving fewer inmates to transfer to other San Francisco lockups before County Jail No. 4 closes for good.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
The conversation saddened me because the nurse meant well. She was sincere. She was one of the good ones. She reminded me of one of the moderates Dr. King talked about in his Letter From a Birmingham Jail. If the good people feel this way, then we are really in trouble. Despite all her passion, her main agenda was not to hear my needs or concerns or to help address them; it was to provoke passivity, assuage anger, and prevent revolt. She was alright if my problems didnt go away as long as I didnt make too much of a fuss about it. She is convinced that prisoners should be grateful for deficient medical care and two-month lapses between access to vital necessities, hygiene products and sanitation services. Those are things that we dont deserve and shouldnt expect or feel entitled to. Im certain she doesnt feel this way about everyone. She wouldnt see her daughter locked in a room with Covid-19 and no medical care and say, Well, you know, you lucked out, honey.

She just feels this way about prisoners. The social category of prisoner qualifies one as undeserving of a decent civilized life. Herein lies the cause of the profound spread of the virus throughout the institution: the collective sense of the undeservingness of prisoners. A vaccination would be nice. Proper P.P.E. would help. But the real cure for our woes is an affirmation of the inalienable entitlement to life for people in prisons and jails.

After reading this letter, I took a deep breath. I had to admit to myself that there was a time when I was that nurse. I was a well-intentioned, sincere person who viewed myself as working for social justice yet unconsciously believed that the lives of some people matter a bit less.

Perhaps you are that nurse today. If youre completely honest with yourself, do you believe that we, the so-called innocent, are more valuable than them, the criminals? Do you believe the lives of those locked up or locked out matter a bit less and they should be grateful for any care or concern at all?

We now face a choice regarding what kind of country we want to be in the months and years to come. Rather than imagining that the lives of those locked in cages are less valuable than our own, perhaps we ought to get down on our knees and say, There but for the grace of God go I. I do not even consider myself a Christian and yet those are the only words that spring to mind when I think of all those at Marion Correctional, including our letter writer, as well as all those in prisons and jails nationwide, whose lives have been discarded in the era of mass incarceration.

It may be tempting to believe, if youve never been locked up, that you could never find yourself in prison. Yet most of us, at some point in our lives, have committed crimes that could result in prison time, such as illegal drug possession or theft. Some of us, due to poverty, trauma, oppression or mental health challenges, have gone through periods in which we made grave mistakes or caused serious harm to others.

Equally important is the fact that whos behind bars today has more to do with our collective choices than individual ones. Our nation has spent trillions on endless war and systems of mass incarceration and mass deportation; yet basic human rights such as a living wage, health care, housing and quality education are routinely denied on the grounds that we  the richest country in the world  cannot afford to provide to all of our people what citizens of many other nations are granted as a matter of right. If we had invested heavily in the communities that need it most, rather than pouring our resources into policing, surveillance, prisons and jails, most of the people who are behind bars today would not need to be freed by a group of protesters staging a die-out on the Statehouse grounds.
COLONIE  Craig Allen can sympathize with the front-line medical workers putting their health and well-being on the line during the coronavirus pandemic.

Allen, the owner of All Star Wine & Spirits at Latham Farms, is a cancer survivor who was treated at New York Oncology Hematology, where he also received his chemotherapy and radiation for throat cancer.

While many medical practices have had to eliminate or limit office visits, NYOH and its staff have been working more than ever making sure its patients receive their cancer care like chemotherapy and radiation. Those visits don't stop during the pandemic, and NYOH and its workers have had to make big adjustments after it consolidated its Troy and Albany Medical Center locations, putting more patients at its Patroon Creek location than ever.

And it just so happened that the NYOH office at Patroon Creek is undergoing a complete renovation, making work life just that more challenging.

Recognizing that, Allen decided he wanted to bring lunch to the entire NYOH team at Patroon Creek. He is two years cancer-free and can't say enough about the care that he received from NYOH.

"NYOH was such a great place," Allen said. "This (cancer) is all they do."

And he wanted to do it in a way that would help the local restaurant industry, which he knew was hurting. After all, his own business, the liquor store, has been thriving because it is considered an "essential business" that is allowed to stay open amid the government lock down that has closed bars and restaurants and only allowed takeout.

Revenue is up 60 percent due to the demand for spirits and wine at a time that restaurants and bars are closed. Allen does 100 curbside pickups and 20 deliveries a day.

That could be the new normal even as more businesses are opened as New York relaxes its stay-at-home and shutdown orders over the next few months.

"People are home," Allen said. "This is going to be the new thing with businesses."

Allen saw that Bellini's Counter was offering a lunch special ($200 to feed 20 workers) that was designed to drum up business and keep their staff employed, so Allen got what he described as "a ton of food," and he and staff at Bellini's delivered it to NYOH nurses and staff one day for lunch.

He estimates he spent more than a couple thousand dollars feeding the office, and even giving some staff a bottle of wine to take home.

Allen says he just wanted to let the nurses know that he appreciated them and that he and others in the community understand how hard their job is, especially when NYOH has had to put in a new rule that bars patients from bringing a friend or family member to their chemo appointments, in order to reduce the risk of patients and staff to the coronavirus.

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

Usually those who accompany a chemo patient provide comfort and company during what can be hours of treatment.

Now, the nurses are depended on more than ever to fill emotional roles in addition to their normal work hooking up patients to IVs and making sure they have everything they need for their treatment.

"It is the nurses who really help you relax and get you through chemo, he said. No matter what is going on in their own lives, they always have a smile for you. Now, thats more important than ever.

Allen is also hoping to donate a custom bell at NYOH that patients ring when finish their final treatment to show his appreciation for all NYOH did for him.

He noted that the tradition of ringing the bell began in the 1996 in Texas when it was introduced at MD Anderson in Houston by a patient who also happened to be a rear admiral in the navy. The patient, Irve Le Moyne, told staff at the Houston cancer hospital that it was a Navy tradition to ring a bell at the completion of a mission to signify that a job was done. Many cancer centers have adopted the same tradition.

"It gives everybody a general sense of hope," Allen said of the bell-ringing.
Indian steelmakers on Wednesday said the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give a quantum jump to economic activities in the country and boost the ambitious Make in India programme

New Delhi: Indian steelmakers on Wednesday said the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give a quantum jump to economic activities in the country and boost the ambitious Make in India programme.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced a massive new financial incentive on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

Welcoming the announcement, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd chairman and managing director P K Rath said the impetus would give a quantum jump to economic activities in the country.

The growth of downstream sectors of the Indian steel Industry, MSMEs, construction, infrastructure, auto etc will help India become self-reliant, he said.

"The package is predicated to make the Indian economy self-reliant by leveraging our inherent strengths of demographics, technological skills and domestic demand by building infrastructure and robust supply chains that would give a boost the Make in India programme," JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal said.

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) Chairman Naveen Jindal said the relief announced under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' will strengthen infrastructure, tech-driven system, demography and demand as highlighted by the Prime Minister.

The much-needed stimulus by the government will reassure businesses and the common man, he said.

SAIL Chairman Anil Kumar Chaudhary said the package which equals 10 percent of the India's GDP is in line with the industry expectations.

This will help restart various industrial activities and bring back the momentum of all economic activities, he said.

"Infrastructure being one of five pillars emphasized by PM in his strategy of self-reliant India will augur well for domestic steel demand. Once the economy is kick-started, there will be a marked pick-up in infrastructure and construction activities bringing the steel demand back in the domestic market," he said.

Pankaj Malhan, CEO, Vedanta ElectroSteel Steels Limited, said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Aatmanirbhar Bharat movement, based on economy, infrastructure, technology-driven system, vibrant demography and demand is a welcome initiative that will propel India's growth and shape up 'India of Future' while ensuring that both lives and livelihood are well-balanced."

The announcements made by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will go a long way in driving the much-needed demand and liquidity in the system, he said, adding it will protect earnings at both individual and corporate level.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 18:09 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7d72d3 1 National BPJS-Kesehatan,Jokowi,national-health-insurance-Indonesia,JKN,JKN-premium-increase,Joko-Widodo,Presidential-Regulation Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has raised the premiums for the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan)  roughly two months after the Supreme Court annulled his earlier decision to increase the premiums.

The higher rates are stipulated in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 64/2020 on health insurance signed by Jokowi May 5. The Perpres is the second amendment of the previous regulation, Perpres No. 82/2018, on the same matter.

The new regulation raises the premium for the first-class service to Rp 150,000 (US$10.11) per month per person from Rp 80,000, while almost doubling the cost for the second-class service from Rp 51,000 to Rp 100,000.

The premium for the third-class service was increased by a smaller amount, from Rp 25,500 to Rp 42,000, and the government will provide a Rp 7,000 subsidy for this service category, so participants only have to pay Rp 35,000.

Read also: BPJS Kesehatan to return excess payments as participants continue to pay higher premiums

The decree also states that the premium raise only applies to workers who pay their premiums independently, rather than paying through a cost-sharing structure between employees and employers.

According to the decree, the premium hike takes effect immediately.

BPJS Kesehatan manages Indonesias national health insurance (JKN). In October last year, the President signed Perpres No. 75/2019, which stipulated a similar rise for BPJS Kesehatan premiums.

However, the Supreme Court revoked the regulation in March, arguing that the provision violated a number of prevailing laws. (dpk)
India reported more than 3,500 cases of the coronavirus cases (Covid-19 ) in the last 24 hours, taking the countrys tally of infections to 74,281, according to the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

The health ministrys dashboard showed there were 47,480 Covid-19 patients in the country and 2,415 fatalities on Wednesday morning, the 50th day of the country-wide lockdown.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

It also said that 24,385 people have recovered from the deadly disease across the country pushing the recovery rate to 32.82%. On Tuesday, the number of cured people was 22,454.

More than 4.2 million people have been infected by Sars-Cov-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, and 291,942 have died across the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the next phase of Indias lockdown, from May 18, will be entirely new, in a new form and with new rules, to fight Covid-19 as well as move ahead to meet other national objectives.

Experts and scientists have told us that the coronavirus is here to stay in our lives for a long time. But, at the same time, we cannot let our lives revolve only around the virus. We will wear masks, we will abide by social distancing, but we will not get distracted from our goals, PM Modi said during his address to the nation on Tuesday night.

Click here for Covid-19 updates

The PM said, that is why, the new phase of the lockdown, Lockdown 4.0, would have new contours and will be based on new rules.

As the number of coronavirus disease cases spurted in recent weeks, India has scaled up its Covid-19 testing capacity to 100,000 samples a day, which is nearly three weeks earlier than the Union health ministrys initial May-end target.

the testing capacity has increased in the country and it is 1 00,000 tests per day with 347 Government laboratories and 137 private laboratories. Cumulatively, 1,7 62,840 tests have been done so far for Covid-19. Whereas, 86,191 samples were tested yesterday, health minister Harsh Vardhan said in a statement on Tuesday.

In view of the surge of returning migrant labourers, States/UTs need to focus on more effective surveillance, contact tracing, adequate testing and timely treatment of all the returnees. This also includes the ones that shall be returning from abroad, Harsh Vardhan said.

The states have been directed to ramp up surveillance for Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI)/Influenza Like Illness (ILI) in the affected and non-affected districts and take the help of government medical colleges if required.

Such measures will help to indicate the presence of any possible hidden infection at an early stage, he said.

The ministry, along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is also conducting a community-based sero-survey to estimate the prevalence of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, infection within households in 69 districts of 21 states.

The survey is coordinated by ICMRs National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) and National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT), Chennai. This household-level cross-sectional survey will cover 24,000 adults distributed equally across four strata of districts categorized on the basis of reported cases of Covid-19, ICMR said in a statement.

The survey will involve the collection of venous blood samples from 400 randomly selected individuals (one per household) from 10 clusters in each district.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - US President Donald Trump has come in support for Elon Musk as Tesla Inc.'s (TSLA) CEO faces pressure from authorities in California's Alameda County after re-opening Fremont plant in defiance to local order. 'California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW,' Trump wrote in a tweet Tuesday. 'It can be done Fast & Safely!' On Monday, Musk had said that the luxury electric car maker has restarted manufacturing cars at its Fremont, California plant over the weekend. 'Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me,' Musk tweeted. The production was restarted despite an ongoing battle with local officials about whether it should remain closed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Musk said he would be on the assembly line and asked that he be arrested if authorities take anyone into custody. State law allows a fine of up to $1,000 a day or up to 90 days in jail for operating in violation of health orders. Musk also threatened to leave California if Alameda County's authorities would not allow him to re-open the plan. Musk also filed a suit asking the U.S. District Court in San Francisco for an injunction against Alameda County for attempting to use a 'shelter in place' order triggered by the pandemic to block the electric-vehicle maker's efforts to re-open the Fremont plant. 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.
NASA has created a new 'mini' Mars rover that will be able to climb hills even if they're covered in sand and gravel - perfect for future exploration missions.

Driven by the knowledge that the rolling hills of Mars are a long way from the nearest tow truck, Georgia Tech researchers created a more resilient 'wiggling' vehicle.

Unlike the NASA Curiosity rover currently on Mars, or NASA Perseverance launching this summer, this 'mini' design can walk, paddle and wheelspin its way up a hill.

The team created the mini vehicle based on the NASA Resource Prospector 15 (RP15) rover that can wiggle its wheels to enhance and test the design.

Professor Dan Goldman, from the School of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said the rover was built using 3D printed parts.

Using a complex move the researchers dubbed 'rear rotator pedaling', the robot can climb a slope by using its unique design - it has wheeled appendages that can be remotely lifted - to combine paddling, walking, and wheelspinning motions.

'When loose materials flow, that can create problems for robots moving across it,' said Professor Goldman from Georgia Tech.

'This rover has enough degrees of freedom that it can get out of jams pretty effectively,' he added.

It uses the front wheels to push gravel down that creates a 'fluid hill' for the back wheels that isn't as steep as the real slope it's trying to climb.

'The rover is always self-generating a good hill for itself,' said Goldman.

It's currently only in mini form but the team hope to now scale it up to the larger car-sized robots usually sent to the Red Planet by NASA, ESA and others

Professor Dan Goldman, from the School of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said the rover was built using 3D printed parts

While a robot built by NASA's Johnson Space Centre previously pioneered the ability to spin its wheels, engineers at Georgia Tech recreated those capabilities in a scaled-down vehicle - with four-wheeled appendages driven by 12 different motors.

Siddharth Shrivastava, an undergraduate student in Georgia Tech's George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, said it was developed with a modular architecture using commercially available components.

'This enabled our team to use our robot as a robust laboratory tool and focus our efforts on exploring creative and interesting experiments without worrying about damaging the rover, service downtime, or hitting performance limitations.'

In May 2009, engineers on Earth scrambled to rescue the NASA rover Spirit stuck in regolith  a soft soil that can flow like a fluid when disturbed  near the Gusev crater on Mars.

Despite their persistent efforts, Spirit could not escape the site, and scientists were forced to end the mission in 2011.

Attempting to address these challenges, the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) built RP15, a rover with new legs that coupled conventional wheel spin motion with a lifting and sweeping legged motion.

However, the Resource Prospector mission concept was cancelled in 2018, stalling further development of the new rover - but the researchers decided to create this new miniature version to continue testing it in the lab on the smaller budget.

There is an existing rover that is able to wheelspin and wiggle wheels - called the R15 (pictured) but this is the first mini rover that can also generate a flow of mud behind it. The team used the R15 as inspiration

The rover's broad range of movements gave the team the chance to test a number of different variations and calculations.

They created a range of slopes designed to simulate the hills found on Mars and the moon to test the rovers ability.

Using a system known as SCATTER - Systematic Creation of Arbitrary Terrain and Testing of Exploratory Robots - the rover is able to tilt to evaluate the terrain it is tackling.

Andras Karsai, a PhD candidate at Georgia Tech's School of Physics, added: 'By creating a small robot with capabilities similar to the RP15 rover, we could test the principles of locomoting with various gaits in a controlled laboratory environment.

Using a system known as SCATTER - Systematic Creation of Arbitrary Terrain and Testing of Exploratory Robots - the rover is able to tilt to evaluate the terrain it is tackling

'In our tests, we primarily varied the gait, the locomotion medium, and the slope the robot had to climb.

'We quickly iterated over many gait strategies and terrain conditions to examine the phenomena that emerged.'

In the paper, the authors describe a gait that allowed the rover to climb a steep slope with the front wheels stirring up the granular material.

They used poppy seeds for the lab testing and the rover pushed them back toward the rear wheels over the vehicle.

In the paper, the authors describe a gait that allowed the rover to climb a steep slope with the front wheels stirring up the granular material

The rear wheels wiggled from side-to-side, lifting and spinning to create a motion that resembles paddling in water.

The material pushed to the back wheels effectively changed the slope the rear wheels had to climb, allowing the rover to make steady progress up a hill that might have stopped a normal robot.

Professor Goldman said: 'In our previous studies of pure legged robots, modeled on animals, we had kind of figured out that the secret was to not make a mess.

'If you end up making too much of a mess with most robots, you end up just paddling and digging into the granular material.

There are several missions planned to Mars over the next decade with hopes of a manned mission to the Red Planet by the end of the 2030s

The rover's broad range of movements gave the team the chance to test a number of different variations and calculations

'If you want fast locomotion, we found that you should try to keep the material as solid as possible by tweaking the parameters of motion.'

Simple motions had proven problematic for earlier Mars rovers, which often found themselves becoming stuck in granular materials.

This combination of lifting and wheeling and paddling, if used properly, provides the ability to maintain some forward progress even if it is slow.

'Through our laboratory experiments, we have shown principles that could lead to improved robustness in planetary exploration - and even in challenging surfaces on our own planet,' said Goldman.

Dr Samuel Stanton, a programme manager at the Army Research Office, said: 'Basic research is revealing counter-intuitive principles and novel approaches for locomotion and granular intrusion in complex and yielding terrain

Though the Mini Rover was designed to study lunar and planetary exploration, the lessons learned could also be applicable to our own planet.

The US Army Research Laboratory is one of the project's sponsors.

Dr Samuel Stanton, a programme manager at the Army Research Office, said: 'Basic research is revealing counter-intuitive principles and novel approaches for locomotion and granular intrusion in complex and yielding terrain.

'This may lead to novel, terrain-aware platforms capable of intelligently transitioning between wheeled and legged modes of movement to maintain high operational tempo.'

The research has been published in the journal Science Robotics.
DUBLIN, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The Impact of Coronavirus on Alcoholic Drinks" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

With COVID-19 developing into an unprecedented and multilayered crisis of historical magnitude, the alcoholic drinks industry will not escape the ripple effects that will reshape social norms and attitudes, macroeconomic fundamentals and drinking rituals and occasions.



Nevertheless, and while the impact will be profound and usher in a generational paradigm shift, adaptability, pragmatism and creatively tapping into digital realms will soften the inevitable blow. What does the future hold?



The Impact of Coronavirus on Alcoholic Drinks global briefing offers an insight into to the size and shape of the Alcoholic Drinks market in both the off-trade and the on-trade, it highlights buzz topics, emerging geographies, categories and trends as well as pressing industry issues and white spaces.



It identifies the leading companies and brands by total volume, offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change and criteria for success.



Data Coverage: Market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.



Why buy this report?

Get a detailed picture of the Alcoholic Drinks market;

Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;

Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;

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Introduction Economic Outlook Industry Impact Geographic Impact Corporate Response Conclusion

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/swyot1

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KYODO NEWS - May 13, 2020 - 14:58 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan's suicide hotlines are struggling to manage the flood of calls they are receiving from people with coronavirus-linked health or financial concerns while also trying to ensure their all-important counselors remain virus-free.

The Federation of Inochi no Denwa, comprised of some 50 suicide prevention organizations employing some 6,000 counselors across Japan, said the number of incoming calls its members have received has soared since the government declared a state of emergency last month urging people to avoid physical contact as much as possible.

Many callers divulged fears about their job security due to business closures or a sharp fall in customer numbers, while others said they had suicidal thoughts after family members became infected with the virus.

Worried about their sometimes elderly counselors who often work in confined call center spaces, some of the federation's member organizations have suspended services. Most others, however, have continued to serve callers during the difficult period, albeit on a reduced scale.

Saitama Inochi no Denwa, one of the busiest hotlines in the country, has maintained its 24-hour support service. Of the roughly 70 calls it has been receiving per day recently, approximately 70 to 80 percent are related to the coronavirus, the group says. The figure marks a sharp rise from about 20 percent in early April.

Most of the callers are in their 40s and 50s and mention worries about job security during the economic downturn. Several people each day openly confide their suicidal thoughts, the organization said.

Despite some calls lasting as long as two hours, the number of consultants working on shift together at Saitama Inochi no Denwa has been limited to two or three due to staff shortages during the emergency.

"We are able to maintain this system because there are counselors who come in despite opposition from their families," said Takeshi Naito, secretary general of the Saitama body.

As it is more natural for younger generations to turn to social networking and messaging services for advice, Lifelink has been offering help using the popular Line messaging app.

Related coverage:

28-year-old sumo wrestler dies after coronavirus infection

Yokohama's Chinatown restaurants start drive-thru service amid virus

Deliveries of substandard fruit prove a hit amid pandemic

Lifelink said it too has been receiving an increased number of calls from people with coronavirus concerns, including some saying they are worried about their academic advancement with schools closed. Other calls come from stressed parents who are struggling with having to stay home full-time with their children.

The Tokyo suicide prevention center, a member of Befrienders Worldwide, resumed Tuesday phone consultations that had been suspended since early April. It will offer the service every Tuesday in May and will increase the number of operating days from June, the group said.

"We want to share the suffering of people who cannot tell others about their worries," said Machiko Nakayama, head of the organization.

Since the Tokyo-based organization needs sanitizers and other supplies to allow counselors to carry out their job, Nakayama said, "We want people to support our activities through donations."
Small- to medium-sized businesses are one of the most important parts of Southeast Asias economy, but many have trouble securing growth capital from traditional financial institutions. Validus wants to fix the financing gap with its peer-to-peer lending platform, which connects accredited lenders with SMEs. The Singapore-based startup announced today that it has raised $20 million for its ongoing Series B+ round.

The funding was co-led by Vertex Growth fund and Kuok Groups Orion Fund, which is managed by K3 Venture Partners. Returning investors in the round include FMO, the international development bank of the Netherlands; Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia and India; Openspace Ventures; AddVentures; and VinaCapital Ventures.

This brings the total raised by Validus to about $40 million since it was founded in 2015, including a $15.2 million Series B round announced last year. After getting its capital markets services license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore in December 2017, Validus launched services in Indonesia and Vietnam and says it has lent over $315 million to businesses so far. Plans for its Series B+ round include expanding into Thailand during the last quarter of this year.

Co-founder and COO Nikhilesh Goel says that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has seen more demand for short-term financing, with a 50% year-over-year increase for credit-approved unsecured loans over the past few months.

Despite the impact of the pandemic on small businesses, loan performance has held steady, he added, because Validus focuses on corporate vendor financing for SMEs whose end-buyers are large corporations or government-linked entities. Its credit risk model analyzes information from invoices, contracts and cash flow.

Validus also plans to provide financing to SMEs that are on the frontlines in the battle against COVID-19, including working capital for SMEs in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, as well as logistics and cleaning services.

"Through working closely with corporate partners and investors on the platform, we also aim to support SMEs who are pivoting their businesses to adapt to services and products that are required in this time," Goel said. "In the last month, we have disbursed multiple such loans, averaging $250,000 to $500,000, to support SMEs efforts in meeting the demand for face masks and other protective gear in short supply."

In a press statement, MX Kuok of K3 Ventures said, "We are highly impressed by the leadership and depth of credit management experience at Validus. The team has demonstrated the unique ability to capture critical data points, combined with comprehensive machine learning capabilities, to identify high-potential SMEs that may have fallen through the gaps of the traditional banking model."
Sequent Scientific fell 0.25% to Rs 81 after consolidated net profit dropped 1.52% to Rs 16.86 crore on 6.72% increase in net sales to Rs 300.08 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019.

Animal health industry is classified as an essential sector. Hence, the company said that its business was largely unimpacted due to the COVID-19 crisis. Only sales worth Rs 8.3 crore could not be recognized due to transportation related challenges in the initial period of lockdown. The Q4 earnings was made post trading hours yesterday, 12 May 2020.

Consolidated profit before tax jumped 11.71% to Rs 24.13 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against Rs 21.60 crore in Q4 March 2019. EBITDA soared 27% to Rs 51.10 crore in Q4 March 2020 from Rs 40.20 crore in Q4 March 2019. EBITDA margin improved 17% in Q4 March 2020 from 14.3% in Q4 March 2019.

Commenting on the firm's Q4 performance, Manish Gupta, the managing director of Sequent Scientific, has stated that, "We are pleased with our performance in FY 20 despite the global headwinds, which reflects our unique business model and strong execution skills. This marks another year of mid-teen revenue growth and 210 bps EBITDA margin expansion, in line with our stated aspirations. Particularly noteworthy is our Q4 performance wherein the entire organization excelled in a very challenging environment and delivered our best quarter in terms of EBITDA and EBITDA margin."

"We have now delivered 12 quarters of consistent performance with improvement across all financial parameters since becoming a pure-play animal health company in 2018. The Carlyle Group's offer to acquire upto 74% of stake in Sequent marks a new beginning for us. We look forward to leverage Carlyle's global network and resources to further accelerate our quest to be amongst leaders in the Global animal health space. We at SeQuent, wish to thank our current promoters - Arun Kumar and K R Ravishankar for their unflinching support and confidence, which got us to the position we are in today," he added.

With respect to revenue distribution, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) grew 6% to Rs 107.20 crore in Q4 March 2020 as against Rs Rs 101.20 crore in Q4 March 2019. Global sales rose 6.6% to Rs 300.60 crore in Q4 March 2020 as compared to Rs 281.90 crore in Q4 March 2019. Formulations grew 7% to 193.40 crore during the period under review.

Last week, the US-based Carlyle Group agreed to acquire up to a 74% stake in animal health focused pharmaceutical company SeQuent Scientific. Carlyle will buy shares at Rs 86 each. The proposed transaction triggered a mandatory open offer by CA Harbor Investments and CAP V Mauritius for the purchase of up to 26% equity shares of SeQuent from public shareholders. Following the completion of this transaction, CA Harbor Investments will become the new promoter of SeQuent.

Headquartered in Mumbai, SeQuent is the largest Indian pure-play animal healthcare company with global operations. SeQuent provides animal health Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), formulations, and analytical services in over 100 countries, with more than 1,700 employees and manufacturing operations in India, Spain, Turkey, Germany and Brazil.

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Police in the central city of Da Nang have identified a 20-year-old man who was filmed riding his motorbike with wanton disregard for traffic laws on many local streets.

Le Van Luc, deputy head of the municipal traffic police unit, said on Tuesday that local police officers took less than one day to identify the young man from the video uploaded to social media on Sunday.

The man in the video was identified as Trieu Duc Hai, 20, a resident of Man Thai Ward of Son Tra District in Da Nang. His hometown is in the northern province of Cao Bang.

At the headquarters of the Da Nang traffic police unit, Hai admitted that he met a group of online acquaintances from the social networking website Facebook on Saturday evening last week.

The group had plans to make video clips of them performing front wheel lifts on their motorbikes to be uploaded on Facebook.

Hai, and another man riding pillion, rode through many streets in the city center, including Dien Bien Phu, Le Duan, Rong (Dragon) Bridge and Vo Nguyen Giap, weaving dangerously through traffic at high speed while performing front wheel lifts.

Other members of the group were tasked with filming their stunts which were later posted to a Facebook page that they manage.

Trieu Duc Hai performs the front wheel lift on his motorbike while riding on Rong (Dragon) Bridge in Da Nang, Vietnam, May 9, 2020 in a video supplied by the municipal traffic police unit.

Hai admitted his traffic violations and named other members of the group at the police station.

Riding a motorbike on one wheel is punishable by a fine of between VND5 million (US$214) and VND7 million ($300) and drivers license revocation for two to four months, according to Vietnamese law.

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[May 13, 2020] Insight School of Oklahoma to Celebrate Class of 2020 with Online Commencement Ceremony

Insight School of Oklahoma (ISOK), an online public charter school, will celebrate the 118 members of the Class of 2020 during a virtual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16. In lieu of their traditional in-person celebration, ISOK is inviting families and friends worldwide to join the celebration online, with live and recorded speeches from school leadership, students and esteemed guests. "Our students have worked hard to get to this day, and we are so proud of them," said ISOK Head of School Jennifer Wilkinson. "Each of them has set their own path to get here. The tools they've acquired and the skills they've learned in the online classroom will contribute to their continued success." Collectively, the Class of 2020 reports it has been accepted to trade schools, colleges and universities across the country, including: Mid-AmericaChristian University, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma State University, Rose State College, Tulsa Community College, University of Central Oklahoma, and the University of Oklahoma.



A tuition-free public school for students statewide in grades 6-12, ISOK offers a comprehensive education approach focused on providing struggling students with the academic, social and emotional support they need to succeed. With virtual classes and live online learning sessions led by state-licensed teachers, ISOK creates a personalized educational experience for students to ensure their success leading up to and after earning their high school diploma. Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: Insight School of Oklahoma 2020 Graduation Ceremony

WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2020, 10 a.m. CT

WHERE: Sign up to view the graduation here: https://tinyurl.com/ISOK2020Grad About Insight School of Oklahoma Insight School of Oklahoma (ISOK) is a full-time online public charter school that serves at-risk students in grades 6-12 throughout the state of Oklahoma. ISOK is recognized by the Oklahoma State Department of Education as an alternative school and is authorized by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. As part of the Oklahoma public school system, ISOK is tuition-free and gives parents and families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information, visit ok.insightschools.net. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005025/en/

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LONDON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- More Chinese are enquiring about citizenship by investment (CBI), with the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis as a clear market favourite. In a new episode of the Plan B podcast by London-headquartered advisory CS Global Partners, an expert in the Chinese market explains the current immigration trends and priorities for Chinese investors. St Kitts and Nevis features as a top choice for those seeking second citizenship, credited to the country's 36-year experience, reliable due diligence and ability to process applications within 45 to 60 days.

Vicky Ma, the Manager of the China Marketing team at CS Global Partners in London  whom the government of St Kitts and Nevis mandated to promote its Citizenship by Investment Programme worldwide  says the firm has dealt with an especially high volume of enquiries from agents who advise Chinese HNWIs. She suggests that investors see second citizenship as a Plan B, a security blanket during crises providing more freedom.

"Although it is still unclear what the long-term ramifications of the COVID-19 crisis may be, in the short term, we are seeing an increase in interest from China," says Ms Ma. "At CS Global Partners, we can clearly see the demand and enquiries from Chinese agents and clients. I think the reason for the change is because more high net-worth individuals and more Chinese clients start to realise that it is very important for them to have a Plan B, to deal with all the crises and to cope with uncertainty. At the same time, they want security. A CBI programme is the perfect answer for a Plan B. It can give them more choice and opportunities to cope with the crisis and also to get more mobility and freedom."

On what investor immigration solutions the Chinese market currently prefers, Ms Ma believes that the Caribbean offering stands out by far. This is largely due to their credentials and longer-lasting benefits.

"For Chinese investors, there are a lot of advantages to getting second citizenship from Caribbean countries. Firstly, St Kitts and Nevis is very well-known and very popular in China now. On top of that, Caribbean programmes have been running very strict due diligence which grants programmes security and gives confidence to the country to confirm that they are receiving good-quality applicants. Chinese investors attach a lot of importance and attention to reliability and trust, so it's crucial to choose a stable and safe programme."

The London expert says St Kitts and Nevis is one of the three top choices Chinese investors enquire most about. Investors see it as a trustworthy, fault-proof and efficient solution for second citizenship.

"Of all CBI programmes, I would say Caribbean programmes are very popular now in China, such as St Kitts and Nevis' [] established in 1984. As the first country to implement citizenship by investment, St Kitts and Nevis is recognised by the industry as the Platinum Standard. They also provide the Accelerated Application Process feature, known as the AAP option. This can help clients get approval in principle in 60 days."

The fund option remains the fastest route to citizenship from St Kitts and Nevis. Prime Minister Timothy Harris introduced the Sustainable Growth Fund two years ago, whereby applicants make a one-off contribution directly to a government fund. This enhances transparency and speeds up the process. Once approved, citizens of St Kitts and Nevis can travel visa-free to over 150 countries and territories, with Foreign Minister Mark Brantley regularly announcing more visa waiver agreements.

[email protected]

www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
In Mobile County, where 1,500 people have caught COVID-19 and 95 have died, county data suggests people over the age 65 and those with underlying health conditions are by far in the highest risk category.

The Mobile County Health Department released new figures Wednesday that shows out of the 95 people who have died, 78% were over the age of 65. A further 20% were between the age of 50 and 64. One person under the age of 50 has died.

Nearly every single person who has lost their life had underlying health conditions that contributed to their death, and half lived at a long term care facility.

While the data shows that most working people in Mobile will be largely unaffected, those who are most at risk still have an important part to play in the economy and without them it can create a void, said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Maybe a decade ago, there were a lot of people retiring at 60 and 65 years old," he said. "A lot more of us are now working up to 70 years old. Because of that, we are gainfully employed, and that age group is very much in the mix of what goes in our community. With everyone who gets sick, it creates a void in the matrix of economic prosperity of our community.

The new data also breaks down deaths by race and gender. In Mobile County, deaths broke evenly by gender, with 48 men and 47 women. But there was a disproportionate effect along racial lines, as half of those who died were black. Mobile County itself is only 36% black.

Mobile has emerged as one of the hardest hit counties in Alabama. No other county has recorded more cases or more deaths. Roughly one out of every five deaths across Alabama from coronavirus has occurred in Mobile.

However, in terms of ages and conditions of the deceased, it largely mirrors the state.

Slightly more than 95% of Alabamas coronavirus deaths were people with underlying health conditions, health department data shows.

As of May 13, there were 449 COVID-19 deaths across the state, up from 428 the previous day. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease were among the largest underlying health conditions.

Just 20 of the states COVID-19 deaths had no underlying health conditions, according to the Alabama Department of Public Healths most updated fatality demographic data.

The median age of the fatalities was 72; the range of victims ages were 50 to 92. Seventy-four percent of those who died was older than age 65.

Since Mobile County released the demographic data today, another Mobile County resident died, bringing the total to 96 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon.
The coming decades will demand smarter tools to manage patients to minimize recovery times

For a 52-year-old patient, life came to a standstill when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He knew that the disease management could come with side effects like trouble with urination, bowel problems and erectile dysfunction. When informed about the possibility of a robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) using the da Vinci surgical system, he was initially skeptical about undergoing the operation with a robotic- assisted approach, but chose to do so after hearing how it could potentially reduce the listed side- effects. After the robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy was conducted, he was discharged within 48 hours and resumed work in a week. Today, a few months after the robotic-assisted procedure, this patient is not only happy he chose this option but is also back to his fitness regime.

In 20 years of my practice, I have seen many patients like him recover within days after a robotic- assisted surgery. Robotics have proved to be beneficial in challenging or complex cases where a minimally invasive approach is either required or preferable, providing excellent functional and at par oncological outcomes. I can confidently say that in my experience, robotic-assisted surgery is an important and reliable tool for a number of surgical cases. Robotic-assisted surgeries are bringing an incomparable degree of precision to minimally invasive surgeries. In my experience, it can result in quicker recoveries, shorter hospital stays, low levels of blood loss and minimal scarring. Robotic-assisted surgical systems make some of the most complicated procedures simpler with 3-D vision, magnification, depth perception and 7 degrees of freedom, precise dissection, and can in some cases decrease my operating time.

A common myth associated with robotic-assisted surgeries is that they cannot be trusted as the robot controls the procedure. The surgeon is, of course, in control at all times  the robot is just a tool that the surgeon utilizes. Yet many patients are skeptical about the use of a machine over a surgeons hands. I would like to clarify that robotic-assisted surgery has been a part of medical science for over 20 years and the technology has only evolved over the years. Moreover, new generations of integrated systems as well as systems with single port capabilities that may be use in India someday have made robotic- assisted surgeries even more advanced.

Let us understand how they work. Take, for instance, a system like the da Vinci surgical system. It comes with four thin robotic arms inserted into strategically placed small incisions, which are 1-2 centimetres long. One arm holds the camera, the other three have surgical instruments attached. Seated at a special console, we (surgeons) can easily operate the robotic arms and the camera with joystick-like controls. A computer will translate the exact movements of the surgeons fingers into precise movements of the surgical tools. We operate it by sitting at a console unit, using hand and foot controls, with a 3D high definition visualization of the anatomy. This approach avoids the physical trauma of large incisions required by open surgical procedures.

Earlier in my surgical career, I used to conduct 2D and 3D laparoscopic surgeries for prostate, kidney and bladder cancers along with advanced reconstructive surgeries. Traditionally, we would use rigid instruments through an incision in the body and the visualization was through an endoscope. We were able to see the anatomy on an external screen. Unlike traditional laparoscopic instruments, robotic- assisted surgical tools can rotate 360 degrees, giving more flexibility than human wrist. At the same time, a HD vision system provides a perfect view of the surgical area.

We have come a long way since the first RAS procedure in India in 2002. Indian surgeons are now adopting it with over 70 installations of robotic-assisted surgical systems across the country. This number is expected to grow dramatically in the coming years with a growing interest in minimally invasive surgical options among patients. There was a time when laparoscopy was the gold standard in minimally invasive surgeries. Today, the da Vinci surgical system is not only enhancing our precision, but also flexibility and control during the operation in comparison to traditional techniques.

I am excited to be a part of the growth of robotic-assisted surgery in India. I personally have performed and assisted in more than 400 robotic-assisted surgeries throughout my career  I had the opportunity to train with leading robotic surgeons, such as Dr. Mani Menon at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and Dr. I.S. Gill at University of Southern California. Recently I was able to apply that training by starting the robotic-assisted surgery program at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi with the goal of making it a world class robotic-assisted surgery centre that will positively impact the lives of Indian patients. So far, results have been promising - I have performed more than 120 cases in Safdarjung in less than six months with good clinical outcomes. Additionally, I have performed 500 robotic assisted surgeries during my clinical fellowship in Advanced Robotics in USA. At a time when India is striving hard to fight the perils of a disease like cancer, with one in every 10 Indians likely to develop cancer and one in every 15 is expected to die of the disease, according to a recent WHO report, we need advanced tools to address the disease burden.

We are living in times when India is making great economic progress, bringing with it socioeconomic changes with an increased risk of non-communicable diseases. The coming decades will demand smarter tools to manage patients to minimize recovery times, helping patients resume their normal life soon after the surgery. India must look to the future with technologies and techniques, like robotic-assisted surgery, that have thepotential to transform patient outcomes.

Dr Anup Kumar, Prof. & Head, Dept of Urology & Renal, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital
: Tipplers in Kerala will have to shell out more for their daily booze with the Kerala government, which is facing a severe financial crisis due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown, deciding to raise the price of liqour by 10-35per cent, to bring in extra revenueto its coffers.

.The decision to hike the price of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Wednesday.

. It was also decided to recommend to the Governor to issue an ordinance to increase the sales tax on the IMFL.

"All the major revenue generation optionshasstopped due to the lockdown.Sale of lottery tickets has ceased, bars are closed and GST revenue has drastically dropped.

Hence the state cabinet has decided to find a revenue generation method," a release issued by the state government said.

The cabinet has recommended an increase of 10 per cent tax for beer and wine and 35 per cent for all othercategories.

At present, the sales tax on IMFL is 202 per cent for brands priced up to Rs 400 and 212 per cent for brands above that.

With the new rates, theprices will increase to 237 and 247 per cent respectively.

Despite the high tax, Kerala has the dubious distinction of having the highest per capita consumption of liqour.

Excise department sources said the the government has plans to open the state-run liquoroutlets after the third phase lockdown ends on May 17 but the decision will be taken only according to the situation prevailing then.

"The shops are likely to be open from May 18.But the final decision will be taken only after assessingthe COVID-19 situation prevailing then.

We had declared that we have flattened the curve but a day later, we had new patients. More patients reached the state from other states and from abroad.

OnThursday, the first train from Delhi will reach Kerala.The government is likely to take a decision after assessing the situation," the sources told PTI.

Meanwhile, the over 3,500 Toddy shops, closed since the past 50 days due to the lockdown, were all set to open from Wednesday, but only few shops commenced business due to lack of stocks.

Those which were open had to shut within hours as the stocks did not last long and many had to return disappointed.

As per new lockdown regulations, not more than five people would be allowed ata time in a toddy shop and the timings are from 9 AM to 7 PM.

"Today, a few toddy shops were opened in the state.Most of them had to close early as they were low on stock.

The shops were not getting enough stock to even meet their regular daily quota," the sources added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 17-year-old ice cream shop assistant in Massachusetts has received almost $40,000 (32,588) in donations after she quit because of bullying from customers impatient with social distancing measures.

Her manager, Mark Lawrence, launched a GoFundMe campaign after The Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour in Mashpee, Massachusetts was overwhelmed on its first opening day of the year.

The ice cream shop shut after one day because customers hassled employees when made to socially distance while waiting for their ice cream.

The teenager told Mr Lawrence, who owns the business, that she was quitting after her shift.

"This past Friday, our opening night of the year, she was met with an unyielding verbal assault with some of the most vulgar and disgusting words hurled at her, these shouldn't be heard in a men's locker room, never mind directed to a teenager," Mr Lawrence said on GoFundMe.

"In spite of this, she continued to work until the last ice cream was served and then turned in her apron. Asked why she didn't tell me sooner of this behavior, she simply said she didn't want to disappoint me or our loyal fans."

"No one deserves this kind of abuse, especially a 17-year-old young girl, in a time when we as a country should stand united," he added.

On Facebook, the ice cream shop owner said that in 19 years of operation this is the lowest feeling I have ever felt.

After Mr Lawrences post on GoFundMe attracted widespread attention, the ice cream shop owner was inundated with messages of support. Meanwhile, more than $38,000 (30,897) had been donated.

Thank you for the outpouring of love and support from all around the world, wrote Mr Lawrence on Monday, who said he had been passing on messages to the teenager.

The Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour reopened partially on Saturday with more social distancing and pre-ordering.
LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson published his plan for exiting the coronavirus lockdown on Monday, allowing some people back to work but cautioning that all should wear face coverings in enclosed spaces as COVID-19 was here to stay.

"This is not a short-term crisis," said the 51-page "Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Governments COVID-19 recovery strategy".

"It is likely that COVID-19 will circulate in the human population long-term, possibly causing periodic epidemics. In the near future, large epidemic waves cannot be excluded without continuing some measures."

For details of the plan:

The government said it would introduce a 14-day quarantine on international travellers with some exceptions. It also said people should wear face coverings in enclosed spaces where social distancing was not possible.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton)
Pakistan has reported more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases, taking the number of infections to over 34,000, while 31 more people have succumbed to the coronavirus, health officials said on Saturday, amidst the easing of lockdown restrictions.

The Pakistan government announced last week that it would begin a phased lifting of the lockdown due to its effect on the economy and the workforce.

The Ministry of National Health Services said that 2,255 cases were confirmed positive on Tuesday after 11,848 tests were conducted.

A total of 31 fresh deaths have been reported, taking the number of fatalities in the country to 737, it said, adding that the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the country have rise to 34,336.

So far, 13,225 cases have been registered in Punjab, 12,610 in Sindh, 5,021 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2,158 in Balochistan, 759 in Islamabad, 475 in Gilgit Baltistan and 88 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the ministry said.

A total of 8,812 patients have recovered and 317,699 tests have been conducted, it said.

The number of new cases is rising fast since last week and the officials are urging people to follow guidelines and avoid going outside.

The number of infected passengers being repatriated to Pakistan is also disturbing. As many as 379 more nationals returning from various countries on the last 24 special flights have tested positive. The special flights had brought 4,344 Pakistanis between April 28 and May 8.

The official record shows that a total of 7,756 Pakistanis have returned home from abroad on 43 flights from April 14 to May 10. Of them, 682 passengers were tested positive and given treatment.

The test results of 760 passengers arriving from Dubai on May 10 are awaited. Officials confirmed that the number of positive cases among returnees from the UAE was higher as compared to the passengers coming from other countries.

Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail tweeted that he had recovered from the novel coronavirus.

"Alhamdulilah I have received my test results in which I have been tested negative for COVID19. Many thanks to all those who prayed for my health. I will soon be donating blood plasma to those in need," he said.

Ismail tested positive for the virus late last month.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
TOKYO (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)
Your new 24/7/365 Online Travel Trade Show Sales Force

Smart Strategic Marketing, LLC, parent company of a wide range of businesses specialized in marketing travel around the world will be launching on May 25, The Travel MarketPlace an online travel business network that will change the future of how the travel industry around the world meets. World travel shows, such as FITUR in Spain, ITB in Germany, Tianguis in Mexico and countless more, have been cancelled due to the pandemic. The Travel MarketPlace will act as a 24/7/365 Travel Trade Show that will provide full marketing and sales support to travel professionals around the world:



A 24/7/365 Travel Trade Show

Matches business profiles through Artificial Intelligence

Generates unlimited meetings with travel partners around the world

With unlimited time for each meeting

Share documents, pictures and videos

Buyers and sellers set up their own meeting schedule

Lets you rate the quality of service of your partners

More time to increase sales and marketing with little investment

Healthiest, cleanest and environmentally friendly way to meet

Suma Eventos in Mexico will launch our software in that country. Suma Eventos is the most reliable company with over 25 years of experience in marketing and operating events, trade shows and meetings," said Jorge Cadena, President and CEO of Smart Strategic Marketing, LLC. The whole travel industry in Mexico trusts Suma Eventos to develop successfully this endeavor.

Smart Strategic Marketing, LLC, owns and operates, Chain Global Media, LLC, a global media company specialized in marketing travel; moremexicoforless.com an OTA specialized in selling Mexico in the US; hospitalityMX.com, a Medical Tourism Concierge service that moves patients in need of care to other countries; moretravel4less.com, an OTA that sells travel products around the world; Viva! The Woodlands Magzine, LLC, a publishing company; and hinspire, LLC., a media company specialized in marketing to the Hispanic audience. Smart Strategic Marketing, LLC, gathers the most creative and talented minds to develop The Travel MarketPlace, a software that will revolutionize the travel industry.

The team at Smart Strategic Marketing, LLC., and the rest of the companies have put together their talents and resources to create The Travel MarketPlace, a travel business network around the world that will support, develop and enhance the way meetings have been held in travel trade shows, said Jorge. With The Travel MarketPlace the travel industry will be able to become more productive all year around, controlling their schedules and objectives without waiting months for the next travel show.

Smart Strategic Marketing, LLC, comes up with another great idea, at the right moment. The Travel MarketPlace will put an end to meeting once a year:



No more travel to trade shows

No more crushing 15-minute meetings in three days

No more crowds, no more lines, no more jet-lag

No more copies of printed sales materials

Mexico is our first country outside of the US to launch the platform, focusing in two destinations; Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, the leading beach destinations that are already top sellers throughout the world, added Jorge. The Travel Industry is going through a difficult moment, that's why The Travel MarketPlace is offering a three-month free trial period. The TravelMarketPlace wants to contribute to help the travel industry get back on their feet by meeting actively with their partners.

The Travel Market is the best solution to continue meeting immediately, proactively, with the objective of finding solutions and strategies to these challenging times that are prevailing in the market and where solutions have to be met collectively. This way, very soon, the travel industry will be able to welcome back guests to hotels, passengers to airlines, guests to restaurants, fans to stadiums, concert halls and theaters, because the travel industry was to able to prepare itself and was to respond to the needs of the new traveler in 2020. The Travel MarketPlace contributes as a real sales force to bring people together, that otherwise wouldnt be able to meet and do business.

The Travel MarketPlace is acting as a meeting place, a huge roof where everyone is welcome. It will become the appointment generator, the business promotor, the communications channel so the Travel Industry can talk about the exciting things it has to offer. The Travel MarketPlace is the new online sales force.
Engineers at an airport are testing a "smart helmet" that will allow people to scan passengers and check if they could be carrying coronavirus.

The scanner would allow a worker to move around the airport and scan anyone in its radius with infrared.

If they showed up as being hot, they could have a fever and may be carrying coronavirus. In that case they could presumably be removed from the plane.

Security officers would be able to scan people as they waited at the airport and remove anyone that would be unsafe for travelling.

The kit is being tested at Rome's Fiumicino airport as part of plans to ensure passengers' safety from coronavirus when flights resume.

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Using such technology is also intended to make passengers feel safe about returning to flights once lockdowns are lifted.

As the person wearing the helmet looks around, they can see an infrared image of the person and their temperature appear over the right eye. That allows them to explore the airport as usual using their left eye.

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

Rome plans to be the first airport in Europe to use the technology, which is one of a range of proposed gadgets intended to spot those who could be carrying the disease.

As with other airports, Rome is running a dramatically reduced service, but authorities hope that flights will increase again from next month.
Ive always tried to create a sense of serenity in my interiors. And of course, now more than ever home as sanctuary is so meaningful, says designer Sandra Nunnerley, whose Manhattan apartment is an example of practicing what you preach. Everyone needs a place of tranquility to refresh, reflect, meditate, and renew ones energy.

Nunnerleys rooms are filled with a carefully curated array of art, furniture, objects, and textiles, collected over years of extensive travel. Contemporary furniture of her own design lives harmoniously with 18th-century antiques, tribal art, and iconic 20th-century designs. Textiles range from luxurious silks to roughhewn linensmany unique pieces collected over time, others are fabrics she designed. Im not a minimalist, but I believe an interior improves when the furnishings are pared down, says the New Yorkbased designer of her idiosyncratic style. When you give things breathing room, it allows pieces of disparate provenance to harmonize together.

Nunnerley says colors are what makes a room come alive. She explains the soft gradation from blue-grays to ivory-beige of the painted walls progressing throughout the apartment. With a punch of bitter chocolate in the study, she adds. Colors are an essential part of my vocabulary as a designer. There arent any colors I hate, however there are some I especially loveporcelain blue, pistachio, off-beiges, pearlized graysI call them shadow colors because they change with the light of the day.

Sandra famously says, Its all in the details, recounts AD editor-at-large Michael Reynolds, who has followed Nunnerleys work for over a decade. Deceivingly subtle with maximum impact, he says describing her aesthetic, something only a master of their craft can achieve. Im reminded of that infamous quote of Teddy Roosevelt: Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far!

Story continues

Indeed, the New Zealand native has come far since her years as a student of architecture in Sydney, Australia, followed by stints in Paris and London working in the art world. Eventually settling in New York, her design pedigree includes working for the legendary, high-society New York decorator Chessy Rayner when Nunnerley was just starting out. In the end I think my background in architecture and fine arts is what influences my work most, reflects Nunnerley. Bringing together the past and present.

Even with current travel restrictions, Nunnerleys eponymous design firm remains a busy, global practice with ongoing projects in Houston, Hong Kong, and Berlin. Technology has revolutionized interior design, she explains. With CAD and 3D printers we can see and touch the final plans in our office before we even set foot on-site.

I always tell my clients youve got to get the bones right first, says Nunnerley of her design process, which begins with a focus on the architectural configuration and details of a space. If you dont, youre going nowhere, no matter how hard you try, she adds. For her own home located in a turn-of-the-century Carrere and Hastings town house on the Upper East Side, Nunnerley applied the same principles. Having had the good fortune to find two apartments side by side, she designed a floor plan where spaces flow seamlessly into each other. A subtle play of contemporary against classical is how she describes thoughtful details such as loft-like floorboards running lengthwise. In classically designed spaces floors run crosswisehere I wanted to add a slightly more industrial feel. I love the tension you create with a play of periods, she says.

This Designers Curated Manhattan Home Exudes Tranquility

Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO

Nunnerley believes the bedroom should be the ultimate moment of serenity in a home. We all need a place to truly escape, to shut off from the outside world, she says. For her own bedroom she designed a custom canopy bed creating a room within a room. Vintage Scalamandre fabric covers the headboard echoing the wonders of an ancient city. I placed a piece of art on the wall that reminds me of the Inca Trail I hiked to Machu Picchu, she adds. What a perfect moment to be surrounded by things you love. Living with meaningful possessions brings great comfort as well as perspective.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
Two Delhi court judges have gone into self quarantine at home for 14 days after one of them came in contact with a Covid-19 positive patient, a circular issued by Saket District Court has said.

According to the circular issued by District Judge Neena Bansal Krishna, the Metropolitan Magistrate posted at Tis Hazari District Court, came in contact with a coronavirus or Covid-19 positive patient on May 6, who was produced before him for recording his statement.

It said that his wife, who is the Metropolitan Magistrate at Saket District Court, informed that in view of the government guidelines on preventing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, she has isolated herself for 14 days at her home.

The circular was forwarded to the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court for necessary action.

A day after this letter was issued, District Judge Girish Kathpalia issued directions to the judicial officers, administrative officers and staff officials posted at Tis Hazari Courts complex, in view of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"Unless deputed on emergency duty during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, no judicial officer, administrative officer and staff official shall personally visit the courts complex. Even those who are deputed on emergency duty during the ongoing lockdown period shall work online from home, unless absolutely impossible to do so, in which case they can come personally and work from the courts complex," the circular said.

It further directed that those who are suffering with any co-morbidity complications like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac ailments and cancer, shall immediately inform the District Judge or the respective Branch In-charges in writing, so that they be not deputed on emergency duty that requires their personal presence in the courts complex.

"Those judicial officers, administrative officers and staff officials whose personal presence is indispensable shall ensure strict adherence to the norms of social distancing, wear mask, gloves and head gear constantly in the court complex and ensure hand hygiene by repeated soap wash or use of sanitisers.

"Those judicial officers, administrative officers and staff officials who are suffering with any symptom of COOVID-19, like ever, cough or breathing difficulty etc or any other medical complication shall immediately inform the District Judge or the respective Branch Incharges in writing, so that they be not deputed on emergency duty that requires their personal presence in the courts complex," the circular said.

Another court staff posted at Saket District Courts complex has tested positive for COVID-19 on May 9, a circular issued by the court had said on Sunday.

The junior judicial assistant had last visited the office on May 4 due to some official work and came in contact with a stenographer of the court, the circular said.

Therefore the stenographer has been directed to remain in self quarantine for 14 days, from May 4 to May 17 and take necessary precautions, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The killing of Ahmaud Arbery was an injustice and a direct assault on our humanity. The known facts alone tell us he should not be dead. He was an unarmed man, confronted by two armed men who chased him down.

Whatever happened before or thereafter is all but immaterial. Arbery did not provoke the encounter. Arbery was not armed. Arbery is dead. There is no justification that fits those facts.

To be a black American is to be justly weary and enraged at what has happened, yet again. Every American should feel the same.

That rage boils up not simply from the fact that two white men, a father and a son, apparently decided it was their duty to get into a pickup truck and cut off Arbery as he went for a jog. It rises not just from the fact that it was their actions, not his, that led to his death.

No, the deep rage draws from the way our justice system reacted after Travis McMichael brandished a shotgun and he and his father Gregory, armed with a .357 caliber pistol, ordered Arbery to stop on a two-lane street. One of them then fired what appears to have been a warning shot. When Arbery defended himself with his bare hands, Travis McMichaels shotgun ended his life.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced Rs 3 lakh crore of collateral-free loans for small businesses, cut the tax rate for non-salary payments and provided liquidity to non-banking companies to help them tide over the disruptions caused by the lockdown.

Announcing the first set of components of the Rs 20 lakh crore COVID-19 economic stimulus package announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said Rs 90,000 crore liquidity infusion will be made in electricity distribution companies to help them fight the current financial stress.

Also, dates for filing income tax returns and other assessments have been extended.

She said the rate of tax deducted at source (TDS) and tax collected at source (TCS) for non-salaried payments up to March 31, 2021, will be cut by 25 per cent.

The move will release Rs 50,000 crore in the system, she said.

The minister also extended by three months the government support to companies with less than 100 employees to meet retirement fund obligations.

For all companies, the statutory obligation to pay 12 per cent of basic salary as employer's share to employee provident fund (EPF) contribution has been reduced to 10 per cent to boost their liquidity.

To boost construction, all government agencies will give up to 6-months extension to all contractors to complete construction, and goods and service contracts.

"Essentially this is to spur growth and to build a very self-reliant India," she said. "It addresses ease of doing business, compliance, and due diligence and the intention is also to build local brands."



The Prime Minister had on Tuesday evening announced the raising of spending to Rs 20 lakh crore or about 10 per cent of India's GDP, to help theeconomy get back on its feet after weeks of the lockdown.

Sitharaman said collateral-free loans will benefit 45 lakh small businesses.

The loan will have 4-year tenure and will have a 12-month moratorium, she said, adding the loans will be guaranteed by the government.

Also, Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt will be provided for stressed or loan defaulting MSMEs, she said, adding this would benefit 2 lakh such businesses.

A fund of funds for MSME is also being created, which will infuse Rs 50,000 crore equity in MSMEs with growth potential.

The government also changed the definition of MSMEs to allow units with higher investment as well as introduced turnover criteria to allow more companies to remain small businesses to get fiscal and other benefits.

Also, to help them get more business, global tenders for government procurement up to Rs 200 crore will be barred.

The Finance Minister announced a Rs 30,000 crore special liquidity scheme for non-banking financial institutions (NBFCs), housing finance firms (HFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs) with a view to provide credit support to them and create confidence in the market.

Further, a Rs 45,000 crore partial credit guarantee scheme 2.0 was also announced for NBFCs, HFCs, and MFIs with low credit rating to help them extend a loan to individuals and MSMEs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trump administration has collected evidence that Chinese and Iranian hackers are targeting American healthcare firms and universities, hindering coronavirus vaccine research in the process, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

The hackers have the capability to irreversibly harm American healthcare facilities, according to U.S. officials. Cyber attacks by Chinese and Iranian hackers have already damaged coronavirus vaccine research, although officials are still trying to assess whether the damage was intentional or collateral.

It is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to know what motivates such malfeasance, but any such activity carries with it the risk of triggering accidental, disruptive effects, a senior administration official told the Journal.

Some within the Trump administration may come to view such cyber attacks as acts of war, a major change in the perception of cyber attacks.

The U.S. on Wednesday will release a public warning that China is attempting to hack into American coronavirus vaccine research. A draft of the warning accuses China of seeking valuable intellectual property and public health data through illicit means related to vaccines, treatments and testing.

The coronavirus has infected over 4 million people worldwide since the start of the pandemic, and nations are racing to find potential treatments and vaccines. Nations that develop and produce a vaccine will have enormous geopolitical leverage, as the pathogen has shuttered much of the world economy.

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Poppy Low, 72, lives in Harrogate and wants to move south to be close to family

Poppy Low, 72 and retired, lives in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. With one son living in London with her grandson and another based in Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, she's been hoping to move for the past six months so she can be nearer her family. Lockdown stopped her from putting her home on the market earlier this year.

'I'm feeling a lot more upbeat about things now that the government has said we can move, although I am still a bit worried about house prices.

'I've been on Rightmove practically every day during lockdown but there's no new properties and also - how am I meant to know whether the prices they were asking for before the lockdown are still fair?

'It's really hard to know what to do.'

Poppy is hoping to come down to stay for a week with her son Sean and his partner Tim in Chipping Norton so she can view properties.

'I really want to get cracking with this move - I want to be nearer my family in the south of England and spend valuable time with my grandson. But I must say, it's still a bit confusing. Especially with my age - I don't know whether I should still be self-isolating?'

Poppy has already been in touch with her estate agent and has been told she can do virtual viewings of properties she might want to buy.

'It's something, but it's not really enough if I'm going to buy a house - I really need to have been round it.'

By Sarah Davidson, This is Money
It was a rollercoaster day for estate agencies and builders as the Government lifted restrictions that brought the housing market to a standstill.

As of yesterday, viewings can be carried out, estate agents can open again and removal firms and conveyancers can return to work  provided they follow social distancing protocols.

It is estimated 450,000 buyers and renters had put moving plans on hold since the Government introduced the previous 'stay home' advice.

Pent up demand: As of yesterday, property viewings can be carried out, estate agents can open again and removal firms and conveyancers can return to work

Now, the housing industry believes there is huge pent-up demand after effectively freezing the market for almost two months.

But others are less convinced, worrying that people's finances are more fragile than before the crisis and that this will put them off big commitments such as moving house.

Investors had similarly mixed feelings. Shares in most major housebuilders and estate agents spiked in early trading but for some this burned off later in the day.

Although FTSE 100-listed Berkeley Group climbed 1.1 per cent, or 46p, to 4150p, its fellow blue-chip peer Persimmon was down 1.3 per cent, or 29p, to 2151p and Taylor Wimpey fell 2.7 per cent, or 3.95p, to 141.9p.

Stock Watch - Bluerock Diamonds Bluerock Diamonds has struck a deal with broker Bonas-Couzyn to sell its gems in Antwerp, Belgium. The arrangement means Bluerock doesnt have to rely on the local South African diamond market. It has also been in financing talks with New York-based Delgatto Diamond Finance Fund. But the difficult outlook for the trade and a pause in new development at its mine knocked shares in the AIM-listed company and they fell 11.1 per cent, or 6.5p, to 52p.

London estate agents Foxtons rose 4.7 per cent, or 1.9p, to 42.2p, while online group Purplebricks rallied 13.3 per cent, or 4.5p, to 38.35p.

But Rightmove fell 1 per cent, or 5p, to 517p, while Savills dipped 0.9 per cent, or 8.5p, to 943.5p.

UK GDP figures that showed the sharpest contraction since the financial crisis likely washed away some of the optimism about the reopening of the housing market.

The Footsie fell 1.5 per cent, or 90.72 points, to 5904.05 and the FTSE 250 lost 1.8 per cent, or 294.92 points, to 15,878.12 after the Office for National Statistics showed GDP output collapsed by 5.8 per cent in March alone and 2 per cent in the first three months of the year.

There were, however, a few bright spots on the Footsie.

The UK's biggest listed technology group, software provider Sage, climbed 1.8 per cent, or 11.6p, to 666.6p after it reported profits surged 40 per cent to 275million in the six months to the end of March.

It has not had to resort to furloughing any staff or making redundancies at the moment  but said it was beginning to feel the pinch from the coronavirus and finding it harder to sign up new customers.

Plumbing giant Ferguson managed to inch 0.9 per cent higher, up 56p, to 6024p despite revenue at its UK Wolseley division falling 60 per cent in April due to lockdown.

And traders cheered as steam and pumps experts Spirax-Sarco Engineering pledged to pay its dividend and said its business was only slightly disrupted in the first four months of the year, sending it up 2.2 per cent, or 204p, to 9466p.

Elsewhere, ailing shopping centre landlord Intu Properties shed 5.2 per cent, or 0.25p, to 4.61p after it completed the sale of its stake in a Spanish shopping mall.

Intu will pocket 203million of the 405million deal, while the rest will go to co-owner the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.

Eastern European vodka maker Stock Spirits shot 17.5 per cent, or 34p, up to 228p, as customers stocked up on drinks ahead of tax hikes in Poland and the Czech Republic  its biggest markets  sending profits 152 per cent higher to 13million.

Energy group Premier Oil made more modest gains, rising 2.6 per cent, or 0.69p, to 27.69p, after saying it was in talks to cut the price of a proposed 511million deal to buy some BP assets in the North Sea.

Paving slab supplier Marshalls saw sales fall 27 per cent in the first four months of the year, with an unsurprising sharp drop in the last week of March and during April.

The group, down 2.7 per cent, or 17p, to 603p, could cut as many as 400 jobs.
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Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 19:17 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7dc0c6 1 World COVID-19,foreign-aid,New-Zealand,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,bilateral-cooperation,UNICEFIndonesia Free

New Zealand is set to contribute NZ$5 million (US$3 million) to Indonesias COVID-19 preparedness, response and recovery efforts through UNICEF Indonesia, a long-time partner of New Zealands aid program in the country.

In a joint statement on Monday, the government of New Zealand said the funds would enable UNICEF to increase its risk communication and community engagement.

The funds will also be used for the procurement and distribution of critical personal protective equipment (PPE), hygiene and infection-prevention supplies, as well as to ensure the maintenance of essential health services in the archipelago.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented public health and humanitarian crisis. As a close bilateral partner, New Zealand stands ready to support Indonesia in this crisis, responding to the Indonesian governments request to support the COVID-19 response to help those in need, said New Zealands Ambassador to Indonesia, Jonathan Austin.

Austin said that the government of New Zealand had chosen to partner with UNICEF as the organization involved in the Indonesian governments multi-sectoral COVID-19 response plan, particularly on the risk-communication and community-engagement pillars.

UNICEF is working closely with the [Indonesian] governments COVID-19 task force, as well as with a range of key line ministries to support a comprehensive response and recovery effort, he added.

Meanwhile, with the help of over 160 staff in Jakarta and seven field locations across the archipelago, UNICEF Indonesia believes that its engagement is able to reach a wide range of people including those living in remote communities.

Through this contribution from New Zealand, UNICEF will be able to provide wide-ranging support to the Indonesian government on risk-communication strategies and dissemination of content on digital platforms as well as addressing prevention measures to tackle severe disruptions to essential life-saving services such as immunization, said UNICEF representative to Indonesia Debora Comini.

In addition, UNICEF aims to increase the availability of handwashing stations and COVID-19 hygiene kits, including home-disinfection products in vulnerable areas and support the governments community-based total sanitation program.

As of last week, Indonesia had received aid packages worth US$80.1 million from at least 101 international partners -- 82 from international NGOs, 10 from international organizations and nine from foreign states.
The boss of Caledonian Sleeper trains has been accused of ignoring Scottish government lockdown rules and travelling from London to Inverness for a business trip.

Rupert Soames, chief executive of Serco, which runs the Scotland to London overnight service, arrived by train in Inverness on Tuesday morning.

The company claims his trip is 'essential,' as he is meeting key workers, but questions have been raised over why the 60-year-old couldn't meet them via video chat. Meanwhile the Scottish government's transport agency was unaware of the trip.

Rupert Soames, CEO of Serco, is in Scotland meeting with key workers on an 'essential' trip, a Serco spokesman said

The trip has been heavily criticised with politicians and unions alike claiming Mr Soames cavalier attitude to the rules undermines the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

And the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) blasted the two-day trip, calling it 'absolutely outrageous'.

RMT Scotland organiser Mick Hogg said: I find that astonishing. It should not be happening.

'There are other managerial colleagues who could deal with that. Clearly, he has not been listening and he seems oblivious to the guidance.

'Does he think because he is a senior person in business it is OK for him to travel?'

Mr Soames, a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, was handed 4.5million in 2019, including a 255,000 cash pension contribution, for his role as chief executive.

Inverness-bound Caledonian Sleeper services start out at London Euston station

Rupert Soames arrived in Inverness from London on Tuesday via a Caledonian Sleeper train

The Scottish Governments Transport Scotland agency, to whom Serco is answerable, said: 'We were not aware this visit was happening.'

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday: 'If you live just south of the Border and you work in an essential job then*that is perfectly legitimate.

'But if you are coming to Scotland and are not covered by those essential purposes, then you potentially would be in breach of the law.'

Questions have been raised as to why Mr Soames did not speak to staff virtually rather than make the trip.

Scottish Labour transport spokesperson Colin Smyth said: 'Those who work on our buses, trains and ferries have been heroic in keeping Scotland moving.

'But there is a big difference between the crucial role a train driver plays ensuring their fellow key worker gets to work and a chief executive touring the country.

'The message in Scotland remains "Stay at Home except for essential purposes," and few will see Mr Soames tour as essential.

'Im not sure what Rupert Soames will have learned on his visits that he couldnt have done by speaking to front-line staff virtually.

'This incident seems to highlight the confusion caused by the UK Governments message that people should get back to work.

'The Scottish Government advice is absolutely clear - do not travel unless your journey is essential.

'Mr Soames cavalier attitude to the Stay at Home message can only undermine the fight to control this pandemic.'

The overnight Caledonian Sleeper train from London to Scotland is owned by Serco

Serco declined to say whether Mr Soames would be visiting other parts of Scotland during his trip.

But a spokesman said he would be observing social distancing at all times.

Serco also revealed Mr Soames had made other visits in recent weeks to the companys operations around the UK, including Yarls Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire and prisons at Thameside in south east London, Dovegate in Staffordshire and Doncaster.

A spokesman said: 'As he has reported on Twitter, Rupert Soames has been visiting a number of front-line staff and key workers during the crisis, essential in his role as chief executive.

'He fiercely defends his decision to show solidarity with front-line workers and believes that hiding at home while others are expected to work in trains, prisons and hospitals is not an appropriate style of leadership.

'He is returning straight back to London on Wednesday, which will allow him to meet the guest services team in Inverness and four Caledonian Sleeper train crews.

'Between times, he is doing permitted activity, job interviews and contract visits.'
A man sustained life-threatening injuries in a shooting in Colorado Springs Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Colorado Springs police officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 6700 block of Dublin Loop West about 8 a.m. where they found an injured man, police said in a statement. The man, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital with critical injuries, according to the report.

Authorities said they are still investigating what led to the shooting and did not say if there are any suspects.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting was asked to call the police department at 719-444-7000 or to remain anonymous, call 719-634-7867.

RELATED:
OTTAWAThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward of up to $1 million (U.S.) for information directly leading to the arrest or prosecution of those responsible for the abduction of Caitlan Coleman and spouse Joshua Boyle.

Coleman, a U.S. citizen, and Boyle, her Canadian husband, were taken hostage in 2012 while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan.

The couple, along with the three children they had in captivity, were freed by Pakistani forces in October 2017.

Timothy Slater, assistant director in charge of the FBIs Washington Field Office, says special agents and analysts are still actively working to identify the familys captors, but they need the publics help.

Boyle was accused of assaulting Coleman following their release, but in December an Ontario judge dismissed all charges against him.

Read more about:
As we enter into the blooming splendor of spring, there are several different ways that people recognize this time of new hope and growth in the wake of celebrating Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Judaism, festivals are ways to commemorate the time of spring and one festival in particular on the Jewish calendar is that of Shavuot, or what you may know it as Pentecost. Shavuot has been celebrated on the fiftieth day, or on the seventh week since Passover was celebrated.

It is clear while reading the Bible that festivals to celebrate new harvest was imperative to the arrival of spring, but what is Shavuot and how is it celebrated today? And since some people have desired to learn more about the traditions of Jewish heritage, what is it about Shavuot that makes it special? Lets start from the beginning to learn what Shavuot is and conclude with why it is still important to take part in today.

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What Is Shavuot?

The word Shavuot, Shavuos, means weeks, while Pentecost comes from the Greek word pentekoste, which means 50th and marks it being the fiftieth day, seven weeks (Omer), since the sheaf offering of the harvest for Passover. It originally began as a festival celebrating agriculture, especially because it is the start of the wheat harvest.

Pilgrim festivals, which is what Shavuot originated from, were festivals where male Israelites had to travel to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple, which consisted of fresh offerings from their fields. The men would also recite prayers and read psalms that related to the festival being held. During the festival in ancient times, the gifts of two wheat loaves from the new harvest were given to the Holy Temple during Shavuot. This was named Yom ha-Bikkurim, or Day of the First Fruits.

This year, Shavuot 2021 will be celebrated from the evening of May 16th to the evening of May 18th. This two-day festival falls, for the Hebrew calendar, on Sivan 6-7, which is the Hebrew month equivalent to May and June. In Israel, Shavuot is only celebrated for one day. Shavuot is very special when it comes to the Torah, as Shavuot occurred 3,300 years ago when God gave the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai.

And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God, (Exod. 31:18, NKJV).

This historical moment is recognized during each Shavuot, celebrating the Torah as a gift from God that He continues to give each year.

How Does One Celebrate Shavuot?

The festival is open to all men, women, and children, as the first day of Shavuot has everyone attending the synagogue to hear the Ten Commandments read. People are also supposed to stay up all night the first night of Shavuot reading and learning from the Torah, known as Tikkun Leil Shavuot. The reason behind staying up the whole night reading the Torah is to show God the excitement and thankfulness in being given the Torah has not waned these past several thousand years.

Holiday candles are lighted by women and girls to recognize Shavuot both nights of the festival. Rest is especially noticed during the festival, as no work is allowed to be done during Shavuot. As for the menu options for Shavuot, it is treated like any other Jewish holiday but with the focus on dairy. Two meals are eaten each day of Shavuot: one meal is dairy, ranging from cheese blintzes and cakes to casseroles and quiches; the other meal is a traditional holiday meal. Dairy is important to have at this time, as it reflects the idea of the Torah as nourishing milk from God.

For the second day of Shavuot, a memorial service is held, the Yizkor memorial service, with a special memorial prayer said after the reading of the Torah for those who have passed away. Some Jewish communities will also read from the book of Ruth because King David is a descendent from the Moabite Ruth and, as we all know, are also descendants of Jesus.

Decorating homes and synagogues with greenery and flowers is another tradition during Shavuot. Although no exact explanation has been given for this custom, several beliefs have circulated on what the greenery represents: Baby Moses' basket, flowers in the desert, harvest and first fruits, and even fragrant speech from God. There is even a special greeting that is shared among those during Shavuot that denotes a holiday is happening. When greeting one another, each person is to say, Gut yom tov, which means Good, good day in Hebrew.

Little Known Facts about Shavuot

-Shavuot actually has four additional names for the same festival: Yom HaBikkurim  Day of First Fruits; Chag HaKatzir  The Harvest Festival; Atzeret  The Stoppage as a way of saying to rest and not work; and Zeman Matan Torah  Time of the Giving of Our Torah.

-When lighting the candles to celebrate Shavuot, a candle must not have been a created flame just to light the candle but can be lighted from a pre-existing flame, such as one from a candle lit before the holiday, one from a gas range, or a pilot flame.

-It is important to have children, even babies, hear the Ten Commandments being read, as the Jewish people promised God, when receiving the Torah, that their guarantors would be their children to cherish and celebrate the Torah from then on.

-The day, or days, Shavuot is celebrated to mark not only the day that Moses received the Torah from God but also the day King David died and the Baal Shem Tov, who started the Chassidic movement and passed away during Shavuot as well.

Why Is Shavuot Important to All Believers of God?

It is evident why Shavuot is important to Jewish people, as the Torah is how they live their lives every day in honor of God and in thanks for His trusting them with such worthy Scripture. Their traditions during Shavuot also remind them of what God gave to them and how it has impacted their lives in so many ways. However, we should see Shavuot as important to all those who believe in God, as this commemorates His love and guidance to His people in one of their most desperate hours. Writings of the Torah make up part of the Bible (such as the book of Exodus), which all Christians live by and believe come straight from God.

When Shavuot occurs each year, we should reflect and be thankful for what God has given us, especially His Word. It is another time we can step away from our busy, me-focused lives and reflect on the loving God who chose to come down to us and gave us life-changing literature we forever have in our lives. Shavuot demonstrates that we need to make time for God regularly, remembering what He gave to us not only through the Bible but through His son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. As we set aside these special times with God, we grow to know Him more personally and experience Him on a deeper level than we ever had before.

Photo credit: GettyImages/happy_lark

Blair Parke is a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com, and previously worked for eight years with Xulon Press. A graduate of Stetson University with a Bachelor's in Communications, Blair previously worked as a writer/editor for several local magazines in the Central Florida area, including Celebration Independent and Lake Magazine in Leesburg, Florida and currently freelances for the Southwest Orlando Bulletin.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (File image: Reuters)

To provide relief to real estate developers and ensure that homebuyers get their homes with new timelines, Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on May 13 that the housing and urban affairs ministry will issue advisory to states and union territories to treat COVID-19 as force majeure.

States, union territories can suo moto extend registration and completion date of realty projects by six months if projects are registered on or after March 25.

MoHUA India will advise states/UTs and their regulatory authorities to extend the registration and completion data suo moto by six months for all registered projects expiring on or after March 25, 2020, without individual applications, she said.

Due to COVID-19, projects stand the risk of defaulting on RERA timelines. Timelines need to be extended, she said.

Track this blog for highlights from the FM's press meet

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 housing and urban affairs will advise states/UTs and their regulatory authorities to the following effect:

>Treat COVID 19 as an event of Force Majeure under RERA;>Extend the registration and completion date suo-moto by six months for all the registered projects expiring on or after March 25, 2020 without individual applications;

>Regulatory authorities may extend this for another period of up to three months if needed, she said.

RERAs will also issue fresh project registration certificates automatically with revised timelines and extend timelines for various statutory compliances under RERA concurrently, she said.















Minister of housing and urban affairs Hardeep Puri tweeted that "the relief measures announced by the finance minister for Indias real estate sector will benefit homebuyers, builders and other stakeholders who have been demanding these initiatives to counter the adverse effect of the pandemic crisis on construction activities in our urban areas."















These measures will de-stress real estate developers and ensure completion of projects so that homebuyers are able to get delivery of their booked houses with new timelines, she said.

The real estate sector welcomed the move.

Extension of RERA timelines beyond lockdown period by six months will be a relief to developers who are not defaulting on project completion timelines, said Piyush Gupta, Managing Director - Capital Markets (India), Colliers International.

Providing a major relief to real estate developers, the government has extended the timeline for project completions and registration by 6 months. This is a big move that will de-stress developers significantly, since construction activity had been halted all across the country. Homebuyers wait for their homes will get extended by this move, but this was in any case inevitable, said Anuj Puri, Chairman  ANAROCK Property Consultants.

Amit Modi, president-elect, CREDAI Western UP said that even though the extension of the timelines will help developers, specific steps are required to infuse liquidity into the sector.

Homebuyers said that the Force Majeure benefit should be extended to them too.

MS Shankar, General Secretary - Forum for Peoples Collective Efforts, said, While the force majeure benefit is extended to builders, in the same way homebuyers should also be taken care of suitably. The interest component of the loan should be waived as homebuyers are now facing job cuts, lack of job security and over and above that they have to pay rent.

The builders should bear the interest part till home-buyers take possession of his/her flat, as due to no fault of the buyer they are forced to pay both rent and EMI. The RERA Authorities, while utilising their discretion to extend the project, should direct the builders suo-motu to compensate the interest part of the EMI till possession of the flat is granted," he said.

"We applaud the decision of extending registration and completion dates, suo-moto, by six months, for all registered projects expiring on or after March 25, without individual applications. This is likely to boost the sentiments of the developers and help us tackle the issue on a stronger footing," said Prashant Solomon, MD - Chintels India and treasurer- CREDAI-NCR.
"The governor has claimed that he is doing this to protect the privacy of individuals and their families and yet, those same people are crying out for news on their loved ones. It is time for the governor to release this data to the public, he said.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights between May 16 and 22, the duration for the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

IMAGE: An Air India flight carrying 334 passengers leaves Chicago for India as part of Vande Bharat Mission. Photograph: Courtesy @IndiainChicago/Twitter

During the first phase of the Vande Bharat mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are scheduled to operate a total 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to bring 14,800 Indians from 12 countries on a payment basis.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 74,200 people and killed around 2,400 people in the country till now.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.

On Tuesday, officials had said that Air India is planning to operate 149 repatriation flights to 31 countries between May 16 and May 22 during the second phase of the Vande Bharat mission.

"In the second phase, Air India and Air India Express will operate 149 flights to countries such as the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Oman, Kazakhstan, Australia, Ukraine, Qatar and Indonesia," the airline officials stated.

Other countries to where the national carrier would operate flights between May 16 and May 22 are Russia, Philippines, France, Singapore, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Japan, Georgia, Germany and Tajikistan, officials noted.

The flights during the second phase will also be operated to Bahrain, Armenia, Thailand, Italy, Nepal, Belarus, Nigeria and Bangladesh, they mentioned.

The officials stated that out of the aforementioned 149 repatriation flights, 31 would land in Kerala, 22 in Delhi, 17 in Karnataka, 16 in Telangana, 14 in Gujarat, 12 in Rajasthan, nine in Andhra Pradesh and seven in Punjab.

During phase II of the Vande Bharat mission, six flights each would have as their destinations Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, three flights Odisha, two will land in Chandigarh, one each will reach Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express have operated 31 inbound flights during the first five days of Vande Bharat mission, bringing 6,037 stranded Indians home amid the coronavirus triggered lockdown, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Tuesday.
A Delhi court Wednesday granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, an MBA student and anti-CAA activist associated with women's collective Pinjra Tod, in a case related to communal violence during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in northeast Delhi in February.

Additional Sessions Judge Naveen Gupta granted the relief to Fatima on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of like amount.

Fatima, an MBA student, was arrested for allegedly instigating a crowd of protestors that led to riots in the area. According to the FIR, she, along with others, allegedly instigated a crowd to block the road near Jaffrabad metro station on February 22 to protest against the CAA and National Register for Citizens (NRC).

The court granted the relief to the woman activist, arrested on April 9, on the ground of parity as three co-accused in the case, including Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) member Shafoora Zargar, have been granted bail in the case.

It directed Fatima to participate in the investigation and to regularly appear before the court as and when required to do so.

It said that as and when the court starts its regular functioning, the accused shall produce surety of the like amount within seven days.

Fatima was also arrested in a separate case related to northeast Delhi violence in which JCC member Meeran Haider, Zargar and suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

During the hearing held through video conferencing, Additional Public Prosecutor, appearing for the police, opposed the bail application saying the allegations were serious in nature and the investigation was at a crucial stage.

Advocate Mehhmood Pracha, appearing for Fatima, told the court that she has been falsely implicated in the rioting case and other co-accused have been granted bail earlier.

The FIR has booked the activist for the offences under sections 147 (rioting), 186 (obstructing a public servant from doing his duty), 188 (disobedience to order), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant), 283 ( danger or obstruction in public way), 109 (Abetment) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two men were injured in a shooting on the Northeast Side on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

The shooting occurred near a laundromat on the 6600 block of Lake View Drive. Deputies also placed evidence markers outside a nearby Family Dollar store on N. Foster Road.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

Two men with gunshot wounds were transported to the San Antonio Military Medical Center. Their condition was not immediately known.

Rosemary Alvarado rushed to the scene after hearing that her son and his brother were the men who had been shot. Police have not identified the victims or many details about the incident.

She said her son was visiting his brothers when an unknown person pulled up and fired at them.

I dont even want to see him like that but I have no choice. I have to go to the hospital, Alvarado said. Its scary.

A San Antonio Police Department helicopter was assisting with the search for a suspect.

Mark Dunphy is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | mark.dunphy@express-news.net | @m_b_dunphy
SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For over 20 years, Students Rising Above (SRA) has supported and empowered low-income, first-generation college students through post-secondary education and into career-ladder jobs, fueling a diverse and inclusive workforce and thriving economy.

In recognition of SRA's positive impact in the community, the organization has received the opportunity to relieve the student loan debt of up to 400 of its student alumni via funding of up to $8M by anonymous donors. Eligible alumni will have graduated or be scheduled to graduate from college by January 31, 2021.

"With student loans increasingly becoming a financial burden," said Elizabeth Devaney, Chief Executive Officer at Students Rising Above, "SRA is grateful for the opportunity to facilitate relief to our hardworking alumni who have become highly productive members of the workforce nationwide."

SRA serves students from all nine counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, with 100% from low-to-moderate incomes and 62% living below the federal poverty line.

In addition to college access and success advising, social-emotional support, financial literacy and professional development and mentorship, SRA delivers a robust year-around career readiness curriculum, complete with a summer internship program leveraging a network of over 250 partner companies. As a result, nearly 80% of SRA graduates land career-ladder jobs within a year of completing their post-secondary education.

Students Rising Above gives a warm thank you to the anonymous donors and looks forward to continuing to help pave the way for Bay Area students who are passionate to learn and succeed.

About Students Rising Above

Students Rising Above ( SRA) is an award-winning nonprofit organization that sends low-income, first-generation college students through four-year colleges and universities and into the workforce. SRA serves students in the nine-county Bay Area and beyond, providing personal guidance and mentoring, internships and career guidance, and financial support from students' senior year in high school through college graduation and into the workforce. The SRA Hub, a unique online college guidance and career development platform, is currently open to any high school or college student in need due to COVID-19. A 501(c)3, SRA is funded by individual donations, and grants and contributions from corporations, foundations, and other nonprofit organizations.

Follow us:

Instagram: @studentsrisingabove

Twitter: @SRAprogram

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StudentsRisingAbove/

For media inquiries:

Andrea Blythe

[email protected]

SOURCE Students Rising Above

Related Links

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 11:39:10|Editor: huaxia

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MEXICO CITY, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Latin America is bracing for the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic expected this month with stricter social distancing rules and beefed-up health care systems.

In Chile, the Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 1,658 new COVID-19 cases and 12 more deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the country's total to 31,721 with 335 deaths.

Of the new cases, 1,479 patients displayed symptoms while 179 others were asymptomatic, the ministry said.

The Chilean government has expanded its lockdown measures to 30 more communities, mainly in the capital Santiago and the metropolitan area, to combat the upcoming peak of the pandemic.

The Defense Ministry warned that the mandatory social distancing measures will be enforced by the police and military, and harsher penalties will be given to those who violate the regulations.

The country has introduced a curfew at night, closed its borders, and suspended schools and non-essential businesses.

Cuba on Tuesday reported 21 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total to 1,804 with 78 deaths, placing the island's mortality rate at 4.3 percent.

Meanwhile, with the mosquito-borne disease dengue expected in the coming months, the island country may have to grapple with "two potentially very powerful enemies," state media Granma has said.

Ecuador, which, along with Brazil and Peru, has been one of worst-hit Latin American countries, reported 2,327 deaths and 30,419 infections, after 182 more patients died in the past 24 hours and 910 new cases were detected.

Brazil saw the highest number of deaths in a single day with 881 fatalities, pushing its death toll to 12,400. In the past 24 hours, 9,258 new infections were detected, raising the country's total to 177,589.

The hardest-hit Sao Paulo, Brazil's most populated state, has so far recorded 3,949 deaths and 47,719 infections.

Several regional capitals this week have stepped up lockdown measures to contain the outbreak, including restricting access in certain communities to residents only.

In Rio de Janeiro, which is Brazil's second largest city and has the second worst outbreak after Sao Paulo, Mayor Marcelo Crivella has ordered restricted access to 10 communities and banned shops from opening in the favelas, or shantytowns, which are invariably overcrowded.

The government of Rio de Janeiro state opened a fourth mobile tent hospital to treat patients with COVID-19.

In Belo Horizonte, capital of the southeastern Minas Gerais state, Mayor Alexandre Kalil announced that 13 health checkpoints will be installed at entrances to the city to check incoming vehicles and passengers.

Peru detected 3,237 new infections in the past 24 hours, raising its total to 72,059 with 2,057 deaths, after 96 more patients died from the disease in the same period.

Health Minister Victor Zamora urged Peruvians to keep up their guard and stick to social distancing. "Nothing distracts us from the goal of tackling the epidemic," said Zamora.

In Mexico, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday his government was planning for an eventual easing of lockdown measures after the peak, which experts predicted would be coming this week.

"According to the projections, we expect a decrease (in the infection rate) to begin soon ... that is why we are now going to present a plan to reopen (the economy), but step by step," he said, adding that the government will "backtrack" if there is a resurgence in infections. Enditem
The historic Bank of Montreal building on the corner of Portage and Main will be reimagined as a place to preserve, teach and celebrate the rich history of the Metis Nation as the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) partners with BMO to establish the country's first Metis-owned heritage centre.

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This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A Metis flag flies above the Bank of Montreal building at Portage and Main in Winnipeg on Tuesday. The building will become Canada's first Metis-owned heritage centre.

The historic Bank of Montreal building on the corner of Portage and Main will be reimagined as a place to preserve, teach and celebrate the rich history of the Metis Nation as the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) partners with BMO to establish the country's first Metis-owned heritage centre.

"There's so many stories to be told, it's going to be fascinating for anybody to really get a grip on understanding how a nation can be born, created and still standing strong no matter how many oppositions or attempts to rid it of existence," said MMF president David Chartrand. "That's what's going to be told in this heritage centre."

The announcement of the Metis Nation Heritage Centre's new home came on the eve of Manitoba's 150th birthday, timing Chartrand said holds deep significance in celebrating the Metis Nation's role in founding the province and negotiating towards Confederation.

"When you see a flag flying as a Metis citizen, knowing that your land was taken from you, you know 150 years ago you lost your land, you lost your home, you lost your future, really, and here you are 150 years later getting a piece of your land back," he said Tuesday. "Youre bringing home a piece of your property and your history."

The BMO main building at Portage and Main has always held significance for Manitobans, located at one of Canada's most famed intersections, the centre of the Red River Settlement and the intersection of major trade lines on the Red River Cart trails. For Chartrand, the historic location is an ideal place to ground the legacy of the Metis people's unique history, culture and language.

For John MacAulay, BMO's regional president for the Prairies, the building holds both cultural and personal significance. He took great care, he said, in deciding on a partner to continue the landmark's legacy in Winnipeg.

"Four generations of my family have worked in that building, so it's not just personal to BMO, it's personal to me and my family," MacAulay said Tuesday. "We are really proud to be working with the MMF to create a forum for both Winnipeggers and Canadians to learn about the language and the culture, the contributions to the development of Canada."

Staff at the downtown BMO branch were expecting to clear out of the building by spring, but the COVID-19 pandemic sped up the process, leading staff to close the building by March 19, MacAulay said. One of three BMO teams, mostly retail workers, are still employed there while the rest have found positions at other branches in the city.

There is no "magic date" for the building to be transferred over to MMF and work to begin on the heritage centre, MacAulay added, but the bank is excited to start working on establishing the historic building as a place of cultural importance and a step towards reconciliation.

"Its such a rich history and its a rich history rooted in Winnipeg, which I think is really special," MacAulay said. "Reconciliation is about intent as well as practical decisions, and I think this is evidence of a practical decision."

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For Chartrand, the partnership marks a commitment to reconciliation not only between governments, but with the private sector as well  be it pipelines, Hydro or major banks.

"This partnership with BMO is the perfect example of reconciliation," he said. "We're setting the stage that we believe in future industry."

Most importantly, however, it is a chance for Metis people to write history on their own terms, providing an education Chartrand believes is lacking from current conversations and institutions.

"You're going to see this opportunity where we can educate the world about the creation of a nation. And the formation of that nation with its own culture, music, dance that comes with it," Chartrand said. "We never let the story die of who we are. We never let anyone take it from us."

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca

@jsrutgers
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WASHINGTON (AP)  The economic paralysis caused by the coronavirus led in April to the steepest month-to-month fall in U.S. consumer prices since the 2008 financial crisis  a 0.8% drop that was driven by a plunge in gasoline prices.

And excluding the normally volatile categories of food and energy, so-called core prices tumbled 0.4% last month, the Labor Department said Tuesday in its monthly report on consumer prices. That was the sharpest such drop on records dating to 1957.





. . .
Workers have protested what they consider dangerous working conditions at the Pilgrims Pride chicken processing plant in the central Minnesota town of Cold Spring, site of one of the largest COVID-19 workplace outbreaks in the state.

State officials confirmed 194 cases as of May 11 among the plants more than 1,100 workers. Thats more than double the 83 cases just four days earlier.

A chain of around 80 vehicles carrying workers and supporters rolled past the facility on May 11, demanding the company shut it down for a deep cleaning and pay the workers for the down time. Pablo Tapia, one of the rally organizers, told the Star Tribune that Pilgrims Pride knew the outbreak was growing but kept ignoring it.

Pilgrims Pride said in a statement it has implemented a wide of range of measures to combat coronavirus at the plant.

Only the JBS pork plant in Worthington has experienced a bigger workplace outbreak in Minnesota. JBS had 541 confirmed cases as of May 11.

Outbreaks at the Cold Spring plant and other facilities in the region have made the greater St. Cloud area a hot zone. State officials say the plant has been a significant driver of the more than 1,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Stearns County.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Minnesota
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have simulated the interior of Mars for the first time, revealing details about the Red Planets seismic properties for the first time.

The scientists used seismic waves similar to hugely powerful sound waves and measured how quickly the waves passed through a molten iron sulphur alloy thought to be in the centre of the alien planet.

Nasa's Insight probe is already on Mars collecting seismic readings, said Keisuke Nishida, from the University of Tokyo, who led the study.

However, even with the seismic data there was an important missing piece of information without which the data could not be interpreted. We needed to know the seismic properties of the iron-sulfur alloy thought to make up the core of Mars.

The Insight probe is a lander that measures the planets vital signs such as its pulse (seismology), temperature (heat flow), and reflexes (precision tracking), Nasa explains.

Previously, it has found activity of seismic quakes, called Marsquakes, which helps identify geologic layers in the planet.

Recommended Space debris from failed rocket misses New York City by minutes

The exploration of the deep interiors of Earth, Mars and other planets is one of the great frontiers of science, said Nishida. It's fascinating partly because of the daunting scales involved, but also because of how we investigate them safely from the surface of the Earth.

As part of the research, the scientists were able to calculate the seismic data that would be shown if Mars's core is made of an iron-sulphur alloy, or something else. Researchers now hope they can gather measurements from the red planet to compare, and so understand the truth of the inside of the planet, and whether it is made as scientists expect.

If it isn't, that will tell us something of Mars' origins. For example, if Mars' core includes silicon and oxygen, it suggests that, like the Earth, Mars suffered a huge impact event as it formed. So, what is Mars made of and how was it formed? I think we are about to find out. Nishida said.

Simulations of Mars allow for research on its structure and details, without travelling the up to 400 million kilometres between us and the planet.

The Earth and Mars were both formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago, and therefore comparisons between their cores can provide vital information about how they were formed  especially as the two planets are so strikingly different.
DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "COVID-19 Impact on the Internet of Things (IoT) Market by Components (Software Solutions, Platforms, Services), Vertical (BFSI, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail, Transportation, Utilities, Government & Defense) and Region - Global Forecast 2021" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This market study covers the impact of COVID-19 on the Internet of Things market across different segments. It aims at estimating the market size and the growth potential of this market across by technology segment (software solution, platforms, and services), vertical (BFSI, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, transportation, utilities, and government and defense), and region. The study also includes an in-depth analysis of the key market players, key observations related to product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.

Key Points

The transportation segment to show the highest growth rate during the forecast period.

The healthcare segment to record higher investment and growth in 2020

Software solution segment to hold the largest market size during the forecast period

APAC to record the highest growth rate during the forecast period

Major Customer Challenges

Meeting customer expectations in terms of optimizing the processes

Easing security concerns due to various connected networks

Keeping IoT hardware updated

Overcoming connectivity issues

Waiting for government regulations

The outbreak of the COVID-19 has been so strong that it has halted all operations across verticals

Several industries are struggling to cope up with the rising challenges of personnel lives. As a result, countries have either shut down several operations for now or are running industries at 25% capacity. The majority of the countries across the globe have provided work from home facilities for employees amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to a survey released by the International Trade Union Congress, 65% of countries are promoting the model of working from home. Complying with the same, almost all organizations have stopped all business-related travel, and approximately 80% of organizations have provided work from home to their employees across the globe. To manage employees working from home, companies are relying extensively on remote-based monitoring of the workforce, which is enhancing the demand for IoT solutions. This helps bring transparency, provide real-time tracking, improve safety, and ensure meeting government compliance.

The transportation segment to show the highest growth rate during the forecast period

According to Flightradar24, there has been an unprecedented decline in air traffic, and the number of daily flights has reduced by 60-70%. The focus of governments has shifted toward adopting measures for safeguarding citizens, and several innovation projects are taking a hit. The application of IoT is still opening new revenue streams by facilitating real-time tracking of vehicles and providing monitoring feeds of passengers. The monitoring feeds of passengers help in the checking of passenger travel histories to identify if the passenger needs to be quarantined. Also, companies are using drones as another mode of transportation to ensure essential supplies and food deliveries. Shenzhen-based startup Pudu Technology aimed to reduce cross-infection by implementing home delivery of drugs and meals via drones and robots.

The healthcare segment to record higher investment and growth in 2020

IoT in healthcare offers significant life conforming benefits and has become a major adopter of technology. With the rising number of chronic ailments, IoT has already found its way in the healthcare sector, with numerous applications, such as telemedicine, connected imaging, inpatient monitoring, medication management, connected health, connected worker, connected ambulance, along with many others. The recent outbreak of the COVID-19 has led IoT healthcare solution providers to quickly render solutions for combatting the rising demand for high-quality services for protection against the virus. The fast-spreading of the COVID-19 has taken over the entire healthcare ecosystem from pharmaceutical companies, drug makers, COVID-19 vaccine developers, to health insurers and hospitals. Applications such as telemedicine include remote patient monitoring, and interactive medicine, along with inpatient monitoring, is expected to gain traction during this time.

North America to record the highest market share in the impact of COVID-19 on Internet Of Things market in 2019

North America holds the largest market share in the impact of COVID-19 on Internet Of Things solutions across the major verticals. COVID-19 has severely affected the North American region due to various factors, such as the high number of immigrants travelling in the region, no initial stage lockdown in the country, and presence of a large number of virus carriers in the country at once, spreading the disease at a rapid pace. The region majorly consists of two countries: the US and Canada.

North America has been a major adopter of IoT, and that can be attributed to various factors, such as the presence of two large economies, the US and Canada in the region, large scale internet penetration, and the presence of major IoT solution providers in the region. The major sectors in the region that are facing major challenges amidst the virus outbreak are utilities, healthcare, BFSI, and telecom sectors. However, the application of IoT is much larger in the former two sectors, such as utilities and healthcare. The state of the utility sector is extremely well-established in the North

American region due to large scale implementation of smart utilities. Electricity, water, and gas utilities are the major consumers of IoT in the North American region.

Due to many inactive commercial zones and industries, the consumption of electricity and water has been reduced in the region due to which there is a fear of demand reduction of power supplies and water supplies. However, in the domestic sector, with the implementation of the lockdown and stay-at-home order, various IoT applications, such as usage monitoring, remote worker monitoring, pressure and leak management, analytics, data security, are being critically implemented to ensure smooth operations of utilities in the domestic sector facing sudden demand surge.

Key Topics Covered



1 Introduction

1.1 COVID-19 Health Assessment

1.2 COVID-19: Economic Assessment

1.2.1 COVID-19 Impact on the Economy - Scenario Assessment

2 Research Methodology

2.1 Research Assumptions

2.2 Data Triangulation

2.3 Primary Breakup

2.3.1 Primary Data

2.4 Inclusions/Exclusions

2.5 Stakeholders

3 Executive Summary

4 Impact on the Ecosystem and Extended Ecosystem

4.1 Stakeholders

4.1.1 Technology Providers

4.1.2 Solution Designers and Developers

4.1.3 System Integrators

4.1.4 Managed Service Providers

4.2 Market Dynamics

4.3 COVID-19 Pandemic Driven Market Dynamics and Factor Analysis

4.3.1 Drivers

4.3.1.1 Increasing Focus on Remote Monitoring for the Work from Home Initiative

4.3.1.2 Increasing Adoption of Smart Payment Technologies to Minimize Human Contact Involved in Cash Payments

4.3.1.3 Increasing Demand for Wearable Devices

4.3.2 Opportunities

4.3.2.1 Using IoT to Manage Patient Care

4.3.2.2 Drones for the Enforcement of Compliance

4.3.3 Challenges

4.3.3.1 Decline in Industrial Operations and Manufacturing

4.3.3.2 Disruption in Logistics and Supply Chain

5 Business Implications of COVID-19 on the Internet of Things Market

5.1 Implication on Technology Segments (Pessimistic, As-Is, Optimistic Scenarios)

5.1.1 Software Solution Forecast (2020-2021)

5.1.2 Platforms

5.1.3 Services

6 COVID-19 Impact on Major Verticals with Use Cases and How Clients Are Responding to the Current Situation

6.1 Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance

6.1.1 Key Use Cases

6.2 Healthcare

6.2.1 Forecast 2020-2021 (As-Is/Pessimistic/Optimistic Scenarios)

6.2.2 Key Use Cases

6.3 Manufacturing

6.4 Retail

6.5 Transportation

6.6 Utilities

6.7 Government and Defense



7 COVID-19 Impact on Regions

7.1 North America

7.1.1 Forecast 2020-2021 (As-Is/Optimistic/Pessimistic)

7.2 Europe

7.3 Asia Pacific

7.4 Middle East and Africa

7.5 Latin America

8 COVID-19 Focused Profiles of Key Vendors

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Company Profiles

8.2.1 Software Solutions

8.2.2 Platform

8.2.3 Services

Companies Mentioned



ABB

Accenture

Adobe

Arad Group

Bosch

Capgemini

CBT

Cisco

CloudMinds

Cognizant

DXC

Ericsson

GE Digital

Google

Happiest Minds

hIOTron

Hitachi Vantara

Honeywell

IBM

Infosys

Intel

Itron

Medtronic

Microsfot

NEC Corporation

NTT Communications

Oracle

PTC PTC

Rockwell Automation

Royal Phillips

SAP

Service Group

Siemens

Sierra Wireless

Software AG AWS

Softweb Solutions

Sony

Stanley Healthcare

TCS

Telit

Verizon

Vodafone

XAG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/x0lfss

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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BRUSSELS  A Netherlands-based group of Eritreans sued the European Union on Wednesday, demanding it cease financing a project in the east African dictatorship that uses forced labor, the lawyer representing the group said, the first test of an effort by individuals and organizations to hold the bloc accountable for the way it spends billions in Africa.

The lawsuit in the Netherlands, a member of the European Union that directly contributes to the funding for Eritrea and is home to a large number of Eritrean migrants, will soon be followed by similar legal action in Britain.

The Amsterdam-based group, Human Rights for Eritreans, accuses the European Union in the lawsuit of financing a project that uses forced labor in a country that is notorious for relying on it, of arranging the money through a deliberately opaque process, and of failing to provide meaningful oversight.

The suit filed focuses on a decision by the European Commission, the European Unions executive arm, to pay for heavy construction equipment to open and pave a road that connects the Ethiopia-Eritrea border with the Eritrean port of Massawa, as part of a broader strategy to support peace between the two longtime foes.
All Cebu Pacific and Cebgo domestic and international flights, including services between Dubai and Manila, remain suspended from May 16 to 31, in line with the implementation of the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila, Philippines.

Cebu Pacific encourages passengers on cancelled flights to manage their bookings online via their website, before the scheduled travel dates.

Passengers on cancelled flights may select any of the following options:

1. Free rebooking

Rebook to any other travel date within three months. Change (rebooking) fees and fare difference are waived.

2. Full Travel Fund

Place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund valid for one year. Use the Travel Fund within one yeareither book a flight up to one year ahead, or pay for add-ons (e.g. baggage allowance, seat selection, etc.)

If the Travel Fund is not used within one year, passengers can apply for a full refund.

3. Full refund

Processing of refunds will start after the Community Quarantine in the Philippines is lifted and regular work schedules resume. However, due to the unprecedented volume of requests for refunds, the process will take up to three to four billing cycles.

For flights booked through a travel agent, please coordinate with them to manage the booking.

On the other hand, passengers with booked flights from June 01 to September 30 who wish to change their travel plans have the following options:

 Option 1  Rebook to any other travel date within one year

Change (rebooking) fees waived, but fare difference may apply.

 Option 2  Place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund valid for one year

Decide and book travel within a year, for flights as far as one year ahead.

Select any of these options and manage travel plans through the Manage Booking portal on the Cebu Pacific website. - TradeArabia News Service
Two exceptional Italian teenagers stayed in a Cork school as their home country went into lockdown to complete their Leaving Cert throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sabino Sacareno, 17, skipped fifith year, squeezing the two-year syllabus into one, and was reaching 500 points in his pre-Leaving Cert exams after just six months studying through a foreign language at Nagle Community College in Mahon, Cork.

Camilla Corti, a talented artist, is so happy in Ireland that she has already decided to study art at the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork next year.

Sabino, an ambitious teenager from Puglia in southern Italy, came to Ireland last August to start fifth year but quickly decided to enter 6th year instead so he could sit the Leaving Cert one year early and begin a medicine degree in September.

When the Coronavirus hit his home country, devastating entire regions, Sabino made the difficult decision to stay in Ireland without his family to complete his exams.

My family were worried about me being in a different country but the Irish State coped so well with Covid-19, keeping the infection number low, so they trusted me and they trusted Ireland, Sabino said.

Studying for the Leaving Cert distracted me from the situation. The school was really helpful and was always available if I had any problems and my host family were very kind and supported me.

So it was easy enough because I was surrounded by good people.

Now that the exams have been cancelled, Sabino has booked a flight home on May 31 and hopes that Italy will accept the Leaving Cert as equivalent to Italian state exams.

He trusts his teachers, he says, who in the few short months have gotten to know him well, both personally and academically.

If they do not accept the Leaving Cert I will have to do another year at secondary school. But I hope to go straight into university as a gateway to getting a job in the future.

Coming into fifth Year, a lot of people said, youre crazy trying to do the Leaving Cert in one year, its a tough challenge. But my family believed in me and supported me and Im very happy I did it now.

My secret is to be consistent. Spend a small part of each day studying, even if its one hour a day for seven days. It adds up and you still have time to see your friends."

Before he leaves, he will say goodbye to friends and teachers via video call, before he turns the page on this chapter of life.

Jim O'Sullivan, Principal of Nagle Community College, said that Sabino is a truly exceptional young man.

"He's a hero, a bit of a warrior, Mr OSullivan said. "And Camilla is a hugely talented artist. She loves Ireland so much that she's going to stay and study art at the Crawford.
A warning of a thunderstorm with



lightning and gusty winds was issued by Met department for Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur and parts of Marathwada region starting Thursday.

The forecast is valid for the next four days.

"The higher severity of the thunderstorm is predicted for Kolhapur, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Pune, Satara, Sangli and Solapur on Thursday. These districts are also likely to receive hailstorm as well," said an IMD official.

The forecast is also valid for remaining days in the week but the severity would slightly low, which does not include hailstorm any longer, he added.

"Marathwada region is likely to get more affected with the thunderstorm and gusty winds as the forecast for the central part of the state is till Saturday," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 06:01:10|Editor: huaxia

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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (5th L, rear) poses for a group photo with Chinese medical team members in Harare, Zimbabwe, May 12, 2020. China's experience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic would benefit Zimbabwe, said Mnangagwa on Tuesday after meeting with a visiting Chinese medical team. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)

HARARE, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China's experience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic would benefit Zimbabwe, said Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday after meeting with a visiting Chinese medical team.

The team, which arrived in the capital Harare on Monday, consist of 12 top medical experts, and will share knowledge and experience on fighting COVID-19 with Zimbabwe's frontline health experts.

The medical team also brought a consignment of medical supplies which include ventilators, nucleic acid testing kits, face masks and medical protective suits.

Speaking at the welcome reception held in the State House, Mnangagwa said China's vast experience in dealing with the pandemic would immensely benefit Zimbabwe.

"I'm confident that our medical experts and the frontline health personnel would learn from your experience in dealing with this pandemic, which has destroyed lives and the livelihoods across the world, including Zimbabwe," Mnangagwa said.

"This gesture by your visit attests to the determination by both countries to deepen bilateral corporation," he added.

Mnangagwa also expressed gratitude for the medical supplies and equipment received from China through the Chinese embassy as well as the Chinese business community in Zimbabwe since the disease was detected.

"The government and the people of Zimbabwe cherish the assistance as it comes at a critical moment in this fight against the pandemic," he said.

He said the technical support that Zimbabwe has received and continues to receive from China is a clear testimony of the excellent bilateral relations.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun said China had dispatched a medical team to Zimbabwe because China attaches great importance to China-Zimbabwe bilateral relations.

"China and Zimbabwe enjoy a comprehensive strategic partnership of corporation. This is a great reflection of our rock solid friendship and the value behind China's vision for a community with a shared future for China, Africa, and the world at large," he said.

"I would also like to reiterate here that our aid to Zimbabwe and our cooperation with Zimbabwe are always practical and visible, which means they must be result-oriented and truly serve the development of Zimbabwe and the well being of Zimbabwe people," he added.

Guo said that COVID-19 is a common challenge facing humanity, and the most effective weapon against the new enemy is international coordination and cooperation. Enditem
Lauren Carrick and fiance Joe Harrison havent had a good nights sleep in weeks. The two dancers on Celebrity Cruisess Infinity say being held aboard ships for almost two months has left them emotionally drained.

I cried all day, said Carrick, 29. We need to have alcohol to sleep  thats how bad it is. Were worried, tense, stressed out. We just want to get home.

Carrick and Harrison are among the more than 90,000 cruise workers in U.S. waters stranded on ships two months after the coronavirus pandemic began forcing cruise lines to halt operations and repatriate crew. While companies work through a thicket of shifting rules on returning workers to their home countries, recent deaths of crew have shook the industry and underscored concern about mental health.

Its a very stressful situation, said Fabrizio Barcellona, assistant secretary for seafarers at the International Transport Workers Federation, which represents local unions. The prolonged periods they have to stay on board can create a situation of unrest. People can become distressed and that can create flash points.

Carnival Corp.s Princess Cruises said Sunday a 39-year-old crew member from the Ukraine was killed after leaping off its Regal Princess in the port of Rotterdam. The ships crew was in the process of being repatriated, the company said in an emailed statement.

Another worker was found dead in his cabin on the Carnival Breeze, unrelated to COVID-19, the company said. Carnival, the worlds largest operator, said it was not providing details of the death out of respect for the workers family.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the No. 2 line and owner of Celebrity Cruises, said a crew member went overboard from its Jewel of the Seas about two weeks ago.

Suicidal Messages

Crew members have said the reported deaths have rattled them and dampened morale, said Krista Thomas, a former Norwegian Cruise Line guest manager whos operating two Facebook pages for stranded crew and their families. In recent days, several workers have told her in direct messages that they are suicidal, she said.

Many of these people have been isolated in their small cabins for 21 hours a day and theyre breaking down from the loneliness and stress, said Thomas, who operates the pages from Vancouver, Canada. Many have been told to pack quickly to leave, and then their charter flights get cancelled. Those highs and lows are taking their toll.

The cruise line operators say government policy changes and travel restrictions have complicated efforts to get crew home. More than 124 cruise ships with 94,600 workers aboard are underway or at anchor in U.S. waters, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday.

That one simple question  how do we get you home?  turns out to be incredibly complex to answer, Michael Bayley, chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International, wrote in a letter to crew members this month. Each country has rules and regulations for who can travel home, and how, and when. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, those rules have gone in all different directions  and they frequently change without notice.

About 15 countries wont allow their citizens to return home at all amid the pandemic, said Bayley.

About 7,100 Filipino crew on 20 ships were anchored in Manila bay as of last week, awaiting government testing and clearance to return home, the Philippine Coast Guard said. Many have been confined to their cabins for at least two weeks, according to crew and some operators. They will be quarantined 14 more days before leaving the vessel, the Coast Guard said in an email.

Royal Caribbean International has said all 25,000 crew members on its ships have completed 14 days of in-room quarantine and are now practicing social distancing. While the company has repatriated about 9,100 seafarers, plans are still being made for the others, who come from 60 different countries, Bayley said in the letter.

Carnival has also cited port closures and travel restrictions as roadblocks to getting crew back on land. The operator repatriated 20,000 workers last month, leaving 52,500 waiting to go home as of Friday, according to Roger Frizzell, a spokesman for Carnival, which employs about 90,000 crew on 105 cruise ships.

CDC Requirements

The business shutdown for many cruise operators began in earnest March 14, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its first-ever no sail order for all cruise ships in U.S. waters.

The order banned passengers from boarding and required lines to come up with plans to contain COVID-19 infections. Since February, more than 30 cruise voyages have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks, according to the CDC website.

Last month, the CDC updated requirements that called for cruise company executives to guarantee that seafarers would be flown home on charter flights and other private transport. Under the rules, crew should not use public airport terminals or transportation to avoid the risk of spreading infections.

Travel restrictions have also meant that in some cases, workers are shuffled from one ship to another before they can set food on land again.

Carrick and Harrison, both from the U.K., were moved to another Celebrity ship, the Reflection, a few days ago. They were told to pack to transfer to yet another ship Monday, but were given a last-minute option to remain on their current ship and then get on a charter flight to the U.K. next week.

They chose the flight and have also made another important decision. After dancing on ships for more than 6 years, this will be their last voyage.

This whole experience has been a nightmare, said Carrick. I cant even think of coming back to a ship.
SEATTLE, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Massage Envy , the nation's #1 provider of massage and skin care services in the U.S. collectively across its franchise network, announced today that it is launching a "Sleeves Up" campaign in partnership with the American Red Cross with a goal of donating 25,000 units of blood by August 31st.

The Sleeves Up campaign is a virtual blood drive where people use an online tool to pledge to donate blood at an American Red Cross location or affiliated blood bank at a time and location convenient for donors.

"Massage Envy is proud to support the Red Cross. We have a great network and we can help make a big difference at a time when the nation really needs it," Louise Markham, Franchisee of the Woodinville location said. "With over 1,150 franchised locations in 49 states, in communities large and small, and a member base across these franchised locations of about 1.5 million members, I feel we can really help the Red Cross by asking members, friends and family to donate for this worthy causes."

According to the American Red Cross, the Food and Drug Administration has designated blood donation as an "essential service" and the American Red Cross is strongly encouraging people to donate now.

The Massage Envy national campaign with the American Red Cross runs through August 31. To participate, you must be in good health and feeling well, at least 16 years old in most states, and weigh at least 110 lbs.

Here are four simple steps to joining this cause:

Click on Massage Envy Supports the Red Cross to schedule an appointment.

to schedule an appointment. Fill out the short electronic questionnaire you'll receive by email from the Red Cross.

Show up at the location on the date and time of your appointment with photo ID.

After you donate, take a selfie and post to your social media channels with the hashtags #SleevesUpME.

About Massage Envy:

Massage Envy locations of Washington are owned and operated Massage Envy franchised locations that have been granted contractual authority by ME SPE Franchising, LLC, the franchisor, to operate its business as a Massage Envy. Neither ME SPE Franchising, LLC, Massage Envy Franchising, LLC, or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries own or operate any of the more than 1,150 franchised locations nationwide. ME SPE Franchising, Massage Envy Franchising, LLC or its affiliates do not own or operate any franchised location and do not render any member or other guest services.

SOURCE Massage Envy

Related Links

https://www.massageenvy.com


After more than 4,000 entries suggesting nearly 1,200 unique names, Hamilton police have chosen the name for their newest mounted unit horse  Argyll.

The five-year-old Percheron cross will join Griffin, Lincoln, MacNab, RHLI and Barron, who will retire later this year.

Police had asked the community to suggest a new name with the criteria that it reflect the police service vision, mission and values, have significance to the Hamilton community, have a connection to local military heritage or be named after a former Hamilton police officer.

In a video shared by Hamilton police, Chief Eric Girt welcomes the newest member of the police service.

The mounted unit is used for everything from crowd control to missing person searches. It was established in Hamilton in 2010.

Argyll is named after the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louises), established in 1903. Police said the name is meant to honour the close connection between the police service and the local military regiment.

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders are honoured by the name choice, said Capt. Mike Wonnacott.

This is a great example of the institutional fraternity between the Canadian Armed Forces and the local emergency services and weve had a very excellent relationship with Hamilton Police Service for years and years and years now.

Sgt. Denise Leonard, of the mounted patrol unit, said shes never met another horse who likes to work like Argyll, describing how even on his day off hed be looking in her window wanting to work.

She said they get each other, adding that Argyll is just a big goofball.

The police service had planned to announce the new name at the end of March, but were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governments agenda of ending open defecation around the country in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 6, may not come to reality, as the non- cooperation of some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Ghana First Company, has resulted in the stalling of the construction of over 800 ultra-modern toilet facilities across the country.



The construction of the Ultra-modern toilet facilities is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the Ministry of Local Government and Ghana First Company for the construction of Modern Toilet Facilities nationwide in deprived communities.



Interacting with the Media at one of the project sites at Nsawam in the Eastern Region, the CEO of Ghana First, Frank Okulley, stated that the refusal of the MMDAs to submit Land Title Documents on the lands provided contractors for the building of the modern toilet facilities, despite signing the Undertakings, has delayed the companys arrangements to secure funding from the banks for the payment of contractors.



One of the contractors undertaking the Modern Toilet Facility projects, used the opportunity to appeal to the government to intervene in the impasse, as the situation has rendered their funds locked up in the project.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dr Purnima Nair, 56, a Malayali general practitioner attached to the Station View Medical Centre in Bishop Auckland in the UK died of COVID-19 on Tuesday.

Purnima Nair died at North Tees Hospital this morning (12 May, 2020) after a long battle with Covid-19. She felt no pain and my father was with her in her final moments. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, wrote her son Varun on her Facebook page.

Dr Purnima lived in Stocktonon-Tees, a popular market town in Durham where she was practising as a GP for 15 years. She is the 10th GP in the UK to succumb to COVID-19. Her husband, Shlok Balupuri, is a senior surgeon who specializes in bariatric surgery at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

BBC News reported that Dr Purnima was on life support since March 27 after she had contracted COVID-19 two weeks earlier. She was admitted to the University Hospital of North Tees on 20 March. The report states that she did not have any other health issues.

Originally from Pathanamthitta, Dr Purnima did her schooling at the Frank Anthony Public School in Delhi and her medical studies from University College of Medical Sciences in Delhi. She had worked at Safdarjang Hospital in Delhi before moving to the UK.

Tributes have been pouring in from all quarters including her former patients, colleagues, local Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison, community members and a plethora of leaders in the UK who said she was outstanding and a much loved doctor.

BBC Look North showed a moving tribute from Sarah Westgarth, Practising Manager, Station View Medical Centre, who recalled that Dr Purnima was positive, encouraging and caring towards her patients.

Purnimas heart was with the NHS. Its very, very, harsh, the reality of what COVID-19 can do to people, recalled her colleague.

She was proud of her mothers recipes which included murukku and had posted a picture of it recently on her Facebook page. She had always been actively participating in fund raising activities for Parkinsons UK and other social causes.

Sources close to Dr Purnima's family told The New Indian Express that her funeral will be held in the UK, adding that they are yet to decide on the date of her burial.
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Soon the fit young volunteers of the country might get a chance to serve the Indian army, including its prestigious combat arms for three years.

A proposal with the title 'Tour of Duty' is at the advanced stages for approval. It is for both boys and girls and is expected to attract the best talent.



Colonel Aman Anand, PRO Army said, "The proposal Tour of Duty (ToD) is under discussion at the highest level and positive feedback has been received to start it as the pilot project."

But, there will be no relaxation in the selection and training standards, said Col Anand.

The proposed model is seen as a shift from the concept of permanent service/job in the Armed Forces towards internship/temporary experience for three years. The proposal is seen as a solution to unemployment and tapping into the resurgence of 'nationalism and patriotism'.

The shift is also in the held view that Short Service Commission be of 14 years instead of a 10-year duration.

The introduction of the proposal reads, "The model is a solution proposed to be implemented on a trial basis for both officers and other ranks in the Indian armed forces, initially for limited number of vacancies and then expanded later, if found successful."



This engagement based on the pattern adopted by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), excluding the conscription clause, is considered to accrue benefits to Army as well as the individual.

While this proposal keeps the engagement as voluntary unlike Israels practice of necessary three years of military service for every able-bodied person.

A youth once selected will be imparted one-year training and three-year service.

Mulling over the cost of training, the proposal mentions it at 5.12 crore for an officer serving 10-year term but under ToD it will be 80-85 lakhs.

In case of Jawan, the saving is mentioned to be 11.5 crores if he serves for 3 years instead of 17 years of minimum.



The report propounds, "At the rate 11.5 crore saving on one soldier it will be Rs 11,000 cr for 1000 soldiers. There will be immense savings due to a reduction in Pay and Gratuity payouts." The saved money could be utilized for the much needed modernization.



The proposal is deemed to be equally beneficial for the youth, nation and corporates as they will get trained, disciplined, confident, diligent and committed young men and women after their ToD.

In case of any unfortunate eventuality, all the benefits will get extended to the person or the next of kin as is due to a regular officer or jawan.

The report mentions, "As a matter of interest, the performance of the officers and jawans under three years of service during all operations including Op VIJAY was found to be exceptional in gallantry".
Most retail businesses in San Francisco are expected to be allowed to reopen for curbside sales Monday, barring a significant spike in COVID-19 diagnoses and hospitalizations over the next few days.

Mayor London Breed announced the plan Wednesday, a substantial expansion of the one the city unveiled last week, which allowed curbside sales only for certain types of businesses.

San Mateo County is expected to issue similar directives that would loosen some retail restrictions, also starting Monday.

Customers will still not be allowed inside of stores, and transactions will have to be conducted online or outside.

The relaxed restriction on curbside retail sales marks perhaps the biggest shift in the Bay Areas shelter-in-place mandates since they first went into effect in mid-March, forcing thousands of businesses to close down. Breed said Wednesday that more than 100,000 San Franciscans have applied for unemployment insurance.

What this means now for our city is incredible. Were talking about many of those small businesses in various neighborhoods, where you see shops that are closed, theyll be able to open for pickup and curbside delivery, Breed said.

This is not only going to support the jobs that hopefully will return, she continued. This will support the communities and the people that love these businesses and want to see them continue.

In San Francisco, businesses eligible for reopening  95% of all retailers in the city, Breed said  need to be directly connected to the street. Shopping malls, for example, will not be allowed to reopen.

San Francisco Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said the city would release detailed rules for retailers on Thursday. Retailers that can reopen Monday for curbside sales must have no more than 10 employees on site at any time.

Businesses will also have to adopt social distancing protocols and a health and safety plan in order to reopen.

Warehouses and manufacturers, key parts of the retail supply chain, will also be able to open Monday, under certain conditions. Work at those facilities can resume with 50 or fewer workers on-site, along with other regulations.

The citys vision is to balance that very important and helpful step (of reopening businesses) with a continuing need to vigilantly protect community health, Colfax said.

The regions comparative success at curbing the spread of the virus and keeping hospitalizations down has prompted the reopening. Over the next few days, health officials will closely monitor the spread of the virus to ensure Mondays reopening for retail can continue as planned.

Theyll pay particular attention to key indicators that reflect the citys progress in curbing the spread of the virus, including the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the number of available hospital beds and supplies of personal protective equipment, like masks, gowns and gloves.

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

More Information Who can open Monday Retailers with 10 or fewer employees whose stores are directly connected to the street Manufacturers and warehouse operators with 50 or fewer workers on-site Who can't open Shopping malls See More Collapse

San Mateo County health officer Dr. Scott Morrow is expected to issue an order this week that would allow retail businesses to open for curbside pickup and delivery, according to a county statement released Wednesday. Logistics and manufacturing businesses can also open with some restrictions. More detailed guidelines will be released this week.

Although the countys coronavirus cases have stabilized, Morrow said, people must still follow social-distancing and face-covering protocols.

The virus continues to circulate in our community, and this increase in interactions among people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate. Whether these modifications allow the virus to spread out of control, as we saw in February and March and resulted in the first shelter-in-place order, is yet to be seen, Morrow said.

The order would align the county with Gov. Gavin Newsoms guidelines, which allowed retail businesses to reopen with restrictions starting last Friday as part of the early stages of Phase 2 of the states road map to recovery.

Dominic Fracassa and Anna Bauman are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com, anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa, @abauman2
A BALLOT for strike action at Bord na Mona has been averted.

The group of unions at the company, which has announced the lay-off of 230 staff because of the Covid-19 crisis, had indicated it would begin the ballot if Bord na Mona did not agree to refer its dispute to a joint industrial relations council (JIRC).

In a hardening of its stance last Friday, the group told management there had been no agreement across a range of issues.

Included were loss of pay, the selection criteria for staff being temporarily laid off, the number of workers included in the wage subsidy scheme and redundancy and pension issues.

Group of unions (GOU) secretary Willie Noone asked the company to confirm as a matter of urgency to confirm its agreement that the issues would be referred to a full hearing of the JIRC.

Mr Noone said unless the confirmation was forthcoming by this evening (Wednesday, May 13), the GOU would have no option but to continue the process of commencing a ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action.

However, yesterday morning (Tuesday), Mr Noone told the Tribune the JIRC had agreed to hear the issues so company consent is not needed now.

He said the JIRC process would be done first in advance of any ballot and he did not know if the company would be represented at it.

Bord na Mona said yesterday morning that it would not be commenting on the matter.

In a letter to workers in its energy section on May 6, Bord na Mona chief executive Tom Donnellan once again stressed the devastating impact Covid-19 was having on the company's business.

Mr Donnellan told the employees he was appalled that anyone would suggest the company you work for is using this dreadful and unprecedented virus as 'cover' to release staff. He set out how demand for electricity had fallen off a cliff in Ireland, the peat-fired stations at Shannonbridge and Lanesboro had stopped operating and Bord na Mona could not retain employees in work and simply absorb that cost.

Peat harvesting will resume this summer following a Bord Pleanala ruling but Mr Donnellan said if the power stations remain offline the company will not be required to supply peat to them.

He also he is confident the peatland rehabilitation programme will begin next year, providing opportunities for about 300 workers.

In addition, Bord na Mona had successfully tendered for similar work on peatlands owned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, providing work for another 40 employees. That work is already funded but is on hold due to Covid-19.

Mr Donnellan further indicated to his employees that the voluntary redundancy scheme, which was reopened because an initial one was heavily oversubscribed, has been put on hold.

He said Bord na Mona is not in a position to make any decisions on the extent of voluntary redudancies in advance of clarity on how many workers it needs for this year's harvest and the bog rehabilitation work.

Voluntary redundancy is not a solution to our current challenges related to Covid-19. We could be in a position where we have a role for every employee impacted by the exit from peat related activities which would be a tremendous outcome in that no voluntary redundancies would be required, he said.

Significantly, he also indicated that politicians expressed a preference for employment retention in the company.

I know from talking to staff and other stakeholders including elected representatives, that the focus must be on employment and not redundancies if at all possible.

However, if the opportunity presents itself to accommodate a limited number of [voluntary redundancies] then we will consider those applications based on business need criteria, including but not limited to; work location, job category, skill set, experience etc.

However, I want to once again reiterate that my primary focus is on sustaining employment and not causing redundancies.

He said all genuine redeployment opportunities had been examined to restrict the numbers of staff being released.

A small number of roles had been identified in ash sites, on a greenway in Longford and in preparing for the upcoming harvest.

All apprentices in Mountdillon and Blackwater (the bogs which supply the ESB power stations) have been retained and will be reassigned to alternative works locations if required in an effort to allow them complete their apprenticeships.
According to the certificate of insurance, insurers in the Lloyds market have underwritten $460 million for the Trans Mountain pipeline. Lloyds insurers are responsible for some $50 million of cover, the rest underwritten jointly with other insurers.

Despite indicating that it had a policy against insuring tar sands infrastructure last year, Zurich increased its insurance support for the Trans Mountain pipeline, the certificate of insurance revealed. The company is responsible for $8 million of cover, but has doubled the cover it provides jointly with other insurers to $300 million since 2019.

Munich Re had also instituted a policy against insuring tar sands last year, but the company continues to cover for the Trans Mountain project through it Canadian subsidiary, Temple Insurance. Temple Insurance is the pipelines third biggest insurer, providing $250 million of cover with other insurers.

Apart from the three European insurance companies, Chubb had also been identified as a supporter of the controversial pipeline project. Chubbs European operations have increased their support for the pipeline since last year, when they provided $15 million of cover, it was stated. Not only has Chubb European Group renewed support for this year, it is also underwriting $185 million with other insurers.

Other insurers listed on the certificate include Liberty Mutual, Energy Insurance Mutual, AIG Canada, Stewart Specialty Risk Underwriting, WR Berkley, HDI Global SE of Canada, and Starr Companies. The document was signed on behalf of JLT.

Unfriend Coal has responded to the insurance certificate filing by condemning the participating insurers.

Are there no risks to our climate that Lloyds wont insure? Lloyds has signed the Paris Pledge to support international climate targets yet Lloyds insurers continue to underwrite activities that fuel the climate crisis, said Unfriend Coal European coordinator Lindsay Keenan.

Zurich and Munich Re have recognized the risks from high-carbon tar sands, and together with Chubb and Liberty Mutual have restricted cover for coal, commented Unfriend Coal international coordinator Peter Bosshard. However, their choice to continue or even increase their support for Trans Mountain calls into question their commitment to supporting international climate targets in practice.

Last year, a coalition of environmental groups petitioned insurers to drop coverage for the Trans Mountain Pipeline. Only a select few insurance companies expressed support for the coalition.
Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement over concerns about the coronavirus. Read more

Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, was released Wednesday to serve his prison term under home confinement because of coronavirus fears, one of his attorneys confirmed.

Manafort had been imprisoned since June 2018 when he was indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller on a charge of witness tampering while awaiting trial on bank and tax fraud charges, for which he was convicted that summer. He later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct justice related to his undisclosed lobbying for a pro-Russian politician and political party in Ukraine.

Manafort, serving a seven-year term, was released to his home in Alexandria, Virginia, from the minimum-security Lorretto Federal Correctional Institution in central Pennsylvania. His term was set to end November 2024. His release was first reported by ABC News.

Manafort's attorneys argued in April that, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Manafort should be released to serve out at least a portion of that sentence with his wife in their northern Virginia condominium. His release was confirmed Wednesday by attorney Todd Blanche.

"Mr. Manafort is 71 years old and suffers from several preexisting health conditions, including high blood pressure, liver disease, and respiratory ailments," his lawyers wrote.

Manafort was hospitalized for several days in December because of heart problems, they noted, and in February he contracted influenza and bronchitis. Given that history, the lawyers said that if he became infected with covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, "Mr. Manafort is at a significantly higher risk for serious illness or death."

Attorney General William Barr in late March directed the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to release to home confinement more vulnerable prisoners not considered a danger to the community.

The bureau has said they are "prioritizing for consideration" inmates who had served more than half their sentences or had 18 months or less remaining; Manafort is not in either category.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons reported as of Tuesday that 2,818 inmates and 262 staff in its 140,000-prisoner system have tested positive for the virus, and 50 inmates have died. There have been no confirmed infections at the Loretto complex, according to the bureau.

The Bureau of Prisons has struggled to implement Barr's directive to release inmates to home confinement, issuing shifting guidance that apparently has not been applied uniformly. At times, the bureau has insisted that inmates must serve half their sentence before being eligible for release - even pulling back some people who had been told they would be let go and put in mandatory, prerelease quarantine.

More recently, the bureau issued guidance saying it would prioritize for release those who either had served half their sentence, or just 25 percent, if they had less than 18 months remaining. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen, who had been expecting his own release early this month, was prevented from departing because of those criteria. He expects to get out later this month when, because of his good behavior time, he will reach the lower benchmark, people familiar with the matter said.

The Justice Department has insisted, too, that the Bureau of Prisons has discretion to release inmates who do not meet those markers, particularly if they are at high risk of complications from coronavirus.

Geremy Kamens, the public defender for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in an email that his office is "reviewing hundreds of cases to identify people within BOP facilities who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19."

He added, "I'm not aware of any of them who have been released on BOP's initiative before serving 50% of their sentence."

One such inmate is a man convicted on a child pornography charge in 2019, also held at Loretto prison. Like Manafort, Daniel Feiling is 71 and set to finish his sentence in 2024. He is "in much worse health," Kamens said, suffering from diabetes and heart and respiratory conditions. The government opposed his release and a judge denied it, in part because there are no known covid-19 cases at Loretto.

"He fails to demonstrate a particularized risk of contracting the disease," the judge wrote last month.

Other federal judges have criticized the Bureau of Prisons, characterizing it as slow to act on bids for compassionate release.

The Bureau of Prisons and Justice Department did not return an immediate request for comment.

Manafort's former deputy and co-conspirator, Rick Gates, had also asked to serve the rest of his 45-day intermittent prison term in home confinement. A federal judge instead suspended Gates's prison sentence in light of the pandemic.

Both Gates and Manafort landed in federal custody because of illegal lobbying work they did for Ukraine, taxes they failed to pay on $15 million in unreported income and bank fraud they committed when the business dried up. Gates pleaded guilty and testified against Manafort at trial; Manafort accepted a plea deal in D.C. federal court after being convicted on some charges in federal court in Alexandria.

Manafort served with Trump's campaign from spring until August 2016, when he resigned as chairman amid disclosures of his Ukraine role. He was later indicted in October 2017 by Mueller's team, which investigated - but did not charge him in connection with - his ties to Russian oligarchs and employment of an aide assessed by U.S. authorities to have links to Russian intelligence.

After his conviction in Virginia, Manafort pledged to cooperate with the Russia investigation. But a judge found he lied repeatedly to the special counsels team, and prosecutors sought prison time.
Russian authorities have banned a specific model of ventilators from use in their hospitals following two deadly fires, according to reports.

Aventa-M branded machines are said to have been preliminarily linked to the blazes, according to a report by CBS News. The fires caused the death of six patients,

Moscow reportedly sent a number of the same model ventilators to the US as part of an equipment relief package in early April, which are said to have not been used.

The first fire broke out in the Spasokukotsky Hospital on Saturday in Moscow causing the death of one Covid-19 patient while a second fire occurred on Tuesday at St George's Hospital in St Petersburg killing five other patients on ventilators.

Russia's health watchdog, Rossdravnadzor, has reportedly ordered a ban on using any of Aventa-M produced since 1 April, according to CBS News.

The machines were said to have been sent to New York and New Jersey but were never used, according to the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The ventilators have not been deployed to hospitals, FEMA spokeswoman Janet Montesi said in a statement.

Out of an abundance of caution, the states are returning the ventilators to FEMA, she said.

While the fires are informally thought to have been linked to the ventilators the incidents still remain under investigation.

Officials have also said the cause of the patients' deaths at St George's Hospital is yet to be officially verified, according to the report.

Russian health officials had announced on Tuesday an investigation into the safety of ventilators at the two hospitals.

The country's healthcare system is struggling to cope with the number of coronavirus patients being admitted to its hospitals. As of Tuesday, Russia was reported to have exceeded 232,000 confirmed infections.

Additional reporting by agencies.
Fareed Zakarias excellent May 8 Friday Opinion column dealing with the human-animal-environmental interface, The real scandal about that Chinese virus, was on point. He should have called it what it is: namely, One Health. This concept has been the tireless effort of some. But only now, as a result of the novel coronavirus, is it finally gaining the attention it deserves. We need our government to do something, namely establish a one-health coordinating mechanism that would bring together the major agencies and institutes so we get ahead of, rather than simply react to, the next infectious outbreak, which we can be certain is coming.
Loo has been in Chicago TV news for nearly two decades. For the past 10 years, she has been a reporter and fill-in anchor for WGN-Ch. 9, and she currently is a reporter for WGN Morning News. From 2001 until 2010, Loo was a reporter and anchor at WFLD-Ch. 32.
Our seniors are our most vulnerable population during this pandemic, said Steven Chung, a commander in the Chicago Police Departments 12th District. Family members may have been bringing food by before this all started, their social networks have decreased, the city services they rely on may have seen reductions. And then you have people looking for something to blame this virus on and, unfortunately, the Asian community has caught the brunt of that.
Berlin, May 12, 2020 (SPS) Leader of the German Left, Katja Kipping, argued that Europe can contribute to a solution to the conflict in Western Sahara, without bias or support for the Moroccan regime, stressing that the time has come "to break definitively with the policy of support for despotic regimes which present themselves as border guards and use it to blackmail Europe".

"Europe can contribute to a solution to this conflict. Without bias or support for the Moroccan regime," wrote Katja, in a column published on Sunday on her Facebook account, taken up by the media claiming that Europe " ignore "human rights violations in occupied Western Sahara.

The German politician addressed in her text "reports from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch which denounce large-scale arrests and torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention, in addition to criminalizing journalists, bloggers and human rights activists. "

"The time has come to definitively break with the policy of supporting despotic regimes which present themselves as border guards and use it to blackmail Europe," she insisted.

In addition, Katja Kipping adds, "Morocco continues to occupy for more than four decades a large part of Western Sahara in violation of international law".

In her publication, which coincides with the celebration of the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Frente POLISARIO (May 10 of each year), Katja Kipping noted that Morocco's violation of international law in Western Sahara often occurs in cooperation with European companies involved in the looting of natural resources, such as phosphates, in a gross violation of international law due to the current deadlock in the UN-led peace process.

Western Sahara has been placed on the agenda of the General Assembly of the United Nations and therefore on the agenda of the Fourth Committee and the Special Committee of the UN General Assembly on Decolonization (C-24), since 1963 as a non-self-governing territory to which the Declaration on the granting of independence of colonial countries and peoples applies (Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960) , in accordance with international legality and the resolutions of the United Nations. SPS

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COVID-19's cost to Silicon Valley could be Kansas City's talent gain, startup leader predicts Economic disruptions in Silicon Valley and other major startup hubs could mean a talent boon for Kansas City and other mid-sized markets, said Riddhiman Das, predicting a mass exodus from the West Coast.

An exceptionally cruel calculation from this local entrepreneur looks to profit from human suffering. This screed is supposed to be inspirational but seems macabre and maybe a bit to revealing about the desperation of KC digital scenesters.You decide . . .
WASHINGTON  Paul Manafort, Donald Trumps onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsels Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, was let out Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney, Todd Blanche. Manafort, jailed since June 2018, had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates before a potential outbreak in the system. They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

But Manafort did not meet qualifications set by the Bureau of Prisons for potential release in the pandemic.

Under the bureaus guidelines, priority is supposed to be given to those inmates who have served half of their sentence or inmates with 18 months or less left and who served at least 25% of their time. The bureau has discretion about who can be released.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and preexisting medical conditions. Manafort was hospitalized in December with a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press at the time. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Other high-profile inmates such as Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and lawyer Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump, have been told they are getting out.

Kathy Hawk Sawyer, a senior adviser at the Bureau of Prisons who formerly led the agency, said in an interview in late April that to suggest that we are only identifying high profile white collar inmates for home confinement, is absurd.

A Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a home confinement memo, and more than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be released. But prisons officials will not give out any demographic information.

The bureau has given contradictory and confusing guidance how it is deciding who is released to home confinement in an effort to combat the virus, changing requirements, setting up inmates for release and backing off and refusing to explain how it decides who gets out and when.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the agenc y in March and April to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at FCI Loretto.

As of Tuesday, 2,818 federal inmates and 262 BOP staff members had positive test results for COVID-19 at federal prisons across the country. Fifty inmates had died.

Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation, which examined possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election campaign.

Manafort, who was prosecuted in two federal courts, was convicted by a jury in federal court in Virginia in 2018 and later pleaded guilty in Washington. He was sentenced last March and was immediately hit with state charges in New York after prosecutors accused him of giving false information on a mortgage loan application. A New York judge threw out state mortgage fraud charges, ruling that the criminal case was too similar to one that already landed Manafort in prison. Prosecutors have pledged to appeal.

While Manafort had not served long enough to be eligible for release under the guidelines, the Bureau of Prisons decided to use its discretion to release him because of his age and vulnerability of the inmate due to underlying health issues, a person familiar with the matter said. The agency had the discretion to deviate from the sentencing thresholds under certain circumstances and has done so in other cases.

Officials at the bureau, which is part of the Justice Departmen t, made the decision on Manafort, and no one from the Justice Departments headquarters in Washington was involved, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Manaforts release was first reported by ABC News.

___

Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington and Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
On May 5, an Amazon worker in the New York JFK-8 facility was reported to have died from COVID-19. To date, at least 5 Amazon workers have died of the virus, and over 75 percent of facilities are confirmed to have had cases of infection.

The rising death toll and mounting number of infections are an unanswerable indictment of the trilliondollar international conglomerate, which kept workers at their stations from the start of the pandemic with minimal or nonexistent safety precautions while sitting on a cash hoard of tens of billions of dollars.

Amazon, Instacart, Target and Walmart workers are on the front lines of the pandemic, risking infection and death every day that they show up for work. Under these conditions, workers are being pushed toward struggle, which necessitates organizing within their workplaces to fight for basic self-defense for themselves and their families.

Seeking to head off and contain these struggles in their early stages, the Democratic Party, trade unions and their affiliates have embarked on a major campaign among essential workers, a major component of which was the much-hyped May Day Strike earlier this month.

The more information comes to light about this dubious event, the more it is clear that this strike was a publicity stunt from start to finish. It was not the result of any meeting, discussion or vote among any substantial section of the more than three-quarters of a million Amazon workers worldwide.

The proposal for a general strike on May 1 was picked up and circulated on social media by grassroots organizations in the orbit of the Democratic Party and promoted by a handful of journalists in late April. Despite lack of evidence that any significant number of actual Amazon workers were committed to participate, major media outlets from USA Today to Fox Business published the grandiose announcements of a general strike uncritically, with the Intercept and Bezos-owned Business Insider declaring that an unprecedented industrial action would take place.

In reality, few Amazon workers were even aware that the strike had occurred at all, and even fewer participated. Amazon workers who spoke with the World Socialist Web Site throughout the country, including in New Jersey, Maryland, South Carolina and Texas, almost unanimously reported that they did not know anyone who participated in the walkout at all.

Management was quick to gloat that the turnout was negligible. The fact is that today the overwhelming majority of our more than 840,000 employees around the world are at work as usual continuing to support getting people in their communities the items they need during these challenging times, Amazon spokesman Av Zammit told CNBC on May 1. While there is tremendous media coverage of todays protests we see no measurable impact on operations.

However, the minimal impact on Amazon did not stand in the way of efforts to celebrate and promote this campaign and the forces behind it. Speaking on behalf of the forces behind the May 1 stunt, Vox published an article after the strike headlined, The May Day strike from Amazon, Instacart, and Target workers didnt stop business. It was still a success.

If the strike did not have any meaningful impact on Amazons business operations, how can it be called a success? Vox answers by writing that workers allegedly gained the backing of major political leaders like Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who tweeted in support and that Publications like the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Vice as well as broadcast networks like CNN covered the event, and social media posts about it were shared widely.

Nine senators, including the three cited above and Senator Bernie Sanders, have also written a letter to Bezos asking him to explain why his company fired several employees who were involved in organizing walkouts.

In sum, the general strike was a publicity stunt aimed at trying to channel Amazon workers opposition into the Democrats 2020 election campaigns and behind the political establishment more generally. Currently, all of these senators who are supporting Amazon workers are meanwhile supporting the presidential campaign of Joe Biden, a war criminal who presided as vice president over the greatest transfer of wealth from the bottom 90 percent of the population to the top 10 percent in American history.

Their tweets in support of workers and letter urging the worlds wealthiest man to explain his companys actions are meaningless, as their entire political careers have been focused on propping up the Democratic Party, which alongside the Republican Party is committed to defending capitalism. Amazon contributes substantial sums to the campaigns of both Democrats and Republicans, and when Amazon tells the politicians to jump, as in the case of the recent sordid bidding contest over Amazons second headquarters, the Democrats and Republicans stumble over each other to carry out the wishes of the worlds richest man.

These same Democratic Party politicians are backing the campaign to reopen the economy at the cost of countless workers lives, and have also voted repeatedly in favor of shoveling public money at Wall Street and the rich in the form of massive bailouts during the pandemic.

The fact that the major bourgeois publications enthusiastically covered and celebrated the strike should be enough to give any Amazon worker pause. In the promotion of the event, these media outlets generally identified the leaders of the event as Whole Worker, Vanessa Bain of Gig Workers Collective, former Amazon manager Christian Smalls, and Willy Solis, a Shipt shopper. The journalists describing these individuals as leaders of the strike apparently did not bother to investigate whether these self-proclaimed leaders or their demands were supported by any substantial section of actual Amazon workers.

The demand that Amazon workers unionize is common to many of the tendencies that attempted to organize the failed May 1 event. Whole Worker writes on its website that its goal is to Unionize Wholefoods Workers. Gig Workers Collective is a newly constituted non-profit organization which writes that it will take the lead in organizing immediate action among gig workers employed by rideshare and delivery companies. Smalls is an Amazon manager who organized the walkout of a number of workers at JFK-8 in late March, for which he was fired by Amazon, and he is now cultivating relationships with the unions, the pseudo-left and the Democratic Party.

The May 1 event was vigorously promoted by Athena Coalition, a network of Democratic Party and union-aligned groups that received $15 million in funding from billionaire George Soros Open Society Foundation. Among the member organizations is United for Respect, which aims to organize Amazon workers under the leadership of the trade union bureaucracy.

United for Respect is an arm of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) which purports to represent over 1.3 million workers in the United States and Canada in the retail, meatpacking, food processing and manufacturing sectors. The UFCW has already been successful in unionizing Instacart workers in the Chicago suburb of Skokie. They are joined in their efforts to unionize Amazon by the Teamsters union and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

On social media, the event promoters spread flyers which told workers, Dont cross the picket line! and called for a general strike.

Dont cross the picket line! in this context is nothing more than a cynical attempt to bully workers into supporting an action that they had no say in, which they had no control over, and which was imposed on them from above.

Meanwhile, the UFCW apparently saw no contradiction between promoting a general strike at Amazon and leaving its own workers, who are also working without adequate PPE and in similar conditions, at their stations. The UFCW has recently praised meatpacking companies for showing real leadership despite the fact that at least 45 workers have died and over 10,000 have been infected by the coronavirus.

According to OpenSecrets, since 2010, the UFCW has spent over $22 million, money it collected from workers dues, to support the Democratic Party. It goes without saying that a great deal of money is involved in the drive to unionize Amazon, with millions of dollars of union dues at stake that could be turned over to Democratic Party politicians and activists.

The orientation toward the Democratic Party and reformism is shared by former Amazon VP Tim Bray, who was reported to have resigned over the firings of several Amazon workers. The New York Times devoted two articles to his resignation.

In his blog post, Bray states: If we dont like certain things Amazon is doing, we need to put legal guardrails in place to stop those things. We dont need to invent anything new; a combination of antitrust and living-wage and worker-empowerment legislation, rigorously enforced, offers a clear path forward.

Bray insists that career politicians and courts can pressure Amazon to give up some of its profits and grant workers better work conditions. He writes, Here are Attorneys-general from 14 states speaking out. Heres the New York State Attorney-general with more detailed complaints. Heres Amazon losing in French courts, twice.

Bray fails to mention that in response to French court rulings that Amazon cease shipment of nonessential items, the company has threatened to shut down all of its facilities in the country, leading to the layoffs of over 10,000 French workers.

The reason that figures and groups like Bray and Whole Worker are being promoted by the corporate press is because their orientation to reformism, the unions and the Democratic Party provides a useful counterweight to the efforts of workers to break away from bourgeois politics. The biggest danger, from the standpoint of the capitalist class, is that workers will form their own organizations, assert their own demands, and carry out their own independent actions.

Workers must continue to reject the efforts by the Democratic Party and the unions to hijack their struggles. As an essential, practical matter of self-defense, workers must form workplace committees, democratically controlled by the rank and file, with the purpose of uniting the working class as a whole, which means unity with workers all around the world.

For workers to win a fight against companies like Amazon, which funds numerous politicians and presides over an international corporate empire, they will have to be prepared to take on the entire capitalist system. This requires a determined and patient struggle, guided by a clear socialist perspective, aimed not at pressuring conglomerates or capitalist politicians but at bringing to bear workers own tremendous economic and social power. Under workers control, businesses like Amazon can be transformed into public utilities, organized not to further enrich the worlds richest man but to meet critical needs.
The Mask Ambassadors in collaboration with the Sunyani Municipal Assembly at the weekend distributed 1,000 nose masks to high risk population in the Sunyani Municipality to stem the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).



Mask Ambassadors is a local group comprising media practitioners and health workers that advocates wearing of nose masks to protect the people from contracting the COVID-19.



Beneficiaries were mostly commercial drivers, motor riders, truck and wheel barrow pushers, head porters and the aged.



The exercise, started around 0900 hours and lasted for about five hours as the Ambassadors, together with the Sunyani Municipal COVID-19 taskforce paraded the principal streets of the Bono Regional Capital and distributed the nose masks randomly.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive underscored the importance for the populace to wear the masks and adhere to the social and physical distancing protocols as well.



She said hand washing under running water and use of hand sanitizers were still relevant in the fight against the spread of the disease, and advised the public to observe personal hygiene.



While commending the taskforce for their commitment in stemming the spread of the COVID-19 in the Municipality, Mad. Owusu-Banahene praised the Mask Ambassadors for the initiative and hoped they would intensify public education for the people to understand the need to wear the nose masks.



In a related development, the Bono Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has taken 630 specimen to the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR), since the region recorded a confirmed COVID-19 case last week.



Dr. John Ekow Otoo, the Deputy Director, Public Health at the Directorate told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on Monday that 148 contacts had been traced so far.



The region's confirmed case of the COVID-19 involved 27-year old Togolese who entered the country through an unapproved route at Sampa, a town along the Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire border in the Jaman North District.



He and nine others were arrested by the Ghana Immigration Service and the GNA learnt they had since been repatriated.



Dr. Otoo said most of the suspects whose samples had been taken were in self-quarantine, while the Jaman North District Assembly had arranged a quarantine centre for some of them.



He said the Directorate in collaboration with Bono Regional Coordinating Council had heightened surveillance and monitoring and called on the public to also do their best by complying with all directives to help stem the spread of the disease.

Source: GNA









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With 95 accuracy percentage, the Iranian nano test kit is manufactured by knowledge-based companies and can diagnose the virus in 30 seconds, Trend reports Mehrnews.

As Sattari announced, the kit has not achieved any certificates yet.

Islamic Republic of Iran has currently started exporting ordinary coronavirus diagnostic kits to a number of countries including Germany and Turkey.

In line with its humanitarian aids, the Islamic Republic of Iran also donated cargo containing 5,000 corona diagnostic kits to Afghanistan and also Lebanon.

Iran exports corona diagnostic kits at the condition that the country heavily needed to these kits at the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country but with the cooperation of knowledge-based companies, not only Irans requirement to these kits have been met, but also suitable ways have been provided for the country in export of these kits.

Spokesperson for the Coronavirus Combat and Prevention Headquarters Kianoush Jahanpour said on April. 12 that the country has developed COVID-19 rapid test kits based on antibody detection, adding that the kits will hit the market soon.

In a tweet Jahanpour wrote, with the efforts of Iranian experts and knowledge-based companies, a rapid test for the detection of coronavirus based on the identification of antibodies will be available soon. These quick, low-cost, and inclusive detection methods will facilitate the step-by-step implementation of Smart Distancing Plan in the coming weeks.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Chinese Long March CZ- 5B rocket, launched on May 5, and reentered Earths atmosphere on Monday after spending several days in orbit.

A controlled re-entry for the rocket, however, was not meant to be as it crashed into the Atlantic ocean right off the coast of West Africa.

Representational Image

Even scarier is the fact that before it splashed down in the waters off the west coast of Mauritania, the core of the rocket flew over Los Angeles and Central Park in New York City.

The total rocket debris that fell measured 30.48 metres and weighed around 18,000 kgs.

The Chinese Long March CZ-5B rocket was meant to launch a cargo capsule along with an experimental spaceship designed to send astronauts to the Moon.

Such an event has been recorded after more than a decade and a half. Before this, space shuttle Columbia recorded such an uncontrolled descent in 2003. There are only a handful of other examples of space debris of this magnitude crashing to Earth.

China March 5B

The same was mentioned in a tweet by Astronomer Jonathan McDowell from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics. McDowell tweeted At 17.8 tonnes, it is the most massive object to make an uncontrolled re-entry since the 39-tonne Salyut7 in 1991, unless you count OV102 Columbia in 2003.



The unchecked descent was also confirmed by the 18th Space Control Squadron, a US Air Force unit that tracks all artificial objects in Earths orbit. Since the descent was not planned, it had a chance of taking out a building had it landed in a populated area.

'I've never seen a major reentry pass directly over so many major conurbations,' said McDowell. However, the chances of the debris reaching any populated area was slim.

The rocket that crashed was the largest Chinese launch vehicle ever sent into space, states a report by Daily Mail. With China having big ambitions for becoming the next space super power with its own [Chinese Tiangong] space station, it is anticipated that the country will be sending more of such rockets to and back from space.
The Sahel state of Niger, which has been battling a bloody jihadist insurgency, said Wednesday around 75 Boko Haram combatants had been killed in the southeast and in neighbouring Nigeria.

Twenty-five "terrorists" were killed on Monday south of Diffa, the main city in southeast Niger, while "about 50... were neutralised" the same day on Nigerian soil in the Lake Chad region, in two operations by a regional anti-jihadist force, the defence ministry said in a statement.

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Police have warned people across Britain not to attend mass gatherings which have been advertised on fliers promising picnics and live music in cities across the UK this Saturday.

At least eight events are said to have been organised by an anti-vaxxing group called UK Freedom Movement which claims the coronavirus lockdown is illegal.

Many of the group organisers appear to be conspiracy theorists who question how serious a threat coronavirus poses, and are angry at the imposition of lockdown rules.

The gatherings have been promoted on flyers in London, Southampton, Nottingham, Sheffield, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Plymouth and Barnstaple in Devon.

In the posters circulating on social media over the past few days, the organisers have boasted that the events will be the 'largest mass gathering since the lockdown'.

The legitimacy of the flyers has not yet been verified, but police forces across the UK are taking them seriously, with Nottinghamshire saying it has 'contingency' plans in place and Hampshire confirming it is 'reviewing' information it has received.

One of the eight mass gatherings said to have been planned is listed for Hyde Park in London

The apparent mass gatherings have been promoted on flyers in London, Southampton, Nottingham, Sheffield, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Plymouth and Barnstaple in Devon

The posters headlined 'UK Mass Gathering' said: 'We say no to the coronavirus bill, no to mandatory vaccines, no to the new normal and no to the unlawful lockdown.'

They also urged people to gather in a major park in the eight locations this Saturday at 12pm and 'bring a picnic, some music and let's have some fun and say yes to life'.

One member of the UKFM Facebook group said: 'If we all gather eating our picnics and adhere to the two-metre rule, we will not be breaking any 'rules'.'

Another asked members 'who is coming' to the gathering at Central Park in Plymouth, adding that a previous Facebook group had since been taken down.

The events, also in Edinburgh (left) and Sheffield (right), are said to have been organised by a group called UK Freedom Movement which claims the coronavirus lockdown is illegal

Events are also allegedly planned for this Saturday in Plymouth (left) and Southampton (right)

And a London-based music artist called Soca Samuel, tweeted of the Hyde Park gathering: 'I'm there! I've been waiting for a movement like this ever since lockdown.

What do 'anti-vaxxers' believe and why are they prolific in Britain? Members of the UK Freedom Movement are among a group of 'anti-vaxxers' who are opposed to child vaccinations. Parents in the UK are the most opposed to vaccines among major European countries  with the rate of more than three times higher than in Italy, France and Spain, according to a study released last month. It also found two in five parents in the UK used the internet to decide about their child's vaccinations. Concerningingly, given the proliferation of 'anti-vaxxer' myths online, more than a quarter of those who found information online about vaccinating their children took it from social media and blogs. The Daily Mail has been running a major campaign to boost uptake of jabs, amid a surge in British cases of mumps. This is thought to be driven by the 'Wakefield generation' of parents who failed to immunise their babies in the late 1990s and early 2000s after disgraced scientist Andrew Wakefield wrongly claimed the MMR jab was linked to autism. Last year one in three parents admitted in a poll that their children had missed at least one vital injection. Advertisement

'It's just been me and a few mates together busking in Central London but got a fine by police. Let's see them try and fine all of us now.'

However the events were criticised by others on social media as an 'act of stupidity', while another said: 'At this point I think it's just Darwinism.'

A third said that those planning to attend the events were 'morons who happily put their families and the NHS at risk'.

Mass gatherings were banned by the UK Government on March 16 as the crisis intensified, one week before the full lockdown was imposed on March 23.

Politicians said at the time that the risks of transmitting the disease at mass gatherings was relatively low, but banned them to avoid burdening the emergency services by having to attend the events.

These rules have not changed since the lockdown was eased today, despite people now being allowed to meet one person from another household in a park.

But a Facebook group for the Plymouth event claimed UKFM is acting over 'serious concerns in regards to our human rights and liberties' during the crisis.

It said that the Coronavirus Act and the Government's actions 'have left people from all walks of life to question the lawfulness and effectiveness of this 'lockdown'.'

It added: 'Whether you are anti-5G, anti-vaxx, anti-tyranny, would like to keep your human rights and freedoms or simply fancy a day out and a break from this lockdown, get yourself to Central Park, May 16 from 12pm.'

People have promoted the mass gatherings on the UK Freedom Movement Facebook group

And the group also told potential attendees: 'Social distancing and masks are welcomed if you wish to do so. Please do not ridicule anyone for wearing a mask as we are all at different stages of belief in regards to this 'virus'.'

In Nottingham, police officers will be in attendance at Wollaton Park and Forest Recreation Ground where mass gathering are said to be being planned.

Nottinghamshire Police chief constable Craig Guildford said: 'We are aware of the social media coverage which includes Southampton, London and Cardiff as well.

'We are planning, as a contingency, with our partners in the city council as we monitor the situation.

'Should any individual endanger the public by not obeying social distancing the police at the scene will be taking positive action to protect the public.'

Nottingham councillor Steve Battlemuch, for Wollaton West, added: 'The council are aware of it. We don't particularly want to give a lot of publicity to the event.

'Everybody is concerned overall about the virus and the lockdown. People want to get back to a normal way of life but we are not in that situation at the moment.'

UKFM organisers are also claimed to be planning a mass gathering at Southampton Common on Saturday, as well as another on Sunday at another location.

People enjoy the warm weather at Hyde Park in London on May 9, which is claimed to be one of the locations for a planned UK Freedom Movement mass gathering this weekend

A police officer moves on a man relaxing under a tree at Southampton Common on Easter Sunday last month. The park is one of the locations where the gatherings are allegedly planned

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: 'We are currently reviewing information we have received regarding a mass gathering being organised in Southampton this coming weekend.

'We are really grateful to those who contacted us about this and we will continue to assess the information we have in the coming days.

'Our response will be in line with the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 which currently prohibits large gatherings of people to limit the spread of Covid-19.'

Other events are also said to be planned at Hyde Park in London, Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, Holyrood Park in Edinburgh and Bute Park in Cardiff.

It follows a much bigger series of anti-lockdown protests in the US which have seen protesters demonstrate outside multiple state capitals over the past month.

Protesters gather in Jacksonville, Florida, to protest against the US lockdown on April 21

Police officers pepper spray protesters in Berlin amid the spread of the virus in Germany

The gatherings have sprung up in the likes of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina, Utah, California, Texas, Idaho and Pennsylvania.

In Germany, riot police clashed with hundreds of protesters during a demonstration against the lockdown in Berlin last Saturday as they shouted 'Freiheit!' ('Freedom!').

UKFM, which has existed on Facebook since August 2011, said it is 'committed to exposing the truth regarding global affairs and how the few control the many'.

A spokesman for UKFM has been contacted for comment by MailOnline today.
As Rhode Island looks to reopen, the government's ambitious COVID-19 contact tracing app has raised concerns about privacy and civil liberty infringements, but Gov. Gina Raimondo says privacy is a key part of the project's design.Raimondo outlined her state's plans during a discussion with Washington Post reporter Frances Stead Sellers Wednesday morning, part of the's Live interview series on virus recovery efforts. Later, Sellers spoke with Mozilla CEO Mitchell Baker to get her perspectives on the project.Rhode Island recently entered into a contract with Salesforce to develop an app that would help infected residents share important information, including daily location data, with the state's Department of Health (RIDH). The contract, which is for a six-month period, will allow Salesforce to set up and provide support to the application, which the company is doing for no charge "Privacy and data protection are paramount," said Raimondo, explaining the project. "First of all, I believe in them as values and second of all everything is about giving people confidence...we want voluntary compliance. Nobody is going to be forced to do this... Which means I need to give you confidence that if you opt-in your data is safe."The app would allow residents to schedule COVID-19 testing appointments using their phone, she said. After that, the app will notify the person whether they tested positive or negative. If the person tests positive, the app would then share certain data with the state's Department of Health, while also hopefully providing "options [suggestions] for them to self-isolate," said Raimondo. The app will also query the resident on how they are feeling, checking for symptoms on a semi-regular basis.The data shared with RIDH would not be shared with any other groups or organizations, would not be sold to private companies and would ultimately be destroyed after the case investigation is ended  a span of "weeks, not months," Raimondo said.During her interview, Mozilla's Baker complimented the governor's plan for its sensitivity to individual privacy: the fact that the project involves "a voluntary component," has "a very limited access to data," a use limitation on data, and a timeline for data destruction, are all positive policy aspects, Baker said.That said, there are some areas where officials should be careful, she said.Making the app open source would be a good idea because it's a way to ensure public trust, Baker said. Ultimately, consumers want to have faith that what the government says its doing is actually what its doing."How do citizens know what is actually happening? What data are you collecting, where is it going, how is it used and when and how is it destroyed?" she said.Similarly, even if an app is opt-in, said Baker, these "optional" applications can quickly become coercive depending on the circumstances. Developing fairly flexible standards for such an application would be important, she added."Take any piece of software you use, an app you use  in theory, you have the ability to not opt-in. But in fact, in reality, you can't not opt-in to the terms of your Android phone or your iPhone," she said. "So if you don't opt-in [to the tracing app] can you go into a grocery store? Can you go into a drug store? Can you do any of the other things that you actually need to do? It's very easy for that to become coercive."
Released Documents Spotlight Brazenness of Operation Against Trump, Says Lee Smith

Recently released documents are evidence of the brazenness of the operation against President and then-candidate Donald Trump, and the corruption of the Crossfire Hurricane team and other FBI and DOJ officials involved in it, said investigative journalist Lee Smith in an interview with The Epoch Times for the American Thought Leaders program.

Before the election, the goal of the operation was to help Hillary Clinton. After the election, the purpose of this operation was a massive cover-up, said Smith, author of The Plot Against the President: The True Story of How Congressman Devin Nunes Uncovered the Biggest Political Scandal in U.S. History.

They were not about protecting institutions. They were certainly not about protecting the rights of Americans or advancing the interests of Americans. They were talking about protecting themselves and damaging other people and leaving a wake of destruction in their path like this country has never seen before, Smith said.

Among the individuals targeted in the Trump-Russia collusion probe, dubbed Crossfire Hurricane, was Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. The premise of the FBIs investigation was nonsensical from the beginning, said Smith.

If someone like Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was actually seriously suspected to be collaborating with a foreign power, especially an often adversarial one like Russia, then he would have disappeared into supermax prison, Smith argued. Wed probably never hear from him again because that person has access to all sorts of different programs that would put the lives of hundreds of thousands of troops, at least, in danger.

Flynn, former national security advisor to President Trump, pleaded guilty in 2017 to one count of lying to the FBI in a January 2017 interview. On May 7, the DOJ dropped the case against him, saying the FBIs interview with Flynn was untethered to, and unjustified by, the FBIs counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Flynn.

Documents, recently released by U.S. Attorney Timothy Shea, showed that the FBIs investigation into Flynn had been slated to be closed on Jan. 4, 2017nearly three weeks before the Flynn interview.

But Peter Strzok, then-head of the FBIs counterintelligence operations, texted an agent handling the case, urging him not to close it: Hey if you havent closed RAZOR dont do so yet.

After confirming, he texted Lisa Page, his mistress at the time and then-special counsel to the FBIs then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Razor still open. :@ but serendipitously good, I guess. You want those chips and oreos? he wrote.

Phew, but yeah, thats amazing that he is still open, Page replied.

Smith said targeting Flynn was a central part of their coverup operation.

Many members of the incoming Trump administration were new to Washington. But the one person with extensive experience in the intelligence community is Michael Flynn. They know that Michael Flynn is going to present serious troubles if Flynn starts asking for the reporting they were using to open up all these investigations on Donald Trump, Smith said.

The investigation into Flynn was continued on the basis of a potential violation of the Logan Act.

The Logan Act, passed in 1799, prohibits Americans from conducting diplomacy without authorization with nations that the United States has a dispute with.

In phone calls with then-Russian ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyakwhich were leaked to the media in January 2017Flynn had allegedly voiced some of the incoming Trump administrations policy preferences to Kislyak and discussed President Barack Obamas recent sanctions on Russia.

By turning normal conversations between a U.S. official and a Russian ambassador into something worthy of investigation, they perverted the idea of diplomacy, Smith said.

The Obama administration made the Russian ambassador radioactive, Smith said. They turned him into a pariah.

The Russian ambassador is in Washington for one thing, and thats to speak to American officials, right? Smith said.

Its only natural for U.S. officials to seek to avoid conflict through diplomacy, Smith argued. The idea that they turned this into an instrument to damage Trump team officials is an astonishing thing, Smith said.

Only two people have ever been indicted for allegedly breaking the Logan Act, both over a century ago. Neither was convicted.

Handwritten Notes

On April 29, a federal judge presiding over Flynns case unsealed four pages of documents, including a page of handwritten notes, dated Jan. 24, 2017, the day of the Flynn interview.

The FBI official wrote: What is our goal? Truth/Admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?

They were signed with the initials EP, suggesting the author may have been Edward Priestap, then FBI-head of counterintelligence.

In Lee Smiths view, Priestap was kind of a boy scout.

Based on his sources, Smith believes they had Priestap in the middle of this and they were taking advantage of him. They were using him as cover to do a whole bunch of bad things.

The handwritten notes suggest Priestap was having second thoughts, Smith said.

I agreed yesterday that we shouldnt show Flynn [redacted] if he didnt admit, the author of the note wrote. I thought @ it last night, + I believe we should rethink this.

We regularly show subjects evidence, with the goal of getting them to admit their wrongdoing. I dont see how getting someone to admit their wrongdoing is going easy on them, he wrote.

Smith said its likely that the redacted item they decided not to show Flynn was the transcript of his conversation with the Russian ambassador.

At the bottom of the page, the agent wrote, If were seen as playing games, WH will be furious. Protect our institution by not playing games.

In Smiths view, Priestap had a conscience and was thus questioning the discussion hed heard. Smith said.

There is a room where this discussion is happening, Smith said.

Now, the important thing will be finding out precisely who is in that room. And were starting to get a pretty good idea that there are senior FBI officials in that room. Perhaps the director of the FBI himself at the time, James Comey; almost certainly the Deputy Director at the time, Andrew McCabe, Smith said.

The real bombshell news here is: why was the FBI sitting on this for so long? Smith said.

And why did the FBI wait so long to release the now partially unredacted footnotes of the IG report? Was Christopher Wray, the director, telling people not to disclose this information? Smith said.

If this was going on when Wray was confirmed to the post in August 2017, that is going to add more detail onto a very sad story for the FBI, Smith said.

Weve known for a while what happened. This gives us more evidence of what they did, Smith said.

To do this to any American citizen is disgraceful. And thats what they did, brazenly, indeed, proudly.
A woman from New Jersey was found dead in her own home and her health care aid is accused of brutally murdering her. The 62-year-old victim, Anna M. Pollard, was found dead in her Elizabeth home on April 13. According to NJ.com, police sources told the news outlet that she was found with multiple stab wounds.

Motive for murder

The 41-year-old suspect, Myrlande Dornelus, is a certified home health aide and she was arrested on May 8 on suspicion of murder and multiple weapons-related offenses. It is still not known how long Dornelus was working for Pollard, but the suspect has been certified since 2007 and her records show that she has no previous disciplinary actions.

There is still no known motive for the alleged murder and Dornelus is now in custody at the Essex County Jail.

Similar incidents

In March, a 96-year-old woman was found dead by her caretaker inside her home. Baltimore police responded to the scene at 8:30 a.m. in the 6800 block of Fox Meadow Road in Lochearn. They found the old woman dead inside her home with trauma to her upper body.

The victim was identified as Evelyn Bailey. Neighbors of the victim told WJZ that several cameras point directly at the house. The victim's neighbor, Alisa Stuckey, said that Bailey was bedridden and that her husband has been in the hospital for some time. Homicide detectives said that the death of the old woman is suspicious. Police are offering a reward of up to $2,000 for anyone with information about the suspect.

Also Read: Mom Who Stabbed 3-Year-Old Son in Cold-Blooded Murder Faces Multiple Charges

On December 2019, the caretaker of an elderly Peoria woman has been arrested for murder after the woman died in a Peoria hospital. The police were called on a report of a 75-year-old woman breathing but not conscious. The victim, Sandra Jackson, was taken to the hospital with severe injuries.

Shortly after her arrival to the hospital, detective were notified that the injuries of the victim appeared consistent with elder abuse. The investigation led the police to question Jackson's roommate and caretaker, Dmitri G. Rogatchev. The police soon arrested the 41-year-old suspect for aggravated domestic battery.

The victim was pronounced dead in the hospital and the police said Jackson died of severe intracranial hemorrhages in her brain due to blunt force trauma. Harwood said that the victim's injuries are linked with inflicted trauma and her death has been ruled a homicide. Rogatchev is now facing an additional charge of first-degree murder in addition to aggravated battery.

Elder abuse in the United States

According to federal health officials, elder abuse rates are increasing in America, particularly among men. Between 2002 and 2016, the rate of assaults among men 60 years old and older rose to 75% while it rose 35% among women between 2007 and 2016.

Among older men, the homicide rate increased 7% between 2010 and 2016, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC. Joseph Logan, from the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, said that they are still examining the circumstances that appear to be linked with the increase in violence against the elderly.

Related Article: Man Who Filmed Ahmaud Arbery's Murder is Receiving Death Threats, Claims He is Innocent

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Syracuse, NY -- Onondaga County sent a record 1,779 new coronavirus tests to labs overnight amid an all-out testing blitz to reach state-mandated numbers by Friday to begin reopening.

The state earlier Wednesday announced that Central New York was still short of its required 775 tests a day over a five-county region of Onondaga, Cayuga, Madison, Oswego and Cortland counties.

Wednesdays testing numbers in Syracuse follow 888 tests sent Tuesday and 1,446 tests sent Monday. Thats a three-day average of 1,371 tests a day in Onondaga County alone.

But the state requires 775 tests-a-day as a seven-day average. And our numbers before this week hadnt reached that target, the state said. So this weeks blitz is trying to increase the seven-day average in a short amount of time.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon believes Wednesdays numbers put us over the hump: the county averaged 829 tests a day over the past seven days, according to the latest county numbers. And that doesnt include any tests in the four surrounding counties.

McMahon also shared a chart of regional testing data, which he said is calculated using the states formula. Under those rules, he said the region is testing 845 people a day -- enough to restart on Friday.

We believe as soon as this data is given to the state...that certainly the numbers speak for themselves, McMahon said. Weve met our goal. Weve met our mandate.

The county executive said that the states latest numbers are still a couple of days behind. He suggested that the data will clear CNY for reopening before Friday.

Central New York regional testing data, as provided by Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, at 3 p.m. May 13, 2020.

As Onondaga County pushes testing this week, the fatalities from the virus continue to mount. There were three more deaths overnight, bringing the three-day total to 13 and the total over the past 11 days (since a week ago Sunday) to at least 29.

Of the recent deaths, one was a hospitalized woman in her 90s. Two more died in county nursing homes, though data was not available for those victims.

Overall, there have now been 82 deaths from coronavirus in Onondaga County.

There are 56 people in the hospital, a large number that will likely result in more deaths going forward. There are 15 people in critical condition.

There were 1,443 test results returned overnight, with 63 new positives. Thats a 4.3% positive rate among those tested, compared to more than a 7% infection rate among all of those tested.

The percentage of positives is going down because more and more people without symptoms are now being tested.

Of the 63 new cases, 49 were found in nursing homes and three were from among household contacts. That means 11 were from the community at large.

McMahon has said that community spread numbers in the low teens are acceptable going into an economic restart. The county has kept its community-spread averages under 20-a-day for weeks now, with many days in the low teens and single digits.

But McMahon said that the county will be tracking the community spread number carefully as things reopen.

And he repeated his belief that social distancing will be more important than ever as people begin to congregate again in workplaces and in reopened businesses.

The massive numbers of new tests are partially a result of more people without symptoms voluntarily getting tested. McMahon has said that people without symptoms do not need to self-quarantine while awaiting test results.

However, those people without symptoms who do have the virus are required to self-quarantine for 10 days afterward, McMahon said.

County tracking info on municipality/age/hospital data.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Central NY still short on testing required to reopen, state says

Someday restaurants in CNY will reopen. What will that look like?

How do I get a contact tracing job in NY? Work from home in coronavirus battle

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
On Monday evening, MPs from the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG) issued a statement through Twitter denouncing the governments coronavirus policy as class war. Its 17 signatories include former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, former Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, and former Shadow Justice Minister Richard Burgon. The brief statement begins by declaring: Last nights statement by the Prime Minister was a thinly veiled declaration of class war from a government that has chosen to put the economic demands of some sections of big business above the welfare of the country.

It decries Boris Johnsons Conservative government calling on people to be actively encouraged to return to work, before offering as an answer:

There has never been a more important time to either join or become more active in a trade union. Please do so.  Wherever trade unions are forced to step in to take action against bosses who put their members health at risk they will have our full and unwavering support.

Corbyns cheerleaders in the Morning Star, the Canary, Skwawkbox and Socialist Appeal jumped for joy, echoing the theme of a New Statesman article written last month asserting that The lefts resistance to Starmer is taking shape.

What a farce. Far from proving the revival of the Labour left, the SCGs rebellion on its knees confirms that it is dead and will never rise again.

For five years, Corbyn and his allies held the leadership of the Labour Party and won enough support among workers and young people to give Labour the largest membership of any party in Europe. From this vantage point, moreover, Corbyn was able to lead the party in two general elections. During this time, the phrase class struggle did not once pass Corbyns lips as he posed as Britains St. Francis of Assisi, dedicated to a kinder politics, a more caring society that would end class antagonisms. Wealth creation is a collective endeavourbetween investors, workers, public services, and government, proclaimed Labours 2017 election manifesto.

Only now that the SCG has been returned to its former position of an ineffectual, stunted rump does it declare (in a tweet!) that the government is conducting class war.

What explains this volte-face? If Corbyn had made such a statement against the Tories as party leader, he would have been universally denounced by Labours Blairite MPs. This would have spurred on the demand by his supporters for the expulsion of these political scoundrels, when Corbyns primary goal was to protect the party apparatus from popular opposition.

When it was possible that Corbyn invoking the class war might spark a movement by workers against the Tory government and the Blairites, all he ever spoke of was national unity and party unity. Only now that he and his cohorts, McDonnell, Abbott, Burgon et al, are safely ensconced on the backbenches is the class war rediscoveredand then only to complain that Johnson is waging it rather than acting in the national interest!

Neither is there a world of criticism from the SCG directed against the response of Corbyns replacement as party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, to Johnsons declaration of class war.

Just a few hours before the SCGs statement was released, Starmer said in a national broadcast, Whether we voted for this government or not, at this moment of national crisis, we all rely on the government to get this right. Thats why weve called for a national consensus. The Labour Party, he continued, remain committed to working constructively with the government in the national interest.

Keeping true to his earlier promise not to ask the impossible, the Labour leader refused to call for a rent holiday during the lockdown, saying this would force the government to compensate landlords, and barred the announcement of any public spending plans. Starmer is waging the class war against workers in lockstep with Johnson, while Corbyn and his allies maintain a diplomatic silence. Whatever verbal shift to the left is made, loyalty to the Labour and trade union bureaucracy is the watchword of the SCG.

The main activity of the Corbynite left during the pandemic is the Dont Leave, Organise campaign, dedicated to urging workers and young people to stay in the Labour Party. To that aim, a curtain of silence has descended over the leaked internal report exposing a concerted campaign of senior officials in the partys HQ to expel Labour members and MPs they considered too left-wing based on bogus accusations of anti-Semitism. After initially demanding an investigation, the SCG has left the matter entirely in the hands of the partys National Executive Committee (NEC), whose independent panel is now preparing a whitewash.

In order to avoid any possible friction with Labours new leadership, the SCG statement is not signed by the five of its members currently serving in the shadow cabinet: Rebecca Long-Bailey, Dan Carden, Andy MacDonald, Marsha De Cordova and Imran Hussain.

Just as significant is the SCGs attempts to boost the trade unions as vehicles through which to oppose Johnsons back-to-work drive. In telling workers to join a union and promising those unions their full and unwavering support, the SCG is offering its seal of approval to the very organisations providing vital support to the Tory government.

With the unions full and active collaboration, key workers have been endangered in sector after sector and non-essential work has been allowed to continue. Now millions more are being sent back to their jobs with little or no safety provisions while the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and its affiliated unions place all responsibility for refusing to work in unsafe conditions on individual workerswho are told to trust their union to support them if they are victimised!

This will not wash. Workers and young people have Corbyns number. His defeat in the 2019 general election was a reflection of popular disillusionment with his claim to have transformed the Labour Partyafter years of preaching unity with the Blairites, mediation in industrial struggles, and conducting a Brexit policy in the national interest.

Half a decade of Corbyns leadership has produced a seamless transition to Starmers Labour Party: a party in which just 17 MPs (7 percent of the Parliamentary Labour Party) can summon the courage to add their name to a tweet belatedly discovering that the Tories are waging the class war!

Whatever phrases they might use, the dwindling rump of the Labour Left remains dedicated to the ultimate goal of protecting the Labour Party and trade union bureaucracywhich stand on the other side of the barricades to the working class in the class war now cynically, indeed fearfully, invoked by the SCG.
The dismissal rewrites the narrative of the case that Trumps own Justice Department had advanced for the last three years in a way that former law enforcement officials say downplays the legitimate national security concerns they believe Flynn posed and the consequences of the lies he pleaded guilty to telling. Its been swept up in a broader push by Trump and his Republican allies to reframe the Russia investigation as a deep state plot to sabotage his administration, setting the stage for a fresh onslaught of election-year attacks on past and present Democratic officials and law enforcement leaders.
Washington, May 13 : The US Supreme Court has heard arguments on whether President Donald Trump should be allowed to keep his financial records secret, in a major showdown over presidential powers.

Trump has refused to share documents that could shed light on his fortune and the work of his family company, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

Two congressional committees and New York prosecutors demand the release of his tax returns and other information.

Trump's private lawyers argue he enjoys total immunity while in office.

A ruling is expected within weeks. Unlike other recent presidents, Trump has refused to release his tax returns and a decision against him could result in his personal financial information becoming public in the campaign season.

Experts say the ruling will have far-reaching implications for the ability of Congress to scrutinise the activities of sitting presidents and of prosecutors to investigate them.

The judges heard the cases remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Supreme Court has a 5-4 conservative majority and includes two Trump appointees - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

In the three cases, Trump's lawyers tried to block the subpoenas - orders to hand over evidence. Lower courts in Washington and New York ruled against the president in all cases, but those decisions have been put on hold pending a final court ruling.

Two committees at the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives demanded financial records from two banks that did deals with Trump - Deutsche Bank and Capital One - as well as from Mazars, the president's accountants.

Deutsche Bank was one of the few banks willing to lend to Mr Trump after a series of corporate bankruptcies in the 1990s, and the documents sought to include records related to the president, the Trump Organization and his family.

Trump's lawyers argued that Congress had no authority to issue the subpoenas, and no valid justification to seek the records.
An inquiry has been ordered into quality of masks distributed among doctors of MY Hospital in Madhya Pradeshs Indore. The probe was ordered after the hospital tranche of masks to the health department citing doctors unwillingness to wear them.

Indore district collector Manish Singh also shifted the officer in-charge of the health departments store.

A week ago, Dr Anand Rai, a whistleblower in the Vyapam scam, had raised the issue of quality of masks provided to health workers in Indore.

Dr Rai posted a picture of what he said was fungus coated mask on his Twitter account. Packaging of PPE and mask was more important and that storage and manufacturing units of PPE and masks should be bacteria and fungus free, he wrote on Twitter.

Around the same time, a Twitter user Raj Shekhar wrote, Just got off a call with my sister who is a doctor at a red zone hospital in Indore. She told me that she and her co-residents refused to enter the Covid ward today morning because they realised that the face mask being provided to them were fake.

When contacted, chief medical and health officer Dr Pravin Jadia confirmed that an inquiry had been initiated and the in-charge of the store shifted. He, however, said, The masks provided were not purchased by the department but gifted by some organisations. There are several individuals and organisations who donate such masks. They are helping us at the time of crisis. There is no mechanism in the department to issue any certificate on the quality of such masks donated.

Dr PS Thakur of MY Hospital said, Its unfortunate that a controversy is being created that the masks returned were fake. We never said that masks were fake. Also, the masks were not sub-standard either. The only issue was that our doctors didnt like it. Our doctors are using the best of masks that we purchase and also get from health department.

If we raise doubt against intention of such people who donated the masks it will be very unfortunate for Indore and it will discourage others from coming forward to help people at the time of tragedy, he further said.
New Delhi: As the whole world is reeling under the scare of coronavirus, there are several precautions that are been taken as preventive measures. Like India, some countries have announced a complete lockdown and practising social distancing is the need of the hour. In such a case, when all national and international events remain suspended indefinitely, the organisers of Miss South Africa 2020 have decided to host the ceremony virtually, reports international websites.

The online entry process for candidates opened on Monday. The interested ones can apply on the Miss South Africa website. Entries will be open till May 31.

According to reports, the online process for selection was introduced to reach out to more candidates and the organisers believe it would be successful.

CEO of the Miss South Africa Organisation, Stephanie Weil said that last year too, the entry process was made online and their goal is to bring about hope and showcase women empowerment through the platform.

We believe that in any format this will be something that the whole country will get behind, a local news outlet named Brakpan Herald quoted her as saying.

Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi is the face of the Miss South Africa 2020 campaign.

The coronation ceremony is expected to be held in August.
WASHINGTON  A new type of coronavirus test offers a cheaper, quicker way to screen for infections, moving the U.S. toward the kind of mass screening that experts say is essential to returning millions of Americans to school and work.

But the first so-called antigen test  announced Saturday by the Food and Drug Administration  is not quite the kind sought by top government health officials. It is less accurate than the current gold standard for testing and can only be run on specialized equipment.

It is too early to tell, said lab researcher Patricia Simner of Johns Hopkins University, assessing the tests impact. It certainly has the potential to aid in more widespread testing.

Some questions and answers about the new test:

WHATS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS TEST?

The test from Quidel Corp. screens for new infections but in a different way. It looks for protein traces of the virus  known as antigens. The same approach is used in rapid tests for flu, strep throat and other infections that are run at the hospital or doctors office. They represent a trade-off, sacrificing some of the accuracy of more rigorous tests for quicker results at a lower cost.

They allow you to dramatically expand testing and theyre very cheap, said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former FDA commissioner, in an interview Sunday with CBS. But he acknowledged antigen testings reduced accuracy: Theyre going to miss some patients who have COVID.

Previously, the only way to diagnose active infections was a test that detects the genetic material of the virus. While highly accurate, most of those tests take hours to develop on machines mainly found at commercial labs, hospitals or universities. Abbott Laboratories makes a 15-minute version of the genetic test that runs on its portable machine, but it only does one sample at a time.

WHY IS ANTIGEN TESTING IMPORTANT?

The U.S. is still struggling to increase testing to the levels that most public health experts say are essential. Harvard researchers have projected that the nation needs to be able to do 900,000 daily tests to be able to track new cases and contain new outbreaks as the country reopens. Thats more than three times the countrys current daily testing rate of about 275,000.

White House adviser Dr. Deborah Birx and other federal officials have said a breakthrough in antigen testing could open the way to daily testing before going to back to work or school.

The National Institutes of Health is pouring $1.5 billion into efforts to develop highly accurate, easy-to-use tests that could be performed without professional oversight or special equipment. While an important stepping stone, the Quidel test isnt there yet.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The new test uses a nasal swab like other screening tests, and delivers results in about 15 minutes.

The sample is put in a tube with testing chemicals and then into a cassette that goes into the companys electronic reading device. There, its exposed to a testing strip embedded with laboratory-made antibodies, the specific blood proteins made by the bodys immune system when it detects an infection. If the antigens and antibodies interact, the test is positive.

HOW ACCURATE IS THE TEST?

The new test is expected to detect about 80% of active COVID-19 infections, according to the FDA. That accuracy rate is similar to other rapid antigen tests for seasonal flu.

They are going to pick up fewer people that are infected, said Simner of Johns Hopkins. So thats where you see a lot of skepticism around using antigen tests for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

For now, Simner and other experts say negative test results for people showing symptoms should be confirmed with the more accurate genetic test.

But as you might imagine, thats not a perfect scenario because you have to do twice as many tests when the result isnt positive, said Dr. Robin Patel of the Mayo Clinic.

WHATS NEXT?

Many companies are working on versions that would be more accurate, easier to use and more suitable for mass screenings.

OraSure Technologies has a $710,000 federal contract to develop a saliva-based antigen test that could be performed at home. The company has antigen tests for other viruses  including HIV and Ebola  and those have accuracy rates of over 95%. Along with accuracy, the company is focused on speed, aiming to delivers results in 20 to 30 minutes.

If you are going to test people coming into work you cant make them line up at 3 a.m. OraSure CEO Stephen Tang said. You need to be able to get their results quickly.

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This story was first published on May 11, 2020. It was updated on May 12, 2020, to correct OraSure Technologies federal contract to $710,000, not $700 million

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Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AP_FDAwriter

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Bikini model Natalie Roser recently celebrated her third anniversary with her actor boyfriend, Harley Bonner.

And on Wednesday, the loved-up couple took a leisurely stroll together along Sydney's Bondi Beach promenade.

Enjoying the time outside during the state's coronavirus lockdowns, Natalie, 29, and Harley, 28, were seen pounding the pavement in activewear.

Stepping out! Stunning bikini model Natalie Roser enjoys a stroll in Bondi with actor beau Harley Bonner in Sydney on Wednesday

Natalie was dressed in peach-coloured tights and a matching T-shirt for the outing.

She paired her bright and cheerful look with white sneakers, but appeared to be given a black hoodie from her boyfriend to keep warm.

Placing her arms in the fleeced jumper, Harley appeared to have given his model girlfriend the jacket as the cooler temperatures picked up at the beach.

Ex-Neighbours star Harley was dressed head-to-toe in black, opting for a T-shirt, shorts and sneakers.

He also appeared to have recently cut his hair into a buzz cut while in isolation.

The couple got takeaway coffees as they continued their stroll, and later bumped into someone they knew along the coastal walk.

Tangerine dream! Natalie wore a bright and cheerful look, consisting off a matching peach-toned leggings and top set with white sneakers

New look! Harley appeared to have recently adopted a buzz cut while in isolation

Famous family! Harley is the son of former Neighbours actress Carla Bonner (right), who played Stephanie Scully on the Channel 10 soap from 1999 to 2018

Harley is the son of former Neighbours actress Carla Bonner.

He acted alongside his famous mother on the Channel 10 soap for almost three years between 2013 and 2016.

Carla played Stephanie Scully on Neighbours from 1999 to 2018, and in 2016 refused to be on set during the death and funeral scenes of her son's character Josh Willis.

The mother-son duo waited until Harley returned from America to sit down and watch his final scenes on the soap together.

What a gentleman! Harley appeared to give his model girlfriend his jumper so she could stay warm as the cooler temperatures picked up at the beach

Catching up: The couple got takeaway coffees as they continued their stroll, and later bumped into someone they knew along the coastal walk

Happy days! Carla (far left) appears to have given Harley's girlfriend Natalie the tick of approval for her son and refers to the model as 'family' on Instagram

Meanwhile, Carla appears to have given Harley's girlfriend Natalie the tick of approval for her son.

She regularly posts photos with the model, in which she refers to Former Miss Universe Australia finalist Natalie as 'family'.

In February, Natalie marked her third anniversary with Harley with a touching tribute and gallery of photos.

'Creating my real life fairytale from the very first moment we met. Three years of more love than I ever thought possible. Forever grateful for everything that lead me to you. I love you endlessly, my Harley Bonner,' she wrote at the time.

Harley responded: 'Happy 3 years, my girl. To the honeymoon phase with no end in sight - How could I possibly love you more? I guess I'll find out in the morning.- Your Harley Bonner.'

They started dating in 2017, shortly after Natalie ended her engagement to personal trainer Dan Adair.
She dropped her new track with Justin Bieber, Stuck with U, just last week.

And Ariana Grande discussed the COVID-19 fundraiser track, as well as her late ex Mac Miller and her 'diva' reputation when she joined Zane Lowe on Apple Music to run through her At Home With playlist on Wednesday.

Of Miller, who passed away in 2018, she said, 'I think that nothing mattered more to him than music ever.'

An open book: Ariana Grande discussed the COVID-19 fundraiser track, as well as her late ex Mac Miller and her 'diva' reputation when she joined Zane Lowe on Apple Music to run through her At Home With playlist on Wednesday

The Thank U, Next hitmaker, who dated Miller for nearly two years between 2016 and 2018, said, 'He was the kind of person who woke up and rolled into the studio, tumbled out of bed, into the studio next door. Nothing was more important.'

'[His music is] such a beautiful gift I think that he kind of touched the world with, and I think the thing he'd want most is for us to just appreciate it and not forget about it.'

Miller -whose real name was Malcolm James McCormick- died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 26.

A heavy loss: Of Mac Miller, who passed away in 2018, she said, 'I think that nothing mattered more to him than music ever.' Ariana and Mac seen here in 2017

Burned before: Grande also opened up on why she'd stopped speaking publicly for a time

Grande also opened up on why she'd stopped speaking publicly for a time.

'I stopped doing interviews for a really long time because I felt like whenever I would get into a position where somebody would try to say something for clickbait or twist my words,' said the 26-year-old.

'And then, people would be like, "Oh, she's a diva." I was like, "This doesn't make any sense." Because I have an opinion about something that was an opinion artistically or if I am directing something, or if I have something to say regarding a choice that's being made with my career or something.'

She then claimed she deals with different standards because of her gender.

'It's like when men express their opinions or defend themselves - or are directing something and making notes on something, they're brilliant. And they're genius at it. And yet, it's just so not the same thing with women.'

Ex appeal: 'I stopped doing interviews for a really long time because I felt like whenever I would get into a position where somebody would try to say something for clickbait or twist my words,' said the 26-year-old. Seen here with ex Pete Davidson in 2018

Of her recent collaboration with Justin Bieber, Grande said 'We just wanted to make something fun that also helps and kind of makes people feel, I think less alone, I guess.'

'I think it's also a really literally isolating time for people mentally, too,' continued the 7 Rings songstress.

'So just, we wanted to put music out because music is the thing that makes people feel good.
Taking stock: Less than a year after state officials signed a bailout law teeing up $1 billion in nuclear plant subsidies charged to Ohio electricity customers, the plants owner has moved to boost its stock price by repurchasing an extra $300 million in shares, cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias writes. The company says the increased stock buybacks, approved last Friday, are unrelated to the $150 million in annual subsidies that will begin next year. Critics said the move is poorly timed, and undercuts the companys argument that the plants needed a bailout in the first place.

Medicaid enrollment: After a longtime monthly drop in the number of people on Ohio Medicaid, rolls are going up, thanks to pandemic-related job losses, cleveland.coms Laura Hancock reports. This comes as $210 million is being cut from its budget, due to decreased revenues.

Long-term plan: Ohio Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran offered an update Tuesday on the states efforts to combat coronavirus in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities  where a large percentage of Ohios COVID-19 deaths come from. As cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer explains, without universal testing  which DeWine said Monday was unlikely to happen"  Ohios coronavirus strategy for nursing homes is basically focused on stomping out potential outbreaks in facilities as soon as new cases are found.

Hack attack: The state is re-evaluating its policy of whether to kick people off unemployment if they dont return to work during the pandemic, Hancock reports. This comes after hackers developed code for people to submit fake reports from employers ratting out workers, though the state says they thwarted the attack beforehand.

Lets go to the mall: With a state health order that closed nonessential retailers lifting on Tuesday, cleveland.coms Anne Nickoloff checked out local malls and other retailers. There were very few lines to be seen at the outlets, she writes. Shopping was affected in a few key ways -- most notably, with protective gear like masks and gloves.

Say what: If a random person yells, Hey, stop that vehicle. That lady is drunk to a state trooper, does the trooper have a constitutional right to stop the driver? As Pelzer reports, the Ohio Supreme Courts answer to that question will affect how people in Ohio can alert law enforcement about potential crimes without having the subsequent case thrown out.

Testing, testing: A total of 216,290 coronavirus tests have been conducted in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Health reported Tuesday. Thats up 54,452 in just seven days, illustrating that Ohio really is stepping up testing. The total increased from 37,132 a week earlier during the same seven days, and up from 28,467 two weeks ago, cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports in his daily data and mapping post of the latest trends for coronavirus in the state.

Daily numbers: Coronavirus cases shot above 25,000 by Tuesday, Hancock reports, and the number of people who have died with coronavirus was 1,436.

Remdesivir to Ohio: Ohio hospitals that havent been able to get the antiviral drug remdesivir will begin getting enough of the drug from the federal government to treat COVID-19 patients who are currently on ventilators, said Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman. He told cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton that the federal government will send the medication to the state, which will decide how its distributed.

Do you even litigate bro? Thirty-five Lake County gyms asked a judge Tuesday to force the state to allow them to reopen, Pelzer reports. The suit was filed on the gyms behalf by the libertarian 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, which previously (and unsuccessfully) went to court on behalf of a Columbus bridal shop against the states closure orders.

Best in show: DeWine has the highest approval rating of any governor of the 12 states covered by a new poll. The poll, conducted by Ipsos/Washington Post from April 27 through May 4, found 86% of Ohioans approved of the job DeWine was doing. The next highest rating was for Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (81%). The lowest was Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (39%), a Republican who, like DeWine, took office last January. The findings follow an Emerson University poll, released earlier but conducted a week later, which found a 71% approval rating for DeWine.

Coronavirus voting: Warrensville Heights Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge joined several of her Democratic colleagues on Tuesday to introduce legislation to expand voting options during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eaton reports. The legislation she introduced with colleagues including Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Niles-area Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan would require states to provide no-excuse mail-in absentee voting for the 2020 elections, maintain an early in-person voting period of at least 20 days for the 2020 elections and give states $2.5 billion to fund those programs.

Auto rescue: A group of legislators including Toledo Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Rocky River GOP Rep. Anthony Gonzalez want upcoming coronavirus relief packages to include help for the auto industry. They sent a letter Tuesday that asked Republican and Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives to ensure that American workers in the automotive industry can help drive a robust recovery.

COP shop: Clevelands police department got nearly $8 million from the Department of Justice to deploy experienced, veteran officers to combat violent crime and strengthen public safety, while recruiting new officers to back-fill those positions, Kaptur announced Tuesday.  She said the funding is part of Operation Relentless Pursuit (ORP), which aims to investigate and prosecute suspects involved in gangs, drug trafficking, and other violent crime-related issues.

Air Jordan: Champaign County GOP Rep. Jim Jordan told Fox News on Tuesday that he hopes that a U.S. attorney who is probing the origins of the investigation of Trumps ties to Russia is looking hard at holding [former FBI Director] Jim Comey accountable. Jordan also described a chain of events that he said showed the Obama administration tried to set up and trap the president.

Pay cut: In response to DeWines education budget cuts, State Board of Education members on Tuesday voted to cut their own pay by 20 percent through the end of the year. We are trying to set an example as state elected officials, texted board member Nick Owens, who sponsored the measure. Until now, each of the boards 19 members has received $32.02 per hour, which adds up to  on average  about $10,000 per year.

Giving it up: Senate President Larry Obhof announced Tuesday the Senate will return $1 million to the states general fund. Ohioans everywhere are making difficult but necessary budget cuts, both personally and professionally, and state government must do the same, Obhof said in a statement.

Full House: The Ohio House and Senate both have legislative sessions scheduled today, and as Pelzer reports, a full battery of committee hearings. Bills scheduled for a full House vote include House Bill 405, a bill backed by State Treasurer Robert Sprague that would provide lower-interest loans to cover families adoptive costs, and House Bill 404, which would allow public universities to conduct virtual board of trustees meetings.

Contesting the charges: The owner of a Guernsey County diner who flouted a state health order by opening her restaurant last week pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday to a misdemeanor charge of failure to prevent a threat to the public during a pandemic, Rick Stillion reports for the Daily Jeffersonian. Vicki Brearly, owner of the National Road Diner, previously said she believed the health order violates her constitutional rights.

Full Disclosure

Five things we learned from the Feb. 10 financial disclosure of state Rep. Dave Greenspan, a Westlake Republican:

1. He only disclosed one source of income: his legislative salary, which paid him $71,069.46 last year.

2. He or a family member do business through the following companies: Green Elk Consulting Services LLC, Green Elk Real Estate  Maple LLC, Green Elk Real Estate LLC and Friends for the Community Foundation

3. Besides his state retirement accounts, he holds ownership shares of Green Elk Consulting Services and holds stock in Innovative Devices, Inc.

4. At some point in 2019, he owed at least $1,000 to American Express, Brank Bank and Trust, Sallie Mae and U.S. Bank.

5. Innovative Devices, Inc., and his political campaign owed him at least $1,000 at one point in 2019.

Birthdays

Ryan Stubenrauch, crisis communications consultant at Communications Counsel and former communications director to Gov. Mike DeWines 2018 campaignFormer Ohio Gov. John Kasich

Straight From The Source

No yes yet. But Im enjoying her cooking. So, well see.

- Gov. DeWine, asked on Tuesday once again if he and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine have plans to go out to a restaurant. He later added he may visit a fried chicken restaurant in Clark County in the next few days.

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.
The bipartisan consensus on China may have fallen apart in Washington, but it's still going strong on American campuses.

What's happening: Dozens of leading members of both the College Republican National Committee and the College Democrats of America, representing universities in more than 45 states, have released a joint letter today that calls for the permanent closure of Chinese government-funded Confucius Institutes on all U.S. campuses, protections for students and campus groups that are vulnerable to Chinese government coercion, and condemnation of anti-Asian racism.

What they're saying: "The Chinese Communist Partys actions pose an immense threat to academic freedom and to human dignity. It is imperative that we distinguish this totalitarian regime from the Chinese people, whom we must steadfastly defend from abhorrent acts of xenophobia, racism, and hatred."

Why it matters: Young people are showing Congress it's possible to denounce both China's authoritarianism and anti-Chinese racism in America at the same time.

Go deeper: Chinese Communist Party leaders have already fully embraced the "new Cold War"
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:19:26|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the African continent and a growing need for swift response to tackle the virus, the Chinese government and Chinese companies are winning acclaim for exerting solidarity and support to Africa's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the latest figures from the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the death toll from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent reached 2,403 as the number of confirmed cases hit 69,578 as of Wednesday afternoon.

China, which is also presently fighting COVID-19 at home, is strengthening its support to African countries and regional organizations in support of the continent's fight against the virus.

As part of China's support to Africa's anti-COVID-19 response efforts, the Chinese medical experts who were on a special mission to help Djiboutian people fight COVID-19 have just left the country on Monday after winning honors for their work. On behalf of the Djiboutian government, Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Health Minister Mohamed Warsama Dirieh saw them off at the airport after rewarding them certificates of merit.

The Chinese medical team, composed of 12 experts specializing in respiratory and infectious disease control, intensive care, traditional Chinese medicine, and others, arrived in Djibouti on April 30 after spending about two weeks in Ethiopia, working with Ethiopian colleagues to prevent and control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

To support African countries in their response to COVID-19, the Chinese government has sent medical teams to Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Cote d'ivoire, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Algeria.

Besides, there are nearly 1,000 Chinese medical personnel working in Africa long-term, according to China's National Health Commission. China has sent about 22,000 medical workers accumulatively to Africa during the past decades, and benefited about 220,000,000 local patients in total, according to Chinese Ambassador to Togo Chao Weidong.

During the past months, massive medical supplies donated by the Chinese government and companies have also distributed to African countries and regions, including facial masks, disposable protective clothing, forehead thermometers, medical protective goggles, gloves and shoe covers for medical use, among other equipments.

High-level African officials and experts, representatives of national and international organizations and offices, diplomats of various African countries, as well as representatives of the African Union (AU) and the Africa CDC have commended the anti-COVID-19 support exerted by the Chinese government and various Chinese companies, which they described as "critical" in curtailing the rapid increase of COVID-19 across different parts of the African continent.

Dawit Yirga, Director General of Asia and Oceania Affairs at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said during the event that the ever-growing China-Africa strategic partnership has shown vitality and strength amid the common fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Africa and China are all weather friends and the Sino-Africa strategic partnership has shown vitality and strength in this time of unprecedented challenges," Yirga said, adding that "solidarity is indeed the bedrock of the Africa-China partnership and when the corona pandemic outbreak happened in China, Africa stood firmly in solidarity with China."

Yirga, expressing appreciation to the "leadership and commitment of the people and government of China in successfully containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic," also stressed that as COVID-19 spreads to across the globe including in Africa, China is supporting the African continent.

"We are indeed very grateful to China for its support and solidarity at this difficult moment in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," the Director General said.

"The support mobilized by the Chinese government and the private sector, including the Jack Ma Foundation, to assist the COVID-19 response efforts in Africa is very much appreciated," the director general stressed.

Noting China's "commendable willingness" in sharing its successful experience by deploying medical teams in Ethiopian and other African countries, Yirga also expressed his confidence that the "Sino-Africa strategic partnership, which has passed the test of time, will once again prove its resilience."

The China-aided medical supplies that arrived in Addis Ababa on April 23 were transferring to 12 African countries and regions that are Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Djibouti, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Somalia as well as Tanzania's Zanzibar, it was noted.

Ethiopia has already received medical supplies from China recently, while more is said to be on the way to the East African country, while another batch of China-aided medical supplies has been shipped to some other African countries via Accra, Ghana earlier last month.

Mafa Sejanamane, Permanent Representative of Lesotho to the AU and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Ambassador of Lesotho to Ethiopia, also stressed that "China's support is essential in Africa's anti-COVID-19 fight."

Sejanamane, who noted China's medical supplies' aid to African countries as a crucial part of the continent-wide strategy to beat the COVID-19 pandemic, also said that "COVID-19 has brought about the worst crisis in a century, in combating the worst crisis in a century. We need to put our hands together."

"We are pleased that the Chinese people and government are on the forefront of this particular struggle. With the cooperation of all our international partners we will be able to triumph," Sejanamane said.

Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, also hailed the China-Africa cooperation and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19, saying that "as an African, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of all Africans to thank Chinese government for the generous donation of COVID-19 personal protective equipments and medical supplies."

"These are lifesaving medical supplies, so speed is very important," the CEO said, as he emphasized the Ethiopian flag carrier's resolve to deliver the latest medical supplies "very fast and intact to all African countries."

"Africa needs China and China needs Africa. We're in this together in the fight against COVID-19," Gebremariam said.

In addition to the Chinese government's solidarity with Africa on the face of COVID-19, Chinese companies and civil organizations are also providing urgently needed supplies to African countries.

The AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, has commended the Chinese tech entrepreneur and philanthropist, Jack Ma, following Ma's latest announcement of the third batch of medical supplies donated by the Jack Ma and Alibaba foundations in support of the AU and the Africa CDC's efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19 across Africa.

"I thanked Jack Ma for the donations of supplies to the AU Commission. This includes 4.6 million masks, 500,000 test kits, 200,000 Personal Protective Equipments, as well as 300 ventilators," Mahamat said after holding a phone call with Jack Ma on the latest medical supplies donation.

The chairperson of the 55-member pan African bloc also stressed that "these vital supplies will enhance the Africa CDC's strategic stockpile to assist member states in the COVID-19 fight."

The AU Commissioner of Social Affairs, Amira Elfadil, also echoed Mahamat's comments as she emphasized the vital role of the latest batch of massive medical equipment donation from the Jack Ma Foundation, calling it "a true solidarity with Africa."

Elfadil emphasized that the donation from Jack Ma would support the AU's recently launched Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing "Test and Trace" initiative.

Ahmed Ogwell, Deputy Director of Africa CDC, also hailed the donation made by Jack Ma, saying that "this is a partnership that works. The Africa CDC values friends of Africa."

On March 22, the first batch of massive medical supplies donated by China's Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation arrived in Africa. The medical supplies include 5.4 million face masks, kits for 1.08 million detection tests, 40,000 sets of protective clothing and 60,000 sets of protective face shields, according to the Jack Ma Foundation, in which each of the 54 countries receiving some 100,000 medical masks, 20,000 test kits and 1,000 protective suits and face shields.

Also on April 6, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation made the second round of donations, which went to all 54 countries in Africa as the continent grapples with the pandemic. Enditem
A Chinese rocket has crashed down to Earth, missing New York by minutes.

The Long March-5B rocket, an unmanned prototype craft launched into space on 5 May, fell down and came around 13 minutes of hitting the city.

CNN reported that the rocket launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the Hainan province in South China.

The rocket experienced a mysterious malfunction on its first flight, but nevertheless returned to China as planned.

The spacecraft, which had been in development for 10 years with the intention to carry large payloads into low-Earth orbit, was over 50 meters long and weighed 849 tons when it took off.

Recommended Tom Cruise planning to shoot film in space with Elon Musk and NASA

Usually when a rocket launches, the first stage provides the majority of the thrust to get the craft into orbital velocity before dropping into the ocean. A second stage then activates, pushing the rockets payload into orbit.

However, the rocket had difficulty breaking out of the Earth's atmosphere.

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told The Independent that: Even in space there's a thin bit of atmosphere left. Objects in low orbit travel at 18000 mph, so even a tiny bit of air makes a huge headwind. This causes 'orbital decay' - the satellite's orbit gets lower and lower over time, into the denser atmosphere where the headwind is even bigger.

"Eventually it gets to the point where the heating from friction melts the metal and causes the object to break up and lose enough speed to crash towards Earth. For smaller satellites, they melt entirely and nothing reaches the ground.

McDowell tweeted that it was the most massive object to make an uncontrolled re-entry since the 39-tonne Salyut-7 in 1991.

Tracking objects travelling at such high speed is challenging, and during the descent of the rocket it was predicted that the potential re-entry areas were near Australia, the US, and Africa.

The difference between the craft crashing into its final destination and the city of New York  which has a population of just under nine million people  was only 13 minutes.

The craft was eventually confirmed by the US Space Forces 18th Space Control Squadron to have landed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Possible debris has been seen around the Cote dIvoire, with reports of a 12-meter long object crashing into the village of Mahounou  directly underneath the rockets re-entry track, but 2100km from its re-entry location.

According to other local reports, debris also fell in N'guinou, where a 50kg piece of the spacecraft pierced the roof of a family home. There have been no reported casualties.

"For the Chinese to let this rocket come down due to natural orbital decay is seen as irresponsible by most people in the space industry", said McDowell.

This is not the first instance where a Chinese rocket launch has gone wrong; according to the Xinhua News Agency  a state-run press agency in China  the Long March 3B rocket which was launched on 9 March had a malfunction in its third stage.

Debris fell over China, and people in Guam posted videos of wreckage shooting through the sky. Guams government released a statement that said it had identified that the object was likely connected to a scheduled satellite test launch from China.
Nurses protest about NHS funding levels outside Downing Street - Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Union bosses have urged Boris Johnson to "step away" from proposals to freeze public sector pay after a Treasury document estimated that the UK's deficit could reach 337 billion this year.

The paper, revealed exclusively by The Telegraph, warned that a pay freeze could be required to fill the gap in the country's finances.

Unions have said a freeze would be a "deep and damaging betrayal" of nurses, paramedics and refuse collectors on the front line of the fight against coronavirus.

Unite's assistant general secretary, Gail Cartmail, said: "I challenge the PM to step up and step away from this suggestion without delay. He, among countless others, has seen first-hand the value of public sector workers literally saving lives.

"We remain in the midst of the pandemic, and the Government must rule out this dangerously demoralising proposal immediately so that nurses, paramedics, refuse collectors and the millions of other public sector workers are reassured that they will be fairly treated when this crisis ends."

As well as a pay freeze, the confidential Treasury assessment warned that a raft of tax hikes and an end to the triple lock on pensions could be deployed to mitigate the damage done to the economy by coronavirus.

The Prospect union warned that to respond to the economic shock of the virus "with more austerity and pay cuts for public servants would be like throwing water on a chip pan fire".

Its general secretary, Mike Clancy, said: "Slashing the wages of the public servants who have helped us through this crisis would not only be immoral, it would only make the situation worse, leading to a spiral of cuts and unemployment that will hamstring Britain for a decade.

"Ministers must ignore these proposals and focus Government attention on saving jobs, supporting incomes and getting the economy firing on all cylinders once it is safe to do so."

Story continues

The chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, John Apter, said a pay freeze would be a "deep and damaging betrayal" of workers and "morally bankrupt", urging the Government to rethink any plans for "financially punishing our public sector workers".

In a series of tweets, Mr Apter said: "If there is any consideration in financially punishing our public sector workers then I urge a rethink.

"To even consider freezing the pay of our essential public sector workers to help the financial recovery would be morally bankrupt and would be a deep and damaging betrayal."

The Fire Brigades Union also hit out at any real-terms pay cut. Matt Wrack, the general secretary, said: "Firefighters have had a real-terms pay cut of around 4,000 over the last decade, much like workers across the public sector.

"Key workers and the public they serve will not accept another attempt to pass the buck from the rich to working people. Far from discussing pay cuts, the Government should instead be considering how best it can reward those who have got us through this pandemic.

"The Government is talking about dishing out medals to key workers in one breath whilst planning pay cuts for them in another. We will fight any attempt to make those who see us through the coronavirus crisis pay for it with another real-terms pay cut."

Labour also urged the Prime Minister and Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, to reject public sector spending cuts as a way of paying off the cost of the pandemic.

The shadow chancellor, Anneliese Dodds, said: "A lack of resilience in our public services, caused by 10 years of underfunding, has made it harder to deal with the challenge of coronavirus.

"After all our public services and key workers have done to save lives during this pandemic, there must be no return to a society where we lack that resilience. Both the Chancellor and the Prime Minister must urgently make a statement rejecting these plans."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:23:05|Editor: huaxia

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Qiu Youhazi puts on a label of normal body temperature after undergoing a temperature test at a food delivery site in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

by Xinhua writers Yang Di, Lu Youyi and Lyu Qiuping

CHENGDU, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Qiu Youhazi shuttles through concrete jungles on his electric bicycles and climbs up and down in urban buildings from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day to deliver meals. The 28-year-old does not think his job is tiring as he has been running in the mountains since childhood.

Born and raised in a remote village in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Qiu is a food courier in the provincial capital of Chengdu, some 11 hours' drive from his village.

The name Youhazi, meaning "a man bringing the hope of making fortune" in Yi ethnic language, was given by his parents, who expected their son to shake off poverty that has been lingering for generations.

Liangshan, home to 178,000 impoverished people, is one of the poorest regions in China. The last seven counties that remain on the list of Sichuan's poor county regions are all located in the prefecture.

China aims to eradicate absolute poverty this year. By the end of last year, there were still over 5.5 million people living under the poverty line across the country.

When the meager farm yield out of the barren lands can hardly support local households, young generations go out to work at an early age, including Qiu.

Two years ago, Qius wife gave birth to twins, while the eldest son was still a toddler. As the breadwinner of the family, the young father, who used to earn 4,000 yuan (564 U.S. dollars) a month at an electronics plant in Chongqing Municipality, quit his job and decided to deliver online meal orders last October.

"I heard delivering food could almost double my income at the time," he said.

Figures show online food delivery transactions exceeded 720 billion yuan in the country in 2019. Explosive growth is further expected this year, as the novel coronavirus epidemic has forced a large number of people to order online, waiting for their meals to be delivered to their doorstep. Analysts estimate that there are now more than 7 million food couriers across the country.

On his first day of work, Qiu followed experienced riders, delivering 29 orders -- a fairly good performance.

Working day and night, the green hand earned more than 8,000 yuan in the first month and 13,000 yuan in the following month, ranking first among the delivery team.

"In fact, there is no trick other than working hard," he said. With more than 20,000 steps a day, Qiu has lost 6 kg. He has also become so familiar with the neighborhood that he does not need navigation while working.

As time goes on, Qiu has realized the job is not as simple as picking up and delivering food.

Once, a customer yelled at him when he was slightly late bringing a coffee order on time, which made him sad and frustrated. "I couldn't help but wonder whether this was the right job for me," he recalled, realizing communication with customers was also important.

Till now, Qiu has kept a "zero bad reviews" record, which is very rare among his peers.

Qiu has also been moved by strangers. During a midnight delivery, he found an old man waiting for him at the gate of a residential community.

"I was worried about your electric bicycle being stolen, so I kept an eye on it," the elder told him.

In March, online delivery workers were listed as one of the 16 new occupations by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

A report released by the e-commerce giant Alibaba in April said among the food delivery workers registered at its online platform of Eleme, nearly 300,000 are from state-level impoverished counties, with their monthly income exceeding 5,800 yuan on average.

Wei Baigang, head of the development planning department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said 90 percent of the registered impoverished population received industrial and employment support, more than two-thirds of whom successfully cast off poverty by working in cities or local industries.

In merely half a year, Qiu transferred 30,000 yuan to his family.

Now that he has a much higher income, he has a long list of wishes, such as buying an apartment and sending his children to town for school -- dreams that he never thought he could reach before.

Qiu said his parents did not think school was necessary considering their children would end up toiling in the field anyway. But when he came out of the mountains and struggled in the cities, he recognized the importance of education.

"I have planned to buy an apartment in town so that my children can go to the best school in the county," he said. (Yin Heng contributed to the story) Enditem
Ravi Zacharias is one of the most popular Christian authors alive. He writes extensively on theology and morality. His fans believe his works offer a rational and nuanced explanation for the Christian faith.

Sadly, things have been difficult for Zacharias lately. The 74-year-old has been diagnosed with cancer. Since that announcement, Zacharias situation seems to have gotten worse. Heres what Zacharias had to say about his hardships and how his fans  including Tim Tebow  have responded to his situation.

Ravi Zacharias and his wife Margaret | Instagram

Why Ravi Zacharias is so beloved

Since ancient times, theres always been Christian theologians who seek a thoughtful justification for the Christian faith. These people are called Christian apologists. Zacharias is perhaps the foremost Christian apologist of the 21st century. The only Christian apologist who can match him in terms of celebrity and influence is William Lane Craig.

Zacharias books deal with a host of biblical topics. Hes spoken in defense of a number of important Christian doctrines. Hes also written books comparing and contrasting Christianity with other belief systems including Buddhism and Hinduism.

Zacharias has received lots of praise from Christians for his thoughtful philosophizing and prowess as a public speaker. However, some Christians feel his theology is too literal. Regardless, he has a strong fan base among American evangelicals.

Ravi Zacharias is diagnosed with cancer

In March 2020, Zacharias revealed through his Facebook page that he was diagnosed with cancer. Specifically, he has a type of cancer called sarcoma in his spine. The he pain from the cancer was so great, Zacharias was unable to sleep. That news was grim, but Zacharias condition got grimmer.

Zacharias cancer has gotten worse and is now untreatable. According to The Christian Post, Zacharias daughter, Sarah Davis, said His oncologist informed us that this cancer is very rare in its aggression. Zacharias and his wife, Margaret, were in Texas during his cancer treatment. Now, they are returning to his home in Atlanta, Georgia, so Zacharias can spend his remaining time with his family.

How fans and the Ravi family reacted to this news

Tim Tebow in a suit | Mike Stobe/Getty Images

A number of notable people paid tribute to Zacharias. His daughter, Naomi, expressed her love for her father in a Twitter video. The video included a rendition of How Great Thou Art, her fathers favorite hymn.

Tim Tebow, a devout Christian, paid tribute to Zacharias as well. According to The Christian Post, Tebow referred to Zacharias as one of my heroes of the faith. Tebow says he has been inspired by Zacharias ministry. He extorted his fans to write kind words for Zacharias on an Instagram post to help cheer Zacharias up.

The Christian Post reports Zacharias and his family reacted to this diagnosis with a post discussing both Zacharias fans and his faith. We received literally thousands of messages from people all over the world saying you were praying. I have every belief God directed and prompted my surgeon to his discovery of this tumor. Margie and I and our family are so grateful for your continued prayers for the journey that lies ahead. We are trusting the Lord for His purpose.

Also see: The Tragic Death of TobyMacs Son
Major social network sites such as Facebook and YouTube face even stricter controls in Vietnam if a draft decree amendment on internet management gets approval,

adding to the pressures for the popular sites to wipe out fake news and adhere to tax obligations.

According to Article 23 of the draft amendments to Decree No.72/2013/ND-CP stipulating the management, provision, and use of internet services and online information, social networks with more than one million users per month will have to get licensed through the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to operate social networks in the country.

As of current time, Facebook and YouTube get about 2.6 billion and 1.9 billion users per month globally, respectively. Thus, both platforms have to be licensed through the MIC to keep their performance in Vietnam.

Under the draft, the MIC will attach measuring tools to such networks to regularly supervise the user base and the number of interactions on the platforms. Moreover, the ministry will check and issue documents to require companies to file dossiers to get licences for their social networks. Notably, the draft decree also regulates that licensed social networks would be allowed to charge usage fees and include live-streaming services.

The changes could be seen as part of a crackdown with the social media sites coming under increasing pressure in Vietnam and beyond to eradicate false news and harmful videos. Measures will also apply to tax obligations that the tech firms have ignored in Vietnam for a long time. The big US digital companies have enjoyed growing sales as people stay at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, they have commonly been criticised for paying a tiny amount of tax on the large revenues which they generate in overseas countries.

In a recent move, India imposed a digital tax on global tech giants invoicing their revenues out of India. Meanwhile, Indonesia also decided to tax the social media groups to fund government spending on coronavirus relief.

In Vietnam, slapping tax charges on these digital heavyweights has been one potential option for local authorities as the groups have yet to open representative offices and branches here. Recent research by the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR) confirmed that Facebook and Google (operator of YouTube) are two US internet giants with massive advertising businesses in Vietnam but are yet to fulfil their local tax obligations.

The research cited data from market research company ANTS saying that Facebook and Google alone account for 66 per cent of digital advertising market share in Vietnam. However, the companies implement business without an advertising partner in Vietnam and collect money on their accounts. Thus, it is hard to control advertising revenue generated in Vietnam and transferred overseas. This not only causes a loss of tax revenue for the state but also eats up the market share of local digital content companies.

According to ANTS, the total revenue of the local advertising market last year hit about $648 million, including Facebooks $275 million, Googles $174.9 million, and $180.9 million separating the other local companies. In 2020, the earnings in the whole market is forecast to hit $760 million, including $512 million from the two titans.

To prevent the loss of tax, the National Assembly in June 2019 adopted the amendments to the Law on Tax Administration, effective from July 1, outlining that all cross-border businesses that have been earning money from Vietnam have to perform tax registration, declaration, and payment. That means overseas cross-border service suppliers will have to directly authorise a third party to carry out the tax obligation even if they have no representative offices in the country.

To materialise the new regulation, the General Department of Taxation has been publishing tax registrations of companies on its website. Once they do not take the obligation, local authorities will automatically charge tax at the source.

The Law on Tax Administration has already stipulated a regulation to allow banks to deduct from the companies accounts. Specifically, Clause 27 outlines that banks have to take the obligation of deduction and perform the tax obligation of the cross-border services suppliers, whose incomes are incurred from Vietnam. Currently, tax authorities have been working with the State Bank of Vietnam and other commercial banks to clarify standards, conditions, and develop guidelines for deducting activities per the regulations.

Vu Tu Thanh, deputy regional managing director at the US-ASEAN Business Council in Vietnam, said there is no sure-fire way to gauge exact revenue generated by Facebook and Google here. The government is making efforts to reform digital payments so that transactions on these platforms are conducted via these payment gateways, Thanh said. In the long term, it is crucial for Vietnam to work with other countries to address this challenge. VIR

Song Van

Facebook's $5.7bn bet on India's richest man Mukesh Ambani The social media giant becomes a shareholder in cut-price Indian mobile internet company Reliance Jio.
Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday announced an inquiry into the use of Chinese-made drones by U.S. state and local police forces.

U.S. intelligence agencies have warned that drones made by Da Jiang Innovations, a Chinese company that manufactures about 80 percent of drones in the U.S., could be used by the Chinese government to spy on American infrastructure. But local law-enforcement agencies have nevertheless been using DJI drones to enforce social-distancing measures during the coronavirus pandemic.

Although federal law enforcement agencies have warned of potential information security concerns with DJI drones, it is not clear whether state and local law enforcement agencies are fully aware of these issues, the representatives wrote in letters to the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security. On April 1, 2020, DJI announced that it had donated 100 drones to 45 police, fire and public safety organizations in 22 states under the potential guise of helping with the problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The letter to the Justice Department requests a list of all local police forces currently using DJI drones, and both letters ask whether the DOJ and DHS are monitoring the use of such drones.

As early as 2017, the Department of Homeland Security warned that DJI was selectively targeting government and privately owned entities within these sectors to expand its ability to collect and exploit sensitive U.S. data.

DJI spokesperson Adam Lisberg disputed those claims.

With more front-line workers testing positive for COVID-19, our focus is giving our public safety professionals every tool possible to fight the virus and protect citizens. That is our goal, Lisberg told National Review. False claims that our drones spy on people or send data to China actually risk interfering with public safety efforts to protect people and communities.

Police tasked with enforcing social-distancing measures have used DJI drones to look into areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach. Chris Bollwage, the mayor of Elizabeth, N.J., defended his citys use of drones in an interview with MSNBC in mid April.

Story continues

If these drones save one life, it is clearly worth the activity and the information that the drones are sending, Bollwage said at the time.

More from National Review
As remote work has become the new reality for millions of people around the world, a growing number of companies are looking for ways to track employee efficiency.

Recent shelter-in-place orders have allowed workers in nearly every industry to do things at home they never thought possible, from live TV production to trading multi-asset class hedge fund portfolios.

With more of their staffers spending the day in their pajamas, employers have an increasingly difficult task when it comes to figuring how hard employees are working. It's even more complicated in the current pandemic, because childcare demands, sicknesses among family members and interruptions caused by pets differ greatly by the household.

Companies weren't expecting to be in this predicament, but now they have to accept it. According to a survey by staffing firm Robert Half, 60% of office professionals who transition to a remote setup say they have a better work-life balance without a commute. The survey found that 74% of respondents would like to telecommute more often once restrictions lift. Facebook, Google, Twitter and Nationwide are among companies allowing their employees to work from home for the foreseeable future.

Sam Naficy, CEO of Prodoscore, which monitors employee productivity, says the coronavirus has led to a spike in his company's growth, with interest from prospective customers climbing 600%. On Wednesday, the company said it closed its Series A funding round, which was led by Troy Carter, an early backer of Uber, Lyft and Dropbox.

"Prodoscore is all about helping companies maximize the profit potential of their teams, and it represents the right technology at the right time," Naficy said.

The software tracks worker activity and then provides managers with a score on a productivity scale. While employers aren't required to tell employees they're being tracked, Prodoscore recommends that they do.

Reggie Scales, senior vice president of Vonage, has been using Prodoscore for two years to track his sales team and give them better feedback. It's worked so well that he's considering permanent changes to the way his sales operation works, he said.

"I've been doing this for quite some time and have found subjective conversations about activity are often noisy conversations," Scales said, adding that Prodoscore allows him to push his sales people when needed.

Hubstaff, a provider of time tracking tools for remote workforces, said the number of companies trialing its technology has grown by two to three times since Covid-19 forced offices to empty out.

"We feel that the demand will slide a bit more as some companies go back to the office, but that it will remain much higher than" it was pre-coronavirus, said Dave Nevogt, co-founder of Hubstaff. "Remote work will become more mainstream and also some companies will decide that they can let their people work from home or remotely at least a few days a week."

According to Google Trends, people are spending a lot more lot time searching for "employee monitoring."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:01:00|Editor: huaxia

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FRANKFURT, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Leading German lender Commerzbank said on Wednesday that it swung to a loss of 295 million euros (320 million U.S. dollars) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2020 from a profit of 122 million euros a year ago, as the coronavirus crisis weighed on its earnings.

For the first three months, the operating result stood at minus 277 million euros, mainly because of temporary valuation effects caused by market volatility and higher risk provision due to the pandemic. The negative impact arising from the coronavirus totaled 479 million euros, it said.

Its risk result increased fourfold to minus 326 million euros compared with the same period last year, as a result of the pandemic, the bank said.

However, the German lender saw good development in customer business, with net interest income up 7 percent year on year and net commission income up 14 percent. Overall, Commerzbank reported revenues of 1.85 billion euros, down from 2.16 billion euros a year ago.

"Our strong balance sheet and our robust capital position place us in a good position to help the German economy with full strength through this historically unprecedented circumstances," said Commerzbank CEO Martin Zielke.

Zielke noted that the banks have a key role to play in overcoming this crisis by providing liquidity and thereby helping their customers to get through these difficult times. He said Commerzbank has provided around 11 billion euros of additional liquidity.

The bank also had a strong Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio and leverage ratio at the end of March. Chief financial officer Bettina Orlopp said a healthy loan book will be able to cushion additional effects resulting from the pandemic.

Assuming no second lockdown and gradual economic recovery, the German lender expects to keep revenues in customer business largely stable in the financial year 2020. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollars) Enditem
By Aftab Ahmed and Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India would provide 20 trillion rupees ($266 billion) in fiscal and monetary measures to support an economy battered by a sweeping weeks-long lockdown to fight the novel coronavirus. India has more than 70,000 cases among its 1.3 billion population and is set to surpass China, the origin of the outbreak, within a week

By Aftab Ahmed and Nidhi Verma

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India would provide 20 trillion rupees ($266 billion) in fiscal and monetary measures to support an economy battered by a sweeping weeks-long lockdown to fight the novel coronavirus.

India has more than 70,000 cases among its 1.3 billion population and is set to surpass China, the origin of the outbreak, within a week. Modi said strict stay-at-home orders would be extended beyond May 17 with a new set of rules.

In an address to the nation, he said the package was equivalent to 10% of India's gross domestic product, and was aimed at the multitudes out of work and the businesses reeling under the prolonged shutdown.

In March, the government said it was providing around 1.7 trillion rupees ($2.6 billion) in direct cash transfers and food security measures, mainly for the poor, but was widely accused of doing too little.

Modi said details of the new package, as well as reforms of land and labour markets, would be released within days:

"The package will also focus on land, labour, liquidity and laws. It will cater to various sections including cottage industry, medium and small enterprises, labourers, middle class, industries, among others."

Economists said the new package included the March allocation as well as liquidity measures announced by the central bank worth $6.5 trillion rupees.

"Headline announcement looks positive. Would include around 6.5 trillion rupees already done by RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and the first package. So - additional is 13.5 trillion rupees," said Sandip Sabharwal, a Mumbai-based fund manager.

"It doesn't match the gross borrowing details of the government so we need to look at details. Headline number should, however, excite the markets near-term."

Last week, India increased its borrowing programme for the year to 12 trillion rupees from 7.8 trillion to fund some of the expenses.

ECONOMY SLOWING, SPENDING RISING

Even before the pandemic, India's growth was slowing and public finances were strained because of poor tax collection and higher spending.

Last month, the ratings agency Fitch said India's sovereign rating could come under pressure if its fiscal outlook deteriorates further as the government tries to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

Some commentators said it was too early to say how effective the package would prove to be. "Very often, when the government has made these huge, very big announcements ... the figures have often been fudged," Yogendra Yadav, founder of the opposition party Swaraj India, told a television channel.

"What we have right now is a statement of intent. How can you quarrel with intent?"

Modi said the reforms of the land and labour markets were intended to make India more competitive and a big player in global supply chains, some of which could shift away from China after the pandemic.

Business leaders say potential investors often choose Vietnam, Thailand or Bangladesh ahead of India because of the time required to buy land for factories, restrictive labour laws and higher borrowing costs.

"These reforms will promote business, attract investment, and further strengthen 'Made in India'," Modi said.

Governments and central banks around the world have unleashed unprecedented amounts of fiscal and monetary support for economies that are reeling from the pandemic.

"Indias response has so far been tepid compared to other key nations and thus the catch-up is welcome and is also the need of the hour," said Madhavi Arora, lead economist at Edelweiss FX and Rates.

"It needs to be seen how much will be in the form of direct budgetary support to gauge the immediate fiscal hit and the consequent funding sources."

(Additional reporting by Alasdair Pal and Devjyot Ghoshal in New Delhi, Swati Bhat in Mumbai; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Kevin Liffey)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The nursing home industrys push for immunity comes as businesses nationwide lobby the Trump administration and Congress to protect American companies from a range of potential lawsuits, including those from customers or employees who contract the virus and accuse the business of being the source of the infection.

Nursing home operators said they were not to blame for the terrible losses caused by the outbreak, emphasizing that they faced a formidable challenge that taxed them in ways they could not have foreseen. Many homes said they struggled to obtain testing kits for coronavirus and basic protective gear like gowns and N95 masks, leaving them powerless to stop the contagion.

People need to know that theyre not going to be sued as a result of going to work, said Jim Clyne, chief executive of LeadingAge New York, a group that represents nonprofit nursing homes and that lobbied for New Yorks law. Providers need to feel safe to take care of people.

But in recent weeks, reports of horrific scenes within nursing homes have emerged: severe staffing shortages as workers became sick, terrified residents pleading to the outside world for help, the bodies of dead residents piling up in makeshift morgues.

Some homes run by for-profit companies had been previously cited by regulators for poor infectious-disease control and chronic understaffing. Families said they had difficulties prying even basic information from the facilities  like how many residents had died or had been infected with Covid-19.

Family members of those who died said they were dismayed that they might not be able to sue the homes for neglect. Vivian Rivera-Zayas said a Long Island, N.Y., nursing home waited until her mother, who had tested positive for Covid-19, was gasping for breath with a collapsed lung before transferring her to a hospital next door. Her mother died two days later.

Image Ana Martinez, left, and her daughter, Vivian Rivera-Zayas

They cant just shrug their shoulders and say, Its a pandemic, said Ms. Rivera-Zayas, who plans to sue the nursing home. There has to be accountability.
An ice addict fugitive who was crash tackled by a Good Samaritan has been sentenced to 18 months jail after pleading guilty to 81 charges.

Akin Sen was in the middle of a 'very serious crime wave' when a dog walker unwittingly assisted police in taking him down.

The 41-year-old had crashed into a police car near Mermaid Waters on the Gold Coast and fled on foot on March 5.

On Wednesday, Sen pleaded guilty to 37 counts of fraud, evading officers, possessing drugs and dangerous driving.

Sen was also addicted to methylamphetamine at the time of his arrest, 7News reported.

The offender tried to flee police but was stopped in his tracks of a passer-by walking his dog

Magistrate Pamela Dowse on Wednesday concluded 'nobody was safe' from him during the spree, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

'It can only be regarded as a very serious crime wave,' Magistrate Dowse said.

'[The dangerous driving] was an incredibly dangerous exercise that you were undertaking and a lot of people could have been hurt, which fortunately they weren't.

Sen was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, but is eligible for parole immediately.

His sentence will not begin until he completes a separate sentence for an unrelated crime, which does not conclude until December.

The footage shows officers high-fiving the Good Samaritan for his efforts following the arrest

The Good Samaritan who crash-tackled the offender to the ground was hailed as a hero

Magistrate Dowse noted school children were present and using pedestrian crossings at the time of offending.

Defence lawyer Evan Cooper argued his client is hoping to stay off drugs long term.

'He has a desire to be drug free and realises this is a core issue for him to address,' he said.

He also noted Sen's mother died during his stint behind bars, and just three weeks later, his sister took her own life.

At the time of his arrest for the spree, police released PolAir footage which went viral for the dramatic coat hanger take down.

The dog walker managed a picture perfect citizen's arrest and held him there until police arrived minutes later.

The footage shows officers high-fiving the Good Samaritan for his efforts following the arrest.
[May 13, 2020] Mastercard Updates Second-Quarter 2020 Operating Metrics

Mastercard today is updating its operating metrics with an additional two weeks of information. We are monitoring the impact of the pandemic and related actions being taken by governments as it relates to border restrictions, social distancing measures and opening of businesses, and the resultant impact on spending levels. With an additional two weeks of activity, we believe that we are starting to see the transition from the Stabilization phase to the Normalization phase in some markets, although it is very early days. The Stabilization phase is characterized by spending stabilizing around new lower levels as a result of compliance with social distancing and mobility limitations. The Normalization phase occurs when these restrictions are relaxed and spending begins to gradually recover from the new lower levels, with some sectors recovering faster than others. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005861/en/ Cross-Border Volume growth trends versus the comparable year ago period. (Graphic: Business Wire) The table below shows weekly growth trends of certain operating metrics versus the comparable year ago period.







*NEW* Week ending

April 7 Week ending

April 14 Week ending

April 21 Week ending

April 28 Week ending

May 7 Switched Volume1 (25)% (30)% (20)% (17)% (12)% United States (22)% (26)% (15)% (12)% (6)% Worldwide less United States (28)% (33)% (25)% (22)% (19)% Switched Transactions2 (24)% (24)% (20)% (16)% (12)% Cross-Border Volume1 (48)% (55)% (49)% (49)% (43)% 1. Mastercard-branded programs only 2. Total number of transactions switched by Mastercard

Additional commentary: Switched Volume is showing an improving trend over the past two weeks, in part due to the relaxation of social distancing measures in several markets and the impact of fiscal stimulus in the United States.

Switched Transactions trends are similar to what we are seeing in Switched Volumes.

Cross-Border Volume continues to be impacted by the decline in travel, although we have seen modest improvements over the last week in part due to an increase in intra-Europe travel. Additionally, we continue to see strong demand for our Data & Analytics and Cyber solutions. In Q2, we expect services growth will continue to outperform our core products and deliver positive growth. The accompanying table shows Cross-Border Volume growth trends versus the comparable year ago period. Additional commentary: We believe card present growth (orange line) has bottomed and remains minimal due to the lack of travel, although we have seen modest improvements over the last week in part due to an increase in intra-Europe travel.

Card not present growth (yellow line) has been more resilient than card present growth. We continue to see strong growth in card not present volumes, excluding online travel related spend (green line). Online travel related spend, which accounted for roughly a third of card not present cross-border volume in 2019, improved modestly in the first week of May, but remains minimal.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "believe", "expect", "could", "may", "would", "will", "trend" and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to Mastercard's future prospects, developments and business strategies. We caution you to not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as they speak only as of the date they are made. Except for the company's ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, the company does not intend to update or otherwise revise the forward-looking information to reflect actual results of operations, changes in financial condition, changes in estimates, expectations or assumptions, changes in general economic or industry conditions or other circumstances arising and/or existing since the preparation of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of any unanticipated events. Many factors and uncertainties relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control, influence whether any forward-looking statements can or will be achieved. Any one of those factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in writing in any forward-looking statements made by Mastercard or on its behalf, including, but not limited to, the following factors: the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and measures taken in response to the outbreak

regulation directly related to the payments industry (including regulatory, legislative and litigation activity with respect to interchange rates and surcharging)

the impact of preferential or protective government actions

regulation of privacy, data, security and the digital economy

regulation that directly or indirectly applies to us based on our participation in the global payments industry (including anti-money laundering, counter financing of terrorism, economic sanctions and anti- corruption; account-based payment systems and issuer practice regulation)

the impact of changes in tax laws, as well as regulations and interpretations of such laws or challenges to our tax positions

potential or incurred liability and limitations on business related to any litigation or litigation settlements

the impact of competition in the global payments industry (including disintermediation and pricing pressure)

the challenges relating to rapid technological developments and changes

the challenges relating to operating real-time account-based payment system and to working with new customers and end users

the impact of information security incidents, account data breaches or service disruptions

issues related to our relationships with our financial institution customers (including loss of substantial business from significant customers, competitor relationships with our customers and banking industry consolidation), merchants and governments

exposure to loss or illiquidity due to our role as guarantor and other contractual obligations

the impact of global economic, political, financial and societal events and conditions, including adverse currency fluctuations and foreign exchange controls

reputational impact, including impact related to brand perception and lack of visibility of our brands in products and services

the inability to attract, hire and retain a highly qualified and diverse workforce, or maintain our corporate culture

issues related to acquisition integration, strategic investments and entry into new businesses

issues related to our Class A common stock and corporate governance structure For additional information on these and other factors that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from expected results, please see the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and any subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. About Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005861/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
New Delhi:

Weeks after an international court struck down its claims over the disputed South China Sea, a high resolution satellite has been successfully launched by China on Wednesday. Satellite aims to provide seamless view of seas inorder to protect its maritime rights besides land borders and global hotspots.

Gaofen-3 is the new high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging satellite that was launched off on the back of a Long March 4C rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province. It was the 233rd flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket, the work horse of Chinas space launches.

As Chinas first SAR imaging satellite that is accurate to one meter in distance, it covers the globe with an all-weather, 24-hour observation service and will be used for disaster warning, weather forecasting, water resource assessments, and the protection of maritime rights.

The satellite was launched amid Chinas efforts to firmly establish its control over the South China Sea, after last months tribunal verdict quashing Beijing expansive claims over all most all of the disputed area also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China, which rejected the verdict has already launched air and naval patrols over the area to firmly establish control. Since the inception of the Gaofen project in 2013, China has had an increasingly clearer view of the planet, the state-run Xinhua news agency report said.

This also means China has better view of its land borders including its boundary with India. Compared with optical imaging satellites, Gaofen-3 will better perform disaster monitoring as the SAR imaging satellite is capable of imaging in severe weather conditions as it uses microwave transmission.

The launch of Gaofen-3 is expected to reduce dependence on data provided by foreign microwave imaging satellites, Jiang Xingwei, deputy chief engineer of Gaofen satellite application system, said. The new satellite is able to provide high-definition remote sensing data over long periods of time. It can capture continuous imaging for nearly one hour during ocean observation.

With 12 imaging modes, Gaofen-3 has the most imaging modes in the SAR imaging satellite family. The high-definition observation satellite is capable of switching freely between various imaging modes, taking wide pictures of both earth and sea, and detailed photographs of specific areas.

Gaofen-3 is also Chinas first low orbit remote sensing satellite to have a lifespan of eight years, longer than other China-built satellites, which have a lifespan of three to five years, and that of foreign models between six to seven-and-a-half years.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.


By Guy Verhofstadt





BRUSSELS  The economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis occupy almost every-one's thoughts and conversations. And for good reason: The European Union, for one, is headed toward the worst recession in its history, with the economy expected to shrink by 7-12 percent this year.



But far less is being said about the danger the pandemic poses to democracy, even though the signals are similarly ominous.



The EU acted fast to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic. The European Central Bank launched exceptional monetary measures, and the EU introduced a recovery and reconstruction package amounting to 1-1.5 trillion euro ($1.1-1.6 trillion).



Differences over how to finance an EU rescue package remain, but the primary objective is straightforward: to achieve a rapid V-shaped recovery, though a slower U-shaped recovery remains a distinct possibility.



Beyond a straightforward economic recovery, however, is the widely shared ambition of building a greener, more digitized European economy. Virtually everyone agrees that the COVID-19 crisis represents an important opportunity to accelerate such a transformation, though the jury is still out on whether the EU will seize it.



The outcome will depend partly on the pandemic's impact on Europe's political institutions. And, so far, there are serious reasons to worry.



From an institutional perspective, the biggest threat comes from Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, which recently ruled that the German government had violated the country's Basic Law by failing to monitor adequately the ECB's public-sector asset purchases. This ruling is not only remarkably detached from reality  saving the European economy must be the top priority today  but also reflects open contempt for the EU Treaties.



Juridical responsibility for the ECB  including oversight over whether it is overstepping its mandate  belongs to the Court of Justice of the EU, which deemed the ECB's asset purchases legal in 2018. Yet the German court, using utterly torturous logic, claims that it is not bound by that ruling  all in an effort to impose German economic prejudices on the rest of the EU.



Far more worrying, however, are populist efforts to use the crisis to undermine democracy. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a case in point. Having spent the last decade at-tacking the free press, NGOs, and political opponents, Orban has used the COVID-19 crisis as pretext to push through legislation that enables him to rule by decree indefinitely. This is Europe's first such dictatorial demarche since Adolf Hitler's Enabling Act of 1933.



In Russia, the assaults on democratic institutions are even cruder. Three doctors treating COVID-19 patients have mysteriously fallen out of windows in recent weeks, after questioning or criticizing the country's handling of the crisis. One cannot help but recall the fate of Jan Masaryk, the Czechoslovak foreign minister who was found dead below his apartment window in March 1948, two weeks after the Communist takeover.



This trend is hardly limited to Europe. The world's largest democracies  the United States, Brazil, and India  are also in growing peril.



U.S. President Donald Trump has managed to politicize the pandemic. He has refused to help governors  especially Democrats  secure needed equipment, and even attempted to intercept equipment that had been ordered privately. Moreover, he has been stoking resistance to stay-at-home orders in states, such as Michigan and Minnesota, under Democratic control.



Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been following the same playbook, albeit in a more openly thuggish and oligarchic way. And, beyond implementing a poorly thought-out lock-down that left millions of Indians jobless and hungry overnight, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been using the virus to advance its anti-Muslim agenda.



Shockingly, these assaults on democracy have so far received little international attention. The global media are so consumed by the public-health and economic consequences of COVID-19 that they apparently have little space for the political implications. This is particularly true when it comes to coverage of contact-tracing apps  possibly the biggest threat to democracy of all.



By informing users of possible exposure to COVID-19, contact-tracing apps are supposed to be the key to enabling economies to reopen while minimizing the risks to public health. Yet even the most "secure" versions  which use Bluetooth, encrypt data, and promise anonymity  raise serious questions.



Who guarantees the security of the data against hackers? If I want to delete the app, will all my data be erased? How soon? What ensures that governments won't make the apps mandatory? If they do make the app mandatory during the pandemic, what stops them from keeping it that way? These questions go to the heart of our constitutional rights and freedoms.



Mass adoption of contact-tracing apps is a slippery slope. Before long, Europeans, Americans, or others could find themselves living more like the Chinese, with every move monitored, every violation  even of unwritten rules  punished, and a "personal rating" dictating one's access to travel and public services.



This may seem farfetched, but one need only consider the latest developments in Hungary or Poland to see just how vulnerable democratic institutions can be. If we are not careful, the biggest casualty of COVID-19 could be democracy.





Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister, is President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group (ALDE) in the European Parliament. His article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).




Its not just water that is flowing to San Antonio through the Vista Ridge pipeline  its long-term security for the region.

The value in the 142-mile Vista Ridge pipeline is its distinction as a major new supply of water for San Antonio, helping to decrease our reliance on the precious Edwards Aquifer. It will deliver as much as 16.3 billion gallons a year, which is about 20 percent of the San Antonio Water System supply.

Vista Ridge represents security for businesses that might be considering moving to San Antonio or expanding here, and it anticipates the pressures of being one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. All those new Texans in San Antonio and along the I-35 corridor will need water, and some of it will come from Vista Ridge.

Vista Ridge began in 2014, spanning much controversy and three mayors: Julian Castro, Ivy Taylor and Ron Nirenberg, who at one time was fairly critical of the pipeline but never in a way that threatened its development.

The concerns have been myriad.

At roughly $1,600 per acre-foot, the water was too expensive, critics said. They also said the project enabled future growth and undermined conservation, and warned over-pumping could threaten the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer.

Yes, the water is the most expensive in the state, but that will almost certainly change over the next 30 years; SAWS President and CEO Robert Puente has said he thinks the water will look cheap in 10 years. Time will tell, but the water is necessary.

Whether Vista Ridge facilitates growth is an open question, but we do know the growth was already occurring without this pipeline. Bexar Countys population surged past 2 million last summer, according to census data. Since 2010, the countys population has grown by 289,000 people.

And as for potential impact on the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, a model from the hydrology firm RW Harden & Associates projected a decline to the aquifer of about 1.6 percent over 60 years.

Perhaps, most importantly, critics of Vista Ridge have never outlined an alternative to address the threat of long-term water shortage as the region faces growth and the prospect of hotter weather and increased drought due to climate change. So, if not Vista Ridge, then what?

Conservation remains a SAWS priority. In fact, SAWS cant meet long-term demand projections without conservation. But conservation cant diversify water resources. On the other end of the spectrum, desalination, a potential alternative to Vista Ridge, is expensive with challenging environmental considerations.

As Texas A&Ms Institute of Renewable Natural Resources noted about Vista Ridge in a water policy analysis from 2015: Assuming this project is not pursued, it is unclear what other viable options are available for avoiding this shortfall of water.

If anything, then, Vista Ridge is a model for regional cooperation and future planning. Water is moving from one part of the state to another between willing sellers and a buyer in anticipation of growth. And SAWS now has the benefit of flexibility. It can use the Vista Ridge water and bank Edwards Aquifer water in anticipation of drought, or it can sell Vista Ridge water along the pipeline route.

There were moments Vista Ridge looked like a failed project, particularly when the company tasked with building the pipeline, Spain-based Abengoa, faltered. But Abengoa was sidelined and another company stepped in to build the project. The arrival of Vista Ridge water to San Antonio is an incredible accomplishment and sound investment. It will serve this community for years to come.
A 75-year-old woman is dead after being struck by the driver of a City of Toronto pickup truck in Scarborough.

The woman was hit at Lawrence Avenue East and Fern Meadow Road, near Morningside Avenue, at around 10 a.m. Wednesday. She died at the scene, paramedics said.

Toronto police said in a press release that the victim was walking with a friend on the south sidewalk of Lawrence Avenue East when a 39-year-old woman, driving a City of Toronto pickup truck, was headed west on Lawrence.

She lost control of the vehicle, mounted the north sidewalk and struck a fence. She then went back into oncoming eastbound traffic, mounted the south sidewalk and struck the 75-year-old woman.

The drivers truck also hit another SUV and a tree before coming to a halt on the front lawn of a home.

The friend walking with the victim was fortunately able to get out of the way avoiding collision, said David Viljakainen from Toronto Paramedics.

The driver was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The City said it intends to co-operate fully with police and the Ministry of Labour as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.

Including the latest death, seven pedestrians have been killed on Toronto roads this year. They are:

A 65-year-old man died on Jan. 4 after being struck by the driver of a vehicle near Jarvis Street and Gerrard Street East in a hit-and-run.

A 26-year-old woman was struck and killed by the driver of a tractor-trailer near Dufferin Street and Steeles Avenue West in North York on Jan. 21. The driver didnt stay at the scene but was located later in the day. The block is frequented by drivers of heavy trucks which bring goods back and forth to warehouses and manufacturing companies.

A 76-year-old man died on Jan. 28 after being struck by the driver near Dundas Street West and Scarlett Road.

A 63-year-old man died on Jan. 29 after being struck by a driver near Lawrence Avenue East and the Donway West. The pedestrian was crossing Lawrence, between The Donway West and Don Mills Road, when a 29-year-old man driving west in a BMW struck him, police said.

A 79-year-old woman died on Feb. 24 after being struck by a driver in the area of Victoria Park and Old Sheppard avenues.

A two-year-old boy died on March 24 after being hit by a 25-year-old driver reversing his car near Scarlett Road and Eglinton Avenue West in Etobicoke. The man was waiting to pick someone up in front of an apartment building on Saxony Crescent, when he backed up and hit the child just as the toddler and his mother got out of the building.

According to statistics compiled by the Star using police and media reports, 42 pedestrians were killed on Toronto streets in 2019.

That is tied for the highest total since 2002, when 50 pedestrians were killed.

The Star began keeping its own count of traffic deaths in 2017 to fill gaps in police numbers, which dont include fatalities that occur on private property or provincially owned 400 series highways.

In June 2019, Mayor John Tory announced Vision Zero 2.0, a revamp of a three-year-old plan that has so far failed to reduce the citys rate of traffic deaths. The plan calls for lower speed limits, which Tory said he wants implemented quickly, with stickers over existing signs if need be.

The plan also calls for the implementation of short-term design changes using paint, bollards and other features, rather than waiting for crumbling streets to be routinely rebuilt with the citys complete streets system that includes pedestrian safety concerns.

With files from Rene Johnston
Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday expressed concern over many migrants returning to the state testing Covid-19 positive and asked the state and the Central government to clarify if returnees to the state were also being medically examined since thermal screening is not enough and whether antigen tests, or any other rapid tests, could be conducted on people before they returned to the state.

Shiv Bhatt, counsel of the petitioner said the court issued these directions while hearing a PIL on the plight of the migrants and other needy people amid lockdown. The PIL alleges that authorities had failed to provide relief materials to the daily wage labourers and other needy persons on their doorsteps during the lockdown, adding that such people are incapable of approaching the court as in the present crisis they are without any food or money...

So far seven people, who returned to Uttarakhand from other states during the current operation to send back migrant workers, have been found to be Covid-19 positive after arrival in the state, raising alarm bells.

According to government officials, till Wednesday evening, over 2 lakh registrations for return to Uttarakhand had been filed on the state website. Of these, the state government has so far brought back over 56,000 people through trains and buses, while over 6,000 people have returned to the state in their own vehicles.

Close to half of 30,971 people, who have registered with Uttarakhand government to return to their respective states so far, have been sent back.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

As regarding such persons who wish to come to Uttarakhand, we would like to know from the state authorities whether each person who is being given a permit is also medically examined. Thermal screening is not enough...Let the learned Assistant Solicitor General of India and the learned Advocate General come up with a definite reply as to whether antigen tests, or any other rapid test, can be performed on such persons. We say this because we have already been informed that Covid-19 positive persons have reached far-flung interior areas of the state such as Uttarkashi and Almora, the court order stated.

The HC stated that it has been informed by the state government that there are 49 relief camps which are presently catering to 1,237 persons, mainly migrant workers from the neighbouring states.

The HC directed all the district legal services authorities in Uttarakhand to coordinate and cooperate with the district administrations for management of rehabilitation centres through their para-legal volunteers.

The court also said that migrant workers wishing to stay in Uttarakhand must be provided with food shelter and medicine.

Those who wish to leave Uttarakhand for their home state, the state must provide free transport and passage to them so that they can reach their destination. What efforts have been made by the state in this direction, has not been disclosed so far.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 19:14:44|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Schools in China have been urged to take preventive measures on COVID-19 as they gradually reopen.

Schools should make targeted plans for epidemic prevention and control and emergency response and ensure that these measures are well implemented, said Feng Luzhao, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at a press conference in Beijing.

Education departments and schools should also make sound communication with health authorities and nearby medical institutions to form mechanisms of coordination, Feng said.

Schools should also step up monitoring the health conditions of teachers and students such as their body temperatures, he said, adding that those who are sick must be prohibited from going to school.

The density of personnel should also be strictly controlled in schools to keep a safe social distance, Feng added. Enditem
Russia's UN ambassador said Tuesday that Moscow will oppose any attempts by the United States to extend the arms embargo on Iran and reimpose UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Vassily Nebenzia's comments at a video conference made clear that the Trump administration will have a tough time advancing any measures to impose further punishment on Iran in the UN Security Council, where Russia has veto power.

The United States circulated a draft UN resolution that would indefinitely extend the UN arms embargo on Iran, which expires in October, to a small number of council members in late April.

It would strike the expiration of the arms embargo from the council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between six major powers the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany and Iran, according to Trump administration officials and UN diplomats.

Russia has made no secret of its desire to resume conventional weapons sales to Tehran.

Nebenzia said the arms embargo is a byproduct of the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, and was temporary.

It expires in October. ... And for us that's clear, that's clear, he said. I do not see any reason why an arms embargo should be imposed on Iran.

Nebenzia was also asked about the controversial matter of the Trump administration possibly seeking to use the snapback provision in the 2015 Security Council resolution endorsing the nuclear deal, which would restore all UN sanctions against Iran that had been lifted or eased under the terms of the agreement.

The Russian ambassador stressed that to trigger a snapback you have to be a participant of the JCPOA, and the US proudly announced on May 8, 2018 that they withdrew from the JCPOA and closed the door behind.

Now, they knock on the door and say, 'Now just wait a second we forgot to do one little thing on the JCPOA, but let us back, we'll do it and we'll leave again,' he said.

Nebenzia called the possibility the US invoking snapback ridiculous, stressing that for me it's unequivocal. They are not members, they have no right to use any instruments provided by the JCPOA.

He also asked the Trump administration what it would gain from triggering snapback because snapback will definitely be the end of the JCPOA."



Nebenzia that the reaction will be that the most intrusive inspections" of any country which the International Atomic Energy Agency is carrying out in Iran will cease." My question is, is it in the US interests that it happens?, he asked.

The Trump administration is not planning at this point to raise the controversial issue of snapback, said US officials, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Although President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal, the US maintains that it retains the right to invoke a sanctions snapback that the deal envisaged in the event of significant non-performance by Iran.

That position rests on a novel State Department legal argument that was first presented in December and asserts that although the US is no longer in the nuclear deal, it remains an original participant under the terms of the Security Council resolution that enshrined it.

That resolution does, in fact, list the parties to the 2015 agreement by name, but numerous diplomats in addition to Russia have said the American argument is specious because the Trump administration has made such a point about no longer participating in the deal.

Nebenzia was asked who the legal arbiter of whether the US still has standing to trigger snapback should be.

It is up to the members of the Security Council primarily, first of all, and to the remaining participants of the JCPOA itself, he said.

Nebenzia quoted a letter from Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday in which Zarif says not only is the US is in grave violation of the 2015 resolution for non-performance, but it is blatantly attempting illegal paths to reverse the resolution in actual contempt for well-established principles of international law.

Solely by withdrawing from the JCPOA, the US has lost any right, he quoted Zarif as saying.

Nebenzia said he subscribes fully to Zarif's words, adding, this to me looks like a truthful legal interpretation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chukwuka Utazi, senator representing Enugu north, says in Africa, people do not marry for love, but to have children. Utazi made the c...





Chukwuka Utazi, senator representing Enugu north, says in Africa, people do not marry for love, but to have children.

Utazi made the comment while contributing to a debate on a bill seeking to prevent, control and manage sickle cell anaemia in the country, on Tuesday.

The bill is being sponsored by Sam Egwu, senator representing Ebonyi north.

While making his point, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator said it is painful to realise that an individual cannot marry his or her choice because of blood group.

This bill is taking me down the memory lane because Im an AS carrier and when I was about getting married, several years ago, I moved into this orbit and I know what I went through because I was in love. I knew the trauma. After that incident, for five years I didnt come out of it, he said.

So I am speaking from experience and I know how it pains that you have made a choice and you discover that the choice cant work. Because in Africa, we marry for children, we dont marry for love.

At this point, Senate President Ahmad Lawan interrupted, saying: Senator Chukwuka Utazi, I think you should be speaking for yourself.

Continuing, Utazi said: In the developed world, particulars of a childs blood group is given at birth.

A test is done to show the blood group, the genotype before leaving. In the birth certificate of the child, all those things are put in place.

We should not be waiting for when people want to go and marry, that is when they will start checking their genotype and their blood group, it shouldnt be.

Also speaking on the subject, Biodun Olujimi, senator representing Ekiti south, asked Nigerians to look at ways of addressing health needs.

The time has come for us to look inwards to solve some of these health needs and also support institutions that are doing so. Going forward we need to take serious blood testing for intending couples, Olujimi said.

We will not allow love take away the best part of our marriages.

The bill passed second reading after it was put to a voice vote by Lawan.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.  Isaiah Whalum, 46, said there are some parts of his hospitalization that he remembers and some he doesn't as he fought COVID-19 for 53 days.

But he said he'd never forget the care he received from his medical team at Williamson Medical Center near Nashville, Tennessee, during those days.

"One nurse would come into my room hold my hand and play music for me," Whalum said. "They took care of me like I was their family.

"I didn't realize how sick I was."

He said he was a little hazy about how long he had been in the hospital until he saw it written on a sign in the long procession line, congratulating him on his release from the hospital on Tuesday.

Dozens of nurses and doctors lined the walkway at the main entrance of the hospital, clapping and cheering as Whalum finally joined his family.

"When I brought him in, I thought it would only be a few days before he was released, and I could see him," his wife, India Scruggs, said.

However, Scruggs and the couple's children  Isabella, 5, and Justin, 11  wouldn't see Whalum for another 43 days because of hospital visitation and health restrictions when he was in the COVID-19 unit.

"It's like Christmas," Whalum said when he finally saw the light of day outside the hospital, surrounded by his family, friends and medical team.

They were cheering him on with each step he took to the family's car.

Williamson Medical Center critical care nurses hug India Scruggs, center, after Scruggs' partner Isaiah Whalum was released from the Franklin hospital on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 after recovering from COVID-19. Williamson Medical Center doctors and nurses celebrated Whalum's release. Whalum had been a patient for 53 days.

Last COVID-19 patient at Williamson Medical Center

Whalum is the last confirmed COVID-19 patient, now recovered, to be released out of 36 who were hospitalized at Williamson Medical Center amid the coronavirus pandemic.

James Chappell, a registered nurse who served on the team caring for Whalum, called him "a fighter."

"You are family now," Chappell said as he hugged Whalum.

Katherine Mincey, also an RN, agreed and attributed Whalum's recovery to his "determination and stubbornness to push through" and the strong support of his family.

Story continues

"He has a wonderful support system. We talked to his family every day, and we feel like they are our family, too," Mincey said.

Pulmonologist Dr. Tufik Assad said seeing Whalum leave the hospital was "an amazing feeling" because, as far as COVID-19 cases go, he was "the worst of the worst."

"It's hard to describe," Assad said.

"Isaiah was part of the first wave of cases in this pandemic. It's impacted so many, and you get invested in people's lives emotionally and there's nothing that can take away from that connection."

Scruggs, who also contracted COVID-19 but had relatively mild symptoms, hugged each nurse and doctor before she pulled off to finally take Whalum home.

Williamson Medical Center doctors and nurses celebrate the release of Isaiah Whalum, who recovered COVID-19, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at the Franklin hospital. Whalum had been a patient for more than 50 days. Critical care nurse James Chappell high-fived Whalum as he left the hospital.

"It's so exciting. It's been a long road traveled with a lot of tears. I'm thankful," she said. "The nurses and doctors are so amazing. They called me every day to check on my symptoms and to give me updates. They took care of us."

Whalum said the experience has been a journey.

"My family and friends and God got me through," he said. "I can't wait to get back to my life."

He also offered advice to the public: "Do what people tell you to do. It's serious."

Follow reporter Kerri Bartlett on Twitter: @keb1414

US coronavirus curve may be flattening, but estimated death toll keeps rising: What does this mean?

'Unrivaled?': Fact-checking Donald Trump's claims about COVID-19 testing

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee coronavirus patient gets celebration upon hospital release
On the Frontline Against China, the US Coast Guard Is Taking on Missions the US Navy Can't Do

Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there...
By Raphael Satter

(Reuters) - China-linked hackers are breaking into American organizations carrying out research into COVID-19, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, warning both scientists and public health officials to be on the lookout for cyber theft.

In a joint statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security said the FBI was investigating digital break-ins at U.S. organizations by China-linked "cyber actors" that it had monitored "attempting to identify and illicitly obtain valuable intellectual property (IP) and public health data related to vaccines, treatments, and testing from networks and personnel affiliated with COVID-19-related research."

The statement offered no further details on the identities of the targets or the hackers. The Chinese Embassy in Washington condemned the allegations as "lies."

"The FBI issued a warning based on presumption of guilt and without any evidence," the embassy said in a written statement, adding the U.S. accusation "undercuts the ongoing international cooperation against the pandemic."

Coronavirus-related research and data have emerged as a key intelligence priority for hackers of all stripes and Western intelligence organizations have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the targeting of public health and pharmaceutical organizations.

In a separate statement issued earlier on Wednesday, the head of New Zealand's signals intelligence agency said it condemned any attempt to target COVID response-related infrastructure.

"We call upon all cyber actors to refrain from activity that may jeopardise national or international responses to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Andrew Hampton, the director-general of New Zealand's Government Communications Security Bureau.

Last week Reuters reported that Iran-linked cyberspies had targeted staff at U.S. drugmaker Gilead Sciences Inc., whose antiviral drug remdesivir is the only treatment so far proven to help COVID-19 patients.

In March and April, Reuters reported on advanced hackers' attempts to break into the World Health Organization as the pandemic spread across the globe.

(Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Howard Goller)
[May 13, 2020] National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center Congratulates Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award Recipients

The National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center (NICERC), a cybersecurity workforce development organization, is proud to congratulate two members of the NICERC community on receiving the inaugural Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award. The U.S. Department of Education selected Donna Woods of Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley, California and Kara Four Bear of New Town Middle School in New Town, North Dakota for instilling cybersecurity skills, knowledge and passion in their students. Both Donna and Kara are users of NICERC's K-12 cybersecurity education curriculum and have participated in NICERC-sponsored professional development programs. "This is an incredible accomplishment for both Donna and Kara and a testament to the work these two are doing to build cybersecurity career readiness with their students," said Kevin Nolten, director of NICERC. "We are proud to be their partners in delivering cybersecurity education to their schools and inspiring more students to pursue cybersecurity careers." Ms. Woods was recognized for creating career and technical education programs focusing on cybersecurity that supplement classroom learning with internships or apprenticeships. Ms. Four Bear was recognized for implementing North Dakota cybersecurity education initiatives focused on improving students' digital literacy and safety skills. Secretary Betsy DeVos praised both teachers for "helping to prepare our students to fill [cybersecurity] jobs and help keep our nation safe now and in the future." "NICERC has been instrumental to me in creating a strong pathwy for student success," said Woods. "Their education partnership and innovative curriculum, free to all educators, has been the foundation of our program at Canyon Springs High School."



"We're just a small-town school looking to make an impact on children's lives on a global scale," said Four Bear. "Our goal is for learners to see how they fit into a worldly society and for them to dare to dream of the possibilities that await them. These transformations are completely possible for all rural schools in North Dakota and beyond, thanks to partners like NICERC who are committed to evolving and promoting cybersecurity education." Through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA)'s Cybersecurity Education Training Assistance Program (CETAP) grant, NICERC develops and distributes cybersecurity curriculum and career awareness resources at no cost to K-12 educators across the country. There are more than 18,000 teachers currently enrolled in NICERC's content platform across all 50 states and three U.S. territories.

The Presidential Cybersecurity Education Award was created as part of President Trump's Executive Order on America's Cybersecurity Workforce to address a shortage of cybersecurity talent and skills. The Department of Education received nominations from 23 states. As part of this award, both educators will be publicly acknowledged by President Donald J. Trump and Secretary Betsy DeVos as being leaders in the field of cybersecurity education and professional development opportunities. About NICERC The National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center (NICERC) is a cybersecurity workforce development organization that targets K-12 students with cyber career awareness, curricular resources and teacher professional development. The United States Department of Homeland Security supports NICERC through a grant from the Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) to develop and distribute cyber, STEM, and computer science curricula to educators across the country. For more information, please visit www.NICERC.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005143/en/

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Russia, Turkey Carry Out 10th Joint Patrolling in Syria's Idlib  MoD

Sputnik News

10:27 GMT 12.05.2020

SARAQIB, Syria (Sputnik) - The Russian and Turkish military on Tuesday conducted the tenth joint patrol along the M4 highway in Syria's northern Idlib de-escalation zone, the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for the reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The tenth joint Russian-Turkish patrol of the M4 highway's section in the Idlib de-escalation zone linking the cities of Aleppo and Latakia took place on 12 May 2020," the statement said.

According to the statement, seven Russian vehicles participated in the joint patrol, which was also supervised by the Russian Air Force's drones from the air.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, confirmed on March 5 their commitment to the Astana format on Syria, announced a ceasefire in the Idlib de-escalation zone and agreed upon joint patrols of the strategically important M4 highway, connecting Aleppo and Latakia.

The first Russian-Turkish joint patrol took place on 15 March. Other joint patrols along the M4 highway were conducted on 23 March, 8 April, 15 April, 21 April, 28 April, 30 April, 5 May and 7 May.

Syrian military engineers have diffused 29 explosive devices on 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres) over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defence Ministry added.

"Engineering units of the armed forces of the Syrian Arab Republic performed mine clearance tasks in Arbil, Duma, Mazraat Mahmud and Hawsh al-Farah (Damascus province), Jasim, Anhul, Kafr Shams and Al Harah (Daraa province) over the past 24 hours. [A total of] 1.5 hectares were cleared, 29 explosive objects were found and destroyed," the ministry said in its daily bulletin.

The bulletin added that no refugees had returned to Syria from neighboring Lebanon and Jordan over the past day due to the coronavirus pandemic that has affected all three countries and caused authorities to shut borders.

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An Auburn area hospital said Tuesday it is seeing an increase in coronavirus patients requiring in-patient care, a troubling uptick for an early hot spot in Alabama.

Officials at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika in Lee County said that the hospital had seen a steady decline and hit a low point on Saturday with 19 patients who tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, the number has bumped back up to 27 patients.

The numbers also include those patients at EAMC-Lanier, a small hospital with 115 beds located about 21 miles to the north in Chambers County.

The EAMC hospitals peaked at 54 inpatients on April 11, according to data in Tuesdays media update. The hospitals had seen a streak of nine straight days with a decline or no increase in patients testing positive needing hospitalization.

The hospital cautioned that the recent rise is not a reason for alarm. But the increase in hospitalizations is the first since late April at EAMC.

Related: Coronavirus shrunk his Alabama congregation to 10. Then six got sick.

This is not reason to panic, Brooke Bailey, EAMCs Infection Prevention director, said in the media update Tuesday. But it is a perfect reminder that COVID-19 has to be respected and we cannot let our guard down. Just as good hand hygiene and social distancing helped us flatten the curve, its equally important to do now so that we dont see a significant spike in the days and weeks ahead.

In addition to those who have already tested positive, EAMC said it also has another seven in-patients who are believed to be positive for COVID-19 but are awaiting test results for confirmation.

Lee County, home of EAMC, has had 30 residents die from COVID-19. Together, with neighboring rural counties Chambers and Tallapoosa, the three-county region has accounted for 23 percent or 101 of the 435 deaths in Alabama. Thats according to the latest figures from the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Chambers continues to have among the highest per capita rate of infections in the state and Tallapoosa has the highest per capita rate of deaths in Alabama. In Tallapoosa County, 50 residents have died from COVID-19.

Related: Watch Alabama hospital staff cheering recovering coronavirus patient leaving ICU

Despite the recent increase at EAMC, the hospital said only five patients required the use of ventilators on Tuesday. Thats down from a high of 22 patients on ventilators for three straight days in early April.

The hospital also urged those who may be suffering from coronavirus symptoms to seek healthcare.

Its important that people pay attention to their symptoms and not assume what they are experiencing is allergies or something else, Bailey said in the update. Were pleased that our community is not seeing the level of disease that we were in March and early April, but we will likely see a need for additional calls and testing in the weeks ahead.
Turkey Tuesday laid into the UAE for sowing chaos in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region mainly in Yemen and Libya amid deteriorating relations between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports, in an interview of local broadcaster Akit TV rejected charges against Turkey over deployment of forces and Syrian mercenaries to Libya prop up UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).

The charges were leveled Monday by the UAE, Greece, Cyprus, and France in a joint statement.

If you are asking who is destabilizing this region, who is bringing chaos, then we would say Abu Dhabi without any hesitation. It is a reality that they are the force that unsettled Libya and destroyed Yemen, Cavusoglu said in a push-back.

Like Turkey, the UAE has been involved in Libya where it backs rebel retired General Khalifa Haftar who is opposed to the GNA and last month declared himself the rightful leader of the oil-rich country. The Gulf country has brought technical and financial support to rogue military commander who is also backed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, France, Russia, Jordan and the United States.

Abu Dhabi has also been engaged in Yemen alongside Saudi Arabia and several other Muslim majority countries to endorse regime of President Hadi Mansour rejected by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Ties between Turkey and the UAE have gone bad on several issues apart from Libya. Abu Dhabi is also at odds with Ankara over its support for Qatar on the ongoing diplomatic feud opposing tiny and gas-rich country and the Saudi, Emirati, Egyptian and Bahraini alliance. The quartet have since June 2017 severed ties with Doha its alleged support for terrorism. Qataris have denied any wrongdoing.

Abu Dhabi equally views Turkish President Tayyip Erdogans Islamist-rooted AK Party as support for Muslim Brotherhood organization which outlawed in the countries forming the quartet.
Afghanistan security agencies investing the twin blast in capital Kabul and the eastern province of Nangarhar on May 12, suspect the role of Haqqani network behind the fidayeen attack. Several gunmen disguised as policemen attacked a Kabul hospital killing 16 people including two newborn babies.

Notably, a part of this hospital is run by an international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders. Over 40 people were killed in two terror attacks in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan's former deputy minister of defence, Tamim Asey, said that anybody who knows the ABC of the Afghan security-intel landscape knows that only Haqqani had such operational capabilities to launch an attack in the highly guarded city of Kabul.

The Q is not IF but HOW? ISKP has a long-standing relation with Haqqani. Furthermore, anybody who knows the ABC of the Afghan security-intel landscape knows that only Haqqani had such operational capabilities in a highly guarded and heavily scrutinized city like Kabul, tweeted Tamim Asey.

In another attack, a suicide bomber targeted the funeral of a police officer in the Nangarhar province, killing 24 people. The government and police officials were also present at the funeral when the attack took place.

The Afghanistan security agencies recently had arrested top ISIS Commander Zia Ul-Haq, also known as Abu Omar Khorasani, along with two other top Daesh leaders.

Last week, in a joint operation with Afghan police and National Directorate of Security (NDS) special forces apprehended Khorasani, who is Daesh leader for the south and east areas of Asia and an Afghanistan citizen, in the Kart-e-Naw area of Kabul city. The two other terrorists--the terror group's head of public relations and its intelligence head--were also apprehended.

The NDS in a statement after the raid said, "The group was comprised Daesh and Haqqani network members and led by Sanatullah, a Daesh commander, and was involved in the rocket attack on President Ghanis inauguration ceremony, the attack on the Sikh temple in Kabul.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement to express strong condemnation of the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. It said, "India strongly condemns the barbaric terrorist attacks against innocent civilians, including women and children, at the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital maternity ward, funeral in Nangarhar province and the Army check post in Laghman province on May 11-12. Such reprehensible attacks, including on mothers, newly born children, nurses, and mourning families are appalling and constitute crimes against humanity."

Counter-terror operatives from India and Afghanistan believe that Pakistan agencies could be behind the attack. "We are heading towards a dirty war where the master-puppeteers will only change names, flags and mode of operation of their puppets. This war will only get more savage and dirtier as we near peace. It will be carried out unmanned and without responsibility to please their masters," tweeted Asey.

Afghanistan National Security Advisor (NSA) Hamdullah Mohib said that the Afghanistan government and international partners have a responsibility to hold the Taliban and their sponsors accountable. Mohib tweeted, "The attacks of the last two months show us and the world that Taliban and their sponsors do not and did not intend to pursue peace. Their attacks this spring against Afghans are comparable to the level of fighting seasons. International partners have a responsibility to hold the Taliban and their sponsors accountable. The reason to pursue peace is to end this senseless violence. This is not peace, nor its beginnings."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either attack. Taliban has denied its involvement in both the attacks.

According to Indian security agencies, the Taliban will deny so that they are projected as a responsible organisation in line with the US Taliban agreement. ISI will use the name of ISKP or unknown outfits to claim the responsibility.

In a statement, India said, "There can be no justification for such continued acts of terrorism. The perpetrators of such heinous acts and their sponsors and supporters should be held accountable and brought to justice. They should be forced to eradicate safe havens and sanctuaries that have abetted terrorism in the region for decades and caused immense miseries to an untold number of people in the region."

Earlier, Indian security agencies had expressed apprehension that after the withdrawal of US troops, Pakistan's agencies will carry out attacks on Indian embassies and consulates in Afghanistan.
Vivian X. Tran, Esq.

Tinnelly Law Group, PC, one of the top California HOA law firms, is proud to announce the addition of attorney Vivian X. Tran, Esq. to the firm.

Ms. Tran obtained dual degrees from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. She graduated with her Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law where she focused on business and international law. During law school, she was a research assistant for the Nepal Treaty Negotiation BLA Project and participated in the Anthony M. Kennedy American Inn of Court. She also received the Capital Commendation for Public Service Award for her volunteer efforts.

Vivian garnered clerking experience from her externship with Chief Judge Ronald H. Sargis, at the United States Bankruptcy Courts Eastern District of California. She is also a licensed mediator and obtained extensive negotiation skills through the Program on Negotiation (PON) and 1983 Civil Rights cases she co-mediated with Magistrate Judges Kendall J. Newman and Craig M. Kellison.

Prior to joining Tinnelly Law Group, Vivian served as a litigation attorney practicing in HOA, complex business, real estate, and employment law in Los Angeles. She was the handling attorney representing a world-renowned tech company in a complex breach of contract with damages exceeding nine figures. Regarding HOA matters, Vivian has handled many insurance defense litigation cases dealing with contracts, fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and title among other things. She is no stranger to the interpretation and enforcement of governing documents, third-party vendor contracts, settlement negotiations, and offering preventative litigation measures to community managers and Boards of Directors.

"Vivian's experience representing HOAs in a variety of complex insurance defense cases adds significant value to our team and our growing family of clients, says Steve Tinnelly, Managing Partner. She brings an infectious level of energy, enthusiasm, and pride in her work that reinforce our firm's culture and core values. We are thrilled to have her.

Vivian is fluent in Vietnamese and conversational in Italian. In her spare time, she volunteers with San Diegos Habitat for Humanity, dabbles in the housing market with her California real estate license, and enjoys the beautiful beach sunsets of San Diego.

About Tinnelly Law Group

Tinnelly Law Group, PC is recognized by the community association industry as one of the top California HOA law firms. Since the firms founding in 1989, 100% of its efforts have been dedicated to representing HOAs and providing them with sensible and cost-effective solutions to their diverse legal problems. It counsels hundreds of HOAs throughout California through legal issues related to corporate governance, enforcement, maintenance, insurance, litigation and transactional matters. Tinnelly Law Group recently launched FindHOALaw, a robust resource for HOA law and legal information. Its substantial volume of content and easy-to-use interface help users better understand the unique body of law governing HOAs in California. Tinnelly Law Group also provides its clients with access to comprehensive assessment collection services through the use of its affiliate, Alterra Assessment Recovery. Tinnelly Law Group has offices in Orange County, San Diego, Riverside County, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Member BIA, CAI and CACM.
Congratulations, createways.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 06:15:34|Editor: huaxia

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SKOPJE, May 12 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia adopted a three-phase plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown, the government said Tuesday in a statement.

Speaking at a press conference, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said that the first phase will involve the reopening of businesses during the state of emergency and the gradual easing of the citizens' movement nationwide.

The second phase, which is considered a transitional phase, will allow some workplaces to reopen under recommended measures and strict work protocols in terms of prevention of COVID-19 spread.

During the third phase, all workplaces will be allowed to reopen with respect to the basic preventive and anti-pandemic measures for maintaining personal hygiene and physical distance.

According to Spasovski, between each phase, decisions will be made after an assessment of the situation on whether to continue to relax the measures and continue with the next phase.

The prime minister noted that bars and restaurants will not be allowed to reopen and that the authorities will unveil a plan next week, adding that "everything depends on the epidemiological situation and the adherence to the measures."

North Macedonia has imposed a set of measures as well as nationwide curfew from March 22 in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Ten new coronavirus cases were registered in North Macedonia over the last 24 hours, raising the total number of cases to 1,674, with 1,205 recoveries and 92 fatalities, health authorities said. Enditem
As New Mexico shifts to the new normal, it is clear our states tribes will continue to be battling the COVID-19 pandemic that has not yet peaked for most Native American communities. If we have learned anything from this health crisis, it is that we are more reliant on one other than ever before. We know how to come together for the greater good of our people and emerge resilient to not just survive but thrive.

Now more than ever, we must all work collaboratively and respectfully for our own health, the health of our neighbors, and the entire state of New Mexico.

Though Native communities have a rich and vibrant culture, inequities have been exacerbated during this challenging time. Even before the pandemic, it is not unheard of to have unemployment rates above 50%. The most basic amenities are often a luxury, including running water. Many of our tribal children remain at risk and are not receiving even minimal social and educational services due to the continuing digital divide.

This speaks to the poverty facing tribes across the nation that makes responding to a public health crisis even more difficult.

Native people in New Mexico account for over 50% of positive coronavirus cases despite being only 10 percent of the states population. Numbers from the Navajo Nation are even more sobering; with over 2,654 reported infections and 85 deaths across the reservation that spans New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. If it were a state, it would have the third highest infection rate after New York and New Jersey.

Indigenous scholars from the University of Arizona and UCLA have worked together on an analysis that shows by April 10, 2020, the rate of COVID-19 cases per 1,000 people was more than four times higher for populations residing on Native American reservations than for the United States as a whole.

Native Americans have changed their behavior to follow guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19. To suggest that Native Americans have not done their part to socially distance is not only empirically false but also ignores the real social inequalities and institutional racism that we have faced for generations that have helped fuel the spread of COVID-19 in Native communities.

Census data documents that Native Americans are more likely to live in multigenerational households; as a result, social distancing, much less quarantine, is extremely challenging.

Native Americans have one of the lowest life expectancies of all racial and ethnic populations due to a wide number of pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes that predispose us to higher COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality. These health inequalities are not new but all too often are ignored.

Native Americans, similar to others living in rural areas, are also more likely to be exposed to harmful environmental conditions, contributing to poorer overall health, respiratory conditions and a greater likelihood of having a more lethal outcome if infected with COVID-19. This environmental racism was not created by the coronavirus outbreak but has been part of the trauma that has historically plagued Native communities.

The Native American Budget and Policy Institute greatly appreciates the efforts and resources of the tribal, state and federal governments. Now we must renew our commitment to strengthening the government-to-government relationships that respect tribal sovereignty. This pandemic provides a unique opportunity to create innovative solutions for a healthier and more equitable New Mexico.

The Native American Budget and Policy Institute empowers Native American communities to improve their health, education and economic well-being.
Vodacom has signed a deal with Google parent company Alphabet to use Loon Internet balloons to expand its network in Mozambique.

In terms of the agreement, Loon will help Vodacom provide service to un-served and under-served parts of the country with a network of floating cell phone towers that operate 20 kilometres above Earth.

Using the Loon solution, Vodacom will expand mobile network access to Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces, two regions that have proven hard to cover in the past due to the vast and logistically challenging geographical areas, together with low population density.

Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said the partnership will help bridge the digital divide.

Vodacoms partnership with Loon is a perfect example of how technological innovation can connect the most rural communities in Africa, Joosub stated.

This is even more pertinent in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, where more Mozambicans will now have access to healthcare information through our Loon partnership, he added.

Approval process concluded

The companies said they are grateful to have received approvals to start importing and installing the required ground infrastructure for Loons balloons to operate above the country, and for Loon to provide service over the Vodacom network.

In the coming months, Loon and Vodacom will work together to continue installing terrestrial infrastructure, which will serve as the physical connection point for Loons balloons to Vodacoms Internet and core network.

Loon will also begin flying balloons above Mozambique to learn the stratospheric wind patterns which the balloons must navigate to remain above the service area.

Network integration testing is ongoing to ensure that this solution works as intended. Loon and Vodacom expect to begin providing service to users in the coming months.

How Loon balloons work

Loon balloons drift in the Earths stratosphere and are able to provide wide coverage in areas which dont have sufficient telecommunications towers.

Each balloon can cover an area of 80km in diameter, while the balloon communicates with telecommunications towers to connect them to a mobile network.

The Loon solution in Mozambique will provide a 4G service that supports data, voice, SMS and USSD, which will also enable mobile financial services.

The service will be available to any Vodacom subscriber with a standard 4G-VoLTE enabled handset and SIM card. Users will not need to do anything to connect to the service; they will connect just as they would to a normal cell tower.

Loon has also partnered with Telkom to provide Internet connectivity to rural areas in Kenya.
South Africa: Fight against foot-and-mouth outbreak makes progress

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development says good progress, has been made in the investigation of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in Limpopos Molemole Municipality.

The department said following initial trace-back exercises, the outbreak was linked to four auctions held at two auction premises in September and October 2019.

Testing of the primary linked locations is almost completed and a number of secondary locations have been identified for follow-up testing. Precautionary quarantine has already been lifted on 127 of the linked locations that have since tested negative, the department said on Tuesday.

Since the start of the outbreak in November 2019, 19 locations that tested positive for FMD have been identified.

The last positive location case was reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on 26 February 2020 and no new positive locations have been identified since. Quarantine has been lifted on three locations, with 16 properties remaining under quarantine, said the department.

Meanwhile, Minister Thoko Didiza lifted the blanket ban on the gathering of animals on 17 February 2020.

This temporary ban was instituted as a means to prevent the explosive spread of the disease, the department said.

Departmental veterinary services continue to liaise with affected farmers to enable them to slaughter cattle from quarantined feedlots at abattoirs specifically approved for this purpose.

The department has reiterated that FMD is not contagious to humans and the meat from animals that have recovered from the disease is safe for human consumption.

Owing to the disease risk posed by high-risk materials, such as heads, feet, and offal, specific measures have been introduced to prevent any inadvertent disease spread through these products.

Permission granted to slaughter animals on affected premises

The department has granted permission to eight feedlots to safely slaughter animals from affected premises at two abattoirs designated for this purpose.

This process is continuing and more than 9 000 animals from farms under quarantine have been safely processed. Once all animals on affected properties have been slaughtered, quarantine can be lifted and the farming operations can resume.

Beef trading resumes

The trade of beef with most trade partners has resumed with most retaining the negotiated agreements for safe commodities.

The latest trade of beef to open was the Kingdom of eSwatini. Updated information was supplied to the veterinary authorities in order to provide assurance on the safe trade of commodities from other provinces.

The department has also advised livestock owners and traders to be cautious when moving animals and to take the buyer beware precautions.

The most important points to remember remain:

Do not move animals showing signs of disease;

Do not buy animals from unknown origins;

Do not buy animals originating from known infected areas;

Only buy animals from known and proven sources;

Insist on a veterinary health declaration before animals are brought onto the farm; and

Always place new arrivals in isolation until you can satisfy yourself of their health status.

FMD free zone status

Meanwhile, the department has warned that the lifting of the temporary ban on gatherings of animals does not imply that the outbreak in the free zone has been declared over.

Once the process of following up on all linked premises has been concluded, the department will embark on a general surveillance strategy in the areas affected by the November 2019 outbreak. The outcome of which will determine the process of regaining international FMD free zone status going forward.

The department acknowledged the livestock industry, including the veterinary officials on the ground, and the affected farmers for their concerted efforts and cooperation.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
WASHINGTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will broadcast the launch of a Japanese cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station beginning at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 20, live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are scheduled to launch the unpiloted H-II Transport Vehicle-9 (HTV-9) on a Japanese H-IIB rocket at 1:30 p.m. (2:30 a.m. Thursday, May 21, Japan time) from the Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan.

The spacecraft will arrive at the station Monday, May 25. Live coverage of rendezvous and grapple will begin at 6:45 a.m. Capture of HTV-9 is scheduled to occur around 8:15 a.m. HTV-9 will approach the station from below and slowly make its way toward the orbital outpost. Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA, with assistance from Russian Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos, will operate the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm from the station's cupola and grapple the 12-ton spacecraft.

Coverage of HTV-9's final installation will resume at 9:30 a.m., when flight controllers in mission control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will take over robotic arm operations and berth HTV-9 to the Earth-facing port of the station's Harmony module, where it will remain for two months.

The cargo craft will carry more than four tons of supplies, water, spare parts and experiment hardware for the station crew, including six new lithium-ion batteries needed to complete an overall update of the station's electrical system. The batteries and corresponding adapter plates will replace aging nickel-hydrogen batteries for two power channels on the station's far starboard truss segment (S6) through a series of spacewalks by the station's crew members planned for later this year. This is the final set of new batteries to be launched to the station as part of an overall upgrade of its power system that began in January 2017.

This also will be the final flight of this class of resupply spacecraft, named "Kounotori"  the Japanese word for white stork. The cargo craftlaunched on its maiden mission to the orbiting laboratory in September 2009. JAXA is developing a new class of HTV vehicles that will provide a reusable pressurized cargo section and the ability to carry more cargo due to its lighter weight. The new HTV-X vehicles will dock automatically to the station's International Docking Adapters with the first flight scheduled in 2022.

For nearly 20 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked on the space station, testing technologies, performing science and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through NASA's Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon by 2024, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers  the Artemis Generation  ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery.

Get breaking news, images and features from the station at:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/

http://instagram.com/iss

https://www.facebook.com/iss

http://www.twitter.com/ISS_Research

http://www.twitter.com/Space_Station

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Snow this morning will transition to snow showers this afternoon. Some sleet may mix in. High around -4C. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches..

Tonight

Snow showers this evening. Breaks in the overcast later. Low -16C. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
Temporary financial relief requests from three aeronautical tenants at Rapid City Regional Airport were denied Tuesday by the Airport Board of Directors.

Westjet Air Center and Dale Aviation penned a joint letter to the board asking for rent, airport fees and charges to be waived for 180 days, and the suspension of the 2020 rate adjustments for ground lease rates.

A third aeronautical tenant, Moyle Petroleum, requested rent, airport fees and charges be waived for the remainder of 2020.

"What we're looking for is some relief because general aviation is a vital part of the airport," Westjet Air Center President Linda Rydstrom said. "Without general aviation, you don't have fuel services to the airlines. We back up airlines if they need help with de-icer, if they need help with equipment. We've actually had airlines come to us to see what we can do. We've also had other tenants and other users of the airport (come to us)."

Dean Beresford, chief pilot for Moyle Petroleum, said his company's biggest concern was the landing fee charged for aircraft that weigh over 12,500 pounds.

"Normally, based aircraft are exempt from this (fee)," Beresford said. "I've been paying bills for 30 years and I've never seen a based-operator getting charged landing fees. We're the only airplane on the airport that gets charged the landing fee that's based here."

Rapid City Regional Airport will be receiving a $9.2 million grant through the federal CARES Act, which provides coronavirus relief. However, Airport Executive Director Patrick Dame said that grant is for the operations of the airport itself, not tenants.

"The funds are obligated to airport operations, maintenance and debt service. They are not there to provide direct benefits to aeronautical tenants," Dame said. "There are other federal programs tenants are eligible for and we hope they have taken advantage of them."

Airport Board Vice President Rod Pettigrew said he understands that the airport's general aviation tenants are experiencing financial difficulties because of the drop in air travel due to the coronavirus, but the loss is no different than what other businesses in Rapid City are going through.

"Just because you're located on this field, in my opinion  and this is not the opinion of the board  I don't think you are entitled to any special benefits other than a guy on Main Street Rapid City going through the same thing," Pettigrew said.

Dame said on the aeronautical side of the airport's service, the staff is very limited on what they can do because of fair treatment regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration.

"On the non-aeronautical side, we have more leeway to work on that. If we start waiving fees on the aeronautical side, there are more stipulations that we go through in creating equality between groups on the airport," Dame said. "We want to work to benefit everybody on the airfield without putting ourselves in a situation where we are picking and choosing who gets benefits and who doesn't."

Dame said with the emergency CARES grant, the airport will be able to pay its bills, do maintenance on the field, and cover expenses to prevent tenants from having to pay more in the future.

"Airport management intends to continue to operate the airport and will submit operating costs to the CARES Act grant, which will prevent us from reducing our reserves and aid us in continuing to conduct business," he said. "This will also allow us to do maintenance projects in the future to prevent additional expenses on aeronautical users. Those projects that would otherwise get deferred, due to lack of airport revenue, can proceed with government assistance at 100% federal funding. This will allow us to spread the benefit across all aeronautical users."

Contact Assistant Managing Editor Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com.

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New Delhi:

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung is using the language of Winston Churchill who as British Prime Minister had strongly opposed granting Independence to India, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain said, a day after the LG ordered review of all decisions by AAP government which were not cleared by him.



Jain, whose department has had confrontations with the LG over a range of issues, said Jung doesnt have faith in democracy and that he has been using language of former British viceroys and Churchill.



The Home Minister also criticised Jungs directive yesterday to heads of all departments to review orders and identify files for which his approval was required but not taken by the AAP government, saying he cannot directly communicate with the bureaucrats and must route the directions through ministers.



The bitter war of words between AAP government and LG continued, days after the Delhi High Court ruled that the national capital is a Union Territory despite having an elected government and LG is the administrative head of the city. The AAP government is challenging the order in the Supreme Court.



LG sahab doesnt have faith in democracy. He has never contested an election and (is) holding the top position without peoples mandate. British viceroys used to say that India doesnt need independence. Churchill said that India cannot be given independence as the people cannot govern themselves.



He (Jung) is using the language of former Viceroys and Churchill, the Delhi Home Minister told reporters.



Let him (Jung) review all our files and decisions. But instead of directing officers, he should have communicated it to the ministers concerned. LG has the right to seek any file, but it should be done through proper channels, he added.



The minister said that the Delhi government will obey the High Court order holding that the LG is the administrative head of the capital.



An order issued by Vijay Kumar, Secretary to LG had said, The secretaries, principal secretaries and heads of all the departments, autonomous bodies, boards, corporations and institutions concerned should immediately review all such orders and identify by August 17 those cases where prior approval of the LG was required but not taken.



All such cases may immediately be placed with appropriate proposal before the LG through proper channel and with the opinion of the Law department, wherever required, the order said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Protesters in Michigan planning to rally at the state Capitol on Thursday are being warned that if they brandish firearms in an intimidating manner at the event they could be arrested.

The warnings come after several members of the groups planning on attending the rally called for the assassination of Governor Gretchen Whitmer which saw one man writing: 'Can we please just take up a collection for an assassin to put that woman from Michigan down.'

On Monday, Whitmer said she respected people's rights to protest but was becoming 'increasingly concerned about the violent nature of the comments being made' and the 'extreme rhetoric already connected to Thursday's rally.'

Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, pictured, has said that anyone brandishing weapons in an intimidating way in the state Capitol will be arrested

Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer has been the subject of numerous threats made by residents of the state across multiple Facebook groups ahead of an armed rally planned for Thursday

A Facebook group, Michigan United for Liberty has billed the event as its 'Judgement Day'

She has requested that if people decide to protest that they wear masks and practice social distancing.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said that despite a longstanding rule that Michiganders with permits can bring weapons into the Capitol, 'anyone brandishing them in such a way as to intimidate or threaten anyone else should be properly handcuffed, properly taken in and fingerprinted.

'Law enforcement needs to take this upon their own hands,' Shirkey said. 'When those brandishing activities occur, they need to be addressed and I'm calling on the attorney general and the governor to do so with the cooperation of the Michigan State Police.'

There have also been suggestions that Michigan State Police will back up the governor's orders on social distancing and could hand out legal citations to those breaking guidelines.

Hundreds of people descended on Michigan's Capitol building on April 30 to protest against Whitmer extending a statewide stay-at-home order

Last month, angry and armed demonstrators protesting the governor's lockdown restrictions, stormed the Capitol building. They have been warned not to do so during Thursday's rally

Protesters tried to enter the Michigan House of Representative chamber and were kept out by the Michigan State Police on April 30

'Based on previous demonstrations at the Capitol, it is evident that not all people voluntarily comply with the safety measures put in place,' said state police spokeswoman Shanon Banner to Freep.com. 'We will be prepared to take enforcement action, as necessary.'

Facebook has removed one of the groups called Michigan United for Liberty, which organized a rally at the Capitol last month.

A Facebook spokesperson said the group was removed because it violated the company's policy against inciting violence.

The threats come just days before a planned rally at the Capitol in Lansing on Thursday. Several members wrote in the groups that they will be at the rally and hope others will be 'armed to the teeth'.

A protester carries his rifle at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan from April's protest

Protesters carry guns outside the Capitol Building in Lansing, Michigan from an April 15 rally

The group are opposed to Whitmer's sweeping stay-at-home orders intended to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Hundreds of people descended on Michigan's Capitol building on April 30 to protest against Whitmer extending a statewide stay-at-home order and earlier in the month.

Earlier in the month, thousands of cars shut down traffic around the Capitol.

Photos from the 'American Patriot Rally' made headlines nationwide as many protesters were seen carrying assault rifles, swastikas and Confederate flags.

Whitmer called the scenes 'disturbing' and said they 'depicted some of the worst racism and awful parts of our history in this country'.

State Police say they are expecting to see between 200 and 400 people at Thursday's rally.
The Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has begun taking delivery of six major transformers procured for the completion of the largest power substation in Ghana at Pokuase in the Greater Accra Region.



Work on the Pokuase Bulk Supply Point (BSP) project, which is 61 per cent complete, is scheduled for completion and handover to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) at the end of the first quarter of 2021.



The first two transformers arrived in the country on April 27 and May 4, 2020, and have already been sent to the Pokuase site, with the rest scheduled to arrive next week.



The Project Manager of the BSP, Mr Patrick Oppong, told the Daily Graphic that all the six transformers were scheduled to arrive at the Pokuase site by Monday, May 18, 2020.



"So far, we have been able to transport one of the transformers to the BSP site and we are transporting the rest one at a time. By Monday, we will have all four 145 MVA transformers for GRIDCO's operations on site. The other two for the ECG will not cause any power outage; they will also arrive on the site shortly after," he said.



He described as significant the timely arrival of the transformers, as it would also enable the project to be delivered on schedule.



Assessment



The transformers, which are in two sizes of 145 megavolt amperes (MVA) and 39 MVA and were shipped in two batches, arrived at the Tema Port on April 27 and May 4, 2020, respectively, and are expected to support the operations of GRIDCo and the ECG.



In a statement confirming the arrival of the transformers, MiDA said they were manufactured in Turkey and had been subjected to factory assessment in the presence of officials of MiDA, the ECG, GRIDCo, and other stakeholders.



"The arrival of all six transformers, together with other related equipment, marks a significant milestone in the construction of the first 330kV BSP in Accra, which will be the largest substation in Ghana when completed," it said.



It further expressed delight at the fact that the current global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic notwithstanding, such vital equipment had reached Ghana on time and would enable the contractor, Messrs Elecnor SA, to meet timelines.



It said progress had been made at all other project sites, and that MiDA and the contractors had put in place plans and protocols aligned to the governments policies, including the adoption of best global practices to safeguard the health of workers and also ensure the safety of the people in the wake of COVID-19.



Electricity supply



Ahead of the arrival of the transformers, the statement explained, MiDA had worked with the ECG and GRIDCo towards the safe transportation of the vital equipment to the project site at Pokuase.



The arrangement, it added, was to ensure very minimal disruptions to power supply to consumers along the way.



Already, the ECG had notified customers that there would be occasional power outages in some parts of Accra and Tema from May 8 to 14, 2020, as a result of the exercise.



The affected areas in some parts of Tema and Accra include Tema Community One, Sites 17 and 18, communities Eight and Nine, parts of Ashaiman and along the Spintex Road Corridor.



The rest are East Legon, Manet Estates, Jehovahs Witnesses Camp, Achimota School, Action Chapel, Ghana Standards Board, Madina, ACP Estates, Pokuase Ridge and Collinson Farms.



MiDA, however, assured the public that the outages in those areas were expected to last not longer than 20 minutes.



Mr Oppong explained that power had to be cut off during the transportation of the transformers, "mainly because of the height of the transformers. It is about 5.2 metres high and there are power lines along the way, so we have to take the precautionary measures by taking off power while transporting them from the Tema Port to the site. Power is restored to the affected area in about 20 minutes".



Background



It is expected that the BSP will lead to a significant reduction in technical losses in GRIDCo transmission and the PDS power distribution system to improve the financial viability of the utilities.



The project is expected to benefit more than 350,000 residents in the catchment area, including Pokuase, Kwabenya, Legon, Nsawam, and other surrounding communities with reliable power supply.



The Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare, cut the sod for the commencement of work on the US$50-million project on April 30, 2019.



The Pokuase BSP project is being funded by the United States Government through its agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and the Government of Ghana as part of a power compact programme.



On August 5, 2014, Ghana signed the compact with the United States of America (USA) through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an independent United States government agency, on the sidelines of the US Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, DC.



On February 15, 2019, MiDA signed a design-build contract with Messrs Elecnor S.A. of Spain after the firm was selected from among 15 bidders for the construction of the BSP.

Source: Daily Graphic









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

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On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump is scheduled to fly into the Lehigh Valley for a visit to the Owens & Minor distribution center in Upper Macungie Township There, hell receive a tour of the companys facilities. But what exactly does the company do?

Owens & Minor is a 137-year-old company, founded in 1882, serving the healthcare industry through the manufacturing of surgical and medical supplies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the companys 40-plus manufacturing and distributing centers have been working to provide equipment to aid in the effort to mitigate and control the coronavirus.

Owens & Minor executives will be walking the president through the companys process of manufacturing, loading and shipping of personal protective equipment (PPE) thats been paramount for frontline healthcare workers. While the local facility is merely one of the companys locations, Owens & Minors manufacturing and distributing centers around the country are located where they are, combined, able to reach 90% of the United States hospitals in four hours.

Allentowns location, a 200,000-square-foot facility, serves Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Maryland during its seven-days-a-week operations. The facilitys product categories include, in addition to PPE, surgical kits, wound care, respiratory and non-surgical materials.

The facility is located at 7437 Industrial Blvd.

Trumps visit on Thursday marks the first time he has come to the Lehigh Valley for a public appearance since becoming president.

News of Trumps visit came on the heels of him criticizing Wolf indirectly for failing to reopen the states economy swiftly enough. The Democratic governor is facing increasing pressure within the state to speed up the lifting of restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus.

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Connor Lagore can be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com.
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Today the market for any given product is governed by the awareness among consumers. An average buyer concentrates on the personal priorities and needs, apart from the overall notoriety of the product. These factors often administer the commodities of personal hygiene like diapers to a great extent. The modern day parents analyze the products for the infants more soberly than ever before. The material, costing, comfortable level are significant factor for making a diaper brand popular. Thus research and development are imminent part of baby diapers manufacturing. Also, the market for baby diapers is rising at an enormous pace, following rise in global demand.

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In recent years, the demand for baby diapers has grown fixedly in various nations of East Africa.



The report provides a thorough acument into the key market dynamics, emerging trends, recent design innovations, and competitive landscape. The study offers a detailed statistical analysis related to the market share and size of segments and analyzes the key factors configuring the competitive acts. Recent attempts by governments of various countries and private players in East Africa are highlighted and their impact on the costing strategies of vendors are evaluated.



This report gives you approach to definitive data such as: Market growth drivers, Factors hindering market growth, Current market trends and Market extensions for the coming decade.



Key highlights of this report



Overview of key market forces propelling and forbiddingmarket growth

Up-to-date analysis of market trends and technological advancements

Pin-point analysis of market competition dynamics to offer you a competitive edge

An analysis of strategies of major competitors

An array of graphics and SWOT analysis of major industry segments

Detailed analyzes of industry trends

A well-defined technological growth map with an impact-analysis

Offers a clear understanding of the competitive landscape and key product segments.



East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Trends and Opportunities



The East Africa baby diapers market is principally driven by a continuous slump in the toddler mortality rate in developing nations, an upswing in urban population with significant expendable incomes, and increasing awareness related to the hygiene of infants. Coupled with this, in-depth and persistent efforts made by several governmental and non-governmental organizations to create awareness among rural population have led to an increasing use of baby diapers to promote the healthy growth of infants.



Increasing shift toward the use of eco-friendly and viable materials in manufacturing baby diapers has resulted in various product innovations. The onset of ultra-soft and hypoallergenic diapers made without the use of any supplements is expected to shoot the market over the forecast period. However, the growing run of parents embracing longer in-between changing times of diapers has resulted in skin rashes and bugs among babies. Various study reiterating the role of disposable diapers in causing testicular cancer among males are likely to hinder the growth of the market to an extent.

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East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Provincial Vision



The major countries considered in the research report are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. Kenya becomes top lucarative market for baby diapers in East Africa. The dramatic demand for baby diapers in Kenya is driven by the significant rise in birth rate included a substantial decline in the infant mortality rate as compared to other developing nations of East Africa. After Kenya, Tanzania is the second largest revenue contributing country in the East Africa diapers market. Other Countries Involved are Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.



East Africa Baby Diapers Market: Companies Involved



Leading players are also establishing feasible products made with biodegradable materials to entice parents who are vigilant of the environmental brunt of adapting diapers. Major manufacturers are making product modernization and operating boosting their distribution channels to centralize their presence across major countries. Key players accomplishing in this market include Johnson and Johnson, INDEVCO Group Procter and Gamble, Unicharm Corporation, SCA Hygiene Products GmbH, Mega Soft (Fujian) Hygiene Products Co. Ltd., and Interconsumer Products Ltd.

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Although stay-at-home restrictions are beginning to lift in many states, a lot of us are not venturing out for more than grocery and pharmacy runs. And salons that are reopening may be allowing fewer people at a time and dealing with a backlog of anxious clients.

So it may still be a while before youre able to get an appointment with your hair colorist.

In the meantime, roots are probably showing their true colors and unruly gray strands may be proving difficult to hide during your daily video chats and meetings.

Not surprisingly, at-home hair color sales have spikedup 23 percent for the first three months of 2020 over the same time last year, according to the marketing research firm Nielsenas many of us are taking matters into our own hands (or recruiting a family member to help out).

Hair color company Madison Reed, which sells personalized home hair color kits online, has reported a surge in orders, including a 15-fold increase in first-time customers between February and April.

Should you try to DIY? Note that some colorists are mixing up their clients custom formulas and delivering coloring kits to them at home, so its worth checking in with your regular color pro. (He or she may even walk you through the process during a video call.)

And some online brands offer a semipersonalized experience. ESalon, for instance, says each customer receives a fully customized color, and colorists at the Color&Co website will do a video consult.

And boxed hair color has come a long way, too, since the days when it had the reputation for unnaturaland sometimes hair-damagingresults. Newer formulas are safer and easier to use, some experts say, as long as you follow manufacturer directions. Even during nonpandemic times, people cant always get to the salon for color every single time, says James Corbett, a colorist and owner of James Corbett Studio in New York City. At-home color can be a good option.

Story continues

We spoke to several experts about how to get the best possible color at home, and when to leave those locks alone for the time being.

Consider Your Roots

If all thats really bothering you is visible roots, you might be able to get away with simply concealing them until you can get to the salon for your color. For a very short-term solution, there are powders (like Color Wow) and sprays (like LOreal Magic Root Cover Up Spray) that are made for use just on the roots area, work well on all hair colors, and last only until the next time you shampoo. Experts recommend sticking to those powders and sprays with a powdery finish, rather than waxy crayon-like concealers. They look more natural and dont clump up in the hair.

Otherwise, if covering roots is your main concern, you can opt for a hair dye thats marketed just for touching up roots or one thats for all-over color. (The main difference between them may simply be the amount of product you get in your kit.)

Semi, Demi, or Permanent?

Before you focus on a shade, consider which type of formula best suits your hair and coloring goals. Youll want to consider texture, amount of gray, and whether your hair has been colored before.

For instance, fine hair absorbs color more easily, so be sure not to opt for too dark a shade. And keep in mind that you may be able to achieve the results you want by leaving product in for a bit less time than the manufacturer recommends.

On the flip side, coarse hair, like some curls and gray strands, and natural or relaxed African American hair, has a thicker cuticle. (Thats the outer layer of the hair shaft). A thick cuticle makes it harder for product to penetrate and deposit color.

When youre choosing a product, you may also see lots of marketing language (such as 100% gray coverage or makes hair shiny), but the words you really want to look for are semi-permanent, demipermanent, and permanent. We asked our experts to explain exactly what these terms mean and what they do to help you choose well.

Semipermanent: This is a temporary stain or gloss of color that sits just on top of the cuticle, the outer layer of your hair shaft. The dye molecules attach to the outside of the hair and gradually wash away, says Michelle Wong, Ph.D., science educator at Lab Muffin Beauty Science. Its a great choice if you want to add a short-term hit of a bright, fun hue, or if you have no visible roots and just want to add a bit of warmth and shine to your current color. Expect it to wash out gradually over about three to six shampoos.

Demipermanent: This type of product typically comes with two bottlesone is color and the other is a developer that contains low levels of peroxide. Youll mix them together to activate the dye before you apply it. The dye fragments dont penetrate all the way into the cortex [center] of the hair, so it cant completely change your shade, Wong says.

This is probably the best bet for anyone whos hoping to be back in the salon in the not-too-distant future (and whos less than about 25 percent gray). Itll help cover grays and lasts about four to six weeks, says Michael Canale, owner of a string of salons and creator of the Canale line of hair care products. Another advantage of demipermanent products is that, unlike permanent hair color, they contain no ammonia, which can dry out and damage hair (especially the ends).

Permanent: Dont let the name frighten you, because this is the best choice for those with more than 25 percent gray or who want to swap their natural color for a lighter shade. This contains ammonia, which allows the dye and hydrogen peroxide to penetrate the cortex, and also breaks down some of your natural color, Wong says.

Those actions allow a permanent product to color gray hair and more dramatically alter your natural shade. But dont be fooled by marketing language that calls a permanent product ammonia-free, Corbett says. Permanent hair color has to have either ammonia or an ammonia derivative to create that chemical change, he says.

Pick the Best Shade

In general, If you cant decide between two shades, choose the lighter one, Corbett says. Most times hair isnt as dark as you thinkits just that the contrast between the old growth and new growth that makes it look darker.

Plus, its much easier to fix a shade thats lighter than ideal than one thats too dark. If you go too light with a demipermanent color, its gentle enough on your hair that its safe to go over it again with a darker shade, Corbett says.

One exception is African American hair, where experts recommend focusing mostly on covering any gray youd like to camouflage or going a bit darker, using semi- or demipermanent hair color. The best part of using semi- or demipermanent color is that it is conditioning and adds shine, says Monae Everett, a New York City hairstylist who specializes in handling different hair textures.

Lightening African American hair is best done by a professional, Everett adds: Thats where hair color gets very complicated and you risk damaging your hair.

The same goes for anyone with highlights, or even light blonde hair. You dont want to ruin your hair by trying to bleach itand hopefully youll be back at the hairdresser again soon, Canale says. And using a single-process home product to go a lot lighter may give you a brassy look, Corbett says.

For now, Canale advises blondes and those with highlights to rock their roots. Having some regrowth is in style now.

Need help in deciding on a color? Customized online products (such as those from Color&Co, eSalon, and Madison Reed) use detailed questionnaires about your natural color and previous coloring experiences to walk you through the selection process. And some let you consult a colorist online.

Even many drugstore brands websites now feature questionnaires and tips to help you narrow down color choices, along with how-to tutorials on topics like adding blue or pink strands to your coif. Companies like L'Oreal Paris and Garnier have virtual try-on tools, so you can preview a few shades on your computer.

Get the Best Results

Whether youre using a hair color from a drugstore or one thats customized, everything you need should come with your kit (including disposable gloves).

Many drugstore products are designed to be applied directly from the bottle, while a customized color kit (including one made by your regular colorist) might come with a bowl and an application brush.

Experts agree that applying color to slightly dirty hair is often best. The natural oils act as a buffer to keep your scalp from getting irritated, Corbett says.

But if youve been relying on root concealing sprays or powders, you do need to wash those out first or your color wont be able to penetrate as well. Wash, then skip the use of these short-term fixes for a day or two before applying at-home color.

Before you start, put on clothinglike a wrapped bathrobe or button-up shirtthat you can easily remove without having to pull it over your head.

To avoid staining your skin, professional colorists recommend slathering a layer of petroleum jelly along your hairline. (To help further protect your face more from any stains, You can also use an old but clean mascara wand to more precisely apply the color around your hairline and help keep it off your skin, Corbett says.)

Start by dividing the crown of your head into four sections, clipping three out of your way, unless your hair is very short. Then don the gloves to protect your hands from any dye stains and focus on the unclipped section first, followed in turn by the others.

The experts we spoke with recommend applying color mostly to roots, since thats where new growth, grays, and faded color are most obvious. Concentrate product on the crown of your headespecially along your part and temples, Corbett says.

After youve done your roots, add a bit of color to the rest of your hair. Take whats left (of the coloring product), dilute it with a little water and a few drops of shampoo and work into the rest of your hair, including the ends, Canale says. Leave it on just for the last 5 minutes and itll refresh your color without leaving the ends too dark.

What About Relaxed Hair?

If your normally salon-relaxed hair is growing out, you may notice some breakage and damage where the natural hair thats coming in meets the straightened strands.

Think twice before coloring it at home, our experts say, and avoid permanent color. Adding permanent color to relaxed hair is not recommended as two chemicals on the hair usually causes extreme breakage and damage, says Ursula Stephen, who specializes in African American hair and owns Ursula Stephen The Salon in Brooklyn.

For those tempted to use an at-home relaxer, the experts we interviewed advise against it. They say kits that contain lye can lead to damage and hair loss, but even lye-free at-home products should be used with caution. A trained professional understands how and when to stop the relaxer to keep it from overprocessing and causing scalp irritation, Everett says.

Instead, consider a protective hairstyle, says Miko Branch, founder of Miss Jessies, a line of products for curly, kinky, and wavy hair. Hairstyles like braids, cornrows, and flat twists help protect your ends and are perfect for transitioning between two different hair textures, she says.

In fact, giving your hair some extra pampering is warranted right now, to reduce the likelihood of additional breakage. Many times the problem stems from hair being dry, Everett says. I recommend a deep-conditioning mask to add moisture and make strands more cooperative.

And if youre overdue for getting sewn-in extensions attended toI recommend having extensions removed after a maximum of eight weeks, Everett saysyou can remove them yourself. And take this time to let your hair and scalp breathe without the extensions, she says.

Hate What You've Done?

If your color came out lighter than you wanted, its an easy fix. Whether you used demipermanent or permanent color on your first try, you can safely do another round using a demipermanent formula.

For results that are too dark, however, theres no foolproof solution. You can try to remove some of the pigment by applying a mask of lemon juice and baking soda to your hair, Corbett says. It may help pull some of the color out, but it will also be drying, so if you try this, follow up with a deep-conditioning treatment.





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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 top three US airlines have told their flight attendants not to force passengers to comply with their new policy requiring face coverings, just encourage them to do so, according to employee policies reviewed by Reuters.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines have told employees that they may deny boarding at the gate to anyone not wearing a face covering, and are providing masks to passengers who do not have them, the three carriers said.

Inside the plane, enforcement becomes more difficult.

'Once on board and off the gate, the face covering policy becomes more lenient. The flight attendant's role is informational, not enforcement, with respect to the face covering policy,' American told its pilots in a message seen by Reuters explaining its policy, which went into effect on Monday.

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'Once on board and off the gate, the face covering policy becomes more lenient. The flight attendant's role is informational, not enforcement, with respect to the face covering policy,' American Airlines (aircraft pictured Monday) told its pilots in a message

'Bottom line to the pilots: a passenger on board your aircraft who is being compliant with the exception of wearing a face covering is NOT considered disruptive enough to trigger a Threat Level 1 response,' referring to some kind of intentional disruption by a passenger that could cause the captain to divert the flight.

American spokesman Joshua Freed said: 'American, like other US airlines, requires customers to wear a face covering while on board, and this requirement is enforced at the gate while boarding.

'We also remind customers with announcements both during boarding and at departure.'

A United spokeswoman also said that any non-compliance by travelers would be addressed at the gate and that flight attendants had been counseled to use their 'de-escalation skills' on the aircraft and to reseat any passengers as needed. Delta said it had a similar policy.

All three airlines offer certain exemptions for young children or people with medical conditions or disabilities, and when people are eating or drinking.

'If the customer chooses not to comply for other reasons, please encourage them to comply, but do not escalate further,' American told flight attendants in a message on Friday that it provided to Reuters.

'Likewise, if a customer is frustrated by another customer's lack of face covering, please use situational awareness to de-escalate the situation,' it said.

US travel demand has fallen by about 94 per cent in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, prompting carriers to slash their flying schedules to roughly 30 per cent of normal this month.

With fewer planes in the skies, some are flying near capacity.

Over the weekend, a cardiologist slammed United Airlines after finding himself on a packed flight out of New York on Saturday.

Ethan Weiss took to Twitter to share a selfie from his seat on the 737 jet teeming with passengers.

'I guess @united is relaxing their social distancing policy these days? Every seat full on this 737... This is the last time I'll be flying again for a long time,' he stated beneath the snap.

With fewer planes in the skies, some are flying near capacity. Over the weekend, a cardiologist slammed United Airlines after finding himself on a packed flight (pictured) out of New York on Saturday

Ethan Weiss slammed the airline for filling middle seats and appearing to relax its social distancing policies

In a statement, United told DailyMail.com: 'Our flight to San Francisco had an additional 25 medical professionals on board who were flying for free to volunteer their time in New York - we've provided complimentary flights for more than 1,000 doctors and nurses in the past few weeks alone.'

In recent weeks, there have been several reports of packed planes flying across the US, causing anxiety among passengers.

Last week, a shocking video showing a 'packed' American Airlines flight departing from New York City went viral online.

Grandmother-to-be Krissy Maloney shared the video to Facebook, and wrote: '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.'

'Just beware if you have to fly, the airlines are doing nothing to make anyone feel like air travel could be safe.

'If my grandson wasn't 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 Maloney's 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 Maloney's flight.

Global airlines body IATA came out last week in favor of passengers wearing masks onboard, as debate intensifies in the US on the role that government agencies should play in mandating new safety measures for flying before a vaccine is developed.

While major US airlines have individually mandated facial coverings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has declined to implement the requirement, and it is not clear if the agency has the authority to compel passengers to wear face masks.

In a statement on Tuesday, the FAA said it would continue to engage in discussions about protecting the health and safety of flight crews and the traveling public and was 'lending aviation expertise to federal public health agencies and airlines as they issue guidance for crew members, including health monitoring, screening protocols and aircraft cleaning'.

Several airline union groups have called for a federal mandate on measures including masks, social distancing and cleaning.

'Airlines are implementing policies on the fly with essentially no coordination or direction from the federal government,' said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 19 airlines.

'We need federal requirements that mitigate risk during this pandemic and put the safety of crews and the traveling public first.'
Amid tensions between the Indian and Chinese soldiers at Pangong Tso lake area, China said on Wednesday that India should refrain from taking any action to 'complicate' the issue and claimed that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops were conducting 'normal patrol' on the Chinese side of the border.

Image only for representation. Photograph: Reuters

Asked about the continued tensions along the border and whether the PLA troops action was anyway related to the disagreements with the Indian government's plan to lure business out of China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said both the countries were in diplomatic contact over the face-off between their troops.

"China's position on the border issue is consistent and clear. Chinese border troops have been upholding peace and tranquillity along the border areas," Zhao told a media briefing in Beijing.

"China is conducting normal patrol along the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). We urge the Indian side to work with China and refrain from taking any complicating move so as to create enabling conditions for the development of our bilateral relations and peace and stability at the border areas," he said.

"The two sides stay in diplomatic communication on the relevant border issue," he said.

The tensions began at the Pangong Tso lake area in eastern Ladakh on May 5-6 and continued.

On Monday, Zhao said Chinese troops there are 'committed to uphold peace and stability'.

At least a couple of Chinese military helicopters were spotted flying close to the un-demarcated Sino-India border in the area after the fierce face-off on May 5 following which a fleet of Sukhoi-30 jets of the Indian Air Force too carried out sorties there, the sources said in New Delhi.

The troops on both sides held on to their respective positions and even reinforcements were brought in an apprehension of further escalation in tension, they said when asked about the face-off.

They said tension was still prevailing in the area, though both sides agreed to disengage during a meeting of local commanders on May 6.

"The situation remains tense," said a source in New Delhi.

The sources said the spotting of Chinese helicopters in the area was nothing unusual as India too flies a fleet of military choppers in the area from three bases in the region.

On May 5, scores of Indian and Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting, sources said, adding a number of soldiers on both sides sustained injuries in the incident.

In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector of the Sino-India border on Saturday.

At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries in the incident.

The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control, the de-facto border between the two countries. Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first informal summit in April 2018 in the Chinese city of Wuhan, months after the Doklam standoff.

In the summit, the two leaders decided to issue 'strategic guidance' to their militaries to strengthen communications so that they can build trust and understanding.

Modi and Xi held their second informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai in October last year with a focus on further broadening bilateral ties.
Its been weeks since the closure of Ghanas borders to stop the importation of COVID-19.



Some Ghanaians including two-time BET award winner Sarkodie and a Minister have been stuck outside praying for the borders to open and for them to join their families.



Sarkodie has been pleading with President Akufo-Addo to open Ghanas borders so Ghanaians stuck outside because of the closure can return home.



"Mr president @NAkufoAddo youve done so well with how you handling this pandemic, we appreciate your effort But please can we open the borders for at least a day or two in between time for citizens stuck outside to get back pls" he once tweeted.



Reports gathered by Peacefmonline.com which was confirmed by the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr indicate that some of the people stuck outside the country are growing weary and others are cash-strapped as they have used their monies to pay for hotel bills and food.



According to Kwesi Pratt, per a letter making the rounds, only Ghanaians with a valid passport are going to be evacuated; his challenge is what of those without passports adding we need to consider all of these things.



On Tuesdays edition of Peace FM morning show Kokrokoo, it was disclosed that efforts are being made to bring them home.



Sam Pyne, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and host of the show Kwami Sefa Kayi hinted that the Foreign Affairs Ministry is spearheading efforts to evacuate.



There is the likelihood; even though it has not been confirmed that just as was done earlier, they will go under mandatory quarantine when they are brought back home.





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









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

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Donald Trump promoted a Wall Street Journal op-ed Tuesday that declared Congressman Adam Schiff knew from the get go that there was no proof the president colluded with Russia

'Newly released documents show Schiff knew all along there was no proof of Russia-Trump collusion.' Wall Street Journal,' Trump tweeted with a quote from the editorial board opinion piece's sub-headline.

The Wall Street Journal released the op-ed on Tuesday titled 'All the Adam Schiff Transcripts,' where the editorial board asserted 'no one should ever believe another word' out of Schiff's mouth.

'Americans expect that politicians will lie, but sometimes the examples are so brazen that they deserve special notice,' the op-ed charged. 'Newly released Congressional testimony shows that Adam Schiff spread falsehoods shamelessly about Russia and Donald Trump for three years even as his own committee gathered contrary evidence.'

Schiff is the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, which investigated potential collusion between Trump and Russia in the 2016 election.

Donald Trump touted a Wall Street Journal op-ed Wednesday where the editorial board bashed Adam Schiff for knowing there was no collusion between the president and Russia, but still acting like there was

The Intelligence Chairman continuously teased in the media that he there was wrongdoing but said he couldn't share the specifics, but the Journal editorial board now asserts: '[N]o one should ever believe another word he says'

The committee investigation, which started in January 2017 under then-Chairman Devin Nunes, concluded in March 2018 that Trump did not coordinate with Russia to best Hillary Clinton in his bid for president.

The op-ed claiming that Schiff actually knew there was no evidence of wrongdoing by the president emerged last week when the Intelligence Committee published 57,600 pages of 57 different interviews with witnesses in the Russia probe.

Transcripts of the interview were ready for release a while ago after the Intelligence Committee voted in September 2018 to make them public, but it was delayed by Schiff.

This week, acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell told the Intelligence Committee the documents were ready for release following a lengthy interagency classification review.

Between the time the House voted to declassify and release the documents, Special Counsel Robert Mueller released the Russia report and Trump has gone through an impeachment  also led by Schiff.

The California Democrat has asserted since launching his investigation that there was behind-the-scenes evidence proving there was collusion and would tease the he could not 'go into particulars.'

'The Russians offered help, the campaign accepted help,' Schiff told CNN in December 2017. 'The Russians gave help and the President made full use of that help.'

But the Journal asserts: 'None of this was true, and Mr. Schiff knew it.'

In one instance of contradictory testimony, Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Schiff and the panel of lawmakers in December 2017 that he 'never saw any direct empirical evidence that the Trump campaign or someone in it was plotting/conspiring with the Russians to meddle with the election.'

Barack Obama's former Attorney General Loretta Lynch agreed in her testimony about three months later.

'I don't recall anything being briefed up to me.' Former Deputy AG Sally Yates confirmed.

Documents of the 57 different interviews with witnesses were finally released byActing Director of the United States National Intelligence Richard Grenell last week

As Grenell decided to finally force release of the documents, Schiff said he was relieved, and blamed the delay on Trump's administration.

'These transcripts should have been released long before now, but the White House held up their release to the public by refusing to allow the Intelligence Community to make redactions on the basis of classified information, rather than White House political interests,' Schiff said last week.

'Only now, and during a deadly pandemic, has the President released his hold on this damning information and evidence,' he continued.

'Ultimately, this pattern of misconduct and deceit continued when President Trump once again sought to coerce a foreign government into providing him illicit assistance with his reelection campaign, this time from Ukraine. For his efforts, President Trump was impeached in the House and became the first ever U.S. President to to receive bipartisan votes to convict in the Senate,' Schiff wrote in his statement.

The Journal editorial team wasn't buying it, and urged its media colleagues to stop giving Schiff a platform.

'He's still making it up,' it charged of Schiff's continued claims against the president. 'Last week he said the transcripts contain 'evidence of the Trump campaign's efforts to invite, make use of, and cover up Russia's help in the 2016 presidential election.''

'The question we'd ask our friends in the media is when are they going to stop playing the fool by putting him on the air? Mr. Schiff is a powerful figure with access to secrets that the rest of us don't have and can't check. He misled the country repeatedly on an issue that consumed American politics,' the op-ed reads.

It concludes: 'As for Mr. Schiff, no one should ever believe another word he says.'
When Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry decided to leave the British royal family for a more independent life away from the royal fold, they had major plans. The pair looked forward to launching their new Archewell initiative and moving to Meghans hometown of LA where they have a vast support system.

Unfortunately the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic thwarted their plans. Instead, the pair have been social distancing and quarantining at Tyler Perrys $18 million Beverly Hills mansion. However, now that restrictions are slowly lifting in LA, the Sussexes are considering their next move.

It appears that the pair have their eye on several million-dollar properties in LA for their new home, but their massive budget might put a ringer in their plans for financial independence.

Prince Charles has been providing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with financial assistance

In addition to what many people believe is Perrys kindness in allowing the Sussexes to stay in his Beverly Hills home free of charge, the duo is also getting assistance from a royal source. The Daily Mail is reporting that the pair are leaning on Prince Charles who has offered to assist the couple until they can get on their feet.

Charles has agreed to pay a private contribution to the Sussexes, a source explained. It is believed that the majority of this funding from the future Crowned King will go to helping the Sussexes pay for their extensive security which includes 15 armed guards who are on call 24/7.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys LA house budget is in the millions

Meghan and Prince Harry might be hiding out at Perrys LA abode, but they are looking for their own digs. TMZ is reporting that the Sussexes are looking to spend $12 to $18 million for their home in LA.

Apparently the Sussexes have several homes on their radar including a $15 million seven-bedroom Bel-Air mansion that includes a 200 bottle wine cellar and an $18 million Hollywood Hills home with five bedrooms. There is also a $16.9 million home that has an 800-gallon aquarium.

The pair also still have Frogmore Cottage in the U.K. where they hope to spend a good portion o their time, especially since it seems unlikely that Prince Harry will opt to become a U.S. citizen.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wont be financially independent for awhile

Though the Sussexes have a combined net worth of $30 million, they are also paying back the citizens of the U.K. $3 million for Frogmore Cottage renovations. With all of these expenses, it seems unlikely they will be able to keep up their lifestyle, especially without money coming in.

In fact, amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the pair have been unable to launch their new Archewell endeavor or take on any of the projects that they moved to LA for. When their projects do eventually launch it could take some time to see any real substantial revenue. Also, with the big-budget they have for their new home, they might be depending on the royals for several years to come.
This, to me, was heaven. A 5-pound bag of dried, spicy red peppers was $21.31, a great deal when you consider how many thousands of dried red peppers you get in a 5-pound bag.

But that is also the problem. I am not a restaurant. You, in all probability, are not a restaurant, nor even a restaurant owner. In this life and the next, I could never begin to make a dent in a 5-pound bag of dried red peppers.

Its the Costco/Sams Club conundrum. They offer great prices on things you like, but you have to buy more of them than you can possibly use. The difference is that at Restaurant Depot you can often get smaller amounts, too, for slightly more than youd pay for the same item in bulk.

So I pressed on, into the voluminous refrigerated section, where the store offers cases of vegetables and fruit, deli meats and huge blocks of cheese. I picked up a 13.6-ounce tub of demi glace for $4.23, though I see now that the main ingredient is corn oil. I also grabbed a half-pound of smoked salmon ($8.95) for me, and a dozen roses ($11.95) for my lovely bride.

Fresh octopus  $5.93 a pound  is available in the seafood section, and the meat department has something called flap meat (its similar to flank steak, but from the sirloin) for $8.95.
Museums are closed, but many of the ways kids can learn through them are now available online.

And kids might find some activities even cooler than walking around inside a museum  like bird watching.

Field Museum bird guides are one example of activities families may access through the Kids Content Series, a new resource available on the governors offices All In Illinois campaign. Partnering with Illinois museums and attractions, it offers kid-friendly educational resources for families at home.

I think its a great reminder that we have these organizations in our state, and that they also consistently provide really high-quality digital and educational content, said Emily Graslie, the Field Museums chief curiosity correspondent.

Parents and children can use the Field Museums guides to learn more about plants, animals, insects and more.

Graslie said its a prime time to spy birds in Illinois. Birds like Baltimore orioles and orchard orioles are migrating from Central America, and you might be able to spot them in your neighborhood.

These birds have flown thousands and thousands of miles, she said. Its pretty special.

She added that some of the birds favorite foods are, conveniently, grape jelly and oranges  foods that are safe for them to eat and that kids may have at home.

Put out a cup of grape jelly, she said, and, You might get to see one of these amazing tropical birds come visit.

Graslie hosts Brain Scoop on YouTube, and in a new video announcing the states website for activities, she thanked children for staying home and washing their hands.

Resources in the Kid Content Series will include coloring pages, word searches, videos and virtual field trips. Activities will be released throughout the next month.

Participating museums include the Field Museum, John Deere Pavilion in Moline and Springfields Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, with more to be added.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement announcing the series that it also offers a taste of a variety of family friendly experiences that will be available to them, once its safe to visit.
Calls for Portland to fund continued legal aid for immigrants facing deportation, boost support for renters and pull money from several police units dominated a public hearing on the citys proposed budget.

The Tuesday evening event was the general publics main opportunity to weigh in on this years city budget process, after the coronavirus pandemic delayed community input.

Mayor Ted Wheeler unveiled his $5.52 billion budget last week. The city council is scheduled to vote to approve its version of the budget next Wednesday, then make it official in June ahead of the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

About 50 people spoke during the virtual meeting on what they thought the city should prioritize in the next fiscal year. At least 15 people, about a dozen of them identifying themselves as affiliated with nonprofit Care Not Cops, called on the city to no longer fund the police bureaus gun violence reduction team, school resource officer program and transit police division.

The speakers, some of whom said they are social workers, students or Portland Public School teachers, said officers in all three units have contributed to traumatizing the citys vulnerable populations, including communities of color and people experiencing homelessness, and said they fear continuing to fund the units amid the COVID-19 crisis and recovery could cause more harm.

Some suggested the funds should be redirected to fund long-term housing solutions, mental health care outreach and other services geared toward community coronavirus recovery.

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty also named the same three police units as ones she would want to eliminate from the budget. She said she felt the budget should better indicate how the city is going to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and be more centered on equity.

Coming out of this pandemic, knowing we will have limited resources, it is my belief that we will have to go back to core services that the city is required to do, Hardesty said. We need more police officers that have the ability to be out on the street and many of the programs that are currently funded are not programs that allow these officers to respond to calls, to show up in communities, to engage in a way that I think were going to need coming out of this pandemic.

The mayors proposed budget sets the police bureaus program funding at around $246.2 million, about $3 million less than what the bureau requested but about $5.5 million more than the current budget.

Wheeler said the funding increase is needed to replace the agencys unwieldy and expensive records management system and cover previously negotiated pension benefits. He also noted that hes ordered all city bureaus to reduce their general fund budgets by 5.6% to help close a projected $75 million gap between funding expected to come in versus the costs of continuing programs and services at their current levels. Those cuts are expected to lower expenses by $9.3 million.

Wheelers budget proposes fulling most of the $75 million gap with unspent money carried over from the current fiscal year, reserve funds and furloughs and wage freezes for non-union city employees.

The coronavirus pandemic caused a two-month delay of public involvement in the citys budget process.

Public meetings set after March 12 for city officials to discuss funding requests from bureaus such as parks, police, fire, water and transportation were cancelled due to the state of emergency declaration and limited public access to City Hall. Three community forums planned for April where the public could weigh in on all budget requests and city budget office funding recommendations were also cancelled.

During Tuesdays hearing, lawyers and other workers involved in the citys legal program for immigrants facing deportation urged city commissioners to continue paying to provide free court-appointed attorneys to defend Portland residents in immigration court. The Universal Representation program is run through the Equity Corps of Oregon, with lawyers provided by nonprofits Catholic Charities of Oregon, Metropolitan Public Defender, Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization, Innovation Law Lab and others.

The program launched in 2018 after a $500,000 grant from the city. The program received additional funding last year from Multnomah County and the state to expand the initiative throughout Oregon.

Wheeler proposed spending $200,000 on it in the coming year.

The legal representation has allowed nearly 2,000 Oregonians to remain in the country, attorneys with the universal representation program said. More than half of the programs current clients live in Portland and, amid the pandemic, people are still being detained by federal immigration authorities and having to appear in immigration court. There are 7,300 cases pending in Portland Immigration Court and if program funding runs out while they wait, they will have to represent themselves.

Theodora Lenihan, an immigration attorney with the program, said she and others continue to work, helping clients schedule health care appointments, write letters to their landlords explaining why they cant pay rent and get food delivered to their homes.

Theres so much misunderstanding, fear and anxiety at this time, she said. This program is providing more than just needed legal help to underserved communities. Were able to share information with clients and help connect them with resources while assuring them they arent alone in this.

Housing and tenants rights advocates also called on the city to greatly expand support for renters in anticipation of the eviction moratorium being lifted and many people being unable to pay back their accrued rent.

Margot Black, a Portland City Council candidate and co-chair of nonprofit Portland Tenants United, said shed be in favor of more funding for rental services office in the Portland Housing Bureau beyond the nearly $4 million in Wheelers proposed budget.

The old normal wasnt working for some many of us and if we truly believe we arent going to head back to the old normal and we want a healthier city, then we need to think outside the box on our budget and start asking where is the money and go get it, Black said.

Wheelers proposed budget calls for allocating $8.4 million in grant funds to provide at least three months of rent support estimated to help 2,100 households.

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Sunny Leone got a romantic birthday wish from her husband Daniel Weber. He took to Instagram to share a picture of her posing with a bouquet of flowers and a Happy Mothers Day balloon, and wished that he could put his feelings into words.

Happy birthday baby !!!! You are so much in life and I wish everyday I can tell you everything that comes to my mind !!! You are the greatest wife , mother and lover !!! An inspiration to millions and a role model !!! Iconic !!! You have never cared what anyone has ever thought and took your own path in life even when the road was less traveled !!! Be proud of yourself and all you have achieved all while staying so humble !!! I love you so much !!! Xoxo!!! Love you baby love !! @sunnyleone, he wrote. She replied to him in the comments section, saying, So sweet!!

Also see: Taapsee Pannu says she forced sister Shagun to tie her a rakhi, says even I am protecting her. See pic

Currently, Sunny and Daniel are quarantining at their Los Angeles home with their three children - daughter Nisha and twin sons Noah and Asher. She flew down with her family from Mumbai earlier this month as she felt that the kids would be safer against this invisible killer coronavirus in the US.

Sunny shared a video from her Los Angeles home to thank her fans and well-wishers for sending her love on her birthday. Hey, everyone! I just want to say thank you so much for all the birthday wishes. I am such a lucky girl to get so much love from all of you. I know that we are so far apart and it is really hard to be doing things at this time, but just know that I love you and I hope you guys get through this with a big smile, she said in the clip.

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A woman suffered burns this week after illegally entering Yellowstone National Park and falling backward into a thermal feature, park officials said.

On Tuesday morning, the unidentified woman drove into the park despite the fact that it has been closed to the public since March due to the novel coronavirus, according to the Associated Press.

She was reportedly taking photos near the Old Faithful geyser when she backed up too far and fell into a hot spring, sustaining several burns.

After the fall, the woman drove for roughly 50 miles before she was stopped by park rangers about one mile south of Mammoth Hot Springs, NBC Montana reported.

RELATED: Man Severely Burned After Tripping and Falling into Hot Spring at Yellowstone National Park

She was then life-flighted to the Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, park officials said. The extent of her injuries has not been reported.

George Frey/Getty Images

According to CNN, the National Park Service shared that they are not aware of which thermal feature the woman fell into, however they are continuing to look into the incident.

"Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature," the park's website explains.

To steer clear of these hot areas, the park urges all visitors to stay on the provided boardwalks.

RELATED: Bison in Yellowstone National Park Charges Group, Flips and Injures 9-Year-Old Girl

Last fall, a 48-year-old man also suffered severe burns over a significant portion of his body after falling into a hot spring at the park.

Cade Edmond Siemers was walking alone without a flashlight when he tripped and fell into thermal water near the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, he told park rangers, Yellowstone shared in a press release at the time.

Siemers managed to crawl out of the scorching spring and walked back to his hotel  Old Faithful Inn  where he called for help, according to the press release.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they detected evidence of alcohol use and Siemers was transported by ambulance and flown by plane to Idaho Falls for medical attention. He was also later admitted to the same Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, according to the release.
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio called on President Donald Trump to urge the U.S. Senate to pass a new stimulus package that would provide billions in aid to New York City and New York state.

On Tuesday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled a $3 trillion coronavirus federal aid package that could bring as much as $67 billion to New York state.

However, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called the bill a liberal wish list that has no chance of becoming law, while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has called for a pause in aid bills, said, This is not a time for aspirational legislation, Newsday reported.

Senate Republicans likely will not take up the new aid package until June.

The difference-maker right now, the person who could make all the difference and ensure that this plan gets through  that would actually help us fully get back on our feet is obviously the president of the United States, de Blasio told reporters during a press conference Wednesday.

Ill say it simply today, Mr. President, were looking to you, youre hometowns looking to you and cities and states all over the country ... were not red America, or blue America, at this moment, were one America trying together to recover, we need you you say the word and the U.S. Senate will follow, its as simple as that, de Blasio continued.

For the last several weeks, de Blasio has been calling on the federal government to help fill the citys $7.4 billion budget gap.

If the city is unable to fill that gap, the mayor has warned that essential municipal workers could be furloughed.

He said the proposed stimulus package would provide New York City $17 billion in direct aid over a two year period and New York State another $34 billion.

The package could fund a number of programs across the country including $4 billion in section 8 vouchers, $15.7 billion in grants to support transit service and federal benefits for survivors of first responders who die in line of duty related to COVID-19.

What we have needed is a clear commitment from the federal government for a massive stimulus plan that would put us back on our feet and make us strong for the future, de Blasio said. Finally we see the beginning of such a plan, finally we see a step forward in Washington that really responds to what all of us have experienced over these last two or three months and all that weve gone through finally we see a beginning of an answer in Washington, D.C.

The mayors executive budget will have to be adopted by the City Council before June 30 before the citys fiscal year 2020 ends.

FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***
Massive military transport and refueling jets from the 514th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will conduct a flyover Wednesday to honor healthcare workers, first responders and other essential employees who are working on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Freedom Wing flyover will depart from the base and pass over six sites - primarily hospitals - in Burlington and Camden counties between 1 p.m. and 1:20 p.m.

The flights of the C-17 Globemaster and a KC-10 Extender refueling aircraft, will not require additional funding because they are part of mandatory training requirements, officials said.

The planes will flyover these sites in order starting at 1 p.m.:

This will be the third military flyover in three weeks and the second one this week.

Three F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 177th Fighter Wing of the states Air National Guard in Egg Harbor and a KC-135R Stratotanker from the 108th Wing at Joint Base Mcguire-Dix-Lakehurst flew over 14 sites Tuesday, including COVID-19 testing centers, veterans homes, hospitals and mortuary affairs sites. The flyover stretched from Sea Girt to Bergen County and the U.S. Coast Guard training center in Cape May County before concluding the flyover in Atlantic City.

And 12 high-performance aircraft with the U.S. Navy Blue Angles and Air Force Thunderbirds flew over New Jersey and New York on April 28. That flyover passed above Newark, New York City, Trenton, Philadelphia and Wilmington.

New Jersey has had 140,743 reported cases of coronavirus and 9,531 fatalities, state officials reported as of Tuesday.

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Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com.
The Delhi government will bear the cost of sending home stranded migrant workers from Bihar in three Shramik Special trains on Wednesday as the Nitish Kumar-led government hasn't yet responded to its request to pay for their tickets, an official said.

Each special train will carry around 1,200 migrant workers, according to the official.

This comes days after a war of words broke out between Delhi and Bihar governments over expenses incurred by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led dispensation to send around 1,200 migrant workers to Muzaffarpur on a Shramik Special train.

"The Delhi government will bear the cost of ferrying migrant workers as the Bihar government is yet to respond on the payment (for train tickets)," the official said.

The three special trains will leave for Bhagalpur, Barauni and Darbhanga in Bihar.

Last week, the AAP had said it bore the cost of ferrying migrant workers from Delhi to Bihar.

However, Bihar's ruling Janata Dal (United) rejected the claim.

It alleged the AAP was speaking "half-truth" on the issue as the Delhi government had sought from the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar dispensation a reimbursement of the train fare.

The JD(U) had also accused the AAP of resorting to "cheap to gain popularity".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UPS will be housed in a 14,000-square-foot office in the airports passenger terminal with a 150,000 ramp with enough space to park two Airbus 300 cargo planes. They were described as wide-body cargo jets with a maximum payload of over 120,000 pounds and the ability to carry more than 14,000 packages.
The Stage Stores in Alpine, a West Texas town of about 6,000, closed late March when its Houston parent temporarily shuttered its 738 stores and furloughed virtually all of its employees. On Sunday evening, after filing for bankruptcy protection, temporary will likely become permanent.

The closure leaves a gaping hole in rural communities such as Alpine, where Stage Stores was the only place in town to buy clothes.

With Stage closing were kind of screwed, Geo Calderon, an Alpine resident. Well have to go two hours to Midland.

SEEKING PROTECTION: Stage Stores files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy, latest retailer felled by coronavirus

Stage Stores and its sibling brands  Gordmans, Bealls and Palais Royal  were for decades staples of rural communities across the country, and their closure not only means longer treks for clothing, but one less gathering place for locals.

Theyre a place where they can renew their social ties in a community, said Charles Tolbert II, a sociology professor at Baylor University who specializes in rural communities. To me its a lot more than just a retail business, especially the ones that have the sort of reputation that Stage has  of hanging in there.

Hes concerned, he said, that the end of Stage Stores marks yet another loss of a small-town institution.

Its just one less place for people to employ their social capital, to interact with one another, to build social networks, he said. And it becomes a real problem for communities.

Diane Pleasants, of Waxahachie, a town of fewer than 30,000 just south of Dallas, said shes watched town anchors like Bealls and JC Penney struggle, and lamented the rise of online shopping.

I like to browse, she said, noting she tries to pass the affinity on to her grandchildren.

Heading out to the store also gives seniors some needed exercise and social activity, she said.

Shopping around at Waxahachies department stores  or going hunting she said with a laugh  is a fun pastime. Inevitably, she runs into people she knows.

Its just kind of a small-town vibe, she said.

Consolidating, stumbling

Stage Stores was formed in 1988 with the merger of Palais Royal and Bealls, family-owned department store chains founded in the 1920s in Texas. Bain Capital, a buyout firm started by Mitt Romney in 1984, financed most of the deal with junk bonds.

The company rolled up department stores in small towns without access to malls and other apparel retailers, growing its footprint to the point that some 60 percent of its locations were in towns with fewer than 50,000 residents

Bain took the company public in 1996, and it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy two years later.

More recently, Stage Stores had been rethinking its approach, investing $30 million to convert its aging department stores to its off-price Gordmans brand, selling brand-name goods at a fraction of the price of department stores.

SWITCH TO OFF-PRICE: Department store chain pivoting to new Stage

When it filed for bankruptcy protection Sunday, Stage Stores said in filings that it was looking for a buyer and planned to reopen its more than 700 stores in the coming weeks, but only to liquidate inventory.

Over the last several months, we had been taking significant steps to attempt to strengthen our financial position and find an independent path forward, Chief Executive Michael Glazer said in a statement. However, the increasingly challenging market environment was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required us to temporarily close all of our stores and furlough the vast majority of our associates. Given these conditions, we have been unable to obtain necessary financing and have no choice but to take these actions.

In a Tuesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company disclosed that Jason T. Curtis, its chief financial officer and treasurer, tendered his resignation May 8 to pursue a career with another retailer. His last day is to be May 22. Mr. Curtis resignation did not involve any disagreement with the company with regard to its operations, policies or practices, the filing said, adding that Glazer would oversee finance functions.

Money woes

Stage Stores isnt the only retailer struggling in this retail environment, said Reshmi Basu, an editor for Debtwire, and the trouble began long before the novel coronavirus sent the economy into recession.

There was already kind of a retail apocalypse heading into COVID-19, she said. This just creates almost a sort of death knell for the industry.

Basu said retailers are rife with liquidity problems at the moment, and it would be costly and challenging for a potential buyer to obtain financing. And then it becomes a question of whats the collateral, she said.

TEXAS INC.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Christina Boni, a vice president at debt rating agency Moodys, agreed that the environment does not lend well to leveraging retail companies, making buyouts less likely.

It makes it less attractive from that standpoint, she said.

That would be of little consolation to Ida Schossow, president of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Stage Store in Orange, the easternmost city in Texas, has been around long enough to have been a Bealls before the merger. With its closing, she said, the nearest mall is 30 minutes away.

It has been a staple in our community for a long time, she said. If the store shutters, she said, itll be a loss for the community.

Paul Takashi contributed to this report.

amanda.drane@chron.com

twitter.com/AmandaDrane
The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) yesterday received supplies from the Ministry of Health to help further educate and disseminate information on the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.



The supplies included 10,0000 face masks, 10,000 examination gloves, 40 gallons of hand sanitiser, 40 gallons of rubbing alcohol, 20 thermometer guns, 360 pieces of cocoa drink and 90 packets of tissue.



The donation was done in accordance with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos promise to support the NCCE with PPE when he delivered his ninth address to the nation.



A Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, who made the presentation on behalf of the ministry, commended the NCCE for being innovative and proactive rather than reactive in the fight against COVID-19.



I hope this will go a long way to support you in your drive to help Ghanaians observe the protocols; wash their hands and keep the distance, he said.



The Chairman of the Commission, Ms Josephine Nkrumah, who received the items, thanked the Ministry of Health for the support.



I want to assure the ministry and the good people of Ghana that these protective equipment will be put to good use and in the next few days, youll hear a lot more of what NCCE is doing, she said.



Ms Nkrumah also asked other partners who considered civic education as one of the core drivers in the fight against COVID-19 to approach the commission and donate whatever they could, especially in terms of logistics.



Mobility is a key challenge for the commission. Institutions that have vehicles or will like to lend those vehicles to the commission for this period, will most certainly be welcome, she said.



She urged all to stay safe and adhere to all the safety protocols.







Source: Daily Graphic









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

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Commuters and shoppers will be advised to wear DIY face masks under new guidelines to be issued by health chiefs.

The Government will this week tell the public to wear homemade face coverings on public transport and in supermarkets as they begin to ease Covid-19 restrictions.

People will be urged to make their own face coverings rather than wear medical masks that could be used by healthcare workers on the frontline.

However, it will not be mandatory to cover your face while in public, and no new laws will be introduced to ensure people comply with the advice.

Protection

An information campaign will also be launched on how to properly wear a face covering and to remind people that they offer only a certain amount of protection against contracting coronavirus.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has debated the need for guidelines on face coverings for several of weeks.

The group, led by Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan, was expected to make a formal decision yesterday, but it was deferred until later in the week.

However, government sources said they expect Dr Holohan to advise wearing a face covering on public transport and while shopping

Last night, he indicated that guidance will include advice on how to sew or make coverings at home.

"The advice would refer to face coverings and not masks of a medical grade," he said.

"We don't want competition for people who need them in healthcare settings or where someone has been directed by a doctor to wear them for medical reasons."

Dr Holohan said there will be "practical communications about face coverings and how to make them".

He noted that there are already demonstrations on the internet on how to make masks at home.

"There will also be guidance on how to use them safely. The evidence is clear that if they are not used properly they can increase the risk of transmission," he added.

Dr Holohan warned that face coverings can become contaminated and cause the virus to spread further.

"The risk of transmission of the virus is increased if people don't wash their hands or practise social distancing," he said.

"There is a right way to do this. They do not protect you entirely from the virus."

The Government has fast-tracked advice on wearing face coverings to stop the spread of the virus.

In the Nphet's draft road map for reopening the country, Dr Holohan's team proposed issuing guidelines on face coverings next month.

This advice was removed from the road map by the Government before it was published.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said yesterday that the use of face masks by the public should form part of plans for reopening Ireland after the lockdown.

Screaming

He also expressed concern that the level of testing and contact tracing is "not where we should be" if the country is to reopen.

Speaking on Newstalk Radio, Mr Martin said: "I favour masks.

"I have a sister-in-law in Singapore. Singapore isn't the answer to everything, but she's been screaming at me metaphorically over the phone - 'why aren't you guys wearing masks?'"

Mr Martin said Singapore has a different system, including being more transparent about where clusters of the disease emerge.

"There's considerable compliance, not because of an authoritarian culture but rather because people feel this is the best way to do it," he said.
A fight is underway to keep loathed killer Mark Richard Lawrence behind bars after he is set to be released into the community with a supervision order.

The Queensland State Opposition has written to the government to appeal a decision by Justice Helen Bowskill on April 16 to release the man on the condition he receives injections of anti-libidinal medication and has appointments with doctors and psychiatrists.

In 1983, Lawrence lured a patient from Wolston Park Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in the Queensland suburb of Wacol, and brutally raped her before he slit her throat.

Julie Anne Muirhead, 29, was found on January 4, more than a week after the attack, half-naked and with a tea towel wrapped around her neck.

David Janetzki MP on Monday wrote to Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D'Ath, saying 'the risk to the community if Lawrence is released is undeniably high'.

Mark Richard Lawrence is in jail for the murder of Julie Anne Muirhead

'Lawrence's history speaks for itself. He has had a consistent diagnosis of an anti-social personality disorder which is untreatable,' the Shadow Attorney-General said in the letter, according to The Courier Mail.

The letter from Mr Janetzki noted a psychological report from March that said: 'Should (Lawrence) reoffend there is potential for the offence behaviour to be very serious, namely the committal of a sexually sadistic (killing).'

The ruling by Justice Bowskill in the Brisbane Supreme Court placed him on a 20-year supervision order meaning he will be released into the community unless the state's Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath steps in.

Ms D'Ath told The Courier Mail the release is subject to 59 strict conditions that will be enforced by the department of Corrective Services and include the injections which suppress sexual urges.

If he can no longer take the medication or refuses to he will be returned to prison.
Robert Pattinson has been always been controversys child, from dissing his own movies (Twilight) to sleeping during the screening of his own movie at film festivals, the actors whimsical and honest personality is endearing and had landed him a loyal fan base over the years. After having played some extremely popular characters including Harry Potters Cedric Diggory and Twilight Sagas Edward Cullen, Pattinson was all set to take on the role of Batman on the big screen. Until the coronavirus pandemic reeled the world into a state of global lockdown, confining Robert to an apartment in London, where he is currently holed up with his girlfriend, Suki Waterhouse. Robert was in London for the production of the latest chapter of the Batman series, but production was shut down in March, leaving Robert stranded. Other than Batman, Robert also has Tenet lined up for release.

Robert, for his 34th birthday, which is today, has also joined a series of celebrities and done a self photoshoot for the cover of GQ from the confines of his rented (by Batman producers) London flat. Gigi Hadid had also done a self photoshoot for Vogue.

Also Read | Triple threat: Models are styling, set designing and photographing their own shoots during Coronavirus lockdown

Robert said to GQ that he arrived to London with only three T-shirts and isnt following the advice of his trainer who keeps asking him to workout. He said, I think if youre working out all the time, youre part of the problem. You set a precedent. No one was doing this in the 70s. Even James Deanhe wasnt exactly ripped. He means other actors by you.

Roberts laid back shots in expensive Louis Vuitton shirts and jackets, paired with his own underwear seem to have been taken with the help of a timer, then there are the classic mirror selfies, one of these shots have graced the cover of GQ.

In typical honest and eccentric Robert fashion, the actor admits having forgotten parts of his film Tenet in the interview to GQ, he said, I totally forgot, like, Id totally forgotten a lot of the character stuff. Even if I had seen it, I genuinely dont know if Id be able to I was just thinking, I just called up my assistant 20 minutes ago: What the f**k do I say? I have no idea.

Director of the film, Christopher Nolan, disagreed with Roberts claims, The interesting thing with Rob is, hes slightly f***ing with you. But hes also being disarmingly honest. Its sort of both things at once. When you see the film, youll understand. Robs read on the script was extremely acute. But he also understood the ambiguities of the film and the possibilities that spin off in the mind around the story. And so both things are true. Yes, hes f***ing with you, because he had a complete grasp of the script. But a complete grasp of the script, in the case of Tenet, is one that understands and acknowledges the need for this film to live on in the audiences mind, and suggest possibilities in the audiences mind. And he was very much a partner in crime with that.

Talking about Batman and being compared to earlier versions of the Dark Knight, Robert said, I kind of like the fact that not only are there very, very, very well-done versions of the character which seem pretty definitive, but I was thinking that there are multiple definitive playings of the character. I was watching the making of Batman & Robin the other day. And even then, George Clooney was saying that he was worried about the fact that its sort of been done, that a lot of the ground you should cover with the character has been already covered.

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What does it take to be the best? On Wall Street, it takes a sharp eye for stocks and a clear view of what makes a winning investment  and not every analyst has that.

Glenn Greene, writing on the technology sector for Oppenheimer, is one of the select few analysts to rate five stars from TipRanks. Ranked #3 overall, out of 6,546 rated analysts, Greenes recommendations have a success rate of 81%. Even better, for the investors who follow him, Greenes calls have brought an average return of 20.4%.

With this in mind, we wanted to take a closer look at the 5-star analysts top picks in the business services sector. These are companies that provide day-to-day financial and payment processing services in the B2B market. While not household names, they are vital players in their niche. Lets see why Greene sees them as compelling components for your portfolio.

Fiserv, Inc. (FISV)

Well start with, Fiserv, a provider of financial services technology for banks, credit unions, leasing and finance companies, retailers, and securities brokers and dealers. Fiserv has been in business since 1984, and reported over $10 billion in revenues for fiscal year 2019.

On May 7, Fiserv reported two items of great interest to investors. First, the company announced that long-time CEO Jeffery Yabuki will step down as of July 1. He will be succeeded by COO Frank Bisignano. In the second news item that day, Fiserv reported Q1 results. At the top line, GAAP revenues increased 151% to $3.77 billion, and GAAP earnings grew by 2% to 57 cents per share. The balance sheet was solid -- Fiserv reported $888 million in net cash for the quarter, compared to $373 million in Q1 2019.

Greenes assessment of FISV is simple: he rates the stock as a Buy, and believes it has a clear path forward, stating, FISV has seen steady weekly volume improvement since late March and into May. For perspective, volume declines approximated 30% in late March and have gradually recovered to low double-digit declines; notably better than peer trends, perhaps due to vertical or geographic volume mix. Accordingly, we expect significant but bottoming revenue/profitability pressure in 2Q20 with gradual improvement in subsequent quarters.

Story continues

Along with this Buy rating, Greene give FISV a price target of $130, indicating his confidence in a solid 31.5% upside potential.

Fiserv has no fewer than 19 recent analyst reviews, including an impressive 17 Buy ratings against just 2 Holds, and making the analyst consensus a Strong Buy. The average price target, $122.37, implies a 24% premium from the current trading price of $98.86. (See Fiserv stock analysis on TipRanks)

FleetCor Technologies (FLT)

Next on todays list is FleetCor, a major provider of fuel cards and workforce payment services throughout the developed world, with major clients in the US, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. FleetCors client list includes government entities, petroleum companies, and business commercial fleets.

For Q1 2020, FLT showed mixed results. Revenues grew, gaining 6% year-over-year to reach $661.1 million. At the same time, net income fell by 15% yoy to $147.1 million. Due to the pandemic, management withdrew previously published full-year 2020 guidance, citing increased uncertainty in future business activity. Shares have slipped 13% since the earnings release.

In his review of FLT, Greene maintained his Buy rating, along with a $280 price target that implies a strong upside of 30%.

Greene comments, Notwithstanding near-term COVID-19-related headwinds, FLT remains well positioned to re-capture growth as end client volumes and activity normalize. Additionally, FLT maintains significant capital deployment flexibility, which we suspect could be utilized as we see some evidence of broader growth trends returning.

The Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating on FLT is based on 13 reviews, including 7 Buys and 6 Holds. The stock is selling for $215.15, and the $270.23 average price target indicates it has room for 26% upside growth over the next 12 months. (See FleetCor stock analysis on TipRanks)

WEX (WEX)

The last stock on todays list is WEX, an interesting company that provides payment solutions for corporate accounts. WEX started out in the 1980s as a fleet card provider, offering gasoline payment processing for corporate motor pools, and has since expanded to offer a wider range of payment processing and information management for commercial and government vehicle fleets.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, WEX was having a good year. The company saw earnings grow through the first three quarters of 2019, and finished the year with a $2.39 EPS in Q4. The wide-ranging, large-scale economic shutdowns put in place to help fight the pandemic hit WEX hard, however. With so many people under shelter-at-home orders, vehicle traffic declined sharply, as did the need to refuel, service, and maintain those vehicles. WEX reported just $1.62 in Q1 earnings, missing the forecast by over 10% and falling 32% sequentially. The bright spot was the year-over-year change; EPS was up 5.8% from Q1 2019.

However, Glenn Greene believes that WEX remains in a solid position, with positive long-term prospects. The analyst noted, WEX continues to see strong momentum in its US Health businesses, which realized a minimal impact from the pandemic. WEX also instituted near-term cost-cutting measures that should provide $6065M of FY20 expense savings We remain optimistic regarding WEX's diversified growth potential LT, however, are cautious regarding recent NT headwinds.

To this end, Greene maintained his Buy rating on WEX shares. His $175 price target suggests a robust one-year upside of 51% to the stock.

Overall, WEX shares have a Moderate Buy rating from the analyst consensus. This is based on 11 recent reviews, which break down to 6 Buy and 5 Hold. Shares are priced at $116.09, and the average price target, $174.90, is in line with Greenes, indicating room for 51% growth. (See WEX stock analysis on TipRanks)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.
Two special education teachers share this years Stamford Teacher of the Year honors.

Lisa Legato-Howlett, who has spent 41 years in the Stamford school district, and currently teaches in its Individuals Achieving Independence program, was chosen along with Toquam Magnet Elementary School teacher Barbara Hanauer.

Legato-Howlett was initially chosen as the Stamford Teacher of the Year. But due to her upcoming retirement, she will share the award. Hanauer was originally chosen as the runner up by the Teacher of the Year committee, but she will now become a candidate in the State of Connecticut Teacher of the Year program.

Legato-Howlett has held a variety of special education positions in the district. She has served as a resource room co-teacher, a classroom teacher, and spent 20 years serving students with disabilities at Stillmeadow Elementary School.

A press release from the Stamford school district states that Legato-Howlett was instrumental in the development and growth of the Individuals Achieving Independence program, which provides transition services for students with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 21.

During college, I decided I wanted a career path that would combine my love of children with behavior analysis and theories of child development, Legato-Howlett said in the press release. Special education seemed like the perfect fit for me. I've never regretted my decision and can't imagine my life doing anything else. I am so honored to have been chosen for this award.

Hanauer has been a teacher for 31 years, almost all in Stamford schools. She began her teaching career in Texas and California before moving to Stamford about 42 years ago.

After taking time off to raise her children, Hanauer became a paraeducator at Northeast Elementary School. She would later serve as a resource teacher, co-teacher, and support teacher at Julia A. Stark Elementary School.

For the past four years, Hanauer has worked with students with learning disabilities as a special education teacher at Toquam.

I'm so humbled that out of so many people, I was chosen to be honored as Teacher of the Year in Stamford, Hanauer said in the press release. Part of the joy of my job is that I get to work with, and learn from, so many talented people who have taught me so much. These past few months I've discovered so much more about my students and the people that I work with: The support, wisdom and teamwork of parents, students and staff have made me realize that I still have a lot to learn. I feel, in some ways, I should be thanking Stamford for giving me the opportunity to do what I love every day.

Stamford Superintendent Tamu Lucero praised Legato-Howlett and Hanauer for their work.

What a perfect choice Lisa was for Stamford Teacher of the Year, Lucero said, in the press release. The amazing work that she has done on behalf of students over the years has been truly impactful. Given Lisas retirement, I know Barbaras enthusiasm and commitment to our students makes her an ideal candidate to take over the reins of Teacher of the Year and represent us at the state level. 

The 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year Finalists were Stamford High School science teacher Saleh Jahangir and Toquam special education teacher Diana Pelliccia.

To be considered for Teacher of the Year, each educator was required to submit three essays and be interviewed by the committee. Finalists were determined after the interview process and each was required to submit a videotaped lesson.
Over 240 stranded Indians on Wednesday boarded the special Air India flight at the Dulles International Airport in the US to fly back home as part of India's biggest ever repatriation exercise amid the travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The passengers included students, women, children and senior citizens.

India's Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that so far 28,000 Indian citizens stranded in the US have expressed their interest in travelling back to India.

After the first phase of seven flights from four US cities - New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC - which would end this week, preparations are on for the second phase of seven more flights from these cities, he said.

Talking to Indian reporters at the airport, he did not rule out the possibility of more such flights under the Vande Bharat Mission, which is the Indian government's biggest ever exercise to bring back its nationals from abroad stranded due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Civial Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights in phase 2 of the Vande Bharat Mission.

This is an unprecedented situation. No one was prepared for this. We are in the service of the people of India, wherever they are, Sandhu said as he personally met a number of Indian nationals flying back to India.

The first flight from the US flew from San Francisco on Sunday. The last flight in this first phase is slated to fly from Chicago on May 15. Around 2,000 Indian nationals are likely to fly back in this phase.

Meanwhile, the Indians who were to board the flight praised the government's efforts to bring back its nationals at the time of crisis.

Vande Bharat Mission makes us feel proud as an Indian citizen, Gurpreet Singh Bagga said before checking in the Air India flight at the Dulles International Airport in Washington DC.

For the past several weeks, he was stranded in Charlotte. There were sleepless nights and I was not sure when I would be meeting my family, he said.

Bagga, who lives with his family in Gurugram, said that he had not imagined he would be able to meet his family so soon.

Government of India never leaves its citizens, he said.

Chandrakala came to drop her 72-year-old mother to the airport as she was flying to Hyderabad.

I liked the system that has been developed under the Vande Bharat Mission and the help that the Indian Embassy provided us, she said.

Tushar, who is one of the passengers, said that he has been waiting here since two months for a flight back home after he completed his pilot training course in Miami on March 20.

He said that in the past few weeks, he had panicked and had been repeatedly calling the Embassy to get him on to a flight to India. They attended all my calls, he said.

The registration process for those interested in travelling back to India is still open. These special flights are only for Indian citizens. All foreign visas and those having Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards outside the country have been suspended till the time there are restrictions on international travel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Pasadena Independent School District has gone virtual as it looks to fill 90 teaching positions for the 2020-2021 school year.

The district is conducting a virtual job fair through May 18 in which applicants upload a two-minute video application through the PISD Flipgrid feature on its website. The district then contacts them for appointments in curbside hiring process at the Pasadena ISD administration building, 1515 Cherry Brook Lane, Pasadena.

This is the districts second virtual job fair in two months, said Toni Lopez, PISD associate superintendent of human resources.

1,000 videos submitted in April hiring event

In April, the PISD held its first virtual job fair, with over 1,000 videos submitted. The district had originally scheduled its standard face-to-face job fair for the end of March, but the coronavirus pandemic shutdown nixed that plan.

We typically dont have one until June, but this year weve tried to max that up because we want to make sure our students have access to the best teachers available (for the fall), Lopez said.

More Information Pasadena ISD virtual job fair What: PISD is accepting teacher job application videos until May 18 and will contact prospective employees for appointments to participate in curbside hiring process. Details: Applicants can upload a two-minute video through Pasadena ISD's Flipgrid profile under their campus of choice through 11:59 p.m. May 18. Curbside: applicants will receive notification for an appointment to participate in a curbside hiring at the PISD administration building located at 1515 Cherrybrook Lane, Pasadena, Texas 77502; Contact: 713-740-0000 See More Collapse

Pasadena ISD has a starting teacher salary of $55,739.

The two-minute videos from applicants is shared with campus principals. The open positions span from pre-K to grade 12 and include 25 open teaching positions in special education, which requires a dual certification.

We wanted to get the word out that Pasadena ISD is a great district to work in and that we are looking for folks and looking to hire, Lopez said.

In two minutes, applicants are asked to provide information on their qualifications. While the method is different, the end game is the same, said Lopez.

Were looking for fully certified teachers in the area in which they teach, but we also look for teachers who, No. 1, care about kids, she said. We know that our students sometimes come in the classroom and need more than just academics. We want our teachers to have that heart for kids more than anything.

References carry weight in process

Virtual interviews will change some aspects of the hiring process, Lopez said.

For one, references may carry more weight in the evaluation process.

Now more than ever, it is imperative that we do a good job of checking references because that says a lot about prospective employees, she said.

Finding the right fit via a two-minute video will also create new ways of looking at new hires, Lopez said.

I think not having in-person interviews may impact us a little, but I know our principals have gotten more comfortable with virtual interviews; so I dont know that it will impact us tremendously, she said. This is new for all of our hiring managers, and I do know that (principals) prefer a face-to-face interview versus a virtual interview.

The virtual interviews do have advantages, Lopez said.

Sometimes in an in-person interview, people cant convey the great things they do in their classrooms, she said. If they are submitting a two-minute video, they have time to think about it and are able to showcase that in a video. I think were going to get to see a wider skill set for the teachers submitting the videos. I could be a positive.

Applicants can get more creative with a video, Lopez said.

Some people just have the camera on them as they introduce themselves and tell about their background and education, Lopez said, and then I have some where they take us through a minimodel lesson of what they would do (in the classroom). I think it does opens itself up to showcase teachers more if they are creative.

The district expects to fill all open positions for the 2020-2021 school year by fall, said Lopez.

yorozco@hcnonline.com
Just as the skills of medical personnel arent dependent on their state of origin, a cosmetologist, electrician, or plumber doesnt lose their skills when they move from another state to ours. Unless there are demonstrable jurisdiction-specific differences, we should accept a license from one state for license-eligibility in our state.

Enabling Universal Recognition of licenses for these workers and entrepreneurs can spur the creation of new firms, provide more services where they are most needed, and create new jobs.

Second, the lifting of hospitality industry regulations  including carry-out alcohol and the ability to sell excess raw products  should be continued. With the in-house service capacity of restaurants likely to remain restricted, we should encourage practices which allow these employers to safely provide as much of the full dining experience to their clientele as possible.

In a time of social distancing, some new regulations Nebraskans are encountering in daily life are truly a necessity for public health and safety, but the economic road back from COVID-19 will still be tough on many. By repealing regulations that didnt make sense, even during a public health crisis, government can get out of the way and not make things tougher.

Laura Ebke is a Senior Fellow at the Platte Institute. The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska.
The Bombay High Court has said



the Maharashtra Police machinery is under "great stress and strain" during the lockdown, and directed the state government and local civic authorities to deploy off-duty revenue officials for duties where police personnel are not required.

Justice R V Ghuge of the high court's Aurangabad bench gave the directive on Tuesday while hearing a petition taken up suo moto (on its own) by the court on various issues concerning medical, paramedical staff and police personnel.

The court said the state police machinery is under great stress and strain as the security personnel are deployed on streets, railway stations, residential localities, even for dealing with applications of those seeking travel passes, and other duties.

I am sure the local administration and the state government are aware that several officers and employees of the revenue department are off duty," the judge said.

"The state government should consider deployment of such revenue officers, especially those below the age of 50 years, for the purpose of dealing with such activities and issues wherein police personnel need not be necessary, he said in the order.

If migrants, displaced workers or students desire to return to their native places and are required to register themselves, then the state government and local administration can utilise revenue department employees, so as to ease the burden and pressure on the police department, the court said.

The court directed the government and local authorities to allot such duties to the revenue department's 'off duty' employees in areas where policing or the presence of police authorities is not necessary.

The court also took note of an incident where a nurse working in the Aurangabad district general hospital in Chikalthana area was assaulted in her house by a group of persons who threatened her and her family to leave the society as locals feared she could spread coronavirus infection there.

It also noted that last month, while hearing another matter on the issue of COVID-19, the Aurangabad civic body authorities and police assured the court that adequate protection would be given to members of medical faculty who are facing such threats and assault.

"I am of the view that time has come to direct the authorities concerned to register offences against such residents who threaten, abuse or assault medical and paramedical staff, the judge said in the order.

"The police authorities shall consider such offences seriously and should not hesitate to initiate appropriate action against such miscreants and register offences by following due process of law, the court ordered.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thai soldiers march behind armored personnel carriers as they breach an anti-government protesters camp in Bangkok, May 19, 2010.

Updated at 10:05 p.m. ET on 2020-05-12

Phayaw Akkahad has spent the past decade seeking justice for her daughter, one of six people killed by sniper fire in Bangkok during one of Thailands bloodiest military crackdowns on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Kamonked, her 25-year-old daughter, was working as a volunteer for the Thai Red Cross amid protests that turned violent and rocked the Thai capital for many weeks 10 years ago. On May 19, 2010, the young woman was helping give medical aid to demonstrators who were hiding at Wat Pathum Wanaram, a Buddhist temple in downtown Bangkok, when she and five others were shot dead, allegedly by soldiers firing from an elevated train rail.

None of the shooters have been identified.

Now, a decade after about 100 people were killed during those street protests, Phayaw is among other relatives of victims, human rights advocates and pro-democracy activists who are calling on the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha to identify and bring to justice the people responsible for those deaths.

Ten years on, we kept fighting for justice, bringing my daughters case to the court, and expected that the civilian government in 2011 could make it happen, Phayaw told BenarNews. But the [2014] coup took place and the case was dropped.

Last week, an unidentified group marked the 10th anniversary of the deadly violence and crackdown on pro-democracy protesters by lighting up the Defense Ministry building and the Monument of Democracy, the site where protesters were killed, with targeted messages. A laser projector spelled out Searching for the Truth, and 2010 Downtown Killing Field.

Phayaw said she became agitated when a special police officer telephoned her late Monday night to ask if she was aware of the laser-based protests.

She first filed a criminal complaint in 2010 into her daughters killing, but said her fight for justice was in limbo because, as she described it, the military remains entrenched in power through Prayuths government.

Prayuth is a former army chief and former junta leader who led a coup in 2014 that toppled the elected government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and many of the senior officials in his government are ex-military brass. Last year, Prayuth was re-installed as prime minister following the first general election since the 2014 coup, but critics said the electoral rules were re-engineered to favor the junta.

Prayuth, his deputy PM and the minister of interior are all leaders of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), I have no hope in this government, Phayaw said in a phone interview, using what was the official name for the junta, which governed Thailand from 2014 to 2019.

But if we have an elected government, we will receive justice.

While Prayuth now leads an elected government, security-related cases remain under the jurisdiction of the military courts.

Phayaw said she filed her criminal complaint through the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) against then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, former Army Chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda (who now serves as minister of the interior), all commanding officers and the gunmen. She last met with DSI officials on Friday.

I filed the complaint to the DSI, but its officers were later shuffled by the military junta who seized the power, Phayaw said.

In a statement, the DSI said the case of Phayaws daughter was referred to the military court, adding that the military court was expected to inform her about its progress in the next week.

A defense ministry spokesman had little to say about the case or the 10th anniversary of the crackdown.

In regard to the Armys crackdown, I beg to not clarify because it is currently a judicial subject. It is at the court, spokesman Lt. Gen. Kongcheep Tantrawanich told BenarNews by phone.

Red Cross members deliver food and medical kits to pro-democracy protesters at the Pathum Wanaram Temple two days before volunteers and protesters were gunned down, May 17, 2010. [Pimuk Rakkanam/BenarNews]

Months of protests

From March to May 19, 2010, thousands of people from rural regions set up camps in Bangkoks business district to demand that Abhisit step down as prime minister.

The protesters built barricades made of bamboo poles, only to see security forces use armored personnel carriers to ram through them. Gunfire was heard and about 100 were killed and 2,000 injured.

The protesters, led by the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), a group of politicians and progressive figures  accused Abhisit of stealing democracy with help from the military by forcing a party aligned with Somchai Wongsawat, who was prime minister in 2008, to vote for Abhisit. In December of that year, parliament voted for Abhisit to lead the government.

In 2010, the Constitutional Court disbanded the Somchai-led Peoples Power Party, ruling that it bought votes in 2008 general election. Somchai was a brother-in-law of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who like his sister Yingluck, was ousted in a coup and has since gone into exile.

In 2011, New York-based Human Right Watch (HRW) released a report saying the government had used unnecessary and excessive force against the demonstrators. It said nearly 100 people, including civilians and reporters, were killed, adding that an armed element called Black Shirts connected to the UDD had also caused deaths and injuries.

Black Shirts were armed members of the pro-democracy Red Shirt (pro-Shinawatra) protesters.

In 2017, the Supreme Court acquitted Abhisit and Suthep of murder charges, ruling the pair had performed their duties as government officials and therefore a civilian criminal court would have no jurisdiction over them.

Two years later in August 2019, a Thai court dismissed terrorism charges against 24 UDD leaders who were accused of arousing protesters to use violence, including arson of the city, during the course of the 2010 protest.

In a new statement on Tuesday, HRW said that the laser projections seen in Bangkok streets in recent days were a sign of popular support for the demand for truth about the 2010 violence.

Sadly, the government of Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-o-cha, just like its predecessors, has no answers for those demanding justice for at least 98 people killed and more than 2,000 injured between April and May 2010, Sunai Phasuk, a Thai senior HRW researcher, said in the statement.

He said the authorities had made no serious investigations to prosecute government officials responsible for crimes, while in stark contrast, protest leaders have since faced serious criminal charges.

It is an underlining culture of impunity for government officials. They cant be punished, no justice. Violence occurred repeatedly from October 1973, 1976, May 1992 and May 2010, Sunai told BenarNews by phone, referring to past bloody crackdowns by the military.

CORRECTION: An earlier version misidentified Phayaw Akkahad.
Description

GIS  13 May, 2020: The presentation of the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Quarantine Bill is an eloquent testimony of the unflinching determination with which this Government has been waging the war against the COVID-19. The aim is to ensure that Mauritius has a modern and appropriate legal framework to deal with any future pandemic, stated the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, today, at the National Assembly in Port Louis.

The two Bills, introduced in the National Assembly by the Prime Minister, constitute an important component of the legislative response of the Government in its efforts not only to contain the spread of the COVID-19 but also to better prepare our country to face, and recover from, a COVID-like situation in the future, he emphasised.

Speaking about the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, he stated that it has as objective to amend a number of enactments to cater for the impact of Covid-19 in various sectors, mitigate the hardship on the population and facilitate recovery. The Bill is proposing to amend 56 enactments including the Bank of Mauritius Act, the Central Electricity Board Act and the Central Water Authority Act, the Civil Status Act, the Companies Act, the Consumer Protection (Price and Supplies Control) Act, the Courts Act, the Criminal Code, the Customs Act, the Education Act, the Employment Relations Act, the Finance and Audit Act, the Immigration Act, the Income Tax Act, the Police Act, the Public Debt Management Act, and the Public Health Act.

As regards the Quarantine Bill, the Prime Minister stated that quarantine is an important aspect of control of the outbreak of infectious diseases. Besides, following the outbreak of the COVID-19, the World Health Organization recommended the implementation of quarantine as part of a comprehensive package of public health response and containment measures, he added.

The Government accordingly implemented quarantine measures very rapidly and this has contributed significantly to contain the spread of the disease in Mauritius. However, the existing Quarantine Act dates as far back as 1954, he observed. There is therefore a need for a modern and more effective quarantine legislation which will enhance the level of preparedness and response of our health authorities to communicable diseases and pandemics such as the COVID-19, Mr Jugnauth highlighted.

The Quarantine Bill, he pointed out, is respectful of the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and is also in line with International Health Regulations 2005.

According to the Prime Minister, the Bills introduced illustrate the pragmatism and foresight of the Government, and together they aim at ensuring that, while disappearing from our Republic, COVID-19 neither returns and causes more damages, nor lingers on while disappearing and thus delaying our gradual but sure return to normalcy.

#ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris

Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov


The United States is "ready to start to open" with the current level of testing, according to Adam Schechter, CEO of coronavirus test manufacturer LabCorp.

Both Democratic and Republican senators on Tuesday lambasted the current level of testing in the U.S. as woefully inadequate to detect pockets of outbreaks as states reopen. A group of economics and medical researchers at Harvard said last month the U.S. needs to ramp up testing capacity to at least 5 million tests a day by early June, and 20 million per day by late July, in order to reopen the economy.

That's a tall order considering where U.S. coronavirus testing currently stands. An average of 282,000 tests per day over the first 12 days of May were run in the U.S., according to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project, a volunteer effort founded by reporters at The Atlantic magazine to track Covid-19 testing in the U.S.

Widespread testing will be critical to boosting the confidence of the public and employers to return to work. State and local officials also say it is key to detecting and preventing a resurgence of the virus as states ease restrictions.

"I'm not convinced that we need to have 2 to 3 million tests per day," Schechter said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "I believe that we are ready to start to open up states with the testing that's available today and that's only going to increase over the coming weeks."

The U.S. processed 289,472 tests on Tuesday, according to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project, and has run nearly 10 million tests in total since the first U.S. case was confirmed in January.

President Donald Trump and some members of the White House coronavirus task force have dismissed lofty estimates for necessary testing as unreasonable. However, early success in containing the epidemic in countries such as South Korea have shown that rapid, accessible and targeted testing are key to stopping local outbreaks before they spread rapidly across the country.

Different parts of the economy will likely need different levels of testing to bring employees back to work, Schechter said.

"I think that it's still unknown exactly how many tests are going to be needed, but I do think different industries are going to look at testing differently and even certain employers will look at testing differently for certain employees than others," Schechter said.

LabCorp is already in talks with companies to support their efforts to bring employees back to work, Schechter said. LabCorp will provide Covid-19 screening services for employees, including testing, temperature checks and instituting other preecautions, he said.

"We are going to do everything we possibly can to help employers get employees back to work," he said.

LabCorp has the capacity to process around 80,000 tests per day, Schechter said, adding that the company is targeting 150,000 diagnosis tests per day by mid-June.

However, laboratory capacity to process tests isn't the same as the number of tests the company is actually running per day. Schechter said "front-end" limitation on the collection of samples, such as swabs of the nose, have been the "biggest issue" in increasing capacity.

Last month, the company rolled out an at-home sample collection kit that patients can then send into the lab for analysis. It was originally only available to health care workers and first responders, but on Tuesday the company made it accessible to anybody who meets the testing criteria laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Schechter said.
On Monday, the Federal Court for the District of Columbia ordered the banks to disclose the account numbers, names of the account holders, address and other information to the Warmbiers, clearing the way for asset seizure.

The Warmbiers earlier uncovered $17.57 million in accounts at JPMorgan Chase, $3.21 million in Bank of New York Mellon accounts, and $3.01 million in Wells Fargo accounts, according to Voice of America on Tuesday.

The seizure of the assets could deal a painful blow to Kim if the Warmbiers are awarded compensation for the torture and murder of their son in North Korea after he was convicted of defacing a propaganda poster in late 2015. He was returned to the U.S. in a vegetative state in 2017 showing clear signs of torture and died days later.

Fred and Cindy Warmbier are personally trying to track down the overseas assets squirreled away by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and recently dug up US$23.79 million in frozen North Korea-related accounts at several banks in the U.S. with the help of U.S. politicians and a global Jewish network.

The parents of the American student Otto Warmbier have vowed personal vengeance for the murder of their son in a North Korean jail.

In late 2018, the Warmbiers were awarded $501.14 million by a U.S. federal court in damages for their son's death as a result of torture in the North. Pyongyang refused to pay.

But the chances of recouping the money this way are slim. In many cases, North Korea's overseas assets are put in bank accounts under third-party names, or the governments of third countries have already laid claim to the assets in lieu of unpaid interest on loans to the North.

Despite that, the Warmbiers are continuing their fight. On a visit to South Korea last November, Fred Warmbier said, "Cindy and my mission would be to hold North Korea responsible, to recover and discover their assets around the world." "We are going to challenge North Korea any way we can," he added.

The Warmbiers were already given part of the money from the sale of North Korean bulk carrier Wise Honest after it was seized by the U.S. government in April 2018 for violating international sanctions. They also sued the over a B&B being run out of part of the North Korean Embassy in Berlin. Last January, a German district court ordered the North Korean Embassy to close it.

"We have to believe we can win though," Cindy Warmbier said. "We cannot give up. We can't give them a pass. We have to fight with all of our power."

She also pledged to make sure that the North Korean regime is overthrown before she dies. "My message is to North Korea, like it always says, people matter. Otto matters. We're never going to let you forget our son," Cindy Warmbier said during a press conference in December when Congress passed a bill in the name of her son reinforcing international sanctions against the North.

The Warmbiers are a wealthy and influential Jewish family in Ohio and have friends in high places, a diplomatic source said, which could help make things at least uncomfortable for the North Korean regime.
The New York Department of Labor has paid approximately $7.4 billion in unemployment claims in the first seven weeks of the Covid-19 crisis to 1.7 million residents out of work, Melissa DeRosa, secretary to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said on Wednesday.

DeRosa said that roughly 1.8 million residents who are struggling with unemployment due to the coronavirus pandemic have filed claims. That is roughly six times the number of claims filed during the 2008 financial crisis when 300,000 New York jobs were lost, she said at a press briefing.

"When people say, 'You've experienced these past crises, why weren't you ready for this one?' We were ready for this one, we've handled six times that in the first seven weeks of this crisis, we've processed 1.8 million claims," DeRosa said.

DeRosa's comments come after some New Yorkers said they've struggled to apply and receive unemployment in the state, citing months-long waiting periods since they first applied.

New York, the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in the U.S., is facing revenue shortfalls in the tens of billions of dollars, Cuomo has said.

Last week, New York said it needs more than $60 billion in federal aid  more than one-eighth of the $500 billion for all states and territories requested by the National Governor's Association. Cuomo is vice chair of the NGA.

He has pressured members of Congress, including representatives from his own state, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to include more federal funding for states in any new coronavirus relief package.

Cuomo said in late April that the state's unemployment website "collapsed" because of a surge in claims following his order to shutter the state's nonessential businesses to contain the Covid-19 outbreak. The state hired 1,000 people to handle the increased traffic, although they've still struggled to keep up with the volume, he said.

April's jobs report showed that a record 20.5 million jobs were lost last month, sending the unemployment rate to 14.7%. The pandemic wiped out all the job gains that were added over the last 11 years since the Great Recession in only five weeks.

"You want to get everybody processed but you don't want to give funds to people who don't meet the federal criteria, which is extensive," Cuomo said. "You want to get it done in a day, but you want to get it done right."
Press Release

May 13, 2020 Pia: Innovative efforts needed to educate kids amid the 'new normal' "We must take advantage of this crisis and come up with innovative ways to educate our kids during this time of COVID-19." Thus said Senator Pia S. Cayetano as she pushed for the establishment of more "blended learning models" to educate Filipino children during the 'new normal', amid the disruption of schools due to the pandemic. The Chair of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Innovation, and Futures Thinking, Cayetano welcomed the plan of the Department of Education (DepEd) to use different learning modalities - including in-classroom study and individual study or online classroom work - for the basic education sector. "Clearly, the internet will play a vital role in this proposal, as online teaching is a key component of effective blended learning. So the improvement of internet access in schools and the provision of necessary equipment for teachers to conduct online classes is imperative," she said. But the senator also noted that the reality is not all Filipino households have access to the internet. Thus, the need to come up with other alternative modes of learning that can be accessible to more students. "We tend to reject new ideas during 'normal times.' But a crisis is a perfect time to explore other options," she stressed. "Why don't we explore and tap government channels - like PTV 4, IBC 13, and RPN 9 in various provinces - to air more educational shows? There is so much content out there that can be used to educate millions of Filipino children all over the country," she suggested, adding that the channels can allot regular block time for subjects like history, science, geography, music, art, and more, in between broadcasting relevant news programs and official press conferences of the government. "I would even recommend that English programs should not be dubbed and kept as is, to give our young learners the opportunity to hone their English communication skills while learning at home," Cayetano further pointed out. Meanwhile, in the recommendations she sent Malacanang pursuant to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, Cayetano noted: "DepEd should provide an update on their preparation in the integration of blended learning in the curriculum, as it is not as simple as using the internet. It includes time in school, provided it is safe to return to school, and social distancing measures are put into place - such as having a smaller number of students attend a few days a week on a rotational basis for interaction with their teachers." The senator further suggests that around 20-30 percent of students per class may be allowed to go to school in areas where it is safe for children to go out. She added that the smaller classroom size will promote better interaction and make learning easier for the children. Cayetano said DepEd can seek assistance from the University of the Philippines (UP) in further exploring online education as part of its proposed blended learning systems. UP is mandated to share its knowledge and assist national agencies and educational institutions in developing distance education programs - including online learning management systems - under the Open Distance Learning Act (RA 10650), which the senator sponsored as former chair of the Senate Committee on Education. "We need a Futures Thinking mindset to educate our children during the 'new normal.' Access to quality education is a vital tool in nation-building, and we must use this crisis as an opportunity to innovate and reinvent our education," Cayetano said, stressing that inclusive and equitable quality education for all is one of the 17 SDGs that the Philippines seeks to achieve by 2030.
Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday morning that Vietnamese and Russian authorities, in coordination with national carrier Vietnam Airlines, had flown home 340 Vietnamese citizens from Moscow.

Most of the passengers were children under 18 years old, senior citizens, people with pre-existing medical conditions, overseas students struggling with school dormitory closures, pregnant women, stranded travelers, and workers with expired visas and employment contracts.

According to the foreign ministry, the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia had instructed the passengers to follow necessary procedures and coordinated with Russian authorities to create favorable conditions for getting the citizens to the airport.

The embassy also sent officials to the airport to provide first-hand assistance to the citizens during the boarding process.

During the flight, Vietnam Airlines strictly implemented measures on security, safety and epidemiological hygiene.

All of the passengers had their health checked and were quarantined upon arrival at Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Wednesday morning.

Vietnamese citizens arrive at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam from Moscow, Russia, May 13, 2020. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Tuesdays departure flight from Vietnam, operated by Vietnam Airlines, also carried Russian nationals en route to their home country.

Russia has reported over 2,100 deaths due to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, with total infections topping 232,000 as of Wednesday morning.

Following Wednesdays repatriation, Vietnams foreign ministry, transport ministry and related agencies have plans to continue arranging commercial flights to evacuate Vietnamese expatriates from foreign countries depending on epidemic developments and overseas citizens demands.

Vietnam has barred entry to all foreigners, including persons who hold visa exemption documents, starting March 22.

All international flights were suspended three days later.

The Southeast Asian country has confirmed 288 cases to date, with 252 recoveries and no fatalities.

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Three UofG scientists elected to the prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship

The Academy of Medical Sciences has elected three prominent University of Glasgow scientists to their highly prestigious fellowship.

Professor Andy Waters, Professor Gerry Graham and Professor Hugh Willison are all named today as new Fellows of the Academy for their exceptional contributions to science, through their world-leading research and wider engagements with communities both here and around the world.

Professor Waters is a malaria expert and Professor in Biomedical and Lifesciences, Professor Graham is an expert in chemokines and Professor of Molecular and Structural Immunology, while Professor Hugh Willison is an expert in Guillain-Barre syndrome and Professor of Neurology.

The three are among 50 new Fellows announced today by the Academy of Medical Sciences, all hailed for their world-leading research discoveries, running national science communication and engagement programmes and translating scientific advances into benefits for patients and the public.

The value of medical science has never been more apparent than during the current coronavirus global health crisis. From testing and vaccine development, to public health and behavioural science, to addressing the impacts of lockdown measures on mental health, biomedical and health scientists are helping to guide the UK through unprecedented challenges.

Many of the Academys newly elected Fellows are at the forefront of the efforts to tackle coronavirus, including Professor Andy Waters who has loaned materials and infrastructure locally and is working with international partners in Malawi to help with preparedness - demonstrating the collaborative and team science nature that the Academys Fellowship strives to embody.

Professor Waters said: "It is such an honour and pleasure to have been elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science. The Academy plays an important (inter)national role in promoting and advising on scientific matters and their place in society. This has come into sharp focus with the pandemic and I look forward to contributing to the Academys ongoing role in society."

Professor Graham and his team have a long-standing interest in chemokines and their receptors and have been working in this field for more than 18 years. Currently, they have a number of projects that relate to various aspects of chemokine and chemokine receptor function

Professor Graham said: I am delighted to be elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This is a great honour and I look forward to working with the Academy and representing the University's interests at every opportunity.

Professor Hugh Willison leads the Neuroimmunology Research Group, which focuses in particular on the role of anti-ganglioside antibodies in the post-infectious paralytic neuropathy, Guillain Barre syndrome.

Professor Willison said: It is a wonderful honour to be recognised for working on a rare disease that is both unpronounceable and unspellable. Every vaccine insert printed carries the Guillain-Barre syndrome warning and it actively plays its small but important part in the current SARS Cov-2 epidemic, as it did with Zika and influenza. Yet we still know little about it and are constantly refining diagnostic tests and developing therapies. Imbuing the Academy with diverse expertise and perspectives on medical sciences can only add to its strength, and to which Im pleased to contribute my fullest efforts.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said: I am delighted to welcome these 50 new Fellows into the Academys Fellowship. Each one has made their own outstanding contribution to biomedical science, and together they are advancing the health of our society in the UK and internationally. Their work affects us all, from the way we keep healthy through our lifestyle, to how we are treated if we become ill, to the way we receive information about health.

This year our new Fellows announcement happens amidst a global health crisis. Some will face the challenge of how to continue to lead on some of the most pressing health challenges our society faces beyond coronavirus, such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer. Others have joined the global research effort to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, whether that be through working out how to treat those with the virus, joining efforts to develop a vaccine, or looking to limit the impact of the pandemic more broadly on our physical and mental health.

Never has there been a more important time to recognise and celebrate the people behind ground-breaking biomedical and health research, working harder than ever to further knowledge and protect patients and the public.

It brings me great pleasure to congratulate the new Fellows, and see our Fellowship grow to even greater heights of evidence-based advice, leadership and expertise.
Up to 800,000 Brits could be told to self-isolate each day through a contact tracing regime, if the government's draconian lockdown was lifted today.

Rigorous contract tracing is due to start within weeks as part of Number 10's three-step 'test, track and trace' battle-plan to fight the virus. It involves instructing Brits to self-isolate if they have been in contact with someone who has either tested positive for COVID-19 or developed tell-tale symptoms.

But it could impact tens of thousands of people every day, according to researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

They produced estimates based on the effects of manual contact tracing or the use of an app - both of which the government plans to use. But the team did not look at the effects of both methods combined, which would likely overlap.

They projected for every 5,000 new cases in the UK every day, 68,000 people could be asked to quarantine themselves each day if officials relied solely on a tracing app. But this dropped to just 54,000 people under the same scenario, if Brits were limited to seeing a maximum of four people each day to contain the outbreak.

Under a regime using only an army of volunteers to manually trace the spread of the virus, the figure was as high as 190,000 people a day, or 140,000 with a limit on the size of social gatherings.

When the same model was applied to 20,000 new cases a day - a situation experts believe could be likely if the lockdown was lifted today - it suggested up to 770,000 people may be asked to self-isolate each day through manual tracing, or 580,000 if Brits are told to stick to seeing only four people each day.

While the figure was in the region of 220,000-270,000 under the same scenario for the app.

All those people may be asked to stay indoors for 14 days in case they were infected with the virus.

Around 3,000 people are testing positive for COVID-19 per day in Britain but that figure does not include thousands of patients with either mild or no symptoms.

How many people will need to self isolate when contact tracing is in place? Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) estimate that for every 5,000 new cases in the UK every day, 190,000 people would be told to self isolate by contact tracers. It goes up to 770,000 for every 20,000 new cases. With just app-based tracing, the number of people that would need to self isolate reduces because an app doesn't identify as many people

The Government will launch a widespread contact tracing scheme to track down people who have been in touch with infected patients

Contact tracing will also involve the NHSX app, which alerts people who have been in close contact with those who report having symptoms of COVID-19

The predictions, published on the pre-print site MedRxiv, are some of the first to measure exactly how contract tracing will work before it is is re-implemented in the UK.

It was used right at the start of the outbreak in the UK. But as it began to spiral out of control, the method was ditched because cases were too difficult to keep up with.

As part of its plan to prevent a second coronavirus wave, officials will use an app as well as an army of 18,000 contract tracers.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the app, made by NHSX, is due to be rolled out next week after a successful pilot study on the Isle of Wight.

The app alerts people who have been in close contact with those who report having symptoms of COVID-19, such as a cough or fever.

Those people are then asked to self isolate, although ministers haven't revealed for how long.

On top of the app, 18,000 human contact tracers will pinpoint those who need to self-isolate with old-fashioned interviews on diagnosed cases.

The LSHTM scientists simulated how many people would be contacted within both measures individually.

They based this on three different models, assuming that either 20,000, 10,000 or 5,000 new symptomatic cases were being diagnosed every day.

HOW WILL THE NHS APP WORK? NHSX's contact tracing app, which hasn't yet been named, will be a voluntary download that members of the public will be encouraged to use. The Government hopes at least half of the population of Britain will agree to use it. The more people use it the more effective it will be. It will require people to put in the first half of their postcode, to give vague location details, and to keep their bluetooth switched on when they leave the house. Whenever someone comes into close contact with someone else using the app - generally defined as within 6'6" (2m) - the app will log the meeting. Each person's profile will then build up a list of all the contacts they have had while using the app. These will be anonymised and stored as codes rather than identifiable pieces of information such as names or addresses. If someone is diagnosed with the coronavirus, or develops suspicious symptoms, they will be told to log this in the app. The app will then upload the data to a central NHS server, which will be able to send anonymous warnings to everyone that that person had come into contact with during the time they may have been infectious. The alert will advise people to self-isolate and tell them they are at risk of infection. If one of the contacts of the original patient then becomes ill, the same process will begin with them. Advertisement

This is likely the case in Britain, as scientists said last week as many as 20,000 people were still catching the coronavirus every day.

Just over 3,200 cases were diagnosed today - but that's only from testing NHS/key workers, over 65s and people in hospital.

Lead author Dr Adam Kucharski told MailOnline: 'If the lockdown was lifted now, we would probably be in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 cases a day.

'New cases per day are under-reported [by the Government]. In reality more people are getting ill, probably by at least a factor of two.'

His comments echo those of Professor John Edmunds, of LSHTM, who also suggests a ballpark figure of 20,000 new infections per day currently.

Dr Kucharski and colleagues used data from BBC Pandemic, a simulation which involved 40,000 Britons, to gauge how many people the average individual comes into contact with at their home, work and other settings during the infectious period.

Under a scenario involving only human contact tracers, the team assumed 28 people would be isolated for every diagnosed case based on the work being done in other countries.

Therefore, if 5,000 people reported symptoms every day, an extra 190,000 will be told they need to self isolate for a period of time.

This does not include other household members, who, under current government rules, have to isolate if someone else in their house develops symptoms.

The figure doubles to 390,000 for 10,0000 new infections per day, and is as high as 770,000 for every 20,000 new cases.

Under the scenario that only involves app-based tracing, less people end up self isolating because the team assumed it would be less successful in identifying potential patients - just four people for every case.

It would result in 68,000 to 270,000 people self isolating for every 5,000 to 20,000 new infections per day.

App-based tracing, such as with the NHS app (pictured) would result in 68 - 270,000 people self isolating for every 5 - 20,000 new infections per day

The NHS app is due to be rolled out by the end of next week, according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, after a pilot study on the Isle of Wight

How successful each control measure would be in reducing transmission of the virus? On the left column are the control measures (SI means self isolate, HH means 'household' quarantine, in which all members of a household must isolate if one person shows symptoms). The right column, mean reduction in R, is the percentage reduction in transmission. For example, mass weekly population testing is estimated to reduce transmission by only two per cent, while SI and manual contact tracing (CT) will reduce it by 61 per cent

The study also predicted the success of each control measure, finding the call-handler contact tracers could reduce transmission by 61 per cent.

That's based on the assumption that 95 per cent of all people at school and work would be successfully contact traced and told to isolate.

The team estimated that with app-based tracing, spread would drop by 44 per cent - under the condition half of the public had the app on their phone.

The pilot study of the NHS app on the Isle of Wight saw just 35 to 40 per cent of residents install the app, but the researchers said they think it would be higher nationwide based on survey results.

In both situations, new cases could be limited even further if some social distancing remained in place and individuals had an inner circle of only four people.

It would also slash how many people would need to self isolate as a result of contact tracing by thousands.

The researchers made a number of assumptions in the study, some of which they admitted were 'optimistic' albeit plausible. In reality, it could pan out very differently.

For manual contact tracing to really work, it has to be done extremely quickly so that potential infected people are quarantined before they start spreading the disease themselves.

Dr Kucharski said: 'If you want to go back to normal and rely on isolating and tracing, it has to be really quick and really effective.

'Often you can trace a high number of people but the question is, can you find them quickly enough?

'The key is what proportion can you catch within two to three days before they start spreading the virus themselves.

'I think contact tracing will always have some benefit, but the extent will depend where you are in the epidemic. If you have a huge number of cases, the logistical effort to find those cases is much larger.'

Dr Kucharski added: 'I think one of the messages in this paper is you can make some of the measure work in tandem, rather than heaving all these measures work independently.

'The likelihood for many European countries is that there still needs to be measures like social distancing. For how long would depend on many factors.'

Contact tracing is being implemented worldwide because it health health chiefs stay one step ahead of the virus.

In South Korea and Singapore, people who have tested positive are asked to describe their recent movements while officials look at GPS tracking, CCTV and even credit card transactions.

Dr Kucharski said: 'In countries with stringent controls, tens if not thousands of people have been quarantined over past few months. A lot of that is mandatory and thats how theyve designed their response.

'There is a much bigger discussion there that needs to be had about what level of stringency European countries are willing to implement.'
Securing multiple trade deals simultaneously is not impossible, say experts, but the UK will have to make concessions.

Not content with launching trade deal negotiations with the United States and the European Union simultaneously, the United Kingdom has on Tuesday evening published its negotiating objectives for a free trade agreement with Japan.

Talks are to begin shortly, said the UKs Department for International Trade (DIT).

Londons trade negotiators are scouring the globe for deals in the wake of the countrys withdrawal from the EU  the worlds largest trading bloc.

Japan is one of our largest trading partners and a new trade deal will help to increase trade, boost investment and create more jobs following the economic challenges caused by coronavirus, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement emailed to Al Jazeera.





Japan is Britains 11th-largest trade partner, with exports to Japan in 2018 worth 13.8 billion pounds ($17bn) of the countrys total exports of 642 billion pounds ($787bn), and imports from Japan worth 15.4 billion pounds ($18.9bn) of the UKs 680 billion pounds ($834bn) worth of global imports.

Both sides are committed to an ambitious timeline to secure a deal that goes even further than the existing [EU-Japan] agreement, especially in digital and data, added Truss.

Negotiations with Japan are an important step in CPTPP accession, a key UK priority, which will help us diversify our trade and grow the economy.

The CPTPP is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership  a trade deal signed by Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The UK government will set out its negotiating objectives for Australia and New Zealand shortly, with the aim of having 80 percent of total UK external trade with countries covered by free trade agreements by 2022, said the DIT.

You can't fault the ambition, but such a programme before we've taken time to consider what we want looks reckless. David Henig, trade expert

So in addition to wanting to complete trade agreements with two of the three largest global trade powers [the US and EU] in the next year or so, were also going to start talks with the fourth largest, trade expert David Henig, the UK director of the European Centre For International Political Economy, told Al Jazeera.

You cant fault the ambition, but such a programme before weve taken time to consider what we want looks reckless. The risk is that by the time we know what we really want from trade agreements, well have given away the access to our own market which we could have traded.

London has vowed that the National Health Service would not be up for negotiation, and wants the deal to be based on the current EU-Japan trading agreement  but it might not be that simple.





As Japan is an existing EU Free Trade Agreement, and they dont want to directly roll over the agreement, it makes sense to open talks, added Henig. The cumulative effect of all of the talks is the major concern.

There are around 8,000 small and medium-sized British businesses currently exporting to Japan, said the DIT.

Its an ambitious timeline, but not an impossible one, former diplomat and trade negotiator Dmitry Grozoubinski told Al Jazeera.

As with all trade negotiation timetables, the major obstacles are likely to be political, Grozoubinski said. The more the UK concedes and the less it seeks in areas of sensitivity for its partners, the more likely it will be swiftly concluding its various deals.

Government analysis suggests the UK economy could increase trade flows with Japan by 15.2 billion pounds ($18.6bn). By way of comparison, in 2018, UK exports to the EU were worth 291 billion pounds ($357bn) and imports from the EU amounted to 357 billion pounds ($438bn).
T he coronavirus death toll in the UK has passed 33,000 after another 494 fatalities were recorded.

The Department of Health said a total of 33,186 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Tuesday.

This is up by 494 from 32,692 the day before.

Another 3,242 people have tested positive for Covid-19, figures show.

UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures 1 /38 UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures Londoners returning to work near London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Cyclists travel in central London AFP via Getty Images Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Alan Price on his Penny Farthing this morning on Battersea Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Delivery men are seen outside a reopened McDonald's with take-out only deliveries in Dalston Reuters Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Worlds End Nurseries in Chelsea opens for business. Customer Nika Kucifer is shown flowers by Janson Lotery Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn People ride bicycles in a cycle lane in Chelsea PA Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases. Nigel Howard Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Vehicles are seen on the M56 motorway near Manchester, Reuters Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Monty's first day back. West Highland Terrier Monty commutes to work on his bike on his first day back with owner Darragh McElroy. Monty, who's Instagram account is @monty_whitehall_westie, works at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall with his owner Darragh who is Deputy Director of Coronavirus Communications at the Cabinet Office Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn A commuter wears a mask at Canning Town station Reuters Rush hour on the M6 at the junction for Birmingham/Walsall on the first morning of the eased Coronavirus lockdown PA Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen on a London Underground tube, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Reuters Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at Stratford station, Reuters Cyclists in Chelsea today. Nigel Howard

Separately, NHS England announced 244 new deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 23,952.

Of the new deaths announced today, 40 occurred on May 12, 72 on May 11, and 27 on May 10.

The figures show 62 of the new deaths took place between May 1 and May 9, 42 took place in April, while the remaining one death occurred on March 27.

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In Scotland, a total of 1,973 patients have died after testing positive for coronavirus, up by 61 from 1,912 on Tuesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.

She said 13,929 people in Scotland have now tested positive, a rise of 166 from 13,763 the day before.

In Wales, a further 22 people have died, taking the total in the country to 1,154.

Another 133 people have tested positive, bringing the total number of positive cases in Wales to 11,706.

In Northern Ireland, there have been a further two deaths of patients, the Department of Health said.

It brings total related fatalities in the region to 449.

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The figures published by NHS England show April 8 continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 888.

NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

The individual statistics from each country and calculated differently to the UK-wide figures.
Press Release

May 13, 2020 TO FURTHER IMPROVE AILING CONDITION OF OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, LAPID PROPOSES TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THE CREATION OF TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN ALL REGIONS The COVID-19 pandemic that the country has been battling with for months now has not only battered our economy and put a halt to businesses and daily routines of our countrymen. Our response to the pandemic has also revealed the existing gaps and problems in our health care system. Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid proposes a solution to improve the ailing condition of our health care system by filing a bill which seeks to institutionalize the establishment of tertiary care hospitals in all regions. Senate Bill 1505 pushes to establish more hospitals all over the country which are classified as tertiary care facilities. The mission is not only to give universal access to health care, but to give universal access to a health care institution with a world-class quality medical services and are at par with international standards and best practices "Hindi biro ang pakikipaglaban ng ating bansa sa COVID 19 at mas pinapahirap ng kakulangan sa ospital ang pagresponde sa nakamamatay na sakit na ito. Alam din nating hindi ito ang huling pagsubok na kakaharapin ng ating sektor ng pangkalusugan kaya isang mahalagang tulong na magagawa natin bilang mambabatas ay masigurong may sapat na dami ng ospital na mapupuntahan ang ating mga kababayan. Higit sa lahat dapat ay maging bukas ang mga ospital sa lahat ng ating kababayan, anuman ang kanilang antas sa buhay," Lapid said. The proposed measure envisions that all of the regions in the country will have their own tertiary care hospitals within five (5) years from effectivity of the law. The Department of Health will be tasked to formulate a prioritization plan for the implementation of the law. Top priority shall be given to all regions which do not have any regional hospital of whatever classification lower than tertiary care. The bill also provides that provinces which are geographically isolated from their region's tertiary care hospital such as island provinces shall also be given priority for the establishment of tertiary care hospital. Meanwhile, existing regional hospital shall be considered for upgrading, modernization and conversion to tertiary care hospital. Senator Lapid believes that now more than ever, there is a need to create tertiary care hospitals which can provide highly specialized and advance procedures and treatments for our fellowmen. These hospitals are also home to medical specialists and state-of-the-art facilities. With the spike in the number of COVID infected persons, we have seen hospitals and other health facilities even in the National Capital region reached their full capacities. During the initial days of the pandemic, we only have the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine as the sole confirmatory testing laboratory for the virus in the whole Philippines. The situation is even worse in the provinces. "Hindi natin pwede hayaang laging hirap sa pagresponde ang ating mga ospital lalo sa panahong may matinding sakit tayong nilalabanan. Kung madagdagan lang sana ang mga tertiary care hospitals sa bansa, malaking tulong ito sa ating mga kababayan lalo na ang mga galing probinsya para hindi na nila kailangan pang lumuwas sa Metro Manila o sa ibang mga syudad para lang makatanggap ng sapat at dekalidad na atensyong medikal," Lapid added. Meanwhile, the measure also suggests an audit and inventory of the physical facilities, equipment and personnel of the Regional Hospitals. This will be conducted to determine the present classification of the respective facility. The result of the audit and inventory shall be the basis of the respective upgrade and modernization plan for each Regional Hospital.
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's daughter Suhana recently made her Intagram profile public. Since then, the star kid has been treating fans with lovely throwbacks. Her recent post on her Instagram story gave everyone an update about her current mood and it's quite relatable.

Shahrukh Khan daughter's Suhana Khan shares Throwback Picture on Instagram | FilmiBeat

Suhana shared a picture of herself, dressed up in ethnic wear and soaking up the sun. She captioned the throwback picture with a little broken heart. If you folks could recollect, this picture is from her cousin, Alia Chhibba's wedding, which took place last year.

So, is Shah Rukh Khan's daughter missing the wedding season? Or is she missing hanging out with her cousins at a fam-jam? Guess, only she has an answer to that.

Meanwhile, recently, Suhana wished her mother Gauri Khan on Mother's Day with a hatke post. Sharing a picture of Gauri, she mentioned how she was 'mad' because she didn't look like her.

Suhana, who is pursuing her education in New York, recently flew back to Mumbai to be with her parents amid the lockdown. Her brother, Aryan Khan, is also staying with them. Talking about how King Khan is spending his lockdown time, the superstar revealed in one of his #AskSRK sessions on Twitter, "Inspite of contributing to the population boom, having three kids to be with is a treat. They r in all shapes and sizes, so the day goes by being with them each for a couple of hours. Then spend rest of the day cleaning up their toys!"

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is doing his best in lending a helping hand to the government in the battle against the Novel Coronavirus pandemic. After making donations to PM-CARES Fund and Maharashtra CM's Relief Fund, he donated 25,000 PPE kits to the frontline medical staff in Maharashtra. The actor also participated in the COVID-19 fundraiser online concert, 'One World: Together At Home' concert, which was organized by WHO and Global Citizen. King Khan took part in a digital concert 'I For India' to raise funds for the COVID-19 frontline workers.

Inside Photos From Suhana Khan's New Year Party: SRK's Daughter Chills With Ananya Panday & Gang

Suhana Khan's New 'Cowboy' Picture Cannot Be Missed
American radio show host Howard Stern has said that Donald Trump supporters are the people the president despises most.

The popular commentator, who was known to have been friends with the US president in the past, has made a series of disparaging comments about Mr Trumps supporters in the past month.

According to the New York Daily News, who reported the comments on Tuesday, Mr Stern told listeners on his Sirius XM radio show that Mr Trump would be disgusted by people who vote for him.

The oddity in all of this is the people Trump despises most, love him the most, said Mr Stern. The people who are voting for Trump for the most part... he wouldnt even let them in a f***ing hotel.

Hed be disgusted by them. Go to Mar-a-Lago, see if theres any people who look like you. Im talking to you in the audience, added the radio show host.

Mr Stern then compared the dynamic between the president and his supporters as akin to an episode of The Twilight Zone, according to The Patriot News.

I dont hate Donald, the radio host said on Tuesday. I hate you voting for him, for not having intelligence.

Mr Stern then called on the president to stand down.

I do think it would be extremely patriotic of Donald to say, Im in over my head, and I dont want to be president anymore, he said.

Itd be so patriotic that Id hug him and then Id go back to Mar-a-Lago and have a meal with him and feel good about him because it would be such an easy thing to do, continued Mr Stern.

Mr Stern told listeners last month that he was endorsing Democrat Joe Biden for president, whilst criticising Mr Trumps comments on the possibilities of using disinfectant to weaken Covid-19.

"What's it going to take? I don't get it. I don't think there is anyone left who will vote for him," said Mr Stern in April.
Vietnam could fall behind other Asian countries in attracting shifting investment from China because of supporting industry inadequacies, experts say.

Nguyen Mai, chairman of Vietnams Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE), said that although Vietnam has become an investment spotlight because of its success in containing the coronavirus, it is only one of several investment destinations in Asia and other countries with competitive factors are speeding up in the capital attraction race.

In April, India reportedly reached out to more than 1,000 companies in the U.S. through overseas missions to offer incentives for manufacturers seeking to shift from China.

It has prioritized medical equipment suppliers, food processing units, textiles, leather and auto part makers. Indian officials have told U.S. companies that land and skilled labor costs in India are more competitive than the U.S. or Japan.

"India is a bigger market than Vietnam or Cambodia so it should be a bigger draw for investors looking to move operations out of China," Ajay Sahai, director general and chief executive officer of the Federation of Indian Exporters, told Bloomberg.

Other Southeast Asian countries have also been active. Thailand announced a package of incentives in September last year, including a 50 percent tax cut for companies to relocate production from China. Companies that invest at least a billion baht ($32.7 million) by 2021 will be eligible to benefit from the incentives.

Malaysia plans to offer a billion ringgit ($238 million) worth of incentives for five years starting this year for multinational firms in high-end technology and manufacturing.

Not all manufacturing can be easily outsourced from China to Vietnam, Stephen Wyatt, country head of real estate market research firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) Vietnam, said in a recent report on industrial land prices in Vietnam.

He said that there was more skilled labor in China than in Vietnam, and a large percentage of Chinas manufacturing is to serve its domestic market, which is bigger in scale than Vietnam.

Other experts also said that the scale of Vietnams manufacturing businesses was too small to attract large amounts of foreign capital.

Truong Chi Binh, deputy chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Industries (VASI), said that most manufacturers in supporting industries in Vietnam have less than 200 employees each and use low-tech machinery.

Therefore, they can only produce a limited number of small parts, and few can make clusters, while multinationals require the ability to take on large orders, she said.

Furthermore, even if Vietnamese companies could meet global quality standards, they might still fail to offer more competitive prices than Chinese manufacturers, she said, adding that other countries offer more incentives to the supporting industries than Vietnam.

Binh said that industrial clusters need to be established to complete the supply chain, and more support programs should boost the number of startups in the supporting industry.

Mai of VAFIE said that to gain advantages in the foreign direct investment race, Vietnam needs to simplify administrative procedures and shorten the time taken to greenlight a project.

Positive Covid-19 fallout

But several experts also expressed confidence that Vietnam will benefit from the shifting trend out of China because of its early and effective response to the Covid-19 pandemic, taking drastic measures to contain the spread of the virus.

There have been many reports of major companies choosing Vietnam as its next manufacturing hub. Apple has been looking for managers and engineers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It has been reported that the company will start producing 3-4 million wireless earphones (AirPods) in the country this quarter.

Google is also set to begin production of its low-cost smartphones with Vietnamese partners this year, while Microsoft is scheduled to produce notebooks and desktop computers in the northern region in the second quarter.
A lawsuit filed by a gun rights group alleges Gov. Ned Lamonts order suspending fingerprinting for background checks needed to purchase a gun in the state violates Connecticut residents second amendment rights.

The suit, filed Saturday in United States District Court by the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, claims the governors order deprives the Plaintiffs of their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, right to due process of law, right to equal protection under the law, and right to the privileges and immunities of citizenship.

While the CCDL understands these are times of unprecedented challenges, many Connecticut residents are being denied their constitutional rights just when they feel the exercise of those rights is most needed, CCDL president Holly Sullivan said in a statement.

We respect the Governors goal of mitigating the COVID-19 virus. However, stripping citizens of their rights does not further that laudable goal. It is in these extraordinary times that the Governor must most staunchly defend the rights of Connecticuts people. If the Governor wont, the CCDL will, she said.

The Southbury-based nonprofit has previously filed lawsuits aimed at Connecticut laws regulating gun ownership and staged protests against stricter gun laws in the state capitol. In early March, the group filed a lawsuit against state police over a provision in state gun laws passed in the wake of Sandy Hook that prevents legal owners of high-capacity magazines from loading more than 10 rounds.

Asked about the lawsuit during his daily press conference Monday, Lamont defended the order as a response to the public health crisis caused by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

The overwhelming majority already have that fingerprint. Im sorry for the few that dont but unfortunately were in the middle of a pandemic, the Democratic governor said. Were going to have to be a little careful in the near term.

The lawsuit, which names the governor and Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella as defendents, comes as people are flocking to gun shops nationwide in record numbers.

According to statistics from the FBIs national instant criminal background check system, the agency processed more background checks one week in mid-March than any other week in the more than two decades since the background checks have been recorded.

While background checks are not a direct measure of the number of guns being sold because buyers can purchase multiple guns through one background check, the numbers suggest a large number of guns are changing hands nationally amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governors March 17 executive order 7E suspended a law requiring state and local police to fingerprint anyone seeking a criminal background check.

Under the order, police departments may stop providing fingerprinting to limit the transmission of COVID-19 or focus resources on critical public safety needs.

In Connecticut, anyone who wants to buy a gun must have a permit issued by the state, which requires a criminal background check.

In Connecticut, those checks are also required for anyone buying a gun from a private seller, whats commonly referred to as the gunshow loophole, according to the Giffords Law Center, which tracks state gun legislation.

But because the governors order prevents people who want to buy a gun from going out and a getting a fingerprint taken for a background check, CCDL argues state and local law enforcement have effectively shut down the issuance of all firearm permits, the group said in a statement.

Especially in times of societal unrest, law-abiding citizens must have the ability to protect themselves and their families, the group said.

But some advocates for stricter gun laws say buying a gun during the pandemic puts more families at risk.

More guns are not a cure for COVID-19. It I disturbing that people are panic buying firearms, and should be educated that owning a gun will only increase your familys risk of injury or death by that very same firearm, said Jeremy Stein, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence.

We are very concerned about an increase in accidental shootings particularly with children, suicide and domestic violence. More guns combined with more people forced to stay home are a recipe for disaster in the current climate, he said.

The police chiefs of Farmington, Ansonia, Bristol and Vernon, the cities and towns where six members of CCDL named as plaintiffs live, are all also named as defendents.
This week 10 boss Beverley McGarvey told advertisers, 10 is no longer the third TV network -which raised some eyebrows at Seven.

The new normal in Australia is very different, she said.

10 is no longer the third TV network. We are ViacomCBS, a vital and confident multi-platform network within a content powerhouse attracting the most valuable audiences, challenging our competitors in ways they never imagined.

10 sources told TV Tonight Channel 10 was no longer a clear third across the collective demos, currently #2 in 16 to 39s and 18 to 49s.

However Seven is still #2 in Total People and 25-54.

Primary channel 6pm  midnight, 2020 survey

It should be noted Beverley McGarveys claim was also in reference to network rather than primary channel.

On a network basis Seven is still ahead.

Network 6pm  midnight, 2020 survey

There are other factors to be remembered.

Seven results are without AFL -but it is also has one multichannel advantage over 10.

Its clear 10 is breathing down Sevens neck after some particularly good results from McGarvey and her team -which is partly why it made sense to spruik the state of play to advertisers right now.

If 10 can keep it up the rest of the year will be a tight race in Nines shadow.
Russias ambassador to the United Nations says Moscow will oppose any attempts by the United States to extend the arms embargo on Iran and reimpose UN sanctions against Tehran.

Vassily Nebenzias comments on May 12 made clear that the United States will have difficulty extending the embargo past its expiration in October through the UN Security Council, where Russia has veto power.

The United States is seeking to indefinitely extend the UN embargo on conventional arms sales, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said the United States will use all means available to achieve that goal.

A draft UN resolution that has circulated among diplomats would strike the expiration of the arms embargo from the council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between six major powers and Iran, according to U.S. officials and UN diplomats.

Nebenzia said the arms embargo is a byproduct of the nuclear deal, which prevents Tehran from developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief. In Russias view its clear that it expires in October, he said.

Nebenzia spoke with reporters on a videoconference as the United Nations observes social distancing restrictions implemented to help control the spread of the coronavirus

He called "ridiculous" the U.S. argument that it is still a member of the Iran nuclear deal two years after it quit, just so Washington could trigger a so-called snapback that would return of all UN sanctions on Tehran.

To trigger a snapback you have to be a participant of the JCPOA, and the U.S. proudly announced on May 8, 2018 that they withdrew from the JCPOA and closed the door behind, Nebenzia said.

Nebenzia also predicted that triggering the snapback would end the JCPOA and inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Iran.

Although President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal, the U.S. maintains that it retains the right to invoke a sanctions snapback that the deal envisaged in the event of significant nonperformance by Iran.

That position rests on a State Department legal argument that although the United States is no longer in the nuclear deal, it remains an original participant under the terms of the Security Council resolution that enshrined it.

That 2015 resolution names the United States as a participant, but numerous diplomats in addition to Russia have said the U.S. argument is specious because the United States has demonstrably withdrawn.

Nebenzia also quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 12 saying the United States is in grave violation of the 2015 resolution for nonperformance and is blatantly attempting illegal paths to reverse the resolution in actual contempt for well-established principles of international law.

By withdrawing from the JCPOA , the United States has lost any right, he quoted Zarif as saying, adding that he subscribes fully to Zarifs words.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
 Gov. Gavin Newsoms assertion that shipments of medical masks the state bought from a Chinese manufacturer had simply been delayed because of federal safety certification issues was thrown into doubt Wednesday when regulators said they had actually rejected the masks.

Many of the N95 particulate-filtering respirators California planned to buy from supplier BYD in a $1 billion deal are now in limbo while the company tries to secure safety certification.

Katie Shahan, a spokeswoman for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said the agency had denied safety certification of the masks based on a number of factors. She said federal rules prohibit the agency from disclosing the specific reasons.

NIOSH tested the received hardware; however, the review of the documentation provided to NIOSH for the design, manufacturing and quality inspection of the device was concerning, Shahan wrote in an email.

Last week, Newsom told reporters that federal certification of the masks had been delayed. He said he was optimistic the deal would move forward soon.

The unfortunate news, but its part of these larger contracts, is on the back end we needed some certification, federal certifications, for these N95 respirator masks, Newsom said at a news conference May 6.

Thats been delayed a little bit, so on the back end, a little bit of delay, he said.

Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the Governors Office of Emergency Services, stressed that if BYD doesnt obtain certification, the state will receive its money back under the contract. Newsoms administration did not address his prior comment on delayed certification.

We remain optimistic that the vendor will meet its obligations, Ferguson wrote in an email. Should the contractor fail to meet that high standard, we have built in strong provisions to protect the state.

The situation led California to seek repayment of half the $495 million that it paid upfront to BYD for N95 particulate-filtering respirators intended to protect medical workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Under its contract with California, BYD was supposed to obtain safety certification for the N95 masks by April 30. California has renegotiated part of the contract to give the company until May 31. If BYD cannot obtain certification, the company must refund the other half of the states $495 million prepayment.

BYD had agreed to supply 300 million of the N95 masks. It also is sending 100 million lower-grade surgical masks to California as part of the $1 billion deal. The federal government does not need to certify those masks, and more than 18 million have already been delivered.

BYD spokesman Frank Girardot said the federal agency had denied safety certification for the N95 masks because of a documentation control issue, and said the quality of the masks was not the problem. He said the company is still hopeful it can receive certification by the end of the month.

Our masks have passed the most important part of the test, Girardot said. Were working with (federal regulators) on a corrective action plan, to have the documentation control that NIOSH expects.

He suggested the company has been treated unfairly and received extra scrutiny in the U.S. media because it is based in China.

Theres a magnifying glass on us because were a Chinese company, Girardot said. Were a global company. Were not two guys in a sweatshop with a sewing machine.

BYD, or Build Your Dreams, mainly manufactured electric buses until the coronavirus pandemic struck. It then branched into personal protective equipment for medical workers.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
San Francisco, May 13 : Twitter has made it official to let its employees work from home forever if they chose to and they will be paid like a normal working day as they sit comfortably in the sofa in the comfort of their homes.

The new option is for those employees who do not need to be physically present in office for certain roles that cannot be done from homes.

But for the rest of its 5,000-strong workforce, the option is now open.

Twitter was one of the first companies to go to a work from home model in the face of COVID-19 pandemic.

"The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen," the micro-blogging platform said in a statement late Tuesday.

"If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it's safe to return," it added.

The company said that opening offices will be their decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs.

"With very few exceptions, offices won't open before September. When we do decide to open offices, it also won't be a snap back to the way it was before. It will be careful, intentional, office by office and gradual," informed Twitter.

The company said that there will be no business travel before September, with very few exceptions, and no in-person company events for the rest of 2020.

"We will assess 2021 events later this year," it said.

With this move, Twitter has upped the ante after Facebook, Alphabet (Google) and others have asked their employees to work from home till year-end.

Google and Facebook have also decided to allow most of their workforces to stay home and work through the end of this year.

Facebook will open most of its office from July 6.

Google employees will be able to walk into their offices starting July, but majority of those whose roles allow them to work from home could do so until the end of the year.

Google's original plan was to keep work from home policy until June 1.

E-commerce major Amazon India has also allowed its employees to work from home till October.
New Delhi, May 13 : The Delhi High Court has sought a response from the Delhi Police on a plea filed by JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam seeking default bail in the matter pertaining to giving inflammatory speech.

Justice V. Kameswar Rao, who conducted the hearing through video conferencing, issued notice to the Delhi Police seeking its response over the plea and listed the matter for further hearing on June 10.

The petition filed by Imam through advocates Bhavook Chauhan, Surabhi Dhar and Ahmed Ibrahim sought the court's direction to release Imam on default bail under section 167(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The plea also challenged trial court order by which the court had granted more time to the Delhi Police Crime Branch for filing the chargesheet in the case.

Recently, Delhi's Patiala House Court dismissed the bail application filed by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Imam in a matter pertaining to giving inflammatory speech, asserting that it is bereft of merit.

In his bail application, Imam claimed that the police did not complete the investigation within the statutory 90-day period following his arrest.

"The applicant was arrested on 28.01.2020 and the statutory period of 90 days would have concluded on 27.04.2020. Till 27.04.2020, the investigation was not concluded, and the accused has an indefeasible right to be released on bail," the bail application stated.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana, however, noted that extension of time period to conclude the investigation was already given before the expiry of the statutory period, on April 25. In his plea before the Delhi High Court, Imam has challenged the said order too.

Earlier on May 1, the Delhi Police has told the city court that Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was invoked against Imam for inciting a particular religious community to disrupt the sovereignty of the country.

The police said that his speeches were communal in nature, which caused serious communal strife and promoted enmity between various religious groups. By the way of his speech, he spread falsehood of genocide in Assam.

The police said that after his speech on January 16, many protest sites started emerging in the city, roads were blocked, and tents were erected to sit in to protest. These sites later on led to initiation of riots in Delhi in February 2020.

Imam was in the eye of a storm for giving "inflammatory" speech in Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on December 13 and subsequently on January 16 at Aligarh Muslim University, where he allegedly threatened to "cut off" Assam and the rest of the northeast from the country.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India is all set to cut its 7-week-long summer vacation, which is scheduled to start from May 17, and continue to work through the vacation using video-conferencing facilities to make up for lost time due to the lockdown announced by the Centre to contain coronavirus pandemic.

According to sources, the top court is also likely to order a new dress code for the judges, lawyers and the legal staff since robes and gowns are more vulnerable to Coronavirus attack.

During a court hearing, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said, ''Judges and lawyers should dispense with the lawyer's robes for the time being.

The development is the result of recommendations made by a judges committee, which recently submitted a report to the CJI suggesting several measures - slashing the length of summer vacation, hearing cases via video-conferencing etc to make up for lost time due to the lockdown announced by the Centre to contain coronavirus pandemic.

The judges committee, which also included Justice L N Rao, was tasked to suggest ways and means for the top court to function during and after the lockdown.

In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the top court had last month said that court hearing in the congregation must become an "exception" during the "extraordinary outbreak" of COVID-19 pandemic.

It is necessary that all courts respond to the call of social distancing to ensure they do not contribute to the spread of the virus, the Supreme Court said.

Passing a slew of directions for all courts across India, it said that the top court and all the high courts are authorised to adopt measures required to ensure the robust functioning of the judicial system through the use of video-conferencing.

Observing that "technology is here to stay", the top court passed the directions by exercising its plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution and said that all the measures which shall be taken by the courts to reduce physical presence of stakeholders within its premises "shall be deemed to be lawful".

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde, also comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao, said, "All measures that have been and shall be taken by this court and by the high courts, to reduce the need for the physical presence of all stakeholders within court premises and to secure the functioning of courts in consonance with social distancing guidelines and best public health practices shall be deemed to be lawful."

The bench said the outbreak of coronavirus or COVID-19 in several countries including India has necessitated immediate adoption of measures to ensure social distancing to prevent transmission of the virus, and the top court, as well as the high courts, have adopted measures to reduce physical presence.

The top court directed that district courts in each state shall adopt the mode of video-conferencing prescribed by the concerned high court.

The bench directed that courts shall duly notify and make available the facilities for video-conferencing for such litigants who do not have the means or access to such facilities. The top court made it clear that in "no case shall evidence be recorded without the mutual consent of both the parties by video-conferencing".

The bench said if it is necessary to record evidence in a courtroom, the presiding officer shall ensure that appropriate distance is maintained between any two individuals in the court. It directed that the presiding officer shall have the power to restrict the entry of persons into the courtroom or the points from which the arguments are addressed by the advocates.

(With PTI inputs)
You are here: China

China on Tuesday sent two satellites into orbit to test the space-based Internet of Things (IoT) communications technology.

The satellites, Xingyun-2 01 and 02, were launched by a Kuaizhou-1A (KZ-1A) carrier rocket at 9:16 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. They have successfully entered their planned orbit.

Developed by the Xingyun Satellite Co., the satellites will conduct tests on technologies including space-based IoT communications, inter-satellite laser communications and a low-cost commercial satellite platform.

They will also carry out initial pilot IoT applications, according to the company.

KZ-1A is a low-cost solid-fuel carrier rocket featuring high orbit precision and a short preparation period. The rocket, developed by a company affiliated with Sanjiang Group under the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), is mainly used to launch low-orbit small satellites.

Tuesday's launch was the ninth mission of the KZ-1A carrier rocket.

The launch also represented new progress of the CASIC's series commercial space projects, which include the Feiyun, Kuaiyun, Xingyun, Hongyun and Tengyun projects and the supersonic speed HyperFlight project, according to the CASIC.

The Xingyun project is China's first self-developed space-based IoT constellation.

By around 2023, the Xingyun project will have completed construction of the space-based IoT constellation with 80 low-orbit communication satellites.

The project is anticipated to solve problems of the IoT businesses' communication blind zone as a result of deficient coverage of cellular wireless communication networks.

The Xingyun-2 01 and 02 satellites adopt the technology of inter-satellite laser links, which enables the in-orbit satellites to communicate over long distance and hence upgrade the real-time performance of communication services.
Here's something that hopefully happens in the Philippines as well when the time comes to relax quarantine controls. UK car dealerships are expecting a boost in car purchases once they reopen their doors to business in June, an exclusive study by UK car magazine What Car? reveals.

This optimism is mirrored in other car markets as well.

The British government recently announced that car dealerships can resume operations beginning June 1 as long as they meet the necessary public health guidelines. With this in mind, the What Car? study is forecasting that around 20 percent of in-market buyers will want to purchase a new car as soon as the lockdown ends.

Mercedes Benz E-Class

Polling 4,411 in-market buyers for the study, What Car discovered a significant pent-up demand among potential car buyers, with 18.39 percent of those polled expressing the intention to buy a vehicle immediately when dealerships reopen, and 5.56 percent looking to drive home a brand-new car within the next four weeks.

UK car dealers count themselves lucky, as the government has included them among the first wave of non-essential businesses allowed to reopen at the end of the lockdown. That said, dealers will have to implement certain sanitation and social distancing guidelines before they can resume operations.

The expected sales increase will likely come as a bittersweet relief for dealers, as the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt them a difficult blow to their bottom line. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK auto industry suffered a 97-percent drop in new car registrations in April, the second worst month on record since the post-World War II era, with just 4,321 new vehicles registered.

Volvo Cars

We know from our weekly online audience surveys that nearly one in five car buyers are preparing to purchase a new car when showrooms reopen, said Rachael Prasher, managing director of What Car? However, with the allowable date for dealership premises reopening pushed further back than many businesses were hoping for, it is also increasingly critical that retailers and OEMs ensure that they are responding to and nurturing to enquiries now.

Story continues

Car dealerships in the Philippines could be considered more fortunate than their UK counterparts, as only those in Luzon were required to shutdown operations. Most dealerships in Visayas and Mindanao were allowed to remain open, albeit at limited capacity.

Photos from HARI, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo

Also read:

How Shared Cars, Scooters, Managing Transport Woes During Covid-19

Moving Forward: Whats the Action Plan for Shared Mobility after Covid-19?
India has ordered new machines from the UK to control locust swarms that can destroy crops on the India-Pakistan border, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Wednesday.

Unfazed by the COVID-19 crisis, government officials in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab are working to control the outbreak of Desert Locust, he said in a statement.

Tractor-mounted sprayers and fire-tender vehicles are deployed at various locations in these states for locust control. Additional equipment are also being procured, he added.

"The central and state governments are working together on the Desert Locust control measures and have been able to check its spread. New machines have been ordered from the United Kingdom and will arrive soon," Tomar said after a video conference with pesticides manufacturers to fine-tune a strategy to prevent locust attack on farm fields.

He said the government will leave no stone unturned to ensure uninterrupted sowing and harvesting operations. Ministers of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala and Kailash Choudhary were also present during the video conference.

In the statement, the Agriculture Ministry said that normally, locust swarms enter the desert areas of India via Pakistan for breeding in the summer of June-July, but this time Locust Hoppers as well as Pink Adult Swarms had entered border districts of Rajasthan and Punjab in April itself.

"One reason for this was the uncontrolled swarms of the previous season in Pakistan that breed continuously. Swarms of Pink Immature Adults fly high and travel long distances with strong winds coming from Pakistan. Most of these Pink Immature Adults settle on trees during the night and mostly fly during the day," it said.

Around 10 Locust Circle Offices of Government of India located in Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Phalodi, Barmer, Jalore, Churu, Nagaur, Suratgarh districts of Rajasthan; Palanpur and Bhuj districts of Gujarat are working in scheduled desert area of more than 2 lakh sq km in India.

The locusts are monitored, surveyed and controlled in coordination with the State Agricultural Departments and the concerned District Administration. In addition, pest control in crops is done by the Agriculture Department of the concerned State Government.

"So far (till 11.05.2020), the Hoppers and Pink Swarms have been controlled in an area of 14,299 hectares of Jaisalmer, Sri Ganganagar, Jodhpur, Barmer and Nagaur districts in Rajasthan and Fazilka district of Punjab," the Ministry said.

Presently, swarms of immature Pink Locusts are active in Barmer, Phalodi (Jodhpur), Nagaur, Sriganganagar and Ajmer districts of Rajasthan. Control work started early in the morning, it added.

Tomar said the locust invasion was first noticed last year and the farmers were taken unawares as it took place after decades.

He expressed satisfaction that the losses were checked due to timely action by the Union Agriculture Ministry and the concerned state governments with the support of farmers.

The Centre has compensated farmers who suffered losses from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), he said and added that the global community has lauded India's efforts.

Last year, the state governments had assisted farmers through a scheme on the use of pesticides and tractor mounted sprayer. As a result, a total of 4,03,488 hectares of area was treated and locust swarms controlled, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has shredded the Electoral Commission of Ghana into pieces.

He asks the Commission to rather focus its attention on repairing its battered image rather than throwing jabs at his over a press conference he held a few days ago concerning the election management body.

Last week, Mr Iddrisu, at a press conference, said, among other things that EC Chair Jean Mensa, sometimes, comes to us as if she is running an NGO, adding: Let her be reminded that she is running the Electoral Commission of Ghana  a state institution expected to be independent.

He also said: The Constitution provides for a terminal end of the mandate of the President and Members of Parliament after every four years and presidential and parliamentary elections ought to be conducted and conducted by the availability and presence of a credible voter register, which is the responsibility of that Commission. No excuse will be accepted.

The fact that it is not ready means somebody is incompetent or somebody is not up to the particular task, Mr Iddrisu added.

The Minority Leader also questioned the priorities of the government and the EC as the coronavirus festers.

It is absolutely troubling and shocking that in the face of such a pandemic, our government chooses to supply PPE to officials of the Electoral Commission when doctors, nurses and other frontline healthcare workers are crying for PPE, the Tamale South MP said.

All these come at a time the ECs plan to begin its infamous and life-threatening registration in June this year, has been exposed after a presentation the EC made to ECOWAS leaked. It is worth noting that the ECs timetable, as presented to ECOWAS, remains unknown to Parliament and opposition political parties, Mr Iddrisu added.

In its response to the Minority, however, the EC said contrary to the claims of the Minority Leader, it has not stated anywhere that it has received personal protective equipment (PPE) from the government, stressing: For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission has not received any protective equipment from the government.

The Commission, therefore, said it finds it troubling that the leader of the Minority party in parliament will put out information of this nature without substantiating its authenticity.

The EC also denied claims that it has been disregarding the COVID-19 safety protocols while carrying out its duties.

The EC would like to state that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has taken concrete steps in adhering to the rules and regulations regarding the protocols spelt out by the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health, and, therefore, has not violated any safety protocols in the discharge of its duties.

The Commission takes collective decisions on all electoral processes in conformity with the countrys republican Constitution. It is, therefore, equally worrying that a statement would be made to suggest otherwise with the ultimate aim of tarnishing the image of key officials of the Commission.

As stated in Article 36 of the 1992 Constitution, the EC would like to reiterate that it shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority in the performance of its functions, except as provided for in the Constitution or any other law consistent with it.

All stakeholders are hereby reminded that plans are far advanced for the compilation of new voters register with a new voter management system for the upcoming 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. The Commission is, however, sensitive to the current state of affairs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will abide by the necessary precautions and safety protocols in the execution of its mandate when it deems it appropriate to begin the compilation of the register.

The general public is being cautioned to disregard any fictitious election timetable and other letters circulating on social media purporting to have emanated from the Commission. The Commission wishes to call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to cooperate with it for the success of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

In Mr Iddrisus response to the ECs response, the Minority Leader, in a statement issued on Wednesday, 13 May 2020, said the Commission has muddied its image, which needs fixing.

For instance, the integrity of the E.C. and its leadership was battered when it was forced to withdraw, on two separate occasions, the Constitutional Instrument for the conduct of the 2020 elections, due to elementary errors discovered by the Minority in the Instrument. (It is only the current leadership of the Commission that would seek to use Regulations to amend an Act).

He added: This exhibition of incompetence and lack of diligence and consequently the integrity of the E.C. in the eyes of the public, is not and cannot be attributable to the press conference of the Minority.

My counsel to the E.C. is to devote their effort to repair their battered image as an independent institution (not even subject to the control and direction of the Government) and to win public trust and confidence rather than the usual indecent haste in waiving empty words regarding its integrity.

The E.C. should note that I have, over the years, been very circumspect in my political commentary, having occupied respectable portfolios at the political party level, the Executive and the Legislative and, therefore, do not just comment on any matter. As I said, I referenced the Director of Electoral Services, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoo and the said Director has not denied those assertions, he noted.

Read Mr Haruna Iddrisus full statement below:

HON. HARUNA IDDRISU, MINORITY LEADER AND MP, TAMALE SOUTH, ON ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS RESPONSE TO THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE MINORITY CAUCUS

I have read and listened with utter shock and disappointment, a press statement issued by the Electoral Commission and signed by its Acting Director of Public Affairs in response to a press conference by the Minority Caucus in Parliament and addressed by the Minority Leader.

The E.C., in its statement, alleged that I sought to attack the integrity and mandate of the Commission as well as create an erroneous impression in the minds of the general public on the Commissions attitude towards the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commission further stated that it had not stated anywhere that it had received Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from Government as stated by the Minority Leader in the said Press Conference.

For the record, I did indicate at the said press conference that I was making reference to a statement made by Dr. Serebuor Quaicoo, Director of Electoral Services of the Electoral Commission.

Dr. Serebuor Quaicoo had indicated on Joy FMs current affairs programme, Newsfile on Saturday, 18th April 2020 that the EC had received enough PPE from the government. Unfortunately, Dr. Serebuor had not come out to deny the assertion.

The E.C., in its statement, alleged that they did not receive any PPE from the government. The question that the EC must answer is how it came by the PPE it claimed were enough for the intended compilation of a new voter register, which has been wildly condemned by civil society and well-meaning Ghanaians.

The concern I expressed in the press conference was a simple advice to the E.C. not to be primarily concerned about the health and safety of only staff of the Commission but the general wellbeing of the Ghanaian populace.

The E.C. needed to be reminded that the Commission did not make any provision for the procurement of PPE in its 2020 budget as approved by Parliament in December 2020, since no one anticipated the pandemic at the time of the approval of the budget.

The Commission should tell the Ghanaian public the source of the funds used for the procurement of its PPE since they claim these were not provided by the government and these were also not provided for in their budget for 2020.

Questions on the integrity of the EC and its leadership are issues of public knowledge and cannot be attributable to the press statement by the Minority Caucus in Parliament.

For instance, the integrity of the E.C. and its leadership was battered when it was forced to withdraw, on two separate occasions, the Constitutional Instrument for the conduct of the 2020 elections, due to elementary errors discovered by the Minority in the Instrument. (It is only the current leadership of the Commission that would seek to use Regulations to amend an Act).

This exhibition of incompetence and lack of diligence and consequently, the integrity of the E.C. in the eyes of the public, is not and cannot be attributable to the press conference of the Minority.

My counsel to the E.C. is to devote their effort to repair their battered image as an independent Institution (not even subject to the control and direction of the Government) and to win public trust and confidence rather than the usual indecent haste in waiving empty words regarding its integrity.

The E.C. should note that I have, over the years, been very circumspect in my political commentary, having occupied respectable portfolios at the political party level, the Executive and the Legislative and, therefore, do not just comment on any matter. As I said, I referenced the Director of Electoral Services, Dr. Serebuor Quaicoo and the said Director has not denied those assertions.

SGN

HON. HARUNA IDDRISU

---classfmonline
TEL AVIV, Israel, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ICL (NYSE: ICL) & (TASE: ICL), a leading global specialty minerals and specialty chemicals company, announced today that it is considering a potential offering of additional debentures from the Company's existing Series G Debentures, to the public in Israel only. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from such offering, if executed, to partially repay amounts outstanding under its Revolving Credit Facility Agreement, dated March 23, 2015, as amended on October 29, 2018, by and among certain financial institutions, ICL Finance B.V., and the Company, and for general corporate purposes.

The execution, timing, terms and amount of such an offering of Series G Debentures to the public in Israel, insofar as it will take place, will be subject to the approval of the Company's Board of Directors, publication of a supplemental offering report, which will include the amount of the offering and its terms, and the prior approval of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) for the supplemental offering report. There is no assurance that such an offering will be executed, nor its timing, terms or amount.

For additional details regarding the Company's debentures and liquidity, see the Company's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the TASE on March 5, 2020, under "Item 5B. Liquidity and Capital Resources", as well as the Company's report for the three month ended March 2020, furnished by the Company to the SEC in its Report on Form 6-K on May 12, 2020.

The potential offering described in this announcement will be made, if made, only in Israel and only to residents of Israel. The securities will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will not be offered or sold in the United States. This announcement shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This announcement contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements", many of which can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "expect", "should", "plan", "intend", "estimate" and "potential", among others.

Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this announcement and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our intent, belief or current expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on our management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and the actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to: our potential to undertake a debenture offering in Israel and other risk factors discussed under "Item 3 - Key Information D. Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 5, 2020, as updated in the Company's report for the three month ended March 2020, furnished by the Company to the SEC in its Report on Form 6-K on May 12, 2020.

Forward-looking statements refer only to the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information or future developments or to release publicly any revisions to these statements in order to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Name of the authorized signatory on the report and name of authorized electronic reporter: Aya Landman, Adv.

Position: Company Secretary

Signature Date: May 13, 2020

About ICL

ICL GROUP LTD, formerly known as Israel Chemicals Limited, is a global specialty minerals and chemicals company operating bromine, potash and phosphate mineral value chains in a unique, integrated business model. ICL extracts raw materials from well-positioned mineral assets and utilizes technology and industrial know-how to add value for customers in key agricultural and industrial markets worldwide. ICL focuses on strengthening leadership positions in all of its core value chains. It also plans to strengthen and diversify its offerings of innovative agro solutions by leveraging ICL's existing capabilities and agronomic know-how, as well as the Israeli technological ecosystem.

Our operations are organized under four segments: Industrial Products, Potash, Phosphate Solutions and Innovative Ag Solutions.

ICL shares are dually listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (NYSE and TASE: ICL). The Company employs more than 11,000 people worldwide, and its sales in 2019 totaled approximately $5.3 billion. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.icl-group.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Dudi Musler

Investor Relations Manager

+972-3-684-4448

[email protected] PRESS CONTACT Adi Bajayo Scherf Communications +972-52-4454789 [email protected]

SOURCE ICL

Related Links

http://www.icl-group.com


On Sunday, when many Americans were wading through stay-at-home Mothers Day brunches and socially-distanced picnics, US President Donald Trump was leaning into his Twitter feed. Hard.

In a furious barrage of 126 tweets, the third-highest daily total of his presidency, Trump unleashed a relatively unfamiliar hashtag on the world  #OBAMAGATE!

Trumps tweets, retweets, exclamation points, and all-caps missives on Sunday introduced his 80 million followers on the social media platform to a conspiracy theory that had been circulating on conservative websites for more than a year  namely that officials in former President Barack Obamas administration framed top Trump officials early in the current presidents tenure in order to derail his presidency.

The unproven narrative holds that Obama, along with his then-Vice President Joe Biden, former FBI Director James Comey, multiple intelligence services in both the US and abroad, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and a handful of Ukrainian oligarchs, planted a phoney theory that Trump was colluding with Russia in order to win the 2016 election. Once planted, the theory was allegedly picked up by members of the anti-Trump deep state in the US and used to spy on and frame members of Trumps inner circle.

Among those framed  according to the narrative  was former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who in December 2017 pleaded guilty to lying to FBI investigators during the course of Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the election.

Last week, despite the guilty plea, the US Justice Department abruptly and unexpectedly dropped those perjury charges. In a filing, Attorney General William Barr argued that the investigation was never justified to begin with and Flynns subsequent guilty plea should be ignored.

While many in the legal community objected to it, Trump celebrated Barrs decision and promised: MUCH more to come!

Yesterday was a BIG day for Justice in the USA. Congratulations to General Flynn, and many others. I do believe there is MUCH more to come! Dirty Cops and Crooked Politicians do not go well together!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2020

For Trump and his supporters, the Flynn decision was the first of many salvos in what is sure to be an OBAMAGATE war of tweets, a war that appears to be intended largely on shifting public discourse away from his administrations handling of the coronavirus pandemic and onto the more familiar, and comfortable to Trump, political grounds of tribal grievances and us-versus-them. The White House on Tuesday denied that Trump was trying to distract from the coronavirus.

Trumps decision to bring Obamas name into the mix directly on Sunday came just one day after the recording of a call between Obama and former members of his administration leaked. In the call, Obama called the US response to the coronavirus pandemic an absolute chaotic disaster, a criticism that did not go over well with Trump. Obama also said that the rule of law is at risk following the Flynn decision.

We are getting great marks for the handling of the CoronaVirus pandemic, especially the very early BAN of people from China, the infectious source, entering the USA. Compare that to the Obama/Sleepy Joe disaster known as H1N1 Swine Flu. Poor marks, bad polls  didnt have a clue!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2020

Following the release of Obamas remarks, what had been a critique of prosecutorial procedure by law enforcement officials under Obama and during the early days of the Trump administration evolved overnight into an attempted coup orchestrated by Obama himself. OBAMAGATE, Trump tweeted on Monday, makes Watergate look small-time.

The biggest political crime in American history, the president tweeted.

But when asked at a news conference on Monday what crime he was accusing Obama of committing and whether he thought the Justice Department should prosecute the former president, even Trump himself seemed a little fuzzy on the details.

Its been going on a long time, Trump said. Its been going on from before I even got elected, and its a disgrace that it happened, and if you look at whats gone on, and if you look at now, all this information thats being released  and from what I understand, thats only the beginning  some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again.

You know what the crime is, he said to the reporter for the Washington Post who asked the question. The crime is very obvious to everybody. All you have to do is read the newspapers. Except yours.

maybe the funniest video Ive ever seen pic.twitter.com/x2oPAUyCpe  Erik Strobl   (@erikstrobl) May 11, 2020

Some of Trumps supporters in the House of Representatives have since run with the incendiary coup language adopted by Trump surrogates in the conservative media over the weekend.

This really was a conspiracy to do something that weve not seen in American history, and that was to actually perform a coup, Republican Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona said in an appearance on Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs show on Monday. Thats really what this was. I mean, you cant get to it any more succinct than that. This was an attempt to undermine the election of the people. Thats a coup.

Trump supporters in the Senate, however, have pushed back. Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of the president who is heading up an investigation into the origins of the Russia investigation, told Politico that he had no intention of calling Obama to testify at any hearings on the matter.

I dont think nows the time for me to do that. I dont know if thats even possible. I have grave concerns about the role of executive privilege and all kinds of issues, Graham said on Thursday. I understand President Trumps frustration, but be careful what you wish for. Just be careful what you wish for.

US conservatives who oppose the president lamented the fact that Republicans are going along with Trumps fantastical theories, warning that while mainstream media outlets shrug off the Mothers Day tweetstorms as Trump-being-Trump, the presidents supporters in the right-wing media, as well as their readers, will embrace the rhetoric.

The result is that President Trump gets to live in an alternate reality of his own choosing, a former spokesman for the Republican National Committee, Tim Miller, wrote in The Bulwark news network on Tuesday. One that allows him to level unfounded allegations against his foes without even attempting to interact with anything approaching a fact or a piece of evidence, while never facing any consequences.

Its his long-standing, postmodern m.o.in business, in his personal life, and in politics: Create a preferred universe of convenient facts, then insist they are true, no matter what, he added.
A photo features two nurses (right) visiting a mother and her baby born inside a quarantine area in the northern province of Cao Bang. - VNA/VNS Photo Chu Hieu

Organisers encourage members to send meaningful entries like vivid images covering the battle against the pandemic and all people joining the process.

Each photographer can send up to 20 works (single, groups of photos or photo essays of 5-8 photos). Photos can be black and white or colour. Entries should be in JPG format of at least 3,000 pixels in length, and 300dpi in resolution.

Entries should include captions while photographers are responsible for copyright of the entries they submit.

Entries should be sent to website www.trienlamanhCovid-19.com till May 20, 2020. The jury will choose 150-200 finalists for an exhibition planned to be held on June 1, 2020 in Hanoi.

The exhibition aims to praise photographers with good photos taken during the pandemic to further enhance peoples awareness on the issue as well as peoples responsibility in fighting the disease, said Vu Quoc Khanh, chairman of the association. The exhibition also confirms Vietnams victory in the process."

Entries should be taken in journalistic realism style during the pandemic in Vietnam, he said.

The exhibition is planned to take place at the Archive and Artistic Photo Centre of the association in No 4, Ton That Thuyet Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi.
YEREVAN.  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday chaired the first sitting of the interdepartmental commission on defense reforms in Armenia.

"Why was it necessary to create such a commission?" Pashinyan asked and added: In the Republic of Armenia, the army, the Armed Forces are an indisputable authority and have an indisputable reputation. () but at the same time we have a strange phenomenon when the reputation of serving in the army, the Armed Forces does not correspond to the reputation of the Armed Forces, and as a task, we formulate to equate the reputation of the service with the reputation of the Armed Forces.

As to why this commission was set up within the Security Council, the Prime Minister said: "There is a large-scale reform () going on within the Armed Forces during this time. () and in the meantime, there is a need for us to have the opportunity to form a glance from the side to the matter posed, and the commission was set up for that purpose within the Security Council.

Pashinyan noted that the deputy heads of a number of departments were included in this commission, and such an approach was taken into account in order to keep the discussions as detached as possible from the influence of political conjuncture and tension.

The PM expressed hope that as a result of the activities of this commission, it will be possible to have an effective reform program and be sure that these reforms will achieve the necessary results.

Then the future activities of this commission were discussed.
London: British scientists are examining the tougher quarantines Australia and New Zealand have imposed on overseas travellers, amid fierce criticism the UKs own planned rollout is far too late and contains too many loopholes.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to make a statement on coronavirus to MPs at the Houses of Parliament. Credit:Getty

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that overseas arrivals would soon be asked to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving in the UK, during his nationally televised address on Sunday night, in which he announced a minor easing of the national lockdown.

Britains quarantine policy, likely to apply from June 1, will only affect those travelling by plane. The Republic of Ireland will be exempt under the plan but a proposal to exempt France, later downplayed by 10 Downing Street, drew sharp criticism after scientists revealed there was no medical rationale for the special treatment.

The UKs quarantine policy will not be enforced. However, Professor Andrew Blythe, who sits on the governments scientific advisory committee (SAGE) and is the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Transport, said he had consulted his counterparts overseas about the issue.
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Wed, May 13, 2020 10:40 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79cb1c 1 National autoimmunity,world-lupus-day,Syamsi-Dhuha-Foundation,medicine,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free

The Syamsi Dhuha Foundation (SDF), a nonprofit organization representing autoimmune disease sufferers, has urged the government to pay more attention to people with immune-related conditions, who are much more vulnerable during the current COVID-19 pandemic, as medication costs have increased dramatically.

To mark World Lupus Day on May 10 and World Autoimmune Day on May 20, the SDF is making an effort to gain support and raise awareness about people with autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, with its #ShareOurLove campaign.

SDF chairwoman Dian Syarief, who is also an autoimmune disease sufferer, said it was an extraordinary time for her community as the prices for autoimmune drugs, including hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which is also prescribed for COVID-19 patients, had soared.

The price of HCQ has increased by 100 percent. We hope the government can regulate the price so that patients can still can afford it and other primary medications needed by autoimmune patients, Dian told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Dian said autoimmune patients needed one or two HCQ pills a day to alleviate joint pain and other medications such as corticosteroids to increase steroid hormones in the body, relieve inflammation and suppress the excessive work of the immune system.

She said the country was not able to produce its own HCQ until the end of 2019, when the domestically supplied immunosuppressant was sold at prices ranging from Rp 11,000 (73 US cents) to Rp 13,000 per pill.

Read also: COVID-19 exposes flaws in Indonesias health insurance program

Since COVID-19 hit, the price has crept up steadily. It could reach Rp 22,000 per pill. The supply and demand has been out of balance, Dian said.

Dian also regretted the limited direct access to doctors, medical examinations or treatment. Especially for patients who use the BPJS Kesehatan [the Health Care and Social Security Agency] service, she said.

Dian said the condition of people with lupus or other autoimmune diseases varied from the mild form, which attacked the skin or joints, to more severe conditions that attacked the blood or nervous system and even vital organs.

We cant help but try to survive. Thats why we also strive for personal protective equipment [PPE], medicine, as well as collecting donations for those who have lost income, added Dian.

The SDF has initiated the collection of donations for the procurement and distribution of PPE, including 2,000 nonmedical masks, for 16 autoimmune communities around Indonesia. Within three weeks, they managed to raise funds of up to Rp 141 million.

The organization has also provided aid that includes PPE such as medical and nonmedical masks and coverall hazmat suits, as well as multivitamins, to some hospitals and public health centers across Indonesia.

Read also: Australian study links fiber intake during pregnancy to babies born with allergies and autoimmune disease

Because of the PPE scarcity, the distribution has been done gradually, depending on availability, to nine hospitals and regional hospitals in Bandung, Cimahi, Cianjur and Majalengka [in West Java] and Medan [in North Sumatra]. We also provided PPE to six public health centers in Jakarta, South Kalimantan and Bandung, said Dian.

SDF manager Laila Panchasari said that in commemoration of World Lupus Day, the organization had also launched a membership card program in collaboration with two clinical laboratories, Pramitha and Prodia, and state-owned pharmaceutical company Kimia Farma.

So, members can access generic HCQ and can get additional discounts for routine checks in the laboratories, Laila said, adding that the SDF had more than 1,000 members across the archipelago.

The membership number, however, is still small compared to the number of lupus sufferers in Indonesia, which Dian estimated at 135,000 to 270,000. Worldwide it is estimated that there are at least 5 million people with lupus, with 100,000 new cases every year. (syk)
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: In a case of alleged racism, six women from the Northeast states were allegedly harassed by their neighbour, who barged into their house Sunday midnight, shot a video of them without their consent and accused them of being infected with Covid-19. He also told police that he had found six Covid-19 patients, but was arrested later. John Kena (40), a painter and a resident of Anepalya, reportedly called them Chinese and Coronavirus, and accused them of infecting people.

Police said the incident took place on Sunday night, and Kena was arrested on Monday, after a suo motu case was registered against him for harassing the women and spreading rumours. Six women from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, who were working in the hospitality industry, had rented a house in Anepalya just a few days ago. The accused, who is their neighbour, allegedly barged into their house on Sunday midnight. He accused them of spreading the virus.

Besides trespassing, he started recording a video of the women. He also called the police control room and said he had come across six Covid patients. A Hoysala team rushed to the spot to check and police found that the neighbour was playing mischief, after examining documents produced by the women, police said. Based on the womens statement, we registered a suo motu case at Ashoknagar police station and arrested the accused on Monday. He was produced before a court on Tuesday and remanded in judicial custody, DCP (Central) Chetan Singh Rathod told TNIE.

It is learnt that the women shifted their place of residence after their employer informed them that he couldnt bear their rental expenses, owing to the lockdown. MP and State BJP General Secretary Shobha Karandlaje visited the women on Tuesday and assured them of safety. The girls were terrified. I consoled them and assured them that they need not be afraid of anybody. Following my request, these girls were shifted from the rental accommodation to a paying guest accommodation. I assure the people of the Northeast as well as from any other part of India, that they will not face any hardship or harm from the people of Karnataka, she said.
RTHK: Australia requests China talks, stands firm on probe

Australia's trade minister is seeking urgent talks with his Chinese counterpart after key agriculture exports were hit with suspensions and tariff threats, but said Australia will continue to push for an inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak.

Trade minister Simon Birmingham requested a telephone call with Chinese commerce minister Zhong Shan after four large beef exporters were suspended by Chinese customs authorities, Birmingham's office said on Wednesday.

The beef suspensions revealed on Tuesday came just days after Beijing proposed introducing a tariff of up to 80% on Australian barley shipments, raising concerns they were retaliatory actions by Beijing for Australia's push for an inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak.

China, which is Australia's largest trading partner, has rejected the need for an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese officials had said "privately and publicly these are unconnected matters", Birmingham told television network Seven on Wednesday, adding that Australia sought a respectful relationship with China.

Birmingham has said the beef ban was linked to issues with labelling and health certificates, while the barley tariffs were related to an anti-dumping case.

The nationalist Global Times newspaper, affiliated with the official People's Daily, said in editorial on Wednesday that the suspensions of the meat processors should serve as a "wake-up call" for Australia for its unfriendly actions.

Citing the push for a Covid-19 inquiry and Australia's decision to ban Chinese firm Huawei from its 5G network, the Global Times said "concern over potential retaliatory measures from China seems totally justified given Australia's heavy economic reliance on China".

Last month, China's ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, warned that mainland consumers could boycott Australian products if Australia pursued the coronavirus inquiry. Australian government ministers described his comments as a threat of economic coercion from the country that took around 38% of all exports in 2019.

Birmingham said on Wednesday Australia would continue to support an international inquiry into the coronavirus.

"Australia certainly holds our own, we adopt our policy positions consistent with our values and we don't entertain economic coercion in any sense in terms of changing our policy positions," Birmingham said.

Australia is "far from a lone voice in advancing (an inquiry)" and will support a European Union resolution at the World Health Assembly on May 17, he said.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday that the mainland's customs agency had found repeated instances of quarantine violations by the barred Australian beef companies and imports were suspended to "ensure the safety and health of Chinese consumers". (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
While coronavirus is continuing to weaken health systems and disrupt routine services, UNICEF on May 12 published a report saying an additional 6,000 children could die every day from preventable causes over the next six months. The UN agency report is based on the analysis by researchers from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The organisations reportedly said that the recent report was based on the worst-case scenarios in 118 low-and middle-income countries. As per the report published in The Lancet Global Health Journal, UNICEF said that they have analysed that an additional 1.2 million deaths of children under the age of five could occur in just six months. The organisation believes that the deaths could be due to reductions in routine health service coverage levels.

READ: COVID-19: Russia Reports 10,028 New Cases, Total Soars To 242,271

According to the press note, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said, Under a worst-case scenario, the global number of children dying before their fifth birthdays could increase for the first time in decades.

She added, We must not let mothers and children become collateral damage in the fight against the virus. And we must not let decades of progress on reducing preventable child and maternal deaths be lost.

READ: China Claims Its Troops Patrolling On Chinese Side Of LAC

Child right crisis

Furthermore, the UN organisation also added that some 56,700 more maternal deaths could occur in just six months, in addition to the 144,000 deaths that already taken place in some countries over the same period. Moreover the organisation also listed the 10 countries which could potentially have the largest number of additional child deaths. The countries included, Bangladesh, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and Tanzania.

Fore added, The COVID-19 crisis is a child rights crisis. We need an immediate-, medium- and long-term response that not only addresses the challenges created by the pandemic and its secondary impacts on children, but also outlines a clear version for building back a better world when the crisis finally recedes. For that, we need everyones ideas, resources, creativity and heart.

(Image: UNICEF/Website)

READ: Italys South Tyrol Invokes Autonomy To Pry Open Lockdown

READ: Pompeo Meets Netanyahu, Annexation Talks Expected
Highlights Samsung Galaxy Fold Lite could be the most affordable foldable phone to date

The Galaxy Fold Lite is tipped to sport a Snapdragon 865 SoC with support for 4G

Samsung is expected to make a number of cuts to bring the price of the Galaxy fold Lite down

Samsung Galaxy Fold is well known to have a successor in the works. However, a new report claims the South Korean tech giant, Samsung, could also be working on a Lite variant of this Galaxy Fold in a bid to promote wider adoption of the foldable phone technology.

The Galaxy Fold Lite will reportedly see Samsung make some crucial omissions to bring its price down considerably. The information comes courtesy of Max Weinbach, who claims that unlike the Galaxy Fold 2, the Galaxy Fold Lite will only support 4G networks.

This is despite it featuring a Snapdragon 865 chipset hidden inside an aluminum body. Further, the leak claims the device will use a "mix of 2018/19/20 parts." On the outside, there will be a smaller display, akin to the one found on the Galaxy Z Flip. It is claimed the device will also miss out on the ultra-thin glass for the primary foldable display which Samsung first debuted with the Galaxy Z Flip earlier this year.

I have some info on the Galaxy Fold Lite.



-Galaxy Fold Lite 4G

-256GB storage

-Mirror Black, Mirror Purple

-Display has no UTG

-Will be equipped with a mix of 2018/19/20 parts

-outside will probably have a smaller display (not like on Fold, but more like the Z Flip)  Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) May 12, 2020

The Galaxy Fold Lite is tipped to be made available in Mirror Black and Mirror Purple colors, featuring 256GB storage, with a 128GB variant also a possibility. The price of the Galaxy Fold Lite is being claimed to be $1,099.

While still speculation, are far from being confirmed, If this information does turn out to be true, it would end up making the Fold Lite the cheapest foldable smartphone on the market right now.

This would not only make it cheaper than the Motorola Razr but also make it cheaper than the Galaxy Z Flip. As per reports, Samsung could announce the Galaxy Fold Lite alongside the Galaxy Fold 2 and the Galaxy Note 20 launch in a couple of months from now.

As for the Galaxy Fold 2, recent leaks have said that the Galaxy Fold 2 will flaunt the same design as its predecessor but will be slightly bigger than the Galaxy Fold. The phone will feature a 7.59-inch screen with 2213x1689 resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. However, in terms of weight, the Galaxy Fold 2 will be 15% lighter than its elder sibling. It will weight around 229 grams while the Fold is slightly clunky at 263 grams.

Tipster Ross Young has claimed in the past that the phone will feature a triple camera setup on the rear. The camera set-up would comprise of 64-megapixel primary sensor along with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor and another 12-megapixel lens -- which could be a telephoto lens.

Interestingly, despite the bigger screen and advanced features, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 is tipped to be $100 cheaper than the predecessor, which could mean that the phone will be priced around Rs 1, 42,000 in India. The phone will also not come with support for the S-Pen contrary to previous claims.
"Our frontline health workers continue to need protective gear and other support, particularly as we face a potential resurgence in COVID-19 cases, said Project HOPE President and CEO Rabih Torbay.

Project HOPE, a global nonprofit dedicated to solving the worlds greatest public health challenges, is pleased to announce that NextEra Energy, Inc., is donating $100,000 to help procure and deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical supplies to Americas healthcare workers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic across the country. The gift is part of a partnership with Project HOPE and Business Roundtable, of which NextEra Energy Chairman and CEO Jim Robo is a member.

Our frontline health workers continue to need protective gear and other support, particularly as we face a potential resurgence in COVID-19 cases, said Project HOPE President and CEO Rabih Torbay. This support from NextEra Energy will help us deliver additional supplies to the brave women and men treating patients and fighting to contain the virus.

NextEra Energy and our more than 15,000 employees across the country continue to support our communities and stand by those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Robo. Our brave healthcare professionals need supplies and equipment to safely treat patients and help stop the spread of the virus. We proudly join Project HOPE in their mission to help save lives.

Together with the leadership of chief executive officers of Americas leading companies, Project HOPE is rapidly mobilizing protective gear and other vital equipment from manufacturers worldwide and delivering these lifesaving supplies to Americas nurses, doctors, and others working to treat patients and stop the spread of COVID-19. To date, thanks to donations like the one NextEra Energy is making through its foundation, Project HOPE has been able to procure 1.5 million surgical masks, 880,000 surgical gowns and 3 million gloves from manufactures worldwide. Once manufacturing is complete, these critically needed supplies will be allocated to health facilities in coordination with Healthcare Ready, which is already working in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help allocate protective gear donations nationwide.

ABOUT PROJECT HOPE

Project HOPE operates around the world wherever the need is greatest, working side-by-side with local health workers and addressing the greatest public health challenges to enable people to live their best lives. We respond to disasters and health crises, staying on in communities after the emergency subsides to help find durable solutions to epidemics and any other neglected health needs. For more information on Project HOPE and its response to the coronavirus outbreak, visit http://www.projecthope.org and follow @projecthopeorg.

ABOUT NEXTERA ENERGY, INC.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. NextEra Energy owns two electric companies in Florida: Florida Power & Light Company, which serves more than five million customer accounts in Florida and is one of the largest rate-regulated electric utilities in the United States; and Gulf Power Company, which serves more than 470,000 customers in eight counties throughout northwest Florida. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from eight commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company and included in the S&P 100 index, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry on Fortune's 2020 list of "World's Most Admired Companies" and ranked among the top 25 on Fortune's 2018 list of companies that "Change the World." For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: http://www.NextEraEnergy.com, http://www.FPL.com, http://www.GulfPower.com, http://www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. For further information: NextEra Energy, Inc., Media Line: 561-694-4442
Taking advantage of a young womans gullibility, a man in Hanoi led her to believe he was a witch doctor, scamming her out of money and tricking the victim into having sex with him twice.

Police officers in Hoang Mai District in Hanoi said on Tuesday they had taken into custody Nguyen Manh Quan, 33, for investigation into allegations of fraud and appropriation of property.

Quan hails from the northern mountainous province of Phu Tho.

According to a preliminary investigation, Quan got to know L., 20, via social media as they were both members of a Vietnamese astrology group on Facebook.

Quan found that L. often shared her unusual physical and mental phenomena with members of the group, describing that her facial color would change every hour and that she would often experience mood swings throughout the day.

Quan came up with the idea to deceive L. when she asked for help in the online forum.

Quan got in touch with L., introducing himself as a powerful witch doctor with the ability to use mantras to help her overcome her current troublesome situation.

He also told the victim he knew how to draw up anyones horoscope.

Quan said L. had a predestined love and was being followed by the souls of the dead which had a negative effect on her life, and that the only way out of the situation was to make offerings.

Concerned for her well-being, L. wired Quan VND2 million (US$85) to conduct the ritual.

Claiming the initial ritual had been unsuccessful, Quan pressed L. to transfer money to him several times afterward, totaling almost VND70 million ($3,000).

Quan also threatened L. that the only way to get rid of the evil souls was for her to have sex with a witch doctor.

The gullible woman ended up forced to have sex with Quan two times.

On May 7, when Quan repeated his demand for a sum of VND15 million ($645) and asked to have sex with her once more, the victim finally had enough and reported the case to the police.

Officers took custody of the self-professed witch doctor on the evening of the same day when he came to an appointment with L. to get the money.

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Julia Zemiro opens the eighth season of her interview profile series with a "bona fide national treasure". In rainy Wollongong, she meets Karl Kruszelnicki, known far and wide, and with considerable affection, as Dr Karl. He's a scientist, doctor and broadcaster with an upbeat persona that matches his brightly coloured shirts, an enthusiast who makes science accessible to many who can find it baffling.

Bodyguard Bodyguard, Richard Madden, Keeley Hawes Credit:Sophie Mutevelian/World Productions/Netflix

Together, they visit his childhood home as he recalls being something of an outcast because he wasn't Irish Catholic. Also, he reckons that, as a child, he was "lonely, geeky . . . fairly solitary and very shy". The pair moves on in a VW Beetle to his high school, then the Port Kembla steelworks to discuss his time there as a maths and physics graduate, before he made the decision to study medicine.

Dr Karl is a forthcoming subject who explains that, while he's knowledgeable, he's "not particularly smart". Those who've benefited from his work over the years might disagree.

Bodyguard
Following the detection of its first omicron case Saturday in Haidian district of Beijing, the Chinese capital locked down certain communities and office buildings just weeks before the Winter Olympics and the Lunar New Year holiday. The city opened 30 emergency testing points in Haidian on Monday as it rushes to contain the spread

Jan 19, 2022 05:37 PM
It is inherently wrong to aggressively police one group of people yet ignore another group that commits the same infraction, said Ms. James, who is black. The N.Y.P.D. must better ensure that a New Yorkers race, color, and neighborhood does not determine how they are patrolled.

She said her office had requested more expansive data about social-distancing enforcement from the Police Department, including precinct-by-precinct breakdowns of the age and race of those arrested or given summonses for failing to comply with social distancing rules.

She also demanded documents outlining the departments policy, directives and training. A number of elected officials, public defender groups and members of the news media have also requested the information.

The police commissioners comments seemed aimed at quelling discontent among officers and their labor unions, who have expressed frustration with a mandate that they say is unclear and steers officers away from fighting crime and toward a public health role in the coronavirus crisis. At the height of the pandemic, nearly 20 percent of officers were out sick, though most who were infected with the virus have recovered and returned to work.

Mr. Shea has said in the past that his hands are tied by mandates from the mayor and the governor. On Wednesday, he again voiced his concern that enforcing social distancing might reverse the progress the police have made in rebuilding community ties, a key part of the departments plan to push the citys historically low crime rates down even further.

Last Friday, the department said that between March 16 and May 5, officers had issued at least 374 summonses for violating the emergency measures and for acts likely to spread the virus. Of those, 300 summonses went to black and Hispanic people.

Of the 125 people arrested for various offenses related to the coronavirus epidemic since the city was shut down in mid-March, 83 were black and 30 were Hispanic, according to data released on Tuesday. Those incidents ranged from hate crimes to fights that started with someone jumping a line at a supermarket, the police said. One was a bank robbery in which the robber showed a teller a note saying he had the disease caused by the virus.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 20:42:04|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged the U.S. government to stop obstructing, or even politicizing, U.S. investors' normal activities in the Chinese market on the ground of national security, otherwise, "the move will only damage their own interests," said spokesperson Zhao Lijian.

Zhao addressed the issue at a daily news briefing after relevant reports stated that the U.S. government directed the U.S. federal employee retirement fund to keep money out of Chinese equities.

"In an era of globalization, the interests of all countries are closely intertwined," Zhao pointed out. He also reiterated China's stance on the matter, noting the substance of China-U.S. economic cooperation is mutually beneficial.

In recent years, China's capital market has been increasing favorably due to its global investors, including American investors. This reflects the confidence of those investors in the stable and sound development of the Chinese economy and the recognition of China's deepening reform and opening up of the capital market, Zhao explained.

He added that it is not in line with economic laws to arbitrarily set up obstacles or even politicize American investors' entry into the Chinese market to carry out normal investment activities on the grounds of so-called national security, and it will only make American investors miss opportunities and damage their own interests. Enditem
What do the Seattle Times, Axios, and the National Enquirer have in common? They didnt all win a Pulitzer recently; rather, theyre all among the small businesses eligible to apply for financial assistance under the federal governments Paycheck Protection Program. The Seattle Times, which is independently owned, received a loan of $9.9 million, just under the programs upper limit of $10 million. American Media Inc., the Enquirers parent company, reportedly asked for a loan between $5 million and $6 million; its not yet clear if its application was successful. (Not all AMI staffers welcomed the move; one told the Daily Beast that itd be sickening if the loan is granted, given AMIs incestuous relationship with President Trump.) Axios, for its part, received around $5 million, but decided to return the money. Jim VandeHei, its co-founder and CEO, wrote that PPP had become politically polarized and divisive, and that he had faced public backlash for taking advantage of itbecause Axios is a media company, and because its venture-funded. VandeHei said the site found funding from an alternative source instead.

The disparate cases of these three outlets have informed a debate within the media industry as to whoif anyoneshould benefit from federal funds. Local news has been at the heart of the conversation. While several other local outletsincluding the Tampa Bay Times, Newsday, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, the Texas Tribune, and Seven Days, an alt-weekly in Vermontgot PPP funds, many were excluded. The Wall Street Journal calculated recently that titles accounting for around 80 percent of national newspaper circulation were ineligible under the programs terms, because theyre affiliated with bigger companiessuch as Gannett and the NBAs Minnesota Timberwolvesthat have too many employees, from a PPP standpoint. (Yes, you read Minnesota Timberwolves correctly.) Larger chains may be eligible for other federal loansbut these would need to be repaid, and most publishers arent in a position to take on more debt right now. (PPP loans, by contrast, can be forgiven.) The exclusion of chain-owned papers from PPP is ironic, given that the chain structure was designed to squeeze money out of a dying industry by consolidating costs. Now, as Nieman Labs Joshua Benton notes, Instead of too big to fail, theyre too big to support.

ICYMI: MSNBC public editor: Who benefits from remdesivir coverage?

The last time Congress voted on coronavirus aid, lawmakers from both parties triedto no availto expand PPP eligibility to include chain-owned local news outlets. Now theyre trying again. Yesterday, the Democratic-led House of Representatives published an 1,800-page bill which would (among many other things) exempt local newspapers and broadcasters from the PPPs affiliate rules. (The Journal was first to report that provision, on Monday.) The bill, as a whole, is currently a one-party wish list, with no prospect of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate. According to the Journal, Democratic senators Maria Cantwell and Amy Klobucharwho, along with Republicans John Kennedy and John Boozman, pushed for the local-news exemption last timewill lead the charge to keep it in the bill this time. (On Monday, a group of 26 lawmakers, led by Rep. Yvette Clarke, Democrat of New York, wrote House leadership asking for digital-only news organizations to be exempted from the affiliate rule, too.)

As the PPP discussion has rolled on, two main ethical issues have presented themselvesone which is specific to the news media, and one which isnt. The latter is the general question of worthiness; in recent weeks, the program faced criticism, not least from the news media, when it transpired that some companies that dont look like small businessesShake Shack, Ruths Chris Steak House, the LA Lakersgot loans. (The three companies named here all returned their loans.) Last week, Neil Irwin, of the New York Times, argued convincingly that the worthiness debate is misguided, becauserather than encouraging the government to expand the pieit implies that businesses are engaged in zero-sum jockeying for scraps, and because (unlike with the 2008 financial crisis) business didnt cause the pandemic.

The media-specific ethical issue concerns the old dilemma of whether independent news outlets, whose job it is to hold government accountable, can take money from the government without triggering a conflict of interest. This debate feels misguided, too. The question of which outlets a government chooses to support can undoubtedly raise problems; in Canada, for example, critics recently accused a publicly-funded reporting initiative of discriminating against newer outlets. With PPP specifically, however, the selectiveness problem, while real, isnt an expression of editorial valuesAxios didnt get picked to receive funds over Gannett-owned papers, for example, because officials like the former and not the latter. As several newsrooms pointed out to justify applying for the money, PPP is not a bailout for the media, specifically.

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And even if it were, would that be so terrible? We want to save the news business because of the vital work it does holding government to account. It thus feels odd that wed suspect the news business of not being able to handle public money without its mission being corrupted; surely, from a public-good standpoint, such an easily corruptible information ecosystem wouldnt be worth saving at all? Sure, not all media companies are equal in their ethics (hello, National Enquirer), and vigilance around funding is always necessary. Taking government money isnt an ideal situation for newsrooms. But neither is taking money from hedge funds, and media companies do that all the time. Were supposed to scrutinize power systems other than politics, too.

The news business needs all the help it can get right now; as Matt Pearce, a reporter at the LA Times, put it recently, the ethical debate is interesting, but if journalists dont get their oxygen masks on first, were not gonna be around to help the people around us. Even though subscriptions are up for some outlets, the economic crisis caused by the pandemic has hammered the advertising model on which much of the industry relies; according to the Times, more than 35,000 media workers have taken pay cuts, been furloughed, or lost their job since this crisis began.

We need outside-the-box thinking now more than ever. To that end, CJR and the Tow Center for Digital Journalism are launching the Journalism Crisis Project, a series of weekly webinars in which well chat with industry experts about the current, dire financial straits, and what could come next. Our first webinar will be tomorrow at 12pm Eastern, and will feature CJRs Kyle Pope and Tows Emily Bell alongside Kristen Hare, of Poynter; Penny Abernathy, of the University of North Carolina; and Sarah Stonbely, of the Center for Cooperative Media. You can register to take part here. PPP might just come up.

Below, more on the coronavirus:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Why did Matt Drudge turn on Donald Trump?

Update: A previous version of this post cited the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as an example of a paper that did not receive a PPP loan, as per a Journal article from April 27. Since then, the Democrat-Gazette was able to apply for a PPP loan. The example has been updated for clarity.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
BELLE PLAINE - A Kansas court has thrown out a lawsuit filed by a civil rights rights group seeking the immediate release of prisoners who have preexisting medical conditions that make them vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Leavenworth District Judge David King dismissed on Friday the class action petition filed by the American Civil Liberties [...]
Nick Wright has never given up hope of finding his missing boy.

For 17 years his family has chased down every possible lead and lived with the hope of one day being reunited.

But the heartbroken family also fear they may never see Paul Wright again after the-then 27-year-old vanished from Rosanna in September 2003 following a minor run-in with the law.

Paul's father Nick Wright. Credit:Nine

People may say Oh let it go, it's been 17 years, let sleeping dogs lie, but you can't," Mr Wright said. "Not a day goes by when we don't think about him.
He found fame in The Hunger Games series of movies starting in 2012.

And on Tuesday, Josh Hutcherson was spotted enjoying a bicycle ride in LA with his girlfriend Claudia Traisac.

The actor, 27, and the Spanish beauty, also 27, have been together since 2014.

Exercise: He found fame in The Hunger Games series of movies. And on Tuesday, Josh Hutcherson was spotted enjoying a bicycle ride in LA with his girlfriend Claudia Traisac

Hutcherson was dressed in a white t-shirt and black jeans along with a patterned short-sleeve shirt that he left undone.

He had a colorful bandana around his neck which doubled as a face mask when required.

Traisac had on a dark green tank top and white drawstring pants and also had a bandana she used as a face covering.

Casual: Hutcherson was dressed in a white t-shirt and black jeans along with a patterned shirt that he left undone. He had a colorful bandana around his neck which doubled as a face mask

Couple: Traisac, who's been dating the actor since 2014, had on a dark green tank top and white drawstring pants and also had a bandana she used as a face covering

Most recently, Hutcherson has starred in Hulu's sci-fi comedy series Future Man, produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

The third and final season dropped on the streaming platform in early April.

In an interview with Newsweek, the actor explained that he is finally coming to terms with the global fame that enveloped him as a result of The Hunger Games.

'I don't think there's really any way you can prepare yourself for that. It changed everything. It changed my entire public life for a long time. And then notoriety and recognition, all those things. It's crazy,' he told the outlet.

'But I think now, just having been out of it for a long enough amount of time, I have a better perspective on it and feel fortunate and lucky that I was able to be a part of something like that.'

Small screen role: Most recently, Hutcherson starred in Hulu's sci-fi comedy series Future Man, produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. the third and final season dropped last month
The election observation mission of the East African Community (EAC), expected earlier this week, will probably not be in Burundi for the triple election scheduled in nine days, at least according to a letter from the Burundian government to the secretariat general of this organization.

The minister responsible for relations with this regional organization has just announced to its secretary general, in a letter dated 8 May, that any team of observers coming from abroad must be mandatorily confined for 14 days, in accordance with the national strategy to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. This mission of twenty people, mostly Tanzanians but not including Rwandans, is financed by China according to our sources. It was expected in Bujumbura this week. It is therefore impossible for it to be on the ground on 20 May, Election Day.

The Burundian government did not want observers from the UN and the European Union, accused of being close to its opposition since the beginning of the 2015 crisis.

The Catholic Church and civil society will not be there as well. We are going to see an election behind closed doors, with all the dangers between the ruling CNDD-FDD, which does not want to give up, and an opposition led by Agathon Rwasa who believes in his victory, a diplomat warned. The tension between the government and the main opposition party continues to rise.
(GETTY)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Norways decision to blacklist four Canadian oil firms from its massive US$1 trillion sovereign wealth fund underscores the growing importance of climate change risk to global investors.

Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), a branch of Norways central bank, said on Wednesday that it has excluded Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO)(CNQ), Cenovus Energy (CVE.TO)(CVE), Suncor Energy (SU.TO)(SU), and Imperial Oil (IMO.TO)(IMO) due to unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions.

The ban is a first for managers of Norways giant portfolio of investments. The fund owns about 1.5 per cent of listed stocks worldwide.

Weve seen investors around the world looking at the risks associated with climate change as an integral part of investment decisions they make, Trudeau said on Wednesday at a press conference.

It is so important for Canada to continue to move forward on fighting climate change and reduce our emissions in all sectors. I can highlight that many companies in the energy sector have understood that the investment climate is shifting, and there is a need for clear leadership and clear targets to reach on fighting climate change to draw on global capital.

The Trudeau Liberals have walked a fine line between support for Canadas battered energy sector and making good on climate change goals since taking office. The latest test has come in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Saudi-Russian oil price war, which has taken a heavy toll on energy producers.

Ottawas aid to the sector has included a number of environmental links, including $1.7 billion for cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells, and a $750 million Emission Reductions Fund. On Monday, the government announced broad financing support for large businesses, which include environmental conditions.

Cenovus president and CEO Alex Pourbaix said the move by the Norwegian fund does not account for environmental advances in the industry. He pointed to his companys goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Story continues

Pulling investments from the oil sands and claiming its for climate change reasons is more about publicity than fact, he said in a statement. Cenovus has reduced the GHG emissions intensity at our oil sands operations by approximately 30 per cent over the past 15 years.

Norways Government Pension Fund Global was set up in 1996, a product of wealth amassed as western Europes largest oil exporter. The Scandinavian nations revised budget for 2020 released on Tuesday calls for withdrawing US$37 billion from the fund to counter the economic slump brought on by COVID-19 and weak oil prices.

Excessive carbon emissions was listed as a criterion for exclusion from the fund four years ago. Last year, Norway announced a plan to divest from oil and gas stocks. Wednesdays announcement marks the first time it has used its excessive greenhouse gas emissions rule to blacklist firms.

The Council on Ethics recommended to exclude the companies because of carbon emissions from production of oil to oil sands, NBIM said, referring to its ethics watchdog.

NBIMs guidelines also include bans on investment in weapons firms and tobacco companies, and have observation rules assessing severe environmental damage, human rights and corruption.

Norways decision to shut the door on some of the biggest names in Canadian energy comes as the sector grapples with COVID-19s iron grip on demand. Meanwhile, global oversupply is stretching storage capacity to its max.

West Texas Intermediate crude (CL=F) has recovered to above US$25 per barrel after briefly plunging into negative territory last month.

Canadian energy was not the only investment class to be blackballed by Norway on Wednesday.

NBIM also excluded petrochemical firm Sasol Ltd (SSL), German utility RWE AG (RWE.DE), Dutch company AGL Energy Ltd (AGL.AX), miners Glencore (GLEN.L) and Anglo American (AAL.L) over use and production of coal.

Egypt's ElSewedy Electric Co, Brazilian miner Vale SA (VALE), and Brazilian power holding Eletrobras were also excluded in the update.

NBIM said ElSewedy breached severe environmental damage rules as a result of the electric firms involvement in a Tanzanian hydropower project. Mining giant Vale was cited for repeated dam breaches.

Eletrobras was excluded due to unacceptable risk that the company contributes to serious or systematic human rights violations.

BHP (BHP), Vistra Energy (VST), Enel SpA (ENEL.MI) and Uniper SE (UN01.DE) were placed on an observation list on Wednesday, all related to coal.

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.
NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE P roposed shifts on Trumps stands on territory and Palestinian terror subsidies have already been tried and failed.

The message that presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is sending to the Palestinian Authority is fairly similar to the one former secretary of state John Kerry flashed to his former Iranian negotiating partners last year: Hang on; help is coming.

In both instances, the point was to make it clear that, should their party take back the White House from President Donald Trump this November, the incumbents policy shifts will be largely erased. Just as Kerrys advice to Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Zarif was intended to reassure Tehran that its leaders can look forward to the United States returning to President Obamas nuclear deal and a relaxation of sanctions on their regime in 2021, Biden seems to be telling the Palestinians that Trumps attempts to jolt them into reality in order to foster peace will be reversed.

In the past two weeks, the former vice president has said that he intends to prioritize resuming our dialogue with the Palestinians and pressing Israel not to take actions that make a two state solution impossible. Echoing Barack Obamas past statements, Biden said he felt Israels leadership was not willing to take the risks necessary to achieve peace and was not immune from criticism. That language seemed to echo Obamas policy of daylight between the United States and Israel. While Biden stated that he did not intend to move the American embassy back to Tel Aviv from Jerusalem, the rest of Trumps approach to the conflict would be reversed if he wins in November.

At the top of that list is the green light the administration appears to be giving to Israeli annexation of some West Bank settlements in the upcoming months, a move that is in line with the parameters of the peace plan that Trump unveiled earlier this year.

Biden and some congressional Democrats have been loudly declaring that they oppose any decision by Israel to extend the nations laws to the areas where hundreds of thousands of its citizens live in the West Bank. The Trump plan envisioned Israel holding onto up to 30 percent of the region as part of a scheme that would also bring into being an independent, though demilitarized, Palestinian state. But Biden, like other Trump critics, insists that annexing any settlements will make a two-state solution impossible.

Story continues

Biden says he also will reopen the U.S. consulate in eastern Jerusalem that served, until Trump, as an unofficial embassy to the Palestinian Authority in a gesture that signals that he favors a repartition of the city.

Just as important, he intends to resume sending U.S. aid to the Palestinians.

Bidens statement, and a letter to the Democratic National Committee from 30 former Obama administration staffers about the need for the party platform to be more even-handed in its approach to Israel and the Palestinians, was intended to make it clear to both the P.A. and the new Israeli government that an overhaul of the American approach to the conflict is coming if Trump loses. They hope to calm the Palestinians and deter them from initiating a campaign of violence that would further complicate negotiations. And they want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partner and former rival, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, to pump the brakes on annexation rather than find themselves the target of a new Democratic administrations anger.

But the problem with Bidens approach is that he seems to have forgotten what eight years of the policies he wants to resurrect achieved under Obama.

Eight years of Obama creating more daylight between the U.S. and Israel and his tilting of the diplomatic playing field in the direction of the Palestinians never moved either Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas or his Hamas rivals who control Gaza to budge an inch toward a peace deal.

While Obama and Kerry made no secret of their low opinion of Netanyahu, it was Abbas who torpedoed every effort at an agreement. The Palestinians scuttled Kerrys diplomacy with an end run around the United Statesled process by seeking to get the United Nations to recognize their independence without their first agreeing to end the century-long war on Zionism.

Its important to remember that the Palestinian Authority has already rejected peace offers from Israeli governments that would have given them an independent state in nearly all of the West Bank and a share of Jerusalem, as well as Gaza, in 2000, 2001, and 2008. Since then Abbas has rejected all efforts to resume talks on any basis but demands that several hundred thousand Israelis be tossed out of homes in settlement blocs close to the 1967 borders as well as in Jerusalem.

Its not just that this is unrealistic but that Israelis lost their faith in the Oslo peace process they had embraced in the 1990s after years of bloody Palestinian terrorism. That consensus on the lack of a peace partner extends across the Israeli political spectrum and is why Gantz, who also campaigned as a hard-liner in three elections held in the past year, endorsed the Trump plan, as did Netanyahu.

Biden and the Democrats may think that resuming aid to the Palestinians would help restore confidence in the peace process. But the cutoff was mandated by the passage of the Taylor Force Act by large bipartisan congressional majorities in 2018. Named after a non-Jewish American military veteran who was slain by a Palestinian terrorist in 2016, it conditioned further U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority on its discontinuing its system of paying salaries and pensions to terrorists and their families. The P.A. has refused to do so even after Trump made a direct request to Abbas since it believes ending this scheme  in which higher amounts are paid to those who kill rather than those who merely wound or unsuccessfully attack victims  would be a betrayal of Palestinian nationalism. Resuming aid without an end to the terror subsidies would encourage further intransigence, not moderation.

As for annexation, extending Israeli law to the settlements is a wakeup call to Abbas that if he wants a state, he must compromise rather than continue to pretend that a return to the 67 lines is possible. Though the borders envisioned by the Trump plan are complicated and might not be manageable, Biden and the Democrats are wrong to characterize them as making two states impossible. The only thing that prevents the Palestinians from having one is their continued refusal to recognize the legitimacy of a Jewish state no matter where its borders might be drawn.

Throughout the 1990s when the Clinton administration championed the Oslo Accords, it did its best to ignore or whitewash Palestinian violence and Yasser Arafats support for terror out of the false conviction that doing so enabled peace rather than more bloodshed.

A return to Obamas policies will be based on the same misconception. It wont bring peace for the simple reason that they didnt work in the first place. Trumps plan wont magically create peace, either, in the absence of a sea change in Palestinian thinking. But his approach is at least based in trying to force such a transformation. Bidens gestures will merely bring a rerun of past failures with the added disgrace of renewed American acquiescence to Palestinian terror.

More from National Review
Bengaluru, May 14 : Six South Western Railway (SWR) zone special trains ferried 7,445 migrant workers back home to four Indian states amid Covid pandemic, an official said on Wednesday.

"The first Shramik Special train from Hubli left at 12.30 p.m. with 1,434 passengers bound for Jodhpur," said a SWR zone official.

Jodhpur is 354 km southwest of Rajasthan capital Jaipur.

Wednesday's second special train with 1,440 migrants departed Chikka Bannavara station from the outskirts of Bengaluru at 3.05 p.m. to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.

Gwalior is 407 km north of Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal.

The third special train from Malur near Bengaluru departed for Udaipur in Rajasthan at 4 p.m. with 1,500 migrants.

Udaipur is 395 km southwest of Jaipur.

The fourth special train with 1,525 migrants left Chikka Bannavara station for Gorakhpur at 5.33 p.m.

Similarly, Wednesday's fifth special train departed Malur station for Darbhanga in Bihar at 6.45 p.m. with 1,546 migrants.

Darbhanga is 139 km northeast of Patna.

Likewise, the sixth train from Chikka Bannavara station to Gorakhpur departed at 7.28 p.m. with 1,520 passengers.

Gorakhpur is 213 km southwest of Chandigarh.

The special trains are being organized following the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granting permission for the movement of stranded migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others.

In a one way special train arriving from Delhi to KSR Bengaluru station on Thursday, 900 passengers are expected.

"Ten medical counters are likely to be set up by BBMP at the station. Medical screening and further directing of passengers will be taken care of by BBMP," said the official.

Likewise, an air conditioned special train, 02691, departed from Bengaluru to New Delhi at 8.30 p.m.
According to intelligence data, five members of Russia-led forces were wounded on May 12.

Russia's hybrid military forces on May 12 nine times engaged Ukrainian Army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action.

"The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire nine 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 13. "As a result, one serviceman of the Joint Forces was wounded in enemy shelling."

Russian-led forces employed proscribed 120mm and 82mm mortars, an anti-tank missile system, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and rifles.

Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the villages of Pavlopil, Starohnativka, Opytne, Krymske, and Luhanske.

Read alsoZelensky's team offering to include Parl't, Cabinet representatives in Minsk talks

Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy attack. According to intelligence data, five members of Russia-led forces were wounded on May 12.

"Since Wednesday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near the village of Hnutove, using automatic grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and rifles," the update said.

No casualties have been reported among Ukrainian troops since day-start on Wednesday.
Threatened by food shortages and health risks, Rome gives a six-month amnesty for thousands of undocumented migrants.

Thousands of undocumented migrants will now be allowed to apply to temporarily stay and work in Italy under an amnesty announced as the country unveiled a $59.6bn stimulus package to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus.

After weeks of negotiations marked by political infighting and resignation threats, the parties in Italys coalition government finally reached an agreement on Wednesday to approve provisional changes to permits for farm workers and home carers.

Dino Martirano, a spokesman for Italys interior ministry, told Al Jazeera foreign labourers in the agricultural and domestic working sectors who have been without a valid residency permit since November will be able to apply.

According to the decree unveiled on Wednesday, the new residency permits will be valid for six months.

The changes also seek to legalise irregular work in farms and homes. Martinaro said employers who have irregularly hired either foreign or Italian workers in these sectors would also able to apply to regulate their staff by stipulating a fixed-term employment contract.

We have reached an important result, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in a news conference after a cabinet meeting.

This is a battle of civilisation because at its centre lay peoples dignity, fight against criminal organisations, against caporalato (a system based on the recruitment and exploitation of workers), the immersion of black work and the protection of employers and workers health, including the one surrounding them.

Mixed reactions

The amnesty was pushed by agriculture associations across Italy looking for staffing to fill the gap left by at least 200,000 seasonal labourers, mostly from Eastern European countries, who are stuck in their countries due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

As a result, Italy is now at risk of losing 25 percent of its harvest, according to Italian leading Agriculture association Coldiretti.

We got it, Jean-Rene Bilongo, head of migration policy and inequalities at the CGIL-FLAI farmworkers trade union, said after the amnesty was unveiled.

200504091006353

Thousands of migrants living at the margins of society will now become legal subjects  the invisibles become citizens, he told Al Jazeera.

In a 2018 report, the CGIL-FLAI said an estimated 430,000 people were irregularly hired to work in farms across Italy. More than 16 percent did not enjoy any labour rights and 38.7 percent earned wages below rates set in collective bargaining agreements.

Bilongo said the regularisation could also help improve conditions for up to 180,000 people living in shantytowns at a time when the public health emergency is far from over. Activists have long warned that the informal settlements housing irregular workers lacked access to running water and sanitation and risked becoming coronavirus hotspots.

Yet, human rights groups decried the temporary nature of the amnesty.

A time-limited amnesty is just a patch, an absurdity which gives priority to production over dignity, said Cesare Fermi, director of migration programmes for INTERSOS, an NGO.

Calling the measure a lost chance, Fermi added: How will the workers conditions change once the permit is over?

Political fight

In recent weeks, the issue of regularisation had threatened to tear apart the ruling coalition led by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

The proposal was championed by Minister of Agriculture Teresa Bellanova, from PD, but it was opposed by the Five Star Movement which argued the move would only further legitimise labour exploitation instead of reducing it.

Before joining forces with the PD last year, the populist movement governed with the far-right, anti-immigrant League party led by former Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

An amnesty? Why should we ever reward those irregular and those who exploit them when there are so many Italians and regular migrants looking for a job? Salvini said in a Twitter post late on Wednesday.

Italy has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. To date, the virus has infected more than 220,000 people and killed nearly 31,000 across the country.

With infections appearing to ebb, the government is now grappling to get people back to work as it gradually lifts the drastic measures introduced to curb the outbreak. Conte said the stimulus package announced on Wednesday was aimed at helping businesses and families recover the coronavirus restrictions.

We have worked on this decree aware that the country is in great difficulty, Conte said. It provides the prerequisites so that this phase of reopening can already offer the prospect of economic and social recovery.
Karnataka government has



"conditionally" granted permission for stand alone microbreweries to sell their beer stock as takeaway till June 30.

This will be on an experimental basis from May 14 to June 30 until exhaustion of existing stock of beer, whichever is earlier, it said adding measures such as social distancing, cleanliness, usage of masks and sanitisers would have to be followed.

On Friday, the government had allowed clubs, bars and restaurants to sell liquor as takeaway at the maximum retail price till May 17 to clear their existing stock that has accumulated during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The opening and closing hours of the microbrewery shall be from 9 am to 7 pm, the state Excise Commissioner said in a letter adding



only the existing stock of beer can be sold and no fresh production would be allowed.

"Microbreweries situated in (COVID-19) containment zones are not allowed to function," the letter added.

Excise duty of Rs 10 per bulk litre and additional excise duty of Rs 75 per bulk litre shall be levied on beer that should be sold in glass, ceramic or stainless steel container only for take-away.

The permission comes following a request by local chapter of Craft Brewers Association of India that the measure would mitigate the financial hardship faced by them.

"Given the current COVID-19 situation and as per the discussions held with the representatives of Craft sewers Association of India on May 11, and in the interest of government revenue, the proposal is hereby considered on an experimental basis," the letter added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MUNICH, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IDnow (www.idnow.io) joins an international working group of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for the development of European standards for identity verification. As a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions, IDnow will provide the Task Force with important insights into the European market.

IDnow was selected by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to participate in a new working group on Electronic Signatures and Infrastructures (ESI). As a member of the Special Task Force 588, IDnow is part of an exclusive group of specialists who started work in April 2020 to fill existing gaps in identity verification standards. The objective of the Task Force is to develop new standards and guidelines for electronic signatures and related trust services.

IDnow is pleased to be one of the appointed experts to share its expertise as a leading company in the field of identity verification. The work of the Task Force will contribute to the preparation and publication of the ETSI technical standard 119 461 on ESI by July 2021. These guidelines and security requirements for trust services issuing qualified certificates will find wide application in the market. In particular, these standards can serve as a guide for Know Your Customer (KYC) criteria and for the issuance of electronic identity schemes (eIDs). The work with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute strengthens IDnow's efforts for greater regulatory and technical harmonisation in digital identity services.

"We are pleased to support the working group and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute with our knowledge," says Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow. "IDnow has been working with customers from different European countries since 2014 and we know the market and its development very well," she adds.

Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow and Armin Bauer, CTO and Co-Founder of IDnow have joined the task force as representatives for their company. The expert team is led by Sylvie Lacroix (Sealed). In addition to the two IDnow members, Paloma Llenaza (Certicar), Stephane Mouy (SGM Consulting Services) and Jon lnes (Signicat) have been appointed.

About IDnow

With their Identity-Verification-as-a-Service (IVaaS) platform, IDnow is committed to making the networked world a safer place. The forgery-proof identity verification offered by IDnow is used in all industries in which companies process customer interactions online that require a maximum level of security. IDnow technology uses artificial intelligence to ensure that an identification document has all security features in order to reliably detect forged documents. It can potentially verify the identities of more than 7 billion customers from 193 different countries in real time.

IDnow covers a wide range of applications in regulated industries in Europe and for entirely new digital business models around the world as well. Through the platform, the identity flow can be adapted on a case-by-case basis to suit regional, legislative and economic requirements.

IDnow is supported by the venture capital investors BayBG, Seventure Partner, G+D Ventures, Corsair Capital and Jet A as well as a consortium of renowned business angels. With more than 250 customers, their clientele includes leading international companies in various industries such as Bank of Scotland, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, eventim, Raisin (Weltsparen), Sixt, solarisBank, Telefonica Deutschland, UBS, Western Union and wirecard in addition to FinTechs such as Fidor, N26, smava and wefox.

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Press contact:

Christina Schwinning

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Sakhalin official ordered to 10-year jail for bribery, drug possession

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

11:45 13/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 13 (RAPSI)  A court in Russias Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk has sentenced mayor of Alexandrovsk-Sakhalinsk town district Sergey Geychenko to 10 years in prison as part of a case over drug possession and bribery, the press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office reports.

Additionally, the official has been banned from taking public posts for 8 years, the statement reads.

According to the court findings, in December 2013 and from April to December 2014, the defendants acting as vice mayor of Kholmsk town district received 800,000 rubles ($11,000), a part of a discussed 10 million-ruble bribe ($136,000 at the current exchange rate), from top managers of contracting companies for assisting in the speedy conclusion and execution of municipal contracts.

Moreover, from mid-October 2016 to late February 2017, acting as mayor of Alexandrovsk-Sakhalinsk town district, Geychenko storage in the official housing drugs weighing at least 2.34 grams.




Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's onetime presidential campaign chairman who was convicted as part of the special counsel's Russia investigation, has been released from federal prison to serve the rest of his sentence in home confinement due to concerns about the coronavirus, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Manafort, 71, was released Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney Todd Blanche. Manafort had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and preexisting medical conditions.

Manafort was hospitalized in December after suffering from a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press at the time. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation, which examined possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election campaign.

Manafort, who was prosecuted in two federal courts, was convicted by a jury in federal court in Virginia in 2018 and later pleaded guilty in Washington. He was sentenced last March and was immediately hit with state charges in New York that could put him outside the presidents power to pardon. New York prosecutors have accused him of giving false information on a mortgage loan application.

Manaforts release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates ahead of a potential outbreak. They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

Attorney General William Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons in March and April to increase the use of home confinement and expedite the release of eligible high-risk inmates, beginning at three prisons identified as coronavirus hot spots. There are no confirmed coronavirus cases at FCI Loretto.

As of Tuesday, 2,818 federal inmates and 262 BOP staff members had positive test results for COVID-19 at federal prisons across the country. Fifty inmates had died.

The bureau has given contradictory and confusing guidance how it is deciding who is released to home confinement in an effort to combat the virus, changing requirements, setting up inmates for release and backing off and refusing to explain how it decides who gets out and when.

An agency spokeswoman said more than 2,400 inmates have been moved to home confinement since March 26, when Barr first issued a home confinement memo, and more than 1,200 others have been approved and are in the pipeline to be

Although he eventually became Trumps campaign chairman, Manafort was better known as a lobbyist, sometimes representing dubious clients, including Filipino kleptocrat Ferdinand Marcos and Ukrainian strongman Viktor Yanukovych, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Over a 40-year career, Manafort redefined and expanded Washington's influence industry both domestically and internationally, parlaying successful campaigns into lobbying opportunities.

He gained respect early in his career by helping Gerald Ford survive the contested 1976 convention - and then a reputation for cunning when he quickly shifted his loyalty to the president's ascendant challenger, Ronald Reagan.

In 1980, his newly formed lobbying firm, with partners Charlie Black and Roger Stone, made its mark consulting for Reagan.

Four generations ago, the Manaforts came over from Italy and made their Connecticut reputation in construction at Manafort Brothers Inc., founded by Paul Manafort Srs father. The company is still in business over on New Britain Avenue, in neighboring Plainville, a town of about 18,000.

Manaforts father, was a former alderman, mayor and GOP convention delegate himself, was public buildings commissioner for Thomas Meskill, the Connecticut governor during the 1970s.
Florida law enforcers on Friday arrested a man who they claimed, abducted a Nashville-based Uber driver that sparked a multiple-state search as he reportedly alluded authorities over the weekend.

According to the Jacksonville police, they arrested on Monday afternoon, the suspect, Christopher C. Miller of Cleveland, Tennessee.

The suspect, elaborated the investigators, was wanted for abducting 26-year-old Carolina Vargas, an Uber driver who Miller reportedly "forced to drive from Tennessee to Georgia at knifepoint."

Based on Cohutta Police Department's report in Georgia, the Uber driver had previously picked the suspect up on Tuesday, claiming "his semi-truck had broken down in Nashville." Vargas then drove him to a hotel in Cleveland and arranged to pick him up on Friday so she could take him back to his vehicle.

The Uber Driver's Account

When the driver came back on Friday, according to the report, Miller told her there was a faster route going back to Nashville that he knew of so they could avoid the traffic.

When the driver questioned Miller about their route, she told the investigators, the latter drew a knife from his bag and immediately "hit her in the ribs."

The female Uber, as indicated in the report, "hit the pavement and sustained several life-threatening injuries.

Vargas hit the pavement and sustained several life-threatening injuries, according to the report. According to the online fundraiser, GoFundMe which Vargas' brother set up, several of the victim's teeth got broken and she was covered in bruises and scrapes that would need reconstructive surgeries.

Miller was indicted by Florida authorities with false imprisonment, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and possession of a knife during a crime.

Moreover, police said Miller also possessed multiple firearms during his arrest and that the stolen car of Vargas was found in Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the Cohutta police said, they are planning to release further information about the arrest of Miller saying though, it is not clear how long it would take to extradite the suspect from Florida to Georga since he has to appear first before a Florida judge.

How the Uber Driver Escaped her Abductor

Vargas was able to survive the terrifying attempted kidnapping by jumping out of the vehicle she was driving onto the highway.

As earlier mentioned, the Uber Driver arranged plans to pick Miller up and drive him back to his car in Nashville. But at that time, she did not use the Uber app in her arrangement with the suspect.

Once the two hit the road, Miller allegedly pulled the knife, hit his driver on the ribs while forcing her to drive to Georgia.

So worried about her life, Vargas then, jumped out of the vehicle onto the highway so she could escape. Her Ford Explorer at that time was reportedly running at 60 mph.

On top of the sustained injuries from the impact, the driver's leg was run over as well, by the Explorer's rear tire. Vargas somehow did not break any bone but, as earlier mentioned, she sustained fairly severe injuries throughout her body with some teeth missing.

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Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 11:47 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7b138c 1 City COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta,Jakarta-governor,anies-baswedan,gubernatorial-decree,PSBB,pembatasan-sosial-berskala-besar,sanctions,punishment Free

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has issued a decree that serves as the legal basis for sanctioning violators of the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) and the social distancing policy imposed in the capital.

The administration had previously referred to the 2018 Health Quarantine Law to regulate sanctions for violators, and many criticized the police for their lack of effective enforcement.

Gubernatorial Regulation No. 41/2020 on sanctions for PSBB violators comes roughly a month after the Jakarta administration imposed the PSBB on April 10 in Jakarta, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia.

The new decree contains sanctions that apply to individuals, businesses and other institutions that are found to be violating the PSBB.

Read also: COVID-19: Jakarta extends PSBB through Ramadan

The regulation aims to enforce more discipline among the public in practising physical distancing. All of us, not just some, must work together in preventing the transmission, Anies said on Tuesday.

It will also serve as the legal basis for [law enforcement] officers in the field to enforce the [PSBB], he said.

The decree authorizes the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP); the Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency and the Jakarta Transportation Agency to impose administrative fines on violators.

The amount of the fine and the issuing body depends on the type of violation. The fines will be deposited in the Jakarta Treasury.

Violators may also be subject to criminal sanctions in accordance with the statutory provisions of the Criminal Code.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Delhi Police on a petition moved by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam challenging a trial court order granting more time to police to conclude the investigation.

Imam, arrested in a case related to alleged inflammatory speeches during the protests against CAA and NRC, had approached the high court challenging the trial court order granting three months time to Delhi Police to complete the investigation in the case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The accused has challenged trial court's April 25 order by which the Delhi Police was granted three more months, beyond statutory 90 days. The Delhi Police has to file a reply within two weeks. Delhi's Patiala House Court had recently extended the period of the investigation against Imam from 90 days to 180 days.

Imam has also sought default bail in the matter which was recently rejected by the trial court. Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana had dismissed bail and observed that it was not legally competent to review its own order and had extended the time by 90 days on the ground made by the investigating agency, that they need time to investigate as they were about to invoke UAPA.

He was arrested on January 28 in the case related to violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act near the Jamia Millia Islamia University in December 2019. The statutory period of 90 days from the arrest was concluded on April 27. He was arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad district.

Initially, a case under section 124 A (sedition) and 153 A IPC (promoting enmity between classes) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Crime Branch, New Delhi, pursuant to the alleged speeches addressed by Imam, allegedly instigating a particular religious section of the society to disrupt/block the access to North East region of India from rest of India, police had claimed.

The police had earlier charged Imam with sedition, alleging his speech promoted enmity between people that led to riots. The mob indulged in large-scale rioting, stone-pelting and arson, and in the process destroyed several public and private properties while a number of police personnel and people were injured in the riots, the police had told the court.

Imam was allegedly involved in organising protests at Shaheen Bagh but came into limelight after a video showed him making controversial comments before a gathering at Aligarh Muslim University, following which he was booked under sedition charges.

Another case was filed against Imam in Assam under the stringent anti-terror law for his remark that Assam could be "severed from India, even if for a few months" as a result of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Police in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh had also lodged FIRs against the JNU scholar over his speech in which he threatened to "cut off" Assam and the rest of the northeast from the country.
Military exercises to be held in Bohai Bay for two and a half months

PLA Daily

Source: China Military Online

Editor: Li Jiayao

2020-05-12 16:56:10



BEIJING, May 12 -- The official website of the Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China on May 11 released a notice on military exercises to be held in the waters of the Jingtang Harbour District, Tangshan Port, north China's Hebei Province.

According to the notice, during the period from midnight of May 14 to midnight of July 31, all irrelevant vessels and personnel should be evacuated to safe areas ahead of schedule and would be forbidden from entering a safety control sea area. The sea area is a circular sector with a radius of 25 kilometers, centered on position 3925N, 11910E, oriented to the due Eand limited by the bearings 90and 186.

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NEW CANAAN  Donning a facial mask to go to the grocery store is a new experience for people as they try to tamp the spread of the coronavirus.

Several mask wearers recently spoke about their adjustments, sharing how the new fashion accessory has it drawbacks, while often emphasizing the overarching need to wear one to keep other people safe.

The new habit is in keeping with Gov. Ned Lamonts executive order, effective April 20, that states people in public places in Connecticut, when not maintaining a social distance of nearly six feet from others, shall cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face covering.

Nancy OSullivan said she was accustomed to wearing masks since she is a retired nurse. On the scale of what we are facing ... my biggest concern is why more people arent wearing them, she said.

More and more I think we are going to get used to it, Sarah Routhier of New Canaan said.

1. A fogging spectacle

The most common observation was the fogging up the wearers glasses from the warm air as people breathe. Individuals offered a few suggestions to avoid the problem, including squeezing the cloth closer to the nose when there is a metal rim; washing the glasses with soap and water; or simply spitting on them.

My glasses fog up, Pam Miller of New Canaan said. It is a issue for some of us who wear glasses. But I do like to think that were safer, she added. At this point, Ill do anything to stay safe.

2. Is that you?

Eric Deda of Norwalk said he was surprised that he does not always know his regulars when they are wearing a mask. I work for a restaurant and.I wouldnt be able to recognize customers covered by a masks  people I usually know, he said.

3. Muffles

When Norwalk resident Jackie Anhrens wears a mask, People are constantly saying: What are you saying. They cant understand me  I have to take it off, and that defeats the purpose.

4. Hold the garlic

Several people acknowledged they can smell their breath when wearing a mask. If you dont brush your teeth, you are doomed for the whole day. I have heard a lot of people comment on that, Anna Camp of Darien, said.

5. The phone forgets

A phones face detection stops working when half of the face is covered.

Kendall Boege explained that when she tries to pay for groceries, since her features are not detected by her phone, it does not work, and as a result the she cannot use Apple Pay. I need to take out my credit card. Its frustrating. I dont want to touch anything, the Bedford resident said.

6. Are you smiling at me?

A common complaint is that people cannot tell if you are smiling at them. You think about it from a childs point of view because they wont even see an expression on your face, Maggie Juarez, of New Canaan said.

7. Coming on to you

If a smile cannot be seen, It is hard to flirt when you have a mask on because the person cant see your expressions, Andrea Fondulas, the daughter of a New Canaan resident, said.

8. Half a tan

Wearing a mask has the potential to leave white skin where it covers, similar to the lines made by sunglasses.

Asked if he is concerned about having only the top half of his face get tanned, Rick Routheir said: Often when we are out, we are walking, and there is no one close by, so we dont wear masks. One of the nice things about New Canaan is we feel like we have a lot of space.

9. Turning a page

The mask gets in the way if one wants to quickly lick a finger to move to the next page  this can be a surprise when the wearer is not aware of the habit.

10. Its not about you

A change for some is acting in a way, perhaps slightly uncomfortable to oneself, to the benefit of strangers. I think safety is number one. It takes precedence, Mario Ganovsky said. Its not just to keep yourself safe, but everybody else.
The double murder of a Staten Island man and his pregnant girlfriend was a drug robbery that went wrong, police have said.

Alafia Rodriguez, 46, and his girlfriend, Ana DeSousa, 33, were shot and killed by the gunman on Monday afternoon while their two-year-old daughter was nearby and another woman was wounded.

After a search of the couple's home, a Staten Island police source said officers found three small bags of crack cocaine and six larger bags packed full of prescription medication.

The sources added the murder was likely a drug robbery gone wrong, according to the NYPost.

Philip Moreno, 43, an ex-convict from Port Richmond, was taken into custody by police just after 5pm, according to The Staten Island Advance.

According to police, Rodriguez had been sentenced numerous times in the past for drug offenses.

Alafia Rodriguez, 46, and his girlfriend, Ana DeSousa, 33, were found shot dead with multiple gunshot wounds in their Staten Island home on Monday afternoon

A mugshot of Philip Moreno, 43, an ex-convict from Port Richmond, who was arrested after the murder on Monday

Facebook photos of Ana Desousa and boyfriend Alafia Rodriguez, who were murdered on Monday when a gunman entered their home to swipe drugs and money, a police source said

Police found a .22-caliber semi-automatic Ruger handgun in Moreno's possession, according to AMNY, and investigators also discovered a silencer at the location of the murder.

Sources told the NYPost that Moreno was carrying the weapon, the silencer, and a utility knife at the time of the arrest.

They added that it is thought the suspect went to the home to take drugs and money.

Charges are pending against a person of interest who was found to have a .22-caliber semi-automatic Ruger handgun (above)

'Just seemed so cold-blooded,' a law-enforcement source said.

Officers responded to reports of gunshots fired from inside the home. When police arrived, they found the bodies of Rodriguez and DeSousa on the floor in the living room, WNYW-TV reported yesterday.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, according to investigators.

DeSousa was believed to have been pregnant and the two had been dating for some three years, according to reports.

The couple's daughter, Blue, is seen left with her father in this undated file photo

Rodriguez and DeSousa are seen in the above undated file photo

A two-year-old girl believed to be the couple's daughter, Blue, was found uninjured inside the home before being rushed to a nearby hospital.

An unidentified 43-year-old woman was shot in the back, though she is expected to survive. The woman was rushed to Richmond University Medical Center in the West Brighton section of Staten Island.

She was listed in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery on Monday night.

Moreno, the suspect, has a lengthy criminal history. He spent 14 years in the maximum-security Sing Sing Correctional Facility after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the 1992 shooting death of 22-year-old Theodis Watson.

He has also been arrested and sentenced for various weapon and drug offenses.

Moreno was released on parole in 2017, according to authorities. He was friends with Rodriguez on Facebook.

Police said that narcotics and drug paraphernalia were found inside the home (seen above)

'The situation at this point is fluid,' Moreno's attorney, Mark Fonte said. 'I have shut down the interrogation of my client. My office is attempting to assess the facts and determine what happened.'

Investigators are still trying to determine the motive of the shootings.

Police said they discovered narcotics - reportedly crack cocaine - and drug paraphernalia inside the home.

Rodriguez's former defense attorney and friend Mario Gallucci told the Staten Island Advance that he first represented him when he was just 16 years old.

Rodriguez reportedly had a history of past drug-related arrests, but according to Gallucci, he had turned his life around.

The lawyer, who according to the New York Daily News last spoke to Rodriguez on the phone on Saturday about their future plans to meet up for a summer barbecue, said Rodriguez was looking forward to becoming a father again.

Rodriguez's mother told the Daily News that her son and his girlfriend were wonderful parents.

'Everything they did was about their kids. We're heartbroken,' she told the paper.

Rodriguez's final Facebook update from dated early Monday morning was a Mother's Day post dedicated to his two late grandmothers.
Indias largest carmaker today said that the return to normalcy will take time as it solves issues regarding scarcity of labour and alignment of production adhering to social distancing measures. There is too much of uncertainty currently to predict when there will be a recovery, R C Bhargava, Chairman at Maruti Suzuki, said highlighting that a substantial size of workforce has gone away to villages impacting production. Its not easy to get back the manpower which have gone back.

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Digital Editor
Last May a hummingbird landed in a tree right outside my kitchen window, wiped her beak against a branch and flew off. Moments later she returned to dab at the same spot. My wife and I happened to be standing nearby, and for several minutes we watched the scene repeat itself. The hummingbird was building herself a nest, one lichen chip and strand of spider silk at a time. By days end the nest was complete; in a few weeks we saw two little beaks pointing up from the nests fuzzy lip. The babies got bigger, then learned to fly and then the nest was empty. It clung there for months until rainfall finally dislodged it.

At the start of this year I began spying on the inhabitants of a different nest, in Big Bear Lake, some 450 miles south of my home in Oakland, Calif. This nest sits near the top of a 120-foot-tall Jeffrey pine, and it is home to two bald eagles known as Jackie and Shadow, who, in January, were busy taking turns incubating two eggs. I could see them thanks to a camera installed by a local nature nonprofit. Watching these birds from such an impossible vantage point, at all hours, I felt like something between a god and a stalker. Shadow, the male, would faithfully return from errand runs, carrying a stick to add to the nests gnarled sinew or a fish, ripped from the lake below. Many times a day some potential intruder, usually a squirrel or crow, would get too close, and the eagles would thwack their wings ferociously, scaring it off. I took to leaving the feed open in a browser tab with the sound on, sporadic clamor alerting me to activity.

Between 900 and 1,200 people typically watched along with me at any given time, sharing an experience of the internet that felt happily anachronistic: The stream manipulated us into nothing besides watching  no clicking, no purchasing, no game playing, no arguing. In a similar contravention of prevailing online modes, there was a chat set to slow mode, throttling comments to one per person per minute. Conversation was frequently illuminating and occasionally moving, even as external concerns pierced the bubble. On Jan. 26, when Kobe Bryant died 100-odd miles due west of the nest, the eagle watchers mourned him and, in more than one instance, compared him to a majestic bird of prey. A few days later two posters commiserated over their recently deceased cats.
Washington, DC  Congressman Tom McClintock is voicing his displeasure that Yosemite National Park and areas of the Stanislaus National Forest remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

McClintock states, Now we are learning from actual data and scientific studies that the disease does not spread outdoors and there is no epidemiological support for keeping these public recreational lands closed. And of course, these closures have compounded the economic suffering of our local gateway communities that depend on them.

McClintock adds, I think it is time to re-open the national parks and forests in our region, but I need to demonstrate local support for doing so.

He encourages residents of his district to reach out and voice support.

Click on the video box to view the congressmans entire statement, and more information.

McClintock represents the Mother Lode region and much of the Sierra Nevada in the US Congress.
A nasty spat has erupted between the Queensland government and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the state would be making a bid for to buy Virgin Australia.

Ms Palaszczuk revealed on Wednesday the Queensland Investment Corporation had been appointed to oversee the government's surprise bid for a stake in the collapsed airline.

But the announcement didn't sit well with Mr Dutton, who blasted the Queensland leader in an extraordinary attack on Twitter.

'Premier Palaszczuk has almost bankrupted Queensland, and now in the middle of a crisis they want to buy an airline,' he wrote on Wednesday night.

'It is laughable. She ''leads'' a government which is corrupt and chaotic.'

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick was quick to hit back, throwing the Ruby Princess debacle in his face.

'Look mate, just stick to cruise ships,' he wrote.

Federal government Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (left) has labelled Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's (right) plan to buy Virgin airline 'corrupt' and 'chaotic'

Peter Dutton fired an extraordinary shot at Premier Palaszczuk and the Queensland government, but Treasurer Dick was quick to hit back

Mr Dutton's Border Force agency has been heavily criticised for allowing the ship to dock in Sydney on March 19.

The vessel has been linked to 22 deaths and over 700 coronavirus infections across Australia, about 10 percent of the country's total cases.

Dubbed 'Project Maroon' by the Queensland government, the bidding proposal for Virgin has now erupted into an extraordinary war of words.

The embattled carrier went into voluntary administration in April as coronavirus grounded flights across Australia and left Virgin struggling under $5 billion of debt.

Border closures and travel bans in Australian and across the world have left the carrier financially crippled and put the airline's 16,000 employees at risk of losing their jobs.

Treasurer Dick said his number one focus is to retain and create jobs for Queenslanders during the pandemic.

Virgin Australia went into voluntary administration on April 21 after being financially crippled by the coronavirus crisis

'Having two Australian carriers is in everyone's best interests and is the best way to support tourism, jobs and regional investment and to help keep the air fair,' he said.

'We have an opportunity to retain not only head office and crew staff in Queensland, but also to grow jobs in the repairs, maintenance and overhaul sector and support both direct and indirect jobs in our tourism sector.'

Who owns Virgin Australia? Abu Dhabi government - 21% Singapore government - 20% Nanshan Capital (China) - 20% HNA (China) - 20% Richard Branson - 10.4% Australian shareholders: 8.6% Source: Virgin Australia annual report Advertisement

While it remains unclear whether the state government is hoping to secure a direct equity stake, a loan, a guarantee or other financial incentives, QIC chief executive Damien Frawley told the Australian Financial Review the restructure of Virgin represents a significant opportunity for Queensland.

'We are well-equipped to manage the state's interest in Virgin Australia Holdings should the consortium be successful,' he said.

'QIC's track record as an acquirer, owner and manager of nationally critical infrastructure for both the Queensland government and long-term investors supports our consortium bid.'

Virgin Australia initially hoped to do a deal with the federal government asking them for a $1.4billion bail out package.

But Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was adamant the Australian taxpayer would not be rescuing the airline.

Timeline of Ruby Princess fiasco March 18: The Ruby Princess issues an urgent mayday call for an ambulance for two of its passengers presenting with coronavirus-like symptoms 24 hours before the ship is allowed to dock in Sydney. March 19: The Ruby Princess arrives in Sydney Harbour. More than 2,700 guests are allowed to disembark without adequate health checks. March 25: Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram says New South Wales Health is responsible for letting coronavirus patients disembark the ship. March 29: Several crew members are evacuated and taken to hospital after being diagnosed with coronavirus. April 2: A 66-year-old crew member is taken off the Ruby Princess for medical treatment. More than 200 crew members are sick and in self-isolation. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian defends the actions of NSW Health and the Australian Border Force and points the finger at the Ruby Princess. She claims staff onboard may have misled NSW Health about the extent of illnesses in passengers. April 3: Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton alleges Ruby Princess' operators weren't transparent about the health of crew: 'It was 'clear that some of the companies have been lying about the health of passengers and crew on board'. April 4: Leaked emails show NSW Health knew of the coronavirus risk on board the Ruby Princess before allowing its thousands of passengers to disembark. April 5: A criminal investigation is launched into how passengers were able to disembark without health checks April 8: A team of 30 detectives from state crime, counter terrorism and marine area command start investigating the handling of the Ruby Princess coronavirus scandal. The first briefing into the investigation is held. April 9: NSW Police clad in PPE equipment raid the vessel, questioning its captain and searching for evidence in a rapid escalation of the criminal investigation. April 11: NSW Health confirms that at least 46 crew members of the Ruby Princess cruise ship have contracted COVID-19 April 13: NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller says patient zero on board may have been a crew member serving meals to hundreds of passengers April 15: NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian announces an independent special commission to investigate the Ruby Princess fiasco April 23: With 500 crew left on board, the Ruby Princess left Australian waters to sail to Manila in the Phillipines Advertisement

Virgin Australia air crew are pictured putting on brave face at Brisbane airport after news broke of the company's voluntary administration

Passengers are pictured at the Virgin bag drop on April 21 after the voluntary administration was announced

'The government was not going to bail out five large foreign shareholders with deep pockets who, together, own 90 percent of this airline,' he said.

'This is not liquidation. This is not Ansett. This is not the end of the airline. Rather, as the company itself has said ... this is an opportunity for the company to recapitalise and come out stronger on the other side of the coronavirus crisis.

'Our objective is a market-led solution. Our objective is two commercially viable, major domestic airlines operating in Australia.'

Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airways and Chinese conglomerates HNA Group and Hanshan all own 20 percent each of Virgin Australia.

Richard Branson's Virgin Group still owns 10 percent, while ASX shareholders make up the remainder of the ownership group.
More than 90% of the grant recipients live near our New York campuses in the Bronx and New Rochelle  two of the pandemics hardest hit areas. We know that their families are struggling and that we had to do everything we could to help them.

Monroe College, a national leader in educating urban and international students, today announced that $2.63 million was distributed last Friday in the first round of CARES Act emergency relief grants to students. The College will distribute at least $6.1 million this year in aid to help students who experienced financial hardships in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Monroe received $5.7 million in CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) that is earmarked for students. The College received $11.4 million in total. Institutions are required to distribute at least 50% to students. Eligible full-time students received a $1,000 cash grant on Friday, with part-time students receiving a pro-rated amount based on their course load.

Our team worked incredibly hard to get these much-needed funds into the hands of our students as quickly as possible, said Marc Jerome, president of Monroe College. More than 90% of the grant recipients live near our New York campuses in the Bronx and New Rochelle  two of the pandemics hardest hit areas. We know that their families are struggling and that we had to do everything we could to help them.

As part of its comprehensive efforts to support student success, Monroe also invested $100,000 in a newly established Student Laptop Program to provide a laptop to many students in need. Monroes Bronx campus is located in the poorest Congressional district in the country. As many students do not have a computer at home, they struggled to keep up with their classes when instruction transitioned to the online environment last semester as the public health crisis escalated. They connected to their classes via their phones, which was not ideal.

After sharing whatever laptops were available, Monroe purchased 250 laptops to help many of these students succeed in the virtual classrooms for the current Spring semester, which started April 30th. They were distributed during the last two weeks.

President Jerome noted: The heart-warming, grateful emails from students who benefited from the emergency relief grant or laptop program underscore the incredible need in the community for significant relief from the financial stress that coronavirus has caused. I am so proud of our team for their great work to provide assistance so quickly through these two initiatives.

Among the comments he received from students:



Just wanted to say thank you for that financial help. You have no idea how much (the grant) helped my familyWe all got laid off from our jobs and have had it hard due to COVID 19.

My mom just called and said she got the laptop. It came! I cant wait to start doing my assignments without any problem or difficulty. Thank you for being my support system. Im grateful!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Its been very hard for me to get my life back on track(The grant) helps to bring a little ease to my financial burden.

 I am writing this email to thank you for providing us with a laptop during the time when we needed it the most, (thanks to) the uncertain and sad event of the pandemic forcing us to take online classes.

About Monroe Colleges CARES Act HEERF Allocation

Monroe was allocated $5,704,039 for student aid through the HEERF program. The first emergency relief grants to students were made within 10 days of the funds becoming available to the College. To date, $2,637,500 has been distributed, with nearly 79% (2,934) of the 3,734 eligible students receiving a grant. Additional grants will be provided to the remaining 800 eligible students as they complete their required Student Certification Form.

Monroe has a second, supplemental grant program to distribute the remaining $3,066,539 in student aid to eligible students who experienced financial hardship not covered by the grant distributed last Friday.

ABOUT MONROE COLLEGE

Founded in 1933, Monroe College is a recognized leader in urban and international education. The College is proud of its innovative programs to increase college access, affordability, and completion outcomes, especially among first-generation students. The strength of its warm, supportive culture is reflected in the personal connections fostered among students, faculty, and staff.

Monroe educates close to 8,000 students each year, offering Certificate, Associate, Bachelors, and Masters degree programs from campuses in the Bronx, New Rochelle, and St. Lucia. Students may also take courses online. For more information and admissions criteria, please visit http://www.monroecollege.edu.
Saudi Arabia says it will go into a full lockdown during the days of celebration that follow the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramzan.

The Interior Ministry made the announcement early Wednesday morning, saying the lockdown would be in effect from May 23 through May 27.

Those days mark the start of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that comes at the end of Ramadan. That holiday typically sees families invite loved ones over for meals and go out to eat and drink during the day.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring United Arab Emirates, the federation of seven sheikhdoms says it will offer free coronavirus testing for all citizens beginning next week.

Foreigners in the country with coronavirus symptoms, pregnant women, those over 50 and those in contact with those who fell ill with COVID-19 also will be among those able to be tested for free.

Private beaches at hotels also are beginning to reopen in Dubai, even as the number of confirmed cases and deaths continue to rise in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As of 12 p.m. May 13, 2020, the Pa. Department of Health reports that there are 58,698 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. There are at least 3,943 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.

Of these cases, 12,408 cases are among residents in 543 of the states nursing and personal care homes. At least 2,705 of those residents have died from the virus. A map of these cases is below. Please click here if you cannot see that map.

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

169 positive cases and 1,953 negative results with 5 deaths. 23 cases are among residents and 4 cases are among employees at 3 nursing home and personal care facilities. 4 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Allegheny County

1,545 positive cases and 20,622 negative results with 139 deaths. 372 cases are among residents and 104 cases are among employees at 35 nursing home and personal care facilities. 109 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Armstrong County

56 positive cases and 921 negative results with 5 deaths. 5 cases are among residents and 6 cases are among employees at 1 nursing home and personal care facilities. 3 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Beaver County

509 positive cases and 2,556 negative results with 78 deaths. 339 cases are among residents and 25 cases are among employees at 3 nursing home and personal care facilities. 71 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Bedford County

29 positive cases and 383 negative results with 1 death.

Berks County

3,485 positive cases and 7,756 negative results with 179 deaths. 693 cases are among residents and 93 cases are among employees at 23 facilities. 119 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Blair County

31 positive cases and 1,577 negative results.

Bradford County

39 positive cases and 990 negative results with 2 deaths.

Bucks County

4,166 positive cases and 11,882 negative results with 373 deaths. 1327 cases are among residents and 288 cases are among employees at 53 facilities. 303 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Butler County

197 positive cases and 2,867 negative results with 6 deaths. 13 cases are among residents and 10 cases are among employees at 6 facilities. 2 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Cambria County

45 positive cases and 2,151 negative results with 1 death. 1 case is among residents at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. None of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Cameron County

2 positive cases and 81 negative results.

Carbon County

205 positive cases and 1,461 negative results with 17 deaths. 54 cases are among residents and 5 cases are among employees at 2 nursing home and personal care facilities. 13 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Centre County

126 positive cases and 1,347 negative results with 4 deaths. 15 cases are among residents and 11 cases are among employees at 3 nursing home and personal care facilities. 2 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Chester County

1,955 positive cases and 7,510 negative results with 197 deaths. 652 cases are among residents and 96 cases are among employees at 37 nursing home and personal care facilities. 169 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Clarion County

24 positive cases and 565 negative results with 1 death. 1 case is among residents at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. None of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Clearfield County

31 positive cases and 681 negative results.2 cases are among residents and . cases are among employees at 2 nursing home and personal care facilities. None of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Clinton County

41 positive cases and 370 negative results.

Columbia County

330 positive cases and 915 negative results with 28 deaths. 94 cases are among residents and 31 cases are among employees at 5 nursing home and personal care facilities. 24 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Crawford County

21 positive cases and 798 negative results.

Cumberland County

463 positive cases and 2,536 negative results with 35 deaths. 227 cases are among residents and 57 cases are among employees at 8 nursing home and personal care facilities. 34 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Dauphin County

871 positive cases and 6,439 negative results with 39 deaths. 210 cases are among residents and 43 cases are among employees at 3 nursing home and personal care facilities. 26 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Delaware County

5,157 positive cases and 12,656 negative results with 419 deaths. 1455 cases are among residents and 227 cases are among employees at 40 nursing home and personal care facilities. 339 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Elk County

6 positive cases and 224 negative results with 1 death.

Erie County

125 positive cases and 2,797 negative results with 2 deaths. 3 cases are among residents and 2 cases are among employees at 4 nursing home and personal care facilities. 0 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Fayette County

85 positive cases and 2,299 negative results with 4 deaths. 3 cases are among residents at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. 1 of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Forest County

7 positive cases and 42 negative results.

Franklin County

545 positive cases and 3,798 negative results with 13 deaths. 74 cases are among residents and 12 cases are among employees at 6 nursing home and personal care facilities. 5 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Fulton County

8 positive cases and 140 negative results.

Greene County

27 positive cases and 549 negative results with 1 death.

Huntingdon County

197 positive cases and 531 negative results. 1 case is among employees at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. None of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Indiana County

78 positive cases and 920 negative results with 5 deaths. 13 cases are among residents and 2 cases are among employees at 4 nursing home and personal care facilities. 4 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Jefferson County

7 positive cases and 390 negative results.

Juniata County

94 positive cases and 221 negative results with 1 death.

Lackawanna County

1,232 positive cases and 3,767 negative results with 128 deaths. 537 cases are among residents and 85 cases are among employees at 15 nursing home and personal care facilities. 110 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Lancaster County

2,325 positive cases and 10,420 negative results with 172 deaths. 564 cases are among residents and 154 cases are among employees at 31 nursing home and personal care facilities. 150 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Lawrence County

71 positive cases and 934 negative results with 7 deaths. 0 cases are among residents and 2 cases are among employees at 2 nursing home and personal care facilities. None of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Lebanon County

849 positive cases and 3,362 negative results with 19 deaths. 77 cases are among residents and 13 cases are among employees at 4 nursing home and personal care facilities. 13 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Lehigh County

3,318 positive cases and 9,537 negative results with 129 deaths. 564 cases are among residents and 106 cases are among employees at 26 nursing home and personal care facilities. 97 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Luzerne County

2,467 positive cases and 7,157 negative results with 123 deaths. 396 cases are among residents and 65 cases are among employees at 19 nursing home and personal care facilities. 90 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Lycoming County

139 positive cases and 1,522 negative results with 7 deaths. 66 cases are among residents and 12 cases are among employees at 2 nursing home and personal care facilities. 7 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

McKean County

8 positive cases and 282 negative results with 1 death.

Mercer County

78 positive cases and 975 negative results with 2 deaths. 1 case is among residents at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. None of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Mifflin County

53 positive cases and 892 negative results. 1 case is among employees at 1 nursing home and personal care facility.

Monroe County

1,228 positive cases and 3,653 negative results with 65 deaths. 133 cases are among residents and 28 cases are among employees at 8 nursing home and personal care facilities. 28 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Montgomery County

5,513 positive cases and 22,369 negative results with 556 deaths. 2055 cases are among residents and 97 cases are among employees at 86 nursing home and personal care facilities. 465 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Montour County

50 positive cases and 2,985 negative results.

Northampton County

2,518 positive cases and 8,536 negative results with 162 deaths. 591 cases are among residents and 141 cases are among employees at 16 nursing home and personal care facilities. 101 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Northumberland County

128 positive cases and 922 negative results. 1 case is among employees at 1 nursing home and personal care facility.

Perry County

35 positive cases and 405 negative results with 1 death.

Philadelphia County

15,376 positive cases and 38,318 negative results with 904 deaths. 1569 cases are among residents and 8 cases are among employees at 54 nursing home and personal care facilities. 363 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Pike County

451 positive cases and 1,545 negative results with 21 deaths. 31 cases are among residents and 4 cases are among employees at 2 nursing home and personal care facilities. 8 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Potter County

4 positive cases and 104 negative results.

Schuylkill County

478 positive cases and 2,823 negative results with 14 deaths. 54 cases are among residents and 15 cases are among employees at 9 nursing home and personal care facilities. 2 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Snyder County

33 positive cases and 281 negative results with 1 death.

Somerset County

32 positive cases and 1,030 negative results with 1 death.

Sullivan County

1 positive cases and 63 negative results.

Susquehanna County

81 positive cases and 441 negative results with 13 deaths. 42 cases are among residents and 15 cases are among employees at 3 nursing home and personal care facilities. 13 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Tioga County

16 positive cases and 390 negative results with 1 death.

Union County

42 positive cases and 682 negative results with 1 death. 1 case is among employees at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. None of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Venango County

7 positive cases and 314 negative results.

Warren County

2 positive cases and 220 negative results.

Washington County

127 positive cases and 2,861 negative results with 4 deaths. 6 cases are among residents and 2 cases are among employees at 3 nursing home and personal care facilities. 1 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Wayne County

107 positive cases and 675 negative results with 5 deaths. 1 case is among employees at 1 nursing home and personal care facility. None of the county's deaths was from that facility.

Westmoreland County

419 positive cases and 6,266 negative results with 32 deaths. 134 cases are among residents and 34 cases are among employees at 9 nursing home and personal care facilities. 27 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

Wyoming County

31 positive cases and 284 negative results with 4 deaths.

York County

803 positive cases and 9,228 negative results with 14 deaths. 10 cases are among residents and 4 cases are among employees at 6 nursing home and personal care facilities. 2 of the county's deaths were in those facilities.

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:

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Official White House Photo by Shealah CraigheadBy LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News



(WASHINGTON) -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is demanding the Trump White House release highly anticipated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how states should safely reopen, which were reportedly shelved, as President Donald Trump ramps up his push for the country to get back to work.



"The point is that America needs -- and must have -- the candid guidance of our best scientists, unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by President Trump for his political minions," Schumer said on the Senate floor Wednesday morning.



"The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance," Schumer said, calling on his colleagues to pass by unanimous consent a resolution requesting immediate release of the report, reportedly titled "Guidance for Implementing the Opening Up America Again Framework."



The White House on Friday claimed the guidelines, delayed for weeks, are still "in the editing process."



Schumer's move comes one day after other senators questioned the status of the guidelines as most states started to reopen without meeting the White House's "gating criteria" of a 14-day downward trajectory of cases to do so.



While CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield testified Tuesday that the new guidance would go online "soon," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the delay "isn't very helpful."



The nation's top expert on infectious diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Tuesday in the videoconference hearing about the deadly risks of moving too fast.



"When you jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up, without having the capability of being able to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is that we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks," Fauci said. "If that occurs, there is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you might not be able to control."



As the president insists the onus is on governors to keep outbreaks under control, the University of Washington's IHME model, a key forecasting tool used by the White House, has revised its model upward, predicting more than 147,000 deaths from COVID-19 by early August, as of Wednesday morning.



President Trump Wednesday afternoon is hosting the governors of Colorado and North Dakota -- two states with lower case counts which are already reopening and can be expected to praise their efforts, despite concerns from the nation's top health experts, and as more questions are raised around the delayed CDC guidance.



Here are Wednesday's most significant developments in Washington:



Pompeo lands in Tel Aviv wearing a mask



Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was photographed donning a mask for the first time in public since the CDC issued guidance on facial coverings when he landed in Tel Aviv Wednesday morning.

Glad to be in Israel to coordinate with @IsraeliPM @Netanyahu and @Gantzbe on countering two critical threats: COVID-19 and Iran. Israel and the United States will take on these challenges side-by-side. pic.twitter.com/aSrzD8MhkS  Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) May 13, 2020

Pompeo is in Israel for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the prime minister's new governing partner, Benny Gantz, to discuss the coronavirus, Iran and Israel's possible annexation of parts of the West Bank.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
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The death toll from a gun attack at a hospital in Afghanistan where newborns, nurses and mothers were slaughtered, rose to 24 today.

The health ministry said today the dead included two newborn babies, along with mothers and nurses, after the three gunmen dressed as police officers stormed the maternity hospital in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Deputy Health Minister Waheed Majroh said at least 24 people were killed in the attack and another 16 wounded. Authorities had earlier put the death toll at 14.

No group has so far claimed the attack, but President Ashraf Ghani blamed both the Taliban and the Islamic State group but singled out the former and ordered the military to switch tactics from 'defensive to offensive' when dealing with the insurgents.

The Taliban has responded by warning it is 'fully prepared' to counter Afghan forces.

A rescued mother and her newborn baby take medical care today in a hospital a day after the maternity ward attack at MSF (Doctors without Borders) hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan

After opening fire on civilians, the gunmen then got into a shootout with security forces which ended several hours later when all three were shot dead (pictured, the scene inside one of the wards yesterday)

Afghanistan is suffering near-daily attacks during the holy month of Ramadan while threatens to derail fragile peace talks between the Taliban, the government, and US forces (pictured, a baby wrapped in a bloody towel is evacuated)

24 others were also injured in the attack while another 100 were evacuated after gunmen dressed as police officers walked into the hospital, threw grenades and opened fire at the maternity hospital in Kabul yesterday

The attackers were eventually killed in a lengthy clearance operation during which heavily armed Afghan security forces carried babies from the scene - at least one wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket.

On Wednesday, The families of about 15 babies whose mothers were killed are awaiting news on what will happen to the children, according to the New York Times.

Ghani also blamed the two groups for a suicide bombing in the country's east after an attacker blew himself up in the middle of a funeral ceremony for a police commander in Nangarhar province.

Provincial health ministry spokesman Zaher Adel said 32 people were killed in the bomb attack and another 132 wounded. Officials had earlier said 24 mourners were killed. IS claimed the blast.

ISIS claimed another series of attacks in the Afghan capital on Monday and are suspected of being behind the attack at the maternity ward. They are yet to claim the slaughter.

The Taliban, which is due to enter into peace talks soon having signed an agreement with US forces in February, has denied involvement.

Relatives of a deceased pregnant woman attend her burial ceremony, a day after an attack at an MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres) hospital, in Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday. According to reports, at least 15 people were killed and 16 others injured including women and newborn babies

An Afghan mother feeds a newborn baby who survived recently from the gunmen attack on MSF hospital, at the Ataturk Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan today

An Afghan nurse cares newborn baby who survived recently from the gunmen attack on MSF hospital, at the Ataturk Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan today

People who were injured in a suicide bomb attack at a funeral in Khewa district, hours after the gunmen stormed the maternity ward in Kabul, are seen receiving medical treatment today at a hospital in Jalalabad, Afghanistan

Injured persons are carried from a car to a hospital after a suicide bomb attack during a funeral ceremony in Jalalabad, Afghanistan yesterday. ISIS have claimed responsibility for the blast

A third attack then struck Khost province after a bomb planted under a cart in a market killed a child and wounded 10 more. No group claimed responsibility.

However, ISIS did lay claim to a series of attacks across Kabul on Monday which wounded four civilians, including a child.

The near-daily attacks in Afghanistan are threatening to undermine a peace process which was due to begin after the US and Taliban signed a deal to end America's longest-running conflict in February.

The attacks have also left Afghan authorities ill-prepared to face the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 4,900 cases of the virus have been detected in Afghanistan so far, while at least 127 have died from it.

The Afghan and Pakistani governments condemned the attack in Kabul as a 'crime against humanity' (pictured, blood stains inside one of the wards yesterday )

Bodies of some of the victims from the hospital attack are laid on the ground after security forces killed the gunmen yesterday

A suicide bomber also targeted a funeral elsewhere in Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing 24 and leaving 68 wounded (pictured)

ISIS, which carried out four bomb attacks in Kabul on Monday, is thought to be behind the latest assault after the Taliban - which is due to enter into peace talks soon - denied involvement (pictured, a soldier comforts a grieving man yesterday)

Speaking about the hospital attack, Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said over 100 women and babies were evacuated before it was over.

Three foreign nationals were among those safely evacuated, he said, without elaborating.

It was unclear why the maternity hospital in Dashti Barchi, a 100-bed facility, was targeted - an attack Arian said was an 'act against humanity and a war crime.'

Photos shared by the Interior Ministry during the Kabul attack show newborn babies and their mothers being carried out of the hospital by Afghan security forces.

Once the gunmen were dead, husbands, fathers and family members of patients gathered outside, desperate for news of their loved ones.

A man read out the names of those who had been evacuated to other hospitals.

Neighboring Pakistan condemned the Kabul attack, calling it an 'inhuman and cowardly terrorist attack.'

Bullet holes line the wall of a maternity hospital in Kabul after it was stormed by suspected ISIS gunmen on Tuesday

Afghanis gather in a courtyard at the maternity hospital close to where one of the gunmen was shot dead

Smokes rises from a hospital after a gunmen attacked in Kabul, Afghanistan, around 10am Tuesday

Two more attacks elsewhere in Afghanistan on Monday targeted a market and a funeral procession, killing at least 25 others

A foreign soldier keeps watch among armoured vehicles outside a hospital which came under attack in Kabul, Afghanistan

The foreign ministry said both the Kabul hospital attack and the one on the funeral 'are particularly despicable as they take place in the holy month of Ramadan and at a time when Afghanistan is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.'

In the Nangarhar attack, the funeral was being held for a local pro-government militia commander and former warlord who had died of a heart attack on Monday.

The Interior Ministry said the final casualty toll included 24 killed and 68 wounded.

A government spokesman added that the dead included Abdullah Lala Jan, a provincial council member, while his father Noor Agha, a lawmaker, was wounded.

The attacks also come after Afghan intelligence services said they had captured IS leader Zia-ul Haq, also known as Shaikh Abu Omer Al-Khorasani, late Monday.
Susan Zhang, 56, of Long Island, N.Y., was proned each of the seven days she was sedated and on a ventilator in April in Montefiores neuroscience intensive care unit.

At first, Ms. Zhang needed 85 percent oxygen from the ventilator, but that level decreased almost daily and was down to 35 percent on the seventh day, according to her husband, Dr. William Liang, an internist, who created a handwritten flow chart of his wifes daily medical status.

They proned her the whole day, then let her rest a little bit, and then proned her in the evening, he said. Ms. Zhang also received some medications, so its impossible to say how much the proning helped, but Dr. Liang believes it contributed to a very nice progression.

In a telephone interview from a hospital recovery room earlier this month, Ms. Zhang, who was receiving nasal oxygen, said in a voice still weak from the intubation that she was grateful to the hospital for saving my life. She is now recuperating in a rehabilitation hospital.

The benefits for intubated patients have prompted hospitals to examine whether proning can help prevent the need to put patients on ventilators. A clinical trial at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago is studying whether I.C.U. patients lying on their stomachs are less likely to be intubated than those who remain on their backs.

People are saying go ahead and prone them, but we need to find out if that is truly something that stands out in terms of mortality benefit or I.C.U. length of stay or mechanical ventilation need or ventilation length, said Dr. Sara Hanif Mirza, an assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Rush, one of the trial leaders.
LAKE FOREST, IL  A couple years ago, Lake Forest High School Choir Director Tim Haskett could have retired. But he still loved the job he had held since 1987, and the group of students in their second year  the class of 2020  was a special one.

"I thought, gosh, if I retire in two years I can take these guys on another trip then I can retire with this senior class because they're so talented, but even better they're just really, really nice people," Haskett told Patch. "So the seniors were the reason that I prolonged my retirement for two years, which is ironic, because here we are."



Heading toward his June 5 retirement, Haskett planned final concerts in March and May, on either side of a planned tour of Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic with 56 students in what would have been his 19th choir trip to Europe. Instead, the final nine weeks of school have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During spring break, Haskett found himself forced to find a way to cope with working electronically and from home, which he estimated made it about 50 times more difficult.

"Our trip was canceled. Our concert's canceled. We probably will have the rest of school canceled. I said, 'I'm 61 years old. How am I going to do all this technology stuff? This is just crazy,'" he said. Haskett said he received encouragement to conduct a remote choral performance from his wife, Gretchen.

"Just jump in,'" he recalled her saying. "'It's your last year but let's go for it.' So with that encouragement, it was like, 'Alright, I'm going to take on something that I don't know if I'm going to be able to really do.'"

So began a six-week process to put together the final choral performance of Haskett's LFHS career  an arrangement featuring all four years of students singing "Light in the Hallway" by Pentatonix.

Appropriately, given the state's ongoing stay-at-home order, the song includes the following lyric: "Count your blessings every day / It makes the monsters go away / And everything will be okay / You are not alone / You are right at home."

Story continues

Haskett decided to split of the song into eight-measure portions and assign them to individual students, who ended up with a week to submit their portions of the song.

Of his 128 students from freshmen to senior, 111 submitted eight-measure contributions to the project, a notably high response rate considering the challenges associated with recording at home, Haskett said. A few of the seniors provided supplemental sections to round out the sound.

"When you sing in a choir, in a rehearsal room or a concert, you're sitting next to a person, blending. It's just so much easier in that situation," he said. "The more you have together the easier and more confident they feel, and they sing out well. When you're doing that to a computer, it's like singing solo."

Members of the choir recorded on their cellphones and laptops to the accompaniment of a piano track provided by accompanist Natasha Mah, and they were spliced together with the help of his wife and Ed Ingold, Haskett said.

The finished product, a six-and-a-half-minute video, was published online Monday to an immediate flood of acclaim, he said.

"I won't even get to say goodbye to these kids," Haskett said. "It's bittersweet, but in some ways, this virtual choir project, in a strange way, is helping us fill that kind of void right now."



Haskett started his teaching career at Northwestern University during his graduate studies there. He then taught at LaSalle-Peru Township High School for three years before joining the faculty in Lake Forest and moving to Gurnee. He described Lake Bluff and Lake Forest as fantastic places to teach.



"The parents really value music," he said. "The people are very welcoming, and very nice and very supportive of the arts."

Tim Haskett's career as choral director at Lake Forest High School included 18 European trips, including four performances at the Vatican. He and the choir are pictured above during a March 2018 trip to Venice, Italy. (Courtesy Tim Haskett)

Haskett said his 37-year teaching career has witnessed drastic changes to the way students communicate and receive information.

"Just trying to find a way to make your program and make education work with those challenges, to me that's the real interesting thing about education," he said. "Finding a way to work through all these other things that are happening that you're kind of competing against."



And with most of his students sticking with the choral elective throughout their time in high school, Haskett said he had a chance to help contribute to the development of his students' characters.



"I think the older I got, the more I would tell my kids that I'm not here to teach music, I'm here to help instill into you that you need to be a good human being and you need to give back to the community," he said. "I'm not worried about your education right here just as music, I'm concerned about what kind of person you're going to be in college, what kind of person you're going to be when you have your family."

Haskett said he and his wife are considering suggestions from children who live in Colorado and California to move west after retirement. They have yet to make any final decision on what's next.



"It's been a ride," he said. "I don't think anybody would want to finish their 37 years of teaching like this, but yesterday was worth it all, to see how many people were happy seeing the video."

This article originally appeared on the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Patch
An expose based on internal emails from New York Citys Department of Education (DOE) obtained by the online journal The City demonstrates that the DOE, a part of the city government headed by Democratic mayor Bill de Blasio, made a major effort to conceal the scope of possible COVID-19 cases among staff and students.

Included in the findings were the fact that the DOE did not allow students with suspected cases of COVID-19 to be logged into an Online Occurrence reporting system unless they had been tested, at a time when testing was nearly impossible to obtain. When one teacher asked the principal at Brooklyn Tech, the largest high school in the city with 6,000 students and 350 staffers, if a student showing symptoms of COVID-19 should be logged, the principal responded, The DOE only is having us log cases of positive tests.

Also, at Brooklyn Tech, after some students returned from visiting Wuhan, China, a hotspot of the pandemic, in February, staff and students began to get sick. One teacher told his colleagues that he was afraid he had contracted the virus.

But as late as March 15, the day de Blasio finally closed the schools, Brooklyn Techs principal issued a statement to parents and staff saying, At this time, no member of our student body or school staff has a confirmed case of coronavirus.

The principal went so far as to say, Since it is cold and flu season, the NYC Department of Health also advises that we should not interpret any illness or absence from work or school for any amount of time as a novel coronavirus related absence or illness.

A spokesperson for the DOE told The City that the principal was only following the protocol set by the department. The City reports: Then another teacher with whom this teacher shared a classroom called out sick and was feared to be COVID-19 positive.

They werent telling anyone, the teacher recalled. As the week went on, we had fewer and fewer kids showing up.

One teacher at another Brooklyn school who returned from Italy in February developed a fever and sought testing for the coronavirus but was denied because Italy at the time was not regarded as a hotspot.

Notoriously, on March 10, the DOE issued a statement saying, At the moment, there is no reason for any school to call [the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: DOHMH] to report potential or confirmed cases. DOHMH is receiving information  about positive test results strictly from laboratories.

The memo goes on to specifically sanction large gatherings at school events. The next day Seattle closed its public schools and the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a pandemic. The issuing of the letter is now under investigation by city agencies.

It has since emerged that the substance of the memo was in line with the efforts by the de Blasio administration to sideline DOHMH in public messaging about the virus and to block systematic testing for the coronavirus by the department at hospitals in early March.

Some of the most damning evidence reported in the expose concerns the actions of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). At a time when de Blasio was telling New Yorkers to Go on with your lives + get out on the town despite Coronavirus, the UFT president, Michael Mulgrew, advised the de Blasio administration by March 7 to shut down the schools, indicating that Mulgrew was aware of the dangers to teachers and students. The union, however, did not inform its nearly 200,000 members in the city.

On March 12, Mulgrew met with de Blasio, after which he issued a communique in which he said that the two men had decided to respectfully disagree on school closings. This was after districts in Kentucky, Los Angeles, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia had closed.

In a statement to The City last week, Mulgrew said, We cannot know how differently the pandemic would have played out if schools and other public facilities had been closed earlier than they were.

In fact, Mulgrew understood the dangers of keeping the school system open but was opposed to any action by teachers, school employees and other city workers to demand the closure of the schools to protect workers, the citys 1.1 million public school students and their families. Instead, Mulgrew did everything to shore up the Democratic Party political establishment and prevent the outbreak of mass opposition to its criminally indifferent response.

The most significant social factor in the closing of schools was the groundswell of threats of a sickout and calls for a strike on social media by teachers. It was only then that de Blasio was forced to close schools on March 15. Even then, teachers were required to show up for three days of training in school buildings for online teaching.

On March 2, New Yorks Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo also downplayed the danger of the contagion. So, when youre saying, what happened in other countries versus what happened here, we dont even think its going to be as bad as it was in other countries. This marks him, along with de Blasio, the Department of Education and the UFT as criminal in its late closing of the schools.

New York Citys public schools were not the only probable vector of transmission of the virus throughout the city. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), controlled by Cuomo, refused to allow transit workers operating busses and subways to wear personal protective equipment for weeks, then supplied it to workers only in inadequate quantities, and never implemented serious social distancing measures. These failures have not only caused the deaths of over 100 transit workers but also undoubtedly spread the virus throughout the city. The Transport Workers Union, like the UFT, has at every step backed management and the city and state authorities.

The Democratic Party and its trade union wing worked on behalf of Wall Street to keep the city and state open as long as possible by dismissing the severity of the threat of the virus and by negligence and outright lying. Like the Trump administration, the Democrats were primarily concerned with preventing a massive selloff on the New York Stock Exchange. Their delay led to the deaths of thousands of workers in New York City and the state.

The extent of the crime can be perhaps judged by the recent epidemiological study by Nathan Grubaugh of the Yale School of Public Health, which was cited in the New York Times on May 7. Drawing from the tracking of mutations of the virus as well as the travel patterns of people known to be infected, its model suggests that most of the coronavirus infections in the United States spread from New York City.

To date, over 27,000 people have died of COVID-19-related illnesses in New York state, 20,000 of them in the city alone, although the real figure is likely much higher. At least 74 educators have died of COVID-19 since March 16. In one egregious case, a 30-year old Brooklyn middle-school teacher, Rana Zoe Mungin, died of complications from the disease on April 27 after she was twice refused tests for the virus at a Brooklyn hospital. The Citys exposure was published on the same day that the New York mayor announced that he was planning on reopening schools in September and suggested that some nonessential businesses may open in June. Governor Cuomo also announced preparations to open three upstate regions in New York this weekend to allow some construction, manufacturing and retail to resume.

As they begin to open the state, the measures that the Democrats in New York have taken to ensure that the population is safe from a new spike of the pandemic are entirely inadequate. The number of tests remains low and contact tracers are few.

As the World Socialist Web Site has observed, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)s A Plan to Safely Reopen Americas Schools and Communities issued last month is entirely in line with the demands of Wall Street and the Trump administration to reopen business.

We noted, 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.

This is the significance of Michael Mulgrews presence on de Blasios Education Sector Advisory Council for reopening the schools. His role is to attempt to persuade educators into accepting school openings that they know are dangerous. This is because getting students back into the classrooms, despite the dangers of newly discovered complications from COVID-19, is central to getting their parents back to work.

The recent exposures of the conduct of New York Citys Department of Education demonstrates that educators, students and the entire population are no safer from the ravages of the pandemic under the Democrats than under the Republicans. A political fight must be taken up by educators to ensure that schools remain closed until the pandemic has been contained.

Educators should immediately begin to form rank-and file safety committees that will demand that the schools remain closed until adequate social distancing measures, contract tracing and testing are implemented. These must be combined with launching a political counteroffensive against both big-business parties and the development of a socialist movement of the working class aimed at redistributing societys wealth to meet human needs, not private profit.
Kathmandu, May 11

In the wake of India opening a link road, apparently encroaching on the Nepali territory, the government is preparing to establish an Armed Police Force border outpost (APF BOP) in the disputed Kalapani region.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, says the governments decision to establish a BOP in Chharung of Kalapani region has not been implemented due to several reasons, but preparations to implement it are at the final state now.

We had been waiting for some time as managing permanent structures there was difficult due to the regions altitude. But, we will establish a BOP in the next few days, he told lawmakers during a meeting of the International Relations and Labour Committee in Parliament today.

A helicopter would fly in a day or two carrying the security personnel there, he assured.

He informed the committee that 182 families live in the region in the summer who come to the lower region of the Darchula district in the winter. There is not a way connecting that part to the rest of the country and the villagers are forced to travel via India, to and fro. But we will construct a walking trail in the first phase and a motorway in the second phase to end this situation. We have allocated budget accordingly, he assured.

Meanwhile, Armed Police Force spokesperson Praveen Kumar Shrestha also confirmed that a 35-member troop would be deployed at the site soon.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  The COVID-19 pandemic will be more damaging to the Philippines than initially expected, with the government saying the economy will likely shrink by at least 2 percent as losses mount to about 2 trillion.

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee announced Wednesday that the economy will contract between 2 percent to 3.4 percent this 2020, worse than their original projection of a "zero growth" to a 1 percent decline. Prior to the health crisis, the government was looking to expand the economy by 6.5-7.5 percent.

This will put an end to a sustained 21-year growth path since 1998, when the economy last shrunk as it reeled from the Asian Financial Crisis and a local bout of El Nino that damaged crops.

"National Economic and Development Authority estimates suggest that the potential impact of the pandemic on the economy could reach 2.0 trillion or about 9.4 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) this year," the economic managers said in a statement.

The coronavirus crippled economic activity from January-March to register a 0.2 percent contraction. Authorities and private economists all say a steeper downturn is expected in the second quarter as the economy remained paralyzed due to lockdown rules meant to contain the disease. Strict stay-at-home rules have been extended to May 31 in Metro Manila, the country's main financial hub with about 13 million people.

READ: PH economy to shrink by 2% this year due to 'near-term' COVID-19 woes  Moody's

The country's fiscal position will also worsen this year, with authorities projecting a 1.56 trillion budget gap. The projected deficit is at 8.1 percent of GDP  higher than the earlier 5.3 percent estimate and the original 3.2 percent ceiling worth 671.2 billion. That is due to a sudden surge in spending to cater to various COVID-19 relief measures and a 560.5-billion decline in state revenues as businesses went dark and consumers are unable to head out and shop.

TIMELINE: The COVID-19 response money trail

The Duterte administration has also resorted to more borrowing from foreign sources, with an additional 310 billion meant to support the local COVID-19 fight plus a $2.35-billion dollar bond float. Still, the DBCC insisted that the debt stock remains "manageable."

The Philippines spends more than what it can raise as revenues to invest on much-needed infrastructure and support development. The country was on track to rise to an upper-middle income state this year before the pandemic hit.

ANALYSIS: A bounce-back strategy for 'a crisis like no other'

"Timely implementation of a well-targeted recovery program, alongside efforts of the private sector, will mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," the economic managers added, noting the need to be "more realistic and prudent" towards near-term prospects.

Growth is expected to rebound sharply to 7.1-8.1 percent by 2021, the DBCC said, asserting that the Philippines continues to enjoy "sound fiscal health." Revenues are projected to hit just 2.61 trillion this year against 4.18 trillion worth of spending.

RELATED: PH needs additional budget to offset economic downturn  economist

The 2021 national budget is also pegged at 4.18 trillion, slashed from the earlier 4.64-trillion plan to factor in lower tax collections.

Export plunge seen

The DBCC, composed of the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, and NEDA, also painted a dimmer picture for global trade this year.

Latest projections peg a 4 percent collapse in exports of goods, while imports will likewise decline by 5.5 percent as domestic activity is limited and with the global economy also suffering a downturn. By next year, outbound shipments are seen to bounce back with a 5 percent increase, alongside an 8 percent rise in imports.

The peso is seen to stabilize at the 50-54 level against the US dollar until 2022. Meanwhile, inflation is seen to soften this year between the 1.75 percent to 3.75 percent range, softer than the original 2-4 percent goal.

Cheap oil will play a major role here, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas recommending to slash crude oil price assumptions to just $23-$38 per barrel, mirroring global prices amid a supply glut and depressed demand as millions of people stay at home. This is half the $55-$70 per barrel cost estimated back in December.

READ: Low oil prices not great news as economies collapse expert

The oil price slump may be here to stay, with the DBCC sustaining a softer $35-$50 projection for the next two years.
Regarding UC chief: Its time to drop SAT, ACT (May 12): Perhaps one of the few good things to come out of this coronavirus pandemic will be a change in college admission testing requirements.

Frankly, the notion that results from a one-time exam can indicate a students future academic success is simplistic and misguided.

Instead, why not look at a students background, obstacles he or she has had to overcome, extracurricular activities, teacher recommendations, and high school transcript to get a better indication of his or her potential? Lets face it, the only real beneficiaries of SAT and ACT exams are test prep companies.

Tanesha Bainbridge, Oakland

Patients quality of care

As an almost-graduated family nurse practitioner student, I would agree that the health risks are lower by seeking medical care versus damage from neglecting cardiac symptoms as described in Afraid of going to the hospital (Page 1, April 23).

Due to pent-up demand, there is no guarantee of readily available appointments once shelter-in-place restrictions are lifted.

There is already a shortage of primary care physicians, which contributes to appointment scarcity even during normal times. Highly trained nurse practitioners help fill the care gap as they have done for decades by diagnosing, treating and prescribing for common medical conditions.

Although patients experience high satisfaction with nurse practitioner care, California laws impose physician-driven supervisory constraints on the nurse practitioner role.

Other states lack these supervisory requirements and enjoy a more efficient, less costly yet high-quality model of care. Supervisory restrictions protect the turf of the powerful California Medical Association but do not protect patients.

The successful passage of this bill will improve access, affordability and quality of care in San Francisco and the state of California. I therefore urge you and your readers to ask state Sen. Scott Wiener to support AB890.

Deirdre Power, Oakland

Billionaire bully

Regarding Tesla defies order, restarts factory (Page 1, Business, May 12): Im so tired of Elon Musk. If he fires up his production line in defiance of a county public health directive, then he deserves to be arrested and jailed. Just another billionaire bully using Twitter to try and blackmail the county and state.

If Tesla were a nail salon or lunch counter, theyd throw the book at him and rightly so.

His factory floor could be a super-spreader zone that could lead to thousands of new infections. The man is a menace. The county should call his bluff.

Mark Valentine, Oakland

Corporate greed

As the coronavirus pandemic continues and economies struggle to reopen, theres something unseemly about the news story Disney theme park reopens in Shanghai with controls (May 12).

Unlike the the president of Shanghai Disney Resort, Joe Schott, who sees its reopening as a beacon of light across the globe, providing hope and inspiration to everyone, I see it as an example of corporate greed and putting profits over peoples health.

Soshi Yamamoto, Cupertino

Liability of online voting

So, according to Toward a pandemic-proof election (Editorial, May 12), President Trump has objections to both absentee ballot and in-person voting? That only leaves online voting, which is liable to be hacked by Russians under the guidance of Trumps pal, Russian President Vladimir Putin. Perhaps our tweeter in chief thinks that his only path to reelection in 2020 is a 2016 election redux.

Suzanne Peterson-Reed, Santa Rosa

William Barrs tenure

Regarding Flynn, Barr and the shallow state (Editorial, May 11): I was in the Department of Justice under five presidents, as well as William Barr when he first served as attorney general. For the second time, I joined some 2,000 fellow alumni of the department in seeking Barrs resignation.

We share shock and sadness over the department under Bill Barr. As a United States attorney, initially appointed by former President Jimmy Carter, I served former President Ronald Reagans attorney general, William French Smith, as his chairman of the advisory committee of U.S. attorneys. In todays partisan climate, my role of advising an attorney general of the Republican Party as a Democrat would never happen.

Each chapter of Barrs tenure is more shoddy than the last. My hat is off to those career justice attorneys who declined to lend their names to the motion to dismiss charges against Michael Flynn.

George Proctor, San Francisco

Keep glasses dry

Regarding Tip for fogged lenses (Letters, May 12): I read with interest the letter about our glasses fogging and placing a tissue between your mouth and the mask. I should make a point about the fogging of your glasses. If your glasses are fogging, you are releasing droplets of moisture into the air around you.

This is true of all masks without the metal band at the nose area, which means that everyone is releasing moisture. I have gone to wearing a neckerchief with my nose pads holding the top against my face. A tissue seems like a good alternative and should be used if possible.

I believe the masks should be designed and manufactured with a pad in place that covers the gap between the nose and mask to prevent moisture from escaping.
Christopher Amurutham was jailed for 11 weeks. (Photo: Getty)

SINGAPORE  A 56-year-old cleaner who was drunk in public verbally abused a safe distancing ambassador and a policewoman and also assaulted the latter, a court heard.

Brought to the State Courts four days later, Christopher Arumutham, who was again drunk, again hurled vulgarities at another police officer.

On Wednesday (13 May), Christopher was jailed for 11 weeks after he pleaded guilty to four charges - using criminal force on a public servant, using abusive words on a public servant, leaving home without wearing a face mask and leaving home without reasonable excuse.

Left home without mask

On 18 April, Christopher left his Lorong 7 Toa Payoh home at around 6.15am without a mask. He began drinking Chinese wine shortly after, while walking to a bus stop.

He boarded four public buses, but had no recollection of what happened. At some point between 10.50am and 12.25pm, the perpetrator bought some food and a bottle of whisky.

At about 12.25pm, a safe distancing ambassador and his partner saw Christopher sitting on a public bench near Block 20 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh, with the bottle of whisky half empty. He was drunk and his speech was slurred.

The ambassador repeatedly told Christopher that he should return home. Instead, Christopher walked towards the ambassador aggressively and verbally abused him and his partner, before sitting back down and throwing the bottle onto the floor defiantly.

The ambassador called the police and two officers arrived at about 1pm. They tried to talk to Christopher but he was incoherent. At one point, he shouted vulgarities at both officers and challenged them to arrest him.

When a policewoman tried to arrest him, Christopher grabbed her hand and then pushed it away forcefully. The culprit was later arrested with the help of an off-duty policeman.

Went to court drunk

On 22 April, Christopher appeared in Court 4A of the State Courts to be charged for his crimes. But he was tipsy and reeked of alcohol, having drunk two cans of stout during breakfast.

Story continues

At about 9.30am, just before the court session began, the culprit had his charges read to him by an interpreter before he was told to take a seat in the public gallery by a policeman.

Unhappy, Christopher walked up to the officer, verbally abused him and stared at him for about 10 seconds. Other police officers pulled the culprit away.

Later, he twice pointed his middle finger at the policeman.

In court on Wednesday, Christopher told Senior District Judge Ong Hian Sun that he could not recall the incidents on both days and wished to apologise to the officers.

I feel very bad and Im very sorry, he said.

The judge backdated the jail term to the date of Christophers remand on 22 April.

For using abusive words on a public servant, he could have been find up to $5,000 and jailed for up to a year.

The maximum punishment for using criminal force to deter a public servant is up to four years jail along with a fine.

For breaching COVID-19 regulations, Christopher could have been fined up to $10,000 and jailed up to six months.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Other Singapore stories:

Dominican man charged with falsely declaring travel history to enter Supreme Court

Man, 21, charged for stabbing at Jurong West on Mother's Day

COVID-19: Security officer and 2 others charged with breaching SHN
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WINSTON-SALEM, NC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Grace Roofing And Construction LLC, a roofing company Winston Salem residents can depend on, has announced that they have recently published a blog post to explain the reasons for the average prices of roof replacement costs in Winston Salem, and why roofs cost that much. The article is titled, "Winston Salem Roofing Costs: What To Expect With Residential Roofing Costs - and Why It Costs That Much," and discusses the various factors that affect roofing costs. For their customers, they recommend that rather that considering the cost to dictate the kind of roofing they will want for their home, they should take into account the long-term benefits of the roofing system that they choose for their home.Richard Sakowski, owner of Grace Roofing And Construction LLC, says, "Rather than letting the cost dictate what type of roofing you go with, we always recommend that our clients consider the long-term benefits of their choice of roofing system. Architectural asphalt shingles have come a long way from where they started. Shingle roofs, or more specifically architectural asphalt shingles can withstand the elements for more than 20 years when installed properly with adequate ventilation and regular roof inspections after the first 10 years. Standing seam metal roofing, however, can serve a good 50 years protecting your home from the Winston-Salem NC extremes. Corrugated metal roofing can last upwards of 25-30 years as well. Furthermore, other roofing systems such as wood shake roofs, tile roofing, and spanish tile can last up to 50 years and more." For asphalt shingles, the leading brands are CertainTeed Designer Shingles, Owens Corning Duration, and CertainTeed Landmark Pros. Winston Salem NC roof replacement costs for asphalt shingles range from $2,500 to $7,750 but not including the expenses for roof removal. Shingle roofs are currently the most popular type or roofing material in the US. They are considered to be the most affordable. Their cost is usually just one third of the cost of wood shakes and Spanish tile roofing systems.For metal roofing, the leading brands are Standing Seam Metal (Hidden Fastener) and Panel-loc (Exposed Fastener). Roof replacement costs for metal roofs, excluding roof removal expenses, range from $8,500 to $15,000. The standing seam metal system is more expensive compared to the exposed fastener type of metal roofing. Both types of metal roofing are available in a wide range of roofing colors and are provided with a lifetime paint warranty that is guaranteed not to rust, oxidize, or fade.Flat roofing costs range from $9,500 to $25,000, exclusive of roof removal expenses, and the leading brands are TPO, Mule-Hide SA Mod-Bit, and EPDM Rubber. Flat roofing costs vary by a wide range, depending on the materials, the complexity of the roofing project, and the size of the flat roof. Flat roofing is also different from other roofing solutions because rather than laying down a layer of metal, shingles, or tiling, they start with a layer of rubber or plastic, and then seal it by melting the material to the roof and then weatherproofing it.It should be noted that while roof installations are generally straightforward, they require decades of experience and expertise, and the strongest and highest quality of materials. Homeowners and other property owners in Winston Salem who want their investment to last long despite the kind of weather in their area, will realize that short-term expenses are well worth the long term benefits they can offer.Those who are interested in roofing services in Winston Salem may wan to check out the website of Grace Roofing And Construction LLC, or contact them on the phone, or through email. Those who would like to know more about the company, such as their location, can visit their Google Maps page at https://g.page/Graceroofing336?. They are open 24 hours a day, from Monday to Sunday. However, it is advisable to check with them first before visiting their office because hours or services may change because of the Covid19 situation.For more information about Grace Roofing And Construction LLC, contact the company here:Grace Roofing And Construction LLCRichard Sakowski336-778-6963info@ graceroofingnc.com SOURCE: Grace Roofing And Construction LLC
Zaid Fadl Qaisia, 15, was shot in the head during raid on refugee camp in occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials say.

Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian teenager after raiding a refugee camp in the illegally occupied West Bank, sparking clashes with residents, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Zaid Fadl Qaisia, 15, was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier during clashes in al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron province, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Four more youths were shot with live bullets  one in the abdomen, another in the chest, and the rest on the lower limbs, the ministry said.

Abdelfattah Najjar, a resident of al-Fawar and Qaisis neighbour, told Al Jazeera that dozens of Israeli soldiers had stormed the camp to arrest a different teenager.

Some of the soldiers stationed themselves on the rooftops of the houses, and Zaid was on the rooftop of his house watching them when he got shot, Najjar said.

The Israeli military said troops had entered the camp to make arrests and had been met with a violent riot in which shots were heard and a soldier was lightly wounded.

Troops responded with riot dispersal means and live fire, the army said in a statement. We are aware of a report regarding a Palestinian casualty and a number of injured Palestinians, it added.

The Israeli army usually storms Palestinian towns to arrest Palestinians wanted by Israeli security services, but according to Najjar, the raid was undertaken to arrest 16-year-old Anas al-Halqawi for leaving insults on an Israeli soldiers Facebook page.

Anas has mental disabilities, Najjar said. He doesnt go to school and spends his time making fun of the Israeli officer in charge of al-Fawar camp. Weve given up trying to make sense of the occupations behaviour, he added.

Witnesses told Anadolu Agency the Israeli forces used live and rubber bullets and tear gas, while the Palestinians threw stones at the soldiers.

Qaisia was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. His funeral in the camp was attended by thousands of Palestinians, who chanted slogans against the Israeli occupation.

https://twitter.com/QudsNN/status/1260496436443123712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Translation: Scenes from Zaid Qaisias funeral in al-Fawar refugee camp south of Hebron

It was the second death in clashes in the occupied West Bank in as many days.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army suffered its first fatality of the year when a Palestinian stone-thrower killed a soldier during a similar raid in the northern village of Yaabad.
Laura Byrne has candidly discussed how a 'bad breakup' in her twenties was the catalyst for an eating disorder.

The 33-year-old revealed that after the relationship ended, she began exercising obsessively and cut down to just 'one meal a day' on her Life Uncut podcast on Tuesday.

'I did it as a way of controlling my life when it felt very out of control,' she told co-host Brittany Hockley.

'I did it as a way of controlling my life when it felt very out of control': The Bachelor's Laura Byrne (pictured) has revealed on her Life Uncut podcast that a bad breakup in her twenties led to an eating disorder where she only ate 'one meal a day'

'I started exercising heaps, not as a healthy outlet but because I could see I was losing weight... I was really not taking care of myself, but I felt so good that I was so skinny,' she said.

'It made me feel better about myself to know that even if he didn't want me, I thought I looked so banging.'

The accessories designer admitted that when she did run into her former boyfriend, she didn't quite get the reaction she expected.

Honest: 'I started exercising heaps, not as a healthy outlet but because I could see I was losing weight' she admitted

'I did eventually run into him eventually and he's like, "You look so sick",' she confessed.

Laura explained as she has gotten older, she has found better ways to deal with stress and no longer has a poor relationship with her body or eating, but she feels 'sorry' for her younger self.

'I feel sorry for that girl, my whole worth was based on what I looked like,' she said.

'I feel sorry for that girl, my whole worth was based on what I looked like': Laura told her podcast co-host Brittany Hockley (left) she deals with stress 'much better' now

Laura has since moved on and found love with fiance Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson who she met on the 2017 season of The Bachelor.

The pair welcomed their first child, daughter Marlie Mae in June last year.

The couple became engaged while on vacation in Fiji in April 2019, two months before they welcomed their daughter.

Healthy relationship: Laura has since moved on and found love with fiance Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson (left) who she met on the 2017 season of The Bachelor

While they were planning a destination wedding later this year, Laura told TV week magazine last month that was put 'on hold' due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

'We had originally thought that we would have our wedding this year, but juggling a baby and full-time work meant that we never got around to locking in a date and venue,' Laura told the publication.

'Luckily our lack of plans and disorganisation meant that we didn't have to cancel anything. We are now looking to 2021.'
Hanjin KAL fails to place its name on Morgan Stanley index



By Lee Min-hyung





Celltrion Pharm joined the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Korea Index, as its corporate value has been on the rise amid expectations for its anti-virus treatment development, according to the MSCI quarterly index rebalance released Wednesday.







Douzone Bizon, a local accounting software developer, was also included on the MSCI standard index.







But Hanjin KAL, the holding firm of the nation's largest airliner, Korean Air, failed to join the index despite earlier expectations from the local securities industry. Most brokerage houses expected the company to join the list, as it met a series of requirements for the index.







Hanjin's declining liquidity ratio  stemming from its ongoing family feud to decide management control  blocked the company from joining the index.







The company's market capitalization reached 4.98 trillion won ($4.06 billion) as of Wednesday, and the figure is well above the index's qualification of 1.8 trillion won.







According to the rebalance, five Korean firms were excluded from the index. They include Hyundai Development Company, Hanwha Life Insurance, OCI, Medytox and KCC. They were categorized in the standard index, but downgraded to the small cap one.







Seventeen other firms  including Doosan and Hanwha Systems  joined the MSCI Korea small cap index, while 46 existing players  such as SsangYong Motor  were excluded from the list.







The rebalance will take effect as of June 1. Under the updated index, the number of Korean companies joining the index will decline by three to reach 107.







Following the announcement, shares of Celltrion and Douzone Bizon started with gains, while those of Hanjin and the five firms rebalanced to the small cap category nudged down. The stock price of Hanjin KAL started with a drop of more than 6 percent on Wednesday amid investors' disappointment over the rebalance.




[May 13, 2020] Wyoming Virtual Academy to Celebrate Class of 2020 with Online Commencement

Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) will honor the Class of 2020 at an online commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16. In lieu of their traditional in-person celebration, WYVA is inviting families and friends worldwide to join the celebration online, with live and recorded speeches from school leadership, students and esteemed guests. "The Class of 2020 is graduating at a challenging time, but we are thankful that we have been able to provide our students with educational continuity," said WYVA Head of School Joseph Heywood. "These graduates have worked hard to reach this milestone, and we are proud to honor them and celebrate their academic and personal achievements." This year, WYVA will graduate 29 students, many of whom have been enrolled at WYVA their entire high school career. Graduating seniors will receive their high school diplomas, and are making plans to continue their education, join military service, or enter the workforce. Collectively, the class reports having been accepted to colleges and universities across Wyoming and beyond, including Casper College, Colorado Mesa Univesity, Eastern Wyoming Community College, Laramie County Community College, Montana State University, and the University of Wyoming.



Entering its 11th year of operation, WYVA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives, and attend live virtual classes taught by state-licensed teachers. WYVA also offers student clubs, field trips and social outings to foster a sense of school community, such as this week's graduation celebration. Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: Wyoming Virtual Academy 2020 Graduation Ceremony

WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2020, 2:00 PM MDT

WHERE: https://zoom.us/j/7723238564 About Wyoming Virtual Academy Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) is a full-time online public school that serves students statewide in kindergarten through 12th grade. A public school program of Niobrara County School District #1, WYVA is tuition-free to Wyoming students and gives families the choice to access the curriculum provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of K-12 proprietary curriculum and online education programs. For more information about WYVA, visit wyva.k12.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005020/en/

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A special permit for a shooting range off Highway 58 was recommended for denial by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission. Bryan Shults of the Regional Planning Agency noted that the request is not compatible with the surrounding single-family detached residential uses, citing that a dwelling is less than 300 feet away.

Applicant Steve Ferguson detailed why he believed the shooting range should be allowed.

Using Zoom, he told the commission the range would teach concealed carry and home defense fundamentals. He said that when he moved to Hamilton County, he saw a need for security in churches, and his shooting range would instruct church security.

Churches have become soft targets, said Mr. Ferguson. With my extensive background in security, I would be a great help in teaching churches how to protect their congregation, better-equip their security teams, families, and individuals.

However, there were two residents who opposed having a shooting range in the area. One woman who lives just across the street from where the proposed range would be said people occasionally shoot there already, and she did not appreciate the noise. In addition to this, she also talked about safety concerns surrounding the shooting range.

I want to not be fearful of bullets, she said. You know we have kids playing outside in the neighborhood, and we have animals too. Approving a shooting range is going to make that unbearable for everyone there.

In addition to this, she feared that property values in the area could plummet if a shooting range is installed nearby.

I do understand the safety aspect of it and some wanting a class and a shooting range that is closer, but close to a subdivision is not where it belongs.

Another neighbor said that he understood the ability of Mr. Ferguson to help the community, and his ability as a trainer. But he cited the Falcon Crest neighborhood Facebook group as being overwhelmingly against the shooting range.

He said, There were 24 people participating in the discussion with over 170 comments. Three people were arguing in favor, and 21 were arguing against. In general, it is a problem of location, not against his ability. This is not the right place to put a shooting range.

Robert Crawford spoke on behalf of Mr. Ferguson and vouched for his character. Mr. Crawford brought attention to the absence of a shooting range in Hamilton County. He said the closest place to partake in outdoor shooting is Prentice Cooper State Park.

He said, I know theyre men of their words. Theyve done a great service bringing the attention to detail theyre bringing to this facility. As you know, we dont have a location where we can go and train as a team, and thats what theyre bringing to Hamilton County.

Another man said an agent from the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security had told him that churches and places of worship are targets of terrorists. He said that a church without security would be considered negligent. In his eyes, a shooting range would help provide more safety and instruction for church security.

Councilman Darrin Ledford asked the female neighbor if children still played in the woods where the shooting range would be. She said there are children who play outside and who mow the lawn near where the range would be located.

David Ferguson, the owner of the property, said he has owned it since before Falcon Crest existed. He said that an ability to shoot handguns was the reason he moved to the area to begin with.

Were going to continue to shoot, because weve been shooting here for 17 and a half years, and were not trying to be a nuisance to anybody, said Mr. Ferguson. Way before Falcon Crest or any of the houses were here, we were shooting way before that. Hopefully the people understand that.

After listening to the arguments on each side, the Planning Commission voted to deny the motion. Todd Leamon of the commission made sure to tell the applicants that this is simply a recommendation, and that the County Commission will vote on this next month.
To be eligible for the Asset Manager and Strategist of the Year Awards, a manager must have at least three years of experience and $200 million in assets under management. The manager's strategy must also be open to new investors, and broadly available on the Envestnet platform.

As in previous years, finalists were chosen from hundreds of portfolio managers in each category using the systematic, proprietary, and multi-factor evaluation methodology developed by Envestnet | PMC (https://www.investpmc.com/), Envestnet's Portfolio Management Consultants group. A broad spectrum of qualitative and quantitative criteria are considered during the selection process, including performance, investment process and style, composite, firm profile, tax efficiency, and customer service.

"We are proud to team up once again with Investment Advisor to shine a spotlight on managers and strategists that truly go above and beyond for investors," said Tim Clift, Chief Investment Strategist of Envestnet | PMC. "All of this year's award finalists have shown that active management can reap significant rewards for investors. Highlighting what drives their performance is a vital service for the asset management industry."

In addition to the seven categories, an overall Manager of the Year exemplifying investment management excellence will be chosen from among the winners. All award recipients will be featured in the July 2020 issue of Investment Advisor.

Award winners are usually announced during the Envestnet Advisor Summit, which has been canceled this year due to health and safety concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Envestnet is planning to provide financial professionals with digital access to Advisor Summit content on-demand. This year's Asset Manager and Strategist of the Year Award winners will be announced during the digital on-demand presentation of Envestnet Advisor Summit content. For more information, please visit https://www.envestnet.com/advisorsummit/.

"Our readers are keen to learn more about strategies and solutions that can help their clients grow and protect their wealth, especially at a time like this," said Janet Levaux, Editor-in-Chief of Investment Advisor. "Envestnet | PMC's analysis identifying the top managers and strategies in an extremely crowded field is important for enabling advisors and their clients to navigate market volatility. We join our partners at Envestnet in congratulating this year's award finalists, and we are eager to bring their insights to the attention of the broader industry."

Finalists for the 2020 Asset Manager and Strategist of the Year Awards are:

Large Cap Equity (two awards)

The Alley Co.Alley Dividend Portfolio

Brown AdvisoryLarge Cap Growth

Dana Investment AdvisorsLarge Cap Equity

Parnassus InvestmentsCore Equity Fund

Small/SMID/Mid Cap (two awards)

Mid Cap

EARNEST PartnersMid Cap Core

Wells Fargo Asset ManagementSpecial Mid Cap Value

EARNEST PartnersMid Cap Core Wells Fargo Asset ManagementSpecial Mid Cap Value Small and SMID

Fuller & Thaler Asset ManagementBehavioral Small-Cap Equity

The London Co.SMID Managed Account Strategy

Global, International, and Emerging Market (one award)

ClearBridge InvestmentsInternational Growth ADR SMA

Columbia Threadneedle InvestmentsColumbia Emerging Markets Fund

Epoch Investment PartnersEpoch Non-US ADR Strategy

Fixed Income (one award)

GW&K Investment ManagementEnhanced Core Bond Strategy

T. Rowe PriceBank Loan

Impact (one award)

Boston Common Asset ManagementBoston Common International Equity

Breckinridge Capital AdvisorsIntermediate Sustainable Tax Efficient SMA

Liquid Alternatives (one award)

BlackRockBlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Fund

Eaton VanceGlobal Macro Absolute Return Strategy

Strategist (one award)

Capital GroupAmerican Funds Core Models

New Frontier AdvisorsNew Frontier Global Strategic ETF Portfolios

The name of the awards, formerly known as the Separately Managed Account (SMA) Manager and Strategist of the Year Awards, was changed in 2018 to better reflect the scope of the asset management community, and allow the addition of more categories.

About Envestnet

Envestnet, Inc. (NYSE: ENV) is a leading provider of intelligent systems for wealth management and financial wellness. Envestnet's unified technology empowers enterprises and advisors to more fully understand their clients and deliver actionable intelligence that drives better outcomes and improves lives.

Envestnet Wealth Solutions enables enterprises and advisors to better manage client outcomes and strengthen their practices through its leading Wealth Management Operating System and advanced portfolio solutions. Envestnet | Tamarac provides portfolio management, reporting, trading, rebalancing and client portal solutions for registered investment advisers ("RIAs"). Envestnet | MoneyGuide provides goals-based financial planning applications. Envestnet Data & Analytics enables innovation and insights through its Envestnet | Yodlee data aggregation platform.

More than 103,000 advisors and more than 4,900 companies including: 16 of the 20 largest U.S. banks, 46 of the 50 largest wealth management and brokerage firms, over 500 of the largest RIAs and hundreds of internet services companies, leverage Envestnet technology and services. Envestnet solutions enhance knowledge of the client, accelerate client on-boarding, improve client digital experiences and help drive better outcomes for enterprises, advisors and their clients.

For more information on Envestnet, please visit www.envestnet.com, subscribe to our blog, and follow us on Twitter at @ENVintel.

About Investment Advisor and the Investment Advisor Group

With a qualified circulation of 80,000, Investment Advisor is now in its 40th year of serving independent and independent-minded investment advisors and financial planners across the U.S. through its monthly magazine and online at ThinkAdvisor.com. The Investment Advisor Group of ALM consistently produces the premier digital and print news, analysis and resources that the community of professional financial advice-givers needs to serve clients, stay compliant and maximize growth. For more information about Investment Advisor and ThinkAdvisor, click here.

About ALM

ALM is the leading business-to-business information and intelligence media company serving the legal, financial services, benefits, consulting, property and casualty insurance, and commercial real estate industries. ALM serves a community of more than 6 million business professionals via 30+ media brands, 65+ global events, and more than 250 research and intelligence resources. Please visit www.alm.com for more information. Please follow us on Twitter at @ALMMedia.

Investment Advisor and Envestnet are separate and unaffiliated entities, and are not responsible for each other's services or policies. This release should not be construed as a recommendation or endorsement of any particular product, service, or firm.

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Dana Taormina

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WASHINGTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has issued the final affirmative decision in its countervailing duty (CVD) investigation into subsidized Chinese imports of glass containers, imposing countervailing duties ranging from 25.46% to 320.53% on Chinese glass container imports.

On September 25, 2019, the American Glass Packaging Coalition (AGPC), a coalition of producers of food and beverage glass packaging containers filed antidumping and CVD petitions, alleging that the U.S. glass container industry had been materially injured by unfairly priced imports from China. The glass containers covered by this determination include beer bottles, wine bottles, liquor/spirits bottles, non-alcoholic beverage bottles, ready-to-drink beverage bottles, and food containers.

In the affirmative final determination, all countervailing duty rates increased from Commerce's preliminary determination. The subsidy rates for Chinese manufacturers range from 25.46% to 320.53%.

Daniel B. Pickard, counsel to the AGPC and partner in the International Trade Practice at Wiley Rein LLP, stated that "the U.S. glass container industry is grateful that the Department of Commerce continues to recognize the numerous subsidies Chinese producers receive to produce merchandise at unfair prices." Mr. Pickard said, "This determination brings the U.S. industry one step closer to competing in a fair environment."

The Department of Commerce's final determination in the companion antidumping case is scheduled for September 11, 2020. In that proceeding, Commerce assessed preliminary dumping margins ranging from 7.60% to 255.68%.

For more information, please contact:



Derick G. Holt

202 719-7000

[email protected]

SOURCE Wiley Rein LLP
by Vladimir Rozanskij

At least 250 thousand cases (120 thousand only in Moscow). Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov is also infected. Many deaths among Orthodox monks and priests. Protective masks made with the leaves of the sacred Nim tree, the so-called "pharmacy tree". The mantras blessed by the Dalai Lama. Buddhists implemented quarantine before indications from civil authorities.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - In the last 24 hours, Russia has reached the second place in the world for the spread of Covid-19. There are 11,000 new infected, with a daily increase of 4.9%; the total in the country is almost 250 thousand cases (120 thousand only in Moscow), exceeding Great Britain (230 thousand) and Spain (227 thousand). The United States remains in first place with 1.35 million infected.

The deaths in Russia have officially exceeded one thousand, and yesterday Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov (photo 2), also declared that he was positive for the virus and that he was hospitalized with his wife. In turn, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is still under treatment, and his duties have been temporarily passed on to Deputy Prime Minister Andrej Belousov. Culture minister Olga Ljubimova and infrastructure minister Vladimir Jakushev, along with his deputy minister Dmitry Volkov.

Deaths continue among the Orthodox priests: on 12 May one of the most respectable monks of the Lavra di St. Sergius, the archimandrite with skhima (the "final" profession, which few monks can reach) Rafail (Ivanov) died. He had reached the solemn monastic rank on 27 December (photo 3). Another 76-year-old Archimandrite, Iljan (Plemenjuk), also passed away in the Lavra; a priest from the diocese of St. Petersburg, the parish priest of the church of the apostle Peter in the village of Veselyj, the 60-year-old protoierej Aleksandr Boskobojnokov has also died.

In Verkhoturja, known as "the spiritual capital of the Urals", the superior of the male monastery of St. Nicholas, the Igumen Ieronim (Mironov), was hospitalized on suspicion of coronavirus. The news of the region's first infected priest led to the closure of all major churches. So far they have remained open to the faithful by choice of the local administration together with the clergy. Various priests in the area had also criticized the faithful who had not gone to church for fear of the infection, stating that "we must fear God, not the virus".

Oriental remedies

In the meantime, various oriental remedies in the fight against coronavirus are spreading in Russia. Protective masks made from the leaves of the sacred Nim tree, which in India is called "the tree-pharmacy", are imported from India. Its healing abilities are illustrated in various articles by Ayurvedic specialists, widely listened to in Russia, who also recommend the roots of licorice and ginger, the price of which has increased four times in the country since the beginning of the epidemic.

Representatives of Buddhist communities follow the example of the Dalai Lama, 84-year-old Tenzin Gyatso, who has locked himself in his residence. So did the Dzogchen organizations of Russia, which implemented the quarantine long before the indications of the civil authorities, switching to full online activity. The Gunzechoinej dacan of St. Petersburg and the great Ivolginskij dacan temple, the largest place of worship in Buryatia, a Russian region with a majority of Mongolians and Buddhists are in total lockdown. From here, starting from March 18th, the special ritual litanies against the virus are streamed online.

In the Russian Asian regions, where Buddhism is most widespread, mystical-magical practices related to the Buddhist religion are also very popular. The Green Tara mantra and the Buddha of Medicine is increasingly practiced. Many lamas propose the practice of Vajrayana Defense, according to the teachings of an esoteric branch of Buddhism, which helps to achieve ataraxia by remembering the instability of the sansara. The popular lama Sopa advises "when you fall ill with this disease, accept it on behalf of all living beings ... By accepting to die on their behalf, you eliminate self-love, that ignorance that imprisons yourself from your heart". Amulets and pills containing the mantras blessed by the Dalai Lama and other higher religious authorities are popular among the population, not just Buddhist faithful.
Get him on the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen YouTube channel ASAP. Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Robert Pattinson seems bored as hell in quarantine. The actor was shooting Matt Reevess Batman in the United Kingdom when, you know, the coronavirus struck and ended up in a studio-provided apartment with girlfriend Suki Waterhouse, no Wi-Fi connection, and a hankering for mischief. Enter GQ. Known for pranking interviewers, R. Patz performed his greatest trick yet in a new GQ profile, complete with a backstory, a witness, and a performance aspect. In between talking about his Christopher Nolan picture Tenet and his stalled Batman remake, Pattinson offers to cook his own original pasta dish for GQ, over Zoom, of course. According to Pattinson, he thought up the recipe and business plan for a piccolini cuscino, or little pillow, last year and even ran it by Lele Massimini, the co-founder of Sugarfish and owner of pasta restaurant Uovo, who had no reaction. (GQ notes that Massimini confirmed everything in Pattinsons story, so do with that what you will.) But what is the little pillow? Pattinson takes us through, step by step.

First, microwave the pasta (he used penne but prefers the kind that looks like the hair bun on a girl.) Then, to congeal everything in an enormous amount of sugar and cheese, layer sugar and presliced cheese on top of breadcrumbs (or cornflakes: Thats basically the same shit,) in a foil bowl. Then, more sugar. Then, red sauce, because, duh, this is a pasta dish. Once the pasta is cooked, plop it on top of the chaos, throw on a bun, and if youre looking for investors like R. Patz, burn a P.C. on the top. Next, wrap it all up in foil and  well  this part gets a little tricky. On his Zoom cooking show, Pattinson hesitated while looking at the many fancy appliances in his borrowed kitchen, eventually opting for one that looks suspiciously like a microwave. He assures the audience that its not. I actually knew how to do this before, he said. I literally did this yesterday. And now its just impossible. Its going to look like I cant cook at all. Well, if people didnt think that before, they might now that the oven has exploded. Before he can proudly enjoy his creation, a flash of light appears in the oven and Pattinson ducks, giggling as the microwave erupts. The fucking electricity  oh, my God, he says. Then, the appliance goes dark. Yeah, I think I have to leave that alone, he resigns. But that is a piccolini cuscino.

Im sorry, what is a piccolini cuscino? Because it certainly doesnt sound edible. Our condolences to Suki Waterhouse and anything she might have wanted to microwave. Leave it to Robert Pattinson to find a way to create fireworks over Zoom. Were all for going the Rihanna way and diversifying your income streams, but were already dealing with a pandemic. The world doesnt need whatever side effects eating a piccolini cuscino will cause. But, it should make you feel better about all the burnt pans and sourdough mishaps youve created throughout quarantine. At least your microwave is still standing.
After several Chandigarh residents put forth the request, the UT administration is seeking permission from the Centre for home quarantining those who return from abroad.

So far, the UT administration has been putting them up in private hotels as per Centres guidelines. But UT adviser Manoj Parida told HT that he has asked the Centre for permission to allow home quarantine of foreign returnees in Chandigarh, since people are well educated here and houses are large enough to follow self-isolation protocols.

If the Centre agrees, we will allow home quarantine with detail protocol, he said.

Parida also said the Centre frames policies based on conditions across the country. Some states have opened doors to foreign returnees of all economic stratas such as plumbers, electricians etc, but isolating them in their small homes may not be advisable, he said.

But since the situation is different in this city, we are optimistic about the Centres nod on this, said Parida.

Seeking the demand, advocate Jaspreet Singh from Sector 8, who is expecting her daughter from Canada soon, said, We are more apprehensive about the safety of single girls and women quarantined in hotels. When we are ready to follow all protocols for home isolation of our kids, it is unfair to forcefully put them up in hotels.

Another parent from Sector 2, Sanjiv Bindra said that before lockdown, several foreign returnees were successfully quarantined in houses here. Similar care and self isolation is possible now too, he said.

Meanwhile, the UT administration is also considering the relocation of discharged positive cases from containment zones to other safe places to prevent a relapse.

Parida said there were chances of catching the infection after being discharged. Till the time the citys containment zones are not free from the infection, all discharged patients from these areas may be kept in dharamshalas or community centres as part of our overall strategy to contain the virus, he said, adding that a final decision on this would soon be taken.

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The volume of revenues obtained within development at Azerbaijan's Bahar offshore field amounted to $150,000 in the first quarter 2020, a source in State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) told local media.

"Within the Shirvan onshore field development project, SOFAZ received $1.7 million," the source said.

According to the source, SOFAZ received $150,000 from the development of the Neftchala onshore field.

The contract for exploration, rehabilitation, development and production at the Bahar offshore field was signed by Azerbaijan's State Oil Company SOCAR (20 percent share) and Bahar Energy Ltd. (80 percent share) in 2009.

Greenfields Petroleum Corporation of the US owns 100 percent of the shares of the Bahar Energy Limited operating company.

The Bahar Gas Field is located in shallow water 40 km southeast of Baku, offshore in the South Caspian Basin. The field was discovered in 1968 and production began in 1969.
DALLAS, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bishop T.D. Jakes, one of the most trusted and influential global spiritual leaders, recognizes the dire situation for the most vulnerable citizens. His approach, "leaders don't run away from crisis, they run toward it," sets a standard of leadership excellence that ignites faith in those who seek refuge during times of crisis, even as church doors remain closed.

Since the onset of the Covid-19 global pandemic in early March, Jakes, founder of The Potter's House, a nondenominational megachurch and humanitarian organization, has implemented a strategic and scalable international relief model that continues to serve thousands of individuals and families.

"I don't care who you are, this is a time for every disciple, every preacher, every CEO, every leader, every artist, to come off your stage for a minute and figure out how you can serve somebody," said Jakes. "It is our collective contribution that will help us survive during turbulent times and thrive in the good times."

Jakes, a man of humble beginnings, understands the struggle of crisis, poverty, hunger and its traumatic impact, firsthand. His personal life challenges from childhood have compelled him to focus efforts on those needing the most support now, including emergency first-responders, disadvantaged church members, previously incarcerated citizens, displaced workers and communities disproportionately impacted by social determinants of health during times of escalated anxiety worldwide.

Across the globe in Africa, a relationship with former Zambian Vice President Nevers Mumba allowed the Dallas-based ministry to aid nearly 2,000 families with essential resources and meals.

"What caught my attention is that people are being taught to properly wash their hands," said Zunoraine C. Holmes, executive director of United MegaCARE, Jakes' humanitarian arm. "Seems simple, but these efforts are teaching essential hygiene practices too." Holmes, a respectable leader who lost his battle to cancer days ago, successfully oversaw teams in international territories under Jakes' visionary leadership. In a recent social media post, Jakes honored Holmes for his leadership in philanthropy and humanitarian efforts.

Back at home, Jakes and The Potter's House of Dallas have delivered some 8,000 meals and counting across North Texas. The five separate locations of The Potter's House model its founders' courageous philosophy of leadership and giving:

North Dallas : The New York Times bestselling-author and pastor of The Potter's House of North Dallas , Sheryl Brady , surprised a hard-working single mother with a brand new car, last Sunday.

: bestselling-author and pastor of The House of , , surprised a hard-working single mother with a brand new car, last Sunday. Fort Worth : Pastor Patrick Winfield and team partnered with local community alliances to provide food access through a mobile food pantry initiative, serving over 2,000 households in April.

: Pastor and team partnered with local community alliances to provide food access through a mobile food pantry initiative, serving over 2,000 households in April. OneLA : Led by Pastors Toure Roberts and Sarah Jakes Roberts , OneLA delivered inspirational services to the more than 6,000 individuals in local prisons through their customized video platform, in addition to teaming up with their local food pantry to feed its community.

: Led by Pastors Toure Roberts and , OneLA delivered inspirational services to the more than 6,000 individuals in local prisons through their customized video platform, in addition to teaming up with their local food pantry to feed its community. Denver : Local efforts provided hundreds of senior citizens with technology access and support, and food supplies, among other initiatives.

The Potter's House broadcasts weekly services and exclusive online content, designed to meet the needs of todays' distressed society and ignite faith even though church doors may be closed. To access the free streaming platforms, visit TDJakes.org/stream.

About The Potter's House

Located in Dallas, The Potter's House is a 30,000-member nondenominational, multicultural church and humanitarian organization led by Bishop T.D. Jakes, twice featured on the cover of Time magazine as America's Best Preacher and as one of the nation's 25 Most Influential Evangelicals. The Potter's House has five locations: The Potter's House of Dallas, The Potter's House of Fort Worth, The Potter's House of North Dallas, The Potter's House of Denver and The Potter's House OneLA.

SOURCE The Potter's House

Related Links

http://www.thepottershouse.org


Additional reporting by Juno McEnroe

Women will be the "collateral damage" of the Covid-19 crisis with new mums among the hardest hit, an employment expert has warned.

While problems around maternity rights are already endemic in Ireland, women are now being abandoned in their droves by both employers and government, according to Richard Grogan, employment law specialist and solicitor.

His practice has seen a huge increase in calls from women on maternity leave who are not being taken back to work due to the coronavirus crisis.

And Mr Grogan says one major problem is that the Government's temporary wage subsidy scheme is not available to those who were on maternity leave when it was introduced.

And although politicians could promise employers that the legislation will be amended and backdated to include women on maternity leave as soon as there is a new Government, Mr Grogan said, this has not been done.

The Government is effectively abandoning women and children, sending them out in a boat and casting them aside, Mr Grogan said.

An awful lot of women are going to be gotten rid of.

If you were not on the payroll on February 29, you will not get it [the temporary wage subsidy scheme]. So there are women who returned to work in March and April and May who will not get the temporary wage subsidy.

"Its an appalling anomaly for women."

He said a further crisis looms when closed childcare facilities and schools lead to countless more women losing their jobs when they cannot return to work, with the burden of childcare still mostly falling on mothers.

And if an employee cannot give a definite date when they can return to work, an employer is entitled under employment law to terminate their contract.

Mr Grogan also warned that anyone taking a case when their maternity rights are not honoured should challenge them under the Employment Equality Acts not the Unfair Dismissal Act as the latter can only direct compensation for lack of earnings, while the other can also award payments for emotional distress, breaching a fundamental right and to "dissuade" employers from ever repeating those actions.

Louisa Meehan, President of women's business group Network Ireland, echoes Mr Grogan's calls for an urgent amendment to legislation so that women on maternity leave can be better protected.

Richards description of women as collateral damage is truly stark but should serve as a wake-up call to the government of the damage that could be done.

"This Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme legislation must be amended to include these vital members of Irelands workforce.

Meanwhile, a new low of 107 virus cases has been notified to health officials.

However, another 24 people have died from the disease. The figures bring to 23,242 the number of confirmed cases while the overall death toll is now 1,488.

Health bosses say they have the capacity to test up to 15,000 people a day for the virus, but there are still delays of five days or more in places getting results. This is down to complex cases, said Dr Cillian De Gascun, a member of the National Public Health Emergency Team.

There were communication problems, missing phone numbers, no unique patient numbers and issues with computer systems, he said. Officials hope to reduce delays to two days.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan confirmed he had talked with his counterpart in the North over differences in tracking the disease. He said he echoed calls for one all-island system to fight the virus.

He said he was "hopeful" restrictions could be eased next week and the overall new numbers of cases in the weeks ahead would fall to low double-digit figures.
Originally live streamed on May 12th, 2020 at 10am PST. www.twitter.com/soarfinancial - make sure to follow us & click on the  #Gold #Silver #Mexico #askGGD

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|| GoGold Resources Inc. (TSX: GGD) Guest: Bradley Langille, President & CEO GoGold Resources is a Mexcio focussed exploration and silver production company. While producing silver from the Parral heap leach operation, the company is also actively explorting its Los Ricos flagship asset. We spoke with CEO Langille about the impacts of #COVID19, the recent 25mn bought deal, warrants and also the restart of the drill campaign at Los Ricos.

More info at www.gogoldresources.com

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NORWALK - Firefighters extinguished a blaze at Valencia Luncheria at 163 Main St. Wednesday morning.

The blaze that broke out around 8:50 a.m. was quickly knocked down by firefighters.

By 9:05 a.m., firefighters had reported the fire was under control. Firefighters were checking to determine whether the fire had spread to other parts of the building.

Utility companies were called to turn off the gas and electricity to the building.

Calls were put out for both fire and health inspectors to come to the fire scene.

By 9:15 a.m., the owner of restaurant was also on the scene.

The fire marshal and some firefighters will remain at the scene to determine a cause and assess damage to the restaurant.

The restaurant that serves South American cuisine moved to its current location in 2012.

Valencia Luncheria was started more than 15 years ago by Michael Young and Luis Chavez.

In 2009, Valencia Luncheria was featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners Drive-ins and Dives."

Check the Valencia Luncherias Facebook page for updates on its business hours.
The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) has certified 81,000 metric tons of seeds across the country, Philip Ojo, the director general, has said.

This was disclosed by the official while addressing journalists in a virtual meeting, Tuesday.

Today as I speak with you, the industry has available at the disposal of accredited seed companies across the country about 81,000 metric tons of certified seeds of rice, maize, sorghum, soyabean, cowpea, millet, groundnut, wheat, sesame and potato that are ready for deployment and purchase by farmers for the production of food and raw materials for Nigerians, he said.

NASC is the agency charged with the overall development and regulation of the nations seed industry.

In his remarks, Mr Ojo said, seed is the beginning of agriculture and seeds must be secured for food security to be guaranteed.

Pandemic

Following the coronavirus pandemic, the official said the seed sector had been faced with huge challenges.

He said his agency is advocating for state governments to issue seeds as palliatives to farmers.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the free movement of food and agricultural inputs, but said some bottlenecks remain.

His remarks is coming barely a month after President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono and other key players of the sector to join the already existing 12-member Presidential Task Force (PTF), as a strategy to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the years farming season.

Meanwhile, Mr Ojo at the meeting, said the seed industry is preparing to push out this quantity of certified seeds in order to have enough seeds for the next planting season.

The NASC boss said the agency together with Wageningen University and Sahel Consulting introduced a survey (quick scan survey) last month to access first-hand the impact of COVID -19 on the seed sector.

The scan has presented to us key areas of alert that are mostly impacted by the COVID-19 and also recommended coping strategies that will guide our future actions to ensure that we continue to supply our dear farmers with the best quality seeds while keeping the seed industry afloat during this trying period, he said .

The outcome of the survey titled; Seed Alert, he said, shows that mobility restrictions hampered access to markets by farmers, seed companies and agro-dealers, which resulted in increased prices and reduced seeds affordability for farmers. This he said said posed severe negative impact on the seed industry.

Mr Ojo expressed worry over the negative impacts of the pandemic on the different value chains of agriculture.

He said, also negatively impacted is the production and supply of early generation seed and more importantly the quality assurance activities including seed field inspection and laboratory testing.

Current efforts

Having identified some of the key challenges the seed industry is grappling with as a result of the coronavirus crisis, Mr Ojo said the council will be working with others to implement an array of actions to keep the sector breathing in the midst of the crisis.

To do this, he listed some strategic guidelines the agency would follow.

He said the agency will structure the trade of seed and agro-inputs in designated markets while complying with the social distancing directions of relevant agencies of government at both local, state and federal levels respectively.

The above will be done using a decentralised model for organisi g the markets that allows quality seed and agro-inputs to be transported close to farmers, and thus reduce the distance that farmers need to travel to access inputs, he said.

He said his agency will also create seed sector task forces to review regularly the interstate movement of essential agricultural goods and services and also provide guidance on measures to be taken to responsible authorities, while raising awareness to ensure that the services and business of seed companies and agro-input dealers are designated as essential.
[May 13, 2020] Analysis on Impact of Covid-19- Global Interface IP Market 2020-2024 | Increase in Demand for Modern SoC Chips to Boost Market Growth | Technavio

The interface IP market is expected to grow by USD 291.47 million during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact can be expected to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters - with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth according to the latest market research report by Technavio. Request a free sample report This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005729/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Interface IP Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) The use of SoCs has grown substantially in the last five years. Smart electronics manufacturers have started integrating this technology into products such as wireless communication equipment, electrocardiogram machines, smartphones, and telemetry devices. Semiconductor chip manufacturers have developed the SoC technology to maintain pace with the rising need to embed more functions on a single IC. In SoC designs, pre-verified and pre-designed blocks called IP blocks or IP cores and virtual components are combined on a single chip. These IP cores are reusable and include interface blocks, embedded processors, memory blocks, and components for specific processing functions. The advantages of this technology include high on-chip frequencies, density of functions, reliability, and moderate unit costs. Thus, the increase in demand for SoC chips will drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. 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=IRTNTR43473



As per Technavio, the growing connected devices market will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024. Interface IP Market: Growing Connected Devices Market

The growing connected devices market will be one of the major factors driving the growth of the market during the forecast period. Connected devices offer benefits such as optimized decision-making, the ease of handling emergencies, cost-cutting, enhanced quality of living, remote control access, time management, commercial benefits, and better safety and security. The devices are connected via different wired and wireless protocols such as Bluetooth, Ethernet, LTE (News - Alert), near-field communication (NFC), PCIe, Wi-Fi, Thread, USB, and ZigBee. These wireless protocols enable M2M communication, helping devices to exchange and act upon information by eliminating human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. However, developing SoCs that integrate wired and wireless protocols that enable communication between devices can be a challenge. Integrating all the functions on a single SoC requires high-quality, silicon-proven IP solutions. This will fuel the demand for interface IP, thereby driving the growth of the market. "Factors such as the proliferation of wireless technologies, decrease in lithography wavelength, and the growth of in-vehicle networks will have a significant impact on the growth of the interface IP market value during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Interface IP Market: Segmentation Analysis This market research report segments the interface IP market by end-user (fabless semiconductor companies, IDMs, and foundries), type (USB, DDR, PCle, Ethernet, MIPI, and others), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA). The North American region led the interface IP market in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, the APAC region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the growth of semiconductor companies, especially in regions such as China and Taiwan. Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005729/en/

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Disney announced Wednesday that it has canceled all its cruises through late July.

The cancellations include all departures scheduled through July 27. The company said in a statement that the decision to cancel the cruises was made in line with CDC guidelines.

Guests currently booked on affected sailings will be offered the choice of a cruise credit to be used for a future sailing within 15 months of their original sail date, or a full refund. These guests and travel agents will receive an email from Disney Cruise Line outlining details and next steps.

The CDC issued a no sail order in mid-March and then extended it in April.

The CDC said Tuesday that is closely monitoring the situation on cruise ships and reviewing the cruise lines plans to prevent, detect, contain, and respond to COVID-19 during the no sail period.

Disney did not give any indication as to whether cruises will resume after July 27.

On May 4, Carnival announced it will begin to phase-in cruises starting Aug. 1 with eight of its ships leaving from Port Canaveral, Miami and Galveston.

Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, said that on the day of Carnival's announcement, bookings shot up 600% compared to the same date last year.

The combined sales for three days after the announcement represented a 200% increase vs the same date range in May 4  May 6, 2019 - when folks traveled without fear of the novel coronavirus, Cruise Planners said.
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear the bail application filed by former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who has been convicted to life imprisonment in connection with 1984 anti-Sikh riot case.

The Supreme Court had on April 30 sought CBIs response on a plea of former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar seeking grant of either interim bail or parole for eight weeks in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Khokhar and former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar are serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail in the case after the Delhi High Court convicted them on December 17, 2018.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justice Aniruddha Bose took note of the submissions made by Khokhars counsel that prisons need to be decongested to contain the pandemic as has been suggested by courts as also the government.

The bench, hearing the plea via video conferencing, then asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, to file the response.

Khokhar was earlier granted 4-week parole on January 15 by the top court following the death of his father.

Senior advocate H S Phoolka, who represented riot victims and was in his native village in Punjab, opposed the bail plea.
People abuse animals and Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, animal cruelty has not taken a break.

Recently, Harris County Precinct 5 Constable Ted Head joined the Harris County District Attorneys Office, Crime Stoppers of Houston and Houston PetSet for a virtual town hall to discuss the Harris County Animal Cruelty Taskforce. The topic of the discussion was the taskforces effort to curtail animal cruelty, neglect and abuse.

Heap said anyone suspected of animal cruelty should be reported to the Animal Cruelty Taskforce.

"When you do report to www.927PAWS.org or call 832-927-PAWS, this report is going to be handled, Heap said. That is a promise, we will get it out there immediately."

The publics help is huge when it comes to battling animal cruelty despite a growing number of officers earmarked to fight animal cruelty.

"I encourage people to be the eyes and ears for those who cannot speak for themselves, especially during the financial times we're in," he said.

One issue which hits animals hard is when an owner is evicted from a home and leaves their pets behind.

According to a news release, Heap is asking people to remember that if they have a neighbor with a pet who is evicted or leaves a home or apartment because they can't pay the bills, to be sure to notify the property manager so that they can check on the possibility of abandoned pets.

"It's much easier if we're notified within the first 24 hours," said Heap, "so we can pull that animal out and get it to a loving home and the care it needs, rather than finding out a week or two later when it's been without food or water."

To watch the virtual town hall hosted by Crime Stoppers, go to https://tinyurl.com/ydyve25u.

For more information on reporting animal cruelty, abandonment, abuse or neglect, go to: https://927paws.org.

rkent@hcnonline.com
[May 13, 2020] ShortDot Gears Up for .cyou Domain Extension's May 14th Sunrise Launch for Trademark Holders

LUXEMBOURG, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ShortDot's newest domain extension, .cyou (See You), is all set for its Sunrise launch on May 14th. The .cyou domain extension is specially crafted for Generation Z, whereas the Sunrise launch that will last until June 15th is squarely targeted at trademark holders to register their protected trademarks with .cyou. Sunrise is a special period giving trademark holders 30 days of exclusive access to secure their trademarks on a new domain extension before it is made available to the general public. With .cyou, ShortDot aims to attract young entrepreneurs, creative individuals, and innovative brands alike who not only embrace modern social media but thrive on it. The .cyou domain extension is primarily geared towards those businesses and professionals who share the same ethical values around independence, diversity, and inclusivity. With over 70 registrars already having signed up to become .cyou accredited registrars, interest is growing swiftly among trademark holders, registrars, and end-users. ShortDot was founded in 2017 by entrepreneurs Lars Jensen, Kevin Kopas, Michael Riedl, and Christian Tecar. Their broad experience on both the registry and registrar sides of the business has helped foster a customer-centric registry model that is driving the company's rapid growth and establishing the ShortDot's reputation as a cutting-edge force in the domain industry.



"Since announcing the new .cyou domain extension earlier this year, we've seen a great deal of interest from Gen Z entrepreneurs, influencers, and brands, all looking to push boundaries to achieve their personal and business goals and advance social causes," said Kopas, COO. "We expect .cyou to establish itself as the domain extension for tech-savvy, eco-conscious, big-thinking individuals, and businesses that are working smarter and rewriting the rules on how things get done." If the success of ShortDot's previous domain extensions, .icu and .bond, are any indication, .cyou should fare pretty well. .bond took hold in finance and banking circles while .icu grew to be the largest new domain extension in the world, with more than 6.6 million registrations in more than 125 countries.

"What is most rewarding is seeing the enthusiasm for the .cyou extension among registrars and trademark holders," said Lars Jensen, CEO. "Options in traditional domain name extensions are in short supply, signaling the need for new choices. With .cyou, our users will have the opportunity to establish innovative and creative online identities while trademark holders can secure their rights on a cool new domain extension." ShortDot offers sales support for its registrar partners via design, development, lead generation, and customer retention programs. End users can search for and register their .cyou domain names at a number of ICANN accredited registrars around the world. ShortDot uses CentralNic as its backend provider. For more information about ShortDot, .cyou, and the upcoming Sunrise launch, visit www.nic.cyou. For more information: Kevin Kopas at [email protected] Related Images image1.png View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shortdot-gears-up-for-cyou-domain-extensions-may-14th-sunrise-launch-for-trademark-holders-301058924.html SOURCE ShortDot SA

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Several local residents are opposing a proposed wind farm near Monasterevin.

Norwegian energy company Statkraft has sent letters to locals informing of its intention to build five wind turbines in the Ummera area.

It aims to have the wind farm operating between 2023 and 2024 and said it would have the capacity to deliver green energy to 17,000 homes.

The firm aims to lodge a planning application between July and September this year.

According to its documents, the turbines will have a height of 169m metres and will be 680 metres from houses.

The firm said there would be no shadow flicker to any homes and all cables would be underground.

The company has sent letters and brochures about the proposals to local residents as it said the Covid-19 health emergency restricts engagement such as face-to-face visits or public meetings.

It said it believes the project will deliver a significant amount of renewable energy which would play an important part in tackling climate change.

The townlands covered will be Quinnsoboro, Coolsicken, Ummeras Beg and More and Coolatotgher.

The proposed location is close to the Blueway - Grand Canal pathway approved by Kildare County Council and Failte Ireland.

It is also adjacent to the redevelopment of the Ballykelly Mill into a whiskey distillery.

Local resident Mary Fanning said: The area has an enormous heritage conservation history going back to 1782 and is where the poet, Gerard Manly Hopkins wrote his poetry and is unique for its wildlife.

She added: This development is completely unsuitable for this unique area of beauty.

There are three heritage thatched cottages in this area and three thoroughbred stud farms.

We have a beautiful canal bank with the impending Blueway and the redevelopment of the Ballykelly Mill.

This is going to open up the area to tourists.

Cllr Kevin Duffy said he was studying the companys information and the legislation that exists around wind energy farms. The Fine Gael politician urged local residents to give him their feedback on the issue.

The company said: At Statkraft, we have always been committed to engaging with local individuals and communities at an early stage in the development process.

We believe this area warrants consideration as it may be suitable for a development that would deliver a significant amount of renewable energy which would play an important role in tackling climate change.

It is intended to develop this proposal forward over the coming months with the view to lodging a planning application during Q3 of 2020.

We would hope that as many people as possible would engage with us to provide feedback which would inform the design process of the project with the intention of developing the most suitable proposal. possible.
Australia's nightclub and live music scene may not fully recover after the coronavirus pandemic, industry insiders have said.

Partygoers keen to head back out on the town after lockdowns are lifted may need to think twice with the National Cabinet's outline to lift restrictions revealing the venues would be among the last to open.

This, combined with the fact social distancing and a limit on public gatherings of 100 people look set to be the 'new normal', has left many in the industry questioning in they can remain profitable.

The idea of hundreds of people packed shoulder to shoulder onto a dancefloor or waiting in line for drinks at a bar could well be a thing of the past.

A supplied image obtained on Wednesday, February 19, 2020, shows revellers during The Groundwater Country Music Festival in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast

A general view of inside the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in The Rocks photographed through a window on May 02, 2020 in Sydney, Australia

The idea of hundreds of people packed shoulder to shoulder onto a dancefloor or waiting in line for drinks at a bar could well be a thing of the past

Hospitality insiders in Melbourne's nightlife scene, arguably the busiest in the country, have said pubs, restaurants, bars and nightclubs were assessing whether they would reopen.

In Sydney, the coroanvirus lockdowns hit just as venue operators were gearing up for a revival of the city's nightlife after sweeping lockout laws that had devastated the economy were rolled back in January.

Any recovery looks unlikely to happen, however, with the Morrison government outline to lift COVID-19 restrictions suggesting a limit on public gatherings of 100 people and physical distancing will remain until a vaccine is found.

Liam Alexander, co-owner of Melbourne nightclub Colour, said the head honchos for most of Melbourne's live music and nightclub venues including Revolver, Cherry, The Tote, Billboard, Bar Open, and the Corner Hotel were having weekly video meetings.

'There's a lot of lobbying going on, certainly from Music Victoria and associated people, to make it really clear that if they don't do something specifically for us that we're all pretty much f**ked,' Mr Alexander told the ABC.

He added that, as far as he is aware, no assistance from the state or federal government is being considered yet.

Mr Alexander, along with his two business partners, had saved for years and poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into refurbishments and licenses for Colour, which opened in 2019.

'I think initially our biggest fear was making it through the closure period. But now our biggest fears are about what the live music, nightclub, and hospitality industry in general looks like afterwards,' he said.

Just a few months ago hundreds of people packed onto a dancefloor or waiting in line for drinks at a bar wouldn't have raised an eyebrow

In Sydney, the coroanvirus lockdowns hit just as venue operators were gearing up for a revival of the city's nightlife after sweeping lockout laws that had devastated the economy were rolled back in January

Hospitality insiders in Melbourne's nightlife scene, arguably the busiest in the country, have said pubs, restaurants, bars and nightclubs were assessing whether they would reopen

He said he had been receiving some council and state government grants along with the JobKeeper assistance in order to keep the business afloat during the lockdowns.

However, when the JobKeeper scheme ends and the Victorian State Government ban on rental evictions is lifted, he said the business would need to decide if it is viable to remain open.

'At this stage, the end of September is when decisions will have to be made, basically,' Mr Alexander said.

Other venues are in a similar situation with iconic St Kilda club and eatery 'Big Mouth' deciding not to renew its lease which expired during the coronavirus pandemic.

Andrew Szoeke of OneSixOne nightclub in the inner city suburb of Prahan said unless there was a definite schedule for when clubs could return to full capacity it would be difficult to keep running.

The Morrison government has outlined that nightclubs and live music venues would be the last businesses to opened fully because these venues would be the ideal environment to fuel the virus.

Mr Szoeke said that as venues closed their licenses may also be retained by council and state governments and alternative developments established on the sites.

This means it would not simply be a case of new clubs stepping in and the landscape of the live music and nightclub scene could be vastly different unless governments provide some reassurance, he says.
A driver of a black SUV fled the scene of a crash that sent another car into a body of water off Interstate 93 in Stoneham on Tuesday, authorities said.

Witnesses of the collision told law enforcement the person driving the SUV caused a crash with a convertible Mercedes in the southbound lanes of I-93 near Exit 33 around 2:40 p.m., Massachusetts State Police said in a statement.

Troopers found the 2017 Mercedes in a body of water after it had veered of the road due to the crash and struck a guardrail, according to the statement.

Several witnesses on scene described to troopers a black SUV that set the crash into motion, then fled the scene disregarding signals to pull over from other drivers, the statement said.

The operator of the Mercedes, a 59-year-old woman from Charlestown, was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to state police.

The driver of a 2003 Toyota Corolla, which was also involved in the crash, was uninjured, and the car was able to be driven, state police said.

Witnesses of the collision were able to give law enforcement a license plate number of the black SUV. Authorities are still working to identify the driver and the cause of the crash, according to police.
LaFayette, N.Y.  It was a dangerous night for apple trees.

The wind was barely stirring at Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards. The temperature had fallen below 30 degrees. And as the frost set in, the LaFayette orchards tender blossoms  which will eventually turn into apples  were at risk of dying before they even got a chance to bloom.

So the farms crew headed into the cold, dark orchard just after midnight to set up smudge pots and turn on wind machines to raise the temperatures just enough to protect the buds from the potentially deadly freeze.

We can trick mother nature by about 2 degrees, and thats all it takes," said Peter Fleckenstein, a partner at Beak and Skiff and general manager of the orchards fresh fruit and juice operation

The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning for Central New York, warning that temperatures could drop as low as 27 degrees across the region. Thats a dangerous number for near-blossoming apple trees, Fleckenstein said: Temperatures below 27 degrees can kill buds, endangering CNYs favorite fruit.

One night can ruin the whole season, he said.

Dangerous springtime freezes tend to happen once or twice a year, Fleckenstein said. They happen when the temperature plummets and the wind quiets, allowing cold air to creep into the low spots on Beak and Skiffs hilly farm, he said.

About half the farms crew headed into the orchard just after midnight to combat the cold.

In vulnerable areas, the crew lit oil-burning pots  also known as smudge pots  15 feet apart in the rows, Fleckenstein said, and turned on wind machines. The machines pushed around the heated air created by the smudge pots, allowing the warm air to mix with the cold morning air and raise the temperature just enough to protect the budding trees, he said.

READ MORE: 25 Things That Make Syracuse Great: Apples

The apple varieties in vulnerable parts of the orchard included Gala, Honeycrisp and Fuji.

The farms crew turned off the wind machines around 7 a.m., over an hour after sunrise. Fleckenstein said it appears the frost-fighting measures worked.

I think that theyre fine, he said of the buds. All indications point to us being just fine.

Officially, the low temperature was 31 degrees shortly before 8 a.m. Wednesday at the Syracuse Hancock International Airport, according to the weather service.

Temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing tonight, but Fleckenstein said he doesnt think hell have to send his crew back into the orchard: The slight wind expected to blow should be enough to circulate warm air overnight.

After tonight, Fleckenstein said the danger posed by frost should pass. Temperatures are expected to climb into the high 60s this weekend, giving the apple trees a chance to bloom.

Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety for Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Have a tip or a story idea? Contact her at shouse@syracuse.com.
Jennifer Bard is a visiting professor of law at the University of Florida. This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

Infectious disease has always been one of the military's greatest threats. By its own estimates, the U.S. Army lost almost as many soldiers from the 1918 flu as died on the battlefields of the first World War.

Troops are at risk during an outbreak due to the tight quarters in which they live and work. It is therefore not surprising that all branches of the service -- Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard -- have been hit hard by COVID-19. The military has also played an important role in responding to the virus, from evacuating State Department officials from Wuhan, China, in January to its current role building and staffing civilian field hospitals and augmenting civilian research teams.

To mitigate any risk, the Department of Defense has enforced rigorous social distancing policies and a military-wide travel ban halting nonessential deployments.

New Treatments

But in addition to measures aimed at keeping people away from sources of infection, the military is also treating active-duty personnel who become infected. Because the COVID-19 virus is new, there are as yet no FDA approved treatments. As a result, military physicians are turning to either treatments approved for other conditions or seeking access to newly developed treatments, such as the antiviral Remdesivir, which to date has received FDA emergency use approval only for COVID-19 patients with severe conditions. That presents a significant legal challenge due to existing laws protecting military personnel by recognizing that their obligation to follow orders reduces their ability to provide informed consent.

As an expert in public health law and human subject research, I study the tension between protecting participants of biomedical research and responding quickly to emerging threats. But I have also had personal experience with the events that led to the passing of the law that allows the military to work with the FDA in order to get emergency authorization to respond quickly to emerging threats.

Gulf War Syndrome

In 1998, I was working for now U.S. senator, then Connecticut Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal when I met Russ Dingle and Thomas "Buzz" Rempfer, two remarkable airmen who filed a whistleblower complaint seeking protection from what they described as forced participation in an unlawful research experiment. Specifically, they asserted that the DoD was mandating that all active-duty personnel be vaccinated against anthrax using a product, AVA, not yet approved by the FDA for the purpose the Army was now using it.

The vaccine had been in use since the 1970s to protect wool workers and veterinarians at risk from touching naturally occurring anthrax spores, but had not been approved for protection against inhaling them, a method of spread reportedly developed by Iraqi scientists as a bioweapon. But many in the military were reluctant to be vaccinated because of their concern that it might be a cause of Gulf War Syndrome. To this day, there is no agreement about the specific symptoms, let alone cause, of Gulf War Syndrome.

A 2000 report by the well-respected Institute of Medicine found "no conclusive link to the vaccine." But the causal connection seemed plausible to many sufferers, especially given the continuing emergence of long-term harm suffered by veterans of the Vietnam War and their children from exposure to Agent Orange.

The whistleblower's primary claim was that the anthrax vaccination program was "research" and therefore the Army was required to abide by two different protections. The first, called the Common Rule, is a law establishing that all research conducted by the federal government require the informed consent of participants. Their second claim was that, even if it was being used as a preventative measure, the DoD was constrained by a 1998 law passed in direct response to concerns over possible links between unapproved drugs and Gulf War Syndrome. It prohibited "the administration of investigational new drugs, or drugs unapproved for their intended use, to service members without their informed consent" unless consent was waived by the president.

Blumenthal wrote to the secretary of defense warning him that administering an unapproved vaccine risked violating both laws and demanding that the research be stopped. That letter became part of a larger debate over whether the military's need for force protection exceeded the risks to any individual serviceperson.

Emergency Use

In 2003, Rempfer and six other at-first unnamed plaintiffs brought suit in federal court, which resulted in a preliminary injunction halting the vaccine program. Responding to the lawsuit, the DoD denied that it was conducting research and claimed the authority to waive consent because it was necessary to prevent infection with weaponized anthrax.

But in winning the battle, those seeking to stop the vaccine program lost the war. The DoD appealed to Congress for a workaround. It resulted in the passing of the BioShield Act in 2004, creating the Emergency Use Authorization. This gave the FDA authority to recharacterize the status of a drug or vaccine from investigational to approved for emergency use. In December of 2005, it issued a "final order concluding that [the Anthrax Vaccine] was the best available medical countermeasure to the potential military emergency." Although Rempfer filed a lawsuit to protest the FDA's decision, it was to no avail and shortly afterward the DoD resumed the vaccine program.

Dingle died of cancer in 2008, but Rempfer remained critical of the anthrax vaccine program and still actively advocates on behalf of past and future military personnel.

A Compromise

Since the passage of the BioShield Act, Congress has continued to support the FDA's authority to make unapproved drugs available in response to new threats. In 2017, the DoD sought power to unilaterally authorize use of unapproved drugs in battlefield situations. In the face of FDA objections to this level of autonomy, Congress created a compromise measure memorialized in a Memorandum of Understanding that allows the DoD broad authority to declare the need for emergency use permission and request that the FDA "take actions to expedite the development of a medical product." But final authority to issue an emergency use order rests with the president.

It is because of the servicemen committed to the preservation of informed consent that troops today have early access to potential COVID-19 drugs and vaccines while still respecting their vulnerability as patients without the complete ability to give informed consent.

-- 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.
The challenges faced by senior living and long-term care facilities had been growing for some time prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many facilities are cash strapped, have limited oversight and too few employees to deal with any sort of crisis, let alone a public health crisis to the scale of COVID-19. Moving forward, these fundamental challenges will be compounded by the fact that people are living longer and the senior population is growing. Experts project that nearly 100 million Americans will be 65 or older by 2060, thus dramatically increasing the risk exposure at senior living and long-term care facilities.

Read next: Burns & Wilcox expands Houston office

Pandemic risk aside, the leading causes of loss in senior living facilities are falls, elopement (when a confused resident leaves a facility) and skin breakdown or decubitus ulcers (also known as pressure sores). Margaret H. Karnick, National Healthcare Professional Liability Underwriting Team Lead at Burns & Wilcox, explained that most losses in senior living facilities can be traced back to the lack of proper risk management controls and a lack of proper policies, procedures and training.

Best practices in risk mitigation require thorough risk management protocols, including: hiring the right people and completing thorough background checks on all employees; having formal policies and procedures in place; and properly training employees, said Karnick. Every senior living facility should be thoroughly training their employees on fall prevention, infection prevention, abuse prevention, medication safety, and HIPPA including device and social media use policies. With the current global COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more important to make sure that your facility has clearly written risk management policies and procedures, and is adhering to the CMS, CDC and DPH guidelines and protocols.

Senior living and long-term care facilities that fail to incorporate thorough risk management protocols face a much greater risk of litigation than ever before. Juries are also awarding larger judgments, especially in cases where there is negligence, which is why insurance underwriters are so focused on care providers hiring practices and risk management protocols.

Read more: H.W. Kaufman head on how better carrier relations benefit agents and insureds

In January 2020, a Los Angeles jury awarded $5.5 million to the daughter and guardian of an 89-year-old woman who suffered a serious fall in which her neck was fractured while residing at AvantGarde Senior Living in Tarzana, California. After the incident, Sherill Phillips, who was moved to the facility in June 2018 with mild dementia, was rendered unable to speak intelligibly, follow instructions or engage in social activities. The lawsuit claims that the facility employees lacked proper training and that some of Phillips basic care needs were neglected by staff prior to her fall. Greg Wideman, Brokerage Manager, Healthcare, Burns & Wilcox, described the $5.5 million jury award as large [but] not surprising.

Professional liability insurance is a necessity for all senior living facilities, according to Karnick. She told Insurance Business: Risk managers and brokers need to make sure that the insured has enough professional liability and general liability limit, including making sure that their professional liability coverage extends to all of their professionals. Other coverage enhancements to look for include: HIPPA coverage, which responds in the event of a breach of a patient/residents privacy and medical data; Evacuation Expense, which responds in the event of an emergency evacuation, including the costs associated with transporting patients/residents, shelter and food; and Crisis Management Expense coverage, which covers expenses in the event that the named insured incurs crisis management emergency response expenses.

Karnick also advises facilities to invest in coverage for cases of abuse and molestation. Sometimes a separate endorsement may be needed for such coverage, she explained, as a lot of policies exclude abuse. As long as there is no criminal guilt by the accused employee, this policy endorsement covers the cost of defense and potentially the settlement for an abuse claim.

The risks that senior living and long-term care facilities face are often broad and complex in nature. As such, its advisable for policyholders and brokers to partner with a specialty provider, like Burns & Wilcox, whose dedicated healthcare professional liability brokers and underwriters specialize in underwriting and placing these complex exposures and risks.
A California city councilman was cited with misdemeanor battery after a physical altercation with protesters who confronted him at his home Tuesday over coronavirus restrictions.

Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias told NBC affiliate KSEE that he felt threatened that the activists had shown up while his kids were home. He said that after asking them to leave, he swiped at their equipment and shoved one man during the confrontation on a stairway.

Image: Council member Miguel Arias (KSEE24)

In a video obtained by KSEE, Arias can be seen swatting at two men, including a local conservative activist, Ben Bergquam.

What do you say to the businesses youre destroying? an activist can be heard saying at one point.

Bergquam, who runs a Facebook page called Frontline America, organized an event he called a Freedom Rally last week, according to the Fresno Bee.

He did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

Arias told KSEE the incident escalated after the group knocked on his door and refused to leave. My kids were inside asleep, he said. So I escorted them down the stairs.

We can disagree on political views, on the level of intervention the city must take over the coronavirus, Arias said. But he said that the group crossed the line.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Fresno Police spokesman Sgt. Jeff La Blue said in a statement that protesters told officers dispatched to Arias home shortly after 4 p.m. that the councilman assaulted them.

After an investigation, the city attorney accepted a citizens arrest and cited Arias with battery, La Blue said.

KSEE reported that the confrontation prompted police to station officers at the homes of other elected officials, including Fresno Mayor Lee Brand. Protesters were cleared from the area after they traveled there later Tuesday, the station reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 20:25:41|Editor: huaxia

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ANKARA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Turkish airstrikes killed four members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

The PKK members were "neutralized" in the Hakurk and Metina regions in an air-backed operation, after they were identified during reconnaissance and surveillance operations in the area, the ministry said on Twitter.

Turkish authorities often use the word "neutralized" in statements to imply the "terrorists" who surrendered or were killed or captured.

Turkish security forces have long been conducting operations against the PKK in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq where the group has hideouts.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU, launched a 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish government, claiming the lives of more than 40,000 people. Enditem
(ANSA) - Rome, May 13 - There was a row in the Lower House Wednesday after opposition League MP Alessandro Pagano called Silvia Romano, an aid worker who converted to Islam during an 18-month detention by Somali Islamist militants, "the neo-terrorist".

Pagano was chided by Deputy House Speaker Mara Carfagna, a member of the League's ally, the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party of former three-time premier Silvio Berlusconi, with Carfagna calling Pagano's words "unacceptable". But protests continued and the ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD) called on the League to apologise for Pagano.

Meanwhile in Milan, where prosecutors have opened a probe into a campaign of Web-based hate against 25-year-old Milan native Romano, police cars kept patrolling the street where she lives.

Romano was freed at the weekend after 18 months in captivity by the Somali Al-Shabaab group.

On Tuesday night Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio denied an Al-Shabaab spokesman's statement that the militants had received a four-million-euro ransom for Romano.

Hatred on social media has been directed against Roman's conversion to Islam, the fact that she did not criticise Al-Shabaab, and her alleged naivety in travelling to a hotspot without proper protection. On Tuesday a former League councillor in Veneto said she should be hanged.

Di Maio, former leader of the ruling anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), said Wednesday "spine-chilling things have been said about Silvia, they have gone beyond any acceptable limit." He said he felt "deep embarrassment" over Pagano's words.

The commander of he ROS security police, Andrea Loy, paid what he said was a "courtesy visit" to Romano at her home on Wednesday.

Romano was freed after a joint operation by Italian, Turkish and Somali intelligence services.


Even though South Africans are currently facing a national lockdown, they continue to search for their next vehicle and appear to have some interesting behavioral changes online.

As many business sectors have seen a decline in online activity and consumers priorities have shifted to essential goods and services during the lockdown, searches for non-essential products have shown a decrease. However, many still appear to be searching for their next car.

The used motor vehicle demand seems to be less affected by the national lockdown than the new car industry.

Thousands continue to visit WeBuyCars website and spend time browsing through all their available vehicles.

WeBuyCars has also noticed some interesting patterns and behavioral changes from their website visitors.

Vehicles people are currently interested in

Previously, there was a more balanced interest towards a wide variety of vehicle makes, models, price ranges and body types, but since the national lockdown has been implemented in South Africa, this has changed.

Not only are more consumers showing interest to purchase pre-owned vehicles, they are also interested in specific pre-owned vehicles.

South Africans are showing an increasing interest in smaller and more affordable vehicles as opposed to luxury vehicles.

Spending time differently when browsing vehicles

WeBuyCars has noticed a positive change in the way visitors spend their time on their website. The average time visitors spend on the WeBuyCars website has increased by 57% since the national lockdown has been implemented.

This significant increase reveals that with more free time, individuals in-market for second-hand vehicles not only continue searching for their next vehicle, they spend more time doing so.

With up to 3,500 vehicles on WeBuyCars website, visitors finally have the opportunity to carefully browse through all the vehicles and to determine which car would best suit the next chapter in their life.

Not only do visitors have more time to filter specific car models, price ranges and more, they also have the opportunity to browse through WeBuyCars value-added services, use their online car finance calculator to see what they can afford, apply for vehicle finance online and much more.

In fact, the number of different pages visited on the WeBuyCars website, has increased by 49 % since the national lockdown has been implemented.

Visit WeBuyCars.co.za if you are planning to buy or sell a car after the national lockdown has been lifted.
The unusual move by the court plunges the Flynn case even deeper into uncharted legal waters, in which the Justice Department has taken a posture more common to defense lawyers by saying that the former three-star general should never have been interviewed in an investigation and therefore his lies were immaterial. The case also presents novel legal twists as the judge has appointed a former judge to determine whether other crimes occurred and the presidents supporters demand the immediate dismissal of the entire case.
Biswajit Dhar By

Over the past four decades, every country has progressively reduced the role of the government in economic management and allowed market forces to guide the economy. In fact, several ruling dispensations currently in power in major economies received support from their electorate for promising, among other things, smaller governments. In India, after getting the popular mandate in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared that his endeavour would be to provide minimum government, but maximum governance. US President Donald Trump had promised similarly to reduce the governments role in his election pledge, through reduction in government expenditure and jobs, and by lowering taxes, both on corporates and individuals.

The Covid-19 pandemic is fast changing this trend towards a small government, with advanced countries leading the way. In these countries, the governments have announced considerable increases in fiscal spending for reflating their economies, by supporting businesses and through welfare measures to support individuals, and also by increasing spending on certain key sectors. The economic stimulus packages have varied between 10% of the GDP for the worlds largest economy and almost 30% for the fourth largest, Germany. Until now, the Indian government has been lukewarm towards the idea of a large economic stimulus package, but this could all change soon.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has made a strong suggestion to the government to announce a package that should be at least 7% of the GDP. Surely, times have changed.The stimulus packages are already signalling three crucial changes. First, governments are now faced with growing deficits and debts, a far cry from the fiscal discipline that they had espoused. Secondly, governments are beginning to play proactive roles in areas like healthcare, whose weaknesses were exposed by Covid-19. And, finally, the focus of government spending has largely been on boosting domestic demand, which would have implications for these hitherto globally integrated economies in the post-Covid world. The stimulus package provided by the US, also the largest till date, provides a useful reference point to gauge these changes.

The US Congress provided the first of the three stimulus packages, authorising $2.2 trillion through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. An additional stimulus of $2.3 trillion came from the countrys central bank, the Federal Reserve, and in late April, the US Congress approved a further package of nearly $500 billion.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the US fiscal deficit for Fiscal Year 2020 would increase to $3.7 trillion, or 18% of the GDP. Based on the current levels of spending, the expectation is that the fiscal deficit for FY21 would be close to $2.1 trillion or close to 10% of the GDP. Simultaneously, the levels of government debt would register substantial increases, which, according to the CBO, would be larger than the countrys GDP. And this rising trend is likely to increase even further in the following years. Debt relative to GDP is projected to be 20 percentage points higher at the end of 2020 and 26 percentage points higher at the end of 2021. Thus, what is unfolding for the governments is a phase of fiscal adjustment that could run some distance.

The US stimulus packages revealed that the government is focusing on spending in areas like healthcare, whose failings were exposed in the course of the pandemic. This is an interesting development for the Trump Presidency as it had made getting rid of Obamacare one of its main political planks, while remaining ambivalent on its commitment towards healthcare funding. But given the growing sensitivity of this issue for the country that has been the worst hit by the pandemic, the Trump campaign could sound different in the re-election year.

The most significant component of the stimulus packages provided by all advanced countries has been on beefing up domestic demand. In the US, the CARES Act has authorised nearly 28% of the overall spending to support individuals who would now be seeking unemployment benefits as the rate of joblessness has spiked to nearly 15%. Last week, the numbers seeking such benefits swelled to over

33 million, raising the spectre of the worst unemployment rate, surpassing even the levels seen during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Reviving domestic businesses, both big corporations and the small businesses, is the most prominent feature of the CARES Act. Almost $850 billion, or over 42% of the entire package has been committed in the form of loans and loan guarantees, and other investments. Small businesses, or those with 500 or fewer employees, can receive loans up to $10 million, which can be forgiven if their workers stay employed through the end of June.

For the Trump Presidency, revival of domestic manufacturing has been among its prominent aspirations, and which is in serious business now as the administration has backed the earlier rhetoric with large financial backing. If this programme goes ahead as proposed, a change in the orientation of the US economy could surely be on the cards. Would it then mean that globalisation could see a new normal in the post-Covid phase?

Biswajit Dhar

Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, JNU

(Email: bisjit@gmail.com)
A plastics factory in Andhra Pradesh's Vizag where a chemical gas leak killed 12 people and sickened hundreds more last week lacked federal environmental clearance but had been issued state permits to operate anyway, exposing a potentially dangerous enforcement gap in the country's laws.

The owner of the LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh, South Korean chemicals giant LG Chem, said in a May 2019 affidavit that formed part of an application for the clearance that the company doesnt have a valid environmental clearance substantiating the produced quantity, issued by the competent authority, for continuing operations.

LG Chem spokesman Choi Sang-kyu said that the company had always followed Indian law and had operated the plant based on the guidance of Indian officials, both at the state and federal level. He said the affidavit was a pledge to comply with the law in the future and not an admission of any violations.

Interviews with officials and legal experts indicate that the plant was likely operating in a legal grey area, with the environmental clearance required under federal regulations but the enforcement of those requirements left up to states. While there has been no indication that the lack of such a clearance played a role in the May 7 disaster, experts say the fact that the plant operated for years without one shows how weak environmental laws can be in a nation with many of the world's most polluted cities.

There are many such industries operating without an EC," environmental lawyer Mahesh Chandra Mehta said, adding that it showed authorities were toothless.

LG Polymers is facing charges following the disaster, which involved styrene gas, a neurotoxin, leaking from a storage tank as workers prepared to restart operations idled during coronavirus lockdown. In addition to the dead, more than 1,000 people were sent to hospitals.

Police have charged LG Polymers with culpable homicide, including negligence in handling toxic substances. lndias top environmental court has also asked the company to pay a $6.6 million penalty because of damage to life, public health and environment.

The court is also considering a plea filed by an environmental activist and former federal bureaucrat that raises questions about how state authorities allowed the company to function without federal clearance.

Choi said the company couldnt comment on an ongoing investigation but would cooperate with the authorities.

LG Chem bought the plant in 1997 and between then and 2006 it is clear that it needed only state permits to operate, which it had.

Things get murkier after that, however, due to new federal rules that came into force requiring companies in industries including petrochemicals to obtain a federal environmental clearance every time they expanded a plant or changed what they manufactured.

LG Chem expanded its operations at LG Polymers plant five times between 2006 and 2018, but it never received an environmental clearance, according to the May 2019 affidavit.

Choi said when the federal rules changed in 2006, the company consulted with the ministry and was told that no environmental clearance was required.

We have been operating the company while abiding environmental regulations even before the laws on environment clearances were made, Choi said.

Environment Secretary C K Mishra said that LG Polymers would not have needed a clearance in 2006, but would have had to apply for environmental clearances going forward to change what they were making or expand capacity.

LG Polymers appears to have never been asked for a federal clearance until 2017, when it approached the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board with plans to start producing engineering plastics at its plant, according to meeting minutes reviewed by AP.

The request was denied and the company was told it would need the federal clearance.

There are no indications, however, that the state told the company to stop operating the plant. T Rajendra Reddy, a member of the state pollution board, said he had no information about any such order.

In 2018, when LG Polymers wanted to expand its manufacturing capacity of polystyrene, a plastic used to make bottles and lids, the company finally applied for its first environmental clearance, documents show. The Environment Ministry flagged the application for review, noting that the company didnt have a clearance for the chemicals it was already manufacturing.

LG Polymers then withdrew the application and instead applied for a retroactive clearance that the Environment Ministry offered companies in 2018 as a one-time amnesty. That application remained pending when the deadly leak occurred.

While we were not required to retroactively apply for an EC, we did apply for the EC under the central government policies and the application is currently under review, Choi said.

Choi said each of the times the company expanded the plant it did so under approval granted by its state permits.

State authorities issue two permits in India -- the first to start a new business and another to run it -- that are required for all industries that could potentially pollute the air or water. The operational permits are renewed every five years.

Mehta, the environmental lawyer, said that each time LG Polymers renewed that permit, the state pollution board, the authority charged with enforcing federal environmental law, had the power to fine the company or deny it a permit until it received federal clearance.

It never did so.

Asked why the state kept renewing the plant's permits despite it not having the federal environmental clearance, Vivek Yadav, the state boards second-in-command, said they were examining the issue in detail.

Compared with state permits, the federal environmental clearance takes a broader approach: assessing the potential impact of the project on people, their livelihoods and the environment while ensuring that precautions are built in to prevent accidents.

B Sengupta, the former head of anti-pollution agency, said that the state permits only consider pollution, not safety.

The federal clearance looks at those risks, how hazardous materials are being handled and stored, what plans are there to prevent and deal with disasters, he said.
Gallery View: A Virtual Portfolio Review Artists are struggling right now and, yet, art is what is bringing so many of us together as we look for hope, happiness, and comfort during this unprecedented time, said Wallis Annenberg, Chairman, President, and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation.

The Annenberg Space for Photography, the premier destination for photography in Los Angeles, and Photoville, a national public art presenter and the creators of New York Citys foremost photography festival, are announcing a virtual photography portfolio review that pairs professional and emerging photographers with top photo editors, curators, and distinguished photographers for a special evaluation. The series titled Gallery View: A Virtual Portfolio Review is now accepting submissions for review. A Student Portfolio Review Day will also be hosted to provide higher education students the opportunity to participate.

100 professional and emerging photographers will be selected to present a portfolio of their work to two established professionals in the field, including world-renowned photographers Ami Vitale and John Moore, curators Anne Wilkes Tucker, Eve Schillo (LACMA), photo editors Brent Lewis (The New York Times), Whitney Johnson (National Geographic), Bernadette Tuazon (CNN Digital) and other experts, including Annenberg Space for Photography Director Katie Hollander. By bringing together a unique combination of legendary photographers, museum curators, and photo editors, photographers will be given the unique opportunity to exchange ideas about their process, body of work, and careers with the reviewers in a virtual, one-on-one setting.

The Annenberg Space for Photography and Photoville will jointly match the photographers with the expert reviewers, and will make the pairings based on shared interests and subject matter. Categories for submission include editorial, fashion, music, journalism, landscape, portraiture, and conceptual.

Artists are struggling right now and, yet, art is what is bringing so many of us together as we look for hope, happiness, and comfort during this unprecedented time, said Wallis Annenberg, Chairman, President, and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation. Now is an opportune time for photographers to review their work, refine their portfolios, and gain valuable advice from incredible photography experts.

The selected professional photographers will be notified by May 20. The program will be held virtually every Friday starting May 22 at 9 am PST/12 pm EST on Zoom. The Photo Space and Photoville hope that this program will cultivate a much-needed sense of community during this challenging time, while building on the professional skills of photographers. Selected student photographers will be notified by May 26. The programs Student Portfolio Review Day on Thursday, June 18 at 9 am PST/12 pm EST, will allow students and recent graduates from higher education institutions to learn from the most established photographers in the field and discuss opportunities for growth.

Photographers interested in submitting their work for a portfolio review can apply here:

Professional Photographers: https://bit.ly/GalleryView-ProApp

Student Photographers: https://bit.ly/GalleryView-StudentApp

Once selected, photographers will be required to pay a $25 fee to secure their place for reviews with two experts, in addition to having their work shared by the organizers with all 30 reviewers at the end of the program. Student photographers registration fees will be waived.

More information about the program can be found here: https://annenbergphotospace.org/gallery-view-virtual-portfolio-review

Full List of Reviewers:

Aline Smithson (Lenscratch), Ami Vitale (photographer, filmmaker, writer, explorer), Anne Wilkes Tucker (curator and writer), Ashlyn Davis (Houston Center for Photography), Barbara Tannenbaum (Cleveland Museum of Art), Bernadette Tuazon (CNN Digital), Brent Lewis (The New York Times), Drew Sawyer (Brooklyn Museum), Elizabeth Renstrom (The New Yorker), Eve Schillo (LACMA), Jacqueline Bates (The California Sunday Magazine), James Estrin (The New York Times), Janette Beckman (photographer), Jehan Jillani (The Guardian), Jen Sudul Edwards (Mint Museum), John Moore (photographer/Getty Images), Kainaz Amaria (Vox), Kara Milstein (TIME), Katie Hollander (Annenberg Space for Photography), Kwaku Alston (photographer), Legacy Russell (The Studio Museum in Harlem), Lisa Kim (Ford Foundation), Maya Benton (Yale University), Pauline Vermare (Magnum Photos), Rhea Combs (Smithsonian/NMAAHC), Sara Terry (VII Photo/The Aftermath Project), Susan White (Susan White Projects), Thea Traff (TIME), Tracey Woods (photo editor, creative producer & consultant), and Whitney Johnson (National Geographic).

About Annenberg Space for Photography

Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting both digital and print photography in an intimate environment. The space features state-of-the-art, high-definition digital technology, traditional prints by some of the worlds most renowned photographers, and a selection of emerging photographic talents. The venue  an initiative of the Annenberg Foundation and its trustees  is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area, creating a new paradigm in the world of photography.

About Photoville

Photoville is a New York-based non-profit organization that works to promote a wider understanding and increased access to the art of photography for all. Photoville approaches its mission of reaching a wide, diverse audience by producing a free photo festival, activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers and connecting artists to a wider worldwide audience. Devoted to cultivating strategic partnerships and creative collaborations, Photoville works closely with photo festivals, city agencies, nonprofit organizations, and educators to create exhibitions and public art opportunities that showcase compelling, exceptional photography. http://www.photoville.com and http://www.unitedphotoindustries.com
ARUA The Ministry of Health has on Wednesday May 13 officially discharged five Tanzanian Truck drivers from Arua Referral Hospital who tested positive for COVID-19.

The official discharge was presided over by the State Minister for Primary Health Care Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu and a team from the World Health Organisation, the Ministry of Health and of COVID-19 task force officials.

Dr Joyce Moriku said that the truck drivers, who have spent 20 days in the Treatment Centre were discharged after testing negative to subsequent COVID-19 tests.

She said the discharged cured truckers shall remain at the treatment centre until a communication is received from the Embassy of Tanzania to receive and pick them.

Earlier reports indicated that Tanzanias High Commissioner to Uganda would travel to Arua to officially receive the truck drivers for transportation back to home.

But Dr Moriku in her communication echoed that they had made efforts to get in touch with the Tanzanian Embassy officials in vain.

It still remains unclear as to why the Tanzanian Embassy officials failed to turn up and when they are likely to respond still remains unknown.

The RDC Arua Nahori Oya commended the district task force and the medical workers for a good job of ensuring that all the truck drivers recover.

The discharge of the truck drivers brings to 61, the number of recovered Covid-19 patients in Uganda.

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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Vienna, Austria  Wed, May 13, 2020 17:01 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7d0e48 2 World Austria,Germany,border-areas,open-border,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-lockdown,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,novel-coronavirus,virus-corona Free

Austria and Germany plan to open their border in mid-June after it was closed for two months in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the government in Vienna said Wednesday.

"From June 15, the opening of the border between Germany and Austria will be possible," Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger told state radio station O1.

Restrictions on crossing the border will begin to be eased from May 15, enabling business trips and family visits to take place, she added.

The German and Austrian chancellors, Angela Merkel and Sebastian Kurz spoke Tuesday and "agreed on a gradual opening" of the border", the minister said.

Both nations consider they have the virus under control and were among the first in Europe to start lifting the measures taken to halt the spread of the pandemic.

The Austrian government was to examine Wednesday a progressive lifting of restrictions on freedom of movement to and from other border countries including Switzerland, Liechtenstein and eastern nations.

Germany has a warning in force until mid-June against taking foreign holidays.

With the tourism sector reeling, the European Commission was Wednesday set to urge EU countries to gradually reopen shuttered internal borders and to treat each member state according to the same criteria.

This would mean that if Austria opens its border with Germany, it must also open the border with the Czech Republic if that country is in a comparable health situation to Germany.
Deregulation key to helping firms return home



Reshoring has become a buzzword around the world, especially since the coronavirus outbreak began early this year. It means the return of a business' manufacturing operations to its country of origin. The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting companies, which moved their production lines overseas in search of cheap labor and lucrative markets, to go back home.



One of the key reasons for reshoring is the disruption of global supply chains due to the pandemic. Many foreign-invested firms in China have shut down their factories because of lockdowns and border closures caused by the virus which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. It is natural for them to speed up their reshoring to cushion the coronavirus shock and its devastating effect on their business and economy.



Yet the concept of corporate reshoring is anything but new. Even before the public health crisis, some advanced economies encouraged businesses to return home to help create jobs and boost economic growth. For instance in the United States, the Obama administration started the "Remaking America" campaign in 2010 to lure offshore businesses back by providing state subsidies for transfer costs.



President Donald Trump has accelerated the reshoring process to bring American jobs back and boost the economy. He reduced the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, while providing more financial support for returning businesses.



South Korea has also strived to bring overseas Korean-invested firms back to the country, enacting a law for corporate reshoring in 2013. But it has made little progress as only 64 companies have returned since 2014. Most businesses, which shifted their operations overseas, are reluctant to come back due to a lack of incentives.



Against this backdrop, President Moon Jae-in said in a speech marking his third year in office Sunday that his administration will do its best to turn the country into a "world factory of high-tech industries." To that end, he has promised bold strategies to attract foreign high-tech industries and investments and help Korean firms return from abroad. But his promise stops short of concrete plans and support programs. Moon knows better than anyone else why it is difficult to stimulate reshoring.



Most of all, the country cannot provide a better environment for companies to do business here. Since the late 1980s many firms have transferred their production lines to China, Vietnam, Indonesia and other Asian countries to exploit low wages and explore new markets. This exodus has caused the problem of a hollowing-out of manufacturing, making it hard to create new jobs and achieve higher growth. Now a growing number of tech-based firms are moving overseas to avoid regulations in new industries such as self-driving cars, ride-sharing and t elemedicine.



The business environment has continued to deteriorate due to stringent regulations, a shortened workweek and higher wages which soared 32.8 percent during the past three years. It is urgent to push for drastic deregulation to help firms return home and enable the country to take the lead in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Labor market flexibility is also imperative to promote corporate reshoring.


A plastic factory in India where a chemical gas leak killed 12 people and sickened hundreds more last week lacked federal environmental clearance but had been issued state permits to operate anyway

New Delhi: A plastic factory in India where a chemical gas leak killed 12 people and sickened hundreds more last week lacked federal environmental clearance but had been issued state permits to operate anyway, exposing a potentially dangerous enforcement gap in the country's laws.

The owner of the LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh state, South Korean chemicals giant LG Chem, said in a May 2019 affidavit that formed part of an application for the clearance that the company doesnt have a valid environmental clearance substantiating the produced quantity, issued by the competent authority, for continuing operations.

LG Chem spokesman Choi Sang-kyu told The Associated Press that the company had always followed Indian law and had operated the plant based on the guidance of Indian officials, both at the state and federal level. He said the affidavit was a pledge to comply with the law in the future and not an admission of any violations.

Interviews with officials and legal experts indicate that the plant was likely operating in a legal grey area, with the environmental clearance required under federal regulations but the enforcement of those requirements left up to states. While there has been no indication that the lack of such a clearance played a role in the 7 May disaster, experts say the fact that the plant operated for years without one shows how weak environmental laws can be in a nation with many of the world's most polluted cities.

There are many such industries operating without an EC," environmental lawyer Mahesh Chandra Mehta said, adding that it showed authorities were toothless.

LG Polymers is facing charges following the disaster, which involved styrene gas, a neurotoxin, leaking from a storage tank as workers prepared to restart operations idled during Indias coronavirus lockdown. In addition to the dead, more than 1,000 people were sent to hospitals.

Police have charged LG Polymers with culpable homicide, including negligence in handling toxic substances. lndias top environmental court has also asked the company to pay a $6.6 million penalty because of damage to life, public health and environment.

The court is also considering a plea filed by an environmental activist and former federal bureaucrat that raises questions about how state authorities allowed the company to function without federal clearance.

Choi said the company couldnt comment on an ongoing investigation but would cooperate with Indian authorities.

LG Chem bought the plant in 1997 and between then and 2006 it is clear that it needed only state permits to operate, which it had.

Things get murkier after that, however, due to new federal rules that came into force requiring companies in industries including petrochemicals to obtain a federal environmental clearance every time they expanded a plant or changed what they manufactured.

LG Chem expanded its operations at LG Polymers plant five times between 2006 and 2018, but it never received an environmental clearance, according to the May 2019 affidavit.

Choi said when the federal rules changed in 2006, the company consulted with the ministry and was told that no environmental clearance was required. We have been operating the company while abiding environmental regulations even before the laws on environment clearances were made, Choi said.

Environment Secretary CK Mishra told the AP that LG Polymers would not have needed a clearance in 2006, but would have had to apply for environmental clearances going forward to change what they were making or expand capacity.

LG Polymers appears to have never been asked for a federal clearance until 2017, when it approached the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board with plans to start producing engineering plastics at its plant, according to meeting minutes reviewed by AP.

The request was denied and the company was told it would need the federal clearance.

There are no indications, however, that the state told the company to stop operating the plant. T Rajendra Reddy, a member of the state pollution board, said he had no information about any such order.

In 2018, when LG Polymers wanted to expand its manufacturing capacity of polystyrene, a plastic used to make bottles and lids, the company finally applied for its first environmental clearance, documents show. The Environment Ministry flagged the application for review, noting that the company didnt have a clearance for the chemicals it was already manufacturing.

LG Polymers then withdrew the application and instead applied for a retroactive clearance that the Environment Ministry offered companies in 2018 as a one-time amnesty. That application remained pending when the deadly leak occurred.

While we were not required to retroactively apply for an EC, we did apply for the EC under the central government policies and the application is currently under review, Choi said.

Choi said each of the times the company expanded the plant it did so under approval granted by its state permits.

State authorities issue two permits in India -- the first to start a new business and another to run it -- that are required for all industries that could potentially pollute the air or water. The operational permits are renewed every five years.

Mehta, the environmental lawyer, said that each time LG Polymers renewed that permit, the state pollution board, the authority charged with enforcing federal environmental law, had the power to fine the company or deny it a permit until it received federal clearance.

It never did so.

Asked why the state kept renewing the plant's permits despite it not having the federal environmental clearance, Vivek Yadav, the state boards second-in-command, told AP they were examining the issue in detail.

Compared with state permits, the federal environmental clearance takes a broader approach: assessing the potential impact of the project on people, their livelihoods and the environment while ensuring that precautions are built in to prevent accidents.

B Sengupta, the former head of Indias top anti-pollution agency, said that the state permits only consider pollution, not safety. The federal clearance looks at those risks, how hazardous materials are being handled and stored, what plans are there to prevent and deal with disasters, he said.
U S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel today to approve the countrys new coalition government which is due to be sworn in tomorrow.

He was also expected to hold talks with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his new governing partner over controversial plans to annex substantial parts of the West Bank, including most Jewish settlements there and the Jordan Valley.

The proposals are seen as vital for future Israeli security but have caused anger across much of the Arab world.

Landing in Tel Aviv, Mr Pompeo headed to Jerusalem, receiving exemption from Israels two-week quarantine for arrivals due to the pandemic.

Israels annexation proposals have not been discussed by the Palestinian Authority  who have said they reject it anyway.

The plan is seen by President Donald Trump as vital for maintaining the loyalty of the pro-Israeli elements in his support through groups like Aipac  the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee  ahead of Novembers election.

Israeli politicians have struggled to form a government with a parliamentary majority for over 14 months.

A further complication is the indictment of the veteran prime minister, now set to serve his fifth term, who is charged on three counts of bribery, corruption and breach of trust.

The supreme court decided Mr Netanyahu could lead a new government while facing prosecution. His trial is due to open on May 24. The process is expected to last more than a year.

The new government is a grand coalition led by 15 ministers from Mr Netanyahus Likud bloc and 10 or so from the opposition Blue and White group, led by Benny Gantz.

Under the coalition pact, Mr Gantz will take over as prime minister in 18 months. The annexation plan is due to be announced on June 1.
(Bloomberg) -- When President Donald Trump urged Americans last month to LIBERATE VIRGINIA on Twitter, a private Facebook group named Boogaloo Enthusiasts: CORONAPOCALYPSE welcomed the tweet.

Did Trump just call for boogaloo?, one member wrote, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Well, you heard the man! Lets go bois, another responded.

Membership in Facebook groups focused on violent anti-government uprisings in the U.S. has doubled in recent weeks as the coronavirus pandemic has spread and governments impose restrictions aimed at slowing the contagion.

To get their message across, these groups are exploiting loopholes in Facebook anti-violence policies -- using satire, code words and other tactics that mask their motives, according to experts who follow fringe groups on social media. One of the more common such phrases is boogaloo, which can refer to a kind of music but more recently has come to describe a pending civil war.

The boogaloo groups, and other extremist groups deploying similar tactics, pose yet another test for the Menlo Park, California-based social media giant, as it tries to strike a workable balance between allowing free discourse and curbing disinformation or those encouraging violence and law breaking.

Facebooks efforts to fight everything from Covid-19 misinformation to animal trafficking have been made more difficult by the companys push into more private, encrypted communication, which can make some illicit activity almost impossible to detect -- a trade-off that Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said hes willing to accept. And though Facebook has delayed other content moderation to focus on pandemic-related material, Facebook groups have continued to promote fake cures and protests to reopen states that could violate social distancing mandates.

Facebooks challenge has been highlighted by the lockdown protests -- a fringe movement that the boogaloo and other far-right groups have leveraged as a recruiting tool, experts say. Between February and April, the number of boogaloo Facebook groups grew from about 75 to 125, according to an April report by the Tech Transparency Project. Membership doubled to 70,000 in a monthlong period ending in late April, according to the report.

Story continues

The platforms own practices and design create these loopholes that allow disinformation conspiracy theories and radicalizations to exist. What youre seeing with boogaloo is an example of that, said Karen Kornbluh, senior fellow and director at the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund. They are able to pretty clearly violate the terms of service through such simple, obvious strategies, which shows that theres a lot of tightening up that can be done.

Facebook and Instagram updated their violence and incitement policy on May 1 to prohibit the use of boogaloo terms when they are accompanied by statements and images depicting armed violence, according to a spokeswoman. She declined to provide a time frame for when they would fully take effect.

More broadly, Facebook is increasingly removing content connected to organized hate according to a May 12 blog post. The social media company said it removed 4.7 million pieces of such content from January through March -- 3 million more than it had in the preceding quarter.

Facebook is aware that groups try to hide from their detection efforts, which include user flagging, artificial intelligence and human reviewers, the spokeswoman said. For example, the term boogaloo doesnt always refer to civil war -- it also refers to a music genre, which means Facebook has to review boogaloo uses in context, according to the spokeswoman. Its also a wink-wink, nudge-nudge reference to the 1984 breakdancing movie Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo, according to Alice Marwick, an assistant professor of media and technology at the University of North Carolina.

Other Facebook groups attempt to hide by posting images that obscure problematic images or using words that would otherwise flag Facebooks search tools by writing them in other languages, such as using Roman characters for Arabic words, according to another Facebook representative.

A team of 350 people -- including experts in law enforcement, national security and radicalizations -- studies trends in speech related to violence that lead to real-world harm, including how groups use veiled language to hide their activity, the representatives said. Facebook has also commissioned independent research to monitor shifts across the internet in order to crack down on violent content masked by humor or sarcasm, the representatives said.

In response to questions from Bloomberg News, the administrators of a prominent Boogaloo group, Thicc Boog Line, said members use memes, imagery and satire to start conversations about government overreach and to promote radical liberty for all, regardless of race, religion or sexual preference. The group tries to comply with Facebooks terms of service and changes names and terms to spice things up, not to avoid detection, the administrators said.

Satire is art, and while it may not be an art form that is appreciated by everyone it is art nonetheless, they said. If Facebook wants us gone theyll delete our groups. They will give us no explanation, and we wont expect one.

They denied their groups mission group is to encourage violence but pointed out that other boogaloo groups are more extreme in their rhetoric. Some boogaloo groups have been shut down by Facebook, they said, after being infiltrated by white supremacists who spam the group with pornographic images or racists memes to trigger the algorithms.

Far-right groups have used in-the-know jokes to engage in racist banter or lend support to violent anti-government rhetoric, Kornbluh said. Facebook doesnt necessarily check on groups labeled as satire, she said.

For instance, the group called Anti-SJW Pinochets Helicopter Pilot Academy was apparently a smirking reference to the practice of throwing people out of helicopters, called death flights, which has been used by several repressive regimes including that of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. SJW stands for social justice warrior, a term used to mock progressives. The group has promoted white supremacy and sometimes called for violence, Kornbluh said. After Bloomberg News inquired about the group, Facebook removed it for violating its policy on hate speech, a spokeswoman said.

Facebook doesnt adequately look for problematic content in groups, especially private groups, instead relying on its algorithm to catch suspicious activity, according to the Tech Transparency Project. That means administrators of groups are essentially given the role of serving as content moderators. Even when we as the group admins shake our heads at it, it is not our place to censor it, the Thicc Boog Line administrators said.

Of the boogaloo groups, 90% are private, and some frequently change names so they are hard to find, according to the Tech Transparency Project.

Private boogaloo groups contain photos of weapon stockpiles and call for violence against U.S. law enforcement and minority groups, the report said. While members are specific about their instructions for violence, they can avoid setting off the algorithm trained to detect violence by strategically using code words or variations of names and words -- including boog, big igloo and boojihadeen, the experts said.

At a recent lockdown rally in New Hampshire, pamphlets with the slogan liberty or boogaloo were spotted, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. At a rally in Olympia, Washington, last month, an organizer encouraged protesters to wear Hawaiian shirts -- its own form of dog whistle, symbolizing big luau or boogaloo for those in the know, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

(Updates with Facebooks efforts to crack down in paragraph nine.)

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Kansans report technical difficulties on new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance application site KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas Department of Labor went live Tuesday morning with a new application process for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA). Several Kansans told 41 Action News they experienced issues accessing the site Tuesday morning. Kansas City, Kansas, resident Denise Workman said she received an error message while trying to apply for the program.

The promise to fix this ongoing problem have all been in vain . . . Every week locals have to guess if they'll get benefits they've been promised from a system they've paid into all of their lives. Here's today's tragic update on a HISTORIC KANSAS TECH FAIL.Read more:
India has ramped up its Covid-19 testing capacity and is in a position to test one lakh samples every day through its network of state-run and private laboratories.

Health Minister Harshvardhan, during a video conference with Punjab Health Minister B S Sidhu, said India had tested 18.54 lakh samples for Covid-19 as on Wednesday morning and had achieved the capacity to test one lakh samples every day.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

On Tuesday, India had tested 94,708 samples in a single day through its network of 352 state-run and 140 private laboratories.

Harshvardhans remarks came on a day confirmed Covid-19 cases shot up by 3,525 to 74,281 on Wednesday morning and death toll touched 2,415, an increase of 122 in a single day. A DH Covid-19 Tracker put the confirmed cases at 75,684 and the death toll at 2,445 at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

In Punjab, of the 1,914 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 1,225 are persons who returned from Nanded Huzoor Sahib gurdwara in Maharashtra. A total of 4,216 persons had returned from the town in Maharashtra.

Harshvardhan asked the state government to keep up the vigil on 20,521 migrant workers returning to the state.

Across the country, in the past 14 days, the number of cases have doubled every 11 days, and improved to 12.6 in the past three days. The fatality rate is 3.2%, and recovery rate 32.8%, which is better than the many other Covid-19-hit countries. The global fatality rate is around 7-7.5%.

As of Tuesday, 2.75% of active Covid-19 patients were undergoing treatment in intensive care units (ICUs), 0.37% patients were critical and on ventilators, and 1.89% were on oxygen support.

The minister said nine states/UTs  Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram  have not reported any cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. Also, Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases till date.
PHILIPSBURG:---The Government has put together the St. Maarten Stimulus and Relief Plan (SSRP) to deal with the fallout of the closing of the countrys borders and the lockdown since mid-March.

The objective of the SSRP according to the Government is to absorb the economic and social impact caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Businesses that are severely affected will need financial assistance and for those who risk losing their jobs, the creation of a social safety net is essential, the SSRP website says.

There is Direct Support for businesses and individuals who are impacted by the pandemic; Government-Related Liquidity for the Government and Government-owned entities; Additional Healthcare Expenses which is urgent support for healthcare needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chamber has taken note of the published phases of the Economic Re-Opening Plan and would like the general public to know that the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry (COCI) unlike other countries within the Kingdom has not been involved nor consulted for any feedback whatsoever.

In connection with the Governments four-phase Economic Re-Opening Plan that runs from May 11th to June 15th, COCI advises any business that have any objections or concerns with regards to the re-opening timeframe or not being able to open, to also bring these forward to the chamber. COCI advises the importance of making your individual voice heard towards the government and to inform directly how the various sectors are being affected.

Businesses who have already sent their objections to governments or the SSRP are requested to also forward these as well to the Chamber by sending an email to the address below. The Chamber will, in turn, quantify and send one letter to the relevant authorities addressing the situation at hand and request for the proper responses.

Although the Chamber has generally taken the role to facilitate as much as possible the various requests and processes that are ongoing, and have been put in place by government, it is important to remain relevant and as support, to the business community as this is particularly our direct mandate.

COCI would also like to inform the business community if they have any concerns, challenges or complaints related to any other business matters, they can send an email to the chambers virtual helpdesk at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for assistance, Supervisory Board President Benjamin Ortega said on Tuesday on behalf of the board.

The Supervisory Board of the Chamber has also forwarded a letter to the Minister of Finance in connection with the SSRP. Part of the letter reads as follows: The COCI and its members further highly appreciate the governments willingness to provide direct support to eligible businesses and sole proprietors in the form of tax, payroll and/or income support under the Stimulus Plan.

Please note, however, that without the proper legislation being put in place, members of the business community have been expressing growing concerns on several ambiguities within the Stimulus Plan, such as on the legality of the exemptions made in Annex 1 and 2 of the Stimulus Plan; the continuation of the required payroll support in Q3 and Q4 as indicated in the Stimulus Plan, the composition and objectivity of the objection committee, and if  without the proper legislation being implemented  payments can indeed be effectuated lawfully and timely in the week of May 11, 2020.

It is for that reason, that COCI hereby kindly but urgently requests the Government of Sint Maarten to remove all current ambiguities by becoming:

- fully compliant with implementing and publishing the required legislation(s) and corresponding explanatory note(s) to formalize the Stimulus Plan (see, as for example, the legislative process in respect of Tijdelijke subsidieregeling loonkosten en inkomensverlies CN, Stcrt. 2020, 19876).

- fully transparent on any possible difficulties in making payments available to eligible businesses under the Stimulus Plan in the week of May 11, 2020, and update the business community - without further delay - on the status of the legislative process concerning all aspects of the Stimulus Plan.

We await your response and thank you in advance for governments efforts to ensure full compliance and transparency towards the business community, the letter concludes.
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Wewak, Papua New Guinea

Wewak, Papua New Guinea

FAO in Wewak

Wed May 27 2020

2001075

Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

Job Posting: 06/May/2020

Closure Date: 27/May/2020, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, RAP

Job Type: Staff position

Type of Requisition : Professional Project

Grade Level : P-4

Primary Location: Papua New Guinea-Wewak

Duration : Fixed-term: one year with possibility of extension

Post Number : 2007930

CCOG Code : 1A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender and nationality

People with disabilities are protected from any type of discrimination during any stage of employment, including the recruitment phase

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) is responsible for leading FAOs response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of FAOs priority activities in the region. It ensures a multidisciplinary approach to programmes, identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region and, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, develops, promotes and oversees FAOs strategic response to regional priorities. RAP also advises on the incorporation of regional priorities into the Organizations Programme of Work and Budget and implements approved programmes and projects in the region, monitors the level of programme implementation and draws attention to problems and deficiencies. RAP develops and maintains relations with region-wide institutions including the Regional Economic Integration Organizations (REIOs). The Regional Office supports regional policy dialogue on food security, agriculture and rural development issues, facilitates the emergence of regional partnerships, and supports capacity development and resource mobilization for food security, agriculture and rural development in the region.

The post is located in the Wewak, Papua New Guinea.

Reporting Lines

The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer reports to the Programme Coordinator.

Technical Focus

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

Key Results

Development and implementation of coherent, integrated and effective monitoring and evaluation.

Key Functions

Coordinates policy development, including the review and analysis of issues and trends, preparation of evaluations or other research activities and studies;

Leads programme development (including identification of new projects/programmes in the Region) and project formulation processes in accordance with the relevant procedures and in conformity with relevant CPF, regional priorities and Strategic Framework;

Leads mobilization of resources required for technical assistance projects;

Ensures that the provision of scheduled inputs and technical backstopping, conducts consistent quality control and monitors timely execution, in line with project work plans;

Prepares and finalises delivery estimates, pipeline reviews and project related reports (progress and terminal reports);

Provides substantive backstopping to consultative and other meetings, conferences, etc., to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations, etc.

Leads and/or participates in large, complex field missions, including provision of guidance to external consultants, government officials and other parties and drafting mission summaries, etc.

Coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.).

Specific Functions

Coordinates the effective and timely set up of the project M&E framework to ensure Programme progress and delivery monitoring in a consultative manner in the Programme area;

Ensures mainstreaming of M&E in joint work planning and contribute to annual work plan review and planning sessions;

Coordinates the implementation of the detailed baseline study in the Programme area;

Contributes to recruitment of the national team, engagement of service providers and selection of related support services;

Ensures that beneficiaries are selected in a fair and equitable manner and that all subprojects and interventions under the Programme take into account a Framework for Gender Equality Programming;

Develops data collection and assessment methodologies for all relevant elements in the M&E System;

Contributes to the establishment of a Programme Management Information System (MIS) and oversee its implementation;

Contributes to the preparation of the Programme Work Plan(s) of the participating United Nations (UN) Partners and collaborators from an M&E perspective, and to annual work plan review and planning sessions;

Leads the preparation of periodic results reports on the progress of the Programme and ensures timely analysis and dissemination of Programme M&E findings, including reporting on end poverty in all its forms everywhere (SDG1) and Zero Hunger (SDG2) indicators and other requirements of FAOs Hand-in-Hand Initiative;

Supports the engagement with the various parts of the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) and development of innovative and inclusive partnerships with local enterprises/private sector on the three selected value chains;

Develops M&E capacity of Government counterparts, project staff and consultants and mentors, supervises and supports their M&E activities;

Monitors Programme risks and assumptions and contributes to identifying and implementing suitable risk mitigation measures if required;

Ensures that M&E findings are disseminated to all staff and all relevant stakeholders;

Ensures that the results of M&E and lessons learned are fully captured and actioned through feedback loops in improved joint work planning and project communications and reporting;

Proposes measures for fine-tuning of Programme implementation on the basis of M&E findings;

Provides inputs into the Programme Mid-Term Review and Final Evaluation.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Advanced university degree in agriculture/food science, agricultural engineering, economics or a related discipline;

Seven years of relevant experience in agricultural development and/or project planning/formulation/ implementation in the agricultural/food sector;

Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable;

Extent and relevance of experience in programme/project development (including formulation and analysis) and management (implementation and monitoring);

Demonstrated understanding of the purpose and functions of the technical programme, operational guidelines and project/programme management procedures, preferably those adopted by UN or FAO, which would be considered an asset;

Extent and relevance of experience with digital technologies for M&E;

Familiarity with FAO and European Union (EU) Monitoring and Evaluation requirements and processes is considered an asset.

Capacity and experience in partnering with other UN agencies on joint programmes;

Experience in working with/or in government departments, national and international NGOs and UN agencies is highly desirable;

Demonstrated writing and researching skills, computer literacy (statistical packages as SPSS and STATA, Microsoft Office Suite, GIS packages);

Proven experience in designing and implementing M&E systems, knowledge of appropriate data collection methodologies in the agriculture sector, evidence of strong research and analytical skills, and, ideally, in building M&E capacity.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency. GENERAL INFORMATION

FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description. CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries allowances/salary.htm Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:

Dependency allowances

Rental subsidy

Education grant for children

Home leave travel

30 working days of annual leave per year

Pension fund entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

International health insurance; optional life insurance

Disability protection

FAO encourages a positive workplace culture to increase inclusivity and diversity within its workforce. FAO applies measures in which all staff members contribute equally and in full to the work and development of the Organization. This includes:

elements of family-friendly policies

flexible working arrangements

standards of conduct

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications and language skills;

Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile;

Once your profile is completed, please apply and submit your application;

Your application will be screened based on the information provided on your online profile;

Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list;

Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications;

Incomplete applications will not be considered;

Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered;

We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
One more person, hailing from



neighbouring Arumbathpuram village tested positive for the COVID-19, taking the total cases of the infection to four in Puducherry, the health department said on Wednesday.

Secretary to Health Prashant Kumar Panda told reporters here that the 36-year-old patient has since been admitted to the Indira Gandhi government medical College hospital.

The person admitted for coronavirus treatment was a worker in a private industry in Puducherry.

Already the hospital was treating two active cases in addition to the one in Karaikal region.

The official said the rise in cases has come to cause concern to the health authorities and also for the whole of Puducherry.

A necessity has thus arisen for the people to maintain social distancing "very seriously."



Panda said he had noticed during the last few days that people did notadhere to the norms of social distancing, wearing of masks among other things.

JIPMER was already having five patients hailing from nearby Cuddalore district.

"This is a serious case of concern for us," he said.

The Secretary reiterated that the people should download the 'Aarogya Setu' mobile app so that it would help the individuals keep themselves and their families safe.

"Presently the number of people who have patronised the mobile app was not considerable and needs to increase," the Secretary said adding that it would help the health authorities trace the contact.

Already, as many as 4,621 samples have been tested of which 4,513 were found to be negative and results of the other samples were awaited.

He said medical teams comprising doctors, nurses and workers of the ASHA were on door-to-door visits to collect details of the residents in respect of their health status.

Director of Health and Family Welfare Services S Mohan Kumar said the department was collecting details of all the persons who had come in contact with the patient hailing from Arumbathapuram.

"We do not know how this patient had got the infection and all details were being collected."



The Director said when the ongoing lockdown was lifted with sufficient relaxation of curbs all should be careful to keep infection at bay.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least six people were killed in towns near the capital Conakry as protesters demanded an end to the coronavirus lockdown.

Police in Guinea have opened fire on protesters demanding an end to the coronavirus lockdown.

At least six people were killed in towns near the capital Conakry.

Al Jazeeras Sara Khairat reports.
Both Quebec and British Columbia have been considering appealing to private for-profit clinics to deal with the backlog of surgeries that has accumulated because of the pandemic.

In Quebec, a government decree temporarily waived, with strict conditions, the long-standing prohibition against physicians treating both publicly insured as well as out-of-pocket patients, in response to the urgent call for help in long-term care facilities. More recently, we heard that Quebecs specialists are actively negotiating with the government to do what B.C. has already committed to do  send public patients to private clinics for surgeries.

While, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix has stated, extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary measures, opening up the public system to private for-profit care, even if clinics agree to follow the Canada Health Act, in our opinion may do vastly more damage than good, in the short and long run.

Indeed, our research shows that the Canada Health Act, while important, is unsuited to fully protect universal health care within the bigger provinces and across Canada. Far from being a mere fancy, provincial protective measures, including those of B.C. and Quebec, are vital to ensuring the integrity of our public health care systems. These protective measures are being overlooked in the current debate.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, provincial governments have swiftly implemented unprecedented public health measures, with two critical objectives in mind. First, to protect their population and second, to allow health care systems to respond adequately to medical needs as they arise.

It is this second objective that historically motivated B.C., Quebec and most of the larger provinces to introduce two cardinal rules over and above those provided by the Canada Health Act, in order to protect the integrity and capacity of their public systems. These rules, currently put at risk in the midst of the pandemic, are also in danger because of multiple legal challenges in the name of individual rights. They must be better understood for the crucial role they play in reinforcing and protecting public health care systems across the country.

The two protective rules are the prohibition of private insurance for health care and the prohibition against doctors receiving both public and private money for those services. Doctors do have a choice, but they must choose: their work is either paid for by public or by private money; never both.

These rules, which fall within provincial jurisdiction and are not dictated by the Canada Health Act, are meant to reserve the vast majority of material and human resources for the public system, while allowing for a deliberately small marginal private care market of non-enrolled physicians funded from out-of-pocket payments by the few patients who can afford to make that choice.

That is the compromise that our provincial governments had to make to set up and finance the public system, which is a huge and vital endeavour. This compromise has allowed our public systems to serve the Canadian population very well for a long time. In Quebec, until 2005, there were only 100 non-enrolled physicians, taking private payments for care. Today that number has quadrupled, but it still represents less than 2 per cent of active registered physicians in the province.

Hasty pandemic decisions and recent Charter challenges could undermine this historic compromise and ultimately threaten the very integrity of the public system. In the well-known 2005 Chaoulli decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, a slim majority found that Quebecs prohibition of private medical insurance could sometimes deprive some people of a theoretical solution to their access to physicians operating outside the public system.

However, with only 100 such physicians in the whole province, the Supreme Court strongly reaffirmed the rule prohibiting mixed private-public practice as a paramount protective provincial rule. Indeed, they only relaxed the prohibition against private insurance because the prohibition of mixed practice remained in place.

More recently, Dr. Brian Day, owner of the Cambie Surgery Centre, a for-profit surgical clinic in Vancouver, is pushing the demand much further than Dr. Chaoulli had done in Quebec.

Dr. Day is calling, in the name of his patients individual Charter rights, for the wholesale abolition of all legislative restrictions on the full deployment of the private health insurance and health care industries. He is also claiming the right for doctors to practice as they please in both the public system and in private for-profit clinics, which implies that they work part-time in each.

Dr. Days clinic stands to benefit more than B.C.s population from the new policy of mixed practice, as would the three for-profit clinics that are currently under contract by virtue of a pilot program that Quebecs health minister is considering extending in the face of accumulating surgery backlogs. All these clinics receive substantial financial inflows from private patients, but they can only flourish in the long-term through guaranteed public income, which they are eagerly seeking.

There is no doubt that our public systems are currently undergoing extreme stress, in particular due to dire shortages of ancillary health care workers. But what cure is it to the public system to pay for-profit clinics to use public money to out-bid precious health workers away from our public hospitals?

We all recognize the urgency to mend our public systems once the pandemic has receded. Let us not in the meantime be swayed by the illusion of an easy fix, lest we discard the best protection Canadas population has on its side: a strong, intact and well-financed public health care system.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13)  A series of bloody clashes between government forces and communist rebels over the past week resulted in 16 "enemy fatalities," the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Wednesday.

Ten members of the Communist Party of the Philippines' armed wing, the New People's Army, were "neutralized" in a firefight in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental on Sunday, the AFP said in a statement.

The following day, two rebels were killed in an encounter with the 53rd Infantry Battalion in Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur. On May 8, five other guerrillas died in a gun battle with the police and military in Bulan, Sorsogon.

All in all, the AFP report said 16 rebels were killed while two were apprehended and 19 others surrendered from May 4 to 11. Soldiers also recovered 37 high-powered firearms, 10 improvised explosive devices, and 1,262 rounds of assorted ammunition, it added.

The military released its report a day after President Rodrigo Duterte again lashed out at the NPA during a public address on the coronavirus crisis. Duterte offered a reward of up to P2 million for anyone who can provide information that would lead to the arrest of top communist leaders.

CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison said the President's pronouncement would lead to "fake surrenders and fake encounters," claiming this had happened in the past when Duterte's "armed minions [would] manufacture more NPA commanders so that they will receive the cash reward."

The CPP-NPA ended its 36-day ceasefire on April 30 after the government did not extend its own unilateral truce. This is despite the United Nations' call for global ceasefire so all states can focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rebels have been fighting for over five decades in one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies.
Around 100 stranded non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the United States, who were stranded in Jalandhar, SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr), Moga and Khanna boarded multiple buses from a pick-up point in Ludhiana for Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, to fly back home on Wednesday.

Seven Volvo buses were arranged by the United States (US) embassy to ferry the NRIs from Bhai Bala Chowk, Ludhiana, to the Delhi airport. Each bus carried around 15 passengers.

A huge rush was witnessed at the bus pick-up point as the NRIs accompanied by their family members reached at the pick-up point in their cars and taxis.

Officials from the US embassy checked the passports and other documents before allowing passengers to board the buses.

Harmail Singh, 50, of Littran village in Jalandhar was here with his father Davinder Singh,71, to travel back to Fresno, California. Harmail said they had come to their village on February 29 for some work and were to fly back to the US on March 23, but their flight was cancelled due to the lockdown and since then they had been stuck here.

I also missed the opportunity to fly back home last month when the US Embassy had started special flights to evacuate their citizens from India. Later on April 11, I applied to the embassy, which sent an email asking to report here at Park Plaza near Bhai Bala Chowk, he said, adding that he was happy as he will get to see his family after nearly two-and-half-months.

Gurpinder Kaur,36, who was also travelling to California, said she had come to SBS Nagar in mid-March and was supposed to stay in India for a month. I am glad the Indian government and the US embassy made this arrangement to send us back home, she said.
On the eve of her government's budget, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned New Zealand is about to experience 'a very tough winter'.

New Zealanders will exit a 51-day lockdown on Thursday after Ms Ardern's government agreed to lift restrictions that had kept Kiwis inside their households and business on ice.

On the same day, they will understand the economic carnage that COVID-19 has delivered as Finance Minister Grant Robertson reveals the state of the government's books.

Scroll down for video

Jacinda Ardern (left, with Finance Minister Grant Robertson) announced the relaxing of measures ahead of the release of economic data that is expected to show the biggest fall in economic activity since the Great Depression

New Zealand reported zero new cases of coronavirus on Monday and Tuesday, marking the fourth time in the last week that the figure has been zero as it prepares to relax more measures

Unprecedented stimulus spending, including $NZ11 billion ($A10.3 billion) to keep Kiwis in jobs will also bring a bumper deficit.

The government has already warned it has scrapped its previous priorities, including commitments for low-carbon economic transition and wellbeing, to deliver a back-to-basics budget.

But that won't mean across-the-board cuts, or a dreaded austerity approach.

'We believe when times are hard, you don't cut. You invest,' Ms Ardern said.

'A relentless focus on jobs, economy and businesses is what's required now for the wellbeing of all New Zealanders.

'The notion that at this time of need we would make cuts to the essential services so many New Zealanders need more than ever is not only immoral, it is economically wrong.

'By investing we will create jobs and get the economy moving again. Just as a rising tide lifts all boats, a growing economy supports us all and allows us to bring the government books back into the black.'

From midnight almost all retail businesses including restaurants will be allowed to reopen, and gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed (pictured, a shuttered bar in Christchurch)

The government has highlighted unemployment as its benchmark indicator, with the budget to unveil a follow-up measure to the wage subsidy scheme as well as industry-specific support packages for tourism and other parts of the economy.

Mr Robertson, who has already unveiled more than $NZ4.2 billion ($A3.9 billion) in additional health spending, says Thursday's budget won't be the end of the government's response to COVID-19, referring to it as one part of a 'rolling maul of support'.

'It will very much be a budget of two halves ... it will look a bit different,' he said.

'One half will be about normal cost pressures that we have identified to run our government,' he said.

'The other half will be about our response, our recovery and our rebuild from COVID-19.'

Ms Ardern foreshadowed a sobering set of numbers.

'New Zealand is about to enter a very tough winter,' she said.

'But every winter is followed by spring, and if we make the right choices we can get New Zealanders back to work and our economy moving again quickly.'
The Indian government on Wednesday submitted further documents as 'corroboratory evidence' in its case of fraud and money laundering against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who is contesting his extradition to India at an ongoing hearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court in London

London: The Indian government on Wednesday submitted further documents as "corroboratory evidence" in its case of fraud and money laundering against fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, who is contesting his extradition to India at an ongoing hearing in Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.

District Judge Samuel Goozee expressed his concern at the late submission of the documents, said to include largely bank statements relating to the diamond merchants companies, but has agreed to consider the application for their submission.

"I am going to need a very good explanation as to why these were not identified as evidence before," he said.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing in court on behalf of the Indian authorities, said while it was not necessary for the judge to see the new evidence, the documents "help clarify matters" and "back up what is already said" on the charge against Modi of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) by deceitfully obtaining letters of undertaking (LoUs), or bank guarantees, and then laundering the proceeds through a complex set of worldwide transactions using dummy companies.

But Modi's defence team has raised objections to the late submission as a "very troubling" and "highly contentious" move.

"Our case seems to have become a stress test for the government of India and for them to provide random pieces of evidence," said Modis barrister Clare Montgomery.

The third day of the five-day extradition trial, being held in a partly remote setting, was disrupted a few times as the link to the courts common viewing platform (CVP) faced some technical issues.

It was finally stabilised for two defence witnesses to give their evidence via videolink  Thierry Fritsch, a high-end French jewellery expert, and Justice Abhay Thipsay from India.

Fritsch, who had served on the Advisory Board of Nirav Modis company for three years since 2015, vouched for Modi's "integrity" and skills as a great entrepreneur and a creative person, who was passionate about establishing the first international brand of luxury jewellery out of India.

"I was totally impressed with the craftsmanship at the workshop (in India). It was the best quality I could see anywhere in the world," he said.

While his evidence was countered by the CPS as Fritsch being involved with only one aspect of the Nirav Modi brand, Justice Thipsay's witness statement on the legal nuances under Indian law around the inadmissibility of the some of the police statements, as well as the definition of deception under Indian law, was also challenged.

The 49-year-old jeweller has been following the court proceedings via videolink from a room at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London, where he has been lodged since his arrest in March last year.

Dressed in formals, he can be seen listening carefully and occasionally making notes as he refers to papers on a desk.

Modi has made repeated attempts at bail over the past year, each of which were turned down as he is deemed a flight risk.

The jeweller was arrested on March 19, 2019, on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard and will be the subject of a second hearing in September when the two additional charges of "causing the disappearance of evidence" and intimidating witnesses or criminal intimidation to cause death are to be heard.

The judge has said that both the cases are "inextricably linked" and therefore the judgment will be handed down only at the end of both hearings.
Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities - badly battered by the COVID-19 outbreak - made progress toward receiving a major financial aid package Tuesday as the state Senate voted 50-0 to allocate $507 million in Pennsylvanias share of federal CARES funding to support their operations.

The bill, which now goes to the state House of Representatives, also contains $31 million for one-time grants to volunteer fire and ambulance companies.

The proposed appropriations are the result of legislative negotiations with the Wolf Administration. While the broad parameters of the funding are believed to be agreed to, sources said the House may seek to add some more specific language on how the money is driven out to individual facilities and programs when it takes up the bill.

Gov. Tom Wolfs Press Secretary Lyndsay Kensinger voiced support Tuesday night, saying: The administration has been working with the legislature to determine the best way to allocate the CARES Act funding and were supportive of directing resources to these providers to assist their efforts in providing critical care to their communities.

Pennsylvania has nearly 700 nursing homes with approximately 80,000 residents, and more than 1,200 licensed personal care homes serving approximately 46,500 residents. As of Tuesday, Pennsylvania reported 12,130 cases of COVID-19 inside 540 long-term care facilities. More than 2,600 residents have died.

Pennsylvania is one of 14 states where more than half of all COVID-related deaths occurred with nursing homes residents, and its rate is fourth-highest in the nation.

Those numbers have variously attributed to the realities that long-term care patients are among the highest-risk patients for any disease outbreak, that many nursing homes were not adequately equipped or prepared to handle an outbreak like this, and that the Wolf Administration didnt move aggressively enough to respond to the growing problems in these settings.

Earlier Tuesday, the administration announced it was preparing to launch a new testing program that will see many more long-term care resident and staffer routinely tested for the coronavirus.

According to guidance released by the state Health Department Tuesday, officials are recommending widespread testing at any facilities with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 to detect potential carriers among residents or staff that could spark an outbreak. At facilities with no confirmed cases, they recommend testing 20% of staff and residents weekly.

This outbreak has been called a war, and for good reason. If this is a war, then undoubtedly Pennsylvanias nursing homes, long-term care facilities and senior citizens services are the frontline of the battle," Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, said in a statement released after Tuesdays vote.

He said he hoped the funding will help them meet one aspect of their challenges, and give families of residents a little more peace of mind in the process.

The $507 million allocated in Senate Bill 1122 would be allocated as follows: Nursing homes assisted living centers and personal care homes  $295 million; Personal assistance services  $140 million; Community HealthChoices managed care organizations  $50 million; Adult day and home health care services  $21 million; Residential habilitation  $1 million.

Adam Marles, president and CEO of LeadingAge PA, the trade association representing some 360 non-profit institutions, said the money will help tremendously" in the fight to stop COVID-19 outbreaks, including helping homes to hire more personnel, personal protective equipment and other resources.

As for the $31 million allocated for fire and EMS companies, Corman noted it is intended to help replace funds lost when community fundraising efforts and non-emergency transports by EMS companies were basically eliminated by COVID-19.

Unfortunately, many companies across Pennsylvania were financially struggling even before the outbreak. This grant program provides funding to allow Pennsylvanias first responders to continue to answer the call when needed and keep their communities safe.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the "Company" or "Group Ten") is pleased to announce 2019 soil geochemistry results from the Boulder and Wild West target areas of the Company's flagship Stillwater West Platinum Group Element ("PGE")-Ni-Cu project in Montana, USA.

This is the fourth in a series of planned news releases to report results of 2019 exploration programs which focused on the advancement of drill-defined mineralized zones at five priority target areas. Subsequent news releases will report results from geological mapping and sampling programs completed in 2019, plus ongoing modelling work, and rhodium assays from drill and field samples.

Highlights of the 2019 soil survey results include:

Identification of four new, kilometer-scale areas of highly elevated palladium, platinum, gold, nickel, and copper in soil with precious metal values up to 1.16 g/t Pt, 0.46 g/t Pd, and 0.47 g/t Au in soil;

The new soil anomalies - Boulder, Blakely, Pegmatoid Ridge and Gold Ridge - are associated with and proximal to conductive high anomalies identified in electromagnetic ("EM") geophysical surveys;

Similar coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies are demonstrated in the more advanced areas of the Stillwater West project, with drill-defined mineralized zones; and

Work in 2019 resulted in a significant expansion of the gold potential of the Wild West target area with both the Pegmatoid Ridge and Gold Ridge anomalies returning highly anomalous gold in soil results up to two kilometers away from drill-defined high-grade gold mineralization at the Pine Shear Zone target.

Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, "The results of the 2019 soil survey are compelling for two reasons. First, we have significantly expanded the known extent of mineralization and identified four robust new targets in the Boulder and Wild West target areas, with high levels of palladium, platinum, gold, nickel, and copper in soils suggesting a strongly mineralized system. These new soil anomalies, proximal to conductive high anomalies shown in geophysical surveys, are made even more compelling by their similarity with our most advanced target areas where we are now advancing drill-defined mineralized zones towards maiden resources. Second, two of these new anomalies show high levels of gold in soil, expanding the gold potential of the Wild West target area by up to two kilometers from drill-defined high-grade gold mineralization at the Pine Shear Zone. We look forward to reporting additional results from our 2019 program in the coming weeks, along with our exploration plans for 2020."

FIGURE 1 - Main Target Areas Across the 25-Kilometer Width of the Stillwater West Project

2019 Soil Survey

The 2019 soil survey completes coverage at the Pine Shear Zone and extends west across the Boulder and Wild West target areas, covering a total of eight square kilometers (see Figures 1, 2, and 3). It is contiguous with earlier soil surveys compiled by Group Ten (first reported January 10, 2018), resulting in combined coverage that extends over 20 kilometers strike length across the project. A total of 1,316 soil samples were collected at 25 meter sample spacing and 200 meter line spacing across the ultramafic and basal series of the Stillwater Complex. Soil geochemistry has been demonstrated to be a highly effective exploration tool in the Stillwater district because mineralization starts at or near surface.

The Boulder and Wild West Target Areas

The Boulder and Wild West target areas are two of the eight multi-kilometer-scale target areas that have been identified as having potential for large-scale deposits of nickel and copper sulphide enriched in palladium, platinum, gold and cobalt (see Figure 1). Both are defined by multi-kilometer-scale conductive high anomalies (Figure 4) and have known mineralization reported in geological sampling and mapping results and limited drilling to date. Mineralization at the Boulder and Wild West target areas sits stratigraphically below the world-class J-M Reef deposit along what is believed to be the same stratigraphic horizons as those that host the advanced stage bulk tonnage targets at Group Ten's Chrome Mountain, Camp, and Iron Mountain target areas. The J-M Reef deposit is now being mined by Sibanye-Stillwater at three locations, adjacent to the Stillwater West project1.

Exploration work in the Boulder and Wild West target areas has focused on the southeastern edge of the conductor at the Pine Shear Zone where 22 drill holes targeted high-grade gold and PGE mineralization along with nickel, copper, and cobalt. These holes inform the Company's developing block model in the area, which is one of the five priority targets with drill-defined mineralized zones being advanced towards formal mineral resources by Group Ten at Stillwater West. Highlight drill results from 1983 at the Pine Shear Zone include:

16.94 g/t 3E (16.19 g/t Au, 0.24 g/t Pt, 0.50 g/t Pd) over 7.98 meters in hole PC-5; and

31.02 g/t 3E (28.7 g/t Au, 1.06 g/t Pt, 1.27 g/t Pd) over 2.6 meters in hole PC-2

Mineralization at the Pine Shear Zone occurs in a gold- and PGE-enriched, structurally controlled shear zone hosted within chromite-rich ultramafic stratigraphy. Rock sampling by Group Ten in 2018 returned palladium grades of over 10 g/t and gold results up to 21.8 g/t at the Pine Shear Zone. More detail on these target areas is available in the Company's January 25, 2019 news release.

2019 Survey Results

The 2019 soil survey successfully completed coverage of the Pine Shear Zone target in order to further refine the target for follow-up drilling. Results from the 2019 soil survey also defined four new kilometer-scale areas of highly elevated palladium, platinum, gold, nickel, and copper in soils (see Figures 2 to 5):

Boulder: 1.2-kilometer-long soil anomaly which is coincident with a conductive high geophysical anomaly. Very limited past work in the area includes drill hole BR-2 from 1979 which reported three intervals grading between 0.42% to 1.5% combined nickel plus copper but were not assayed for PGE or gold values, and 0.57% combined nickel and copper, plus 0.117% cobalt, in a rock sample;

1.2-kilometer-long soil anomaly which is coincident with a conductive high geophysical anomaly. Very limited past work in the area includes drill hole BR-2 from 1979 which reported three intervals grading between 0.42% to 1.5% combined nickel plus copper but were not assayed for PGE or gold values, and 0.57% combined nickel and copper, plus 0.117% cobalt, in a rock sample; Blakely: 1.0-kilometer-long soil anomaly which is proximal to a conductive high geophysical anomaly. Multiple rock samples in the area returned values up to 5 g/t PtEq;

1.0-kilometer-long soil anomaly which is proximal to a conductive high geophysical anomaly. Multiple rock samples in the area returned values up to 5 g/t PtEq; Pegmatoid Ridge: Approximately one square kilometer soil anomaly which is coincident with a conductive high geophysical anomaly. In addition to elevated palladium, platinum, nickel and copper in soils, Pegmatoid Ridge returned very high gold results of up to 500 ppb Au in soil approximately two kilometers northwest of drill-defined high-grade gold at the Pine Shear Zone; and

Approximately one square kilometer soil anomaly which is coincident with a conductive high geophysical anomaly. In addition to elevated palladium, platinum, nickel and copper in soils, Pegmatoid Ridge returned very high gold results of up to 500 ppb Au in soil approximately two kilometers northwest of drill-defined high-grade gold at the Pine Shear Zone; and Gold Ridge: 1.5-kilometer-long soil anomaly which is proximal to a conductive high geophysical anomaly and contiguous to the east with the Pine Shear Zone. Like Pegmatoid Ridge, Gold Ridge returned high gold in soil results in 2019. Rock chip sampling in 2018 returned values up to 11.53 g/t 3E (as 1.24 g/t Pt, 10.05 g/t Pd, and 0.23 g/t Au) in the ultramafic series.

These soil anomalies indicate a robust mineralized system and provide exciting new targets in the Boulder and Wild West target areas, which are early stage outside of the more advanced Pine Shear Zone target. The new targets are believed to occupy the same stratigraphic horizons, and with a similar footprint - coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies with confirmation of target mineralization in rock and limited drill results - as seen at more advanced target areas where Group Ten has confirmed significant, drill-defined "Platreef-style" PGE-Ni-Cu mineralization. The Company will further explore these new palladium, platinum, gold, nickel, and copper targets in subsequent campaigns.

Group Ten will also follow-up high-grade gold mineralization in the Wild West target area, which expanded from the Pine Shear Zone to include Pegmatoid Ridge and Gold Ridge as a result of the 2019 survey. Additional results from these target areas are pending.

Upcoming News and Events

Group Ten is pleased to announce that it will be presenting at the Metals Investor Forum in an online webinar format on Thursday May 14, 2020. Interested parties are invited to register or learn more here.

About Stillwater West

The Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu project positions Group Ten as the second largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's Stillwater, East Boulder, and Blitz platinum group elements ("PGE") mines in south central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex, while the lower part of the Stillwater Complex also shows the potential for much larger scale disseminated and high-sulphide PGE-Ni-Cu deposits, possibly similar to Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Group Ten's Stillwater West property covers the lower part of the Stillwater Complex along with the Picket Pin PGE Reef-type deposit in the upper portion, and includes extensive historic data, including soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and historic drilling.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company's core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project in the Rainy River district of northwest Ontario and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum's Wellgreen deposit in Canada's Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfields assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry's highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon's high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon's Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry's leading explorer/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company's projects.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director

Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790

Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

2004 drilling was conducted by Group Ten's QP while working for Premium Exploration. 1983 drill results (PC series holes) are considered historic and have not been independently verified by Group Ten.

Assay data for drillhole BR-2 was obtained graphically from a 1979 Anaconda Copper Company map by G.F. Willis and J. Bielak.

Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten 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 or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.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: Group Ten Metals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589652/Group-Ten-Discovers-Four-New-Kilometer-Scale-Palladium-Platinum-Gold-Nickel-and-Copper-Soil-Anomalies-in-the-Boulder-and-Wild-West-Target-Areas-Stillwater-West-Project-USA
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday denied that he attempted during a videotaped Cabinet meeting last month to shield his relatives and friends from federal police investigations.

Hours before Bolsonaro issued the denial, the two-hour video of the meeting was reviewed by prosecutors, police investigators, lawyers and government officials.

The existence of the video emerged after former Justice Minister Sergio Moro last month accused Bolsonaro of seeking to interfere with Brazilian federal police investigations in Rio de Janeiro during that Cabinet meeting. Bolsonaro, his family members and friends have extensive business interests in Rio.

Moro, hailed by many Brazilians as an anti-corruption hero, has told investigators that Bolsonaro threatened to fire him during the Cabinet meeting if he failed to make changes in the top ranks of Brazils federal police and in its Rio division.

Also read: Bolsonaro fires Brazils health minister, calls to reopen economy

While Bolsonaro claimed the video did not prove the allegations, Moros lawyer, Rodrigo Sanchez Rios, said in a statement that he was among those invited to watch it and that the contents proved his clients allegations.

The developments are important because Bolsonaro is trying to avoid allegations of misconduct that could lead to him being suspended from office for a trial before the countrys Supreme Court or impeached in Congress.

Former President Dilma Rousseff, a nemesis of Bolsonaros, was impeached and removed from office in 2016. The far-right Bolsonaro, who has lost support in Brazils congress in recent months, insists he will not meet a similar fate.

Speaking to reporters after the video was viewed, Bolsonaro said he never meant to imply that he planned to interfere in police investigations, but that he was concerned about family members safety in Rio. He was stabbed during a 2018 presidential campaign appearance.

The safety of my family is one thing. I am not and I was never worried about the federal police, Bolsonaro said. The federal police never investigated anyone of my family, that does not exist in the video.

He added that the tape of the meeting should have been destroyed and accused journalists of being misinformed about the gathering.

After Moro resigned, Bolsonaro replaced the head of the federal police and the chief of its Rio division. Supporters of the president have protested against Supreme Court justices and the former justice minister.
Dr. Dan Holtzclaw Offers Complimentary Dental Impant Consultations for Austin, TX I didnt even have much pain afterward at all. Its incredible. It will change your life immensely.

Austin Dental Implant Center offers complimentary consultations for dental implant procedures to those with damaged or missing teeth in Austin, TX. This practice offers care from some of the most experienced dental implant specialists in the world. Even those with the complex missing teeth cases have an increased chance of eligibility for permanent tooth replacement at Austin Dental Implant Center, and can confirm what treatments are available to them in a consultation at no cost.

Completing thousands of dental implant placements every year, the Austin Dental Implant Center doctors are highly skilled and experienced. The practice features an in-house laboratory full of world-class Zirkonzahn technology and a team of doctors that specialize in each aspect of the dental implant procedure, so patients can receive their entire treatment under one roof, and often in just one appointment.

Because of their expertise in implantology, the doctors at Austin Dental Implant Center offer dental implant procedures that require extremely advanced skill and experience, rare to most doctors in the industry. The practice is one of few in the nation to offer zygomatic dental implants, and one of even fewer to provide pterygoid dental implants for patients with severe bone loss. They also have designed their own patented full mouth dental implant procedure, DIAsmile.

With DIAsmile, patients are able to replace an entire mouth of missing teeth with just one appointment. The DIAsmile treatment includes surgery, sedation, prosthetic restoration, and even extra implant posts, if needed, at no additional cost. With DIAsmile, patients receive a complete, beautiful smile in one day, restoring their confidence and their ability to eat and speak clearly without discomfort.

I had both arches done in the same day, so I didnt have to come back for another procedure, says Travis, a Austin Dental Implant Center patient who received full mouth dental implants. I didnt even have much pain afterward at all. Its incredible. It will change your life immensely.

Those with failing or missing teeth who are interested in receiving one of the cutting-edge dental implant procedures available at Austin Dental Implant Center are invited to come in for a cost-free consultation. To schedule an appointment, call 512-375-0050 or visit http://www.austindentalimplantcenter.com.

About the Practice

Austin Dental Implant Center was founded by Dr. Dan Holtzclaw, one of the worlds leading authorities on full arch immediately loaded dental implant treatment. Using experience from thousands of dental implant procedures, Dr. Holtzclaw pioneered the DIAsmile implant teeth-in-a-day treatment concept, which allows patients to receive a new dental implant smile in just one day. With an in-house laboratory utilizing world-class Zirkonzahn technology, staff oral surgeons, staff prosthodontists, and experienced dental technicians, Austin Dental Implant Center is able to provide industry leading dental implant treatment in one convenient location, eliminating the need for patients to travel to multiple offices, as is required with most traditional dental offices. To learn more about the Austin Dental Implant Center advantage visit http://www.austindentalimplantcenter.com or call 512-375-0050.
One of Europes key liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers, Nigeria, has seen demand for its cargoes in Europe crater in the coronavirus pandemic as buyers defer deliveries.

Now, Nigerias LNG is idling on tankers that serve as floating storage, analysts tell Bloomberg.

Over the past two months, Nigeria continued to send LNG cargoes to one of its main markets, Europe, but with many major European economies in lockdown, demand has plunged, and customers with options to defer have been postponing the offloading of the cargoes. This has created a fleet of tankers carrying LNG that are now just floating storage, according to commodity tracking firm Kpler, cited by Bloomberg.

LNG prices at their lowest in years have forced traders to keep LNG on the tankers, waiting for demand to improve.

But prices are not set to improve in the summer, according to Manas Satapathy, managing director for energy at Accenture.

The worst is yet to come, we will likely see super low prices in late June, July, August, Satapathy told Bloomberg.

The crash in LNG demand in Europe during the pandemic and the high storage levels will likely mean that the continent will struggle to act as a sponge to absorb excess LNG supply this year as it did in 2019, Rystad Energy said in an analysis last week.

Last year, Europe became the de facto global LNG sink, when milder winter in Northeast Asia slowed down LNG demand growth there, the energy research firm said. In 2019, Europes total LNG imports surged by 80 percent compared to 2018, while in January and February 2020  before the European lockdowns and when the coronavirus hit Asia  Europes LNG imports jumped 35 percent, thanks to the UK, Spain, and Belgium.

We still dont have an end date for when Europe will completely re-emerge from lockdown, and the impact will probably be deeper coming into the summer months. With gas storage tanks already almost filled to the brim, Europes capacity to import and actually use the same amount of LNG as in 2019 seems like a tall order, especially if we see another mild winter, Rystad Energy said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Two soldiers with the Mexican National Guard were wounded in an armed confrontation reported Monday night in south Nuevo Laredo, authorities said.

Mexican troops came under fire when patrolling along Bulevar Luis Donaldo Colosio, off of Colonia Benito Juarez. There, two Guardsmen were injured with bullet fragments as a result of the shooting, officials said.
Six junior officers of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) have been promoted for their dedication to duty, particularly in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).



Five of the promoted officers, who are serving under the Northern Regional Immigration Command (NRIC), on May 3, this year, rejected a GH1,900 bribe offered them by 19 Burkinabes to be allowed entry into the country.



The sixth officer has been promoted for putting his life on the line while pursuing smugglers at the Hamile Border Post where he had been deployed for Operation Conquered Fist, sustaining gunshot wounds as a result, and was airlifted by the Ghana Air Force to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra for medical attention.



The promotion, which took effect from May 8, this year, is in accordance with Regulation 17(1) (d) of the Immigration Service Regulations of 2016, L.I. 2245.



The six officers are to be decorated with the new ranks at their commands.



Bribery rejection



The five officers who turned down the bribe are Assistant Inspector Lukman Tea Salifu, Immigration Control Officer (ICO) Christian Kobla Kekeli Zilevu, ICO Robert Ahiatrogah and Assistant Immigration Control Officers Grade II (AICO II) Eric Kobby Kpogo and Isaac Armah.



The officers turned down a bribe offer of GH100 from each of the passengers and arrested the Burkinabes.



ICO Marfo



The GIS said ICO Marfo of the Kasoa District Command was, on March 22, 2020, shot by some unidentified men while on duty at the Hamile Border Post as part of the personnel deployed to various border posts for the Operation Conquered Fist.



ICO Marfo, the service said, while on night duty with the patrol team, spotted some people trying to leave the country through the Hamile Border and stopped them for questioning.



Not satisfied with the responses from the men, the patrol team tried to arrest them for trying to smuggle fuel out of the country, but another group of armed suspected smugglers arrived on the scene and began firing shots, one of which wounded ICO Marfo.



He was rushed to the Emergency Unit of the St Theresas Hospital in Nandom for initial treatment and later airlifted by the Ghana Air Force to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra for further medical attention.



ICO Marfo was currently in a stable condition, the GIS said.

Source: Daily Graphic









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

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ALBANY  A new state directive requiring twice-a-week testing of nursing home and adult care employees for coronavirus has some in the industry wondering how theyll pay for such a large undertaking and whether its possible in the first place.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the new mandate on Sunday, noting that the goal is to catch cases of the virus before they have a chance to spread among these extremely vulnerable populations. But nursing homes and industry representatives contend twice-a-week testing goes beyond what is feasible and, in some cases, useful.

We support testing of staff, we just want it to make sense, said Jim Clyne, president and CEO of LeadingAge New York, which represents non-profit and county-owned nursing homes statewide.

The mandate would more than triple the number of daily tests being done statewide, he said, from roughly 25,000 a day to more than 90,000. With an estimated 149,000 nursing home employees and 36,000 adult care facility employees statewide, the number of tests being performed on employees each week would average 370,000, he said.

That kind of increase would be laudable, Clyne argues, but seemingly out of reach for many facilities his group represents. It also goes beyond the once-a-week testing of employees recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said.

Elder care facilities were told Tuesday that the states Wadsworth Laboratory is busy with priority testing of specimens, including those from nursing home residents, and that they would need to contract with private state-approved laboratories or local hospitals to get the required testing done, according to a Frequently Asked Questions document issued by the state.

Clyne said facilities were also told they could use the state-run test sites to meet the requirement, but said this would be a hardship since those sites are only available in 15 counties. Additionally, requiring staff to complete testing outside their place of employment could pose a logistical challenge to employees.

In rural Washington County, where the closet state-run test site is 50 miles away at the University at Albany, the leaders of Fort Hudson Nursing Center in Fort Edward wrote a letter to the community Monday expressing concerns about their ability to meet the mandate.

We are currently evaluating the existing capacity through the county sites, as well as through primary care centers, Fort Hudson CEO Andrew Cruikshank and Administrator Amanda Waite wrote. As Fort Hudson alone would account for 600 tests +/- week, it is highly unlikely that existing systems would support the requirements of this directive.

On Wednesday, Cuomo said the state would help nursing homes get tests "if they can't get them."

In some cases, counties that have established supply chains are stepping up to try and help their local facilities, however.

At the Pine Haven nursing home in Columbia County, which suffered a deadly coronavirus outbreak earlier this spring, administrators were told the county would try to help out with test kits where it could, according to Elizabeth Groat, admissions and marketing director for the home.

They dont have a lot, but they said if we get in a jam with having to test our employees they can help, she said.

It will be a heavy burden to bear, she added, noting that the facility has 130 employees whod have to undergo testing.

Theres also concern about turnaround time, and whether the significant expansion in testing would create a backlog at the labs that analyze the nasal (and sometimes throat) swabs.

Even now it takes multiple days for tests to come back, Groat said. So you could see, before the tests come back, youre already having to test again.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy expressed a similar sentiment Tuesday.

Its something were going to have a hard time meeting, he said.

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

Mary Fran Wachunas, public health director for Rensselaer County, which has had a number of outbreaks at local nursing facilities, said the county was told it could only submit 100 specimens a day to Wadsworth for testing and analysis. While the use of private labs would increase capacity, she said, shes concerned that backlogs will be inevitable.

Facilities are also concerned about the cost of the new testing mandate.

The state did not directly respond to a question about who would pay for the tests, which includes the test kit supplies and the cost to analyze the specimens in a lab. The state Department of Health referred the Times Union to remarks made by the governor Wednesday during a visit to the North Country region.

At that briefing, Cuomo said the test will be no cost to the employees but did not say that facilities will be exempt. The FAQ document issued to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities Tuesday said facilities will be responsible for the cost of employee testing, though it noted that workers may be able to access the state-run testing sites for free.

Laboratories that conduct COVID-19 tests have quoted nursing home administrators anywhere from $50 a test to $360 a test, Clyne said, with the average quote coming in around $120.

Say its $120, he said. The weekly cost of this mandate would be about $44 million a week.

Approximately 20 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in New York have occurred inside nursing homes and adult care facilities, and that's not counting the number of residents who became infected in homes but died at the hospital.

The Cuomo administration has come under fire for a March 25 directive that some say may have fueled nursing home outbreaks. The directive told nursing homes they can't deny admission or readmission to residents solely on the basis of a COVID-19 diagnosis, and also said they couldn't require such residents to be tested before being admitted. The governor later clarified that homes were only required to take COVID patients if they had the capabilities to care for them.

On Sunday, the governor announced he would issue an executive order barring hospitals from discharging patients into nursing homes unless the patients test negative for COVID-19 first.

On Wednesday, he explained his rationale for frequent employee testing further.

I know many people are not happy that we said nursing home staff has to be tested twice a week, he said. This is the most vulnerable population. And if you only test once a week, let's say the test is on Monday. That means somebody can get infected Tuesday and go to work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and infect people. So, twice a week is not that dramatic ... And yes, it is an inconvenience, it's a pain in the neck ... But I think, look, we have to be able to say we did everything we can. Right? We have to look at that death number every day ... The only way you put your head on the pillow at night is you say, I did everything I could."
The lack of physical visits to prevent Covid-19 entering the prison system has resulted in a sharp drop in the quantity of drugs getting into our jails.

Despite rigorous scanning and searches of prison visitors, drugs were still finding their way into jails via family members and associates before the coronavirus hit.

The Irish Prison Service implemented a video visiting system last month to help keep Covid-19 out of jails, leading to a noticeable increase in people trying to throw contraband over the walls of prisons.

Nets

These "throwovers" tend to be unsuccessful because the material is caught on nets over prison yards and confiscated before getting to inmates.

The Irish Prison Service said the drop in the quantity of drugs in prisons had resulted in fewer instances of erratic behaviour among certain inmates.

"Stopping the physical visits has also meant that pressure on visitors to bring drugs into the jails has also ceased," it added.

Meanwhile, a new system whereby families of prisoners can send money to their jailed relative from an An Post office has been announced.

Under normal circumstances a relative can give money to a prisoner during a visit so they can buy items like toiletries, cigarettes, newspapers and sweets from the prison tuck shop.

But with visits now stopped, the Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service had to think of an alternative.

The service allows a prisoner's family to pay money at the counter in any one of An Post's 950 post offices for the benefit of their relative in prison who can then spend the money.

The service is private and confidential, the destination of the transaction being masked.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (L) shakes hands with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters after her speech during the 2018 budget presentation at Parliament on May 17, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

New Zealand Deputy PM Defends Support for Taiwan After Chinese Regime Criticism

New Zealands Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has defended his support of Taiwan joining the World Health Organisations (WHO) next meeting on May 18 and 19 after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) criticised him for it.

Peters, who is also New Zealands foreign affairs minister, told 1News on May 11 that Taiwans expertise at dealing with the CCP virus (commonly known as novel coronavirus) would be helpful to the rest of the world.

Taiwan has been a standout society435 cases and only four deathsand theyre not going into relapse like China and South Korea are, said Peters.

Responding to questions about Peters comments, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on May 11 that New Zealand was in a direct violation of its one-China policy which was the fundamental underpinning of its relations with New Zealand.

Singling out Peters, Zhao said that support for Taiwan was a political manipulation and asked that certain people in New Zealand stop spreading rumours and creating trouble that he said would undermine its bilateral relationship.

Zhao accused Taiwan of taking advantage of the pandemic to seek Taiwan independence. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) views the autonomous island as one of its provinces.

Peters dismissed the regimes remarks noting that Chinas relationship with New Zealand is an equal one and New Zealand has the ability to, in this friendship, nevertheless disagree.

Pointing to the New Zealand governments previous record of protesting the French pacific nuclear tests Peters said, We didnt back off our responsibility to our neighbourhood and, dare I say, to humanity, he said.

We have got to stand up for ourselves, Peters continued.

Its really impossible to understand why, in the interest of helping the international community that we wouldnt try to find out why it happened, how it happened, so we can do all we can internationally to ensure it doesnt happen again, said Peters.

Peters had originally flagged the move on May 5 when he told the New Zealand Herald that he had personally supported the idea of Taiwan joining the WHO for 30 years.

In the interests of international health, you want every country in an international organisation designed to improve the worlds health. Its just logic, Peters said.

New Zealands 1News also reported that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had said that New Zealand would still recognise the one-China policy. However, the call for Taiwan to re-join the WHO was to learn from their pandemic response.

Its about being able to gather that knowledge, but it fundamentally does not change our policy with regards to one-China, Ardern said.

New Zealands bilateral ties with the communist regime are based on the one-China policy which stipulates that there is only one sovereign state of China, not two; with those being the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) also known as Taiwan.

The CCP has previously used the one-China policy to stop countries from formally recognising Taiwan, and from participating in international organisations like WHO.
TEL AVIV, Israel, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvo Groupa private company commercializing INVU, an FDA-cleared, prescription-initiated, remote pregnancy monitoring platform, announced a collaborative partnership with the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center to create first-in-kind data-driven solutions to assist providers delivering personalized pregnancy care, drawing from a large pool of decisions and outcomes to create individualized recommendations.

Under the agreement, Nuvo has been granted access to Hadassah's large database of rich medical records including pre- and post-natal clinical information for more than 50,000 subjects. Nuvo and Hadassah will initially collaborate on the development of proprietary clinical decision support systems that can be integrated into the INVU platform, with the potential to deliver alerts and relevant analytics, improve patient outcomes, and safely lower healthcare costs. Researchers at Hadassah, Nuvo's partner, published results of a retrospective study evaluating the feasibility of a personalized real-time machine-learning model to accurately predict the clinical decision of whether to perform a Cesarean section or not, and found the model to be accurate.

One of the most critical challenges facing pregnancy care in the United States is the continued shortfall of pregnancy care providers. According to the March of Dimes, nearly half the counties in the U.S. do not have a single Ob-Gyn and 55 percent are without a nurse midwife. Furthermore, obstetrics as a medical field can require the contribution of multiple medical specialties, such as cardiology or psychiatry, which can create added workflow to coordinate across a healthcare system. Recognizing these challenges, Nuvo intends to expand into additional collaborations as necessary to develop a proprietary pregnancy population management solution where providers and payers can leverage predictive pathways based on a variety of data inputs to provide more personalized management plans to mothers for a spectrum of pregnancy events.

"This agreement with Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center is a strategic move that positions Nuvo for future growth by laying the groundwork to bring solutions to payers and health systems that help them address the growing complexities of pregnancy care in the 21st century, whether it's the movement toward distributed care or the declining numbers and accessibility of pregnancy care providers," said Oren Oz, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Nuvo Group. "This is a natural step in extracting the full potential value of the INVU platform. Providers and payers could benefit from the integration of decision support designed to improve outcomes for mothers, workflow burdens for care providers, and costs for payers. This is a particularly strong opportunity for Nuvo to offer value, as our INVU platform will enable Nuvo to develop decision support tools based on unique, proprietary data."

Simcha Yagel, MD, FAIUM, Head of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Centers in Jerusalem, said, "We are extremely pleased to partner with Nuvo as they work to deliver cutting-edge yet simple solutions which have the potential to make a significant impact on the future of pregnancy care."

About Nuvo Group

Nuvo Group is committed to serving providers and expectant mothers by advancing pregnancy care with new technology, tools, and practices. The INVU platform combines proprietary hardware, for high fidelity data collection, with innovative software solutions powered by AI tools to optimize the pregnancy care experience on a global scale. INVU has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. FDA for maternal and fetal heart rate monitoring. INVU is not yet cleared for remote monitoring of uterine activity in the United States and is limited to investigational use for this purpose. Company leadership is comprised of dedicated data engineers, experienced medical and business professionals, software designers, and proud parents who embrace a collective mission to give every life a better beginning.

For more information and complete indications, contraindications, warning, and precautions along with instructions for use, visit: www.nuvocares.com

SOURCE Nuvo Group

Related Links

http://www.nuvocares.com


Update 7pm Following the discovery of a body this evening the missing person search for 32-year-old Joseph Savage has been stood down.

Gardai have said no further action is required and in a brief statement this evening thanked the public for their assistance in the matter.
A man was knifed to death during a brawl in broad daylight on a busy central London street in Southwark yesterday afternoon - 30 minutes before four men were injured in a car crash and stabbing four miles away.

Emergency services were called to Great Dover Street at 5.28pm to reports of men fighting, according to Metropolitan Police.

When police arrived, a man was found with stab injuries and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were called to Lombard Road in Battersea shortly afterwards, at 6pm, to reports of a man with a knife and a car collision into a wall.

A man was knifed to death during a brawl in broad daylight on a busy central London street in Southwark yesterday afternoon. Pictured: Police and a forensic tent at the scene

A picture posted to Twitter, above, shows police attending the scene on Great Dover Street at 5:28pm yesterday afternoon, after being called to reports of men fighting

Two men were found with injuries that are thought to be non-life-threatening, one with cuts to arms and another with cuts to his legs, and both were taken to hospital.

An investigation led officers to Vicarage Crescent, where another two men were found with injuries, believed to have been caused by a bladed weapon.

All four men at hospital, aged in their 20s, have been arrested with detectives working to 'establish the full circumstances', said police.

London Ambulance and London's Air Ambulance had earlier attended the scene of a fatal stabbing in Southwark.

The victim is yet to be formally identified and a post-mortem examination is due to take place.

In a statement on its website, police said an 'urgent' investigation has been launched and a 'number of people' have been arrested.

LONDON MURDERS 2020 Where the 43 murders across the capital this year have happened William Algar, 53, Jan-03, Barnes

Takieddine Boudhane, 30, Jan-03, Finsbury Park

Krasimir Kartikov, 60, Jan-13, Croydon

Harinder Kumar, 22, Jan-19, Seven Kings

Narinder Singh, 26, Jan-19, Seven Kings

Baljit Singh, 34, Jan-19, Seven Kings

Tahereh Pirali-Dashti, 40, Jan-20, Barnet

Beverley Denahy, 61, Jan-22, Chingford

Unnamed man, 60s, Jan-24, Clapton

Louis Johnson, 16, Jan-27, Croydon

Eraj Seifi, 46, Jan-29, Queens Park

Unnamed man, 33, Feb-12, North Finchley

James Dowdell, 54, Feb-17, Chelsea

Sundeep Ghuman, 36, Feb-18, Thamesmead

Lennox Nigel Alcendor, 42, Feb-21, Cricklewood

Li-Qing Wang, 35, Feb-25, Waltham Forest

Tyler Roye, 24, Feb-26, Croydon

Archie Beston, 19, Feb-29, Kingston

Asante Campbell, 24, Feb-29, Hendon

Shanur Ahmed, 16, Mar-03, Newham

Ricardo Fuller, 24, Mar-07, Ilford

Vanita Nowell, 68, Mar-08, Southwark

Damani Mauge, 17, Mar-08, Croydon

Cameron Murfitt, 18, Mar-15, Greenwich

Tracey Kidd, 57, Mar-17, Hackney

Shadika Mohsin Patel, 40, Mar-19, Newham

Abdullahi Mahmoud, 29, Mar-19, Enfield

Stefan Melnyk, 54, Mar-22, Acton

Kelly Stewart, 41, Mar-26, Barking

Tomas Macionis, 35, Mar-31, Walthamstow

Sonia Teresa Burton Calvi, 56, Apr-01, Stockwell

Edgar Aguilera Daza, 59, Apr-01, Stockwell

Maryan Ismail, 57, Apr-06, Edmonton

Ralph Gibson, 42, Apr-15, Putney

Denise Michelle Keane-Barnett-Simmons, 26, Apr-16, Brent

Jay John, 27, Apr-25, Hackney

Baljit Singh, 37, Apr-25, Hayes

Pavinya Nithiyakumar, 1, Apr-26, Ilford

Nigish Nithiyakumar, 3, Apr-26, Ilford

David Gomoh, 24, Apr-26, Newham

Anthony Rooks, 79, May-04, Holloway

Yonas Haile, 32, May-05, Hammersmith

Man, 19, May-13, Southwark



Police and forensic officers on Great Dover Street yesterday afternoon. When police arrived, a man was found with stab injuries and pronounced dead at the scene

Cordons are in place at 'several locations' in the area, according to Metropolitan Police. A Section 60 order has also been imposed in the area to help prevent further violence

The two incidents in Battersea are believed to be linked, but it is not clear if they are connected to the stabbing in Southwark.

MPS Southwark tweeted: 'Police investigate fatal stabbing in Southwark. A Section 60 order has been authorised and a number of arrests made.'

A Section 60 order has also been imposed in the area to prevent a further outbreak of serious violence.

Police pictured at the scene on Great Dover Street, as a police cordon remains in police with forensic officers seen working around the crime scene near Borough Station

The order is used by police to help them carry out stop and search - a tactic which aids them to remove weapons from the streets.

Metropolitan Police added: 'Cordons are in place at several locations in the area.

'A Section 60 order has been authorised and police will be conducting additional patrols.

'Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, ref CAD 5269.

'To remain anonymous please contact Crimestoppers.'
ABN AMRO reports net loss of EUR 395 million in Q1 2020

Net loss marked by high impairments due to Covid-19, oil prices and market developments

Supporting clients in response to Covid-19 crisis; several measures implemented

Services maintained through digital offering and video banking while working from home

Strong operational performance; net interest income held up well and fees were up

Costs were lower, benefiting from continued cost management

Strong capital position; CET1 ratio of 17.3% under Basel III and around 14% under Basel IV

Review underway to ensure we deliver on our strategic pillars; update after the summer

Priorities include navigating Covid-19 crisis, CIB review and AML activities

Robert Swaak, CEO, comments:

"Covid-19 is first and foremost a crisis of personal health, but it is also having a significant impact on the economy. In line with our purpose 'Banking for better, for generations to come', we are supporting our clients wherever possible. Our strategic investments in IT and digital services in the past years have enabled us to continue serving clients without interruption. We are in close dialogue with our clients and have been implementing several support measures, including automatic deferral of interest and principal payments.

At the FY 2019 results, we announced a review of Corporate & Institutional Banking's (CIB) activities. Although in the past few years some progress has been made in improving returns, this has not resulted in the required profitability. Also, the risk profile of parts of CIB is not fully aligned with that of the bank. The ongoing CIB review is a short-term priority for me and we will share the outcome in August.

My priorities in the coming period, in addition to the CIB review, are to navigate the Covid-19 crisis and to focus on anti-money laundering activities (AML). In addition, we will review our strategy to ensure we deliver on our three strategic pillars going forward and will provide an update after the summer, also addressing operational efficiency, financial targets and capital.

Impairments were very high (EUR 1.1 billion) due to two exceptional client files and significant upfront collective provisioning for sectors immediately impacted by Covid-19 and oil prices. As a result, we reported a net loss of EUR 395 million over the first quarter. Net interest income held up in the current environment, fees were higher and costs were lower, benefiting from continued cost management. The resulting ROE was a disappointing -8.7% and the cost/income ratio was 67.6%. Our capital position remains strong, with a Basel III CET1 ratio of 17.3% and a Basel IV CET1 ratio of around 14%, comfortably above the regulatory minimum requirements.

It is a challenging, yet exciting time to start as the CEO of ABN AMRO. ABN AMRO is a well-recognised player in Dutch society, with a strong brand and a solid capital and liquidity position. The bank has strong fundamentals and the priorities we need to address are clear. Building on our strategy and strong market positions, I am determined to deliver results in the years to come."

Key figures and indicators

(in EUR millions) Q1 2020 Q1 2019 Change Q4 2019 Change Operating income 1,924 2,081 -8% 2,101 -8% Operating expenses 1,300 1,327 -2% 1,384 -6% Operating result 624 754 -17% 717 -13% Impairment charges on financial instruments 1,111 102 314 Income tax expenses -92 174 87 Profit/(loss) for the period -395 478 316 Cost/income ratio 67.6% 63.8% 65.9% Return on average Equity -8.7% 9.2% 6.0% CET1 ratio 17.3% 18.0% 18.1%





ABN AMRO Press Office

Jarco de Swart

Senior press officer

pressrelations@nl.abnamro.com (mailto:pressrelations@nl.abnamro.com)

+31 20 6288900 ABN AMRO Investor Relations

Dies Donker

Head of Investor Relations investorrelations@nl.abnamro.com (mailto:investorrelations@nl.abnamro.com)

+31 20 6282282









This press release is published by ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and contains inside information within the meaning of article 7 (1) to (4) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (Market Abuse Regulation)

Attachment
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal notes the need to remove price restrictions on organized segments of the electric energy market.

"It is necessary to continue the reform, to provide [RER] the opportunity to enter the market of bilateral agreements by law. It is necessary to balance the market, and remove those price caps that are currently hindering and yielding a loss to individual enterprises of the industry," the head of government said a sitting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Utilities Tuesday night.
WASHINGTONAt Provident Behavioural Health in St. Louis, people who called the helpline at the beginning of the pandemic were fearful, even panicked.

Nearly everyone expressed fear. Fear of catching the virus, fear of the future, fear of the unknown and fear of not knowing how to cope with their feelings, said Jessica Vance, who manages the Disaster Distress Helpline at Provident.

Now peoples calls and texts, which have levelled off in the past couple of weeks, are more about their isolation and depression.

Nationwide, mental health call and text centres, the first lines of defence for many people feeling jittery during a crisis, offer an early picture of how Americans are coping with the coronavirus pandemic.

Many crisis centres are reporting 30 per cent to 40 per cent increases in the number of people seeking help. The helpline at Provident is experiencing a tenfold increase compared with this time last year, when no national disaster was occurring. So far, the nations most heavily used helpline, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, has not seen a spike in call volume.

But mental health experts predict an avalanche of mental health needs as the pandemic progresses.

Ultimately, the psychological impact of the pandemic will harm far more people than the virus itself. And the widespread emotional trauma its evoking will be long lasting, experts say. Already, more than four in 10 Americans say that stress related to the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health, according to an April poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Theres no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic will be the most psychologically toxic disaster in anyones lifetime, said George Everly, who teaches disaster mental health and human resilience at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

This pandemic is a disaster of uncertainty, he explained, and the greater the uncertainty surrounding a disaster, the greater the psychological casualties.

Based on Americans reactions to previous disasters, the emotional phases people can be expected to go through are predictable, Everly said. But how many weeks or months those phases will last, I cant tell you.

For now, starting the third month of the crisis, a sense of shared experience and a felt need to stay strong and fight a common enemy may be keeping many people from emotional collapse and suicide.

But as time wears on, more extreme psychological effects of the pandemics widespread trauma can be expected to surface, said Jerry Reed, senior vice president at the Education Development Center and member of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.

When the pandemic wanes and most Americans return to work and school, disillusionment, depression and despair will likely arise for some people, Reed said. Thats when we could see an increase in suicides.

But thats only if we fail to prepare. We know that suicide is preventable, he said. Lets take advantage of the time we have now and try to get ahead of the curve rather than waiting.

More than 47,000 people in the United States died by suicide in 2017, making it the 10th-leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The same year, 1.4 million adults attempted suicide and 10.6 million reported seriously considering suicide, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The suicide rate in the United States has risen 30 per cent since 2000, with the highest prevalence among middle-aged white men. At the same time, deaths from drug overdoses and alcohol abuse have risen sharply, resulting in a decrease in American life expectancy for three consecutive years.

This rise in what are called deaths of despair, social scientists say, is caused by worsening economic conditions and social isolation in much of the nation over the past two decades.

Last week, a mental health advocacy non-profit released an analysis predicting that the massive job losses resulting from the economic shutdown during the pandemic, compounded by increased social isolation, could lead to an even sharper increase in deaths of despair.

The coronavirus pandemic, which has killed about 79,000 Americans, could lead to another 75,000 deaths from alcohol and drug misuse and suicide, the analysis projected.

National disasters in the past have resulted in higher suicide rates in the months and years after the initial crisis. But its too soon to know whether this pandemic already is causing more suicides. National data on the cause of deaths is collected by the CDC from state death certificates and lags two years behind.

Mental health advocates say that despite Congress approving trillions in emergency COVID-19-related funding, it has not allocated enough to shore up the nations failing mental health system.

Last month, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sent states a total of $110 million (U.S.) for crisis intervention services, mental and substance use disorder treatment, and other related recovery supports for Americans affected by the pandemic.

Even before the pandemic, there was a shortage of mental health providers and limited access to residential care, leaving many Americans, especially rural residents, without access to needed care.

According to the National Council for Behavioural Health and the American Academy of Addiction Medicine, an additional $38.5 billion is needed to keep community behavioural health centres operating when the pandemic subsides.

After shuttering during the pandemic and furloughing staff, many such centres wont have the money to reopen, much less provide additional capacity for the anticipated surge in demand.

On top of that, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and a dozen other mental health advocacy organizations called for $10 billion to support national mental health and suicide crisis lines and other crisis response centres.

Roughly 11.2 million Americans, including many who are homeless or in prisons, live with serious mental illness. They are the most vulnerable to the psychological effects of the pandemic, said Dawn Brown, who runs a crisis call line for NAMI.

But during this pandemic, she said, even people who have never experienced a mental disorder are beginning to feel many of the same symptoms as people with serious mental illness. Some callers are saying theyre having panic attacks, some report short emotional fuses, and others say theyre unable to get out of bed in the morning. The good news is we know how to treat those symptoms, Brown said.

People who may have been able to manage their depression through exercise, or keep their anxiety in check with meditation, are finding thats no longer enough, she said.

Some who call the NAMI Helpline are referred to online or telephonic therapy services, which are readily available and often free. Others may need medication as well, she said.

When you call the NAMI helpline, counsellors first listen to your story and validate what youre going through. Then they recommend resources to help you manage your symptoms.

Brown said people who need urgent help managing their feelings should call NAMIs helpline, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or other local and national crisis centres. The trained professionals who answer those lines can refer callers to local mental health services and other valuable resources.

For those who just need to vent, dozens of so-called warmlines are available in most states, where peer support specialists who have experienced mental illness are available to talk.

Text lines also are available for people who prefer to communicate that way, or are seeking greater privacy while quarantined with roommates and family members.

Read more about:
Nigerian media personality Daddy Freeze has replied to the president of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina, who stated that their cure for the COVID 19 is being downplayed and scorned because it is from Africa.

Madagascar revealed to the world that they have created a herb-like cure for the virus and have cured so many people with the virus in the country but still they are being scorned.

Read Also: Refund Tithes So Your Members Can Eat  Daddy Freeze Tells Pastors

Responding to this, Freeez said;

Advertisement

Baba show working for your remedy and stop playing the pity card.



Where is the result of your peer testing and review in a controlled environment???



How did you arrive at this remedy in such a short timeframe?



Answer these questions scientifically and no one can scorn you! ~FRZ
SBI: Officials of Interior Ministry's main service center, migration service may be involved in leaking of Ukrainians' personal data, investigation launched

The State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) has launched a pretrial investigation into the leak of personal data of Ukrainian citizens and their dissemination on one of the anonymous Telegram channels.

"According to preliminary data, officials of the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and the State Migration Service may be involved in the leakage of personal data," the press service of the SBI says.

The pretrial investigation was launched on abuse of duties or power by law enforcement officers that entailed serious consequences and on illegal sale or dissemination of sensitive information stored on computers, in automated systems, computer networks or on data storage devices that caused serious damage committed in collusion with a group of people (Part 3 of Article 356 and Part 2 of Article 361-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

As reported, the National Police of Ukraine discovered the leak of personal data of Ukrainian citizens in an anonymous Telegram channel.

The unlawfully disclosed personal data is a compilation from the databases of various government departments and non-governmental organizations over various periods of previous years and is not related to the launch of the state-run Diia mobile application, it said.

The work of the resource that illegally disseminated personal data of citizens has been blocked.
Reopening schools is among the safest things that can be done in the next few months, the Taoiseach has said.

His comments came as the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said children were not substantially contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in their households or in schools.

Hiqa published summaries investigating the international evidence on immunity and the spread of the virus by children.

Read our evidence summary on the potential for children to contribute to transmission of SARS-CoV-2. https://t.co/lMo8kZCQgB #COVID19  HIQA (@HIQA) May 13, 2020

It said that, while evidence was limited, children were not significant contributors to the spread.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris spoke with Dr Mike Ryan of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday about the Hiqa report.

Speaking in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said Dr Ryan was of the view that the emerging evidence is that among the safest things that we can do over the next couple of months, is to reopen our schools, to reopen our childcare facilities to allow children to return to education and return to normal life.

Schools and childcare facilities have been closed since March but he hinted that schools could open ahead of September in light of the new evidence.

A message from @DrMikeRyan of the World Health Organisation after the Taoiseach, the Chief Medical Officer and myself met with him today. Worth a listen #Covid19 https://t.co/II4rLOdKbl  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 13, 2020

I think it wouldnt be a good reflection on us, as a society, for us to be the last people who are able to reopen our schools and reopen our childcare facilities, he said.

We need to make sure we do it safely and work with the education sector and the childcare sector to make sure that its possible, but it is encouraging that there is growing evidence that those who are at least risk from the virus are children, young people  they dont appear to be super-spreaders, and I think that is very significant.

Commenting on the report, Hiqa deputy chief executive Dr Mairin Ryan said: One study suggests that, while there is high transmission of Covid-19 among adults aged 25 years or older, transmission is lower in younger people, particularly in those under 14 years of age.

An Australian study that examined potential spread from 18 confirmed (nine students and nine staff) cases to over 800 close contacts in 15 different schools found that no teacher or staff member contracted Covid-19 from any of the initial school cases.

One child from a primary school and one child from a high school may have contracted Covid-19 from the initial cases at their schools.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

Trend:

The collaboration of grandfather of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with the Nazis is a disgrace for Armenia, Azerbaijani Political Scientist Fikrat Sadikhov told Trend.

Pashinyan presents himself as a democrat. But the situation reveals the essence of Pashinyan, showing the world that this is not what it is. Firstly, the unveiling of a six-meter monument to the executioner Nzhdeh in the center of Yerevan indicates that the country is promoting fascism. Despite protests, this monument has still not been demolished. Secondly, Pashinyans grandfather fought alongside Nazis against the Soviet Union. The hands of this executioner are stained with blood, Sadikhov stressed.

He noted that the presence of a Nazi-collaborating grandfather, a monument to Garegin Nzhdeh in the center of Yerevan, as well as liberal attitude towards the glorification of Nazi servants - all together eloquently characterize the Armenian prime minister.

If there are still at least five sober-minded people in Armenia, they must express their protest to Pashinyan. And, I think that the protests have already begun. Political forces are already uniting against Pashinyan, Sadikhov emphasized.
[May 13, 2020] Korber Launches Free Solution for Supply Chain Resiliency and Safety in Light of COVID-19

HAMBURG, Germany, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Korber, the global supply chain technology leader from software to materials handling automation, today announces the availability of Korber InSight Contact Tracer to mitigate and handle the impact of coronavirus in distribution operations. Contact Tracer tracks the locations of people, devices, orders and the corresponding use of equipment throughout the warehouse  protecting workers and operations. "We're in unprecedented times due to COVID-19," said Sean Elliott, chief technology officer for Korber Supply Chain  Software. "Now more than ever businesses need a partner that understands their unique supply chain complexities. At Korber, we're first and foremost your ally, creating highly-tailored solutions to meet your needs today and beyond. This includes advanced software solutions to assess risk for your supply chain and staff and helping you continue to meet consumer demands." More products, suppliers, distribution channels and heightening consumer expectations already make supply chains more complex by the day. Combine this with supply chain continuity in light of the recent pandemic, this complexity increases exponentially. Contact Tracer overcomes this. Contact Tracer uniquely works with data from the warehouse management system (WMS) to monitor the potential movement of coronavirus. This can be adjusted per each company's unique needs. Examples include tracking the cycle f events and locations of an employee, devices (headsets, scanners, radios), equipment (pallet jacks, clamp truck, forklifts, carts) and inbound and outbound orders throughout the warehouse  narrowed to a specific timeframe. Additionally, companies have the insights to inform customers about any possible exposure to the contents of their orders.



Previously requiring extensive manual research of hundreds of interactions, supply chain professionals can now instantly assess who, what, when and where is potentially impacted. The result is a simplified means to detect direct and indirect exposure to coronavirus and determine low to high-risk scenarios for warehouse products and people. The Korber Business Area Supply Chain is part of the international technology group Korber. This consists of Aberle, Aberle Software, Cirrus Logistics, Cohesio Group, Consoveyo, DMLogic, HighJump, inconso, Otimis, Langhammer, Riantics and Voiteq. Korber is home to more than 2,300 professionals and nearly 100 strategic partners across the globe dedicated to advancing supply chains. With 30+ years of experience, Korber already has proven success with thousands of companies worldwide.

Contact Tracer is now available for Korber Warehouse Management Systems worldwide.  End  About the Korber Business Area Supply Chain Supply chains are growing more complex by the day. Korber uniquely provides a broad range of proven, end-to-end supply chain solutions fitting any business size, strategy or appetite for growth. Capable of delivering not just software, but automation, voice, robotics, and materials handling  plus the expertise to tie it all together. We are a global partner not just for today, but also as the needs of supply chains continue to evolve. Conquer supply chain complexity  with Korber. The Business Area Supply Chain is part of the global technology group Korber. Find out more on www.koerber-supplychain.com Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200513/2802538-1 SOURCE Korber

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The Supreme Court is holding two weeks of arguments by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic, hearing cases about President Donald Trump's tax records, contraceptive care mandates and religious education disputes, with audio available live to audiences around the world.

The court has heard five days of arguments that had been postponed because of the coronavirus. Wednesday is the final day. Decisions are expected by early summer.

Some observations, trivia and analysis from our Supreme Court reporters (all times local): 8 a.m. Wednesday is final day for telephone arguments at the Supreme Court.

Two cases center on presidential electors and whether they must support the popular vote winners in their states or can opt for someone else.

The voting issue could have important consequences for the 2020 presidential election in an era of intense political polarization. So-called faithless electors have not been critical to the outcome of a presidential election, but that could change in a contest with a razor-thin margin.

In 1915, Oregon became the first state to require presidential electors to pledge to support the nominee of the electors' party. Today, 32 states and Washington, D.C., have laws restricting electors' votes. But 19 of those states and D.C. don't attach specific consequences to breaking the law.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One of the many hints that a person is COVID-19 positive is losing the sense of taste and smell. Because of this, health experts believe that COVID-19 is affecting the nervous system. Physicians have also documented neurological symptoms in a significant number of COVID-19 patients.

Some patients reported headaches, dizziness, and other minor symptoms, while other patients have had more serious problems like confusion and impaired movement. Some even had seizures and strokes.

Loss of smell and taste

The reports about what the patients go through have been circulating on message boards that are used by physicians, and they are just now making their way into the scientific literature that can be viewed by the public. No one knows how widespread neurological symptoms are, nor the extent to which they contribute to the overall clinical picture for COVID-19.

Another mystery is whether COVID-19 can attack the nervous system of the patient by directly by infecting neurons or cause neurological symptoms indirectly, by triggering rampant inflammation or blood clotting.

According to Samuel Pleasure, a neuroscientist and neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco said that there are critical questions about the extent of the COVID-19 symptoms. For a small number of patients, neurological symptoms seem to be the earliest or even the only indicator of infection. But for other patients, lingering or post-infection neurological problems could complicate recovery.

Reports of lost smell and taste have been circulating for months. In one of the first journal articles on the subject, Carol Yan, a rhinologist at the University of California, San Diego and her colleagues describe results from an online survey of 262 patients in the UCSD hospital system. More than 2/3 of those who tested positive for COVID-19 experienced loss of smell and taste.

Also Read: Video of Inmates from California Jail Shows Them Deliberately Trying to Contract the Coronavirus

The deficits were not subtle, but fortunately, patients seem to get their sense of smell and taste back as soon as they get better. The team reported in the International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology. The reports have prompted several medical associations for nose, ear and throat specialist to issue statements urging physicians to consider anosmia as a screening tool for COVID-19 and advise people who experience a loss of smell or taste to consider self-isolating.

Yan speculates that the presence of anosmia could be a clue to how the COVID-19 might progress. She also noted that most patients in her study had mild cases of COVID-19, and most were not hospitalized and none required a ventilator.

Neurological symptoms

There are also reports of other neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patients that have emerged from France, China, and elsewhere. In one of the first studies, doctors in Wuhan reported in JAMA Neurology that 214 patients that were hospitalized between mid-January and mid-February experienced neurological symptoms that ranged from headaches and dizziness to movement difficulties, impaired consciousness, and seizures.

The role of COVID-19 in the said symptoms remains an open question, especially for critically ill patients who are likely to have low oxygen levels or preexisting conditions that could cause the same symptoms. Pleasure said that the kinds of symptoms that were more common in the more severe patients could be happening in part because the patients are so sick and not because they are diagnosed with COVID-19.

Related Article: Pregnant Women are Not at High Risk of Being Hospitalized with Severe COVID-19, Study Finds

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As the COVID-19 epidemic drags on, and unemployment rises, online equity trading platforms are seeing a surge in use and new sign-ups. The Robinhood app saw Q1 deposits increase by 300% year-over-year, while the popular social trading app eToro saw a 220% growth in trading use. The demographic breakdown of the new online traders makes a more interesting story, however. Data from the Wealthsimple Trade platform shows that 55% of new users are under age 35.

The migration of Millennials to online trading should not come as a surprise. Jeff Bishop, founder of Raging Bull Trading, notes, A lot of people are at home and have got more time on their hands. And many, unfortunately, have lost their jobs and are looking for new opportunities. Bishop goes on to add that, Younger investors are looking for ways to recoup their money. Theyre really interested in low, beat-up stocks.

With this in mind, weve delved into three top choices of Millennial traders, according to Robinhood, and found a profile that makes sense young investors seeking to build a lifetime portfolio: blue chip stalwarts, facing tough times now, but holding strong niches. Using TipRanks Stock Comparison tool, we lined up the three alongside each other to get the lowdown on what the near-term holds for these beat-up stocks.

Boeing Company (BA)

The coronavirus epidemic, with the lockdowns, shutdowns, and travel restrictions governments have put in place to combat the spread, could not have come at a worse time for Boeing. The aircraft manufacturer was already facing serious difficulty, due to the 13-month long grounding of the 737-MAX 8, the most popular model of its most popular commercial airliner. Continuing production lines on other commercial jets and strong sales of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter were only partially compensating for the losses in the MAX 8 program.

The travel restriction put in place against COVID-19 pandemic are a bigger blow. Air travel is deeply depressed, and airlines are cutting routes, mothballing aircraft, and furloughing workers  and that has now trickled back to Boeing. The company saw Q4 losses of $2.33 per share when the MAX 8 did not reenter production, and in Q1, with coronavirus in full swing, saw additional losses of $1.70 per share. Despite recording $16.9 billion in Q1 revenue, Boeing was in the red by $641 million. The company is now considering cutting the work rolls by 10%.

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But Millennial investors are moving into BA shares. At first glance, it is hard to see why. While the overall markets have rallied since hitting the March 23 low point, BA shares have failed to gain traction. The stock is down 60% year-to-date, and has been trending downwards since early April.

This, however, also shows why Millennials are buying in. Boeing is at a 3.5-year low price, and the company remains fundamentally sound. While the MAX 8 lines are shut down, Boeing still produces the 777 and 787 airliner families, along with a variety of military and aerospace airframes. With almost half of all the worlds operational airlines being Boeing products, commercial maintenance work alone will keep the company viable long term.

5-star analyst Josh Sullivan, of Benchmark, sees a strong case to buy into Boeing, and gives the stock a Buy rating. His $180 price target suggests an upside of 48% over the next 12 months. (To watch Sullivans track record, click here)

Defending his bullish stance, Sullivan also explains why Millennials  or anyone seeking a long-term holding  should look at Boeing. In particular, he points out that the companys airliners will remain in demand, as they are essential to air travel networks: The 737-MAX program is anticipated to begin production at low rates this year and climb to 31/month next ... Overall, the 737-MAX program carries the most weight and the adjustments in wide-body production provide a base-line.

All in all, Wall Street is cautious on BA. The stock has received 18 analyst reviews recently, with a breakdown of 6 Buy, 11 Hold, and 1 Sell, making the consensus rating a Moderate Buy. The 12-month average price target of $163.18, indicates confidence in a healthy 34% upside potential. (See Boeing stock analysis on TipRanks)

American Airlines (AAL)

Measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue per passenger mile, American Airlines is the worlds largest. Before the coronavirus grounded most air traffic, American was operating 6,800 daily flights to 350 destinations in 50 countries around the world.

American was showing quarterly profits up until the coronavirus struck. In Q4, the company reported earnings of $1.15 per share  but that has turned sharply negative in Q1. AAL showed a net loss of $2.65 in the first quarter, 22% worse than expected, and the losses are expected to worsen in Q2, to as much as $7.35. American had not posted a quarterly loss since 2013. The company is also burning $70 million in cash per day in the current quarter, but expects that figure to fall by nearly 30% by the end of June.

After absorbing the $2.24 billion net loss in Q1, AAL, like Boeing, suspended its dividend and buyback plans. Prior to this, the company has paid out 10 cents per share quarterly, reliably, for 6 years. Company management has put a priority on maintaining the balance sheet, with renewal of the dividend to come after air travel returns to more normal patterns.

Cowen's 5-star analyst Helane Becker is sanguine that American can weather the current storm. She writes of the company, [AAL] is receiving a total of $10.6 Bn in aid through the CARES Act. We expect another capital raise in 3Q20, likely against their unencumbered asset base. In the near-term the company is taking action on the fleet by removing 100 aircraft to eliminate fleet complexity. American needs to continue to aggressively manage costs until revenues show signs of improving.

Her cautiously optimistic line on the stock supports a Buy rating and a $15 price target. Beckers target implies a robust upside potential of 48% in the coming year, reflecting the necessity of air travel in the modern world. (To watch Beckers track record, click here)

Overall, Wall Street isnt quite ready to go all in on AAL. The stock has 17 reviews, including 4 Buys, 5 Holds, and 8 Sells. The share price, however, is an affordable $9.09, and the lost cost of entry does help mitigate risk. The average price target of $13.92 suggests an upside potential of 53%. (See American Airlines stock analysis on TipRanks)

Walt Disney (DIS)

Of the three stocks in this list, only Walt Disney turned a profit in Q1. Even so, the 60 cents per share recorded for the first quarter missed the forecast by 27%. Quarterly earnings were also down 60% sequentially and 62% year-over-year. As a cost-saving move, Disney, like the companies above, has suspended its dividend. The next semi-annual payment was due to go out in July; by cutting it, Disney haves $1.6 billion.

There were some positive notes, and they show why Disney remains a solid long-term stock play. Quarterly revenues were up some 20%, to $18 billion. Theme park attendance was shut down during the lockdowns, but media network sales were up. Disney+, the companys new streaming service, reached 54 million subscribers in the quarter. It was an impressive gain  more than 4.5 million in less than one month  that beat company forecasts and also bodes well for future media profits.

Looking further forward, Disney management has announced that it is starting to phase open the theme parks, starting with Disney Shanghai this week. The cut to theme parks accounted for nearly $1 billion of the quarterly loss; reopening them will go along way toward restoring Disneys financial performance. Disney facilities in Orlando are scheduled to start reopening on May 20.

JPMorgan analyst Alexia Quadrani sees hope for Disney in the reactivation of the theme parks. She writes, we continue to model domestic parks reopening on July 1. We also note that Disney World is still taking reservations starting June 1, while Disneyland in California pushed back reservations to July 1 from June 1 prior, but nevertheless this still suggests the park could reopen by July 1. We view any reopening of the parks as financially beneficial for Disney as even low capacity can help offset the fixed cost base

Assuming that the parks will reopen as announced, Quadrani rates DIS shares a Buy, with a $135 price target suggesting a healthy upside of 31%. (To watch Quadranis track record, click here)

Disneys overall rating almost evenly split. The stocks 23 analyst ratings include 12 Buys, along with 10 Holds and 1 Sell, making the consensus view a Moderate Buy. DIS shares have an average price target of $121.05, indicating a 17% premium from the current trading price of $103.24. (See Disney stock analysis on TipRanks)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.
The new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, has spoken on his appointment.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Gambaris appointment was confirmed at Wednesdays Federal Executive Council meeting presided by the president.

After the meeting, Mr Gambari, a 75-year-old diplomat, spoke to journalists on what is expected of him in his new office.

I want to thank the president of the federal republic for giving me this opportunity to serve him and of the country, he said.

When asked what Nigerians should expect from him in his new office, Mr Gambari said: I have not started, so I will find out and maybe I dont report directly to the nation, I report directly to the president.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari upon resumption

The Ilorin prince also spoke on what the president needs from him.

I think he needs my loyalty, competence and support, he said; adding that his guiding principle would be to serve the president to the best of my ability.

Mr Gambari replaces the late Abba Kyari, who died from complications arising from the coronavirus.
Afghan refugee Mahmood Amiri arrived in the United States more than a month ago, but his children are still waiting for their first day at school. They have yet to go to a mosque to meet other Muslim families. And Amiri is itching to get a job, but nobody knows how long that will take in a crashing economy.

Starting a new life in America is never easy for refugees, but doing it during a pandemic has created more struggles, especially after the federal government cut off funding to help them resettle and suspended new arrivals indefinitely.

Coronavirus restrictions have affected refugee families in the same ways as anyone else job losses, child care challenges but many are navigating the turmoil in a language they don't fully understand and without extended family or close friends to help.

The Amiris arrived in Salt Lake City on March 24, about a week after states began shutting down schools and businesses to try to stop COVID-19 from spreading. After waiting three years for a visa, they ignored warnings from an airplane employee in Kabul that traveling to the U.S. during the pandemic would be dangerous.

Amiri, his wife and their four children were the only ones on their final flight from Seattle to Salt Lake City. For them, it was worth the risk. While waiting for a special visa for Afghans and Iraqis who help the US government, Amiri had feared that the Taliban would find out he worked for the US Army in Afghanistan and kidnap his family.

I knew the situation was very bad, but I had to decide for the (good) of my family, Amiri, 39, said of the pandemic. If my visa expired, they would not extend it. Refugee aid organizations have pivoted from training families for work and school to teaching them how to apply for unemployment benefits and do schoolwork online. They're dipping into emergency funds to pay for rent and food for families after losing federal dollars.

We're instructing clients on how to navigate a food bank rather than navigating a career path, said Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

Her organisation, one of nine agencies that help refugees resettle in the US, has given emergency aid to more than 215 families facing job losses.

Refugee families like the Amiris who arrived early this year or late last year are in particularly difficult situations because many don't have the work history to quality for unemployment benefits or relief checks from the U.S. government, O'Mara Vignarajah said.

Ana Lucia Ibarguen and her three children arrived as refugees to Claxton, Georgia, in July after fleeing gang violence in Colombia. She and her 20-year-old son began studying English and working at a clothing distribution center before the pandemic abruptly left them without jobs or a school to study the language.

They applied for unemployment benefits but have yet to receive any money. Her son got $1,200 from the coronavirus relief bill, which helped pay rent in May. But Ibarguen, 39, doesn't know how they'll pay their bills in June if they can't get work.

It's very hard. Everything changed from one moment to the next, Ibarguen said in Spanish. This makes me more depressed and sad. Some refugees who haven't been laid off have jobs that put them at risk of infection, including as ride-hailing drivers, in restaurants and at meatpacking plants like the JBS USA factory in Greeley, Colorado, which has had an outbreak of at least 280 confirmed cases and seven deaths.

In the Denver suburb of Aurora, Dr PJ Parmar sees many of those workers outside his practice, where he dons head-to-toe protective gear to care for dozens of refugees worried about the coronavirus.

Parmar, a family physician who solely serves refugees, says 45% of his patients have tested positive for the virus. One has died, and two others are seriously ill.

That high rate is understandable considering that refugees often live in crowded apartments with other families, making social distancing impossible, Parmar said. They also pack vans to carpool to Denver International Airport, where many refugees work, or some 65 miles (105 kilometers) to the meatpacking plant in Greeley.

Inside that van, when one coughs, they all cough, Parmar said. The Amiris said they feel safe and their rent and food is being paid for by Catholic Community Services of Utah. But that doesn't mean it's been easy to be confined to their two-bedroom apartment near a highway in a Salt Lake City suburb.

They don't have a TV or car, and while the parents try to entertain their children ages 15, 13, 6 and 3 with games or walks around the complex, they are restless and want to explore their new city.

Utah's public schools were already closed when the family arrived, and the kids keep asking when they can meet their teachers and classmates, Amiri said. The children know very little English and struggle without help from teachers in person.

Amiri's cousin, who lives nearby, and Catholic Community Services are helping him look for a job.

Most refugees find work in three to six months, but the uncertainty of the pandemic makes it harder, said Aden Batar, migration and refugee services director at the Catholic charity. The unknown, that's what we're worried about, not knowing how long this pandemic is going to go on, Batar said. This time is going to be tough because there are so many Americans out of jobs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
S ir Keir Starmer has called on Boris Johnson to return to the Commons and "correct the record" over the Government's early coronavirus advice issued about care homes.

The Labour leader and the Prime Minister sparred over care homes and international death toll comparisons during PMQs on Wednesday.

It comes as the Office for National Statistics revealed on Tuesday that the number of care home deaths linked to coronavirus has risen to 8,312 for the period up to May 1 in England and Wales.

During PMQs, Sir Keir challenged the PM about the Governments official advice earlier in the pandemic, which he quoted as saying: "It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected."

However, Mr Johnson quickly responded that it wasnt true that the advice said that.

Sir Keir has now written to the PM to point out that the official guidance published on February 25 said exactly that.

In the letter, Sir Keir said: At this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that Government ministers are accurate in the information they give.

Given this, I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official Government guidance regarding care homes.

The pair sparred over care homes and international death toll comparisons in the Commons on Wednesday / PA

Opening PMQs, Sir Keir Starmer said: In his speech on Sunday the Prime Minister said we need to rapidly reverse the awful epidemic in our care homes, but earlier this year, and until 12 March, the Governments own official advice was, and Im quoting from it, it remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected.

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Yesterdays ONS figures show that at least 40 per cent of all deaths from Covid-19 were in care homes. Does the Prime Minister accept that the Government was too slow to protect people in care homes?

Mr Johnson replied: No Mr Speaker it wasnt true that the advice said that, and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.

UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures 1 /38 UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures Londoners returning to work near London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Cyclists travel in central London AFP via Getty Images Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Alan Price on his Penny Farthing this morning on Battersea Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Delivery men are seen outside a reopened McDonald's with take-out only deliveries in Dalston Reuters Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Worlds End Nurseries in Chelsea opens for business. Customer Nika Kucifer is shown flowers by Janson Lotery Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn People ride bicycles in a cycle lane in Chelsea PA Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases. Nigel Howard Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Vehicles are seen on the M56 motorway near Manchester, Reuters Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Monty's first day back. West Highland Terrier Monty commutes to work on his bike on his first day back with owner Darragh McElroy. Monty, who's Instagram account is @monty_whitehall_westie, works at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall with his owner Darragh who is Deputy Director of Coronavirus Communications at the Cabinet Office Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn A commuter wears a mask at Canning Town station Reuters Rush hour on the M6 at the junction for Birmingham/Walsall on the first morning of the eased Coronavirus lockdown PA Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen on a London Underground tube, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Reuters Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at Stratford station, Reuters Cyclists in Chelsea today. Nigel Howard

He added: And a huge exercise in testing is going on, a further 600 million I can announce today for infection control in care homes, and yes it is absolutely true that the number of casualties has been too high but I can tell the House, as I told (Sir Keir) last week and indeed this week, the number of outbreaks is down and the number of fatalities in care homes is now well down."

The Labour leader did not respond to his denial during PMQs but continued to ask for the Governments view on the 10,000 unexplained excess deaths in care homes in April.

He said: The ONS records the average number of deaths in care homes each month. The last five years the average for April has been just over 8,000.

This year the number of deaths in care homes for April was a staggering 26,000  thats three times the average  18,000 additional deaths this April.

Using the Governments figures only 8,000 are recorded as Covid deaths, that leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.

Now I know the Government must have looked into this so can the Prime Minister give us the Governments views on these unexplained deaths?
When the lockdown was announced, Salman along with a few family members and close industry friends were at his Panvel farmhouse.

Salman Khan isn't slowing down even during the nationwide lockdown. If not films, he is keeping himself busy with songs. His latest, "Tere bina", has been sung and directed by the superstar.

They have spent the last seven weeks at the farm, coming up with interesting ways to keep themselves productive and create content for the audience.

After his first music single "Pyaar karona" that gives out a message of love, help and caring in times of coronavirus, he has now released his new single titled "Tere bina".

He took to his Instagram and posted: "Maine yeh gaana banaya, gaya, shoot kiya aur post kiya aap ke liye, ab aap bhi yeh gaana suno, gaao, aur aap ke swag mai shoot karo ghar pe, post karo, share karo, tag karo n enjoy karo... #TereBina" (I made the song, sang it, shot it and posted it for you. Now you also listen to the song, sing, and shoot it in your swag at your home, post, share, tag and enjoy it)."

Talking about "Tere bina", Salman shared: "About seven weeks ago, when we came to the farm, we didn't know we will be here under a lockdown. So we wanted to do things to keep ourselves busy. That's when we decided to do these songs. We launched 'Pyaar karona' and now, we are launching 'Tere bina'."

"Tere bina" video stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Salman.

Jacqueline said: "I didn't think we would be able to pull this off. We are used to shooting songs on a large stage with grand production costs. There are costumes, hair, make-up. All of a sudden, we find ourselves with a team of three people. For the first time, I was checking lighting and moving props around. It was a great experience and it taught us how to make the most of what we have."

Salman revealed that the song has been shot at the Panvel farmhouse in presence of just three people - him, Jacqueline and the DOP.
(Newser)  Ahmaud Arbery died of "multiple shotgun wounds sustained during a struggle for the shotgun," according to an autopsy by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The April 1 autopsy report concluded the 25-year-old was shot three times on Feb. 23, including twice in the chest. Eleven shotgun pellets were removed from Arbery's chest, while 13 exited his back, per CNN and ABC News. The pellets caused injuries throughout Arberys body, including a damaged right lung, fractured left upper arm and shoulder blade, and a "deep, gaping, shotgun graze" to his right wrist. There were no drugs or alcohol in his system. The GBI is now investigating the two district attorneys who recused themselves from the case before Gregory McMichael, a former Glynn County police officer, and his son, Travis, were arrested and charged with murder on Thursday.

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State Attorney General Chris Carr "is concerned that the actions of these offices in possibly misrepresenting or failing to disclose information during the process of appointing a conflict prosecutor to investigate the death of Ahmaud Arbery may have constituted unprofessional conduct," the GBI says. When Brunswick Judicial Circuit's Jackie Johnson dropped the case, she advised Carr to appoint Waycross Judicial Circuit's George Barnhill. Days earlier, Barnhill had told Glynn County police "that he did not see grounds for the arrest of any of the individuals involved," according to GBI. Barnhill ultimately held onto the case for weeks after discovering a conflict of interest, per CNN. The third prosecutor on the case, Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney Tom Durden, was replaced by Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes on Monday. (Read more Ahmaud Arbery stories.)
People with disabilities among those most affected by COVID-19

People with disabilities exercise at a rehabilitation school in Khoai Chau District, northern province of Hung Yen.

People with disabilities were among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, said a rapid assessment announced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Tuesday.

With support from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Embassy of Ireland in Viet Nam and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, the UNDP organised the assessment to help identify health and socio-economic challenges faced by people with disabilities and their families during COVID-19 to offer targeted support and responses for them.

Nearly 1,000 people with different disabilities - physical, hearing and speech, visual and psychosocial, including those from ethnic minority groups from cities and provinces throughout the country - participated in the assessment.

The rapid assessment reveals that 82 per cent of respondents expressed concern about protecting their health and 96 per cent expressed concern for their financial security during COVID-19.

Up to 70 per cent of respondents had found it challenging to access medical care, including check-ups, medicine, assistive devices and rehabilitation services, whereas 22 per cent of them were suffering from underlying medical conditions potentially putting them at heightened risk of COVID-19.

As of March 2020, 72 per cent of people with disabilities across the country had a monthly income of less than VN1 million (US$43).

As many as 30 per cent of them had been made unemployed due to COVID-19, whereas 49 per cent were working reduced hours and 59 per cent had taken a pay cut.

More than 70 per cent of working people with disabilities had seasonal jobs or owned an informal business, so were at risk of being ineligible for allowances from the Governments social welfare response package, said the assessment.

Addressing the launch, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam Caitlin Wiesen highlighted the importance of a disability-inclusive response to the efforts underway to address COVID-19.

While people living with disabilities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, at the same time, they have a vital role and contribution to make in overcoming and co-existing safely with COVID-19 in Viet Nam, she said.

We must support persons with disabilities to develop skillsets to make full use of new digital platforms, creating more working from home and online employment opportunities, that enable them to work safely and competitively in the new industry 4.0 environment, she said.

New ways of working could help many persons with disabilities to improve their income opportunities and continue to make significant contributions to Viet Nams economic recovery, she added.

The report suggested providing emergency relief for the urgent needs of persons with disabilities, including medical care and services, and telehealth services where appropriate.

The aim of the report was to ensure that the Governments support package was disability-inclusive in the informal sector and ensured people with disabilities financial security and education continuation with the provision of online jobs, accessible applications and digital platforms.

The rapid assessment suggested extending coverage of disability certificates to include the wider population of people with disabilities and conducting a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on people with disabilities, with the full participation of those in the country, to design and implement response and recovery programmes.

Vietnam stays on guard in response to COVID-19 developments: Deputy PM

The meeting of the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, WHO, international organisations and some sectors in Hanoi on May 12

Facing complex developments of COVID-19 around the world, anti-pandemic forces of Vietnam always stand ready to respond, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said at a meeting with representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO), international organisations and some sectors in Hanoi on May 12.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long reported that Vietnam hasnt recorded new infections of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the community for 26 consecutive days, and it is still carrying out surveillance of risk populations.

About 1,200  2,000 samples are tested each day, and tests of 275,000 samples collected so far have discovered 288 infected cases, most of which were in quarantine facilities, he noted, adding that epidemiological factors and risks of community transmission in Vietnam are very low at present.

Therefore, the country is pressing on with thoroughly preventing transmission from other countries, strictly quarantining those entering Vietnam for 14 days and taking samples from them for testing twice a day, maintaining the monitoring and testing system to early detect infections in the community, sealing off areas with infected cases, improving the medical staffs capacity, and boosting the production of medical equipment, medicine and other supplies, Long said.

Recognising local efforts in the COVID-19 fight, WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park said the country has taken early actions and had drastic measures in response to each infection.

However, he also warned that as there is no medicine specialised in COVID-19 treatment or a vaccine, and the pandemic is forecast to linger, Vietnam needs to stay vigilant and keep a close watch on the situation. Besides, although Vietnam doesnt have infected cases in the community, other countries in the region and the world are still struggling with the pandemic.

Risks of community infection still exist, he said, recommending it gear up for new cases and even a new wave of infections so as to actively control the pandemic like when the first wave occurred.

In the time ahead, WHO will continue working closely with the Government, the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, and the Health Ministry of Vietnam to exchange information, update technical guidelines, and share Vietnams experience with the international community, Park said.

Appreciating WHO and foreign experts cooperation and assistance, Deputy PM Dam, who is also head of the national steering committee, expressed his hope for further coordination, noting that Vietnam is ready to share information, initiatives, and experience in the COVID-19 prevention and control with the international community, especially low-income and developing nations.

He stressed that anti-pandemic forces like health workers, military and police always stay ready, and that Vietnam is keeping a tight control of people entering the country while easing restrictions within the country so as to realise the dual target of combating the pandemic and ensuring socio-economic development./.

US paper: Vietnam takes science-based approach to COVID-19

The USs Daily Hampshire Gazette has said Vietnam took a science-based approach to tackling COVID-19 pandemic.

In an article published on May 11, the author said the pandemic has caused more than 4.13 million infections and taken over 283,000 lives. Vietnam, which shares border with China, has recorded zero deaths so far. This is not because of low testing or poor record-keeping.

Rather than lockdown of the entire population, the anti-epidemic teams studied the population, and quarantined and treated those with symptoms and who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. If there was a region with particularly high numbers, it was quarantined.

The article said the multi-tier quarantine system helped the Vietnamese authorities break the chain of infection. The Communist Party of Vietnam, very early, offered a motto fighting the epidemic is like fighting against the enemy.

Additionally, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health posed a music video to explain the concept of physical distancing and hand washing. This video went viral on TikTok, where young people created a dance to go with it. Masks were mandated in public and alcohol-based hand sanitizers are found everywhere. Schools and religious sites were all immediately closed.

The newspaper also pointed out that the Vietnamese Government directed the public sector to produce necessary equipment, including protective suits and ventilators, as well as hand sanitiser and medicines. The private sector followed suit, and so did philanthropists who set up Rice ATMs to distribute food to those who had lost their incomes. The government set up food kitchens to feed the poor.

The Vietnamese had already begun major preparations to contain the virus, including increasing capacity in medical institutions and for the production of necessary protective equipment, it said./.

Embassy in Switzerland ensures citizen protection

Vietnamese people in the Czech Republic present face masks to Svec Tibor, Governor of Vestec township (second from left)

The Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland has taken drastic measures to assist the Vietnamese community and ensure citizen protection, as the outbreak of the disease has affected Vietnamese people in the country.

Vietnamese Ambassador Le Linh Lan said that there are 340 students and around 300 postgraduates learning in universities and colleges across Switzerland. Meanwhile, the overseas Vietnamese community living and working in the country number about 10,000 people.

The embassy quickly built response scenarios after the disease broke out, along with citizen protection measures, focusing on updating the Vietnamese community on the disease situation, the host countrys prevention recommendations and the Vietnamese Governments related policies and plans, Lan stated.

She advised Vietnamese citizens, especially students, to stay calm and strictly follow Switzerlands disease prevention measures and recommendations.

The Vietnamese community in Switzerland, in turn, has stayed united and join hands in the battles against the pandemic of both Vietnam and Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Marcel Winder, Honorary President of the Czech Republic-Vietnam Friendship Association, recently thanked the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic for their contributions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the first case was reported in the country on March 1, Vietnamese people have launched a campaign to sew face masks and raise funds to support local people, hospitals and authorised offices.

For example, the Vietnamese community in Cheb has donated 700,000 Koruna (27,680 USD) to the citys hospital and fire fighting force, while the community in Ustinad Labem has presented 300,000 Koruna to Masaryk Hospital to buy ventilators./.

Hanoi provides medical supplies to help Moscow cope with COVID-19

Chairman of the city Peoples Committee Nguyen uc Chung (right, centre) presented medical supplies to Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Konstantin Vnukov during a handover ceremony on Tuesday.

On behalf of the Party organisation, administration and people of Ha Noi, Chairman of the city Peoples Committee Nguyen uc Chung presented medical supplies to the Russian capital of Moscow and the Vietnamese community in the country on Tuesday, in support of efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the handover ceremony, Ha Noi presented 100,000 antibacterial cloth face masks and 50,000 medical face masks to Moscow, along with another 50,000 masks to the Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese community in Russia.

Chairman Chung said all countries are making every effort to contain the pandemic but none can single-handedly deal with the problem. Enhancing international cooperation and solidarity is therefore of critical importance to stopping the spread of the disease and minimising its socioeconomic impact on each nation and region.

Based on the Viet Nam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership and the traditional friendship between the two capitals, the Party organisation, administration and people of Ha Noi wish to share some of their resources with Moscows administration and people in the fight against COVID-19, he noted.

For his part, Russian Ambassador to Viet Nam Konstantin Vnukov said that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the countrys Government, necessary measures have been adopted to curb the pandemic and Viet Nam is now among the best performers in combating COVID-19.

On behalf of the Moscow administration and people, he thanked Ha Noi for the gifts.

Vietnam stays clear of COVID-19 community transmission for 27 days

Measuring students' body temperature

No new COVID-19 infections were reported on May 13 morning, marking the 27th straight day Vietnam has gone without community transmission of the disease, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The nations COVID-19 tally has remained at 288, including 148 imported ones. To date, 252 patients have been given the all-clear and no deaths have been reported.

Of the 36 patients still under treatment, seven have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once while nine others negative at least twice.

The 91st patient, treated at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, is still in critical condition, while the 19th patient, who has been under treatment for over two months, has shown good recovery.

At present, a total of 12,634 people are kept in quarantine, including 322 at hospitals, 6,819 at other quarantine facilities, and the rest at home./.

Three more patients with COVID-19 recover, total at 252

A view of the the Cu Chi Field Hospital in HCM City.  Photo viettimes.vn

Three more patients with COVID-19 recovered and were released from the Cu Chi Field Hospital in HCM City on Tuesday afternoon, bringing the countrys total recoveries to 252.

They are all Brazilian who tested positive again after previously being given the all-clear.



Patient 151, female, 45, tested positive again after being cleared on April 18. During treatment, the patient had many tests and all came back negative for SARS-CoV-2 from April 27 to May 10.

Patient 207, male, 49, also tested positive after being cleared on April 18. During treatment and monitoring in hospital, the patients tests were negative for SARS-CoV-2 continuously from April 27 to May 10.

Patient 224, male, 39, tested positive again after being declared clear of the disease on April 20. He had repeated SARS-CoV-2 negative test results from April 27 to May 10.

At present, all three patients have no fever, no cough, no breathing difficulties and are in a stable condition. They will continue to be isolated and monitored for the next 14 days, according to the Sub-Committee for Treatment of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

As of 6pm Tuesday afternoon, the Ministry of Health reported no new community transmission cases of COVID-19 over the past 26 days. The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases stands at 288 and no deaths have been reported.

Photo exhibition to honour efforts against COVID-19

Journalist Vu Quoc Khanh, VAPA Chairman, speaks at the launch of the photo exhibition on May 11.



The Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists (VAPA) is inviting photos of Vietnam in the combat against COVID-19 to an exhibition slated for June 1.

VAPA Chairman Vu Quoc Khanh said on May 11 that the event aims to push ahead with communications to raise public awareness of the pandemic, highlight Vietnams enormous achievements in the COVID-19 fight, and honour the photo takers.

The organising board said photos sent to the exhibition should depict the country and people in the disease prevention and control efforts, their daily lives in the pandemic, along with the exemplars and those working in the frontline.

Senders can be professional photographers, photo journalists or those able to take COVID-19-themed photos in Vietnam, and each can submit up to 20 works that are separate photos or groups of photos.

The exhibition is open for entries via website www.trienlamanhCovid-19.com from now through May 20. The best 150-200 items will be selected for the display.

The event will be held at the VAPAs centre for artistic photo archives and exhibition in Hanoi.

More support for people affected by COVID-19

Local people affected by COVID-19 in An Hai Bac Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang City, receive financial support from the State.





More support has continued to be provided to disadvantaged people across the nation to help ease their difficulties due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Starting from today, May 12, the National Public Service Portal will provide six additional public services to support people and businesses that are facing difficulties amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

Accordingly, the services include supporting employees who postpone labour contracts or leave without pay, supporting employers to access loans to pay workers' discontinued wages, declaring the payment of enterprise income tax extension, declaration of personal tax payment extension, suspension of contribution to the pension and death benefit fund, and receiving and handling feedback and proposals from the public and enterprises at https://ncovi.dichvucong.gov.vn/p/home.

It is expected that the six new public services on the portal will support about 4 million workers and employers facing difficulties due to the epidemic, while also shortening the processing time from 6 to 10 working days for each object, compared to the direct implementation.

Meanwhile, disbursement of financial support for the disadvantaged under a VND62 trillion COVID-19 bailout package from the Government has been boosted to deliver timely assistance to those in need.

The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Phu Yen Province has said that eight out of the nine districts, towns and cities in the province have completed the review and got the nod from the provincial authorities on the list of groups who are eligible for receiving the financial support. They included people with meritorious services to the revolution, social protection beneficiaries and poor and near-poor households, with a total of 144,000 people. To date, some localities have disbursed VND146 billion for such groups. For other subjects, Phu Yen will rely on the guidance of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to survey, evaluate and make a specific list at a later date.

In Long An Province, the provincial Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and local authorities have reviewed and made a list of seven target groups to disburse the financial assistance. Up until now, VND144 billion has been distributed between 123,214 people in three groups of poor and near-poor households, people receiving monthly social allowances and people with meritorious services. The department is coordinating with localities to investigate, review and appraise the remaining four target groups to help them receive support as soon as possible.

On May 11, the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Da Nang City informed that the central coastal city has started to appraise profiles of workers and household businesses affected by COVID-19 for financial support disbursement. Accordingly, they belong to three groups: household businesses suspending operation, workers with labour contracts but are not entitled to unemployment benefits, and employees who do not have labour contracts but lost their jobs. After the list and support fund is approved, within nine days at the latest, payment will be made to employees. Da Nang has about 58,000 employees supported under the Governments bailout package and the city is expected to spend more than VND200 billion to support these groups.

On the same day, in Thanh Hoa Province, the Thanh Hoa Association of Former Teachers presented VND120 million to the Thanh Hoa Fatherland Front Committee to support the fight against COVID-19 in the province. Entrepreneur Hoang Vy from Ho Chi Minh City also presented 1,500 gifts, with each containing 10 kg of rice and some basic necessities, to 400 patients who are receiving treatment at the Provincial General Hospital and Thanh Hoa Children's Hospital, in addition to 1,100 gifts for people in difficult circumstances in the two wards of Dong Ve and Quang Thanh in Thanh Hoa City.

Also, on May 11, Vinh Phuc Province Youth Union cooperated with Vinh Phuc Labour Union to offer free breakfast worth VND25,000 each (including milk and bread) to over 6,000 young workers suffering difficulties due to COVID-19 in local industrial zones and the workers boarding house area in Phuc Yen City. The programme will last until May 15.

In Hanoi, students of class 9A1 and the Board of Directors of Ngo Gia Tu Secondary School in Hai Ba Trung District have presented 160 gifts to disadvantaged classmates and some families facing difficulties due to COVID-19. The beneficiaries are mainly policy families, people with meritorious services and disadvantaged families in difficult circumstances living in the wards of Bach Mai and Bach Khoa. Each gift includes rice, cooking oil, books and school supplies purchased from money raised by the students and their parents.

Indonesia installs Covid-19 mobile labs at border checkpoints

Indonesian crew workers from the Viking Orion cruise ship arrive at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on May 11. (Photo: Antara)

Indonesias National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is setting up mobile laboratories at airports, seaports and border checkpoints around the country to test arrivals for COVID-19.

BNPB Secretary Harmensyah said on May 12 that Indonesian citizens stuck overseas, most of them migrant workers, are still being repatriated and the government is worried they might be bringing the coronavirus with them.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing is still the most reliable method to detect COVID-19 cases and labs to perform the test should be available at every entry point to Indonesia.

The BPPT (Technology Assessment and Application Agency) has developed a mobile BSL2 (biosafety level-2) laboratory capable of performing 262 PCR tests in 24 hours. The agency is working with teams from Gajah Mada University, Airlangga University and Hepatika Mataram to reach 10,000 tests per day.

When test results come back negative, the returning citizens will be put in quarantine at dormitories or hotels.

If the results came back positive, the Covid-19 Task Force will send the patients to government quarantine facilities at the converted Athletes' Village in Jakarta or on Galang Island in Riau.

About 90,000 Indonesian migrant workers had already returned to the country since the coronavirus outbreak from several countries. Tens of thousands of other Indonesian citizens are to return from overseas, most of them cruise ship crew members, students and religious pilgrims, in May or June.

In another development, Indonesian Minister of Defence Prabowo Subianto has held talks with Chinese State Councilor and Defence Minister Wei Fenghe who said China will firmly support Indonesias efforts to fight against the epidemic.

Prabowo in return expressed his gratitude to the Chinese armed forces for its support and assistance, and said that Indonesia spoke highly of China's achievements in combating the virus and its contributions to global cooperation in the battle./.

Malaysias unemployment rate highest in 12 years

Malaysia's unemployment rate is now the highest since the 2008-2009 world financial crisis, at 3.9 percent, as people saw their livelihoods affected by COVID-19 and the movement control order (MCO), said the countrys Department of Statistics.

In a recent report, the department said the number of unemployed persons in the country increased by 17.1 percent to 610,500 in March, as compared to 521,000 in the same month in 2019.

Bank Negara Malaysia also attributed the high unemployment rate in March to the pandemic and negative impacts of MCO on the job market.

Meanwhile, Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd predicted that the unemployment rate in Malaysia continues to rise in the second quarter, especially in April and May.

Affin Hwang believed that the rate is likely to stand between 5-6 percent in 2020, much higher than the level of 3.3 percent last year./.

Philippines to ease economic restrictions on Manila

The Philippines announced on May 12 an easing of restrictions on economic activities in its capital city of Manila from May 16 while extending a lockdown on the main island of Luzon to stem the coronavirus outbreak.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said some manufacturing sectors in the capital will be allowed to restart at up to 50 percent workforce capacity, with public transportation partially slated to start operating again.

More movements of people will be allowed in the other areas of Luzon, where quarantine protocols will be relaxed.

Workers in these areas will be allowed to go out and work, though in phases.

All airports and seaports in those areas will remain open but only to transport goods.

Luzon has been in strict lockdown since March 16, the day President Rodrigo Duterte declared an islandwide lockdown amid rising virus cases in the Southeast Asian nation.

Duterte, in a statement issued earlier, cautioned that the envisioned easing would not mean COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, has disappeared.

The President also stressed that the nation could not afford another wave of infection./.
India exports around 12 percent of the total auto components to economies with reliance on crude oil such as Africa and Latin America

Mumbai: The Auto component industry is likely to witness a second consecutive year of double-digit degrowth this fiscal mainly on account of disruption in operations due to coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, according to a report.

The counter measures are likely to lead to lower-income levels, weaker consumer sentiments, production disruptions, decreased industrial output as well as the lesser movement of vehicles, resulting in a decline in global automobile demand and therefore, lower revenue and profitability for auto ancillaries in FY21, India Ratings (Ind-Ra) said in the report on Tuesday.

"Ind-Ra expects that the auto ancillaries industry on an average could record at least 100bp EBITDA margin decline in FY21 and the profitability decline for export-focused auto ancillaries could be steeper as exports earn higher margins. The lower commodity prices could aid the profitability for the sector, though only to a limited extent, due to pass-through agreements with OEMs and OEMs' higher bargaining power.

"Also, some benefit may accrue to companies with overseas manufacturing units, as certain economies have announced support measures to meet part of the fixed costs during the shutdown period. A depreciated rupee rate could partly offset the decline in sales volumes; however, the benefit is not expected to be significant," it said.

However, the revenue and profitability of auto ancillaries focused on domestic markets are likely to fare better due to higher content per vehicle on the back of evolving regulatory norms including BS-VI applicable from 1 April, 2020, as per the report.

Entities with a large reliance on overseas markets are expected to face a higher demand risk as the key markets of the US and Europe have been the most impacted by the virus, which could lead to uncertain business conditions, it said.

The US, Germany and the UK are the largest export markets for auto components globally.

Besides, India also exports around 12 percent of the total auto components to economies with reliance on crude oil such as Africa and Latin America.
A former doctor at a Veterans Affairs hospital in West Virginia was charged on Tuesday with sexually abusing several male patients over the course of six months.

The doctor, Jonathan Yates, 51, treated patients at Beckley V.A. Medical Center using osteopathic manipulative treatment  which typically requires moving, stretching and applying pressure to a persons muscles and joints  between June 2018 and February 2019. During that time, he was also the director of Whole Health, a hospital program designed to support veterans health.

A federal grand jury in Charleston, W.Va., indicted Dr. Yates on two counts of abusive sexual contact and five counts of depriving veterans of their civil rights. If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to court documents.

E. Ward Morgan, Dr. Yatess lawyer, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday night. A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in the case said the Department of Justice had no comment.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has unveiled a Fund set up in memory of the nurse who was murdered by some unknown assailants, Ruth Ama Eshun, at Ayoum in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region.

The 37-year-old nurse was allegedly gang-raped and killed by her violators on Monday, 3 February 2020.

The Fund, which is known as the Ruth Ama Eshun Memorial Educational Fund, was unveiled on the occasion of the celebration of International Day of Nurses on Tuesday, 12 May 2020.

The Fund was set up to cater for the education of the three children left behind by the deceased nurse.

Presenting the Fund award certificate on behalf of the GRNMA to the husband of the deceased, the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Felix Nyante, noted that the Fund will help enhance the education, training and life skills of the three children.

He further called on other organisations and philanthropists to also support the education fund.

President of the GRNMA, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, for her part, reiterated that the fund was set up to ensure that the education of the three children left behind by the deceased is not interrupted.

Until her death, Ms Eshun was a registered community health nurse at the Sewua Health Centre in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region.

---classfmonline
(Newser)  Two former romantic partners of Johnny Depp came to his defense Wednesday in his libel suit against British newspaper the Sun, dismissing claims that he was violent or abusive. Actresses Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder offered supportive statements for the actor, who's suing the tabloid paper's publisher, News Group Newspapers, over an April 2018 article that referred to the 56-year-old as a "wife-beater." The article contained allegations by Depp's ex-wife, Amber Heard, who filed for divorce after requesting a domestic violence restraining order. Depp has strenuously denied the allegations. In a hearing conducted remotely, lawyers for Depp argued that statements from Ryder and Paradis should be included as evidence in the actor's case, reports the AP.

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"We've been partners for 14 years and we raised our two children together," Paradis said, court documents show. "Through all these years, I've known Johnny to be a kind, attentive, generous, and nonviolent person and father." She added that he was "never violent or abusive." Depp's lawyers also want to include evidence from Ryder, who was in a relationship with the star in the 1990s. "I cannot wrap my head around [Heard's] accusations," she said, according to the documents. "He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me." A two-week trial was due to start in London on March 25, but it was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The case is now scheduled for July. (Depp has accused Heard of pooping in his bed.)
The High Court has dismissed John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty's legal challenge against laws introduced by the State due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan in dismissing their application for leave to bring their challenge said they had not provided the court with any expert evidence or facts to support their view that the laws challenged by the applicants were disproportionate or unconstitutional.

The laws brought in by the state to help deal with the pandemic, he said in his judgmement, are "constitutionally permissible".

The applicants, he said, who have "no medical or scientific qualifications or expertise relied on their own unsubstantiated views, gave speeches, engaged in empty rhetoric and sought to draw parallel to Nazi Germany which is both absurd and offensive.

"Unsubstantiated opinions, speeches, empty rhetoric and a bogus historical parallel are not a substitute for facts," he added.

In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health, the applicants sought to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation, which they say are unconstitutional and flawed, quashed by a judge of the High Court.

They also wanted the court to make a declaration that the legislation challenged was unconstitutional.

Opposing the leave application, Patrick McCann SC, appearing with Gerard Meehan Bl, for the state argued the application was "doomed".

Francis Kieran Bl for the Dail, the Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle, which were notice parties to the action, also opposed the application and described the challenge as "a full frontal attack" on articles of the constitution associated with the separation of powers.

Ruling on whether they were entitled to leave or permission of the court to bring their case to a full hearing, on Wednesday Mr. Justice Meenan said the applicants' claims were not arguable and the court could not grant them permission to have their challenge determined at a full hearing of the High Court.

The judge said that while the laws have interfered with everyone's lives he did not accept the applicants' claim that the legislation was in breach of various articles of the Constitution concerning the family and social policy rights and the right to freedom of movement.

Agreeing with the state's arguments, the judge said that to make out an arguable claim that the limitations and restrictions were disproportionate, the applicants needed to put evidence in a sworn statement supporting their views.

There was "a complete failure" by the applicants to do that, the Judge said.

While they had questioned the accuracy of the official figures of those in Ireland who have died and contracted the virus and called the science behind those numbers fraudulent, the judge said they had not identified any expert evidence to support their views.

This the judge said contrasted with the evidence from the Dept. of Health setting out in detail the background and reasons for the legislation.

The judge said that while the applicants did have the legal standing to challenge the constitutionality of some of the laws the case should not have been brought by way of judicial review.

It should have been taken by way of plenary hearing which would have involved the hearing of oral evidence.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Meenan said he agreed with submissions made on behalf of the notice parties in regards as how the laws were voted on and passed by the houses of the Oireachtas. The manner in which the houses dealt with the laws, the judge said is not something a court could interfere with formed part of the applicants challenge.

The laws in question had been brought in by a caretaker government, and voted on by an incoming Dail and an outgoing Seanad.

However, for a court to embark on the hearing of the complaints raised by the applicants, the judge said, would amount to a clear breach of the separation of powers, he said.

There was no question but the Dail and Seanad that considered and passed the laws were validly constituted, and that the constitution allows for a caretaker government to remain in place until a new government is formed.

In regards to this aspect of the case, the judge added that the applicants had failed to establish an arguable case, to a degree that the judge added that their claims in regards was "unstateable".

The decision was delivered electronically to the parties.

However, during the course of the hearing, the applicants indicated that they would appeal to he Court of Appeal if they were not granted leave.

During the hearing of the application, dozens of Gardai were stationed around the Four Courts to ensure that social distancing regulations for court hearings, where limited persons can attend court, were adhered to.

Dozens of supporters of the journalists had attended around the Four Courts Complex when the matter was listed before the court. The applicants had objected to this, and argued that the public had a right to be present in the court during the hearing.

That argument was rejected by the judge, who said that as the proceedings were being covered by the members of the media, the hearing was being held in public.

Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters, who represented themselves, 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 were also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought due to Covid-19 under the 1947 Health Act.

They claimed 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 had argued, amount to "an unprecedented" suspension of constitutional rights.

The case will be mentioned before the court at a later date.
Salman lives in the West Bank with her husband, Steve Sosebeefounder of a medical relief NGO called the Palestine Childrens Relief Fundand two children, aged two and 13. Salman spoke to TIME about what the holy month of Ramadan has been like under lockdown in the Palestinian territories.

We live in the Holy Land, in Ramallah, right next door to a mosque. The mosques are all closed now, although we hear the call to prayer throughout the day. But this time the words bellowing from the loudspeaker are different and it strikes me every single time I hear them. Instead of saying come to prayer in Arabic they say pray in your homes. The call to prayer is something Ive heard for my entire life and its so innate for Muslims. The first time I heard this new version I got goosebumps because I thoughtwait, you cant change that.

The Palestinian territories are already dealing with occupation by Israel, three generations worth of people living in refugee camps and now we also have the coronavirus pandemic to consider.

We just dont have the resources to be able to cope if the coronavirus were to spread widely. There are only about 100 ICU beds in the entire West Bank and not enough ventilators, either. Thats probably why the government acted quickly and aggressively. Shortly after an outbreak among a group of religious tourists and hotel workers in Bethlehem, authorities moved to shut down the entire West Bank, shuttering both schools and workplaces.

Luckily, we seem to have been relatively spared so far. The government here mounted a better response than the U.S. Its strange to see the difference between the two places when usually the health disparities are the other way around. (I moved from New York City a few years ago to help strengthen health systems here.)

Im not an ICU or Emergency Room doctor so Im not on the frontlines of dealing with the coronavirus. But because so many facilities, including outpatient clinics, have shut down, Ive been doing a lot of general pediatrics work to relieve some of the strain on the health care system. People are terrified to go to emergency rooms right now. The health care system here is already stretched thin even without a global pandemic. Im working from home for the most part and doing a lot of telemedicine calls. A few times a week, I typically have to step out to see sick kids but I take precautions. I have an N95 mask and wear a pair of scrubs that I strip off as soon as I come through the door. I immediately take a shower before having any contact with the family.

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This year is such a huge exception. Normally, people are breaking their fast in groups. Whether you break your fast at a mosque or in someone elses home, theres a collective feeling that you will be with people who have been sharing the same struggle and experience of Ramadan. I didnt realize the importance of community during Ramadan so strongly until this year, when it has been taken away from us.

Our 2-year-old daughter is totally clueless about the current situation, but its the first year that our 13-year-old daughter is aiming to fast the whole month. I was low pressure about it with her but shes taking the initiative on her own, saying that she wants to fast and asking what time she needs to wake up for the pre-dawn meal. It hasnt been easy. Its hot here. Being at home without distractions could be tougher on her since she cant talk about fasting with her friends as often as she would if she were still in school.

A portrait of Dr. Zeena Salman and her family. | Zeena Salman

Still, when we hear the call to prayer going off next door to us we all gather around a table. Our troubles melt away once weve had that first bite of food or that first sip of water.

I met my husband in 2013 at a fundraiser in the U.S. for his NGO [Palestine Childrens Relief Fund]. It turns out he had just built a childrens cancer hospital in the West Bank that same year. I started doing medical missions and visiting the Palestinian territories once or twice a year and then we got married and I moved with him to the Palestinian territories in 2016.

When the lockdown in the West Bank began, my husband and I considered returning to our home in the U.S. since we were both largely working from home and schools were out. But we made a conscious decision to stay. We know the health systems here are weak. We recognize that we have a responsibility here. We both work within the health care system. Were lucky to be healthy and employed. We felt if we had anything to offer, we should offer it.

As told to Sanya Mansoor
Meatpacking workers across the United States continue to take actions independent of the trade union apparatus to organize protests and strikes in the wake of President Donald Trumps April 28 executive order forcing US meat processing facilities to remain open under the Defense Protection Act. Trumps order shields meat and poultry companies and executives from any liability for the thousands of workers who have fallen and are yet to fall ill and die in unsafe working conditions.

Workers have taken actions against the horrific conditions they face in being forced to remain in or return to their workplaces that have been the center of COVID-19 outbreaks in the meat processing facilities and surrounding communities. In many cases they are being made to work without basic safety precautions and pitiful or no hazard pay bonuses.

On Wednesday May 6, at least 20 workers in West Columbia, South Carolina walked off the job at the House of Raeford Farms chicken processing plant. According to the workers, they walked off in protest of long-standing mistreatment along with the absence of any social distancing measures and the refusal of the company to grant any hazard pay wage increases during the pandemic.

A WTLX News 19 report captured video of the workers walking out of the plant shouting their grievances. Following the walkout, workers set up a picket across the street from the chicken plant. Workers who walked off acknowledged that the company would consider their employment terminated due to their labor action.

The fired and protesting chicken plant workers spoke to reporters, elaborating the reasons they undertook the walkout. Naesha Shelton, one of the workers who participated in the walkout and subsequent picket, told WTLX reporters, "Everybody else around here is getting hazard pay. Their jobs are looking out for them." She went on, "[House of Raeford is] treating us like slaves. That's how we feel. We're being treated like slaves." Another protesting worker, Anthony Furman said in regard to the lack of safety in the plant, "This is a safety hazard. We're around each other inside this plant and we're not six feet away," adding, "We're one foot away. We're too close every day, all day."

Workers also told WTLX that they would be seeking collective legal action against House of Raeford Farms for wrongful termination and refusal to implement basic safety measures for their workers remaining in the West Columbia chicken processing plant.

Later that afternoon, workers who remained at work in the chicken plant passed on a letter to WLTX they received from plant management that was sent to them following the conclusion of the protest announcing that nonexempt workers at the chicken plant would receive an insultingly low $1.00 an hour temporary pay increase. The letter also went on to state that the pitiful temporary raise would be reevaluated in July for whether it would be continued.

House of Raeford Farms production workers in South Carolina make an average of only $11.51 an hour.

Already, Trumps executive order to keep meatpacking plants open has had devastating consequences. A 64-year-old meatpacking worker for chicken producer Pilgrims Pride in Lufkin, Texas was found dead in her home Monday. Her family reported that the woman had developed symptoms on April 24 but was not tested for COVID-19 until May 4 and received her positive result a week later on Sunday, just one day before she died at home.

Fourteen meatpacking plants are reopening this week after major outbreaks, but along with the lifting of any liability for facilitating the spread of the virus, major meat producers in the US have been encouraged by US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue only to consider providing workers with COVID-19 testing. Because of this, meat producers like Smithfield, JBS, and Tyson, have prioritized reopening plants as quickly as possible and enforcing Trumps executive order with as little protection as possible.

Perdue commended safe reopening of critical infrastructure meatpacking facilities across the United States in a May 8 statement published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

President Trump took decisive action last week to ensure Americas meatpacking facilities reopen in a safe way to ensure Americas producers and ranchers will be able to bring their product to market, Perdue said. I want to thank the patriotic and heroic meatpacking facility workers who are returning to work this week so the millions of Americans who depend on them for food security can continue to do so.

In fact, in some plants, meat producers have gone as far as refusing to test their employees. Kris Ehresmann, the infectious disease director of the Minnesota Department of Health, told the Star Tribune that JBS was reluctant to test workers when ordered by the governor of Minnesota. JBS has carried out the same policy in plants in other states, refusing systematic testing for its Worthington, Iowa pork processing plant despite many workers from the plant falling ill and testing positive for COVID-19. According to the Marshall County Board of Health, there has not been any mass testing of Worthington JBS plant employees for three weeks, but it is resuming operations.

The reopening of meatpacking plants under Trumps executive order effectively cuts off unemployment for workers who are infected and cannot work or those who refuse to work out of concern for safety, forcing workers to choose between working in deadly conditions or starving.

Sheila, a former worker at the Tyson Foods facility in Shelbyville, Tennessee, told the WSWS, I think it's wrong to force employees to work. In response to the moves by legislators to shield corporations from COVID-19-related liabilities, Sheila stated, If they are being made to work then the liability should be held in place to the employer, absolutely! Especially if there are already cases in the places they work. It seems to me that even with PPE requirements the confirmed cases are still growing.

On the mistreatment of essential workers, Sheila noted, It seems that the term essential workers actually means expendable workers. If an employee gets hurt on the job, through no fault of their own, the company takes care of things, so I feel like they should do the same for this virus.

I, personally, have friends at Tyson that have contracted COVID-19. They are having to use their insurance that they pay for for medical purposes, and if they are out of work long enough, they are using their short-term disability via FMLA [Family and Medical Leave Act] to have a little income. This doesn't help anyone who has been employed less than a year though. The company had them working so it should be up to the company to assist them in surviving!

Jessie, whose family member is employed by Tyson, commented, I think theyre opening up too soon, and things are just going to continue to be bad because no one [in management] is serious about the health of others.

I mean, when you offer employees more money to come to work sick, [you are] just asking for trouble, but they know they will come because everyone is financially suffering right now. Its just a daily game of Russian Roulette if you ask me.

When asked about the prospect of corporations being protected from virus-related liabilities, Jessie stated, There is no protection for us. Its just a hope-and-pray we dont get sick. I guess we just pray that we stay safe because at this point there is no help, and we have no choice because we are so behind on everything.
BOISE, Idaho - Outbreaks of the coronavirus could sweep through large camps where crews typically stay as they fight wildfires across the U.S., according to a federal document obtained by The Associated Press, and the problem is likely to get worse the longer the fire season lasts.

The U.S. Forest Services draft risk assessment suggests that even in a best-case scenario  with social distancing followed and plenty of tests and protective equipment available  nearly two dozen firefighters could be infected with COVID-19 at a camp with hundreds of people who come in to combat a fire that burns for months.

The worst-case scenario? More than 1,000 infections.

The Forest Service is diligently working with partners to assess the risk that COVID-19 presents for the 2020 fire season, the agency said in a statement Wednesday. It is important to understand that the figures in this report are not predictions, but rather, model possible scenarios.

The Forest Service said the document was outdated and being redone, and the newest version wasnt yet ready to share. The AP obtained the draft from an official who has access to it and didnt want to be named.

One of the authors of the risk assessment said Tuesday that in the new version, the infection rates remain the same. But while the draft originally said the death rate among infected firefighters could reach as high as 6%, that is being revised sharply downward, to less than 2%, to reflect newer data, said Jude Bayham, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University.

He said the initial death rate was based on data from early in the pandemic, when testing was far more limited. Based on new data, firefighters  who are largely healthy and young  will likely fare far better if they contract COVID-19 than the general population, he said.

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 people who are older or have health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Federal guidelines released last week reimagine how to combat wildfires to reduce the risk of firefighters getting the virus. The guidelines urge fire managers to use small crews that can have the close contact that firefighting and travel often require, while staying away from other groups. The guidelines recommend avoiding the traditional large camps and relying on military-issue ready-to-eat or bagged meals instead of catered buffet-style meals at campsites.

Some fire managers also are told to take temperatures with their own touchless thermometers if possible. The guidelines say everyone should wear masks and other protective equipment when around those outside their immediate crew. Good cleaning and sanitation is recommended, as is isolating firefighters and potentially entire crews if COVID-19 is detected.

A review of incident reports from wildfires so far this year show the guidelines are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to follow and could actually increase some risks to firefighters.

We have developed pinch-points that cause operational lapses in guidance that may very well get confused with policy and doctrine. This situation could result in injury  or even unwanted death  of our multiagency employees, Greg Juvan, a fire management officer with the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, wrote in a report from a small wildfire last month.

Social distancing was difficult, and firefighters found it unrealistic to meet sanitation standards for truck radios, hand tools and other gear used in the initial attack on the Idaho wildfire, Juvan said. Social distancing guidelines call for more vehicles to transport crews, but that led to congestion on the narrow roads leading to the fire. The guidelines could raise one of the greatest risks to wildland firefighters  traffic wrecks, Juvan said.

Even something as basic as sanitizing vehicles proved problematic, with cleaning supplies difficult to find, the report said.

In New Mexico, several agencies responded to a small wildfire last month, with some not practicing social distancing and other virus policies appearing to vary greatly, George Allalunis, a Carson National Forest engine captain, wrote in a report.

For the Forest Services draft risk assessment, researchers created scenarios using three actual fires from 2017 and applied disease modeling. They found testing every firefighter before they started work reduced the coronavirus risk most significantly for short, high-intensity wildfires, said Bayham, the professor. But for longer, drawn-out firefights, initial testing was less important than keeping firefighters spread out in small campsites.

The models showed that even with strict pre-work testing and social distancing, about 21 COVID-19 infections could be expected in a large camp like that used for a 2017 fire in Montana. In the worst-case scenario, more than 1,000 firefighters would be infected. The problem could compound as fire crews are sent to new locations over the monthslong fire season, which has largely begun.

The risk assessment will be updated throughout the season, the Forest Service said.

The American West could see higher-than-normal levels of wildfire this year because of drought.
Last week, the Department of Justice suddenly dropped its charges against former Trump adviser Michael Flynn. It was a notable move for many reasons. After all, Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents. And President Donald Trump had argued that the charges against Flynn were unfair. But instead of pardoning Flynn himselfa move many expected, considering his historyWilliam Barrs DOJ stepped in to do the job for him. A district judge has put the move to drop charges on hold for now. But that doesnt stanch the gravity of the situation, or the effects of what the DOJ will do next.

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On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Dahlia Lithwick, who writes about courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus, about the twists and turns in the case against Flynn, and why it matters. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Mary Harris: Its worth getting at the heart of who Michael Flynn is. Flynn was a shoo-in to be Trumps national security adviser. Some even floated his name as a potential vice president. Though Flynn had been the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Barack Obama, his views had moved sharply to the right over the years.

Before Trump even took office, Flynn was getting involved with highly sensitive foreign policy. A few weeks after the election, Sergey Kislyak, who was Russias ambassador to the U.S., gave Flynn a call. He was worried about sanctions Obama had put in place as punishment for Russias meddling in the 2016 election. He was wondering: Should Russia respond here and escalate things? And Flynn tells him, Just sit tight. Thats why were talking about a criminal investigation into Flynn now, four years later.

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Dahlia Lithwick: The only reason any of this is important is because what Flynn is being investigated for is whether he is susceptible to blackmail by the Russians. This is a counterintelligence question. Is he doing something that puts him in a position where the Russians can blackmail him in the future? And does that necessarily make the U.S. government vulnerable to more Russian interference? That was the issue that was being investigated. What the government ended up getting him for is that he lied about this phone call. But the issue wasnt that he lied. The issue is, once he lied, the Russians know he lied. Now they have something to use against him. And that was the basis of the inquiry.

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Flynn was fired almost immediately after being caught in this lie. And the thing about it is that even at the time, Trump seemed to be saying that hes still a good guy. It was just a little lie, no big deal.

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Remember, that was when Trump had his crazy tete-a-tete with Jim Comey, when he cleared the room and said, Can you see your way clear to making this go away? That was about Flynn. I think all the way through Trump was thinking, who among us doesnt lie 40,000 times a day?

One of the most interesting things about the Flynn story is how he shape-shifts over time. Flynn gets fired from the White House and hes caught in this lie. Its clear that hes going to be investigated and face legal trouble, so he makes a reasonable decision: He decides to cooperate with investigators and plead guilty. Is he helpful to investigators at that point?

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Its one thing for the president to abuse his pardon powers, but its something entirely different when the DOJ has been conscripted into that project.  Dahlia Lithwick

I think he was initially very helpful. This is one other thing we should note: People plead guilty all the time. This is arguably a huge problem in the justice system, that people plead guilty because they have some court-appointed attorney who says to take the plea. We see this in the conversation around Flynn: that he was trapped and took this plea, and he didnt do it. This is an incredibly sophisticated government actor who has incredible lawyers. This is not some poor guy who shoplifted at Walmart. This is somebody who has been a public figure for a very, very long time and, represented by counsel, twice pleads guilty and says, Yes, I did all these things. So its important to separate him from the many, many sorry souls who plead guilty without the advice of counsel, without a sophisticated knowledge of what that implies.

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But I think youre absolutely right. He cooperates with the Mueller investigation initially. The team is really happy with his cooperation. I think theres a feeling hes giving useful intel, and he appears all over the Mueller report. Then I think he felt as though he was not getting the kinds of rewards back for his cooperation that he expected.

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Flynn was facing a possible prison sentence, despite the fact that he had been cooperating with the investigation. So he blows up his plea deal, fires his attorneys, and hires new counsel.

And he said: You know what? I changed my mind. I know I pleaded guilty twice, but Im not guilty. The FBI was inappropriate. In real time, we saw him revert from I did something bad, Im going to try to act honorably, Im going to admit to it, to It never happened. And if it happened, so what? Everybody lies.

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Flynn got this new attorney who was quite key in bringing out, from FBI investigators, this new evidence that this team claimed showed a kind of entrapment of Flynn. Can we talk about what that evidence was?

It shows that there was dissension between the FBI and the Justice Department. There was one impulse to close the investigation into Flynn during the transition. There was another to keep it open. It was never closed. So the idea that this investigation was somehow illicitly reopened after being closed is not factually true. Theres not much that is new that has surfaced. But I think that what it does is it serves the narrative that the FBI is illegitimate. The DOJ got worked and agreed to go forward with this illegitimate prosecution.

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I think the real story is this happens all the time. Theres always interagency bickering, and the fact that there was disagreement between the FBI and the Justice Department doesnt mean that what the FBI did was entrapment or unlawful or illegitimate. But thats the story thats been told effectively.

I like that you brought up that this evidence wasnt new. It had always been there. Its about the way you package it and present it to people, because it did take off in right-wing media circles over the past year. This idea that Flynn was entrapped was based on certain notes that were in the file. But it seemed like the kind of stuff you jot down when youre in a meeting with someone and trying to figure something out.

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This is just tactics. This is what prosecutors do all the time. As was written in the Washington Post, one new thing that we could see is the actual transcript of the call between Flynn and Kislyak. That would be useful new information, to know what was actually said in that call. But whats been unearthed here as this shattering new revelation is stuff thats been available to the judge all along.

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It really struck me that just last month the president was asked about Flynn and whether he would pardon him. He seemed to presage whats happened in the past week: He said, I dont know that were going to need to pardon him. It was jaw-dropping that the president would say that and then, a few weeks later, his attorney general would decide to drop charges.

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I think that shows how radically unprecedented this is. This just doesnt happen, that the DOJ, after having elicited two guilty pleas, would just drop out. By the way, it was also radically unprecedented for a bunch of career prosecutors to say that this is the sentence they recommend for Roger Stone and then turn around and give him a slap on the wrist. I think were seeing actions coming out of the DOJ that we just dont see.

Were you surprised?

I was. Because I think we all were ready for the pardon. And Trump has already shown us that he doesnt hesitate to use his pardon powers indiscriminately. But here, he reached out and got the DOJ to compromise its own standards when he can just do it and not be held to account.

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Thats I think why theres this underground ripple of real alarm, because its one thing for the president to abuse his pardon powers, but its something entirely different when the DOJ has been conscripted into that project.

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So youre saying this is worse?

I dont think theres any dispute that this is worse. This is now using the apparatus of the legal system to do a thing that Trump could have done on his own. Trump has created a two-tiered system of justice where his friends and cronies and loyalists see the charges against them vaporize. And he is kind of rejiggering the DOJ to prosecute and go after anyone who wasnt loyal to him. Thats why youre hearing that this is what totalitarian governments do: Youve just commandeered the DOJ to do a thing that is anathema to basic ideas of rule of law.

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It very neatly does a few things at once. It consolidates power, makes clear that Trump is the decider, and leans toward authoritarianism. And it also is part of sweeping under the rug the Mueller investigation and saying, no, that wasnt real.

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Thats true, and it goes further: It recasts the Mueller investigation and impeachment probe as a witch hunt and a hoax. So its not just that its saying it wasnt real. Its saying that any attempt by any entitybe it Congress, a special prosecutor, or somebody within the Justice Departmentto hold this president or his administration to account is a per se illegitimate enterprise.

I want to talk about Barr, because while what happened with Flynn certainly says a lot about the administration and Trump himself and how he values loyalty, this is a dance that requires two people. Barr has made clear where he stands here: He is a loyalist. He will defend the presidents right to do what he wants to do.

I think hes been very consistent: Nobody can investigate the president. Nobody can indict the president. Nobody can sneeze at the president. I mean, this has been his raison detre. Hes made it his business to create this capacious view of presidential power and authority and presidential untouchability. So this is just a Bill Barr special. Its not about justice. Its about who has power and who doesnt.

Listen to the full episode using the player below, or subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
SASKATOON - An innovative radiation treatment that could one day be a valuable addition to conventional radiation therapy for inoperable brain and spinal tumors is a step closer, thanks to new research led by University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers at the Canadian Light Source (CLS).

Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) uses very high dose, synchrotron-generated X-ray beams--narrower than a human hair--to blast tumours with radiation while sparing healthy tissue. The idea is that MRT would deliver an additional dose of radiation to a tumor after maximum conventional radiation therapy has been tried, thereby providing patients with another treatment that could extend their lives.

But the longstanding questions have been: What is the optimal X-ray energy range of the MRT radiation dose that will both penetrate the thickness of the human body and still spare the healthy cells? How can the extremely high radiation doses be delivered and measured with the accuracy necessary for human treatment?

In a just-published paper in Physics in Medicine and Biology, the research team is the first to show that MRT can be scaled up for human radiation treatment. The team has identified how the radiation can be optimally delivered to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the potential human cancer treatment.

"The challenge has been to determine the ideal energy range needed so that the therapy can be used in humans with the next generation of synchrotrons," said Farley Chicilo, a USask PhD student in bio-medical engineering and lead author of the paper.

The energy range that's available now at synchrotrons around the world is not sufficient to penetrate the thickness of the human body.

"We were able to identify the higher X-ray energy range needed to penetrate the thickness of the human body, validating predictions from mathematical modeling," said Chicilo, noting that mathematical modeling had indicated the optimal X-ray energy would be 150 to 250 kiloelectron volts (keV).

MRT has a key advantage over other types of radiation: because the microscopically narrow beam of bombarding X-rays is sectioned like the teeth on a comb, the unirradiated healthy tissue in the spaces between the fine microbeams is able to help heal the irradiated tissue in the microbeam path.

"For MRT to be successful, we need the parallel microbeams to be as sharply defined as possible," Chicilo said. "Imagine a tumour therapy using knife cuts so thin that they could cut completely through an animal's spinal cord, and not paralyze the animal. MRT is that thin knife cut."

The team's experiment showed that at 150 keV, the high-energy, high-intensity microbeams were not blurred, allowing the damaged cells in the microbeam path to be quickly repaired by adjacent healthy cells.

"One might think that at higher energy the electrons would scatter more and damage surrounding tissue but it's the opposite," said USask medical imaging expert Dean Chapman, Chicilo's co-supervisor. "This new knowledge will affect how dedicated machines for MRT will be developed in future."

Another significant challenge for scientists investigating MRT has been the lack of a detector that can accurately and precisely measure the extremely high radiation doses at micron scale resolution.

"What our team did was to develop a unique high-dose radiation measurement detector technique and use it to determine the exact radiation dose contour delivered by the microbeam," said USask engineering professor Safa Kasap, who has been working on X-ray imaging detectors for more than two decades and is Chicilo's supervisor.

The detector uses a special glass containing samarium, a rare Earth ion, that helped the team measure the radiation dose and ensure it is precise and controlled. The glass itself was prepared by Andy Edgar at the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, a long-time collaborator of the USask group. The detector using this glass and the measurement apparatus were designed and developed at USask, the only place that uses this unique material for MRT measurement of ionizing radiation.

Samarium glows orange when excited by a blue laser, but when exposed to X-rays, the ions gain an electron and glow red. By observing the ratio of orange to red light, the team was able to measure the dose deposited at a very high resolution over the large dose range of MRT.

"This is one of the best detectors that has been developed for measuring the detailed contour of the edges of the microbeam," said Kasap.

The new-found ability to predict both an ideal energy range of X-rays and the ideal width of the microbeams for human therapy will be "critical in future for treatment planning in clinical trials," said USask adjunct professor and team member Dr. Fred Geisler, a nuclear physicist and neurosurgeon who is an internationally renowned expert in spinal cord injury and spinal surgery.

"These are important and exciting steps in a process to make MRT available for human cancer treatment," Geisler said, adding this could take a decade.

Synchrotrons are the only means of generating high enough strength of parallel X-rays for MRT research. The CLS is one of only a few facilities in the world that can produce microbeams with the appropriate energy range for testing biological and medical applications.

Having the CLS located on the USask campus along with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) creates a critical mass of multi-disciplinary researchers to continue to advance MRT.

In fact, Chicilo and some of his co-authors are currently working with the SCA on a mouse model to determine when to perform MRT after standard radiation therapy has already been tried.

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The research team also involves USask adjunct professor Al Hanson, George Belev of the University's Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, and former USask engineering graduate student Kieran Ramaswami.

The research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
A BALLOT for strike action at Bord na Mona has been averted.

The group of unions at the company, which has announced the lay-off of 230 staff because of the Covid-19 crisis, had indicated it would begin the ballot if Bord na Mona did not agree to refer its dispute to a joint industrial relations council (JIRC).

In a hardening of its stance last Friday, the group told management there had been no agreement across a range of issues.

Included were loss of pay, the selection criteria for staff being temporarily laid off, the number of workers included in the wage subsidy scheme and redundancy and pension issues.

Group of unions (GOU) secretary Willie Noone asked the company to confirm as a matter of urgency to confirm its agreement that the issues would be referred to a full hearing of the JIRC.

Mr Noone said unless the confirmation was forthcoming by this evening (Wednesday, May 13), the GOU would have no option but to continue the process of commencing a ballot for industrial action up to and including strike action.

However, yesterday morning (Tuesday), Mr Noone said the JIRC had agreed to hear the issues so company consent is not needed now.

He said the JIRC process would be done first in advance of any ballot and he did not know if the company would be represented at it.

Bord na Mona said that it would not be commenting on the matter.

In a letter to workers in its energy section on May 6, Bord na Mona chief executive Tom Donnellan once again stressed the devastating impact Covid-19 was having on the company's business.

Mr Donnellan told the employees he was appalled that anyone would suggest the company you work for is using this dreadful and unprecedented virus as 'cover' to release staff. He set out how demand for electricity had fallen off a cliff in Ireland, the peat-fired stations at Shannonbridge and Lanesboro had stopped operating and Bord na Mona could not retain employees in work and simply absorb that cost.

Peat harvesting will resume this summer following a Bord Pleanala ruling but Mr Donnellan said if the power stations remain offline the company will not be required to supply peat to them.

He also he is confident the peatland rehabilitation programme will begin next year, providing opportunities for about 300 workers.

In addition, Bord na Mona had successfully tendered for similar work on peatlands owned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, providing work for another 40 employees. That work is already funded but is on hold due to Covid-19.

Mr Donnellan further indicated to his employees that the voluntary redundancy scheme, which was reopened because an initial one was heavily oversubscribed, has been put on hold.

He said Bord na Mona is not in a position to make any decisions on the extent of voluntary redudancies in advance of clarity on how many workers it needs for this year's harvest and the bog rehabilitation work.

Voluntary redundancy is not a solution to our current challenges related to Covid-19. We could be in a position where we have a role for every employee impacted by the exit from peat related activities which would be a tremendous outcome in that no voluntary redundancies would be required, he said.

Significantly, he also indicated that politicians expressed a preference for employment retention in the company.

I know from talking to staff and other stakeholders including elected representatives, that the focus must be on employment and not redundancies if at all possible.

However, if the opportunity presents itself to accommodate a limited number of [voluntary redundancies] then we will consider those applications based on business need criteria, including but not limited to; work location, job category, skill set, experience etc.

However, I want to once again reiterate that my primary focus is on sustaining employment and not causing redundancies.

He said all genuine redeployment opportunities had been examined to restrict the numbers of staff being released.

A small number of roles had been identified in ash sites, on a greenway in Longford and in preparing for the upcoming harvest.

All apprentices in Mountdillon and Blackwater (the bogs which supply the ESB power stations) have been retained and will be reassigned to alternative works locations if required in an effort to allow them complete their apprenticeships.
Stanford researchers are developing a test that can diagnose the coronavirus by analyzing saliva collected in a small cup, which  if proven reliable and accurate  could make testing more accessible, cheaper and less invasive.

The work comes as the Food and Drug Administration recently authorized the use of the first at-home coronavirus saliva test, made by a lab at Rutgers University in New Jersey, which is working with companies to manufacture and distribute thousands of the tests to health care providers, nursing facilities and homes across the United States.

The current gold standard for coronavirus testing is done by collecting a nasopharyngeal specimen, which requires health care workers to stick a swab several inches into a patients nostrils and can be uncomfortable. It also requires health care workers to wear head-to-toe personal protective equipment, or PPE, because the swabbing can prompt a sick patient to sneeze or cough and expose the worker to the virus.

Stanford began working on its saliva test a few weeks ago, said Stanfords Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist. Stanford can process the saliva tests using the same lab equipment it already uses to run the nasal samples. But to get the FDA to sign off on the saliva tests, researchers must show they can detect the coronavirus as well as the nasal test can.

To do so, Stanford is trying to test 20 COVID-19 positive patients and 20 COVID-19 negative patients using both types of tests to see if the results match up. That means some patients tested at Stanford drive-through testing sites, clinics and hospitals will do both kinds of tests: receive a nasal swab and spit into a cup.

We know (the saliva test) will work in the lab, but we dont know how often itll identify a positive that the gold standard will identify, Maldonado said. Thats where we are now.

Similar to tests that analyze nasal specimens, saliva tests detect the presence of the virus RNA.

There are limitations to saliva tests. The FDA notes that the collection of saliva specimens is limited to patients with symptoms, and that negative results should be confirmed by testing an alternative specimen. Saliva tests may not be able to detect the virus in asymptomatic people because there may not be enough virus present in the saliva specimen.

Saliva clearly looks appealing, but there are limitations, said Nam Tran, senior director of clinical pathology in charge of COVID-19 testing at UC Davis Health. We are currently not actively looking at a saliva test due to these concerns.

Yet an April 24 study by the Yale School of Public Health, which has not been peer reviewed, found that saliva samples are a viable alternative to nasal swabs because they are less invasive, can be self-administered and have comparable sensitivity to nasal swabs. The study looked at 44 hospital patients and 98 health care workers at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Maldonado said Stanford researchers hope to have results in the next few weeks. But its been a challenge to find 20 positive patients because theres been a slowdown of new COVID-19 infections in the Bay Area, she said.

If the Stanford test receives FDA authorization, it may eventually be sent to peoples homes so they can collect the sample themselves.

Any tests we can build out that help make it easier to diagnose someone and keep them healthy and keep them isolating, and keep them from infecting other people would be useful, Maldonado said. A saliva test could be so much easier. People could just spit in a cup. You dont need to be near a health care provider. Its cheaper and easier. It doesnt expose others to secretions.

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 only coronavirus saliva test to receive FDA emergency use authorization so far, on April 13, was developed by RUCDR Infinite Biologics, a Rutgers University lab. On Friday, the federal agency went a step further, granting authorization for the test to be used at home. Consumers can request the test, but it requires a doctors order. Patients spit into a small tube and then screw the cap on, which releases a preservation solution into the saliva.

Rutgers has partnered with Spectrum Solutions, a Utah company that manufactures the saliva collection kits. Another company, Tennessee-based Strategic Lab Partners, is working with Spectrum Solutions to distribute the tests.

Strategic Lab Partners has shipped 1.2 million saliva test kits, including to California hospital groups and employers, said Will Lane, the companys founder. Lane declined to say which California companies and health care providers purchased the tests, citing nondisclosure agreements. The Rutgers test is also being used in nursing homes, developmental centers and health care networks in New Jersey, New York and elsewhere, said Andrew Brooks, chief operating officer of RUCDR Infinite Biologics.

Several major health systems in the Bay Area, including Kaiser Permanente and UCSF, have not adopted the use of saliva tests, saying they are monitoring new tests as they come onto the market to make sure they are accurate.

Dr. Steve Miller, professor of laboratory medicine and director of the UCSF Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, said UCSF is not using saliva testing to diagnose the coronavirus and is looking into whether saliva and other types of specimen samples will produce reliable coronavirus test results.

There are mixed reports on whether saliva is a good sample type, with some studies limited to early-morning collections, which is not compatible with patient testing in a health care setting, he said. In our experience, saliva samples are often difficult to work with in the lab due to some samples being foamy and mucoid, and many of these do not provide valid results upon testing.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
TELEMMGLPICT000137680279.jpeg

Plans to grant the French an exemption to Britains proposed 14-day quarantine for arrivals were thrown into disarray on Tuesday as the European Commission warned it would have to be extended to other EU nations.

Officials and experts warned that the proposed exemption was unenforceable because of the risk of legal challenge by the Commission and loopholes that could see a British family flying in from Florida forced into quarantine while French passengers were not.

Ministers have also been warned that travellers from other European countries could use France as a staging post to by-pass the controls and enter the UK from French airports and ports. It is challengeable and it is pointless, said one source.

It would be difficult to see how this could work operationally if you had a different process for the French, said Tony Smith, former Director General of the Border Force.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said: What's ineffective is these kind of idiotic measures like a 14-day quarantine, which is completely non-science-based, when you can exempt the French and you can exempt the Irish. It's nonsense and it has no effect in limiting the spread of Covid-19.

The proposals to exempt France emerged after President Emmanual Macron is said to have demanded concessions in a phone call with Boris Johnson on Sunday.

The two leaders issued a joint statement on Sunday in which they stated that the quarantine would not apply to travellers coming from France to the UK at this stage.

However, yesterday a European Commission spokesman said that Britain was still subject to EU free movement rules during the transition period before Brexit at the end of the year.

Restrictions to free movement as well as the lifting of restrictions have to comply with the principles of proportionality and non discrimination, he said.

Story continues

Neighbouring countries were free to introduce bilateral measures but he added: We would expect that the UK in this case, for instance, would apply the same kind of exemptions to arrivals from other member states, which are in a similar epidemiological situation as France.

Government guidance issued on Monday pledged that quarantine would be introduced as soon as possible after lockdown starts to be eased this Wednesday.

Officials are racing to publish the plans in full this week, possibly on Friday, under which international arrivals apart from those on a list of exemptions will be required to supply their contact and accommodation information and will be expected to self-isolate for 14 days.

They will also be strongly advised to download and use the NHS contact tracing app.

The guidance did not spell out how the quarantine would be enforced and by whom but it is expected those that refuse will face fines of at least 1,000 and deportation.

The only exemptions listed in the guidance included journeys within the common travel area, which covers Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man and for key freight arrivals such as medical supplies and food.

Doctors, scientists and law enforcement officers are also expected to be exempt.

It is understood Government officials have been looking at whether Britain could preempt a legal challenge to a French exemption by putting a sunset clause on it so that it was time limited.

Restricting the exemption to only Eurostar trains is also believed to be under consideration.

It is thought likely that if Britain does not grant France an exemption, France would introduce a reciprocal quarantine arrangement that would hit British travellers.

Spain announced on Tuesday that it will implement a 14-day mandatory quarantine for travellers arriving from overseas starting on Friday.

Meanwhile, airlines will be able to offer passengers vouchers instead of cash refunds for travel cancelled by the coronavirus pandemic, under plans to be set out by the European Commission on Wednesday.

Brusselss plan will give a boost to the stricken aviation industry, which is, according to a leaked commission document, facing unprecedented numbers of reimbursement claims.

EU law guarantees aircraft passengers a refund or rerouting at the earliest possibility if airlines cancel a flight but officials are mulling ways to preserve that consumer protection and spare the airlines.

Revenue losses are reaching 90 percent for European airlines.

The new voucher scheme is an alternative to, and not a replacement for, the cash refund, a draft of a commission communication on Covid-19, transport and tourism, which is subject to change, said.

A finalised version of the idea is due to be presented in Brussels on Wednesday, along with other initiatives aimed at encouraging tourism this Summer, despite the pandemic.

Member states shall follow a joint approach, giving consumers an attractive and reliable choice between a cash refund or accepting a voucher instead, the draft said, suggesting the scheme could ease the sectors liquidity crisis.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Lima  Wed, May 13, 2020 19:07 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7dbdc5 2 News travel,tourism,quarantine,coronavirus,COVID-19,machu-picchu,Peru Free

Peru will allow some locals free admission to Machu Picchu and other archaeological sites in a bid to kickstart its tourist industry, the government said Tuesday.

The South American country's trade and tourism ministry said the move would help boost the sector, which is expected to lose $4 billion this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"To reactivate tourist activity, which has been affected by the spread of COVID-19, we must adapt to new forms of tourism," the ministry said.

Entry to 55 archaeological sites, as well as 22 reserves and national parks in the Amazon rainforest region, will be free to public service employees, children and pensioners between July and December.

Peru's government is due to ease a nine-week long quarantine on May 24.

Read also: Machu Picchu damage tourists deported, banned for 15 years

More than 1.5 million tourists, mostly from aboard, visited the 15th century stone citadel of Machu Picchu last year, according to official figures.

Peruvians normally pay the equivalent of $30 to enter the site, half the price charged to foreign visitors.

The government has allocated $5.8 million to increase health security measures for visitors to the country's Inca archaeological sites once they reopen, as well as $2.9 million for national parks.

The government has stepped up security at Machu Picchu, which has been closed since the lockdown began, for fear of archaeological thefts from the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Peru has so far registered more than 2,000 COVID-19 related deaths and nearly 70,000 coronavirus infections and since the first case was detected on March 6.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:37:32|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's economic growth will shrink by two percent in 2020, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said Wednesday in a report.

The report carried by official news agency MAP said the expected downturn in 2020 is due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding the economy will recover by four percent in 2021.

The slowdown will be driven by a sharp decline in tourism, measures to contain the spread of the pandemic, a likely poor harvest, a recession in Europe and lower commodity prices, the report noted.

On April 28, Morocco's planning agency revised downward the country's growth forecast for the second quarter to minus 6.8 percent. Enditem
One of 42 dogs flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups gives out kisses, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

When the Piper Saratoga touched down at Sky Manor Airport in Pittstown Sunday afternoon, the 42 dogs aboard took the next step that will bring them closer to a new life.

Abandoned and mistreated in Mississippi, these dogs were welcomed in New Jersey with hugs and kisses by dozens of masked volunteers from Puppy Love Pet Rescue and families looking to adopt.

"She's perfect," said Greta Luria, speaking from behind a blue face mask splashed with white dots. Everyone attending the drop off was required to wear a mask due to the coronavirus.

"She seems to really like me and her coloring is beautiful," she said while holding the brown and white five-week-old puppy.

As the 17-year-old Chatham resident protected the puppy she wanted to adopt from the chilly winds by holding her tightly, her sisters searched for the dog of their choice.

Volunteers checked on the dogs that were put into temporary pens so they could stretch their little legs, and families searched for their next adoptee. Matt Kiener watched, happy to see his efforts from the last two days come to fruition.

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups are taken off the plane at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Kiener is president and chief pilot for FlyPups and was responsible for delivering this plane load of excited tail-wagging dogs in need of love, while also delivering joy to potential adoptive families.

"These trips are amazing, they're absolutely amazing," said Kiener, who got his private pilots license in 1995.

FlyPups is a non-profit organization that flies rescued dogs from kill shelters and other harmful situations.

Kiener started transporting dogs in 2011 when he filled in for a friend on a dog rescue mission. Before then, it never occurred to him that there would be such a need.

"The very first mission I did was in a tiny little two-seater aerobatic plane, and it was a mission gone bad."

Kiener explained that after flying five puppies up to New Windsor, New York and dropping them off, one of them followed him as he was walking out the door.

"I picked her up and said you think you're coming home with me and she started licking my face," he said. "So that's a yes."

He named her Piper and she was the inspiration for founding FlyPups.

"This short plane home from New York State was an eye opener. It was one of these moments where your mind is racing and you know your life is on this course but now it's going 20 degrees to the right."

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Matt Kiener, FlyPups chairman and pilot, transported 42 dogs that were rescued from Mississippi and delivered them to Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs will be fostered then up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Since that flight, FlyPups has flown an equivalent of two trips around the world and the last transport brought the total number of dogs rescued to more than 1,000.

Sunday's mission was for Puppy Love Pet Rescue and started with a 6.5 hour flight down on Saturday and then a 4.5 hour flight back Sunday.

"There were some really heart-wrenching stories with a couple of the dogs on this mission," Kiener said.

His co-pilot for the trip was Liz Taras, who owns Gladstone Corner Deli & Grill, which is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was her first flight with Kiener and she admitted she was nervous because she never flew in a small plane.

While the majority of the dogs slept, Taras got to play with one lucky puppy who sat on her lap for most of the trip back.

"Kind of silly not to play with a couple of them," Kiener said.

Accidents do happen though, as the pup peed on her foot. "It claimed me," she laughed. "I feel like it needs to go home with me now."

For some of these dogs, a garbage dump was their home. For all of these dogs, their forever home is now only weeks away thanks to volunteers Charlene Heafner and Kimmie Fuller, who work the front lines in Mississippi, said Joan Gilmore, president of Puppy Love Pet Rescue.

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Manly, a 3-month-old terrier mix who is suffering from mange, looks at volunteers after being flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups delivered 42 dogs to Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

A 3-month-old mix terrier covered in mange was found in a garbage dump with his dead mother.

"He looks like a leather dog right now," said Gilmore. "But he's in good hands now and you know it will take some time but he'll grow his hair back and be happy and healthy."

Another dog was abandoned when a shelter refused to take her in after her puppies were born.

"The animal control officer was out for two weeks looking for her and they found her in a garbage dump eating rags," Gilmore said. Back on the green Jersey grass of the airport that same black dog went from pen to pen looking for her puppies.

Gilmore explained that all the dogs will go into foster care where they will be provided with all the medical attention they need before being put up for adoption.

"We'll post them on our website and start taking applications," she said.

Gilmore, who started her rescue in 2003, said she has worked with FlyPups for approximately four years.

"He's done many flights for us and we're very grateful to have him because a four hour trip in the plane is a lot easier than a 24 hour trip in the car, especially for the little guys."

Kiener said he usually makes a few dozen trips a year mostly east of the Mississippi and knows that this is exactly what he should be doing.

"When we're loading the dogs up there is absolutely an energy and they know that they're going someplace better and that things are going to improve."

There's nothing more rewarding, there's nothing more invigorating, he said.

Scroll down below to see more pictures of the dogs rescued from Mississippi.

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One of 42 dogs flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups gives out kisses, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Matt Kiener, FlyPups chairman, and his co-pilot Liz Taras, land at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, with 42 dogs that were rescued from Mississippi and delivered to Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs will be fostered then up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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One of 42 dogs flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups is fed formula, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups are taken off the plane at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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A puppy sticks its nose out through a hole in a crate before being taken out of a plane that delivered 42 dogs, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported the dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups are taken off the plane at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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One of 42 dogs flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups gives out kisses, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Joan Gilmore, president of Puppy Love Pet Rescue, talks on the phone after 42 dogs were flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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A family looks at dogs to adopt after they were flown from Mississippi by FlyPups, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs were picked up by Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Manly, a 3-month-old terrier mix who is suffering from mange, is held by Jack Stevens, of Far Hills, after being flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups delivered 42 dogs to Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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A puppy on transport takes a seat on Matt Kiener, FlyPups chairman and chief pilot, during a transport from Mississippi to Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Liz Taras)

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Volunteers check on dogs that were flown from Mississippi by FlyPups and dropped off at Sky Manor Airport in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs were picked dup by Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups are taken off the plane at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Matt Kiener, FlyPups chairman and pilot, talks to volunteers at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, after he flew 42 dogs that were rescued from Mississippi and delivered to Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs will be fostered then up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Puppies grab a bite to eat after being flown from Mississippi and dropped off at Sky Manor Airport in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs that were picked up by Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Greta Luria, 17, from Chatham, looks at a dog to adopt after they were flown from Mississippi by FlyPups, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs were picked up by Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups wait to be taken out of their crate at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups are taken off the plane at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Dogs flown from Mississippi by FlyPups wait to be taken out of their crate at Sky Manor Airport, in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. FlyPups transported 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Volunteers check on dogs that were flown from Mississippi by FlyPups and dropped off at Sky Manor Airport in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs were picked up by Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Puppies play after being flown from Mississippi to New Jersey by FlyPups for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Volunteers check on dogs that were flown from Mississippi by FlyPups and dropped off at Sky Manor Airport in Pittstown, Sunday, May 10, 2020. The dogs were picked up by Puppy Love Pet Rescue where they will be up for adoption. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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FlyPups flew 42 dogs from Mississippi to New Jersey for Puppy Love Pet Rescue, Sunday, May 10, 2020. (Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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As number of victims mounts in Brazil and Chile, governments are under fire for failing to mount adequate response to crisis.

In Brazil where the coronavirus death toll is above 12,000 and rising, local governments have imposed mandatory lockdowns in the face of President Jair Bolsonaros failure to take it seriously.

While in Chile the government is being accused of dragging its feet as infections soar.

Al Jazeeras Latin America editor Lucia Newman reports from Santiago, Chile.
As the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is falling, and the country looks towards an easing of lockdown restrictions, the focus is now on the recoveries from the virus and the good news stories.

One of those recoveries is Legan resident, Nicholas Coughlan, who is originally from Waterford and who will be turning 87 in a few weeks.

Nicholas contracted the virus when he went to Tralee for a hospital appointment in March and developed a mild cough.

The first day I went into hospital was March 20 and I had the hip operation, Nicholas told the Longford Leader last week.

It was a Friday and I went down to the Bons Secours Hospital in Tralee. When I got out of there, I was transferred to the Abbot Close Nursing Home in Askeaton, Limerick. I was there for four weeks and then I came home to Legan.

While he was in the nursing home, staff noticed he had developed a mild cough and decided it would be best to get him tested for Covid-19. The results came back positive.

There was nothing wrong with me as far as I could see, said Nicholas.

I knew nothing about it until they told me I had it. They tested me because I had a mild cough, but I always have a mild cough so as far as I was concerned, there was nothing at all to indicate I had it. Even they were surprised.

I was tested in the back of a van in the nursing home. It only took a couple of minutes and then they were gone. I came back positive and I had to go into isolation then.

Nicholas was in isolation for 19 days, seeing nobody except for the nurses who came in with their protective gear.

I was the only one in the nursing home who had it. I was in there on my own. It was boring, said Nicholas.

I did nothing, he added, when asked how he passed the time.

What could I do? I read a book, but I couldnt concentrate. I was too busy worrying about it.

And I did worry about it. I thought oh my god, what do I do now? I couldnt come out of the home until I was clear.

The news that the virus is most dangerous to the elderly was certainly a cause for concern for Nicholas and his family and his daughter, Michaela Williams, said it was a terrible experience for everyone.

It was horrible leaving him there. They said we could skype him when he was in the home but we could only talk to him over the phone. We thought oh god, is he going to die; is that the last time well see him? she told the Longford Leader.

But Nicholas beat all the odds and walked out of that nursing home as soon as he was well enough.

It was a relief to come out of the home and to see family again, he said.

I dont think people realise its so horrible to be in there alone. You see people going past and you cant even talk to them. It was terribly lonely just waiting there.

There was a male nurse that would come in around 9 oclock with tablets and a meal and hed chat to me for a while. Every night hed come along and give me an injection and Id say oh, here he comes with the big needle in his hand.

To survive such a deadly virus is no mean feat for a man of Nicholas age and when it was put to him that he must be as strong as an ox to recover so well, he laughed and put it down to his lifestyle.

I used to walk up to six miles a day sometimes. At the moment I have a short walk from here up to the shops. I got home and Im in great form now, he said.

I like a drop of whiskey. Id like to be able to have one or two or three. I never had anything wrong with me. Its the secret to a long life. Ill be 87 on June 13.

Nicholas used to work in England, driving busses before returning home to Ireland where he worked with the circus for years doing publicity. He then took up a job with the funfair and kept working until he was 80 years old and his hip started to give him trouble.

The local man was eager to express his gratitude to all of the healthcare staff who looked after him, both in the hospital while he was getting his hip operation, and at the nursing home when he was in isolation.

And, while he admits he was extremely lonely during his isolation period, he believes the government restrictions were the right way to address the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland.

I didnt spread it and I think that was the answer to it. The government lockdown is a good thing as far as I can see, he said.

I was in there and I never shook hands with anyone. I always washed my hands and I think thats what will beat this thing in the end.

Read also: Edgeworthstown Covid-19 survivors urge others to please save lives and stay home
MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY PAPA OWUSU-ANKOMAH, HIGH COMMISSIONER OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA TO THE UNITED KINGDOM & REPUBLIC OF IRELAND



Ladies and Gentlemen,



I am reaching out to you today as the world fights a significant battle against the Corona Virus pandemic (COVID-19).



As most of you are aware, I tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to the Royal Free Hospital, London, in April 2020. I count myself blessed to be counted among the living today based on my recovery from the horrific effects of the virus.



I am grateful to all for the prayers and well wishes to me, my family, and staff of the High Commission during the difficult moment of recovery. Words cannot express the depth of our gratitude and I am fortunate to know that I have the concern of each and every one of you.



I extend my deepest gratitude to the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who continued to show compassion during those difficult times. I am also humbled to know that I can count on the continued support of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (MP), in many ways, particularly for the direction she gave to the High Commission to manage matters.



The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London collaborated with the High Commission and the hospital to ensure successful outcomes for which I am thankful. To all the physicians, nurses and other caregivers at the Royal Free Hospital in London who spent days and nights nursing me back to health, I am inspired by their abilities, diligence, selflessness, sensibility, and devotion to the calling.



I am aware that several Ghanaians are part of the health workers who are also applying their skills to save lives and I know that they will continue to do right by all those they serve when these patients are at their most vulnerable.



Our compatriots have been a source of inspiration and it is most heart-warming to learn of the magnitude of concerns expressed for my recovery.



I know my team and I can always count on you as we work together in various fields of endeavour to manage matters in acceptable ways, especially the current pandemic.



Allow me to take this opportunity to wish all our compatriots who are currently battling the virus and their families well and we keep them in my thoughts and prayers. I sympathise with the families of our compatriots who have lost their lives to the deadly Corona Virus. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.



The world is fighting a significant battle against the Corona virus which has affected every aspect of our lives and the global economy has not been spared. I however remain optimistic and I strongly believe that the U.K., Ghana, and the rest of the world will overcome this virus.



As we strive to reduce the levels of infection, I entreat all compatriots to continue to abide by laid down protocols and regulations issued by the U.K. authorities to stem the tide of the pandemic.



Let us all stay safe and we shall overcome!

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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A special flight under the Vande Bharat Mission will bring back 178 Indians, who had been stranded in Dubai during the coronavirus pandemic, back to Amritsar.

They will land at Shri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport (SGRDJI) around 8pm.

An official of ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) said one of the flights will land in New Delhi and the other in Amritsar.

The Delhi-bound flight is likely to bring 241 passengers and four infants while the Amritsar-bound flight will bring 178 distressed Indians.

On Wednesday, under the Vande Bharat Mission, five flights from the Gulf will bring around 900 distressed Indians.

Two flights from Kuwait scheduled for Ahmedabad and Kozhikode will bring 330 people.

A flight from Jeddah to Calicut will bring 149 people. Another flight to Delhi has been rescheduled for tomorrow due to operational reasons.

An official said priority was being given to workers in distress, elderly people, sick, pregnant women and others stranded in difficult situation.

Only those found asymptomatic will be allowed to board the flight, he said.

Amritsar additional deputy commissioner (ADC-general) Himanshu Agarwal said they have identified hotels in the city to quarantine passengers returning from Dubai.

We will give them an option between hotels, requirements and facilities, as per the governments direction, Agarwal said.

They will have to incur the cost for their stay in hotels, he said, adding that the passengers who will not be able to pay the rent will be taken to government quarantine facilities.
Cavotec SA ("the Company") today, May 13, 2020 held its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") in Lugano, Switzerland, chaired by Roberto Italia.

Annual Report, Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year 2019, Report of the Statutory Auditors

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal that the annual report, the financial statements and the consolidated financial statement for the year 2019 be approved.

Appropriation of Available Earnings

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal for the following appropriation:

CHF

Carried forward from previous year (42,957,278)

Net gain/ (loss) for the financial year 2019 58,377

Total earnings available(42,898,901)

Appropriation to general statutory reserves -

Appropriation to other reserves -

Proposed balance to be carried forward (42,898,901)

Grant of Discharge from Liability to the Board of Directors and Persons entrusted with the Management from Activities during Business Year 2019

The AGM granted discharge to all members of the Board of Directors as well as the other persons entrusted with the management for the business year 2019.

Creation of additional contingent share capital in connection with employee participation

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal to create additional contingent share capital in an amount not to exceed CHF 1'206'310.40 enabling the issuance of up to 942'430 additional shares with a nominal value of CHF 1.28 each in connection with employee participation (Long Term Incentive Plan 2020-2022) by inserting the new article 4nonies of the Articles of Association with the following wording:

"The share capital may be increased in an amount not to exceed CHF 1'206'310.40 through the issuance of up to 942'430 fully paid registered shares with a par value of CHF 1.28 per share by the issuance of new shares to employees of the Company and group companies. The pre-emptive rights and advance subscriptions rights of the shareholders of the Company shall thereby be excluded. The shares or rights to subscribe for shares shall be issued to employees pursuant to the Long Term Incentive Plan 2020-2022 approved by the Board of Directors. Shares or subscription rights may be issued to employees at a 10% discount compared with the market price quoted on the stock exchange at that time."

Renewal of Authorized Share Capital

The AGM adopted the Board of Directors' proposal to extend the duration of the existing authorized share capital in the amount not to exceed CHF 24'126'259.20 through the issuance of up to 18'848'640 fully paid registered shares currently valid until May 10, 2021, by another year to May 13, 2022, by amending article 4quater of the Articles of Association with the following wording:

"The Board of Directors shall be authorized to increase the share capital in an amount not to exceed CHF 24,126,259.20 through the issuance of up to 18,848,640 fully paid registered shares with a par value of CHF 1.28 per share by not later than May 13, 2022. Increases in partial amounts shall be permitted."

Approval of Remuneration

The AGM approved the maximum aggregate amount (covering fixed and variable remuneration) each of:

the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the next business year

the remuneration for the CEO for the next business year.

Adjustment to the remuneration of the CEO for the business year 2019

6.1Approval of Remuneration for the Board of Directors



The AGM approved the aggregate amount of EUR 500,000 for the remuneration for the Board of Directors for the business year 2021.

6.2Approval of Remuneration of the CEO

The AGM approved the aggregate amount of EUR 2,900,000 for the remuneration for the CEO for the business year 2021.



6.3 Approval of adjustment to the remuneration of the CEO



The AGM approved of the increase of the remuneration of the CEO from the originally approved amount of EUR 1'500'000.00 to EUR 2'250'000.00 for the business year 2019.

Re-election of six Directors, Nomination of the Chairman of the Board of Directors

In accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal Patrik Tigerschiold, Fabio Cannavale, Niklas Edling, Roberto Italia, Annette Kumlien and Erik Lautmann were re-elected as Directors for a further one-year term of office expiring at the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held in 2021.

Patrik Tigerschiold was re-elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for a further one-year term of office expiring at the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held in 2021.

Nominations for the Remuneration Committee

In accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal Erik Lautmann, Patrik Tigerschiold and Fabio Cannavale were re-elected as members of the Remuneration Committee for a further one-year term of office expiring at the Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting to be held in 2021. With respect to the requirements in the Swedish Corporate Governance Code that all members of the Remuneration Committee, apart from the chairman of the Remuneration Committee, are to be independent of the Company and its executive management, the Nomination Committee has come to the conclusion that all candidates proposed by the Board of Directors are independent of the Company and its executive management.

Re-election of Independent Auditor

In accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal, PricewaterhouseCoopers SA, Lugano, Switzerland was re-elected as Cavotec's independent auditor for the business year 2020.

Election of an Independent Proxy

In accordance with the Board of Directors' proposal, Mr. Franco Brusa, Attorney-at-law, Via G.B. Pioda 5, Lugano, Switzerland was elected as Cavotec's independent proxy for the AGM 2021.

ENDS

CEO speech at the AGM

Personal attendance at the AGM May 13, 2020 was not allowed due to imposed restrictions in connection with the coronavirus. This meant that the Group CEO, Mikael Norin was not able to address shareholders in person. Mr Norin has instead recorded the speech to the shareholders, which is available at https://cavotecsa.gcs-web.com.

For further details please contact:

Johan Hahnel

Investor Relations Manager

Telephone: +46 70 605 63 34 - Email: investor@cavotec.com

About Cavotec

Cavotec is a leading engineering group that designs and manufactures automated connection and electrification systems for ports, airports and industrial applications worldwide. We want to contribute to a future world that is cleaner, safer and more efficient by providing innovative connection solutions for ships, aircraft and mobile equipment today. To find out more about Cavotec, visit our website at cavotec.com.

This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 16:00 CEST on 13 May 2020.

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The worlds health official on Monday had warned that countries who are essentially driving blind in reopening their essential economies without even setting up strong contact traces to beat the deadly virus of COVID-19.

Reuters

Warning came as France and Belgium emerged from lockdowns, the Netherlands sent children back to school and many U.S states pressed ahead by lifting business restrictions over the economic crisis. Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the companys 10,000-workers electric car factory near San Francisco was operating Monday amid coronavirus health orders that closed nonessential businesses.

Authorities have cautioned that the spread could come back with a revenge without testing and tracing infected peoples contact with others.

Fears of infection spikes in countries that have loosened the grip and it has come true in recent days in Germany, where new clusters were linked to three slaughterhouses. In South Korea, where 85 new cases were linked to nightclubs that reopened after anti-virus measures were eased.

The WHO - World Health Organizations emergencies chief, Dr. Michael Ryan, said that the robust contact tracing measures adopted by Germany and South Korea are providing hope that those countries can detect and stop the virus clusters before they get out of control.

Unsplash

But he mentioned other nations' existing lockdowns have not effectively catered to tracing people who are testing positive, track down their contacts and get them into quarantine before they can spread the virus. The coronavirus can spread before people feel sick, making it important to act quickly. Ryan declined to name specific countries.
Delhi reported 20 fresh fatalities due to COVID-19, taking the death toll from coronavirus infection in the national capital to 106, according to city government authorities.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Wednesday climbed to 7,998 with 359 new cases.

In the first week of May, the city also recorded its largest single-day spike of 448 new COVID-19 cases.

In a bulletin issued on Wednesday, the Delhi health department said the fresh 20 deaths reported took place in April and May as per case sheets received from hospitals, and audited by the COVID-19 death committee.

However, it also carried a footnote, saying certain figures mentioned in the bulletin were subject to change on receipt of additional information.

On Tuesday, the total number of cases stood at 7,639 with 86 deaths. With 20 more fatalities, the death toll from COVID-19 in Delhi has risen to 106.

Of the total deaths till date, 86 took place at various COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, with RML Hospital accounting for 41 of these fatalities, the maximum among the dedicated hospitals, according to the bulletin, which added that the others took place at other hospitals.

The deaths recorded till date at other COVID-19 dedicated facilities are -- LNJP Hospital (19), Apollo Hospital (8), Sir Ganga Ram Kolmet Hospital (5), Max Hospital, Saket (5), Safdarjung Hospital (4), AIIMS (Delhi & Jhajjhar) (2) and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (2), the bulletin said.

Of the total number of deceased patients, 58 were aged 60 and above, accounting for over 54 per cent of the fatalities here.

Twenty-eight of them were aged between 50-59 years and 20 were less than 50 years, the bulletin said.

Facing criticism for "under reporting" COVID-19 deaths, the Delhi government on Sunday had issued standard operating procedure (SOP) for hospitals and other health facilities in the city on reporting fatalities due to coronavirus.

Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev had issued an order along with the SOP under which all COVID-19 hospitals and other facilities will e-mail a 'death report' to the government by 5 PM everyday.

As many as 2,858 patients have recovered so far, while there are 5,034 active cases, the Delhi health department said.

A total of 1,13,345 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted till date, it said.

The total number of COVID-19 positive patients under home isolation stands at 1,113, it said.

According to the Delhi Health Department bulletin, out of the total 7,998 cases recorded so far, at least 1,634 are admitted at various hospitals like LNJP Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) and AIIMS Jhajjhar, adding that 114 of them are in ICU and 14 on ventilators.

The number of containment zones in Delhi has been reduced to 81.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters

A federal judge has put the justice departments decision to dismiss a criminal case against Michael Flynn, Donald Trumps former national security adviser, on hold  opening the door for legal experts and other outside parties to oppose the administrations motion to exonerate Flynn of lying to the FBI.

Judge Emmet Sullivans order is the latest development in the high-profile case, which has led critics, including Barack Obama and hundreds of former FBI and justice department officials, to question whether William Barr, the attorney general, was orchestrating favors for Trump.

Flynn, a retired general and a close Trump ally, pleaded guilty to a felony charge amid the special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 US election. The former administration official was charged with lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador to the US during the presidential transition period. In exchange for leniency, Flynn cooperated with Muellers investigation as part of his plea agreement.

Related: Michael Flynn: justice department moves to drop criminal case against ex-Trump aide

But Flynn sought to change his plea while awaiting sentencing, as the president floated the idea of a pardon.

The justice department said last week that the FBI had had no basis to question him, and federal prosecutors asked Sullivan to throw out their case against Flynn. None of the line prosecutors supervising the case signed the motion and one withdrew from the case.

When Flynn was forced from the White House, Vice-President Mike Pence said he was disappointed the national security adviser had misled him about his talks with the Russian ambassador. President Donald Trump called the deception unacceptable.

Now Pence says he would welcome Flynn back to the administration, calling him a patriot, as Trump pronounces him exonerated.

And the DoJs move to dismiss the criminal case against Flynn marks another step in his transformation, in the eyes of Trump and his allies, from rogue adviser to victim of runaway law enforcement.

Story continues

The dismissal rewrites the narrative of the case that Trumps own justice department had advanced for the last three years in a way that former law enforcement officials say downplays the legitimate national security concerns they believe Flynn posed and the consequences of the lies he pleaded guilty to telling.

Its been swept up in a broader push by Trump and his Republican allies to reframe the Russia investigation as a deep state plot to sabotage his administration, setting the stage for a fresh onslaught of election year attacks on past and present Democratic officials and law enforcement leaders.

His goal is that by the end of this, youre just not really sure what happened and at some gut level enough Americans say, Its kind of messy, said the Princeton University presidential historian Julian Zelizer.

Scrambling to manage the coronavirus crisis and economic crash, Trump has been eager to shift the focus elsewhere.

He has repeatedly called Flynn exonerated and pushed the development as evidence of what he deemed Obamagate, an allegation the previous administration tried to undermine him during the presidential transition.

Though lawyers for Flynn asked Sullivan to immediately toss out the charges, following the DoJs move, Sullivan said he wanted to hear more arguments. Given the posture of the case, he said, he expected that many outside parties would want to weigh in.

Sullivan has questioned Flynn in court before. During a 2018 hearing, he rejected a motion supported by the administration for probation, telling Flynn: Arguably, you sold your country out.

Flynns defense team said Sullivans order on Tuesday was prompted by a filing from a group that called itself Watergate prosecutors that questioned the justice departments actions and suggested that political influence was at play.

Disputing the order, Flynns defense lawyer Sidney Powell and her co-counsel wrote in a court filing: There is no place for third parties to meddle in the dispute, and certainly not to usurp the role of the governments counsel.

This travesty of justice has already consumed three or more years of an innocent mans life  and that of his entire family, Powell wrote. No further delay should be tolerated.

Related: In leaked conversation Obama says US 'rule of law' at risk after Flynn case dropped

In a leaked web talk, Obama reportedly said the rule of law is at risk because the justice department dropped charges against Flynn. The chair of the House judiciary committee, Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat, called the decision outrageous and said he intended to call Barr to testify about the handling of the case.

We do not believe this case should have been brought, we are correcting that and we certainly hope that in the interest of true justice, that the judge ultimately agrees and drops the case against Gen Flynn, said Kerri Kupec, a justice department spokeswoman, in an interview Fox News on Tuesday evening.

The justice department did not immediately respond to the Guardians request for comment.

Trump has increasingly lashed out in the year since Robert Muellers report did not exonerate the president but also did not accuse him of a crime or allege a criminal conspiracy between his campaign and Russia.

The acting director of national intelligence, Richard Grenell, declassified a list of names of Obama officials who reportedly asked for Flynns identity to be un-redacted in intelligence documents.



Republicans have generated a thick fog of propaganda, said the Democratic representative Jamie Raskin.

Trump and his enablers in Congress have a strategy of never admitting anything and always going on the attack, he said.

Agencies contributed reporting
Never have we been so attractive as targets for fraudsters and scammers as we are right now. Thats because the uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic has created more opportunities for robocallers, hackers and other thieves. For one thing, millions of people are filing new claims for unemployment benefits and awaiting stimulus checks. So when a phone call or an email from someone purporting to be a bank or a government official comes in, it is tougher for us to ignore. Plus with so many people being required to work from home, our personal tech devices have become an ...
15:34 | Lima, May. 13.

At 3:00 p.m. (local time), 70-year-old Villaran departed the prison compound in compliance with the judicial mandate that ordered a preventive detention to be changed for house arrest.





Within this framework, the court admitted the appeal filed by the defense of the former Lima mayor to change the restrictive measures claiming she is vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic.





At a hearing session, Villaran alleged via videoconference that her request did not refer to a subjective matter but to a medical support, as she suffers from lupus.





For his part, her lawyer affirmed that Villaran did not pose a flight risk since airports have been closed due to the pandemic, and she had not obstructed investigations while in prison either.





The former mayor is investigated for the alleged commission of the crimes of money laundering, and illicit association, among others.








Jaipur, May 13 : Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma on Wednesday said that each person coming to Rajasthan from other states should get himself quarantined for 14 days adding that coming days shall be crucial for the state as around 19 lakh migrants shall travel to and from the state.

Quarantine period is not a penalty but a security. Carelessness on this part shall create challenges for both society and state, he said.

Sharma further said that next few days shall be very crucial for Rajasthan as around 19 lakh migrants will travel to and from from state. While 6.5 lakh people will go out of the state, the remaining have made their registrations to enter the state. The government and medical department have set priorities to provide quarantine facilities at the district level.

All those who are coming to the state from outside are welcome here however they should quarantine themselves before visiting the village and colony lanes, as those who are staying under lockdown for last 50 days need to be saved from virus infection, he said further.

Sharma appealed to the public representatives to ensure that those coming from outside go for home or institutional quarantine.

He further said, "The state government has collected 1.85 lakh samples and 12,000 samples are being collected each day for testing. We aim to take this figure to 25,000 a day soon. In Rajasthan, those turning negative from positive comprise over 60 per cent and the death rate due to corona is less than the average corona death rate in the country."
The long-stalled development slated for San Franciscos 16th Street BART station, derided by opponents as the monster in the Mission, would become a 100% affordable housing complex under a tentative deal struck between the city and the developer of a different property on Market Street.

Developer Crescent Heights, which plans to build 984 units at the former Honda dealership at Market Street and South Van Ness Avenue, has agreed to buy the monster property at 1979 Mission St. and donate it to the city for affordable housing. The land dedication would satisfy Crescent Heights affordable housing requirements for the 590-foot tower it plans to put up at the Honda site.

Those involved in the talks stressed that the transaction is contingent on rezoning to raise height limits on 18 properties, including the old Honda site, near the intersection of Van Ness Avenue and Market Street. The Planning Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on the rezoning, which also requires Board of Supervisors approval.

While most San Francisco developers meet the citys affordable housing requirements by paying a fee or including below-market-rate units on site, city laws allow developers to donate land to the city for low-income housing. San Francisco Planning Director Rich Hillis said that land dedication can be a useful option in addressing gentrification in certain neighborhoods.

The possible acquisition would be big for the Mission, a community that has been hit hard by gentrification, said Hillis.

Maximus Partners

If the deal is consummated, and the 16th Street BART development becomes housing for approximately 330 low-income households, it would represent a significant victory for Mission District activists, who have long regarded the 16th Street BART project as the front line of a larger fight against gentrification and displacement in the trendy neighborhood, which lost 8,000 Latino residents between 2008 and 2018.

Since 2013, the Plaza 16 Coalition, a group of Mission District residents and nonprofits, fought the market rate development on the site, instead pushing an alternative affordable project they called the marvel in the Mission.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who has been working on the 16th Street BART project for eight years, first as chief of staff for former Supervisor David Campos and later as a supervisor, said, Its hard for me to describe how meaningful this is for the Mission and for me personally.

We kept pushing because we knew that a transit-oriented, affordable, beautiful project over the BART plaza was possible, she said. I'll say this: The Mission community is smart. They know what their community needs, they know their rights, and they know the planning code.

Jon Jacobo, a Mission District activist who has been involved in talks about the transaction, stressed that more details have to be worked out before the Plaza 16 Coalition  and other anti-displacement groups  are unified behind the deal. Still, he said getting such a key piece of land secured for affordable housing would a big win.

This has been community-led from the jump  it was all because of the Plaza 16 Coalition that we were able to fight back against the monster and set it up for a potential cross-community collaboration like this, he said. It took everyone to get this far, and its going to take everyone to get it done.

The previous developer, Maximus Real Estate Partners, struggled to get traction in the neighborhood, despite spending millions of dollars on political consultants and advertising campaigns. Opponents include parents and teachers from Marshall Elementary School, which is adjacent to the site. Maximus was never able to reach a development agreement with the city, typically a key milestone for large developments.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The rezoning of the Market and Van Ness area, called the Hub, would allow for 9,710 new housing units, 1,640 more than the 8,070 allowed under the current zoning. In addition to the Crescent Heights project, the Hub plan would allow for a 610-unit, 520-foot condo high-rise at 30 Van Ness Ave. and a new French American International School with a 31-story, 345-apartment residential tower shooting up behind it near the intersection of Franklin and Market streets.

Under the Hub plan, Crescent Heights would have to make 20.5% of rental units permanently affordable if built onsite.

In a statement, David Noyola, a spokesman for Crescent Heights, said the 10 South Van Ness project would deliver world-class architecture by KPF architects, neighborhood-serving retail and a package of affordable housing and fees that includes the possibility of substantial off-site affordable housing assets supported by the community and city.

He said the developer is excited to do its part to help address the shortage of housing in San Francisco and contribute to the Hub.

If the land dedication is completed, the city would then pick a nonprofit builder to construct the 330-unit development, which likely would cost about $200 million. It would likely be paid for through a combination of tax credits, tax-exempt bonds, and public subsidies. While the Mission District currently has about 1,000 units of affordable housing either under construction or in the pipeline, the BART site would be by far its biggest.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:05:35|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The deadly attacks, which targeted a maternity hospital in Kabul and a funeral in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday and killed at least three dozen civilians, have promoted the Afghan forces to change their position from defensive to offensive, Presidential Palace spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said Wednesday.

Following the U.S.-Taliban peace deal, which was inked on Feb. 29 in Doha, the Afghan government forces had adopted a defensive position to facilitate prisoners' swap and pave the way for intra-Afghan dialogues.

Seddiqi, terming the Taliban as a terrorist group, said the terrorist attacks on Tuesday and in the past by Taliban or the Islamic State (IS) group are a testament that the militant groups are enemy of the people of Afghanistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, in contact with media said that the Taliban fighters had no relations with the attack on the hospital in Kabul and the one on the funeral in Nangarhar.

In response, Seddiqi told local media that "Taliban cannot acquit itself simply by issuing a statement that the group is not involved in the attacks."

At least 14 women and children including infants were among those killed in the first attack that targeted a maternity hospital in Kabul on Tuesday, while 15 others including medical staff were wounded.

An hour later, a suicide bomber blew himself up among mourners in a funeral in Kuz Kunar district of the eastern province of Nangarhar, killing 24 civilians on the spot and injuring 68 others.

The deadly attacks on civilians, which the hardliner IS group has reportedly claimed responsibility, have drawn wide condemnation.

Hours after the bloody attacks, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in a televised address ordered his security forces to "end active defense position" and resume offensives on militant groups including the Taliban.

However, in sharp reaction, the Taliban outfit flayed the order as an attempt by Ghani to remain in power under the shadow of war.

"Declaration of offensive operations against the Islamic Emirate (name of ousted Taliban regime) clearly shows that Ashraf Ghani is seeking to extend his rule under the shadow of war," Mujahid said on twitter.

Mujahid also blamed the Afghan government for delaying prisoners' swap to postpone the intra-Afghan talks.

The Taliban spokesman said the armed group is fully prepared to respond to any movement of the Afghan forces.

Rejecting the Taliban claims, Seddiqi in talks with media on Wednesday termed the Taliban as a warmonger militant group.
Iraq, OPECs second-biggest producer and the least compliant member in all previous rounds of cuts, has told some of its Asian oil buyers that it would not send the full contractual volumes requested for June, traders who were informed of the measure by Iraqs state oil marketing company SOMO told Bloomberg on Wednesday.

At least three Asian oil customers who buy oil from Iraq were told not to expect the full volumes next month, according to Bloombergs sources.

It is a rare occurrence for OPECs biggest cheater in the previous OPEC+ pacts to reduce supply to its key market, Asia, and inform clients of reduced allocations even before Saudi Aramco, which is late with its allocations for June this month.

The reduction in Iraqs exports could be a sign that even OPECs least compliant member is trying to play its part this time, as oil prices are so low that they are devastating Iraqs primary budget income, oil revenues.

While Iraq is cutting allocations for June, it was still struggling to come up with a plan about which oilfields should cut production, even after the OPEC+ agreement had already entered into force.

As of last week, Iraq hadnt informed its key oil customers about how much crude the country would export 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 last week.

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.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
(Natural News) Russian medical students have decried a measure that requires them to work at coronavirus clinics or face expulsion. The measure, which came into effect May 1, has been compared by some students to forced labor.

This is not volunteering by choice. Coronavirus is dangerous, and they should give people a choice, said Alexandra, a fourth-year student at Moscows Sechenov University who asked to be referred to by that name.

Faced with the possibility of contracting the virus and infecting family members or face expulsion, aspiring doctors have protested the decision to send fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year students  some as young as 21  to complete their medical training in coronavirus clinics. The decree affects students in all medical fields. This includes those in dentistry and pediatrics.

Those who refuse to go will not get their qualification and can face expulsion, said a sixth-year student who went by Svetlana.

Students dont have enough experience and protective equipment

Russia is confronting a relentless daily increase in confirmed coronavirus cases. As of press time, the countrys total was now at over 232,000 cases, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys tally. In response, authorities have been taking measures to staff its hospitals and expand the number of beds across the country.

However, many students say that they dont want to be put in those conditions without allocated housing and full personal protective equipment. Others have expressed worries that sending in inexperienced students will end up doing more harm than good, and even help spread the virus further. (Related: Over a quarter of medical students are depressed, suicidal.)

Were not doctors yet, our task is to get an education, said Alexandra to Agence France-Presse on conditions of anonymity. There are fears that we will be of no use and spread the infection instead.

She also pointed out the lack of protective equipment, and the student fears that they might be last in line for what limited supplies they have.

There is no adequate protection, and its difficult to believe that if the doctors dont have enough, they would find it for us, she said.

An anonymous appeal from students at the Pirigov Medical University circulated on social media sites, asking rector Sergei Lukyanov to make the coronavirus mobilization voluntary. However, neither the university nor the Ministry of Health has responded.

Meanwhile, at Sechenov, vice-rector Tatyana Litvinova stated that working with coronavirus patients would not be obligatory and that the school would not punish any students who declined.

If a student does not want to do it, they can do their practice in a different establishment, nobody is going to force them, she said in a statement to AFP, contradicting what the health ministry has said.

In addition, Litvinova also said that students would be paid a salary of 100,000 rubles ($1,360) and issued personal protective equipment.

Russian doctors shortage

Ivan Konovalov, the spokesman for the Alliance of Doctors, said that officials have turned to students because Russia is facing shortages of medical staff.

Healthcare reforms of the past years have led to the departure of many doctors, he said.

From 2013 to 2019, budget cuts to Russias healthcare system have slashed the number of medical staff across the country by more than half. Meanwhile, since 2011, Moscow has also cut nearly 2,200 infectious disease treatment beds.

That number continues to shrink, as more than 100 doctors have already died to the infection. Meanwhile, the coronavirus continues to spread as the number of people testing positive has grown by over 10,000 daily for over a week.

The Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation, Russias treasury, has warned that the cuts have left the countrys healthcare system weakened during the pandemic.

Despite the lack of medical staff, however, Konovalov said that mobilizing students is not the solution.

Even those in their last year dont have experience to work in these conditions, he said.

Sources include:

News.Yahoo.com

Coronavirus.JHU.edu

TheMoscowTimes.com
CHICAGO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- O'Hare Airport is a major hub for both business and leisure travel, and the hotel industry is the lifeblood of the Rosemont area. Hotels in the O'Hare and Rosemont area provide an economical and safe place to stay for travelers on business and with missed or delayed flights. Teamsters Local 727 recently learned that the hospitality the Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare provides to customers does not extend to its employees.

During this unprecedented time of need and uncertainty, Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare  5615 N. Cumberland Ave.  owned by Lakhani Hospitality, Inc. and operated under the Holiday Inn (NYSE:IHG) flag, have seemingly chosen to help themselves instead of their hard working employees who are struggling to survive.

Prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home order in Illinois, representatives of Lakhani Hospitality contacted Local 727 allegedly to seek cooperation with the union in reducing the potential of economic losses and the impact on union members at the hotel. When Illinois enacted the order to close businesses to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, however, the hotel proceeded to unilaterally, and in violation of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), furlough employees. As with other hotel employers who have furloughed union members during this time, Local 727 immediately filed a grievance as the CBA does not allow for furloughs of any kind.

On April 19, the hotel informed the union that it was approved for, and received, federal loan funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The PPP program was created in an effort to provide small businesses with the resources they needed to maintain their payroll, pay their bills, and keep all employees on staff during the pandemic. Total loan forgiveness for employers who use at least 75 percent of the funds to pay for employee compensation and benefits is a key component of this program.

However, rather than use these funds to compensate and bring back their furloughed employees  who have been without work for the better part of two months  Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare has chosen to forgo loan forgiveness and informed the union that they will not be using any of the loan to compensate or bring back any furloughed employees. Hotel management did not provide the union with a valid reason why they chose to use a government bailout program intended to help their workers on themselves.

"The actions of Holiday Inn O'Hare are truly reprehensible and the very embodiment of pervasive corporate greed," said John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 727. "For them to be one of the first employers to ask the union for cooperation and help and then decide to keep a government loan intended to pay for and retain their hard-working employees is shameful and dishonest. Their employees and the general public should be aware and angry with the sheer greed displayed by this company."

Holiday Inn Chicago O'Hare is a hotel under the IHG brand and serves the O'Hare airport area.

Teamsters Local 727 represents nearly 10,000 hardworking men and women throughout the Chicago area.

Nothing in this article should be read as the union's waiver of any legal argument, position or grievance(s), or as a waiver of any rights, arguments, or defenses under any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law. The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments.

Contact:

Caleen Carter-Patton, (847) 696-7500

SOURCE Teamsters Local Union 727, Park Ridge, Illinois
Holiday giant Tui is looking to cut up to 8,000 roles worldwide with the firm calling Covid-19 the 'greatest crisis' the industry has faced.

The UK's biggest tour operator posted losses of 845.8 million euro (747m) in the first half of 2020, compared to 289.1 million (255m) in the same period 12 months previously.

The Anglo-German company said: 'We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30% across the entire group. This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced.'

The UK's biggest tour operator posted losses of 845.8 million euro (747m) in the first half of 2020, compared to 289.1 million (255m) in the same period 12 months previously

Fritz Joussen, chief executive of the firm, said the company should 'emerge from the crisis stronger'.

How coronavirus has affected airlines in the UK over the past month Flybe: Europe's largest regional airline collapsed on March 5 after months on the brink, triggering 2,400 job losses and left around 15,000 passengers stranded across the UK and Europe. British Airways: The International Airlines Group, which also includes Iberia and Aer Lingus, said on March 16 that there would be a 75 per cent reduction in passenger capacity for two months, with boss Willie Walsh admitting there was 'no guarantee that many European airlines would survive'. The company has since said it wants to reduce the number of staff by 12,000. easyJet: The airline with 9,000 UK-based staff including 4,000 cabin crew grounded its entire fleet of 344 planes on March 30. The Luton-based carrier said parking all of its planes 'removes significant cost' as the aviation industry struggles to cope with a collapse in demand. Loganair: The Scottish regional airline said on March 30 that it expects to ask the Government for a bailout to cope with the impact of the pandemic. Jet2: The budget holiday airline has suspended all of its flights departing from Britain until April 30. A number of Jet2 flights turned around mid-air last month while travelling to Spain when a lockdown was announced in the country. Virgin Atlantic: The airline said on March 16 that it would have reduced its lights by 80 per cent by March 26, and this will go up to 85 per cent by April. It has also urged the Government to offer carriers emergency credit facilities worth up to 7.5billion. Ryanair: More than 90 per cent of the Irish-based airline's planes are now grounded, with the rest of the aircraft providing repatriation and rescue flights. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said his airline would be forced to shed 3,000 jobs while seeking pay reductions of up to 20 per cent by those who remain. Advertisement

He added: 'It will be a different Tui and it will find a different market environment than before the pandemic.

'This will require cuts: in investments, in costs, in our size and our presence around the world.

'We must be leaner than before, more efficient, faster and more digital.'

The company's report said: 'The tourism industry has weathered a number of macroeconomic shocks throughout the most recent decades, however the Covid-19 pandemic is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry and Tui has ever faced.'

It added that losses also came as a result of the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft after two crashes with other airlines.

The global airline industry has been hammered by the impact of coronavirus, with the huge slump in demand for international travel leading to thousands of planes being grounded and staff numbers slashed.

The company that owns British Airways alongside Iberia and Aer Lingus said on March 16 that there would be a 75 per cent reduction in passenger capacity for two months.

Its boss, Willie Walsh, admitted there was 'no guarantee that many European airlines would survive'.

The company has since said it wants to reduce the number of staff by 12,000.

Easyjet grounded its entire fleet of 344 planes on March 30, while Ryanair is only operating at 10 percent capacity.

Meanwhile, Richard Branson has controversially begged the British government for an emergency loan to rescue Virgin Atlantic from collapse. Virgin Australia has entered voluntary administration.

Countless holidays have been cancelled since the Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel in March.

With no end date in sight, and the Government now looking to enforce a 14-day quarantine period for travellers returning to Britain by air, it is highly likely that many families will be unable to go abroad for the foreseeable future.

Despite this, scores of readers today told Money Mail they are still being asked to pay more money for trips they are certain they won't be able to take.

Fritz Joussen, chief executive of the firm, said the company should 'emerge from the crisis stronger'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday it was 'just a reality of life' that breaks abroad would be off limits after the Government announced a 14-day quarantine for all international arrivals into Britain.

Asked whether 'summer was cancelled', Mr Hancock told ITV's This Morning: 'I think that's likely to be the case. I think social distancing of some kind is going to continue and I think the conclusion from that is that it's unlikely big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer. I think that's just a reality of life.'

He added the Government was seeking 'to reopen some hospitality' for staycations from early July, but that there were no guarantees.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, criticised the Government's handling of the situation, saying the restrictions were 'incredibly confusing for UK travellers'.

'The 14-day quarantine for people returning into the UK makes it impractical for people to take holidays as the quarantine period is longer than most holidays themselves,' he said.

'I don't think people will be going to Greece this summer even if they don't have to quarantine when they get there, it's just not practical. We need clear guidance.'
ENDEAVOUR REPORTS RECORD

OPERATING CASH FLOW IN Q1-2020

Net Debt down $55m in Q1-2020  Well positioned to meet FY-2020 production and AISC guidance

Highlights

Strong Q1-2020 performance with production of 172koz at an AISC of $899/oz; well positioned to meet

FY- 2020 guidance

Q1-2020 production increased by 42% over Q1-2019, driven by the start-up of the Ity CIL operation, while AISC increased by 3% to $899/oz

Record Operating Cash Flow of $126m in Q1-2020, a fivefold increase over Q1-2019

Net debt was reduced by $55m in Q1-2020 to $473m, marking a reduction of $187m over the past three quarters, following nearly four years of intensive growth-capital investment

Healthy Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA (LTM) of 1.06x at quarter-end, a reduction of 64% from 2.96x at the end of Q1-2019

Cash reserves of $357m at quarter-end, providing significant headroom to operate within the COVID-19 environment

Adjusted Net Earnings of $34m or $0.30/share in Q1-2020, a $39m increase compared to Q1-2019

Continued exploration focus with $17m spent in Q1-2020, representing nearly 40% of the full-year budget

SEMAFO transaction Extraordinary General Shareholder Meeting on May 28 and AGM now scheduled for the first half of Q3-2020

George Town, May 13, 2020 - Endeavour Mining (TSX:EDV) (OTCQX:EDVMF) is pleased to announce its financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2020, with highlights provided in the table below.

Table 1: Key Operational and Financial Highlights



(in US$ million) QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, Q1-2020 vs. 2020 2019 2019 Q1-2019 PRODUCTION AND AISC HIGHLIGHTS Gold Production, koz 172 178 121 +42% Gold Sold, koz 175 172 121 +44% Realized Gold Price2, $/oz 1,546 1,445 1,252 +24% All-in Sustaining Cost1, $/oz 899 819 877 +3% All-in Sustaining Margin1,3, $/oz 647 627 375 +73% CASH FLOW HIGHLIGHTS 1 All-in Sustaining Margin4, $m 113 108 45 +149% All-in Margin5, $m 80 85 22 +258% Operating Cash Flow Before Non-Cash Working Capital, $m 119 73 48 +149% Operating Cash Flow Before Non-Cash Working Capital, $/share 1.08 0.67 0.44 +146% Operating Cash Flow, $m 126 120 23 +450% Operating Cash Flow, $/share 1.14 1.10 0.21 +444% PROFITABILITY HIGHLIGHTS Revenues, $m 270 248 151 +78% Adjusted EBITDA1, $m 130 98 41 +217% Net Earnings Attr. to Shareholders, $m 26 (113) (15) n.a. Net Earnings, $/share 0.24 (1.03) (0.13) n.a. Adjusted Net Earnings Attr. to Shareholders1, $m 34 37 (5) n.a. Adjusted Net Earnings per Share1, $/share 0.30 0.34 (0.04) n.a. BALANCE SHEET HIGHLIGHTS1 Net Debt, $m 473 528 635 (26%) Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA (LTM) ratio 1.06 1.48 2.96 (64%)

1This is a non-GAAP measure. Refer to the non-GAAP measure section of the MD&A. 2Realized Gold Price inclusive of Karma stream; 3Realized Gold Price less AISC per ounce; 4Net revenue less All-in Sustaining Costs; 5Net revenue less All-in Sustaining Costs and Non-Sustaining capital.

Sebastien de Montessus, President & CEO, commented: "We have started 2020 well with continued momentum across the business, as production and costs from all our mines track in line with our full-year guidance.

To date, our operations have not been significantly impacted by COVID-19. We have implemented a business continuity plan and are working very closely with host governments to support a coordinated response in the communities where we operate. In the few instances where we had positive cases, those individuals are fully recovered and have returned to work.

This quarter we are particularly pleased to have achieved a record in operating cash flow, which has enabled us to further reduce our net debt by $55 million. The additional cash will help to ensure the resilience of our balance sheet as we respond to the current operating environment and will provide us with capital allocation flexibility going forward as we place an increased focus on return on capital employed.

Exploration remains a core strategic pillar and during the quarter we invested nearly 40% of our annual budget across the portfolio. Over the coming months, we expect to see the fruits of this activity as we announce resource increases for the Kari area at Hounde, the Le Plaque area at Ity, and at Fetekro. In addition, we aim to demonstrate the value created by publishing increased reserves and updated mine plans at both Hounde and Ity along with a PEA for Fetekro.

As we look ahead, we are well advanced in our planning to integrate our operations with SEMAFO. We remain excited about this combination and the value that it will create for all our stakeholders."

UPCOMING CATALYSTS

The key upcoming expected catalysts are summarized in the table below.





Table 2: Key Upcoming Catalysts

TIMING CATALYST Q2-2020 SEMAFO Acquisition Shareholder meeting on May 28, 2020, with closing expected in late June Q2-2020 Ity Updated Le Plaque resource estimate Mid-2020 Ity Updated Le Plaque reserve estimate followed by new Ity mine plan Q2-2020 Hounde Updated Kari area resource estimate

(Kari Pump, Kari Center, Kari West, and newly discovered Kari Gap) Mid-2020 Hounde Maiden reserve estimate for Kari West followed by new Hounde mine plan Q3-2020 Hounde Maiden reserve estimate on Kari Center and Kari Gap Late-2020 Hounde Commence mining Kari Pump higher grade deposit Mid-2020 Fetekro Updated resource estimate Q3-2020 Fetekro Preliminary Economic Assessment

COVID-19 RESPONSE

Since the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Endeavour has been focused on ensuring the well-being of its employees, contractors and local communities, while ensuring business continuity. In addition, host governments have taken strict and pro-active measures to minimize overall exposure.

Our primary focus is protecting the well-being of employees, contractors and local communities

Endeavour is working in close coordination with the national health authorities to implement and augment government protocols in surrounding communities.

Endeavour implemented a range of preventative measures across all its sites, including social distancing, health screening, augmented hygiene and restricted access to sites.

Endeavour leveraged its global supply chain, health and safety systems, community relations and communication teams to provide financial, operational and logistical support to the national, regional and local health response.

Endeavour sourced and delivered key medical equipment and supplies to regional, community and on-site medical centers.

Endeavour is pleased to report that its few employees who tested positive for COVID-19 in March have successfully recovered, and it has not had any new reported cases.

Endeavour has developed an epidemiological surveillance system across the three countries of operations to assist with the monitoring and tracking of the pandemic in these countries.

Endeavour hosted a visit by the World Health Organization in Abidjan in April to share insights.

To date, Endeavour has made approximately $6 million in contributions to national and local efforts in Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali, including salary donations from Endeavour's Board and leadership team, which will mainly be incurred in Q2-2020.

Business continuity response plan

A business continuity program was put in place in early March 2020 to mitigate risks from the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic with the following measures taken: Key expatriates returned to site before suspension of commercial airline flights and closure of borders, with shift rosters modified to ensure continuity of staffing for several months. Business operations have been reviewed and stress tested for different scenarios based on various escalations of protective measures, ranging from normal course of business (albeit with enhanced preventative measures) to care and maintenance. Intermediate strategies have been identified that would allow for production to continue, at full or reduced capacity, if a site lockdown were to become necessary. The supply chain has been assessed with measures put in place in the event that suppliers are unable to deliver. In addition, Endeavour's shift to national suppliers over the past 12 months has mitigated the impact of closed borders. Supply inventories have been assessed with critical supplies topped up on site with available inventory through July in most cases. The ability to ship and sell gold was identified as a key risk and mitigation measures were put in place. This has enabled gold sales to continue, despite the closure of borders and suspension of commercial airline flights. As a precaution to ensure that Endeavour would have substantial liquidity and financial flexibility to operate under various stress-test scenarios, Endeavour drew down the entirety of its available revolving credit facility.

Each of Endeavour's operations are continuing to operate at normal levels with gold shipments and sales continuing, albeit with increased health and safety measures.

PRODUCTION AND AISC ON TRACK TO MEET FULL-YEAR GUIDANCE

The group is well positioned to meet its full year 2020 production guidance of 680-740koz and AISC of $845-895/oz. Already 172koz (representing an annualized run-rate of 688koz) were already produced in Q1-2020, while full-year production guidance is more heavily weighted to H2-2020 due to higher grade ore at Hounde. AISC of $899/oz was achieved in Q1-2020 and, as guided, it is anticipated that costs will be lower in H2-2020 due to increased production and capital spend being more heavily weighted to H1-2020.

Q1-2020 production increased by 42% over Q1-2019, driven by the start-up of the Ity CIL operation, while AISC increased by 3% to $899/oz, driven by the scheduled higher costs at both Hounde and Agbaou, and higher royalties, which were partially offset with lower costs from the Ity CIL operation start-up and Karma, in addition to lower corporate costs.

Despite operating in the COVID-19 environment, Q1-2020 production decreased by only 3% over Q4-2019 due to the scheduled decrease at Agbaou which was partially offset by slight increases at Hounde, Ity and Karma. AISC increased by $80/oz in Q1-2020, compared to Q4-2019, due to higher royalties, and the guided higher costs at Hounde, Agbaou, and Karma, which were partially offset by lower costs at Ity.

Table 3: Group Production

QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 FULL-YEAR

GUIDANCE (All amounts in koz, on a 100% basis) 2020 2019 2019 Agbaou 27 35 32 115 - 125 Ity Heap Leach - - 3 n.a. - n.a. Ity CIL 61 60 9 235 - 255 Karma 28 27 22 100 - 110 Hounde 56 55 55 230 - 250 TOTAL PRODUCTION 172 178 112 680 - 740

Table 4: Group All-In Sustaining Costs

QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 FULL-YEAR

GUIDANCE (All amounts in US$/oz) 2020 2019 2019 Agbaou 951 846 784 940 - 990 Ity Heap Leach - - 1,086 n.a. - n.a. Ity CIL 651 697 - 630 675 Karma 866 755 957 980 - 1050 Hounde 1,077 878 781 865 - 895 Corporate G&A 30 19 50 30 - 30 Sustaining Exploration 0 0 0 5 - 5 GROUP AISC 899 819 877 845 - 895

ITY MINE

Q1-2020 vs Q4-2019 Insights

Production remained flat as higher throughput and recoveries compensated for the slight decrease in processed grade. Total tonnes mined increased due to greater utilization of the larger mining trucks, on account of improved haulage surfaces, and less rainfall related impacts during the dry season. Ore extraction increased at both the Daapleu and Bakatouo pits while more waste was mined at the Ity pit as a result of its cutback. In addition, historical heap leach dumps continued to supplement mine feed. The processed grade decreased slightly as more lower grade stockpiles were used to supplement mill feed. Tonnes milled increased as throughput was supplemented by oxide materials from the historical heap leach dumps. Recovery rates were better than anticipated, increasing over the previous quarter due to more oxide materials milled which offset the higher grade, lower recovery from Daapleu.

AISC decreased due to increased volumes of gold sold, and lower unit mining and G&A costs which were partially offset by higher sustaining capital. Mining unit costs decreased significantly from $5.00 to $2.37 per tonne mined due to the greater quantities moved, less water pumping requirements, higher efficiency from better utilization of larger mining equipment during the dry season, lower maintenance spend, and the lower costs associated with mining the historic heap leach dumps. Processing unit costs increased from $11.30 to $11.95 per tonne milled due to increased cyanide consumption associated with the higher copper content ores. Sustaining capital increased from $nil to $1.1 million, mainly related to waste capitalized.

Non-sustaining capital increased from $1.3 million to $10.9 million, which was mainly related to the TSF raise. In-pit and ex-pit waste was hauled to the TSF for the stage 2 lift which was largely complete by the end of Q1-2020 and in-line for completion in Q2-2020 in time for the next rainy season.

Q1-2020 vs Q1-2019 Insights

Ity had its first gold pour in March 2019 with commercial production declared in early Q2-2019.

All operating expenditures associated with the pre-production ounces poured in Q1-2019 were capitalized.

Table 5: Ity CIL Quarterly Performance Indicators

For The Quarter Ended Q1-2020 Q4-2019 Q1-2019 Tonnes ore mined, kt 1,909 1,571 1,114 Strip ratio (incl. waste cap) 1.74 1.30 2.01 Tonnes milled, kt 1,410 1,318 258 Grade, g/t 1.63 1.69 2.04 Recovery rate, % 84% 80% 88% PRODUCTION, KOZ 61 60 9 Cash cost/oz 558 637 - AISC/OZ 651 697 -

Mining, processing and G&A cost associated with pre-commercial gold produced in Q1-2019 were capitalized.

Outlook

Ity is on track to meet full year guidance of between 235-255koz in 2020 at an AISC of $630-675/oz.

Plant feed is expected to continue to be sourced primarily from the Bakatouo and Daapleu pits while continuing to be supplemented by lower grade historic heap dumps. As guided, more fresh ore is planned to be processed throughout the rest of 2020 as pits become deeper while processed grades are expected to remain stable. Recovery rates are expected to decrease as an increased proportion of Daapleu fresh ore processed.

Exploration Activities

An exploration program of up to $14 million totaling approximately 100,000 meters has been planned for 2020, with the aim of growing the Le Plaque, Bakatouo, and Daapleu deposits, and testing other targets such as Floleu and Samuel.

In Q1-2020, $6 million was spent, comprised of over 42,600 meters drilled, with eight rigs active over the greater Ity area. The majority of drilling was focused on the Le Plaque area with further drilling exploring Le Plaque at depth, the Daapleu deposit and the Daapleu SW target which is located approximately 2km from Daapleu.

An updated Le Plaque resource is expected to be announced mid-year, which will then be included in an updated Ity mine plan to incorporate the expanded Le Plaque resource base.

The Le Plaque permitting process is well underway with a mining license expected to be received in H2-2020.

HOUNDE MINE

Q1-2020 vs Q4-2019 Insights

Production remained flat as slightly higher throughput offset slightly lower recovery rates, while processed grade remained stable. Ore continued to be sourced from the Vindaloo Main and Bouere pits. Waste extraction activities across all pits continued to be at high levels, with the aim of accessing higher grade ore in H2-2020. Tonnes milled remained consistent as the ore blend continued to be mainly fresh, with variable quantities of oxide and transitional feed. Processed grades remained stable as stockpiles continued to supplement the mine feed as the focus remained on waste extraction. Recovery rates decreased slightly due to the higher proportion of Bouere ore processed.

AISC increased, although less than guided, mainly due to higher sustaining capital and unit processing costs which was partially offset by lower unit mining and G&A costs. Mining unit costs decreased from $2.64 to $2.25 per tonne due to increased tonnes mined and lower drill & blast and grade control requirements. Processing unit costs increased from $11.70 to $12.49 per tonne, driven by increased reagent costs related to the higher proportion of fresh ore processed. Sustaining capital increased from $3.0 million to $11.8 million due to the guided waste capitalization efforts, though lower than scheduled due to increased low-grade ore tonnes mined at both Bouere and Vindaloo Main resulting in a lower stripping ratio.

Non-sustaining capital decreased from $6.5 million to $1.8 million with the Q1-2020 spend mainly due to the TSF raise which will be completed in Q2-2020.

Q1-2020 vs Q1-2019 Insights

Production remained steady as increased tonnes milled offset the lower recovery rate while processed grades remained flat. AISC increased as guided due to increased sustaining waste capitalization, higher royalty costs, and a shift to mining and processing a higher proportion of harder fresh ore.

Table 6: Hounde Quarterly Performance Indicators

For The Quarter Ended Q1-2020 Q4-2019 Q1-2019 Tonnes ore mined, kt 900 622 769 Strip ratio (incl. waste cap) 11.57 13.94 11.23 Tonnes milled, kt 1,066 1,052 1,034 Grade, g/t 1.76 1.78 1.80 Recovery rate, % 91% 92% 93% PRODUCTION, KOZ 56 55 55 Cash cost/oz 744 719 638 AISC/OZ 1,077 878 781

Outlook

Hounde is on track to meet guidance and produce 230-250koz in 2020 at an AISC of $865-895/oz.

Low grade stockpiles are expected to continue to supplement mill feed in Q2-2020, while mining focuses on waste capitalization, with increased ore tonnage and grade planned in the second half of the year.

The top end of the production guidance and low end of AISC guidance incorporates the potential to start mining the higher-grade Kari Pump deposit in the latter portion of the year. The permitting process is well underway and is expected to be received in Q3-2020.

Exploration Activities

An exploration program of up to $11 million totaling approximately 94,000 meters has been planned for 2020, with the aim of delineating additional resources in the Kari area and at the Vindaloo South and Vindaloo North targets. In addition, other targets such as Dohun and Sia/Sianikoui are expected to be tested.

In Q1-2020, $6 million was spent with over 40,400 meters drilled and nine rigs active. The majority of drilling focused on the Kari area with further drilling campaigns at Sianikoui providing positive initial results. A new mineralized area was discovered, named Kari Gap, which is the extension of the Kari Center area.

An updated resource for the entire Kari area is expected to be announced in Q2-2020.

A reserve estimate update is expected to be released mid-year to include maiden reserves for Kari West, which will be followed by the publication of an updated Hounde mine plan. In addition, a second reserve estimate update is expected to be published in H2-2020 to include Kari Center and Kari Gap.

The reserve estimate updates have been split into two as more metallurgical tests and geotechnical analysis is required on Kari Center and Kari Gap given its increased size.

AGBAOU MINE

Q1-2020 vs Q4-2019 Insights

Production decreased in line with expectations due to lower grade ore processed, as well as slightly lower plant recoveries which were partially offset by higher plant throughput. Tonnes of ore mined increased due to an overall lower strip ratio with mining focused on the North, South and West Pits. Tonnes milled increased due to greater mill utilization during the period. Processed grades decreased due to the planned processing of low-grade fresh ore from North and West Pit. Recovery rates decreased slightly, as expected, due to low recovery rates associated with the increased fresh ore milled.

AISC increased due to lower gold sales, higher sustaining capital and higher unit mining costs which were partially offset by lower unit processing and G&A costs. Mining unit costs increased from $2.23 to $2.66 per tonne due to mining fresh material at a lower elevation in the North and West pits. Processing unit costs decreased from $7.81 to $7.10 per tonne mainly due to increased throughput. Sustaining capital costs increased from $2.8 million to $5.4 million primarily due to the capitalized waste related to the North Satellite Pit and the South Satellite pit extension.

Non-sustaining capital remained low and decreased from $0.7 million to $0.1 million.

Q1-2020 vs Q1-2019 Insights

As guided, production decreased due to lower grades as plant throughput and recovery rate remained flat.

The AISC increased as a result of lower ounces sold and higher mining unit costs, which was offset by lower processing unit costs.

Table 7: Agbaou Quarterly Performance Indicators

For The Quarter Ended Q1-2020 Q4-2019 Q1-2019 Tonnes ore mined, kt 757 580 451 Strip ratio (incl. waste cap) 7.50 9.94 12.79 Tonnes milled, kt 732 662 720 Grade, g/t 1.31 1.55 1.42 Recovery rate, % 94% 96% 93% PRODUCTION, KOZ 27 35 32 Cash cost/oz 668 699 517 AISC/OZ 951 846 784

Outlook

Agbaou is on track to meet guidance and produce between 115-125koz in 2020 at an AISC of $940-990/oz.

Mining is expected to continue in the North and South pits with contributions from the West pit stopping in the second half of the year. Throughput and recovery rates are expected to decrease in the second half of the year as greater volumes of harder fresh ore are expected to be processed.

Exploration Activities

An exploration program of up to $2 million has been planned for 2020 with the aim of continuing to test targets located along extensions of known deposits and on parallel trends.

Minimal work has been done in Q1-2020 as the Cote d'Ivoire exploration efforts were concentrated on the Ity and Fetekro areas.

KARMA MINE

Q1-2020 vs Q4-2019 Insights

Production remained flat as the increase in grade stacked compensated for the marginal decreases in stacked tonnage and recovery. Mining continued to focus on the Kao North pit which was supplemented by the commencement of mining at the GG1 pit. A lower overall strip ratio allowed for increased ore extraction. Ore tonnes stacked remained flat, on account of increased downtime to change over to the new conveyor stacking system offset by increased throughput. The stacked grade increased marginally due to higher-grade ore sourced from Kao North pit. Recovery rates slightly decreased due to the impact of stacking GG1 ore which has a lower associated recovery.

AISC increased, albeit outperforming guidance, mainly due to the increase in unit mining and G&A costs, along with increased royalties and sustaining capital. Mining unit costs increased slightly from $2.27 to $2.37 per tonne due to higher load and haul costs as a result of commencement of mining at GG1 pit and mining from lower elevations in Kao North Phase 1 pit. Processing unit costs decreased from $6.51 to $6.14 per tonne due to lower maintenance costs and consumption of reagents. Sustaining capital costs increased only slightly from $0.2 million to $0.6 million, as scheduled equipment maintenance was delayed to upcoming quarters due to COVID-19.

Non-sustaining capital spend decreased from $11.3 million to $2.1 million due to the completion of the upgrade on the stacker system.

Q1-2020 vs Q1-2019 Insights

As guided, production increased due to the higher grade stacked and recovery rates.

AISC decreased as a result of higher ounces sold and lower processing unit costs.

Table 8: Karma Quarterly Performance Indicators

For The Quarter Ended Q1-2020 Q4-2019 Q1-2019 Tonnes ore mined, kt 1,229 907 834 Strip ratio (incl. waste cap) 3.03 4.13 4.73 Tonnes stacked, kt 1,114 1,134 1,095 Grade, g/t 1.02 0.96 0.69 Recovery rate, % 82% 84% 80% PRODUCTION, KOZ 28 27 22 Cash cost/oz 722 657 851 AISC/OZ 866 755 957

2020 Outlook

Karma is on track to meet guidance and produce 100-110koz in 2020 at an AISC of $980 - $1,050/oz.

Mining activity is expected to continue at the Kao North pit and GG1 throughout the remainder of the year. Processed grades are expected to decrease slightly due to a reduction in the proportion of Kao North ore stacked as production from GG1 increases during the year.

Exploration Activities

An exploration program of up to $2 million has been planned for 2020 with the aim of in-fill drilling and testing extensions of known deposits.

Minimal work has been done in Q1-2020 as the Burkina Faso exploration efforts were focused on the numerous Hounde exploration targets.

PROJECT UPDATE

While the main focus for 2020 is cash flow generation, Endeavour is also continuing to build optionality within its portfolio by advancing studies and conducting exploration on both the Fetekro and Kalana projects.

Studies are underway with the aim of publishing a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on Fetekro and a Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS") on Kalana in H2-2020.

At Fetekro, an exploration program of up to $6 million has been budgeted for 2020, of which $3 million was spent in Q1-2020 consisting of over 20,000 meters of drilling. The program mainly focused on the Lafigue deposit, in addition to initial drilling on the Iguela target. An updated Lafigue deposit resource estimate is planned to be published mid-2020. While the PEA was well advanced based on the current resource estimate, given the upcoming expected resource increase, the study will be revised to include the larger resource base before publishing. Endeavour is aggressively targeting to advance Fetekro to PFS stage by year-end.

At Kalana, an exploration budget of up to $2 million has been planned for 2020 to follow-up on nearby targets, with the program expected to be conducted in H2-2020. Given the group's focus on cash flow rather than launching a new construction, the scope of the study has been modified from Feasibility to Pre-Feasibility to limit costs.

Once first studies are published on Fetekro and Kalana, Endeavour will be better positioned to decide which project it prioritizes its exploration efforts on and advance to Feasibility stage.

EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES

Exploration continued to be a strong focus in Q1-2020 with a company-wide exploration spend of $17 million, representing approximately 40% of the 2020 budget. In total, over 108,000 meters were drilled across the group, mainly focused on Hounde, Ity and Fetekro.

Further details by asset are provided in the above mine sections.

Q1-2020 greenfield exploration spend includes a 5,000-meter drilling campaign on the Tanda/Bondoukou property in Cote d'Ivoire which yielded positive results.

Table 9: Exploration Expenditures

(in $ million unless otherwise stated) Q1-2020 EXPENDITURE 2020 GUIDANCE 2020 ALLOCATION Ity 6 ~14 ~34% Hounde 6 ~11 ~27% Fetekro 3 ~6 ~15% Agbaou 0 ~2 ~5% Karma 0 ~2 ~5% Kalana 0 ~2 ~5% Other greenfield 1 ~4 ~8% TOTAL 17 40-45 100%

Amounts include expensed, sustaining, and non-sustaining exploration expenditures. Amounts may differ from MD&A due to rounding.

CASH FLOW BASED ON ALL-IN MARGIN APPROACH

The table below presents the cash flow for the three-month periods ending March 31, 2019 and 2020 and December 31, 2019 based on the All-In Margin approach, with accompanying notes below.

Table 10: Cash Flow Based on All-In Margin Approach

QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, (in US$ million) 2020 2019 2019 GOLD PRODUCTION, koz 172 178 121 GOLD SOLD, koz (Note 1) 175 172 121 Gold Price, $/oz (Note 2) 1,546 1,445 1,252 REVENUE 270 248 151 Total cash costs (115) (118) (80) Royalties (Note 3) (17) (14) (9) Corporate costs (5) (3) (6) Sustaining mining capital spend (Note 4) (19) (6) (11) Sustaining exploration capital spend 0 0 0 ALL-IN SUSTAINING MARGIN (Note 5) 113 108 45 Less: Non-sustaining mining capital spend (Note 6) (18) (20) (11) Less: Non-sustaining exploration capital spend (Note 7) (15) (2) (12) ALL-IN MARGIN 80 85 22 Changes in working capital and long-term assets (Note 8) 9 33 (31) Taxes paid (Note 9) (9) (14) (2) Interest paid, financing fees and lease repayments (Note 10) (20) (9) (13) Cash settlements on hedge programs and gold collar premiums (Note 11) (1) (3) (0) NET FREE CASH FLOW 59 92 (23) Growth project capital (Note 12) (2) (2) (66) Greenfield exploration expense (1) 0 (4) M&A, restructuring and asset sales/purchases (Note 13) (10) (1) (0) Cash paid on settlement of share appreciation rights, DSUs and PSUs (0) 0 (1) Net equity proceeds 0 (1) 0 Foreign exchange gains / (losses) (1) (3) (2) Other income / (expenses) 3 (16) (3) CASHFLOW BEFORE PROCEEDS/REPAYMENT OF LONG-TERM DEBT 47 70 (100) Proceeds (repayment) of long-term debt (Note 14) 120 0 60 CASH INFLOW (OUTFLOW) FOR THE PERIOD 167 70 (40)

Certain line items in the table above are NON-GAAP measures. For more information and notes, please consult the Company's MD&A.

NOTES:

Gold sales increased in Q1-2020 compared to Q4-2019, despite slightly lower production, due to the timing of gold sales. The strong increase compared to Q1-2019 was driven by the Ity CIL operation coming online in Q2-2019. The realized gold price includes the impact of the Karma stream, amounting to 5,000 ounces sold in Q1-2020 and 5,000 in Q4-2019, at 20% of spot prices. The realized gold price excluding the gold stream at Karma, would have been $1,583/oz for Q1-2020 and $1,512/oz for Q4-2019. The royalty expense increased to $100/oz in Q1-2020, up $21/oz over Q4-2019 due to the higher realized gold price, and up $26/oz compared to Q1-2019. The increase in Q1-2020 was also due to an increase in the underlying royalty rate based on the applicable sliding scale (above a spot gold price of $1,300/oz, government royalty rates in Burkina Faso increase from 4.0% to 5.0%, and from 3.5% to 4.0% in Cote d'Ivoire, and above a spot gold price of $1,600/oz rates increase from 4.0% to 5.0% in Cote d'Ivoire). The sustaining capital expenditure for Q1-2020 increased significantly over both Q4-2019 and Q1-2019 mainly due to the scheduled waste capitalization at Hounde, as shown in the table below. Further details by asset are provided in the above mine sections.

Table 11: Sustaining Capital

(in US$ million) QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 2019 2019 Agbaou 5 3 7 Ity CIL 1 0 0 Ity HL 0 0 0 Karma 1 0 1 Hounde 12 3 3 Total 19 6 11

The All-In Sustaining Margin for Q1-2020 increased compared to Q4-2019 due to increased gold sales and the increased realized gold price which was partially offset by higher sustaining mining capital spend. The non-sustaining capital spend decreased in Q1-2020 compared to Q4-2019, due to decreases at both Karma and Hounde which were slightly offset by an increase at Ity (mainly related to a TSF raise) as shown in the table below.

Table 12: Non-Sustaining Capital

(in US$ million) QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 2019 2019 Agbaou 0 1 3 Ity CIL 11 1 0 Ity HL 0 0 0 Karma 2 11 3 Hounde 2 7 6 Non-mining 3 0 0 Total 18 20 11

The non-sustaining exploration capital spend for Q1-2020 increased by $13 million over Q4-2019 and by $3 million over Q1-2019 to $16 million. The larger increase over Q4-2019 is due to exploration drilling mainly being carried out during the first half of the year to take advantage of the dry season. The table below summarizes the Q1-2020 working capital movements compared to Q4-2019.

Table 13: Working Capital Movement

QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, (in US$ million) 2020 2019 2019 Q1-2020 Comments Trade and other receivables (7) +8 (4) Increase in receivables due to increase in VAT at Hounde and Karma. Trade and other payables +3 +25 (16) Payables normalized in Q4-2019 following large payments in Q3-2019. The Q1-2020 account payable movement includes a $5m movement related to an amount paid for the increased Ity ownership as announced in 2017 (portion contingent to ounces discovered) Inventories +11 +9 (4) Inflow mainly related to the decrease in stockpiles, GIC and consumables at Ity and Hounde Prepaid expenses and other +0 +5 (1) Q4-2019 amount was related to reception of prepaid goods Changes in long-term assets +2 (14) (6) Increases a $4.5m from BCM regarding the Tabakoto sale, which was offset by a reclassification from long-term to short-term inventory at Ity Total +9 +33 (31)

Taxes paid decreased by $5 million in Q1-2020 compared to Q4-2019, mainly due to scheduled payment timing. Tax payment details are provided in the below table.

Table 14: Tax Payments

QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, (in US$ million) 2020 2019 2019 Q1-2020 Comments Agbaou 0 0 0 Corporate income tax payments associated to FY2019 due in April, June and September in three equal instalments Karma 0 0 0 The mine currently not in a corporate income tax paying position, thus not subject to provisional tax payments. Ity 0 0 2 Corporate income tax payments associated to FY2019 due in April, June and September in three equal instalments Hounde 6 8 0 Payment relates to the provisional tax instalments at Hounde, which are due in January, July and October, with a final top up payment in April of the following year. Kalana 0 (1) 0 Not in a tax paying position Exploration 2 3 0 Related to withholding tax Corporate 0 4 0 Related to withholding tax Total 9 14 2

The interest paid, financing fees and lease repayments increased in Q1-2020 compared to Q4-2019 as the convertible bond coupon is payable during the first and third quarters. The increase over Q1-2019 was mainly due to interest payment on equipment leases at Ity. Cash settlements on hedge programs includes a $2 million fee for the gold collar program and $5 million for its associated settlements, and an inflow of $6 million related to short-term forward sales. Growth project spend amounted to $2 million in Q1-2020, which was mainly related to the Kalana project. Growth project spend remained flat over Q4-2019 and significantly decreased compared to Q1-2019 due to the completion of the Ity CIL construction. M&A, restructuring and asset sale activities include a $5 million payment for the increased Ity ownership as announced in 2017 (portion contingent to ounces discovered), and advisory fees related to the proposed SEMAFO acquisition and previous engagement with the board of Centamin plc. $120 million was drawn on the Revolving Credit Facility ("RCF") as a proactive measure in Q1-2020 to secure the company's liquidity as part of its COVID-19 business continuity program.

NET CASHFLOW, NET DEBT AND LIQUIDITY SOURCES

Following nearly four years of intensive growth-capital investment, Endeavour's cash flow inflection point was reached in Q3-2019 resulting in a Net Debt reduction of $132 million in H2-2019. This rapid deleveraging continued in Q1-2020 with a further Net Debt decrease of $55 million.

As a precaution to ensure that Endeavour would have substantial liquidity and financial flexibility to operate under various stress-test scenarios, Endeavour drew down the entirety of its available revolving credit facility.

At quarter-end, Endeavour's liquidity remained strong with $357 million of cash on hand.

The below table summarizes operating, investing, and financing activities, main balance sheet items and the resulting impact on the company's Net Debt position, with notes provide below.

Table 15: Cash Flow and Net Debt Position

QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, (in US$ million unless stated otherwise) 2020 2019 2019 Net cash from (used in), as per cash flow statement: Operating activities (Note 15) 126 120 23 Investing activities (Note 16) (57) (40) (110) Financing activities (Note 17) 100 (10) 47 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (1) 0 (0) INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN CASH 167 70 (40) Cash position at beginning of period 190 120 124 CASH POSITION AT END OF PERIOD 357 190 84 Equipment financing (Note 18) 70 78 99 Convertible senior bond (Note 19) 330 330 330 Drawn portion of revolving credit facility (Note 20) 430 310 290 NET DEBT POSITION (Note 21) 473 528 635 Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA (LTM) ratio (Note 22) 1.06 1.48 2.96

Net Debt and Adjusted EBITDA are NON-GAAP measures. For a discussion regarding the company's use of NON-GAAP Measures, please see "note regarding certain measures of performance" in the MD&A.

NOTES:

Net cash flow from operating activities increased by $6 million Q1-2020 over Q4-2019. The main drivers were a $22 million increase in revenue, $10 million lower operating costs and a $6 million decrease in taxes paid which were partially offset by a $4 million increase in royalty costs, while Q4-2019 benefited from a $47 million working capital inflow compared to a $7 million inflow in Q1-2020. The significant increase of $103 million over Q1-2019 also relates to the start-up of the Ity CIL operation. Net cash used in investing activities during Q1-2020 increased by $17 million compared to Q4-2019, due to the payment of the contingent consideration (based on ounces discovered) linked to the 2018 additional Ity stake purchase, and increased sustaining capital expenditure. Investing activities in Q1-2019 also included the growth capital for the Ity CIL construction. Further insights on capital spend is provided in Notes 4 and 6 above. Net cash generated in financing activities in Q1-2020 was $100 million, mainly related to the $120 million drawdown on the RCF which was offset by $11 million in interest payments and $9 million repayment of finance lease obligations. The equipment finance lease obligations decreased due to scheduled lease payments. In 2018, Endeavour issued a $330 million convertible note. As Endeavour has completed its capital-intensive investment phase, it may consider deploying excess liquidity in ad hoc open market repurchases of up to 15% of the total of its outstanding convertible notes, should the available terms for such repurchases be economically attractive. Endeavour does not currently anticipate such ad hoc repurchases, if made, would exceed 15% of the outstanding convertible notes and such repurchases would only be made in accordance with applicable law. $120 million was drawn on RCF in Q1-2020 as part of Endeavour's COVID-19 business continuity program. Net Debt amounted to $473 million at the end of Q1-2020, a decrease of $55 million compared to Q4-2019. Net Debt decreased by $187 million since reaching a peak Net Debt of $660 million as at June 30, 2019. The Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA ratio improved significantly over the quarter, decreasing from 1.48 times at the end of 2019 to 1.06 times at the end of Q1-2020, based on a trailing last 12-month EBITDA. This marks a 65% improvement from the corresponding period last year where the ratio stood at 2.96 times.

OPERATING CASH FLOW PER SHARE

Operating cash flows amounted to $126 million in Q1-2020 (or 1.14 per share), an increase of $6 million compared to Q4-2019 and $103 million compared to Q1-2019. Further insights have been provided in Note 15 above.

Table 16: Operating Cash Flow Per Share

(in US$ million unless stated otherwise) QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 2019 2019 CASH GENERATED FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 126 120 23 Divided by weighted average number of O/S shares, in millions 111 110 110 OPERATING CASH FLOW PER SHARE 1.14 1.10 0.21

Operating Cash Flow Per Share is a NON-GAAP measure. For a discussion regarding the company's use of NON-GAAP Measures, please see "note regarding certain measures of performance" in the MD&A.

Operating cash flows before non-cash working capital amounted to $119 million in Q1-2020 (or 1.08 per share), an increase of $46 million compared to Q4-2019 and $71 million compared to Q1-2019.

Table 17: Operating Cash Flow Before Non-Cash Working Capital Per Share

(in US$ million unless stated otherwise) QUARTER ENDED Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 2019 2019 CASH GENERATED FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 126 120 23 Add back changes in non-cash working capital 7 47 (25) OPERATING CASH FLOWS BEFORE NON-CASH WORKING CAPITAL 119 73 48 Divided by weighted average number of O/S shares, in millions 111 110 110 OPERATING CASH FLOW PER SHARE BEFORE NON-CASH WORKING CAPITAL 1.08 0.67 0.44

Operating Cash Flow Per Share is a NON-GAAP measure. For a discussion regarding the company's use of NON-GAAP Measures, please see "note regarding certain measures of performance" in the MD&A.

ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS PER SHARE

Adjusted Net Earnings amounted to $43 million in Q1-2020, an increase of $3 million compared to Q4-2019 while a $2 million loss was incurred in Q1-2019. The increase over Q4-2019 was due to higher revenues, lower operating costs, lower tax expense, and lower depreciation, which was partially offset by higher royalties, corporate, and exploration expenses. The significant increase over Q1-2019 is due to the benefit of the Ity CIL operation start-up and higher gold prices.

Adjustments made in Q1-2020 relate mainly to acquisition and restructuring costs ($4 million), the gain on financial instruments ($3 million), deferred income tax recovery ($1 million), and share based compensation ($2 million).

Adjusted Net Earnings attributable to shareholders amounted to $34 million (or $0.30 per share) in Q1-2020, a decrease of $3 million over Q4-2019 and an increase of $38 million over Q1-2019. The decrease over Q4-2019 is mainly due to the higher attributable portion of earnings to non-controlling interests.

Table 18: Net Earnings and Adjusted Net Earnings

QUARTER ENDED (in US$ million unless stated otherwise) Mar. 31, Dec. 31, Mar. 31, 2020 2019 2019 TOTAL NET EARNINGS 35 (113) (11) Adjustments (see MD&A) 7 153 9 ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 43 40 (2) Less portion attributable to non-controlling interests (9) (3) (3) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHAREHOLDERS 34 37 (5) Divided by weighted average number of O/S shares 111 110 110 ADJUSTED NET EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 0.30 0.34 (0.04)

Adjusted Net Earnings is a NON-GAAP measure. For a discussion regarding the company's use of NON-GAAP Measures, please see "Note Regarding Certain Measures of Performance" in the MD&A.

TRANSACTION UPDATE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

On May 1, 2020, Endeavour and SEMAFO filed the joint management information circular for the extraordinary general and special meetings of Endeavour and SEMAFO to be held on May 28, 2020 (the "Meetings"). The purpose of the Meetings is to seek approval for the previously announced proposed acquisition by Endeavour of all the issued and outstanding securities of SEMAFO by way of a Plan of Arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) (the "Transaction"), amongst other matters. The Meetings will be held at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on May 28, 2020. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Endeavour and SEMAFO will be convening and conducting virtual-only Meetings via live audio webcasts. All shareholders who wish to attend the virtual Meetings must follow the procedures set out in the circular. Shareholders who are unable to attend the virtual Meetings are strongly encouraged to complete, date, sign and return the form of proxy (in the case of registered shareholders) or voting instruction form (in the case of non-registered shareholders) provided with the meeting materials so that as many shareholders as possible are represented at the Meetings.

For any questions or assistance with voting their proxies, shareholders should contact Kingsdale Advisors, the joint proxy solicitation agent of Endeavour and SEMAFO, by telephone at 1-866-581-0508 (+1-416-867-2272 for collect calls outside North America) or by email at contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com.

In addition to the Endeavour and SEMAFO shareholder approvals described above, the Transaction is subject to the approval of the Superior Court of Quebec and the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions which are more fully described in the circular. Endeavour has received a notice from the Director of Investments under the Investment Canada Act (the "ICA") stating that the Minister Innovation, Science and Industry requires additional time to consider whether a review of the Transaction under section 25.3(1) of the ICA concerning national security is needed. Endeavour will work with the Director to address any outstanding questions or concerns, although it is not aware of any particular reasons for the notice. The Minister has until June 25, 2020 to consider whether to order such a review. If no such order is issued, and assuming all of the conditions to the Transaction are satisfied or waived, the closing of the Transaction is expected to occur before the end of June 2020.

Endeavour is also announcing the postponement of its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ("AGM") in reliance on the exemptive relief announced by the TSX in Staff Notice 2020-0002 and by the British Columbia Securities Commission in BC Instrument 51-516 - Temporary Exemptions from Certain Requirements to File or Send Securityholder Materials. Endeavour anticipates that it will hold its AGM in the first half of Q3-2020, with an exact date to be specified.

CONFERENCE CALL AND LIVE WEBCAST

Management will host a conference call and webcast on Wednesday May 13, at 8:30am Toronto time (ET) to discuss the Company's financial results.

The conference call and webcast are scheduled at:

5:30am in Vancouver

8:30am in Toronto and New York

1:30pm in London

8:30pm in Hong Kong and Perth

The webcast can be accessed through the following link:

https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/wzt8x39v

Analysts and investors are also invited to participate and ask questions using the dial-in numbers below:

International: +1 646-741-3167

North American toll-free: +1 877-870-9135

UK toll-free: 0800-279-6619

Confirmation Code: 3666389

The conference call and webcast will be available for playback on Endeavour's website .

Click here to add Webcast reminder to Outlook Calendar

Access the live and On-Demand version of the webcast from mobile devices running iOS and Android:

QUALIFIED PERSONS

Clinton Bennett, Endeavour's Vice-President of Technical Services - a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Martino De Ciccio



VP - Strategy & Investor Relations

+44 203 640 8665

mdeciccio@endeavourmining.com (mailto:mdeciccio@endeavourmining.com) Brunswick Group LLP in London



Carole Cable, Partner

+44 7974 982 458

ccable@brunswickgroup.com (mailto:ccable@brunswickgroup.com)

ABOUT ENDEAVOUR MINING CORPORATION

Endeavour Mining is a TSX listed intermediate African gold producer with a solid track record of operational excellence, project development and exploration in the highly prospective Birimian greenstone belt in West Africa. Endeavour is focused on offering both near-term and long-term growth opportunities with its project pipeline and its exploration strategy, while generating immediate cash flow from its operations.

Endeavour operates four mines across Cote d'Ivoire (Agbaou and Ity) and Burkina Faso (Hounde, Karma).

For more information, please visit www.endeavourmining.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" including but not limited to, statements with respect to Endeavour's plans and operating performance, the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of future production, future capital expenditures, and the success of exploration activities. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "forecasts", and "anticipates". Forward-looking statements, while based on management's best estimates and assumptions, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to international operations; risks related to general economic conditions and credit availability, actual results of current exploration activities, unanticipated reclamation expenses; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; fluctuations in prices of metals including gold; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, increases in market prices of mining consumables, possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; delays in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations, political and economic developments in countries in which Endeavour operates, the ability to complete the Transaction with SEMAFO on the terms and timing proposed, the impact on the closing and timing of the Transaction with SEMAFO as a result of any review ordered by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Development pursuant to the ICA, and other risks identified in Endeavour's documents filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Although Endeavour has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Please refer to Endeavour's most recent Annual Information Form and other filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including the joint management information circular relating to the Transaction with SEMAFO, filed under its profile at www.sedar.com for further information respecting the risks affecting Endeavour and its business. AISC, all-in sustaining costs at the mine level, cash costs, operating EBITDA, all-in sustaining margin, free cash flow, net free cash flow, free cash flow per share, net debt, and adjusted earnings are non-GAAP financial performance measures with no standard meaning under IFRS, further discussed in the section Non-GAAP Measures in the most recently filed Management Discussion and Analysis.

Corporate Office: 5 Young St, Kensington, London W8 5EH, UK

Attachments
The island nation of Taiwan is being considered to join a Trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand.

As the two countries consider allowing travel amid a weakening coronavirus pandemic other countries such as Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore have expressed interest in joining.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters recently said once the virus was under control, the countries in the region could join a 'Trans-Tasman COVID-Safe Travel Zone.'

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The island nation of Taiwan is being considered to join a Trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday it was closely monitoring the plan, according to Taiwan News.

The travel safe zone is being discussed between Australia and New Zealand but no definite schedule has been decided.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's foreign minister also on Tuesday said the country has to stand up for itself after China warned its backing of Taiwan's participation at the World Health Organization (WHO) could damage bilateral ties.

Taiwan, with the strong support of the United States, has stepped up its lobbying to be allowed to take part as an observer at next week's World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO's decision-making body - a move which has angered China.

Taiwan is excluded from the WHO due to the objections of China, which views the island as one of its provinces.

Senior ministers in New Zealand last week said Taiwan should be allowed to join the WHO as an observer given its success in limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus, drawing China's ire which asked the Pacific country to 'stop making wrong statements'.

Taiwan is excluded from the WHO due to the objections of China, which views the island as one of its provinces.

'We have got to stand up for ourselves,' Winston Peters, New Zealand's foreign minister, said at a news conference when asked about China's response to New Zealand's position on Taiwan.

'And true friendship is based on equality. It's based on the ability in this friendship to nevertheless disagree.'

Peters said he did not think the issue would harm diplomatic ties with China, which is New Zealand's biggest trading partner.

Taiwan has reported only 440 coronavirus cases and seven related deaths, relatively low figures attributed to early and effective disease prevention and control work.

Peters praised Taiwan's response to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and said there was a lot for other countries to learn from.

'New Zealand's position on Taiwan is about its tremendous success against COVID-19,' Peters said.

When asked about China's response later in the day, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand's position on Taiwan was only related to its health response to COVID-19.

'We have always taken a 'One China' policy, and that continues to be the case,' Ardern said.

Taiwan, with the strong support of the United States, has stepped up its lobbying to be allowed to take part as an observer at next week's World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO's decision-making body - a move which has angered China

Speaking in Taipei, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou expressed thanks for New Zealand's support, saying both countries were staunch supporters of freedom, democracy and human rights and that Taiwan would deepen ties with New Zealand.

Taiwan expresses regret at China's threats against New Zealand, Ou said, adding the response from China's foreign ministry was 'hysterical'.

Ties between neighbouring Australia and China have frayed in recent months after Canberra called for an international investigation into the origins and spread of the coronavirus that was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

China has dismissed such a probe as groundless, saying the country has been open and transparent about the outbreak.
Nepal registered its highest single-day increase in the coronavirus cases with 83 new infections, including 26 from the Indo-Nepal border area, taking the total COVID-19 tally to 217 in the country, health officials said.

Nepal, which is under nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of deadly coronavirus, is among the nations that has the least number of cases of the deadly COVID-19 with no deaths.

The total number of people infected by the novel coronavirus has climbed to 217 in Nepal with 83 new cases, the highest number of confirmation of virus transmission in a single-day, Joint Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Samir Kumar Adhikari said on Tuesday.

Twenty-six people, including three from the Kathmandu Valley, have been tested positive, the Health Ministry said.

Among the 26 newly reported cases, six women and 12 men tested positive from the Parsa district. Two men tested positive from the Mahottari district, two from the Dhanusha district and one from the Sarlahi district.

The districts Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi and Parsa are situated in the Nepal-India border area.

Of the remaining, two are from Bhaktapur in the outskirts of Kathmandu, and one from Tarakeshwor Municipality of Kathmandu.

As most of the COVID19 cases were reported from the Indo-Nepal border area, the government has decided to further tighten security in the southern border with the deployment of more security personnel and inter-district travel has also been restricted to stop internal transmission of the disease, officials said.

In March, the Nepal government closed its borders with India and China in a bid to prevent a possible outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the Himalayan nation.

Although the cross-border human movement was halted, supply of goods from the countries was as usual, Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada said in March.

Nepal, which shares an 1,800-km open border with India, has a total 37 motorable land entry points with it, while with China it has four such entry points.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
COVID toes could be an epiphenomenon that is a symptom that may accompany a disease without being causally related.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Dr Lindy Fox, a dermatologist in San Francisco, used to see four or five patients a year with chilblains  painful red or purple lesions that typically emerge on fingers or toes in the winter.

Over the past few weeks, she has seen dozens.

All of a sudden, we are inundated with toes, said Fox, who practices at the University of California, San Francisco. Ive got clinics filled with people coming in with new toe lesions. And its not people who had chilblains before  theyve never had anything like this.

Its also not the time of year for chilblains, which are caused by inflammation in small blood vessels in reaction to cold or damp conditions. Usually, we see it in the dead of winter, Fox said.

Fox is not the only one deluged with cases. In Boston, Dr Esther Freeman, director of global health dermatology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, said her telemedicine clinic is also completely full of toes. I had to add extra clinical sessions, just to take care of toe consults. People are very concerned.

The lesions are emerging as yet another telltale symptom of infection with the new coronavirus. The most prominent signs are a dry cough and shortness of breath, but the virus has been linked to a string of unusual and diverse effects, like mental confusion and a diminished sense of smell.

Federal health officials do not include toe lesions in the list of coronavirus symptoms, but some dermatologists are pushing for a change, saying so-called COVID toe should be sufficient grounds for testing. (COVID-19 is the name of the illness caused by the coronavirus.)

Several medical papers from Spain, Belgium and Italy described a surge in complaints about painful lesions on patients toes, Achilles' heels and soles of the feet; whether the patients were infected was not always clear, because they were otherwise healthy and testing was limited.

Most cases have been reported in children, teens and young adults, and some experts say they may reflect a healthy immune response to the virus.

The most important message to the public is not to panic  most of the patients we are seeing with these lesions are doing extremely well, Freeman said.

Theyre having what we call a benign clinical course. Theyre staying home, theyre getting better, the toe lesions are going away.

Scientists are just beginning to study the phenomenon, but so far chilblain-like lesions appear to signal, curiously enough, a mild or even asymptomatic infection. They may also develop several weeks after the acute phase of an infection is over.

I diagnosed a patient (presumptively) with Coronavirus based on her skin exam today. She had Covid toes for six weeks and has otherwise been asymptomatic. She had a public facing job. Ive seen several patients like this. Hard to imagine this virus isnt everywhere already. pic.twitter.com/nrcub7D3Nz  Dennis (@pourteaux) April 29, 2020

Patients who develop swollen toes and red and purple lesions should consult their primary care doctor or a dermatologist to rule out other possible causes. But, experts said, they should not run to the emergency room, where they risk being exposed to the coronavirus or exposing others if they are infected.

The good news is that the chilblain-like lesions usually mean youre going to be fine, Fox said. Usually its a good sign your body has seen COVID and is making a good immune reaction to it.

Patients who get painful lesions are often alarmed. They appear most frequently on the toes, often affecting several toes on one or both feet, and the sores can be extremely painful, causing a burning or itching sensation.

At first, the toes look swollen and take on a reddish tint; sometimes a part of the toe is swollen, and individual lesions or bumps can be seen. Over time, the lesions become purple in colour.

Hannah Spitzer, 20, a sophomore at Lafayette College who is finishing the academic year remotely at her home in Westchester County, New York, has lesions on all 10 of her toes, so uncomfortable  painful during the day, and itchy at night  that she cant put anything on her feet, not even socks.

Walking is difficult, and she has trouble sleeping. At first I thought it was my shoes, but it got worse and worse, Spitzer said. Most of my toes are red, swollen, almost shiny. It looks like frostbite.

She has used hydrocortisone and Benadryl to alleviate the discomfort and said ice is also helpful. Doctors say the lesions disappear on their own within a few weeks.

Adding to the mystery is that some teens and young adults with the lesions have tested negative for the coronavirus.

Dr Amy Paller, chair of the department of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said one possible explanation is that these patients had such a mild disease and that viral replication was limited, making the virus undetectable.

Another possibility, she said, is that the lesions are what is called an epiphenomenon  a symptom may accompany a disease without being causally related. For instance, perhaps more people are developing the lesions because they are staying inside and walking around barefoot more than usual.

But she also dismissed that idea as highly unlikely. I dont think thats it  I think its a mild inflammatory process manifesting in this way, Paller said. Its a real phenomenon. We dont really understand it at all.

Spitzer had a test shortly after developing the lesions, and the result was negative, but she is convinced the toe lesions are a delayed response to an earlier infection that was so mild she barely noticed it.

Ive never had anything like this, she said. Its completely new.

A recent paper by doctors in Spain, published in the International Journal of Dermatology, described six cases of patients with toe lesions and included pictures of the chilblain-like bumps that patients had emailed to their physicians.

Most of the patients were teens or young adults, including one 15-year-old who found out he had COVID-19 pneumonia when he went to the emergency room seeking medical attention for his toes.

Another patient was a 91-year-old man who had been hospitalized with the coronavirus three weeks earlier, and had recovered and returned home.

While dermatologists say its not unusual for rashes to appear along with viral infections  like measles or chickenpox  the toe lesions surprised them.

Other problems like hives have also been linked to the coronavirus, but COVID toes have been the most common and striking skin manifestation.

Patients with viral infections often get a pink bumpy rash called morbilliform, or hives, Fox said, but added that the toe lesions were unexpected.

The toe cases make up half of all reports filed by skin doctors around the world to a new international registry started by the American Academy of Dermatology, which is tracking the complications.

No one knows exactly why the new coronavirus might cause chilblain-like lesions. One hypothesis is that they are caused by inflammation, a prominent feature of COVID-19. Inflammation also causes one of the most serious syndromes associated with the coronavirus, acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Other hypotheses are that the lesions are caused by inflammation in the walls of blood vessels, or by small micro clots in the blood. (Clotting has been another feature of the disease.)

The lesions seen in otherwise healthy people appear to be distinct from those that doctors are seeing in some critically ill COVID-19 patients in intensive care, who are prone to developing blood clots.

Some of these clots may be very small and can block the tiny vessels in the extremities, causing rashes on the toes, said Dr Humberto Choi, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at the Cleveland Clinic.

Some experts now believe COVID toe should be recognized as sufficient grounds for testing, even in the absence of other symptoms.

This should be a criteria for testing, just like the loss of smell, and shortness of breath and chest pain, Fox said.

Roni Caryn Rabin c.2020 The New York Times Company
In the northwest (Idlib province) the February ceasefire is still technically in effect. That has only slowed down the fighting and military buildup. Since February the Turks have sent more than 3,000 more military vehicles into Syria and more than a brigade of troops. There are over 10,000 Turkish troops in Idlib and adjacent Aleppo provinces, along with nearly as many Syrian mercenaries. In March Turkey and Russia forced Syria to agree to a ceasefire in Idlib. That agreement has been increasingly violated by uncooperative Islamic terror groups in Idlib. Turkey is held responsible for this as it is the Turks who support trying to negotiate with the disunited Islamic terror groups trapped in Idlib.

Technically all Islamic terrorists in Idlib belong to the HTS (Hayat Tahrir al Sham), which al Qaeda supports but does not entirely trust. HTS is a coalition of coalitions and many of the factions still do not trust each other. The major fear is that another faction, or even HTS leadership, has made a deal with Turkey which, so the story goes, wants to control HTS as a sort of Sunni Hezbollah and use it to drive Shia Iran and its Lebanese Hezbollah out of Syria. Many HTS leaders do have a history of working with the Turks. Russia and Syria have reason to believe the Turks are actually supporting some of the HTS factions in Idlib. The Turks do support moderate Islamic terror groups but refuse to outright admit it. This policy is unpopular with Israel and Western nations as well as Syria, Iran and Russia. Many Turks also oppose any pro-terrorist policy but the current Turkish government is controlled by an Islamic party that favors cooperation with some Islamic terror groups to protect Turks from the more rabid Islamic terrorists. Syria used to play this game and it did not work out well. It rarely does but, for many shortsighted politicians, it is still an attractive option. Currently, HTS is trying to crack down on uncooperative Islamic terrorist factions in Idlib. This is difficult and so far not completely successful. HTS wants to do this without triggering major armed resistance. So far the worst resistance has been a few bombings. This is a favorite for Islamic terror groups who are feuding. That and assassination of each others leaders.

The Iranian Fade

Israel believes Iran is backing away from Syria. Not exactly abandoning Syria, but not replacing personnel and material losses, mainly from the Israeli bombing campaign. The primary Iranian problem is financial. The sanctions, lower oil prices, mismanagement of the economy back in Iran and now the coronavirus losses have substantially reduced the amount of cash Iran can spend on foreign wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Syria is the most expensive of those foreign adventures and the most unpopular one with most Iranians. Over $15 billion has been spent on keeping the Assads in power and Iranians note that their current poverty would be much more tolerable if all those billions were spent on problems most Iranians face daily. In the last year, Iran has cut payments to Hezbollah by more than fifty percent and reduced the number of mercenaries in Syria as well as cash support for the Syrian economy. Iran is still providing free oil, which the Assads often sell on the black market.

The Quadruple Alliance of Syria, Turkey, Russia and Iran that defeated the Syrian rebels is coming apart on how to deal with the last two rebel concentrations. Russia is threatening to cut much, or all, if its support for the Assad government if the Assads do not cooperate and back off on their attacks in Idlib province. Al Qaeda groups hold about half of Idlib province in the northwest and small portions of adjacent Aleppo and Hama provinces. ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) still has scattered, but active, factions in the east (Deir Ezzor province) .

Iran still backs the Assads but is not willing or able to force the Russians to remain in Syria. What also annoys the Russians is the extent of the corruption by the Assads, who have been stealing Russian and Iranian aid as well as portions of the government's budget. The Assad clan seems more concerned about their own survival than they do of Syrias. Iran has been the powerful patron of the Assads since the 1980s and now have more influence over Syrian affairs than the Russians. The Iranians are not willing to do anything about the Assad Clan misconduct, at least not right now.

The Russian alliance with Turkey is coming apart over differences in how to deal with the war in Syria. For Russia, it is a foreign affairs sort of problem. For Turkey, it is very much a domestic issue. The major issue is refugees from Syria. These refugees are not a problem for Russia, but for the Turks it is very different. Turkish public opinion is hostile to the Syrian refugees they host, as well as the smaller number of Afghan, Iraqi and other Moslem refugees. Many of these are not refugees but economic migrants willing to do whatever it takes to get into a wealthier Western nation. Europe no longer tolerates these refugees and Turks are not happy about getting stuck with them. This problem gets worse, especially for the Islamic government Turkey has had for the last two decades. This government became allies with Russia and Iran, two traditional enemies. To no ones surprise, these alliances did not work out. In order to please these new friends, Turkey risked being expelled from NATO. Worst of all, expulsion from NATO would mean the West would regard Turkey as just another poorly managed, Islamic terrorist tolerating and unreliable Middle Eastern nation. One thing most Turks can agree on is NOT wanting to turn away from the West. The policy of being closer to Arab nations and tolerant of some Islamic terrorist or radical groups has also lost any popularity it once held. Turks have long (since World War I) been hostile to getting involved in foreign wars, especially when it involved Turkish troops getting killed. So far in 2020, Turkey has sent a lot more Turkish troops to Syria and more of them are getting killed, often by Russian airstrikes. The Turkish voters have made it clear that the current government is likely to lose the next elections if the Syrian involvement continues. With Syria, Turkey cannot just walk away. Syria is a neighbor and over three million Syrian refugees are in Turkey and Syria itself is still a mess. Turkish and Russian forces have been shooting at each other and the Iranians are not much better. Russia does not have much they can afford to offer Turkey as a solution. That makes this a more difficult situation for Russian diplomats, who are under orders to maintain good relations with Syria and Israel first and everyone else after that.

May 10, 2020: In the northwest (Idlib province) al Qaeda Islamic terrorists launched an attack on Turkish positions, sparking a battle that caused over a hundred casualties before it died down. This was the largest violation of the March 6 ceasefire so far. This battle actually took place in neighboring Hama province where the Islamic terrorist rebels hold some territory. The attackers belonged to Horas al-Din, a rouge faction that refused to recognize the ceasefire.

In Libya the LNA forces ambushed and killed a senior Syrian Turkish mercenary commander and showed off the mans photo ID as proof. The dead commander, Mohamed Hendawi, was in charge of transporting the Syrian mercenaries from Turkey to Libya. The death of Hendawi makes it more difficult to persuade the Syrian mercs to work in Libya.

May 8, 2020: The United States accused Russia and Syria of organizing an Arab mercenary force to use in Libya to reinforce Russian military contractors already there to oppose Turkish Arab mercenaries. So far none of these Russian backed Syrian mercs have showed up in Libya. There the Russian-backed LNA (Libyan National Army) is facing a growing Turkish military force. Russia agrees with the LNA that as long as the Turks are in Libya there can be no peace. The LNA also pointed out that the Turks are not the invincible imperial conquerors of old. The LNA claims to have killed dozens of Turks and hundreds of their Syrian Arab mercenaries. Dozens of Turkish UAVs have been shot down and photographed. The Turks deny these claims but back in Turkey the government is doing its best to suppress news of Turkish military personnel who have died in Libya and buried back in Turkey without any admission of where they died and how.

The Turks have about 8,000 of these Syrian Arab mercenaries in Libya with another 3,000 undergoing training. The mercenaries headed for Libya are men already on the Turkish payroll in northern Syria. A first there was no problem getting these Syria based mercenaries to go to Libya. The pay was higher and at first it appeared to be less dangerous. That is no longer the case. The LNA and Libyans in general are growing angrier at the Turkish invasion and the fact that Turkey is supporting Islamic militias that are unpopular in Libya. That unpopularity is one reason the LNA now controls most of the country. LNA began in 2014 as an opponent to Islamic terrorists and Islamic political militia. The longer the Turkish mercs are in Libya the more unpopular they become. The Libyans are hostile to foreign invaders, especially one that was a former imperial ruler of Libya. The Turks are violating international law and the UN, which created the GNA government the Turks are propping up, is not applying any real pressure against the foreign invaders. Thats why the Turkish mercs are suffering a casualty rate of nearly 20 percent. The Syrian mercs back in Syria can do the math and some are leaving Turkish service rather than be transferred to Libya.

Russia is providing aid to the LNA, mostly in the form of weapons and technical assistance in repairing and maintaining the largely Cold War weapons the LNA uses. There are about a thousand Russian combat troops in Libya but these are military contractors of the Wagner Group and seen as such by Libyans. The Russians are not perceived as foreign invaders. Nor are the Gulf Arabs and Egyptians who have been backing the LNA for the last five years.

Historically the Turks and Russians were always rivals and often at war with each other. Although the Russian and Turk empires dissolved a century ago, the ancient animosities did not. Now Turkish and Russian forces are fighter each other in Syria and Libya. Both areas used to be part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire and both because close to Russia during the Cold War, buying most of their weapons from Russia and cooperating diplomatically. Most Syrians and Libyans are more interested in reviving the Russian relationship than the Turkish one.

May 7, 2020: Russia issued another order trying to stop its military personnel from revealing details of military operations, especially in foreign combat zones like Ukraine, Syria, Libya and elsewhere in Africa. The ban also prohibits troops and veterans from ever mentioning on the Internet that they were in the Russian military. This is not the first effort to ban the leaking of information via the Internet and wont be the last. In early 2018 Russian military personnel in Syria were ordered to stop using a smartphone and to replace them as soon as possible with older models that lack GPS, high speeds and other features that are used by many commercial UAVs and quadcopters. The frequencies used by smartphones were being jammed around Russian bases in Syria as part of defensive measures against Islamic terrorist quad copters carrying explosives to be used for mass attacks. It was believed that this would also prevent Russian personnel from posting military information on the Internet. It didnt. The jamming couldnt be maintained all the time because it interfered with other military and commercial electronics. Earlier bans on military personnel posting anything on social media did not work either because friends and family would post items sent to them via email.

May 6, 2020: In the east (Deir Ezzor province) Russian troops are replacing Iranian mercenaries in key areas. Iran appears to have withdrawn some forces from Deir Ezzor province, either to move them closer to the Israeli border or disband mercenary units it can no longer afford to pay and support. Many of these mercenaries re local civilians who go back to lower-paying jobs for local warlords. The Russian presence consists of a few checkpoints and some patrols backed by Russian airpower. The Syrian government is technically in control of Deir Ezzor province but the lack of security forces has enabled some of the ISIL groups hiding out there to assert themselves and terrorize civilians with kidnappings and murder. ISIL wants to civilians to provide support and not cooperate with police or soldiers who come after the Islamic terrorists. In the last week at least nine civilians have been murdered and in over a dozen rural towns and villages

May 5, 2020: In the east (Deir Ezzor province) Israeli airstrikes hit several Iranian targets causing about over 30 casualties and extensive property damage. The explosions were huge and sustained indicating the Israelis had blown up stores of Iranian rockets and ammo.

May 4, 2020: In Syria (outside Aleppo) an Israeli airstrike hit a research center where Syrians and Iranians were working on chemical weapons. Satellite photos later showed the damage was extensive. Further east of Aleppo province, another Israeli airstrike hit an ammo storage site, causing a large explosion.

In the east (Deir Ezzor province), an Israeli airstrike hit the Mayadeen army base and the Iran-backed militia stationed there. Outside Mayadeen ISIL ambushed and killed two Iranian troops.

May 3, 2020: Rami Makhlouf, the wealthy cousin of Syrian dictator Basher Assad, released a video on Facebook in which he pleaded with his cousin Basher to work with him to resolve financial problems Makhlouf is having. This is more than a family feud because Makhlouf was once, and may still be, the wealthiest man in Syria. Much of that wealth is now outside Syria. Basher had Makhlouf detained on corruption charges and is demanding $250 million in cash to release Makhlouf from house arrest. Makhlouf still has Internet access, the better to authorize his foreign bankers and partners to provide the money. Makhlouf says he is broke, having spent most of his fortune to support the fight against the rebels. Basher, or at least his British wife, believes Makhlouf is corrupt as ever and still has considerable assets. Makhlouf is offering to pay the cash to Basher, and not anyone else, especially the British wife, to convince the Syrian leader of his sincerity. This video was very embarrassing for Basher and verified reports that he was losing control of his local allies. A recent opinion poll, conducted in areas where Russia has troops (and could safeguard the pollsters) found that Basher had little support among Syrians, who also blame Assad for the growing corruption and lawlessness in areas under Assad control. Before the 2011 civil war Basher, his brother and Maher and Makhlouf were considered the three most powerful men in Syria and because they were all related, proof that the Assads were still in charge. Maher is still loyal to his brother but serves as a military commander, not a financier and economic expert. Basher also had several Makhlouf allies and subordinates in Syria arrested and Makhlouf wants to get these men freed as well. Makhlouf was supposed to find ways to pay off the nearly $5 billion debt to Russia. While the Russians have provided a lot of free assistance, a lot more of it was provided with the understanding that it would be paid for. Iran was supposed to help with that but Iran is in worse economic shape that Russian and has sharply cut its economic aid to Syria.

The covid19 virus has also hit Syria, at least urban areas the Assads control. This includes Damascus, Aleppo and major ports and towns in the west. No official data has been released but unofficial sources (phone calls, Internet chatter), indicate that economic activity has been reduced and thousands are ill. Most Syrians consider covid19 no worse than the annual influenza outbreak.

May 2, 2020: The overall level of violence in Syria is way down from levels that had been the norm from 2013 to 2017. Instead of over a thousand civilians killed each month, in April the number was less than 80. Military losses are several times that and all the losses are primarily in the northwest (Idlib, Aleppo and Hama) or the southeast, mainly near the Iraqi and Israeli borders.

May 1, 2020: In central Syria (Homs province) an Israeli airstrike triggered large explosions at a Hezbollah ammo storage site.

April 30, 2020: In the south, on the Israeli border (Golan Heights) Israeli helicopters hit Iran-backed militia near the border. The next day more airstrikes hit Hezbollah positions in the Golan Heights.

The U.S. uncovered and disrupted a Quds Force smuggling effort that involved buying a second-hand 150,000 ton oil tanker. Once the tanker was controlled by Quds it could be used to smuggle oil to China, India or Syria. American sanctions officials charged several individuals and companies with complicity in buying the 22 year old tanker for $12 million. The Americans are attempting to seize the tanker and end its smuggling activities. Currently, the tanker is being detailed in Oman.

April 28, 2020: In the north (Aleppo province) a bomb in an oil tanker truck exploded near Afrin , a Turkish controlled town on the Turkish border. Nearly fifty troops and civilians were killed and many more wounded. The Turks blamed Kurdish separatists for the bombing.

April 20, 2020: The U.S. accused Russia of ordering its Su-35 fighters to threaten American P-8A maritime patrol aircraft in international airspace near the Syrian coast. Today and yesterday Russian fighters flew closer than ten meters (32 feet) to the P-8As in an effort to intimidate them. Despite video evidence, Russia insists it was just making sure the P-8A did not move into Syrian airspace (anything within 22 kilometers of the coast).

April 15, 2020: In the west, on the border with Lebanon an armed UAV, believed to be Israeli, destroyed a vehicle crossing the border illegally. Israel often targets lone vehicles in this area because intel has identified the people inside as Hezbollah, Iranian or Islamic terrorists trying to attack Israel.

April 10, 2020: Israel has again warned Syria to keep Hezbollah away from the Golan Heights. A recent Syrian news video showed the Syrian corps commander in charge of the Golan Heights sector personally showing a senior Hezbollah commander around the Golan Heights border. If this was meant to taunt Israel it worked as Israel announced that both these commanders were on the target list as were any Hezbollah personnel found near the Golan Heights. Israel has occupied most of the Golan Heights since 1967 when they took the area after Syrian used these heights to attack Israeli territory to the south. In 1981 Israel annexed the area. The UN opposed this but that had no impact on the situation. Israel points out that Syria has never made serious efforts to retake the Golan Heights since 1973. In that respect Israel considers the Golan Heights abandoned property and has absorbed it. Iran ordered Syria and Hezbollah to assist Iran in turning the Golan Heights into a combat zone. So far that has gotten a lot of Syrians and Lebanese members of Hezbollah killed. Recently Iran spent a lot of money to recruit nearly 4,000 Syrians into a Syrian branch of Hezbollah. A similar effort was undertaken in Iraq.
Paul Vasquez, whose ecstasy at the sight of a double rainbow brought joy to tens of millions of viewers on YouTube, died Saturday in Mariposa County, Calif. He was 57.

His death, at a hospital, was confirmed by the Mariposa County coroners office to the Modesto Bee, a local news outlet.

Vasquez became an internet sensation in July 2010 after a video he had posted months earlier on YouTube  a three-and-a-half-minute clip in which he enthusiastically observed two concentric rainbows from his California home  was shared by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

Wooo! Oh wow! Vasquez shouts in the video before breaking into tears at the double rainbows beauty. Its so bright and vivid. Its so beautiful. Within weeks, the video had garnered millions of views.

Paul was a catalyst, and he made us and the world at large aware of the power of the internet, his friend Robert Borchard, 76, said in a phone interview Tuesday. I never heard the term viral video until Paul. The clip has been viewed nearly 48 million times.

After the videos takeoff, Vasquez was featured on Comedy Centrals Tosh.0 and appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Fans created remixed versions of his video, including one by the Gregory Brothers, who used Autotune to turn Vasquezs spoken words into a song. The song became available on iTunes, and the Gregory Brothers performed a version of it live in 2011 at VidCon, an online video convention in Los Angeles. Vasquez was nominated for viral-video star of the year at the Peoples Choice Awards in 2011.

Vasquez became so inundated with requests that he hired an agent. He went on to appear in advertisements for Microsoft, Vodafone New Zealand and Smartwater, alongside Jennifer Aniston. He also guest starred in an in-flight safety video for Delta Air Lines.

On Monday, people across the internet expressed grief at the news of his passing.

Rest in peace, Paul, YouTube star Tyler Oakley wrote in an Instagram caption of a photo he took with Vasquez. Paul L. Vazquez was truly a viral sensation who was so pure of heart & down for the wild & weird ride of the internet.

YouTubes head of culture and trends, Kevin Allocca, tweeted that Vasquez was one of the most unique people Ive ever had the pleasure of knowing.

10 years ago, a friend sent me a @YouTube video of a man who saw two rainbows in the sky, Kimmel tweeted Monday night. This video made everyone happy, as did he. Paul Bear Vasquez, the Double Rainbow guy, passed away Saturday. His enthusiasm for life was genuine & the world is gloomier without him.

Vasquez was born in 1962 in East Los Angeles. His father, he told CNN in 2015, was a city bus driver, and as a child he explored the city using a free transit pass.

Ive always been someone whos fearless and immensely confident, he said in the CNN interview.

Vasquez joined the Los Angeles County Fire Department before moving to Yosemite, a park he had come to know well during his childhood, in 1985. There, he took on various park concessionaire jobs  security guard, emergency medical technician, firefighter  and eventually joined the National Park Service. He also worked as a cage fighter and a truck driver.

For most of his adult life, Vasquez lived in a small mountainside home about 15 kilometres from Yosemite park and grew his own food. But in a March YouTube video, he said that a tree had fallen on his house in 2019, forcing him to move into a small apartment in town. He was a fixture in the community. Everyone in Mariposa is connected to Paul in some way, Borchard said.

Vasquezs marriage ended in divorce. He is survived by a daughter, Irene, and a son, Paul.

Since releasing the double rainbow video, Vasquez had continued to post frequently on YouTube and share status updates on Facebook. In a post May 5, he disclosed that he was sick and being tested for COVID-19.

Ill get my results in two days, however at this point Im fairly certain that I dont have it, he wrote. I didnt have a fever. Something else is going on with me.

Days later, he died in the emergency room at John C. Fremont hospital in Mariposa, the Modesto Bee reported.

Vasquez is best known for his love of rainbows (You cant look at a rainbow anymore and not think about me, he told CNN), but he used his platform to share his appreciation of nature at large. He showed viewers how he grew his crops, caught and released rattlesnakes and grew wildflowers in his yard. His fame didnt make him rich  according to CNN, he was making only $6,000 (U.S.) a year in 2015  but he said he was able to keep costs low by living off the land.

Helping our culture reconnect with the world around us, thats what his videos were about, Borchard said of his friend. Our urban lifestyle is disconnecting us from nature. Paul was trying to reconnect us. Thats his legacy.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 00:15:01|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Struggling to cushion coronavirus epidemic's heavy impact, France, one of Europe's key powerhouse, saw its economic activities operate at 27 percent below normal levels but better than in March, France central bank BdF said on Tuesday.

"According to the monthly business survey, activity losses remained significant in April, but at lesser magnitude than at the end of March with the exception of certain sectors such as household services," the bank said in a statement.

Based on the interviews of 8,500 business leaders from April 28 to May 6, the BdF found that the domestic economy was operating at 27 percent below normal levels in April after it had dropped by 32 percent a month earlier.

"With a full month of confinement in April (compared to half a month in March as the anti-coronavirus lockdown started on March 17), economic activity reached a particularly low level," it said.

"However, companies have adapted and gradually implemented various health protection measures for employees, which made it possible to limit site closing and restart production, at a rate nevertheless much lower than normal and uneven depending on the sector," it added.

The bank noted an improvement in manufacturing industry and private sector service firms in particular. The two sectors limited their slowdown to minus 37 percent and minus 27 percent in April from minus 48 percent and minus 37 percent respectively in March.

Manufacturing, construction and non-financial market services, which together account for 55 percent of France's GDP, lost 40 percent of their activity compared with normal situation. In March, the decline was set at minus 50 percent.

For May, business leaders expected partial recovery of their activity as the country has begun unwinding containment measures.

"The ambition we could have for the end of May is to recover another 10 points. Household confidence will be an essential factor in transforming this additional savings into consumption," Francois Villeroy de Galhau, governor of BdF told France Inter radio.

"The confinement has cost us some 6 percent of annual growth," the governor added.

In April, France's national statistics institute INSEE said the GDP has tumbled by 5.8 percent in the first quarter and the government forecast a contraction of 8 percent for the whole year. The central bank had estimated that every two-week containment would lead to a 1.5-percent loss in GDP. Enditem
Face masks have become an ever-more present part of the daily life of Spaniards since the coronavirus crisis began. To begin with, the Health Ministry did not recommend them, calling them unnecessary and even counterproductive. Several weeks later, there was a U-turn, and it made them obligatory on public transport from May 4 onward.

Now the Spanish Health Ministry is considering making them compulsory in practically all public spaces.

At a meeting with the regional health authorities on Monday, Health Minister Salvador Illa asked for the opinion of the regions as to whether it should be a recommendation or an obligation for people to wear masks out on the street. Responding to questions from EL PAIS as to whether the measure is being considered, the ministry responded that any new decision will be communicated to the public, but that for now the current protocols remain in place. These are, obligatory use of masks on public transport, and their recommended use when a safe distance of two meters cannot be maintained.

Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts, who acts as a spokesperson for the Health Ministry at a daily press conference, said on Tuesday that he understood that the wider use of masks be put on the table, although he warned that it would have to be done with great care.

The best mask is a two-meter distance Fernando Simon

Simon added: Now we have to overact a bit, and while it is aimed at reducing risks this is acceptable, but not everyone can use them in the same way, and not everyone can wear them for a long time. There are probably no problems if it is for a few minutes on the Metro or on the bus, but more time can create problems for people with anxiety, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease or any major respiratory restriction, as well as for younger children.

Simon expressed opposition to making masks obligatory on public transport when asked, just days before the Health Ministry introduced the regulation. On Tuesday he was more cautious. Im not going to give an opinion for or against them being obligatory, he said. There is now a high recommendation for anyone who goes onto the street [to wear one]. Making them obligatory is to overact a bit, it might be OK, but perhaps we should act in other areas. The best mask is a two-meter distance.

Andalusia, Madrid and Murcia are more keen to widen the recommendations for the use of masks. Madrid premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso of the conservative Popular Party (PP) said on Monday during an interview with radio network Onda Cero that she was in favor of making them compulsory in order to pass from Phase 0 to Phase 1 of the governments coronavirus deescalation program.

In Castilla y Leon, the PP-run administration has requested more clarity from the government. We are maintaining the recommendation of their use in closed spaces and where safe distances cant be maintained, sources said.

EL PAIS has requested the opinion of all regions. Valencia, Extremadura, Cantabria, Aragon and the Canary Islands said that they have not requested measures in addition to those that already exist, and that they will apply those set out in the Official State Gazette (BOE). The remaining eight did not respond.

Adults take exercise on a Madrid street at the weekend. During these periods it has been impossible to maintain safe distances in some areas. Joaquin Corchero / Europa Press (Europa Press)

During the first steps to relax Spains confinement measures, which were among the strictest in the world, it was clear that in many public spaces, in particular in big cities, it is impossible to maintain safe distances when, for example, adults take walks or exercise or parents take their children outside. Francisco Linde, from the Pneumology team at the Quiron Salud hospital in Malaga, recommends using masks on the street and while doing exercise given that keeping two meters away from others is practically impossible. Given that there is no competitive sport at the moment and the majority of people are not training for events, wearing a mask is preferable, even if its at the cost of lower intensity, he explained.

False sense of security

Pedro Gullon, from the Spanish Epidemiological Society, believes that the recommendations are going to increase in closed spaces, where keeping a safe distance is more complicated, but hes not so clear about open spaces. There is scientific debate on the subject, but there is no consensus about what might be best, he said. There are also contraindications such as the false sense of security, or that we touch our face more, so I think that we have to focus more on physical distance.

Hygienic or surgical masks are being recommended in Spain for those who are not in contact with coronavirus patients, and work as a barrier to stop someone who has the virus from infecting someone else. The masks known as FPP2 and FPP3 are for personal protective equipment (PPE), and are only recommended for people taking care of the sick. Experts say that unless people have had training, they wear these masks incorrectly. Despite this, the Madrid regional government is this week distributing millions of FPP2 masks to the general public for free.

English version by Simon Hunter.
The arrest of a man over the 1988 murder of an American student could pave the way for dozens of other decades-old 'gay hate' crimes committed across Sydney to be reinvestigated.

After more than 31 years, NSW Police detectives swooped on Scott Phillip White on Tuesday and charged him with murdering Californian 'maths genius' Scott Johnson.

Mr Johnson, 27, was found naked at the base of a cliff on Sydney's northern beaches on December 10, 1988. Three inquests were carried out into his death, with the third finding he was potentially murdered.

'Gay hate' crimes were unfortunately common across Sydney between 1970 and the early 1990s.

Men were often found slain in parks, homes or washed up on sharp rocks around the bottom of Sydney's clifftops.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell said there are at least 23 unsolved murders that occurred at known gay beats, but could be many more.

When asked if the breakthrough in Mr Johnson's case gave him hope that they would be able to make arrests on any similar cold cases, Mr Crandell said: 'My word it does'.

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The arrest of a man over the alleged 'gay hate' murder of American student Scott Johnson in 1988 will be the first of many, NSW Police hope. Officers believe hundreds of similar deaths across Sydney and the rest of the state in the 1970s and 1980s may have been gay targeted

'There are other cases that are around Alexandria, all of the beats... that we attribute to gay hate crime have not been solved,' the assistant commissioner said.

'Ross Warren (and) John Russell are two cases that come to mind.

'I'm very hopeful that cases like this reverberate through the community and we can get more information - that's what we need, we need more information in order to pursue these cases.

'As the Commissioner said, they are not closed, they are not frozen, we will work on them and anybody out there who committed such offences should be looking over their shoulder.'

Mr Warren and Mr Russell are believed to have been thrown off the Bondi-Tamarama clifftops in 1989.

The body of Mr Warren - a young TV news presenter - was never found, but his keys were discovered among the ocean rocks that July.

Just a few months later the body of Mr Russell was discovered at Marks Park.

The pair are believed to have both been victims of youth gangs who hunted gay men along the eastern suburbs clifftops, a well known spot for discrete hookups.

Similar things were going on at the clifftops which stretch around the harbour city.

Cyril Olsen, 64, was bashed at Rushcutters Bay in the early hours of August 22, 1992.

Police suspect he was bashed before being pushed into the water and drowned. All for being gay.

Among the unsolved 'gay hate' crimes is the death of AC/DC manager Crispin Dye (pictured) who was bashed to death after drinking with friends on a night out in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills on December 23, 1993

French national Gilles Mattaini (left), 21, and John Russell (right), 31, were both believed to have been killed at Marks Park, a clifftop and popular gay beat between Tamarama and Bondi

When asked if the breakthrough in Mr Johnson's case gave him hope that they would be able to make arrests on any similar cold cases, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell (left), who has been involved in several 'gay hate' strike forces said: 'My word it does'

AC/DC's former manager Crispin Dye was bashed to death after drinking with friends on a night out in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills on December 23, 1993.

Witnesses reported seeing three young men standing over Mr Dye's unconscious body after he was brutally bashed before they fled the scene with his wallet.

A parliamentary report in the wake of Strike Force Parabell - which was also overseen by Assistant Commissioner Crandell - revealed chilling details about those carrying out the attacks.

Attackers regularly moved in gangs, with membership required.

The perpetrators were mainly men - but on occasions women or teenage girls - who saw gay beats as the perfect place to attack as they were isolated and dark.

The gangs 'would move around from beat to beat' and their reason for violence could be as simple as trying to get money.

'Predatory gangs would go up and assault victims, looking to get $10, $20 or $30 to buy some alcohol and have a good night out,' a former NSW Police detective said.

Car keys belonging to 31-year-old news presenter Ross Warren (pictured) were found on a rock in the same area near Marks Park, but his body was never recovered

Martial arts expert Raymond Keam (left), 43, and Cyril Olsen (right), 61, were two more victims of suspected gay bashings in 1987 and 1992 respectively

Other attackers wanted to portray themselves as 'alpha males', some simply 'hated' gays and others had been sexually attacked as children - leaving them struggling to differentiate between paedophiles and gay men.

Disturbingly, many of these deaths of gay men were brushed off by police as suicide.

When asked whether he was ashamed of the attitudes of NSW Police at the time, Police Minister David Elliott said he found the lack of investigation 'offensive'.

'It was offensive because of the motive behind the crime,' Mr Elliott said.

'It was offensive because it was at a time when people were slightly dismissive of hate crimes, and were too easy to try to make excuses or to move on.

'Well, we don't do that anymore.'

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller echoed Mr Elliott's comments, saying he was determined the current force would make up for as many old mistakes as possible.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller told the families of cold case victims they would look into any new evidence that is brought to light

Police often brushed deaths - such as Mr Johnson's - off as a suicide, despite evidence pointing to the contrary, because they were gay. NSW Police Minister (right) said: 'Well, we don't do that anymore... Chief Inspector (Peter) Yeomans (left, who led the Mr Johnson investigation) is proof positive'

Police returned to the cliffs along Manly's north head, where Mr Johnson was allegedly killed, this week (pictured) to search for any remaining evidence

'I think in any age of policing police made mistakes, but indeed there are good police throughout New South Wales' history who solved difficult crimes,' Mr Fuller said.

'I do think the plight of young gay men particularly in Sydney, but also all around the world, was a difficult one.

'Not only were they let down by police but they were let down by the community.

'Can I just impress on the community - particularly those victim's families out there - whenever we get fresh information, we will commence an investigation into their death.

'Lots of victims families are often not looking to blame anyone, they are just looking for answers... and I think it's reasonable that we continue to do whatever we can to solve those crimes.'
A man who has been charged in relation to the 1988 gay hate murder of a math genius allegedly 'pushed him off a cliff' while he was in the process of undressing.

Scott Phillip White was arrested on Tuesday morning and charged with killing Scott Johnson, a 27-year-old PhD student who moved from California to Australia to study.

Mr Johnson's naked body was found at the base of cliffs at Blue Fish Point, near Manly's north head on Sydney's northern beaches, on December 10, 1988.

Police stormed White's home in Lane Cove on Tuesday following an extensive police operation supported by Mr Johnson's brother back home in the US.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Yeomans on Wednesday said White was not shocked when police arrived to arrest him.

He said officers were 'absolutely' treating it as a gay hate crime.

An inquest in 1989 found the 27-year-old math genius and PhD student took his own life, while a second inquest in June 2012 was left open. The third inquest found Mr Johnson fell from the cliff 'as a result of actual or threatened violence'

Police will allege a then 18-year-old White met Mr Johnson at a hotel in Manly before heading to what was a popular spot for gay men to meet for casual sex at the time the ABC reported.

It is alleged they walked 15-20 minutes from the centre of Manly through a steep dirt track past shrubs, bushes and a wall that shields the site from passersby.

As Mr Johnson began removing his clothing, Mr White allegedly panicked and punched him, which forced the mathematician to lose his balance and fall from the cliff.

Officers reportedly weren't aware of White until an informant came forward with new information.

Mr Johnson, a 'brilliant mathematician' with a 'bright future in Australia and the United States, who had everything to live for'.

He moved to Australia in 1986 with his partner, Michael Noone. They'd previously studied at Cambridge in the UK, and had been together more than four years when Mr Johnson died.

After two coronial inquests into his death - the first of which determined he died by suicide and the second returned inconclusive results - Mr Noone offered an insight into their relationship.

The naked body of Mr Johnson (pictured) was found at the base of a cliff at Blue Fish Point near Manly's North Head, on December 10, 1988. It was initially ruled a likely suicide, but this week NSW Police charged Scott Phillip White with his murder

Mr Noone told a third inquest Mr Johnson had previously attempted to take his own life during a visit to the US.

He sent his then partner a letter expressing guilt for sleeping with other men during their relationship, and suggested he wanted to end his life following the mistake.

Mr Noone told the court: 'This was the period of HIV and AIDS. There was enormous pressure, health pressure and survival pressure to remain in monogamous relationships.'

A psychiatric nurse who knew Mr Johnson also supported claims Mr Johnson was suffering poor mental health.

Five days before he disappeared, Mr Johnson hosted a 27th birthday and reportedly told the nurse while in the backyard swimming pool he'd twice contemplated suicide.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the inquest revealed the horrendous way gay men were treated in the 1980s.

'The plight of young gay men in Sydney, probably around the world, was a very difficult one and not only were they let down by police, I think they were let down by the community and probably the media.'

Officers returned to the clifftops at north head near where Mr Johnson's body was found to search for evidence on Tuesday

Mr Johnson's brother, however, was adamant foul play was involved in Mr Johnson's death, and doubled the official $1million reward for information relating to the incident.

The mystery informant who tipped police off about White could pocket the $2million sum if White is convicted of the crime.

'There is certainly one witness, on conviction, that would be eligible for part of the reward,' Commissioner Fuller said.

When asked for his views on why the person had waited until there was a reward to come forward to police, he said: 'Different things will motivate different people'.

'From my perspective, I just truly hope that the people sitting out there watching this, or reading it in the papers, who have information - no matter how small it is - have the courage to come forward.

'Whether it's over a reward or just their own conscience, please don't underestimate how one small piece of the puzzle can lead police to solve some of the most terrible crimes.'

Three inquests were held into the death of Mr Johnson (left), with the third finding it likely he was the victim of a 'gay hate' murder. After that inquest NSW Police offered a $1 million reward, which was later upped to $2 million with a personal contribution from his brother Steve (right)

Scott Phillip White (pictured) was arrested on Tuesday and charged with killing Scott Johnson near Manly in 1988. A tip off from the public after a $2 million reward was offered helped NSW Police in their investigation, the state's police commissioner Mick Fuller said on Wednesday

Mr Johnson's brother, Steve, said after receiving a call from Commissioner Fuller to be told of White's arrest, he was very 'emotional'.

'It's emotional for me, it's emotional for my family, my two sisters and my brother who love Scott dearly, my wife and my three kids who never got to know their uncle but admire him,' he said.

'Emotional for the gay community. For whom, Scott had come to symbolise the many dozens of other gay men who lost their lives in the 1980s and 90s in a world full of anti-gay prejudice and hatred.

He said it was 'remarkable' authorities were able to apprehend the alleged killer during the coronavirus pandemic.

The arrest proved 'times have changed' and it recognises 'that all of us deserve equal protection and justice under the law', he added.

White was refused bail and is due to front Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday.

NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller (pictured) said the mystery witness who provided key information that led to the arrest could be 'eligible for part of the reward'
Israels Blue and White alliance on May 13 reportedly said that the former Israeli army chief Gabi Ashkenazi will be nominated as the countrys next foreign minister. According to an international media outlet, Ashkenazi has spent nearly four decades in the military. He also held talks with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem ahead of his appointment as minister of foreign affairs this coming Thursday, said Blue and While alliance.

The Blue and White alliance is led by the incoming alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz. A unity government agreed between Gantz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also due to be sworn in on May 14. While the swearing-in ceremony was planned to be held earlier this week, however, due to the one-day visit of Pompeo, the ceremony was delayed. However, the upcoming ceremony on Thursday will be ending more than a year of political deadlock in the country.

READ: Mike Pompeo Praises Israel Over COVID-19 Cooperation, Calls Netanyahu 'great Partner'

READ: Despite Virus, Pompeo In Israel To Talk West Bank Annexation

Former army chief: Gabi Ashkenazi

As per reports, the foreign affairs was a key profile secured by Blue and White coalition talks with Netanyahus Likud party, along with the defence ministry which will be led by Gantz. Speaking of the foreign ministry, the nominated Ashkenazi joined Israels army in 1972 and fought in the Yom Kippur war a year later. According to the media report, the former army chief also took part in Operation Entebbe, which was an Israeli commando raid to rescue hostages from a plane that had hijacked by Palestinian and German militants and delivered to Ugandas main airport.

Furthermore, Ashkenazi also went on to take part in or lead a series of high profile and some controversial operations. As per reports, Turkey also put Ashkenazi and three other Israeli militaries on trial in absentia in 2012 over the deadly 2010 storming of a Turkish ship that had been bound for Gaza. Moreover, he was also the army chief during Israels war with Hamas in Gaza in 2008-2009. Back in 2011, Ashkenazi was also appointed chairman of Shemen oil and Gas explorations Ltd, which is an Israeli company engaged in hydrocarbon exploration.

(Image: @Obs_IL/Twitter)

READ: Israeli Police Arrest Over 300 At Mass Gathering At Shrine

READ: Israeli Army: Soldier Killed By Rock During West Bank Raid
Actor Aamir Khan and his filmmaker wife, Kiran Rao, attended the last rites of their longtime personal assistant, who died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Amos Paul Nadar was buried in Mumbai, videos and images shared online show.

Aamir, Kiran, and a small group were spotted wearing face masks at the Christian cemetery in Sewri. Visuals showed the couple taking precautions and sanitising their hands, but Aamir could also be seen hugging a few people. Another image showed Aamir and Kiran in silent prayer, with Amos coffin in front of them.

Amos, who had been working with Aamir for the past 25 years, collapsed in the morning and was taken to the Holy Family hospital by Aamir, Kiran, and their team.

Also read: Aamir Khans longtime assistant dies of heart attack, was rushed to hospital by devastated star himself

"Amos worked with a superstar but was endearing and simple. He was like this to not just Aamir but everyone. He put everyone at ease and was a wonderful person. He had a wonderful heart, was so bright and a hard worker," Aamirs friend Karim Hajee told PTI.

"He had no major illness, his death is shocking. He died with his boots on. Both Aamir and Kiran are devasted. Aamir had sent us a message and said it is an irreplaceable loss. We were so numb, we will miss him," he added.

(With PTI inputs)

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Within one month, the Growing Up Free (GUF) Project has rescued 12 children trafficked for fishing on the Volta lake.

The victims have since been sent to rehabilitation centres.

Most of the victims, who are boys between eight and 14 years, were rescued from the Yeji township, while few others were picked from other eight traffic-prone fishing communities  Laasaka Akuraa, Fante-Akuraa, Jatappo and Kobre Nsuoano number one and number two in the Pru East District.

Disturbing figures are also been recorded in at Datetoklo, Deifour, Ningo and Atrapa in the Sene East District.

The GUF is a 20-month project being implemented by the MIHOSO International, a child and health centred Non-Governmental Organisation with funding support from the Free the Slaves, another NGO.

During a visit by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to the Yeji market, many of the fisher folks were not adhering to the social and physical distancing protocols.

Some of them sighted were not wearing nose masks while few others were seen with sanitizers.

There were however, some Veronica buckets mounted at the market.

In an interview with the GNA, Mr. Fautinus Obrotey, the Pru East District Director of the Department of Social Welfare, expressed regret that despite intensified public education, cases of child trafficking were recording disturbing figures in the fishing communities.

He said more than 200 children had been rescued from the Volta Lake in the past two years, and commended MIHISO International and other human right civil society organisations working in the area for their support.

Mr Obrotey mentioned poverty and large families as major causes of child trafficking in the area, but regretted that because communities were failing to volunteer information, it was making it extremely difficult to fight the menace.

Throwing more light on the GUF project, Mr. Thomas Benarkuu, the Project Coordinator, explained that the project sought to enhance the effectiveness of Ghana's efforts to combat child trafficking.

It further seeks to empower families of children rescued so that they would be able to provide for the basic needs of their children, including shelter, food, healthcare, and education.

Mr. Benarkuu reminded the communities that child trafficking was a serious offence under the Human Trafficking Act 205 (Act 694) punishable by law and advised people in the fishing communities to volunteer information, so that perpetrators of the crime would be arrested and prosecuted.

GNA
The National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul Korea Times file



By Lee Kyung-min



Businesses are calling on the National Assembly for the swift passage of a series of proposed bills to reinvigorate the economy hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly concerning digitization, the removal of barriers to corporate investment and telemedicine.



They say it is most important the bills be passed before the end of May when the Assembly's regular session is scheduled to end. Once the 20th session expires, 11 pending bills will be discarded, leading to a waste of time and resources given lawmakers of the newly formed 21st Assembly must repeat the same drafting process all over again.



According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), bills concerning digitization include ways to set up infrastructure and foster industries that do not involve in-person transactions.



They are part of the "Korean New Deal," a government-led initiative to identify key sustainable growth engines to help the country turn the virus-sparked economic crisis into an opportunity.



Chief among them is abolishing a government-certified personal identity verification system, a time-consuming and complex process long criticized for its inefficiency by industry officials and general users at large.



The bill instead seeks to introduce other means of identity verification including a "digital signature," which the organization considers a more effective way to manage personal information online.



"Digital transactions should be easy, quick and convenient, not one of which is true for the current government-monopolized system. The absurd and outdated system is the single most significant roadblock to the development of new certification technologies," KCCI Corporate Policy Director Kim Hyun-soo said.



Also included is allowing telemedicine on a limited yet regular basis, a decades-long government effort repeatedly frustrated due to a fierce backlash from powerful interest groups  most notably doctors.



"The virus pandemic clearly illustrated the efficacy and efficiency of digital technology-based consultations, treatment and diagnosis. Telemedicine is in place in many advanced countries and it is high time that the bill first introduced in the 17th Assembly is passed," Kim said.



The businesses called for more "aggressive" tax benefits for hard-hit firms, pointing to similar economic relief measures undertaken in times of recession following a worse-than-expected downturn.



Ten percent of corporate investment spending should be deductible for three years starting 2020, they claim, highlighting that the only way to restore business confidence in times of extreme distress is to cut taxes.



"The deductible limit has been on steady decline since the 2009 global financial crisis, and we deem a tax benefit of a similar or greater degree should be given for the next three years to help many firms recover to the pre-virus period," Kim added.


On early Wednesday, Samsung released a piece that looks deeper into the Galaxy Z Flips Hideaway Hinge. This is the second of two parts (so far) where Samsung explains how bristles are used in the hinge to keep foreign debris out of the hinge assembly. Between the hinges bumper and the two halves of the phone is a very narrow gap of about 1mm.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold saw drastic failure to the display whenever dust or debris managed to lodge itself into the hinge, which is why Samsung put those plastic stoppers at the two ends along the folding part for the redesigned Fold. This alone, however, was not enough to keep dust out.

In designing the Galaxy Z flip, engineers came up with several prototypes to no avail. However, one engineer studied the way fibers were used in vacuum cleaners and observed the way they flexed and decided it could be applied in an effective way for the Galaxy Z Flip. We know that Samsung did use these new bristles in the Z Flips hinge and now Samsung offers a detailed diagram of how that is.

Samsung didnt specifically mention what material these bristles are, but they did compare them to the nylon ones found in a vacuum cleaner since they can bend and flex while still keeping their original shape. These bristles fill the gap that would otherwise allow dust and debris to enter the hinge assembly and it sweeps every time you close and re-open the Z Flips display.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is said to be able to endure 200,000 flip cycles, which give enough chance for debris to get inside. With the sweeping bristles, theres less change of that happening but for the love of Pete, dont take this thing to the beach.

Source
U.S. states are beginning to restart their economies after months of paralyzing coronavirus lockdowns, but it could take weeks until it becomes clear whether those reopenings will cause a spike in COVID-19 cases, experts said Wednesday.

The outbreaks trajectory varies wildly across the country, with steep increases in cases in some places, decreases in others and infection rates that can shift dramatically from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Part of the challenge is although we are focused on the top-line national numbers in terms of our attention, what we are seeing is 50 different curves and 50 different stories playing out, said Thomas Tsai, assistant professor at the Harvard Global Health Institute. And what we have seen about COVID-19 is that the story and the effect is often very local.

A handful of states started easing their lockdowns about two weeks ago, allowing reopenings by establishments ranging from shopping malls in Texas to beach hotels in South Carolina to gyms in Wyoming. Sparsely populated Wyoming, which has some of the lowest infection numbers in the United States, plans to reopen bars and restaurants Friday. Georgia was one of the first states where some businesses were allowed to open their doors again, starting April 24 with barber shops, hair salons, gyms, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors.

But it may be five to six weeks from then before the effects are known, said Crystal Watson of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

As we saw early in the year, epidemics of COVID-19 start slow and take some time to build and become evident, Watson said in an email.

The outbreaks trajectory can vary greatly around the country, according to an Associated Press analysis of confirmed cases. For instance, steep increases in daily new cases are occurring in Hennepin County in Minnesota and Fairfax County in Virginia, while in others, such as Bergen County, New Jersey, and Wayne County, Michigan, theres been a steady decline.

The AP analyzed case counts compiled by Johns Hopkins University, using a rolling seven-day average to account for day-to-day variability in test reporting.

In Geneva, meanwhile, a top World Health Organization official warned that its possible the new coronavirus may be here to stay.

This virus may never go away, Dr. Michael Ryan said at a press briefing. Without a vaccine, he said, it could take years for the global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity.

I think its important to put this on the table, he said. This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities like other previously novel diseases, such as HIV, which have never disappeared, but for which effective treatments have been developed.

It can take three to five days for someone newly infected with the coronavirus to feel sick, and some infected people wont even have symptoms. Since testing is mostly reserved in the U.S. for those with symptoms, it can take two weeks or so  the time for one group of people to spread the virus to another  to have enough testing data to reflect a surge in cases.

If you are doing adequate testing, it will take two to three weeks to spot an increase, Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvards Global Health Institute, said Wednesday as he prepared to speak to a congressional subcommittee on the crisis.

He urged a dramatic increase in testing.

It was the failure of testing that caused our country to shut down, Jha said. We need federal leadership on the level of testing, guidance on whom to test and federal help on the sheer capacity, the number of tests that can be done. We still do not have the testing capacity we need to open up safely.

New coronavirus clusters have surfaced around the world as nations struggle to balance restarting their economies and preventing a second wave of infections.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly are pressing ahead to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found.

South Korea confirmed 29 more coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours as it battles a spike in infections linked to nightlife spots in Seoul, threatening the countrys hard-won progress in the fight against pandemic.

And Lebanese authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints that social distancing rules were being ignored.

In the U.S., as in many countries, the lockdowns have resulted in catastrophic levels of job losses. The U.S. unemployment rate soared to 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression. There are roughly 30 million Americans out of work.

In Washington, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that a prolonged recession could cause extensive damage to the economy and urged Congress and the White House to act further to prevent long-lasting harm.

The Fed and Congress have already taken immense steps, but Powell warned that numerous bankruptcies among small businesses and extended unemployment for many people remain a serious risk.

While costly, more assistance in government spending or tax policies would be worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery, he said.

Powell spoke a day after Democratic leaders proposed a $3 trillion aid package that would direct money to state and local governments, households, and health-care workers. That would come on top of roughly $3 trillion in earlier financial assistance. The Fed, for its part, has cut interest rates to near zero and created numerous emergency lending programs.

But Trump administration officials have said they want to first see how previous aid packages affect the economy, and were skeptical about allowing more spending right now.

The tension in balancing peoples safety against severe economic fallout is playing out across the world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into markets as restrictions were eased.

The U.S. has the largest coronavirus outbreak in the world by far: 1.39 million infections and over 84,000 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.3 million people and killed some 297,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. Experts say the actual numbers are likely far higher.

___

Johnson reported from Washington state; Smith reported from Providence, Rhode Island, and Sullivan reported from Minneapolis. AP data journalist Nicky Forster in Berkley, Massachusetts, and Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
B oris Johnson has told MPs that the Government is making an additional 600 million available for infection control in care homes.

Mr Johnson said the number of deaths in care homes "has been too high", but the number of outbreaks and fatalities is "well down".

Opening Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer quoted Government advice from March which reportedly said "it remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected".

Yesterdays ONS figures show that at least 40 per cent of all deaths from Covid-19 were in care homes," Sir Keir said. "Does the Prime Minister accept that the Government was too slow to protect people in care homes?

UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures 1 /38 UK returns to work as Coronavirus restrictions are eased - In pictures Londoners returning to work near London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Cyclists travel in central London AFP via Getty Images Emergency as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Alan Price on his Penny Farthing this morning on Battersea Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Delivery men are seen outside a reopened McDonald's with take-out only deliveries in Dalston Reuters Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Worlds End Nurseries in Chelsea opens for business. Customer Nika Kucifer is shown flowers by Janson Lotery Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn People ride bicycles in a cycle lane in Chelsea PA Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases Nigel Howard Jubilee Line tube commuters as lockdown eases. Nigel Howard Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Vehicles are seen on the M56 motorway near Manchester, Reuters Londoners going back to work at Waterloo Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Monty's first day back. West Highland Terrier Monty commutes to work on his bike on his first day back with owner Darragh McElroy. Monty, who's Instagram account is @monty_whitehall_westie, works at the Cabinet Office in Whitehall with his owner Darragh who is Deputy Director of Coronavirus Communications at the Cabinet Office Matt Writtle Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn A commuter wears a mask at Canning Town station Reuters Rush hour on the M6 at the junction for Birmingham/Walsall on the first morning of the eased Coronavirus lockdown PA Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen on a London Underground tube, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease Reuters Londoners going back to work at Vauxhall Jeremy Selwyn Commuters, some wearing masks are seen at Stratford station, Reuters Cyclists in Chelsea today. Nigel Howard

Mr Johnson replied: No Mr Speaker it wasnt true that the advice said that, and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown.

He added: And a huge exercise in testing is going on, a further 600 million I can announce today for infection control in care homes, and yes it is absolutely true that the number of casualties has been too high but I can tell the House, as I told (Sir Keir) last week and indeed this week, the number of outbreaks is down and the number of fatalities in care homes is now well down."

Boris Johnson said there is much more to do but we are making progress on reducing the pandemic in care homes.

Responding to a question from Sir Keir about discharging known or suspected Covid-19 cases into care homes, Mr Johnson said the number of discharges from hospitals into care homes went down in March and April.

And we had a system of testing people going into care homes and that testing is now being ramped up," he said.

Sir Keir also asked for the Governments view on the 10,000 unexplained excess deaths in care homes in April.

He said: The ONS records the average number of deaths in care homes each month. The last five years the average for April has been just over 8,000.

This year the number of deaths in care homes for April was a staggering 26,000  thats three times the average  18,000 additional deaths this April.

Commuters returning to work as strict lockdown restrictions lifted in England

Using the Governments figures only 8,000 are recorded as Covid deaths, that leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.

Now I know the Government must have looked into this so can the Prime Minister give us the Governments views on these unexplained deaths?

Mr Johnson responded: Coronavirus is an appalling disease which afflicts some groups far more than others, I think the whole country understands.

And in particular the elderly, and hes right to draw attention, as I said, to the tragedy that has been taking place in care homes.

The Office of National Statistics is responsible for producing the data that they have, the Government had also produced data which not only shows that there has been, as I said, a terrible epidemic in care homes but since the care homes action plan began we are seeing an appreciable and substantial reduction, not just in the number of outbreaks but also in the number of deaths.

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

Mr Johnson said the deaths of 144 NHS workers and 131 social care staff have been reported as involving Covid-19.

He also paid tribute to Belly Mujinga, a railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty

Our thoughts are with their family and friends," he said.

Yesterday this House learnt of the tragic death of Belly Mujinga. The fact that she was abused for doing her job is utterly appalling.

My thoughts, and Im sure the thoughts of the whole House, are with her family.
With more than 1,4 million confirmed cases and more than 83.000 deaths, the coronavirus pandemic in the United States does not seem to slow down. Quite the opposite. The country is in lockdown, with stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures being enforced by the local authorities. Most of the companies have closed their doors and had to fire people. Only companies that could manage their businesses online are still operating. Shops and restaurants that can provide the delivery of goods still manage to survive on the market. Car insurance companies make no exception.

Compare-autoinsurance.org explains what is different now for the auto insurance industry since the companies now operate online-only. For more info, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/the-car-insurance-industry-has-gone-online-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/



Drivers should expect longer to contact and work with customer service. Since insurance representatives do no longer physically contact the policyholder, everyone has to go online and check the customer services. Naturally, there are queues forming up. Most people want to know about their premium payments and the recently introduced premium refunds.

All claims are processed online. Instead of meeting with agents and claims adjusters, policyholders will have to contact the company via a call of a video conference. When reporting an accident, the policyholder will have to show pictures and videos that show the damage and support their claims. The company will send the evidence to some specialists, wait for results, and then contact the client and start negotiating the reimbursement's value.

Smaller companies have to adapt. Companies that were never used to handling claims and requests online had to adapt and build the needed infrastructure. That means adding new servers and storage spaces, adding more personnel to handle customer service and possibly, automate some requests and answers.

Companies must regularly update their websites and present the latest developments. These are busy times for insurance companies and they must be able to react to the recent legislation and guidelines. For example, they must inform clients how much money they will receive as premium refunds. It is recommended to display the latest info on the homepage.

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.
A total of 109 citizens of Ukraine and 18 foreigners who have the right to reside in Ukraine have been evacuated from Istanbul to Kyiv by special flight.

Ukraine's Consulate General in Istanbul reported this on its Facebook page.

In particular, students, athletes and Ukrainians who were treated in Turkey are returning home.

As Ukrinform reported, on Monday, more than 300 passengers arrived at Kyiv's Boryspil Airport on evacuation flights from the UAE and Armenia.

ish
The Hurricane zone now measures 575m long, 40m across, and up to 11m thick

long, across, and up to thick Within the overall Hurricane zone footprint, recent drilling on the western end has intersected a zone of very strong uranium mineralization that is at least 100m long

long Previously released highlights from the zone of very strong uranium mineralization include:

Drill hole LE20-53 - 11.7% U 3 O 8 over 10.5m , including 40.4% U 3 O 8 over 3.0m

O over , including 40.4% U O over

Drill hole LE20-52 - 22.7% U 3 O 8 over 7.5m , including 67.2% U 3 O 8 over 2.5m

O over , including 67.2% U O over

Drill hole LE20-51 - 14.5% U 3 O 8 over 7.5m , including 30.9% U 3 O 8 over 3.5m

O over , including 30.9% U O over

Drill Hole LE20-40 - 20.5% U 3 O 8 over 4.0m , including 53.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5m

O over , including 53.8% U O over

Drill Hole LE20-34 - 33.9% U 3 O 8 over 8.5m , including 57.1% U 3 O 8 over 5.0m

O over , including 57.1% U O over

Drill Hole LE20-32A - 19.6% U 3 O 8 over 8.5m , including 63.6% U 3 O 8 over 2.5m

O over , including 63.6% U O over Several areas have excellent potential for expansion

A summer drilling program is planned that includes the collection of geotechnical and hydrogeological data

With $3.5M in its treasury, the Company is funded through the planned summer drilling program

Craig Parry, Chief Executive Officer commented: "Our initial review of the winter Hurricane zone drilling results has been very positive. Clearly, there is room for additional mineralization similar to that intersected during the recently completed program. Given the results of the winter drill program and proximity to existing uranium mills in the area, we are going to accelerate the collection of geotechnical and hydrogeological data in order to optimize and fast-track study and development timelines. An initial mineral resource estimate for the Hurricane zone will follow when the deposit's extents are better understood  likely sometime within the next 12 months."

Steve Blower, VP Exploration commented: "The winter drill program has confirmed that our Hurricane discovery has significant size and high-grade uranium potential. Additionally, our exploration drilling has confirmed the fertile and prospective nature of the Larocque conductor trend and we are enthused by the exploration potential on the property to the east of Hurricane. While the focus will now be on drilling out Hurricane, we also look forward to testing targets to the east where past drilling has intersected uranium mineralization. We have now established a strong set of protocols that will enable us to operate at the project over the summer despite the Covid-19 pandemic and are well positioned to launch a summer drill campaign that will deliver news flow over coming months as we move towards delineating an initial Mineral Resource on Hurricane".

Results

A program of 10,322m of core drilling in 24 drill holes was completed in March with two drills. One drill rig concentrated on the western end of the Hurricane zone footprint, expanding the mineralization west to the property boundary. A second drill rig began evaluating the potential for additional uranium mineralization well to the east (200m to 1,600m) of the Hurricane zone footprint. Both of these efforts were successful.

Western Hurricane Zone Expansion

All 14 drill holes completed at the western extension of the Hurricane zone were mineralized (Table 1). Further, a new zone of very strong uranium mineralization characterized by very high-grade mineralization over thick intervals was intersected in several drill holes. The best example is drill hole LE20-34, which intersected 33.9% U 3 O 8 over 8.5m, including 57.1% U 3 O 8 over 5.0m. The location of the very strong mineralization relative to the rest of the zone is shown in Figure 2, along with several areas that are considered prospective for expansion of this material. Importantly, all five of the westernmost sections are open for expansion to the north and/or to the south. Figure 3 shows an example of this on section 4435E, where there is excellent potential for additional mineralization north of drill hole LE20-34, and also south of drill hole LE20-52.

Eastern Potential

Drilling to the east of the Hurricane zone evaluated the western portion of a 5km long basement conductive zone mapped by the 2019 DC-resistivity survey (Figure 4). Strongly graphitic basement gneisses hosting brittle faulting were intersected in all of the widely spaced reconnaissance drill holes completed up to 1.6km east of the Hurricane zone during the winter program. Several of these drill holes also intersected significant sandstone alteration with elevated sandstone uranium geochemistry and/or illitic sandstone. Figure 4 shows that IsoEnergy's first pass drilling east of Hurricane has only covered the westernmost 1.4km of the 5km long DC-resistivity anomaly, which itself only covers one-third of the 15km of conductors within the Larocque trend that exists on the Larocque East property. Further drilling east of the Hurricane zone is required.

Next Steps

Detailed geological and geochemical interpretations are now underway and will aid planning for a summer 2020 drilling program. Highest priority will be given to those areas with the greatest potential for expansion of the zone of very strong mineralization. Based on the results to date and to accelerate potential development timelines, initial geotechnical and hydrological data collection will be included in this summer's drilling program. Once the full extent of the Hurricane zone is defined, an initial Mineral Resource estimate will follow  likely within the next 12 months. However, the timing and amount of summer drilling may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the safety of our work crews and our stakeholders in northern Saskatchewan is paramount. Program plans will be announced in due course as the situation clarifies.

The Larocque East Property and the Hurricane Zone

The 100% owned Larocque East property consists of 25 mineral claims totaling 14,921ha that are not encumbered by any royalties or other interests. Larocque East is immediately adjacent to the north end of IsoEnergy's Geiger property and is 35km northwest of Orano Canada's McClean Lake uranium mine and mill.

Along with other target areas, the Property covers a 15-kilometre-long northeast extension of the Larocque Lake conductor system; a trend of graphitic metasedimentary basement rocks that is associated with significant uranium mineralization at the Hurricane zone, and in several occurrences on Cameco Corp. and Orano Canada Inc.'s neighbouring property to the southwest of Larocque East. The Hurricane zone was discovered in July 2018 and was followed up with 29 drill holes in 2019 and an additional 14 drill holes to date in 2020. Dimensions are currently 575m along-strike, 40m wide, and up to 11m thick. The zone is open for expansion along-strike to the east and on most sections. Mineralization is polymetallic and commonly straddles the sub-Athabasca unconformity 320 m below surface. The best intersection to date is 33.9% U 3 O 8 over 8.5m in drill hole LE20-34. Drilling at Cameco Corp.'s Larocque Lake zone on the neighbouring property to the southwest has returned historical intersections of up to 29.9% U 3 O 8 over 7.0m in drill hole Q22-040. Like the nearby Geiger property, Larocque East is located adjacent to the Wollaston-Mudjatik transition zone - a major crustal suture related to most of the uranium deposits in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Importantly, the sandstone cover on the Property is thin, ranging between 140m and 330m in previous drilling.

Table 1  Previously Released 2020 Hurricane Zone Drilling Results

Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Chemical Assays Orientation Location







U 3 O 8 (%) Ni (%) (Azm/Dip)

LE20-30 330.0 335.5 5.5 7.1 0.9 180/-80 Section 4460E incl. 331.0 331.5 0.5 3.4 0.1

and incl. 332.0 333.5 1.5 24.0 2.7

LE20-32A 329.5 338.0 8.5 19.6 1.1 180/-80 Section 4510E incl. 334.5 337.0 2.5 63.6 0.4

incl. 335.0 336.5 1.5 76.7 0.3

LE20-34 326.0 334.5 8.5 33.9 0.5 180/-80 Section 4435E incl. 328.0 333.0 5.0 57.1 0.7

incl. 329.5 331.5 2.0 62.8 0.4

LE20-36 332.5 333.5 1.0 3.7 1.0 180/-80 Section 4460E incl. 332.5 333.0 0.5 5.5 1.3

LE20-38 319.5 327.0 7.5 2.0 0.2 000/-90 Section 4460E incl. 325.0 325.5 0.5 3.5 0.0

and incl. 326.0 326.5 0.5 9.8 0.1

LE20-40 319.5 320.5 1.0 0.1 0.1 000/-90 Section 4435E and 322.5 326.5 4.0 20.5 1.0

incl. 323.0 324.5 1.5 53.8 2.3

incl. 323.0 323.5 0.5 64.9 0.2

LE20-42 326.0 329.0 3.0 0.4 0.2 000/-90 Section 4410E LE20-44 325.5 326.0 0.5 0.2 0.0 000/-90 Section 4460E and 327.5 329.0 1.5 0.3 0.6



LE20-46 318.0 328.0 10.0 3.6 1.4 000/-90 Section 4485E incl. 323.0 325.0 2.0 12.8 1.6

and 326.0 327.0 1.0 4.5 4.9

LE20-48 316.0 327.5 11.5 1.3 0.3 000/-90 Section 4485E incl. 321.0 321.5 0.5 3.6 1.2



and incl. 324.0 327.0 3.0 3.3 0.2



incl. 324.5 325.0 0.5 5.1 0.2



LE20-49 320.5 329.5 9.0 1.1 0.1 000/-90 Section 4510E incl. 326.5 327.5 1.0 3.4 0.0

LE20-51 322.5 330.0 7.5 14.5 3.5 000/-90 Section 4510E incl. 325.5 329.0 3.5 30.9 7.1

Incl. 326.0 329.0 3.0 35.2 8.2

LE20-52 318.5 326.0 7.5 22.7 0.4 000/-90 Section 4435E incl. 322.5 325.0 2.5 67.2 0.7



incl. 322.5 324.0 1.5 79.9 0.5



LE20-53 317.5 328.0 10.5 11.7 0.3 000/-90 Section 4410E incl. 324.5 327.5 3.0 40.4 0.8



incl. 326.0 326.5 0.5 62.7 0.3





















Qualified Person Statement

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was prepared by Andy Carmichael, P.Geo., IsoEnergy's Senior Geologist, who is a "Qualified Person" (as defined in NI 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Carmichael has verified the data disclosed. All radioactivity measurements reported herein are total gamma from an RS-125 hand-held spectrometer. As mineralized drill holes at the Hurricane zone are oriented very steeply (-80 to -90 degrees) into a zone of mineralization that is interpreted to be horizontal, the true thickness of the intersections is expected to be greater than or equal to 90% of the core lengths. This news release refers to properties other than those in which the Company has an interest. Mineralization on those other properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties. All chemical analyses are completed for the Company by SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK. For additional information regarding the Company's Larocque East Project, including its quality assurance and quality control procedures, please see the Technical Report dated effective May 15, 2019, on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

About IsoEnergy

IsoEnergy is a well-funded uranium exploration and development company with a portfolio of prospective projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company recently discovered the high-grade Hurricane Zone of uranium mineralization on its 100% owned Larocque East property in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. IsoEnergy is led by a Board and Management team with a track record of success in uranium exploration, development, and operations. The Company was founded and is supported by the team at its major shareholder, NexGen Energy Ltd.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referenced herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.

Forward-Looking Information

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder, alternative sources of energy and uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws

SOURCE IsoEnergy Ltd.

Related Links

www.isoenergy.ca


At this point, remarking that people now are more concerned about online privacy than ever before is not a novel observation. Whats fascinating, though, is that interest in personal digital security has remained high since the issue exploded about seven years ago. In other words, instead of experiencing a short-lived spike, digital privacy awareness has been sustained.

This is especially encouraging to me, since I gained my background in technology precisely out of the desire to secure my own digital autonomy.

I know as well as anyone that its not always clear where to turn to improve ones digital security. Getting a handle on the subject can seem like trying to jump onto a moving train. To extend the metaphor, this article may give you a running start.

My hope is that a guide from the perspective of someone who not long ago probably knew less than you do now, you will develop enough of a foundation to journey forth on your own.

Gluing Together Your Threat Model

So where do you start? Quite simply, with yourself. The whole purpose of security is to protect what is valuable, and what is valuable is different for everyone. Consequently, security is possible only after you determine the object of value. Only then can you assess how far to go to safeguard it.

Before you can think about the means, you must select the end. In the case of digital security, you need to figure out what it is you are trying to protect. This could be as straightforward as certain files on your devices, or the contents of your communications with associates.

It could be more abstract. For example, as a consequence of your behavior, certain personal details about you  while not contained in files as such  can be inferred and automatically captured as data streams akin to files, called metadata.

In the context of digital security, everything essentially takes the form of information, so you need to think long and hard about what information youre guarding, and all the forms it can take or ways it can be accessed. This can be quite a task at first, but it gets easier with practice.

Defining the information you want to protect gives you the first component that comprises what is called a threat model  basically your high-level strategic view of how to keep your information safe. In the context of your threat model, your valued information goes by the more succinct name of asset.

Once you have defined your asset, its time to identify your adversary, which is the glorified name for entities who want to take your asset. This exerts a strong influence on what your threat model ultimately will look like  your strategy for holding onto your asset will look very different depending on whether your adversary is your nosy neighbor or a hostile government.

When contemplating your adversary, it is critical to enumerate realistic threats. It may seem counterintuitive but, as you will see by the end of this primer, it actually doesnt help to overestimate your enemy.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The word adversary may evoke a diabolical nemesis, but that doesnt have to be the case. Though you shouldnt inflate your antagonist, neither should you overlook it. While its very easy to single out an adversary like a criminal hacking collective (if that is indeed yours) for its overt ill intent, your adversary could be a service you willingly use but do not fully trust. The point is, you need to catalog every player that wants your asset, no matter the reason.

With those two pillars in place, its time to finish the tripod: Accounting for your asset and adversary, you need to size up the means the adversary has at its disposal and, most importantly, the means you have and lengths you are willing to go to protect your asset. These last two things are not always the same  hence the distinction.

Fortunately an abundance of tools are available to keep your asset secure, if you know how to use them. Even better, the most effective ones are all free. The real limit in practice is that of self-discipline. Keep in mind that a powerful safeguard is useless without the resolve to utilize it consistently without relenting.

Categorize and Prioritize

I like to think of adversaries as occupying one of three categories:

Category 1 adversaries are entities engaging in what is popularly called surveillance capitalism, but technically referred to as data mining. Operating predominantly in the private sector, category 1 actors are those that passively collect information from you as a consequence of your use of their services. However, in recent years we have learned that companies overstep this implicit covenant to collect data on individuals even when those individuals dont explicitly do business with them. Generally, these adversaries dont seek out your data directly. Instead of coming to you, they wait for you to come to them. Therefore, they can be thwarted by shrewder consumer choices.

Category 2 adversaries are those that employ primarily offensive techniques to execute both targeted and untargeted (i.e. indiscriminate) attacks on users. This category includes a diverse spectrum of attackers, from lone black hats to sophisticated criminal enterprises. What they all have in common is that their methods are intrusive, actively breaching ones defenses, and definitely not legally sanctioned.

Category 3 encompasses the most formidable adversaries  foes that can leverage state resources. In point of fact, the actors in this category are the only ones that qualify for the information security consensus term advanced persistent threats or APTs. Like category 2 opponents, they conduct invasive offensive operations, but they do so with the financial resources of a political faction or government behind them, and in many cases, the legal immunity of one as well.

This is my own taxonomy, rather than accepted industry terms, but my hope is that it illustrates the kinds of adversaries you may face vividly enough to help in your threat modeling.

You will have to judge for yourself which of these categories describes your adversaries most aptly, but there are some quick diagnostics you can run to characterize what you need to look out for, based on your assets as well as the adversaries themselves.

If you dont consider your work particularly sensitive and just want to mitigate the creepiness factor of intimate personal details constantly and mercilessly being stored and analyzed, you are facing a category 1 scenario. Most of you likely will find yourselves in this boat, especially if you rely to any degree on social networks or communication services operated by ad revenue-driven tech companies.

For those of you in possession of highly valuable information, like six-figure-plus financial data, theres a good chance you need to arm yourself against category 2 attackers. The lucrative nature of the information you handle means you likely will attract actors that specifically and actively will work to breach your defenses to steal it from you.

Dealing in truly sensitive data, the kind that could spell life or death to certain people, exposes you to category 3 adversaries. If youre the kind of person who risks attack from a state-level actor, like a national security journalist or defense sector professional, you already know it. If fending off category 3 attackers is your reality, you need way more operational security than I possibly could provide you. My treatment of category 3 actors will be more for the sake of painting a complete picture for readers in general, and to convey a sense of scale of possible countermeasures.

Next Steps

By now, you should have a sense of what your asset is, and what adversary it attracts. This aligns with my roadmap for this four-part series. Subsequent installments will focus on determining which tools and practices your asset and adversaries necessitate.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The next three articles in this series will equip you with some tools for countering each of the adversary categories. In the next installment, which delineates threats from category 1, you will learn the digital hygiene that is beneficial for everyone and sufficient for most, but inadequate for those squaring off against foes in categories 2 and 3.

The article that follows, along with educating those anticipating threats from category 2, might draw in those who want to get ahead of the pack fending off category 1. It also will build a bridge for those bound for the hard road of resisting category 3 attacks, but it wont be enough in itself.

Instead of focusing on software tools themselves, the last piece will strive to outline the thought patterns needed to combat the most daunting opponents one can face in information security. Considering the inherently vast capability of category 3 threats, the goal is to describe the evaluative mindset of those who need to defend against them.

You Cant Have It All  but You Should Try to Have Some

Ill leave you with one parting thought to set the tone for this series: No matter how your threat model shapes up, you will face a tradeoff between security and convenience. You will never have both, and their inverse relationship means an increase in one decreases the other. A viable threat model is one that finds the balance between the two that you can stick with, but that still addresses the threat at hand. The only way to keep that balance is through discipline.

This is exactly why plans that overkill your adversary dont work. All they do is trade away more convenience than you can tolerate for security you dont need, which leads to abandonment of the threat model entirely more often than to a revision of it. Instead, if you find your equilibrium and have the will to maintain it, you will set yourself on the path to success.

That path, as you will see, is challenging and long  possibly endless  but there is a reward purely in traveling it. The only thing more satisfying than setting out on its winding way is to bring new company along. So, Ill see you next time, when we hit the trail.
An Illinois woman was mauled to death by a French bulldog-mix that she rescued from a shelter.

Police officers responding to the incident in suburban Chicago on Saturday afternoon described the scene as gruesome.

Lisa Urso was found unresponsive on the patio of her home. Ms Urso had been attacked inside the house, where there were signs of a struggle, but she had made it outside before succumbing to her injuries.

The Lake County Coroners Office confirmed her death was as a result of a dog attack.

Dr Howard Cooper told WGN that Ms Urso had recently adopted the dog and it had originally been bred for dog fights before being rescued.

There were bites on her legs, arms and torso, but not her neck. There was also a lot of scratching. I hate to say it, but unfortunately it was a vicious attack, said Dr Cooper.

Ms Ursos boyfriend was not home at the time, but he had been attacked by the same dog on another occasion and had called animal control who took the dog away.

The dog was then reportedly retrieved by Ms Urso.

You dont really think about it happening with a smaller dog breed but we forget animals can be powerful, Dr Cooper said. This animal has a lot of jaw strength.

Ms Urso had two other dogs  a second French bulldog that also had blood on it, and a border collie that did not.

The French bulldog is the fourth most popular breed of dog in the US according to the American Kennel Club.
Description

"Hang out on our Minecraft server where we will work together to battle Pillagers, slay the Ender Dragon and build wondrous creations. Our Minecraft server will be active on certain Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 9:00. Drop in at any time and stay as long as you would like.



After signing up for this program, you will get an email with the information needed to join the server. If you have any questions about this program, please email us at teens@levittownpl.org.



*Note* You only need to sign up for this program once. After that, feel free to join us on any night that the server is active."



Register for this Levittown Public Library event here
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted decision of over 48 per cent Indian students who wanted to study abroad, according to a report by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), which comes out with coveted global ranking for educational institutions.

The significantly lower return of investment in an already expensive international higher domain coupled with further reduced chances of employability in the post COVID-19 world have a key role to play in this shift, experts at QS have pointed out.

The report titled "Indian Student's Mobility report 2020: Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Choices" has been compiled by QS IGAUGE, which rates colleges and universities in India with complete operational control held by London-based QS.

"Our findings suggest that COVID-19 has impacted the decision of 48.46 pc students who aspired to study abroad in the recent past. However, there is a larger proportion of non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students who have reconsidered their decision to pursue higher outside India," it said.

"The significantly lower return of investment in an already expensive international higher education domain coupled with further reduced chances of employability in the post COVID-19 world have a key role to play in this shift.

"While there is likely to be a demand for STEM based professionals, it might not be the same for non-STEM courses which resonates with the higher percentage of students in the latter category to reconsider their higher education plans," it added.

According to the report, while higher education institutions might adapt sooner or later to the e-learning practices, it might take a relatively longer time to come to terms with the drastic changes in the student mobility for higher education.

"It is no longer a mystery that global travel is a key factor in the spread of communicable disease. The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to produce pronounced changes in teaching and learning practices for all levels of education.

"This had led to debates and deliberations on student mobility in times to come. Various findings have come out highlighting the challenges the higher education community is likely to face in the international context. Our study contextualises the issue of student mobility for Indian students both within the country and abroad through data driven research," it said.

The report has also highlighted that while the magnitude of change will be exponential for international student mobility, there is likely to be some impact on Indian students' inter-state mobility as well.

More than 4.2 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded worldwide, including at least 289,000 deaths. The deadly virus has brought several countries to a standstill with many of them imposing international travel restrictions.

In India, the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,415 and the number of cases climbed to 74,281 on Wednesday, registering an increase of 122 deaths and 3,525 cases in the last 24 hours. The country has been under a lockdown since March 25, which has been extended till May 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday (May 13) announced that for the next three months employee provident fund (EPF) contribution will be 10 per cent each for employees and employers as compared to the statutory obligation of 12 per cent. The move is to increase take-home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of provident fund.

The government has decided to continue EPF support for business and workers for 3 more months providing a liquidity relief of Rs 2,500 crores, the FM said. Under this new provision, the employers will continue to pay 12 per cent, while employees will have the option to pay 10 per cent for the next three months.

This will benefit nearly 3.6 lakh establishments and as many as 72.22 lakh employees will also avail this benefit, said FM Sitharaman.

The details of the Finance Minister's announcement on EPF contribution are:

1. Businesses need support to ramp up production over the next quarter.

2. It is necessary to provide more take-home salary to employees and also to give relief to employ, in payment of Provident Fund due.

In order to provide more take home salary for employees and to give relief to employers in payment of PF, EPF contribution is being reduced for Businesses & Workers for 3 months, amounting to a liquidity support of Rs 6750 crores. #AatmaNirbharBharatAbhiyan pic.twitter.com/VSysfvk4KU  PIB India #StayHome #StaySafe (@PIB_India) May 13, 2020

3. Therefore. statutory PF contribution of both employer and employee will be reduced to 10% each from the existing 12% each for all establishments covered by EPFO for the next 3 months.

4. CPSEs and state PSUs will, however, continue to contribute 12% as an employer contribution.

5. This scheme will be applicable for workers who are not eligible for 24% EPF support under PM Ginib Kalyan Package and its extension.

6. This will provide relief to about 6.5 lakh establishments covered under EPFO and about 4.3 crore such employees.

7. This will provide liquidity of Rs 6750 crore to employers and employees over 3 months.


Stuck inside his room at an assisted living center, Bob Coleman knew he could not go out in public with the coronavirus spreading. But he could still connect with others by sharing his love for country music over the internet.

Hello, everybody. Its a bright day in Franklin, Tennessee, he said into his microphone. This is Bob Coleman, better known as the Karaoke Cowboy, coming to you from Room 3325. ... Lets just jump right into it.

Then Coleman began to play the music he loves --- hits from country music stars like Hank Williams, Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley. The 88-year-old carefully chooses each song.

Coleman is a resident of Somerby Franklin, an assisted living center about 32 kilometers south of Nashville. He formerly served in the United States Air Force.

He and several other retirees have turned into disc jockeys, or DJs, for a new online radio hour known as Radio Recliner.

The 60-minute show was launched last month, starting with retirees in middle Tennessee. It has since expanded, with residents of assisted-living centers in Georgia and Alabama taking part in the project. Many jumped at the chance to work as a DJ to ease the loneliness of social distancing rules.

Older adults are at high risk from the new coronavirus. At most assisted-living facilities, not only are visitors barred but so is socializing with other residents.

A Georgia and Alabama-based marketing company called Luckie came up with the idea of Radio Recliner. One of its clients is Bridge Senior Living, which operates more than 20 centers for older adults in 14 states.

The volunteer DJs record themselves on their phones. The audio is then sent off to audio production specialists who deal with the technical side of Radio Recliner.

New shows appear weekdays at 12 oclock. Listeners can send song requests in honor of family or friends. For example, listeners might hear a message like this: Hey, Granny. This is your favorite granddaughter Amy ... We just wanted to call in and say we love you very much.

Mitch Bennett serves as Luckies chief creative officer. He says the idea was to provide a sense of community to older people who have been spending a lot of time alone.

For this generation, radio was the original social media, Bennett said. Dedicating a song to someone you love, and having them hear it along with everyone else, is a special way of connecting. Its a great time to bring that feeling back.

In Georgia, 80-year-old Ed Rosenblatt said an hour he spent playing songs on Radio Recliner resulted in a flood of text messages, emails and calls from family and friends. Rosenblatt said many of the messages were from people he had not heard from for years.

He prepared a special close for his Radio Recliner hour.

For the past year Ive been teaching myself how to play the ukulele, said Rosenblatt, who lives at Somerby Sandy Springs just outside of Atlanta. So, at the close of the show, I actually played a song on my ukulele. I sang and played the Sloop John B.

The Beach Boys released the most popular version of the song in 1966.

Everybody knows that song, Rosenblatt said.

Im Caty Weaver.

The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it 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.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

isolate - v. to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others

microphone-n. a device into which people speak or sing in order to record their voices or to make them sound louder

resident -n. someone who lives in a particular place

disc jockey -n. a person who plays recorded music on the radio or at a party or nightclub

client -n. a person who pays a professional person or organization for services

original -adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning

dedicate -v. to say or write that something (as a book or song) is written or performed in honor of someone
The Mercy University Hospital in Cork is launching a fundraising appeal for personal protective equipment (PPE).

The hospital is targeting funds of 100,000 in order to purchase more PPE as well as a Nanoclave Cabinet.

The Nanoclave Cabinet disinfects equipment for staff and patients using ultraviolet light and kills bacteria and viruses including Covid-19.

The Rebel Legends Frontline Hero Challenge has been created by Pop Up Races to raise these funds.

The virtual challenge asks the public to get involved by registering for a virtual run, walk and cycle or any form of exercise where they can record their completed distances.

It is possible to register for the fundraiser here

Anyone is able to take part as they can set the distance for their challenge themselves and participants will receive a Rebel Legends medal and t-shirt for reaching their target.

Louisa OCallaghan from Cork is one of the participants who has already signed up to support the appeal.

She aims to complete 100 miles in May. She says that the staff are selflessly working on the frontline in the hospital and are at greater risk of contracting Covid-19.

"We're seeing on a very regular basis the additional pressure the staff are under dealing with the infection and having to regularly change PPE and wearing masks for very long periods, and the problems wearing all the equipment is causing them," she says.

Ms O'Callaghan says knowing that the funds raised will help staff "makes it all worthwhile."
How Asia-Pacific CIOs responded to COVID-19 Following the hard-hitting sucker punch delivered by COVID-19, the world is slowly sobering up to the social and economic realities of such a devastating pandemic. Whether in Bangkok or Brisbane, Ahmedabad or Auckland, businesses are adjusting in real time as market dynamics continue to shift at pace, placing the CIO at the epicentre of such response efforts. Editors from the CIO editions in ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand and India have joined forces to share in-market challenges, key lessons and examples of best practice across the Asia-Pacific region during the COVID-19 pandemic: ASEAN: Deja vu dictated a calculated response

Australia: Delivery of projects reaches urgent levels

New Zealand: Quick-thinking CIOs a model to follow

India: New normal triggers change in priorities These insights were delivered during a recorded virtual roundtable, offering on-the-ground commentary from IDGs editors in Singapore, Sydney, Auckland and Mumbai.

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing Australian organisations to deliver technology projects with a new level of urgency. Companies in all market sectors are deploying solutions that address specific challenges related to the pandemic, making such changes almost overnight.

This means that technology chiefs in Australia are under more pressure than ever to provide technologies for staff who are working remotely. Some have the technologies already in place and others have been scrambling. In addition, airline and retail industries are under enormous pressure with job losses, with CIOs in these markets clearly having something to worry about.

[ Follow our latest coverage on how IT can cope with COVID-19. ]

CIO Australia spoke to a range of organisations across government, education and healthcare sectors to gauge response levels to COVID-19.

In government, the New South Wales Police shifted thousands of staff to remote working environments in only a few days, scaling up access capabilities from a few hundred to around 10,000 users. CIO Gordon Dunsford and his team also rolled out command post IT or technology services for police who are managing around 4,500 people in hotel quarantine across more than 20 hotels in Australia.

Meanwhile in education, the Australian National University configured a crisis management platform that protects and informs 25,000 students, broadcasting critical information with students, staff members and the wider community.
More than one-third of the people in the United States who have epilepsy are at risk for a deadly complication called "sudden unexpected death in epilepsy." That means 1.2 million people are at risk for the complication each year - and it will kill about 4,000 of them. They typically have refractory epilepsy, which means medicines do not bring their seizures under control.

SUDEP is defined as the sudden and unexpected, non-traumatic and non-drowning death of a person with epilepsy.

Now, a Purdue University-affiliated startup is working on a device to help stop this deadly condition.

Neurava was co-founded by Jay Shah and Vivek Ganesh, graduate students in the lab of Pedro Irazoqui, the Reilly Professor of Biomedical Engineering and professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue. Shah and Ganesh, Ph.D. students in Purdue's College of Engineering, are developing a wearable device for patients with refractory epilepsy, the type that puts them most at risk for SUDEP.

We want to provide a simple device that is easy to use and can save lives. Our device monitors key biomarkers and then sends a wireless signal to a caregiver when it detects abnormalities typically linked to SUDEP." Vivek Ganesh, Ph.D. student in Purdue's College of Engineering

The founders of Neurava received a $20,000 award from Elevate Ventures, which will help with prototype development and market research. Elevate is a private venture development organization that supports the development and success of entrepreneurs across Indiana.

The co-founders of Neurava received entrepreneurial support from the Purdue Foundry and are working with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization to license the technology.

"Purdue continues to provide an amazing community of support for entrepreneurs and innovators who want to take their ideas and turn them into life-saving technologies," Shah said.
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The Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear two cases over the Electoral College that could affect the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

The cases concern whether voters in the Electoral College, the body that officially elects the U.S. president, have a constitutional right to buck the will of their state popular vote.

They were brought by Electoral College voters in Washington state and Colorado who refused to back Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016, despite her wins in those states. Both states, and 30 others, have laws that require electors to vote for their pledged candidate.

While those electors did not ultimately affect the results of the 2016 election, it is possible that so-called faithless electors could flip the result of a presidential race.

A swing of just 10 electors would have been enough to alter the results of five previous presidential races, according to Larry Lessig, an attorney for the electors in Washington.

Lessig urged the court to hear the case before it was forced to do so in an emergency  such as if the race between President Donald Trump and apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden were to be contested. The justices agreed to do so in January.

Arguments in the cases will be conducted by phone and streamed live to the public, a result of health precautions taken in response to the coronavirus.

The cases are scheduled to be the last carried out in the new virtual format, which so far has been conducted largely without a hitch. The two cases are also expected to be the last of the court's term, which began in October. Decisions are expected over the summer.

Ahead of arguments, it's not clear how the court is likely to come down on the issue. Courts in Washington and Colorado have come down on opposite sides.

In Washington, the state Supreme Court upheld $1,000 fines on three Democratic electors who cast their ballots in an unsuccessful bid to get electors for President Donald Trump to also break from their pledges, and keep him from winning the election. According to the electors, those fines were the first of their type in U.S. history.

In Colorado, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came down the other way. A panel of the appeals court ruled 2-1 in favor of elector Micheal Baca, who attempted to cast his vote for former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, and two other electors who objected to voting for Clinton. Baca was ultimately replaced before he could cast his vote.

The 10th Circuit reasoned that under the Constitution's 12th Amendment, electors are "free to vote as they choose."

In a brief submitted with the justices, the Republican National Committee said it sided with the states. The RNC said the electors "intended to sow chaos" and warned them not to "embrace the Electors' brand of constitutional anarchism."

Forty-five U.S. states also urged the court to reject the "inherently undemocratic and chaotic nature of an unbridled electoral college."

"Given that state sovereignty is integral to our federal system, and states are central to the role and function of the electoral college under the Constitution, it seems axiomatic that if the framers had wanted to limit state influence over electoral balloting and allotting electoral votes they would have done so explicitly," the states, led by South Dakota, wrote in a brief.
Roughly 27 million Americans and their families may have lost their health insurance after sweeping layoffs and business closures during the coronavirus crisis.

While nearly 80 per cent of Americans who lost or will lose their employer-backed health plans could be eligible for coverage from state-administered Medicaid plans and other plans through the Affordable Care Act, millions of others  including dependents who relied on plans from another member of their family  are ineligible, leaving them without any insurance options during the pandemic, according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Roughly 6 million people who lose their employed-provided insurance won't be eligible for subsidised coverage, including nearly 4 million others whose family's income falls above eligibility limits and thousands of others who don't meet citizenship or immigration requirements, the report says.

Few Americans will fall into the so-called "coverage gap" after losing their job because of wages earned before they were laid off combined with unemployment benefits and a temporary $600-a-week boost from supplemental relief, which could push the annual income for many newly unemployed Americans into a threshold making them ineligible for Obamacare marketplace subsidies in states that didn't expand them.

By January 2021, as unemployment benefits shrink, that coverage gap could grow by 80 per cent, with nearly 2 million Americans enrolling in Medicaid or other subsidised plans.

But many states facing shrinking tax revenues are bracing for deep cuts to Medicaid, leaving the programme's future for many Americans in jeopardy.

More than 33 million Americans have filed for unemployment insurance within the last two months, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Analysts predict nationwide unemployment reaching 20 per cent or higher, not seen since the Great Depression.

In their latest relief bill, Congressional Democrats have proposed subsidising the cost of COBRA benefits, which allow people to continue their employer-backed health coverage after they leave a job, but the beneficiary is responsible for picking up both their share and former employer's share of the premium costs, in addition to all out-of-pocket costs.

Recommended Americans risk their lives or face losing healthcare and unemployment

COBRA is, historically, prohibitively expensive for most Americans, with fewer than 10 per cent of workers using the plan. Employer premiums average $7,188 for a single person and $20,576 for a family of four, plus a 2 per cent administrative fee. It's meant as a temporary stop-gap between jobs.

The HEROES Act proposes that the government absorb those costs while Americans are out of work.

Critics have called the plan a "bailout" for the health insurance industry, which is losing customers at the same rate of jobless claims. Health insurance companies would reap the benefits of federally subsidised costs, while the legislation would also retain current disparities in coverage  laid-off workers with more-expensive plans could continue their coverage, for example.

Before the pandemic, more than 26 million people already were uninsured, and millions others were considered "underinsured" with costly plans that leave them with little if any room to cover out-of-pocket expenses.

Progressive lawmakers have instead supported a plan that would open federal Medicare coverage to people who lost their plans for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis.

Adam Gaffney, a critical care doctor and president of Physicians for a National Health Program, said that "subsidising the insurers is not going to cut it. ... We need emergency Medicare expansion for the uninsured, and coverage of out-of-pocket costs for the insured, now."

Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive and Medicare for All advocate, told The Independent that "it is mind boggling that [Congress] would be willing to spend more money, more taxpayers' dollars, to make sure people have access to care they need" under the COBRA plan rather than existing Medicare programme.

"It is maddening to think our elected officials would think that's the preferred choice," he said.
President of Ukraine also informed his Austrian counterpart about the development of the situation in Donbas

Open source

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen held a telephone conversation: over its course, Zelensky thanked the Austrian government for its efforts to help Ukrainians who experienced difficulties with evacuation. This was reported on the website of the President's Office.

The parties expressed satisfaction with the coordination of actions of both states in the issues related to the mutual evacuation of citizens.

In particular, the humanitarian transit of Ukrainians from other European countries by road and the extension of their legal stay in Austria without the application of penalties were highly noted.

During the conversation, Zelensky informed Alexander Van der Bellen about the development of the situation in Donbas, noting Austria's continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As we reported earlier, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani offered to provide Ukraine with humanitarian aid in the form of medical supplies that are needed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Alcohol advertising has become 'relentless' during the coronavirus lockdown with an ad appearing online every 35 seconds.

The alcohol industry has been accused of using the pandemic to its advantage with research showing more than 100 alcohol ads appeared on Facebook or Instagram in one hour on Friday night.

About 71 per cent of those advertisements explicitly or implicitly referenced the COVID-19 pandemic, while 66 per cent had a 'shop now' or 'get offer' button linking directly to their online store, the Cancer Council WA and the Foundation for Alcohol Research Education said.

The research comes as more Australians admit to drinking more during the pandemic, with about a third of adults buying alcohol daily during the crisis.

Alcohol advertising has become 'relentless' during the coronavirus lockdown with an ad appearing online every 35 seconds (Pictured: A man leaving a liquor store with beer)

A woman in a face mask is seen leaving a bottle shop with her hands full of alcohol in March

Queues of people are seen in a bottle shop stocking up on alcohol amid the coronavirus pandemic

FARE CEO Caterina Giorgi said study shows that alcohol companies were taking advantage of people's fear and anxiety by urging them to drink alcohol to cope with isolation.

'This is all happening while people's lives have been turned upside down because of COVID-19.'

Research from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education shows Australians have been turning to the drink to cope with the crisis, with one third of Australians buying booze daily.

The survey found that 70 per cent of Australians were consuming more alcohol than they normally would.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said drinking during the day at home has become more common.

RACGP President Harry Nespolon said in some cases, Australians are facing alcohol problems they never knew they had.

Dr Nespolon challenged people to see if they could go two days each week without consuming alcohol.

A bottle shop customer in Sydney's eastern suburbs unloads boxes of Victoria Bitter beer into a car on March 22

Floor markings will indicate appropriate distances between others when waiting at the checkout

'You'd be surprised how much resistance you get from that. [If you can't] it probably indicates that you do have a bit of a problem,' he told The Age.

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

Dr Nespolon said many people have miscalculated how much alcohol they consume.

'People think a tumbler of wine is a standard drink. It's not,' he said.

GPs said another reason for heavier and more frequent alcohol consumption during the pandemic is the loss of social boundaries around social drinking - such as going out to a club with friends on a Saturday night.

The recent survey found people who suffer from anxiety have turned to prescription drugs such as diazepam to combat increasing stress and sadness.

RACGP addiction medicine chair Dr Hester Wilson said people turn to prescription drugs and alcohol to cope with the uncertainty and fear around COVID-19.

'We are incredibly fortunate in Australia that our government has listened to the science and we are an island, so we have been able to contain it, but it's not gone and there is this ongoing stress about what happens if the cases go up,' he said.

New guidelines are being created to recommend Australians don't have more than 10 standard drinks per week, and no more than four a day.
The struggle to get some shut-eye can be an uphill battle at times. You could be logging in a lot of hours at work, prepping a big presentation or project, and running on fumes. Or you could be dealing with some things in your personal life that are taking up a lot of your time and effort or just keeping you up at night with worry. Oh, and there's my favorite type of sleep obstruction: when you have all the time in the world to sleep (aka a full eight hours), and you just can't drift off. Blame the endless Instagram scroll or your brain's need to consider the meaning of life at 1 a.m.we've all had those sleepless nights.

A lack of sleep can cause a lot of inconveniences, so to speak. You might feel so tired throughout the day, making you less alert and not quite present, which can spell trouble at work or school. It can make you irritable or more sensitive. (Anyone ever just cry from sheer exhaustion?)

And it can really screw with your appearance, too. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine cited a study that found people who were sleep-deprived had paler skin, more wrinkles or fine lines, and droopy corners of the mouth. The eyes and the skin surrounding them seemed to be the hardest-hitsome experienced hanging eyelids, redder eyes, dark circles, and puffy or swollen eyes.

All of the above are big annoyances, but puffy eyes might be one of the hardest to conceal or hide. So you might get a lot of comments from "helpful" people that can sound like, "You look tired. Are you okay?" If you've got a good response for this, inquiring minds want to know.

But the thing about having puffy eyes is that there are a lot of reasons you're experiencing them, and it doesn't just have to do with a lack of sleep.

Causes of Puffy Eyes

Aside from a lack of sleep, the reasons for puffy eyes can run the gamut. Ashley Brissette, MD, MSc, FRCSC, an ophthalmologist at Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), told our sister site THE/THIRTY that some of the causes might be related to eye health, but others might be related to health elsewhere in the body.

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Some causes include allergies, irritants (like cigarette smoke or perfume), dry eye, and styes. Additionally, puffy eyes can be the result of aging or changing skin. "As we get older, the skin can become a little more stretched, and then the fat which is usually around the eye can migrate forward, and it can become more apparent," Brissette told THE/THIRTY.

How to Treat Puffy Eyes

If you can narrow down the cause of your puffy eyes, you can work to find a solution or way to relieve the condition. If it's allergies or irritants, then in some cases, you can take medication, avoid triggers, and even use allergy eye drops. If it's dry eyes, you can apply lubricating eye drops.

The Mayo Clinic also provides these suggestions:

1. Apply a cool compress to your eyes.

2. Limit how much you drink (water, alcohol, etc.) before you go to bed, which will help with fluid retention in the eyes.

3. Don't smoke.

4. Get enough sleep.

5. Sleep with your head slightly elevated, which can prevent fluid from accumulating around the eyes.

Angela Caglia Rose Quartz Eye Mask ($140)

Best Creams for Puffy Eyes

And in addition to trying out all of the above methods for relief, you can also reach for eye creams. There are so many formulas out there that can soothe any swelling while providing extra benefits like anti-aging properties and ultra hydration. We've rounded up some below based on our favorites and the best-reviewed products on the market.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel ($48)

Formulated with good-for-your-skin ingredients like hyaluronic acid, Japanese green caviar algae, caffeine, and sarsaparilla root, this eye gel will de-puff, reduce dark circles, and hydrate. Apply morning and nightits coverage can last up to 72 hours.

Kiehl's Youth Dose Eye Treatment Cream ($40)

I'm currently obsessed with this eye cream. I've been dealing with annoying dryness around my eyes, and after applying a tiny amount underneath the eye for a few days, I've noticed a significant difference. The area is super hydrated now, but also it's really brightened and smoothed any puffiness. Bonus: The formula is super lightweight and not oily at all.

Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream With Glacial Flower Extract ($48)

For intense hydration, opt for this Icelandic eye cream. It contains an arctic botanical, Saponaria Pumila, which is supposed to stimulate cell rejuvenation to combat under-eye bags and dark circles.

Dr. Brandt Needles No More No More Baggage Eye De-puffing Gel ($42)

Dr. Brandt's eye gel's name speaks for itselfgoodbye, bags and puffiness. It contains peptides, caffeine, and botanical extracts to smooth, firm, de-puff, and brighten. Warm a tiny amount in your hands and gently pat on the areas you want to treat.

Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme ($105)

Use this cream daily to fight the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and reduce any signs of tiredness. You can use in the mornings and nightgently apply all over your eye area.

Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage ($33)

Apply this rollerball for the ultimate massage under your eyes. It's formulated with caffeine, antioxidants, and botanicals to de-puff and wake up your eyes.

Fresh Black Tea Firming and De-Puffing Eye Cream ($68)

This is another eye cream I keep in rotation. You can use this in the morning and evening, but I especially like to put this on at night after washing my face because it feels so cool and soothingand after staring at the computer all day long, my eyes really need some TLC. Ingredients include a black tea complex (kombucha and extracts of black tea, blackberry leaf, and lychee seed) and noni fruit juice.

Versed The Fix Emergency Eye Mask ($18)

This eye mask is formulated with provitamin B5, vitamin E, cucumber juice, and caffeine to nourish and reduce the appearance of redness and swelling. To use, warm a small amount on your fingertips, apply, wait 10 minutes, and wipe off any excess.

Honest Beauty DePuff Eye Gel ($22)

Honest's eye gel contains calming ingredients like chamomile and calendula to soothe and refresh your tired eyes. It's also free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances.

Garnier SkinActive Clearly Brighter Anti-Puff Eye Roller ($9)

With over 1200 ratings and 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon, this is a trusted and affordable drugstore option. It's infused with caffeine, mint, and vitamin Croll under the eye from the inner corner to the outer corner and gently rub or pat excess.

100% Pure Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream ($29)

Like many of the products on this list, this cream contains caffeine, which is known to revitalize the skin and reduce swelling. Other ingredients include vitamins C and E for protection against other stressors.

Sunday Riley Auto Correct Brightening and Depuffing Eye Contour Cream ($65)

You can use Sunday Riley's cream in the morning and evenings and even throughout the day if you REALLY need it. Its main ingredients include caffeine and ginseng root, that are powerhouse de-puffers.

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex ($98)

This eye cream truly does it allnot only does it banish the puff, but it also reduces the appearance of dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles, and crow's-feet. It's specially formulated for dry, mature skin. Key ingredients include blueberry extract, flavonoids, peptides, and optical diffusers (for radiance).

Origins No Puffery Cooling Roll-On for Puffy Eyes ($29)

If you're barely awake in the mornings, roll this gel under each eye for a burst of rejuvenation. It has a metal tip that provides an even better cooling effect to de-puff quick.

Roc Retinol Correxion Anti-Aging Eye Cream Treatment ($18)

RoC's eye cream is a best seller for good reason. The retinol formula gently fights all the concerns of mature skin, while taking care of puffiness and dark circles. On average, users can see a change in puffy eyes in four weeks.

Next up, makeup artists say these 6 moisturizers will age you in reverse.

This article originally appeared on Who What Wear

Read More from Who What Wear
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Premier Brian Pallister, it's personal now.

That is to say, as we see the curtain pulled back on more of Pallister's grand pandemic response, it has become increasingly clear that he is more concerned with personal goals than the welfare of the province or its inhabitants.

RUTH BONNEVILLE Premier Brian Pallister said that without layoffs, the province's economic recovery would take longer to realize and Hydro's debt  already swollen by capital projects  would continue to grow. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

And his No.1 personal goal appears to be protecting his legacy as the man who "fixed" the finances of the provincial government. Pallister is so driven to galvanize his place in history that it appears he is prepared to sacrifice the province's economy.

Case in point: this week, Manitoba Hydro announced it would lay off up to 700 workers for four months as part of a government-wide austerity plan. Economists, journalists and political opponents have all cautioned Pallister that, with the economy teetering on the razor-thin between recession and all-out depression, this is no time for layoffs.

The premier was clearly unmoved by these concerns.

He wasn't available to journalists on Monday when the Hydro layoffs were announced. On Tuesday, Pallister tried to explain the rationale behind the move. Largely, he confirmed that there is no clear rationale.

Pallister said that without layoffs, the province's economic recovery would take longer to realize and Hydro's debt  already swollen by capital projects  would continue to grow. He also repeated his assertion that in areas of government where there was less work to do, there should be fewer public servants fully employed so that government resources could be focused on items such as health care.

When he's asked to explain such decisions, Pallister is prone to the economic non sequitur: statements that don't seem to have any salient connection to the questions he's being asked. When you fact-check his arguments, they just don't hold up.

Are some Hydro workers being paid but not working? Hydro denies there has been a slowdown in the work.

He wasn't available to journalists on Monday when the Hydro layoffs were announced. On Tuesday, Pallister tried to explain the rationale behind the move. Largely, he confirmed that there is no clear rationale.

Do the Hydro layoffs aid Manitoba's economic recovery? Hardly. If anything, the more fully employed people we have in the province, the better it is for the economy.

Would avoiding layoffs significantly increase Hydro's debt? Only if there was a profound decline in revenues and at this point, that seems unlikely.

Do layoffs at Hydro free up more money for other parts of the pandemic response? The simple answer is no; unlike Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, Hydro retains the gross majority of its operating profits. What it does contribute to general revenues through "water rental rates"  an ambiguously named annual transfer  is insignificant compared to expenditures in health care.

The most insulting aspect of Tuesday's news conference was Pallister's repeated claim that just about every other provincial government in Canada except for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had laid off more civil servants than Manitoba. This is so patently untrue that you could almost see the premier's nose growing every time he said it.

In terms of provincial civil service layoffs, Alberta is clearly ahead. Premier Jason Kenney's decision to axe 25,000 education workers in April is the largest head-count reduction among all provinces. But with the Hydro layoffs and more expected to come, Manitoba is No.2 with a bullet. Most other provinces have only delivered token layoffs or furloughs.

Pallister is still expected to retire before the next provincial election in three-and-a-half year's time. Prior to the arrival of COVID-19, he had a clear path to a glorious retirement where the budget would have been balanced at least two years in a row, taxes of all kinds would have been cut and he would have delivered substantially improved fiscal stability.

Dan Lett | Not for Attribution A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world that is sent every Tuesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

The provincial government would be smaller with a substantially reduced capacity to deal with emergencies and compromised services but, hey, it would cost less.

The pandemic has totally derailed that idyllic final chapter. In three short months, all of the hard fiscal work of the previous four years has been largely erased. The deficit is likely to reach a historic, 10-figure level (although not nearly as high as he claims it will be) and it will take years to get back within eyesight of a balanced budget.

That is a scenario that Pallister cannot abide. So much so, that he is engaged in a futile, almost suicidal attempt to keep the province on its pre-pandemic fiscal path.

As he plots more layoffs on top of the downsizing at Hydro  and make no mistake, there are more coming  it's becoming increasingly hard to believe the premier believes there is no relationship between his indiscriminate austerity and a longer, deeper economic downturn. If he actually believes the gibberish he is dishing out to Manitobans on an almost daily basis, then we are surely doomed.

When we look back on this, no one should blame the premier for the economic woe that accompanied the pandemic, but history may remember him as the man who made it much, much worse.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
Airport operators hope new screening technologies will give passengers renewed confidence to fly again. Above, a thermal camera made by Infrared Cameras Inc. shows a person's temperature. (Infrared Cameras Inc.)

Airports equipped with full-body scanners, metal detectors and face-recognition technology to identify potential terrorists are starting to make room for devices to target the latest global threat: travelers infected with the novel coronavirus.

Airports in the U.S. and overseas are testing thermal cameras, sanitation booths and other technologies in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus while reducing the risk of exposing airport screeners to the disease.

"This is going to be part of our normal travel system," said Richard Salisbury, managing director and founder of Thermoteknix Systems, a British company that has developed thermal cameras for airport use. "It will be part of the fabric of our travel patterns."

The pandemic has pushed demand for air travel down by as much as 95% in the U.S., and airport operators hope new screening technologies will give passengers renewed confidence to fly again.

At Los Angeles International Airport, once one of the nation's busiest airports, interim Chief Executive Justin Erbacci recently announced the creation of a COVID-19 recovery task force that has started to evaluate using thermal cameras, touch-less kiosks and other technologies to screen passengers for the virus.

"We have had many vendors reach out to us regarding specific technologies that they have, which may address the goals of this task force," said Becca Doten, an airport spokeswoman.

Some devices, such as thermal cameras, got a workout screening passengers during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) crisis in 2003 and the Ebola outbreak in 2014.

But like the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of technology to target travelers infected with the novel coronavirus is expected to be much more intense and widespread than during previous outbreaks.

Hong Kong International Airport last month began to test a booth about the size of an outhouse that takes the temperature of a person, via a thermal camera, before the individual is allowed to enter the sealed enclosure.

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Inside, a process that relies on ultraviolet light and "nano needles" to pierce the cell membrane of bacteria and viruses is used to disinfect the people who enter. The people who enter the booth are also doused with a sanitation spray. The process takes about 40 seconds. The system is now being tested on airport staff.

In addition, the Hong Kong airport is deploying autonomous cleaning robots equipped with virus-killing ultraviolet light, applying antimicrobial coatings to frequently touched surfaces and using air sterilizers to disinfect toilets and other passenger areas.

The Hong Kong International Airport is testing a device that is meant to disinfect employees before they start to work with passengers. (Hong Kong International Airport )

Stationary thermal cameras are most likely to be used at airports and other public facilities because the technology has been used in the past and because the cameras can gauge the temperature of a passenger from seven to 15 feet away.

The advantage of the thermal cameras is that human screeners don't have to touch or stand near passengers. Instead, screeners can monitor a television screen from a distance. The screen shows the thermal images of passengers and their temperatures.

In the past, most airports in the U.S. have employed screeners to take temperatures with hand-held thermometers. At least two medical screeners at LAX have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The U.S. Department of Defense is already using thermal cameras to screen people entering military facilities. Two of Carnival's cruise lines, Costa and Aida, are installing thermal cameras to screen passengers and crews for the virus.

Large companies such as Tyson Foods Inc. and General Motors Co. are also using thermal cameras to screen employees before they enter their workplaces.

With thermal cameras at airports, a passenger who generates an unusually high temperature is automatically denied entry and is directed to a separate area where nurses or other trained professionals can perform a more thorough exam.

Developers of such systems say the thermal cameras are designed to avoid slowing down the regular security screening process. The accuracy of the device is within less than one degree Fahrenheit, they said.

A thermal camera system developed by Texas-based Infrared Cameras Inc. is being tested at Dulles International Airport in Washington and at Tampa International Airport, said Gary Strahan, chief executive and founder of the company.

His company's cameras already have been used for screening by factories, manufacturers and hospitals and are now in high demand at airports, he said, adding that publicly operated airports don't move as fast as private companies to install the new technology.

"We are looking at rolling this technology out to all the airports because it has to be there," he said.

An image from a thermal camera made by Infrared Cameras Inc. (Infrared Cameras Inc.)

Salisbury, founder of the company that makes a thermal camera-based system called the FevIR Scan, said his system has been used since 2003 in Asia, the Middle East and Africa for health scanning during previous outbreaks.

In the last few months, he said, his company's business has jumped by about 30% thanks to demand for the technology, and he expects the FevIR Scan to be installed in a major British airport this week. He declined to name the airport, saying he was obligated not to divulge the name without the approval of the airport.

Medical experts point out that people infected with the coronavirus can, at times, have normal body temperatures and still pass along the virus to others. The makers of the thermal cameras acknowledge that their systems are not guaranteed to identify every infected traveler but can help slow the pandemic by zeroing in on those with unusually high temperatures.

Parsons had developed a touch-less kiosk to screen for coronavirus. (Parsons Corp.)

Parsons Corp., a Virginia based engineering company, is going beyond simply using technology to take the temperatures of passengers at airports.

Parsons recently announced the launch of a touch-free health screening kiosk that can take a passenger's temperature as well as respiration and pulse rates. By connecting to a smartphone app, the kiosk can also ask for other health information.

Based on the health information and the other data, the kiosk can give travelers a green light to continue on to the airport security screening line or be denied boarding.

Parsons is talking to several U.S. airports about testing the kiosk, including LAX, said Carey Smith, president and chief executive of Parsons.

"For everyone to get back to work, we need solutions that make everyone feel comfortable," she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:51:02|Editor: huaxia

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HARBIN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan demanded strengthened efforts to plug the loopholes in COVID-19 response and prevent case importation and domestic resurgence.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in northeastern Heilongjiang Province on COVID-19 prevention and control from Monday to Wednesday.

Requiring continuous efforts to implement the regular epidemic response measures to consolidate the gains in anti-virus battle, Sun stressed that the previous efforts to curb the epidemic should not go in vain.

During her stay in the cities of Mudanjiang, Suifenhe and Harbin, Sun visited the designated and temporary hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, disease control centers, quarantine venues, border ports, and communities to learn about field works on the epidemic prevention and control.

At a symposium held in Harbin, the provincial capital, Sun listened to the reports of the Heilongjiang provincial and national medical expert task forces, and learned about the epidemic prevention measures in Heilongjiang and neighboring Jilin Province via video link.

She called for efforts to promote testing and epidemiological investigation capability, study the characteristics of subtype novel coronavirus, and improve diagnosis and treatment protocols.
Dark Mirror: Edward Snowden and the American Surveillance State

By Barton Gellman

Penguin Press. 426 pp. $30

---

Journalist Barton Gellman met with a Google security engineer for a beer one Sunday in late autumn of 2013. Gellman had a 23-page top-secret National Security Agency document on his laptop that NSA leaker Edward Snowden had shared with him. It discussed ways the agency had devised for defeating Google's security. Gellman flipped open his computer, scrolled down to page 14, and the engineer started reading. After several moments, he leaned toward the machine and read the page a second time, his eyebrows rising in disbelief. "Mo-ther-f------," he muttered.

The document showed a hand-drawn cartoon of two fluffy clouds side by side, one labeled "Public Internet" and the other "Google Cloud." An arrow pointed to where the two bubbles met, "the digital borderland," as Gellman put it in his book "Dark Mirror," "between Google's inside networks and the outside world." The cartoon appeared to show that the NSA found a way around Google's encryption technology that protects information on the Internet. Studying the document, the Google engineer realized that the NSA had understood Google's internal network architecture and spotted an opening that could be targeted on cables outside the United States. Gellman asked how Google protected itself from such an attack. "I'm not going to tell you," the engineer replied.

"Not well enough," Gellman said.

"I'll tell you one thing - that's going to change," the engineer promised.

Nearly seven years have passed since that meeting. Now it's time to reassess Snowden by moving beyond the hackneyed question of whether he is a hero or a traitor. Yes, he caused significant harm to U.S. intelligence collection - and, yes, he spurred significant improvements to Internet security. His activities weakened national security, but strengthened American democracy. Gellman's illuminating book, in effect, turns a faux contradiction into a real question: Was it necessary to harm U.S. national security in the short term to secure the Internet in the long run? It's hard to admit that the answer may be yes, especially for the many intelligence officers and diplomats and civil servants who were so offended by the biggest intelligence leak in U.S. history. President Trump inadvertently is helping to put Snowden into a more nuanced perspective.

Several firsthand accounts have appeared since 2013: most notably, Glenn Greenwald's 2014 memoir, "No Place to Hide"; Laura Poitras's 2014 documentary, "Citizenfour"; and Snowden's 2019 memoir, "Permanent Record."

"Dark Mirror" stands out from all the other accounts. Gellman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning former Washington Post investigative reporter and author of "Angler," an influential 2008 biography of Dick Cheney, didn't just use the Snowden files as sources; he used them as starting points for deep, labor-intensive reporting. He hired Ashkan Soltani, a highly respected technical research assistant, met with technology companies, worked his contacts in and around Washington. And he understood that labeling a document "secret" doesn't necessarily mean it's accurate and that "top secret" doesn't necessarily mean more accurate.

"Dark Mirror" adds newsworthy detail about the NSA's controversial collection of data on the phone calls of Americans. The metadata program, now abandoned, ingested U.S. call records on a massive scale. It took off soon after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when the NSA confronted the challenge of gathering very large amounts of communications data in the interests of protecting against another attack.

The agency needed tools not just to store the data but to crunch the information in a way that would make queries by intelligence analysts quicker and more precise. One tool that emerged was called MAINWAY, which was designed to handle and process the data of hundreds of billions of phone calls.

An internal NSA dictionary described MAINWAY as a "precomputed contact chaining service," comparable perhaps to the way Google is precomputing websites so that searches can unlock a query instantly and precisely. MAINWAY churned through about 1 billion call records a day and then had to purge about that amount every day to comply with court orders.

Spying on innocent Americans is a cultural and legal taboo for U.S. intelligence agencies. But here NSA was collecting reams of call records of ordinary citizens. More than that: By building dedicated machines to sift the data, the eavesdropping agency apparently created what amounts to a dossier on every American citizen with a phone, unseen by human eyes of course (the sifting was automated), but a form of dossier full of intimately private information nevertheless. Gellman recalls how the realization finally sank in, as he was parsing documents and interviewing sources, that the NSA had effectively built a social network of most if not all Americans, not unlike a Facebook listing of friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends, a live, ever-updating "mass social graph" of the United States, as Gellman put it. This vast, hidden diagram of who communicates with whom also pointed to potential terrorism dangers.

Even if no human analyst looked at the data, the machines could still spot suspicious behavior. For example: Criminals and militants often used "burner phones" - mobile phones, purchased with cash, that they would use only to call a small number of trusted co-conspirators, in the belief that this was good security practice. But viewed through the vast telephony graph, the burner phones would stand out as a "closed loop," as intelligence analysts call it, because they connected only to one another and not to the wider jumble of phone conversations. It appears that MAINWAY was used for such automated spying; one NSA document stressed, Gellman reveals, that the system was able to move "from the more traditional analysis of what is collected to the analysis of what to collect."

Gellman holds senior intelligence officials accountable for deceiving the public about the NSA's data-collection activities. After revealing the language in classified documents, Gellman gives us the officials' public statements, including that of ex-NSA director Keith Alexander in 2012 ("We don't hold data on U.S. citizens") and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. ("No, sir," in response to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) asking whether the NSA collected any type of data on Americans). When Gellman mentioned to Dennis Blair, a former director of national intelligence, at an event in Aspen, that the NSA was collecting U.S. telephone records in bulk, the admiral responded, testily: "I think you're misusing the word 'collect.' I think the word, the proper word here, is 'store.' "

In hindsight, the reputation and credibility of these officials was not diminished by Snowden or the leaked files, but by themselves, by their own inept reactions and denials. Trust in senior national security officials has only eroded further in the past three years as intelligence assessments and criticism, especially related to Russia, have become fiercely politicized.

But another trend is quieter and more insidious. Three years into the Trump administration, careful observers measure trust in national security institutions by the amount of open friction between their leadership and the White House. Yet perceived dissent can result in stiff action such as the president's firing of Michael Atkinson, the intelligence community inspector general responsible for notifying Congress of a whistleblower complaint. Trump installed loyal supporters in several usually nonpartisan positions, including attorney general and acting director of national intelligence. This bringing into line of a once more independent security establishment would no doubt continue in a second Trump term. At the same time the president regularly calls journalists and domestic opponents "enemies of the people," thus normalizing language that makes confrontations less civil, and the peace more brittle. Early on, Snowden called the United States' secret surveillance capabilities "turnkey tyranny." I cringed when I heard that haughty phrase in mid-2013; by mid-2020, I no longer did. The nation's open flirtation with authoritarian rule has bent the arc of history in Snowden's favor.

---

Rid is author of "Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare" and teaches at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.
The property market has officially reopened for business after the Government said estate agents could restart viewings and home moves could go ahead again.

Almost half-a-million property transactions that had stalled in lockdown can restart from today, while sellers can brave the market and buyers can go house hunting again.

But it's far from business as usual. Official guidance strongly advises online viewings where possible and warns that buying and selling a home will not return to 'normal' in England.

So, can you get a stalled move back on track, visit that property you've been eyeing up online, or even get an agent round to value your home for sale? We answer the crucial property market restart questions.

The Staunton family were looking to move to a bigger place near the children's school but pulled out during lockdown: Elaine, 40, Harriet, 6, James, 42, and Charles, 3

What are the rules on restarting the property market?

The property market restart will be welcome news for the estimated 450,000 buyers and sellers stuck in property limbo, according to government figures, who will now be able to exchange contracts and complete on purchases.

They had been advised not to do this in lockdown: to only move if essential and if that was into an empty property.

Surveyors and agents were also not allowed to visit properties, stalling mortgage valuations, building surveys and thwarting evaluations and viewings.

Crucially, surveyors will now be permitted to go to properties to do mortgage valuations and building surveys for prospective buyers.

Agents can also reopen high street premises, do valuations, photos and floorplans, list properties for sale and do physical viewings.

But guidance published on the Government's website warns this cannot be the same format as before the coronavirus lockdown - and social distancing must be observed.

My home was already for sale, how do I continue?

If your home was already on the market, contact your estate agent to find out how they're approaching restarting viewings.

Sean Herdman-Low, senior negotiator at Banbury-based estate agent Maxwell's says viewings will only be done in person where sellers are completely comfortable

Many have said already that they are prepared to do physical viewings from today, following the guidance released by Government last night.

There are strict guidelines, however.

You'll need to be out of the house while people are viewing it. Social distancing rules still apply and many agents are saying that all parties will need to wear masks and gloves while in a property.

Virtual viewings will still be used initially and you'll need to ensure your property is thoroughly cleaned before someone else moves in.

Be prepared to expect delayed moves if someone involved gets coronavirus and no-one should be moving into any home where people have coronavirus or are self-isolating.

I'm seeing a property on Monday Hammond: Looking to buy an investment property in Hastings Alex Hammond, 39 and boss of his own firm Also Communications, has been offered a viewing this Friday. He and his wife are looking to buy an investment property in Hastings. 'We were sent the details of one we liked the look of on Monday and expressed our interest. 'Initially they said we were unable to undertake a physical inspection, but the estate agent contacted me last night suggesting a viewing on Friday. 'We can't make Friday so are going to view the property on Monday. We have been asked to wear masks and gloves for the viewing.'

Will I need to get my home revalued?

There's been a lot of talk about the effect of lockdown on house prices, so be prepared for a conversation about your asking price with the estate agent.

If you want to sell quickly then you might be wise to downgrade your expectations. Forecasts of price falls range from 5 per cent, by Lloyds Banking Group, to 7 per cent, from Knight Frank, 13 per cent by economists at Cebr and up to 16 per cent by the Bank of England.

That said, estate agents are expecting a surge in enquiries from prospective buyers so, depending on the condition and location of your property, there may be sufficient interest to support your original asking price.

Indeed, Rightmove said this morning it's seen a 45 per cent increase in visits to its website today compared to yesterday. Your estate agent will be able to advise you on the best approach to take.

Just remember that even though people might be window shopping, they may not want to commit to actually buying or be able to do so - and they may struggle to sell their home.

How will home-buying and selling be different? The Government guidance says: 'The process of finding and moving into a new home will need to be different given those involved in the process will have to adapt practices and procedures to ensure that the risk of spread of coronavirus is reduced as far as possible. 'This will include doing more of the process online, such as virtual initial viewings; vacating your current property whilst other people are shown around; and ensuring your property is thoroughly cleaned before someone else moves in. 'We encourage all parties involved to be as flexible as possible over this period and be prepared to delay moves, for example if someone becomes ill with coronavirus during the moving process or has to self-isolate.' The Government has also warned that it may 'become necessary to pause all home moves for a short period of time' again to manage the spread of the coronavirus. Estate agent industry body boss, Mark Hayward, of NAEA Propertymark said he was 'pleased' with the housing announcements so far, adding: 'The return to work needs to be done in a safe and practical way.'

Can I start viewing properties this weekend?

You can start viewing properties now, if you want to buy, but that is within pretty strict guidelines.

Whether you can view a property in person will depend on whether there is an agent available to conduct the viewing and also on whether the person selling is happy to have people into their home.

It's unlikely that a huge rush of people will be comfortable having a string of strangers through their home at the moment, but if properties are empty or vendors are happy to be out while the viewing takes place, it may well be possible.

Should I ask the seller for money off? Many buyers who have agreed a purchase but not exchanged contracts will now feel that the market has changed completely. With 7.5million people furloughed, 2 million mortgage holidays applied for, 2 million more people claiming unemployment benefits and pay cuts widespread, that's understandable. Buying agent Henry Pryor says: 'The initial buyers prepared to commit in June and July will, I expect, feel like they are taking a risk that house prices will fall between now and Christmas so they will want something for that risk they feel they are taking. 'They'd like a 20 per cent discount, but they will accept a 5 to 10 per cent discount, so the first house price reports post Covid-19 I think will be 5 to 10 per cent down.' However, he warns buyers to tread carefully and gives his tips on whether to reduce your offer here .

Sean Herdman-Low, senior negotiator at Maxwell's Estate Agents in Banbury, says: 'As well as getting the housing market and the economy back on track, the most important thing for us is to make sure that we are all safe, including staff and all clients.

'We will be working with all of our vendors to set up safe ways of conducting viewings and only if they are comfortable to do so.

'We have got gloves and masks for everyone to use and will of course be ensuring social distancing rules are followed throughout.'

He adds that virtual viewings are also going to remain in place and have a vital role to play for some time to come.

'They have proved very popular and easy to do,' he says.

'We will be aiming to do them on most of our properties from now on and ensure they look professional. We know from our marketing that videos get brilliant engagement online and on social media so it makes sense to continue with this.

'We have had some real successes with virtual tours with a sale being agreed and houses coming to the market totally virtually.'

Maxwell's Estate Agents in Banbury plans to restart viewings safely where sellers want to

I agreed to buy before lockdown  can we move?

If you already agreed to buy a home, your solicitor may have advised you not to exchnage contracts and set a completion date, as at that point you are locked in.

You could now exchange and set a moving date, but you'll need to find a removal firm willing to do the move if you need help.

Many prospective buyers are likely to now want to renegotiate on the price they previously agreed, as they feel house prices have fallen and their finances may have taken a knock.

Joanne Robinson, 40, is a property lawyer who has been renting in London

Joanne Robinson, 40, is a property lawyer who has been renting in London and has bought a property in Amersham to be closer to her work in Beaconsfield.

Before the housing market froze she had a sale agreed but had not exchanged contracts.

However, she managed to exchange on April 28 and now has a moving date set for May 29.

She says: 'Despite all this disruption I am absolutely determined to move ahead with this purchase and push things through.

'Moving from central London to Amersham is crucial for my work and the home I have bought is absolutely perfect for my needs now. Keeping in close dialogue with the current owner is helping to keep things alive and kicking.'

She has successfully secured a removal firm and says it will be a relief once she is in her new home.

I want to buy but havent got a mortgage agreed  can I now apply?

Most mortgage brokers and lenders have been able to conduct interviews and conversations over the phone or online already.

Banks and building societies have also been making mortgage offers, although much fewer than before lockdown.

I Banbury-based mortgage broker Vantage Mortgages says it has remained busy throughout the lockdown.

'We pulled out and won't move now' James Staunton, 42, lives with his wife and two children in Farnham, Surrey and decided to pull out of his move as lockdown started. James pictured with Charles, aged 3 'We were set to buy a larger property nearer to the kids school, albeit in the same town. But we were worried my earnings might be pruned in the downturn and that my wifes hours might get cut back. 'That proved pretty prescient and were now glad we didnt overstretch ourselves. In fact, we used some of the war chest wed accumulated for the move to pay down 10 per cent of the mortgage on our current property. 'Thats made the monthly payments much easier to stomach. Weve pulled out and were happy with that decision.'

Adam Messer, who heads up the firm, says: 'Mortgage lenders have remained open throughout and rates are still as low as they have been for a long time.

'Demand has stayed strong with clients still needing to remortgage and purchase applications going in to lenders.'

Many mortgage lenders had curbed their willingness to offer new mortgages, especially to those with a smaller deposit.

But now that surveyors are allowed into properties to conduct mortgage valuations, it's possible they'll be more comfortable offering mortgages from now on.

Jeni Browne, director of mortgage broker Mortgages for Business, said: 'Mortgage lenders and, indeed mortgage brokers, are open for new applications so there is nothing to stop you getting a mortgage agreement in principle.

'Likewise, having an agreement is not a prerequisite to viewing property but you will find it hard to get an offer accepted without one.'

An agreement in principle is usually quick to obtain  sometimes even instant - so if you jumped on this today, you may be able to lock into a super cheap deal as rates are at their lowest ever at the moment.

However, experts are also warning that pent-up demand could see mortgages take longer to get sorted.

'We recommend that buyers get their finances in order as soon as possible as processing times may take longer than usual as lenders deal with a flurry of applications,' says Chris Sykes, a mortgage broker for Private Finance.

'There is still limited availability of high loan-to-value mortgages at 90 per cent and above and those heavily reliant on bonuses or commission may need to widen their search of lender, but this is where expert advice is extremely valuable.'

This is Money's mortgage finder calculator can help you see what rates could be available to you .

My sale stalled because the mortgage lender couldnt do a valuation done  will it happen now?

Some banks and building societies have already announced that their valuers are going to be carrying out physical inspections as soon as possible, albeit within certain guidelines.

In that case, there is a chance a valuation could be imminent. However, not all lenders have made this decision so it may be worth just checking whether going to a new lender could expedite matters for you.

Virtual valuations are becoming more widely accepted by mortgage lenders

If the property is more specialist  say where a landlord is looking to buy an HMO, house in multiple occupation  a physical survey has to take place.

'We may still be a few weeks away from getting the application unstuck in that type of instance,' says Browne.

'Speak to your broker who will be able to keep you up to date as the market opens up and can advise whether there are alternative lenders who can move quicker for you.'

Because no physical valuations have taken place since 23 March, there is going to be a big backlog to deal with so be patient.

There will be delays to all sales but with mortgage valuations in person now permitted, transactions that have gone awry will slowly get back on track.

'The timing around valuation will depend somewhat on how much you want to borrow and whether your mortgage can be based on an automatic or desktop valuation,' says Browne.

'There will inevitably be a backlog as valuers start to get back out so if you will need a physical valuation so Id would advise getting into the queue as soon as possible.'
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The Substation Automation Market is anticipated to reach around USD 207.8 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the Intelligent Electronic Devices segment dominated the substation automation 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 substation automation. The rising demand for electricity, and growing demand for efficient and low-cost solutions in the solar energy sector further support the growth of substation automation market. Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements, growing need to update existing networks, and increasing demand for retrofitting conventional substations would accelerate the adoption of substation automation 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/substation-automation-market/request-for-sample

North America generated the highest revenue in the market in 2017, and is expected to lead the global substation automation market throughout the forecast period. The presence of established telecom and cloud infrastructure in this region, and growing trend of smart cities drive substation automation 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, industrial automation, and intelligent buildings is expected to support substation automation market growth in this region during the forecast period.

The companies operating in substation automation market include Schneider Electric SE, Cisco Systems, ABB Ltd., Siemens AG, Eaton Corporation Plc., General Electric, Honeywell International, Inc., Larsen & Toubro Limited, Crompton Greaves, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. 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.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/substation-automation-market

Substation Automation Market Size and Forecast by Module, 2018-2026 Communication Networks Scada Systems Intelligent Electronic Devices

Substation Automation Market Size and Forecast by Component, 2018-2026 Hardware Software Services

Substation Automation Market Size and Forecast by Type, 2018-2026 Distribution Substations Transmission Substations

Substation Automation Market Size and Forecast by Communication Channel, 2018-2026 Optical Fiber Communication Ethernet Copper Wire Communication Others

Substation Automation 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/substation-automation-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.

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Fred Parker was working as a graphics designer at the National Gallery of Art in the 1970s when he began experimenting with chili recipes in the kitchen of his Alexandria home and inviting friends over for taste-tests. He left his day job in the mid-1980s to focus on the restaurant and its promotions and special events, such as organizing chili cook-offs and catering for civic groups, fundraisers and charities in the D.C. area.
WATERVLIET  The police chief has been furloughed, the first of eight employees the city will take off the payroll as it seeks to close a $1.2 million to $2 million budget gap resulting from revenue declines due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Wednesday.

Chief Anthony Geracis furlough is the quickest way to making up the budget shortfall due to his $96,000 annual salary, said Mayor Charles Patricelli and General Manager Joseph LaCivita.

The citys canceled its annual Memorial Day parade and is weighing keeping the popular city pool on Second Avenue closed as it cuts operating expenses and looks for salary savings in its $12.1 million budget.

Geraci retired as an Albany police lieutenant to take command of the 25-member Watervliet Police Department. Geraci was sworn in July 25. The Watervliet force was down one member due to a recent retirement.

We felt this would be the best way to serve the city in the long term instead of taking rank and file off the street, Patricelli said.

This was the way to provide for the safety for the patrol officers and the city, LaCivita said.

Geraci didnt have a signed contract with the city. Hes the first police chief not to come from the departments ranks. Lt. Brian Strock will return to being acting police chief, a role he filled between the retirement of former Chief Mark Spain and Geracis appointment. Spain now works as the citys assistant general manager.

Geraci did not respond for a request for comment Wednesday.

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

Patricelli confirmed that U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, contacted him about obtaining federal funds to keep Geraci working.

The additional furloughs are expected to come next week. LaCivita said three administrative employees at City Hall and four Department of Public Works employees would be furloughed.

The city does not plan to furlough any additional members of the police department nor any firefighters, LaCivita said.

Geracis father is retired Schenectady Police Chief Michael Geraci, currently the executive director of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police. Patricelli said the city is not alone among communities needing federal support to get through these budget-busting times.

The $1.2 million to $2 million in budget cuts comes after the city spent the last several years recovering from budgetary problems that led to a 14.71 percent tax increase for 2018. We just got out of the hole, Patricelli said.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 14:32 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7c2859 1 Business Indonesia,bappenas,state-budget,2021,economic-recovery,COVID-19,unemployment,poverty Free

The government plans to allocate an additional Rp 56.5 trillion (US$3.8 billion) to a number ministries and agencies in 2021 to revive the economy, according to the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

Bappenas chairman Suharso Monoarfa said on Tuesday that the extra funds would be allocated to cover non-operational expenditures for the economic recovery and social security programs, as the agency had projected a spike in unemployment and the poverty rate due to the harsh impacts of emergency measures imposed to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Budget allocation for ministries and agencies non-operational expenditure will increase by 55 percent or Rp 56.5 trillion, which will be used [to fund] infrastructure projects, human capital development and other prioritized sector projects, he said during the agencys national meeting.

The agency projects unemployment numbers to increase by 4.22 million people in 2020, with the open unemployment rate estimated to spike to around 7.8 and 8.5 percent, far beyond the 2019 rate of 5.28 percent.

According data published by Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the number of unemployed people in the country increased slightly to 6.88 million in February, from 6.82 million people in the same period last year.

Indonesias poverty rate is also predicted to increase by around 0.5 to 1 percentage points in 2020 from the 2019 level of 9.2 percent. In 2021, the poverty rate is also projected to stay at the 9 percent range, Bappenas data shows.

We have revised our poverty rate target to around 9.2 percent, higher than the 8.4 percent stipulated in the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN). However, Im not confident about our revised target as the poverty rate could be above the target, Suharso said.

Bappenas set a pessimistic tone in its poverty and unemployment eradication effort as the government lowered its economic growth target to 2.3 percent for this year under the baseline scenario, and to a contraction of 0.4 percent under the worst-case scenario.

However, the government expects an economic rebound in 2021 with an economic growth rate between 4.5 and 5.5 percent, according to the macroeconomic assumption for the 2021 state budget plan.

Suharso said the additional Rp 56.5 trillion for ministries would be used to support economic recovery efforts focusing on infrastructure construction, tourism and manufacturing, as well as funding for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The government will also continue its key projects listed under the RPJMN to help the countrys economic recovery, which include the super priority tourist destination development project and the development of nine industrial zones outside of Java, the agencys chief added.

Responding to Bappenas statement, Gadjah Mada University labor expert Tadjudin Noer Effendi urged the government to be prudent in analyzing the countrys unemployment level before launching large-scale initiatives.

We have to be careful in establishing unemployment projections during a time of crisis, as there are people who were forced to take unpaid leave, while furloughed informal workers arent registered by the Manpower Ministry, Tadjudin told The Jakarta Post in a separate phone interview.

He added that workers not counted by the government as unemployed could be left out of the governments social safety net program, which would make the program ineffective.

To reduce unemployment, Tadjudin urges the government to focus on initiating labor-intensive projects and maintaining household spending.

The Public Works and Housing Ministry is among ministries that has reallocated spending to finance labor-intensive projects.

Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said on Monday said that the ministry would allocate Rp 1.8 trillion to fund the projects, which are expected to absorb 78,000 workers in 2,865 locations.

For the second strategy, Tadjudin has called on the government to alter its staple aid program into a cash disbursement program (BLT) for low-income families to keep the economic engine running.

Indonesias household spending accounts for around 57 percent of our GDP. If we want to maintain economic growth, we have to boost the circulation of money at the grassroots level, which could be attained through the BLT program, he said.

Fitch Solutions projected in April that household spending growth, which accounts for 57.4 percent of GDP, would slow to just 1.2 percent this year from 5 percent last year.

The United States-based institution also revised its forecast for the countrys GDP growth, to negative 1.3 percent this year, compared with 2.8 percent economic growth in its previous projection, as the country is likely to see a slow recovery and remain under lockdown for a prolonged period.
NORFOLK, Va., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC, an employee-owned, full-service independent partnership associated with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (member FINRA/SIPC), is pleased to announce their newest office in Norfolk, welcoming the Nottingham Wealth Management Group along with Tommy Leeman and Karen Bittenbender.

The Nottingham Wealth Management Group is comprised of George Nottingham, CFP, AAMS, Susan Nottingham, AAMS and Michelle Huffman, who join the firm from Wells Fargo where they oversaw $220 million in client assets and earned Forbes "Best in State" Financial Advisor honors in both 2019 and 2020.

Also joining the firm is Tommy Leeman, AAMS and Karen Bittenbender, who likewise join from Wells Fargo where they previously oversaw $61 million in client assets. There, they focused on providing clients with a wide range of services including wealth management, investment selections and developing retirement plans.

"We couldn't be happier to be in a position to welcome a group of advisors like George, Susan and Tommy during such an extraordinary time," said Jeff Gonyo, Divisional President and Head of Recruitment at Steward Partners. "Even amidst this pandemic, we're pleased that advisors continue to see the unique value Steward provides to our partners to better serve their clients and support their business."

Added George Nottingham: "Now more than ever, our clients are turning to us for guidance. It's incumbent upon us to help them navigate these turbulent waters and keep them focused on their overall financial plans, some are which are extremely complex and require consultation with their other trusted advisors such as attorneys, CPA's and loan officers. We're excited to join a firm that understands that responsibility and prioritizes clients, while providing the technology and flexibility needed to grow the business with an unmatched level of service."

Added Leeman: "During a volatile time like this, we are grateful to be able to join a firm that provides the right combination of practice management, sophisticated investment products and tools, outstanding client service capabilities and a robust firm culture. These factors made this an easy decision, and we look forward to getting started."

A veteran investment consultant, George Nottingham started his career at Bank of America Securities in 1986 as a financial advisor, before transitioning to Legg Mason with Susan Nottingham and Michelle Huffman, where he worked for seven years before joining Wells Fargo and forming the Nottingham Wealth Management Group in 2005. Leeman started his career at A.G. Edwards in 1999, staying with them through the merger with Wachovia Securities, eventually ending up at Wells Fargo after Wells Fargo acquired Wachovia in 2008.

Steward Partners has been one of the fastest-growing wealth advisory firms since its founding in 2013. A growing number of advisors seeking a client-focused, advisor-friendly company have shown strong interest in Steward Partners to date. To accommodate this interest, the firm unveiled a new 1099 affiliate model in late 2019, which offers advisors the ability to run their own office and local profit and loss statement, while maintaining a connection to the firm's robust infrastructure. This new model came in response to increased advisor requests for an employment option offering both local autonomy and the significant resources and equity opportunity that are unique to Steward.

For more information, visit www.stewardpartners.com.

About Steward Partners Global Advisory

With offices in Newtown, CT., Washington, D.C., Clearwater, FL., Andover and Boston, MA., Baltimore and Bethesda, MD., Portland, ME., Hendersonville, NC., Keene, Manchester and Portsmouth, NH., Paramus and Morristown, NJ., Albany and New York City, NY., Plymouth Meeting, PA., Austin, Dallas and Houston, TX., and Norfolk and Richmond, VA., Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC, is an employee-owned, full-service independent partnership catering to family, institutional and multigenerational wealth. For more information, visit us at www.stewardpartners.com.

About Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.

Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. is a financial services firm supporting independent financial advisors nationwide. Since 1974, Raymond James Financial Services Inc., member FINRA/SIPC, has provided a wide range of investment and wealth planning related services through its affiliate, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC. Both broker/dealers are wholly owned subsidiaries of Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF) a leading diversified financial services company with approximately 8,100 financial advisors throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. Total client assets are approximately $896 billion as of 12/31/19.

Steward Partners Holdings, Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC maintain a separate professional business relationship with, and our registered professionals offer securities through, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Steward Partners Investment Advisory, LLC, 1776 I Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20006. Toll Free: (844) 801-8268.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM, CFP, (with plaque design) and CFP(with flame design) in the U.S. which it awards to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative criteria, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors that are considered have a minimum of seven years of experience, and the algorithm weights factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass best practices in their practices and approach to working with clients. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Out of approximately 32,000 nominations, more than 4,000 advisors received the award. This ranking is not indicative of advisor's future performance, is not an endorsement, and may not be representative of individual clients' experience. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors or RIA firms pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. Raymond James is not affiliated with Forbes or Shook Research, LLC. Please visit https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors for more info.

Media Contact:

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212-343-2363

SOURCE Steward Partners Global Advisory, LLC

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Shmygal noted that the talks are held at the level of the president and PM of Ukraine and IMF Head Kristalina Georgieva

The talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) take place at the highest level and Ukraine expects to sign the program until the end of May as 112 Ukraine TV channel reported citing Prime Minister Denys Shmygal.

Shmygal noted that the talks are held at the level of the president and PM of Ukraine and IMF Head Kristalina Georgieva.

The talks are complicated; the issue is about big money for Ukraine, moreover, during the crisis. The issue is about the mutual trust. And today, we are at the stage, which is close to the signing of the memorandum and receiving of the first tranche as it was agreed; it will allow us to avoid financial issues, the PM said.

Shmygal expressed hope that the agreement will be signed until the end of May and the first tranche will be received.

As we reported, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the bill #2571-d, which finally bans the return of nationalized banks to previous owners. The law permanently prohibits the return of nationalized banks to the former owners, prohibits the return of bankrupt banks, whose owners have succeeded in canceling the resolution of the National Bank on their insolvency through the courts, to the market.
With the agreement announced on May 4, Vsmart has become the second brand of Vingroup cooperating with a leading Italian industrial designer.

VinFast, or Vingroups car manufacturer, joined hands with the designer Pininfarina to make cars. Now locals have high expectations about the new cooperation between Vsmart and Pininfarina.





Vsmart is known as a low-cost smartphone brand, and though it holds a large market share, its current products are sold at just several million dong.



According to Vsmart, under the agreement on strategic cooperation, the two sides will build a specific design language for Vsmarts new-generation smartphones. The cover, display mode, and operating language of Vsmart phones will all be "revolutionized" thanks to this agreement.

Fifteen months after the debut, Vsmart has become the third best known smartphone brand in Vietnam, after Samsung and Apple, with 16.7 percent. Vsmarts products are mostly in the low-cost segment priced at around VND2-3 million.

Fifteen months after the debut, Vsmart has become the third best known smartphone brand in Vietnam, after Samsung and Apple, with 16.7 percent.

Vsmarts products are mostly in the low-cost segment priced at around VND2-3 million.



According to Nghe Nhin Vietnam journal, the cheapest smartphone in Vietnam is priced at below VND1 million, while the most expensive is VND50 million. There are 11 different market segments.



Of 25 best selling smartphones so far this year, there have always been 7-8 smartphone models priced at VND3-4 million. These models are made by Samsung, Oppo, and Vsmart. Samsung has Galaxy A10S and A20S, while Oppo has A5S and A5 2020, and Vsmart, Live and Active 3.



Some analysts commented that Vsmart has been following a reasonable strategy targeting low- and mid-end markets. As a Vietnamese smartphone brand, it would be very difficult for Vsmart to squeeze into the high-end market, which Samsung and Apple are dominating.



However, the decision to cooperate with Pininfarina shows its ambition to become a high-end smartphone manufacturer.



When modern smartphones are increasingly similar in design, the breakthroughs in operating language are believed to make a difference.

Users experience, configuration and associated ecosystems of apps will be the important factors that affect buyers decisions.



Since Pininfarina is a partner of VinFast as well, the cooperation is expected to create a homogenous language for Vingroups products, and generate products which have high aesthetics and offer good experience to users.



Cooperating with Google, Qualcomm and now Pininfarina, Vsmart has opportunities to take full advantage of the best technological achievements of the world.



Qualcomm and Google have helped Vsmart phones hardware and operating systems catch up with the world. Meanwhile, Pinifarina's edgy and unique design thinking will make billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong's phones different.

Kim Chi

Vsmart grabs 16.7 percent of Vietnamese smartphone market share Vsmart phones now account for 16.7 percent of the Vietnamese smartphone market just 15 months since they were launched by VinSmart, a subsidiary of conglomerate VinGroup.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts campaign has put out a new ad touting how well he has done in re-opening Texas with guest appearances by Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale of Houston and country music artist Parker McCollum, a Conroe native.

The 92-second video features 14 different people from various industries saying its time to go back to work and praising Abbott.

We need to get the economy back up and running, and I think Governor Abbott is doing a hell of a job with that, said Juan Meza, owner of the Austin restaurant Juan In a Million.

In another segment, Mansfield dentist Sandi L. Hamm says, Governor Abbott has outlined a great plan.

The video comes as Abbott navigates criticism from both the right and the left for how hes handled the reopening. Conservative groups have blasted Abbott for not moving quicker to open up the government, while city and county officials in large urban areas have expressed concern about the governors decision to open up businesses before the states COVID-19 outbreak has been contained.

On April 27, the day Abbott announced the partial reopening of restaurants, malls, and theaters, Texas had 0.83 cases per 1,000 Texans, according to Texas Health and Human Services. Also since then, the number of deaths in Texas has jumped from 663 people to 1,179 as of Tuesday.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo was one of the most outspoken. Last week he called out Abbott for telling a national television audience that Houston was threatening to put people in jail for not wearing masks  something the city never did. The Harris County mask requirement did not include jail time and Acevedo said his department hadnt arrested anyone for not wearing one.

Abbotts promotional video also comes after a new poll by the Washington Post-Ipsos poll showed he has a 57 percent approval rating. While hes above 50 percent, other large state governors have much higher marks in that poll. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, was sporting an 81 percent approval rating. And Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, was at 86 percent.

Still, in Abbotts new video, business owners, including McIngvale of Gallery Furniture, make clear its time to get back to work.

Lets get back to work because work is lifes greatest therapy, McIngvale says in the video.

McCollum, who now lives in Austin, says Its time to get Texans back to work safely.
Australian officials ordered 1.5 million COVID-19 antibody tests which aren't effective, it has been revealed.

The federal government initially hoped the finger prick tests would be rolled out in doctors' offices throughout the nation by late March.

But last Thursday, Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed they were still being tested following a series of high-profile failures of the method overseas.

A report commissioned by Mr Hunt recently determined the antibody tests were not 'accurate enough to be useful in Australia'.

'The test is not currently ready for widespread deployment,' the report read.

The antibody tests required a fingerprick and were going to be distributed in local doctors offices - but have now been deemed not accurate enough for use in Australia

Health Minister Greg Hunt (pictured on April 29) was previously adamant Australia's antibody tests would work despite failings of other kits overseas

Antibody tests are designed to check if someone has had the disease, giving health authorities a more accurate picture of how the deadly respiratory virus has spread.

Australian National University Professor Carola Vinuesa, one of the report's co-authors, concluded the tests are not useful.

'At the moment, the quality does not seem to be good enough for these tests to be deployed in large scale,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'The sensitivity is not very good. They are not useful in being able to say ''you were infected''.'

Mr Hunt previously said he was confident the tests would work, despite negative experiences overseas.

A report commissioned by Mr Hunt recently determined the antibody tests were not 'accurate enough to be useful in Australia'

Health workers are seen testing people for COVID-19 in Perth on April 24 (pictured). More tests were expected to be rolled out to check for coronavirus antibodies, but they've now been deemed useless

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

'What Australia has purchased is of the highest quality,' he said in Melbourne on May 7.

'We do know that some countries were provided tests and equipment in the early days which may not have been fully accurate,' he said.

'We've made sure that it is our health authorities, following the highest procurement standards, that have made the procurement.'

The United Kingdom wasted $30 million on nearly two million antibody test kits found to be inaccurate.

On April 6, the British government admitted that none of the 17.5 million antibody tests it ordered worked well enough to be reliable.

The UK paid two Chinese companies just over $30 million for the kits.

'As simple as a pregnancy test,' Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at the time.

'It has the potential to be a total game changer.'

A spokesman for the UK's Department of Health and Social Care said it would try to recover the money from the Chinese companies.

It is not yet clear if Australia will also try to recoup some of the associated costs.

A healthcare worker (pictured) talks to a man at a pop-up clinic testing for the coronavirus disease at Bondi Beach on April 1
Asymmetrex Presents the Benefits of Stem Cell Counting for Stem-Gene Clinical Trial Supply If the FDA is starting to insist that that we have stem cell-specific dose for therapies, for clinical trials we are going to need it for supply as well.

On May 12, the director of stem cell biotechnology company Asymmetrex continued to demonstrate the reach of his companys tissue stem cell counting technology into all aspects of the stem cell regenerative medicine industry. Speaking online in Arena Internationals Clinical Trial Supply 2020 conference, James Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. outlined how achieving a more effective supply chain for stem-gene therapy clinical trials will require the industry to advance to certification of the stem cell-specific properties of transported cell and gene therapies. Because of disruptions caused by the current global COVID19 crisis, this years annual conference was organized as a virtual experience online.

Asymmetrexs AlphaSTEM Test technology is the first and only technology that can specifically quantity therapeutic tissue stem cells. The technology is applicable to therapies deploying either natural or genetically-engineered tissue stem cells. In his presentation, Sherley highlighted the prevalent misconception that therapeutic tissue stem cells can be counted by flow cytometry. Tissue stem cells cannot be counted by flow cytometry. Counting by flow cytometry requires biomarkers that specifically identify tissue stem cells. To date, despite years of attempts, such biomarkers have not been discovered.

In an earlier podcast series on Counting Stem Cells featured on the international stem cell industry networking platform RegMedNet, Sherley discussed the benefits of Asymmetrexs technology to stem-gene therapy patients by providing essential dose information for their treatments. In his clinical trial supply presentation, he related the importance of the same care in ensuring that the potency and quality of stem cell treatments are preserved during transport for supply of stem-gene clinical trials.

Sherley also alerted his clinical trial supply audience to recent developments on the FDA regulatory landscape that are likely to impact future supply practices for stem-gene clinical trials. If the FDA is starting to insist that that we have stem cell-specific dose for therapies, for clinical trials we are going to need it for supply as well. Sherley based this prediction on a recent industry document developed by the FDAs Standards Coordinating Bodys that identifies determination of unknown cell-specific doses as a needed standard for regenerative medicine.

About Asymmetrex

Asymmetrex, LLC is a Massachusetts life sciences company with a focus on developing technologies to advance stem cell medicine. Asymmetrexs founder and director, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert on the unique properties of adult tissue stem cells. The companys U.S. and U.K. patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems  production and quantification  that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing induced pluripotent stem cells for disease research purposes. Asymmetrex markets the first technology for determination of the dose and quality of tissue stem cell preparations (the AlphaSTEM Test) for use in stem cell transplantation therapies and pre-clinical drug evaluations. Asymmetrex is a member company of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute BioFabUSA and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.


Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 13.05.2020:

 Armenia has reported the highest single-day growth in COVID-19 cases.

A total of 180 new cases were recorded Wednesday, bringing the total number to 3,718. One new death has been reported as well.

While two more persons who were diagnosed with the coronavirus have died of other illnesses. There are now a total of 21 such cases in the country.

In the meantime, Artsakh health ministry noted that the total number of COVID-19 cases there is 20, eight of which have already recovered.

 Amid the current COVID-19-related developments in the country, the Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan noted they had a consultation this morning on what to do.

"Yes, we need to tighten the measures for leading a normal life under the conditions of the coronavirus," he said during his livestream. "If it turns out that wearing a mask in closed spaces shall be mandatory, then it shall be mandatory."

The government cant end the state of emergency in this stage, but the government needs to change its attitude towards the restrictions to a certain extent, he added.

 Manuel Manukyan, an activist of the protest against the high interest of Armenias credit organizations, was apprehended again on Wednesday.

While the action was going on, the police tried to appease its participants, urging them to stop the action during the state of emergency or to at least maintain a social distance.

The protests are being held for the third day. The protesters today handed over their latter to the CB leadership. During the rally yesterday, several people, including Manukyan, have also been apprehended.

In the meantime, while walking in Yerevan on Wednesday, the Armenian PM met some of the protesters and the PM said he would study their issue.

 Two officers have been detained in connection with the Armenian soldier's death. On May 10, Private Sasun Margaryan, a conscript, sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his chest at the area near the firing position of his military unit.

The investigation of the criminal case continues.

 The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has cut its 2020 economic growth forecasts for Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia as they are hit by the coronavirus crisis, but expects a recovery in the South Caucasus countries next year, Reuters reported.

For Armenia, the EBRD forecast the economy would shrink 3.5% in 2020 as a result of the combination of global uncertainty and falling demand due to the coronavirus crisis and volatility in commodity prices, but then expand by 5.5% in 2021.
The coronavirus cases neared the 8,000 mark in Delhi on Wednesday, while the city government revised the death toll to 106, following an audit prompted by a controversy over mismatch of figures given by it and hospitals.

The 20 deaths which have been added took place in April and May, the authorities said, days after the Delhi government was accused of under-reporting the fatalities but it had sought to blame the hospitals claiming they were not providing the death reports in a timely manner.

Notwithstanding the constant surge in cases, a large number of people, who responded to a call by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to give their suggestions on the situation post-May 17 when the third phase of the lockdown will end, favoured allowing more economic activities in Delhi, sources said.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi climbed to 7,998 after 359 fresh cases were reported, a bulletin by the Health Department said.

It said the 20 deaths reported took place in April and May as per case sheets received from hospitals and audited by the COVID-19 death committee.

After the controversy, the Delhi government had issued standard operating procedure (SOP) for hospitals and other health facilities in the city on reporting fatalities due to coronavirus. Of the deceased patients, 58 were aged 60 and above, accounting for over 54 per cent of the fatalities here. Twenty-eight of them were aged between 50-59 years and 20 were less than 50 years, the bulletin said.

Kejriwal had on Tuesday sought views from Delhiites on how to ease curbs after May 17, but said the lockdown cannot be completely lifted in view of the rising number of cases.

In response, more than 4.76 lakh WhatsApp messages, 39,000 calls and 10,700 emails were received till 5 Pm Wednesday, the Chief Minister's Office said.

A team has been formed to analyse these messages, sources said. They added that most people favoured allowing more economic activities in the national capital post May 17. However, the decision will be in accordance with the Centre's guidelines, the sources noted.

The responses have been received under various categories such as industrial and MSME operations, transportation, education, and day-to-day activities of the people such as commercial and non-commercial activities, a statement said.

Delhi has been under the lockdown since March 23. The transport department is also holding discussions to develop a protocol for safe public transport amid COVID-19 pandemic. A decision on resumption of full-fledged services will depend on Centre's guidelines, said a senior government functionary.

Meanwhile, three special Shramik trains carrying migrant workers left the national capital for Bhagalpur, Barauni and Darbhanga in Bihar.

Delhi's Labour Minister Gopal Rai said the AAP government will pay fares for all migrant workers. Separately, four trains from Mumbai, Ahemdabad, Patna and Howrah brought people stranded in different parts of the country to the national capital.

But many passengers carrying heavy luggage stood clueless outside the railway station for hours as there was no bus, cab or any other transport option available for onward journeys. "We can give you Rs 6,000 maximum if you take us to Roorkee (in Uttarakhand, a distance of about 200 km)," a man said to a driver who reached the station to pick up a family which had already booked his taxi.

Another man was seen asking a rickshaw-puller to take him to Anand Vihar. Ratnakar, a resident of Uttam Nagar, who had gone to his village in Bihar's Begusarai district, said he had no idea about suspension of public transport in Delhi.

His father, who is in his 60s, said if they start walking, they would reach home by evening. Why have they started running trains when there is no bus or metro available? We had no clue that there will be no public transport whatsoever in Delhi, he said.

In the evening, the Delhi Police said the stranded passengers can now avail DTC buses for their onward journey from the station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Railways) Harendra K Singh said they made elaborate arrangements in close coordination with railway authorities to ensure passengers experience no inconvenience while travelling, but at the same time follow the guidelines issued to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"For the passengers boarding trains, a dedicated corridor was made on the Paharganj side where people queued up, all wearing masks and maintaining social distance. After thermal scanning, they boarded the trains. Sanitiser dispensers were placed at prominent places for the passengers," Singh said.

After eight persons working in the New Delhi district magistrate's office were found coronavirus positive, the premises were sealed, officials said. Hardly five kilometres away, Rail Bhavan, the headquarters of the Indian Railways, was also shut after an RPF staffer tested positive.

With more than 100 of its personnel testing positive for COVID-19 so far, the Delhi Police said some hospitals have reserved beds for it for any emergency admissions as many in the force are deployed at "sensitive" locations like containment zones and quarantine centres.

Among those infected, 35 police personnel have recovered from the infection and resumed their duties, officials said.
Violence in parts of North-western Nigeria has forced an estimated 23,000 persons from the area to seek safety in neighbouring Niger Republic in one month, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has said.

The agency said the number of fleeing refugees from the region to Niger Republic has increased to more than 60,000 since the influx began in April last year.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported last year how 40,000 Nigerians had migrated to Niger as a result of killings and kidnap for ransom crises in Nigeria.

The UNHCR spokesperson, Babar Baloch, at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, on Wednesday, said since April 2019, 25 per cent of the refugees who fled from relentless attacks by armed groups came from Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina states of Nigeria.

The details of the briefing were made available via a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Baloch said many of them have sought refuge in Maradi, the second largest city in Niger.

He said as a result of insecurity at the border region in Nigeria, an additional 19,000 Niger nationals have become displaced inside their own country.

The official also said the humanitarian agency is concerned about the influx of the refugees, mainly desperate women and children, following the deteriorating security and attacks inside Nigerias Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states, also the risk of armed incursions spilling over into Niger.

He also raised concern over the non-precautionary measures taken at the borders to check the refugees despite border closures due to COVID-19.

An estimated 23,000 people sought safety and security in Niger last month (April), as a result of the ongoing violence in parts of north-western Nigeria. This takes the total number of refugees fleeing that part of Nigeria to take sanctuary in neighbouring Niger to more than 60,000 since the first influx, in April last year.

Since April 2019, people have fled relentless attacks by armed groups in the Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina states of Nigeria. Most found refuge in Nigers Maradi region.

Fearing and fleeing the same insecurity in the border areas, an additional 19,000 Niger nationals have become displaced inside their own country.

Many have also been caught up in the clashes reported being blamed on farmers and herders of different ethnic groups as well as vigilantism. Some 95 per cent of the refugees have come from Nigerias Sokoto state, rest from Kano, Zamfara and Katsina states. Mr Baloch said.

To address the violence, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) launched operation Tsaftan Daji (Clean Forest), to flush out the armed bandits in the North-West. The army also has an ongoing operation in the region.

Various state governments in the North-west, including those of Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina, are also negotiating with the armed bandits and have done prisoner swaps with them. The swaps have involved the release of arrested armed bandits in exchange for tens of persons kidnapped by the bandits.

President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the Nigerian Army to join the police to flush out bandits from forests around the country, particularly in Plateau and Sokoto states.

Relocation of Nigerian Refugees

Mr Baloch also said the UN is working closely with authorities in Niger to relocate at least 7,000 refugees to safety.

He added that the UNHCR would continue the biometric registration of refugees to better assess their social needs.

We are working closely with authorities in Niger to relocate at least 7,000 refugees to safety, in villages 20 kilometres away from the border, where water, food, shelter, access to health and other essential assistance can be provided. This will also enable to ease the pressure on host communities in border areas, where basic infrastructure and services are lacking.

UNHCR needs to continue biometric registration of refugees to better assess their needs and lead the humanitarian response. Discussions are also ongoing with the authorities to recognize on a prima facie basis the refugees fleeing Nigeria and arriving in the region.

Violence far from Lake Chad crisis

The UN said the violence in the region is not directly linked to armed groups operating in the Lake Chad and in the Sahel.

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It, however, added Maradi to other areas in Niger struggling with insecurity, including in Diffa, Tillaberi and Tahoua, a situation it said was further straining humanitarian actors financial resources and their capacity to respond.

PREMIUM TIMES had also reported that a London-based research group, Conflict Armament Research (CAR), in January revealed arms used in the farmers/herders conflict in North-West Nigeria came from the same source as those used by the terror group, Al Qaeda, in Mali and other Sahel countries.
Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy have opened up about their fight while shooting action classic "Mad Max: Fury Road", which they say was partly fuelled by the challenging production in Namibian desert and their inability to understand director George Miller's vision.

In The New York Times' oral history of the 2015 movie, the cast and crew revealed details about what went on behind-the-scenes of the movie.

Theron told the newspaper that they were functioning like their characters in the post-apocalyptic thriller where everything was about survival.

"In retrospect, I didn't have enough empathy to really, truly understand what he must have felt like to step into Mel Gibson's shoes. That is frightening! And I think because of my own fear, we were putting up walls to protect ourselves instead of saying to each other, This is scary for you, and it's scary for me, too. Let's be nice to each other.' In a weird way, we were functioning like our characters: Everything was about survival, she said.

The actor said the entire production was driven by fear.

"I was incredibly scared, because I'd never done anything like it. I think the hardest thing between me and George is that he had the movie in his head and I was so desperate to understand it, she added.

Hardy told The Times that he agreed with Theron and the pressure on both of them was "overwhelming at times.

I think in hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times. What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced, partner in me. That's something that can't be faked. I'd like to think that now that I'm older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion, he said.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who starred in Fury Road as one of Immortan Joe's wives, said Theron and Hardy's personalities clashed on set because they have completely different approaches to their craft.

Zoe Kravitz, however, said seeing Hardy clash with the director was a "bummer".

She said she observed both actors having moments of anger, but that it was Hardy who really took it out on George the most, and that was a bummer to see.

In some ways, you also can't blame him, because a lot was being asked of these actors and there were a lot of unanswered questions," she added.

Like actors, the production and the tension on the set took a toll on Miller.

Fury Road editor Margaret Sixel, who is also Miller's wife, said, I was worried about George. You wouldn't even know the half of it, let me tell you. You should have seen him by the end of the shoot, he was so thin.

Miller, who pulled the movie out from a development hell of over a decade while dealing with the challenges of shooting the film in a rough terrain without the help of a green screen while also dealing with the studio politics, admitted that he should have probably given more attention to the process of the actors.

Hardy had famously apologised to the director during a press conference at Cannes where the film premiered to glowing reviews in 2015.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Emerging evidence indicates reopening schools is among the safest things that can be done in the next few months, the Taoiseach has said.

Leo Varadkar also suggested children may be allowed to meet and hug their grandparents again during the summer.

His comments came as the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said children were not substantially contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in their households or in schools.

But Irelands chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan struck a note of caution later on Wednesday, stressing not enough studies had been conducted to conclude for certain that children do not transmit the disease.

Read our evidence summary on the potential for children to contribute to transmission of SARS-CoV-2. https://t.co/lMo8kZCQgB #COVID19  HIQA (@HIQA) May 13, 2020

He said he did not anticipate any imminent change on the National Public Health Emergency Teams advice that schools should not reopen until September.

Earlier, Hiqa published summaries investigating the international evidence on immunity and the spread of the virus by children.

It said that, while evidence was limited, children were not significant contributors to the spread.

Mr Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris spoke with Dr Mike Ryan of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday about the issue.

Speaking in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said the emerging evidence is that among the safest things that we can do over the next couple of months is to reopen our schools, to reopen our childcare facilities to allow children to return to education and return to normal life.

Schools and childcare facilities have been closed since March but the Taoiseach hinted they could open ahead of schedule in light of the new evidence.

A message from @DrMikeRyan of the World Health Organisation after the Taoiseach, the Chief Medical Officer and myself met with him today. Worth a listen #Covid19 https://t.co/II4rLOdKbl  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 13, 2020

I think it wouldnt be a good reflection on us, as a society, for us to be the last people who are able to reopen our schools and reopen our childcare facilities, he said.

We need to make sure we do it safely and work with the education sector and the childcare sector to make sure that its possible, but it is encouraging that there is growing evidence that those who are at least risk from the virus are children, young people  they dont appear to be super-spreaders, and I think that is very significant.

Dr Holohan was asked about the Taoiseachs comments at his daily Covid-19 briefing on Wednesday evening.

He said in broad terms he would not disagree with Mr Varadkar.

But he insisted further studies were needed before definitive conclusions could be drawn.

Those that have looked at this question havent identified significant patterns of transmission among children, he said.

Its an entirely different thing to conclude in policy terms that we have enough evidence to say that transmission from children doesnt occur, but as yet it hasnt been identified as a significant thing in the small numbers of studies that have been done.

He added: Im not anticipating at this moment in time any changes in relation to schools and the advice that will give in relation to that.

Expand Close Dr Tony Holohan said more research was needed before it could be concluded that children do not present a significant transmission risk (Leon Farrell/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dr Tony Holohan said more research was needed before it could be concluded that children do not present a significant transmission risk (Leon Farrell/PA)

Dr Holohan concluded: We think theres good reason to believe that maybe children dont have as significant an experience of this disease when it occurs, but the world and the scientific community isnt ready to conclude that transmission involving children doesnt happen.

Commenting on the report, Hiqa deputy chief executive Dr Mairin Ryan said: One study suggests that, while there is high transmission of Covid-19 among adults aged 25 years or older, transmission is lower in younger people, particularly in those under 14 years of age.

An Australian study that examined potential spread from 18 confirmed (nine students and nine staff) cases to over 800 close contacts in 15 different schools found that no teacher or staff member contracted Covid-19 from any of the initial school cases.

One child from a primary school and one child from a high school may have contracted Covid-19 from the initial cases at their schools.

When asked if grandparents would be able to visit their grandchildren this summer, Mr Varadkar said: I think those things, assuming everything else goes in the right direction, will be possible over the course of the summer, but wont be among the actions being announced for Monday.

Everybody wants grandparents to be able to hug their grandchildren again.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  A draft state plan offering guidelines on how Ohio schools can safely reopen this fall envisions daily at-home temperature checks, hand-sanitizing stations, and required face masks for students and teachers, among other safety measures.

Desks would be spaced at least six feet apart, high-touch surfaces like door handles and hand-rails would be sanitized regularly and visitors would be limited or prohibited under the plan, which state officials may change as the months go on.

As written, most the plan is framed as a starting point for school districts, leaving educational and logistical decisions up to local decision makers. However, the extensive safety recommendations in the report to prevent coronavirus outbreaks are framed more as requirements, and not suggestions.

The plan was written by Ohio Department of Education staff with input from teachers and administrators, policy advocates and community groups, and the state health department and governors office. Cleveland.com obtained a copy on Wednesday via a public-records request.

(Scroll down to read the plan in full.)

Its only a draft, state officials said, and could change as time goes on. Its not even a sure thing schools will re-open in the fall, although Gov. Mike DeWine has said thats the goal.

Mandy Minick, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Education, said the plan is the work product of a broad network of representatives from the health and education communities working to consider ways schools might move forward in the fall.

Certainly, the group will continue to work together over the coming months and consider relevant new information as it becomes available, she said.

Unlike the current statewide closures, the plan lays out how schools might shutter an individual school in response to an outbreak. This is in line with DeWines current approach, which is transitioning toward attempting to manage the virus while resuming a semblance of normalcy.

As Ohio develops the capabilities to safely diagnose, treat, and isolate COVID-19 cases and their contacts, we will enter the recovery phase of the pandemic and begin to resume some activities, including schools, with a phased-in approach over time, the plan reads. This will lead to some new COVID-19 infections, which is to be expected. The goal is to keep the number of COVID-19 cases below the hospital/health systems capacity to handle them.

Staff exposed to someone with COVID-19 would be required to self-quarantine at home for 14 days, as would anyone who returns from an out-of-of-state trip. Someone with a confirmed or presumed COVID-19 diagnoses would have to wait 72 hours after symptoms have resolved, plus test negative for the disease twice before returning to school.

Schools with outbreaks  as deemed by local or state health officials  would observe more strict measures. This would include closing playgrounds, limiting groups to 10 or under, and requiring on-site temperature checks. Kids could be sent home for online classes.

The report also outlines suggestions for local school boards to consider, like reducing classroom sizes by scheduling different groups of students to come to school buildings only on certain days. Teachers, not students, might consider switching classrooms during period changes.

Cafeterias could be closed favor of eating at desks. Field trips could be on hiatus. After evaluating where students are academically, local school officials might consider having teachers loop," or work with the same students for more than one year, since they know the students best and could better assess their progress. Some districts might consider summer classes.

DeWine has said his administrations goal is to allow students to return to school in August. Hes previously shared the idea about rotating students in cohorts, with students going to the classroom two days a week and learning online for the other three.

I think everyone would like to see schools back in session in August, DeWine said last week. How could they exist in the world where the coronavirus is still here? How could they get the social distancing? Its very difficult."

Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the plan likely will be completed sometime next week.

He said his members have concerns for their health. While children are not believed to at great risk for illness from COVID-19, theyre believed to be able to transmit it to others. Many Ohio teachers are older or have underlying health conditions that make them more likely to become seriously ill.

Keeping teachers and students safe, while continuing to offer at-home learning, will require greater resources, he said. On the other hand, DeWine recently announced $300 million in state funding cuts to local schools.

He said the situation poses challenges for school administrators and teachers trying to figure out how to safely re-open schools.

Its coming at the worst possible time, because we actually need more resources, not fewer resources, to address these equity issues and make modifications to keep schools safe, DiMauro said.

He also said schools as built arent designed to allow for students to be spaced out. Reconfiguring them could take radical changes, which also would require additional resources, he said.

Where it gets complicated is its not a remote plan, its not a school plan, its a half-way approach, where some kids are at school, some are at home, and some teachers are at school, and some teachers are at home, he said. Thats where you have to bargain.

Dr. Scott Frank, a public health professor at Case Western Reserve University and former medical director for the Shaker Heights Local School District, said he likes the safety ideas in the plan.

That includes staggering classes to limit the number of students in the hallway at any given time, and offering space for students with fevers to wait in isolation until their parents can come pick them up.

Something Frank recommends is requiring each school to have a nurse who can triage students with symptoms, test them for COVID-19 if needed and then communicate with parents afterward. He said thats the most cost effective thing any district could do.

But any level of planning, he said, is likely to face challenges when it confronts reality, especially when children are involved. He said he can envision individual schools or school districts closing as they deal with outbreaks.

I think theyve made a real effort to look at the complexity of the issue, he said. Sometimes though, complexity simply overwhelms policy efforts. And I think thats likely to be the case for COVID this fall in schools.

Will Schwartz, a lobbyist for the Ohio School Board Association, said in an email his organization and others continue to be involved with developing the plan.

We continue to share our members concerns on return-to-school with ODE, and we continue to advocate for local control and flexibility as districts enter this uncharted territory, he said. Our members are ultimately seeking flexibility, as well as guidance that is permissive and helpful to districts. Superintendent DeMaria and his staff have been great and effective partners in working with stakeholders to develop this draft plan.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with 11 suggestions to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

In her letter, she said that Uttar Pradesh government should not seek any interest on home loans, and demanded waiver of tubewell and power bills of farmers for four months.

In her further focus on states farmers, Priyanka Gandhi said that they should be given guarantee that their entire produce will be bought. She also demanded full payment of all pending dues to farmers.

The Congress general secretary also sought relief for small and medium industries in the state.

Weavers and carpet makers were also mentioned in Priyanka Gandhis letter as she demanded financial relief and loan waiver for them.

Congress leader Jitin Prasada said on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh has utterly failed in helping the people. All power has been concentrated in the hands of the government, there is no voice through which you can reach the officials and people are helpless as to where to go, the former Union minister had said.

Prasad said that he has been telling Congress workers that the priority is that the lockdown has been on for two months now and as it is being eased it is important to strongly raise law and order issues and concerns of farmers like procurement of wheat.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has taken a historic decision on behalf of the party to pay for the rail ticket of migrant labourers and now it is the responsibility of all Congress workers to ensure that no one in need is left out, he said.

Priyanka Gandhi had earlier alleged laxity in the procurement of wheat in Uttar Pradesh, saying that the farmers are forced to wait for three days to get their produce sold in the mandis. In UP the procurement of wheat is not done in pace as the farmers have to queue up for 3 days to sell their produce. There is no one to hear their grievances. The government had been alerted much before, but it did not act, she had tweeted on Monday.
Ukraine is interested in maintaining trade and economic relations with the United Kingdom and, given its withdrawal from the EU, hopes to sign an agreement on political cooperation, free trade, and partnership in the near future.

This was discussed at the meeting between Minister Ihor Petrashko and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Ukraine, Melinda Simmons the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade, and Agriculture of Ukraine informs.

"In 2019, the United Kingdom invested more than $2 billion in Ukraine's economy and entered top-3 major countries - investors in our country. We are interested in maintaining the current level of trade and economic relations and, given the UK's withdrawal from the EU, we hope that an Agreement on Political Cooperation, Free Trade, and Partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be signed in the near future," the Ukrainian minister said.

He added that the new agreement would guarantee a smooth supply chain contributing to food security in both countries.

The parties discussed promising areas of cooperation, in particular, in the field of agro-industrial complex, energy efficient technologies, increasing exports of Ukrainian agricultural and metallurgical products, implementation of bilateral investment projects.

The attraction of British experience in the development of public-private partnership instruments and attraction of foreign direct investment was also touched upon.

As reported, for two months of 2020, the UK-Ukraine bilateral trade turnover reached USD 219.3 million dollars, up 1.2% compared to the corresponding period of 2019. At the same time, exports of goods from Ukraine to the United Kingdom amounted to USD 109.2 million dollars and increased by 18.6%; imports of British goods to Ukraine totalled USD 110.1 million and decreased by 11.6%.

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The Countess of Wessex has continued her volunteering efforts by packing food parcels for healthcare staff and meeting nurses and midwives on International Nurses Day.

Sophie, 55, joined the group Nourish our Nurses, which is delivering meals to NHS workers, before meeting staff at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey.

It comes after the Queen's daughter-in-law took part in calls to nurses around the world with the Duchess of Cambridge to mark the day, as the royal family joined forces in a coordinated show of mass support.

The Countess of Wessex (pictured) has continued her volunteering efforts by packing food parcels for healthcare staff and meeting nurses and midwives on International Nurses Day

Sophie, 55, joined the group Nourish our Nurses (pictured), which is delivering meals to NHS workers, before meeting staff at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey

Sophie was out and about helping the team of 16 volunteers packing and delivering 200 bags to St Peter's, and was wearing gloves as she carried large plastic bags of fruit and vegetables.

The countess also placed golden envelopes with extra treats in some of the parcels, including vouchers for afternoon tea and beauty treatments.

She met nurses and midwives from wards across the Trust, including those from critical care, after delivering the food, standing apart from the staff to socially distance.

Sophie was out and about helping the team of 16 volunteers packing and delivering 200 bags to St Peter's, and was shown wearing gloves as she carried large plastic bags of fruit and vegetables (pictured)

Nourish our Nurses was founded by Jo-Ann Airikkala, who was inspired to start the scheme after learning of a friend's experience as a nurse in Edinburgh.

'Seeing the panic buying and empty supermarket shelves really got me thinking about our frontline NHS heroes,' Ms Airikkala said.

'Those working flat out to care for patients deserve to be looked after and provided with the ingredients for a healthy, hearty meal.'

Meanwhile, the Countess of Wessex and Kate Middleton joined together to phone hospitals in seven different countries around the world for International Nurses Day yesterday

Andy Field, chairman at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, thanked Sophie for helping out.

'It was a real treat for some of our hard-working nurses and midwives to meet the countess and receive their food bags and golden envelopes,' he said.

Elsewhere, the Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie joined together to speak to nurses in seven different commonwealth countries, including Australia, India, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Bahamas, Cyprus and the UK.

Members of the royal family (pictured) paid tribute to the work of healthcare professionals around the world as they celebrated International Nurses' Day

While speaking with nurses in Cyprus and hearing one of their ex-partners was a school teacher, Sophie joked she would be 'recruited' for Kate's homeschooling efforts, while the Duchess added: 'I would quite like her to come and help me with homeschooling.'

They spoke to nurses via video call, with the chats being facilitated by Nursing Now, a global campaign to improve health by raising the status and profile of nursing of which The Duchess is Patron.

Kate swept her hair into a relaxed half-updo, adding a touch of glamour with a set of drop earrings.

The royal opted for a stunning midi-dress by French designer Joseph Altuzarra which she first wore in 2016 as she made the video call.

Meanwhile Sophie selected a forest green blouse and a set of gold hoop earrings as she joined Kate on the virtual visit.
From Good Housekeeping

The royal family marked International Nurses Day on Tuesday (12 May) by thanking NHS healthcare workers for their hard work in a series of phone and video calls throughout the day  and sharing snippets of their conversations in a lovely clip on Instagram.

The four-minute video  featuring not only Her Majesty the Queen, but Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex  was shared on the @KensingtonRoyal Instagram account, alongside a simple message of thanks in the caption: "From The Queen and The Royal Family this #InternationalNursesDay: Thank you."

The video begins with the words of the Queen, who can be heard acknowledging how hard nurses have been working during the current coronavirus pandemic.

Prince Charles then speaks directly to the camera, saying: "On this International Nurses Day, my family and I want to join in the chorus of thank yous to nursing and midwifery staff all over the country, and indeed the world."

The remaining royals, including Camilla, Princess Anne and the Duchess of Cambridge, then say their thanks straight to camera, before a series of moments from their various conversations with nursing staff across the globe are shared.

Photo credit: @KensingtonRoyal

For their conversations, Kate and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, teamed up on joint video calls, speaking to nursing staff in Australia, India, Malawi, Cyprus and the Bahamas, as well as in the UK.

"It's amazing that you're able to still continue the support and the care that you would normally provide, even under these circumstances," Kate says to nursing staff in India.

At one point, Kate and Sophie joke about the pressures of homeschooling their kids, telling one healthcare worker in Cyprus that they would appreciate the help of his school teacher partner right now...

Photo credit: @KensingtonRoyal

"I would like her to come and help me out with homeschooling!" joked Kate, as Sophie laughed along with her.

Story continues

The royals spoke to nursing staff across the UK, including in London and Aberdeen, thanking them for all of their hard work and asking them how they're coping.

The video finished with a final message of gratitude from Prince Charles, who said: "Thank you so much for the diligence, the courage that you have shown."

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Photo credit: Hearst Owned

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ALBANY  Judges will return to courthouses in 30 upstate counties next week, including Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie counties in the greater Capital Region on Monday.

Top state court officials announced the plans late Wednesday, part of a gradual return to function for a court system that has been operating virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The judges will return as will their chambers staff, designated clerks and support staff, Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and the court systems chief administrative judge, Lawrence Marks, said.

Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie counties are among 23 counties with judges returning on Monday. The other counties include Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates, Herkimer, Oneida and Otsego, officials said.

On Wednesday, judges will return to Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, officials said.

New cases can be filed in those counties electronically.

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

Court officials said the return in the 30 counties is a template for the return of judges and staff elsewhere in the state. They said social distancing and other measures to reduce courthouse traffic will be enforced.

Non-employee visitors to the courts will be required to wear masks and be screened for COVID-19 before entering the courthouses. Staff members who interact with visitors also must wear a mask. The masks will be made available for people who need them, and hand sanitizer dispensers will available throughout the courthouses. Acrylic barriers and others features will be installed, officials said.

As we enter this first phase of our return to our courthouses, we will move carefully and steadily, Marks said in a statement. We will regularly review our safety and other practices, adapting our protocols and facilities as needed, as we strive to serve the justice needs of New Yorkers while balancing the safety of all those who work in and visit our courthouses.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a press conference at Rideau Cottage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Justin Trudeau says it's still too early for Canada to confront the challenges that will come with reopening the shared border with the United States.

The prime minister says with the ban still in effect for another week, he's not ready to announce an extension just yet.

A source familiar with the ongoing discussions between the two countries tells The Canadian Press that Canada has requested another 30-day extension to the current ban on non-essential travel.

The source, who isn't authorized to share details of the talks publicly, says it will likely be several days before the U.S. formally agrees to the request to extend the arrangement to June 21.

Trudeau has said that with regions on both sides of the border slowly returning to life, Canada will need to deploy additional resources to deal with a likely increase in arrivals from the U.S., regardless of the status of the travel ban.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, says Canada will need to proceed with "extreme caution" when the time comes to ease the restrictions, given the severity of the outbreak south of the border.




South Korea on Tuesday sent 500,000 face masks to help Korean War veterans in the United States fight COVID-19, the South Korean Embassy here said.







The masks arrived aboard a South Korean Air Force aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and officials from both sides were present to receive the cargo.







The gift is a sign of "the deep and ongoing respect our two nations have for each other that we cemented nearly 70 years ago in a time of war and great crisis," U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a statement released by his department.







"So many years later, we are joined in another just and noble cause of containing a pandemic that threatens our citizens' lives and livelihoods and poses a grave threat to the Veterans we have both pledged to protect," he said.







South Korean Veterans Affairs Minister Park Sam-deuk said in a statement that the masks symbolize the South Korean people's gratitude to the American veterans for their sacrifice.







U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted his thanks.







"As an Army veteran, nothing delights me more than seeing fellow vets helping each other out," he wrote. "The United States sends its gratitude to this group in South Korea for your kind donation and generosity. #WeAreInThisTogether"







The donation is part of the 1 million masks South Korea's veterans affairs ministry is providing to all 22 countries that fought with South Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War.







The project marks the 70th anniversary of the conflict, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap)


From left are Kim Youn-young, President of Yong Su San, Italian Ambassador Federico Failla, Sin Wah Wong, the ambassador's spouse, and Lee Young-hye, President of Design House. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institution (CICI)



By Dong Sun-hwa



Lee Young-hye, president and CEO of media company Design House, discussed the A-to-Z of the Korean design industry during her lecture on Tuesday at the firm's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul.



Lee founded Design House in 1976, when the concept of "design" was unfamiliar to most people in Korea. She has blazed a trail in the field by producing numerous design-focused publications such as "Monthly Design."





From left are Lee Young-hye, Crystal Park, interpreter and professor at HUFS, Sin Wah Wong, Federico Failla and Didier Beltoise, President of Cs. Courtesy of CICI
tonefotografia/iStockBy GIO BENITEZ, AMANDA MAILE and MINA KAJI, ABC News



(NEW YORK) -- As more passengers voice frustration with U.S. airlines over rejected refund claims amid the coronavirus pandemic, Democratic lawmakers are introducing legislation that would hold major U.S. airlines legally responsible for giving customers refunds, even if their flight was not canceled.



The Department of Transportation (DOT) reported it has received more than 25,000 travel service complaints over the last two months, "many of which concern refunds." The department said that pre-pandemic it typically received around 1,500 complaints and inquiries per month.



On Tuesday, the DOT issued its second warning to airlines related to refunds, asking them "to revisit their customer service policies and ensure they are as flexible and considerate as possible to the needs of passengers who face financial hardship during this time." The DOT said airlines are required to provide a refund to travelers if their flight is canceled or significantly changed by the airline, but not if passengers individually cancel their ticket.



The Cash Refunds for Coronavirus Cancellations Act, spearheaded by Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., would require the airline to "promptly offer a full cash refund for cancelled tickets" if either the airline or the passenger canceled the trip.



Markey will formally introduce the legislation Wednesday along with co-sponsors Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Murphy and Kamala Harris.



People are desperate, people need money, people are out of work, people are worried about taking care of their families, Sen. Markey told ABC News.



The legislation would also require airlines to issue retroactive refunds dating all the way back to March 1.



"By March 1, it was clear that we were in a pandemic, Markey said. "The federal government has given billions of dollars to the airlines to keep them afloat, to bail them out. Well, the airline should bail out these passengers and give them back their money as well so that they can use it to take care of their families.



Markey said he would tie refund requirements to the next stimulus bill if necessary.



"I'm going to fight until we ultimately get this money back for passengers," Markey said. "We cannot have the airlines tipping passengers upside down and shaking money out of these passengers' pockets when they need it desperately for their own families.



If passed, the new policies would be in effect 180 days after both the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration and presidential emergency declaration expires.



Passengers have sued major U.S. airlines such as United and Southwest over rejected ticket refund claims.



In an attempt to weather the crisis, the airline industry has taken unprecedented measures such as slashing flights, cutting executive pay, offering employees unpaid leave and parking hundreds of aircraft.



Last week Nick Calio, CEO of Airlines for America, which represents the major U.S. airlines, told lawmakers during a Senate Commerce hearing that refunds are exceeding revenues.



"You can insist that everybody gets a refund who canceled the flight themselves instead of a voucher," Calio said. "Or you can drive the companies towards bankruptcy, which would happen very quickly at the rate things are going in terms of the revenue coming in and the refunds.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Myanmar & COVID-19 Yangon Extends Lockdown Measures for Myanmars COVID-19 Hotspots

A resident disinfects his neighborhood in Yangons Botahtaung Township while under semi-lockdown. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

YANGONIn the latest move to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the city, Yangon has extended a partial lockdown for 10 townships where a total of 113, or 78 percent, of the citys 145 reported coronavirus cases have been found.

Local authorities announced the extension on Tuesday night and said the lockdown will remain in effect until further notice. The townships covered under the partial lockdown are South Okkalapa, Pabedan, Bahan, Mayangone, Insein, Shwepyithar, Hlaing Tharyar, Tamwe, Mingaladon and Botahtaung.

According to the Ministry of Health and Sports, the partial lockdown requires residents to stay at home except for going to work and allows only one person per household to leave the house at a time to buy food and essential supplies. The lockdown also allows only two people to leave the house together to visit a clinic or hospital for necessary medical care. If residents must leave their homes for any reason, they must seek permission from their ward administrator.

No one is allowed to travel in or out of the townships except for when going to work.

The restrictive measures were imposed in seven of the townships on April 18 and in the remaining three on April 24.

Yangon regional lawmaker U Wai Phyo Han of Insein Township said that the semi-lockdown is aimed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the regions hotspots where large numbers of cases of the disease have been found.

A resident from Insein Township told The Irrawaddy that the measures were implemented in his township for only the first few weeks of the semi-lockdown, during which authorities monitored all entries and exits from the township.

He said that now many people are resuming normal activities and some are going outside in large groups without wearing masks. However, he added that shops and restaurants in the township are still selling food and drinks for takeaway only.

Insein has the most confirmed cases of COVID-19 of any township in Yangon.

On Wednesday, a We Love Insein volunteer group launched a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of wearing masks when outside and other preventive guidelines. The group distributed 13,000 masks at markets in the township.

The Yangon government has announced that starting Wednesday, those who fail to wear masks when outside or who gather in groups of more than four will face legal action.

During a teleconference on Tuesday, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also said that those who go outside with their faces uncovered, especially in markets, should be fined in order to help them get in the habit of wearing masks.

Some people dont even wear a mask, she said. Some put the mask on their lower jaw. We have to issue fines to them as a penalty and to make it become a habit, she said.

The State Counselor has been encouraging citizens to wear face maskswhether surgical masks or cloth maskswhen going outdoors to curb the spread of the virus.
Maharashtra Police have so far issued more than 3.47 lakh e-travel passes for people involved in emergency and essential services during the lockdown, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

During the lockdown, people who need to travel from one district to another or to other states in case of an emergency need to apply for a pass from the police department. "Police issued 3,47,522 passes during the period of lockdown," Deshmukh said.

Since the lockdown came into force, police have registered 1,05,532 offences under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and arrested over 20,000 people so far, Deshmukh said.

The police also recovered fine worth Rs 4.05 crore for various offences, he said. So far, there have been 214 incidents of assault on police, for which 764 people have been taken into custody, the minister said.

Besides, the police handled 90,555 calls received at various districts and city control rooms, he said. While being at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19, several police personnel also contracted the infection, he said.

So far, 709 police personnel and 84 officers are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the state, the minister said.

Besides, at least eight police personnel died of the disease in the state, including five from Mumbai Police force, and one each from Pune, Solapur city and Nashik Rural, he said.

The minister also informed that at least 2,97,282 people have been quarantined across the state to contain the spread of COVID-19. He appealed to people not to spread rumours and maintain social distancing.
Hoa Sen University in HCM City has launched an art contest for high school students. Photo courtesy of the university

HCM CITY Hoa Sen University in HCM City launched an art contest for high school students in the city and its neighbouring provinces.

Contestants can submit paintings, fashion, graphic or interior design work, posters, communication or music scripts, and others.

They will describe themselves, their passions and aspirations for a career in one of four fields: fashion, interior and graphic design and communications production.

Entries can be submitted until May 31. The five best will qualify for the final round to be held on June 21 at the university.

The organisers said the contest aims to inspire a passion for art in children. VNS
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 02:21:08|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested Wednesday that China and Sri Lanka, while ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control, gradually resume practical cooperation in various fields, advance major cooperation projects in an orderly manner and promote the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road.

Xi made the remarks in a telephone conversation in the night with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, adding that such efforts will provide impetus for Sri Lanka's economic recovery.

Xi recalled that various sections of Sri Lankan society offered China active support at a critical moment in China's fight against the coronavirus disease, with many moves particularly heart-warming and touching.

He noted that under Gotabaya's strong leadership, Sri Lanka has effectively contained the spread of the epidemic, adding that China stands ready to continue to provide firm support and as much assistance as its capacity allows for the South Asian country in line with its needs.

The Chinese president expressed his confidence that the people of Sri Lanka will certainly defeat the epidemic at an early date.

Xi thanked the Sri Lankan government and people for taking care of Chinese citizens in their country during the pandemic, and said the Chinese side will continue to ensure the safety and health of Sri Lankan citizens on its soil.

China, he added, is willing to work with Sri Lanka and the broader international community to continue to support the World Health Organization (WHO) in playing a leading role, promote global cooperation on joint COVID-19 prevention and control, and win the battle for the safety and health of all people across the world.

China and Sri Lanka are strategic cooperation partners that enjoy sincere mutual help and an everlasting friendship, said Xi, adding that their friendly ties and mutual trust have withstood various tests and been uplifted once again in the joint fight against the pandemic.

For his part, Gotabaya said that under Xi's strong leadership, China's fight against COVID-19 has made remarkable achievements, and the Chinese people have demonstrated extraordinary wisdom and strength.

Noting that Sri Lanka and China enjoy a long-running friendship with cooperation in various fields advancing smoothly, he said China has over the years provided tremendous valuable support and help for his country's economic and social development, for which the Sri Lankans are deeply grateful.

The Sri Lankan president added that he appreciates the vision put forward by Xi of building a community with a shared future for mankind and agrees on supporting the WHO in playing a leading role in global anti-epidemic cooperation.

Sri Lanka is willing to work with China to enhance exchanges and cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, tourism and infrastructure, and smoothly push forward major Belt and Road cooperation projects such as Colombo Port City, he said, adding that his country welcomes more investment from and cooperation with Chinese enterprises.

The Sri Lanka side, he added, stands ready to work with China to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Burma Five Civilians Injured by Shelling in Muslim Villages in Rakhine

The road to Kyauktaw near Kissapanadi Bridge in Rakhine State. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

SITTWE, Rakhine StateFive civilians were injured by shelling in two Muslim villages in Rakhine States Kyauktaw Township on Monday evening.

Two women and a 16-year-old teenager from Pike The Village and two men from Let Saung Kauk Village were injured when artillery shells landed in their villages, according to local residents.

A Mawlawi [Muslim religious scholar] and a school teacher were injured when the artillery shells hit our village at around 5 p.m. on Monday, U Maung Phyu, a lower-ranking village administrator of Let Saung Kauk Village, told The Irrawaddy.

Two women and a young man were also injured in Pike The Village. I didnt see the shelling, but villagers said government troops fired from Kissapanadi Bridge [over the Kaladan River], he added.

According to residents living near Kissapanadi Bridge, Myanmar military soldiers fired artillery after an explosion was heard while a military truck drove over the bridge.

The two civilians from Let Saung Kauk Village were seriously injured and were transferred from a local hospital to Sittwe Hospital, according to villagers.

The two Muslim villages are located to the West of the Kaladan River.

Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun claimed that the Arakan Army (AA) attacked Myanmar military troops with remote-detonated mines near Kissapanadi Bridge while they were transporting medical supplies for COVID-19 prevention.

There was no clash around Kyauktaw on Monday. Pike The Village is close to Kissapanadi Bridge. We transported COVID-19 medical supplies to Kyauktaw Public Hospital and Kan Kyi Shin Pagoda. As the medical and security troops returned, the AA attacked them with two remote-detonated mines to the west of the bridge, the military spokesperson told The Irrawaddy. He added that there were no injuries from the mine blasts.

Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun did not, however, respond to the allegations of shelling in civilian areas.

Last Friday, a primary school teacher and a girl were injured when an artillery shell hit Taung Bwe Village, also in Kyauktaw Township. On April 3, three civilians were injured in a shooting around Kisspanadi Bridge, near the entrance to Kyauktaw.

On April 1, five civilians were killed and seven were injured in shelling and shooting in urban areas of Kyauktaw. On Feb. 3, a woman was killed and three men were injured when artillery shells hit residential wards in Kyauktaw.

On Dec. 28 of last year, four civilians were injured during fighting between the Myanmar military and the AA at the entrance of Kyauktaw. On Dec. 6, a 3rd grade student died and a Muslim woman was injured during shooting between the two sides in urban Kyauktaw.

The clashes between the Myanmar military and the AA in northern Rakhine State have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes since November 2018.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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A home health aide charged with killing a patient in Elizabeth last month was taken to a hospital with 25 superficial stab wounds after police found her at the crime scene, a court complaint in the case says.

Myrlande Dornelus, 41, called the police at approximately 1:50 p.m. on April 13 to report that a fight had broken out between her and her patient, Anna Pollard. Police were met by the health aide in a blood-stained dress when they arrived to the apartment on the 200 block of Front Street, authorities wrote in the affidavit.

Pollard, 62, was found in the living room with multiple stab wounds and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. The Union County Prosecutors Office did not announce her death until Monday, three days after Dornelus was arrested and charged.

Dornelus now faces a murder charge.

Dornelus told police when they arrived at the home that Pollard had attacked her with a knife. She wrestled with Pollard and stabbed her, according to the court complaint.

A post-mortem examination showed Pollard had stab wounds to her stomach, liver, aorta artery and a collapsed lung. A doctor also told authorities that Pollard had defensive wounds on her hands, the complaint said.

Dornelus was taken to University Hospital in Newark to be treated for her injuries. Her stab wounds were mostly on her chest and one on her right thigh, authorities said.

When hospital staff was asked if there were any cuts on her arms or hands to see if she had any signs of defensive wounds, authorities wrote in the court document. They stated there were none.

Authorities photographed Dornelus injuries three days after the stabbing. They documented scratches to her right arm, a cut to the palm of her left hand, as well as the wounds to her chest and thigh.

She was then apparently freed. Investigators arrested her this past Friday, May 8, and charged her with murder and related weapons charges

Dornelus has been a New Jersey-certified home health aide since 2007. State records show her license is active and she had no disciplinary actions since 2010, the year records are available online.

She was being held at the Union County jail over the weekend and moved to the Essex County jail, records show. Dornelus is scheduled to make a first court appearance on Wednesday.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

No cases of infection with coronavirus have been detected among the representatives of the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions abroad, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said.

Abdullayeva made the remark at the briefing in the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on May 13.

The representatives of the Azerbaijani diplomatic services abroad strictly comply with the rules of the quarantine regime, the spokesperson said.

"We are glad that so far, no information on the coronavirus infection of any representative of the Azerbaijani diplomatic services located abroad or the family members has been received, Abdullayeva said. None of them returned to Azerbaijan over the past period."

The spokesperson added that there are no coronavirus infected people among the representatives of the diplomatic services of other countries in Azerbaijan.
Micheal Martin has come under increased pressure from his party members, councillors and TDs to halt government formation talks with Fine Gael.

John McGuinness, Fianna Fail TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, who has often been at odds with his party leader, said on RTE's Today programme with Sarah McInerney, that he would like to see his party in government with Sinn Fein.

He said there was a consensus within membership of the party and their elected TDs that they should speak to Sinn Fein.

"We have three medium parties now in the Dail and huge economic and health issues and I think they should form a government and address the economic and social issues we're facing," Mr McGuinness said.

"I see no reason in the economic circumstances that we shouldn't have a government made up of those three parties, that's been my view from the very beginning, and the reason we have no government is because we talk to Fine Gael and the Greens now with nothing emerging.

"It's clear Sinn Fein are locked out of talks in government because Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have decided to speak to each other rather than the third party the electorate voted for.

"We also said we wouldn't go into government with Fine Gael, now we're faced with something completely different."

Mr McGuinness said that "rather than threaten another election" which he alleges is being whispered about in "the political bubble of Leinster House", the three parties should develop a programme of government to deal with the issues the country is facing.

"It seems ridiculous we would spend so long talking to two other parties for government, rather than three," he said.

When asked if his party would accept Mary Lou McDonald as Taoiseach, Mr McGuinness replied: "They're willing to accept a Taoiseach whose party lost the election, I don't think that's acceptable.

"Leo Varadkar opened the door to the Green Party having a term as Taoiseach too - politics has changed considerably and we should listen to the electorate and move on.

"I see no difficult in working with other parties if were serious about getting the country moving again.

"Exclusion does not work and we encouraged reversal of that in the north.

"We have to be straight up with the electorate and follow their decision from polls and form a government, and cut the nonsense.

If we continue to grapple with this old style of politics and don't bring about reform, we have failed.

Likewise, Fianna Fail Cllr Deirdre Kelly sent a statement to the press on Wednesday afternoon, lamenting her party: "is no longer the party of great leaders like De Valera, Lemass or Lynch.

"It is now a generic remake of the centre left social democratic parties that had flourished, but now die, throughout Europe."

Ms Kelly, who represents the party on Cork County Council said there "are very genuine reasons for concern about a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael coalition", and questions how compatible the two parties would be.

"Fianna Fail now faces its greatest challenge. It can coalesce with Fine Gael and end up being effectively wiped out at the next election.

"If Fianna Fail is to survive, the party needs to get back to the ordinary people of Ireland and really listen to them.

"That will not be possible in a coalition agreement with Fine Gael."

A number of grassroots groups of local Fianna Fail members have written the the party's elected representatives and party headquarters in recent weeks in an effort to discourage moves to form a government with Leo Varadkar's party.

Rumours of a possible leadership against Mr Martin began after the party's poor performance in the February election, however the leader himself said recently he was not phased by the commentary.
News provided by World News Media

LONDON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest edition of World Finance magazine is out now and has confirmed ICS Financial Systems (ICSFS) as Best Islamic Banking & Finance Technology Provider as part of its Islamic Finance Awards. The Islamic banking sector has been growing rapidly in recent times and it is certainly an area of the market that ICSFS has been supporting through its Shari'a-compliant solutions.

One of the products that particularly caught the eye of the World Finance judges was ICS BANKS, a fully integrated banking application developed by ICSFS that enables banks to automate and streamline their services. ICS BANKS comes with a bespoke Islamic service that has helped financial institutions to achieve a competitive edge by offering a comprehensive suite of Islamic banking solutions. In an interview with World Finance, Robert Hazboun, Managing Director of ICSFS, explained why the platform is making such a difference to customers.

"ICS BANKS helps banks stay at the cutting-edge of technology through applications like cloud banking, APIs, open banking and blockchain," Hazboun explained. "ICS BANKS' customers can also enjoy a clear flow of information online using the platform's reporting tools. This enables them to easily understand and analyse their status at any time, which can help inform their decisions regarding mergers and acquisitions. Lastly, ICS BANKS' innovative technological tools future-proof banks and transform them into pioneers in their industry."

Although the popularity of Islamic banking has grown significantly in recent times, the products and services available to customers often remain underdeveloped. The work being undertaken by ICSFS demonstrates that this is unlikely to remain the case for much longer.

To read more about ICSFS and developments in the Islamic banking sector, pick up the latest copy of World Finance magazine, available in print, on tablet and online now.

www.worldfinance.com

World News Media, the parent company of World Finance, is a leading publisher of quality financial and business magazines, which enjoys a global distribution network that includes subscriber lists of prominent decision-makers around the world.

Contact Information

World News Media

Barclay Ballard

Editorial Department

+44-(0)-20-7553-4177

barclay.ballard@wnmedia.com
(Newser)  Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared remotely before a Senate panel Tuesday to testify on the pandemic, and while much of what he said was attention grabbing, there was one especially "pointed exchange," per the Week. It was between Fauci and Sen. Rand Paul, who called it "ridiculous" to talk about kids possibly not going back to to school in the fall, as kids' mortality rate from the virus "approaches zero," USA Today and CNBC report. "I don't think you're the end-all," Paul said to Fauci. "I don't think you're the one person who gets to make a decision." Per MarketWatch, Fauci pushed back, responding, "I have never made myself out to be the end-all and only voice in this. I'm a scientist, a physician, and a public health official. I give advice according to the best scientific evidence." Fauci added we shouldn't be "cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects."

story continues below

Later Tuesday, Paul appeared on Fox News' The Story to elaborate. "I don't question Dr. Fauci's motives," Paul noted, adding he thinks the doctor is a "good person," but an "extremely cautious" one, and that we should take advice from health experts with "a grain of salt." "I don't think any of these experts are omniscient," he said. "I think they have a basis of knowledge, but when you prognosticate about the future or advocate for things dramatic and drastic, like closing all the schools, you should look at all the information." Later Tuesday, Paul's Twitter feed retweeted several tweets supporting his statements at the hearing, including one from GOP Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, who tweeted, "Senator @RandPaul was exactly right with his statement earlier today. We must reject the Fauci-Birx Doctrine of Destruction." (Paul now says he's able to go maskless.)
courtesy photos supplied by Keyvan Rafiee the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran/courtesy photos supplied by Keyvan Rafiee, the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran

courtesy photos supplied by Keyvan Rafiee the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran/courtesy photos supplied by Keyvan Rafiee, the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran

courtesy photos supplied by Keyvan Rafiee the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran/courtesy photos supplied by Keyvan Rafiee, the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran

Life as an Iranian prisoner did not shake Ali Akbar Ajamis commitment to activism.

His two-year sentence from 2010 to 2012  based on charges of collusion and propaganda against the Islamic Republic and acting against national security  stemmed from his political activism as a law student at Tehran University, friends and colleagues say.

Later, as an exile living in Virginia and later Houston, his work continued to focus on human rights abuses among those less fortunate in his home country.

Authorities in Houston now have identified Ajami, 36, as the man whose body was discovered May 6 in McGovern Lake in Hermann Park. Detectives have found no evidence of trauma or foul play, according to Houston police, but the investigation remains active.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has not officially determined his cause of death.

It's heartbreaking what happened to Ali, said Keyvan Rafiee, the founder of Human Rights Activists in Iran who hired Ajami as an editor of the Human Rights Activists News Agency. He was very smart and had a quite inquisitive mind. When he worked at our organization, he did so much for what he was passionate about, which was advancing the cause of human rights. Unfortunately, he never adapted to life as a refugee in a new country as he missed his homeland tremendously.

Ajami in 2016 moved to the United States as a refugee and last year migrated to Houston. Mohammad Tootkaboni, who also was imprisoned for political activism in Iran, described his longtime friend as a strong-willed person who never compromised his beliefs, even in the face of severe punishment. They spoke often, but in the last few months of his life Ajami had become more reclusive, he said.

Lately, Tootkaboni felt his friend was showing signs of depression, though he never spoke openly about it. In general, Tootkabani said, refugees in the United States are not given enough support, both financially and socially.

He was someone who really struggled all his life just to survive and have a decent life, he said. Not only for himself, but also for everyone around him, as part of his political ideology and beliefs. I think he was victim to a complex system of state suppression  and maybe social neglect in the United States.

Ajami was originally from a village in Sabzever in eastern Iran. At Tehran University, he participated in political demonstrations as part of a socialist student movement and served as editor of a left-leaning student publication.

According to Rafiee, he was arrested in 2009 in the aftermath of a controversial election that reinstated Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran's president. Ajamis charges eventually led to his expulsion from the university, just months before his graduation, Rafiee said.

After his release in January 2012, Ajami moved to Turkey and worked as a teacher and news editor before moving to the United States. During that time, he shifted his activism efforts on human rights abuses, like those he witnessed in prison.

Poor prison conditions and riots incited by guards were among the topics he covered, Tootkaboni said.

One of the reasons he could report on human rights violations in Iran was that he had a lot of contacts in prison, he said. I remember from our conversations, the experience of prison kind of gave him this opportunity to keep this network, and then later when he left Iran that was the only thing he felt he could do for the people he used to be in prison with, or any other person who ended up in prison.

Neither Rafiee nor Tootkaboni knew whether Ajami was employed in the months before his death. Tootkaboni believes he was working as a freelance journalist.

During his time in the United States, Ajami also worked as a researcher for the Center for Human Rights in Iran, based in New York. The organization this week published a statement about his death highlighting his time in prison:

Ali was physically assaulted during his incarceration and suffered long-term effects. No one was ever held accountable for this abuse of prisoners rights, a practice that remains rampant in the country. Despite this experience and likely because of it, Ali remained closely connected to his roots after moving to the United States where he continued to speak out for the rights of the Iranian people while working as a researcher for non-profit organizations.

The statement concluded: Ali was a young, bright, compassionate individual who left this world much too soon. We are deeply saddened by his passing and look forward to the day when no Iranian feels compelled to leave their homeland in search of safety and opportunity.

julian.gill@chron.com
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California's community college system has filed a lawsuit against the federal government alleging that the U.S. Department of Education's decision to prohibit colleges from distributing stimulus funds to undocumented students and others is arbitrary, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

About 2 million students are enrolled in California's 115 community colleges. California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley said hundreds of thousands of them have been deemed ineligible for aid by the decision.

"The Department of Education ignored the intent of the CARES Act to give local colleges discretion to aid students most affected by the pandemic, and instead has arbitrarily excluded as many as 800,000 community college students," he said. "Among those harmed are veterans, citizens who have not completed a federal financial aid application, and non-citizens, including those with DACA status."

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The federal CARES Act included more than $14 billion in aid to help higher education institutions deal with the COVID-19 crisis. The list of colleges receiving funds is long. Half of the amount received by campuses goes directly to students in the form of grants. Santa Ana College, for example, received nearly $3 million in Higher Education Emergency Relief (HEERF) funds to distribute to students.

"Congress provided higher education institutions with unfettered flexibility to distribute the relief to affected students as they deemed appropriate, imposing no eligibility limitations on this emergency relief for students," said the lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

Eloy Ortiz Oakley is chancellor of 115-campus California Community Colleges system.

After colleges began submitting paperwork for the funds, the U.S. Department of Education changed its rules and prohibited campuses from distributing the stimulus checks to undocumented students and others, the lawsuit said.

Department officials disputed the lawsuit's claim that they overstepped their authority.

"Congress could have chosen to include DACA students and other foreign nationals in the legislation, or granted the Department the authority to send this money to noncitizens, but they did neither of those things," Angela Morabito, the U.S. Department of Education's press secretary, wrote in an email response.

"It is absurd that special interests want the Department to fabricate a basis to send U.S. taxpayer money to noncitizens, especially given how many American students are in need of this emergency relief," she said.

Morabito said states and higher education institutions could go ahead and use their own funds to help undocumented students.

Eric Lara, associate dean for student success and equity at Mt. San Antonio College, said 1,500 of his school's 38,000 students are undocumented.

"They are paying college tuition, they're working, are providing funds back into the economy. And at the end of the day they are students, they are human, they are individuals in this country, why shouldn't we afford them the same rights and funding that the other students are getting?" Lara said.

He said those students have been struggling as much, if not more, than their peers.

"My mom is the only one who's working right now," said Areli, a second-year Mt. San Antonio College student who asked that her last name not be used because she doesn't have proper documentation to live in the United States.

In March, Areli was laid off from the Mexican restaurant where she worked on Saturdays and Sundays. Her brother isn't working either. She's living off the money she was saving to attend either UCLA or UC Santa Cruz in the fall.

She said she felt valued after learning that Chancellor Ortiz Oakley is challenging the U.S. Department of Education's limits on federal grants to students like her.

"If I see that person, I would give him a hug. Because he's someone who's fighting for us," she said.

MONEY FLOWING TO OTHER COLLEGE STUDENTS

While the dispute plays out in court, those HEERF funds are starting to show in other students' accounts in varying amounts. At Mt. San Antonio College, students are receiving aid in amounts ranging from $300 to $900, based on economic need and whether a student is enrolled full or part-time.

At Cal State Northridge, $22.3 million in HEERF funds is going to students in amounts ranging from $308 to $968.

"I got the full amount, so $968," said Isabella O'Brien, a film production major. "As much I would really like to contribute to the economy with it, which I know is what it was intended for, I'm either putting more than half of it, if not all of it, in my savings."

She said she also received the federal CARES Act $1,200 stimulus check directly from the government. It'll all come in handy, she said, because she moved in with her father after her campus shifted learning online and she's helping him pay for groceries. She's also thinking of the expenses she may have later this year when she returns to campus.

Cal Poly Pomona, which enrolls about 14,000 fewer students, received $15.5 million in HEERF money, which it is distributing in grants ranging from $1,000 to $250, lesser amounts if a student attends part-time.

"I got $650 which is really great," said Cal Poly Pomona senior Taylor Wood. It'll cover a large part of her rent for the month.

"That's going to go toward my living expenses for the last couple of months that I'm living near school, and that will help me save up a lot of money so I can move back home and start a career," she said.

Orange Coast College is a community college located in Costa Mesa, California. (Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist)

EACH COLLEGE COMES UP WITH THEIR OWN RULES FOR FUNDS

The federal government determined HEERF aid to campuses based in part on how many students on each campus receive federal Pell grants. Campuses gave out higher amounts to students with greater need, based on federal financial aid forms they'd filled out.

"We wanted to make sure we were equitable in the process," said Jessica Wagoner, senior associate vice president of enrollment management and services at Cal Poly Pomona. "Timeliness and administrative simplicity was very important."

"Unfortunately, some students were not eligible due to the CARES guideline," she added. "But the CSU and Cal Poly Pomona are exploring all funding options to help the students not eligible for CARES funds."

COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS RECEIVE SMALLER GRANTS

East Los Angeles College (ELAC) received nearly $5.4 million to give to students, or about a quarter of the disbursement to Cal State Northridge, which enrolls about 2,000 more students. The vast majority of ELAC students attend part-time.

The college is part of the nine-campus L.A. Community College District and it says its students will receive grants in the amount of $300.

El Camino College enrolls about 24,000 students. Officials there said nearly $3.5 million in HEERF funds is reaching students this week in either $250 or $500 amounts. The greater amount goes to students taking six or more units. Twelve units or more is considered a full-time load but only about a third of El Camino's students take twelve or more units.

That disparity between university student and community college student grant amounts has basic needs advocates worried.

"If we treat the moment correctly, this will be an opportunity to make sure that the needs that students continually have [will] not be the reason they don't come back to campus," said Rachel Sumekh, the founder of Swipe Out Hunger, an organization that helps college students with basic needs such as food.

Her group and others have been raising awareness about how housing and food insecurity derail college careers. Sumekh said $300 may not be enough to keep a community college student enrolled while balancing work, family, and a full- or part-time course load.

Some campuses, like Cal Poly Pomona, are sending funds automatically to its neediest students and having those with less need apply for a grant. UCLA requires all students to apply for the grant.

"This is a really, really tough moment," said Cal State Long Beach political science professor Kevin Wallsten. He's been studying the distribution of federal stimulus funds. "When you ask students to jump through a series of bureaucratic hoops, that's when you start losing them."

Students are receiving a lot of emails from professors and administrators, he said, and he can see how this very important notification of free federal money coming to them could be lost in an inbox.
Britain's testing fiasco has deepened again today amid claims test results of tens of thousands of people have 'disappeared into a black hole'.

Authorities across the UK say they can no longer access data for swabs conducted outside NHS hospitals, which helps them control outbreaks locally.

Officials used to provide the results but NHS boards have now been told 'no data is being reported until further notice'. The problem arose on May 4.

Reporting will now only include tests that have been conducted in NHS labs, which only account for around half of the total swabs carried out.

It means more than 7,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past three days are now untraceable.

It comes after furious GPs slammed the 'failing' government for leaving them in the dark about how many people in the community are infected.

Britain's testing fiasco has deepened once more amid claims the test results of thousands of people have 'disappeared into a black hole'

Previously results data was provided to authorities, but 'no data is being reported until further notice' it has been claimed. Pictured, testing facility at Chessington

An internal NHS update email, seen by the specialist news website Health Service Journal, said full information from the national testing programme (NTP) cannot be reported 'until further notice'. It's not clear if this is UK-wide or just England.

The NTP (The National Testing Programme) provides home tests to key workers or symptomatic members of their household.

The programme, coordinated by the Department of Health and Social Care, was part of the testing expansion to reach thousands more people.

Consultancy firm Deloitte was hired to support the scaling up testing nationally, and is understood to be handling logistics across a number of the testing spots such as drive-through centres, working alongside other private companies such as Serco and Boots.

So far 656,340 people in the UK's pillar two category - coronavirus tests carried out outside of hospital - have been swabbed.

This includes key workers such as from the NHS, their household members and over 65s with tell-tale symptoms.

The NTP is normally meant to tell local organisations exactly how many residents and key workers in their areas have tested positive.

This helps build a picture of the crisis in each location, so that officials can respond with appropriate measures.

For example, it guides where testing capacity needs to be drastically ramped up in order to potentially deal with an influx of demand.

GPs have 'no idea' how many of their patients have COVID-19 GPs in England say they have 'no idea' how many of their patients have coronavirus because the Government is not sharing test results with them. Family doctors and councils were promised the results from hundreds of thousands of swabs carried out at drive-through centres weeks ago. But the Government's national testing programme coordinator said there had been 'data quality issues' which had prevented the information being shared. GPs and local health officials today slammed the 'failing' Government for leaving them in the dark about how many people in their community are infected. Dominic Harrison, director of public health at Blackburn with Darwen council in Lancashire, said he has no idea if '10, 100 or 1,000' residents have tested positive. And one GP in Oxford said the only way she found out if a patient of hers had the bug was if they were ill enough to be admitted to hospital. Results were promised to be linked to the medical records of patients in England - but so far that has failed to materialise. Helen Salisbury, a GP at the Observatory Practice in Oxford, told The Guardian she has 100 suspected COVID-19 cases on her list and has only been given the results of five. She told the paper: 'We have had absolutely zero information. The only way I know if a patient of mine has tested positive for Covid is if they have been ill enough to be admitted to hospital. It feels like we've been completely left out of the conversation, whereas most of the Covid out there is being handled by GPs.' Nick Mann, a GP at the Well Street surgery in Hackney, London, said: 'As a GP I'm absolutely fuming, not only with the way it's been mishandled but with the unreliable information we are getting. This government has developed a completely parallel system in order to bypass the NHS, and it's failing.' Advertisement

A senior national NHS source told the HSJ that the NTP had previously been 'publishing clear details of exactly how many people were visiting each drive-through centre at each hour of each day, and also how many home testing kits were being posted each day'.

They added: '[But as of recent days] it's now impossible to get that data from them and they are not sharing it with groups they used to share it with internally.'

A source said results data was instead 'disappearing into a data black hole'.

The email, sent at the weekend from a regional NHS incident centre, said the problem was due to the NTP testing numbers increasingly becoming unavailable.

The email said: 'No new national testing programme data will be reported in this brief from 4 May until further notice. This is due to the NTP testing numbers increasingly becoming unavailable.

'A reporting solution for NTP data is being built into the [Department for Health and Social Care] portal  once available, it will be captured in this testing brief again.'

MailOnline has contacted NHS England and Department of Health for comment. The former directed us towards the latter.

GPs last week flagged that they had 'no idea' how many of their patients had been infected with the coronavirus so far - even though they were promised to be kept in the loop.

The Government's COVID-19 testing tsar, Professor John Newton, apologised that data from commercial tests was not available on May 6, saying there had been 'data quality issues'. This appears to remain the case.

A Department of Health and Social Care Spokesperson said today: 'Claims that the data of tens of thousands of tests is disappearing is factually wrong and highly misleading.

'There was a recent technical error relating to postcode data, but this has now been fixed, and a fully corrected data flow was issued last week. This did not prevent public health bodies from undertaking contact tracing of those with positive results.'

It comes as ministers desperately scramble to boost testing capacity to 200,000 by the end of the month - a pledge made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson - despite signs the system showing signs of 'creaking'.

Lawrence Young, professor of molecular oncology at the University of Warwick and an infectious disease expert told MailOnline aid: 'The bottom line is we are creaking.

'Its no ones fault people are working really hard. But the test is complicated and its quite clear we are not on top of it.'

He noted the secret shipping of some 50,000 tests from the UK to the US in the first week of May as an indication the UK is struggling to cope with testing.

A Department of Health source confirmed the shipping was true after it was first reported by the Sunday Telegraph, and said there were 'delays in the system... as a result of operational issues in our lab network'.

The glitch in labs processing tests came just days after Matt Hancock revealed testing capacity had hit 100,000 a day on May 1.

Since then, testing numbers have been lower than 100,000 every day, apart from May 10 when 100,490 were carried out or sent out.

High street pharmacist Boots has now been asked to help ramp up testing in order to reach the ambitious 200,000 target.

Boots is now advertising for 1,000 current staff and unpaid volunteers to work at least 32 hours a week as COVID-19 swab testers.

It said it was working with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to set up and staff a number of test stations across the country.

But unions have accused ministers of 'taking advantage of people's good nature', insisting the programme 'takes the notion of volunteering way too far'.
A former Houston Independent School District police officer accused of fondling a 14-year-old student at the school where he worked will spend five years on probation after pleading guilty Wednesday to having an improper relationship with a student.

Jacob Ryan Delgadillo, 30, was charged with two felony counts of indecency with a child, accused of having the girl perform oral sex on him and fondling her at Cullen Middle school on Nov. 18, 2015.

Delgadillo said little as he pleaded guilty to state District Judge Marc Carter, but acknowledged that he will have to surrender his law enforcement license as part of the plea deal.

HORRIFYING DISCOVERY: Girl caught searching porn at school was looking for what relative was doing to her

Facing a possible punishment of 20 years in prison, he agreed to spend five years on deferred adjudication, a form of probation that means he will not have a conviction on his record if he successfully completes the probation. He also will not have to register as sex offender.

If he violates the terms, which include not contacting the girl or having any contact with minors, he could be sentenced to the maximum punishment.

His attorney, Paul Aman, declined to comment after the brief hearing.

BUSTED: 11 arrested in human trafficking sting

Prosecutor Jennifer Stabe said the girl's family, who were not in court Wednesday, were satisfied with the result.

Stabe said the two counts of indecency with a child were dismissed as part of the plea. The charge of improper relationship with a student means Delgadillo admitted only to placing the girl's hand on his genitals.

During the fall of 2015, Delgadillo apparently raised suspicion when a teacher saw him looking for the girl through a classroom window and blowing kisses at her.

The girl told a teacher that she had performed oral sex on him in the girls' bathroom on campus.

The girl told police that Delgadillo also showed her naked pictures of himself on his cellphone.

Investigators later found several cellphone photos of him in various states of undress, including one in which he is exposing himself in his campus office and dressed in his campus uniform.

Delgadillo was assigned to Cullen Middle School before his resignation in December 2015, school officials said.




When the COVID-19 pandemic first ravaged New York in March, many members of the Legislature voted remotely to approve the state budget. Unfortunately, that was the last time our 213 elected representatives served as lawmakers, leaving Gov. Andrew Cuomo to run New York via executive order.

The Senate and Assembly were technically due to resume session as of April 20. This past Wednesday they held, remotely, their first hearing in six weeks. They still haven't voted on any legislation in more than a month. Compare that with the Pennsylvania Legislature or the New York City Council, where lawmakers have been holding full meetings of the body remotely as of two weeks ago.

The Legislature is a coequal branch of government that can't take a back seat to the executive and continue collecting a paycheck when the going gets tough. There's work to be done, including making sure New Yorkers can safely vote June 23 and Nov. 3. We need them to resume session remotely now.

First, we need lawmakers to codify the governor's executive order expanding absentee voting for June, to include November. New Yorkers will be feeling the far-reaching effects of the pandemic long after the worst of it has passed, and our elections need to keep pace. Lawmakers have introduced legislation that will make the executive orders permanent.

Second, we need to keep in-person poll sites and expand early voting. Not everyone will be able to vote absentee, particularly voters with disabilities and those needing language assistance. Participation for voters with disabilities has slightly dipped in the last two presidential primaries and we worry that the trend will only spiral downwards during a pandemic. Lawmakers can pass legislation that will provide voters with disabilities with additional accommodations, such as screen-readable formats, large print or Braille absentee ballots, as well as ballot-marking software, including docu-sign ability to be used at home.

Even states with full vote-by-mail programs like Washington and Colorado maintain in-person options in case someone doesn't get their ballot, or they lose it, spill food on it (yes, that's a common problem) or other unpredictable accidents occur. In order to reduce crowds and vote safely in person, the Legislature should double early voting days from nine to 18 days, increase the hours and locations for early voting and instruct boards of elections to follow Centers for Disease Control sanitary and mass gathering protocols, such as social distancing.

Third, the law should be revised to allow boards of elections to accept ballots postmarked or delivered no later than Election Day, rather than one day before. The virus has disrupted the mail and caused mass delays in the functioning of daily life, but under current law, the board can discard absentee ballots if they aren't postmarked with the correct date. This was a big issue in the Wisconsin primary, where many ballots lacked a dated postmark and so were not counted.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Fourth, voters need to have confidence that their absentee ballot will count. New York has one of the highest absentee ballot rejection rates in the country at 13.6 percent, compared with the national average of 1.4 percent That's because political opponents squabble over trivial errors in an attempt to game the system. We don't have time for this nonsense anymore. New Yorkers need to trust that the board won't allow absurd objections that have nothing to do with democracy to undermine their vote.

Voters will head to the polls in less than two months. The clock is ticking. New York lawmakers need to go back into session remotely and do their job to protect our elections.

The future of our democracy is at stake.
Q1 2020  Business review

Paris, May 12th, 2020  JCDecaux SA (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, published today its revenue for the three months ended March 31st, 2020.

FIRST QUARTER 2020: BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

Key contracts wins

 Rest of the World

In January, JCDecaux announced that JCDecaux Gabon, its subsidiary jointly owned with Bollore Group and in partnership with the Gabonese Strategic Investment Fund (FGIS), has been awarded the exclusive advertising contract for Libreville International Airport in Gabon (current and future airports) by ADL (Aeroport de Libreville), a subsidiary of Arise Infrastructure Services.

Other events

 Group

In January, JCDecaux announced that it has been commended for its climate action this year, achieving a place on global environmental impact non-profit CDP's prestigious A List for climate change, based on the companys climate reporting in 2018.

In March, JCDecaux announced the decision of the Executive Board, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, to submit a proposal to its shareholders for its conversion to a European Company (Societas Europaea, SE), at the next Annual General Shareholders Meeting, to be held on May 14th, 2020.

In March, JCDecaux announced the withdrawal of its 2019 dividend proposal in order to strengthen its liquidity, its balance sheet, with one of the lowest leverage ratio in the OOH media industry, as well as its financial flexibility in response to the unprecedented global disruption due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

 Asia-Pacific

In March, JCDecaux announced to acquire a minority stake, through its wholly owned subsidiary JCDecaux Innovate incorporated in Hong Kong, in a consortium of investors which formed a special purpose vehicle to make a voluntary conditional cash offer to acquire all of the shares in the entire issued share capital of Clear Media Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The offer price of HK$7.12 per share represents a total value of approximately HK$3,857 million for all Clear Medias outstanding shares, of which 23% or HK$887 million will be funded by JCDecaux.

Story continues

The consortium composes of Mr. Han Zi Jing, Chief Executive Officer of Clear Media at 40%, Antfin (Hong Kong) Holding Limited at 30%, JCDecaux at 23% and China Wealth Growth Fund III L.P. at 7%.

The offer is conditional upon the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions described in the offer announcement jointly made by the Offeror and Clear Media.

 Rest of Europe

In February, JCDecaux invited the Czech Republic to engage in discussions. This is the first step in arbitration proceedings pursuant to the Bilateral Investment Treaties between France, Austria and the Czech Republic of 1990.

The background is: JCDecaux, via its Austrian group company Gewista, holds a 70% participation in RENCAR, a previously 100% subsidiary of the Transport Enterprises of the City of Prague (Dopravni podnik hl. m. Prahy; "DPP") which JCDecaux acquired in 2001. DPP and RENCAR had entered into a rent agreement in 1997. JCDecaux paid the value of this rent agreement when acquiring the share. In addition, DPP had committed itself to uphold the rent agreement.

After 18 years of a successful cooperation, DPP abruptly and completely changed its mind. DPP wants to cancel the rent agreement of 1997. The absurd reason: It was "too vague". A Prague court of first instance shared that view, although the rent agreement has been implemented and repeatedly affirmed since 1997, ie for 22 years, and although DPP is obliged to uphold the rent agreement. An appeal against this decision is pending. Nevertheless, DPP allowed third parties to use its advertising spaces and excluded RENCAR from its use retroactively as of 1 December 2019.

As a direct consequence, JCDecaux stands to suffer damage of 40m to date.

FIRST QUARTER 2020 AND OUTLOOK

Following the adoption of IFRS 11 from January 1st, 2014, the operating data presented below is adjusted to include our prorata share in companies under joint control. Please refer to the paragraph Adjusted data on page 4 of this release for the definition of adjusted data and reconciliation with IFRS.

The values shown in the tables are generally expressed in millions of euros. The sum of the rounded amounts or variations calculations may differ, albeit to an insignificant extent, from the reported values.

Adjusted revenue for the first quarter 2020 decreased by -13.9% to 723.6 million compared to 840.0 million in the first quarter of 2019.

Excluding the negative impact from foreign exchange variations and the positive impact from changes in perimeter, adjusted revenue decreased by -13.9%.

Adjusted advertising revenue, excluding revenue related to sale, rental and maintenance of street furniture and advertising displays, decreased by -14.6% on an organic basis in the first quarter of 2020.

Q1 adjusted revenue 2020 (m) 2019 (m) Reported growth Organic growth(a) Street Furniture 325.5 344.3 -5.5% -5.0% Transport 281.7 368.0 -23.4% -23.8% Billboard 116.3 127.7 -9.0% -9.5% Total 723.6 840.0 -13.9% -13.9%

a. Excluding acquisitions/divestitures and the impact of foreign exchange

Please note that the geographic comments below refer to organic revenue growth.

STREET FURNITURE

First quarter adjusted revenue decreased by -5.5% to 325.5 million (-5.0% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and UK) was down, with France down double-digit impacted by the total lockdown from mid-March, despite a positive performance as of end of February at +1.1%. AsiaPacific was down mid-single digit. North America was up high-single digit. The Rest of the World was down doubledigit. Before the introduction of lockdowns in many countries mostly from early March, Street Furniture was up +3.9% as of end of February.

First quarter adjusted advertising revenue, excluding revenue related to sale, rental and maintenance of street furniture was down -5.9% on an organic basis compared to the first quarter of 2019.

TRANSPORT

First quarter adjusted revenue decreased by -23.4% to 281.7 million (-23.8% on an organic basis), reflecting a significant decline globally in both airport passenger traffic as well as public transport commuting due to the Covid19 outbreak. Europe (including France and UK) posted double-digit decline, with a negative impact from the Covid19 outbreak and the nonrenewal of the AENA Spanish national airport loss-making contract. Asia-Pacific was down significantly, fully impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak throughout the quarter. North America was up. The Rest of the World was slightly down.

BILLBOARD

First quarter adjusted revenue decreased by -9.0% to 116.3 million (-9.5% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and UK), the Rest of the World and Asia-Pacific were down. North America was up double-digit.

Commenting on the 2020 first quarter revenue, Jean-Francois Decaux, Chairman of the Executive Board and Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said:

After a good start in most markets with growth outside of China in January and February, our business started to be significantly affected by total and partial lockdowns due to Covid-19 in March forcing us to withdraw our Q1 revenue guidance. Our Q1 2020 revenue reached 723.6m down 13.9% organically versus last year despite digital revenue growing at +1.1% on an organic basis.

Our digital revenue which now represent 27.6% of Group revenue versus 23.5% for the same period last year grew at +0.8% with digital Street Furniture and digital Billboard growing +17.5% and +2.8%, respectively, while digital Transport declined -10.1%.

Street Furnitures organic revenue decline of -5.0% was entirely driven by lockdowns introduced late February in Italy and starting mid-March in many other countries such as France, Spain, UK, Australia as well as US States / cities such as California, NYC Billboards revenue declined -9.5% organically for the same reasons. Transport was the most impacted segment with a -23.8% organic revenue decline mainly due to a significant passengers traffic decrease in both airport and transit systems and to a material drop in advertising sales in Asia-Pacific with China being the first country to be affected by this pandemic.

We now expect the negative impact of Covid-19 on our business to significantly increase in the short term but it is not possible to quantify its depth or duration of the impact. As a result, we are not able to provide any guidance for Q2 2020 as well as for Q3 and Q4. Having said that, the lockdown measures are reminding billions of people around the world that we all need to be OutofHome in order to live a normal life with friends and families. For this reason, we expect OOH / DOOH media to benefit from the reopening of countries and cities with Street Furniture and Billboard advertising rebounding faster than Transport which will be affected by social distancing while airport advertising will take longer to recover to pre-Covid-19 level. For example, in France, when the government announced lifting progressively the lockdown restrictions starting on May 11th, we started to book both national and local Street Furniture and Billboard advertising campaigns. In China with metro passenger traffic in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou at more than 60% pre-Covid-19 level and domestic airport travel resuming, our advertising sales are improving.

Our response to this unprecedented downturn has focused on the health and safety of our employees and I would like to thank them for their exemplary behaviour across the world during this difficult time, the services to our partners (advertisers, advertising / media agencies, public authorities, private landlords,  all around the world) including, but not limited to, free access to our bike-sharing networks for healthcare workers and selfservice hydroalcoholic solution distributors installations in our street furniture assets, the reduction of our cost base, a reduced capex program as well as the enhancement of our liquidity and balance sheet. We have initiated discussions on rent relief with all airports, cities and transport authorities around the world and we welcome the recent decision, among others, from the Houston City Council to waive minimum annual guarantees for Airport concessionaires until December 2021. We also have immediately put in place all the necessary steps to enable all our teams to work safely from home with more than 80% of our people (excluding field operation employees) working remotely currently. The Executive Board members as well as the Supervisory Board decided to cut their 2020 compensations by 25% and 20%, respectively. We have also introduced decreases in employee hours, voluntary reduction and temporary unemployment benefitting from governmental measures, wherever available, with a reduction of working hours of around 50% at Group level.

Further to our decision to withdraw the 2019 dividend proposal, we have taken the opportunity to strengthen our liquidity and financial flexibility. We have successfully placed notes for a principal amount of 1 billion euros at 4.5 years and 8 years, with coupons of 2.000% and 2.625% respectively.

In a media landscape increasingly fragmented, Out-of-Home advertising reinforces its attractiveness. With our well diversified geographic country and advertisers portfolio, our growing premium digital portfolio combined with a new data-led audience targeting platform, our ability to win new contracts and the high quality of our teams across the world, we believe we are well positioned to outperform the advertising market and increase our leadership position in the outdoor advertising industry through profitable market share gains after the crisis. The strength of our balance sheet is a key competitive advantage that will allow us to pursue further external growth opportunities as they arise and to continue to invest in digital.

ADJUSTED DATA

Under IFRS 11, applicable from January 1st, 2014, companies under joint control are accounted for using the equity method.

However, in order to reflect the business reality of the Group, operating data of the companies under joint control will continue to be proportionately integrated in the operating management reports used to monitor the activity, allocate resources and measure performance.

Consequently, pursuant to IFRS 8, Segment Reporting presented in the financial statements complies with the Groups internal information, and the Groups external financial communication therefore relies on this operating financial information. Financial information and comments are therefore based on adjusted data, consistent with historical data prior to 2014, which is reconciled with IFRS financial statements.

In Q1 2020, the impact of IFRS 11 on adjusted revenue was -65.4 million (-86.8 million in Q1 2019) leaving IFRS revenue at 658.2 million (753.2 million in Q1 2019).





ORGANIC GROWTH DEFINITION

The Groups organic growth corresponds to the adjusted revenue growth excluding foreign exchange impact and perimeter effect. The reference fiscal year remains unchanged regarding the reported figures, and the organic growth is calculated by converting the revenue of the current fiscal year at the average exchange rates of the previous year and taking into account the perimeter variations prorata temporis, but including revenue variations from the gains of new contracts and the losses of contracts previously held in our portfolio.

m Q1 2019 adjusted revenue (a) 840.0 2020 IFRS revenue (b) 658.2 IFRS 11 impacts (c) 65.4 2020 adjusted revenue (d) = (b) + (c) 723.6 Currency impacts (e) 1.7 2020 adjusted revenue at 2019 exchange rates (f) = (d) + (e) 725.3 Change in scope (g) (2.3) 2020 adjusted organic revenue (h) = (f) + (g) 723.0 Organic growth (i) = (h) / (a) -13.9%





m Impact of currency

as of March 31st, 2020 AUD 2.8 BRL 2.6 HKD (1.0) USD (2.0) Other (0.7) Total 1.7





Average exchange rate Q1 2020 Q1 2019 AUD 0.5956 0.6272 BRL 0.2034 0.2338 HKD 0.1167 0.1122 USD 0.9069 0.8805

Forward looking statements

This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. These statements are not undertakings as to the future performance of the Company. Although the Company considers that such statements are based on reasonable expectations and assumptions on the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual performance to differ from those indicated or implied in such statements.

These risks and uncertainties include without limitation the risk factors that are described in the annual report registered in France with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers.

Investors and holders of shares of the Company may obtain copy of such annual report by contacting the Autorite des Marches Financiers on its website www.amf-france.org or directly on the Company website www.jcdecaux.com .

The Company does not have the obligation and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements.

FINANCIAL SITUATION

The evolution of revenue is the major factor which to impact the operating margin, free cash flow or net debt during Q1 2020.





Attachment
Maharashtra breached the 25,000 mark for Covid-19 cases with the highest single-day jump yet of 1,495 new infections on Wednesday taking the total tally to 25,922, the state health department said.

Mumbai recorded 800 new cases to tale its tally past the 15,000 mark. By the end of the day, Mumbai had 15,747 Covid-19 cases.

Among other Covid-19 hotspots in Maharashtra was Pune city where the count has gone up to 2,830, Thane 1,122, Navi Mumbai 1,018, Malegaon 617, Aurangabad 586.

The state also recorded its highest casualties in a 24-hour period with 54 deaths taking the toll to 975. Forty of the casualties were in Mumbai, six in Pune, two each in Jalgaon, Solapur and Aurangabad, and one each Vasai-Virar and Ratnagiri. The health department added that it has not added Mumbais 220 patients from May 7 in the total tally due to the absence of reconciliation on the portal of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage.

Out of the total Covid-19 cases in the state, over 50% of the cases have come in this month alone. Since May 1, Maharashtra has reported 13,820 Covid-19 cases, which is 53.31% of the total cases.

According to state health department, 422 patients recovered from Covid-19 on Wednesday, taking the total number of people who have recovered to 5,547. The state has so far carried out 2,30,857 tests of which 2.03,439 were negative and 25,922 positive.

Meanwhile, to ease the pressure off the state police who are enforcing the lockdown, the state government has asked for 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) from the Centre. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had last week indicated that the state could seek additional forces from the Centre to give a break to the state police forces in phases. Several police officers and personnel have been affected by Covid-19 and the entire is under a lot of strain.

Many Maharashtra police personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 and need time to rest and recuperate, he said, adding that May 25 is Ramzan Eid and the State would need augmented security presence to ensure law and order is not disturbed.

Weve hence asked for 20 CAPF companies to be deployed urgently to help the police, said state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

The state government is now also looking at providing supplementary treatment of Ayurvedic, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) medicines along with allopathic treatment for Covid-19 patients, who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. The state medical education and drugs department issued a government resolution to form a task force on AYUSH for Covid-19 under Dr. TP Lahane, Director of Medical Education and Research.

The nine-member panel, which also has former city mayor Dr Shubha Raul, will prepare guidelines for a treatment protocol, said Dr Kuldeep Raj Kohli, director of Ayush Maharashtra and joint chairman of the task force.

The objective behind is to how best we can use Ayush in Maharashtra during this Covid-19 outbreak. The task forces would prepare a treatment protocol for people who are quarantined, are asymptomatic, or have mild symptoms. It would need clearance from the states Covid task force. People now are taking different types of medicines, at least they would get a guideline. People would then take medicines that the task force has asked to be taken, Kohli said. He added that no form of allopathic treatment would be stopped for patients. Ayush treatment, if approved would be supplementary.

Meanwhile, as the numbers continue to soar in Aurangabad city, state health minister Rajesh Tope and districts guardian minister Subhash Desai individually took stock of the situation. Tope has set up a task force to tackle the rising number of cases. The city has recorded 586 cases and 18 deaths. The doubling rate in the city stands at 8 days, which the civic body has brought down from 4.5days earlier this month. Malegaon, in Nashik district, is another hotspot in the state where cases have seen a surge. Tope visited Malegaon on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.

Aurangabad has 12 containment zones with 55 localities which are hotspots. Desai, who inspected the preparedness in the city, said, There AMC Aurangabad Municipal Corporation has kept 4,000 beds available. Therefore, in case there is a spike, later on, there is no fear of any shortage of hospital beds. Besides, district medical college has kept 450 beds to treat severe and critical cases. The arrangements are so far adequate.

Desai added that the industries department, which he heads, has allowed a 5,702 sq meters industrial facility in the city to be converted into a 250-bedded Covid-Care Centre in a month.
The Education Minister has been accused of mishandling the Junior and Leaving Cert during the coronavirus crisis.

The Dail is hearing statements on education this afternoon as questions about the state exams persist.
Lucknow, May 13 : The Uttar Pradesh government has called for starting businesses by creating a huge land bank in the state. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avnish Kumar Awasthi, while speaking to the media on Wednesday, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has already pointed out that the state has a large land mass and a large part of it is land bank, which belongs to the government.

He said this land belongs to various state agencies -- Revenue, Irrigation and Industry Departments. The work of marking such land will start soon. These lands will be used for setting up industries, he said.

"The Uttar Pradesh government is continuously working to bring back the migrants by communicating with the Railway Ministry. In such a situation, no one should travel on foot. So far more than 4 lakh people have been brought back by the state government. Our efforts to bring others will continue," he said.

Awasthi said that in a meeting, the Chief Minister had told officers to treat the workers coming from other states with respect. "In some cases, it was found that migrant workers were not treated well by the authorities. The Chief Minister ordered strict action against such officials," Awasthi said.

He said the Chief Minister, while emphasizing industrial development, has directed the Industrial Development Department to bring sectoral policy at the earliest. "The CM once again directed strict adherence to the lockdown in Kanpur, Meerut and Agra where cases have spiked. He has also ordered upgrading the health infrastructure in the three districts," Awasthi said.

The CM also ordered sending back people from other states as they have expressed their desire to go to their home state on the Janusunwai portal. "Prepare to send such people by issuing e-passes. The number of such people is around 2.5 lakh," Awasthi said quoting the CM.

In Uttar Pradesh, now 44 stations have been made ready for Shramik Special trains, Awasthi said, adding about 4 lakh people have come by bus and trains so far.
[May 13, 2020] The Department of Precision Medicine of Maastricht University Receives 920K from the European Commission to Further Develop Their Work on Artificial Intelligence Tools for COVID-19 Patients

MAASTRICHT, Netherlands, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Precision Medicine at Maastricht University (The Netherlands) announced today the release of their AI tool for COVID-19 patient triage, the same week that they received 920K from the European Commission for the DRAGON project ( link: information on the grant ). The D-Lab group of the Dpt of Precision Medicine is developing a personalized medicine platform to enable risk assessment of COVID-19 patients. The models, made by the group or published elsewhere, are available world-wide on their new platform https://covid19risk.ai "We are excited to be participating in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with our Decision Support System for Risk Assessment of COVID-19 patient. We have repurposed our AI methods, usually applied to oncology questions, to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Prof. Philippe Lambin, Department Head. The platform can integrate various types of medical data available as well as assess the risk of severe disease that requires mechanical ventilation.



"We also have simple models to identify vulnerable patients that should follow a strict lockdown, which include, for example, not doing their groceries themselves if they are over the age of 64 and have high blood pressure," said Dr. Avishek Chatterjee. The recently funded European project DRAGON will achieve a patient empowerment centred decision support system that will enable multiple stakeholders to participate in improved and more rapid diagnosis, as well as the potential of precision medicine for accelerated development of new therapies.

Dr. Cary Oberije, head of the Virtual Trial Unit of the Dpt of Precision Medicine, added: "One of our missions will be to coordinate an international prospective biomarker trial on COVID-19 patients. We want to understand this virus better and use this knowledge for future outbreaks, also for other viruses." The entire effort will be supported by the deployment of a federated machine learning system, a technology developed in Maastricht by Prof Lambin's group, that will allow for the GDPR compliant use of multinational data resources. About the Dpt of Precision Medicine The Department of Precision Medicine is a disease-agnostic AI department with an international group of researchers at Maastricht University. For more information visit www.precisionmedicinemaastricht.eu . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-department-of-precision-medicine-of-maastricht-university-receives-920k-from-the-european-commission-to-further-develop-their-work-on-artificial-intelligence-tools-for-covid-19-patients-301058567.html SOURCE Dpt of Precision Medicine, Maastricht University

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Technical textiles are class of specialized textiles, application of which is governed primarily by their functionality criteria as against aesthetics. Technical textiles differ from conventional textiles in terms of performance and functionality. For instance, technical textiles tend to exhibit relatively higher tensile strength and modulus, high resistance to heat, flame and to chemical agents. This versatility has been increasing adoption of technical textiles by various end-user industries such as construction, automobile and chemical. The global technical textiles market was pegged at around US $ XX Bn in 2018 and is expected to witness a steady growth, registering a CAGR of XX% over the forecast period 2018-2025.

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Factors influencing the global technical textiles market



The large number of infrastructure projects being implemented in the Asia Pacific region along with the rising demand from the automotive, healthcare and aerospace industries has been driving the growth of the technical textiles market. Technical textiles manufacturers have recently has been receiving significant support from the various governments across geographical regions to manufacture high end, high value-added products in the technical textiles segment. This has been driving the growth of the technical textile industry.



For instance, the Chinese government has been keen to start programs which are intended to enable the growth of the technical textiles industry. The Indian government has recently been endorsing the growth of its technical textiles industry. For instance, the government has been channelizing efforts towards implementation of tax benefits, special economic packages and permitting 100% foreign direct investment, among other things. However, relatively higher prices and manufacturing costs therein are expected to restrain the growth of global technical textiles market, especially in developing regions. Moreover, it has also been observed that there is a lack of awareness about the use of technical textiles among potential consumers, especially in the agriculture sector, in developing countries such as India and China.



Key players dominating the global technical textiles market



Some of the players reported in this study on global technical textiles market include Low and Bonar PLC, Ahlstrom Corporation, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, 3M Company, Avintiv, Milliken and Company, Arville, Dickson-Constant, Baltex and Freudenberg & Co. KG. Globally, manufacturers have been focusing on offering customized product offerings in order to meet the customers specific requirements in order to sustain and grow in ever-increasing competition in technical textiles market space.

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Global technical textiles market segmentation and forecast



The global technical textiles market is segmented on the basis of application, process type and region. On the basis of application, the global technical textiles market is segmented into Agrotech, Buildtech, Hometech, Indutech, Sportech, Packtech, Mobiltech, Meditech, Clothtech, Geotech, Protech and Oekotech. Based on process type, the global technical textiles is segmented into: nonwoven, composites and others. Key regions covered in the report include: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.



Global technical textiles market analysis, by application



On the basis of application, Mobiltech segment of the technical textiles market is expected to account for a share of over XX% in the global technical textiles market value by 2025 end, thus expanding at a CAGR of XX% during the forecast period. This growth is attributed, primarily to the growth in demand from the automotive sector. The global automotive production is expected to witness a steady growth, registering a CAGR of around XX% in terms of volume during the forecast period.



Increasing adoption in automotive light-weighting applications in order to adhere to stringent regulatory standards is expected to further drive growth of this segment during the forecast period. Oekotech segment is expected to register relatively faster growth owing to increasing efforts towards tackling environmental concerns. It is expected to register CAGR of XX% in terms of value during the forecast period. Besides the aforementioned segments, sportech, and Buildtech, among other segments are expected to witness steady growth over the forecast period.

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She's no stranger to turning heads, both on-camera and at high-profile industry events.

And Amanda Holden maintained her typically chic sense of style as she left work from Heart Radio studios in London's Leicester Square on Wednesday morning.

The presenter, 49, caught the eye as she highlighted her youthful-looking figure in an elegant tea dress, which featured vibrant floral patterns throughout.

Radiant: Amanda Holden maintained her typically chic sense of style as she left work from Heart Radio studios in London's Leicester Square on Wednesday morning

Injecting even more colour into her appearance, the BGT panelist strutted down the streets of the English capital in yellow ankle-strap heels.

The former Wild At Heart actress carried her essentials in a cream chain-strap handbag, while taking a walk on the wild side by complementing her look with cat-eye shades.

With her tresses worn in feathered waves, the TV star accentuated her beauty with matte foundation and glossy pink lipstick.

Looking good: The presenter, 49, caught the eye as she highlighted her youthful-looking figure in an elegant tea dress, which featured vibrant floral patterns throughout

Turning heads: Injecting even more colour into her appearance, the BGT panelist strutted down the streets of the English capital in yellow ankle-strap heels

Earlier in the day, Amanda appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss her new single, Over The Rainbow, which peaked at No.2 in the Official Charts last week.

Via live link from her studio, the media personality told presenters Piers Morgan: 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow was an obvious song choice, every house has this drawing on the window of rainbows... its a message of hope!'

The blonde beauty also reflected on her flirty interview with Colonel Tom Moore, who raised 33 million for the NHS to help battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Success: Earlier in the day, Amanda appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss her new single, Over The Rainbow, which peaked at No.2 in the Official Charts last week

'He's so flirty', Amanda joked. 'He's definitely got a twinkle in his eye. I offered to make a brew for him when this is all over, he was 99 when he released his first single, Im 49 so technically Im an old lady as well.'

The TV star also expressed her gratitude towards healthcare professionals after they helped her when her baby son was stillborn at seven months in 2011.

She shared: 'It has been well documented our son Theo was very sadly stillborn in an NHS hospital and the staff were so wonderful because they looked after me, even now.

'Then when I gave birth to Hollie, eight, it was a horrible birth I slipped into a coma. Then my sister had a car accident and they really helped her.'

Amanda, Simon Cowell, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams currently star in the latest edition of Britain's Got Talent, with its live shows being pushed back to autumn due to the global crisis.

On the new series, the mother-of-two added: 'Simon fought very hard to keep it on at the time, but we didnt know what was going to happen during this time. We need a sense of normality, so every Saturday we can all watch BGT!'
(Photo : REUTERS/Simon Dawson) British Telecom (BT) advertisement is displayed at Goodge Street underground station in London, Britain, November 15, 2019. (Photo : REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta - RC11AE5EBE00) Palestinian children attend computer lessons in an educational center in the Bedouin village of Al-Maleh in Jordan valley in the Israeli-occupied West Bank February 2, 2019. Picture taken February 2, 2019.

As the home broadband use rose by 29% to an average of 41 hours a week, more families are having issues with the slow Internet speeds

Last month, one in five households in the UK have experienced internet issues, particularly slow speeds and poor connection. This led to various arguments within families since the lockdown started, as reported by This Is Money.

This is the case in Fiona Scott's house. Each day, the family must decide who gets priority as their broadband cannot cope with all five family members using it at once.

Increasing home broadband use

Scott is a media consultant from Swindon in Wiltshire. She complains of getting disconnected from important video meetings when someone else connects to the home internet.

Her husband Steve works in telecoms. Her children Sammi, Georgia and David have university and school work to complete.

"If David is having a Spanish or maths lesson via video, I can't get cross. But it is hard when I am being paid by the hour for my time and it takes three hours to do something because I keep getting cut off," said Scott who pays three Broadband 25 ($27.14) a month for 25 Mbps average speed.

The Internet during the lockdown

The Scotts are just one of the many families who are battling out broadband problems while stuck at home. Experts say the pandemic has exposed Britain's outdated infrastructure. They are now urging the UK government to prioritize vital improvements.

According to comparison site Uswitch, broadband usage has now gone up by 29% since the lockdown to an average of 41 hours a week.

The average UK household has up to five devices, including laptops, smartphones, or iPads, which are all connected to the internet at the same time. This results to slow speeds and poor connection complaints, over 30% of whom say they were unable to get online at all.

The outdated British infrastructure

Netflix streaming requires at least 3 Mbps. Broadband packages are typically 10 to 11 Mbps, but internet provider Ofcom said about 189,000 UK subscribers could not get more than 10 Mbps. As of March, households and businesses can upgrade their connection if they cannot get this.

Meanwhile, fiber broadband can offer average speeds of 300 Mbps, so the government has vowed to provide full-fiber internet to 15 million households by 2025 and across the country by 2033.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has worsened the situation, even halting the launch of the ultra-fast 5G mobile network.

Jonathan Leggett of Broadbandchoices says Britain's outage issues are partly due to a lack of engineers. However, he also thinks the current lockdown "has exposed the UK's slow pace of infrastructure improvements."

"We are determined to deliver on our gigabit commitment and are removing the barriers to industry and accelerating broadband rollout as well as investing 5 billion ($4.075 million) so the hardest to reach areas aren't left behind," said a spokesman from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

How to improve the speed

Customers of BT, TalkTalk, EE, Plusnet, Virgin Media, or Sky after March 1, last year, can cancel their subscriptions if their service drops below the promised minimum speed without any penalty. If the subscription is before that date, customers must wait until the end of the contract.

Users may test the broadband speed at uswitch.com/broadband/speedtest. They can use the results to complain to their provider, which has 30 days to improve the service.

Log the interruptions of service to show to providers. Otherwise, go to a dispute resolution scheme, either through Ombudsman Services or CISAS.

Also, some firms signed up to regulator Ofcom's code of conduct, so they must provide a minimum guaranteed download speed and reflect peak-time speeds.

Have a family routine for Internet use. Some providers allow the pausing of broadband on certain devices as scheduled.

Create a password for the Wi-Fi and do not share it. The more people connected to the broadband, the slower it will be.

Meanwhile, moving the router may have a positive effect. Keep it near a window; walls and microwaves can block the signals while broadband accelerators can improve speeds.

Read also: Twitter to Flag Misleading COVID-19 Tweets; Send Labels and Warnings to Prevent Disinformation

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A cross with flowers and a letter A sits at the entrance to the Satilla Shores neighborhood where Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed, in Brunswick, Ga., on May 7, 2020. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Mother of Ahmaud Arbery Wants Death Penalty for Killers

The mother of Ahmaud Arbery, the man shot dead in his neighborhood in Georgia earlier this year, says she would totally agree with prosecutors if they decided to utilize the death penalty for the two men charged with his murder.

Wanda Cooper-Jones told TMZ in an interview on Tuesday that she would like for all hands that played a part in her sons death to be prosecuted to the highest extent of the law.

Georgia is one of 30 U.S. states that have the death penalty, although capital punishment law may only be applied to defendants 17 and older for certain homicides (including those involving rape, armed robbery, or against a peace officer, for example), as well as for airplane hijacking or treason.

TMZ founder and host Harvey Levin noted that Georgia has the death penalty and prosecutors have discretion depending on certain circumstances, and asked Cooper-Jones what punishment she felt would be appropriate for those responsible for her sons death.

Coming from the mothers, my point of view, my son died, so they should die as well, she replied, adding that she would totally agree with it, if prosecutors pushed for the death sentence.

Arbery, 25, was shot dead on Feb. 23 in his neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia. Former police officer Gregory McMichael and his son were arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault on May 7, a day after what would have been Arberys 26th birthday. They have not yet been convicted.

According to autopsy results obtained by The Epoch Times from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Division of Forensic Sciences, Arbery was shot twice in the chest and suffered multiple abrasions to his face, arms, and hands.

The elder McMichael told officers previously that he and his son thought Arbery could have been a burglar, and so chased after him. According to a police report filed Feb. 23, the pair were in possession of a shotgun and a .357 Magnum revolver, and tailed him in a white pickup truck as he ran.

The 64-year-old also claimed his son was attacked violently by Arbery, which is not evident in video footage of the incident captured by an unnamed witness in a vehicle near the scene.

President Donald Trump last week offered condolences to Arberys family during a news conference at the White House, saying, Its a very sad thing, and noted that the heartbreaking death is certainly being looked at by many peopleIm speaking to many people about it.

Former Vice President Joe Biden called Arberys death a murder, on Twitter earlier this month after watching the video footage of the incident. 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, he tweeted.
Lebanon and Jordan partner with U.S. civil affairs amid global pandemic

U.S. Central Command

By Staff Sgt. Steven Colvin U.S. Special Operations Command Central

May 12, 2020 -- COVID-19 has created a radically different set of problems for U.S. Special Operations Forces and their host nation partners across the globe. Already under considerable strain from hosting large numbers of refugees from Syria and facing mounting economic trouble, Lebanon and Jordan are confronting an invisible and insidious enemy - COVID-19.

However, the Lebanese and Jordanian militaries are confronting this invisible enemy hand-in-hand with their American SOF counterparts. U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) has built and maintained strong partnerships with the Lebanese and Jordanian Armed Forces over a generation.

Civil affairs (CA) teams from the 96th CA Battalion, have deployed to Lebanon and Jordan since 2012, are in position to assist the Lebanese Civil-Military Cooperation Center (CIMIC) and the Jordanian Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) as they serve in an unfamiliar role supporting their civil institutions on the front line against the virus.

The CA teams have been working closely with their military partners, local governments and non-government organizations to alleviate impacts of the virus. Protective equipment, purchased through CENTCOM's Foreign Humanitarian Assistance program, has been distributed to communities and first responders in need. The teams distributed the medical and sanitary supplies donated by NGOs to communities within Lebanon and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Throughout March and April, over 20,000 hygiene kits were distributed to school children along with 33,200 masks, 152,000 gloves, 11,200 bottles of hand sanitizer and 19,000 information cards to local clinics and medical centers to help prevent the spread of the virus.

"We highly appreciate the attitude of the local agencies and the American military teams to provide the municipality of Zarqa with quantities of protective and sterile materials in these difficult conditions facing the kingdom in the fight against the virus," said Engineer Emad Al-Momani, the Mayor of Zarqa, Jordan. "The gesture has had a great impact on us and shows that the organization and the teams have a humanitarian dimension through these wonderful attitudes."

In the first part of February, the U.S. civil military support element (CMSE) in Jordan partnered with the Jordanian Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC) for a distribution of winter clothing in Safawi and Ruwayshid, Jordan  poor, under-represented regions near the Syrian and Iraqi borders.

The U.S. and Jordanian CA teams collaborated their efforts in order to present jackets and scarves to nearly 1200 students. The Jordanian CMCC planned and coordinated the distribution with the advice and assistance of the U.S. CMSE.

"This was the first time the CMCC took the lead on a combined operation," said U.S. Army Capt. Jordan Legg, a team leader of Civil Affairs Team 614. "This project gave us a baseline as we focus on institutional development so that the CMCC may expand operationsboth within Jordan and regionally."

The groundwork for the collaboration on COVID-19 response was laid in the months and years leading to the current crisis. In collaboration with their military partners in both Jordan and Lebanon, teams have improved, refurbished and constructed clinics during the last decade under U.S. Central Command's Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civil Aid (OHDACA) program in underserved areas within both countries.

Recently in April, U.S. SOF collaborated with a NGO in Lebanon to provide advanced medical training to LAF soldiers. This helped set conditions for the LAF to provide support to the community as they enforce or advise on social distancing measures.

The CMSE and NGO partners assisted LAF leaders to develop an organic medical capacity with their combat forces. The CMSE and the NGO provided training equipment for a Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) course at the Hamat Special Forces School. The graduates of the course also received their own individual first aid kits.

"The ongoing coordination between various US SOF elements, the LAF, and local Lebanese NGOs demonstrates the continuous unity of effort amongst SOF elements to identify gaps in the Lebanese Armed Forces and build partner capacity," said U.S. Army Capt. Sondra Setterington, team leader of CA Team 613.

The CA team's work complements the efforts of the U.S. State Department, which recently allocated $13.3 million in new assistance for Lebanon and $8 million for Jordan. The support is intended for humanitarian relief for COVID-19 response activities assisting vulnerable citizens and refugees.

These efforts, and the current COVID response, can only occur because of the strong partnership, trust, and mutual respect between U.S. SOF, partner military units; built over years of sustained civil-military engagement. SOCCENT's CA teams, with the support from the U.S. country teams in Lebanon and Jordan increase the capability of partners while advancing U.S. interests, achieving U.S. and partner goals to defeat threats within the civil component of the operational environment.

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We recently saw people forced to choose between their personal safety and their right to vote in Wisconsin. We still dont know the full damage holding the Wisconsin primary without expanded mail-in voting options caused, but regardless we cannot ever let it happen again.

This year we are faced with a great challenge in ensuring every eligible voter gets access to the ballot while also keeping themselves and their loved ones safe. This is a challenge that we can meet and overcome, but its going to take working together to implement solutions that may change the way we are used to voting, including by casting our ballot at home and returning it by mail.

Voting by mail is not a new idea. In fact, its been tried and tested in states across the country. In the 2018 midterm election, 27 percent of all voters cast their ballot by mail. In states that have used vote-by-mail extensively, such as Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Utah and California, it has proven successful in increasing access to the ballot while also ensuring elections are fair and secure.

Vote-by-mail and early voting reforms have traditionally focused on ensuring that voters who cant make it to the polls on Election Day because of work, school, family, health or other reasons are still able to vote. But now there are even more important reasons as we tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Voting by mail provides an important solution to both protect the public health and the peoples right to vote. Thats why Republican and Democratic election officials and governors across the country are turning to vote-by-mail as a solution in this crisis  from Republican governors Larry Hogan of Maryland and Mike DeWine of Ohio, to Democratic senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

As support for vote-by-mail has grown among voters and political leaders alike, it has also been the focus of misleading attacks by President Trump. So, let me take a minute to clear a few things up. First, there is absolutely no evidence that vote-by-mail benefits one party over the other. It has been implemented in both Republican and Democratic states and has been deployed as an electoral strategy by both parties. In fact, GOP officials have openly admitted they used vote-by-mail as a strategy to help elect Trump in 2016.

Second, there is no evidence to suggest that vote-by-mail is less secure than in-person voting. In fact, vote-by-mail is a paper-based system that is not susceptible to cyber-hackers and can be easily audited by election officials to make sure the election results are accurate.

This is all to say that vote-by-mail is a great solution so voters do not have to pick between their right to vote and their personal safety amid a pandemic. But it cant be the only solution. We know vote-by-mail doesnt always work for everyone and every community. That is especially true for Native Americans, the disability community, neighborhoods where people who speak other languages or do not have reliable postal service, or move often. We also have to make sure that when states do expand mail-in voting options, they are doing it in a way that doesnt lead to ballots being rejected or votes being suppressed.

Ultimately, even as we expand vote-by-mail options, we must continue to employ other ways to ensure voting access to all eligible Americans  by offering voters some safe in-person voting options if possible and by expanding ways for voters to engage with the voting process. That includes expanding early voting opportunities, promoting online voter registration, extending voter registration deadlines, and exploring more novel voting experiences like curbside, drive by and mobile voting centers. These options, along with mail-in ballots, are common-sense approaches to protect the vote in the COVID-19 crisis.

As states contend with the economic realities of a global pandemic, however, we must ensure that they have the resources to take on these new reforms. Thankfully, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are now leading the important fight for additional funding for our elections. In order to ensure voting is secure and accessible for everyone in 2020, we will need Congress to dedicate at least $4 billion in the next stimulus package. This funding will allow states to adopt systems that are the best option for their communities and voters.

The pandemic we are facing is challenging on many fronts, but we cannot let our elections  and by extension our democracy  fall victim to COVID-19. If we work together to advocate for and implement solutions like vote-by-mail and expanded early voting, we can help ensure that our democracy survives this crisis.

Sylvia Albert is the director of voting and elections at Common Cause, which since 1970 has been holding power accountable through lobbying, litigation and grassroots organizing. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.
By Gina Lee

Investing.com  Oil was mixed on Wednesday morning after the American Petroleum Institute (API) predicted another week of increases in crude oil supply.

API estimated a 7.58-million-barrel increase in U.S. crude oil inventories for the week ending May 8 overnight. Analyst forecasts prepared by Investing.com predicted a 5-million-barrel increase.

Brent oil futures gained 0.10% to $29.47 by 9:40 PM ET (2:40 AM GMT) and WTI futures were down 1.55% to $25.38.

WTI futures jumped to 6.8% during the last session after Saudi Arabia announcing a further 1 million bpd in June on top of its cuts agreed to with OPEC+ in early April.

The announcement prompted Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to pledge a further 180,000 bpd cut in production.

But the sudden announcement led some investors to question the motives for the further cuts.

It was so sudden and so significant, it was just seen as: Is this a proactive policy or just a reaction to weak demand? Vivek Dhar, Commonwealth Banks mining and energy economist, told CNBC.

Although the increase was smaller than last weeks figure of 8.4 million barrels, the API data left investors wondering if the cuts are enough to avoid the inevitable oversupply as storage space rapidly runs out.

Investors will be monitoring the new outbreak of COVID-19 virus cases in China and South Korea, with a second wave threatening to destroy the fragile demand that was slowly creeping back up as countries loosened lockdowns and social distancing measures.

Commonwealth Banks Dhar added, On the demand side theres probably a view that the worst may be behind us, in terms of the peak damage point. If we do see a second wave, that would hurt demand and hurt pricing.

As the WTI June contract edges closer to its expiry date on May 19, investors will be monitoring the black liquid and hoping to avoid another dip into negative territory.

Related Articles

U.S. lawmakers include biofuels aid in latest proposed relief bill

Oil falls amid concerns about new viral outbreaks, rise in inventories

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While talking about bats is a bit controversial nowadays, there's no stopping Robert Pattinson from discussing his titular role in "The Batman."

The New Batman

The actor is the cover for the June/July issue of GQ wherein he styled and shot himself while in quarantine from home. Along with the beautiful cover, Pattinson also revealed the reason why he took on the iconic role of Batman.

The actor opened up about why he took on the much-coveted role, which many veteran actors have taken in the past years.

"I was thinking, it's fun when more and more ground has been covered. Like, where is the gap?... And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: Where's my opening?... And then also, it's a legacy part, right? I like that," he shared.

He then went on to discuss how much he loved filming the movie.

"There's so few things in life where people passionately care about it before it's even happened. You can almost feel that pushback of anticipation, and so it kind of energizes you a little bit," Pattinson said.

"It's different from when you're doing apart and there's a possibility that no one will even see it. Right? In some ways it's, I don't know... It makes you a little kind of spicy."

While the filming of the movie was put on hold, Pattinson revealed that he continues to follow the meal plan for his Batman role.

"I'm essentially on a meal plan for Batman. Thank God. I don't know what I'd be doing other than that," he revealed before he shared the list of what he eats in a day.

"I'll have oatmeal with, like, vanilla protein powder on it. And I will barely even mix it up. It's extraordinarily easy. Like, I eat out of cans and stuff. I'll literally put Tabasco inside a tuna can and just eat it out of the can."

Looking Great Amid Quarantine

The 33-year old actor looked dirty gorgeous in his long, shaggy hair and scruffy beard on the cover of the new GQ magazine June/July issue.

The camera he's holding in the photo was the giveaway. However, his fans were still impressed that the actor styled and shot the magazine cover himself while in an Airbnb in London.

Robert Pattinson was wearing a black and white patterned shirt he picked himself. With the limited guidelines from the magazine's creative team, Robert was able to pull off a rather beautiful shoot for the magazine.

Apart from the cover photo, there was another serious shot of him looking as handsome as ever while wearing a pinstripe suit by Louis Vuitton.

His hilarious interview was conducted through FaceTime due to the limitations set by the coronavirus pandemic. The "Twilight Saga" actor discussed his forthcoming film, whose production was shut down due to the threat of the global health crisis.

While the whole production team of the movie is hopeful that they could resume filming soon, Robert is enjoying his sweet time in London. His new photos reveal that rest and relaxation did him good.

Perhaps, this new "Batman" is going to be one good-looking hero. His beautiful face will surely be a picture of hope for everyone amid the quarantine.
The lockdown due to the spread of Covid-19 pandemic has changed the ground reality entirely for creative professionals in Ludhiana, with many of them finding that talent has no takers in the prevailing situation.

However, they have not lost hope and are waiting for the situation to normalise.

I always believed that having a regular job provides one financial security, but this lockdown has taught me this is truly not the case. Now, I have been working on creating more YouTube content to eventually turn the platform into my regular source of income, said 23-year-old Harmanpreet Kaur, who, like many other artistes, is also waiting for post lockdown days.

Harmanpreet, who has acted in various short movies, said the company, she had been working for, had not paid her for the past two months, and had asked her to work without any incentive.

An actor by profession, HarmanpreetKaur is now working on beauty videos for YouTube.

Even after several requests, the company didnt release my salary and asked me to work without pay during lockdown, which I turned down. I also approached my contacts for some acting assignments, but there is no work at all. Now, Im spending most of my time creating content for YouTube and Instagram. My goal is to gain more followers, so that I can get my channel monetised soon, said Harmanpreet, who is now creating beauty videos for online audiences.

Like Harmanpreet, several other independent artistes have been forced to be dependent on their families.

Thirty two-year-old Puneet Dharni, a Dugri-based photographer, said there was no demand for photography at present.

People just need essential items. Photography and paintings are of no value. Even the industries, which were our major clients, are struggling to somehow pay salaries to their employees. There is hardly any work for product photographers, said Puneet.

But, I am paying salary to all my eight team members, including photographers, videographers and designers, from my personal savings, he added.

They are my team members and I cant ditch them at this time. I have somehow managed to pay them for March and April, but I have no idea how I will manage to pay them for May, he added.

Similarly, Rupa Arora, who runs a painting academy near Pakhowal Road, said she had been reaching out to architects for work, but in vain.

Conducting an exhibition of my paintings just after the lockdown will not be possible due to the social distancing rule. I have been contacting architects if they have any painting jobs for interiors, said Arora.

Arora, whose specialises in mixed media art, said she had been spending time creating abstract art for bringing positivity in her life during this difficult time.

Instead of artwork on the pandemic, Im focusing on light art. Creating abstract art always makes me happy. These days, Im practising a new form of mixed media with metal relief and coffee colours. I hope this pandemic ends soon and artists like me can share their works with the world, she added.
Regenerate wrote:

What's the deposit cost for McDonough to hold your spot?



Is it worth the possibility of getting Ross for you to make the deposit only to lose it if you get in to Ross?



Or, is it worth the risk to not make the deposit, and risk getting turned down at Ross and not have anywhere to go?



Posted from my mobile device

Yeah, paid the deposit and wait to see what's gonna happen would be the best strategy. tho funnily I already paid the deposit for university of Rochester and imperial college last year for the same reason lol.maybe I am just curious, would ross be an absolute "yes" that I should go for once if they ever give me an offer?
India: Why shrimp sector must become more self-sufficient

May 13,2020 | Source: The Fish Site

The report, which was issued by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) looks into a range of measures to improve the export potential of the aquaculture sector. Around 90 percent of Indias aquaculture production is generally exported. And, although exports have plummeted since the COVID-19 pandemic, the report warns that producers may struggle to meet demand once the movement of goods and people returns to normal  due to the lack of access to broodstock and larval feeds during the global lockdown. CII has therefore recommended re-establishing import of broodstock from the US via special cargo flights, according to the Hindu Business Line. As the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) quarantine facility in Chennai is shut, CII argues that the imported broodstock should be allowed to be taken to hatcheries directly and sampled by RGCA inspectors onsite.



Subsidisation



The report recommends that the electricity tariff be lowered to a maximum of Rs.4.50 per unit, since power constitutes 17 per cent of the production cost of shrimp. It also recommends introducing a subsidy of Rs.10 per kg of feed, which should be passed on to farmers through the feed mills - based on the production data or the purchase receipts of the farmers. Looking at the long term viability of the sector, CII has also suggested developing a nuclear breeding centre for shrimp in India.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Wednesday that his government may re-impose lockdown restrictions after the daily number of coronavirus cases registered in Armenia reached a new record high.

The Armenian Ministry of Health reported 180 new cases and one more death earlier in the day. The total number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus thus reached 3,718 while the official death toll rose to 48.

The ministry has also reported the deaths of 21 other individuals infected with COVID-19. It claims that they died as a result of other, pre-existing conditions.

For several days running more than 100 coronavirus cases are registered [on a daily basis,] which means that anti-epidemic rules are widely not followed in our country, Pashinian said in a live Facebook transmission.

If new infections continue rising at this rate we will have to again impose restrictions, and the purpose of the restrictions will be to prevent a situation where citizens in need of medical aid are left without medical aid, he warned. But we all can avoid that situation through personal responsibility.

I am asking you to strictly follow anti-epidemic rules, he added, urging Armenians to maintain physical distancing, avoid touching their faces with unwashed hands and use only clean tableware.

Pashinian already called for these safety precautions as the Armenian government began easing in mid-April a nationwide lockdown imposed in late March. Although the daily number of confirmed COVID-19 infections rose in the following weeks, the government lifted all restrictions on peoples movements and allowed the vast majority of all businesses to resume their work by May 4.

Pashinian declared on May 3 that the onus is now not only on his government but also on ordinary citizens to stop the spread of the virus.

Critics accused the prime minister of trying to dodge responsibility for the Armenian authorities failure to contain the epidemic. They said the authorities never properly enforced the lockdown, ended it too soon and are now paying the consequences.

Pashinian defended the governments decentralized tactic of fighting against coronavirus in his latest address to the nation. But he also complained: I can now see people in the streets shaking hands  standing very close to each other and talking. This is a big problem and at this pace [of the disease spread] we could face a very serious crisis.

Health Minister Arsen Torosian warned on May 4 that the number of coronavirus cases in Armenia could quadruple by the end of this month. During a weekend inspection of the countrys largest hospital treating COVID-19 patients, Torosian noted the virtual absence of vacant hospital beds at its intensive care unit.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday suggested she is optimistic that lawmakers in Washington will coalesce behind a new multitrillion-dollar spending plan that Democrats have proposed in the chamber.

House Democrats revealed a $3 trillion package that includes funding for state and local governments, additional direct payments to Americans and billions more for health-care and testing purposes. If passed, it would be the fourth and most expensive one in a series of bills passed to address both the coronavirus pandemic and its economic effects.

"I think that there's an opportunity here for us because this is only centered  only centered  on the coronavirus," the California representative told CNBC's Jim Cramer in a "Mad Money" interview. "Although it's a big ticket, it's a big problem."

The bill would dole out almost $1 trillion in assistance for state and local governments, $200 billion in hazard pay for certain essential workers and $75 billion to expand coronavirus testing and contact tracing. The latter is seen as a centerpiece to reopening the U.S. economy.

The package would also dish out another $1,200 in direct payments to individuals and increase the maximum amount to $6,000 for households with children. The measure, among other priorities, also seeks to extend federal support for unemployment rolls through January. The $600 per week in additional unemployment benefits was approved through July.

The $3 trillion price tag would trounce the historic $2.2 trillion package lawmakers pushed through in March.

"All of these provisions have had provenance in our former four bills that passed in a bipartisan way," Pelosi said. "All of them are supported by Democrats and Republicans across the country."

House Democrats, however, would need to win over the support of some key Republicans in Congress to get the bill on President Donald Trump's desk. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy both said the legislation in its current form is too aspirational. McConnell said the bill doesn't "deal with reality," while McCarthy referred to it as a "liberal wishlist."

Democrats and Republicans, including at the state and federal levels, have been divided over providing funding for state and local governments. Tax revenues have dried up across the country as communities cope with the economic ramifications of the lockdowns intended to slow the spread of the virus.

"This is a negotiation. We think this is what is necessary to meet the needs of the American people," Pelosi said in the interview. "State and local, testing, testing, testing and putting money in the pockets of the American people."

The pandemic is a health crisis teetering toward an unprecedented financial crisis. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 1.3 million people have tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 81,000 have died of complications from the respiratory infection. More than 33 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in the past two months as the unemployment rate shot up from historic lows to more than 14%.

Pelosi said what makes this situation different from the Great Depression is that the economic disaster of the 1930s was not "compounded by a threat to the lives of the American people." She said the big-ticket legislation is needed to get a handle on the virus and understand its disparate impact on communities.

"These numbers are unimaginable, so the combination of the two ... is just horrific, and we have to act, and that's why we want to open the economy and our schools, but to do so we must test, test, test," Pelosi said. "Everyone agrees to that, except those who have not made a decision to do that."
Men with low testosterone levels that contract COVID-19 are at far greater risk of dying from the virus, a study has found.

A recent study found men are twice as likely to die from the coronavirus, but clinicians have been unable to determine why this is.

But a study from a German hospital of 45 COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care reveals the male sex hormone testosterone may play a key role.

The hormone is known to help regulate the body's immune response but when a man has low levels of testosterone, the immune system is not kept in check and can go haywire following infection.

This leads to a so-called cytokine storm which happens when the immune system goes out of control as it tries to kill the pathogen.

A cytokine storm eventually begins damaging the body itself and, if left unchecked, can be fatal.

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A recent study found men are twice as likely to die from the coronavirus, but clinicians have been unable to determine why this is. Research suggests testosterone may be the reason (file photo)

WHAT IS THE 'CYTOKINE STORM' KILLING COVID-19 PATIENTS? Devastating lung inflammation triggered by the so-called 'cytokine storm' is thought to be what ultimately kills the sickest coronavirus patients. Cytokines are a group of cells involved in the immune system's response to injury or infection. They race to the site of a problem and signal to the body to send more immune cells to mount a defense against a foreign invader. It's a crucial part of how the body heals itself - but when it goes haywire it can lead to devastating damage. The influx of immune cells causes inflammation which, when persistent, an go awry and start killing cells in the very tissues the immune system is trying to protect When overabundant signalling cytokine cells stay switched 'on' for too long inflammation can continue out of control. This inflammation overwhelms the lungs of coronavirus patients, sending them into respiratory failure an ultimately killing many of them if this inflammation can't be stemmed. Advertisement

The researchers assessed the first 45 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.

Thirty-five were men and ten were women, with seven patients requiring oxygen and 33 of them needing ventilation. Nine men and three women died.

Hormone levels of each patient were assessed on their first day in ICU, before they had received any invasive procedures.

Samples from the COVID-19 patients were tested for 12 hormones, including testosterone and dihydrotestosterone.

Testosterone is key in how the body initiates and regulates various immune responses, including fighting viral infections.

It plays a particular important role in men's immunity as it is the main male sex hormone.

Of the male COVID-19 patients sent to ICU at the German hospital, more than two thirds (68.6 per cent) recorded low levels of testosterone.

In contrast, the majority of female patients (60 per cent) had elevated testosterone levels.

While low levels of testosterone can not control the immune response in men, the study found that in female COVID-19 patients, higher testosterone levels were linked to a more significant inflammatory response.

Professor Gulsah Gabriel from the Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology in Hamburg, who was involved in the research, told MailOnline: 'The majority of male COVID-19 patients had low testosterone levels.

'Of those male COVID-19 patients who died, the majority also had low testosterone levels.

'Thus, low testosterone levels in men seem to be a risk factor for severe and even fatal disease outcome in men upon infection with so-called cytokine inducing respiratory viruses.'

Testosterone plays a key role in regulating the body's immune response but when a person has low levels of testosterone, the immune system is not kept in check and can go haywire following infection. The ensuing 'cytokine storm' can be fatal. Pictured, a covid-19 infected patient works with a physical therapist at the lung medical unit at Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen

Researchers say that low testosterone levels in men seem to be a risk factor for severe and even fatal disease outcome upon infection with so-called cytokine inducing respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and Avian influenza A (H7N9)

Men with low testosterone levels are more likely to die from Avian influenza A (H7N9) Researchers from China's CDC and virology specialists studied 98 people diagnosed with H7N9. Testosterone samples were collected between 2014 and 2017 and compared to people who did not have the disease. In H7N9 infected men, testosterone levels were seen to be far lower than in their virus-negative close contacts. The virus-positive men who had low testosterone levels were also very likely to have high inflammatory cytokine levels. Low testosterone levels was also correlated with a higher chance of death after contracting the virus. The researchers write: 'This study provides evidence that low testosterone levels in H7N9 influenza infected men correlate with inflammatory cytokine/chemokine responses and lethal outcome.' Advertisement

SARS-CoV-2 trigger's the human body into producing vast amounts of cytokines, chemicals which flood to the site of infection and begin fighting the pathogen. They can also signal to the body to send more immune cells to mount a defence against a foreign invader.

It is a key part of healing in humans but a common issue for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 is their immune system responds too aggressively.

This can lead to this process getting out of control as it tries to defeat the invading pathogen. It leads to an enormous immune response called a cytokine storm.

This is a hyperinflammatory condition itself and can lead to severe lung damage, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death.

Ali Daneshkhah, a postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University who was not involved in the study, explains: 'This is what seems to kill a majority of COVID-19 patients, not the destruction of the lungs by the virus itself. It is the complications from the misdirected fire from the immune system.'

Professor Gabriel adds: 'It seems that testosterone has a dampening impact on the virus induced cytokine storm, which finally leads to death in both cohorts.

'Men with normal testosterone levels do not present a cytokine storm and thus are more likely to survive.'

Writing in their study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed and scrutinised by independent academics, the medics say: 'With SARS-CoV-2 continuing to infect humans worldwide, it was repeatedly reported that men with COVID-19 are at higher risk to develop severe and even lethal outcome compared to women, independent of age.

'Thus, it has become of utmost importance to understand why men are more likely to die from COVID-19 than women.'

The latest research builds on separate research, which Professor Gabriel was also involved in, which found men are also more likely to die after becoming infected with Avian influenza A (H7N9).

Both these diseases are zoonotic  jumped into humans from animals  and are cytokine inducers, turning the body's immune system against itself.

'The current hypothesis is that this cytokine storm inhibits steroid synthesis leading to low testosterone levels in men,' says Professor Gabriel.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- The citys new Shop Local Bingo promotion may be virtual, but the prizes are real.

So are the benefits to local merchants and restaurateurs as they continue to weather the Ohio stay-at-home order, which is gradually being lifted in phases during the ongoing coronavirus health crisis.

"Cleveland Heights is launching this fun program to encourage people to visit many of our open businesses, with a new bingo card being issued each Friday," said City Communications and Public Engagement Director Mary Trupo.

Available on the citys website, the bingo cards will feature 24 local businesses each week. The object is to line up any row of businesses you have patronized that week.

Get takeout, delivery or curbside from the listed locations in any given row and take a pic of you enjoying the food or drinks (while) holding your shopping receipt, the instructions state.

Then, once a contestant has a bingo -- horizontal, vertical or diagonal -- send all of your pictures in one email to bingo@clvhts.com or send a direct message to Instagram (@clvhts) or our Facebook (@clevelandheightsoh) with all your pics.

Make sure the marked bingo card is attached, as well.

The city reserves the right to post any submitted photos on its social media channels.

From there, every submitted bingo card will be entered in a weekly drawing to receive a Cleveland Heights dinner-dessert-beverage-groceries experience "on us (the city) -- a $50 value to your choice of featured business with two $25 gift cards."

One winner will be drawn each week, right around the time a new business bingo card is posted, with the promotion expected to last for at least the next four to five weeks.

You can continue to work on previous cards and then start on a new one or start on the new card right away, the city news release states. Lets have some fun and support our local businesses at the same time!

Cleveland Heights Business Development Manager Brian Anderson noted that prior purchases can count toward new cards -- although that purchase can only be submitted once for the contest.

"So, if somebody makes a purchase this week at a business not on this weeks card, they can use that purchase when that business does appear on a Shop Local Bingo card in the future," Anderson explained.

Trupo noted that players can continue to work on one card or multiple cards to see where where they can get a bingo first. Hopefully, this helps spread the love around.

And with retail coming back on line and more restaurants opening up in the coming weeks, "we hope to have as little duplication of businesses from one card to the next as possible," Anderson added.

The Cleveland Heights Economic Development Department also continues to update its list of open businesses through the national, state and local COVID-19 health crisis at https://www.clevelandheights.com/DocumentCenter/View/6500/Cleveland-Heights-Open-Business-List-5120?bidId=

The city is also offering free parking at all metered spaces and in all municipal lots.

Read more from the Sun Press.
The Republic of Madagascar has offered its herbal drug  COVID Organics (COV)  to Nigeria and other African countries.

The drug is for prevention and cure of coronavirus. Nigerias consignment has been sent to Equatorial Guinea from where it will be airlifted to Abuja.

For ease of transportation, African countries were divided into zones leading to the freighting of Nigerias consignments to Equatorial Guinea.

Nigerias COVID-19 positive tally moved to 4,399 last night with 248 new cases announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Lagos recorded 81 cases, followed by Jigawa State 35 and Borno 26 cases to top the chart. Kano recorded 26 cases, followed by Bauchi with 20 cases.

There is pressure on the Federal Government by different medical and scientific organizations to allow the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to subject the drug to further analysis.

Some others are pushing for clinical trial of Covid Organics before being used in the country.

The Federal Government was yet to take a position as of weekend because the AU has mandated its Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to review the scientific data gathered so far on the safety and efficacy of the COVID Organics.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week insisted that the efficacy of the drug was unproven.

Also, as part of steps to contain COVID-19, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has started negotiating with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) on how to source volunteer doctors and health workers.

The health workers will help to assist ravaged states in the North-West and North-East especially, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno states.

The Chairman of NGF, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, is coordinating the talks with the two professional associations with juicy welfare package.

According to a source, who spoke in confidence, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has been notified of the offer from Madagascar and arrangements were being made to bring Nigerias allocation to Abuja.

The source said: The consignments of the drug are being distributed to different countries in Africa based on zonal grouping. We have been told that Nigerias consignment is in Equatorial Guinea from where it will be airlifted to Abuja.

When the herbal drink is brought into the country, we will know the next step. But some medical and scientific organisations are pressurising that the drug be subjected to clinical trial.

Some countries like Tanzania, Congo-Brazzaville, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea have subscribed to the drugs. Also, while South Africa has offered to conduct a scientific analysis of the drug, Senegal said it will subject it to clinical trial.

I can assure you that the Federal Government will take the best decision on the drug in the overall interest of Nigerians.

Before any food or drug can be administered in this country, there are certain protocols that must be followed. The government will not circumvent these protocols. We want solution; we want the best for Nigerians.

On April 28, the Chairman of the PTF on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha said the nation was ready to give Madagascars herbal drink a trial.He said: I want to assure you that whatever is happening in the world, we are mindful of it and we are keeping a tab.

I was reading of the experiences in Madagascar of why everybody is drinking some solutions that have been prepared. This morning I was sharing with my wife, and I told her that probably I would request that Mr. President allow us import a plane load for a trial.

We are all navigating an unchartered cause. Nobody has ever been on this road. So, every attempt to find solution that would bring succour to our people, be rest assured that this task force is very responsible and we would do everything to ensure that we get what will benefit our people, what will help them in the processes that we find ourselves today.

On the talks with the NMA and NANNM, Dr. Fayemi said: We have started negotiations on how to secure the services of volunteer health workers to help contain COVID-19 challenges in the North-West and in the North-East.

The reality is that many states in these zones have problem of manpower, we need more volunteer health workers to assist them. We know we can draw these volunteers from the private healthcare sector without hurting the Public Health Sector.

We are ready to offer the volunteers good welfare package, including robust incentives and adequate security. Our ultimate goal is to avert trouble in the affected states; this is why we are pooling resources together.  The Nation.
JERUSALEM  Secretary of State Mike Pompeos eight-hour visit to Jerusalem on Wednesday for a lightning round of meetings with Israeli leaders raised one question that no one involved got around to answering:

What was so urgent and sensitive, in the middle of a virus pandemic, that Americas top diplomat had to make a 16-hour trip to Israel instead of simply picking up the phone?

A key, officials and experts said, was in the timing. It came on the eve of Israels seating its new government, one that appears divided over the immediacy of annexing about 30 percent of the occupied West Bank, which the Palestinians have counted on for a future state. And it came as the Trump administration is facing growing pressure from Arab leaders across the Middle East to pump the brakes on Israels annexation plans.

Although Mr. Pompeo took pains to avoid publicly addressing annexation, analysts suggested that a goal of the trip was to caution Israels leadership against moving too quickly.

Mr. Pompeo met first with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had campaigned on a promise to push ahead with annexation as soon as possible, and later with Benny Gantz, alternate prime minister in the new government, who had campaigned against unilateral annexation.
This article is part of the Debatable newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Last week, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued legally binding rules that will upend how schools and colleges handle sexual misconduct. Ms. DeVos pitched the long-planned regulatory overhaul of Title IX, the 48-year-old law that prohibits sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal funding, as a corrective to the Obama administrations failed approach that created campus kangaroo courts.

Difficult as it may be to imagine now, students could return to class in the fall, by which time the rules will be in effect. Will they actually make schools and campuses fairer, or will they cause a return to the days when rape and harassment in schools were ignored and swept under the rug, as the National Womens Law Center put it? Here are some of the major changes and what people are saying about them.

Bolstered protections for the accused

Title IX enforcement has grown increasingly contentious since the Obama administration issued its Dear Colleague letter in 2011, which advised schools to ramp up efforts to crack down on sexual misconduct and threatened to withdraw funding if they didnt. Critics of the guidance say that schools have felt financially pressured to overcomply, siding with accusers at the expense of the due-process rights of the accused.
Banks have taken the knife to term deposit and savings interest rates and there are warnings of more cuts on the cards as extraordinary stimulus policies drive down the cost of money.

Major banks have in recent weeks cut rates across a range of term deposits, in what one expert calls an unintended consequence of the unconventional policies to support bank funding in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Major banks have in recent weeks cut rates across a range of term deposits. Credit:Louie Douvis

Commonwealth Bank in recent days cut a key term deposit rate it had promoted as a special, following a reduction in bonus rates from Westpac last week, and these are just the latest in a string of rate cuts across the industry.

Comparison website Canstar reports there were 167 changes to term deposits last week, of which 164 were cuts, and its finance expert Steve Mickenbecker said the trend reflected ultra-cheap inter-bank lending rates.
Morocco, which produces 10 million non-woven masks per day in 23 factories, has decided to export its surplus of this most coveted commodity in the world battling covid-19 pandemic.

The announcement was made Monday by the minister of Industry and Trade Moulay Hafid Elalamy at the Parliament. He said that the decision was taken after reaching self-sufficiency and securing a stock of 50 million facemasks.

Furthermore, several countries have expressed interest in importing the certified Moroccan masks that met international health safety requirements, underlined the minister.

However, the exports of facemasks could be halted if the supply of the local market is affected after lifting the coronavirus lockdown, warned Mr. Elalamy.

Morocco also produces over 2 million reusable cloth masks per day, he added, noting that these types of masks are not currently exported, as they are needed in the country.

The export of these masks will be phased out after building up the strategic stockpile, explained the minister, affirming that Morocco has also decided to export medical equipment including ventilators (used for critically-ill covid-19 patients) after reaching its self-sufficiency.

To ensure the respect of health safety requirements in workplaces, delegations comprising representatives from the ministries of Industry, the Interior, Public Health and Employment, visited 1,590 factories to see whether the employers supply workers with facemasks, disinfectants and sufficient ventilation.

The factories failing to abide by the health and safety regulations will be shut down, warned Mr. Elalamy.
LANSING - Attorney General Dana Nessel issued an urgent consumer alert recently to notify Michiganders of another online retailer that is taking advantage of consumers looking to buy products like hand sanitizer and face masks during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Nessel's office recently received a complaint from a concerned Michigan consumer about a website called OkHomeOnline selling face masks, alcohol-based cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and other products in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The consumer reported being charged for a purchase, but never received the order. Later attempts to check the order status were unsuccessful when the website could no longer be accessed.

The Attorney General's office found that multiple complaints were available online with consumers going through the exact same situation as the Michigan resident. They placed the order only to find that the website disappeared. Furthermore, the phone numbers and addresses listed for the "company" appear to be stolen from other businesses that do not make or sell coronavirus-related products.

"Consumers should always be careful when shopping online, but being cautious is especially important in a time like this when public anxiety is high and scammers are looking to profit off fear," Nessel said. "Researching the product and the seller before you make a purchase is never a bad idea, and it can help shoppers from falling victim to these predatory practices."

This website is not the first online COVID-19 scam the Attorney General's office has encountered.

In mid-April the office announced it was issuing court-authorized subpoenas in its investigation into a Muskegon County business, EM General, for similar business practices of failing to provide consumers with their purchased products. That investigation is still underway.

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, it's likely consumers will continue to seek products through digital retailers, which highlights the importance of shoppers being aware of potential scams.

Before ordering from a new or unfamiliar online store, consumers should consider doing the following:

See if the company has reviews online. Search for the company in a search engine with terms like "review," "complaints" or "scam."

Pay by credit card. If there are any issues with the purchase, consumers may be able to dispute the purchase with the credit card company and may have protections available under federal law.

Review AG Nessel's Online Shopping Tips consumer alert and more alerts under the Shopping for Products and Services category.

Additional warnings on how to avoid purchasing non-existent personal protective equipment (PPE) and other COVID-19-related products are available from the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Federal Trade Commission.

Consumers can file a complaint online or by calling the Attorney General's Consumer Protection tip line, (877) 765-8388. Hours of operation are between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the blues community is finding ways to keep the music alive. They are working hard. And while cancellations are the norm, there are still many opportunities to stay connected.

Barbara Neuman of The Blues Foundation writes, Recently, The Blues Foundation found itself on the cutting edge of the new normal as they broadcasted the 2020 virtual Blues Music Awards as a Facebook Premiere and on YouTube and invited all the world to watch for free. They approached over 100,000 views between the two platforms, which confirms that the blues is very much alive, well, and revered.

While there have been many other virtual performances shared across various platforms, this is the first major awards program produced from artists' living rooms. The feedback we are receiving from you continues to be overwhelmingly positive and supportive. The show captivated our audience with viewers telling us that they felt like they were right there with their friends as they made comments throughout the show, all positive affirmations of the blues. You told us that the virtual BMAs lifted your spirits and made you feel like you were part of the international blues family. We know that the blues provides healing solace during troubling times, so all of us at The Blues Foundation feel especially grateful to be part of something bigger than any one of us.

For those who missed the initial broadcast, beautifully hosted by Shemekia Copeland, we are keeping it accessible for you to watch on The Blues Foundation's Facebook page and YouTube channel, and I encourage you to visit one of those links as we continue to celebrate all our nominees and winners.

In addition to nominee performances and award announcements, you will find flashback moments with iconic blues greats such as B.B. King with Curtis Salgado, Luther Allison, Dr. John and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Rufus Thomas, Koko Taylor, and more.

One of the nights winners was the Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling. An interesting aside to the band surrounds its bass player. While it may have its roots in the cotton fields of the deep South, particularly the Mississippi Delta region, blues music is now celebrated the world over. Blues festivals take place all over Europe and Scandinavia, even in in the exotic land of India. Those same regions are home to numerous artists and bands who are adept at capturing the essence of the music. One area that does not get as much attention for its blues scene is the South American continent, particularly Brazil. Over the years, a number of American blues artists have traveled south, inspiring local musicians and teaching them the right way to play the music. Right in the middle of that process was Rodrigo Mantovani, who now is one of the finest blues bass players on the planet, working with the award-winning Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling.

With the Rhode Island Governors decree that all events of over 50 people are cancelled for the rest of the summer, Rhythm & Roots 2020 falls under this. They had put together one of their best lineups and are disappointed that it will not be presented. They are working hard in the next few months to bring back the same lineup in 2021. Stay in touch through the website and email list for future updates, and where many live performances from past festivals are posted for your listening pleasure. There is some great music there, and plans are moving to add some more videos as soon as possible.

Hill Country Harmonica is one of the biggest blues harmonica instructional gatherings in the United States. This year, they are celebrating 10 years of HCH at Foxfire Ranch in Waterford, Mississippi. HCH is committed to showcasing African-American musicians and authentic cultural expression unique to the Deep South. This year they are partnered with Phil Wiggins.

On May 16 -17, you can expect two days of harmonica instruction, and a deep grounding in blues history and storytelling from Phil Wiggins, Wallace Coleman, and others. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gathering is being moved to a virtual platform for the first time. For additional information contact Annette Hollowell, info@hillcountryharmonica.com or at 662-278-0279.

Last week, The Recording Academy and MusiCares announced that they are temporarily suspending new applications for their COVID-19 Relief Fund due to insufficient funding.

To date, The Recording Academy's charitable organization has raised nearly $14M through its relief fund to help musicians whose livelihoods have been affected by the current pandemic. However, there are still a lot of artists out there in need of assistance.

Weve partnered with our friends at The Bluegrass Situation to set up a designated fund to benefit MusiCares as well as Direct Relief, which provides medical resources to those helping on the frontline. You can donate, just look them up.

In the mode of giving is #GivingTuesdayNow. It is a new global day of giving and unity in response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Every act of generosity counts. Here is how your support helps musicians in need.

As schedules and times change, it is good practice to call the club and confirm. Get the complete Blues Beat schedule on Thursday at the blog http://bluesbeatnews.wordpress.com/. Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.
Net Loss Decreases And Company Launches New Cloud-based Anti-Phishing Product for Enterprises

MCLEAN, VA / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / Cyren (CYRN) today announced its first quarter 2020 financial results for the period ending March 31, 2020.

During the first quarter, Cyren reported quarterly revenues of $9.6 million, compared to $9.7 million during the first quarter of 2019. GAAP net loss for the quarter was $2.8 million, down 40% compared to the $4.6 million net loss reported during the first quarter of 2019, due to lower operating expenses compared to the prior year.

"Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the first quarter was a very difficult period for companies around the globe," said Brett Jackson, CEO of Cyren. "Despite the challenging external environment, our team remained focused and we exceeded our Q1 bookings target. We also experienced strong contract renewals during the period, including several large, multi-year agreements. Cybersecurity remains a priority for customers in our target markets. Given that most companies are now relying on a remote work environment, we do not see a relaxing of security postures. In fact, organizations are more reliant on email than ever, and protecting users from email-based threats is critical."

First Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights:

Revenues for the first quarter of 2020 were $9.6 million, compared to $9.7 million during the first quarter of 2019.

GAAP net loss for the first quarter of 2020 was $2.8 million, compared to a net loss of $4.6 million in the first quarter of 2019, representing a decrease in loss of 40% year over year.

GAAP loss per basic and diluted share for the first quarter of 2020 was $0.05, compared to a loss of $0.08 per basic and diluted share for the first quarter of 2019.

Non-GAAP net loss for the first quarter of 2020 was $2.8 million, compared to a Non-GAAP net loss of $4.4 million for the first quarter of 2019, representing a decrease of 36%.

Non-GAAP loss per basic and diluted share was $0.05 for the first quarter of 2020, compared to a Non-GAAP loss of $0.08 per share in first quarter of 2019.

Cash used in operating activities during the first quarter of 2020 was $4.4 million, compared to operating cash usage of $1.3 million during the first quarter of 2019, when the company received a multi-year, multi-million dollar prepayment from one of its largest customers.

Net cash flow for the first quarter of 2020 was positive $3.5 million, compared to negative $5.1 million during the first quarter of 2019. Net cash flow in the quarter includes $9.4 million in financing activities as the result of a convertible debenture offering that closed in March.

Cash balance as of March 31, 2020, was $15.1 million, compared to $11.6 million as of December 31, 2019.

Story continues

For information regarding the non-GAAP financial measures discussed in this release, please see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliation of Selected GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures."

Recent Business Highlights:

During the first quarter, Cyren renewed two of its largest threat intelligence customers to multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts using the company's embedded threat detection services.

On March 17, 2020, Cyren announced a private placement with a select group of accredited investors for the purchase of $10.25 million aggregate principal amount of convertible debentures.

In April, Cyren launched a new cloud-based email security product targeting enterprise customers who are trying to cope with the growing phishing problem. Cyren Inbox Security is fully integrates within Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), and is the first service to combine continuous email monitoring and threat detection with automated response and remediation.

Cyren also announced in April, a distribution agreement with Arrow Electronics to distribute Cyren Inbox Security in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). "Our digitally transformed world introduces organisations to a growing number of new and evolving security threats - it's important to stay ahead of the curve and make sure that weaknesses in corporate distributed infrastructure aren't exploited and working with Cyren Inbox Security in EMEA will provide a way for customers to eliminate and protect a business and its employees," explained Alexis Brabant, vice president sales of Arrow`s enterprise computing solutions business in EMEA.

Financial Results Conference Call:

The company will host a conference call at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (5 p.m. Israel Time) on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 to discuss first quarter results.

U.S. Dial-in Number: 1-877-407-0312

Israel Dial-in Number: 1-80-940-6247

International Dial-in Number: 1-201-389-0899

The call will be simultaneously webcast live on the investor relations section of Cyren's website at https://ir.cyren.com, or by using the following link: https://webcasts.eqs.com/cyren20200513/en.

For those unable to participate in the live conference call, a replay will be available until May 27, 2020. To access the replay, the U.S. dial in number is 1-877-660-6853 and the non-U.S. dial in number is 1-201-612-7415. Callers will be prompted for replay conference ID number 13703081. An archived version of the webcast will also be available on the investor relations section of the company's website at https://ir.cyren.com/events.

About Cyren:

More than 1.3 billion users around the world rely on Cyren's cloud security solutions to protect them against cyber attacks and data loss every day. Powered by GlobalView, Cyren's global security cloud that identifies emerging threats on a global basis in real-time, Cyren (CYRN) delivers fast time-to-protection with threat detection services, threat intelligence and enterprise email security products for leading email providers, cybersecurity vendors, service providers and enterprises. Learn more at www.cyren.com.

Blog: http://blog.cyren.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CyrenWeb

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cyren

Twitter: www.twitter.com/CyrenInc

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

Non-GAAP financial measures consist of GAAP financial measures adjusted to exclude: stock-based compensation expenses, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and deferred taxes related to acquisitions, adjustments to earn-out obligations, and capitalization of technology. The purpose of such adjustments is to give an indication of the company's performance exclusive of non-cash charges and other items that are considered by management to be outside of the company's core operating results. The company's non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable GAAP measures, and should be read only in conjunction with the company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Company management regularly uses supplemental non-GAAP financial measures internally to understand, manage and evaluate the business and make operating decisions.

These non-GAAP measures are among the primary factors management uses in planning for and forecasting future periods. The company believes this adjustment is useful to investors as a measure of the ongoing performance of the business. The company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide consistent and comparable measures to help investors understand the company's current and future operating cash flow performance. These non-GAAP financial measures may differ materially from the non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Reconciliation between results on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis is provided in a table immediately following the Consolidated Statements of Income. The presentation of this non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Management uses both GAAP and non-GAAP measures when evaluating the business internally and therefore felt it important to make these non-GAAP adjustments available to investors.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. For example, statements in the future tense, and statements including words such as "expect," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," or "believe" are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on information available at the time of the press release and the company assumes no obligation to update any of them. The statements in this press release are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from current expectations as a result of numerous factors, including business conditions and growth or deterioration in the internet security market, technological developments, products offered by competitors, availability of qualified staff, and technological difficulties and resource constraints encountered in developing new products, as well as those risks described in the company's publicly filed reports, which are available through www.sec.gov.

Company Contact

Mike Myshrall, CFO

Cyren

+1.703.760.3320

mike.myshrall@cyren.com

CYREN LTD.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share amounts)

Three months ended March 31 2020 2019 Unaudited Unaudited Revenues $ 9,649 $ 9,655 Cost of revenues 3,598 4,000 Gross profit 6,051 5,655 Operating expenses: Research and development, net 3,344 4,177 Sales and marketing 3,036 3,856 General and administrative 2,214 2,432 Total operating expenses 8,594 10,465 Operating loss (2,543 ) (4,810 ) Other income, net 6 248 Financial expenses, net (231 ) (53 ) Loss before taxes (2,768 ) (4,615 ) Tax benefit 17 39 Net loss $ (2,751) $ (4,576) Loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.05 ) $ (0.08 ) Weighted average number of shares outstanding: Basic and Diluted 59,684 54,177

CYREN LTD.

RECONCILIATION OF SELECTED GAAP MEASURES TO NON-GAAP MEASURES

(in thousands of U.S.dollars, except per share amounts)

Three months ended March 31 2020 2019 Unaudited Unaudited GAAP gross profit $ 6,051 $ 5,655 GAAP gross margin 63 % 59 % Plus: Stock-based compensation expense 44 29 Amortization of intangible assets 431 839 Non-GAAP gross profit 6,526 6,523 Non-GAAP gross margin 68 % 68 % GAAP operating loss (2,543 ) (4,810 ) Plus: Stock-based compensation expense 645 269 Amortization of intangible assets 560 963 Capitalization of technology (1,213 ) (742 ) Settlement of litigation, net - - Non-GAAP operating loss (2,551 ) (4,320 ) GAAP net loss (2,751 ) (4,576 ) Plus: Stock-based compensation expense 645 269 Amortization of intangible assets 560 963 Adjustment to earn-out liabilities - - Amortization of deferred tax assets (48 ) (57 ) Gain from an earn-out liability settlement - (256 ) Settlement of litigation, net - - Capitalization of technology (1,244 ) (770 ) Non-GAAP net loss $ (2,838 ) $ (4,427 ) Numerator for non-GAAP EPS calculation $ (2,838 ) $ (4,427 ) Non-GAAP net loss per share $ (0.05 ) $ (0.08 ) GAAP weighted-average shares used to compute net loss per share 59,684 54,177

CYREN LTD.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

March 31 December 31 2020 2019 Unaudited Assets Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 15,061 $ 11,551 Trade receivables, net 2,830 2,187 Deferred commissions 1,101 948 Prepaid expenses and other receivables 1,141 819 Total current assets 20,133 15,505 Long-term deferred commissions 1,465 1,580 Long-term lease deposits 859 767 Operating lease right-of-use assets 11,843 8,695 Severance pay fund 550 659 Property and equipment, net 5,157 4,410 Intangible assets, net 9,609 8,966 Goodwill 19,974 20,246 Total long-term assets 49,457 45,323 Total assets $ 69,590 $ 60,828 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Trade payables $ 2,044 $ 1,184 Employees and payroll accruals 3,443 3,427 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 1,036 1,145 Operating lease liabilities 1,876 1,946 Deferred revenues 5,314 7,208 Total current liabilities 13,713 14,910 Deferred revenues 1,727 1,956 Convertible notes 10,000 10,000 Convertible debentures 9,447 - Long-term operating lease liabilities 10,364 7,174 Deferred tax liability 720 796 Accrued severance pay 679 811 Other liabilities 623 470 Total long-term liabilities 33,560 21,207 Shareholders' equity 22,317 24,711 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 69,590 $ 60,828

CYREN LTD.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW DATA

(in thousands of U.S. dollars)

Three months ended March 31 2020 2019 Cash flows from operating activities: Unaudited Unaudited Loss $ (2,751 ) $ (4,576 ) Gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment (13 ) 1 Depreciation 618 461 Stock-based compensation 645 269 Amortization of intangible assets 560 966 Amortization of deferred commissions 350 (332 ) Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets 389 351 Interest on convertible notes 141 140 Interest and amortization of debt issuance costs on Convertible Debentures 24 - Other income related to the earn-out consideration - (256 ) Deferred taxes, net (64 ) (69 ) Changes in assets and liabilities: Trade receivables (652 ) 678 Prepaid expenses and other receivables (326 ) (738 ) Deferred commissions (388 ) 407 Change in long-term lease deposits (114 ) 20 Trade payables 45 (405 ) Employees and payroll accruals, accrued expenses and other liabilities (491 ) (274 ) Deferred revenues (2,073 ) 2,463 Accrued severance pay, net (23 ) 41 Operating lease liabilities (420 ) (365 ) Other long-term liabilities 153 (111 ) Net cash used in operating activities (4,390 ) (1,329 ) Cash flows from investing activities: Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 2 - Capitalization of technology (1,001 ) (627 ) Purchase of property and equipment (558 ) (544 ) Net cash used in investing activities (1,557 ) (1,171 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from convertible debenture, net of debt issuance costs 9,442 - Payment of earn-out consideration - (2,680 ) Proceeds from options exercised - 189 Net cash provided (used) by financing activities 9,442 (2,491 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash (6 ) (126 ) Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 3,489 (5,117) Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the period 12,127 18,156 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the period $ 15,616 $ 13,039 Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as shown in the consolidated statements of cash flow: Cash and cash equivalents $ 15,061 $ 12,444 Restricted cash included in long-term restricted lease deposits 555 595 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 15,616 $ 13,039

SOURCE: Cyren Ltd





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/589574/Cyren-Announces-First-Quarter-2020-Financial-Results




"I work in South Africa doing essential services and I have all my documents in order. I was coming to pick another truck after my off duty. There were about 20 of us who arrived at Beitbridge on April 26. We were tested for the first time and the second tests were taken on Monday last week," an inmate, who refused to be named, said.
Republicans have won a special election for Congress in Southern California, reclaiming a suburban House seat that they lost to Democrats in the 2018 midterms.

Democrat Christy Smith, a state assemblywoman, conceded defeat to Republican Mike Garcia Wednesday, one day after the closely watched special election runoff for the seat vacated by former Rep. Katie Hill, who resigned last year.

"We believe that the current tally shows Mike Garcia is the likely victor in the May 12 special election," Smith said in a statement. "As such, I'd like to congratulate him."

Garcia, a former Naval aviator, currently leads Smith, 56 percent to 44 percent, with an unknown number of ballots left to be counted. The Associated Press called the race later Wednesday, about three hours after Smith's concession.

His victory represents the first time in 22 years that California Republicans have captured a congressional seat from Democrats.

Smith will get a second chance at Garcia in November  the same two candidates in the runoff also qualified for the general election  but Garcia's victory will no doubt boost his candidacy, drawing donors and national attention, though the final margin is still in doubt.

The party has hailed him as a top recruit with deep ties to the district. He was nominated for the Naval Academy by the district's former congressman, Republican Buck McKeon, and then returned to the district to work for the defense contractor Raytheon.

Republicans are already casting his win as the beginning of a reversal of the suburban drubbing they suffered last cycle, when a 40-seat Democratic wave flipped control of the chamber after eight years of Republican dominance.

"Congratulations to Congressman-elect Mike Garcia for defying all of the odds and obstacles thrown in his path to decisively win," NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer of Minnesota said in a statement.

Democrats are optimistic that Smith will be able to capitalize on the district's antipathy to President Donald Trump in November when the presidential election is on the ballot. Trump remains unpopular in the district, which he lost by 7 points to Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Story continues

Smith and her allies feel they will have an easier time tying Garcia to Trump and forcing him to take more specific positions, instead of relying so heavily on his biography.

"I look forward to having a vigorous debate about the issues in the upcoming November 2020 election, from health care access to job creation, aid for working families, investments in local classrooms to wildfire protection, women's rights and more in the months ahead," Smith said in her statement.

Trump has endorsed Garcia and repeatedly weighed into the race on Twitter, excoriating the last-minute opening of an in-person voting center in a Democratic-leaning part of the district.

Privately, Democrats said they fell short in the race because the electorate skewed older and whiter and because of the shadow of Hill's resignation. Hill, who was first elected in 2018, served less than a year and left Congress after admitting to an inappropriate sexual relationship with a campaign staffer.

But the party is also hoping to defend incumbents in districts with much more challenging demographics this November, when much of the country may also be voting by mail.

National Democrats' game plan is to focus the narrative more squarely on health care and take better advantage of Trump's unpopularity.

"Were confident that voters will reject Mike Garcia's attacks on their health care, and that Democrats will retake this seat in November, DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos of Illinois said in a statement.
Actor Shah Rukh Khans daughter Suhana shared a stunning picture of herself on Wednesday. The star kid, who studies in New York, has been in Mumbai with her parents through the lockdown.

Taking to her Instagram stories, the star kid shared a sun-kissed picture of herself. The picture is perhaps from a green area inside her dads mammoth Mumbai home, Mannat. She is looking away from the camera; wearing comfortable floral pyjama paired with sleeveless blouse. Her coloured hair fall gracefully around her shoulders and she wears henna on her palms. She has light-day make-up on.

The left image is Suhanas latest picture on Instagram.

While her Instagram account, Suhanakhan2 has been active since October 2017, it was only sometime in March this year that she made it public. Suhana is a freshman, currently studying in New York. She reportedly flew back to Mumbai to be with her parents through the lockdown. Her brother, Aryan, too is home. On April 20, 2020, Shah Rukh had himself confirmed that all his kids are home.

He had tweeted, Inspite of contributing to the population boom, having three kids to be with is a treat. They r in all shapes and sizes, so the day goes by being with them each for a couple of hours. Then spend rest of the day cleaning up their toys!

Suhana, meanwhile, is quite active on Instagram. On Mothers Day, she had posted a picture of mother Gauri Khan and mentioned how she was mad because she didnt look like her. She had written on her Instagram stories,  Happy Mothers Day Ma. Honestly kinda mad that I dont look like you.

Her father Shah Rukh has been doing whatever he can to help India tide over the Covid-19 pandemic. In the initial days, he like many from his fraternity contributed to PM-CARES Fund and Maharashtra CMs Relief Fund. He had provided 25,000 PPE kits to the frontline medical staff in Maharashtra. He also took part in a Lady Gaga-curated virtual concert, One World: Together At Home, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and international advocacy organisation Global Citizen, in support of healthcare workers around the world. He also participated in a digital concert I For India to raise funds for the frontliners working round-the-clock to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

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WAKEFIELD  Dont believe everything you hear; this is the message from the latest Big Closets Small Planet podcast, which welcomes Ecotextile News own Simon Glover, and Sandra Roos, of Swedens RISE Institute, to shed light on the significance of accurate industry data amidst a whirlpool of misinformation.

With the likes of the United Nations unwittingly sharing bogus factoids at a time of mounting climate concern, Mike Schragger, of the Sustainable Fashion Academy, looks to provide clarity by reflecting on research which unearths the truth of the fashion and textile industrys environmental impact; whilst its reaffirmed that science, not hear-say, should be the springboard for action.

Roos notes how the climate impact of the textile industry is still high  but calls for more accurate, peer-reviewed data to be used in industry communications.

Listen to the full podcast HERE.

In the December 2019 issue of Ecotextile News, a series of fashion and textile industry myths were debunked. Amongst these: the widely-circulated idea that fashions carbon footprint is bigger than that of both aviation and maritime shipping was disproved.

What the Ellen MacArthur Foundation claimed was that in the year 2015, emissions from textiles totalled 1.2 billion tonnes, and that was more than international flights and maritime shipping combined, Glover says.

Comparatively, statistics from the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that emissions from aviation and maritime bunkers stood at 1.1 billion; this, in 2014 however.

For fashion and textiles, its generally accepted that 80 per cent of the carbon footprint is in the supply chain. Was that the case for aviation and shipping we wondered. Were the emissions from the manufacture of all those planes and ships, the building and operations of the ports and airports, was that included? We went back to the International Energy Agency and found that it wasnt, theres only included direct emissions. Glover explains.

Detailed insight from the IEA painted an entirely new picture. One that totted the volume of emissions from fashion and textiles in 2015  the year cited by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation  up to just over 82  million tonnes, whilst aviation and shipping emitted closer to 2 billion tonnes.

This research has since led further industry factoids to be called into question, with Roos undertaking her own work which has similarly found inconsistencies between leading industry figures.

Drawing on work executed by, again, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, as well as Quantis, the European Environmental Agency and others, Roos has found that the volumes of apparel we consume per person per year to vary from nine to 31 kilograms. Of course that leads to different climate impacts, she says.

As a scientist Im troubled that these types of claims are made with no, or very little science behind them. These statements, in the short-term, do make peoples eyebrows go to the top of their head, but when it turns out that it isnt entirely truthful, they lose their trust in this type of information, she continues. Whenever data cannot be reviewed, that means its not scientific fact, its only hear-say.

You can listen to the full podcast HERE.
Quantum computing is a key priority for Japan. It launched a dedicated ten-year, 30 billion yen (US$280 million) quantum research program in 2017 , followed by a 100 billion yen (US$900 million) investment into its Moonshot R&D Program - one focus of which will be to create a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer to revolutionize the economy, industry, and security sectors by 2050.

Combining a high-powered, ultra-compact machine with a universal programming language, the Atos Quantum Learning Machine enables researchers and engineers to develop an experiment with quantum software. It is the world's only quantum software development and simulation appliance for the coming quantum computer era. It simulates the laws of physics, which are at the very heart of quantum computing, to compute the exact execution of a quantum program with double-digit precision.

"We're delighted to have sold our first QLM in Japan, thanks to our strong working partnership with Intelligent Wave Inc.. We are proud to be part of this growing momentum as the country plans to boost innovation through quantum. Japan understands that quantum research requires a long-term vision and nurtures innovation at every level to build its future success in the field," said Nourdine Bihmane, Head of Growing Markets and Head of B&PS Public & Regional at Atos. "The Atos Quantum Learning Machine enables businesses to develop and experiment with quantum processes and delivers superior simulation capabilities to speed innovation."

The introduction of the Atos QLM enables companies to prepare algorithms tailored to their own use cases and adapt them to current and future quantum technologies. It also supports research and educational institutions in training human resources to quantum programming and to promote advanced research on these topics.

The Atos QLM simulates the behavior of a quantum computer, meaning that quantum algorithms can be developed without the need for quantum hardware. As the Atos QLM is hardware-agnostic, quantum algorithms developed on it can be executed on any quantum computer from any manufacturer.

Atos QLM users continue to grow. Launched in 2017, the QLM is being used in numerous countries worldwide including Austria, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Senegal, UK and the United States, empowering major research programs in various sectors. Atos' ambitious program to anticipate the future of quantum computing - the 'Atos Quantum' program - was launched in November 2016. As a result of this initiative, Atos was the first organization to offer a quantum noisy simulation module within the Atos QLM.

More information about Atos Quantum Learning Machine: https://atos.net/en/solutions/quantum-learning-machine

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 110,000 employees in 73 countries and annual revenue of 12 billion euro. European number one in Cloud, Cybersecurity and High-Performance Computing, the Group provides end-to-end Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud, Big Data, Business Applications and Digital Workplace solutions. The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos|Syntel, and Unify. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200423/2784706-1

Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180716/2187572-1LOGO

Press contact:

Marion Delmas | [email protected] | +33 6 37 63 91 99



SOURCE Atos
Manitobans wondering whether their sniffles or sore throat could be a case of COVID-19 can now self-refer to be tested for the novel coronavirus.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (615 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans wondering whether their sniffles or sore throat could be a case of COVID-19 can now self-refer to be tested for the novel coronavirus.

Even mild symptoms of COVID-19 can now be tested without a referral from Health Links to one of the provinces 16 community screening sites, Shared Health chief nursing officer Lanette Siragusa says.

"As we move from our message of stay home to more of a message about stay safe, the protocols will continue to be adapted and expanded in some ways," she said Wednesday.

Siragusa said people who have a fever, cough, sore throat, headaches, shortness of breath, runny nose, nausea, fatigue and skin rashes should use the province's online screening tool, then go directly to a testing site in their neighbourhood.

"At the beginning, we had very select criteria as to who would go and maybe who wouldnt go for testing," Siragusa said. "Now that weve really expanded that out so broadly weve built up that testing capacity as well, and weve also built up the access to those testing sites.

"Now its just at the point where if youre sick, you go."

On Wednesday, the province announced no new cases of COVID-19.

The total lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba remained at 290. Four people were in hospital Wednesday afternoon, including one in intensive care.

According to public health officials, 251 people have recovered from the disease and 32 cases remain active in the province. Seven Manitobans have died from COVID-19.

On Tuesday, 527 samples were tested for COVID-19  a little more than one-quarter of the total available testing capacity.

Chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said testing continues to be critical to the provinces phased reopening strategy, and cases have to be identified early to allow for contact tracing and isolation.

Stigma and fear of potentially testing positive for COVID-19 among symptomatic people has been an issue, Roussin said, and public health officials have seen examples of that in the province.

"This testing, and just as important, staying home when youre ill, is everyones role," Roussin said. "As we talk about this, we need all Manitobans to be on board with this.

"We need employers to understand that we dont want employees coming to work sick, so you have to give them viable options."

The province is also preparing to test Manitobans for antibodies specific to COVID-19, following Health Canada approval of a serological test, Roussin said.

On Tuesday, the federal agency approved the DiaSorin Liaison test for use in Canada. Roussin hopes testing will begin "soon," as part of a national effort.

Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

"This testing at first is going to allow us to get an idea on just how many Canadians, how many Manitobans have been infected with COVID-19," Roussin said.

"Its still early. We dont know whether these antibodies confer immunity or how good of an immunity or how long it lasts. Those are other things that were going to have to look at."

The provinces top doctor also provided more details about a cluster of infections in Brandon that has produced 10 confirmed cases (one presumptive case has since been ruled a negative).

A public health investigation has identified 25 total contacts connected to confirmed cases; 19 people are currently self-isolating; one is in hospital; and three have recovered.

Roussin said the secondary attack rate  the number of contacts who subsequently develop COVID-19  has not yet been determined, as a number of people are still within the incubation period of the virus.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
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The Telecom Millimeter Wave Market is anticipated to reach around USD 5,869 million by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the E-band frequency band dominated the global telecom millimeter wave market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period.

Browse for full research summary: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/telecom-millimeter-wave-market

The growing need for bandwidth intensive applications coupled with growing mobile data traffic has boosted the adoption of telecom millimeter wave. The rising penetration of mobile devices, and rising adoption of mobile-connected devices further support the growth of telecom millimeter wave market. Additionally, the increasing demand of telecom millimeter wave in small-cell backhaul networks has supported market growth over the years.

Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements, growing demand from consumer electronics, and exoanding applications in security applications would accelerate the adoption of telecom millimeter wave during the forecast period. However, adverse environmental impact, and range issues are expected to hinder the telecom millimeter wave market growth. Growing demand from emerging economies, increasing adoption in autonomous vehicles, and use in 5G technology 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/telecom-millimeter-wave-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 demand for mobility services drive the market growth in the region. The rising penetration of mobile devices, and technological advancements further support market growth in the region. The high penetration of 4G LTE, and the testing of 5G technology is expected to support market growth in this region during the forecast period.

The companies operating in the telecom millimeter wave market include Siklu Communication Ltd., Farran Technology Ltd., Millitech, Inc., NEC Corporation, E-Band Communications, LLC, Bridgewave Communications, Inc., Sage Millimeter, Inc., Keysight Technologies, Inc., LightPointe Communications, Inc., and Smiths Group PLC. 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.

Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/telecom-millimeter-wave-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.

Contact us-

Polaris Market Research

Phone: 1-646-568-9980

Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com
By Makini Brice and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) - Top U.S. health authorities will testify on Tuesday to a Senate committee looking into plans for reopening the nation's businesses, schools and other sectors of the economy closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, as experts recommend doing so cautiously.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, Assistant Secretary of Health Brett Giroir and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn are scheduled to testify before the panel.

Fauci, Redfield and Hahn have been taking self-quarantine steps after announcements they had come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Each of the witnesses will be testifying remotely at Tuesday's hearing, according to a committee aide.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander is also self-quarantining in his home state of Tennessee for 14 days after a member of his staff tested positive for COVID-19. He will chair the hearing virtually, his office said on Sunday.

The shuttering of businesses to combat the spread of the coronavirus has led to mass layoffs of workers, sparking the greatest economic disruption to the United States since the Great Depression nearly a century ago.

Republican President Donald Trump, who previously made the strength of the economy central to his pitch for his November re-election bid, has encouraged states to reopen businesses that had been deemed non-essential amid the pandemic.

So far, his administration has largely left it to states to decide whether and how to reopen. State governors are taking varying approaches, with a growing number relaxing tough restrictions enacted to slow the outbreak, even as opinion polls show most Americans concerned about reopening too fast.

WORKER SAFETY

Story continues

But Trump and his task force coordinating Washington's response to the coronavirus have faced questions on how U.S. workers will be kept safe during reopening, especially after two staffers working within the White House tested positive for the virus.

One of the staffers is Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary, Katie Miller, the wife of senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller. The other is a valet to the president.

So far, the coronavirus has killed more than 80,000 people in the United States, the highest death toll of any country. Some experts say testing for the virus in most parts of the country continues to fall short of what would be needed to safely reopen.

Senate Democrats, including Patty Murray, her party's senior member on the Senate health committee, called on Trump to allocate $25 billion in funding to ramp up testing.

Fauci's appearance at the Republican-controlled Senate committee comes after the White House blocked the 79-year-old infectious disease expert from testifying to a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives panel, calling it "counterproductive."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to unveil a sweeping coronavirus-response bill, possibly this week, that would likely provide more funding for testing, new state and local government aid and another round of direct payments to people to help them meet their daily living costs. Congress has already passed trillions of dollars in emergency relief. (Reporting by Makini Brice and Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney)
For the first time since March thousands of Iranians in the capital Tehran and 400 other cities throughout Iran gathered in mosques and open-air spaces on Tuesday evening for three-night long ceremonies amid coronavirus fears.

Iranian news agencies have published pictures of the mask-wearing faithful listening to prayers and praying in mosques or in their cars in open spaces. Photos also show disinfection of the venues, marking safe distances on the floors to keep participants apart, and health workers taking participants' temperature before attending the ceremonies.

Open-air religious ceremony in Tehran, May 12.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday told the members of the National Coronavirus Combat Taskforce and governors of the 31 Iranian provinces that he was leaving the decision about opening the places of prayer to the Taskforce but also pointed out that prayers, particularly during the Nights of Qadr, are among people's "basic and inexorable needs".

Health Minister Saeed Namaki who said the decision to allow the ceremonies had been taken in response to the "concerns" of the Supreme Leader, cautioned the participants in the ceremonies to observe all safety measures. He also advised the ceremonies to be held in open spaces and told high-risk groups such as the elderly and those with other health conditions to stay away from the gatherings.

Open-air religious ceremony in Tehran, May 12.

"The biggest strategic mistake is to think that coronavirus is finished," he warned on the state-run television while announcing the decision to allow the gatherings to take place from midnight for two hours only during the three nights.

In Tehran where the epidemic is still raging, the ceremonies have been limited to only four places while they have been completely banned in Khuzestan Province which has turned into a new hotspot in recent weeks.

For Iranian Shiites the three nights from the 19th to the 21st of Ramadhan mark the sword attack on Imam Ali, the first of the Shiite Imams, during prayer in a mosque and his passing three days later.
Passengers walk through a mostly empty Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on May 12, 2020.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines have instructed their crews not to enforce mandatory mask policies during flight, Reuters reported.

The three airlines all unveiled new pandemic policies in May, requiring passengers to wear masks.

But the companies are taking a lax approach, informing passengers of the policy but not enforcing it.

The International Air Transport Association recommends that all travelers and crew should wear face-coverings onboard. The Federal Aviation Administration has not issued similar guidance.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Three of the largest airlines in the US are instructing crews not to enforce mandatory mask policies once passengers have entered the cabin.

Flight attendants at American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines have been advised to encourage passengers to wear masks on board, Reuters reported. But they have also been advised not to push the issue if a passenger refuses.

In early May, the three companies, which together held 50% of the pre-pandemic domestic flight market share, all announced they would require passengers to wear masks onboard. Last week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) advised that everyone aboard a commercial aircraft should wear a face covering. The Federal Aviation Administration has not issued any mask guidance.

According to internal company messages seen by Reuters, the companies are flouting their own policies and IATA guidance. US air travel has plummeted 94%, and total flights stand at 30% of their usual capacity this month.

"Once on board and off the gate, the face covering policy becomes more lenient. The flight attendant's role is informational, not enforcement, with respect to the face covering policy," American Airlines said in a message to pilots obtained by Reuters.

"Bottom line to the pilots: a passenger on board your aircraft who is being compliant with the exception of wearing a face covering is NOT considered disruptive enough to trigger a Threat Level 1 response," the message continued, referencing a mid-flight disruption scenario that could require the pilot to change course.

Story continues

If a passenger chooses not to comply with the mask policy for other reasons, American Airlines said, attendants are still told to "not escalate further."

A spokeswoman for United told Reuters that its crews would use their "de-escalation skills." Delta had a similar policy. The three companies enforce mask policies before and after passengers board their flights.

Airline unions have called for more oversight and stricter safety policies.

"Airlines are implementing policies on the fly with essentially no coordination or direction from the federal government," Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, told Reuters. "We need federal requirements that mitigate risk during this pandemic and put the safety of crews and the traveling public first."

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- India is reopening, but apart from tipplers who were a little too thrilled about buying their first liquor in 43 days, a partial end to the worlds harshest coronavirus lockdown is failing to bring cheer. Anxiety still clouds the outlook amid a lack of meaningful fiscal help for workers and companies.

Starting Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government relaxed restrictions on the production, sale and transport of goods in districts identified as green and orange. However, virus hot spots designated as red zones remain under strict curbs on any activity deemed nonessential. Since 53% of economic output comes from these densely packed clusters, is it reasonable to declare India as half open? Even that may be an exaggeration.

The metropolises  Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad  are all classified as red. Intercity movement of people remains suspended with no flights or regular train services. Not being able to access demand in large consumption centers will further constrain production even in places where factories can restart. With migrant workers from rural areas scrambling to get home, the supply chain in a mess, and working capital scarce, even a labor-surplus economy like Indias will struggle to fill pent-up demand.

India has identified an area twice the size of Luxembourg to host factories leaving China, Bloomberg News reported Monday. Getting ready to take advantage of shifting global supply chains in the post-coronavirus world makes sense as a strategy, but it wont see the country through its more immediate challenge.

Nobody can predict if even the modest normalization of the economy will last. With nearly 43,000 Covid-19 cases and the number doubling every 12 days, the country is still struggling to flatten the curve  even with the lockdown. If loosening leads to new infections in green zones, they could slip into orange. Community outbreaks can quickly turn orange districts into red. That uncertainty itself is enough to keep production down.

Story continues

Manufacturing is already in dire straits. The plunge in April in the purchasing managers index to 27.4 came the same day as the tentative resumption of activity. Even that record-low figure probably sugarcoats the actual situation. As Capital Economics says, the index was lifted by suppliers taking longer to deliver, usually seen as an indication of capacity shortages and excess demand. Last month it was most likely because of supply disruptions.

Automakers couldnt sell a single car in April. Construction remains at a standstill. In Mumbai, Indias most expensive property market, the governments tax take from stamp duties on documents was less than $600 for the entire month  all from lease agreements. Not a single change in ownership was registered. The financial sector, which was facing a crisis of confidence even before the coronavirus, is imploding. Even if the partial reopening doesnt overwhelm Indias limited health-care capacity, it wont prevent the economy from spiraling out of control.

Then what will? Indias $2.7 trillion economy has so far had to satisfy itself with a token $22.6 billion stimulus package when it requires at least 5% of GDP  or $135 billion  in federal government support to firms and families, plus at least half as much in extra spending by state governments at the frontline of battling the pandemic. Time is running out. Any package of spending and loan guarantees the government announces will have to be tweaked and fine-tuned to actually work, but red zones cant stay frozen for even another month. The fiscal bill that the Modi government seems to be trying hard to compress by its color-coded reopening will only balloon.

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

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services. He previously was a columnist for Reuters Breakingviews. He has also worked for the Straits Times, ET NOW and Bloomberg News.

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

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Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged Wednesday to hire hundreds of new firefighters and increase oversight of troubled utility PG&E in hopes of weathering a potentially tough fire season complicated by the financial and health challenges of the coronavirus. But he acknowledged the difficulties that lie ahead.

The state is coming out of a dry winter, which promises a more flammable landscape, while firefighters have been limited in how much they have been able to prepare for the increased threat. Fire crews also face the risk of contracting the virus in a job that invariably means working, traveling and living in large groups. A sickened workforce could undermine the states ability to head off the danger.

The state budget that Newsom is scheduled to propose Thursday, the governor said, will include $86 million for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to boost its firefighting response, including hiring 600 employees, and $127 million for the Department of Emergency Services to address such disasters.

The proposed budget will also fund the creation of a new 106-person wildfire safety division to oversee Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and other utilities. Many of the big fires in recent years, including the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County that killed more than 80 people, were caused by faulty, fire-prone power equipment.

We have been preparing for the upcoming wildfire season and we are not stepping back our efforts. In fact, we are stepping them up, Newsom said at a media briefing on the coronavirus at a Cal Fire station in Cameron Park (El Dorado County).

The governor has made fire safety a top priority of his administration. He took office just months after the town of Paradise was wiped out in the Camp Fire and outlined an ambitious agenda to reduce the threat. But in calling for more money for firefighters this year, Newsom also said that Cal Fire and the Department of Emergency Services would face cuts in some areas, owing to the expected $54 billion deficit at the hands of the coronavirus.

We did pull back in certain areas, he said. We couldnt do everything we proposed.

The governor did not elaborate on what reductions would be made, saying only that the details of the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, beginning in July, would be announced Thursday.

The states firefighting plan also includes strategic changes aimed at navigating a world where the risk of infection remains a constant. Mirroring guidelines recently published by federal fire managers, California will try to keep firefighters apart or in small groups as much as possible and will work to prevent wildfires from getting too big so they dont require massive deployments of staff.

If we keep fires small at the beginning, with these extra resources were going to have were going to protect our firefighters and the public, said Cal Fire Director Thom Porter, who was with Newsom on Wednesday.

The push for a more aggressive attack on wildfires comes in contrast to recent guidance calling for firefighters to let low-risk blazes burn to get rid of the combustible vegetation. While the new tactic could slow efforts to increase forest resiliency and reduce the long-term risk of fire, Porter emphasized the need to get through the short term.

Early this month, federal fire officials worked with local and state officials across the country to design regional Wildland Fire Response Plans to address health issues posed by the coronavirus.

In addition to recommending a slew of social distancing measures, the sprawling plans offered a stern warning about the seriousness of the contagion.

In the event of a high disease-spread scenario with a high rate of infection, the associated loss of individuals from service will severely tax the ability to maintain an adequate wildfire response, even during a moderately active fire season, reads the plan for California.

Mike Mohler, a deputy director at Cal Fire, said the state has been modeling what reductions in staffing might look like. Could we function with the loss of 50% of our work force? We could, but no one would be going home, he said. And we may have to begin triaging fires, deciding which ones are priorities.

The state also expects a decline in prison inmates who help fight fires. Many have been released to reduce jail populations in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In the past, inmate crews have sometimes made up half of the staffing on wildfires.

The addition of new Cal Fire employees as well as aid from the U.S. National Guard and the California State Guard, Mohler said, would help keep firefighter numbers high.

He added that new social distancing policies, like spreading out the large fire camps where firefighters often work, sleep and eat for weeks on end would go a long way to making sure staff stay healthy.

Mark Ghilarducci, director of the Office of Emergency Services, said similar distancing measures would apply to how communities evacuate during wildfires. His agency would work to get more hotel rooms for those forced to leave, and when that isnt possible, emergency officials would make use of partitions and air purifiers to keep crowded evacuation centers safe.

This is not a perfect solution, he said. Were obviously going to be working through these in real time and assessing each individual case.

Firefighters also are still playing catch-up after the coronavirus lockdown put a lot of their prevention activities on hold this spring. The U.S. Forest Service, the nations largest wildland firefighting force, halted all prescribed burning for several weeks while Cal Fire has been more cautious  and sometimes more sparing  with vegetation management programs.

Recent wet weather has helped delay the start of the high fire season. But the arid winter means that when spring rains do finish, Californias hills and valleys will dry out more quickly.

On lands managed by state firefighters, there have already been 60% more wildfires this year compared to last year, according to Cal Fire.

The fuel conditions are drying out, the grasses are starting to cure and that is when we tend to see more fires, said Cal Fire spokeswoman Amy Head.

Chronicle Staff Writer Alejandro Serrano contributed to this report.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander
He was scared and had good reason to be. He was over age 60. He had health issues. And the global COVID-19 death toll was mounting. So, as the Rev. Walter Johnson Jr. lay in the hospital bed, isolated from his family for two weeks, the doubt began to creep in. Being infected with the novel coronavirus pushed a man who has been devoted to ministry since age 16 to question the very God hes spent most of his life endorsing.
A new study will assess the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of thousands of people  from the womb to old age.

Young people may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of social isolation. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Much has been written about the threat that COVID-19 poses to our physical health, but very little is known about the pandemics longstanding effects on our mental health and cognitive functioning.

A global team led by psychologists at UNSW Sydney will be exploring for the first time what they describe as this pandemics toxic combination of two extreme psychological stressors: existential threat and social isolation.

The longitudinal study recently launched online invites participants in Australia, the UK and US to evaluate their mood before and after the onset of the pandemic, and to track their cognitive function and social networks over the coming months.

It hopes to enlist more than 3000 participants over the next six months, with people as young as 11 and beyond the age of 65 able to participate online  and it has a special focus on two subgroups thought to be especially vulnerable to the shock of enforced isolation: adolescents and pregnant women.

The studys chief investigator, Dr Susanne Schweizer from UNSWs School of Psychology explains why there is concern for the long-term effects of social isolation on younger generations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed peoples lives so drastically that it is difficult to know how protracted the effects may be. Were particularly interested in younger people because they are at a time of social reorientation away from the family towards their peers which is all of a sudden being disrupted by social distancing. Dr Susanne Schweizer, UNSWs School of Psychology

Dr Schweizer and her colleagues are concerned that the longer-term effects of social isolation in this group may come at a cost to their cognitive development due to schools being closed as they are in the US and UK, or drastically changed as in the case of Australia.

There has been such a disruption in their natural social interactions that theyre not able to engage in social relationships that are so key at this point in their development, she says.

The researchers have flagged pregnant women as similarly exposed to long-term effects of social isolation. Not only will expectant mothers need to be especially vigilant when facing the existential threat of a pandemic, social isolation may bring additional challenges that could affect their moods and cognitive development of their newborn child.

We know stress during pregnancy can increase the risk of postpartum mental health problems. And in turn, postpartum mental health problems are a key risk factor for poorer mental health and poor cognitive development in their children. Through this study, we want to investigate what the consequences of this pandemic are on the mother and child  so that we can respond to their mental health needs now and in the future. Dr Susanne Schweizer

Dr Schweizer says past studies have already established a link between social isolation in older people and reduced cognitive functioning. But in these cases, the isolation has occurred over a longer period during times of societal stability  a completely different scenario to where older people find themselves today.

We also want to see whether these short-term social isolation implementations have an effect on cognition in older people. So we're looking at social, mental health and the cognitive domain across the lifespan, from the womb to old age. We want to be able to answer the question: what are the different implications for the different age groups?

Whats in the study

Initially participants will be asked to complete an hour-long survey  online in a laptop or smartphone browser  to assess mood before and after the pandemic. They will be asked to evaluate their connections to people in their social network and will also be invited to complete tasks that assess working memory  the ability to store information in memory for short amounts of time. As incentive, participants have a chance to win a $100 Amazon voucher that will be awarded to every 100th person to complete the survey.

After three months  and then again after six  participants will again be asked to fill in a shorter survey to track progress in mood, cognitive function and social network.

We hope that by the end of the study, we will have reliable and accurate data, so that we can qualify the longer-term effects of this pandemic. The unprecedented nature of it requires rapid and collaborative responses, and by working together with other research teams at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK and Oregon and Pittsburgh in the US, we are able ask these questions across different populations. By investigating the impact of the pandemic on mental health and what happens when the protection of a social support network suddenly disappears, we will be much better positioned to respond to the future health care needs or our national and global populations. Dr Susanne Schweizer

The study is one of 13 projects funded by UNSWs Rapid Research Fund.
MIAMI - A consulting firm owned by a former Miami congressman who was roommates with Sen. Marco Rubio and shared his anti-communist politics has been sued over allegedly breaking a $50 million consulting contract with Nicolas Maduros socialist government.

The lawsuit against David Riveras Interamerican Consulting was filed Wednesday in New York federal court by Maduros opponents who now control the U.S. subsidiary of PDVSA, the Venezuelan state-run oil giant.

According to the lawsuit, PDVSA in early 2017 hired Interamerican for three months of consulting work aimed at improving PDVSAs long-term reputation and standing among targeted stakeholders in the U.S.

But the lawsuit alleges that the Cuban-American Republican failed to describe any work that he had actually performed, preparing just two of seven promised bi-weekly progress reports while collecting the first $15 million of the agreed-to $50 million.

At the time, Maduro was trying to curry favour with the Trump administration, avoiding outright criticism of the new U.S. president while funneling $500,000 to his inaugural committee through Citgo, PDVSAs Houston-based subsidiary.

The effort fell flat. Encouraged by Rubio, who arranged a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and the wife of jailed opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez, the U.S. gradually ratcheted up pressure on Maduro and in August 2017 slapped the first of gradually more restrictive sanctions on PDVSA.

The $50 million PDVSA agreed to pay Interamerican, which lists as its business address Riveras Miami home, dwarfs the $12.5 million that Maduro agreed this year to pay Florida law firm Foley Lardner for five months of public relations and lobby work. Foley Lardner later backed out of the agreement amid an outcry from conservative critics who accused it of carrying water for a socialist dictator.

Pedro Burelli, a former PDVSA board member and staunch opposition supporter, said the hiring of Rivera for such a high amount may be more about laundering money for Maduro insiders than actually performing real lobbying work.

There is nothing legal Mr. Rivera was in a position to do for Maduro for 10 times less money, said Burelli from Washington. Understanding the real deliverables of this contract might drag many more into this unsightly scandal.

The lawsuit says Rivera performed no meaningful services under the Agreement, and certainly did not perform the level of services that might reasonably be expected for a fee of approximately $17 million per month.

The Trump administration has since handed ownership of PDVSAs assets in the U.S., including Citgo, to representatives of opposition leader Juan Guaido, who it recognizes as Venezuelas rightful leader.

Asked about the contract, Rivera said in a text message to ask the Citgo 6, referring to the five American citizens and a U.S. legal resident who have been detained in a Venezuelan prison since November 2017  six months after the contract was signed.

They managed that entire operation, including all the money, in co-ordination with the Venezuelan opposition, including Leopoldo Lopez. Thats all I know, he said without answering any further questions and refusing to explain himself. The AP could not verify his account

Through a spokesperson, Lopez denied any involvement in the contract, which was signed while he was still isolated in a Caracas military prison.

Rivera, 54, is a former high-ranking state legislator who shared a house in Tallahassee with then-House Speaker Rubio. He has been embroiled in several election-related controversies since then, including orchestrating the stealth funding of an unknown Democratic candidate to take on his main rival in a South Florida congressional race and a state investigation into whether he hid a $1 million contract with a gambling company. That probe also involved possible misuse of campaign funds to pay for state House activities already reimbursed by the state. Rivera has never been charged with a crime.

Rivera served a single term in Congress, from 2011-2013, and during that time honoured Venezuelan exiles fleeing socialist rule and co-sponsored legislation seeking to withhold funding from the Organization of American States until it confronted then President Hugo Chavez for allegedly violating Venezuelas constitution.

Rubio, speaking to reporters Wednesday on Capitol Hill, said I only know what has been reported today in the New York Times. But if the facts are as they have been reported, it would be deeply disappointing news.

___

AP Writer Curt Anderson contributed to this report from Miami.
The coronavirus has now claimed the lives of at least 9,702 New Jersey residents, with at least 141,560 total cases statewide, though the outbreak continues to slow as there are fewer COVID-19 patients at the state hospitals than any time in the last six weeks, officials said Wednesday.

The latest update includes 197 new deaths attributed to the virus and 1,028 new confirmed positive tests. That marks the seventh consecutive day with fewer than 2,000 new cases in the state.

Gov. Phil Murphy has said the trends showing a decline in hospitalizations and new cases have made it likely he will continue to lift near-lockdown restrictions in the coming weeks. He announced Wednesday that nonessential retail businesses may reopen for curbside pickup and nonessential construction may resume starting Monday morning.

The data we are seeing gives us confidence that we can begin the careful and responsible restart of our economy  to get people back to work, and to begin to set the stage for the steps to come, Murphy said during his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton.

New Jerseys 71 hospitals reported 4,226 patients with confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus as of Tuesday night. Thats down 48% from the peak in hospitalizations on April 14 and marks a month of steady declines. New Jersey has 1,226 patients in critical care, and 928 on ventilators, both the lowest number since the state started publicly tracking that data on April 4.

Murphy also provided clarification Wednesday on the states rules banning gatherings by saying that does not include drive-in movies, religious services and other events where participants remain in cars. And he said that could apply to graduation events where everyone remains in vehicles.

The county-by-county cases and deaths include:

Bergen County: 17,150 with 1,409 deaths

Hudson County: 17,035 with 1,007 deaths

Essex County: 15,749 with 1,471 deaths

Passaic County: 14,757 with 785 deaths

Union County: 14,306 with 908 deaths

Middlesex County: 14l,241 with 819 deaths

Ocean County: 7,688 with 571 deaths

Monmouth County: 7,090 with 466 deaths

Morris County: 5,926 with 531 deaths

Mercer County: 5,499 with 360 deaths

Camden County: 5,099 with 246 deaths

Somerset County: 4,127 with 340 deaths

Burlington County: 3,726 with 214 deaths

Gloucester County: 1,728 with 92 deaths

Atlantic County: 1,584 with 88 deaths

Cumberland County: 1,447 with 43 deaths

Warren County: 1,066 with 114 deaths

Sussex County: 1,041 with 136 deaths

Hunterdon County: 732 with 47 deaths

Cape May County: 479 with 37 deaths

Salem County: 428 with 18 deaths

Another 704 cases are under investigation to determine where the person resides.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

While the trends continue to move downward, its difficult to get a complete picture of exactly how many people in New Jersey currently have COVID-19 because officials say testing has been backlogged for days. The state also is not reporting significant increases in daily testing, so it is unclear exactly how quickly the virus continues to spread.

The governor highlighted Tuesday that while the state has made strides in its battle against the pandemic, New Jersey is still dealing with larger ratios of new deaths, cases and hospitalizations compared to three neighboring states and the nations two most populated states.

LOOK: We are not out of the woods yet. When compared to other states, we see that New Jersey still bears a significant burden from COVID-19 So, keeping up with social distancing is essential as we move forward. pic.twitter.com/OuTW8xCuTc  Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 13, 2020

As of Monday, nearly 4.3 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 across the globe, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. Of those, nearly 300,000 have died and more than 1.5 million have recovered.

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U.S. President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders summit in Japan, June 29, 2019. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Wednesday said any benefits from the U.S.-China trade deal he signed in January pale in comparison to the damage that has been caused by what Trump called "the plague from China." Trump Tweet It was unclear whom Trump was referring to when he said "dealing with China is a very expensive thing to do." The White House declined to comment. But after months of Trump resisting pressure to explicitly tie U.S.-China trade relations to the bilateral coronavirus blame game, the tweet was one of several signs in recent days that the president may be changing tack.

Investment restrictions

On Monday, Trump and Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia directed the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board to halt plans to invest in Chinese companies. In a letter, Scalia wrote that the current plan to invest federal savings would place "billions of dollars in retirement savings in risky companies that pose a threat to U.S. national security."

An accompanying letter from Trump administration officials warned that Chinese companies could face sanctions related to what the White House claimed were "culpable actions of the Chinese government with respect to the global spread of the [coronavirus]." On Wednesday morning, the FRTIB announced it would delay its plan to invest what would have amounted to about $4.5 billion in Chinese equities. The delay represents a significant ratcheting up of financial pressure on Beijing, which is already under immense strain from the collapse in demand for Chinese goods caused by the global pandemic. But while the White House is quick to use words like "liable" and "culpable" to imply that China can somehow be held legally responsible for the deadly pandemic, experts say there is no provision in international law which allows culpability to be assigned to a particular country for a pandemic.

Hacking accusation

On Wednesday morning, the U.S. put further pressure on China when the FBI, in a joint statement with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said it is investigating "the targeting and compromise of U.S. organizations conducting COVID-19-related research by [China] affiliated cyber actors and non-traditional collectors." The hackers have been caught attempting to "identify and illicitly obtain valuable intellectual property" and public health data related to coronavirus research, said the FBI. "The potential theft of this information jeopardizes the delivery of secure, effective, and efficient treatment options."

Trade deal status quo?

Yet while actions like these certainly serve to deepen the mutual distrust between Washington and Beijing, it's difficult to ascertain what impact they're having on the nuts and bolts of the trade deal itself. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which tracks implementation of the deal on agricultural products, China and the United States are continuing to make progress on opening market access for American exports, and easing tariffs on both sides.
Medical professionals of Indian



origin in the UK and USA are also battling emotional trauma and stress like their counterparts in India while taking care of COVID-19 patients and fighting the disease, which has spread to virtually every corner of the world.

Dr Sajjad Pathan, an Indian origin emergency medicine specialist based in London, told PTI that in the United Kingdom also, doctors are going through a lot of anxiety related to exposure to the coronavirus, and carrying the infection home to family is a major concern.

"I have no choice but to work in these difficult times and I can't escape from my responsibilities as it was I who had made the choice some years ago to be a frontline emergency medicine doctor," he said.

But the fear of bringing the infection back home to family members, specially elders and kids, is something which is worrisome, he said.

"We, at our hospital, have divided our emergency department into hot (COVID) and cold (non-COVID) zones. We are seeing roughly about 75 to 100 patients per day of suspected COVID-19 in the hot zones. We have been allocating doctors for a period of three to fours in the hot zones on rotation basis," he said.

Pathan said medical workers are experiencing anxiety since theysaw some of their colleagues becoming unwell and some succumbing to the disease.

"But, we are still staying positive and doing what we are supposed to do in these difficult times," he said.

The doctor said at times, it becomes difficult for them to decide who (patient) will benefit with the intensive care management and ventilator support and who will not.

"As ventilators and intensive beds are getting exhausted, we have to take early decisions on what would be the ceiling of care for certain groups," he informed.

"I have cried at certain times after taking such difficult decisions, as I felt helpless that we could not do much for them and sometimes knowing that any care provided will be futile," Pathan said.

Moreover, the thought of these patients dying alone and that they may never see their family members again (as visitors are restricted) is very disheartening and painful, he said.

On his daily routine after reaching home, Pathan said his 10-year-old son keeps a distance of two metres and interaction with family members is mostly through WhatsApp.

"I feel sad when my son keeps asking me when the isolation would end and when would I be able to hug him and play crush, a tight hug which under normal conditions he dislikes, with him," he said.

Asked why the situation turned alarming, Pathan saidinitially there was a delay in identifying that the virus could possibly turn into a pandemic.

Lack of prior information about this new strain of coronavirus and unavailability of any firm evidence-based treatment protocols or vaccines, lack of adequate number of hospital beds and ventilators compounded the problem, he said.

Sini Samuel, a nurse working at a hospital in New York is also undergoing a similar stress.

"A state like New York is a melting pot, hence no matter how we try there is going to be an influx of people from all over. Initially, when the cases started, people were not much concerned as no one imagined it would hit so hard, hence the needed precautions were not taken," she said.

Samuel said in New York most of the health care personnel return home after work and take utmost care not to expose their loved ones to any risk.

"The emotional trauma is watching a patient's condition deteriorating within a matter of minutes or hours. We are emotionally drained and fearful for our own lives when we come across lives cut short way too soon. Some people did not even get a chance to fight for their lives," she said.

Another issue is wearing the mask during the entire shift of 10 to 12 hours, whichis physically uncomfortable, she said, adding that health workers have been boosting their immune systems by consuming more multivitamins.

Samuel also feels that people's outlook towards health care personnel needs to change and they should be more accepting and understanding.

"Everything cannot be perfect all the time, so shortcomings must be tolerated. There has to be a sense of trust between people and health care workers, she said.

US-based epidemiologist Dr Neeti Vyas said the situation turned alarming due to the "unknown nature of the virus".

"By the time we understood basics about the virus, like the strain of the virus and how it spreads, the virus had infected several people across the world," she said.

Vyas said frontline health care workers should try as much as possible to avoid contaminating their living space.

"This usually involves having a 'decontamination zone' as soon as you enter your house,or even outside your front door. It involves first changing clothes, entering a shower and disinfecting every surface they touched on way to their rooms and ensuring no physical contact with kids before that," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
* In Germany, new infections accelerate as lockdown eases

* South Korea reports new outbreak in night clubs

By Douglas Busvine and Michel Rose

BERLIN/PARIS, May 11 (Reuters) - Global alarm was sounded on Monday over a potential second wave of coronavirus cases after Germany, relatively successful in slowing the outbreak, reported that infections had accelerated again after the first tentative steps to ease a lockdown.

But in the United States, which has by far the highest COVID-19 death toll in the world, President Donald Trump accused Democrats of reopening states too slowly, for political advantage, albeit without providing evidence.

News that the "reproduction rate" - the number of people each person with the disease goes on to infect - had surged back to 1.1 in Germany cast a shadow over the reopening of businesses ranging from Paris hair salons to Shanghai Disneyland. A rate that stays above 1 means the virus is spreading exponentially.

Fears that a second wave of infections could thwart the reopening of the global economy helped send share prices lower across the world, and pushed depressed oil prices down still further.

The past month has seen investors bet strongly on a rapid economic recovery in spite of data far worse than any in living memory. That has opened a rift between soaring stock markets and the freefalling economies they are meant to reflect.

Trump, now running for re-election in November against the background of a crippled economy, is pushing U.S. states for a rapid reopening, against the recommendations of health experts to move more cautiously to avoid a resurgence of the virus, which has killed more than 80,000 people in the United States.

Some of the hardest-hit states are led by Democratic governors, such as Pennsylvania; the Republican president has encouraged reopening in those states in defiance of their governors with tweets urging people to "liberate" them.

"The great people of Pennsylvania want their freedom now, and they are fully aware of what that entails," he tweeted on Monday. "The Democrats are moving slowly, all over the USA, for political purposes."

Story continues

EUROPE REOPENS SLOWLY

In Europe, Spain and France took major new steps to ease strict lockdowns, while Britain, second only to the United States in its death toll, unveiled cautious moves that critics said sent mixed messages.

In Paris, traffic flowed along the Champs Elysees as workers cleaned shopfronts to reopen for the first time since March.

"Everyone's a little bit nervous. Wow! We don't know where we're headed but we're off," said Marc Mauny, a hair stylist who opened his salon in western France at the stroke of midnight.

Mickey Mouse welcomed thinned-out crowds in Shanghai, the first Disney theme park to reopen, with a strict limit on tickets. Parades and fireworks were cancelled, and workers and guests had to wear face masks and have their temperatures screened.

"I think (these measures) make tourists feel at ease," said Kay Yu, a 29-year-old pass holder wearing a Minnie Mouse hat.

However, the city of Wuhan in central China, origin of the global outbreak, reported its first cluster of infections since its severe lockdown was lifted a month ago.

Germany is being watched worldwide as the most successful large European country in halting the spread of the virus, thanks to a massive testing programme.

It is gradually reopening shops and factories, with restaurants and cafes expected to open their doors soon.

After a rise in the estimated reproduction rate or 'R' to 1.13 at the weekend, Monday saw new cases fall back, but the 'R' value at 1.07 was still above the critical threshold of 1.00.

German officials say that 'R' becomes more volatile as the overall number of infections declines, and a brief spike is not necessarily dangerous.

But Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was crucial that "people stick to the basic rules" on keeping their distance, wearing masks and showing consideration for others.

'IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER'

In South Korea, which largely avoided a lockdown with a massive early testing and contact-tracing programme, authorities were rushing to contain a new outbreak traced to night clubs.

"It's not over until it's over...We must never lower our guard," President Moon Jae-In said on Sunday.

Britain's government offered ministerial briefings and documents to expand on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's 13-minute television address on Sunday setting out a phased path towards reopening the economy.

The plan includes advice on avoiding public transport and wearing face coverings as well as a 14-day quarantine for most international arrivals, and detailed guidance for employers.

Dr Mike Ryan, head of the World Health Organization's (WHO) emergencies programme, urged "extreme vigilance" in the form of testing and contact tracing as countries loosened restrictions.

"If the disease persists at a low level without the possibility to investigate clusters, there's always the possibility that the virus takes off again," he told an online news briefing.

The WHO noted that Germany, South Korea and China all had such programmes.

Some of the countries and territories that are opening up their economies are not waiting for sustained falls in the spread of the virus.

Russia overtook Italy and Britain to report the world's highest tally of cases after the United States and Spain. Nevertheless, President Vladimir Putin announced plans to ease nationwide lockdown measures from Tuesday.

India, which has locked down its 1.3 billion people since March, reported a record daily rise in cases, yet said it would begin to restart passenger railway services, with 15 special trains, from Tuesday.

In an effort to provide better information worldwide on the pandemic, Twitter said it would add labels and warning messages to some tweets with disputed or misleading information about COVID-19.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaux Writing by Kevin Liffey Editing by Mark Heinrich)
This is the third in a series of six stories exploring the causes and consequences of the domestic unemployment crisis China may face following the coronavirus pandemic. This story looks at the switch in focus from growth to keeping the country's jobless rate under control.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced a dramatic change in priorities for Beijing's leaders, as they grapple with falling economic growth and a rising unemployment rate that threatens social stability " the foundation of the ruling Communist Party's legitimacy.

University graduates, migrant workers and the country's small business sector are the most at risk and China's leadership has responded by making controlling unemployment a higher priority for the year ahead than getting the growth rate back on track.

A migrant worker waits for a job at a building materials market in Beijing. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=A migrant worker waits for a job at a building materials market in Beijing. Photo: EPA-EFE

At the same time, local officials have been told multiple times that they must also fulfil the country's anti-poverty targets by the end of this year, putting further pressure on local cadres to deliver results. That message was reinforced by President Xi Jinping on Monday when he visited the homes of relocated farmers in Datong in the northern province of Shanxi.

"As members of the Chinese Communist Party, we must seek happiness for the people wholeheartedly ... and do everything we can to help poverty-stricken families to move into new homes and provide training for them so they can find jobs and live a happy life," Xi told a family, in the company of local cadres.

Chinese President Xi Jinping learns about poverty alleviation efforts in Xiping, a township in Datong, Shanxi province, on Monday. Photo: Xinhua alt=Chinese President Xi Jinping learns about poverty alleviation efforts in Xiping, a township in Datong, Shanxi province, on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

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But the challenges outlined by Xi were easier said than done, according to experts. They pointed out that surplus farmhands in China's vast countryside would have to compete with millions of urban labourers for the limited jobs available.

The slowing economy is putting businesses under pressure to make redundancies while, at the same time, a looming global recession caused by the pandemic has dimmed prospects of a quick recovery as investors and foreign buyers tighten their belts.

In February, China's urban unemployment rate jumped to 6.2 per cent, the highest on record. In March it dipped slightly to 5.9 per cent as more businesses reopened. But the numbers are highly contested. An April analysis by UBS estimated that 50 million to 60 million people in the hard-hit services sector may have lost their jobs or are otherwise not working, and a further 20 million people in the industrial and construction sectors may be in the same position.

China's unemployment rate could reach 10 per cent this year, resulting in at least an additional 22 million urban workers losing their jobs, according to a report by The Economist Intelligence Unit on April 22.

Hu Xingdou, a Beijing-based independent economist, said China's official unemployment rate did not reflect the real picture. "It is not possible for an individual to find out the real unemployment rate. But by observing what's happening around us, with restaurants closing and enterprises laying off staff, we can tell the real figure must be higher," he said, adding "this is why [this year] the central government has given employment top priority".

Finding jobs for this year's fresh crop of graduates has been flagged as a critical task for local officials this year. Six central government departments and Communist Party bodies launched a special campaign last week to push for more jobs for graduates " estimated to number a record 8.47 million this year.

Chen Peipei, a 22-year-old student at Shantou University in the southern province of Guangdong, is one of the graduates worried about finding work. She has submitted dozens of applications in the past three months, without success. "I'm still trying my best to look for jobs but there's a vague sense of failure in my heart," she said.

The unemployment issue has dominated multiple government meetings over the past two months and was named as the country's priority at the April 17 meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee, Beijing's highest decision-making body, headed by Xi.

At the State Council meeting the next day, Premier Li Keqiang underscored that employment was the first-order priority in maintaining stability. "No job means no income and no wealth creation," he said. "[We need to] make every effort to prevent massive lay-offs."

A notice from the Shanghai government on April 29 directed its state-owned businesses to ensure that at least half their new recruits were recent graduates.

Wuhan " the provincial capital of Hubei in central China where the coronavirus first emerged " has announced a target of 250,000 jobs for graduates and is offering companies a 1,000 yuan (US$140) incentive for every graduate they hire.

But some experts have questioned the effectiveness and sustainability of measures introduced by local governments. Subsidies and exemptions for SMEs depend on local government revenues, which will also be under strain, while recruitment levels in state-owned enterprises are determined by their own, independent, accounting practices.

"Start-up companies need financial support, but big banks are reluctant to give them support," Hu, the economist, said. "There's little the local government can do."

To make matters worse, the ongoing economic conflict between China and the US, along with calls in the West for an economic decoupling from China, is likely to lead to further deterioration in China's import and export industries and the country's ability to attract foreign investment.

"The future international market, as well as China's relations with other countries, will have a huge impact on China's economy," Hu said.

"Employment is a pressing priority in China. To keep employment stable is to protect people's livelihoods and to defend the regime," said Chen Daoyin, an independent political analyst and a former Shanghai-based professor.

Rising unemployment and job losses would also undermine the Communist Party's commitment " declared by Xi himself " to satisfy the Chinese people's pursuit of happiness, according to Chen. But he added that, if the government's measures were implemented smoothly, they could be effective in preventing the convergence of new graduates and migrant unemployment that would threaten stability.

"If there were a wave of unemployment, the middle class would slip to the bottom of society while the bottom would collapse, making it impossible to fulfil people's pursuit of happiness and the party would lose its legitimacy," he said. "The bottom line is to ensure employment and meet people's basic needs."

For more than a decade, China has tried to deal with the influx of university graduates into the job market by resorting to a Mao-era campaign to encourage them to go to the countryside. Faced with the current grim employment situation, experts predict there will be more incentives this year aimed at transforming rural areas and expanding the government's anti-poverty programme while keeping unemployment in check.

Applicants check out the recruitment board at a jobs fair in Wuhan. Photo: Xinhua alt=Applicants check out the recruitment board at a jobs fair in Wuhan. Photo: Xinhua

On April 10, the government of China's southeastern Fujian province published a plan to guide 600 graduates towards working in rural areas. Successful applicants will receive a living allowance and have their student loans covered by the local government, at up to 2,000 yuan a year.

About a month later, Guangdong province in southern China announced a similar plan, recruiting 2,000 graduates to spend two years in rural areas. It was an extension of a campaign which, by 2019, had attracted about 27,000 graduates.

"I think there will be more incentives to encourage graduates to go to the countryside, work as village party officials, or support them to do online businesses or launch start-up companies after the 'two sessions' in late May," said Wei Jianguo, former commerce vice-minister, referring to the upcoming parliamentary meetings to be held in Beijing.

Another problem for the Chinese government is that its antidote to the 2008 global financial crisis may not work this time. China escaped the great recession with a 4 trillion yuan (US$564 billion) stimulus package which left a heavy debt burden on local governments and state firms, while postponing the country's economic transition.

Wei said that in hindsight the response to the 2008 trauma had led to chronic problems such as excessive capacity for the economy. "This time we must focus on economic structural reform and quality of development," he said, adding that the key point was to boost domestic consumption and improve consumption quality. Although China was facing an economic downturn, he predicted the country's consumption growth in 2020 could still reach last year's level of 8 per cent.

Not all economists are as optimistic. Liang Qidong, deputy director of the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said investment was needed in areas like the construction of 5G networks, data centres, and high-speed railway lines. "The most effective way to offset the economic downturn is investment, but the old ones won't work, so we have [to concentrate on] so-called 'new infrastructure'," he said.

Liang pointed out the country's biggest headache would be young migrant workers from the countryside, who would not be able to return to farming if they failed to find jobs in the cities. "If they can't find a job in the city but also can't go back [to farm] in their villages ... It may lead to social unrest," he said.

China's small businesses are already feeling the effects of the downturn. Wu Yadi, a 28-year-old jewellery shop owner on Taobao, China's largest e-commerce platform, said he had cut his staff from more than 40 in previous years down to a dozen, but the downsizing had not spared his business from operating at a loss this year.

There is still optimism, however, that the situation can be turned around. "Many of my friends feel gloomy about the future, but I'm confident with my ability and my team," he said.

The fourth part of this series will examine the hopes and fears of China's university graduates. Meanwhile, read about the scope of China's looming jobless problem, and the delicate relationship between government and business at the heart of the country's social welfare system.

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.
SRINAGAR, India - Indian soldiers fatally shot a young man at a checkpoint in the Himalayan region of Kashmir on Wednesday, residents and officials said, triggering anti-India protests and clashes in the disputed region.

Indias Central Reserve Police Force said the man was driving a car and ignored signals to stop at two checkpoints in the western outskirts of Srinagar, the regions main city. It said the soldiers feared sabotage because a military convoy was passing by at the time.

It said in a statement that a soldier shot the victim when the car didnt stop despite warning shots.

The victims father, Ghulam Nabi Shah, denied the police account, saying his son did not drive through any checkpoints, and that soldiers first stopped him and then shot him.

A witness, Firdousa, said the victim stopped his car when soldiers signalled him. A security official told him something to which he replied that he had some emergency. They let him go but as he was getting into his vehicle, they shot him in the back, she said. He was killed deliberately. He did no wrong.

As news of his death spread in his village, hundreds of men and women began chanting Go India, go back and We want freedom and demanded that the victims body be returned to the family for burial. Authorities did not immediately hand over the body.

As government forces moved in to stop the villagers from marching, hundreds threw stones at the troops, who fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to quell the protests. Many were injured in the clashes and most were treated locally. At least two women with pellet injuries to their eyes were taken to the main hospital in Srinagar for treatment, a doctor said on condition of anonymity because medics have been barred from briefing the media.

Authorities shut down mobile internet service, a common Indian tactic in the region when such protests erupt. They also ordered a probe into the shooting. Rights groups say such probes rarely yield any concrete results and are often aimed at calming public anger.

Indian forces have imposed a stringent lockdown in the region since late March to combat the coronavirus. Despite the lockdown, India has stepped up its counterinsurgency operations while militants have also continued their attacks on government forces and alleged informants.

Indian soldiers man checkpoints and bunkers across the region, where an armed resistance to Indian rule has raged since 1989. Residents make little secret of their anger at the troops presence and support the rebels call for the territory to be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the region in its entirety. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
Former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders announced the members of six joint unity task forces Wednesday morning, which will explore possible policy initiatives--another notable step by the Democratic leaders trying to unite their party ahead of the November election.

The eight member groups include a blend of members from progressive and establishment viewpoints to fill out the groups that were first announced along with Sanders endorsement of Biden back in April, and will focus on climate change, criminal justice reform, the economy, education, health care, and immigration policy.

While Biden became the party's presumptive nominee much earlier than in recent cycles, the former vice president has faced the challenge of appealing to Sanders supporters who fervently backed his progressive policies.

A united party is key to defeating Donald Trump this November and moving our country forward through an unprecedented crisis. As we work toward our shared goal, it is especially critical that we not lose sight of the pressing issues facing Americans, Biden said in a statement on the task force.

The work of the task forces will be essential to identifying ways to build on our progress and not simply turn the clock back to a time before Donald Trump, but transform our country, he added.

PHOTO: Former Vice President Joe Biden, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, greet one another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, March 15, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP, FILE)

Among the notable names that will co-chair the various task forces is New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive star who was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress in 2018 at the age of 29.

MORE: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez responds to criticism that Sanders' policies are too radical

Ocasio-Cortez will co-chair a group tasked with molding Bidens climate policy alongside former Secretary of State John Kerry, a longtime ally of the former vice president who was active on the campaign 2020 campaign trail, and worked during the Obama administration to ratify the Paris Climate Agreement, which the United States exited out of under President Donald Trump.

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In a statement on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for Ocasio-Cortez said she made the decision after consultation with the climate justice community, adding that she will be fully accountable to them and the larger advocacy community during this process.

[The congresswoman] believes the movement will only be successful if we continue to apply pressure both inside and outside the system. This is just one element of the broader fight for just policies, the spokesperson added.

Republicans immediately attacked Biden following the announcement that Ocasio-Cortez, a regular target for criticism from the right, would be joining the policy group, attempting to label the presumptive Democratic nominee a socialist.

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are two sides of the same socialist coin. Now with his full embrace of AOCs radicalism, Biden is the bannerman for the socialist agenda, a release from the Republican National Committee said on Wednesday.

Two other major Sanders allies, Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who co-chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, will serve on the task force focused on healthcare, a major sticking point between the former vice president and the Vermont senator that continually arose during the primary.

MORE: Bernie Sanders endorses Joe Biden, they announce 'working groups' on policy issues

In a statement on the announcement, Sanders credited Biden for his work in assembling the policy teams to both unite and move the party forward.

To create an agenda that the working class of this country desperately needs, and moves us toward a more just society, we must solicit the best ideas. I commend Joe Biden for working together with my campaign to assemble a group of leading thinkers and activists who can and will unify our party in a transformational and progressive direction, Sanders wrote.

Some other notable names serving on various task forces include Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, who will co-chair the group focused on education, former Obama Attorney General Eric Holder, who will focus on criminal justice reform, as well as California Congresswoman and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Karen Bass, who will focus on the economy.

A slew of other Sanders and Biden allies fill out the rest of the working groups, which will meet ahead of the Democratic convention slated for August, and make recommendations to the DNC Platform Committee and to Vice President Biden directly according to the release announcing the committee memberships.

The move also comes a few weeks after the Biden and Sanders campaigns came to a deal that will allow the Vermont senator to retain delegates he otherwise would have had to forfeit following his exit from the race and maintain influence at this summers convention, another attempt to unify the party and quell the concerns of the progressive movement ahead of the general election.

MORE: Biden campaign reaches deal to allow Bernie Sanders to retain hundreds of delegates, maintain influence over party platform at the convention

While Senator Sanders is no longer actively seeking the nomination, the Biden campaign feels strongly that it is in the best interest of the party and the effort to defeat Donald Trump in November to come to an agreement regarding these issues that will ensure representation of Sanders supporters and delegate candidates, both on the floor and in committees, a joint statement from the two campaigns released with the agreement last month said.

In the weeks since Sanderss departure from the 2020 race, Biden has signaled a willingness to work on evolving his policy view, telling donors last month he asked his team to develop additional policies to add to existing proposals.

I'm committed to seeing that these good ideas, wherever I can find them on every issue, are brought into the campaign, Biden said

Biden has extended an olive branch of sorts, adopting some left leaning policies including lowering the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 60, and forgiving federal student loan debt for graduates whose families make less than $125,000, and attended public colleges and universities, as well as private Historically Black Colleges and Universities or Minority Serving Institutions.

Biden, Sanders announce AOC, Kerry, Jayapal as co-chairs of unity task forces originally appeared on abcnews.go.com




Haiti - Economy : The World Bank grants $9.5M to the Haitian agricultural sector





The World Bank has released $9.5 million to provide immediate funding to the Haitian agricultural sector. This support aims to strengthen food security in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.



"The World Bank is working closely with Haitian authorities at both central and local levels as well as with development partners, to help the country cope with the enormous impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic," said Anabela Abreu, Director of World Bank Operations in Haiti adding "The local agricultural sector provides up to 45% of the country's food needs. Preserving agriculture will therefore be essential to mitigate the impact of this crisis, especially for the rural poor."



Explaining that almost 35% of the Haitian population already needed emergency food aid before the crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to worsen the situation, due to external threats such as the volatility of global financial markets, the decline in migrant remittances and the closure of the border with the Dominican Republic, which will further limit the access to basic food products. At the local level, the problem will be further exacerbated by the social distancing measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus, loss of income and disruption of supply chains.



The funding will be used to secure production for the next two agricultural crops, maintain the purchasing power of the urban and rural poor, and preserve food markets and value chains.



These funds will enable more than 21,500 farmers in the departments of Nippes and the South to finance their inputs and equipment, such as seeds and fertilizers; they will also help with plowing and land preparation. The emergency component (CERC) also includes communication campaigns to promote social distancing and health measures during implementation.



These funds were mobilized within the framework of the Resilient Productive Territories project in Haiti, through the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC). The CERC allow the reallocation of project funds to emergency response activities. This initiative complements the $20 million support for the health response to Covid-19, as part of the "Haiti : Response to Covid-19" project, approved on April 2, 2020.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















EUROPEAN supermarket giant Lidl has received the green light for a 4m project at its Childers Road premises.

Lidl Ireland is seeking to knock its current premises near Punchs Cross, as well as the neighbouring former Chadwicks building providers, in order to construct a larger discount foodstore.

Previous reports have suggested there will be 28 construction jobs created on the project, with up to 25 new full-time jobs once the site is complete.

Planning documents submitted to the council suggest the project will result in both immediate and long-term employment, which will be beneficial to the city from both an economic and economic standpoint.

The development will see an increase in retail floor space, 162 car parking spaces and 300 bike parking spaces.

Lidl currently employs 30 staff based at the Childers Road-Rosbrien Road since the year 2000.

Local Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler welcomed the councils decision to grant conditional planning permission.

He said: This will signal its commitment to the area, and is reflective of the confidence they have in the store and the greater Limerick area. I know businesses are anxious to open more stores locally particularly in the Raheen/Dooradoyle/Mungret area as are the people of the area.

I think the level of demand is reflective in this expansion as many travel from the area to the Ballinacurra Lidl store to shop.

Lidl initially secured planning permission for its extension in 2016.

But it submitted a fresh planning application to Limerick City and County Council earlier this year with some small revisions.
The Wolf administration on Tuesday announced the 12 finalists for the 2021 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year.

Teachers impact students far beyond the traditional classroom, connecting with them and inspiring them during some of our most difficult times, Education Secretary Pedro A. Rivera said in a press release. "We witnessed that extraordinary commitment this spring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with educators stepping up to make sure students and communities are fed, comforted and educated. The Department of Education applauds this years finalists, who represent the commitment and professionalism that so many Pennsylvania educators share.

The 2021 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year finalists are:

Andrea Baney - Danville Area School District (Montour & Northumberland counties)

Debra Barrick - Selinsgrove Area School District (Snyder County)

Nicole Darroch - Ambridge Area School District (Beaver County)

Kathleen Dickensheets - Hampton Township School District (Allegheny County)

Jessica Fellin - Penns Valley Area School District (Centre County)

Gerald Kaplan - Loyalsock Township School District (Lycoming County)

Caitlin Keiper - New Hope-Solebury School District (Bucks County)

Denise Leigh - McGuffey School District (Washington County)

Kerri Lynn Markert - Easton Area School District (Northampton County)

Elizabeth Raff - Penn Manor School District (Lancaster County)

Katie Wisnosky - Tunkhannock Area School District (Wyoming County)

Hollie Woodard - Council Rock School District (Bucks County)

Nominations for the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year were submitted by students, parents, peers, and members of the community wishing to honor and recognize educator achievements both inside and outside the classroom, the release said.

The finalists must be prepared to effectively carry out the duties of the states Teacher of the Year, including being Pennsylvanias nominee for the National Teacher of the Year, according to the release. The recognition program is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year, which was founded in 1995.

The 2021 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year will be announced in December, the release said.

Pennsylvanias 2020 Teacher of the Year recipient is Joseph Welch, a middle school teacher in the North Hills School District in Allegheny County.

Rivera said in the release that nominations for Teacher of the Year can be submitted all year long by students, community members, parents, or teachers.
Most Gaming Regulators in the United States are adhering to the CDC's recommendation that stringent social distancing measures be implemented when the casinos reopen.

Just three weeks ago casinos were left with the unenviable choice of either shutting off neighboring slot machines, or erect plastic barriers between them.

Smith Rosen Gaming Partitions has begun manufacturing and distributing scratch resistant slot machine partitions that not only enforce social distancing, but actually clean themselves, through the application of concentrated UVC light on the surface of the partition.

"SAFEPLAY UV," is the first of many patent pending UVC solutions Smith Rosen has developed for the specific purpose of keeping casino guests and employees as safe as possible.

Jamie Klingler, Vice-President of Product Development at Smith Rosen, is a retired figure Skater, who having been diagnosed with the chronic form of Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley Fever, understands first- hand the dangers of being immunocompromised in a casino, and is acutely aware of the dangers that she feels many people may not understand.

"The illusion of public safety is more perilous to the Gaming Industry than the casinos taking no action at all. Plastic dividers, although well intentioned, inadvertently create a catch basin for every single thing that flies out of people's mouths. Plus, in addition to completely destroying the aesthetic of the casino, require a small army to maintain."

According to the CDC, The virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Spread is more likely when people are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).

The CDC suggests that novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in community settings.

"Because gaming operators are not scientists, they are vulnerable to misinformation proffered by vendors that are looking to make a quick buck," says Darryl Rosenblatt, Director of Marketing for Smith Rosen.

"Now that they are slowly starting to understand the science, they are making much more informed decisions."

This newfound education of casino gaming operators is born of a developing alliance between Smith Rosen Gaming Partitions, The UNLV School of Life Sciences, and the National Gaming Institute.

Professor Brian Hedlund of The UNLV School of Life Sciences agrees that working with Rosenblatt to develop a testing protocol to evaluate the efficacy of products claiming to irradiate germs on the casino floor is an important part of insuring public safety.

Talks began when Rosenblatt approached the school for clinical testing of Smith Rosen's UVC slot partitions.

Jeff Smith, CEO of Smith Rosen reminds his clients that UVC has been used safely to disinfect surfaces, air, and water, for over a hundred years. According to Mr. Smith, most of his clients had never heard of UVC, and strongly advises operators to do their homework before rushing into a proposed solution, regardless of how anxious they may be to open.

"Games that call someone to clean them, static plastic barriers, and dormant machines are not actively killing anything. Out of plain old fear, we designed something big and pretty, to kill stuff that's small and ugly. We didn't invent the wheel, we just figured out which direction to spin it."

Smith Rosen Gaming Partitions is now hiring dozens of new employees to meet the growing demand for their product.

Spin it they have.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE Smith Rosen Gaming Partitions

Related Links

https://www.smithrosen.com


The U.S. Air Force's survival school is putting a new training model to the test during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

As its first step, the 336th Training Group at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, is now incorporating distance learning, shortening the training, according to Col. Carlos Brown, commander of the 336th.

"Because of the COVID situation, we've streamlined the training and so, from 26 days, we now have it as a 19-day course," he said in an interview Tuesday.

Related: Air Force Shortens Recruit Training, Shifts to New Base Amid Pandemic

The group has whittled down its incoming class size from 88 students to just 40 as the service attempts to stave off the spread of COVID-19, Brown said. Incoming Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape school students must also spend 14 days in quarantine.

To make better use of their time, the school has decided to offer them study guides, workbooks and DVD lecture videos to get ahead of the 25 hours' worth of classroom instruction. The distance learning also includes two or three dial-in conferences for students to interact with their instructors, Brown said.

Unlike SERE training conducted at operational units, aircrew members and special operations forces identified as being at high risk of capture come through this training, he said.

For the 26-day training curriculum, "it's been a one-size-fits-all training pipeline for quite some time," he explained.

In the full program, students typically begin the first four days in a classroom before heading out to the field to conduct a week of survival and evasion training, including "how to procure food, how to signal rescue forces, how to take care of yourself," he said.

Brown said some "urban training" is mixed in, followed by classes in which students act as captives in a roleplay scenario in the "resistance lab." Then, depending on their job description, airmen go on to their respective water training: emergency parachute, non-parachute or underwater egress.

Because the base wants to limit travel between locations to help prevent the spread of the virus, students in the 19-day model visit the resistance lab training before heading into the wilderness, Brown explained.

"What we found there is ... when the students get to the field portion, they're paying a lot more attention to the field craft because, in a real-world situation, they know they don't want to have to experience being held captive," he said.

Brown emphasized that the new program is still coming together. The hope is to eventually put the distance learning onto an online website or management system, such as Blackboard.

"The curriculum absolutely will not change; they'll still get the same quality of training. I don't know physically what it's gonna look like, because we haven't hung it on a specific website yet, but we're gonna get there," he said.

But the group, under the 19th Air Force, is planning ahead. Brown said officials are looking to categorize students efficiently based on their career fields into separate courses, of different lengths.

"Fighter pilots, bomber pilots, combat search-and-rescue forces, special operations forces, those are the folks ... that are going to be outside the wire in a combat environment and have a greater propensity to ... be captured and will need a higher level of training," he said, describing a higher-tier course.

One course variant may apply to tactical airlift pilots and aircrew; another, for those who support opening up an airfield, for example.

"Instead of everybody going through a 19-day course, based on the assessment of their probability of capture, they may need a shorter course. Again, nothing's being reduced as far as quality, they just may not need, you know, field training, for example," Brown said.

Over the next 120 days, officials are working with Air Force headquarters to bring the idea to fruition with the right approvals, he said. The school trains roughly 4,100 troops each year.

Despite the virus-related slowdown at Air Force training centers across the country, Brown said he has not seen any immediate readiness impacts with respect to SERE. At least not yet.

"If this was to go for an extended period of time, then you're just having a larger backlog," he said. "There is no readiness issue right now."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Read more: Army Wants Uniform Accessory That Can ID Friendlies But Stay Invisible to the Enemy
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-14 03:00:23|Editor: huaxia

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A man rides a motorbike past a poster of the Musical "Les Miserables" in London, Britain on May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

-- UK faces "significant recession" as COVID-19 deaths pass 33,000;

-- Italy's death toll from coronavirus rises by 195 to 31,106;

-- Germany to gradually relax border controls;

-- Barcelona to remain in first stage of lockdown de-escalation.

BRUSSELS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in European countries.

LONDON -- British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak warned Wednesday that Britain faces a "significant recession" after official figures showed the country's economy shrank by 2 percent in the first quarter of the year.



"Technically a recession is defined as two quarters of negative GDP, we've now had one...so yes, it is now very likely that the UK is facing a significant recession at the moment and this year," Sunak told Sky News Wednesday.

British GDP was estimated to have fallen by 2.0 percent in Q1 2020, compared with the last three months of 2019, the largest quarterly fall since the last quarter of 2008, according to data released by the ONS.

A man waits for customers at an ice cream shop in Rome, Italy, May 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

ROME, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A further 195 COVID-19 patients had died in the past 24 hours in Italy, bringing the country's death toll to 31,106, out of total infection cases of 222,104, according to fresh figures on Wednesday.

The number of recoveries rose to 112,541, with an increase of 3,502 compared to Tuesday. Nationwide, the number of active infections fell by 2,809 to 78,457, according to Italy's Civil Protection Department.

Of those who tested positive for the coronavirus, 893 are being treated in intensive care, a decrease of 59 compared to Tuesday, and 12,172 people are hospitalized with symptoms, a decrease of 693 over the same period.

Customers wear face masks and sanitize hands before entering a shop in Berlin, Germany, May 9, 2020. (Photo by Binh Truong/Xinhua)

BERLIN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Controls at German borders are to be gradually relaxed from Saturday onwards, the Ministry of the Interior (BMI) announced on Wednesday.

The German government wanted to return to "free travel in Europe" by June 15, said Interior Minister Horst Seehofer at a press conference.

Since the introduction of border controls in mid-March to contain COVID-19 infections, travelers had to give a valid reason before entering Germany. Commuters, members of the medical professions as well as EU citizens who were on their way to their home country had been allowed to cross Germany's borders.

A hairdresser serves a client at a salon in Barcelona, Spain, on May 11, 2020. (Photo by Sergi Camara/Xinhua)

MADRID, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Barcelona, Spain's second-largest city, will have to wait until at least May 25 before progressing to the second phase of the Spanish government's four-phase plan to relax the coronavirus lockdown, which has been in force the country since March 15.

Alba Verges, minister of health of Catalonia, explained at a press conference that while the region in the northeast of Spain will ask for the areas of Lerida, Girona and Central Catalonia to progress to the second phase, Barcelona and its metropolitan area are still not ready to move from "Phase 0" to "Phase 1".

Speaking on a day when Catalonia reported 71 new deaths and 136 new coronavirus cases, Vergas said the decision had been made after "taking into account territorial differences and the way people live in each area."
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Boris Johnson's plans to reopen schools were in chaos last night after the Department for Education's top scientist admitted they had 'not done any modelling' on virus transmission in classes.

Osama Rahman also admitted that the decision to reopen has been taken by the Cabinet not the department, adding the current advice is a 'draft' and 'will be developed'.

Mr Rahman's testimony will provide ammunition to teaching unions, the majority of which have already rejected the Government's June 1 starting date.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson dismissed concerns as 'scaremongering'.

Pictured right: Boris Johnson during Prime Minister Questions at the House of Commons in London, Britain, 13 May 2020, as the lockdown eases. Pictured, left: Osama Rahman, whose admissions today left unions shocked

But answers provided by Mr Rahman  the chief scientific adviser to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson  to Parliament's Science and Technology Committee yesterday left many MPs baffled.

Mr Rahman, an economist, struggled to spell out the 'evidence base' underpinning the decision to reopen.

Teachers 'are more likely to catch coronavirus in the staff room' Teachers are most at risk from coronavirus while in the staff room, the government's chief pandemic modeller has claimed. Professor Graham Medley said data showed the room could act as a 'kind of bigger hub of transmission than the classroom' during an online lecture at Cambridge University. It comes as Boris Johnson's plan to re-open schools on June 1 is thrown into chaos by education unions threatening to derail the plans. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) professor said during an online lecture that 'teachers are very good at transmitting to each other, but less good at transmitting to children'. 'We're still watching (the staff room space) very closely.' In a recording obtained by the Daily Telegraph he adds that the UK government's scientific advice is made up of 'educated quesswork'. Education secretary Gavin Williamson has blasted unions in the Commons for 'scaremongering'. Mr Williamson said: 'The only consideration behind this decision is what is in the best interests of children and those who work in schools. Boris Johnson plans to launch a staggered return to schools next month with pupils in reception, year 1 and year 6 the first to go back in England. Advertisement

He also said he did not know if the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) had issued advice on whether personal protective equipment (PPE) was necessary in schools. He was also unaware how many under-18s have died from Covid-19.

Mr Rahman said that a 'bunch of conditions' still needed to be fulfilled to restart safely.

Puzzled Tory MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the Education Select Committee, asked him: 'Surely you must have the scientific evidence  you're able to tell me the base underpinning the department's decision to reopen schools to Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 first?'

In response, Mr Rahman said: 'That was not a departmental decision. That was a Cabinet decision following advice from Sage via the Government's chief scientific adviser and CMO [chief medical officer].'

National Education Union chief Dr Mary Bousted, who opposes a June 1 reopening, said his evidence was 'staggering and frightening'.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said: 'The admissions are truly shocking and disturbing. The Government has simply not provided a single shred of evidence that opening schools from June 1 will be safe for children or teachers.

'The Government's health and safety guidance to make schools 'COVID-19-secure' is also woefully inadequate, and has done nothing to assure teachers or parents that it will be safe for schools to open to more children,' he said.

'Schools have been placed in a situation where the wrong decision will result in people becoming seriously ill and dying.

'The Government must now publish the scientific evidence it is relying on to claim that it will be safe for children to return to schools from June 1st.'

Schools like this one in Altrincham have stayed open for vulnerable children and key worker families, but ministers want more pupils to return from June 1

Speaking at a virtual House of Commons Science and Technology Committee meeting today, Mr Rahman (left) was grilled by SNP MP Carol Monaghan (right)

Mr Rahman, who said he had attended ten meetings of Sage, also claimed there was a 'low degree of confidence' in evidence that children transmit Covid-19 any less than adults.

He said: 'There are some studies which suggest that they might transmit it less than adults but this evidence is mixed, it's quite early and so there is a low degree of confidence among Sage in the evidence which suggests that they might transmit it less.'

Nearly 100,000 travellers flew into during the outbreak's peak in Britain At the same committee meeting, the chief scientific adviser to the Home Office admitted nearly 100,000 people flew into Britain in April alone. Professor John Aston said around 95,000 people arrived in the UK by plane between April 1 and 26, including 53,000 UK citizens. Of those, fewer than 0.5 per cent (roughly 475 people) who arrived last month had Covid-19. Professor Aston told the committee that SAGE used 'complicated modelling' to calculate the estimate. 'It requires you to understand the prevalence (of Covid-19) within overseas countries as well as the prevalence within the UK,' he said. Advertisement

'The view is that there is no evidence that children transmit virus more than adults, some studies that they might transmit it less than adults. But this science is mixed, and it's quite early.'

He said the Department for Education had 'not done any modelling' around coronavirus, and that guidance issued to schools about reopening, which contains advice like limiting class sizes to 15, was only a 'draft'.

Mr Rahman admitted that it was possible that 'hundreds of potential vectors' for the virus could be brought together amid a reopening of schools.

And asked whether this meant that schools could become hotspots where children can catch the disease and spread it further, Mr Rahman said: 'Possibly, depending on school sizes.'

Soon after his appearance, he issued a letter retracting many of the claims he had made.

In apparent contradiction of his evidence, he wrote: 'My team and I have been closely involved in advising on the Government's position on reopening.'

The news came on a day that:

Public Health England granted approval to an antibody test that can tell with 100% accuracy whether someone has had coronavirus - and may now have immunity for up to three years;

The PM was warned by senior Tory MPs not to raise taxes to pay the feared 330bn annual bill the economy faces for coronavirus;

Figures across the City warned Britain was facing a 'recession of all recessions' this year ;

The WHO's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan warned the virus may be around for at least five years;

And the UK began the process of unlocking, with the nation's beauty spots at their busiest in weeks as some restrictions were eased yesterday.

The Government wants Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to return to primaries from June 1, when nurseries could also reopen. Other years will return before the summer holidays.

Guidance says schools should reduce class sizes to 15 or less, have one-way corridors and stagger break times. But unions claim the provisions are unsafe, with complaints about staff access to PPE and a lack of time to prepare for changes to teaching.

Yesterday nine unions representing workers across education demanded the Government 'step back' reopenings next month and 'work with us to create the conditions for a safe return'.

A joint statement issued through the Trades Union Congress complained of a 'lack of understanding' of the risks faced by teachers and children, with no provision for social distancing.

Mr Williamson told MPs he would arrange 'scientific briefings for the sector' to assuage their concerns, but denounced 'scaremongering'.

He said: 'The only consideration behind this decision is what is in the best interests of children and those who work in schools.

'And we all recognise the importance of children being able to return to schools. And sometimes scaremongering and making people fear is really unfair and not a welcome pressure that is to be placed on families, children and teachers alike.'

England's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries also backed reopening, saying that access to education was crucial. She said: 'I don't think we should just be thinking about what is happening this minute... but over a child's lifetime.'

Boris Johnson's lockdown 'road map' set out that children could return to nurseries, and for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to be back in school, from June 1 at the earliest.

The PM said he wants all primary school pupils in England to go back to school for a month before the summer. However, both Scotland and Wales have dismissed the timetable.

Without being at school, many pupils have no hope. That's why teachers like me MUST get back in class, writes secondary school assistant principal CALVIN ROBINSON for the Daily Mail

The most important resource in my classroom is not state-of-the-art computers, the overhead projector or interactive whiteboard.

It's me. The teacher. And that's why I am desperate to get back to work, to do what I do best.

I have always been proud of my job as a computer sciences teacher at a North London secondary state school. But, after two months of lockdown, with my pupils forced to stay at home, I've never been more aware of how vital my role is.

Without a teacher in the classroom, to provide stability and expertise, focus and inspiration, how can children learn? There can be no doubt that the widespread closure of schools nationwide is causing irreparable damage to my pupils' lives.

Without a teacher in the classroom, to provide stability and expertise, focus and inspiration, how can children learn? (Stock image)

For many, especially those from deprived areas or in homes where learning has no value, an education is the springboard  perhaps the only one  for those children who aspire to something different, to getting good qualifications leading to a fulfilling job and perhaps a better quality of life.

Opportunity

To put it bluntly, their time in school is often the only opportunity they get to make something of themselves.

I am not saying this out of any sense of self-importance. It's simply that my frustration with what I see happening around me  with the teaching unions and commentators  is building to boiling point.

Every day, I think of the damage being done to my pupils' prospects, to their mental well-being  the agony of having prepared for GCSEs and A-levels that they will never take  and to their hopes and dreams by the closure of schools.

For the evidence is irrefutable: long-distance learning via video links and emails is no substitute for a teacher in the schoolroom. And what about the children who don't even get access to that?

Like most teachers, I am wrestling daily with the challenge of setting coursework over the internet. I teach mostly Key Stage Three, with pupils aged 13 to 15, laying the groundwork before the crucial GCSE year.

My subject is computer science, so I ought to be better placed than many of my colleagues to run such lessons effectively. But every day I hear from frustrated teenagers who want to do the work but can't because the tech is failing them, poor broadband or faulty or dated electronics.

Some have smartphones, some have tablets, a few have laptops or even desktop computers. But unlike the slick digital tools or expensive gadgets pupils in the private sector are able to draw upon, many of my pupils' devices are five years old or more  virtually obsolete in computing terms.

Pictured: Teacher Calvin Robinson (right) with the former Education Secretary Justine Greening (left)

Often they will have to share these devices with other family members. Their parents might also be working from home, and will need the computer.

In a classroom, every student is equal. But that is no longer true when the pupils are trying to learn at home, where some have a room of their own while others might be sharing a two-bedroom flat with five other people amid a volatile, unstable environment.

Is it any surprise that, according to a poll by the Sutton Trust and Public First, pupils at private schools are twice as likely to receive daily online tuition as their state educated peers?

Of course, this is hardly the fault of parents, many of whom have been left feeling utterly helpless by this crisis. They are already worried about loved ones they cannot see, about their jobs and their incomes.

On top of all that, it's unreasonable to expect them to be able to assist young teenagers with schoolwork, especially in a subject like mine where the basic curriculum has changed beyond recognition in the past two decades.

A global review of 78 studies from around the world conducted in partnership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health found that there were few cases of children having passed on coronavirus to adults. (Stock image)

Could you confidently help a 14-year-old complete their computer science coursework? It's foolish to suppose anyone but a teacher could do it well. And that applies to all subjects, from modern languages to maths and all points in between.

As well as teaching, I am a consultant to about 200 schools across London, and I know there is some fantastic work being done online. Teachers and pupils are responding with huge innovation.

But that can't hide the fact that there is no unified educational policy on remote teaching. We're largely making this up as we go along, and that isn't good enough.

Despair

In the future, schools need to establish common practices, and ensure some sort of uniformity with standard equipment and software.

That doesn't help pupils today. They need action right now  otherwise we risk leaving an entire generation of children with a year-long black mark on their education.

That's why it was unacceptable for the head of the National Education Union (NEU) to say this week that teachers should 'await further union advice' before co-operating with Government plans for a partial return to school on June 1.

I am not a union member, and don't take my instructions from the NEU. I'll listen to the Government advice and place my trust in the decisions of my headteacher.

But what I do, as a single individual, is scarcely relevant: the Covid-19 pandemic demands a collective determination and pragmatism as never before.

That's why I despair of the union response and their attempt to make party political capital from the crisis.

The future of our children is at stake  and yet the very body dedicated to upholding the principle of education is prepared to sacrifice that and defer the re-opening of schools, until next year or perhaps indefinitely, while making unrealistic demands about safety.

Of course, no one  not doctors, not the Government  will ever be able to promise that there is zero risk for children from all infectious diseases in the classroom. Rigid social distancing will never be practical in schools.

But Sir David Spiegelhalter, one of the UK's top statisticians, has described the threat the coronavirus poses to the young as 'staggeringly low'.

Why can't we use common sense to implement safety measures  and drill them into pupils  to minimise the risk?

As well as regular hand-washing and perhaps the wearing of masks, we can introduce one-way systems in the corridors, to reduce the jostling and melees between lessons.

Meanwhile, we must not let fear blinker the evidence-based conclusions being drawn by scientists every day.

A global review of 78 studies from around the world conducted in partnership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health found that there were few cases of children having passed on coronavirus to adults.

It is crucial, too, to take into account the age profile of teachers. In London, for example, they tend to be around the age of 30  and all the data suggests that this age group, while never guaranteed immunity, is relatively safe from the worst that coronavirus can do.

Vulnerable

Of course, I accept that anyone with underlying health conditions, or whose age puts them at greater risk, should not be forced to return to the classroom.

Indeed, for the time being I think attendance ought not to be compulsory and parents who choose not to send their children back to school must not be stigmatised  it would be very wrong to impose fines on vulnerable people who fear their child might bring disease into their home, however unlikely that becomes.

Anyone who develops symptoms  child or teacher  must self-isolate.

But keeping schools shut is simply not an option I can endorse when the future of so many is at stake.

Never in my career have I been so aware of the importance of teaching. And never have I wanted to do it more.

Up to 100 British children have had a mysterious inflammatory disease thought to be caused by COVID-19 as experts warn NHS hospitals may only be seeing tip of the iceberg

by Sam Blanchard, Chief Health Reporter, for MailOnline

Up to 100 children have been hospitalised with a mysterious 'inflammatory syndrome' thought to be caused by the coronavirus.

Doctors today revealed that dozens of children, most aged between five and 15 years old, have become seriously ill with the condition that seems to appear up to a month after catching the coronavirus.

They say it is extremely rare and does not appear to have directly killed anyone in Britain but can lead to intensive care for a small proportion of those who get it.

The illness has been likened to Kawasaki disease, a rare disorder which causes rashes and a red mouth and eyes.

At least 18 children in London have been diagnosed with it since doctors first started noticing the syndrome last month.

Most troubling experts is that the illness is almost definitely caused by COVID-19 in some way but scientists can't prove it.

The young patients' lungs are not affected by it - in adults the coronavirus's main target is the lungs - and many test negative when they are swabbed for the disease.

All of the patients studied so far, however, have tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, meaning they have been exposed to the virus in the past. Scientists now believe it could be the consequence of the immune system going haywire after it has fought off the coronavirus infection, causing a second illness weeks later.

The same illness has been seen in Italy and China and around 100 children are known to have been diagnosed with it in New York.

Medics have likened the illness to toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease, which can cause redness of the tongue (pictured left) and rashes (pictured right), but it is unclear whether this illness is having those effects

Speaking in a briefing this afternoon, Dr Liz Whittaker, a paediatrician in London who has treated children with the illness, said: 'There is likely an iceberg effect and we're only seeing only the very, very sick children.'

Dr Whittaker said the peak of admissions related to the illness appeared to have happened last week.

Explaining the disease, Dr Whittaker said: 'These children are usually presenting when they've had a high fever for a few days.

'A large proportion of them have had severe acute abdominal pain and diarrhoea and some have them have had the rash, red eyes and red lips.

'A very small group of these children develop something we call shock, which is that small group of children for whom the heart is affected.

'And those children become very unwell - they get cold hands and feet and they breathe very fast. Those are the group who absolutely need to be in an intensive care unit getting supportive care rapidly.

'Most children seem to be very unwell for four or five days but then get better.'

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE SYNDROME? WHAT SYMPTOMS DOES IT CAUSE? The majority of the children being hospitalised with the condition have suffered from a high fever for a number of days, severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Some develop a rash and red eyes or red lips, while a very small group go into shock, in which the heart is affected and they may get cold hands and feet and have rapid breathing. The symptoms are similar to those caused by Kawasaki disease, a rare but treatable condition that affects around eight in every 100,000 children each year in the UK. WHEN DID OFFICIALS FIRST START TO SEE CASES? The NHS sent an alert to doctors on April 27, warning them to look out for signs of the syndrome. At the time they said cases had been appearing in tiny numbers in London for about three weeks. Since then they have spread further across the country and between 75 and 100 children are known to have been infected. IS IT CAUSED BY SARS-COV-2, THE CORONAVIRUS? Doctors are almost certain the illness is being caused by the coronavirus but they haven't yet been able to prove it. Cases began appearing as the UK's coronavirus outbreak hit its peak and similar conditions have been reported in China and Italy during the pandemic. However, not all children with the Kawasaki-like syndrome test positive for the virus. Swab testing has suggested some of the children have not been infected with COVID-19 at the time they were ill. But all patients have tested positive for antibodies, doctors said, meaning they have had the coronavirus in the past. They said this suggests it is a 'post-infectious phenomenon' which is caused by a delayed overreaction of the immune system, which may happen weeks or even up to a month after the child was infected with COVID-19. IS IT TREATABLE? Yes. All but one of the children who have been diagnosed with the syndrome have survived. The only child known to have died with it, a 14-year-old boy, died of a stroke that was triggered by the life support machine he was on. Doctors are currently treating the condition by using medications to calm down the immune system and dampen the overrection. Dr Liz Whittaker, a paediatrician at Imperial College Healthcare in London, said the sickest children are usually very ill for four to five days and begin to recover a couple of days after starting treatment. Advertisement

It is not clear exactly how many children have needed intensive care for the Kawasaki-like syndrome, but a surveillance study has now begun in Britain and early results may be available next week.

Professor Russell Viner, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said knowing about the syndrome had not changed the 'basic arithmatic' of COVID-19.

He said: 'In general, children get no symptoms or very mild symptoms. They rarely present to hospital.

'In fact across the whole of the UK there's been under 500 admissions to hospital for COVID-19.'

The experts described the illness as a 'post-infectious phenomenon' because it seems to appear weeks or even up to a month after the child caught the coronavirus.

And, unusually, it seems not to affect their lungs. COVID-19 is considered a respiratory infection in adults, meaning it focuses almost entirely on the lungs.

The Kawasaki-like syndrome being seen in children, however, seems to affect the heart in serious cases. It still causes a high fever, as in adults, but apparently not coughing or shortness of breath.

Dr Whittaker explained: 'These children don't have really bad lung disease. The adults that we're mostly seeing on the wards are presenting with really bad breathing problems.

'These children; their lungs aren't affected... We know that some of these children have had their heart tissue affected, maybe we would find the virus in other parts of the body which are harder to access.'

She said this could account for why children appeared to be testing negative for COVID-19, despite having the syndrome.

Swab tests currently rely on collecting cells from the nose and throat and testing those to look for signs of infection in the airways.

Dr Whittaker added: 'There is the possibility that we're taking samples from the wrong place.'

The illness also differs from COVID-19 in adults in that the children who have developed it have not had underlying health conditions.

The coronavirus seems to most badly affect adults who have other illnesses, such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. But the children developing this condition appear to have been otherwise healthy.

There are, however, ways of working out which children might get most seriously ill, scientists say.

Professor Michael Levin, an expert in international child health at Imperial College London, said: 'In the very short period of time that we've been trying to study this problem we have learnt that there are some markers in the blood that, if we measure them, they seem to predict which patients are going to do badly and need more support and more treatment.

'Just knowing that does help us quickly know if a child is likely to need more support and more treatment.... We need to study this at much bigger numbers.'

The illness first came to public attention when NHS England in April circulated a warning urging doctors to look out for the condition.

In an alert sent to GPs on April 27, health chiefs said: 'There is growing concern that a [COVID-19] related inflammatory syndrome is emerging in children in the UK.

At least 552 people in Barrow-in-Furness (pictured), Cumbria, have been infected with the disease since the outbreak began in February

'Over the last three weeks there has been an apparent rise in the number of children of all ages presenting with a multi-system inflammatory state requiring intensive care across London and also in other regions of the UK.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock at the time said he was 'very worried' by the reports.

But experts say learning about the illness does not mean children are at any more risk from the coronavirus, and it does not mean they will be at risk when schools go back.

Schools will not continue to open if there is a risk of mass transmission of the virus, and cases are 'exceptionally rare', only beginning to appear after the darkest days of Britain's outbreak when huge numbers of people were getting infected and dying of the virus.

Professor Viner added: 'Fears about this syndrome shouldn't stop parents letting their children exit the lockdown.

'But parents do need to do is have some knowledge and have some understanding so they can recognise this and seek help very early.'
Hardnett had been relying on private funding until his school hits full capacity in two years. Most of his grants are set to lapse at the end of the academic year, and he had been searching for new private funding. But he says that wont be possible now, and the federal funds will allow him to keep his staff through the summer and provide his students with extra academic services he says they will require once distance learning concludes.
What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

________________

For the first time since March, Via Italian Table, 111 Chop House and Sole Proprietor opened for takeout orders on Tuesday.

The three Worcester Restaurant Group properties announced they would re-open for takeout orders on Tuesday. The three locations had been closed since March 24 out of an abundance of caution during the coronavirus pandemic.

The three locations will be open from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. The hours will be extended from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The locations will be closed on Sunday.

Orders and payments will be processed over the phone. Each location said it will text customers when an order is ready. An employee will then deliver the food to a car with an open trunk or back door to avoid contact.

MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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A Liquor Store employee prepares boxes for delivery at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits in Media, PA. Monday, April 20, 2020. PLCB, which operates such stores is challenging a court order that asked it to implement a system that would allow restaurants and others to receive so-called special order wines that are not sold in state-sponsored stores directly from wine importers and distributors, as required by the 2016 Pennsylvania law. Read more

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board voted Wednesday to appeal a decision this month by Commonwealth Court that the state-owned liquor and wine distribution monopoly violated a 2016 law by not allowing independent wine merchants to deliver their products directly to restaurants and specialty retailers.

Judge Kevin P. Brobson, in a May 1 ruling, ordered the three-member Liquor Control Board to implement a system that would allow restaurants and others to receive so-called special-order wines that are not sold in state-sponsored stores directly from wine importers and distributors, as required by the 2016 Pennsylvania law.

Brobson said the intent of lawmakers was clear and unambiguous.

Under the old system, which the PLCB has kept in effect, restaurateurs and retailers had to pick up their orders at state stores. Under both systems, the orders would be placed and paid for through the PLCB website. Picking up orders at state stores was impossible when they were shut down entirely earlier during the coronavirus pandemic. That meant anyone trying sell wine-to-go had no access to their preferred wines.

Even though the PLCB has been in violation of the law for nearly three years now, they think they can continue to take advantage of consumers and private businesses for their sole benefit, said Jason M. Malumed, an operating partner with MFW Wine Co. of New York and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The fact that they have chosen to appeal a decision where a judge has already found the word of law to be unambiguous shows just how far the PLCB will go to bully anyone who dares to challenge them, said Malumed, whose customers include Di Bruno Bros. and other restaurants and retailers in the Philadelphia region.

Elizabeth Brassell, spokesperson for the PLCB, declined to comment on the decision to appeal Brobsons decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
On the fence about buying a home during COVID? More people are making the jump

With mortgage rates remaining around all-time lows and with states loosening their COVID-19 restrictions, more homebuyers are coming out of lockdown, new data suggests.

Mortgage applications to purchase homes are rising sharply as consumers who've been on the fence about buying decide it's time to jump off and shop around for a home  and an ultra-low mortgage rate.

And, homeowners are continuing to seek refinance loans that will save them money, though some are finding it now takes more looking to find the best refi rates.

Homebuyers lunge after mortgages

Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

Homebuyers are getting loans  and houses.

Overall mortgage applications rose 0.3% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association, or MBA, reported on Wednesday.

Demand for "purchase loans"  to buy homes  surged 11%.

"There continues to be a stark recovery in purchase applications, as most large states saw increases in activity last week," says Joel Kan, the trade group's vice president of forecasting.

New York led the way, with a 14% jump in applications for loans to buy homes. Illinois, Florida, Georgia, California and North Carolina also had double-digit percentage gains.

"We expect this positive purchase trend to continue  at varying rates across the country  as states gradually loosen social distancing measures, and some of the pent-up demand for housing returns in what is typically the final weeks of the spring home buying season," Kan says.

The average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose slightly in the trade group's weekly survey, to 3.43% from the previous week's all-time low of 3.40%.

Meanwhile, applications for refinance loans dipped 3%, though demand for refi loans was up 201% compared to the same week a year ago. Put another way, applications were about triple what lenders were dealing with during late April of 2019.

Refinance requests have been going through ups and downs. Homeowners can score big refinance savings: about $60 a month for every $100,000 borrowed compared to loans offered last year, according to LendingTree.

Story continues

But some homeowners have been disappointed to find that overwhelmed lenders have been raising their refi rates  to try to slow the refinance stampede.

Refinances fell to 67% of all mortgage applications last week, from 70% the previous week.

Google searches for 'Homes for Sale' surge

Here's another sign that homebuyers are ready to get back into it: Google searches for "homes for sale" have rebounded sharply from the lows seen a few weeks ago, a new study from LendingTree finds.

Nationwide, searches have soared 54% in recent weeks. In some markets, including Tucson, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, New York, "homes for sale" Google searches have skyrocketed more than 125%.

Many had put their home-shopping plans on hold since the start of the coronavirus crisis, says LendingTree chief economist Tendayi Kapfidze. "However, as states begin to reopen and stay-at-home orders expire, some potential homebuyers may be more eager to resume their house hunt," he says.

Rock-bottom mortgage rates are luring them out, too.

To find a super-low mortgage rate, shop around. Gather mortgage offers from at least three lenders and compare them, because some lenders' rates can be much higher than what others are offering  even when surveys show average rates are at record lows.
Family members of a cancer



patient on Wednesday alleged that Ahmedabad civil hospital did not inform them about his post-admission status since May 5 and also about his death, which occurred five days ago.

The kin said they came to know about the patient's whereabouts when his body was found kept in the morgue of the hospital.

The 54-year-old deceased was a resident of Porbandar, located about 400 kms away from Ahmedabad.

Son of the deceased alleged that authorities asked him to approach the COVID-19 centre attached to the hospital to get his father's sample tested for coronavirus on May 4.

"My father's sample was taken for testing at the special 1,200-bed COVID facility of the civil hospital, and he was admitted in the ICU of the hospital on May 4. Authorities told me that they will inform me about the result of my father's samples on my phone number, but no call came for eight days," he claimed.

He said he had been visiting the hospital daily and also left his phone number and other details at its help desk, but received no response.

He also alleged that the patients' register didn't have any record of his father.

He then approached senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia for help since the deceased was a party worker.

"I was told that the cancer patient was admitted in ward no.3 of the facility and not in ICU as per the OPD record. However, the patient was not found in that ward," Modhwadia said.

The deceased's son said authorities finally found him in the morgue of the hospital.

"They told me that my father died May 8. But I was not informed about his death till today and it seems that they have searched him due to pressure," he said.

MM Prabhakar, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for COVID-19 cases at the civil hospital, said the patient died on May 8.

He said authorities tried to reach the son of the deceased, but he could not connect with him on his phone.

"The deceased had approached the cancer hospital for the treatment of throat cancer, but he was shifted to the coronaviurus facility for testing," Prabhakar said.

He said the deceased's son came to the facility on Wednesday.

"Staff searched for the patient after his son visited the facility and found that his body was kept in the morgue after is death on May 8," the OSD said.

Meanwhile, Modhwadia questionned that why was the deceased, a local Congress worker, was not shifted back to the cancer hospital if he was COVID negative and still kept at the COVID facility instead.

"Even a cattle owner keeps track of his flock in a 'Panjrapole' (cow shed), but the manner in which the civil hospital keeps record of its patients reflects on the condition of the health care-system of Gujarat, and the civil hospital, which is the largest government hospital in the state," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Todays court decision, as well as the preceding procedures proved that what is happening is political persecution against President Kocharyan. This is what Victor Soghomonyan, head of the Office of Second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, told Armenian News-NEWS.am, touching upon Judge Anna Danibekyans decision to reject the motion to release Robert Kocharyan from custody.

This persecution is the obscenest and unruliest type of persecution. Unfortunately, we are witnessing events that will be described as the national shame in our national history, he added, News.am reports.
Photos and videos are emerging of packed trains and buses as thousands of people returned to work on Wednesday after the government encouraged those who cant work from home to go back if it is "safe to do so".

Britains return to the workplace has been peppered with caveats and advice from ministers, who urge people not to use public transport or travel during rush hour to avoid creating crowds that could spread Covid-19.

Images of packed buses and trains were shared on social media on Wednesday morning. However, some stations  including the busiest station in Britain, Waterloo  appeared much emptier than they would have been at rush hour pre-lockdown.

A packed London bus on Wednesday morning (BITS OF THIS, BITS OF THAT PODCAST / @BOT_BOTPODCAST)

The news comes as Transport Secretary Grant Shapps urged people not to flood back onto public transport, suggesting he would not get on a crowded bus or train himself.

We are asking people to be very sensible and not flood back to public transport. Even with all the trains and buses back to running when they are, there will not be enough space. One in 10 people will be able to travel without overcrowding, he told Sky News.

It is very important that we enable enough space on public transport for key workers, people who have no other option. It is very important that people dont overcrowd that system that will be extremely restricted for the time being.

Asked by BBC Breakfast whether he would personally go on a packed bus or tube, Shapps said: No. People should try to avoid that. There are a lot of extra staff marshallers being organised at train stations and bus interchanges to try to advise people to avoid going on that route.

On Monday, the prime minister said the new coronavirus guidance was aimed at encouraging people in England to take baby steps in returning to work, and he did not expect a sudden big flood of people going to work.

Boris Johnson said during the daily Downing Street briefing: I think a lot of people will now start to think whether they fall into that category, whether they could think about going back to work.

A police officer wearing PPE stands with commuters as they travel in the morning rush hour on TfL (AFP via Getty Images)

Employers who want to reopen their workplaces would need to prove they have met new Covid secure safety standards, subject to random spot inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said Mr Johnson.

The government issued guidance for a number of workplace settings to identify what sectors can reopen, who can go back to work and how employers can keep their workers safe.

This includes construction, manufacturing, labs and research facilities, contact centres, restaurants offering takeaway or delivery, and people working in other peoples homes. Some of the advice recommends re-designing workplaces with social distancing in mind, staggering start times and building one-way systems.

Despite this, the governments return-to-work message has been criticised, with one union warning that the new guidelines were fraught with danger.

Commuters on the London Jubilee Line underground trains from Canning Town towards central London on Wednesday (AFP via Getty Images)

In reference to reports that a passenger on the London Underground had collapsed on Wednesday morning, leading to the suspension of the Victoria Line, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) said: This incident shows just how fraught with danger the governments return to work call is for our transport services in the midst of this pandemic.

One incident and we are reduced to crisis management with reports that social distancing is impossible with Tube carriages rammed.

RMT warned this would happen and we were ignored.

Amid nationwide reports of crowded transport services, the government has reiterated that anyone who is able to work from home should continue to do so.

The transport secretary warned that too many people trying to use the public transport system could mean the country will go back to staying at home.

Mr Shapps told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: If we see the R (virus reproduction) number go up again  particularly above one  we will have to take steps.

We all know what that means  it means going back to staying at home. We have got a big team of marshallers going out through Network Rail, Transport for London, we have got the British Transport Police out there, and we are even bringing in volunteers to remind people that we dont want to see platforms crowded.
In hopes of minimizing the spread of coronavirus in their community, the Cheyenne River Sioux have established a series of checkpoints on state highways that run through tribal reservations in South Dakota. As Truthout explains:

Commercial drivers and South Dakota residents are being allowed to travel on tribal lands, but non-state residents are only allowed entry onto the reservations if they can provide proof of tribal membership or proof that they live there. Non-state residents are also being banned from hunting or fishing on tribal lands.

These, of course, are far more active measures than anything that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has done so far in this pandemic. And this clearly made her upset, or possibly embarrassed, because she wrote a letter to tribal leaders stating:

I request the Tribe immediately cease interfering or regulating traffic on U.S. and State Highways and remove all travel checkpoints. If the checkpoints are not removed within the next 48 hours, the State will take necessary legal action.

Under normal circumstances, there may be a valid argument about what some would consider the vigilantism on display here. However, when it comes to Native American land rights and legal jurisdictions, things get complicated. But they've been putting up with this shit for a while now, and many of them have a keen understanding of how things with the US government  namely, that it won't do shit to help them, except when it wants something, which usually ends up hurting the members of the tribe. For example: when a few economic stakeholders want a pandemic to continue spreading through poverty-stricken communities just so they can keep their wallets fat.

Or, as Oglala Sioux Tribe spokesman Chase Iron Eyes said:

We'd be interested in sitting down (with Gov. Noem) to learn the legal, theoretical bases for (her) aggressive assertions. They can sit down and talk with us like human beings, but they don't do that. They threaten us with violence or legal charges.

Julian Bear Runner, president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, echoed this sentiment on Facebook, asserting that, "We have an inherent and sovereign right to protect the health of our people, and no one, man or woman, can dispute that right."

But my personal favorite response to Gov. Noem's demands came from Cheyenne River Tribe Chairman Harold Frazier. Citing Article 16 of the Fort Laramie Treaty, which grants the tribe the right to regulate who can or cannot enter their jurisdictions, Frazier said:

You continue to interfere in our efforts to do what science and facts dictate seriously undermine our ability to protect everyone on the reservation. Ignorant statements and fiery rhetoric encourage individuals already under stress from this situation to carry out irrational actions.

17 members of the South Dakota State Legislature have also spoken up against Governor Noem's threats of forcing the federal government to  not let Native Americans protect themselves from a pandemic that the federal government has failed to rein in.

South Dakota Governor Aims to Force Tribal Leaders to Ease Stay-at-Home Orders [Chris Walker / Truthout]

Sioux tribe rejects South Dakota governor request to remove Covid-19 checkpoints [Chris Boyette and Deanna Hackney / CNN]

Image: Pax Ahimsa Gethen / Wikimedia Commons (CC 4.0)
A group of thugs drove a car into a parked vehicle at speed after a fight involving men carrying bats and knives broke out last week.

The road rage attack happened last Wednesday at around 6.20pm on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton, Manchester.

A black Audi is captured ramming headfirst into the parked white car, which lands on top of the aggressor's vehicle in shocking footage taken at the scene.

Police were called after the incident left both cars damaged but nobody has been arrested or identified as injured as enquiries continue.

A black Audi S4 rams into a white parked vehicle on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton, Greater Manchester at 6.20pm last Wednesday

The parked car is launched into the air as the Audi crumples its bonnet and ends up beneath the white vehicle

Two men run across the road after the fight before a black Audi S4 rams head first into a parked white car.

The second man appears to have been hit as the Audi crumples its bumper on impact and he bounces off the white car and lands on the ground.

A passenger from a third car, a grey Renault on the street near the collision, comes to check if the fallen man is alright and he gets up and walks behind the Audi.

The Renault then drives off leaving the Audi stuck underneath the white car, which had been badly damaged.

Both cars are left seriously damaged with their bonnets badly smashed and the white car is pressed against a lamp post on the curb

The road rage attack happened after a fight broke out between a group of thugs wielding bats and knives

Police have asked for witnesses to come forward as enquiries continue with no arrests being made

Greater Manchester Police have asked anyone with information to call on 0161 856 4973 quoting incident number 2221 of 06/05/2020.

Detective Inspector Chris Maddocks, from GMP's City of Manchester Division, said: 'I understand that incidents of this nature will cause concern in the community, but I want to stress that they are rare and that we are doing all we can to establish the circumstances and find those responsible.

'As part of our investigation we are making sure to follow all available lines of enquiry which include searching through CCTV opportunities and making house-to-house enquiries.

Detective Inspector Chris Maddocks, from GMP's City of Manchester Division, says: 'I understand that incidents of this nature will cause concern in the community, but I want to stress that they are rare and that we are doing all we can to establish the circumstances and find those responsible'

'I am appealing to anyone in that area who may have seen any part of this incident to get in touch with us.

'You may have been driving through at that time and have a dash cam fitted, if you did please get in touch we would like to hear from you.

'We are committed to ensuring we keep this community safe by bringing those responsible to justice.'
CGG Announces its 2020 First Quarter Results

Solid First Quarter

Adjusting to an Unprecedented Crisis

PARIS, France  May 12, 2020  CGG (ISIN: FR0013181864), a world leader in Geoscience, announced today its 2020 First Quarter unaudited results.

Commenting on these results, Sophie Zurquiyah, CGG CEO, said:

As we are navigating through this unprecedented industry crisis, created by the combined results of oversupply and reduction in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our priority remains on the health and safety of our employees and all our stakeholders, along with the continuity of our business to meet our clients needs. With our new asset light business profile, and our business segments positioned around reservoir evaluation and production optimization, including our data library, which is focused on proven or mature sedimentary basins, we expect CGG to be much more resilient than in the past. While the duration of this severe crisis is uncertain, we are focusing on what we can control: managing our liquidity, implementing the required capex and cash cost reductions and adjusting the organization as necessary while maintaining our R&D efforts. With $624m of cash on hand after a solid Q1 and no bond debt to reimburse before April 2023, I am confident that our asset light strategy based on high-end technology, services, data and products positions us the best for these challenging market conditions .





Q1 2020 Positive cash generation







Adjusting to an unprecedented crisis: focus on cost control and cash preservation





Key Figures - First Quarter 2020

Story continues

In million $ First Quarter

2019 First Quarter 2020 Group revenue 271.4 252.7 Operating income 19.6 (39.8) Equity from investments 0.1 0.3 Net cost of financial debt (32.9) (32.9) Other financial income (loss) 0.9 5.7 Income taxes (2.9) (4.8) Net income / (loss) from continuing operations (15.2) (71.5) Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations (15.3) (26.9) Group net income / (loss) (30.5) (98.4) Operating Cash Flow 203.8 145.2 Net Cash Flow 44.0 17.2 Net debt 868.3 705.0 Net debt before IFRS 16 656.4 540.3 Capital employed 2,518.6 2,201.5

Key Segment Figures - First Quarter 2020

In million $ First Quarter

2019 First Quarter

2020 Segment revenue 282.4 270.8 Segment EBITDAs 119.3 122.7 Group EBITDAs margin 42.2% 45.3% Segment operating income 10.8 (31.0) Opinc margin 3.8% (11.4)% Non-recurring charges (NRC) - - IFRS 15 adjustment 8.8 (8.8) IFRS operating income 19.6 (39.8) Segment Operating Cash Flow 203.8 145.2 Segment Net Cash Flow 44.0 17.2

Key figures bridge: Segment to IFRS - First Quarter 2020

Q1 2020 P&L items







In million $ Segment figures IFRS 15 adjustments IFRS figures Total Revenue 270.8 (18.1) 252.7 Operating Income (31.0) (8.8) (39.8)





Q1 2020 Cash Flow Statement items







In million $ Segment figures IFRS 15 adjustments IFRS figures EBITDAs 122.7 (18.1) 104.6 Change in Working Capital & Provisions 20.7 18.1 38.8 Cash Flow from Operations 145.2 - 145.2





Multi-Client Data Library NBV

In million $ Segment figures IFRS 15 adjustments IFRS figures Opening Balance Sheet  Jan. 1st 2020 375.8 155.2 531.0 Closing Balance Sheet  March 31st 2020 317.8 157.2 475.0

First Quarter 2020 Segment Financial Results

Geology, Geophysics & Reservoir (GGR)

GGR











In million $ First Quarter

2019 First Quarter

2020 Variation

Year-on-year Segment revenue 180.1 197.4 10% Geoscience (SIR) 91.3 93.3 2% Multi-Client 88.8 104.1 17% Prefunding 42.2 57.0 35% After-Sales 46.6 47.1 1% Segment EBITDAs 105.0 122.8 17% Margin 58.3% 62.2% +390 bps Segment operating income 5.2 (22.4) - Margin 2.9% (11.4)% - Equity from investments 0.1 0.3 - Capital employed (in billion $) 2.0 1.7 (15)% Other key metrics Multi-Client cash capex ($m) (39.7) (66.8) 68% Multi-Client cash prefunding rate (%) 106% 86% -200 bps

GGR segment revenue was $197 million, up 10% year-on-year.

Geoscience revenue was $93 million, up 2% year-on-year.

Geoscience performance in Q1 was solid driven by 11% increase in imaging business revenue year-on-year. We managed to maintain our business continuity in March with the majority of our people working from home due to the excellent support of our IT organization.

Multi-Client revenue was $104 million this quarter, up 17% year on year.

Prefunding revenue of our multi-client projects reached $57 million this quarter, up from $42 million in the first quarter of 2019, mainly due to higher multi-client capex this quarter, up to $67 million from $40 million in Q1 2019.

We had four ongoing multi-client projects this quarter, including two Land surveys  Bayou Boeuf and Central Basin Platform  in the US, one Marine streamer survey  Nebula  in Brazil, one Marine streamer survey  Gippsland 2020  in Australia, and started one Nodes survey in the UK North Sea in the Cornerstone area at the end of March. Prefunding rate in Q1 2020 was solid at 86%.

After-sales were $47 million this quarter, stable year on year and solid across all regions.

In Q1 2020, we performed the impairment test of our multi-client library triggered by current low oil price environment, which resulted in non-cash charges of $(69) million.

The segment library Net Book Value was $318 million ($475 million after IFRS 15 adjustments) at the end of March 2020, split 85% offshore and 15% onshore.

GGR segment EBITDAs was $123 million, up 17% with 62% margin.

GGR segment operating income was $(22) million, including $(69) million impairment of the multi-client library.

GGR capital employed was down to $1.7 billion at the end of March 2020.

Equipment

Equipment











In million $ First Quarter

2019 First Quarter

2020 Variation

Year-on-year Segment revenue 105.2 74.5 (29)% Land 84.7 52.5 (38)% Marine 12.9 13.0 1% Downhole gauges 5.2 7.0 35% Non Oil&Gas 2.4 2.0 (17)% Segment EBITDAs 23.0 7.8 (66)% Margin 21.9% 10.5% - Segment operating income 14.9 0.1 (100)% Margin 14.2% 0.1% - Capital employed (in billion $) 0.5 0.5 -

Equipment segment revenue was $75 million, down 29% year-on-year. External sales were $73 million, down 28% year-on-year.

Land equipment sales represented 71% of total sales, as we delivered over 80 thousand 508XT channels in Q1, mainly in North Africa, India and Russia

Sercel was awarded significant orders for heavy duty Nomad90 vibrators for North Africa and for 35 thousand channels for Middle East

Marine equipment sales represented 17% of total sales. Activity in the streamer market remains low with mostly sales of spares for Sentinel sections

Downhole equipment sales were $7 million.

Equipment segment EBITDAs was $8 million, a 11% margin.

Equipment segment operating income was $0 million.

Equipment capital employed was stable at $0.5 billion at the end of March 2020.

First Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Consolidated Income Statements







In million $ First Quarter

2019 First Quarter

2020 Variation

Year-on-year Exchange rate euro/dollar 1.15 1.11 (3)% Segment revenue 282.4 270.8 (4)% GGR 180.1 197.4 10% Equipment 105.2 74.5 (29)% Elimination (2.9) (1.1) (62)% Gross margin 49.1 73.1 49% Segment EBITDAs 119.3 122.7 3% GGR 105.0 122.8 17% Equipment 23.0 7.8 (66)% Corporate (8.7) (7.1) (18)% Eliminations (0.8) - Segment operating income 10.8 (31.0) - GGR 5.2 (22.4) - Equipment 14.9 0.1 (100)% Corporate (9.3) (7.1) (24)% Eliminations - (1.6) - NRC - - - IFRS 15 adjustment 8.8 (8.8) - IFRS operating income 19.6 (39.8) - Equity from investments 0.1 0.3 - Net cost of financial debt (32.9) (32.9) - Other financial income (loss) 0.9 5.7 - Income taxes (2.9) (4.8) 66% Net income / (loss) from continuing operations (15.2) (71.5) - Net income / (loss) from discontinued operations (15.3) (26.9) (76)% IFRS net income / (loss) (30.5) (98.4) - Shareholder's net income / (loss) (33.9) (99.4) - Basic Earnings per share in $ (0.05) (0.14) - Basic Earnings per share in  (0.04) (0.13) -

Segment revenue was $271 million, down 4% year-on-year. The respective contributions from the Groups businesses were 34% from Geoscience, 38% from Multi-Client (73% for the GGR segment) and 27% from Equipment.

Segment EBITDAs was $123 million, up 3% year-on-year with 45% margin.

Segment operating income was $(31) million, impacted by $(69) million impairment of the multi-client library.

IFRS 15 adjustment at operating income level was $(9) million and IFRS operating income, after IFRS 15 adjustment, was $(40) million.

Cost of financial debt was $(33) million. The total amount of interest paid during the quarter was $(7) million. Income taxes were $(5) million.

Net loss from continuing operations was $(72) million.

Discontinued operations



Correspond to the former Contractual Data Acquisition and Non-Operated Resources segments. Main aggregates are as follows:



- Segment revenues were $14 million this quarter and net loss from discontinued operations was $(27) million.

Group net loss was $(98) million.

After minority interests, Group net loss attributable to CGG shareholders was $(99.4) million/ (89.7) million.

Cash Flow

Cash Flow items







In million $ First Quarter

2019 First Quarter

2020 Variation

Year-on-year Segment Operating Cash Flow 203.8 145.2 (29)% Capex (58.3) (87.4) 50% Industrial (10.5) (8.0) (24)% R&D (8.1) (12.6) 56% Multi-Client (Cash) (39.7) (66.8) 68% Marine MC (30.1) (51.5) 71% Land MC (9.6) (15.4) 60% Proceeds from disposals of assets 0.1 0.1 - Lease repayments (15.9) (14.0) (12)% Segment Free Cash Flow 129.7 43.9 (66)% Paid cost of debt (7.4) (7.4) - Cash NRC / Plan 2021 (25.3) (28.2) 11% Free cash flow from discontinued operations (53.0) 8.9 117% Net cash flow 44.0 17.2 (61)% Financing cash flow - - - Forex and other (3.0) (4.2) (40)% Net increase/(decrease) in cash 41.0 13.0 (68)%

Segment Operating Cash Flow was $145 million, down 29% compared to $204 million in Q1 2019.

Total capex was $87 million, up 50% year-on-year:

Industrial capex was $8 million, down 24%

Research & Development capex was $13 million, up 56%

Multi-client cash capex was $67 million, up 68%

Segment Free Cash Flow was at $44 million, compared to $130 million in Q1 2019.

After $(7) million paid cost of debt, $(28) million 2021 plan cash costs and $9 million free cash flow from discontinued operations, Net Cash Flow was $17 million compared to $44 million in Q1 2019.

Balance Sheet

Group gross debt before IFRS 16 was $1,164 million at the end of March 2020 and net debt was $540 million.

Group gross debt after IFRS 16 was $1,329 million at the end of March 2020 and net debt was $705 million.

Groups liquidity amounted to $624 million at the end of March 2020.

Q1 2020 Conference call

An English language analysts conference call is scheduled today at 8:15 am (Paris time)  7:15 am (London time)

To follow this conference, please access the live webcast:

From your computer at: www.cgg.com









A replay of the conference will be available via webcast on the CGG website at: www.cgg.com .

For analysts, please dial the following numbers 5 to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time:

France call-in +33 (0) 1 70 70 07 81 UK call-in +44 (0) 8444819752 Access Code 8745567

About CGG

CGG (www.cgg.com) is a global geoscience technology leader. Employing around 4,600 people worldwide, CGG provides a comprehensive range of data, products, services and equipment that supports the discovery and responsible management of the Earths natural resources. CGG is listed on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN: 0013181864).





Contacts

Group Communications & Investor Relations

Christophe Barnini

Tel: + 33 1 64 47 38 11

E-Mail: : christophe.barnini@cgg.com





CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

March 31st, 2020

UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Amounts in millions of US$, unless indicated March 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents 623.5 610.5 Trade accounts and notes receivable, net 315.2 436.0 Inventories and work-in-progress, net 206.8 200.1 Income tax assets 79.1 84.9 Other current assets, net 96.8 116.7 Assets held for sale, net 159.8 316.6 Total current assets 1,481.2 1,764.8 Deferred tax assets 59.2 19.7 Investments and other financial assets, net 67.0 27.4 Investments in companies under the equity method 3.3 3.0 Property, plant and equipment, net 287.8 300.0 Intangible assets, net 632.9 690.8 Goodwill, net 1,202.2 1,206.9 Total non-current assets 2,252.4 2,247.8 TOTAL ASSETS 3,733.6 4,012.6 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Bank overdrafts   Financial debt  current portion 69.8 59.4 Trade accounts and notes payables 114.8 117.4 Accrued payroll costs 127.9 156.6 Income taxes payable 64.1 59.3 Advance billings to customers 22.2 36.9 Provisions  current portion 36.3 50.0 Other current financial liabilities 21.7  Other current liabilities 303.9 327.3 Liabilities directly associated with the assets classified as held for sale 4.8 259.2 Total current liabilities 765.5 1,066.1 Deferred tax liabilities 48.9 10.4 Provisions  non-current portion 51.4 58.1 Financial debt  non-current portion 1,258.7 1,266.6 Other non-current financial liabilities 56.6  Other non-current liabilities 56.0 4.0 Total non-current liabilities 1,471.6 1,339.1 Common stock: 1,181,283,351 shares authorized and 709,961,702 shares with a 0.01 nominal value outstanding at March 31, 2020 8.7 8.7 Additional paid-in capital 3,184.7 3,184.7 Retained earnings (1,631.8) (1,531.1) Other Reserves (18.6) (23.5) Treasury shares (20.1) (20.1) Cumulative income and expense recognized directly in equity (0.8) (0.7) Cumulative translation adjustment (71.6) (56.3) Equity attributable to owners of CGG S.A. 1,450.5 1,561.7 Non-controlling interests 46.0 45.7 Total equity 1,496.5 1,607.4 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 3,733.6 4,012.6

UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

Three months ended March 31, Amounts in millions of US$, except per share data in US$ 2020 2019 Operating revenues 252.7 271.4 Other income from ordinary activities 0.3 0.2 Total income from ordinary activities 253.0 271.6 Cost of operations (188.7) (213.7) Gross profit 64.3 57.9 Research and development expenses - net (4.4) (6.0) Marketing and selling expenses (9.1) (9.9) General and administrative expenses (18.7) (20.3) Other revenues (expenses) - net (71.9) (2.1) Operating income (loss) (39.8) 19.6 Expenses related to financial debt (33.9) (33.6) Income provided by cash and cash equivalents 1.0 0.7 Cost of financial debt, net (32.9) (32.9) Other financial income (loss) 5.7 0.9 Income (loss) before incomes taxes (67.0) (12.4) Income taxes (4.8) (2.9) Net income (loss) from consolidated companies before share of income (loss) in companies accounted for under the equity method (71.8) (15.3) Share of income (loss) in companies accounted for under the equity method 0.3 0.1 Net income (loss) from continuing operations (71.5) (15.2) Net income (loss) from discontinued operations* (26.9) (15.3) Net income (loss) (98.4) (30.5) Attributable to : Owners of CGG S.A (99.4) (33.9) Non-controlling interests 1.0 3.4 Net income (loss) per share Basic (0.14) (0.05) Diluted (0.14) (0.05) Net income (loss) from continuing operations per share Basic (0.10) (0.03) Diluted (0.10) (0.03) Net income (loss) from discontinued operations per share Basic (0.04) (0.02) Diluted (0.04) (0.02)

___________________

* In accordance with IFRS 5 Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations, the profit and loss accounts related to the discontinued operations have been presented in the separate line item Net income (loss) from discontinued operations at March 31, 2020 and 2019.

UNAUDITED INTERIM CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Three months ended March 31, Amounts in millions of US$ 2020 2019 OPERATING Net income (loss) (98.4) (30.5) Less: Net income (loss) from discontinued operations (26.9) (15.3) Net income (loss) from continuing operations (71.5) (15.2) Depreciation, amortization and impairment 30.5 30.9 Multi-client surveys impairment and amortization 116.8 57.4 Depreciation and amortization capitalized in multi-client surveys (4.3) (0.9) Variance on provisions (2.2) (3.5) Share-based compensation expenses 1.4 1.3 Net (gain) loss on disposal of fixed and financial assets - - Equity (income) loss of investees (0.3) (0.1) Dividends received from investments in companies under the equity method - - Other non-cash items (3.1) (5.8) Net cash-flow including net cost of financial debt and income tax 67.3 64.1 Less : net cost of financial debt 32.9 32.9 Less : income tax expense (gain) 4.8 2.9 Net cash-flow excluding net cost of financial debt and income tax 105.0 99.9 Income tax paid (0.8) (4.1) Net cash-flow before changes in working capital 104.2 95.8 Change in working capital 41.0 108.0 - change in trade accounts and notes receivable 80.8 147.9 - change in inventories and work-in-progress (16.2) (2.6) - change in other current assets (4.7) (15.4) - change in trade accounts and notes payable 16.5 (1.6) - change in other current liabilities (35.4) (20.3) Net cash-flow provided by operating activities 145.2 203.8 INVESTING Total capital expenditures (incl. variation of fixed assets suppliers, excluding multi-client surveys) (20.6) (18.6) Investment in multi-client surveys, net cash (66.8) (39.7) Proceeds from disposals of tangible and intangible assets 0.1 0.1 Total net proceeds from financial assets - - Acquisition of investments, net of cash and cash equivalents acquired - - Variation in loans granted - - Variation in subsidies for capital expenditures - - Variation in other non-current financial assets 9.0 (0.6) Net cash-flow used in investing activities (78.3) (58.8) FINANCING Repayment of long-term debt - - Total issuance of long-term debt - - Lease repayments (14.0) (15.9) Change in short-term loans - - Financial expenses paid (7.4) (7.4) Net proceeds from capital increase:  from shareholders - -  from non-controlling interests of integrated companies - - Dividends paid and share capital reimbursements:  to shareholders - -  to non-controlling interests of integrated companies (1.2) Acquisition/disposal from treasury shares - - Net cash-flow provided by (used in) financing activities (21.4) (24.5) Effects of exchange rates on cash (13.2) (1.2) Impact of changes in consolidation scope - - Net cash flows incurred by discontinued operations* (19.3) (78.3) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 13.0 41.0 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 610.5 434.1 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 623.5 475.1

UNAUDITED ANALYSIS BY SEGMENT

Three months ended March 31, 2020 In millions of US$, except for assets and capital employed in billions of US$ GGR Equipment Eliminations

and other Segment

figures IFRS 15 adjustments Consolidated Total /

As reported Revenues from unaffiliated customers 197.4 73.4 - 270.8 (18.1) 252.7 Inter-segment revenues (1) 1.1 (1.1) - - Operating revenues 197.4 74.5 (1.1) 270.8 (18.1) 252.7 Depreciation and amortization (excluding multi-client surveys) (22.6) (7.6) (0.3) (30.5) (30.5) Depreciation and amortization of multi-client surveys (126.1) - (126.1) 9.3 (116.8) Operating income (2) (22.4) 0.1 (8.7) (31.0) (8.8) (39.8) EBITDAs 122.8 7.8 (7.9) 122.7 (18.1) 104.6 Share of income in companies accounted for under the equity method 0.3 0.3 0.3 Earnings Before Interest and Tax (2) (22.1) 0.1 (8.7) (30.7) (8.8) (39.5) Capital expenditures (excluding multi-client surveys) (3) 12.8 6.3 1.5 20.6 20.6 Investments in multi-client surveys, net cash 66.8 - - 66.8 66.8 Capital employed (4) 1.7 0.5 2.2 2.2 Total identifiable assets (4) 2.2 0.6 0.2 3.0 3.0

Sale of equipment to the Contractual Data Acquisition segment which is classified as discontinued operation. Eliminations and other corresponded to general corporate expenses. Capital expenditures included capitalized development costs of US$(12.6) million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Eliminations and other corresponded to the variance of suppliers of assets for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Capital employed and identifiable assets related to discontinued operations are included under the column Eliminations and other.

Three months ended March 31, 2019 In millions of US$, except for assets and capital employed in billions of US$ GGR Equipment Eliminations

and other Segment

figures IFRS 15 adjustments Consolidated Total /

As reported Revenues from unaffiliated customers 180.1 102.3 - 282.4 (11.0) 271.4 Inter-segment revenues (1) - 2.9 (2.9) - - - Operating revenues 180.1 105.2 (2.9) 282.4 (11.0) 271.4 Depreciation and amortization (excluding multi-client surveys) (22.8) (7.9) (0.2) (30.9) - (30.9) Depreciation and amortization of multi-client surveys (77.2) - - (77.2) 19.8 (57.4) Operating income (2) 5.2 14.9 (9.3) 10.8 8.8 19.6 EBITDAS 105.0 23.0 (8.7) 119.3 (11.0) 108.3 Share of income in companies accounted for under the equity method 0.1 - - 0.1 - 0.1 Earnings Before Interest and Tax (2) 5.3 14.9 (9.3) 10.9 8.8 19.7 Capital expenditures (excluding multi-client surveys) (3) 14.9 4.8 (1.1) 18.6 - 18.6 Investments in multi-client surveys, net cash 39.7 - - 39.7 - 39.7 Capital employed (4) 2.0 0.5 - 2.5  2.5 Total identifiable assets (4) 2.2 0.6 0.8 3.6  3.6

Sale of equipment to the Contractual Data Acquisition segment which is classified as discontinued operation. Eliminations and other corresponded to general corporate expenses. Capital expenditures included capitalized development costs of US$(8.1) million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Eliminations and other corresponded to the variance of suppliers of assets for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Capital employed and identifiable assets related to discontinued operations are included under the column Eliminations and other.

Attachment
Revoluts success has often been put down to its app

Financial technology company Revolut now has one million customers in Ireland, in a development which represents a massive threat to the traditional banks.

Younger people are downloading its mobile app in their droves and ignoring banks and credit unions.

Revolut said its customer numbers have doubled in Ireland over the last six months alone, in what finance experts said was extraordinary growth.

Its total number of customers means it has almost one in five of the total number of personal current accounts in the State.

The rapid take-up of Revolut in this country comes at a time when Irish banks are struggling with ageing IT systems that regularly experience outages.

The fintech firm has also launched Revolut Junior in Ireland, which is designed for parents who want their children to gain financial skills and to learn how to use and manage money.

The product is for those between the ages of seven and 17.

Accounts can only be created by a parent or legal guardian who is an existing Revolut user.

Using their own, existing Revolut account, parents will be able to manage their kids' allowances as well as their own in one secure place.

The extraordinary growth of Revolut in this country has been put down to its easy-to-use app.

Initially its main selling point was its lack of foreign exchange fees.

However, customers are now responding to the fact that day-to-day banking transactions can largely be carried out with no fee, as there are no charges for contactless transactions, direct debits or chip and pin transactions.

Daragh Cassidy, of price comparison site Bonkers.ie, said Revolut has helped revolutionise banking since its launch in 2015.

Beautiful

"It has an excellent, easy-to-use, beautiful app which lets you carry out all of your day-to-day banking needs at your fingertips," he said.

Push notifications, security controls and detailed analytics on spending also help give the app a huge edge over anything the main Irish banks currently offer, Mr Cassidy said.

He said its main competitor, N26, has the benefit of a full banking licence in Germany which it has passported to here.

"The only fault is that some businesses and utility companies still won't accept a Revolut Iban, meaning you could have trouble fully switching over your account," Mr Cassidy said.

Revolut has been called Europe's most-hyped fintech.

The London-based company is said to have gained cult brand status among its users.

Its $5.5bn (5.07bn) valuation has cemented Revolut's status as one of the most promising companies in fintech. This is more than twice the market valuation of Bank of Ireland.

However, Revolut has faced controversy over its founder Nik Storonsky's alleged connections to the Kremlin.

The company gets its banking licence from Lithuania, where politicians called for an investigation into the company last spring, citing national security concerns.

Mr Stornsky denies any Kremlin links, and has written an open letter warning that "fear-mongering is not something that should be taken lightly".
General Health Council announces an approved plan to start reactivation in Mexico

Mexico City, Q.R.  The General Health Council announced on Tuesday that it has approved four areas for the progressive lifting of restriction measures against coronavirus in Mexico.

The General Health Council says that during its last meeting, members agreed on a plan to begin the countrys reactivation. The plan, they say, includes an update to essential activities, which will include the construction, mining and manufacturing sectors.

Restrictions will be lifted for school and work activities in low and coronavirus-free municipalities.

With the reactivation of businesses, the Council says all companies and establishments will apply compulsory sanitary measures in the workplace, which will be issued by the Ministry of Health, the IMSS and the Ministry of Labor.

The head of the Ministry of Health, Jorge Alcocer Varela noted that as of June 1, the Ministry of Health will define a weekly traffic light system for each state, which will allow certain economic, educational and social activities within specified intensity levels.

The Council says the measures are meant to be gradually implemented to reactivate activities in the economic, health, educational, commercial, tourism, services and leisure sectors. The plan seeks to begin on May 17, where regions with no cases or minimal coronavirus cases have been reported.

A special working group will be formed to deal with issues of tourism revival and employment, which will be led by the Secretary of Tourism, Miguel Torruco Marques.

Some details of the plan were released Wednesday morning by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at the National Palace, who says that the light system will be updated weekly by municipalities-states dependent on the report of contagions that are given.

The semaphore consist of four colors (red, orange, yellow and green) and depending on each, will determine the activities that can be reactivated. On Wednesday morning, Graciela Marquez, head of the Ministry of Economy said that 269 municipalities in 15 states will return to normal activities on May 18, dubbing them municipalities of hope.
Three days after ModernGhana's reportage, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has finally replaced the weak electricity pole at Frafraha in Accra which was being ignored for more than six months.

The pole which was yielding gradually toward the ground was located near the Jefkings Palace Hotel but days after ModernGhana News took the matter up, the inclining pole and another pole that appears weak was also replaced.

A resident of the area, Mr. Akwasi Addae-Boahene who approached Modernghana News out of the fear residents in the area were going through, narrated the frustrations he personally went through in getting the ECG for months just to fix the problem.

Read more: https://www.modernghana.com/news/999435/danger-looms-at-frafraha-as-ecg-neglects-falling.html

But soon after Modernghana New reported the story, ECG dispatched a team to the area to fix the situation with two new poles. The residents of the area have expressed happiness and commended the ECG for coming to their aid after several months of fear, anxiety and neglect.

Find images of the old and new poles:
The Los Angeles Police Department has released bodycam footage that shows an officer repeatedly punching a man in the back of the head while he was being handcuffed.

Officer Frank Hernandez can be seen delivering blows to a trespassing suspect in bodycam video filmed by his fellow officer.

In the clip, the two appear to be in conversation before the officer suddenly starts attacking him.

LAPD Officer Frank Hernandez can be seen talking to the suspect outside Church of God of the Prophecy in East LA on April 27

Hernandez tells the suspect, Richard Castillo, to stand with his hands behind his back

The suspect does not appear to be fighting back but the cop is seen delivering a series of punches outside Church of God of the Prophecy, before pausing and then starting again.

'I intend to hold individuals accountable for behavior that is inconsistent with the high standards of this organization,' said LAPD chief Michel Moore who called the video 'disturbing'.

'I, along with many of you, watched the third-party video that was released last week, and I have serious concerns,' Moore said.

The officer requests the suspect to put his hands behind his back but then things change

The officer can be seen punching the man repeatedly in the head and body, despite the fact that he did not appear to be struggling or armed

At least a dozen punches flew from the officers fist as the man stayed more or less still

'I don't believe that anything that is shown in this critical incident video will change that description by me or any others.'

Hernandez, who is now the subject of an LAPD investigation by Internal Affairs appears to hit the suspect more than a dozen times.

The man does not attempt to fight back and appears to have his hands covering his head the whole time

Meanwhile, his female colleague can be heard calling for backup.

'You f****** grabbed my hand m***********, that's why I hit you,' Hernandez shouts at the man.

The footage was all caught on police bodycam by Hernandez's female partner officer

The officer throwa overhand punches to the back of the suspects head while shouting profanities

Eventually, fellow officers arrive on scene to calm the situation down

Later in the video, other officers arrive on the scene to calm the situation down.

A representative for the officer said the man had struggled with him earlier and he believed he was under attack.

'The use of force is justified because the officer believed he was under attack from the suspect even though you might think the suspect wasn't fighting back at that time, he wasn't complying either,' LAPD attorney David Winslow said.

The suspect had been accused of sleeping in a tent on a private property when he was arrested in Boyle Heights on the 2400 block of Houston Street on April 27.

The man had refused to leave the area, according to audio captured by Hernandez's partner's body-worn camera.

Hernandez then ordered the man to turn around, and the man seems to struggle briefly, knocking Hernandez's camera to the ground.

The incident was also caught on camera from across the street on cellphone video

Hernandez's partner's video camera captures the rest of the incident clearly and the pair struggle with one another.

A supervising officer looked at the bodycam footage and the preliminary investigation was passed on to his commanding officer and then Internal Affairs.

Cell phone footage from a member of the public across the street was also captured of the incident.

Internal Affairs started a formal investigation due to the 'serious nature of the alleged misconduct'.

The suspect was later released from custody and wasn't charged. Police said they have not determined whether the suspect was armed.

'Anytime you see someone with their hands behind their back and getting hit in the head like that multiple times, that is disturbing. As a human being, I look at that and say, 'How did this happen? What led up to this?' Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said Monday.

The suspect is seen bending over to protect himself. Both the cop and suspected ended up with injuries

A witness was recording the incident from across the street. A fellow officer is seen calling over radio before more cops show up shortly afterwards

'But as the lead prosecutor in the D.A.'s office, I know that I need to exercise judgment in what I say publicly, because I don't want this office disqualified or recused for prejudging the evidence. So I'm waiting to see all of what's out there.'

Officer Hernandez has been placed on home duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

LAPD said both the suspect, who was identified as Richard Castillo, and the officer received injuries as a result of the incident.

'He was raised about two houses down from that vacant lot. He has a tremendous support system around him in that neighborhood,' said attorney Wesley Ouchi to the LA Times. He described Castillo as 'well-liked and well-known' in the area.

'At that location the two officers made contact with a male trespass suspect and directed him to leave the private property,' the police statement said.

'During the course of the investigation a physical altercation occurred between the suspect and one of the officers, resulting in the officer receiving minor injuries to his hand. The suspect had abrasions to his head and face but refused medical attention.'
Oil prices continue to rise on the prospect of a rebound in fuel demand as economies begin to reopen. But there is a large difference between oil demand rising from recent lows and actually growing relative to pre-COVID-19 trends. In other words, demand destruction on the order of nearly 30 million barrels per day (mb/d) may have been brief, but we are a long way from a 100-mb/d oil market.

In fact, some are wondering whether the world will ever get back to 100 mb/d of oil demand. Even oil executives have their doubts. Royal Dutch Shells CEO Ben van Beurden recently suggested that a rebound is unlikely, even looking out beyond 2020. We do not expect a recovery of oil prices or demand for our products in the medium term, he said.

We basically have a crisis of uncertainty. Uncertainty about demand, about prices, van Beurden said in a video address when presenting first quarter results at the end of April. Maybe even uncertainty about the viability of some of our assets given all of the logistical issues we have.

BPs CEO Bernard Looney largely admitted the same thing. The COVID-19 pandemic could entrench certain societal changes  more teleworking, less commuting, less flying  that could permanently erode a portion of consumption. Its not going to make oil more in demand. Its gotten more likely [oil will] be less in demand, Looney said in an interview with the FT.

I dont think we know how this is going to play out. I certainly don't know, Looney said. Could it be peak oil? Possibly. Possibly. I would not write that off.

Not everyone agrees. ExxonMobils chief executive Darren Woods recently said that the long-term trends have not changed.

A new study from IHS Markit also sees oil demand mostly returning to normal by the end of 2021. It may be hard to comprehend now. But barring a second wave of the pandemic, nearly all pre-COVID demand could return by the second half of 2021, Roger Diwan, vice president of financial services at IHS Markit, said in a statement. The firm sees oil demand rising to 96-98 percent of pre-coronavirus levels by the second half of next year.

Related: BP Boss: We May Have Already Hit Peak Oil Demand



If that transpires it could even lead to a market squeeze in the medium-term as supply destruction hinders the ability of supply to keep up with recovering demand, Diwan added.

A separate report from the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies sees something similar. The report eyes a supply deficit as soon as the third quarter of 1.5 mb/d, on the back of severe supply curtailments and a rebound in demand. The report says the market could be undersupplied in 2021 by as much as 5 mb/d. But the inventory overhang means that Brent trades in the $40 to $50-per-barrel range for most of next year.

The Oxford report also sees demand mostly arriving back at pre-pandemic levels at the end of 2021.

The problem with that notion is that a second wave of coronavirus infections is completely plausible, perhaps even likely (something both the IHS and the Oxford reports admit are big uncertainties). Time will tell.

But the permanent changes in some behaviors, along with the ongoing market share gains for electric vehicles, go beyond oil market cycles. If demand does return, and boom follows bust, the shift to cleaner energy will only accelerate, and thats before even considering any green stimulus measures now under consideration.

One important issue that the Oxford report raises is how Saudi Arabia responds after the immediate crisis subsides. With the prospect of peak demand looming, there are advantages for Saudi Arabia if it pursues a high-volume/lower price strategy, the Oxford study says. That is, Saudi Arabia may want to ramp up production in the years ahead in order to monetize its remaining reserves as demand peaks and begins to decline.

Cutting by too much in an effort to push prices to $50 per barrel or above would clear the way for a return of U.S. shale. Better to keep the market well supplied, capture more market share, and box out a rebound in shale drilling.

Other analysts agree. Will OPEC+ then hold on to production cuts in order to opt for price rather than volume once the oil price moves back to $50/bl thus once again chase the oil price to $60/bl and $70/bl by holding back supply? Bjarne Schieldrop of SEB wrote in a report. If so, this would again give preference to shale oil volume rebound in exchange for a higher oil price to OPEC+.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Zareen Khan says people still assume Salman Khan helps her find work: "I cannot be a monkey on his back"
The aviation security regulator BCAS said on Wednesday the CISF personnel would not be stamping any passenger's boarding pass anymore during the pre-embarkation security check (PESC) at airports.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in an order accessed by PTI, said every airport operator will have to ensure that there are enough CCTV cameras at an appropriate height in the PESC area to record the identity of a passenger and his or her boarding pass.

More than 13 CISF personnel, who were posted at airports in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, have tested positive for COVID-19 till date.

This order has been issued in view of the "prevailing situation of COVID-19 pandemic and countermeasures being taken to contain its spread by touch/contact", stated the BCAS.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended since March 25 when the Modi government imposed a lockdown to curb the coronavirus pandemic. However, repatriation flights, medical evacuation flights and cargo flights have been allowed to operate.

"It has been decided to dispense with the procedure of stamping the passengers' boarding pass that is being done by Aviation Security Group (ASG)/Airport Security Unit (APSU) after completion of PESC of the concerned passenger, till further orders," the order stated.

Both the APSU and the ASG are part of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which provides security at more than 60 airports across the country.

In its order to airports, airlines and other stakeholders, the BCAS said, "The airport operator shall ensure that the requisite monitoring system of high definition fixed CCTV Cameras and supporting infrastructure are maintained all through at PESC points at an appropriate height so that boarding pass of the passenger and his/her identity are digitally recorded."



"The CCTV recordings shall be preserved for 30 days, as per established practice," it added.

The novel coronavirus has infected over 75,000 people and killed around 2,400 in India till now.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The patio at Recovery Room Tavern in Charleston is back open after Governor McMaster slowly lifts restrictions to allow outdoor dining on Monday, May 4, 2020. Lauren Petracca/Staff
A Senate committee will vote next week on a subpoena related to a Republican-led investigation targeting Joe Bidens son Hunter.

According to a memo obtained by POLITICO, the Senate Homeland Security Committee plans to vote next Wednesday on Chairman Ron Johnsons request to issue a subpoena to Blue Star Strategies, a Democratic public-relations firm, as part of the panels probe of corruption allegations against Hunter Biden and the Obama-era State Department.

The vote comes as the Republican-led Senate aims to resume its normal business amid the coronavirus pandemic, including confirming judicial nominees and reauthorizing federal surveillance powers. But Democrats have slammed the GOPs agenda since the chamber returned to Washington last week, arguing that senators should prioritize mitigating the economic and public health impacts of the coronavirus crisis over partisan priorities.

Were in the middle of a public health and economic crisis, but instead of holding oversight hearings about testing, PPE, or bringing in the FEMA administrator, Senate Republicans are choosing to pursue diversionary, partisan conspiracy theories to prop up President Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said of the decision to schedule a subpoena vote during the pandemic.

Committee rules require a vote on a subpoena if the minority party objects. The committees top Democrat, Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, has vigorously opposed the Biden investigation, and he has demanded defense briefings in advance of any subpoena vote.

The American people deserve to know the extent to which the U.S.-based, Democrat-led consulting company leveraged its connections within the Obama administration to try to gain access and potentially influence U.S. government agencies on behalf of its corrupt client, Burisma, said Austin Altenburg, a spokesman for the committee.

Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, initially planned to subpoena Andrii Telizhenko, a former consultant for Blue Star Strategies, but ultimately withdrew those plans amid concerns about Telizhenkos credibility given his unsubstantiated claims of coordination between the Ukrainian government and the Democratic National Committee in 2016.

Story continues

Telizhenkos involvement in the investigation prompted angry exchanges at a classified all-senators briefing in March centering on election security. Sources described the briefing as combative and personal as Democratic senators challenged Johnson and argued that his investigation undermines U.S. national security by aiding Russian efforts to sow disinformation in the U.S. political system.

Blue Star Strategies did work for Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company whose board Hunter Biden served on. The investigation centers on allegations that Blue Star Strategies, which has withheld certain documents from Johnson, sought to leverage Bidens role on the board to influence policy matters at the State Department. Biden and his father reject the claims, which have been pushed by President Donald Trump and his allies, in particular his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani.

Johnson has said he plans to release an interim report over the summer on the status of the investigation.

On the other side of the Capitol, the Democratic-led House Foreign Affairs Committee is looking into the State Departments communications with the senators as part of their investigation.

[The] State Department appears to be a willing partner in this naked political exercise after completely stonewalling the impeachment inquiry, a committee aide said. Chairman [Eliot] Engel has requested that State produce to the Foreign Affairs Committee all the information sent to Senators Johnson and Graham no later than this Friday. Were not going to allow the State Department to be turned into an arm of the Trump campaign.


More than a dozen former Department of Justice prosecutors assigned to Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal have asked a federal judge to consider prosecuting Michael Flynn following a motion from Donald Trump's Justice Department to drop charges against him after he admitted lying to the FBI.

In legal filings, the former prosecutors argued that Judge Emmet Sullivan has authority to reject a request to dismiss a sentence imposed on the president's former national security adviser, who was charged with lying to the FBI about his campaign conversations with a Russian ambassador to the US in 2016.

The 16 prosecutors compared the case to the criminal investigation that led to Nixon's resignation from the White House as his impeachment loomed.

Prosecutors have urged a federal judge to consider the "unique perspective on the need for independent scrutiny and oversight to ensure that crucial decisions about prosecutions of high-ranking government officials are made in the public interest, are viewed as legitimate and are not subsequently reversed by political intervention."

In their roles on the Watergate case, the prosecutors "investigated serious abuses of power" committed by the former president and "prosecuted many of President Nixon's aides for their complicity in his defence," the team wrote in court filings.

"More than any episode in modern history, the Watergate scandal exemplified how unchecked political influence in the Justice Department can erode the public trust," the group said.

Prosecutors also "experienced the 'Saturday Night Massacre,' during which an honourable Attorney General and an honourable Deputy Attorney General resigned or were dismissed rather than obey the instructions of a self-interested president to frustrate the work of an independent special prosecutor," the group wrote.

"The parallels and the contrasts between the Watergate affair and the present situation now before this court make manifest that [the prosecutors] have a direct and substantial interest in the proper disposition" of Attorney General WIlliam Barr's pending motion "to protect a close ally" of Mr Trump, prosecutors argued.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

Critics have argued that the president and his attorney general have gutted independence from the administration's Justice Department, particularly in cases involving the president's allies, following Flynn's case and Roger Stone's sentencing, which Mr Barr had reduced despite sentencing guidelines seeking up to nine years in prison for his multiple-count conviction of obstruction and lying to Congress.

Judge Sullivan, the federal judge in Flynn's case, filed an order on Tuesday seeking amicus briefs, or "friend of the court" briefs, from counsel with "an interest in some other case that may be affected by the decision in the present case."

Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making false statements to the FBI (and Vice President Mike Pence) about his contacts with then Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak.

He was among the first casualties of the scandal and booted from the White House in the first weeks of Mr Trump's term in office.

Watergate prosecutors' notice to the judge says that Mr Barr's Justice Department is trying to convince the judge that "even at this late stage, after a pair of guilty pleas accepted by court order ... it may freely dismiss the prosecution."

"The government admonishes the court not to 'second-guess' its determination that dismissal is in the public interest," the group says.

But prosecutors argue that he court can exercise its authority when "it appears that the assigned reason for the dismissal has no basis in fact".
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a welter of safety and preventive protocols have been announced to stop the spread of the virus. While many of these preventive measures are generic and may be applicable worldwide, others are country and/or continent-specific.

Safety measures such as staying at home, adhering to social distancing; regular washing of hands with soap under running water; using alcohol-based hand sanitizer; not shaking hands; covering mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing, and disposing of tissue into a bin; as well as avoiding touching mouth, eyes and nose are generic practices required to be observed in all COVID-19-affected countries.

Country and/or continent-specific safety protocols are needed because of the different conditions under which the virus spreads and kills in different countries and continents. The rate of COVID-19 infections and mortalities in, for example, Europe and Africa backs this assertion. So clearly, theres no one-size-fits-all approach to the COVID-19 fight as President Akufo-Addo stated in one of his COVID-19 updates.

Before writing this article, I have made conscious attempts to find out from a number of people why Ghanaians are wearing face masks. Some said the president pronounced it. Others said WHO recommended it, while the majority said the masks protected the transmission of viral droplets from infected persons. The latter response has indeed been the scientific basis for the wearing of face masks everywhere.

But this has got me thinking and asking a lot of questions because I feel so uncomfortable seeing Ghanaians wearing face masks under this sweltering weather conditions. I have been asking:

1. What is the origin of the research or findings that recommended the wearing of face masks? Europe, Asia or I doubt if it emanated from Africa or Ghana.

2. Under what circumstances were the studies conducted? Possibly under cold, chilling and freezing temperatures if it did not emanate from Africa.

3. Was Africas harsh weather conditions and other geographic factors are taken into account in these studies? I doubt.

4. Has there been any attempt by African scientists to understand the behavior of the virus-filled droplets in hot temperatures? I doubt.

If my responses to these vexed questions are all correct, then why this me-too face mask-wearing in Ghana? I honestly think the weather is too hot to be wearing face masks, especially when we havent done any local investigations under our prevailing conditions to prove its efficacy.

This is another trenchant call that COVID-19 has been making to Africa, and by extension Ghana: Be self-reliant, critical and free thinkers! Lets stop slavish adherence to everything our superpowers say or do. No one-size-fits-all solution because of country-specific and continental differences and conditions.

Time, knowledge, and experience have told us so far, that for some reason, Africans are more resistant and resilient to COVID-19 than other continents, especially Europe. Africa should, therefore, be leading this COVID fight. What are those things standing in our good stead? These are what we need to find out so we promote, and this calls for more homemade solutions. Eat local food rich in vitamins to boost our immune system, this is homemade, enviably guided by Ghanaians.

And if by now we have been able to establish through science that the sun kills the virus, then we could have another homegrown message encouraging citizens to stand in the sun for at least 30 minutes daily. But no, we havent! We rather prefer wearing face masks which recommendation stemmed from researches conducted possibly under chilling and freezing conditions far different from our sweltering weather conditions.

A local research on how the virus-filled droplets behave in hot temperatures would have indicated whether we need to wear masks or not. And by wearing face masks under this hot temperature, who knows whether we not even keeping the virus alive on our lips, noses, and cheeks instead of being killed by the sun? Only God also knows what other diseases we are inviting for ourselves wearing these face masks under this hot weather.

So if wearing face masks in Ghana is not backed by any local science, but purely on the me-too approach, then we might be suffocating ourselves under this hot weather for nothing. No wonder that instead of the face or nose masks, Ghanaians have now turned it into the mouth, chin, and neck masks.

I am not a scientist or a medical person. Im only thinking aloud and re-echoing the need for us to be self-reliant, critical, and free thinkers. If COVID-19 fails to let Africa and for that matter, Ghana, free ourselves forever from colonial albatross, then I dont know when.

The writer is a development practitioner, rights, and anti-corruption campaigner.
Virgin Australia would continue to operate an international network flying to Los Angeles and Tokyo under a confidential management plan put to prospective buyers ahead of a Friday deadline for preliminary bids for the airline.

Two sources close to negotiations, who spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on condition of anonymity given the strict non-disclosure agreement signed by those involved, said a resurrected Virgin would also fly to New Zealand, Bali and Fiji under the plan put to interested parties by the airline's management.

The airline's directors put the company into administration last month after it failed to pull off a restructure. Virgin, like airlines around the world, has shut down the vast majority of air travel as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Virgin would keep international flights under a plan put forward by management. Credit:AAP

The plan is contained in an information memorandum distributed to key bidders by the airline's administrators, Deloitte, on Monday. Virgin's administrators have told potential buyers the airline could more than triple annual earnings - to $1.2 billion - in the 2022 financial year, the first following the coronavirus outbreak. The Australian Financial Review last week reported bidders had been told to expect revenues of $5 billion in that year.
It will be a summer "like no other," the European Commission said Wednesday, as the institution unveiled new guidelines on how the tourist industry should reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Tourism is a vital part of the European economy, accounting for about 10% of its gross domestic product. The industry is particularly important for countries such as Greece, Spain, Italy and Malta, where the summer season attracts many visitors from around the globe.

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the industry to its core, with firms like Tui planning major job cuts in an effort to reduce costs.

There are currently different travel restrictions inside and outside the EU. Some would-be holidaymakers are worried about leaving their homes; while others simply cannot afford a vacation this year as they have lost, or fear for, their job.

"Millions of SMEs (small and medium-sized businesses) and family-run businesses working in accommodation, restaurants, passenger transport and travel agencies risk bankruptcies and job losses, they urgently need to go back to work," Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for the internal market, said Wednesday on the urgent need to reopen the sector.

Brussels highlighted new measures Wednesday on what needed to be done before welcoming back visitors.
[May 13, 2020] Medlinker has clear advantage in internet chronic disease management

BEIJING, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, China Insights Consultancy, a well-known consulting company based in China, released China's Internet Chronic Diseases Management ("blue book"). According to the blue book, China's internet chronic disease management market will develop rapidly and the potential market scale is over 300 billion yuan. Medlinker, originally a doctor's online community, connects doctors with their patients through its online platform and strengthens the loyalty of the patients. It has become the largest professional internet chronic disease management platform in the Chinese market in 2019. Compared with traditional chronic disease management models, internet chronic disease management platforms have a great advantage in realizing hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, improving patients compliance, reducing the threshold of medical treatment, optimizing medical diagnosis process, so as to improve the treatment effect and improve the efficiency of medical resources utilization. Among various participants, key players include internet chronic dsease management platforms (Medlinker, Zhiyun, etc.), online consultation platforms (Ping An Good Doctor, Haodaifu Online, etc.) and pharmaceutical e-commerce (Ali Health, JingDong Health, etc.). Based on different entry points and business advantages, each enterprise actively deploys its own internet management ecosystem.



The blue book indicates that China's internet chronic disease management market is still in the growing stage. A stable doctor-patient relationship chain, the number of "new & special medicines", a complete supply chain and online medical insurance payment will be important factors for the success of the platforms.

Among China's leading companies specialized in internet chronic disease management services, Medlinker and Zhiyun focus on the internet chronic disease management market and top the industry with rich product lines and remarkable professional services. Relying on the doctors community on the platform, Medlinker started its collaboration with Gilead in the end of 2017. The collaboration was focused on the management of chronic liver diseases. Doctors are encouraged to introduce chronic patients to the Medlinker platform for further consultation and follow-up, thus creating a very stable doctor-patient relationship. After more than two years of hard work, Medlinker has set up the industry benchmark of patient management in the field of liver diseases. At present, there are more than 6,000 liver disease specialists serving approximately 80,000 patients with various liver diseases on the platform, and the management model of the entire course of disease has significantly improved the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment. Medlinker has begun to gradually copy the management experience in the field of liver diseases to the management of multiple chronic diseases, including chronic kidney disease, cardio-cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, tumors, HIV, respiratory asthma, children's ADHD, mental psychology, etc. Relying on its technical advantages in AI and medical big data, Medlinker now provides patient-centered long-term scientific health management services. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200513/2802685-1 SOURCE Medlinker

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Industry-renowned veteran to bring unique architecture and design expertise to

Kalray's leading advanced processor solutions

Grenoble - France, May 13, 2020 - Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris: FR0010722819 - ALKAL), a pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems, today announces that Louis Tannyeres has been appointed executive vice-president of engineering. With over 35 years of experience in designing advanced semiconductor solutions in various executive positions in large semiconductor companies, Louis will bring rich and valuable experience in executing product roadmaps, industrializing high volume products and delivering optimized solutions to Kalray's customers.

Louis Tannyeres started his career with Texas Instruments (TI) in 1980. He was instrumental in the success of TI's Wireless Business Unit, which generated several billions of dollars of revenue. In particular, he architected and designed the world's first digital baseband SoC ("System-on-Chip") integrating a DSP ("Digital Signal Processor") core, a microcontroller and an ASIC on a single die, which became the architecture of choice for the mobile phone and has been shipped in tens of billions of devices. He was one of the key inventors of the OMAP application processor for Smartphones, a unique advanced processor architecture, adopted by the largest mobile phone companies in the world. Due to his exceptional technical contributions to TI, Tannyeres was elected Senior Fellow, one of six in the entire company. Following his TI career, Louis Tannyeres was Principal Fellow, Chief Chip Architect and Head of System Silicon Development at ST-Ericsson.

"Louis is a great addition to the executive team of Kalray. He brings tremendous expertise in leading design teams to develop and industrialize advanced processor solutions for large semiconductor companies", said Eric Baissus, CEO of Kalray. "In addition, he is a unique leader and role model to his teams. I am sure Louis will be instrumental in bringing Kalray R&D to the next level."

"I have been following Kalray's evolution for quite some time and have been impressed by the innovative architecture and unique capabilities of Coolidge to power new intelligent systems", said Louis Tannyeres. "I am very excited to join Kalray and eager to contribute to the company's growth and success."

In his role, Tannyeres will manage hardware design and test, board design, engineering and industrialization teams, reporting to the CEO. He will focus on the design of Coolidge and its evolutions as the platform to support the company's ambitions on Data Center and Automotive markets.

As a seasoned sailor who competed five times in the Solitaire du Figaro, a famous solo sailing race with several stages, Tannyeres will stay the course and give Kalray the benefit of his tenacity and his great experience in this new challenge.

ABOUT KALRAY

Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris - FR0010722819 - ALKAL) is the pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems. A genuine technological breakthrough, "intelligent" processors are able to intelligently analyze a vast quantity of data on the fly and to make decisions and interact in real time with the outside world. These intelligent processors will be largely deployed in fast-growing sectors such as new-generation networks (intelligent data centers) and autonomous vehicles, as well as in healthcare equipment, drones and robots. Kalray's offering spans both processors and global solutions (electronic boards and software). Created in 2008 as a spin-off of CEA ("Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique", the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Kalray addresses a broad spectrum of customers including server manufacturers, intelligent system integrators and consumer product manufacturers such as car makers. Read more at: www.kalrayinc.com

INVESTOR CONTACTS

Eric BAISSUS

contactinvestisseurs@kalray.eu

Tel. +33 (0)4 76 18 90 71



ACTUS finance & communication

Caroline LESAGE

kalray@actus.fr

+ 33 1 53 67 36 79 MEDIA CONTACTS

Loic HAMON

communication@kalray.eu

Tel. +33 (0)4 76 18 90 71



ACTUS finance & communication

Serena BONI

sboni@actus.fr

Tel. +33 (0)4 72 18 04 92

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Anti-lockdown protesters in Fresno, California, armed themselves with cameras and took their grievances to the doorstep of the city council president Tuesday afternoon.

The staged confrontation led to a minor scuffle, a citizen's arrest and misdemeanor battery charges against the local official, and police are trying to determine whether the protesters broke any laws.

The physical confrontation is one of many in recent days, part of a nationwide pattern of protests and defiance in the face of ongoing restrictions that have kept people inside their homes except for essential trips.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, incident commander of Hawaii's coronavirus response, warned this week that the state risked "civil unrest" if it moves too slowly to reopen.

"If we let the economy go the way it's going, I feel there will be significant civil unrest that could lead to civil disobedience and, worst case, civil disturbance and rioting," he said Monday, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

The novel-coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 81,000 people the United States, has inspired a simmering resentment among a small minority of Americans protesting to return to work and reopen the economy. As social distancing policies are lifted unevenly across the country, those tensions are bubbling over in scenes of lawlessness this week.

In Washington state, Port of Seattle police placed an officer on paid leave for recently posting a YouTube video that openly advocated for police to ignore the state's stay-home order and to refuse to arrest or cite people flouting the rules. Dozens of protesters, most without masks, crowded together to march in Raleigh, North Carolina, to demand that the state reopen more quickly like its neighbors to the south. Anti-lockdown activists in Michigan threatened violence in private Facebook groups, including mentions of assassinating Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Detroit Metro Times reported.

Some high-profile dissenters are also openly flouting shutdown orders.

On Monday, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk challenged California officials to arrest him for reopening his factory in defiance of local restrictions. President Donald Trump threw his support behind Musk's violation of the stay-home order.

"California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW," Trump tweeted Tuesday. "It can be done Fast & Safely! "

The president has not been shy about encouraging those who defy local restrictions, even as White House staffers began wearing masks to work this week. For weeks, Trump has been pushing states to reopen.

He urged Whitmer to loosen restrictions in Michigan this month. In mid-April, he called to "LIBERATE" Michigan, Virginia and Minnesota. And he called the armed protesters who stormed the Michigan State Capitol on April 30 "very good people" who "want their lives back again, safely."

He has criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, over the state's coronavirus restrictions and retweeted a call for a Texas judge to be voted out of office for enforcing local restrictions by jailing a hairstylist who refused to keep her salon closed.

On Tuesday, as Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, warned the Senate that reopening too quickly could cause "suffering and death that could be avoided," the president again suggested that the country return to pre-pandemic operations soon.

"Our Testing is the BEST in the World, by FAR! Numbers are coming down in most parts of our Country, which wants to open and get going again," he tweeted. "It is happening, safely! "

Meanwhile, encouraged by the president, confrontations between coronavirus rebels and those trying to enforce social distancing rules have grown increasingly heated.

An armed militia stood guard outside an illicitly reopened barbershop in Michigan to keep police from shutting down the operation, The Washington Post reported. The participants wore Trump cowboy hats and waved Trump flags.

In Michigan, Whitmer said she believes Republicans are "feeding a lot into the behavior" of the protesters and armed civilians who openly defy her stay-home order.

Tensions have escalated into violence in some places.

Two men entered a Target store in Los Angeles without masks on May 1 and started a fistfight when security guards attempted to escort them outside. One of the guards suffered a snapped bone in an arm during the brawl, police told KTLA. On Tuesday, a Los Angeles County public health official said stay-home restrictions would probably remain in place through July for the state's coronavirus epicenter, where more than 1,300 people have died since February.

The protesters who staged a confrontation with Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias banged on his apartment door until he stepped outside and told the small group to leave. Instead, the men shouted questions and insults at Arias, video of the incident shows. Arias shoved them away from his door and toward the staircase leading away from his apartment.

"I asked them to leave," Arias told The Fresno Bee on Tuesday afternoon. "They chose not to, so I escorted them down the stairs."

Arias called the police. So did the protesters, who were affiliated with a Facebook page called Frontline America and were led by a man who organized a shelter-in-place protest last week, The Bee reported.

Fresno police arrived at the scene and decided that there was sufficient evidence to facilitate a citizen's arrest on Arias, who was then cited with three counts of misdemeanor battery and released at the scene, police said in a statement.

"I stand behind my actions," Arias told the newspaper. "When you open your door after somebody has been banging on it, and the first thing you see is somebody who has made physical threats against you for a long period of time and who runs online websites and social media accounts that makes threats and is a huge activist around Second Amendment and concealed weapons, my first reaction is to protect my family."
When the nation's top health officials testified virtually before lawmakers Tuesday, a major focus on getting a handle on the coronavirus was the ability to test more Americans, long seen as one of the keys to safely re-opening the country.

Though Health and Human Services Secretary Adm. Brett Giroir lauded a testing effort that was expanding weekly, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said he found America's "testing record nothing to celebrate whatsoever" and described a nation that was racing to catch up.

In recent weeks the U.S. has ramped up testing significantly to the point where officials said more than 9 million coronavirus tests have been conducted nationwide.

Experts have said the U.S. capacity has to be far greater to fully re-open the country -- though the total number of tests needed and the amount of re-testing necessary is a matter of debate.

But some researchers say there could be a way to help solve the testing riddle, not strictly by producing more tests, but by getting much more out of each individual test through a method known as "group testing."

Put simply, the method involves the mixing of several samples for a single test, which could theoretically reveal if the group as a whole is coronavirus positive or negative. There are some significant drawbacks and open questions about the method, but its proponents say that if it works, it would stretch the current one-to-one test-to-individual ratio to reach many more Americans.

MORE: China may test all of Wuhan amid fears of virus comeback

PHOTO: Medical workers assist people standing in line at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, waiting to be tested for the coronavirus on April 24, 2020, in New York City. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

And some academics, led by an economist and a data scientist at two U.S. universities, want to take the idea even farther by turning each household into a single group and adding some statistical algorithms to the equation to spread the tests thin enough to cover the entire nation, household by household.

"If you could test everybody, you can capture and kill the virus," said Laurence Kotlikoff, professor of economics at Boston University, who proposed the mass group testing strategy in Forbes late last month. "We need to go on the offensive. We are playing defense."

Story continues

While there are many unknowns, including basic concerns about whether group testing would be accurate enough and the acknowledgement that an effort has never been attempted on a large scale, Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist at Boston's Children's Hospital, said the concept is worth exploring.

"This creates efficiency and enables scale of testing which is what we desperately need right now," said Brownstein, an ABC News contributor.

He said that mid-pandemic is never the best time to attempt new scientific methods, but said "as long as we can work out the metrics of false positives and false negatives, this makes sense."

MORE: Companies ramping up at-home saliva tests for coronavirus are banking on 'endless' demand

PHOTO: Medical personnel from AltaMed collect COVID-19 tests from drive-through patients at their clinic on Bristol Street in Santa Ana, Calif., April 21, 2020. (Leonard Ortiz/Orange County Register via MediaNews Group via Getty Images)

Dr. Ashish Jha, Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, is unaffiliated with the research group behind the nationwide proposal, but he said in general on a smaller scale he's been "pushing a lot of states and talking to the White House about pooling because pooling really works as a screener."

Even if nationwide group testing isn't the solution to America's testing problem, Jha suggested pooling could be used as an early warning system for high-risk areas of infection, by testing groups of people in places like nursing homes, food processing plants and jails, all of which have shown to be transit hubs for the virus, as ABC News recently reported.

MORE: Like stationary cruise ships: Prisons, factories emerging as deadly coronavirus transit hubs

Kotlikoff, a former 2016 write-in presidential candidate, said he has conveyed the national group testing plan to some members of the White House coronavirus task force, but so far he has not received any word back from the administration.

The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates testing equipment and procedures, said it was aware of the strategy, but was non-committal in response to questions about how seriously the option is being considered by the federal government.

"FDA is open to a variety of novel testing ideas, such as specimen pooling, and encourages all test developers to reach out to us to discuss possible validation approaches," a spokesperson for the agency told ABC News Tuesday.

For questions about any potential nationwide effort, the FDA referred ABC News to Health and Human Services. There, a spokesperson told ABC News Wednesday the department is "working with innovators and companies to establish the evidence for pooled testing."

"This technique could be helpful in areas of low infection prevalence and needs to be validated," the spokesperson said. "The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has taken a multifaceted approach on COVID-19 testing to control and ultimately end this outbreak."

PHOTO: Nurses work at a drive-thru testing site for the coronavirus disease at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., May 6, 2020. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters)

How 'group testing' would work

On a much smaller scale, a version of group testing for coronavirus has already been attempted in the U.S., for a study in Nebraska that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology last month.

The study used a few dozen specimens in total and mixed several samples together in groups. It then used a single test to see if any group as a whole was positive. If it was, then additional testing was done to individual samples to try and identify the singular offending sample.

But if the result was negative, it would indicate that every sample in the bunch is virus-free -- after just one test.

In the Nebraska study, researchers determined that the five samples mixed together was the right number, and said that using such a method would result in using 57% fewer tests on average to reach the same number of individuals.

Group testing will reduce the number of tests needed to determine who is positive or negative. It increases the overall testing capacity because with a fixed number of resources it will allow you to use those resources to test more people, Chris Bilder, professor in the department of statistics at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an author of the Nebraska study, said in an interview with ABC News.

For the much larger, nationwide scale proposed by Kotlikoff, and described in more detail in an as-yet unpublished white paper from Cornell data scientist Peter Frazier, whole households would mail-in their own mixed sample to a lab.

The sample would then be mixed in with about 60 other households to form a larger group. A total of about 4000 households, in groups of 60, would be tested all at once using about 120 test kits.

If a group comes back negative, all 60 households in that group could be cleared.

By using some mathematical probability calculations and comparing which households were in groups that tested positive more than once, it should be possible to identify which particular household is most likely to be positive. Those households would then be encouraged to stay home in isolation for at least two weeks.

Using the system, the researchers claim that around 10,000 people could be tested at a time using around 120 tests, a small fraction of the number of test kits that would have been required if every person was tested individually.

PHOTO: Researchers say by using mathematical algorithms they can identify positive group cases with far fewer tests. In this visualization, each circle represents a household. (Yujia Zhang/Cornell)

To implement the idea nationwide, the researchers estimate the U.S. would need to conduct around 6 million tests per week for at least a month. It's a large number, but the U.S. conducted some 2 million tests in a week earlier this month, according to the COVID Tracking Project, so the researchers say it's an obstacle that can be overcome. After that initial span of mass testing, additional testing of trouble spots could take place on a smaller scale.

Frazier, an associate professor in the School of Operations Research and Information Engineering at Cornell who was the lead author of the white paper, said the method, along with effective contact tracing, could provide the "ability to send everybody back to work and return the economy more or less to normal with the testing capacity that we have instead of the testing capacity we wish we had."

Frazier said some of his Cornell colleagues whose academic focuses include population medicine, molecular biology as well as animal medicine were looking into how group testing could be used for universities as well.

While the idea of grouping samples may raise eyebrows, a version of pooled blood testing is being used today. The American Red Cross tests blood donations for hepatitis B in mini-pools of 16 individual donation samples, according to the American Red Cross website.

The very real drawbacks and open questions

The most immediate problem when it comes to group testing, researchers said, is the "dilution effect."

Mixing a bunch of samples together raises the possibility that each individual sample is diluted so much that virus levels are too low to be detected at all -- meaning the tests could result in false negatives, and give people a false sense of security that they are virus free.

Using group sizes of 60 households per group, researchers estimate they could see a 10% false negative rate and a false positive rate as high as 30%. Meaning if the method were to be implemented, there would be a significant percentage of households who would think they're in the clear, when they're not, and others who would be told to isolate, when it's unnecessary.

MORE: If concerned about 'false negative' coronavirus test, self-quarantine anyway: Experts

Bilder said that the nationwide proposal included some "good ideas" and the grouping of household members "seem[ed] like a reasonable approach" since it was likely that if one person in the home was positive, others could be as well.

But he said that it remains to be seen how much dilution would be a problem especially using such large second order groupings as Frazier and Kotlikoff propose, and there would have to be a "validation process" to combat the false negatives.

Frazier said the national protocol proposed could be a starting point for a discussion about how group testing could be done. Shrinking the pooled group size would logically reduce the inaccuracy rates, the researchers said, as would retesting any potential positive households, but both would also require much more testing.

For the group test plan to be effective, there also has to be an assumed limited base number of Americans who are thought to have the virus and who could be effectively identified by the mixing methodology.

Experts told ABC News group testing would only be efficient if fewer than around 20% of Americans are infected. Due to the believed prevalence of pre-symptomatic individuals with coronavirus, those with only mild symptoms, and asymptomatic people -- thought to be as many as 25% of all positive cases -- it's unclear how many people in the U.S. are currently infected.

Michael Kotlikoff, Laurence Kotikoffs twin brother and Provost of Cornell University, acknowledged regulatory hurdles as well, since the available tests aren't designed or federally approved to be used by groups.

"This has not been approved by the FDA as a testing mechanism, despite the fact that it is a very well rounded scientific technique," Michael Kotlikoff said.

The FDA told ABC News it could not say if any test designers had approached the agency about gaining approval or authorization for group testing, other than the Nebraska study.

And finally, there's the matter of cost and the massive coordinated effort that would have to be undertaken to get test kits to and from every one of the 120 million American households and then run those tests in labs.

Laurence Kotlikoff said the investment still would be well worth it, considering the current economic crisis.

"The cost to all of this is trivial compared to what we're spending now with keeping the economy shut," he said. "People need to know that other people they go to work with or school with or restaurants with are virus-free and are safe to be around."

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

ABC News' Josh Margolin and Lee Ferran contributed to this report.

With all eyes on coronavirus testing, some researchers say 'group testing' could make up the shortage originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP. (the "Company" or First Majestic) announced today that the Mexican tax authority, the Servicio de Administracion Tributaria (SAT), has by its various actions exhibited a total disregard for the applicable provisions of three separate double taxation treaties that it has entered into with Canada, Barbados and Luxembourg, which are relevant to First Majestic and its subsidiaries.

SAT has repeatedly and unilaterally chosen to reject requests for dispute resolution procedures, known as mutual agreement procedures (MAPs), contained within those three treaties designed for addressing differences in interpretation and application of those treaties. According to the Companys advisors, such action is unprecedented not only for Mexico but internationally. In addition, notwithstanding Mexican law and the 2012 Advance Pricing Agreement negotiated and finalized between the SAT and Primero Empresa Minera, S.A. de C.V. (Primero), its Mexican subsidiary, confirming Primeros basis for paying taxes on the price Primero realized for silver sales between 2010 and 2014, the SAT has unlawfully opted to ignore the legal existence of this Advance Pricing Agreement.

While the Company has made several attempts to seek to resolve its differences with the SAT using both local administrative and legal procedures and those contained within the treaties for avoidance of double taxation, and as well through diplomatic discussions, all such efforts have been met with actions of SAT intended to intimidate the Company, its subsidiaries and its employees, including notifications to Primero to secure amounts it claims are owed pursuant to its reassessments issued in violation of the terms of the Advance Pricing Agreement. These notifications impose restrictions on Primeros ability to deal with its fixed assets until this matter is resolved.

The Company has challenged SATs intimidation tactics through all Mexican domestic means available to it, including a constitutional challenge (called an amparo) before a District Court, and a complaint before Mexicos Federal Taxpayer Defense Attorney's Office (known as PRODECON), which proceedings have yet to be resolved and, due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the other remaining Mexican courts are currently unavailable for further hearings on these matters. The Company believes that, in addition to being contrary to various provisions of the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States and Mexican domestic law, and Mexican court decisions, SATs actions contravene international law principles. In the Companys view, these actions are neither fair nor equitable, are discriminatory against the Company as a foreign investor and amount to a denial of justice under international law. The Company is extremely disappointed that the unwarranted actions and threats of SAT, have continued at a time when the Company is focussed on protecting and preserving the employment and livelihood in Mexico of thousands of employees during the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic crisis. The Companys immediate concern during the COVID-19 pandemic has been focussed on ensuring the health, safety and welfare of its employees and their families.

Under these circumstances, and in order to formally require the Government of Mexico to address the unlawful and unwarranted conduct of SAT for which it is responsible under international law, the Company has taken steps to serve the Government of Mexico with a Notice of Intent to Submit a Claim (Notice) under the provisions of Chapter 11 of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The service of this Notice by the Company on the Government of Mexico initiates a 90-day process for the Government of Mexico to enter into good faith and amicable negotiations with the Company to resolve the current dispute between the Company and the Government of Mexico.

The Company has deep roots in the social fabric of Mexico and values its relationships in Mexico with its various business partners and with various levels of government in Mexico. It has been recognized as a Socially Responsible Company by the Centro Mexicano para la Filantropria (CEMEFI) for twelve consecutive years starting in 2008 until the present. Furthermore, it has a track record of making substantial capital investments and social programs in Mexico and has plans to continue to make such further investments. The Company has invested in excess of $2.0 billion in Mexico since 2003 and has approximately 4,700 direct employees and supplies approximately 20,000 indirect jobs spread among eight states within Mexico.

The Company has regretfully had to take this step of providing a Notice of Intent to Submit a Claim to Mexico so as to prevent further harm to the Company, its investments in Mexico, and to protect the health and welfare of its workforce.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

First Majestic is a mining company focused on silver production in Mexico and is aggressively pursuing the development of its existing mineral property assets. The Company presently owns and operates the San Dimas Silver/Gold Mine, the Santa Elena Silver/Gold Mine and the La Encantada Silver Mine.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION contact info@firstmajestic.com, visit our website at www.firstmajestic.com or call our toll-free number 1.866.529.2807.

FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP.

signed

Keith Neumeyer, President & CEO

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This press release contains forwardlooking information and "forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws (collectively, forwardlooking statements). These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance, business prospects or opportunities that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: negotiations regarding Mexican tax matters; resolution of the dispute with SAT; and plans to continue to make further investments and social programs. Assumptions may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Consequently, guidance cannot be guaranteed. As such, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon guidance and forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, assumptions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as seek, anticipate, plan, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, project, predict, forecast, potential, target, intend, could, might, should, believe and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forwardlooking statements.

Actual results may vary from forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to materially differ from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the outcome of pending, current or proposed litigation; response of SAT and the Mexican government to the Notice; the duration and effects of the coronavirus and COVID-19, and any other pandemics on our operations and workforce; relations with local communities; changes in national or local governments; changes in applicable legislation or application thereof; exchange rate fluctuations; requirements for additional capital; government regulation; limitations on insurance coverage as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Description of the Business - Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form, available on www.sedar.com, and Form 40-F on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. Although First Majestic has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended.

The Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forwardlooking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forwardlooking statements included herein should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.
Ten Congress legislators on Wednesday demanded a probe against Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, a day after he was stripped of his additional charge of Financial Commissioner-Taxation.

A Punjab minister, eight other ruling party MLAs and an MP are blaming the state's most senior bureaucrat for alleged excise revenue losses. Some of them also alleged that his family has a personal interest in the department.

The crisis was triggered by a showdown Saturday between two ministers and the CS at a meeting where the state's post-lockdown excise policy was being discussed.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Charanjit Singh Channi accused the CS of unacceptable behaviour during that pre-cabinet meeting.

Gidderbaha legislator Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also asked the CM to remove the bureaucrat from the post of chief secretary so that the he does not influence an inquiry.

Warring's demand for a probe was backed by eight other MLAs -- Jails and Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sangat Singh Gilzian (Urmur), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar West), Kulbir Singh Zira (Zira), Barinder Singh Pahra (Gurdaspur), Fatehjung Bajwa (Qadian), Balwinder Singh Laddi (Hargobindpur Sahib) and Joginder Pal (Bhoa).

Joining them in putting pressure on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa also sought a probe by a central agency.

Warring and Gilzian are advisors to the chief minister.

Karan Avtar Singh was relieved Tuesday night of his charge as financial commissioner, a day after ministers Badal and Channi declared that they would not attend any meeting in which he participated.

But the move failed to defuse the crisis.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Warring asked the chief minister to order an inquiry against the CS for revenue loss of over Rs 600 crore.

Jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa backed the demand, saying a probe will ensure that someone is held responsible for the revenue loss in the excise department over the past three years.

Qadian MLA Fatehjung Singh Bajwa tweeted that a media report has suggested that his family had a personal interest in the excise department.

Justice should be delivered to general public, tweeted Bajwa, who is the brother of Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa.

Partap Singh Bajwa too asked Amarinder Singh to act against the CS.

If you do not allow for a fair probe, Punjabis will continue to question our Govt in the State on its record on corruption. We must lead the way in ensuring transparency, the Congress MP tweeted.

Call for an independent investigation into conflict of interest allegations immediately, he added.

After Saturday's showdown between the CS and the ministers, Warring had also alleged that the bureaucrat's son has an undeclared business interest in a Punjab distillery.

Saturdays's showdown is said to have taken place after Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi opposed any relief for liquor vend owners in the excise policy.

The CS allegedly made some curt remarks after Channi spoke.

Badal and Channi had then walked out, reportedly followed after some time by the other ministers at the pre-cabinet meeting.

This led to the postponement of the Cabinet meeting scheduled later that day.

The CS did not attend the reconvened Cabinet meeting Monday on the state's excise policy, taking half day's leave.

At the meeting, Badal and Channi gave an ultimatum of sorts to the chief minister, saying he should either call them or the CS for any meetings in the future.

The finance minister later told reporters then that the behaviour" of Karan Avtar Singh before the cabinet, his body language and the manner in which he talked did not behove the chief secretary's office.

He did not share details on how exactly the CS had misbehaved.

The additional charge with the CS was handed over to Principal Secretary (Water Resources) A Venu Prasad on Tuesday night.

Karan Avtar Singh is a 1984-batch IAS officer who was handpicked by Amarinder Singh in 2017 for the chief secretary's post. He is due to retire in August.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI has arrested an official of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) for allegedly taking bribe for clearing retirement benefits for a superannuated employee, officials said on Wednesday.

The agency caught Bhuteshwar Prasad Shaw, an official of East Basuria Colliery, Kusunda Area, BCCL, Dhanbad, red-handed while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 as first installment from a retired employee who had complained to the CBI about the illegitimate demand of the bribe, they said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the complaint.

"The complainant has alleged that the accused demanded an illegal gratification of Rs 25,000 from him for processing claim such as PF, pension, gratuity due after his superannuation," CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said.

He said the accused agreed to accept Rs 10,000 as the first installment of the total bribe.

"The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant. Searches are being conducted at the premises of the accused," he said.

The agency carried out the trap operation taking required due care and precautions arising out of the COVID-19 situation, Gaur said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boris Johnson has failed to address 10,000 unexplained deaths in care homes during the coronavirus outbreak.

Appearing at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, Johnson had no answer to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer when asked about 10,000 excess deaths in care homes in April.

Starmer told Johnson: The ONS [Office for National Statistics] records the average number of deaths in care homes each month. For the last five years, the average for April has been just over 8,000.

This year, the number of deaths for care homes in April was a staggering 26,000. Thats three times the average: 18,000 additional deaths this April.

Boris Johnson was unable to address 10,000 'unexplained' care home deaths at PMQs on Wednesday. (PA)

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Using the governments figures, only 8,000 are recorded as COVID deaths. That leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.

Starmer called for Johnsons views on these unexplained deaths  but the PM was unable to answer.

Sir Keir Starmer questioned Boris Johnson over care home deaths on Wednesday. (Parliamentlive.tv)

Well, Johnson said, coronavirus is an appalling disease which afflicts some groups far more than others and in particular the elderly.

Hes right to draw attention to the tragedy that has been taking place in care homes.

The ONS is responsible for producing the data. The government has also produced data which shows there has been a terrible epidemic in care homes  but since the care homes action plan began, we are seeing an appreciable and substantial reduction not just in the number of outbreaks but also the number of deaths.

I want to stress to the House, but also the country, that solving the problem in care homes is going to be absolutely critical to our ability to move forward as a nation. We must fix it and we will.

Starmer responded by saying solving the problem can only happen if the numbers are understood.

I was disappointed the PM doesnt have an answer to the pretty obvious question as to what are those 10,000 unexplained deaths?

Story continues

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner, sitting with Starmer on the opposition frontbench during PMQs, said it was very concerning Johnson didnt answer Starmers question.

It come amid reports on Wednesday afternoon that more than 22,000 care home residents in England and Wales may have died as a direct or indirect result of COVID-19  more than double the official figure.

Coronavirus: what happened today
Monty Rakusen | Getty Images

Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general calling for the federal government to take action to ensure the health and safety of meat and poultry processing plant employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 10,000 cases of COVID-19 and 45 deaths have been tied to such plants. The coalition is critical of what it believes are sporadic efforts to provide personal protective equipment and to enforce social distancing in the plants.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Wednesday lauded Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for announcing the first phase of economic stimulus, terming it as an "impactful package" to boost the economy with "a prudent and calibrated set of measures".

In a statement, Vikram Kirloskar, President, CII, said the industry is highly enthused by the shape of the first phase stimulus package announced by the Finance Minister for mitigating the economic costs of the COVID-19 crisis.

"The prudent and well-calibrated set of measures announced today is expected to be supplemented by more such measures in the days to come which, will help stabilise the economy to some extent. CII looks forward to the forthcoming packages," stated Kirloskar.

"The sectors covered in the initial phase are clearly the ones that required the highest policy attention at this juncture, including MSME, power, and construction and real estate. The impact of the package totalling Rs 20 lakh crore to be unveiled in the next few days would add to spending power and bring relief to millions of enterprises that employ huge numbers of workers. We expect the stimulus measure to impart stability and growth to the economy," said Kirloskar.

Also Read: PM CARES Fund Trust allots Rs 3,100 crore for fight against coronavirus: PMO

Providing the details of the first tranche of the package, FM Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to alleviate the heightened stress being faced by the MSMEs. Complementing the FM for addressing the MSME sector in the first round, CII said that the measure to extend Rs 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans with 100 per cent government credit guarantee is a major shot-in-the-arm for beleaguered MSMEs. CII had been pushing for this and it is expected to encourage banks to lend financial support to the MSMEs for restarting their operations while safeguarding jobs.

In addition, the provision of Rs 20,000 crore subordinate debt for stressed MSMEs is expected to provide additional relief to the ailing sector, CII said in its statement. The industry body also appreciated the revision in MSMEs' definition, which will ensure that they continue to grow in size.

Also Read: EPF relief package means higher salary, but tax implications stay

CII also welcomed the announcement under which the government and CPSEs have been asked to clear their pending dues to MSMEs within the next 45 days.

The proposal to provide liquidity in the hands of the consumers and businesses in the present challenging scenario through the reduction in the statutory PF from 12 per cent to 10 per cent for 3 months is expected to increase take-home pay and provide liquidity in workers' hands, CII said.

CII lauded the host of liquidity easing measures for the stressed NBFCs in the form of Special and Partial Credit Guarantee Schemes, which will help them on-lend to the productive sectors of the economy.

"The announcements laid special emphasis on rejuvenating the infrastructure and construction sector for bringing growth back to the economy. In wake of the huge losses being incurred by the discoms, Rs 90,000 crore liquidity infusion was need of the hour to ensure continued power generation," said CII.

Amid the prolonged periods of lockdown in view of COVID-19, CII welcomed government's direction to states to treat COVID-19 as an event of 'Force Majeure' under RERA, and extension of registration and completion dates by 6 months.

"On taxation front, the reduction in TDS and TCS by 25% of the existing rates is expected to provide additional funds at the disposal of the taxpayers. In addition, the extension in host of tax filing dates will help in tiding over the current period of crisis," CII said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a massive stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore to support India's fight against coronavirus. The Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore, equivalent to 10 per cent of India's GDP, is among the biggest stimulus in the world after the economic packages announced by Japan, which is over 21 per cent of its GDP, and the United States, which is 13 per cent of its GDP.

By Chitranjan Kumar
SILVER SPRING, Md. - They carry high-powered rifles and wear tactical gear, but their Hawaiian shirts and leis are what stand out in the crowds that have formed at state capital buildings to protest COVID-19 lockdown orders. The signature look for the boogaloo anti-government movement is designed to get attention.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE - In this April 18, 2020, file photo, members of the boogaloo movement, attend a demonstration against the lockdown over concern about COVID-19 at the State House in Concord, N.H. It's a fringe movement with roots in a online meme culture steeped in irony and dark humor. But experts warn that the anti-government boogaloo movement has attracted a dangerous element of far-right extremists. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

SILVER SPRING, Md. - They carry high-powered rifles and wear tactical gear, but their Hawaiian shirts and leis are what stand out in the crowds that have formed at state capital buildings to protest COVID-19 lockdown orders. The signature look for the boogaloo anti-government movement is designed to get attention.

The loose movement, which uses an 80s movie sequel as a code word for a second civil war, is among the extremists using the armed protests against stay-at-home orders as a platform. Like other movements that once largely inhabited corners of the internet, it has seized on the social unrest and economic calamity caused by the pandemic to publicize its violent messages.

In April, armed demonstrators passed out Liberty or Boogaloo fliers at a statehouse protest in Concord, New Hampshire. A leader of the Three Percenters militia movement who organized a rally in Olympia, Washington, last month encouraged rally participants to wear Hawaiian shirts, according to the Anti-Defamation League. On Saturday, a demonstration in Raleigh, North Carolina, promoted by a Facebook group called Blue Igloo  a derivation of the term  led to a police investigation of a confrontation between an armed protester and a couple pushing a stroller.

Another anti-lockdown rally is planned for Thursday at the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan, site of an angry protest last month that included armed members of the Michigan Liberty Militia. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has been the target of violent threats on Facebook forums, including a private one called The Rhett E. Boogie Group.

One user said Whitmer should be guillotined after another suggested the governor should be hanged from a noose, according to a screenshot captured by the Tech Transparency Project research initiative.

The coronavirus pandemic has become a catalyst for the boogaloo movement because the stay-at-home orders have "put a stressor on a lot of very unhappy people," said J.J. MacNab, a fellow at George Washington Universitys Program on Extremism. MacNab said their rhetoric goes beyond discussions about fighting virus restrictions  which many protesters brand as tyranny  to talking about killing FBI agents or police officers to get the war going.

They are far more graphic and far more specific in their threats than Ive seen in a long time, she said.

In this image provided by the Texarkana, Texas, Police Department, Aaron Swenson is seen in his police booking photo. The 36-year-old Arkansas man whose Facebook page included boogaloo references was arrested on April 11 by police in Texarkana, Texas, on a charge he threatened to ambush and kill a police officer on a Facebook Live video. It's a fringe movement with roots in a online meme culture steeped in irony and dark humor. But experts warn that the anti-government boogaloo movement has attracted a dangerous element of far-right extremists. (Texarkana Police Department via AP)

The violent rhetoric is dramatic escalation for a online phenomenon with its roots in meme culture and steeped in dark humour. Its name comes from the panned 1984 movie Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo, which has become slang for any bad sequel. Another derivation of boogaloo is big luau  hence the Hawaiian garb.

Far-right gun activists and militia groups first embraced the term before white supremacist groups adopted it last year. And while some boogaloo followers maintain they arent genuinely advocating for violence, law-enforcement officials say they have foiled bombing and shooting plots by people who have connections to the movement or at least used its terminology.

A 36-year-old Arkansas man whose Facebook page included boogaloo references was arrested on April 11 by police in Texarkana, Texas, on a charge he threatened to ambush and kill a police officer on a Facebook Live video.

I feel like hunting the hunters, Aaron Swenson wrote on Facebook under an alias, police say.

An April 22 report by the Tech Transparency Project, which tracks technology companies, found 125 Facebook boogaloo-related groups that had attracted tens of thousands of members in the previous 30 days. The project pointed to coronavirus crisis as a driving factor.

Some boogaloo supporters see the public health lockdowns and other directives by states and cities across the country as a violation of their rights, and theyre aiming to harness public frustration at such measures to rally and attract new followers to their cause, the projects report says.

Facebook has since updated its policies to prohibit use of boogaloo and related terms when accompanied by statements and images depicting armed violence," the company said in a statement.

In March, a Missouri man with ties to neo-Nazis was shot and killed when FBI agents tried to arrest him. Timothy Wilson, 36, was planning to bomb a hospital in the Kansas City area on the day that a COVID-19 stay-at-home order was scheduled to take effect, authorities said. Wilson told an undercover FBI agent that his goal was to kick start a revolution and referred to his plans as operation boogaloo, according to an agents affidavit.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued an alert that said a white supremacist group was inciting followers to shoot through their doors at FBI agents and police officers, federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing. The warning related to associates of Bradley Bunn, a 53-year-old U.S. Army veteran who was arrested on May 1 after FBI agents allegedly found four pipe bombs at his house in Loveland, Colorado, the filing said.

Authorities havent publicly linked Bunn to any group or movement, but a federal prosecutor said agents intercepted Bunn on his way to an armed protest at the state capitol against COVID-19 restrictions.

Bunn told investigators that he would be willing to take out a few officers to wake everyone up, the prosecutor said during a court hearing.

While the anti-lockdown protests have provided the spotlight on the boogaloo movement, a police shooting in Maryland has galvanized its supporters.

Duncan Lemp, 21, was shot and killed by police on March 12 as officers served a search warrant at his familys home. An eyewitness said Lemp was asleep in his bedroom when police opened fire from outside his house, according to an attorney for his family. Police said he was armed with a rifle and ignored commands.

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On his Instagram account, Lemp had posted a photograph that depicts two people holding up rifles and includes the term boogaloo. His death spawned a hashtag campaign within the movement.

A lot of individuals are very upset at the way this country is being run and the laws that are getting passed that criminalize law-abiding citizens, said Mike Harts, a U.S. Army infantry veteran who befriended Lemp through social media.

Harts, 27, says boogaloo started as a funny meme but has evolved into a deeper symbol for the liberty movement."

Lemps family appreciates the outpouring of support but doesnt want any violence or unlawful actions to be taken in his name, family attorney Rene Sandler said in a statement.

___

Follow Associated Press reporter Michael Kunzelman at http://twitter.com/Kunzelman75
Ms. Reidy is survived by her husband and three siblings.

She began her career at Random House in 1974, in the subsidiary rights department. She sat outside the office of Toni Morrison, who was an editor in the trade book division at the time and who, by Ms. Reidys account, proved to be an inspiration. She later worked for William Morrow and Avon Books before landing at Simon & Schuster in 1992, first as president of the trade division and then as head of adult publishing.

Nan Graham, the editor in chief of Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, said Ms. Reidy had displayed a keen ability to connect writers to the whole infrastructure of a business that she knew every inch of.

Mr. King recalled in an interview that after Ms. Reidy took the helm in 2008, the rise in e-books had prompted retailers like Walmart and Amazon to slash the price of physical books, and Mr. King was concerned about how his recently published novel Under the Dome would fare in that climate. Ms. Reidy, he said, invited him to her office, gave him tea and patiently explained what had happened and where she saw the publishing industry going.

She was clear and concise, Mr. King said. She was right about a lot of things, and guided the company through some extremely stormy waters.

Jennifer Egan, the president of PEN America and a Simon & Schuster author, said Ms. Reidys commitment to championing marginalized voices had expanded the literary universe of countless writers and enriched American culture.

ViacomCBS, Simon & Schusters parent company, announced in March that it would sell the publishing company as it pivoted to streaming and other areas.

Ms. Reidy once described herself as a meddler, because she enjoyed being involved in every aspect of the company. But Jonathan Karp, the president and publisher of Simon & Schusters adult publishing, said he had seen things differently.
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DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, CALIF.More than a century after railroads, ranchers and hunters vanquished their ancestors, pronghorn antelope are returning to this unforgiving expanse of desert along the California-Nevada border.

A photo of a lone male and a harem of five does shared on Death Valleys Facebook page in late April was only the latest indication that the American pronghorn, North Americas land speed champion, may be extending its migratory range into the Mojave Desert once again from cooler seas of sage nearly 100 miles to the north and east.

Its not all gloom and doom, woohoo! the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association announced to wildlife advocates nationwide. If nothing else, enjoy the feel-good photo and I hope youre doing well.

The pronghorns reappearance here is a bit of a mystery, as most animal species are making tracks for higher and cooler elevations as the climate warms. Some say the interloping antelope could find themselves in dire straits once summer heat blankets the park.

Along with the recent photo, park officials noted: Pronghorn may be some of the newest residents to our park! While on patrol, rangers have recently spotted a herd of these quick-footed animals and at least one lone male exploring the park, likely the result of a migration that has been years in the making.

While pronghorn have been witnessed in the park on occasion for the past two years, they added, this increase in their presence suggests these graceful creatures may become long-term residents of the valley.

Recently, a group of biologists spent the morning photographing a doe that was guarding a newly born fawn in a patch of desert scrub just east of the parks northern boundary near the town of Beatty, Nev.

Additional analysis is needed to determine whether the deer-like animals with forward jutting black horns are establishing residency in the usually desolate 3.3 million-acre park. In the meantime, their spring season ventures into the Mojave in recent years open the door to some obvious questions.

Exactly where are they coming from? Are they rediscovering ancient migratory routes in arid lands punctuated by scattered mountains and plateaus or creating new pathways into areas where drought and rising temperatures are upsetting the delicate balance between life and death for such species as desert tortoises and Joshua trees?

One biologist who has been tracking recent pronghorn wanderings from the Ubehebe Craters volcanic field in the northern half of Death Valley to the tiny desert berg of Shoshone near the parks southern end has proposed an answer.

Pronghorn are following lush buffets of rain-fed wildflowers, said Laura Cunningham, California director of the nonprofit Western Watersheds Project and a resident of Beatty, about 5 miles east of the park.

Weve been getting some nice blooms triggered by erratic storms in the higher elevations of the northern Mojave Desert over the past five years or so, she said. By piecing storm events, wildflower blooms and reported pronghorn sightings together, its hard not to think that there may well be new migratory patterns unfolding before our eyes.

In other words, she added, Pronghorn are taking a giant step out of the sage and into the desert to dine on the flowers of spring in the northern Mojave: (Desert) dandelions, desert pincushions, primrose and desert golds.

Kathleen Longshore, a research biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, would not go that far. But she pointed out that seasonal rainfall patterns vary significantly over the national park and can have huge ecological consequences.

In any case, she added, Theyre not going to hang around in the desert much longer. The Mojave is a tough place for pronghorn in summer.

Pat Cummings, a game biologist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, agrees. If those animals dont have a source of standing water, theyre going to be in a pickle, he said. In Death Valley, the party is over in June.

The highest temperature ever recorded on the planet was in Death Valley on July 10, 1913  134 degrees.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Two days before New York states PAUSE is set to expire, New York City only meets four of the seven metric requirements needed to begin the phased reopening put in place by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The statewide PAUSE, an executive order issued by Cuomo that has banned all but essential business in New York since March 22, is set to expire May 15 -- but the regional approach to reopening means that the restrictions will be lifted in phases, with some areas of the state opening before others.

As of May 13, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North County and Southern Tier meet all seven metrics.

In order for a region to begin phase one of reopening, they must meet the following metrics:

14-day decline in net hospitalizations or under 15 new hospitalizations (3-day average);

14-day decline in hospital deaths or fewer than five deaths (3-day average);

Under two new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents (3-day rolling average);

30% of total hospital beds available;

30% of ICU beds available;

30 per 1,000 residents tested monthly (7-day average of new tests per day);

30 contact tracers per 100,000 residents or based on infection rate.

At this time, New York City, the pandemics epicenter, has seen a 14-day decline in both net hospitalizations and hospital deaths.

The testing requirements have also been met citywide. Its expected there will be 30 contact tracers per 100,000 residents based on infection rate.

New York City has only 28% of its total hospital beds and 24% of its ICU beds available.

On a three-day rolling average there have been 2.64 new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents  slightly higher than the two-or-under requirement.

The state updates these metrics daily on its Regional Monitoring Dashboard.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON MAY 15

"We are starting a new chapter in the fight against this virus - we've worked together as a state to flatten the curve and the decline has finally reached a point where it is just about where we started this journey, so now we can turn to reopening," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Regional control rooms will monitor metrics in each region during the phased reopening and will determine if that region no longer meets the guidelines. Reopening plans will then be adjusted accordingly.

Borough President James Oddo is a member of the citys regional control room, along with 10 other members.

I welcome the chance to be in the virtual control room, and to allow me to give this group, and namely the governors folks, the Staten Island perspective directly, Oddo said. Im looking forward to having the chance to tell these decision makers what Staten Island is seeing.

Like Cuomo, Oddo stressed the importance of a science-based reopening strategy that relies on those numbers to ensure the safest possible reopening.

My take is that we are still very much in unchartered waters, and the governor is trying to establish a process that is as evidence-based as possible, Oddo said. Were just trying to be smart to give us the best opportunity to get this economy started and do it in a way that doesnt jeopardize the health and safety of folks.

On May 15, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, North County and Southern Tier are allowed to open non-essential construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup and drop-off or in-store pickup; and agriculture, forestry and fishing as a part of phase one.

FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER.
New Patriotic Party Parliamentary (NPP) candidate for Krachi West Constituency in the Oti Region, Justice Amankwa Mensah has joined the COVID-19 fight with the distribution of various items to enhance the fight.

Justice Amankwa Mensah popularly called JAM1 has distributed; tissue papers, Veronica buckets, hand sanitizers, and liquid soaps to various institutions and communities.

Institutions that benefited from the gesture include; Krachi Government Hospital, Krachi Prison Service, Dr. Bawiah Hospital, Ghana Police Service Operation Gongon, Ghana Fire Service, Kaakye FM, and Egyewase FM.

Other communities that also benefited from the gesture of the parliamentary candidate were; Osramanae, Ehiamankye, and Ntewusae.

Justice Amankwa Mensah during his presentation said the donation is part of his support against COVID-19 in the district and responds to the governments call on individuals and organisations to support the fight against the disease.

He admonished the people to adhere to the safety protocols given by health officials to prevent the outbreak of the disease and spread of the virus in the area.

At the Krachi Government Hospital, Dr. Edmond Tagoe who received the items on behalf of the Management of the Hospital commended Mr. Justice Amankwa Mensah for the gesture.

Dr. Tagoe noted that the fight against COVID-19 cannot be won alone by only health workers but needs the support of all.

He admonished individuals and organisations to emulate the example exhibited by Mr. Justice Amankwa Mensah and his team.
Part 1: Breaking Ground & A Question of Loyalty

New immigrants from China, Japan, and beyond adapt to life in America, building railroads, impressing in Hollywood, and fighting for equality; the first generation of U.S.-born Asian Americans have their loyalties tested during World War II.
Click here to read the full article.

Queen of Raw, a blockchain and AI-powered platform that pairs buyers and sellers of unused fabrics, is one of three teams that has landed funding via MIT Solve, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology initiative.

Led by cofounder and chief executive officer Stephanie Benedetto, Queen of Raw is the 2019 Circular Economy Solver. Access Afya, a Kenya-based health-care center that caters to the urban poor, and Kinedu, an app that specializes in video-based, research-supported activities for children under age four, are also receiving funding.

With $120 billion worth of unused fabric stowed away in factories and being burned or buried, Queen of Raw works to make those sustainable materials available to people at any time and from any place. Deadstock and sustainable fabrics can be bought and sold online through its marketplace. Factories, brands and retailers post their unused fabric for resale on the platform so that purchasers can have easy access to new materials at lower price points.

Orders can vary from one yard to one million yards. The company claims to have saved more than one billion gallons of water through its efforts. With the global textile market expected to hit $1.23 trillion by 2025, less than 1 percent of material used to make clothing is recycled. Queen of Raw also closed $1.5 million in seed funding Tuesday, an MIT Solve spokesman said.

This marks the first investments made possible by Solve Innovation Future, a philanthropic venture fund designed to support early-stage entrepreneurs that are trying to solve the worlds most pressing problems. Set up as a Donor-Advised Fund with MIT Solve acting as the donor-adviser, Solve Innovation Future plans to raise $30 million from philanthropic donors through tax-deductible gifts to MIT.

The unusual model will involve Solve Innovation Future making debut and equity investments in Solver teams annually through Solves open innovation Global Challenges. Returns from investments will be reinvested into future Solver teams to establish a pay-it-forward approach for entrepreneurs and a renewable philanthropic vehicle for donors. The concept is meant to serve as a model for other DAFs, philanthropic donors and investors who are keen to further social impact investing and free up more capital for early-stage social ventures around the globe.

Story continues

During Tuesdays Virtual Solvepresentation, GMs chairman and chief executive officer Mary Barra was joined by Yo-Yo Ma. The Solve organization works on different levels with members supporting its mission to solve worldwide challenges through partnership and innovation. Funding for 130 Solver teams is part of the equation. Nike, Capital One and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are among the supporters working on social impact issues.

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By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved 9 hospitals--across various cities--for a solidarity trial by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to test the efficacy of repurposed drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The five armed study that will be done on 1500 patients--severely or moderately sick with novel coronavirus--will see patients being given either Remdesivir, Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine, Lopinavir-Ritonavir and Lopinavir-Ritonavir with Interferon or standard of care without any of these medicines who will then be compared for results.

Over 100 countries globally have come together for the trial launched by the WHO to assess which drug can work effectively in treating Covid-19.

By enrolling patients in multiple countries--the trial which provides for both speed and scale--aims to rapidly discover whether any of the drugs slow disease progression or improve survival.

FOLLOW CORONAVIRUS LIVE UPDATES HERE

"We have approved the trials at 9 sites as of now but the overall number could reach 20-30 in a few weeks," Dr Sheela Godbole, a scientist with the ICMR and head of the trial project told this newspaper.

In India, anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine along with antibiotic Azithromycin has already been recommended as part of ICMRs clinical management guideline for COVID-19 patients in ICU despite reservations by bioethicists and limited evidence of its efficacy against the infection so far.

The government has also suggested Hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis to people at the higher risk of contracting the infection, such as health care workers and close contacts of COVID-19 patients.

There are some reports that district and health authorities are prescribing the drug indiscriminately to people in densely populated areas such as Dharavi in Mumbai, even as the medicine can sometimes be fatal to those with prior cardiac conditions.

Meanwhile, the US pharma major Gilead which manufactures the Ebola drug Remdesevir transferred the patent to three Indian drugmaker companies, at the behest of the government, that will allow local production of the medicine in India.

The drug was not available in India so far.
They signed up for a popular dating website, looking for friendship and love.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They signed up for a popular dating website, looking for friendship and love.

Instead, two Winnipeg men ended up bound, battered and bloody, at the hands of a woman they invited into their homes.

Jade Hammer, 27, was sentenced Friday to seven years in prison, after she admitted to wooing and then attacking and robbing the victims, who she targeted through the Plenty of Fish online dating service.

Hammer and a still-unidentified male accomplice "treated me like I was waste and needed to get any value from me before I was disposed of," one victim wrote in an impact statement provided to court.

Hammer targeted vulnerable men who lived alone, Crown attorney Valerie Hebert told provincial court Judge Julie Frederickson.

"They looked to her for comfort (and) ended up trusting her to a sufficient degree for the crimes to happen," Hebert said. "She was smart enough to go out on a few dates before carrying out her plan."

Court heard a 40-year-old victim had gone out with Hammer a few times last fall, but had begun to think she was taking financial advantage of him. She called to apologize and asked to come over to his Lynbrook Drive home "to make things right."

Once inside, Hammer diverted his attention as a male accomplice entered the house through a back door and held a sawed-off firearm to the mans back. The pair gagged the man and bound his feet and hands, then took turns kicking and beating him while the other ransacked the house.

"She was a maniac and would have tortured the skin from my body if (the male accomplice) was not there to keep it somewhat civil," the victim said. "I dont know if I will ever be free of the trauma."

Hammer tried and failed to use the victims debit card at a nearby bank machine, before she and her partner looted $20,000 in valuables from the house and sped away in the mans automobile.

The man managed to free his legs about an hour later, and ran to a neighbours home to call police.

Two weeks later, she called a second Plenty of Fish target and asked if he could pick her up. Sometime after the two arrived at the mans Coral Crescent home, an armed male accomplice entered and confronted the man. During a subsequent fight, Hammer kicked the victim in the head and the accomplice slashed him with a knife.

Hammer and her accomplice tied up the victim and took turns guarding him while the other looted the house. When they were done, Hammer tried stealing the mans car, but could not drive a standard and eventually abandoned it, not realizing she had left her cellphone behind  a mistake that helped lead to her arrest.

The second victim spent a month in hospital, suffered a punctured lung and had his spleen removed.

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"We have to speculate: what if Ms. Hammer had known how to drive a standard car?" Hebert said. "How many more attacks of this sort would she have perpetrated on more victims?"

In between the two attacks, Hammer stole more than $5,000 worth of jewelry, cash and prescription pills from the home of a man who had unwittingly agreed to help fix a flat tire on a car she had stolen.

Hammer has a lengthy record for property offences, but has never been sentenced to more than six months in custody, said defence lawyer Marc Zurbuchen, who joined Hebert in recommending the seven-year sentence.

Zurbuchen said Hammer had a childhood marred by sexual abuse, leading to a history of toxic relationships and a descent into drug addiction, most recently to methamphetamine.

"This is one very big wake-up call, and will be a significant motivator in making some changes to her life," Zurbuchen said.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
The first glimpse of all deaths across Canada during the time of the countrys COVID-19 battle shows how the pandemic footprint in Canadas two westernmost provinces may be even bigger than previously acknowledged.

And data for the provinces hardest hit by COVID-19 is yet to come.

The scope of the coronaviruss true potential toll remains largely obscured, because of the preliminary nature of the newly released Statistics Canada data, the early time period it covers  and the gaping black hole of information regarding Ontario, the province that was second hardest hit by COVID-19.

Following scrutiny over the lack of information, StatCan on Wednesday released preliminary data on the total death numbers in nine provinces between January and March.

Though the data is from a time period before the height of the pandemic in any province, and, importantly, includes deaths not related to COVID-19, it offers the first suggestions of how many people may have died  directly or indirectly  as a result of the pandemic.

The data showed 318 excess deaths in Alberta during that time period, above what would be expected had no pandemic taken place. The data also showed some weekly death increases in B.C., where more extensive data previously released by public health officials concluded the province saw 170 excess deaths in March and April.

In every other province for which data was provided, deaths either went down or remained close to the number for the same week in 2019.

B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who last week reported on total death numbers compiled by the Centre for Disease Control in the province, said that some of the increase in deaths at the beginning of 2020 are explained by the number of people who have succumbed to the COVID-19 disease.

What scientists are still trying to determine is how many more deaths could be indirectly related to the pandemic  such as people who did not visit the emergency room out of fear of COVID-19, or people who had their elective surgeries cancelled.

What we are looking at now is getting the cause of death information for every single death during that period of time, she said on Wednesday.

Henry said she didnt know why the data released by Statistics Canada appeared to show no excess deaths for most of the country, unlike B.C.s data, but noted the time frame measured likely played a role.

Other provinces are further behind on answering this question. Due to a combination of delays processing data and epidemics that started later than the western provinces, its still unknown how many excess deaths may eventually be counted in Canadas hardest hit provinces: Ontario and Quebec.

Once a death is registered by the Office of the Registrar General, the death registration data is sent electronically to Statistics Canada, according to Ontario ministry of government and consumer services spokesperson May Nazar.

This is done throughout the day, everyday, Nazar said.

Statistics Canada may decide to release Ontarios preliminary death registration data. The Office of the Registrar General, on the other hand, does not release preliminary aggregate data because it is potentially inaccurate and incomplete.

Statistics Canada says information about deaths in Ontario and New Brunswick is often received more than 60 days following the death. Since this data is incomplete, it has been suppressed from the data set. Information is also missing on Nunavut, which the agency also deemed incomplete, and Yukon, which has reportedly not provided this information to Statistics Canada since 2017.

In Quebec  which, as of Wednesday evening, has reported 3,200 deaths due to COVID-19 and accounts for the majority of Canadian deaths  the data shows the province is seeing an overall drop in deaths, with 1,257 fewer deaths compared to 2019.

Speaking on Quebecs very low mortality numbers, Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, speculated that a mild flu season may explain the dip. Once Canada shut everything down, sent people home, put masks on everyone  the flu goes away, too, he explained.

Its also possible that the reporting is incomplete, that they sent the data and that its going to have to get corrected.

With the data missing cause-of-death information, its difficult to know the true reason for Quebecs dip in deaths. If we had cause of death, then we would have a sense of where these negative deaths are showing up, Furness said.

Whats certain is that once death data is available for April and May, the numbers will increase. But thats not the only reason the April data may prove more revealing.

In March, cases were just getting going, Furness said of the coronavirus pandemic. But in April, coronavirus-related deaths started building, because people have to be sick before they die.

Better data would separate out the cause of death and age group of those who had died. Without cause of death and age group ... were not really going to be able to get the excess death answer that we wanted, Furness said.

Post-mortem testing would provide better information about who has actually died from the virus, adding context to a novel virus we still dont fully understand. We really have an obligation not just to test people and write it down, but to actually  create data and use data to learn what this virus is and does, and were not, he said.

Wednesdays report comes just days after Ontario refused to publicly release the provinces mortality rates for all causes of deaths  including those from COVID-19  for the first quarters of 2019 and 2020.

Last week, the Star began tracking down death statistics from every province and territory in an effort to capture the national death tolls over the early months of both years. All regions agreed to provide the information, except Ontario.

Its unusual for Statistics Canada to provide interim mortality data. Historically, there is a reporting lag after a calendar year when all provinces and territories submit death counts to the federal agency tasked with collecting, then publishing the data. For instance, it may take up to a year in Ontario to register a death, meaning a death that occurred in May 2019 can still be registered this month.

Statistics Canadas most recent official death tallies are from 2018.

The agency confirmed that it had received some data from Ontario for 2019, and limited death data for 2020. The data was deemed insufficient to be able to release or to conduct a comparative analysis for the period from January to March. Receipt of data from Ontario is ongoing, spokesperson Peter Frayne said.

The agency has also said that the need for up-to-date real-time data on Canadas population, society and economy prompted them to move to release partial data earlier than usual.

Statistics Canada stepped up its data collection and its dissemination of insights on the impacts of COVID-19 on businesses and individuals, Frayne said.

Frayne also confirmed that additional data can be expected, including in jurisdictions where incomplete data was provided. When additional data are received from other jurisdictions, were committed to making this information available in a timely fashion, he said.

On Monday, the Ottawa-based Canadian Institute of Actuaries called on the federal government and public institutions to expand the quality and depth of the data collected and made available in relation to COVID-19.

Actuaries use mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk for insurance, financial and other industries; its a science-based profession that relies on data. By studying historical and current mortality data, for instance, actuaries can forecast the amounts of money needed to fund financial security systems such as pension plans.

Marc Tardif, president of the actuarial organization, reviewed the Statistics Canada death report with his team. He said while the agencys template to chart excess deaths was perfect, the submitted data was lacking and required lots of caveats from Statistics Canada.

In risk management and decision making, our health authorities and our governments are highly dependent, in our opinion, with (having) as (much) precise data as possible, Tardif said. So if they cant get precise data, the risk theyre running is making decisions that are not as data-based as we think they should be.

Keith Walter, chair of the institutes research council, said Ontarios exclusion from the Statistics Canada table is a glaring data gap.

We need to get Ontario in there, said Walter, adding that sharing provisional information during a health crisis is more useful than a blank.

For those of us used to doing analysis, we would probably say its better to report with appropriate disclosure (i.e. caveats about future data adjustments) around what the informations basis is, Walter said.

Wed rather know what you have, with the basis that you have to produce it, than be blank. So even if there are known (data) weaknesses, its better to work with what you know and be able to draw lessons from that.

Ottawa epidemiologist Ann Jolly said its unfortunate not all provinces and territories provided useful data for the Statistics Canada report, considering the practice of counting a communitys dead goes back centuries.

The original purpose of death registration was to monitor deaths from disease, where it was used first in estimating cholera cases in England in the 1800s, and later became the standard globally, said Jolly, a University of Ottawa associate professor.

It is truly unfortunate that we are unable to access prompt accurate information on deaths of Canadians.

However, Jolly said Statistics Canadas decision to publish interim death data was a positive move.

It is possible to do these kinds of things, so we should be doing it, she said.

We have the technology, we have the data, we just have to do it..

Canada does not have a central death registry that is regularly updated for the public. That puts Canada out of step with many countries like the United States, Belgium, Germany, Norway and Ecuador, which during this pandemic are publicly releasing all-cause (including COVID-19) mortality rates in a timely manner  data that can help determine if excess deaths are occurring over a certain period compared to previous years.

Faster reporting of all deaths during the pandemic can reveal a variety of trends, including whether unexplained deaths rose quickly before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, or if delayed surgeries or hospital visits for other health issues potentially cost lives, experts say.

Jenna Moon is a breaking news reporter for the Star and is based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @_jennamoon

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When Petruch pulled up, he asked the despondent man to get into Petruch's vehicle so they could talk, but the man didn't comply.

Petruch said he left his vehicle and attempted to move closer to the man. With each step he took, the man moved toward a rail on the bridge.

Petruch said he motioned for the officers to get the man back from the railing.

As they moved, the man put one leg over the railing. He then told the officers, I'm going, as his other leg went over the rail, Petruch said.

He said the officers immediately acted to catch the man.

The guys did a real good job, Petruch said.

He said the attempted suicide was a sad situation, but he's glad it ended peacefully.

Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez praised McKinney for his quick action.
Led by Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), University Health Network (UHN) and General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-Canada), researchers have designed a non-invasive ventilation mask that could significantly reduce aerosolization - the production of airborne respiratory droplets that may contain viruses or bacteria - when treating patients with COVID-19. The new device aims to reduce infection risks associated with non-invasive ventilation and lessen the demand for invasive ventilators. It is currently being tested through a clinical trial with patients at LHSC.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, there have been global concerns about a shortage of ventilators. Non-invasive ventilators like CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and BiPAP (bi-level positive airway pressure) machines are associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission and so many hospitals have moved directly to invasive ventilation." Dr. Tarek Loubani, Lawson Associate Scientist and Emergency Department Physician at LHSC

COVID-19 is primarily spread through inhalation of respiratory droplets and the most severely ill patients require a ventilator to help them breathe. Unlike invasive ventilators, which require intubation, non-invasive ventilators help patients breathe through a mask that provides positive pressure to keep the lungs open and functioning. While non-invasive ventilators may be effective for some COVID-19 patients, their use comes with a much higher risk of spreading infection through aerosolization of respiratory droplets.

The team's non-invasive ventilation mask aims to eliminate this risk. The novel device is customized from a standard firefighter's mask using 3D printing and can be attached to any CPAP or BiPAP machine. Unlike traditional masks, it creates two tight seals - one around the patient's nose and mouth and another around the face. Patients breathe in and out of a filter that captures any viral particles before they are released to the air.

"There are countless CPAP and BiPAP machines idling around the world while all resources go towards invasive ventilation," explains Dr. Azad Mashari, Anesthesiologist at UHN's Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. "Our mask aims to put these machines back into the clinician's toolkit. By eliminating air leaks, we can improve patient safety and significantly reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 for health-care workers and other patients."

Drs. Loubani, Mashari and Benjamin Thomson, Nephrologist at Mackenzie Health, were part of a clinical research team that worked with engineers from GDLS-Canada to develop the device within six days.

"GDLS-Canada responded quickly to the urgent need to support those on the COVID-19 healthcare frontlines during this global health emergency," says Doug Wilson-Hodge, GDLS-Canada's Manager of Communications, Community and Government Relations. "The innovative design was very much a collaborative effort between all parties to contribute solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic."

The initial clinical trial will test the device with up to 50 patients at LHSC's Victoria Hospital and University Hospital with plans to expand to UHN. In addition to patients with COVID-19, participants will include those with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure (CHF).

The research team anticipates other hospitals in Ontario and across Canada will join the study to create a multi-centre clinical trial. The device will be used in emergency departments and has potential to be used in intensive care units, remote nursing stations and during pre-hospital transport. It has also been designed for easy production in resource-strained locations.

"This problem affects everyone and it's critical that we all do what we can to help," adds Dr. Loubani. "We hope it will help not only those in urban centres like Toronto and London, but people in remote communities around the world."

The trial is being supported with funding from Glia, an organization internationally recognized for producing medical supplies that are easily accessible and can be manufactured in low-resource settings.
FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders speaks at the 11th Democratic candidates debate of the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign in Washington

By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Over 300 lawmakers from around the world on Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to cancel the debt of the poorest countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and to boost funding to avert a global economic meltdown.

The appeal came in a letter delivered to the heads of the World Bank and the IMF https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fomar.house.gov%2Fsites%2Fomar.house.gov%2Ffiles%2Fwysiwyg_uploaded%2FIntl%2520Delegation%2520Letter%2520to%2520IFIs%2520on%2520Debt%2520Forgiveness%2520for%2520IDA%2520Countries%2520%25282%2529.pdf&data=02%7C01%7Candrea.shalal%40thomsonreuters.com%7C741229d3aeef44e7a6b308d7f6d39cb0%7C62ccb8646a1a4b5d8e1c397dec1a8258%7C0%7C0%7C637249262437197637&sdata=PRRSX6NQUbAmHamo5diu2GqSF0kpnJ1iXHoMIfG56qM%3D&reserved=0, as well as U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders amid growing concern that the pandemic will devastate developing countries and emerging economies. They asked the institutions to respond in 15 days.

The virus has infected more than 4.2 million people globally and killed 287,349, a Reuters tally showed.

Widespread shutdowns aimed at containing the virus are taking a huge toll on the global economy, and especially poor countries with weak health systems, high debt levels and few resources to manage the dual health and economic crises.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday said the Fund was "very likely" to revise downward its forecast that global output would shrink by 3% in 2020, and said developing countries would need more than $2.5 trillion in financing to weather the storm.

Former U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders, who led the initiative along with Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said poor countries needed every cent to care for their people, instead of servicing the "unsustainable debts" they owe to the large international financial institutions.

Story continues

Cancelling their debt was "the very least that the World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions should do to prevent an unimaginable increase in poverty, hunger, and disease that threatens hundreds of millions of people," he said.

The lawmakers welcomed a move by the IMF to cover the debt service payments of 25 of the poorest countries for six months, but said further efforts were needed.

The World Bank has said it will look at ways to expand its support for the poorest countries, but warned waiving debt payments could harm its credit rating and undercut its ability to provide low-cost funding to members.

In the letter, parliamentarians from two dozen countries on all six continents, said debt service obligations of the poorest countries should be cancelled outright, instead of simply suspended, as agreed by the Group of 20 countries in April.

Failing to do so meant those countries would not be able to prioritize spending needed to fight the virus, which in turn could lead to continued disruption to global supply chains and financial markets, they wrote.

The lawmakers also urged the IMF's Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass to support creation of trillions of dollars of new Special Drawing Rights, the currency of the IMF.

"An issuance of SDRs on the order of trillions of dollars will be required to avert major increases in poverty, hunger and disease," wrote the lawmakers, who span a wide range of political affiliations and include former heads of state.

An SDR allocation is akin to a central bank "printing" new money and does not trigger big costs, but has been opposed by the United States, the IMF's largest shareholder.

Omar said the United States should lead the effort to provide relief to the most vulnerable nations.

"All our destinies are linked. If we turn a blind eye to the suffering of people abroad, it will eventually harm us," Omar said.

Other signatories include former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Argentine lawmaker Carlos Menem, who enacted austerity measures when he served as president in the 1980s and 1990s, and many members of the European Parliament. The No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. Senate, Dick Durbin, also signed.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Lincoln Feast and David Gregorio)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstan is planning to lift restrictions on export of grain and flour in June 2020, Kazakhstans Minister of Agriculture Saparkhan Omarov said, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Tengrinews agency.

Omarov said that all prohibitions and quotas were introduced temporarily.

Currently, as coronavirus quarantine measures are being simplified normal trade will be gradually restored and we must respond dynamically to this. Therefore, from June 1, 2020 there are plans to remove all previously imposed restrictions on grain and flour export, as well as for other food products, Omarov said.

In Omarovs words there is a number of reasons to lift the restrictions:

- The introduced bans and quotas led to good results, Kazakhstan had the ability to harvest new crops and mitigate food security risks;

- The measures were taken in time, and regional stabilization funds laid down a supply of flour and other food products;

- The sowing campaign in the main grain-growing regions has begun, all preparatory work has been carried out, moisture conversation is sufficient. All this makes it possible to predict crops growing that will fully ensure the country's food safety.

On Apr. 3, 2020 Kazakhstans Ministry of Agriculture announced the volume of wheat and flour permitted for export in April 2020.

The ministry said that 200,000 tons of wheat and 70,000 tons of flour can be exported from the country this month.

At the same time, traders must supply 30 percent of the exported volume to the local market by set prices. A ton of 3 and 4 class wheat for the local market must be sold for 84,000-86,000 tenge ($187-196).

In turn, flour must be sold for 120,000 tenge ($268) per ton in Akmola, North Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Pavlodar, East Kazakhstan, Karaganda regions and Nur-Sultan cities, and for 130,000 tenge ($290) in other Kazakh regions.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Ikea's affordable flat-pack furniture has made it a favourite with families and first-time homeowners on a budget.

But the Swedish furniture manufacturer is also a highly-coveted name in the vintage furniture market.

Auctioneers and retailers in the UK, US and Sweden reported how Ikea furniture from the 1950s to the 1990s can sell for hundreds of times the original price.

A Skopa lounge chair, for example, which originally sold for 6 (not price adjusted) in the 1970s, is currently available to buy through online store Pamono for 522.

The Vilbert chair designed by futuristic Danish designer Verner Panton and released by Ikea in 1994. They were originally priced at 56. Last year Pamono sold one of the chairs for 840

Vintage Duett Hanging Lights in Orange, Yellow, and Red by Bent Gantzel Boysen for Ikea, available on Pamono for 516. A single light originally sold for 6 in the 1970s

Meanwhile a set of three Duett hanging lights, originally 18, will set you back 513.

And interest shows no sign of slowing down. 'Over the past three years, prices have increased by more than 50 per cent,' Anthony Barzilay Freund, editorial director of online marketplace 1stDibs, said in an interview with the Financial Times. He added: 'The average list price of vintage Ikea seating models is $3,000.'

Part of the reason for its popularity is that Ikea's mid-century designs mimicked the 'clean modern freshness' of furniture being made by big names like Hans Wegner and Finn Juhl, John Black of British auction house Sworders told the publication.

It means collectors are able to get their hands on something that looks like these classics but at a fraction of the price.

Pontus Silfverstolpe, founder of Barnebys, an online search site for auction houses around the world, added that Ikea also collaborated with leading designers, who have become sought-after in their own right.

Among the priciest pieces is an Ake chair, which was first sold for the equivalent of 9 in the 1950s. Last year Swedish auction house Bukowskis sold one of the chairs for 30,000 Swedish krona, or approximately 2,500

'Ikea had some strong collaborations with some great designer both in-house (Karin Mobring and Gillis Lundgren) and outside Ikea(an example is danish designer Verner Panton),' he told FEMAIL. It means pieces released as part of collaborations with contemporary designers like Tom Dixon and Virgil Abloh could be future classics.

He added much of the furniture produced at the time were made to high standards that make them valuable investment pieces.

'There was a series of furniture and works of art that were copies, and made exactly in the same way, of some Swedish 18th century furniture,' he continued. 'Those are made with very high quality of craftsmanship but they become too expensive to produce, which is why they soon went out of production.'

Some of the most sought-after pieces are ones that flopped when they were first released, like the colourful Vilbert chair designed by futuristic Danish designer Verner Panton and released in 1994.

A Skopa lounge chair, pictured, which originally sold for 6 in the 1970s, is currently available to buy through online store Pamono for 522

While it failed to garner interest at the time, the Vilbert is now considered to be highly desirable.

Wava Carpenter, curatorial and editorial founder of Pamono, told how last year she sold one of the chairs, which were originally priced at around 60, for 840.

Among the priciest pieces is an original Ake chair, which was first sold for the equivalent of 9 in the 1950s.

Mr Silfverstolpe explained these are often wrongly attributed to Danish designer Philip Arctander, which drives up the price significantly.

There are reports of collectors paying up to 50,000 for a single chair, although this has not been verified.

However last year Swedish auction house Bukowskis sold one of the chairs for 30,000 Swedish krona, or approximately 2,500.
SPRINGFIELD  The state saw its largest daily increase in COVID-19-related deaths with 192 Wednesday as Gov. J.B. Pritzker warned business owners and local governments of consequences they will face if they defy his stay-at-home order.

Pritzker said there are no easy decisions in a pandemic, and said he sympathizes with local elected leaders struggling with difficult choices.

But what I dont have sympathy for is those so intent on disregarding science and logic, so afraid to tell their constituents what they may not want to hear  that they put more people's lives at risk, the governor said during a virtual news conference from his home in Chicago.

Pritzker has faced pushback from local officials across the state who are seeking to reopen sectors of their economy earlier than the May 29 date when regions can begin moving to the third phase of his reopening plan.

But, Pritzker said, those leaders were not elected to do whats easy, they were elected to do whats right.

He also warned of consequences for businesses that try to reopen too quickly.

For the small minority of businesses that choose to ignore the medical doctors and the data, and to ignore your legal obligations to residents of your community, there will be consequences, he said.

Those include revocation of licenses for those businesses and professionals licensed by the state.

Counties that try to reopen in defiance may not be reimbursed by FEMA for damages they cause, because they ignored the law, he said. Local law enforcement and the Illinois State Police can and will take action. But there is no consequence the state could impose that is greater than the harm that you will do to your own communities.

It was announced Wednesday that the General Assembly would convene a legislative session next week to focus on pandemic response, a state budget and other matters. Pritzker said he respects Republican calls for bills requiring legislative approval to extend his disaster proclamation, but he said all actions thus far are aimed at public health.

I think everybody understands that what I've been doing is following the science and the data and doing what's best for our economy, given that the virus is out there, he said. I want to remind everybody that when people get sick, and when they die, that too has an economic cost aside from the terrible cost to families and communities. There's also an economic cost to our state when that's happening, so take that into account when you're suggesting that we should follow a different path.

The state reported 1,677 new cases of the virus in 17,668 test results reported in the past 24 hours. That marks a 9.5% positivity rate, which is the lowest since March 27 when fewer than 5,000 persons were tested.

The total virus-related deaths grew to 3,792, with 84,698 confirmed cases out of 489,359 tested since the pandemic began.

Hospitalization numbers remain roughly flat, with 4,563 hospitalized due to COVID-19 as of midnight Wednesday, 1,208 of them in intensive care beds and 714 of them on ventilators.

Pritzker also gave an update to the states strategy for dealing with spread at long-term care facilities. He also said a resident of the state-run Manteno Veterans Home who had been in hospice for several months recently tested positive for the virus and died.

That facility had 30 residents of 220 and 19 employees of 307 test positive for the virus between April and May, and all residents have been tested recently. All positive residents and others contacted by them have been isolated.

He said one of 153 residents and none of the 219 staff at the LaSalle Veterans Home have tested positive; five of 51 residents and none of the 78 staff members at the Anna Veterans Home tested positive, although some staff tests were still pending; and there were no known positive residents or staff at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy, although more than 200 residents and 50 staff were awaiting results.

Pritzker said the state is testing residents even at long-term care facilities that do not have positive cases of the virus, as almost half of the states 3,792 COVID-19-related deaths can be tied to such facilities.

IDPH has prioritized testing at long-term care facilities and to our vulnerable populations where infection is more likely to lead to higher severity cases, especially amongst communities of color, he said.

Those at state-run veterans homes face the same precautions as all long-term care facilities in Illinois, he said.

Since March 5, all visitors and staff have been screened before entry into the home, and by March 10 all vendors were barred from visiting facilities and off-campus activities and on-site construction projects were canceled. Family visits were confined to end-of-life visits, as well.

He said the state has provided 30,000 tests to 129 facilities around the state. He said the state has also distributed personal protective equipment to all 102 counties, and local health departments distribute it to long-term care facilities.

Our state and stockpile always provides a backup for them, and is not the primary supplier for private business, such as nursing homes, he said. Having state government fulfill each individual request would not be efficient, or in any way, manageable.

Still, he said, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and IDPH have coordinated an effort to directly deliver PPE to more than 1,200 nursing homes and other long-term care facilities across the state. Those shipments began on April 30 and have reached more than 85% of the facilities.

SIU Carbondale students, staff supply state with crucial COVID-19 test component
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The House subcommittee tasked with overseeing the country's coronavirus response is scheduled to hold its first briefing on Wednesday where members will discuss reopening the nation's economy.

The select oversight committee was unveiled in early April by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to oversee the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Experts slated to testify before the House subcommittee are include Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration; Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Affairs; Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute; Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association; and Mark McClellan former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Wednesday's briefing comes a day after the nation's top health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, testified before lawmakers. Fauci warned Congress that some states are prematurely reopening businesses, risking additional outbreaks of the deadly coronavirus cases, particularly among the most vulnerable populations.

The coronavirus has infected more than 1.3 million people in the U.S. and 4.3 million people globally, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the Covid-19 outbreak.
By David Milliken

LONDON (Reuters) - Bond investors tried to buy a record 82.6 billion pounds ($101.70 billion) of a new 10-year British government bond offered to the market for the first time on Tuesday, far outstripping demand at any previous British debt sale.

The United Kingdom Debt Management Office (DMO) said it sold 12 billion pounds of the 0.375% October 2030 gilt <GBT0R30=>, part of 225 billion pounds of debt issuance planned between April and July to fund spending to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

"If the biggest concern for UK policymakers is that the UK needs to rely on the kindness of strangers to fund its debts, then on the face of it, strangers are being incredibly kind right now," Mike Riddell, a fund manager at Allianz Global Investors, said.

The volume of orders was double the previous record for a British debt syndication, and mirrors increased demand for gilts since the Bank of England announced in March that it was expanding its quantitative easing programme by a record 200 billion pounds.

The DMO said three quarters of the demand came from British investors, mostly pension funds and asset managers, with additional demand from commercial banks and foreign central banks.

The gilt sold with a yield of 0.3539%, 8.5 basis points above the 10-year benchmark gilt <GB10YT=RR>, which represented a price at the top end of initial investor guidance.

British 10-year government bond prices rallied after the sale, pushing yields 2 basis points lower on the day - broadly in line with U.S. Treasuries <US10YT=RR> but outperforming German bonds <DE10YT=RR>.

"The market reaction to the sale was ... unprecedented and extremely positive," DMO chief executive Robert Stheeman said. "It has been a historic transaction for the DMO and the gilt market in many respects."

The syndication was the first time a 10-year gilt had been sold this way. Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Citi, HSBC, Lloyds Bank and RBC acted as joint bookrunners.

(Writing by William Schomberg, editing by Andy Bruce)
The Brits have spoken - they would rather have Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, to step up and become the prince regent after Queen Elizabeth II.

The 37-year-old is the second in line to the throne.

But with Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II both high-risk for the COVID-19, readers of British tabloid Express believe that Prince William should carry out royal duties on their behalf.

The survey was conducted on Tuesday morning, and five hundred seventy-seven (577) people, 76% of the entire vote, believe that the Duke of Cambridge should assume the regal role.

One hundred seventy-six (126) of their readers, only 23%, said that it was unseemly for the father-of-three to step into the role. 1% of the voters are uncertain.

Royal fans were fast to take their thoughts of Prince William immediately taking the throne, with one reader telling Express, "I would love a king William."

Another person said, "He certainly appears to have his head more screwed on than most of the others, and Kate is down to earth and compassionate too."

While not all agree to the idea, traditionally, the person who becomes regent is someone who will be able to accomplish the monarch's duties the best in their nonattendance.

Prince Charles, who is 71 years old, is in the high-risk group of suffering severe symptoms from the COVID-19. But he may have resistance now that he has caught the coronavirus and recovered.

If Prince Charles becomes the prince regent, he will take charge of the monarchy until Queen Elizabeth II is ready to return. He would subsequently run the day-to-day operations and would be treated just like the sovereign in his mother's absence.

The palace hasn't commented on the rumors that the Queen will be stepping down shortly.

It's also impossible that the regency would jump over Prince Charles, as he is the rightful owner of the position.

Because of the coronavirus, he has already increased his royal responsibilities, along with the rest of the royal family members.

Queen Elizabeth II is currently spending the lockdown with her husband, Prince Philip, in Windsor Castle, as she continues to carry out her royal duties.

After Easter break, it is tradition that the head of the monarchy returns to Buckingham Palace. But with the coronavirus, she is expected to stay in her Berkshire home until the foreseeable future.

In the upcoming weeks, Queen Elizabeth II's diary remains empty, so it is unlikely she will be conducting any outside royal duties until the UK is finally done with the coronavirus.

Royal author Andrew Norton told The Sun that he doesn't believe Queen Elizabeth II will be able to fulfill her royal duties anymore.

"It's terribly sad, but I can't see how the Queen can resume her usual job. The COVID-19 virus isn't going away, son, and will be with us for months, if not years."

According to him, the risk of the Queen contracting the coronavirus is too high.

Though Queen Elizabeth II has always enjoyed social events, Morton believes that she simply can't just take the risk.

READ MORE: The Real Reason Why Queen Elizabeth May Never Step Out for Public Royal Engagements Again
Equity benchmark BSE Sensex zoomed 637 points on Wednesday, driven by gains in banking stocks ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press conference to unveil provisions of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the massive economic stimulus to revive the coronavirus-hit economy boosted domestic investor sentiment, traders said.

After rallying 1,474.36 points during the day, the 30-share index surrendered some early gains to settle 637.49 points or 2.03 per cent higher at 32,008.61.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty jumped 187 points, or 2.03 per cent, to finish at 9,383.55.

Axis Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging around 7 per cent, followed by Ultratech Cement, L&T, ICICI Bank, SBI, M&M and Bajaj Finance.

On the other hand, Nestle India, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel and HUL ended in the red.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced a massive new financial package on top of the previously announced measures for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

He said the package will be around 10 percent of the GDP and "will play an important role in the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' (self-reliant India campaign)", adding that the "announcements made by the government so far, the decisions of the RBI and today's package totals to Rs 20 lakh crore."



The special economic package will have emphasis on land, labour, liquidity and laws, and will be for "our labourers, farmers, honest tax payers, MSMEs and cottage industry", Modi said.

On the currency front, the rupee appreciated by 5 paise to provisionally close at 75.46 against the US dollar.

Meanwhile, bourses in Shanghai and Seoul ended with gains, while Hong Kong and Tokyo closed in the red.

Stock exchanges in Europe started off with significant losses.

International oil benchmark Brent crude futures slipped 1.30 per cent to USD 29.59 per barrel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, has reportedly been released from federal prison after asking for home confinement due to the coronavirus pandemic.

ABC News reported Manafort was released from FCI Loretto in central Pennsylvania early Wednesday morning.
DUBLIN, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Gastrointestinal Stents Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global gastrointestinal stents market reached a value of US$ 386.3 million in 2019. Looking forward, the market is expected to reach a value of US$ 483.2 million by 2025, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.8% during 2020-2025.



The rising prevalence of colorectal cancer across the globe is one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, an increasing geriatric population suffering from gastrointestinal diseases, such as bowel ailments, diverticulosis and gastrointestinal malignancies, is also providing a boost to the market growth. Additionally, the growing preference for minimally invasive (MI) surgical procedures, along with the rising health consciousness among the masses, is creating a significant impact on the market.



In comparison to the traditional open surgery procedures, gastrointestinal stenting involves low risk of infections, minimal loss of blood and quick recuperation period. Moreover, various technological advancements, including the development of bio-absorbable and nitinol material-based stents offering a high degree of flexibility and kink-resistance, is acting as another growth-inducing factor.



Other factors, including significant growth in the healthcare infrastructure, the implementation of favourable government policies 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 Becton, Dickinson and Company, Boston Scientific Corporation, Cantel Medical Corporation, Conmed Corporation, Cook Group Incorporated, ELLA-CS, S.R.O., Hobbs Medical Inc., Merit Medical Systems Inc., Olympus Corporation, Taewoong Medical Co. Ltd., etc.



Key Questions Answered

How has the global gastrointestinal stents 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 product type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the technology type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the material?

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 gastrointestinal stents 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 Gastrointestinal Stents Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Product Type

6.1 Biliary Stents

6.2 Duodenal Stents

6.3 Colonic Stents

6.4 Pancreatic Stents

6.5 Esophageal Stents



7 Market Breakup by Technology Type

7.1 Anti-Migratory Stents

7.2 Drug-Eluting Stents

7.3 Radioactive Stents

7.4 Anti-Reflux Stents

7.5 Shape-Modified Stents

7.6 Others



8 Market Breakup by Material

8.1 Plastic Stents

8.2 Self-Expanding Metal Stents

8.3 Covered Self-Expandable Metallic Stents

8.4 Biodegradable or Drug Eluting Stents



9 Market Breakup by End-user

9.1 Hospitals

9.2 Specialty Clinics

9.3 Ambulatory Surgical Centres

9.4 Others



10 Market Breakup by Region

10.1 North America

10.2 Asia-Pacific

10.3 Europe

10.4 Latin America

10.5 Middle East & Africa



11 SWOT Analysis

11.1 Overview

11.2 Strengths

11.3 Weaknesses

11.4 Opportunities

11.5 Threats



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis

13.1 Overview

13.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

13.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

13.4 Degree of Competition

13.5 Threat of New Entrants

13.6 Threat of Substitutes



14 Price Indicators



15 Competitive Landscape

15.1 Market Structure

15.2 Key Players

15.3 Profiles of Key Players



Becton, Dickinson and Company

Boston Scientific Corporation

Cantel Medical Corporation

Conmed Corporation

Cook Group Incorporated

ELLA-CS, S.R.O.



Hobbs Medical Inc.

Merit Medical Systems Inc.

Olympus Corporation

Taewoong Medical Co. Ltd.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ki77a

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



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SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia and TORONTO, April 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silvercorp Metals Inc. (Silvercorp) (TSX/NYSE American: SVM) and Guyana Goldfields Inc. (TSX: GUY) (Guyana Goldfields) are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive agreement (the Arrangement Agreement) whereby Silvercorp will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Guyana Goldfields by way of a plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act (the Transaction). The Transaction will create a diversified precious metals producer with two profitable underground silver mining operations in China and a gold mining operation in Guyana with a strong balance sheet to fund growth opportunities.



Under the terms of the Transaction, each holder of Guyana Goldfields shares will have the option to receive, for each Guyana Goldfields share held, C$0.60 in cash or 0.1195 of a Silvercorp common share (valued at C$0.60 based on the volume weighted average price for Silvercorp common shares for the 20 trading days ended April 24, 2020), subject to a maximum cash consideration of C$33.2 million. If all Guyana Goldfields shareholders elect to receive cash, consideration for each share will consist of C$0.20 in cash and 0.0796 of a Silvercorp common share (valued at C$0.40 based on the volume weighted average price for Silvercorp common shares for the 20 trading days ended April 24, 2020). Assuming the maximum cash consideration, existing Guyana Goldfields shareholders will own 7.1% of Silvercorps pro forma basic shares outstanding following the Transaction. The consideration of C$0.60 per share represents a 71% premium to the 20-day volume weighted average price of Guyana Goldfields as of the close of trading on April 24, 2020. The implied equity value of the Transaction is approximately C$105 million.

Concurrently with entering into the Arrangement Agreement, Silvercorp and Guyana Goldfields have also entered into a loan agreement, whereby Silvercorp will lend Guyana Goldfields up to US$15 million (the Interim Loan Facility) with a defined use of proceeds related to ongoing operations at the Aurora Underground Project, as well as for certain working capital and general corporate purposes.

Transaction Rationale

Creates a leading precious metals producer: Combined company will benefit from enhanced strategic positioning and greater diversification, providing the opportunity for a significant re-rate upon the successful development of the Aurora Underground Project;





Combined company will benefit from enhanced strategic positioning and greater diversification, providing the opportunity for a significant re-rate upon the successful development of the Aurora Underground Project; Strong financial position: A strong balance sheet and a robust cash flow profile will provide the capital to develop the Aurora Underground Project and pursue further potential M&A opportunities;





A strong balance sheet and a robust cash flow profile will provide the capital to develop the Aurora Underground Project and pursue further potential M&A opportunities; An attractive growth profile: Gold project pipeline includes the BYP gold project in China and the Aurora underground project in Guyana;





Gold project pipeline includes the BYP gold project in China and the Aurora underground project in Guyana; Exploration upside : Ability to fund exploration programs to test numerous, high-priority brownfield and greenfield exploration targets within a 1,200 km 2 land package hosted in the highly prospective Guiana Shield Greenstone Belt, providing an opportunity to unlock value from an underexplored land package;





: Ability to fund exploration programs to test numerous, high-priority brownfield and greenfield exploration targets within a 1,200 km land package hosted in the highly prospective Guiana Shield Greenstone Belt, providing an opportunity to unlock value from an underexplored land package; Significant pro-forma synergies: The combined company will benefit from the strong underground mining skill set of a proven management team and will have the ability to deliver efficiencies at the corporate level and leverage Guyana Goldfields deep experience and network in Guyana during a transition period, working towards near-term development; and





The combined company will benefit from the strong underground mining skill set of a proven management team and will have the ability to deliver efficiencies at the corporate level and leverage Guyana Goldfields deep experience and network in Guyana during a transition period, working towards near-term development; and Enhanced capital markets profile: Bolstering trading liquidity and shareholder base with a newly diversified asset portfolio, in addition to the recent inclusion of Silvercorp in major indices including the VanEck Gold Miners (GDX) and S&P/TSX Composite Index.

Rui Feng, Chairman and CEO of Silvercorp, stated:

This transaction will create a new globally diversified precious metals producer with the addition of Aurora to our growing asset portfolio. We believe this is a rare opportunity to leverage our underground mining expertise and strong balance sheet to unlock value for all shareholders through the development of the Aurora Underground Project as well as aggressive exploration programs in a proven gold district.

We look forward to partnering with the Government of Guyana to make a successful entry into the region, leveraging Guyana Goldfields existing team and relationships to ensure a smooth transition and continued development that benefits all stakeholders.

Alan Pangbourne, President and CEO of Guyana Goldfields stated:

This transaction provides our shareholders with an immediate and significant upfront premium and exposure to a geographically diverse mid-tier precious metal company. With a strong operating history, solid balance sheet and significant underground experience, Silvercorps management team is well-positioned to fund and continue to advance the underground project at Aurora.

Benefits for Guyana Goldfields Shareholders

Exposure to an immediate premium, enhanced trading liquidity, and a significant re-rating opportunity;





Reduces development risk given Silvercorps track record of operational excellence in underground mining over the last 15 years;





Silvercorps balance sheet eliminates the funding risk associated with the Aurora Underground Project, providing access to Silvercorps strong balance sheet and financing options available to a larger company during these times of uncertain market conditions; and





Provision of Interim Loan Facility to fund expenditures at the Aurora Underground Project during the period before closing of the Transaction.

Benefits for Silvercorp Shareholders

Adds a gold development project to significantly increase Silvercorps precious metals production profile and exposure to gold;





Re-rating opportunity due to enhanced scale, asset diversification, exploration upside, and a foothold in South America; and





Cash and share transaction preserves cash, while minimizing dilution, in order to maintain a strong balance sheet that will enable the Company to weather current market conditions and pursue further growth opportunities.

Board of Directors Recommendations

The Arrangement Agreement has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Guyana Goldfields who recommends that Guyana Goldfields shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction. The Board of Directors of Guyana Goldfields has received a fairness opinion from each of RBC Capital Markets and Stifel GMP, which state that the consideration to be received by Guyana Goldfields shareholders pursuant to the Transaction is fair from a financial point of view, to Guyana Goldfields shareholders (other than Silvercorp). The Arrangement Agreement has also been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Silvercorp.

Transaction Conditions and Timing

Full details of the Transaction will be included in the management information circular of Guyana Goldfields that is expected to be mailed to Guyana Goldfields shareholders by late May 2020. The Transaction will be effected by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act and will be subject to the approval of 66% of votes cast by shareholders of Guyana Goldfields at a special meeting of Guyana Goldfields shareholders expected to be held by the end of June 2020.

Directors and officers of Guyana Goldfields have entered into voting support agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their common shares in favour of the Transaction. In addition to shareholder and court approvals, the Transaction is subject to applicable regulatory approvals including TSX and NYSE American approval and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature.

The Arrangement Agreement provides for, among other things customary board support and non-solicitation covenants, with fiduciary out provisions that allow Guyana Goldfields to accept a superior proposal, subject to a right to match period in favour of Silvercorp. The Arrangement Agreement also provides for a termination fee of C$3.65 million to be paid by Guyana Goldfields to Silvercorp if the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in certain specified circumstances, and reimbursement of expenses for Silvercorp if the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in certain other specified circumstances.

None of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Transaction have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws, and any securities issuable in the Transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

Management Team and Board of Directors

The combined entity will continue to have its headquarters in Vancouver and detailed integration plans will be finalized over the next few months.

Advisors and Counsel

Canaccord Genuity Corp. is acting as financial advisor to Silvercorp and McCarthy Tetrault LLP is acting as Silvercorps legal advisor.

RBC Capital Markets is acting as financial advisor to Guyana Goldfields and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP is acting as Guyana Goldfields legal advisor.

Conference Call/Webcast

Management will host a joint conference call and webcast today, at 8:00 am Eastern Time / 5:00 am Pacific Time to provide further information. Participants are advised to dial in five minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the call. A presentation will be made available on both companies websites prior to the webcast. Webcast details:

Date: April 27, 2020 at 8:00 am Eastern Time / 5:00 am Pacific Time Toll-free: Canada/USA 1-800-319-4610 International 1-604-638-5340 Hong Kong 800-930-470





Conference ID

10009469

Webcast: http://services.choruscall.ca/links/silvercorp20200427.html

About Silvercorp



Silvercorp is a profitable Canadian mining company producing silver, lead and zinc metals in concentrates from mines in China. The Companys goal is to continuously create healthy returns to shareholders through efficient management, organic growth and the acquisition of profitable projects. Silvercorp balances profitability, social and environmental relationships, employees wellbeing, and sustainable development.

About Guyana Goldfields

Guyana Goldfields Inc. is a Canadian based gold producer primarily focused on the exploration, development and operation of gold deposits in Guyana, South America.

For further information

Silvercorp Metals Inc.

Lon Shaver

Vice President

Phone: (604) 669-9397

Toll Free 1(888) 224-1881

Email: investor@silvercorp.ca

Website: www.silvercorp.ca Guyana Goldfields Inc.

Annie Sismanian

Vice President, Corporate Finance & Investor Relations

Phone: (416) 933-5495

Email: asismanian@guygold.com

Website: www.guygold.com

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER - FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain of the statements and information in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as expects, is expected, anticipates, believes, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, intends, strategies, targets, goals, forecasts, objectives, budgets, schedules, potential or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the price of silver and other metals; the accuracy of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates at the Companys material properties; the sufficiency of the Companys capital to finance the Companys operations; estimates of the Companys revenues and capital expenditures; estimated production from the Companys mines in the Ying Mining District; timing of receipt of permits and regulatory approvals; availability of funds from production to finance the Companys operations; and access to and availability of funding for future construction, use of proceeds from any financing and development of the Companys properties.

Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, risks relating to: fluctuating commodity prices; calculation of resources, reserves and mineralization and precious and base metal recovery; interpretations and assumptions of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates; exploration and development programs; feasibility and engineering reports; permits and licenses; title to properties; property interests; joint venture partners; acquisition of commercially mineable mineral rights; financing; recent market events and conditions; economic factors affecting the Company; timing, estimated amount, capital and operating expenditures and economic returns of future production; integration of future acquisitions into the Companys existing operations; competition; operations and political conditions; regulatory environment in China and Canada; environmental risks; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; insurance; risks and hazards of mining operations; key personnel; conflicts of interest; dependence on management; internal control over financial reporting as per the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; and bringing actions and enforcing judgments under U.S. securities laws.

This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements or information are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and actual achievements of the Company or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in the Companys Annual Information Form for the year ended March 31, 2019 under the heading Risk Factors. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

The Companys forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or managements assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said that over 600 people in Direct Provision have been moved to a different site because of physical distancing and cocooning measures.

Over 600 people in Direct Provision have been moved to a different site because of physical distancing and cocooning measures.

The Minister for Justice confirmed that almost 8,000 asylum seekers are being provided with accommodation and support across the State.

There have been concerns about the ability of people living in Direct Provision to social distance and self-isolate because of cramped conditions.

However, Charlie Flanagan told the Dail on Wednesday that the number of people sharing a room is a maximum of three.

Mr Flanagan claimed that the HSE has assured his department that its handling of residents in Direct Provision centres is appropriate.

HSE advice has evolved over a period of time and weve evolved our responses with it, he said.

Weve been assured by both the HSE and the office of the chief medical officer that our approach to this issue is appropriate.

From the outset we recognise the need for offsite self-isolation facilities for individuals identified in four suitable premises, Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Dundalk, with a capacity for 299 people.

Self-isolation facilities have nonprofit section 39 organisations on site, providing psychosocial support to residents and residents that are being supported by HSE health care professionals.

Since the start of the year, over 1,550 permanent and temporary new beds have been procured in the new centres.

Over 600 residents have relocated to support social and physical distancing in centres and cocooning measures.

Weve reduced the number of people sharing a room to a maximum of three and such shared spaces constitute household in line with the HSE national guidance and congregated settings.

He said that all residents over the age of 65 have been cocooning including those who have a medical illness.

More generally residents been made aware of the need to practice social and physical distance, good hand hygiene coughing, sneezing etiquette, Mr Flanagan added.

All managers have been given detailed HSE guidance.

It comes as the minister also confirmed that immigration permissions, due to expire between May 20 and July 20 2020, will be automatically extended for two months.

This includes people in Ireland on short stay visas and those whose permissions have already been extended by the previous notice issued on March 20.
OTTAWAMisinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic is reaching a majority of Canadians who use social media and popular apps, suggests an online survey by Ryerson University researchers.

Nearly seven in 10 people who responded to an online survey from the Social Media Lab at Ryersons Ted Rogers School of Management said they had personally encountered misinformation about the global health crisis on social media platforms, or on popular aggregator websites like Reddit.

The infodemic seems to be most acute on Facebook, where 80 per cent of users responded they encounter COVID-19 misinformation sometimes or more frequently. But while Facebook users were more likely to encounter misinformation, researcher Anatoliy Gruzd said misinformation is platform-agnostic.

Misinformation can start as a post on Facebook, morph into an image on Instagram, and then become a part of a YouTube video, said Gruzd on Tuesday. The survey included 1,500 adult Canadian internet users, and was conducted between April 7 and April 19. The results were weighted by region, age and gender for a more representative sample, based on 2019 Statistics Canada population estimates.

The findings come as Facebook announced it had flagged 50 million pieces of COVID-19 misinformation circulating on the platform in April.

Based on the research of independent fact-checking agencies, the social media giant slapped warnings on the false content. According to the company, once a piece of content is flagged as misinformation, 95 per cent of users scroll past it without clicking.

But even a cursory glance at some Canadian Facebook groups show that borderline content  such as articles calling COVID-19 a political hoax or conspiracy theories about the nature of the pandemic  remain online with no warning.

We are removing content that could cause harm to people. (But) for other false news, like conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus we are reducing its distribution so less people see it and informing people with more context about why its false, said Alex Kucharski, a spokesperson for Facebook Canada.

We always encourage people to report false news and content that they dont think should be on Facebook. We also encourage people, as always, to check links and verify the post is from a verified source.

Gruzd and co-author Philip Mai found when Canadians encounter misinformation online, theyre most likely to consult other sources to verify that information. But 69 per cent of respondents said theyre also likely to spend less time on the platform or app where misinformation is spreading.

This is yet more evidence why social media companies should take the spread of misinformation on their platform more seriously, as it may lead to fewer people using their sites, their report read.

Read more about:
With the month of May bringing even more opportunities for all of us to adjust how we celebrate meaningful events, Girl Scouts are here to help. Those famous Girl Scout Cookies (typically not available this time of year) are on sale from a local Girl Scout through May 31.

Memorial Day, graduations and commencements (even if virtual) are all perfect events to share extra joy in the form of a Girl Scout Cookie.

Its important to remember that this little bit of sweet comfort also provides a remarkable opportunity for young girls to be creative and collaborate through the Girl Scout Cookie Program. When a Girl Scout commits to participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, she is essentially running her own business . . . becoming an entrepreneur by building her own web page (using the Digital Cookie Online platform), creating a sales plan, sending personal communications to friends and family, and fulfilling a customer order.

While most people crave a favorite cookie, that customers demand for Thin Mints, Samoas or Do-si-Dos, also provides an opportunity for Girl Scouts to develop five essential skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Here are some fun facts about Girl Scout Cookies:

Most caloric cookie : its a tie! Both the Samoa and the Smore cookie are 75 calories each.

Most nutritious (remember, its not a piece of fruit!: gluten-free Toffee Tastic.

Best-selling cookie (both locally and nationally)  no surprise that its the Thin Mint. (Why dont I get thin when I eat them, I wonder?)

Across the country, there are two bakers that make Girl Scout Cookies. Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA (GSHPA) partners with Little Brownie Bakers. Heres just one of our favorite recipes from their website to whet your appetite  the Tagalongs Do-Si-Dos Cake.

Hopefully, you are excited knowing that you can still get a favorite comfort food in May, so heres the details on how to satisfy that craving.

Customers can easily find local Girl Scout troops that are activity selling by using a sweet tool  the Cookie Pop Up Shop! Customers can quickly find a local troop, connect with Girl Scouts selling Girl Scout Cookies . . . and (even better!) get discounted shipping on direct delivery of nine or more packages of those tasty treats.

The Cookie Pop Up Shop enables customers to punch in a zip code and bring up a list of troops actively selling Girl Scout Cookies. The digital tool is available on the Girl Scouts of the Heart of PA website under the Find Cookies page.

Customers also can call GSPA at 1-800-692-7816 and ask Members Services to be connected to a local troop, based on where the customer lives. Direct delivery of cookies is available immediately through a Girl Scouts Digital Online Cookie web page; and contactless delivery (by dropping off at an outside porch/patio) is also available, as long as social distancing guidelines are followed.

Whatever your favorite cookie is (heres an introduction to each delicious cookie, in case you need help deciding), Girl Scouts are very grateful for your support of their efforts to build entrepreneurial skills and for the activities each troop can pursue, thanks to proceeds from the Cookie Program.

Amy J. Mountain is Director of Communications, Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania (GSHPA).
LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hightimes Holding Corp . (High Times or The Company), the owner of High Times, the most well-known brand in cannabis, announced today participation in the Canaccord Genuity Fourth Annual Cannabis Conference.



Adam Levin, High Times Executive Chairman; Peter Horvath, Chief Executive Officer; and Paul Henderson, President and Chief Operating Officer will be meeting with prospective investors to discuss The Companys strategy and growth trajectory.

The announcement comes in the final days of Hightimes Holding Corp.s Regulation A+ IPO campaign. Investors interested in becoming a shareholder are encouraged to visit hightimesinvestor.com to view the High Times offering circular. You can also email invest@hightimes.com or call with the brands investment hotline at 1 (833) BUY-HTHC(833-289-4842). View our latest Regulation A+ offering circular and our SEC filings at https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1714420/000149315219008495/partii.htmand https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse edgar?company=hightimes&owner=exclude&action=getcompany.

About High Times:

For more than 45 years, High Times has been the worlds most well-known cannabis brand - championing the lifestyle and educating the masses on the benefits of this natural flower. From humble beginnings as a counterculture lifestyle publication, High Times has evolved into hosting industry-leading events like the Cannabis Cup and the High Times Business Summit, while providing digital TV and social networks, globally distributed merchandise, international licensing deals and providing content for its millions of fans and supporters across the globe. In the world of Cannabis, High Times is the arbiter of quality. For more information on High Times visit http://www.hightimes.com .

About Red White & Bloom:

Red White & Bloom, building on its first mover advantage (through its investments and pending acquisitions in the states of Michigan, Massachusetts and Illinois) is a multi-state operator that enters markets at scale. Our torch symbol signifies a company unparalleled in its commitment to quality: from its plans to create the first-ever standardized cannabis facility in the U.S. through to offering premium brands at the retail level. The Companys portfolio (following completion of the pending acquisitions) will include superior brands and proprietary product development capabilities, focused on a house of brands strategy in both cannabis as well as hemp-derived products.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains information about Hightimes Holding Corp.s view of its future expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. In addition, consummation of the transactions contemplated with Harvest Health or any other dispensaries remain subject to certain closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory and third-party consents. The parties are aiming to close the Harvest Health acquisitions no later than June 30,2020, subject to the parties mutual agreement to extend the closing date.

Actual results may differ materially from historical results or those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors including, but not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with its ability to maintain and grow its business, variability of operating results, its development and introduction of new products and services, marketing and other business development initiatives, among other things. For further information about Hightimes, Hightimes encourages you to review its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 1-A Offering Circular dated July 27, 2018, its Offering Circular supplement dated May 31, 2019, and all subsequent filings, including its Current Reports on Form 1-U, dated May 05, 2020.

Connect with Us & Consume our Content at

Websites:

https://hightimesinvestor.com/

https://hightimes.com/

https://ir.hightimes.com/

https://dopemagazine.com/

http://culturemagazine.com/

https://greenrushdaily.com/

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Media Inquiries

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A Palestinian rock-thrower killed an Israeli soldier in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday and police wounded a Palestinian who tried to stab security staff at a checkpoint, Israeli authorities said.

The separate events marred a relative lull in West Bank violence during the coronavirus outbreak. Palestinians and Israelis have restricted their movements and, to a degree, cooperated on measures in response to the crisis.

On Thursday, however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to swear in a new coalition government whose agenda includes a possible declaration of sovereignty over Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank - a de facto annexation. [nL8N2CT604]

The Israeli military said a 21-year-old conscript died after being struck in the head by a rock thrown from a rooftop in Yabad village, near Jenin, as his special forces unit withdrew after detaining four wanted Palestinians.

The military said troops were back in the village, searching for the rock-thrower, and Netanyahu said on Twitter that Israel would "settle the score with him".

A few hours later, a Palestinian tried to stab Israeli security staff at Qalandiya, a checkpoint around 50 km (30 miles) to the south on the West Bank boundary and was shot, an Israeli police spokesman said. The wounded Palestinian was taken by ambulance to hospital in critical condition, an Israeli emergency service said.

The Palestinians want the West Bank for a future state and deem Israeli settlements there illegal, as do most world powers. Israel and the United States dispute that view.

U.S.-backed peacemaking between the two sides broke down in 2014.

Israel's proposed territorial steps in the West Bank are expected to be discussed during a one-day visit on Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who will meet Netanyahu as well as the premier's designated coalition partner, Benny Gantz.

"We (also) hope that we can convince the Palestinian leadership that they should engage with the Israelis on the basis of the (Trump) Vision for Peace," Pompeo told the Israel Hayom newspaper in an interview.

Story continues

President Donald Trump unveiled a new peace plan in January, but his administration has been boycotted by the Palestinians, who see bias in moves such as his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The initial Israeli raid on Yabad was launched to arrest Palestinians suspected of previously throwing rocks at Israeli cars and of other offences, the military spokesman said.

By midday, 16 Palestinians had been arrested in the Jenin area, Palestinian officials said.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Peter Graff and John Stonestreet)
(Newser)  Dunkin' says it has officially transitioned to paper cups at all of its global restaurants, eliminating "approximately one billion foam cups from the waste stream annually." Two years ago, the company vowed to phase out its polystyrene foam cups, in use for 20 years. Double-walled paper cups, with "heat retention properties comparable to the prior foam cups," will now be used in the US, according to a Monday statement.

story continues below

While the company acknowledges that some Dunkin' restaurants may still have a stockpile of foam cups, it says its distribution centers are no longer offering them, "making only the new, double-walled paper cups available to Dunkin' US franchisees." The paperboard cups aren't recyclable but they are more environmentally friendly than the foam cups, which were made from petroleum, per CBS Boston. Dunkin' plans to have recyclable cup lids available in the US by the end of summer, per WTHR. (Read more Dunkin' Donuts stories.)
Australian holidaymakers may be waiting far longer than hoped for their next overseas trip, with a top travel boss warning that it could take at least three years for international travel to return to normal.

The travel industry was brought to a crashing halt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with Australia closing its borders to all non-residents and non-Australian citizens on March 19.

Anyone returning from overseas must be quarantined in a hotel for two weeks, effectively ruling out any holidays abroad.

Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association, had hoped the industry could bounce back from the lockdowns but he now believes recovery will take far longer than expected.

While speaking to the ABC News Breakfast, he warned the industry won't fully recover until 2023.

Australians will be holidaying at home for the foreseeable future (pictured: a woman returning to Sydney)

International terminals will likely remain empty for some time as experts warn the indisrty will take years to recover

'What we have planned is to restart the industry, first by reopening domestic markets, then regional continental markets, such as Asia-Pacific, or Europe, or North America.

'At the end of 2020, the traffic should be between 50 to 55 per cent of the same level that was in place in 2019.

'So, we would lose something like half the traffic for the 2020.'

Both Australia and New Zealand currently require international arrivals to be isolated for 14 days, and the UK and Spain have also recently announced similar quarantine periods.

Mr de Juniac said international travel cannot re-start with mandatory quarantine periods in place, but the following 14-day quarantine period was deterrant to any would-be holidaymakers.

He said if there is a risk of quarantine when arriving to a country, most travellers would completely cancel their trips.

He proposed instead temperature checks and other measures at departure to keep symptomatic travelers from flying.

Airlines have been struggling to stay afloat amid the pandemic (pictured: Grounded Qantas planes)

'It is a risk-based layered approach to biosecurity that needs to be coordinated globally.

'That's important. The arriving country must be confident of the procedures in place at the departing airport. And travelers will need the reassurance of common measures.'

Australia's Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy has also ruled out international travel for the foreseeable future as there is 'no clear roadmap' to reopening the nation's borders.

He told a Senate inquiry into the government's response to COVID-19 on Wednesday that border closures remained essential to defeating the pandemic.

'I can't see, I have no vision at the moment on the current international scene where international border measures of some very strong vigour won't be necessary,' he said.

Australian residents returning from India are ushered towards waiting buses for the beginning of their 14-day mandatory quarantine

'There is no clear roadmap out of this.'

Professor Murphy said interstate and territory borders would be reopened long before overseas travel, noting COVID-19 cases were still being imported weekly through returned travellers.

He said Australia's strategy was to maintain strong suppression, or elimination in parts of the country, while slowly opening up the economy.

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 CEO Alan Joyce is confident that domestic operations could return to normal by July.

Last week he said the flying kangaroo had become the envy of the aviation world given the country's low infection rate and interstate travel market.

Two women drag their suitcases from the airport to a bus after returning from Cambodia

The current national baseline rules will be relaxed in three stages, with less risky activities such as sport and dining out starting before more dangerous ones such as clubbing and going to the cinema

'I don't think there is any other airline in the world that has a market that is more positive than what we have,' he told reporters.

While the airline will stay grounded for another two months, he said the carrier will remain on stand-by for a short notice return if the situation eases faster than expected.

'Australia has done an amazing job of flattening the curve and we're optimistic that domestic travel will start returning earlier than first thought,' he said.

But Mr Joyce also warned 'we clearly won't be back to pre-coronavirus levels anytime soon.'
Key highlights

SJM welcomes PM's Self-Reliant India Mission

Says it vindicates the group's 30 years of struggle

Endorses decision to invite foreign investments

Wants curb on repatriation of royalties

RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan', or 'self Reliant India Mission' is a vindication of SJM's 30 years of struggle to see India economically independent and self-reliant.

"PM Modi has set the foundation for India to take not only quantum jump, but also create more opportunities and respect for the indigenous entrepenuers. The PM's appeal has a large reach, and it will strengthen indigenous and local brands among the consumers, to ultimately become global brands. The constant endorsement by PM Modi would help these entrepreneurs get more respect and acceptance globally," Ashwani Mahajan, National Co Convenor, SJM said.

Also read: Deciphering economic stimulus: What will revive economy, what won't!

Also read: Stimulus package: What's for different sectors? Sitharaman may spell out details today

Mahajan welcomed the announcement of Rs 20 lakh crore COVID-19 stimulus, and hoped the fine details of thepackage 'will not only lead to end the ills of badly designed and implemented 1991 liberalisation and subsequent integration into exploitative globalisation; but will lead to employment oriented inclusive growth'.

SJM stated that COVID 19 has already accelerated the collapse of the existing model of globalisation. "The era of economies of scale is passe, and the forthcoming era is of economies of scope," Mahajan said.

Also read: Investors gain Rs 3 lakh crore after PM Narendra Modi announces Rs 20 lakh crore Covid relief package

SJM also emphasised on Modi's identification of five pillars for achieving self-reliance; a) economy with potential for quantum jump, not incremental growth, b) investments in infrastructure, c) technology driven services, d) demographic dividend and e) reforming the supply chain. The nationalist group supported PM's efforts to create the plug and play infrastructure for all global investors who want to shift their base from China to India, but with a rider. The must not allowed to repatriate royalties and the investments should be for export oriented products. "If they want to sell their products to the Indian markets, then custom and other import tariffs should apply", Mahajan added.

Also read: Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore package paves way for massive money printing
Britain's plan to exempt France from its proposed 14-day quarantine for arrivals into the UK should apply to every EU member state, the European Commission has warned.

It comes amid concerns that British people returning home for Florida face being quarantined while French travellers would not.

Ministers have also said that if citizens on the continent are once again able to freely move between states, they can simply bypass the country in which they reside and travel from France instead.

After Boris Johnson (left) told President Emmanuel Macron that French travellers wouldn't face quarantine, the European Commission has said the privilege must extend to all EU states

Ex-Border Force director general Tony Smith told the Daily Telegraph: 'It would be difficult to see how this could work operationally if you had a different process for the French.'

It follows French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly demanding exemption from Boris Johnson on Sunday.

Both leaders produced a joint statement following their phone call detailing an exemption for travellers from France.

A European Commission spokesman said that Britain is still subject to EU free movement rules while it is in the transition period before leaving the bloc at the end of the year.

'Restrictions to free movement, as well as lifting restrictions, have to comply with the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination,' he said.

'We would expect that the UK in this case would apply the same kind of exemptions to arrivals from other member states, which are in a similar epidemiological situation as France.'

Under the Government's plans, all people arriving at airports, ports and on Eurostar trains will be required to provide an address at which they will immediately self-isolate for 14 days to ensure they are coronavirus-free.

The authorities will conduct spot checks, with punishments of up to 1,000 fines and deportation for those breaching quarantine.

The plans mean that any UK traveller wanting to go on a fortnight's holiday to countries other than France will have be away from their place of work for four weeks as they will need to quarantine for two weeks on their return to Britain.

The only exemptions for other countries and territories fall within the common travel area - Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

There will be other exemptions made for key freight arrivals such as medical supplies and food.

People for whom exemptions will be made are expected to include doctors, scientists and law enforcement officers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:00:45|Editor: huaxia

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ISTANBUL, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Children under 14 years old in Turkey were allowed outside on Wednesday for the first time in 40 days as part of the country's COVID-19 normalization plan.

As soon as their four-hour permit started at 11:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), little kids with their parents and older ones with their friends flocked into parks, playgrounds, and seasides in Turkey's biggest city Istanbul.

Wearing protective facial masks, they enjoyed fresh air outside, riding bikes, and playing with their peers.

A seaside park in the Kucukcekmece district in the European part of the city was filled with children who were trying to fly kites, playing around and having a walk under the sun.

"While you were at home, we repaired the playgroups in all our parks, and we disinfected them all for your health," tweeted Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul.

A neighborhood park with moderate size in the crowded Besiktas district was crowded with around 30 to 40 children.

Some parents were observed talking to each other without considering the social distancing rule, which raised concerns about the spread of COVID-19 among passersby. Some people warned them to pay more attention to their distance.

The age group between 15 and 20 years old would be allowed to go outside for the first time on Friday.

In Turkey, those who are 20 years old and under have been under lockdown since April 4 as part of the government's measures against the pandemic. Enditem
Gerry Adams historic convictions for attempting to escape from the Maze Prison in the 1970s have been overturned by the UKs highest court after it ruled that his detention was unlawful.

The former Sinn Fein leader claimed his two 1975 convictions were unsafe because his detention was not personally considered by a senior government minister.

Mr Adams, 71, attempted to escape from the Maze  also known as Long Kesh internment camp  on Christmas Eve 1973 and again in July 1974.

He was later sentenced to a total of four and a half years.

At a hearing in November, Mr Adams lawyers argued that, because the interim custody order (ICO) used to initially detain him in July 1973 was not authorised by the then-secretary of state for Northern Ireland Willie Whitelaw, his detention was unlawful and his convictions should be overturned.

Announcing the Supreme Courts judgment at a remote hearing today, Lord Kerr  the former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland  said the court had unanimously allowed Mr Adams appeal and had quashed his convictions.

The judge said Mr Adams detention was unlawful because it had not been considered personally by Mr Whitelaw.

Lord Kerr said: The making of the ICO in respect of the appellant was invalid since the secretary of state had not himself considered it.

In consequence, Mr Adams detention was unlawful, hence his convictions of attempting to escape from lawful custody were, likewise, unlawful.

Lord Kerr added: The appeal is therefore allowed and his convictions are quashed.
Over the past year, as the Indian economy was getting mired in a deep slowdown, government expenditure grew 11.8 per cent in Q3 FY2020. Much of this was spent on building infrastructure, which created demand for cement, steel and construction businesses. The other three drivers of India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth were on shaky territory. Private consumption expenditure rose 5.86 per cent and business investment fell 5.16 per cent while net exports dipped 1.1 per cent.

However, in the post-coronavirus world, government spending on infrastructure could be one of the biggest casualties as focus shifts to health and disaster management. But a balancing act will be required to keep the momentum going. After all, the economic impact of investing less in infrastructure is very high given its multiplier effect on economic activity and job creation. Worse, any cut in infrastructure spending will put at risk the government's plan to make India a $5-trillion economy by 2025, for which infrastructure spending of $1.5 trillion is the key. Of this $1.5 trillion, 80 per cent is expected to come from central and state governments.

Any lowering of government spending on infrastructure will also hit private players that are already implementing big projects as their payments will be delayed. The operators of existing projects are anyway suffering as passenger and freight traffic across road, rail, sea and air has come to a virtual standstill.

Fight for Infra

The battle has just begun. While operational projects will see lower traffic, there will be fewer new projects. Banks, after having burnt their fingers in road projects in the not-too-distant past, will be extra cautious in lending. They could reassess risk even in case of sanctioned loans. In such a situation, the government will have to clear bills of developers on priority, make contracts more investor-friendly and maintain the current level of spending.

"Realistically speaking, infrastructure investment will take a backseat because the government has to give priority to healthcare. Money will go to the health sector and after that infrastructure. While not committing itself to new investments, the government should keep the present projects going so that they do not move towards bankruptcy. They should be protected," says Hemant Kanoria, Chairman, Srei Infrastructure Finance.

This is not going to be easy. Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit the Indian economy, the first advance estimates for FY2020 had pegged gross domestic product (GDP) growth at an 11-year low of 5 per cent, down from 6.1 per cent in FY2019. Now, that will be revised downwards sharply. The outlook for the current fiscal is bleaker as coronavirus takes a toll on the economy. The World Bank recently said India's growth could slip to 1.5-2.8 per cent as the world heads towards its worst recession in decades.

"I think everything will have to be revisited. The world will change. Growth of traffic, tourism, logistics will be different. So, even the government's focus and priorities will get reassigned to sectors like healthcare, and allocation to roads may be hit in the short term. It will take more time for normalcy to return and the government will see what its priorities are," says Vishwas Udgirkar, Partner, Deloitte India.

The Modi government has been giving top priority to road building and allocating higher budget to the sector year after year. In one of the most innovative ideas, it came out with the hybrid annuity model (HAM), reducing private developers' equity burden significantly. HAM emerged as a popular mode of bidding among private developers. The traditional engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and HAM have been propelling growth in the sector. Under HAM, the government or NHAI provide 40 per cent of the project cost to developers during the execution phase. The balance 60 per cent is arranged by developers as debt and equity which they recover from the highway authority in annuities. In an EPC contract, the entire project cost is borne by the government. Industry experts believe that the build operate transfer (BoT) toll mode of bidding will now take time to pick up as private developers will not take traffic risks in the wake of slowdown triggered by the surge in coronavirus cases. The BOT is a popular bidding mode for private sector.

Asset monetisation plans, too, are likely to get deferred, as companies may avoid new investments till normalcy is restored, though even from the seller's point of view this is not the right time to offload assets as valuations will be at a substantial discount. Therefore, both toll-operate-transfer and InvIT plans may not bear fruit in near future. Redeployment of budgetary resources and slow progress on asset monetisation are likely to affect infrastructure funding. "In BoT projects, propensity to take traffic risk will be lower. Banks will also reassess risks and be cautious. Hence, revival of BoT, if at all it happens, will be slow," says Sandeep Upadhyay, MD (Infrastructure Advisory), Centrum Capital. The government may also go slow on fresh bids. "On the flip side, given the rising unemployment, boosting construction activity can be a major way for the government to neutralise the impact of Covid-19," he adds.

Going forward, there is a possibility of banks and financial institutions going slow on giving credit for infrastructure projects due to time and cost overruns. The extended completion time means lower profitability for private developers. This could affect their ability to take loans. "On a temporary basis, there will be impact on credit availability given the volatile situation. (Right now), lenders' focus is on taking care of additional requirements of existing borrowers along with recoveries post moratorium. From lenders' point of view, for the infrastructure sector, there is no change in risk perception. Post-Covid, credit availability shouldn't be a challenge for the sector," says Rajeshwar Burla, Vice President, Corporate Ratings, ICRA.

An Indebted NHAI

As most highway projects are funded with public money, the borrowings of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have swelled over the last few years, raising doubts about the authority's sustainability. The NHAI's total debt has ballooned to Rs 2,28,252 crore in FY2020 (till February) from Rs 24,188 crore in FY15. However, a former NHAI member allays such concerns and says the debt is manageable and not alarming. "It is a very robust model. If traffic is low, the concession period could be extended by five years or the NHAI may bid out projects through other models. The funds were raised after doing the repayment analysis. It is within the norms of leveraging. In fact, it is much safer compared to other businesses," he says.

While uncertainty continues across sectors, highway developers and experts see infrastructure development taking a hit only in the short term. "The government will be very aggressive as far as infrastructure is concerned. Infrastructure will continue to play a key role in economic growth. The sector is a major employer of unskilled labour in the country. Though there are other priority areas, too, basic infrastructure like railways, roads and power will continue to be the focus," says Satish Parakh, Managing Director, Ashoka Buildcon. Asked if there will be challenges in getting working capital from banks, Parakh says it has been a manageable issue so far but in case the lockdown extends to two-three months, it could become a problem.

Experts say it is important to provide funds for existing projects to complete them. An operational asset will help generate revenue and enable authorities to bid out new projects. A stuck project also adds to the stress on banks balance sheets, which have already been under pressure due to high NPAs. While it will be difficult to revive them once they get stuck, onset of monsoon is set to slow down the pace of construction. As the government has now eased lockdown restrictions to kickstart some economic activities including construction of key highway stretches, the private developers are grappling with supply disruption of inputs like steel, cement and bitumen. The broken supply chain threatens to hamper work flow and eventually result in time and cost overruns. While invoking force majeure clause by developers would get them extension to complete the projects, they will still have to bear some expenses which could eat into their profits. Construction activities generally peak during the January-June period and enter the lull phase after the onset of monsoon, which goes on till September.

"If the government does not complete the project, it will end up spending double the amount to revive it. It does not make sense to pull money from committed projects. You may relook at new projects," says Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Director, Crisil Infrastructure Advisory. He says in projects where developers have completed 70-80 per cent work, there will be significant debt, so faster and quicker mechanism should be put in place to avoid cost and time overruns.

The Emerging Opportunity

Delay in resolving one project could have a wider effect as developers have a portfolio of projects. So, experts feel the tone by the authority has to be accommodative. It must find resolution for all so that the impact is minimal. Developers see release of funds as the key to continuing the momentum and remain hopeful of a stimulus package that will meet their expectations. While they will get extension for completing the projects, a temporary loan by the government - adjustable against future revenues - is being seen as a big support.

As the world goes into slowdown and takes at least a year to recover, the silver lining is that India is still expected to grow at 2 per cent. Also, global manufacturing giants have started looking to shift their manufacturing base from China to alternative low-cost locations. India can turn the coronavirus crisis into an opportunity.

@nirbhaykumar1
The service is now available exclusively at IOPE Lab, the brand's recently re-opened flagship store located in Seoul's downtown Myeongdong shopping district. Dedicated to the future of skin research, IOPE LAB offers consumers high-end beauty solutions that are personalized by carefully measuring skin conditions.

With its re-opening, IOPE LAB introduces exclusive programs that tap genetic analysis for skin and bespoke services together with IOPE's research expertise. These include Skin Future Solution Program, which uses genetic analysis for skin and Tailored Solution Program, which offers Lab Tailored 3D Masks and Serums.

Skin Future Solution Program analyzes the customer's genes and measures his or her skin conditions precisely. One of the tools used in the process is IOPE's 'Lab Geno Index', a genetic analysis kit co-developed with Theragen Bio. The service analyzes 26 genes, including 13 types of skin genes and 13 types of health-related genes, from different angles and blends the findings of the genetic testing with seven common skin concerns to provide the most efficient skincare solutions.

Tailored Solution Program was created for consumers seeking customized solutions for their skin type and unique skin problems. Lab Tailored 3D Mask and Lab Tailored Serums are made based on high-precision skin measurement, enabling a perfect fit and solution. Using advanced 3D printing technology, a hydrogel mask that is tailored to each customer's facial features is created in the shop, so that it perfectly adheres to the skin. 6 different active ingredients can be applied to various parts of the face, including forehead, nose, cheeks, and the areas around the eyes and mouth. As for Lab Tailored Serum, it is prepared on the spot by mixing the optimal ingredients for the customers' skin type and problems. 20 versions of the Serum are available with four base formulas and five solutions. The Lab Tailored 3D Masks and Serums can be purchased separately.

"We are actively fusing a range of advanced technologies with Amorepacific's extensive expertise in beauty R&D to create new technologies that can truly make a difference for our customers, while at the same time introducing new digital methods and skin solutions that help us create groundbreaking customized beauty solutions," said Wonseok Aiden Park, head of Amorepacific Basic Research & Innovation Division. "For example, IOPE's Lab Tailored 3D Mask and the genetic analysis for skin that we've demonstrated is the fruit of such efforts and we will continue to push forward to produce innovative research results and take the lead in the burgeoning personalized cosmetics market."

These services adhere to the Korean government's newly created legal framework that guides customized cosmetic sales, issued for the first time anywhere in the world on March 14th. The law defines personalized cosmetics as products made on the spot by mixing ingredients required for individual customers based on skin analysis and counseling and then dividing the mix into small quantities. It allows customers to buy as much of a product made for their skin tone and personal preferences as they want.

Amorepacific started its personalized cosmetics business in 2017 as a pilot project and has since provided bespoke cosmetics services in both the makeup and skincare categories, including LANEIGE's My Delicious Therapy, ETUDE's My Lip Bar, eSpoir's Color Mix Bar, and innisfree's My Recipe Bar for personalized face and body care, all at their respective flagship brand stores.

About Amorepacific

Since 1945, Amorepacific has had a single, clear mission: to present its unique perception of beauty namely what it calls 'Asian Beauty'  to the world. As Korea's leading Beauty Company, Amorepacific draws from its deep understanding of both nature and human to pursue harmony between inner and outer beauty. With its portfolio of over 20 cosmetics, personal care, and health care brands, Amorepacific is devoted to meeting the various lifestyles and needs of global consumers around the world: Asia, North America, Europe, Oceania and the Middle East. Amorepacific's research hubs located around the world are dedicated to sustainable R&D that combine the best of natural Asian ingredients and advanced bio-technology. With its world-class products, Amorepacific is acclaimed for the innovative ways in which it is transforming global beauty trends.

SOURCE Amorepacific
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) said its Sokoto Zonal Office has arrested two Chinese, Mr. Meng Wei Kun and Mr. Xu Koi for offering a sum of N50million ( Fifty Million Naira) only as bribe to its Zonal Head, Mr. Abdullahi Lawal.

EFCC in a statement yesterday in Abuja by its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale disclosed that the suspects were arrested on Monday, May 11, 2020 in Sokoto.

According to Oyewale, the bribe was allegedly offered in a desperate bid to compromise ongoing investigations of a construction company, China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd, handling contracts awarded by the Zamfara State Government to the tune of N50billion (Fifty Billion Naira) between 2012 to 2019.

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The Spokesperson further disclosed that the zonal office of the Commission is investigating the construction company in connection with the execution of contracts for the construction of township roads in Gummi, Bukkuyun, Anka and Nassarawa towns of Zamfara State; and also the construction of 168 (One Hundred And Sixty-eight) solar-powered boreholes in the 14 local government areas of the state.

He continued: Alarmed by the consistency and professionalism of investigation being conducted, the company reached out to Lawal with an offer of N100million ( One Hundred Million Naira) as bribe to bury the matter./

In a grand design to trap the corrupt officials, Lawal played along, and on Monday, two representatives of the company Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi offered him cash totaling N50million (Fifty Million Naira) in their office along Airport Road, Sokoto. The cash was offered as a first installment

The suspects were promptly arrested with the cash as an evidence

Investigation of the construction company was informed by an intelligence on alleged conspiracy; misappropriation of public funds; embezzlement; official corruption; abuse of office, stealing and money laundering obtained against the Zamfara State government through inflated and uncompleted contracts awarded to the company

Investigations have so far revealed that China Zounghao Ltd has received payments of over N41billion (Forty One Billion Naira) from the Zamfara State government, out of which about N16, 000, 000, 000. 00 (Sixteen Billion Naira) equivalent of over $US53,000,000.00 (Fifty Three Million US Dollars) was allegedly diverted and traced to some bureau de change operators.
Lisa Urso, 52, was found dead at her home in Fox Lake area of Ingleside, northern Illinois, according to FOX News Illinois.

Officers who responded to the scene after 4:43 p.m. Saturday found her mutilated body on the back porch. Fox Lake Police Chief Jimmy Lee said the woman was supposed to meet up with co-workers Saturday. When she didnt show, they came to check on her.

An autopsy confirmed she died from injuries sustained from her pet French bulldog attacked her. The coroners office said the attack began inside the home but Urso managed to make it out to the porch, where she died, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Toxicology results are pending.

You dont really think about it happening with a smaller dog breed but we forget animals can be powerful, Lake County coroner Dr. Howard Cooper told WGN. This animal has a lot of jaw strength.

Suburban woman mauled to death by her French bulldog she had recently adopted: https://t.co/slVkxNyFQp pic.twitter.com/5vYQEYhGqi  WGN TV News (@WGNNews) May 13, 2020

The dog that fatally attacked Urso was recently adopted by Urso and had originally been bred to fight, according to Cooper. He also indicated that most of the bite marks were on her legs and arms. Some on her torso as well. Just a lot of bites. A lot of scratching, he said. I hate to say it but unfortunately it was a vicious attack.

That animal, as well as a second French bulldog and a border collie, were removed from the home and are in the custody of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

An investigation is ongoing. Chief Lee said there were signs of a struggle inside the home, and blood was found on the other French bulldog. It was unclear if her other pets were involved or had intervened.

Urso lived with her boyfriend, who was not at home at the time of the fatal attack. He himself had been attacked by the same French bulldog last month, and the animal was taken away, Chief Lee said. Urso had gone back to animal control to retrieve the dog, which obviously, was returned to her, the Daily Herald reported.

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Ghanas projected economic growth this year will slow from the initial 6 percent to about 2 percent, Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the Minister of Information has said.



He said the development would also affect the macro-fiscal position and would require the government to make adjustments.



Briefing the media on the emergency cabinet retreat held last week as a result of COVID-19, Mr Oppong-Nkrumah said the slippage was occasioned by the massive cut in national revenues due to the global economic slowdown.



At the meeting, he said all ministers made a presentation on the impact and effort to recover from the slow down.



He said the Minister of Finance was working to ensure that the fiscal slippage was reduced to the barest minimum.



Mr Oppong-Nkrumah said the Ministry of Finance had been tasked to put together a recovery programme on how fiscal expansion could assist specific sectors of the economy to achieve a rebound of the economy.



He said the programme would be presented to parliament after prior approval from cabinet.



Mr Oppong-Nkrumah said the government would continue to prioritize health, roads, education, food and agriculture, security and social protection.

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
A scene in the American superhero film "The Old Guard." Photo courtesy of Netflix.

"The Old Guard, featuring Vietnamese actress and film producer Ngo Thanh Van alongside Hollywood star Charlize Theron, will premiere on Netflix on July 10.

Based on the comic book of the same name, the movie will star Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The story focuses on a pack of centuries-old immortal mercenaries forced into battle after their extraordinary abilities are exposed.

Van's role has yet to be revealed. In June 2019, she relocated to the U.K for casting and to learn horse riding in preparation for the role.

Vietnamese actress Ngo Thanh Van on the set of "The Old Guard" in the U.K., 2019.

Earlier, American director Spike Lee announced his new film "Da 5 Bloods" would premiere on Netflix on June 12, also featuring Ngo Thanh Van. It was filmed in Vietnam last summer, when Lee posted a photo of himself and Van, or Veronica Ngo, online, saying she would play Hanoi Hannah.

Van is no stranger to Hollywood. She has acted in "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2" and "Star Wars: The Last Jedi".

Vietnamese action film "Hai Phuong" (Furie), produced by Van, also its lead actress, ran on Netflix last year.
Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on Tuesday evening, Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the PMs 'Vocal for Local' remark, saying that "while the local brands helped us in the times of crisis, we should pledge to use more and more local products and make our local global".

In a series of tweets, Shah said that it is time to make the sentence "the 21st century will be the century when India shines" true.



He added that this could only be achieved if 130 crore Indians unite to follow the "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) pledge.



"Today, the Prime Minister made a special appeal. In this odd situation when everything was closed, the locals became our hard-time companions and supported us. Therefore, the time has come for us to pledge to use more and more local products and make our local global," Shah tweeted in Hindi.





Shah also hailed the Prime Minister's leadership amid the crisis, saying his leadership has given a new direction to the world.



"In this challenging time, the new India not only handled itself vigorously, but also helped the whole world, which changed the way the world views India today," Shah said.



He also praised the Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by the Prime Minister.



The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced stimulus measures which will take the total amount announced by the Ministry of Finance and the RBI to Rs 20 lakh crore or 10 per cent of the GDP.



Shah said that the package will include interests of the poor, farmers, middle class and business class as well.



"The package will empower every section and make the country self-reliant," Shah said.



According to the Prime Minister, it is now the time to make India self-sufficient in every way and every Indian should buy and promote local goods.
Senegal is easing covid-19 restrictions starting on Tuesday, including the reopening of mosques and churches.

Mosques are now allowed to reopen for prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, and churches will also be allowed to accept worshippers.

The night-time curfew has also been reduced by two hours and will now run from 21:00 to 05:00 local time.

Markets and businesses, which have only been allowed to open a few days a week during the lockdown, will now only need to be closed for a days cleaning each week.

In a televised address late on Monday, President Macky Sall said that Senegalese people would need to adapt individual and collective behaviour and learn to live with the virus.

The announcement came as the country recorded 177 new cases on Monday, the highest jump in a single day since the first case was recorded on 2 March.

Senegal has so far recorded 1,886 coronavirus cases in total, including 19 deaths.

The new measures come amid a push to find a way to balance public health with economic realities, with the virus causing loss of jobs and a slowdown in activity in the continent.
In brief: Apple is reportedly implementing a multi-phase plan thatll have employees return to the office sooner than some of its competitors. The first group to come back will likely work on hardware development, a task that is tricky to do remotely.

Sources familiar with the matter tell Bloomberg that the first phase, which includes staffers that cant work remotely and those facing challenges working from home, has already begun in some regions and will expand to major offices by the end of this month and into early June. This includes those who report to Apple Park in Cupertino.

During this phase, employees will be asked to either work their normal office hours or for certain periods of time, depending on their duties.

In July, another wave of employees will head back to offices in accordance with local stay-at-home orders.

Apple managers are reportedly starting to inform team members about which phase they are part of this week.

Last week, reports surfaced claiming Apple was planning to reopen some of its retail stores in the US this week in states that arent being heavily impacted by the virus like Alaska and Idaho. Stores in other regions like Australia and Germany have already reopened.

Apples strategy is in stark contrast to other tech giants. Google, for example, has given most of its employees the green light to work remotely through the remainder of 2020. Twitter, meanwhile, told its staffers that they can work from home indefinitely if their job allows for it.

Masthead credit: Barbara Ash
Viruses are ubiquitous pathogens that cause severe infectious diseases in both humans and agricultural crops. As most viruses have simple genomes and encode only a few proteins, they must usurp host cell resources for propagation. Understanding what host processes are disrupted and which viral proteins are involved greatly facilitate the design of therapeutic measures for controlling viral diseases in humans and crop plants.

Recently, researchers from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a plant viral protein named 17K that disrupts host cell division to promote its own propagation in infected tissues. They also linked it structurally to certain animal virus proteins.

The work was published online in Science Advances on May 13. It is the result of a decade-long collaboration between the IGDB group led by Dr. WANG Daowen and the laboratory of Dr. ZHAO Yuqi at the School of Medicine of the University of Maryland.

The 17K protein is conserved in a group of cereal-infecting viruses called barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs). Even though BYDVs have been studied for more than 60 years, they frequently cause severe epidemics in global wheat, barley, maize and oat crops, with yellowing and dwarfing as typical results.

The researchers hypothesized that one or more BYDV proteins may inhibit host cell growth by disrupting cell division, a fundamental process required for plants and animals to grow, develop and reproduce.

By testing seven BYDV proteins individually in fission yeast - a model for cell division studies - 17K was found to be the only BYDV protein capable of inhibiting cell growth.

Through detailed molecular genetic and biochemical analyses, the researchers found that the 17K protein can disrupt cell division, and thus cell proliferation, on its own as well as in barley plants naturally infected by BYDV. They further showed that 17K perturbed the function of Wee1-Cdc25-Cdc2/Cdk1, a molecular switch for the orderly progression of cell division in both plants and animals.

Since the study's datasets are all consistent with the idea that 17K - by its ability to disrupt cell division - is a key factor in promoting [or eliciting] host dwarfism by BYDVs, 17K may be a future target in BYDV control.

Notably, the researchers observed that BYDV 17K resembles several animal viral proteins, e.g., the Vpr protein of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and the p17 protein of avian reovirus (ARV), in the inhibition of cell division and growth.

These three viral proteins represent a novel class of cell division regulators conserved between unrelated plant and animal viruses. They share similarities in secondary structure as well as some amino acid residues crucial to disrupting cell division. How they evolved and their implication for comparative studies of plant and animal viral pathogenesis are interesting questions for further research.

###
PRAGUE, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking its platinum anniversary on May 13 in quiet style, Formula 1 in partnership with Automobilist, commemorates the completion of 70 years with a series of 3 special posters as a token of appreciation to fans, followers and all those who have enriched the history of this sport. The 3 Special Edition Commemorative posters have a unique outlook - a design inspired by the past, present and future. Featuring in them is the list of 70 Champions across all years of the sport, and the car of the future, a perfect amalgamation of winners that have been and the potential of racing yet to come.

F1 raced to an official start on May 13, 1950 with the British Grand Prix amidst royalty and fanfare at Silverstone, with 11 drivers making it across the chequered flag.

ABOUT THE POSTERS:

1. Limited Edition Poster: Titled "Our Past Fuels Our Future," featured on the poster is the Formula 1 car in the next few seasons, based on the new technical regulations with 1950 exclusive pieces printed for the occasion.

2. Collectors' Edition Poster: Only 700 pieces, the Collector's Edition Poster blends the past - with all World Champion drivers since 1950 listed out on the poster, the future - a rendering of the Formula 1 car in the next few seasons, and the present - a commemoration of 70 years etched out in golden embossing.

3. Drivers' Edition: The 400 piece Drivers' Edition to be presented to drivers - past and present, team owners, other major participants.

QUOTES:

Pavel Turek, CEO Automobilist: "As part of our continued partnership with Formula 1, we are excited to create these posters that represent the past, present and future of the sport with the names of all the past world champion drivers from Giuseppe Farina, who also won that very first race at Silverstone, right up to Lewis Hamilton, one of a select band who appear on the list more than once."

Joan Carrera Lopez, Senior Manager, Retail & CPG Licensing, Formula 1: "History gives us much to celebrate and on this occasion, we asked Automobilist to produce these 70th anniversary posters given their proven level of quality and authenticity that characterises their work. We are sure that collectors and race fans will be equally impressed."

Purchase/View Posters Here: https://bit.ly/70th-Anniversary-Posters

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1167203/Formula_1_Automobilist_70th_Anniversary.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1167202/Automobilist_Logo.jpg

Contact us on media@automobilist.com.
But there's the corporate malfeasance we've come to know and tolerate as somehow being crucial to maintaining our freedom, and then there's the evil that makes the CEO dumping chemical waste into an orphanage's water tank call the police.

Hearing that some companies are evil is like hearing that some bands with "Imagine" in their name make bland rock music. Just look at Nestle stealing spring water from indigenous lands , or Pizza Hut continuing to advertise their food to people even though it's clearly only intended for raccoon consumption.

4 State Farm Maintained A "Jew List"

State Farm promotes itself as being "like a good neighbor." And we suppose that's true, if you believe a good neighbor is someone who retains a list of Jewish lawyers and goes out of their way to label any claims those lawyers make as fraud. (Although if that's the case, you're probably reading this because you got lost on your way to Storefront.)

Back in the '80s, Erwin Sobel, a Los Angeles lawyer, filed a lawsuit against State Farm over their so-called "Jew List." Sobel discovered a State Farm memo with explicit instructions that any cases that came to the insurance giant through one of the listed lawyers was not to be settled. Instead, they were to be sent to the company's fraud division for further investigation, thereby muddling what should have been straightforward claims.

That seems kind of shitty on its own. It would be one thing if the company created the list with some kind of objective measurement in mind, like if they knew for a fact that all of these lawyers liked to kick puppies. But the only commonality the vast majority of the lawyers on the 240 person list had was their Jewish background. The odds of getting that many Jewish lawyers on a list by chance alone is so astronomical that Neil DeGrasse Tyson would try and fail to explain it on Twitter. Oh, and of the gentiles listed, State Farm appeared to be highlighting minorities they thought were troublesome. State Farm got halfway to discrimination bingo!
While Washington has been accusing Moscow of inflaming the conflict in war-torn Libya by sending mercenaries to fight on behalf of strongman Khalifa Hifter, signs have been emerging that Russia is increasing contacts with the Hifter-aligned eastern-based parliament at the expense of Hifter himself.

On May 7, US State Department spokesman Chris Robinson said Moscows support of Hifter had led to a significant escalation of the conflict and a worsening of the humanitarian situation in Libya." Meanwhile, late last month, the head of Libyas eastern-based parliament said his political road map, presented to the parliament in late April, was drafted by Russian experts working with parliamentarians in Libya.

During a meeting with eastern Libyan tribes April 27, Aguila Saleh Issa, president of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives, said no secret was made of the presence of Russian political advisers in Libya, adding that these advisers had lent him support after Hifter did not win the fight for Tripoli.

The parliament president also said the Russian political initiatives aimed at starting negotiations with Fayez al-Sarrajs Government of National Accord in Tripoli. The Government of National Accord is a rival to the Tobruk parliament and was formed under a United Nations-led initiative in December 2015.

Is Hifter being sidelined?

Salehs admission of the role of Russian experts in drafting the road map came after Hifter's April 27 statement that he has taken up the reins of power acting on behalf of the military  not the eastern government. Thus Saleh essentially acknowledged a silent coup in eastern Libya.

The military leaders step seemed to have been rooted in the rising position of the Tobruk parliament president and his initiatives, among other factors. Hifter had lost some backing after a string of defeats in the battle for Tripoli. External players such as Russia were increasingly predisposed to believe Hifter was unable to solve the matter militarily and only stood in the way of the peace process launched in January at the Berlin Conference. That is why they were increasingly inclined to think they should instead deal with Saleh and Abdullah al-Thani, the head of the interim government in the east, and encourage them to come to the fore in the dialogue with the Government of National Accord while gradually sidelining Hifter.

The scenario was evidently unacceptable to the field marshal and apparently led to his declaring himself Libya's ruler.

Given that Russia had helped the Tobruk parliament president draft the peace initiatives and banked on them for resolving the conflict, it could not support Hifters attempts to usurp power and withdraw from the Skhirat agreement that had led to the Government of National Accord.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference April 28, We did not approve of the recent statement of Sarraj, who refused to talk with Hifter. Nor do we approve of the statement that Hifter will now single-handedly decide how the Libyan people will live. Neither way is conducive to a lasting compromise.

It is the first time that Moscow seems to have clearly voiced discontent with Hifters actions since the strongmans self-styled Libyan National Army launched an operation against Tripoli in April 2019.

At the same time, the Russian foreign minister expressly highlighted that Salehs initiatives receive Moscows support. Lavrov indicated that he believes they give impetus to the Libyan peace process, unlike Hifters steps.

Lavrov said Saleh had called for a national dialogue aimed at the formation of common government bodies which would represent evenly and equally Libyas three key regions. The foreign minister stressed the importance of allowing Libyans to identify for themselves the approaches that are mutually acceptable, while noting, External actors should support such approaches in every way.

He added, I hope that the lessons of the previous attempts will be learned, and we will be encouraging the Libyans themselves to talk and find a compromise.

Russian criticism of Hifter extends beyond political circles

Even some within Russian business circles have leveled criticism at Hifter. A representative of the countrys energy sector, speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, said, What repercussions does Hifters desperate gesture have for the energy markets? A million barrels of Libyan oil will not return to the market anytime soon  nor will the joint venture with Gazprom resume its activities in the eastern part of the country. The unhealthy state that Libya got into circa 2014 will pervade it in the years to come. Unfortunately, it is now Hifter who stands in the way of constructive dialogue and recovery.

It should be noted that this is the second time this year that the field marshal has derailed Russias peace initiatives on Libya, thus disgruntling Moscow. In January, Russia and Turkey initiated a Moscow meeting between Hifter and the head of the Government of National Accord for a possible cease-fire agreement, but to no avail.

Amid the commanders setbacks in the campaign to seize Tripoli, the Kremlin is growing increasingly wary of his behavior, which is resulting in Russian attempts to find other, more reliable figures on the Libyan playing field. Saleh must have been on the list of such candidates. However, it is still unclear what, if any, nongovernmental organizations dealt with him, or whether all this was done by advisers representing the Russian Foreign Ministry. It cannot be ruled out that those experts who worked with Saleh are currently providing the same services to the interim government led by Thani. One particularly likely candidate is the Business Advisory Council for Libya headed by Stanislav Kudryashov, which positions itself as the representative of Thanis government in Russia.

Meanwhile, organizations such as the Foundation for National Values Protection  that is, those linked to Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin  are reported to have tried to feel out Saif al-Islam Gahdafi (former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's son), establish direct contact with him and propose him as a possible alternative or successor to Hifter. Finally, the Russian Contact Group for an intra-Libyan settlement  headed by Lev Dengov and under the Foreign Ministry and State Duma  promotes the interests of the Sarraj-led Government of National Accord and political organizations in western Libya.

Despite its cooler relations with Hifter, Moscow will continue to provide the Libyan National Army with assistance as it is the only political force in Libya to have entered into a partnership with Russia so far. Although the Kremlin says it follows an equidistant approach toward both parties to the conflict, the level of contact with Sarraj is much lower than that with Hifter. This is because Russias mercenaries act on the field marshals side.

Russia claims that the mercenaries supporting the Libyan National Army do not represent the countrys interests and are not sponsored by Moscow, yet the link between the bosses of such groups and the Kremlin is evident. Thus, Moscow will keep using them as a leverage to pressure Hifter. In case of necessity, military contractors will likely be ordered to withdraw from the front to make him more cooperative, as it was shortly before the Berlin conference. But they also could be ordered to return to business in greater numbers to prevent Sarraj and his ally, Turkey, from strengthening their positions too much. In any case, Hifters victory is not on Moscows agenda. It just wants to stop the Libyan National Armys front from collapsing, which will help the Kremlin to act as a mediator on the Libyan track.
Stranded in Ludhiana amid uneployment, over 200 migrants from Bihar took out a protest march on Wednesday.

Demanding that the administration send them back home as they had no money or food here, the protesters marched from railway station to the office of the deputy commissioner and then to the Durga Mata Temple near Jagraon Bridge.

The workers said they had run out of money and had no support from their employers or administration for ration. I registered on the Punjab helpline portal around 10 days ago to travel back home through Shramik Special trains, but have not received the date of boarding information yet, said Mukesh Kumar, a native of Katihar in Bihar.

Kumar said he had also applied for ration on the helpline number, but received nothing, adding that the administration should immediately make arrangements to send them to their home states.

Another migrant, Shahnawaz, who hails from Bettiah, said he had made several rounds of the railway station and Guru Nanak stadium, but no one was guiding him about the special trains. I received a confirmation message after applying for the trains a week ago, but have no information on when I can leave, he said.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-3) Gurpreet Kaur Purewal explained the procedure for the special trains to the protesters, who then left the spot.

Earlier on Tuesday, migrants had blocked the Ludhiana-Delhi National Highway near Kakowal Road demanding to be sent back their states.

Meanwhile, according to the administration, around seven lakh migrants from Ludhiana have registered on the Punjab helpline portal. So far, on an average, five trains are running daily carrying around 6,000 passengers.

On Wednesday, five trains with around 6,000 passengers left the Ludhiana railway station for Hardoi, Fatehpur, Unnao, Gorakhpur and Gonda.

Deputy commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said the frequency of trains will be increased, which will help cater to many more migrants. As many as seven trains will run on Thursday and eight trains on Friday, he added.

The nodal officers of the state are coordinating with governments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states, and they are being requested to increase the number of trains. We are also asking them to allow migrants to come by road, and accordingly we will also allow bus services, Agrawal said.

He appealed to the migrants not to believe in rumours, and patiently wait for information about their date of boarding. The train and bus services are allowed only after getting approval from the respective districts where they want to travel. So, they should not travel without permission, he added.
A growing number of experts are warning against what they call a "new Cold War" with China. But many Chinese Communist Party elites already view the rest of the world as a staging ground for competition between China and the United States.

The big picture: The current U.S. debate over China policy is essentially a response to the great power rivalry that China's leaders have already fully embraced.

When people warn of a new Cold War, they are typically referring to one or more of these possible scenarios:

Division of the world into competing spheres of influence

A sweeping economic embargo

A military build-up

At home, accusations of disloyalty and secret sympathies

What they're saying: Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, last week wrote that a new Cold War would mean "confronting China" becomes "the organizing principle of U.S. foreign policy."

"This would be a major strategic error," wrote Haass. "It reflects an out-of-date mind-set that sees dealing with other major powers as Americas principal challenge."

Driving the news: The coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated the downward spiral in U.S.-China relations. Both governments are trying to profit domestically off the other's failures," Rachel Esplin Odell of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft told USA Today.

First things first  no one actually wants another Cold War.

China's leaders want to maintain the pre-Trump status quo, which for them means establishing dominance over key elements of the future global economy and society such as 5G and internet governance, and stamping out support for liberal democratic norms at home and undermining them abroad.

want to maintain the pre-Trump status quo, which for them means establishing dominance over key elements of the future global economy and society such as 5G and internet governance, and stamping out support for liberal democratic norms at home and undermining them abroad. When Chinese government officials criticize what they explicitly call a "Cold War mentality" in the U.S., they aren't calling for an end to ideological competition or great power rivalry, but rather to U.S. attempts to stymie Beijing's plans.

China hawks in the U.S. aren't calling for a new Cold War either, but it's a risk they are willing to take in order to push back against an expansive authoritarian power.

aren't calling for a new Cold War either, but it's a risk they are willing to take in order to push back against an expansive authoritarian power. As Senator Marco Rubio, a leading China hawk, told me in an interview for Axios on HBO, the relationship needs rebalancing but a new Cold War is "not the outcome we desire."

Background: The Chinese Communist Party has two different messages  one intended for the rest of the world, and one intended for party members who govern the country.

"If you read speeches that Xi Jinping would give at Davos, or at the Boao Forum, it would contain a lot more language about cooperation, mutual aid, and peaceful and respectful diplomacy between China and other countries, and China and the United States," Victor Shih, an associate professor of political economy at UC San Diego, told Axios.

"But if you look internally on foreign policy by Chinese leaders or Chinese experts and the government, those things tend to frame things as global competition between the U.S. and China."

That helps explain why U.S. experts who blame the U.S. for firing the opening salvos of a new Cold War have largely misread the Chinese Communist Party's intentions.

"China can best be understood as a regional power that seeks to reduce U.S. influence in its backyard and to increase its influence with its neighbors," wrote Haass.

What Xi really wants: In one key speech given to party members in 2017, for example, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for China to become a global leader in terms of composite national strength and international influence" by the year 2035, and said that China is moving closer to the center of the world stage."

Xi is interested in a different kind of political and economic dominance, without taking on a U.S.-style mantle of responsibility, such as serving as the world's policeman.

Xi's emphasis on creating a "community of shared future for humanity" with China at its center highlights these global ambitions. This can't happen if a powerful U.S. stands in China's way.

"The challenge Beijing represents is not to Washingtons status in Asia, but to the nature of the global orders predominant values," Dan Tobin, a faculty member in China Studies at the National Intelligence University, wrote in congressional testimony on March 13.

"While this rivalry differs in many respects from the Cold War, one of the most important differences is that it is a competition to define the rules and norms that will govern an integrated, deeply connected world rather than a world divided into competing camps."

The bottom line: Some U.S. experts deny China's global ambitions, while others exaggerate its threat.

My thought bubble: Neither of these approaches are an effective response to the party's true intentions.

Go deeper: Democrats and Republicans have argued about China for 150 years
United Airlines will let passengers know in advance whether an upcoming flight is full or nearly full and give fliers the option to rebook trips or cancel them in exchange for a travel credit.

The policy will go into effect next week and will last through June 30.

The change follows a UCSF cardiologists highly publicized series of tweets describing scared" and "shocked passengers on a full flight Saturday from Newark, NJ to San Francisco International Airport.

Every seat full on this 737, tweeted Dr. Ethan Weiss, who was returning to SFO on United flight 2264 from a multi-week assignment in New York City helping coronavirus patients.

United said Monday it will offer passengers greater flexibility to avoid crowded flights that may not allow for social distancing. The carrier said even with a 90 percent cut to its schedule, 85 percent of planes are less than half full.

Well allow customers on flights that are expected to be closer to full capacity to choose to rebook on a different flight or receive a travel credit, according to an airline statement. We'll do our best to contact them about 24 hours before their departure time so they can decide whether to adjust their plans before they arrive at the airport  and we'll provide this option at the gate, if more than 70 percent of customers have checked in.

Several U.S. carriers have placed hard caps on the number of passengers that can be booked onto flights. United has not done this, but said it is trying to keep people who are not flying together spaced apart on flights.

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However, because our schedule is so reduced, there are a small number of flights where our customers are finding planes fuller than they expect, the United statement read.

Thats what happened Saturday on the Newark-SFO flight, where despite the pandemic-driven drop-off in travel, some fliers found themselves sitting elbow-to-elbow with a stranger. United has slashed flights on the route from upwards of nine or 10 daily departures to three.

The carrier has replaced the Boeing 757 jets that are normally on the route with smaller Boeing 737s, which are more economical to fly.

As more states reopen, you can expect the number of fliers to creep upwards too.

Figures from the Transportation Security Administration suggest U.S. airports saw a small uptick in the number of air passengers in the past week.

According to the TSA, 215,444 people passed through airport security checkpoints Friday. That is the highest number of people screened in the U.S. since late-March, but its not even 1/10 of the 2.6 million who took to the skies one year ago on that day.

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This crisis has exposed the underlying vulnerabilities of our industry and made clear that returning to normal is not an option, Momofukus chief executive, Marguerite Zabar Mariscal, wrote in a post on its website. For our industry to have a future, we must do nothing less than rethink how restaurants operate.

In response to an email to Ryan Healey, the vice president of brand and marketing, the company said it would not comment beyond its online posts and remarks made in Wednesdays episode of The Dave Chang Show, a podcast hosted by the chef.

On the podcast, Ms. Mariscal tells Mr. Chang, With what we have, we now have to kind of make choices. So we are making the very difficult decision to basically consolidate and condense our footprint to be in a better spot to come out of this.

As part of that consolidation, Momofuku Ssam Bar, in the East Village, is moving to Bar Wayo, a Momofuku outpost at South Street Seaport. The staffs of the two businesses will combine, Ms. Mariscal wrote.

The two permanent closings are among the most high-profile since the coronavirus outbreak. Small independent restaurants face existential questions about their future, and owners have scrambled to obtain federal loans. Restaurant failures may have devastating effects for cities across the country.
NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is examining a proposal that seeks to allow the countrys youth to serve the military for three years under a new tour of duty (ToD) model similar to the short-service commission that allows officers to serve for 10 to 14 years, two army officers familiar with the move said on Wednesday.

If the proposal is accepted, the army could implement the ToD model --- essentially an internship after military training --- on trial basis for both officers and other ranks in a limited number of vacancies, said one of the officers cited above.

The proposal is a shift from the concept of permanent service towards an internship or temporary experience of military life, said the second officer cited above.

The proposal, reviewed by Hindustan Times, stressed that the internship model would result in savings for the organisation. It said it will also brighten the prospects of the ToD optees in the corporate world.

The cumulative cost of pre-commission training, pay/allowances, proposed severance packages, leave encashment and other costs is nearly Rs 5.12 crore and Rs 6.83 crore for short-service commissioned (SSC) officers released after 10 and 14 years of service. However, similar costs for those released after three years will be just Rs 80 to Rs 85 lakh, the proposal stated. It says the ToD model would eventually result in significant reduction in salary and pension budgets, too.

The proposal cites a survey that has indicated that corporate houses would prefer employing individuals who have been trained by the military and join them at the age of 26-27 after a three-year ToD rather than raw college graduates.

Many corporates have indicated that ToD officers would also be preferable to the current SSC workforce joining them at the age of 33-34 after 10 years of service. The ToD concept will become attractive if seen by the youth as a vehicle which boosts their subsequent career in the government or the corporate world, the proposal said.

The ToD model, however, will not be the same as conscription or compulsory military service. Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said if approved, it will be totally voluntary and there will be no dilution of selection criteria.

This is an ideal opportunity for those individuals who do not want to make defence services their permanent vocation, but still want to experience the thrill and adventure of the military profession and the glamour of donning the uniform, the proposal said.

But what about combat skills, experience and preparedness of the ToD cadre to go to war?

This argument can be negated with the demonstrated performance of our officers and jawans with less than three years service in the Kargil war. If the ToD officers/jawans undergo the same training (for nine months) as the regular officers/other ranks, then their commitment, dedication and performance should not be in any doubt, the proposal added.

Former army vice chief Lieutenant General AS Lamba (retd) said the ToD model was a laudable idea to fill the critical shortfall of young officers on the assumption that performance of officers with three years of service has been extremely good.

Lamba, however, said, he saw two challenges. One, the selection of suitable volunteers from the civil environment for this type of limited engagement who would take much longer to motivate than train. And secondly, training them for critical front-line combat deployments, he added.

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It's easy to get jaded about computer models because those coming from the left, whether about climate or viruses, are almost uniformly wrong. Still, one model is operating on real, not hypothetical data, and that's the National Bureau of Economic Research's look at lost jobs: 42% of the jobs lost this year will never return. It cites overly generous unemployment benefits, occupational licensing, and regulatory barriers as some of the hurdles the job market cannot overcome.

In the face of this dire economic future, both Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump are acting. Pelosi is submitting a spending bill that is almost comically awful, while Trump is taking practical steps to clip China's wings.

One of the centerpieces of the Democrats' proposed $3-trillion stimulus bill is a provision that would gut American manufacturing. Bryan Preston caught an obscure statement in the proposed package that has enormous implications.

The bill includes a provision that waives Chapter 83 of title 41, United States Code. What's that? Chapter 83 of title 41, United States Code, shall not apply with respect to purchases made in response to the emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020, under section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5191) and under any subsequent major disaster declaration under section 401 of such Act that supersedes such emergency declaration. Chapter 83 of Title 41, United States Code is none other than the Buy American Act. That 1933 law prioritizes American manufacturers over others when the government makes purchases. The Trump administration strengthened the Buy American act last year. The Democrats' bill would waive it permanently, allowing the government to purchase more goods from overseas, unrestricted.

We don't need to speculate as to why the Democrats are putting China's economic well-being ahead of America's. It's enough to know they want to promote China over America.

Bowing to the Chinese, though, wasn't why the House Dems temporarily pulled their new stimulus bill. The real problem was that it was a little bit too focused on pot. For real. The Dems certainly know their base.

Here's Tucker's excellent summary about the horrors in the bill, a bill that is directed to pushing leftist policies rather than helping sustain people until this stupid lockdown continues or promoting American workers in the future:

Keep in mind, please, that Nancy Pelosi knows exactly how monstrous this bill is. This time around, she's not saying, "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it," which was her prelude to Obamacare. Instead, she has stated that the bill should pass "without too much conversation":

Nancy Pelosi: it's important for us to put forth our bill now without too much conversationhttps://t.co/0Z31Sb5IMF pic.twitter.com/o23vzBo6P2  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 12, 2020

Meanwhile, Trump has a different idea for helping the economy. He's ordered the federal government to start pulling American money out of China. On Monday, national security advisor Robert O'Brien and National Economic Council chair Larry Kudlow wrote to U.S. labor secretary Eugene Scalia about the Thrift Savings Plan ("TSP"), a $4-billion fund for federal employee retirement.

The letter tells Scalia that, to the extent that the TSP is planning to invest in Chinese companies, doing so would expose the funds to serious economic risks, as well as putting money into companies that violate human rights and U.S. sanction laws and that help the Chinese military. Further, the letter cites China's misbehavior regarding the Wuhan Virus as a reason for keeping American investment funds out of China.

Scalia immediately forwarded the O'Brien/Kudlow letter to Michael Kennedy, the chairman of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, along with a statement that the president directs that the Board immediately halt all steps associated with investing in China. While Pelosi is stabbing American companies and workers in the back, Trump is keeping American money safe from bad and unprincipled investments.

Here are a few simple suggestions for getting the economy back fast:

End all lockdowns now that we've achieved the initially stated goal of flattening the curve.

Abolish most state and federal regulations.

Stop most occupational licensing, except for jobs where consumers are incapable of doing market research. Consumers can figure out if a flower-arranger or hair-braider is good and they won't be hurt if he's not. It's different when it comes to jobs most consumers lack the data to understand (e.g., brain surgeons or structural engineers).

Temporarily stop payroll taxes and social security taxes.

Cut taxes, especially corporate taxes, which are, in any event, always passed on to consumers as costs.

Make unemployment benefits a bit less appealing. We don't have to echo the Victorian-era poor houses, which were hellish places to discourage sloth, but there is a happy medium between keeping people from sinking and enticing them away from work.
President Donald Trump' has had many targets in his war against the media, but perhaps none is more surprising than the Voice of America, the venerable US-funded institution created during World War II to broadcast independent and promote American values to the world.

Trump and his supporters have accused the outlet of disgraceful reporting and are now pushing hard to install their choice to run the government agency that oversees VOA and its affiliates. That battle is about to hit Congress, where partisan lines have been drawn amid a debate that could have a significant impact on the future of the global broadcaster.

Over the objections of Democrats, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee plans Thursday to vote on Trump's nominee to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which runs VOA and its sister outlets like Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Cuba-focused Radio Marti. The Republican-controlled committee is expected to vote on party lines to advance the nomination.

Democrats fear that candidate, conservative filmmaker and former educator Michael Pack, could turn the organization into a Trump propaganda machine funded with more than $200 million a year in taxpayer money. Trump has mused about his desire to control a media outlet. At his confirmation hearing last September, Pack dismissed concerns he would allow that to happen, but the recent furor has reignited those concerns.

The spat has dismayed many who watch U.S. international broadcasting closely, including some who believe the USAGM and VOA are in need of reform, particularly as changes to the agency's governing rules mean the its next chief will be able to bypass its board in making personnel and policy decisions.

All of this is a distraction from what I think is a legitimate debate about what its role should be, said Tom Kent, a former Associated Press editor who went on to head Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. It needs to be clear whether VOA's role is to advocate for democracy and American values in general or whether it is supposed to be a PR agent for the president and the State Department on current issues. The White House did not respond to inquiries about Pack's nomination or the VOA controversy.

The Democrats' stated objections to Pack, a one-time associate of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon who used to work for the conservative Claremont Institute in California, center in part on his refusal to answer questions about his previous business dealings. Yet, the uproar among conservatives over Voice of America and its recent coverage of China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to feature prominently in GOP support for Pack's confirmation. It has become a touchstone in the Trump administration's efforts to criticize Chinese authorities for the outbreak and deflect criticism of the U.S. response as the 2020 presidential campaign heats up.

Trump and his allies have long viewed VOA and some of its affiliates with suspicion, regarding them as elements of a deep state that is trying to thwart their policies. But the hostility burst into the open April 9 when Trump communications adviser Dan Scavino posted a VOA story about China to his official Twitter account with the comment American taxpayerspaying for China's very own propaganda, via the U.S. Government funded Voice of America! DISGRACE!!



The story that VOA posted was actually an Associated Press report, but the following day, an official White House publication accused VOA of using taxpayer money to speak for authoritarian regimes because it had covered the lifting of the lockdown in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the new coronavirus first emerged. Trump weighed in days later, calling VOA's coverage disgusting and demanding that the Senate confirm Pack.

VOA's director Amanda Bennett fired back. "One of the big differences between publicly funded independent media, like the Voice of America, and state-controlled media is that we are free to show all sides of an issue and are actually mandated to do so by law as stated in the VOA Charter, she said in a statement on April 10. But VOA's overseers stayed silent.

A representative of the State Department, which holds a seat on the USAGM board, advised the agency to avoid doing anything that would appear to endorse Bennett's response, which it did, according to three people familiar with the matter. And, an April 14 virtual meeting of the USAGM board came to no conclusion about how, or if, to respond, according to those people who were not authorized to discuss the meeting publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

All USAGM networks, including VOA, know they have the full support of the agency," the agency's current CEO Grant Turner said in an email statement provided to AP. "We have, and will continue to serve the American public by staying true to our mission informing, engaging and connecting our audiences in support of freedom and democracy. Bennett, meanwhile, sent a note of encouragement to VOA staffers on Monday, urging them to remain professional amidst what she termed uncomfortable scrutiny.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
'COVID-19 is just an excuse to pass anti-labour laws.'

IMAGE: Migrant labourers head back to their villages on a crowded bus. Photograph: Aftab Alam Siddiqui/ANI Photo

Central trade unions have denounced the exemptions given to employers from labour laws by the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam.

Post the COVID-19 crisis these state governments have promulgated an ordinance to exempt employers from the stringent labour laws for three years.

UP, for instance, has done away with the Minimum Wages Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Maternity Benefit Act, Employees State Insurance Act, among many others, all meant to benefit the workers.

"By killing the labour force you cannot revive the economy," All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

Spain became the first country in 1919 to make 8 hours work for labour across the country which was the norm followed across the world, but it looks like the Bharatiya Janata Party's state governments are making 12 hours work time compulsory.

These changes in labour laws, what the BJP is doing in their respective state governments, are not new.

If you recollect, this kind of anti-labour laws were brought in by Vasundhara Raje's BJP government in Rajasthan in July 2014. She brought about changes in the Industrial Disputes Act, Apprentices Act, Contract Act, Factories Act and Labour Act to make Rajasthan a favoured destination for business.

Did that help business in any way to grow in Rajasthan?

It did not help.

Six years after this anti-labour law was passed, business in Rajasthan has not picked up and employment has not grown.

In fact, the employment scenario in Rajasthan has been badly affected post demonetisation.

COVID-19 is just an excuse to pass anti-labour laws.

But who will invest in such times? Isn't that why we need to change the rigid labour laws?

Laws have changed from 2014 after the Modi government came in, but has the scenario changed as far as investments are concerned?

Nothing. Even existing labour laws are not fully implemented.

Business has not improved even after diluting labour laws as we have seen in the past.

By killing the labour force you cannot revive the economy.

India is not an export-oriented country, our major market is within the country.

And if our own people do not have money in their hands, how will the economy revive?

Is it not good that Inspector Raj will go away as factories with nearly 50 employees need not report to babudom?

Already, they had increased the threshold from 10 to 40 employees in 10 states.

It means that almost 80 percent of small units were out of the purview of any labour laws.

Now employers are saying they do not need more than 1/3rd of the workforce available in the country.

And they want this 1/3rd workforce to work for 12 hours.

Workers are in surplus, so why can't employers make them work in two shifts?

Instead of that, the government wants workers to work for 12 hours in unhealthy conditions with no laws applicable to employers.

In other words, 92 percent of the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) will be out of the purview of any labour laws.

The government is killing all labour laws as 95 percent of the workforce will be out of the ambit of any labour law.

Are these new rules only applicable in BJP-ruled states or in other states which are not ruled by the BJP?

Like the Vasundhara Raje government's laws, which were anti-labour, are being continued in the current Congress regime too.

The same anti-labour laws which were introduced by Raman Singh's BJP government in Chhattisgarh are being continued by the Congress government.

The same is happening in Jharkhand and Punjab where previous BJP and Akali governments had passed anti-labour laws that are being continued by the present non-BJP governments.

Some 12 crore workers are out of a job, so what option do they have now than to work for 12 hours a day as there are no jobs available?

Out of 12 crore unemployed people employers don't want to employ everybody. They are saying they will employ only 1/3rd.

I am saying let them make three shifts, but the employers will not do so.

If you keep 65 percent of the workforce out of jobs, then there is no way the economy will revive.

Headcount is not good for business in these days of automation, isn't it?

I am talking of industries which are providing the maximum number of jobs, and that is the MSME.

Big sectors, we know, are highly modernised. They have less workforce and high production.

These MSMEs work as auxiliaries of big sectors. And in this MSME sector, more than 100 years of struggle has gone to bring about some protection for the labour force.

The government wants to kill all that effort in one single stroke by bringing this COVID-19 ordinance in different states.

No trade unions in factories, and no first aid box will be provided.

The government does not want to give even simple health benefits to workers.

By abolishing labour laws the BJP wants to have jungle raj.

The BJP is only working for employers, and not for workers.

There is a documentary, American Factory, which says that in competitive times though labour laws are good in real life they does not work because in competitive countries like China the labour force works for 12 hours a day.

But they are not suspending other benefits. In India they are suspending all other benefits.

Here in India labourers will not be paid for the extra four hours they are going to work.

It is a provision under the Factories Act but now the government wants to do away with this law.

No working hours should remain fixed, according to them. It can go beyond 12 hours.

(Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan said shops will be open from 6 am to midnight. They want labour to work for 18 hours. And when will the labour sleep?

They (the BJP) want to treat labour like animals. It is just the way Britishers treated us.

It is feared that migrant workers will not come back and that will result in a complete halt in economic activity.

Workers want to come back to cities after things improve. Lies are being spread against them.

Those who are staying in cities just want to go to their villages and meet their loved ones in this time of crisis.

Some of them also say if their needs are taken care of they will stay back.

But there is no thinking and planning from the government side and they are creating this whole mess by not caring for workers.

No law in India stops workers from going and meeting their families.

Those workers who are ready to stay back, the government must listen to them and ensure that they get their wages for March, April and May.

They are saying does the government want our flesh and let us live in bones?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said corporate houses are wealth creators, now let them show how they create wealth without workers.

Corporate houses don't create wealth, it is the workers who create wealth.

And if my statement is not true, why are corporate houses crying for workers after they have left for their villages?
Ties between Pakistan and Russia date back to the Early Modern period, when the Muscovite Tsar Ivan the Terrible and his successor Alexis I expressed an interest in opening trade relations with the subcontinent (including parts of modern-day Pakistan), The Diplomat writes in the article Can COVID-19 Draw Pakistan and Russia Closer Together? Russias continuing support for India, both before and after the Cold War, including its frequent arms deals with New Delhi, have done little to improve bilateral ties between Moscow and Islamabad. However, in recent years, Russia and Pakistan have put aside some of these differences and the COVID-19 pandemic could accelerate this process of reconciliation.

In the wake of the devastating earthquake in 2005 that ravaged northern Pakistan, Russia was one of the first to provide assistance to Islamabad. Shortly thereafter, a Russian trade delegation visited Pakistan and overall bilateral trade rose by $270 million and subsequently by $520 million while Russian energy giant Gazprom signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pakistani Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources. After the 2010 floods in Pakistan, Russia again offered assistance and humanitarian aid, leading to President Vladimir Putins public endorsement of Pakistan joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. An official visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Islamabad soon followed. Aside from economic and political ties, there was also an improvement in cultural ties and the softer aspects of diplomacy, including the publication of the worlds first bilingual Urdu-Russian dictionary. These gradual improvements then led to the Friendship Drills carried out between the Pakistani and Russian armies.

Could the COVID-19 pandemic serve to further cement ties between the two nations, in the same way other natural disasters have? Or will some of the historical problems that have plagued the relationship in the past continue to hinder tangible progress in the future? The answer lies somewhere in between the two. The Pakistani ambassador to Russia, Shafqat Ali Khan, has recently explored the possibility of purchasing ventilators from Moscow to help Pakistans fragile healthcare system deal with COVID-19. Although he stressed that Pakistan has no immediate intention to ask Russia for help, the mere suggestion that Pakistan may look to Russia for support is revealing. He also suggested that if Islamabad were to ask Moscow for help in tackling the outbreak, Russia will be the first country to offer assistance. In addition, Khan also expressed his desire to extend people-to-people contact between the two nations, including the possibility of sending more Pakistani students to Russia to study in prestigious Russian universities. Meanwhile, the last Friendship Drill between the two countries took place just last year, and after the coronavirus pandemic it is likely we will see their resumption.

Pakistans friendship with Russia has been and may continue to be strengthened by its improving relationships with former Soviet countries. In 2019, Pakistan-Belarus bilateral political consultations took place and a number of Belarusian companies were invited to invest in Pakistans growing textile, food processing, and agriculture sectors. Some of the softer aspects of diplomacy were also apparent, with Belarus even commissioning a commemorative stamp to celebrate friendly relations with Pakistan. Islamabads desire to court favor with Russias allies could bring the two countries closer together, something that may continue in the wake of COVID-19.

However, it would be over-simplistic to assume that the pandemic and Pakistans apparent interest in developing closer ties with Russia to help fight the outbreak will be enough to strengthen Islamabads relationship with Moscow. After the previous two natural disasters, bilateral trade increased, but is still far below where it should be. And Russias continued support for its traditional subcontinental ally, India, also continues. Just last month, Indias ambassador to Russia, Bala Venkatesh Varm, said he expected Russias planned delivery of the S-400 air defense system to be take place on time despite the global pandemic, something that will do little to please Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan. Furthermore, Russia is also committed to supplying India with three more Kilo-class submarines.

However, if Pakistan does ask Moscow for help in tackling the coronavirus, this will not only be revealing in itself, but will also provide the opportunity for further mutual cooperation.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Tuesday that he spoke with Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla Inc, in recent days about a potential move of the company's electric vehicle assembly plant to the Lone Star state.

Abbott's remarks came just came three days after Musk threatened to move Tesla's headquarters and future operations to either Texas or Nevada, after officials in the California county where Tesla's only U.S. vehicle factory is located said the plant could not reopen because coronavirus lockdown measures remained in place.

Abbott said during an interview with the Wichita Falls CBS affiliate that he thinks Texas is a perfect fit for Tesla. A spokesman for Abbott confirmed to Reuters the governor spoke with Musk over the weekend.

"I've had the opportunity to talk to Elon Musk and he's genuinely interested in Texas and genuinely frustrated with California," Abbott said. "We've just got to wait and see how things play out."

Abbott did not provide details of the conversation. John Wittman, the governor's communications director, said there was not yet any discussion of incentives to entice Tesla away from California.

Tesla did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Musk last Thursday had told employees that limited production would restart at the Tesla factory in Fremont, after California Governor Gavin Newsom said that manufacturers in the state would be allowed to reopen under an easing of coronavirus containment measures. But officials in Alameda County, where Fremont is located, said its own lockdown measures had not been lifted and the factory could not yet reopen.

Musk on Saturday tweeted: "If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen (sp) on how Tesla is treated in the future."

President Donald Trump weighed in on Tuesday, tweeting that California should let Tesla get back to work.

On Monday, Musk said production was resuming at the factory in defiance of the county order and that if anyone had to be arrested, it should be him. On Tuesday, employee parking lots that were deserted on Friday were packed with cars. Trucks could be seen driving in and out of the factory grounds.

Musk is no stranger to Texas. His SpaceX spacecraft manufacturer has a launch site in the southern tip of the state near the village of Boca Chica.

Richard Cortez, the top executive in Hidalgo County just to the west of the SpaceX launch site, urged Musk in a letter to consider the area for Tesla, saying the region's heavy presence of automotive plants straddling the U.S.-Mexico border could quickly meet the electric car maker's needs.

Cortez, in an interview with Reuters, underscored that manufacturing plants in his county have never been under any orders to close because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to its vehicle plant in California, Tesla has a battery plant in Sparks, Nevada, and a factory in Buffalo, New York, that produces solar panels and other energy generation and storage products.
Mumbai, May 13 : Sunny Leone flew away to the US with her family a while back, because she felt she and her children would be safer there than in India amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The family must have settled down in the lap of safety, what with Sunny celebrating her 39th birthday on Wednesday.

Her husband Daniel Weber took to social media to wish Sunny. He shared a photograph of her on Instagram and gushed in the accompanying note: "Happy birthday baby! You are so much in life and I wish everyday I can tell you everything that comes to my mind! You are the greatest wife, mother and lover! An inspiration to millions and a role model! Iconic!"

Referring to her past as a porn star, before she came to India to take a shot at Bollywood, Daniel wrote: "You have never cared what anyone has ever thought and took your own path in life even when the road was less traveled! Be proud of yourself and all you have achieved all while staying so humble! I love you so much!! Xoxo! Love you baby love!"

Sunny was born Karenjit Kaur Vohra to Sikh parents of Indian origin on May 13, 1981. She shot to limelight when she participated in the fifth season of the reality show "Bigg Boss" in 2011-12, which paved the way for her Bollywood journey.

The actress took to Instagram to share a video thanking fans and wellwishers for their birthday wishes. "Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes everyone!! I am so lucky you are all a part of my life," she expressed.

Sunny along with Daniel and their children Nisha, Noah and Asher flew off to Los Angeles amid the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The actress took to Instagram to state that she feels her kids would be safer there against the "invisible killer" coronavirus.

-- Syndicated from IANS
India is now the 12th most affected country by the coronavirus pandemic, as the number of Covid-19 cases crossed the 70,000-mark on Tuesday.

According to the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday, the number of Covid-19 positive cases stand at 74,281 in the country. The ministry also said that 2,415 people have died due to the disease.

With these figures, India as crossed Canadas tally, which has 69,156 cases of Covid-19, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) list. India is just below China now where the disease originated in December last year.

China has 84,451 cases of Covid-19 and 4,644 deaths related to the disease, according to WHO. The United States tops the list with more than 1.2 million Covid-19 positive cases and over 78,000 deaths. Spain, Russia, the UK, Italy, France, Brazil, Germany, Turkey and Iran are above China in the list.

According to the health ministry, India recorded an increase of 87 deaths and 3,604 cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours till Tuesday 8 am.

With 13 deaths, Delhi recorded highest number of Covid-19 deaths in a single day on Tuesday, which took the total toll in the city state to 86.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held a review meeting on Tuesday where he said that the doubling time of Covid-19 cases has now improved to 12.2 days in the country from 10.9 days.

Vardhan said that the fatality rate is 3.2 per cent while the recovery rate is progressively increasing and stands at 31.74 per cent.

The Centre, states and union territories are taking cohesive efforts to combat the coronavirus and this provides us the assurance that the country is well-prepared to face any eventuality due to Covid-19, he said.

The minister said the testing capacity has increased to 1 lakh tests per day with 347 government laboratories and 137 private labs.
BEND, Ore., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dutchie , the world's largest online cannabis marketplace, today launched the cannabis industry's first nationwide contactless digital payment solution for curbside pickups, in-store orders, and deliveries for thousands of cannabis consumers and dispensaries across the United States through a new partnership with Hypur Inc. (Hypur), the leading provider of compliant, safe, and sustainable payment and banking options for high-risk, cash-intensive businesses. With Hypur's payment solution, Dutchie can offer customers an easy-to-use, compliant, and contactless digital payment option for cannabis products.

"Dutchie aims to provide the best overall customer experience for retailers and consumers, and our partnership with Hypur builds upon that mission by offering a compliant, contactless payment solution," says Dutchie Co-founder and CEO Ross Lipson. "Our partnership will continue to open up important avenues that will empower cannabis businesses to remain competitive by providing the most efficient, compliant, and safe transaction solution for evolving retail demands."

The partnership will benefit cannabis small businesses in particular, which can utilize the solutions immediately, allowing their businesses to compete online and build their customer base to help combat the illicit market. While many cannabis small businesses have historically been disadvantaged by a lack of technology resources and financial partners, this partnership can help businesses of all sizes realize their full potential and meet accelerating market demand in the changing economic and public health landscape.

Hypur's reliable and compliant technology reduces cash handling, eliminating the extra step of stopping at an ATM, and physical contact at checkout. With its new safe checkout product feature, Hypur provides contactless payments for in-store, delivery, and curbside pickup purchases, alongside an added tipping feature for delivery drivers and budtenders. Hypur provides consumers a convenient way to pay, reduces costs for businesses, strengthens the legal market, and erases reliance on cash.

"Cannabis businesses and consumers deserve modern solutions for online and mobile purchasing," says Hypur Founder and Chief Executive Officer Christopher E. Galvin. "Our partnership with Dutchie will make ordering, delivering, and paying for cannabis products easier, faster, and safer for businesses and consumers alike during COVID-19 and beyond."

Dutchie, which is backed by investments from Snoop Dogg's Casa Verde Capital , Kevin Durant's Thirty Five Ventures , and Gron Ventures , supports cannabis businesses in the United States and Canada that may be disadvantaged by a lack of access to proper financial or technology infrastructure. By partnering with payment solution providers like Hypur, Dutchie can help ensure small businesses have access to easy-to-use and modern technology infrastructure or resources. The new partnership helps ensure cannabis businesses of all sizes have equal opportunities to scale their businesses and meet the growing demands of their customers. The leading online cannabis marketplace hosts over 1,100 dispensaries across the United States.

"We are thrilled to work closely with Dutchie and Hypur as we integrate the new contactless payment system into our day-to-day operations," said McNeal Bruin, Retail Operations Manager of Emerald Phoenix Dispensary, a subsidiary of Nabis Holdings Inc. "With our 'patients first' mindset, we at Emerald are always looking for new ways to better serve our patients, providing them with the technology to make their lives easier and more convenient. This integration enables us to do so while keeping our finger on emerging technology in the cannabis industry."

Since the global COVID-19 outbreak, Dutchie is experiencing significant momentum as a result of surging consumer and business demands for online orders, deliveries, and payments. Dutchie has reported a 650 percent surge in online orders and 32 percent increase in average order size. Today, Dutchie is processing over 55,000 direct orders daily through partnerships with upwards of 1,100 dispensaries across Canada and the United States. The company provides cannabis businesses with helpful, affordable tools to compete online and offer pickup and delivery services for customers. To learn more, vist: www.dutchie.com .

About Dutchie

Based in Bend, Oregon, Dutchie is the cannabis industry's leading and fastest-growing ecommerce provider, powering online ordering for the top dispensaries throughout the United States and Canada. Today, it powers 10 percent of all cannabis sales in the U.S. and hosts more than 25 percent of all cannabis dispensaries nationwide. Dutchie is a product- and design-focused company that has created a best-in-class experience for cannabis dispensaries and shoppers. Since its inception in 2017, Dutchie has experienced significant growth. The company has raised $18M in funding and is backed by Snoop Dogg's Casa Verde Capital, one of the leading cannabis-focused VC's; Gron Ventures, members of the founding team at DoorDash; Kevin Durant's Thirty Five Ventures; and other notable angel investors. To learn more, visit www.dutchie.com .

About Hypur:

Established in 2014, Hypur is a payment, banking, and compliance technology for cash-intensive industries like cannabis, CBD, and money services businesses. With cutting edge payment technology and security features, the Hypur app dramatically improves the purchasing process for both consumers and merchants. Hypur can also be used for order-ahead, delivery, online, and business-to-business transactions. Financial institutions benefit from Hypur's streamlined reporting and document management, facilitating compliance with local regulations. Learn more at www.hypur.com .

SOURCE Dutchie

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One of the first steps toward getting back to "work as usual" is to figure out what that actually means in a world where what's usual may never look the way it did a few weeks ago. For many companies, that includes the possibility that their teams may never return to offices in the same way they did before.

Millions of Americans have been working remotely, and a little over half of them are now saying they'd rather keep it that way. That's something every business is going to have to consider--if it isn't already.

For example, Twitter was one of the first tech companies to send its employees home to work back in March. Now, according to a company email first reported by BuzzFeed News, it's the first to say things are going to stay that way permanently. At least, if that's what employees want.

Other tech companies, notably Facebook and Google, have said that employees can work from home through the rest of this year, but so far are planning to reopen their offices this fall. On the other hand, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, when asked about when workers will be back in the office, says, "I hope that actually we're weeks away from that."

Of course, Salesforce has bet on large office buildings across the globe, which now mostly sit empty, so it makes sense that Benioff would want them occupied again.

Twitter, on the other hand, is an important model because I think this is the direction most companies should consider when the work their employees do doesn't require physical proximity to customers or each other. I reached out to Twitter, which, through a spokesperson, pointed me to a statement on the company blog that says:

We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere. The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it's safe to return.

It's worth pointing out that Twitter attributes its success in transitioning to an entirely remote workforce to steps it took long before the pandemic required almost all but essential workers to stay home. That's an important lesson, but even if your company wasn't prepared, it isn't too late to think about what happens next.

I've worked remotely for years, and generally--despite the fact that our four young children are now home and we're responsible for school on a full-time basis--it's perfectly well-suited for most of the work many people have traditionally done in offices.

It's certainly fair to debate whether that's true across the board, but what's also true is that your employees may have a very different perspective on whether or not an office is the place they feel safest or most productive. That means it's probably time to start thinking about how you'll adapt your systems and structure to the work environment that best serves your team.
The new coronavirus was circulating in Brazil in early February, weeks earlier than initially detected, and just before millions of people were partying in the streets for carnival, according to a new study. Brazil is the Latin American country hardest hit in the pandemic, with more than 11,500 deaths and 168,000 infections so far. Experts say under-testing means the real figures are probably far higher. The study used statistical analysis to work backwards from the number of reported COVID-19 deaths and establish the probable time-frame of the virus' early spread in Brazil and other countries, said the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the country's leading public health institute. "The new coronavirus began spreading in Brazil around the first week of February. That is to say, more than 20 days before the first case was diagnosed in a traveler returning from Italy, on February 26... and more than 40 days before the first official confirmation of communal transmission," the institute said. That means the local outbreak was already well under way when Brazil celebrated carnival from February 21 to 25, an event that draws millions of tourists and brings throngs of revelers into the streets in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador and other cities. The study, which also analyzed data from Europe and the United States, found the virus was probably also spreading locally two to four weeks before the first cases were detected in Italy, the Netherlands and the United States. "This lengthy phase of hidden communal transmission of the new coronavirus... indicates that containment measures should be taken at least as soon as the first imported cases are detected," said the lead researcher on the study, Gonzalo Bello.
Description

GIS  13 May, 2020:  13 May, 2020: A meeting between the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, and the Covid-19: Konversasyon Solider Collective , a movement that regroups several union confederations, was held early this evening at the New Treasury Building, in Port Louis.

Discussions focused on two Bills namely, the COVID-19 (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Quarantine Bill, which were introduced today in the National Assembly by the Prime Minister. Representatives of the Covid-19: Konversasyon Solider Collective also presented, to that end, a letter to Prime Minister Jugnauth expressing the concerns of workers with regard to the new legislative framework proposed.

The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, the Attorney General and Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, and the Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training Mr. Soodesh Satkam Callichurn, were also present at the meeting.

#ResOuLakaz #BeSafeMoris

Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov
Joseph Duane Folkerts, a former member of the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to engage in racketeering in the 2015 kidnapping and murder of an ousted club member.

Folkerts, 62, is the fourth defendant to enter a guilty plea in the case.

The racketeering charge stems from the killing of Robert Bagger Huggins, 56.

Portlands Gypsy Joker president Mark Leroy Dencklau ordered the attack on Huggins and others helped, according to another co-defendant, Tiler Evan Pribbernow, who has cooperated with the government and also pleaded guilty to racketeering.

The June 30, 2015, attack was in retaliation for Huggins burglary and robbery at Dencklaus Woodburn home earlier that month, the government has alleged.

Loggers found Huggins battered body dumped in a Clark County field. He had a fractured skull, a broken rib, a broken leg, a removed nipple, nails driven through his boots, slash wounds to his back and face and many blows to his face, authorities said.

Racketeering, murder and kidnapping charges are pending against three others, who are scheduled for trial Sept. 29 before U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman.

As part of his plea agreement, Folkerts acknowledged that the motorcycle club, from at least January 2008 until October 2018, was an outlaw organization whose members followed a written code of conduct, wielding their power through intimidation, violence and murder while enriching themselves through extortion, robbery and drug distribution.

Huggins had targeted Dencklaus home after getting kicked out of the club for stealing and breaking club rules, prosecutors have said. Dencklaus then-girlfriend was tied up and Huggins stole some of Dencklaus property, including guns, according to the government.

Prosecutors said Folkerts wasnt involved in the initial abduction of Huggins. But Folkerts did witness his beating in Washington, helped restrain Huggins with zip ties around his wrists during the assault and then drove Huggins body to a field near Ridgefield, Washington, where it was dumped, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mygrant.

Huggins body was found by loggers on July 1, 2015 in the Clark County field.

On Feb. 21, 2020, Folkerts was assaulted without provocation while eating lunch in a common area of the countys Inverness Jail, his lawyers said. He suffered severe bruising and a possible fractured nose, they told the court.

Mygrant said Folkerts was a member of Road Brothers, a different motorcycle club at the time of Huggins death. After the killing, he got a patch to join the Gypsy Joker club as a reward, the prosecutor said.

Folkerts lawyer, Andrew Kohlmetz, challenged that characterization. He said Folkerts was forced to join the Gypsy Jokers after the beating of Huggins. Sometime in 2016, Folkerts was "beaten out'' of the motorcycle club, Kohlmetz said.

Under the plea, prosecutors will ask for the low end of the sentencing guideline, and Folkerts defense lawyers are free to request further downward departures. The current recommended sentencing range is from about 24 to 30 years.

Folkerts sentencing is set for Nov. 30.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

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ATLANTA, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Edible, the world's largest franchisor of fresh fruit arrangements and all-natural fruit snacks and dipped treats, posted a record Mother's Day week, fulfilling over 700K orders and making over 550K deliveries. The record-setting performance represented a 36% increase from last year and included some of the highest sales days in the history of the brand. The company credited the emotional connection that the organization continues to create during the pandemic as a reason for business growth that has escalated for the last eight weeks and shows no signs of slowing down.

"The performance of Edible has always had a strong correlation with the way people are feeling across the country," said Edible Founder/CEO Tariq Farid. "The first couple of weeks after Covid-19 were definitely challenging. But the nation has rallied together, and there seems to be a renewed sense of optimism. People are celebrating again and, when they do, they turn to Edible. We've seen that in our sales results."

This year's orders and deliveries included Edible's signature Mother's Day arrangements alongside strong sales of a first-ever "Songs for Mom" album, featuring 12 recording artists in a one-of-a-kind gift collection. The milestone weekend followed same-store sales that rose 61% in April, the single biggest month of same-store sales growth in company history.

Farid attributes the network's strong performance to the role the brand has played in helping consumers celebrate special occasions safely and connect with their loved ones. "What we've seen is that the Edible brand is almost like a leading indicator for consumer sentiment," he said. "When people are hopeful and when they feel like sharing that hope with others, that's when Edible is most relevant. And that was definitely the case over Mother's Day."

Results were not only driven by online ordering but by stronger than expected foot traffic. "We're delighted that consumer demand is rebounding," Farid added. "And I'm very proud of the way our franchisees have responded to meet this demand while also implementing all the safety restrictions the government has required."

While moms took center stage this past Sunday, Edible has seen an uptick across categories. From birthdays and anniversaries to the countless high school and college graduates who are crossing a virtual stage, Edible is experiencing an unprecedented rise in orders to help recognize others, especially when people cannot do so in person.

Meanwhile, giving back continues to be just as important as giving for the Edible organization. Edible franchisees in countless cities and states have worked tirelessly to donate thousands of free treats to hospital workers, first responders, and more for their selfless work in helping the world move forward.

About Edible Brands

Edible Brands is the parent company of Edible, the world's largest franchisor of stores offering all-natural fruit snacks, dipped treats and fresh fruit arrangements with more than 1,100 locations worldwide. Since its founding in 1999, the company has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazine's annual "Franchise 500," Entrepreneur's Top 40 of "Fastest Growing Franchises" and "America's Top Global Franchises" as well as being included among the "Inc. 5000" list of the fastest growing privately-held companies. Edible fresh fruit arrangements, chocolate Dipped Fruit and fresh fruit smoothies can be ordered through any local Edible store or online at edible.com. Edible has franchise opportunities available in a number of key markets in the United States and Canada. For more information about owning an Edible please visit ediblefranchise.com.

SOURCE Edible Brands

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Anthony Fauci and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force testified yesterday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

In his testimony, Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated that the consequences could be really serious if states and counties continue to reopen prematurely amidst the spreading coronavirus pandemic. Fauci also repeated what he told the New York Times the day before: that there will be needless suffering and death if states open up before they are able to contain the virus.

In answers to questions, Fauci stated that the pandemic is not under control, acknowledged that the US was undercounting the death toll and noted that immunity to the pandemic has not been demonstrated. He likewise poured cold water on the idea that a breakthrough therapeutic treatment or vaccine is just around the corner.

Les senateurs ecoutent le Dr Anthony Fauci, directeur de lInstitut national des allergies et maladies infectieuses, parler lors dune audition virtuelle de la Commission senatoriale Sante, Education, Travail et Pensions, le mardi 12 mai 2020 au Capitole, a Washington. (Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)

The event had something of a surreal character to it, as the facts recounted by Fauci stood as a clear condemnation of the policies of the administration of which he is a part. Trump is aggressively pushing a back-to-work campaign that is already producing a spike in new cases and deaths. Fauci chose his words carefully, limiting himself to suggesting the need for more testing from an administration that has a record of abject failure in that regard.

The hearing was held on the same day that the number of cases in the United States rose above 1.4 million and the tally of the dead surged past 83,000. The number of cases and deaths internationally stand at 4.3 million and 292,000, respectively.

On Wednesday, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IMHE) at the University of Washington projected that 147,000 people in the US will die from COVID-19 by August. The IMHE, which has been criticized by epidemiologists for underestimating the danger, increased its forecast because of changes in mobility and social distancing policies.

More than 40 states, under both Democratic and Republican governors, have now loosened lockdown restrictions that were put in place in attempt to stem outbreaks of the disease. As a result, nearly half have already seen an increase of new coronavirus cases.

This reality did not stop the chairman of the committee, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), from beginning the hearing by making it clear that people should be expecting to go back to school and back to work.

The main witnesses for the hearing included Fauci, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield; Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn; and Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir. Deborah Birx, the ostensible leader of the task force, was absent.

Alexanders first question demanded to know how to send the countrys estimated 20 million college students and 50 million primary and secondary students back to school as part of a plan to persuade parents to return to work in August." Alexander suggested, "Lets start with treatments and vaccines.

Fauci responded by noting that it is a bridge too far to expect either a vaccine or effective treatment by the start of the school year. We don't see a vaccine playing in the ability of individuals to get back to school this term, he said. At the same time, he walked back his previous promotion of the drug Remdesivir, calling the drugs effect on recovery time really modest.

Democrats took the hearing as an opportunity to make hypocritical criticisms of the policy of the Trump administration, tailored to future campaign commercials, while avoiding any real discussion of what is happening in the United States. In particular, no one mentioned the multitrillion-dollar bailout of Wall Street, supported unanimously in the Senate. All of the senators participating in the hearing voted for the bill, which has been followed by demands from the ruling class for a rapid return to work.

Senator Elizabeth Warren asked, Do we have enough robust countermeasures in place that we dont have to worry about a bad fall and winter?

The projection, Fauci responded, is that by the time we get to the end of the summer and early fall, we will have [enough testing] in place, he said. Warren followed up, asking what happens If we dont do better on testing, on contact tracing, and on social distancing. Will deaths from coronavirus necessarily increase? Fauci provided the obvious answer: If you do not do an adequate response, we will have the deleterious consequence of more infections and more deaths.

In fact, the state of testing and contact testing, which the World Health Organization insisted since January is the backbone of any plan to contain the virus, is woefully inadequate, and deliberately so. In his remarks, Giroir attempted to hide this state of affairs by focusing on the fact that there have now been nearly 10 million tests conducted in the country.

What he did not mention is that the US is 40th in terms of testing per capita, and that the tests for the coronavirus that have been conducted are still not sufficient to capture the full extent of the virus. Moreover, while the CDC has approximately 10,000 people who are trained to trace the contacts of those infected, public health experts have estimated that the agency needs 10 times that number to effectively find individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.

None of these points were raised by any of the Democrats on the committee, who followed the lead of Alexander after he spoke against finger pointing. At most, ranking member Patty Murray (Democrat of Washington state) said, We need dramatically more testing. It is unacceptable we still dont have a national strategic plan to make sure testing is free, fast and everywhere.

Nor did Democrats press the issue of why mass testing began only in late March, not in early February when the pandemic was first spreading across the globe. No mention was made of the complete failure of the initial CDC testing kits, and only passing reference was made to ongoing deadly outbreaks in auto factories, Amazon warehouses, meatpacking plants and nursing homes.

Senator Bernie Sanders merely asked whether the United States was undercounting deaths. Fauci responded that the number of deaths are likely higher than the official death toll, because there may have been people who died at home who were not counted because they never got to the hospital.

The most inflammatory comments came from Senator Rand Paul (Republican of Kentucy), who claimed that In rural states we never really reached any sort of pandemic levels, in Kentucky and other states... outside of New England, we've had a relatively benign course for this virus nationwide.

Presumably Paul is including New York as part of New England, while he hails the benign nature of the coronavirus in Michigan (4,674 deaths), Illinois (3,601 deaths), California (2,876 deaths) and Louisiana (2,347 deaths).

Nor did Paul take note of the surge of new cases by at least 72 percent in 10 areas across the country over the past week. This includes Central City in his state of Kentucky, which saw a 650 percent increase in new cases.

Paul also continued the lie that the coronavirus is no worse than the flu. He demanded that schools be allowed to reopen district by district, asserting that children are more immune to the virus. Not only is immunity for any age group against the virus still in question, three young children have died from a complication of the coronavirus currently known as pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

Paul expressed nakedly the actual policy of the corporate-financial oligarchy in the United States, spearheaded by the Trump administration. After handing itself trillions of dollars, the ruling class is demanding that workers place their lives and the lives of their family members and coworkers at extreme risk by going back to work to produce profits.
Airbus and Tui are set to slash thousands of jobs as planes around the world are grounded.

In a further sign of the damage the coronavirus outbreak is doing to business, aircraft maker Airbus stands ready to axe more than 10,000 staff, possibly within days.

And tour operator Tui warned that up to 8,000 jobs will go at its business following the dramatic collapse in air travel and holiday bookings.

Grounded: In a further sign of the damage the coronavirus outbreak is doing to business, aircraft maker Airbus stands ready to axe more than 10,000 staff, possibly within days

The prospect adds to the misery sweeping travel, aviation and aerospace. Plane maker Boeing is cutting 16,000 jobs while 12,000 staff face the axe at British Airways, 3,000 at Virgin Atlantic and 3,000 at Ryanair.

Warning that the company is 'bleeding cash at an unprecedented speed', Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury recently said 'we are now in the midst of the gravest crisis the industry has ever known'.

The company has 135,000 staff worldwide including 13,500 in the UK including in Broughton, North Wales, where it makes wings, and at Filton in Bristol where the wings are designed. A final decision on the job cuts has yet to be made.

But Faury believes it could take three to five years for passengers to be as willing to fly as before the crisis  hammering demand for planes.

Tui's shares are down more than 70 per cent this year, with the FTSE 100 giant saying it would cut costs by a third.

It reported losses of 655million in the three months to March 31, saying in an update: 'The pandemic is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry and Tui has ever faced.'

But Manuel Cortes, general secretary of transport union TSSA, said: 'We are extremely disappointed Tui is planning to cut 8,000 jobs and would urge them to think again.

In Britain, the Government's job protection scheme means no jobs should be lost. There is also a similar scheme in Ireland. Therefore, there is simply no excuse for job cuts in Britain and Ireland.'

International travel restrictions have hit bookings, forcing Tui, which also runs cruises and airlines, to furlough or cut the pay of 90 per cent of its staff.

It has already taken a 1.8billion (1.6billion) German state loan and ditched the dividend after cancelling most holidays in June.

In the UK, output in travel and tourism halved in March, air travel fell 44 per cent, and accommodation by 45.7 per cent, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Tui chief executive Fritz Joussen railed against the Government's two-week quarantine, saying it was 'prohibitive and unreasonable'.

He said: 'People want to travel and Europe must now gradually open up. Summer holidays are possible responsibly and with clear rules.

'We should be selective and allow holidays to go ahead where possible.' He said possible destinations for tourists included the Balearics, the Canaries, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia and Bulgaria.

Airbus said: 'Airbus has implemented a number of financial, operational and social measures to adapt to the severe health and economic impacts of the Covid-19 crisis.

'The company will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the future of Airbus in cooperation with its social partners. Airbus doesn't comment on speculation relating to internal meetings.'
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Lamprell plc (LAM.L) reported a loss attributable to equity shareholders for the year ended 31 December 2019 of $183.5 million compared to a loss of $70.7 million, previous year. Loss per share was 53.71 US cents compared to a loss of 20.67 US cents. The Group noted that non-cash impairment charges of $79.3 million was a significant contributor to losses in the year. Fiscal year revenues increased moderately to $260.4 million from $234.1 million, prior year. The Group noted that its consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis. The Directors do not recommend the payment of a dividend for the period in relation to financial year ending 31 December 2019. Lamprell plc is planning to hold its 2020 annual general meeting on 25 June 2020 in the United Arab Emirates. 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.
Dinah Jimenez assumed a world-class hospital would be better prepared than a chowder house to inform workers when they had been exposed to a deadly virus.

So, when her boyfriend, an employee of a popular seafood restaurant in Seattle, received a call from his boss on a Sunday in late March telling him a co-worker had tested positive for COVID-19 and that he needed to quarantine for 14 days, she said she assumed she'd get a similar call from the University of Washington Medical Center. After all, the infected restaurant employee worked a second job alongside her at the hospital's Plaza Cafe.

That call never came, she said.

America's health care workers are dying from the coronavirus pandemic. These are some of the first tragic cases.

Jimenez, 42, said she returned to her job as a cashier at the hospital cafeteria two days later, and "it was like nothing had happened. They didn't say anything." She said the infected worker, a fellow cashier, was stationed just 2 feet from her during a typical shift and that neither had been wearing a mask. "He was as close to me as the person sitting behind you in an airplane," Jimenez said.

Word slowly spread among the cafeteria crew that a co-worker had the virus, she said. In the days that followed, two more workers fell ill. But communication about the outbreak was not broadly disseminated through the ranks, according to Jimenez and other employees interviewed. It wasn't until April, Jimenez said, that the hospital started providing workers with one mask per day. A few weeks later, workers said, they learned a fourth staff member had tested positive for the virus.

From cafeteria staff to doctors and nurses, hospital workers around the country report frustrating failures by management to notify them when they have been exposed to co-workers or patients known to be infected with COVID-19. Some medical centers do carefully trace the close contacts of every infected patient and worker, alert them to the exposure and offer guidance on the next steps. Others, by policy, do not personally follow up with health workers who unknowingly treated an infected patient or worked with a colleague who later tested positive for the virus.

"It's an enormous issue," said Debbie White, president of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, a union representing nurses and other health care professionals in New Jersey. "When a patient is positive, our expectation is that the employer would go back and do their due diligence in terms of investigating who was participating in that patients care."

Instead, she said, union members often report "there is very, very little follow-up" to inform them after an exposure.

The disconnect between hospital policy and worker expectations often centers around the lack of clear, direct communication with individual workers who have been potentially exposed to the coronavirus. And when workers are informed about an infected colleague or patient, some say that the efforts to conceal that person's identity can make it difficult to gauge the level of risk.

Melissa Johnson-Camacho, a nurse at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California, said she was informed that another nurse in her unit tested positive, but not which one.

"I don't know who that nurse is. I don't know if I had lunch with that nurse. I don't know if I helped that nurse with a patient," said Johnson-Camacho, who is a chief nurse representative for the California Nurses Association.

UC Davis Health spokesperson Charles Casey said federal and state privacy laws prevent the hospital from identifying individuals who test positive. HIPAA, the federal privacy rule, does permit some disclosures of personal health information to health care workers during an outbreak of infectious disease, but only the "minimum necessary," according to recent guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Other hospitals contend that because community transmission of COVID-19 is so widespread, workers should assume anyone they encounter, inside or outside the hospital, could be infected and adapt their behavior accordingly.

OHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center, a major provider outside Portland, Oregon, for example, recently sent an email to all employees saying that because COVID-19 is widespread in that community, "you will no longer receive notification from [the Employee Health program] after caring for a patient with COVID-19. Instead, we ask that you serve as our eyes and ears and report any concerns for exposure to Employee Health as soon as possible."

Based on similar reasoning, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidelines in April to say hospitals should consider forgoing contact tracing for their workers  a fundamental of public health work that involves identifying people who have been exposed and asking them to quarantine  in favor of universal masking and screening for symptoms at the beginning of shifts.

While all hospital employees, from food service to custodial staff, are vulnerable to exposure, nurses and other direct-care providers who interact closely with patients are at greatest risk. Informing them of patient exposures is generally less important in intensive care units and wards designated for COVID-19 assessments, where patients are assumed to have the virus and proper protective gear should be used. But when providers care for a patient hospitalized for an unrelated condition who later tests positive, workers say the information can be crucial.

"A lot of nurses are caregivers, too, and we have people at home who are in the high-risk group," said Johnson-Camacho, the UC Davis nurse. "No one wants to take this home to their family or someone they love."

Knowing about an exposure might make the difference when deciding whether to hug your children or move out of the family home, Johnson-Camacho added.

At Stroger Hospital in Chicago, nurse Elizabeth Lalasz said she contracted the coronavirus after spending several hours with a patient who came in with what initially was believed to be a chronic respiratory condition, but who later was sent home with a presumed case of COVID-19. Lalasz said the hospital never followed up with her about the presumed exposure, even though she had not been wearing proper protective gear. She said she subsequently fell ill and tested positive for the virus  and that her co-workers were never informed about her condition.

"The contact-tracing idea didn't even exist," Lalasz said.

Cook County Health, which operates Stroger, did not directly respond to questions about its policies on informing workers about exposure to the virus. But spokesperson Deborah Song said the system is following CDC guidelines.

At UW Medicine in Seattle, where the cafeteria outbreak played out, spokesperson Tina Mankowski said the hospital is not doing contact tracing when workers or patients test positive for COVID-19. She said that is because the medical center is not asking workers to quarantine at home following a potential exposure.

Under current policy, if an employee contracts the virus, that person's manager is notified in general terms, and is supposed to share that information with other staff members. Employees are asked to self-monitor for fever or upper-respiratory symptoms, and to stay home if they are ill.

Mankowski confirmed that four cafeteria employees had tested positive for the virus. She said employees were notified but did not provide specifics about how or when.

"The safety of University of Washington Medical Center patients and employees is our top priority," Mankowski wrote in an email. "If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, the manager is informed that one of their employees has tested positive and then discusses this with the staff in that area."

Jimenez and three other workers said that was not their experience and that communication about the outbreak was muted.

Luis Rios, a cook at the cafeteria for 17 years, said he was not informed after the first colleague tested positive, though he had chatted with the sick cashier in the staff locker room several times, no more than 2 feet away. A few days after that worker was diagnosed, Rios said, he was taste-testing a dish when he noticed his sense of taste was dulled, a symptom of COVID-19. He also felt cold, even in the warm kitchen. He was tested at an area medical clinic, and became the unit's second confirmed case.

"Honestly, I dont know if UW or my managers care about workers lives," said Rios, 49, who spoke through an interpreter. "They only care if we can go in and work."

Justin Lee, communications director for the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE), which represents the cafeteria workers, said supervisors did post a copy of an email from the employee health department to cafeteria directors notifying them in general terms when the first worker tested positive. A printout was tacked near the employees' time clock. But many workers did not see it or may have been unable to understand it because it was written in English, according to Lee. Information shared days later in a small huddle did not reach the whole staff, he said.

In early April, cafeteria workers delivered a petition to hospital management, with the support of WFSE and Service Employees International Union Local 925, with 450 signatures. They requested the hospital close the Plaza Cafe for a deep cleaning, install a temporary protective barrier around the cashiers and bring in a medical professional to educate all cafeteria staff about COVID-19, with translations in other languages.

The cafeteria was not closed, but Mankowski said the hospital has disinfected it and all workstations, and now requires workers throughout the hospital to wear masks. The hospital has declined to install Plexiglas barriers at the cafeteria, she said, because it believes the universal masking offers the necessary safety precautions.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has no rule requiring that employers inform workers of exposures to infectious diseases. But Dr. Alyssa Burgart, a bioethicist at Stanford, said hospitals do have an ethical obligation. She acknowledged the challenges: With dozens of employees going in and out of a patient's room each day, tracking every single one can be difficult, particularly with limited resources. Hospitals are trying to figure out in real time exactly what they need to disclose and how to do it.

"Everything is a disaster now, and no one has time to answer anything. So you're seeing organizations fumble when figuring out how to do this in a way that meets their ethical obligation to protect employees but doesn't violate federal privacy laws," Burgart said.

"The typical way these decisions would be made would be over a very long deliberative process, and that is a luxury we do not have right now. Some organizations are going to miss the mark the first time."
Multiple toddlers in China have developed deformed heads after being raised on a protein drink sold to their parents as baby formula, a report has claimed.

Pictures provided by devastated parents show their children's foreheads having unusual swellings after they had allegedly fed on the product for months.

The shocking revelation comes more than 10 years after toxic, chemical-laden milk powder produced by the country's largest dairy firms killed six infants and sickened nearly 300,000 babies.

One mother, Ms Chen, said that her daughter's forehead 'is protruding'. The parent from the county of Yongxing, Hunan province, showed a picture of her child to the Hunan Economy TV

One father, Mr Hu, said his three-year-old child's skull 'juts out obviously' as a result. He said the child had been growing slowly and only displayed the physical traits of a two-year-old

The latest health scandal took place in the city of Chenzhou in southern China's Hunan province, according to Hunan Economy TV, which carried out the investigation.

It is understood that these children are allergic to milk, and their parents had been recommended by shop assistants to use the product in question to replace regular formula.

The sick toddlers, all from the county of Yongxing, were diagnosed with rickets, the report claimed.

The condition affects bone development in children, causing pain, poor growth and soft, weak bones that can lead to deformities.

It can be caused by a lack of vitamin D, sources of which include sunlight and food such as oily fish and egg yolks.

Other boys and girls are said to have displayed symptoms such as rash and intellectual disability after being left severely malnourished by the drink.

The drink is called Bei An Min, according to local officials who were investigating the matter

One father, known by his surname Hu, said his three-year-old child's skull 'juts out obviously' after he started to drink the product. He said the child had been growing slowly and only displayed the physical traits of a two-year-old.

Another mother, known by her surname Chen, told the reporter that her daughter's forehead 'is protruding'.

'Others all say that your child looks like a "big-headed baby" and ask if she is deformed,' she said while showing a picture of the girl on her phone.

Ms Chen said her monthly salary was around 2,000 yuan (230), but she had to spend 3,000 yuan (344) on the product every month for her daughter.

A third parent said his daughter had been slapping herself on the head repeatedly several times a day after being left with intellectual disability due to the regular consumption of the 'formula'.

One mother, Ms Zhu, told the reporter she was devastated after discovering her daughter had been raised on a drink, not formula. She said he child had drank the product for over two years

The dodgy drink is called Bei An Min and produced by a local company in Hunan, according to local officials who were investigating the matter.

Although the manufacturer labels it as a 'solid drink of protein' on the tins, the product has been sold at the baby formula section of a popular maternity store.

'When I heard the news [that it was just a drink], I was devastated. We had always believed that it was formula. The sales assistants had been telling us that it was formula too,' cried a mother, known by her surname Zhu.

'It wasn't until later that we found out it was a type of drink. It means my daughter had fed on a drink for more than two years.'

Chinese parents have been scared by a number of milk scandals in the past. In the most infamous case, a chemical compound called melamine was added into baby formula

When reporters visited the store that sold the product, a manager insisted that Bei An Min was a kind of 'special formula'.

However, after the reporter told the manager about the situation of her customers' children, the woman, who had sold the product for two years, quickly changed her tone. She said the product 'can't be drunk long-term because it does not have nutrients'.

China has a national food safety standard, which lists the requirements of ingredients and nutritional values of baby formula.

However, it does not have regulations on normal drinks sold to babies and young children.

Officials said 20 per cent of Chinese dairy firms, including then milk powder giant Sanlu, were involved in the tainted-milk scandal that killed six children and sickened 300,000 in 2008

A customer service representative from Bei An Min told Beijing News that their product was a regular drink for 'ordinary customers' and produced in line with government regulations

The representative claimed that the company was not aware that the drink had been sold to babies allergic to milk.

The representative added that the production of Bei An Min was suspended mid-2019 and the company was probing the parents' claims.

The Chinese market watchdog has been alerted of the report.

The State Administration of Market Regulation said in a statement today that it was 'paying close attention' to the matter and ordered its provincial branch in Hunan to 'thoroughly inspect' the relevant businesses.

The authority vowed heavy punishment and promised to release the results of the investigation 'timely'.

Chinese customers have been scared by a number of milk scandals in the past.

The most infamous case occurred in 2008 and involved 20 per cent of Chinese dairy firms, including then milk powder giant Sanlu.

The incident saw firms adding a chemical compound called melamine, used in plastic and fertiliser production, into baby formula.

Two men were sentenced to death for their role in the tainted milk scandal, which killed six children and sickened 294,000.

Tian Wenhua, 66, the boss of Sanlu, was spared the death penalty but jailed for life and fined more than 2million.

In 2003, more than 100 babies in eastern China's Anhui Province developed the so-called 'big-headed disease', which saw them having enormous heads, after drinking milk made of starch and cane sugar by dishonest companies. Twelve babies died of severe malnutrition as a result, according to reports at the time.
The incredible moment a carpet python hanging from a roof devoured a giant possum has been caught on camera.

Stuart McKenzie from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers was called to collect a large python from a Mooloolaba backyard, north of Brisbane, on Wednesday morning.

He arrived to find it hanging from a gutter with a possum halfway down its throat.

Mr McKenzie shared the photos on Facebook and told Daily Mail Australia it was a fully-grown ringtail possum.

Pictured: A two-metre carpet python eating a one-metre ringtail possum in Queensland

Mr McKenzie shared the photos on Facebook and told Daily Mail Australia it was a fully-grown ringtail possum

'The python was about two metres long and took nearly an hour to eat the possum,' he said.

'It's incredible that they can eat upside down and eat such large prey.'

Ringtail possums can grow up to one metre in length.

A Facebook user agreed with Mr McKenzie: 'Fascinating how it can hang from the gutter with the extra weight in it's mouth.'

Mr McKenzie had to wait one hour for the carpet python to finish eating the ringtail possum before he could remove it from his client's backyard

'Crikey! Thats one big fury possum,' one woman wrote in the comments.

'Well, that has put me off my breakfast. Awesome sight though,' another wrote.

Carpet pythons can grow up to three metres in length.

They are not poisonous to humans but frequently prey on possums, rodents and sometimes family pets.

In April, a giant carpet python devoured a family's fluffy ginger cat on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

By the time the feline's owner realised what was happening it was too late, so he filmed the horrifying scene.
As many as 141 Indian nationals



stranded in the US arrived here on Wednesday by an Air India Express flight, officials said.

The Indian nationals arrived this morning from Chicago via Mumbai.

Following completion of Immigration and Customs formalities, besides COVID-19 test, they were sent to respective quarantine centres in buses arranged by the Tamil Nadu government, they said.

The quarantine centres located in and around the city, include both government facilities as well as star hotels, the latter available on self payment mode.

As many as 11 people treated as 'special case', were sent to select hospitals for isolation, besides home quarantine.

Indian citizens stranded abroad due to the lockdown triggered by coronavirus are being ferried by the government of India in its biggest ever off-shore evacuation drive under the 'Vande Bharat' Mission.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Covid-19 pandemic could trigger the decline of the traditional office as cash-strapped businesses slash the amount of building space they use, Britain's biggest commercial landlord has warned.

As millions of white-collar staff work from home, Land Securities revealed just 10 per cent of the office space it owns is being used.

But it warned the change could become permanent after the lockdown ends, if employers seek to reduce costs.

As millions of white-collar staff work from home, Land Securities revealed just 10 per cent of the office space it owns is being used

It also said High Street retailers whose sales have shifted online may abandon or scale back their shops.

The warning came as Landsec announced its annual losses widened from 123million to 837million in the year to March 31, after turmoil in the retail industry caused its properties to plunge in value by 1.2billion.

It fears there is worse to come as tenants forced to close their businesses during the outbreak struggle to pay rent.

The FTSE 100 giant collected just 63 per cent of quarterly rents within ten days of their March due date as the pandemic hit, down from 94 per cent a year earlier.

Warning it does not expect the economy to fully recover until 2022, it cautioned that retail rents could plunge by three quarters in a 'severe but plausible scenario'.

Yesterday Mark Allan, who took over as Landsec boss last month, said he was launching a review of the business and that 'nothing was ruled in or ruled out'.

After the announcement, its shares tumbled 12.8 per cent, wiping 490million off its market value and taking the stock's losses this year to 43.6 per cent.

Business leaders including Barclays boss Jes Staley and advertising guru Sir Martin Sorrell are examining whether they could reduce the amount of money they spend on office space.

This trend has been highlighted as a potential risk by Landsec, with the firm admitting that a surge in online shopping and video conferencing could lead to a 'structural shift'.

It said retailers may soon require 'less physical space' and 'as people become more comfortable and familiar with virtual interactions, the use of permanent office and physical meeting rooms may decline'.

Speaking to analysts yesterday, Allan and other executives insisted that although the retail portfolio, which fell in value by 20 per cent during the year, was struggling, its office properties were 'resilient' and could adapt to changing demand.

He and London boss Colette O'Shea insisted there was 'an ongoing need for offices' and claimed firms may decide to keep the same premises with fewer workers in them,

They said some firms may choose to have a larger number of staff working from home but bring back cubicle offices for those who commute.

This would give employees more personal space and make workplaces more hygienic while social-distancing rules remained in place.

O'Shea said: 'We've obviously experienced a period when offices have been very densely occupied. With people coming back into work, they're going to be looking for healthy buildings.

'If we imagined a world where, at its extreme, we go back to cellular offices but then there's a proportion of people working at home and probably a bit of flex mixed into that as well, then arguably, the space-take could be similar.'

She said Landsec's buildings were 'able to adapt' to whatever the new demands would be.
South Africa has become a COVID-19 model for the continent in many ways since it confirmed its index case on 5th March, 2020. From the area of testing through to record number of recoveries, South Africa has been praised for pro-activeness in combating the virus.



The economic intervention measures rolled out by President Cyril Ramaphosa has also been classed as one of the most comprehensive across the continent. South Africa was one of the earliest to roll out such measures.



Challenges have been recorded in the area of enforcing the three-week lockdown which was augmented by two weeks. Spike in cases at certain points and incidents of shoplifting and increase in domestic violence cases have all been headaches Pretoria continues to deal with.



That President Ramaphosa is also the current Chairperson of the African Union, AU; means he has the delicate task of juggling national tasks withe the continental as Africa seeks global support to combat the pandemic.



Key statistics as at May 12, data from National Institute For Communicable Diseases, NICD



The total number of confirmed cases = 11,350



The total number of tests so far = 369,697



Total death toll = 206



Total recoveries = 4,357



Most impacted provinces = Guateng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwa Zulu-Natal



US donates ventilators



The U.S. government is donating up to 1,000 ventilators to South Africa to help the country respond to COVID-19 as the Trump administration addresses criticism that it hasnt done enough for countries in need.



South Africa is the first country in the world to receive this state-of-the-art equipment from the National Security Council and USAID, the U.S. Embassy said in a tweet. Last week, however, Mexico said it received a U.S. shipment of 211 ventilators as part of aid promised by President Donald Trump.



The U.S. soon will make similar donations to countries around the world, according to embassy officials. South Africa has the most confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa with more than 11,300, including more than 200 deaths. Virus cases across the 54-nation continent are now above 66,000.



For weeks, U.S. officials have indicated that the virus crisis at home has delayed the shipment of crucial medical equipment to other countries.



But in recent days the Trump administration has been making plans to ship some 8,000 of the breathing machines to foreign countries by the end of July. The White House has not said how many have been shipped, and its unclear if some nations would pay for the ventilators, which cost $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the model.



Trump has spoken with the leaders of South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Kenya in recent days about the pandemic. Nigeria just called. Were giving them 250 ventilators, Trump said last week. In a tweet, he said Ethiopia also had asked for the machines.



Africa has some of the worlds weakest health systems, and experts have warned they would be rapidly overwhelmed by the virus. African countries have joined forces with each other and the private sector to compete with richer countries around the world for scarce medical equipment, including badly needed testing kits.



Some African nations also are turning to manufacturing needed equipment themselves, a development that could help speed up industrialization of a continent that has long imported much of its medicines and other health items from abroad.



The U.S.-produced ventilators donated to South Africa are valued at $14 million, and with accessories, service plans and shipping the total donation is worth $20 million, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement Tuesday.



The donation brings the total U.S. government financial support to South Africas COVID-19 response to more than $41 million, according to the statement.

Source: africanews.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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NEW BRITAIN  With the looming May 20 target date to reopen some non-essential businesses, Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday announced he removed the states top public health official, whose tenure was marked by controversy over school vaccinations and struggles to stem the coronavirus devastating impact on nursing homes.

Department of Public Health Commissioner Renee Coleman-Mitchell had served for about a year. Deidre Gifford, the commissioner of the state Department of Social Services, took over in an acting capacity, said Lamont.

The surge in deaths in Connecticuts nursing homes was exacerbated by the lack of a plan after the March fatalities in Washington state elderly centers showed that COVID-19 could devastate similar populations, administration sources said. Nursing home residents became nearly half of Connecticuts more than 3,000 fatalities.

A top veteran deputy of the department resigned and momentum toward firing Coleman-Mitchell can be traced to spring 2019, when she declined to release school vaccination data amid a raging debate on parental rights versus public health in the State Capitol.

I wanted to make an organizational change, Lamont said Tuesday morning under a barrage of reporters questions at a warehouse here where millions of dollars in personal protective equipment has arrived for distribution to front line workers and small Connecticut businesses.

I can tell that May 20 was always a pivot point for us, Lamont said. I thought this was a good time to make a change.

Lamont backed away from direct answers to questions from reporters about her leadership. I dont think this is where I want to go right now. She has a chance to tell you what she thinks about this change. I thought wed be better positioned as a state going forward and make sure our public health has been closely coordinated. I thought about the reorganization for months, more broadly speaking.

In a statement, Coleman-Mitchell said she was told the governors decision to move the Department of Public Health in a different direction was not related to job performance. I take them at their word. There was no mention in the statement of a lawsuit.

I am proud of the work of the Department of Public Health during this time of unprecedented turmoil and threat to the public health. Our coordinated response to the COVID-19 public health crisis earned praise from public health experts around the country, Coleman-Mitchell said in a statement. I am most proud of my role in promoting and implementing creation of COVID recovery facilities, which will help make our retirement and elderly community populations safer and less susceptible to the indiscriminate suffering that the virus causes. Indeed, our plan was praised by David Grabowski, a professor of public health care policy at Harvard Medical School who told NBC News in an interview this week that it is really the safest approach. 

Sources say Coleman-Mitchells tenure was stressful, with growing tension between the DPH and Lamonts office.

Information and data on nursing home illnesses and deaths was a regular complaint about the DPHs handling of the issue. About 40 percent of the more than 3,000 COVID-19 deaths have occurred in nursing homes.

Close cooperation between public health and social services made a lot of sense, Lamont said. I think the job has changed. Lets put it that way. I think in terms of public health, long-term, I want closer cooperation between our departments, starting with social services. Obviously nursing homes are managed by DSS, managed by Public Health. I wanted closer coordination there. When it comes to contact tracing, testing protocols, all the other initiatives that are going to be under our health care strrategy, I know how important public health is under that overall plan.

Lamont said he wanted the states pandemic response to be more unified. Ive always found that state government operates by silos, he said, stressing that the states Emergency Operations Center has forced agencies to work as a team. I wanted really close coordination when it came to our health care effort and public health effort, and thats why I thought DSS and DPH, even more closely aligned, made a lot of sense with the next stage that were going through.

Paul Mounds, Lamonts chief of staff, speaking with reporters after Lamonts review of about 6.7 million new pieces of PPE, echoed his bosss belief that it was time for a change. Well immediately start a new search for a commissioner of DPH, Mounds said, adding that there could be more personnel changes at the agency.

May 20 is a good date to do a full evaluation of everybody, Mounds said. Based upon not only things that occurred during the COVID crisis, but issues that occurred before it, it was time for a change at the top, and also a change as it goes with the leadership team.

In March month, Susan Roman, one of Coleman-Mitchells top deputies resigned, exposing management tension and morale problems in the agency, writing that working for Coleman-Mitchell had been an incredible disappointment.

On May 3, 2019, the department published its first school-by-school assessments of child immunization rates, showing scores of schools with kindergarten immunization rates below the 95 percent threshold that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is necessary to provide herd immunity for a community.

Coleman-Mitchell, who has masters in public health from Yale University and 25 years of experience as a health administrator, annoyed Democratic lawmakers by refusing for months after the data was published to offer a professional opinion on whether the exemptions posed a public health threat.

While state commissioners usually advocate for or against issues before their departments, in August of last year Coleman-Mitchell shied away. I am not able, nor should I weigh in on anything thats public legislation that comes about as a result of any of the work we do, she said. Thats not in the purview of my role.

The same month, she said she would not release updated school-by-school vaccinations rates that had been recalculated after errors were found.

Coleman-Mitchell was publicly overruled a day later by the governor, who ordered the release of the school-by-school data. A month later, she joined the governor in a news conference in his office to unequivocally urge legislators to repeal Connecticuts religious exemption from required vaccinations for children entering school.

That issue, which was the impetus for two major demonstrations at the Capitol in early 2020 by parents opposed to mandatory vaccinations, was shelved after March 11, when the Capitol was first closed for a deep weekend-long cleaning. That shutdown was ultimately extended after the General Assemblys constitutional deadline occurred at midnight May 6.

Even as the pandemic in Fairfield and New Haven counties subsides, it is unlikely that vaccination legislation would be included in any special session this spring or summer.

Mark Pazniokas of the CT Mirror contributed to this report.
Highlights Twitter will soon allow its employees to work from home permanently.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has sent an email to his employees asking them to continue working from home

Twitter has said that it wont open its offices before September

Twitter will soon allow its employees to work from home permanently pandemic or no pandemic. It was being reported that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has sent an email to his employees asking them to continue working from home even when the pandemic ends. This will, however, be applicable for the employees, whose presence is not required in the office.

The change in Twitter's working model was first reported by TechCrunch but now Twitter has released an official statement saying that Twitter was among the first tech companies to adapt the work from home model but it doesn't want to become the first to return to offices as yet.

"We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere. The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen. If not, our offices will be their warm and welcoming selves, with some additional precautions, when we feel it's safe to return," Jennifer Christie, Vice President, People, Twitter said in a statement.

Twitter in the blog post has also laid out the company's plan to resume in-person working. They said, "Opening offices will be our decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs."

In the same post, Twitter has said that it won't open its offices before September and when it does, it wouldn't rush into things or go back to how things were before the lockdown. Bouncing back to work will be careful, intentional, office by office and gradual.

The company has announced that there will not be any business travels before September, with a few exceptions. It will also not hold any in-person company events for the rest of 2020. Twitter will decide about the events of 2021 later this year.

Twitter is in no hurry to bounce back and has given leverage to its employees to work from home till they want to. Other tech companies Facebook and Google have also have made extended their work from home policies until the end of this year for most employees. Things are however subjected to change.
Young India is showing the way: PM Modi on Covid vaccination

Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav: PM to flag off seven initiatives of Brahma Kumaris

PM Modi hails relief measures by FM Sitharaman, says it will help businesses, especially MSMEs

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 13 May hailed the announcements made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crore and said that the measures will go a long way for businesses and MSMEs.

"Today's announcements by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will go a long way in addressing issues faced by businesses, especially MSMEs. The steps announced will boost liquidity, empower the entrepreneurs and strengthen their competitive spirit," he tweeted.

Seeking to boost the COVID-hit economy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced Rs 3-lakh crore collateral-free automatic loan for businesses, including MSMEs. This will benefit 45 lakh small businesses, she said, detailing parts of the Rs 20-lakh crore economic stimulus.

The announcements by the finance minister came a day after Prime Minister Modi introduced massive new financial incentives on top of the previously announced packages for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.
On 26 March 2020 Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited announced the closure of our New Zealand retail stores and web shops, in line with the restrictions of Level 4 at the time. In Australia due to the impact of Covid-19 and the adverse impact on sales, stores also closed from 26 March 2020.

The Company announces that from Thursday 14 May there will be a phased reopening of our New Zealand store network for both the Glassons and Hallenstein Brothers brands with strict protocols in place. In Australia, we have started to progressively open stores as we navigate the various restrictions and consumer dynamics at a State level. Across our retail networks we will be adhering to the respective Government directives and our priority will be the health and safety of our team members and our customers.

Although our physical stores were closed to the public, we have been able to successfully trade our Glassons.com web shop in Australia throughout this period. In New Zealand we opened both Glassons.com and Hallensteins.com on 4 April, following approval from the Government, to initially sell essential product and then our full product offering from Tuesday 28th April. Our business has responded strongly to the change in consumer behaviour during this time and how we connect to our customers. We have experienced significant growth in our online channel, compared to prior to the Covid-19 situation. With the work we have undertaken on our digital supply chain, building the new Glassons Fulfilment Centres in Sydney and Christchurch and expanding Hallenstein Brothers in Auckland, we were able to easily lift capacity to meet the increased demand. We will continue to prioritise investment in this part of our business. We believe that the significant increase in our online business most likely marks a permanent shift in consumer habits in New Zealand and Australia and we expect our online sales to represent a much larger share of our total sales in the future.

The sales for the first 14 weeks of the current season, from 2 February 2020, are down approximately 32.1% on the same period last year. This includes the period when all stores were closed in both New Zealand and Australia. Profit after tax for the quarter, 2 February to 30 April 2020, is estimated to be a loss of approximately $2.8 million. With stores reopening this week we anticipate to trade profitably from May onwards although we are expecting that to be at a lower level than the same period last year due to a likely decrease in foot-traffic, increased levels of unemployment and related economic impacts.

Since March the business has taken a number of steps to preserve liquidity including:

 Lowering our planned stock intake in line with reduction in sales.

 Reducing operating and labour costs.

 Applying for the New Zealand Government funded wage subsidy and Australian Jobkeeper payments.

 Placing capital projects on hold awaiting a better understanding of future performance.

 Negotiating with landlords to align appropriate arrangements to reflect the changing market conditions.

 Directors, Executives and Leadership Teams have agreed to a short-term reduction of their salaries.

We would like to acknowledge our people; I am very proud of the agility they have shown and their ability to constantly reassess how we go about managing the business. Their commitment, professionalism and performance during this difficult time has been exemplary.

Source: Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited

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Pick any world-shaking event from 20th century historynone has produced a bigger decrease in [heat trapping] emissions than this years coronavirus, wrote Laura Millan Lombrana and Haley Warren in a May 7 article for Bloomberg Green. Normally, plummeting emissions would be good climate news. But in this case, emissions fell because of a pandemic that has killed a reported 280,000 people (and counting) and forced economies around the world into lockdown, driving unemployment to heights not seen since the Great Depression. In the coming weeks and months, countries will debate how to restore some semblance of normal economic life. The question is whether they will do it without endangering the planet in the process. Journalists will be tracking what figures to be a titanic struggle pitting science against politics and champions of climate-smart economics against defenders of the status quo. And the outcome will be shaped in part by whether news outlets can give this story the prominence, clarity, and urgency it demands.

Because of the pandemic shutdown, annual carbon dioxide emissions will fall by about 8 percent in 2020, projects the International Energy Agency. As it happens, 8 percent is roughly how much emissions must fall each year during the next decade to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the aspirational goal of the Paris Agreement. If temperature rise instead reaches 2 degrees C, the resulting additional heat waves, droughts, fires, storms and other climate impacts will cause massive loss of life. Hundreds of millionsor even billionsof people will run short of food, science writer Mark Lynas explains in his new book, Our Final Warning. Meanwhile, Lynas writes, the climate systems feedback mechanismssuch as faster melting of permafrost and polar icewill make further temperature rise and harsher impacts inevitable.

RECENTLY: CNNs exceptional climate journalism achievement

Of course, its neither desirable nor feasible to keep economies on permanent lockdown in the name of climate stability. Which may explain why variations of a Green New Deal, an idea first pressed by climate activists, are garnering support from more and more pillars of the establishment. The European Union, the International Monetary Fund, the mayors of 33 of the worlds biggest cities, the leaders of Europes two biggest economies, Germany and France, a coalition of investors who manage more than $32 trillion worth of assetsthese are just some of the voices arguing that the government stimulus programs being devised to revive pandemic-stricken economies must be green.

COVID-19 recovery programs should not be a return to business as usualbecause that is a world on track for more than 3 degrees C of overheating, warned a statement by the mayors of New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Sao Paulo, Seoul, and 27 other cities with a combined population of 750 million people. Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England, has argued that instead of ploughing trillions of dollars into fossil fuel energy sources and infrastructure, countries should try to leapfrog ahead by investing in solar and wind power and emulating the UK governments plan to phase out gasoline and diesel engine cars by 2035. A study led by Nicholas Stern, former chief economist at The World Bank, and Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University found that green stimulus programs outperform their opposites. The economists examination of more than 700 stimulus programs launched after the 2008 global financial crisis found that investing in energy efficiencyfor example, by retrofitting buildingsand renewable energy yielded more jobs and higher monetary returns than traditional stimulus programs.

Such approaches are bound to encounter fierce resistance, however. In the US, the Trump administration and its Republican allies on Capitol Hill have contempt for anything resembling a Green New Deal; instead, they are aiding the fossil fuel industry and other heavy polluters through financial subsidies and regulatory rollbacks. China, the worlds other climate superpower, appears to have stalled once-promising efforts toward a green transition, instead prioritizing immediate factory re-openings. In Europe, industrial interests are pressuring governments to save jobs and prevent bankruptcies by easing environmental policies. Every day, letters from powerful industrial organizations, from cement to plastic to the car industry, arrive in the Commission saying that we need relief on standards for emissions, on regulations, Stefan Lehne, a former Commission official, told The New York Times.

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As events unfold, the political and electoral dimensions of this story will require careful attention, as will the costs and benefits of the various policies for ordinary people. The best reporting will demonstrate command of the science, including the imperative of keeping global warming well below 2 C, per the Paris Agreement. And there will be surprises. Who would have expected at a time of rising coronavirus death tolls that 71 percent of adults think that climate change is as serious a crisis as COVID-19 is in the long term? Thats according to an Ipsos poll of 28,000 people in 14 countries that also found that 65 percent of the public wants governments to prioritize climate change in the economic recovery after COVID-19. People are hungry for climate progress. They need journalism that equips them to follow the actionand make their own voices heardbefore its too late.

NOW, HERES YOUR WEEKLY SAMPLING of the latest in climate news, from across the Covering Climate Now collaboration.

The suddenly blue skies and clear water yielded by the coronavirus economic shutdown wont last if the world economy returns to business as normal, say health, economic, and policy experts calling for a green recovery , The Christian Science Monitor reports. Climate activists, meanwhile, hope we learn the right lessons from the pandemicthat in times of crisis, with a scientific consensus on what is necessary and what will work, [political] leaders can act decisively.

With the coronavirus occupying national attention, the Trump administration continues to roll back environmental protections , including regulations on fuel efficiency, air soot pollution, public lands, offshore fishing, and more, The Guardian reports. The cuts go against scienceexperts say more air soot pollution will directly contribute to deaths in affected areasand further than even industry had requested. What Trumps done is create a blitzkrieg against the environment, one expert says, trying to dismantle not just Obamas environmental achievements but turn back the clock to a pre-Richard Nixon day.

Also from The Guardian : Americas meat supply may be under threat, as some processing facilities are forced to close due to coronavirus outbreaks. The fragility of the food supply, some say, is thanks to decades of company policies that favored profit and efficiency above all else. But sustainable farms , which prioritize the environment and animal welfare, have seen a jump in business, perhaps making the case for a national transition to sustainable models.

Young Republicans, disappointed by the climate denialism of party leaders, in April unveiled a conservative answer to the Green New Deal. Critics say the plan is too modest to be effective, InsideClimate News explains, but the young conservatives argue that their plan at least accepts climate change as an urgent problem and will stimulate healthy debate. When one side decides it doesnt want to discuss the truth of the problem at all, it feeds into the other side getting a monopoly on the discussion, a University of Louisville student says. That is really damaging.

Parts of the Amazon and other tropical forests are now emitting more CO2 than they are absorbing , new research shows, due to rampant deforestation. We have hit a tipping point, an atmospheric chemist in Brazil tells Yale Environment 360 . It is perhaps the first time in thousands of years that the forest has acted as a source of greenhouse gases, an ominous development that will make the Paris Agreement goals that much harder to reach.

At the same time, Reuters reports that Brazils president, Jair Bolsonaro, has placed the countrys military in charge of fighting deforestation over strong objections from the former head of Brazils environmental protection agency, who called the move unacceptable.

ICYMI: The last days of the Cleveland Plain Dealer

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Mark Hertsgaard is the co-founder and executive director of Covering Climate Now and the environment correspondent for The Nation.
coach Frank Schmidt is a giant in the Bundesliga play-off against Werder Bremen, great opportunity for the second League club 1. FC Heidenheim. "This is for the most a chance to live. We can create something Extraordinary. I believe in the Unbelievable, Schmidt said before the first leg in Bremen on Thursday (20.30 PM in the F. A. Z.-Liveticker for the football League, as well as in DAZN, and Amazon Prime).

The rise for the club from the 50,000 inhabitants of the city "absolute madness", - said Schmidt: "But I'm not a dreamer. If we want to create, we need to do a lot of good work, with a lot of passion.

Bremen was "clear" in the favorites, his team captain Marc Schnatterer but believe, "that we can create a Sensation". The 1:4 in the 2. Cup round have "something Good: "We know what to expect. And we know how wemust do.

act-Namely, to waiting. "Bremen has 69 goals, which is tremendous and shows that we should have the courage to take us forward," said Schmidt, is "continuous current": "I am as happy as a little child."

Updated Date: 30 June 2020, 08:19
Surgical patients appear to recover faster and more reliably than patients treated with functional bracing.

A study published in the distinguished JAMA journal compared functional bracing, the non-operative treatment of humeral shaft fractures, with surgical treatment of similar fractures in adult patients. In the study, patient recovery was monitored for a year.

Six weeks and three months after treatment, surgically treated patients fared better than those treated with bracing. After this, the differences evened out.

On average, the forms of therapy resulted in equally good outcomes one year after the injuries were sustained. However, problems were observed fairly often in the recovery of the patients treated with functional bracing. A total of 30% of them had to be operated on within the first year, with failure of fracture union as the principal cause.

In the patients who were operated on at a later date, the outcome was poorer after one year compared to those who were operated on right at the beginning or the 70% of the patients treated with bracing whose fracture healed without any problems.

No serious complications requiring repeat operations were observed in the patients in the surgical group. Four patients experienced transient radial nerve palsy in conjunction with surgery.

The findings provide useful information to doctors treating humeral shaft fractures, as they explain to patients the expected outcomes of different treatment forms as well as their associated risks." Lasse Ramo, Principal Investigator, University of Helsinki

Lasee Ramo is writing his doctoral dissertation at the University of Helsinki.

Fractures of the humeral shaft constitute roughly 1-3% of all fractures in adults. Traditionally, most of them have been treated with an external orthosis supporting the upper arm. In recent decades, fractures have increasingly been treated surgically, even though no high-quality scientific evidence on surgical therapy has been available.

The randomised controlled trial was carried out at the Toolo Hospital of the Helsinki University Hospital and at the Tampere University Hospital. Several members of the Finnish Centre for Evidence-Based Orthopaedics (FICEBO) research group from the University of Helsinki contributed to the trial.

FICEBO is an internationally renowned research group that has produced a number of important publications in the field of orthopaedics.

Next, the researchers are going to investigate the significance of delays in surgery to patient recovery in a two-year follow-up.
A few days back, an ethical hacker claimed that India's contact tracing app is super easy to hack. The government, in response, said it's impossible and the app can't be hacked. Well, let's just say that their claims didn't really age well because the Aarogya Setu app stands hacked right now.

Yes, the app has been hacked by a software engineer from Bangalore. Apparently, it only took him a few hours to get into the app and tear it down. The programmer, who goes by the name Jay, said he was looking for ways to avoid putting the app on his phone. So, he decided to sit down and rip it apart to prove how easy it is to fool it.

 Reuters

"I didnt like the fact that installing this app is slowly becoming mandatory in India, said Jay. As he started working on the app at 9 AM, he first managed to bypass the code for registration, thereby eliminating the need to enter his phone number.



He did some more pruning and managed to bypass the page that requested personal information like name, age, gender, travel history, and COVID-19 symptoms too. He even carved his way out of giving the app his permission to access things like GPS and Bluetooth, two things without which the app can't do much.

 MensXP/ Akshay Bhalla

And just like that, he managed to install the app without giving away any of his details and he was marked "safe" even though he didn't give any permission for it to run on his phone. By 1 PM, he was done with it. All this shows just how easy it is to hack your way around the app and effectively anybody with a little knowledge can do it.



And now that we know just how easy it is to fake your COIVD-19 status on the app, we wonder if it's even reliable any more. Anybody could be showing a fake result, which completely breaks the purpose of having it on your phone, to begin with.

We are yet to have heard anything from the team behind Aarogya Setu, so we'll update as soon as they come up with a statement.

Source: BuzzFeed News
GARDAI are warning companies who are seeking to buy personal protective equipment for their staff and customers to be vigilant when sourcing suppliers.

It follows a recent incident which saw one Limerick-based business being duped out of a significant amount of money.

The business sourced masks and gloves from a company in Germany. This business looked legitimate with the company address, email, phone numbers and bank accounts. A deposit was paid and then the final amount. When the products didnt arrive on the appointed date the company attempted to contact the German company but to no avail, explained divisional crime prevention officer Sergeant Ber Leetch.

After being alerted, gardai in Limerick launched an investigation and subsequently established the website, which was set up on March 23, was fraudulent.

Its shocking to think that some people and companies have lost a lot of money because of fake sites that have been set up by criminals, added Sgt Leetch.

Garda say their advice to companies to be aware and to research any website thoroughly making any purchases  particularly when it comes to PPE.
An Aedes mosquito, the main vector for dengue fever. The disease is endemic in 128 countries. (Joao Paulo Burini / Getty Images)

The first of Yuli Irma's children to fall ill with a fever was her 6-year-old girl. The next day it was her 13-year-old daughter, followed by her 12-year-old son.

Living on the outskirts of Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, Irma feared her children were stricken with the coronavirus. But blood tests revealed they had dengue fever, another viral disease that's in the throes of an outbreak but has been overshadowed by COVID-19.

After a record number of cases last year, the illness is relentlessly spreading across Southeast Asia, a hot zone where the mosquitoes that transmit the virus flourish. The painful disease kills thousands each year and infects hundreds of millions within a band of tropical territory spanning the globe.

While the overwhelming majority of people infected never present symptoms, severe cases can result in bleeding, respiratory distress and organ failure. More common symptoms  a few that mirror the coronavirus  include high fevers, severe headaches and excruciating joint pain deserving of dengue's sobriquet, "breakbone fever."

The rise in dengue fever cases is further straining medical resources in countries like Indonesia at a time when healthcare facilities are dealing with the crushing demands of a pandemic  a stark reminder of how the coronavirus' impact on health is rippling far beyond just those it sickens.

People worldwide are delaying elective surgery. Non-coronavirus patients are competing for diminishing supplies of ventilators, antiviral drugs and sedatives. And countries with chronically low numbers of medical staff are being pushed to the brink.

It took days for Irma to find treatment for her children. A doctor drew blood samples at home because Irma feared exposing the youngsters to the coronavirus at a hospital. When the tests revealed dengue, it took several more days to find a facility that wasn't designated for COVID-19 patients.

"The children were very weak and dizzy by then," said Irma, 42, whose children were hospitalized for four days in April.

Story continues

In 2017, the Philippines stopped a vaccination drive for dengue fever that used a drug sold by French pharmaceutical manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur after children began dying. (Noel Celis / AFP/Getty Images)

Dengue's early flu-like symptoms can be confused for the coronavirus. Some patients have been found to have both, exponentially worsening their chances of recovery. The first person with COVID-19 to die in Thailand was also infected by dengue (pronounced deng-ee). In February, two Singaporeans with COVID-19 were misdiagnosed as having dengue.

Like the coronavirus, there is no cure for the disease, though researchers have been trying for decades to develop a vaccine  a sobering prospect for those expecting a COVID-19 vaccine to be ready in less than two years.

Development has been complicated by the fact the dengue virus appears in four different forms, known as serotypes. Patients who recover from one serotype can develop an immunity, but they face severe illness if they're later infected by another serotyope. A successful vaccine would have to target all four serotypes.

One promising vaccine ended up being marred by controversy. In 2017, the Philippines stopped a vaccination drive that used a drug sold by French pharmaceutical manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur after children began dying.

The government action came after Sanofi Pasteur disclosed its vaccine was making children ill who had never had dengue. The World Health Organization now recommends the drug only for those who have had dengue in the past. The scandal resulted in indictments of government officials and medical researchers in the Philippines, and a public mistrust of inoculations that contributed to a major recurrence of measles last year.

"It's sort of a cautionary tale while we're searching for a COVID-19 vaccine," said Dr. Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases expert at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Singapore. "Vaccines don't always behave the way we want them to."

While dengue is also found in Africa and countries south of the United States, 70% of its occurrence is in Asia. Before 1970, only nine countries had severe dengue epidemics, according to the World Health Organization.

Since then, mass urbanization, explosive growth in travel and warming weather has propelled the spread of the disease, making it endemic in 128 countries. Dengue is considered a "neglected tropical disease," a title given by health officials to describe illnesses that occur in mostly poorer countries that receive inadequate attention.

The World Health Organization last year named dengue one of the top 10 public health threats and urged countries to improve surveillance of female Aedes mosquitoes, the pests most responsible for spreading the disease (Los Angeles County experienced an outbreak of Aedes mosquitoes as recently as 2018).

Mosquito fogging in Indonesia in 2019. (Adek Berry / AFP/Getty Images)

Experts are unsure what impact social restrictions and widespread lockdowns will have on the spread of the disease. Aedes mosquito bites most commonly occur inside homes, which is where people are now confined.

The likelihood of infection "is probably increased with everyone staying at home, but the lack of mobility may limit its spread, said Duane Gubler, founding director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Signature Research Program at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. "We're going to have to wait and see."

Dengue outbreaks tend to come in waves lasting several years. The duration of outbreaks depend on populations developing herd immunity to strains of the virus before a new one can gain momentum.

Countries such as Singapore have learned to live with the disease by promoting what amounts to social distancing with mosquitoes.

Citizens here are regularly reminded by inspectors to eliminate sources of stagnant water. Construction sites, prime places for puddles, must include on-site pest control officers charged with eliminating larvae. And residential neighborhoods are periodically doused with plumes of organic insecticides, a practice known as fogging.

Earlier this month, the country's National Environment Agency expanded a program releasing male mosquitoes loaded with bacterium designed to prevent eggs from hatching after mating.

Countries such as Singapore have learned to live with dengue fever by promoting what amounts to social distancing with mosquitoes. (Roslan Rahman / AFP/Getty Images)

Despite increased vigilance, however, dengue cases, including a senior member of Parliament, have doubled compared with the same period last year, to 6,900  all while the country's health network has had to treat nearly 25,000 coronavirus patients.

"We are all susceptible to dengue and its a war we cant fight alone. We need each other, more than ever before," Low Yen Ling, a member of Parliament since 2015, wrote on her Facebook page.

Guo Xian has been vigilant since he saw public health banners up in his central Singapore neighborhood warning of a local dengue outbreak. The radio producer contracted the disease three years ago and had to be hospitalized with a high fever and a rash. To reduce his chances of getting dengue again  and facing an even worse episode  he has reduced his morning jogs and begun applying mosquito repellent liberally, even indoors.

"Ever since I got discharged, I've been paranoid," said Guo, 46, who feels dengue sapped him of some of his energy. "You've always got to be careful, especially now because of dengue and COVID-19."
AEVIS VICTORIA SA / Key word(s): Development of Sales





Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 KR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



Press release Fribourg, 12 May 2020 AEVIS VICTORIA SA: consolidated revenues for the first quarter of 2020 reach CHF 194.8 million, up 9.9% due to acquisitions



The investment company AEVIS VICTORIA SA (AEVIS) achieved revenues of CHF 194.8 million in the first quarter of 2020, up 9.9% compared to 2019 (CHF 177.3m). The growth is explained by the acquisitions of Privatklinik Belair (consolidated since 1 October 2019), the Mont Cervin Palace and Monte Rosa hotels (consolidated since 1 November 2019) and the hotel Intercontinental in Davos (consolidated since 1 January 2020). Net revenues (medical fees excluded) amounted to CHF 171.6 million, an increase of 11.5% compared to 2019 (CHF 153.9m). The group of private hospitals Swiss Medical Network, AEVIS' main participation, recorded slightly lower revenues of CHF 152.3 million (2019: CHF 159.6m) in the first quarter of 2020, due to the ban on non-urgent medical procedures imposed by the Federal Council on 20 March 2020. The activity was however growing steadily in the first two months of the year. Revenues in the hospitality segment rose to CHF 38.3 million (2019: CHF 12.5m) due to acquisitions. The early closure of the mountain hotels only slightly affected the excellent 2019/2020 winter season experienced in Switzerland. However, the remainder of the year is shaping up to be very difficult for the tourism and hotel industry. 2020 had started well for Swiss Medical Network, but this positive trend was abruptly interrupted by the special measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic. From the very beginning of the crisis, even before the federal ordinance prohibiting non-urgent medical procedures, all of Swiss Medical Network's hospitals had made their resources available to the cantons to optimise the management of this pandemic and had adapted their activities to the situation. The hospitals, whose non-urgent medical procedures were interrupted on 20 March 2020, all resumed their normal activities on Monday 27 April 2020 and most of them have already regained their cruising speed. While Swiss Medical Network expects the activity to catch-up in the coming months, the medical and hospital sectors will see their costs rise significantly due to the special measures required for the resumption of operations. The question of financial compensation is currently under discussion at various levels and will probably be resolved by the umbrella associations with the cantonal authorities and the confederation in the coming months. The overall assessment of the pandemic for the health sector in Switzerland will only be determined at the end of the year, when the situation has normalised. For the hospitality sector, the impact of the pandemic will probably remain for several years with regard to the international customers. Victoria-Jungfrau and Michel Reybier Hospitality however rely on domestic tourism to partially offset the cancellations of international guests and the decline in MICE activities. The city hotels (La Reserve Eden au Lac in Zurich and Bellevue Palace in Bern) reopened their doors on 11 May 2020 and the Grand Hotel Victoria-Jungfrau will welcome its guests from 29 May 2020. As far as the mountain destinations are concerned, decisions will be made as soon as the visibility on international travel has improved. AEVIS will redeem its CHF 55 million bond issue on 29 June 2020 with its existing liquidity and credit lines. The Group does not rule out calling on the financial markets during the second quarter, if the situation normalises, in order to finance its growth and seize acquisition opportunities that arise during this difficult period. Isolated players will have to rely even more on diversified groups to get through the crisis, and consolidation should accelerate in AEVIS' three investment sectors.

For further information:

AEVIS VICTORIA SA Media and Investor Relations: c/o Dynamics Group, Zurich

Philippe R. Blangey, prb@dynamicsgroup.ch, +41 (0) 43 268 32 35 or +41 (0) 79 785 46 32

Severine Van der Schueren, svanderschueren@aevis.com, +41 (0) 79 635 04 10



AEVIS VICTORIA SA - Investing for a better life

AEVIS VICTORIA SA invests in healthcare, hospitality & lifestyle and infrastructure. AEVISs main shareholdings are Swiss Medical Network SA, the only Swiss private network of hospitals present in the country's three main language regions, Victoria-Jungfrau AG, a luxury hotel group managing luxury hotels in Switzerland, Infracore SA (30%, directly and indirectly), a real estate company dedicated to healthcare-related infrastructure, a hospitality real estate division, Medgate (40%), the leading telemedicine provider in Switzerland, and NESCENS SA, a brand dedicated to better aging. AEVIS is listed on the Swiss Reporting Standard of the SIX Swiss Exchange (AEVS.SW). www.aevis.com.

End of ad hoc announcement
AFPTV

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.
Controversial former Western Australian treasurer Troy Buswell has denied repeatedly attacking his ex-partner and will stand trial.

Buswell, 54, is facing three counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated assault causing bodily harm and one count of damaging property.

It is alleged he was violent towards the woman - a serving police officer - between April 2015 and December last year in Subiaco, Southern River, Yoongarillup and Vasse, including one incident on Valentine's Day in 2016.

Controversial former Western Australian treasurer Troy Buswell has denied repeatedly attacking his ex-partner (not pictured) and will stand trial

The property charge relates to $200 worth of damage to a door at her home.

Buswell faced Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday and entered pleas of not guilty.

The court heard the trial will take more than one day.

Buswell's political life was marred by scandals, ending when media reports broke about him crashing his ministerial vehicle into parked cars while driving home from a wedding in 2014.

He was admitted to a psychiatric clinic after the revelations emerged.

Buswell became leader of the WA Liberals in January 2008, but stepped down less than eight months later.

Buswell faced Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday and entered pleas of not guilty

It had emerged he snapped a Labor staffer's bra, cuddled up to a fellow MP while drunk in parliament and made sexist remarks to another MP.

He also initially denied sniffing the chair of a Liberal staffer while writhing in mock sexual pleasure, but later broke down at a press conference admitting he had.

His other indiscretions included an affair in 2010 with then-Greens MP Adele Carles, prompting him to resign from cabinet after she revealed the relationship in a newspaper.

Buswell was for some time considered 'the chosen one' to succeed Colin Barnett but insisted he'd never take the helm again, saying in 2013: 'In relation to my aspirations, I have none'.

The father-of-two has had his bail extended and will next face court for a trial allocation hearing on July 21.

Last month, he had bail conditions tweaked after he was woken by a drunken phone call from his ex-partner.

He was concerned it constituted a breach of a protective bail condition, despite not engaging with her.
A campaign launched in the UAE to find the tastiest flavoured butter has amassed over 600 recipes from influencers, bloggers, celebrity chefs and TV personalities from the Middle East and the rest of the world.

Launched by CNIEL, The French Dairy Board, and the European Union in April, the social media campaign #FlavouredButterChallenge partnered with eight of the UAEs top food influencers to challenge them to develop a flavoured butter, post it online and then challenge friends and family to create their own.

Using the finest French butter, social media users were encouraged to let their imagination run wild by combining butter with spices, herbs, and fruits to create unique and tasty flavoured butter. The creations included saffron, bee pollen, and orange blossom butter by French patissier and celebrity chef, Eric Lanlard. Others such as Lebanese Chef, Leyla Fathalla focused on honey, while blogger Suad Shamma, better known as Lady Spatula, created both a mustard butter and a honey & cinnamon butter.

Premium European butter, especially French butter, is an incredible flavour enhancer. It can make even an average dish taste like a gourmet masterpiece, making it the ideal choice for this global challenge, said Marie-Laure Martin, Head of Communications for Middle Eastern markets at CNIEL.

Launched in the UAE, the challenge reached more than 30 countries including, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Spain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean, amongst others.

The influencers taking part the challenge used French butter brands including Paysan Breton, Isigny Sainte-Mere, President, and Elle & Vire, which are available throughout grocery stores in the Middle East.

We are delighted so many foodies and renowned chefs have taken up the #FlavouredButterChallenge and produced such a sensational range of recipes and tastes using a myriad of ingredients from around the world, added Martin.

"We are also honored to have been an inspiration for other challenges, like the Flavoured Hummus Challenge!

To view the full range of flavoured butter creations, as well as a host of other mouth-watering buttery dishes, visit @butterstories.me on Instagram. - TradeArabia News Service
The states industry has given a mixed response to the Rs 20-lakh crore economic package, the details of which were announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a press conference on Wednesday.

Welcoming the change in definition of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisations (FICO) chairman KK Seth and president Gurmeet Singh Kular said special relief was still missing. Under the new definition, units with an investment of less than Rs 1 crore will be under the micro category; previously, this ceiling was Rs 25 lakh.

All Industries and Trade Forum (AITF) claimed that now the majority of the benefits will be availed by bigger players and micro units wouldnt benefit.

President of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) Upkar Singh Ahuja and general secretary Pankaj Sharma said, The announcement of Rs 3 lakh crore for providing collateral-free loans is mere eyewash. A similar scheme is already there and it has not worked.

CICU, however, welcomed the decision to invite tenders of up to Rs 200 crore domestically.

AITF national president Badish Jindal said, Change in the definition of MSMEs will destroy the future of the tiny sector. The labour benefits announced are only linked to the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), while only 10% of Indias workforce is under it.

Jindal added, The main concern of the industry was salaries to workers, interest on bank loans, interest-free loans for starting businesses, lower taxation rates, exemption from direct taxes etc. Unfortunately, the government has again failed to deliver.

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) state mentor and former chairman RS Sachdeva said there was no immediate relief for the industry. We were expecting relief with regard to labour wages, and interest part of our term loans, which the government said will be postponed for three months. There is nothing of any benefit to industry right now, he said, expressing dissatisfaction.

In Jalandhar, Rajesh Kharbanda, MD, Nivia Sports, said, Reduction is service tax was a long-term demand, which has been met. Some of the steps will improve liquidity and help restart operations.

(With inputs from Jalandhar and Chandigarh)
Victorians may well be in need of a stiff drink after enduring weeks of the strictest lockdown measures in the country.

So it was with much delight that they watched their Premier Dan Andrews urging Australians to 'get on the beers' this weekend.

Pranksters edited a montage of the politician's press conferences to make it seem as though he was urging residents to go out drinking.

The clip was built around comments the premier made in March when he told Victorians not to 'get on the beers' at home with their friends in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

'You guys alright to go and get on the beers?' the video began, stitching two of Mr Andrews' press conferences together.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) has fallen victim to a hilarious editing prank

'We've got to spend the weekend at the pub, that is not an option. There's nothing confusing about this, do the right thing for your family and get on the beers,' the clip continued.

'It's not like it's one or two beers, 127,000 beers from case to case. I probably can't add any more than that. That is such an impressive thing. If all of us had a shared case, that's so many of the beers. Certainly not all at once.

'That's what I'm asking you to do. If we simply behave as normal, if they don't get on the beers, then people will die. Just do it.'

Mr Andrews was not actually encouraging people to get on the beers.

The numerous references to 'cases' were actually to cases of coronavirus rather than cartons of beer.

Lastly, he was saying if people ignore social distancing laws, people could die - not if they refused to drink the brewed beverage.

The clip was built around the Premier's famous 'get on the beers' quote from a March press conference (pictured), edited to make it seem like he was encouraging drinking

Mr Andrews' 'get on the beers' quote has inspired a host of memes, TikTok videos and music remixes since coming to public attention.

Australian DJ duo Mashd N Kutcher remixed the quote to feature in an electronic dance song, which is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music.

On TikTok, the 'get on the beers' hashtag currently has 610,000 views.

Victoria has had the country's strictest lockdown laws amid the COVID-19 pandemic under Mr Andrews' leadership.

Last week, the Federal Government revealed its three-stage plan to reopen Australia after the COVID-19 pandemic, which each state and territory can move through individually.

Pubs and bars will only completely reopen under phase three of the plan, which has not been fully outlined yet.

In Victoria, pubs and bars remain closed while restaurants and cafes are takeaway only.

When students return to school in June, businesses are expected to reopen shortly after three weeks of continuous COVID-19 testing.

Australian DJ duo Mashd N Kutcher remixed the quote to feature in an electronic dance song, which is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music

Meanwhile in NSW, cafes and restaurants will re-open for up to 10 patrons on Friday but bars and pubs will remain shut.

On Friday, the Northern Territory will be the only place in the country where pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will completely reopen.

Queensland will partially reopen pubs, RSL clubs, restaurants and cafes to up to 10 diners on Saturday, meaning they must order food with alcohol. Bars and gaming facilities will remain closed.

Similar to Queensland, the ACT will reopen restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes will reopen to up to 10 people on the weekend.

In South Australia, restaurants and cafes are open to up to 10 outdoor diners. Pubs and bars are expected to reopen on June 8.

Cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, community clubs and casinos will reopen to up to 20 people in WA on May 18. Businesses can only serve drinks with meals.

In Tasmania, restaurants and cafes, including those in pubs, will reopen to 10 people at a time on May 18.
WOBURN, Massachusetts, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EarlySense, the global leader in contact-free, continuous monitoring solutions for the healthcare continuum, announced today that Matt Johnson, CEO of EarlySense, will present at the 13th Annual 2020 Healthcare Dealmakers Conference Digital Experience, taking place via webinar on Thursday May 14, 2020.

Johnson will take part in a panel - The Pandemic Paradox - A Look at the Acceleration of Disruptive Innovations  in which he will discuss how the current COVID-19 crisis has brought telehealth, and in particular contact-free continuous monitoring, to the forefront of patient care. The session will take place on Thursday, May 14th at 12:30 PM  1:00 PM CT.

"EarlySense's contact-free monitoring technology has played an important role during this pandemic, helping to protect staff while ensuring that patients are continuously monitored remotely for optimal intervention and care," said Matt Johnson, EarlySense CEO. "As we begin to reflect on the havoc that the coronavirus has caused around the world, it has become evident that contact-free continuous monitoring and other technologies are more relevant than ever before. This is a pivotal moment as the global healthcare industry ushers in a new digital reality of care."

The Healthcare Dealmakers Conference is the premier forum for healthcare providers and their capital sources and advisors to discuss the opportunities and challenges of deal making in the healthcare services marketplace, bringing together healthcare services leaders from around the country who understand that innovation and M&A activity are the most significant enablers defining the future of the healthcare industry today.

About EarlySense

EarlySense is the global leader in contact-free, continuous monitoring solutions for the healthcare continuum. Used worldwide in hospitals and post-acute care facilities, the EarlySense system assists caregivers in early detection of potential adverse events, including code blue events resulting from cardiac or respiratory arrest, patient falls, pressure ulcers, preventable ICU transfers and hospital readmissions. The EarlySense system captures critical information from the patient, alerting caregivers of potentially adverse events early on. The company has partnered with leading global technology companies including Hillrom, Philips, Welch Allyn, and Mitsui. EarlySense is based in Ramat Gan, Israel and Woburn, Massachusetts.

For more information, visit www.earlysense.com.

Follow EarlySense on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Ellie Hanson

Finn Partners

+1-929-222-8006

[email protected]

Company Contact:

Jaime Donahue

+1-781-373-3228 ext. 212

[email protected]

SOURCE EarlySense
TORONTO, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Inolife Sciences ("Inolife"), an emerging medical device company announced today that it has appointed former President of Mexico, Mr. Vicente Fox Quesada to its advisory board. Mr. Fox will be a strategic advisor and brand ambassador furthering the Company's education and brand leadership interests across Latin America.

Inolife R&D Inc.

From 2000 to 2006, Mr. Fox was the 55th President of Mexico. Prior to that, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Coca Cola Latin America. Mr. Fox is the Founder of Centro Fox, a non-profit foundation dedicated to serving communities in Mexico and Latin America.

Mr. Chris Brown, Global Capital Markets stated, "It was clear that the collaboration between Inolife and former President Fox provided the opportunity to greatly advance our shared interests in increasing the level of education and understanding of needleless injections within the Latin American market."

Mr. Vicente Fox Quesada, Legal Representative of Centro Fox, states, "To Centro Fox and myself personally, this represents a great opportunity to accomplish our plan of removing the risk of Needle Stick injuries and cross contamination for Care Giver's as well as reduce anxiety for the patients. Our main driver is to think of patient comfort at the system-level as well as improve home care compliancy. We want to fundamentally change how physicians and patients interact." President Fox goes on to say "We are moving to partner with pharmaceutical companies to enhance their therapeutic applications by using Inolife's current technologies. We also look into the very near future and see the positive impact the nanoparticle-powder injection technology could have on the entire injection market  we can expect partnerships this year and in the years to come.

Mr. Michael Wright, CEO of Inolife stated; "The ever-changing world we live in requires dynamic and diverse knowledge in many areas. As such, our advisory board enables us to react to changing conditions and to plan strategies for change. President Fox has extensive international experience both in the political and corporate arena and as such, constitutes a source of guidance for business development and partnership opportunities. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I welcome Vicente Fox to Inolife."

About Centro Fox

Centro Fox is a Mexican non-profit foundation headed by the former President of Mexico, Mr. Vicente Fox Quesada. Centro Fox is an academic institution, a think tank, with a wide range of activities related to leadership. The mission of Centro Fox is to bring together leaders to create a better world through education and economic change.

About Inolife R&D Inc.

Inolife R&D Inc. is an emerging medical device company focused on commercializing needle-free drug delivery technologies.

Chris Brown

Global Capital Markets

Direct: (604) 603-5255

Email: [email protected]

Michael Wright

President & CEO

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

vicente-fox-former-president-of.jpg

Vicente Fox, Former President of Mexico

Related Links

https://www.inolifesciences.com

SOURCE Inolife R&D Inc.

Related Links

https://www.inolifesciences.com


The Madhya Pradesh High



Court has set aside the condition imposed by a lower court on two applicants to donate Rs 25,000 each to the PM CARES Fund while granting them bail.

Bhopal residents Fahad Ahmed and Hafiz M Haseen had challenged the local court's order passed on April 30, said their lawyer Ankit Saxena.

Ahmed and Haseen were accused of violating the governments advisory on coronavirus by carrying out religious activities which were attended by foreign nationals from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and allowed them to stay in a mosque, said advocate Saxena.

A case under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) as well as Disaster Management Act and Foreigners' Act was registered against them at Bhopal's Talaiya police station.

While granting them bail, the local court imposed a condition that they donate Rs 25,000 each to the PM CARES Fund, set up to aid the fight against the pandemic.

They challenged the condition before the high court.

The Supreme Court has held in similar matters that such directions can not be upheld, the lawyer said, adding that Justice Sujoy Paul of the MP high court on Tuesday quashed the condition imposed by the lower court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:35:28|Editor: huaxia

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KUNMING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- A growing number of Generation Z-ers, those born in the mid-90s to early '00s, have taken the initiative to contain COVID-19 in the frontier areas of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Zhou Lan, 22, is a senior student at Yunnan Normal University. She majors in Laotian. Upon learning that Mohan Port on the China-Laos border was recruiting volunteers who could speak Laotian in late March, she and her roommate Li Hongqiong applied without hesitation.

Wearing protective gear from head to toe when the temperature was usually above 30 degrees Celsius during the day, Zhou and Li registered information, checked temperatures and introduced anti-epidemic policies for cross-border Laotian freight drivers.

"We registered one vehicle and its driver every minute during peak hours. Sometimes it was after midnight when our shift ended," Zhou said.

For Li, the arduous work also brought a rare opportunity to practice Laotian. "Sometimes you have to communicate with over 100 Laotian drivers a day. My language ability has been greatly improved and I also learned how to better communicate with others," she said.

"My parents were worried at first and called to check on me a lot. After they saw me wearing protective gear, they began to rest assured," Zhou said.

"It's not an easy job indeed. But compared with other virus fighters, I still think I'm not doing enough. But I do feel proud of myself," she added.

Li Huasi is a sophomore student at Yunnan Technology and Business University. Due to the postponement of the new semester, he has joined a border patrol in his home village near the China-Myanmar border.

He patrolled along the border with other volunteers during the day and guarded an inspection point about 30 minutes' walk from his home at night.

The point had no electricity at first, and he had to ask others to bring his phone back to the village for recharging. As solar power was installed later on, life has become more convenient for him.

"The job was by no means arduous. But the warmer weather has brought more and more mosquitos," he said. Outside his tent, he cooked three meals a day by himself, using the cookware from his home. He also set aside some time each day to study between duties.

"As a university student, it's my responsibility to do something for my hometown and people at such a special time," Li said.

Gao Xingzhi, 25, is a police officer at a border inspection station near Vietnam. His Xindian sub-station in Hekou County normally receives up to 1,000 cross-border travelers a day.

Gao takes a 24-hour shift every other day. Besides a tent, a folding bed and a bonfire, he had to get used to the humidity and fog while on duty.

There has been a lot of rain lately, and the roads became slippery and muddy. It is easy to lose one's footing if not paying attention. "I was covered in mud almost every time I came back from patrolling," he said.

"My parents can't help being worried, but they understand my work very well," he said. He manages to find some time to video chat with them every week.

Gao once posted a picture on his WeChat page, sharing his location as well as that of his classmates all over China's border areas -- Tibet, Xinjiang, Guangxi, Yunnan and so on.

"Whenever I think of my classmates being stationed in the frontiers just like me, I don't feel alone anymore," he said. Enditem
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed pleas for interim bail or parole on health grounds of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is serving life imprisonment in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, saying that he did not need hospitalization as per medical report at the moment.

Like Kumar, former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, who is also serving life term and ex-MLAs Mahender Yadav, undergoing 10 years imprisonment in the same case, could not get any relief from the top court which rejected their similar pleas.

A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices Indu Malhotra and Hrishikesh Roy, in the proceedings held through video conferencing, perused the medical report of Kumar and dismissed the interim bail plea.

In the meantime, let a copy of the report dated March 11, submitted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, be supplied to the appellant (Sajjan Kumar), the bench said, adding that the plea for grant of parole or an interim bail are dismissed. The regular bail plea of Kumar will now be listed for hearing in August, it said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, and senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for some riots victims, opposed the bail plea of the convicted leader.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing the convict, said that his client be granted bail as if something happens to him in jail then his life imprisonment would become death penalty for him.

The apex court had earlier asked CBI to respond to the plea of Khokhar seeking grant of either interim bail or parole for eight weeks in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Senior advocate H S Phoolka, who has been appearing for some of the riots victims, said the bench on Wednesday rejected Khokhar's plea and observed that the convict was more safe inside the jail.

The apex court also dismissed the parole plea of Yadav saying that it was not disputed that he was sentenced for a period of 10 years' rigorous imprisonment, but has spent only one year and four months in prison so far.

In these circumstances, and in view of the fact that the applicant does not suffer from any ailment which cannot be treated while in prison, we are of the view that he would be provided all necessary medical attention in prison. It is not necessary to pass any further orders, and the instant application for grant of parole is disposed of, the court said in the order.

It then ordered listing of Yadav's appeal against the conviction for hearing in July.

Sajjan Kumar and Balwan Khokhar are serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail in the case after the Delhi High Court convicted them on December 17, 2018.

Earlier, the top court had said that it would hear the bail plea of other convict and Sajjan Kumar in the case during summer vacation.

Khokhar's life sentence was upheld by the Delhi High Court in 2018, while it had reversed the acquittal of Kumar by the trial court in 2013, in a case related to the killings of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

The anti-Sikh riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two bodyguards.

The high court had also upheld the conviction and varying sentences awarded by the trial court to the other five -- Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former MLAs Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.

It had also convicted them for criminal conspiracy to burn down residences of Sikh families and a gurdwara in the area during the riots.

The trial court in 2013 had awarded life term to Balwan Khokhar, Bhagmal and Lal, and a three-year jail term to Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.

Following the high court verdict, life term of Balwan Khokhar, Bhagmal and Lal has been upheld and the sentence of Yadav and Kishan Khokar has been enhanced to 10 years in jail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:09:21|Editor: huaxia

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by Jamil Bhatti

ISLAMABAD, May 13 (Xinhua) -- It was a late night in Bhara Kahu area of Pakistani capital Islamabad and streets looked deserted amid strict lockdown due to COVID-19, but a local resident, Aamir Nawaz, along with his friends was busy in knocking at doors of different houses to provide needy and poor households with donations of groceries and necessary medicines.

Bhara Kahu area has been locked down since March 23, after around a dozen confirmed cases of COVID-19 were traced there, forcing people to stay at homes and closing all businesses except pharmacies and grocery stores.

Following the announcement of the strict lockdown, Nawaz decided to do something to sort out the financial problems of the poor daily wagers who got unemployed and were forced to live at homes after the pandemic started.

"I could not shrug off the thought about how the poor daily wagers will bear the brunt of unemployment. I finally decided to do something for them," 42-year-old Nawaz told Xinhua.

Nawaz and his family pooled 12,800 rupees from their pockets and launched a social media campaign to urge people to provide the poor with necessary food items.

Nawaz, a man with a good reputation as an educationist, received 125,000 rupees in one day from different persons, which boosted his will and he started providing food packages to the poor at their doorstep.

Later on, Al-Khidmat Foundation, a welfare organization, joined hands with Nawaz team to systematize and expand the work.

"Since that day, I never stopped and have been working day and night to reach maximum needy people," said Nawaz, adding that in the day time he and his friends collect donations, conduct surveys for needy people, buy high-quality groceries, including flour, cooking oil, rice, sugar, beans and others and then supply to deserving families.

Jalal Khan, a taxi driver who had no work during the lockdown, talking to Xinhua, termed aid from Nawaz as a blessing because he and his wife were very worried about the food shortage and did not know what to feed their three young children.

"I never sought help from anyone in the past because I worked hard and earn myself but now things have changed quickly. I have spent my little savings. I have nothing now," said the driver.

Nawaz and Al-Khidmat Foundation have collected over six million rupees and successfully supplied food packages to over 2,000 families so far, which can cater to the needs of around 12,000 people for one month.

Following a continuous rise in the COVID-19 cases in the country with a population of over 207 million people, the Pakistani government imposed a lockdown across the country by closing educational institutions, border crossings, banning large public gatherings, stopping international flights and closing markets and businesses to curb the spread of COVID-19.

General Secretary of Al-Khidmat Foundation in Zone-3 of Islamabad Aziz-ur-Rehman told Xinhua that they have distributed 2-billion-rupee donations of food across the country so far. According to the general secretary, around five million families which have been financially affected by the lockdown are in dire need of aid in the country, especially in the backward areas.

Nawaz, with the help of the foundation, has also disinfected hundreds of places, circulated awareness brochures to guide people on how they can keep themselves and others safe from COVID-19.

The Pakistani government had also started several relief programs, including an emergency program to provide cash assistance of 12,000 rupees to each of 12 million deserving families.

On April 14, the Pakistani government allowed the construction industry to open by providing it with a package, including cash support, waivers, subsidies and high rebates in taxes to decrease the COVID-19 harsh impact on the country's fragile economy and to create jobs.

The government has also started to ease the lockdown from Saturday, allowing several other businesses to open in an effort to mitigate the hit of the pandemic on the poor people and to release economic pressure on the government.

The lockdown on Bhara Kahu area has been partially lifted. Cautious about the decision to ease the lockdown, Nawaz said he and other volunteers "are ready to work more and more to ease the public." (1 U.S. dollar = 160.80 rupees) Enditem
Analyzing Shifts in Territorial Control within Syria Offers Glimpse of Future Challenges

Nine years have passed since the conflict in Syria began. In recent months, as opposition strongholds have fallen and frontlines have shifted, the map of territorial control suggests that the conflict is entering its endgame. A historical analysis of earlier territorial-control maps illuminates the full extent of more than nine years of war and hints at the effort needed to bring the fragmented nation together. Syrian communities  towns, villages, cities, and neighborhoods  have experienced the conflict in different ways, and even if major military operations cease, the conflict is far from over. A Four-Way War Four major sides have fought for control in Syria  the Syrian government and its allies, the conglomeration of groups known broadly as the opposition, Kurdish-led forces, and Islamic State. Each faction is made up of a variety of actors. For example, the Syrian government faction includes Russian and Iranian forces, and Shia militias, including Hezbollah. At least 56% of Syrian communities (including neighborhoods of major cities) have changed hands at least once over the course of the conflict. Some communities have changed hands repeatedly as frontlines ebbed and flowed. Often, when a community changes hands, people are killed or injured, infrastructure is damaged, looting occurs, and new grievances are born.

Figure 1: Cumulative month-by-month changes in armed group control of Syrian communities from Jan. 1, 2014, to April 1, 2020. Green communities have only been controlled by one party, yellow by two, with darker orange to red and black representing communities that have changed hands up to nine times. Lines show each communitys nearest seven neighboring communities. Graphic made using Gephi.

Since 2014, The Carter Center has documented territorial changes at the community level. By analyzing social media posts, reports from networks like the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and, more recently, the publicly available dataset provided by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, the Center has compiled snapshots of military control on a monthly basis for more than 8,000 locations throughout Syria. The map above offers a color-coded look at how often each of the 8,087 locations in the Centers database has changed hands. Given the many thousands of recorded territorial changes, and the time-consuming effort of verifying each of these reports, this map shows only changes in control from month-to-month. This approach means that back-and-forth changes that occur during each month are not reflected in the map, but ensures that those changes that are displayed are verified and accurate. To show colors, regions, and population density more clearly, each community is linked to its nearest neighboring communities. Different Experiences with Conflict Knowing which communities have had frontlines sweep through them, and how often, is important for understanding the movement of internally displaced persons, directing aid relief programs, targeting mine clearance activities, measuring conflict intensity, and more. In the case of Syria, however, it is also important to understand which parties have fought over what territory. With four major factions at odds, Syrian communities have collectively experienced a staggering 14 different combinations of armed actor groups controlling their communities over the course of the conflict. This does not account for the different types of control exacted by varying armed actors within a group, such as the difference between control exacted by a nonstate militia made up of former smugglers and that exacted by the Syrian Arab Army. Changes of territorial control often included hours or days of shelling or bombing from warplanes, leaving many towns damaged and civilians traumatized. When a new group took control of a territory, some left civilians alone while others brutalized civilians as the Islamic State did to the people of Raqqa city when it took charge there.

Figure 2: Syrian communities color-coded according to the different combinations of armed faction control they have experienced. Each community is linked to its seven nearest neighbors. Graphic made using Gephi.
MIDDLETOWN  In honor of Hospital Week, pilots from the Connecticut Air National Guard will conduct flights above hospitals around the state Thursday morning, including Middlesex Hospital.

The Guard will be flying large C-130 transport planes as they make their way across Connecticut, in a salute to as many hospitals as possible, according to a press release.
Mumbai: Maharashtra breached the 25,000 mark for Covid-19 cases with the highest single-day jump of 1,495 infections on Wednesday. The state also recorded its highest number of deaths in a 24-hour period with 54 fatalities that took the toll to 975.

Mumbai also breached the 15,000 Covid-19 case mark with 800 new patients that pushed the citys tally to 15,747. The state now has 25,922 cases, making it the state worst hit by the disease in the country.

Of the deaths recorded on Wednesday, 40 were in Mumbai, six in Pune, two each in Jalgaon, Solapur and Aurangabad, and one each Vasai-Virar and Ratnagiri. The health department added that it has not added Mumbais 220 patients from May 7 in the total tally earlier, due to the absence of reconciliation on the portal of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Out of the total Covid-19 cases in the state, over 50% of the cases were reported in this month alone. Since May 1, Maharashtra has clocked 13,820 Covid-19 cases, which accounts for 53.31% of the total cases.Maharashtras mortality rate stood at 3.76%, but still above the national average of 3.23%.

With the numbers soaring in Aurangabad city, state health minister Rajesh Tope and districts guardian minister Subhash Desai took stock of citys preparedness on Wednesday. The city has 586 cases and 18 deaths. Malegaon, in Nashik district, is another hotspot in the state where cases have seen a surge. Tope visited Malegaon on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.

The current doubling rate -- the number of days in which positive cases double  in Maharashtra is 11.1days while that for India is 12.5 days.

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The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has condemned what he described as raging hypocritical voices of righteous indignation over the recent demolition of two hotels in Rivers State, south-south Nigeria by Nyesom Wike, the governor of the state.

Naija News reports that the IPOB leader questioned the reason behind such outrage on the demolition of only two structures whereas there was silence while buildings were being pulled down during the reign of the Kaduna State governor, Nasiru El-Rufai as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Kanu in a statement issued by Emma Powerful, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary and titled, Wike Hotel Demolition & all the Furious Sanctimonious Humbug, argued that the current FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello and his predecessor, El-Rufai demolished far more expensive buildings in Abuja belonging to Biafrans than that destroyed in Igweocha by Wike.

In the statement, Kanu explained that Wikes overreactions were not to be applauded, stressing that operators of the establishment risked the lives of thousands of people in the State and beyond.

TheIPOB leader maintained that: When El-Rufai the midget Islamic terror mastermind was busy terrorising and pauperising thousands of Biafran businessmen by demolishing their hotels, bars, restaurants and homes in Abuja, some of the raging hypocritical voices of righteous indignation we are hearing today were never heard.

They never uttered a word, nor made a sound because they were and still are afraid of the murderous tendencies of their Fulani masters who are still demolishing legitimate Igbo businesses in Abuja.

In fact, El-Rufai went on to become the governor of Kaduna State from where he openly admitted to paying his fellow killer Fulani terrorists that decimated the non-Fulani populations of Southern Kaduna. Today he is being touted as the next president of the #Zoo by the same people condemning Gov. Nyesom Wike.

Current FCT Minister Bello Mohammed has simply carried on from where his predecessor El-Rufai stopped and has been busy demolishing far more expensive buildings in Abuja belonging to Biafrans than that destroyed in Igweocha by Wike.

Does it mean I condone or excuse Wikes administrative overreach? Of course NOT! I do not condone it because he went too far. But we must understand that operators of that very establishment risked the lives of thousands of people in Rivers State and beyond.

Potentially, they could have brought infections and death to thousands of people, either through Coronavirus infected Alimajiri or by inadvertently providing accommodation to Fulani killers streaming into our towns and villages from the God-forsaken North.

Either way, the proprietors of the hotel placed thousands of lives at risk, whereas the Igbo businessmen and families whose livelihoods were taken away by El-Rufai and Bello Mohammed in Abuja committed no offence known to law, the statement added.

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After two months without in-person Masses because of coronavirus restrictions, Roman Catholics in Fairfield County will soon be able to attend church services.

The Diocese of Bridgeport will allow its churches to begin celebrating outdoor Masses as early as next Thursday  the day after Gov. Ned Lamont enacts the first phase of his Reopen Connecticut plan.

Under phase one, services are optional for churches to conduct and for parishioners to attend. Since March, Roman Catholics have been absolved of their obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and can instead live-stream services.

Bridgeport Bishop Frank Caggiano issued strict guidelines for the return of orderly outdoor Masses on the diocesan website. He told parishioners that he believes following the states shelter-at-home order has saved many lives, and that God did not abandon their faithfulness.

We have also been reminded that in our darkest hour, the Lord did not abandon us, Caggiano said.

The first in-person Masses celebrated outside will look vastly different. Up to 50 attendees wearing masks will either sit or stand six feet apart outdoors or sit in their cars. Priests must be protected while distributing communion.

Churches can also set up their parking lots for Mass. From their cars, parishioners can watch via live-stream, and then the priest will distribute communion in the parking lot. The number of cars depends on the size of the parking lot, how to maintain six feet between cars and the need for emergency exits.

Parishioners must sign up for Mass. If someone who attends Mass is later diagnosed with the coronavirus, the church will know who that person would have come in contact with. Those who are exposed to that person must quarantine for 14 days.

Churches will also need volunteers, who will wear protective gear, to answer questions and monitor compliance.

Parishes without outdoor spaces can ask to use diocesan properties, including Catholic cemeteries, as sites for celebrating Mass.

Under Caggianos guidelines, each pastor is responsible for developing a phased-in plan specific to his church, its size and population, and whether it has other usable spaces, indoors or outdoors. Religious authorities will review and approve these local plans.

These outdoor and parking lot Masses, which are optional for churches, are allowed under phase one. Under phase two, church buildings and other indoor venues will be allowed to reopen.

It is my hope that the reopening of our churches, which represents phase two in our planning process, may be possible soon, Caggiano said.

RELATED: Coronavirus cancels services at Greenwich churches

Once indoor Mass becomes possible  in gyms, auditoriums or churches  parishioners must sit in marked seats that are six feet apart in all directions. They cannot shake hands.

Also, parishioners should not touch anything, such as hymnals, guides or offering baskets, that someone else could touch. Pews, railings and bathrooms will be disinfected after each service. Lay people are barred from reading, distributing Communion and assisting with worship.

As during the flu season, the wafer will be distributed during communion, but the wine will not be.

Churches must install hand sanitizer dispensers at every entrance and exit, or ask worshipers to bring their own. Parishes must also provide masks, or ask parishioners to bring their own.

RELATED: Churches find ways to gather together 'in spirit'

For Catholics, the news comes just in time to celebrate the final Holy Days of the Easter season. This season lasts from Easter Sunday, when Christians believe Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, through the Ascension, when Catholics believe he ascended into heaven.

Catholics for the joy of Easter by sacrificing during the period of Lent. This year, due to the coronavirus, these sacrifices persisted, especially for those who have watched a relative or friend fall ill, buried a loved one or remained in isolation and fear, Caggiano said.

In his letter, the bishop thanked the faithfuls patience, perseverance and fidelity while public Masses are suspended. During this time, religious services across denominations and faith traditions were held in virtually, as possible.

RELATED: Religious leaders hope to offer statewide interfaith prayer service during coronavirus era

Since posting the Bishops letter and guidelines on the diocesan website, weve had thousands of views and a very positive response from people throughout the diocese, said Brian Wallace, the diocesan spokesperson, in an email.

Based on the emails and calls, people are eager to attend Mass, but they also understand the complexity of the issue and appreciate the detailed options the bishop has outlined, Wallace said.

The bishop worked very hard to balance public health and sacramental concerns, and we believe this will be a very positive first step  one that people have been longing for as they seek spiritual consolation and healing during the crisis, he said.

In the Archdiocese of Hartford, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair has convened a committee of five pastors who are charged with determining when and how Roman Catholics can resume the public celebration of Mass, diocesan spokesperson David Elliott said in an email.

The committee plans to determine guidelines this week or next week, he said. The Hartford Archdioceses guidelines may differ from the Diocese of Bridgeports plans, Elliott said.

The Diocese of Norwich was not immediately available to return a request for comment.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

China's Weidong Cloud Education will launch production of computers and notebooks in Uzbekistan by the end of 2020, Trend reports citing the Uzbek media.

Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan, Uzeltekhsanoat Association and Weidong Cloud Education signed an agreement on organizing production of computer equipment to be used for introduction of e-learning system.

The sides agreed to implement project on production of computer equipment for smart classes. It is expected that production of computers and notebooks with localization will be set up by the end of 2020.

Weidong Cloud Education plans to allocate $4 million worth of direct investments to this project, which will create 80 new jobs. The Chinese side also intends to attract financial resources to provide computer equipment through leasing at a reduced interest rate.

Within the framework of the signed agreement, Weidong Cloud Education will also provide a smart class for secondary school 241 in Tashkent.

"Weidong Cloud Education has extensive experience working with ministries of education. Under the agreement, the Uzbek side will have access not only to modern solutions, but also to modern educational platforms. This project is the first step in the development of bilateral relations to develop and support the education sector," the company stressed.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Los Angeles, May 13 : After years of speculation, actors Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy have finally admitted that they didn't get along with each other while working on "Mad Max: Fury Road", saying everything was about survival.

In a piece for The New York Times, Theron and Hardy opened up about their feud while working on the 2015 action film, reports people.com.

Theron, 44, feels she and Hardy, 42, were at loggerheads with each other mainly due to the challenges of filming George Miller's movie, and the constant delays in production. The filming for the project was shut down three times.

"In retrospect, I didn't have enough empathy to really, truly understand what he must have felt like to step into Mel Gibson's shoes," Theron said of Hardy, adding: "That is frightening!" Gibson previously starred as Max in the first three of Miller's films -- "Mad Max" (1979), "Mad Max 2" (1981) and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" (1985).

"I think because of my own fear, we were putting up walls to protect ourselves instead of saying to each other, 'This is scary for you and it's scary for me, too. Let's be nice to each other'. In a weird way, we were functioning like our characters: Everything was about survival," Theron said.

She continued: "The biggest thing that was driving that entire production was fear. I was incredibly scared because I'd never done anything like it. I think the hardest thing between me and George is that he had the movie in his head and I was so desperate to understand it." Hardy said he "would agree" with Theron's view on the pressure the actors had while filming the movie.

"I think in hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways. The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times," he said, adding: "What (Theron) needed was a better, perhaps more experienced, partner in me. That's something that can't be faked. I'd like to think that now that I'm older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion." He continued: "Because of how much detail we were having to process and how little control one had in each new situation, and how fast the takes were -- tiny snippets of story moments were needed to make the final cut work -- we moved fast, and it was at times overwhelming. One had to trust that the bigger picture was being held together." Back in 2015, Hardy publicly apologised to Miller for the film at the Cannes Film Festival.

"There is no way George could've explained what he could see in the sand when we were out there," the actor said at the time, adding: "I knew he was brilliant, but I didn't quite know how brilliant."
[May 13, 2020] To Support COVID-19 Healthcare Frontline Workers, SimTutor/SIMTICS Responds with Access to Simulation-based Training to Help Workers Fight the Global Pandemic

As new and retired healthcare workers worldwide join the COVID-19 workforce and in support of their training needs, SimTutor Inc is offering access to its library of nearly 200 online simulation-based training modules at special low pricing. These online training simulations can ready graduating students for patient care as well as provide healthcare professionals access to clinical skills refresher or satisfy competency training requirements from any location, anytime. For details, contact [email protected]. "We are a proven company with a talented team that wants to provide relief, value and support to healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic," said Clancy Marshall, CEO of SimTutor. "What we know best is simulation training. Our solution can sharpen skills, expand knowledge and prepare the healthcare workforce for the long road ahead. Students, new recruits, the experienced, the retired and the tired will improve and master healthcare procedures in a quiet, low-stress virtual setting to focus on skill-building toward perfecting their medical competence." Available Healthcare eLearning Modules SimTutor is offering affordable pricing and free educator access from its SIMTICS product library to institutions seeking an online simulation solution as an option for students and healthcare workers. The simulations, accessible anywhere and anytime, include a range of healthcare procedures including assessing vital signs, basic life support, arterial line insertion, venipuncture, ultrasound scanning, x-ray procedures and laboratory sample collection. SimTutor's products are used and trusted by over 150 education institutions in the U.S. and thousands of students and professionals worldwide. Brian Dickens, MBA, Ph.D., is a long-time academic healthcare program director in Florida and is impacted by the COVID-19 campus closures. He quickly shifted instruction to a virtual format by using SimTutor's Medical Assisting product as an adjunct to externship, to aid linical classes, and to allow students to achieve skills check-off so they can prepare to enter the workforce.



"Virtual training is a huge help right now for teaching from home and students not having physical access to equipment for clinical classes," said Dickens. "We just adopted the SIMTICS modules for our Medical Assisting program and graduating students began using the system within a couple of days. Our Sonography and Phlebotomy programs are using the solution too. These simulation-based resources are great for visual learners, building critical thinking plus students can print certificates from the completed modules for their portfolios." Free Hygiene and Protective Training Modules

SimTutor created three free healthcare procedure simulations for workers caring for patients with infectious diseases: Hand hygiene with soap and water Hand hygiene with hand sanitizer How to don and doff the required personal protection equipment (PPE) for isolation protocol SimTutor Inc Formed to Offer Comprehensive Virtual Simulation Solutions SimTutor Inc announces its formation to leverage the expertise and talent of sister organizations, SIMTICS and SimTutor LLC. As the new parent company, SimTutor Inc brings a comprehensive virtual simulation training solution - from module concept to content development and creation to deployment - and healthcare module library to support an organization's online training needs. SimTutor Inc is headquartered in Atlanta. SIMTICS, operating since 2008, offers nearly 200 simulation-based clinical eLearning modules that are being used by over 150 healthcare education institutions and thousands of students and professionals worldwide.

SimTutor LLC, operating since 2018, becomes SimTutor Author, an authoring platform used to create semi-custom and custom simulations for companies that need specialized training. SIMTICS modules are created using the SimTutor Author authoring platform. About SimTutor Inc SimTutor Inc creates simulation-based solutions to train and prepare students and professionals for mission-critical moments at the time they need them most. Whether it's learning a new skill, refining a technique or satisfying regulatory requirements, organizations are assured their students and professionals can learn the right skills, at the right time, from any location in a risk-free, nurturing simulation-based virtual environment. The company's virtual training modules and authoring platform are trusted by schools, colleges and corporations. To date, over 150 healthcare education institutions and thousands of students and professionals worldwide have been virtually trained with SimTutor solutions. SimTutor's comprehensive family of solutions makes it easy to deploy from its library of healthcare modules or create semi-custom or custom eLearning modules for specific training needs. www.simtutor.com or [email protected] View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005564/en/

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If all goes to plan, in September 2022 a NASA spacecraft, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission or DART, will slam into a space rock with the equivalent energy of three tons of TNT. The goal is to nudge the orbit of its target object ever-so-slightly, a practice run to see if we could divert an asteroid from a catastrophic impact with our planet in the future.

The impact on that asteroid could produce the first meteor shower ever to result from human activities in space, according to a paper published earlier this year in The Planetary Science Journal. Observing the shower could let scientists on Earth study the composition of near-Earth asteroids. But this cloud of debris would also mark a small irony for a space mission that has a goal of helping to protect our planet.

If this small shower of space rocks reaches our planet, it will create a minuscule amount of peril for orbiting satellites. Although the risk is tiny, the studys author says, anticipating the effects of the spacecrafts operations could establish a template for future space missions to minimize their impacts on Earth and the commons of space through which it travels.
Amazon has received a fair amount of criticism for perceived inaction against seller price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the retail giant has made efforts to rein in the opportunist activity (pulling some half a million offending listings), critics have pointed to the companys slow response, along with continued problems with a number of high-demand products sold through affiliates.

Today, however, the companys VP of Public Policy, Brian Huseman, penned an open letter to Congress, asking lawmakers to make price gouging illegal during a national crisis. The executive notes that the policy has been an effective tool in states like Tennessee where such laws already exist.

Our collaborative efforts to hold price gougers accountable have clarified one thing: to keep pace with bad actors and protect consumers, we need a strong federal anti-price gouging law, Huseman writes. As of now, price gouging is prohibited during times of crisis in about two-thirds of the United States. The disparate standards among states present a significant challenge for retailers working to assist law enforcement, protect consumers, and comply with the law.

Jeff Bezos also addressed the issue in his annual shareholder letter last month, writing, "To accelerate our response to price-gouging incidents, we created a special communication channel for state attorneys general to quickly and easily escalate consumer complaints to us.

The company has certainly taken some efforts to curb the act. As it notes, nearly 4,000 seller accounts have been suspended in the U.S. store for policy violations. But a cursory search for in-demand products yields plenty of prohibitively expensive listings for once-ubiquitous household products. Home cleaning supplies in particular have seen a massive spike in pricing.

We asked Thinknum to chart the price of Clorox-branded items from late last year through now and the graph speaks for itself:

As retail store shelves have gone bare, Amazon has become an essential lifeline for many  a fact that plenty of predatory sellers have been more than happy to capitalize on. Beyond essential supplies, prices have gone through the roof for a number of products currently in short demand, such as the Nintendo Switch, which has been squeezed through a combination of increased interest and supply chain issues.

The company rightfully notes that enforcing such policies as a matter of the law will be a kind of juggling act. Put simply, we want to avoid the $400 bottle of Purell for sale right after an emergency goes into effect, while not punishing unavoidable price increases that emergencies can cause, especially as supply chains are disrupted, Huseman writes. Furthermore, any prohibitions should apply to all levels of the supply chain so that retailers and resellers are not forced to bear price gouging increases by manufacturers and suppliers.
No SOP as yet on resumption of flights in India clarifies government

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 13: The Government has said that a final SOP on the operation of flights is yet to be issued.

The clarification comes in the wake of media reports suggesting that an SOP has been issued for restarting flights in the country. The government said that the the SOP is yet to be finalised.

Save cost, reduce flying time: PM Modi during meet with Civil Aviation Ministry

In a statement, the Civil Aviation Ministry said that suggestions were sought on a draft discussion paper from the airlines and airports. These have been received. Several media organisations said that the Ministry has come out with a draft SOP for restarting commercial air passenger services. However, the Ministry is yet to come up with an SOP, it was further clarified.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:00:21|Editor: huaxia

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RAMALLAH, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian medical sources declared on Wednesday that a 15-year-old boy was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers in a refugee camp near the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a press statement that the boy, Zeid Qaisiya, was shot in the head with live ammunition during an Israeli raid into the UN-run refugee camp.

Four others were injured, two of whom were shot in the upper body parts, but are reportedly in moderate condition.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army spokesperson said in a statement that the Israeli army was searching for the wanted Palestinians inside the refugee camp, when their forces were attacked by stones and Molotov cocktails.

The army's statement said that the soldiers responded by opening fire against the Palestinians.

Fatah party then accused Israel in a press statement of seeking escalation in the West Bank in order to "draw the situation into chaos."

This comes one day after an Israeli soldier was killed after being hit by a rock during a military operation in the northern West Bank village of Ya'bad near Jenin city.

After the incident, the Israeli army arrested at least 16 Palestinians, including children and women, according to Palestinian and Israeli sources.

Tensions in the West Bank are mounting against Israel's intention to annex wide areas of the occupied West Bank. Enditem
Defying the social distancing



guidelines for preventing spread of COVID-19, a crowd gathered to welcome a monk and his group when they arrived at a town in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district.

Some videos of the incident went viral on social media, following which police have started an investigation into it.

A large number of people came out on a road on Monday when a group of Jain monks, headed by Muni Pranam Sagar, reached Banda town, located about 35 km from the district headquarters.

In the video clips shared on social media, a large number of people without masks were purportedly seen out on the road to welcome the monk and his group.

When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police Praveen Bhuria told PTI on Wednesday that they got information about the incident from videos shared on social media.

"This seems to be a case of violation of preventive orders issued under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) Section 144. Directives have been issued to Banda police station officials to register a case after verification of the videos," he said.

Banda police station in-charge Kamal Singh said they are going to register a case against 400 to 500 unidentified people, for violation of the preventive orders issued during the nationwide lockdown.

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

6-12 months

In another year or years

It was never a real pandemic

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To the editor:

I just read your article on improving letters to the editor. I have been a subscriber to the Midland Daily News for over 40 years. This is my first letter to your paper.

I volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army and spent a year in Vietnam. Being a veteran, I have always respected those who serve our country, including our president.

For over three years I have been hearing from the media how bad our president is. The media keeps insisting that our president is dividing our country. But it was not our president who made us sit through over two years and millions of dollars spent on the Russian investigation. After that fizzled out, we then had to sit through his impeachment over a simple phone call to Ukraine. It seems to me that the media and the left are the ones who are trying daily to divide our country.

The coronavirus has done a lot to unite our country against this common enemy. Even the Democratic governors of New York and California have said how President Trump has helped their states to fight this virus.

It's been a breath of fresh air to hear the media actually say something positive about our president. In my opinion, President Trump is the first president who has tried to bring back jobs that we lost to Mexico and China.

RALPH GOERGE

Beaverton
Nam, 35, is a former student of the National University of Ho Chi Minh City. He is currently a math professor at the Ludwig Maximillian University in Munich, Germany.

Nam's research interests include mathematical physics analysis, especially multi-particle quantum mechanics, spectral theory, variational calculation, derivative equations and calculus.

Before becoming a professor in Germany, Nam was an assistant professor in Masaryk, Czech Republic and a member of Austrias Science and Technology Society. He has been invited twice to address the International Convention of Mathematical Physics.

In 2018, he was awarded a prize by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) for his work in mathematical physics research.

The EMS prizes are considered the second most prestigious mathematics award after the Field Medal of the International Mathematical Union (IMU).

Since established in 1992, the EMS prizes are awarded every four years at the European Congress of Mathematics (ECM). At each ECM up to ten EMS prizes are awarded to young researchers not older than 35 years, who are European citizens or working in Europe, in recognition of excellent contributions in mathematics.

This year, the prize-giving ceremony will not be held as usual at the European Congress of Mathematics (ECM) because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has been postponed until June 2021.
Deputy Communications Director of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mame Yaa Aboagye says it serves the former NCA boss right to be jailed for embezzling taxpayers money.



An Accra Commercial High Court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour on Tuesday, 12th May, 2020 convicted three (3) out of the five (5) accused persons who have been on trial in the case of The Republic versus Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie and four others.



The trial of the five accused persons; Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, the former Board Chairman of the National Communication Authority (NCA), William Tetteh Tevie, former Director-General of the NCA, Nana Owusu Ensaw, a former board member, Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, and a businessman, George Derek Oppong, begun on the 16th of January 2018 when the state called its first prosecution witness, the Director of Legal Administration at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Abena Awarkoa Asafo Adjei, and ended on the 10th of March 2020 after the state, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, (DPP) Yvonne Atakora Obuabisa, concluded her cross-examination of the 5th accused person in the case, George Derek Oppong.



The three were found guilty of indulging in acts that led the State to lose the amount in a deal purchase of a cyber security surveillance equipment, known as the Pegasus machine, for the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which was sponsored by the NCA.



According to Mame Yaa, although the sentence slapped on the former NCA boss and two others is a good call, she however thinks the judge was lenient in his verdict.



She also called on the government to ensure all corrupt officials face the full rigors of the law.



"All corrupt officials placed at the helm of the public purse who decide to steal peoples money to enrich themselves must be fairly trialed in the law courts and jailed when found culpable.



Now when I see comments like NPP doesnt have a candidate, there is only one thought that comes to mind, thus, very soon all former corrupt government and public officials will follow suit because justice delayed is not justice denied . . . We will know who has a candidate or not. Everywhere is quiet and Im glad that there is no accusation like witch-hunting and pointing fingers at NPP . . . I pray Airbus, Woyome, GYEEDA, SADA, ISOFOTON, AMERI, BUS BRANDING will also follow," she said.









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

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(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Nearly all global health officials agree that as countries plan their emergence from the pandemic lockdown, an effective Covid-19 mitigation strategy requires a comprehensive and effective contact-tracing plan, along with pervasive testing and self-isolation protocols. And so, dozens of countries around the world are scrambling to build Covid-19 contact-tracing apps  except, that is, for the U.S., which has been strangely quiet on the matter. This is befuddling, especially when Americas best and brightest tech companies are offering a powerful proposal on a platter.

To much fanfare last month, Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google announced a partnership to develop technology that will enable apps from public health authorities to do contact tracing. At the time, I wrote that this unprecedented joint effort by the two giants had the promise to turn the tide against the pandemic by potentially scaling to billions of smartphone users, while protecting the publics privacy through smart engineering.The good news is, several countries in Europe  including Germany, Italy and Austria  are starting to coalesce around the Apple-Google contact-tracing technology. And even the U.K. is now assessing whether to switch to the plan, which is likely gaining traction due to the higher likelihood of user adoption, better reliability and increased battery life.

In terms of the latest timeline, Apple-Google reiterated last week they will release software in mid-May that will allow apps from public health authorities to do contact tracing across both Android and iPhone platforms. The two companies confirmed they will add the capability in the future into their operating systems, so it wont require the use of a separate app. The tech giants also said the use of the technology will be restricted to one app per country to avoid fragmentation. But they added  seemingly nodding at the U.S.s state-by-state reopenings  that if a country chooses to adopt a regional or state approach, the companies are prepared to support those authorities, too. Even so, this is an initiative that could use federal support, something it doesnt seem to be happening now.

Story continues

While press reports in Europe are filled with stories about governments frantically making big decisions and hiring companies to make their apps, along with reports of expected release dates within weeks, there has been no such nationwide effort here in the U.S., from what I can see. In fact, the Trump administrations near silence on the Apple-Google plan over the past month after President Donald Trumps initial comments last month isnt a good sign. During a mid-April press conference, Trump said the Apple-Google contact-tracing technology was an amazing thing, but we have more of a constitutional problem. He added the proposal will be discussed with a lot of people in the coming weeks. The constitutionality question is perplexing given the explicit user consent required by Apple-Googles technology.

But what is likely happening, regrettably, is the government may be too worried about the political risk in partnering with Silicon Valley on anything pertaining to health and privacy. Following Facebooks Cambridge Analytica data-privacy scandal a couple years ago, many consumers do not trust Big Tech with their personal information and arent willing to give companies any benefit of the doubt.

If that is the case, its extremely unfortunate because Apple-Google have created a system that vigorously protects user privacy. It uses anonymous ID keys that will change often. It is opt-in only and can be turned off at any time. The service also doesnt track physical locations or collect data that could reveal a persons identity. And instead of GPS, it uses proximity-based short-range Bluetooth technology to guard against location tracking. Moreover, the identities of users arent known to others or the companies. Apple-Google has promised to disable the technology once the pandemic is over as well. After reviewing the initial proposal, even the American Civil Liberties Union said it was a strong start, citing its privacy controls, lack of location tracking and voluntary nature.

Of course, technology isnt a complete answer. Traditional manual and labor-intensive contact tracing through case workers and interviews are also required. But it is clear, countries around the world are betting tech tools such as contact-tracing apps can be a critical contributing pillar in an effective Covid-19 mitigation plan.

For the technology to be to be effective in the U.S., it requires Washington to be fully on board to ensure the wide adoption it needs. The only way that happens is for the federal government to actively promote the contact-tracing plan and calm peoples fears by explaining the privacy-protection mechanics. Further, we need to institute a sense of common civic duty and purpose for everyone to participate.

Yes, it will take some courage to overcome concerns on political blowback. But the alternative is far worse, because for a true economic recovery to happen, citizens need to feel they can safely shop or go back to work. And that only comes from a competent Covid-19 mitigation plan. Doing nothing isnt a viable strategy.

So for now, Apple-Google are serving up a plan that has the potential to get nearly everyone involved and move the needle in the fight against the virus. To not take this golden opportunity would be unfortunate to say the least. The U.S. should move quickly before it is too late.

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

Tae Kim is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. He previously covered technology for Barron's, following an earlier career as an equity analyst.

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Republican Mike Garcia, a Navy fighter pilot turned businessman, is well on his way to Washington, D.C., after grabbing a huge early lead in Tuesdays runoff election for a Southern California congressional seat.

With all the early ballots counted in the all-mail election, Garcia led Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, with 56% of the vote. The 25th Congressional District sprawls from Lancaster and Palmdale in Los Angeles County west to Simi Valley in Ventura County.

There are still plenty of ballots to be counted. Votes arriving in Tuesdays mail or ballots turned in at the handful of voting centers in the two counties wont be tallied until Wednesday at the earliest, while ballots postmarked by election day will be counted if they arrive at the registrars offices by Friday.

But Garcia was confident about his chances.

I wont declare victory right now, but its looking extremely good, he said on a conference call Tuesday night with about 1,000 supporters.

Garcia and Smith are looking to finish out the term of Democratic Rep. Katie Hill, who took the seat from GOP Rep. Steve Knight in 2018, one of seven California congressional seats the Democrats flipped. But Hill was forced to resign late last year after being accused of having an affair with a member of her congressional staff, which she denied.

Theres more at stake than just the chance to spend the next seven months in Washington, D.C., although its always easier to run as an incumbent.

For Republicans, a victory would mark the first time since 1998 that the GOP has flipped a congressional seat in California that was held by a Democrat. It would be a welcome relief from the steady stream of political losses the state party has had in recent years and a ray of hope for the November elections.

This is the most important election, said former GOP Rep. Elton Gallegly, who joined Garcia, former Gov. Pete Wilson and former Rep. Buck McKeon on the half-hour call. This is the first domino and were going to see others fall.

A win will send Garcia to Washington to finish Hills term, but he will meet Smith again in a November rematch for the full, two-year term.

Smith refused to concede Tuesday night.

The race is still too early to call. And with thousands of ballots left to be counted, it may take several days for us to get a clear picture, she said in a statement. The most important thing now is to make sure that every single ballot cast in this race is counted.

But some party officials already were pointing toward the fall rematch, when the presidential election is guaranteed to bring many more voters and, probably, a more Democratic-friendly electorate.

This fight in CA25 was never going to be over tonight, Mark Gonzalez, chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, said in a statement. (President) Trump, Mike Garcia and the Republicans have been put on notice, and they will do whatever they can do defeat Christy in November. Theres too much at stake, and (Los Angeles) Democrats look forward to the challenge ahead with Christy.

Smith, a former school board member from Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County), was elected to the Assembly in 2018. During the campaign, she focused on her experience in office, pointing out what she has done for the state and for her district.

Garcia talked more about his nearly 20 years as a Navy pilot than the decade he has spent as an executive at a defense contractor. He painted himself as a conservative who would take the district back from liberal Democrats.

Smith won both the crowded March 3 primary for the top-two election in November and the contest for the rest of Hills term, but wasnt close to the 50% plus one needed to avoid the runoff election.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
Stand-off Between Indian, Chinese Troops Escalates as Fighter Jet, Helicopters Scramble in Ladakh

Sputnik News

10:59 GMT 12.05.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): The current stand-off in eastern Ladakh is the second such instance since India and China disengaged in Doklam after a 73-day stand-off in 2017. The Indian Air Force (IAF) scrambled its Su-30MKI after it spotted the movement of military helicopters on the Chinese side of the border last week.

A Chinese helicopter was once again spotted in the eastern Ladakh sector on Tuesday for the third time since 5 May, defence sources in New Delhi said.

Border tensions between India and China have escalated in the Ladakh sector as fully armed troops from the two sides have been present at the stand-off site for more than a week.

Defence sources said: "Approximately 100 fully armed troops from the two sides are holding their ground at a position near the Pangong Tso (lake)."

Sources said over 1,200 Chinese troops kept ready as reinforcement near the contested region, where the two sides had hurled stones and engaged in fights on 5 May.

ANI news agency reported that during the stand-off on 5 May, the Indian Air Force scrambled a pair of Sukhoi30 MKI after two Chinese military helicopters were seen flying on their own side.

"No airspace violation by any side in Ladakh. Chinese and Indian choppers were flying in their respective airspace," defence sources in New Delhi said.

However, the Indian Air Force did not comment on the issue officially, as the movement of fighter jets near the Line of Actual Control is not allowed under the bilateral agreement.

The Line of Actual Control is a loosely demarcated border that separates the two Asian giants, due to which, such transgressions are a common phenomenon, not classified as aggression by either side.

On Monday, while commenting on the face-off, the Chinese foreign ministry had said that People's Liberation Army's troops were there to keep peace and tranquility. "We hope India will work with China to uphold peace and tranquility in the border regions with concrete actions."

The last time the two countries were engaged in a border stand-off was in 2017 when the Indian army objected to road construction by the Chinese in Doklam region, a tri-junction at the border that separates India, Bhutan, and China.

Border standoffs between Indian and Chinese troops occur at regular intervals in different parts of the 4000 kilometre Line of Actual Control between the two nations.

 Sputnik

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To avoid unnecessary litigation against real estate developers Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 13 announced an extension in registration and completion date of real estate projects under Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).

It has been decided that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will advise all state governments and union territories and the regulatory bodies concerned to treat COVID-19 as a force majeure event. It is proposed that the registration and completion date will be extended suo-moto by six months for all registered projects expiring on or after March 25, 2020, without individual applications from developers.

Regulatory Authorities are also empowered to extend this for another period of up to three months wherever required.

This effectively means that the projection completion dates can be extended by up to nine months. The developers officially get an extended time period to complete the projects stuck due to COVID-19 induced lockdown throughout India.

Project registration certificates will also be issued automatically with revised timelines and all timelines for various statutory compliance under RERA are extended concurrently.

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

These measures will destress the developers of the compliance burden and will ensure that they focus on the completion of the project as per revised timelines.

It also means that the home buyers cannot sue the property developers for non-completion of the project as per agreed timelines earlier.

The regulatory authorities cannot take action against the developers until the revised timelines get over.

The housing sector was desperately looking for support from the government at a time when the demand is low.

While announcing the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package the finance minister had announced moratorium for three months on all loans taken by individuals  including home loans. That reduced the burden of paying equated monthly instalments (EMI) of the borrowers in lockdown times.

Launch of special liquidity scheme offering liquidity of Rs 30,000 crore to housing finance companies along with non-banking finance companies is expected to further improve the prospects of the sector.
Survivor: Blood vs. Water champ Tyson Apostol returned for his fourth time on Winners at War to claim his second title and a historic $2 million prize. However, his likability, proven physical prowess, and strong pre-existing relationships made him a huge target. Therefore, his tribemates voted him out twice. After his second trip to the Edge of Extinction, Tyson created a few jingles to lift his fellow eliminated castaways spirits. He shared them in a recent Instagram Live broadcast alongside co-star Ethan Zohn.

Tyson Apostol | CBS

Tyson Apostol on Survivor 40: Winners at War

40-year-old Arizona-based shop owner Tyson Apostol returned for Winners at War as part of the Dakal tribe. He almost immediately became a target due to his appearance in a poker tournament alongside tribemate Kim Spradlin-Wolfe and Amber Marianos husband.

Instead, the tribe decided to eliminate the Robfathers wife, sparing Tyson. Dakal then won back-to-back immunity challenges, and the four-time competitor told a few tribemates he wanted to target two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine.

However, Yul Kwon told the Queen as he wanted to keep her around for morale at camp. Therefore, when they finally lost an immunity challenge, Sandra immediately targeted Tyson.

So at this point: Can Tyson just come back from Edge and win the rest of the season? Please! #Survivor40 #Survivor #SurvivorWinnersAtWar @TysonApostol pic.twitter.com/Mfl8HCSz6K  Erika (@ErikaWarrix) May 7, 2020

Even though the majority of the tribe initially agreed they would eliminate Nick Wilson at the request of the four-time competitor, the Queen ultimately got her way, and the Blood vs. Water winner went to the Edge of Extinction.

He then won his way back in and remained under the radar for the first couple of eliminations. However, the tribe decided to vote Tyson out a second time only three Tribal Councils later after their primary target, Jeremy Collins, used his Safety Without Power advantage, becoming immune.

Tyson Apostol wrote jingles on the Edge of Extinction

In an Instagram Live with co-star Ethan Zohn, the four-time competitor shared that he made several jingles while on the Edge of Extinction to lift everyones spirits.

Ethan agreed and admitted that he was miserable on the Edge but looked forward to Tysons songs. The Africa champ inspired one of the jingles, which described how the two worst parts of a 24-hour period are day and night.

According to Ethan, he made a comment about how the days on the Edge are long, but the nights are longer, and the four-time competitor felt compelled to put it into a song.

The other jingle, titled P**s Cave, revolved around an area the castaways sought shelter in a torrential downpour that also served as a bathroom the producers used for the past several seasons.

via Tyson Apostol Instagram Live

The two explained it smelled terrible and almost became unbearable when the scent mixed in with the rain. In the techno-based jingle, Tyson names several cities and then chants p**s cave multiple times.

The Blood vs. Water winner said he almost recorded a studio version but couldnt due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, he promised he would record it when the stay-at-home orders are lifted.

Survivor 40: Winners at War finale airs May 13, 2020, at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
Amber Portwood's relationship with her new boyfriend, Dimitri, is already hitting rocky waters.

The MTV star asked her Belgian beau to take a lie detector test on Tuesday night's episode of Teen Mom OG after news of their relationship leaked online.

"So, you know I've horrible trust issues because I've been hit with f s so hard I was like, 'Holy crap, I was naive,' " Portwood, 29, told Dimitri, 39, during the episode. "And I would like you to do a lie detector test. Just to show me I'm not wasting my time with you."

Dimitri nodded and said, "Yes. It's okay."

"I just want to know that you're here for me and the loyalty and honesty and the trust from whoever I'm with," she said. "It's going to be hurtful if I find anything out in the future."

RELATED: Teen Mom OG: Amber Portwood Introduces Daughter to Her New Boyfriend from Belgium During Family Dinner

Portwood previously had her ex-boyfriend Matt take a lie detector test, which alleged he had made sexual advances at other women.

When the MTV star and Dimitri made an appointment, they met Marvin, a practitioner hired to perform the test, who asked Portwood what she wanted to gain out of the experience.

"I just want to make sure he's here for the right reasons, that he's here for me, he's in the country for me," the mom of two said.

Marvin added, "In other words, is he looking for an American wife?" to which she replied, "Exactly."

Dimitri passed the test, showing he had not deceived Portwood by profiting from their relationship or wanting her for her wealth.

MTV's Teen Mom/Youtube Amber Portwood meeting Dimitri on Teen Mom OG

Back at Portwood's rental home, she admitted, "I just thought I could never be loved."

"I love you just for you," Dimitri told her. Portwood said it was "hard for me to accept you do love me, for some reason."

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"I know it sounds weird," she said. "In my mind, it's like, 'Why?' and then you start to think, 'Why didn't this person love me? Why didn't that person love me?'"

As she began to cry, she explained, "I've been the same toward every f man. Right when they f up and start doing crazy s, I'm the psycho."

RELATED: Teen Mom OG: Amber Portwood Picks Up Boyfriend Dimitri from the Airport with Ex Gary Shirley

"So to have someone who is actually honest and truthful, I can finally just be this way and not worry about someone trying to take my money or using me for fame," Portwood added. "It's pretty intense right now. I've been waiting for this for a really, really long time."

Dimitri comforted her as she said, "I'm so happy I found you."

Speaking to PEOPLE in late March, 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.

Portwood is a mom to two children: 11-year-old daughter Leah, whom she shares with ex Gary Shirley, and 1-year-old son James, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Andrew Glennon.

Teen Mom OG airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. ET) on MTV.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-04-25 21:55:14|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday extended nationwide curfew for another three weeks, saying cessation of movement in some counties will remain in place for the same period.

Kenyatta told a televised news conference in Nairobi that he took the decision following advice he received from the health ministry and relevant government agencies about the prevailing health situation in the country.

"The cessation of movement into and out of the Nairobi Metropolitan area and the counties of Kilifi, Kwale and Mombasa that are currently in force shall be extended for a further containment period of 21 days," said Kenyatta.

He appreciated the work of health and security personnel standing at the forefront of the war against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenyatta appealed to Kenyans to adhere to health regulations which are put in place by the government and assured the nation that the economy will soon reopen.

The cessation of movement in several counties and the dust-dawn curfew are among a raft of new measures aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus.

"The nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew that is currently in force shall also be extended for a further period of 21 days," said Kenyatta.

"I will continue to use the best scientific and medical advice to calibrate our response as a nation. We will escalate and de-escalate on the basis of how vulnerable we are to large-scale infection," he added.

The Kenyan leader warned that the government will not delay in escalating the measures put in place if the need arises.

"Kenyans let us unite and fight the pandemic together. As a government, we don't want to announce more strict measures for Kenyans but if need be, we will not hesitate," he said.

He said the counties of Mandera in the northeast region, Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa in the coastal region have registered an increase in the number of infections and warned that if this trend does not reverse, more stringent measures will be taken in consultation with the respective county governments.

"To ensure that porous borders and security threats do not compromise our response to this pandemic, the security services will upgrade their alert and response measures in every border area," the president said.

Kenya has also banned large gatherings to ensure social distancing, closed learning institutions and suspended international passenger flights and closed borders among other measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Kenya on Friday reported 16 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 336.

Rashid Aman, chief administrative secretary at the health ministry, said the 16 cases are all Kenyans with no history of travel and were picked out from among communities by medical surveillance teams. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-11 18:34:24|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on May 12, 2020 shows a damaged military vehicle at the site of clash in Alishing district of Laghman province, Afghanistan. Six security personnel and six insurgents were killed as clash erupted in Alishing district of the eastern Laghman province on May 10, provincial government spokesman Assadullah Dawlatzai said on May 11. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

MEHTARLAM, Afghanistan, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Six security personnel and six insurgents were killed as clash erupted in Alishing district of the eastern Laghman province on Sunday, provincial government spokesman Assadullah Dawlatzai said Monday.

The clash broke out after a group of Taliban militants attacked security checkpoints in Qala-e-Kochian area of the restive district late Sunday night, triggering gun battle which lasted for a while, leaving six militants and six security personnel dead.

At least 17 more militants and five security personnel sustained injuries in the fight, the official said.

The Taliban outfit has yet to make comments.
Varanasi, May 13 (IANS) A group of foreigners, stranded in Varanasi due to the nation-wide lockdown, are making demands that include a change of accommodation, food and even permission to practice occult on cremation grounds, creating problems for the Uttar Pradesh police.

A number of them even refuse to return to their countries.

SSP Varanasi Prabhakar Chaudhary told IANS on Wednesday: "Some Russian and German tourists have been making unreasonable demands and violating lockdown rules. Some have been creating trouble, calling police and complaining on social media. They insist on staying on the Ghats through the night and practicing occult.

The SSP said that he has informed the concerned embassies and also the Ministry of External Affairs.

"One of the foreigners, staying at a guest house on the Dashashwamedh Ghat had been complaining against the owner. We arranged for another accommodation for him," the officer said.

He further said that the embassy officials had also spoken to their nationals and they will return as soon as the lockdown is lifted.

According to sources, there are over 350 foreigners staying in guest houses, lodges, hotels, private accommodations and shelter homes in Varanasi.

A large number of foreigners come to Varanasi around the year and get so mesmerized by the ambience that they tend to overstay. Many of them even adapt themselves to the local lifestyle and can be seen wearing dhoti and kurta.

--IANS

amita/in
Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a bill that would allow the US president to impose broad sanctions on China if Beijing does not give a full account of the events that led to the outbreak of coronavirus, Reuters reported.

Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said he was convinced that had it not been for deception by Chinas ruling Communist Party, the virus would not be in the US, where it has killed more than 80,000 Americans.

According to Graham, China refused to allow investigators to study how the outbreak began.

Im convinced China will never cooperate with a serious investigation unless they are made to do so.

According to him, the COVID-19 Accountability Act would require the president to make a certification to Congress within 60 days that China had provided a full and complete accounting to any COVID-19 investigation led by the United States, its allies or U.N. affiliate such as the World Health Organization.

The law will give the US president the power to impose sanctions - including freezing assets, a ban on entry, canceling visas, and restricting lending to Chinese companies by US institutions and a ban on listing on US exchanges for Chinese companies.
Nearly 80,000 passengers travelled by eight trains on Tuesday, the first day that the Railways ran special passenger services to various cities across India.

Over 8,000 passengers travelled by eight trains on Tuesday, the first day that the Railways ran special passenger services to various cities across India. The Railways resumed passenger train operations almost two months after suspending them in view of the coronavirus lockdown.

On Wednesday morning, trains from Ahmedabad, Patna and Mumbai Central Railway station arrived in Delhi, where the coronavirus cases rose to 7,639. The state governments protocol in place allows those asymptomatic for coronavirus to go home. Those with mild symptoms will be asked to self-isolate and the standard protocol of sampling, testing and quarantine will apply to symptomatic persons. Adequate number of screening counters will be made at the railway station and a detailed list of passengers will be shared by the railways, guidelines by the Delhi government mandated.

Kerala, where the first train on its way from Delhi is due to arrive, has made it mandatory for passengers to hold an entry pass, failing which they will have to undergo a 14-day mandatory institutional quarantine, according to the New Indian Express. Passengers have to apply for this pass on the COVID-19 Jagratha portal after booking their tickets.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said on Tuesday that air-conditioned travel during a pandemic could pose a danger to the passengers health. He said that several pilgrims who had visited Maharashtras Nanded had tested positive after they were ferried back to Punjab in air-conditioned buses. Passengers will also be screened after deboarding and those with symptoms will be sent to institutional quarantine and the rest will be asked to self-isolate.

Assam and Jammu and Kashmir have announced that passengers who arrive on trains will have to undergo institutional quarantine for at least 14 days. All passengers will be tested using the RT-PCR method on arrival in Jammu and Kashmir and will be kept in quarantine until results come negative.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu have adopted a similar approach, and those with symptoms are being sent to quarantine facilities. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami urged the Centre to keep arrivals in quarantine facilities on railway premises until they are screened for COVID-19.

Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that everyone arriving aboard these trains in the state will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine, adding that it will be impossible to test thousands of passengers.

Government buses and vehicles were arranged to ferry passengers arriving at West Bengals Howrah station, PTI reported. At least 100 state-run buses transported the returnees to their native places in Jhargram, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Birbhum, Malda and Murshidabad districts.

The Bengaluru-New Delhi and New Delhi-Bengaluru trains made a halt at Telanganas Secunderabad railway station, where passengers who deboarded were screened per for symptoms of coronavirus. After revenue and municipal officials collect their details, they will either be sent to home quarantine or institutional quarantine based on their health condition, railway inspector Adi Reddy told The Times of India. The passengers who arrived in Chhattisgarhs Raipur from Delhi on Wednesday too were screened before being asked to undergo home quarantine.

Over Tuesday and Wednesday, over 15 up and down services between New Delhi Railway Station and Dibrugarh, Agartala, Howrah, Patna, Bilaspur, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Secunderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Madgaon, Mumbai Central, Ahmedabad and Jammu Tawi commenced. Within 24 hours of the booking starting on Monday, around 169,039 passengers booked tickets to travel by the trains for a period of seven days.

The trains commencing journey on Wednesday are New Delhi-Howrah, New Delhi-Rajendra Nagar, New Delhi-Jammu Tawi, New Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi-Chennai, New Delhi-Ranchi, New Delhi-Mumbai, New Delhi-Ahmedabad, and Bhubaneswar-New Delhi.

In addition to the protocol set by the state governments, the Ministry of Home Affairs also issued a set of guidelines for passengers, including compulsory screening, social distancing at station and during travel, face masks, no provision of linen and blankets and boarding only for asymptomatic travellers. Additionally, the Centre allowed states to decide whether to put passengers in quarantine.

The added work of screening, testing and quarantine for passengers arriving by these special trains comes even as states bear the added burden of medical surveillance of migrant workers who were sent back to their native places by Shramik Special trains. The first such train service to evacuate stranded and out-of-jobs migrant workers across India and send them to their home states began on 1 May. By 11 May, 542 Shramik trains ferried 6.48 lakh migrant workers to more than 14 states, the Ministry of Home Affairs said. While Gujarat and Kerala are the states from where the most migrants travelled back to other states, the labour ministry said last week that it does not know the total number stranded workers across the country, according to PTI.
Iran Army Video Says Missile Homing Device Or 'Enemy' Responsible For Naval Incident

Radio Farda May 12, 2020

A website affiliated with Iran's army released a video Monday evening acknowledging that a missile hit one of its navy ships on Sunday in a friendly-fire incident that killed 19 sailors and injured 15.

The video published by Aja website says that during naval drills the small support vessel Konarak was tasked with placing targets for practice. While performing its duty the Jamaran frigate fired a missile that hit the Konarak, which caught fire but is now towed to a port.

The video explains that the missile homing device was what malfunctioned and wrongly guided the warhead toward the support vessel. Previously, Iranian television had attributed the incident to the support ship staying too close to the designated target.

However, the army video at the end mentions that the incident could also be the result of "electronic warfare by the enemy". The label enemy usually means the United States, but the video does not present any evidence to back its allegation.

The Islamic Republic often blames "enemies" for its misfortunes or shortcomings. At the onset of the coronavirus crisis, senior officials including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei hinted that "the enemy" had designed the deadly virus specifically to target Iranians.

A former naval officer also wrote in Iran's Arman newspaper that according to his information Konarak entered the targeting area without emitting any signal.

Konarak was manufactured by Holland and purchased by the Imperial government before the 1979 revolution. It usually has a crew of 20 and it is not clear why it was carrying at least 34 sailors.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-army-video -says-missile-homing-device-or-enemy-responsible -for-naval-incident/30608385.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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This is the terrifying moment two skydivers are seen barreling toward the ground after their parachutes malfunctioned.

Footage from the incident in Titusville, Florida this morning shows the men spiraling off course before they hit the ground on the 900 block of Tennessee Street.

In a video recorded by nearby witnesses, shocked onlookers are heard saying in disbelief, 'oh my god' and 'they're going down'.

Scroll down for video

Footage from a nearby witness shows the tandem jumpers falling from the sky on Wednesday





The footage was obtained by ClickOrlando, which reported that Space Coast Skydive owner Greg Nardi said theyre looking into what happened but added it appeared everything was working properly when a master jumper and student took off.

Images show their blue parachutes tangle in a large tree branch that appeared to break off from a tree and thud on the ground with them.

Brevard County Fire Rescue responded to the crash-landing scene, which was in someone's front yard, at approximately 10.28am.

The duo were assessed and declared trauma alerts, Titusville Fire Department said Wednesday.

Orlando Health Air Care 3 and Health First Trauma Center and First Flight Air Medical Transport arrived to airlift them to hospital.

Pictured in the scene on Tennessee Street Wednesday morning after they fell outside a home

An image released by a fire department shows where the hefty branch broke off a tree

Two men were assessed at the scene (pictured) after 10.30am and were declared trauma alerts

A Health First helicopter was pictured working in the area which was covered in medical gear.

Titusville Fire Rescue praised the 'great team work' from the departments to get both patients out of the harness, packaged and treated while awaiting air transport.

They were in a trauma center in critical condition, on Wednesday evening.

According to the Titusville Police Department the two victims, were part of a tandem jump from a plane that originated at Dunn Airpark.

Law enforcement said Wednesday evening it is still investigating the incident.

The names of the victims were not released.

Authorities did not state whether the victims were jumping with a skydiving company but Skydive Space Center operates from Dunn Airpark.

On the company website they state that tandem skydiving is the safest option for a first-time skydiver. After a safety briefing the jumper is taken to a plane, harnessed to their instructor and then they free-fall for a minute from 18,000 feet up - one of the world's highest jumps.

When the instructor opens the parachute the sail down is supposed to last 4-6 minutes.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Skydive Space Center.

Rescuers at the scene were praised for their work untangling the men from the parachutes

A Health First helicopter was pictured on the scene in Titusville after the horrific accident
Musk, Texas governor talk about potential Tesla move to Lone Star state FILE PHOTO: Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk speaks at an opening ceremony for Tesla China-made Model Y program in Shanghai

By Brad Brooks

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Tuesday that he spoke with Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla Inc <TSLA.O>, in recent days about a potential move of the company's electric vehicle assembly plant to the Lone Star state.

Abbott's remarks came just came three days after Musk threatened to move Tesla's headquarters and future operations to either Texas or Nevada, after officials in the California county where Tesla's only U.S. vehicle factory is located said the plant could not reopen because coronavirus lockdown measures remained in place.

Abbott said during an interview with the Wichita Falls CBS affiliate that he thinks Texas is a perfect fit for Tesla <TSLA.O>. A spokesman for Abbott confirmed to Reuters the governor spoke with Musk over the weekend.

"I've had the opportunity to talk to Elon Musk and he's genuinely interested in Texas and genuinely frustrated with California," Abbott said. "We've just got to wait and see how things play out."

Abbott did not provide details of the conversation. John Wittman, the governor's communications director, said there was not yet any discussion of incentives to entice Tesla away from California.

Tesla did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Musk last Thursday had told employees that limited production would restart at the Tesla factory in Fremont, after California Governor Gavin Newsom said that manufacturers in the state would be allowed to reopen under an easing of coronavirus containment measures. But officials in Alameda County, where Fremont is located, said its own lockdown measures had not been lifted and the factory could not yet reopen.

Musk on Saturday tweeted: "If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen (sp) on how Tesla is treated in the future."

President Donald Trump weighed in on Tuesday, tweeting that California should let Tesla get back to work.

On Monday, Musk said production was resuming at the factory in defiance of the county order and that if anyone had to be arrested, it should be him. On Tuesday, employee parking lots that were deserted on Friday were packed with cars. Trucks could be seen driving in and out of the factory grounds.

Story continues

Musk is no stranger to Texas. His SpaceX spacecraft manufacturer has a launch site in the southern tip of the state near the village of Boca Chica.

Richard Cortez, the top executive in Hidalgo County just to the west of the SpaceX launch site, urged Musk in a letter to consider the area for Tesla, saying the region's heavy presence of automotive plants straddling the U.S.-Mexico border could quickly meet the electric car maker's needs.

Cortez, in an interview with Reuters, underscored that manufacturing plants in his county have never been under any orders to close because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to its vehicle plant in California, Tesla has a battery plant in Sparks, Nevada, and a factory in Buffalo, New York, that produces solar panels and other energy generation and storage products.

(Reporting by Brad Brooks; editing by Bill Tarrant and Leslie Adler)
About 1:10 a.m., police said they were called to the 900 block of H Street NE for another fire. Police said they found a man suffering from burns to his lower body. Anderson said the mans personal possessions also had been destroyed.
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan on Tuesday rejected an Ethiopian proposal to sign an initial agreement greenlighting the filling of a controversial mega-dam it is building.

"I cannot accept the signing of a draft agreement to the first phase (filling the dam) because it poses legal and technical problems that must be addressed," Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said in a statement.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had urged him to sign the agreement.

Both Khartoum and Cairo fear the dam will trap their essential water supplies once the giant reservoir starts being filled in July as planned by Addis Ababa.

Hamed Saleh, Sudan's chief negotiator in talks on the dam facilitated by the US administration, said "most of the issues at play... cannot be separated... including long-term environmental and social impacts".

Tensions have been high in the Nile basin ever since Ethiopia broke ground on the project in 2011.

Addis Ababa says the dam is crucial for its economy, while Egypt fears it will disrupt the river that provides almost all its water.

Sudan hopes the dam will provide much-needed electricity and help regulate flooding.

The US Treasury Department and the World Bank stepped in as observers last year to facilitate talks between the three countries after negotiations repeatedly failed.

"The only way to reach a comprehensive agreement is for all parties to go back to the negotiating table immediately," Hamdok added.

The 6,600-kilometre-long (3,900-mile) Nile is a lifeline supplying both water and electricity to the 10 countries it traverses.

Its main tributaries, the White and Blue Niles, converge in the Sudanese capital Khartoum before flowing north through Egypt to drain into the Mediterranean Sea.
SIOUX CITY -- Northwest Iowa Congressman Steve King said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has agreed to a process by which the nine-term incumbent can get "exoneration" and back on committees that were stripped in January 2019 after King's controversial published remarks about white supremacy.

On April 20, Kevin McCarthy and I reached an agreement that he would advocate to the (Republican) Steering Committee to put all of my committees back, all of my seniority," King said at a forum Monday night.

When Congress comes back into session, when the steering committee can (inaudible) together, I have Kevin McCarthys word that that will be my time for exoneration.

King made the remarks during a Monday evening candidate debate in Spencer, Iowa, as moderated by the Spencer Daily Reporter. That came during his final wrap-up of the 90-minute Iowa 4th Congressional District debate, which comes ahead of an important June 2 primary election involving King and four Republican challengers.

Those four, Randy Feenstra, Steve Reeder, Bret Richards and Jeremy Taylor, also took part in the forum. All four men spoke after King raised the committee issue, and none addressed what he said in their closing remarks.

In a New York Times story on immigration 16 months ago, King was quoted as asking, "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization  how did that language become offensive? Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?"

The published remarks fueled a national backlash that prompted GOP House leaders to strip him of his committee assignments for at least two years, and for the full House to pass a resolution condemning white supremacy and white nationalism.

Since then, King has repeatedly insisted the Times reporter misquoted him, and that Republican leaders were too skittish over the fallout to reinstate him to his committees.

King took to the House floor in January 2020 to again criticize McCarthy, describing his treatment by the GOP leader as "unprecedented."

During his speech, King also displayed large graphs that showed a sharp increase in online stories using the term "white nationalism" in the years since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. He argued the political left has adopted a strategy of using the weaponization of language" to attack conservatives and Trump supporters.

Attempts to reach McCarthy by phone were unsuccessful. A message at his Washington office said the phone mailbox was full, and a message at his Bakersfield, California, office said people should attempt to reach McCarthy by the contact information on his website.

As in past attempts by the Journal to reach McCarthy by email, the site says the Republican leader is unable to reply to email from constituents outside his district.

Also on Monday, a poll of the Iowa 4th race by American Viewpoint Inc., of Alexandria, Virginia, was released showing Feenstra had climbed to nearly even with King. A summary by an AV official shared on Feenstra's campaign website showed King led Feenstra, 39 percent to 36 percent, which is in the polling margin of error, which is 5 percent.

The poll was of 350 likely Republican voters, taken on May 7-8.

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New Orleans will have stricter coronavirus rules in place than the rest of the state when it begins to allow businesses to reopen on Saturday, including mandates that restaurants and salons take down their customers contact information and caps on the number of people that can attend church services.

The citys rules, which officials say exceed the states because of the speed and severity with which the virus spread in New Orleans at the beginning of the outbreak, also would prevent the reopening of Harrahs Casino or any video poker rooms, even as other gaming establishments in other parishes are allowed to see a limited number of customers.

In Orleans Parish, here's what'll open and stay closed during Phase I coronavirus reopening Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced Tuesday that New Orleans will officially enter into phase one of its reopening plan at 6 a.m. Saturday, which 

Businesses that reopen in the city will also have to register with the state Fire Marshals Office, something that is voluntary in other parts of Lousiana.

Cantrell and her top health official, Dr. Jennifer Avegno, outlined the new plans during a press conference and an interview on WBOK radio on Tuesday.

Orders by both Cantrell and Gov. John Bel Edwards putting restrictions on businesses and other activities to contain the spread of the coronavirus expire at the end of the week, amid a decline in new cases both statewide and in the New Orleans region. But that will not mean a full return to normal, just a slight loosening of the restrictions.

At the same time, state and city officials urged people to largely continue to isolate themselves. Cantrell also said customers patronizing businesses in the city will be required to wear face masks, something that only applies to employees elsewhere in the state.

+2 Cantrell offers details on reopening plan: face masks, required restaurants bookings, more Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Tuesday offered several details about her plans to reopen the city, including requirements that restaurants open with

Cantrell said the heightened restrictions are needed given the citys status as an early hotspot for the disease, which at an April peak infected 450 new people in a day.

The reopening is widely expected to lead to some increase in the number of new cases being reported, as more people frequent businesses and come into contact with others. City leaders said they would monitor the impact of the reopening closely for signs that things were getting worse and in her radio interview, Cantrell said she would absolutely shut things down again.

If we do not do well in this first phase, we will not be doing another phase. We will shut it off, she said.

Across Louisiana on Friday, restaurants will be allowed to offer indoor dining at 25% capacity. But in New Orleans, they will operate at 25% only if each patron leaves their name and number at the door. Hair salons, gyms, and ride-sharing services will also be required to take down that kind of information, a contact tracing effort Cantrell says is needed to box in the virus.

+2 St. Tammany ready to jump start coronavirus-hit economy, despite restaurant limits St. Tammany Parish officials had been gearing up for an initial economic reopening plan that would have allowed restaurants to operate at 50% 

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Contact tracing, a process in which public health professionals contact everyone who has been exposed to an infected person and urge isolation, typically does not have the benefit of that kind of preemptive data-gathering, which experts have said raises privacy concerns.

Avegno said on Tuesday that such record-keeping is necessary to aid in the contact-tracing process - so that a table full of customers can be alerted if their server tests positive or visa versa.

+4 Masks and temperature checks: Jefferson Parish businesses prepare for weekend reopenings Jefferson Parish government and business leaders on Tuesday simultaneously urged caution and enthusiasm as many parish small businesses plan t

The businesses will be required to keep the records for 21 days and use them to let contact tracers working for the state know who they need to reach out to should the need arise. Tracers will still reach out to businesses for similar information elsewhere in the state, asking them to go through credit card records if necessary, Avegno said.

Avegno said the city will not get the full lists of customers and the information provided to the state will be covered by federal patient privacy laws. Contact tracers also will not share with the people they contact the name of the person that tested positive, said Sarah Babcock with the New Orleans Health Department.

The rules announced Tuesday were narrower than the mandate Cantrell originally floated that applied to all businesses and which drew significant blow back from many.

The city also stands alone in restricting church services to no more than 100 people or 25% capacity, whichever is smalller. Churches will also not be allowed to have choirs or other activities that require people to be in close proximity. The citys ban on casinos and requirement that reopened businesses register with the state also go beyond Edwards order.

And, city officials warned, there is no guarantee that the restrictions will work in maintaining the spread of COVID-19 at levels that wont once again threaten to overwhelm the healthcare system or lead to widespread suffering.

Is the plan perfect? No. No city has a perfect plan, Councilman Jason Williams said.

Some Louisiana businesses will reopen Friday, but Gov. Edwards warns to proceed with caution Gov. John Bel Edwards announced details of Louisiana's initial phase of reopening the economy at today's news conference. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell will announce her plans Tuesday.

+14 New Orleans restaurants assess risks as reopen date nears: 'We're coming back in stages' Tanya Dubuclet had already taken a tape measure to the dining room at her Neyows Creole Cafe, assessing where she could put tables to comply 
(Alliance News) - UK retail sales slumped at the fastest pace on record in April, numbers on Wednesday showed, with lockdowns bashing the sector and turning the crucial Easter period into a "more modest affair".

The British Retail Consortium-KPMG sales monitor showed April sales sank by 19% year-on-year, compared to a 2.4% rise a year before.

"This is the worst decline recorded since our monitor began in January 1995, reflecting the effect of lockdown measures. It is below the 3-month and 12-month average declines of 7.5% and 2.3% respectively, both record declines in themselves," BRC noted.

Measured on a like-for-like basis, so excluding stores which have been forced to close, sales rose 5.7% year-on-year in April, numbers showed, compared to 2.0% growth in April 2019.

BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said: "With lockdown measures in full swing, April saw a record fall in retail sales. Food sales were disappointing, with the virus preventing large family gatherings and turning Easter into a more modest affair. For many non-food goods, such as clothing, footwear and large household items, the decline was particularly steep as consumers responded to lockdown conditions.

"The proportion of goods purchased online rose sharply, with products such as games consoles, bicycles, office equipment, and haberdashery, all high on the list. However, even the dramatic rise in online sales could not make up for the loss of in-store purchases. Coronavirus has accelerated many of the trends seen prior to the outbreak and it is likely that as the lockdown wears on, these new shopping habits a such as the trend towards online purchases - will become more entrenched for many consumers."

During the three months to April, non-food sales plummeted by 36%, way below the 12-month average fall of 12%.

Food sales however, were 6.0% higher during the three-month period, which saw a period of consumer stockpiling amid fears of shortages due to the pandemic. The 12-month average rise in food sales stands at 1.6%.

For April alone however, food sales declined year-on-year on a like-for-like basis.

Susan Barratt of analysts IGD, said: "April was another busy month for food retailers as they adapted to in-store social distancing and built capacity for surging demand in online shopping. However, sales were more restrained than the high peaks of March and current restrictions on social gatherings will have dampened any seasonal boost expected from Easter.

"The latest reading of the IGD Shopper Confidence Index indicates trust in the food and consumer goods industry is at its highest level for 12 months, with shoppers increasingly appreciating the work of the industry. However, shopper confidence continues to decline and is now at its lowest level since December 2013. As such, retailers need to keep an eye on the future as well as tackling the immediate challenges of Covid-19."

The lockdown has inevitably hurt footfall across UK retail destinations too.

Figures on Tuesday published by Springboard showed sharp falls in footfall during the long weekend starting May 8, in the UK.

On Friday, footfall was down 77% year-on-year, with numbers showing a 79% decline on Saturday.

Springboard's Marketing & Insights Director Diane Wehrle said: "On bank holiday Friday footfall declined by 6.0% from the previous week as consumers celebrated the 75th anniversary of VE day at home. Saturday saw a smaller decline of 0.1% as the warm weather brought people outside."

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
It's hard to imagine Pretty Woman without both Richard Gere and Julia Roberts but originally, Richard Gere was not too stoked about the idea. In fact, the actor actually rejected the role several times before Julia actually convinced him to push through.

The movie became an instant hit when it was first released back in 1990 and ever since then, the movie has been considered a modern classic when it comes to the romance genre.

The movie tells the story of both Edward and Vivian, two different people with very different social statuses who suddenly strike up a love affair around the lavish and luxurious surroundings of Beverly Hills.

Nowadays, everyone knows the story of Pretty Woman as the film follows an esteemed businessman known as Edward Lewis played by Gere who suddenly hires a prostitute named Vivian played by Roberts in order to be his companion for a whole week right after he gets dumped by his girlfriend just over the phone.

Gere wasn't the first choice?

Even though Gere and Roberts worked perfectly together on-screen portraying the fortuitous lovers, the power couple actually almost did not happen!

Gere was not apparently the first choice for Edward and the decision for him in the role did not arrive quickly. Before Gere, Garry Marshall, the film's director, first considered a number of other people to play the male role including Christopher Reeves, Denzel Washington, and even Al Pacino himself.

Marshall finally settled for Gere who he thought could possibly be the best pick for the role. However, the actor did not actually feel the same way about this choice and he was not too enthusiastic about this decision. In fact, the actor turned this role down several times before actually saying yes. What made him change his mind?

Read Also: Pregnant WWE Raw's Becky Lynch to Asuka: "Go and Be a Warrior Because I'm Going to Go Be a Mother."

What did Julia Roberts do to convince him?

As the very last resort, Marshall decided to fly Julia Roberts out to New York City in order to meet the actor and convince him to take the role of Edward in the movie.

While Gere was on the phone with Marshall, who was trying his best to convince Gere to take the role of Edward, Roberts suddenly passed him a certain post-it note with the words "please say yes." and after that, the rest was history!

Gere and Roberts quickly stroke a friendship and the director noted that this was very important when playing any couple role. According to the director, you can fake everything in front of the camera but something you can't fake is chemistry.

The couple did a good job in the movie and the friendship between both Julia Roberts and Richard Gere remained even after the modern classic first released in 1990. The movie is still a memorable movie in the romance genre up to this day.

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P Sainath, founder of People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) and Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient, has chronicled the migrant condition for several decades. In an interview, he details the current situation of workers, and the possible way forward

One of the most telling human stories to result from the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting nationwide lockdown is that of stranded migrant workers. But theirs isn't a new story; it's taken a pandemic for urban India to take note of an issue that has remained an unseen aspect of the country's economy for much of its contemporary history. P Sainath, founder of People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) and Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient, has chronicled the migrant condition for several decades. In an interview, he details the current situation of workers, and the possible way forward.

Recently, 16 workers from MP were killed under a train in their sleep in Aurangabad. What does it say about us that our first reaction is to question why the dead workers were sleeping on the tracks, and not those who pushed them to walk home?

How many English publications even bothered to give names of the workers crushed under the train? They just had to go faceless, and nameless. That is our attitude towards the poor. If it had been a plane crash, you would have helplines giving information. Even if there had been 300 killed in the crash, their names would appear in the newspapers. But 16 poor guys from Madhya Pradesh, eight of them Gond Adivasis, who gives a shit? They were walking along those railway lines as a guide to home  to a station from where they hoped to get a train home. They slept on the tracks because they were exhausted and probably believed there were no trains plying on those lines.

With a workforce as huge as the one in India, what do you think of the communication of governments to workers?

We gave a nation of 1.3 billion human beings four hours to shut down their lives. MG Devasahayam, one of our legendary civil servants, had said, "A small infantry brigade being pushed into a major action is given more than four hours notice." Whether or not we agree with the migrant workers, the rationale in leaving was absolutely sound. They know  and every hour we are proving  how untrustworthy, inconsiderate and cruel their governments, factory owners and middle-class employers like us are. And we are proving that with laws to restrict their freedom of movement.

You created panic. You sent the country into complete chaos with millions on the highway. We could have easily converted the marriage halls, schools and colleges and community centres that were shut down into shelter homes for migrants and homeless. We declared star hotels into quarantine centres for people returning from abroad.

When we arrange trains for the migrants, we charge them full fare. Then we put in AC trains and Rajdhani class fares of Rs 4,500. To make it worse, you say the tickets can be booked online, assuming they all have smartphones. Some of them buy those tickets. But in Karnataka, they cancel them because the chief minister meets the builders, who say the slaves are escaping. What you are witnessing is the quelling of an anticipated slave rebellion.

We have always had one standard for the poor, and one for others. Even though, when you list essential services, you are finding out that it is only the poor people who are essential, apart from doctors. Many of the nurses are not well-off. Besides them, there are sanitation workers, ASHA workers, aanganwadi workers, electricity workers, power sector workers, and factory workers. Suddenly you are finding how inessential the elite are to this country.

Migration has happened for decades. And their condition was terrible even before the lockdown. How do you see the way we treat our migrant workers in general?

There are many kinds of migrants. But you have to understand the class distinctions of migration. I was born in Chennai. I did my higher education in Delhi, where I lived for four years. I then migrated to Mumbai, and I have been living here for 36 years. Each shift I made benefited me because I come from a particular class and caste. I have social capital and networks.

There are long-term migrants, those who leave from A to B and remain permanently in B.

Then there are seasonal migrants. For example, the sugarcane workers in Maharashtra who migrate to Karnataka for five months and very significantly vice versa  work there and go back to their villages. There are migrants in Kalahandi who go to Raipur during tourist season and pull rickshaws. There are those who go from Koraput in Odisha to the brick kilns of Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh for some months.

There are other groups, too  but the people we should be most concerned with are what some of us call footloose migrant workers. The footloose migrant has no clear idea of a final destination. They will come with a contractor and work at a construction site in Mumbai for 90 days. At the end of that period, they have nothing. The contractor will then put them in touch with someone in some other part of Maharashtra, and bus them there. And that goes on indefinitely. That is a wretched life with total, unending insecurity. They are in millions.

When did the state of migrant workers begin to worsen?

Migrations have taken place for more than a century. But they have exploded in the past 28 years. The 2011 Census shows us that between 2001 and 2011, India saw its highest migrant flows  in our independent history.

The 2011 Census noted that for the first time since 1921, the number of people urban India added to its population was higher than the number of people rural India added to its population. The growth of rate of population is much smaller in urban areas, yet you have more people added to urban Indias population.

Go back and search for a panel discussion or interview with experts on television fully dedicated to these facts of the 2011 Census. How many discussed the migrant labourers and the intensity with which migrations happened from rural to urban, rural to rural, and so on?

Any discussion around migration is incomplete without rural distress, which is at the root of migration, right?

We smashed agriculture, and millions of livelihoods collapsed. Every other livelihood in the countryside has been savaged as well. Handlooms and handicrafts together are the biggest employers in the country after agriculture. Boatmen, fishermen, toddy tappers, toy makers, weavers, dyers; one after the other, they are going under like ninepins. What option did they have?

We are wondering if the migrant workers will come back to cities. Why did they come here in the first place?

I do believe the substantial number of migrant workers will come back to the cities. It will take a long time perhaps. But we have long ago destroyed the options they had in villages, ensuring our army of cheap labour.

How do you view the proposed relaxations of labour laws in several states?

First, it is an undermining of the Constitution and existing laws by ordinance. Second, it is an issuance of a bonded labour proclamation by ordinance. Third, it actually sets back the gold standard on working hours by 100 years. The most basic thing is every convention on labour in the world has respected the eight-hour work day.

Look at the Gujarat notification. It says that no overtime will be paid to the workers. The Rajasthan government provides for overtime pay for extra hours, but with a limit of 24 hours a week. The workers will work 12 hours a day for the straight six days.

All of these things have been done quoting exemptions and exceptions in the Factories Act. It says the maximum number of hours a worker can be asked to work  including overtime  is 60 hours. At 12 hours a day, these are coming to 72.

More importantly, the workers have no say whether they want to do the extra hours or not. There is an assumption that productivity goes up with longer working hours. But it goes against many studies done in history. A lot of factories in the past century adopted the 8-hour day because their surveys showed them that productivity dropped off strongly in the extra-long hours because of fatigue and exhaustion.

Regardless of that, it is an attack on basic human rights. It is an enslavement of labour. The states are essentially acting as a contractor, dalal procuring bonded labour for the corporations. Be sure this will affect the weakest sections  Dalits, Adivasis and women  the most.

Ninety-three percent of the workers in India have no rights that they are able to enforce anyway because they work in the informal sector. You are trying to say, "Let us destroy the rights of the remaining seven percent as well". The states are arguing that investment will come with the change in labour laws. But investment comes to places where there are also better infrastructure, better conditions and generally a stable society. If Uttar Pradesh had been any of that, it would not be the state from where largest number of workers migrate across India.

What could be the consequences of this move?

Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have suspended all labour laws for three years, barring three or four laws that they cannot get around because of the constitutional and legal complexities. You are saying it doesn't matter how miserable the conditions are, the labourers have to work. You are dehumanising people and are saying that they are not entitled to the rights of ventilation, toilets and breaks. This is an ordinance by chief ministers and there is no legislative process behind this.

What do we need to do going forward?

You absolutely need to improve the conditions of labour in the country. The pandemic affects them the way it does because of the gigantic inequalities in our society. What we are doing is a violation of very many international labour conventions that we are party to.

BR Ambedkar saw this clearly. He understood that it wasnt just about government that we have to talk. We have to talk about workers being at the mercy of business. The states are suspending laws that he helped bring in, that he laid the grounds for.

We have a labour department in state governments. What should its role be?

The role of the labour department in the state should be to protect the rights of the labourers. But you have a union labour minister who is also appealing to the workers to listen to the corporations. You want something to change, you have to change your social contract. If you cannot address one of the most unequal societies on the planet, you cant do anything about it. It will get worse  and very rapidly.

Most of the workers going back home are young, and angry. Are we sitting on a volcano?

The volcano is exploding. We are trying to not look at it. See the hypocrisy of the governments, media, factory owners and us as a society.

Till 26 March, we never knew about the migrant labourer. Suddenly, we see millions of them in the streets. And we feel the pinch because we have lost our services. We didnt give a damn until March 26. We didn't think of them as human beings with equal rights.

There is an old saying: When the poor become literate, the rich lose their palanquin bearers. Suddenly, we lost our palanquin bearers.

How do the migrations particularly affect women and children?

It is particularly devastating for women and children. Wherever there is contraction of nutrition, women and girl children are the biggest sufferers. And they are incredibly more vulnerable in health terms. There are ways young girls suffer that rarely are thought about let alone mentioned. Millions of girls in schools across the country are entitled to free sanitary napkins  suddenly the schools are shut, no alternatives provided for. So millions are returning to unhygienic alternatives

What about the difficulties of migrant workers walking back home?

Migrant workers have often walked long distances. For example, the migrant workers walk back to South Rajasthan from their factory or middle-class employers in Gujarat.

But they did that in different circumstances.

They walk 40 kilometres, stop at a dhaba or a tea stall, work there, and get a meal in return. In the morning, they will leave. Next big bus station  they do the same. That is how they earn their way back home. With all of those places closed, they are exposed to dehydration and hunger, diarrhoea and other diseases.

What should we do in the future to improve their condition?

A complete delinking and breaking with the path of development we have chosen, and a massive attack on inequality. The sufferings of the migrant workers arise from their unequal situation.

You cannot do it without realising the importance of "justice for all: Social, economic, and political" Embedded in your Constitution. And it is not an accident that social and economic precede political. I think there was a clear sense of priority in those people who wrote it. Your Constitution tells you the way.

The Indian elite and government really think that we can go back to business as usual, and that belief is going to lead to incredible oppression, suppression and violence.
A university professor funded by NASA has been arrested for allegedly keeping connections to the Chinese communist government a secret from US authorities.

The FBI arrested University of Arkansas professor Simon Saw-Teong Ang, 63, for allegedly defrauding NASA and the university "by failing to disclose that he held other positions at a Chinese university and Chinese companies".

An electrical engineering professor and researcher at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville since 1988, Mr Ang was charged with one count of wire fraud for not including his ties to China on a successful grant submission to NASA worth more than half a million dollars.

"These materially false representations to NASA and the University of Arkansas resulted in numerous wires to be sent and received that facilitated Ang's scheme to defraud," the Department of Justice said in a statement.

In an affidavit to the US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, unsealed on Monday, FBI special agent Jonathan Willett alleged that Mr Ang failed to report his involvement in China's Thousand Talents Scholar program between 2012 and 2018, apart from one year's disclosure in 2014.

"Talent plans integrate foreign technology into China by recruiting experts from businesses and universities across the globe to fill technical jobs that drive innovation and growth in the economy," Mr Willett wrote in the affidavit.

"Various Chinese government talent programs use financial, personal, and professional benefits in exchange for working with universities, businesses and state-owned enterprises in China."

Since 2013, Mr Ang has been either the primary investigator or co-investigator on US government-funded grant contracts totalling more than $5m from NASA, the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and the Department of Defence, according to the affidavit.

It is alleged that Mr Ang committed the wire fraud in connection to a successful 2016 submission to NASA without disclosing his participation in the Thousand Talents program or work with Chinese companies, including Binzhou Maotong Electronic Technology, Binzhou Gande Electronic Technology and Jiangsu Xuanzhi New Materials and Technology.

According to the FBI affidavit, the NASA contracting officer overseeing Mr Ang's grant said that if they had of know about Mr Ang's involvement with China, they would not have awarded the contract.

"Specifically the CO [Contracting Officer] pointed out that Ang's associations with PRC companies would have been an immediate red flag," the affidavit said.

Mr Ang's alleged Chinese connections were revealed when a university employee found a hard drive in the campus library and looked through emails to find the owner.

In one 2018 email exchange between with a visiting researcher from Xidian University in Xian, China, Mr Ang said the current political climate was making his situation at the university difficult.

"You can search the Chinese website regarding what the US will do to Thousand Talent Scholars," Ang wrote, according to the affidavit.

"Not many people here know I am one of them but if this leaks out, my job here will be in deep troubles [sic]. I have to be very careful or else I may be out of my job from this university."

"After you read this e-mail, please delete for safety sake as any e-mail can be retrieved."

In a statement to The Independent, University of Arkansas spokesman John Thomas said Mr Ang had been suspended.

"Simon Ang has been suspended without pay from his responsibilities with the university and the university is actively cooperating with the federal investigation in this matter," Mr Thomas said.

In a College of Engineering Facebook post dating back to 2011, the university said that Mr Ang was also the honorary president of Xi'an Aeronautical Polytechnic College in Xi'an, China.

"He helped set up the first Boeing-certified aircraft maintenance engineering program in China. This program trains and certifies students to work on Boeing aircraft," the post says.

If convicted, Mr Ang faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Hezbollah chief also denies presence of Iranian troops in Syria beyond military advisers and experts.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iran-aligned Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, has said Israel is now concentrating its attacks in Syria on missile-manufacturing sites, while denying that Iranian troops were currently operating in the war-torn country beyond serving as military advisers and experts.

Israel has conducted many raids inside Syria since the start of Syrias war in 2011, saying any presence of Hezbollah and Iran, which have played a vital role in supporting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, remained a strategic threat in the neighbouring country.

In rare comments on Israeli attacks in Syria, Nasrallah said that with al-Assad firmly in control, Israel has turned its attention more recently to striking targets linked to missile production in Syria, saying Israel feared that the manufacturing of precision missiles could spell new dangers for Israel.

During the televised statements on Wednesday, Nasrallah also denied that any Iranian troops were currently operating in Syria or that Israeli air attacks have pushed either Hezbollah or Iran to retreat from Syria, calling Israels claims that they have done so imaginary victories.

In Syria, there is an imaginary battle that Israel is waging, called not allowing the presence of Iranian military troops in Syria, he said.

Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett said in April that the Israeli military was working to drive Tehran out of Syria.

Nasrallah instead said that Iranian military experts were in Syria with the aim of advising and helping Syrian troops, and managing groups of Syrian, Arab and Islamic popular resistance forces.

They train them, prepare them and manage them in ongoing battles, as well as handle coordination with resistance movements including Hezbollah, he said.



The head of the Shia movement, which officially joined the war in Syria in 2013, however, conceded that in an exceptional case Iranian troops took part in the battle for the northern city of Aleppo in late 2016. The victory dealt a major blow to the armed opposition in the country.

Iran not waging a battle for influence

Nasrallah also rejected the notion that the Damascus regimes allies Iran and Russia are entangled in a power struggle in Syria.

Iran is not waging a battle for influence with anybody, not with Russia  and not with anybody else, he said.

The Islamic Republics position in Syria has been clear, and based on preventing Syria from falling under the hegemony of America and Israel, he added.





The Hezbollah chief spoke on the four-year anniversary of the death of a top Hezbollah commander in Syria, who was killed in an explosion near Damascus International Airport.

The group has blamed Sunni fighters for killing Mustafa Badreddine, who was on a US sanctions blacklist and wanted by Israel.

He had been on trial in absentia before a special tribunal in The Hague accused him of masterminding the 2005 bombing that killed Lebanons former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The glorious history of China's ancient Silk Road shaping around 114 B.C. has been epitomized in a documentary centered on the remote past of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, a landmark preserved with strenuous and persevering efforts passed on from generation to generation.

The documentary entitled "China's Corridor of Grottoes" has been on air on China Global Television Network (CGTN) since May 10.

It marks filmmaker Qin Chuan's 10th exploration of the caves and consists of four episodes: "The Creators of Dunhuang," "The Mural Paintings of the Grottoes," "Oriental Smiles," and "The Treasure Trove of China."

The 55-year-old filmmaker grew up in a village near Dunhuang in China's northwestern Gansu Province and recalled his childhood memories of the gorgeous grottoes.

"The grottoes have stood the test of time for more than 1,000 years. The caves were spotted on the Silk Road like rosary beads dropping from a broken string taken by the Buddha," said Qin.

"They have formed the world's largest and most enduring artistic corridor that demonstrates a collection of genres in a relatively complete sequence of China's old alternated dynasties," he said, adding that the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes have been the most scintillating block, among others.

In addition to highlighting the unparalleled value of the grottoes, the documentary has also been dedicated to those who created, developed, and protected the legacies of the Grottoes and whose contributions and sacrifices, however ambiguous and neglected, are found essential.

Known for its significant Buddhist mural paintings stored in 735 caves covering an area of 45,000 square meters, the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes suffered a loss of relics over the early phase of the last century.

However, the grottoes have been rescued with constant efforts made from late prestigious Chinese scholars, such as Chang Shuhong and Duan Wenjie, presidents of Dunhuang Research Academy, as well as the present octogenarian leader Fan Jinshi. Fan was born in Shanghai but spent most of her life on rural land and is called "the daughter of Dunhuang."

The previous nine documentaries Qin made focused on a variety of topics, including the geography, music, and calligraphies of the far-flung land along China's age-old Hexi Corridor.

According to the filmmaker, he is planning to bring a play named "The Dunhuang of Mankind," written by eminent Chinese writer Feng Jicai, on screen to show the precious land from an entirely new perspective.

"Even if I am allowed to spend ten more years to shoot stories about Dunhuang, it will never be long enough to cover everything there," he expounded.

After a temporary three-month shutdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes reopened last Saturday, the same day Qin's documentary was broadcast nationwide.

According to the local administration, the scenic spot of Dunhuang opens to all Chinese medical personnel for free until the end of this year.
A truck entering the Rason Special Economic Zone makes its way across a bridge marking the border between North Korea (bottom) and China (top), Nov. 21, 2017.

North Korea has mysteriously shut down access to the border city of Rason, endangering the livelihood of residents who travel there to do business with nearby China and Russia, sources in the isolated country told RFA.

The city of 200,000 people is within the Rason Special Economic Zone in North Hamgyong province, near the borders with both China and Russia. The zone was established in 1992 to facilitate foreign investment in hopes of spurring economic growth.

Since early this month, the authorities have blocked the public from entering the city, making it difficult for many of us, a resident of North Hamgyong province, who requested anonymity for legal reasons, told RFA Monday.

Not only train passengers, but also residents traveling by land were screened and blocked from entering, the source said.

Many of the residents suspect the closure of the city might be coronavirus related, but the government has not divulged any reason for banning entry.

Even when the coronavirus was at its worst in China, access [to Rason] was not fully controlled. We dont know the reason why they are suddenly blocking entry, the source said.

Other people think that a visit by a member of North Koreas elite might be the reason Rason is on lockdown.

Some residents say that they could be planning a Number One event [there], the source said, referring to events attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Theres no clear reason yet, though. The authorities have shut down entry to the city but have not explained in detail how long the city will be closed. This is causing further inconvenience, the source added.

While most people cannot enter Rason, those who live there are still allowed to enter.

Residents of Rason can enter and exit the city through security checks, the source said.

In the train, the police and inspectors are frequently checking travel passes and tickets, the source said, adding that under normal circumstances this heightened security presence is not present.

It usually takes one hour and a half going from Chongjin to Rason, but now it takes more than three hours [because of the security checks,] said the source.

Many North Korean traders often travel to Rason to contact their foreign partners or clients, so the lockdown is disrupting their business.

Another North Hamgyong source who requested anonymity told RFA on the same day, Trade agencies have offices in Rason and they make deals with people in Russia and China.

But nobody can raise objections with authorities despite the fact that [the lockdown] is causing difficulties and disrupting their work, the second source said.

Merchants are especially hard hit, as they are unable to retrieve their own goods stored in Rason to sell in other areas of the province.

Some merchants are trying to enter the city through an unofficial passageway [by scaling a barbed-wire fence], but if they are caught they would be severely punished, the source said.

The security on the access road to Rason is so tight, so its not a normal situation where bribery can solve the problem, the source added.

We are waiting for the lockdown be lifted as soon as possible.

Reported Myungchul Lee for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Departments of Permits and New Projects has presented a plan to the Honorable Minister of VROMI, E.J. Doran to speed up the processing of building permits.

The Minister has agreed to assemble a team from within the Ministry of VROMI, who will work remotely to process the requested permits. This initiative will lead to more permits being issued within a short period, which will enable more construction activities to take place. Therefore, this will stimulate our economy as well as the Governments day-to-day activities.

The Department of Permits has been faced with the challenge of backlogs dating back to 2008, due to the lack of staff. In 2008 and 2010, dormant permits were identified as Red Dot, of which many of those requests were simply terminated even though construction was still carried out.

In recent years, new procedures have been implemented in an effort to streamline the process within the departments. The Minister recognizes primarily, by means of additional staff, that actual results can be achieved in lowering the existing backlog.

This initiative has been derived from the additional staff provided to the Department of Permits in 2019 by the VNG-I, the Association of Municipalities in the Netherlands, which lasted six months.

Furthermore, the Ministry is working closely with the ICT Department to automate many services, such as enabling building permit requests to happen digitally.

In closing, the Minister commends the collaboration of the staff at the Departments for their efforts in this initiative.
TVS Motor Company Chairman and noted industrialist Venu Srinivasan on Wednesday said the government's financial package of Rs 20 lakh crore to revive the economy would bring in much needed relief to several stressed sectors and industries

Chennai: TVS Motor Company Chairman and noted industrialist Venu Srinivasan on Wednesday said the government's financial package of Rs 20 lakh crore to revive the economy would bring in much needed relief to several stressed sectors and industries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a televised address to the nation on Tuesday announced Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package to revive the economy, which combined the government's recent announcements on supporting key sectors as also measures rolled out by the Reserve Bank of India.

In a statement on Wednesday, Srinivasan said the government must prioritise in aiding the small, medium and micro industry employees and facilitate a direct benefit transfer to employees in unorganized and small scale sectors.

He said the Government must also ensure 'credit backstop' for micro, medium and small industries so that they do not go into cash crunch.

"Demand is the key to drive the market and it is essential to inject confidence in the economy for people to come out and buy", he said.

Srinivasan noted that the auto-industry is a strong pillar of the economy with huge contributions to GDP and employment and expressed confidence that the stimulus package would infuse positive sentiment in the industry in the long run.
by Sumon Corraya

A public meeting will not be held because of the lockdown. Even without Mass, Catholics can pray to defeat the pandemic. The crisis is making people rediscover their spiritual side. There is concern over the reopening of shopping malls during the Eid al-Fitr festival.

Sylhet (AsiaNews)  Bangladesh's religious leaders welcomed Pope Francis' invitation to pray together on May 14 to defeat the coronavirus, this according to Bishop Bejoy N DCruze of Sylhet, who also chairs the Episcopal Commission for Christian unity and interreligious dialogue.

At present, an actual prayer meeting between all religious representatives is not planned. The government has imposed strict social confinement measures, and public meetings are banned.

So far 15,691 cases of infection have been reported in the country, with almost 3,000 people in hospital and 239 deaths.

For Catholics, it is hard not to be able to attend Mass, said Bishop DCruze, but this hasnt prevented them from praying to Almighty God to help them against the disease. I can say that the faithful of other religions are doing the same.

According to the bishop, the crisis is causing believers to rediscover their spiritual side, which is usually sacrificed to earthly things. People spend more time with loved ones, taking care of them, praying together.

People can now also value more the environment, something especially important in a highly polluted country like Bangladesh.

The partial lockdown of factories and restrictions on vehicles have in fact improved air and water quality. In the Gulf of Bengal, fishermen have even spotted dolphins, something not seen for years.

However, the imminent restart of some economic activities is a source of concern. According to the bishop of Sylhet, the government is making a mistake in allowing shopping centres to reopen on 23 May.

This is the day of Eid al-Fitr celebrations, marking the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month dedicated to fasting and prayer.

As contagions are already on the rise, reopening large stores is likely to worsen the situation. For Bishop DCruze, "The authorities should help small shop owners, not the big ones. This is not the time to do business, but to save lives.
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today announced that it will hold its first quarter investor conference call on 27 May 2020 at 16:00 BST (11:00 EDT). During the call, CEO Bill Ackman and the other members of the Pershing Square investment team will provide an update on the portfolio and address questions e-mailed in advance by investors to: ir@persq.com.

An audio webcast of the conference call will be available on PSH's website at www.pershingsquareholdings.com. The conference call will also be available by phone. The dial-in details are available at www.pershingsquareholdings.com.

Following the call, a replay of the event will be available by audio webcast until Wednesday, 10 June 2020 at 16:00 BST (11:00 EDT). To access the audio webcast, please visit PSH's website at www.pershingsquareholdings.com.

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/20200513005804/en/

Contacts:

Media

Camarco

Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
Deysi Crespo, executive director of Katy Christian Ministries, has been honored in Congress for her work in the Katy community.

Congressman Pete Olson, the representative from District 22, read the original proclamation on the floor in Congress on March 3.

In his speech before the House of Representatives, Olson praised Crespo as a living, breathing example that the American dream comes from faith. He added, Under Deysis leadership, KCM earned a four-star rating for Charity Navigator and the Houston Hurricane Harvey Response award from the Houston Food Bank.

Related: Charity Navigator awards 4-star rating to Katy Christian Ministries

On May 13, Olson delivered the Congressional acknowledgment to Crespo in person at KCMs administrative office on First Street.

Olson said that he was inspired to acknowledge Crespo after reading her interview in The Katy Ranchers March 1 edition of Sunday Conversation.

Related: SUNDAY CONVERATION: Deysi Crespo leads Katy Christian Ministries mission to serve Katy

You're doing the Lord's work Need help? KCM steps up and does it all the time, Olson said. Y'all get out there every single day and make a difference, and a lot is because your leader - she is full of Gods love.

Olson added that KCMs work is, in many ways, more impactful than the governments work during catastrophic events.

In times of crisis, a lot of people turn to D.C. They turn to Austin. They turn to our county seat down in Richmond, or they turn the city council here in Katy, and those are all good But this organization right here makes a real difference Yall save lives that may have not been saved with action by the government.

Crespo said that she was honored by Olsons acknowledgment, and she credited the staff and volunteers at KCM for KCMs ability to help individuals in need.

The most beautiful thing about Katy Christian Ministries is that it doesn't matter whether we're in a disaster or not, we're right there for the community.

Crespo noted that KCM has given $108,000 to struggling families since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Fort Bend County eight weeks ago. The food pantry is serving 157 families each day.

KCMs newest project is assembling 500 Summer Survival Kits for children in the community without adequate nutrition. Each kit comes with snacks and simple art supplies. We want our kids to have some comfort food this summer, Crespo explained.

Olson added that the Congressional proclamation means that Crespo will always be a part of the Congressional record. As long as theres America, Deysi will be there as part of the official history of the United States, he said.

claire.goodman@chron.com
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Britain today announced 494 more COVID-19 deaths, taking the official number of victims past 33,000 as the UK's curve continues to flatten.

The new deaths from across all settings is down on the 627 yesterday and is also the lowest tally recorded on a Wednesday for six weeks.

Official figures released by the Department of Health also show 3,242 more people tested positive for the coronavirus - the lowest daily jump since March.

It means 229,705 Britons have been struck down with the illness since the outbreak began. But the true number is likely to be in the millions.

It comes after grim figures published by the Office for National Statistics yesterday suggested the real number of victims could be thousands higher.

Analysis of the backdated ONS figures - which take into account suspected deaths and those that happen anywhere in the community - suggested the true death toll could be 45,000. Other data showed 50,000 'excess deaths' have been recorded amid the pandemic.

The UK's chief statistician, Sir Ian Diamond, today warned that the number of people dying is not falling as fast as officials had hoped now that the country is past the worst of the outbreak. He said Britain must be wary of a second wave.

Separate data shows that Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria has the highest rate of coronavirus infections for the size of its population, with 552 confirmed cases in a town of 67,000 people.

In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis today:

Britons face years of higher taxes and pay freezes to cover the 300billion bill for coronavirus, leaked Treasury plans revealed as it emerged that one in three firms may never reopen;

The UK economy contracted by 2 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 after plunging 5.8 per cent in March in the largest fall on record, as analysts expect even worse to come;

The housing market reopened in a bid to get Britain moving again, with Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick urging estate agents to use online viewings;

Britons were pictured packed like sardines on trains and buses as they warned that social distancing was 'next to impossible' on the first day back to work for millions;

Ministers are working with high street pharmacist Boots to recruit an army of volunteers to carry out coronavirus tests as Boris Johnson scrambles to hit his 200,000 checks a day target;

Eight million 'vulnerable' workers who have underlying medical conditions or are old should not leave lockdown or Britain's coronavirus death toll could rise to 73,000 within a year, a study warned;

Police have warned people across Britain not to attend mass gatherings organised by an anti-vaxxing group which have allegedly been planned with picnics and live music in cities this Saturday.

At least 552 people in Barrow-in-Furness (pictured), Cumbria, have been infected with the disease since the outbreak began in February

NHS England today confirmed 244 more people had died in its hospitals, aged between 49 and 99 years old. Four of them, the youngest of whom was 51, had no other health problems before catching COVID-19.

Public Health Wales said a further 22 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the country, Scotland has announced 61 and Northern Ireland two.

Professor Diamond, who is head of the ONS, said 'we need to be worried as a nation' about the seeds of a second peak in the disease being sewn as the country eases its way out of the lockdown.

And he warned the full indirect effects of the coronavirus crisis in the UK may not be known for years, with deaths due to cancelled cancer screenings or a prolonged recession likely to only emerge in the long term.

SCOTLAND'S WEEKLY CARE HOME COVID-19 DEATHS OUTSTRIP HOSPITALS FOR THREE WEEKS IN A ROW More people in Scotland have died from coronavirus in care homes than hospitals for three weeks in a row, according to official figures. Latest data from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows 3,213 deaths involving the virus had been recorded as of May 10. This includes 1,438 in care homes and 1,537 in hospitals. Data showed 238 deaths (57 per cent) happened in care homes during Week 19, which ended on May 10. In contrast, only 154 were recorded in hospitals. The last time more people died in hospitals in Scotland was in Week 16, which ended April 19. The NRS statistics also show people in Scotland's most deprived areas are twice as likely to die with COVID-19 than those in the most affluent parts. The total death toll has fallen for the second week in a row, the NRS figures show, with 415 fatalities relating to Covid-19 registered between May 4 and May 10, a decrease of 110 from the previous week of April 27 to May 3. The age-standardised rate of deaths involving Covid-19 in the most deprived areas was 86.5 per 100,000 population, more than double (2.3 times higher) that in the least deprived areas where it was 38.2 per 100,000 population. Advertisement

Sir Ian told MPs this morning: 'We are through the current peak. It does seem to me we need to be worried as a nation that as we come through this current peak we do not seed another one.'

He said there were a number of different epidemics - in the community, in care homes, and in hospitals - and the authorities had to 'be able to be prepared to act in each of those areas'.

It was not only deaths directly due to COVID-19 that were a challenge, but also indirect deaths which may have resulted from causes including 'reprioritisation in the health service' as it adjusted to coronavirus.

Sir Ian - who also sits on the government's SAGE panel - added: 'What we are seeing, I think now, is a reduction in deaths in each of those areas but not at the moment as speedy as we would perhaps like.'

A grim analysis by experts at the London School of Economics has suggested that 22,000 people have already died in care homes as a result of the pandemic.

Official data yesterday showed 8,314 COVID-19-related deaths had happened in care homes in England and Wales by the start of May.

But the LSE researchers fear that count is a huge under-estimate, and the true toll could be more than twice as high.

They said that care home residents taken into hospital before they died were not being counted properly, and that others who didn't actually catch the virus may have died as a result of less available medical care or help with eating and drinking.

Their calculations took into account those home residents in hospitals, thought to make up 15 per cent of Britain's official death toll.

And the bleak projection also included 'excess deaths' - the number of people dying compared to average - across the care industry as a whole.

Office for National Statistics data showed yesterday that 8,315 people have died in care homes in England and Wales with coronavirus listed on their death certificate. Researchers at the London School of Economics suggest this is only around 41 per cent of the total, which could be more like 22,000

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Boris Johnson clashed in Parliament today as Mr Starmer urged the PM to account for 10,000 'unexplained' excess deaths that had happened in care homes in England and Wales in April

Latest data from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows 3,213 deaths involving the virus had been recorded as of May 10

Dr Jose-Luis Fernandez and PhD researcher Adelina Comas-Herrera's report added: 'Calculating total excess mortality in care homes since 28 December and adjusting this by the assumption that 15 per cent of care home residents die in hospital, suggests that by the 1st May there had been in excess of 22,000 deaths of care home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales.'

It comes as the Government is still under fire for not offering enough support to care homes during the crisis as the industry has accused it of rationing testing and protective equipment to focus its efforts on helping NHS hospitals.

In Prime Minister's Questions today, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged Boris Johnson to explain why there had been 10,000 'unexplained' care home deaths in April.

Mr Starmer said: 'The ONS records the average number of deaths in care homes each month. The last five years the average for April has been just over 8,000.

'This year the number of deaths in care homes for April was a staggering 26,000 - that's three times the average - 18,000 additional deaths this April.

'Using the Government's figures only 8,000 are recorded as COVID deaths, that leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.'

The Prime Minister did not link the 10,000 deaths to the coronavirus response but admitted there was 'much more to do' to address the 'tragedy' hitting the industry.

Although the number of people dying in care homes has remained lower than hospital deaths so far, residents are making up a larger proportion of the fatalities being reported each week, from just five per cent of the total at the start of April to 40 per cent at the end of the month

Mr Johnson said: 'Coronavirus is an appalling disease which afflicts some groups far more than others, I think the whole country understands.

UK'S CORONAVIRUS DEATHS ARE NOT SLOWING AS QUICKLY AS HOPED, TOP STATISTICIAN SAYS Britain's top statistician today warned the number of coronavirus deaths was not dropping as quickly as experts hoped they would after hitting the peak of the crisis. Professor Sir Ian Diamond, head of the ONS, said 'we need to be worried as a nation' about the seeds of a second peak in the disease being sewn as the country eases its way out of the lockdown. And he warned the full indirect effects of the coronavirus crisis in the UK may not be known for years, with deaths due to cancelled cancer screenings or a prolonged recession likely to only emerge in the long term. Sir Ian told MPs this morning: 'We are through the current peak. It does seem to me we need to be worried as a nation that as we come through this current peak we do not seed another one.' He said there were a number of different epidemics - in the community, in care homes, and in hospitals - and the authorities had to 'be able to be prepared to act in each of those areas'. It was not only deaths directly due to COVID-19 that were a challenge, but also indirect deaths which may have resulted from causes including 'reprioritisation in the health service' as it adjusted to coronavirus. Sir Ian - who also sits on the government's SAGE panel - added: 'What we are seeing, I think now, is a reduction in deaths in each of those areas but not at the moment as speedy as we would perhaps like. Advertisement

'And in particular the elderly, and he's right to draw attention, as I said, to the tragedy that has been taking place in care homes.

'The Office of National Statistics is responsible for producing the data that they have, the Government had also produced data which not only shows that there has been, as I said, a terrible epidemic in care homes but since the care homes action plan began we are seeing an appreciable and substantial reduction, not just in the number of outbreaks but also in the number of deaths.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a tweet today: 'We're injecting a further 600 million for care homes with our infection control fund to protect residents and staff in our coronavirus battle'.

Official figures published last night revealed that one of the most remote towns in the country has suffered more coronavirus cases per capita than anywhere else in England or Wales.

At least 552 people in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, have caught COVID-19 since the outbreak began in February, according to the latest Government data.

That gives the small industrial town of 67,000 people, tucked away on the on the Furness peninsula in the North West, a rate of 882 cases per 100,000 - or 0.88 per cent.

To put this into perspective, Barrow's infection rate is more than double that of Wales (365), triple England's (244) and Scotland's (251) and quadruple the rate recorded in Northern Ireland (220).

Figures show that Cumbria is also home to the area with the third highest infection rate. South Lakeland - east of Barrow-in-Furness - has a rate of 488 cases per 100,000 people.

And the town with the second-highest rate is Lancaster (753), which is located on the other side of Morecambe Bay in Lancashire.

Experts are puzzled as to why this part of the North West has turned into a hotspot for COVID-19 but local public health officials say it may be skewed by higher testing figures.

CORONAVIRUS WAS SPREADING IN BRITAIN BEFORE THE FIRST TWO PATIENTS DIAGNOSED, STUDY SAYS The coronavirus started spreading in Britain before health chiefs managed to find the first two patients in York in January, a study has claimed. Researchers in Brazil and Uruguay studied COVID-19 outbreaks in countries around the world to try and work out their true start dates. The first two people to be diagnosed with the disease in the UK were a University of York student and his mother, who was visiting from China at the time. Their positive test results were publicly announced on January 30. But the study has suggested the virus started spreading between members of the public on January 29, meaning the two patients had either spread it to other people before falling ill, or they caught it from somebody else who brought the virus into the country. Officials didn't admit there was community transmission in Britain until two months later. Professor Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, said on March 5 only that it was 'highly likely' the virus was spreading in the UK. The study suggests Britain caught on to its outbreak quickly, however - countries including the US, Italy and the Netherlands had a gap of two weeks between the start and the first positive test. The researchers, from the Federal University of Espirito Santo and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, and the University of the Republic in Uruguay, studied the death tolls of 10 places to work out when their outbreaks may have begun. They said that community transmission was likely to have begun at least 20 days before deaths started to rise exponentially. This is because there can be a three-week lag between someone being diagnosed with the virus and their death being officially recorded. The research found that there was a delay of just one day between the start of community transmission of COVID-19 in the UK. Two people were confirmed to have the virus on January 30, but the timing of the start of people dying suggested they had either spread the virus to others or caught it from someone else before they were hospitalised. England confirmed the first death from COVID-19 on March 5. Advertisement

Today an inquest heard the death of a three-day-old baby was partially a result of the coronavirus after his mother tested positive just after the birth.

Coolio Carl Justin Morgan's was born on May 2 in the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, South Wales, with a low heart rate. He was transferred to Singleton hospital in Swansea but died three days later.

The primary cause of death was listed as severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, meaning the brain is starved of blood and oxygen, the BBC reports.

Maternal Covid-19 was listed as a secondary cause, but it is not clear why Coolio's mother's COVID-19 was listed as a secondary cause of death, nor whether he was tested.

Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy - which can cause brain damage or death without immediate medical intervention - is thought to occur in 0.1 per cent of all births.

HIE can be caused by low levels of oxygen in a mother's blood, which is an effect that severe COVID-19 has been proven to have in adults. But there has so far been no research proving this can affect a baby in the womb.

No post-mortem examination was carried out and the coroner asked his officers to investigate the circumstances of the death ahead of the next hearing. The full hearing will be held in April next year.

It comes just days after a six-week old baby died of Covid-19, becoming the UK's youngest victim. NHS England said the infant died on May 3.

Figures earlier this week from an Oxford University suggest that pregnant women are no more at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 than women their age who are not pregnant.

Researchers found 427 mothers-to-be were admitted to NHS hospitals with the life-threatening disease between March 1 and April 14 - but only one in 10 were taken to ICU because they were critically ill.

Five pregnant women have died with Covid-19. But Professor Marian Knight said the fate of the babies carried by the five women is unknown.

Five babies in the study also died, three of which were 'definitely' not due to the virus. It could not be entirely ruled out the virus did not play a part in the death of the other two babies, but their official cause of death was not revealed.

Although the cumulative death toll of the virus stands at 33,186 according to official Government figures, data from the Office for National Statistics suggests the true death toll could be 45,000.

ONS data is based on death certificates collected from all settings, including where COVID-19 was included as contributor of death.

In the first six weeks of the outbreak, 108,345 deaths were registered in England and Wales  which is 46,494 more than the five-year average over the same period, ONS revealed.

But COVID-19 was only responsible for 71.5 per cent - the remainder were not linked to the disease. It means there is an unusually high number of people dying this time of year than normal, which may have been caused by factors connected to the lockdown, such as delays in treatment for chronic conditions .

But the researchers at University College London and Cambridge University said yesterday this is set to rise much higher, potentially as high as 73,000 within a year.

Their study, published in The Lancet, looked at the medical records of 3.8million people and predicted what could happen after lockdown - which is beginning to relax this week.

If 10 per cent of people in England are allowed to catch the virus, the research team said - and four per cent are already thought to have done so - the death toll could double.

It said vulnerable people  including all over-70s and those who have high blood pressure or asthma  make up 20 per cent, or 8million, of the British population.

Lead author Dr Amitava Banerjee stressed that this group people are not included in the 'shielded' group of 'extremely clinically vulnerable'  the 1.5million cancer patients and those with compromised immune systems who have been told to stay at home until the end of June.

The researchers modelled the normal one-year death risk for different groups of people, and then added in the additional effect of the pandemic on top of these risks.

They worked out how different levels of exposure to the virus after lockdown might affect the death risk, and therefore the number of people dying, differently.

In a 'mitigation' scenario in which some measures remain in place and 10 per cent of the population catches the virus - which appears to most closely resemble the way the UK is heading - they expected the total number of deaths to be between 37,000 and 73,000.

The coronavirus has spread too far in England for it to keep the death toll down to a 'partial suppression' or 'full suppression' level, which could have saved thousands of lives, the study showed.

It could be kept below 73,498 within the first year if no more than 10 per cent of the population are allowed to catch the virus.

But if 80 per cent of the population caught the virus in a worst-case scenario, the researchers said, between 146,996 and 587,982 could die.
Facebook and YouTube facing extra regulations for Vietnam, photo Afp

According to Article 23 of the draft amendments to Decree No.72/2013/ND-CP stipulating the management, provision, and use of internet services and online information, social networks with more than one million users per month will have to get licensed through the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to operate social networks in the country.

As of current time, Facebook and YouTube get about 2.6 billion and 1.9 billion users per month globally, respectively. Thus, both platforms have to be licensed through the MIC to keep their performance in Vietnam.

Under the draft, the MIC will attach measuring tools to such networks to regularly supervise the user base and the number of interactions on the platforms. Moreover, the ministry will check and issue documents to require companies to file dossiers to get licences for their social networks. Notably, the draft decree also regulates that licensed social networks would be allowed to charge usage fees and include live-streaming services.

The changes could be seen as part of a crackdown with the social media sites coming under increasing pressure in Vietnam and beyond to eradicate false news and harmful videos. Measures will also apply to tax obligations that the tech firms have ignored in Vietnam for a long time. The big US digital companies have enjoyed growing sales as people stay at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, they have commonly been criticised for paying a tiny amount of tax on the large revenues which they generate in overseas countries.

In a recent move, India imposed a digital tax on global tech giants invoicing their revenues out of India. Meanwhile, Indonesia also decided to tax the social media groups to fund government spending on coronavirus relief.

In Vietnam, slapping tax charges on these digital heavyweights has been one potential option for local authorities as the groups have yet to open representative offices and branches here. Recent research by the Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research (VEPR) confirmed that Facebook and Google (operator of YouTube) are two US internet giants with massive advertising businesses in Vietnam but are yet to fulfil their local tax obligations. The research cited data from market research company ANTS saying that Facebook and Google alone account for 66 per cent of digital advertising market share in Vietnam. However, the companies implement business without an advertising partner in Vietnam and collect money on their accounts. Thus, it is hard to control advertising revenue generated in Vietnam and transferred overseas. This not only causes a loss of tax revenue for the state but also eats up the market share of local digital content companies.

According to ANTS, the total revenue of the local advertising market last year hit about $648 million, including Facebooks $275 million, Googles $174.9 million, and $180.9 million separating the other local companies. In 2020, the earnings in the whole market is forecast to hit $760 million, including $512 million from the two titans.

To prevent the loss of tax, the National Assembly in June 2019 adopted the amendments to the Law on Tax Administration, effective from July 1, outlining that all cross-border businesses that have been earning money from Vietnam have to perform tax registration, declaration, and payment. That means overseas cross-border service suppliers will have to directly authorise a third party to carry out the tax obligation even if they have no representative offices in the country.

To materialise the new regulation, the General Department of Taxation has been publishing tax registrations of companies on its website. Once they do not take the obligation, local authorities will automatically charge tax at the source. The Law on Tax Administration has already stipulated a regulation to allow banks to deduct from the companies accounts. Specifically, Clause 27 outlines that banks have to take the obligation of deduction and perform the tax obligation of the cross-border services suppliers, whose incomes are incurred from Vietnam. Currently, tax authorities have been working with the State Bank of Vietnam and other commercial banks to clarify standards, conditions, and develop guidelines for deducting activities per the regulations.

Vu Tu Thanh, deputy regional managing director at the US-ASEAN Business Council in Vietnam, said there is no sure-fire way to gauge exact revenue generated by Facebook and Google here. The government is making efforts to reform digital payments so that transactions on these platforms are conducted via these payment gateways, Thanh said. In the long term, it is crucial for Vietnam to work with other countries to address this challenge.
Dela-Rose was diagnosed with retinoblastoma after her parents spotted a strange white glow in her eye. (PA Real Life)

The parents of a baby girl who lost an eye after they spotted an unusual white glow in a photo taken using a flash have shared their joy after their daughter celebrated her first birthday.

Dela-Rose Denham was just five months old when she had her left eye removed after being diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer.

Her parents, dental nurse Shelby Simkins and landscaper Ryan Denham, both 26, from Devon, had spotted something unusual after snapping a picture of their daughter and becoming worried by a white glow in her eye caused by the flash.

Though their little girl was born with a squint, the family didnt think much of it until the picture highlighted a white blur in her right eye.

Id taken it after seeing Dela lying facing me on my knees looking at me. Shed just had her milk and it was all over her face, so I wanted a picture for the memory, Simkins says.

I took it on my phone and didnt realise the flash was on, but you could see her right eye was red, while the left one had this white glow in it.

I thought at first it was just the flash and the funny angle Id taken the picture at, but I was also concerned at the time about her squint and had been reading up about it.

Read more: New dad who lost right testicle to cancer celebrates the birth of his baby

Dela-Rose before her operation. (PA Real Life/Collect)

Concerned, Delas mum decided to read up on babies born with squints and the unusual white patch in her daughters eye.

She discovered that the optic nerve doesn't develop until later in babies, but decided to take Dela to a doctor just in case.

The family were then passed on to an optician before Dela was referred to an ophthalmologist, or eye surgeon, at Margates Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Recalling her first appointment, Simkins says: The ophthalmologist was asking Dela to follow toys around and using a light in her left eye. Her eye was not fixing on anything and she didnt like the light being shone in it.

But it was when I mentioned the flash photograph, with the white glow in her left eye, that the ophthalmologist looked worried.

Story continues

Following further tests at Dovers Buckland Hospital, little Dela was diagnosed with retinoblastoma  cancer of the retina caused by a faulty gene.

According to the NHS retinoblastoma is a rare form of cancer affecting under-fives that is diagnosed in around 45 children a year.

The lovely consultant was going through everything that needed to happen, but we just felt numb, Simkins says of the moment they were given the diagnosis. There were a lot of tears that day.

Even though I thought Id prepared myself for the worst news, I hadnt. We just sat outside the hospital in total shock.

Read more: Heartbreaking photograph shows the reality of childhood cancer

Dela-Rose with a swollen eye after the operation. (PA Real Life/Collect)

After Dela-Rose was taken to the Royal London Hospital a week later, doctors assessed the tumour, which at this stage was very large.

It was classed as group E, which meant the chances of surgeons saving Delas eye were slim.

We were given the option of removing her left eye or chemotherapy and cryotherapy treatment, which would have been so much to put her through and would not have saved her vision, Simkins explains.

She continued: We knew we had to go ahead with having her eye removed to stop the spread of the cancer. We wanted it gone. It was such a big and hard decision to make but we knew it was for the best.

In October 2019, Dela had a two-hour operation to remove her left eye and have a temporary false eye fitted.

To her parents' relief, blood samples revealed that the cancer had not spread and the retinoblastoma was not in her healthy eye.

In February, Dela was fitted with a moulded eye at Londons Moorfields Eye Hospital.

Because of COVID-19, they actually had to send the eye in the post, so that was a bit strange! Simkins says.

But it looks so good that if you didnt know she had had cancer, you would not be able to tell it was an artificial eye.

When our family saw her afterwards they could not believe how amazing it looked.

The family are now adjusting to life with Dela-Roses new eye. We have to take it out once a week to clean it with soap and water, then pop it back in, which she doesnt particularly like, but she is getting used to it.

While she still needs check-ups every four months, her parents were thrilled to be able to celebrate her first birthday on Fridays May Bank Holiday knowing their little girl was cancer-free.

We couldnt really do much because of COVID-19, but I made her a little cake and decorated the house.

It was very emotional thinking about all weve been through over the last year, but shes such a happy little girl and Im sure she will cope with whatever life has to throw at her.

Read more: Girl with neuroblastoma declared cancer-free after pioneering treatment

Dela-Rose with her parents. (PA Real Life/Collect)

Dela-Roses parents are now working in conjunction with the charity Childhood Eye Cancer Trust as part of World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week, which runs until 16 May.

They hope that sharing their daughters story might encourage parents to seek medical help if they are worried their child has any symptoms.

If you are worried about either a squint or a white glow in your childs eye, please go to your doctor, says Simkins.

Do not worry that you are bothering them. I was worried I was overreacting because I was a new mum, but my story shows that you can never be too careful.

Read more: Miracle IVF baby given all-clear after being diagnosed with rare childhood cancer

Patrick Tonks, chief executive of the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust is also keen for parents to be aware of any tell-tale symptoms.

COVID-19 is deterring many people from seeking much-needed medical advice, and we are concerned about the delays this may cause in getting undiagnosed children the urgent treatment they may need, he says.

The current crisis means that, now more than ever, we need to raise awareness of eye cancer symptoms  the most common being a white glow in the eye and a squint.

GP surgeries are still open for business. They are available for consultations online, over the phone or in person if required. Cancer doesnt stop for a pandemic. We urge parents if they have any concerns at all, not to delay seeking medical help in order to possibly help save their childs sight, eyes and even life.

For more information visit chect.org.uk

Additional reporting PA Real Life.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  The Ohio Department of Health on Tuesday informed Cleveland it had confirmed 33 more cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus, pushing the total number of cases in the city above 1,000, Mayor Frank Jacksons administration announced. No new deaths were reported.

The new cases push the total number of Cleveland residents who have been infected to 1,011. Cleveland has more confirmed cases of coronavirus than more than 80 of Ohios counties.

Nearly 30% of those cases required hospitalization, according to the Cleveland Department of Public Health. The breakdown by gender is 51% men, 49% women. Just over 63% of those infected are African American. About 20% are white. Asian residents comprise just 2% of the cases.

The new cases involved men and women ranging in age from their 20s to their 80s. Overall, the age range for those infected is from less than 1 year old to over 100 years old.

The Cleveland Department of Public Health will work to identify any people who were in close contact with the newly confirmed patients to determine who now would require testing or monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19.

Forty-one Cleveland residents have died from the coronavirus. They ranged in age from less than 1 year old to more than 100 years old.

Ohios 1,436 known coronavirus-related deaths are spread across 64 of the states 88 counties, with total cases now reaching 25,250, the Ohio Department of Health reported Tuesday. The death total increased 5.8% from 1,357 the day before, while the case total was up 1.9% from 24,777.

The number of deaths reported daily for the last week were 79, 16, 10, 25, 35, 46 and 90. The reports lag several days from the actual date of death and sometimes are reported by the state in clusters.

The state reported 2,908 cases in Cuyahoga County as of Tuesday. Those cases involved 690 hospitalizations. There were 143 deaths reported. A new tally was not available on Saturday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions updated tally on Tuesday reported 1,342,594 cases and 80,820 deaths in the United States. Those numbers tend to lag other reporting sites.

Worldometer, an online tracking site, estimated that as of Tuesday evening more than 1,408,000 people have become infected with the coronavirus in the U.S. By its tally, deaths in the United States totaled 83,368.

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SHELBYVILLE  Businesses here got a very guarded permission to open if they want to  and in defiance of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers closure orders  following a unanimous vote Wednesday of the Shelby County Board.

A resolution passed by the board allows businesses to open in compliance with the countys Shelby County Return to Business Plan," a series of safety guidelines covering both sides of more than three closely typed A4 pages.

The guidelines call for employees wearing masks, limits on the number of people inside businesses and social distancing, enhanced sanitation and on and on. And isolation rules remain in force for nursing homes and assisted living and group homes.

Businesses that open will be monitored for compliance with the guideline standards by the Shelby County Public Health Department and a close eye will be kept on infection rates and the capacity to cope with patient loads at regional medical centers.

County Board Chairman Bruce Cannon said there are a lot of strings attached but also said the board felt compelled to act given the dire financial situation facing many businesses. The county board recognizes the economy is struggling and we recognize our citizens are struggling, too, he added.

Cannon said the board was aware of the way the governor and the state wants restrictions in place to try and halt the spread of COVID-19. But he said the county didnt feel the best use of its resources was trying to stop businesses, who feel they can open safely, from doing so.

Were not really thumbing our noses at the state, we just dont have the time or staff to go out and chase down every single restaurateur and every single church that may want to hold church this week at their own risk, Cannon added.

He also warned that the county does not have any control over local cities and villages and whatever rules they have in place regarding COVID-19. The countys resolution also says businesses should check with their insurance provider and legal counsel before going ahead and opening.

Jared Rowcliffe, the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency coordinator, monitors COVID-19 cases (the county has 11) and was carefully neutral in his reaction to the county boards decision.

We do not have a view on this, he said. We are not an enforcement authority. Our role is to provide resources to first responders and long-term care facilities as best we can and try to mitigate the effects of this virus as best we can.

Pritzker has said he would consider withholding federal pass-through funds to counties ignoring his stay-at-home order. A handful of counties have taken similar steps.

The governor said on Wednesday that "counties that try to reopen in defiance, may not be reimbursed by FEMA for damages they cause because they ignored the law. Local law enforcement and the Illinois State Police can and will take action. There is no consequence the state could impose that is greater than the harm you will do to your own communities."

And in other business Wednesday, the Shelby board voted to let voters have a say on whether they want to see Illinois divided into two. The board voted 12-7 to approve adding a question to the November ballot asking whether Illinois should become two states instead of one.

The request for the ballot question had come from an organization called Illinois Separation which wants Cook County and Chicago to have its own state, separate from the other 101 counties that currently make up Illinois.

Jessica Fox, the Shelby County clerk and recorder, said there was some concern among members about how the complicated legal process would play out to make such a separation a reality.

But that is far down the road, she added. And this ballot question is just people being able to express their opinion.

Photos: Life during COVID-19

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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The Auto component industry is likely to witness a second consecutive year of double-digit degrowth this fiscal mainly on account of disruption in operations due to coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, according to a report

Mumbai: The Auto component industry is likely to witness a second consecutive year of double-digit degrowth this fiscal mainly on account of disruption in operations due to coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, according to a report.

The counter measures are likely to lead to lower-income levels, weaker consumer sentiments, production disruptions, decreased industrial output as well as the lesser movement of vehicles, resulting in a decline in global automobile demand and therefore, lower revenue and profitability for auto ancillaries in FY21, India Ratings (Ind-Ra) said in the report on Tuesday.

"Ind-Ra expects that the auto ancillaries industry on an average could record at least 100bp EBITDA margin decline in FY21 and the profitability decline for export-focused auto ancillaries could be steeper as exports earn higher margins. The lower commodity prices could aid the profitability for the sector, though only to a limited extent, due to pass-through agreements with OEMs and OEMs' higher bargaining power.

"Also, some benefit may accrue to companies with overseas manufacturing units, as certain economies have announced support measures to meet part of the fixed costs during the shutdown period. A depreciated rupee rate could partly offset the decline in sales volumes; however, the benefit is not expected to be significant," it said.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

However, the revenue and profitability of auto ancillaries focused on domestic markets are likely to fare better due to higher content per vehicle on the back of evolving regulatory norms including BS-VI applicable from 1 April, 2020, as per the report.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

Entities with a large reliance on overseas markets are expected to face a higher demand risk as the key markets of the US and Europe have been the most impacted by the virus, which could lead to uncertain business conditions, it said.

The US, Germany and the UK are the largest export markets for auto components globally.

Besides, India also exports around 12 percent of the total auto components to economies with reliance on crude oil such as Africa and Latin America.

As much as 27 percent of the total auto component production in the country is exported to various countries with the US accounting for 25 percent of the total shipments form India, while Germany''s share stands at 7 percent. The exports to the UK and Italy stand around 4 percent, each.

Noting that over the past few years, India has emerged as the sourcing hub for many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally due to its cost-effectiveness in production and favourable geographical positioning to key markets such as Europe and the Middle East, the India Ratings said the growth of exported components outpaced the overall growth of Indian auto components industry in FY18 and FY19.

"In the first half of the previous fiscal (FY20), while the domestic auto components sector recorded a revenue decline of about 10.1 percent over the year-ago period, exports recorded modest growth of 2.7 percent y-o-y (in USD terms)," it said.

The domestic components suppliers have also been expanding their exports exposure to diversify their revenue streams and limit dependence on the domestic market, while improving profitability as exports are typically higher margin orders, according to India Ratings.

Furthermore, OEMs could postpone new model launches and investment plans, which would defer order offtake, it said.
Indonesia has recorded 689 new coronavirus cases, another single day record, as the country looks to be backing away from plans to reopen the economy from early June.

And as Australia's largest northern neighbour grapples with a growing case load and the risk of famine while locking down its economy to save lives, on Wednesday Thailand reported zero new cases of infection for the first time since March 9.

Indonesia's government, like many countries around the world, is trying to balance the need to enforce restrictions to slow the spread of the disease with the need to re-open the economy so people can earn enough to live on.

Almost all of Jakarta's hospitals are treating COVID-19 cases, but the system is not at capacity. Credit:AP

The slow down in economic activity has hit day workers in the informal economy hard, with millions of people losing their jobs.
Are the Propagandist who control the large number of Fake News outlets a hindrance to our Republic having a citizenry smart enough to vote? No, I am a Democratic Socialist, and our media, even when they knowingly lie, will always destroy those we oppose. Yes, a knowledgeable public is essential in continuing our Democratic Republic. Where is Jon Stewart? 53 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



Is it not ironic how Democratic Socialist Non Patriots in congress and their propagandist media are lecturing real patriots, concerned about the Rule of Law, that they should only focus and care about an issue that they certainly were not concerned about just 2 1/2 months ago - the Coronavirus Pandemic I could argue that this is yet just another crisis where these Democratic Socialists can push their Socialist /Communist agenda, which is the extent that they care, yet, I will not wax that cynical in argumentI will, however, now simply argue that the Republicans in congress are the only members of that body who actually care about fixing the Coronavirus conundrum, while these same Republicans remain concerned about the Rule of Law , as well as putting into place provisions to make our elections as fraud free as is possible, which, of course, are two issues that Democratic Socialists would never truly be concerned with.I would like to close with: Every time I hear one of these hypocritical Stupids utter one of their well worn cliches, likeor, I almost always chuckle, usually with a incredulous "dumbass" descriptor thrown in.Joe "China" Biden is supposed to be so moral and upstanding, yet, is accused of sexual assault and is a known liar on issues that are profoundly important - like being involved in the unwarranted unmasking of American Citizens and patriots, like General Flynn.I suppose Democratic Socialists will find these actions as just fine, as they continue to exist in their continual fog of hypocrisy; maybe considering that Slow Joe was just having yet more of his Stupid Moments.Interesting commentary coming out of the Fake News outlets by the Propagandists - Democratic Socialists all - with no integrity, and not much real functional intelligence as well regarding the Obama Unmasking of Political Opponents Mega Scandal.Once again, President Trump is prophetic and perfectly correct when he once professed, 'The press (the politically dependent Democratic Socialist Media) is the enemy of the People.'Perfect truth. Now, I humbly await The Stupids' retort; those who defend the indefensible because they are solely consumed by Socialist politics, rather some measure of integrity.Ly'n' Joe Biden won't come clean on anything, and Lord knows the Propagandists working the Fake News outlets will not ask him any reasonably tough questions because they have this mothering fear that they must protect this 77 year old grown ass man with over 45 years in politics.Is it that the Propagandists have no confidence in this doughty old man, or do they know that the former U.S. senator from a 3 county state is really that stupid; so stupid, he can not reasonably speak in a coherent pattern because he never could, or so old he just can't?Once again, Mr Trump is right: These Propagandists working the Democratic Socialist Media 'are the enemy of the People'.
Troubled times are lying ahead for all Industries in South Africa, but more so for the "so-called" non-essential services, of which Training a sub-section under Education is hit hard. Government are calling on the Minister of Education to really start looking at ways on converting Education as a whole to a more E-Learning based environment, as opposed to class-rooms. Nothing will ever be the same after this pandemic have left our shores, 
Eight million Britons with underlying health conditions should be exempt from going back to work when the coronavirus lockdown eases, scientists say.

Experts at University College London and Cambridge University fear not protecting society's most vulnerable could see UK's death toll rise to 73,000 within a year.

One in five people - more than 8million people in Britain - are at a higher risk of dying if they catch COVID-19 because of their age or poor health.

But most of this group are not deemed 'extremely clinically vulnerable' people, who were asked to 'shield' for 12 weeks by the Department of Health.

Britons with long-term conditions such as heart disease and diabetes would make up between 80 and 90 per cent of the fatalities, the researchers calculated.

And they said it means another 30,000 Brits could die unless everyone at high-risk is protected for as long as possible and not forced back to work post lockdown.

In a separate, worst-case scenario estimate they predicted up to 590,000 deaths if the government did nothing and 80 per cent of the population were infected within a year.

Office for National Statistics data today suggested more than 40,000 people have already died with COVID-19, confirming Britain's status as the worst-hit nation in Europe. But the researchers said this is set to rise much higher.

The Government is tomorrow set to relax lockdown rules after 50 days of urging people to stay at home, fuelling concerns that a step too far could trigger a second wave of disease.

If 10 per cent of people in England are allowed to catch the virus, the scientists said - and four per cent are already thought to have done so - the death toll could double.

The study showed that millions of people in Western countries are in vulnerable 'high risk' categories from COVID-19 because of their old age or a long-term health problem. In England, one in five people (a total 7.1million) are at risk. Scientists argue they must be protected as lockdown relaxes

The researchers modelled the normal one-year death risk for different groups of people, and then added in the additional effect of the pandemic on top of these risks. They worked out how different levels of exposure to the virus after lockdown might affect the death risk, and therefore the number of people dying, differently

Lead author Dr Amitava Banerjee, of the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, said someone with heart disease is five times as likely to die of coronavirus as a healthy person.

Someone with heart disease and diabetes could be at 10 times the risk.

'If my six-year-old  who is at very low risk - can wait until June or July to go to school, then these people shouldnt be going back to work tomorrow,' Dr Banerjee said. 'These are the people at the highest risk.

'I dont think they should be rushing to go back to work until we have made sure that the infection rate is down, that transport is set up and that workplaces are safe.'

The study, published in The Lancet, looked at the medical records of 3.8million people and predicted what could happen after lockdown.

It said vulnerable people  including all over-70s and those who have high blood pressure or asthma  make up 20 per cent of the British population.

Dr Banerjee said: 'This group is more likely to be admitted to hospital, to go to intensive care and to die.

'Why are we even discussing them going back to work at this stage?'

FOUR PER CENT OF UK MAY HAVE ALREADY HAD COVID-19, EARLY DATA SUGGESTS Sir Patrick Vallance, Number 10's chief scientific adviser, revealed last night in the Downing Street press conference that around four per cent of Britain and 10 per cent of London has developed antibodies against COVID-19, meaning they have already had the infection. The estimate - based on data from antibody testing across the home nations carried out a fortnight ago - means only around 2.64million Brits have had the infection. It also suggests the illness kills around 1.21 per cent of all cases, making it around 12 times deadlier than the flu. However, the infection fatality rate could be even higher, when the thousands of the UK's hidden COVID-19 deaths are included in the tally. Estimates on backdated data from the Office for National Statistics suggest at least 45,550 Britons have actually died - a death rate of around 1.73 per cent. Sir Patrick said results suggest around 10 per cent of people whose blood was analysed in London tested positive for antibodies. This means around 900,000 people in the capital have developed some form of immunity to the virus. Around 8,000 people are estimated to have died in London - giving COVID-19 a death rate of 0.89 per cent in London. But the rate of people who tested positive for antibodies across the whole of Britain is around 4 per cent - 15 times lower than what is needed for the nation to develop any kind of herd immunity. Sir Patrick Vallance has previously said around 60 per cent of the population need to catch the virus to build up a national tolerance to curb the spread. Advertisement

He stressed that this group people are not included in the 'shielded' group of 'extremely clinically vulnerable'  the 1.5million cancer patients and those with compromised immune systems who have been told to stay at home until the end of June.

The researchers modelled the normal one-year death risk for different groups of people, and then added in the additional effect of the pandemic on top of these risks.

They worked out how different levels of exposure to the virus after lockdown might affect the death risk, and therefore the number of people dying, differently.

In a 'mitigation' scenario in which some measures remain in place and 10 per cent of the population catches the virus - which appears to most closely resemble the way the UK is heading - they expected the total number of deaths to be between 37,000 and 73,000.

The coronavirus has spread too far in England for it to keep the death toll down to a 'partial suppression' or 'full suppression' level, which could have saved thousands of lives, the study showed.

It could be kept below 73,498 within the first year if no more than 10 per cent of the population are allowed to catch the virus.

But if 80 per cent of the population caught the virus in a worst-case scenario, the researchers said, between 146,996 and 587,982 could die.

A compound effect would take place if this happened because hospitals would become completely overwhelmed.

The study considered different levels of social distancing and how well people would be protected as the country moves forward out of lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Sunday that, from Wednesday, people would no longer be limited in how much time they can spend outside in a day.

Picnics and sunbathing will be permitted, as well as 'unlimited' amounts of exercise, all on the condition that people remain at least 2m (6'6") away from others at all times.

This is the first loosening of strict lockdown rules since they were brought in on March 23, and Downing Street will wait with bated breath to see what effect it has on the numbers of people being diagnosed with COVID-19 before making its next move.

Sir Patrick Vallance, Britain's chief scientific officer, said last night that early population surveys suggest around four per cent of the population has been infected.

He explained that antibody tests - which show who has had the virus in the past - put the rate of infection at about 10 per cent in London and four per cent across the UK as a whole, a total of around 2.64million people.

Officially, around 1.2 per cent of them have died (32,490). Estimates based drawn from backdated data, showing more than 45,000 people have died, put the death rate as high as 1.7 per cent.

The UCL and Cambridge researchers were able to calculate how much the pandemic might increase people's risk of dying over the course of the next year.

Dr Banerjee said: 'Our calculator provides one year mortality risks for common conditions by age and sex.

'Before the pandemic neither doctors nor patients have been used to seeing such information, but in the current emergency there is an urgent need to develop better understanding of who is at risk based on reliable health data.

'For example, we show how a 66-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a six per cent risk of dying over the next year and there are 25,000 patients like me - i.e. men of the same age with the same condition in England.'

The study based its estimates of the number of people dying on varying possible death rates of the virus, which is still unknown, and labelled these RR on the right hand side - RR 1.2 leads to a 20 per cent higher risk of death, while RR 2 is a doubled risk. Markers along the bottom denote age groups between 30 and >85. For example, if the virus doubled someone's risk of dying over the course of a year (RR 2) and 10 per cent of the population caught it, scientists predicted there could be 14,922 excess deaths among over-85s (total of far right column in bottom section)

If the virus doubled someone's risk of dying over the course of a year and 80 per cent of the population caught it, scientists predicted there could be 118,133 excess deaths among over-85s (total of far right column in bottom section)

The team added in their study: 'A major concern is that relative risks will rise in a non-linear fashion with infection rates if health systems become overwhelmed by critically ill patients.

'Thus, at high infection rates, relative risks for excess mortality would almost certainly be much higher - and these non-linear interactions are a subject for further modelling.

'The impact of COVID-19 is likely to be much greater if there is poor compliance with social isolation policies and low treatment and health-system capacity.'

Experts have welcomed the findings.

Professor Sarah Harper of the University of Oxford, said: 'This is an important paper which shows the complexity of mortality risk factors and how age, sex and underlying health conditions combine under different conditions to increase risk.

'For example, a man aged 66 to 70 years with no underlying conditions, is not currently considered high risk.

'Yet he has a higher background one-year mortality than that of a woman aged 56 to 60 years with one underlying condition who is considered high-risk.

'Similarly, it shows that generally womens mortality risk at any given age is the same as mens who are around five years younger.

'The blanket and arbitrary use of age  for example age 70 as a rough cut off for the high risk mortality-category  has been questioned by many already.

'This paper highlights the difference between men and women, and the importance of identifying underlying health conditions.'
Mistake was made in a declaration by an FBI official in response to lawsuit by families of 9/11 victims, report says.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has accidentally disclosed the name of a Saudi diplomat suspected of directing support to two al-Qaeda hijackers in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Yahoo News reported.

The mistake about the identity of the Saudi embassy official was made in a declaration by an FBI official in response to a lawsuit by families of 9/11 victims who accuse Saudi Arabias government of involvement in the attacks, the report said on Tuesday.

Michael Isikoff, the chief investigative journalist at Yahoo News who was the first to notice the apparent mistake, told Al Jazeera he knew right away the disclosure was a slip-up.

When I noticed that the declaration included this information, I contacted the FBI for comment. Because I knew that the justice department and the Trump administration had been going to extraordinary length to keep all of this under wraps, he said.

In fact, both Attorney General William Barr and the Acting Director of the National Intelligence Richard Grennell had filed motions with the court saying that any information relating to the Saudi embassy official and all internal FBI documents about this matter were so sensitive; they were state secrets, that means if revealed they could cause damage to the national security.





The declaration by Jill Sanborn, the assistant director of the FBIs counterterrorism division, was filed in April but unsealed late last week, according to Yahoo News.

Mussaed Ahmed al-Jarrah was mistakenly named in the declaration, an error that Yahoo News said was also confirmed by a senior US government official.

Al-Jarrah was a mid-level Saudi foreign ministry official who was assigned to the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC in 1999 and 2000.

He was in charge of supervising the activities of Ministry of Islamic Affairs employees at Saudi-funded mosques and Islamic centres in the US, according to the report.

In a portion of the filing describing the material sought by lawyers for the families of 9/11 victims, Sanborn refers to a partially declassified 2012 FBI report about an investigation into possible links between the al-Qaeda hijackers and Saudi government officials, Yahoo News said. That probe initially focused on two individuals, Fahad al-Thumairy, a cleric, and Omar al-Bayoumi, a suspected Saudi agent.

A redacted copy of a three-and-a-half page October 2012 FBI update about the investigation said that FBI agents had uncovered evidence that al-Thumairy and al-Bayoumi had been tasked to assist two hijackers by another person whose name was blacked out. This prompted the lawyers for the families of the 9/11 victims to refer to this individual as the third man.

Describing the request by the lawyers to depose that person under oath, Sanborns declaration said in one instance that it involved any and all records referring to or relating to Jarrah, according to Yahoo News.

This represented the first public confirmation that the so-called third man was an accredited Saudi diplomat. But all of the FBI evidence the agents had gathered about al-Jarrah and his communications about the two attackers remain under seal, the report said.

It is unclear how strong the evidence is against al-Jarrah, whose whereabouts remain unknown. But the disclosure appears likely to revive questions about Saudi Arabias potential links to the 9/11 plot and highlights the extraordinary efforts by US government officials to prevent internal documents about the issue from becoming public, Yahoo News said.

This shows there is a complete government cover-up of the Saudi involvement, Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the families, told the news outlet. This is a giant screw-up.

Yahoo News said it contacted the Department of Justice on Monday, but officials notified the court and withdrew the FBIs declaration from the public docket.

The document was incorrectly filed in this case, the docket now reads, said the report.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers involved in the 9/11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, were Saudi citizens.

The Saudi government has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attacks in which al-Qaeda-affiliated men hijacked and crashed planes into New Yorks World Trade Center, destroying the towering buildings and sending plumes of debris shooting through the most populous US city.

A third aircraft struck the Pentagon just outside of Washington, DC, and a fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Investigations are underway after separate fatal shootings Tuesday night in Birmingham.

The first happened at 10:02 p.m. on 34th Terrace North and F.L. Shuttlesworth Drive on the citys northside. Authorities said the victim, shot in the head, was transported to the hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.

Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Rod Mauldin said the victim and the suspect were driving in a vehicle together when an altercation erupted. They pulled off to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. Thats when shots were fired.

Police have detained the man who is accused of firing the deadly shots. Mauldin said it was domestic in nature.

At 10:20 p.m., Birmingham police and fire medics responded 1300 block of Mims Avenue. When they arrived on the scene, they found a man unresponsive in the street. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene.

Mauldin identified the victim as 68-year-old Jessie Johnson. Mauldin said that shooting also was domestic in nature. Multiple family members of Johnson were on the scene, including his siblings and a daughter. Family members said they believe Johnson was trying to break up an argument between two others when he was shot and killed.

Officers were actively looking for a suspect who fled in a vehicle .They believe they know his identity.
The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv last week held a hearing in absentia to take into custody fugitive ex-president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. Since Ukrainian law enforcement have long established that Yanukovych had been hiding in Russia, both national and international legislation provides for the extradition procedure to be applied. Extradition is applied in case of criminal prosecution and enforcement of a court sentence. At the same time, extradition is possible only if the person in question is a citizen of the country initiating it. If the person is a citizen of the host state, then the extradition tool cannot be applied, according to the norms of the Minsk Convention on Legal Assistance, to which Ukraine and the Russian Federation are parties.

Often, Russia ignores extradition requirements put forward by Ukraine

It is worth noting that extradition is not only about handing out an individual, but also about an official establishment of their place of residence on the territory of the host state and verification of circumstances that could hinder extradition. Thus, the investigating authorities can establish the citizenship or status of the person in question if any were granted by another state. The information obtained shall be recognized as admissible evidence and can be used during an investigation in a criminal proceeding, for example, with the aim of putting a suspect on an interstate or international wanted list.

The provisions of international treaties to which Russia is a party provide for the obligation of parties to extradite persons prosecuted by the competent law enforcement authorities with the aim of bringing them to criminal responsibility. But, despite the commitments made, Russia often ignores extradition requirements put forward by Ukraine.

Actually, Russia's likely rejection of the extradition appeal for Yanukovych becomes obvious

For example, Moscow had previously refused to extradite ex-president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to Kyiv to execute a sentence earlier handed down in Ukraine in another criminal case. Back then, Russia claimed "prosecution for political reasons" as a justification of their decline. Such kind of justification allows Russia to snub Yanukovych extradition requests under the pretext of compliance with international agreements.

Actually, Russia's likely rejection of the extradition appeal for Yanukovych becomes obvious.

Another issue in such extradition appeals to the Russian Federation is that, by sending such requests, Ukraine confirms the fact of ongoing international cooperation on ratified treaties and its readiness to cooperate with Russia in this regard.

At the same time, since proving the guilt of suspects in criminal cases shall be carried out the framework of procedures provided for by law, extradition is a normal practice during the investigation. Conducting a full pretrial probe gives hope for the inevitability of punishment for those who fled abroad once they return under the jurisdiction of Ukrainian law enforcement. Besides, this leaves fewer chances to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights the sentences that have been handed out.

Oleksandr Ozerov is an attorney with Investment Service Ukraine
Anderson Cooper has explained his decision to co-parent his son with his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani, stating: If more people love my son and are in his life, Im all for that.

Cooper recently shared on Instagram that his son, Wyatt Cooper, was born on Monday 27 April via surrogate.

The CNN anchor shared several pictures of the newborn on social media, revealing in the caption that the baby was named after his father, who died when Cooper was 10 years old.

During an interview on SiriusXMs The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday 12 May, the television presenter explained why he decided to co-parent Wyatt with his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani.

Cooper and Maisani were together for 10 years before separating in 2018.

Recommended Anderson Cooper becomes a father to a baby boy via surrogate

I dont really have a family, so my friends have become my family, Cooper said.

This is somebody I was involved with for 10 years. Hes a great guy.

Cooper explained that he grew up in a household with his mother and brother after his father passed away, recalling that his mother was not the most parental person.

And I wish some adult after my dad died had stepped in and just been like do you know what, Ill take you to a ball game, lets go out to lunch every now and then and lets just talk. No one ever did that, he stated.

Therefore, Cooper came to the conclusion that if more people love my son and are in his life, Im all for that.

My ex is a great guy, and I think its good to have two parents if you can, he said.

When asked whether Wyatt will refer to both Cooper and Maisani as dad, the CNN anchor explained that Maisanis moniker may differ because he is French.

My ex is French, so hes going to speak in French to the kid, and hes going to be I think like papa, or pap or whatever and I think Ill be dad, daddy, the 52-year-old said.

Cooper added that Maisani is already speaking French to the baby, although he has no idea what hes saying.

He could be turning the kid against me, I dont know, he joked.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / ????Newswire's Earned Media Advantage Guided Tour is proving to be essential to companies in retail, whose industry has seen a sharp decline since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of companies working with Newswire developed a clear roadmap to thrive, rather than survive, and maximize their media communications potential while shifting their other resources to keeping the business running efficiently and effectively.

"The Guided Tour can do a lot for businesses navigating this current crisis," says Charlie Terenzio, VP of Earned Media Strategy at Newswire. "It's enabling customers to utilize Newswire's industry expertise to continue to conduct media and marketing communications, especially now when it's as important as ever to stay in touch with consumers and media, while focusing human capital on mission critical tasks essential for keeping a business's doors open."

With the global economy seeing reduced business, many organizations are forced to operate at reduced capacity; with that reduction in business comes layoffs, downsizing, and the sidelining of auxiliary services, many of which are a key part of growing a business. Through the Guided Tour, companies are able to let Newswire's experts handle media and marketing communications production, which includes building targeted media lists, content planning, ideation, and press release writing. Business owners can direct resources and redouble their efforts in other key areas of operation.

"At first, the Guided Tour was developed around the idea of bringing convenience to business owners, enabling them to have the media and marketing communications strategy. But with the situation brought about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guided Tour is providing even more value to businesses that are stretched thin. We're here and ready to help," adds Terenzio.

Through the Guided Tour program, customers can experience Newswire's high-tech, high-touch service and industry-leading support throughout the journey for the Earned Media Advantage: greater brand awareness, increased website traffic, greater return on media and marketing communications spend, and increased sales.

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Find out how Newswire is Transforming the Value of a Press Releases today and learn how you can generate greater value and ROI across all of your PR campaigns.

About Newswire?

Newswire delivers press release and multimedia distribution software and services (SaaS) that empower the Earned Media Advantage: greater brand awareness, increased traffic, greater return on media and marketing communications spend and the competitive edge. With over a decade of experience, Newswire continues to provide its customers with the ability to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time through the right medium.?

To learn more about how Newswire can help you, visit http://www.newswire.com.

Contact Information

Charlie Terenzio

VP of Earned Media

?Newswire

?Office: 813-480-3766

Email: charlie@newswire.com

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SOURCE: Newswire

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/589510/Newswire-Helps-Retail-Companies-Weather-the-COVID-19-Crisis
Press Release - Boston, London, Nice, Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, May 12, 2020

Scientific Beta white paper examines crowding risk of smart beta strategies

Thinking about the economic rationale behind a specific premium should provide ample answers to allay crowding concerns

In a new white paper entitled "Crowding Risk in Smart Beta Strategies," Scientific Beta's researchers have failed to find evidence that smart beta strategies have been adversely affected by a crowding effect.

As smart beta strategies gain in popularity, there are concerns that flows into these strategies will ultimately cancel out their benefits. However, such claims are rarely based on solid empirical evidence. The academic literature has not only documented risk premia for the standard factors but has also provided theoretical explanations for persistence, notably if factors are compensation for taking on additional types of risk. Moreover, precautions against crowding risks can be taken by proper implementation of factor investing and smart beta indices. In particular, the best precaution against crowding seems to be diversification.

It is possible that smart beta and factor strategies can be subject to adverse effects due to a wide following but one can only conclude that this is the case if there is evidence for it. Losses in a given strategy, meanwhile, are not evidence of crowding. Periodic underperformance may be due to normal fluctuations in prices.

Commenting on the paper, Professor Noel Amenc, CEO of Scientific Beta and a co-author of the paper, said, "Claiming that there must be crowding in a factor because it suffers from losses completely ignores the nature of risk premia. A risk premium corresponds to a higher average return that is the compensation for taking on additional risk. Therefore, losses to any factor strategy over any particular period do not imply that the long-term premium has disappeared because of "crowding". Such losses may simply suggest that the reward for holding the factor comes with associated risk. In addition, not only our work, but also work from other researchers shows that factor premia do not disappear when the research that justifies the premia is published."

Story continues

The Scientific Beta white paper can be accessed through the link below:

Crowding Risk in Smart Beta Strategies, April 2020, Scientific Beta Publication

As part of its policy of transferring know-how to the industry, EDHEC-Risk Institute has set up Scientific Beta. Scientific Beta is an original initiative which aims to favour the adoption of the latest advances in smart beta design and implementation by the whole investment industry. Its academic origin provides the foundation for its strategy: offer, in the best economic conditions possible, the smart beta solutions that are most proven scientifically with full transparency of both the methods and the associated risks.

Scientific Beta, 1 George Street, #15-02, Singapore 049145. For further information, please contact: contact@scientificbeta.com, Web: www.scientificbeta.com.

Attachment
The Odisha government has



utilized its COVID-19 care management to woo investors from the United States.

The state government highlighted its achievements in containing the spread of the highly infectious diseases in a video conferene with a delegation of the US-India Partnership Forum here on Tuesday, an official said.

The leading industries which showed interest in the interaction include ATC, Avaada Energy, Cairn Energy, Cisco, Exxon Mobil, Herbalife, HP, Mars, Microsoft, Oracle and Paypal, an official statement said.

The investors interacted with chief secretary A K Tripathy and other senior officers under the leadership of Dr Mukesh Aghi, President and CEO of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), it said.

The investors comprised various sectors like energy, agri-business, nutrition, aviation, information technology, metals and renewable energy, the official said, adding that they expressed satisfaction over the states management of the global pandemic crisis.

The chief secretary informed the delegation as to how Odisha created corona care and institutional quarantine facilities with more than 3.5 lakh bed capacity in a short span of time.

"The state has set up 35 exclusive Critical Care Hospitals for Covid patients. The infection level is well under control and community is quite aware and safe", Tripathy informed the delegation.

He also drew the attention of the business delegation and said: "Many of Odishas industrial estates are now in green zone. As of now, around 60 per cent of the industries are running by adopting the Covid preventive measures".

The chief secretary said that the state has followed policy consistency in matters of industrial promotion and now Odisha is on the verge of rolling out more progressive regulations in matters of land leasing, contract farming, direct farmer-market connect that will also open new avenues of investment.

Replying to another query about comparative advantage of Odisha as an investment destination, Industries secretary Hemant Sharma said, "Political stability, policy consistency, economic stability, skilled manpower, large mining and industrial base, ready availability of land in developed industrial estates..., have been the benchmark of Odisha".

He claimed that Odisha is a pioneer state in India having a stabilized single window clearance system for investment proposals. It is supported by a well developed institutional arrangement.

This apart, the state government also apprised the delegation that Odisha was among top-five lead states in 'ease of doing business'. Go-Swift Portal which is Single Window on-line Investor Facilitation and Tracking portal has been awarded with Excellence in Government process Re-Engineering for Digital Transformation at national level by Government of India for the year 2019-20.

Secretary Electronics and Information Technology Manoj Mishra, said, "We have well developed electronic and manufacturing sector just close to the capital city. The State is rich with skilled manpower in electronic and IT".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Natural News) Some areas of the country are finally opening back up for business, albeit in phases. But this does not include California, which is being held hostage by Governor Gavin Newsom, who has promised that the Golden State will not (be) going back to normal until there is a vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

While Newscum, as many call him, is allowing clothing stores, flower shops, and a select few other retail outlets to begin opening back up with certain modifications, offices, dine-in restaurants, and other key elements of the economy will be part of a later Stage 2 opening that will not occur until a vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is brought to market.

The announcement for Friday (May 8) does not include offices, seated dining at restaurants, shopping malls or schools, announcement from Newsoms office reads.

As the Governor noted last week, the state is working with school districts and the California education community to determine how best and safely to reopen, this announcement adds. That continues to be the case  this May 8 announcement does not move up this timeline.

While individual counties throughout California are not allowed to ease these restrictions any further, Newsom, who is working with Hillary Clinton to develop an army of contact tracers, has said that they can choose to continue more restrictive measures in place based on their local conditions  gee, what a nice guy

When pressed about why he is refusing to follow the lead of other states that are getting their economies back up and running to avoid more suffering and deaths from lost income and economic depression, Newsom emphasized that the state first needs to see a vaccine. This suggests that Californians will eventually be forced to get vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) if they hope to ever go back to work and return to any semblance of normalcy.

Were not going back to normal, Newsom declared during a recent press conference, pretending to be some kind of dictator. Its a new normal with adaptations and modifications, until we get to immunity and a vaccine.

Listen below to The Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, calls for an end to the lockdowns, and an initiation of the takedowns:

A coronavirus vaccine may never come, so will California be closed forever?

Besides the fact that a so-called vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) will almost certainly not even work and come with devastating side effects, there is also a very strong possibility that there will not be a Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine period.

According to Christopher Whitty, the United Kingdoms Chief Medical Officer, there are no guarantees that a vaccine for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) will ever be successfully developed, in which case Newsom might never reopen California, instead leaving it closed forever.

We need to be careful that we dont assume that we are going to have a vaccine for this disease as we have had for, lets say measles, which once you have it youre protected for life, Whitty is quoted as saying. We cannot guarantee success.

Regardless of Newsoms decree, which holds no legal weight, by the way, many areas of California are opening back up anyway. All across Orange County in Southern California, stores are defying orders, beaches are allowing sunbathers, and protesters are gathering, social distancing be damned, to take back the Golden State from Newsom.

Last years California wildfires will be nothing compared to what will happen when the people start an uprising, wrote one Breitbart News commenter about the brewing discontent throughout California.

I give it a month before all hell breaks loose. Newsom is not very bright.

To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
UN Chief Calls on Religious Leaders to Help Lead Faithful Through COVID-19

By Margaret Besheer May 12, 2020

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on religious leaders Tuesday to play a key role in addressing the coronavirus pandemic and the recovery from it.

"We know from previous public health crises  from HIV/AIDS to Ebola  that the actions of faith leaders influence people's values, attitudes, behaviors and actions," Guterres said at an online gathering of religious leaders and diplomats. "And with this influence comes responsibility to work together, putting aside differences, and to translate our common values into action."

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 4.2 million people worldwide have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 287,000 have died.

On March 23, Guterres called for a global cease-fire so the world can focus its attention and resources on fighting the virus. He thanked faith leaders for supporting his appeal, but said conflicts continue to rage in many places.

"To defeat this virus and build back a more sustainable and equitable world, we need communities to come together," Guterres urged.

He appealed to faith leaders to challenge false and harmful messages, and encourage all communities to promote nonviolence and reject xenophobia, racism and all forms of intolerance.

Guterres said they also have a role to play in helping fight the spread of disinformation and misinformation about COVID-19 and should use their pulpits to help promote public health guidelines from the World Health Organization.

He also reminded them of their responsibility to ensure that religious activities, including worship services and funerals, comply with these measures.

The secretary-general has also appealed for domestic peace, noting that violence against women and girls has escalated as a result of lockdowns and the stress on husbands and fathers from the loss of jobs and incomes.

"This is in violation of principles common to every faith, and I appeal to religious leaders to categorically condemn such acts and support shared principles of partnership, equality, respect and compassion," Guterres said.

Religious leaders from the three major monotheistic faiths  Christianity, Islam and Judaism  issued their own calls at Tuesday's session for solidarity, unity and fraternity in this time of global suffering and uncertainty.

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The poor internet connection in Fiona Scott's house has been the cause of many arguments since the lockdown began.

Each day, the family of five must decide who gets priority as their broadband cannot cope with them all using it at once.

The Scotts are not alone, they are just one of the many families plagued by broadband problems while stuck at home.

Online battles: Fiona and Steve Scott (pictured with family) are one of the many households plagued by broadband problems while stuck at home

Fiona, 54, a media consultant from Swindon in Wiltshire, says she is regularly disconnected from important video meetings if another member of household connects to the internet on another device.

Her husband Steve, also 54, works in telecoms from home, while her children Sammi, 20, Georgia, 18, and David, 13, have university and school work to complete.

She says: 'If David is having a Spanish or maths lesson via video, I can't get cross. But it is hard when I am being paid by the hour for my time and it takes three hours to do something because I keep getting cut off.'

Experts say the pandemic has exposed the antiquated state of Britain's infrastructure and are urging ministers to press ahead with vital improvements.

Home broadband usage has now gone up to an average 41 hours a week  a rise of almost a third (29 per cent) since lockdown, according to comparison site Uswitch. And one in five households experienced problems with their internet last month.

Slow speeds and a poor connection were the most common problems reported, with just under half of those affected saying their internet has cut out at times. A third say they were often unable to get online at all.

Home broadband usage has now gone up to an average 41 hours a week  a rise of almost a third (29 per cent) since lockdown, according to comparison site Uswitch

Complaints to online dispute service Resolver about broadband have also doubled since lockdown. Two months ago it would deal with about 200 cases a week, but by the last week of April it was 484.

The average UK household has up to five devices  iPads, laptops or smartphones  connected to the net at the same time. For families, this rises to seven, Uswitch says.

To stream a film on Netflix, you would usually need a broadband speed of at least three megabits per second (Mbps). Standard broadband packages typically offer 10-11 Mbps.

Watchdog Ofcom has said about 189,000 UK properties are unable to get more than 10 Mbps. As of March, households and businesses can request an upgraded connection if they cannot get this.

Ultra-fast fibre broadband can offer average speeds of 300 Mbps.

The Government pledged to bring full fibre internet to 15 million households by 2025, and to the whole country by 2033.

How to beat slow speeds If you signed up to broadband from BT, EE, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk or Virgin Media after March 1, 2019, you can cancel penalty-free if your service drops below the promised minimum speed. If you took out broadband before that date, you must wait until your contract ends. Test your speed at (uswitch.com/broadband/speedtest) and use the results to complain to your provider, which then has 30 days to improve. Some firms have signed up to regulator Ofcoms code of conduct. This means they must provide a minimum guaranteed download speed and reflect peak-time speeds. Keep a log of interrupted service to show to your provider. If it does not help, go to a dispute resolution scheme  either Ombudsman Services or CISAS. Draw up a family rota, and if your provider allows it, pause broadband on certain devices at set times. Lock your Wi-Fi with a password. The more people who log on the slower it will be. Move the router. Walls and microwaves can block signals and broadband accelerators can improve speeds.

But Covid-19 has slowed this. The launch of the ultra-fast 5G mobile network has also been hit.

But Fiona, who pays Three Broadband 25 a month for 25Mbps average speed, says connections are often worse in the afternoon.

If one or two of them are online, others cannot even send an email. She has had to confiscate her children's phones after finding they had been streaming television programmes in the day.

Fiona says: 'We have had to stagger daytime activity. It has caused many arguments.'

Three Broadband says the Scotts usually get speeds of 20-60Mbps which is good for day-to-day activities and video conferences.

But it has offered to investigate. A spokesman says: 'We are seeing an increased demand on our network. Our teams are working hard to maintain capacity and keep everyone connected.'

The average UK household has up to five devices  iPads, laptops or smartphones  connected to the net at the same time. For families, this rises to seven

Social media consultant Anna Rump, 38, had no issues with her Virgin Media broadband before lockdown, but now has a 'glitchy' service that halts video meetings and freezes her work documents.

Anna, of Norwich, says: 'I have no business without the internet.'

She pays 38 a month for fibre broadband which should run at an average 108 Mbps. A Virgin Media spokesman says the network is able to deal with extra demand but will send an engineer to Anna.

And Laura Dean's provider Gigaclear boasts of ultrafast broadband in rural areas. Yet in lockdown only one person can use the internet at a time in her home in Aldermaston, Berkshire.

It means that Laura, who runs a travel firm, cannot update her website or post on social media while husband Adrian takes video calls.

Laura, 38, says: 'It gets bad from 8.30pm, and I can't even load up my website.' Gigaclear says that multiple devices using Wi-Fi simultaneously may lead to performance issues.

Jonathan Leggett, of comparison site Broadbandchoices, says Britain's outage problem is partly due to a shortage of engineers but believes that the virus 'has exposed the UK's slow pace of infrastructure improvements'.

A Department of Culture, Media and Sport spokesman says: 'We are determined to deliver on our gigabit commitment and are removing the barriers to industry and accelerating broadband rollout as well as investing 5billion so the hardest to reach areas aren't left behind.'

a.murray@dailymail.co.uk
A mobile food pantry will be available to Montgomery County residents on Saturday in Montgomery.

From 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Montgomery County United, the Montgomery County Food Bank and The Fellowship of Montgomery will provide the perishable and nonperishable food items at the church located at 12681 FM 149.

We have enough to serve over 300 families, Montgomery County United President Shaundricka Easley said.

Participants are asked to simply drive up, have a space cleared, and the volunteers will place the food box inside.

Pull up, pop your trunk and we will take care of the rest, Easley said.

This is the second time for the three organizers to host the event. On April 18, the first event provided 354 boxes of food, including fresh fruit and meat, which Easley expects to be provided again this Saturday.

Easley said participants are not required to bring any additional items and the volunteers will be wearing masks and gloves to keep the community safe with consideration to the novel coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the event.

While Easley lives in the Houston area, her father, Easley Enterprises of Texas President and Montgomery Planning and Zoning Commission Member, Arnette Easley, is a Montgomery resident. He is often seen socializing, shaking hands, and giving big hugs to his family, friends, and fellow community members until the pandemic hit.

To not be able to do that is not his normal, but we try to embrace people regardless, Shaundricka Easley said. We said we cant operate in fear, we have to help the community. We need to wrap our virtual arms around the community in any way we know how, that was one of the reasons that prompted us to do the food pantry.

Montgomery County United, which hosts other events throughout the year to serve the community including during the holidays, hopes to partner with the same organizations again for the annual Back to School event this year.

We know the needs are going to persist in the community, Easley said.

She also highlighted the Montgomery County Food Bank, which also served food to the community with other churches as well, including at Mims Baptist Church on May 6 and Lone Star Cowboy Church on May 12.

They have partnered with a number of folks to make sure they are in places where they are needed, Easley said. And Fellowship of Montgomery, wherever it is that we ask of that congregation, they absolutely mobilize and take care of the community in whatever way they know how.

Those who are unable to attend this mobile food pantry and that need food, are encouraged to visit https://mcfoodbank.org/ to locate a food pantry near you. Those interested in participating in the virtual food drive and donating to the Montgomery County Food Bank are encouraged to visit the following link: https://bit.ly/3aBlsDX

For more information, visit the Montgomery County United Facebook page.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
ANN ARBOR, MI -- Delivery robots are helping restaurants ship food to customers during the coronavirus crisis.

As restaurants are limited to serving customers through curbside pickup or delivery to limit the spread of COVID-19, Ann Arbor-based Refraction AI is using its Rev-1, a self-driving vehicle that began delivering food from restaurants to customers in late 2019, to deliver food orders. Eight robots are making four times as many runs as they were before the pandemic began, co-founder Matthew Johnson-Roberson said.

We had no idea how important they would become as restaurants struggle to get through the crisis and we all work to minimize person-to-person contact, Johnson-Roberson said.

Self-driving food delivery service launches in Ann Arbor

Autonomous food delivery service created by Ann Arbor company

Ann Arbors Miss Kim restaurant was an early participant during the companys testing phase, before Refraction AI launched a pilot service to a limited number of customers. Tios Mexican Cafe is also completing deliveries through the Rev-1.

With a robot, they pull up, we drop the food in, close it and its on its way. I think its probably safer for our staff too, and I like that, said Ji Hye Kim, owner of Miss Kim.

Johnson-Roberson and Ram Vasudevan, both University of Michigan engineering professors, developed the technology in hopes of creating a new type of delivery service that costs less.

Food delivery companies often charge restaurants up to 30% of the total meal cost, while Refraction charges restaurants 15%, Johnson-Roberson said

The battery-powered robots drive at 15 miles per hour. While the delivery system has not changed, the robots now have ultraviolet sterilizing lights installed in food compartments and each robot is wiped down between deliveries.

Refraction AIs tele-ops drivers," who monitor the robots through a wireless data connection, are now able to work from home through a setup that allows them to take control of the Rev-1 if necessary, according to a news release. One team member works on a single robot at a time.

Building robots is an incredibly physical task, said Johnson-Roberson in a news release. Youre always making changes, testing, trying something else. Trying to keep that iteration cycle going remotely is a challenge. But it also forces us to really lean into all this technology that weve created."
Unorthodox is one of the buzziest shows on Netflix right now. The series, which chronicles a Jewish womans pursuit of freedom from her strict community, has been earning critical acclaim from reporters and gaining legions of fans.

Still, theres another story to the Netflix hit, one that is even more inspiring than the series itself, and that is the story of the woman who wrote the book that Unorthodox is based on. Recently, she opened up in a Reddit Q&A, offering fans an intimate glimpse of her life and the struggles that she has faced.

What is Unorthodox about?

Deborah Feldman | Christophe Gateau/picture alliance via Getty Images

Unorthodox centers around the character of Esther Esty Shapiro. A Hasidic Jewish woman based in Brooklyn, Shapiro wants more freedom in her life and is unhappy with the strict rules imposed by her religion.

When she is set up for an arranged marriage, Shapiro decides that it is time to go, and she takes off to Berlin, Germany. In Germany, Shapiro meets up with a group of music students and starts to discover a whole new life.

Sadly, the young woman is unable to truly escape her past, and memories of her former life begin to haunt her in Germany. Unorthodox is a visually appealing series, with lots of interesting conflicts to drive the plot forward.

Showrunners were committed to making the series as realistic as possible and revealed that they wanted to hire Jewish actors exclusively for many of the major roles in the series, to add to the overall sense of authenticity. The actors themselves studied very specific dialects for the show, in order to make the setting and people feel familiar.

Deborah Feldman is the writer behind Unorthodox

While the show Unorthodox has taken off, becoming almost immediately popular with fans, theres actually a more interesting story behind the scenes.

In 2012, Deborah Feldman published her autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots. As Feldman details in her book, she was raised in a very strict Hasidic Jewish community and was raised by her grandparents, who both survived the Holocaust.

Feldmans education was stunted, as women were not traditionally encouraged to pursue further education. When she was only seventeen, she was forced into an arranged marriage.

Once Feldman had a son at the age of nineteen, she decided that she had to make a change. She began furthering her education and eventually, in 2010, she cut ties with the Hasidic Jewish community.

Feldman was a blogger for several years before publishing her popular autobiography in 2012.

Deborah Feldmans revealing Reddit Q&A

Feldman is actively involved with the production of the Netflix series, and even though the series differs from certain events in Feldmans life in some aspects, the spirit of her rebellion is kept alive. Feldman went through a difficult time in the years following her exodus from the Hasidic Jewish world, just like the heroine in the series.

In a recent Reddit Q&A, Feldman opened up about her experience in the months and years following her exit. She said: I was engulfed in panic for pretty much the first three years after leaving. I always felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to drop down into an ignominious fate of homelessness and starvation.

Still, Feldman found ways to cope with the overwhelming pressures of her new life. She revealed: My strategy was always to take it day-by-day, keep expectations low, and think outside the box in terms of my resources for survival. Feldman had to turn to unconventional ways to make a living and even admitted that, at one point, she had to sell her eggs just to survive for the foreseeable future. Still, she has no regrets about the way everything went down, and that the best thing about my life right now is honestly EVERYTHING.

These days, Feldman is a successful writer and creator. In spite of her newfound happiness and security, it seems likely that she will always cling tightly to the memories of those darker days.
The COVID-19 pandemic has become the most preponderant social and economic issue that is causing upheavals in the lives of many workers and at workplaces, leaving many anxious.



Employers too face huge challenges during this period, with businesses not in optimal production, patronage and sales have slumped, while profits have plummeted.



The dilemma that the pandemic presents to employment relationships is, therefore, dire and can only be resolved in a collaborative manner.



Last Tuesday (April 28, 2020), three labour unions  the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) and the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL)  called for a tripartite engagement on the plight of workers in the wake of the employment hardships presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his address on Labour Day, also tasked the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations to activate a stakeholder engagement on labour issues and how to overcome post-COVID-19 challenges.



Indeed, loss of profits and the low patronage of goods and services due to stay-at-home directives and the three-week restrictions in movement resulted in businesses laying off workers, asking some to take part or the whole of their annual leave and some terminating completely employment contracts.



As the Director of Research and Policy at the TUC stated, any decision on employment relationships during the pendency of the pandemic and after could not be decided unilaterally.



The Daily Graphic shares in the assertion that there is the need for the collaborative resolution of all employment-related challenges brought about by the pandemic. Both employers and employees must sit together, reflect soberly on the issues and find common grounds for normalcy to prevail.



The government, the labour unions and employers must sit and talk, as prescribed in Section 113 (1) (c) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651): The National Tripartite Committee shall consult with partners in the labour market on matters of social and economic importance.



Given the weak economies all over the world, employment has, for some years now, become an important indicator in the welfare of individuals.



Unemployment erodes an individuals capacity to contribute towards the needs of those in his or her immediate household or extend a hand to others in his or her community or extended family. It erodes confidence and takes away the will to continue living.



The call for a tripartite engagement among parties in an employment relationship is, therefore, apt and the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations must begin the process.



Various constituents of employers, employees and government agencies, including the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the NLC, must meet and iron out the finer details of their employment relationships which are being impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic.



During the movement restrictions and stay-at-home directives, many orders were implemented by employers. Some allowed their workers to work from home, some asked workers to take their outstanding leave, while others asked workers to stay at home for some time to be re-engaged later.



In discussing these issues, it is our expectation that all parties will converse in good faith. Engaging in good faith means discussing issues with the sincerity of intentions, with no dark motives.



This is important because the COVID-19 pandemic is not the making of the government, employers or employees. It is an unforeseen natural disaster to which all are susceptible.



Yes, these are the engagements of the times that must be had in good faith.

Source: Daily Graphic









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

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India captain KL Rahul says South Africa will face a trial by spin in the first two One-Day Internationals of the three-match series starting on Wednesday that will be played on the slower, lower pitch at Boland Park. India had to contend with pace and bounce in their 2-1 test series loss to South Africa, but will find conditions more like home in Paarl. South Africa have had well documented troubles against spin in the past and Rahul believes the returning Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal will be a handful for the hosts in the first two games, with the third to be staged at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.
The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has vowed to acquire the power to seize and destroy wooden boats used for illegal fuel business.

The Director General of the GMA, Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi, said the legal department had been instructed to go to court and obtain the necessary orders that would allow the regulator to lawfully seize and destroy these boats.

Mr Alonsi said this when he met with security chiefs at the Western Naval base. He expressed concern about what he said was an alarming proportion the illegal fuel trade had assumed along the coast in the Central and Western enclaves.

Disguised as fishing boats, these massive wooden vessels, with the storage capacity of tens of thousands of litres of fuel, propelled by twin-outboard motors, go to the high seas, mostly at night, where criminal oil tanker ships dock.

Tons of fuel is pumped from the tankers into the Dendeys (wooden boats) which sail to different beaches and discharge their content into waiting road fuel tankers on the blind side of tax and other regulatory authorities.

The state loses large amounts of revenue and regulators lose levies as a result of these illegal activities of fuel smuggling.

At the meeting between the GMA, the Head of Marine Police, DCOP Iddi Seidu, and the Western Naval Command, Commodore E.A. Kwafo, the Acting Flag Officer commanding at the Western Naval Command, painted a painfully bleak picture of risks posed by the Dendeys.

Commodore Kwafo said the owners of these boats, if not stopped, might become emboldened and might start using their boats to cart other illicit products such as weapons and drugs.

He praised the GMA for instituting night patrols which had led to the arrest and seizure of some ships and Dendeys engaged in illegal bunkering.

Mr Alonsi, who was accompanied by his two deputies, Messrs Daniel Appianin and Yaw Antwi Akosa, as well as the Head of Legal and Board Secretary, Mrs Patience Ella Diaba, commended the naval command and the Marine Police for detailing armed men to provide security for the night patrols.

He said it was fiercely urgent for the illegal fuel dealers to be reined in and put on a leash.

The building of these boats is in violation of the GMA's regulations because by law, they are required to obtain a permit from us to build such vessels. My officers here, however, tell me no one has ever applied for any such permit, he said.

Mr Alonsi said beyond that, the boats were supposed to be registered and licensed to go to sea but none of the Dendeys was registered or licenced or even marked.

This is not right, he said.

The Head of the GMA at Takoradi, Captain William E. Thompson, explained that destroying the boats would achieve a number of things  make it unprofitable to engage in fuel smuggling, protect fuel consumers from substandard products and generate revenue for the state.
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STOCKHOLM, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With a total score of 8.1 the mattress, Emma Original set a record in the category of frameless foam mattresses tested by Testfakta Research. With this test win Emma - The Sleep Company received its 10th award throughout Europe. The success of the German Sleep Tech is showcased in two ways. First the outstanding quality of their products. Secondly their excellence in scaling a popular business model internationally - now adjusted to the Scandinavian online market: A bed-in-a-box mattress fitting all body types, serving a 100 nights free trial, giving a 10- year guarantee and completing this exceptional customer convenience with free home delivery and return.

Testfakta evaluated based on 3 tests: Ergonomics/ Breathability Test; Endurance, Strength and Build Quality Tests; as well as The Cover Material and Analysis of Chemicals Test. The Emma Original performed very well in all individual test categories and outperformed competitors with the overall test result of 8.1. In detail, Emma original was the only mattress that fulfilled the requirements for Testfakta Verified in all three weight classes proving that it is a great mattress that suits smaller, medium, and larger body types. These results come at the same time as none of the other well-known mattress brands managing this brilliant feat of suitability in all three weight classes. Additionally, Emma outperformed all competitors, when testing the second-best mattress only receiving 7.5 as a total grade and did not meet all the necessary requirements in the different test parameters.

Being test winner in 10 European Countries is celebrated and commented by Manuel Mueller, founder and Co-CEO of Emma - The Sleep Company: "That Emma Original was given?an?8.1?confirms its outstanding quality and is another testament of our company's development to date. We are constantly optimizing our products to remain at the forefront of perfect restful sleep in the best possible way. We see?the Testfakta test?victory as an award for the performance and commitment of our Research and Development (RnD) team to also fulfill the needs of Swedish customers." Emma - The Sleep Company was recently named as one of Europe's fastest-growing companies by the Financial Times. The wide range of RnD skills is the reason why Emma widely outperforms other mattress brands and in 2019 alone, around 2.5 million euros had been invested in this division.

About Emma - The Sleep Company

Emma - The Sleep Company (Bettzeit GmbH) is an owner-managed company and one of the fastest-growing providers of mattress and sleeping systems, based in Frankfurt am Main. The internationally active Sleep Tech company was founded in 2013 by Dr. Dennis Schmoltzi and Manuel Mueller and realized a turnover of 150 million euros in 2019 (+86 percent compared to 2018). The portfolio includes both the direct-to-consumer Startup Emma Mattress, which has already established itself in many European countries as the leading bed-in-a-box supplier, and the strong traditional brand Dunlopillo Germany. With their in-depth expertise in research and development, Emma - The Sleep Company constantly translates material and technological advances into its high-quality product range. The success drivers of the very agile day-to-day life of the company are a strong digital mindset, the courage to pragmatic solutions, and lived diversity. Against this backdrop, the team of more than 350 people continuously implements innovative concepts in the areas of process optimization as well as marketing and sales. In April 2020, Haniel Group acquired 50.1 percent of Emma. The transaction is still subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities.

For more information on Emma - The Sleep Company, please visit https://team.emma-sleep.com/

Useful links

https://www.testfakta.se/sv/hem-hushall/article/skummadrassen-utmanar-resarsangen

https://www.testfakta.se/sv/article/testfaktas-sangtester

https://www.ft.com/content/691390ca-53d9-11ea-90ad-25e377c0ee1f

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/hat-trick-emma-mattress-3rd-time-test-winner-1002381549

https://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2018/05/24/mattress-company-emma/

https://www.businessinsider.de/international/emma-mattress-review/?r=US&IR=T

https://www.furniturenews.net/news/articles/2020/01/1847453403-emma-reports-record-year

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For Press Contact or Interview Requests:

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If nothing else, such a span is about making connections both physical and social. But with the office towers and shops on either side of the bridge emptied out, the spans identity has been turned upside down: Its a mirror of Chicago on hold  the polar opposite of the hustlers town Nelson Algrens memorably termed the city on the make.
The Bombay high court (HC) has directed the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) authorities to give details of the companies and prices at which the civic body had purchased personal protective equipment (PPE) kits such as face masks, gloves and hand sanitisers and how often they were being replenished in a bid to contain the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

The court sought the NMMCs response after a petition was filed by Samaj Samata Kaamgar Sangh, a trade union body representing contractual workers rights, accusing the civic authorities of not providing any PPE kit to their frontline contractual employees battling the pandemic.

The plea alleged that many contractual essential service workers have contracted SARS-CoV-2 because of the callousness of the civic authorities. At least 24 such workers have been placed either under home or institutional quarantine, it said.

Advocate Bhavesh Parmar, who represented the Sangh, told Justice S J Kathawalla during the hearing, held via video-conferencing on Tuesday, that the plea contained grievances of 6,277 contractual workers.

Parmar furnished proof in the court that 3,261 contractual workers, who have been involved in solid waste management and cleaning of roads, are carrying out their tasks with bare hands as they dont have any access to PPE kits.

Clean water is few and far between and a few drops of hand sanitisers are made available to them after they complete their days work. Theyre exposed to the threat of contracting the viral infection, as no PPE kits were provided, except low-quality face masks and gloves were given only on one occasion, the plea alleged.

The advocate, representing the NMMC, refuted all allegations and argued that adequate PPE were made available to all contractual employees on a regular basis.

He, however, failed to inform the court when was the last time that the civic body authorities had provided PPE kits to these workers.

The next date of hearing of the case is on Thursday.
One of the points in the Lanzarote Convention concerns education. It encourages countries to use, in their national curricula, measures that allow children to know the first signs and risks of danger posed to their sexual immunity and protect themselves. This is what deputy of the ruling My Step Alliance Maria Karapetyan said during briefings in parliament today, commenting on the uproar that ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention) has caused.

According to her, by no means does ratification of the Convention mean that children will explore sexual immunity in elementary school and middle school. The objective is to provide children with knowledge that is adapted according to their age and demands. For instance, they will learn how to know the potential signals in the behavior of adults, understand that those adults are dangerous and how to ask adults for help without feeling uncomfortable, the parliamentarian said.
GAINESVILLE, Fla.  Advice from the top U.S. disease control experts on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions during the coronavirus pandemic was more detailed and restrictive than the plan released by the White House last month.

The guidance, which was shelved by Trump administration officials, also offered recommendations to help communities decide when to shut facilities down again during future flareups of COVID-19.

The Associated Press obtained a 63-page document that is more detailed than other, previously reported segments of the shelved guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It shows how the thinking of the CDC infection control experts differs from those in the White House managing the pandemic response.

The White Houses Opening Up America Again plan that was released April 17 included some of the CDCs approach, but made clear that the onus for reopening decisions was solely on state governors and local officials.

By contrast, the organizational tool created by the CDC advocates for a coordinated national response to give community leaders step-by-step instructions to help Americans re-enter civic life, with the idea that there would be resurgences of the virus and lots of customization needed. The White House said last week that the document was a draft and not ready for release.

It contains the kinds of specifics that officials need to make informed decisions, some experts said.

The White House is pushing for reopening but the truth of the matter is the White House has just not had a comprehensive plan where all the pieces fit. Theyre doing it piecemeal, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

Such detailed advice should have been available much earlier, said Stephen Morse, a Columbia University expert on the spread of diseases.

Many different places are considering how to safely develop return-to-work procedures. Having more guidance on that earlier on might have been more reassuring to people. And it might have have prevented some cases, Morse said.

From the start, CDC staffers working on the guidance were uncomfortable tying it specifically to reopening, and voiced their objections to the White House officials tasked with approving the guidance for release, according to a CDC official granted anonymity because they were not cleared to speak with the press.

The CDCs detailed guidance was eventually shelved by the administration April 30, according to internal government emails and CDC sources who were granted anonymity because they were not cleared to speak to the press. After The AP reported about the burying of the guidance last week, the White House asked the CDC to revive parts of it, which were sent back for approval, according to emails and interviews.

On Tuesday, CDC Director Robert Redfield testified before a U.S. Senate committee that the recommendations would be released soon. He provided no further details. Internal government emails show that Redfield had repeatedly sought White House approval for CDCs guidance, starting as early as April 10.

Both the CDC document and the White Houses published plan recommend communities reopen in phases as local cases of coronavirus subside.

One of many differences, however, is advice for when communities should allow for the resumption of nonessential travel.

The shelved CDC guide advises communities to avoid all nonessential travel in phases of reopening until the last one, when cases are at the lowest levels. Even then, the CDC is cautious and advises only a consideration of the resumption of nonessential travel after 42 continuous days of declining cases of COVID-19.

The White House plan, by contrast, recommends that communities minimize travel in Phase 1, and that in Phase 2, after 28 consecutive days of decline, Non-essential travel can resume.

As of Tuesday, CDCs web page on travel guidance during the pandemic still linked to the White House plan. The stricter guidance is not there.

Another stark difference in the final White House plan and that designed by epidemiologists at the CDC is the latters acknowledgment that COVID-19 cases will likely surge after states reopen, and that local governments need to continuously monitor their communities closely.

The White Houses final reopening plan lacks guidance on how local communities can track information beyond positive cases. But the CDC document offers thoughts on how to plan for where case increases might occur more quickly, using demographic information. The CDC says local leaders could take special notice of the number of households with limited English literacy in an area, how many people live in poverty or have no health insurance coverage, and even what it calls areas of civic strain caused by the virus, such as places where many workers were sick or lost wages due to shutdowns.

The White House plan offers few such specifics and instead provides broad guidance, such as Protect the health and safety of workers in critical industries, and advises states to protect the most vulnerable by developing appropriate policies.

On Wednesday, the Senates top Democrat called for the immediate release of the CDCs guidance. America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by president Trump or his political minions. The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance, said Sen. Charles Schumer of New York.

Schumers resolution was quickly defeated when Republican Indiana Sen. Mike Braun blocked it, saying CDCs guide would bog down the economy.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, warned on Tuesday that lifting stay-at-home orders too quickly could lead to serious consequences, both in deaths and economic hardship. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has continued to push states to act to right a free-falling economy.

The CDCs guidelines stress the dangers of states and regions going it alone in such perilous times. The agency advises a national approach, rather than a patchwork, because policies in one state will in time affect others.

Travel patterns within and between jurisdictions will impact efforts to reduce community transmission too. Coordination across state and local jurisdictions is critical  especially between jurisdictions with different mitigation needs, the report states.

___

Contact APs Global Investigative Team at Investigative@AP.org
Paul Manafort, U.S. President Donald Trumps former 2016 campaign chairman who later was convicted of tax and bank fraud, was released from prison Wednesday to serve the remainder of his seven-and-a-half-year term in home confinement.

The 71-year-old Manafort had served a little more than a year of his term and was not due to be released from a federal prison in the eastern state of Pennsylvania until November 2024.

But his lawyers prevailed in their bid with federal prison officials to get him freed to home confinement because they said he was at high risk of contracting coronavirus because of his age and underlying medical conditions, including high blood pressure, liver disease and respiratory ailments.

Manafort was convicted during special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into wrongdoing during Trumps successful 2016 run for the White House. But Manaforts convictions stemmed from his lobbying and investments in Ukraine that predated his work for the Trump campaign.

He joined Trumps campaign as its convention manager in March 2016 and was its campaign chairman from May 2016 to August of that year before resigning as questions emerged in public accounts about his work in Ukraine between 2006 and 2015.

There were no known coronavirus cases at the federal prison in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where Manafort was being held. But the facility was an old monastery with an open physical configuration, which possibly could have made it susceptible to a wide spread of COVID-19.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr has directed federal prison officials to consider home confinement for inmates deemed in at risk categories for coronavirus, such as medical conditions, and about 2,500 have been moved to their homes to complete their sentences.

Manaforts lawyers said he could move to an apartment in the Virginia suburbs outside Washington where his wife lives.
Egypts Ministry of Planning and Economic Development announced on Wednesday that the Misr Hataady (Egypt will pass) initiative, launched in cooperation with Terous Misr Foundation, has recorded 3 million views on YouTube and other social media platforms and witnessed positive interaction from citizens.

In a statement, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said said that the initiative 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 COVID-19 pandemic.

El-Said explained that 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 in fighting the pandemic.

She added that these economic and social measures are in line with the national sustainable development agenda and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

El-Said noted that participation in the initiative is open to all businesses and companies.

Rami Galal, the Ministrys official spokesperson, said that the initiative calls upon civil society and businesspersons to provide their services online so they can keep their workers safe and boost the national economy.

The Ministry of Planning launched the initiative in partnership with Terous Misr Foundation and a number of businessmen and company owners.

Galal stressed that the campaign is open to everyone who wants to participate in it from the private sector companies, and that it is not limited to the largest companies, asserting that the Ministry of Planning invites businessmen and the owners of small and medium companies to participate in the campaign.

Many prominent companies participated in the campaign including Elsewedy Electric and Egyptian Steel.

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NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aesthetic Society announced the election of Herluf G. Lund, Jr., MD, FACS, a plastic surgeon practicing in St. Louis, Missouri as the new President of the 2,600-member organization dedicated to aesthetic plastic surgery. Dr. Lund and his leadership team will focus on guiding membership through the COVID-19 crisis and completing a number of critical projects in development including:

The Aesthetic Society's Recommendations for Reopening Office and Resuming Elective Procedures: The Aesthetic Society's COVID-19 Safety Task Force has worked diligently to develop recommendations to help membership reopen their practices and carefully resume elective procedures. The recommendations are based on current information and practices from the American College of Surgeons, the CDC, the NIH, and other scientific and medical organizations. The Task Force will adjust the recommendations as necessary and provide members with updates and resources to keep patients safe.

The Aesthetic Society's COVID-19 Safety Task Force has worked diligently to develop recommendations to help membership reopen their practices and carefully resume elective procedures. The recommendations are based on current information and practices from the American College of Surgeons, the CDC, the NIH, and other scientific and medical organizations. The Task Force will adjust the recommendations as necessary and provide members with updates and resources to keep patients safe. "Aesthetic One - The Patient App": Developed through support from Allergan, the mobile platform is designed to empower patients facilitating two-way doctor-patient communication and acquiring essential data related to breast implant patients. The apps are under development and will be available to patients in spring 2021 with a modified version available in June 2020 to aid doctor/patient communication during the COVID-19 crisis.

Developed through support from Allergan, the mobile platform is designed to empower patients facilitating two-way doctor-patient communication and acquiring essential data related to breast implant patients. The apps are under development and will be available to patients in spring 2021 with a modified version available in to aid doctor/patient communication during the COVID-19 crisis. Aesthetic Neural Network (ANN): designed by and tailored to aesthetic plastic surgeons ANN empowers surgeons with a new way to look at a practice's data. ANN goes beyond standard reporting available from a practice management system - allowing members to enhance their business by harnessing their own practice's data.

designed by and tailored to aesthetic plastic surgeons ANN empowers surgeons with a new way to look at a practice's data. ANN goes beyond standard reporting available from a practice management system - allowing members to enhance their business by harnessing their own practice's data. The Aesthetic Society Website: with fresh, redesigned assets and sensibilities, the Society's rebranding efforts and new website will improve both member engagement and public education, simultaneously modernizing the user experience in Summer 2020.

"It is a tremendous honor to assume the role of President of The Aesthetic Society. I look forward to finalizing the many pivotal projects with my peers and fellow Aesthetic Society members", says Dr. Herluf Lund, President. "As a country and among the aesthetic industry, we find ourselves in unprecedented circumstances with COVID-19, but we stay committed to our mission, particularly as we safely guide our membership to reopening offices and resuming elective surgeries."

As a member of the organization for 20 years, Dr. Lund serves on numerous committees and task forces including the Aesthetic Neural Network Task Force, the Finance and Investment Committee, the Conflict of Interest Committee and the Women Aesthetic Surgeons Committee.

He has served as a board member of the research arm of The Aesthetic Society, the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF) and has served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of The Aesthetic Society. Dr. Lund is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is President of St. Louis Cosmetic Surgery, a four-member plastic surgical group in private practice specializing in aesthetic surgery and cosmetic medicine. Dr. Lund has served as a Councilor, Treasurer, and Secretary for the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society. He is a past-president of the Missouri Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association. Dr. Lund completed his plastic surgery residency at Washington University School of Medicine where he was actively involved in numerous research projects including the safety and design of implants for both breast augmentation and breast reconstruction.

Other newly named Aesthetic Society officers serving on the Executive Committee are as follows:

President-Elect: William P. Adams, Jr., MD of Dallas, TX has been a member of The Aesthetic Society since 2002. He is in private practice and is also an Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Past President of ASERF (Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation). Dr. Adams is the Society's current Education Commissioner and serves as a Co-Chair of the Informed Consent Task Force, among several other committees. In 2009, he founded and currently serves as the President and Chief Medical Officer for The Plastic Surgery Channel, a multi-media company and information resource for plastic surgery operated by plastic surgeons. He has published numerous papers and has presented multiple plastic surgery lectures on the international level. He also serves on the breast editorial board of Aesthetic Surgery Journal and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Vice President: Jennifer Walden, MD of Austin, TX has been a member of The Aesthetic Society since 2008. She is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Walden is the first female physician at The Aesthetic Society to ascend to the Executive Committee in a leadership role on the Board of Directors. She has served as the organization's Communications Commissioner for four years and has served on a variety of committees and task forces. Dr. Walden has been recognized as one of Texas Super Doctors and since 2016, she has been one of Castle Connelly's Top Doctors. Dr. Walden was honored to be selected for membership into the American Association of Plastic Surgeons , an invitation-only, all-star academic society described as "the highest medium of recognition in the field of plastic surgery as evidenced by the contribution of its individual members." Dr. Walden operates her private practice, Walden Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center and maintains privileges at the Hospital at Westlake Medical Center. She owns and operates medical spas in both Austin, Texas and New York City, NY.

Treasurer: Melinda J. Haws, MD of Nashville, TN has been a member of the Society since 2006. She is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Haws established The Plastic Surgery Center of Nashville with Mary Gingrass, MD in 2002. She is a member of the medical staff at St. Thomas Midtown Hospital. During her tenure with The Aesthetic Society, Dr. Haws has most recently served on critical task forces including Chair of the Breast Implant Illness Task Force and Co-Chair of the FDA Breast Implant Hearing Task Force. She also serves as The Aesthetic Society's Communications Commissioner.

Secretary: Kiya Movassaghi, MD, DMD, FACS has been a member of the Society since 2006. Based in Eugene, Oregon, Dr. Movassaghi came to Eugene in 2002 after 14 years in Boston where he completed his medical and surgical training at Harvard Medical School. His practice focuses on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. A 1995 graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Movassaghi completed a three-year plastic surgery residency at the Harvard Combined Plastic Surgery Program. Prior to that training, he completed a residency in general surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School. He also received his DMD at Harvard Dental School, where he graduated magna cum laude. He followed this degree with a residency in maxillofacial surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Movassaghi is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine in Portland. He is well versed in the latest techniques including Laser and Endoscopic Procedures with minimal scars and has authored numerous publications in leading scientific and plastic surgery journals.

About The Aesthetic Society:

The Aesthetic Society is recognized as the world's leading organization devoted entirely to aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine of the face and body. The Aesthetic Society is comprised of more than 2,600 members in North America and internationally; Active Members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (USA) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have extensive training in the complete spectrum of surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures. International Active Members are certified by equivalent boards of their respective countries. All members worldwide adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and must meet stringent membership requirements. The Aesthetic Society is at the forefront of innovation in aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine globally.

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While this is a time of uncertainty for many practices, veterinarians can feel supported knowing they have access to robust and adaptive tools to help them stay connected with clients and serve the care and well-being of patients in these unprecedented times..."

LifeLearn Animal Health today announced a new collaboration with Petriage to add the veterinary technology companys state-of-the-art telehealth platform to LifeLearns suite of industry-leading Practice Solutions.

Were excited to partner with Petriage to further LifeLearns commitment to provide practices with the tools they need to optimize their operations while adapting to changing protocols, says Dr. Mark Stephenson, LifeLearns Chief Veterinary Officer. Adding Petriage to our existing suite of new and adaptive Practice Solutions broadens our resources to help practices navigate the current crisis, rebound from it and thrive in the days ahead.

A cloud-based B2B telehealth company, Petriage provides a unique software platform, developed by a veterinarian, that comes in three incremental service levels to serve the needs and budget of any practice:



The Basic telehealth service level provides pet owners with an advanced, patent-pending online teletriage pet Symptom Checker that can be accessed from a web browser or an easy-to-use mobile app. The Symptom Checker uses a sophisticated AI-driven algorithm to help pet owners assess the urgency for veterinary care and provide a recommendation of the appropriate next steps.

The Essential service level adds additional telemonitoring capabilities through eCheck  Remote Monitoring for communication and re-checks after surgery or hospitalization.

The Premium service level completes the Petriage Circle of Care by adding full telemedicine capabilities through eConsult - Online Consultation. It gives pet owners the ability to chat or teleconference live and remotely engage with their veterinarian and to share photos and videos.

Petriage has read and writeback capabilities to automatically sync triage, eCheck, and eConsult data with your practice management systems medical records.

Trusted by veterinarians across North America and recommended to its members by the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association (WSVMA), Petriage is available through LifeLearn as a standalone solution. Petriage can also be added and integrated into LifeLearn WebDVM custom veterinary websites (both for existing and new WebDVM customers) for quick pet-owner access.

We are thrilled to be joining with LifeLearn, a company dedicated as we are to advancing pet health. We look forward to working together to reach more veterinarians with the underlying message that telehealth can support their practice, both now, during COVID-19, and later when social distancing restriction are removed, said Petriage CEO Allon Freiman.

While this is a time of uncertainty for many practices, veterinarians can feel supported knowing they have access to robust and adaptive tools to help them stay connected with clients and serve the care and well-being of patients in these unprecedented times. We really are all in this together, and our partnership with LifeLearn reflects that.

About Petriage

Petriage is a cloud-based B2B telehealth company that allows veterinarians to service their clients and engage them in the remote care of their patients. Its unique offering is a telemedicine service highlighted by a proprietary teletriage tool by which pet parents are provided a recommendation in real time regarding the need/urgency to seek veterinary medical care for their pets. Petriage was founded in 2015 in Bellevue, WA by CEO Allon Freiman, Shlomo Freiman (DVM, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine), and Casey Olives (PhD, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). For more information, visit https://petriage.com/.

About LifeLearn Animal Health

LifeLearn empowers veterinary practices to optimize the way they do business, attract more clients, and improve profitability with a suite of customizable online solutions, including: WebDVMcustom veterinary websites; ClientEdclient education resource; Sofievirtual DVM assistant; PetNurseafter-hours telehealth triage service; ALLYDVMclient communication + retention software.

Animal health corporations rely on LifeLearn to provide custom digital education, marketing, and communications products and services to help them market to their valued veterinary and pet-owner customers.

LifeLearns award-winning competencies in digital media, combined with longstanding veterinary content expertise, are just part of why LifeLearn has been named one of Canadas Fastest-Growing Companies from 2015 to 2019.

http://www.lifelearn.com | Facebook |Twitter | LinkedIn |Instagram

For more information, contact:

Petriage

Jeff Zilka

(847) 421-0622 | jeff@petriage.com

LifeLearn

Ed Casagrande, Vice President of Marketing

(800) 375-7994, ext. 244
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 14)  Eight individuals were arrested on Wednesday night in a buy-bust drug operation by the Northern Police District in Deparo, Caloocan City.

The estimated weight of the confiscated shabu from the eight suspects is more or less 2.8 kilos, amounting to over 19 million.

The suspects were identified as Arthur Salguero, Rose Cruz, Herchill Resco, Jhon Dale Estorninos, William Tante Jr., Joshua De Andres, Albert Delema, and Ricky Nelson Cruz.

The NPD officers seized 18 pieces of large transparent bag, 10 pieces of medium sealed transparent plastic sachet, one large tea bag, and one open cut plastic transparent sachet. All materials contained suspected shabu.

They also confiscated other paraphernalia like aluminum foil, disposable lighters, three cellphones, one sedan car, and five pieces of 1,000 bills.

The operation stemmed from a tip from drug pusher Gary Villanueva, who was also caught in a similar sting last May 11.

The eight suspects will be charged with violations of Republic Act No. 9165, known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The Philippine National Police tallied only 3,166 crimes nationwide during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the reduction of crime incidents, the Department of Interior and Local Government still ordered the PNP to remain vigilant in enforcing the law with many areas transitioning to general community quarantine and its modified counterpart.
CrowdStrike, the private cyber-security firm that first accused Russia of hacking Democratic Party emails and served as a critical source for U.S. intelligence officials in the years-long Trump-Russia probe, acknowledged to Congress more than two years ago that it had no concrete evidence that Russian hackers stole emails from the Democratic National Committees server.

Crowdstrike President Shawn Henry: "We just dont have the evidence ..."

CrowdStrike President Shawn Henry's admission under oath, in a recently declassified December 2017 interview before the House Intelligence Committee, raises new questions about whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller, intelligence officials and Democrats misled the public. The allegation that Russia stole Democratic Party emails from Hillary Clinton, John Podesta and others and then passed them to WikiLeaks helped trigger the FBI's probe into now debunked claims of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to steal the 2016 election. The CrowdStrike admissions were released just two months after the Justice Department retreated from its its other central claim that Russia meddled in the 2016 election when it dropped charges against Russian troll farms it said had been trying to get Trump elected.

Henry personally led the remediation and forensics analysis of the DNC server after being warned of a breach in late April 2016; his work was paid for by the DNC, which refused to turn over its server to the FBI. Asked for the date when alleged Russian hackers stole data from the DNC server, Henry testified that CrowdStrike did not in fact know if such a theft occurred at all: "We did not have concrete evidence that the data was exfiltrated [moved electronically] from the DNC, but we have indicators that it was exfiltrated," Henry said.

Henry reiterated his claim on multiple occasions:

"There are times when we can see data exfiltrated, and we can say conclusively. But in this case it appears it was set up to be exfiltrated, but we just dont have the evidence that says it actually left."

"Theres not evidence that they were actually exfiltrated. There's circumstantial evidence but no evidence that they were actually exfiltrated."

"There is circumstantial evidence that that data was exfiltrated off the network.  We didn't have a sensor in place that saw data leave. We said that the data left based on the circumstantial evidence. That was the conclusion that we made."

"Sir, I was just trying to be factually accurate, that we didn't see the data leave, but we believe it left, based on what we saw."

Asked directly if he could "unequivocally say" whether "it was or was not exfiltrated out of DNC," Henry told the committee: "I can't say based on that."

Rep. Adam Schiff: Democrat held up interview transcripts, but finally relented after acting intel director Richard Grenell suggested he would release them himself.

In a later exchange with Republican Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah, Henry offered an explanation of how Russian agents could have obtained the emails without any digital trace of them leaving the server. The CrowdStrike president speculated that Russian agents might have taken "screenshots" in real time. "[If] somebody was monitoring an email server, they could read all the email," Henry said. "And there might not be evidence of it being exfiltrated, but they would have knowledge of what was in the email.  There would be ways to copy it. You could take screenshots."

Henrys 2017 testimony that there was no concrete evidence that the emails were stolen electronically suggests that Mueller may have been misleading in his 2019 final report. The report stated that Russian intelligence "appears to have compressed and exfiltrated over 70 gigabytes of data" and agents "appear to have stolen thousands of emails and attachments" from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and DNC servers, respectively. It also suggests that the DNC emails were transferred to a server in Illinois controlled by the Russian intelligence service GRU. But in addition to including the qualifier "appear," Mueller's source for the Illinois server claim is redacted. That leaves CrowdStrike, to date, as U.S. intelligence officials primary, publicly known source for its confident claims about Russian hacking.

The stolen emails, which were published by Wikileaks  whose founder, Julian Assange has long denied they came from Russia  were embarrassing to the party because, among other things, they showed the DNC had favored Clinton during her 2016 primary battles against Sen. Bernie Sanders for the presidential nomination. The DNC eventually issued an apology to Sanders and his supporters "for the inexcusable remarks made over email." The DNC hack was separate from the FBIs investigation of Clintons use of a private server while serving as President Obamas Secretary of State.

The disclosure that CrowdStrike found no evidence that alleged Russian hackers exfiltrated any data from the DNC server raises a critical question: On what basis, then, did it accuse them of stealing the emails? Further, on what basis did Obama administration officials make far more forceful claims about Russian hacking?

Michael Sussmann: This lawyer at Perkins Coie hired CrowdStrike to investigate the DNC breach. He was also involved with Fusion GPS and Christopher Steele in producing the discredited Steele dossier.

The January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA), which formally accused Russia of a sweeping influence campaign involving the theft of Democratic emails, claimed the Russian intelligence service "exfiltrated large volumes of data from the DNC." A July 2018 indictment claimed that GRU officers "stole thousands of emails from the work accounts of DNC employees."

According to everyone concerned, the cyber-firm played a critical role in the FBI's investigation of the DNC data theft. Henry told the panel that CrowdStrike "shared intelligence with the FBI" on a regular basis, making "contact with them over a hundred times in the course of many months." In congressional testimony that same year, former FBI Director James Comey acknowledged that the FBI "never got direct access to the machines themselves," and instead relied on CrowdStrike, which "shared with us their forensics from their review of the system." According to Comey, the FBI would have preferred direct access to the server, and made "multiple requests at different levels," to obtain it. But after being rebuffed, "ultimately it was agreed to [CrowdStrike] would share with us what they saw."

Henrys testimony seems at variance with Comeys suggestion of complete information sharing. He told Congress that CrowdStrike provided "a couple of actual digital images" of DNC hard drives, out of a total number of "in excess of 10, I think." In other cases, Henry said, CrowdStrike provided its own assessment of them. The firm, he said, provided "the results of our analysis based on what our technology went out and collected." This disclosure follows revelations from the case of Trump operative Roger Stone that CrowdStrike provided three reports to the FBI in redacted and draft form. According to federal prosecutors, the government never obtained CrowdStrike's unredacted reports.

CrowdStrike's newy disclosed admissions raise new questions about whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller (above), intelligence officials and Democrats misled the public.

There are no indications that the Mueller team accessed any additional information beyond what CrowdStrike provided. According to the Mueller report, "the FBI later received images of DNC servers and copies of relevant traffic logs." But if the FBI obtained only "copies" of data traffic  and not any new evidence -- those copies would have shown the same absence of "concrete evidence" that Henry admitted to.

Adding to the tenuous evidence is CrowdStrike's own lack of certainty that the hackers it identified inside the DNC server were indeed Russian government actors. Henry's explanation for his firm's attribution of the DNC hack to Russia is replete with inferences and assumptions that lead to "beliefs," not unequivocal conclusions. "There are other nation-states that collect this type of intelligence for sure," Henry said, "but what we would call the tactics and techniques were consistent with what we'd seen associated with the Russian state." In its investigation, Henry said, CrowdStrike "saw activity that we believed was consistent with activity we'd seen previously and had associated with the Russian Government.  We said that we had a high degree of confidence it was the Russian Government."

But CrowdStrike was forced to retract a similar accusation months after it accused Russia in December 2016 of hacking the Ukrainian military, with the same software that the firm had claimed to identify inside the DNC server.

The firm's work with the DNC and FBI is also colored by partisan affiliations. Before joining CrowdStrike, Henry served as executive assistant director at the FBI under Mueller. Co-founder Dmitri Alperovitch is a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, the pro-NATO think tank that has consistently promoted an aggressive policy toward Russia. And the newly released testimony confirms that CrowdStrike was hired to investigate the DNC breach by Michael Sussmann of Perkins Coie  the same Democratic-tied law firm that hired Fusion GPS to produce the discredited Steele dossier, which was also treated as central evidence in the investigation. Sussmann played a critical role in generating the Trump-Russia collusion allegation. Ex-British spy and dossier compiler Christopher Steele has testified in British court that Sussmann shared with him the now-debunked Alfa Bank server theory, alleging a clandestine communication channel between the bank and the Trump Organization.

Henrys recently released testimony does not mean that Russia did not hack the DNC. What it does make clear is that Obama administration officials, the DNC and others have misled the public by presenting as fact information that they knew was uncertain. The fact that the Democratic Party employed the two private firms that generated the core allegations at the heart of Russiagate -- Russian email hacking and Trump-Russia collusion  suggests that the federal investigation was compromised from the start.

The 2017 Henry transcript was one of dozens just released after a lengthy dispute. In September 2018, the Republican-controlled House Intelligence Committee unanimously voted to release witness interview transcripts and sent them to the U.S. intelligence community for declassification review. In March 2019, months after Democrats won House control, Rep. Adam Schiff ordered the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to withhold the transcripts from White House lawyers seeking to review them for executive privilege. Schiff also refused to release vetted transcripts, but finally relented after acting ODNI Director Richard Grenell suggested this month that he would release them himself.

Several transcripts, including the interviews of former CIA Director John Brennan and Comey, remain unreleased. And in light of the newly disclosed Crowdstrike testimony, another secret document from the House proceedings takes on urgency for public viewing. According to Henry, Crowdstrike also provided the House Intelligence Committee with a copy of its report on the DNC email theft.
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Linkedin David Shepardson (Reuters) Washington, United States  Wed, May 13, 2020 08:45 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a0c20 2 World tesla,Elon-Musk,Donald-Trump,factory-activity,automaker,assembly,plant,production Free

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged that Tesla Inc be allowed to reopen its electric vehicle assembly plant in California, joining the carmakers CEO Elon Musk's bid to defy county officials that have ordered it to remain closed.

"California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!" Trump wrote on Twitter. On Monday, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said production was resuming at the automakers sole US vehicle factory, defying an order to stay closed and saying if anyone had to be arrested it should be him.

Tesla shares were up 3% to $835.27 in early trading. The company, which on Saturday sued Alameda County over its decision that the plant should stay closed, did not immediately comment on Trump's tweet.

Trump is eager for the US economy to reopen and for Americans to return to work.

He has sparred with California for years over a series of issues, including immigration, vehicle fuel efficiency standards, funding for high-speed rail and numerous environmental issues. Trump has met with Musk on several occasions during his presidency.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday said he spoke to Musk several days ago and that the Tesla founders concerns helped prompt the state to begin its phased reopening of manufacturing last week.

Late on Monday, health officials in Alameda County said they were aware Tesla had opened beyond the so-called minimum basic operations allowed during lockdown, and had notified the company it could not operate without a county-approved plan.

In January, Trump told CNBC that Musk is "one of our great geniuses, and we have to protect our genius."

States and cities around the United States are experimenting with ways to safely reopen their economies after the coronavirus outbreak shuttered businesses and forced tens of millions of Americans out of work. Around the country, major automakers are beginning to reopen plants with Detroit's Big Three automakers set to reopen most US plants next week.

Musk over the weekend threatened to leave California for Texas or Nevada over his factory's closure. His move has highlighted the competition for jobs and ignited a rush to woo the billionaire executive by states that have reopened their economies more quickly in response to encouragement from Trump.

Tesla also has a vehicle plant in Shanghai and is building another in Berlin. Its lawsuit on Saturday alleged that Alameda County, where the plant is located, had violated California's constitution by defying Newsom's orders allowing manufacturers to reopen.

Newsom's office did not immediately comment Tuesday.

In the past, Musk has discussed opening a second US factory outside California. In a tweet in February, he solicited comments on potentially opening a factory in Texas.
A police patrol car has handed out seven fines in 45 minutes to drivers for not coming to a complete halt at a stop sign on a coastal road.

Footage taken from a window overlooking the quiet stretch of road in Newcastle, New South Wales on April 19 showed the well-placed officer pursuing and pulling over two cars for not stopping.

The police car could be seen perched metres away from the stop sign and flagging down motorists with its siren when they drove through the intersection.

Not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign is punishable by a fine of $344 in New South Wales and the deduction of three demerit points.

The operation at the junction of Watt Street and Church Street took place directly in front of the Newcastle Police Station.

'Watching a policeman book people for not stopping at a stop sign,' the woman behind the camera said.

'This happened in front of a cop shop. I was filming from my balcony, playing COVID-19 games. Isolation is treating me well!'

In a caption in the video, the woman wrote 'if you were wondering this is the seventh $344 fine fine he has dished out in the past 45 minutes'.

NSW Police declined to give any further information about the operation last month.

'Officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command undertake daily proactive duties across NSW to ensure the safety of all road users,' a police spokesperson said.

The police operation comes as millions of Australians are left out of work during the coronavirus crisis.

A police patrol car has handed out seven fines in 45 minutes to drivers for not coming to a complete halt at a stop sign (white car which did not stop pictured left, pursuing police car pictured right) on a coastal road

By June, the Treasury forecasts the national unemployment rate will have nearly doubled from 5.1 per cent to 10 per cent.

In the accommodation and food services alone, 33.4 per cent of workers have lost their jobs.

The forecast would mean 1.4million Australians being out of work by June.
"The governor's office and the Republican legislature are continuing to put up roadblock after roadblock after roadblock for the individuals who want to get their rights reinstated," said state Sen. Perry E. Thurston Jr. (D), who represents part of Broward County. "This is clearly not an effort to help with the will of the people, but to thwart the will of the people."
Shahjahanpur, May 13 : A farmer was killed and his wife seriously injured in an attack by a wild boar at Mahaudurg village in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Govardhan,55.

Govardhan and his wife, Mulli Devi, were going to their field when they were suddenly attacked by the wild boar in the evening.

Hearing their screams, the local people rushed to rescue them and the wild boar disappeared into the forest area.

The couple was immediately taken to hospital where the husband succumbed to the injuries.

Village head Hari Ram Verma said, "This is the second wild boar attack within a week. We have asked the forest department to save us from wild boars but no action has so far been taken." Sub divisional officer (forest) M.N. Singh said that the family of the deceased will be given a compensation of Rs five lakhs.

The local farmers said that the population of wild boars and blue bulls had increased alarmingly in the region.
He has had an illustrious career, spanning academia, government and international diplomacy, culminating with his appointment as the first United Nations Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005). He was the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid (1990-1994) and on Peace-Keeping Operations (19901999). He was Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (2005-2007) and also operated as UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and Special Representative in Angola.
It is expected to take up to three years in order to finish the project

Estonia is expected to start construction of the border with Russia RIA Novosti

The Republic of Estonia has signed an agreement on the first stage of construction of the border with Russia. It will take up to three years to build the border, ERR reports.

"The Police and Border Guard Department has signed an agreement on the first stage of border construction in the south-east of Estonia," the statement said.

It is noted that the construction of the 23.5 km long border section will take up to three years and almost 20 million euros. The first stage is the creation of infrastructure on the 23.5 km long section of the Estonian-Russian border next to Virumaa: from the point where the borders of Latvia, Russia and Estonia connect to the Cerebi village.

It is also noted that the total length of Estonia's land border with Russia is about 135 km, and a tender for the construction of the next stage will be announced in the coming months.

As we reported earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with his Estonian counterpart Kersti Kaljulaid.

The parties discussed joint measures for effective counteraction against the spread of Covid-19 disease.
More than 100 inmates who were released from New York City's notorious Rikers Island jail over COVID-19 concerns at the outset of the lockdown in late March have landed back behind bars for allegedly committing new crimes.

Some of the 110 inmates who regained their freedom amid the pandemic had multiple run-ins with the law over the past two months, accounting for 190 arrests, according to data from the New York City Police Department first obtained by The New York Post.

About a quarter of the arrests were for burglaries, which helps explain the 43 per cent jump in break-ins citywide over the past month.

Data show that some 110 inmates who were among the 1,500 inmates released in March from Rikers Island over COVID-19 fears have been re-arrested for new crimes

This chart shows that the jail's population between March 16-May 7 dropped to below 4,000 inmates

The vast majority of this new crop of burglaries have been reported in Manhattan.

A total of 1,500 inmates were freed in March alone, of whom at least 7 per cent have re-offended.

Latest data released by the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice indicate that between March 16-May 6, over 2,650 inmates have been released from jail, a quarter of whom faced charges stemming from violent felony offenses.

One of the former dwellers of Rikers Island who has recently found himself back in lockup was Jerard Iamunno, 36, who was arrested on Sunday night on suspicion of mugging a 59-year-old man at knifepoint at an ATM in Harlem.

Iamunno allegedly blocked the victim's exit and demanded cash while threatening him with a knife.

Iamunno got away with the $20 that his victim had just withdrawn from the ATM, but was quickly picked up by police on charges of robbery and criminal possession of a weapon.

Six weeks earlier, Iamunno had been released from jail after pleading guilty to grand larceny and a drug-related offense stemming from two separate incidents.

A quarter of the 2,650 people who have been released from jail since mid-March faced violent felony charges

His record includes more than a dozen convictions, including for two felonies. Iamunno is now being held in jail on $10,000 bail.

During a press briefing in late April, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said he was troubled by recidivism among inmates who have been released from jail over COVID-19 fears.

'I think it's unconscionable just on a human level that folks were shown mercy and this is what some of them have done,' he said on April 21. 'Were going to keep, just buckling down on it, making sure there is close monitoring and supervision to the maximum extent possible and the NYPD is going to keep doing what they're doing.'

Public defenders have been filing motions with the courts, seeking the release of inmates amid the coronavirus outbreak, especially those who might be more susceptible to the illness due to their advanced age or pre-existing medical conditions.

According to the New York City Board of Corrections, as of May 8, Rikers Island had 370 confirmed cases of the coronavirus among inmates and 187 among staffers.

At least three inmates have succumbed to the disease since the beginning of the outbreak.
Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic, Kashmir is bracing for a familiar summertime pattern of last three decades of Pakistan-sponsored insurgency: an escalation in infiltration bids on an increasingly live Line of Control and a surge in militant violence in the hinterland. The killing last week of two army officials in an encounter, followed quickly by security forces retaliatory operation eliminating Riaz Naikoo, a top commander of Hizbul Mujahidin, are the latest pointers to what may lie ahead in the volatile Valley agog with a new portent of likely impact of withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. In an interview with Executive Editor Ramesh Vinayak, Lt-Gen BS Raju, General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15th Corps, dwelt on the current situation and security challenges in the Valley. Edited excerpts:

What is your assessment of the current security scenario in Kashmir?

The present situation in Kashmir is stable but fragile. Precautionary and pre-emptive measures are being taken for the safety and security of people, and these have been instrumental in saving innocent lives. Post-Pulwama, we have successfully neutralised the top local commanders of various terrorist outfits, thus resulting in a leadership void. Many overground workers (OGWs), who were providing logistics and other material support to terrorists, have been apprehended in joint operations with other security agencies.

How has the dynamics of Pakistans cross-LoC support to terrorism changed in last one year or so?

Pakistan has consistently found ways and means to further its agenda of fomenting terror in the Valley. It persists in doing that. Numerous intrusion attempts have been foiled and Pakistan army is constantly resorting to ceasefire violations to support the terrorists infiltration.

Internet restrictions in Kashmir have rendered the terrorist outfits less effective in carrying out their agenda and limited the spread of false narratives being spread by Pakistan to misguide the youth.

What has been the outcome of anti-militancy operations since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year?

Militancy has since been on a sharp decline due to our persistent efforts. We had anticipated that Pakistan will increase its efforts to cause turmoil in Kashmir. In spite of best efforts of Pakistan-sponsored proxies, there has been no loss of civilian life in security operations. That in fact has been the hallmark of efforts of all stakeholders for maintenance of peace in Kashmir.

What is the current state of militant outfits active in Kashmir?

We work on concepts, and not numbers. And the concept is the constant attempts by Pakistan to infiltrate terrorists and war-like stores to commit sensational terrorist activities. Over the past year, the leadership of all terrorist tanzeems (organisatons) including Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind and Jaish-e-Mohammed has been effectively targeted and eliminated. There is now a definite leadership void.

The number of terrorists presently operating in the Valley has also greatly dwindled owing to the reduced recruitment and the recent successes in the counter-terrorist operations. In all operations, we extend every opportunity to local terrorists to return. Half way through, the encounters are halted and the parents or society elders are involved to urge the trapped local terrorist to return. We call it Operation MAA where the mothers appeal to their sons gone astray, and we have been successful many times.

The terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are full, and Pakistan army is trying hard to push maximum infiltrators into the Valley.

What has lately been the trend in local recruitments to militant ranks?

The recruitment of local youth in the terrorist tanzeems has reduced by more than 45% from 2018 to 2019 and is even lesser in 2020. The Pakistan-sponsored proxies who are instigating and indulging in stone-throwing and recruitment have failed in their attempts. Today, the stone-throwing has also come down to negligible in the recent months. Also, the life span of a terrorist has come down drastically, with 64% getting eliminated within one year. Joining terrorist tanzeems has become a non-lucrative option for the Kashmiri youth have understood the false narratives of separatists and now see through the Pakistan-sponsored propaganda.

How has the restrictive Internet impacted the militant outfits?

That has rendered the terrorist tanzeems less effective in carrying out their agenda and limited the spread of false narratives being spread by Pakistan to misguide the youth of the Valley. Presently, 2G and broadband internet is available and that enables all essential work on the internet. If the high speed internet is restored now, Pakistan will try to vitiate the peaceful environment by employing its online propaganda machinery.

What is the current situation on the Line of Control?

The Pakistan army knows our capabilities very well. Every day, we have infiltration attempts on LoC even at a time when the whole world is coming together to fight coronavirus. But, our counter-infiltration grid is very effective in neutralising -these infiltrators.

What challenges you foresee in the current summer months?

Pakistan has always wanted to disrupt normalcy in the Valley and these summer months would be no different. It is unable to digest that Kashmiris are experiencing peace and improved law and order situation. The infiltration bids will go on. The un-coordinated terrorist acts in the hinterland are a sign of desperation. All that is well anticipated. Every plan is in place to thwart any such attempts.

The life span of a terrorist in Kashmir has come down drastically, with 64% getting eliminated within one year. Joining terrorist outfits has become a non-lucrative option for the J&K youth.

What is your assessment on the likely consequences of the US-Taliban pact in Afghanistan on the security scenario in Kashmir?

The developments in the sub-continent, including the US- Taliban deal, will have an impact on the security situation in Kashmir. The terrorist launch pads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir are full, and Pakistan army is trying its best to push maximum infiltrators into the Valley to disrupt peace.

Is the internal security situation in Kashmir steady enough to revive on-ground political activities?

On the political front, the government has clearly enunciated the objectives and benefits of the new political landscape. The subject of political conjecturing is not within the purview of my mandate. To support all political/administrative initiatives, security forces have been proactive in ensuring that peace and tranquillity are maintained. We have made repeated appeals to mothers, parents, elders and other opinion makers to ask local boys gone astray to shun the gun and rejoin the mainstream. I am happy that many such boys have chosen to return.

How do you plan to bolster the armys outreach to the common Kashmiris?

Our outreach programmes through Sadbhavana initiatives include quality education to about 10,500 students through 28 army goodwill schools (AGS) in the Valley. The initiatives of Super-50 (engineering) and Super-30 (medical) and capacity building tours to other states, have been very effective and have achieved stupendous results. As per our records, no student of AGS has ever joined terrorism. It proves that good parenting and quality education make better citizens.

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Britain's equalities watchdog has ruled out holding an investigation 'at this stage' into alleged Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said 'it would not be proportionate' to carry out its own inquiry after the Tories published details of an internal probe into discrimination and prejudice.

The Tories appointed a former commissioner of the EHRC, Prof Swaran Singh of the University of Warwick, to chair the inquiry in December.

However, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which submitted a dossier of 300 cases to the watchdog cataloguing alleged Islamophobia, has branded the terms for the Tory probe a 'facade' for supposedly covering up racism.

It had written to the EHRC in March, claiming that there was 'overwhelming evidence' the party may have breached the Equality Act in its handling of cases.

MCB general-secretary Harun Khan (right) has called the Tory inquiry into alleged Islamophobia launched by Boris Johnson (left) within its ranks as a 'facade'

The MCB has accused the Tories of 'widespread, institutional and systemic' Islamophobia, a phrase to capture anti-Islamic and anti-Muslim discrimination.

Boris Johnson said he would examine allegations within the party having come under attack for writing that Muslim women wearing burkas 'look like letter boxes'.

He committed to holding an inquiry during the Tory leadership contest last year when put under pressure by then rival candidate Sajid Javid.

The EHRC said it would allow the internal probe to take its course, but reserved legal powers to intervene if it was unsatisfied with the conduct of the inquiry.

'We have given very careful consideration to complaints raised about discrimination and Islamophobia in the Conservative Party,' a spokesman said.

'We have concluded, in the light of the decision by the party to institute an independent investigation, that it would not be proportionate to initiate our own investigation at this stage.

'If we are not satisfied with progress or how the investigation is conducted we will review our decision and do not rule out the use of our legal powers.'

The Equality and Human Rights Commission ruled out its own inquiry after the Tories published details of an internal probe into discrimination and prejudice

The MCB, which represents mosques, schools and charitable associations, has accused the ruling party of attempting to 'hide' what it claims are 'hundreds of incidences of Islamophobic bigotry' committed by members.

MCB general-secretary Harun Khan said: 'We have previously described the Conservative Party's attitude to Islamophobia as one of denial, dismissal and deceit.

'The publication of the terms of reference for its inquiry reflects that regrettable attitude. They are a facade to hide the hundreds of incidences of Islamophobic bigotry we have identified in its ranks.

'In sum, it seems even today, the Conservative Party refuses to acknowledge that there can be bigotry and prejudice directed at Muslims.'

According to the UK's main Muslim umbrella group, the Tory probe simultaneously limits the focus by examining only the way complaints are handled, and broadens the inquiry to include all - not just anti-Islamic - cases of discrimination.

Boris Johnson said he would examine allegations within the party having come under attack for writing that Muslim women wearing burkas 'look like letter boxes'

The MCB has accused Lord Goldsmith (left) and MP Sally-Ann Hart (right) of Islamophobia

Muslim Labour MP slams party's 'embarrassing' decision to suspend equality champion Trevor Phillips for 'Islamophobia' after he voiced concerns about Asian grooming gangs - as he claims he's victim of Corbynista revenge Labour MPs voiced fury over the suspension of ex-equalities watchdog Trevor Phillips - accusing Corbynistas of 'weaponising' Islamophobia allegations as an act of revenge. The anti-racism campaigner, who previously chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, faces an investigation and could be expelled from the party. He was among a group of 24 public figures who last year declared their refusal to vote for the Labour Party because of its association with anti-Semitism. However, Mr Phillips revealed he is now being investigated over past comments, some of which date back years, including remarks on Pakistani Muslim men sexually abusing children in northern British towns. He stood by his remarks today, blaming 'gangsterism' and suggesting he was a victim of 'payback' after criticising the leadership's handling of anti-Semitism cases. Labour backbencher Khalid Mahmood branded the charges 'outlandish'. Advertisement

It has also criticised the party's decision not to adopt an all party parliamentary group definition of Islamophobia like other parties.

The organisation handed its first document to the EHRC in May last year, providing details of about 150 people which it believed had displayed Islamophobia or made anti-Islamic or anti-Muslim comments. It renewed calls for the watchdog to investigate when it submitted a document in this March which swelled to include double the number of original claims.

Among the examples submitted to the Tories was Lord Goldsmith, a former 2016 London mayoral candidate accused of linking Muslim politician Sadiq Khan to extremism. Lord Goldsmith said he does not have a 'racist bone in his body'.

Anthony Browne, MP for South Cambridgeshire, apologised after he was listed for questioning the loyalty of Muslims to Britain when responding to the concerns of Muslim leaders about the UK's involvement in the Iraq War.

And Tory MP Sally-Ann Hart was placed under investigation by the party for sharing a post claiming the Women's March had been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood for a 'Muslim agenda'.

Amanda Milling, co-chairwoman of the party, said yesterday Prof Singh would soon be taking evidence after finalising the inquiry's terms. He will be looking at the nature and extent of complaints, any related complaints of harassment and/or victimisation, and how the party has investigated and dealt with such complaints, the Tories said.

MP Ms Milling said: 'The Conservative Party will never stand by when it comes to prejudice and discrimination of any kind.

'It is why we are committed to this investigation, to ensure that any abuse that is not fit for public life is stamped out.'

Prof Singh said: 'I'm happy that the terms of reference for the investigation have been agreed and I will now begin work on the next stage of the investigation.'

Labour MP Afzal Khan, vice-chair of the all party parliamentary group on British Muslims, said: '(The government) has let down the British Muslim community at every turn and their recent publication of the terms of reference for its inquiry demonstrates that they do not take Islamophobia seriously'.

Meanwhile, the EHRC is carrying out an investigation into anti-Semitism within the Labour Party, with results expected later this year.
Kathmandu, May 13

Amidst demands that the government tighten border security measures so as to avoid any kind of encroachment incidents in the future, the government on Wednesday established a border outpost in Chhangaru of Kalapani region in Darchula district.

The move follows Indias encroachment of the region as it recently inaugurated a link road to Manasarovar to go through the Nepali land.

The Armed Police Force established its BOP in Chhangaru in the presence of the forces border security department chief, AIG Narayan Babu Thapa on Wednesday. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapas security advisor Indra Jit Rai among other officials were also present on the occasion.

Currently, we are deploying 25 personnel there, an APF official says, adding, We are yet to supply sufficient logistic equipment for them.

The BOP is around 12 km away from the core Kalapani region. APF Inspector Lili Bahadur Chandu will lead the station.

Currently, the BOP has been stationed at a rented house. The APF says it will construct its own building there soon.

Earlier on Monday, Minister for Foreign Affairs, had promised a parliamentary committee to establish the BOP in the region in the next few days.
The European Union has unveiled its plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer holidays after months of coronavirus confinement in hopes of resurrecting Europes battered tourism industry.

Around 150,000 people have died across Europe since the virus surfaced in northern Italy in February, but with the spread of the disease tapering off, people in many countries are cautiously venturing out of confinement to return to work and some schools are reopening.

A question on the minds of people, tour operators and the thousands of small businesses that depend on the tourism industry is whether the summer months this year will be reduced to a home-style staycation.

We propose new guidance on how to safely resume travel and reboot Europes tourism in 2020 and beyond.Tourism is vital to the Single Market as well as a key contributor to the EU's economic, social and cultural way of life. More in the thread  #StrongerTogether #EUtourism  European Commission  #UnitedAgainstCoronavirus (@EU_Commission) May 13, 2020

European Commission executive vice-president Margrethe Vestager told reporters: This is not going to be a normal summer, not for any of us. But when we all work together, and we all do our part then we dont have to face a summer stuck at home or a complete lost summer for the European tourist industry.

In a series of guidelines, the European Commission laid out its advice for lifting ID checks on hastily closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels to reassure clients.

Story continues

But a big question remains: will the countries of the worlds biggest trading bloc follow the advice?

Faced with a disease about which much is still unknown, national capitals have tended to go it alone, and they  not the commission  have the final say over health and security matters.

The commissions over-arching advice is that EU countries with similar rates of coronavirus infections and comparably strong health care systems should begin lifting border measures between each other. Tourists from outside Europe cannot enter until at least June 15.

(PA Graphics)

The move comes amid deep concern that Europes ID check-free travel zone  the 26-country Schengen Area  is being strangled by controls, further harming virus-ravaged economies by limiting the movement of goods, services and people that are essential to business.

On Wednesday, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that from Friday 15 there will only be random checks at the German border, and from June 15 the border will be opened again.

He said his government is looking to do the same with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and neighbouring countries in eastern Europe, provided the infection numbers allow it.

Even with restrictions easing, social distancing rules would apply, and the EC is recommending that robust disease monitoring measures are put in place  including good testing capacity and contact tracing  so that people have the confidence to return to hotels and camping sites abroad.

With airlines and travel operators buckling under a liquidity crisis after governments ordered the cancellation and grounding of many flights and limits on public life, the commission is hoping for a greater use of air travel vouchers, which would be more flexible than tickets and could limit the need for refunds.

That would save time for consumers and spare airlines and operators the cost of refunds in some cases.

Vouchers would be protected against the company going bankrupt, and valid for at least a year, with trips remaining refundable if the vouchers are not redeemed. The vouchers would also be transferable to another traveller, under the guidelines.

Tourism-reliant Greece, which handled coronavirus better than most of its partners but whose economy had already been severely weakened by its debt crisis, has thrown its weight behind the commission plan, and is calling for the resumption of travel between EU countries by June 15.

It says prospective travellers should be tested three days before departure.

A beach south west of Athens (Yorgos Karahalis/AP)

Greece is allowing the reopening of some beaches on Saturday when a heatwave is expected.

The Civil Protection Agency said the measure will affect 515 beaches, where shade umbrellas must be planted at least four metres apart, and a maximum of 40 people will be allowed per 1,000 square metres of beach.

German foreign minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but did not specify when. Germanys warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.

It will certainly be possible to lift the travel warning earlier for Europe than for other destinations  so long as the current positive trend in many countries solidifies, he said. Freedom to travel is part of the foundation of the European project, but in times of corona, Europe must ensure more: the freedom to travel safely.

The border shutdowns have hit the travel industry hard. German-based tour and hotel operator Tui said on Wednesday that it expects to cut thousands of jobs due to the pandemic.

Tui said it was prepared for a resumption and its first hotels on the German coast would reopen in the coming days. It also sees the possibility of offering holidays in Spains Balearic islands and in Greece starting in July, the German news agency dpa reported.

As long as new infections remain relatively low, there is no reason why one shouldnt be able to travel there, chief executive Fritz Joussen said, but local companies and hotels need to be open.

Norway said on Wednesday it was opening its borders to people from other European countries who have a residence there or have family they want to visit.

Justice minister Monica Maeland said Norway, which is not an EU member, is opening up for EU citizens, seasons workers and people from the UK, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
(Bloomberg) -- An army of bot accounts linked to an alleged Chinese government-backed propaganda campaign is spreading disinformation on social media about coronavirus and other topics, including an exiled businessman, according to a London-based researcher.

The accounts have been used to promote content attacking critics of the Chinese government and to spread conspiracy theories blaming the U.S. for the origins of virus, according to Benjamin Strick, who specializes in analyzing information operations on social media websites.

Between April 25 and May 3, Strick said he identified more than 1,000 accounts on Twitter that were associated with the Chinese disinformation effort, as well as more than 50 different pages on Facebook. He estimated that 300 or 400 new Twitter accounts were joining the network each day, as part of the Chinese campaign.

The network has evolved and is still growing, said Strick, in an interview. I believe its a state-backed Chinese campaign.

Stricks work is the latest research suggesting China has ramped up disinformation around the coronavirus, to dilute their own culpability and shift blame elsewhere, although some have cast doubt on certain findings or suggested they may warrant further investigation.

In research published last week on the investigative website Bellingcat, Strick described the operation as a well-structured information campaign that was working in a coordinated way to skew the narrative around varying topics, and to push set agendas.

The operation bears some of the same hallmarks as a network of 900 accounts that Twitter uncovered in August last year, which the company identified as a significant state-backed information operation focused on the situation in Hong Kong, operated from mainland China.

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika Inc., said the accounts identified by Strick appeared to be linked to a network known as Spamouflage Dragon, which was previously identified promoting attacks on Hong Kong protesters by using hijacked and fake accounts on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

Story continues

In a September 2019 report, Graphika described Spamouflague Dragon as an active and prolific, but ultimately low-impact, cross-platform political spam network, whose actions appeared designed to support the Chinese government and discredit its critics, both at home and abroad.

Completely Unfounded

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday called reports of a Chinese disinformation campaign completely unfounded.

China opposes disinformation, ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters at a regular briefing in Beijing. As to Chinese officials opening accounts on Twitter and other social media platforms, the purpose is to better communicate with the world and introduce Chinas situation and policies. We want to strengthen communication and exchange with the outside world to enhance our mutual understanding.

A Twitter Inc. spokesperson said in a statement that it was working to pro-actively monitor the platform to identify attempts at platform manipulation and mitigate them.

If we identify information campaigns on our service that we can reliably attribute to state-backed activity either domestic or foreign-led, we will disclose them, the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Facebook Inc. said the company had removed the accounts identified by Strick on the grounds that they were promoting spam.

Strick said many of the accounts were focused on attacking Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese businessman, now based in the U.S., who is a fierce critic of the ruling Communist Party government. The accounts were also promoting baseless claims linking vaping and Covid-19, as well as amplifying conspiracy theories about biosecurity incidents in the U.S. under the hashtags #coronavirus and #TruthAboutCovid.

The accounts also promoted content that included criticism of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Many of the accounts on Twitter, he said, had Chinese names and posted content in both English and Chinese, while other accounts in the network used Russian account names written in the Cyrillic alphabet, possibly to deflect attribution of the accounts away from China.

On May 8, the U.S. State Departments Global Engagement Center said it had identified a new network of inauthentic accounts on Twitter, which it said we created with the intent to amplify Chinese propaganda and disinformation. It isnt clear if the accounts were the same ones identified by Strick.

Lea Gabrielle, coordinator of the Global Engagement Center, said that China was adopting Russian-style disinformation techniques to sow confusion and to try to convince people that Covid-19 didnt originate in China. That trend, she said, had escalated between March and May.

Beijing has engaged in an aggressive information campaign to try and reshape the global narrative around Covid, said Gabrielle. Its doing this in attempt to make the world see China as the global leader in the response rather than the source of the pandemic.

Twitter, however, cast doubt on the State Departments claim, saying an initial review of 5,000 accounts found no indication the accounts were unduly deferential or supportive of Chinese positions.

Vanessa Molter, a graduate research assistant at the Stanford Internet Observatory, said more evidence is needed to confirm covert Chinese government-backed information operations on social media platforms. Confirmation would require internal information, such as IP addresses of specific accounts, which isnt publicly available to analyze. At the very least, she said, its clear we are seeing significant patriotic trolling from Chinese accounts.

More obvious was an overt propaganda campaign from Chinese state media on social media, she said. The countrys organizations such as China Central Television and China Global Television Network have been promoting content on Facebook, she said, through hundreds of paid advertisements that have lauded the Chinese governments response to the pandemic.

In research published in March, Molter concluded that the Chinese government had used its state media apparatus to control and the narrative and deflect blame since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, domestically and abroad.

Elsa Kania, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said Chinas information operations had expanded in scope in recent years, though it was difficult to assess their impact and efficacy.

Evidently, Beijing has observed and started to leverage lessons learned from Russias exploitation of social media, said Kania. We might expect to see these efforts become more targeted and prevalent going forward.

(Updates with comment from Facebook in 14th paragraph.)

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A toddler was one of the three people hospitalized late Tuesday night after an alleged intoxicated driver crashed into another vehicle head-on, police said.

San Antonio police were called to Interstate 35 and SW Military Highway just before 11:30 p.m. for the two vehicle collision. A man in a grey Mazada van was driving the wrong way down the main lanes of the highway when he crashed into a Dodge caravan carrying a family of five, police said.
RTHK: US bill vows sanctions over virus probe, HK arrests

US Republican senators have proposed legislation that would empower President Donald Trump to slap sanctions on China if Beijing does not give "full accounting" for the coronavirus outbreak and certify that Hong Kong activists arrested recently have been released.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump and a co-sponsor of the bill, said he was convinced that had it not been for "deception" by China's ruling Communist Party, the virus would not be in the United States, where it has now killed more than 80,000 Americans.

Graham said China had refused to allow investigators to study how the outbreak started and added in a statement: "Im convinced China will never cooperate with a serious investigation unless they are made to do so."

"China refuses to allow the international community to go into the Wuhan lab to investigate," said Graham. "I'm convinced China will never cooperate with a serious investigation unless they are made to do so."

The legislation will give Trump 60 days to certify to Congress that China has provided a full accounting on the Covid-19 outbreak to an investigation that could be led by the United States and its allies, or a United Nations body like the World Health Organisation.

It would also require certification that China had closed all "wet markets" that can expose humans to health risks, and had released all Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates arrested in post-pandemic crackdowns.

Without certification, Trump would be authorised under the legislation to impose sanctions like asset freezes, travel bans and visa revocations, as well as restricting Chinese businesses' access to US bank financing and capital markets.

"The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this pandemic," said Senator Jim Inhofe, another co-sponsor of the "Covid-19 Accountability Act.

"Their outright deception of the origin and spread of the virus cost the world valuable time and lives as it began to spread," he said in a statement. (AFP, Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2020-05-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 02:08:02|Editor: huaxia

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A pedestrian wearing a face mask walks on a street in Cairo, Egypt, on May 12, 2020. Egypt's total number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 10,093 after 347 new infections were recorded on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

CAIRO, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's total number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 10,093 after 347 new infections were recorded on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 11 patients died from the novel coronavirus on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 544, said Khaled Megahed, the spokesman for Egyptian Health Ministry, in a statement.

Egypt also witnessed a daily record of recoveries as 154 patients were cured and discharged from hospitals, increasing the total recoveries to 2,326, he said.

In an earlier statement on the occasion of the International Nurses Day, which is celebrated worldwide on May 12 every year, Megahed praised the efforts and sacrifices made by Egyptian nurses during the country's fight against COVID-19 pandemic, calling them "Egypt's white army."

Earlier in the day, Egyptian President Abel-Fattah al-Sisi expressed appreciation and respect for the nurses on their international day, hailing "the precious sacrifices they make for the sake of the noble human message they perform earnestly and honorably, particularly during this difficult stage."

Over the past week, the Egyptian government started to ease restrictions and reopen services and offices that have been suspended since mid-March, within a "coexistence plan" to carry out anti-coronavirus precautionary measures while resuming services, businesses and economic activities.

The most populous Arab country is currently implementing a nationwide nine-hour nighttime curfew that will continue throughout the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Enditem
New COVID-19 Test, Trace and Protect strategy for Wales outlined

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

A new strategy for testing the general public and tracing the spread of coronavirus in Wales has been outlined  including increasing testing capacity to 20,000 a day.

The Welsh Government says mass testing and technology will be at the heart of the new Test, Trace and Protect strategy, which will help Wales move to the next stage of the response to the virus.

The plan includes increasing testing of critical workers, a new system of home testing for the public if they COVID-19 symptoms and a new app to track symptoms in the general population and contact others who have symptoms or have tested positive.

Currently testing capacity stands at around 5,000 tests a day in Wales, yesterday saw just 1,087 tests carried out.

There are six drive-through testing centres  including one in Llandudno  eight mobile units and a number of community testing centres throughout Wales.

According to the new plan, capacity will be increased by up to 20,000 tests a day, this will be achieved by drawing on a UK-wide scheme, as the Test, Trace, Protect strategy is implemented.

On the Test, Trace and Protect plan, health minister Vaughan Gething said: At a national level, Welsh Government will lead and provide strategic direction, including using developing scientific advice to inform our response.

Public Health Wales will provide national co-ordination, advice and support on contact tracing methods and priorities, which will ensure that we have robust all Wales standards and comprehensive guidance for how contact tracing should operate. The health minister said.

NHS Wales Informatics Service (NWIS) will deliver a single digital platform for contact tracing across Wales.

This will allow people to simply and quickly report their contacts, supporting contact tracing teams to work effectively, and providing real-time intelligence across the whole of Wales on the coverage of the disease, how quickly it is spreading, and where there are hotspots of infection. Mr Gething said.

Contact tracing will be delivered regionally with Local Health Boards and local authorities working in partnership along with other public services to deploy contact tracing teams.

Mr Gething said: This will help to speed up contact tracing activity, and to identify new trends or local clusters of the disease as early as possible.

A new UK-wide smartphone app will be launched, it will anonymously track when two devices using the app are close together.

This differs from the NHS contact tracing app currently being used on the Isle of Wight as part of the UK government trial in England.

The proximity tracking is different to contact tracing, because it does not record any personal or location details. Mr Gething said.

The app aims to help manage the spread of the disease, for example as an early warning system which works more quickly than contact tracing, and by sending an anonymous alert to strangers who would not be reported through contact tracing.

Mr Gething said: We all want to be able to return to normal life as quickly as possible and to ease restrictions further  the science will guide us about when that happens.

Our Test, Trace, Protect strategy will be a key element in helping us do that by enabling us to quickly identify people with coronavirus symptoms; to identify any new hotspots and to isolate as many contacts as possible.

The Minister added: We have to learn to live with the virus. This approach will help people understand whether they have been exposed to the virus so they can limit their exposure to others. This will help us to prevent infection and track the virus as restrictions are eased.

The public will be our most important partners. It is only through their willingness to report their symptoms, identify their contacts and follow the advice to self-isolate if they have symptoms that we will be able to control the spread of coronavirus.

The strategy has been welcomed by the Welsh Conservatives, with Shadow Health Minister Angela Burns MS describing it as long overdue.

Angela Burns MS said: However, the devil will be in the detail, and at the moment, this announcement is more of an outline, rather than a definitive plan.

I also welcome, cautiously, the Ministers pledge to increase testing to 10,000 tests a day. Again, significantly increased testing is something that I and my Welsh Conservatives have been demanding for weeks.

And yet, we have been given testing targets in Wales before, with 5,000 a day pledged by the end of April, which we know was not achieved. Even as recently as yesterday, figures were released indicating that just a fifth [1,193] of daily testing capacity [5,300] is being realised.

Targets, if set, must be met, and until this new  and hopefully not over-ambitious  target of 10,000 is reached consistently, then its little more than a pipe dream.

Full details on the Test, Trace and Protect strategy can be found here: https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-html
An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Mumbai police died due to Covid-19, an official said on Tuesday.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

With this, five personnel of the Mumbai police have died due to the viral infection so far, while the fatality tally in the state force has gone up to eight.

The deceased ASI was posted at the Sewree Police Station and was undergoing treatment after testing positive for the infection, he said.

The Maharashtra police tweeted about the death of the ASI through their official Twitter handle.
Julian Staib

Political correspondent for Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland with its headquarters in Wiesbaden.

F. A. Z. Twitter

The major airports in New York, Frankfurt and Heathrow are for 75 percent of the global disease spread responsible. The more flight connections from and to the airport is, the better it can spread the disease. However, the Transmission is hardly on the plane. As an example: at the beginning of February, the first returnees from Wuhan arrived with a military machine in Frankfurt. 126 people who all came through the Exits, Screening of the Chinese. They were examined upon arrival, it was taken smears. After that, you were in quarantine to Germersheim. It turned out to be: Two persons were tested positive, even if they were largely symptom-free. However, no Transmission in an airplane took place. It had worn a mouth-nose protection.

distance in the plane is impossible for the people sitting there, still close. And when you do not eat mouth, can be worn nose guard.

Still, the risk of Infection is extremely low. This also has to do with the ventilation systems in airplanes, which are exorbitantly better than all the other means of transport. The filters more than 99 percent of the germs out. The end of the seventies there was the case that a plane had to make a stop in Alaska. The filter system has been switched off, people had to long endure in the plane. A Person was sick with the flu, and then had become infected, 75 percent of the passengers.

do you Have any concerns, now, if the people are sitting back tightly in holiday flyers?

no, because I have no concerns. The masks and the filter systems are good. Difficult when flying, the Queue at the counter, at the security checks as they arrive, you are much more likely. But the plane is in this Phase, a safe means of travel. The Transmission in the country is much more important, see the cases about now, in the case of Tonnies.

you have already qualified several times to the public the danger posed by the Coronavirus.

Yes. And I stand by that, although there was outrage against me. The science gives me the right. You can currently hardly speak yet of a pandemic wave in Germany. In Frankfurt there are since 1.2.2020 currently 1750 Diseased. This is compared with an Influenza virus very little. And the Coronavirus is comparable with that of a severe flu wave. The wave of Flu 2017/2018 25,000 people died nationwide. This is a completely different house number. At that time, all of the ventilation, the seats were occupied in the Frankfurt hospitals. This was not now at the Corona of the case. With the Virus, 80 percent of the people are getting on very well. Have a flu, some just a cold, others no problems. 20 percent have a real disease, probably less than one percent die. And unlike the Flu epidemic of death of young people is at best very rare.

you do not Have to worry about the second wave?

of Course it can happen. But I am very confident. Germany has an excellent public health care. In particular, the health departments have contributed to the fact that we were able to overcome this challenge as well. What is the hospital capacity, we have never at any Limit, unlike many other countries in the world. We are envied all over the world to our health care system.

Updated Date: 29 June 2020, 13:19
Under the plan, the government would allow 269 municipalities scattered over 15 states to resume most activities on Monday. These are places that have had no confirmed coronavirus cases and whose neighboring counties also have no sign of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. They represent just over 10 percent of all municipalities in Mexico.


BURBANK (dpa-AFX) - The Walt Disney Co. has reopened the first park months after it closed all theme parks across the globe to stop the spread of coronavirus.



Shanghai Disneyland, which was the first Disney theme park to shut down in late January as the virus initiated and spread across China, reopened its gates starting May 11, with controlled capacity. During the initial reopening phase, the park operates with additional safety procedures and limited attendance.



The majority of the attractions, rides, some shows and shopping and dining locations are now open, while some interactive attractions and experiences, such as children play areas, and theater shows remain closed. Parades and nighttime spectaculars will also return at a later date to accommodate social distancing.



Each day, a limited number of tickets will be available through the resort's official online channels and official travel partners during the initial phase of reopening. On-site sales will not be available.



The park has taken several measures to ensure the health and safety of guests and cast members. These include opening with limited attendance and required advanced ticketing and reservations, accommodating social distancing in queues, restaurants, ride vehicles and other facilities.



There will also be increased frequency of sanitization and disinfection, with hand sanitizers available at attractions, restaurant and stores. All are urged to wear masks while at the park.



Further, the park has suspended close interaction and close-up photos with characters during the initial phase of reopening.



Shanghai Disney Resort in early March had reopened Disneytown, Wishing Star Park and Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, implementing enhanced health and safety measures.



In the US and Europe, Disney had temporarily closed its theme parks and hotels in mid-March as the crisis worsened. The company also halted its TV and film production, closed movie theaters and delayed film releases to stop the spread of virus.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Only Poltava region managed to handle the additional payments.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed Health Minister Maksym Stepanov and chairmen of regional state administrations across the country to immediately pay a 300% increase in salaries to doctors working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.

"President Zelensky held a conference call with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Heads of Regional State Administrations, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov, and First Deputy Head of the President's Office Serhiy Trofimov on the payment of supplements to doctors who work directly with patients infected with COVID-19," the presidential press service said on May 12.

Read alsoUkraine gov't allocates almost US$586 mln to hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients  health minister

In particular, they discussed a legal conflict over the payment of supplements for March. Therefore, many regions were guided by a year 2003 order of the Social Policy Ministry, according to which supplements were calculated for hourly work. Payments for April are made according to a different formula  through signed agreements with the National Health Service of Ukraine, the press service said. To this end, emergency medical services, hub hospitals, in-patient facilities helping combat COVID-19, and mobile crews visiting patients must conclude agreements with the National Health Service of Ukraine.

"The share of concluded agreements in all four categories is currently small. And without this, it will be impossible to pay rates increased by up to 300%. Although the doctors on the front line have fully deserved it," Zelensky said.

The president instructed the health minister and the governors to discuss ways to remove the obstacles to handling the additional payments.

"Because of bureaucratic red tape, we wasted time, doctors received salaries without additional payments. This needs to be fixed. I am glad that we all understand each other and are ready to cooperate to resolve this issue," Shmyhal told the heads of the regional administrations.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 13, Ukraine's parliament amended the 2020 budget by allocating funds for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic in the country.

On April 14, Stepanov said that the funds would be spent on doctors' pay rise, the purchase of medical equipment and medicines used to treat COVID-19 patients.

On April 24, Ukraine's government endorsed a decision to increase by 300% the payments for healthcare workers involved in the treatment of coronavirus patients.

At a government meeting on May 6, the health minister accused the governors of the failure to handle additional payments in the healthcare sector, as budget subsidies worth UAH 905 million (US$33.78 million) were wired to the regions in March while the sum due to be paid to 5,435 healthcare workers was UAH 181.661 million (US$6.78 million). According to Stepanov, the local authorities started to look for ways not to pay the funds and referred to a Social Policy Ministry order dated 2003, under which doctors should be paid only for hourly work.

Yet, only Poltava region managed to handle all increased payments to COVID-19 doctors.

On May 6, Zelensky said that the governors might be stripped of their salaries or even posts if the additional fees were not paid to the healthcare workers.
[May 13, 2020] Semperis Announces $40 Million in Growth Funding After Completing Six Consecutive Profitable Quarters

Semperis, the pioneer of identity-driven cyber resilience for enterprises, today announced $40 million in Series B funding. Global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners led the round with participation from existing investors. The new investment follows Semperis completing its sixth consecutive profitable quarter, bringing total funding to $54 million. With this capital infusion, Semperis will continue to expand its global presence and accelerate hiring across all functional areas. Semperis also announced that Teddie Wardi, Managing Director at Insight Partners, and Charlie Federman, Partner at SilverTech Ventures, will be joining its board of directors. "Across every industry, companies are waking up to the fact that ransomware can literally shut off the lights and end their business if recovery isn't swift and secure," said Wardi. "With ransomware damages projected to reach $20 billion by 2021, Semperis is filling an enormous gap, especially for organizations that can't tolerate lengthy outages or degraded service. We're thrilled to partner with the team and help them scale." Semperis partners with government agencies and Global 2000 enterprises to empower comprehensive protection for their directory services on-premises and in the cloud. With Semperis, organizations can continuously monitor their directories for security vulnerabilities, intercept cyber-attacks in progress, and quickly respond to breaches and operational errors. "This funding event marks a significant milestone for Semperis, and we're proud to have such an elite group of investors joining us in our mission," said Mickey Bresman, CEO, Semperis. "Cybersecurity programs, big and small, are on the front lines of a new war that has virtually no boundaries and no rules of engagement. If you think about hospitals that can't access their systems to save a life, or cities that get held hostage, we have a responsibility to help organizations take back control. That's what drives us." As the gatekeeper to critical applications and data, Microsoft (News - Alert) Active Directory (AD) has become a prime target for widespread attacks that have crippled businesses in recent years. The most destructive attack to date, NotPetya, wrought $10 billion in total damages in 2017 according to White House officials. Like many high-profile companies impacted by NotPetya, the world's largest shipping firm, Maersk, spent over a week manually recovering its Active Directory.



"NotPetya ushered in an entirely new era of cyberwarfare and AD is in its crosshairs," Bresman added. As reported, Maersk emphasized that nine days for an AD recovery isn't good enough. Because if you can't recover AD, then you can't repair anything else and business halts. Organizations must be able to safely automate AD recovery even if host servers are infected or wiped out." In 2019, Semperis introduced a cyber-first approach to disaster recovery for Active Directory. The company's patented technology fully automates the Active Directory recovery process, avoids human errors, reduces downtime to minutes instead of days or even weeks, and eliminates the risk of malware reinfection.

"Semperis is a mission-driven company uniquely positioned to not only help organizations prevent costly downtime, but also to curb the funding of evil," said Edward Amoroso, founder and CEO, TAG Cyber. While COVID-19 is disrupting many aspects of daily living, it's not slowing down the work of nation-state hackers and cybercriminals. When organizations can say 'no' to blackmail and ransom demands, we're all safer." Headquartered in New York City, Semperis' team of identity experts and Microsoft MVPs bring vast experience building and operating world-class cybersecurity programs. For more information, visit www.semperis.com or follow Semperis on Twitter (News - Alert) @SemperisTech. About Semperis Semperis is the pioneer of identity-driven cyber resilience for cross-cloud and hybrid environments. The company provides cyber preparedness, incident response, and disaster recovery solutions for enterprise directory services-the keys to the kingdom. Semperis' patented technology for Microsoft Active Directory protects over 40 million identities from cyberattacks, data breaches, and operational errors. Semperis is headquartered in New York City and operates internationally, with its research and development team distributed between San Francisco and Tel Aviv. Semperis hosts the award-winning Hybrid Identity Protection conference. The company has received the highest level of industry accolades; most recently being named Best Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery Solution by SC Magazine's 2020 Trust Awards. Semperis is accredited by Microsoft and recognized by Gartner (News - Alert). About Insight Partners Insight Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm investing in high-growth technology and software ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. Founded in 1995, Insight Partners has invested in more than 400 companies worldwide and has raised through a series of funds more than $30 billion in capital commitments. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Across its people and its portfolio, Insight encourages a culture around a belief that ScaleUp companies and growth create opportunity for all. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit www.insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005201/en/

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The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has exposed the world to many of its deficiencies, and Africa is not left out.

The spread has also ignited a lot of creativity and ingenuity across the globe to not only find a vaccine or a perfect treatment but also provide an adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and other essential goods needed to fight the virus.

Ghana has not been left out in this outburst of creativity and local production of essential goods and PPEs. In fact, many alcohol and pharmaceutical companies have ensured alcohol base hand sanitizers have not been run out.

Face masks, overalls, and scrubs used by health workers have also been heavily produced locally thanks to support from the government. Plans are far advanced for rapid test kits and ventilators produced locally to be made in large quantities to support the fight in-country.

One of such local companies that is contributing towards the COVID-19 fight is 3Dinkra Company limited. The company which is based in Tema, the port city of Accra, Ghanas capital is using its expertise in 3D printing to produce ventilator parts and face shields for frontline health workers and hospitals in the country.

Face Shield Production

The company led by Benjamin Obeng, 23, together with Theophilus Nutsuglo, Benjamin Asare, and Stephen Kabore are currently producing a minimum of 80 face shields a day with the target of producing a minimum of 10,000 in five months.

In an interview with Benjamin Obeng, he noted that although he was based in New York, USA, he recognized ahead of time that should the pandemic reach Ghana, his home country, it will be difficult to get adequate PPEs considering that even America and the entire world was experiencing shortages of essentials for fighting COVID-19.

To this end, he mobilized to ramp-up his 3D printing lab in Tema with additional 3D printing machines. As I anticipated, at the time Ghana recorded its case in March, the WHO alerted that PPE was in short supply, hence countrys should consider local production and judicious use to ensure frontline workers have enough to deal with the virus during treatment.

Due to cost of getting a bigger space, Mr. Obeng assembled the equipment in his house to ensure he cuts costs and is able to provide services to other small to medium enterprises to shorten the supply chain process in the production of specific items and equipment, including PPEs like the face shields.

With a team of five (All below 25 years old) all of whom are engineers, they developed prototypes and perfected them to meet the requirements as directed by doctors and nurses at Ghanas biggest hospital, Korle-Bu Teaching hospital and other private hospitals in the country.

Supply to Hospitals

Four weeks after arriving at a perfect design, about 80 face shields have been produced daily for both public and private hospitals who only pay for the cost of the material product if they can, Mr. Obeng noted.

He stressed that the decision to only take the material cost from the hospitals is our way of ensuring our health workers are safe to keep us all safe.

He said although the team hopes to keep doing this till COVID-19 is totally defeated in the country, 

our supplies can only last us six months. To this end, 3Dinkra Limited welcomes support from the government, donors, and other partners to increase daily production and sustain production until COVID-19 is defeated.

Ventilator Connectors

The team has also developed a prototype ventilator connector meant to split both the inflow and outflow air into four separate parts. This simple but essential device will allow one ventilator to serve four patients at a time, thereby cutting cost and maximizing the use of ventilators, he explained.

The team is welcoming any support for clinical testing of the ventilator connector for mass production to give COVID-19 patients in critical conditions access to the very limited ventilators the country has.

Appeal

The quality and efficiency of the 3Dinkra face shields have increased considerably as six major hospitals have put in requests. This surge in demand is draining the materials used in production. To this end, we are appealing to government, donors and investors to come on board so together we can meet the demand and also export to other African countries in need.

3Dinkra is looking to break barriers in the automative and jewelry industry. We hope to add value to the gold industry for example by allowing world-class moulds to be created here using the 3D printing technology, Mr. Obeng envisaged.

They are currently fundraising to produce more for those hospitals who struggle to pay for ventilators and PPE:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/3d-printing-support-to-fight-covid-19-in-ghana?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link-tip&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
A girl looks at the National Monument as smog covers Indonesias capital city of Jakarta, July 4, 2019.

Child protection and womens rights activists in Indonesia on Wednesday condemned the gruesome murder of a 16-year-old girl, who was allegedly slain by her brothers in what is being described as a case of honor killing.

The victim of the attack, identified as Rosmini, was killed last Saturday after she told her family about having had sex with a relative, police in South Sulawesi province said.

She was allegedly stabbed many times by her brothers, Rahman bin Darwis, 30, and Suprianto bin Darwis, 20, with a machete and a spear at their home in Bantaeng regency, police said.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) called for the maximum punishment for those responsible in the girls killing.

Violence is certainly different from upholding family honor. We ask that the perpetrators be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and be sentenced to life, said Jasra Putra, KPAI commissioner for civil rights and child participation.

Rosminis two siblings are in custody and have been charged as suspects in her murder, Bantaeng police said.

Before she was killed, she admitted to have had sexual relations with a cousin, Sandri Ersha, a spokesman for police in the regency, told BenarNews, adding that the familys feeling of shame led to the alleged attack.

At first the family thought Rosmini was a victim of sorcery, because no man wanted to marry her, Sandri said.

After the killing, the suspects attacked the cousin and two other men who were passing by their house, police alleged. Following a two-hour negotiation with police, the family finally released the three men who were injured.

Bantaeng police chief Wawan Sumantri said the brothers were charged with premeditated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted.

Investigators are still questioning them, Wawan told BenarNews.

Sitti Ramlah, who heads the Office for Womens Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) in Bantaeng, said the family had not revealed the circumstances that led to the killing.

They are still hysterical. A doctor said Rosminis mother was depressed because of the events, Sitti told BenarNews. We have not been able to question them further.

KPAIs Jasra said violence against children in traditional settings remained a concern.

There are still many cases of child violence for customary reasons, including in Bantaeng where child marriages are prevalent. The government has not been able to curb such practices, Jasra told BenarNews.

At least 1,728 cases of violence against children that involved religious or cultural motives occurred nationwide between 2011 and 2019, according to data from KPAI. Indonesia does not appear to keep statistics on honor killings.

Siti Aminah Tardi, a member of the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan), said the attack that took Rosminis life underscored the need to end gender- and honor-based violence.

This is an honor or shame killing. This cant be separated from the patriarchal culture that places women as a source of morality in society, Siti told BenarNews.

Details of the alleged sexual relations have not been revealed fully. Was the girl dating his cousin or was she sexually assaulted, asked Siti, adding that Rosminis cousin, who is 45, could be prosecuted under the child protection law if he had sex with her.

Sex with a minor aged 17 years or younger is a crime in Indonesia.
Hugo, who now lives in Columbia, Md., contacted me after reading last weeks column about the three new bells cast in the Netherlands that will take their place  probably next year  in the restored carillon. While the bells were installed in their permanent home near Arlington National Cemetery in 1960, they had been shipped over years earlier. (For a while, they were erected in the polo field in West Potomac Park.)
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The United Kingdoms plans to launch a smartphone application to track potential COVID-19 infections wont include Apple and Google.

The countrys National Health Service has designed its own mobile software to do contact tracing of people exposed to the coronavirus, the BBC reported Monday.

The NHS reportedly found that its own tech, which runs in the background on Apples iPhone, works sufficiently well.

One hangup with some contact tracing apps is that they work only when a phone is active and the app is running in the foreground, which can sap battery life.

The NHS app conserves battery life by waking up the software in the background when a phone encounters another phone running the app.

However, the Apple-Google engine may conserve even more power, because it doesnt have to wake up link to another device running it.

Apple and Google earlier this month released APIs to help developers, including nation states, create contact tracing apps for the Exposure Notification system theyre collaborating on.

The companies plan to incorporate the system into future versions of their mobile operating systems, iOS and Android.

Centralization vs. Decentralization

With its app, the NHS chose a centralized model for its data collection and storage.

When the app senses another version of itself on a phone it makes note of it and sends the information to an NHS computer server. If someone using the program tests positive for COVID-19, that information is sent to the server, which then alerts every app user who had contact with the person of their exposure to the virus.

Apple and Google have set up a decentralized framework for their mobile contact tracing solution.

As with the NHS app, when phones running a tracing app are within proximity of each other, they exchange information in the form of a key code. Users let the app know when they become infected.

The app then updates an online database with the codes of the contacts of the infected person. That database is downloaded to phones periodically so users of the app are kept current about whether theyve been exposed to the virus.

Apple and Google say their decentralized method preserves an individuals privacy better than a centralized method. They contend that the method makes it more difficult for a hacker or the state to track individuals and their social interactions, because data is stored on their phone and doesnt leave it without the owners permission.

The NHS contends that by centralizing the data, it can obtain more insight into the spread of COVID-19, which can help it further refine its app.

Dynamic Tension

There is a tension between the NHS and Apple-Google camps, noted Alain B. Labrique, director of Johns Hopkins Universitys Global mHealth Initiative in Baltimore, Maryland.

The tension is between a centralized data repository controlled by the government and a system that makes data available only to individuals.

When data is only available to individuals, it takes away the potential for abuse, Labrique told TechNewsWorld.

In many countries theres a popular concern about giving government granular access to not just where youve been but who youve been in contact with and for how long, he said.

Protecting that kind of data during a pandemic comes with some disadvantages.

As a public health authority, the more information I have about contacts, the more capability I have to address the pandemic effectively, Labrique explained.

Not all countries are going the centralized route. Switzerland, Estonia, and Austrias Red Cross have endorsed decentralization, as has Germany, after considering a centralized approach.

Countries that are accepting the decentralized approach are also accepting a tradeoff, Labrique said. Theyre willing to sacrifice some level of control in order to get another tool out there that people can use to fight back against coronavirus.

Location Protection

The centralized approach adopted by the NHS has the potential for abuse, even though data collected by the program may be anonymized, said Omer Tene, chief knowledge officer of the International Association of Privacy Professionals in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

In a big data context such as this, even anonymized information can be attributed back to individuals, sometimes through crossing with other available databases, he told TechNewsWorld.

Under the Apple-Google approach, as well as a solution by a group of European scientists known as DP-3T, there is no central database and instead data is stored on users devices, Tene noted.

Both the NHS and the Apple-Google solution employ Bluetooth technology rather than collecting geolocation data, he pointed out. [*Correction  May 5, 2020]

Location data can be incredibly revealing and sensitive, showing where people live, work, which doctors they go to, who they associate with, and so forth, Tene continued. For contact tracing, location is not needed as its enough that two individuals were close to each other  for one of them to pass the virus on to the other.

More Nations Adopting Apps

Smartphone contact tracing apps have been rolled out in a number of countries, including China, Israel and Singapore.

Australia released its contact tracing app on Sunday. Within hours of its release, more than a million Aussies had downloaded the app.

The software, which is based on a similar program used in Singapore, uses Bluetooth wireless technology to gather data from other phones running the app when it comes within 1.5 meters (4.2 feet) of them. When someone with a phone running the software is diagnosed with COVID-19, all users of the app who had contact with the infected user for 15 minutes or more receive an alert telling them theyve been exposed to the virus.

Only state health authorities will be able to access the data gathered by the app. Not even law enforcement officers with a court order will be able to access the data. Whats more, data will be erased from the phone every 21 days, or if the app is removed from the device.

In order for the app to be effective, its estimated that 40 percent of the countrys population must use it.

The main problem is that contact tracing apps are only effective if broadly adopted and standardized, Tene said.

For example, Singapores TraceTogether app was downloaded by just 13 percent of the population, meaning that in any interaction between two random passersby theres only a 1 percent chance they both use the app, he said. Obviously thats insufficient to allow people to have confidence that their encounter with a patient will be flagged.

*ECT News Network editors note  May 5, 2020: Our original published version of this story stated the following: The NHS app has an edge over the Apple-Google solution when it comes to protecting location data, he (Tene) continued. The NHS app is based on Bluetooth proximity tracking as opposed to GPS or cellular location. That is a much more privacy friendly approach, since it doesnt require collection of geolocation data, Tene explained. Following publication of our story, Tene offered this clarification: Deploying a BT based solution is a strength of the NHS app and not a relative strength compared to the Apple-Google solution because that too is Bluetooth based.
While 33 of Oregons 36 counties had submitted plans by Wednesday to gradually lift Gov. Kate Browns stay-home order, Oregons three largest counties have yet to apply.

Some rural counties may be approved for the gradual Phase 1 reopening by May 15, but that timeline is harder for more populous urban counties to meet. Lifting of the most extreme business restrictions arent likely to come to Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties until June -- at the earliest.

Multnomah County officials said last Friday there was no firm timeline for the application, but it would take at least three weeks to hire the contact tracers required by the state to reopen.

Washington County health officials are hoping to have a final plan for their Board of Commissioners to vote on by May 19. They have targeted reopening in early to mid-June.

Clackamas County Commissioners will review a reopening plan on May 19. The county is still hiring contact tracers and officials said earlier this week that they were about two weeks out from filing an application to reopen.

Opening the three counties is an important step because they are the economic engine of the state. But county officials say it makes sense to reopen regionally, so the three may wait to reopen together. The three counties are the most densely populated, with some of the highest case counts. They are also rely on the same public transit system that needs to be prepared for a wave of increased ridership while maintaining social distancing.

Brown began accepting applications last Friday, saying her office would process them in the order they are received and will approve them in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority. Some counties could be approved to reopen as early as May 15.

Counties must meet seven criteria, including declining levels of COVID-19 hospital admissions over a 14-day period; minimum levels of testing and contact tracing capacity; adequate hospital surge capacity, quarantine facilities and personal protection equipment; and finalized sector guidelines from the state to communicate to individual businesses.

Achieving adequate levels of contact tracing is one of the most difficult requirements for some counties to meet quickly. Its a disease control method used by state and local health authorities to track the contacts a patient had while they may have been infectious. Oregon is requiring counties to have 15 trained tracers for every 100,000 population and be able to track 95% of a patients contacts within 24 hours.

With the governors approval, counties can begin to allow bars and restaurants, retail stores, outdoor recreation, salons and other personal service providers to open in phases -- provided they follow industry-specific guidance developed by the state.

MORE ON OREGON PHASE 1 REOPENING:

Guidance on: retail | restaurants and bars | salons and personal services | outdoor recreation | sporting events | large gatherings, including concerts and festivals

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Samir Ali - Trend:

Azerbaijan will be unable to open its borders till May 31, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said.

Abdullayeva made the remark at the briefing in the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, Trend reports on May 13.

"The government will make a decision on this issue after May 31, the spokesperson said. The first country with which Azerbaijan will open the borders is unknown. Perhaps, first of all, the borders will be opened with neighboring countries and then flights with other countries will be resumed."
Thomas J. Norman, a professor of management at California State University at Dominguez Hills and a faculty leader in the system, said he appreciated the flexibility built into the proposal, allowing for classes that require lab work, for example, to have some form of face-to-face instruction. Nursing is really important to me, seeing as we need nurses to fight this pandemic, Norman said, so he was glad to see an exception could be made for them to get some training in person.
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 09:37 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a43ce 1 Business Inalum,SOEMinistry,SOE-Minister,erick-thohir,global-bonds-issuance,mining Free

State-owned mining holding company PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) has issued US$2.5 billion in global bonds to refinance its older bonds and fund infrastructure projects, the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry has said.

The ministry stated in a statement on Tuesday that Inalum, which has been rebranded as MIND.ID, issued five-year bonds, 10-year bonds and 30-year bonds, with coupon rates of 4.75 percent, 5.45 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively.

This proves that international businesses still trust Indonesian SOEs, said SOEs Minister Erick Thohir in the statement.

The proceeds from the bond issuance would be used to refinance $1 billion worth of maturing debt papers. The remaining funds would be funneled into a new aluminum smelter and a coal-fired power plant, among other projects owned by the company and its subsidiaries.

Inalum follows in the footsteps of several state-owned companies, such as construction firm Hutama Karya and Bank Mandiri, that issued global bonds earlier this year. Hutama Karya raised $600 million, while Bank Mandiri raised $500 million from its global bonds.

Last year, toll road operator Jasa Marga, energy holding company Pertamina and electricity firm PLN carried out similar offerings.
West Bengal BJP president Dilip



Ghosh on Wednesday claimed that state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is criticising the economic package of Centre as money will directly reach the beneficiaries.

Banerjee herself had sought a special package of Rs 10 lakh crore for states to fight COVID-19 and the Centre came up with a Rs 20 lakh crore package, but she still is unhappy, Ghosh said.

"The true beneficiaries of the package - common people - will get the amount directly online without any intermediaries. This perhaps makes her angry as her government is not getting it," he said.

In her first reaction to the 15 measures of the economic package announced by Centre on Wednesday, Banerjee termed it as a "big zero" and said it provided nothing as far as public spending, money transfer to states, MSME and unorganized sector are concerned.

The Centre is transferring money of several central projects directly to the beneficiaries as, Ghosh alleged, the Trinamool Congress government had never provided any account for expenses made from central funds.

"The Centre will now be channelising money from the PM to DM for different projects so that it reaches the intended people. If possible, it will be done in case of midday meal scheme also in future to stop misuse of funds and prevent her party men from getting cut money," the BJP MP said.

He said the central package will help 45 lakh beneficiaries with seed money to start projects.

He alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government is not bearing 15 per cent of train fare of the migrant labourers returning to the state causing economic hardship on them.

"You (CM) are forcing the poor labourers to pay train fare from their pockets. Is that fair? You arranged two trains to bring back pilgrims of a particular community and only eight trains to bring around 12,000 of the 3 lakh stranded migrant labourers," Ghosh said.

Asked about her allegations that BJP was spreading "communal virus" in districts even during a crisis like COVID-19, he said, "Mamata Banerjee herself is fanning communalism. Her party men are inciting violence in different areas, to divert attention from her failure to contain COVID- 19, and collapse of the PDS and healthcare systems."



The TMC's nine-year rule is dotted with incidents of communal and political violence engineered by her party men for political gains, Ghosh alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States says it will monitor $32.8m it gifted Nigeria to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

This was made known on Wednesday by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, stressing that the judicious utilisation of the financial aide is important.

Speaking in a teleconference with select-journalists, Beth revealed that since the COVID-19 crisis begun, the US has committed $237m to support Africas COVID-19 response with the global interventions amounting to $2.4bn.

Read Also: UK Has Failed Woefully In Managing COVID-19: Daddy Freeze

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She added that the US not only donated ventilators to Nigeria, but that the US government has a very robust presence of the US Centre for Disease Control (CDS) and the US Aids (USAID) working closely with the Nigerian authorities to transform the countrys COVID-19 response.

We are very pleased to be making these commitments to Nigeria. We are very eager to collaborate on measures for curing, mitigating and preventing the spread of the virus, she said.
A Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) plane carrying 123 Indians, stranded in Kuwait amid the coronavirus lockdown, landed at Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport here on Wednesday night. Airport Director Aryama Sanyal said the aircraft (flight number 1461) landed here at 7.57 pm.



Health check-up of all the passengers was being carried out and their luggage was being sanitised, she said. The passengers returning home from Kuwait will be sent to Bhopal by buses where they will be kept in compulsory isolation for 14 days.



India is bringing back its citizens stranded in various countries due to the COVID-19 outbreak under "Vande Bharat Mission".
People aged between 30 and 39 have recorded the highest recovery rate from the coronavirus in Egypt, followed by those aged between 40 to 49, Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Wednesday.

The minister also said that isolation hospitals have received 59 percent of the total coronavirus cases recorded up till Tuesday this week, while hostels received 41 percent of the patients, the minister told a cabinet meeting. The average isolation period for infected cases was 11.6 days, she added.

The cost of trips repatriating Egyptian nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus between 3 and 9 May stood at EGP 28 million, she said.

The cost covered conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and rapid tests as well as offering medical services in isolation sites in the governorates of Marsa Matrouh, Cairo, the Red Sea, Damietta, Suez, Port Said, Aswan, South Sinai, Alexandria, and Giza.

Egypt has recorded 10,431 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, including 556 fatalities.

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Army chief General M M Naravane visited the forward areas of the Sapta Shakti Command in Rajasthan and Punjab on Tuesday and Wednesday, a defence spokesperson here said.

Naravane, accompanied by Sapta Shakti Army commander Lt Gen Alok Kler, visited formations in the field and reviewed their operational preparedness, he said.

He interacted with troops, and lauded them for their high morale and motivation. He also appreciated the operational preparedness of the command, the spokesperson said.

The Army chief commended the efforts of the formations in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Addressing the officers of the command, Naravane said IBGs (Integrated Battle Groups) would be made operational soon and also stressed on optimisation of funds allotted under the defence budget in view of the economic constraints due to COVID-19.

During the visit, he exhorted all ranks to continue the excellent work and to maintain the highest standards of battle readiness while ensuring force preservation to meet the emerging challenges efficiently and effectively, the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Newsham said the man struggled with officers while he was on the ground, apparently trying to stand up as officers tried to keep him lying down. The chief said officers never had the opportunity to search the man because the struggle never stopped.
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Linkedin Emma Farge (Reuters) Geneva, Switzerland  Wed, May 13, 2020 09:02 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a1904 2 World WHO,coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,pandemic,novel-coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-drugs Free

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that some treatments appear to be limiting the severity or length of the COVID-19 disease and that it was focusing on learning more about four or five of the most promising ones.

The Geneva-based WHO is leading a global initiative to develop safe and effective vaccines, tests and drugs to prevent, diagnose and treat COVID-19. The respiratory illness has infected 4.19 million people around the world, according to a Reuters tally.

"We do have some treatments that seem to be in very early studies limiting the severity or the length of the illness but we do not have anything that can kill or stop the virus," spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a briefing, referring to the body's so-called Solidarity Trial of drugs against the disease.

"We do have potentially positive data coming out but we need to see more data to be 100% confident that we can say this treatment over that one," she added, saying more research was needed and planned.

Harris did not name the treatments. Gilead Science Inc says its antiviral drug remdesivir has helped improve outcomes for COVID-19 patients.

Clinical data released last month on remdesivir raised hopes it might be an effective treatment. Several studies looking at combinations of antiviral medicines have also suggested they may help patients fight off the virus.

Results of a trial in Hong Kong released this month showed a triple drug combination of antiviral medicines helped relieve symptoms in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 infection and swiftly reduced the amount of virus in their bodies.

The trial, which involved 127 patients, compared those given the combination drug, made up of the HIV medicine lopinavir-ritonavir, the hepatitis drug ribavirin, and the multiple sclerosis treatment interferon beta, with a control group given just the HIV drug.

A malaria treatment championed by US President Donald Trump as a "game changer" in the fight against the coronavirus again failed to show a benefit in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, a study this month found.

While the study had certain limitations, doctors reported that the use of hydroxycholoquine neither lessened the need for patients requiring breathing assistance nor the risk of death.

In Geneva, the WHO official sounded a note of caution around expectations for a vaccine, saying coronaviruses in general are "very tricky viruses" that are "difficult to produce vaccines against".

More than 100 potential COVID-19 vaccines are being developed, including several in clinical trials. The WHO said in April a vaccine would take at least 12 months.

Harris said that the Americas were the current "center" of the pandemic, although she also noted rising cases in Africa. However, she said the continent had a "big advantage" over other countries with little experience of infectious disease outbreaks.

"They often have very good contact tracing infrastructure and a deep, deep, deep memory and understanding of why we take a new pathogen very, very seriously," she said, singling out South Africa for its effective testing and contact tracing.

Asked about the reasons for high case loads in the United States and Brazil, Harris said: "Around the world we have seen that the warnings we put out right from the start, very, very early on, were not seen as warnings about a very serious, lethal disease."

She restated that the WHO, which has come under criticism especially from the United States for its handling of the pandemic, would conduct an "after-action" review that would include a "free and frank" discussion on its performance.

US President Donald Trump is working to reopen the economy quickly against recommendations from health experts to move cautiously to avoid a resurgence of the virus that has so far killed more than 80,000 people in the United States, the highest death toll in the world. He said he acted early to prevent the spread of the disease.

Brazil has registered a total of 168,331 confirmed cases of the virus and 11,519 deaths, the most deadly outbreak in an emerging market nation.
By Associated Press

WELLINGTON: The raggedy hairstyles and scruffy beards have been there for all to see on video calls, so barber Conrad Fitz-Gerald decided to reopen his shop at midnight Wednesday  the moment New Zealand dropped most of its lockdown restrictions as the nation prepared itself for a new normal.

Malls, retail stores and restaurants are all reopening Thursday in the South Pacific nation of 5 million, and many people are returning to their workplaces. But most gatherings will be limited to 10 people and social distancing guidelines will remain in place.

The reopening reflects the success New Zealand has experienced in its bold goal of eliminating the virus. The country reported no new cases of the virus on Tuesday and Wednesday. More than 1,400 of the nearly 1,500 people who contracted COVID-19 have recovered, while 21 have died.

Fitz-Gerald said he'd had about 50 inquiries for midnight haircuts, but limited the initial customers to a dozen, starting with his 18-year-old son. He planned to then go home and return at 6 a.m. for another round of cuts.

People are saying their hair is out-of-control, they can't handle it anymore, he said. Lots of parents of teenage kids have been calling up, too, thinking a haircut at midnight would be a great novelty. Unfortunately, we are full up.

Fitz-Gerald said he was trying to make sure the virus couldn't spread in his shop, Cathedral Junction Barbers in Christchurch. He said he'd made his own supercharged hand sanitizer from isopropyl alcohol and also had masks available for himself and his customers on request.

Health authorities in New Zealand have recommended that barbers wear masks but haven't made it mandatory.

Most New Zealand schools will reopen Monday but bars wont reopen until May 21, a decision that was prompted in part by the experience in South Korea, which has seen a spike in coronavirus cases linked to nightclubs in Seoul.

The nation's reopening coincides with the release of the governments annual budget on Thursday afternoon.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Southern Hemisphere nation faces the most challenging economic conditions since the Great Depression.

ALSO READ | Wear a mask? Even with 20,000 dead, some New Yorkers don't

New Zealand is about to enter a very tough winter, she said. But every winter eventually is followed by spring, and if we make the right choices we can get New Zealanders back to work and our economy moving quickly again.
A commuter high on ice threatened police with a large kitchen knife before being shot in the street.

Footage showed knife-wielding Robert Hampton lunging at police after he was stopped walking at the gates of Campbelltown train station in Sydney's south-west.

Police confronted the 40-year-old, who was high on methamphetamine, for travelling without a ticket in May last year when he pulled out a 30cm kitchen knife.

CCTV obtained by Nine News shows Hampton waving the knife at the officers who then attempted to stop him with taser, but it failed to bring him down.

Officers chased Hampton, with shocking footage showing him lunging at the officers with the large knife.

The 40-year-old (pictured, in a cap) was high on methamphetamine when he took out a 30cm knife and waved it at police

An officer eventually shoots him and he is seen falling to the ground and grabbing his stomach.

Hampton was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery and remained for three months.

He now permanently wears a colostomy bag.

At his sentence hearing on Wednesday, the District Court heard that Hampton had been addicted to drugs since he was 11 years old.

'What happened to me has really woken me up,' he told the court.

'I know ice isn't the best thing for me.'

He will undergo rehab, which he has never attempted during his 30-year drug addiction.

Hampton also apologised to the officer who shot him saying he knew it was his job to arrest him and that he had 'no intention of hurting anyone'.

He will be sentenced on Friday.
Humble ISD officials said they are examining plans to reopen schools and working to secure dates for graduation and other senior activities during a virtual school board meeting on Tuesday.

While the district has already had internal conversations about the reopening of schools in August, Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen said the fate of senior events like Project Graduation may offer a glimpse into the potential for in-person learning at the start of the semester. Fagen said the district will pay close attention as the state economy reopens over the next few weeks.

CLASS OF 2020: Humble ISD outlines two potential plans to hold graduation in July

The plans would need to include procedures surrounding a confirmed case of COVID-19 on an Humble ISD campus, she said. They are also working to acquire hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment and other necessary products for when and if they come back to campus.

Fagen said that they have to create a plan to make up the required minutes or shift back to distance learning if the coronavirus causes more disruptions next year. The district is also searching for ways to have sports, wind instruments and choir while following appropriate safety measures.

It is our goal and our plan and our hope that on Aug. 11, Humble ISD returns to school, and we get to experience all the things we have loved about being together, Fagen said. However, all good and responsible leaders listen and pay attention to any kind of restrictions that may happen and begin to plan. Plan is actually quite a luxury for us, because weve been faced with hurricanes and storms and pandemics that gave us no time to plan.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Coronavirus live updates: Abbott dispatches National Guard to Texas nursing homes

Fagen said parents have already reached out to express concern about their students bringing home the virus to those in their home who are medically compromised.

Preliminary conversations with the commissioner have gone in a way that leads us to believe that the TEA will allow (some) students to stay home and begin virtual learning in the fall and will be funded students, Fagen said.

Meanwhile, the school district is trending toward July graduation plans set at Turner Stadium rather than the originally planned venue of NRG Stadium. Social distancing measures will likely prevent indoor events at NRG Stadium, Fagen said.

ELECTION CODE VIOLATIONS: Ethics Commission fines two Humble ISD Board Members

Graduation ceremonies could be held from Monday, July 20 to Saturday, July 25 at 7 p.m. for all high schools except for Quest, which will be at 9 a.m. Depending on the success of the states economic reopening, the capacity for graduations may stay at 25% or could change depending on requirements at the time.

The remainder of senior activities, including Project Graduation and senior picnics, are currently postponed. Although they are not canceled, the events may have to be modified to fit the coronavirus prevention strategies.

Were just excited that our students will be able to wear caps and gowns, and have their names called, and get a diploma cover and get that iconic photo at Turner Stadium, Fagen said. And were looking forward to that opportunity to do that.

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The May 12 virtual school board meeting was also the first for Brent Engelage, a former trustee who filled the position left when board member Angela Conrad resigned last month after moving out of the district.

Fagen welcomed Engelage back, who voted to elect her as superintendent when he was previously on the board.

I really appreciated your support when I was hired and then your ongoing support afterwards, Fagen said. So its great to have you back.

The board took time to look back on the life and work of Guy Sconzo; members spoke highly of his career with the district and sent their condolences to his family. To read more about Sonzos life, click here.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com
The pandemic is likely to make life worse for Thai fishermen as well as Vietnamese and Cambodian farmers. Restrictions resulting from the virus could limit food supply. The food security of 60 million people in the lower part of the Mekong River is in danger.

Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies)  The emergency triggered by the novel coronavirus pandemic risks aggravating the already precarious conditions of Thai fishermen as well as Cambodian and Vietnamese farmers, who have been fighting for years against Chinese dams that have disrupted the water levels of the Mekong River.

Asias third longest waterway has been a source of concern for environmentalists and experts over the continuous and sudden changes in the flow of water caused by drought and upstream hydroelectric power plants.

On several occasions Thai fishermen have complained of a plunge in catches, whilst rice farmers in Cambodia and Vietnam have had to abandon their land and move to the cities because of shrinking harvests.

Alternating typhoons and prolonged droughts have compounded the problems caused by Chinas 11 hydroelectric plants, five of which have been activated since 2017.

What is more, water levels fluctuate almost every two to three days all year, and every year, because of the dams, said Teerapong Pomun, director of the Mekong Community Institute.

According to recent estimates, the food security of 60 million people living in the lower part of the river, in what is considered Asias rice bowl, is at risk.

The United States has accused China of "stealing" the region's water. Beijing has rejected US theories and blames drought: that of 2019 was the worst ever in the past 50 years.

Vietnam has been forced to declare a state of emergency in five provinces in the Mekong Delta with farmers bearing the brunt of the situation because they have been forced to buy more fuel for water pumps, pushing up their costs.

For Zhang Hongzhou, a research fellow with Singapores S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, the situation is worrying, especially in terms of food security.

Bunleap Leang, executive director of 3S Rivers Protection Network, agrees. Farm crop yields decrease, animals die, which has a huge impact on the livelihood of people as their life depends on natural resources, he said.

Fish account for as much as 82 per cent of animal protein consumed locally. Fish cashes could drop up to 40 per cent drop through 2020 and as much as 80 per cent less by 2040.

In a report, the Mekong River Commission (MRC) expects Tonle Sap annual average fish production to fall from 350,000 to 260,000 tonnes by 2020, and to 200,000 tonnes by 2040.

Fisheries production is expected to decline substantially upstream because of the hydropower dams and their impacts on migration, habitats and primary production, the report read.

As noted by Harris Zainul, analyst at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia, the COVID-19 pandemic has made things worse for fishermen and farmers.

The virus could become a factor in the Mekong water disputes since it has prompted lockdowns in many countries, preventing farmers from getting food to markets.

Should this happen, Zainul contends the backlash against China over the pandemic could be greater than over the problems associated with the dams.
A TUI aircraft landing in the mist at Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Travel operator TUI (TUI.L) said on Wednesday that it could be forced to axe up to 8,000 jobs worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said that it was hoping to permanently reduce its cost base by 30% across the entire group, noting that it would be stronger, much leaner and more flexible after the pandemic.

TUI said that the job cuts would come from both redundancies and an overall reduction in recruitment.

The tourism industry has weathered a number of macroeconomic shocks throughout the most recent decades. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry and TUI has ever faced, it said in a statement.

Noting that a different TUI would emerge from the crisis, chief executive Fritz Joussen said that the new market environment would require cuts in investments, in costs, in our size and our presence around the world.

READ MORE: UK economy saw worst slump since 2008 even before full lockdown blow

In March, TUI had already furloughed 11,000 of its UK workers using the governments wage-subsidy scheme, including 4,500 travel agency staff and more than 6,500 pilots, cabin crew, and head office workers.

TUI typically has around 70,000 employees during the peak summer season.

The FTSE 250 (^FTMC) travel operator posted a loss of 846m (747m) in the first half of 2020, compared to 289m (255m) in the same period last year.

Since the coronavirus crisis struck, the companys balance sheet has been supported by a 1.8bn bridging loan from Germanys state-owned development bank.

But TUI said the loan must be paid back by the middle of 2022, increasing the need to reduce costs so that it can offload debt.

Joussen told journalists on Wednesday that, in spite of 70% cost reductions, TUI was still burning through cash at a rate of 250m a month.

Travel industry firms are confronting an unprecedented crisis in coronavirus, and analysts have warned that many more may collapse under the weight of the collapse in demand from travellers.

Story continues

TUI said it would engage in widespread restructuring, noting that it could defer aircraft orders and offload non-profitable business arms.

READ MORE: British Airways owner warns nothing positive for airlines in Johnson speech

The German-headquartered firm, which is also the UKs largest travel operator, nonetheless said that it stood ready to resume providing holidays, noting that it will implement social distancing and cleaning measures.

It will be targeting local holiday packagers for customers, it said. The demand for holidays is still very high. People want to travel, said Joussen.

In recent days, Willie Walsh, the chief executive of British Airways owner IAG (IAG.L), said that it could be 2023 before things returned to normal for the airline industry.

There are some people predicting that it wont be until 2026, so this will be something that we will continue to assess as we monitor the global demand, he said.
It was billed as a gesture of goodwill, a way to start improving toxic relations between Moscow and Washington as both countries battle the coronavirus. But the shipment of ventilators and other supplies was plagued by confusion and mixed messages from the start.



Was it humanitarian aid? Was it a purchase of equipment that the United States was capable of manufacturing itself? Who paid for it? Did anyone realize that the Russian companies involved might fall under U.S. Treasury Department sanctions? Was the Kremlin seeking a propaganda victory? Was it mocking the United States?



Now it turns out that the 45 ventilators were never used in the United States -- and some of them were the same model that may have caused fires that killed several COVID-19 patients in Russia, prompting Russian regulators to issue an unusual suspension order for their use at a time when such machines are badly needed.



From the beginning, the shipment was portrayed by the Kremlin as a magnanimous gesture. State media broadcast stories about it, including footage of the Antonov cargo jet being loaded with boxes, printed with the words "From Russia With Love." Along with the ventilators came masks, gloves, and other medical supplies.



Russia's ambassador to the United States called it a "humanitarian mission."



"We are sure that the U.S., if necessary, will also assist us and we will gladly accept the aid. Without any politicization," Anatoly Antonov said in a Facebook post.

A day after the shipment arrived in New York City, U.S. President Donald Trump praised his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and was asked about whether he feared it could be seen as a propaganda ploy.



"I'm not concerned about Russia and propaganda, not even a little bit," Trump told reporters at the White House on April 2. "There is a lot of medical, very high-quality stuff that I've accepted. It may save a lot of lives and I will take it every day."

But further questions arose when the U.S. State Department contradicted Russian officials, saying that in fact the supplies were not a donation but a purchase. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova then added another wrinkle, confirming the shipment was a purchase but that Washington and Moscow had split the costs.

Sanction Busters?



Moreover, she revealed that Russian costs were borne by the Russia Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the $10 billion sovereign wealth fund set up by the government to attract investment into Russia.



And, of the 45 ventilators that were included in the shipment, many were supplied by the Urals Instrument-Engineering Plant, a factory owned by a company called Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern, or KRET.



KRET, in turn, is owned by Rostec, a massive state conglomerate that encompasses some of Russia's best-known military and technology manufacturers.



Both RDIF and Rostec have been hit with sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department. RDIF -- along with its former parent company, state-owned Vnesheconombank -- was targeted in 2015 as part of Western sanctions to punish Russia for its seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula the previous year. Rostec was sanctioned for similar reasons.



An RDIF spokesman told RFE/RL last month that the existing U.S. sanctions did not apply to the fund in this case.



A spokesman for the U.S. Treasury Department, meanwhile, provided a similar explanation, but also suggested that U.S. authorities might provide exemptions to existing sanctions on a case-by-case basis.



"It does not appear the exporter of the humanitarian deliveries received from the Russian government is a sanctioned or blocked person under the Russia/Ukraine related sanctions authorities," the spokesman told RFE/RL. "To the extent that such sanctions apply, Treasury has authority to license U.S. persons to engage in transactions that are consistent with U.S. foreign policy and national security interests."

The value of the overall shipment was not revealed by either the United States or Russia at the time of the shipments delivery.



However, an ABC News report on May 1 said that Russia had billed the United States $660,000 for the supplies. A record of the supplies, which was provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is coordinating the U.S. government response to the pandemic, said they included a total of 4,000 M-95 masks -- military-grade masks used to protect against biological and chemical agents. The agency said the shipment also included 15,000 respirators, 30,000 surgical gloves, and 400,000 pieces of medical clothing, and other smaller items.

At least 15 of the ventilators were identified as Aventa-M models, while 25 were made by a different Russian manufacturer; the origin of five others was unclear.



Using publicly available price lists, RFE/RL determined that the ventilators together would probably cost at least $1 million on a nondiscounted retail basis.

'Abundance Of Caution'



At the time of the shipment's arrival, neither U.S. federal officials nor state officials in New York or New Jersey -- the two worst-hit U.S. states -- revealed where exactly the supplies would be utilized and how.



On April 20, a U.S. government official familiar with the logistics of the shipment told RFE/RL that the items were not being distributed, and were sitting unused in New York City-area warehouses.



FEMA spokeswoman Janet Montesi said on May 12 that the ventilators had never been distributed to U.S. hospitals because the number of COVID-19 cases in the region had stabilized.



"The flattening curve meant these ventilators were not needed," she said in a statement that was first reported by BuzzFeed News.



"Out of an abundance of caution, the states are returning the ventilators to FEMA," she said.



Montesi did not elaborate on what was meant by "an abundance of caution."

However, hours earlier, Russian safety investigators said Aventa-M ventilators appeared to have been responsible for deadly fires at two separate medical facilities in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

On May 13, Russia's health-industry regulator announced it was ordering that the use of all Aventa-M ventilators manufactured after April 1, 2020, be suspended, citing the two fires.

It was unclear why the agency said only devices made after April 1 -- the date of the Russian shipment's arrival in the United States -- would be suspended from use, nor was it clear if the devices would be recalled in Russia.



The Ural facility is one of Russia's main manufacturers of ventilators and related medical equipment. The Russian government recently announced a major order for thousands of new ventilators, as the country struggles with a climbing number of cases and hospitalizations.



No one at the press service for the health-industry regulator, Roszdravnadzor, answered calls from RFE/RL seeking further comment.



Russia now has the second-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, after the United States.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on April 15, Trump suggested that the U.S. government would be reciprocating the Russian gesture.



"I think Russia is going to need ventilators. They're having a hard time in Moscow. We're going to help them," Trump said in a televised briefing.



A month later, it's unclear if that's still the plan.



After a phone call on May 7, the Kremlin said that Trump had offered to send a shipment of medical equipment to Russia. The White House put it slightly differently, saying Trump told Putin that the United States was "ready to provide assistance to any country in need, including Russia."
Chicken for sale at a store in Vancouver in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward)

Fewer Birds Going to Market, but Poultry Industry Holding Its Own Amid Pandemic

The impact of pandemic restrictions on the restaurant industry that reduced demand for poultry by 40 percent is whats behind chicken producers decision to reduce flocks, not culling or plant closures, according to the Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC).

The organization said on May 11 that although production has been lowered by 12.6 percent for May and June and by 11 percent for July and August, flocks have so far not had to be culled due to COVID-19.

Retail sales of chicken and poultry during the lockdown have made up some of the shortfall, according to the CFC, which represent 2,800 farmers. However, approximately 32 million fewer birds will be brought to market between now and September.

It means that Im going to grow maybe up to 90,000 less birds in the next four months, so its a huge amount of kilos that I wont produce, said Benoit Fontaine, a poultry farmer in Lac Champlain, Quebec, and chair of the CFC.

The May and June cycle will see the original poultry target of 285 million kilograms of meatabout 123 million chickens placed in barnsreduced by 36 million kilograms, or 16 million fewer chickens, while 11 percent flock reductions for July and August will yield similar decreases in live chickens.

Fontaines operation is large by poultry-farming standards; his pre-pandemic production level was about 400,000 birds per cycle, he says. He employs eight people and is currently building one of the largest barns in Quebec.

The former high school principal and second-generation chicken farmer said he shifted two staff to help finish the new barn, which will add 70,000 birds to his cycle, and hasnt had to lay off anyone.

Cargills decision to temporarily shutter its Montreal meat processing plant will have a negligible effect on local poultry producers, Fontaine said.

They were buying some chicken, but I heard theyll be closed only three or four days, he said. But I mean, three or four days wont affect all the market.

Cargill closed the plant on May 13 after at least 64 workers tested positive for COVID-19. After all the employees are testedexpected to be done by May 15and there are enough uninfected workers, the plant will reopen.

Aerial view of Benoit Fontaines poultry farm in Lac Champlain, Quebec. (Courtesy of Benoit Fontaine)

On May 8, CFC asked the federal government for assurances their industry would receive depopulation valuesas it did during previous outbreaks of avian flu that necessitated flock cullingif processing closures due to COVID-19 results in having to depopulate, or cull, flocks.

Its 100 percent not our first option. Its not an acceptable option to us and would only ever be done as a very, very last-minute, last-case scenario, and so far we havent had to do it. said CFC spokesperson Lisa Bishop-Spencer

Were not asking for compensation to make up for the difference in production. The issue we have is that current government programs dont cover the potential of having to depopulate flocks.

Poultry consumption in Canada has been rising steadily for the last decade, and in 2018 farmers produced a record 1.47 million kilograms. Although production fell slightly last year, prices have remained relatively lower than for pork and beef.

Fontaine says that based on the provincial average of $2.01/kg paid to Quebec chicken farmers in 2018, a record year, the reduction will hurt his bottom line by about $180,000.

But we are lucky with our supply management system that actually we are saving our industry, and I can count on my industry to support me because I support it and we are working together, he said.

During the NAFTA renegotiations that yielded the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Canada gave up access to the countrys supply-managed dairy, egg, and poultry industries, but the continued existence of supply management remains contentious.

Less than 10 percent of Canadas annual agriculture production, the dairy, egg, and poultry industries remain relatively protected from external market forces, unlike beef and pork or grains and other produce.

Supporters of supply management say the system ensures a safe and dependable food supply. Detractors argue that it sets up cartels operated by millionaire farmers and prevents competition and cheaper prices for consumers.

Fontaine maintains supply management is part of the economical solution for rural Canada.

Dont forget that we are living very north, and we are a small population in a large country, he said. So without supply management, for example, Newfoundland and Labrador or Prince Edward Island would not grow chickens.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2017 the average net worth of a poultry and egg farmer was $6 million.
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World Food Program USA Board Chairman Hunter Biden speaks at the World Food Program USA's Annual McGovern-Dole Leadership Award Ceremony at Organization of American States on April 12, 2016 in Washington, DC.

Senate Republicans are forging ahead with their investigation involving apparent Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, which grew out of President Donald Trump's impeachment saga.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, led by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., will hold a vote May 20 on whether to subpoena Blue Star Strategies, a firm that represented Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings when Hunter Biden was on its board.

Austin Altenberg, a spokesman for the committee's Republican majority, confirmed the upcoming vote to CNBC and provided a copy of the agenda for the May 20 meeting.

Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates decried Johnson's moves, accusing him of "running a political errand for Donald Trump" in the middle of a public health crisis and "wasting Homeland Security Committee time and resources attempting to resurrect a craven, previously-debunked smear against Vice President Biden."

"Senator Johnson should be working overtime to save American lives -- but instead he's just trying to save the President's job," Bates added in a statement to CNBC.

But Altenberg in his own statement maintained that "the American people deserve to know the extent to which the U.S.-based, Democrat-led consulting company leveraged its connections within the Obama administration to try to gain access and potentially influence U.S. government agencies on behalf of its corrupt client, Burisma."

The majority's statement said that Blue Star had not "fully responded" to prior requests for information. "This subpoena furthers the committee's work to address the many unanswered questions about this effort and potential conflicts of interest. It is unclear why anyone would want to help Blue Star Strategies continue to hide what happened here."

A spokesperson for the panel's Democratic minority, led by Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, told CNBC in a statement that "it's alarming that in the middle of a national emergency Chairman Johnson is choosing to pursue a partisan investigation."

"Since the majority has not fully exhausted their options to get the information they are requesting voluntarily, the Chairman's decision to schedule this vote appears to be focused on generating headlines and not advancing the committee's mission of working in a bipartisan manner to protect the health and security of Americans," the spokesperson said.

Peters in a March 17 letter to Johnson laid out multiple reasons why he disapproved of the subpoena for Blue Star. "You have not fully pursued voluntary production of these records; you have not scheduled the intelligence briefings you agreed to; you risk continuing to amplify foreign election interference efforts," Peters wrote.

Burisma and Hunter Biden's connection to it were at the center of Democrats' push to impeach Trump in late 2019 and early 2020 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The articles of impeachment were related to efforts by Trump and his associates to have Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announce investigations into allegations against the Bidens and a discredited theory that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

The Democratic majority in the House impeached Trump in December on both articles. The president was acquitted in early February by the GOP-led Senate.

Efforts by congressional Republicans to investigate Hunter Biden appeared to lose much of their steam after Trump's acquittal.

The coronavirus crisis is now the most pressing concern for politicians and media outlets alike. In early February there were only about a dozen confirmed U.S. cases. By mid-March, however, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a global pandemic.

Johnson on March 11 backed away from holding an expected vote to subpoena documents from an ex-Ukrainian official, Andriy Telizhenko, who consulted for Blue Star, NBC News reported at the time. Johnson had told members that he would "instead go straight to the source and compel the same records and an appearance directly from Blue Star Strategies."

Democrats had slammed Republicans for pursuing probes of the Bidens, arguing that allegations of wrongdoing against the former vice president and his son were unsubstantiated. Trump's request in a July 25 call for Zelenskiy to "look into" the Bidens was an attempt to pressure a foreign country to meddle in the 2020 election by staining Biden with the mark of a corruption probe, Democrats say. Biden was seen as a leading candidate in the Democratic primary at the time Trump called Zelenskiy.

Republicans, such as Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who launched his own probe into Burisma and the Bidens, have raised questions about Joe Biden's calls for Ukraine to remove a prosecutor while his son was on Burisma's board.

Biden's push for the prosecutor's removal was supported by the Obama administration and other estern governments, who saw the Ukrainian prosecutor as corrupt. And a number of Republicans, including Johnson, had reportedly also called on Ukraine to reform its prosecutor general's office in 2016, around the same time as Biden.

The six Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security panel, led by Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, are expected to vote against the motion for a subpoena. There are eight Republicans on the committee.
Al-Jazeera, May 12, 2020



Mother with her newborn baby killed. Mother with her newborn baby killed.

Gunmen stormed a maternity hospital in the western part of the Afghan capital Kabul, setting off an hours-long shootout with the police and killing 16 people, including two newborn babies, their mothers and an unspecified number of nurses.

Photos from the Ministry of Interior showed two young children lying dead inside the hospital.

An image showed a woman who had been killed lying on the ground still holding tightly to her baby, who a nurse in the unit confirmed to Reuters news agency had survived and had been moved to an intensive care unit at another hospital.

Security forces earlier cordoned off the area as they evacuated more than 80 women and infants from the hospital, where medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) runs a maternity clinic.

The interior ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said three foreign nationals were among those safely evacuated, without elaborating.

It was unclear why the maternity hospital in Dashti Barchi, a 100-bed facility, was targeted - an attack Arian said was an "act against humanity and a war crime".

At least three attackers wearing police uniforms entered the hospital located in the Dashti Barchi neighbourhood of Kabul, throwing grenades and shooting, officials said.

A paediatrician who fled the hospital told AFP news agency he heard a loud explosion at the entrance of the building in Dashti Barchi, a mostly Shia neighbourhood that has seen past attacks by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group.

"The hospital was full of patients and doctors, there was total panic inside," the doctor said, asking not to be named.

In the evening hours, husbands, fathers and family members of the hospital's patients gathered around the hospital, desperate for the news of their loved ones.

A man read out the names of those who had been evacuated to other hospitals.

The neighbourhood is home to many members of Afghanistan's Hazara community, a mostly Shia Muslim minority that has been attacked by the ISIL in the past, including at a Kabul ceremony commemorating the death of one of its leaders in March.

Rights group Amnesty International condemned both the attacks.

"The unconscionable war crimes in Afghanistan today, targeting a maternity hospital and a funeral, must awaken the world to the horrors civilians continue to face," the group tweeted.

"There must be accountability for these grave crimes."

Countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey and Pakistan released statements condemning the violence.

Deadly bombing

Also on Tuesday, in the suicide bombing in the eastern Nangarhar province, the attacker targeted the funeral in Khewa district of a local pro-government militia commander and former warlord who had died of a heart attack on Monday night, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.



(Pajhwok Afghan News): At least 40 people suffered causalities on Tuesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral ceremony in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said. (Pajhwok Afghan News): At least 40 people suffered causalities on Tuesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral ceremony in eastern Nangarhar province, an official said.

The interior ministry said the final casualty toll included 24 killed and 68 wounded. The wounded were brought to the Nangarhar provincial hospital, said hospital spokesman Gulzada Sangar.

Khogyani added the dead included Abdullah Lala Jan, a provincial council member, while his father Noor Agha, a politician, was wounded in the attack.

According to Zabihullah Zemarai, another provincial council member, dozens of people, including, politicians, provincial council members and locals had gathered for the funeral of Shaikh Akram, the militia commander.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted that the Taliban was not involved in the attack.

The ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack in Khost, which killed a child and wounded 10 people.

The bomb was placed in a cart at a local market and remotely detonated, said Adil Haidari, spokesman for the provincial police chief.

The ISIL also said it was behind a spate of attacks on Monday in Kabul when four bombs, one placed under a garbage bin and the other three by the roadside, went off in the northern part of the city, wounding four civilians, including a child.

The Afghan intelligence service said in a statement late Monday the agency arrested an ISIL leader in the region, Zia-ul Haq, also known as Shaikh Abu Omer al-Khorasani.

Afghanistan is also facing violence around the country from the Taliban, even as the United States tries to usher in peace talks after signing a troop withdrawal agreement in February with the armed group.

The Taliban say they are holding back from attacking urban centres and their operations are aimed at government security forces.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

Trend:

Armenia continues to make provocations on the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Azerbaijani State Border Service told Trend on May 13.

Abbasbayli village of Azerbaijans Gazakh district, the border firing points of the State Border Service near the abovementioned village, military and civilian vehicles moving in that direction were fired on by the Armenian armed forces deployed near Berkaber village of Armenias Ijevan district starting from 12:00 (GMT+4) on May 13. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns and sniper rifles.

As a result, the roofs of several residential buildings were damaged.

Armenias provocation was prevented. The firing points of the Armenian armed forces were suppressed by return fire.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Two witnesses deposed on Wednesday in defence of dimantaire Nirav Modi on the third day of his extradition trial in the Westminster Magistrates Court, as objections, arguments and counter-arguments made resonated with those in the case of businessman Vijay Mallya.

Mods lawyer, Claire Montgomery, was also lawyer for Mallya, whose case has progressed from the magistrates court to the high court, and is now seeking permission to appeal to the Supreme Court to block extradition to India.

Retired Justice Abhay Thipsay (from India) and Thierry Fritsch (from France) deposed by video-link, and substantiated the arguments put forth by Montgomery in Modis defence. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) representing India submitted more documents to the court.

Thipsay sought to confirm Montgomerys objections to the ways in which witness statements are made in India under Section 161 of Indias Code of Criminal Procedure, stating that they are made in an atmosphere of distrust of police machinery.

Fritsch, who has a career in luxury goods and was on the advisory of board of Modis jewellery company, lauded his creativity, passion and entrepreneurship that, according to him, made Modis company one of the most known at the international level.

All this (extradition case) came as a surprise. No reason to doubt (Modis character), he told judge Samuel Mark Goozee, who authorised the release of some case papers to the news media.

Documents submitted in the Modi case refer to several points of law, objections and rulings made in the Mallya case, as Modis defence raised similar objections to extradition: lack of a prima facie case, the alleged impossibility of a fair trial in India, and risk to human rights in the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.

The CPS refers to the Mallya case in its skeleton argument in the Modi case to refute or respond to arguments by Modis defence, pointing out that many of the objections put forth had been dismissed in judgments in the Mallya case.

The CPS submitted that there is no evidence that justifies a departure from the approach taken in Mallya on the issue of lack of prima facie case, admissibility of evidence submitted by India, or on the sovereign assurance by the ministry of home affairs on there being no risk to human rights in the Mumbai jail.

The magistrates court and the appeal court of the high court of England and Wales had dismissed similar objections raised by Mallyas defence team, and recommended his extradition to the home secretary.

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New data from these statistics will be published on the home page of the Students and qualifications.

Published: 13 May 2020

Number of university degrees began to grow

The number of completed university degrees started to grow in 2019 after three successive years of decline. In 2019, a total of around 31,700 university degrees were completed in Finland, which is around 900 more than one year earlier. The rise in the number of degrees focused on higher university degrees, whose number (good 16,000) went up by good one thousand. These data derive from Statistics Finlands education statistics.

Number of university degrees in 2001 to 2019

Number of completed doctorate degrees fell

The number of completed lower university degrees was good 13,500 in 2019, which is slightly lower than one year earlier. Around 1,700 students completed doctorate degrees. The number has fallen by around 70 from the previous year, and compared to the peak year 2015, the number of those having defended their doctorate thesis fell by around 160 in 2019. In 2019, altogether 79 students completed a licentiate degree, which is four more than one year before.

Women completed the majority of university degrees, nearly 60 per cent. The share was on level with the previous year.

Foreign students completed around eight per cent of the degrees in 2019. Their proportion is the same as in the previous year. One in four of the doctorate degrees were completed by a foreign citizen.

Most degrees, good 6,100, were completed at the University of Helsinki. Over 3,500 degrees were also attained at the University of Tampere, Aalto University and the University of Turku. The smallest universities based on the number of degrees were the National Defence University (around 350 degrees) and the University of the Arts Helsinki (UniArts) (about 550 degrees).

The most common content for completed degrees was trade, administration and law, in which field around 18 per cent of students graduated. Degrees attained in humanities and arts made up 16 per cent of all degrees and degrees attained in technology 14 per cent. Among those who were doctorate holders, the most common contents of education were health and welfare (one in four of those who were doctorate holders) and technology (nearly one in five of those who were doctorate holders).

Number of new students grew

Around 27,000 new students began their university studies in 2019. The number is nearly 800 students higher than one year earlier. In particular, the number of doctorate students rose clearly. In 2019, the number of students starting doctorate studies was good 2,100, which was around 400 more than in 2018.

The number of new foreign students remained almost on level with 2018, at around 2,600 persons. For them, the number of students having started studies leading to a higher university degree fell, but the number of those studying for a doctorate degree went up correspondingly.

New foreign university students in 2012 to 2019

In 2019 the number of students attending university education leading to a degree was close on 154,000, which is around 350 more than in 2018. There were around 77,000 students studying for a lower university degree and about 58,000 persons studying for a higher university degree. Some 18,500 students studied in education leading to a post-graduate degree, around 700 of whom were studying for a licentiate's degree and around 18,000 for a doctor's degree. Women made up 54 per cent of all students.

The highest numbers of university students were studying in the fields of business, administration and law, and humanities and arts, around 17 per cent of all university students. Around 15 per cent of them studied in the field of technology. Women studied clearly more often than men in the fields of education (eight out of ten were women), arts and humanities, health and welfare, and social sciences, journalism and information (seven out of ten were women). Men, in turn, studied more often than women in the fields of information and communication technologies (eight out of ten were men), services and engineering, manufacturing and construction (seven out of ten were men).

In 2019, the University of Helsinki had clearly the highest number of students, around 31,600. The next biggest universities by the number of students were the University of Tampere (close on 21,000 students) and Aalto University (close on 18,000 students). More detailed time series data on university students and degrees by education and university are available in the database tables .

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Timo Ruuskanen 029 551 3620, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (281.8 kB)

Updated 13.5.2020

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): University education [e-publication].

ISSN=2324-0148. 2019. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 19.1.2022].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/yop/2019/yop_2019_2020-05-13_tie_001_en.html
SAO PAULO - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tested negative three times for the coronavirus in March after he attended a widely publicized meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida, according to test results made public Wednesday.

The trip made international headlines because a Bolsonaro aide photographed close to the two leaders at Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club turned out to be infected at the time. Twenty-three other Brazilian government officials and business leaders who also went on the trip later tested positive for the virus.

Bolsonaro strongly resisted revealing his test results and has told reporters that he had two tests after the March 9 trip that were negative. But Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski ruled that the information was public and revealed that the president had three negative tests  on March 12, March 17 and March 21.

Bolsonaros tests were conducted using pseudonyms for him, as is customary for medical tests preformed on the countrys leaders to preserve their privacy.

As the pandemic deepened globally and in Brazil, Bolsonaro has repeatedly appeared in public without wearing a mask and frequently shakes hands with supporters. He has roundly criticized attempts by governors and mayors to close non-essential businesses and keep people at home as virus cases rise, saying job losses hurt Latin Americas largest country more than the virus.

More than 12,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Brazil and it is the hardest hit country in Latin America.

The legal fight to force the release of Bolsonaros coronavirus test results grew two weeks ago when the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo filed a lawsuit seeking full results of the tests that Bolsonaro had said were negative but refused to provide.

The test results made public by the court had been provided by presidential officials, not the laboratories that performed the tests.
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In New York City, each evening at 7 p.m., the sound of people banging on pots and pans can be heard from apartment buildings within an earshot of hospitals all over the city. The cacophonous clanging is a salute to the beleaguered health care workers who are changing shifts on the asphalt down below. The ritual is meant to convey appreciation and thousands of idiosyncratic messages of hope.

And thats great. The gesture does, no doubt, have a positive impact on the trepidatious psyches of those fighting the virus on the frontlines. However, the truth is, it isnt that difficult. Standing at a windowsill in sweatpants or a bathrobe for a few minutes  and then going back to a Netflix binge or Zoom call  is much different than confronting mortal danger, or even death.

So, the gesture falls a bit short if we allow it to suggest that were all in this together as the regular loop of public service announcements remind us day after day. From the perspective of our health care workers, the catchphrase does not resonate with an accurate sense of proportion.

But there will be an opportunity to show more profound appreciation, another chance to thank physicians and health care workers, in a more redeeming and morally equitable manner.

When malpractice attorneys start to run advertisements on television that you or your family may be entitled to COVID related a claim  that will be your chance. Dont do it. If you hear that someone you know received a settlement from a hospital, dont contribute any momentum to this pernicious wave. Demonstrate respect and gratitude. Decide not to sue.

And please dont be so naive to think it is not going to happen. Even now, with support for health care workers at an all-time high, the media continues to run ads sponsored by malpractice firms during their perpetual coverage of the pandemic. They run stories about the heroism of health care workers and profit from disseminating our medical expertise. Then, they break to commercials that seek to attack us. Its shameless.

The hypocrisy has become so commonplace that we barely even notice it anymore. Weve subconsciously memorized the phone number to call (dont wait call eight), but tuned out our moral disgust. We arent offended or outraged. Even our most respected journalists are complicit; they are part of the machine that permits these attacks to run.

And there will be temptation to sue. The damage that has been inflicted by the virus is incalculable. There are millions of people in New York alone that are grieving and facing economic uncertainty. Doctors and hospitals are an easy target.

The CARES (Corona Virus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act provides federal immunity for health care workers that are treating COVID patients. It does not, however, prevent malpractice attorneys from filing a claim.

Governor Cuomo has issued a moratorium on litigation against doctors and hospitals related to COVID except in cases of gross negligence. Thats positive. But what is gross negligence? The lawyers will test its meaning in open court.

And not all states have issued this umbrella of immunity. Governor Murphy of New Jersey, for example, was late in issuing total protection. His first executive order did not provide blanket immunity; instead he proposed a cap on the upper limit for a potential lawsuit. In effect, he was saying we expect litigation, and we will tolerate it, to a certain extent. He has since broadened the scope.

The point is, lawyers will challenge these federal and gubernatorial decrees. They will test the shoddy, moral fabric of our legal system. If they succeed  and win one case, in just one state  then what? Then malpractice firms will ramp up their advertising campaigns. People will think, Everybody else is getting bailed-out, and so should I. If I file a claim, it wont hurt the doctor or the hospital. The insurance company will pay.

But your lawsuit wont be harmless. It will inflict outrage, pain, shock, and depression. On whom? It will hurt the courageous men and women that cared for your loved ones. Do you really want to repay them by dragging them into court? Must they defend the decisions they made in the midst of a such chaotic situation, while trying to treat a novel virus for which there is no standard of care.

So perhaps it is our civic responsibility not to sue, even if our legal system permits it. If you want to show appreciation  to make some real noise in support of physicians  write a letter to CNN or MSNBC asking them to stop running medical malpractice advertisements. Change the channel. Draw attention to the moral decay that allows the malpractice industry to flourish. Or just maybe, when the pandemic is behind us, think long and hard before picking up the phone and calling a lawyer to sue  for whatever the reason. Doctors would appreciate that gesture far more than the applause they receive when you honor them by banging on pots and pans.

Eric Dessner is an ophthalmologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 03:13:58|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed in an attack carried out by gunmen in northern Nigeria's Kaduna state on Tuesday, said a local official.

Awema Maisamari, president of the Adara Development Association, who confirmed the incident to Xinhua, said that the gunmen invaded Gonan-Rogo village in the early hours of Tuesday, killing the residents.

Maisamari added the gunmen invaded the village with dangerous weapons such as guns, machetes, and knives.

He said 12 people were killed on the spot while the other corpses were recovered from the bush.

According to Maisamari, several other people sustained gunshot and machete injuries while houses were set ablaze.

Maisamari said that some of the villagers who escaped into the bush were still missing. Enditem
CEO Elon Musk reopened Tesla's Northern California plant without permission and threatened to move his company to another state. (Associated Press)

Nobody's suggesting the coronavirus has been good for businesses. But smart companies have recognized an opportunity to show the world they're good citizens.

Insurance heavyweight Allstate, for example, announced in early April that it understood people were driving a whole lot less because of the pandemic, so it voluntarily cut car insurance premiums by 15% for a couple of months.

That was a sensible and savvy gesture, demonstrating to customers that the company feels their pain  and prompting California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to instruct other car insurers to follow suit.

Not all such corporate moves have been as successful. Some have come across as empty gestures intended more to score public relations points than make a meaningful stab at easing customers' and workers' financial stress and anxiety.

Case in point: United Airlines emailing passengers recently with a bold declaration that it would no longer sell middle seats to help people keep their distance from one another when traveling.

The carrier received due props for that  until a California doctor named Ethan Weiss tweeted out a photo from a United flight last weekend showing a cabin jam-packed with travelers, including occupied middle seats.

"I guess @united is relaxing their social distancing policy these days? Every seat full on this 737," he wrote.

The airline responded that this was all just a misunderstanding, and that Weiss' plane ride to San Francisco was full because United had generously provided free flights to 25 healthcare professionals who had volunteered to work in New York.

The carrier said in a statement that it remained committed to leaving middle seats open "where available."

But that's not what United had told Weiss and other frequent fliers. I got my hands on the email sent out by Toby Enqvist, the airline's chief customer officer. It was titled: "We're making changes with you in mind."

Story continues

Among other things, Enqvist said United is "automatically blocking middle seats to give you enough space on board."

"Blocking" is airline lingo for not selling certain seats.

Charles Hobart, a United spokesman, told me the email from Enqvist "was a miscommunication and it was unfortunate."

"We never promised or guaranteed that we wouldn't sell middle seats," he said, although that's precisely what the airline pledged.

Rather, Hobart continued, United will "restrict" use of middle seats, "but if there's demand, we will put someone in that seat."

He said the airline understands how these seemingly contradictory messages "can be confusing to customers."

Yeah, maybe something got lost in translation. Or maybe a senior United official, declaring that "safety has always been our top priority," made a flashy promise to passengers that turned out to be more an aspiration than an actual commitment.

Also this week, supermarket giant Kroger, parent of Ralphs, revealed that its much-ballyhooed payment of $2-an-hour "hero bonuses" to grocery workers since April would come to a halt as of Sunday.

"Our associates have displayed the true actions of a hero, working tirelessly on the front lines to ensure everyone has access to affordable, fresh food and essentials during this national emergency," Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chief executive, said when the bonuses were announced at the end of March.

There were about 3,900 COVID-19 deaths nationwide as of that announcement. The total now tops 83,000.

I'd argue that grocery workers  like healthcare providers and others on the front lines are demonstrating even more heroic behavior as the pandemic worsens. But apparently Kroger, along with some other retailers, believes it's done enough to show its gratitude.

A few things, though. When Kroger decided to reward workers with hero bonuses, it made sure to issue a press release so everyone would know what a swell company it is. It issued no such press release about ending the bonuses.

Also, it's not as though Kroger is running out of money  just the opposite. According to regulatory filings, the company is sitting on $2.3 billion in cash and cash investments.

Moreover, Kroger spent about $355 million in the first quarter repurchasing its own stock, which enriches shareholders but doesn't do a thing for the guy in mask and gloves stocking cans on Aisle 12. The company still has $245 million set aside for additional share buybacks.

I asked John Votava, a Kroger spokesman, how the company's mountain of cash and hundreds of millions of dollars in stock repurchases square with cutting off an extra two bucks an hour for workers.

He said Kroger "will continue to listen and be flexible in order to make decisions that balance what is best for our associates, customers, communities and the sustainability of our business."

Um, OK.

Last but not least, the shy and self-effacing Elon Musk, who has positioned himself both as a coronavirus skeptic and as a CEO who totally gets it.

He has expressed doubt about the threat of the virus and even suggested, wrongly, that kids are "essentially immune." Yet he's also boasted about helping acquire ventilators for some hospitals and committed himself, at one point anyway, to providing a safe workplace for employees.

"Despite taking all known health precautions, continued operations in certain locations has caused challenges for our employees, their families and our suppliers," Musk's Tesla Motors announced on March 19. "As such, we have decided to temporarily suspend production at our factory in Fremont."

Apparently those challenges have been mitigated, even though the coronavirus is more harmful, and more widespread, than ever.

This week, Musk sued Alameda County because it wouldn't give permission for him to reopen. Then he reopened anyway, daring authorities to do something about it.

He also tweeted that he was all set to move his company to Nevada or Texas.

Have a nice trip, dude. There's a middle seat with your name on it.
The financial stability the GI Bill offers is a factor for many of our current student veterans and would be the same for those in a tight job market, like the one we are experiencing currently, and are considering higher education opportunities.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), about 773,000 veterans or veteran dependents benefit from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides financial support for education and housing to qualifying veterans. But like many government benefits, the process of applying for and accessing these offerings is mired in regulations and stipulations that can be difficult to navigate.

The financial stability the GI Bill offers is a factor for many of our current student veterans and would be the same for those in a tight job market, like the one we are experiencing currently, and are considering higher education opportunities, said Matthew Butler, MSgt. USMC (Ret.), director of Military and Veterans Services at Fordham University. The key is that current and new student veterans must register for resident courses, converted to online temporarily, unless they explicitly prefer to be exclusive online learners. This decision would significantly impact their GI Bill benefits.

One of the most important aspects of the Post 9/11 GI benefit is the housing allowance. The housing allowance for veterans studying in New York City is one of the highest in the country, at just over $3200 per month. Historically, only students attending resident classes would receive the full monthly housing allowance. The online class-only rate is significantly less. But because of the Coronavirus outbreak, Congress has adjusted the GI Bill law to allow resident classes taught online to receive the normal housing allowance. On March 21, President Trump signed S. 3503 into law, which clarifies how the VA should treat in-person courses of study that convert to distance/online learning formats due to health-related situations and other emergencies. As a result, GI Bill benefits including monthly housing stipends and subsistence allowances are protected as classes move to online formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With these adjustments, the benefits can be even more difficult to understand. In response to these changing regulations and the closure of college campuses for in-person classes, Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS), which has a longstanding history of educating military veterans, has launched a free webinar series designed to help veterans understand their benefits, ask questions and get real answers from real people. The program is working closely with the Universitys Military and Veterans Services to assist current and prospective students and their dependents navigate the rapidly changing government regulations and loopholes that are affecting their education benefits.

The first Veterans Webinar will take place on Thurs., May 21 at 12pm EST. Topics will include learning about GI Bill Benefits, including the Yellow Ribbon benefit, admissions at Fordham University and the services and support available from the Office of Military and Veterans Services. To register, visit fordham.edu/bestforvets.

We have found that veterans seem to have a tough time understanding how to take advantage of their benefits, especially with the uncertain environment we are all currently living in, said Andie Marais, associate dean of enrollment and strategic marketing, Fordham PCS. Student veterans sometimes think they can save money by attending a less expensive school and they have trouble calculating how much of their education will be covered by the VA, the school or both. Apart from academic reputation, the two main factors that veterans look for are what percentage of their tuition and fees will be covered and how many seats the universities offer veterans who want to use these benefits. This decision will ensure the student veterans and dependents are maximizing their GI Bill benefit.

Fordham PCS is one of only a handful of private New York City schools that offer 100% coverage of tuition and fees and unlimited free seats for qualifying veterans studying under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Marais continued, We are dedicated to doing everything we can to help our students best take advantage of these benefits that they are so deserving of, and look forward to speaking with them during this new webinar series.

###

ABOUT FORDHAM SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING STUDIES:

The School of Professional and Continuing Studies (PCS) offers students a quality education in a small, personalized atmosphere that promotes individual growth and exploration. With three convenient campus locations  Lincoln Center in Manhattan, Rose Hill in the Bronx and West Harrison in Westchester, PCS is poised to meet students academic needs. Classes are offered evenings, weekends and online in areas including Business, Organizational Leadership, Economics, Legal and Policy Studies, and Social Work. Certificates in Digital and Social Media Marketing and Human Resource Management are also available, as well as Post-Baccalaureate / Pre-Medical / Pre-Health. The Fordham Real Estate Institute, which is part of PCS, offers a Masters Degree and multiple Certificate Programs in Real Estate at the Westchester and Lincoln Center campuses. Visit https://www.fordham.edu/pcs for more information.
Aspiring to own Samsung Galaxy Note 20? Expect the android's design not supportive of a high refresh rate display!



That's a revelation from Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants on Twitter who mentioned that rate display will only be limited to just 60Hz! This as the new android will be using Low Temperature PolySilicon (LTPS) displays.

Feature Revelations

According to Forbes, the panels can't differentiate their refresh rate efficiency and could cause problems to battery consumption. This is evident on Galaxy S20 phones where a humongous battery is required to balance it out.

Note 20 Update - while the Note 20+ remains LTPO and 120Hz, the Note 20 will be LTPS and 60Hz. Makes sense since LTPO costs more and should appear first in premium models. You can do 120Hz with LTPS, but it consumes a lot of power. LTPO is the best implementation for 120Hz.  Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 12, 2020

READ ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Back From The Dead, Spotted on GFXBench

On the other hand, Young said that the Galaxy Note 20+ will use a Low Temperature Polysilicon Oxide (LTPO) panel that could support refresh rates from 1-120Hz. What this suggests is that the new flagship Note could support 120HZ while allowing you to slow the refresh right down when not needed to boost efficiency. This can be a significant advantage to Samsung's new android especially that spectators now cast doubt to 120Hz support for the iPhone 12 Pro

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Features and Price

Other features that aspiring owners of the new phone from South Korea maker can expect include a big S Pen upgrade, new biometrics, and faster memory and storage.

In this regard, experts expect that the price for the new android could be set higher than any new-entry level iPhone 12. This holds as Samsung pushed prices for S20 series equipped with 5G too high.

Forbes said the entry-level Samsung Galaxy Note 20 seems to be 50% costlier than the new entry-level iPhone 12.

READ ALSO: iPhone 7s Pro: Apple's Secret iPhone For 2017?
The prudent thing to do is remain closed until we can get more clarity. We are working hard to have the governors office provide guidance so we can start planning how to move forward, like the rest of Illinois businesses.

Recent government orders have caused confusion among businesses, leading many owners to ask, Can I re-open? Medical spas are caught in a gray area and, unfortunately, in states such as Illinois, very little guidance is available.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker recently signed an executive order extending many executive orders until the end of May; this includes the stay-at-home requirements and closure of many non-essential businesses. Current Department of Health guidance is clear that elective outpatient procedures could resume on May 11 at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospitals. On its initial reading, this appears to greenlight voluntary medical procedures, including aesthetic services such as Botox, lip fillers and laser resurfacing.

However, the guidance is very clear that these elective outpatient procedures may be resumed only at hospitals and ASCs. No mention is made of elective procedures at other facilities like medical spas.

Medical spas provide non-invasive (i.e. non-surgical) aesthetic treatments, such as Botox, lip fillers, and laser hair removal. The industry has exploded over recent years, generating more than $10 billion in revenue annually and employing more than 53,000 workers nationwide.

The lack of guidance is problematic because it shoehorns medical spas into an ill-defined no mans land. Medical spas have not been deemed essential because they offer elective, non-essential medical procedures, but at the same time, they most definitely are not regulated as hospitals or ambulatory surgery centers.

Unfortunately, the Department of Health has unwittingly created a situation where medical spas are stalled on the side of the road, says Alex R. Thiersch, JD, founder and CEO of the American Med Spa Association (AmSpa). While Im sure it was unintentional, the drafting of the guidance leaves Illinois medical spas without guidance on how to proceed.

The recent economic shutdown has brought the entire medical spa industry to a standstill, resulting in significant layoffs and disruption to a once-booming vertical.

Illinois medical spas had hoped to receive some guidance as to when they could begin offering services again, but the latest orders offer nothing of the sort to an industry that offers very desiredbut medically unnecessaryaesthetic treatments.

Medical spas are not covered under the wording of the current order, either as being allowed to open or as being directed to stay closed, Thiersch says. Theres a lot of confusion out there as to what to do and, unfortunately weve not been able to get any response or guidance.

The recent executive orders allow salons and other related businesses to open at the end of May, but again, medical spas are not mentioned in this vertical either. This leaves medical spas wondering what to do, because opening in violation of the order could result in fines or discipline against the providers medical or nursing licenses.

For now, Thiersch says AmSpa is recommending that Illinois medical spas remain closed until further guidance can be obtained.

The prudent thing to do is remain closed until we can get more clarity, Thiersch says. We are working hard to have the governors office provide guidance so we can start planning how to move forward, like the rest of Illinois businesses.

About the American Med Spa Association (AmSpa)

The American Med Spa Association (AmSpa) provides business and legal resources to medical spas and aesthetic practices across the country. AmSpas eventsincluding Medical Spa & Aesthetic Boot Camps and The Medical Spa Showprovide business and legal best-practices to anyone entering the medical spa space or looking to improve their existing practice. AmSpa members receive access to legal summaries of laws governing medical spas in their state, discounts, a robust and growing webinar library, and many other benefits. For more information visit http://www.americanmedspa.org, call 312-981-0993, or email info@americanmedspa.org
/ -- A team of scientists from Himachal Pradesh-based Shoolini University have been offered a grant through Microsoft Artificial Intelligence for Health Programme to conduct research on finding drugs to cure and prevent CoVID19.

The project has been funded through High Performance Computing (HPC) Consortium, and the team led by Dr Gurjot Kaur, Associate Professor, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, will have access to Microsoft Azure credits for the next six months to perform work using Microsoft licensed resources, that is, online platform and virtual machines.

The team will perform much-needed screening of phytochemical constituents for anti-viral activity through interaction with CoVID19 specific targets using molecular modeling studies. Indian medicinal herbs have same or similar phytoconstituents and do show great promise as anti-CoVID19 drugs. This project will directly influence the anti-viral drug development for CoVID19 and thus has high impact.

According to Dr Gurjot Kaur, the current number of infected CoVID19 patients is on a rapid rise. While the government has implemented social distancing and a month-long lockdown, these are not good long-term solutions for the spreading pandemic. A more viable idea would be to invest in development of medicinal drugs both for prophylaxis as well as treatment of patients already infected with the virus.

Many existing anti-viral medications are being tried in the hope to slow or even cure the severely affected patients and thus, decrease the morality rate. Unfortunately, none of the current medication strategies are optimum and vaccine development will take more than one year, she added.

Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Prof P K Khosla, lauding the project undertaken by Dr Gurjot Kaur, said that the University would extend all its support for the project.

About Shoolini University:



Set up in 2009, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences is a research-driven private university with full-recognition from the UGC. A leading university of India, it is recognised for its focus on innovation, quality placements, and world-class faculty. Nestled in the lower Himalayas, the university has received accreditation from NAAC and it is ranked by the NIRF.

For further information, please visit: https:hooliniuniversity.com/



Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1087576/Shoolini_10_year_logo_Logo.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Jigawa High Court sitting in Dutse on Tuesday voided the resolution of the states House of Assembly suspending its member, Sani Isyaku, for allegedly attacking the states governors convoy.

The assembly accused Mr Isyaku, (APC) member representing Gumel constituency, of conniving with opposition politicians to attack the convoy of Governor Muhammad Badaru while in Hadejia Local Government Area.

However, on Tuesday, Justice Ahmed Isa nullified the decision of the Assembly, ordering that all privileges and rights to which the lawmaker is entitled should be restored while all parties to the matter should maintain status quo.

Background

The Jigawa Assembly on March 5 suspended Mr Isyaku indefinitely for alleged thuggery. He was specifically accused of conniving with thugs to attack the convoy of the state governor.

Speaker Idris Garba announced the suspension during plenary. He said the action was an unanimous decision reached by all members of the assembly.

The speaker said the alleged action of the lawmaker violated the laws of the house and that of the state and the constitution of Nigeria.

Mr Isyaku is suspended over his said act of involvement in a misconduct which is unfortunate for him as a lawmaker, the speaker said. He is to surrender all government properties attached to him and he is no more a chairman of the committee he is handling as from today.

Court disagree

Mr Isyaku challenged his suspension in court. On Tuesday, Justice Isa ordered all parties to the suit to maintain status quo. He also ordered the restoration of the applicants right and privileges pending the determination of the matter.

Also, the court restrained respondents from further interfering, tempering or doing anything inimical to the rights and privileges of the applicant as member representing Gumel constituency in Jigawa state house of Assembly pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

The matter was then adjourned to June 9 for the hearing of the motion on notice.

Mr Isyakus lead counsel, Mamman Yusufari (SAN), a professor, was not in court Wednesday. But his representative, Baffa Alasan, hailed the ruling, saying he is optimistic that justice will prevail in the matter.

Babangida Hadejia, the spokesperson, Jigawa State House of Assembly, did not respond to telephone calls seeking official comment on the courts ruling.
Food Aid For Iranian Poor At Khomeini's Luxurious Shrine Ignites Controversy

By Golnaz Esfandiari May 12, 2020

The innumerous, pretty food packages for the poor were carefully set around the shrine of the founder of Iran's Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to highlight support for people left in need by the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

But those images filling Iranian news sites led to a sudden flood of criticism from people shocked by the stark contrast between Khomeini's glittery shrine and the thought of the uncountable thousands of Iranians that need such handouts to survive.

"Forty years after the revolution of Imam Khomeini, people were not supposed to be in need of rice, oil, and macaroni, which have been displayed at such an aristocratic place!" tweeted Ghasem Mohammadi, who describes himself as a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War and a supporter of detained opposition figure Mir Hossein Musavi.

Another Twitter user, Majid, noted that "the imam of the poor is buried in a palace" while being surrounded by food packages for the poor that are likely to last its needy recipients a mere week.

Journalist and political activist Mehdi Mahmudian went so far as to call on Khomeini's grandson, Hassan Khomeini, to apologize to the people for the controversial images of food packages at the mausoleum of Khomeini, who, according to his supporters, led an ascetic life.

"The existence of each family that is dependent on these [food] packages is a shame for everyone, particularly for your family," Mahmudian, who was imprisoned in 2009 for his role in documenting prison rapes, tweeted. "These [packages are nothing to be proud of], it is shameful."

Many Iranians are struggling to make ends meet due to a poor economy under pressure from crippling U.S. sanctions as well as alleged mismanagement and corruption.

Many people's situations have been worsened by the coronavirus pandemic that has severely impacted the economy, with a lockdown shutting down businesses and putting people out of work.

A poll published in April by the Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) found that the coronavirus outbreak has hurt the income of some 50 percent of those surveyed. Nearly 42 percent said their businesses were shut as a result of the virus.

The packages are being distributed to the poor -- particularly those affected by the coronavirus pandemic -- by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which has put them on display in religious shrines and other places around the country.

The charitable acts played up in the media appear to be part of efforts by the IRGC to improve its image, especially following a deadly November 2019 crackdown on anti-government protesters that killed hundreds, as well as the January downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet that killed all 176 people on board.

WATCH: Iranians Turn To Good Deeds In Dark Times

The IRGC admitted to the "unintentional" shooting down of the plane three days after the incident, a delay that resulted in widespread outrage from Iranians.

No IRGC official has thus far resigned over the tragic incident that occurred as Iranian forces were on high alert after missile attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq made in retaliation for the U.S. assassination days earlier of top IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad.

The IRGC has also tried to portray itself as a major player in Iran's battle against the pandemic that has killed more than 6,700 Iranians and infected nearly 110,000, according to official figures released by the Health Ministry on May 12.

Real numbers are believed to be significantly higher. Research by RFE/RL's Radio Farda showed that at least two to three times more people had been infected with coronavirus and died from its disease than officials were reporting.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/food-aid-for- iranian-poor-at-khomeini-s-luxurious-shrine- ignites-controversy/30608259.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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An anticancer drug of fungal origin could be the way.

Scientists at Waseda University succeeded in developing a method for a total synthesis of cotylenin A, a plant growth regulator which has attracted considerable attention from the scientific community due to its promising bioactivity as an anti-cancer agent. This method was reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on March 16, 2020.

"Our method will be able to provide steady supply of cotylenin A, which could possibly lead to the development of an effective anticancer drug," says Masahisa Nakada, a professor of synthetic chemistry at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan and corresponding author of this study.

Nakada believes that this is the world's first total synthesis of cotylenin A to ever be reported.

Previous biological studies have revealed that cotylenin A combined in treatment can program cell death for a wide range of human cancer cell lines and suppress tumor growth. In addition, cotylenin A was found to induce the differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells when combined with a specific pharmaceutical drug.

Despite its potential, producing cotylenin A from natural resources is not possible because the fungus which produces cotylenin A loses all its ability to proliferate during preservation, which would create a dearth of supply.

Also, cotylenin A has a complex structure where two carbocyclic five-membered rings are fused with a formidable carbocyclic eight-membered ring with a uniquely-structured, glucose-based sugar attached.

Chemically synthesizing a carbocyclic eight-membered ring is known to be difficult, and because the carbocyclic ring system includes a number of functional groups such as moieties, these features have made it challenging for scientists in the field to artificially synthesize cotylenin A.

What we did in our method was to separate the structure of cotylenin A into three fragments," Nakada explains. "Each fragment was then prepared with commercially-available chemical compounds using different reactions, such as a catalytic asymmetric intramolecular cyclopropanation (CAIMCP) developed by us." Masahisa Nakada, Study Coressponding Author and Professor, Department of synthetic chemistry, Waseda University

"Afterwards, we assembled the two fragments back together using a coupling reaction, followed by a cyclization of the carbocyclic eight-membered ring which was mediated by the chemical element palladium and a coupling with the sugar-part fragment which was catalyzed by the chemical element rhodium."

He adds, "The total synthesis took about 25 steps, and our synthesized product is identical to those of naturally occurring cotylenin A."

Nakada says that his team has now succeeded in achieving this synthesis in only 20 steps, and by further reducing the number of steps, producing an adequate amount of cotylenin A will become possible.

He hopes that the method they developed will contribute to further biological studies of cotylenin A and to the discovery of an anticancer drug that exhibits stronger anticancer activity and causes no side effects by modifying cotylenin A, as well as to the application for a total artificial synthesis of various compounds in the future.
Hyderabad, May 13 : Nearly two months after the train services were suspended as part of the national lockdown, Secunderabad railway station on Wednesday sprang to life with passengers boarding a special train bound for New Delhi.

The KSR Bengaluru-New Delhi AC superfast special train had a halt at Secunderabad station, an official of South Central Railway told IANS.

The train, which reached Secunderabad at 7.55 a.m., departed for the national capital after a 10-minute halt.

The passengers, who had reserved the tickets from Secunderabad, boarded the train amid tight security by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the police, who had cordoned off the station to prevent entry of unauthorised passengers.

The railway authorities in coordination with other departments had put in place all arrangements to implement the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs for running of special trains.

They ensured that all passengers boarding the train wore face masks and maintained social distancing. There was thermal screening of the passengers to ensure that only the asymptomatic, travel by the train.

To facilitate the thermal screening, the passengers were asked to report to the station 90 minutes before the departure of the train. However, the passengers had started lining up at the station much before.

The train which departed from KSR Bengaluru at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday is scheduled to reach New Delhi at 5.55 a.m. on Thursday. It will stop at Nagpur, Bhopal and Jhansi stations.

Meanwhile, New Delhi-KSR Bengaluru special train, which left New Delhi at 9.15 p.m. on Tuesday, is scheduled to stop at Secunderabad station at 6.20 p.m on Wednesday.

Secunderabad-New Delhi special train is scheduled on May 20. The train will depart from Secunderabad at 1.15 p.m. and reach New Delhi at 10.40 a.m. the next day, the South Central Railway said.

In the opposite direction, New Delhi-Secunderabad special train will depart New Delhi on May 17 at 4 p.m. and reach Secunderabad at 2 p.m. the next day.

These trains are among the 15 pairs of special trains being operated by the railways from May 12.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Rishi Kapoor prayer meet: Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni pay tribute, Alia Bhatt and Karisma Kapoor attend

Riddhima Kapoor Sahni shared pictures of her and brother Ranbir Kapoor paying obeisance to their father Rishi Kapoor at a prayer meet held for him at their residence in Mumbai. Sharing a picture of herself next to a garlanded photograph of Rishi, she wrote, Love you always Papa

(Read full story here)

Sunil Lahri, Prem Sagar back DDs dodgy claim that Ramayan set world record for most-watched TV episode ever

The re-telecast of the 1987 mythological drama Ramayan, based on the epic of the same name, kept the viewers hooked during the lockdown. In a tweet, Doordarshan announced that the show created a world record as 77 million viewers tuned in for the April 16 episode.

(Read full story here)

Rana Daggubati announces engagement with Miheeka Bajaj: She said yes

Actor Rana Daggubati on Tuesday, completely out of the blue, announced his engagement with designer Miheeka Bajaj. Sharing a picture with her on his Twitter page, he revealed that she said yes to his proposal. And she said yes, he tweeted along with the picture.

(Read full story here)

Happy birthday Sunny Leone: Relationship with Russell Peters to scary stalker, did you know these facts about her?

Sunny Leone has come a long way from her Bigg Boss 5 days; she is now a bona fide Bollywood star and continues to be the most searched personality on Google in India year after year. She made her Bollywood debut with Pooja Bhatts Jism 2 and has acted in a number of films, including Ragini MMS 2, Ek Paheli Leela, One Night Stand and Tera Intezaar. She is a popular face on the small screen too, as the co-host of MTV Splitsvilla, alongside Rannvijay Singha.

(Read full story here)

Aamir Khans longtime assistant dies of heart attack, was rushed to hospital by devastated star himself

Aamir Khans longtime assistant Amos died on Tuesday after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 60. Amos, who had been working with Aamir for the past 25 years, was taken to the Holy Family hospital where he breathed his last.

(Read full story here)

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In major climate win, Norways sovereign wealth fund blacklists Glencore and other commodity giants over coal.

Norways $1 trillion wealth fund is excluding some of the worlds biggest commodities firms from its portfolio for their use and production of coal, including Glencore and Anglo American.

Underlining the growing role of climate considerations for long-term investors, the fund is also excluding German utility RWE, South African petrochemicals firm Sasol and Australian company AGL Energy over their use of coal.

Norways parliament agreed in June 2019 to toughen existing limits on coal investments by the worlds largest wealth fund by excluding companies that mined more than 20 million tonnes of coal a year or generated more than 10 gigawatts of power from coal.

The fund held stocks worth $1.6bn in such companies at the end of 2019, according to fund data. Wednesdays announcement is the first to show the tougher rules being applied.

The fund, set up in 1996 to save Norways oil revenues for future generations, now holds about 1.5 percent of globally listed shares, and its decisions are often followed by other investors. It sells holdings before announcing any exclusions to avoid excessive market moves.

The fund put another set of companies  BHP, Uniper, Enel and Vistra Energy  under observation for possible exclusion later if they did not address their use or production of coal.

The value of holdings in this group stood at $3.9bn at the end of last year.

This is good news that the biggest producers of coal in absolute terms are finally out of the fund, Else Hendel, acting environmental policy leader at green group WWF Norway, told Reuters news agency.

Excessive emissions

The fund, which operates under ethical guidelines set by parliament, also said it was excluding four Canadian oil companies for producing excessive greenhouse gas emissions, the first time it has used that reason to blacklist firms.

Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil were excluded for acts or omissions that on an aggregate company level lead to unacceptable greenhouse gas emissions, it said.

The fund, which held stock worth $1.15bn in these companies at the end of 2019, said the companies were excluded for their carbon dioxide emissions from production of oil to oil sands.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, in response to the funds exclusion of the four, that many oil companies understood the investment climate was changing because of concerns about climate change.

Excessive greenhouse gas emissions became a criterion for exclusion four years ago. But the central bank, the funds ethics watchdog and the finance ministry took time to agree on what constituted an unacceptable amount of emissions.

Wednesdays announcement opens the way for more companies to be excluded on those grounds.

The head of the funds ethics watchdog told Reuters in March that, once the first ones were published, other companies would follow. Concrete and steel firms have also been probed, he said, without naming them.

Companies respond

Responding to the announcement, Anglo American said: We are working towards an exit from our remaining thermal coal operations in South Africa, ensuring that we do so responsibly.

We continue to examine suitable opportunities for our minority stake in Cerrejon, it said, referring to a Colombian mining venture with BHP, Anglo American and Glencore.

Sasol said it was implementing an emission-reduction framework underpinned by short and medium-term targets, although it said coal would continue to play role in South Africa during a transition to lower-carbon energy sources.

Enel said it was developing its business in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement climate accords, which seek to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius and cut emissions to zero by 2050.

Uniper said it was in a dialogue with the fund about being under observation for possible exclusion.

Uniper in its strategic new focus has presented a clear exit plan from coal and aims for climate-neutral power production in Europe by 2035, said a company spokesman.

RWE said it had cut carbon dioxide emissions by 90 million tonnes since 2012 and committed itself to becoming climate neutral by 2040. It was investing around five billion euros in the expansion of renewables up to 2022.

Instead of quantitative stock-taking, the speed with which a company changes should be considered in our view, said the company spokesman. Already today, we are among the globally leading companies for renewable energies.

Glencore and BHP declined to comment.

AGL Energy and Vistra Energy were not immediately available to comment.

Canadian Natural Resources, Cenovus Energy, Suncor Energy and Imperial Oil did not respond to requests for comment after market hours.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstans humanitarian aid was delivered to Tajikistan amid the coronavirus battle, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Around 5,000 tons of Kazakh flour was delivered via railways in compliance with all sanitary and epidemiological standards.

The cargo certificate was given by Kazakhstans Ambassador in Dushanbe Askar Tazhibaev to the Deputy Director of the Agency on the State Material Reserves under the Government of Tajikistan Sohibjon Ziyodulloev.

On May 7, 2020 Kazakhstans KTZ Express railways operator sent 60 covered wagons to Kyrgyzstan and 69 covered wagons to Tajikistan loaded with first grade flour.

The company noted that a total of 150 wagons carrying 10,000 tons of first-grade flour will be sent to Kazakhstans neighboring countries.

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 total number of coronavirus cases confirmed in Kazakhstan since the virus was first confirmed in the country stood at 5,417 cases. This includes 2,223 people who recovered from the coronavirus, and 32 patients who passed away.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
The last chapter of the Bridgegate saga is coming to an end.

In the wake of last weeks decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out the highly charged case against Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni  the former Christie administration officials at the center of the scheme of political retribution have formally filed in New Jersey to vacate their convictions and sentences.

The move would close the book on a case that began more than six years ago, when traffic lanes at the George Washington Bridge were deliberately shifted to create massive gridlock in Fort Lee, in what prosecutors said was a plan to punish a recalcitrant mayor who had backed away from an expected endorsement in Gov. Chris Christies 2013 campaign for re-election.

In separate filings in Newark before U.S. District Court Judge Susan Wigenton, who presided over their trial, attorneys for both Kelly and Baroni  citing the U.S. Supreme Court decision  asked that their convictions and sentences and conditions of bail be stricken. They also sought the return of their passports.

The U.S. Attorneys office, in its own filing, said it consented to the cancelling of bail and the removal of all related restrictions for the two, but said the jurisdiction of the case has not yet been returned by the Supreme Court in regard to their convictions and sentences.

Once that procedural bar falls away, the court can act on the balance of their motions, wrote government attorneys.

Baroni last week also filed to get his suspension from the practice of law lifted. The New Jersey Supreme Court approved the request on Monday, reinstating him immediately.

In its unanimous decision, the high court last week dismissed the convictions again the two. While the court said that Kelly and Baroni used deception to reduce Fort Lees access lanes to the George Washington Bridge  and thereby jeopardized the safety of the towns residents, it found that their actions were not a crime under the statute used to convict them.

Because the scheme here did not aim to obtain money or property, Baroni and Kelly could not have violated the federal-program fraud or wire fraud laws, wrote Justice Elena Kagan in an opinion for the court. The evidence the jury heard no doubt shows wrongdoing  deception, corruption, abuse of power. But the federal fraud statutes at issue do not criminalize all such conduct.

Kelly, 47, who served as deputy chief of staff to Christie, and Baroni, 48, a former GOP state senator the governor named to become the deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, were found guilty in November 2016 of fraud and conspiracy in connection with the plan to tie up traffic around the worlds busiest bridge.

Both had long asserted their innocence, with attorneys for the two arguing that whatever happened was nothing more than bare-knuckle New Jersey politics, not graft.

The admitted architect of the scheme was David Wildstein  a former Republican operative then a high-paid Port Authority political appointee working on Christies behalf, who testified he knew the lane closures would cause major traffic backups, and saw it as a point of leverage that could be used against Mark Sokolich, the mayor of Fort Lee.

Wildstein pleaded guilty, testified against Kelly and Baroni, and was sentenced to probation.

Christie was never charged with any wrongdoing and denied any knowledge of the plan, which played a major role in the failure of his 2016 presidential campaign.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com.
SEATTLE, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today released a special April edition of its Public Pension Funding Index (PPFI), in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting market volatility. Milliman's PPFI consists of the nation's 100 largest public defined benefit pension plans.

Our latest analysis shows funding for public pensions in April rebounded significantly from the first quarter of 2020, with an aggregate 5.92% investment return for the month  welcome news after Q1's dismal -10.81% asset performance. April's market gains led to a $200 billion funding improvement for the PPFI, enabling public pensions to recover half of their losses from the previous two months. We estimate that the aggregate deficit shrank from $1.819 trillion at the end of March 2020 to $1.619 trillion at the end of April. The resulting funded ratio climbed significantly, from 66.0% at the end of March to 69.8% as of April 30.

"April was a surprisingly positive month for public pensions, with many sectors of the market showing some signs of recovery," said Becky Sielman, author of the Milliman 100 Public Pension Funding Index. "As economic fallout continues from the COVID-19 pandemic, plan sponsors will likely be keeping an eye on asset classes with delayed performance reporting, such as private equity, and market sectors that may be more vulnerable as the economy restarts."

To view the Milliman 100 Public Pension Funding Index, go to http://www.milliman.com/ppfi/. To receive regular updates of Milliman's pension funding analysis, contact us at [email protected].

About Milliman

Milliman is among the world's largest providers of actuarial and related products and services. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, property & casualty insurance, life insurance and financial services, and employee benefits. Founded in 1947, Milliman is an independent firm with offices in major cities around the globe. For further information, visit milliman.com.

About the Milliman Public Pension Funding Index

Since 2012, Milliman has conducted an annual study of the 100 largest defined benefit plans sponsored by government jurisdictions in the U.S. The Milliman 100 Public Pension Funding Index projects the funded status for pension plans included in our study, reflecting the impact of actual market returns, utilizing the actual reported asset values, liabilities, and asset allocations of the pension plans. The results of the Milliman 100 Public Pension Funding Index are based on the pension plan financial reporting information disclosed in the plan sponsors' Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports, which reflect measurement dates ranging from June 30, 2016, to December 31, 2018. This information was summarized as part of the Milliman 2019 Public Pension Funding Study, which was published on January 20, 2020.

SOURCE Milliman, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.milliman.com


Community, Charity & Cause

By Ls Cohen Published: May 13 2020

106th Rescue Wing out of West Hampton will honor Covid-19 front line workers and first responders.

The 106th Rescue Wing whose motto is That Others May Live will conduct a flyover of Long Island to honor Covid-19 responders on Friday, May 15 starting at 12:15pm.

This Air National Guard wing is based out of West Hampton.

According to its website, the 106th Rescue Wing deploys worldwide to provide combat search and rescue coverage for U.S. and allied forces. It also stands ready to help New York State in disaster relief and other state emergencies as directed by the governor.

Consisting of three aircraft - an HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue airplane and two HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters - they will fly over Eastern Long Island to salute healthcare, essential workers and first responders dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.



The flyover will begin approximately 12:15pm near Riverhead and finish around 1pm near Jones Beach. The planes will head to the North and South shores to pass by various hospitals on their route.
She captured the calf swimming right up to her boat at a whale breeding ground

This is the incredible moment a tourist was able to pet a baby whale after it swam right up to her boat.

The wonderful interaction was caught on camera during a whale watching trip in Baja California.

Sofia Sandoval Isaac was the lucky explorer to pet the curious baby sea beast.

This is the incredible moment a tourist was able to pet a baby whale after it swam up to boat

She captured the grey calf swimming right up to her boat at a whale breeding ground in the Mexican state.

'The video shows a baby grey whale being curious at the splash and boat,' Sofia, of Guadalajara, Mexico, said.

'Yes you are able to touch them here at the nursery in Ojo de Liebre.

'The mother whale was behind the baby at all times protecting him.

'This is my meaning of happiness.'

Sofia reached out to pet the baby whale as it approached and the creature stuck around to enjoy the rub.
A terrorist commando hit a facility run by MSF, killing two children and 12 mothers and nurses. President Ghani accuses the Taliban, who deny all involvement. The attack on the funeral of a police commander in the eastern province of Nangarhar claimed by ISIS, 24 people died and 68 others injured.

Kabul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A double terrorist attack in the last few hours returns to bloody Afghanistan, confirming that the "peace agreement" signed in Doha last February between the United States and the Taliban is not enough to put an end to decades of war and violence.

In the raid launched by a group of armed men in an obstetric hospital managed by Doctors without Borders (MSF) in Kabul, two children and at least 12 mothers and nurses were killed. In a second episode, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the explosion of a bomb at a funeral killed at least 26 people.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attacks and ordered the resumption of the offensive against the Taliban and other terrorist groups. He accuses the militiamen of having repeatedly ignored calls for calm and containment of violence.

The Taliban have denied any involvement in the attacks. The Islamic State instead claimed the attack on the funeral of a police commander in Nangarhar; at the moment there are no traces of the possible perpetrators of the assault on the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital.

The attack on the hospital began at 10 am local time yesterday morning: some sources speak of a double explosion, while inside there were over 140 people, including foreigners. Ramazan Ali, a vendor who is stationed in the area, reports that "the assailants were shooting at anyone, without making any distinction ... it is a government hospital, many bring their women and children to be treated".

Near the hospital there is also a structure that houses international staff and foreign workers. A doctor says he heard an explosion in the area too.

In the past, several similar attacks have occurred in the capital, which mainly concerned the Shiite sector of Kabul. Behind the violence there are the militants of the Islamic State (IS, ex Isis).

At the time of the explosion at the funeral of the senior officer in the province of Nangarhar, thousands of people were present. The bomb exploded as the convoy passed, killing 26 people and injuring 68 others.

Activists, NGOs and world political leaders have condemned the latest violence, which risks derailing a fragile path of peace in a context marked by divisions and opposing interests.

In the fight against terrorism, there are reports of the arrest - but official confirmations are awaited - of Zia ul-Haq, better known by the name of Sheikh Omar Khorasani, considered the leader of ISIS in South Asia and the Far East. The spokesman Isis Saheeb and the local head of jihadist intelligence Abu Ali were also arrested.
While larger, better capitalized players may be able to weather this storm, smaller cannabis businesses may not be able to do so absent some economic stimulus, he continued. By continuing to deny these small businesses eligibility to SBA assistance, it is possible that we could see an acceleration of the corporatization of the cannabis industry in a manner that is inconsistent with the values and desires of many within the cannabis space.
Emergency federal financial aid grants totaling $8.3 million were distributed to more than 7,700 undergraduate students this week by the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in response to financial distress due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds were allocated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities (CARES) Act. Grants were calculated based upon factors including financial need and an estimate of additional costs of food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.

Eligible students were required to U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, according to guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. The grants provide additional financial aid to students and will not affect their existing financial aid award.

A $1 million pool of financial aid is being established for graduate students, a combination of CARES funds and university money.

UMass Amhersts disbursement of CARES Act grants follows the issuance more than $40 million in room, meal and parking refunds, some $150,000 in COVID-19 Hardship Grants, support from the Student Care and Emergency Relief Fund, short-term emergency loans, approximately $300,000 to assist students returning from study abroad with airline rebooking fees; and assistance offered by the Student Legal Services Office and international programs office.

We are appreciative of all the support provided by the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, which pushed so hard for the inclusion of this funding that allows us to assist our neediest students in this time of crisis. Of course, we realize that for some, even with the combination of these resources, there will still be hardships. We encourage them to seek additional counsel from our Dean of Students Office,'' UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said.

These grants will help keep the aspiration of a college degree alive for thousands of UMass students who will go on to make a valuable contribution to society. I am grateful for the skilled advocacy that our Congressional delegation demonstrated in securing these funds, and the outstanding leadership that Chancellor Subbaswamy and his team have shown in rapidly getting these critical funds to students, said Marty Meehan, president of the UMass system.

U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and Jim McGovern said the funding was crucial to helping students maintain their academic journey without interruption caused by unexpected financial burdens.

When crafting the CARES Act, it was important that we took into consideration our students, educators and schools across the country.Many students found themselves displaced without the ability to afford basic essentials in the wake of the coronavirus,'' said Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee. This funding may, in many cases, be a lifesaver for them.

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Newly-appointed India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti on Wednesday called on Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu at the Upa-Rashtrapati Bhavan. Taking to Twitter, the Secretariat of the VP posted a picture of the two sitting at the Upa-Rashtrapati Bhavan while following the social distancing norms. The Vice President wished Tirumurti a "good successful tenure".

Veteran diplomat TS Tirumurti who was serving as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs was appointed as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations on Wednesday. He will replace Syed Akbaruddin, who is set to retire this month.

Shri TS Tirumurti, newly appointed Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations called on the Vice President at Upa-Rashtrapati Niwas today. The Vice President wished Shri Tirumurti- an experienced & distinguished diplomat, a good successful tenure in his new position. pic.twitter.com/PLQaHXton7  Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) May 13, 2020

Read: EU to recommend relaxation of border control measures as COVID-19 hits tourism

About TS Tirumurti

TS Tirumurti is serving as Secretary for Economic Relations at the External Affairs Ministrys headquarters in Delhi. The officer has played a significant role in recent prime ministerial visits and foreign engagements. He has also served at the permanent mission in Geneva. According to the MEA, the has been appointed as the next Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in New York.

Read: Safety measures for your admistration, not rest of America?: Biden questions Donald Trump

MEA appoints new envoys

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed senior diplomat Namrata S Kumar as India's next ambassador to Slovenia, while Jaideep Mazumdar has been appointed as the countrys next envoy to Austria. Along with it, Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary, MEA has been named as the Ambassador of India to Qatar, while Piyush Srivastava, senior diplomat, MEA, has been appointed as India's next Envoy to Bahrain. The ambassadors are expected to move overseas after the Centre eases the nationwide lockdown.

Read: MEA S Jaishankar to participate in SCO Foreign Ministers' meet virtually on COVID-19

Read: TS Tirumurti appointed as India's Permanent Representative to United Nations: MEA
Scientists are seen working on a potential vaccine for COVID-19 in Keele, Britain.

Carl Recine/Reuters

The US would be first country to get a potential coronavirus vaccine if it's successfully made by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi.

Because the US "invested in taking the risk" first, it would also be first to receive the vaccine, Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson told Bloomberg News.

The comments raise questions about how distribution would be handled once a vaccine is created.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US would be the first to receive a potential coronavirus vaccine if French pharmaceutical company Sanofi is able to produce it.

Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson told Bloomberg that "the US government has the right to the largest pre-order because it's invested in taking the risk."

He said that the United States was first to fund the company's research, so it expects "that if we've helped you manufacture the doses at risk, we expect to get the doses first."

Related Video: Why Some Viruses Jump From Animals to People and Some Don't

After receiving a boost from the US in February, Sanofi has partnered on the search for a vaccine with British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.

The European companies' research is among over 100 efforts to find a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Read more: Scientists are racing to create a coronavirus vaccine that can halt the pandemic in its tracks. Here are the top 3 candidates aiming to be ready this fall.

The comments from Sanofi are likely to rekindle questions over how a potential vaccine would be distributed. Experts have told Business Insider that without a concrete plan for distribution, chaos could ensue.

Inside the US, some have suggested prioritizing healthcare workers as the first to receive the vaccine. But distributing the vaccine on a global scale will likely be complicated by politics and logistics.

In a statement to Business Insider, Sanofi said that the company is committed to making its vaccine "accessible to everyone" and that it has manufacturing capabilities in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. Vaccines would be distributed in areas where they are produced, the company said.

Story continues

Sanofi's partnership with the US "allows [us] to initiate production as early as possible while we continue to develop and register the vaccine."

Hudson told Bloomberg he is pushing European leaders to invest more in a vaccine, saying that the region could be left behind as other countries pursue vaccine research through funding.

The French Embassy in Washington referred Business Insider to the French Health Ministry, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"I've been campaigning in Europe to say the US will get vaccines first," Hudson said. "That's how it will be because they've invested to try and protect their population, to restart their economy."

Sanofi said in its statement that it is "very encouraged to see the mobilization of the EU Commission over the past weeks" and that the company is having "very constructive conversations with the EU institutions and the French and German government amongst others."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has commended the federal government decision to pay members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) their withheld salaries.

Recall that some months ago, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered that the withheld salaries of the striking lecturers be paid with immediate effect.

Also Read: Buhari Directs Payment Of Withheld Salaries of ASUU

In a new development, it has been reported that the lecturers have been paid.

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Reacting to this report, the former lawmaker from Kaduna expressed that the decision to bow to the demand of ASUU is commendable.

He wrote:

The decision by the FG to bow to the demand of the striking ASUU lecturers and pay them their withheld salaries is commendable.
Commentary

By Tom Olsen

Canadas energy sector is facing unprecedented challenges as oil demand collapses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The toll is already visible, with layoffs coming at the worst possible time for families, as companies cut spending and put growth plans on hold in order to survive.

In this challenging time, anti-oil activists pour gasoline on the fire by pushing a plan to kill off Canadas oil and gas industry.

The so-called Green New Deal is an irresponsible approach that ignores basic facts about the important role this industry has played and will play in building the strong and resilient country were lucky to call home.

As many Canadians know, the oil and gas industry is one of the countrys largest economic sectors. It has a long track record of driving Canadas economy. And it can do so again, with production of safe, reliable, secure, and affordable oil and gas, rooted in world-leading environmental practices.

Canadians would prefer to use Canadian energy over foreign sources  especially from regimes that have little respect for womens rights, human rights more broadly and the environment.

Here are a few things you might not know:

The energy sector generated $359 billion in federal and provincial revenues between 2000 and 2018, building many hospitals and schools across the country, among other things.

Canadas Indigenous nations are benefiting as never before as the result of energy projects that Indigenous leaders say respect the environment and afford their people a way out of poverty.

The oil and gas sector supports more than 500,000 jobs across Canada in direct and related industries.

The energy sector is also the biggest investor in cleantech. If you kill the energy industry, you kill the investment in cleantech.

Reports of subsidies to the sector are widely exaggerated. They are, in fact, far less than subsidies to the rail sector and the motion picture industry, for example.

At the Canadian Energy Centre, weve been looking at attitudes across Canada when it comes to oil and gas. The results are heartening: 58 percent of Canadians support the industry.

Those people want to know the industry is continuously taking steps to improve environmental performance.

They also want to know theres an openness to alternate forms of energy.

Its important to note, this is not an either/or conversation. Its a conversation that includes all forms of energy to meet the worlds needs, including responsibly produced renewables, and biofuels, fossil fuels and hydroelectricity.

The starting point, however, is that oil and gas will be the primary fuel source for many years.

According to the International Energy Agency, in the last quarter of 2019  before the full effect of COVID-19 was felt  global demand eclipsed 100 million barrels of crude oil a day. That demand is expected to rebound to 98 million barrels a day by December 2020 from its current depressed levels.

Before the downturn, even the most conservative estimates put global demand at 67 million barrels a day in 2040. According to the International Energy Agency, however, a more likely scenario is 106 million barrels a day over the same period.

As much as possible of that oil should come from Canada.

So lets have that pragmatic discussion and set aside debates that suggest the imminent shuttering of an industry Canadians are proud of.

Canadas energy sector leads the world in responsible development while investing in new technologies that could help reduce both greenhouse gas and particulate emissions.

It will not be an easy road, but Canadian energy can help kick-start the countrys recovery from the economic devastation of COVID-19.

We should let it.

Tom Olsen is chief executive officer of the Canadian Energy Centre.


Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top United States infectious disease expert, says that reopening the country too soon could result in suffering and death and harm the economy. He spoke to a group of American lawmakers Tuesday.

Faucis warning came as President Donald Trump continues to praise American states that are reopening after a long period of lockdown. Fauci is a leader of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. President Trump chose him to be part of a small government team formed to shape U.S. policy on COVID-19.

Fauci told members of a Senate committee that states should follow the Trump administration guidelines before reopening schools and businesses. The three-step guidelines include a decrease in the number of new infections for a 14-day period. States are also advised to establish a strong testing program for the virus and a tracing process to find people who come in contact with those known to be infected.

An investigation by The Associated Press found that many of the states that have reopened or plan to reopen soon did not meet the administrations guidelines. The states include Alabama, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi and Missouri. Also on the list: Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah.

Fauci spoke at the hearing through a video link. He quarantined himself after two people who work at the White House were found to have the new coronavirus.

Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee led the hearing. A member of the Republican Party, Alexander went into quarantine himself after a test showed one of his aides also had the virus. In his opening statement, Alexander said, All roads back to work and back to school run through testing and what our country has done so far on testing is impressive, but not nearly enough.



Trump pushed for reopening

With 30 million people unemployed in a failing economy, Trump has been pushing for the states to reopen. On Monday, the president said that the U.S. leads the world after completing 9 million coronavirus tests. But experts note that number represents less than 3 percent of all Americans.

The president has also cheered Americans who protested their stay-at-home orders from their state governors. In late April, he used emergency powers to force meat processing factories to stay open although numbers of infected workers were rising. And, on Friday, Trump said the virus is going to go away without a vaccine.

Fauci, however, told lawmakers that the coronavirus will not simply "disappear. He said the threat of a second coronavirus outbreak is "possible" without a strong testing effort and other measures.

As of May 12, Johns Hopkins Universitys Coronavirus Resource Center reported the U.S. has at least 1.3 million infections and over 81,000 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, the highest numbers in the world. Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 4.2 million people and killed nearly 300,000.

Fauci said many experts believe more people have died from coronavirus than reported. I think were going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have, by any means, total control of this outbreak, he added.

Separately, an expert from the World Health Organization has already warned that some countries are driving blind into economic reopening without strong systems to follow new outbreaks. And three countries with a strong testing and tracing program  South Korea, Germany and China  already have seen new outbreaks after stay-at-home orders were eased.

I'm Caty Weaver.

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English with news reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. Caty Weaver was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

lockdown - n. a state of isolation or restricted access established as a security measure

trace - v. to find out where something came from

quarantine - v. to keep a person away from others to prevent a disease from spreading

aide - n. a person whose job is to assist someone

impressive - adj. deserving admiration or respect

outbreak - n. a sudden start or increase of disease

blind - adj. unable to see
BIO KOREA 2020 Online Convention from Online Business Forum with Partnering, Virtual Exhibition, e-Conference, Invest Fair, and Job Fair

The BIO KOREA Organizing Committee announced it will hold the BIO KOREA 2020 International Convention scheduled for May 18-23 as an online convention instead of an in-person event for this year.

The decision was based on the impact of COVID-19, the safety of the attendees and global health recommendations regarding large, in-person gatherings.

BIO KOREA 2020 Online Convention

Date: May 18 09:00 to 23 18:00 (KST)

Point of Access: www.biokorea.org

Program: Online Business Forum with Partnering, Virtual Exhibition, e-Conference, Invest Fair, Job Fair

Online Business Forum with Partnering

BIO KOREA 2020 Online Convention will focus on the virtual collaboration with its Partnering system allowing attendees to schedule virtual meetings to maximize their business development and licensing potential. International participation continues to grow. Numerous companies from 20+ countries are already joined and expected to showcase their advanced technologies at BIO KOREA 2020.

Definitely expecting to be a place where various kinds of discussion will be held, with Korean companies as not just the companies which are leading bio industry in Korea such as LG Chem Life Science, Samsung Biologics, Celltrion, and Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, etc., also promising SMEs like Organoid Science, YBRAIN, and Amyloid Solution are attending to foster their business. And 24-hour meeting slots will let strengthen your digital network across time zones.

Virtual Exhibition

The new format includes Virtual Exhibition where has set to show the cutting-edge technologies and products of exhibitors in various ways such as Digital Scan, Animation, 360 VR, and so on. 350+ exhibitors, from start-up to the global enterprise, will be at BIO KOREA's virtual exhibition and also there will be COVID-19 Special Zone to introduce South Korea's effective diagnostic tests, high-tech medical technology, and protocols.

e-Conference

The conference of BIO KOREA will also come with the online format under the theme of "A New Paradigm in the Age of Data Science" including expert-level content focused on the most pressing industry topics including COVID-19, Vaccine, Alzheimer's Disease, Electroceutical, Digital Pathology, Digital Therapeutics, AI (Artificial Intelligence). BIO KOREA 2020's e-Conference, covering 13 topics with 90+ speakers, will bring the most up-to-date conversations in biopharma to your home office.

Invest Fair

Invest Fair is an event where pharmaceuticals, bio, and healthcare companies that are advancing into the global market and developing new drugs introduce their superior technology and investors to the companies' vision and strategy. Along with online hosting, it maintains its attendance by impressive lineups of 24 companies such as GC Greencross, Celltrion, Tium BIO, and ABL Bio.

Job Fair

Aiming to place its main objective in recruiting talented individuals amongst undergraduates and postgraduates searching for job vacancies in bio industry, companies participating in Job Fair will share their success tips in various fields. Amid current bleak jobs pictures, about 30 companies are attending with 150+ job openings.

Lastly, BIO KOREA remains committed to amplifying the industry's efforts to develop solutions for patients. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the special sessions dealing with its diagnostic kits, therapeutics and vaccines, also sharing the cooperation among the governments, industries are prepared. Jerom Kim from IVI will deliver the Keynote speech for the COVID-19 special session.

For more information, visit BIO KOREA's Official Website: www.biokorea.org

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200512005997/en/

Contacts:

BIO KOREA Organizing Committee

Suyeon Choi, Researcher

+82-1661-0810 (O! BIO)

biokorea@biokorea.org
Opalesque Industry Update, for New Managers - Emergence, the fund dedicated to accelerating entrepreneurial management companies, announces that it has appointed NewAlpha Asset Management as the investment manager of its future European sub-fund, Emergence Europe, which will be launched before the end of the year. In response to the request for proposals issued by the SICAV Emergence in December, nine investment management firms had expressed interest. Four of them, with differentiated approaches to incubation and acceleration asset managers, submitted their applications on 22 January 2020. Following a structured and rigorous analysis process, Emergence's Board of Directors unanimously selected NewAlpha's application. "The launch of this new Emergence Europe sub-fund is ambitious and the specifications for selecting the investment manager were demanding. While NewAlpha AM's experience working alongside Emergence since 2012 could be an asset, it was essential to demonstrate a good understanding and a proven ability to meet the expectations and objectives related to the European dimension of the Emergence model. We applaud the very high quality of NewAlpha AM's application, whose expertise was evident in all the applications received" said Sabine Castellan Poquet, Vice-President of Emergence since 2020 and Chief Investment Officer at MACIF. According to the press release issued today by Emergence, institutional investors who are shareholders of the Emergence SICAV have noted that NewAlpha has the expertise and experience of a "pure player" in the field of incubation and acceleration of young entrepreneurial investment managers, the importance of human resources specifically dedicated to the activity and the quality of tools relevant to the business. The presentation of an in-depth analysis of boutique managers operating in the European Union with an offer of funds on European equities, based on a proprietary database that is immediately operational, was also a determining factor in the choice made, according to the management of the SICAV. An internal Selection Committee specially set up for the occasion studied and scored the candidates' files according to 7 pre-established criteria and interviewed representatives of each of the candidate management companies. The Committee's analyses and recommendations were forwarded to the Board of Directors for discussion and appointment of the investment manager. The call for applications and the selection of the sub-manager are the first steps in the launch of the Emergence Europe Fund. In the coming weeks, the finalisation of the fund's offering memorandum and the adaptation of the sub-fund's governance to its European dimension will precede the fund raising. The first closing is expected at the end of October 2020 and a first investment should be made by early 2021. "Our ambition for Emergence Europe is to raise 500 million by broadening our historic investor base to include new French investors and, for the first time, European players. In the current context, this approach of accelerating management companies by investing in equities makes more sense than ever for long-term investors, who are naturally counter-cyclical" stressed Laurent Deborde, Chairman of Emergence. Emergence Europe is the first sub-fund of Emergence open to entrepreneurial investment managers based in the European Union and a pool of institutional investors from these countries. With this new sub-fund, Emergence's ambition is to position itself as the European leader in the incubation of boutique managers and thus contribute to the influence of the Paris financial centre as a hub for asset management in Europe. Press release Bg
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Brussels  Wed, May 13, 2020 10:34 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a7154 2 News European-Union,Europe,travel,Holiday,tourism,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

The EU will present recommendations on Wednesday to save the summer season in Europes reeling tourism sector, which has been pounded by the coronavirus crisis.

The European Commission will urge EU countries to gradually reopen shuttered internal borders and to above all treat each member state on the same criteria.

According to a draft seen by AFP, the Commission insists that reopening of everyday life after the pandemic must be done in a "concerted" and "non-discriminatory" manner and must remain "as harmonious as possible".

The points are only recommendations on the part of the EU's executive as it is up to national governments to decide whether to lift the restrictions put in place to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Brussels recommends that when countries are in a comparable epidemiological situation and have adopted the same precautionary measures, they should be treated in the same way.

If, for example, Austria opens its borders with Germany, it must also open its borders with the Czech Republic if that country is in a comparable situation to Germany.

Similarly, when a country opens its borders with another country, it must do so for all the residents of that country, whether or not they are nationals of that country.

This issue of restoring freedom of movement within the passport-free Schengen area is crucial for European tourism, a sector which accounts for 10 percent of the EU's GDP and 12 percent of employment.

In some southern European countries, such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal, this impact is even greater and if holidaymakers were to stay home, their already bad economic situation could worsen further.

In its recommendations, the commission also addresses the thorny issue of whether or not to reimburse cancelled trips and holidays.

Under EU rules, the European consumer is entitled to a cash refund, but many operators and airlines prefer to offer a credit instead.

"Carriers and tour operators should follow a common approach, offering passengers and travellers an attractive choice between a cash refund, in line with their rights under EU law, or the acceptance of a voucher," the document said.

Late last month, 12 European countries asked the European Commission to suspend the obligation for airlines to reimburse passengers whose journeys have been cancelled because of the coronavirus.
A Palestinian teen was shot dead by Israeli forces near Hebron, the Health Ministry in the West Bank said Wednesday, a day after a Palestinian stone-thrower killed an Israeli soldier.

Zaid Qaysia, 15, was hit with a bullet fired by Israeli troops early Wednesday in the Al-Fawar refugee camp, according to a Palestinian Health Ministry spokesperson. Two other Palestinians were injured by live fire during the Israeli raid, the ministry said.

The Israel Defense Forces said its soldiers were forced to respond with live fire after "terrorists threw stones and boulders, firebombs and explosives during the operation.

We are aware of a report regarding a Palestinian casualty and a number of injured Palestinians, the IDF said in a statement.

On Tuesday, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier was killed during a pre-dawn raid in the West Bank village of Yabad when a heavy rock was hurled in his direction from a nearby roof. Staff Sgt. Amit Ben Ygal was pronounced dead at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israeli officials said.

He was the first IDF soldier killed during combat operations this year.

That same day, Israeli police said a Palestinian man tried to stab security forces at the Qalandiya checkpoint outside Jerusalem before he was shot and wounded.

The surge in violence comes as Israel prepares to annex large portions of the West Bank this summer, on condition of agreement from the United States.

During his first trip abroad in some two months, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Israel Wednesday to discuss annexation plans and the coronavirus pandemic with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival-turned-partner Benny Gantz. The two Israeli leaders are expected to swear in their new coalition government on Thursday.

Neither Netanyahu nor Pompeo addressed the recent West Bank violence during remarks to the press Wednesday, but the American secretary of state did tout the Donald Trump administrations controversial Middle East peace proposal.

There remains work yet to do, and we need to make progress on that. Im looking forward to it, Pompeo said.

The West Bank is part of the territory Palestinians are seeking for a future independent state. A recent survey from the Israel Democracy Institute found 52% of Jewish Israelis support applying Israeli sovereignty over parts of the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, compared to only 9% of Arab Israelis.
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Car parks have overflowed as thousands of nature lovers flocked to England's beauty spots for the first time since the easing of the coronavirus lockdown.

Tourists were seen weathering the overcast conditions at popular destinations including Durdle Door in Dorset, Ilkley Moor near Bradford and in the Lake District as they seized the chance to get out the house.

But chaos ensued on the south coast and in North Tyneside as rows of cars were pictured overflowing from car parks as a swarm of people desperately tried to reach the beaches.

In Dorset, before the lockdown was lifted, 150 fines were issued to motorists who travelled to Durdle Door in Lulworth, Dorset. But under the government lockdown easing rules Britons are allowed to make day trips for leisure.

Updated Government rules on the coronavirus pandemic have relaxed the 'stay local' message so people can drive to outdoor open spaces 'irrespective of distance'.

Amid the changes - which only apply to England - national parks warned people to respect local communities, keep their distance from others and avoid hotspots and busy areas.

Some places have even begged tourists to steer clear, with Blackpool tourism office's Twitter page re-branding to 'Do Not Visit Blackpool' and a Scotland tourism chief saying the country will be closed to visitors this summer.

Pictured: People take to the beach as the lockdown rules ease while the UK continues to fight the coronavirus pandemic and the Government loosens restrictions on outdoor activity

Thousands of nature lovers have flocked to England's beauty spots (pictured at West Bexington in Dorset) for the first time since the easing of the coronavirus lockdown

Rebecca Dent and Tom Harrison pause during a walk on the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor above Ilkley, West Yorkshire, as lockdown rules in England relax

Kyakers wear wetsuits as they make their way towards the beach in Woolacombe, Devon, today after the announcement of plans to bring the country out of lockdown

Walkers take a stroll at the Fistral beach in Newquay, Cornwall on 13th May 2020 as the government has started to ease some lockdown restrictions including outdoor sport and travelling to beauty spots for your daily exercise

Walkers take a stroll at Rannerdale Knotts in the Lake District, Cumbria, on the first day of lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions on leisure activities and outdoor exercise

Walkers in Greater Manchester take advantage of the relaxed exercises restrictions today, following Boris Johnson's address to the nation on Sunday

The full West Stoke car park at Kingley Vale, in the South Downs National Park near Chichester, West Sussex, is pictured today

Cars line the country lane leading to Kingley Vale, in the South Downs National Park near Chichester, West Sussex, on Wednesday

Tourists were seen weathering the overcast conditions at popular destinations such as in Dorset (pictured, Lulworth), Ilkley Moor near Bradford and in the Lake District as they seized the chance to get out the house

Visitors taking in the view of Man O'War bay next to Durdle Door at Lulworth in Dorset on a day of warm sunny spells today after coronavirus travel and exercise restrictions were eased

The car park at Durdle Door reopened at Lulworth in Dorset after coronavirus travel and exercise restrictions were loosened

Vehicles were strewn across entrances to the beach at West Bexington, Dorset, where car parks there remained closed. But down the road in Luxworth the council reopened sites, warning charges were being reintroduced.

Meanwhile car parks were open along the historic coast at North Tyneside so people could trudge over the sand dunes to the rolling beaches.

Eight car parks along the scenic seafront were shut on March 27 after many ignored strict orders from Boris Johnson to stay indoors and instead flocked to the coast.

But this morning council workers were seen kicking bollards aside and dismantling 'stay at home' signs as the country gets back to business.

In the Lake District ramblers could be seen marching past sheep and bluebells as they enjoyed the stunning views in the North West beauty spot.

A couple strolls past Durdle Door at Lulworth in Dorset as people flocked to tourist hotspots across England on Wednesday

In the Lake District ramblers could be seen marching past sheep and bluebells as they enjoyed the stunning views in the North West beauty spot

Durdle Door car park reopens at Lulworth in Dorset with a sign on the A352 informing drivers that it has spaces while Lulworth car park remains closed

Rebecca Dent and Tom Harrison pause during a walk on the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor above Ilkley, near Bradford, West Yorkshire

There has been a hike in Google searches for the area following the partial lifting of the lockdown by the PM this week.

It comes after national parks urged caution for visitors planning to return to beauty spots from today - with some still telling people to stay away.

Visitors are also being warned some facilities such as car parks, visitor centres and public toilets, as well as cafes and pubs, are not yet open.

But thousands of Britons sucked in the fresh air of freedom today at garden centres, golf courses and tennis courts which have reopened for the first time since lockdown.

Green-fingered shoppers poured into garden centres for the first time in seven weeks and some places saw queues of up to 100 people, many in masks, lining up outside well ahead of opening times.

And sports enthusiasts weathered breezy and cloudy conditions to head to recreation clubs for the first time in seven weeks.

A gentleman is seen fishing at Castle Ashby lakes as restrictions are eased on some leisure activities on May 13, 2020 in Northamptonshire, England

Two men fish at Castle Ashby lakes as restrictions are eased on some leisure activities on May 13, 2020 in Northamptonshire, England

Golfers in Manchester take advantage of the relaxed exercises restrictions today, following Boris Johnson's address to the nation on Sunday

A gentleman is seen fishing at Castle Ashby lakes as restrictions are eased on some leisure activities on May 13, 2020 in Northamptonshire

People are seen playing cricket in nets at Clapham Common, south London, today as lockdown begins to ease across England

Golfers in Hertfordshire today as golf clubs, nurseries and garden centres are allowed to open for the first time since lockdown

A boy plays tennis at Enfield Lawn Tennis Club in north London today following the easing of lockdown after the outbreak of the coronavirus disease

Kacper Laskowski and his brother Oskar warm up at Northampton County Lawn Tennis Club on May 13, 2020 in Northampton as lockdown rules begin to ease

Golfers, wearing face masks, bump elbows at Rookwood Golf Club, Horsham, Sussex, today as golfers return to play as restrictions are lifted in England, as the UK continues in lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus during the pandemic

Garden centres which had been shuttered by coronavirus tentatively welcomed back green-fingered shoppers to their stores (Longacre Garden Centre pictured)

A shopper is given hand sanitiser by an employee wearing a protective visor upon his arrival at Whitley's Garden Centre in West Yorkshire

Customers view plants at Frosts Garden Centre on May 13, 2020 in Woburn Sands, United Kingdom. The prime minister announced the general contours of a phased exit from the current lockdown on Sunday

A customer views plants at Frosts Garden Centre on May 13, 2020 in Woburn Sands as England eases its coroanvirus lockdown

And crowds flocked to garden centres across the country as they were also allowed to reopen today (pictured at Old Barn Garden Centre in Horsham, West Sussex)

Since garden centres were given the green light to reopen during the Prime Minister's address to the nation on Sunday night, many have been working to enforce social distancing at their sites

Walton Heath Golf Club members Callum Malcolm and Dominic Griffiths who teed off at 7.40am walk off the first tee in Tadworth

Golfers at Llanymynech Golf Club, Oswestry, where the course crosses the border of England and Wales, still took to the pitch today

Christina San and Joshua Park are pictured playing tennis for the first time since the lockdown rules were loosened at Westside tennis centre, Wimbledon

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's chief executive David Butterworth said the Government's approach to reopening the countryside was not one it had advocated.

What are the rules on going to beauty spots? People can drive to parks or beaches within England but only with members of their own household. People are not allowed to cross the border to Wales or Scotland for leisure activities if different restrictions are in force. They are also allowed to sit in the sun in their local parks. Mr Johnson's speech on Sunday indicated this could only be done with members of their own household, but it is understood people will be allowed to sunbathe or chat in a park with one other person. Advertisement

'We, along with many organisations with countryside facilities, have advocated a staged approach with an initial 'stay local' message to avoid unnecessary travel and minimise any tension between visitors and local communities.'

But in light of the new rules, authority-run car parks would now be opened and it was working to open toilets as soon as possible, he said, as he asked visitors to respect local communities, nature and other people.

The Lake District National Park is urging people not to return yet, in order to help communities in Cumbria, which officials said has one of the highest Covid-19 infection rates in the UK.

National Park Authority chief executive Richard Leafe said: 'For now, we're asking people not to rush back to the Lake District - help protect our communities, the fells will still be here when this passes.

'When the time is right, we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Lake District and have been working with partners to put measures in place that will help keep people safe, such as new car park information and availability to help plan ahead.'

The Lake District National Park is urging people not to return yet, in order to help communities in Cumbria (pictured), which officials said has one of the highest Covid-19 infection rates in the UK

National Park Authority chief executive Richard Leafe said: 'For now, we're asking people not to rush back to the Lake District - help protect our communities, the fells will still be here when this passes'

A busy car park is pictured at Stoughton Down in the South Downs National Park, West Sussex, following the relaxation of the coronavirus lockdown rules

Dartmoor National Park said it was reviewing how to reopen car parks and toilets and was awaiting further guidance on how to so while safely supporting social distancing.

'Until then please stay at home, avoid unnecessary journeys, exercise locally and follow social distancing and hygiene rules,' a statement from the National Park Authority said.

Sarah Fowler, chief executive of Peak District National Park Authority, also issued a personal appeal for anyone planning to travel to the area, saying: 'Before your journey, carefully consider your own wellbeing and that of the Peak District's many small communities.'

Continuing to use local parks and outdoor areas close to home could help the park ensure it can welcome visitors in the coming weeks and not put 'undue pressure' on public highways, emergency access or key workers, she said.

Other national parks also urged would-be visitors to respect people and business in the parks, as well as the nature that has been thriving, ensure they practise social distancing, plan ahead and avoid busy areas.

The Broads Authority in Norfolk also said it was seeking clarification on whether private boaters are able to use the waterways from Wednesday, and what the guidance entails for paddle and water sports.

Two people walk away from Durdle Door car park after it reopened at Lulworth in Dorset on Wednesday, seeing a huge influx of tourists

Police officers on bicycles patrol Bournemouth beach in Dorset on the first day of easing for some coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England

People sit around a wind breaker on Bournemouth beach in Dorset on the first day of easing for some coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England

Blackpool's tourism office has rebranded itself on Twitter 'Do Not Visit Blackpool' - just as the lockdown eased.

'Visit Blackpool' has temporarily been rebranded on social media just after Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new guidance last Sunday.

Council leader Simon Blackburn said Boris Johnson's message meant there was 'nothing we can do' to stop visitors - but he urged people to stay away.

New rules coming into effect today allow people in England to spend more time outdoors 'for leisure purposes' - including sunbathing.

Under the relaxed guidelines, people can drive in household groups to destinations of their choosing, including parks and beaches.

The Lancashire resort rose to prominence among Victorian holidaymakers after railway connections made it easier to travel to.

Blackpool's tourism office has rebranded itself on Twitter 'Do Not Visit Blackpool' from 'Visit Blackpool'- just as the lockdown eased

But Mr Blackburn said although they hoped to relaunch as a tourism hotspot in July, for now he would prefer people to 'stay local'.

He said: 'There's nothing we can do, given the prime minister's advice, to stop people walking on the promenade or the beach. But we urge people to not visit Blackpool at the current time.

'None of the traditional attractions that you want to see will be open, you won't be able to get the food you usually get, or do the things you can normally do.'

Some of London's busiest roads will be CLOSED to cars to make room for bikes and pedestrians Cars and taxis are set to be banned from some of the capital's busiest roads to make way for cyclists and pedestrians despite increasing traffic and social distancing becoming a 'joke' on public transport as millions returned to work today. The City of London Corporation claims closing major routes through the financial district will be 'pivotal' to keeping people safe during the pandemic despite the Government's advice being clear that: 'You are very unlikely to be infected if you walk past another person in the street'. Transport chiefs want to impose 12 or 24-hour closures for cars and divert buses off its main routes including Cannon Street, Poultry, Lombard Street, Old Broad Street and Threadneedle Street, home to the Bank of England. Without the vehicles, pavements will be widened, new cycle lanes created and extra space for queuing outside shops and cafes, with the plan expected to be approved by the Square Mile's planning committee tomorrow as the City of London's 550,000 workers start returning to offices as the lockdown eases. Advertisement

Scotland has gone a step further as a tourism chief warned the country will be closed to visitors this summer, as island communities fear a spike in coronavirus infections due to outsiders.

Government agency VisitScotland said it was likely daytrippers would be allowed to venture out once the lockdown lifts, and that self-catering businesses had indicated they would be ready to open.

But VisitScotland director Riddell Graham slated 'confusion' over different situations in Scotland and down south.

Mr Graham said: 'Some parts of Scotland have had little or no infections. They want to make sure that that doesn't change through an influx of visitors from outside.

'There is a very delicate balance to be struck. A really important thing we have to bear in mind is the concerns of communities, such as island communities.

'We think some people will be genuinely concerned, particularly about travelling in groups and that the car will be coming forward as a means of getting around the countryside. That in itself causes real challenges in managing the flow of visitors.

'Speaking to the countryside people, they are concerned about managing the potential impact on some of the hotspots that they manage, within the National Parks for example.

'There will be some people who will be genuinely concerned about meeting other people and being exposed to visitors in a way they haven't been up until now.'

He rejected the idea visitors could travel to Scotland this summer but he was optimistic of 'some kind' of reopening this year - which could happen at different times across the country.

Scotland has gone a step further as a tourism chief warned the country will be closed to visitors this summer, as island communities fear a spike in coronavirus infections due to outsiders (pictured, a road closed at Cairngorm Ski Centre near Aviemore yesterday)

Government agency VisitScotland said it was likely daytrippers would be allowed to venture out once the lockdown lifts, and that self-catering businesses had indicated they would be ready to open (pictured, Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms National Park, near Aviemore, yesterday)
Los Angeles, May 13 : Actor Robert Pattinson is aware about the "Batman" legacy and the anticipation around the new version, and says all the buzz makes taking on the avatar of the caped crusader a "little spicy".

In a GQ profile, the actor, who is spending lockdown with his girlfriend in a rented apartment in London, opened up on the upcoming version of "The Batman", Christopher Nolan's much-hyped "Tenet" and life under self-isolation, reports variety.com.

The shooting of Matt Reeves' "The Batman" was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I kind of like the fact that not only are there very, very, very well-done versions of the character which seem pretty definitive, but I was thinking that there are multiple definitive playings of the character," Pattinson said.

"You've seen this sort of lighter version, you've seen a kind of jaded version, a kind of more animalistic version. And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: Where's my opening? Also, it's a legacy part, right? I like that. There's so few things in life where people passionately care about it before it's even happened. You can almost feel that pushback of anticipation, and so it kind of energizes you a little bit. It's different from when you're doing a part and there's a possibility that no one will even see it. Right? In some ways it's, I don't know... It makes you a little kind of spicy," he added.

Christopher Nolan's "Tenet", which is also shot in India, has been described as "an action epic evolving from the world of international espionage. And Pattinson says shooting the film was "insane".

"('Tenet' is) so insane," Pattinson said while describing how the whole crew used to fly together from one country to another over the shoot.

"In each country there's, like, an enormous set-piece scene, which is like the climax of a normal movie. In every single country," he said, adding that "there's actually no time traveling" in the film.

Pattinson is a private person, and that's why he isn't affected by the isolation much.

"I spend so much time by myself, 'cause you're just kind of always forced to, that I can't really remember what it was like not really having that kind of lifestyle," Pattinson said.

Now, he is hearing about the isolation experiences of his friends and family.

"I just realise, everyone is so, so vulnerable to isolation. It's quite shocking," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Worshippers perform Taraweeh prayer at Kaaba in the Grand Mosque on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease - Reuters

Saudi Arabia has said it will impose a full, 24-hour lockdown during the five-day Eid al-Fitr festival, which falls at the end of Ramadan, due to rising coronavirus infections.

The curfew will be imposed from May 23 to May 27, following the end of the fasting period for Muslims, the Saudi interior ministry said in a statement.

The kingdom has reported some of the highest number of coronavirus cases in the Gulf region and is now trying to slow the spread of the disease at a time when millions of Muslims will be celebrating the end of their fast.

Most parts of the kingdom were put under full lockdown following the outbreak, but last month the government relaxed the curfew between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

Shopping centres and retailers have been allowed to reopen, except in major hotspots including the holy city of Mecca, where confirmed cases have substantially increased, despite a stringent lockdown.

A worker passes through a self-sterilisation gate set up at an entrance of the Kaaba and the Grand Mosque - STR/AFP via Getty Images

The Saudi health ministry says that the number of coronavirus deaths has risen to 264, while the rate of infections has risen to 42,925, while 15,257 people have recovered.

In March, Saudi Arabia suspended the year-round "umrah" pilgrimage over fears of the disease spreading in Islam's holiest cities. It also urged Muslims to postpone making plans for their Hajj pilgrimage.

Authorities are yet to announce whether they will proceed with this year's hajj - scheduled for late July.

Last year, some 2.5 million Muslims travelled to Saudi Arabia from across the world to participate in the hajj, which Muslims are obliged to perform at least once during their lifetime.

The Arab world's biggest economy has also closed cinemas and restaurants and halted flights as it attempts to contain the virus.

King Salman has warned of a "more difficult" fight ahead against the coronavirus, as the Kingdom faces the combined threats of lockdown and crashing oil prices.
Boris Johnson advised the nation on Sunday that it will soon be the time for arrivals to the United Kingdom to self-isolate for 14 days upon entering the country. The UK lockdown began seven weeks ago, so it is clear that imposing a quarantine on our arrivals is one of the very last steps in the governments plan to control the spread of coronavirus. But in the middle of a global pandemic, preventing the virus from coming into our country by air travel should have been at the forefront of those plans.

On 3 April, almost two weeks after the UK entered lockdown, my partner and I arrived in the UK after a 35-hour journey from Sydney to Heathrow. After two previous cancelled flights, we were eager to get home and back to our families. But I was shocked by the Heathrow we were greeted with. A quiet airport, yes, but nevertheless an airport that we were able to leave within an hour.

No questions asked. No tests or temperature checks upon arrival. No record taken of where we would be travelling onward to.

Aside from the lack of the usual hustle and bustle of an international flight hub, just a few posters and hand sanitiser points were the only signs that we were experiencing a global public health crisis exacerbated by the movement of people around the globe by air. We were asked to keep our distance from one another, but I could already see a sharp contrast to the country we had just arrived from.

Back in Sydney, we were required to show our boarding pass and passport to three different members of staff before we could even join the queue to check in  including a security check at the very first door. Multiple members of staff controlled the queues, ensuring all passengers stood on the clear black crosses marked on the floor, each two metres apart.

Why, then, at Heathrow, were passengers able to collect their luggage freely, with no staff to ensure a safe distance was being kept between passengers?

This wasnt the only difference that concerned me. Upon arrival, we already knew self-isolating for a 14-day period was a sensible idea. Australia had been requiring their arrivals to do this since the 15 March, or risk a high fine. Each time we had checked into a new hostel in Australia we were asked to provide the date that we had entered the country; in some cases, we were asked to sign a statement to verify our arrival to ensure that we were not entering a communal hostel if we were meant to be in a period of self-isolation.

Of course, we expected to abide by similar regulations upon arriving in England. We had just travelled back from the other side of the world and in the middle of a pandemic. But, of course, no such guidance was in place. We both completed a two-week isolation, deciding to be responsible following our trip, but our government did not ask us to do so. We had travelled from Sydney to London, to Plymouth within three days and yet under the UK governments advice, I could have paid a visit to my local supermarket the very next day if I wished.

Once it had become clear that Covid-19 was a global health emergency, Australia was not the only nation to quickly impose a strict isolation period on arrivals. Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Japan and New Zealand are just some of the countries who currently require their arrivals to do the same. Turkey, Iceland, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile and Malta are also marching to the beat of the same drum. Many of these countries also closed their air borders, suspending all international flights.

The UK is the global exception.

The World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a global health emergency on 30 January. Between 1 January and 23 March, 18.1 million people entered the UK. Since then, the UK has been through a seven-week lockdown, but the rules on entering our country have  until now  remained unchanged.

With the second-highest number of Covid-19 related deaths in the world, it is not soon to be the time to quarantine our arrivals. That time was weeks ago  and we missed it.
The press service of Oleg Bakhmatyuk's UkrLandFarming agricultural holding has issued a statement accusing the head of the Anti-corruption Action Center (AntAC) of systematically spreading lies about the company shareholder.

This way, the agricultural holding has responded to Vitaliy Shabunin's statements he had recently voiced in TV broadcasts. "On April 21 this year, Channel 24 viewers witnessed manipulation by Head of the Anti-corruption Action Center Vitaliy Shabunin, who is a suspect in the case of embezzlement of US$133 million in grant funds for treating patients with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Speaking on TV, Shabunin frankly lied that the offer of our shareholder Oleg Bakhmatyuk to settle the debt of VAB Bank and paying the state UAH 8 billion (US$298.5 million) had been allegedly made under the investigators' pressure: 'For example, the case of Bakhmatyuk, who is a former owner of VAB Bank now hiding abroad. Now that he's almost been caught up with, he's ready to give UAH 8 billion to the budget just to not go to jail,' Shabunin said. We refuted Shabunin's statement and proved that this citizen deliberately lied and misled the TV channel's audience," reads the statement, as reported by Ukrainian News.

However, last week, Shabunin several times voiced these allegations in several TV broadcasts. "Therefore, we once again remind Vitaliy Shabunin, suspected by the National Police of stealing assistance from patients, that the offer to pay the government UAH 8 billion of bank debts arising from the major banking crisis of 2014-2015 had first been made by Oleg Bakhmatyuk two years ago, when there was no persecution of our shareholder by NABU [the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine]. Mr. Shabunin, continuing to voice outright lies either motivated by revenge or fulfilling the other persons' order  you are better aware of your motives  you offer the public an opportunity to understand the true value of the rest of your claims, too" the statement says. Also, Oleg Bakhmatyuk's company believes the law enforcement agencies will assess Vitaliy Shabunin's activities as a civic activist.

As reported earlier, owner of the UkrLandFarming and Avangard Group of Companies Oleg Bakhmatyuk offered the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Deposit Guarantee Fund, the National Bank of Ukraine, and the Office of the Prosecutor General a mechanism for repaying debts worth UAH 8 billion of VAB Bank and Financial Initiative Bank that had been removed from the market in 2014-2015 among the other 95 banks affected by the crisis. The Deposit Guarantee Fund said it believes such a proposal is beneficial to the state.
A 15-year-old gunman didnt get a raw deal when he was sentenced to 12 to 24 years in prison after being convicted of shooting a woman in the stomach, a state Superior Court panel has concluded.

In reaching that decision, the judges discounted Jovon DeShields claim that his lawyer was ineffective and never told him about a proposed plea deal for a 3- to 10-year jail term. Nor did they find the attorney shortchanged the York teen by not calling a vague alibi witness to testify during his trial.

Shields, now 25, was found guilty of convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault for shooting the woman in August 2010 after she bought crack cocaine from her drug dealer. The woman, who knew DeShields, said he asked her, Remember me? before opening fire.

DeShields claimed on appeal that his lawyer didnt tell him about the 3- to 10-year offer until it had been withdrawn by the district attorneys office. County Judge Craig T. Trebilcock rejected that claim during the initial hearing on DeShields appeal. President Judge Emeritus Coreale F. Stevens sided with Trebilcock in the Superior Courts opinion.

Stevens cited the county judges finding that DeShields contention that he didnt understand the criminal court process was a lie because even at age 15 DeShields already had been prosecuted for multiple crimes as a juvenile.

Although DeShields insisted on appeal that he would have taken the 3- to 10-year deal, Trebilcock credited the defense attorneys testimony that both DeShields and his family rejected that offer outright, Stevens noted.

The defense attorney didnt err by not calling the supposed alibi witness, DeShields 16-year-old female cousin, to testify at his trial because her claim that DeShields was with her at the time of the shooting was lacking in specifics, Stevens found.
Boris Johnson is facing mounting criticism over the crisis in care homes after ministers admitted that coronavirus tests would not be rolled out to all facilities for another three weeks.

Official guidance on easing the lockdown said all care homes would be offered testing for residents and staff by 6 June - despite a mass expansion of testing to cover homes, announced on 28 April by Matt Hancock.

The 60-page document, published earlier this week, said the government was providing "widespread, swift testing of all symptomatic care home residents, and all patients discharged from hospital before going into care homes".

It added: "It [the government] is offering a COVID-19 test to every staff member and resident in every care home in England, whether symptomatic or not; by 6 June, every care home for the over 65s will have been offered testing for residents and staff."

MPs accused ministers of leaving vulnerable residents to face "an unbearable and unacceptable" wait for tests, and questioned why roll out of testing for high risk areas had been slow.

Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Munira Wilson told The Independent: "Staff and residents of care homes at the back of the queue for tests are now facing an unbearable and unacceptable three week wait.

"Testing in high risk areas like care homes should have been in place weeks ago. Instead we've seen staff lacking essential protective kit, putting their own and others' health at risk as a result.

"When I raised this issue in parliament on 16 March, the health secretary promised tests would be in place "as soon as possible", yet months later some care homes are still waiting. Government efforts to fast-track this process have been inadequate - they must get a grip on this issue now to protect lives."

Labour's shadow care minister Liz Kendall said there was "still complete confusion" about testing, with care homes telling MPs they have been unable to access tests.

"We were promised in April that the government would test all care home residents and staff and yet yesterday it said this could not be guaranteed until next month," she said.

This is unacceptable. Tackling the virus in care homes must be an absolute priority and the Government must now give social care the resources, support and attention it needs to stop the spread of this awful virus."

It comes as Downing Street accused Sir Keir Starmer of "inaccurately and selectively" quoting from government guidance in March, which said that it was "very unlikely" care home residents would become infected with coronavirus.

Mr Johnson clashed with the Labour leader during prime minister's questions on Wednesday amid rising alarm over the impact of the virus on care homes, which recorded some 40 per cent of coronavirus-related fatalities registered in England and Wales in the week ending May 1.

Sir Keir said the government had been "too slow to protect people in care homes" and referred to official advice in place until March 12, which said it remained "very unlikely" that people in care homes would become infected.

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

Mr Johnson replied: "No, it wasn't true that the advice said that, and actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown."

The Labour leader then wrote to the prime minister, demanding that he return to the Commons to "correct the record".

But Downing Street said Sir Keir missed out an earlier sentence which stated the advice was "intended for the current position in the UK where there is currently no transmission of Covid-19 in the community" and that "therefore" it was unlikely residents would be infected.

A source said: "I think what's actually happened is that the Leader of the Opposition has inaccurately and selectively quoted from the Public Health England guidance and that is what the PM was referring to."

Mr Johnson also announced a 600 million package for coronavirus infection control in English care homes, with more detail to follow.
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Meghan Markle's designer best friend Misha Nonoo was spotted returning to her NYC home as doormen brought her luggage inside, hours after she told fans she was 'not going anywhere' and was working from home, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show.

The British-Bahraini fashion designer, known for her eponymous clothing line, was seen wheeling her newborn son Leo into her downtown Manhattan home on Tuesday afternoon.

A doorman pushed a luggage cart loaded up with bags and boxes inside the building and a nanny in a face mask carried a L.L. Bean baby tote bag monogrammed with baby Leo's initials, both retrieving the items from the trunk of Nonoo's packed SUV.

The new mother had posted on her fashion label's Instagram page hours earlier of herself holding Leo, with the caption: 'We're still WFH and we're not going anywhere.'

Nonoo is close friends with Meghan, 38, and the Duchess is often seen wearing her designs, with Nonoo rumored to have introduced Meghan to Prince Harry.

Meghan Markle's designer best friend Misha Nonoo has been spotted returning to her NYC home as doormen brought her luggage inside - the same day she told fans she was 'not going anywhere' and was working from home, exclusive DailyMail.com photos show

Hours before being seen back in New York City, the new mother had posted on her fashion label's Instagram page photos of herself holding Leo around her home and outside

She captioned the post: 'We're still WFH and we're not going anywhere'

A doorman pushed a luggage cart loaded up with bags and boxes inside the building on Tuesday

Nonoo's nanny was seen wearing a face mask and gloves carrying Leo's monogrammed L.L. Bean baby tote bag inside

Both were seen retrieving the items from Nonoo's packed SUV (pictured)

The designer was accompanied to her apartment by her nanny, who was seen wearing a face mask and gloves. They had been dropped off at her home by a driver.

The new mother, dressed in a long black coat, wide-legged black trousers and sneakers, wasn't wearing a face mask at first, but was later seen with one on.

Nonoo's car was so stuffed with items, the doorman had to make two trips with the cart to get everything inside.

Nonoo, who is married to energy entrepreneur Mikey Hess, confirmed the birth of their son to The Daily Mail in late March.

Less than a week later, she took to her Instagram Stories to share how she has been coping as a first-time mother.

'Last time you heard from me, I was very pregnant, and I am excited to share that I am now the lucky mother to an adorable, healthy little boy,' she said, admitting nothing could prepare her for the role of motherhood.

'I thought that I had read every book and I was fully prepared for what it was going to look like to be a mom and to handle a newborn,' she said. 'It turns out that I don't think you're ever fully prepared for that.'

'But handling that on top of the coronavirus has been a lot to say the least,' she added. 'Still, I feel extremely fortunate that my family and my friends are all safe and healthy.'

Misha said her heart goes out to those who are on the COVID-19 frontlines, struggling with their health, or fearing for the health of their loved ones.

Nonoo is close friends with Meghan Markle, 38, (pictured together in 2015) with the Duchess often seen wearing her friend's designs. Nonoo is rumored to have introduced her to Prince Harry

The new mother, dressed in a long black coat, wide-legged black trousers and sneakers, wasn't wearing a face mask at first, but was later seen with one on

Misha announced in January she and her husband were expecting a baby boy after declaring her pregnancy 'pure magic.' Nonoo, who is married to oil heir Mikey Hess, confirmed the birth of their son to The Daily Mail in late March. Pictured: Nonoo giving Leo a pacifier after crossing the street

The building's doorman and another man were seen wheeling the heavy luggage cart inside

What appeared to be a pool float was among the items brought inside

The designer was accompanied to her apartment by her nanny, who was seen wearing a face mask and gloves

The new mom went on to share the things she has been doing to stay sane while practicing social distancing with a new baby.

'I think it's really important to maintain a routine,' she said. 'We've just got the baby on a schedule, very early, but never too early to be on a schedule I've realized.

'For me, it's been about maintaining my meditation,' she added.

'It's about going for a walk getting some sunshine and, you know, having FaceTime moments with friends. All of those things have been really, really helpful.'

In late March, Misha told The Daily Mail about her immense love for her baby boy following his birth.

'Our lives have been forever changed,' she said. 'We love [him] more than we ever thought possible and cannot wait to share every adventure with [him].'

Misha announced in January she and her husband were expecting a baby boy after declaring her pregnancy 'pure magic.'

Nonoo, who is married to oil heir Mikey Hess, confirmed the birth of their son to The Daily Mail in late March

The designer stopped to put a pacifier in Leo's mouth after crossing the street

In late March, Misha told The Daily Mail about her immense love for her baby boy following his birth. 'Our lives have been forever changed,' she said. 'We love [him] more than we ever thought possible and cannot wait to share every adventure with [him]'

Nonoo has been close to Meghan for many years, with the Duchess continuing to support her by publicly wearing her designs

Nonoo married her husband Mikey in a ceremony in Rome in September that was attended by Prince Harry, Meghan, Princess Eugenie, 29, and Princess Beatrice, 31.

She has been close to Meghan for many years, with the Duchess continuing to support her by publicly wearing her designs.

Meghan donned the famous 'Boyfriend shirt' for her first appearance alongside Prince Harry, and she wore another of Misha's designs for her final day of meetings in the UK before she jetted off to Canada earlier this year.

Misha, who worked with the Duchess on her Smart Works charity line, opened up to Femail earlier this year about her friendship with the royal.

Reflecting on the experience of working together, Misha described Meghan as 'the ultimate professional' and very 'considerate' of the women the collection was helping.

'It was such an ideal, incredibly easy collaboration,' she said. 'It was, from start to finish, wonderful, thoughtful, considerate, as is she.'
Australian researchers claim they may have found the 'secret ingredient' for an effective malaria vaccine which may be the breakthrough needed to find a solution to COVID-19.

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease which travels to the liver first before entering the bloodstream, it can lead to multi-organ failure or death.

The research from the Peter Doherty Institute at the University of Melbourne, published in peer-reviewed journal Cell & Host Microbe on Tuesday, found a way to prevent malaria from progressing from the liver.

'Our vaccine amplifies an army of killer cells, which then can eliminate malaria-infected cells. So it's a very different approach. And it's extremely effective,' co-author Associate Professor Irina Caminschi told ABC.

'We've identified a protein that clearly is seen by the immune system. And we can use that protein to educate the immune system that this is a malaria protein, and it is a problem - you need to destroy it.'

Australian researchers claim they may have found the 'secret ingredient' for an effective malaria vaccine which may be the breakthrough needed to find a solution to COVID-19

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease which travels to the liver first before entering the bloodstream, it can lead to multi-organ failure or death

Researchers used mice, which are difficult to protect against malaria. to develop the vaccine. They were able to protect the mice for up to 200 days.

Co-author Dr Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz said they should be able to protect humans against the illness with the vaccine soon.

He said their research strategy could be adapted to help find a vaccine for the coronavirus.

'With a few tricks, we can actually create protective immunity in the lung. So we can use the strategy to create killer cells that are ready and waiting for something like a COVID-19 virus to infect the lung and eliminate it before it actually takes hold,' he said.

A global hunt is on for much-needed protection against the deadly coronavirus that has triggered an economic shutdown and forced people indoors as countries try to stem the spread.

Dozens of potential vaccines are being designed in labs around the world, expected to begin this testing process over the next several months.

Scientists working on preliminary tests of coronavirus vaccine candidates at the CSIRO lab in Geelong. Human trials will be done by Oxford University, UK, and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, US

Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is fast-tracking the testing of two candidate vaccines, one from the US and one from the UK.

The CSIRO was the first research organisation outside of China to generate sufficient stocks of the virus to enable research.

Thanks to rapid work is CSIRO now at the stage of pre-clinical trials - a position that typically takes up to two years to reach.

To reach a vaccine within 15 months would be record time as vaccine development is typically a long and complex process that can take up to 15 years.

Scientists at work at the CSIRO biosecurity lab in Geelong. The pre-clinical trials will establish whether the candidate vaccines are safe before they move to human trials

Pictured: the CSIRO's high-containment bio-research facility in Geelong, Victoria. Preclinical testing is expected to take about three months

In ordinary times, a vaccine must pass through the pre-clinical stage, animal testing, then two phases of human trials to study the safety, immunogenicity, proposed doses and method of delivery.

If the vaccine passes these hurdles it moves to larger Phase III trials typically involving tens of thousands of people to catch any rare side-effects. Only then is it submitted for approval.

Because of the extraordinary urgency of the coronavirus pandemic, the CSIRO is fast-tracking vaccine testing as much as possible.

The federal government research agency is now conducting the pre-clinical vaccine trials to test the safety of the vaccine candidates on ferrets before they move on to human trials.

The CSIRO is fast-tracking testing to get a working coronavirus vaccine. Pictured: Scientists testing coronavirus vaccine candidates at the CSIRO lab in Geelong, Victoria, on April 2

CSIRO is in preclinical trials: a position that typically takes up to two years to get to, thanks to rapid work on the virus. The CSIRO was the first lab outside China to grow stocks for research

The human trials will then be done by Oxford University for the UK vaccine candidate and Inovio Pharmaceuticals for the US candidate, to determine whether the vaccine works.

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

Normally it takes up to two years to get to this stage of testing, a CSIRO spokesman said in a video media briefing.

'Testing is expected to take about three months,' a CSIRO spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

'CSIRO is testing the COVID-19 vaccine candidates for efficacy, but also evaluating the best way to give the vaccine for better protection, including an intra-muscular injection and innovative approaches like a nasal spray.

'CSIRO is carefully balancing operating at speed with the critical need for safety in response to this global public health emergency.'

Scientists at the University of Queensland are also looking for a third vaccine with the 'incredibly ambitious' goal of having a working prototype by September.
NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore-based deep-tech company Dathena , the leader in AI-powered data protection and privacy management for global enterprises, today announced that they have closed a $12 million Series A round led by Jungle Ventures, with the participation of CapHorn and SEEDS Capital, an investment arm of Enterprise Singapore which is the government agency championing enterprise development. Existing investors Cerracap Ventures and MS&AD Ventures also participated in the round.

Following the opening of Dathena's U.S. headquarters in New York City, the funding round sets the stage for the tech pioneer's continuing global expansion. More than 200,000 users and a multitude of enterprise clients worldwide already trust Dathena's end-to-end AI-powered solutions to identify, classify, and protect sensitive information and ensure regulatory compliance.

As enterprises move services to the cloud, grapple with an explosion of consumer data, and navigate privacy regulations including GDPR and CCPA, new security approaches are required to mitigate the risk and protect against ever-growing corporate and reputational damages. The challenge is further amplified with the growing economic uncertainty and heightened data security risks relating to increased remote working.

Dathena's patented AI tools can unlock crucial new efficiencies, facilitate regulatory compliance, and reduce the risk of costly data breaches. Their integrity, confidentiality, and always-on traceability, along with their ability to secure structured and unstructured data flowing through cloud-based or automated systems, deliver rigorous, cost-effective data security, privacy, and compliance for clients operating in highly regulated spaces or across multiple jurisdictions.

Clients in fields such as financial services, healthcare, and defense trust Dathena to deliver up to 99% accuracy in data classification coupled with an 80% reduction in information security operational costs  the kind of robust ROI that cost-conscious companies demand during turbulent times.

"Dathena's global growth positions the tech leader to capitalize on the rapid evolution of the $120 billion data protection market. It's a shining example of our investment in global tech companies emerging out of Asia and we're excited to continue to support their rapid growth," said Amit Anand, Founding Partner at Jungle Ventures.

"At Dathena, our mission is to build trust in the digital world, even as companies navigate these challenging times and are inundated by torrents of data from exponentially multiplying sources," said Christopher Muffat, founder and CEO of Dathena. "This Series A funding round will help us accelerate our product development and go-to-market efforts, giving more companies the chance to benefit from our flexible, cost-efficient, and uncompromising data-security solutions."

The new funding will support Dathena's expanding R&D efforts, along with the hiring of NYC-based staff across sales, marketing, and customer success functions to serve the company's growing North American client base. Dathena also plans to expand its co-sell partnership with Microsoft into the United States, helping Azure Cloud and Microsoft 365 customers to automate data protection and comply with new data privacy regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act.

"We have been following the development of Dathena for over two years, during which we have witnessed their ability to recruit top talent, serve an ever growing base of demanding clients, clarify their unique selling proposition and strengthen their product," said Francois Santi, Principal at CapHorn Ventures. "We are convinced that they are on track to become the international leader of the very deep, and fast growing, data protection market."

About Dathena:

Dathena is a deep-tech company that brings a new paradigm to data privacy and security solutions. In a world of ever-growing information, regulation, and consumer privacy expectations, enterprises around the globe rely on Dathena to identify, classify and control their sensitive data, reduce risks, and enhance the data protection framework.

Leveraging the power of modern AI technologies, Dathena delivers breakthrough, petabyte-scale solutions with unprecedented accuracy, efficiency and speed that build consumer trust in a digital world and ensure the "privacy and data security protection journey." Founded in 2016, with offices in Singapore, Geneva, Paris, and New York City, Dathena employs more than 100 people, including the world's top data scientists and information risk experts. For more information, go to http://www.dathena.io/ .

SOURCE Dathena

Related Links

https://www.dathena.io/


By and large, Kristen Records Advanced Placement Physics C students felt prepared going into the College Boards truncated online exam given on Monday.

What she and they didnt count on were the error messages, the inability to upload answers and being supplied with an incorrect code from the College Board when it became necessary to request a makeup exam.

I am sure there is no way to troubleshoot every problem that maybe could have happened but this made an already highly stressful testing environment more stressful, said Record, a physics teacher at Bunnell High School in Stratford.

Record said she can only imagine the frustration some of her students experienced. She did get a glimpse of the aftermath  students calling her, literally in tears over the situation.

At least two of her nine students taking the AP physics test on Monday will have to do it all over again in June. So too, apparently, will about 2 percent of the 50,000 students who took the exam on the first day, according to the College Board.

In all, three exams were given on Monday. In addition to two versions of Physics C, the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam was given. Altogether, more than 376,000 students were tested.

As tests were still being taken, Trevor Packer, a senior vice president of the College Board which administers the AP exams, took to Twitter to congratulate the students for making history.

... in a way different from any of us expected this year, Parker tweeted.

They were the first of dozens online AP exams to be administered over the next to weeks.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with schools across the country and across the globe closed, the College Board decided to move AP tests  used to help some students earn college credits  online for the first time in its history. As many as 3.4 million students are taking the tests which will run through May 22. Make-ups will occur the first week in June.

Given the wide variety of devices and browsers students are using, we anticipated that a small percentage of students would encounter technical difficulties, said Jaslee Carayol, a College Board spokeswoman. We have a makeup window in June, so students have another opportunity to test.

Record, who is Connecticuts 2011 Teacher of the Year, teaches three levels of AP physics. She said she knew whoever went first was going to bear the brunt of technical issues.

Unfortunately, it was my specific students, she said.

And others.

Erik Matire, the Shelton School Districts interim school counseling leader, said a few students had the same issue uploading photos of their work on the Calculus exams that were given on Tuesday.

It seems that it was related to either the default photo format on some of their devices or the size of the photo files, Matire said.

Record said she participated in every teacher training session the College Board offered on the online format.

Teachers were told there were three methods to submit answers. Students could type it into a word document, copy and paste the answer into a testing window or hand-write answers, take a picture and upload it onto the site.

Never, Record said, was it mentioned that students who used iPhones or iPads to upload photos of their work would have to change the settings to make it compatible for uploading onto the College Board system.

They did specifically take time to overtly say Internet Explorer was not compatible. They never said anything about Apple, Record said.

Even though those devices are often used by students.

Once encountering difficulty on Mondays test, two of Records students tried to sign up for a test retake using the key code supplied by the College Board. The key code had a typo and would not work.

Not until Record went to Twitter did she discover it was a pervasive problem.

The only response from college board on Twitter was try again, Record said.

Eventually, Record and other teachers figured out how to fix the coding error on their own and spread the word.

As for the incompatibility issue, the college board tweeted the following out on Tuesday:

If you want to submit a photo of a handwritten AP Exam answer from an iPhone or iPad, make sure to change your camera settings so your photos are saved as JPEGs, not HEICs. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats > Select Most Compatible.

Nice of @CollegeBoard to share this the day AFTER exams started, Record tweeted in response. You knew from your own data most kids taking science & math exams planned to hand write & submit photos. Not a good look.

On the plus side, Record said she was able to warn other AP teachers about the issues.

Record has another 12 students scheduled to take the Physics 2 test on Wednesday and 20 taking Physics 1 on Thursday. So far, shes heard of no other problems.

She is also glad that students who studied all year got to take some kind of exam. Even if they have to take it a second time.

By and large my students felt prepared, Record said. They are committed to try it again.

Martire said Shelton students who encountered glitches were also instructed to complete the makeup request form.

I have not received any reports yet of problems with that process, Matire said. Students do need to be mindful of the timer to ensure they can upload and submit before the exam portal closes, which is stressful.

In the end, not everyone decided to participate in the online AP exams, which unlike traditional three- to four-hour tests, are each about about 45 minutes.

Thomas Nardini, a high school senior in New Haven, decided ultimately not to take the exams for courses he studied for all year. He said, by and large, his friends have reported no technological errors but deemed the tests a lot easier than expected.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) -Alto Ventures Ltd. (TSXV: ATV) ("Alto" or the "Company") announces that, further to its news releases of March 6, 2020 (the "March 6 Release"), March 19, 2020 and April 29, 2020, it has further increased the offering (the "Offering") of subscription receipts from $2,000,000 to $2,250,000 (22,500,000 subscription receipts). The terms and conditions of the subscription receipts are as detailed in the March 6 Release.

Proceeds from the Offering are to be held in escrow by an escrow agent to be appointed by Alto and released to Alto upon the exchange of the subscription receipts for the underlying securities in accordance with their terms. On release of the proceeds to Alto they will be applied to exploration and development of the Company's mineral projects. If the exchange has not occurred by July 31, 2020, the proceeds will be released to the subscribers.

The breakdown of the proceeds of the Offering is as follows: $1,100,000 for drilling of the Company's Destiny Project in Quebec; $500,000 for an archeological study, First Nations community relations and other preliminary work on the Company's Oxford Lake property in Manitoba; $300,000 for the costs of the financing and the merger; $200,000 for general & administrative costs; and $150,000 for unallocated working capital.

The Offering is anticipated to close on or before May 31, 2020 and is open to qualified investors in Canada and outside of North America.

Subscription Agreements are available to qualified subscribers from Jackie Collins (jackie@jcollinsconsulting.ca; telephone 604 329 0354).

The Offering remains subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Alto Ventures Ltd

Alto Ventures Ltd. is an exploration and development company with a portfolio of highly prospective Canadian gold properties. The Company is active in the Abitibi greenstone belt in Quebec on the Destiny gold property and also has projects in the Beardmore-Geraldton gold belt in Ontario and the Oxford Lake project in Manitoba.

For more details regarding the Company's projects, please visit our website at www.altoventures.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Richard J. Mazur, P. Geo.,

CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information contact:

Mike Koziol,

President and Director

ALTO VENTURES LTD.

Unit 7 - 1351C Kelly Lake Rd

Sudbury, ON., P3E 5P5

Tel: 705-522-6372

Fax: 705-522-8856

Email: koziol@altoventures.com

Rick Mazur,

CEO and Director

ALTO VENTURES LTD.

Suite 615-800 W. Pender Street

Vancouver, BC, V6C 2V6

Tel: 604-689-2599

Fax: 604-689-3609

Email: mazur@altoventures.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55806
An 'extremely rare' two-headed baby turtle has been given a new home after being found in the wild.

The reptile was adopted by aquarium the Virginia Living Museum after being discovered by a member of the public.

Now both of its stern-looking faces have been watched thousands of times on the museum's lockdown livesteams.

But experts said it must face down tremendous odds to survive into adulthood with its condition, which is known as bicephaly or polycephaly.

An 'extremely rare' two-headed baby turtle has been given a new home after being found in the wild

Even among normal hatchlings, only one in 1,000 will make it to adulthood when living in the wild.

Herpetology curator Travis Long, who has cared for many turtles during his career, said that the creature's chances of reaching adulthood were 'not great'.

'Even with the best of care there are many health hurdles for an animal with this condition,' he said.

'Sometimes it's not even something that can be detected until the animal gets older, and even then it might be too late to do anything about it  such as weakly developed internal organs.

The reptile was adopted by aquarium the Virginia Living Museum after being discovered by a member of the public

'If there are any other abnormalities, we most likely won't know about them until they get a little older.'

And with two heads directing its movements, even normal behaviours can become harmful.

Mr Long continued: 'There is also the complication that different parts of the body tend to be controlled by different heads.

'The control of the legs, for instance, appears to be split in half  with the left head seeming to control the left legs, and the right head controlling the right legs.

'As the heads develop, if they don't figure out how to work together, something as simple as swimming could be potentially dangerous.'

The museum's followers have reacted to the creature with 'mostly positive intrigue', despite its demeanour.

Now both of its stern-looking faces have been watched thousands of times on the museum's lockdown livesteams

But experts said it must face down tremendous odds to survive into adulthood with its condition, which is known as bicephaly or polycephaly

Even among normal hatchlings, only one in 1,000 will make it to adulthood when living in the wild

'I think it helps that most people already love the sight of a hatchling turtle, so I think everyone is really rooting for them to make it,' the curator said.

'We are certainly going to do everything we can to give him the best chance he has to live a full life.'

A variety of genetic and environmental factors can give rise to bicephaly.

'It is an incredibly rare circumstance that happens during the formation of the embryo,' said Mr Long.

'Essentially, twins are formed inside of an egg  much like what can happen to human embryos inside of a womb.

'However, instead of the embryo splitting all the way, something halts the process, but the cells will continue to develop until you have something like conjoined twins.'

Mr Long added that it would be the wrong decision for members of the public to attempt to care for such a creature themselves.

Herpetology curator Travis Long, who has cared for many turtles during his career, said that the creature's chances of reaching adulthood were 'not great'

'Even with the best of care there are many health hurdles for an animal with this condition,' he said

'For anyone who sees an interesting animal like this and wants to try and get one for themselves  I ask that they please reconsider,' he said.

'It can be very costly to find and care for an animal that already has a low chance of survival.

'Not to mention that the quality of life for any animal under someone's care is determined by the quality of that care  so don't rush into taking care of another living thing for the wrong reasons.'
Chicago

Welcome to the most dramatic quarter of CMNS 311: Topics in Relational Communication. Ever.

The DePaul University class  where undergraduate students explore interpersonal communication theories by analyzing "The Bachelor" franchise  was supposed to meet on campus twice a week. Professor Adriane Stoner had to quickly change the class format as DePaul spring courses moved online because of the novel coronavirus.

Stoner said her class met via Zoom the first week, and a student offered to reach out to "The Bachelor" host Chris Harrison via social media to see if he would be willing to video chat with the class.

"I said to everyone else who was on that Zoom, I'm like, 'Let's do it. We might as well give it a shot,'" Stoner said.

Sure enough, some of the biggest stars from "The Bachelor" franchise agreed to participate. The class has met virtually with about a dozen people tied to the show, including Harrison; former "Bachelor" stars Nick Viall and Ben Higgins; former contestants "Grocery Store Joe" Amabile, Tayshia Adams and Annaliese Puccini; and "Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure" author Amy Kaufman, a Los Angeles Times staff writer.

Some of the 29 students told the Tribune they have embraced the ability to talk to the reality TV stars instead of just read about them  an opportunity made possible because the class moved online and the TV personalities have more time to spare amid stay-at-home orders.

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"We've really come to find that the Zoom calls and talking to people from the franchise have been a silver lining because we probably wouldn't be able to do that if we were (meeting) in person," said DePaul freshman Kenleigh Merritt, 19.

DePaul sophomore Bakange Ajak said she hopes "The Bachelorette" Season 13 star Rachel Lindsay joins the class as a guest.

"I'm a black woman, and we've talked about in the class how 'The Bachelor' just doesn't have the diversity that it should. Seeing Rachel as a lead was just something that I really enjoyed," said Ajak, 20.

Stoner said each week the class dives into topics such as gender representation; polyamory versus monogamy; and race, ethnicity and diversity. There are no exams  students write papers based on readings and participate in discussion boards.
In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has also grown more critical of the trade deal he signed with China in January, amid mounting evidence that Chinese purchases of American products are falling short of what the pact required.

As I have said for a long time, dealing with China is a very expensive thing to do, Mr. Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. We just made a great Trade Deal, the ink was barely dry, and the World was hit by the Plague from China. 100 Trade Deals wouldnt make up the difference  and all those innocent lives lost!

It remains to be seen whether the decision by the retirement plan is an isolated action, or will presage more efforts to delink the American and Chinese financial systems. Such efforts could roil financial markets in both the United States and China, as well as cross-border investment.

Politicians of both parties, but particularly some in the Trump administration, have called for decoupling the Chinese and American economies, arguing that American efforts to work closely with China have strengthened its authoritarian government, to the detriment of the United States.
If this lockdown goes on much longer my Botox will go to waste

I keep refreshing my inbox. Refresh, refresh, refresh.

Nothing, nothing, nothing. Nothing from the Hunk, responding to the email I wrote last week, in which I asked after him and said I would love to meet up once lockdown is over and we can fly again. Oh, and that I happen to be in love with him. I almost forgot that bit. I think I must have had one glass of I Heart Champagne too many!

That was quite the most forward missive to a man Ive ever written.

But I dont think being forward as a woman, even in this MeToo age, ever really works. Ive tried it before, either been convoluted and devious, or come straight out with it, to disastrous results, viz

In the summer of 1983, I hosted a party just so I could invite David, who lived next door. I made Pimms and had croissants and fruit salad on offer for the early hours. I bought the new Malcolm McLaren 12-inch. David turned up all right, but swiftly left with my friend Wilma. She was wearing a vintage tea dress and no make-up.

I joined a gym in Highbury Fields, at great expense, as I fancied the personal trainer: he looked like a young Stan Collymore (I did chat to the real Stan Collymore in a bar once when I was the editor of Marie Claire; another story). The personal trainer soon left, and I was unable to cancel my membership for a year.

I fancied the man in the health food store on Old Street roundabout. I accumulated a crunchy peanut butter mountain before eventually plucking up the courage to call the shop and ask him to the cinema. His first response was promising, as he said, When? I gave him my number, but he never called me.

I took a shine to a chef at a restaurant, which meant I dragged my friend Robina to his establishment most lunch hours. I managed to invite him to a party in Shoreditch. He came along but didnt speak to me.

I hired a man Id met at a record launch party as the music critic on my magazine. This ruse worked, and we actually went on a date to the cinema to see The Blair Witch Project . As I was then already deaf and blind  Ive since had laser eye surgery and bought high-tech hearing aids  I had no clue what was happening in the frankly blurry, whispered narrative, so wasnt scared at all. We went for dinner in the Organic Pub afterwards, I gave him a lift home, and he didnt invite me in. When I later asked why not, he said, You must be made of steel if that didnt frighten the life out of you. We did go on to have sex on our second date but, unfortunately, I was forced to sack him as music critic for being too highbrow, which put the dampeners on our relationship slightly.

While features editor of a daily tabloid, I hired my future husband to be technology writer, even though he couldnt change a plug and indeed did not even own a screwdriver. Later, when we were married and I found out he was cheating, I made him do a feature whereby he had to fly from various airports across Europe to see how many times he was thrown in a cell because hes Asian and had a beard. You see, I can give, but I can also take away.

Now I have just sent that totally out-there email. And I have to confess here that, having been assigned Him, the Hunk, as my photographer for a story in Bali, I then totally requested Him for another story in Bolivia. An assignment he accepted, even though it was a huge distance from Sydney, the airline lost his camera equipment, and then he was placed in isolation with suspected yellow fever! This must mean something, surely? Im feeling a bit annoyed, to be honest, as I had Botox and filler back in February, and if this lockdown goes on much longer it will all go to waste and my forehead will start to concertina. Botox only lasts a few months. I will have gone off, again.

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A photograph of nursery school children sitting apart from each another in squares drawn on the ground in chalk has caused sadness and outrage in France.

The picture was taken by TV journalist Lionel Top on Tuesday in the northern town of Tourcoing, on the border with Belgium. It shows a group of seven children trying to play while being isolated by chalk squares.

Around 1.5 million elementary and primary school pupils returned to classes this week after the French government relaxed restrictions after almost two months of coronavirus lockdown.

Mr Top said: The children are coming back today (a small number of them). Very strange, even disturbing atmosphere.

To ensure respect for distances, while taking advantage of recreation, the teaching team drew squares on the ground for the little ones.

He added: The children play, dance, jump, laugh together but from this square. From what we have seen, they do not view it as a punishment.

Education historian Laurence De Cock also posted the photo on her Twitter, adding: I cannot get over it. This image is heartbreaking. We cannot call this school.

The photo was shared widely, with many lamenting that the children looked like they were prisoners and criticising the need for distancing as inhuman.

One person said: School is about playing together, growing up together It is learning to live in society. There, in this photo, you look like prisoners.

Another said: This photo so insane. No, school is definitely not that!

If man is a social animal, then this distancing takes away this humanity, said another. Yes, its monstrous for the future of our children.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Education in Paris told The Mirror the government had given no specific instruction to schools to draw chalk squares for student to play in, but emphasised that everyone has been told to maintain social distancing.

On the second day of loosening the strict nationwide lockdown, Frances death toll overtook Spains on Tuesday, rising by 348 to 26,991. The country now has the worlds fourth-highest number of Covid-19 fatalities after the US, Britain and Italy.

Across the channel, in the UK, the very gradual easing of lockdown this week has not yet allowed schools to reopen.

The UK government has said primary schools may may be able to welcome back children in key transition years from the beginning of June at the earliest.
"I cant imagine going back every day! And my dog is going to have a nervous breakdown when I do," says Eileen Hurley, a criminal defense lawyer in Center City who has a practice at 15th and Walnut. She's shown here, working from her home office with her dog, a pug named Donut. Read more

Back in the BC era  before COVID-19  employees at Greg Matuskys public relations firm enjoyed a free breakfast buffet, a full gym equipped with Peloton bikes, weekly happy hours, on-site sessions with a massage therapist, and free parking. But when he polled his staff last week to see whether they missed coming into the companys Ardmore office, the answer was a resounding no. In a company-wide questionnaire, 75% said they hoped to keep working at home even after the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

I dont see them ever coming back on a daily basis, said Matusky, whose company, Gregory FCA, works with clients such as the Eagles and AccuWeather.

Hes not unhappy about that. Creativity and productivity have improved since everyone began hunkering down in their homes. If Matusky were to shrink the size of his office in Ardmores business district, he could probably slash his $384,000 annual rent bill in half.

Matusky isnt ready to take that step  not yet. But he will be balancing the decision against the daunting and costly measures needed to retrofit his three-story office building to make it safe for his 76 employees. That is, assuming its possible to make any company office safe.

Across the country, corporate managers are weighing an identical set of variables. Their decisions have the potential to reshape the downtown office district as we know it, depopulating gleaming trophy towers and further depleting the tax revenues of American cities. Big corporate offices wont cease to exist, but they could be transformed into something more like conference centers, where people gather occasionally for company meetings, training, or special projects.

One reason that office life is likely to undergo such a radical reinvention is that many employees seem to like their new arrangement. When Americas white-collar workers were abruptly sent home two months ago, few could have imagined that the transition to working remotely would be so seamless. Most companies assumed their employees would eventually reassemble in their cubicles, scour the mold from their coffee cups, and resume their usual office rituals  minus the communally shared snacks.

Yet, somehow work has gotten done from afar, even by stressed-out parents whove had to toggle between demanding bosses and needy children. As weeks have turned into months, office workers have settled into new routines. Theyve carved out work spaces in spare bedrooms and dens, purchased scanners and printers, and mastered the etiquette of virtual meetings. Many have also discovered the pleasures of midday walks and home-cooked dinners, not to mention the extra hour gained by not having to commute.

I cant imagine going back to the office every day. And my dog is going to have a nervous breakdown when I do, said Eileen Hurley, a criminal defense lawyer who works in Center City, referring to Donut, her slightly overweight pug.

Even in those professions where daily collaboration is necessary  like architecture and newspapers  cloud-based software has allowed them to keep going. Its amazing that were able to design buildings this way, architect Brian Phillips, a principal at ISA in Philadelphia, told me. In normal times, his team would be tacking drawings onto a wall, holding stand-up meetings to critique the design, then returning to their computers to produce a revised version of the building. Now theyre getting the same results with Slack, Go-To-Meeting, and other fast-paced messaging programs.

Counter that success with the extreme measures required to allow people to work together in an open-plan office.

Offices are by nature giant Petri dishes for germs. While nowhere as bad as meat-packing plants, where cutters work shoulder-to-shoulder, "any environment that is enclosed, with poor air circulation and a high density of people, spells trouble, Erin Bromage, a professor of biology and immunology at the University of Massachusetts, wrote last week in a widely read blog post. To make those germ-y spaces reasonably safe, companies will have to bring in specialized crews to disinfect at least once daily, possibly more, said Joseph Gyourko, a Wharton School economist. Thats a big expense.

But first, companies will have to figure out how to resettle returning workers. The need for social distancing means that employees can no longer be packed at tiny, place-mat-size desks. Hoteling  the practice of sharing desks  is dead, said Lauren Gilchrist, director of research in Philadelphia for JLL, a commercial real estate broker. I wouldnt be comfortable going into a hoteling station and wiping it down every day.

Even in offices where employees toil in the relative luxury of their own cubicles, the overall population will still have to be de-densified, according to Philadelphia architect John B. Campbell of FCA, who designs corporate interiors. Seven years ago, when companies first started to embrace collaborative workspaces, Campbells firm helped create GSKs cubicle-free offices at the Navy Yard. People were encouraged to sit wherever they liked. Now, he believes, we may go back to the old-fashioned desk.

Just not on the same day. For many companies, the only way to limit dangerous encounters will be staggered work shifts or alternate work days. Instead of opting out of working in the office, well opt in, Campbell predicts. People who want to come in will have to sign up for specific days and hours. When the number hits 50% of capacity, no one else can come in. The new desks that Campbell envisions might be set on wheels, so people can move them apart. Theyll definitely have sneeze guards, or high partitions, to separate workers.

Were probably getting ahead of ourselves by talking about rearranging the office furniture. The real challenge to reopening offices begins before anyone touches a newly installed antimicrobial door handle.

Many parents, especially those with young children, cant wait to get back to the relative calm of the office. But they cant be liberated from the chaos at home until schools and day-care centers resume operations. And those hot spots are expected to be among the last public places to reopen.

While big companies might be able to handle the logistics needed for sanitation and separation, they cant help employees feel safe commuting to work on transit. Until there is a workable vaccine, why would I get on SEPTA? asked Gyourko, who used to take Regional Rail to his Penn office. Some commuters may compromise by organizing car pools, a practice that will be enabled by match-making services on apps like Waze.

Yet, the scariest leg of the trip remains: the gauntlet between the building lobby and the office reception desk. Some building managers will mandate temperature checks before letting employees swipe their security cards. But once the elevator door opens, will anyone share the ride with strangers? And who pushes the button? A few of Philadelphias newer high rises have touchless destination pads activated by swiping a card, but most do not.

Then there are the restrooms.

We still do not know whether a person releases infectious material in feces or just fragmented virus, but we do know that toilet flushing does aerosolize many droplets, Bromage wrote in his blog post.

Enough said.

None of these concerns seems to have dampened the enthusiasm of Philadelphias office developers. Parkway Corp. still expects to break ground this summer on an 18-story building at 23rd and Market for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, a law firm, said Brian Berson, who is overseeing construction. The building was designed with a high-quality air treatment system, but Parkway may beef it up with HEPA filters to remove microscopic particles. The company is also considering installing ultraviolet lights in the ducts to kill germs. Those same techniques can be replicated in existing offices, although both are expensive.

Berson remains convinced that big companies will always want employees to be together in one place. Its true that everyone is getting work done more successfully than anyone expected, he acknowledged. But there is very little innovation, creativity, or aspiration. When youre in an office together, you say, Hey, lets see how we can do that better.'

Tanya Seaman, who helped launch PhillyCarShare and now works for a climate advocacy group, agrees. Shes desperate to return to the office. I miss my colleagues, she said. As an hourly consultant, I get more work done when I interact with them.

Yet, despite their optimism, the trend seems to be heading in the other direction. Just this week, Twitter announced it would allow nearly all its employees to work from home even after the virus has passed.

The death of the office building has certainly been predicted before, notably after 9/11. Instead, downtowns boomed.

But that was 20 years ago  before the iPhone, before our work migrated to the cloud, before Zoom. I would never go back to the office if my employer would allow it, said Eugene Desyatnik, a Bella Vista resident who travels two hours round-trip by bus to his tech job in King of Prussia.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Given the choice between retrofitting their offices with expensive safety features, or allowing employees to work from home, its a good bet that many companies will choose the latter.

But if working at home does become the norm, it will effectively shift the cost of maintaining and renting office space from the company to the employees. Will management compensate them for providing their own workplace, or just pocket the savings?

Matusky is already assembling a checklist of his offices crucial amenities, in case he decides to downsize. The heart of his operation is a state-of-the art television studio where employees make videos and help prep clients for media interviews. Its very nice, Matusky said, but pretty soon everyone is going to be able to set up the same thing at home.
More stranded Egyptians were able to return home this week, Doaa El-Bey reports

It was very good news for thousands of Egyptians stranded in the Gulf that they will soon be returning home. The conditions they are facing, in the Gulf in general and in Kuwait in particular, are difficult.

All the uncertainties have led to tensions, which erupted when they demonstrated last week in their camps, said Abu Mohamed, an Egyptian worker who found himself stranded in a camp in Kuwait.

Abu Mohamed was among hundreds of Egyptian workers who overstayed their visas as a result of the suspension of flights on 19 March and were subsequently housed in shelters.

Demonstrations in the camps were dispersed by Kuwaiti police, after which the Egyptian authorities began to work on bringing people home.

Three exceptional flights from Kuwait arrived on Monday, and last week two EgyptAir special flights returned 600 stranded Egyptians from Kuwait.

Arrangements are being made for flights to return the 5,300 Egyptians whose visas have expired from Kuwait, Nabila Makram, minister of immigration and expatriate affairs, said last week.

The number of Egyptians stranded in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE is large. Arranging their return in a way that protects them, and the country, is not a simple process, she said.

Around 2,500 stranded Egyptians have already returned home from the US, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkey, Uganda, Rwanda, Chad, Niger, the UAE, and Sudan.

During the repatriation process, priority is being given to those who were on medical visits, business trips, tourists whose holidays have ended and students who have had to leave their university accommodation and have nowhere else to go, Makram said. Following an intervention by the prime minister, workers whose visas have expired and humanitarian cases have been added to the priority group.

All passengers arriving in Egypt are tested for coronavirus. Passengers who land at Cairo International Airport are transferred to university dormitories, while those who land in Marsa Alam are transported to designated hotels to be quarantined for 14 days to make sure they are free of the novel coronavirus.

Twenty-seven university hostels across the country are being used to quarantine repatriated Egyptians, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar told the media this week.

Some stranded Egyptians have returned via sea from Saudi Arabia, and land from Sudan.

Last week 150 labourers were returned from Duba in Saudi Arabia to Safaga by ferry. Citizens arriving in Safaga on the Red Sea spend their 14-day quarantine in student accommodation at Al-Wadi University in Hurghada.

Repatriations are coordinated by the Ministry of Immigration, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Health and the Foreign Ministry. A task force headed by the prime minister has received thousands of requests for help from citizens stranded abroad.

More flights are expected in the coming days to return Egyptians, especially in the Gulf regions.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 14 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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A Ninja Van delivery van is pictured at their office in Singapore

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - E-commerce delivery firm Ninja Van said it raised $279 million in funding from investors including Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's B Capital and ride-hailing firm Grab as the COVID-19 pandemic has led more people to shop online.

The Singapore-based company has raised a total $400 million since it was launched in 2014, with operations in the city-state, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

The round was led by existing investor Europe's GeoPost alongside two sovereign wealth funds, it said in a statement on Tuesday. Other investors include Monk's Hill Ventures and Golden Gate Ventures Growth Fund.

Ninja Van did not provide a valuation.

The company works with e-commerce firms including Alibaba's Lazada, Indonesia's Tokopedia and Sea Ltd's Shopee. It plans to use the funds to dig deeper into the business-to-business sector, while growing its services for small firms and direct-to-consumer brands.

Start-ups are facing a more challenging funding and growth environment this year as the virus outbreak hits demand and turns investors cautious.

"We believe that companies like Ninja Van are built to survive and thrive throughout both strong economic climates and uncertain ones," B Capital's Saverin said in a statement.

Singapore has implemented a two-month long social distancing "circuit breaker" aimed at stemming the spread of the novel coronavirus that is due to last until June 1.

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
You have to go back seven and a half centuries - to some years before 1283 - to find Welsh patrols on their borders ready to stop English "intruders".

But now police in north Wales have said they will "advise and explain" to English holidaymakers, heading for the delights of Snowdonia or the Welsh coast, that they are breaching the "essential journeys only" rule. Fines will ensue if those English visitors do not take the Welsh constabulary's advice.

This is surely the most standout development in a parting of the ways between London and its home rule governments in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast, in the fight against coronavirus. The devolved administrations have all found Prime Minister Boris Johnson's key-note messages on phasing out of the lockdown too confusing, too vague, and too risky.

First it was Brexit, now it is coronavirus. The four parts of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - are increasingly differentiated. It again raises questions about prospects for Irish unity in the medium to longer term.

The 'Welsh story' has long been neglected on this side of the Irish Sea. Their relationship with London is even older than ours and the history books date the Welsh conquest by the English King Edward I at 1283.

The formal legal amalgamation of both entities dates from 1542. But across the centuries the Welsh found many different ways of maintaining their identity and pride not least by domination from within. Randomly we can pick the Tudors, Lloyd George, and Aneurin Bevan, father of the UK's national health service, as just a few standout examples.

Granted when the UK as a whole voted to 'Leave' the EU on June 23, 2016, the voters in Wales went with the majority English vote. In fact, Wales exactly mirrored the overall UK verdict of 52pc Leave and 48pc Remain, leaving many Europhobes in England glorying that this was despite the Welsh receiving the highest per capita level of EU grant aid.

It has often been pointed out since that, in sharp contrast, the two other legal components of the UK voted in the majority to Remain. Political leaders in Scotland (62pc) and Northern Ireland (56pc) have repeatedly raised the issue, and warned of the perils of being lugged out of the EU, and losing single market and customs union benefits, against the people's will.

In Cardiff, there have been many post-mortems on a mismanaged Brexit campaign. But there has also been a new-found determination to project Wales as an autonomous entity. Indeed just before the coronavirus erupted in earnest, the Cardiff minister for international relations Eluned Morgan was in Dublin on a mission to raise the profile of her country here. She pointed out that Irish-Welsh links, dating back to that Welshman, St Patrick, are set to be strengthened.

Management of the coronavirus crisis fell to the devolved parliament and administrations in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh under the home rule arrangements fixed in 1998, and variously expanded since then, which gave each area powers over areas like health, transport and policing.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford and his Scottish counterpart, Nicola Sturgeon, accused Mr Johnson of stoking up confusion by not making it clear enough that his changes applied to England only.

It made the job all the more difficult for Welsh police stopping regular English visitors and trying to make them realise Wales was operating much tighter rules.

Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster announced a conservative five-step plan for easing its lockdown which did not give specific dates. Her colleague, Michelle O'Neill, stressed that the North would try to co-ordinate as closely as possible with Dublin.

It is a complex business in itself - but with potential for many permanent changes in the medium to longer term.
A European sheep network is calling on farmers to share their challenges and needs in a bid to improve flock health, nutrition and management practices.

EuroSheep, which has partners in eight countries including the UK, has created a survey to collect the common nutrition and health challenges faced by sheep farmers.

Once these have been identified, the network will collect and develop solutions, best practices, and tips which answer what sheep producers in Europe need.

These will then be shared through national and international workshops, events and webinars.

Dr Claire Morgan-Davies, a Livestock Systems Scientist at Scotlands Rural College (SRUC), it is important to gather the views of the sheep industry at a European level.

The first step of the project is to identify the main challenges farmers and producers face, and the needs they have, in terms of nutrition and health in their flocks.

We can then address these and provide solutions to improve flock profitability, Dr Morgan-Davies said.

EuroSheep, which is funded by Horizon 2020 - the biggest EU Research programme - involves partners in Ireland, UK, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Greece and Turkey, but is open to all countries.

The objective is to exchange existing knowledge between stakeholders at all stages of the supply chain in EU and Turkish sheep production, focusing on flock health management and nutrition management.

It held its first project meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece, at the end of January 2020, where the partners devised the work plan for the next three years.

The survey, which will take around 20 minutes, can be completed online on a laptop or mobile phone.
The Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs say they're moving forward with signing a memorandum of understanding with B.C. and Canada on Thursday despite calls from elected band leadership to hit reset on the process.

The purpose of the MOU is to provide guidance to the Wet'suwet'en Nation, B.C. and Canada on how to recognize and implement Wet'suwet'en rights and title.

But in recent weeks, as news that the MOU would be signed started circulating, elected leadership of the bands within the Wet'suwe'ten Nation started calling for that plan to be halted.

Meetings were held, in response to those calls.

Then, on Monday, four of the six band chiefs sent another letter, asking again for the process to be reset and also calling for the resignation of Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett.

It's unclear where elected leadership from the other two bands  Hagwilget and Witset  stands on the MOU since last week's meetings.

The MOU, as drafted, makes no mention of band councils. It instead speaks to the Nation's own governance structure that pre-dates Canada and the Indian Act  a structure that's built on the feast hall, house groups and clans, and Anuk nu'at'en (Wet'suwe'ten law).

On Tuesday evening, hereditary chief of the Tsayu Clan Na'moks said arrangements to sign the MOU would be going ahead as planned.

"This is exactly what Delgamuukw-Gisday'wa was about. Rights and title, authority, jurisdiction and I can see no reason for anybody to be thinking other than a positive on this," he said, referring to the 1997 Supreme Court of Canada decision that recognized the Wet'suwet'en and Gitxsan Nations never ceded title to their territories.

For the Wet'suwet'en, specifically, that territory covers 22,000 square kilometres of northern B.C. with specific areas held by different house groups.

Nation in agreement about importance of rights and title

Story continues

Na'moks said elected leadership, who are also clan members, were invited to participate in talks about the MOU along with everyone else and said "it's unfortunate" they're now speaking out about the process.

"It was the clan membership that directed us to move forward," he said.

"We know exactly what our people had said. We took the minutes, we took the notes," he said.

He also said that nothing in the MOU impacts the existing rights of elected band councils, noting they "have jurisdiction and authority on a reserve but the territory belongs to the people."

While it's clear there is internal disagreement within the Nation about the MOU, it's also clear there's agreement it's important to pursue negotiations on rights and title.

Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press

"We take issue with the improper consultation with respect to an MOU which would lead to negotiations," states one of the letters sent written by elected leaders.

In a reply letter to band leadership, the hereditary chiefs acknowledged that yes, after the MOU is signed there will be negotiations.

But also stated that, "In those discussions, all Wet'suwet'en, including Wet'suwet'en members of your Bands and Band Councils will be invited to be fully engaged."

When asked about the tension between elected and hereditary leadership in recent weeks, Na'moks said "I think there's a misunderstanding - this is only a MOU  it's not a final agreement or anything. It's to start a discussion on our rights and title."

The first line of the draft MOU commits Canada and B.C. to immediately recognize that "Wet'suwet'en rights and title are held by Wet'suwe'ten houses under their system of governance."

It then spells out what kind of negotiations will take place, over a three-month period, including "Legal recognition of Wet'suwet'en title as a legal interest in land by Canada and B.C."

Last week elected chief of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, Maureen Luggi, said she's concerned about how quickly things are moving.

"We're not understanding what is the rush here," she told CBC News. "What is the reason that we're not doing things properly?"

The elected chiefs, including Luggi, also say that there are clan members who are upset about how things are unfolding.

In Ottawa, the federal government has not signaled any delay to signing the MOU. CBC was not able to reach the province in time for publication to find out if B.C. plans to move ahead as scheduled.

Now that the contents of the MOU are public, there are many specific elements to be looked at more closely. Absent in that document is any mention of the conflict that led to the document in the first place: the Coastal Gaslink conflict.

A backgrounder document circulated to Wet'suwet'en people about the MOU states that the governments weren't able to come to any conclusions about the Coastal Gaslink pipeline in their discussions, but notes, "the other two governments know that they will need to address the impact of [Coastal Gaslink] on the Wet'suwet'en territory."
An Illinois woman was found inside her home mauled by her French Bulldog mix on Saturday.

A friend found Lisa Urso, 52, in the back of her Ingleside home on Saturday evening.

Urso had recently adopted the pooch, which was originally bred to fight.

A friend found Lisa Urso, 52, in the back of her Ingleside home on Saturday evening. Pictured with a dog that was not the main animal in the attack

'It wasn't the neck, most (bite marks) were (on) her legs and arms,' Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper explained to WGN.

Urso had recently adopted the pooch, which was originally bred to fight

'Some on her torso as well. Just a lot of bites. A lot of scratching I hate to say it but unfortunately it was a vicious attack.'

Cooper shared that the attack started inside the home.

Urso shared the home with her boyfriend, who Cooper said had been attacked by the dog on a previous occasion.

Urso retrieved the dog back from animal control after it attacked her boyfriend.

'You don't really think about it happening with a smaller dog breed but we forget animals can be powerful,' Cooper said. 'This animal has a lot of jaw strength.'

Urso was a huge animal right's advocate and often asked for donations for organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Urso shared the home with her boyfriend, who Cooper said had been attacked by the dog on a previous occasion

The rescue bulldog had been involved in dog fights in the past.

Urso's second French bulldog was found with blood on it as well. The woman's Border Collie did not have blood on it.

Urso's boyfriend was not home at the time of the attack, Cooper shared.

Urso's second French bulldog (right) was found with blood on it as well
PENSACOLA, Fla.  Two troopers were seriously injured Tuesday while pursuing an Alabama carjacking subject in a stolen truck.

The Baldwin County Sheriffs Office and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency notified the Florida Highway Patrols Tallahassee Regional Communications Center that they were pursuing a subject in a stolen white truck eastbound on Interstate 10 entering Florida. Officers informed the FHP the subject was wanted for carjacking and narcotics violations.

Florida troopers engaged in a brief pursuit once the suspect entered their state. During the pursuit, two patrol cars collided with each other just east of a weigh station, leaving both troopers with serious injuries. The troopers involved in the accident were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment.

The suspects vehicle continued eastbound but ran into the rear of a tractor-trailer near the Florida welcome center. The driver of the suspect vehicle attempted to flee on foot, but was taken into custody without incident.
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Linkedin Lisa Du (Bloomberg)  Wed, May 13, 2020 13:57 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7bee18 2 Health health,coronavirus,COVID-19,Survivor Free

More than one million people around the world have been deemed recovered from the coronavirus, but beating the initial sickness may be just the first of many battles for those who have survived.

Some recovered patients report breathlessness, fatigue and body pain months after first becoming infected. Small-scale studies conducted in Hong Kong and Wuhan, China show that survivors grapple with poorer functioning in their lungs, heart and liver. And that may be the tip of the iceberg.

The coronavirus is now known to attack many parts of the body beyond the respiratory system, causing damage from the eyeballs to the toes, the gut to the kidneys. Patients immune systems can go into overdrive to fight off the infection, compounding the damage done.

While researchers are only starting to track the long-term health of survivors, past epidemics caused by similar viruses show that the aftermath can last more than a decade. According to one study, survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, suffered lung infections, higher cholesterol levels and were falling sick more frequently than others for as long as 12 years after the epidemic coursed through Asia, killing almost 800 people.



SARS infected 8,000 people. With more than 4 million -- and more every day -- infected by the coronavirus, the long-term damage to health could strain social safety nets and health-care infrastructures for years to come as well as have implications for economies and companies.

The prospect led Nicholas Hart, the British physician who treated Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to call the virus this generations polio -- a disease that could leave many marked by its scars and reshape global health care.

What these chronic issues ultimately look like  and how many patients ultimately experience them  will have huge implications for patients, the doctors who treat them, and the health systems around them, said Kimberly Powers, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who is developing models on the viruss spread to inform public-health efforts.

Early research

Hong Kongs hospital authority has been monitoring a group of COVID-19 patients for up to two months since they were released. They found about half of the 20 survivors had lung function below the normal range, said Owen Tsang, the medical director of the infectious disease center at Princess Margaret Hospital.

The diffusing capacity of their lungs -- how well oxygen and carbon dioxide transfers between the lungs and blood -- remained below healthy levels, Tsang observed.

A study of blood samples from 25 recovered patients in Wuhan, the city where the virus first emerged, found that they had not fully recovered normal functioning regardless of the severity of their coronavirus symptoms, according to a paper published April 7.

In another study, CT scans taken over a month of 90 Wuhan coronavirus patients found that of the 70 discharged from the hospital, 66 had mild to substantial residual lung abnormalities on their last CT scans, which showed ground-glass opacity, said a March paper published online in Radiology.

Chronic cardiac complications could arise in patients even after recovery as a result of persistent inflammation, according to an April 3 paper by doctors at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. They based their analysis on patient data from Italy and China.

SARS evidence

For clues on how Covid-19 may leave its mark, doctors and researchers are looking to the experience of SARS. Some survivors suffered long-term effects years after they first succumbed to the disease, which is part of the same family as the new coronavirus.

Researchers in China analyzed 25 SARS patients 12 years after they contracted the virus, contrasting their results with a control group who were not infected with SARS. The study found that more than half of the recovered patients suffered another lung infection since their bout with SARS and also had higher cholesterol levels. Additionally, half the patients had at least five colds in the previous year  a characteristic no one in the control group shared, said the 2017 paper published online in Scientific Reports.

These data demonstrated that the recovered SARS patients had a poor quality of life 12 years following recovery, and were susceptible to inflammation, tumors, and glucose and lipid metabolic disorders, researchers wrote.

Doctors like Tsang at Hong Kongs Princess Margaret Hospital said looking at former SARS patients is potentially instructive. Among survivors of the SARS outbreak of 2003, chronic fatigue and impaired lung function have been found in follow-up studies after two to four years.

This is so new that I dont think anyone is able to tell what is the percentage of patients who will recover, what is the percentage of patients who will not recover and have long-term sequela, said Michelle Biehl, a critical care pulmonary doctor at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, using the medical term for chronic conditions after a disease.

Societal implications

Tracking and figuring out how COVID-19 affects the body even after recovery could inform governments budgeting for social safety nets, doctors that see patients long term, and businesses as they set policies such as sick and disability leave. These issues could be even more crucial as public health officials say theres a possibility the virus may become a seasonal affliction.

Economies and companies looking to get people back to work will need to understand how and if COVID-19 affects human health in the long run and its scope.

There is such a wide range in the way the illness affects people. The various stakeholders need solid data to help them understand the breadth and duration of long term effects, said Jessica Justman, a professor of medicine in epidemiology at Columbia University.

There is some hope: Early intervention could play a role in longer-term outcomes of coronavirus patients, said Ivan Hung, a professor of medicine at the University of Hong Kong. Hung said in April that 90% of about 200 discharged patients he oversaw at a clinic at one of the citys hospitals appear to be making a full recovery a month out.

He attributed the success to Hong Kongs early diagnosis and early treatment of patients, which leaves the virus with less time to wreak havoc on the body.

This may not be possible in many countries like the US and UK where testing is uneven and inadequate, and only those with serious symptoms are getting treatment.

Still, larger-scale studies in virus hot spots are needed to separate the physical legacy of the virus from how patients feel immediately after fighting off the infection. It will be crucial for scientists to track and quantify how COVID-19 affects such factors as oxygenation and breathing rate, said Roberto Bruzzone, a visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong, whose research focuses on cell biology.

Hospitals and researchers will have begun patient registries to start gathering data to study survivors over time as well.

We need an epidemiological study that may be feasible in places like Wuhan, New York City, Milan or Paris -- where there has been a huge group of infections with a wide variety of symptoms, Bruzzone said.
A social housing building program could help save thousands of constructions jobs and drive NSW's post-pandemic economic recovery.

The NSW Council of Social Services will make this case to the Berejiklian government, after commissioning research into the economic impact of plummeting overseas migration and its link to rising homelessness.

An affordable housing boom could support 18,000 jobs. Credit:James Brickwood

The report by Equity Economics estimates as many as 85,000 constructions jobs could be at risk as a result of a forecast drop in migration to Australia of up to 85 per cent in 2020-21.

It calculates this could translate to reduced demand for housing of 38,000 units over the next 18 months, but contends that this could be ameliorated by a government-led social housing boom.
Mr. Firouz was born in Shiraz, Iran, and attended schools in Germany and the United States. He returned to Iran in the late 1940s where he was instrumental in the establishment of Irans national parks and wildlife program. He was jailed for six years after the 1979 Iranian revolution that deposed the shah. Since the 1990s, he had lived in Rockville, Md., and in Tehran.
Kathmandu, May 13

Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Padma Kumari Aryal, says her ministry is ready to publish a new map of the country that also incorporates the disputed Kalapani region anytime, adding the map, however, is yet to be made public as the country is waiting for talks with India in this regard.

After India published its new political map in November last year incorporating the disputed region, the government of Nepal had also commissioned the ministry to publish the new map so as to give an encounter, owing to a widespread protest of the Indian move and Nepals inability to resist.

As India inaugurated a link road to Manasarovar via the disputed land last week, the government is again under the pressure to publish the new map as soon as possible.

In this context, the minister says in an interview with Onlinekhabar, We have sufficient evidence in documents to prove that part belongs to us. Accordingly, we decided to make technical preparations to incorporate that into our map. But again, there were talks about moving forward on the basis of mutual consent. The government had launched some initiatives in that regard; India had also given some hints. So we did not publish the new map unilaterally.

She assures, If the talks head towards a positive direction, fine. But, they cannot conclude, we can publish the map.
M ore than 635,00 jobs could be lost within the next month if insurers snub small firms trying to claim on disputed business interruption policies, new research shows.

Analysis by Aston Business School's Enterprise Research Centre said 127,000 firms across the UK are at risk of closing if they are unable to obtain a payout, leading to a wave of redundancies.

Many entrepreneurs with business interruption insurance have been refused payouts from insurers who say the Covid-19 pandemic cover was never part of the contract.

The Financial Conduct Authority is going to court to obtain a legal ruling on policy wording to settle the row.

Mark Hart, Astons professor of small business, said the insurance industrys response was unacceptable.

At a time of national emergency, not being able to claim against a policy which includes cover for business interruption threatens the livelihood of thousands of micro-businesses.

"This is unacceptable and necessitates urgent action.

Although the inquiry by the FCA is welcome, there is a worry that too many businesses will have closed before they report on their findings and action taken.

The Aston research was based on a poll of 130 businesses conducted by the Covid Claims Group, a campaign group of small firms.

It found 11% believe they will close within a month if they cannot claim on their insurance policy.

Aston used that figure and multiplied it by the number of small firms across the country to arrive at the 635,000 figure.

Covid Claims Group founder James Ollerenshaw said: Our survey exposes the damage inflicted on thousands of small businesses, the human cost in loss of jobs, and the lasting scar to our economy in terms of unemployment and reduced tax revenues.

Ollerenshaw's group is one of a number of firms orchestrating action against insurers, including the Hiscox Action Group and Hospitality Insurance Group Action.

The FCA had originally suggested firms could take their claims to the Financial Ombudsman but the data suggests this unpopular.

The survey found 36% of firms had sought support of an action group, 15% of respondents had contacted a lawyer and 29% had written to their MP. Only 9% had raised a complaint with the FOS.

Willis Towers Watson analysis suggests a worst case scenario would lead the insurance industry paying out 11 billion on business interruption claims.
(Photo : WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

66eme Festival du Cinema de Venise (Mostra), 6eme jour (07/09/2009)



Matt Damon (et sa femme) avec Steven Soderbergh : leur arrivee au Lido

Matt Damon and his family are currently on quarantine in the small town of Dalkey, Ireland. He surprised the online viewers and listeners of a local radio show, SPIN 1038 Fully Charged, as he appeared in the show and talked about being in lockdown abroad.

Damon also shared how the coronavirus pandemic has affected his family and how he ended up in Ireland amid the pandemic.

ALSO READ: Woman Who Trespassed Yellowstone National Park Fell Into Thermal Feature

"I'm in the middle of a movie that I shot the first half in France, and we were moving to Ireland and kind of right when we arrived in Ireland, the movie was shut down," explained Damon.

Also, the Oscar winner mentioned that his 21-year-old stepdaughter Alexia who he considers his own child turned out to be COVID-19 positive early on.

"Our oldest daughter's in college. Obviously, that's been shut down, but she's in New York City. She had COVID really early on along with her roommates and got through it fine," said Damon adding that he should not say his whole family is together at this time.

"Of our four kids we've got the three younger ones and our oldest one, we'll reunite with her at the end of the month. But everybody's OK."

Loving Dalkey

Damon's other daughters, Isabella, 13, Gia, 11, and Stella, 9, are currently quarantined with him in Ireland, where Damon's family has the perfect set up.

"It's incredible. It's one of the most beautiful places we've ever been," he said about Dalkey. "Obviously, what's going on in the world is horrible, but for my family, it timed out. I'm with my whole family," the Bourne star said.

Damon also talked about his kids' education as they got along with the teachers who are homeschooling his children. "[We] were planning on missing school for about eight weeks, so we've got what nobody else has, which is actual live human beings teaching our kids.... We've got this incredible set up in this place, which is gorgeous," he added. He also joked about feeling guilty as his children's friends are doing remote learning as schools are all shut down.

Contagion: Life Imitates Art

It is quite surprising how life imitates art as Damon's 2011 movie, "Contagion," can be somehow similar to the current coronavirus outbreak.

Contagion's IMDb describes the movie as an action-thriller about how medical experts, government officials, and regular citizens struggle in the midst of a pandemic while the CDC finds a cure to the deadly disease.

"Anybody who says you couldn't have predicted this, look at Contagion. 10 years ago, we made a movie just by talking to experts," Damon said. He also mentioned that he is now in constant communication with the film's screenwriter Scott Burns since the pandemic started.

The movie casts recently published public service announcements to educate fans about how to deal with COVID-19. Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, and Jennifer Ehle have worked with Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health scientists to share COVID-19 facts to help protect ourselves and the community.

ALSO READ: [BREAKING] Five COVID-19 Patients Died Due to Overloaded Ventilator Explosion

"Everything that you're going to hear from us has been vetted by public health experts and scientists," Damon explains before discussing social distancing.

Damon is quick to note that Contagion differs from real life. In the movie, he played a man who was immune to the "hypothetical virus", but he now has "no reason to believe" that he is COVID-19-proof.



ALSO READ: 'Super-Emitter' COVID-19 Patient Infects 52 People Through Singing

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
India Announces $265 Billion Package to Revive Battered Economy

By Anjana Pasricha May 12, 2020

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a massive package of more than $265 billion to revive an economy battered by a seven-week lockdown enforced to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The long-awaited stimulus package amounts to about 10 percent of India's gross domestic product.

In a televised address to the nation, the prime minister said the country must turn crisis into opportunity and emphasized that the main goal of the package is to build a self-reliant India.

Modi also indicated that India would undertake economic reforms that economists and business leaders have long clamored for to attract investment and give a boost to industry.

The announcement came amid a growing chorus for a monetary stimulus to ease the deep pain inflicted by the shutdown on an economy that was sputtering even before the pandemic.

Economists say unemployment has reached 24.7 percent as millions of jobs have been lost across many fields since the lockdown was enforced March 25. Tens of thousands of migrant workers have fled shuttered cities amid the widespread losses.

Although some restrictions on manufacturing have been lifted, most industries have yet to resume operations, hobbled by a lack of workers and strict new rules aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus.

"Day laborers, migrant workers have suffered much in this period. It is our duty now to do something for them," the prime minister said.

Modi also signaled that the country would start to pull back from the lockdown scheduled to end this Sunday, saying it is possible to fight the coronavirus while moving ahead.

"While scientists have said that COVID-19 will be with us for a long time, we cannot let life revolve around it. We have to wear masks and maintain distance but keep sight of our goals," he told the country. "The next stage will be different in many ways."

A signal that India intends to restart economic activity came on Tuesday as it resumed limited rail service. It was a small beginning  the 30 trains that streamed out of cities like New Delhi and Mumbai carrying about 50,000 passengers transported only a fraction of the 23 million passengers carried by one of the world's largest networks before the lockdown.

And in a sign that travel may not be the same any longer, passengers could only book tickets online, had to wear masks and were told to arrive an hour-and-a-half early to undergo health screenings. They were asked to carry their own food and water and follow social distancing norms.

All rail, bus and air services have been shut down since the lockdown, but the federal government has indicated that public transport will also resume in cities.

The prime minister also indicated that it will be up to states to specify what they want to do  many of the country's lesser-affected regions want to resume business while those where the infection rate is rampant want to continue with restrictions.

There has been a spike in infections in recent days with the number of coronavirus cases at close to 74,000. More than 2,400 people have died.

The shutdown is credited with having significantly slowed the spread of the respiratory ailment in the world's second-most-populous nation. Officials say although the count is rising, the lockdown prevented an explosive surge of infections that would have crippled India's unprepared health care system.

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The only safe place is home

New daily infections totaled 1,704, increasing the total caseload to 141,475, while the death toll rose by 53 to 3,894 Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Tuesday in his coronavirus update

The increase in the number of new cases is within predictable limits. 70% of all cases have recovered. The number of patients in intensive care continues to decrease, Koca said.

As many as 37,351 tests were performed in the country over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of tests to over 1.4 million, he added.

The number of people to have recovered from COVID-19 has approached 100,000 as 3,109 more patients beat the disease in the last 24 hours.

The number of patients in Turkey in intensive care and in need of ventilators continues to fall, he added.





Read more here: https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/turkeys-covid-19-recoveries-approach-100000/news

Istanbulites flock to seasides, picnic despite prohibitions

People walk in the Kartal district of Istanbul, May 12, 2020. (DHA Photo)

Many citizens were seen picnicking and strolling along the seaside in Istanbuls Kartal district despite prohibitions imposed by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.

As outdoor temperatures started to warm up, people flocked to the coast of Kartal, located on the Asian side of Istanbul, despite the ban. Some of the rule-breakers wore masks, while numerous were seen without having protective attire. Peddlers also mobilized to sell their products.

Last week, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and experts from the countrys Coronavirus Science Board issued fresh warnings to citizens to not let their guards down against the COVID-19 pandemic after photos of heavy traffic jams and flocks of pedestrians were sighted across Turkeys busiest cities.

The minister issued his warning as he shared a photo of gridlock taken in Istanbuls historic Eminonu district on Thursday.

Read more here: https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/istanbul/istanbulites-flock-to-seasides-picnic-despite-prohibitions

Over 100 coronavirus infections across Turkey caused by those visiting homes to offer condolence

In a tragic twist of irony, house visits taken to offer loved ones condolence in the Turkish provinces of Sakarya and Van have led to at least 101 new infections of the coronavirus, with a handful of neighborhoods across four cities coming under quarantine in response.

As Turkey has seen a decline in the number of fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic, authorities have moved to ease restrictions.

Although officials have constantly warned citizens to abide by the rules of hygiene and social distancing, warming weather and simple need has led to slacking off for some.

A member professor of the Coronavirus Science Board, Tevfik Ozlu, has recently warned citizens about the risk of infection.

Figures are getting better. But whenever we say this, I dont know why people get us wrong. It is utterly wrong to read declining figures as everything is back to normal. Yes, from now on we will go out more, but if we really have to. People tend to rush to the streets the minute curfew is over. We have to keep this willingness to socialize at a minimum. The only safe place is home,

Read more here: https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/over-100-coronavirus-infections-across-turkey-caused-by-those-visiting-homes-to-offer-condolence/news

Correction from Mugla Governorate on over 65s outing on 17 May

ver 65s and those with chronic illnesses or underlying health conditions, will be allowed to leave their homes, remaining within walking distance and wearing masks, on May 17 between the hours of:

*** 11:00 and 15:00***

For everyone else, except in case of emergency, lets #StayHome to allow our citizens to enjoy their time outside safely.

African heat wave expected to sweep Turkey

Please bear in mind that temperatures over the weekend will be above seasonal averages across most of the country due to the hot weather coming in from North Africa.

Make sure you wear sunscreen and remember to take water to stay hydrated as cafes and restaurants remain closed.

The beaches are also still closed to everyone.

Fethiye Municipality surprises nurses with flowers

Fethiye Municipality celebrated World Nurses Day yesterday by presenting flowers to nurses at Fethiye Devlet, Esnaf and Letoon hospitals.

The flowers were organized by Fethiye Mayor, Alim Karaca and delivered by police teams.

The nurses working in the hospitals thanked Karaca for not forgetting their day.

Source: https://gercekfethiye.com/hemsirelere-cicekli-surpriz/27393/

Global statistics

There are now 4,374,889 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, of which 1,622,069 have recovered. The number of fatalities stands at 294,412.

Source: Worldometer.

Follow Fethiye Times on social media for regular updates.

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Todays featured image: Gendarmarie stand guard after a neighborhood in Van was quarantined, May 11, 2020 courtesy of Daily Sabah
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday asked officials to further tighten the lockdown rules in Agra, Meerut and Kanpur which have seen spurt in number of Covid-19 cases.

Hindustan Times Hindi language publication Hindustan reported that Adityanath held a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation on Tuesday where he asked stringent measures to be adopted in these cities.

He asked surveillance committees to be constituted in every village panchayat and ward level in urban areas to effectively monitor the spread of the disease in these cities, Hindustan reported.

Adityanath said that these committees should inform the administration of anyone trying to enter areas around these cities clandestinely. Panchayat heads, ASHA workers and members of Nehru Yuva Kendra should be the members of these committees, said Adityanath according to Hindustan.

Two more people died of Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday as the number of people testing positive for the infection rose to 3,664 due to 91 fresh cases.

According to a release by the state health department, one death each was reported from Hapur and Meerut. The maximum 24 deaths have been reported from Agra, followed by 14 in Meerut, seven Moradabad, six in Kanpur, four each in Firozabad and Mathura, three in Aligarh, two each in Ghaziabad, Jhansi and Gautam Buddh Nagar and one each in Hapur, Lalitpur, Allahabad, Etah, Mainpuri, Bijnore, Kanpur Dehat, Amroha, Bareilly, Basti, Bulandshahr, Lucknow, Varanasi and Shravasti.

The release also said that 3,664 cases have been reported so far from 74 districts. The number of active cases in the state now is 1,709 while 1,873 people have recovered from the disease, it added.

Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said 48.7 per cent of the patients were between 20 and 40 years of age. Around 25.5 per cent of them belong to the age group of 40-60 years while 8.1 per cent of them are above 60 years, he said.
The enforcement notice came on the same day the Transportation Department also announced that it will allow carriers to further reduce the number of flights they operate. As a condition of receiving Cares money, airlines were required to maintain a minimum level of service. But many carriers have argued that with so few people traveling, it makes no sense to continue flying certain routes. Federal transportation officials have agreed, in some cases, giving more than a half dozen carriers, including JetBlue, American and Spirit, permission to temporarily discontinue service to certain cities.
There is growing consensus among modelers estimating the number of cases and deaths from the novel coronavirus in the next few weeks.

But this convergence of estimates  31,000 to 42,000 additional deaths through mid-June for roughly 120,000 total deaths in the United States  comes just as shifts in public policy are likely to create new uncertainty about the path of the pandemic after that.

U.S. coronavirus deaths in seven forecasts Reported deaths are rolling seven-day averages as reported by The New York Times

Three weeks ago, predictions from five popular models were widely divergent. Now, their outputs look far more similar.

A model from the University of Washington, once frequently cited by the White House for its relatively optimistic mortality estimates, has been retooled, and its expected death totals have risen. Others that had anticipated very high death tolls, from Imperial College London and Columbia University, have been adjusted downward. Our charts here show past outputs from the five models in addition to the past and new predictions of two more, from the University of Texas at Austin and from the independent data scientist Youyang Gu.

How the different projections of U.S. deaths have changed over time Reported deaths are rolling seven-day averages as reported by The New York Times

The model from Columbia, which assumes that people will loosen their social distancing behavior soon, estimates roughly 1,800 daily deaths in four weeks, the highest of the group making four-week forecasts. The lowest estimate, from the University of Texas, projects daily deaths will drop to less than 700 by June 1. These are large differences, but far smaller than what we saw just a few weeks ago.

Scientists who build models say they find it more useful to look at an ensemble of serious models at once than to rely on one.

We know there is no perfect model, said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Texas, who recommended the ensemble approach as a good way to understand the range of likely outcomes.

The models depicted in our series of charts use slightly different methods. Some rely on classic epidemiology models; others incorporate methods from spatial statistics; some use data about mobility from cellphone records; one uses experiences with the disease overseas as a possible template for the American experience.

The researchers say that they are getting better at understanding the dynamics of the pandemic as Americans largely shelter in place, and that improved knowledge may explain the growing consensus of the models. The near-term future of the pandemic is also a little easier to imagine, with deaths flattening instead of growing rapidly. There may be some peer pressure, too. Nicholas Reich, a biostatistician at the University of Massachusetts who has led a project to standardize and compare model outputs, said he worried about the temptation to herd outputs. Probably no one wants to have the really super-outlying low model or the super-outlying high model, he said.

As the past record of the models depicted above shows, some of the older predictions have missed by quite a bit.

Dylan George, who worked on Ebola response in the Obama White Houses office of science and technology, and is now a vice president at the technology investment firm In-Q-Tel, said substantially improving the quality of disease modeling might require government spending. He compared the epidemic forecasts to weather forecasts, which were primitive in the last century but have been improved through government investment to become more useful for planning daily life. Weather forecasts also save lives through better predictions of events like hurricanes.

These are great people who have spent their careers trying to figure these things out, he said of the academic disease modelers, but he added that their work was not enough. If a hurricane were coming barreling down on Florida, we wouldnt randomly ask a bunch of academics to help us track the hurricane. We would have people who, this is their day job.

Politicians have begun easing restrictions on public gatherings and business activities, and those changes are likely to lead to changes in behavior and to increased transmission of the disease. By how much is still unclear. Theres a lot more uncertainty because the system is changing under our feet, said Ms. Meyers, who leads the team behind the University of Texas model, which incorporates cellphone data about how much people are moving and interacting.

Ms. Meyers said changes in behavior were likely to begin showing up as changes in the number of deaths in three or four weeks, just at the edge of the recent predictions.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 08:04:01

Novadip Biosciences Reports Positive Interim Analysis of Phase I/II Bone Non-Union Study with NVD003

Bone healing demonstrated at six-months after treatment with favorable safety profile

NVD003 is an autologous cell-based osteogenic product

Mont-Saint Guibert, Belgium, 13 May, 2020: Novadip Biosciences (Novadip or the Company), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary tissue regeneration technology platform, today announces positive data from the interim analysis of its Phase I/IIa clinical trial for autologous NVD-003 in adults with non-healing fracture of the lower limb.

NVD-003 is a novel autologous cell-based osteogenic (bone healing/[bone forming]) product that has been generated from Novadips proprietary 3M tissue regeneration platform. This platform is aimed at healing damaged tissues by restoring their natural physiology and consists of a 3-dimensional, scaffold-free extracellular matrix (ECM), utilizing differentiated adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to restore the physiology of natural healing. NVD003 presents as a scaffold-free 3D implant to fill critical-size bone defects where healing is compromised.

This phase I/II study is investigating in five European centers the potential of NVD-003 to promote bone union in nine adults with a non-healing fracture of the lower limb. There was 100% manufacturing success for NVD-003 and grafting surgery was completed successfully in all patients without deviating from standard medical practice. To date, with a median of 12 months post-treatment, no NVD003 related safety signal has been reported. Further exploratory analysis performed on data from the first five patients to complete a six month follow up showed a strong positive trend in radiological healing with confirmed bone formation for all patients and radiologically confirmed union for three of the patients.

Prof. Gunnar Anderson (MD, PhD), Professor and Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board commented: The early results of this study are remarkable both clinically and for the patients and we look forward to replicating these in a larger group in the future. It is hugely encouraging that we may potentially have a future solution for these patients with unmet needs.

Dr. Denis Dufrane (MD, PhD), Chief Executive Officer, Chief Scientific Officer commented: We are encouraged by the data from this interim analysis, which demonstrates the potential of our tissue regeneration 3M3 platform to restore natural healing processes in patients with reputedly difficult to treat bone defects. We look forward to further progressing NVD-003s clinical program in bone non-union and in patients with other similar conditions with no effective treatment option and hope to provide full study results in 2025.

NVD-003 is also in clinical stage for congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT), a rare and disabling pediatric condition with very limited treatment options and has demonstrated clinical proof-of-concept in case studies.

Novadips tissue regeneration platform drives several new classes of product candidates with an initial focus on autologous cell therapies for critical size tissue reconstruction. Allogeneic therapeutics are in development for prevalent and complex tissue defects for bone and skin tissue and exosomes/miRNA-based therapeutics are being developed for immediate (off-the-shelf) clinical use.

- End -

Notes to editors

Novadip Biosciences

Novadip Biosciences is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its unique 3D tissue regeneration technology platform to generate multiple product candidates to address hard and soft tissue reconstruction for patients who have limited or no treatment options. The companys proprietary 3M3 platform is a 3-dimensional, extracellular matrix that utilizes adipose-derived stem cells to deliver highly-specific growth factors and miRNAs to mimic the physiology of natural healing and creates a range of products that address specific challenges in tissue regeneration. Novadips initial focus is on critical size bone reconstruction. The company is also applying its 3M3 platform to develop truly novel off-the-shelf/allogeneic therapies to address more prevalent tissue defects and miRNA/exosome products for broader indications. For more information, visit www.novadip.com .

For further information, please contact:

Novadip Biosciences

Denis Dufrane

Chief Executive Officer, Chief Scientific Officer

+32 (10) 779 220

info@novadip.com

For media enquiries:

Consilium Strategic Communications

Chris Gardner, Matthew Neal, Angela Gray

+44 (0) 20 3709 5700

novadip@consilium-comms.com
The last time representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited resident of Yeghegis village of Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia, fixed-term serviceman Arayik Ghazaryan, 34-year-old resident of Berdavan village of Tavush Province Karen Ghazaryan and citizen of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) Arsen Baghdasaryan (all three found themselves in Azerbaijan) was in February of this year, as Communication Programs Director of ICRC Armenia Zara Amatuni said, reports A1+.

Arsen Baghdasaryan was captured on December 26, 2014, Arayik Ghazaryan found himself in Azerbaijan on August 12, 2019, and Karen Ghazaryan  on July 15, 2018.

Zara Amatuni added that she couldnt provide any information about their conditions and that the ICRC provides the authorities and their families with information about the captives talks and concerns, but not the public. When asked why the ICRC representatives havent visited the three captives since February, Amatuni mentioned the coronavirus as the first reason.

To find out about their conditions, A1+ also contacted Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, Major Shushan Stepanyan, who said she has no right to transmit information and added that the ICRC doesnt make details public. Spokesperson of the Defense Army of Artsakh, Colonel Senor Hasratyan also said he couldnt transmit information about them.

According to Armen Ghazaryan, father of Karen Ghazaryan, his son isnt in good condition. The ICRC told us that he has health problems and doesnt talk to anybody. He doesnt come out of his cell when he is permitted and doesnt eat much, the father said, adding that his son had mental health problems in the past and that now the situation has gotten worse since he doesnt take medicine.

On February 27, 2019, under a phony charge, the Court for Heavy Crimes of Ganja sentenced 34-year-old resident of Berdavan village of Tavush Province Karen Ghazaryan to 20 years in prison, while citizen of the Republic of Artsakh Arsen Baghdasaryan was sentenced to 15 years in prison on May 5, 2015, also under a phony charge.
Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has commended Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, for being outspoken and telling her husband t...





Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has commended Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, for being outspoken and telling her husband the bitter truth.

This was contained in a statement Tuesday night by Yerima Shettima, AYCF President.

The group said Aisha has continued to tell her husband the truth, despite the silence of those around him.

Recall that since Buhari assumed power in 2015, the presidents spouse has commented on government and national issues, which affect the masses.

In 2018, Aisha condemned the primary election conducted by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in some states.

In 2019, she questioned the disbursement of over N500bn Social Investment Programmes (SIP) funds by the Nigerian government.

In their reaction, AYCF said: Throughout the political history of this nation, Nigeria has never had a First Lady who tells the truth in black and white and without fear or favor like her.

It is undeniable that she tells the truth regardless of whose ox is gored. Apart from telling the bitter truth, even to the President when his aides decide to be silent, she has a reputation for helping people.

Even her harshest critics would readily admit that when it comes to telling the truth in plain language. To the President, she gives pieces of advice on knotty issues of socio-economic development.

The group, however, hailed Aisha Buhari for her recent donations to the vulnerable.

Recently, she put smiles on the face of some poor families in Kano. No one thought help would come to the rescue of those Kano households. Hope was almost lost, Shettima added.
Mexico has extradited five fugitives to the United States, including an alleged former leader of the Sinaloa cartel.

The five Mexican nationals are wanted in the U.S. for a variety of crimes, including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking and child sexual abuse charges.

The Mexican Attorney General's office said the men were handed to U.S. agents during the last week at the Toluca International Airport in compliance with an international extradition treaty.

One of the five men, Jorge Luis Sanchez Morales, is an alleged former leader of the Sinaloa cartel cell in Juarez. The Sinaloa cartel was made famous for having been led by Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman.

Sanchez Morales was wanted by the Western District of Texas on drug and conspiracy charges, the Attorney General's Office said according to Wane.com.

Jorge Luis Sanchez Morales, an alleged former leader of the Sinaloa cartel in Juarez. The DEA believe was the founder of the Sinaloa cartel cell that was based in the El-Paso-Juarez corridor

He was allegedly given the task of coordinating cartel shipments into the United States and cartel money laundering activities in the Chihuahua-Texas corridor.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also credits Sanchez Morales with leading and founding the Sinaloa cartel cell that was based in the El-Paso-Juarez corridor.

Another of the men extradited, Salvador Martinez, was not linked specifically with any particular Mexican drug cartel, but is facing charges of drug-trafficking in the Northern District of Texas.

He was allegedly part of a gang distributing methamphetamine in and around Dallas, according to information given to Mexico by U.S. authorities.

Despite its leader, El Chapo, being in prison in the United States, the Sinaloa cartel still wreaks havoc in Mexico. Pictured: A burning bus set alight by cartel gunmen during a 2019 firefight in Culiacan. Another of the cartel's ex-leaders has been extradited to the United States

Left: Salvador Martinez, wanted for drug-trafficking in the Northern District of Texas. Right: Crespin Nene Perez, pictured, has been wanted since 1998 in connection to the cold case involving Bonny Lee Baker, who is believed to have been murdered

Bonny Lee Baker died in 1998 at the age of 47. Crespin Nene Perez is a suspect in the cold case

A third man handed to U.S. officials, Crespin Nene Perez, has been wanted for the alleged kidnapping and murder of a Colorado woman, Bonny Lee Baker, who died in 1998 at the age of 47.

Wane.com reports that Perez vanished before July 4 1998, before his sister found blood and hair in his parked car, as well as a driver's license number hidden under a car mat, belonging to Baker, who was Perez's live-in girlfriend.

His sister contacted Baker's ex-husband and told him that Perez had a history of violence.

The other two men extradited to the U.S. - Moises Bernal Ramirez and Ligorio Garcia Cruz - were a pair of alleged sex offenders.

The Mexican Attorney General's office said Ramirez has a sexual assault charge pending in Georgia while Cruz is wanted in Harris County, Texas, for an alleged sexual assault on a minor.

Moises Bernal Ramirez (right) and Ligorio Garcia Cruz (left) have both separately been accused of child sexual assault. They also both fled to Mexico to avoid charges, and were arrested on separate occasions in January, before now being extradited to the U.S.

Bernal Ramirez is wanted in Cobb, Georgia for sexual abuse against two minors. From 2005 to 2011, he reportedly raped his two underage granddaughters (11 and 4), who said that he threatened to hurt them if they told anyone.

He was found living in Temixco, just outside of Mexico City, and was arrested by Mexico's federal police in January.

In 2009 and 2010, Garcia-Cruz allegedly raped the daughter of his ex-girlfriend when her mother went to school or work. After he was charged, he fled across the border to Mexico, but was also arrested again in January.
Oregonians who want the state to switch to an independent redistricting commission announced Wednesday that they are moving ahead with the effort, even as the coronavirus pandemic makes it more difficult to qualify initiatives for the November ballot.

The state Legislature currently handles the once-a-decade process to reshape Oregons electoral map, with the secretary of state stepping in if lawmakers dont complete the job. Theres a real possibility that could happen soon, given Republicans used walkouts to shut down business at the Capitol four times in the last year.

Nationally, Democrats have pushed for citizen redistricting commissions in other states. But only one of the Democratic candidates for Oregon secretary of state  Sen. Mark Hass  says its a good idea for the largely blue state. Candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner disagrees with specifics of the current proposal and Sen. Shemia Fagan avoided saying whether she supports it. California voters passed a similar commission system in 2010.

Leading the effort to change move Oregon to a commission model are the League of Women Voters, good government group Common Cause, the Independent Party of Oregon and the Oregon Farm Bureau, which did much of the early work to prepare for signature gathering.

The People not Politicians campaign has until July 2 to gather 149,360 valid signatures necessary to qualify the initiative for the ballot. With social distancing still necessary to reduce the spread of coronavirus, the campaign hopes to gather the signatures one at a time by having people download, print, read, sign and mail in the initiative petition available at www.PeopleNotPoliticiansOregon.com.

These are uncertain times, but democracy doesnt stop, said Norman Turrill, chair of the campaign and president of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Advocacy Fund. We believe, and a large majority of Oregonians agree, that every Oregonian deserves to be represented and every eligible voters vote should count.

Kate Titus, executive director of Common Cause Oregon, said in a statement that Letting politicians manipulate voting maps is like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. Politicians in power shouldnt be allowed to draw voting maps which benefit themselves, but thats exactly what they do now. Its a conflict of interest.

Under the proposal, the Oregon Citizens Redistricting Commission would have 12 members with four each from the largest and second largest political parties in the state, Democrats and Republicans respectively. The four remaining members would be from smaller parties or non-affiliated voters, and major political donors, party officials and elected officials would be barred from serving on the commission.

Other groups supporting the initiative include NAACP branches of Oregon, the conservative Taxpayer Association of Oregon, OSPIRG, the American Association of University Women of Oregon and Oregons Progressive Party. The campaign has reported raising roughly $131,000 which would unlikely be enough to qualify using paid signature gatherers, even if social distancing orders and mores hadnt made that practically impossible.

Democrats currently control both chambers of the Legislature and hold four out of five statewide elected offices in Oregon. The party has not taken a position on the proposal and spokeswoman Molly Woon said the group typically waits to see which initiatives qualify for the ballot before deciding whether to support any of them.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Oregon Republican Party spokesman Kevin Hoar said the organization has not taken an official position on the initiative but it "intends to help actively educate our voters and grassroots supporters about this new redistricting proposal and support their efforts to get involved.

Republicans do strongly believe that citizens throughout Oregon should have more local say about how their own districts are drawn, rather than leaving it to the entrenched establishment elites in Salem, Hoar said.

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Three jurors who helped convict a man now on death row have said blood spatter evidence they did not see at his 2006 trial now raises doubts about his guilt.

Walter Barton, 64, is set to be executed on May 19 for the killing an 81-year-old mobile home park manager in Missouri nearly three decades ago.

Gladys Kuehler was beaten, sexually assaulted and stabbed more than 50 times. DNA testing showed that a stain on Barton's clothing was Kuehler's blood.

But new expert testimony from crime scene analyst Lawrence Renner, countering blood spatter evidence from the state, is said to have left some jurors 'uncomfortable' with the death penalty they recommended.

Renner found that the stains were not 'impact' patterns but instead 'transfer' marks from when Barton, who protests his innocence, touched existing stains. He said the killer's clothes would have been covered in more blood.

Three of the 12 jurors have now signed an affidavit to say Renner's findings would have affected their deliberations. One of those on the jury went as far to say they had 'serious questions' about Barton's guilt even at the trial.

Barton's attorney, Frederick A. Duchardt Jr., told The Kansas City Star: 'It is a worse nightmare because evidence, never heard by the jury who rendered judgment, undermines the key evidence used to convict.'

Walter Barton, 64, pictured in 2014, is set to be executed on May 19 for the killing 81-year-old mobile home park manager Gladys Kuehler in Missouri nearly three decades ago

Gladys Kuehler was beaten, sexually assaulted and stabbed more than 50 times. DNA testing showed that a stain on Barton's clothing was Kuehler's blood

Missouri said last week it is moving ahead with plans to execute Barton, unlike other states that have postponed executions during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Missouri Attorney General's Office said the new evidence does 'not come close' to changing the outcome of the trial.

Gladys Kuehler operated a mobile home park in the southwestern Missouri town of Ozark. In October 1991, officers found Kuehler dead inside her mobile home. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and stabbed more than 50 times.

Barton's attorney, Frederick A. Duchardt Jr., said Barton had blood on his shirt because he was among those who helped identify the victim. Duchardt said the conviction was also based on testimony from an unreliable witness.

Barton sought to argue that information that would impeach the witness and offer a different theory about the blood spatter would prove his innocence, but the state Supreme Court rejected that argument in its Monday ruling. The court also ruled that Barton had not shown that he was incompetent to be executed.

Barton would be the first Missouri inmate put to death since Russell Bucklew was executed in October.

Barton's case has been tied up in court for years due to mistrials, appeals and two overturned convictions, and his attorney continues to maintain his innocence.

'I'm saying the state of Missouri is about to prove why the death penalty should not be used because they are about to execute an innocent man,' Duchardt said.

Gladys Kuehler operated a mobile home park in the southwestern Missouri town of Ozark. In October 1991, officers found Kuehler dead inside her mobile home. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and stabbed more than 50 times.

Barton's attorney, Frederick A. Duchardt Jr., said Barton had blood on his shirt because he was among those who helped identify the victim. Duchardt said the conviction was also based on testimony from an unreliable witness

The first attempt to prosecute Barton ended in a mistrial in 1993 after his attorney objected that prosecutors had failed to endorse any trial witnesses. Another mistrial was declared that same year after another jury deadlocked.

Barton was convicted in 1994 and sentenced to death. The state Supreme Court overturned the conviction over objections to the prosecutor's final arguments. Barton was convicted again and sentenced to death in 1998, but another new trial was ordered when a judge found that the prosecution had failed to disclose the full background of one of its witnesses, among other improprieties.

At his fifth trial, in 2006, Barton was convicted for the third time. The state Supreme Court upheld that conviction and death penalty in 2007, but Barton has continued his appeals.

'At this time, we fully anticipate carrying out the court order and discharging our duties as prescribed by law on May 19,' said Kelli Jones, spokeswoman for Republican governor Mike Parson told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Barton's attorneys have filed appeals in state and federal court seeking to halt the execution.

Other states have put executions on hold because of the risks of spreading the coronavirus and the social restrictions on gatherings.

One of Barton's attorneys, Fred Duchardt Jr., said Parson may not have the time to consider clemency because of the attention he must pay to dealing with the coronavirus.

He said the execution itself also could violate social distancing rules Parson has imposed on the state.

The first attempt to prosecute Barton ended in a mistrial in 1993 after his attorney objected that prosecutors had failed to endorse any trial witnesses. Another mistrial was declared that same year after another jury deadlocked

At his fifth trial, in 2006, Barton was convicted for the third time. The state Supreme Court upheld that conviction and death penalty in 2007, but Barton has continued his appeals

Department of Corrections spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said the agency has 'a robust viral containment plan and strict safety protocols in place at every facility, and everyone is screened, with a temperature check, before entering a prison.'

Missouri executions take place at the prison in Bonne Terre, about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis.

The prison includes three separate viewing areas for witnesses, one each for those who are there for the victim and the inmate and a third for journalists and people serving as state witnesses.

Each witness room will be limited to 10 or fewer people, in accordance with the state's social distancing guidelines, Pojmann said.

'We plan to limit the number of witnesses in each room and space them out within each room. We have ample access to hand sanitizer, fabric face masks and other supplies, as needed,' Pojmann said.
PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stumbled upon 200 new beds lying unused inside a godown at the Naidu hospital.

The discovery has come at a time when the civic body and state government are battling a shortage of health infrastructure in the fight against Covid-19 (coronavirus).

According to PMC commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad, the beds were apparently purchased by the civic body in 2012 and were lying unused due to billing issues.

They godown is located at the rear end of Naidu hospital.

The beds are in good condition and ready to be used. We will dispatch them to some of the 74 facilities we have across the city, where there is a shortage of beds, said Gaikwad.

According to civic officials, the beds were discovered when a PMC health team inspected Naidu hospital to explore the possibility of further expanding its isolation facility by 50 beds.

When our team opened the godown, they found 200 beds, still wrapped up, said Gaikwad. According to another civic official who asked not to be named, the approximate current value of each bed is Rs 25,000.

Lockdown 4.0, an opening up for industries

After state industry minister Subhash Desais meeting with the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), there are more relaxations on the cards for private firms in Pune district. Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar held a meeting with an MCCIA delegation on Wednesday and assured that labour and supply chain issue will be addressed. Depending on the nature of lockdown 4.0 starting on May 18, we are in the process of finalising a new plan for industries, said Mhaisekar.

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The Maharashtra government on Wednesday sought 20 companies of central armed police forces to maintain law and order during Eid and provide some relief to its own police force which is engaged in enforcing the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said the states police force has been working day and night to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the state and need some relief.

The police have been working day and night in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Eid is coming up and law and order has to be maintained. The police should get some rest for that. Hence, we have requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), that is 2,000 personnel, Deshmukh said in a video message on Twitter.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage.

Many Maharashtra police personnel have tested positive for Covid-19.

There are 32 companies of the Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) already deployed in the state and are working with the Maharashtra police, PTI reported.

Maharashtra has recorded almost 25,000 cases of Covid-19, the highest in the country. Mumbai alone has about 15,000 of the cases.
Syracuse, N.Y.  The name of the sheriffs deputy who fired at a man suspected of shooting two people Sunday inside Syracuses bus and train station has been released.

Sgt. Michael Hoosock, 33, fired at a man armed with a gun early on Mothers Day inside the William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center, said Sgt. Jon Seeber, Onondaga County Sheriffs Office spokesman. The suspect, Andrew Booker, was not shot or injured, he said.

Hoosock joined the sheriffs office in 2007, Seeber said, and has served as a supervisor since 2015.

The double shooting at the transportation center off of Park Street happened just after 2 a.m. Sunday.

Booker, 33, of East Wareham, Massachusetts, got upset when his trip from Massachusetts to Ohio got delayed, authorities said. His bus stopped in Syracuse for mechanical issues. He opened fire inside the Regional Transportation Center, shooting a security guard and another man, Seeber said.

READ MORE: Station shooting: Guard, hiding family in secure room, shot by man angry over broken bus

Deputies and Syracuse police officers responded to the shooting. As officers approached the building, they encountered Booker  who was armed with a gun  inside the lobby of the transportation center, Seeber said.

Hoosock shot at Booker, Seeber said. The suspect was not shot, he said, and quickly surrendered.

Summit Security Officer Jahtheel Selmon was hiding a family inside a secure room when he was ambushed and shot in the abdomen, Seeber said. The 29-year-old Syracuse man had surgery and was released from Upstate University Hospital on Monday.

Olawatobifunmi Adedeji, 31, of Far Rockaway, was shot in the leg. He was released from the hospital on Sunday.

Booker has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center without bail and will undergo a mental health evaluation.

Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety for Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Have a tip or a story idea? Contact her at shouse@syracuse.com.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is feeling the heat, as he and his team work to craft a city budget that, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, will be substantially smaller than the previous year. But the question of exactly how much smaller, there doesnt seem to be an answer yet. City Hall is eagerly awaiting the state governments first round of budget cuts, which is expected around May 15. And while the citys budget has already been bolstered by some $5.3 billion in coronavirus relief funds from the federal government, de Blasio is hoping for much more to come.

When de Blasio released his executive budget on April 16, he proposed an $89.3 billion spending plan. That was $8 billion less than the $97.4 billion the city expects to spend through the end of the current fiscal year on June 30, and it was $6 billion less than what de Blasio was planning to spend for fiscal year 2021 when he released a $95.3 billion preliminary budget in January, before most of us had heard of the coronavirus.

The size of the budget is all but guaranteed to change in the coming weeks, but one thing is certain: The city is going to need to close a massive budget gap. The number crunchers at City Hall plan to do that in a few ways. Theyll pull billions from the citys reserves and plead for more federal aid. Theyll put off debt service payments on long-term building projects. De Blasio may even ask Albany to let the city borrow money to pay for expenses  something the city has been allowed to do in the past, such as during the fiscal crisis of the 1970s and following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And of course, theres the simplest way to close a budget gap: cuts. Here is where the city is looking.

Service cuts

Two words: no pools. The relatively miniscule $12 million the city would save by keeping city pools closed all summer got outsized attention, because who wants to imagine a summer in New York with fewer ways to cool off? But also because it was one of the few truly tangible budget cuts that de Blasio proposed in April. The city identified $2.7 billion in savings for this fiscal year and next year, but critics say hell need to find far more. For now, proposed cuts include a $6.7 million reduction in tree pruning and stump removal, $21 million from suspending the citys curbside compost service and $5.5 million saved by reducing overnight service on the Staten Island Ferry. The city will save $124 million by eliminating the Summer Youth Employment Program, which provides summer jobs to people ages 14 to 24 and another $55 million by cutting various summer programming for children. The Department of Education, the biggest spending agency, is also planning to cut the most, with more than $640 million in savings overall, including a $67 million cut to professional development for staff and a $100 million cut in direct aid to schools. But the city might end up needing to make much more drastic cuts to education. Doug Turetsky of the city Independent Budget Office told City & State a revised state budget could mean a cut of more than $2 billion in education aid to New York City.

Delaying programs

A less controversial way to save money is by cutting programs that dont exist yet, and de Blasios budget proposal had a lot of that. The city could save $43 million by postponing the expansion of free preschool for 3-year-olds. Classrooms without air conditioners still wont have them, as the city plans to save $10 million by delaying those installations. And while buses and bike lanes could get better eventually, that wont be happening in the next year, if the city delays its Better Bus Initiative and Green Wave bike lane expansion plan for a collective savings of $10.2 million. Work on the mayors much-maligned Brooklyn-Queens Connector streetcar, needless to say, will also be delayed once again.

Worker furloughs

Might the city lose some workers? De Blasios government has been notable for its constant expansion, but thats likely to come to an end. The mayor didnt mention furloughs in his April executive budget, but at a May 6 press conference he raised the possibility of furloughing or laying off some of the citys more than 330,000 employees if more federal aid doesnt come soon.

We need to get that stimulus done so that people dont have to experience furloughs and layoffs, de Blasio said. 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

Now with seven weeks left before the city budget is due, the clock is ticking on specifics.
Encouragement for being self-reliant is no doubt worthy of praise. But we should not mix self-reliance (or shunning over-reliance on China) with going local.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his lockdown 4.0 curtain-raiser address, celebrated all things local during the Covid-19 crisis, while urging citizens to go vocal about local. That brings us to these questions: Has India actually been self-reliant during the pandemic? And, is local the best way forward? As mentioned by the PM himself, we had a very short supply of N95 masks initially and no personal protection (PPE) kit was ...
The first North American coronavirus study focusing on pediatric patients found that children and young adults are at a greater risk of getting critically ill with COVID-19 than previously thought.

The study, published Monday, determined that children with underlying conditions, like adults, face even greater risks than the general public.

Dr. Lawrence Kleinman, a co-author of the study and a leading pediatric researcher at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said the public needs to understand that COVID-19 seriously affects children, too.

We cant say that kids are spared, Kleinman told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday. The relative frequency of the disease initially seemed to be in adults. Now, we see its more common than we thought in children, and it will be over time that we know how common it is in children. There are still unknowns that were working through.

Researchers followed 48 pediatric patients  from newborns to young adults, up to 21 years old  who were admitted prior to April 3 to 40 pediatric intensive care units across the country and in Canada.

More than 20% experienced failure of two or more organ systems due to COVID-19, and nearly 40% required a breathing tube and ventilator. At the end of the follow-up period, nearly 33% of the children were still hospitalized, with three requiring ventilator support and one on life support.

Two of the children admitted during the three-week study period died.

What we found was that though the numbers were modest, there were still children who got very sick from this illness, Kleinman said. Nearly 1 of 5 children in the pediatric ICU did not have an underlying condition.

Kleinman said the underlying conditions involved ranged from obesity to lung disease. About 2 in 5 patients had multi-organ system medical complexity, and others suffered from cancer, diabetes or sickle cell anemia.

In New Jersey, only 2% of the states 50,360 hospitalizations as of Monday involved kids younger than 18, according to Dr. Edward Lifshitz, the states communicable disease chief.

But on Saturday, health officials and Gov. Phil Murphy announced the states first death of a pediatric patient, a 4-year-old with an underlying condition. While officials did not disclose the condition, they confirmed it was not the Kawasaki-like inflammatory disease that has sickened at least 12 New Jersey children since March.

Those kids were treated in four hospitals for the multi-system inflammatory syndrome, which has added another threat to pediatric patients during the pandemic.

Kleinman and his colleagues expect to submit a study similar to the one published Monday in the next two weeks, tracking data for children hospitalized with the inflammatory syndrome.

There, the anecdotal reports indicate that many of them do not have underlying medical conditions, he said.

Kleinman said the initial goal of his work was to provide an initial snapshot of the pandemic in North America.

Were watching as our understanding of this disease evolves," he said. "One of the things that all of this suggests to me is that delaying or deferring decisions by policymakers is a sign of strength and understanding that well know more in a week than we know this week.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 12:16:03|Editor: huaxia

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KIGALI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- On the occasion of International Nurses Day on Tuesday, Rwandan nurses were urged to remain firm as frontline workers in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rwandan government recognizes that "nurses and midwives are the majority of health care providers and contribute a lot in achieving our health targets," Rwandan Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said Tuesday in a statement to commemorate the day.

"We particularly thank you for being on the frontline to fight against COVID-19 and urge you to maintain your efforts and resilience to defeat the pandemic just as we did for the previous outbreaks," Ngamije said.

Ngamije also recognized the role of Rwandan nurses and midwives in reducing maternal and child mortality rates, HIV transmission, malaria and other infectious diseases.

To mark the day, nurses at various health facilities in Rwanda's capital Kigali carried out sensitization and awareness campaigns for patients about the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is need for more training of nurses and midwives in the country to gradually increase nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios as per international standards, Theobald Hategekimana, director of the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali, told Xinhua in an interview.

The current nurse-to-patient and midwife-to-patient ratios stand at one to 1,200 and one to 4,200 respectively. The health ministry said last year the Rwandan government aimed to increase the ratios to one to 800 and one to 2,500 respectively by 2024.

As of Tuesday evening, Rwanda registered 286 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 153 recoveries. Enditem
German border police officers stop cars in a checkpoint of the D87 road at the German-French border during the CCP virus crisis near Rastatt, Germany, on May 8, 2020. (Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images)

Germany to Start Easing Border Controls

BERLINStarting Saturday, Germany will start to relax some border controls introduced in March to slow the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus with the aim of having free travel in Europe from mid-June, Interior Minster Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday.

The tentative step, aimed partly at helping the tourism sector, comes as the European Commission prepares to urge a return to unrestricted free movement, though that push will stop if there is a major second wave of infections.

Germany introduced lockdowns in mid-March, early in the outbreak, and has managed to keep the death rate per capita relatively low compared to many of its European neighbors.

Travel agency workers demonstrate close to Berlins landmark the Brandenburg Gate in order to point to the economic plight of the touristic sector, claiming for rescue packages to save jobs amid the CCP virus pandemic, Berlin, Germany, on May 13, 2020. (Odd Andersen/ AFP via Getty Images)

Seehofer said that blanket border controls agreed with France, Switzerland, and Austria due to end on May 15 would be extended to June 15, but as many crossings as possible would be reopened and systematic checks would give way to spot checks.

The goal is that from mid-June we want to have free travel in Europe, he said, adding that controls could be re-imposed if there are new outbreaks.

Earlier, Austria said its border with Germany would fully reopen in a month. The Alpine country has been lobbying Germany hard to reopen the border, not least to boost its important tourism industry.

Germanys border with Luxembourg can be completely opened and Seehofer said he was also ready to reopen crossings to Denmark starting May 15 but that no formal agreement had been reached yet.

Earlier, Austria said its border with Germany would fully reopen in a month. The Alpine country has been lobbying Germany hard to reopen the border, not least to boost its important tourism industry.

Germanys border with Luxembourg can be completely opened and Seehofer said he was also ready to reopen crossings to Denmark from May 15 but that no formal agreement had been reached yet.

People past walking a sign in a shopping street that shows Show love  Keep distance in Cologne, Germany, on May 12, 2020. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Controls at the EUs external borders will remain until June 15, said Seehofer, adding it was too early to ease controls with Italy and that he would have big problems allowing travel to the United States. Both have been hard hit by the crisis.

However, he said he could imagine that people in safe parts of China could re-enter Germany after June 15.

In an indication of the toll the pandemic is having on the travel sector, tour operator TUI said earlier it needs to reduce its fixed cost base by 30 percent and cut thousands of jobs in response to the crisis.

By Michelle Martin and Thomas Escritt and Francois Murphy in Vienna

NTD staff contributed to this report.
The Indian Army is examining a proposal for allowing civilians to join the force for a three-year tenure, officials said.

At present, the Army recruits young people under short service commission for an initial tenure of 10 years.

"The Army is considering a proposal to allow civilians to join the force for a period of three years," an Army spokesperson said in reply to a query.

The Army has been making various efforts to attract talented young people to join it.

Sources said the proposal is part of broad efforts to bring in reform in the 1.3- million-strong Army.

They said the broad contours of the proposal are yet to be finalised.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday urged revellers and vacationers not to visit the popular tourist destination for leisure trips, despite the resumption of train services because both beaches and hotels are closed due to the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

People, who still want to come to Goa, will be put at hotels that have been converted into makeshift institutional quarantine centres. But, well make them pay for their stay at these quarantine centres, the CM said while addressing a press conference.

He said that the state government has made arrangements for those stranded people who would be coming back home from Saturday. All of them would be tested and quarantined till their results are available, he added.

Weve checked with the railway authorities. Around 500 people will be arriving by the first train to Goa from New Delhi on Saturday since the nationwide lockdown restrictions were imposed on March 25. The train will leave for New Delhi on Sunday. The New Delhi-Margao train will be a weekly service. A New Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram train is also slated to make a scheduled stop at Margao next week. Weve sealed all, except one, exits at our states only railway station in Margao, Sawant said.

The passengers would be ferried from the Margao railway station by buses to the South Goa District Hospital, where they would be tested and later quarantined at the Fatorda Stadium until their test results are made available, the CM said.

Those who test positive would be admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital, which has been converted into a dedicated Covid-19 facility.

Those who test negative will be stamped and asked to stay under self-isolation at home, the CM said.

Were planning to double our daily testing capacity to 1,000 after the procurement of a new machine, he added.

He allayed apprehensions about the authenticity of the test results, as all of them would be double-checked to minimise error, if any.

We wont withhold any information regarding Covid-19 related deaths, he said.

The CM made the comment in the wake of growing concerns over the death of four persons in the past few weeks that have been suspected to be because of Covid-19.

For instance, the Margao patient, who died, was young. He was tested thrice in Goa, and then his swab samples were sent to Punes National Institute of Virology. That, too, proved negative. Besides, his close contacts were tested, he added.

Goa has reported seven Covid-19 positive cases to date, and all of them have recovered.
Mumbai: Equity benchmark BSE Sensex zoomed 637 points on Wednesday, driven by gains in banking stocks ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's press conference to unveil provisions of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package announced by the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of the massive economic stimulus to revive the coronavirus-hit economy boosted domestic investor sentiment, traders said.

After rallying 1,474.36 points during the day, the 30-share index surrendered some early gains to settle 637.49 points or 2.03 per cent higher at 32,008.61.

Similarly, the NSE Nifty jumped 187 points, or 2.03 per cent, to finish at 9,383.55.

Axis Bank was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, surging around 7 per cent, followed by Ultratech Cement, L&T, ICICI Bank, SBI, M&M and Bajaj Finance.

On the other hand, Nestle India, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel and HUL ended in the red.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday announced a massive new financial package on top of the previously announced measures for a combined stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore.

He said the package will be around 10 percent of the GDP and "will play an important role in the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' (self-reliant India campaign)", adding that the "announcements made by the government so far, the decisions of the RBI and today's package totals to Rs 20 lakh crore."

The special economic package will have emphasis on land, labour, liquidity and laws, and will be for "our labourers, farmers, honest tax payers, MSMEs and cottage industry", Modi said.

On the currency front, the rupee appreciated by 5 paise to provisionally close at 75.46 against the US dollar.

Meanwhile, bourses in Shanghai and Seoul ended with gains, while Hong Kong and Tokyo closed in the red.

Stock exchanges in Europe started off with significant losses.

International oil benchmark Brent crude futures slipped 1.30 per cent to USD 29.59 per barrel.
About 70 young Nigerians from the northern part of the country who tried to sneak into Oyo State from Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna have been apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The youth travelled hundreds of kilometres to Oyo, through many other states, despite a presidential ban on interstate travel.

The ban was put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari to check the spread of coronavirus.

The travellers were intercepted in a trailer which arrived in Ogbomoso in the early hours of Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

An NSCDC official who spoke with our correspondent said the arrested individuals have been held at the area command of NSCDC in Ogbomoso.

The source, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media, said his agency is yet to get the directive of the state government for the next line of action which may include leading them out of the state.

On Tuesday, Governor Seyi Makinde threatened to arrest foreigners from other states who travel into Oyo State as one of the efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus.

When contacted about the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo governor, Taiwo Adisa, told PREMIUM TIMES that the state has been briefed.

They were about 70 that were intercepted in Ogbomosho. The state will issue a statement soon, he said.
A 91-year-old woman named Betty McDonald from Georgia is beating coronavirus lockdown by modeling her favorite outfits in backyard fashion shows.

The video below was uploaded by her neighbor Kim Taylor who told Yahoo!Life that "Ms.Betty is used to social interaction - going to church, the senior citizen's center, and Cracker Barrel with friends. Not being able to dress up, she has been bored, so I suggested doing a fashion show outside."

Upon Taylor's suggestion, McDonald immediately agreed saying "That was music to my ears."

READ ALSO: Watch! Young Boy Drives Toy Car Through Drive-Through with Dad as the Passenger
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Market Analysis

Luxury and Premium segment of wines and spirits have been expanding at a brisk pace in recent years. Luxury wines & spirits experience heightened demand from the High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) and affluent consumers who are attracted by attributes such as good brand reputation, premium quality, and premium price which provide a sense of privilege and prestige to the buyer. North America and Europe recorded a sizeable HNWI population of 5.7 million and 4.8 million in the year 2017. A notable increase in the global HNWIs population is fueling the demand for luxury wines & spirits.

Tourism and luxury spending have become highly intertwined. Consumption of luxury wines & spirits is a pervasive phenomenon in luxury aircrafts, ships, and hotels. The global luxury wines & spirits market is growing in line with the rise in extravagant spending on luxury travel. Also, China remains a luxury spot for the global luxury wines & spirits market. "Guanxi', a tradition of Chinese culture involves the exchange of gifts for establishing and maintaining relationships. Since luxury wines & spirits score high among gifts, millennials in China prefer gifting luxury wines & spirits in order to build prestige which generate demand for luxury wines & spirits.

Get Free Sample Copy of Luxury Wines and Spirits Market @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/7236

Luxury Wines & Spirits Market is registering rapid growth due to the rise in per capita income of consumers on a global scale, especially in the emerging economies. Consumers are increasingly becoming sophisticated and shifting towards absolute quality products. The elevating standard of living has raised consumer aspiration to consume luxury food, wines, and spirits. Moreover, fine dine restaurants also play a key role in influencing consumer choice to indulge in premium beverages by offering such options in their menu.

Although luxury wines & spirits remain popular among niche consumers, shifting consumer preference towards non-alcoholic beverages is expected to restrain the growth of the market over the forecast period. With rising awareness regarding the adverse effects of alcoholic beverages and surging popularity of functional drinks, the sales of luxury wines & spirits can witness a decline. Additionally, inspection, production, and certification of luxury wines & spirits are subject to stringent regulations imposed by regulatory authorities which limits its availability to a mass consumer base, restricting the growth of the market in regions where wine laws are tight. Nevertheless, the market players are adopting various growth strategies such as product differentiation through packaging, digitization, and branding which is anticipated to reflect favorably on the growth of the global luxury wines & spirits market.

Key Players

The notable players in the Global Luxury Wines & Spirits Market include

Thai Beverage PLC,

Beam Suntory Inc.,

The Edrington Group Limited,

William Grant & Sons Limited,

Pernod Ricard SA,

Diageo PLC,

Bacardi & Company Limited,

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E,

Brown-Forman Corporation,

Hitejinro Co., Ltd.,

Campari-Milano S.p.A and

Bayadera Group.

Regional Analysis

By region, the global Luxury Wines & Spirits Market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Rest of the World (RoW).

Europe holds almost 26.50% share of the global luxury wines & spirits market, led by the U.K., Germany, and France. The growth of the Europe market can be attributed to the favorable economic conditions, increased affordability, and high demand for the product.

APAC accounts for the lion's share of 39.07% of the global luxury wines & spirits market. China and India are the key contributors to the APAC luxury wines& spirits market. Increase in the number of small boutique wineries along with improving quality of wine in China is expected to boost market growth. India, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia are also exhibiting noteworthy growth. Rise in per capita income, exposure to western culture, and growing interest in luxury indulgences is influencing the growth of the APAC market.

North America follows Europe closely and accounts for 23.67% share of the global market. The growth of the luxury wines & spirits market has witnessed a slowdown in recent years but is expected to exhibit steady growth over the forecast period. The trend of premiumization in Canada and other key regions such as Mexico, and the US has stimulated the growth of the market.

RoW market is spurred by the presence of major luxury wine and spirits producing countries such as Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. To capitalize on the opportunity offered by untapped markets in the region, winemakers are launching various premium brands in these regions which will further accelerate the growth of the market.

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Segmentation

Global Luxury Wines & Spirits Market has been segmented based on type and distribution channel.

By type, the global luxury wines & spirits market has been segmented into Wine, Rum, Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Brandy, Tequila and others.

By distribution channel, the global luxury wines & spirits market has been segmented into food retail and food service.
The total COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu breached the 9,000 mark on Wednesday with three more deaths and a little over 500 people testing positive, the state government said.

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 64 while the tally of positive cases stood at 9,227, a health department bulletin said.

The state capital continued to account for a lion's share of the cases with 380 people turning COVID19 positive.

Among the new patients, five people who returned from foreign countries reported positive.

Around 21 districts in the state reported no fresh cases on Wednesday while 2,176 people have been discharged, the bulletin said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: TVS Motor Company Chairman and



noted industrialist Venu Srinivasan on Wednesday said the government's financial package of Rs 20 lakh crore to revive the economy would bring in much needed relief to several stressed sectors and industries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a televised address to the nation on Tuesday announced Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package to revive the economy, which combined the government's recent announcements on supporting key sectors as also measures rolled out by the Reserve Bank of India.

In a statement on Wednesday, Srinivasan said the government must prioritise in aiding the small, medium and micro industry employees and facilitate a direct benefit transfer to employees in unorganized and small scale sectors.

He said the Government must also ensure 'credit backstop' for micro, medium and small industries so that they do not go into cash crunch.

"Demand is the key to drive the market and it is essential to inject confidence in the economy for people to come out and buy", he said.

Srinivasan noted that the auto-industry is a strong pillar of the economy with huge contributions to GDP and employment and expressed confidence that the stimulus package would infuse positive sentiment in the industry in the long run.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A member of the Baath Partys Central Command has said that recent comments by Khaled al-Aboud show that free speech in Syria has reached an acceptable level writes Al-Watan.

Mahdi Dakhlallah, a member of the Baath Partys Central Command, criticized a Facebook post written by parliament member Khaled al-Aboud, about relations between Syria and Russia. Dakhlallah said that Syrian-Russian relations were focused around clear and written agreements unlike any between Syria and any other countries. Whoever does not rely on these truths has fallen into pitfalls, even if unintentionally.

In an article titled From circles and squares to potholes and speed bumps, Dakhlallah wrote that Aboud succeeded in two matters: stirring up a whirlwind of opinions that caused analysis proving that freedom of expression in our country has reached an acceptable level, as well as making his name known publicly in social media both locally and abroad.

Dakhlallah wrote that, Abouds Facebook post was brought to those lurking in Syria as a Ramadan blessing. He bit off more than he could chew, to show that Syria is weak, that it is a country that its allies could abandon.

He added that every Syrian has the right to express his opinion freely, unless he is speaking in an official government capacity. Mr. Khaleds role as an MP does not diminish his right to speak freely, because Parliament is not a government institution. Rather, it is an institution containing a numerous different parties, movements and personal opinions. This is certainly a sign of political richness. A personal opinion only reflects the owner of that opinion, even if that person is a member of Parliament, Dakhlallah wrote.

He continued, The Russians certainly understand this, and they have various opinions within the Duma on Russian-Syrian relations, which its representatives freely express.

Khaled al-Aboud, you have the right to say what you want. The important thing is not to break the homelands barriers. I respect your opinion, even if I disagree with it. I hope that you also respect my opinion, if you disagree with it!

Syrias relations with its allies are complex, but simple at the same time, Dakhlallah wrote. He added that the general concept uniting Syria, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and China is a strong stance against US hegemony and NATO policies, and working together for a world that applies the principles of international law.

Dadkhallah stressed that though some may hold the opinion that stronger Syrian-Iranian relations would mean a weaker relationship with Russia, such analysis is faulty. Syria is an independent state, and not dependent on Russia and Iran. It is not a codominion, where pulling in one direction means a loosening in the other.

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.
A Michigan man is facing charges after officials say he tweeted a bomb threat to the Federal Bureau of Investigations official Twitter profile.

The tweet was sent out on May 11 from user account @JT616k. The user threatened to detonate 10 bombs and said that the FBI had until 8 oclock to find him.

According to The Detroit News, investigators traced the users cell phone to 20-year-old Joseph Todd Kowalczyk in Parkway Village mobile home park in Clinton Township. The following day, agents contacted Kowalczyk, who reportedly told agents that he was testing the government and was upset with the FBIs response time.

"Furthermore, he claimed that he did not intend to carry out acts of violence against anyone and did not own any weapons or explosive devices," the FBI agent wrote in the court filing. "Kowalczyk stated that he would not post anything further."

Kowalczyk continued tweeting about and taunting the FBI throughout the day before he was eventually arrested on Tuesday, Detroit News reports.

Kowalczyk was charged with transmitting a threat to injure, a criminal charge punishable by up to five years in prison.
Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) - Operations Specialist, Funafuti, Tuvalu

Funafuti, Tuvalu

UNDP in Funafuti

Thu May 21 2020

Job ID: 30524

Practice Area - Job Family: Environment and Energy

Vacancy End Date: (Midnight New York, USA) 21/05/2020

Duty Station: Funafuti, Tuvalu

Education & Work Experience: I-Masters Level Degree - 7 year(s) experience

Languages: English

Grade: P4

Vacancy Type: FTA International

Posting Type: External

Bureau: Asia & the Pacific

Contract Duration: 1 Year with possibility for extension

Background

Tuvalu, with a land area of 26km2, is the fourth smallest nation in the world with a population of about 10,000. Due to its geographical remoteness and relatively limited size of the economy, it is one of the least developed countries. It is also one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impact of climate change induced sea-level rise and intensifying storm events. Recent cyclones have already shown large scale population displacement, significant loss and damage of agriculture resources and infrastructure, contamination of water supplies, coastal erosion and scouring, impacting long term sustainable development of the country.

As such, in response to this climate challenge, the Government of Tuvalu and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have jointly committed to US$ 38 million for the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project towards building coastal resilience which is an urgent national priority. This project will address the financial and capacity constraints at all levels - from technical to community awareness. The TCAP project was approved in June 2016 and the project implementation commenced in September 2017.

With GCF financing, the project is expected to;

Make at least 35% of the high value vulnerable coastlines more resilient to withstand the effects of increased wave intensity compared to the baseline of 7%. The GCF investment will be in the islands of Funafuti, Nanumea and Nanumaga, and directed along areas with high concentration of residences and social and economic assets;

Directly and significantly benefit at least 29% or 3,100 people and indirectly 33% or 3,400 of the total Tuvalu population by mitigating impact of future wave overtopping events;

Strengthen institutional and community capacities for sustaining and replicating project results.

The primary focus of the project is to put in place robust coastal intervention measures in three islands of Funafuti, Nanumea and Nanumaga to reduce Tuvalus extreme vulnerability to coastal inundation and erosion. While the construction of the coastal interventions is expected to increase the resilience of Tuvalus vulnerable coastlines, the Government of Tuvalu also recognizes the need to invest in long-term resilience of the country, which can only be achieved by strengthening the ability of Island Governments (Falekaupules and Kaupules) plan and execute locally-relevant adaptation actions.

This GCF funded project is executed by UNDP and in close partnership with the Government of Tuvalu, given its extensive experience in implementing climate change adaptation projects globally. The project implementation will be led by a team based in Tuvalu and Suva, Fiji.

Objective

Under the direct supervision of the Team Leader - Resilience and Sustainable Development, the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) - Operations Specialist jointly with the National Project Manager are responsible for the management and implementation of the TCAP. The CTA - Operations Specialist is expected to take an overarching coordinating role ensuring all aspects of the Project are progressed in accordance with the Approved Funding Proposal and international best practice. The position will also support and train the TCAP PMU personnel, coordinate short term contracting and provide oversight across all management and implementation tasks. The CTA - Operations Specialist will be based in Funafuti, Tuvalu and travel to Fiji as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief Technical Advisor - Operations Specialist is responsible for the implementation and project management of the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP). He is expected to bring in international best practices in the implementation of the project and train the technical personnel in the Project Management Unit.

Summary of Key Functions:

Technical oversight and Expertise

Policy advice and capacity building

Effective Project Management in coordination with the National Project Manager (NPM)

Knowledge management

Technical oversight and Expertise:

Collaborate with the National Project Manager (NPM) in executing all project activities and ensure timely and effective implementation of the work program;

Assist to identify needs for external technical support for effective implementation;

Liaise with Government, UNDP and other development partners on progress and facilitate implementation of project activities;

Provide management, coordination and supervision, backstopping and oversight of all aspects of project activities;

Is responsible, jointly with the NPM, for the implementation and monitoring of all risk mitigation measures during all project phases such as inception, implementation / construction; and operation;

Support the NPM in liaising with the Government of Tuvalu by providing high quality reporting inputs;

Support the NPM in preparing/organizing the reporting materials used in the Project Board Meeting;

Carry out assessments of the financial, political, operational and management situations on the ground that affect the project implementation and keep the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji and UNDP Regional Hub in Bangkok abreast of the situations;

Provide leadership in identifying solutions to address existing gaps arising out of assessments;

Assist to deliver good international practices in the area of coastal adaptation projects and build the capacity of the TCAP PMU in the same;

Build and maintain partnerships with technical partners and donors by reporting project progress and identifying opportunities for collaboration;

Ensure coordination between UNDP and all project stakeholders.

Policy advice and capacity building:

Identify strategic opportunities for the project to achieve greater development impact through partnerships building and adaptive management;

Strengthen capacities of the PMU and the Government of Tuvalu to plan, budget and deliver coastal protection related public services;

Build technical and managerial capacities within the PMU;

Provision of advice and support and assistance to the national counterparts, as required;

Provision of other advice as needed to UNDP concerning the evolution and role of the relevant Ministries/stakeholders;

Participate and actively contribute to the PMU in coordination with the NPM;

As required, provide policy advise to Government of Tuvalu and ensure coherence with the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji portfolio.

Effective Project Management in coordination with the NPM:

Focus on support to all aspects of project implementation and management, collaboratively with the NPM;

Provide strategic input to technical, financial and managerial aspects of the project to ensure that activities are in accordance with the Project Approved Funding Proposal;

Support the NPM and other members of the PMU on the following elements of project management to ensure achievement of targets and results:

Annual work planning;

Annual budgeting;

Procurement of goods and services;

Budget and expenditure analysis;

Contractual management;

Quarterly and annual progress reporting;

Quarterly operational reporting

Provide advice for the annual financial audit;

Monitoring and Evaluation of project activities, and identify and implement solutions to bring the project back on track, as needed;

Planning and providing strategic inputs into all aspects of project activities;

Coordinate with the Joint Operations Centre in the Pacific Office in Fiji to ensure that financial and operational procedures of the project are in line with UNDP rules and regulations;

Perform other duties as necessary to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the project.

Knowledge management:

Identify, analyze and communicate lessons learned that may be useful in design and implementation of similar projects. The duty of identifying and analyzing lessons learned is an on-going one, and the duty to communicate those lessons is on an as-needed basis;

Share knowledge on the Project and its achievements. Promote identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from Project implementation, for organizational sharing and learning. Promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture;

Produce materials with lessons learnt and best practices and participate in knowledge-based tools;

Contribute to the analytical work of UNDP and ensure high quality knowledge products. Promote the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, and ensures effective integration thereof with other pillars.

Competencies

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Building Partnerships

Analyses general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives;

Tracks and reports on mobilized resources;

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things;

Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Possesses strong skills and experience in managing large-scale projects;

Possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position;

Identifies new and better approaches to work processes;

Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date;

Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Understands the general issues of climate change and coastal adaptation as it applies to atoll environments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

Documents best practices in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system;

Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions

Design and Implementation of Management Systems:

Uses information/databases and other management systems;

Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems.

Client Orientation:

Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;

Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;

Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clients;

Responds to client needs promptly

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems;

Maintains databases.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:Masters Degree in International Development / Project Management / Environmental Management or related field..

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively relevant experience in managing and implementing large-scale development orientated projects at the regional or international level;

Experience leading multi-dimensional teams and complex work programs;

Experience delivering large scale projects in small developing island environments;

Ability to lead, conduct, facilitate and document discussions with stakeholders;

Experience in infrastructure project delivery in remote challenging locations;

Experience working in institutional development, project development and management, budgeting;

Project management experience in coastal management related projects would be an advantage;

Experience in the Pacific region and more so experience working in atolls is desirable

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in English - both written and oral Working knowledge of other UN language desirable

Disclaimer

Important information for US Permanent Residents (Green Card holders)

Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.

UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
Germany said Wednesday it wants to end by the middle of next month checks at land borders introduced to fight the coronavirus as infection rates slow. The borders with Luxembourg already reopen on 15 May.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told reporters the EU's top economy had "set the clear goal of free travel in Europe by mid-June" and would begin easing some border checks this week.

Restrictions on crossing the border imposed two months ago would be ended with Luxembourg on 15 May and eased with Austria, Switzerland and France from Friday, enabling business trips and family visits to take place.

The restrictions are lifted earlier at the Germany-Luxembourg border because of the positive evolution of new infections in the Grand Duchy. The border controls with the other neighbours would then end on June 15, assuming the virus outbreak is still seen to be under control.

The total opening of borders "depends on our continuing to do our all to fight the infection", Seehofer said, warning against complacency in light of the encouraging data in Germany.

Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Asselborn welcomed the decision and said in a statement that the reopening of borders would bring great relief to people living in the border regions. He added that the reopening of borders was also an important symbolic signal for the EU.

Seehofer said the agreements on loosening the measures had been reached in bilateral talks with neighbours this week.

He said that travel from non-EU countries such as the United States and Russia would remain restricted until at least June 15. Germany still has a warning in force until mid-June against taking foreign holidays despite the easing of regulations among European partners.

"We can surely ease the travel warning for Europe sooner than for other destinations, assuming the positive trend in several countries holds steady," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

With the tourism sector reeling, the European Commission on Wednesday urged EU countries to gradually reopen shuttered internal borders and to treat each member state according to the same criteria.

This would mean that countries with comparable health situations would use the same standards on border openings.
A brutal street fight involving two men has gone viral after one of them bore a striking resemblance to Hollywood actor Jeff Goldblum.

The incident took place at a residential street in Richmond, Virginia where the "Jurassic Park" star look-alike got into an epic fight against a bald, shirtless man.

Earlier this week, Twitter user Leo Senpai posted the said video with the caption: "Yoooo my neighbors just fought."

The video instantly went viral as netizens noticed that one of the fighters looked like the 67-year-old actor.

As of this writing, the post has over 1.2 million views and 74,000 retweets.

In the beginning of the footage, a tall skinny man was seen beating and doing roundhouse kicks against the other fighter.

In a separate post, the Twitter user also mentioned that the shirtless guy was being racist and even threw the first punch.

"Yes the guy who was shirtless deserved it. He started it. Before this he was yelling at glasses guy calling him every racial slur too, a shirtless man threw the first swing as well. And literally anytime I've ever talked to him he always says disgusting things towards women," he wrote.

Following this, netizens posted a bunch of hilarious comments pertaining to the viral video.

"All dude legit holding his pinky up like Bruce Lee I'm dying," one user wrote.

Another one replied: "it was just something about how he immediately jumped into that stance and roundhouse kicked the shit out of him."

The brawl is currently under investigation. It reportedly caused the shirtless guy to suffer from physical damage such as broken ribs and nose, while the Jeff Goldblum look-alike got a broken arm.
PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE:PNC), the holding company of PNC Bank, grabbed headlines by announcing its intention to sell its roughly $17 billion stake in BlackRock (NYSE:BLK), the world's largest asset manager. The bank, which has $412 billion in assets, will conduct the sale of its 34.8 million common and preferred shares of BlackRock (22.4% ownership) through a registered offering and buyback. BlackRock has agreed to repurchase $1.1 billion worth of its stock from PNC upon completion of the offering.

The sale will end a storied partnership between PNC and BlackRock that began about 25 years ago when the bank bought the business from Blackstone Group's then-leader, Steve Schwarzman. The deal, which will add plenty of cash to PNC's coffers, occurs at an uncertain time, as banks are bracing for loan losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. The question is, what is PNC's plan for its new pile of cash? Is it adding to its rainy day fund or thinking more opportunistically?

Most see the move as opportunistic

If the words of bank executives and analysts are to be believed, then it would appear the bank is gearing up for a big move, perhaps an acquisition.

"As good stewards of shareholder capital, we have consistently reviewed options to unlock the value of our investment," PNC Chairman and CEO William S. Demchak said in a statement. Furthermore, Demchak said: "We feel the time is now right to do just that, realizing a substantial return on our investment, significantly enhancing our already strong balance sheet and liquidity, and leaving PNC very well-positioned to take advantage of potential investment opportunities that history has shown can arise in disrupted markets."

Kyle Sanders, an analyst at Edward Jones, told Bloomberg that a move right now would be consistent with PNC's past behavior. "The sale of BlackRock shares likely signals that PNC is looking to make a sizable deal during a period of market disruption," he said.

In 2008, in the midst of the Great Recession, PNC acquired National City Corp. in a deal worth a little bit more than $5 billion. National City was among a string of banks that sold after they got into trouble with subprime mortgages and were offered little recourse by regulators. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency told National City at the time that it would not receive any capital from the government-led bailout. PNC ended up purchasing National City for $7 billion less than National City's tangible book value, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In 2012, PNC made another big move, acquiring RBC Bank, the U.S. subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada, for $3.45 billion, but has since only made several smaller purchases of more targeted companies in the capital markets and equipment-financing businesses.

How is PNC faring during the coronavirus pandemic?

All banks are struggling right now, as the stay-at-home and distancing measures brought on by the coronavirus pandemic have made it difficult for many borrowers to make repayments on their loans. In the first quarter of the year, PNC reported a 28% drop in its profits on an annualized basis.

The bank also recorded a $914 million credit provision, which is the cash banks set aside to cover potential loan losses. That was nearly five times the $189 million credit provision the bank took in the first quarter of 2019. PNC has about $19.3 billion of its $265 billion in total loans exposed to industries impacted by the virus, such as restaurants, retail, cruise lines, and healthcare facilities, among others. The bank has another $4.6 billion in outstanding loan balances in the oil and gas industries.

But the bank appears to be decently positioned from a liquidity standpoint. Its common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio, a measure of its core capital to risk-weighted assets, ended the first quarter at 9.4%. The bank only has to maintain a 7% CET1 to avoid regulatory restrictions on capital distributions. And CFO Robert Reilly said on the bank's recent earnings call that he believes the bank could maintain its normal dividend through the year under an "extreme adverse scenario." Reilly also said the bank had approximately $140 billion of readily available liquidity from diverse sources.

Watch for an acquisition

Considering its acquisition of National City in 2008, don't be surprised if PNC makes another move, especially if some banks face severe financial stress. But even if the economic situation doesn't get that bad, the bank could still look to make an acquisition. After all, before the coronavirus hit, BB&T and SunTrust had just closed on their landmark merger at the end of 2019 to create Truist Financial (NYSE:TFC) with more than $463 billion in assets. Many believed the transaction would prompt a wave of larger regional bank mergers.
As part of a month-long campaign, road users in Ho Chi Minh City may be pulled over by traffic police officers for an administrative inspection regardless of whether or not they have committed a violation.

The traffic police division under the municipal Department of Police announced on Monday that the campaign will start on May 15 and continue until June 14.

Traffic police officers will be inspecting local vehicles to promptly detect and prevent any violations, in an effort to minimize traffic accidents and congestion as local streets have become busy again following a social distancing period due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic in April.

Until May 14, the campaign will be advertised with an informational campaign to raise awareness among citizens.

From May 15 to June 14, officers will begin examining local road users and impose fines if any violations are detected.

During this period, police officers are authorized to pull over road users, whether or not they have violated traffic rules, for an administrative inspection.

The current law states that traffic cops can only pull someone over with probable cause.

Officers will be allowed to review road users documents, examine their vehicles, and perform breath tests for alcohol.

Drivers will be free to go if no violation is found. On the other hand, fines will be imposed if they are discovered breaking any regulations on road safety.

Under Article 14 of Circular No. 01/2016 issued by the Ministry of Public Security, motorbike riders are required to carry along their drivers license, vehicle registration certificate, and travel insurance for motorbike riders, also known as yellow paper insurance.

Drivers of automobiles and other four-wheel vehicles must also bring a vehicle inspection certificate, while those working for transport businesses must present any other required documents and strictly comply with regulations relating to their operations.

For motorbike riders, lacking a drivers license is punishable by between VND800,000 (US$34) and VND1.2 million ($51), while forgetting to bring a license is punishable by VND100,000-200,000 ($4-8).

Driving without a motorbike registration certificate is punishable by a fine of VND300,000-400,000 ($12-17), or VND100,000-200,000 for forgetting to bring the paper.

Drivers who do not have yellow paper insurance or bring the certificate with them will face a fine worth VND100,000-200,000.

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Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air Indias repatriation flight AI-1377, carrying 225 passengers from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia arrived at Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport early on Wednesday.

The evacuation operation is part of the countrys largest-ever initiative to bring back Indian nationals amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Similarly, an Air India repatriation flight carrying 169 medical students from Dhaka in Bangladesh reached Srinagar on Tuesday.

Indian Embassy in Bangladesh and Indian Govt helped us a lot. We are happy to be back. We are thankful to the Indian Government, one of the medical students said.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Ministry of Civil Aviation had said that a total of 6,037 Indians have been flown back to India in 31 inbound flights operated by Air India and Air India Express under Vande Bharat Mission in 5 days beginning from May 7.

Under this mission, Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with Ministry of External Affairs and state Governments for bringing Indians back to their homeland, the Ministry said.

Air India along with its subsidiary Air India Express are operating a total of 64 flights (42 by Air India and 24 by AI Express) to 12 countries including USA, UK Bangladesh, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Philippines, UAE and Malaysia to repatriate 14,800 Indians back in the first phase.

The second phase of Vande Bharat Mission will be launched from May 16-22 during which 149 flights, including feeder flights, will be operated to bring back Indians from 31 countries, sources said.
LOS ANGELESMia Maloney had what every college senior wants: a cool paid internship in her field secured months before graduation.

The University of Southern California senior had accepted her dream role as a marketing intern at a record label in Nashville that represents some of her favourite artists.

Then it was gone.

Because of the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, the company called her in March and rescinded its offer.

Worse yet, it wasnt even the first time this had happened to her. Two weeks earlier, a similar company had revoked Maloneys first internship offer for the same reason.

Its heartbreaking, she said. You cant blame them for making these tough decisions in such an unprecedented time, but its unfortunate to be on the receiving end of it.

Now as Maloney, 21, finishes her final semester online in her childhood bedroom in the Bay Area town of Alamo, Calif., shes staring down the May 15 graduation date that heralds her entrance into this coronavirus-wrecked economy, for which her years of school did not prepare her.

U.S. unemployment soared to 14.7 per cent in April, the highest since at least the 1940s. More than 33 million Americans have filed new applications for jobless benefits since President Donald Trump declared COVID-19 a national emergency in March. State and local authorities issued stay-at-home orders hoping to stop the spread of the contagious disease. As non-essential businesses shut, many employers slashed their workforces, cutting hours and jobs.

This job market is tough even for the most experienced workers. For those trying to launch a new career, its even more daunting.

Its the worst thing I have ever seen, said Jane Oates, who served as the U.S. Department of Labors assistant secretary for employment and training in the Obama administration. They are about to enter the employment market at a time when absolutely nobody knows what to predict.

A poor economy can drastically affect new graduates.

Last decade, the Great Recession shrank the U.S. workforce by 8.8 million jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When the recession ended in June 2009, the unemployment rate for college graduates ages 20 to 24 was 10.8 per cent, according to Federal Reserve Economic Data, higher even than the national rate of 9.5 per cent. In April of this year, the jobless rate for college graduates that age spiked higher still, to 17.2 per cent.

Those who do land jobs after graduating during a recession tend to start at lower salaries than their counterparts whose careers start in good economies. And they dont catch up quickly: For white men who graduated during the 1980s recession, lower wages persisted for a decade or more, according to research by Lisa B. Kahn, who is now an economics professor at the University of Rochester.

A recession can also slow graduates career progressions, making them take less prestigious jobs and wait longer for promotions, said Emily Bianchi, associate professor of organization and management at Emory Universitys Goizueta Business School. During the Great Recession, nearly half of college graduates in the early stages of their careers were underemployed, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

That financial ripple effect hurts other areas of graduates lives too. Millennials, who came of age during the Great Recession, have struggled mightily to pay off student debt, buy homes and save for retirement.

Current college students and recent graduates also carry a large student debt load. And those listed as dependants on their parents tax returns were disqualified from receiving the $1,200 federal stimulus checks announced in March; instead, their parents get $500.

Unlike the Great Recession, the pandemic stuck abruptly, halting years of economic progress in mere weeks. The uncertainty of how long the effects will last may complicate the prospects for new graduates.

Its hard to know how long this recovery will take, whether things are going to snap back into place or whether its going to take a little bit longer, said Amanda Stansell, senior economic research analyst at the job-search website Glassdoor. Thats going to have different ramifications for new grads finding a job, getting paid fairly, those sorts of things.

Imminent graduates face an uphill battle on two fronts, Oates said. There are fewer jobs available, creating more competition. And whenever jobs return, she said, companies will most likely rehire the talent they originally let go.

And there arent obvious places to turn. As payrolls across the U.S. shrank by more than 20 million jobs last month, the losses cut across all industry sectors.

For job seekers right now, its trying to figure out not who the growth industries are, but who the industries are that are going to be able to come back with any vibrancy at all, said Oates, who now serves as president of WorkingNation, a non-profit focusing on advocacy surrounding unemployment issues. Youre looking at industries that are completely reformatted.

Samantha Herrera Fuentes Davila, a senior at UC Santa Barbara, said shes been adjusting her approach. The 22-year-old sociology major is interested in public health and energy, and she dreams of working in administration for the United Nations.

But after seeing some friends parents lose jobs at businesses that were deemed not essential during the pandemic, she broadened her search. She began looking for positions at companies whose services have seen a recent surge in demand, such as streaming video firms.

Im trying to be a lot smarter about it, she said. I dont know how necessary my interests are, and unless I work for one of those companies, I think I would probably be stuck at home not having a job.

Spencer Petty, a USC senior, said she is still processing how this will change her job-search strategy. The 22-year-old is seeking a career in sales and marketing and most recently completed an internship at KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles. She said she has applied for at least 25 positions  and that the companies all either rejected her or havent responded.

Her parents and other mentors told her not to expect the perfect job right after graduation. The current economic situation makes that advice even more relevant, she said.

Ive had these amazing internships and Ive seen my dream jobs, Petty said. Now, Im trying to face reality that Im not going to be there immediately ... I need to take whatever is available and just get some experience under my belt.

Suzanne Alcantara, director of career development at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, said she advised students in the Great Recession to expand their skill sets and professional networks. Those methods apply now, too, she said. Maloney and Petty have both talked with USC alumni, and both spend time perfecting their LinkedIn profiles and resumes. Oates said those measures are prudent, and said students should also consider learning new skills, such as coding.

If you show a prospective employer that you didnt just sit around and waste time between your classes in this incredibly difficult time, but also added these credentials to your portfolio, youll be showing that you had the grit and resilience that you are looking for in an employee, she said.

While many notable companies, such as Disney and Yelp, have rescinded internship offers, 75 per cent of employers in a survey administered by UCLA in March said they are still hiring. AT&T, IBM, Deloitte and Bank of America are some companies who confirmed to the Times that they will still honour internship and job offers.

Graduating in a recession can also produce good character traits, Bianchi said. Her research shows that such graduates are happier with their jobs, show more gratitude and are less narcissistic compared to graduates in a good economy. The negative things they endure early in their career make them more appreciative later on, she said.

When you first enter the workforce at a time when jobs are very scarce, when youve seen your friends have the rug pulled up from under them, when its hard to just find a job, those experiences tend to make people more grateful when they do land one.

Maloney said shes hopeful her situation will change soon. But its undeniable, she said, that things are a little uncertain: Its definitely a tough time to get your foot in the door.
The trial court, chaired by Judge Anna Danibekyan, decided to reject the motion presented by the second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan's attorneys on the ex-president's release.

The decision was published on Wednesday.

Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan's attorneys have motioned to release him on a personal guarantee during the first trial after an almost two-month break.

The former PMs of Armenia Vazgen Manukyan, Khosrov Harutyunyan, Karen Karapetyan, and the former PM of Artsakh Anushavan Danielyan vouched for Kocharyan.

Each of the guarantors is required to pay AMD 500 thousand. If the defendant does not show proper behavior, the money will not be returned. The guarantors signed copies of the protocol and left the trial.

Kocharyan's attorney submitted a second motion - dated March 24, when a state of emergency was already declared in the country. The defense seeks to amend or cancel the preventive measure amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that European structures unequivocally declare the need to release, if possible, those arrested and imprisoned in connection with the pandemic, in particular those at the risk group.
OTTAWA, May 13 (Reuters) - Statistics Canada is ending its practice of sharing jobs data with select government officials before the numbers are officially released after the April report was leaked last week, the agency said.

The data was supposed to have been published on the Statscan website at 8:30 a.m. ET (1230 GMT) last Friday. Bloomberg Canada, citing someone familiar with the report, accurately reported the main numbers at about 8 a.m. ET.

Statistics Canada opened a probe into what Finance Minister Bill Morneau denounced as an unacceptable leak.

"Pre-release information is provided under strict conditions and through secure channels. There will be no pre-release of Labour Force Survey information until further notice," the agency said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The data was shared the previous evening with the Bank of Canada and three ministries - finance, innovation and employment, and innovation - and the Privy Council Office, a group of bureaucrats who serves Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The advance notice is aimed at people "for whom advance access to this information is critical to their policies and programs", Statscan said.

"All officials must sign a statement of their adherence to the confidentiality provisions prior to receiving the advanced release," it added. "Statistics Canada continues its internal investigation and will take appropriate action going forward." (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Fifteen years after the Andijon massacre in Uzbekistan, rights activists have urged the Central Asian country's leadership to openly investigate the killings of dozens of mainly peaceful demonstrators by security forces and armed soldiers in the eastern city.

The Sweden-based Civil Rights Defenders group said on May 13, 15 years to the day of the massacre, that no state or army official was held responsible for "brutally" suppressing the civilian protest in the city of Andijon."

"We urge Uzbek authorities to reverse its impunity record!" the group wrote on Twitter.

Andijon has become a symbol for the oppression that marked the reign of former Uzbek President Islam Karimov, who had led with an iron fist since before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

On the morning of May 13, 2005, a group of armed men -- some of them recently escaped from prison -- stormed into Andijon, killing some government officials and taking others hostage.

A peaceful protest involving hundreds of locals had been going on in Andijon for several days prior to the violence.

Order subsequently broke down and the armed group, the peaceful protesters, and curious residents of the city all mixed in the streets.

Tensions were already running high as just seven weeks earlier, Central Asian leaders had watched with great concern as Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev had been ousted from power in a popular revolution in late March.

Determined not to allow a similar events to play out in Uzbekistan, Karimov called in the military to restore order and a bloodbath ensued.

According to the government, 187 people were killed, most of them soldiers and insurrectionists. Civilian deaths, only about 60 according to the Prosecutor-General's Office, were attributed to the insurrectionists.

But eyewitness accounts pointed to a civilian casualty figure that was many times higher, with some estimates putting the figure well over 1,000 dead, with reports of mass graves being dug and bodies being flown to Russia. International calls for an independent investigation were rejected.

"Uzbekistan should implement the April 2020 [UN] Human Rights Committee recommendations and carry out an independent, impartial, thorough, and effective investigation to ensure a full, transparent, and credible account of the circumstances surrounding the Andijon events in 2005," Vladislav Lobanov, a senior research assistant with Human Rights Watch focusing on Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, wrote on Twitter on May 13.

After Karimov's death in 2016, current President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who was Karimov's prime minister at the time of the killings, carried out a series of comparatively liberal reforms and released many dissidents from prison, including journalists, who covered the bloodshed.

Uzbek officials, however, had more or less closed the book on the incident and had avoided talking about the violence until Deputy Prosecutor-General Svetlana Artykova gave an interview to the Uzbek news agency Qalampir on February 7, 2020.

Artykova, who participated in an investigation of the Andijon violence, said "innocent" people were shot in the incident, the first time such an admission had been made by an Uzbek government official.

Still, rights groups say, no new investigations have been launched into the Andijon massacre and many questions about the tragedy remain unanswered.
Singapore is testing Spot, a four-legged robot, in a public park to assist safe distancing efforts. (Roslan Rahman / AFP/Getty Images)

Leaves crunch underfoot as Spot marches through the park, back straight as a tabletop, stride brisk as a soldiers.

A grassy field encircled by trees beckons. But Spot is focused on the asphalt path ahead, where a few joggers and bicyclists are out for some socially distanced sunshine.

A cyclist in a brimmed hat rides past. Spot pipes up, not with a bark, but with a recorded message.

Lets keep Singapore healthy, comes a womans voice, polite but firm. For your own safety, and for those around you, please stand at least one meter apart. Thank you.

Spot, clearly, is no ordinary squirrel-chasing canine. It's an agile, four-legged, arrestingly doglike robot that Singapore has deployed to help enforce distancing measures during the second month of a partial coronavirus lockdown.

Spot the robot walks through Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in Singapore on May 8, the first day of a two-week trial assisting the government's social distancing efforts. (GovTech Singapore)

Developed by Boston Dynamics of Waltham, Mass., Spot is one of the worlds most advanced commercial robots, last seen opening doors, hauling a truck or dancing to Bruno Mars in a slate of mesmerizing promotional videos. Its two-week pilot in a park here is seen as a test of how machines and artificial intelligence could help reduce human contact in public spaces as some governments begin easing social restrictions.

The world is watching to see what happens with the Spot trial, said David De Cremer, a Belgian scholar and director of the Center on AI Technology for Humankind at the National University of Singapore. Its a glimpse of the future.

The semiautonomous Spot, which can walk up to 3 mph over uneven terrain, detect obstacles with 360-degree vision and get up after it falls, captures the promise and terror of a mechanized future in which robots assist in human tasks  or replace them altogether. Its whirring joints and eerily precise prowl inspired an episode of the dystopian British TV series Black Mirror, which envisioned a breed of human-hunting robot dogs.

When Spot became available for lease last September, its first applications included inspecting construction sites and utility installations, cluttered environments dangerous for humans. It also got a three-month trial as an observation device on the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad.

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But as the COVID-19 pandemic forces societies to reconsider even routine human interactions  exercising in a park, weaving through a grocery aisle, getting your vitals checked at a hospital  machines are being pressed into a new range of tasks.

In several countries, aerial drones are transporting medical samples, spraying disinfectant and delivering food and medicine. A fleet of wheel-mounted Danish robots is stationed in hospitals across China, sanitizing rooms using ultraviolet light.

Last month, Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston began using Spot to help screen patients outside the entrance, using an iPad mounted on the robot that displays a physician inside the facility. The trial has limited the medical staffs exposure to infection and helped conserve protective gear, said Michael Perry, Boston Dynamics vice president of business development.

Its a validation of the core premise of robotics: Youre taking an environment where data collection or interaction with a physical space is too dangerous for a person to do, and putting a robot in their stead to do a simple, repetitive task, Perry said.

Singapore, a prosperous island nation of 5.7 million people grappling with one of the highest COVID-19 caseloads in Asia, is using a fleet of 30 drones to monitor crowd levels in public parks, which have remained open during a lockdown that began in early April.

Thousands of safe distancing ambassadors have also fanned out across parks, malls, markets and other public areas.

Their presence has not always been welcomed: Last week, a parks officer was stabbed in an altercation with a man who was illegally cutting plants while not wearing a mask. The officer is recovering after surgery; his assailant has been arrested and charged with attempted murder.

Singapore officials said the goal of using Spot was reducing the manpower required for park patrols and minimizing physical contact among staff, volunteer safe distancing ambassadors and park visitors.

Spot walks through Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in Singapore this month. (Roslan Rahman / AFP/Getty Images)

Painted safety yellow  the color of construction vehicles  the robot is accompanied by a parks officer at the 150-acre Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Its recorded message reminds people to maintain social distance.

Cameras installed on its body will help estimate the number of visitors in the park, but officials said they cannot recognize individuals and wont collect any personal data.

If the trial is successful, officials said they would consider deploying Spot for longer hours and at other parks. A second Spot robot has also been in use since last month to deliver medicines at an isolation facility housing thousands of COVID-19 patients.

Spot has been greeted with a mixture of marvel and trepidation. One video showed a real dog staring at Spot in apparent confusion.

Critics outside Singapore described it as creepy and frightening. One tweeted: Cant wait until theyre fitted with tasers for non-compliance.

But Spot is not driven by artificial intelligence: Most of its movements are directed by remote control, and its designed to evade anything in its path taller than a foot. The roughly 130 robots in use around the world  leased to customers for several thousand dollars a month  come with agreements that they not be used to harm or intimidate, according to Boston Dynamics, which is owned by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank.

Singapore is an amenable testing ground: Its ruling party, in power for more than half a century, enjoys high public trust, encourages tech innovation and muzzles dissent. The government has developed an app to trace people who've been in contact with COVID-19 patients and is considering making its use mandatory, dismissing concerns about official surveillance.

"I do think the balancing of social interests and civil rights is shifted in an emergency toward favoring technologies that can help address the emergency," said Kristen Thomasen, an expert in robotics law and policy at the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. "When this happens, though, one of the most crucial things to look for is clear government indication and imposition of limits on the use of the technology."

Already, Singapore engineers are designing algorithms that could make Spot more sophisticated, De Cremer said. One idea is to log distances between parkgoers and the lengths of their interactions to determine whether people are together in a group or strangers passing on the grass.

That could help enforce social distancing, but over time it could also teach a robot to read some physical aspects of human relationships.

Its just one way that the pandemic will serve as a laboratory for the near future of machines, De Cremer said.

These trends are going to be accelerated, he said. And decisions on the boundaries and limitations of robotics and AI are going to depend on a society's values.

For the record:

7:11 AM, May. 14, 2020: An earlier version of this story misstated the owner of Boston Dynamics. It is Japanese conglomerate Softbank, not Google parent company Alphabet.


Small, community banks have been punching above their weight in keeping local businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to head of a trade group for independent bankers.

During a webinar hosted by Economic Forum of Albuquerque Wednesday morning, Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of Independent Community Bankers of America, spoke from her Virginia home about the work local banks are doing to process loans and grants under a network of new programs from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Romero Rainey, who was raised in Taos and worked as the chairman and CEO of Centinel Bank of Taos, said many community banks have been working without clear guidance from the SBA, with their lobbies shuttered to prevent further spread of the virus.

It really has been extraordinary what the industry has been able to accomplish in spite of these incredible challenges, she said.

The federal CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package passed by Congress in late March, provided funding for a handful of new programs aimed at helping small businesses. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program, allows businesses to apply for federally backed loans that are forgiven if the business retains all of its employees for eight weeks during the pandemic.

In the first round of the program, which was plagued by technical challenges and poor communication with community banks, 8,277 loans were approved in New Mexico, totaling around $1.4 billion.

So far in the programs second round, which began on April 27 after Congress allocated another $310 billion to the program, New Mexico banks have already processed 11,565 loans, with around $100 billion left in the program.

One key change in the programs second round is that $60 billion was allocated for use by small and mid-sized banks.

In part thanks to that allowance, Romero Rainey said community banks have played a larger role in helping the programs second round be more successful.

Romero Rainey said community banks were responsible for around 50% of the loans, despite housing only 20% of the nations assets. Rainey added this provided community banks, including the 34 that operate in New Mexico, a chance to grow by adding new small businesses as customers.

These institutions have survived crisis, they have survived challenges, and they have come back stronger than ever, she said.

Romero Rainey added that the ICBA is looking ahead to a new round of federal stimulus, reading through the proposals to determine their impact on community banks. One change Romero Rainey said shed like to see is an extension to the PPPs eight-week period, which has caused problems for some small businesses.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 707 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 58,698 since early March.

Across Pennsylvania, 3,943 people have died due to COVID-19, including 137 newly reported cases as of Wednesday morning; however, some of the deaths have occurred over the past few weeks. All of those who have died were adults.

There are 244,171 patients in Pa. who have tested negative.

In nursing and personal care homes, there have been 12,408 cases among residents and 1,806 among workers at 543 facilities in 44 counties. About two-thirds of those whove died of the coronavirus in Pennsylvania were in long-term care homes.

Another 4,066 of the total cases have been in health care workers.

On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine announced a universal testing strategy for nursing home residents and staffers. Also, nursing homes will be required to report deaths, cases and tests performed using the same system that the states hospitals are using, starting Sunday.

The Pa. National Guard is providing personnel to care homes in the form of planning teams, medical support, staffing and guidance.

If youre unable to see the nursing home map above, please click here.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered a statewide stay-at-home order and non-life-sustaining businesses closed in March as coronavirus cases spread across the state. Reopening is happening regionally in red, yellow and green levels. Two dozen counties were moved to the less-stringent yellow phase on May 8, and 13 more are set to move to yellow on Friday.

Some county officials, including Dauphin commissioners, have said they were moving ahead with reopening plans despite the state rules. However, after Wolf said businesses that reopen in defiance of state orders would risk losing insurance and licenses, Dauphin County backed down.

President Donald Trump, who has encouraged states to reopen from coronavirus shutdowns, is scheduled to visit Pennsylvania on Thursday.

A ReOpen PA rally against the government shutdown orders is scheduled for Friday at the Capitol in Harrisburg.

More:

Which Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores will open for limited in-person retail on May 15?

Children face greater risks from coronavirus than thought, study shows: We cant say that kids are spared

Pa. officials revoked business waivers the night before publishing list of recipients

Pa. is the most restrictive state when it comes to selling real estate: The reality of coronavirus red phase

Some can make more while on unemployment. Why go back to work?
Elliott Harris, assistant secretary-general for economic development and chief economist with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), delivers opening remarks during an online seminar titled "Leveraging Public Governance and Spearheading Innovative Solutions to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic  Responses in Africa," Tuesday night (KST). The UN DESA hosted the seminar in collaboration with other relevant organizations. Courtesy of United Nations Project Office of Governance



UN DESA seminar held to urge public, private sectors in Africa to cooperate in COVID-19 fight



By Jung Da-min



Swift action by central governments, in close cooperation with regional stakeholders such as local administrations and civic groups, is the most urgent and important thing in dealing with a pandemic, according to officials from multiple countries and representatives of international organizations.



This conclusion was reached during an online seminar  titled, "Leveraging Public Governance and Spearheading Innovative Solutions to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic - Responses in Africa"  held by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs' (UN DESA) Division for Public Institutions and its Digital Government (DPIDG) and Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), Tuesday KST.



"We face challenges at both the global and at the regional levels, as an increasing number of countries, both developed and developing, are struggling to cope with the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis. Countries in special circumstances are facing an unprecedented threat to human life and social cohesion, and economic devastation due to fragile healthcare systems and socio-economic vulnerabilities," Elliott Harris, assistant secretary-general for economic development and chief economist at the UN DESA, said in his opening remarks.





Government officials from multiple countries and representatives of international organizations are seen on screen during the online seminar "Leveraging Public Governance and Spearheading Innovative Solutions to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic - Responses in Africa," held by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Tuesday (KST). Courtesy of United Nations Project Office of Governance
The body of a Calgary man missing for three weeks has been found, with his death being classified non-suspicious and not criminal in nature, police said in a Wednesday release.

Simpson Van Der Linden, 34, was last in contact with his family April 21.

"We're devastated," his mother, Laurel Chad, told CBC News.

"Just very sad to lose Simpson at such a young age."

Family called Van Der Linden a loving big brother and yoga fanatic known for witty banter in a plea for help finding him last week.

He had just returned from Peru, prior to family losing contact with him.

"We view the death as accidental," Chad said.

"He will be dearly missed by family, friends and his community. He wandered into the woods and got cold. We see it as accidental and non-suspicious."
During these unprecedented times, stocks are experiencing quite high levels of volatility. As such, investors are seeking out ways to add portfolio protection against another dip in the market or even a full-blown recession.

There are a few ways investors can add this type of portfolio protection. Firstly, you could move money into bonds. But those are offering quite paltry returns at the moment.

Instead, you can capture bigger yields as well as upside on your principal investment by going with defensive stocks. These are stocks that operate in sectors like utilities or consumer staples.

Today, well look at two defensive TSX stocks that can provide portfolio protection to investors during these uncertain times.

Loblaw

Loblaw (TSX:L) is a major Canadian grocer and, in fact, the largest in the country. It also provides pharmaceutical services both in its grocery stores and through its Shoppers Drug Mart chain of stores.

The reason that Loblaw can be so stable in a rocky economy is rather simple. It provides Canadians with bare essentials like food and medication. No matter how rough the economy gets, people will need to keep stocking their cupboards.

Since I wrote about Loblaws defensive attributes, the stock has been trading slightly up. Over the same period, the S&P/TSX composite index is slightly down.

So, it seems that investors are putting trust into Loblaw and its ability to add portfolio protection with stable earnings during these times.

As far as yields go, Loblaws offering isnt exactly mouth-watering. However, its 1.79% yield still beats out bond yields and can keep cash flowing a little bit for investors.

The main draw for investors isnt the yield anyway, its in the portfolio protection that Loblaw offers and the fact this stock can rise steadily as markets fall.

Fortis

Fortis (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) is a major utility company operating across North America. It mainly focuses on providing customers with electricity.

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While its recent earnings were a little low, it wasnt anything out of the ordinary, and Fortis remains on track with its dividend.

In fact, this company has a 46-year streak of maintaining and growing its dividend. In the recent earnings report, the company reiterated its commitment to raise dividends annually through 2024.

For those seeking portfolio protection, Fortis is one of the best picks. Like with groceries, people will always need to keep the lights on. As such, revenue for Fortis should remain rather predictable.

However, unlike with Loblaw, investors can count on a significant yield with Fortis. As of writing, this stock is trading at $53.08 and yielding 3.6%.

If youre looking for a reliable stream of cash flow during these times, Fortis is the way to go.

Portfolio protection strategy

Any way you slice it, both of these stocks are solid picks for adding portfolio protection. Loblaw has the added benefit that it seems to be moving opposite of the market, while Fortis has the much larger dividend yield.

As such, depending on your needs as an investor, either one of these stocks (or both) could be a good fit for your portfolio during these times. If youre looking to pick up some extra portfolio protection, keep these stocks at the top of your list.

The post Portfolio Protection: 2 Crash-Proof Stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Jared Seguin has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 11:02:03

Las Vegas, NV, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- MJ Holdings, Inc. (OTCPK: MJNE) (the Company): While the Covid-19 pandemic has caused the Nevada cannabis industry to face many challenges over the past seven weeks, most Las Vegas dispensaries have reopened under new social distancing rules. We are starting to see increased demand for product at the retail level and hope that our dispensary customers will start placing orders from us in the next few weeks.



The Company has received approximately $200,000 in short term financing from loans made by Pyyros One, LLC (Pyyros). The Companys Chairman and CEO, Paris Balaouras, is the sole beneficiary of the trust that manages Pyyros. The principal, of the interest only loans, is due in February and March of 2021 and is being utilized to cover a portion of lost income due to Covid-19. We are grateful that our CEO was willing to lend funds from his trust assets to the Company during these difficult times; this has helped us to weather the storm until our revenues return to pre-pandemic levels, stated Terrence Tierney, the Companys President. Mr. Tierney also said, Mr. Balaouras and I have waived our April and May base compensation and are working closely with our customers as we collectively begin to recover from the almost two month shutdown of the Nevada cannabis industry. The Companys senior executives will continue to closely monitor the Companys short-term cash requirements and will seek additional capital as necessary. In light of a recent federal court ruling, the Company will apply for additional economic relief under the Small Business Administrations Payroll Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for agricultural businesses.

The Company is moving forward with our existing 2020 cultivation schedule, including a first in Nevada springtime grow, but we have decided to push our planned five-acre expansion into 2021 due to the uncertainties surrounding Covid-19. Paris Balaouras stated, We are proving, with our current grow, that we can successfully get a short cycle grow planted in early spring and harvested prior to planting our full three-acre annual crop. The Company expects its total 2020 production to exceed 6,000 lbs. of marijuana flower and trim. Current inventory should be sufficient to fulfill anticipated demand until our current grow is harvested in late June.

The Company will continue to assess the impact of Covid-19 on the Nevada cannabis industry and we will make adjustments to our operations as necessary. We hope to begin rehiring our farm personnel over the next few weeks.

About MJ Holdings, Inc.

MJ Holdings Inc. (OTCPK: MJNE) is a diversified holding company providing services to the regulated cannabis industry. Through our subsidiaries we provide cultivation and production, management services as well as infrastructure sales and development. Our cultivation operations include management of a three-acre co-operative for in the Amargosa Valley of Nevada. We currently manage a State of Nevada issued cannabis production license and expect to provide manufacturing and production facilities and resources to third party manufacturers and cultivators as part of our production campus, which is currently under development. We additionally provide management consulting services to state licensed dispensaries. We are also active in identifying and seeking to acquire revenue producing assets and licenses within legalized cannabis markets both nationally and internationally.

Safe Harbor

The information provided in this press release may include forward-looking statements relating to future events or the future financial performance of the Company. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "will," "potential," "hope" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations of the Company and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties. Detailed information regarding factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by statements in this press release relating to the Company may be found in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the factors described in the sections entitled "Risk Factors", copies of which may be obtained from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The parties do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Company Contact:

Al Reasonover

Al@mjholdingsinc.com
The very words Royal Commission and public inquiry drive some Canadians crazy.

To critics, these official bodies are useless efforts at political buck-passing that take up far too much time and money only to see their findings wind up untouched on dusty shelves.

For them, theyre a Canadian joke.

Normally, Royal Commissions or public inquiries are held either to obtain advice on a major national or provincial problem or to investigate a specific issue or incident.

In recent years, such commissions and inquiries have looked into issues ranging from the future of the Toronto waterfront to national health care, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, contaminated drinking water at Walkerton, the shooting death of Dudley George at Ipperwash Provincial Park, the SARS epidemic in Ontario and more.

While none of them likely lived up to the hopes of their main proponents, all of them provided important advice for governments on what can be done practically  and thats the key point  to make improvements in a timely and cost-effective way.

Today, as we struggle with the COVID-19 crisis, we desperately need such a national commission.

It would serve Canadians by looking at two key issues: first, how best to get the economy up and running and, second, how best to provide help for struggling city governments.

Ideally, it would be separate from public inquiries into what went wrong and what went right in how governments prepared for and responded to the pandemic. It should also not duplicate the work of much-need inquiries, such as one into Ontarios long-term-care system.

Admittedly, in the midst of this pandemic, its hard to think beyond next week let alone what the future holds. But its time governments started to do just that.

Thats because time is critical. Already millions of workers have lost their jobs or have seen their wages cut. Thousands of businesses have closed or are on the brink of bankruptcy. City governments, which deliver many of the critical public services for Canadians, are facing massive deficits that might force them to implement huge property tax increases or make draconian cuts to vital services.

One proposal to address these issues is for a National Commission for the Reconstruction of the Canadian Economy  and to have it up and running by early June.

The notion that governments will be able to flip a switch and reboot the economy once the virus has subsided is increasingly a far-fetched fantasy, according to Greg Sorbara, a former Ontario finance minister, and Michael Mendelson, a former deputy minister of the Ontario cabinet office, who are promoting the idea.

How are we going to climb out of this hole and what kind of economy do we want to emerge out of the devastation that now surrounds us, they ask.

As Sorbara and Mendelson see it, Ottawa provincial governments will struggle to cope with the massive additional debt obligations they are now incurring.

As well, cities and towns tax revenue will have cratered, leaving them unable to provide basic services without unsupportable increases in property tax.

Thats the dire warning that Toronto Mayor John Tory and other big city leaders are sounding as they work toward getting Ottawa and Queens Park to provide immediate financial aid in order to avoid drastic service cuts similar to what occurred in Windsor when it shut its public transit system.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the other provincial leaders need to put aside their jurisdictional disputes over who is responsible for helping cities and just get the job done. Its wrong to keep cities dangling in the wind as they have to date.

For Sorbara and Mendelsohn, Ottawa needs to assemble a small, nimble and diverse commission to take up the challenge of designing the architecture of the next Canadian economy.

The commission would be empowered to recommend the broad design and detailed specifications to build a new market economy in Canada as well as a pathway to financing the public services we require, they add.

Its a major job for a public commission, whatever official name it is given. Time is short and the stakes are high. But we need to act now.

Bob Hepburn is a Star politics columnist and based in Toronto. Twitter: @BobHepburn is a Star politics columnist and based in Toronto. Twitter: @BobHepburn

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Election Administrator Kerry Steelman said Wednesday his office will be putting in special sanitary procedures due to the coronavirus.

He said the only items during the voting process touched by voters are the pens and the privacy folders. Mr. Steelman said both of those will be used only once, then discarded.

He said doors will be open so no door knobs will need to be touched, and he said there will be constant cleaning.

The election chief also said that those voting will be encouraged to wear masks.

He said the county received a grant from the state through the CARES Act for computer equipment allowing expanded absentee voting capability.

County Commission members Warren Mackey and David Sharpe said, instead of voters coming to the polls and risk getting coronavirus, there should be much more widespread absentee voting.

Chairman Randy Fairbanks said expanding absentee voting would be an issue for the state Legislature and the governor's office.

Mr. Steelman said, "This has nothing to do with any changes in absentee voting law. There are no changes. None."
While many class of 2020 graduates are crestfallen that the novel coronavirus has disrupted their commencement, the lost rite of passage this year is an especially big letdown for an estimated 400,000 college students who are the first in their families to achieve a diploma.

In interviews with ABC News, first-generation college students from low-income families across the country described an abrupt financial shock from COVID-19 that's threatened to upend their dreams.

A job market in freefall has compounded disappointment over delayed or canceled celebrations and instilled fear of financial failure. It's also complicating plans for thousands of first-generation college-bound students who are just beginning their journey to a degree.

PHOTO: DuJaun Kirk of East Orange, N.J., will become the first in his family to earn a college diploma when he graduates in May from Stevens Institute of Technology with a degree in visual arts. (ABC News)

"I personally don't see this as a big downfall, but it's just a huge, huge challenge," said DuJaun Kirk, a senior at Stevens Institute in Technology from East Orange, New Jersey, who this month will become the first in his family of seven to earn a bachelor's degree.

Just 21% of low-income, first-generation students make it to graduation within six years, according to an analysis of 2012-2017 data by the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education.

MORE: The other coronavirus 'front line': At home with special needs children

"For those students who are being robbed right now of graduation, it's a huge moment," said Nicole Hurd, founder and CEO of College Advising Corps, the nation's largest nonprofit college access program.

"We are hearing students say mom and dad have lost their jobs, and now I have to think about employment because I might be the only steady income in my family," Hurd said.

PHOTO: Sophie Kim, a Korean immigrant and first-generation college student, wants to attend law school but worries about taking on more debt during a recession. (ABC News)

For Sophie Kim, a Korean immigrant and first in her family to complete an undergraduate degree, the closure of her parents' nail salon makes chasing her dream of law school seem almost irresponsible.

"I thought, why am I going to put myself through more financial obligations with law school when my parents are really struggling on the deep end," Kim said. "(The salon) was our main source of income as a family. I tutor on the side, but it's not a full-time job by any means."

Story continues

The new financial pressures are especially heavy for first-gen teens hoping to start college this fall.

"It's really just me trying to keep everyone afloat, and it's been tough," said 18-year-old Omar Quevedo-Catana, a senior at KIPP high school in Austin, Texas, who's set to enroll at the University of Richmond.

PHOTO: Omar Quevedo-Catana, 18, of Austin, Texas, is determined to become the first in his family to attend college after graduating high school this spring. (ABC News)

After his mother lost her house cleaning job of 20 years during the coronavirus lockdown, Quevedo-Catana had to take a full-time job at Walmart, becoming the sole breadwinner for his family of four, making just $12 an hour.

"I just got done paying for the apartment bill, which rang up to $1,018.48," he said.

Quevedo-Catana said his daily commute to work -- past piles of trash and graffiti in his Texas neighborhood -- offers constant reminders of why he's determined to start college in the fall.

"I definitely don't want my future family or my older brother's or little brother's family growing up around this kind of environment," he said.

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.

For decades, college has been a critical -- if often out-of-reach -- pathway to the middle class for low-income American families.

"A lot of people say, 'well, you don't really need college. Why can't these students just go and take on a blue-collar job?' -- and many will. But if you want to do something about income inequality, then you have to look at a college degree," said Richard Whitmire, author of "The B.A. Breakthrough," which chronicles progress for first-generation students in recent years.

MORE: Facing coronavirus while deaf and blind: 'Everything relies on touch'

Before the pandemic, the achievement gap was closing: more low-income, first-generation students were enrolling in colleges and universities nationwide. Now advocates worry some of that progress could be lost.

"I'm also concerned that with colleges and universities losing so much revenue, they will start to really target wealthier students or find other mechanisms to encourage full-paying students and limit their financial aid resources," said Dr. Marcia Chatelain, associate professor of history and African-American studies at Georgetown University.

For many first-generation students already in college, the path to completing their degree is now strewn with new financial and emotional challenges created by the pandemic and recession.

"Some of them will just drop out. It's called 'summer melt.' They commit to a college and then they just don't go. Summer melt -- it's always been a problem, but now it looks like it's going to be a very big problem," Whitmire said.

PHOTO: Breanna Cadena of San Antonio, Texas, is contemplating taking a break from her studies at Brown University if the school chooses to continue online learning into the fall. (ABC News)

Brown University sophomore Breanna Cadena is fighting to stay on course. She says taking Ivy League classes remotely is starting to take a toll.

"I don't know if I can do online classes again," she said in an interview from her family home in San Antonio, Texas. "It's just been -- I don't know how many times I've had to regather myself and refocus on why I'm doing this."

"I have an exam today. Last time I had an exam, I did it in the living room where basically my whole family was also, and I failed," she said.

In Maryland, 19-year-old Ja'Nayah Hines is wondering whether the cost of tuition is still worth it when classes at her Morgan State University have moved online.

"I work eight hours a day, 40 hours a week" on top of classes, she said in an interview after coming off her shift at a Silver Spring, Maryland, Target. "Now I have to figure out how to, you know, put it all together -- like classwork then plus work."

PHOTO: Ja'Nayah Hines of Silver Spring, Md., is juggling a full-time job and her schoolwork as a first-generation college student at Morgan State University. (ABC News)

The juggling act has prompted Ja'Nayah, who dreams of becoming a surgeon, to think about delaying her college career. But she says she's staying the course, for now.

"Taking a semester off -- like -- if I take it off, and then like I don't feel like going back, I don't want to run into that," she said.

Chatelain said pushing pause -- or dropping out -- after a first year in college is a common experience for many first-generation students.

"Many of our first-generation college students are balancing multiple lives, and we don't necessarily have all of the structures in place on college campuses, to make sure that they're getting all of their needs met," she said.

Still, many students are determined to finish, no matter the cost.

PHOTO: Shaffiou Assoumanou is studying advanced economics at Baruch College in New York City. He says being the first in his family to attend college comes with immense pressure to be a role model. (ABC News)

"I have to make sure everything that I'm doing, I keep going so I can make it," said Shaffiou Assoumanou, the oldest of four and the son of West African immigrants. "When I make it, I can help the family, but also my siblings can look up to me, as a role model of someone who did it."

From a small Bronx apartment, Shaffiou is finishing his degree in advanced economics at Baruch College and working part-time as a researcher. When his dad recently lost work, he started helping to pay some family bills and care for his sister, Habbiba.

"My mom always tells me I'm her only hope," he said, "to basically make something for myself and for my family, and also for my community."

Even as they pursue their degrees under immense pressure to succeed, many first-generation college students show remarkable passion to give back to the community as the nation bounces back from the pandemic.

"It's like paying it forward and like paying it back to my parents," said Sophie Kim, who decided to take the leap to law school despite the need for more loans.

She believes the risk outweighs the reward of eventually being able to earn a higher income.

MORE: Making 'PPE' at home: Families use 3D printers to address coronavirus shortages

Omar Quevedo-Catana says he's confident COVID-19 won't delay his dream of becoming a college freshman this fall.

"Once I'm able to like expand my social ladder, I'll be able to bring along my parents, my mom and my father too," he said.

It's a drive to escape a minimum-wage existence to a better life, said Ja'Nayah Hines.

"I know in the end it will be worth it even though it's gonna be a long time from now," she said. "I know it will be worth it because I'll be doing something that I actually love to do."

And as the first-generation college graduates in the class of 2020 stare down a job hunt in a pandemic, DuJaun Kirk says it's all just another test to overcome.

"I don't have a full-time job right now and I'm pretty nervous about looking for one," he said, "but everything happens for a reason. If something happens, you can't sit around and just be upset. You got to figure out an alternative plan -- so I try to stick to that and keep the optimism alive."

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

Fighting for their college dreams, 1st-generation students face 'huge challenge' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Iran's Top General Calls Upon Pakistan Army to Free Abducted Border Guards

Sputnik News

14:13 GMT 12.05.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): Three Iranian border guards were held hostage by the jihadist militant organization Jaish ul-Adl in October 2018 and taken into Pakistan. The terror group operates in southeastern Iran, which has a porous border with Pakistan.

Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri has called upon Islamabad to release three of its border guards, who were kidnapped from a border post and taken to Pakistan in October 2018.

Baqeri urged his counterpart Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa to take decisive action to release the guards taken hostage by the terror group Jaish-ul-Adl.

Bajwa and Baqeri also discussed the recent terror attack on Pakistani troops in Balochistan on Friday, in which six Pakistani security personnel, including an officer, were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device while returning from a routine patrol.

The two military leaders called for military cooperation, expressed a desire for regional peace and stability on the basis of mutual respect, non-interference and equality.

In October 2018, Pakistani-based terrorists kidnapped 14 Iranian soldiers at a border post in Mirjaveh region in Iran's southeastern province.

Iran and Pakistan have been constructing border walls since May 2019 and it is expected that the entire border will be sealed within the next three to four years.

A Sputnik

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 06:14:02|Editor: huaxia

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DUBLIN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- McDonald's will reopen some of its outlets in Ireland from next week when the COVID-19 lockdown measures in the country will be gradually lifted, reported the Irish national radio and television broadcaster RTE on Tuesday.

The report quoted Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald's UK and Ireland, as saying that the company will first open six restaurants in Dublin on March 20 and then the rest of others across the country by early June.

All the restaurants to be reopened during the above-mentioned period will provide drive-through services and no dine-in services will be offered, said the report.

The Irish government has decided to ease its lockdown measures in separate stages starting from May 18 after it has locked down all the non-essential retail outlets in the country since the end of March.

Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed welcomed the decision announced by McDonald's earlier in the day, saying that "McDonald's is a valued key purchaser of Irish produce and an employer of a large number of people throughout Ireland."

According to RTE, McDonald's currently runs 95 outlets in Ireland and is one of the largest purchasers of Irish beef with annual spending of over 163 million euros (about 177 million U.S. dollars).

Besides, the company also spends close to 100 million euros on Irish dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream, said the report, quoting a source from the Irish Farmers Association. (1 euro = 1.085 U.S. dollars) Enditem
A 60-year-old man from Kalaburagi district became the 32nd Covid-19 related fatality in Karnataka, where 26 new positive cases have been confirmed, taking the total number of infections to 951, the health department said on Wednesday.

The deceased man from a containment zone was brought dead on May 11 to a designated hospital in Kalaburagi, and he has tested positive for Covid-19, it said.

26 new positive cases have been reported from last evening to this noon.... Till date 951 Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed.

This includes 32 deaths and 442 discharges, the department said in its mid day situation update.

The fresh cases include- eleven from Bidar, four from Hassan, two each from Kalaburagi, Uttara Kannada, Davangere, and Vijayapura, and one each from Bengaluru urban, Ballari and Dakshina Kannada.

Among the new cases, while eleven are from containment zone in Bidar, seven are with travel history to Maharashtra, five are contacts of patients already tested positive, one each are from containment zone in Kalaburagi and with history of SARI, and the other persons contact is under tracing.
The mother of Ahmaud Arbrey, a 25-year-old African-American shot dead by two white men while he was reportedly out jogging, says she hopes her son's killers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Wanda Cooper-Jones told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, who were charged with murder after a video of them pursuing Arbery in a pick up truck and then shooting him dead in a Brunswick, Georgia street in February surfaced online last week.

'I would like all hands involved, that played a part in my son's murder to be prosecuted to the highest [degree],' Cooper-Jones said Tuesday. 'Coming from a mother's point of view: my son died, and so they should die as well.'

When pressed on whether she'd be opposed to a death penalty sentence, the grief-stricken mother reiterated she'd 'totally agree with that.'

Wanda Cooper-Jones (right with Arbery) told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34,

Gregory (left) and Travis McMichael (right) have both been charged with murder and aggravated assault over the February 23 shooting of Ahmaud Arbery

Arbery's death has sparked nationwide outrage. A rally for the slain jogger was held Friday - the day he would have celebrated his 26th birthday

On Monday, the Georgia attorney general appointed Joyette M. Holmes, Cobb County's first African-American district attorney, to oversee Arbery's case.

The appointment of Holmes was welcomed by Cooper-Jones, who said she has spoken to the prosecutor and has full faith in her abilities to obtain justice for her slain son.

'I think with the counsel I have and also the newly assigned DA [Holmes], I think we will get justice for Ahmaud,' Cooper-Jones said.

She added that Holmes too said she was confident her son's killers would be convicted.

Following her appointment on Monday, Holmes became the fourth prosecutor to take the case, superseding Tom Durden, who reportedly requested to be replaced by a prosecutor with a larger staff citing the case's growth 'in size and magnitude.'

'District Attorney Holmes is a respected attorney with experience, both as a lawyer and a judge,' state Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, said in a statement. 'And the Cobb County District Attorney's office has the resources, personnel and experience to lead this prosecution and ensure justice is done.'

Holmes served four years a magistrate judge in suburban Cobb County before Gov. Brian Kemp appointed her to fill the vacant district attorney's position last July. According to the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys Council, Holmes is one of only seven black district attorneys in the state.

The prosecutor, Joyette M. Holmes, is from Cobb County in the Atlanta metropolitan area, where she is the first African-American to serve as district attorney

Exclusive photos show the moment Gregory McMichael (pictured) and his son Travis McMichael were arrested at their home in Brunswick, Georgia, on Thursday

An officer with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is seen leading 34-year-old Travis McMichael out of the home in handcuffs

An attorney for Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, also applauded the appointment of a new lead prosecutor.

'In order for justice to be carried out both effectively and appropriately in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, it is imperative that the special prosecutor has no affiliation with the Southeast Georgia legal or law enforcement communities,' attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement. He asked that Holmes 'be zealous in her search for justice.'

Arbery was hit by three shotgun blasts, according to an autopsy report released Monday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. One shot grazed his right wrist, and the other two struck him in the chest.

The 25-year-old had no drugs or alcohol in his system, and was carrying two tan bandannas which were soaked with blood.

It has taken nearly three months and several different prosecutors for Travis and Gregory McMichael to be arrested and charged with his killing. Georgia's Attorney General is now investigating the handling of the case amid claims that prosecutors passed it off to protect 64-year-old Gregory, a former police detective who recently worked in the local district attorney's office.

The case was first assigned to Jackie Johnson in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, who recused herself because Gregory McMichael was previously an investigator in her office. It was then handed to George E. Barnhill, district attorney for Georgias Waycross Judicial Circuit, who recused himself under pressure from Arberys mother amid claims Barnhills son used to work with Gregory McMichael in the Brunswick district attorneys office.

Durden then took over the reins, and said last week he planned to present the investigation to a grand jury before a video of the incident leaked and the GBI was assigned to the case. The McMichaels weren't arrested until after the video became public.

The case has sparked outrage around the world and some say it is proof of persistent racism in the South. Over the weekend, people ran to honor what would have been Ahmaud's 26th birthday and armed protesters took to the street.

The McMichaels' defense has been that they were making a citizen's arrest after suspecting Ahmaud of breaking into and robbing homes in their neighborhood. They said Travis, 34, then exercised his stand your ground right by shooting Ahmaud, claiming the unarmed 25-year-old reached for his gun.

Scroll down for video

Ahmaud Arbery inside the under-construction home on February 23, the day he was killed. He walked into the house then left empty handed and was later shot dead by Travis McMichael who had chased him with his father, Gregory, a former cop

Ahmaud had been out jogging when he came across the home. His family says the footage shows he was not a burglar and that he would have been guilty of trespassing at most

Another video shows Ahmaud entering the property. It was taken on a surveillance camera on a different home

On Monday, DoJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said: 'The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia have been supporting and will continue fully to support and participate in the state investigation. We are assessing all of the evidence to determine whether federal hate crimes charges are appropriate,' Kupec said in a statement.'

The McMichaels have both been charged by the state of Georgia with murder and aggravated assault which carry maximum prison sentences of life.

Georgia has no hate crimes as a state but the federal charge carries a maximum prison sentence of life when the hate crime results in death. A federal prosecution would supersede a state case and could negate it if the defendants were found guilty and the need for a state prosecution reduced.

It comes as new surveillance video Arbery walking into a construction site on the day of his death, looking around the property and then leaving empty handed the day he was gunned down emerged.

But the new video obtained by News4Jax appears to undermine their shaky burglary suspect claim. It shows Ahmaud walking into an under-construction house in Brunswick, looking around and then leaving without taking anything.

In the two months before Ahmaud's killing, there were no reports of suspected burglaries in the area, and the owner of the under-construction property has spoken out to say they have no links to the McMichaels whatsoever.

The video was shared by the property owner who said they had never had any contact with the McMichaels let alone did they call for them to investigate any break-ins.

The attorney representing Ahmaud's family says the video shows that at most, Ahmaud would have been guilty of trespassing.

It's unclear what time the video on the construction site was taken.

According to the police report into his death, Ahmaud was shot dead at 1.46pm.

A time stamp on a different surveillance camera video says he entered the construction site at 2.13pm. It's possible that camera was inaccurately running an hour fast.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says it is now investigating the video along with the cellphone footage of Ahmaud's killing that went viral.

The property is owned by Larry English.

In the sickening footage of Arbery's death, a shot can be heard and Arbery is seen scuffling with Travis as Arbery appears to try to get the gun away from Travis. Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range before

Ahmaud was killed while out jogging on February 23. It is unclear if he had come from his mother's house, which is just under two miles from where the shooting unfolded. The McMichaels said they saw him 'hauling a**' down Satilla Drive and that he'd been seen on surveillance cameras inside homes near them but it's unclear which homes they were referring to. He was shot and killed at an intersection not far from the houses

TIMELINE OF BOTCHED HANDLING OF THE CASE February 23: Ahmaud Arbery is shot dead in the street in Brunswick, Georgia. Gregory and Travis McMichael had gone out in their car with guns to chase him because they mistook him for a burglar. When they caught up to him, Travis got out of the car. Jackie Johnson recused herself because McMichael used to work in her office Gregory says they told Arbery that they wanted to talk to him and that he attacked Travis. A struggle ensued and Travis fired his gun twice, killing Ahmaud, 25. Late February - First prosecutor recuses herself Jackie Johnson, the Brunswick District Attorney, stepped down from the case because Gregory used to work in her office as an investigator. Mid-April - Second prosecutor says he won't press charges, then recuses himself George Barnhill said Ahmaud initiated the fight George Barnhill was given the case. He at first said he did not think it merited charges because the McMichaels were acting lawfully by trying to carry out a citizen's arrest, which is legal in Georgia. He also said that the video 'shows' Arbery reaching for Travis' gun. Barnhill recused himself because his son, also called George Barnhill, works in the office where McMichael used to The first shot is fired however when the pair are out of frame. When the camera panned back to them, they were struggling again to the side of the vehicle. Barnhill said Travis was standing his ground by firing three shots which hit Arbery. He later had to recuse himself after it emerged that his son works in the Brunswick District Attorney's Office, where Gregory served. May 5 - Third prosecutor passes it on to grand jury Tom Durden is the third prosecutor to have the case come across his desk. He said that his office would approach it without prior prejudice. This week, he announced that he would not make a decision on whether or not to charge, and that he wants to convene a grand jury to take it on. May 7 - Georgia Bureau of Investigation files charges The GBI announced that it was bringing charges of murder and aggravated assault against the Gregory and Travis on May 7. Joyette Holmes May 11 - Department of Justice says it is weighing hate crime charges against the McMichaels Georgia's Attorney General Chris Carr orders the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to conduct a federal probe into why it took 74 days for the men to be arrested. The case is also given to Joyette Holmes, a black prosecutor. Advertisement

Over the weekend, he released a statement through an attorney to say he neither called for the McMichaels to go after Ahmaud, nor did he condone in any way how they killed him.

'First, and most important, the English family -- the homeowners -- want Ahmaud Arbery's parents to know that they are very sorry for the loss of their son and they are praying for them.

'Second, it is crucial to understand that the English family -- the homeowners -- were not part of what the McMichaels did.

'The first accounts suggested a link between the McMichaels and the homeowners, but there is none.

'The English family had no relationship with the McMichaels and did not even know what had occurred until after Mr. Arbery's death was reported to them.

'After seeing Mr. Arbery's photo in news reports, Larry English did not even think Mr. Arbery was the person that appears in this video.

'Even if it had been, however, Mr. English would never have sought a vigilante response, much less one resulting in a tragic death,' his attorney, Elizabeth Graddy, told First Coast News.

Ahmaud's parents' lawyer confirmed that it is him in the video.

'This video is consistent with the evidence already known to us.

'Ahmaud Arbery was out for a jog. He stopped by a property under construction where he engaged in no illegal activity and remained for only a brief period.

'Ahmaud did not take anything from the construction site. He did not cause any damage to the property,' Lee Merritt said.

Last week, after growing global outrage, the case was taken out of local prosecutors' hands to be investigated by the state.

Gregory and Travis were both charged with murder and aggravated assault.

Greg McMichael had investigated Arbery before when he worked as an investigator in the Brunswick DA's office.

In a letter to Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr recusing himself from the case, Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill said that his own son and Gregory 'both helped with the previous prosecution of (Ahmaud) Arbery'.

Arbery had previously been sentenced to five years probation as a first offender on charges of carrying a weapon on campus and several counts of obstructing a law enforcement officer.

According to the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he was also convicted of probation violation in 2018 after he was charged with shoplifting.

Arbery had previously been sentenced to five years probation as a first offender on charges of carrying a weapon on campus and several counts of obstructing a law enforcement officer.

According to the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he was also convicted of probation violation in 2018 after he was charged with shoplifting.

Gregory, who retired from the DA's office in 2019, had not mentioned his involvement in the case to police.

George E. Barnhill was the second DA to recuse himself in mid-April following pressure from Arbery's family. He claims he only learned of his son's link to the victim 'three or four weeks' ago.

In his letter, Barnhill added that criminal charges against the McMichaels was unwarranted, citing the criminal history of Arbery's brother and cousin.

Neighbor says he's 'not proud' of filming Ahmaud Arbery's killing on his cell phone but that there might not be justice without the video as he insists he is NOT a vigilante and just happened to be there

William 'Roddy' Bryan filmed Ahmaud Arbery's killing in Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23

The neighbor who filmed Ahmaud Arbery's killing said on Tuesday that he is 'not proud' of recording it on his cell phone but that without his video, there may never be justice for the unarmed 25-year-old's death as he insisted again that he is not a vigilante and just happened to be there.

William 'Roddy' Bryan captured the moment Arbery was shot dead by Travis McMichael, 34, on February 23 while his former cop father, Gregory, watched from the cargo load of their pick-up truck with his own shotgun poised.

The McMichaels had followed Arbery - whose family says he was out for a jog - down their street in Brunswick, Georgia, allegedly because they thought he was a burglary suspect.

They told police there had been a number of break-ins in their neighborhood and that Arbery had been caught on surveillance cameras entering homes. Footage has since emerged of the 25-year-old walking into an under-construction home shortly before he was killed then leaving empty handed. While he had prior arrests for shoplifting and assault, there is no proof he ever broke into homes.

After a botched handling of the case over three months, during which time it has been passed between four prosecutors - some of whom used to work with Gregory McMichael - the father and son vigilante duo were last week arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault. Now, the Department of Justice is weighing federal hate crimes against them.

The arrests came after Bryan's cellphone video of the incident went viral.

Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was shot dead by Travis McMichael, 34 (center), as his father, Gregory McMichael, a 64-year-old retired cop, watched. They claimed Arbery was a burglary suspect and that they were trying to make a citizen's arrest

In a still from the video filmed by William 'Roddy' Bryan, Ahmaud Arbery stumbles and falls to the ground after being shot as Travis McMichael stands by holding a shotgun in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23

On Tuesday, he appeared on Good Morning America to insist that he does not know the McMichaels and that he was not part of a vigilante mob going after Arbery.

His house is not on the same street as the McMichaels' but sits along the intersection where Arbery was killed. He says he saw the commotion happening near him and decided to film it.

'I wish I hadn't have been there but if I hadn't have been there, there wouldn't have been no video. I

'If the video wasn't there, I don't think there would be an outcome that anybody would be satisfied with.

'I'm not proud that I shot the video but maybe it helps in the end,' he said.

He went on to say he had 'tons' of regrets, including that Arbery died.

'Tons of regrets, yes. Can I sit here and tell you what they are? No. I regret that family lost a loved one.

'That's just not something that should have happened,' Bryan told Good Morning America on Tuesday.

Kevin Gough (right), Bryan's attorney, wouldn't let Chris Cuomo question him about the case on Monday night claiming Cuomo was too good a lawyer and his client only had a high school education

Gregory McMichael is believed to be the only person who called 911. Two calls were placed to dispatchers before Arbery was shot dead, including one where the caller described a 'black guy running down the street' claiming he'd been caught on surveillance cameras entering homes in the neighborhood.

Bryan's own lawyer tried to stop him from answering questions on the incident on Monday night during a joint appearance on Chris Cuomo's CNN show.

He told Cuomo, who is a licensed attorney: 'This man cannot be answering substantive questions about the case.

''With all due respect, I'm not afraid of you, I respect you. You're a brilliant, a very good prosecutor. And my client is a mechanic with a high school education and if you've ever been to the high schools around here, that's not necessarily saying much. Okay? And I don't mind if the board of education doesn't like it.'

President Trump on Monday suggested that there could have been another portion of the incident that was not caught on tape.

'Well I saw the tape and when they moved left  I don't believe when they moved left, outside of the tape  nobody saw what was going on. Nobody saw,' Trump said at the White House when asked about the killing of Arbery, who is black.

'It's an empty spot on the tape, I guess. Now, do they have additional tapes, I hope?' Trump said.

Previously, he said that the footage was 'very disturbing'.

Donald Trump makes claim that tape of killing of Ahmaud Arbery might not be complete and claims something happens off camera which needs to be investigated

President Donald Trump on Monday repeated his claim that there could be activity taking place out of the frame of a shocking videotape of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery that may be pertinent to the case where 'nobody saw' what was going on.

Trump made the comment raising apparent doubts about the video evidence for the second time in the explosive case, even as he said he was 'disturbed' by the case, which has drawn the attention of the Justice Department as a possible hate crime.

'Well I saw the tape and when they moved left  I don't believe when they moved left, outside of the tape  nobody saw what was going on. Nobody saw,' Trump said at the White House when asked about the killing of Arbery, who is black.

'It's an empty spot on the tape, I guess. Now, do they have additional tapes, I hope?' Trump continued, speaking about the video that shows Arbery getting shot and killed at close range in his own Georgia neighborhood.

'Nobody saw what was going on,' President Trump said, pointing to a moment during a struggle on the videotape of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery

'But I will say that it's something that did, based on what I saw, doesn't look good.'

Then Trump referenced South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, who is black.

'Somebody that I have a lot of respect for is Senator Scott of South Carolina, you know who I'm talking about, he's a great gentleman. He's a great senator, he's a great gentleman, Tim Scott. And I called him two days ago I said to him: 'What do you think? Tell me what you think. Tell me, what do you think?' He's very disturbed by it. He's very disturbed. And I'm very disturbed also,' Trump said.

Trump said of the incident: 'I think it's horrible. And it's certainly being looked at by many people. I'm speaking to many people about it.'

'He looked  I saw the picture of him in his tuxedo. It was so beautiful. He looks like a wonderful young guy. Would have been a wonderful  just a wonderful guy. I think it's a horrible thing. I think it's a horrible thing.

'To me it's a very sad thing. I spoke to a number of people that are very much involved in it. I've been following that one very closely - it breaks your heart to watch it. Breaks your heard to watch it. Breaks your heart. And certainly the video  it was a terrible looking video to me,' Trump said.

'You have a lot of people looking at it,' Trump said. He said hopefully an answer would be arrived at 'very quickly.'

Trump was responding to a question about an earlier comment he made which also referenced something that could have happened outside the tape which might somehow undercut what is revealed.

'You know, it could be something that we didn't see on tape,' Trump said during a Fox News interview. 'There could be a lot of, if you saw things went off tape, and then back on tape, but it was troubling.'

Trump appears to be referencing a brief portion of the tape where Arbery and his suspected killers briefly move off screen during a struggle before the unarmed Arbery is shot dead.
They recently celebrated their one-year anniversary apart due to the coronavirus lockdown.

And Romeo Beckham pined for his girlfriend Mia Regan as she shared a loved-up snap of the couple on Wednesday.

Romeo, 17, said he was 'missing' his beloved after she posted a snap of the couple, in which she was planting a kiss on his head.

Young love: Romeo Beckham pined for his girlfriend Mia Regan as she shared a loved-up snap of the couple on Wednesday

Mia, who also goes by Mimi Moocher, wrote: 'Missin u'(sic) with a smitten Romeo reposting the story with the message: 'Miss u too'. (sic)

The son of David and Victoria Beckham also shared a cute snap of him cuddling one of the family dogs on his Instagram grid.

The teen looked cool in a dove grey hoodie and a cap as he posed for the camera.

This comes after Romeo revealed Sunday was his one-year anniversary with Mia.

Fun: Romeo, 17, said he was 'missing' his beloved after she posted a snap of the couple, in which she was planting a kiss on his head

Romeo was unable to spend the special day with his beloved due to lockdown restrictions but instead shared a sweet Instagram post for Mia.

He captioned the snaps: 'Happy 1 year mooch love u so much @mimimoocher.'

The photos showed the loved-up couple snuggling up together in the adorable post.

Meanwhile Mimi posted her own tribute to her boyfriend, posting a number of photos with the caption: 'Special times more to come.'

Adorable: The son of David and Victoria Beckham also shared a cute snap of him cuddling one of the family dogs on his Instagram grid

Missed: This comes after Romeo revealed Sunday was his one-year anniversary with Mia

Mimi and Romeo first sparked romance rumours when the model joined him at a private family dinner in celebration of his mother Victoria Beckham's fashion show.

Romeo previously paid tribute to his girlfriend while documenting their Valentine's Day trip to Paris in February.

The teen posted a series of images on Instagram, including one of their visit to the iconic Louvre Museum.

In another image, Romeo flashed the peace sign as he and Mia posed for a playful mirror selfie together.
Army says no build up of troops along Indo-China border

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 13: The Indian Army has said that there is no build up of troops in eastern Ladakh amidst tensions with the Chinese army.

Troops on either sides of the Line of Actual Control have been on high alert, a week after the Indian and Chinese troops came to blows in a disputed area near Pangong Two, a lake near eastern Ladakh. The troops continue to be on high alert although there has been disengagements after the incident took place on May 5.

India needs 'whole-of-govt approach' to confront strategic uncertainties: Army Chief

The Army PRO, Colonel Aman Anand said that there is no continuing face-off at Pangong Two. There is no build up of armed troops in the area, he also said.

The Army in a statement said that incidents of face-off and aggressive behaviour occur on the LAC. Patrols disengage after local level interaction and dialogue. Temporary and short duration face-offs occur as the boundary is not resolved. Troops resolve such incidents mutually as per established protocols, the statement also read.

Tension has been building up for over two months now after the PLA objected to the movement of Indian patrols up to Finger 8. After the Chinese objected to Indian patrols, India responded by asserting its claim, which in turn led to tensions.

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Story first published: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 8:18 [IST]
ADQ, one of the regions largest holding companies with a diverse portfolio of major enterprises spanning key sectors of Abu Dhabis non-oil economy, has agreed to acquire a 50 percent stake in Al Dahra Holding Company, a multinational agribusiness leader that specialises in animal feed and essential food commodities.

The acquisition of the stake in the Abu Dhabi-based Al Dahra is subject to certain regulatory approvals. Upon closing, it will expand the scope of ADQs agri-food investments, which also includes Agthia, Al Foah Company and Silal.

Al Dahra specialises in the cultivation, production and trading of animal feed and essential food commodities and end-to-end supply chain management. With a workforce of 5,000 employees, Al Dahra has a presence in over 20 countries and caters to more than 45 commercial markets.

Mohammed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, said: Food and agri-business is of importance to ADQs strategy because it is high growth and important for Abu Dhabis socio-economic agenda. Since 1995 when Al Dahra was founded in the UAE, it has grown into a global food and animal feed company and is a pillar of Abu Dhabi and our countrys food security mandate. Al Dahra will complement our existing efforts to extend ADQs reach in food production and distribution. With our investment, Al Dahra will be well positioned to further expand its reach and footprint while enabling Abu Dhabi to reach its goals of continuing to diversify its food sources and growing into a regional food hub.

Khadim Al Darei, Vice-Chairman and Co-founder of Al Dahra Holding, said: We welcome ADQs investment in Al Dahra, and are excited about the growth prospects that this collaboration brings. Al Dahra is committed to expanding its global agriculture and agri-food processing footprint and strengthening our integrated supply chain to address the food security needs of the UAE. With ADQs wide scale operations and world-class resources, Al Dahra will benefit from a strong and reliable partner and will be better positioned to leverage the groups expertise to execute on the governments food security mandate, which become an even greater priority than ever before.

Al Dahra operates a landbank of 350,000 acres of irrigated land with direct access to various rivers such as the Danube, Colorado and Nile rivers, employing the latest irrigation technologies and modern farming machineries. Over the years, the company has made significant investments in logistics, ensuring a strong network of inland transportation and sea freight operations.

Al Dahra owns and operates 15 state-of-the-art forage processing and baling facilities globally, catering for the needs of the dairy and cattle industries. The company also cultivates different types of fresh produce, including a wide range of fruits and vegetables, as well as grains with infrastructure to facilitate grains trading. Al Dahra operates three rice mills with capacity to supply 500,000 tons annually in India, Pakistan and the UAE; one of these mills is located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Ports and part of ADQs portfolio. The company also owns shares in three flour mills in Greece and Bulgaria that have the capacity to supply 500,000 tons annually. Additionally, the company has an olive oil production plant in Morocco with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tons, and dairy farms in Serbia and the UAE with 20,000 cows and a production capacity of 80 million litres of milk annually.  TradeArabia News Service
Premier Mark McGowan said he has left Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan to call the Chinese consul-general to WA, Dong Zhihua, over Beijing's threats to kill off WA's billion dollar barley trade.

This is despite holding media conferences and appearing in videos posted online by the consul-general in shows of support for the Chinese city of Wuhan, and boasting WA's relationship with the regime was among to closest in the Western world.

Mr McGowan denied he was failing to support WA farmers or appearing subservient to China, saying they were victims of events "out of their control".

He told Parliament he asked Ms MacTiernan to "get in contact with the Chinese consul and also take up the case with the Commonwealth government on behalf of Western Australian farmers and industry".
On May 4, officials in the city of Usinsk, in Russia's northern Komi Republic, hung a Victory Day banner featuring a photo of a sturdy, chiseled soldier holding a reindeer on a lead with the inscription: "During the Great War, people and reindeer fought north of the Arctic Circle. We honor them, standing in silence. May they have eternal glory!"



It took locals only a few hours to point out that the soldier in the photograph was a Finn who participated in the campaign against the Red Army.

The incident was the latest in a spate of similar mishaps in recent years -- some of which featured German soldiers adorning paraphernalia displayed for Victory Day, Russia's ceremonies marking the anniversary of the Nazi defeat in World War II.

The Usinsk administration pledged to "strictly punish" those responsible and the local prosecutor's office warned municipal officials about "the unacceptability of violating the laws against extremism."



"What kind of punishment might there be," the head of the Usinsk municipal Department of Culture, Oksana Gavrilova, told RFE/RL. "We have a Labor Code and, I imagine, something will be done within that framework."

'Please, Don't Punish Him'



The soldier in the poster was quickly identified as Klemet Jouni Jeremias Halonen, who was born in 1910 in a village near Finland's border with Norway and who died in 1974. He was drafted in 1941 and served in the supply troops, using reindeer to transport ammunition and supplies to the front lines and to bring wounded soldiers back to the rear.



Halonen's son, Johannes Halonen, said his family and everyone he knows immediately recognized the uniform and the weapon shown in the Russian poster as Finnish.



"Probably some young bureaucrat was looking for an appropriate photograph on the Internet -- a soldier with a reindeer," Halonen said. "And he had no idea what Soviet or Finnish soldiers wore at the time. And these days not everyone can recognize a Suomi automatic rifle, although that is really quite easy. I hope that he won't be too harshly punished. I'm sure my father wouldn't want that. My whole family is worried about that person. Please, don't punish him."

Halonen added that his father most likely would not have been pleased to find his face on the Russian poster because of the complicated wartime history of Russia and the Soviet Union. In 1939, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin launched an attack against Finland in what became known as the Winter War.

Although the Soviet Union forced Finland to surrender and annexed a swath of Finnish territory in 1940, the Red Army had a very difficult time against its much smaller rival. The conflict is believed to have bolstered Adolf Hitler's conviction that the Soviet Union could be easily conquered.



After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Finnish forces reoccupied the territory it had lost after the Winter War and parts of Soviet Karelia in what Finns call the Continuation War. Most infamously, Finnish forces helped the Nazis carry out the siege of Leningrad by blocking the city from the north.

After the Continuation War was concluded by a separate peace agreement with the Soviet Union in the summer of 1944, Jouni Halonen served in the September-November 1944 Lapland War against Germany.



"After the war, many Finns feared some sort of retribution," Halonen told RFE/RL. "That is why they didn't want to talk about the war, even to their relatives. My father never really told me anything in particular about the war."



The photograph used in the poster was discovered in a Finnish archive in the early 2000s, Halonen said. His father never saw it.

Other Snafus



The Usinsk case follows several similar cases of historical snafus that seemed to undermine what observers say are efforts by President Vladimir Putin's government to develop a nationalistic cult of glorification of the Soviet war effort and of Russian military history more broadly.



Also this year, the Moscow Oblast city of Noginsk hung a poster that featured a medieval Russian fighter on the left and a World War II Red Army soldier on the right while, in the center, was a stern-faced officer of the army of French Emperor Napoleon.

In 2015, parents in Berezniki, in the Perm region some 1,600 kilometers northeast of Moscow, were shocked when their children brought home a Victory Day greeting card featuring a black-and-white 1943 photograph of a group of German soldiers moving a piece of military equipment.



The same year, a website posted a billboard in Moscow with the slogan "They Fought For The Motherland!" and a photograph of the Luftwaffe crew of a German bomber.

In 2006, officials in Moscow posted billboards to congratulate veterans on the occasion of Defender of the Fatherland Day that prominently featured a photograph of the American battleship U.S.S. Missouri. The same year, a newspaper in Kaliningrad printed a congratulatory message that featured an image of a German World War II-era Tiger tank.

'Military Censorship'



In fact, a Russian blogger in 2015 published a massive blog post with dozens of examples of historically (and grammatically) inaccurate Victory Day paraphernalia, including some with images of U.S. Marines raising the flag over Iwo Jima, images of German dive bombers, and some with U.S. Sherman tanks.



On social media, some commentators have offered various reasons for such startling lapses. Nationalist politician and Soviet Air Force veteran Viktor Alksnis blamed the education system, writing on Facebook that the creators of such posters are "victims of the Unified State Examination," a reference to the test that all Russian students must pass to complete high school.



St. Petersburg activist and journalist Daniil Kotsyubinsky wrote that Russian officials use non-Soviet images for the banal reason that they are better. Soviet war correspondents "were blocked in by military censorship at every turn," he posted on Facebook.



And the popular satirical Twitter account under the name Prof. Preobrazhensky offered another explanation, indicating that Putin's obsession with glorifying Russian history has produced a population who actually knows nothing real about it.



"All these German, American, and Finnish soldiers on our Victory Day posters have a simple explanation," he wrote. "An enormous number of people in this country know nothing about the war. Many years of glorification have made real knowledge and real memory of the war worthless."

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson based on reporting by Anna Yarovaya, a corresponded for the North Desk of RFE/RL's Russian Service
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Artax Biopharma, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on transforming autoimmune disease treatment, announces their expanded management team, being led by newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joseph Lobacki. Comprised of immunology industry leaders and scientists, the team represents deep expertise in drug discovery, development and collaborations from some of the world's most prestigious institutions.

Artax Biopharma is poised to enter clinical trials with the small molecule AX-158, a novel approach to treat multiple autoimmune diseases without causing the immune suppression commonly associated with current autoimmune disease therapies.

Joseph Lobacki assumes the helm of Artax Biopharma after more than three decades of leadership including research, development, and commercial experience in executive roles across large and small biopharmaceutical companies, including Sanofi Genzyme, Medivation, Verastem, and Micromet. The former CEO, Damia Tormo, will continue as a member of the Board of Directors and we thank Dr. Tormo for his years of work in founding and building Artax.

"We are thrilled to have such a strategic and experienced leader as Joseph Lobacki steering Artax from our new US headquarters at this seminal time," stated Artax Biopharma's Executive Chairman of the Board Alan Walts, Ph.D. "His deep experience will prove invaluable as Artax's first oral agent to treat autoimmune disease prepares to enter the clinic."

The Artax Biopharma management team includes Joseph Lobacki, CEO; Chris VanDeusen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer (CSO); Richard P. Polisson, M.D., MHSc, Chief Medical Officer (CMO); Karen LaRochelle, MBA, Chief Business Officer (CBO), and Andres Gagete, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, (COO).

"I am excited to lead these incredibly talented and experienced professionals in our Cambridge location as we fulfill the Artax mission to make our treatments available as quickly as possible to patients who suffer from autoimmune diseases. This team possesses the critical knowledge and experience to progress our novel immunomodulator into clinical development and to drive this important mission forward," added Mr. Lobacki.

Prior to Artax, Mr. Lobacki most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for Verastem, Inc.; Chief Operating Officer of Finch Therapeutics Group, and Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Council Member of Medivation, where he led a period of strong revenue growth for prostate cancer treatment Xtandi. Mr. Lobacki also held previous roles as Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Micromet, Inc., and Senior Vice President and General Manager at Genzyme Corporation. Mr. Lobacki served as a director of Celator Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Jazz Pharmaceuticals) and is currently on the Boards of Sutro Biopharma and Artax Biopharma.

As CSO, Dr. VanDeusen will lead Artax's scientific, research and translational areas. Dr. VanDeusen brings more than 15 years of biopharmaceutical experience and extensive expertise in drug discovery and development. He is also an inventor and key contributor to multiple preclinical development compounds. Previously, Dr. VanDeusen headed the chemistry division and was a global project team leader within Tissue Protection and Repair at Sanofi Genzyme.

Dr. Polisson, in his role as Artax's CMO, will direct the company's clinical development strategy. With 30 years of clinical and translational research experience, Dr. Polisson joins Artax from the Sanofi Genzyme Research and Development Center where he was Senior Vice President and Translational Medicine Head directing discovery and translational medicine efforts across multiple therapeutic areas. Previously, Dr. Polisson served as Associate Professor of Medicine, Arthritis Unit Clinical Director at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

As Chief Business Officer, Karen LaRochelle, MBA will lead all partner- and investor-related interactions. With more than 25 years of biopharmaceutical strategy and collaborations experience, her expertise in mergers & acquisitions includes a deep history transacting for biotech companies, with several transactions exceeding $1 billion. Prior to Artax, Ms. LaRochelle was Chief Business Officer of PsiOxus Therapeutics. Previously in her career, Ms. LaRochelle spent nearly 20 years with Bristol-Myers Squibb focused on strategy and transactions.

Dr. Gagete, as Artax's COO, is currently coordinating research & development and operations for Artax. Dr. Gagete has more than a decade of experience in the biotech and academic sectors and was previously the Innovation Director for Bioncotech Therapeutics.

About Immunomodulation

A healthy immune system eliminates harmful foreign pathogens, while being tolerant of self-tissues and organs. When the immune system malfunctions, cells (T Cells) attack self-tissues and organs, causing autoimmune disease. Current autoimmune disease therapies suppress the immune system, helping to minimize these self-attacks, but also raise susceptibility to harmful foreign pathogens. Immunomodulation, the process in which the immune system reduces self-attacks while properly reacting to fight foreign pathogens, holds great potential for autoimmune disease.

About Artax-158

AX-158 is a first-in-class, oral small molecule, preclinical immunomodulating agent in development for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. AX-158 employs a novel mechanism of action that selectively modulates, or adjusts, T cell responses that play a critical role in immune system function. By selectively inhibiting Nck, a protein, AX-158 selectively modulates self-directed T Cell activation which is a cause of autoimmune disease. Importantly, AX-158 is not immunosuppressive and does not impact the immune system's ability to mount a strong response to foreign pathogens and infections. Further, AX-158's ability to modulate T cell responses allows the possibility to broadly target several autoimmune diseases, therefore potentially transforming autoimmune disease treatment.

About Artax Biopharma

Artax Biopharma is a biotechnology company transforming autoimmune disease treatment. Artax is a life science industry leader in autoimmune disease immunomodulation science, developing an innovative small molecule approach to treat autoimmune disease that modulates the immune system to both treat autoimmune disease and allow the body to fight foreign pathogens. The company is examining a first-in-class oral immunomodulating agent as a new way to treat multiple autoimmune diseases without causing the immune suppression commonly associated with currently available autoimmune disease therapies. For more information, please visit www.artaxbiopharma.com.

SOURCE Artax Biopharma

Related Links

http://artaxbiopharma.com/


"Sarah's experience directly correlates to what the audience of Meetings Today is interested in, having written and edited for city magazines in St. Louis that have a similar writing style as travel-related publications," says Meetings Today Vice President and Chief Content Director Tyler Davidson. "In the short time Sarah has been a core member of our team, I've been very impressed by her ability to turn around quality content while on deadline, and her positive, mission-focused attitude as a team player."

Kloepple realizes her earlier experiences at other magazines, including both St. Louis Magazine and Feast Magazine, have prepared her with the skills necessary for her new position.

"I've experienced a lot of crossover with those skills, from interviewing to making my articles SEO-friendly to writing long features," says Kloepple. And she knows where the credit goes. "I owe my skills as a writer, editor and reporter to the Missouri School of Journalism, which gives each student real-world experience. I grew so much as a journalist  and a person  learning from those professors and my fellow J-schoolers."

Davidson says Kloepple will handle the National Departments sections of the print edition of Meetings Today, as well as write features and destinations sections and stories for MeetingsToday.com. She will also produce podcasts, video content and content marketing projects, in addition to representing Meetings Today at meetings industry functions and on familiarization trips.

"Sarah's past experience working on sister brands Buildings and interiors+sources makes her a very versatile asset to all three brands," Davidson says. "She will still contribute to those brands, along with other colleagues, giving the Stamats' B2B group a high degree of flexibility and ability to pivot quickly when a large project, issue or content marketing project requires it."

A native of St. Louis, Kloepple currently lives in Baltimore, where she enjoys walking her 2-year-old rescue pup Lulu. She also volunteers as a "dog deputy" at the Maryland SPCA, walking and hanging out with the dogs, and showing them to potential adopters.

Meetings Today is one of three media brands of Stamats, a leading marketing and research company providing a complete range of services, including websites, mobile, PPC, SEO/SEM, content marketing, email, magazines, video, research, traditional media, live events and audience data and marketing. Stamats focuses on distinct markets to gain unique category knowledge and experience that it brings to bear for the benefit of Stamats' clients. These markets are higher education, commercial building operation and management, commercial building interior design, professional meetings and events planning, and healthcare and consumer marketing. Stamats was founded in 1923 and maintains offices in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (headquarters), and Minneapolis.

Contact: Tyler Davidson

Meetings Today

615 5th Street SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Phone: 319-364-6167

[email protected]

SOURCE Meetings Today
With the Coronavirus lockdown and social distancing rules in effect, everyone is confined to their homes. Amid times like these, celebrities are taking extra efforts to stay in touch with their fans with Live sessions, online concerts, and more. People are also getting nostalgic and taking a trip back in time. It seems that actor Lara Dutta did just that when she took to her social media to share pictures from her Miss Universe 2000 victory.

Lara Dutta celebrates 20 years of Miss Universe victory

Lara Dutta was reliving her Miss Universe 2000 victory day on May 12 through a series of pictures that she shared from the pageant. She was the second Indian to win the title and bag the Miss Universe crown after Sushmita Sen. Through the pictures, Dutta is seen gracefully dressed in a white gown and is participating in the swim round in the next.

ALSO READ | Lara Dutta Starrer 'Hundred' Expected To Do Well, Trailer Receives Love From Fans

Sharing her snap of he stunning red evening gown and then finally wearing the prestigious crown and bagging a win. Lara Dutta wrote in the caption, "20 years to the day!! 12 th May 2000, Nicosia, Cyprus. What a wonderful gift to receive from the universe! One Im eternally grateful for . @missindiaorg @missdivaorg @timesofindia @missuniverse #MilleniumsMissUniverse". [sic]

Lata Dutta later entered Bollywood and made her debut with the 2003 film Andaaz alongside Akshay Kumar. The film also starred Priyanka Chopra who bagged the Miss World title in the year 2000. In addition to acting, Dutta also mentors aspiring models for international beauty pageants.

ALSO READ | 'Hundred' Review: Rinku Rajguru And Lara Dutta's On-screen Chemistry Is Worth Applauding

In an earlier interview, she was asked what keeps her going. Lara Dutta thinks that it is just hunger and curiosity. Adding that she never said that she was just a beauty queen or an actor, Dutta said that she does not want to limited to any one thing. She revealed that when one thing is done, she is always wondering about the next thing she can do and that keeps her going.

ALSO READ | Karan Wahi Shares BTS Pictures With Lara Dutta And Rinku Rajguru From 'Hundred'; See Pics

Lara Dutta was last seen in the web series titled Hundred. Released on April 25, the series is available to stream on Disney+Hotstar under its Hotstar Special label. Created by Ruchi Narain, the show was also directed by Ashutosh Shah and Taher Shabbir.

The series also stars Karan Wahi and Sairat fame Rinku Rajguru. Dutta is being lauded for her performance in the show. The show is expected to be back with another season next year.

ALSO READ | Lara Dutta Celebrates 'coolest Dude' L K Dutta's Birthday, Shares Throwback Pics

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
A great sigh of relief rose across the state Monday when Pennsylvania announced that public schools will likely open in the fall. The fact that so many Pennsylvanians are eager to get their kids out of the house and back to the classroom may work in the schools favor. Perennially underfunded, the state legislature may well look to cut public schools already stretched budgets. Parents who have been home schooling their children may finally realize that good teachers in good schools are worth their tax dollars. Lets hope that the precautions taken now will reduce the coronavirus to a point that its safe for kids to return.

Editorial cartoons from this week include:
There's no denying that technology is the sector of the future. Each useful invention can become an integral part of improving everyday life, if not the world. So countries around the globe strive to embrace the existing wonders of the tech industry and create some life-changing solutions of their own.

At the same time, becoming a technological powerhouse enhances a country's visibility and prospects. According to Global Finance, the United Arab Emirates was recently ranked 8th in the world tech race. Its score of 3.59 was based on four factors: internet, smartphone and LTE users, as well as the country's overall tech knowledge and ability to innovate.

It was only a few years ago that the UAE pushed for greater tech investment, and this news makes it all worthwhile. Here are three reasons why.

Popular Destination

A high status draws the interest of tourists, expats and locals alike. It's not just about the attraction of UAE-based technology, but also better employment for those with the right skills. As more and more people specialize in things like graphic design, cybersecurity and software engineering, this country is increasingly considered a great place to start a new life. Sharjah, for example, is among the UAE's technological hubs, where a one-bedroom apartment worth AED 28,000 can be quickly snatched up on property portal Bayut by someone wanting to make the most of the local tech industry - a fittingly tech-forward solution for a techie.

Improved Living

The Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park is the city's key technological feature that goes on to influence the whole country's progress. The center focuses on six research areas, including digitization, water technology and renewable energy. Together, they form a vast framework to benefit every aspect of modern life, from basic needs to advanced luxuries. The UAE already enjoys upgrades to healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing thanks to the Park's experts. This is a testament to how much of a difference a single dedicated institution can make - not to mention a career within its forward-thinking walls.

Encouraging Innovation

Alongside already established institutions, the UAE's sights are still on the horizon, looking for new ways to improve the country's standing and contributions to the world's technologies. GITEX Global is a great example of the efforts being made to encourage innovation. The annual event is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary from September 27 to October 1 in Dubai. Leading brands like Lenovo, Cisco, Kaspersky and Manage Engine are among the World Trade Center's 4,500+ exhibitors, offering exciting new ideas within smart technology, AI, cybersecurity and other sectors. However this event takes place, such occasions promote progress - but also discussions about the many positive ways in which technology can shape our future.

Technological power leads to a variety of additional developments. The UAE's popularity, growth and quality of life are aspects that see the most improvement, channeling perks into even more areas. This booming chain effect is why the country continues to open itself to new tech opportunities and welcome the intense yet groundbreaking global competition.
Europe's re-opening gathered pace Wednesday after weeks of coronavirus lockdown, while America's top infectious diseases official warned of uncontrollable new outbreaks if the process happens too quickly in the US.

Austria announced its border with Germany would be unlocked following a two-month shutdown and Britons were allowed unlimited outdoor exercise, despite a global death toll closing in on 300,000.

Curbs that have confined billions to their homes continued easing but the death toll spiked in some of the world's most populated countries, with Brazil, Russia and the US all reporting bad news.

It came as US government expert Anthony Fauci issued a stark warning to Congress about the dangers of resuming normal life too soon, saying a run of 14 days with falling cases was a vital first step.

Statues of the Monumento das Bandeiras wear face masks in Sao Paulo, Brazil. By NELSON ALMEIDA (AFP)

"If a community or a state or region doesn't go by those guidelines and reopens... the consequences could be really serious," he said Tuesday.

"There is a real risk that you will trigger an outbreak that you may not be able to control."

Fauci said the true number killed by the epidemic in the US is likely greater than the official toll of over 82,000 -- the world's highest.

On Tuesday the US registered 1,894 coronavirus deaths in 24 hours, a steep rise after daily tolls fell below 1,000 on Sunday and Monday.

Lebanese nurses show the heart gesture as they celebrate International Nurses Day at the Rafik Hariri hospital in Beirut. By JOSEPH EID (AFP)

Fauci's cautionary message stands at odds with rhetoric from President Donald Trump, who has pressed for rapid steps to rekindle the devastated US economy before a November election.

Trump has sought to shift focus onto the role played by China, where the virus first emerged in December.

Republican allies in the Senate on Tuesday proposed legislation that would empower the president to impose sanctions on Beijing if it does not give a "full accounting" for the outbreak.

"The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this pandemic," said Senator Jim Inhofe.

Nurses who work at central London hospitals protest with placards outside Downing Street in central London calling for improved conditions and pay for nursing staff. By Tolga AKMEN (AFP)

"Their outright deception of the origin and spread of the virus cost the world valuable time and lives as it began to spread."

In the House of Representatives meanwhile, Democrats unveiled a $3 trillion virus response package, the largest yet, to fund efforts to fight the pandemic and provide emergency payments to millions of American households.

'Scary'

The lifting of lockdowns across Europe has gathered pace this week, with France beginning to re-open primary schools and nurseries.

Couples wearing facemasks dance in a park next to the Yangtze River in Wuhan, in China. By Hector RETAMAL (AFP)

Teachers wore face masks and desks were separated as children filed back into classrooms.

Russia began easing lockdown rules even as infections surged past 232,000 -- now the second most cases in the world after the US.

The nation hit the landmark on Tuesday after a week of reporting more than 10,000 daily cases.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, has also tested positive for the virus.

Medical staff take a blood sample from a vendor at a market in Makassar, Indonesia. By Opu Sendang (AFP)

For those braving public transport in Moscow, masks and gloves were a must in line with new anti-virus rules.

"It's protection, I hope it will work," said 48-year-old Natalia Goronok, travelling on the metro.

"It is scary that cases are going up, but people do need to live."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $270 billion economic stimulus as the Asian giant's economy lumbers back to life after a prolonged shutdown.

Its giant railway network also restarted, despite a recent surge in infections.

The country of 1.3 billion imposed a strict lockdown in late March, which Modi's government has credited with keeping cases to a modest 70,000, with around 2,300 deaths.

A monk walks in front of a giant Buddha statue wearing a face mask at Wat Nithet Rat Pradit temple in Pathum Thani outside Bangkok. By Mladen ANTONOV (AFP)

Fears of a second wave remain across much of the Asian continent, with Chinese state media reporting that the city of Wuhan, where the virus was first detected, plans to conduct tests on the entire 11 million population.

The proposal comes after Wuhan saw the first cluster of new infections since the city re-opened on April 8 after a 76-day lockdown.

A city in the northeast of China partially shut its borders Wednesday and cut off transport links after the emergence of its own local cluster.

But there were stories of hope amid the gloom. A 113-year-old woman, believed to be the oldest person living in Spain, was reported to have beaten the coronavirus at a retirement home where several other residents died from the disease.

Maria Branyas became infected in April but fought off the illness during weeks of isolation in her room.

Her daughter said her mother was "in shape, wanting to talk, to explain, to reflect -- she has become herself again".

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BOCA RATON, Fla., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global cloud communications software and solutions provider IMImobile PLC, today announced it has partnered with American Senior Communities (ASC) to help support its strategic approach for effectively communicating COVID-19 information to resident families and employees for nearly 90 facilities across Indiana. The IMImobile solution enables ASC to calm concerns and fears of families distanced from loved ones residing in their nursing homes, while meeting the Indiana State Department of Health communication guidelines.

The program, which launched May 4th, allows families and employees to receive consistent updates and information about their local nursing home facility via SMS. As needed, detailed information is posted on a customized website and accessible through a link inserted in the text message. The solution reduces waiting times and prevents an increasing number of calls coming into the facilities. However, its power lies in the ability to quickly send relevant information to different user groups.

"IMImobile is helping us to close the communications gap created by the COVID-19 crisis. Their solution enables ASC to share updates about our nursing homes consistently and relevantly, supporting our commitment to providing compassionate, quality care to residents and their families. The team at IMImobile was able to implement the solution within days and has been a great partner in these uncertain times," states Mike Easley, CIO of American Senior Communities.

"In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have seen enterprises in need of new and creative ways to better serve their customers and communities and stay connected in ways that are relevant," states Bruce Bales, CEO of IMImobile, North America. "We are thrilled to be able to provide this type of solution for such critical care facilities that serve our communities such as ASC."

With more and more consumers wanting to be contacted through digital channels, enterprises must adapt their communications strategies to provide multi-channel digital solutions. This allows for the proactive, consistent, and relevant communication of updates and informationincreasing satisfaction and reducing costs.

For further information please contact:

IMImobile

Nicole Buckfield, Corporate Communications Manager

[email protected]

IMImobile, North America

Margie Kupfer, VP Marketing

[email protected]

About IMImobile PLC

IMImobile is a communications software provider whose solutions enable enterprises to automate digital customer communications and interactions to improve customer experience and reduce operating costs.

IMImobile's enterprise cloud communications software platform orchestrates customer interactions, connecting existing business systems with digital communications channels. Organizations that trust us to deliver smarter digital customer engagement include Best Buy, IHG, McKesson, Walgreens and more.

IMImobile is headquartered in London with offices Boca Raton, Dubai, Hyderabad, Johannesburg and Toronto, and has over 1,100 employees worldwide. IMImobile is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market with the TIDM code IMO.

About ASC

American Senior Communities (ASC) is a retirement living and senior health and memory care provider that operates nearly 90 centers throughout Indiana. It also operates a community in Louisville, Kentucky.

As the largest senior care provider in Indiana, ASC offers a wide variety of lifestyle and care options including: Independent Living and Wellness, Assisted Living, Rehabilitation, Alzheimer's and Memory Care, Long Term Care, Hospice and Home Health.

Compassion, Accountability, Relationships and Excellence are the core values for American Senior Communities. These words not only form an acronym for C.A.R.E., they are our guiding principles and create the framework for all of our relationships with customers, staff, family members and the community at large. It's our caring people that make the difference at American Senior Communities. For more information visit ASCCare.com

SOURCE IMImobile
An unusual cleanser that sticks to the face like glue claims to keep skin radiant and blemish-free by gently suctioning deeply ingrained dirt that damages cells and ages complexions over time.

The $45 'ummy Facial Cleanser from London line Oilixia is made from Kakadu plum, a plant native to the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia famed for healing and nourishing skin with its high concentration of vitamin C.

Inspired by the sticky texture of Australian eucalyptus or 'gum' trees, the paste clings to skin and draws out any makeup and daily grime that has penetrated from exhaust fumes, industrial pollution and debris carried in the air.

Once applied, the gel becomes thick and tacky which allows you to grip skin and deeply massage it with your fingertips for 10 to 20 seconds, stimulating circulation to leave your face brighter and plumper while reducing the appearance of fine lines.

It transforms into a light, silky milk when mixed with water, and rinses off easily without using a cloth - a welcome change from the typical hassle of washing face towels after every cleanse.

Scroll down for video

London skincare blogger 'Little Miss Plumful' flaunts her radiant complexion after using Oilixia's Kakadu Plum Gummy Cleanser

A promotional shot shows the stiff, tacky texture of Oilixia's Gummy Cleanser once it's been applied to the face

The sticky texture is created by a blend of three ingredients  xanthan gum, glycerine and cocamidopropyl betaine  all individually used as a base for creams and cleansers, but rarely combined together as Oilixia has done.

The brand built the cleanser around Kakadu Plum, which has been used for centuries by Indigenous Australians who have long understood its medicinal benefits.

Kakadu plum is packed with vitamin C, with a concentration of over 3,000mg per 100g of fruit  that's 50 percent higher than oranges.

Oilixia's Kakadu Plum Gummy Cleanser, which promises to draw dirt, grime and makeup out of skin

Vitamin C is widely used in cosmetics because it stimulates the production of collagen, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and slows the onset of wrinkles, making skin look younger.

The cleanser is laced with phenolic acid, a natural exfoliant that gently buffs dead surface cells to reveal brighter, more evenly textured skin.

It also contains macadamia oil, a nourishing nut extract that deeply moisturises, softens and regenerates dead cells to restore radiance to dull, jaded skin.

Ingredients like gallic acid repair cell damage and reduce the appearance of sunspots and under-eye circles which instantly make the face appear older.

Why Kakadu plum is becoming skincare's secret weapon The Kakadu plum is a native Australian plant that grows in the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. A model after cleansing her face with the Kakadu Plum Gummy Cleanser Used for centuries by Indigenous Australians who have long understood its medicinal benefis, Kakadu plum is packed with vitamin C, with a concentration of over 3,000mg per 100g of fruit  that's 50 percent higher than oranges. Vitamin C is a popular addition to skincare products because it stimulates the production of collagen, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and slows the onset of wrinkles to make skin look younger. Vitamin C also reduces the severity of acne scars and hyperpigmentation, which increases naturally with age. Kakadu plums are also rich in antibacterial and antifungal properties, primarily gallic acid which restores skin's natural barrier, rebuilds elasticity and promotes plumpness for an all round healthier and brighter complexion. Kakadu plum is particularly useful for acne prone skin because it kills bacteria and soothes inflammation, which causes spots to swell and spread to other areas of the face. It also reduces redness and irritation, meaning its suitable for people with dry skin or conditions like eczema. Source: Edible Beauty Australia Advertisement

The cleanser is available online and comes with 22 five-star reviews, including one woman who described it as 'a mini facial every time you cleanse your face'.

She said it feels as though the gel warms your skin and gently opens pores, allowing grime to seep out.

Others said it spreads easily over the face and washes off easily with warm water, without using a cloth, leaving skin smooth, soft and clean in a matter of seconds.

One customer loved the plum fragrance so much, she was tempted to taste it.

'I had to be careful not to eat this, absolutely fantastic scent,' she said in her review.

'It's so effective at really taking off dirt and grime. Massage into skin, and it turns creamy when it mixes with water. Pleasure to use.'
Washington DC is extending its stay-at-home order until June 8, as the mayor said coronavirus deaths and cases aren't declining enough for the seat of the US government to reopen.

Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Wednesday the District of Columbia will stay in lockdown until it meets all the required benchmarks to reopen as she echoed warnings from health experts that relaxing restrictions too soon could have 'tragic results'.

'We're not there yet and not quite ready to begin that phased new opening,' Bowser said at a press briefing.

'We will continue to follow the advice of our health officials. Rushing to reopen could have tragic results.'

Mayor Muriel Bowser (pictured) announced Wednesday the District of Columbia will stay in lockdown until it meets all the required benchmarks to reopen as she echoed warnings from health experts that relaxing restrictions too soon could have 'tragic results'

Medical experts recommend states and regions do not reopen until they have recorded a 14-day decline in new coronavirus cases.

Bowser said DC has so far only recorded a four-day decline.

As of Wednesday, it has reported 6,584 confirmed cases and 350 people have been killed by coronavirus.

Other criteria for reopening have been met, however, including the required capacity for testing, Bowser said.

Washington is also hiring contact tracers and has plans to hire 200 more, she added.

The mayor said it was possible that if a 14-day decline in cases was recorded and the city was able to maintain a low transmission rate, its stay-at-home order could be relaxed sooner.

The stay-at-home order was originally scheduled to end Friday.

News that lockdown will continue will no doubt be unwelcome news to the city's most famous resident, President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly urged the US to reopen for business as soon as possible.

Most states across the US have started relaxing stay-at-home orders

WASHINGTON DC'S STAY-AT-HOME ORDER: Residents must continue to stay at home apart from: To get medical care, food and essential household goods

To carry out or access essential governmental functions that cannot be done remotely

For work at essential businesses

For essential travel only

For outdoor exercise with household members only including walking, hiking, running, dog-walking, biking Advertisement

However, when asked by reporters if there had been pressure from the president to reopen the nation's capital, Bowser said there had not been.

Washington DC's lockdown extension comes as neighboring states Maryland and Virginia have already moved to reopen some businesses, while the suburbs immediately surrounding Washington remain largely closed.

Many federal government workers live in Maryland and Virginia and commute into DC.

Bowser said government workers are being encouraged to continue to work from home where possible.

'We know that government is essential and the work of the government is essential, especially our lawmakers. What I have encouraged the federal government to do is to keep as many people on telework as possible,' Bowser said.

Senators returned to Washington earlier this month after six weeks at home.

The congressional physician advised lawmakers to wear masks, stay six feet apart and limit the number of staff on Capitol Hill in efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

The House of Representatives, which has been mostly shuttered since March, will also return on Friday to vote on a coronavirus relief package.

Most states have started easing their stay-at-home orders despite rising COVID-19 cases and deaths and repeated warnings from medical experts that there could be renewed spikes in figures if they reopen for business too soon.

A sign on the National Mall in front of the White House reads 'Social distancing in effect. Please do not congregate'

Dr Anthony Fauci warned Congress Tuesday that a premature lifting of lockdowns could lead to additional outbreaks of the deadly virus.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a Senate panel the virus epidemic is not yet under control in areas of the nation and urged states to follow advice of witnessing a declining number of new infections before reopening.

'I think we're going in the right direction, but the right direction does not mean we have by any means total control of this outbreak,' Fauci said.

A revised forecast model relied on by the White House is now projecting 147,000 Americans could die in the pandemic by August - an increase of 10,000 on projections from just two days ago - due to the easing of social distancing measures across much of the US.

The latest forecast from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation reflects changes in testing and mobility and social distancing measures being lifted.

The institute's director, Dr Christopher Murray, warned on Tuesday the US is 'speeding towards relaxing social distancing' and leaving the country on an 'unfortunate trajectory' as states ease stay-at-home orders too soon.

'When we started off making projections, we had assumed that all the states were going to sort of follow the New Zealand model, which is to keep social distancing in place until transmission gets to a very low level,' Murray told CNN.

'We're not doing that. We're speeding towards relaxing social distancing. People are getting the message, they're getting out.'

'And I think we'll see the numbers go up unless we see the benefits of people being cautious, wearing masks  and capacities to test, contact trace and isolate go up faster than we think they may.'
Lets say you go onto Grubhub, see that theres a new franchise in town called The Captains Boil, and order a shrimp basket for delivery. Score! But heres what you dont see: The Captains Boil may not have a restaurant in your town. Your lunch was actually made inside a Ruby Tuesday.

This is magic of Franklin Junction, which bills itself as a mixture of Airbnb and Match.com  but for restaurants. The platform finds kitchens with extra capacity and matches them with brands that want to expand into new locations. It was conceived of by Aziz Hashim, founder and managing partner of NRD Capital, which owns more than 700 franchise units in North America. He launched it in January, and originally intended it for his own stores (including The Captains Boil and Ruby Tuesday). But once COVID-19 damaged the restaurant industry, he opened the platform up to any brand, and is now working with Nathan's Famous and exploring other partnerships.

Its a business, but also a bit of a public service, Hashim says. And it might be a peek into the future of franchising  where a brand doesn't necessarily need to open restaurants to thrive. He explains.

RELATED: The Top Food Franchises of 2019

Franklin Junction launched in 2020, but its been in development for two years. Why did you originally create it?

The world has too many restaurants and not enough people. We have seen the rise of delivery, and the rise of other forms of food service, like food courts in Whole Foods, and more and more restaurants keep coming online. Yet the demand for restaurants stays constant, or even goes down. So if you look at net sales over the last few years, you don't see that there's a lot of growth.

How is Franklin Junction a solution?

Restaurants are very expensive to build. If you spent the money, and you don't have as much volume as you would like, the natural tendency is to ask, How can I raise my sales? One way to do it is through discounting, but this is ridiculous. All your expenses have gone up  labor, insurance, rent. But you can't raise your prices. Then we have product innovation. Can you come up with new products that people would want to buy? These strategies have been tried and tried, and they're difficult.

The industry was under capacity by 15 to 20 percent before COVID-19. If you know anything about the retail business, it's all at the margin. If you fill up that last 15 or 20 percent, you make a lot of money. All your fixed costs are covered already. So, can I sell food for other people? The difference between innovating your own food and other people's food is: You get the benefit of the other person's branding!

Can you give me a case study?

There's a brand in Canada called the The Captains Boil, the leading seafood brand in Canada. They didn't exist here in America. We introduced The Captains Boil into our Ruby Tuesday sites two months ago, and now were in 100 units. That expansion would have taken a decade, maybe two decades before. Everyone's making profit, so everyone can contribute a little bit towards branding and marketing.

That all makes sense, but its a big change to how restaurants operate. Whats been the response  do you think restaurateurs are more open to this change because of COVID-19?

Significantly. During this time, with dine-in basically closed, a lot of restaurants have been down 50, 60, 70 percent. The need for sales is tremendous. It's urgent. People need revenue, and they need it today. We're getting flooded with inquiries. We just can't keep up. And we're also getting a lot of inquiries from non-restaurants  a store or a hotel.

A minute ago, you said there were too many restaurants. Franklin Junction isnt exactly a solution to that. In fact, it could create more restaurant brands. Square that for me.

The solution relies on more consumer variety. It's not that America or the world doesn't need new kinds of food. We just don't need to build new restaurants. That's where I'm coming from.

So demand remains static, but now a physical restaurant can get a larger share of that demand  because its offering more options?

Exactly. We like to try new stuff, but in the past, in order for you and me to try new stuff, some poor entrepreneur had to spend $2 million to build a restaurant. Then, if you and I decide we don't like that food, that guy is out of business and he's lost his life savings.

In this case, you've got a new food genre. You bring it to Franklin Junction, we'll try it out for you in 10 or 20 locations. Let's see if there's public desire for this. If there is, wouldn't you feel better about opening a restaurant? A contract with Franklin Junction doesn't preclude you from opening a standard brick-and-mortar. This is a way to actually solve multitudes of problems.

The first thing people tell you is the old adage Youve got to spend money to make money. We're going to spend no money, and we're going to make money. We've got extra kitchen capacity. Let's go sell some other people's stuff, you know?

Related:

How One Franchise Company President Makes Better, Faster Decisions During Uncertain Times

The 5 Top-Ranked Restoration Franchises You Can Start

How to Save Restaurants? Meet "the Airbnb and Match.com of Food"



Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Tuesday a 30 days extension of the alert state declared on March 13 in the latest measure to curb the spread of coronavirus disease in the Caribbean country.

Maduro said Venezuelans will endure another month of a nationwide lockdown declaring the measure as necessary to protect the nation.

The President reported a new COVID-19 case, bringing to 423 the total number of reported cases of the novel coronavirus in Venezuela so far.

Officials say ten people have died since the first coronavirus cases were discovered in mid-March.

A political and social crisis grips the Caribbean nation of an estimated 25 million residents. Most residents don't have access to running water and regular electrical services.

Gasoline shortages have hit the capital of Caracas, despite Venezuela having the largest petroleum reserves.

Health workers warn that Venezuela's broken hospitals could easily be overwhelmed by the virus' spread.
SUNO VIRTUAL GRADUATION: Southern University at New Orleans is planning a traditional in-person graduation ceremony for its 2020 spring graduates in mid-December. In the meantime, a virtual graduation celebration will be held May 16. Full Measure Education is hosting the virtual platform, which is designed to create a memorable celebration while also providing an opportunity for family, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to offer their congratulations. Content will include a video from the SUNO community, and social media filters that will allow graduates to virtually wear a graduation cap. For information about viewing the event, visit www.suno.edu.

UNO: The University of New Orleans Research and Technology Foundation has selected Rebecca Conwell as its new president and CEO. Conwell, who previously led the New Orleans Recreation Development Foundation, assumed the role May 1. She previously led economic development for the city of New Orleans the last three years of Mayor Mitch Landrieus administration.The UNO Research and Technology Foundation supports the university's research, scholarship, commercialization activities, and management and development of the 800,000 square-foot UNO Research and Technology Park. The 30-acre park, next to the UNO campus, is home to the U.S. Navy, Hancock Whitney Bank, Eurofins Scientific and other leading businesses and organizations.

CAREER CHANGE SCHOLARSHIPS: LSU Online & Continuing Education offers a Career Change Scholarship for individuals looking to move into fields such as technology, web design, project management and more. Individuals can receive more than $1,000 toward specific noncredit online certificates and microcredential, or MicroCred, programs. To apply for the scholarship, visit online.lsu.edu/careerchange. Professional development MicroCred topics include:

Business Project Management

Business Project Management with Agile

DevOps: Cloud Platform

DevOps: Collaboration and ChatOps

DevOps: Container Integration

DevOps: Continuous and Automated Testing

DevOps: Continuous Deployment

DevOps: Object-Oriented Programming

DevOps: Release Orchestration

Learning Experience Design

Management & Leadership Series.

UNO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT: In the fall 2020 semester, the University of New Orleans will begin the states first bachelors degree program in urban construction management. The program will focus on urban residential and commercial development, coupled with rehabilitation and restoration of existing infrastructure and historic preservation. For information or to apply, visit www.uno.edu/academics/coe/civil/undergraduate/urban-construction.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

NUNEZ COMMUNITY COLLEGE: A number of online workforce training programs are being offered through Nunez Community College. The offerings include:

Cybersafety for teenagers: The 90-minute CareerSafe online cybersafety awareness course provides high school students with information for staying safe in the digital world. Topics include cyberbullying, sexting and the consequences of school threats. The cost is $10. To register for SKLL 1400, visit https://registration.xenegrade.com/nunez/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=808.

The 90-minute CareerSafe online cybersafety awareness course provides high school students with information for staying safe in the digital world. Topics include cyberbullying, sexting and the consequences of school threats. The cost is $10. To register for SKLL 1400, visit https://registration.xenegrade.com/nunez/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=808. Hazardous materials disaster training: A free eight-hour hazardous materials awareness course from Project SEAMIST (South East Area Maritime Industry Safety Training) will be presented from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 7-8. The course involves lectures, case studies and interactive tabletop scenarios emphasizing awareness of potentially hazardous materials that are handled, transported or loaded and unloaded in a maritime setting. To register for HAZT1010, visit https://registration.xenegrade.com/nunez/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=815.

A free eight-hour hazardous materials awareness course from Project SEAMIST (South East Area Maritime Industry Safety Training) will be presented from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, May 7-8. The course involves lectures, case studies and interactive tabletop scenarios emphasizing awareness of potentially hazardous materials that are handled, transported or loaded and unloaded in a maritime setting. To register for HAZT1010, visit https://registration.xenegrade.com/nunez/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=815. OSHA workplace safety training: A 10-hour program of workplace safety training is being offered for $30, with enrollment available at any time. Successful completion will earn the student an industry-recognized OSHA-10 card. Topics include safety tips and procedures that could be applied to any industry. To enroll in OSHA1100 at any time, visit https://registration.xenegrade.com/nunez/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=804.

DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONTINUING EDUCATION: Affordable online courses for people seeking professional development or personal enrichment are available at Delgado Community College. Subjects include speed Spanish, grant writing, project management and interior design, with multiple start times throughout the year. For information or to register, visit www.dcc.edu/workforce-development/continuing-education, call (504) 671-6474 or email noncredit@dcc.edu.

NUNEZ COMMUNITY COLLEGE REGISTRATION: Registration is open for the summer 2020 semester at Nunez Community College. Classes will be offered online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will begin June 1. To register, visit www.nunez.edu. Financial aid is available. For information, email admissions@nunez.edu or call (504) 278-6467.

DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE REGISTRATION: Registration is open through June 2 for Summer Term A at Delgado Community College, with four weeks of online coursework June 3-30. Registration will be open from June 16 through July 1 for Summer Term B, which will run July 1-29. For more information, including schedule and course offerings, visit www.dcc.edu/student-services/advising/minimesters.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday indefinitely suspended a former Northeast Ohio attorney who served 18 months in federal prison for his role in a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of a combined $17 million.

Mark George must complete his supervised release, take a three-hour legal course on handling client accounts and pay $51,000 to a fund for victims of dishonest lawyers before he can apply to have his law license reinstated.

He is one of the people to plead guilty to federal charges in 2016 in the scheme that centered around the Akron-based company KGTA Petroleum Ltd.

The companys founders and namesakes -- Kenneth Grant and Thomas Abdallah -- said they could buy crude oil and refined fuel products at deeply discounted prices and resell the products to buyers in the petroleum industry for a substantial profit, according to court records. The men, with the help of two brokers, used promises of 5-percent monthly returns to convince dozens of people to invest more than $20 million, prosecutors said.

Grant and Abdallah did not use the money to buy petroleum but instead purchased a Mercedes Benz, a boat and made payments on a high-end home. They also made more than $200,000 in cash withdrawals, according to court records.

George, who had previously represented one of the men in a legal matter, took $2,500 a month from the company to pass some of the investments through his attorney escrow account to make the payments look legitimate to investors, court records said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit in 2014, and the U.S. Attorneys Office in Cleveland filed charges in 2015. Grant and Abdallah were each sentenced to more than six years in prison.

George pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and received a to 21-month prison sentence. He served about 16 months behind bars, spent a year in a halfway house. He moved to home confinement in May 2019.

The judge ordered him and the other five defendants to pay back more than $17 million in restitution jointly. The judge also ordered him to repay more than $140,000 to account for his earnings from his role in the scheme, records say.

The courts Board of Professional Conduct determined that George was not a key player in the company and did no legal work for them. He testified at a hearing in September 2019 that he did not initially know KGTA was illegitimate, but eventually witnessed impropriety and left. He then said he returned to the company every month after being assured his concerns were addressed. He also upped his monthly fee from $2,500 to $4,000, according to the court.

The board noted that George, now 63, showed profound regret during the disciplinary hearing, and offered no excuses for his behavior.

I dont know if I should be allowed to practice law again because so many people got hurt, George said during the hearing, according to court records.

The court chose not to permanently disbar George, citing his genuine remorse, his relatively minor role in the fraud and several letters of support filed on Georges behalf, including from former U.S. Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar, former Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court Judge Jeff Hastings and Independence City Council Member James P. Trakas that detailed Georges Orthodox Christian faith and his familys prominence in Northeast Ohios Lebanese community.

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The Doctor starring Juliet Stevenson has postponed its West End run until 2021.

While Stevenson will still lead the five-star production of Robert Icke's version of Arthur Schnitzler play, which transfers from the Almeida Theatre, further casting is to be confirmed for next year's run.

Specific dates for the piece are to be announced, though the show will open in the spring of next year.

Stevenson said: "Very occasionally in a career, maybe once a decade if you're lucky, you get the chance to perform in a play that speaks so powerfully to its time that it captures everyone's hearts and minds. The Doctor did that last year at the Almeida, and was set to do it again in the West End when Covid-19 brought it crashing to a halt  along with almost everything else.

"Whilst accepting the inevitable, I was pretty gutted  and am missing the production, the wonderful company, the character, and above all the experience of taking the play out there nightly to new and hungry audiences.

"So I am thrilled that we will be back next Spring, and that audiences emerging from their seclusion will have the chance to see it. Rob has written what I think is a great play, in every sense  and as a director he has shaped a piece of theatrical magic. It couldn't be more pertinent in its exploration of the ethical decisions doctors currently face on the front line today, and of much else besides - of things far beyond the realm of the merely newsworthy.

"We will get through this strange and isolating chapter  and then theatre will play a key role in bringing people back together, to share our stories and to celebrate our capacity to roll with the punches and get back up.

"When the lights come back on in London's West End, and in theatres across the UK, I'm hoping that audiences will join us. What a joy it will be to be back on stage and riding The Doctor rollercoaster every night, in dialogue with audiences who'll have so much to bring to it as soon as it's safe to do so."

The production has designs by Hildegard Bechtler, lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound and composition by Tom Gibbons and casting by Julia Horan.

Points of sale will issue full credit vouchers and accept any refund requests for any previous ticket bookings for The Doctor.


Hu Wenming Photo: csic.com.cn

Hu Wenming, former chairman of China's shipbuilding conglomerate and former chief commander of China's aircraft carrier program, is being investigated for suspected serious violations of discipline and law, China's top anti-graft agency said Tuesday.

Chinese military observers said on Wednesday Hu's case will unlikely impact China's naval development programs despite his significant role in the arms industry.

Hu, former Party chief and chairman of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), is being investigated by the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, according to a statement the commission released on its website on Tuesday.

Born in 1957, Hu had worked in several major Chinese state-owned arms companies including military aircraft developer and manufacturer Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), armored vehicle and munition developer China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO), and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and eventually CSIC, according to the People's Daily.

As the chief commander of China's aircraft carrier program, Hu oversaw the development of China's first domestically developed aircraft carrier and also the country's second one, later known as the Shandong, when it was commissioned into the Chinese Navy in December 2019.

On August 30, 2019, Hu, then aged 62, retired from his position as CSIC's Party chief and chairman, the company announced then on its website..

CISC, now merged with the CSSC, was responsible for the research, design, production, testing and support missions for naval weaponry and equipment including aircraft carriers, conventional and nuclear powered submarines, surface vessels and underwater weapons, according to publicly available information.

CSSC is currently building naval ships like the Type 055 large destroyers and Type 075 amphibious assault ships for the Chinese Navy. Reports also suggested it is responsible for China's third aircraft carrier development.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Wednesday that Hu's case will not have any major impact on China's military programs.

Each military project would involve many units, and the group company, namely the CSIC, is only responsible for the overall and comprehensive strategy, for which a collective decision-making mechanism is applied, Song said.

Echoing Song, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Wednesday that although Hu was the chief commander of the Chinese aircraft carrier project, the aircraft carrier is a complicated and high-tech project, and it requires the collective efforts of the whole team instead of one man, so China will continue to push forward its aircraft carrier projects as it has very mature, talented scientists and engineers.

Hu is the former head of the CSIC, so he is not in charge of China's major naval projects anymore and the investigation into Hu won't have any impact upon current major industrial defense projects, the anonymous expert noted.

"A great nation's national defense won't be shaken by a few problematic officials," he said.

Hu's probe came after Sun Bo, former general manager of the CSIC, was probed by the CCDI in 2018.

Sun was eventually sentenced to a 12-year jail term for corruption and abuse of power on July 4, 2019, according to the people.cn, website of the People's Daily.

Song said while no major impact is expected due to certain individual cases, they have sounded an alarm on China's arms industry, because so many important projects could be involved.

"Anti-corruption must always be at the forefront," Song said.
A scanning electron microscope image shows the new coronavirus, in yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, shown in blue and pink, cultured in the lab. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-Rocky Mountain laboratories)

When filmmaker Mikki Willis uploaded a 26-minute video called "Plandemic" to the internet on May 4, he knew it was likely to cause a stir.

But Willis didn't bank on becoming the poster boy for coronavirus disinformation. In reality, he was just a dad in Ojai making low-budget movies out of his house.

The closest he'd ever come to viral fame was when he posted a video in 2015 to his YouTube channel about how he'd bought his young son a "Little Mermaid" doll at the toy store  a moment of open-minded, non-gender-conforming parenting that earned him more than 4 million views and a laudatory spot on the local news.

Founder and CEO of Elevate Mikki Willis attends the UFO documentary "Sirius" premiere at the Regal 14 at LA Live Downtown on April 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic)

If you haven't seen "Plandemic"  the now-viral video whose wild coronavirus claims have been widely and exhaustively debunked  picture the sort of ominous conspiracy-theory video that would pop up on your paranoid uncle's Facebook feed or in the darkest recesses of Reddit, then stir in the worst global health crisis in a century.

Slickly produced and shot through with brooding music and black-and-white shots of people walking in slow-motion, "Plandemic" centers on Willis' interview with a former molecular biologist named Judy Mikovits, who alleges that a shadowy cabal of scientists and business interests, including the likes of Bill Gates and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, is leveraging the coronavirus crisis to boost their own power and profits.

Presented uncritically as a courageous whistleblower, Mikovits lobs a string of false, unsubstantiated claims, including that the virus was developed in laboratories in China and the U.S., that health officials are deliberately inflating COVID-19 statistics and, most dangerously, that wearing a mask could increase one's chances of getting sick from your own reactivated coronavirus expression."

"Plandemic," which was billed as the first installment in a larger documentary to be released this summer, quickly racked up more than 8 million views.

Story continues

On May 6, in an effort to tamp down the spread of COVID-19 misinformation, YouTube and Facebook pulled down Willis' video. Suggesting that wearing a mask can make you sick could lead to imminent harm so weve removed the video," a Facebook representative said.

"Plandemic" was lambasted as the latest manifestation of a toxic internet fever swamp that breeds irrational fantasies and rampant pseudoscience. But community spread had already set in.

In recent days, "Plandemic" has continued to circulate among a receptive group of vaccine skeptics, right-wing media and conspiracy theorists of every stripe, signal-boosting nefarious narratives about the pandemic among pro-Trump lockdown opponents and anti-Chinese-government outlets like the Epoch Times.

"We made the video to go viral," Willis said over FaceTime earlier this week from his home in the Ojai Valley, where he lives with his wife and business partner, Nadia Salamanca, and their two sons. "We knew the branding was conspiratorial and shocking. Unfortunately, in this age, you kind of have to be that to get peoples attention. But that it would go viral to this degree, I don't think anyone could project."

Since the video's release, Mikovits' claims have been debunked and her checkered history in the scientific community has been widely reported (a newsmaking study of hers was retracted after key findings could not be replicated, and she was fired from her job as the research director of the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease shortly thereafter, though WPI said the firing was unrelated to the retraction). Willis himself has faced a barrage of intense criticism. But speaking to The Times, the 52-year-old filmmaker sounded unbowed.

"I have been out front enough and public enough to know that when you say anything controversial, especially on any of these hot-button subjects, you have to be willing to take the heat," he said. "And of course theres been tons of it. I've just been navigating all of that."

Following the release of the film and the controversy that ensued, Willis says he has been in contact with numerous doctors, some strongly disputing Mikovits' views and others lending them credence. He plans to release a response video to present a fuller picture of Mikovits and the science she presents.

"Were working very hard right now to validate the majority of the claims that were made," he said. "Instead of just defending all of the haters that are out there, I think its just better to reach back out with some valid information.... Because of the delicacy and importance of the situation, I really wanted to talk with doctors on all sides first -- not just the doctors that Judy recommends, but Im going to seek out the ones who disagree and get them on the phone and find out why."

Despite what many assume, Willis insists he is not a member of "the anti-vaccine crowd"  a group that over the years has included a number of prominent Hollywood celebrities. "I have a profound love and respect of doctors despite how many doctors are mad at me now," he said.

Though many have speculated about the forces behind "Plandemic," Willis says he paid for the film himself and was motivated by his own worries about vaccine safety and what he sees as the corruption of the pharmaceutical industry, concerns he traces back to the deaths of his brother from AIDS and his mother from cancer when he was in his 20s, which he believes were hastened by harmful medical treatments.

Willis says he met Mikovits, who has a high profile in the anti-vaccine movement, a year ago through mutual friends and was impressed by her. When news surrounding the pandemic began to grow increasingly alarming, he felt "there were just so many things that didnt add up." He reached out to Mikovits to get her scientific opinion and ended up asking her if she would do a sit-down interview. (Mikovits did not respond to a request for comment for this story.)

"There was zero funding," Willis said. "I paid for a camera operator, and I paid for a researcher to find some of the videos that validated her story. And I just put it together myself." The total cost of the film, he says, came to less than $2,000. Willis polled his Facebook followers on what the title should be. (The runners-up were "The Invisible Enemy" and "The Oath.")

After speaking with Mikovits, Willis says he ran some of her views past other medical experts. "I did do my best to reach out to people to say, 'Shes making some claims here, and can you validate this?' " he said. "And the ones that they couldn't validate, or at least were left with 'that could be true, but science hasnt proven it yet,' I left it in. Because I figured, perhaps this starts the conversation that does actually get to the bottom of this point."

Willis' path to internet notoriety has been an unlikely one. A former model and actor, he says his life was changed by 9/11, when he helped first responders in downtown New York.

"I had a profound experience on the rubble of the World Trade Center that led me to leave my traditional work in Hollywood and to do the best I could to film events and people and ideas that make the world a better place," he said.

Inspired to remake his career, he founded the production company Elevate Films with Salamanca, specializing in projects with an uplifting New Age bent.

Willis' own filmography has been all over the map. He made his feature debut in 2000 with the low-budget indie comedy "Shoe Shine Boys," which the L.A. Times praised as "an acid comment on the all-American hunger for fame." He said he worked as a videographer in support of Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign and performed a similar role last year for Tulsi Gabbard. He has worked on yoga and meditation videos and, according to IMDB, co-directed a concert movie for DJ Steve Aoki.

The website of Elevate Films showcases a documentary about the healing power of psychedelics, a commercial for the Nevada Board of Tourism and a PSA about composting featuring Rosario Dawson, as well as a trailer for a yet-to-be-released crowdfunded documentary about a man who found a supposedly cursed bone in an ancient Maya burial chamber and was diagnosed months later with bone cancer.

Some of Willis' own claims are difficult to corroborate. In 2006, he and Salamanca co-founded the nonprofit Elevate Foundation to help boost filmmakers making a positive impact on the world, and under its auspices the two mounted a series of film festivals.

On publicly available financial documents, the foundation listed among its unpaid board of directors spiritual leader Michael Beckwith, who heads the nondenominational Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, and prominent yoga teacher and author Shiva Rea.

But reached by The Times, Rea said that while she considers Willis and Salamanca friends and served as an emcee at the 2008 Elevate Film Festival, she was unaware her name had been used in connection with their foundation. Asked about "Plandemic," she said she heard about the film on social media and found it "very disturbing."

Beckwith, with whom Willis made the 2009 self-help DVD "Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential," did not respond to a request for comment. Willis says he and Salamanca are in the process of closing down the Elevate Foundation.

"We barely raised any money through it, yet every year we had to deal with all the taxes and scrutiny that comes with having a 501(c)(3)," he said.

In the wake of the release of "Plandemic," Willis says he was contacted by  and rebuffed  an independent producer who has made projects with HBO, Netflix and Amazon about a potential deal to try to release the project on one of those platforms. ("It was a good friend's brother.") Individuals familiar with the acquisition pipeline at HBO and Amazon said that the companies had not expressed interest in the film.

At this point, Willis says he is unsure if he will follow through with a full-length "Plandemic" documentary. "Im open to the possibility that we just release information as it comes," he said.

To many, Willis is the internet's latest villain; to those intrigued by Mikovits' false claims, he may come across as a fearless truth-teller. But as he sees it, he is simply offering a necessary alternative to what he calls "the mainstream narrative." "Even though people are making up crazy things about me online, thankfully I have a lot of people whove known me for years who are doing their best to defend those claims," he said.

Willis says he and Salamanca have had their share of struggles, including losing their home in the 2017 Thomas fire. But despite any possible interest in monetizing what he has tapped into with "Plandemic," he insists that he won't make a dime off the film.

"To date, everything has been out of my pocket," he said. "I will reach a point -- and its coming to that right now -- where Ill have to get some small donations from some friends who care that are close to me. But I will not sell or profit from this film in any way. Ive always gotten by on a shoestring. Its just the way I operate. I trust that well have what we need when we need it."
Hollywood superstar Matt Damon who has been a resident of Dalkey since early March and has decided to stay in Ireland to see out the Covid-19 pandemic.

He has said that he is grateful to the Irish people for protecting his privacy.

The New York Times and the Late Late Show had been on the hunt for an exclusive interview with the Massachusetts born actor who originally travelled here to shoot a film.

He was spotted around town sporting a Supervalu shopping bag and had posed for pictures with residents prior to the introduction of the Covid-19 restrictions.

In an interview which was a scoop for Dublin Radio Station Spin 1038 Damon said he "laughed so hard" when he heard of the attempts by area residents to nip the press queries about him in the bud.

Host Graham told Damon he tried to infiltrate a Dalkey Facebook group for gossip but was kicked out.

Matt said he was thrilled when he heard what local people had done for him.

"That is when I realised how great this place was and how protective everyone here is.

"I had no idea all this was happening behind the scenes and that you joined the group for one day before they found you out and booted you which is just great."

The 49-year-old actor, who is in Ireland with his wife and three of his four children, said that Dalkey was "incredible."

"This is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. Obviously what is going on in the world is horrible. But I am with my family.

"I have got my kids. We have teachers with us because we were planning on missing school for eight weeks. We have live human beings teaching our kids.

"We feel guilty. We have this incredible set-up in this place that is absolutely gorgeous.

"Even in the lockdown they say you have to stay within 2 kilometres of your house. Within two kilometres of here there is trees and forests and ocean.

I can't think of anywhere you would rather be in a 2km radius of.

Matt said that the scenery in Dalkey was "insane."

"It has changed. Now it is blooming. I thought it was incredible two months ago. Now it is ridiculous.

"It feels like I am in the middle of a fairytale. I can see why all these people live here.

"When we came in they were like 'Bono lives over here and Enya lives over here' and I get it."

Responding to the picture of him holding a Supervalu bag by the water which went viral Damon said that he was in fact carrying towels.

"That bag I think we just had the towels. I was with the kids we were taking a dip in that water.

"I think we just grabbed one of our Supervalu bags and stuffed it with stuff. We didn't show up with beach bags. We were just improvising."

The hosts told him that usually people carry cans in their plastic bags and they wondered if he was going on a "session".

Damon said that he was sure that there were cans in there originally.

"But we had to take them out to put the beach towels in."

Damon is hoping to return home to the States later this month. He and his family will return for eight weeks of shooting of the film, The Last Duel, at a later date.

"We still have this movie to make. I have got eight weeks of shooting to look forward to. I have at least a few more months here.

"This is not a bad place to wind up. Who knows what the world is going to wind up?"

Damon said that they were currently separated from their eldest child.

"Our oldest daughter is in college. She is in New York city. She had Covid really early on along with her roommates and got through it fine.

Matt Damon with wife Luciana

"Of our four kids we have the three youngest ones. We will reunited with her at the end of the month.

"For Lucy's Mom (wifes mother) and my mom it is scary for that generation. We have all got the message now.

"Everyone is doing the isolation and the hand washing and the social distancing. It is frightening for our parents."

The hosts said that Matt was "weirdly prepared" for Covid as he had starred in the movie, Contagion, which was about the spread of a virus like Coronavirus.

Damon said it was nonsense to say that the pandemic couldn't have been predicted.

"Anyone who says you couldn't predict this well ten years ago, we made a movie by talking to experts and asking how this would look.

"It is upsetting. It is tragic. At least now we understand what to do."

Damon paid tribute to Leo Varadkar for his reponse to the pandemic.

You have got a President who goes to the hospital and starts working. What a bad ass. It is on another level.

"We were supposed to leave last week. We are staying until the end of the kids school year because it is so peaceful here and everyone is handling it so well.

"You walk down the street and everyone is minding all the guidelines. We are a little worried about going home."

Damon said he was delighted to be able to pick up a takeaway coffee at a local cafe.

"There is a lovely coffee place that stayed open. I was talking to the barista who was working there ther other day and she said normally this place is really buzzing and I have actually got to know all of my customers because they each come in for three to five minutes and we chat.

"Now I know all their families and what is going on. It has been beneficial to me. I thought that was a cool story."

He spoke of Facetiming with Bono and said that chatting to him was the final impetus for calling the show.

Matt told the boys that he had actually heard them on the radio in the car a month ago.

He said, "I shouldn't have put you through all this."

Damon said he was trying to memorise the station number to call in but his wife Luciana distracted him and he forgot it.

Matt revealed, "Every time I've been in the car, I've been listening for the number and it's never come up again."

It was his wife that reminded him to look up the station's number and just call in.

"She's like, 'You're such an idiot just like look up their number, you don't have to wait for them to say it.'"

Matt lives near Bono, who also happened to mention Fully Charged's appeal.

The actor said, "He said to me last week, 'you know there's a radio station that's looking for you.'"

"I was like, 'I really gotta track those guys down, I gotta call into that show. It's gone on too long.'"

The Damon sightings in Dalkey and neighbouring Killiney, which together are sometimes referred to as Irelands Amalfi Coast, began in March.

This was when he arrived in the area to shoot scenes for the medieval drama directed by Ridley Scott.

It was also not long before the pubs closed and police began checking if people were straying beyond their permitted 2km.

Meanwhile, in an interview on RTE's the Ryan Tubridy show last week Bono said that he was thrilled to have a new neighbour in Damon even if he is "upset" that the actor has been branded the sexiest man in Dalkey.

Bono said: Most of us have been trying to dodge Matt Damon since (the virus film) Contagion. Hes like Johnny-no-mates.

Ive known him a long time. Hes an incredible human being. His family are close by.

"Ill tell you one thing that annoys me about him, all of the locals here have voted him sexiest man in Dalkey which I find offensive.

Hes showing confidence in the country, he could have left, he sees the madness thats going on in his own land, and he loves it here.
Three UMass Medical School research projects are among those receiving funding by the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (MassCPR), a multi-institutional initiative convened by Harvard Medical School to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for future outbreaks.

MassCPR has awarded $16.5 million in research funding for projects in the initial cohort, according to UMass Medical School.

The three UMass Medical School projects being funded include:

Age-associated development of antibody-mediated cytotoxic immunity to SARS-CoV-2 by Ann Moormann, PhD, MPH, a professor of medicine and population and quantitative health sciences

Identifying and targeting host cells and genes crucial in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis by Robert Finberg, MD, the Richard M. Haidack Professor of Medicine, chair and professor of medicine

Rapid functional assessment of SARS-CoV-2 variants within the context of the pandemic by Jeremy Luban, MD, the David J. Freelander Professor of AIDS Research and professor of molecular medicine

Moormann is working to determine the spectrum of functional antibodies to COVID-19 that could offer protection against the disease, which is caused by the new coronavirus. The study will help monitor the development and duration of naturally-acquired immunity. Moormann will also study how antibody profiles in children and young adults who experience either no symptoms or mild symptoms compare to older adults who experience more severe illness from the respiratory virus, according to UMass Medical School.

Finberg, working with Scot Wolfe, PhD, professor of molecular, cell and cancer biology, already have ongoing studies using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tools to define the virus as well as host genetic factors that define disease susceptibility, UMass Medical School said.

Luban is studying and analyzing the virologic mechanism of COVID-19 infection, trying to understand what makes its mechanism unique, UMass Memorial said. A 2016 paper by Luban on the singular infectivity of Ebola virus noted the need for a better understanding of the infectivity of novel viruses, like the new coronavirus.

The projects were selected for the initial round of funding because they have the potential to influence clinical outcomes for patients within the next 12 months, according to UMass Medical School.

MassCPR is a collaborative effort including scientists and clinicians from Harvard; MIT, Boston University; Tufts University; University of Massachusetts; and local biomedical research institutes, biotech companies and academic medical centers. It was launched in early March and now involves hundreds of researchers, physician-scientists, front-line clinicians, epidemiologists and more.

The consortium is based in Massachusetts and is joined by collaborators at the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health and Tsinghua University in China. According to UMass Medical School, the consortium was enabled by a research agreement between Harvard University and the China Evergrande Group.

More than $16 million raised for the first round of funding included funding from China Evergrande Group, support of $1 million or more each from Mark and Lisa Schwartz, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and the Bertarelli Foundation and several other donors, UMass Medical School said.

A full list of the awards given by MassCPR is online.

Related Content:
T he West End home of The Lion King, the Lyceum Theatre, has reportedly flooded with water rising up to 4 metres.

According to the London Fire Brigade, firefighters were called at 9pm on Monday to theatre, which is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. They spent the night trying to clear the water, which had flooded the orchestra pit in the basement of the theatre.

A video shows water being siphoned away from the Wellington Street venue towards the Strand.

Its unknown what caused the flood, but the Westminster station of the London Fire Brigade said it had been brought under control.

The 2,100 seat Lyceum Theatre is more than 250 years old and has been home to Disney musical The Lion King since 1999.

The Jermyn Street Theatre near Piccadilly also suffered flooding a month ago when a pipe burst in an adjacent building, damaging the venue's workshop, technical store, props and furniture store, dressing rooms, offices and archives.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) The province of Laguna does not plan to appeal its inclusion in the fresh list of areas to be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine come May 16, its governor said Wednesday.

"Wala po tayong plano na mag-reklamo o mag-apela," Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez told CNN Philippines' The Source. "Instead willing po tayo makipag-cooperate, makipag-tulungan para po sa ikagaganda po ng general public."

[Translation: We don't plan to protest or appeal the decision. Instead, we're willing to cooperate for the betterment of the general public.]

The southern Luzon province together with Metro Manila and Cebu City had been included in the list approved by President Rodrigo Duterte of areas that will follow the "modified" ECQ protocols. Hernandez in an earlier statement, revealed officials were given until Wednesday to appeal the decision.

The governor questioned why Laguna was the only Calabarzon province to be included in the modified ECQ list, saying the province does not have the highest COVID-19 infection rate in the region.

Nevertheless, he stressed that local authorities will comply with the order. Instead of appealing the decision, the provincial government would rather concentrate on future plans and protocols for the transition to a general community quarantine, he added.

"Actually, ayoko po sayangin 'yung oras natin sa paga-apela. Focus na lang po tayo sa mga dapat pang gawin o ayusin para po mas mapaghandaan pa natin 'yung pagiging general (community) quarantine po natin in the near future," Hernandez noted.

[Translation: Actually, I don't want to waste our time to appeal. Let's just focus on what we need to do or fix so what we can get ready for our transition for the general quarantine in the near future.]

To date, the province south of Manila has logged 341 cases of the infectious disease, including 175 recoveries and 30 fatalities. There are also 1,123 suspected COVID-19 cases in the area, Hernandez noted.

The governor said he expects the province's testing capacity to further increase in the coming weeks, with COVID-19 testing laboratories set to begin operations.

The whole country has meanwhile recorded over 11,000 cases of the viral disease
By Sarah Shearman

LONDON, May 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As those bereaved by the coronavirus seek to say goodbye to loved ones in lockdown, ethical funeral providers are finding new ways to help them to grieve and connect from a distance.

Many countries have severely restricted the number of people attending funerals or stopped ceremonies altogether, leaving families to watch live streams or plan memorials for later.

Distancing measures have "utterly deprived" people of human contact when they need it most, said social entrepreneur Liz Rothschild, a funeral celebrant and co-founder of Westmill Woodland Burial Ground in the south of England.

"The separation, isolation, no opportunity to say goodbye in person is the absolute opposite of the more modern approach to funerals and bereavement grieving," she said.

"As individuals, we don't want to feel alone in our grief."

The natural burial ground Rothschild founded in 2010 as a social enterprise - a business with a mission to do good - is at its finest at this time of year, covered in white cowslip flowers.

It had to close to visitors for a period, and now operates under restrictions. Since March, it has hosted funerals with just a handful of people, who are forced to stand apart.

For those who cannot be there in person, Rothschild has suggested ways to mark the occasion, such as lighting a candle and sitting quietly with a picture of the person, planting a tree or laying down flowers.

"They can still find ways to (say goodbye) creatively and imaginatively - I do believe that ritual can help us," she said.

Social enterprises have emerged around the world in recent years as a flexible alternative to expensive funeral providers that upsell extras such as flowers and cars, pushing some grieving families into debt.

Ethical providers offering cheaper options report seeing higher interest during the coronavirus pandemic, while traditional businesses are struggling.

Story continues

Britain's largest funeral provider, Dignity, said its profit fell 11% in the first quarter as customers looked to spend less.

Australian funeral organiser and social entrepreneur Marc Allison helped establish Salvo Funerals in 2017 to offer compassionate services at a lower cost, with profits going to the Salvation Army charity.

Although Australia has had far fewer COVID-19-related deaths than Britain, Allison said social distancing requirements had created demand for simpler services.

To adapt, he suggests mourners read tributes from people who cannot be there and attendees - both in person and online - wear a colour or item that reminds them of that person.

"The crisis is forcing us to rethink the deep needs of grieving families," he said.

"Families need to make culturally unusual decisions. If there's to be a funeral, who should they invite? How do they interact with people on the day of the service if restrictions prevent them from hugging?"

HUMAN TOUCH

All over the world, there has been a rise in streaming funerals and in online memorial sites to compensate for not be able to gather together.

In China and Taiwan, websites have been set up to enable virtual tomb-sweeping, an annual tradition of tending to ancestral graves.

But virtual grieving has its downsides, from having to grapple with new technology to the absence of human touch.

"Personally the only thing I want when I'm sad is to hug someone or hold hands," said Nora Menkin, executive director of the Co-op Funeral Home of People's Memorial in Seattle.

"It will be really interesting to see what the long-term effects of this isolation are on someone who is grieving."

The funeral home, which is run as a not-for-profit co-operative and offers simple, lower-cost services, usually sees business slow in spring following the winter peak, but this year has been busy.

The United States has the highest reported death rate from COVID-19, at more than 80,000 and some of the country's earliest confirmed cases occurred in Seattle.

More people are choosing lower-cost options such as direct cremation, without a service or people in attendance, which starts at about $800, said Menkin.

The median cost of a funeral and cremation in the United States is about $5,000, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

As countries start to relax lockdown restrictions, ethical funeral providers are eager to see which of these changes endure.

In Britain, where COVID-19 has claimed more than 32,000 lives, churches closed in March and funerals are only permitted at the graveside or crematorium, with immediate family only.

But an easing on restrictions to allow small-scale funerals in churches was discussed by the House of Bishops - part of the Church of England's ruling body - at a virtual meeting this month.

For now, Australia's Allison has suggested people opt for a simple funeral, with a memorial service at a later stage.

But he believes the rise in basic funerals is temporary and they will be "richer and longer" after the crisis as people appreciate spending more time together after a period of social distancing.

"Funerals and memorial services have brought us together in the past," he said. "I think they will be opportunities to bring us closer together in the future."

(Reporting by Sarah Shearman @Shearmans, Editing by Claire Cozens. 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)
Random chat applications that don't identify the user and save chat histories will be banned from being installed on teenagers' smartphones in South Korea, the government said Wednesday.







The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said it is planning to designate applications that provide free online chat services among strangers as "harmful to youths."







Under the plan, underage people can use online chatroom apps only when they have technical functions that identify the user, save conversations and report illegal activities.







The move is part of the government's follow-up measures after a high-profile online sexual exploitation case rocked the nation.







Dozens of victims, including more than 10 underage girls, were coerced by several perpetrators into performing gruesome sex acts and sharing the videos in pay-to-view chat rooms of the mobile messaging app Telegram.







According to ministry data, only 13.3 percent of 346 chat apps operating in South Korea require their users to identify themselves. Out of the total, 72.8 percent offer backup services and 55.8 percent reporting services.







"Those random chat apps have been widely used for digital sex crimes involving minors," the ministry said. "We are planning to create a safer online environment for teenagers."







The ministry said the designation is expected to take effect in the second half of the year after gathering opinions. And then, a three-month grace period will be given to app operators. (Yonhap)


Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court asking it to stop Harris County and other counties from allowing voters who fear risking contracting coronavirus to request mail-in ballots.

This marks the latest development in an ongoing feud between the state and counties looking to expand absentee voting with a normally high-turnout general election on the horizon and a pandemic lingering. Other counties named in the brief include Dallas, Cameron, El Paso and Travis.

Each misapplication of Texas election law damages the integrity of our elections and increases the risk of voter fraud. In-person voting is the surest way to prevent voter fraud and guarantee that every voter is who they claim to be and has a fair opportunity to cast their vote, Paxton said in a statement. It is unfortunate that certain county election officials have refused to perform their duties and have instead unlawfully gone beyond the Legislatures determination of who is eligible to vote by mail. My office will continue to defend the integrity of Texass election laws.

While some election studies have shown a slightly higher risk of mail-in voting fraud compared to in-person voting, overall that risk remains low. The Brennan Center for Justice said in 2017 the risk of voting fraud is infinitesimal  0.00004 percent  for a voter casting a ballot at the polls and just under a thousandth of a percent for a mail-in ballot.

Texas is one of the few states that still require voters younger than 65 to have an excuse to cast a ballot by mail. Fewer than 7 percent of Texas voters mailed in ballots in 2018.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

The Texas Democratic Party and a group of voters have sued in state and federal court, hoping to make the case that risk of contracting an illness should qualify all voters for a mail-in ballot if they want one. Paxton has argued that fear of contracting the coronavirus doesnt amount to an illness or physical impairment that would allow mail-in voting under the law.

After a month of thousands of mail-in ballot requests sent by Texans who are under the age of 65, Paxton now wants to upset the election process, said Chad Dunn, the partys lawyer. Apparently, none of the counties agree with Ken Paxtons view that everybody under age 65 has to vote in person during a pandemic and the court shouldnt either.

As the case has continued on, the counties named in the petition have begun making plans to expand mail-in voting, even before its been settled in court. Harris County last month budgeted $12 million to the cause, anticipating an increase in requests for vote-by-mail.

The issue has been up in the air in recent weeks, as supporters lean on Travis County District Judge Tim Sulaks April ruling saying counties cannot put out guidance prohibiting mail-in voting for those concerned about being infected at the polls. Paxton has argued that the decision was stayed when he appealed it.

Most counties named in the petition have not gone as far as Harris and merely indicated they would allow coronavirus-driven requests. Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said her office had received 14,000 applications as of May 8 and has said she will honor them based on Sulaks ruling.

The other counties showed their support for accepting the requests through briefs filed in court, resolutions filed by commissioners courts and other statements.

Dallas attorney David Coale said Paxtons request for a court order limiting the discretion of government officials is a very unusual legal maneuver in this case because of the pending lawsuits on the matter and the lack of action to this point.

While the counties may have noted their intention to issue mail-in ballots, none have actually done so yet. Typically the writs are used to compel an official to do something required of them or stop doing something prohibited under the law, he said.

This is way early for a mandamus petition, Coale said. I would ordinarily expect to see the offending thing is happening  Here theyre just talking and funding.

The Texas Supreme Court has often shown in previous cases that it prefers not to get ahead of lower courts in contentious matters such as these, and is not obligated to take up the matter.

Even if the state prevails with the high court, a writ wouldnt stop the ongoing litigation, but it would provide the attorney general with a strong legal opinion to use as support, Coale said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mumbai, May 13 : On Wednesday, writer Harinder Sikka launched an attack on IANS claiming the agency had stated that his original story, on which Meghna Gulzar's 2018 film "Raazi" was based, hadn't been changed by the filmmakers. "Raazi" is based on Sikka's book "Calling Sehmat".

"@ians_india WRONG to say story wasn't changed. I made Meghna director under condition, she shall NOT fiddle with my 8 yrs of hard work. I was back stabbed, more than one once. People must know Sehmat was proud Indian, did NOT come back depressed," Sikka tweeted.

To set the record straight, IANS has made no such statement.

Sikka's reference is to a news report that has appeared in hindustantimes.com on May 12, credited to the news agency ANI. The report has used an IANS quote by actor Vicky Kaushal, who was a member of the film's cast, where he says that the cast and crew of the film were conscious "not to tamper with anything".

The exact lines, as it appears in the news report of ANI in hindustantimes.com: Talking about the film, Vicky had told IANS earlier, "Since the film is based on a true life incident, there was a certain amount of responsibility on all of us to get the story right. Whether it is me, Alia Bhatt or anyone who was a part of the film...We were conscious about not to tamper with anything." The actor had further said: "The character has many shades -- of a patriot, of a son, a husband and an individual who is dealing with so many complex situations. I think it was a huge responsibility for director Meghna Gulzar as well and she treated the story very sincerely." This was an interview given by Vicky to IANS before the film's release in May 2018, and whatever is stated within quotes is not the opinion of IANS, but a replication of what the actor told the agency.

Sikka has erroneously attributed the gist of the quote to IANS, and has accused the agency of saying that the story of the film wasn't changed, from what he wrote in his book.
China could stop buying almost all imports from Australia if relations between the two countries continue to sour, a Chinese academic has told state media.

An article in The Global Times, which is considered a mouthpiece for the communist government, quoted a Chinese expert who said 'most of' Australia's exports could be sourced from other countries instead.

This week China has suggested it will impose huge tariffs on Australian barley and suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers.

But Jiang Yong at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations told the Global Times that Beijing could use other tactics to punish Australia for calling for a coronavirus inquiry.

The Global Times article suggested Chinese people would refuse to study in or travel to Australia if relations deteriorate further. Pictured: Tourists at the Opera House

This week China has suggested it will impose huge tariffs on Australian barley and suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers. Pictured: A cattle farm in Queensland

'China has more measures than tariffs to respond to Australia's unfriendly actions,' he said.

'Most of Australia's exports are bulk commodities such as agricultural products, which are highly replaceable... China could easily find some alternatives.'

One third of Australia's exports - including iron ore, gas, coal and food - go to China, bringing in around $135billion per year.

The article also suggested Chinese people would refuse to study in or travel to Australia if relations deteriorate further, starving Australian universities and tourism businesses of revenue.

Research fellow Yu Lei of Liaocheng University told the Global Times: 'If Australia continues its unfriendly actions - even if the Chinese government doesn't respond - many sectors of Australia's economy including tourism, education and insurance could still be affected by deteriorating ties as Chinese people would vote with their feet.'

Minister For Trade Simon Birmingham said Australia faces a 'uphill battle' to persuade China not to introduce tariffs on Barley (pictured on a farm in Parkes, NSW)

Students enter the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney. Education is one of Australia's most lucrative exports

A separate article in the same publication went so far as to discourage Chinese citizens from doing business with Australia.

The Global Times opinion article said: 'It now seems necessary to advise Chinese people and companies to watch out for potential risks when it comes to doing business with or studying in Australia.'

Jane Golley, a professor at the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, warned last month that Beijing would try this tactic.

She told Daily Mail Australia: 'China could increase propaganda persuading students and tourists not to come here.

'Some say Beijing could turn off the tap and choke the Australian University Sector.

Australia's export markets in 2019 1. China: $135 billion (33% of total Australian exports) 2. Japan: $36 billion (9%) 3. South Korea: $21 billion (5%) 4. United Kingdom: $16 billion (3.8%) 5. United States: $15 billion (3.7%) Source: Worldstopexports.com Advertisement

'It doesn't want to do this because it wants its citizens to benefit from Australian education - but if it did that would cost thousands of jobs in our universities and leave the sector decimated.'

Recent difficulties in the bi-lateral trade relationship followed the Australian government's call for a ban on wildlife wet markets and an inquiry into how the coronavirus originated and spread from Wuhan.

The proposed inquiry - as well as repeated suggestions that China covered up the spread of the disease - have infuriated Beijing.

Last month the Chinese Embassy called Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton 'pitiful,' 'ignorant' and a US 'parrot' after he told China to 'answer questions' about how coronavirus started.

On April 26 Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng warned that Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge.

'Maybe the ordinary people will think why they should drink Australian wine or eat Australian beef,' he told the AFR.

Trade minister tells wine and cheese exporters not to give China an excuse to ban their products The federal trade minister has told wine and cheese exporters not to give Beijing any excuse to ban their products after beef suppliers were blacklisted over a technicality. This week China has suggested it will impose huge tariffs on Australian barley and suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers due to an apparent labelling issue. The federal government has denied the measures are payback for Australia's demands for a coronavirus inquiry - but Trade Minister Simon Birmingham today told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order so that more industries cannot be targeted. The federal trade minister has told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order for exporting products to China. Pictured: Melbourne's Say Cheese festival During an interview on Wednesday, the ABC's Patricia Karvelas asked him: 'Australian wine and dairy producers are worried they could be next. What reassurances do you have that that won't happen?' Senator Birmingham replied: 'Everyone at present should be, as they always should, dotting their Is and crossing their Ts and leaving no scope for any grievance to be raised.' He said he could see no reason why wine or cheese industries would fall short of quarantine, health or labelling standards they need to meet to export to China. China is a key market for Australia's wine companies. Pictured: A customer selects an Aussie wine in Beijing Advertisement

The dispute comes after a torrid year for Australia-China relations saw clashes over political interference, human rights abuses in western China and Huawei 5G equipment.

Former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby told Daily Mail Australia that diplomatic relations are 'at their lowest point since they began 46 years ago'.

The proposed tariffs on barley come after China's 18-month anti-dumping investigation which concludes on 19 May.

Dumping is when a country exports a product unfairly cheaply to a foreign market to undercut alternatives, with producers often subsidised by the government.

China says the suspension of beef imports is due to a labelling issue.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng (pictured) warned Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the issues are being resolved and hopes exports from the blacklisted abattoirs can resume soon.

China has a track record of using economic sanctions for political purposes.

It includes encouraging a boycott of South Korean cars after the country deployed a US missile shield in 2017 and a ban on Norwegian salmon after Chinese rebel Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo that same year.

Australia and China have had a free trade agreement since 2015 but some exporters have still run into difficulties as relations have soured.

In 2018 Beijing imposed new customs regulations on Australian wine resulting in shipments being held up in Shanghai.

The outbreak erupted in Wuhan, China in December. Pictured: Staff members line up as they prepare to spray disinfectant at Wuhan Railway Station in March

And last year - after Canberra stripped Chinese businessman Xiangmo Huang of his visa - major ports prolonged clearing times for Australian coal to at least 40 days, claiming the delay was due to 'normal' safety checks.

Professor Golley warned last month that this type of manoeuvering could resume if the federal government continues to upset the Chinese government.

But she does not believe that the proposal regarding barley is connected to COVID-19.

'If there is any kind of 'coercion' or punishment plan in Beijing's mind, I'd say it's very unlikely to work (another reason why they probably wouldn't try it), because I don't think the Australian government will back down on its inquiry demand, even if they are absolutely certain that this barley debacle is connected to it', she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
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Linkedin . (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Wed, May 13, 2020 22:46 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7de9eb 4 Inforial COVID-19,coronavirus,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free

Staying at home wont make us more individualistic, but this shows our compassion for each other.

Thats what President Joko Jokowi Widodo appealed on his social media accounts on April 18to raise awareness among Indonesians that the pressure brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic was a good opportunity for them to help each other through innovative ways thathad never been thought ofbefore, which will lead to the creation of anew normal.

To follow up on the Presidents appeal, state-owned Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), in collaboration with blanja.com, is holding the BNI Nusantara Kreasi Craft Online event, which kicked off on Saturday and will run through May 22. This is a coordinated endeavor to assist micro, smalland medium enterprises (MSME) in weathering the COVD-19 storm.

BNI has given 100 MSMEs the opportunity to sell their products through blanja.com with ease, said BNI consumer business director Leyla Karnalies in Jakarta on Monday.

She added that BNI Kreasi Nusantara Craft Onlinewas created not only to help local products finda new market online, but also to provide an opportunity for employees that had lost their jobs to stay economically active.

BNI also asked the public to supportsMSMEs by purchasing their products online and, therefore, comply with the governments policy to contain the spread of COVID-19 by conducting activities at home and practicing physical distancing.

This is our way of stimulating the online market for MSMEs and stay in line with the governments efforts under the Gerakan 100,000 UMKM Go Online [100,000 MSMEs Go Online Movement], Corina said.

We combined the BNI Kreasi Nusantara Craft Online program with the Program Komunikasi BNI [BNI Communication Program], which aims to spread the spirit and optimism of facing COVID-19, namely Program #AntarkanSemangat [#BringTheSpirit Program], an attempt to ask many parties to care for and help each other during the pandemic.

MSMEsthat join BNI Kreasi Nusantara Craft Online will have many advantages:first, opening an online shop for free in an easy manner; second, enjoying the delivery with charge program;third, having the opportunity to engage with activity and product advertising across BNIs promotional media; fourth, registering for shop and transaction management from anywhere; fifth, receiving assistance from blanja.coms Contact Center Service 24 hours a day;sixth, havingthe opportunity to get various prizes and attractive promotions from BNI.

Interested MSMEsregister by contacting a BNI Kreasi Nusantara Craft Online officer and open a shop at blanja.com.

All they need is a mobile phone number and a BNI account, and provide information on their shop and the shops official owner. Next, blanja.com will verify their data.

In the online event, the public can take advantage of special promotions from BNI if they shop with a BNI Debit Card, Credit Card and BNI iB Hasanah Card. They can enjoy discountsof up to Rp 1 million (US$67.34). Customers can also pay in installmentswith 0 percent interest up to 12 months, save 100 percent by utilizing the BNI Reward Points of their BNI Credit Card and get BNI Point+ bonus of up to 10,000 Point+.

It is hoped that, apart from helping MSMEs and propelling the economy, the public can also enjoy the happiness typically shared in their hometowns during Idul Fitri and even deliver the spirit to their family and relatives while still sheltering in place.
Chennai: The coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown in India has been in place for over 50 days and going by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech, it is expected to continue with fewer restrictions. However, a recent survey among parents has found out that 92 per cent of them are unwilling to send their wards back to school immediately after reopening.

Over 12,000 parents spread across all major metro cities took part in this survey by Parent Circle, that covered key aspects of a childs life such as schooling, playing with other children, birthday parties, visits to malls, movies and restaurants, activity classes, public transport, vacation etc. Majority of the respondents are parents whose wards are in the primary and secondary school level.

The survey conducted by leading parenting platform Parent Circle revealed that 56 per cent of surveyed parents across India preferred to monitor the situation for a month after the school reopens, before sending their kids back to school. About 21 per cent of parents opted to not send their wards to school for the next six months while a few others expressed interest in exploring home-schooling.

Commenting on the survey, Nalina Ramalakshmi, Founder & Managing Director of ParentCircle, said, An overwhelming majority of parents are worried and unsure. They are anxious and not ready to take any chances. Parents need assurance that their children will be safe in school, group activities and other public places. They would prefer their children to stay home and be safe, rather than take any risks by letting them venture out till the COVID-19 crisis blows over."

This apprehension among parents was evident in various other categories as well, with 64 per cent parents opting to not send their kids to birthday parties for the rest of the year. The same is said about malls and movies with 50 per cent parents saying that they would not consider it for the rest of 2020. 83 per cent of respondents also stated that they were not planning to visit any restaurant for at least three months after the lockdown.

Even family vacations are being viewed with the utmost caution, with 57 per cent respondents expressing that vacations in the near future are too risky.

As a society, we need to continue with physical distancing practices, washing of hands and wearing masks for the foreseeable future to ensure the health and safety of everyone, including our children. The onus is on schools and other public places to ensure that safety measures and physical distancing policies are in place before they open up for activities, Nalina added.

Health experts are of the opinion that parents fear are natural, but one must allow normalcy to return by following specific strategies. It is perfectly normal for parents to say this. I dont think any of us are ready to make a decision, without the clear idea of how the situation would evolve 3 months from now. Neither do we know when the lockdown would be lifted. It would be safe to assume that they might consider opening schools only post-August. It is true that the infection in children is very mild and one need not worry about them, but however, parents would be parents! The more worrisome aspect is of the children going and hugging their grandparents (resulting in a possible infection of the senior citizen), said Dr Ramasubramanian, Infectious Disease Consultant of Apollo Hospitals and the Medical Director of Capstone Clinic.

Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr Subramanian Swaminathan says that it is time for evolving strategies like odd-even and also implementing different school timings for students of different classes. In kindergartens social distancing is impossible and in most of our schools, the class strength would be higher. They could de-populate the schools by having a hybrid of physical and online classes. We have to face this reality together, see beyond the fear and work out solutions," he said.


FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Commerzbank AG (CRZBY.PK) were losing around 5 percent in the morning trading in Germany after the banking major reported Wednesday a loss in its first quarter, compared to prior year's profit, hurt mainly by impacts from coronavirus or Covid-19 pandemic. Revenues declined, while net interest income increased with strong customer business.



Looking ahead, the Bank expects to keep revenues in customer business largely stable in the financial year 2020, excluding the influence of non-recurring and valuation effects. The outlook assumes that the economy will gradually gain momentum after a lockdown lasting around two months and that there is no second lockdown.



Further, the company said it will intensify cost management even more this year, and targets to achieve a cost base on the level of 2019 now also including IT investments of up to 0.2 billion euros from 'Commerzbank 5.0'.



The Bank is adjusting its target for the Common Equity Tier 1 or CET1 ratio to at least 12.5 percent at the end of the year from at least 12.75 percent expected earlier. The current CET1 ratio is 13.2 percent, compared to 12.7 percent last year, and 13.4 percent at end of December 2019.



The Bank also said it has decided to not pursue the sale of the Polish mBank, citing the current market distortions and its own strong capital position.



Bettina Orlopp, Chief Financial Officer of Commerzbank, said, 'Thanks to the far-reaching measures adopted by the Federal Government, we anticipate that German companies, which make up the lion's share of our business, will come through the crisis comparatively well. We have a healthy loan book and the proportion of impaired loans has been below the average for Germany and Europe for many years now. We will therefore be able to cushion additional effects resulting from the pandemic.'



For the first quarter, net loss attributable to shareholders was 295 million euros, compared to last year's profit of 122 million euros.



The pre-tax result was loss of 233 million euros, compared to profit of 227 million euros last year. It includes extraordinary proceeds from the EMC sale.



The operating loss was 277 million euros, compared to profit of 246 million euros a year ago. The latest results included 479 million euros negative impact from the pandemic. Excluding Covid-19 impact, operating profit would be 202 million euros.



Revenues declined to 1.85 billion euros from prior year's 2.16 billion euros, mainly due to temporary valuation effects. However, the company reported good development in customer business. Net interest income went up by in excess of 7 percent, and net commission income grew by more than 14 percent on the back of an excellent securities business.



In Germany, Commerzbank shares were trading at 3.08 euros, down 5.32 percent.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Judge Emmet Sullivan, whose disdain for General Michael Flynn led him to ask prosecutors if they had considered charging him with treason in a hearing last December 18, is twisting himself into a pretzel in order to avoid throwing out Flynn's guilty plea and dismissing the case. The Department of Justice's request for dismissal after a review of the case by career prosecutor U.S. attorney Jeff Jensen is thus postponed if not denied.



Judge Sullivan (official court photo).

This is a startling reversal for the judge, who on 24 previous occasions had rejected efforts by outside parties claiming an interest in the case to file such briefs. In a brief filed in response (PDF here), General Flynn's attorneys, Sidney Powell and Jesse Binnall, pointed out the judges inconsistency:



Highlighting courtesy of Sundance.

Fox News points out the pedigree of one group that already filed a brief even before Sullivan's response to the motion to dismiss:

Flynn's legal team indicated in a filing Tuesday that a sealed amicus brief has already been submitted by a left-wing group known as the "Watergate Prosecutors," urging Sullivan not to toss out Flynn's guilty plea despite the Justice Department's request. That group was featured in an October 2019 Washington Post opinion piece, and listed Jill Wine-Banks -- who previously advanced unsubstantiated collusion theories involving the Trump campaign and Russia -- as one of its members. Wine-Banks was also explictly named as a member of the group seeking to file an amicus brief in the Flynn case. "Mueller can prove conspiracy with Russia beyond any doubt," Wine-Banks previously wrote. She also claimed in 2017 that Flynn would receive "immunity for kidnapping as well as his federal crimes." Late Tuesday, President Trump retweeted a post by the Twitter user Techno_Fog calling Wine-Banks a "Trump/Russia collusion nutter." The post concluded, sarcastically: "Good job Judge Sullivan!" Wine-Banks did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

While it is disappointing that General Flynn's ordeal will continue, close examination of his order by Cornell University clinical professor of law William Jacobson indicates that Judge Sullivan has not committed to accepting amicus briefs:

Obviously, I don't know what's in Judge Sullivan's mind, but he has not yet said he will accept amicus briefs. He said he will consider it[.]

Professor Jacobson speculates about the judge's motive:

What would be less unusual is if Judge Sullivan appointed counsel to represent the government's (former) interest, now that the government has changed it litigation posture. That happens approximately once per term in the Supreme Court, particularly where no party any longer is defending lower court decisions. In SEC v. Lucia, the Supreme Court "invited" a specific amicus counsel after the SEC switched its position, and there no longer was anyone in the case defending the lower court decision. Here, the decision to drop a case post-guilty plea is highly controversial, so perhaps Sullivan feels the need to have SOMEONE argue against it since both the prosecution and defendant are on the same side. Sullivan may, in a sense, be conducting a beauty contest to decide who to appoint to argue the government's (former) position. In a worst case scenario, Sullivan doesn't want to drop the case and is creating as much of a record as he can. It would ultimately be an act of futility, since Trump almost certainly would pardon Flynn in this scenario, but that might be the preferred path for Sullivan given his expressed disdain for Flynn. Make Trump do it.

This certainly sounds like politics influencing the judge. But we'll see what the judge does next.
D onald Trumps onetime presidential campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been released from prison due to concerns about coronavirus.

He will spend the rest of his sentence in home confinement, his lawyer said as the move was confirmed on Wednesday.

Mr Manafort was among the first people to be charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, which examined possible coordination between the Mr Trump presidential campaign and Russia in the 2016 election.

He was let out Wednesday morning from FCI Loretto, a low-security prison in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney, Todd Blanche.

Mr Manafort, who has been in jail since June 2018, had been serving more than seven years in prison following his conviction.

His release comes as prison advocates and congressional leaders have been pressing the Justice Department for weeks to release at-risk inmates before a potential outbreak in the system.

They argue that the public health guidance to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from other people is nearly impossible behind bars.

But Mr Manafort did not meet qualifications set by the Bureau of Prisons for potential release in the pandemic.

Under the bureau's guidelines, priority is supposed to be given to those inmates who have served half of their sentence or inmates with 18 months or less left and who served at least 25 per cent of their time.

The bureau has discretion about who can be released.

His lawyers had asked the Bureau of Prisons to release him to home confinement, arguing that he was at high risk for coronavirus because of his age and pre-existing medical conditions.

Mr Manafort was hospitalised in December with a heart-related condition, two people familiar with the matter said at the time.

Other high-profile inmates such as Mr Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and lawyer Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame representing porn star Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against Trump, have been told they are to be released.
LAWRENCE -- Today, sea-level rise is a great concern of humanity as climate change warms the planet and melts ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. Indeed, great coastal cities around the world like Miami and New Orleans could be underwater later in this century.

But oceans have been rising for thousands of years, and this isn't the first time they have claimed land once settled by people. A new paper published in Geographical Review shows evidence vital to understanding human prehistory beneath the seas in places that were dry during the Last Glacial Maximum. Indeed, this paper informs one of the "hottest mysteries" in science: the debate over when the first Asians peopled North America.

The researchers behind the paper studied "choke points" -- narrow land corridors, called isthmuses but often better known for the canals that cross them, or constricted ocean passages, called straits. Typically isthmuses would have been wider 20,000 years ago due to lower sea levels, and some straits did not even exist back then.

"We looked at nine global choke points -- Bering Strait, Isthmus of Panama, Bosporus and Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, straits of Sicily and Messina, Isthmus of Suez, Bab al Mandab, Strait of Hormuz and Strait of Malacca -- to see what each was like 20,000 years ago when more water was tied up in ice sheets and glaciers," said lead author Jerry Dobson, professor emeritus of geography at the University of Kansas and president emeritus of the American Geographical Society. "During the Last Glacial Maximum, the ocean surface was 410 feet lower than today. So, worldwide the amount of land that has been lost since the glaciers melted is equivalent to South America."

Dobson has urged dedicated study of this land lost to the sea -- an area of archeological interest he dubs "aquaterra" -- and he thinks global choke points are the best places to begin.

"Look at these same choke points today -- watch the nightly news," he said. "They're centers of ongoing conflict. Notice how the Strait of Hormuz controls the international flow of oil and sparks conflicts. The United States almost went to war a few months ago in a faceoff with Iran over shipping through that choke point. Or, look at the Suez Canal and the role it played in the Suez Crisis of 1956 and Six-Day War of 1967. Choke points, particularly straits, are pivotal to conflicts."

Startling revelations confronted the three authors in all nine regions. In the Bering Strait between Asia and Alaska, for instance, their data led to a "totally new hypothesis" about how people likely migrated across from Siberia to North America. Science writer Fen Montaigne calls it "one of the greatest mysteries of our time . . . when humans made the first bold journey to the Americas." The new study found many unknown, transitory islands that would have acted like stepping stones luring travelers eastward.

"In the Bering Strait only a handful of islands exist today -- but there were literally scores of them at the Last Glacial Maximum," Dobson said. "They started appearing at least 30,000 years ago, and Siberia probably had people about 30,000 to 40,000 years ago. They formed from west to east and then inundated from west to east, which would have pushed them all the way to Alaska. The first islands appeared close enough that Asians could have seen some of them from shore. People might have been lured out to them. Then, more islands kept appearing to their east, so they moved farther step by step. Eventually, even the newest islands were lost to inundation -- so people were forced ultimately to North America."

Three of the study's global choke points surround the Mediterranean Sea. Here, too, draining the ocean uncovers new possibilities for archeological exploration.

On the Isthmus of Suez, the portage between the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, where the Suez Canal lies today, would have been 3.5 times as long at Last Glacial Maximum as it was just prior to construction of the canal. The crossing likely would have been displaced by a western route from Foul Bay, Egypt, to the first cataract of the Nile, thence downriver to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Black Sea was cut off from the world ocean as the sea level dropped below the Bosporus and Dardanelles. Rather than today's saltwater channel of 300 kilometers, there was an overland route of 220 miles, one-third of which was a deep lake now submerged beneath the Sea of Marmara. In response, now submerged settlements may have existed west of the current mouth of the Dardanelles, offshore near the eastern end of the Gulf of Soros, and beside the eastern and western ends of the Sea of Marmara.

The straits of Sicily and Messina almost severed the Mediterranean Sea into two separate seas divided 32 miles then versus 88 miles today. The LGM map shows additional islands and coastal plains in an area already known for early settlement. For instance, a 39 feet long, carved monolith at 130 feet depth recently discovered by underwater archeologists proves humans occupied the place about 10,000 years ago.

The KU researcher co-wrote the new study with Giorgio Spada and Gaia Galassi of Urbino University, ocean scientists who applied glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) models, accounting for deformation and gravity variations in the sea floor caused by glacial melting and sea-level rise, in order to reconstruct the variation in paleo-topography for the past 30,000 years. Their work yielded much more accurate spacial and temporal resolution as to where land was exposed during the Last Glacial Maximum.

"We have lost an area equivalent to South America in size," Dobson said. "That is an enormous amount of land, and it's even better on average than any continent today. It was all coastal, all flat, and mostly tropical. We have a much better estimate of the size now than we did a few years ago. The difference is because of this new way we calculate sea level. The new model considers how the ocean bottom shifts in response to the weight of the water."

Coastal areas during the Last Glacial Maximum likely would have attracted people, as coastal lands do today. Dobson said archeological exploration is needed to search for boats, ports and settlements - evidence that could revolutionize conceptions of human migration and know-how at that time.

"How much technology was there?" he said. "Were there boats? No boats have ever been found that were that old, but we know people made it from Southeast Asia to Australia 65,000 years ago. So, anthropologists surmise they must have had boats. Even when sea level was at its lowest, the individual hops they had to make were long enough that it would seem likely they had boats. In the new article, we study the history of boats of all kinds based on research published in reputable scientific journals. Maritime travel goes surprisingly far back. So now, what kind of evidence can we find of ports? No one has ever claimed evidence of ports that far back. Of course, ports on coasts 400 feet lower than today would be hard to find, and precious little underwater archaeology has been conducted at that depth. We need to treat boats and ports as unknown and look for the evidence rather than proclaiming whether it did or did not happen."

The KU researcher said choke points should be of interest to geographers, ocean scientists, underwater archeologists, anthropologists and oceanographers because they provide "strategic insights on where to search for submerged evidence of human settlement."

"It's a matter of efficiency," Dobson said. "To understand maritime travel and associated settlements long ago, we can search whole oceans. Underwater searches are expensive, however, so little territory gets searched. Finds are rare because artifacts are few and far between. Choke points funnel travel into narrow corridors, and logically that concentrates the artifacts as well. If there is any evidence, that's where we most likely will find it."

###
BERLIN  Europeans longing to swap their balconies for beaches, mountains or museums elsewhere on the continent got a morale boost on Wednesday, when the European Commission recommended the reopening of borders that were closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

With new infections beginning to recede and governments from Riga to Rome easing lockdowns, concerns are now turning toward the resumption of cross-border vacation travel, which had been expected to generate 2020 spending of 1.3 trillion euros, or $1.4 trillion, before the border lockdowns.

This spending is especially important during the summer months when Europeans shutter their shops and take a collective time out  long derided on the other side of the Atlantic as a decadent indulgence  but essential to the economies of many member states.

We are helping European tourism get back on track while staying healthy and safe, said Thierry Breton, European commissioner for the internal market, in a statement announcing guidelines aimed at helping the European Unions 27 member states reopen their borders. Today we propose a common European approach to managing what will remain a difficult 2020 summer season.
Since word spread that Matt Damon has been staying in Dalkey last month, locals have welcomed him in as though he is one of their own.

His presence sparked a huge online reaction, with many star-struck fans taking to social media to share stories about their interactions with the Hollywood star.

A picture of Matt holding a Supervalu bag next to a popular swimming spot in Dalkey proved to be major talking point when it went viral last month, as everyone pondered what exactly he had in the bag.

This morning, Matt finally cleared up the mystery and it turns out he wasn't heading to the nearest house party armed with a bag of cans after all.

"I think we just had the towels because I was with the kids and we were taking a dip in the water there and so we had towels to dry off.

"I think we just grabbed one of our SuperValu bags and stuff ... we didn't show up with beach bags. We were just improvising," he told Spin 1038's Fully Charged.

When asked how he would compare Ireland's response to the health crisis to the US, he said he thinks Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is a "badass."

"You've got a [Taoiseach] who just like goes to the hospital and starts working. I mean, what a badass. That's just on another level."

Matt has been staying in Dalkey with his wife Luciana Barroso and three of his children Isabella, Gia and Stella.

He had flown into Dublin to film scenes for his next movie The Last Duel when US President Donald Trump banned flights between Europe and the United States.

Video of the Day

The Oscar-winning actor said Dalkey is "one of the most beautiful places we've ever been."

"I'm with my whole family, I've got my kids and we have teachers with us because we were planning on missing school for about eight weeks.

"So we've got what nobody else has which is actually live human beings teaching our kids.

"We feel guilty, like we've got this kind of incredible set up in this place which is, I mean it's just absolutely gorgeous."

He added that he "can't think of any place you'd rather want to be in a two-kilometre radius of," and even compared the Southside suburb to a "fairytale".

Matt's oldest daughter, Alexia, is still in New York.

He said she was diagnosed with Covid-19 "really early on."

"Our oldest daughter is in college, obviously thats been shut down. Shes in New York City and she had Covid really early on along with her roommates and got through it fine.

"So I shouldnt say our whole family is together, of our 4 kids weve got the 3 younger ones and our oldest one, well reunite with her at the end of the month."
San Francisco: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has granted an option to his staff to work from home `forever` even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, Buzzfeed reported on Tuesday.

Twitter has upped the ante after Facebook, Alphabet (Google) and others have asked their employees to work from home till year-end.

In an email to employees on Tuesday, Dorsey granted the option for staff to work from home indefinitely.

The option wouldn`t apply to those required to make a physical appearance, like certain maintenance staff, but those for which their jobs can be done remotely, said the report.

"We`ve been very thoughtful in how we`ve approached this from the time we were one of the first companies to move to a work-from-home model," a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.

Dorsey said it is unlikely Twitter would open its offices before September.

Twitter was one of the first tech companies to make it mandatory for its nearly 5,000 employees to work from home.

Google and Facebook have also decided to allow most of their workforces to stay home and work through the end of this year.

Facebook will open most of its office from July 6.

Google employees will be able to walk into their offices starting July, but majority of those whose roles allow them to work from home could do so until the end of the year.

Google`s original plan was to keep work from home policy until June 1.

E-commerce major Amazon India has also allowed its employees to work from home till October.
Relatives discovered the decomposing body of a toddler who was fatally stabbed by his mentally unstable mom.

A Michigan woman is charged with the murder of the child, and the police were able to dig up some facts about the mother getting unhinged and killing her child. This mother goes on the deep end with regrettable circumstances.

Last Wednesday, the police were summoned to a home in Inkster and found Zion Reid,3 years old, dead on the premises.

According to relatives of the toddler, they were trying to get in touch with his mother, 26-year-old Atiya Nina Muhammed, several days before but they cannot reach her and they found a grisly crime scene, reported WDIV.

The crime scene

Police searched the house for anyone inside, who might be hiding. While searching all rooms, they went to the back bedroom and found Zion dead inside.

They did not find the mother Atiya Nina Muhammed, anywhere in the residence when they searched.

Later, the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office stated that Reid's cause of death was multiple stab wound and was struck by a blunt object once or several times by the killer. The state of the cadaver was in the decomposition stage. When relatives found him last week, and his mother was nowhere to be found.

Going after the suspect who committed the murder

The suspect was finally rundown by the Inkster Police Department and Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team, which caught up with Atiya Nina Muhammed, who was apprehended in a hotel and was taken into custody by the Inkster Police Department.

She was then charged with first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, first-degree child abuse, and torture. According to CrimeOnline, she is now incarcerated at the Wayne County Jail.

Also read: Suspect in Utah Murder-Suicide Posts Graphic Video on Snapchat Before Killing Himself

Unstable mother

Neighbor Rick Huckestein said,"He was a beautiful little boy. We find it hard to believe that a person could do this to a little boy like that." He said this in reference to disbelief that the mother killed Reid.

From the records, the dead child was killed by his mother, after losing it. The suspect is now in the hands of the police, after leaving in an uber after she allegedly killed Reid.

One of her neighbors, Demetrius Root, said,"She was kind of staying to herself. I didn't know too much of her." He noted that the mother kept to herself a lot.

He added that he would see Atiya very infrequently in the last couple of weeks there was not much of her. The witnesses statement was then claimed to corroborate what the relatives told the police last Wednesday.

Family members stressed on the fact that they have been contacting Atiya, but she did not answer. With the police, they went to the house after no word, a key was given to open the door. Once inside, they found the rotting body of the 3-year-old-Reid in the back room.

Root said that the toddler never talked, only seeing him and the mother walking up and down the street. He would say, "Hey little man."

Huckestein added," "I don't know why people are so like they are. We have enough going on with the virus and everything we don't need this." Grief punctuated his words.

On Thursday, Zion's grandfather left balloons in the home.

Investigators are getting convinced that the mom was not unstable but premeditated the murder of the child. She left the home, letting her son's body rot might mean something more.

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.
London: An Indian-origin doctor has died in the north-east of England after a long battle with the deadly coronavirus.

Dr Poornima Nair, a 55-year-old Keralite from Delhi worked at the Station View Medical Centre in Bishop Auckland in County Durham of England.

She died at the University Hospital of North Tees Hospital at Stockton-on-Tees after a long battle with COVID-19.

Nair is believed to be the tenth General Practitioner (GP) to die on the frontlines of the UK's medical community fighting the coronavirus. The highly contagious infection has claimed the lives of over 32,000 people in the country.

"The practice is very sorry to announce to our patients the death of our much loved and valued colleague and friend Dr Poornima Nair," the medical centre said in a message.

"Dr Nair passed away after a prolonged COVID-19 illness, which she fought with her great strength of character. We are all devastated and upset by this tragic news and hope you will join with us in our thoughts and prayers," it said.

Tributes have been pouring in for the doctor on social media from friends, colleagues and others known to the general practitioner (GP).

She had been on ventilator support for a few days before she succumbed to the disease this week.

"Dr Nair was a well-known and extremely valued member of our community, serving as a doctor at Station View Medical Centre. She will be heavily missed by all that knew her, and my thoughts and prayers go out to her friends, family, and colleagues at this sad time," the local Bishop Auckland MP, Dehenna Davison, said in a Facebook post.

One of Nair's many patients thanked her for saving her mother's life.

She wrote: "Rest in Peace Dr Nair. Absolutely outstanding doctor. Saved my mum's life 10 years ago without doubt, after undiagnosed life-threatening illness. Our whole family will always be grateful to you for ensuring my mom saw the rest of her life. I'm so sad yours has been cut short. Sending all our love to your family and work colleagues who will no doubt be missing you already."

A former colleague added: It's so sad to hear such sad news. I worked alongside Dr Nair for over seven years at Station View. This is devastating news. My thoughts go out to all of her family, friends and colleagues."
SABIC, a diversified chemical company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has earmarked about $1.5 million in donations to assist those most impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Americas region. Houston is home to SABICs Americas region headquarters.

The donations consist of approximately $1 million to food banks and community-based agencies such as United Way organizations in communities in which SABIC operates. Additionally, the company is donating approximately $500,000 of products made at its facilities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.

The products include personal protection equipment made from SABIC plastics for healthcare workers and first responders, as well as materials used in medical equipment such as ventilators, patient monitoring devices, respiratory therapy machines and diagnostic equipment.

COVID-19 RECOVERY FUND: United Ways Greater Houston raises $11.6 million, announces second $1 million matching-grant

We are honored that our materials are used in devices that help make critical medical equipment to treat patients and at the same time offer materials that are used in the protection of those on the front line including healthcare professionals while they perform their duties, Greg Adams, the companys vice president for the region, said in a statement.

SABIC has 60 manufacturing and compounding plants worldwide, including U.S. facilities in Mississippi, Alabama, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Michigan. In Texas, the company is a partner with Exxon Mobil in the Gulf Coast Growth Ventures project in San Patricio County.

In the Houston area, SABIC has more than 500 employees at its headquarters in Westchase and at SABIC Technology Center in Sugar Land. It does not have a manufacturing plant in Houston.

Locally, SABIC is donating $100,000 to the Houston Food Bank and $150,000 the Greater Houston COVID-19 Recovery Fund, which is a joint effort by the United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

Also, SABIC employees are raising funds that will go to charitable organizations of their choice, and the company is matching their contributions dollar-for-dollar.

Examples of the donations include:

70,000 face shields made from its Lexan film that will be distributed to healthcare workers and first responders throughout the Americas region. The company is donating face shields to local hospitals.

Fabrication and donation of medical face shields by SABICs Polymer Processing Development Center in Pittsfield, Mass.

Collaboration between SABICs Cobourg, Canada, facility and a local hospital and a non-profit to create face shields

SABICs Campinas, Brazil, plant collaborated with a university and others to create ventilators for local hospitals

In addition to the Americas, SABIC operates in the Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. The companys products include chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals. SABIC employs nearly 5,000 people across the Americas region, where it has operated since 1987.

katherine.feser@chron.com

twitter.com/kfeser
Editors note: this story has been updated to clarify the operators of a pair of detention facilities.

Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Former Ayudando Guardians Inc. President Susan Harris has tested positive for the COVID-19 infection at a New Mexico federal detention center while awaiting sentencing on multiple fraud charges, her attorney said.

Albuquerque lawyer Robert Gorence said Tuesday that he was informed in an email from the U.S. Marshals Service that his 73-year-old client was being medically supervised at the privately run Cibola County Correctional Center.

It wasnt clear Tuesday where Harris may have contracted the virus.

She has been locked up since she and her husband were captured in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on April 15, after they failed to show up for sentencing on federal charges of siphoning millions from nearly 1,000 vulnerable or special needs clients whose finances, and in some cases, guardianships, were being handled by the nonprofit firm. Both had been released pending sentencing after posting their Tanoan home as security.

More than 5,210 cases of the highly contagious COVID-19 virus have been reported in New Mexico as of Tuesday, with the state Department of Health reporting 17 cases of COVID-19 at the Otero County Prison.

Another 31 cases have been identified at a different Otero County facility.

Gorence said hes been told that Harris, after her arrest in April, was initially detained in Oklahoma and was transported by U.S. marshals to a correctional facility in Otero County in southern New Mexico on May 1. Days later, on May 4, she was then taken to the Cibola correctional center.

A Journal call to the U.S. Marshals Office for more information about which facility Harris stayed at in Otero County wasnt returned Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Health hasnt reported any other cases at the Cibola detention center in Milan, where Harris is reportedly being treated.

Gorence said he has not spoken with Harris since she appeared at a federal court hearing in a Zoom conference call on May 7.

Harris, who was wearing a protective mask at the time, complained to me she didnt feel well, he said.

She was also coughing, he added.

At 73, she does have some physical conditions that would make her vulnerable to the virus, Gorence said.

Congregate settings such as nursing homes, jails and prisons have been hot spots for virus outbreaks. The DOH reported a total of 49 cases at New Mexico detention centers as of Tuesday, including a new case at the Torrance County Detention Center.

Both Harris and her husband, William, were scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Santa Fe on March 2 when they absconded. An attorney for William Harris didnt respond to a Journal inquiry Tuesday about whether he has tested positive for the virus.

Susan Harris, her husband, and adult son Craig Young have pleaded guilty, along with former Ayudando Chief Financial Officer Sharon Moore, to participating in a decade-long scheme of fraud and money laundering.

Moore was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Susan Harris faces a minimum of 30 years to life in prison. Youngs sentencing is pending.

Federal prosecutors say the stolen funds were used to pay for a luxury lifestyle and were used to purchase homes, vehicles, luxury RVs and cruises, as well as a private box at the Pit at the University of New Mexico. The stolen funds were also used to pay off more than $4.4 million in American Express charges incurred by the defendants and their families.
Argentina is to extradite a former naval officer implicated in dictatorship-era crimes following his arrest in Brazil, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

Gonzalo Sanchez, who was arrested in Rio de Janeiro last week, is wanted for a raft of crimes committed during the military dictatorships Dirty War against opponents, including the murders of journalist and writer Rudolfo Walsh and a young Swedish woman, Dagmar Hagelin.

The ministry of foreign affairs notified our embassy in Brasilia that it considers Gonzalo Sanchez a fugitive in judicial investigations into crimes committed within the scope of the Navy Mechanics School (ESMA), a statement said.

The 69-year-old, who was also known as Chispa, was arrested last week in Rio de Janeiro.

Argentina suspects Sanchez of forming part of a group that participated in kidnappings, torture and murder at a time when some 30,000 were disappeared during the 1976-83 military dictatorship.

The fugitive served as a naval police officer in the notorious ESMA Naval Mechanics School, a feared torture center under the dictatorship.

Only a fraction of the estimated 5,000 regime opponents survived being sent there.

The bodies of Walsh and Hagelin, who was kidnapped in 1977, were never found.

During the Dirty War, ESMA commanders ordered so-called death flights in which prisoners were thrown alive into the Rio de la Plata.

A previous attempt by Argentine prosecutors to extradite Sanchez in 2017 failed.

More than a thousand members of the military regime have been convicted of crimes against humanity since 2003.
Ukraine's invitation is a strong signal of close cooperation in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

The European Union has invited Ukraine to join its Health Security Committee as an observer.

"Today the EU invited Ukraine to join its Health Security Committee as an observer," the EU Delegation to Ukraine said on Facebook on May 13.

The Health Security Committee is the key body where the EU and its Member States consult each other on coordinating national responses, preparedness and response planning, as well as risk and crisis communication on serious cross-border threats to health.

Read alsoUkraine to opt for "adaptive quarantine" in June-July, PM says

"Coordinating our activities and sharing information is essential in the current COVID-19 pandemic," the EU Delegation said.

"Ukraine's invitation is a strong signal of our continued close cooperation in the fight against this disease," it added.

The EU Health Security Committee was set up in 2001 at the request of EU Health Ministers as an informal advisory group on health security at European level. In 2013 Decision 1082/2013/EU, its role was formalized and strengthened.

The Committee is mandated to reinforce the coordination and sharing of best practice and information on national preparedness activities. Member States also consult each other within the Committee with a view to coordinating national responses to serious cross border threats to health, including events declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization in accordance with the International Health Regulations.
It's looking more likely that the new Israel's government agreed between Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and Benny Gantz's Blue and White coalition will proceed with a plan to annex large parts of the West Bank. In Israel and the U.S., much discussion has focused on when exactly the land-grab might occur, and how the Trump administration would react to it.

President Donald Trump, remember, has already blessed the idea of annexation. But, as I have suggested before, he may not want it to happen before presidential election in November. Netanyahu and Gantz will undoubtedly be expecting some guidance from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when he arrives in Jerusalem today.

Little attention is being paid, however, to how annexation will be perceived by other actors. In much of the world, there is already growing unease over the future Israel will be imposing on the Palestinians. If the five million Palestinians living in the territories occupied in 1967 are deprived of more land without even the basic rights of citizenship, it may become impossible for Israel to escape the stigma of an apartheid state.

Nor will the international community fail to notice that the Israelis are unilaterally abrogating solemn treaty commitments. In the 1993 Declaration of Principles it agreed with the Palestinian Liberation Organization-under the sponsorship of the U.S. and Russia-Israel promised not to annex occupied territories. Breaking that word, even with American approval, will cause serious and lasting diplomatic damage.

How would the world react to annexation? Among the major powers, Russia and China will likely issue formal expressions of regret, but do little else: Moscow and Beijing will not risk their strong ties to Israel over this issue. Europe is another matter, however.

More than likely, European governments will regard the newly-annexed areas illegitimate, as they do many other Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Although there is little they can do to actually prevent the annexation, they can impose an economic cost on Israel. Members of the European Union are already considering punitive measures, ranging from restrictions on trade agreements and the denial of grants.

Many European countries have laws distinguishing between goods and services produced in illegitimate settlements-which are labeled to show their origin or excluded from advantageous trade terms-and those produced in Israel proper. Israelis setting up businesses in annexed land could struggle for access to European markets.

There will be a political price, as well. Over time, Europeans will increasingly view a greater Israeli state as fundamentally illegitimate because it has been rendered indistinguishable from settlements. This view will inform the policies European governments adopt toward Israel.

Most emerging countries will likewise take a dim view of annexation: they have a stake in an international system that prohibits land-grabs by war. India could conceivably regard it as vindication of its own policies in Kashmir, but will at least express pro-forma disapproval. South Africa, Brazil, Mexico and others will be more forceful in their criticism-especially in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies-and will resist the normalization of an expanded Israel.

The same goes for the Islamic nations, even distant ones like Indonesia and Nigeria. In the Middle East, annexation will deepen hostility toward Israel from a wide range of actors, from Iran and Turkey to Islamist groups. And if Hezbollah and Hamas step up attacks on Israeli targets, they will have a ready-made justification that many Muslims around the world will find persuasive.

Annexation would virtually rule out diplomatic recognition of Israel by other Arab countries, even those that have recently been cultivating closer strategic relations, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It would even threaten relations with Arab states that do recognize Israel: Egypt and Jordan.

In the longer term, the reactions of Arab and other Muslim states will be governed by what the Palestinians do. The annexation plan leaves them marooned an autonomous area in the West Bank, entirely surrounded by the expanded Israel. Netanyahu, who calls this a "state-minus," is calculating that Palestinians will have no option but to take whatever they can get.

This is wishful thinking. Palestinians will not surrender their historic claims and national aspirations in exchange for a West Bank enclave with limited self-rule within a greater Israel. A violent new uprising may be inevitable, requiring a military response from the Israeli Defense Forces-in turn risking more international approbation.

Even without a conflagration, Israel will essentially be suppressing the basic human rights of millions of people-and there won't even be a pretense of this being a temporary situation, pending an eventual peace agreement. No amount of support from the Trump administration can erase that stain.

- - -

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion
Jair Bolsonaro (R) has come under intense scrutiny for his handling of the pandemic - Alan Santos/AFP

Brazil witnessed another record breaking daily death toll from coronavirus as it cemented its place as an emerging global epicentre for the disease.

The official toll of 881 deaths was second only to the US, while its total of 177,589 cases surpassed Germany and came within touching distance of France.

The total death toll now stands at 12,400, the sixth worst in the world, but experts say the real figure is far higher due to lack of testing and poor record keeping.

The rising numbers came as hard-Right president Jair Bolsonaro has issued a decree to reopen all gyms and hair salons in Latin America's largest economy, even in regions with strict lockdowns in place.

Mr Bolsonaro, who gained the 'Tropical Trump' moniker even before the crisis, has turned Brazil into a pariah in the region and much of the world for playing down the severity of the disease. He referred to the virus as a "little flu" and has been battling with state governors to lift lockdowns before the peak of the infection curve.

His latest decree  classifying gyms, fitness centers, hair salons and barbershops as "essential services", which may remain open during isolation measures  has been branded as "irresponsible" by several of Brazil's states, with governors refusing to obey the president's orders.

Rio de Janeiro governor Wilson Witzel said President Bolsonaro was "edging towards the precipice, and trying to take Brazil with him". In the northeastern state of Maranhao, left-wing governor Flavio Dino reckoned that the president is only looking to "cause trouble".

Jair Bolsonaro adjusts his face mask as he leaves his official residency in Brasilia - ADRIANO MACHADO/Reuters

"He picks fights with everyone, everyone except the coronavirus".

Meanwhile, Mr Bolsonaro claims opening gyms and hair salons will save up to 1 million jobs. "The matter of lives has to be dealt with alongside the matter of jobs".

Brazil's Covid-19 curve shows no signs of flattening. The country has recorded over 177,000 cases so far, and is set to overtake France on 178,000.

Story continues

Among experts, however, the consensus is that Brazil's Covid-19 figures are grossly under-reported.

The country's rate of testing is ten times lower than in the UK, with many states only diagnosing severe cases. Meanwhile, deaths from undefined respiratory failure have exploded in some cities.

Brazilian researchers have estimated the country's actual Covid-19 case totals to be over 1.6 million.

Elsewhere in Latin America, neighboring countries Argentina and Paraguay have called Brazil's Covid-19 situation a "major threat" to the rest of the continent, arguing that their borders should remain closed for the time being.

In Argentina, strict isolation policies have helped tame the spread of the virus, with the country recording just 6,000 confirmed cases and 305 deaths. In the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo  with a population comparable to that of Argentina  over ten times as many people have died from Covid-19.

Tuesday also saw a record in daily deaths In Mexico, Latin America's second-largest economy. The country's number of cases and fatalities had been gradually decreasing over last week, but 353 new deaths on Tuesday put Mexicans back on alert.

It also came as Left-wing president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador submitted plans to reopen the national economy, beginning with the automotive sector.

Back in Brazil, president Mr Bolsonaro is facing his own problems, unrelated to Covid-19. Having been placed under formal investigation for allegations of meddling with Brazil's federal police, video footage from an April cabinet meeting was shown to members of the Supreme Court, in which Mr Bolsonaro reportedly promises to fire the head of the force in Rio de Janeiro.

The probe was launched after former Justice Minister Sergio Moro resigned from the cabinet, alleging that Mr Bolsonaro intended to appoint one of his allies to the head of the federal police as two of his sons were under investigation for links to hitmen and fake news platforms, respectively.
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The Report Radiofrequency Ablation Devices Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Disposable, Capital, Reusable Equipment), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2026

The global radiofrequency ablation devices market size is anticipated to reach USD 6.7 billion by 2026, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to register a CAGR of 11.6% during the forecast period. Increasing preference for minimally invasive surgeries, growing geriatric population, and rise in healthcare spending for better disease treatment are expected to propel the growth.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, by the end of 2015, 15.9 million minimally invasive cosmetic surgeries were performed in U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than six million laparoscopic procedures are performed across the U.S. and EU countries every year.

Radiofrequency ablation is now used early in the management of patients suffering from atrial tachycardia or atrial fibrillation or other kinds of coronary disease. This factor is anticipated to boost the market growth. According to the American College of Cardiology Foundation, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of deaths (43.8%) in U.S., followed by stroke (16.8%), heart failure (9.0%), high BP (9.4%), and other CVDs (17.9%). By 2035, the total cost of CVD is expected to reach USD 1.1 trillion and is projected to affect 45.1% (130 million) adults in U.S.

Radiofrequency ablation can also be used to reduce neck pain, low-back pain, arthritis, and pelvic and peripheral nerve pain. According to WebMD LLC., RFA has been proven to be effective in more than 70% of the patients experiencing pain. Pain relief from RFA can last from six to 12 months or even a year.

Access Research Report of Radiofrequency Ablation Devices Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/radiofrequency-ablation-devices-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:

Disposable equipment held the largest market share in 2018 due to reduced morbidity and mortality and the ability of the equipment to provide treatment in an outpatient setting. For example, Radiopaque RF cannula (Halyard Worldwide, Inc) provides improved visualization under fluoroscopy for accurate positioning, resulting in a targeted treatment

Cardiology and cardiac rhythm management is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period due to disease prevalence, growing awareness, and adoption of minimally invasive operations. In 2012 RFA-Academia launched an initiative to increase awareness in Europe and to teach endoscopists safe and justified application of RFA to reduce the disease burden

North America is anticipated to continue leading the radiofrequency ablation devices market during the forecast period due to high healthcare expenditure, incidence of cardiac disease and cancer, and the number of patients suffering from pain

Asia Pacific is expected to witness significant growth over the next decade due to increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures to treat cancer and growing awareness regarding the benefits of ablation method over the conventional surgical procedures

Some of the key players are Boston Scientific Corporation; Medtronic; Stryker; Cosman Medical, Inc.; St. Jude Medical; Smith & Nephew; Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Services, LLC; and AngioDynamics.

Grand View Research has segmented the global radiofrequency ablation devices market based on type and region:

Radiofrequency Ablation Devices Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

Disposable Equipment

Capital Equipment

Reusable Equipment

Radiofrequency Ablation Devices Mode of Delivery Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

Surgical Oncology

Cardiology & Cardiac Rhythm Management

Cosmetology

Gynecology

Pain Management

Radiofrequency Ablation Devices Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 - 2026)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
While elucidating the details of the economic package announced by PM Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 13 said global tenders will be disallowed for government procurement up to Rs 200 crore.

Sitharaman said this while laying out a six-point financial stimulus for MSMEs.

Track this blog for latest updates from the FM's press meet

She said that Indian MSMEs and other companies have often faced unfair competition from foreign companies.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

"This step is being taken because a majority of MSMEs were unable to supply to their mother units, who they were serving as ancillaries all this while and conditions became more difficult due to COVID-19," she said.

Not only will this help MSMEs in increasing their business, but also will be a step towards a self reliant India or Aatmanirbhar Bharat, while also supporting the 'Make In India' initiative.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 had announced a fiscal stimulus of Rs 20 lakh crore to spur growth and build a self-reliant India. He said that this will rest on the five important pillars of economy, infrastructure, technology-driven systems, demography and demand.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
[May 13, 2020] Louis Tannyeres, Former Senior Fellow at Texas Instruments, Appointed EVP of Engineering at Kalray

Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris: FR0010722819 - ALKAL) (Paris:ALKAL), a pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems, today announces that Louis Tannyeres has been appointed executive vice-president of engineering. With over 35 years of experience in designing advanced semiconductor solutions in various executive positions in large semiconductor companies, Louis will bring rich and valuable experience in executing product roadmaps, industrializing high volume products and delivering optimized solutions to Kalray's customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005430/en/ Louis Tannyeres (Photo: Kalray) Louis Tannyeres started his career with Texas Instruments (News - Alert) (TI) in 1980. He was instrumental in the success of TI's Wireless Business Unit, which generated several billions of dollars of revenue. In particular, he architected and designed the world's first digital baseband SoC ("System-on-Chip") integrating a DSP ("Digital Signal Processor (News - Alert)") core, a microcontroller and an ASIC on a single die, which became the architecture of choice for the mobile phone and has been shipped in tens of billions of devices. He was one of the key inventors of the OMAP applicatio processor for Smartphones, a unique advanced processor architecture, adopted by the largest mobile phone companies in the world. Due to his exceptional technical contributions to TI, Tannyeres was elected Senior Fellow, one of six in the entire company. Following his TI career, Louis Tannyeres was Principal Fellow, Chief Chip Architect and Head of System Silicon Development at ST-Ericsson (News - Alert).



"Louis is a great addition to the executive team of Kalray. He brings tremendous expertise in leading design teams to develop and industrialize advanced processor solutions for large semiconductor companies", said Eric Baissus, CEO of Kalray. "In addition, he is a unique leader and role model to his teams. I am sure Louis will be instrumental in bringing Kalray R&D to the next level." "I have been following Kalray's evolution for quite some time and have been impressed by the innovative architecture and unique capabilities of Coolidge to power new intelligent systems", said Louis Tannyeres. "I am very excited to join Kalray and eager to contribute to the company's growth and success."

In his role, Tannyeres will manage hardware design and test, board design, engineering and industrialization teams, reporting to the CEO. He will focus on the design of Coolidge and its evolutions as the platform to support the company's ambitions on Data Center and Automotive markets. As a seasoned sailor who competed five times in the Solitaire du Figaro, a famous solo sailing race with several stages, Tannyeres will stay the course and give Kalray the benefit of his tenacity and his great experience in this new challenge. ABOUT KALRAY Kalray (Euronext Growth Paris - FR0010722819 - ALKAL) is the pioneer in processors for new intelligent systems. A genuine technological breakthrough, "intelligent" processors are able to intelligently analyze a vast quantity of data on the fly and to make decisions and interact in real time with the outside world. These intelligent processors will be largely deployed in fast-growing sectors such as new-generation networks (intelligent data centers) and autonomous vehicles, as well as in healthcare equipment, drones and robots. Kalray's offering spans both processors and global solutions (electronic boards and software). Created in 2008 as a spin-off of CEA ("Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique", the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Kalray addresses a broad spectrum of customers including server manufacturers, intelligent system integrators and consumer product manufacturers such as car makers. Read more at: www.kalrayinc.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005430/en/

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The bill states the obligation to disclose remuneration to the supervisory boards of state-owned enterprises and to declare to the management of companies, the majority of the shares of which belong to the state

Verkhovna Rada of 9th convocation, first session, August 31, 2019 Zoya Shu/112.ua

Verkhovna Rada intends to allow officials not to show their illegitimate children in declarations. 244 MPs voted for the corresponding bill. 112 Ukraine TV channel broadcasted the session.

The draft law was developed with the aim of increasing the transparency of the management bodies of state banks, state enterprises, state organizations which function to make a profit, and business entities where more than 50% of shares of authorized capital belong to the state, the explanatory note says.

The document is also aimed at eliminating the existing contradictions and establishing a circle of entities that are subject to anti-corruption legislation.

But the head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre Vitaliy Shabunin in his blog on Ukrainian Truth noted that the main goal of this bill was to allow not to declared property of minor children who do not live with parents-declarants.

And the point here is not even corruption, because if you use or manage this property, you still have to declare it. The point is the reluctance of one of the authors to show their illegitimate children in the declarations, Shabunin wrote.

The bill also establishes the obligation to disclose remuneration to the supervisory boards of state-owned enterprises and to declare to the management of companies, most of the shares of which belong to the state. The paragraph on illegitimate children was hidden among these norms.
Aunt Marthas said in the complaint that the home is the states first childrens quarantine center for youth under the care of DCFS who have tested positive for the virus. It said it began the planning for the facility after DCFS in mid-March called on child welfare organizations in Illinois about their ability to care for youth known to have been exposed to the virus.
Yemen's Southern Transitional Council Accuses Government of Violating Peace Treaty

Sputnik News

00:49 GMT 12.05.2020(updated 01:51 GMT 12.05.2020)

DOHA (Sputnik) - The president of Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC), Aidaroos Qassem Zubaidi, on Monday accused the country's internationally recognized government of not following the peace agreement and attacking the council's forces.

Earlier in the day, fighting between the STC and government forces broke out to the east of the city of Zinjibar, the capital of the southwestern Abyan province. A military source said that the Yemeni armed forces had tried to cross the line of contact and impose control on the city.

"Today, we have witnessed an escalation of a military campaign which brings us back to the past wars of conquest against the south in 1994 and 2015 by the armed groups of the Houthis and the Muslim Brotherhood* who have deployed their forces to the south", Zubaidi said in a statement.

He has issued a call to defend southern Yemen from an invasion.

"We are defending the people's wishes in the south as well as their choice of independence, restoring and building a modern, federative, and completely independent country", Zubaidi added.

In November 2019, the internationally recognized government of Yemen, led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, and separatists operating in the south of the country signed a peace treaty in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

The STC was created in 2017. The secessionist movement is backed by the United Arab Emirates, which is part of a Saudi-led coalition that has launched an air campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

* The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization banned in Russia

 Sputnik

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Far away from the limelight, an army of workers of a religious sect has been cooking tonnes of food for thousands of homeless and poor in the tricity ever since the lockdown began on March 24. Headquartered at Beas (Punjab), the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, a spiritual organisation based on the teachings of all religions, has given as many as 10 lakh food packets to the local administrations of Mohali, Chandigarh and Panchkula for further distribution.

Food is prepared at three centres of the sect  in Mohali, Chandigarh and Panchkula - twice a day.

At the Mohali centre in Sector 76, around 100 followers prepare 12,000 food packets a day. A follower said, We get all the ration from our headquarters in Beas and by Wednesday, we have given around 5 lakh packets to the administration. The packets were also given to migrant workers leaving for their native places in trains. Now since most of the migrant workers have left the district, we will be reducing the number of packets to 50% from May 18.

Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu had also visited the Mohali centre and applauded the selfless service of the followers.

Mohali sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Jagdeep Sehgal said, Whenever we need it, we just tell them and they deliver hygienic food in no time.

Similarly at the Chandigarh centre in Sector 27, around 5,000 food packets are prepared by 70 workers every day. Within seven weeks, the centre has prepared and given around 2.35 lakh food packets to us to date, which is not an easy thing to do, said SDM (south), Chandigarh, Manish Lohan.

The Panchkula centre in Saket, where around 5,400 packets are prepared every day, has contributed 2.53 lakh food packets to date. Panchkula SDM Dheeraj Chahal said, Around 150 workers at the centre have been fulfilling our requirement since day one.

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It could be four to five years before the Covid-19 pandemic is under control, a senior global health official has said.

But with hopes of an end to the pandemic dependent on containing the virus and development of an effective vaccine, other experts have dampened expectations of putting a date on curbing the virus.

There are globally more than 4.3 million confirmed coronavirus cases, with the death toll now approaching 300,000.

Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organisation's (WHO) chief scientist, told the FT's Global Boardroom digital conference: 'I would say in a four to five-year timeframe, we could be looking at controlling this.'

Influential factors include whether the virus matures, the containment measures put in place and the development of a vaccine, she told the conference.

Soumya Swaminathan, the WHO's chief scientist, told the FT's Global Boardroom digital conference that Covid-19 could be under control 'in a four to five-year timeframe'

She said that a vaccine 'seems for now the best way out', but there were 'lots of ifs and buts' about its efficacy and safety, as well as its production and equitable distribution, the newspaper reported.

Asked about the comments during the WHO's tri-weekly briefing from Geneva, Dr Mike Ryan, who heads up the organisation's health emergencies programme, said no one could predict when the disease would disappear.

But he also issued a warning about easing lockdown measures without appropriate surveillance measures in place adding: 'We should not be waiting to see if opening of lockdowns have worked counting the bodies in the morgue.'

He said: 'We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time, and therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it.

'What is clear, and I think maybe what Soumya may have been alluding to, is that the current number of people in our population who've been infected is actually relatively low.

'And if you're a scientist, and you project forward in the absence of a vaccine, and you try and calculate "how long is it going to take for enough people to be infected so that this disease settles into an endemic trace"?

'And it is important to put this on the table - this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities. And this virus may never go away.

'HIV has not gone away, we've come to terms with the virus and we have found the therapies and we found the prevention methods, and people don't feel as scared as they did before and we're offering long healthy life to people with HIV.'

He continued: 'I don't think anyone can predict when or if this disease will disappear.

'We do have one great hope - if we do find a highly effective vaccine that we can distribute to everyone who needs it in the world, we may have a shot at eliminating this virus.

'But that vaccine will have to be highly effective, it will have to be made available to everyone, and we will have to use it.'

But citing unvaccinated populations for diseases like measles, he went on: 'Forgive me if I'm cynical. But we have some perfectly effective vaccines on this planet that we have not used effectively for diseases we could eliminate and eradicate and we haven't done.

'We've lacked the will, we have lacked the determination to invest in health systems to deliver that.

'And therefore, science can come up with the vaccine - someone is going to make it and we've got to make enough of it so everyone can get a dose of it and we've got to be able to deliver that.

'And people have got to want to take that vaccine. Every single one of those steps is fraught with challenges.'

But he added: 'It's a massive opportunity for the world.

'The idea that a new disease could emerge, cause a pandemic, and we could - with a massive moonshot - find a vaccine and give that to everyone who needs it and stop this disease in its tracks will turn, maybe what has been a tragic pandemic, into a beacon of hope for the future of our planet and the way we care for our citizens.'

Meanwhile, on countries reopening after lockdowns, Dr Ryan warned that surveillance systems must be in place or it could be 'days or weeks' before officials know the virus is 'accelerating' again.

'If that virus transmission accelerates and you don't have the systems to detect it, it will be days or weeks before you know something has gone wrong,' he continued.

'And by the time that happens, you're back into a situation where your only response is another lockdown.

'And I think this is what we all fear - a vicious cycle of public health disaster, followed by an economic disaster, followed by public health disaster, followed by economic disaster.'

He went on: 'If the health system gets time to recover, then it can cope with another rise in cases, and the health system can probably do that a few times. I'm not sure how many times the economic system can do that.'

Dr Ryan added: 'We should not be waiting to see if opening of lockdowns has worked by counting the cases in the ICU (intensive care units), or counting the bodies in the morgue, that is not the way to know something has gone wrong.

'The way to know that the disease is coming back is to have community-based surveillance, to be testing, and to know the problem is coming back, and then be able to adjust your public health measures accordingly.

'Let us not go back to a situation where we don't know what's happening until our hospitals are overflowing. That is not a good way to do business.'
BROOKVILLE, N.Y., May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Theodore Roosevelt Institute at Long Island University announced today "Tales of Theodore Roosevelt," a four-part virtual lecture series about President Theodore Roosevelt presented by his great-grandson Tweed Roosevelt, Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute and Long Island University Professor. The lectures will be held May 19th, June 16th, September 15th and October 20th at Noon EST through Zoom and are free and open to the public.

Each lecture will focus on Theodore Roosevelt's colorful career, and will follow with a Q&A period. Kicking off the series on Tuesday, May 19th at Noon EST, "Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands," will retell extraordinary stories from the President's formative period of his life shared by Tweed Roosevelt. For example, as a young deputy sheriff in North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt hunted down dangerous desperadoes, almost got into a duel with a crack shot French aristocrat, and saved a saloon of drinkers by punching out a terrorizing drunkard. To register, please visit liu.edu/Roosevelt/badlands.

"President Theodore Roosevelt continues to fascinate Americans a century after his death for his charismatic personality, forward-thinking policies and dynamic leadership," stated Tweed Roosevelt, Long Island University Professor and Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute. "Few figures in our nation's history can rival the bipartisan support that has always followed our nation's 26th president. This exciting lecture series gives insight into unknown parts of TR's life and sheds insight into why his legacy lives on."

The virtual lecture series will continue with the following:

TR and the U. S. Navy

Tuesday, June 16th at 12 pm EST

Hosted by Tweed Roosevelt, the lecture explores the story of how Theodore Roosevelt used naval power to make the U.S. a world power, and will include a discussion about the current situation surrounding the aircraft carrier named after him, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN17).

To register, please visit liu.edu/Roosevelt/navy.

Down the Amazon: Theodore Roosevelt and the River of Doubt

Tuesday, Sept. 15th at 12 pm EST

Tweed Roosevelt will retrace President Theodore Roosevelt's adventure through Brazil which was undoubtedly his most dangerous trip in which he barely survived. This trip is as wild today as it was in 1914.

To register, please visit liu.edu/Roosevelt/amazon.

Theodore Roosevelt, Master Diplomat

Tuesday, Oct. 20th at 12 pm EST

Tweed Roosevelt will detail how President Theodore Roosevelt was a master diplomat. This little-known area of diplomacy Theodore Roosevelt exhibited during his presidency, perhaps did more to keep the world at peace than any other president has achieved. His approach is a blueprint that can be used today.

To register, please visit: liu.edu/Roosevelt/diplomat.

About the Theodore Roosevelt Institute (TRI)

The Theodore Roosevelt Institute serves as a home for research, public seminars, workshops, educational programs, and conferences about Roosevelt, his times, and contemporaries. As a hands-on learning space, the TRI showcases many of the 26th President's writings and collections. As a forum for academic assessment and discussion of his legacy, conferences and events led by preeminent scholars offer public access to local history and an ability to connect with that history in a very real way.

About Long Island University

LIU, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its "value added" to student outcomes, LIU offers nearly 400 accredited programs, with a network of 265,000 alumni that includes industry leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.

SOURCE Long Island University

Related Links

www.liu.edu


WOBURN, Massachusetts, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EarlySense, the global leader in contact-free, continuous monitoring solutions for the healthcare continuum, announced today that leading Netherlands hospital Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland has installed additional EarlySense units in its newly expanded 12-bed pulmonary department to continuously monitor COVID-19 patients while also protecting healthcare staff.

The new expansion follows the successful implementation of EarlySense's continuous monitors in the hospital's 28-bed pulmonology ward in 2018, which has assisted with early detection of and prevention of adverse events, such as code blue events resulting from cardiac or respiratory arrest and preventable ICU transfers. This follows the successful use of EarlySense to care for COVID-19 patients at Sheba Hospital in Israel, as well as installations in more than 40,000 patient beds across global healthcare facilities.

"We are dedicated to providing our patients with the highest level of care, and equipping our nursing staff with advanced technology to help them succeed in their roles," said Lex Kahlmann, Care Manager Pulmonology at Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland.

EarlySense's contact-free continuous monitoring (CFCM) system tracks more than 100 patient data points per minute, including respiratory rate, heart rate and movement, without ever touching the patient. The sensor, placed under the patient's mattress, transmits real-time patient data for the early detection of clinical changes to a display outside of the patient's room, limiting the need for staff to gown up and enter isolation areas. As a contact-free monitoring solution, there are no leads or other wearable devices to adjust or to touch the patient's body. Health staff are alerted to changes in patient vital signs, receiving real-time alerts that enable earlier identification and prevention of potentially harmful events.

"For over a decade, contact-free continuous monitoring has helped care teams around the world identify real-time changes in patient condition to improve care and safety," said Matt Johnson, CEO of EarlySense. "Together with our local partner, Devices4Care, we are proud to provide Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland with clinically-proven technology to remotely and safely care for COVID-19 patients. EarlySense is excited to offer our technology to additional facilities around the world in an effort to protect healthcare workers and patients in the global fight against COVID-19."

To learn more about the EarlySense solution for COVID-19 isolation rooms please visit: https://www.earlysense.com/isolation-rooms/ or for the Netherlands, https://www.devices4care.com.

About Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland

Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland is part of the group of Top Clinical Hospitals in the Netherlands. With focus on providing high quality care, the hospital is a recognized Medical Training and Research facility. Professional and motivated staff are the spill of the institution with 5 locations, 4,600 employees and more than 350 medical specialists. https://www.franciscus.nl

About EarlySense

EarlySense is the global leader in contact-free, continuous monitoring solutions for the healthcare continuum. Used worldwide in hospitals and post-acute care facilities, the EarlySense system assists caregivers in early detection of potential patient adverse events, including code blue events resulting from cardiac or respiratory arrest, patient falls, pressure ulcers, preventable ICU transfers and hospital readmissions. The EarlySense system captures critical information from the patient, alerting caregivers of potentially adverse events early on. The company has partnered with leading global technology companies including Hillrom, Philips, Welch Allyn, and Mitsui. EarlySense is based in Ramat Gan, Israel and Woburn, Massachusetts.

For more information, visit www.earlysense.com .

Follow EarlySense on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook.

Media Contact:

Ellie Hanson

Finn Partners

+1-929-222-8006

[email protected]

Company Contact:

Jaime Donahue

+1-781-373-3228 ext. 212

[email protected]

SOURCE EarlySense

Related Links

https://www.earlysense.com


SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Capella Space today announced it has signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the purpose of providing airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to the U.S. Navy. Facilitated through the Defense Innovation Unit's Commercial Solutions Opening, Capella will also provide the DoD with in-house analytics services to interpret the data. This marks the latest in a series of contracts Capella Space has signed with federal agencies, including the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office.

Capella will provide the DoD with SAR data collected by an airborne collection campaign using Capella's synthetic radar flown on board a specially equipped and outfitted airplane. This aerial campaign will give the DoD early access to Capella's SAR imagery and user console ahead of its first operational satellite launch planned later in the year.

SAR systems image in all weather, day or night, and capture amplitude and phase history data enabling the extraction of highly valuable information such as material properties, moisture content, elevation, and precise changes and movements, which are not available with optical imagery. When fully deployed, Capella's satellite constellation will collect sub-0.5 meter SAR imagery, which can identify types of aircraft or vehicles on the ground and provide 24/7 monitoring and change detection in any weather and lighting conditions.

"Defense & intelligence agencies utilize Capella's SAR data for a variety of purposes, including disaster recovery, infrastructure monitoring and indications and warnings of potential threats," said Payam Banazadeh, CEO and founder of Capella Space. "The continuous work we receive from these Agencies is a testament to the future they see where Capella services play an important role in our national security. We're pleased to receive this contract from the Department of Defense. We have a highly motivated, innovative team, and we're committed to providing reliable, persistent Earth observation data for the DoD and other federal agencies we work with."

The U.S. Department of Defense is among a growing list of interested users of Capella's high-resolution SAR imagery. This award will further deepen the partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense and Capella. By establishing a trusted partnership with the U.S. Navy, Capella is well-positioned to take on evermore advanced projects while ensuring a high level of security standards are met.

About Capella Space:

Capella Space is an information services company that provides on-demand sub-0.5m high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth observation imagery. Through a constellation of small satellites, Capella is providing easy access to frequent, timely and flexible information affecting dozens of industries worldwide. Capella's high-resolution SAR satellites are matched with unparalleled infrastructure to deliver reliable global insights that sharpen our understanding of the changing world - improving decisions about commerce, conservation and security on Earth. Learn more at capellaspace.com.

Media Contact:

Alex Nelson

[email protected]

SOURCE Capella Space

Related Links

http://capellaspace.com


Sweden recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths in three weeks, with 147 more fatalities.

It comes as Swedish authorities plan to permanently hire up to an additional 10,00 staff to address shortcomings in elderly care exposed by the virus.

Sweden's coronavirus deaths have fluctuated over the past week, with figures dramatically falling before a huge surge in new deaths on Wednesday.

Sweden recorded its highest number of coronavirus deaths in three weeks, with 147 more fatalities as figures have fluctuated over the past few days

The country also recorded 637 new cases of coronavirus, reaching a total of 27,909 cases. Sweden are not imposing the strict lockdown seen across Europe

On May 10 the country only reported 5 new deaths and 348 new cases but the extremely low figures were short-lived as their cases have started rising again.

The 147 deaths recorded on Wednesday brings Sweden's overall coronavirus death figures up to 3,460.

It also recorded 637 new cases of coronavirus, reaching a total of 27,909 cases during the pandemic.

Sweden's last surge in daily coronavirus deaths was on April 21, when 185 people died and 545 new cases were recorded.

It was also announced on Wednesday that Swedish authorities and labour unions will permanently hire up to an additional 10,000 nursing assistants and care workers to address failures in elderly care.

The boost in staff is the result of a deal between the government, Sweden's largest labour union Kommunal, and the country's municipalities which are tasked with managing elderly care.

Sweden's last surge in daily coronavirus deaths was on April 21, when 185 people died and 545 new cases were recorded. Pictured, a healthcare worker cleans and disinfects an ambulance after dropping a patient at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Danderyd Hospital near Stockholm on May 13

'The virus outbreak has shown that elderly care is vulnerable, and that has structural explanations,' Health Minister Lena Hallengren told reporters.

'It's basically about staff's conditions,' Hallengren added.

Half of the over 3,300 deaths from COVID-19 reported in Sweden have been among nursing home residents, and another quarter among those receiving care at home.

The failure to protect vulnerable nursing home residents has been widely debated in the Nordic country.

Some critics have blamed staff working conditions, with reports that many had to work without protective gear.

Swedish authorities will permanently hire up to an additional 10,000 nursing assistants and care workers to address failures in elderly care. Pictured, workers laid off during the pandemic are being retrained to work in hospitals and care homes in Stockholm

In March, Kommunal said that 40 percent of staff at nursing homes in Stockholm - the epicentre of the Swedish epidemic - were unskilled workers employed on short-term contracts, with hourly wages and no job security, while 23 percent were temps.

These were people who often could not afford not to go to work even if they were sick, they argued.

This latest deal on recruitment follows an announcement by the government on Tuesday to commit 2.2 billion Swedish kronor (184million) to allow care workers to receive paid on-the-job training.

The government announced this had now been complemented through a deal between the union and the public employers, which would mean that those who were trained would be offered permanent employment contracts.

The country have not imposed the strict lockdown measures seen across Europe, instead urging people to take responsibility and follow official recommendations.
Libyas interim government recognized the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 2020, for the second year in a row. On April 19, 2019, the provisional government had issued a similar recognition, Mirror-Spectator reported referring to an article of Harut Sassounian.

The article runs as follows:

While this recognition may surprise many people because there is hardly a single Armenian living in Libya, there are, however, geopolitical reasons for taking such an action. Ever since the toppling and killing in 2012 of Muammar Gaddafi, the leader of Libya, the country has been in constant turmoil with various military factions fighting each other to rule Libya.

The officially recognized government of Libya is limited around coastal Tripoli and Misrata, while most of the Libyan territory is occupied by the interim government led by military leader Khalifa Haftar. The internal civil war has been considerably expanded by the interference of external powers in Libyas domestic affairs. Turkey and Qatar have supported the central government with Islamic fighters and military hardware, while the interim government has been endorsed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The countries on the opposing sides in Libya are also involved in diplomatic clashes and mass media wars. Last month Saudi Arabia announced that it was blocking access to Turkish news agencies and websites. In return, Turkey blocked Saudi and Emirati news outlets. Furthermore, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supports the Muslim Brotherhood, while Saudi Arabia, Egypt and UAE are opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt and Turkey have been feuding ever since the pro-Muslim Brotherhood President of Egypt Mohammed Morsi, supported by Turkey, was toppled in 2013. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE have asked their citizens to boycott Turkish products and travel to Turkey.

These various regional and internal feuds have prompted the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Libyan interim governments Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on April 24, 2020. Here is the text of the announcement translated into English:

We recall today the genocide of the Armenian population by Turkey which falls on April 24 of each year. The State of Libya commemorates this anniversary in implementation of Government Decision No. 238 of 2019, which approved this day as a national day to revive it.

Turkeys criminal actions against the Armenian people by burning, deliberate killing, forced deportation, and other ugly acts contrary to all divine laws is a crime against humanity and it must be recognized and granted an official apology to the Armenian people and compensate them for the pains that these massacres have caused which cannot be forgotten from the memory of Armenians and the whole world. As we condemn this crime devoid of any element of humanity, we again call upon the countries of the world to recognize this heinous crime.

It is todays Turkish government, in its new situation, which commits crimes against the peoples of the world by its blatant interference in their internal affairs. Perhaps what it carried out yesterday by bombarding the city of Tarhuna [Libya] with missiles and drones, killing children, the elderly and women, destroying humanitarian convoys, food and medical aid, fuel tanks, bringing in mercenaries and supporting terrorists are other crimes added to a chain of Turkish crimes against people and confirms to the whole world the extent of Erdogans arrogance and his disregard for all international laws and norms.

On April 19, 2019, the Libyan Interim Government had issued a similar statement through its Foreign Ministry which reads as follows:

The Interim Government officially adopted a resolution in March recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

On 24 April 1915, the Ottoman authorities rounded up, arrested, and deported from Constantinople (now Istanbul) to the region of Ankara, 235 to 270 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders, the majority of whom were eventually murdered.

This was followed by the deportation of women, children, the elderly, and the infirm on death marches leading to the Syrian Desert. Driven forward by military escorts, the deportees were deprived of food and water and subjected to periodic robbery, rape, and massacre.

The final death toll of the genocide is reported to be 1.5 million.

It should not be surprising that the Libyan interim government has issued a statement on the Armenian Genocide because it serves its anti-Turkish political agenda. It would have been more surprising if such an announcement would be made contrary to its own interests.

All countries cater to their national interests. The Armenian government must also act in a similar manner. Libya is a good example. This is the second year in a row that its Interim Government has recognized the Armenian Genocide. What has been the reaction of the Armenian Government? We are not aware of any public comment to this effect. Wouldnt it be proper for the Armenian Foreign Ministry to issue a statement welcoming the Libyan announcement? Someday the Interim Government may become the legally recognized government of Libya. Now is the time for Armenia to establish friendly relations with Libya. As Turkey has been isolating Armenia from its neighbors by its blockade and its anti-Armenian economic and diplomatic efforts, Armenia in response should join hands with supportive countries and isolate Turkey to whatever degree it can.

By establishing good relations with the Libyan interim government, Armenia would also be in a good position to affirm its relations with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and mend its non-existent relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I am sure these countries would appreciate the friendly hand extended by the government of Armenia.
Europes largest carrier, Ryanair, has delayed the resumption of its operations in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina until August as a result of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. The carrier will reinstate flights from Nis Constantine the Great Airport on August 2 and plans to keep all four of its destinations from the city at this point. Operations from Banja Luka will restart on August 1, with its new flights to Bergamo in Italy still scheduled to commence at the start of the 2020/2021 winter season on October 26. Ryanairs subsidiary, Lauda, intends on launching its delayed new service from Vienna to Bosnia and Herzegovinas second largest city on July 3.





The airports in both Nis and Banja Luka remain closed. Constantine the Great Airport is expected to open within the next month, while all of Bosnia and Herzegovinas airports will remain closed until at least June 1. Ryanair is Serbias second busiest low cost airline by market share behind Wizz Air and Bosnias fourth busiest. Elsewhere in the region, the budget carrier plans on resuming some of its flights to Croatia and Montenegro in July, albeit with reduced frequencies. Since the Covid-19 flight restrictions in mid-March, Ryanair has been operating a skeleton daily schedule of thirty flights between Ireland, the UK and Europe. From July, Ryanair will restart flying from most of its eighty bases across the continent. There will be fewer daily/weekly frequencies on trunk routes, as Ryanair works to restore some services on the widest number of routes, rather than operating high frequency services on a small number. Approximately 40% of the airlines schedule will resume in July.





Ryanairs CEO, Eddie Wilson, said, Governments around Europe have implemented a four-month lockdown to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus. After four months, it is time to get Europe flying again so we can reunite friends and families, allow people to return to work, and restart Europes tourism industry, which provides so many millions of jobs. He added, Ryanair will work closely with public health authorities to ensure that these flights comply, where possible, with effective measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. As already shown in Asia, temperature checks and face masks/coverings are the most effective way to achieve this on short haul (one hour) within Europes single market. Now that Europes states are allowing some gradual return to normal life, we expect this will evolve over the coming weeks and months.




[May 13, 2020] Abracon Names Amy Keller as Vice President of Global Marketing

AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2020 /CNW/ -- Abracon, LLC (Abracon), The Heartbeat of the IoT, a leading global manufacturer of frequency control, timing, synchronization, RF, connectivity and power solutions, welcomes Amy Keller as the new vice president of global marketing. In her new role, Keller will lead the company's strategic marketing efforts and guide the expansion of the Abracon brand throughout the industry. "We spent many months seeking the perfect candidate to lead Abracon's evolving global marketing strategies," said Abracon CEO Michael Calabria. "We are extremely excited to have someone of Amy's talent and experience joining Abracon's Senior Leadership Team. Amy's tenured knowledge of the distribution industry aligns very well with Abracon's commitment to our distribution channel partners." Prior to joining the Abracon family, Keller spent more than 20 years at Arrow Electronics, holding various client-facing leadership roles in supplier marketing, strategic sales and supply chain services. During her tenure, she successfully introduced customer-centric strategies that streamlined organizational alignment, developed partnership relationships and improved client experiences. Most recently, she served as the sales director for the global supply chain. She oversaw multiple complex customers and was actively involved in program expansion and digital supply chain transformations. Amy holds a Bachelor of Sciene in Marketing & Transportation/Logistics from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. She currently serves as an executive director for Women in Electronics, a national non-profit organization centered around professional leadership development.



"I look forward to joining a strong, innovative team and accelerating Abracon's marketing reach in the industry," Keller said. "It's an excellent time to showcase Abracon's story of product portfolio growth and commitment to agile service and product support." Abracon recently acquired the ILSI, MMD, Ecliptek and Oscilent brands to complement Abracon's existing product offerings and provide Abracon's global customer base with a broader range of timing solutions. In addition, Abracon continues to introduce industry-leading products in a variety of technologies, including antennas, LAN transformers, power inductors, miniaturized quartz crystals and high-performance oscillators.

About Abracon, LLC | The Heartbeat of the IoT Abracon, LLC is a leading global manufacturer of passive and electromechanical timing, synchronization, power, connectivity and RF solutions. The Abracon, LLC family of brands includes Abracon, ILSI, Ecliptek, MMD and Oscilent. Abracon supports go-to-market needs by reliably supplying the most advanced components that tackle the toughest design challenges. Focused on quality and innovation, Abracon helps engineers transform their ideas into products that meet the opportunities of tomorrow. The company is ISO9001-2015 certified with design & application engineering resources in Texas and sales offices in the US, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Scotland, Israel, Hungary, UK, and Germany. Abracon's products are offered through its global distribution network. For more information about Abracon, visit www.abracon.com. Contact:

Michael Calabria, CEO

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abracon-names-amy-keller-as-vice-president-of-global-marketing-301058814.html SOURCE Abracon LLC

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S upermarket Morrisons is following in the footsteps of the likes of Marks & Spencer by releasing a food box to be delivered to customers doorsteps.

The British Farmers Food Box, which has been created to help support farmers, includes 10kg of food to feed vulnerable and self-isolating people.

The 45 box includes two blocks of cheese, seven packets of meat, milk, butter potatoes and vegetables, and 1 from every box will go to The Princes Countryside Fund.

Chief Executive of Morrisons, David Potts, said: "Being the biggest customer of British Farming, we want to help farmers while also playing our full part in feeding the nation.

"Our farmers produce some of the worlds finest meats, vegetables and cheeses which we want to offer to our customers."

Director of The Princes Countryside Fund, Claire Saunders, said: "We are immensely grateful to Morrisons and their customers for backing British farming.

"This contribution will allow us to support farming groups across the UK - including the five Farming Help charities.

"It will also ensure that British farmers have the support they need through this difficult time to keep producing healthy, nutritious food for our tables."

The box is available to buy on the supermarkets website, and includes:
Iran Holds Funeral For Victims Of Naval Accident, No Explanation About Cause

Radio Farda May 12, 2020

Iran on Tuesday buried the victims of an apparent friendly-fire incident during a naval exercise that killed nineteen sailors and wounded 15 others, without offering any explanations about the cause of the accident.

Admiral Amir Sayyari, Deputy Coordinating Commander of Iran's regular army and Admiral Amir Khanzadi, Commander of the Army's Naval Force, participated in the funeral which was held at the Third Naval District of Konark Port on Tuesday morning.

The vessel was hit by a missile fired during naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday. So far the only statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the Naval Force of the Army has only stated that the vessel "had an accident" and 19 sailors "were martyred". The statement advises "to avoid any speculation about the accident before thorough investigations by the experts present at the scene of the accident".

Several high-ranking officials including President Hassan Rouhani, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif and top military commanders have issued statements to offer their condolences to the Supreme Leader, the people of Iran and the families of the victims. None of the messages mentions friendly fire or any other reference to the cause of the accident.

Calling the accident "unacceptable", Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh, a member of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee on Monday issued a parliamentary "notice" to president Rouhani and called for investigation of its cause.

Some Iranian news agencies and websites have speculated that the accident was caused by a faulty missile homing device. According to unconfirmed reports Jamaran warship fired a cruise missile at Konarak by mistake during the naval exercise. The smaller vessel which has been towed to the harbor has sustained heavy damage.

According to Reed Foster, a senior analyst at Jane's, the Konarak may have been targeted with a Noor anti-ship missile that has long been a part of Iran's anti-ship arsenal.

The Dutch-made, 47-meter Konarak has been in service since 1988. The vessel is designed for a crew of 20 but there were 34 on board it when the accident happened.

Iran regularly holds exercises in the region, which is close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-holds- funeral-for-victims-of-naval-accident-no- explanation-about-cause/30607375.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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US official to meet Netanyahu and Gantz and discuss Israels annexation plans for parts of occupied West Bank.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Israel for talks with the countrys Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former rival Benny Gantz who is now part of Israels new unity government that will be formed.

Pompeo wore a red, white and blue face mask when he landed at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning for his first trip abroad in nearly two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

During his visit, Pompeo is expected to discuss Iran, the coronavirus and Israels possible annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a move expected to enrage the Palestinians and many of Israels Western allies.

Netanyahu and Gantz postponed the swearing in of the new government to accommodate Pompeos one-day visit.

After battling to a deadlock in three inconclusive elections over the past year, Netanyahu and the former army chief, Gantz, agreed last month to form a joint government.

Netanyahu, a right winger in power since 2009, will serve as premier for 18 months with Gantz taking on the role for the same duration.





Their coalition agreement says the Israeli government can, from July 1, begin considering implementing the occupied West Bank annexations detailed in US President Donald Trumps Middle East plan.

Unveiled in January, the controversial plan gives a green light from Washington for Israel to annex Jewish settlements and other strategic occupied West Bank territory.

Burying Palestinian rights

The Palestinians have rejected Trumps plan and cut ties with the Trump administration in 2017 over its pro-Israel stance.

Their chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Pompeos team had not reached out ahead of the visit.

The Trump administration is collaborating with Israel in its annexation plan in what is both an attempt at burying the rights of the Palestinian people as well as a blatant attack on a rules-based international system, he said.

The annexation plans also drew criticism from across the Arab world.

200305084546273

Earlier this week, the United Arab Emirates, which has close, covert relations with Israel, voiced its deep concern, while the Arab League has said annexation would be a war crime.

Israel has controlled the West Bank since seizing it in the Six-Day War of 1967.

Nearly three million Palestinians live there alongside more than 400,000 Israelis residing in settlements that are considered illegal under international law. Last November, Pompeo stated that the Trump administration no longer believed that the settlements were inconsistent with international law.

For the Palestinians and much of the international community, Israeli annexations would sink any hope of a two-state solution to the conflict.

The US plan recognises Jerusalem as Israels undivided capital, defying Palestinian leadership aspirations that the eastern part of the city will serve as their future capital.
With the ongoing challenges associated with large-scale testing for COVID-19--including test kit shortages, stringent testing criteria and the inherent limitations of current tracking systems on mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic populations, scientists are looking for alternate methods to boost testing in order to predict the spread of the disease.

Crystal Hepp, an assistant professor in NAU's School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems (SICCS), is testing wastewater in northern Arizona communities to help determine the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Because the virus is shed in human waste, she believes sewage is a viable avenue for its detection.

While scientists predict second or even multiple COVID-19 outbreaks, Hepp believes wastewater testing may function as an early and ongoing warning system, especially in rural communities underserved by healthcare workers and medical facilities, and can alert wastewater plant operators to elevated risks.

It will be critical to continue surveillance activities that can assist in developing dynamic regional intervention strategies. To be sustainable during an outbreak of this magnitude, a more robust, feasible and human-independent method of community sampling needs to be implemented." Crystal Hepp, Assistant Professor, School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, NAU

Currently, Hepp and her team are testing influent (untreated) and effluent (treated) samples weekly at six locations in Flagstaff, Munds Park, Kachina Village and Kayenta, located within the Navajo Nation. Collaborators in the project include the City of Flagstaff, Pinewood Sanitary District, Kachina Village Improvement District, the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and TGen-North.

Doctoral student Jill Cocking, a senior research specialist in the Hepp Lab at SICCS, leads the laboratory component of the work and treats each sample as though it is infectious.

"I take this material and remove the nucleic acids," said Cocking. "COVID-19 is an RNA virus (a virus that has ribonucleic acid as its genetic material), so the next step is to turn the RNA into DNA so it can be detected by an assay designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The assay makes copies of the genetic material until there's enough to detect it with our instruments. If the coronavirus is present in the wastewater, this analysis will let us know."

Samples from three influent wastewater sites tested positive in early April. Hepp, an assistant director at NAU's Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI), notes that the team has not found any positive cases in effluent, indicating the wastewater plant process is effective in treating the virus.

The researchers will conduct genetic sequencing analysis on positive samples in influent to look for different strains.

"The virus is always evolving," Hepp said. "There are always new strains that could be arising. If we find several different strains with different mutations, that would indicate the virus has had more of a chance to mutate over time within the population or that new introductions have occurred. A higher number of strains at any given time may indicate more infected individuals."

Hepp is working with Jason Sahl, an assistant director of PMI, who will use his established genomics pipeline, WG-FAST, to examine strain diversity.

"Our WG-FAST approach can provide strain level identification of virus, identify strain mixtures and match clinical and wastewater samples," said Sahl. "This approach can identify circulating viruses without the need to sample humans directly and will independently identify cases.

"It also can catch COVID-19 cases that may not present to the hospital and could alert public health agencies on circulating strains, which will help with contact tracing and inform the public on new waves of COVID-19 in their communities."

"This sequencing analysis will help us understand the circulating strain in a community, the overall diversity of the virus and how that changes between different locales and at different times of the year," said Dave Engelthaler, associate professor and TGen-North director.

Hepp's study is expected to continue through the summer. She hopes to secure funding through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and extend the research to the end of the outbreak.
BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that China has suspended imports of beef products from four Australian companies due to violation of inspection and quarantine requirements.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press briefing that the Chinese Customs has found that multiple batches of beef products from individual Australian companies violated the inspection and quarantine requirements jointly determined by both sides.

"The Chinese side has urged the Australian side to investigate the cause and make corrections," Zhao said.
Members of the Muslim community



helped in performing the last rites of their 72-year-old Hindu neighbour in Sewri area here after the deceased's relatives could not reach for his funeral due to the lockdown.

Pandurang Ubale, who was paralysed since the last few months, died at his residence in Zakaria Bunder area of Sewri on Monday. He had been staying in the Muslim-dominated locality along with his wife and son since some decades.

After his death on Monday, his relatives staying in suburban Mulund, Belapur in adjoining Navi Mumbai and Alibaug in neighbouring Raigad district could not come over to his place in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

As Ubale's wife and son were unable to make all arrangements for the funeral, they informed their neighbours, who came forward to help and even prepared the bier.

A neighbour, Asif Sheikh, who attended the funeral, said, We knew Ubale uncle since a long time. He always participated in our festivals and we used to be a part of their festivities. We all came forward to bid him a farewell and helped in performing his last rites."



Last month also,some Muslim men carried the body of a Hindu neighbour in suburban Bandra on their shoulders to the cremation ground after the deceased's relatives were unable to attend the last rites due to the lockdown.

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

Small businessesmany PR agencies fall into this categorythat have received loans through the Paycheck Protection Program should be aware of certain tax deduction rules. The IRS released guidance to clarify whether taxpayers receiving the loans may deduct otherwise deductible expenses.

On May 14, the SBA changed course and announced that borrowers, together with their affiliates, who received PPP loans of less than $2 million have been granted a safe harbor. The safe harbor means that anyone who received a PPP loan "under $2 million" is automatically deemed to have made a good faith certification of need. As a result, they are safe from having their initial need for the PPP loan second-guessed and challenged on audit. Borrowers with PPP loans greater than $2 million do not qualify for this automatic safe harbor protection.

Businesses cant deduct the wages or other business expenses they paid for using the loan. The IRS has clarified that no deduction for any expense is allowed for an expense thats otherwise deductible if both the payment of the expense results in forgiveness of a loan made under the Paycheck Protection Program and the income associated with the forgiveness is excluded from gross income pursuant to the Coronavirus, and Economic Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The Paycheck Protection Program provides small businesses with loans to pay payroll costs, mortgages, rent and utilities. The loans are forgiven for payments of payroll costs, and payment of interest on covered mortgage obligation, and payment on any covered rent obligation and any covered utility payment. However, see below!

Top Congressional tax writers disagree with IRS interpretation of expenses related to PPP Loans

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, ranking member Ron Wyden and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal expressed disapproval of the recent IRS guidance (see above) regarding deductions for small businesses that receive PPP loans. The IRS guidance stated that business cant take deduction for expenses, including wages, if the payment of the expenses results in forgiveness of a PPP loan.

The Congressional tax writers sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requesting to reverse the guidance, as it goes against Congressional intent. The letter states, We believe the position taken in the IRS Notice ignores the overreaching intent of the PPP, as well as the specific of Congress to allow deductions in the case of PPP loan recipients.

The PPP loan issue is expected to be addressed in the next round of economic relief legislation.

Employee Retention Credit

The Employee Retention Credit is a refundable credit against employment taxes equal to 50 percent of the qualified wages an eligible employer pays to employees after March 12, 2020, and before January 1, 2021.

Can an employer that receives a PPP loan receive the Employee Retention Credit? The simple answer is no! An employer may not receive the Employee Retention Credit if the employer receives a PPP loan thats authorized under the CARES Act. An eligible employer that receives a PPP loan, regardless of the date of the loan, cannot claim the credit.

Is an employer that repays its PPP loan by May 14, 2020, eligible for the Employee Retention Credit?

Yes. An employer that applied for a PPP loan, received payment and repaid the loan by May 14, 2020, will be treated as though the employer had not received a covered loan under the PPP for purposes of the Employee Retention Credit. Therefore, the employer will be eligible for the credit if the employer is otherwise an eligible employer.

Is an employer eligible to receive an Employee Retention Credit after the PPP loan is forgiven?

No. An employer that receives a PPP loan may not receive an Employee Retention Credit regardless of whether and when the loan is forgiven.

Issues pertaining to the Secure Act and your retirement

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019, better known as the Secure Act, contains some significant provisions aimed at increasing access to tax-advantaged accounts and preventing older Americans from outliving their assets.

The following are key provisions of the Secure Act:

The SECURE Act became law on December 20, 2019.

Makes it easier for PR firmssmall businessesto set up 401(k)s by increasing the cap under which they can automatically enroll workers in safe harbor retirement plans, from 10 percent of wages to 15 percent of wages.

Many part-time workers will be eligible to participate in an employer retirement plan.

The Act pushes back the age at which retirement plan participants need to take required minimum distributions from 70.5 to 72 for those who are not 70.5 by the end of 2019 and allows traditional IRA owners to keep making contributions indefinitely.

The Act mandates that most non-spouses inheriting IRAs take the distribution that end up emptying the account in 10 years. The Act allows 401(k) plans to offer annuities.

Other changes in the Act is the elimination of a provision known as stretch IRAs, which allowed non-spouses inheriting retirement accounts to stretch out disbursements over their lifetimes. The new rules require a full payout from the inherited IRA within 10 years of the death of the original account holder, raising an estimated $15.7 billion in additional revenue. This will apply to heirs of account holders who die starting in 2020.

***

Richard Goldstein is a partner at Buchbinder Tunick & Company LLP, New York, Certified Public Accountants.
KILLINGWORTH  The following camps are now registering at Arts Center Killingworth. Space is limited; register early. Call 860-663-5593 or email artscenterkillingworth@gmail.com

Fashion Week One, July 13-17, for ages 11-15. Mornings are spent working with a professional illustrator learning to draw the fashion silhouette as live models pose for your sketches. End the week of illustration with a portfolio ready piece. Afternoons are spent with professional seamstresses learning to read, pin and cut a pattern of your choice. Construct and finish your garment by sewing and adding accessories. Professional hair and makeup stylists help prepare you for the end of the week photo shoot and fashion show. Model your creations for friends and family. Cost for one registrant is $360 per week, with a deposit of $180. Each participant must supply their sewing machine. Drawing and sewing material lists are available.

Fashion Week Two, July 20-24, for ages 15-18, camp goers dig deeper and focus their designs on the influences of top fashion designers. Afternoons, they sew their creations and add details. The week ends with a portfolio-ready fashion illustration and their turn to make their way down the runway for family and friends. This years design muse is Anna Sui. Learn sketching from a live model and design your own Anna Sui-inspired creations. Fashionistas can register for either week or both weeks. No previous experience is necessary. Cost for one registrant is $360 per week, with a deposit of $180. Each participant must supply their sewing machine. Drawing and sewing material lists are available.

Art & Nature Camp, July 27-31, for ages 7-12. Camp goers spend fun summer days drawing en plein air and painting and sculpting on the grounds of the Arts Center. Develop observational, drawing, and sculpting techniques working on projects like Air Dry Clay Impressions, Bubble Painted Florals (mixed media), Natures Windows Clings, and Sun Painted Sun Catchers. A special treat for 2020 includes a Guest Artists Afternoon Sessions: Painting Trees and Foliage in Watercolor! Campers will create paintings focusing on the surrounding landscape with trees and foliage gaining invaluable instruction on drawing, composition and basic watercolor techniques. Another Guest Artist Afternoon will be learning nature photography with a professional photographer. Nature will inspire in this camp as will a day spent at the Arts Centers gallery, Spectrum Art Gallery in Centerbrook. Camp cost is $325. A deposit of $162 confirms your childs spot.

Artists wanted for festivals

CENTERBROOK  Spectrum Gallery & Store is seeking artists and fine artisans for exhibits and festivals. Representational and abstract painters, collage artists, photographers, potters and ceramicists, glass, wood and fiber artisans and jewelry designers. For all submissions, visit spectrumartgallery.org/future-exhibitions or email 3-4 high resolution jpegs of work with titles, medium, and dimensions to Barbara@spectrumartgallery.org.

Essex Green Summer Arts Festival, Seeking artists for the outdoor festival on the Essex Town Green, June 20-21. Submit early, space fills quickly. Artists invited to participate on the Green can also submit to a 6-week show at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook. Group festival gallery show dates TBA when gallery reopens.

Autumn Arts Festival in Madison, Seeking artists for outdoor festival on the Madison Town Green (Boston Post Rd/Rte 1 and Copse Road, Oct. 10-11, rain date Oct. 12. Artists participating on the Green can submit to a 6-week show at Spectrum Gallery in Centerbrook (Sep. 25-Nov. 8; Receiving: Sep. 13-18, 1-6 p.m., except Mon. Sep. 14).

Muslim coalition to hold Taste of Ramada

BLOOMFIELD  The Muslim Coalition of Connecticut will host its annual Taste of Ramadan Event, online, from 6:30-8 p.m. May 17.

This free interfaith program is for those who would like to learn about the importance of Ramadan for Muslims and also hear about the traditions of fasting from the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish perspectives.

The interfaith panel this year will include Dr. Deena Grant - Judaism; The Very Reverend Dr. John Jillions - Orthodox Christianity; and Dr. Colleen Keyes - Islam.

For more information or to register, email info@mcct.us or call 860-242-1707

Visit www.mcct.us or search on Facebook to learn more about the coalition and its activities and programs.

Credit union offering financial education classes

EAST HARTFORD  American Eagle Financial Credit Union, Connecticuts largest community-focused credit union, is offering nearly 30 free online financial education lessons to schools, organizations and families in celebration of National Financial Literacy Month in April.

National Financial Literacy Month is an opportunity for people of all ages to improve their financial wellness through this online resource offered by American Eagle, said Dean Marchessault, President and Chief Executive Officer. When schooling, working, and learning from home is so important during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, this platform provides real-life, real-time lessons that benefit everyone in our community.

American Eagle offers 29 self-paced modules that take under ten minutes per lesson. Topics include: Savings Accounts, Checking Accounts, Credit Cards, Credit Scores and Reports, Creating a Budget, Mobile and Online Banking, Paying for College, Buying a Home, Car Shopping, Retirement Planning and others.

A new and timely module, Financial Wellness in Uncertain Times, is also included in the collection. No signup is necessary to take advantage of American Eagles free online financial education program. All lessons are available at americaneagle.org/financialeducation.

American Eagles free online financial education program will remain online beyond the celebration of National Financial Literacy Month in April. National Financial Literacy Month was established in 2004 to highlight the importance of financial education and teach Americans of all ages to develop and maintain healthy financial habits. For more information about American Eagle Financial Credit Union, visit www.americaneagle.org.
The commander of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) said Wednesday that the selection process for operators in the future will be less about assessing physical prowess, instead placing more emphasis on algorithms and analytics.

"We are moving ourselves increasingly away from an assessment and selection program that is based on performance and more toward one that is based on attributes," Air Force Lt. Gen. James Slife told an audience at the National Defense Industrial Association's vSOFIC 2020 industry conference.

"So, it's not really as much about how quickly you can do a ruck march with a 30-pound ruck and how many pull-ups and push-ups you can do. It's really more about the attributes that you possess," he said.

AFSOC has started to take advantage of the large amount of data on operators that has been collected over the past 30 years, Slife said.

"We've got a lot of data that we can go back and mine, and find out what makes for the most successful special operators," said Slife, who did not go into detail about the types of attributes his command wants to see in AFSOC candidates. "We are taking advantage of analytics, algorithms that we have available ... to help us be more refined in our recruiting, assessment and selection."

Related: Less Door-Kicking, More Influencing: The Changing Role of Special Operators

Army Gen. Richard Clarke, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, said recently that special operators of the future will need to be savvy at working in the information battlespace to win what he calls the war for influence.

Maj. Gen. Daniel Yoo, head of Marine Forces Special Operations Command, agreed that skills for operating in the information space will be important but said they will likely not overshadow high physical-performance standards.

"One area that they are looking a lot for is somebody that can work in [an] information environment but that also has the physical capabilities to do what we want to do in the special operations community," Yoo said.

Naval Special Warfare Command is looking more to the Navy Reserve for service members working at tech firms like Amazon and Google to bring their skills into the force.

"We are targeting guys that are citizen soldiers in industry that want to serve in uniform," said Navy Rear Adm. Collin Green, head of Naval Special Warfare Command.

Meanwhile, Army Special Operations Command is depending more on artificial intelligence and social media to search for future operators.

"We have leveraged AI-enabled recruiting; we have also been able to identify those most likely to succeed and break down our investment in those kinds of key populations," said Lt. Gen. Francis Beaudette, head of Army Special Operations Command.

Units have "really pushed into social media and interactive spaces," Beaudette said, describing efforts to share what a day in the life of a Ranger or Green Beret looks like. "We have been much more active and aggressive about messaging, if you will, and sharing who we are.

"We want the best and brightest talent whether it's off the block or coming from the Army. ... We want to ensure that we are going for the best athlete anywhere and everywhere, and we don't leave any talent out there that can really contribute to the formation," he added.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

Read more: Pentagon Official: Recruiting Problems Could Alter Special Ops Mission
Today, the Journal begins its endorsements in contested primary races for the New Mexico Legislature. For information including candidate Q&As, district maps, and news stories and endorsements as they are published, go to ABQJournal.com/election2020.

New Mexico Senate

District 9  Democratic primary, Kevin Lucero

The Bernalillo County sheriffs deputy says public safety is one of the top issues in District 9, which includes Bernalillo, Placitas, Rio Rancho and Corrales, where Lucero is a village councilor. Lucero told the Journal Editorial Board the early release of inmates sends shivers down my back. With 20-plus years in law enforcement, Lucero offers strong public safety credentials and the potential to lead legislative efforts to address crime and the 100-plus DWI fatalities in New Mexico every year. He wants to expand DWI awareness and education programs and pass stiffer penalties for repeat offenders. If he wins the primary, Lucero will face the winner of the District 9 GOP primary. Incumbent Sen. John M. Sapien, D-Corrales, is not running for reelection.

District 9  Republican primary, Bridget Condon

Condon, the director of business development for the Sandoval Economic Alliance, said at a roundtable in March that her city would be better represented with a lawmaker among the 56 legislators in leadership positions. As the third-largest city in the state, Rio Rancho deserves a leading voice in the Legislature. Before joining the alliance in September 2018, Condon worked for the New Mexico Association of Commerce and Industry and then-Rep. Steve Pearce in Washington and New Mexico. She is right when she says our state is in desperate need of young leaders to step up, and her exuberance and business and political experience promise to help the economies of District 9 and the state recover.

District 10  Democratic primary, Katy Duhigg

The former Albuquerque city clerk has a reputation for cleaning things up, including the citys election code and code of ethics, and the act of banking giant Wells Fargo. As a corporate attorney in 2014, Duhigg won a $2.7 million judgment after the bank foreclosed on a familys home despite the fact it had also sold an accidental death insurance policy to the Rio Rancho homeowner, who died in a workplace accident. Duhigg told the Editorial Board the state is not going to be able to honor the promises in the 2020-21 budget and says its hard to justify raises for state employees when so many New Mexicans are out of work. Her practical approach would be a good fit for District 10, primarily the northwest corner of Albuquerque. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican incumbent Candace Gould in the general election.

District 17  Democratic primary, Sen. Mimi Stewart

Stewart is a leading voice on education and other issues in the Roundhouse, where she has served since 1995. Shes been the Democrat majority whip for three sessions, giving her East Side District 17 a very strong voice in Santa Fe. While the Editorial Board disagrees with many of her positions, Stewart represents many in her district. If she wins the primary, she will face Republican Rodney Deskin, who is running unopposed, in the general election.

District 19  Republican primary, Sen. Jim White

White prides himself on being a realist, saying he was the first lawmaker to say the lottery scholarship program wouldnt fund 100% of college education. He says the $7.6 billion budget passed by state lawmakers in February has to be reexamined in light of the economic crisis. None of that is going to work anymore, he told the Editorial Board. Whites pragmatic approach to state spending is needed now more than ever. If he wins the GOP primary, White will face Democrat Claudia Risner and Libertarian John McDivitt in the general election to represent the East Mountain area, including Edgewood and Moriarty.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
72, passed away April 29, 2020. He was raised in Denison, Iowa, the second child of Armin and Maybelle Kammeyer's four children, and by far the most fun. Steven was born to create! As a child, he worked with his dad on cars and wooden furniture which ultimately led to his winning a scholarship to the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. He once pedaled his bicycle from Denison to Chicago, where he drove a bus while studying dentistry. He then traveled to Long Beach, California where he served in the Navy Dental Corps. Throughout his life, he built many astonishing pieces: dozens of rocking chairs from exotic woods; a half pipe for his son; a three-story air-conditioned treehouse for his daughter; a harpsichord; an authentic gypsy caravan and an airplane which he piloted once. He loved music and sang energetically at any opportunity. He redesigned and renovated every house he ever lived in, including his last home.
BOSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Flipside Crypto, the leading business intelligence firm for cryptocurrency and blockchain organizations and Prysm Group, the leading economic consulting firm for blockchain implementations, announced today a partnership to deliver real-time economic analytics for Crypto Projects.

In addition, they are announcing the first customer, The Open Application Network (OAN), a public infrastructure for Open Apps which give control, privacy, and ownership back to their users, and which utilizes the token AION to enable transactions and network security.

To what extent resource contributions to the consensus mechanism produce rewards and influence (Source: Flipside Crypto & Prysm Group)

Flipside Crypto and Prysm Group have developed the Economic Suite, a series of visualizations to enable the real-time tracking of economic outcomes measuring platform and ecosystem health. The Suite includes several categories of metrics that provide actionable insight into token movement and price drivers, validator compensation and consolidation, and transaction fee fluctuations.

"We are thrilled to partner with Prysm Group to develop the Economic Suite." Said Dave Balter, CEO of Flipside Crypto. "Their expertise in blockchain economics is unparalleled, and their ability to design effective economic analysis has enabled the successful launches of numerous blockchains. Matched with Flipside's ability to track token movements and visualize results has provided a much-needed solution for blockchains seeking to drive user adoption and operator success."

Projects using the Economic Suite will be able to judge real-time effects of network adjustments via performance indicators; for example, a network that increases its validator rewards will be able to observe its impact on the level of consolidation.

"We are excited to announce the Economic Suite together with Flipside Crypto, whose chainwalking process unlocks the granular data network developers often lack access to." Said Dr. Cathy Barrera, Founding Economist at Prysm Group. "The Economic Suite utilizes this industry-leading access to build out a set of variables that deliver true economic insight into crypto projects' real-time functioning for the first time."

"When we heard about the Economic Suite from Prysm Group and Flipside Crypto, we jumped at the chance to get involved." Said Sam Pajot-Phipps, Head of Strategy at The OAN Foundation. "We've worked independently with both organizations and couldn't imagine a more effective partnership. Bringing together Prysm Group's deep expertise in blockchain economics and Flipside Crypto's data analytics capabilities provides robust frameworks to facilitate data driven decision-making."

Flipside Crypto, Prysm Group and OAN are unveiling the Economic Suite on Friday May 15, 2020 as a presentation at the Consensus Distributed Conference. The presentation, "Econometrics: Securing your Blockchain with Economic Analytics" will occur via video conference at 1pm ET.

About Flipside Crypto

Flipside Crypto provides business intelligence to crypto organizations. Their suite of analytics tools provides insights into user behaviors, developer activities, and financial health.

Flipside provides business intelligence to more than 75 blockchain and is backed by Galaxy Digital Ventures, True Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, Digital Currency Group, Avon Ventures (a venture capital fund affiliated with FMR LLC, the parent company of Fidelity Investments) and other investors.

About Prysm Group

Prysm Group is an economic consulting firm led by Harvard PhD economists specialized in distributed ledger and blockchain technology. Prysm Group uses the tools of contract theory, game theory, market design, social choice theory, and monetary economics to design customized solutions for blockchain-based projects. Prysm Group's areas of expertise include consortium governance, consensus governance, token economics, incentive design, and market structure. Prysm Group counts among its Senior Advisors a Nobel Prize winning Harvard economist; the firm's research has been presented at DARPA, the Federal Reserve, IBM, Microsoft, Pantera Capital, Polychain Capital, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford.

Media contact:

Silvio Fudlegger

[email protected]

435-610-1765

SOURCE Flipside Crypto
A heart-breaking photograph of nursery school children forced to play in 'isolation sections' in French schools has caused shock and outrage.

The photo, taken in the town of Tourcoing on the border with Belgium, shows boys and girls forced to stay away from each other inside areas marked out with chalk.

It comes after three and four-year-olds were allowed to return to classes following two months of lockdown after the French government eased restrictions this week.

Three and four-year-old children at a primary school in France were pictured playing alone in chalk 'isolation zones' to maintain social distancing amid coronavirus

'I can't get over this,' said historian Laurence De Cock, who posted the picture on Twitter. 'This image is heartbreaking. We can't call this "school".

Lionel Top, a TV journalist with the BFM news channel, took the photo on Tuesday and said the children had been told to stay in their zones.

Two other photos showed children lining up for lessons by standing or sitting on crosses spray-painted on the floor, and separated in classrooms by tape.

'To ensure respect for distances, while taking advantage of recreation, the teaching team drew squares on the ground for the little ones,' he reported.

'The children play, dance, jump, laugh together ... but from this square. From what we have seen, they do not view it as a punishment.'

Children were also shown lining up by sitting or standing on crosses spray-painted on the floor in order to stop them getting too close to one-another

But other commentators expressed their sadness and anger at a scene which looked like it was out of a 'horror film'.

'I've never seen such a sad picture,' said Myriam Cau. 'It's horrible to subject children to this.'

Lily, another Twitter user, wrote: 'Just inhuman, shameful for children but also for teachers and institutes! What horror !!!!'.

Others said it was like a scene from the Halloween series of slasher movies, starring Mike Myers.

And Antoine Diot commented: 'The picture of the children in the chalk squares will eventually illustrate this very strange situation in the history books.'

A spokesman for the Ministry of Education in Paris said there were no 'specific instruction' for teachers to draw chalk squares for their pupils.

Classrooms also included floor markings with desks spaced out to keep children a safe distance apart from one-another

But he confirmed that everybody was under instruction to 'maintain social distancing' and not to share spaces, playthings or school materials.

Schools across France started to reopen this week as the country emerged from an eight-week lockdown to contain Covid-19.

Teachers are among those who have expressed extreme concern about this, with many parents keeping their children at home.

The latest figures in France show there have been a total of 26,991 deaths from Coronavirus since the start of the crisis, and 140,227 cases of Covid-19.
Patrick Orvis was halfway through a 16-month program at the Penn State College of Nursing in Harrisburg when coronavirus patients began to arrive at the states hospitals, upending life for professionals in his chosen field.

Orvis, 26, knows nurses fret over a lack of personal protective equipment. He sees news reports forecasting an uncertain future. And he hears from friends in hospitals who change clothes in their garages after work each day because theyre wracked with fear they could put family members at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Yet Orvis said hes never thought about bowing out of the nursing program or charting a different career path.

His conscience doesnt let him.

People need good health care professionals, Orvis said. Now more than ever before, we need good nurses. This is my chance to contribute to that.

Several students in Pennsylvania said many aspiring medical professionals share Orvis perspective. Thats buoyed the spirits of educators, who say the spread of the coronavirus has not appeared to reduce the number of young people interested in working as doctors or nurses.

Dr. Ann Swartz, the director of Penn States College of Nursing in Harrisburg, said in March she feared some students might drop out of the program in the wake of the coronavirus. So far, that has not happened, Swartz said.

Theres also no evidence fewer students will apply to the nursing school because of the pandemic, according to Swartz.

As far as people being interested in the program and wanting to come, I think if anything, it has inspired people, Swartz said. Were not seeing a drop in interest. Its pretty lovely to see.

A recruiter at Penn State Healths Milton Hershey Medical Center said the hospitals graduate nurse residency program has not seen a reduction in applicants, either. Ryan Hartnett also told PennLive in an email several nursing students in the area have reached out to Penn State Health offering their services during the coronavirus crisis.

We are closely monitoring changes that may affect the ability of new [registered nurses] to obtain their state license to practice, but nursing graduates seem as eager as ever to get to work, Hartnett wrote.

Most medical schools do not have application deadlines around the spring, so theres little data that suggests whether the coronavirus will affect the number of aspiring doctors entering training in coming months or years. Rising Franklin and Marshall senior Jake Barr said he still plans to apply to medical school this summer and he senses other classmates are similarly excited about their careers in medicine.

Barr has been working as an emergency medical technician in New Jersey the past few weeks, and he said at first he worried he could get sick or endanger family members by responding to calls involving coronavirus patients. Over time, nerves have subsided.

He said he has proper protective equipment and his crew has taken precautions to guard against the spread of the virus. Barr accepts the risks of his work as an EMT; if he becomes an emergency room doctor, he figures hell feel the same way.

The concerns are real, but you stay as safe as you can and you push through them because you know people need the help, Barr said.

Emma Capro graduated from La Salles School of Nursing over the weekend in a virtual ceremony. She had to cut short an externship and finish her final few weeks of classes on a computer, and shes now applying to hospitals in the Philadelphia area and her home state of New Jersey, hoping to land a job quickly.

Like Orvis, Capro said the past few months motivated her to enter the workforce  not just to help patients, but also to offer reprieve for over-burdened nurses already in hospitals.

No matter which specialty I end up in, this is something were taught in class every day is that were meant to help people, especially at a time like this, said Capro, whos most interested in pediatrics and womens health. I think the nursing students that are about to graduate will be a great turnover for nurses who are maybe burnt out or looking to retire.

Even if the coronavirus hasnt dampened the enthusiasm of most students entering the field, it has presented new obstacles. The medical industry is not immune to the economic devastation that COVID-19 has wrought, leaving some hospitals to reduce staff in the midst of a pandemic.

And nursing schools have faced the need to adapt. While virtual lessons have replaced lectures at Penn State, Orvis said hes missing out on in-person learning experiences in hospitals and time with patients.

Not being able to be in clinical is hard, he said. Thats where you really practice your hands-on skills. ... Thats been the hardest part for me, and for most of my classmates as well.

Orvis and Swartz said hospitals are planning to work with young nurses to ease the transition into professional roles as a way to make up for their lost hours of clinical schoolwork.

Capro benefitted from hands-on experience at La Salle and through her externship before the coronavirus, but she said the school also offers alternatives while the coronavirus necessitates a shift to online learning. La Salle worked with three vendors to provide virtual simulations for students that can aptly replace hands-on work, said Pat DiGiacomo, the chair of the undergraduate nursing program.

Some of the simulations include live actors who provide nursing students the chance to practice patient interactions over video chat.

Capro said she valued a video simulation on coronavirus, because it taught her about the disease she might soon help a hospital combat. La Salle also offers simulations that train students on how to communicate with dying patients and their families, which could prove especially important during the coronavirus outbreak, DiGiacomo said.

In Swartzs view, the idea of speaking to family members of a deceased patient or comforting a contagious virus wouldnt deter the average nursing student at Penn State from entering the field.

We always get a lot of very active people who like to be engaged and like to be involved, Swartz said. Thats who wants to be a nurse. So this clear evidence that they are needed, I think its inspiring to the type of people who generally come into the healthcare field.

Coronavirus dangers are real to aspiring nurses, according to Swartz, but it isnt scaring people away.

Thats the way Orvis said he feels. His mom is a nurse, and he earned an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Connecticut with a plan to enter medicine. Orvis came to central Pennsylvania in August to begin studying and has been pushing toward a career in nursing ever since.

When he considers the challenges that await his professional life, he begins to imagine prospective patients.

I just think of all the people who are struggling, Orvis said. Not just the people who have coronavirus, but people in general that arent able to have their families with them at the bedside. My heart just really goes out to them. And just knowing that I could be the difference, that just gives so much more meaning to what Im doing.

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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former state minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday alleged that the Congress government in Punjab was in a state of open gang-warfare among leaders of the liquor mafia, holding high offices in the government.

This is virtually bootleggers liquor lust and loot out in the open. It is shocking that while people are fighting for their lives, ministers and other Congressmen are losing their sleep not over finding solutions to their problems, but only over their share in liquor loot, a statement from Majithia said.

Referring to the ongoing tussle between the ministers and the chief secretary in the state, Majithia added it was unprecedented that ministers had been accused of running massive illicit liquor cartels, by their own head of the civil service.

The ministers must either resign immediately on moral grounds or be summarily dismissed on corruption charges, he claimed, alleging that the ministers seemed to have launched a counter-attack on senior bureaucrats only to deflect public attention from the allegations of liquor loot.

The ministers want to put the chief secretary on the defensive through political blackmail and public calumny. However, if there is substance in the allegations of either the chief secretary or the ministers, then the government must dare to act, and file and FIR against whichever side is prima facie guilty, he said.

He added, If the ministers have any principles, then instead of refusing to sit in cabinet meetings with the officer, they should show moral daring and resign from the cabinet, unless he is removed. They, however, wont take this principled stand.
Police have released a digitally altered image of missing man Paul Wright, last seen almost 17 years ago driving off from his home.

He was 27 years old when he went missing in September 2003, in his blue 1991 Nissan Pintara sedan, which has never been found.

Police have released a digitally altered photo of Paul Wright, who has been missing for 17 years. Credit:Victoria Police

Searches for Mr Wright over the years have been unsuccessful and police renewed their public appeal for information on Wednesday.

"Police are aware that Paul, who would now be aged 43, sometimes used another name, Brien Hunter and may be living under that name or another alias," a police spokeswoman said.
What he could determine from the data was the average age of the people who died was 36, which is older than the average in 2019, when 96 people died of opioid overdoses over the course of the year, he said.
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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 18:05 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7d5941 1 World COVID-19,coronavirus,survey,Indonesians,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,Southeast-Asia,Blackbox-Research Free

Indonesians are "fairly satisfied" with their country's response to the coronavirus pandemic, yet they are the most "surprised" at how other countries are better prepared to face the global health crisis, a global survey has found.

The survey, conducted by Singapore's social research agency Blackbox Research and digital market research company Toluna from April 3 to April 19, gives Indonesia a relatively high index score of 48 points -- slightly above the global average of 45 points -- in COVID-19 crisis performance.

The score ranks Indonesia ninth globally and seventh within the Asian region. The survey was carried out online and involved more than 12,500 respondents aged 18 to 80 across 23 countries.

Only 1 in 5 Indonesians, or 20 percent, said they were "angry and frustrated" as the world went through the coronavirus crisis. However, Indonesians top the list as being the most surprised at how much better prepared other nations were in tackling the pandemic, with 70 percent expressing such a view.

Blackbox Research founder and CEO David Black said the sentiment was a result of Indonesian authorities' slow response during the early stages of the pandemic as well as the country's limited testing capabilities compared to its Southeast Asian counterparts.

"With neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia starting to identify cases as early as January, we can see why Indonesians are reflecting on how quickly other countries kicked into gear with the pandemic, as compared to Indonesia, which only took action in early March," David said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Indonesia, which now has recorded more than 15,000 coronavirus cases and more than 1,000 fatalities, reported its first two cases on March 2.

China comes out on top with a score of 85, as most of its citizens rated the countrys performance "favorably", followed by Vietnam with a score of 77 and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India, both scoring 59 in the index.

Read also: Bali's Denpasar to impose COVID-19 restrictions that keep businesses running

The survey noted that New Zealand with 56 points was the only Western nation with an index score above the global average, showing that "citizens in Western countries are generally less satisfied with their countries performances."

Japan ranks last in the survey, with an index score of 16 due to its perceived poor political performance and business leadership, among other things, according to Blackbox Research's poll.

On the other hand, only seven of the 23 countries' political leaders were rated highly for their coronavirus crisis response by at least 50 percent of their respective citizens. For Indonesia, the percentage stood at 37 percent, or below the global average of 40 percent.

Most Indonesians were also dissatisfied with businesses performances during the pandemic, as only 29 percent of them felt business leaders had responded favorably to the health crisis, which is slightly above the global average of 28 percent.

Economies all around the world have been dealt a huge blow from COVID-19, and Indonesia, as Southeast Asias largest economy, has seen the halting of businesses and reported its weakest pace since 2001," Black said.

"While the Indonesian government has taken decisive measures to cushion the impact of COVID-19, the expectations of a looming recession and workers hard hit by layoffs and forced unpaid leave have led to the general sentiment that business leaders are not stepping up to the crisis."

He underlined that COVID-19 was not the first and might not be the last global pandemic and therefore leaders had to consider the lasting implications of the crisis in order to emerge from it "stronger and more resilient".

Three things people most want to see once the current crisis is over were a full economic recovery in six months, healthcare reforms and better use of technology for contract-tracing, Black added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) - The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) said some of the minimum health capacity standards set by the Department of Health as a response to the coronavirus pandemic are impossible to reach.

PHAPi president Dr. Rustico Jimenez told CNN Philippines that many private hospitals lack the manpower and resources to have the required additional beds and enough intensive care units and ventilators in every region.

He added that some of the hospitals have already downsized operations due to the ongoing health crisis.

Kalahati na ng small hospitals sa Batangas nagsasara na," Jimenez declared. "Hindi na sila tumatanggap ng pasyente dahil walang personnel na magha-handle ng pasyente, ang mga doctor di na pumupunta sa ospital, natatakot.

[Translation: Half of small hospitals in Batangas are closing down. They no longer accept patients because there are no personnel who will take care of the patients, the doctors do not go to the hospital anymore because of fear.]

Health Secretary Francisco Duque on Wednesday said the government aims to have at least 30 percent additional public and private hospital beds for coronavirus patients in every region. He said there should also be at least one ICU and mechanical ventilator for every 25,000 people in severe or critical areas.

Duque added that each region should also have one biosafety laboratory for the gold standard reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR tests and at least one dedicated COVID-19 referral hospital, facility, floor, or wing for severe and critical cases.

However, Jimenez said many hospitals either have insufficient funds or lack healthcare workers to expand facilities. He noted that many medical workers are either under quarantine, hospitalized, or unable to report to work due to the lockdown.

Yun namang pinangako ng PhilHealth di naman binibigay yung advanced, kaya walang pagkukunan ng kita ang ospital so how can they add 30 percent bed capacity for COVID-19. Imposible yun mangyari, Jimenez said. Wala ngang tao e. Sinong mag iintindi sa mga pasyente, kahit sabihing may bakanteng bed pero wala namang tao na mag aalaga sa pasyente.

[Translation: PhilHealth did not provide the advanced [payments] as promised so the hospital has no source of income so how will they add 30 percent bed capacity for COVID-19. That's impossible. Even if there are available beds, who will attend to the patients if there are no personnel.]

There are about 900 private hospitals nationwide. Jimenez said majority of those are small hospitals, which cannot afford to buy ventilators.

Wala nga nun dahil di available sa atin yun," Jimenez said. "Kung bibigay nilang libre ang ventilators sa mga ospital, syempre pwede. Ang maliliit na hospital cannot afford na bibili sila from abroad pa kasi di naman yan ginagawa dito sa atin."

[Translation: There are no ventilators because they are not available here. If they will give ventilators to the hospitals for free, of course they can. Small hospitals cannot afford to buy them from overseas because that's not how it's done here."

He said, of all people, the health secretary should be aware of the limitations private hospitals are facing amid the crisis.

Dapat alam na yan ng Secretary of Health ang magagawa lang sa ospital," Jimenez said. "Payabang lang yan e, publicity.

[Translation: The Secretary of Health should know what the hospitals are capable of. He's just saying that for publicity.]

Jimenez said if the government wants to reach its target, it must provide hospitals with ventilators and additional protective gears. He added that it is better to decentralize donations and allow donors to directly send help to the hospitals for timely and efficient response.

Meanwhile, Jimenez called on PhilHealth for timely payment of claims. The private hospitals group earlier appealed to legislators for tax breaks and incentives.
Kipchumba Murkomen has taken a swipe at President Uhuru Kenyatta following his ouster as the Senate Majority Leader.

The Elgeyo Marakwet Senator in a Senate session on Tuesday challenged the President to deliver to Kenyans now that he[Murkomen] is not a stumbling block.

If the greatest achievement of the President of Kenya is to demonstrate to the people of this country that I have removed my majority leader, that Im a big man, Mr Speaker, the president is already a big man and Im just the son of a squatter, he said.

I want to say now that Murkomen is out of the way, deliver for the people of Kenya, I will not be your stumbling block, allow all the bills that have been passed unconstitutionally to come to the house, he added.

Murkomen also accused Uhuru Kenyatta of lying to the House.

I want to tell the president to stop lying to the Senate. You said you will give Senate Oversight Fund. Give them. If Murkomen was the problem, he is now not there. Sign all the bills!

Further, Murkomen alleged that the decision by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka to formally oust him as Majority Leader was made under duress.

Mr Speaker, this is not your decision. You made this decision under duress and undue influence and I am sorry you had to do it, he said.

Mr Speaker, will all those remarks, I just want to say this, I know you will say the conduct of the speaker is being put in doubt, youre my friend, I have known you long, youve been a DC in my place, I knew you when you were Governor, I defended you here when Orengo and Wetangula wanted to bring Senate documents against you, he added.

At the same time, the vocal Senator disputed the reported number of 20 Senators present at the State House meeting that decided his fate.

How you choose to treat to this information, Mr Speaker is out there for history to remember that at such a time as this when the country was faced with such a serious pandemic as we are dealing with, people sat somewhere, made forgeries and we are about to sanction it as a house, lamented Murkomen.

We will go down so badly, Mr Speaker. I plead with you, as you make your decision, to tell us the truth about what happened. Establish for us who attended this meeting, who are these alleged 20 senators that met?

Speaker Lusaka said he had received communication from the Jubilee Coalition from the Office of the Deputy Majority Whip Irungu Kangata.

He said the notice dated May 11, 2020 was accompanied by minutes of the State House meeting and the list of 20 senators who attended.

I am satisfied that the changes were made in accordance with Senate Standing Orders 19 (1) (2) (3) 40 (5) (7) and meet the threshold required under Standing Order 19 (5) there having been a majority of votes, Lusaka said.

Minutes show that 20 senators attended the meeting and unanimously resolved to remove current majority leader, majority whip.
UN chief Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the "horrific" attack on a maternity hospital in Afghanistan that killed at least 14 people, including two newborn babies, saying that those who carry out such unacceptable crimes must be held accountable.

Militants attacked the Sad Bistar maternity hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, killing 14 people, including two newborn babies, their mothers and an unspecified number of nurses.

In a separate attack on the same day, a suicide bomber targeted a funeral ceremony in the country's Nangarhar province, a hotbed of the Islamic State group, killing at least 24 people and injuring 68.

The secretary-general strongly condemns the horrific attack (Tuesday) on a hospital in Kabul, which killed and wounded dozens of people, including women and children, a statement issued by the UN chief's spokesperson said.

Guterres expressed his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Afghanistan.

He reiterates that attacks against civilians are unacceptable and that hospitals, medical facilities and personnel have special protection under the international humanitarian law. Those who carry out such crimes must be held accountable, the statement said.

The United Nations stands in solidarity with the people and government of Afghanistan and remains committed to supporting an Afghan-led peace process that will end the conflict, it said.

Guterres is also following with concern the escalation of violence in the country as attacks claimed scores of lives in Balkh, Khost, and Nangarhar provinces, it said.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a tweet expressed shock and revulsion over the attacks.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Toby Lanzer, was outraged by the attack on the hospital, a 100-bed facility, which was full of patients and medical staff when the assault took place.

It beggars belief that such a heinous act could be committed when Afghanistan is being ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said in a statement.

According to the Johns Hopkins University data, the coronavirus has infected nearly 5,000 people in the country and claimed over 125 lives.

Civilians receiving care in hospitals, health workers, medical infrastructure and aid workers are protected under International Humanitarian Law; violations must be investigated and those behind the attacks brought to justice, Lanzer said.

At the daily press briefing, Spokesman for the secretary-general Stephane Dujarric was asked if the UN has any idea who the perpetrators of the attack were.

I have no more information than you do except to note that it was really a horrendous attack Every loss of life is tragic; every attack is tragic, but to attack a maternity ward is... it's truly beyond the pale, Dujarric said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Britain's biggest Islamic authorities believe that child sexual abuse within the Muslim community is 'underreported' because it is a 'taboo subject'.

The Muslim Women's Network (MWN) presented written testimony to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) stating that the 'scale of the problem is hidden' because victims are 'forced' into silence.

The inquiry also received written testimony from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) stating it thinks cases are 'underreported... due to cultural issues and stigma'.

All religious organisations are being investigated by IICSA, which was set up by the British government in 2014 following the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.

Since then, investigators have been told that one in ten cases of child sexual abuse have taken place in a religious institution.

Muslim community leaders are giving evidence today via Zoom conferencing.

Britain's biggest Islamic authorities believe that child sexual abuse within the Muslim community is 'underreported' and that reported cases are 'the tip of the iceberg' (file photo)

The MWN said: 'We feel that even our knowledge is only the tip of the iceberg and the scale of the problem is hidden due to the silence of victims (such silence forced upon them them due to a number of cultural barriers).

'This is a serious hindrance because it makes room for excuses, such as there not being a problem of child sexual abuse in their institutional setting or even community and that therefore nothing else needs to be done.'

It said that when raising concerns relating to child sexual abuse, they did so in the context of abuse within mosques, the home environment, through religious organisations, in a non-teaching context and in other faith-based services.

The MCB said: 'Smaller organisations may be prone to dealing with child sexual abuse cases with extra sensitivity to protect the reputation of the child and the family as well as the organisation as it is often seen as a taboo subject.

'Due to cultural issues and stigma it is our view, based on professional knowledge, that it (child sexual abuse) is underreported'.

Responding to the testimonies, Shaukat Warraich, chief executive of Faith Associates, told the inquiry there was '100 per cent' underreporting of cases.

He claimed there were 'vulnerabilities around child safeguarding' within mosques and that 'people in their forties and fifties' who 'went through the system... have spoke to us to talk about what happened to them'.

Shaukat Warraich (left), CEO of Faith Associates, and Moin Azmi (right), vice chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, presented evidence to the inquiry

The IICSA was set up by the British government in 2014 after investigations into the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal revealed widespread abuse and inadequate safeguarding by institutions and organisations responsible for child welfare (file photo)

A striking number of complainants who spoke to Faith Associates were female, he said, adding that the accounts have been 'quite harrowing'.

Mr Warraich said he was confident that as the work of the IICSA became well-known, more cases of historic cases of child sex abuse will emerge.

'Certain predators would exploit loopholes within these institutions', he added.

Meanwhile, one of Britain's biggest mosque and imam umbrella bodies 'has not felt the need to undertake audits, inspection or risk assessments specific to child sex abuse' because 'it has not received any information to suggest otherwise'.

The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) told the inquiry that 'sexual abuse is limited if not rare within the Muslim community'.

Its vice chairman Moin Azmi said that his organisation, which represents 150 paid and 552 listed mosques, had not received reports of child sexual abuse.

He conceded, though, that MINAB does not have 'powers of sanction and enforcement' and that cases of abuse within mosques may be 'dealt with internally'.
MADISON  This may sound counter-intuitive given the state is still dealing with the largest pandemic in a century, but Wisconsin hospitals arent all that busy.

In fact, theyre ready to schedule that hip replacement you put off a few months ago  or to talk about the wrenched back you got raking your yard while staying safer-at-home.

Maybe its because Wisconsin hospitals and health systems started from a relative position of strength compared to other states, or that prompt isolation efforts paid off, but the head of the Wisconsin Hospital Association thinks the worst has been averted.

At least, for now, based on available data and feedback from underused hospitals.

COVID-19 continues not to stress the health-care system in any really urgent way, said WHA President Eric Borgerding, even as expanded testing shows more people positive for the virus.

A more important factor, he said, is how many of those virus-positive people wind up in the hospital.

The states COVID-related hospitalization rate has been trending downward, Borgerding said in a Thursday interview. It fell quite a bit after the initial surge, and its been relatively flat for about two weeks. Over the last few days its been dropping. Thats all good news.

While the WHA and its 130 or so member hospitals must meet recently announced gating measures established by the state Department of Health Services and the state Emergency Operations Center, Borgerding said hes confident the system will be able to do so. When the new data are posted, I feel pretty good they will be green, he said.

Two key metrics are being able to operate under established crisis conditions and concentrated testing of staff who deal with patients. Borgerding said Wisconsin hospitals have stayed under the crisis bar and should have little trouble testing patient-facing staff. A bigger problem, he said, is making sure those health systems have enough personal protective equipment.

Like many other businesses and institutions in Wisconsin and across the nation, hospitals and health systems have taken financial hits as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Some might ask, How can that be if the federal government is shipping billions of dollars to hospitals to combat the outbreak?

Its because those hospitals were ordered to stop doing just about everything else by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, not state government, and the COVID-19 reimbursement dollars dont cover all related costs.

With other services and procedures delayed or still not available for CMS reimbursement, Wisconsin health systems have forfeited about $2 billion in revenue during the past two months. Many have laid off staff that cant be used to carry out non-urgent or elective procedures.

It would be understandable if hospitals were swamped, unsafe and unable to take on delayed procedures or services, but theyre not.

Theres a distressing byproduct to the COVID journey, which is the impact of the perception that hospitals are overrun, unsafe or infected, Borgerding said. Hospitals and clinics are safe. People can feel confident in that, and we hope that message gets out.

Borgerding said hospitals generally welcome independent metrics measuring quality and safety, because they will help dispel that inaccurate perception of hospitals and clinics not safe at this time.

Empty surgical suites and clinics is not just a financial challenge for hospitals and health systems, but a health-care issue.

When medical procedures that were otherwise deemed serious are delayed for too long, other health issues surface. Hip replacements, bad backs and much more can only wait so long before people begin to suffer from ailments that have nothing to do with COVID-19.

Hospitals have never stopped treating emergency, urgent and critical-care needs, Borgerding said. Patients should not be hesitant now to pursue preventive and diagnostic care, either, especially to maintain their health.

Health-care workers across Wisconsin and beyond have worked wonders during the COVID-19 surge. Its time to let them get back to work helping people with other health issues, as well.

Tom Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He can be reached at tstill@wisconsintechnologycouncil.com.

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WASHINGTON  President Donald Trumps top intelligence adviser has given the Justice Department the names of Obama administration officials who unmasked then-national security adviser Michael Flynn after his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States in 2016, according to U.S. officials.

That action, which has been a cornerstone of Trump's long-standing allegations of criminality by his predecessor, identified Flynn as the person urging Russia not to respond to punitive sanctions that the Obama administration had imposed after the Kremlin's interference in the presidential election.

Unmasking is a routine practice used to identify a U.S. person who is anonymously referred to in an intelligence document  in this case the intercepted conversations of Sergey Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador, who was a target of U.S. surveillance. Current and former officials said unmasking can be a vital tool for identifying potential spies or terrorists.

Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, made the decision to declassify the list of officials involved, an action first reported by ABC News. Grenell provided the names to the Justice Department the day after it filed a motion to drop charges against Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Kislyak. Flynn was also fired for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about those communications, the White House said at the time.

Flynn's communications with Kislyak were scrutinized as part of the FBI's investigation of Russian election interference and possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Last year, Attorney General William Barr appointed a career federal prosecutor, John Durham, to investigate the probe's origins. Separately, the Justice Department inspector general found that the investigation was properly started and not influenced by political bias, but also found broad and "serious performance failures" requiring major changes.

A Justice Department official said the department had "been reviewing unmasking as part of our broader review of 2016 and 2017." That would seem to refer to the investigation being conducted by Durham, and perhaps a related inquiry by U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen into high-profile cases in the District of Columbia U.S. attorney's office. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, declined to be more specific.

Grenell's office "delivered information related to unmasking to the department, and to the extent it's relevant to any investigation, the department will take a look at it," the official said, adding that the Justice Department "does not intend to release the list" of those who directed unmaskings.

It was not clear if Grenell would release the names on his own. A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred questions on the matter to the Justice Department.

Releasing the names would be an unprecedented action and risk turning powerful authorities to declassify intelligence toward political ends, current and former intelligence officials said.

"Unmasking is common  literally hundreds of times a year across multiple administrations," said Michael Morell, the former deputy director of the CIA and host of the "Intelligence Matters" podcast.

"In general, senior officials make the requests when necessary to understand the underlying intelligence," Morell said. "I myself did it several times a month. You can't do your job without it."

Current and former officials defended the decision to unmask Flynn as vital to understanding if the Trump campaign, to which Flynn was a senior adviser, was seeking to undermine the Obama administration's foreign policy.

"This is politics corrupting intelligence," said one former senior official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fears of retaliation by the Trump administration.

The Trump administration has offered no evidence that the unmasking in Flynn's case was improper or didn't follow standard rules.

FBI agents interviewed Flynn about his communications with Kislyak in an effort to advance their broader Russia probe, though the Justice Department indicated in a court filing last week seeking to undo Flynn's plea that it has since decided the interview should not have been conducted. Legal analysts have lambasted that decision, which Jensen recommended and Barr ultimately made, asserting it seemed to be an example of the attorney general working to assist an associate of Trump.

A federal judge on Tuesday signaled he wouldn't immediately acquiesce to the department's request, indicating on the court's docket that he would accept filings from independent groups and legal experts who want to weigh in on the matter. That could preface more aggressive steps that the judge could take, including  as many outside observers have called for  holding a hearing to consider what to do.

It wasn't immediately clear why Grenell chose to declassify the names. Trump has already granted Barr extraordinary authority to declassify intelligence as part of the Russia probe investigation.

When Trump appointed Grenell to replace former DNI Daniel Coats, intelligence veterans worried about putting an outspoken political loyalist and defender of the president in charge of U.S. spy agencies. Grenell frequently tweets in support of Trump and his policies and attacks journalists he believes are treating the administration unfairly.

Grenell is also the U.S. ambassador to Germany.

The president has nominated Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, as the permanent DNI. He is not expected to get a Senate vote for at least a few weeks, congressional aides have said.

The unmasking issue has been central to allegations by other presidential supporters that the Obama administration tried to harm Trump's campaign and undermine his presidency.

Rep. Devin Nunes of California the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, has long described the use of the authority as abusive.

But in late 2016, when Nunes served as chairman, the committee engaged in the same practice, asking U.S. intelligence agencies to reveal the names of U.S. individuals or organizations contained in classified intelligence on Russia's election interference, The Washington Post has previously reported.

This week, Trump again returned to his claims that the Obama administration had tried to undermine his campaign and his administration.

"Obamagate, it's been going on for a long time," Trump said at a news conference about the coronavirus on Monday, indicating that more information was forthcoming.

"It's been going on from before I even got elected. And it's a disgrace that it happened. And if you look at what's gone on, and if you look at, now, all of this information that's being released  and from what I understand, that's only the beginning  some terrible things happened, and it should never be allowed to happen in our country again."

____

The Washington Posts Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.
United Nations, May 13 : The UN on Tuesday slashed India's economic growth projection for the current fiscal year to 1.2 per cent, which would still be the second-highest growth rate among major economies, trailing only China.

The mid-year World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) update expects India's rate of gross domestic growth to increase to 5.5 per cent in the next fiscal year.

The growth rate for the world ravaged by Covid-19 is projected to shrink by 3.2 per cent this year, with the developed countries bearing the brunt with their economic growth dropping by 5 per cent, according to the update.

The 1.2 per cent estimate for India for the current year is a drastic Covid-19-fuelled cut from the 6.6 per cent made in January made by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

China is expected to grow by 1.7 per cent this year and increase its rate to 7.6 per cent next year.

The WESP update reduced India's growth rate for the last fiscal year to 4.1 per cent from the 5.7 per cent estimated in January.

The UN projection for the current fiscal year is less than the 1.9 per cent made by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last month.

The UN expects South Asia's economies overall to shrink by 0.6 per cent during the current year.

The UN update said, "The global economy is expected to lose nearly $8.5 trillion in output over the next two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, wiping out nearly all gains of the previous four years. The sharp economic contraction, which marks the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression in the 1930s, comes on top of anaemic economic forecasts of only 2.1 per cent at the start of the year." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)
Update: This story has been updated with comments made last week by the governor and the states chief medical officer regarding health care services.

A new federal lawsuit filed against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer claims the coronavirus curve "has flattened, and Michigans state of emergency is unconstitutionally blocking health care services.

The lawsuit was filed against Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and state Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon on Tuesday, May 12 by the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation on behalf of four west Michigan medical providers and a patient seeking a knee surgery.

The lawsuit claims the basis for Whitmers March 10 state of emergency declaration was, in part, grossly inaccurate data from the Centers for Disease Controlin March forecast between 160 million and 214 million coronavirus cases and 200,000 to 1.7 million deaths nationally in a worst-case scenario.

As of May 10, there had been 1.3 million confirmed cases and 79,756 deaths, between 5% and 40% of the CDCs March projection.

Thankfully, the goal of flattening the curve has been achieved, and the dire predictions of overwhelmed hospitals have not come to pass, the lawsuit said. " ... Michigan is under an unlawfully re-declared state of emergency, with the Executive Branch dictating the law, and there is no end in sight.

Meanwhile, medical providers are on the brink of financial ruin, facing extreme revenue shortages caused by the Governors order forcing the postponement or cancellation of so-called non-essential procedures.

The lawsuit said Whitmer on April 27 acknowledged the curve has flattened in Michigan.

Graphics depicted that while Gov. Whitmers administration anticipated 220,000 patients being hospitalized without social distancing efforts, there had only been 3,000 hospitalizations as of April 27, the complaint said. That is less than 1.4% of the projected COVID-19 hospitalizations underlying the governors declared states of emergency and disaster.

Filing attorneys for the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation are affiliated with the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, which calls itself a public interest law firm that advances individual freedom."

This shutdown is risking lives and imperiling health, Dr. Randal Baker, president of plaintiff Grand Health Partners, told the Mackinac Center. "The curve has been flattened. There will likely be spikes of cases in the future, but we cant shut down non-COVID health care every time. We need to reassess the best practices to save the most lives, particularly where COVID-19 cases are low.

According to data released by the state of Michigan, hospitals in the state are well-stocked with over 2,400 available ventilators, nearly 1,000 available (intensive-care) beds, and more than 7,000 available hospital beds.

Hospitals across Michigan have struggled financially since the state banned lucrative, elective procedures, leading to mass layoffs and furloughs for major Michigan health care providers, including Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health System and Trinity Health.

The lawsuit claims violations of constitutional due process rights. It asks a federal judge to deem Whitmers executive orders unconstitutional and allow the reopening of health care facilities for what have been declared non-essential procedures.

The lawsuit was filed by Grand Health Partners in Grand Rapids, Wellston Medical Center in Wellston, Primary Health Services in Ludington and Jeffery Gulick, an Owosso resident seeking knee replacement surgery.

Whitmer was sued by the state House and Senate last week after she on April 30 extended the state of emergency to May 28 without a legislative vote of support. Whitmer later extended her stay-at-home order, which limits in-person social gatherings and commerce, also until May 28.

While the governors initial stay-at-home order barred elective surgeries, including explicitly joint replacement, bariatric surgery, and cosmetic surgery, the most recent version allows residents to leave their homes for any medical treatment "necessary to address a medical emergency or to preserve the health and safety ... "

Whitmer and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the states chief medical officer, last week urged health-care providers to begin the shift back to normal operations, and encouraged patients to reach out to their doctors to reschedule postponed medical procedures.

Were encouraging anyone who has been holding off on surgery that really needs to be done, to get that scheduled and to proceed, Whitmer said at her May 1 press briefing.

Last week, Khaldun sent letters to Michigan health-care practitioners to provide guidance on infection control and to encourage them to reach out to patients with chronic diseases and/or who may need routine care such as immunizations.

While the health-care system is not yet ready to get back to the way it was before COVID-19, physicians do have the discretion to be able to determine what care is necessary and urgent for their patients, Khaldun said. Things that were not urgent a few weeks ago may be urgent now.

Opponents of Whitmers stay-at-home orders have previously held three Lansing rallies to voice their disdain. Another protest organized by a group named Michigan United for Liberty is planned at the Capitol from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday.

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

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Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

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Tuesday, May 12: Coronavirus updates

Guns can be banned at Michigan Capitol, says AG Dana Nessel

Commission can ban guns at Michigan Capitol, AG Nessel says she will claim in formal opinion

Michigan is in Phase 3 of 6 in coronavirus response and recovery, governor says
Mr Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, a Private Legal Practitioner nominated to the Supreme Court has emphasized the need for a fundamental structural reforms of the judiciary to enable it deliver the justice that the people of Ghana need.



According to him if the judicial system does not function properly and the public lose confident in the administration of justice the alternative would not be good for the country.



I would like to see the type of reform that would enable the judiciary add to infrastructure, support the training and capacity building of judicial staff, in-house training of lawyers among others.



Mr Kulendi made the remarks when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Tuesday for vetting to the Supreme Court.



Mr Kulendi also stressed the need for Parliament to be sensitized on the needs of the judiciary so that they can support the institution through budgetary approvals.



You cut their budget by half, you asked them to cut by 30 percent of internally generated money. Judges are hired and almost a year into their employment, they dont have accommodation and a salary and you expect these people to be sacrosanct, he queried.



Responding to a question from Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, whether the death penalty should be abolished?



Mr Kulendi answered by stating that personally in terms of his faith and value system he does not subscribe to the death penalty unless it behooves in him as a judge to do as the law prescribe.



He explained that from his experienced and practice as a lawyer the legal trial processes which lead to the imposition of the death penalty are fallible and that life which is sacred should be preserved.



Judges, courts and their processes however we endeavor, are things done by men and men are fallible and the processes we drive are fallible. I believe that life is sacred and men should not make it their place to take life.



Responding to a question whether his relationship with the President Nana Akufo-Addo would not affect his decision on matters involving the President?



Mr Kulendi said that despite his relationship with the President, bias has not been part of his work culture.



According to Mr Kulendi as a judge his loyalty would be to the law and be true to his conscience and this would be his metrics.

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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Two State Security officials detained DIARIO DE CUBA journalist Yoe Suarez Monday in Havana and took him to an unknown location, blindfolded, for questioning.

According to the reporter's complaint, since Friday "Officer Rene", as his "attending" agent called himself, had been telling him that he "wanted to talk to me."

"On Monday I was in a line and I got a call from an unknown number," Suarez explained. "Then, at almost noon, when I finished some errands and was on my way home, I noticed that I was being followed on 5th Avenue."

When the journalist stopped at an ATM, Officer Rene showed up to insist that he had to talk to him, although this time he specified that it was Major Armando, an officer in his section, who wanted a meeting with him.

When Suarez insisted that the major show up, to hold the conversation right there, Rene said that he was going to fetch him. "Ten minutes later a silver Geely pulls up, license plate P035908, with Rene and Major Armando inside. They asked me to get in the car so they could take me somewhere to talk."

When the reporter refused to get in the vehicle, the senior officer asked for his ID. Refusing to hand it over, he was threatened, "You're being detained and you have to come with us. Tell me if I have to cuff you, or youre going to cooperate."

On their way to a place near the La Dolca roundabout in western Havana, and after seizing his cell phone, the agents handed Suarez a green fabric to cover his eyes with. "You can't see where we're going," they said.

"It was a closed, air-conditioned, place..." said the journalist, describing the site of the interrogation that his repressors carried out, with a friendly tone in a "home-like setting."

"They told me that I must not feel very fulfilled as a journalist working for DDC in Cuba, because none of my articles had made any difference."

Then the agents invited him to work "on the same side as us."

Suarez asked if he was being asked to write for state media, and they said no, that they wanted him to continue at DIARIO DE CUBA. "You want me to do intelligence work at DIARIO DE CUBA?" Suarez asked, to which they replied: "We have thoroughly infiltrated DIARIO DE CUBA."

Despite this alleged "infiltration," the agents asked Suarez to "send us the material sooner, to know what we need to change, to have an impact on that, to know what the criticisms are. We're interested in what you have to tell us," they explained, insisting on the importance of receiving the articles in advance.

They also showed interest in knowing how much Suarez earned as a journalist at DIARIO DE CUBA, showing him what was supposedly an organization chart and speculating about monthly figures. They also asked him if he had ever planned to leave the country, whether alone or with his family.

Finally, they repeated their desire to have future conversations with him, and even to have him over for lunch at the house where he had been taken, blindfolded. When the journalist refused, they dropped him off near his house in the same car.

The political police have been pestering Suarez all year long, particularly after the health crisis unleashed by Covid-19. Earlier this month, he was summoned and interrogated by the police chief in his neighborhood about a family member's pile of construction sand in an unused area of his home.

That was a week after State Security threatened him with retaliation for his work.

This Monday is the seventh time authorities have harassed Suarez and his family during the coronavirus quarantine, summoning, "interrogating" or threatening him. His mother has also been similarly hounded since last March.
Robert Pattinson, who turned 34 today, has come a long way from playing Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter to playing the Batman for Matt Reeves upcoming superhero film. The Hollywood heartthrob has a global fan following, including Bollywood celebrities Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra. On different occasions, the actresses have confessed to having a huge crush on the Twilight star.

Robert first shot to fame with his Twilight Saga character, Edward Cullen, the vampire. He played the character in five films and still have women swooning over him for his portrayal as Edward.

During a candid conversation, Priyanka Chopra revealed that she had loved the film Twilight and had a crush on the leading man. While having a crush was harmless for PeeCee, Katrina Kaif admitted to being a bit of obsessed with him.

A report on TOI states that Katrina had bought the entire Twilight books series and read them in four-five days straight. She admitted to being obsessed with the actor and his character. She said, " I couldn't put them down. I've been racing through the adventures of the hottest vampire Edward Cullen for the last one week. I finished reading three of the Twilight books in less than four days. Now I'm into the fourth. I just can't get enough of him."

The actress, back in 2009, had planned on meeting the actor. "You don't understand. This is like an obsession for me. I can't get Robert Pattinson out of my head and I've never felt this way about any man before," a report in news18.com quoted Kaif as saying.

Katrina also had her fangirl moment, when she met Robert's wax statue. She had shared a picture with the statue on Facebook and captioned it as, "How do we look together? In my own little Twilight zone..."

Coming to Robert Pattinson's upcoming films, he is currently gearing up for the release of Christopher Nolan's Tenet, which also stars Dimple Kapadia. He will next be seen in Matt Reeves' superhero film, The Batman in the titular role.

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As state officials begin testing residents at all nursing homes for the coronavirus by the end of the month, patients who test positive will be immediately isolated from their healthy peers, according to a state Department of Public Health memo obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.

The patients in each home will be tested on the same day to limit the spread of the disease, which has raged through the states nursing home population since the first COVID-19 death was reported in mid-March.

Widespread testing across Connecticuts 215 nursing homes comes as the governors office said Tuesday it was partnering with Yale New Haven Health and Jackson Laboratories to ramp up testing in the state.

We want to be able to continuously test on a weekly basis for these most at-risk populations, particularly in congregant settings, Josh Geballe, Gov. Ned Lamonts chief operating officer, said during the governors daily media briefing.

So thats why were so thrilled to have the partnership with Yale New Haven, with Jackson Labs, and well be announcing more in the coming days and weeks, Geballe added.

The broad details of the effort to test nursing home patients are outlined in a DPH memo sent to nursing homes on Monday.

The memo prioritizes testing residents over nursing home staff as they are a high-risk population residing in a congregate living setting, the memo said.

As testing resources allow, staff testing should be considered, according to the memo, which also stated nursing homes could discuss with DPH testing employees on the same day as patients.

Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Healthcare Facilities, said the DPH signaled testing of staff at nursing homes and residents of assisted living facilities would come later.

He said he suspects testing of nursing home staff will start in June, something he said his organization is in favor of because of the risk of huge staffing shortages if large numbers of staff test positive for COVID-19 at the same time as the residents under their care.

Because guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order workers who test positive to quarantine for 10 days, Barrett said he was concerned the lack of staff would pose an even greater risk to residents.

You create a staffing crisis, Barrett said.

The testing swabs will be dropped off at the nursing homes by DPH staff and members of the National Guard, according to Capt. Dave Pytlik, a spokesman for the Connecticut National Guard.

After samples are taken from each of the patients, private laboratories will test them and provide results within 24 hours, the memo states.

So far, 2,514 tests delivered to nursing homes, Pytlik said Tuesday. He said the effort also includes distributing a protective gown with each test at the nursing homes.

According to the memo, once nursing home patients are tested and split into three groups  sick, healthy and potentially exposed  extra test kits will be distributed for staff and residents who show any new symptoms.

Asked when family members of residents at nursing homes and assisted living facilities could expect to know that staff and residents had been tested, Geballe reiterated that the state wants to finish testing nursing homes by the end of the month.

Look, as we bring on more capacity, were able to bring on more and more populations, he said. Were focused on our correctional facilities, were focused on first responders  so the circle of people we can test and test more frequently continues to grow as we ramp up.

He said health officials are also looking forward to testing at assisted living facilities.

Elderly people staying at those residencies typically require less direct care than in nursing homes.

Lamont also said Tuesday that he would not allow in-person visitation to resume at nursing homes anytime soon.

I think one of the smarter things we did, sadly, is not having outsiders go into the nursing homes early on, Lamont said. I see that its still a very risky proposition, so I think that were going to be very careful about reopening that. Obviously, FaceTime or through the window is not an adequate replacement for attentive care, or from a loved one, but were going to be cautious about that.
WHEN WE FALL by Carolyn Kirby (No Exit Press 12.99, 352 pp)

WHEN WE FALL

by Carolyn Kirby (No Exit Press 12.99, 352 pp)

Thick fog, a Tiger Moth plane and an emergency landing provide the gripping opening to a terrific World War II novel, which deals with complicated matters of love and loyalty when lives are at stake and choices are bleak.

Vee Katchatourian is an impetuous ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) pilot ferrying military planes to their destinations. She ends up in RAF Bradwell and meets troubled Polish airman Stefan Bergel. Hes engaged to Ewa Hartman, who helps run a guest house for German officers in occupied Poland while secretly gathering intelligence for the Resistance  an endeavour as dangerous as it is vital.

Stefan is haunted by the Katyn massacre of 22,000 Polish soldiers by the USSR, and is in possession of a dark secret. Hes also prepared to manipulate the women who love him for the sake of a semblance of restitution.

Tense and tender, it captures the terrifying frailties of truth and trust in brutal times.

THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS

THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS By Lisa Wingate (Quercus 14.99, 464 pp)

By Lisa Wingate (Quercus 14.99, 464 pp)

When the American Civil War was over and slavery was abolished, the torn-asunder families of former slaves were desperate to be reunited with their loved ones. They sent letters to Church newspapers  poignant pleas appealing for information  and this moving, yearning (if occasionally overly sentimental) novel is inspired by these columns.

In 1875 Louisiana, smart, courageous Hannie Gossett, 18, hopes to discover the fates of her mother and eight siblings and embarks on a perilous quest to discover the truth.

A century later, a resourceful young teacher takes her first job in a run-down school and struggles to find a subject to engage her disadvantaged, disinterested pupils. A secret cache of documents discovered at the old plantation house reveals Hannies story of perseverance and grit, and her resilient, remembered past offers the students fresh hope for the challenges of their futures.

LIBERATION By Imogen Kealey (Sphere 16.99, 384 pp)

LIBERATION

By Imogen Kealey (Sphere 16.99, 384 pp)

This is loosely based on the life of the courageous Nancy Wake, a New Zealand nurse and journalist who moved to Marseille with her rich industrialist husband and joined the French Resistance in World War II.

Known as the White Mouse, for her ability to evade capture, Nancy was also notoriously sweary, a trait that is made much of in this brash novel, which is big on high-stakes action and small on subtlety and nuance.

It is undeniably exciting, as heroine Nancy, armed with Victory Red lipstick and high heels, parachutes into Occupied France, wins over the recalcitrant Maquis (the rural guerrillas involved in sabotage and military intelligence), cycles 500km to requisition a much-needed radio and delivers rousing patriotic speeches.

But it is also full of cliches and Hollywood set pieces, and its no surprise to learn it will soon be a major film.
People should not book summer trips abroad this July despite plans by airlines to resume some flight schedules, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned.

He put a dampener on any non-essential summer getaways and said the country is not ready to go on holiday.

Dr Holohan was questioned after Ryanair announced it will restart 40pc of its normal flight schedule from July 1.

He replied he would not comment on Ryanair, but said: "We are advising against all non-essential travel.

@I don't envisage the position to have changed in that time-frame."

Airline travel outside Ireland involves social distancing and that remains a challenge.

"We don't want to see people coming here for non-essential reasons and leaving for non-essential reasons," he added.

Airlines had been very co-operative, he said, and he would like them to continue to help the public health fight against the virus.

He was speaking as 107 new cases of the virus were diagnosed yesterday - the lowest daily total in many weeks, boosting the prospects that the first phase of the exit from lockdown can start next week.

However, another 24 people were reported to have died from the infection - bringing the death toll to 1,488.

He said he hoped more progress would be made by the end of the week and there continued to be significant numbers of patients in hospital, including intensive care.

It's unclear when there will be a vaccine available, and enough global supply.

It will not be possible to depress the economy and social levels for long and extended periods of time, he conceded.

So Ireland and the rest of the world collectively needs to "re-engineer society, workplace and social activity" to minimise the risk of transmission.

He said workplaces will find ways of adapting, limiting the extent to which people come together.

Dr Colm Henry of the HSE, who was asked about delays in virus testing and contact tracing, said the time to get a result is now averaging five days and the aim is to bring this down to four, then three days.

Experts have warned it is still too slow as Ireland emerges from lockdown and they warned the HSE needs to ensure strict surveillance of the virus to pick up any increase in cases.

He said once a person is diagnosed as positive, tracing their contacts in straightforward cases can be done on the same day.

However, it can take longer if it is more complex where there may be language barriers or other difficulties.

The system for communicating negative results will be automated by early next week which means people will get the information faster, he added.
A little-known Virginia-based defence company that was awarded a $55m (44.8m) federal contract to provide 10 million N95 masks for the US governments coronavirus response failed to deliver and had its contract cancelled on Tuesday, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Panthera Worldwide LLC, whose parent company filed for bankruptcy protection last year, had promised to deliver the much-needed personal protective equipment by 1 May, despite having no history of providing such materials to the government. The owners last month said that the company was aiming to deliver the materials two weeks early. Instead, they sought a 10-day extension to 11 May and ultimately did not furnish the items.

We are patriots and take pride in our products for the US government, especially during this real medical crisis, one of the companys executives, James Punelli, wrote in an email on 15 April. He also promised the masks would be provided before 1 May for certain, in full and with a very high-quality product.

Mr Punelli and his business partner, Raymond Jones, did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday on the contracts cancellation. An attorney who has represented the men in bankruptcy proceedings, Mark Lindsay, also did not respond to a request for comment.

Lea Crager, a FEMA spokeswoman, said on Tuesday the company requested another four-day extension, to 15 May, but the agency denied the request. The agency moved to cancel the contract on Tuesday, a day after the deadline.

FEMA will continue to coordinate with our federal and state partners, along with private vendors and supply companies, to identify and deliver medical supplies to prioritised areas, she said in a statement.

The unfulfilled contract leaves the US government without an expected delivery of 10 million of the sought-after masks, which provide enhanced protection against the novel coronavirus by filtering airborne particles and droplets. It was the latest misfire by the Trump administration in its frantic quest for medical supplies, in this case relying on an untested company for critically needed masks.

The point of contact listed for Panthera Worldwide in a federal procurement database is Sepp Benedikt, a retired Navy commander and intelligence officer. Included with his name is an address in Leesburg, Va., that is shared by the parent company. An online profile says Mr Benedikt currently lives in Switzerland and served until February as director of operations and business development for Panthera in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It also includes a resume with the full name of Joseph Corwin Medard Benedikt.

Mr Benedikt did not respond to requests for comment.

Biographical information associated with his name provided by the US Navy indicates he enlisted as a student in 1983 and served for three years abroad, in Japan and then Italy, with the Naval Security Group, which conducts intelligence operations. He transferred to the Navy Reserve when he returned to the United States but did additional stints in Europe in the early 2000s, rising to the rank of Commander in 2004. He retired in 2008.

A spokesman for the Air Force, Michael Dickerson, said records indicate Mr Benedikt was employed as a civilian intelligence specialist from 1991 to 1995 with the 67th Intelligence Group in Los Angeles. The Defence Intelligence Agency declined to comment.

In April, Mr Punelli said Panthera Worldwide was a separate legal entity from the parent organisation and was procuring the masks through Department of Defence contracting relationships the company has. He did not elaborate on the relationships.

The company, which is no longer licensed to do business in Virginia following nonpayment of fees, has not previously manufactured or distributed medical equipment, according to records reviewed by us. Mr Punelli has said the company is registered as an LLC in Delaware and allowed its Virginia registration to lapse because were not doing business in Virginia.

The parent corporation, Panthera Enterprises, declared bankruptcy last year, estimating in a filing that it could have as many as 99 creditors and liabilities as high as $50m (40.7m). Mr Punelli and Mr Jones are currently being sued by a subcontractor leasing the companys primary asset, a 750-acre training facility in West Virginia. Mr Punelli, in an email last month, dismissed the lawsuit as frivolous.

Business partners have accused Mr Punelli and Mr Jones of fraud in lawsuits filed in several states. In 2018, Mr Punelli admitted to entering into a contract on behalf of an aerospace company that he had no authority to represent, according to his affidavit in a case brought against him and others in US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.

The no-bid contract for N95 masks with the embattled company struck procurement experts as unusual. Even under emergency circumstances, federal agencies are required to determine that contractors are responsible and to find the price fair and reasonable, said Daniel Gordon, a former administrator for federal procurement policy in the Obama administration and former acting general counsel in the Government Accountability Office.

While it is not uncommon for deliveries to be late or otherwise inadequate, Mr Gordon said, its extremely rare for contracts to be terminated for default. Such a move can block the company from receiving any future federal contracts, he said.

Ms Crager, the FEMA spokeswoman, said a contracting officer had performed a responsibility determination for Panthera. And she said the company would not be barred from future contracts and would not face a penalty fee, though she declined to elaborate on those decisions.

The contract reflects the mad dash by the Trump administration to secure critically needed personal protective equipment or PPE. As part of the scramble, federal agencies have awarded bulk contracts to third-party vendors for supplies at prices nearly eight times what they would have spent earlier in the year, when US intelligence agencies warned of a looming pandemic. In January, the government turned down an offer from a domestic manufacturer to produce millions of N95 masks.

The price that FEMA agreed to pay Panthera per mask, about $5.50 (4.48), is significantly higher than what the government pays companies such as 3M, which charges as little as 63 cents per N95 mask, according to a company price index.

FEMA is not alone among federal agencies in agreeing to pay steep prices for the masks, which are in use in hospitals, clinics, police departments and fire and rescue stations from coast to coast. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last month finalised a $100m (81.4m) contract for 10 million N95 respirators  meaning each mask would cost $10 (8). An HHS spokesperson said the order was pending an emergency use authorisation from the Food and Drug Administration, as well as other applicable certifications.

The Washington Post
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

May. 13, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 13, 2020 | 09:23 AM | PADUCAH

Employees at Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership along with corporate partners Jacobs, Fluor and BWXT recently raised more than $55,000 to benefit three nonprofit agencies.



The company provided a dollar-for-dollar match up to $15,000 to employees who contributed to the fund to benefit Community Kitchen, Family Service Society and Ballard County Family Focus. Employees exceeded the match, contributing $19,140 through an employee payroll deduction campaign.



In addition to these funds, parent companies Jacobs and Fluor each donated $10,000 and BWXT added $1,000. The total contributions totaled $55,140.



Our communities in western Kentucky have been tremendously impacted by this pandemic. It is a privilege to work with our employees and our corporate partners to provide funds that can help minimize the negative impact that COVID19 continues to have on this region, said FRNP Program Manager Myrna Redfield.



Since the beginning of this crisis, the many volunteers of Paducahs Community Kitchen have been providing healthy meals to more than 1,000 guests each weekday, said Community Kitchen Executive Director Sally Michelson. "As is our mission, we respond to a great many needs in addition to hunger, and this crisis has seen a dramatic increase in those needs. We are so blessed by organizations like FRNP who have stepped up to help us in this time.


Photo: The Canadian Press Robert Bertrand, national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, addresses a news conference along with Francyne Joe, right, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada, at a meeting of Canadian premiers and Indigenous leaders at Le Pays de la Sagouine, a recreated historic Acadian village, in Bouctouche, N.B. on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has filed an application in the Federal Court of Canada, challenging the funding allocation of $250,000 it received as part of a COVID-19 fund earmarked for off-reserve Indigenous peoples. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

A national Indigenous organization that represents First Nations, Inuit and Metis living off-reserve and in urban centres is taking the federal government to court over what it alleges is "inadequate and discriminatory funding" for the COVID-19 response.

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has filed an application in the Federal Court of Canada, challenging the funding allocation of $250,000 it received as part of a COVID-19 fund earmarked for off-reserve Indigenous Peoples.

The national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, Robert Bertrand, says the funding allocation contravenes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The federal government pledged $305 million to help First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, with $15 million of this money set aside for organizations providing services to those living off reserves or in urban centres.

Earlier this month, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the $15 million was not enough, as his department received far more applications to this fund than the 94 proposals that have been approved.

Bertrand says the lack of more funding has made it impossible for his organization to provide meaningful relief to the thousands of off-reserve Indigenous peoples it actively supports.
More than 200 people are set to finish their Rottnest Island quarantine as Western Australian authorities continue to investigate the state's latest coronavirus case.

The returned travellers from South Africa will return to the mainland on Wednesday but Rottnest will remain available as a COVID-19 quarantine hub.

"When we can reopen Rottnest, we will. It may be some time away," Premier Mark McGowan said.

"But I think having an island of our own which can double as a quarantine facility is a very good thing and Western Australia is lucky in that regard compared to the other states."
Stores along Robson Street have begun stripping the plywood from their storefronts as they prepare to reopen in a few days.

But the shopping experience may vary from store to store, particularly when it comes to whether customers will be required to wear face masks.

T&T Supermarket, for example, is asking customers to wear non-medical masks before entering its stores starting May 11. If shoppers don't have a mask, they will be handed one.

Since April 20, the Asian grocer has also been conducting non-contact temperature checks at entrances using an infrared thermometer.

Maggie MacPherson/CBC

Whole Foods, both in the U.S. and Canada, requires that its employees wear a mask. It's also requesting customers wear one and, if they don't have one, will offer them a mask at the store entrance.

Security guards working at both Whole Foods and T&T told CBC News that if someone refuses to wear a mask, they won't be turned away.

Other stores like London Drugs and Costco in Canada don't ask customers to put on a mask.

Masks not a requirement

And the province's health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says she will not demand shoppers wear them either.

"I really don't believe we should be requiring it," said Henry during her daily briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

"There are many reasons why some people cannot wear a mask, a face covering  people who have certain respiratory illnesses, it can be very challenging and can cause breathing problems," she said.

The thinking around the value of non-medical masks has changed over the course of the pandemic and while it won't necessarily protect you from the virus, it can somewhat lessen the risk of you infecting others.

Maggie MacPherson/CBC

Starbucks Canada which plans to resume operations in 85 per cent of its stores by the end of May is asking customers, among other safety measures, to wear a "facial covering" when visiting stores to grab and go.

But if you don't have one, you'll still be able to get your tall flat white.

Story continues

"As this is a request and not a requirement, our partners will continue to serve all customers regardless of whether they're wearing a facial covering or not," said the company in an email to CBC news.

Dr. Henry said masks can be useful during short periods of time where maintaining a physical distance is challenging.

"So, the bottom line is it's a measure. It's not the most effective measure we have to prevent transmission and there are some situations where it may be useful."

She also asked people not to stigmatize others for their choice  whether it's to wear one or not.

Ben Nelms/CBC

Last Wednesday, the province revealed its reopening plans and included guidelines for retail stores. Some of the core principles of physical distancing and screening for symptoms are standard.

Here are some of the measures retailers have been asked to follow:

Reduce lineups by having more checkouts open.

Install physical plexiglass barriers between checkouts.

Frequently clean "high-touch" areas.

Make accommodations for higher-risk groups such as seniors and those with underlying health conditions.

Increase or encourage online shopping, deliveries and/or pickups to reduce in-store visits.

Increase shopping hours to spread out the number of customers in-store at one time.

Encourage or require non-medical masks while shopping to reduce spreading of droplets.

Create messaging to inform customers not to shop while sick.

Routinely screen customers for symptoms.

Restrictions on large gatherings of 50 or more people do not apply to grocery stores, malls or big box stores.

If you decide to wear a reusable mask, follow these steps to ensure you put your mask on properly:
NEW HAVEN  Yale New Haven Health CEO Marna Borgstrom said the organization will be able to test 20,000 people a day for COVID-19 by the end of August, contributing to the states goal of 45,000 daily through multiple contracts with medical institutions.

Borgstrom, in Yale New Haven Hospitals weekly press conference Wednesday, said by the end of May it would be testing 5,000 people a day, doubling that to 10,000 by the end of June and sometime in August the goal is 20,000 a day.

Part of that is testing in nursing homes starting next week, where the hospital will work in conjunction with the local community health centers, which have already set up testing sites and are going into nursing homes already.

Borgstrom said they are also working with the cities of New Haven and Bridgeport to make use of community resources, such as closed schools for testing sites to be closer to where people live. Vincent Petrini, senior vice president for communication, said they also proposed use of medical vans to help test at group homes.

Borgstrom, asked what she thought about the governors plan to reopen the state economy, said she was very impressed with the thoughtfulness that has gone into this.

I dont think there is a perfect answer that anybody has come up with to reopening, but I do think that this is a thoughtful informed approach that is being taken, she said.

Borgstrom said they are having a lot of conversations with the state on linking the tests to contract tracing to get exposed people into isolation until it is certain that they are not infected with the coronavirus.

Borgstrom said they anticipate having a certain number of COVID-19 patients into the future, although she hoped it is less than the current 472 patients. Assuming there is no vaccine in the next 9 to 12 months, she said all the models predict an increase in cases later in the year.

Our reopening plans contemplate that we have some elasticity to be able to manage that, Borgstom said.

Dr. Thomas Balcezak, chief clinical office at Yale, commenting on Pediatric Inflammatory Multi-System Syndrome, said the rare disease in children is believed to be associated with exposure to the coronavirus with the bodys immune system driving most of the problems.

He said they have confirmatory tests for 4 of the 5 children admitted to Yale New Haven Hospital with the syndrome as having had or continuing to have COVID-19. They believe the 5th children also does, but so far that patient has tested negative.

Balcezak said none of them had underlying medical issues. He said 3 of the 5 came from other Fairfield County hospitals, an area that is densely populated with patients with the coronavirus.

Four of the five are doing quite well, Balcezk said. The fifth child is in the intensive care unit, but stable. They are being treated with anti-inflammatory measures, such as steroids and gamma globulin, he said.

Hospital spokesman Mark DAntonio said one of the children has been discharged.

Borgstrom said the hospital is continuing to see a decline in COVID-19 related hospitalizations, which is good news, with 472 patients currently at its five hospitals. She said it was just over 600 a week ago and at the peak, it exceeded 800 cases.

While Greenwich Hospital, at one point, had more than half of its total bed capacity filled with COVID-19 patients, that number has now fallen to below 40 in-patients. She attributed this to social isolation. We are seeing this paying dividends, Borgstrom said.

The fatalities to date are just over 430 for the health system, with more than 2,500 people discharged from Yale New Haven Hospital.

Borgstrom said the hospital is working hard to safely and incrementally schedule surgeries that had been put off because of the pandemic.

Christopher OConnor, chief operating officer, said they have been able to gather a larger supply of personal protective equipment that is critical to manage elective procedures and continue to provide the care for COVID-19.

I feel that we are at the stage now where we can adequately support the needs of both our current volume and as well as have the necessary inventory and supply to manage the newer volume that we are expanding into. That is an essential component, OConnor said.

He said the hospital has some 14 more in-patient non-COVID-19 cases this week and almost 50 ambulatory cases. That is small, but steady beginning to grow that non-COVID-19 activity, OConnor said.

He said they isolating COVID-19 so elective patients feel safe when they come in.

Currently surgeries are only at 20 percent of what they had been before COVID-19, which has made a big impact on the hospital systems financial state.

Borgstrom said while Yale New Haven Hospital previously had a $300 million net operating gain, it is now showing a $350 million loss given the investments it had to make to prepare for COVID-19 care.

She said medical patients, who have the most complex cases and have the longest stays in the hospital, do not generate insurance payments that reflect that care.

Borgstrom said furloughs are still not in the hospitals plans as it works out its financial difficulties. She said the health system plans to re-engineer its process, rather than cut staff.

OConnor, in updating some statistics, said the hospital has responded to 80,000 calls from individuals connecting with its call center and has seen over 100,000 out-patient telehealth visits with its clinicians, as compared to pre -COVID-19 visits.

On a daily basis, they were 30 a day and now are 4,000 daily.

OConnor said the system has admitted more than 3,000 COVID-19 positive patients and has seen a 280 percent increase in expansion of its Tela-ICU services to care for those who are gravely ill.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577.
Western Australia could reinstate compulsory school attendance from next week after recording just two new coronavirus cases in the past 14 days.

School attendance could be compulsory again as of next week. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The government will on Thursday outline its schools plan for the remainder of term two, having given parents the option of keeping kids at home for the first few weeks.

A return to full attendance looks increasingly likely with the state government unwinding other restrictions and eager to get people back to work.

Premier Mark McGowan said the average school attendance rate reached 84.5 per cent on Tuesday, the highest in "many, many weeks".
The company does not inform its users or their guardians their biometric information will be collected, the lawsuit alleges. Illinois biometric law requires companies collecting such data to obtain prior consent from consumers, detail how theyll use it and how long it will be kept.
The Egyptian Medical Syndicate has voiced concerns over new guidelines regarding coronavirus examination procedures for medical staff, which state that medical staff are not to undergo testing after having come into contact with infected colleagues unless they themselves are suspected to have contracted the virus.

Under the new guidelines announced in a circular issued by the health ministry's infection control department on Tuesday, tests will not be conducted for those who come in contact with infected medical colleagues unless they themselves display symptoms, and medical staff are not authorised to unilaterally isolate themselves at home or at the workplace.

Instead, health workers who come in contact with positive cases are required to self-assess their case by monitoring their temperature and looking out for respiratory symptoms, after which they are to notify their hospital for examination. Only those suspected to have contracted the virus will take the test and be asked to self-isolate at home.

Under the previous guidelines, the tests were conducted for health workers who had come in contact with positive cases without using the necessary protective equipment, according to the syndicate.

The new guidelines, however, require hospital directors to ensure daily checkups are carried out for all hospital staff by measuring temperatures, observing respiratory symptoms, and upholding infection control measures.

The [new] instructions... are very dangerous, as they mean that an infected medical staff member showing no symptoms will be allowed to work and interact with others, which will certainly lead to a greater spread of infection among medical personnel, who in turn will transmit the infection to their families and citizens, the syndicate said in a letter sent to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Health Minister Hala Zayed on Wednesday.

As a result, health workers will become a source of infection, which will bring about a real medical disaster, it warned.

The new instructions also require medical facilities where coronavirus cases are detected to be sanitised without being shut down.

The syndicate also criticised the circular for blaming medical staff for getting infected, by claiming that most cases among health workers are directly caused by social interaction between team members in their accommodation, food venues or at places where they rest.

It cited remarks by World Health Organisation Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Ahmed Al-Mandhari in which he said that more than 90 percent of health workers in the region become infected at health facilities where they are exposed to the virus.

The syndicate called on health authorities to quickly revoke the new instructions while ensuring the maximum level of protection and early testing for frontline health workers fighting the disease.

Testing health workers who do not display symptoms by collecting samples for diagnostic tests, rather than relying on rapid testing, is highly important to ensure early detection of infections to curb the spread of the disease to more health workers, the syndicate said. It stressed that the measure will be more economically effective, saying the cost of tests is lower than that of treating new infections.

It also called for providing additional testing kits if the current quantity is inadequate.

Egyptian El-Sisi has ordered the allocation of EGP 100 billion ($6.35 billion) to finance a comprehensive plan to tackle the disease, and the government said it had received millions of pounds in donations from businesses and civil society groups.

The health ministry has not provided a tally of doctors who have been infected or died from the flu-like virus so far. The Doctors Syndicate, however, has reported nine deaths and at least 178 infections, according to Kareem Mesbah, a member of the syndicate board.

The Nurses Syndicate said separately that six nurses have so far died from the virus, and the Pharmacist Syndicate recorded its first death from the virus on Tuesday.

Many hospital staff members have taken to social media to complain that hospital managements have been reluctant to conduct tests on them even though they had come into contact with coronavirus patients.

Last month, the syndicate criticised steps taken by healthcare authorities to identify coronavirus cases among medical staff and warned against merely relying on rapid tests when examining medical staff working at quarantine hospitals, saying their results have not proved accurate. It called for widespread staff testing using a method called polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

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YEREVAN.  Zhoghovurd newspaper of Armenia writes: According to Zhoghovurd dailys information, Arayik Harutyunyan, President-elect of Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)], has decided that the [new] speaker of the NKR National Assembly [NA] should be exclusively one of the members of his team. According to our information, the names of two people are currently being discussed, one of whom is Karen Danielyan, a representative of the Free Homeland Party, and the otherEleonora Avanesyan, and it is likely that Artsakh will have a female NA speaker for the first time.

According to our information, the new authorities of Artsakh are currently preparing for the inauguration ceremony of the new President of Artsakh to be held on May 21 in Shushi ().

It is also noted that due to the prevention of the spread of coronavirus, the new authorities of Artsakh are doing everything to prevent it from being crowded, but nevertheless, invitations will be sent to Armenias authorities as well.

According to our sources, after Arayik Harutyunyan's inauguration, the President of Artsakh will start the second round of meetings with the political forces that won in the elections. And then it will be clarified how the positions will be "distributed".

According to our information, A. Harutyunyan still does not have a clear agreement with any political force on how to distribute the positions. The issue of re-appointing Masis Mayilian to the post of NKR Foreign Minister is still pending, there is no final decision.

According to our information, it is only clear that the Artsakh NA ex-speaker, Ashot Ghoulyan, will soon resign from his MPs mandate. Zhoghovurd dailys sources inform that Ghoulyan does not want to go to the parliament as an ordinary MP, and since the Artsakh NA has "become young," Ghoulyan wants to give up his mandate to the youth.
DALLAS (AP)  Police have arrested two people after finding a 6-year-old boy locked in a shed in Dallas.

Esmeralda Lira, 53, and Jose Balderas, 66, were booked into the Dallas County jail on child endangerment charges. Bonds are set at $100,000 each. Court records state both are Mexican citizens and were in the United States illegally, so immigration holds have been placed on both.

A message seeking comment from the attorney appointed for Balderas was not answered immediately. Court records list no attorney for Lira.

TRAGIC: Man killed in front of 10-month-old child in NE Harris County

A witness directed officers to the boy on Sunday night during a welfare check at a home in a suburban neighborhood on the city's southeast side, said police spokeswoman Tamika Dameron. Medics evaluated the boy but did not take him to a hospital.

According to CBS DFW, the child claimed the alleged abuse had been going on since he "got out of school for this corona thing."

Dameron said both people were arrested without incident but declined to say their relationship to the boy. She also declined to say how long the child had been in the shed.

The boy, his 7-year-old sister and their 4-year-old brother were removed from the home and placed in foster care, said a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
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Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Wed, May 13, 2020 11:03 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7a9dc0 4 Inforial Free

Service learning has become a key part of learning programs around the world, with schools and universities recognizing it as an effective methodology for fostering social responsibility, community spirit and empathy.

The approach is seen as an immersive way of combining academic objectives with relevant community service, replacing the more traditional practice of offering social outreach as an extracurricular activity and without utilizing the skills students learn in class. As a result, students gain a more holistic learning experience while increasing their awareness about pressing environmental and societal issues.

In Indonesia, service learning is alive and thriving at Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS), where it has been emphasized through much of the schools near 70-year history. The interdisciplinary approach is embedded in JIS curriculum at every grade level, from Early Years (ages 3-5) through Grade 12 (ages 17-18), strengthened by student-led co-curricular activities that aim to help communities located a stones throw away from campus or even on the other side of the archipelago.

Social Studies courses, for example, include research, advocacy and service campaigns linked to units on real-world problems such as water pollution, economic development and refugee crises throughout history, among other subjects. In JIS High Schools Creative Arts and Design Technology classes, students design and paint murals in hospitals and orphanages, as well as design and produce furniture for similar organizations.

Meanwhile, English classes invite students to explore themes of disability, child trafficking, migrant labor and gender exploitation through literature. Follow-up assignments see them developing personal connections with local yayasan (nonprofit foundations) and schools, as well as gain insights from NGOs and experts.

And at JIS Elementary School, a highly anticipated annual charity event is Stitch It Week,

a proud tradition that started 16 years ago. Students design various useful day-to-day items such as tote bags, pillow covers and small pillow ornaments, which are then brought to life by long-time special guest and machine-embroidery artist Pak Dik-Dik. These items are sold over the course of Stitch It Week, with proceeds going to charities that help put children from underprivileged families through school.

Spirit of stitching: With the help of a machine-embroidery artist, young artists at JIS Pattimura elementary school campus create various items for sale, such as tote bags, pillow covers and small pillow ornaments that they designed themselves. (./.)

JIS students themselves have taken the initiative to start their own service programs: Hope for Hygiene that donates hygiene products to charities and hospital, Combined Team led by three after-school clubs dedicated to making masks, soap and hand sanitizer to distribute to various communities, Conquer Cancer Club fully dedicated to raising funds for foundations such as Yayasan Kasih Anak Kanker Indonesia (YKAKI) and Marys Cancer Kiddies  and the list goes on.

Helping the ecosystem: JIS students learn all about mangroves and their ecosystems, such as how they function, why theyre so important for the environment and how theyre related to the marine issues of Jakartas coastline. (./.)

Then, theres JIS Peduli (JIS Cares), a schoolwide organization run by JIS students, teachers, administrators and staff members alike with the purpose of providing support for service-learning initiatives and coordinating the schools response to disasters. In the past few years alone, JIS Peduli has successfully organized the distribution of aid to families and schools affected by devastating earthquakes in Palu, Central Sulawesi, and Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, as well as victims of massive flooding in Jakarta.

One house at a time: JIS High School students, accompanied by chaperones and the head of the school, Dr. Tarek Razik, Ed.D, lend a hand to Habitat for Humanity while learning about the day-to-day lives of local residents of a rural area of Sentul in Bogor, West Java. (./.)

But most recently, its focus has been on mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 in the capital, taking inspiration from the Indonesian spirit of gotong royong (mutual cooperation) to provide assistance to those impacted by the outbreak.

With the help of Jakarta-based alumni, JIS Peduli teamed up with the Artha Graha Peduli (AGP) COVID-19 Response Center to distribute 1,000 home-care sanitation kits to low-income neighborhoods located near the schools Cilandak campus in South Jakarta. Then, as a show of appreciation for essential staff members, 300 packages filled with food supplies were handed out to security personnel, cleaners and bus drivers.

And never ones to stay idle, even during an unprecedented pandemic, JIS students and teachers also joined in the mitigation efforts. A group of 11th-graders developed aerosol boxes to be used as added personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical workers treating COVID-19 patients, while a JIS Middle School teacher teamed up with the Gerakan Kepedulian (GK) Club to design and test face masks to be donated and sold in bundles. The breathable cotton-polyester masks are made by seamstresses employed by GK Mustikasari  which will receive proceeds from the sales  and in three weeks alone, the collaboration produced over 2,500 masks, with 800 free masks already distributed to low-income neighborhoods in Jakarta.

More than just a teaching tool, service learning at JIS is about fostering respect and kindness and providing far-reaching solutions to real-world problems. At the very center of this important mission are the JIS students, who will continue to create positive changes around them however and whenever they can  every bit matters.
At the time, the office said they thought theyd have an online process up and running within a couple of weeks, says Rose. I tried calling back a few weeks later but couldnt reach them at first. ... Out of desperation, I left messages to our congresswoman, Jan Schakowsky. One of her aides called me back and said, were sorry, and it doesnt look like were going to have anything in place in Illinois at all. She said she talked to a couple of other people in desperate situations who need spousal privileges.
OTTAWAUp to 15,000 medical research staff across the country face layoffs this week because they fall through the cracks of all the aid programs offered by the federal government.

They are health researchers, research nurses, lab technicians and many others whose research work was unrelated to COVID-19 and who do not qualify for the federal wage subsidy, nor are their salaries covered by any federal infusion of funds to tide people over.

Now top research directors and hospital leaders warn that even COVID-19 clinical trials are at risk of halting if there is no support for the lab operations and staff at the hospital-based research institutes where much of that work is going on.

Brad Wouters, senior scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a leader of research at the University Health Network, the largest research hospital in Canada, told the Star that although there had been ongoing talks with Ottawa through the national association to figure out a solution, nothing has addressed the pressing need that will see thousands of layoffs begin by weeks end.

Weve reached the end of our rope  without a clear signal from the government this week, we will have no choice but to start laying off researchers as planned, he said.

When this happens, it will jeopardize both our ability to support our ongoing research efforts against COVID-19, and our ability to restart research into all kinds of critical areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases that affect millions of Canadians.

Clinical and research trials that were unrelated to the coronavirus were suspended or cancelled by order of the federal government as the country went into lockdown in mid-March, including more than 600 cancer research trials.

Hospital-based labs scrambled to safely wind down research operations or to switch to coronavirus research, with many workers jumping into the race to find therapies or a COVID-19 cure.

But Wouters told a Commons health committee last week that based on a technicality, many of the thousands who are not working on COVID-19 dont qualify for the federal wage subsidy.

They are considered to work in the public sector, even though their work isnt financed by the hospitals operating budgets or out of provincial health budgets.

It is instead financed by a combination of public and private research grants, charitable donations, allotments from foundations, and contracts for clinical trials which are almost all funded privately by biotech or pharmaceutical companies. Even revenue from hospital parking fees sometimes gets channelled towards hospital-based research.

HealthCareCAN, the association representing more than 55 Canadian hospitals, told the health committee those funding sources have all but evaporated.

The association wrote Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month to flag the problem.

Ottawa did provide more than $290 million through the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) and two other federal granting agencies to maintain income support for research trainees and post-doctoral fellows whose work was affected. And CIHR granted an extra year for researchers to use to spend existing grants.

But the CIHR provides money for only 10 per cent of the all the research activity in hospital-based institutes which spend about $3 billion a year on research into cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers and all the other medical conditions that kill a majority of Canadians.

So there remains a significant funding gap as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts that research, and all the usual sectors that used to contribute to it.

Wouters said

allowing the institutes access to the wage subsidy to hang onto staff would come at marginal cost to the government. He told the committee staff we lay off for lack of access to the subsidy will draw on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. It is clear that it would be much more effective to keep our employees part of UH, which compensates them at a rate of about $350 less per-week. But those staff will be unproductive for as long as they are laid off, and I have no sense of if or when we will be able to rehire them or if they will depart to opportunities in other countries.

I am very worried that losing all these critical research staff now will set Canada back by decades in this globally competitive sector, said Wouters.

Asked by the Star why those workers are not a priority, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insisted Wednesday his government has supported scientific research during the coronavirus outbreak.

That is why our investments in science, our investments in supporting graduate students, our investments in supporting research institutes have been significant and will continue.

However, he added he would personally look into the issue.

Our focus is on making sure that scientists get the support they need right across the country and we will continue to do that.
Congratulations, myloweslife.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site:

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China Ocean Fishing Holdings (HKG:8047) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 31%, after some slippage. 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. While the market sentiment towards a stock is very changeable, in the long run, the share price will tend to move in the same direction as earnings per share. So some would prefer to hold off buying when there is a lot of optimism towards a stock. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). Investors have optimistic expectations of companies with higher P/E ratios, compared to companies with lower P/E ratios.

See our latest analysis for China Ocean Fishing Holdings

Does China Ocean Fishing Holdings Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 23.86 that there is some investor optimism about China Ocean Fishing Holdings. The image below shows that China Ocean Fishing Holdings has a higher P/E than the average (12.8) P/E for companies in the logistics industry.

SEHK:8047 Price Estimation Relative to Market May 13th 2020

That means that the market expects China Ocean Fishing Holdings will outperform other companies in its industry. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn't guarantee future growth. So investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

Story continues

China Ocean Fishing Holdings shrunk earnings per share by 48% over the last year.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

China Ocean Fishing Holdings's Balance Sheet

China Ocean Fishing Holdings has net debt worth 14% of its market capitalization. It would probably deserve a higher P/E ratio if it was net cash, since it would have more options for growth.

The Bottom Line On China Ocean Fishing Holdings's P/E Ratio

China Ocean Fishing Holdings trades on a P/E ratio of 23.9, which is above its market average of 9.6. With modest debt but no EPS growth in the last year, it's fair to say the P/E implies some optimism about future earnings, from the market. What is very clear is that the market has become significantly more optimistic about China Ocean Fishing Holdings over the last month, with the P/E ratio rising from 18.2 back then to 23.9 today. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might mean it's time to put the stock on a watchlist, or research it. But the contrarian may see it as a missed opportunity.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. We don't have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Nine states and UTs including Chhattisgarh, Ladakh, Manipur andMeghalaya have not reported any new case of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours while Daman and Diu, Sikkim, Nagaland and Lakshadweep have not reported any cases so far, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday.

Vardhan, who reviewed the preparedness of Punjab for managing COVID-19,said as on Wednesday74,281 coronavirus infection cases have been reported from across the countryand while the doubling time in the past 14 days was 11, it has improved to 12.6 in the last three days.

As the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 2,415 and the number of cases climbed to 74,281 registering an increase of 122deaths and 3,525 cases in the last 24 hours till Wednesday 8 AM, the health minister said the fatality rate is 3.2 per cent and the recovery rate is pegged at 32.8 per cent.

Director of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr S K Singh, who madea presentation on the status of COVID-19 cases in Punjab said as on May 12all 22 districts stand affected by the disease with total 1,913 cases.

Three districts -- Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Patiala -- are in the red zone and 15 are in the orange zone. The total number of samples collected is 43,999 with sample positivity rate at 4.3 per cent, he said, according to a health ministry statement.

The pilgrims who returned from the Nanded Hazoor Sahib in Maharashtra constituted the bulk of cases in Punjab with 1,225 of the total 4,216 testing positive. The state has another challenge with round 20,521 migrant workers returning from other parts of the country, Singh said.

Punjab, according to health ministry data, has recorded 32 deaths and1,914 coronavirus cases till Wednesday 8 am.

According to the statement, Vardhan during the meeting appreciated the steps taken so far by the Punjab administration regarding the stringent adherence to lockdown measures, meticulous contact tracing, screening of the entire population in the containment areas and home delivery of essential services, items and medicines.

He also requested the state to further strengthen SARI and ILI screening in unaffected districts, in addition to ensuring that non-COVID health services such as immunisation drives, TB case finding and treatment, providing blood transfusion for dialysis patients, treatment of cancer patients and antenatal care of pregnant women are not adversely affected, the statement said.

"As the available data indicate a decline in the notification of TB cases in the private and public clinics, the state needs to give priority to this area too," Vardhan highlighted.

Pointing out that timely payment of salaries and performance-linked incentives would boost the morale of the frontline health workers, the state was requested to release these in time, the statement said.

Vardhan also suggested that the downloading of Aarogya Setu app should be made compulsory for all returnees for better contact surveillance and suitable medical interventions.

Punjab Health MinisterBalbir Singh Sidhustated that even during the lockdown, the OPD services had been continued and non-COVID healthcare delivery has not suffered, the statement said.

The state has screened 6,58,000 people through house-to-house surveillance. Punjab has developed its own dashboard which generates a heat map which is used to define and demarginalise the emerging hotspots for effective containment measures, the statement said.

Sidhu said all the returning pilgrims from Nanded Sahib have been screened, tested and quarantined to prevent them from interacting with the community at large, thus effectively preventing the spread of the virus.

Moreover, a death audit has also been undertaken which has indicated that patients with co-morbidities formed a large percentage of the COVID-19 deaths in Punjab while more than 85 per cent patients are asymptomatic, Anurag Agrawal, Principal Secretary (Health) stated.

Elaborating on the health infrastructure preparedness in the country, Vardhan said900 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with a capacity of 1,79,882 beds (1,60,610 isolation and 19,272 ICU beds),2,040 dedicated COVID-19 health centres with 1,29,689 beds (1,19,340 isolation and 10,349 ICU beds) and 5,577 COVID-19 care centres with 4,93,101 beds are available as of now.

Also, 8,708 quarantine centres are available till now, the statement said.

The Centre has also provided 78.42 lakh N95 masks and 42.18 lakh Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) to the state, UTs and central institutions, he said.

The Union health minister also added that as of Tuesday 2.75 per cent active COVID-19 patients were in ICU, 0.37 per cent on ventilators and 1.89 per cent on oxygen support.

Vardhan highlighted that the testing capacity has increased in the country to 1,00,000 tests per dayand a total 18,56,477 tests have been done so far for COVID-19 with94,708 samples being tested on Tuesday.

The meeting with Punjab waspart of a series of one-to-one discussions with various states and UThealth ministers and Collectors of Red Zones and high priority districts to take stock of preparedness, and the actions being taken for management of COVID-19 there.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
THE CARER by Deborah Moggach (Tinder 8.99, 272 pp)

THE CARER

by Deborah Moggach (Tinder 8.99, 272 pp)

Moggachs 2004 novel, These Foolish Things, which inspired the film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, featured a cast of elderly characters who felt they had plenty of life still to live.

Here, she returns to the subject of old age, bringing new perspective to the familiar dilemma of caring for an ageing parent.

James, a former physics professor, needs full-time help but his children, Robert and Phoebe, wrangle over who should take responsibility for their increasingly doddery father.

Eventually they employ Mandy, a dowdy, plain-spoken woman. To their dismay, their father takes on a surprising new lease of life, enjoying outings and television programmes he would once have despised.

A sharp satire of middle-class mores with a devastating twist, this is Moggach at her bitingly funny best.

IS THERE STILL SEX IN THE CITY? by Candace Bushnell (Abacus 8.99, 272 pp)

IS THERE STILL SEX IN THE CITY?

by Candace Bushnell (Abacus 8.99, 272 pp)

In the 1990s, Candace Bushnell chronicled the glamorous lives of Manhattan singletons in her Sex And The City columns and subsequent books, TV series and films. Thirty years on, her semi-fictionalised memoir explores the middle-aged dating scene.

In 2011, Bushnells life took a turn for the worse when her marriage ended, her dog died and she moved to Connecticut, where she gave up sex for years.

Returning to New York with a commission to write about mid-life dating, she explores the new landscape of Tinder, cubs (young men who date older women) and elderly Lotharios.

Along with the high cost of post-menopausal glamour, there is the haunting sense of dreams unfulfilled. But friendship, plus the feeling that most people become a tiny bit nicer, combine with Bushnells razor-sharp wit to make this a story more hopeful than rueful.

CHASTISE by Max Hastings (Harper 9.99, 464 pp)

CHASTISE

by Max Hastings (Harper 9.99, 464 pp)

The Dambusters raid is enshrined in our national mythology as an outstanding feat of heroism.

On the night of May 16, 1943, 19 Lancaster bombers led by 24-year-old Wing-Commander Guy Gibson set off on a mission to attack the dams of the Ruhr with a revolutionary new weapon: the bouncing bomb.

Flying perilously low, the bombers succeeded in breaching two dams.

Eight Lancasters were lost, but Hastings points out that there were also heavy civilian casualties among the villagers living below the dam, as well as Russian and Polish women who worked as slaves, trapped in their barracks and swept away in the flood.

In this detailed history, he gives a breathtaking, moment-by-moment account of the raid, as well as a deeply felt sense of the missions devastating aftermath. This is history at its most compellingly vivid.
Week-over-week, we continue to see things improve and hope to see this pattern continue while keeping workers safe. - Express CEO Bill Stoller

Despite record unemployment numbers in America due to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are still looking for workers as revealed in a recent market analysis of the last 30 days from Express Employment Professionals.

Illinois boasts the largest number of job openings through Express at 749, followed by Texas (706), California (553), Tennessee (541) and Pennsylvania (529).

Rounding out the top 10 states are Ohio (481), Missouri (452), Wisconsin (408), Georgia (345), Florida (329) and Minnesota (329).

In Illinois, where only essential businesses are permitted to operate until June 1 due to shelter-at-home orders, its remarkable that companies are still on the hunt for talent.

Overall, we seem to have stopped the slide and have even inched the needle north a little, said Richard Yoerk, Express franchise owner in Champaign, Illinois. I think it is far too soon to tell if we are out of the woods yet, but we are optimistic that well make it out of this just fine.

Available positions at the Champaign office include building food baskets for regional food banks, working in food manufacturing facilities, assembly and distribution, sanitizer production, injection molding and delivery drivers.

Clients have remained open during this time by adding personnel and shifting gears on production Yoerk added. One company added hand sanitizer to their line and manufactures the product six days a week. A local cap and gown company converted to making face masks to help fight the pandemic.

We are focusing on aligning as much of the workforce and our clients as possible for the state reopening, Yoerk said. We hope to come out of this crisis stronger than when we entered it.

In Oxnard, California, Express franchise owner Neil McMillan said his offices job openings are mainly for essential positions, such as aerospace electronic techs, machine operators, welders, food sorters and forklift drivers. Hes grateful to see signs of things picking back up.

Business slowed down significantly at the outset of the stay-at-home orders, but has stabilized now, he added.

The Morristown, Tennessee, Express office currently has 97 available jobs and never saw a drop in business thanks to some creativity and persistence.

Over the past eight weeks since COVID-19 began, we have partnered with our current clients and provided them with custodians and temperature takers to protect our workers and keep businesses open in Morristown, said Morristown Express franchise manager Sarah Bowman. We learned that while not all businesses were as proactive or willing to take these extra measures, the ones who did remain open and operational during a very uncertain time in the country.

Bowman added that her office did everything they could to be a resource for local businesses, including hosting educational webinars and spotlighting them on social media.

One of their greatest successes and innovations was their first-ever drive-through applicant process where job seekers never had to leave their vehicle to apply.

This practice limited the potential risk of infection to all parties involved, Bowman said. By implementing these extra measures, it provided a lot of comfort to job seekers and our staff knowing that their health and wellbeing is our main focus.

Looking back, Bowman says sheer determination played a large role in not only surviving as a business during this pandemic but providing hope through employment  safely.

I believe we have jobs available because we made the conscious decision in March that we would do everything in our power to defeat this and overcome the obstacles, she said. The team in Morristown has worked tirelessly to keep our clients on the books and our workers safe and healthy.

As states begin to lift restrictions on businesses reopening, Express CEO Bill Stoller says he is encouraged by the number of job openings increasing from even just a few weeks ago.

Week-over-week, we continue to see things improve and hope to see this pattern continue while keeping workers safe, he said. I applaud all of our offices that never gave up on responsibly putting people to work so they can put food on the table.

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 825 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, and beginning in 2020 will expand to Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, Express has put more than 8 million people to work worldwide.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, our international network of franchises offer localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing 552,000 people across North America in 2019. For more information, visit http://www.ExpressPros.com.
The number of coronavirus cases in the country breached the 74,000-mark on Wednesday. According to the latest figures updated by the Ministry of Health, the Covid-19 national tally stands at 74,281. There are 47,480 active coronavirus cases in the country, 24,385 patients have been cured or discharged while 2,415 people have died from the deadly contagion.

Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra have breached the 24,000-mark while Gujarat, the second worst-affected state nears the 9,000 mark.

Heres the statewise breakup of the number of coronavirus cases, deaths, and recoveries.

Maharashtra

With 24427 Covid-19 active cases, Maharashtra continues to lead the state tally. The state has recorded 921 deaths so far while 5125 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 8903. While 537 people have died due to the coronavirus disease, Gujarat has seen 3246 recoveries so far.

Tamil Nadu

The southern state has 8718 coronavirus cases. Tamil Nadu has seen 2134 recoveries and 61 Covid-19 deaths.

Delhi

As many as 7639 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the national capital. Eighty-six people have died from the infection while 2512 have made a recovery, as per the health ministrys data.

Also read: In 50 days of lockdown, Covid-19 cases in Delhi increases 254 times

Rajasthan

Coronavirus cases in Rajasthan touched 4126 on Wednesday. The state has reported 117 fatalities, and 2378 patients have recovered from the infection.

Madhya Pradesh

The state has reported 3986 positive cases of coronavirus. Two hundred and twenty five people have died from Covid-19 here while 1860 have recovered.

Uttar Pradesh

The number of Covid-19 positive cases reaches 3664 in Uttar Pradesh. While 1873 people have recovered from coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, 82 have died from the infection here.

Andhra Pradesh

The state has witnessed 2090 positive Covid-19 patients and 1056 cases of recovery. Forty six people have died.

West Bengal

The number of infected cases in West Bengal reached 2173 on Wednesday. There have been 198 deaths and 612 recoveries in the state.

Telangana

The number of Covid-19 positive cases reaches 1326 in state so far. Eight hundred and thirty people have made a recovery from the virus while 32 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 934. 10 people have died from the infection while 455 were cured.

Karnataka

The state has recorded 925 Covid-19 cases and 31 deaths. As many as 433 people have been cured and discharged.

Haryana and Punjab

The neighbouring states have 780 and 1914 Covid-19 cases respectively. While 32 people have died in Punjab, Haryana has seen 10 deaths. Three hundred and forty two people have recovered from Covid-19 in Haryana, 171 in Punjab.

Kerala

As per the health ministry, Kerala reported 524 coronavirus cases on Wednesday. Kerala has witnessed four deaths due to Covid-19 while 489 people have successfully recovered.

In Bihar, 831 people have tested positive for coronavirus, six people have died while 383 patients have recovered. Odisha has 437 Covid-19 positive patients, 116 have recovered while three people have died. Jharkhand has 172 Covid-19 cases, three patients have died and 79 have recovered.

Uttarakhand has 69 coronavirus patients, 46 patients have recovered from the infection, one patient has died. Himachal Pradesh has 65 cases, two patients have died and 39 have recovered. Assam has reported 65 Covid-19 cases, two people have died while 39 people have recovered.

Chhattisgarh has recorded 59 cases of coronavirus and 54 people have recovered. In Chandigarh, 187 people have contracted the Covid-19 disease and 28 have recovered, three people have died. Andaman has recorded 33 coronavirus cases, all patients have recovered.

Ladakh has 42 patients, 21 people have recovered. Goa reported seven cases of Covid-19 disease, all patients have recovered. Puducherry has reported 13 cases, 9 have recovered. Meghalaya has reported 13 cases and one death, 10 patients have recovered. One patient has died.

Manipur had two coronavirus cases, and those have recovered. Tripura, meanwhile, has 154 cases, two patients have recovered.

States and Union territories with just one positive Covid-19 case include Dadar Nagar Havel, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. All patients in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have 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.
Three years after the fifth and final season of BBC America's Orphan Black went off the air, the cast and creators are reuniting for a good cause.

The entire cast, including Emmy-winning actress Tatiana Maslany, will return for a live-streamed table read of two episodes on Sunday, May 17 at 3 PM ET on the Orphan Black Facebook page.

A new trailer, courtesy of BBC America YouTube, teases the stars who will be coming back for the reunion, which aligns with Mental Health Awareness in May and International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.

Reunion: Three years after the fifth and final season of BBC America's Orphan Black went off the air, the cast and creators are reuniting for a good cause

Entire cast: The entire cast, including Emmy-winning actress Tatiana Maslany, will return for a live-streamed table read of two episodes on Sunday, May 17 at 3 PM ET on the Orphan Black Facebook page

The 30-second trailer features Maslany, Evelyne Brochu (Delphine), Kristian Brunn (Donnie), Jordan Garvaris (Felix), Kevin Hanchard (Detective Art Bell), Inga Cadranell (Detective Angela DeAngelis) and Dylan Bruce (Paul Dierden) all revealing they'll be back for the table read.

While they're not seen in the trailer, others confirmed to return include Josh Vokey (Scott), Michael Mando (Vic), Eric Johnson (Chad Norris) and Natalie Lisinska (Ainsley)

They will be joined by co-creators, Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, executive producer Kerry Appleyard, writer Will Pascoe and co-producer Mackenzie Donaldson, who will be reading 106 and 107 from the show's acclaimed first season.

Cast returns: The 30-second trailer features Maslany, Evelyne Brochu (Delphine), Kristian Brunn (Donnie), Jordan Garvaris (Felix), Kevin Hanchard (Detective Art Bell), Inga Cadranell (Detective Angela DeAngelis) and Dylan Bruce (Paul Dierden) all revealing they'll be back for the table read

Maslany explained in a lengthy statement that she first concocted the idea of a possible reunion with her co-star Kristian Brunn.

'Kristian Bruun and I started talking about the idea of doing an OB reunion back when everything had shut down,' Maslany began.

She added that the cast wanted to show their fans, affectionately known as the Clone Club, some love and, 'help raise some money for people who are disproportionately affected during this difficult time.'

Reunion: Maslany explained in a lengthy statement that she first concocted the idea of a possible reunion with her co-star Kristian Brunn

The live-stream table read will benefit two charities, CenterLink, which, 'supports over 250 LGBTQ community centers across the world,' and Sistering Toronto, which, 'helps at risk, socially isolated women and trans people in Toronto, who are certainly in dire need right now of support, resources and healthcare.'

'In addition to raising funds, we hope that we can bring some joy to the fans, something intimate just for them, make them feel connected to the Clone Club community even if we're all far apart,' she added.

She added that the cast, producers and writers did a 'Zoom chat' to discuss the live-streamed table read.

Joy: 'In addition to raising funds, we hope that we can bring some joy to the fans, something intimate just for them, make them feel connected to the Clone Club community even if we're all far apart,' she added

Zoom: She added that the cast, producers and writers did a 'Zoom chat' to discuss the live-streamed table read

'All of the cast and producers and writers did a zoom chat the other day to discuss things and none of us wanted to hang up. Our show was always about family and community and sestrahood, so bringing us all back together for this just felt right,' she concluded.

Orphan Black follows Maslany's character Sarah Manning, whose life is turned upside down when she witnesses the murder of a woman who looks just like her.

Maslany played several distinct characters throughout the series' run, including Alison Hendrix, Cosima Niehaus, Helena Rachel Duncan and Camilla Torres.

Fans will be able to watch both episodes - Episode 106 Variations Under Domestication and Episode 107 Parts Developed In An Unusual Manner for free (unauthenticated) on BBCAmerica.com the BBC AMERICA app and for two weeks.

Orphan: Orphan Black follows Maslany's character Sarah Manning, whose life is turned upside down when she witnesses the murder of a woman who looks just like her

Characters: Maslany played several distinct characters throughout the series' run, including Alison Hendrix, Cosima Niehaus, Helena Rachel Duncan and Camilla Torres
Dubai built a city of skyscrapers and artificial archipelagos on the promise of globalization, creating itself as a vital hub for the free movement of trade, people and money worldwide  all things that have been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, with events canceled, flights grounded and investment halted, this sheikhdom in the United Arab Emirates is threatened both by the virus and a growing economic crisis. Under pressure even before the outbreak, Dubai and its vast web of state-linked industries face billions of dollars in looming debt repayments.

And though it was bailed out a decade earlier, Dubai may not be able to count on another cash infusion, given the crash in global oil prices.

They facilitate the transport and the buying of things and the movement of people, said Karen E. Young, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute who studies Gulf Arab economies. Thats not the world were living in right now.

Dubais dedication to global trade is memorialized in the first sentence of the first article of its 50-Year Charter, something created last year by its ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who has overseen much of the citys growth.

Dubai is destined to be a crossroad between East and West, and between North and South, the charter says.

Prior to the pandemic, it reached that status. Dubai International Airport for years has been the worlds busiest for international travel. Its vast Jebel Ali Port ranks high globally for its cargo operations.

That economic diversity stems from the classic retelling of Dubais story. After discovering oil reserves, but none nowhere as large as those in neighboring Abu Dhabi, then-ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum warned it would be a finite resource to the city-state.

To protect against that, Dubai became a company town. The state-owned long-haul carrier Emirates flies in foreign workers and tourists alike, who buy alcohol from state-owned duty-free shops, live in housing largely built by state-linked developers and hold credit cards from state-backed banks.

The wider nexus webs out into something U.S. diplomats have called Dubai Inc. Much of it worked, up until the pandemic.

The aggregate of all those crises we faced in the past doesnt equal this one, said Tim Clark, president of Emirates airline, on an April 29 conference call.

For Emirates, it must wait until countries open up before filling its flights. Even then, how will airlines handle it when a sneeze goes 25 feet down the cabin or if governments enforce social distancing and require empty seats, Clark asked.

The airline industry cannot afford to have large numbers of its seats idle, he said. It would be absolute economic catastrophe, worse than the current situation.

Then there were the problems Dubai faced before the crisis. The value of Dubais real-estate market had already dropped 30% since 2014, when it announced it would host the Expo 2020 worlds fair. That event, on which Dubai already has spent billions, has been postponed to 2021.

U.S. tariffs on aluminum tore away 10.5% of Dubais exports of the metal to America. President Donald Trumps trade war with China threatened Dubais shipping, as the government says some 60% of Chinas exports pass through the citys free zones to Africa and Europe.

The pandemic has simply thrown into relief how much Dubai, like the rest of the UAE, relies on global trade. Asked about the pandemics effect during a teleconference for the Beirut Institute, Anwar Gargash, the Emirati minister of state for foreign affairs, acknowledged: There will be questions about globalization.

Meanwhile, Dubai faces looming debt payments that stem from its 2009 financial crisis. By the end of this year alone, Dubai and its government-linked firms face $9.2 billion of debt coming due, with a massive $30.6 billion bill coming by 2023, according to London-based Capital Economics.

Worryingly, given its own large debts, Dubais government is not in a strong position to provide support to indebted firms, wrote James Swanston, an economist at Capital Economics.

The governments Dubai Media Office did not respond to questions from The Associated Press over the upcoming debt obligations. However, officials like former Dubai finance director Nasser al-Shaikh have sought to describe the city-states sovereign debt as separate from those of state-linked firms, a distinction authorities also sought to make in the 2009 crisis.

But in 2009, Abu Dhabi ultimately needed to step in with a $10 billion bailout and the Central Bank offered another $10 billion as creditors panicked over such state-linked firms failing. Dubai at this time also changed the name of the under-construction worlds tallest building from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa, after Abu Dhabi ruler and UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Abu Dhabi has the reserves to easily bail out Dubai again, but may worry about encouraging reckless investments. Oil prices, the bedrock of Abu Dhabis economy, also have dropped dramatically in the pandemic. The cost now of credit default swaps on Dubais debt  a form of insurance that promises investors payouts in case of a default  already have spiked by 200% from late February, according to data firm Refinitiv.

But Dubai has faced global economic crises before, perhaps the most serious coming in the grips of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Pearls had been the regions most-important export for some 70 years, but the financial crisis and artificial replicas crashed the prices of the one commodity local freedivers risked their lives to claw out of clams.

Seeing an opportunity in its location, Dubai soon began re-exporting tax-free gold into India  or profiting from the precious metal being smuggled, as Indian officials described it for decades. That re-exporting business lives on in the economic free zones across Dubai today.

I do think they they will pivot again, Young said. They will find a new way.
The country, which is at the centre of the Latin American outbreak, registers 881 deaths in a day.

Brazil has recorded its highest daily rise in the number of deaths from the coronavirus, health officials say.

It registered 881 new deaths on Tuesday, the health ministry said. The total death toll now stands at 12,400.

It means Brazil, which is at the centre of the Latin American outbreak, is now the sixth worst affected country in terms of recorded deaths.

And experts say the real figure may be far higher due to a lack of testing in the country.

"Brazil is only testing people who end up in the hospital," Domingo Alves from the University of Sao Paulo Medical School told AFP news agency.

"It's hard to know what's really happening based on the available data," he said. "We don't have a real policy to manage the outbreak."

Mr Alves is one of the authors of a study that estimated the real number of infections was 15 times higher than the official figure.

The number of confirmed cases in the country currently stands at 177,589, officials say. It rose by more than 9,000 on Tuesday and overtook Germany's tally of 170,000.

Brazil's total is second only to the US in the Western Hemisphere. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Americas are currently at the centre of the pandemic.

The outbreak is expected to accelerate over the coming weeks, experts say, and there are fears the pandemic could overwhelm Brazil's health system.

But far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the coronavirus and criticised governors and mayors for adopting strict restrictions to curb its spread.

Earlier this week, he issued a decree that classified businesses such as gyms and hairdressers as "essential" services that are exempt from lockdowns. But at least 10 governors said they would not comply with the order.

"Governors who do not agree with the decree can file lawsuits in court," Mr Bolsonaro wrote on social media.

It comes after researchers said the first recorded coronavirus-related death in Brazil happened almost two months earlier than previously thought.

Scientists at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation said that molecular tests suggested one patient who died in Rio de Janeiro between 19 and 25 January had Covid-19.

The scientists also said their research suggested the virus was being spread from person to person in Brazil in early February - weeks before the country's popular carnival street parties kicked off.

Health Minister Nelson Teich said he needed more information before he could comment on the research carried out by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, which has been published online but not yet been peer-reviewed.

If confirmed, the cases would considerably change the timeline of how the virus spread in Brazil.

In other global developments:
Violent attacks in Afghanistan kill, wound dozens, including at maternity hospital

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 3:27 PM

At least 16 people have been killed in an attack in which three militants stormed a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and set off an hours-long shootout with police, officials say.

The attack occurred at a maternity hospital in the Dasht-e-Barchi area, a mostly Shia neighborhood, in western Kabul on Tuesday and claimed the lives of at least 16 individuals, including two newborn babies and their mothers, Afghan officials said.

Images shared by Afghanistan's Interior Ministry showed Afghan security forces trying to evacuate the 100-bed hospital, carrying out babies and frantic mothers, while the shootout was underway.

Security forces managed to rescue more than 100 people, including many children, trapped in the facility before the attack was over, said Tariq Arian, a spokesman for the ministry, adding that at least 15 others, including women and children, were wounded in the incident.

"The forces are trying to eliminate the terrorists and bring the situation under control," said Arian while a firefight was ongoing, describing the attack as an "act against humanity and a war crime."

Tolo News, citing an unnamed security source, said that there was a guest house, mostly used by foreign nationals, just behind the hospital and the militants were trying to reach there through the hospital. It added that at least two explosions were heard at the site.

In a statement released later in the day, the Afghan Interior Ministry said all the three attackers were dead and that the attack was over.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But in a statement after the attack, the Taliban said they had nothing to do with it.

Separately on Tuesday, another terror attack killed or wounded at least 47 people in eastern Nangarhar Province, a hotbed of Daesh terrorists.

According to Nangarhar governor's office, the attack occurred when a terrorist detonated an explosive vest in a funeral ceremony.

The explosion killed 17 people and wounded at least 30 others, said Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesperson for the provincial government.

However, a report by the Associated Press said 21 had been killed and 55 others wounded.

No individual or group immediately took responsibility for the attack.

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WASHINGTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a letter to BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink, the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) asked the firm to divest its customer's money from the 137 Chinese companies currently listed on American stock exchanges.

Of the 137, eleven are at least 30% owned by the Chinese government and all are "under the influence and ultimate control of the Communist Party of China."

BlackRock, the world's largest investment manager, recently divested itself of certain companies producing thermal coal in response to demands by anti-fossil fuel activists. In the letter, NLPC Chairman Peter Flaherty cited this "precedent" and argued that Chinese companies "that manufacture equipment for Xi's surveillance state or that are dominated by the People's Liberation Army raise even bigger ethical questions."

"China is the world's worst human rights abuser and greatest threat to world peace through its military buildup and increasingly imperial ambitions," Flaherty writes.

"Some investment managers argue that factors like human rights should not be considered in investment decisions because they have a fiduciary duty to investors to obtain the best possible return. Of course, you have specifically rejected this argument by applying a host of ESG litmus tests to BlackRock's investments."

"In light of your self-appointment as moral arbiter for corporate America, you cannot now pick and choose which moral imperatives you will honor and which you will ignore. Unless BlackRock divests from Chinese companies, your 'leadership' will amount to empty virtue-signaling."

The letter specifies China's response to COVID-19 allowing for its worldwide spread, its attempts to blame the virus on the United States, the brutal suppression of dissent in Hong Kong, the confinement of more than one million Uyghurs to detention camps, the building of a "surveillance state," and its macabre organ harvesting program.

NLPC also cited the risks to American investors who entrust their savings and retirement funds to BlackRock, pointing out that "Chinese companies in which you invest your customer's money are opaque. They do not submit to Public Company Accounting Oversight Board audit standards. They are not compliant with Dodd-Frank."

"Moreover, American retail investors have been repeatedly burned when U.S.-listed Chinese firms have been taken private at lower valuations and relisted on foreign exchanges."

http://www.nlpc.org

SOURCE NLPC

Related Links

https://nlpc.org


One of the injured Taskforce members who was attacked at the demolished Prodest hotel by hoodlums allegedly led by the wanted Princewi...





One of the injured Taskforce members who was attacked at the demolished Prodest hotel by hoodlums allegedly led by the wanted Princewill Osareojiji, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Youth Leader in Eleme Local Government area, is dead.





The deceased, whose identity was not revealed for security reasons was said to have died last night, Tuesday, May 12 at the hospital where the other injured victims were taking treatment.





The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, who broke the sad news at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, expressed regrets that the demolition of Prodest Hotel in Alode, Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel in Onne had been hijacked by opposition elements after the owners deliberately flouted Executive Order 6.





According to the Nsirim, These two hotels, Prodest Hotel, Alode, Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel, Onne not only flouted the Executive Order, the Hotel Manager of Prodest invited the wanted PDP Eleme Youth Leader, Princewill Osaroejiji, who came with thugs to unleash mayhem on Task Force operatives who were on ground to close down the facility.





He went further to state that the Rivers State Government has approved the building of a Primary School for Eleme People on the site of the demolished Prodest Hotel, just as it has also acquired the properties of the two hotels from their owners.





The Spokesman for the Rivers State Government explained that Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers State Security Council took the decision to demolish the hotel in the interest of Rivers State and her people.





He said that days before that demolition, everyone was aware that the State Government sensitized the people on the consequence of flouting Executive Order 6.





Eleme people are happy with the demolition. In several publications they made after the demolition, they have declared that Prodest Hotel is a criminal hideout and a den for cultists.





They added that Prodest Hotel is a centre for gun-running by the wanted PDP Youth Leader. It was his criminal tendencies that emboldened him to unleash mayhem on State officials when the Hotel Manager invited him, he said.





He pointed out that over the last few weeks, Wike has provided national leadership in relation to the fight against coronavirus.





The Information Commissioner recalled that Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu captured the outstanding leadership role of Governor Wike in the fight against coronavirus when he visited the State recently.





In his words: I want to thank you for your firm, strong, committed and personally led response to COVID-19. We thank you very much for your leadership and we need your leadership to continue in order for us to continue doing our work nationally.





Nsirim restated that the fight against Coronavirus in the State has been premised on the Rule of Law, saying it was Wike who first signed an Executive Order that led to Border Closure and other actions.




Enough is enough.

For nearly a year, the city of Imperial Beach has been asking a resident to stop letting his friends sleep in his junk-filled backyard.

The living conditions at 152 Elder Ave. are dangerous, according to city officials. Extension cords running from the house to a backyard shed create a fire hazard, while abandoned cars, motorcycles and boats in the backyard attract vermin to the neighborhood.

The citys code enforcement department has received complaints from neighbors, issued verbal notices, conducted on-site visits, and levied fines. But the problem hasnt gone away.

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My understanding is that the owner is permitting people that he knows to stay there, said Imperial Beach Assistant City Manager Steve Dush. The buildings that hes allowing people to stay in are not designed, from a safety perspective, to allow people to occupy them and live there. They are not designed for human occupancy.

In their latest move, Imperial Beach took the propertys owner, Bobby Priest, to court.

The Defendant has not taken any action to remedy the violations existing on the Property including illegal occupancy and electrical hazards, let alone the ongoing accumulation of trash, debris and junk in the backyard, reads a complaint asking a judge to step in.

Imperial Beach is asking a San Diego Superior Court judge to declare the property a public nuisance and to order the homeowner to correct that nuisance. If the court issues such order and Priest fails to comply, the city is asking for an injunction.

If that also fails, the court could put a lien on the home. If that lien is not paid, Priest could be forced to sell the property.

Imperial Beach officials hope it doesnt get that far, Dush said.

This is not a common occurrence, Dush said. It is rare that we have to go to this sort of process. Typically, we are able to achieve compliance.

The problem began in August 2017, when code enforcement officials issued violations for illegal occupancy of the backyard shed by various individuals, accumulation of junk, trash and debris, vegetation, construction debris, scrap metal, tires, and vehicles, court records show.

Between then and April 2018, city officials conducted nearly a dozen on-site inspections after receiving complaints and video footage of people continuing to live in the backyard, according to court records.

One of those complaints was of backyard dwellers lighting a fire near one of the sheds.

During the on-site visits, inspectors found sleeping bags, mens and womens clothes in a backyard shed, personal items like toiletries and razors in a boat kept in the backyard, and extension cords for appliances, microwaves and radio equipment running from the house to the backyard.

The city also issued several Notice of Vacate orders and $5,700 in fines. Priest paid all but $2,000 of the fines, court documents show.

Priest was not immediately available to talk about the code violations when reached at home Friday.

For the last two years, Imperial Beach has waged war on blighted property

It started with a vacant property across the street from a $35 million beachfront hotel. The city was able to turn the empty lot into a public park.

More recently, the city bought a long-vacant building on Palm Avenue and Fifth Street that was notorious for attracting drug dealers and squatters. The buildings parking lot was uneven and formed ponds after the rain, which would attract mosquitoes.

Now the city plans to build affordable housing units on that lot.

The Elder Avenue case is different in that it doesnt involve an absentee landlord. Priest lives on the property.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter
A virtual ghost town at California State University of Long Beach, which announced it will extend its closer through the end of the semester during this coronavirus pandemic in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

The California State University System, which runs 23 campuses, plans to offer most of its courses for the fall virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Most classes for the 2020 fall semester will be held online with few exceptions for in-person activity, Chancellor Timothy White said during a Zoom conference with the board of trustees on Tuesday. Research labs, for example, would continue on campus but with small class sizes and with students wearing personal protective equipment, White said.

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White confirmed the plans for a "hybrid approach" in a statement posted to the school's website Tuesday.

"Virtual planning is necessary because it might not be possible for some students, faculty and staff to safely travel to campus," White said. "Said another way, this virtual planning approach preserves as many options for as many students as possible."

Any in-person activities must meet "compelling educational and research needs" while also committing rigorous safety measures, White said in Tuesday's statement.

CSU is among one of the largest 4-year-public university systems in the country, educating about 482,000 students a year, according to the school's website.

The decision comes as schools across the country consider what to do for the academic year after spending the last several weeks transitioning to virtual classes.
YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS. The State Jazz Orchestra of Armenia has performed Stevie Wonders Sir Duke from the 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life to congratulate the 25-time Grammy Award winning American musician on his 70th birthday.

You are the sunshine of the world with your heart full of love and light. You have enlightened and warmed many hearts and souls with your genius. Happy birthday Stevie Wonder, the orchestra said on social media.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
Andre Burton, 30, prepares to shoot heroin in Kensington on Tuesday afternoon, May 14, 2019. After overdose deaths dipped in 2018, they rose again in 2019, with black and Latino communities particularly hard hit. Read more

Overdose deaths in Philadelphia increased by 3% from 2018 to 2019, killing 1,150 residents in the nations worst big-city opioid crisis.

Fatal overdoses had declined between the peak of the epidemic in 2017, when 1,217 people died of drug overdoses, and 2018s toll of 1,116, sparking hope that deaths might continue to decline. Wednesdays announcement by the city health department extinguished that hope.

For years, an epidemic rooted in the prescription drug explosion was widely regarded as a bigger problem for white people. Now, the death rate among the citys white residents, while still high, has declined for two years.

But black and Latino communities saw alarming increases in overdose death rates in 2019. Its a development that echoes the health disparities on display in the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately affected minority populations.

Its heartbreaking. Its a lot of people dying in Philadelphia, said Jose Benitez, director of the public health organization Prevention Point Philadelphia in Kensington, long the heart of the citys drug crisis. We need to do more work.

Fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid that has replaced most of the citys heroin supply, is again behind most of the overdose deaths, he said. But deaths involving opioids alone have dropped. The largest portion of drug deaths, nearly 48%, were due to a combination of opioids, which are depressants, and stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine.

Some people who use drugs say that use of opposites can counter the extreme sedative effects of fentanyl, but its unclear how many people are intentionally combining opioids and stimulants, and how many are unwittingly consuming drugs contaminated with fentanyl.

We are making progress among people who use only opioids, said Thomas Farley, the citys health commissioner. But thats been more than surpassed by the rise in deaths in a different population: people who are using both fentanyl and cocaine, or fentanyl and methamphetamine. And that population is more likely to be African American and Hispanic.

The death rate among whites declined by 22% in 2018 and by 3% in 2019. But the black overdose death rate dropped just 14% in 2018, and increased by 14% in 2019. And overdose death rates among Hispanics dropped by 9% in 2018, and spiked by 24% in 2019. The rise means that overdose death rates among whites and Hispanics are now about even.

More data are needed to determine exactly whats behind the spike in the death rate among minority populations, said Eve Higginbotham, vice dean for diversity and inclusion and a professor of ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. But structural inequities in society clearly contribute to worse health outcomes for people of color, she said.

Unemployment rates in Pennsylvania for black and Hispanic residents are higher than that of whites, Higginbotham said, and have long been linked to diseases of despair like addiction.

It may be simplistic to say that its just unemployment, but thats a big contributor to this, she said. Its the canary in the coal mine, just like were seeing with COVID-19  its challenges with access to care, structural discrimination in health care. And if you overlay that with insufficient mental health providers in the community at a time when people need some support, particularly with a rising unemployment rate, its just a formula for despair."

Benitez said the city must work harder to reach communities of color. Access to treatment and distribution of the overdose reversing drug naloxone have improved, but as the new report shows, more must be done.

The contamination of most of the citys heroin supply with fentanyl has led to more overdoses in general. But now, health officials are seeing fentanyl overdoses in people who in the past did not use opioids  because the synthetic also is being taken in combination with drugs like cocaine, sometimes without the users knowledge.

Cocaine-related deaths have been more common in African Americans and Hispanics than whites in the past, Farley said. What were seeing now is that fentanyl has gotten into that population.

He said Prevention Point has been warning its clients that all drug users, not just those who use opioids, are at risk of overdose from fentanyl, and is encouraging them to test their drugs with strips that detect the presence of fentanyl.

Farley said it is likely that some people dont realize there is fentanyl in the cocaine they are using, but others are deliberately using fentanyl with stimulants. Its unclear which trend is driving the most deaths.

There definitely seems to be a disconnect between what people think theyre buying and whats found in their toxicology if they die or their drugs are tested. There are a lot of really dangerous cutting agents on the scene, Kendra Viner, the health departments opioid surveillance program manager, said in an interview last year about the rise in stimulant use in Philadelphia.

Farley said the citys goals remain the same: get more people into treatment, especially medication-assisted treatment, and promote harm-reduction practices like needle exchanges and naloxone distribution for people who arent ready to stop using drugs.

We have been addressing this mainly as an opioid problem, he said. We now need to address it more broadly. The fundamental principles dont change. What differs is the nature of how we talk about it. Instead of only talking about opioids, were going to have to talk about cocaine, and we have to talk about people who have been using cocaine for a long time who are starting to add fentanyl to the mix."

That outreach has been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic, he said. Theres outreach to people on the street, but its not at the level it was before. Its much more difficult for us to get the message out.

Farley said its too soon to tell whether overdoses have increased during the pandemic, but the city has seen no evidence that they have decreased since the citys lockdown began in March.

We have these two crises happening at the same time. We need to focus on both, he said.

Doses of naloxone, the overdose-reversing drug, are available for people who use drugs and those directly connected to them, through a mailing program run by the addiction outreach and activism group SOL Collective and Next Naloxone. Visit naloxoneforall.org/philly, watch a short training, and enter your address to receive a dose.
A COVID-19 quarantine zone in An Giang Province's An Phu Township.  Photo soyte.angiang.gov.vn

AN GIANG  Police in the Mekong Delta Province of An Giang are urgently looking for a man who escaped from a quarantine facility, said Le Van Phuoc, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee.

Tran Van Nam, 28, from Kien An Commune, An Giang Province's Cho Moi District, returned to Viet Nam illegally from Cambodia by boat through Khanh An Commune, An Phu District.

He was detained by border forces and sent to a quarantine camp in Luong The Vinh High School on Sunday afternoon.

On Monday morning, local forces found he had escaped from the quarantine zone and not yet been tested for SARS-CoV-2.

The provincial steering committee for COVID-19 disease prevention and control required the police, people's committees of districts, towns and city to urgently check hotels, motels and other places to find Nam.

The People's Committee also requested the Department of Transport to notify bus stations in order to quickly find him, the deputy chairman said.  VNS
La Trobe University staff have been asked to vote to accept pay cuts and reduced hours as the financially stricken institution tries to avoid shedding up to one-quarter of its workforce.

The university faces a revenue downturn of between $285 million and $350 million this year and next year due to the loss of fee-paying international students.

La Trobe University vice-chancellor Professor John Dewar says the university could be forced to shed 600 to 800 jobs. Credit:AFR

In an email to staff, vice-chancellor John Dewar said the university had no choice but to make deep budget cuts, and said 600 to 800 jobs were at risk, equating to 19 to 24 per cent of staff.

The COVID-19 crisis would permanently transform La Trobe University, Professor Dewar said in his email on Tuesday, adding it was likely international student numbers would never return to pre-coronavirus levels.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site.

A group of five Democratic senators today proposed legislation to guarantee a full cash refund to travelers who purchased airline tickets but couldn't fly because of the coronavirus pandemicwhether their flights were officially canceled or not.

Since the pandemic began grounding flights in March, many ticketed consumers have been offered credits or vouchers for future travel instead.

But with the pandemic sending unemployment to record levels, vouchers are simply not adequate, consumer advocates say.

Many people need that money now, says John Breyault, vice president, public policy, telecommunications, and fraud at the National Consumers League. Other consumers simply have no plans to fly anytime soon and have no use for a voucher.

Indeed, more than 25,000 complaints and inquiriesmany concerning refundswere filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in March and April, up from an average of 1,500 per month, according to a May 13 statement.

And thousands of consumers have written to Consumer Reports to express their frustration about being unable to get their money back when the coronavirus pandemic canceled their trips.

Jan Themann of Plantation, Fla., for example, had invited her 86-year-old father to fly in from suburban New York to attend her sons graduation from college. When the graduation was canceled due to COVID-19, her father tried to get back his $341.96 from Southwest but was offered only a credit that expires in a year.

My dad joked that at his age he doesn't know what's going to happen in a year. But really, to expect an 86-year-old to get on a plane any time soon isn't reasonable," she says. He lives on a fixed income and could really use that money. Meanwhile, the airlines are getting bailed out. Im just really frustrated.

What the Law Would Do

If passed, the Cash Refunds for Coronavirus Cancellations Act of 2020 would address two separate aspects of the refund problem.

Story continues

The first concerns passengers whose flights were canceled. They're entitled to full refunds under current law. But many airlines have been offering vouchers by default, neglecting to inform consumers that refunds are an option. And the COVID-19 sections of many airline websites either dont mention refunds or do so in tiny, hard-to-spot print.

The proposed law would allow airlines to offer vouchers to passengers whose flights were canceled, but only if they offer refunds at the same time and in a clear and conspicuous way.

The second issue involves passengers whose flights weren't canceled but who, heeding public health recommendations, decided not to fly. Current law does not entitle them to refunds, and most major airlines have been offering these consumers only vouchers.

The problem with this, say consumer advocates, is that the question of who cancels the flightairline or passengeris irrelevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with public health officials counseling everyone to avoid all but essential travel.

This is a national emergency. To apply rules put in place before this is wrong, says CR aviation adviser William J. McGee. If you want a voucher, great. But everyone who wants a refund should be entitled to get it, whether or not the flight was officially canceled.

Many consumers, advocates say, have no use for vouchers because they were traveling for one-time events or will no longer be able to afford their planned vacations.

Consumers are being put in an impossible position: Either follow advice of the CDC and local health officials, or eat the cost of their ticket, says Breyault. Forcing consumers to make that choice, he says, has the perverse effect of encouraging them to fly.

Making matters worse is that airlines are delaying the decision to cancel flights in order to pressure more consumers to accept vouchers, Breyault says.

Basically, theyre playing a game of chicken, he says. Theyre waiting to cancel flights until as close as possible to the departure datehoping consumers will call first, so they wont have to give out as many refunds.

The major airlines point out that theyre complying with federal law. They say that since the COVID-19 crisis began, they've allowed consumers to change their travel plans for no fee and have extended the length of time during which credits or vouchers for future travel may be used.

In addition, airlines maintain that they simply cant give everyone refunds and still survive the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. During testimony before the senate commerce committee on May 6, Nicholas Calio, CEO of industry trade association Airlines for America, said the practice of giving vouchers instead of refunds underscores the economic reality that if air carriers refund all tickets, including those purchased under the condition of being non-refundable or those cancelled by a passenger instead of the carrier, this will result in negative cash balances that will lead to bankruptcy.

The proposed law would require airlines to promptly offer a cash refund whether the flight is canceled by the airline or the passenger decides not to fly. It would also require that any voucher or credits that passengers receive in lieu of a refund remain valid indefinitely, rather than for the one or two years the airlines are currently allowing.

What to Do Now

CR advocates, who have collected more than 89,000 signatures on a petition demanding cash refunds from airlines, support the proposed legislation. But unless and until it passes, getting your money back may take a little work.

Two general pieces of advice will help everyone. First, be persistent. Airlines are hoping that most consumers will not pursue refunds, McGee says. But anecdotal evidencebased on several thousand consumer experiences reported to CRsuggests that some airlines will give you a cash refund if you persist in asking for one.

The second: Be prepared. You'd be surprised how many people wait on hold to request a refund but don't know the flight number or the date, says McGee. Youll need dates, times, flight numbers, airports, reservation or record locator numbers (if possible), and the names of any personnel you have contacted. Otherwise, theres a risk airlines will dismiss the claim out of hand.

Depending on which of the following scenarios you fall into, the following tactics may also help:

Your flight has been canceled. If your flight does not take off, you are clearly entitled to a cash refundas the Department of Transportation (DOT) made clear in two recent statements clarifying the law, the first on April 3 and the second on May 12.

When you call, airline agents might try to convince you to accept a credit or voucher instead. Some airlines have extended the voucher expiration to two years, up from the more typical one year. Some are also offering a 20 or 30 percent bonus beyond the value of your ticket for accepting a voucher. If that works for you, fine.

But if you need or want the money right away, insist on it. The law is clearly on your side.

If you still dont get your refund, check out the final piece of advice below.

You already accepted a voucher for a canceled flight. Some consumers might have received refunds had they insistedbut didnt know they were legally entitled to them and accepted vouchers for future travel when the airlines offered that option instead.

Not a problem: The law says you can still get your money back. In fact, the DOTs April 3 notice threatened airlines with enforcement action unless they actively notify passengers who received vouchers that a refund is still an option.

Unfortunately, says Breyault, the notice required such action only in a timely manner. So if you still want a refund for a canceled flight, dont wait for the airline to reach out. Call and insist on it.

Your flight wasnt canceled but you decided not to fly. Unless and until the new bill becomes law, airlines are not legally required to refund tickets for the minority of scheduled flights that eventually took off.

According to an April analysis by four Democratic senators, a couple of airlines, Allegiant and Spirit, have been offering cash refunds to passengers who cancel their own flightsthough reports to CR from consumers suggest they aren't doing so consistently.

For other airlines, McGee recommends calling the airline repeatedly and making sure to point out that government authorities and experts have recommended that you not fly.

It does require work, he says. But were hearing scattered reports of happy endings.

Your flight is coming up but hasnt yet been canceled. Perhaps the largest category of consumers is stuck in a kind of refund limbo: Their upcoming flights have not yet been officially canceled, so they dont yet know whether the airline will offer a cash refund or not.

The strategy here is to play along with the game of chicken, as Breyault calls it.

If you have a pending flight, McGee recommends walking the line between being patient and proactive. Hold off canceling your flight and see whether the airline does it for you. If it gets canceled, you shouldnt have trouble getting a cash refund if you insist on it.

If it doesn't get canceled, McGee suggests you start calling 14 days before your flight is scheduled, and make sure you advise the airline that government authorities and experts have recommended that you not fly.

Youve done everything suggested and still didnt get your money back. If all else fails, you do have a couple of fall-back options.

One is to dispute the charges with your credit card company. Credit card charges for services that have not been delivered can be disputed via the Fair Credit Billing Act. The Federal Trade Commission offers advice on how to do it.

The other is to report your concern to the authorities, who may get involved based on your complaintand who, in many cases, take action only after a certain number of consumers have filed grievances.

For U.S. flights, send a copy of your complaint to the Department of Transportation, using this online form. For flights to, from, or within Europe, the European Commission advises that you fill out this complaint form and send it to the appropriate national enforcement bodies in the countries you are traveling, using this list of addresses.





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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.
A policy adviser to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner was arrested Monday and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after officials say she left her 4-year-old daughter unattended in her car for more than a half-hour.

Dana Lynn Bazelon, 40, was taken into custody about 3:30 p.m. on Rittenhouse Street near Lincoln Drive in West Mount Airy, according to Mark Shade, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office, which is handling the matter.

Bazelon joined the district attorneys office when Krasner took over in January 2018 after running her own law practice and working for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Her arrest was first reported by BigTrial.net.

Bazelon took her 6-year-old son for a walk and left her sleeping daughter in the backseat of her Ford Fusion with all four windows cracked but not enough for a person to be able to reach inside, a law-enforcement source said.

According to court records, she was released without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 22 in Family Court, according to the records.

The endangerment charge is a felony because of the childs age, said Bazelons attorney, James Funt, who spoke in her defense Tuesday.

Dana Bazelon has spent her life and career caring for and protecting people, Funt said. Since before this pandemic began and especially during these last few trying months, Ms. Bazelon has worked tirelessly to protect victims of crime as well as all the citizens of Philadelphia.

What is alleged today does not reflect the kind, caring, and loving mother she is. We are confident that when all of the facts are revealed, her true nature will be vindicated.

By Mensah M. Dean, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)
The dead body of a doctor from Georgia was found lying in a ditch by the side of a road that police say was killed by a pack of dogs, as reported by Fox News.

The victim, Dr Nancy Shaw, 62 years of age, was found approximately 80 miles west of Savannah inside a ditch, dead. The body of Shaw was located early Thursday morning inside a ditch beside a road in Lyons after police spotted a parked car on the opposite side of the road.

First respondents said, "Got out of the patrol car to investigate and found a female that was deceased in the ditch."

The identity of the doctor

Dr. Shaw was an internist at Meadows Regional Medical Center which is located in One Meadows Parkway, Vidalia, GA. Autopsies of her body revealed that she died from animal attacks as shared by the Lyons Police Department.

Lyons Police Chief Wesley Walker, who was one of the respondents to the scene, quickly identified the victim upon closer investigation and was devastated. Walker said that Shaw would frequently visit their department and check up on the police officers' health and condition.

The chief also said, "She was that kind of person. She was a caring person. She was a friend of ours." Adding that he was devastated when he identified the dead person.

Also Read: Bats Might Have 'Super Immunity' That Helps Them Resist Ill-Effects of the MERS Coronavirus

An official press release given by the Lyons Police Department stated that the dogs allegedly responsible for the heinous deed were identified and seized, as reported by WTOC. It also revealed that the incident is still under investigation and no charges have been filed against the animals' owners at the time.

Citizens of Lyons were reassured that sufficient animal control guidelines were in place along with a capable Animal Control Division to ensure the city's safety. They division encouraged citizens to follow the leash law to ensure that their pets are kept under control, as stated in the law.

Dr. Shaw was a graduate from Brown University School of Medicine located in Providence, R.I. she previously entered residency in internal medicine at Saint Raphael Hospital in New Haven, CT before heading over to Georgia.

What is done to prevent this incident?

The city has laws set in place for animal control that seeks to place standard operating procedures within Lyons. It was also set in place to assist personnel in the performance of their duties and responsibilities, which includes solving any Animal Control problems that may occur.

Both Lyons Animal Control and the Animal Shelter will operate based on the rules of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, OCGA 40-13-13.

The kind-hearted doctor was also a friend of the Lyons Animal Shelter, which is a section of the Lyons Police Department that was created to support the overpopulation of unwanted dogs and cats in the city. The shelter works with the Sweet Onion Animal Protection Society (SOAPS) in the promotion of these animals that are up for adoption.

Related Article: US Officials Say FBI, DHS Will Warn Against Chinese Hackers Trying to Steal COVID-19 Research

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Genetic markers in British sewage systems are being used to locate new coronavirus infection hotspots and track the spread of COVID-19.

UK researchers are experimenting with ways to identify traces of the virus in wastewater samples to monitor rates of COVID-19 in communities.

While the virus doesn't readily spread through waste water systems, non-infectious residues can be detected and they can be used to track the virus.



New procedures could identify the virus in waste water and provide a picture of how coronavirus is spreading and eliminate the need for testing individuals.

Previous research suggests fragments of the virus are shed by infected people in their faeces and urine.

Sample collections are already underway in a small number of undisclosed UK locations before the research is ramped up around the country.

Plans to test for coronavirus in UK wastewater has already been revealed by the Prime Minister. A small number of tests have started in the UK in undisclosed locations

The group, who were brought together by the Water Research Foundation and include engineers from the University of Sheffield, are developing a range of best practices concerning the use of sewage.

Professor Vanessa Speight, from the University of Sheffield's Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, is researching techniques to reliably interpret the data collected from sewage samples, which are being collected and stored.

Her results could help create a more accurate map of how the virus is spreading and act as an early warning system for a second wave of the pandemic, as lockdown measures start to ease.

The results will go on to inform government estimates of the spread of the virus in communities.

'There is great potential for waste water to provide valuable information about the occurrence of COVID-19 across communities,' Professor Speight said.

'But given that this is a very new field of investigation, we have identified a number of areas where future research efforts should be concentrated to maximise the value of this data.

Tracking the presence of the genetic markers over time can show if there is a rising or falling trend in coronavirus presence in the community that is being sampled

'Right now we do not have enough information to translate the genetic marker data into an exact number of infections, but this is an active area of research.

'We believe that this information is most valuable as additional information alongside traditional public health information on testing, cases, et cetera, rather than serving as a standalone measure of infection.'

Professor Speight said she is aware of a small number of tests that have started in the UK and a larger network that is gearing up to collect and monitor sewage.

They are also developing ways to communicate the implications of environmental surveillance results with the public health community, elected officials, wastewater workers and the public.

The tests look for genetic material known as ribonucleic acid (RNA) with a sequence that is specific to SARS CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

'Because these tests only find the nucleic acid material in the RNA, there is no way for the tests to indicate whether the virus is alive or dead  only that it is or was once there,' Professor Speight told MailOnline.

Artist's render of the SARS Cov-2 virus. The genetic material that is identified in the tests is small pieces of RNA with a specific sequence that has been identified for SARS CoV-2

There is no evidence of the live virus being found in sewage or that the virus has been spread through sewerage systems  rather, sewage samples act as a quick indicator of the virus's presence.

'The WHO is clear there is currently no evidence coronavirus has been transmitted via sewerage systems,' a spokesperson for the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) previously told MailOnline.

Sewage may not be able to determine whether specific people in an area are infected, but build up a broader picture by allowing researchers to estimate local concentrations of the virus.

On Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a new alert system could identify local flare-ups if COVID-19 is detected in the waste water from a local area.

'Some studies have been carried out overseas on this and I think it is something we are looking at as a possible way of seeing if you could track the rate of infections locally,' said the PM's official spokesman.

Scientists are already developing ways of using sewage to locate new infection hotspots and track a second wave of COVID-19 throughout Europe

Officials are investigating whether sewage samples would allow them to 'track if the virus is more prevalent in some parts of the country than in others', the Downing Street spokesman said.

A spokesman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) also confirmed that the government is involved with sewage research.

'We are actively engaging with the research community and government scientific advisers to investigate whether monitoring waste water could be used as a way of tracking the prevalence of the virus,' they said.

However, another researcher has stressed that the potential spread of COVID-19 via sewage 'must not be neglected'.

Professor Richard Quilliam, an environmental biologist at the University of Stirling, said in a research paper that the sewer system itself could pose a transmission risk.

'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,' he said.

'Therefore, this could be an important  but as yet unquantified  pathway for increased exposure.'

Sewage studies are already taking placing around Europe, in Switzerland, Spain and France, to help curb COVID-19 as lockdowns are being tentatively eased.

Scientists from Newcastle University are working with Spanish academics in Santiago de Compostela to monitor sewage and estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 in north-east England and across Spain.

Newcastle University researchers revealed they have begun gathering data about coronavirus from sewage in England on April 23.

One study from the Netherlands found viral genetic material in waste water samples several weeks before the first case was detected.

Dutch researchers studied sewage samples from seven cities to look for evidence of COVID-19 in waste water.

They found that even when there were few people with reported cases of the deadly coronavirus in the country, traces of it were still present in the sewers.
Parents already overwhelmed by the challenges of raising kids amid a global pandemic now have something else to worry about: a mysterious inflammatory disease most evident in New York  the nations coronavirus epicenter  but also popping up elsewhere.

Its too early to tell how big a concern it will become, but the illness came up during a Senate hearing Tuesday when Dr. Anthony Fauci of the White House coronavirus task force warned against rushing to reopen schools in the fall. He referenced children presenting with COVID-19 who actually have a very strange inflammatory syndrome, very similar to Kawasaki syndrome."

I think we better be careful if we are not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects (of the virus).

Doctors are calling the new ailment pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, and it shares some traits with Kawasaki, which typically afflicts children under 5 years old. Their common symptoms: prolonged fever, a rash, conjunctivitis, swelling of the palms or soles of the feet, sometimes peeling of the skin in those areas and lymph node enlargement.

Is there a link? More kids fall ill to mysterious Kawasaki-like disease as officials test for coronavirus

On Tuesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state is investigating about 100 possible cases of the new disease, which has killed at least three and has also been spotted in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area (suspected), Chicago, Britain and Spain.

Dr. Charles Schleien, chair of pediatrics at Northwell Health in New York, said his hospital has seen about 40 cases since mid-April and the majority showed antibodies similar to the coronavirus, meaning they had been infected, but had no symptoms of COVID-19. Several others tested positive for the virus and didnt have symptoms either.

Though a causal connection between the virus and the new illness has yet to be proven, The relationship seems pretty strong, Schleien said.

Story continues

First of all, we never see these many kids with Kawasaki. Usually well see a few kids a year. We wont see three dozen over a period of a few weeks. So, given the numbers and given the fact its not acting exactly like Kawasaki, it looks like its probably a post-COVID-19 infection inflammatory disease.

One difference from Kawasaki, which develops in about one in every 10,000 American children under 5 every year, is the age range for this disease stretches into adolescence. Schleien said he has seen it in minors as old as 14.

One fortuitous similarity, though, is that both can be treated effectively, usually with intravenous immunoglobulin and sometimes steroids, followed by aspirin. Hospital stays for patients may last two to four days. Parents are advised to check with a physician or take their children to an emergency room if their fever persists for more than two to three days, especially if some of the other symptoms appear, including a rapid heartbeat.

The good news is that, like Kawasaki disease, almost all the kids are treatable, Schleien said. It is highly likely that, with treatment, theyre going to be fine. Its not like the fear of COVID-19 where we know there are no treatments and its a matter of luck.

But the apparent link between the two raises concerns, and its reasonable to expect more cases to be identified at other COVID-19 hot spots now that theres more awareness of the inflammatory syndrome.

Related: More kids fall ill to mysterious Kawasaki-like disease as officials test for coronavirus

More: 3 children have died in New York from a coronavirus-linked inflammatory disease, Cuomo says

Schleien said the illness has become such a hot topic among New York-area pediatricians that when his hospital hosted a video call to discuss it, more than 600 logged on and the website crashed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its studying the rare disease and does not have statistics about its incidence.

As more data are emerging, CDC is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and other domestic and international partners to better understand and characterize this new syndrome, its prevalence and risk factors for it; and to develop a case definition that will allow us to keep track of it, the agency said through a spokesman.

On Wednesday, the CDC confirmed it plans to send out an alert in the next couple of days telling doctors to be on the lookout for the syndrome.

The childrens hospital next to the Stanford University campus, about 35 miles south of San Francisco, may have discovered the first case of the new disease in a 6-month-old baby who was initially diagnosed with Kawasaki, then tested positive for the coronavirus March 16.

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the university, hosted a webinar that addressed the case on Friday as scientists try to find out whether the virus precipitates the syndrome.

The question is, will this be something to look out for in children over time? she said. It may be that its another inflammatory reaction, like were seeing in adults who have inflammation of their lungs. It seems like this virus triggers in some people a really intense inflammatory response.

A nationwide view: See how the outbreak spread across the US

Researchers from the U.K., where a few dozen cases of the syndrome have been reported, participated in the webinar and pointed out that the few children who had COVID-19 symptoms did not show signs of the new disease.

However, children who remained asymptomatic despite being in a family with several infected and sick members developed the inflammatory response a week or two later.

Through the haze of uncertainty still surrounding the coronavirus and its offshoots, Maldonado wants to appease parents while reminding them to practice social distancing and encourage it on their children. And she has these messages about the new syndrome:

We have to do two things, she said. We have to reassure people that its very rare. And at the same time, we need to make people aware this is not a made-up disease. This is real.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus, Kawasaki: What parents need to know about COVID disease
Unions have demanded the government 'steps back' from its plan to reopen schools in England from June 1, saying there is not enough 'protection' for staff and pupils.

A joint statement issued through the Trades Union Congress complains of a 'lack of understanding' of the risks faced by teachers and children, with no provision for social distancing.

The intervention came as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson admitted the plan to get some primary school years back next month was 'challenging', but the government was following 'the best scientific and medical advice'. He stressed that tests will be available for any staff and children who display symptoms.

Boris Johnson's lockdown 'road map' set out that children could return to nurseries, and for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to be back in school, from June 1 at the earliest.

The PM said he wants all primary school pupils in England to go back to school for a month before the summer. However, both Scotland and Wales have dismissed the timetable.

Schools like this one in Altrincham have stayed open for vulnerable children and key worker families, but ministers want more pupils to return from June 1

Ministers looking 'very closely' at summer school proposals Ministers are looking 'very closely' at proposals for summer school catch-up tuition. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson hinted at a move as he answered questions in the Commons today. Robert Halfon, Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee, highlighted how vulnerable children were not receiving the education they need during the lockdown. He asked whether the government will 'support the opening of summer schools over the holidays to be staffed by volunteers, graduates, an army of retired teachers, to provide catch-up tuition to these children who have been left behind'. Mr Williamson said: 'He's right to highlight the many thousands of volunteers that want to reach out, help our children in order to be able to have the knowledge to succeed in the future, and we're very closely looking at such schemes - working with schools, working with the sector - as to how we can make that available to them.' Advertisement

Unions have already urged staff not to 'engage' with the government plans. And nine, representing school leaders, teachers and support staff, today accused the Government of showing a 'lack of understanding' about the dangers of the spread of coronavirus in schools.

The joint statement, from organisations including the NAHT school leaders' union and the National Education Union (NEU), said: 'We call on the Government to step back from June 1 and work with us to create the conditions for a safe return to schools based on the principles and tests we have set out.'

'We all want schools to reopen, but that should only happen when it is safe to do so.

'The Government is showing a lack of understanding about the dangers of the spread of coronavirus within schools, and outwards from schools to parents, sibling and relatives, and to the wider community.'

The Department for Education (DfE) issued guidelines on Monday which said primary school class sizes should be limited to 15 pupils and outdoor space should be utilised.

The advice, on how to safely reopen schools, calls for lunch and break times to be staggered, as well as drop-off and pick-up times, to reduce the number of pupils moving around.

On the guidance, the joint statement from the unions added: 'Uniquely, it appears, school staff will not be protected by social distancing rules.

'15 children in a class, combined with their very young age, means that classrooms of four and five-year-olds could become sources of Covid-19 transmission and spread.'

'We do not think that the Government should be posing this level of risk to our society,' it said.

In the Commons this afternoon, Mr Williamson said all teachers and pupils will have access to Covid-19 tests if they develop symptoms when they return to schools.

Mr Williamson said he had set out 'protective measures to minimise the risk of infection, including restricting class sizes and limiting mixing between groups'.

'Crucially all children and staff will have access to testing if they develop symptoms of coronavirus,' he said.

'This will enable a track-and-trace approach to be taken to any confirmed cases.'

Mr Williamson acknowledged allowing pupils to return to school will be 'challenging'.

He added: 'We continue to follow the best medical and scientific advice and believe that this phased return is the most sensible course of action to take.

'I know that this will be challenging but I know that nursery, school and college staff will do everything in their power to start welcoming our children back to continue their education.'

He went on: 'When you have medical and scientific advice that is saying it's the right time to start bringing schools back in a phased and controlled manner, it seems only the right thing to do and the only responsible thing to do.'

The Education Secretary said the Government has worked 'very closely with all the teaching unions and headteachers' unions'.

'This is what's informed and developed the guidance we have shared with schools,' Mr Williamson said.

He added: 'The reason we're bringing schools back is we know that children benefit from being educated by their brilliant teachers in front of them.

'We recognise children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are the ones who are going to suffer the most if we do not bring schools back when we're able to do so.

'I'm more than happy to share all the advice we have received from Sage.'

Mr Williamson said he is looking 'very closely' at proposals for summer school catch-up tuition.

In the Commons, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson admitted the plan to get some primary school years back next month was 'challenging'

Boris Johnson 's lockdown 'road map' set out that children could return to nurseries, and for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils to be back in school, from June 1 at the earliest. He is pictured at PMQs today

Shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said that the guidance provided by the Government on schools does not provide the 'clear assurances' needed on safety.

She told the Commons: 'We all desperately want schools to reopen for the sake of children's education and wellbeing.

'But he must appreciate that the guidance provided so far does not yet provide the clear assurances over safety that are needed.

'Shielding families, anxious, worried grandparents and teaching staff in fear, sadly sums up the theme of the last 48 hours.'

Ms Long-Bailey said that social distancing for younger school year groups would be 'virtually impossible'.

She told MPs: 'Will he acknowledge that for younger year groups social distancing will be virtually impossible and that the current guidance sadly gives the impression that those pupils and staff should just accept being exposed?'

Mr Williamson responded: 'I have always been clear that we would give the sector as much notice as possible and we have said that if we are allowed, which it seems likely that we will be able to, we'd like to see schools opening from June 1, giving schools as much forward notice as possible in order for them to get ready.'
Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has said the panic by Nigerians over coronavirus has become more deadly than the...





Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has said the panic by Nigerians over coronavirus has become more deadly than the virus itself.

Keyamo said this on his Twitter page, on Wednesday morning.

He warned that Nigerians to stop panicking over COVID-19 and follow the instructions from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC.

According to him, a deliberate caution to all guidelines from WHO was all Nigerians needed during this emergency situation.

His tweet read: The panic and paranoia over the virus have become more deadly and infectious than the virus itself!

What we need is deliberate calmness and extreme caution as we meticulously follow all the guidelines of WHO and NCDC daily.

Panic always compounds every emergency situation.

Recall that Keyamo, days ago opined that another total lockdown in Nigeria would be counterproductive.

Meanwhile, Nigeria as of Tuesday night recorded 146 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number to 4787.
Before entering coronavirus lockdown with the rest of Britain in March, 73-year-old Pamela Cox had never shopped or banked online. Zoom was something you did with a camera lens. Now the retiree is one of many in her generation finding a new IT proficiency later in life, one of the few positives to come out of the deadly pandemic as much of the world starts to scale back restrictions. Last Friday, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, Cox's neighbours in northwest England organised a socially distanced tea party on their road via a newly created WhatsApp group. "Imagine a few years ago, this (lockdown) would have been a total disaster, but the technology now is fantastic," Cox, a former secretary, told AFP by phone from her home in Birkenhead, near Liverpool. "We've learned so much these last few weeks for everything we had to do before," she said, describing a new life of Skype calls with her three grandchildren, attending virtual church services on Zoom, paying bills online and ordering fresh groceries from a local trader on Facebook. - Fighting digital exclusion - Cox owes her latter-day expertise to training from a company called We Are Digital, which was contracted by Lloyds Bank to advise its older customers in online banking. The consultancy also works with the government to help lower-income people access state benefits. "Digital exclusion is higher on the agenda than ever," said its chief executive, Matthew Adam. "There's been more demand for our service than ever before, from big corporates to local councils, the (government) Cabinet Office, the Treasury, worried about their vulnerable customers." Training groups such as We Are Digital promise to demystify the process for older people who may have previously resisted smartphones, apps and online services. In particular, Adam said, the trick is to engage with a client's personal interests. "One elderly gent was fascinated by history, and wanted to know more about his wartime service. We showed him how to find information on that," he said. Above all, the lockdowns have accelerated use of remote communications as families worldwide have taught older relatives to navigate platforms such as Zoom and Skype to stay in touch. Isabel Alsina-Reynolds, a London-based filmmaker, said she had encouraged her 83-year-old grandfather to use his laptop for more than the odd email and game of Scrabble. She installed Zoom and, after disinfecting the computer, dropped it off at his care home with a set of printed instructions. "We managed to do a video call with him and members of my family all over the world -- from Nebraska to India," she said. "It was very exciting and I think it will give him a bit more motivation for the week." - Back to the future - If wonky camera angles, dodgy audio and blurry backgrounds have become a mainstay of lockdown life, the videoconferencing revolution is part of a broader shift to digital services that was already well under way. Governments and businesses have long been touting their online portals as a way to enhance efficiency and to save money for themselves. But demographics such as older and poorer people have proven stubbornly hard to reach. The current crisis could change that, Adam said. "Cynical people might say that banks and the like are just going to use this to accelerate the closure of (local) branches," he added. "But it seemed like that was the way of the world anyway before the pandemic." Cox would still prefer to pick out her fruit and vegetables in the shop, and resume human contact with her extended family. But she feels there is no going back now she is confident with online tools, and emphasises that the new technology has restored a form of community spirit. "Before, we didn't really see the neighbours much except to wave, but now we're all best friends," she said, pointing to lively chats and tips on her road's WhatsApp group. "It's been dreadful for people who've been ill and died, but the fact we've gone back in time a bit, it's like the old days when you could leave your front door open." Lockdowns and social distancing are leading elderly people to become more proficient in using online technology Lots of people in Britain celebrated Victory in Europe Day by organising socially distanced tea parties The videoconferencing revolution is part of a broader shift to digital services
[May 13, 2020] EZ Texting Joins GoDaddy's #OpenWeStand Movement to Support Small Businesses

EZ Texting, the leader in SMS marketing software for business, today announces it has joined GoDaddy's #OpenWeStand movement. The movement consists of over 40 brands contributing resources, tools and advice to support the economic health of small businesses during this challenging economic time. "In critical times like these, consistent and immediate communication is necessary for all members of our economy, from businesses and healthcare facilities to schools and municipalities," said Norm Happ, CEO of EZ Texting. "The #OpenWeStand movement is exactly what small businesses need to have the necessary tools and support to get through this time. We appreciate the opportunity to join GoDaddy and all of the other dedicated companies involved to help our economy come out of COVID-19 as intact as possible." In joining the movement, EZ Texting has pledged its support to help small businesses and communities as well as all EZ Texting employees. To help businesses navigate the sudden shifts in operating hours, contact-less customer management, and remote work, EZ Texting is offering its text-to-landline solution free for 3 months. Organizations can text-enable their existing business lines in less than 5 minutes, creating an opportunity to maintain engagement with customers while offices and retail outlets are closed or partially staffed. Additionally, EZ Texting is extending a 14-day free trial of its mass texting solution to all organizations as well as offering free 6 months of emergency texting to municipalities, schools and government offices.



"The needs and dreams of everyday entrepreneurs are at the very heart of everything we do as a company," said Fara Howard, CMO of GoDaddy. "We have a duty to provide entrepreneurs with access to the resources and community spirit they crucially need today. We've been encouraged by the initial response to #OpenWeStand and are excited to continue to grow this movement in the weeks and months ahead." In addition to pledging its support to small businesses and communities, EZ Texting has also pledged to do everything in its power to keep its employees safe, from social distancing to working remotely and whatever else is needed. As employees are EZ Texting's most valuable asset, the company transitioned its entire staff to a remote work policy before the mandatory city-wide shutdowns in Los Angeles and Austin.

Other companies involved in the #OpenWeStand movement alongside GoDaddy and EZ Texting are GoFundMe, PayPal (News - Alert), Slack and many more. To learn more about EZ Texting's involvement in the movement, please visit openwestand.org/partners/ez-texting/. For more information on EZ Texting and the current offer to small businesses, please visit try.eztexting.com/openwestand. About EZ Texting: Founded in 2004, EZ Texting has served over 160,000 customers and is the #1 SMS marketing software, setting the standard for business texting platforms. Our messaging solutions are featured as a top 20 Best Product for Marketers and allow businesses of all sizes to reach and engage their mobile audiences. Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA (News - Alert), and with offices in Austin and Kiev, EZ Texting is a SaaS company that delivers the fastest, easiest, and most reliable way to connect. Backed by Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital, Investor AB, and ROCA Partners, EZ Texting is continuously voted a Best Place to Work. Text "TRY" to 858585 to see how it works. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005663/en/

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Live music venues, already hit hard by closures as a result of COVID-19, have been thrown a lifeline in the form of a proposal to reduce commercial property taxes by 50 per cent.

If you thought this work was important before COVID, its absolutely essential now. What weve heard from venue owners is that theres a real risk that, coming out of COVID, we could see dozens of venue closures, said Councillor Joe Cressy, chair of the Toronto Music Advisory Committee, which unanimously endorsed a plan by city staff.

If live music is central to the soul and the dynamism of the city, the possibility of losing dozens of venues is simply not palatable, Cressy said, adding a rescue plan for the industry was already underway a year before the virus struck.

A city staff report noted: Live music venues were among the first businesses affected by COVID, and it is expected that they will be among the last to see normal business operations and revenues return.

Under the plan, a new sub-class of property tax, passing on a 50 per cent reduction to the property owner, would be created for buildings where live music is performed. However, the properties would have to meet strict criteria, including having infrastructure such as a stage and a sound system, a minimum of 144 days of performance annually and compensation paid to the performers.

We dont want a scenario whereby a bar can host a weekly cover band and suddenly claim theyre a live music venue, Cressy said.

The tax relief, which would apply to an estimated 60 venues, would be retroactive to Jan. 1 and would be permanent, Cressy noted.

Live music venues were already under considerable pressure even before the pandemic because of rising real-estate values, which have driven up the commercial tax on those properties, Cressy noted.

City staff estimate 95 per cent of live music venue operators are tenants, and that the proposal may actually encourage new venues to open by offering tax relief to the property owners, he added.

Our hope would be that this doesnt only help to save venues but rather helps to encourage new venues to open, to make it more financially viable, Cressy said.

The tax relief plan is similar to one adopted by the city of Austin, Texas  which bills itself as the Live Music Capital of the World, with more than 100 venues and large annual events like the South by Southwest Music Festival.

The $2-million cost would be spread across Torontos entire commercial property-tax base, Cressy said.

The plan will come to city council in either June or July and Cressy said he believes it has the support of Mayor John Tory, who has publicly expressed his support for the citys live music industry and Deputy Mayors Michael Thompson and Ana Bailao, who are both members of the music advisory committee.

Im confident that council will support this measure, Cressy said.
The cause of a multiple-alarm fire that significantly damaged a vacant downtown building Wednesday remains under investigation.

The Hamilton Fire Department was called to 21 John St. S., between King and Main streets, around 11:45 a.m. May 13.

Crews found heavy fire coming from the four-storey brick building, behind the Residences of Royal Connaught, said deputy chief Dan Milovanovic. The call was upgraded from a structure fire to a multiple alarm to bring in additional resources.

There was heavy fire on the first floor of the building, which the fire department said was under renovation.

The fire quickly spread to the second floor and both levels sustained significant damage, Milovanovic said.

Both buildings on either side of the property were also damaged, he said.

No one was hurt and the dollar loss was not available as of early Wednesday evening.

Hamilton police assisted with the fire, blocking traffic and asking the public to stay away from the smoky scene.

As of early Wednesday evening, just one fire crew remained on the scene to make sure all hot spots were out.
In an open letter to Jeff Bezos and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, a coalition of AGs have jointly called on Amazon to strengthen protections for a strained workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter, penned by Massachusetts state AG Maura Healey  along with attorneys general from Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and D.C.  follows a similar note sent by the members in late March.

Amazon and Whole Foods must take every possible step to protect their employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Healey said in a release tied to the letter. We again call on these companies to provide assurances that they are complying with state laws and federal guidance aimed at keeping essential workers safe during this crisis.

In particular, the note addresses questions about sick leave, safety measures, Amazons policies around notifying workers and a recent string of high-profile firings. That last bit was enough to warrant a similarly themed letter from nine prominent Democratic senators, inquiring whether the company had fired employees in retaliation for whistleblowing around unsafe work conditions.

Such conduct, if proven, may violate Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act [29 U.S.C. 660(c)], as well as laws in certain of our States that forbid retaliation, the AGs write. Even the perception of retaliation during this public health emergency can serve to silence employees who raise legitimate concerns about health and safety measures, and place those employees, their co-workers, customers, and the public at grave risk.

The new letter takes the extra step of singling out the behavior of Amazon-owned Whole Foods. We are concerned that our Offices and the public are learning of these serious developments through secondhand media reports, rather than hearing directly from Whole Foods, the letter adds. Accordingly, we request that Whole Foods provide a description of its policies and processes, if any, that relate to notifying consumers, the public, and public health authorities of serious COVID-19 developments at Company stores.

Amazon has, of course, denied allegations of firing whistleblowers and insisted that it has taken the necessary action as employees continue to work through the pandemic. The letter closes by noting that both Amazon and Whole Foods are seeing a significant increase in sales as well, as consumers rely even more on online shopping and buy more groceries as they stay at home."
Latching onto the growing chasm



between senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse and his party, the Congress in Maharashtra on Wednesday gave him an open offer to join the party.

State Congress president and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said Khadse is welcome in the party fold provided he subscribes to the party ideology.

"Khadse is my old friend. We have been together in the Legislative Assemblysince 1990. He was a competent leader of opposition. He is a leader with a mass base. If he accepts the Congress' ideology then he is welcome," Thorat told reporters.

He was referring to Khadse's claim that the Congress, one of the constituents in the Shiv Sena-led state government, had approached him with a nomination for the May 21 Legislative Council elections.

Khadse had alleged that a clique of state BJP leaders scuttled his nomination for the polls.

Hitting back on Wednesday, state BJP president Chandrakant Patil said the party had given enough to Khadse and that he can now serve as a consultant for young party leaders.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With contactless delivery to curb the spread of coronavirus, she added, you can't tell servers...
The Maharashtra government has requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of Central Armed Police Force in the state so that its police personnel, who are overworked during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, can be given some rest, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

Personnel of the Maharashtra Police have been working "day in and day out" to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state, Deshmukh said.

Many state police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus and need time to rest and recuperate, he noted.

"The festival of Eid is also around the corner and proper law and order has to be ensured. The police should get some rest for that. Hence, we have requested the Centre to deploy 20 companies of the Central Armed Police Force, that is 2,000 personnel," the minister said in a video message on Twitter.

Thirty two companies of the Central Reserve Police Force's have already been deployed in Maharashtra and are working in tandem with the state police, according to an official statement.
- At the Busia border, no testing of truck drivers is taking place on the Kenyan side despite a surge of the number of cases among truckers

- Kenya is relying heavily on Uganda for testing of the truckers since the Busia county government has run out of testing materials

- Uganda's testing capacity was high, effective and quick since the long ques of drivers awaiting to be tested had reduced

Uganda is many steps ahead of Kenya in the testing of truck drivers at the Busia border even as cases of COVID-19 among truckers rise by the day in the country.

At the border, no testing is taking place on the Kenyan side despite the launching of a COVID-19 testing laboratory at Busia which has since run out of testing materials.

READ ALSO: MCSK, PRISK, KAMP demand to be allowed to distribute Uhuru Kenyatta's KSh 100M promise to artists

File photo. Kenya was not carrying out any testing of truck drivers. Photo: Daily Nation.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: William Ruto tells Kipchumba Murkomen he will be a great leader in future

According to KTN News, Kenya has been depending on Uganda for the testing of drivers coming into or leaving the country despite the East African Community rules stating that the drivers should be tested in their place of origin.

" That laboratory was founded but such kind of a process is expensive and they have now run out of testing ingredients and referring all truck drivers to Uganda for testing," the TV station reported.

READ ALSO: Bomet: 16 family members quarantined after man dies of COVID-19

Uganda had seemingly upped its testing game since there was a remarkable reduction of the ques of the drivers waiting to be tested which had stretched to tens of kilometres some few weeks ago.

The Busia county government called on the national government to support it with the necessary materials to resume testing and cease relying on Uganda.

File photo. Kenya is still lagging behind in the testing of truck drivers. Photo: Ministry of Health.

Source: UGC

This came days after the health ministry announced nine cases of COVID-19 from Kajiado, all from truck drivers.

The Ministry of Health had announced that truck drivers would only be allowed to travel after testing negative for the disease.

The number of cases currently stands at 715, 36 deaths and 259 recoveries.

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Rival Libyan Forces Square Off in Tripoli

By Edward Yeranian May 12, 2020

Forces loyal to Libya's two rival governments continue to square off in and around the capital, Tripoli, as each side tries to wrest strategic positions and territory from the other.

Amateur video posted by forces loyal to eastern military chief Gen. Khalifa Haftar showed his men appearing to advance, as other video appeared to show rival Tripoli-based forces withdrawing men and vehicles further inside the city. It was not possible to confirm either movement.

Tweets by the Tripoli government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj maintained that its forces had destroyed rockets and military vehicles belonging to Haftar's side, but VOA could not confirm those claims either.

Paul Sullivan, a professor at the National Defense University in Washington, told VOA that the "dust storm of war" in Libya is being supplemented with "disinformation and downright lies." He said that while both sides are claiming "a win or two," the people of Libya "are losing all the time" and that the "nightmare needs to end."

Media sources close to the Tripoli government say Haftar's side killed civilian members of one family during shelling inside the capital in the past 24 hours. Media loyal to Haftar showed Parliament speaker Aquela Salah meeting with families of those killed by rival Tripoli forces.

Col. Mohammed Qanunu, spokesman for Tripoli-based military forces, say fighter jets loyal to his side had bombed targets inside the strategic Al Wuthia airbase, west of the capital. Turkish-backed Syrian militia fighters have been trying to capture the base from Haftar's men in days of bitter fighting.

Haftar's military spokesman, Col. Ahmed Almasmari, alleged over the weekend that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using Syrian mercenaries to try to capture the airbase as Erdogan and the militias that Turkey supports are losing ground in Tripoli.

Ankara threatened Sunday to attack forces loyal to Haftar if Turkish diplomatic missions or other interests were hit. Turkey claimed that the area around its Tripoli embassy was struck last week. Haftar's side denies responsibility.

Theodore Karasik, a Washington-based Gulf analyst, told VOA that the "ladder of escalation in Libya" is a function of the conflict "between Turkey and the UAE" and the "coterie of allies" supporting both. He argues that "clashing ideologies" are "playing a major role" in the conflict and are amplified by the "sharpening divides in the Gulf," as well as "global and regional" antagonism.

Turkey, Qatar and Italy support the Tripoli-based government, while the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, France and Russia are supporting Haftar.

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From left to right: Safiyya Shabazz, Kameelah Rashad, and Oumy Thioune. All three women are National Black Muslim COVID Coalition organizers working from the Philadelphia area. Read more

The experts on the Zoom call were there to discuss the five before five. Thats a belief that goes back to Muhammad, who said: Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death. Margari Hill, co-director of National Black Muslim COVID Coalition, which hosted this talk Saturday afternoon, explained that at a time like this, it can be hard to plan for ones wellness.

Yet at the same time we know that preparing for the unknown helps put ourselves and our families at ease, she said.

Theyd cover physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual wellness during the 90-minute talk, spiritual wellness the first topic, as panelist Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, of Washington, D.C., spoke on the significance of spending this month of Ramadan in isolation.

I would invite us, while we are in [this] kind of self-quarantine seclusion to take that time to ask Allah to give us the things that we need, the imam shared on the Zoom call. So that when we come out of this cave, and we will, its with something that will be able to benefit us in our society.

The National Black Muslim COVID Coalition hosts conversations like this at least weekly. Through digital organizing, the coalition steers and supports myriad initiatives looking for the concerns and experiences of black Muslim experiences during the pandemic. The coalition, which has multiple key organizers in Philadelphia, is leading a survey, a cultural preservation project that collects the oral histories of their elders, and producing a series of digital panels raising issues regarding medical racism, communal grief, and the need to provide culturally sensitive, faith-sensitive care as the community faces distressing racial disparities in the pandemics death toll. Through its national scope, the coalition serves black Muslim communities that not only have regional differences, but roots around the diaspora.

Which means that when were talking about seemingly discrete issues, either around immigration, detention, incarceration, education, jobs, or economic insecurity, our community encompasses some of the disadvantages that occur because of the inequalities in those areas, said Kameelah Rashad, a key coalition organizer, psychologist, and founder of the Muslim Wellness Foundation, a nonprofit based in West Oak Lane.

We are vulnerable and marginalized in many ways, Rashad said. But I want people to remember that we have always resisted; we have always organized; we have always thought about the least fortunate even among us  as inspiration. And so we can do it. Ive always felt, rooted in my faith, that God has already given us everything we need. So its up to us to really think about how do we effectively leverage, organize, mobilize, network in order to use the strengths and gifts that we already possess.

Black Philadelphians are overrepresented in the citys COVID-19 deaths, making up 53% of losses but 44% of the population. The coalition is working to cull information on families that have been impacted by both race and faith. Theyve backed two such research efforts: first, leading a survey for American Muslims on coronavirus losses, and second, supporting an academic study on how the virus is impacting black Americans from researchers at the Muslim Wellness Foundation and the University of Maryland.

Many spaces that offer resources to black folk may not be as mindful of religious diversity, organizers say; many Muslim groups dont always consider black members of the faith. Margari Hill, cofounder of the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, has observed that media reports on Muslim American experiences often show people of Arab ancestry, while media depictions of black Americans often center on Christians.

Maybe its just like our reportage on black life  this needs to be more diverse, and then well be in there, too, she said.

There are long-standing suspicions among Muslims that population estimates undercount their community in the United States. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says some 200,000 Philadelphians are Muslim, 80% of whom are black. CAIR says 400,000 Muslims live in the Philadelphia region outside of the city. According to Pews Religious Landscape Study in 2014, 1% of Philadelphia area residents are Muslim.

Hill, a Trenton native who has been organizing from her home in San Bernardino County, Calif., recalls working with Rashad in March with Muslim advocacy groups. A couple calls in, Rashad reached out with an idea.

 READ MORE: Farewell from a distance: How this black-owned Philadelphia funeral home handles a communitys coronavirus losses

She hadnt seen a national response from black Muslims. And I said, I havent seen anything either from any of the large organizations as far as coming together," Hill said.

The women started texting around. Within days, they developed a survey to gauge if there was a need. Seeing the results, they launched March 19.

Imam Tariq El-Amin, who is director of Civic Engagement and Interfaith Services at Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago and who serves Masjid Al-Taqwa in that city, got involved because relatives had contracted the virus. His mosques COVID response in Chicago, a city that deals with persistent segregation, has had to address income and food insecurity. Currently, his mosque is hosting giveaways for both food and protective gear.

Beyond the personal, what this has really shown [are] the fractures in the system and how the disproportionate impact on black folk in general, black Muslims, as a subset, is really due to systemic, structural institutional factors that have not been addressed, El-Amin said.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Coalition member Safiyya Shabazz, a family physician and owner of Mount Airys Fountain Medical Associates, has been working to gain licenses outside of Pennsylvania. Shes concerned that due to mistrust of the health-care system, not all black Muslims may seek care. Those who do, she added, may encounter physicians who wouldnt give fair assessments of, say, whether a patient is fit to fast this Ramadan. She wants to be more available, and digital talks without contact arent the same, she explained. Still, working with the coalition provides a means to at least disseminate more professional advice, she said.

I dont have the type of practice where Im seeing 30 patients per day, said Shabazz. But I might be able to reach 100 people in a day with information that gets shared.

The coalition has set its long-terms sights on maintaining a network that could respond to other crises in the future. That preparedness is motivation for Oumy Thioune, a senior at West Chester University from Upper Darby who is balancing finals with her work for the coalition.

I wanted us to have some type of infrastructure that was ours, Thioune said. God forbid, but if we have another [pandemic], if that occurs, we already have a system in place, and its a solid system. And it works.
Australia could run out of rice in a matter of months as suppliers struggle to keep up with demand after years of devastating drought.

The looming rice shortage comes as demand for the household staple skyrocketed since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Rob Massina, president of the Ricegrowers Association of Australia, has warned that supermarkets might be out of stock of Australian-grown rice by the end of the year, forcing Australians to rely on imported rice instead.

He told Daily Mail Australia the price of rice would likely increase as a result.

'Australia, typically, domestically will consume about 200,000 tonnes of Australian rice. This year we will be looking at only growing around 50,000 tonnes,' he said.

'Theres a real risk by the end of this calendar year we will be out of Australian domestic rice on Australian supermarket shelves.'

Australia could run out of rice in a matter of months as suppliers struggle to keep up with demand after years of devastating drought

His warning comes after demand spiked for household staples such as rice, pasta and flour as panic over the coronavirus outbreak set in.

Supermarket shelves were stripped bare in March, forcing chains to set buying limits for customers.

Mr Massina said the country was also facing issues with supply as other countries were restricting rice exports as a way of ensuring they can meet their own food supply.

'This obviously makes it more difficult to bring rice into Australia,' he said.

There has also been issues with rice production in Australia due to high prices for water in the Murray-Darling Basin following years of drought, which has seen rice farmers plant their smallest crops since the Millennium drought.

Water expert Maryanne Slattery told the Sydney Morning Herald it was unclear what the industry would look like after the pandemic.

'We really should be seriously having a look at what were using our water for and what were growing with the water we've got. I would advocate that our food security is paramount and that we should be doing everything we can to ensure our food security.'

Supermarket shelves were stripped bare in March, forcing chains to set buying limits for customers

Spiraling water prices have seen wheat, rice and dairy farms completely decimated over the past two years.

Foreign-owned almond and other nut plantations have been able to thrive as they can afford the higher prices.

Ms Slattery said water could be redirected away from nuts, which are mostly being exported, and given to rice and dairy.

'It would take an incredible amount of political will to do that. Its certainly throwing out the existing order and really challenging property rights to water. But its certainly conceivable if governments had the will to do it.'
Los Angeles: Actress Reese Witherspoon is all set to return to the romance genre. She has signed up to star in two upcoming romantic comedies -- "Your Place Or Mine" and "The Cactus" -- with Netflix.

Along with starring in the films, she will also produce the projects through her banner, Hello Sunshine company, reports variety.com.

Witherspoon has starred in several romantic hits throughout her career, including "Sweet Home Alabama", "Election", "This Means War", "Pleasantville", "Home Again", and the "Legally Blonde" films.

"Your Place Or Mine" is about a couple of long-distance best friends who change each other's lives when one decides to pursue a lifelong dream. The other friend comes forward to help by looking after her teenage son.

The film is based on a script from Aline Brosh McKenna, who will be making her feature directorial debut. Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan will also back the film.

"The Cactus" is based on Sarah Haywood's bestselling novel of the same name. It is about a woman's unexpected pregnancy at 45, which makes her re-think her well-structured life. She then embarks on a journey toward love, family while learning to embrace the unexpected.

Witherspoon has lately appeared in last year's web series, "The Morning Show", along with Jennifer Aniston, and the miniseries "Little Fires Everywhere" earlier this year.
All positive cases of COVID-19 in Zapata County have been released from isolation, according to County Judge Joe Rathmell.

We know there have been seven positive cases from the onset. And all those seven have been released from isolation. I think this is our third week with no new cases, so things are really looking better for us, he said on Monday during Commissioners Court.
Team leader Dong got shot by Taek's lady assassin and escaped using her car. Chan Mi quickly ran after her and took off using a motorcycle. Mi Soon and Ye-eun tagged along as they drove the Van to check on Chan Mi's safety.

Chan Mi didn't lose sight of the car and maneuvered the highway like a real racer. She overtook and shot the wheels, then the vehicle lost control and rolled over to the edge of the road. The impact threw Chan Mi as well. She stood up and pulled the assassin out of the wrecked car, handcuffing her right away.

Mi Soon and Ye-eun brought Chan Mi and Dong to the hospital. Woo Won got admitted as he hit hard and cracked his head.

The team found out that the lady assassin is after the chips that Pi Chul Woong took and hides from Taek. The team ensured to put the lady assassin in jail as they sought evidence against Taek.

Director Myeong was furious with Taek as he missed the mission to retrieve the chip and messed up with the agents.

Woo Won woke up and lost his memory of the past. He stood up and demanded to leave the hospital and return to his house. Ye-eun took the chance to remind Woo Won that she is hired as his assistant. Mr. Dong brought police staff to search leads at Woo Won house.

Director Myeon met the NIS Chief Seo Goon and requested to release the assassin in exchange for a large amount. NIS Chief Seo Goon wanted a higher offer for what he asked for. Taek waited outside, and as Cheif Seo stepped out of the room.

Mr. Dong advised the agents to spread Pi Chul Woong's identity. The NIS tracked Woong's whereabouts at the airport. Pi Chul Woong was on his way to Taipei and will do the transaction with Taek regarding the chip. Chief Seo advised the team to drop the case. Chan Mi, shocked to hear the news, ran to see the Chief in his office. She pleaded to continue and capture Pi Chul Woong, and deliver him in a day's travel.

Woo Won and Ye-eun took the same flight with Chan Mi, Mi Soon, and Mr. Dong. The agents dressed in disguise as they travel, and Ye-eun was glad to see them on board. Taek took the same flight in a quest to find Pi Chul Woong.

Taek jammed the frequency of the headphones, which lost their contact. Ye-eun retrieved the signal using her laptop. A commotion took place in the lavatory area as Taek met Chan Mi. Mi Soon watched the hallway to ensure nobody would use the toilet.

Mr. Dong got ahold of Pi Chul Woong and injected a sleeping sedative. He took off the watch and advised the ladies right away.

Teak overpowered Chan Mi by stabbing her leg with a toothbrush. Mi Soon and Ye-eun were not in the area as they hid the stewardess that dozed off.
Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: History in Border Security Force (BSF) is in making but this time nothing linked to operations. For the first time ever, two units of the force have been denuded of their entire officer cadre and around 2400 men are under the charge of just four officers from the neighbouring Units.



The officers of the 52 Battalion and 32 Battalion located in Punjab have been quarantined for organizing a social gathering in their own officer's messes.

The development was confirmed by multiple sources.



"In the 52 Battalion, 12 officers, 11 family members and 19 staff personnel have been quarantined by the Inspector General of the formation as officers held party under the lockdown," revealed the source.

A Second in Command of the neighbouring Unit is put under the Charge of Unit and another officer is managing the Staff duties, confirmed the sources.



In 32 Battalion nine officers which include the Commanding Officer and the two Second in Commands have been quarantined for arranging a reception for a new officer, told the sources.



One BSF Unit is configured on around 1200 Gazetted Officers, Subordinate Officers and Other Ranks.



This quarantine of the officials of the two units in BSF took place more than a week after a social gathering was held in the BSF Force Headquarters in Delhi.



"A tea gathering was held in the BSF Lounge in the Headquarter building on 30 April during the lunchtime with more than 25 officers including the DG, three ADGs, Inspector Generals, Deputy Inspector Generals and the directorate officers got together to see off the IG Training Mr KC Mahali and to felicitate Chief Law Officer DIG VS Yadav," said the source.



Mr Mahali has completed his tenure with BSF and has gone back to his parent cadre Tamil Nadu and DIG Yadav has superannuated from service.



This newspaper sought a formal reply from the force regarding any 'dine-out' party, to which the PRO BSF, quoting the DG Force said, "There was no dining out, this is misinformation."

There was no reaction on the issue of following two sets of rule for the officers in the FHQ and those in the field Units.

The government has issued advisory to abstain from social gathering of more than 10 persons.



At present, there are more than 750 COVID-19 Positive cases in the CAPFs with a maximum of 297 being in the BSF and four particularly from the Headquarters at Delhi.



BSF is a Border Guarding Force with an approximate strength of 250,000 personnel guarding borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh and is also involved in other internal security duties.
Internal squabbling in the



Maharashtra BJP burst out in open on Wednesday with state unit chief Chandrakant Patil virtually asking disgruntled senior leader Eknath Khadse to play the role of a consultant, and the latter questionning Patil's "contribution" in expanding the party.

While speaking to a Marathi new channel, Patil launched a no-holds-barred attack on Khadse, a day after the latter accused his colleagues in BJP of scuttling his nomination to the May 21 Legislative Council elections for nine seats.

"Eknath Khadse is a senior leader of Maharashtra BJP. He can serve as a consultant to the party's current leadership," Patil said in a stinging open attack.

Patil debunked Khadse's claims that the party cold-shouldered him and failed to recognise his services for its growth.

"When Khadse had denied tickets to some BJP leaders previously to get nominations for his daughter-in-law and son for Lok Sabha as well as MLC seats, what did he tell those people who were denied the opportunity?" Patil asked.

Patil said why Khadse was singling out a decent person like Devendra Fadnavis, a former chief minister and current the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly.

Khadse has been in sulk since he was made to resign as a minister in 2016, when Fadnavis was the CM, in the wake of allegations of corruption.

"Why is Khadse making allegations against Fadnavis? He should understand that leadership does not only mean becoming MLC or MLA or a minister," Patil said.

Khadse had claimed on Tuesday that he knew, by virtue of being a member of the state BJP parliamentary committee, that he would be nominated for MLC polls.

"However, going by the dates of the documents filed by four candidates of the party, it is clear that they knew about their nomination to the Legislative Council in advance," he had claimed.

Khadse also claimed that most of the BJP nominees had written to local authorities seeking no-dues certificates in March itself.

"Against this background, there was no need for our party colleagues to lie to us that I and other leaders would be recommended to the Central committee as prospective nominees for MLC polls," he had said.

Meanwhile, responding to Patil's claims, Khadse questionned the former's contribution in expanding the party's base in Maharashtra.

"I started contesting the Assembly elections when nobody was ready to represent the BJP in the state. Everyone used to ridicule the BJP. The party was then called as the representative of Shetjis (the merchant community) and Bhatjis (Brahmins). However, leaders like me took it to the masses. We increased the party's base among OBCs across the state," Khadse said.

He also fired barbs at Patil for accusing him of playing dynastic

"I gave tickets to my family members only when there was assurance of winning the concerned seat for the party. And because we were winning, the party continued to give us tickets. We have earned the right to demand ticket because of our hard work and contribution to the party," Khadse said.

Devendra Fadnavis' father was a politician and his aunt was also member of legislative council for more than two decades. Should we now call his leadership as an outcome of dynastic asked Khadse.

"Union minister Raosaheb Danve in an MP and his son is an MLA; I wonder what Patil has to say about this," added Khadse.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tomorrow the day of prayer, fasting and works of charity proposed by the High Committee of Human Fraternity. "I invite and encourage everyone to join this event: let us join together as brothers in asking the Lord to save humanity from the pandemic, to illuminate scientists and to heal the sick".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Prayer "is an impetus, it is an invocation that goes beyond ourselves", "Prayer is the voice of an I that gropes, that tentatively fumbles, in search of a You". With it, the Christian "enters into a relationship with a God with the most tender face, who does not want to instill any fear in men", to whom one can "ask for everything, explain everything, tell everything".

The theme of the second catechesis for the general audience dedicated by Pope Francis to prayer and held in the private library was "Christian prayer".

On the day of the liturgical remembrance of Our Lady of Fatima the Pope recommended we turn to Mary, asking her "peace for the world, the end of the pandemic, the spirit of penance and our conversion".

"Prayer is an impetus, it is an invocation that goes beyond ourselves: it is something that is born within the intimacy of our being and reaches beyond because it senses a nostalgia for an encounter. That nostalgia which is more than a need, more than a necessity: it is a way. Prayer is the voice of an I that gropes, that tentatively fumbles, in search of a You. The encounter between the I and the You cannot be done with calculators; it is a human encounter and very often one proceeds tentatively to find the You that my I is looking for. The prayer of a Christian is born, instead, from a revelation: the You has not remained shrouded in mystery, but has entered into relationship with us. Christianity is the religion that continually celebrates the manifestation of God, that is, His epiphany. "

The prayer of the Christian enters into relation with the God whose face is most tender, who does not want to instil any fear in men and women. This is the first characteristic of Christian prayer. If men and women had always been accustomed to approach God somewhat timidly, a bit frightened by the awe-inspiring and tremendous mystery, if they had been accustomed to venerate Him with a servile attitude, similar to that of a subject who does not want to be lacking in respect to his lord, the Christian turns to Him daring to confidently call on Him with the name of Father. Rather, Jesus uses another word: Papa. Christianity has banished from the connection with God any type of feudal relationship. In the patrimony of our faith, expressions such as subjection, slavery, or vassalage are not present; but words such as covenant, friendship, communion and proximity are."

" God is the friend, the ally, the bridegroom. One can establish a relationship built on confidence with Him in prayer. This is so true that in the Our Father, Jesus teaches us to present a series of requests to Him. We can ask God for anything, everything; explain everything, tell Him everything. It does not matter if we feel lacking in our relationship with God: that we are not great friends, that we are not grateful children, that we are not faithful spouses. He continues loving us. And at times He knocks on the door of our heart but He is not intrusive: He waits. Gods patience with us is the patience of a father, of one who loves us greatly. I would say, it is the patience of a father and a mother together."

Finally, in greetings to the Arabic-speaking faithful, Francis recalled that prayer "is the way to communicate and to listen to God. With this spirit I have accepted the invitation of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity to dedicate tomorrow, 14 May, to prayer, fasting and works of charity. I invite and encourage all of you to join in this event. Let us unite as brothers and sisters to ask the Lord to save humanity from the pandemic, to enlighten scientists and to heal the sick. May the Lord bless you all and protect you always from every evil!".
Like Gilligan on his fabled three hour tour, Kitchener native Kelly Ratchford set out from her adopted home in Ireland for a two-week visit to her fondly remembered hometown.

Three months later, shes still here.

When I arrived in mid-February, Covid 19 had started kicking off in Europe  particularly in Italy, notes the personable artist, in home isolation with her parents near Victoria Park.

But I didnt anticipate it would impact my travel. Toward the end of March it became apparent I wasnt going back to Dublin any time soon.

And so she stayed, and stayed, shopping for her parents, cleaning, setting up Skype calls and helping care for her dad, diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer a year ago.

I cant believe its been three months! she notes, having witnessed winter turn to spring with encroaching signs of summer.

Most of the cupboards have been cleaned, so now its just trying to figure out what day is it, what to have for dinner and, for me, how to avoid too much CNN  licorice helps!

She loves her parents, and was happy to help with her dads cancer treatments at Grand River Hospital until the COVID hammer fell and visitors were banned.

But theyre her parents.

I think Im driving them crazy because Im pretty vigilant about keeping them safe, notes Ratchford.

Its challenging because there are a lot of things they can do, but Im insisting I do them, just in case ... (amused pause) ... were lucky we get along pretty well.

Cut off from her day to day life  and life partner  an ocean away, living under a stressful pandemic lockdown, the gallery-displayed artist needed an outlet.

Out came her sketch pad.

We were now dealing with things like security at hospital doors, toilet paper shortages and wearing masks, she notes.

Drawing was a way for me to work through some of the bonkers, scary, poignant issues were all still dealing with.

Im no art critic, so my reaction to what appear to be hastily drawn, childlike sketches was confused: is this real art? Get out  really? Whats the intention behind it?

But something in the simplicity of its execution spoke to me, a sadness and whimsicality that captures the mood of the moment.

At Home With The Quarantinis. Fear of the Elevator Monsters. Socially Isolating Hair(s)  all depict sad little stick figures grappling with social isolation in a humorous, bittersweet fashion.

The combination of a very serious cancer diagnosis and a pandemic has heightened the sense of risk, confides Ratchford of the creative muse behind them.

Its been an intense experience because my dad is very vulnerable to infection.

Shes too humble to be shocked by is this art? reactions like mine, joking that Socially Isolated Hair is the hair of the future.

I have an uncle I adore and hes always been surprised that my childlike art has any value, she laughs.

What? People want to buy this? The phrase but a five-year-old could do that! comes to mind.

She takes that as a compliment, because tapping into that sense of innocence is what makes her work come alive.

Ive always been drawn to childrens drawings and street art, confides the Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate grad, who studied social work and art in university before opening her own studio in Dublin.

I like the challenge of using simple lines to convey more complicated, existential experiences like loneliness, heartache, isolation, meaninglessness  the fun stuff.

She pauses: I think you can convey a lot with very little.

The Ratchfords, of course, are well known in these parts.

Her brother, Jeremy Ratchford, a fellow KCI grad, starred for seven seasons on the hit CBS crime series Cold Case after a storied career in Hollywood films like Unforgiven and a career-launching Crispy Crunch commercial in 1989.

Her dad, Doug Ratchford, is the graphic designer who created the Region of Waterloo and St. Marys General Hospital logos still in use today.

The latter, with its nun-holding-baby outline, captures the same underlying sadness that shines through Ratchfords own sketches.

My baby brother Jamie was being cared for at St. Marys in the 60s, she recalls of the sibling she tragically lost decades ago.

My Dad went to see him and came upon a nun holding a baby. It turned out that baby was Jamie and the nun was a dear family friend.

Ratchford didnt know this story until recently but acknowledges it carries an enormous poignancy.

My brother sadly died when he was almost two-years-old, but hes still there in the beautiful design, which is very bittersweet.

A half-century later, that quality persists in her own work, an ability to channel uncomfortable emotions in a way that reaches out while digging deep.

The most difficult thing is to draw like a child, she insists. Im trying to keep that, but my intention is much different.

Find Ratchfords art on Instagram @kelster747 and at kellyratchford.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Turkic Council provides an excellent framework to integrate cooperation focused on COVID-19, Dr. Janos Hovari, Ambassador, Head of the Representative Office, Turkic Council, Budapest told Trend.

Hovari noted that in situations of newly emerging global challenges, such as now when the world is battling together the spread of a new virus, the states of the Turkic Council and Hungary as observer country are strongly aware of the need for closer cooperation, solidarity and sharing regional solutions in different areas.

"Understandably the borders had to be closed, yet in some way this is a test of how the states can ensure to maintain established regional economic ties and continue with trade of essential goods. The summit held at initiative of the President of Azerbaijan gave an impetus for more focused thematic conversations that are taking place between the member states and with participation of international organizations," said the ambassador.

He recalled that recently a videoconference was held between health ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, with participation of WHO experts and various other meetings are prepared.

"Such conversations are important not only for discussing where things stand now in each country with regards to how health infrastructures are fighting COVID-19, but also in creating a platform for the leading scientists, doctors and heads of relevant public institutions of the member states to exchange information and work more closely together in diagnosis and treatment of illnesses caused by COVID-19. Such platforms can also help to share knowledge and skills to be better prepared for future pandemics and challenges. Beyond the practical and necessary steps the summit was about that the Turkic Worlds and Hungarys awareness of our shared past, our cooperative present and future," he added.

Hovari went on to add that maintaining economic and trade relations is going through a test of times and so far it has been performing well.

"What is ahead of us as a consequence of COVID-19 will be naturally different in each country depending on how developed the economy was before the restrictions the virus brought about. As long as the member states continue to consult and cooperate closely and take into consideration trade and economic infrastructures of each other and focus on socio-economic needs of the population of their countries, economic sustainability can be maintained. Turkic Council provides an excellent framework to integrate such cooperation focused on COVID-19 and its consequences, because the organizations areas of cooperation already encompasses economic cooperation, transport and customs cooperation through ministerial working group meetings and cooperation with the Turkic Business Council," he concluded.
Three sheep were found dead in Niederanven on 27 April, showing signs of a predator attack. DNA analysis now confirmed that the sheep fell prey to a wolf.

The Ministry of the Environment confirmed earlier this Wednesday that the sheep were in fact killed by a wolf. The Senckenberg institute in Gelnhausen, Germany, came to the conclusion after analysing DNA samples.

According to the institute, the predator was a wolf from central Europe. Wolves increasingly migrate between Poland and Germany. Wolves of this species have previously been sighted in Belgium, in the Netherlands, and in Rhineland-Palatinate.

The confirmed wolf attack represents the third tangible piece of evidence that wolves may be returning to the Grand Duchy. Prior to 2017, there had been no wolf sightings in Luxembourg for more than a century.

Three years ago, the presence of a wolf was confirmed between Holzem and Garnich. The following year, another wolf was confirmed to roam the region around Fouhren.
The Cambodia Microfinance Association (CMA) said Wednesday they had provided some form of relief to 118,000 borrowers, amid the novel coronavirus-induced economic slowdown, though providing little detail of the actions taken.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the CMA said that 137,000 people had requested for loan relief and 118,000 had been provided relief in the form of loan restructuring, interest payment deferrals or postponement of all payments.

There was no breakdown or details of exactly what relief had been provided, only that $488 million in loans had received some form of relief.

The MFIs can restructure the loans for customers if there is a proposal from the customers and based on the contract between MFIs and customer protection principle and other legal conditions, the statement reads.

The statement pegged the number of microloan borrowers at 2.2 million Cambodians, with the loan relief program currently covering only 5 percent of all borrowers. But, Kaing Tongngy, spokesperson for the CMA, said the associations 103 members were receiving around 20,000 requests for payment leniency from borrowers every week.

The people who are rejected it is because they did not fulfill sufficient conditions, he said, adding that the MFIs will look at the actual impacts of the customers.

The association doesnt have the number of customers that received for loan postponement from three months to six months, he added.

On April 20, the National Bank of Cambodia had asked all financial institutions to cooperate with postponing loan repayments and to provide interest reductions in light of the pandemic. The impacted sectors were tourism, services, garments, and transportation.

At the time, microfinance institutions said they would look at any loan repayment waiver on a case-to-case basis, not committing to provide widespread relief to borrowers.

In late March, 135 civil society organizations urged the Cambodian government to ensure that microfinance institutions immediately suspend all loan repayments and interests for at least three months. This, they said, was necessary to ensure that people can survive this crisis without risking their health or homes.

VOA Khmer could not reach the Association of Banks in Cambodia and Chea Serey, director-general of the National Bank of Cambodia, for comments on Wednesday.

Local NGO Licadho released a briefing paper this month showing that there were around 2.6 million microloan borrowers with $10 billion in total debt.

The paper also pointed to Cambodian migrant workers returning from Thailand, who were facing the prospect of paying heavy debt with little or no economic opportunities in the country.



There are around 100,000 migrant workers who have returned from Thailand and, domestically, around 200,000 garment workers have lost their jobs or are facing work suspensions. The government estimates peg job loss in the tourism sector at 30,000 workers.

Leab Theary, a supervisor at the Crystal Martin garment factory in Kandal province, said her contract had been terminated in late April. While she had been given $1,500 as her seniority pay, she was struggling to find another job.



She asked Kredit Microfinance for loan postponement, but her proposal was rejected.

I used to ask and told them that I lost my job and have no money to pay. They said the bank doesnt belong to the state. It is private and the government has no right to interfere, said Leab Theary, 34, and a mother of two in Prey Veng province.
Judy Carter tried to keep her Lumberton shops  The Antique Mall and Country Lane Antique Mall  open as long as possible. March 18, she closed the doors, as coronavirus restrictions tightened and cases in Southeast Texas grew.

When Gov. Greg Abbott lifted closures for retailers May 1, Carter opted to remain closed.

She wanted to allow the more than 44 vendors at the expansive Antique Mall time to organize displays and to give staff more time to prepare for reopening.

Carter said they all worked together to find masks, sanitizer wipes and other cleaning products placed at the store entry and on the checkout counter. Signage was put up throughout both stores, reminding customers of social distancing guidelines and not to enter if they are ill or experiencing symptoms.

We ask people to wear masks, but of course not everybody does that, Carter said.

Tuesday, when the doors opened, Carter and staff were met with regulars eager to get back to antiquing.

Many were wearing masks and stopping to sanitize upon entering and after shopping.

Even when we were here getting ready, people were stopping to see if we had opened. A lot of people are just anxious to get out, she said.

Among them was Leah Elisar, who said she comes here quite often and visited both of Carters shops. Tuesday, she was looking for a Pyrex dish for her 99-year-old uncle, along with whatever else caught her eye. She lingered in some of the booths where antique childrens toys and books filled the displays. She has two new grandchildren born just 4 months apart. One of them lives in Louisiana, and she has seen him only once because of travel and safety restrictions.

Antiquing brings back fond memories of time spent with her mother.

I used to like do this with my mom, because she would educate me on what things were and how people used them. She enjoyed it as much as I did, Elisar said.

Getting back to the antique shops provided additional comfort, however. Elisar said shed been home almost constantly since the stay-at-home orders went into effect. Her husband, recently retired, did all the shopping. She said they have been getting a lot of needed work at home done in the past several weeks.

I live in Port Neches, and we had damage from the explosion, so we had some repairs to do and have been working in the yard, Elisar said.

Despite using the time productively, she said it gets boring. Im glad this is open, because it gives me a sense of freedom. And its not the kind of place thats real packed, so thats nice.

Customers werent the only ones relieved to see the shop doors reopen.

I am so glad to get back to work, said Barbara Maxwell, who has worked there almost 15 years. My kids quarantined me. My daughter told me if she found out I had been seen at a store, shed take my car keys. One day she had H-E-B deliver 25 bags of groceries to my door.

Although she was touched by her familys concern, she said, Im just not a sit-around kind of person. Ive been so miserable and bored.

The shops are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

kim.brent@beaumontenterprise.com
New coronavirus clusters have surfaced around the world as nations struggle to balance reopening economies and preventing a second wave of infections, while a top global health official warned Wednesday that COVID-19 could be around for a long time.

Authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic first began late last year, reportedly were pressing ahead Wednesday to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of new infections were found.

In Lebanon, authorities reinstated a nationwide lockdown for four days beginning Wednesday night after a spike in reported infections and complaints from officials that social distancing rules were being ignored.

A top World Health Organization official, meanwhile, warned that it's possible the new coronavirus may be here to stay. This virus may never go away, Dr. Michael Ryan said in a press briefing Wednesday. Without a vaccine, he said it could take years for the global population to build up sufficient levels of immunity. I think it's important to put this on the table, he said.

This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, he said, noting that other previously novel diseases like HIV have never disappeared, but that effective treatments have been developed.

Despite the risk that loosening restrictions could lead to infection spikes, European nations have been seeking to restart cross-border travel, particularly as the summer holiday season looms for countries whose economies rely on tourists flocking to their beaches, museums and historical sites.

The European Union unveiled a plan to help citizens across its 27 nations salvage their summer vacations after months of coronavirus lockdown and resurrect Europe's badly battered tourism industry. The pandemic has prompted border closures across Europe and shut down the lifeline of cheap local flights.

The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, laid out its advice for lifting ID checks at closed borders, helping to get airlines, ferries and buses running while ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, and preparing health measures for hotels. It's not clear whether EU nations will follow that advice, since they, not Brussels, have the final say over health and security matters. Some European countries have sought bilateral agreements with their neighbors.

Austria said its border with Germany would reopen fully on June 15, and that border checks would be reduced starting Friday. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Austria was aiming for similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein and its eastern neighbors "as long as the infection figures allow. German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass said his country will lift a blanket warning against foreign travel for European destinations before other places, but didn't specify when. Germany's warning against all non-essential tourist travel abroad runs until at least June 14.

The tension in balancing people's safety against the severe economic fallout is playing out across the world. Italy partially lifted lockdown restrictions last week only to see a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in its hardest-hit region. Pakistan reported 2,000 new infections in a single day after crowds of people crammed into local markets as restrictions were eased.

European countries have begun slowly easing their lockdowns, from barber shops reopening next week in Belgium to some schools starting up again soon in Portugal. But a raft of safety rules are being put in place, including reducing the number of children in Belgian preschool classes and various forms of social distancing. In Sweden, which has taken a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus, allowing primary schools and restaurants to remain open with some social distancing rules, officials urged Swedes not to travel abroad for non-essential trips and to limit movement inside the country.

Travel within Sweden of up to one to two hours by car can be made, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said. But it does not mean that everything is as it used to be common sense and great caution apply. The situation remains unclear in some countries. The U.S. says Tanzania has not publicly released any data on COVID-19 in two weeks.

The World Health Organization also has expressed worry about Tanzania, whose president has questioned his own government's virus testing and refused to close churches in the belief that the virus can't survive in the body of Christ. A new U.S. Embassy statement warns that the risk of being infected in Tanzania's commercial hub, Dar es Salaam, is extremely high and says many hospitals in the city have been overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Ryan, the World Health Organization's chief of health emergencies, had a grim warning about coronavirus: Even though an effective vaccine might be developed, it would require immense work to produce sufficient doses and distribute them worldwide. Every single one of those steps is fraught with challenges, he said. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for COVID-19, added that she recognized some people were in a state of feeling quite some despair, but pointed out that stopping the virus even without medical interventions was possible.

In the United States, the country's top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning that cities and states could see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage if they lift stay-at-home orders too quickly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bosses at Ford and Vauxhall have confirmed that their UK engine and car plants are due to restart manufacturing next week.

Ford confirmed that it intends to resume initial production at its engine plants in Dagenham, Essex and Bridgend, South Wales from May 18.

French bosses at Vauxhall also confirmed that manufacturing of commercial vehicles will also kickstart in Luton on Monday with new health measures in place to ensure workers return in a 'progressive and safe manner'.

Revving up a return to work: Ford has confirmed workers will return to engine factories in Dagenham and Bridgend on Monday, with new health measures in place, such as screen to separate work stations

Both brands will restart operations the same day as the UK's biggest car producer, Jaguar Land Rover, which will 'gradually' reopen assembly lines in Solihull and commence building engines in Wolverhampton from 18 May.

Ford says a limited number of employees have already been work at its two UK sites in recent weeks to ensure the ongoing provision of critical services, though more will go back next week to resume conventional outputs.

In total, some 1,830 jobs are based at the Essex engine plant, while Bridgend employs approximately 1,700 - though is due to close for good in September.

Most of staff at both sites are currently on the government-supported furlough scheme.

Confirming the production restart, Graham Hoare, chairman of Ford of Britain, said: 'As we return to work at our two engine plants in the UK, our key priority is the implementation of Fords global standards on social distancing and strengthened health and safety protocols to safeguard the well-being of our workforce.'

A comprehensive set of Ford global standards on social distancing and employee health and safety actions  which the brand says 'exceed the UK Governments current guidance'  are being implemented across Fords facilities in the UK.

The Dagenham engine plant (pictured) has around 1,830 staff, many of them currently on furlough

The engine plant in Bridgend has around 1,200 staff, though the facility is due to close for good in September

In total, some 1,830 jobs are based at the Essex engine plant, while Bridgend employs approximately 1,700 - though is due to close for good in September

The guidelines require anyone entering the plants to use a company-provided face mask, and a face shield in select manufacturing positions and other positions where social distancing cannot be met.

Each day starts with a body temperature check on entry using scanning equipment that meets national regulations and a wellness self-assessment process to confirm employee fitness and readiness for work before entering a Ford facility.

The car maker has also redesigned work areas to ensure social distancing guidelines are maintained and established a phased return to work to reduce employee density in buildings and on production lines.

The cover of Ford's 65-page 'Return To Work Playbook'

All of these measures are part of a 64-page 'coronavirus playbook' circulated to all Ford sites globally, which employees are expected to read before returning on 18 May.

The company also will provide all staff with a personal 'care kit', including disposable face masks, a reusable thermometer and other hygiene items.

Ford will continue to build ventilator sub-assemblies for the VentilatorChallengeUK Consortium that was setup to supply the NHS with the much-needed units ahead of the lockdown.

The facility used in the assembly of the ventilators is separate from the main engine plant buildings at Dagenham and has no impact on engine production, it has clarified.

Ford also is producing face masks for its UK employees and those across its facilities in Europe.

'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 such as the National Health Service and other industries,' it said in a statement.

Vauxhall will also restart manufacturing of commercial vehicles at its Luton facility on Monday

Some 1,200 staff in total work for Vauxhall in Luton, and a raft of new guidelines have been drawn up to protect the first who will return to their jobs next week

Owners of Vauxhall, French Groupe PSA, said its priority has been to protect the health of its employees and ensure the sustainability of the company before announcing a return date for some of the 1,200 staff located at the Luton commercial vehicle plant, now confirmed for 18 May.

Like Ford, it has pre-developed its on set of protocol of reinforced health measures, which has already been widely shared with representative trade union organisations and has been subject to systematic audits.

Measures to be implemented in Vauxhall factories - Use wherever possible of individual transport. For carpooling and public transport, provision of masks and predefined filling rule (staggered placement from the back of the bus). - Temperature check at the entrance to the site, in addition to symptom self-monitoring file - Individual supply of masks and hydro alcoholic gel - Wearing glasses and masks on site - Respect for a distance between people throughout the site, including rest areas, smoking areas with floor markings - Keep doors open (except fire doors) to avoid contact with the handles - Frequent cleaning of tools and work surfaces - Waiting time during any exchange of parts not prepared in the PSA environment - Adjustment of rotations between teams' shifts to avoid crossovers

In addition, auditors will be responsible for daily verifying of the application of barrier measures and gestures on the site and implementing corrective actions, if necessary.

'Protecting our employees and protecting our company remain the two intangible principles for the management of our operations,' said Yann Vincent, executive vice president for manufacturing of Groupe PSA.

'Our enhanced measures protocol offers a high level of protection to our employees and is the first criterion for restarting our manufacturing sites.

Colin MacDonald, director of the Luton plant, added: 'Since the shutdown of our site, we have implemented a reinforced health protocol on our industrial site with the support of our medical service and in close collaboration with our union partners.

'Thanks to this collective effort, validated by the audit that took place on 4 May, we can resume the manufacturing of the commercial vehicles on Monday 18 May, in a progressive and safe manner.'

PSA has yet to confirm when the Ellesemere Port factory in Merseyside - which produces the Astra family hatchback - will restart production.

Earlier this week, bosses at the French company told the Daily Mail it would not start making passenger cars again until dealerships are allowed to open to the public.

Easing lockdown measures will see showrooms reopening from June 1, the government has confirmed this week.
The Bombay High Court has said the Maharashtra Police machinery is under great stress and strain during the lockdown, and directed the state government and local civic authorities to deploy off-duty revenue officials for duties where police personnel are not required.

Justice R V Ghuge of the high courts Aurangabad bench gave the directive on Tuesday while hearing a petition taken up suo moto (on its own) by the court on various issues concerning medical, paramedical staff and police personnel.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

The court said the state police machinery is under great stress and strain as the security personnel are deployed on streets, railway stations, residential localities, even for dealing with applications of those seeking travel passes, and other duties.

I am sure the local administration and the state government are aware that several officers and employees of the revenue department are off duty, the judge said.

The state government should consider deployment of such revenue officers, especially those below the age of 50 years, for the purpose of dealing with such activities and issues wherein police personnel need not be necessary, he said in the order.

If migrants, displaced workers or students desire to return to their native places and are required to register themselves, then the state government and local administration can utilise revenue department employees to ease the burden and pressure on the police department, the court said.

The court directed the government and local authorities to allot such duties to the revenue departments off duty employees in areas where policing or the presence of police authorities is not necessary.

The court also took note of an incident where a nurse working in the Aurangabad district general hospital in Chikalthana area was assaulted in her house by a group of persons who threatened her and her family to leave the society as locals feared she could spread coronavirus infection there.

It also noted that last month, while hearing another matter on the issue of Covid-19, the Aurangabad civic body authorities and police assured the court that adequate protection would be given to members of medical faculty who are facing such threats and assault.

I am of the view that time has come to direct the authorities concerned to register offences against such residents who threaten, abuse or assault medical and paramedical staff, the judge said in the order.

The police authorities shall consider such offences seriously and should not hesitate to initiate appropriate action against such miscreants and register offences by following due process of law, the court ordered.

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A new paper published in the British Dental Journal in May 2020 reports on the new ways of partnership between the dental industry and dental professionals, in view of the extremely high risk of aerosol production during dental procedures, to reduce the risk of passing on COVID-19 infection.

The post-COVID-19 situation has led to the almost complete shutdown of all routine dental work, other than emergency care in the UK, as per the governments advice. Urgent care is being offered at dedicated centers that fall under the NHS England and other centers to which it has delegated such facilities.

In common with other industries, the dental industry has also come to a grinding halt, with no sales of dental materials, equipment of consumables.

The government has taken different measures to help this industry, as with others. Some dental companies have sent many of their workers on furlough, some have put almost all their workers on work-from-home measures, and delayed VAT payments will help weather the recession in the short term. Customers are also finding themselves unable to pay or are offering delayed payments. Others are looking at government-assisted loans to tide over the present crisis.

With no way to predict when normalcy will be restored, many businesses are likely to close down permanently in the dental sector, as elsewhere. However, drastic changes are bound to occur once patient treatment recommences.

The main topics covered in the new paper include:

Aerosol generating procedures (AGPs)

The timeline of return to normalcy

New methods of safe dental treatment

New business methods

Aerosol generating procedures (AGPs)

The government has advised that the highest risk of viral spread is during any procedure in which upper respiratory aerosols are generated. In such a setting, it is mandatory that all workers involved in such procedures are adequately protected with personal protective equipment (PPE).

Further recommendations have been made on urgent dental care by the Chief Dental Officer. Dental practice includes many high-risk AGP procedures with the small size of the virus particles, at an average of 0.125 microns. This is the primary obstacle to the resumption of routine dental practice.

Some steps that will be inevitable before this happens include widespread testing of dentists, clinical staff, and patients, unless an effective mass vaccine is available before that time, or unless effective ways to suppress or shield workers from aerosols are found.

The Timeline of Lockdown Exit Strategies

Lockdowns can be executed rapidly, but take considerable time and ingenuity to lift without hazarding all the gains won so painfully. The authors predict that routine dental practice will probably not return to normal, in terms of the pre-COVID-19 levels, at least until 2020 has passed.

The reason is the probable second peak of infection following a relaxation of the lockdown, which will inevitably follow the fall in infections due to such suppression strategies. The second wave is expected in October 2020, quite possibly, which could lead to a second lockdown or similar measures. This pattern may be repeated, with smaller peaks each time, until a vaccine is available and testing regimens have been honed to offer the best level of protection by carrier identification. This may well persist until the second half of next year, say the authors.

New Safe Methods of Dental Practice

Mitigation will play a key role in enabling recovery of the dental sector. The physical risk due to AGPs can be reduced by using PPE, sophisticated air filtration and decontamination systems, high-speed air evacuation systems, and disinfection/antimicrobial procedures for workers, equipment, and patients.

Not only are these steps costly and complex, making their implementation much more limited in scale and therefore reducing the number of compliant dental practices, but they increase the timeframe of treatment, and reduce the number of procedures that can be carried out every day.

This will have a heavy impact on current dentistry models. However, industrial partnership will become essential to help the profession and industry recover at least in part over the next year. Not only will there be a need to invest in new air-cleaning and product disinfection technologies, but new ways to avoid invasive treatments may be the focus of attention. The greatest challenge will be with respect to orthodontic and endodontic treatments and the provision of dental implants.

New Business Models

The lockdown has given many business owners to step back and review their business structure and methods and provided an opportunity to change as required. Fundamental alterations are bound to occur, including a more cost-effective use of staff, cutting down on office space, and improving work-from-home facilities.

Business travel will also likely see a steep fall as global meetings go out of favor. The same applies to physical interactions since virtual meeting apps are proving their worth in the lockdown situation. The power of modern communications technology is nowhere more obvious than in the way millions of workers can spend their working hours in a reasonably productive manner from home.

Customer-sales staff interactions will also change as new growth strategies and structures emerge, from providing safe access to dental facilities and comparing the worth added by face-to-face rather than virtual meetings.

Meetings and exhibitions are also likely to be significantly reduced to ensure safe conditions for both staff and customers. In fact, many large halls currently used for this purpose have been taken over by Nightingale emergency COVID-19 wards, which means they will require significant time and effort to revert to their old status.

Different trading practices and credit practices may also well evolve as some businesses shut down, and others adapt to lockdown.

International trade practices could also show massive changes as governments look into protecting their economies against future shocks, taking advantage of current shortages to sell strategic goods, and promoting domestic manufacture, service provision, and trade to boost their financial wellbeing.

Looking Ahead

The authors underline the fact that things are unlikely to get back to the old normal soon, if ever. Instead, changes will occur in all these areas, driven by the need to avoid the spread of infection. This may lead to the resumption of dental practices at the new normal level, accompanied by changes in products, delivery systems, technologies, and treatments, as well as healthcare systems themselves.
Taipei: About two-thirds of Taiwanese don't identify as Chinese, according to a survey released on Tuesday that highlights the challenges China would face in bringing the self-governing island under its control.

Cross-strait propaganda has a long history: Taiwan's flag stands at the National Palace Museum in Taipei. Credit:Bloomberg

The US-based Pew Research Centre found that 66 per cent view themselves as Taiwanese, 28 per cent as both Taiwanese and Chinese and 4 per cent as just Chinese. The telephone poll of 1562 people, conducted last fall, has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.

The results are consistent with other polls showing that people in Taiwan increasingly identify only as Taiwanese, Pew said.

Today's Taiwan was born of a civil war in China that brought Mao Zedong's Communists to power on the mainland in 1949. The rival Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan, an island about 160 kilometres off China's east coast.
VANCOUVERIt wasnt the death that caused the upheaval  working in long-term care, no matter where you are or what the circumstances, death is expected.

When the coronavirus hit the Lynn Valley Care Centre in early March, the element that changed everything was fear.

When you walk around, the sheer fear in peoples eyes, Ive never seen anything like that, said Betty Willis, director of care at the centre that was the site of Canadas first coronavirus outbreak in long-term care, and the countrys first coronavirus death.

Fear permeated the lives of staff members in ways that are now familiar to those working on the front lines of the coronavirus battle, but at the time, before the virus would kill thousand of Canadians and change life around the world, they were charting a new frontier.

Willis is planning an internal review of what happened during the outbreak, based on one-on-one interviews with all the workers. Similar reviews may well end up being the order of the day at care homes across Canada, as the industry grapples with the devastating toll this virus was able to take on its ranks, from Ontarios Bobcaygeon to Albertas McKenzie Towne to Nova Scotias Northwood.

One thing Willis and workers at Lynn Valley know: Theres no going back to the old way of doing things.

When an outbreak was declared at Lynn Valley on March 6, workers there started looking for temporary rentals so they could avoid coming into contact with their families. Even though theres a bus stop near the door of the long-term-care home, the workers would get off one stop early or one stop late to avoid what they saw as stigmatizing glares from fearful members of the public.

The human sufferings and the price that you pay aside from the loss of life is tremendous, Willis said. We were not normal. We were right in the eye of the storm.

Now, after 102 infections and 20 deaths, the outbreak at Lynn Valley is officially over, and Willis and her staff have cautiously, collectively exhaled.

But the threat still looms for care homes across the country, and many face some of the same challenges as Lynn Valley.

Seniors advocates and politicians are scrutinizing the long-term-care sector to an unprecedented degree as the vast majority of Canadas coronavirus deaths have taken place in care homes. Questions raised about funding models, home configurations and staffing practices make it seem impossible that the industry will come out the other side of the pandemic unchanged.

Some of the issues being raised  including the low pay and sporadic scheduling of care aides that leads them to take multiple jobs at different care homes  were flashpoints within the industry in places like Ontario and B.C. long before COVID-19.

B.C. senior advocate Isobel Mackenzie said that with coronavirus outbreaks ongoing and especially devastating in Ontario and Quebec, its still too early to say for sure what factors contributed to more or worse outbreaks.

But even before coronavirus began to spread, Mackenzie was sounding the alarm about how the long-term-care sector incentivizes operators to lower labour costs  which she says leads to lower standards of care.

When you think about the areas where we can gain efficiencies, those are the things that are directly affecting experiences for the residents, she said. Better staffing levels, more consistent staffing schedules  thats linked to pay and benefits. Its naive to think otherwise.

Some care homes save on costs by hiring internally at rates as low as $17 per hour. Others contract out  meaning they hire companies that employ care aides to provide staff for their homes, which places degrees of separation between the management of the facilities and their staff.

And in her surveys of long-term-care residents, Mackenzie has found that connections with care aides  who do 70 per cent of the working hours in care homes  ranks among the top priorities for residents.

In B.C., the labour community has long objected to the 2001 law that laid the groundwork for care aide positions to be contracted out, which they saw as the impetus for low wages, scant paid sick leave and the precarious nature of the industry.

A similar policy aimed at opening up long-term care to privatization, enacted by the Mike Harris government in Ontario, was noted in a previous interview by York University long-term-care expert Pat Armstrong as a likely cause for lower wages, lower staffing and a greater reliance on casual employees.

Mackenzie recommended in her February report that provincial funding for staffing at long-term-care facilities of all stripes be given back to the government if its not used expressly for that purpose.

Lynn Valley faced its own challenges with a fragmented staff during the outbreak.

The shock and fear that came with being in the eye of the storm made Willis question how the members of her team were coping  whether they themselves had access to the types of emotional support theyre expected to offer the seniors under their care.

With my background in intensive care, I could cope well, Willis said. But we have some fantastic nurses who are fresh out of school.

It quickly became apparent to Willis that her biggest challenge as care director during the outbreak would be in making sure the staff  nurses, care aides, and support workers  were physically and mentally well enough to do their jobs.

Lynn Valley Care Centre is a private long-term-care facility that contracts out its care aide staff, meaning Willis is not their employer, even though she manages the care team at the centre. Getting to know everyones needs took time, as did team building. Willis considered both important factors to help deal with the crisis.

Mackenzie said the contracting out of care work has been a long-standing issue in the industry, and it was drawn into sharp relief by the Lynn Valley outbreak.

I know at Lynn Valley it was a challenge. The day after the outbreak was (declared) you had three different employers (at the table)  Who is directing whom to do what? she said of the meetings called by public health officials which she attended. I think that it would be easier if they directly employed everybody.

Willis said she will use the report based on one-on-one interviews with all the workers to guide future changes at the facility.

We contract all of our services out  so my next thing is how do we build a stronger team, she said. For Lynn Valley, its time not to relax, but to see what we can learn and share with others.

She also tries to remember that long-term-care work is rooted in human connections. In a pandemic, with a deadly virus spreading quickly, the opportunity for connection can sometimes seem fleeting.

Willis recalled a time after the outbreak began when the family of one of the victims gave her a painting done by the resident before she died. Thats how she found out the resident was a painter.

Im adamant that we will not lose the human touch of our basic care, she said.

With files from Star staff

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TDT | Manama

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa addressed the nation yesterday on the occasion of the last 10 days of the blessed month of Ramadan. A translation of the address follows: In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Praise be to God and peace be upon Gods Prophet, Mohammed, and upon his family and companions. Dear fellow citizens from all the governorates of our beloved Kingdom, peace and Gods mercy and blessings be upon you.

We thank God for the Almighty, always and forever, and we pray and supplicate Him in these blessed days of this holy month to accept our fasting, evening prayers and supplications, remove the pandemic and affliction from our homeland, and make Bahrain as well as the rest of the Muslim countries and the whole world safe.

It gives us great pleasure to meet with you during these blessed days in a new encounter that we hold dearly in our heart, in the context of communication and love that brings us together, based on a benevolent tradition, to renew our congratulations on Ramadan.

We also congratulate you on the last 10 days of the blessed month, praying to the Almighty for happy returns to our dear homeland and to you all, with goodness, rightness and blessings, and to the Arab and Islamic nations with further dignity, peace and stability.

Dear citizens and residents in this good country, it has been our tradition at this time of the year to welcome our people from all governorates to our Ramadan majlises that we have always been keen to allocate to receive them as we joyfully mark the month of good deeds.

This is in line with our genuine customs that embody the depth of fraternity and belonging to our Bahraini family that we cherish dearly. Although the current circumstances have required us to communicate with you from a distance, we assure you that no matter how far distances are, our hearts and souls continue to be close in all cases.

We look forward, with you, to the return of normal life, as we know it, with the help of God Almighty, so that we can meet with you in the near future amid goodness, cordiality, health and happiness.

Our sense of duty and gratitude makes it imperative for us, especially during these blessed times, to express our deep thanks and appreciation for the collective discipline that we have witnessed among all the people in Bahrain as they complied with the precautionary measures to fight the pandemic and rid our country of it quickly, God willing.

We find in such a responsible attitude a great commitment to support and ensure the success of the endeavours of the national task force, led by our son, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and since its inception, by various ministries and state institutions.

The national task force has been characterised by high levels of seriousness and professionalism, and by impressive results that have inspired and generated immense pride, satisfaction and great dedication to protecting the health and safety of citizens and residents in the Kingdom.

It is our duty to laud such dedicated endeavours that we will honour deservedly in recognition of the massive sacrifices. We cite in particular those who were on the front lines, standing valiantly with courage, competence and steadfastness.

They are from the medical, health, nursing, administrative, and security, both military and civilian, sectors. We also praise Bahrains loyal people and residents who offered the most amazing examples of loyalty, humanity, selflessness, sacrifice, cooperation and solidarity during this pandemic affecting our beloved homeland.

They have all our gratitude and appreciation, and may God bless their efforts and their tireless and sincere endeavours. We pray to God in these blessed days of the Holy Month of Ramadan to guide you and us on the path of goodness, strengthen the bonds of affection and love between us, and fill our hearts with goodness, optimism and love for everyone.

We wish everyone living in this dear country a happy Eid filled with goodness and blessings. Peace and Gods mercy and blessings be upon you.
Oil retreated from a five-week high on concern that relaxing virus lockdowns too early will lead to a resurgence in cases and derail a nascent recovery in energy demand.

Futures in New York followed equities lower, dropping 0.9% from the highest settlement since early April. Anthony Fauci, Americas top infectious disease official, said US states reopening too quickly could hurt an economic recovery. Chinas return from restrictions suffered a setback after new cases emerged in Wuhan -- the epicenter of the outbreak -- prompting an order for the entire population of 11 million to be tested.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

A fresh wave of virus cases would threaten a fragile recovery. US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said the countrys battered oil industry was on its way back, while the American Petroleum Institute reported a drop in stockpiles at the storage hub of Cushing, which could be the first decline since February.

Oil is down almost 60% this year after energy consumption collapsed as nations across the globe implemented lockdowns to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The US on Tuesday cut its forecasts for global petroleum demand this year and next, while consultancy IHS Markit doesnt see the market recovering to pre-virus levels until the second half of 2021.

The whole market is chasing its tail at the moment -- we are in a range-trading, flip-flop market, said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst for Asia Pacific at Oanda. For oil to make progress on the upside now, we need to see some solid evidence that demand is reappearing as economies reopen.

The API reported that crude inventories at Cushing, Oklahoma, fell by 2.26 million barrels last week, according to people familiar with the data. If government figures due Wednesday confirm the decline, it would be the first draw at the delivery point for US futures since the week ending Feb. 28.

The oil market has staged a modest recovery since prices plunged below zero last month for the first time ever. Stockpile builds are slowing, there are signs of demand in the big Asian consumers of India and China, while in the US, gasoline consumption is increasing.

We now have 23 states that are opening up their local economies, that represents roughly 40% of the gasoline demand in the US, Energy Secretary Brouillette said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Tuesday.
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RF elements is a leader in enabling sustainable use of unlicensed spectrum. Its horn antenna technology provides a highly effective solution to problems with interference widely experienced by Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs). American WISPs heavily rely on the unlicensed spectra to provide internet connectivity to American consumers in rural and underserved communities.

On April 23 2020, FCC unleashed 1200 MHz of spectrum between 5.9725 and 7.125 GHz, for unlicensed use. "New rules adopted by FCC open U-NII-5 and U-NII-7 bands for outdoor use as Standard-Power Access Point and Client Devices. Opening 850MHz for unlicensed outdoor use is a remarkable move that is highly welcome by RF elements. The wireless industry sorely needed the additional spectrum to address the growing demand for internet connectivity. We are committed to provide the industry leading antennas in the newly opened U-NII-5 and U-NII-7 bands. Our goal is to prevent the industry from falling into the same severe problems with noise it experienced with 5 GHz band. Our technology is perfectly geared towards this goal and the tens of thousands of well performing installations in the 5 GHz band across the US and the rest of the world prove this." said Juraj Taptic, CEO of RF elements.

"Our Symmetrical Horn antennas already work in the U-NII-5 band up to 6.425 GHz. The set of seven antennas with different beam widths for sector coverage and UltraHorn for point to point or narrow sector coverage are the epitome of sustainable growth of unlicensed networks. The additional spectrum will considerably broaden the options WISPs have for providing the US citizens with high-speed internet access. RF elements will further support this effort by developing more products aligned with effective and sustainable use of the newly assigned spectrum." added Tasos Alexiou, a product evangelist with RF elements.

RF elements provides technology for fast, sustainable wireless. RF elements proprietary technology allows sustainable use of Spectrum, a limited resource that plays a key role for general access to broadband internet. RF elements is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia with local market support in the U.S., Ireland and South Africa. For more information please visit www.rfelements.com.

SOURCE RF elements
I cannot wrap my head around (Heards) accusations, she said according to the documents. He was never, never violent towards me. He was never, never abusive at all towards me.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Nargiz Sadikhova  Trend:

Total liquids production is forecast to decline by 0.17 million barrels a day in Kazakhstan to 2020 average 1.65 million barrels a day, Trend reports with reference to OPECs Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR).

The report said that Kazakhstans liquids output in March decreased by 0.03 million barrels a day to average 1.89 million barrels a day, higher by 0.06 million barrels a day year-on-year.

In March, while crude oil production declined by 30,000 barrels a day to average 1.63 million barrels a day, up by 73,000 barrels a day year-on-year, NGL output remained flat month-on-month at 0.27 million barrels a day, and flat year-on-year. Kazakhstans oil production in 2019 is not estimated to have grown year-on-year due to heavy maintenance, the OPEC report said.

On the morning of March 9, 2020, Brent crude plunged 25 percent dropping to its lowest since February 2016 and recording the biggest one-day percentage declines since Jan. 17, 1991.

Trading volumes in the front-month hit record highs in the previous session after a three-year pact between Saudi Arabia and Russia and other major oil producers to limit supply fell apart on March 6, 2020.

The extraordinary meeting of OPEC+ ministers was held on Apr. 12, 2020, following which the agreement to reduce oil production by 9.7 million barrels a day was signed for the period of two months starting from May 1, 2020.

Kazakhstan, in its turn, has supported the consensus in the agreement having taken the liability to decrease oil production by 390,000 barrels a day.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro keeps saying COVID-19 worries and fears are exaggerated. However, local, state, and federal officials insist, the threat is too real.

Currently, Brazil is torn by deep and serious political gap over the manner of responding to a pandemic, and according to many, it is costing the lives of the many.

On Saturday, while the death toll in Brazil crossed the 10,000 thresholds, President Bolsonaro kept on pressuring to get the country return to work.

On the President's twitter account, he posted, "The army of unemployed keeps growing." The labeled "far-right leader," who is known for comparing COVID-19 to a "little flu" and doomed the "panic" around it.

Some people claim that turmoil indeed, exists at least, as far as the Brazil government's response is going.

Criticizing the 'stay-at-home' and other COVID-19 measures

President Bolsonaro's condemnation of stay-at-home rules to combat COVID-19 is said to have "put him at odds with local and state authorities across the nation, not to mention his administration's former health minister.

Last month, following a long series of rows in public, the president dismissed Luiz Henrique Mandetta from his post as Brazil's health minister.

Moreover, the country has emerged as the pandemic's epicenter in Latin America with more than 11,500 deaths reported as of this writing.

According to experts, under-testing would mean, the exact number is possibly much higher and that the situation could even worsen.

Sidney Chalhoub, a Brazilian historian and Harvard University professor said, "We know from history that anytime,there is such disharmony in a situation such as this, such major conflict on public policy among leaders, tragedy follows."

The historian also cited as an example, the major cholera outbreak in Europe during the 19th century that killed over 10,000 individuals in Hamburg, Germany.

The outbreak Chalhoub said, "Was largely caused by separations between both the dominant economic and political elite interests" which undermined public health concerns." As a result, he continued, there occurred an even huger economic disaster.

Anti-Pandemic Measures Protests

Supporters of President Bolsonaro, in recent weeks, have staged a series of protests pertaining to anti-confinement.

There are times when the nation leader would join in, walking down the streets, shaking hands, and delivering fiery speeches-all without a face mask on.

In addition, the protests staged have consisted of strong attacks on the Supreme Court and Congress moving to oppose the anti-confinement measures of the president.

At times, these protests flare up into violence which includes nurses and even health workers, specifically, nurses.

However, a recent survey which the Datafolha Institute conducted, found that around "67 percent of Brazilians believe" that the stay-at-home orders are needed to control the spread of virus even it if they mean hurting the economy.

Meanwhile, another survey found that while 56 percent of the people calling themselves "right-wing or center-right" backed President Bolsonaro's response to, and initiatives for the pandemic, 40 percent of them did not.

Scientists at Fiocruz, a leading public health research institute of Brazil have stated that initial studies do not specify chloroquine as an effective treatment for COVID-19.

It was earlier reported that Bolsonaro, like US President Donald Trump, has promoted the medication chloroquine as a so-called "miracle medicine" against the virus.

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The federal trade minister has told wine and cheese exporters not to give Beijing any excuse to ban their products after beef suppliers were blacklisted over a technicality.

This week China has suggested it will impose huge tariffs on Australian barley and suspended imports of Australian beef from four major suppliers due to an apparent labelling issue.

The federal government has denied the measures are payback for Australia's demands for a coronavirus inquiry - but Trade Minister Simon Birmingham today told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order so that more industries cannot be targeted.

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The federal trade minister has told Australian companies to make sure all their paper work is in order for exporting products to China. Pictured: Melbourne's Say Cheese festival

China is a key market for Australia's wine companies. Pictured: A customer selects an Aussie wine in Beijing

During an interview on Wednesday, the ABC's Patricia Karvelas asked him: 'Australian wine and dairy producers are worried they could be next. What reassurances do you have that that won't happen?'

Senator Birmingham replied: 'Everyone at present should be, as they always should, dotting their Is and crossing their Ts and leaving no scope for any grievance to be raised.'

He said he could see no reason why wine or cheese industries would fall short of quarantine, health or labelling standards they need to meet to export to China.

Beijing has a track record of using putting pressure on exporters during political disagreements.

It includes encouraging a boycott of South Korean cars after the country deployed a US missile shield in 2017 and a ban on Norwegian salmon after Chinese rebel Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo that same year.

Australia and China have had a free trade agreement since 2015 but some exporters have still run into difficulties as relations have soured.

In 2018 Beijing imposed new customs regulations on Australian wine resulting in shipments being held up in Shanghai.

In 2018 Beijing imposed new customs regulations on Australian wine resulting in shipments being held up in Shanghai. Pictured: President Xi Jinping

And last year - after Canberra stripped Chinese businessman Xiangmo Huang of his visa - major ports prolonged clearing times for Australian coal to at least 40 days, claiming the delay was due to 'normal' safety checks.

The latest difficulties in the bi-lateral trade relationship followed the Australian government's call for a ban on wildlife wet markets and an inquiry into how the coronavirus originated and spread from Wuhan.

The proposed inquiry - as well as repeated suggestions that China covered up the spread of the disease - have infuriated Beijing.

Last month the Chinese Embassy called Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton 'pitiful,' 'ignorant' and a US 'parrot' after he told China to 'answer questions' about how coronavirus started.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng (pictured) warned Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products

On April 26 Chinese Ambassador to Australia Jingye Cheng warned that Chinese consumers may stop buying Australian products in revenge.

'Maybe the ordinary people will think why they should drink Australian wine or eat Australian beef,' he told the AFR.

The dispute comes after a torrid year for Australia-China relations saw clashes over political interference, human rights abuses in western China and Huawei 5G equipment.

Former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby told Daily Mail Australia that diplomatic relations are 'at their lowest point since they began 46 years ago'.

The proposed tariffs on barley come after China's 18-month anti-dumping investigation which concludes on 19 May.

Dumping is when a country exports a product unfairly cheaply to a foreign market to undercut alternatives, with producers often subsidised by the government.

China says the suspension of beef imports is due to a labelling issue.

The outbreak erupted in Wuhan, China in December. Pictured: Staff members line up as they prepare to spray disinfectant at Wuhan Railway Station in March

Senator Birmingham said the issues are being resolved and hopes exports from the blacklisted abattoirs can resume soon.

China expert and ANU Professor Jane Golley does not believe that the proposal regarding barley is connected to COVID-19.

'If there is any kind of 'coercion' or punishment plan in Beijing's mind, I'd say it's very unlikely to work (another reason why they probably wouldn't try it), because I don't think the Australian government will back down on its inquiry demand, even if they are absolutely certain that this barley debacle is connected to it', she told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.
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Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 14:43 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7c40d9 1 World Indonesian-sailors,Indonesian-Embassy,Iran,pelaut-indonesia,Tehran Free

The Indonesian Embassy in Tehran has released 15 Indonesian crewmen who had been detained at a penitentiary in Bandar Lengeh  a port city in the south of Iran  and has repatriated them to Indonesia.

According to a release from the embassy, the crewmen had been jailed for the past four months for an illegal oil shipment and had been neglected by their employer, the shipowner who is residing in Singapore, until their release.

After they were released, the embassy also asked the shipowner to pay their salaries. The owner has agreed to pay [their salaries] gradually, the release read.

The crewmen tested negative for COVID-19 and arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Read also: Sailors deaths highlight lack of legal protections for migrant workers

Indonesian Ambassador to Iran Octavino Alimudin said the well-established bilateral relationship between Iran and Indonesia had been a key factor in the process of releasing the citizens.

We have given legal assistance and provided a shelter that could expedite their release and their medical examination before they went home, Octavino said.

He called on future Indonesian workers who aimed to work as crewmen around the Persian Gulf to ensure the credibility of their employers so that such cases would not happen again in the future.

In addition, they need to report their whereabouts to the embassy upon their arrival to Iran and not commit violations that could jeopardize their safety, Octavino added.

As of Monday, according to the Foreign Ministry, more than 14,200 Indonesian crew members had arrived in the country through four points of entry: Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta and Benoa Port in Bali.
Family members gather on the steps of the Philadephia Museum of Art May 29, 2019 during the fourth annual Fill The Steps Against Gun Violence. Inquirer columnist Helen Ubinas brought together Philadelphians impacted by violence to meet one another, share stories and move forward with action plans to fight gun violence. Read more

Around this time last year, we were preparing to #FillTheSteps Against Gun Violence at the Art Museum.

Despite flash flood warnings, a sizable crowd showed up to raise awareness. But also, they came to connect with other allies and advocates.

In February, I shared that the members of the paralyzed gunshot survivors group, which sprang from last years event, had agreed to lead the 2020 gathering.

And then came the coronavirus.

We cant safely convene for what would have been the fifth year that Philadelphians affected by gun violence have met on those iconic steps.

But I have an idea.

Lets #FillTheFeeds, our social media feeds, on June 5  National Gun Violence Awareness Day  to mark the unceasing national toll of gun violence.

The coronavirus may have stopped school shootings, but it hasnt stopped the bloodshed in many vulnerable neighborhoods that are also being disproportionately affected by the virus.

The worlds collective attention may now be on an invisible enemy, but in too many cities like Philadelphia, the very visible threat of gun violence has mostly gone overlooked.

It may be hard to remain hopeful, locked up in our homes right now. But consider how hopeless it must feel for those who have been forced to shelter themselves against an epidemic in their own neighborhoods without any hope of a meaningful national response.

Shootings over the last two months were the highest of any March and April of the last five years, and homicides are up 20%. Its the same in many other cities.

In a three-hour span on Mothers Day, five people in Philadelphia were shot.

Last month, I shared the story of how gun violence stole one Philadelphia mothers children and the coronavirus robbed her of her final goodbye.

So, on June 5, lets come together, if just virtually, to focus on an epidemic to which none are immune.

I dont want to put too many rules or expectations on this effort  were all in very different places in our corona journey  but heres what I hope.

I hope to enlist ambassadors in every state to start the online effort  on whatever social media platform they choose  by encouraging others to #FillTheFeeds Against Gun Violence with stories of what this epidemic has robbed them of:

Their sense of safety, their loved ones, the use of their legs  but also the activism and advocacy fueled by these losses.

#FillTheFeeds with your story, or the story of your city or neighborhood, in words, in pictures, in videos, and vow to share and amplify these stories with that hashtag throughout the day.

So far we have people in Philadelphia and New Jersey and Delaware, including members of local and national advocacy groups, on board to participate. But how great would it be if every state joined the effort?

Picture it, from Alabama #FilltheFeeds Against Gun Violence to Wyoming #FillTheFeeds Against Gun Violence  a nationwide commitment against gun violence with the same kind of vigor and compassion as we have for those affected with coronavirus.

You might wonder why I dont just chalk this up to a lost year on the steps. Simple: We dont have the luxury of waiting it out until its safe. It hasnt been safe in a lot of our neighborhoods for a very long time.

I hope, even if were physically separated right now, that we can build on the momentum thats so palpable on those steps every year.

It is on those steps where I have watched in awe as mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers turn their pain into power.

It is on those steps where Ive watched young people from across the city, especially students from Parkway Center City Middle School, lift their voices to proclaim that their lives matter.

It is on those steps that Jalil Frazier, a young father who was shot and paralyzed in 2018, hatched the idea for a survivors group that in a couple of months will celebrate its one-year anniversary.

So, what do you say? You in? On June 5, lets #FillTheFeeds with a national commitment to recognize those on the front lines of an epidemic thats been left to spread for far too long.
[May 13, 2020] Voya Financial to Present at UBS Virtual Insurance Conference

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA) today announced that Rodney O. Martin, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer; Robert Grubka, president, Employee Benefits; and Michael Katz, senior vice president and head of investor relations, are scheduled to participate in the UBS Virtual Insurance Conference on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at approximately 9 a.m. ET. The live presentation will be available at the following URL: https://kvgo.com/ubs/ubs-voya-may-2020. A replay will be available for 90 days at the same website shortly after the presentation concludes. Those interested in listening to the presentation should log on to the website at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the presentation to download and install any necessary software. About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings - to get ready t retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13.8 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $7.5 billion in revenue in 2019. The company had $538 billion in total assets under management and administration as of March 31, 2020. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible - one person, one family, one institution at a time - Voya's vision is to be America's Retirement Company. Certified as a "Great Place to Work" by the Great Place to Work Institute, Voya is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible. Voya has been recognized as a 2020 World's Most Admired Company by Fortune magazine; one of the 2020 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute; as a member of the Bloomberg (News - Alert) Gender Equality Index; and as a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" on the Disability Equality Index by Disability:IN. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (News - Alert) @Voya.



VOYA-IR

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Chinese hackers are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine research, US authorities said Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions between the superpowers as markets slumped on warnings from the US Federal Reserve that prolonged shutdowns could cause "lasting damage."

Europe, meanwhile, pushed ahead with plans to gradually reopen for summer tourism, even as fears persist of a second wave of infections in the pandemic that has forced more than half of humanity behind closed doors in recent months.

With some countries scrambling after a fresh surge in cases and the global death toll exceeding 294,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the virus "may never go away."

World map showing official number of coronavirus deaths per country /  AFP

There is no proven therapy for COVID-19. An effective vaccine could allow countries and economies to fully reopen and potentially earn millions of dollars for its creators.

Amid such high stakes, hackers linked to Beijing are attempting to steal research and intellectual property related to treatments and vaccines, two US security agencies warned.

"China's efforts to target these sectors pose a significant threat to our nation's response to COVID-19," the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said.

In a sign that France might be ready for its summer holidays, some beaches reopened on May 13, 2020 /  AFP

Neither agency offered evidence or examples to support the allegation.

Washington, which has confirmed almost 1.4 million US cases of the virus and more than 84,000 deaths, has increasingly blamed Beijing for the outbreak that first emerged in China late last year.

Beijing has repeatedly denied the US accusations.

- 'Lasting damage' -

US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said ongoing anti-virus shutdowns could cause "lasting" economic damage /  AFP/File

The value of a vaccine was underscored as Jerome Powell, head of the US Federal Reserve, cautioned Wednesday that lingering shutdowns could cause "lasting" economic damage.

Powell's warning burst the balloon on Wall Street, analysts said, with stocks sliding on the comments even as he also said the US economy should rebound "substantially" once the outbreak is reined in.

Trump, trying to jumpstart the world's largest economy as he seeks re-election this year, is pushing past warnings from health officials -- particularly top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci, who has cautioned that reopening too soon risks triggering an uncontrollable outbreak.

On Wednesday, the president dismissed Fauci's call for caution as "not acceptable," and in an excerpt of an interview with Fox Business to air in full on Thursday, Trump said: "I totally disagree with him on schools."

Pelageya Poyarkova, 100, leaves a Moscow hospital on May 13, 2020 after recovering from COVID-19 /  HANDOUT/AFP

Some hint of the cost of moving too quickly could be seen in European markets, given a further mauling by data showing fresh outbreaks in South Korea and Germany.

Russia, now the country with the second-highest number of virus cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections after authorities this week eased stay-at-home orders.

Fears were also growing of a second wave in China, with the northeastern city of Jilin put in partial lockdown and Wuhan, where the virus was first detected last year, planning to test its entire population after clusters of new cases.

- France reopens some beaches -

People enjoy a walk on the the beach in La Baule, western France after lockdown measures were eased /  AFP

Still, with no vaccine in sight and dire economic data pointing to the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s, many countries were trying to navigate reopening.

Desperate to save millions of tourism jobs, the European Union set out plans for a phased restart of travel this summer, with border controls to be eventually lifted and measures to minimize infections, like wearing masks on shared transport.

In France, some beaches reopened on Wednesday -- but only for swimming and fishing, while sunbathing remained prohibited.

People in England were allowed to leave their homes more freely, as data showed the British economy shrinking by two percent in January-March, its fastest slump since 2008 -- and with a far worse contraction to come.

- Hospitals turn people away -

Brazil is emerging as a new global coronavirus hotspot /  AFP

Elsewhere, cases were surging.

Chile imposed a total lockdown in its capital Santiago after a 60 percent leap in infections over the past 24 hours.

Argentine officials were watching Buenos Aires warily after one of its poorest and most densely populated neighborhoods showed a spike in infections. Water had been cut off in Villa 31 for eight days.

Brazil is emerging as a new global hotspot despite President Jair Bolsonaro dismissing the pandemic as a "little flu."

Health experts have warned of potentially devastating consequences as the virus spreads through the developing world, where health care systems are under-funded and isolation is often not possible.

In northern Nigeria, fears that the virus is spreading have seen hospitals shut their doors to the sick.

Civil servant Binta Mohammed said she had to watch her husband die from "diabetic complications."

"The four private hospitals we took him to refused to admit him for fear he had the virus," she said.

- 'Tough old lady' -

But there were stories of hope, including two centenarians who survived the virus.

In Spain, 113-year-old Maria Branyas fought off the illness during weeks of isolation at a retirement home where several other residents died from the disease.

And in Russia, 100-year-old Pelageya Poyarkova clutched a bouquet of red roses as she was discharged from a Moscow hospital after her own recovery.

"She turned out to be a tough old lady," the hospital's acting director Vsevolod Belousov said.

burs-st/sst
ServiceTitan also recently made 70,000 surgical masks available to plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and residential and commercial service professionals who continue to provide essential services to the public during the pandemic.

"This is a major contribution to the local fight against COVID-19," said mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti. "ServiceTitan's outreach to both health professionals and workers who are performing other essential services demonstrates their commitment to the community, to the industry they serve and to their public."

ServiceTitan reached out to their community to find men and women in the trades who are in need of personal protective equipment (PPE) gear, and the masks have already begun shipping out to those in need. With over 70,000 masks the company has been able to help thousands of tradespeople and their communities stay safe.

"We understand that our mission to change lives starts in our own community in Southern California where we're headquartered," said Ara Mahdessian, CEO and co-founder of ServiceTitan. "Donating these masks is the most effective way we can do our part in this ongoing effort. We also wanted to address the particular challenges that the trades community is facing in this crisis. Technicians who are entering homes and businesses to provide essential services need assurance that they're not putting their health, or the health of their customers, at risk. These masks will provide an important level of protection that will empower them and enhance their performance."

The four hospitals recently received their masks, which have been made available to medical staff who are caring for COVID-19 patients. "The safety of our patients and our health care team is our top priority. Part of keeping everyone safe is ensuring we maintain a sufficient supply of PPE, including masks, gloves and face shields," said Jill Welton, Glendale Memorial Hospital's president. "ServiceTitan's generous contribution to our hospital is appreciated and will help us keep our staff and community safe."

The company's mask donation is in line with its #TradesShowUp social media campaign  an effort aimed at highlighting the work home and commercial service professionals continue to do in the face of a public health crisis. Companies and individual professionals are encouraged to use the hashtag while sharing content that features how they're staying safe and serving customers during COVID-19.

About ServiceTitan

ServiceTitan is a software company built to accelerate the home and commercial service industries. The company's end-to-end software suite includes CRM, intelligent dispatch, custom reporting, marketing automation, a mobile solution for field techs, and accounting integrations with Sage Intacct and QuickBooks. The company raised the largest venture round of a SaaS company in the history of Southern California ($165 million Series D) led by Index Ventures, with participation from Dragoneer and T. Rowe Price and existing investors Battery Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners and ICONIQ Capital. ServiceTitan brings a fully operational modern SaaS infrastructure to an industry traditionally underserved by software, making a direct and positive impact on the lives of thousands of entrepreneurs and their extended teams. For more information about ServiceTitan, visit https://servicetitan.com/ .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

[email protected]

(865) 977-1973

SOURCE ServiceTitan

Related Links

http://www.servicetitan.com


Protester have met the joint Russian and Turkish patrols in Idleb, and rejected their presences by throwing rocks and eggs at them writes Smart News.

On Tuesday, sit-in protesters pelted eggs and threw stones at a Russian-Turkish joint patrol on the Aleppo-Lattakia international M4 highway near the city of Ariha, 13 kilometers south of Idleb, northern Syria.

Local sources reported to Smart News that the protesters, who reject the deployment of joint patrols, threw stones and eggs at the Russian-Turkish patrol near the Ariha bridge.

On Apr. 13, 2020, Turkish forces used tear gas to scatter protesters who blocked the road near the town of al-Nayrab, as about 300 Turkish soldiers removed the protesters tents and expelled them from the al-Karamah 2 point, 900 meters east of al-Nayrab. The protesters responded by throwing stones at the soldiers, who used tear gas to scatter them.

The sources clarified that this is the tenth joint patrol on the M4 highway; the patrol included ten Russian and Turkish military vehicles, escorted by Russian warplanes and reconnaissance aircrafts.

The tenth patrol departed from the Syrian government forces-controlled village of al-Tronba, seven kilometers southeast of the city of Idleb near the Free Syrian Army and Islamist-controlled city of Ariha, and then returned.

On May 7, 2020, Turkey and Russia deployed the ninth patrol from al-Tronba to the perimeters of Ariha, while on May 5, 2020, the eighth patrol departed from al-Tronba and reached the village of Mseibin.

Earlier, people held a sit-in protest in al-Nayrab, rejecting the Turkish-Russian patrols on the M4 highway. The sit-in came after the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, announced reaching a ceasefire agreement for Idleb. The agreement came into force on Mar. 6, 2020 at 00:01 a.m.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
The telecom industry on Wednesday reiterated the demand for a refund of Rs 35,000 crore GST credit and pending payment of around Rs 20,000 crore dues owed by public sector firms to various operators, saying that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has assured to clear outstanding amounts of MSMEs in 45 days under the new stimulus measures.

"The Finance Minister's announcement is in line with the government's aim to provide the necessary impetus to economic growth and build a 'self-reliant' India. We welcome the announcement of all pending payments within 45 days from PSEs to the MSME sector.

"The telecom industry has unutilized GST input tax credit over Rs 35,000 crore for which the sector has repeatedly demanded a refund," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews said in a statement.

A task force constituted under the finance ministry last month acknowledged stress in the telecom sector and said the Supreme Court judgement mandating companies to pay around Rs 1.35 lakh crore has placed some operators in a "precarious position" due to the short period of time in which they have to meet their liabilities.

The Cellular Operators Industry Association, which represents companies like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea, etc, reiterated the demand for clearing pending payment by the state-run telecom firms mainly BSNL.

"Moreover, the total outstanding from PSUs is approximately Rs 20,000 crore since long. We hope the Hon'ble Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, in the course of next few announcements would give similar relief to the sector that has immensely contributed to keeping the country connected during the last 25 years and has kept 1 billion people connected during the current lockdown situation," Mathews said.

The task force said the telecom sector is already reeling under the financial stress of Rs 7.7 lakh crore and the AGR liability is further going to add to uncertainty for some of the companies.

Telecom companies are jointly required to shelve out Rs 1.35 lakh crore as adjusted gross revenue dues to comply with an apex court order of October 24, 2019.

Sitharaman on Tuesday announced the first set of relief for businesses as part of the relief package focussed on micro, small and medium businesses and will continue to issue guidelines for other sectors gradually.

Taiwan-based electronic chipset provider for telecom products Mediatek's Indian arm said that the government's 'Make in India' initiatives and the emphasis on self-reliance is commendable and the relief packages will help India's economy to overcome the negative effects of the lockdown.

"Technology-driven systems are one of the five key pillars of growth and will bolster the tech sector in its efforts to scale-up and support the economy. MediaTek is hopeful that these initiatives will further India's growth towards becoming a digital economy," Mediatek India managing director Anku Jain said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Socially distanced in-person Ham Radio exam sessions

The ARRL reports in-person amateur radio exam sessions have been held in the USA and Norway



With some states starting to relax restrictions on events and activities, the Grant County, Oregon, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) held an in-person exam session on April 26 in the town of John Day that adhered to social distancing recommendations.

Exam organizers held the gathering to within Oregons 10-person limit for gatherings, keeping everyone 6 feet apart and requiring all participants to wear face masks. The exam session was held outdoors under a car port.



We had an exceptionally successful test session, with candidates passing exams at every amateur radio level, said Ed Ellesson, AF7YX, the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Liaison for the Grant County Amateur Radio Club.

Grant County Emergency Coordinator Steve Fletcher, K7AA, noted that many clubs had canceled their planned sessions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Grant County decided to approach the problem by obeying all the restrictions but still holding the exam, he said. As a result, we had people come here from all over the state.



In Oklahoma, the Mid-Del Amateur Radio Club, W5MWC, administered an open-air exam session on April 25 that held to social distancing guidelines. Over the course of the 3-hour session, 16 candidates tested and all were successful. One candidate passed all three exam elements to come away with his Amateur Extra-class license.



Read the full ARRL story at

http://www.arrl.org/news/socially-distanced-in-person-exam-sessions-held-in-us-and-norway
Agriculture is pivotal to economic growth and a conscious effort to invest in it is catalytic to national development. Not only does it achieve the goals of food security, agriculture creates job opportunities for the teeming populace.

Agriculture is an important sector in economies across the world, providing sustainable livelihood for countless people, especially in developing countries. Agriculture not only provides a source of income but also provides much of our foods including job creation.

Early farmers domesticated cereals, fruits, vegetables and animals. This helped to preserve many species selected for their high nutrient content and reliable harvests. In turn, the stable food supply chain created by farms kept people from starving, and in fact led to a rapid increase in population around the world.

Today, agriculture is a core enabler of global trade and nations leverage on it for industrialization. As the human population approaches ten billion people by 2050, agriculture has proved to be to continue growth to meet the demand for food. Farming creates opportunities to lift people out of poverty in developing nations. Over sixty percent of the worlds working poor works in agriculture. Farming creates more jobs, beginning with farmers, and continuing with farm equipment makers, food processing plants, transportation, infrastructure and manufacturing.

In Nigeria, agriculture was the key growth-driver of foreign exchange before crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity. In the past, successive administrations introduced policies and programmes designed to improve agriculture were implemented. The Operation Feed the Nation programme was introduced by the Obasanjo administration in 1978. President Shagari also initiated the "Green Revolution" programme. Whereas both programmes took off with optimism, they were killed by corruption and mismanagement. Since then, attempts at improving agriculture have not been successful.

Bayelsa is a State blessed with rich natural resources. As a riverine State, Bayelsa is blessed with aquacultural and food crops: Fish, oyster, shrimps, cassava, coco-yam, plantain, timber, cane wood, raffia palm, Irvingia (OGbono), maize, palm produce, rice, yam, sugar cane, seas-foods and plantain. Over the years these potentials have not been fully harnessed.

During the electioneering campaigns in 2019, Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri promised to hinge the development of the State on agriculture and other agro-based industries. This has popularized the slogan "Bayelsa Back to Farm" as government's resolve to invest in agriculture as a spark plug for job creation, food production and poverty reduction in the State.

Governor Diri expressed his passion and zeal to restore the farming Culture of the State when he presented a N242. 3bn 2020 Appropriation Bill of his administration, christened "Consolidation For Prosperity 2020". Senator Diri said the appropriation bill defines the structure for economic activities to be undertaken in the fiscal year.

Accordingly, the Governor proposed a total Sum of N8 billion for the Agricultural Sector. In his word he said "we intend to focus on the Agricultural sector as a major means of wealth creation. Therefore, various agricultural projects shall be embarked upon with the aim of providing employment and achieving food security in the State. We are poised to quit being a net consumer of food items to becoming a producer and supplier State. Value Chain Transformation Programmes will be supported to achieve food security in the State. We will partner with private sector investors, research institutes, communities etc. in our pursuit of viable agric projects that would provide food for our people and also enhance the development of Agro-allied industries".

The Governor further stated that:

- We are already partnering with CBN and other agencies to increase the funding of various agricultural projects.

- We will put to optimal use the Aquaculture projects in Igbogene/Yenigue, Igeibiri, Angalabiri etc. In addition, this government shall create more outlets to harness our existing natural aquaculture endowments.

- Our state-of-the-art Starch Processing Plant at Ebedebiri, and our comparative advantage in cassava production, will be fully enhanced.

- We shall engage in cassava, rice, plantain, sugarcane farming etc.

To succeed in these plans of restoring the farming culture of Bayelsa State in order to have a massive production of food and increase wealth in the State, I am of the opinion that the State Government should consider & adopt the following measures:

1. Acquire a large plots of lands in each of the 8 Local Governments of the State for farming.

2. Employ the Youths, Men & Women under the Ministry Of Agriculture & Mineral Resources and deploy them to each of this Farm Lands in the 8 Local Governments.

3. Engage In Farm Products Like: fresh fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, shell eggs, honey or other bee products, maple syrup or maple sugar, flowers, nursery stock and other horticultural commodities, livestock food products, including meat, milk, cheese and other dairy products, food products of "aquaculture", including fish, oysters, clams, Mussels and Animal husbandry.

4. Establish a Food Agency and distribution center in Yenagoa Local Government, where sellers can come & buy in a cheaper price from the Government & sell to the Markets in the State and outside the State.

5. The farms should be managed by a private sector and supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture & Mineral Resources, in partnership with the Bayelsa Microfinance & Enterprise Development Agency (BYMEDA).

With the consideration and implementation of the above recommendations, Bayelsa State will be recognized as one of the consistent food producing States in Nigeria.

In addition to economic diversification, investment in agriculture will not only create jobs but de-emphasize the over-dependence on crude oil as a major foreign exchange earner. The Bayelsa Back to Farm project is a vision that must be pursued with vigour and the much-needed synergy between government and the private sector cannot be overemphasized.
In tonight's edition: Isabel dos Santos, the billionaire daughter of Angola's ex-president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, accuses the government of resorting to forgery to freeze her assets last year. In Ethiopia, the country's only ventilator specialist rushes to train as many staff as possible amid the spread of Covid-19. And in Ivory Coast, schoolchildren turn to distance learning to keep up with their studies, but it's not proving easy for poorer communities. Our team met one student determined to keep learning despite the hurdles.
A local court on Wednesday



remanded 61 of the over 130 accused, held in connection with the Palghar lynching case, in judicial custody and 51 others in police custody.

Total 113 accused, including a juvenile, were produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) M V Jawale at Dahanu in Palghar district.

The incident had taken place at Gadchinchle village on April 16 when two seers were heading towards Surat from Mumbai in a car with a driver to attend a funeral. A mob of villagers stopped their vehicle and beat them to death on suspicion that they were child-lifters, even as a few police personnel had reached the spot.

Palghar district rural police have registered three FIRs in connection with the lynching incident. As many 134 persons have been arrested by the local police and the state CID.

The first case relates to the murder of three victims. In connection with this case, the court remanded six of the seven accused in police custody until May 19, while another accused, a juvenile, was referred to the Juvenile Justice Board.

In the other FIR relating to the attack on the police and attempt to murder, 106 accused were produced before the court, of them five were remanded in police custody till May 16.

When the police took the custody of the 101 in the third FIR, 40 of them were remanded into police custody till May 18. The remaining 61 were remanded in judicial custody.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MUNICH, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IDnow (www.idnow.io) joins an international working group of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) for the development of European standards for identity verification. As a leading provider of Identity Verification-as-a-Service solutions, IDnow will provide the Task Force with important insights into the European market.

IDnow was selected by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to participate in a new working group on Electronic Signatures and Infrastructures (ESI). As a member of the Special Task Force 588, IDnow is part of an exclusive group of specialists who started work in April 2020 to fill existing gaps in identity verification standards. The objective of the Task Force is to develop new standards and guidelines for electronic signatures and related trust services.

IDnow is pleased to be one of the appointed experts to share its expertise as a leading company in the field of identity verification. The work of the Task Force will contribute to the preparation and publication of the ETSI technical standard 119 461 on ESI by July 2021. These guidelines and security requirements for trust services issuing qualified certificates will find wide application in the market. In particular, these standards can serve as a guide for Know Your Customer (KYC) criteria and for the issuance of electronic identity schemes (eIDs). The work with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute strengthens IDnow's efforts for greater regulatory and technical harmonisation in digital identity services.

"We are pleased to support the working group and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute with our knowledge," says Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow. "IDnow has been working with customers from different European countries since 2014 and we know the market and its development very well," she adds.

Rayissa Armata, Head of Regulatory Affairs at IDnow and Armin Bauer, CTO and Co-Founder of IDnow have joined the task force as representatives for their company. The expert team is led by Sylvie Lacroix (Sealed). In addition to the two IDnow members, Paloma Llenaza (Certicar), Stephane Mouy (SGM Consulting Services) and Jon lnes (Signicat) have been appointed.

About IDnow

With their Identity-Verification-as-a-Service (IVaaS) platform, IDnow is committed to making the networked world a safer place. The forgery-proof identity verification offered by IDnow is used in all industries in which companies process customer interactions online that require a maximum level of security. IDnow technology uses artificial intelligence to ensure that an identification document has all security features in order to reliably detect forged documents. It can potentially verify the identities of more than 7 billion customers from 193 different countries in real time.

IDnow covers a wide range of applications in regulated industries in Europe and for entirely new digital business models around the world as well. Through the platform, the identity flow can be adapted on a case-by-case basis to suit regional, legislative and economic requirements.

IDnow is supported by the venture capital investors BayBG, Seventure Partner, G+D Ventures, Corsair Capital and Jet A as well as a consortium of renowned business angels. With more than 250 customers, their clientele includes leading international companies in various industries such as Bank of Scotland, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, eventim, Raisin (Weltsparen), Sixt, solarisBank, Telefonica Deutschland, UBS, Western Union and wirecard in addition to FinTechs such as Fidor, N26, smava and wefox.

Press contact:

Christina Schwinning

[email protected]

+49 89 41324 6054

SOURCE IDnow GmbH

Related Links

http://www.idnow.io


(TNS)  With coronavirus concerns leaving questions about how school will return after the summer break, state and local education officials are preparing to improve available technology to students who need it. More than $1.9 million has been allocated for public schools in Carter County as part of emergency federal relief for schools across the country.The federal funds are part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, the largest economic relief bill in the nation's history, approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in March. As part of that federal relief package, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund includes $13 billion for state departments of education across the country."Like schools across the nation, Oklahoma educators are considering the transition to next school year and preparing for various options that may be brought by the pandemic," said Joy Hofmeister, superintendent of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, in a Monday statement.Nearly $145 million in emergency federal relief is now available to Oklahoma schools to help prepare for the future of education in a world fighting COVID-19. Most of the local funds$1.2 millionhave been allocated to the Ardmore and Dickson school districts and officials from each said technology is a top priority moving forward."COVID-19 has pulled the curtain back on the digital divide. With an increasing number of schools moving to blended learning environments, the time is now to close this divide so that every student can be positioned for success," said Hofmeister.According to OSDE, allotments are tied to certain Title I funds from Fiscal Year 2020 and amounts are based on a school's student population that is considered low-income. The funds announced Monday are restricted to a dozen categories directly related to coronavirus response including distance learning technology, summer learning programs, sanitization training and materials and virus response coordination.Dickson Public Schools expects to upgrade technology with more than $200,000 in allocated funds. Superintendent Jeff Colclasure said the funds will help with expenses incurred by the district as it prepares for the possibility of implementing more distance learning. In particular, Colclasure said improved connectivity would be an important investment."We have identified some areas that we think we are going to spend that money on for technology," he said by phone Monday.Ardmore City Schools Finance Director Kelly Shannon said in an email Monday the virus-related closure and move to distance learning has already had an impact on the system's finances, including technology purchases and labor costs for essential staff. With nearly $990,000 now available, Shannon expects to use the federal funds to aid online learning, provide mental health services and purchase cleaning supplies.Education officials at the district level will have more opportunities for financial assistance in the coming weeks. According to Monday's statement from OSDE, additional relief funds will soon be made available in the form of incentive grants to further expand districts' technology."We must do everything in our power to ensure that every home in Oklahoma is fully connected so each of our students has the opportunity for academic success in a 21st-century context. That means full connectivity and a device that can accommodate rigorous distance education," said Hofmeister.Colclasure said he has not seen much guidance on what those grants will look like but said they will obviously be considered. "We're always trying to look at how we can maximize what we get and what we can provide to our students," he said.
A 76-year-old man from Bihar who had multiple age-related ailments died due to alleged negligence of a private hospital in Kolkata that denied admission suspecting him to be positive for COVID-19, his family members said on Wednesday.

Shahid Ahmad Yahya, a resident of Darbhanga, was brought to Kolkata on May 9 for admission to the Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals on the recommendation of the doctor who used to treat him, his son-in-law Mokhtar Alam told PTI.

Yahya who was diagnosed with parkinsonism induced by sepsis used to consult the Kolkata-based doctor.

The doctor recommended Yahya, who was in the ICU of a hospital in Darbhanga, to be shifted here for better treatment, Alam who is a resident of Kolkata said.

"We travelled from Darbhanga in an ICU ambulance after getting necessary passes from the administration and straightaway took him to the Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals," he said.

"Doctors there made us wait for a couple of hours and then conducted some tests while my father-in-law was lying on a stretcher in the corridor of the hospital," Alam said.

A doctor suddenly said that he was suspected to be positive for COVID-19 and should be taken to the MR Bangur Hospital or any other government-run facility that is treating coronavirus cases, he said.

"My father-in-law had no symptoms. I don't know why the doctors at Apollo denied him admission. On the outpatient case record they noted him as a COVID-19 suspect and referred him to a government hospital treating coronavirus patients," Alam said.

Yahya's family members alleged that he was in a critical condition but instead of treating him, the doctors at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals wasted much of the crucial time, a charge denied by the hospital authorities.

An official of the Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals said every patient is being screened for COVID-19 and if the patient comes across as a suspect then a confirmatory test becomes necessary before admission.

"But for a test to be conducted we need to have a bed available in the 'COVID suspect ward' as we can't risk the exposure of non-COVID patients to the deadly virus. If beds are not available at the time, we have to refer the patient to a government hospital," he said.

Yahya was then taken to another private hospital off EM Bypass which denied him admission as well.

Subsequently, he was taken to the state-run MR Bangur Hospital, which is a designated facility for COVID-19, in south Kolkata.

"He was admitted to the male isolation ward of the MR Bangur Hospital on May 9 and he died on May 11 around 4.15 am," Alam said.

Yahya tested negative for COVID-19 and his death certificate mentioned cardiorespiratory failure in a case of sepsis with chronic kidney disease and stage 3 diabetic Mellitus and hypertension as the cause of his death.

His family members said the doctors at the Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals that denied him admission on the grounds that he was a COVID-19 suspect should be punished.

"We want justice and would take legal steps against the doctors who denied him admission," said Alam.

This incident came to fore even as the West Bengal government ordered private hospitals and clinics to admit all patients without seeking certificates, stating that they are COVID-19 free, or face strict penal action.

Yahya was buried on Tuesday evening at the Solana Kabristan in the Ekbalpore area of the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- Activist Boniface Mwangi was announced the winner of the 2020 Outstanding Youth Peace Maker

- The activist will be awarded in May 2021 during the 5th Annual Transatlantic Dialogue conference at the University of Luxembourg to be held in may 2021

- Mwangi was awarded for his fight for justice and social change in Kenya

Human rights activist Boniface Mwangi has been awarded the Outstanding Youth Peace Maker Prize 2020 by the Luxembourg Peace Prize and the Schengen Peace Foundation.

The organisation described Mwangi as a devoted young Kenyan whose desire for social change and justice has made him stand out among many youths of his generation.

READ ALSO: Political Parties Tribunal confirms section of its orders given to Lusaka on Jubilee - KANU alliance was forged

Human rights activist Boniface Mwangi is set to be awarded the prize in May 2021. Photo: Boniface Mwangi

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Coronavirus update: 15 more test positive, national count now at 715

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, May 12, Mwangi said he had been listed among the recipients of the awards in a ceremony that will be held during the 5th Annual Transatlantic Dialogue conference at the University of Luxembourg on May 28, 2021.

"Schengen Peace Foundation and Luxembourg Peace Prize announce Boniface Mwangi as the 2020 Outstanding Youth Peace Maker for his pre-eminent efforts and initiatives to promote peace," read the statement from the awarding organisation.

The organisation said Mwangi is one of the Kenyan youths recognised globally for his passion and excellence in photography that saw him shift into activism after witnessing Kenyans suffering first hand during the 2008 Post-Election Violence.

READ ALSO: Magazeti ya Jumatano, Mei 13: Ichung'wa na Washiali katika hatari ya kuangukiwa na bakora ya Uhuru

His courage and strong stand for justice and fight against corruption have been mentioned by the organisation as some of the key admirable characters that saw him get the prize.

Luxembourg Peace Prize was first introduced by the Schengen Peace Foundation in 2012 and is meant to award outstanding peace makers across the globe.

Every year, between eight to twelve awards are given out each year to organisations and individuals in categories ranging from peace activists to environmental peace.

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
Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey may not be the most vibrant public figure out there, but he surely comes across as the finest Steve Jobs-level tech-wiz with top-class leadership qualities.

Time and again, through various means and approaches, Jack Dorsey has shown the world that running a successful business takes much more than just establishing it. Great organizations of this world are built upon strong ethics and ideologies which thrive on consumer satisfaction provided through high employee engagement and happiness index.

 Twitter/ajplus

And the Twitter CEO isnt just a man good with words, but also knows how to walk the talk and lead the way.



Here are 7 such reasons which prove Jack Dorsey might just be the coolest boss out there that all of us need:

1. He Actually Cares About His Employees Welfare

Hours ago, Jack Dorsey made headlines for sending his Twitter employees an email which said that they can continue to work from home as long as they want, even after the pandemic is over.

So, basically what that means is, if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen.

 Twitter Complex

I mean, which other CEO would even consider such a move even if they get the chance? Think about it, Ill wait.



2. He Is Least Bothered About His Appraisals

Jack Dorsey is known to have taken just $1.40 as his base salary since 2018 - forgoing any increment or extra remuneration.

However, keeping in mind that the total compensation of Twitter's median compensated employee was $213,155 in 2019, an employee to CEO pay ratio is less than 0.001.

 BCCL

While his employees continue to get their dues for their services year after year, the Twitter CEO hasnt claimed any benefits for himself and continues to work for his company and its future every day.



3. He Leads The Way By Setting Examples

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Jack Dorsey has gone out of his way to ensure that he takes effective personal measures to help the world fight the pandemic. The man swore off 28% of (his) wealth, that is $1,000 million, to aid the fight against coronavirus and build a better future.

 Twitter/nnavinsingh21

So, before calling people to donate whatever is in their power, Dorsey is doing his bit to encourage others. So far, he has donated $2.1 million to the Mayors Fund for LA towards domestic violence victims, pledged $10 million to REFORM Alliance which will help provide 10 million face masks and other PPEs for inmates, officers, health care workers and other prison employees.

 Twitter/CBSNews

The Twitter CEO has also donated $15 million to San Franciscos COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, to help people and businesses impacted by the pandemic.



Apart from all that, Dorsey has also donated $750K to Eminems Marshall Mathers foundation which works to help the youth in Detroit.

4. He Teaches His Team (& Others) To Have Faith In Their Product

No company, however strong, can sustain itself in the long run if the ones who are working in it dont have faith in its potential and future. Similarly, Jack Dorsey, who also happens to be the founder and CEO of mobile payments company Square, has shown his team that trusting their own product is crucial.

 Twitter/DatHaxor

By regularly buying Bitcoin worth $10,000 every week, and maxing out his Bitcoin buys on Cash App, a subsidiary of Square, Jack Dorsey is encouraging his employees and customers to have faith in their products and services. And thats just one such instance.



5. He Welcomes Criticism & Feedback

We all know how welcome any form of criticism or feedback is to most bosses. But thats not the case with Jack Dorsey.

According to reports, earlier this year, the Twitter CEO made a video call to tech giant Elon Musk during a staff meeting to take direct feedback and critique on Twitter from the man himself.

 Twitter/nypost

According to SkyNews, Dorsey asked, "Give us some direct feedback, critique, what are we doing poorly, what could we be doing better, and what's your hope for our potential as a service?" He further added, "If you were running Twitter - by the way do you want to run Twitter? What would you do?"

 Twitter/Recode

Musk gave him an honest response and said that it would be helpful to differentiate between real and fake (bots and organised trolls) accounts. "How do you tell if the feedback is real or someone trying to manipulate the system? ...Sometimes it can be very difficult to figure out what's real public opinion and what's not.



By encouraging an open feedback/criticism session during a staff meeting, Dorsey imbibed a good culture within his team and encouraged his employees to work with an open mind, accept criticisms and improve as they go.
UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick has officially opened its new 3m unit for breast cancer patients, in the Leben complex.

Launched last week at UHL, the unit  the first of its kind in the Mid-West  received generous funding support from the JP McManus Invitational ProAm, the HSE, the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust, the National Cancer Control Programme, and donations from patients, their families and friends through fundraisers.

UL Hospitals Group CEO, Colette Cowan welcomed the launch of the facility.

This building allows for greater privacy and comfort; with the consultations, diagnostic investigations, prosthetic fitting rooms and minor surgical procedures all under one roof in a bright and welcoming that is truly patient-centred.

It has been a long road for patients and staff but it is a proud moment for UL Hospitals and our charitable partners to be able to say that we have achieved our ambition, she said.

According to consultant breast surgeon, Shona Tormey, the new unit at UHL offers all aspects of breast and breast cancer care including triple assessment, breast reconstruction and oncoplastic surgery, and dedicated family history clinics. Breast cancer in UHL includes a dedicated breast medical oncology unit and radiotherapy delivered in the UHL medical oncology unit and the Mater Private radiotherapy on site.

One of the driving forces for the launch of the facility was the increase in attendances at the hospital. In 2005, there were 3,073 new and return attendances, which doubled in 2015 to 6,726.

The new development includes consultation rooms, a multidisciplinary team conference room, a prosthesis fitting room, a family room, administrative offices and a quiet room where women can retire for cancer consultations and information.

The unit also includes cutting-edge diagnostics, with two ultrasound and two mammography suites, including the first use in a public hospital in Ireland of 3D mammography.
Mr Michael Awuah, the first vice-chairman of NPP-Japan branch has reiterated his unflinching support for the running of the ports and harbours by UNIPASS spearheaded by Ghana Link Service Ltd., in conjunction with Customs UNIPASS international Agency (CUPIA), of the Korean Customs Service.

He argues that GCNET and its other associates have nothing more to offer Ghanaians because, in a recent interview with the Deputy General Manager of Technical at GCNET, Carl Sackey published on the 10th March 2020, he admitted to Joy Business Norvan Acquah-Hayford that they would be able to provide all the end-to-end services if the government had asked them to do so. This goes to confirm the earlier denial that they do have a full end-to-end Customs Management System for the country. Mr Sackey believes there is no technical basis for the arguments that are being made but in reality, there are technical basis for bringing on board UNIPASS.

Mr. Michael Awuah indicated that per the information available UNIPASS comes with a lot experience and expertise and is ready to provide a comprehensive national single window platform resulting in more revenue for the country.

In support of the above assertions, the president of the Chamber of Freight Forwarders and Trade. Mr Dennis Amfo-Sefah is of the firm conviction that UNIPASS has come to overcome the difficulties which led to the complete stall of goods clearance at the ports.

In response to last weeks implementation failure by UNIPASS, Mr Awuah said this was a demonstration of the sabotage emanating from the GCNET, West Blues and other unseen saboteurs working tirelessly to stop the beautiful intentions of the UNIPASS agreement and is of the view that after a successful implementation of the contract, Ghanas port will see a massive transformation.

As far as efficiency is concern, the coming of UNIPASS would lead to a reduction of some port charges from 1% on a consignment of imported items to 0.75% on the same quantity of goods and this would translate into lower port charges and lower prices of goods, he added.

Also, in opposition to the noise and claims made by IMANI Ghana that the UNI-PASS is untested port evaluation system, Mr Awuah said the UNI-PASS was not developed overnight, it was done through numerous trials and errors and more importantly they are working in collaboration with a world-acclaimed institution, the Customs UNIPASS international Agency (CUPIA).

Mr. Awuah said he could not fathom the sense in contracting three vendors in a small country like Ghana to provide three different services at the ports and harbours and therefore the bringing in a single vendor would not only save the countrys money and trade facilitation but also save importers of the increased taxation and reduced the number of hours spent at the various ports.

He praised the GRA and other state agencies for making it possible for a smooth implementation of the UNIPASS contract.
VANCOUVER, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - BetterLife Pharma Inc. ("BetterLife" or the "Company") (CSE: BETR /OTCQB: PVOTF / FRA: NPAT) today announced that a third party study is scheduled to be released this Friday in the journal Frontiers of Immunology. The study investigated the use of interferon alpha-2b on 77 patients with moderate cases of COVID-19 and found that the interferon alpha-2b drug significantly accelerated clearance of the virus from the airways of patients.

This study was subject to an article titled "Interferon emerges as potential treatment for COVID-19" in the May 13th edition of the Globe and Mail, a national Canadian newspaper, where Dr. Eleanor Fish, a researcher with Toronto's University Health Network and the senior author on one of the studies commented "that awareness of interferon as a potential COVID-19 treatment has been slow to build and should be prioritized for larger-scale clinical trials."

Ahmad Doroudian, Chief Executive Officer of BetterLife commented "We are encouraged by the results of recent studies on the use of interferon for COVID-19 which further support the approach being taken by BetterLife".

BLife Pharma will press release the highlights of the study when released and post it on its website https://abetterlifepharma.com.

About BLife Therapeutics Inc.

BLife Therapeutics will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of BetterLife Pharma Inc. focused on the prevention of severe COVID-19 disease.

BetterLife has an agreement pursuant to which BLife Threapeutics will acquire worldwide rights (other than in Greater China, Japan and ASEAN countries) to commercialize and sell AntiCovir, a potential COVID-19 treatment, from Altum Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Altum"). The completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions precedent. See the Company's press release dated May 7, 2020 for further information.

About BetterLife Pharma Inc.

BetterLife Pharma Inc. is a science-based innovative medical wellness company aspiring to offer high-quality preventive and self-care products to its customers. For further information please visit abetterlifepharma.com

Cautionary Note

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that AntiCovir or any other product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the Covid-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time. Further, the safety and efficacy of AntiCovir are under investigation and market authorization has not yet been obtained.

Shareholders and other Company stakeholders are encouraged to only look to the formal disclosure record under the Company's issuer profile at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at abetterlifepharma.com for material information regarding the Company.

This press release contains statistical data, market research, website links, third party publications and industry forecasts that were obtained from government or other third party publications and reports or based on estimates derived from such publications and reports and management's knowledge of, and experience in, the markets in which the Company operates. Government and industry publications and third party reports generally indicate that they have obtained their information from sources believed to be reliable, but do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of their information. None of the authors of such publications and reports has provided any form of consultation, advice or counsel regarding any aspect of, or is in any way whatsoever associated with, this press release. Actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecast in such reports or publications, and the prospect for material variation can be expected to increase as the length of the forecast period increases. While management believes this data to be reliable, market and industry data is subject to variations and cannot be verified due to limits on the availability and reliability of data inputs, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations and uncertainties inherent in any statistical survey. Accordingly, the accuracy, currency and completeness of this information cannot be guaranteed. The Company has not independently verified any of the data from third party sources referred to in this press release or ascertained the underlying assumptions relied upon by such sources. Further, statements as to the past performance and studies are not necessarily indicative of or guarantees of future performance or success or the commercial viability of any successful trial and there is no representation, warranty or assurance that the Company will achieve similar results or success and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, the matters set forth above may be forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, such as the failure to complete the transaction with Altum or to meet obligations under the agreement with Altum, the failure of Altum to complete Phase 3 trials or to have success in such trials, the failure of Altum to secure and/or enforce patent protection for AntiCovir, the failure of Altum to secure exclusive rights from third parties, the failure of the Company to secure financing needed to carry out the plans set out herein, the failure to meet the conditions imposed by the CSE or other securities regulators, the level of business and consumer spending, the amount of sales of BetterLife's products, statements with respect to internal expectations, the competitive environment within the industry, the ability of BetterLife to commence and expand its operations, the level of costs incurred in connection with BetterLife's operational efforts, economic conditions in the industry, pandemics, and the financial strength of BetterLife's future customers and suppliers. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forward in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our ability to obtain, on satisfactory terms or at all, the capital required for research, product development, operations and marketing; general economic, business and market conditions; our ability to successfully and timely complete clinical studies; product development delays and other uncertainties related to new product development; our ability to attract and retain business partners and key personnel;  the risk of our inability to profitably commercialize our proposed products; the risk that our proposed clinical trials will not be launched in a timely manner (or at all) or if launched yield positive results or that we will not obtain regulatory market approvals for our products; the extent of any future losses; the risk of our inability to establish or manage manufacturing, development or marketing collaborations; the risk of delay of, or failure to obtain, necessary regulatory approvals and, ultimately, product launches; dependence on third parties for successful commercialization of our products; inability to obtain product and raw materials in sufficient quantity or at standards acceptable to health regulatory authorities to commence and complete clinical trials or to meet commercial demand; the risk of the termination or conversion of our license with Altum or our inability to enforce our rights under our license with Altum; our ability to obtain patent protection and protect our intellectual property rights; commercialization limitations imposed by intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties; uncertainty related to intellectual property liability rights and liability claims asserted against us; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and future levels of government funding; additional risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control.

Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise

SOURCE BetterLife Pharma Inc.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

The total number of coronavirus-infected people in Uzbekistan has reached 2,568, Trend reports on May 13 with reference to the Ministry of Health.

To date, 2,040 patients have fully recovered in the country, 10 have died.

Uzbekistan recently declared Jizzakh, Kashkadarya and Navoi regions were declared free from COVID-19.

Uzbekistan has divided the country's regions and cities into "zones" of red, yellow and green colors, depending on the coronavirus infection level in the given area.

The "red" zones include Karakalpakstan, Andijan, Namangan, Fergana, Samarkand, Tashkent region (also divided into "zones"), Bukhara, Syrdarya.

The "yellow" zones include Surkhandarya, Khorezm, Tashkent city.

The "green" zones include Navoi, Jizzak, Kashkadarya.

In the "green" zones, free movement of cars and motor vehicles without special stickers is allowed. In "red" and "yellow" zones personal transport movement is allowed in certain hours (from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, GMT+5).

Recently, Zarafshan city of Navoi region was transferred from the "yellow" zone to the "red" zone.

In addiction, since May 13, quarantine measures are to be tightened in Samarkand, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

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
Ahmed Arbery, the unarmed black jogger chased down and killed by two white men in Georgia, was recorded checking out a construction site at some point before he was shot dead in the street. After the footage was used to imply Arbery was at fault for his own lynching, the owner of the construction site says Arbery committed no crime and condemned those suggesting otherwise. The owner confirmed nothing was taken from the site.

The February 23 footage, captured moments before Arbery's death, appears to show him looking around but never touching anything  and eventually, walking away. "I don't want it to be put out and misused and misinterpreted for people to think that I had accused Mr. Arbery of stealing or robbery, because I never did," Larry English, the homeowner told CNN's Chris Cuomo Tuesday night. "By the time Larry saw the video, Mr. Arbery had been killed," English's attorney, Elizabeth Graddy, said.

This is an important detail, as one of the killers claimed Arbery resembled a suspect he'd seen on security video at a break-in.

Greg McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, were finally arrested and charged with murder Thursday after footage of the killing itself went viral. A local prosecutor, reportedly a former employer of the elder McMichael, had told police not to arrest them on the scene and declined to press charges. McMichael has extensive connections to local law enforcement.
MICHIGAN  Another 370 cases of the coronavirus have been reported in Michigan, bringing the statewide total over 48,300.

State health officials on Wednesday announced the 370 new coronavirus cases, which increased the state total to 48,391. Meanwhile, officials announced that 40 more people had died from the coronavirus, bringing Michigan's death toll to 4,714.

State numbers are released daily at 3 p.m. but are indicative of what has been reported by 10 a.m. that day.

Don't miss important updates from health and government officials on the impact of the coronavirus in Michigan. Sign up for Patch's daily newsletters and email alerts.



Numbers are sometimes altered as public health officials investigate individual cases. Case numbers sometimes do not match numbers provided by respective counties due to several variables, including testing done by private organizations that report to either the state or the county but not both.



Deaths are reported by health care providers and recorded by local health departments. Other data, such as the number of individuals who have recovered at the state level, are released on Saturdays.

Local, State Workers Impacted by Coronavirus

Across Michigan, the coronavirus have impacted municipal economies. In Oakland County, Michigan Works! has announced a series of virtual seminars for people affected by the coronavirus but looking for work. The seminars are typically available in person, but have been moved to a digital format in the wake of the pandemic.

"Getting our residents back to work is one of our top priorities as the economy begins to reopen and businesses resume operations," Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. "Oakland County Michigan Works! provides valuable career assistance and these virtual workshops give people expert advice that can lead to future employment and a meaningful career."



In Dearborn, 60 grants are being distributed this week to small businesses that may have missed out on relief funds from the federal and state levels. The grants are for businesses effected negatively by the coronavirus pandemic.

Story continues

Macomb County also has taken measures to assist small businesses during the pandemic, launching a one-stop shop web page comprised of resources for the businesses upon their reopening.

Meanwhile, the state on Wednesday announced temporary layoffs for state workers in an attempt to address a deficit created by Michigan's response to the coronavirus.

"As we continue to combat COVID-19, it's clear that we're facing unprecedented challenges that will lead to serious budget implications for the state of Michigan," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. "Utilizing this federal program keeps state employees working so they can continue to provide critical services to Michiganders and protects their paychecks so they can continue to support their families."



Daily Coronavirus Tracker

Below is a day-by-day breakdown of the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases and new reported deaths as they've been announced each day. The numbers have trended in a positive direction since the start of May; for the first 10 days of May, Michigan averaged just over 478 new confirmed coronavirus cases a day. During the first 10 days of April, the state averaged over 1,516 new cases reported each day.

Date New Confirmed Cases New Reported Deaths 5-13 370 40 5-12 469 90 5-11 414 33 5-10 382 25 5-9 430 133 5-8 680 50 5-7 592 93 5-6 657 71 5-5 447 44 5-4 196 86

Coronavirus Cases in Southeast Michigan

Below is a breakdown of coronavirus cases reported in southeast Michigan. Detroit continues to be the hardest hit community in the state based on the number of cases and deaths. Wayne County, which reports separately from Detroit, leads Michigan counties in reported cases.

County Total Number of Cases Total Number of Deaths Detroit 9,973 1,218 Wayne County 8,416 938 Oakland County 7,830 874 Macomb County 6,137 717 Washtenaw County 1,210 83 Livingston County 378 23 Monroe County 404 18 Lenawee County 129 2

This article originally appeared on the Detroit Patch
Health-care workers in Winnipeg hospitals are, quite deservedly, getting a lot of love. Signs around town adorned with hand-drawn hearts offer such sentiments as Healthcare Workers Are Heroes. A McPhillips Street garage offered free oil changes. A horn orchestra played for them outside Victoria Hospital on a recent Saturday evening.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/5/2020 (615 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Health-care workers in Winnipeg hospitals are, quite deservedly, getting a lot of love. Signs around town adorned with hand-drawn hearts offer such sentiments as "Healthcare Workers Are Heroes." A McPhillips Street garage offered free oil changes. A horn orchestra played for them outside Victoria Hospital on a recent Saturday evening.

But for other essential workers, such as grocery-store clerks and nursing-home staff, there are no orchestras to serenade them as they finish another shift that risked their health.

Many workers who have kept our community functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic are paid little more than Manitobas minimum wage of $11.65 an hour. The pandemic has highlighted the important role of such workers as store cashiers, warehouse clerks, meat packers, custodians, delivery drivers and home-care aides, but they are traditionally accorded neither the compensation nor the respect that reflects the essential nature of their services.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged as much last Thursday when he said low-wage workers who are risking their health deserve more. He announced the federal government and provinces will spend up to $4 billion to top up the wages of essential workers in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The raises are certainly warranted, but theres a catch: the federal government will only cover three-quarters of the cost; provinces have to add the remaining 25 per cent, and its left up to each province to decide which workers are essential and deserve higher pay.

Some provinces immediately accepted the offer. Prince Edward Island, for example, declared it would hike the wages of workers in places such as care centres, grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores. PEI workers currently earning less than $3,000 a month will get a subsidy of $1,000.

With this latest federal offer to help lowpaid essential workers, the Pallister government should display unaccustomed haste and jump on the federal offer. Getting three federal dollars for every Manitoba dollar is a good deal in anyones books.

Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

In Manitoba, the Pallister government hasnt yet announced which low-wage occupations, if any, will get the salary top-ups and, given the parsimonious predilections of this province in response to other recent requests to help Manitoba workers hit hard by the pandemic, workers should temper any optimism sparked by Mr. Trudeaus announcement.

Manitoba has been slow to act when it comes to filling in gaps in federal programs. When it came to helping businesses, Manitoba waited for Ottawa to introduce a commercial rent program, and then made a minor contribution. Faced with appeals for financial help for Manitoba workers, this province has largely restricted its role to directing people to available federal programs.

With this latest federal offer to help low-paid essential workers, the Pallister government should display unaccustomed haste and jump on the federal offer. Getting three federal dollars for every Manitoba dollar is a good deal in anyones books.

Many of the workers who will be helped by the wage boost are recent immigrants, temporary foreign workers and people with limited education. As members of marginalized communities  many of whom know the poverty line from first-hand experience  theyre unaccustomed to accolades for their efforts, but the COVID-19 crisis has shown their importance.

While many of us wait out the pandemic by sheltering in our homes, theyre sticking to their posts in Manitoba nursing homes, or hoisting sides of beef in packing plants, or stocking shelves in Manitoba grocery stores. Theyre staying on the job even though it might endanger their health. Their contributions are vital and should be appreciated.

Its apt and overdue that low-wage essential workers get a government-assisted pay raise. They also warrant a raise in respect.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 08:40:05

Virbac announces that it has entered into an agreement with MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), to divest veterinary products currently marketed in the United States under the SENTINEL brands by Virbac, for US $400 million in an all-cash deal subject to customary post-closing adjustments. These assets were acquired in early 2015 from Eli Lilly.

Under the terms of this agreement, Virbac will divest a combination of titles and rights for the United States on trademarks, marketing authorizations, patents, know-how, and other assets, related to two parasiticides for dogs: SENTINEL FLAVOR TABS and SENTINEL SPECTRUM. In relation with the transaction, Virbac will keep its commercial structure substantially unchanged, and will continue to manufacture SENTINEL SPECTRUM at its Bridgeton, Missouri site for the next ten years.

In the United States, SENTINEL FLAVOR TABS and SENTINEL SPECTRUM have reached total revenues of around US $70 million in 2019. At the time of the acquisition, Virbac was expecting a high leverage from the synergies on the historical ranges through the access to new large veterinary clinics and the more than doubling of the sales force. These synergies on historical products have not materialized due to the Bridgeton manufacturing site temporary interruption, while the number of brands in the parasiticide segment has grown over the recent years. Divesting these brands is an opportunity for Virbac to significantly deleverage the Group. It also permits us to refocus on our existing portfolio of products offered to veterinary clinics and pet owners in the United States, and maximize our growth potential, either organically through future launches, or through acquisitions.

The financial impacts of this divestment, to Virbacs revenue and operating profit before depreciation of intangible assets arising from acquisitions (Ebita), are estimated (on a full year pro forma basis) to be a decrease in revenue of approximately US $55 million and around 3 points in the ratio of Ebita to revenue.

The completion of this transaction is subject to approval by the Federal trade commission and to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The deal is expected to close by mid-year 2020.

Focusing on animal health from the beginning

Virbac offers veterinarians, farmers and pet owners in more than 100 countries a practical range of products and services for diagnosing, preventing and treating the majority of diseases while improving quality of life for animals. With these innovative solutions covering more than 50 species, Virbac contributes day after day to shaping the future of animal health.

Press contact  Golin agency

Amina Ennaciri  aennaciri@golin.com  +33 1 40 41 56 09

Paul Joachim  pjoachim@golin.com  +33 1 40 41 54 28

Investor contact - Virbac

Manuela Rodriguez  manuela.rodriguez @virbac.com  +33 4 92 08 72 25

About MSD Animal Health

For more than a century, MSD, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the worlds most challenging diseases. MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business unit of MSD. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals, MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of digitally connected identification, traceability and monitoring products. MSD Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. MSD Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.msd-animal-health.com/ or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Attachment
The disproportionate impact of Covid-19 crisis is only having the effect of increasing peoples disdain and distrust of Trump and the entire administration, said Adrianne Shropshire, the executive director of BlackPAC, a super PAC focused on African-American Democrats. Referring to Mr. Trump, she said the groups tracking poll had shown that black voters do not trust him to be honest and they dont expect to get accurate information from him. The impact is intensifying peoples dislike and distrust.

If any part of Mr. Trumps pre-coronavirus outreach to black voters had been working, Ms. Shropshire said, it was his message about a booming economy benefiting them. But that argument has now been damaged, in part because minority-owned businesses are being shut out of the Paycheck Protection Program.

In the year before the pandemic hit, what the campaign lacked in a concerted political strategy, it tried to make up for with tactics, starting with a Black Voices for Trump coalition that the president himself kicked off in November and continuing with plans to open Trump campaign storefronts in black neighborhoods in critical states like Florida and Pennsylvania. Campaign officials encouraged black voters to connect with the Trump operation by texting the word woke to its main number. Campaign officials even conducted polling to test the word black versus the term African-American, an official said, and concluded that black voters responded better to being referred to as black.

But Mr. Trump has lost most of his arguments as the economy has cratered.

Whats more, Mr. Trump has recently returned to aggressive attacks against his predecessor, Mr. Obama, whose approval rating remains higher than Mr. Trumps. The president has repeatedly tweeted Obamagate, referring obliquely to some unnamed scandal or crime, and sought to directly tie Mr. Obama to the abandoned prosecution of Mr. Trumps first national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn. Its a strategy that could help fire up his base, but it risks further alienating black voters, as well as independent voters more broadly.

Some of Mr. Trumps advisers believe that there isnt a downside in attacking Mr. Obama, who is vastly more popular than Mr. Biden. They argue that Mr. Trump challenged Mr. Obamas record throughout the 2016 campaign, and they take Mr. Trumps victory as affirmation of his approach.
In February, law enforcement officers searched the pairs apartment in downtown Oak Park and discovered distribution quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine, as well as five semiautomatic handguns, all of which were loaded, authorities said. Also found inside the apartment was a money-counting machine, electronic scales and a cooking pot and utensils with white residue on them, authorities said.
(Newser)  The police department in Louisville, Ky., was trying to execute a search warrant on March 13 when they entered the home of a sleeping womanand she ended up dead. A lawsuit has now been filed by the family of Breonna Taylor, 26, an EMT, nurse, and ER technician. She was in the bedroom with her boyfriend, 27-year-old Kenneth Walker, both asleep, when police arrived around 12:30am. The ensuing confrontation ended with Taylor dead and Walker arrested. The details, per NBC News and the Courier-Journal:

The couple's story: According to the lawsuit, the officers were in plainclothes and driving an unmarked car, and the couple thought the officers were breaking in when they forced their way through the door. The suit, which cites multiple accounts from neighbors, says the officers neither knocked nor announced themselves.

story continues below

The cops' story: The police department said officers knocked several times, "announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant," and then "were immediately met by gunfire" when they got through the door.

The police department said officers knocked several times, "announced their presence as police who were there with a search warrant," and then "were immediately met by gunfire" when they got through the door. Charges against Walker: Police say Walker called 911 and opened fire, hitting an officer. He's been charged with assault and attempted murder on a police officer. The lawsuit says he has a license to carry firearms. Supporters are calling for the charges against him to be dropped.

Police say Walker called 911 and opened fire, hitting an officer. He's been charged with assault and attempted murder on a police officer. The lawsuit says he has a license to carry firearms. Supporters are calling for the charges against him to be dropped. Taylor's death: "The defendants then proceeded to spray gunfire into the residence with a total disregard for the value of human life," the lawsuit says, alleging that "more than 25 blind shots" were fired "into multiple homes." "Shots were blindly fired by the officers all throughout Breonna's home," killing her, the suit says. She was shot eight times.

"The defendants then proceeded to spray gunfire into the residence with a total disregard for the value of human life," the lawsuit says, alleging that "more than 25 blind shots" were fired "into multiple homes." "Shots were blindly fired by the officers all throughout Breonna's home," killing her, the suit says. She was shot eight times. Officers: The three officers involved have been placed on administrative reassignment pending the outcome of an investigation.

The three officers involved have been placed on administrative reassignment pending the outcome of an investigation. National headlines: Taylor's death is in the news thanks to her family's hiring of Ben Crump, the attorney who is also representing Ahmaud Arbery's family. USA Today notes Crump is a "prominent civil rights attorney with the Black Lives Matter movement"; Taylor is black.

Taylor's death is in the news thanks to her family's hiring of Ben Crump, the attorney who is also representing Ahmaud Arbery's family. USA Today notes Crump is a "prominent civil rights attorney with the Black Lives Matter movement"; Taylor is black. What went wrong? Police were executing a narcotics warrant at the time, but the suspect had already been located and detained at his home more than 10 miles away when Taylor was shot. Taylor's name and residence were, however, also listed on the warrant because police believed the suspect used her address to get mail or hide drugs or money. Taylor and Walker have no criminal history and no drugs were found in the home. Another attorney for Taylor's family says Taylor and the suspect were friends, per WDRB. The lawsuit calls the incident a botched raid.

Police were executing a narcotics warrant at the time, but the suspect had already been located and detained at his home more than 10 miles away when Taylor was shot. Taylor's name and residence were, however, also listed on the warrant because police believed the suspect used her address to get mail or hide drugs or money. Taylor and Walker have no criminal history and no drugs were found in the home. Another attorney for Taylor's family says Taylor and the suspect were friends, per WDRB. The lawsuit calls the incident a botched raid. "No-knock": The warrant included a "no-knock" provision allowing officers to enter without knocking or identifying themselves.

(Read more Breonna Taylor stories.)
he would not have drank alcohol in meeting held in the States Building

A Jersey government minister drunk white wine during a health panel meeting on Zoom - leaving locals asking whether he was 'taking it seriously'.

Assistant chief minister Scott Wickenden, 42, was taking part in a virtual meeting of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel.

During the meeting, held via video in Jersey, Mr Wickenden could be seen sipping a tall glass of white wine.

The deputy for St Helier defended his actions, saying he poured the glass 'as the meeting was wrapping up'.

Assistant chief minister Scott Wickenden, pictured, 42, was seen drinking wine during a virtual meeting of the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel via Zoom

But footage appears to show he poured the glass earlier than he claimed, as he was also seen to raise the glass to his mouth one hour into the two-and-a-quarter hour meeting.

Mr Wickenden, who is one of several Assistant Chief Ministers, said: 'It was right at the end of the hearing - I was not drinking throughout the whole hearing.

'We were just wrapping up and I decided to pour myself a glass of wine. I am a 42-year-old man in my own home and I don't see a problem with that.'

Mr Wickenden said that he would not have drank alcohol during a meeting held in the States Building.

He said: 'I would not have done this in a normal hearing but these are not normal circumstances.'

One witness said: 'If this scrutiny hearing had taken place in the usual building you can guarantee he wouldn't have been drinking alcohol.

'Ok, he was in his own home, but is it appropriate for an elected member to be drinking alcohol in a public meeting?

'It makes you wonder how seriously he was taking it.'

According to ITV News, Jersey's Chief Minister, John Le Fondre, said: 'Deputy Wickenden has already offered his apology to me and realised that his conduct was unacceptable. I have accepted his apology. He has also apologised to the Scrutiny Panel.

'I have spoken with Deputy Wickenden and will make a point of reminding Council of Ministers of the importance of maintaining the same level of standards, regardless of whether they are working in the office or from home.'

The government of Jersey is led by the Chief Minister, who picks the other ministers. All of them belong to the Council of Ministers, a decision-making committee.

The hearing, which members attended from their homes via video link, was held to discuss a range of issues with Social Security Minister Judy Martin.

Issues discussed included how government finances would be used to support those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Deputy Russell Labey, chairman of the Privileges and Procedures Committee which oversees States conduct, confirmed that no complaints had been received.

But he said that if there had been, the matter would have been referred to the Commissioner for Standards.

Politicians attending the meeting included panel chairman Deputy Mary Le Hegerat, vice-chairman Deputy Kevin Pamplin and panel members Carina Alves and Trevor Pointon.
In a matter of months, more than four million people have been infected with the coronavirus COVID-19. Hundreds of thousands have died, health systems have been overwhelmed, economies decimated, and the social fabric of many countries stretched to breaking point. Without question, this is first and foremost a health crisis. Its cascading and potentially scarring effects on economies and societal systems can be mitigated if quickly and effectively dealt with. But it is also a crisis of opportunity. That is whether we will choose to progressively build back better to be resilient to future crises, or fundamentally alter the nature and trajectory of a nations development? Its a crisis because we have an immediate and far-reaching decision to make; do we fall back into an old and comfortable development paradigm of long, linear and familiar change or be more revolutionary?

COVID-19 is showing us that revolutionary change is possible. The response is arguably the most digitally enabled in history. We are seeing an outbreak of digital ways to support disease surveillance, provide information, enable teleworking, facilitate on-line collaboration and learning, make social safety net payments at immense scale, and even to manufacture medical equipment with 3D printing. Lockdowns have taken vehicles off the streets, allowed people to work from home, and at the same time care for families, and given people a glimpse of mountains and blue skies they havent been able to see because of smog. Some leaders are talking more enthusiastically about planetary health and social wellbeing as an equal, if not greater measure of national success, than GDP. COVID-19 is leading to unprecedented speed and global collaboration in vaccine and antibody development. Within the last 90 days, nearly 1,700 economic policy announcements on COVID-19 have been made by governments and institutions to lessen the worst impacts. The development process can now potentially be put on steroids to shift us from a slow to rapid change towards a dramatically different, equitable and sustainable world.

We must ride the wave of change and capitalize on the tsunami of innovation we are now experiencing. The technology is here, or rapidly being developed, and the sheer magnitude of the crisis is providing reflection across societies about the future. Financial resources are being made available in volumes that dwarf the response to the global financial crisis of 2007-08.

Yet, while the possibilities and resources are there, choices must be made. This takes leadership and quality and accessible data. Perhaps like no time before we are seeing experimentation at scale and speed. But what works? What are the opportunity costs? What are the differentiated impacts across income groups, the marginalized, the vulnerable, and across different geographic areas? Where do you invest your financial resourcesknowing that each dollar spent will have to be repaid by future generationsto obtain the highest returns measured by planetary health and social wellbeing as much as growth in GDP? In the Philippines, and likely in most developing countries, existing approaches for monitoring impact and efficacy are at best piecemeal and certainly not at the scale required to enable well-informed systematic change. It doesnt have to be this way. There is an immense amount of administrative and high-frequency data available that can be used. There are also honed methods for scraping this data, and mature frameworks for structuring it in meaningful ways. We need to converge these frameworks, data streams, data standards, to make better sense and guide an effective response. UNDP will work with the Government of the Philippines and the private sector to make public and private sector data readily accessible and useable.

UNDP has immense convening power borne from a long history of impartial and inclusive action. UNDP can rapidly bring together governments, private industry, social media platforms, non-profits, our sister UN agencies, data scientists and research organizations to share data, access the required computing power, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, and align research and analysis. Its vast network of Accelerator Labswhere we aspire to be the largest and fastest learning network in the worldcan provide the means to map and share rapidly evolving solutions, and help countries contextualize them and take them to scale. COVID, for all its deleterious effects, has provided the impetus to assemble real-time, global interaction and collaboration, that can be agile and responsive to the information and analytical needs of governments trying to chart a way forward.

In the Philippines we are about to launch the Pintig Lab (Heartbeat in Filipino), designed to measure the countrys socio-economic health in response to the governments COVID-19 amelioration programme. Pintig is a collaborative endeavour between UNDP, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the private sector, academia and think tanks. It will ingest, synthesize, visualize, and analyze, with the aid of Artificial Intelligence and predictive software, a wide array of high frequency data, administrative data, app based, on-line enabled, and household level surveys and translate these into real time policy and programme advice. Pintig will also provide a platform for managing future crises and development programmes. If there is indeed a COVID-19 dividend it is perhaps the spirit of collaboration and desire to change that we are seeing in the Philippines.
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Quinoa Production Corporation (NorQuin) has entered into an exclusive commercial agreement with one of the world's largest ingredient suppliers, Ingredion Incorporated, which will distribute NorQuin's high-value quinoa flours, a non-GMO plant-based protein ingredient, to more than 120 countries worldwide.

NorQuin has invested more than two decades of research to develop proprietary, high-yielding, non-GMO varietals of quinoa which can be traced from farm to fork. As NorQuin CEO Aaron Jackson indicates, "We are thrilled to partner with Ingredion to bring quinoa flour and quinoa innovation to market at scale. Ingredion's global reach across 120 countries and their research and development expertise will dramatically help NorQuin's ability to drive the mainstream growth of quinoa in a variety of applications."

NorQuin's quinoa products also stabilize a market which has been traditionally affected by South American supply challenges and erratic pricing. "We have created the largest vertically integrated supply chain in North America to ensure supply and consistent pricing with local origin. NorQuin has partnered with North American family farms and is committed to food safety, quality, and traceability," says Mike Jewett, NorQuin's vice president of sales, "We are very excited about our new alliance and look forward to working with customers to commercialize new products."

True to NorQuin's core mission, this exclusive relationship with Ingredion makes quinoa more accessible to improve human health, improve the resource efficiency of consumed food, and expedite the development of quinoa products that will provide high-value plant protein with a complete amino acid profile. "Ingredion's global reach, deep-rooted distribution channels, and applications expertise will help accelerate NorQuin's growth and deliver on our fundamental objective," says Jackson. Jim Zallie, Ingredion's president and CEO agrees, "Consumers today are looking for foods and beverages made with real ingredients that are familiar, trusted, sustainably sourced and authentic. This latest investment complements our pulse-based protein portfolio, unlocks future growth opportunities and enhances our ability to co-create with our customers to deliver consumer-preferred foods and beverages that are nutritious and taste great."

NorQuin's products will augment Ingredion's existing line of pulse-based flours to include quinoa-based flours for use in snacks, crackers, baked goods, as well as dairy and meat alternatives. "Customer demand for plant-based protein is rapidly growing around the world, and we want to offer a full range of solutions that best meet our customers' needs," says Tony DeLio, Ingredion's senior vice president of corporate strategy and chief innovation officer, "working with NorQuin, we have the opportunity to further innovate and commercialize novel quinoa-based protein offerings for food manufacturers."

About Ingredion

Ingredion is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With 2019 annual net sales of more than $6 billion, Ingredion turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing, and industrial markets.

About NorQuin

NorQuin is a technology-enabled agricultural business headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The company is a vertically integrated supplier of quinoa and quinoa derivative products that can be used in a variety of applications. NorQuin has been developing high-yielding non-GMO, novel varieties of quinoa for more than 20 years that are optimal for Canada's growing regions. Dedicated to its mission to improve human health through the food we eat, the company is focused on accelerating the movement of plant-based proteins. Please visit quinoa.com for more information.

CONTACT:

Media & Sales: Mike Jewett, [email protected] 708-837-1515

SOURCE NorQuin, Inc.

Related Links

http://quinoa.com


Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered his forces to resume their offensive against the Taliban on Tuesday in the wake of two deadly attacks that killed a total of 40 people, including two newborns, the Washington Post reports.

The big picture: President Trump's deal with the Taliban  which Pentagon leaders acknowledged would not bring peace to the country  was meant as a precursor to a peace process between Kabul and the Taliban. The Taliban, which has denied responsibility for the attacks, called Ghani's announcement a "declaration of war."

What happened: Sixteen people, including two newborns, were killed Tuesday in a Doctors Without Borders maternity ward in Afghanistan's capital, per the Post.

A suicide bomber killed 24 people on Tuesday at a funeral in the eastern Nangahar province, an attack for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, the Post reports.

killed 24 people on Tuesday at a funeral in the eastern Nangahar province, an attack for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, the Post reports. Parliament members and other government officials attended the event, which left 68 people wounded.

and other government officials attended the event, which left 68 people wounded. Though the Taliban has denied responsibility, Afghanistan's national security adviser claimed on Twitter that the group had "subcontracted their terror to other entities," adding there is "little point in continuing to engage Taliban in 'peace talks.'"

What they're saying: "During the holy month of Ramadan and amidst the threat of COVID-19, these dual attacks are particularly appalling. We note the Taliban have denied any responsibility and condemned both attacks as heinous," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Taliban and the Afghan government should cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice. As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism," Pompeo said.

Go deeper: In Afghanistan, a deal but no peace
As is well known, atomic nuclei not only are the cores of substances but also directly participate in bremsstrahlung (namely deceleration radiation), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), nuclear scattering, and spontaneous and induced nuclear reactions including nuclear fission, fusion, spallation and decay, all of which are significant for scientific research and practical applications, such as nuclear power, nuclear medicine and NMR imaging. Therefore, extensive efforts have been devoted to studying atomic nuclei for over 100 years by many scientists. However, to date, no methods of optical imaging can observe atomic nuclei, because it is extremely challenging to image such tiny entities surrounded by electrons.

Fortunately, aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) can provide an opportunity. Its electron beam is capable of positioning sample sites with the picometer (pm)-scale precision, and the interactions of the electron beam with the atomic nucleus and the electrons of an atom can emit bremsstrahlung X-ray photons and characteristic ones, respectively. Moreover, the bremsstrahlung and the characteristic X-ray photons can be received and distinguished by the detectors of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in aberration-corrected STEM. The above functions can be performed simultaneously by modern instruments of aberration-corrected STEM.

Herein, Prof. Jun Luo and the co-authors propose and realize a new microscopy type of optical imaging for realizing the X-ray imaging of atomic nuclei (ANXRI) by integrating aberration-corrected STEM, the bremsstrahlung generation of X-ray photons, and the EDS receiving and mapping of the photons. ANXRI successfully images atomic nuclei in three different types of materials, including nanoporous gold (NPG) coated with Pd and Pt, NPG without Pd or Pt, and SrTiO3. "Our idea about the ANXRI method was originally inspired by the working mechanism of atomic force microscopy (AFM)," said Prof. Luo.

The accuracy of ANXRI can reach 1 pm, and the individual imaged sizes of atomic nuclei in ANXRI are adjustable by altering the X-ray energies. More importantly, ANXRI is capable of distinguishing atomic nuclei of different elements. This function is very useful, because in most of nuclear scattering and reactions, not the electrons in a material but only its atomic nuclei change and evolve, which cannot be imaged and monitored by characteristic EDS peaks. This work provides a new opportunity for imaging and studying atomic nuclei and their evolutions in materials science, chemistry and physics, such as nuclear fission, fusion, spallation and decay.

###

This research was financially supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFA0700104), National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (51825102), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51971157, 51671145 and 51761165012), and Tianjin Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (19JCJQJC61800).

See the article: Xu Jie, He Jia, Ding Yi, Luo Jun*. "X-ray imaging of atomic nuclei", Sci. China Mater. (2020), doi: 10.1007/s40843-020-1320-1. http://engine.scichina.com/publisher/scp/journal/SCMs/doi/10.1007/s40843-020-1320-1?slug=abstract
A 25-year-old man was killed after he lost control of his Jaguar car and crashed into a divider before ramming a parked tempo a few metres away from MIDC police station in Andheri (east) on Tuesday night.

Hitesh Shah, who was driving the car, was rushed to Cooper Hospital after locals informed a team of police officers patrolling the area.

He died during treatment at Cooper Hospital. We have registered a case of accidental death, and are awaiting his post mortem, said deputy commissioner of police Zone-10.

Last night, we were busy sending migrants to their states. We came to know about the accident through locals and our patrolling team reached the spot. Our priority was to save his life and we shifted him to the hospital for treatment where he died. Whether he was drunk or not it will be clear after his post-mortem report, said a police officer.

The police are trying to find out why the man was out during lockdown.

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Linkedin Aftab Ahmed and Nidhi Verma (Reuters) New Delhi, India  Wed, May 13, 2020 11:45 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7b03f0 2 Business India,Narendra-Modi,fiscal-incentives,fiscal-stimulus,monetary-policy,economic-impact,coronavirus,virus-corona,pandemic,COVID-19 Free

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India would provide 20 trillion rupees ($266 billion) in fiscal and monetary measures to support an economy battered by a sweeping weeks-long lockdown to fight the novel coronavirus.

India has more than 70,000 cases among its 1.3 billion population and is set to surpass China, the origin of the outbreak, within a week. Modi said strict stay-at-home orders would be extended beyond May 17 with a new set of rules.

In an address to the nation, he said the package was equivalent to 10% of India's gross domestic product, and was aimed at the multitudes out of work and the businesses reeling under the prolonged shutdown.

In March, the government said it was providing around 1.7 trillion rupees ($2.6 billion) in direct cash transfers and food security measures, mainly for the poor, but was widely accused of doing too little.

Modi said details of the new package, as well as reforms of land and labor markets, would be released within days:

"The package will also focus on land, labor, liquidity and laws. It will cater to various sections including cottage industry, medium and small enterprises, laborers, middle class, industries, among others."

Economists said the new package included the March allocation as well as liquidity measures announced by the central bank worth $6.5 trillion rupees.

"Headline announcement looks positive. Would include around 6.5 trillion rupees already done by RBI [Reserve Bank of India] and the first package. So - additional is 13.5 trillion rupees," said Sandip Sabharwal, a Mumbai-based fund manager.

"It doesn't match the gross borrowing details of the government so we need to look at details. Headline number should, however, excite the markets near-term."

Last week, India increased its borrowing program for the year to 12 trillion rupees from 7.8 trillion to fund some of the expenses.

Economy slowing, spending rising

Even before the pandemic, India's growth was slowing and public finances were strained because of poor tax collection and higher spending.

Last month, the ratings agency Fitch said India's sovereign rating could come under pressure if its fiscal outlook deteriorates further as the government tries to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

Some commentators said it was too early to say how effective the package would prove to be. "Very often, when the government has made these huge, very big announcements ... the figures have often been fudged," Yogendra Yadav, founder of the opposition party Swaraj India, told a television channel.

"What we have right now is a statement of intent. How can you quarrel with intent?"

Modi said the reforms of the land and labor markets were intended to make India more competitive and a big player in global supply chains, some of which could shift away from China after the pandemic.

Business leaders say potential investors often choose Vietnam, Thailand or Bangladesh ahead of India because of the time required to buy land for factories, restrictive labor laws and higher borrowing costs.

"These reforms will promote business, attract investment, and further strengthen 'Made in India'," Modi said.

Governments and central banks around the world have unleashed unprecedented amounts of fiscal and monetary support for economies that are reeling from the pandemic.

"Indias response has so far been tepid compared to other key nations and thus the catch-up is welcome and is also the need of the hour," said Madhavi Arora, lead economist at Edelweiss FX and Rates.

"It needs to be seen how much will be in the form of direct budgetary support to gauge the immediate fiscal hit and the consequent funding sources."
WASHINGTON: Over 300 lawmakers from around the world on Wednesday urged the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to cancel the debt of the poorest countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and to boost funding to avert a global economic meltdown.

The initiative, led by former U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ilham Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, comes amid growing concern that developing countries and emerging economies will be devastated by the pandemic.

The virus has infected more than 4.2 million people globally and killed 287,349, a Reuters tally showed.

Widespread shutdowns aimed at containing the virus are taking a huge toll on the global economy, and especially poor countries with weak health systems, high debt levels and few resources to manage the dual health and economic crises.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Tuesday said the Fund was very likely to revise downward its forecast that global output would shrink by 3% in 2020, and said developing countries would need more than $2.5 trillion in financing to weather the storm.

Sanders said poor countries needed every cent to care for their people, instead of servicing the unsustainable debts they owe to the large international financial institutions.

Cancelling the debt of the poorest countries was the very least that the World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions should do to prevent an unimaginable increase in poverty, hunger, and disease that threatens hundreds of millions of people, he said.

The lawmakers welcomed a move by the IMF to cover the debt service payments of 25 of the poorest countries for six months, but said further efforts were needed.

The World Bank has said it will look at ways to expand its support for the poorest countries, but warned waiving debt payments could harm its credit rating and undercut its ability to provide low-cost funding to members.

In the letter, parliamentarians from two dozen countries on all six continents, said debt service obligations of the poorest countries should be cancelled outright, instead of simply suspended, as agreed by the Group of 20 countries in April.

Failing to do so meant those countries would not be able to prioritize spending needed to fight the virus, which in turn could lead to continued disruption to global supply chains and financial markets, they wrote.

The lawmakers also urged the IMFs Georgieva and World Bank President David Malpass to support creation of trillions of dollars of new Special Drawing Rights, the currency of the IMF.

An issuance of SDRs on the order of trillions of dollars will be required to avert major increases in poverty, hunger and disease, wrote the lawmakers, who span a wide range of political affiliations and include former heads of state.

An SDR allocation is akin to a central bank printing new money and does not trigger big costs, but has been opposed by the United States, the IMFs largest shareholder.

Omar said the United States should lead the effort to provide relief to the most vulnerable nations.

All our destinies are linked. If we turn a blind eye to the suffering of people abroad, it will eventually harm us, Omar said.

Other signatories include former British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Argentine lawmaker Carlos Menem, who enacted austerity measures when he served as president in the 1980s and 1990s.
The Bombay High Court has directed all district collectors, council authorities and police commissioners in Maharashtra to form special teams to monitor highways and arrange travel till the state border for migrant workers and others who are trying to walk back to their native places.

Nagpur: The Bombay High Court has directed all district collectors, council authorities and police commissioners in Maharashtra to form special teams to monitor highways and arrange travel till the state border for migrant workers and others who are trying to walk back to their native places.

Justice Madhav Jamdar of the Nagpur bench of the high court was hearing a petition taken up by suo moto on the plight of migrants, daily wage labourers, and other stranded people who are heading towards their home states on foot on highways and other roads.

Click here for LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

The HC on Tuesday said the special teams to be formed by the authorities shall inform either the district collector or the concerned police commissioner or superintendent of police about the number of stranded people.

These authorities will then request the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to arrange for buses to ferry these people to the state border.

Advocate Deven Chauhan, who was appointed by the court to assist it, submitted that certain points on highways should be marked as bus stands and that the MSRTC should be directed to make buses available at these stands.

He further sought a direction to all district collectors to erect temporary shelters with basic facilities like beds, fans and toilets for the migrants and others. He also demanded setting up of medical check up points.

The HC noted that the lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic has triggered mass movement of migrant workers and others who are trying to return to their native places as they are unable to sustain without jobs.

Justice Jamdar said while the government and civic authorities are sympathetic to the situation, but still due to unavailability of proper transport facilities thousands of migrants and workers have taken to walking back to their native places.

A special team shall accumulate all those persons who are walking on these roads to their native places at one place and then arrange for their travel till the state border, the HC said.

The court has posted the matter for further hearing on 15 May.
[May 13, 2020] Rajesh Goenka, Director, RP tech India, Emphasizes on the Factors That are Helpful to Get the Best Out of Work From Home

MUMBAI, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As India enters into Lockdown 3.0, Work from Home (WFH) has triggered new working culture in the country. Since the COVID-19 crisis has brought industries and businesses to a standstill, the concept of WFH has been widely embraced by organizations, and India is no exception. As companies adapt to this transition, WFH is likely to become permanent imperative in the future. In the current scenario, WFH seems inevitable and it is going to stay. But are Indian businesses ready to adapt to the new working culture on a larger scale? Mr. Rajesh Goenka, Director, Sales & Marketing, RP tech India, highlights various aspects of WFH and how India Inc. and employees can get best out of it. Positive aspects of WFH 1. Most effective in the fight against COVID-19 Since WHO has declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, it has brought huge disruption in the global economy. The worldwide lockdown has forced businesses to shut their operations indefinitely in the absence of an immediate solution to the crisis. In this scenario, WFH has proven to be the most effective way to maintain social distancing and ensure business continuity. In India, many big companies were quick to adopt WFH for their employees' safety and cut down losses. At the same time, it has brought huge relief to the workforce against employment loss during these uncertain times. 2. Enhances Productivity Another advantage of WFH is it improves the performance and productivity of employees. Since WFH allows employees to save crucial time and energy spent on hectic commute, they can utilize this time to improve their output and achieve targets. It is also seen that employees are more creative and innovative in WFH environment. Hence, home working concept is win-win for both employer and employees. 3. Ensures Work-Life Balance Work-Life balance is another important aspect of WFH. Staying at home, employees can make better time management and prioritize tasks. It is also a boon for working mothers and people with the responsibility of elderly parents. While working from home, employees can be stress-free and concentrate better on their office assignments. It also ensures privacy, which is otherwise not possible in the shared working space. 4. Cost-effective for Organizations Considering the benefits of WFH, several small and medium scale organizations are now contemplating to switch to the new business model to save cost on office space and overheads. As industries have incurred huge losses due to the global crisis, organizations will look aggressively on cutting expenditure until businesses are back on track. Hence, WFH will continue to be the preference of employers, and will see massive adoptin.



While WFH is the new normal and brings a host of benefits, it has certain limitations and drawbacks in terms of large scale implementation. On the flip side of WFH

1. Not Suitable for all Sectors WFH is mostly suitable for occupations at the managerial level, which requires minimal physical contact with the team and end-users. However, it is not viable for blue-collar jobholders and consumer-facing businesses like hospitality, retail, travel and tourism etc. Connectivity issue is another hindrance in WFH, especially in upcountry cities/towns and remote places. 2. Data Protection & Security Data security has emerged as the major concern in a WFH scenario. While companies can have state-of-the-art security infrastructure at the offices' computing system, it is not always possible to provide the same security to employees for their home broadband networks. Hence, there is a great threat to a security breach and data theft. Also mostly, employees use their computing devices for official work. These devices can be shared by other family members and may make critical data vulnerable to cyber fraudsters. India Inc. is yet to find a concrete solution to this issue, which makes WFH not a choice of all. Undefined Boundaries WFH concept is highly demanding where employees are expected to be available online 24X7. Since there are no defined boundaries of WFH culture, it may lead to anxiety and stress among employees. With the domestic place being utilized as a workspace, it may also negatively affect family dynamics. In Indian family systems, women are expected to fulfil their family duties even if they are virtually on the job, which may affect their productivity. Not always a win-win situation WFH is not always a win-win for employer and employee. It is difficult for companies to track the number of work hours, leisure breaks, leaves of employees at the home working environment. The performance tracking apps may help but they may also lead the debate of privacy and trust. Also, WFH may lead to boredom, uncertainty and complacency among employees due to lack of discipline. Here the HR plays a critical role to keep them motivated and focused on their assignments. It is a fact that Work from Home is going to stay even after COVID-19 is kicked out from India. Corporate India is going through a significant transition, which should be embraced and adopted for future relevance. Here are few tips to make the maximum out of WFH. 1. Schedule: Prepare a proper schedule of the day with dedicated breaks. It is advisable to start early so that one can finish assignments in given deadline. Also, decide a time to log off. 2. To do list: Draft a To-do list and prioritize tasks. This is important when the job requires multitasking. One may take help of performance tracking apps for maximum output. 3. Fitness is non-negotiable: Fitness and mental balance are very important in WFH scenario as employees perform dual responsibility at the home front as well as at job front. Make sure one has dedicated time for physical activities, leisure and also not skipped meals. 4. Motivational Webinar: No doubt COVID-19 has caused fear of job loss among people, it is important to keep their morale high. HRs should periodically organize motivational webinars for their employees to keep them positive and productive. 5. Smart use of Tech: Make smart use of apps for performance improvement and time management. Stay connected with co-workers on different messaging platforms and have fun with them apart from work discussions. About the Author Mr. Rajesh Goenka is responsible to formulate and drive the overall business operations and lead value-added programs at RP tech India. An Engineering and Management graduate, Mr. Goenka is a proven leader with a profound proficiency in building outstanding teams for execution of successful long-term business strategy. A true Leader & Marketer in the ICT & Mobility business with over 20 years of industry experience, he is the catalyst for RP tech India's consistent double-digit growth YoY. Prior to starting his inning in RP tech India in 2001, Mr. Goenka had the successful stint in various MNCs including NVIDIA where he served as the Head of Marketing - India, Middle East & Africa. One of the most popular IT Channel Chiefs in India, Mr. Goenka is the recipient of many coveted appreciations for his exemplary contribution to the growth of IT channel business from leading media publications. Mr. Goenka has been conferred one of the "Top 10 IT Channel Heads" in India by IT Nations. DQ Channels featured him among the 'Top 16 Distributor Chiefs' in 2016. He was also shortlisted among the BEST CMOs in the Indian ICT industry in 2017 by VAR India. SME Channels recently featured him amongst the "Top CMOs in India in 2019." About RP tech India Leading technology brands have put their trust in RP tech India (a division of Rashi Peripherals Pvt Ltd), to penetrate the vast Indian market. Being one of the top 5 distributors in India, the company has partnered with over 9000+ partners, retailers, and customers in over 750 towns & cities. To cater to this vast customer base, RP tech India has branch & service operations in over 50 locations in India. The company has created a strong IT infrastructure and unique marketing platforms that have helped to put their partners on a pedestal. At 20+ % CARG YoY, RP tech India is one of the fastest-growing companies in India. Their vendor names include Audio-Technica, AMD, APC, ASUS, Belkin, Google Chromecast, Crucial by Micron, Dell, ECS, Fitbit, HP, Intel, Lenovo, Logitech, NVIDIA, Plantronics, SanDisk, Toshiba, TP-Link, Western Digital and many other world-renowned brands. To know more, please visit www.rptechindia.com Follow us: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rptechindia/

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In Anjarakandy Medical College at Kannur in north Kerala, Nightingale-19 is set to deliver food and water to patients in Covid isolation wards. Painted in red and white, Nightingale is a robot designed by students of Vimal Jyothi Engineering College, Chemperi, in Kannur with support from Kerala's health department. The robot helps medical staff and hospital workers minimise close contact with Covid patients and can carry food and water to six patients at one go. It helps patients communicate with doctors, nurses and family members through a tablet attached on top.

The robot is thoroughly sanitised after each round of duty. Nightingale is inspired by robots used by the health department in Wuhan, China, according to the developers.

More than 500 kilometres from Kannur, in Tamil Nadu's Vellore, Arulalan, a community-based paediatrician, is busy chatting. The doctor runs an affordable health centre in Vellore. His AA Child Care Centre used to get around 80 people a day. But, after the corona outbreak, only emergency consultations happen at the clinic. Arulalan has installed a tele-consultation solution offered by Chennai-based start-up Helyxon, which helps him monitor patients remotely. "Only emergency cases are encouraged for a physical visit. Thus, we have reduced 75 per cent of the patient inflow," says Arulalan. "On an average, 5-10 video consultations happen every day and I receive more than 50 enquiries through our messaging app, all thanks to technology," he smiles.

Helyxon also offers patient monitoring solutions - OXY 2 and FeverWatch - which are now being used by a couple of Chennai-based hospitals for monitoring Covid patients. "These solutions help them remotely monitor vital details of patients with artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled biosensors. The devices will track vital details and alert healthcare workers if any abnormalities happen," says Vijai Shankar Raja, Founder, Helyxon.

Helyxon's solutions and Nightingale are a few of the many innovative solutions developed by a clutch of Indian start-ups to tackle the Covid pandemic. Entrepreneurs have either developed new solutions or customised existing solutions to help healthcare workers, hospitals, law-enforcing authorities, state and central governments and the public at large to fight the Covid pandemic. Betting on tools such as AI, analytics, machine learning, cloud technologies and chatbots, both health and technology start-ups are gearing up to weather the storm.

Patient Triage and Health Monitoring

With positive cases rising by the day in India, healthcare workers are frantically searching for tools for prompt identifying, testing and quarantining of patients, especially in Covid hotspot areas. Many start-ups have come up with triage and pre-screening tools for this. Hyderabad-based start-up Docturnal has customised its pulmonary tuberculosis screening solution, TimBre, to screen Covid-19 patients. The solution is a smart non-invasive diagnosis method which screens the cough of patients and is offered as a home-based screening tool via the mobile phone and also through a microphone array (external device) for a clinical setting. A healthcare worker can record the cough of a patient using a microphone array or an individual can record it using a phone or through websites. The solution automatically detects critical factors such as shortness of breath. The patient's data like demographic details, pre-existing health conditions, sleep and cough patterns and so on are also collected. Using machine learning, the recording is processed. The solution provides real-time results. "The technology is designed for asymptomatic screening as well to identify hidden cases," says Co-Founder Rahul Pathri. "We have released its pre-beta version and have achieved 86 per cent accuracy," he says.

Another Bangalore-based start-up AI Highway, founded last year by two doctors - Satish S. Jeevannavar and Radhakrishna S. Jamadagni - has also developed a Covid triage and pre-screening tool. "There is a lot of confusion on whether we are in stage 2 or stage 3 of Covid spread. With limited ventilators available in India, only highly suspected cases need to go to Covid-designated hospitals. The rest can be managed using telemedicine and triage tools," says Jeevannavar, who was also part of health rehabilitation of earthquake victims in Jammu & Kashmir some years ago. Using AI and machine learning technologies, the pre-screening tool collects data from patients on symptoms, contact history and location, assesses risk and categorises patients into low-risk, mid-risk and high-risk categories. It then schedules the next assessment on day 3, 7 and 14 too." Launched in the last week of March, the tool has till now screened more than 1,000 users.

Collecting patient data and preparing medical records can be tiresome to health workers and hospitals when the number of patients increases. To solve this, Bangalore-based Ubiqare is offering a cloud-based mobility healthcare platform with features of electronic medical records, interactive audio-video sessions with clinical notes, e-prescription, patient-monitoring and dashboards. The patient data entered can be shared among doctors, paramedics, phlebotomists and pharmacists. With smart data on its platform, the solution allows district-level organisations and zonal teams to implement Covid care protocols. "The patient's vitals and subjective health indicators are regularly captured in the app," says Sundar Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, Ubiqare. "The app helps district nodal health officers to watch thousands of people who are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms in their homes or quarantine centres. Patients can be also tracked in isolation wards. This will enable the use of hospital beds wisely," he says.

Mumbai-based PharmEasy, an online pharmacy and tele-medicine start-up that has 1,000 doctors on board, has tied up with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to better monitor and track Covid patients. "As Maharashtra tops in the number of Covid patients, we are getting many calls and enquiries from remote locations. These are answered by our doctors. We are also arranging home testing/sampling if needed," says Dr Dhaval Shah, co-founder of PharmEasy. "We have seen a 200 per cent spike in tele-medicine enquiries after the disease outbreak. Many queries are about over the counter medicines and collection of home samples," says Shah.

Chatbots and Virtual Humans

Apart from tools dedicated to healthcare workers and hospitals, many start-ups have customised their AI-based chatbots to combat Covid. Notable among them is Mumbai-based Haptik Infotech, owned by Reliance Jio. It has developed a dedicated WhatsApp chatbot for the Central Government, MyGov Corona Helpdesk. "We provide timely updates and help citizens clear their queries on Covid-19," says Kartik Poddar, Business Head, Haptik. Launched on March 20, more than 30 million people have used its services. The bot has answered more than 60 million queries. "Most queries we received were around the nearest Covid healthcare centres and Covid symptoms. We also try our best to curb the spread of Covid-related fake news through the chatbot," he says.

An Intelligent Remote Assistant (IRA), similar to AI-based chatbots, developed by Hyderabad-based Digibeings can interact like humans using human voices, facial expressions and gestures and helps in remote monitoring of Covid patients. The solution can be accessed through mobile devices, desktop, virtual reality or augmented reality devices and can help patients in isolation interact with healthcare providers. According to Praveen Anasuya, one of the co-founders of Digibeings, with an attached mobile camera, the system can also check vital parameters, including oxygen saturation level and respiration rate, which will help remote monitoring teams to address more patients and guide people on mental health issues. The company has developed a prototype and has pitched it to various state and central governments.

Curfew Passes and More

While health tech companies are all geared up to combat Covid through their dedicated healthcare services, many start-ups are developing solutions for crowd monitoring and helping law enforcing agencies function easily. Bangalore-based Mygate ensures smooth functioning of essential services. The company has built the e-pass infrastructure for Karnataka Police that was launched on March 31. "More than 20 lakh passes have been issued so far. In Bangalore alone, two lakh passes have been issued," says Vijay Arisetty, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, MyGate. The company is now planning to expand its solutions to other metros as well and says it has received interest from other state governments. "Our solution is scalable and can be customised to any city," he says.

In the north, Gurugram-based DronaMaps has created a command and control centre dashboard solution to equip administrative bodies with reliable data on Covid positive cases, home quarantined patients and their locations. The dashboard also has cluster analysis and heat maps and helps authorities on patient location tracking and geofencing for compliance of lockdowns. The solution can also predict Covid spread and estimate the healthcare infrastructure need for the particular location. "We are working with governments of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Meghalaya. Our dashboards act as a central node for all the Covid data these states are dealing with. This includes citizen centric dashboards, data from healthcare workers, secondary solutions like mobile health clinics and hyperlocal deliveries," says Ayushi Mishra, Chief Operations Officer, DronaMaps, adding that their public dashboards had two million views in the first few days of launch.

Staqu, another Gurugram-based AI company, is also helping law enforcement authorities with their thermal imaging solutions and help issue curfew passes for the Punjab government and Noida city administration. "So far we have issued 10 lakh passes in Punjab and two lakh in Noida," says, Atul Rai, Co-Founder and CEO. Staqu also has an AI-based video analytics solution that can monitor patients in quarantine. The solution, which has a thermal camera, can alert the authorities if anyone has a body temperature above 37C based on heat signatures.

Various law enforcement bodies are also tying up with start-ups and app makers to track home quarantine people. Tiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu recently launched an app Cobuddy to track people under home quarantine. Developed by Chennai-based NotionTag Technologies, the app can track and communicate with Covid suspect patients and coordinate delivery of essentials to the doorsteps of the quarantined persons. The app has embedded technologies such as attendance through facial recognition systems and random messages that ask the quarantine patients to send photographs as proof. This disables a patient from keeping his phone at home and sneaking out.

Start-ups that make drones too are working alongside authorities providing services such as disinfecting contaminated areas and managing crowds. Hyderabad-based Marut Drones has customised its drones to spray disinfectants. The company's drones have so far sprayed disinfectants in eight districts of Telangana and have disinfected more than 1,700 square kilometres. The company claims that the drones can spray 200 litres of chemicals a day. The drones also help monitor people movement and are used for crowd control and delivering medicines to quarantined people. The company has received enquiries from 12 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, for Covid-related sanitisation.

The entrepreneurs hope the power of technology can be a defining force in fight against the Covid pandemic and given that the previous pandemics didn't see this unique assistance from cutting-edge technology such as AI, robotics or big data analytics, the current crisis will soon see its moment of exit for good.

The author is a freelance writer based in Chennai
- Akin Abayomi, the Lagos commissioner for health, has disclosed a sad news for the state

- Abayomi said that one of the Nigerians who just returned from Dubai has died

- The commissioner revealed that the Nigerian is a male of 32 years old

The commissioner of health in Lagos, Akin Abayomi, on Tuesday, May 12, confirmed that a Nigerian returnee from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) is dead.

On his verified Twitter handle Abayomi disclosed that the Nigerian, a male of 32 years old, died of complications from coronavirus.

Akin Abayomi disclosed that the Nigerian, a male of 32 years old, died of complications from coronavirus.

Source: Twitter

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a chartered plane conveying Nigerian returnees from the UAE had made a U-turn after a pregnant woman reportedly went into labour.

The development was made known by the chairman of the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

The earlier scheduled arrival of the plane was 3 pm. With the latest development, it will now be expected at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 7 pm.

It was also gathered that the first batch of Nigerians stuck abroad since the outbreak of coronavirus is expected to come in today.

The foreign ministry said that discussions are ongoing with British Airways to airlift 300 Nigerians from London on Friday, May 8, while there are talks with Ethiopian airlines to make a flight from New York to Abuja on Monday, May 11.

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It should be noted that over 4,000 Nigerians are awaiting evacuation across the world back home, according to foreign affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama.

On arrival, the Nigerians will be expected to go into self-isolation and facilities in both Lagos and Abuja have been inspected for that purpose.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian government had called on citizens to report any returnee who refuses to self-Isolate after arriving in the country.

Dabiri made the call on Monday, May 4, shortly after disclosing that the planned evacuation of Nigerians UAE, the UK and USA will soon to begin. Dabiri noted that compulsory 14-day isolation was mandatory for all returnees.

Also, the Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York has said that the evacuation of Nigerians stranded in the U.S. due to the coronavirus pandemic is set to begin on Sunday, May 10.

this was disclosed in a notice signed on Sunday, May 3, by Benaoyagha Okoyen, the Consul-General on behalf of the Nigerian Missions in the U.S.

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It was gathered that not less than 700 Nigerians have registered for evacuation with the missions in the U.S.

From the notice, it was stated that the evacuation will be done in batches and the first group of 270 evacuees would be transported through an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 509 to Abuja.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better.

Coronavirus: 5 ways Nigeria is handling COVID-19 | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
Over 4.37 million people globally have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Out of these, 292,937 people have died and 1.6 million have already recovered.

Over 4.37 million people globally have tested positive for COVID-19 so far. Out of these, 292,937 people have died and 1.6 million have already recovered.

In a press release yesterday, the UNICEF has warned that due to the weakened healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic, an additional 6,000 children may die per day of preventable causes for the next six months.

A study published in The Lancet Global Health Journal reportedly mentioned an additional 1.2 million deaths of children (in six months) under the age of five due to lack of vaccinations and postnatal care. The estimate was based on the worst-case scenario in 118 countries.

Brazil crosses Germanys cases, Wuhan to test 11 million residents

On Tuesday, Brazil reported 8,459 new cases and crossed Germanys count of total cases. As of now, Brazil has over 178,214 cases and more than 12,000 people have died of the disease there.

After the new coronavirus cluster, authorities in the Chinese city of Wuhan have decided to test all the 11 million people in the city. The city had not reported any new cases since early April.

European Union to relax borders

Given the gradually declining cases and in support of the tourism industry, the European Union has set guidelines to relax borders in the member countries. The Union has asked member countries to allow people to visit their relatives in neighbouring countries. All air passengers will be asked to take preventive measures including the use of masks. The borders have been closed since March. Austria has already announced that it'll open borders with Germany on June 15.

Twitter employees to work from home indefinitely, Greenhouse restaurants in Netherland

Twitters CEO, Jack Dorsey has reportedly announced that due to changed work culture needs, any employee that doesnt need to be physically present at the office to do his/her work will likely be allowed to work from home forever. For those who want to work from the office, the company will not open any offices until September.

An Amsterdam restaurant has come out with an interesting solution to maintain social distancing amidst the relaxing restrictions. The restaurant (right now open for staff only but with all reservations sold out for a while) has tiny quarantine greenhouses where you can eat with your closest friends and family members. The waiters will reportedly wear face shields and gloves and use long trays to serve food to minimise infection risk.

Potentially positive data on COVID-19 treatment

In a press briefing on Tuesday, the WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said that even though drug trials are going on all over the world and there is no absolute treatment for the disease yet, we do have some positive data on some drugs that can reduce the length or severity of the disease.

Though she did not disclose which drugs exactly, she added that we dont yet have data to say with full confidence that a certain treatment is preferable over the others.

For more information, read our article on List of drugs being repurposed for COVID-19 treatment

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 House of Representatives on Tuesday directed heads of security agencies to bring to book officials indicted for human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings during the lockdown across Nigeria.

The House also condemned the spate of rights violations during the lockdown and mandated its relevant committees to investigate the matter and ensure that justice is done.

These resolutions followed a unanimous adoption of a motion moved by the deputy chief whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Imo).

As one of the strategies to curb the spread of COVID-19, various state governments declared partial or total lockdown in their states. President Muhammadu Buhari also ordered a lockdown in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja and recently, Kano.

The National Human Rights Commission reported that while the lockdown lasted, incidents of human rights violations were rife.

In the first two weeks of the lockdown, the commission said no fewer than 18 Nigerians were killed extrajudicially by security operatives across the country, less than the 11 that had died from COVID-19 at the time.

A followup report by the commission released Tuesday added that another 11 persons were killed extrajudicially between April 13 and May 4 by security agencies and other non-state actors enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown.

While presenting her motion, Ms Onyejeocha condemned the grim death numbers and called for an investigation into the killings. Her motion was adopted.

Security operatives have also physically assaulted and brutalised innocent Nigerians in the name of enforcing COVID-19 lockdown directive, she noted.

As evident in the case of one Ms. Tola Azeez who was physically assaulted and brutalised by Inspector Ikuesan Taiwo and Constable Abass Ibrahim in Iwo, Osun State, in early April, she said. The police said the men have been dismissed.

The lawmaker also cited instances of some Nigerians being intimidated and money extorted from them as in the case of Mrs Nwabuabo Obiajulu and her son, Chukwuweiki, from whom officers of the Nigeria Police extorted the sum of 120,000 on Friday, April 17, 2020, for flouting the lockdown directive in Delta State.

These, Ms Onyejeocha noted, are violations of sections 34, 40, 41 and 42 of the Nigerian constitution which guarantee the right to life, the dignity of humans, and freedom from abuse.

Meanwhile, there was also a report of a citizen physically assaulting some security operatives. As shared in a viral video by the police, a woman identified as Kehinde Afolake was seen assaulting a police officer in Oyo State.

He however warns against any unprovoked attack and assault on police officers while in the course of their duties as perpetrators will be made to face the full wrath of the law. pic.twitter.com/4eO9gv9UEd  Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) May 3, 2020

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The woman claimed her action was in retaliation of an earlier assault by the policeman.

The police claimed that the said woman also assaulted two female police officers, Inspr. Ojola Abiola and Inspr. Queen Eguaoje, and gave one of them (a) human bite, adding that some police stations were also set ablaze in Katsina and Abia states.
John Piper on what critics got wrong about his new book Coronavirus and Christ Theologian says 'coronavirus is a call for repentance to all of us'

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Popular Reformed theologian John Piper clarified his stance on whether the coronavirus is Gods judgment of sin and what the Bible says after a legal group called for an Army chaplain to be punished for sharing the minister's new book, Coronavirus and Christ.

In a 17-minute audio interview posted online Monday, the founder of DesiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota, responded to claims made by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and its founder, Mikey Weinstein, in a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper last month.

Weinstein claimed that Pipers new book pushes the belief that the coronavirus is Gods judgment and could even be judgment for homosexuality.

MRFF called for Senior Chaplain Col. Moon H. Kim, the command chaplain of U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea, to be court-martialed for sharing a PDF copy of Pipers new book with 35 other chaplains via email.

In the interview, Piper was asked if he thought Weinstein and MRFFs criticism of his new book is fair.

Well, Tony, some of it is. I think it would be fair to say that some of my views about what the Bible teaches, even rightly understood, the author of that letter hates. He hates what I think, Piper said.

They are, he says, incendiary, bigoted, vulgar  not just because he misunderstands, but, in part, because he does understand, and thats how he thinks and feels about some of what the Bible teaches.

Piper went on to say that Romans 5:16 states that all death is the result of Gods judgment on the human race because sin entered the world. Piper further noted that God is sovereign over the coronavirus, and sends it and ends it when He wills.

Piper added that homosexual intercourse is a sin and that the coronavirus is a call for repentance to all of us to bring our lives into alignment with the infinite worth of Jesus.



I consider all of those views to be true because they are what the Bible teaches, and therefore, theyre very valuable to know, Piper stressed. So I think its not just that he misunderstands, but that he gets some things right in those quotes, and he just doesnt like them.

Piper said there are three areas where Weinstein seems to misrepresent his stance in either the letter to Esper or an earlier interview with The Christian Post.



For example, when I say that some people will be infected with the coronavirus as a specific judgment from God because of their sinful attitudes and actions, he assumes that I know who those people are, or at least what kind of people they are, Piper said.



But heres what I write on page 72. ... The coronavirus is ... never a clear and simple punishment on any person. The most loving, spirit-filled Christian, whose sins are forgiven through Christ, may die of the coronavirus disease. But it is fitting that every one of us search our own heart to discern if our suffering is Gods judgment on the way we live.



Piper explained that God does judge people with sickness.



Thats very clear from 1 Corinthians 11:32, and there its even talking about Christians, Piper said. But John Piper or you or anybody else cant determine from outside who is experiencing the coronavirus as a judgment in a punitive sense, and whos experiencing it, say, as purification or whos experiencing it for other reasons that God may have.



Piper said his point is that God does many things for many reasons and people should do sober-minded self-assessment to discern what Gods purposes are in all that happens to us.



Piper also underlined that he is not saying every person who engages in homosexual acts and who gets the coronavirus is being punished by God for those acts.



In Romans 1:27 the Bible says that living in homosexual behavior is sometimes punished by God with a due penalty, which could be a disease, but not always, Piper said. And sometimes disease comes not as punishment, but as a merciful wake-up call that results in repentance and reconciliation and hope. Gods ways are simply more complex than the letter acknowledges.



I suspect though, Tony, that this clarification wont even come close to satisfying the author of this letter since he considers it drivel and vulgar to even suggest that God controls this disease and would judge anyone with it, Piper added.

Weinstein told CP that MRFF and the 22 Christian clients it's representing in the chaplain case do not have a misunderstanding of Piper's book. Weinstein doubled down on his disdain for Piper's Christian views.

"Pipers despicable assertion of 'misunderstanding' is a wretched insult to those 22 Christian armed forces chaplains who desperately came to MRFF for civil rights advocacy help to engage this superior military officer," Weinstein added in an emailed response to CP.

"As for 'not liking' Pipers declaration that the coronavirus is Gods judgment on sinners, and particularly for the 'sin' of 'homosexual intercourse,' [darn] right MRFF doesnt like it! Nor should ANY thinking, compassionate and caring human being 'like' such blatant and brazen prejudice, bigotry and bullying!"

In the interview, Piper also responded to Weinsteins claim in the letter that there is no pastoral care and comfort in Pipers beliefs about the coronavirus.

My response is Sir, no. You are profoundly wrong. We have the best news in the world for the hardest moments in the world  the best care, the best comfort, Piper said. The very heart of Christianity is that, through Christ, God rescues guilty sinners. Thats me and you and all of us. Through Christ, God rescues guilty sinners from his own wrath.

Piper then cited Romans 5:9: Since, therefore, we have now been justified by [Christs] blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.



Thats what God sent Christ to do: rescue us from his own righteous punishment, Piper added.
The announcement of a special economic package worth Rs 20 trillion by the Prime Minister has really gone beyond the expectations of various trade and industry bodies. The underlying message is quite clear  India has to convert the current crisis into an opportunity. It has to become an important player in global supply chain, then only the objective of becoming self-reliant can be achieved.

Going by the talks of big manufacturing companies willing to leave China, India has to be more than ready to attract many of these investments. But this is easier said than done. The government ...
Chennai, May 13 : The higher rate of corona testing has resulted in an increased number of Covid-19 positive cases being recorded in Tamil Nadu and its capital city Chennai, said officials.

As of Tuesday, a total of over 2.66 lakh samples have been taken and sent for testing, said the state Health Department.

For the past several days, Tamil Nadu has been testing over 11,000 persons per day.

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar had said Tamil Nadu tests the highest number of persons per day in the country.

However, the question how the virus has spread to a large extent despite the lockdown, quarantining infected suspects, and hospitalisation of Covid-19 patients pops up.

"It is not possible to prevent the spread of a contagious virus. What is possible is to delay its rapid spread. If that is done diligently, hitting the peak could be further delayed or the peak may not be achieved," K. Kolanda Swamy, who recently retired as Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, told IANS.

On Tuesday, as many as 716 persons tested positive for coronavirus in Tamil Nadu and the previous day it was 798 persons.

A total of 8,718 persons have tested positive in Tamil Nadu as on Tuesday and the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the state was 61.

Officials said the death rate is lower and the general population has been advised to take immunity enhancing healthy food and drinks like Kabasura Kudineer.

Out of the state total of 8,718, Chennai as on Tuesday accounted for 4,882 cases. The total number of active cases in Chennai was 4,093 after factoring the number of people cured and those who are dead.

All the 12 zones of Greater Chennai Corporation have coronavirus infected persons.

Officials said the virus has spread and it is showing up in the number of coronavirus positive cases.

Health Department officials and even Chief Minister K. Palaniswamy had said the higher density of population in Chennai is the major reason for spread of virus in the city.

Officials also said there are other risk factors like floating population, coronavirus clusters and people's negligence in taking precautions.

J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Revenue Administration, Disaster Management and Mitigation, and Special Nodal Officer for Greater Chennai Corporation for Covid-19 matters said for some more days the infection rate here will be high but it is not a cause for concern.

According to the Health Department, the spike in number of Covid-19 cases outside Chennai is attributed to 'Koyambedu Cluster' - those who had business/worked in/visited the vegetable market or their contacts.

Several districts like Ariyalur (active cases 334), Chengalpattu (320), Cuddalore (367), Kancheepuram (129), Perambalur (124). Tiruvallur (398) and Villupuram (244) are linked to Koyambedu.

To a query when the infection would touch its peak, Swamy pointed out two possibilities - the peak may be attained in July or if precautionary measures against the virus spread are taken then there may not be a peak but it would continue at the same level in Tamil Nadu and also in Chennai.

According to him, contagious diseases like this can come under control if a sizable population gets infected. That sizeable population should be young and healthy without comorbidities.

Health Department officials insist that washing hands regularly, wearing masks and confining old people to home are the only ways to delay spread and peaking of the infection.

They said creating necessary bed facilities is not a major issue.

Swamy said instead of going into definitions of first stage, second stage and community spread, what should be realised is that there is risk of virus infection for all.

"Steps should be taken by all sectors - government and private- in creating the necessary infrastructure for people to wash their hands with soap at public and other places.

"The isolation and quarantining are strategies for delaying the spread of virus. Tamil Nadu has a major achievement in delaying the spread," he said.

Swamy also said people's habits of popping up a pill and attending office/college/school should change. They should test themselves if they suffer from fever and be at home.

Another suggestion is to designate some number of hospitals, health centres to treat only fevers which in turn would prevent cross contamination.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Toronto, Canada  Wed, May 13, 2020 08:15 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79dbde 2 World China,Canada,coronavirus,COVID-19,COVID-19-drugs,COVID-19-vaccines,pandemic,manufacture Free

China's CanSino Biologics Inc , the company behind one of the few coronavirus vaccine candidates already in clinical trials, is collaborating with Canada's National Research Council to "pave the way" for future trials in Canada, the research council said on Tuesday.

The NRC said it would scale up a production process for CanSino's vaccine candidate at a government facility in Montreal, and that CanSino was preparing a clinical trial application for Health Canada, the country's drug regulator.

The CanSino vaccine is in early trials, and there is no way to know whether it will work. But if it does, the collaboration could help ensure that Canadians have access to it. Local trial data could reassure Health Canada that the vaccine is safe, and local manufacturing could ensure some doses are at hand.

A vaccine that protects people from the coronavirus could eventually end the pandemic, but finding one that works and manufacturing enough doses is a huge challenge.

CanSino's vaccine is produced using a cell line that was developed at the NRC, the agency said, and the two organizations have worked together since 2013. The company used the same cell line to develop an Ebola vaccine.

NRC and Health Canada did not immediately respond to questions about whether the collaboration would make it possible for Health Canada to consider trial data gathered in China in eventually evaluating the vaccine.

Shares of Tianjin-based, Hong Kong-listed CanSino rose on April 26 after the company said Health Canada had agreed to meet to discuss a clinical trial application.
Former Real Madrid player Edwin Congo has claimed his innocence after being released following his arrest in Spain on Tuesday as part of an operation into cocaine trafficking.

Congo, who retired in 2009, never played for Madrid's first team, instead spending time on loan at Real Valladolid, Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal and Toulouse in France.

The 43-year-old Colombian said he is innocent and has no connection with the smuggling of cocaine.

"I am innocent, I have absolutely nothing to do with the sale, manufacture or anything that has to do with cocaine," Congo told La Sexta on Tuesday night.

Congo was arrested on Tuesday along with ten other people in a police operation concerning a cocaine trafficking network. He was released after being questioned by the police.

"I have links to people who are involved," said Congo. "But to go from that to saying that I have changed my life or done something extraordinary..." Congo joined Madrid in 1999 but enjoyed more success after moving to Levante in 2002.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Naturally, youll want to stay away from repair shops for as long as possible and avoid costly repairs. Whats most, the cars frugality is significant, too, for the obvious reasons, so dont be surprised that the list below is brimming with hybrids. On top of that, theres the safety aspect - youll be driving a lot, both alone and with passengers, so your and their well being is important.

Looking to join Uber? Then youll need a car that ticks a few boxes in order to maximize your profits. Usually, there are three main factors that matter most when picking your next Uber car, and most drivers set them as priorities: reliability, costs, and safety.

Joining Uber and your profits afterwards have a lot to do with the car you pick LISTEN 14:55

The 2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at $28,430. It is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine of the Dynamic Force family of powerplants (176 horsepower, 163 pound-feet of torque) assisted by an electric motor (88 kilowatts/118 horsepower and 149 pound-feet of torque). Overall output sits at 208 horsepower.

On the frugality front, the 2020 Camry Hybrid returns 51 mph in the city and 53 mpg on the highway, according to EPAs measurements. Whats more, the Hybrid is known for its smooth acceleration, quiet ride, and just like any Toyota out there, it is bound to impress in the long run when it comes to reliability. Comfort is also a plus, as is luggage space (15.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up).

Used alternative

If buying new isnt an option given your limited budget, fret not. You can get a 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid SE for around $11,000 or even less, while a 2013 Camry Hybrid XLE can go for $9,000 or so.

Toyota Camry Hybrid drivetrain specifications Type,Materials 2.5-liter,4-cylinder Valvetrain Twin-cam16-valvewith VVT-iE (Intake)/VVT-I Displacement 2,487cc BorexStroke 3.44x4.07in. Compression Ratio 14.0:1 Horsepower(SAENet) 176 hp @5,700 rpm Torque 163 lb-ft @5,200 rpm Electric motor PermanentMagnetSynchronousMotor Electric Motor Power Output 88kW(118 hp) Torque 202Nm (149lb.-ft.)

Read our full review on the Toyota Camry Hybrid

Although its not available with a hybrid powertrain, the 2020 Elantra starts at $19,150. The base SE model makes do with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine good for 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. These are decent figures, as is the EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined rating (31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway).

Hyundai also sells an Eco trim for the 2020 Elantra, powered by the 128-horsepower 1.4-liter turbo GDI gasoline unit mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This variant is rated at 36 mpg combined (33 mpg city, 41 mpg highway), but its also a tad more expensive, starting at $21,450.

Used alternative

The Elantra tends to show good reliability so the used market could be a solution if your budget is rather tight. In that sense, you can get a 2015 Elantra SE sedan for as low as $8,000, while a 2017 Elantra SE would set you back around $12,000.

Hyundai Elantra specifications Hyundai Elantra SE Hyundai Elantra Eco Type Nu 2.0 MPI Atkinson 4-cylinder, DOHC Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (D-CVVT) KAPPA 1.4 Turbo GDI 4-cylinder, DOHC Materials Aluminum block and head Aluminum block and head Bore & stroke (mm) 81 X 97 71.6 x 84 Compression ratio 12.5:1 10.0:1 Displacement 2.0 liters / 1,999 cc 1.4 liters / 1,353cc Horsepower 147 @ 6,200 rpm 128 @ 5500 Torque (lb-ft) 132 @ 4,500 rpm 156 @ 1400 3700

Read our full review on the Hyundai Elantra

An entry-level 2020 Toyota Corolla will set you back $19,600. For that kind of money youre getting a sharp-looking car fitted with a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine good for 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. The unit is paired to a CVT that sends power to the front wheels and according to EPA ratings, it returns 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined.

The Corolla also offers a cargo volume of 13.1 cubic feet and judging by Toyotas reliability record, it should hold its value pretty well over time and you wont have to visit the repair shop too often.

Used alternative

Used Corollas usually sell for $9,000-$10,000 (2017 model year) or as low as $6,000-$7,000 (2010 model year).

Toyota Corolla specifications Type, Materials 2.0-Liter Dynamic Force 4-Cylinder DOHC 16-Valve D-4S Dual Injection with Dual VVT-i Valve train DOHC, four-valve/cylinder Displacement 1987 cc Bore x Stroke 3.17 x 3.84 in. Compression Ratio 13.0:1 Horsepower (SAE Net) 168 hp @ 6,600 rpm Torque 151 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm

Read our full review on the Toyota Corolla

The Prius needs no introduction and its a popular choice and one of the best cars you can have if you plan to join Uber. The 2020 Prius can be had as a traditional hybrid ($24,325) or as a plug-in hybrid ($27,900). It combines a 1.8-liter gasoline engine good for 96 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque and an e-motor (71 horsepower/53 kilowatts and 120 pound-feet). Overall system output is 121 horsepower.

Sure, its no supercar, but the Prius really shines when it comes to frugality, safety and reliability. According to EPA ratings, the 2020 Prius L Eco returns as much as 58-53 mpg. It also comes fitted as standard with Toyotas Safety Sense P (TSS-P) bundle and offers up to 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space. As of 2020, it supports Apple CarPlay, a nice tech gimmick to have. On top of that, the ride quality is aimed primarily at comfort and the seats are spacious and nice to sit in.

Used alternative

If your budget is restrictive for the time being, know that used 2012 Toyota Prius models can be had for $8,000-$9,000, while a pre-owned 2016 Prius will set you back around $12,000-$13,000.

Toyota Prius specifications Engine 2ZR-FXE (Atkinson cycle) Type, Materials 1.8-Liter 4-cylinder aluminum block and head, double overhead cam (DOHC) 16-valve VVT-i Valvetrain 4-valve/cylinder with VVT-i Displacement 1,797 cc Bore xStroke 3.17 x 3.48 in. Compression Ratio 13.0:1 Horsepower (SAE Net) 96 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm Hybrid System Net Horsepower 121 horsepower (90kW) Torque 105 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm

Read our full review on the Toyota Prius

A brand-new 2020 Corolla Hybrid starts at $23,100. Obviously, it comes with the same comfort and reliability credentials offered by the ICE-powered Corolla wrapped in a more frugal twist. The hybrid powertrain mixes a 1.8-liter gas engine or a 2.0-liter mill with an e-motor or a larger. The former makes 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque, while the later is good for 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of twist. EPA says the Corolla Hybrid should return 52 mpg combined.

Used alternative

This is the first time ever Toyota offered a Corolla Hybrid, so used cars simply dont exist at this point. However, you can have a look at the used alternatives for the regular Corolla or look at Camry Hybrid models.

Toyota Corolla Hybrid specifications Type, Materials 2.0-Liter Dynamic Force 4-Cylinder DOHC 16-Valve D-4S Dual Injection with Dual VVT-i 1.8-liter, 4-Cylinder DOHC in-line 16-Valve with Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), aluminum alloy block and head Valve train DOHC, four-valve/cylinder 4-valve per cylinder with Dual VVT-i Displacement 1987 cc 1,798 cc Bore x Stroke 3.17 x 3.84 in. 3.17 x 3.48 in. Compression Ratio 13.0:1 10.0:1 Horsepower (SAE Net) 168 hp @ 6,600 rpm 139 hp @ 6,000 rpm Torque 151 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm 128 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm

Read our full review on the Toyota Corolla Hybrid

The 2020 Hyundai Ioniq is a straightforward package. It can be had in traditional hybrid ($23,200) or plug-in-hybrid guise ($26,500), but also as an all-electric model ($33,045). Since this is a car thats destined for Uber trips, well focus on the hybrid versions are these are more flexible when it comes to charging.

The Ioniq Hybrid returns 57 mpg city, 59 mpg highway, and 58 mpg combined. Power comes from a 1.6-liter GDI gasoline unit paired to an e-motor for a combined output of 139 horsepower. The Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid returns 52 mpg combined and 119 MPGe. It can also travel for around 29 miles in pure electric mode, and besides the fact that you can plug it in to a charging station, it offers the same powertrain as the Hybrid. For both cars, cargo volume is 23 cubic feet and the Ioniq is generally known for a smooth and quiet ride.

Used alternative

A 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid sells for around $11,000-$12,000 on the used market, while a 2019 model can be had for $17,000, give or take.

Hyundai Ioniq specifications Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid Electric Power Output 32 kW (43 HP) 45 kW (60 HP) 100 kW (134 HP) Torque 125 lb-ft 125 lb-ft 218 lb-ft Battery Type Lithium-ion Polymer Lithium-ion Polymer Lithium-ion Polymer Battery System Capacity 1.56 kWh 8.9 kWh 38.3kWh Electric Vehicle Operation 75 MPH 81MPH TBD Gasoline Engine + Electric Motor Output 139 HP 156 HP 134 HP (Electric Motor Only)

Read our full review on the Hyundai Ioniq

Go for the entry-level Subaru Impreza and your bank account will be cleared of at least $18,695. For that kind of money you get Subarus 2.0-liter boxer engine tuned to produce 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque and a five-speed manual transmission as well as the brands signature Symmetrical All-Wheel drive.

As far as frugality is concerned, the 2020 Impreza fitted with the manual gearbox returns 31 mpg highway and 23 mpg city. The five-door version packs 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk, while the sedan makes do with just 12.3 cubic feet. Youll also be getting Subarus tried-and-tested reliability factor so you wont have to deal with repair headaches in the long run.

Used alternative

There are cheaper Imprezas money can buy, but those are obviously pre-owned models. For example, a 2016 Subaru Impreza 2.0i sells for around $10,000 on the used market, while a 2012 Impreza 2.0i wagon goes for roughly $8,000.

Subaru Impreza specifications Engine 4-cyl. horizontally opposed (Boxer), aluminum cylinder block and cylinder heads Displacement 1,995 cc / 122 cu. in. Bore x stroke 84 x 90mm Horsepower 152 @ 6,000 rpm Torque 145 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Read our full review on the Subaru Impreza

The 2020 Nissan Versa covers all the basic needs of an Uber driver. Its affordable, comfortable, reliable, and spacious for a subcompact. A brand new Versa will set you back at least $14,730. Under the hood lies a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque on tap.

The engine mates to a five-speed manual. Cargo capacity is rated at 14.7 cubic feet which should be more than enough for luggage and whatnot in case youll be hauling passengers to and from the airport. Oh, and we almost forgot. For the 2020 Versa, the EPA estimates a fuel consumption rate of up to 30 mpg combined and 40 mph highway, which is not bad at all.

With a new generation 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine offering more power and better fuel economy

Used alternative

Although not as better looking as the 2020 model, the 2018 Nissan Versa can be had for around $10,000 on the used market, while a 2015 Versa 1.6 S is available for as low as $4,500.

Nissan Versa specifications Engine 1.6-Liter Inline-Four Transmission CVT Power Output 122 HP Torque 114 LB-FT Driveline FWD Fuel Gasoline Fuel Capacity 10.8 Gal Fuel Economy 27/36/30 0-60 mph (est) 10.2 Seconds Top Speed 115 MPH

Read our full review on the Nissan Versa

The 2020 Soul is the most affordable new Kia money can buy. It starts at $17,490 and packs a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine tuned to produce 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque sent through a six-speed manual transmission.

Kias recent jump in quality and attractiveness has also brought a new meaning to the brands reliability. Whats more, this engine-gearbox duo is slated to return 27 mpg combined (25 mpg city, 31 mpg highway) and on the practicality front, the trunk offers 24.2 cubic feet worth of cargo space.

Used alternative

If you feel like you cant afford a new 2020 Soul, fret not. The used market can provide a 2015 Kia Soul + for around $9,000 or a 2013 model for $5,500.

Kia SOUL specifications Type 2.0L I-4, Multi-Port Injection (MPI) Displacement (cc) 1,999 CC Bore x stroke (mm) 81.0 x 97.0 mm Compression ratio 12.5:1 Horsepower 147 hp @ 6,200 rpm Torque 132 lb.-ft. @ 4,500 rpm

Read our full review on the Kia Soul

A new 2020 Honda Insight starts at $22,930. Yes, the 2020 Civic is $2,000 less expensive, but the Insights hybrid powertrain will save you money in the long run. Speaking of powertrain, the Insight relies on a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine (107 horsepower and 99 pound-feet of torque) paired to a synchronous permanent-magnet e-motor (129 horsepower and 197 pound-feet of torque). Overall system power output is 152 horsepower.

On the fuel economy front, the Insight returns 55 mpg city, 49 mpg highway, and 52 mpg combined. Theres plenty of room inside and the seats are rather comfy and on top of that, the Insight offers a relaxed ride. On top of that, the trunk offers 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space.

Used alternative

Looking for a cheaper alternative? Then know that a 2013 Honda Insight goes for $7,000 on the used market while a 2010 model can be had for around $5,000.

Honda Insight specifications Engine Type In-Line 4-Cylinder Displacement 1498 cc Horsepower (SAE net) 107 @ 6000 rpm Torque (SAE net) 99 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm Bore and Stroke 73.0 mm / 89.5 mm Compression Ratio 13.5 :1 Valve Train 16-Valve DOHC i-VTEC Horsepower 129 @ 4000-8000 rpm Torque 197 lb-ft @ 0-3000 rpm Total System Horsepower1 151.5

Read our full review on the Honda Insight

Car Requirements For Uber

There are a few minimum driver requirements for those who want to join Uber:

meet the minimum age to drive in your city

have at least one year of licensed driving experience in the U.S. (3 years if you are under 23 years old)

have a valid U.S. drivers license

use an eligible 4-door vehicle

Uber also says that besides these basic requirements, each driver must abide by his or her citys regulations regarding vehicles. Drivers normally get more info on that front from Uber after theyve signed up to drive.

However, we can give you the vehicle requirements for Los Angeles, which were guessing apply to some extent to other cities in the United States:

15-year-old vehicle (or newer)

4-door car

good condition, no cosmetic damage

no commercial branding

the car must pass a preliminary vehicle inspection

Whats more, the guidelines touch on the cosmetic side of the vehicle in a bit more depth. As such, heres what might make your vehicle incompatible with Uber rules:
Goa Health Minister Vishwajit



Rane said on Wednesday evening that seven samples tested positive for coronavirus in the coastal state during rapid testing, but confirmation of results was awaited.

Goa has been declared as a Green Zone by the Union government as there was not a single active COVID-19 active case since May 1.

"Seven new #COVID19 cases have been reported positive via the TrueNat testing done at Ponda Sub District Hospital. The tests have been further sent to the virology lab at GMC (Goa Medical College) for confirmation, results are awaited," the minister tweeted.

A state government officer said that five members of a family who had arrived from Kolhapur district of Maharashtra and their driver tested positive in rapid testing, while another suspected patient was a truck driver who came to Goa with a consignment of essential goods.

On May 1, Goa was declared as Green Zone after all the seven patients which were detected in the state recovered.

The state government had allowed resumption of most of the economic activities including industries.

Reacting to the development, Aam Admi Party (AAP) said that Goa's COVID-19 reality must come to light.

AAP Goa General Secretary Pradeep Padgaonkar said the party was demanding a joint press conference by the chief minister and the health minister.

"Chief minister Pramod Sawant's media briefings were not convincing as he was reportedly relying too much on his inept administration with his cabinet engaged in a war of trading charges of corruption," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Did students still have homework during the 1918 flu closures? Not much, according to Debbie Schaefer-Jacobs, curator in the Division of Cultural and Community Life at the Smithsonians National Museum of American History. Teachers probably sent reading assignments home, but schoolwork was minimal. If students wanted to practice spelling, they used alphabet or speller boards, which were popular learning toys at that time.
London, May 13 : Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said that he is happy to get back to work whenever the Premier League restarts. Newcastle United defender Danny Rose and Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling are among players who have publicly expressed concern if the league is to restart before a definitive solution is found to the coronavirus situation.

At 72 years of age, Hodgson is the oldest manager in the league but he said he has no qualms of returning.

"Yes. No concerns. Age is age. It's how you feel really. Your age doesn't necessarily relate to your fitness or how you're feeling, or your capacity to do a job," the former England manager told beIN SPORTS.

"So I have no qualms whatsoever," he said. "When I'm called back to work I shall be very happy to go back to work." Hodgson however acknowledged that there may be players from his own team itself who would be apprehensive of playing and the club would understand them. "This is going to be a matter for the individual and a matter for the club at the end of the day," Hodgson said.

"I would be very surprised, knowing my club and Steve Parish as I do, that he would not be sympathetic to a player that came and said: 'Look, I have serious reservations about playing'."
Gujarat minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's decision nullifying his 2017 election on the ground of malpractice and manipulation.

Chudasama is currently the minister for law and justice, legislative and parliamentary affairs, education and some other departments in the Vijay Rupani government.

As an interim prayer, the minister sought stay of the operation of the Gujarat High Court's Tuesday order till the disposal of his appeal.

The high court had held that Returning Officer "illegally rejected" 429 postal ballots during the counting of votes, while the victory margin was only 327.

Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod had challenged his BJP rival's victory from Dholka constituency by a margin of mere 327 votes in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls.

Chudasama has sought setting aside of the Tuesday order of the High Court by terming it as erroneous and contended that it has failed to appreciate that his rival Congress candidate has not led positive, reliable and cogent evidence to prove any of the issues.

Therefore, Rathod was not entitled to be declared as duly elected candidate from '58- Dholakia Constituency' for the Gujarat State Assembly Elections on December 14, 2017, the minister submitted.

That the High Court has failed to appreciate the proper facts of the case and has reached a completely erroneous conclusion in holding the successful election of the Petitioner as illegal and void, his plea said.

It said that High Court order was erroneous as it answers in affirmative that Rathod has proven that 429 postal ballot papers were illegally rejected at the time of counting of votes and appellant's (Chudasama) election from Dholka constituency was materially affected by improper rejection of the votes.

Because the High Court failed to appreciate that so far as illegal rejection of 429 postal ballots is concerned, Rule 54-A of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 clearly draws a distinction between postal ballot and vote, i.e. when a postal ballot culminates into a vote, the plea said.

It added that a ballot only becomes a vote at Rule 54(7) which is when the covers in Form 13-B not already dealt with till Rule 54(6) are opened one after another and therefore, in the present case, what was rejected is only 429 postal ballots, not votes.

The 429 ballots have not seen the light of day since the second cover has not been opened and one does not know in whose favour the said vote was cast since the said vote was not opened at all, the minister said.

He submitted that the High Court erred in allowing the Election Petition on the ground that since the victory margin was less than the total number of postal ballots rejected, the said postal ballots were wrongly rejected and that procedure mandated by law was not followed, therefore the election is liable to be set aside.

The High Court had said the procedure adopted for counting of votes was "against the orders of the Election Commission of India (EC)" and illegal.

It said that Chudasama indulged in "corrupt practice" under section 123 (7) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and was "hand-in-gloves with the then returning officer Dhaval Jani.

All three facts materially affected the outcome of the election, it said, while declaring it as void.

The High Court while rejecting Chudasama's request for a stay to the order, said an election "cannot be permitted to hold the field any further" where 429 postal ballots were excluded from counting "behind everybody's back, including the Observer nominated by the Election Commission," and election record "systematically manipulated" to conceal this fact.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks fell sharply on Wednesday as investors fretted about the economic impact of Covid-19 on the global economy. Concerns mounted over a second wave of coronavirus infections, with a top infectious diseases doctor in the U.S. warning senators that the coronavirus will spread further if the country opens up too soon. The benchmark DAX fell 176 points, or 1.65 percent, to 10,642 after declining 0.1 percent the previous day. Shares of Commerzbank slumped 4.3 percent after the banking major reported a loss in its first quarter, compared to prior year's profit, hurt mainly by impacts from coronavirus pandemic. Deutsche Bank tumbled 3.2 percent on news that top managers will waive one month of fixed pay in an effort to cut costs. United Internet jumped 4 percent after making a good start in its fiscal year 2020 and confirming full-year guidance. Property company Deutsche Wohnen was marginally higher while Leoni, a cable and harnessing manufacturing firm, lost 4.6 percent after unveiling their quarterly results. 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.
Rights group Amnesty International released a damning report Wednesday documenting various human rights abuses committed along the law enforcement chain related to Cambodias war on drugs that has resulted in the arrests of tens of thousands of Cambodians.



The report, titled Substance Abuse  The Human Cost of Cambodias Anti-Drug Campaign, was released on Wednesday and documents issues plaguing Cambodian law enforcement, judiciary and drug rehabilitation programs, resulting in frequent rights abuses, while also highlighting the pitfalls of severe criminalization of drug use.

The international rights group interviewed 51 people, 34 who were or previously had used drugs. It also reviewed official documents from government institutions and ministries while drafting the report. The report is limited to the harmful effects and rights violations linked to the governments war on drugs started in 2017.



Over three years since its launch, the countrys campaign against drugs has not only failed in its primary mission of reducing drug use and drug-related harms, it has led to serious and systematic human rights violations, the report reads.



The main issues highlighted in the report were the ad-hoc mechanisms used by law enforcement in arresting alleged offenders, the consequent overcrowding in prisons, accusations of torture and abuse at drug rehabilitation centers and endemic corruption which has resulted in the incarceration of innocent people.



The report reveals that at least 55,770 people have been arrested on suspicion of using or selling drugs between January 2017 and March 2020. National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) reports show that Cambodias prison population has skyrocketed by 78% since the campaign started, from 21,900 at the end of 2016 to over 38,990 in March 2020, even though Cambodias prisons have an estimated capacity of just 26,593.



The report show that thousands of people each year were detained without charges in drug rehabilitation centers and social affairs centers, mostly in inhumane conditions and with detainees often subjected to torture and abuse.

In there, I felt that I was in hell. Trying to endure the beatings, the food, the overcrowding  it was completely unbearable, replied one of the respondents, who had been placed in the notorious Prey Speu detention center, officially called the Por Sen Chey Vocational Training Center.



The report details the violation of fair trial rights and inconsistencies in the application of the relevant laws to alleged drug users and traffickers. The system, the report says, is ripe with a presumption of guilt, the over criminalization of drug offenses and endemic corruption at all stages of the criminal justice system  from initial arrest to imprisonment.



This was especially apparent in the extortionary tactics used by police officials to alter initial reports, which could result in a lesser charge, early release from prison on a lighter sentence or even the release of an innocent person caught up in the initial arrest.



When my sister was at the district police station, one officer told me that if I gave $100 to him, he would change my sisters police report, said one of the respondents identified as Vorn. [H]e said he would make the case lighter after it gets sent to court.



This would include luy rutgaa or commission money to get lighter sentences from Cambodian courts.

There is a fixed price for different crimes. If you pay the money, your time is cut down. You might get three years sentence and 2.5 years suspended. You always have to pay money for [suspended sentences] in drugs cases, said another former prisoner at Koh Kong Provincial Prison, who was not identified in the report.

VOA Khmer spoke to a Phnom Penh resident, who requested to be identified by his first name, Samnang, whose brother had allegedly been swept up in a drug raid. Samnang did not want his or his brothers name published in full because the latters case was still making its way through Cambodian courts.



The brother, Samnang claimed, had been convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to 25 years in prison, even though he was not involved in drug use or narcotic sales.



Police tested his urine [for drugs] and it showed that he is not drug user, Samnang said.

The police accused my brother of selling drugs with another person, said Samnang, adding that the other person was beaten to implicate Samnangs brother. My brother doesnt even know him.



Afraid of leaving his brother in prison for 25 years, Samnang is paying around $12,000 to get his brothers case dropped. He did not want to divulge who the money would go to so as to not affect the outcome.

I dont know about this court system. He will not be able to live up to 25 years in prison. I feel emotional when talking about him, he said.

Justice Ministry spokesperson Chin Malin rejected the reports findings and methodology outright, adding that no consultations were conducted with relevant ministries or authorities before its publications.

Amnesty International has appended letters sent to Health Minister Mam Bunheng, Social Affairs Minister Vong Soth, NACD head Ke Kim Yan and Chairman of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee Keo Remy requesting for responses to the findings.

The letters were also sent to Interior Minister Sar Kheng, then-Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana and Phnom Penh Governor Khuong Sreng.



If they just raise baseless allegations and dont cooperate with authorities, we dont know how to solve it, he said.

He instead pointed to an Interior Ministry announcement last week that the government was considering releasing prisoners, including those cases with drug charges, to reduce overcrowding and to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus.

Pech Pisey, the executive director of Transparency International Cambodia, said the corruption in Cambodian courts was one of the major factors in Cambodias poor showing in their corruption index.



Cambodia ranked 162 of 180 countries in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perception Index.



He added that they group had received information that court prosecutors, police officials and legal authorities were soliciting bribes from accused individuals who were wrongly being accused of trafficking.



I think we try to have procedures to avoid such charges where they put people in prison immediately, he said.
FLINT, MI -- A $262,500 grant will help black-owned businesses in Flint reopen as the state eases COVID-19 restrictions.

The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation granted $262,500 to the Genesee Chamber Foundation, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, to provide awards of up to $5,000 to black-owned businesses as they safely reopen. The funds were announced in a press release on May 13.

The chamber announced its Restart Flint & Genesee Grant Program on May 6. It is using a $200,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation to help businesses in the county reopen. The Mott Foundation has designated funding specifically for black-owned businesses in Flint.

A $200,000 grant will help small businesses in Genesee County reopen

Mott Foundation President and CEO Ridgeway White said the organizations top priority is helping Flint and the black community--which has been hit the hardest by the virus.

We know businesses want to protect their staff and customers as they reopen, and the changes theyll need to make will require money at a time when their revenues are way down. We hope this grant will help them get up and running the way they want to, White said.

Businesses that were operating before the state shut down, are locally owned by black Americans, are an LLC or S-Corp within Flint and have no more than 50 employees are eligible for grant funding. Their operation must also have been significantly impacted by the state shutting down.

Grant dollars focusing on the black-owned businesses show care and support for those who have been impacted significantly, said George Wilkinson, president of NorthGate, located in Flint Township.

Everyone has been affected. But just as this virus has wreaked havoc on the African American community, it has wreaked havoc on the African American business community, said Wilkinson, who serves on the Greater Flint Coronavirus Taskforce on Racial Inequities. This grant says We see you. We recognize that you dont have the resources others have to embolden you and provide help during this time.

Businesses such as salons, child care facilities and stores, will be given priority because they have been hit the hardest. Business owners must also show they have endured economic hardship by providing a narrative that describes the challenges they have faced. They should be able to explain what the funding will be used for and why its critical to sustaining the business.

Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce CEO Tim Herman said the Mott Foundation has once again stepped forward with timely and much-needed support. In April, the chamber also awarded 52 grants to relieve the financial burden felt by local small business owners during the pandemic. A list of the businesses awarded grants can be found here.

These additional funds will enable us to extend financial support to many more businesses in Flint that need it as they prepare to reopen and operate their small businesses under the strict guidelines meant to protect public health, Herman said.

There is a single application process for funding that can be found here. If a business doesnt meet the eligibility requirements for funding through the Mott Foundation, it will be considered under the funding provided by the Consumers Energy Fund.

An informational webinar  scheduled for Friday, May 15, at 10 a.m.  will cover program details, application criteria and deadlines, and how the funds may be used. The webinar will be shared on the Chambers Facebook Live and YouTube Live channels.

READ MORE

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

A slow crawl back to normalcy ahead for Michigan bars and restaurants from coronavirus restrictions

Michigan construction, real estate industries re-open today after coronavirus shutdowns
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged the federal government to act quickly to resolve a Chinese ban on beef exports from three Queensland beef processing companies to protect jobs.

On Tuesday federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the department had been notified late on Monday that four abattoirs had been suspended by China over "issues related to labelling and health certificate requirements".

Beef exports from four companies, three in Queensland and one in NSW, have been suspended by China. Credit:Tamara Voninski

Three of the four businesses are based in south-east Queensland: the Chinese-owned Kilcoy Pastoral Company north-west of Brisbane and two meatworks, at Toowoomba and Dinmore, owned by food processing company JBS.

"We are concerned that the suspensions appear to be based on highly technical issues, which in some cases date back more than a year," Senator Birmingham said.
In the two months since it was founded, the 'Feed The Heroes' campaign has delivered over 156,971 meals to critical frontline staff in Ireland.

This initiative to deliver meals to those fighting Covid-19 on the frontline struck a chord with many across Ireland, with over 1.14M raised for the cause thus far. However, with 950,000 of the fundraised spent, a further push is needed if Feed The Heroes are to continue their work in to the coming weeks and months.

Feed The Heroes have been working around the clock to ensure those who are the frontline of this public health crisis receive the meals and nutrition they require to sustain their effort.

Ambulance paramedics, Covid-19 swab testers, contact tracers, medical scientists, ICU teams, COVID ward teams, and support staff across hospital and nursing home care settings have all received meals during the Covid-19 pandemic. These meals are not only a source of much needed energy and nutrition but are also a sign of the publics goodwill and support towards those on the frontline.

However, with the pandemic still ongoing, and current operating costs of over 170,000 per week, Feed The Heroes are in urgent need of financial support to continue their mission until the end of this month.

With just 7, one meal can be prepared and delivered to one frontline worker and can make all the difference to the teams of dedicated professionals working long shifts seven days a week.

Recent initiatives, such as #TheBigRugbyRun, which raised over 40,000 for Feed The Heroes, have been critically important to sustaining the Feed The Heroes fund. However, one last push is needed, with Feed The Heroes asking for your help to fund another week of meals going to frontline workers across Ireland.

Speaking today, Feed The Heroes founder, Cian OFlaherty said, To date we have spent over 950,000 of the Feed The Heroes fund. Once again, we are extremely grateful to every single person who has powered Feed The Heroes this far, enabling us to support the people at the heart of Covid-19.

"We would also like to thank all the organisations who have sponsored this campaign from the start through various donations and fundraising initiatives. However, we are asking for continued support, just 7 will deliver one meal to a frontline worker.

Individuals and companies who wish to make a donation can contribute on the Feed The Heroes website www.feedtheheroes.com.
BRUSSELS -- The European Parliament has given its green light to two agreements that will make it easier and cheaper for Belarusian citizens to enter most EU countries.

A total of 634 European lawmakers on May 13 backed the visa-facilitation agreement between the EU and Belarus, with 48 voting against and four abstaining.

The readmission agreement was supported by 560 deputies, while 117 voted against and 13 abstained. The votes were held by e-mail due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The deals are now heading to the European Council, consisting of the governments of all EU member states, which is expected to ratify them in the coming weeks. The agreements would then enter into force in July at the earliest.

Brussels and Minsk signed the two agreements in January, and Belarus's National Assembly adopted the deals last month.

Once they enter into force, the visa fee will be reduced from 80 euros ($89) to 35 euros ($39) and the deadline for consulates to make a decision on a visa application will be shortened.

Several categories of travelers such as journalists and students will also be able to get multiple-entry visas with longer validity.

Visa facilitation is the first step before potentially granting the complete visa-liberalization currently enjoyed by the citizens of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

It applies to all EU countries apart from Ireland, as well as non-EU states Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:47:26|Editor: huaxia

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VIENNA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) daily basket price stood at 22.83 U.S. dollars a barrel on Tuesday, compared with 22.71 dollars on Monday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations released on Wednesday.

The OPEC basket, also known as the OPEC reference basket of crude oil (ORB), is a weighted average of oil prices from different OPEC members around the world and an important benchmark for crude oil prices.

It currently averages the oil prices of 13 countries, namely Algeria, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Enditem
A group of Australian astronomers have managed to cut through the noise and find out exactly what beat a group of teenage stars are dancing to.

The researchers from the University of Sydney, led by astronomer Professor Tim Bedding, have focused on a group of poorly understood stars of medium size, known to astronomers as delta Scuti stars.

The stars all pulsate, but there was seemingly no rhyme or reason to that pulsing, with Professor Bedding describing it as the interstellar version of a cat walking across piano keys.

They are all of a similar size and age so they should all have been pulsating at the same rate but instead they were all over the place, he said.
A few weeks ago, an unfortunate event took place in Patiala when a corona-warrior and a Punjab Police cop  SI Harjeet Singh's hand was dismembered in a dastardly attack by curfew violators. This single event signaled the need for Punjab Police to stand together in solidarity with their wounded colleague and thousands of other frontline workers, police officers, doctors, and healthcare professionals who are facing the heat of the COVID-19 crisis.

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23mainbhiharjeetsingh&src=typed_query

The top rank at Punjab Police decided to collaborate with Lowe Lintas Mumbai and Mogae Media to create a campaign that would motivate the force and display their collective strength. This would eventually also become an opportunity for the public to truly appreciate the enormous efforts taken by the Punjab Police force towards their safety. Thus, the idea of #MainBhiHarjeetSingh and #MainBhiPunjabPolice came to life. The hashtags intend to evoke solidarity with the victim and express empathy by stepping into brave SI Harjeet Singh's shoes.

Talking about the campaign, Sagar Kapoor, CCO at Lowe Lintas, said, The Punjab Police campaign had us shocked, in tears and inspired at the same time. Helmed by the story of Harjeet Singh, who lost his hand serving his nation and his force is at the heart of the idea. The idea further leaps to each and every police personnel saying Main bhiHarjeet Singh. Main bhi Punjab Police. The sentiment is so deep and wide that police forces from other parts of the country have also pledged the slogan. A slogan that promises the police force will keep fulfilling their service, no matter what comes in the way of their call of duty.

Anaheeta Goenka, COO at Lowe Lintas, added, As an agency network we have always supported the nation's causes and created behavior change communication, imperative for society. This initiative began with supporting the Mumbai Police, inspiring and urging citizens to self-police themselves and their families. It was embraced and supported by celebrities and common people alike. The Punjab Police campaign with SI Harjeet Singh at the epicenter of it has given the initiative further momentum. A big thank to everyone who has supported the self-policing cause and has stayed indoors helping our nation control the spread of the virus. A big thank you to each and every frontline warrior, like SI Harjeet Singh who is a shining example of commitment to us all.

The campaign kick-started with the police force showing solidarity for their fellow policeman, SI Harjeet Singh, by wearing his name badge on their uniform, driving home the message that while one Harjeet Singh recuperates, countless other HarjeetSinghs are reporting on-duty.

Not long after celebrities participated in the campaign, and their appeal energised more people to show solidarity with these corona warriors. They uploaded their pictures and videos showing support towards the brave cop's dedication and tagged themselves as #MainBhiHarjeetSingh and #MainBhiPunjabPolice.

Carol Goyal, Executive Director, Mogae Media said, "#MainBhiHarjeetSingh is a large-hearted digital initiative. It has got the entire Punjab Police force energised in a show of unprecedented solidarity. 80,000 policemen from Punjab Police donned Harjeet's name on their badges sending out a strong signal that no one, but no one, can mess with the police who are here to protect us all. Lakhs in India and abroad emulated the policemen, holding placards in praise of Harjeet and the Punjab Police. We at Mogae are privileged and honoured to have worked on this brave initiative".

The people have taken the campaign to heart, with the hashtag #MainBhiHarjeetSingh trending across social media platforms within 6 hours of launch. With this support, the Punjab Police hopes to build a sense of solidarity and support amongst all its citizens and pay a true tribute to all police officers, doctors and healthcare professionals.
The father and son who killed Ahmaud Arbery had a confrontation with the unarmed jogger two weeks before he was shot, according to one neighbor.

Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34, were charged with murder after a video of them pursuing Arbery in a pick up truck and then shooting him dead in a Brunswick, Georgia street on February 23 surfaced online last week.

Now neighbor Diego Perez says the two men had already approached their victim on February 11, after spotting him at the same construction site Arbery is thought to have looked round on the day of his death.

Perez told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'Travis saw him in the yard and Travis stopped. He confronted (the man) halfway into the yard. He said (the man) reached for his waistband, and Travis got spooked and went down the road.'

Travis is said to have returned with his father, who was armed and who had called the local police.

Perez said he witnessed the February 11 incident after the property owner, Larry English, who lived two hours away, asked him to keep an eye on the site.

After a motion sensor camera had been set off, Perez headed to the construction area, where he saw the McMichaels and the man he believes to have been Arbery.

Perez said nothing was taken from the home, adding: 'All we knew about him was that he was the guy who kept showing up on our cameras. No one knew who it was.'

The next time he saw Arbery was the day he was shot dead, Perez says.

Ahmaud Arbery, pictured, was killed February 23; a white father and son told police they pursued him in their truck because they suspected him of being a burglar

Gregory (left) and Travis McMichael (right) have both been charged with murder and aggravated assault over the February 23 shooting of Ahmaud Arbery

Appearing to confirm the earlier confrontation Gregory McMichael is said to have told officers he feared Arbery was armed because 'the other night they saw the same male and he stuck his down his pants which led them to believe he was armed'.

Arbery's grieving parents Wanda Jones Cooper and Marcus Arbery Sr say their son had simply gone for a routine midday jog when he was subjected to a modern day 'lynching'.

Wanda told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against the two men: 'Coming from a mother's point of view: my son died, and so they should die as well.'

The home under construction is described in recent listings as a vacant lot, 0.5 acres in size on the banks of the Little Satilla River: the perfect spot for the 'river front home of your dreams'.

Current owner, Larry English Jr., bought it in June 2016 for $120,000 and has built the majority of the structure which has a sign posted outside, warning: 'Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.'

Two separate videos emerged over the weekend to confirm that Arbery had indeed entered the partially-built house, one captured by English's camera and a second taken from a neighboring property.

Arbery's family say the clips are actually proof that he didn't steal anything and was merely looking around, which they insist is not a crime.

'Ahmaud Arbery did not take any anything from the construction site. He did not cause any damage to the property,' their attorney, S. Lee Merritt, said.

Ahmaud Arbery inside the under-construction home on February 23, the day he was killed. He walked into the house then left empty handed and was later shot dead by Travis McMichael who had chased him with his father, Gregory, a former cop

Ahmaud had been out jogging when he came across the home. His family says the footage shows he was not a burglar and that he would have been guilty of trespassing at most

Father and son 'are being isolated away from other prisoners for their own safety' The father and son accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery are being isolated from other prisoners for their own safety, according to reports. Both Gregory and Travis McMichael are now being held in a separate wing of the Glynn County Detention Center, in Brunswick, Georgia, according to TMZ. The men can reportedly eat alone and periodically leave their cells while being kept isolated from other prisoners. TMZ also claims that there are no TVs in the section of the jail where the men are being housed, so they cannot follow the case in the news. Glynn County Undersheriff Ron Corbett revealed the details to the outlet but refused to say whether or not the men were on suicide watch or if their lives have been threatened. Advertisement

The Georgia resident who called cops to report Arbery 'milling about' inside the empty house told DailyMail.com his suspicions were justified  because the unarmed jogger was wearing 'baggy' clothes.

He decided to alert police via a non-emergency number because the unidentified 'intruder' had 'no business' trespassing on the unfurnished property for several minutes around 1pm on February 23.

Asked why he was so suspicious about Arbery, he told DailyMail.com: 'He wasn't out for a jog, put it like that. You don't go jogging wearing saggy pants, saggy shorts.'

The aspiring boxer - who would have turned 26 last Friday - was in fact wearing a white T-shirt and knee-length shorts, consistent with clothes that someone might wear to train or go for a run.

Moments after he left the empty property he was shot and killed by father and son 'vigilantes' Gregory and Travis McMichael, who claim they were attempting to detain a burglary suspect.

It took nearly three months and three different prosecutors for the father and son to be charged with murder after state authorities were stung into action by a leaked video of the 'lynching'.

Georgia's Attorney General is now investigating the handling of the case amid claims that prosecutors passed it off to protect 64-year-old Gregory McMichael, a retired cop who worked for the local district attorney's office.

In a still from the video filmed by William 'Roddy' Bryan, Ahmaud Arbery stumbles and falls to the ground after being shot as Travis McMichael stands by holding a shotgun in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23

In the sickening footage of Arbery's death, a shot can be heard and Arbery is seen scuffling with Travis as Arbery appears to try to get the gun away from Travis. Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range before

When DailyMail.com reached out to English he stressed he was elsewhere on February 23 and played no part in the events leading up to Arbery's death.

English says he was working three hours away when he received an alert on his cell phone saying something had triggered a remote security camera inside the property.

Assuming it was a dog or cat, he didn't look at his phone for about 15 minutes.

By the time he had checked the footage, seen an unidentified male and asked a friend in Satilla Drive what was going on, the shooting had already happened.

'The English family had no relationship with the McMichaels and did not even know what had occurred until after Mr Arbery's death was reported to them,' he said, though an attorney.

'Mr English would never have sought a vigilante response, much less one resulting in a tragic death.'

Owner of house Ahmaud Arbery was seen entering while it was under construction says he's getting death threats The owner of the house Ahmaud Arbery was seen entering while it was under construction says he is now getting death threats. Larry English Jr., bought the plot in June 2016 for $120,000 and has built the majority of the structure which has a sign posted outside, warning: 'Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.' Two separate videos emerged over the weekend to confirm that Arbery had indeed entered the partially-built house, one captured by English's camera and a second taken from a neighboring property. But his attorney, Elizabeth Graddy, said her client never shared any information with the McMichaels and did not know them. When DailyMail.com reached out to English he stressed he was elsewhere on February 23 and played no part in the events leading up to Arbery's death. The beekeeper and married father of two says he was working three hours away when he received an alert on his cell phone saying something had triggered a remote security camera inside the property. Assuming it was a dog or cat, he didn't look at his phone for about 15 minutes. By the time he had checked the footage, seen an unidentified male and asked a friend in Satilla Drive what was going on, the shooting had already happened. Attorney Graddy added: 'Now, it's honestly not safe. It's supposed to be a place for comfort and peace. And now, it will be forever associated with this tragedy. 'My clients were not part of what the McMichaels told themselves to do. If the McMichaels are going to justify what they did, they are going to have to look elsewhere for help.' The home under construction is described in recent listings as a vacant lot, 0.5 acres in size on the banks of the Little Satilla River: the perfect spot for the 'river front home of your dreams'. 'The English family had no relationship with the McMichaels and did not even know what had occurred until after Mr Arbery's death was reported to them,' he told DailyMail.com, though an attorney. 'Mr English would never have sought a vigilante response, much less one resulting in a tragic death.' Advertisement

The Georgia resident who called cops to report Arbery 'milling about' inside the empty house says his suspicions were justified  because the unarmed jogger was wearing 'baggy' clothes

Wanda Cooper-Jones (right with Arbery) told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis McMichael, 34,

Gregory and Travis McMichael claim they were trying to perform a legal citizen's arrest when Arbery lunged towards 34-year-old Travis McMichael's shotgun and was blasted three times in the melee.

The older man did ring 911 at 1:14pm to report a 'black male running down the street' but he broke off moments later to take the law into his own hands - shouting: 'Goddamn it, c'mon Travis'.

In their statements to police in the aftermath, the McMichaels said Arbery caught their attention because he resembled a man accused of an alleged spate of residential break-ins.

However there is, to date, no evidence to suggest he committed any crime in predominantly white Satilla Shores on or before the day of the shooting.

Father accused in Ahmaud Arbery killing worked as chief investigator in DA's office without arrest powers or proper certification

The father accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery worked as a chief investigator in the District Attorney's officer without proper certification or arrest powers, according to new reports.

Personnel records obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press show the elder McMichael worked for Brunswick Circuit DA Jackie Johnson's office from November 1995 through May 2019. He consistently got good performance reviews.

But in 2014, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council notified the district attorney's office that in five years since 2005, Gregory McMichael had either failed to do enough training hours or failed to take mandatory firearms or use-of-deadly force classes, documents show.

The result was that he had technically lacked arrest powers since January 1 2006  a situation that could have made Johnson and her office liable for any improper actions by McMichael during that time, according to a memo in the file.

In submitting a training waiver to remedy the situation, McMichael said it was a 'great embarrassment.'

Documents in the file show he again failed to complete mandatory training in 2018 and relinquished his certification, serving out his final few months with the district attorney's office as a non-sworn liaison to law enforcement agencies in one of the counties in the judicial circuit.

Gregory McMichael, pictured with son Travis, had lacked arrest powers since January 1 2006

The Georgia prosecutors who first handled the fatal shooting of the black man, before charges were filed more than two months later, were placed under investigation Tuesday for their conduct in the case.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced that he asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and federal authorities to investigate how local prosecutors handled the killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery.

Gregory and Travis McMichael were not charged with murder until last week, after the release of a video of the February 23 shooting.

'Unfortunately, many questions and concerns have arisen' about the actions of the district attorneys, Carr said Tuesday in a statement. As a result, the attorney general asked the GBI to review the matter 'to determine whether the process was undermined in any way.'

Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said federal prosecutors have asked Carr to share any results. Federal officials are also considering whether hate crimes charges are warranted.

Brunswick Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson defended her office's involvement, which she insisted was minimal because the elder McMichael worked for her as an investigator before retiring a year ago. That relationship required the office to step away from the case.

'I'm confident an investigation is going to show my office did what it was supposed to and there was no wrongdoing on our part,' Johnson told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday.

Johnson said Glynn County police contacted two of her assistant prosecutors on the day of the shooting, seeking legal advice. She said her assistants immediately responded that they could not get involved because of the conflict of interest.

Asked if anyone in her office told police not to arrest the McMichaels or suggested the shooting may have been justified, Johnson said, 'Absolutely not.' She said it was the police who brought up self-defense during their call.

'The police represented it as a burglary case with a self-defense issue,' Johnson said. Police were seeking 'guidance on how to proceed and whether to make an arrest. Our office could not advise or assist them because of our obvious conflict.'

Johnson said she reached out to neighboring Waycross Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill, asking if his office could advise Glynn County police. Because it was a fatal shooting, she said, 'I didn't want the case to stall.'

Exclusive photos show the moment Gregory McMichael (pictured) and his son Travis McMichael were arrested at their home in Brunswick, Georgia, on Thursday

An officer with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is seen leading 34-year-old Travis McMichael out of the home in handcuffs

The attorney general ended up appointing Barnhill to take over on February 27, four days after the shooting.

But in his letter Monday asking the GBI to investigate possible misconduct by the prosecutors, Carr said he was never told that Barnhill had already advised police 'that he did not see grounds for the arrest of any of the individuals involved in Mr. Arbery's death.'

Weeks after Carr appointed him to the case, and just a few days before recusing himself April 7, Barnhill wrote that the McMichaels 'were following, in 'hot pursuit,' a burglary suspect, with solid first hand probable cause, in their neighborhood, and asking/telling him to stop.'

'It appears their intent was to stop and hold this criminal suspect until law enforcement arrived. Under Georgia Law this is perfectly legal,' Barnhill advised in the undated letter, to Glynn County police Capt. Tom Jump. County officials released the letter last week.

Johnson said she could not recall if she had told Carr's office that she enlisted Barnhill's help before recusing herself. Barnhill had the case for about a month before he stepped aside under pressure because his son works for Johnson as an assistant prosecutor. The phone at Barnhill's office in Waycross rang unanswered Tuesday.

Tom Durden, the district attorney in nearby Hinesville, next took the case and had it for more than three weeks before the video became public and he called in the GBI. On Monday, Carr replaced him with Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes, one of only seven black district attorneys in Georgia.

She's based in Atlanta, far from the coastal community where the shooting happened, and is 'a respected attorney with experience, both as a lawyer and a judge,' said Carr, a Republican.

According to the police report, Gregory McMichael said Arbery attacked his son before the younger McMichael shot him.

The autopsy showed Arbery was hit by three shotgun blasts. All three shots can be heard on the video, which clearly shows the final shot hitting Arbery at point-blank range before he staggers and falls face down.

Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, have been jailed since Thursday. Neither had lawyers at their first court appearances. With courts largely closed because of the coronavirus, a grand jury cannot be called to hear the case until mid-June.
Giving a taste of the hard truth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Tuesday that coronavirus will continue to remain a reality for some time to come. However, the next lockdown is less likely to be the same as the previous lockdowns. While he refused to divulge more details, stating that the fine print will be announced before May 18, Modi hinted that lockdown 4.0 will be "totally new, totally different".

It is believed there is likely to be more relaxation in public movement to be given in the forthcoming lockdown with adherence to norms of social distancing and personal hygiene.

However, the focus of the PM's much-awaited televised address to the nation was his thrust on the economy. Modi announced an economic package, which along with previous packages and RBI reprieves, will amount to Rs 20 lakh crore and which he claimed will address issues pertaining to land, labour, liquidity and loss. The total economic package, Modi claimed, will be approximately 10 per cent of India's GDP.

According to the Prime Minister, the package will help India get to its ultimate goal of being "self-reliant". "This package is for the farmers, for our middle class who honestly pay taxes and our industry who are determined to take India to heights," he said.

He termed economy, infrastructure, technology-driven system, vibrant demography and demand the five pillars which need to be used by India.

Jan Dhan, Aaadhaar and mobile technology helped the poor and the marginalised during this lockdown and the ambit of reforms needs to be widened so that the impact in future is minimal on individuals, he said.

Modi on Tuesday stressed the need for a self-sufficient India while talking specifically about production of PPE kits, N95 masks and medicines that have come to aid the world. He has been consistently harping on this theme for some time now. But the Prime Minister asserted that India can and will use this crisis as an opportunity to make this century as that of India's. The economic package is dedicated for that purpose, he said.

He said that the package has special focus on the marginalised, poor, fishermen, and migrant labourers. In a significant statement, Modi said the local business came to rescue of people during the lockdown and India needs to recognize its worth.

"From today onwards, all Indians should be vocal about local. They shouldn't only buy local products but should equally advertise them with pride," he said. Referring to India's response to his appeal to buy khadi products, he suggested that it's time to buy local.

He passingly referred to the Kutch earthquake to stress Indians' resolve. "We never thought Kutch could never stand on its feet. But it did. If we Indians determine to do so, nothing stops us," he said.
An elderly woman was found dead inside a Shramik Special train that arrived here on Wednesday from Gujarat's Vadodara, but no decision has been taken yet on sending her sample for testing COVID-19, officials said.

Banda Railway Station Manager SK Kushwaha said the 75-year-old woman belonged to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and was in the train that reached here around 06:00 am.

"As many as 1,908 migrant labourers arrived in the special train from Vadodara. Once all the passengers had deboarded, the entire train was searched, and the body was found. The Banda district administration has taken the body to a mortuary," he said.

At the hospital, the doctors refused to conduct the post-mortem examination without testing her sample for coronavirus, a doctor said.

Meanwhile, Banda Chief Medical Officer Dr Santosh Kumar said, "It seems the woman had a natural death. A decisions on whether to send her sample for COVID-19 testing is yet to be made. As of now, the body has been preserved for post-mortem examination.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Political parties in Kashmir on Wednesday condemned the killing of a civilian by CRPF personnel in Budgam district and called for an impartial enquiry to punish the guilty.

Peer Mehrajuddin was killed when CRPF personnel opened fire on his vehicle which jumped a security checkpoint in Budgam district on Srinagar-Gulmarg highway. He was rushed to SMHS hospital in the city where he succumbed to his injuries, according to police.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), in a statement, strongly condemned the killing of Mehrajuddin.

"The firing should have been avoided. The loss of innocent lives has the potential to lead to further alienation of the people," the JKPCC said.

The party demanded a probe into the circumstances, which led to the killing of the civilian in order to fix the responsibility.

While reacting to the incident, the PDP called for an inquiry.

"Shooting a civilian dead cannot be how a democracy operates. Eagerness of few trigger happy individuals to replicate Delhi Police model of destruction & violence in Budgam is detestable. An enquiry should be initiated & guilty taken to task," the party tweeted.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah termed the incident as unfortunate.

"Very unfortunate. The circumstances surrounding this shooting need to be impartially investigated & findings made known. My condolences to the family of the deceased," he tweeted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyderabad, May 13 : A water row brewing between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over a project planned by the former has brought curtains on nearly a year long bonhomie which marked the relations between the two Telugu states after Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party stormed to power in Andhra Pradesh.

The dispute on sharing of river waters, which strained the ties ever since Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, is back on centre stage, and threatens to spoil the goodwill created by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart through series of talks.

Earlier, they had not only agreed to amicably resolve all their water-sharing disputes but also decided to divert water from the Godavari river to the Krishna river to tide over the water scarcity in parts of both the Telugu states.

They had directed irrigation officials from both sides to prepare proposals on diverting water from the Godavari to the Srisailam reservoir across the Krishna river.

While there has been no progress on this, the decision of Andhra Pradesh government to construct a new lift irrigation scheme to lift water from Srisailam has sparked a war of words between the two neighbours.

Terming the move 'unilateral' and 'highly objectionable', Telangana Chief Minister said a legal fight would be initiated to stop Rayalaseema lift irrigation project to draw three tmcft water.

Acting swiftly, the Telangana government lodged a complaint with the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). It argued that the proposed project is illegal and violates the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. It said such projects can be initiated or taken up only with the prior approval of the apex council.

In its letter to KRMB, the Telangana government alleged that Andhra Pradesh is trying to enhance the total drawl capacity of water up to eight tmcft daily from Srisailam reservoir, which would adversely impact the interests of the state.

Telangana's contention is that Srisailam reservoir being a common project, Andhra Pradesh cannot plan or initiate any additional diversion of water without consulting Telangana, which is dependent on water from Srisailam to provide drinking water to Hyderabad and several other districts, and various irrigation projects.

Telangana government also alleged that Andhra has been clandestinely diverting water through Pothireddypadu head regulator.

Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed his displeasure over Telangana's reaction and its complaint with KRMB. He made it clear that the state would not draw even a drop of water more than its allocated quota from the Srisailam project.

Jagan also defended the move to widen Pothireddypadu canal to draw surplus floodwater. He said both states could draw from Srisailam only as per quota fixed by Brajesh Kumar Tribunal and monitored by KRMB.

Jagan urged Telangana to see the issue from humanitarian angle as the entire Rayalaseema region, Prakasam and Nellore districts always face drinking water shortage.

Potireddypadu head regulator was a high point of dispute from the days of then Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. He was accused of acting against the interests of Telangana by increasing its capacity from 11,000 to 45,000 cusec to divert water to Rayalaseema. His son Jagan Mohan Reddy now plans to enhance its capacity to 80,000 cusec.

Both KCR and Jagan during full-fledged talks in June last year had noted that the availability of water in Krishna is less, which is causing hardship in the Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh as well as some districts in Telangana They have announced that the disputes and issues pertaining to river water sharing have been forgotten in the spirit of "let bygones be bygones" and both the states are in unanimity to provide optimum benefit to their people.

"There are no egos, no disputes over the basins (water), no apprehensions, there is no need for differences or disputes. If we want disputes we cannot give water to our next generations. KCR and Jagan will not think about themselves. They think from the people's angle. People have voted for us with trust. It is our responsibility to do good for them," KCR had said.

"There is availability of 4,000 tmc of water in Krishna and Godavari. By utilising this quantity of water both the states can become very fertile. We have water available in abundance. About 3,000 tmc of water is going into the sea every year. We have to utilise that. We need to have wisdom to utilise the water. It all depends on our efficiency on how much water we can use. There is no use in running around the tribunals and courts for share of water. If both the states think and walk together it is enough. It is enough if both the states have unanimity on utilisation of water in the two rivers for the benefit of people in both the states," KCR had said.

Political observers, however, say it was a mere rhetoric. "Rhetoric apart KCR and Jagan never resolved inter-state disputes. It was only their common ire against former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu that made them look friends,a political analyst Telakapalli Ravi told IANS.

He pointed out that except for Andhra Pradesh handing over secretariat buildings in Hyderabad to Telangana, nothing concretely worked out. "It was only a hype over sharing of Godavari water. Jagan has tactically withdrawn from the projected agreement. Differences remain on division of assets and on issues like division of electricity employees, paying their salaries and recently allowing people at borders both leaders struck to their guns," he said.

He believes that Jagan will not go back on his decision while KCR taking recourse to legal fight will consume time and thus provide fodder to both sides to divert public attention from pressing issues.

"While this one issue may not alter the relations radically, it definitely provides them a chance to champion their respective states," he added.
An employee installs the rear passenger door on a test frame for a Volkswagen AG Tiguan compact sport utility vehicle inside the company's production plant in Puebla, Mexico.

As automakers prepare to restart U.S. manufacturing, potential parts shortages south of the border appear to have been diverted.

Some Mexican auto factories are due to open as soon as Monday, in line with large U.S. assembly plants for the Detroit automakers. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is expected on Wednesday to lay out a road map for the country to reopen its economy, with a focus on the automotive sector, according to Reuters.

Despite President Donald Trump's "America First" policies, the U.S. auto industry heavily relies on Mexico for parts and vehicle production.

Mexico, unlike many U.S. states, had not given direction on when auto manufacturing would be allowed to restart as the county's coronavirus cases have continued to rise. It's something auto industry executives have been closely watching as they reopen American factories.

Prior to the reopening report, Fred Hubacker, a managing partner of consulting firm Conway MacKenzie, called Mexico a "wild card" in the restart of the U.S. auto industry.
We should reflect on Americas vulnerability now, when the world is on lockdown and we have a chance to reassess. A new world will emerge after the global coronavirus pandemic, one in which China is clearly determined to challenge the United States as a global power. The propaganda wars over the origin of the novel virus that causes covid-19 are just a warm-up for the tests that are ahead.
A 34-year-old man is fighting for his life after being found collapsed in a street in east London street with a number of injuries.

Two members of the public came across the man in Nile Street, Hoxton, at 8pm on Saturday, May 9, and called the London Ambulance Service.

The man was taken to a north London hospital, where he remains in a critical condition, police said.

Police were made aware the next day that the victim had a number of injuries which could potentially be consistent with an assault, and an investigation was launched by the Metropolitan Police.

Detectives are now appealing for information.

The man is known to have walked from his home address a short distance onto Nile Street and into Tesco Express on East Road, where he spent a couple of minutes.

He then left to walk the same route home but was found collapsed by the two members of the public who came to his assistance.

Police said his next of kin are aware of his condition.

Detective Sergeant Danny Blakemore, from Central East CID, said: At this stage we remain unclear as to whether the victim has been assaulted or has collapsed after becoming ill and we need the public to help us work out exactly what happened.

We are asking people to think back as to whether they were in or around Tesco Express on East Road at around 7.45pm on Saturday and may have seen anything unusual."

Anyone with information should call 101 with reference number 3488/10May.
From now on, no member of Bright Armenia Party will respond to questions about relations with the former authorities because over the past few days, we have been waiting for evidence that would substantiate those statements, but there hasnt been any evidence. This is what head of the Bright Armenia faction of the National Assembly Edmon Marukyan said during briefings in parliament today, adding that journalists will have to ask the person making such statements for evidence from now on.

Touching upon the fact that the authorities claim that Bright Armenia Party was against the law on civil forfeiture of illegal assets and didnt vote in favor of the law, Marukyan declared that the authorities are lying and misleading the public. The authorities are misleading the public by saying that Bright Armenia Party is picking fights because of this law. The law was submitted to parliament, our political party welcomed it and voted in favor. We said the party had recommendations to make the law a better one and make sure it doesnt harm the investment climate in Armenia, and some of those recommendations were approved. Later, we said the party couldnt vote in favor because the authorities had a vision that was different from ours.

As for the claims that Bright Armenia Party is acting in the context of the steps of the former authorities, Marukyan said the following: The authorities are the ones acting in the context of the former authorities actions. There are more representatives of the former authorities in the My Step Alliance than there are in our political party.
Boman Irani opened up about his love story with wife Zenobia in an interview with Humans of Bombay. The actor revealed that he proposed to her on their first date itself, as he knew she was the one. He shared that it was love at first sight with her.

Talking about their love story, Boman revealed, "It was love at first sight when Zenobia walked into my Wafer Shop. She made my day with just minutes of conversation. Soon, she began visiting everyday & I knew she liked me too-I mean, who needs so many wafers? Across-the-counter chats turned into calls-we'd talk about everything. But during her BSc exams, her dad said, 'If you don't mind, please don't call for a month, she's getting distracted!' It was tough, but it cemented my feelings."

He continued, "Finally, after her exams, we went on our first date. But before we even got the menus, I blurted, 'I think we should get married!' Kids these days will think I was bonkers but I didn't need to 'figure it out'. I knew she was the one. You know what she said next? 'Ya, of course. Oh, wait! I forgot my umbrella.' I'd just proposed & that's what she said! She thought it was raining when it was just the sound of a Sizzler plate!"

Boman and Zenobia have been married for nearly 35 years. The two wed in a traditional Parsi ceremony on January 28, 1985.

Boman doesn't hold back from showering love on Zenobia. In a previous interview, he had said that he has the greatest respect for her as a human being.

ALSO READ: Ten Years Of 3 Idiots; Boman Irani Never Thought 'Virus' Would Be A Character People Would Relate To

ALSO READ: Boman Irani Roped In To Play Ranveer Singh's Father In Jayeshbhai Jordaar


The Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended detention of former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) by three months, official said on Wednesday.

Faesal, who has been under detention after scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was booked under the PSA in February this year.

His detention was extended barely hours before it was to come to an end on Wednesday.

The PSA has two sections, 'public order' and 'threat to the security of the state'. The former allows detention for three months which can be extended to a year and the latter for two years.

Faesal was stopped from taking a flight to Istanbul at the Delhi airport during the intervening night of August 13 and 14 last year and flown back to Srinagar, where he was detained.

The former bureaucrat from Jammu and Kashmir had floated the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement party after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chilean police on Friday arrested dozens of people, including press photographers, when they broke up a May Day demonstration in the capital Santiago.

Demonstrators had gathered in the city's Plaza Italia in defiance of a government prohibition on public gatherings of more than 50 people as part of measures against the coronavirus.

Security forces quickly moved in to break up the protest, arresting 57 people. Among those detained were cameramen and photographers from international media, including an AFP photographer.

They were later released without charge.

Police reported that one of the protesters who was detained "was a man who had tested positive for COVID-19 who was supposed to be quarantined until May 9."

Similar incidents were reported in the port city of Valparaiso, 120 kilometers west of Santiago, where journalists were among those detained.

Chilean health authorities had reported 17,008 coronavirus infections by Friday, with 234 deaths.

Curfews and quarantines imposed as part of measures against the pandemic have largely calmed months of social protests against the conservative government of President Sebastian Pinera.
Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) confirms coverage of the device and routine care items and services

Regulatory News:

CARMAT (Paris:ALCAR) (FR0010907956, ALCAR), the designer and developer of the world's most advanced total artificial heart, aiming to provide a therapeutic alternative for people suffering from end-stage biventricular heart failure, announces that the "Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services" (CMS) has approved coverage of the device and routine care items and services supplied to Medicare beneficiaries to be enrolled in the clinical feasibility study.

The approval confirms the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Category B designation of the device, which refers to a non-experimental/investigational device for which initial questions of safety and effectiveness have been resolved. It enables the company to accelerate its discussions with the purchase departments, research contract offices and institutional review boards (IRB) at the 7 sites selected for the study. As a reminder, CARMAT has already obtained the conditional approval of two IRB.

The study aims to include 10 transplant-eligible patients, and the primary endpoint corresponds to patient survival at 180 days after the implant or a successful heart transplant within 180 days of the implant.

Stephane Piat, Chief Executive Officer of CARMAT, said: "This approval of CMS coverage marks a very important milestone for CARMAT, as it substantially supports its development in the United States. Indeed, hospitals will be able to receive payments for the device, routine care items and services during the clinical study. Given the ongoing discussions at the study centers, and subject to the positive evolution of the COVID-19 situation, we expect patient enrolment to begin in Q4 2020, as planned."

About CARMAT: the world's most advanced total artificial heart project

A credible response to end-stage heart failure: CARMAT aims to eventually provide a response to a major public health issue associated with heart disease, the world's leading cause of death: chronic and acute heart failure. By pursuing the development of its total artificial heart, composed of the implantable bioprosthesis and its portable external power supply system to which it is connected, CARMAT intends to overcome the well-known shortfall in heart transplants for the tens of thousands of people suffering from irreversible end-stage heart failure, the most seriously affected of the 20 million patients with this progressive disease in Europe and the United States.

The result of combining two types of unique expertise: the medical expertise of Professor Carpentier, known throughout the world for inventing Carpentier-Edwards heart valves, which are the most used in the world, and the technological expertise of Airbus Group, world aerospace leader.

The first physiological artificial heart: given its size, the use of highly biocompatible materials, its unique self-regulation system and its pulsatile nature, the CARMAT total artificial heart could, assuming the clinical trials are successful, potentially save the lives of thousands of patients each year with no risk of rejection and with a good quality of life.

A project leader acknowledged at a European level: with the backing of the European Commission, CARMAT has been granted the largest subsidy ever given to an SME by Bpifrance; a total of 33 million.

Strongly committed, prestigious founders and shareholders: Matra Defense SAS (subsidiary of the Airbus Group), Professor Alain Carpentier, the Centre Chirurgical Marie Lannelongue, Truffle Capital, a leading European venture capital firm, ALIAD (Air Liquide's venture capital investor), CorNovum (an investment holding company held 50-50 by Bpifrance and the French State), the family offices of Pierre Bastid (Lohas), of Dr. Antonino Ligresti (Sante Holdings S.R.L.), of the Gaspard family (Corely Belgium SPRL and Bratya SPRL) and of M. Pierre-Edouard Sterin (BAD 21 SPRL), Groupe Therabel as well as the thousands of institutional and individual shareholders who have placed their trust in CARMAT.

For more information: www.carmatsa.com

Name: CARMAT

ISIN code: FR0010907956

Ticker: ALCAR

DISCLAIMER

This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or subscribe to, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to, shares in CARMAT ("the Company") in any country. This press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to the Company's objectives. Such forward-looking statements are based solely on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company's management and involve risk and uncertainties. Potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, whether the Company will be successful in implementing its strategies, whether there will be continued growth in the relevant market and demand for the Company's products, new products or technological developments introduced by competitors, and risks associated with managing growth. The Company's objectives as mentioned in this press release may not be achieved for any of these reasons or due to other risks and uncertainties.

No guarantee can be given as to any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements, which are subject to inherent risks, including those described in the Universal registration document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers on March 13, 2020 under number D.20-0126 as well as changes in economic conditions, the financial markets or the markets in which CARMAT operates. In particular, no guarantee can be given concerning the Company's ability to finalize the development, validation and industrialization of the prosthesis and the equipment required for its use, to manufacture the prostheses, satisfy the requirements of the ANSM, enroll patients, obtain satisfactory clinical results, perform the clinical trials and tests required for CE marking and to obtain the CE mark. CARMAT products are currently exclusively used within the framework of clinical trials.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005500/en/

Contacts:

CARMAT

Stephane Piat

Chief Executive Officer

Pascale d'Arbonneau

Chief Financial Officer

Tel.: +33 1 39 45 64 50

contact@carmatsas.com

Alize RP

Press Relations

Caroline Carmagnol

Tel.: +33 6 64 18 99 59

carmat@alizerp.com

NewCap

Investor Relations

Strategic Communication

Dusan Oresansky

Emmanuel Huynh

Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94

carmat@newcap.eu
The Government has asked the Ministry of Public Security to study and add recreational nitrous oxide balloons  also known as funky balls  to the list of drugs and precursor substances for strict management and supervision.

Funky balls are sold at bars and pubs on HCM City's Bui Vien Street. Photo vietnamdaily.net.vn

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also chairman of the National Committee for AIDS, Drug and Prostitution Prevention of Vietnam, said the control over the use of nitrous oxide (N2O) or laughing gas must be tightened in big cities in Hanoi and HCM City.

Dam asked the ministry to study the definition of precursor substances in the amended Law on Drug Prevention and Control.

It would be a legal basis to list laughing gas and similar substances as narcotic substances, he said.

The task must be completed and reported to the Prime Minister before December 31.

He required the Ministry of Health to tighten the use of N2O, assess the impact of using the gas on human health and provide information to the media for dissemination.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade would coordinate with the concerned ministries and branches in strengthening the management of import, production, sale and use of N2O gas.

Sanctions would be stipulated for the violations, he said.

Nitrous oxide is a chemical compound for pain relief within healthcare, mostly during childbirth and in dentistry.

In Vietnam, the gas pumped into balloons can easily be bought at bars and pubs or social network at the cost of between VN50,000-150,000 (US$2.08-6.25) each, depending on their size.

A person who inhales the gas usually bursts into laughter. The regular use of the gas creates immediate dizziness and blocks the nervous system, reducing the ability to think, distorting the perception of sound and even causing brief visual hallucinations.

N2O is not listed as drug or precursor substance under Government Decree 73/2018/N-CP, dated May 2018.

Previously, Ha Nois Department of Health and the city police sent a petition to the city authority to tighten the use of N2O for recreational purposes after the rampant sale and use of funky balls were reported in the city.

Health experts raised their warnings of the addictive properties of the gas and negative impacts on peoples health.

The city authority later proposed the Ministry of Health to restrict the sale of the substance for recreational purposes, which gained approval last May.  VNS
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Linkedin Marwa Rashad and Davide Barbuscia (Reuters) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia/Dubai, United Arab Emirates  Wed, May 13, 2020 08:00 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd79cbb0 2 Business Saudi-Arabia,economic-impact,coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,virus-corona,novel-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic Free

Saudi Arabia's austerity drive will squeeze a private sector vital to its plan to diversify away from oil and may cost its powerful crown prince some prestige as citizens see their spending power shrink.

Several businessmen and economists said the tripling of value added tax (VAT) and suspension of a cost of living allowance for state employees could deepen a downturn in the Arab world's largest economy and delay job creation.

The changes are set to ripple through most areas of business life, already struggling with weak demand due to a coronavirus lockdown, and weigh on living standards of ordinary Saudis.

"I don't understand how this will help the private sector that is already hit by low demand," said a Saudi retailer, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

"People are already holding on to their cash and no one is spending at all."

He said if business remains weak by the end of the year "I will have no other way than cutting jobs to minimize the cost".

Authorities had until now avoided steps affecting citizens directly, acutely aware that Saudis' ability to tolerate such measures is vital in a country without elections and where political legitimacy rests partly on distribution of oil wealth.

While many Saudis have rallied around their leaders on social media, others posted pictures of late King Abdullah under the hashtag "livelihood", recalling a time of high oil prices and state largesse.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shook up the conservative kingdom in 2016 with an ambitious vision to wean the economy off oil income, create a thriving private sector and generate millions of jobs in new industries and mega projects.

Double shock

But low oil prices and the coronavirus have battered the finances of the world's largest oil exporter at a time when state spending remains its economic engine and large foreign capital inflows have proven elusive. Unemployment among Saudis stands at 12%.

Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said the measures, including cuts to state operating and capital expenditure, were "painful but necessary".

While Saudi bonds rallied as investors saw the measures as a sign Riyadh was ready to take tough steps to contain the deficit, business owners are bracing for more pain.

"Is this the right time? It is a disaster and now a double shock, the coronavirus impact was severe and now we guarantee business is down for a longer time," said a businessman in the construction sector.

Saudi Arabia's decision was likely based on the fact that the private sector still plays a marginal role, analysts said.

"The farce of a strong Saudi private sector is put aside. There may be growth over the longer term, but the state was always going to guide that process," said Karen Young, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

The state encouraged Saudis to buy shares in oil giant Aramco when it went public last year. But since March they have been trading below the IPO price, frustrating many.

"We have to support the government of course but I wish they made it (measures) gradual," said Fatima, a 24-year-old Saudi saleswoman.

"It was great to spend some extra money on cinemas, gym and dining and save for concerts, but now one has to be careful where to spend money," she said on activities only recently made available under social reforms in the conservative kingdom.

Suppressed anger

As Saudis feel the pinch, the prince may see his support base weaken and rumblings of discontent grow, though unrest is unlikely, one diplomat said.

Prince Mohammed has cracked down on dissent by detaining clerics, activists and intellectuals, as well as members of the royal family and Saudi elite as he consolidated power.

"The problem is these measures touch citizens ... everyone's salary got cut by 10%," said the diplomat, adding that the posting of King Abdullah's picture was a "negative indication".

"Nothing will happen on the street, it will be suppressed anger," the diplomat said, noting that the hashtag "we will heed you in good times and bad" launched after the measures were announced did not gather steam as usually happens.

The government's media office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The economy is expected to shrink 2.3% this year versus 0.3% growth in 2019, according to the International Monetary Fund. Central bank foreign exchange reserves fell in March at their fastest rate in 20 years as the kingdom recorded a $9 billion budget deficit in the first quarter.

Dubai-based economist Nasser Saidi said any additional revenues from the VAT hike would be negligible and the move will likely sharpen the recession.

"It would add an unnecessary shock to the system at a time when businesses are struggling to stay afloat, households are experiencing lower incomes and expatriates without jobs are returning home," he said.
President Donald Trump has temporarily withdrawn a controversial dock proposal at his Palm Beach resort that had raised larger questions about the legality of the change of his official residency from New York to Florida.

The decision, which was disclosed in a letter sent to the Palm Beach mayor and town council on Monday, comes three days after The Washington Post published a story that outlined assertions by local attorneys who argue that agreements Trump entered into with the town prevent him from living at the resort, and may have precluded him from legally registering to vote in Florida. (Trump has said he voted by mail in Florida's Republican presidential primary this year.)

Trump had come under scathing criticism from his Palm Beach neighbors and their attorneys who accused him and his legal team of attempting to jam through the dock request at the Mar-a-Lago resort while the nation's attention is focused on the coronavirus pandemic and the town's council is only able to hold meetings electronically. In the letter withdrawing the proposal, Trump's Palm Beach attorney, Harvey Oyer III, cited "the extraordinary circumstances that we find ourselves in" as a reason for the decision. But he makes no specific mention of coronavirus. The proposal had been scheduled to be heard on Wednesday by the Palm Beach Town Council.

Oyer added, however, that the president would revisit the proposal when the council resumes regular meetings in Palm Beach, a city of 8,000 known for its heavily attended civic meetings. The letter gave no timetable.

Glenn Zeitz, a Trump critic who owns a winter home in Palm Beach, said Tuesday in an interview that he interpreted the vague wording of the letter as an attempt to not directly link a decision to pull back the proposal to the ongoing pandemic because that rationale might conflict with Trump's stated desire to reopen the economy and for businesses to begin resuming normal activities.

"The proposal was noticed during the crisis and it was going down the train track, and it got derailed by the facts and the law," Zeitz said. "It's a lawyer practicing semantic surgery. I have to believe that the letter is written so as to not have to put in a letter that the coronavirus is the reason."

Reginald Stambaugh, an attorney who represents one of Mar-a-Lago's neighbors, said he is hopeful that the president will now permanently drop the dock proposal.

"One prevalent issue remains lingering, whether President Trump still considers Mar-a-Lago Club his residence," Stambaugh said Tuesday. "He still can't have it both ways. It's either a club or a residence - not both. Florida's voting laws apply to citizen Trump. If he resides there, he will have to close the club."

Oyer did not respond to a request for comment.

The battle over the dock proposal stretches back to 2018, and appeared, at the time, to be a mundane local matter focused on complaints about the possibility of disruptive party boats and potential environmental damage. But it was given a jolt of national significance late last year when Trump made headlines by changing his domicile from New York to Florida using the Mar-a-Lago address.

Attorneys and historical preservationists in South Florida immediately began digging into town records, unearthing an agreement that Trump made in 1993 to convert Mar-a-Lago from a single-family residence to a private club owned by a corporation Trump controls. The agreement includes a provision that bans members from using the club's guest rooms for longer than seven days at a time three times a year. Trump's attorney at the time, Paul Rampell, assured council members that he would not live at the club.

The agreement also banned construction of a dock, but Trump was asking for that condition to be waived. Trump's attorney originally argued that the dock was necessary for the president's protection. That claim was included in an application that made no mention of Mar-a-Lago being the president's home. In a later application, the rationale was changed, with Trump asserting that the club is his "personal residence."

"The request is simply to add an accessory structure," his attorney wrote. "A dock for private family use only."

- - -

The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report.
Emirates has announced that it will resume passenger flights to nine destinations from next week.

The Dubai-based carrier says it will fly to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne from Thursday, May 21.

The airline says it will also offer a 'seamless' connection in Dubai for passengers travelling between the UK and Australia.

Dubai-based carrier Emirates has announced it will resume passenger flights to nine destinations from May 21

Emirates will only accept passengers on to these flights if they 'comply with the eligibility and entry criteria requirements of their destination countries'. This includes approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) for UAE residents who wish to return to Dubai.

In preparation for the restarting of flights, the airline says it has 'enhanced various precautionary measures throughout the customer journey'.

For example, at Dubai International Airport, customers and employees will have their temperatures checked via thermal scanners.

Protective barriers have been installed at check-in counters to 'provide additional safety during interaction'.

In addition, Emirates cabin crew, boarding agents and ground staff who interact directly with travellers will don personal protective equipment (PPE) including a protective disposable gown and safety visor.

And customers will be asked to wear masks and gloves throughout their journey, from check-in until they disembark.

The airline says that social distancing protocols will also be implemented with 'physical indicators being placed on the ground and at waiting areas in the airport to ensure travellers maintain a safe distance'.

Emirates says it will fly to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne

On board, there will be a modified in-flight service that the airline says 'focuses on reducing contact and infection risk'.

Magazines and printed reading material will not be available and cabin baggage will have to be checked in.

Customers can only take essential items on board such as a laptop, handbag, briefcase or items for babies.

The airline explained: 'Emirates has initiated a stringent safety programme to ensure aircraft cabins remain clean and sanitary.

'The airlines modern aircraft cabins have been fitted with advanced HEPA air filters which remove 99.97 per cent of viruses and eliminate dust, allergens and germs from cabin air for a healthier and safer on-board environment.

'After its journey and on landing in Dubai, each aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes to ensure safety and proper sanitation.'

In addition to the scheduled services, Emirates says it will also continue to work closely with embassies and consulates to facilitate repatriation flights for visitors and residents wishing to return home.

On board, there will be a modified in-flight service that Emirates says 'focuses on reducing contact and infection risk'. Pictured is the economy cabin on an Emirates A380

This week, the airline plans to operate flights from Dubai to Tokyo Narita (May 15), Conakry (May 16), and Dakar (May 16).

Adel Al Redha, Emirates chief operating officer, said: 'We are pleased to resume scheduled passenger services to these destinations, providing more options for customers to travel from the UAE to these cities, and also between the UK and Australia.

'We are working closely with the authorities to plan the resumption of operations to additional destinations.

'We have implemented additional measures at the airport in coordination with the relevant authorities in respect to social distancing and sanitization. The safety and well-being of our employees, customers and communities, remain our top priority.'

Yesterday, Ryanair announced that 40 per cent of its normal flight schedules will be restored from July 1, making 90 per cent of its route network active again.

Irish carrier Ryanair said it hopes to introduce a daily schedule of almost 1,000 flights from July 1

It said it hopes to introduce a daily flight schedule of almost 1,000 flights, compared to the current 30. The Irish budget carrier said that all crew will wear face masks/coverings in-flight and that passengers will have to follow suit.

However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday that 'summer was cancelled'.

A new 'Healthy Flying' notice on the Ryanair homepage tells passengers to check-in online, download boarding passes to their smartphones and 'wear a face mask/covering at all times, both in the airport and onboard your flight'.

It also encourages fliers to check their temperature before travelling.

'It may be checked again at the airport,' the site says. 'If you do not pass this, you will be asked to return home.'

Meanwhile on Monday, the head of the owner of British Airways said the company would need to review its plans to resume flights after the Prime Minister proposed quarantining people flying into the UK.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA's parent company, International Airlines Group, said the company would need to review its plans to resume flights after the Prime Minister proposed quarantining people flying into the UK

In an address to the nation on Sunday, Boris Johnson said it would 'soon be the time' to bring in a quarantine period for air passengers to stave off Covid-19 infections from abroad.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of BA's parent company, International Airlines Group, said there was 'nothing positive' in the address.

Giving evidence to the Commons Transport Select Committee about the demand for air travel, Mr Walsh said: 'The announcements yesterday of a 14-day period (for people) coming into the UK, it's definitely going to make it worse.

'There's nothing positive in anything that I heard the Prime Minister say yesterday.

'We had been planning to resume  on a pretty significant basis  our flying in July. I think we'd have to review that based on what the Prime Minister said yesterday.'
The decision to keep schools closed, while a smart one, is not in alignment with the timing to reopen the state of Connecticut. There will be a ripple effect that wreaks hardship on Connecticut families at a moment when those hardships could be prevented with planning and proper interventions. The governor and Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group need to be asking the following questions: What accommodations are being made for working parents who will be back at work without available or affordable child care, including summer camp? What safeguards are in place that will allow working parents to continue to work remotely without fear of being fired?

Throughout the stay-at-home order, child care facilities have been classified as essential. Many have remained open. Looking beyond child care facilities that support the infant to pre-K age group, the state needs to develop safety procedures for child care of school-aged children, including how to safely hire a babysitter for your home, operate indoor and outdoor summer camps, and more. Once employers and their employees are fully trained on how to safely cover child care and assist with remote learning from May 20 on, we need to make sure that there are options available throughout the states geography for families regardless of socioeconomic status. Utilizing the new municipal long-term recovery committees, the state should work with municipalities or nonprofits to train child care workers and create a database for parents to hire vetted and trained individuals, or develop alternatives to address the vacuum left behind by a shuttered school system.
Women in Iraq face several additional challenges right now, says Danielle Bell, Head of UN Human Rights in Iraq. The restrictive measures adopted to fight COVID-19 in Iraq heighten the risk of domestic violence, whilst at the same time substantially reducing the ability of victims to report abuse and seek effective shelter, support and access to justice.

As COVID-19 sweeps the globe, in many countries it is often women who bear the brunt of the crisis. Taking on the lions share of the caregiving and household responsibilities is just one aspect. Women may also face difficulty accessing healthcare due to issues of stigma around the virus, and they are also far more vulnerable to violence in their own homes.

When the first official case of COVID-19 was declared on 24 February in Iraq, measures put in place by the authorities were swift. As case numbers grew, schools, universities, restaurants, and shopping centres were closed, and mosques and other religious venues were forbidden to host large gatherings. By the middle of March, a nationwide lockdown and curfew were implemented, as well as travel restrictions.

While these early preventive actions were necessary to help prevent transmission, the curfew has had substantial impact on the lives of women, continues Bell. Weve received reports that some women cannot leave the house to seek medical care because of the stigma and shame it could bring to their families, but also because cultural norms do not allow women to be alone in quarantine centres in the absence of a male relative.

One of our main concerns is the exacerbation of domestic violence in the country, which we fear was highly underreported even prior to the pandemic.

When home is not a safe place

Although the Constitution of Iraq prohibits all forms of violence and abuse in the family, school, and society, the Penal Code provides that the punishment of a wife by her husband is the exercise of a legal right and as such, is not a crime. Perpetrators frequently go unpunished. However, the Iraqi Government is showing commitment to change this, with the Anti-Domestic Violence Law currently under discussion in the parliament.

These discussions are taking place amidst a worrying context for women and girls. In mid-April, the United Nations in Iraq confirmed multiple reports of horrific abuse, including the rape of a woman with special needs, spousal abuse, sexual harassment of minors, and suicide due to domestic abuse. Iraqs High Judiciary Council subsequently issued a circular calling on judges to use all legal provisions for deterrence, but this wont close the loopholes.

Confinement affects reporting

Media and social media in Iraq are also reporting an increase in acts of domestic violence. The authorities on the other hand have noted a decrease in official reports of domestic violence, but acknowledged in some instances that the curfew has contributed to this reduced number.

The humiliation of being exposed in front of neighbours and the community has often led to under-reporting of domestic violence. Victims do not always seek support, for fear of publicly shaming their family. This is exacerbated by home confinement.

Throughout Iraq, entire families are confined together, notes Bell. Quite frequently, there is a pressure to resolve family disputes  including domestic violence - without any intervention from a third party due to shame and stigma associated with such violence. Resolutions are therefore fraught, and the cycle of violence just continues.

Iraqs response plans for COVID-19 should include the adoption of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law to enable the prevention and redress of violence against women, says Bell. Without doubt, this is the time for the Iraqi Government to renew its efforts to finalise the law and organize the remedies offered to women including establishing enough shelters accessible without cumbersome procedures.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the signing and implementation of this law is even more crucial. Current lockdown measures mean that only half of staff in Iraqs family protection units are coming to work. These units previously offered a place of safety and support for women who were victims of violence. Now, the few women who are able to come to report a case are often quickly dismissed, and they also have to get the report signed by a judge, clearly a challenging and complicated endeavour.

In situations where perpetrators have been brought to account, they have often simply been forced to sign a document to say they will not repeat the offence. Another favoured solution is that victims are asked to reconcile with the perpetrators.

Impunity for perpetrators must end

Since the start of the COVID-19 curfew in Iraq, the obstacles faced by women in reporting domestic violence have created an even deeper sense of impunity for the perpetrators of these crimes, notes Bell. Violence against women and girls is a crime, and perpetrators need to be held to account.

UN Human Rights is urging the Government to take immediate steps. Special measures need to be made available immediately to women, including secure and confidential online services to lodge complaints, or an easing of the requirements for women to report abuse and seek emergency shelter, says Bell.

For Bell, the adoption of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law is critical in the battle to save human rights, and human lives. In the meantime, she says, judicial systems must continue to prosecute abusers. The women and girls of Iraq  as in any country  deserve the right to protection, and to be safe in their own homes.

13 May 2020


Cuba's foreign minister on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of inspiring the gunman who attacked the Cuban Embassy in Washington last month.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also criticised Trump officials for remaining silent about the April 30 attack, which he called a sign of US government "complicity."

The US Embassy in Havana said in a statement that US officials are dedicated to protecting embassies, and it described the US legal process as "transparent, with strict jurisprudence and much information about cases available to the public."

An armed man identified as Alexander Alazo Baro, a 42-year-old Cuban immigrant to the US, fired 32 shots at the embassy April 30. He was charged with a violent attack on a foreign official or premises, willfully damaging property of a foreign government and firearms charges.

The attack damaged the building's facade and at least one statue on the embassy grounds. Rodriguez on Tuesday played embassy security camera footage of the incident, showing Baro waving an American flag outside the compound's fence and later shooting at the building with an AK-47 rifle.

The footage also showed the moment police arrived and wrestled Baro to the ground.

Alazo told investigators that he had been treated at a psychiatric hospital and that his wife, a nurse, had told him to seek treatment when he was hearing voices in his head.

He was prescribed medication in March after a visit to a psychiatric facility but had not been "completely compliant with his medication," court papers said.

Cuba has denounced the attack as a "terrorist" assault, and accused US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of encouraging violence against Cuba with hostile rhetoric towards the Cuban government.
President Trump claimed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's $3 trillion coronavirus relief package is a 'voting package' intended to keep his party down.

'They want to be able to make sure Republicans can't win an election by putting in all sorts of mail-in ballots,' Trump said in the Cabinet Room Wednesday.

The president said 'it depends' when asked if he was on board Congress passing another stimulus package amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has cause widespread economic havoc across the United States.

Earlier Wednesday, Pelosi had defended the $3 trillion price tag in an interview with the Associated Press, saying that's what is needed to confront the 'villainous virus' and economic collapse.

'The American people are worth it,' Pelosi said.

President Trump called the House Democrats' $3 trillion coronavirus economic relief package 'DOA' and said it looked like a 'voting package' that would 'make sure Republicans can't win an election'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the subject of an Assoicated Press interview on Wednesday, which was recorded from Capitol Hill. She argued that the $3 trillion price tag for Democrats latest stimulus bill was 'worth it' for the American people

In the interview with the AP, Pelosi acknowledged that the proposal is a starting point in negotiations with Trump and Republicans, who have called it 'dead on arrival,' as it heads to a House vote Friday.

Trump repeated that phrasing in front of reporters Wednesday afternoon.

'It's as they say DOA. Right. DOA. Dead on arrival,' Trump said. 'Of course Nancy Pelosi knows that obviously.'

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany had called the House Democrats' effort 'unserious.'

The president has long argued that a full mail-in election would put his party at a disadvantage, despite the fact that he requested a Florida absentee ballot.

As wary Americans wait on Washington, the stakes for all sides are enormous.

The virus outbreak threatens the health and economic security of Americans, posing a generational test of political leadership on par with the Great Depression.

A lone cameraperson watches as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers her responses to questions from the wire service, the Associated Press

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that without intervention, the U.S. risks a prolonged recession.

House lawmakers are set to return to Washington for Friday's vote, but prospects are dim in the Senate, where leaders say they won't consider another relief package until June.

Trump has insisted any future coronavirus aid 'must prioritize Americans health and the nations economic prosperity,' McEnany said.

The bill provides nearly $1 trillion to states and cities to avert layoffs of police, firefighters and other essential workers as tax revenues tank during the shutdown.

It boosts another round of $1,200 direct cash payments to Americans, extends unemployment benefits and launches a rent and mortgage relief fund. It provides $75 billion for more virus testing.

As the pandemic rages, Pelosi had just one message for Trump: 'Tell the truth.'

'This is the biggest disaster that our country has ever faced,' Pelosi said.

'The president calls it a war - were all warriors, that people are dying in the war. No, these are family, and people are dying in the family,' she said.

'We have to address in a big way,' she said. 'The American people are worth it.'

The speaker and the president don't talk much anymore. But Pelosi remains in contact with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who led negotiations on past virus aid packages, and expects to begin talks with him on the next bill from Congress.

With Congress still partly shuttered, lawmakers face life-and-death decisions ahead - whether it is safe for communities to reopen during the pandemic, perhaps with new restrictions on businesses and gatherings, or whether it is better to stay hunkered down until the U.S. can ramp up testing and prevent a second wave of COVID-19 cases, with deaths now beyond 83,000.

The president says the country can't stay closed indefinitely. But Pelosi warned that schools, businesses and large gatherings, including the Democrats' presidential nominating convention, will not be business as usual.

'You just can't say because people want to go to work, we should just take every risk,' she said. 'In order to turn the economy around, we have to get rid of the pandemic.'

The pandemic is rewriting the rules of the fall elections, and Pelosi acknowledged that voter turnout will be key as Democrats push alternatives to in-person ballots.

As the party's presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden shelters at home, campaigning via video from his basement, Pelosi said he's doing 'just fine' in the new normal of an election year.

'It's not as if hes missing a big crowd someplace,' she said.

'Were in a whole new world, and I think hes doing just fine,' she said.

She expects Democrats will retain control of the House and flip the Senate - 'which I very much think we can do.'

Pelosi is often seen as the de facto leader of the Democratic Party, the highest-ranking elected official, setting the agenda and message. But now she says of Biden: 'He is the leader of the Democratic Party.'

As Republicans on Capitol Hill join the Trump administration to investigate China's role in the virus outbreak, she calls it a 'diversion' from the more immediate problems of stemming the health crisis and salvaging the U.S. economy.

'Yes, we want to know the source of this pandemic, but lets focus on why we are not testing, how we can help people,' she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during an interview with The Associated Press on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday

Pelosi, 80, shows up for work most days, masked in a scarf at the U.S. Capitol, and said she is reminded that 'life is fragile.'

She repeatedly washes her hands and covers herself to protect others, she said.

'Lets take it one giant step at a time as we go forward because what weve been doing before has been helpful but not enough,' she said.

She said that she has been 'dismayed, frankly,' by the way Trump is encouraging people to avoid the stay-home guidelines but that she 'can't dwell' on the president's leadership.

'I mean, injecting Lysol, "magically go away," "hoax,"' she said, repeating some of Trump's comments on the coronavirus.

'I believe in miracles. I believe in prayer. But again, we have to pray - and work - for the solutions to it all,' she said.
Chinese military aircraft have been sighted once again at its largest base in the disputed Spratly Islands, suggesting that Peoples Liberation Army Navy Air Force could be starting to use it as a base of operations, according to Janes.

The reported presence of the PLANAF at Fiery Cross Reef is the latest sign of Chinas efforts to assert control over the South China Sea from the bases it finished building atop reefs and rocks in 2016. It comes amid a slew of Chinese actions at sea and administrative measures that appear intended to reinforce Beijings sweeping maritime claims.

Janes, which covers defense and intelligence issues including the capabilities of other countries militaries, says commercial satellite imagery taken Monday shows two kinds of surveillance aircraft alongside a military helicopter at Fiery Cross Reef, which is the seat of Chinas new Nansha administrative district spanning the entire Spratly chain.

China has placed aircraft on its artificial islands and bases in the South China Sea before including the first H-6K bomber landed on Woody Island in 2018, which lies north in the Paracel Islands. However, those deployments came from the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The aircraft spotted by Janes belongs to the PLANAF, the fast-growing aviation wing of Chinas navy.

Two sightings of surveillance aircraft within a month could indicate that the PLANAF is beginning to periodically base aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef, Sean OConnor, principal analyst at Janes, said in a press release. Aircraft could be regularly rotated through the base from other PLANAF units in the South Sea Fleet.

He said sufficient hangar space is available for at least three surveillance aircraft, although others could be parked in the open.

Janes said satellite imagery also showed a Type 071 amphibious transport ship docking at Fiery Cross Reef  another display of Chinas growing naval and expeditionary might as it militarizes the South China Sea and intimidates other claimants to its waters.

These most recent deployments were preceded by the appearance of a Y-8 military transport or KJ-200 maritime patrol aircraft on Fiery Cross on May 3  both types of aircraft are closely related and appear similar when viewed from above.

Previously, China promised not to use its string of artificial islands in the Spratlys as a base for military action. Speaking at the White House in September 2015 after a meeting with then-U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping pushed back on U.S. concern over this issue, telling a news conference: there is no intention to militarize.

Since then, China appears to have backtracked on that commitment. Fiery Cross boasts hangars for fighter jets, bombers, and military transport planes, and has a deep harbor for accommodating warships and ships of the China Coast Guard traveling far out into the South China Sea. China has also deployed surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles on Fiery Cross Reef, threatening any nearby navies and aircraft.

Fiery Cross has become a center of operations for a wide range of activities by China. It set up an ecological monitoring station there in January, a station for deep-sea research in March, and has permanently stationed ships of the China Rescue Service at Fiery Cross Reefs new search and rescue bureau as of February.

Then on April 19, China announced two new administrative districts governing the South China Sea, with Nansha District holding jurisdiction over the Spratly Islands despite claims by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan to the area. The announcement was immediately condemned by Vietnam.

The United States has stepped up its own shows of military might in the South China Sea in recent weeks.

After China sent a survey ship and a formidable escort of ships into Malaysian waters where a Malaysian-contracted oil drillship was operating, U.S. and Australian warships sailed nearby to show their presence. The littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords has deployed twice in two weeks, most recently on Tuesday after another littoral combat ship, the USS Montgomery, took a turn patrolling the area on May 7.

There is no better signal of our support for a free and open Indo-Pacific than positive and persistent U.S. Naval engagement in this region. Rear Adm. Fred Kacher said in a statement released yesterday by the U.S. Navys 7th Fleet.

But as of Tuesday, the drillship West Capella had withdrawn, according to a statement by its operator, confirmed by vessel-tracking software. The Malaysian government and Petronas, the state petroleum company that had contracted the ship, did not respond to request for comment Wednesday. The ship operator said the West Capella had finished its planned work.

The Chinese presence in the area of the West Capella for the past month was widely viewed as trying to pressure Malaysia out of exploring for resources in seas that China also claims. The Chinese survey ship remains in the area.
Two women were killed and three other family members injured when the car they were travelling in crashed into a push-cart on Delhi-Dehradun national highway on Wednesday, police said.

The incident happened around 25 km from Muzaffarnagar on the highway in Ratanpuri police station area and the car was said to be speeding, police added.

The deceased were identified as Hakiman, wife of Naushad and Kaniz, wife of Hamid, while the injured were shifted to a hospital nearby where they are receiving treatment, they added.

The victims were returning from Meerut after visiting a doctor for some medical treatment. The car driver was arrested.

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

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended the detention of former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal under the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) by three months, an official said on Wednesday.

Faesal, who has been under detention after scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was booked under the PSA in February this year.

His detention was extended barely hours before it was to come to an end on Wednesday.

The PSA has two sections, 'public order' and 'threat to the security of the state'.

The former allows detention for three months which can be extended to a year and the latter for two years.

Faesal was stopped from taking a flight to Istanbul at the Delhi airport during the intervening night of August 13 and 14 last year and flown back to Srinagar, where he was detained.

The former bureaucrat from Jammu and Kashmir had floated the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement party after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
Of all the chores in the world, if I could choose one Id never have to do ever again it would be ironing. Many people draw the line at bedlinen, and debates rage about pressing jeans.

But I, dear reader, have long refused to iron anything  at all, and for this reason, linen and I have a love-hate relationship. One of the fashion looks Ive always longed to pull off is the cool, safari-inspired chic shown off by Meryl Streep in Out of Africa.

A few years ago, I bit the bullet and invested in a camel linen jacket. I belted myself into it, feeling sharp. Twenty minutes later, I looked in a mirror and realised I had more lines and creases than an Ordnance Survey map.

Jess Wood shares advice for embracing this season's linen trend. Pictured: Linen jacket, 169, matching trousers, 119, cotton T-shirt, 25 & trainers, 99, all hobbs. com

Linen jumpsuit, 139, straw bag 79, shoes, 119.25, all whistles .com

The acres of plain, neutral-coloured fabric were the problem. It was swiftly relegated to the back of the wardrobe, to be replaced with my trusty denim jacket  the more lined and worn-looking, the better.

But now, linen is back with a vengeance. Im giving it another go  and you should, too. All the reasons its loved for summer still stand: its a natural fibre, and the way its woven makes it ideal for conducting heat away from the body.

But the big difference this time around is the way its dyed every bold colour of the rainbow and cut in relaxed shapes that mean the focus is on the style, not the pristine-factor (or not, in my case) of the fabric.

Embroidered jersey top, 26.60, linen trousers, 70 & raffia sandals, 70, all boden. co.uk

Linen dress, 120 and square toe sandals, 85, both stories.com

Linen jersey dress, 295, chintiand parker.com

This bubblegum-pink dress from &Other Stories is a case in point. With all that smocking, its about embracing the creases.

Similarly, the chevron stripes of Chinti & Parkers rainbow-hued dress will mean you get noticed for your flair with pattern, not a hot iron.

If you want to dial up the smart factor, Hobbs have the ultimate summer suit. The pleat-front trousers and slightly shrunken jacket look artful without any pressing necessary. Hallelujah  even I might pull these off.

Breton top, 25, linen wrap skirt, 80, wedges, 98 and necklace, 40, all boden.co.uk
A new group staffed by veterans of Democratic politics and advocacy is launching today with the aim of "changing the politics of climate in 2020"  especially in swing states.

Why it matters: The launch of Climate Power 2020 represents both a new effort to put President Trump on the defensive but also to lay the groundwork for Democrats to prioritize climate policy during and after the election campaign.

Who they are: The executive director of the group is Lori Lodes, who comes from Apple but worked on Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign. She worked on healthcare in the Obama administration and later in advocacy.

Others include Sarah Baron, who worked on Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign; as well as former aides from the campaigns of Pete Buttigieg and Michael Bloomberg; and former Democratic congressional aides.

How it works: The group is national in scope but will focus on Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

It's set up as an independent project created by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Sierra Club.

The big picture: "By elevating the climate crisis in national and state conversations and aggressively putting the Trump administration on defense for selling our future to his special interest friends, Climate Power 2020 will build the momentum necessary for bold action in 2021," the announcement states.

The intrigue: It combines longtime, establishment climate movement figures with elements of the new guard.
By The Associated Press May. 12, 2020 | 05:33 AM | WASHINGTON

A 39-year-old former investment manager in Georgia was already facing federal federal charges that he robbed hundreds of retirees of their savings through a Ponzi scheme when the rapid spread of COVID-19 presented an opportunity.

Christopher A. Parris started pitching himself as a broker of surgical masks amid the nationwide scramble for protective equipment in those first desperate weeks of the outbreak, federal authorities said. Within weeks, Parris was making millions of dollars on sales orders.

Except there were no masks.

Law enforcement officials say Parris is part of what they are calling a wave of fraud tied to the outbreak.

Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is leading a nationwide crackdown. It has opened over 370 cases and so far arrested 11 people, as part of Operation Stolen Promise, according to Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Its incredibly rampant and its growing by the day, Albence said. Were just scratching the surface of this criminal activity. 

Parris was on pretrial release for the alleged Ponzi scheme when he was arrested last month in what federal authorities say was an attempt to secure an order for more than $750 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other equipment.

He was trying to sell something he didnt even have, said Jere T. Miles, the special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of Homeland Security Investigations, which worked the case with the VA Office of Inspector General. Thats just outright, blatant fraud.

Parris has not yet entered a plea to fraud charges and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Nationwide, investigators have turned up more than false purveyors of PPE. They have uncovered an array of counterfeit or adulterated products, from COVID-19 tests kits and treatments to masks and cleaning products.

Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which is overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says authorities have tracked counterfeits flowing into the U.S. from 20 countries and for sale through thousands of websites.

There are people popping up who have never been in the business of securing equipment on a large scale, Francis said.

Enter Parris.

From his home outside Atlanta, he claimed to represent a company, the Encore Health Group, that had 3M respiratory masks and other protective equipment. At the time, there was a mad scramble for supplies that pitted state and local governments against each other.

As outlined in court documents and interviews, his pitch reached a company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that had previously done business with the state and was trying to help government agencies buy PPE. In late March, it contacted the VA, which was then dealing with a critical shortage of protective equipment.

The VA was suspicious of the price, about 15 times what it was paying amid the shortage, and alerted its inspector general, which brought in Homeland Security. That resulted in a sting that led to Parris.

He had no means of producing any PPE, Albence said. It was just a scam.

But it had some takers. Federal authorities say a Parris-controlled bank account received more than $7.4 million, with most appearing to come from unidentified entities trying to buy safety gear in March and April, according to court documents. He wired some of the money to accounts overseas, including more than $1.1 million to a Swiss companys bank that authorities may be a shell corporation.

The U.S. government seized more than $3.2 million from his accounts.

The Ponzi scheme was unrelated to the alleged attempt to defraud the VA but is sufficiently similar to the conduct in this case that it is relevant to his plan, intent, and modus operandi, according to a search warrant affidavit.

Miles said a person running a Ponzi scheme is a special kind of criminal to begin with, but a person that will run a completely fraudulent scheme in the middle of a pandemic ... that rises to a whole other level of special criminal."

In the earlier case, Parris and his business partners are accused of defrauding about 1,000 people out of at least $115 million from January 2012 to June 2018 by persuading them to turn over their savings for what turned out to be nonexistent investments, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Another member of the partnership, Perry Santillo, pleaded guilty to fraud in November.

As part of the alleged scheme, Parris and the others bought the businesses of investment advisers who were retiring and leveraged the trust those advisers had built up over the years to pitch bogus investments, with relatively modest returns, to their newly acquired clients.

Florida attorney Scott Silver, who represented some investors who sought to get their money back after the SEC shut down the operation, said Parris and the others spent most of it and there was little left to recover.

He wasnt surprised that Parris had been arrested in the COVID fraud case. Hes already facing 20 years in prison, he said. Whats he worried about?

Parris, who was charged in the case in January, grew up in Rochester, New York, and worked as an insurance agent, owned a dry cleaner and got involved in local politics. He ran unsuccessfully for city council and said he was vice president of a local African American Republican committee.

So many people that know me, you know, trust me, Parris said in a 2015 hearing with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which later suspended his broker license.

One of Parris alleged victims in the Ponzi scheme, Jane Naylon, said she took guitar lessons from Parris father, a reverend at a local church and lost $150,000 in the fraud.

Naylon said she attended a hearing in federal court hearing in New York this year and was dismayed when Parris was released on his own recognizance. When her daughter texted her the news weeks later that Parris had been charged for PPE fraud, she said she was in complete shock, but also pleased.

"Im ecstatic, she said. I hope he goes to jail for life.

Parris is now jailed in Atlanta and is expected to be transferred to Washington to face charges in the VA case.
The total number of Coronavirus cases from abroad in Mainland China reached 1,692, with one new imported case reported on Tuesday, May 12. The highest number of migrated cases in the mainland China region were imported from Russia with 680 cases, followed by the United Kingdom with 314 cases, the United States of America with 182 cases and France and Spain with 89 and 88 Coronavirus cases respectively.

The rest of the cases were imported from Italy, Iran, Philippines, Thailand, Canada, Brazil, UAE, Switzerland, Pakistan, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia and Germany, state-run Global Times reported.

READ | Mexico finds 15,000 turtles in crates bound for China

With 1 new imported case reported on May 12, total #COVID19 cases from abroad in the #Chinese mainland reached 1,692.



Russia: 680

UK: 314

USA: 182

France: 89

Spain: 88

Italy: 55 pic.twitter.com/nkujKrAA5F  Global Times (@globaltimesnews) May 13, 2020

READ | China criticises Taiwan claims of Beijing-WHO deal

Wuhan To Conduct City-wide testing

As the Coronavirus cases in Wuhan, the origin of the Novel Coronavirus, are emerging once again, the city will reportedly be conducting citywide testing for all citizens. According to an international media report, within the next 10 days, the authorities will be testing every citizen in the city as they fear a second wave of infections. The authorities reportedly announced the testing plan in an emergency notice.

The notice reportedly read that the officials, after research, decided to carry out a 10-day-battle for the screening of nucleic acids of all new coronavirus in Wuhan. The notice further also informed that each district will also be making an arrangement for the nuclei acid screening for all staff in its jurisdiction with a 10-day period. The new measures come as six new infections recently emerged in the city. As per reports, the emergency notice was issued to strengthen social prevention and control, prevent the rebound of the epidemic and strengthen the normalisation of epidemic prevention and control.

READ | COVID-19: Wuhan to conduct city-wide testing over 10-day period amid fears of second wave

Asymptomatic cases can create problem

As Wuhan remained free from infections in the last 35 days, the new cases have raised concerns regarding a potential second wave of the epidemic. Wuhans health authority in a statement also said that the task of epidemic prevention and control in the city is still very heavy, warning about the risk of a rebound. All the new confirmed cases were earlier classified as asymptomatic which were not included in the overall tally of confirmed coronavirus cases.

The authorities now believe that the rising number of asymptomatic cases can create a problem for the authorities who are planning to further ease restrictions to return to normalcy. A top Chinese health expert had said that the government will focus on testing people from high-risk group and areas.

READ | Chinas cover-up of COVID-19 akin to criminal conspiracy endangering mankind: Report
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 05:39:15|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on April 28, 2020 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

Three-quarters of scholars in a poll suggested that the Trump administration's handling of COVID-19 may lead to a loss of confidence in the United States as a state with unmatched material power and capabilities.

WASHINGTON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- International relations (IR) scholars in the United States said that the Trump administration's response to the pandemic cost the country's reputation, according to a poll by College of William & Mary and Foreign Policy magazine in early May.

The poll, which surveyed 982 IR scholars at U.S. universities, found out that the inadequate response to the pandemic would undermine America's international reputation, leading to a loss of respect for the country and a decline in foreign public's faith in the willingness of the United States to provide global public goods and honor its commitments.

Far from seeing the United States as a leader, 97 percent of respondents said that the United States had played a role that was "not very effective" or "not effective at all" in coordinating the international response to the pandemic.

An overwhelming majority of participants rated the United States negatively in this pandemic, which they believed that foreign publics see Washington unwilling to provide public goods and honor international commitments, as well as less likely to be respected in the international system.

The White House is seen in Washington D.C., the United States, April 19, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

Three-quarters of IR scholars suggested that the Trump administration's handling of COVID-19 may lead to a loss of confidence in the United States as a state with unmatched material power and capabilities.

Claiming the World Health Organization (WHO) failed to share information in a "timely and transparent fashion," President Donald Trump last month ordered to halt his nation's funding to the agency, a move that has drawn criticism home and abroad.

The result of this poll indicated that the intellectual community sharply disagreed with the judgment and policy of the U.S. government. Nearly 30 percent of respondents believed that Washington should maintain the WHO funding at the pre-coronavirus level, and about two-thirds suggested the United States should increase financial support to the organization.

Besides, over 60 percent of participants noted that the WHO played a "somewhat effective" and "very effective" role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus has infected more than 1.35 million people in the United States, with more than 81,000 deaths, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. 
Press Release

May 13, 2020 Hontiveros pushes mandatory testing for employees returning to work under modified ECQ, GCQ "If we can commit to test POGO workers, we can commit to test Filipino workers." This was the remark of Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday as she pushed for mandatory testing of employees who will have to go out of their homes and report to work even amid the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19. "Kasama dapat sa dagdag-proteksyon sa manggagawang Pilipino na balik-trabaho sa gitna ng pandemic ang proper testing," Hontiveros said after Malacanang announced the lifting and easing of quarantine protocols in many parts of the country by May 16, 2020. Under the new rules, movement and mobility in areas still under modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) like Metro Manila will remain restricted, although manufacturing and processing plants workforce will be allowed to operate with 50 percent of their workforce. In areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), government offices and private establishments will be allowed to reopen with as much as 75 percent of their workforce. "If we can require COVID-19 testing for POGO workers, all the more that we should require the same for Filipino workers who are facing the same risks," the senator said, citing the government's previous pronouncement that workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry will undergo COVID-19 testing before they resume operations. "While we want working class Filipinos to continue earning a living and critical industries to remain operational, we must implement measures to prevent a possible second spread of COVID-19 in workplaces," Hontiveros urged. According to the senator, mandatory COVID-19 testing for returning employees is an essential measure to protect Filipino workers and lessen the risk to which they will be exposing themselves and their families. Although the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Trade Industry (DTI) have issued safety guidelines for workplaces, Hontiveros said, the rules provide no means to detect and isolate workers that are infected with COVID-19 but show no symptoms. "Kailangan nating mag-doble-ingat. Kahit walang simtomas, maari pa ring carrier ng COVID-19. This is why we need to test people as they go back to work," she said. Hontiveros also pushed for the passage of Senate Bill No. 1441 or the 'Balik Trabahong Ligtas Act' that seeks to provide mandatory health coverage and other benefits for workers in the public and private sectors during a health emergency. The bill particularly requires workplaces with 50 or more workers to provide free diagnostic testing for their workers during a health emergency in coordination with relevant government agencies. "The private sector and the government should work together to build disease-free workplaces by implementing measures that protect Filipino workers' health such as wearing PPEs and implementing social distancing and other workplace safety guidelines," she urged.
Major Tom, a marketing and advertising agency, is helping restaurants get set up to accept online orders instead of relying on third-party delivery services such as Uber Eats, Foodora, and GrubHub. Restaurant owners are looking for more cost-effective solutions for takeout and food delivery after tiring of delivery services encroaching on their already small profit margins.

Many restaurants launched or expanded food delivery services in order to keep their businesses alive during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a few months of using third-party delivery services, however, restaurant owners are starting to realize that the costs associated with using these services are unsettlingly high. For example, some of these delivery services are charging 30% on all orders which is too much according to Major Toms Co-Founder, Chris Breikss. For the next 2 months, he and his team are offering to help restaurants for free to set up their own online ordering system using Flipdish. Flipdish only charges a 7% commission on orders and has no monthly costs or minimums. Typically, the service takes time, and therefore money, to set up but Major Tom and Flipdish are waiving setup costs to onboard new restaurants in the US and Canada from now until July 1, 2020.

Following success with setting up clients on Flipdish, Major Tom chose the system to partner with because of its functionality and integration into marketing and advertising campaigns. Flipdish integrates with Google Analytics and allows restaurants to own their data and see if marketing campaigns are leading to online orders. For example, a restaurant can track if a boosted post on Facebook or Instagram leads to a flurry of new orders or if their email list is generating revenue. This is the future of restaurant marketing and is Major Toms primary motivation for wanting to get involved and help restaurants, bars, and cafes thrive.

Flipdish also integrates with POS systems, kiosks, and delivery networks and allows for easy mobile ordering. Restaurants, bars, and cafes looking to take advantage of this offer should contact Major Tom directly via MajorTom.com or by requesting the free service through their eCommerce site, The Tin Can.

About Major Tom

Major Tom is a full-service digital agency thats been purpose-built to help organizations thrive in an increasingly complex landscape. With offices in New York, Toronto, and Vancouver, Major Tom has a team of 55 specialists covering the full spectrum of strategy, marketing, development, and creative.

About Flipdish

Flipdish puts restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores of all sizes in control of their business growth with a digital ordering and marketing system that builds brands, grows profits, and turns customers into regulars.

With a branded website, app, or self-service kiosk, powered by Flipdishs world-class technology, restaurant owners can directly accept digital orders without having to list on food delivery marketplaces, at a lower cost and with more control over the customer experience.

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland Flipdish helps thousands of hospitality brands in 14 countries, including brand leaders such as Amys Ice Creams, The LA Crawfish, and Milltown Bar & Grill, working in partnership with them to strengthen their businesses.
Online Learning

CSU Courses to Remain Primarily Virtual for Fall

This fall, California State University will be keeping most of its institutions' courses online, in response to the ongoing health and safety concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there will be some variability across the system's 23 universities, "predominately there will be limited in-person experiential learning and research occurring on campus for the fall 2020 term," according to CSU Chancellor Timothy White.

The university plans to make exceptions for "teaching, learning and research activities that cannot be delivered virtually, are indispensable to the university's core mission and can be conducted within rigorous standards of safety and welfare," White explained in a statement. Possible examples requiring an on-campus presence include clinical classes in the health sciences, physical and life science laboratory classes, access to kilns and other unique art facilities, classes involving hands-on use of unique instrumentation, and others. Such courses would only take place when there are "sufficient resources available and protocols in place" to meet health and safety requirements, White emphasized.

Decisions on permitting in-person courses will be made in consultation with academic senates, associated students, staff councils and union leadership, White said, in accordance with local and state public health guidelines and governmental directives.

White's full official statement can be found on the CSU site.
Two workers were killed and another one injured when a reactor in a biodiesel plant exploded while they were undertaking repair work in Telanganas Sangareddy district on Wednesday morning, the police said.

The victims were identified as Md Ghouse (35) and Md Saber (33). Another worker Krishna Reddy, who sustained injuries, has been admitted to the Sangareddy government hospital.

The incident took place at Khanda Biofuels, a biodiesel plant in Arjun Naik Thankda of Zaheerabad block in the district, when the workers were involved in welding work on the roof of the fuel reactor. The plant was getting ready to reopen after lockdown.

All of a sudden, the reactor exploded, blowing up the roof on which they were undertaking repairs. All three fell off from the roof. Ghouse and Saber died instantly, while Krishna Reddy, who sustained injuries, was immediately rushed to the hospital, a police official in Zaheerabad (Rural) police station said.

Zaheerabad Rural Police shifted the bodies to the local government hospital for post mortem examination.

Local MLA K Manik Rao and MLC Md Fareeduddin visited the plant. The management has agreed to pay a compensation of 15 lakh each to the families of the deceased.

The incident comes close on the heels of leakage of Styrene gas from LG Polymers at Visakhapatnam on May 7 resulting in the death of 12 people and hospitalization of over 500 people. More than 15,000 people from five villages were evacuated and were accommodated in relief camps for nearly four days, before they returned to their villages.

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(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc.s global logistics chief Dave Clark, in an interview on CBSs 60 Minutes, said the spread of Covid-19 in the e-commerce giants warehouses is no worse than whats happening in America at large. But when pressed, he declined to provide a total number of cases, making it impossible to independently confirm the companys assertion.

Clark said the Amazon knows how many cases have afflicted its warehouses but declined to share the total because, he said, its not a particularly useful number. His comments echo what company spokespeople have been saying for several weeks, prompting workers and officials to press executives to be more forthcoming about illness in their ranks. The latest demand came Tuesday from attorneys general in 12 states and Washington, D.C., who called on Amazon to reveal a state-by-state breakdown of the number of Amazon and Whole Foods workers who have been infected with and died from Covid-19.

Public health officials can take swift action when they believe a business is putting workers at risk of exposure. In March, the Kentucky governor temporarily closed an Amazon warehouse that processes returns due to concerns about the spread of Covid-19, and local authorities in Colorado briefly closed a Walmart store near Denver that was linked to the deaths of three people. The coronavirus has ripped through the meat-packing industry, infecting 1% of its workforce and causing at least 20 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Large retailers like Walmart havent publicly disclosed coronavirus case totals either, prompting Senator Cory Booker to send the company a letter demanding information about the number of cases, among other things.

Fear is widespread among Amazon workers. In recent weeks, some of the companys U.S. warehouses have suffered a high rate of absenteeism despite the measures Amazon has taken to make the facilities safer, according to workers interviewed by Bloomberg. Employees have protested and called for the company to be more transparent about not just the number of cases but the deaths of their colleagues, at least six of whom have succumbed. Clark, the public face of the companys response, has dismissed the protests as the work of a few employees who dont represent the majority.

Story continues

Representative Josh Harder, a Modesto, California, Democrat, recently complained to Bezos about Amazons lack of transparency. He cited a report that a warehouse worker whose children have compromised immune systems only found out about a positive Covid-19 case at her workplace after asking human resources. In a letter to the Amazon CEO, Harder wrote: Employees need this information to make vitally important decisions impacting themselves and their families.

Amazon had an opportunity to communicate more fully when it reported earnings last month. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos extolled his companys efforts to protect workers, such as purchasing 100 million masks and 31,000 thermometers. He didnt mention the number of cases. Amazons top spokesman Jay Carney dodged the question during an interview on CNN, saying he didnt have the figure handy. Clarks 60 Minutes interview went the furthest in explaining why Amazon is unwilling to share the number: because case counts arent useful when not compared to the size of the workforce in each Amazon building, or the prevailing infection rate in the surrounding community.

Our rates of infection are at or below the communities were operating in at almost all of our facilities, Amazon spokeswoman Lisa Levandowski said in a statement. Anytime there is a confirmed diagnosis we alert every person at the site. This alert to employees is a direct text message noting when the person with the confirmed diagnosis was last in the buildingeven if its been a month or more.

Still, trust in management, a common sore spot for the company's warehouse workers, has taken a beating in recent weeks. Employees say information about positive cases is sent by text and voicemail to workers in each facility. News about deaths has been shared verbally, with warehouse managers informing small groups. In Amazon's massive warehouses, some of which employ thousands of workers spread across multiple shifts and weekly schedules, the result has been significant delays in workers being told someone they previously worked with has died.

As an outbreak at a warehouse in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, worsened, managers initially told employees how many of their colleagues had contracted Covid-19. In recent weeks, though, managers have stripped out the number and issued a drumbeat of automated text messages informing workers of additional confirmed cases. Says one employee: As serious as this situation is, theyre still lying to us. We need protection, of course, and communication. Truthful communication. Its not a hard thing to do.

Deaths of the six Amazon workers have leaked out in various media reports. They include one each in Staten Island, Waukegan, Illinois, Hawthorne and Tracy, California, as well as two employees at Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market. A company spokeswoman says the company chose to verbally notify workers about the deaths given the sensitive nature of the subject. The Staten Island warehouse worker, for instance, was last at the warehouse April 5, tested positive for Covid-19 on April 11 and went into quarantine. Amazon later learned of his passing from family members and began sharing the information verbally with small groups of colleagues.

Rob Duston, a partner with Saul, Ewing, Arnstein & Lehr, who has represented companies in labor disputes, says employers are in a difficult spot. For one thing, federal health authorities and workplace regulators have given companies little guidance on what to tell employees about coronavirus cases in their ranks. Privacy laws prevent companies from disclosing personal health information in such a way that a specific employee could be identified without that persons consent, he says. While companies have wide latitude to tell workers about coronavirus cases so long as they dont share personal information, informing them that an unnamed colleague is sick or has died often does little to assuage their concerns because they still don't know if theyve been exposed.

The constant media attention is resulting in a huge number of employees refusing to work, Duston says. As an employer, I could be doing everything that the CDC and local health authorities ask, but I may want to limit the publicity. One of my concerns is why is there publicity of every single infection, or death, of a worker? Is that going to further add to that fear?

Amazon has taken many steps to make workers safer and has been paying them an extra $2 an hour. Still, its communication strategy risks workers first learning of a death from other sources and feeling betrayed, says Kelli Matthews, who teaches public relations at the University of Oregon and has advised companies on how to deal with fatalities.

The worst-case scenario is that someone would find out any other method but direct from the company, she says. If youre reading the article before youre hearing it from the company, it really damages trust and the relationships that employees should have with an employer. She sees a missed opportunity. If youre burying your head in the sand, saying we have done the required reporting and thats all we have to do, people will fill that void, she says. In incidents where they dont want to talk about it, they seem like a big corporate monolith.

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A shuttered coal-fired power plant with a turbulent history in Morgan County is in the early phases of seeing potential new life.

Environmental Liability Transfer acquired Meredosia Power Plant in November from Ameren Energy. The firms affiliate, St. Louis-based real estate acquisition and development company Commercial Development Co., is working on re-mediating and re-purposing the plant.

Commercial Development Co. is expecting a two-year time frame for the site.

Southern Illinois-based commercial real estate brokerage group Barbermurphy is working with Commercial Development Co. in re-purposing the plant. Steve Zuber, Barbermurphy principal and broker, said they still are in the early stages of finding a company to rent or buy the land. Some solar power companies already have expressed interest in the site, which Zuber considers a promising sign.

Hopefully well see someone come in there and re-purpose it, Zuber said.

Since it ceased production in 2011, Meredosia Power Plant has been on the cusp of revitalization a couple of times. A public-private partnership between the federal and local governments and a group of coal and power plant companies known as the FutureGen Alliance developed a $1.86 billion clean energy project known as the FutureGen 2.0 project. It was developed as part of the economic stimulus program following the 2008 recession. In 2012, the Meredosia plant was announced as the FutureGen Alliances choice for the site of the project, which consisted of retrofitting the plant with technology that removes carbon dioxide from coal and stores it underground.

The environmental group the Sierra Club fought the issuance of permits for the project on the basis that the project would not be able to stay within state and federal emissions guidelines. The Illinois Pollution Control Board dismissed the groups lawsuit.

The project also spent years trying to clear Environmental Protection Agency processes and secure private funding. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy, which agreed to fund more than half of the project, determined that the project would not meet its completion date.

A taxing settlement with Ameren over the plants closure was approved by the Morgan County board in 2017.

Zuber said a trend is forming in both the state and the nation as a whole to re-purpose coal plants that the federal government shut down several years back to reduce coal emissions.

One of the sites main draws is that it still can be used for heavy industrial work, with infrastructure still in place to supply gas, water, sewage and an electric grid.

Those are things that heavy manufacturing companies like, Zuber said.
Gobbels also recommends talking to your family or travel companions about a disaster contingency plan before the trip begins. Have a family disaster meeting place designated, in case you are separated at the time it strikes, he says. And have a disaster phone tree. If cellphone service is knocked out, youll be lucky to get one phone call out to a primary contact point, who can then relay messages to other family members, or local officials, to keep them up to date on your current status.
(@FahadShabbir)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkmen counterpart, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have discussed the situation over the coronavirus pandemic during phone talks, the Kremlin's press service said on Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th May, 2020) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkmen counterpart, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have discussed the situation over the coronavirus pandemic during phone talks, the Kremlin's press service said on Tuesday.

"The situation around the coronavirus pandemic was also discussed. The sides agreed on further contacts between the relevant ministries and departments of the two states," the press service said.

The leaders also touched upon a range of bilateral issues, and drew attention to the need to step up trade and economic cooperation.

Russia has registered 10,899 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total count to 232,243 and making the country second in the global number of cases, behind the United States. Meanwhile, the death toll in Russia has increased by 107 to 2,116, and the total number of recoveries has risen by 3,711 to 43,512.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan have not confirmed any cases of the disease so far.
Over 50 per cent of households in rural India are cutting down on their food items following the COVID-19-induced lockdown, according to a study by leading civil rights bodies.

IMAGE: Volunteers distribute food to migrants in Jalandhar waiting to board special buses to their native places in UP. Photograph: PTI Photo

The sample size of the collaborative study 'COVID-19 induced Lockdown-How is Hinterland Coping' was over 5,000 households in 47 districts in 12 states of the country.

It was conducted by civil society organisations PRADAN, Action for Social Advancement, BAIF, Transform Rural India Foundation, Grameen Sahara, SAATHI-UP and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme with research support of Vikas Anvesh Foundation and Sambodhi.

The study showed that 50 per cent of households have reduced the number of meals ever since the lockdown was imposed as part of immediate adjustment for food security.

About 68 per cent of households reduced the number of items in their meals, it said.

The nationwide lockdown was imposed from March 25 to April 14, then extended to May 3 and again to May 17 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that has claimed 2,415 lives and infected 74,281 people in the country.

The study showed that 84 per cent households received food items through the public distribution system, 37 per cent received take home ration.

It said about 24 per cent households borrowed foodgrain in villages and 12 per cent people received free food.

The findings of the study were released in a webinar on Wednesday.

The study found that households have depended on Kharif stock more than Rabi, but that stock is now depleting fast.

"Households are coping with the shock by eating less food and fewer times, and with large dependence on PDS. There is a need for increased food support through PDS and promotion for food crop cultivation in Kharif," the study said.

It said the preparedness for Kharif 2020 is low and there is a need for public support in terms of seed provision and credit. A large chunk of migrants are also yet to return to rural India, the study said.

"Lockdown and rumours have indeed adversely affected income - dairy and poultry. The coping mechanisms mostly clustered around change in food habits and reduction in expenditures," it said.

The study said borrowing is taking place due to indebtedness and this might increase if the effect of shock prevails. Though asset sales are still low but they are already being reported by a small fraction of respondents, it said.

The states where the study was conducted were Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The study found that another worrying factor was that nearly one-third of the respondents reported that there is a possibility that their children will drop out of schools for discretionary expenses.

Speaking at the webinar, Madhu Khetan, Programme Director at PRADAN, said the study was conducted in villages which were comparatively more accessible. The situation in remote villages might be worse, Khetan said.

Girish Sohani, president, BAIF, said the survey also raises certain health aspects and there will be more such surveys to better assess the ground situation.

India's economy has been severely hit by the coronavirus-induced lockdown with thousands of people losing their means of livelihood across the country.

To deal with the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced an economic stimulus package for Rs 20-lakh-crore, estimated at 10 per cent of the GDP.

The special economic package will have emphasis on land, labour, liquidity and laws, and will be for "our labourers, farmers, honest tax payers, MSMEs and cottage industry", Modi had said.
This article is part of Privacy in the Pandemic, a Future Tense series.

The COVID-19 pandemic isnt just a physical health crisisits also a mental one. Millions of people face the prospect of infection and death, as well as job losses, social isolation, and a fracturing of community life on a massive scale.

Spikes in suicide-related calls in the U.S. reflect a growing sense of anxiety and dread as the virus spreads. And some health workers are warning of large-scale psychological trauma of both health care providers and patients as hospitals become overwhelmed. While it would be simplistic to suggest that social distancing itself causes increasing rates of suicide or drug use, online support for people in distress is about to become more important than ever. This urgency is reflected in the unprecedented waiving of rules and regulations for telehealth by the U.S. government on March 27. Its likely that infrastructure for digital mental health care will accelerate rapidly in coming weeks and monthsas well it should. But this acceleration also comes with steep risks.

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Mental health data is incredibly personal, and much of the current internet ecosystem is designed to vacuum it up and monetize it. If you browse an addiction support website, could your browser history be used against you? And if a doctor prescribes you with a mental health app, who could access the data it generates? These are valid questions that have been percolating among the experts who design and research these systems, as well as mental health activists and service user advocates. Now, as the tech is suddenly scaling up, is the ideal time to ensure the apps and platforms are designed with the highest ethical standards, and in ways that respect users digital rights.

Mental health data and the internet already have a troubled history. Unprecedented volumes of sensitive personal information exist today, flowing through a digital ecosystem with little oversight or restrictions. This dilution of individual privacy did not emerge through broad social consensus. Instead, it arrived suddenly with the expansion of a vast and lucrative trade in human tracking. For mental health and addiction services, these developments have seriousand rarely discussedside effects.

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In 2019, Privacy International analyzed more than 136 popular webpages related to depression in the European Union. The websites were chosen to reflect those that people would realistically find when searching for help online. The authors found that about 98 percent of the pages contained a third-party element, which enabled targeted advertising from large companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. While there was no evidence of specific abuse, knowledge of a users distress could allow companies to advertise specific treatments, services, or financial products. Most websites failed to comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation, which is often hailed as a gold standard for data protection law. A follow-up study this year found that although some website operators reconsidered their practices and now limited the data they shared, overall, very little ha[d] changed. Most websites still appear to share information about users visits with hundreds of third parties with no clear indication of the potential consequences.

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Privacy Internationals investigation highlights a striking fact: It is becoming harder to access mental health support anonymously. Once a core tenet of mental health care in generaland addiction support in particularthe ability to access services discreetly may well become the exception.

Apps have also raised concerns about data misuse. In 2015, the National Health Service of England closed its App Library after a study found that 28 percent of the apps lacked a privacy policy and one even transmitted personally identifiable data that its policy claimed would be anonymous. Today, there are more than 10,000 mental health apps available worldwide. They constitute the largest group of condition-specific apps in the overall health app market. Some mental health apps, commendably, use transparent platforms and open source code. But two recent studies found that just under half of the popular mental health apps surveyed had a privacy policy that informed users about how and when personal information would be collected or shared with third parties. There are other considerations here as well. For instance, some researchers have criticized mental health apps for unduly medicalizing what are normal responses to stressful situations. The tendency to individualize problems that are social in nature is particularly important to consider in relation to COVID-19.

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Online mental health resources may still actually support anonymous help-seeking. Confidential access to trustworthy online resources may be particularly useful for people whose biggest privacy concern is within their own home or community. Examples could include victims of family violence, LGBTQ young people, or even individuals in tightknit, rural, or religious communities. But despite these opportunities, for most people, our livesboth online and offare being drawn into an opaque set of algorithmically determined and (often) profit-driven data flows.

For example: In 2017, Australian media reported that Facebooks algorithmic systems could target Australians and New Zealanders as young as 14 years old, and help advertisers to exploit them when theyre most vulnerable. This included identifying when users felt worthless and insecure, and in moments when young people need a confidence boost. While Facebook denied that it let advertisers target children and young people based on their emotional state, it clearly has the capacity to do so. Facebook has maintained a policy against advertising to vulnerable users. Others will be less scrupulous. Predictive models built by data-targeting companies may well be using distress and ill health to profile and prey on users.

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Another example? In the U.K., insurers have reportedly deprived access to coverage to people with depression and anxiety. According to advocates, like the Consumer Policy Resource Centre, citizens may well start to avoid accessing important healthcare services and support if they feel that companies or governments cannot be trusted with that information, or that they may be disadvantaged by that information in future. Location- and web-tracking, they warn, may provide insights into the frequency and types of healthcare services that an individual might be accessing, regardless of whether formal medical records are being accessed.

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These developments spotlight the need for proponents and users of digital mental health care to remain vigilant amid the growing surveillance economy. From digital pills to machine counsellors, there is an expanding array of digital efforts to address mental distress. While there are enormous opportunities, there are also serious risksand these risks need to be openly addressed.

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First, mental health websites or apps must stop treating the personal data of their users as a commodity. Websites dealing with such sensitive topics should not be tracking their users for marketing purposes. Where needed, data protection and privacy laws should prohibit the commodification of sensitive user data concerning mental health and improve data governance standards. Strengthening nondiscrimination rules, in areas like insurance and migration, can also prevent harms caused by leaked, stolen, or traded mental health data. Efforts must also be taken to actively involve those most affected in the development of online tools to alleviate peoples distresssuch as mental health service users and their representative organizations.

Although the burden should fall on websites and app developers to manage data responsibly, individuals can take several precautions when seeking support. These include: blocking third-party cookies on your browsers, using ad-blockers and anti-tracking add-ons, and checking to see if a particular mental health app or website is trustworthy.

When help-seeking is leveraged against a persons interest, people will be less likely to seek help. For better or worse, the COVID-19 crisis is pushing more of our lives online. Now is the time to ensure people can access online support safely and discreetly. Efforts to promote innovation in digital mental health must feed into broader efforts to create an open and transparent internet. This is in the interest of people experiencing distress, as well as the professionals who assist them, and the general public who benefit from a basic guarantee of social security.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
A group of nine influential US senators has introduced a legislation in Congress seeking to authorise the President to impose sanctions on China if it fails to cooperate and provide a full accounting of the events leading up to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

More than 250,000 people have died and over 4 million infected due to the coronavirus pandemic around the world. The US is the worst-hit country with more than 80,000 deaths and 1.4 million cases.

The COVID-19 Accountability Act, authored by Senator Lindsay Graham and co-sponsored by eight others, was introduced in the Senate -- the upper chamber of Congress, on Tuesday.

It mandates the President to make a certification to Congress within 60 days that China has provided a full and complete accounting to any COVID-19 investigation led by the US, its allies or the UN affiliates such as the World Health Organization and has closed all operating wet markets that have the potential to expose humans to health risks through the introduction of zoonotic disease into the human population.

Without the certification, the President would be authorised to impose a range of sanctions such as asset freezes, travel bans, visa revocations, restricting United States financial institutions from making loans or underwriting to Chinese businesses and prohibiting Chinese firms from being listed on American stock exchanges.

"I'm convinced that without the Chinese Communist Party deception, the virus would not be here in the United States," said Graham.

"China refuses to allow the international community to go into the Wuhan lab to investigate. They refuse to allow investigators to study how this outbreak started. I'm convinced China will never cooperate with a serious investigation unless they are made to do so. This hard-hitting piece of legislation will sanction China until they cooperate with the investigators," he said.

"We must determine how the virus came about and take steps, like closing the wet markets, to ensure it never happens again. It's time we push back against China and hold them accountable. More than eighty thousand Americans are dead and millions more are jobless today because of China's failure to contain and prevent the spread of the virus," Graham said.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) must be held accountable for the detrimental role they played in this pandemic. Their outright deception of the origin and spread of the virus cost the world valuable time and lives as it began to spread, Senator Jim Inhofe said.

"The COVID-19 Accountability Act will force China to provide a full account of the events leading up to this devastating outbreak. America is strong and we will come out of this crisis, but China must be forced to face the facts and take accountability for their actions," he said.

Inhofe said that the CPC has proven time and again that it will only cooperate when forced.

The CPC's continued suppression of the truth amidst the coronavirus outbreak cannot go unchecked, said Senator Roger Wicker.

This legislation would authorise the President to take appropriate actions against the Chinese government to ensure similar outbreaks do not happen in the future, he said.

This legislation is about taking necessary actions against China to hold them accountable for the cover up of the COVID-19 outbreak and to prevent the spread of future pandemics, said Senator Steve Daines.

"We must send a clear and strong message to China that there will be consequences for their reckless actions," he said.

The Chinese government engaged in one of the biggest cover-ups in modern historylying to the world and allowing the spread of the COVID-19 outside its borders, said Senator Thom Tillis.

The CPC's mistakes enabled the coronavirus to grow from a local issue to a global pandemic. Instead of being transparent, Chinese diplomats are sharing propaganda. It is clear that China intends to use this crisis to their advantage by extending their influence around the world, Senator Todd Young said.

"China must be more forthcoming as investigations begin and we endeavor to learn lessons from this disaster. This legislation will demonstrate to the communist regime in Beijing that the world needs answers on how this pandemic started and spread misery across the globe," said Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.

"I know firsthand China doesn't play fair from building a business for 38 years, and their failure to operate on-the-level regarding COVID-19 has caused untold global devastation, said Senator Mike Braun.

China must be held accountable, and if it does not cooperate with these reasonable measures to fairly investigate the origins of the coronavirus, closes wet markets and releases pro-democracy advocates arrested during the pandemic, then it should face the serious consequences described by this legislation, he said.

"Communist China started a global pandemic and failed to provide any information that could have helped save thousands of lives. They need to be held accountable. If Communist China refuses to be honest about the origins of the Coronavirus, the US will not wait for history to judge them harshly.

"We will take action and we will do everything we can to hold Communist China accountable for the devastation they have caused around the world," Senator Rick Scott said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police in Akwa Ibom have arrested a medical doctor and six others over alleged sale of a five-month old baby.

The commands Public Relations Officer, Fredrick Nnudam, made the disclosure in a statement on Wednesday in Uyo,

Mr Unudam said that the doctor was an employee of one of the teaching hospitals in Calabar.

According to him, the arrest of the medical doctor and his alleged accomplices on May 8 followed a tip off.

He explained that one Grace Davies conspired with her sister, Abigail Davies, to sell a five-month-old baby to the doctor for N250, 000.

The spokesman for the command said that when the doctor was arrested and interrogated, he confessed to committing the crime and cooperated with the police in its investigation.

The Anti-Child Theft Unit of the State Police Command on May 8, 2020, acted on credible information in a case of child trafficking and arrested seven suspects.

The suspects, according to the police, were arrested in Itu, Akwa Ibom State and Calabar, Cross River State, following a tip-off.

One Grace Asuquo Davis f, the mother of a five-month-old baby conspired with her sister, one Abigail Asuquo Davis and sold the said child at the cost of N250, 000 to one Dr Victor Onongha, the statement continued.

The transaction was perfected through two human trafficking agents, one Clement Edem m and Ekaette Okon Akpan f.

The said doctor was arrested and he confessed to the offence, and led the police to arrest one Hope Jonah f, a laboratory scientist working at General Hospital, Calabar, who bought the child from him.

On further interrogation, Hope Jonah f confessed to the offence and also led the police to the Nigerian Army Barracks, Ebrutu, Calabar, where one Mrs Patience Livingstone was arrested and the baby was recovered.

Patience Livingstone on her part admitted that her husband Livingstone Orji bought the child at the cost of N660, 000 from the laboratory scientist, he said.

The police spokesman said that investigation was ongoing and the suspects would soon be arraigned in court.

Mr Nnudam appealed to residents of state not to relent in giving useful information to the police through the dedicated hotlines, stressing that the command was determined to serve the people better.

(NAN)
Billionaire Anil Agarwal plans to take Indian commodities giant Vedanta Ltd. private as the tycoon continues to simplify his investments.

The businessman is proposing a price of 87.5 rupees ($1.16) per share to buy the 49.9% he doesnt own of the company from minority investors, a 9.9% premium over Mondays closing price, his holding company said in a statement Tuesday. The announcement confirmed an earlier story by Bloomberg News.

Vedanta shares have fallen more than 40% this year, giving the company a market value of about $4.4 billion. Taking the company private is the next logical step in its simplification process and will provide more financial flexibility, Vedanta said in the statement.

Due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, we have accelerated the strategy in this challenging environment, Agarwal said in the statement. The proposed transaction will transform the groups credit profile while offering a fair exit price to minority shareholders.

Vedanta is working with JPMorgan Chase & Co on the plans and the bank is helping the company raise financing for the deal.

Agarwals Volcan Investments Ltd. has in the past taken his London-listed Vedanta Resources Ltd. private as the entrepreneur sought to simplify the corporate structure of his resources group. He had said at that time that a London listing was no longer necessary for the company thanks to the maturity of the Indian capital markets.

A self-made billionaire, Agarwal has been a prolific dealmaker in the past few years as he sought to grow his metals-to-oil-and-gas empire into a resources conglomerate like BHP Group. Until last year, he was the largest shareholder of Anglo American Plc, triggering speculation that Agarwal was planning to push for a major change, such as a takeover or breakup. In the end, the tycoon decided to exit his investment because his returns were achieved even sooner than expected.

Last year, investors expressed concern over corporate governance at the Mumbai-listed company when its subsidiary Cairn India Holdings Ltd. bought an economic interest in Anglo American from parent Volcan Investments for $200 million. That led to fears that the parent would use more of the companys cash to serve its funding needs. Vedanta subsequently unwound the trade around the time Agarwal exited his stake in Anglo American.

Vedanta trades at a huge discount to its intrinsic value given that there were some corporate governance issues which met with serious objections from large institutional shareholders, Sanjiv Bhasin, executive vice president at IIFL Securities Ltd. Possibly he wants to get a fair multiple and he is thinking of withdrawing it because of the sheer low market cap which he gets.

Agarwals fortune has been built on a series of ambitious acquisitions: In 2001, he bought control of then government-owned Bharat Aluminium Co. in one of the first tests of Indias efforts to offload state holdings. He followed that up with the purchase of another government entity, Hindustan Zinc Ltd. He successfully bid for what was Indias largest iron ore producer Sesa Goa Ltd. in 2007 and for Cairn India, despite having no oil and gas experience.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 22:40:17|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is arranging chartered flights to bring back Hong Kong residents stranded in India, and the first flight is tentatively scheduled to depart New Delhi for Hong Kong on Sunday at the earliest, a HKSAR government spokesman said Wednesday.

As of May 10, the Immigration Department of the HKSAR government had successfully contacted about 3,500 Hong Kong residents stranded in India. They are currently scattered in different locations in India, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that the first chartered flight will assist Hong Kong residents who are now located in New Delhi, the capital of India, and those in its surrounding areas with special needs such as people with illness, pregnant women and children, as well as family members travelling with them.

The chartered flight is tentatively planned to depart New Delhi for Hong Kong on Sunday at the earliest. However, the exact date and time of departure are still subject to the approval time of and the facilitation provided by the local government, land traffic situations and relevant permissions received by airlines, the spokesman said.

The final number of passengers to be carried by the chartered flight is yet to be confirmed, though it is expected to be over 200, the spokesman said.

Upon their arrival in Hong Kong International Airport, the returnees will proceed to AsiaWorld-Expo for compulsory COVID-19 testing, and then sent to a quarantine center for a 14-day compulsory quarantine.

The spokesman said the HKSAR government understands that there are still many Hong Kong residents stranded in different areas of India, and will continue to liaise with them closely and assist them in returning to Hong Kong in an orderly manner in batches subject to the circumstances. The government will contact them as soon as further information is available. Enditem
The Madras High Court on Wednesday



issued notice to authorities concerned on a petition seeking to reopen wholesale foodgrain shops located in the Koyambedu market complex here, which was shut after it emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot.

Justice M Duraisamy issued the notice to Chief Administrative Officer of the market management panel, Koyambedu wholesale market complex on the plea by Founder President of Koyambedu Food Grains Traders' Association, S Chandresan.

When the matter came up for hearing through video conference, the judge directed the Member Secretary of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the Special Nodal Officer of Disaster Management and Mitigation, Commissioner of Police, Chennai to file their counter and posted the matter for further hearing to May 26.

Alleging that COVID-19 cases were detected among the workers and traders at the vegetable market within the sprawling complex, the petitioner claimed that officials had closed the shops in the whole sale food grain market also.

Recently, Koyambedu emerged as coronavirus superspreader, with number of people from far away districts contracting the virus after visiting the bustling market.

Koyambedu wholesale market, the largest in Asia, attracts people from across Tamil Nadu who come here to sell their products or seeking work.

The petitioner submitted that there were 200 members in their association engaged in whole sale trade of rice, food grains and provisional items to retailers in Chennai.

While an alternative site was provided to set up the vegetable market in Thirumazhisai near here, no arrangement has been made for the food grain market, which is essential for public, the petitioner pointed out.

Observing that the food grains market was functioning separately and was accessed only by the retail vendors, he said it can be operated through proper regulation and monitoring by the market committee by adhering to safety measures.

Already representations were made to the authorities but to no avail.

Hence, the petitioner moved the court and prayed for a direction to the authorities to grant permisison to open their shops.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
European Union plans to kick-start tourism across the continent will see travel restrictions lifted between member states based on the level of Covid-19 infection in each country.

Ireland could be among the first to have travel restrictions eased due to the low rate of infections and deaths compared to other states.

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This could have major economic and tourism benefits, but the health implications would spark concern in some quarters.

Ireland could find itself in a difficult position as it has its own roadmap and plans to monitor overseas arrivals.

Under the EU Commission's plans, travel and tourism will recommence as soon as possible between countries with similar levels of infection and health service capacity.

But the new EU guidance comes at a time when the Government is preparing to unveil new rules on making it mandatory for all visitors to Ireland to self-isolate for two weeks.

The Commission will today publish criteria for lifting travel bans between member states along with new health and safety standards for the tourism industry.

A Government spokesperson said it will consider the EU Commission's proposals when they are published. "In the meantime, each member state, including Ireland, is following its own roadmap out of the Covid emergency."

Meanwhile, chief medical officer Tony Holohan has warned against booking trips abroad this July, despite plans by airlines to resume some flights. He said advice about non-essential travel would not change in that time-frame.

Last month, EU leaders asked the commission to draft proposals for restoring the tourism industry.

Central to the plan is the reopening of borders across Europe on a phased basis.

The EU is keen to ensure there are no bilateral deals between member states on when travel will return, which could potentially splinter the single market.

Several member states have discussed resuming travel between their countries on an individual basis.

Last week, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he intends to reopen his borders to "safe countries" such as Germany and the Czech Republic to encourage tourists to spend the summer in his country.

However, Brussels will insist on a collaborative approach to reopening borders based on health advice.

The new recommendations will suggest travel and tourism will be permitted between regions or members states with similar epidemiological statuses, meaning movement will begin sooner between countries where the virus has been controlled.

"The guidelines contain criteria to take into account when making an assessment and it may well be that Ireland is a in good position to open borders at a certain moment," an EU source said.

The source said the guidelines were developed by the commission "based on a political commitment of the member states" to develop a shared strategy for reopening the EU for tourism and business.

Last night, a government spokesperson said they have "set out a roadmap, which for the time being requires all arrivals into Ireland to self-isolate for a two-week period. That self-isolation period will continue in line with public health advice".

Another government source added: "Anyone is welcome to come here whenever they want, but they will have to self-isolate for the first two weeks of their stay."

Yesterday, the Irish Independent revealed gardai are to be given the power to check up on passengers arriving in Ireland from overseas under new Covid-19 restrictions being considered by the Government. This could include gardai calling at the addresses of passengers to ensure they are adhering to self-isolation for two weeks after arrival in this country.

Strict new regulations are being drafted to make it a legal requirement for anyone arriving in Ireland to self-isolate and give the authorities details of where they will be staying.

At an EU summit last month, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other leaders agreed a plan should be drafted for reopening the continent for tourism.

The EU Commission plan to be published today will also contain new EU health and safety standards for air travel, hotels and tourist attractions to ensure customers are protected once they reopen.

It will also contain rules for refunding tourists who have lost money due the widespread cancellation of flights and hotel bookings.

According to reports, the Commission will insist tourists are entitled to refunds - but new guidelines will be issued for vouchers to help companies make them as attractive as possible. EU news website Euractiv said this will include allowing customers to cash in vouchers for up to a year and rules ensuring refunds are protected from companies becoming insolvent. The draft document said protection against company bankruptcies should be organised at national level by member states.

"This will strengthen European citizens' confidence on which the transport, travel and tourism industry should re-build their recovery," it said.

Meanwhile, the EU Commission's director-general of migration and home affairs, Monique Pariat, has said the challenge which lies ahead is to "restore the integrity of the Schengen area".

"The process will be complicated. Member states have introduced different measures in a very uncoordinated manner and unwinding these different national decisions will take some time," she said.

A serious challenge is that some Schengen members appear willing to lift controls only to people from countries they consider to be safe from the virus or which might make up an important part of their tourism market.

The EU insists that when a border between two countries opens, every resident should be allow to cross, regardless of their nationality.

Austria's tourism minister, Elisabeth Koestinger, said: "Closed borders can't be an ongoing situation. We have always pushed for considerations on how and under which conditions borders could be reopened."

She has pushed for the reopening of borders to countries as "successful in combatting the coronavirus as Austria. This means we - under continuous observation of infection figures - should go back to open border step by step."

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, however, warned that there can be no discrimination. "Member states cannot open borders for citizens of one EU country but not for others. This is essential," she said.

Regardless of what happens inside the Schengen area, people from outside Europe will not be allowed to enter until at least June 15.
Police in Delhi have arrested a 60-year-old, who had killed his mother 33 years ago, for allegedly shooting his son dead in Rohini area of the national capital.

Ompal, a property dealer, shot dead one of his five sons after he stopped his father from shouting at his mother on Monday night. His wife, Pavitra Devi, had asked him not to drink alcohol.

Also read: Delhi man kills wife after heated argument, surrenders before cops

The father and the son started arguing and soon ended up scuffling with each other. In the middle of the fight, Ompal went inside the house, got a licensed pistol and opened fire at the son.

An alcoholic, Ompal had shot and killed his mother Maya Devi in 1987 after she had asked him to stop drinking. He was convicted in connection with his mothers murder and released after serving the sentence.

Police have seized the pistol of the accused.

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Mr. Emmanuel Adotey Allotey, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Parliamentary Candidate for Anyaa Sowutuom in the Greater Accra region, has distributed foodstuffs to Muslims in his constituency as part of measures to alleviate the hardship caused by the Coronavirus(COVID-19) pandemic.

The donation according to him is also aimed at supporting Muslims in the Holy month of Ramadan by way of food provisions.

The food items includes; rice, canned tuna flakes, cooking oil, sachets of tomato paste, beans and other assorted food stuffs.

Distributing the foodstuffs in Awoshie and Sowutuom electoral areas on the first day of the event dubbed; Sharing the Peace of Ramadan on Anyaa Sowutuom", Allotey appealed to residents to always be law abiding.

The donation of the food items is to convey the much needed message of hope and assurance to you that the NDC is a party that cares about the welfare of citizens, Allotey emphasized.

He called on Muslims throughout Ghana to use the blessed month of Ramadan to pray for peace and ask Allah to put an end to COVID-19 which is ravaging the whole world.

He advised, "ensure you wash your hands regularly, put on face or nose masks, observe physical distancing, and stay home if you do not have any essential activity in town".

One of the beneficiaries, Adizatu Mohammed, lauded Allotey for his relentless efforts at bringing succour to the less privileged and added that the foodstuffs "will keep me going".

She called on other politicians to emulate Allotey, saying: "The essence of leadership is to offer service".

Present were, Constituency executives: Chairman, Mr. Kwasi Arhin, Communications Officer, Mr. Mawuli Kpodo ,Deputy Communications Officer, Mr. Ralph Apetorgbor, Secretary, Mr. Edem Asamoah, Organiser, Mr. Abdul Karim and Youth Organiser, Mr. Vincent Yenbey.
Thousands of families remain homeless after Cyclone Harold destroyed properties worth as much as $100m.

It has been more than a month since Cyclone Harold tore through several countries in the South Pacific, with Vanuatu bearing the brunt of the Category 5 winds. The cyclone destroyed thousands of homes, displaced about half the countrys 300,000 people and uprooted crops.

Since a state of emergency was declared in early April, the country in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has continued to struggle. With a shortage of manpower and limited financial means to help in the recovery effort, Vanuatu residents are now appealing for immediate monetary assistance.

International aid has been hard to come by, with the rest of the world still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, which has now reached 212 nations and territories.

While Vanuatu has been spared the direct effect of the global health emergency with zero cases reported, resources for the cyclone victims have also been scarce because of the coronavirus lockdown, according to those who are on the ground helping with the relief and recovery.

Glen Craig, who heads the Vanuatu Business Resilience Council based in the capital Port Vila, told Al Jazeera that damage to properties, tourism, and agriculture in the country could amount to as much as $100m. At least three people were killed in Vanuatu, while several others were killed in other parts of the region.





His organisation is leading the relief effort in the country, and he is appealing for $1m in funding to keep their volunteer group running. It is working with the Connecting Business initiative launched by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the UN Development programme to respond to disasters.

In some areas in the northern islands of Espiritu Santo and Pentecost, at least 95 percent of houses were completely destroyed and about 10,000 families were left homeless, Craig said.

In mid-April, the UN released $2.5m from its emergency humanitarian fund to help the victims, followed by the World Bank, which released $10m both for the disaster relief and the governments coronavirus containment efforts.

Michel Kerf, who heads the World Bank in the region, said that Cyclone Harold has been a shocking reminder of Vanuatus position as one of the most disaster-at-risk nations in the world.

Australia and New Zealand have also extended financial help, as well as relief aid to Vanuatu and other Pacific nations that were affected by the storm.

Effect of COVID-19 emergency

Even before Cyclone Harold made landfall in Vanuatu, the island-nation, which also relies on tourism to keep its economy afloat, was already under lockdown to help contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19.

Vanuatu residents survey their destroyed homes on the island of Espiritu Santo following the cyclone in April [Courtesy of Dr Christopher Bartlett]

That also meant that many international aid organisations, as well as non-essential diplomatic staff from many embassies, had to leave the country.

While the move helped curb the outbreak, it complicated the post-disaster relief effort with no one left to help coordinate the humanitarian work, according to Craig, the Vanuatu business leader involved with disaster preparedness.

Without the COVID-19 lockdown, at least 12 staff from the UN World Food Programme would have been able to help, as well as other experts.

So we would have had more than 100 people to assist in the local management office, compared to 2015, said Craig referring to Cyclone Pam, which hit Vanuatu five years ago, also to devastating effect.





This time, which we think is larger, weve had none, he said, adding that border restriction also initially hampered the cargo flights that delivered aid to the worst-affected areas.

Conversely, Cyclone Harold also made the fight against keeping Vanuatu COVID-19 free even harder, Finance Minister Johnny Koanapo was quoted by news reports as saying.

Off the radar

When Cyclone Pam hit in 2015, Vanuatu was in the news for at least six weeks, helping in the effort to solicit financial aid, said Craig.

This time around, Vanuatu went off the radar after three to four days, he said.

Because of the coronavirus lockdown, staff from many aid organisations left Vanuatu before Cyclone Harold hit in early April [Courtesy of Dr Christopher Bartlett]

Craig estimated that it would take at least three to six months for some communities to rebuild their homes and create some kind of normality.

He said his organisation was still operating on a $20,000 budget but could scale up its work with financial help from donors.

We can at least procure local produce and local supplies, and shelter kits that we can source locally.

In some parts of the island of Espiritu Santo, where Craigs organisation was the first outside group to arrive and deliver aid, he described communities flattened by the cyclone, with electricity posts snapped off at the base and the roof of industrial buildings torn off.

It is quite sad, it is very sad, and we really still need a lot of help.
Thirty-year-old posing as pastor arrested late last month for raping 14 boys, activist tells AFP news agency.

Fourteen boys were raped by a man posing as a pastor in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a foundation run by Denis Mukwege, a Nobel laureate and gynaecologist hailed for his work with rape victims, said on Tuesday.

The Panzi Foundation charity hospital in Bukavu city said the children were admitted last month in a state of suffering and psychological stress.

The 30-year-old alleged attacker was arrested in late April, civil activist Julien Namegabe told the AFP news agency.

The victims came from different families and ranged in age from eight to 15.

The suspect bought their silence with small gifts for several weeks, according to the Panzi Foundation.

Evariste Kajibwami, a clinical psychologist who has been following the boys since their admission to the hospital, said on the foundations website that they presented a mixture of sadness, fear and shame.

The foundation said it would help the victims until justice was done.

Mukwege has treated thousands of women who were raped during conflicts in eastern DR Congo over the past two decades.

He was a joint winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for the efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.

His foundation has been involved in at least two trials before the military justice system.

In 2017, a local militia member of Parliament was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping around 40 girls in Kavumu near Bukavu.

In November, a rebel leader was convicted of raping women and at least one girl in early 2018.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 01:25:48|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Energy and Water Minister Raymond Ghajar said Tuesday that Lebanon will start oil and gas exploration in Block 9 of its territorial waters by the end of this year.

Ghajar was quoted by government sources as saying that previous seismic studies by Lebanon proved the existence of gas, which encouraged French company Total to come and work in this field in Lebanon, reported Elnashra, a local independent newspaper.

Ghajar's remarks came following comments by some officials, including the head of Al Marada Movement, Sleiman Franjieh, who said that Lebanon is a non-oil country, contrary to the information provided by the presidency and the Energy and Water Ministry.

Ghajar assured that the well that was already excavated in Block 4 showed small quantities of gas.

Also, the Energy and Water Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the process of oil and gas exploration is a very long one and success requires the excavation of several wells.

Ghajar has previously announced that drilling results in the Block 4, the first block to be explored in Lebanon's territorial waters, showed that the basic elements of a geo-petroleum system were confirmed in the Lebanese sea, while the existence of a gas reservoir was not verified. Enditem
Dublin's licensing court is expected to face a rush of applications for pubs to open as restaurants.

Under the governments roadmap to lifting covid 19 restrictions restaurants and cafes can open in phase three, from June 29, but pubs, bars, nightclubs, and casinos have to keep their doors closed until phase five begins on August 10 next.

The plan states that this affects venues where social distancing and strict cleaning can be complied with.

Today an application was made by the operators of the Two Sisters pub in Rathfarnham in Dublin to be certified as a restaurant.

In the present circumstances public houses cannot open until August, their barrister Dorothy Collins told Judge Michael Coghlan at the Dublin Districts licensing court.

In order to open, the venue will have to operate as restaurant, she explained.

Counsel said that the licensing court was going to get a rush of pubs saying they are restaurants but they will have to prove the have previously operated as restaurants as well.

Brian Devitt of the Two Sisters told the court his family-run business had 28 to 30 staff who are unable to work at present. He agreed with counsel that they will be subject to the covid-19 guidelines.

The Two Sisters will be run as a restaurant and has previously operated as one, he told Judge Coghlan.

Niki Andrews BL for the Village Inn on Main Street, Celbridge, Co. Kildare said that pub was also making an application for a restaurant certificate. She said it was a well established premises and has operated as a restaurant as well for a long time.

The director of the business, Michael Rossiter, told the court there will be compliance with covid-19 regulations. Judge Coghlan noted most the area was seated but there was an extended bar.

The premises had been modified over the years, to make it more a restaurant and that was more their trade, Mr Rossiter replied.

Plans were furnished to the court showing the seating area and their architect confirmed he was satisfied to recommend a restaurant certificate.

The court also noted there was also no Garda objection to either pubs' application and Judge Coghlan agreed to certify them as restaurants.
Newly graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biological Sciences from the University of Waikato in Tauranga, Dr Helen Cadwallader has missed a few things during Covid-19 lockdown.

Her formal graduation ceremony, being able to work, welcoming her parents from the UK. Most of all, shes missed the ocean.

I was very lucky, my doctoral research involved quite a bit of boating and handling large stingrays so it was very exciting at times. I got to explore areas of Tauranga Harbour that I didnt know existed, says Helen.

But Ive not been in the water at all over lockdown, just walking on the edges. I can't wait to get back out there!

In less than a months time, Helen would have been collecting her parents from the airport. Maggie and Peter had planned to fly over from the UK to see her graduate with her PhD on June 12.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 put the collective Class of 2020s best-laid graduation plans to rest.

Instead, when she received confirmation of her graduation via email, Helen and her partner had a low-key celebration at home in Omokoroa with a glass of bubbles.

Sadly, Gryff, the Welsh Springer Spaniel, wasnt a fan of the stand-in mortarboard and tore it to shreds.

Determined to attend a proper graduation at a later date, Helen just hopes that travel restrictions have lifted in time for her parents to make it.

Its been a little emotional and anticlimactic as it was such a long journey to get here, she admits.

It took 4 years to complete her PhD, but the international students journey to Tauranga and Waikato University was set in motion many years ago.

Despite growing up in Welshpool, a small town in Wales many miles from the sea, Helen says the ocean is in her blood.

Both Helens grandfathers spent a lot of time on the ocean and childhood holidays were spent at the beach snorkelling and discovering rock pools, so it was no surprise that she chose to study marine biology at university.

Helen graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology from the University of Bristol, where her honours research concentrated on the behavioural reactions of freshwater fish to anthropogenic underwater noise.

Three years later, she graduated with a Master of Science in Marine Biology (Distinction) from Bangor University, where she studied cleaner fish and their interactions with thresher sharks in the Philippines.

In between those degrees, Helen visited New Zealand to do some volunteering  assisting with some PhD research, first on Dolphins and then on Tui.

She relished her time here and, after completing her masters, she knew she wanted to specialise in sharks or rays. When the opportunity came up to do her own PhD studying rays in New Zealand, Helen jumped at the chance.

Rays have really interesting biology that, in general, we know so little about compared to other fish that are easier to study. I like a challenge. Large highly mobile animals in an environment like the ocean that you cant easily see what they're doing, was too tempting of a challenge!

Helens doctoral research focused on stingrays that spend time in the Tauranga Harbour, and aimed to discover their spatial and feeding ecology and the potential impacts that urbanisation of the area may be having on them. Its research that will help to conserve areas that are valuable for these important animals.

Rays are 'ecosystem engineers - the sediment that they turn over digging for their food helps to maintain the health of our harbours.

Plus, theyre the staple food source of the Orca population. Without rays we wouldnt have Orca coming in so close to shore for people to see.

Helens thesis, The ecology of ray species in an urbanised estuary: seasonality, habitat use and pollutant exposure in Tauranga Harbour, was completed under the supervision of Professor Chris Battershill and Dr Phil Ross from the University of Waikato, and Dr Malcolm Francis from NIWA.

She cites working with the Coastal Marine Field Station team, where she was based, as a highlight of her time at Waikato.

Ive made friends for life, she says. Ive also been fortunate to attend annual trips to the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society conferences, enabling me to interact with the top marine scientists in New Zealand and learn about some great research, alongside gaining the experience of presenting my own research in a professional setting.

Helen finished her studies at the end of February but, with post-study work visa processing stopped for a month, finding a job has been impossible. Shes kept herself busy writing up her thesis chapters for publication and walking Gryff the dog  a lot.

Now shes just looking forward to getting back to the ocean, and back to what she does best.

Id like to continue working in marine ecology and New Zealand is a great place for that with the opportunity to make a real difference in the field.
Budapest (Hungary) 11/05/2020 (SPS)- A new book on the conflict in Western Sahara was published this May 2020 under the title Hungary and the Crisis in Western Sahara, written by Hungarian expert in the issue and ex-member of the UN Mission in the territory, Dr. Janos Besenyo.

The 460 page book is the result of 10 years of scientific research, and is unique in several respects, mainly because the author is the first peacekeeper to serve in Western Sahara and use his experience to get a PhD degree publishing several books and studies on MINURSO's activities and other aspects of the Western Sahara conflict.

In this book, the writer deals with Western Sahara but from a special aspect, he explored the connection points between Hungary and Western Sahara.

In fact, few people would know that back in 1898 Spain had tried to hand over its Saharan colony Rio de Oro to the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Eventually, negotiations that had lasted for nearly two years were unsuccessful and the area remained under the colonisation of Spain.

But few also would know that there were several Hungarian legionnaires serving in the Spanish Foreign Legion, many of them in the mid-1970s, when the Spaniards withdrew from Western Sahara and Polisario Front established the Saharawi Republic.

In addition to using various scientific sources, the book also present recollections and interviews with those former soldiers.

In another chapter, the author explored the diplomatic and political cooperation and relations between Hungary and the SADR, using the encrypted documents of former governments in the Hungarian National Archives.

He explores in this chapter the reasons why the Soviet Union and European socialist countries - except Yugoslavia - did not recognize the Saharawi Republic an independent state, and how they followed and occasionally supported Sahrawi independence aspirations.

Of particular interest is the political-diplomatic war that has taken place in Western Sahara and the way in which the participating states and international organizations have acted.

The author devoted separate chapters to the UN operation of MINURSO and the activities of the Hungarian police and soldiers who served in it, with whom he conducted interviews, filled in questionnaires and incorporated their personal experiences in the book.

Dr. Janos Besenyo works as university professor in the Doctoral School for Safety and Security Sciences of University of Obudai and is leading the Africa Research Center. He completed his military career as a colonel, then conducted this unique research to use not only materials from the Hungarian archives, the SADR archives, the Vienna Archives, and the UN archives, but also the oral history told by actors who participated in the events.

The value of the book is increased by the maps and pictures included in it, which have not been published elsewhere, and which show the activities of Hungarian peacekeepers and Western Sahara.

The writers research interests include contemporary and recent history of Africa, migration and the Middle East, peacekeeping, military logistics, Hungarian peacekeeping operations in Africa, with particular reference to Western Sahara, and in addition, comparing political cultures, political communication and intercultural communication, DDR programs in Africa, terrorism, and Christian-Muslim relationship on the continent.

Having served several times in Africa (Western Sahara, Darfur) and Afghanistan, he received his PhD in Military Science from Miklos Zrinyi National Defense University in 2011. In 2017, he received a habilitated doctorate at Eotvos Lorant University. In 2014, he established the Scientific Research Center of the Hungarian Defence Forces General Staff, and was the leader of it from 2014-2018. (SPS)

090/500/60 (SPS)
An audio feed of Supreme Court oral arguments in Trump v. Mazars and Trump v. Deutsche Bank AG, dealing with the subpoenas from the US Congress to obtain US President Donald Trumps financial records, is heard via a teleconference due to COVID-19, known as coronavirus, as seen on a laptop in Washington, DC, May 12, 2020.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday wrestled with a dispute over whether Electoral College voters have a constitutional right to diverge from their state's popular vote in two cases that could have implications for November's presidential election.

The arguments featured hypotheticals about what would happen if electors were to take a bribe, get hacked by a foreign government or vote for a giraffe.

The justices heard from attorneys for presidential electors in Colorado and Washington state who refused to back Hillary Clinton in 2016 despite her victories in those states. Like most states, Colorado and Washington both require Electoral College voters to vote in line with the state popular vote.

The question in the cases is whether Electoral College voters can be penalized under state law if they do not vote for the candidate who wins the state popular vote. Lower courts in Colorado and Washington came down on opposite sides of the issue. In January, the top court agreed to weigh in.

A so-called "faithless elector" has never affected the outcome of a U.S. presidential election. Attorneys on both sides, however, have warned that it could happen in a close race.

The justices' questions largely focused on what limits applied to both electors and states in regulating voting in the Electoral College, America's system for indirectly selecting presidents.

Larry Lessig, an attorney for the Washington electors, and Jason Harrow, who represented electors in Colorado, argued that states could only remove Electoral College voters for offenses such as bribery once they had been convicted.

While the state can require electors to take a pledge to support the candidate who wins the popular vote, they cannot punish an elector who violates that pledge, they argued.

Attorneys for the states argued that electors can be regulated far more strictly. Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser said that under his view, a state could even bar electors from submitting a vote for a candidate who did not visit the state.

Forty-eight states, with the exceptions of Maine and Nebraska, allocate all of their Electoral College votes to the winner of the state popular vote. In 32 states and Washington, D.C., there are laws on the books requiring electors to vote for their pledged candidate.

The justices seemed to be seeking a middle ground that could enable states to remove electors who solicited bribes without giving states unbridled authority to dictate for whom electors may cast their votes.

The arguments began at 10 a.m. ET and lasted just under two and a half hours. They were conducted over the phone as a precaution against the spreading coronavirus and streamed live to the public.

The cases came to the high court just months before President Donald Trump will face off against apparent Democratic nominee Joe Biden in November's contest. Decisions in the cases are expected over the summer.

Commentators noted that the arguments lacked the partisan furor that has animated several of the court's other high-profile arguments of the term.

Laurence Tribe, a leading constitutional scholar at Harvard Law School, wrote in a post on Twitter that the arguments "displayed nine really good constitutional thinkers trying to work their way through a complex and unsettled legal issue where the justices' partisan and ideological leanings offered no guidance."

"A breath of fresh air," he wrote.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Pakistan with the tally jumped to nearly 33,000, the country is importing key life-saving drugs and vitamins from India, The Dawn has reported.

To ensure that there is no shortage of essential drugs in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Pakistan government has lifted the ban on import of medicines and raw material from India, said the report.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

Pakistans leading English daily has reported that a number of vitamins, drugs and medicinal salts were recently imported from India, quoting a document of Pakistans ministry of national health services (NHS), the report further stated.

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

On August 9, 2019, the Imran Khan government in Pakistan suspended its trade relations with India in retaliation against New Delhis decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

However, Islamabad relented after the appeal of the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan for relaxation and clearance for goods imported from India, suggested the report.

The publication quoted an anonymous official of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) as saying that initially it was claimed that cancer patients would suffer if import of medicines and their raw material from India were banned.

However, later all kinds of medicines were imported from India due to which we have been transferring the foreign exchange to India, he said.

Follow our full coverage on COVID-19 here
As some of you may already know, the direction that ocean currents take is significant in determining the direction of the flow of genes in so-called rafting species, such as pipefishes and seahorses. However, this also depends on the particular traits of the species involved in rafting propensity.

A study by researchers from the City College of New York or CCNY has focused on pipefish and seahorse species to explain and determine how such high genetic diversity can be a contributor to the extinction of small populations.

The paper was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a journal based in Britain. The study was by a team of researchers led by Laura D. Bertola and Michael J. Hickerson. The research is titled: "Asymmetrical gene flow in five co-distributed syngnathids explained by ocean currents and rafting propensity."

The research team is based in the CCNY's Division of Science, which is one of eight schools and divisions in the City College that are driven by funded research, scholarships, and creativity.

The study reveals how ocean circulation that drives the drifting of macro-algae may be crucial in serving as a mode of dispersing marine organisms. This discovery may help scientists predict genetic connectivity on the population level as well as the directions that make dispersal effective.

The researchers used data on single nucleotide polymorphism that is genome-wide. These data helped them investigate whether the directionality of gene flow in two species of seahorses of the genus hippocampus as well as three species of pipefishes of the genus Syngnathus also correspondingly follows the ocean's predominant circulation patterns. The areas used in the study include the northwestern Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Around the British coastline, two species of Hippocampus seahorses can be found: H. guttulatus or the Spiny Seahorse and H. hippocampus, or the Short-Snouted Seahorse. Meanwhile, there are at least 32 species of Syngnathus pipefish.

The researchers also explored the possibility that gene flow magnitudes could be predicted by species' traits that are related to the ability for active dispersal as well as preferences in habitat.

Hickerson said that the team inferred the demographic histories of the syngnathid species, which are co-distributed. They used coalescent model-based estimates to indicate whether the directionality of gene flow agrees with data on ocean circulation, which predicts northward and eastward transport of macro-algae.

However, Hickerson also adds that the magnitude by which the ocean currents influence such a pattern is apparently very dependent on the particular species-specific traits that relate to habitat preferences and rafting propensity.

Hickerson also stated that the team's study highlights help to explain the patterns of diversity and population structure in many marine ecosystems, with the combined use of circulation data of oceans and population genomic inference.

Aside from Bertola and Hickerson, other members of the research team include Isaac Overcast, Carole C. Baldwin, Stephen Harris, John D. Robinson, Alexander T. Xue, Nathan F. Putman, and J. T. Boehm. The paper can be found on this website.
As the US battles the coronavirus and murderous hornets, another unlikely threat has quietly invaded the nation  giant lizards.

The tegus lizard, native to South America, already has a foothold in Florida and is now making its way into Georgia.

Growing up to four feet long and weighing at least 10 pounds, this creature is threatening protected wildlife, as it dines on eggs of American alligators and gopher tortoises.

Although the lizards are not considered to be aggressive toward humans, the animals will attack with sharp teeth and massive tails when threatened.

Officials say the animals are escaped or released pets, and are advising residents to report sightings of the exotic lizards to authorities.

Scroll down for video

As the US battles the coronavirus and murderous hornets, another unlikely threat has quietly invaded the nation  giant lizards. The tegus lizard, native to South America, already has a foothold in Florida and is now making its way into Georgia

The black and white tegu is the largest of its species and is native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, and came to the US by the exotic pet trade.

John Jensen with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said in a video: It has become established as an exotic invasive species in several sites in south Florida, and we now believe in the Toombs and Tattnal county area of Georgia.

We are trying to remove them from the wild because they can have negative impacts on our native species.

They eat just about anything they want, plant and animal matter, and one of their favorite foods are eggs from ground-nesting animals such as gopher tortoises  our protected state reptile.

Growing up to four feet long and weighing at least 10 pounds, this creature is threatening protected wildlife, as it dines on eggs of American alligators and gopher tortoises

The black and white tegu is the largest of its species and is native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, and came to the US by the exotic pet trade

The lizards are active during the day and travel on both land and water.

They are typically found in mixed grassland and woodlands but will go into hibernation during the winter months.

Because tegus are invasive to the US, they have very few predators and are quickly multiplying  a female can lay about 35 eggs a year.

They are not considered to be aggressive to humans, but the lizards will defend themselves if they feel attacked.

The lizards react fast and use its tail, sharp teeth and claws to defend itself during an attack.

DNR is urging residents to report any sightings of the lizards, dead or alive, with its location and a photo.

Because tegus are invasive to the US, they have very few predators and are quickly multiplying  a female can lay about 35 eggs a year

The lizard is also eating the young of Georgia's protected animals, including the gopher tortoise (pictured)

Although the lizards are not considered to be aggressive toward humans, the animals will attack with sharp teeth and massive tails when threatened

Those living in Toombs and Tattnal counties (dark blue) are asked not to leave pet food outside, fill holes that the lizards could use as shelter and clear yard debris

Those living in Toombs and Tattnal counties are asked not to leave pet food outside, fill holes that the lizards could use as shelter and clear yard debris.

If you are able to safely and humanely dispatch of the animal, we encourage that and we want that information too, Jensen explains.

Argentina black and white tengas are kind of black and white and banded.

Many of the public that encounter these often report thinking that they look like a baby alligator.

These are very common in the pet trade, but we ask folks that keep these as pets to be responsible and if you come to a point where you no longer want this animal, there are reptile adoption groups that may take it and try to find a home.

Releasing it into the wild is the absolute worst thing to do.
TUI to Cut Jobs and Costs as It Prepares for July Holiday Restart

LONDONTravel group TUI will cut 8,000 jobs and look to shed 30 percent of its costs as it gears up for a July restart to European tourism, the German company said on Wednesday.

Holiday plans have been put on hold in the face of travel restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, with British government ministers warning that summer trips to overseas tourist destinations are unlikely to happen this year.

However, the worlds biggest tourism group on Wednesday said that it had adopted new safety measures and that holidays would be possible.

We believe that, (by the) latest, in July we will be open to resume, TUI Chief Executive Fritz Joussen told reporters, chiming with comments from the bosses of airlines Ryanair and IAG in recent days.

With no revenue coming in and the CCP virus-related debts to pay while having to provide customer refunds, TUI is under severe financial pressure as it burns through 250 million euros ($271 million) of cash a month despite having reduced overheads.

A closed counter of the German travel company TUI is seen at the Helmut-Schmidt-Airport during the outbreak of the CCP virus (COVID19), in Hamburg, Germany on March 16, 2020. (Fabian Bimmer/Reuters)

To cope with the downturn TUI said it would aim to cut its fixed cost base by 30 percent, which could result in the loss of 8,000 roles, while shedding non-profitable activities and some assets.

TUI shares were down 2.9 percent at 09:32 GMT after reporting an underlying half-year loss that widened to 813 million euros ($882 million) from about 301 million euros ($336 million) in the same period last year, including a 470 million euro ($510 million) CCP virus-related hit in March. Its shares have slumped 70 percent in the past three months.

We think that liquidity and leverage remain concerns, given uncertainty regarding the length of the shutdown and the type and magnitude of the recovery, Barclays analysts said in a note.

TUI said that turnover would decline significantly in the current financial year, with cost savings only partly compensating for the virus-induced slump.

Recovery Hopes

Forced to cancel holidays from mid-March, TUI was granted a 1.8 billion euro German state-backed bridging loan at the end of March, which it says must be paid back by mid-2022.

However, CEO Joussen said he is confident of a recovery, forecasting that tourism would be back at 2019 levels by 2021. He said demand for holidays would be strong once borders reopen and that there has been intense activity on the TUI website.

Customers want to go on their holidays, he said. Politicians more and more take the view, particularly in Europe, that free movement is appropriate and adequate when it is safe.

Asked about the 14-day quarantine rules that the likes of Britain and Spain have said they will implement, Joussen said they would be short-lived and it would not make sense for governments to implement them for the long term.

Planes of German carrier TUI parked on a closed runway at the airport in Hanover because of coronavirus travel restrictions, Germany, on April 18, 2020. (Fabian Bimmer/File Photo via Reuters)

Customers who do manage to get away on holiday will find their trips quite different from in the past, TUI said. New safety measures include temperature checks at airports, staff in face masks and fewer tables in hotel restaurants.

Joussen said there would also be fewer staff at TUIs holiday destinations, in line with the proposed job cuts. Of the 8,000 roles that could go, some could be future recruitments that dont go ahead. Staff levels at TUI fluctuate from 70,000 in the summer holiday season to 60,000 in quieter months.

He said that, while he believed TUI needed to continue to have its own airline business, the shape of those operations could be different in future and the company would consider whether it should own or lease aircraft.

Selling all the airlines I think is maybe not realistic, Joussen said. Three years ago we had six airlines, now we have three airlines. Is it right to have three? These are the questions we need to put forward.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
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Global Pre-insulated Pipes Market Report

The latest business intelligence study by FMI suggests that the global market size of Pre-insulated Pipes is anticipated with a CAGR of 8% from 2019 to 2027 (Forecast period). The research study focuses on the drivers, restraints, opportunities and trends impacting the Pre-insulated Pipes market.

Global market value analysis and forecast for the pre-insulated pipes market in the period 2019-2027. This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the historical market, along with an opportunity analysis of the future. Readers can also find the absolute $ opportunity for the current year, and an incremental $ opportunity for the forecast period (20192029).

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The Pre-insulated Pipes market research also takes into account the important countries that hold significant share in the respective regions, such as Germany, the U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Russia, among others.

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Market segmentation assessment, including qualitative and quantitative research depicting the impact of economic and non-economic factors.

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The Pre-insulated Pipes market research clears away the following queries:

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Morgan Stanley auto analyst Adam Jonas told CNBC on Wednesday that Tesla CEO Elon Musk's controversial behavior is actually welcomed by some investors.

Musk's strategy has been "play to win" or "play to dominate," Jonas said, along with "wanton disregard for traditional business communication norms."

"While that can ruffle some feathers along the way, many investors absolutely adore that and see that as a strength," Jonas said on "Squawk Alley."

Musk has in recent days pushed back against health officials in Alameda County, California, over his desire to resume production at Tesla's main U.S. car plant in Fremont, which is located in the county. Musk ultimately reopened the facility this week in defiance of local Covid-19 health orders, practically daring authorities in a tweet to arrest him. He has previously called such health orders "fascist."

Alameda County officials appear to be nearing an agreement with Tesla over its reopening plans provided adequate worker safety protocols are in place.

During this dispute over the Fremont plant, Musk also said on Twitter that the electric vehicle maker may move operations out of California. Jonas, who was one of the earliest bullish Wall Street analysts on Tesla, said it is economically "challenging" to produce vehicles in California, given that it is "arguably one of the most expensive places in the world."

"There is no doubt in our mind that over time, that Fremont's proportion of global production will go down and we think the next plant is clearly going to be in Texas," Jonas said, noting that Musk's SpaceX has a launch site in the Lone Star state.

Shares of Tesla fell 2.3% on Wednesday to around $790. Morgan Stanley has a $680 price target and equal weight rating on the stock.

Jonas said Tesla is "not immune" to widespread economic damage wrought by the coronavirus. "It is way too soon. There's a lot we're going to learn once they open up as to where true demand is in places like Europe and the U.S, mainly outside of China, which is where our concern is," he added. "We think expectations could use a bit of resetting before we revisit that recommendation."

For the auto industry in general, Jonas said there are early signs that demand for vehicles may recover from their coronavirus-related drop sooner than expected. Sales in April were about 70% higher than his expectations, he said, and May is showing positive signs, too.

Demand is not where it was before the crisis, Jonas said, "but the pace of recovery in demand, we think, is going to significantly exceed the recovery of production."
LADUE  Leaders at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School have joined other private schools in returning federal coronavirus aid intended for small businesses, a spokeswoman for the school said Tuesday.

The school applied for and received in April an undisclosed loan "commensurate with our size as an employer with nearly 300 employees," said MICDS spokeswoman Amy Zlatic.

After evaluating "the appropriateness of the funds for our independent school," school leaders canceled the loan on Friday, she said.

Last week, John Burroughs School in Ladue returned $2.55 million from the same federal coronavirus aid package for small businesses. A spokeswoman for Independent Schools of St. Louis has not responded to inquiries about other local private schools that may have received the loans.

The private schools are among several across the U.S. that received loans this spring through the $660 billion Paycheck Protection Program, part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act. The loans, backed by the Small Business Administration, are designed to help pay for workers salaries and are forgivable if certain parameters are met.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said earlier this month that private schools with endowments should return the money. President Donald Trump later echoed the sentiment through a spokesman.

Last month, MICDS said tuition will be lowered by $2,000 for the 2020-2021 school year because of financial fallout from the pandemic. The discount was announced before the school applied for the federal loan, Zlatic said.

Annual tuition at the school ranges from $21,160 in the elementary grades to $29,040 for middle and high school. About one in four students at the school receives financial aid, according to the MICDS website.

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The CDC also cautions that testing negative for COVID-19 doesnt mean the person wont get sick. It is possible that you were very early in your infection when your specimen was collected and that you could test positive later, according to the CDC website. Or you could be exposed later and then develop illness.
Mexico's auto, construction and mining sectors have been cleared to restart operations beginning Monday, a decision that comes just a day after the government reported record deaths from the coronavirus.

In a Wednesday news conference, Economy Minister Graciela Marquez laid out plans to reopen the Mexican economy in stages, starting with areas of the country where cases of virus have not been reported.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is faced with a tough choice as Latin America's second-biggest economy tips into a recession that's likely to be far deeper than the devastating Tequila Crisis of the mid-1990s. While a reopening may alleviate some of the strain on the economy, the decision also runs the real risk of fanning the pandemic, leading to an even greater economic disruption, some economists say.

"The contraction would be more contained" if this reopening is successful, said Marco Oviedo, chief Latin America economist for Barclays Plc. "The problem is the data. It seems to be inconclusive on the situation."

With a shutdown of only two months, the economy may contract around 6%, less than the 7.5% economists expect, but if activity needs to be stalled again, the recession could climb to about 10%, Oviedo said.

Mexico has been quick to say that measures to protect worker health must accompany the reopening. Plants that continued to operate in late March were hit by protests in Ciudad Juarez by workers fearful over their health and saftey.

"Starting May 18, essential activities will establish strict protection protocols for all workers," said a statement published in the government's official gazette.

Gustavo Rangel, the chief Latin America economist at ING Financial Markets in New York, noted that for manufacturers the months of near-zero output inflicted steep losses. While the reopening will be positive, Rangel noted that it will happen slowly and under strict health precautions.

"It's a complicated position," Rangel said in an interview. "With auto production dropping close to zero in April -- in Mexico and Brazil -- and for most or all of May, it's clear that the economic impact of the crisis will be very severe."

On Tuesday evening, Mexico's Health Ministry reported 353 new covid-19 deaths, a daily record for the country that brought the total to 3,926. Total confirmed cases rose to 38,324, though Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said that the actual number may be as much as eight times higher. He's also said that in recent days there are signs the rate of contagion has begun to slow.

Standing alongside Lopez Obrador, Marquez said close to 300 municipalities that have no patients will reopen businesses and schools starting May 18, and those with higher cases will return at the start of June.

"We will expand essential activities from May 18 with construction, mining, and transportation manufacturing," said Marquez.

The decision adds automakers, construction companies and mining to the list of essential activities amid international pressure to reopen global supply chains that depend on Mexico.

Restarting Mexico production of autos and auto parts are seen by U.S. automakers as especially crucial in order for them to resume their own manufacturing.
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 we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Polaris Media ASA (OB:POL).

Do Insider Transactions Matter?

It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required.

Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'.

See our latest analysis for Polaris Media

Polaris Media Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

There wasn't any very large single transaction over the last year, but we can still observe some trading.

While Polaris Media insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. 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!

OB:POL Recent Insider Trading May 13th 2020

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Does Polaris Media Boast High Insider Ownership?

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Our data suggests Polaris Media insiders own 1.8% of the company, worth about kr30m. We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. We consider this fairly low insider ownership.

Story continues

So What Do The Polaris Media Insider Transactions Indicate?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Polaris Media shares in the last quarter. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Overall we don't see anything to make us think Polaris Media insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Polaris Media. To that end, you should learn about the 4 warning signs we've spotted with Polaris Media (including 1 which is potentially serious).

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

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.




Tobias Okwuru, one of the members of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) board who died two months ago, has been replaced by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Okwurus name was on the list of 37 FCC nominees that the president sent to the senate for confirmation.

However, a debate ensued on the news of the deceaseds nomination.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, in a letter today, said Buhari had requested the replacement of four nominees, including Okwuru.

In compliance with the provision of section 156(1) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I write to request for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following four nominees as members of the Federal Character Commission as replacement of my earlier submission for Delta, Ebonyi, Lagos and Nasarawa States, the presidents letter read.

Aside Okwuru, those replaced are Moses A (Delta), Afamefuna Osi (Ebonyi), Wasiu Kayode (Lagos) and Alakayi Mamman (Nasarawa).

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Bihar on Wednesday reported its seventh death of a coronavirus patient, as migrant workers contributed to more than one-third of the total cases, with the virus spreading to cover the entire state late on Tuesday.

Fifty-three people, including two nurses  one from the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH), a dedicated Covid-19 hospital, and another from the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), both in Patna  also tested positive, while a 56-year-old woman, suffering from cancer of gallbladder and infected by the virus, died at the NMCH on Wednesday.

This was Bihars first female fatality to the Sars-CoV-2 virus, with co-morbid conditions, as the total number of cases swelled to 932.

A resident of Ashiana-Digha More, the NMCH nurse had come in contact with two Covid-19 patients during the course of their treatment at the hospital, said NMCH medical nodal officer, Dr Ajay Kumar Sinha.

Five health personnel at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) in Patna have already tested positive for the virus so far, the latest being a nurse on Wednesday. The nurse who stays on the hospital campus, used to reside with another nurse who had previously tested positive and had to terminate her pregnancy due to some gynaecological complications.

The two nurses were among the four people to have tested positive in Patna. Nine other cases were reported from Nawada, seven from Bhojpur, six from Bhagalpur, four each from Siwan and Banka, three each from Begusarai, Rohtas, Khagaria and Muzaffarpur, two from Gopalganj and one each from Madhubani and Kaimur.

Around 130 people reported positive on Tuesday in what was the biggest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases since March 22, when Bihar reported the first three cases of the fast spreading contagion.

As of Tuesday, 343 Covid-19 cases were reported last week, according to government data shared through a tweet by its principal secretary, health, Sanjay Kumar.

MIGRANTS LEAD SPIKE IN CASES

The government attributed the sharp increase in the number of cases to the return of migrants from other states.

Of the total Covid-19 cases, 332 are those who came to the state from within India during the lockdown period. Of them, 277 people came after May 3 (lockdown 3.0), said Bihars health secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh.

Singh said of the 277, most had come from Delhi (78), followed by Gujarat (71), Maharashtra (57), and West Bengal (20) and Haryana (13).

He also said the percentage of cases testing positive as against the samples tested, had gone up of late.

As of now, 2.32% of the total samples tested (39,149) have turned positive. This figure used hover between 1.7%-1.8% until recently, but has shown an increase since the migrant workers have begun returning home in an organised and structured manner. The increase in number of cases is the outcome of the random tests we have been conducting on them, added Singh.

Bihars concern may be far from over as over 4.27 lakh migrants are still expected to come by 267 additional Shramik Express trains.

Till May 11, we had received 1,37,401 migrant workers by 115 special trains for them. We are now planning to run 267 more trains, which are expected to ferry an additional 4,27,200 passengers. Together, we will receive 5,64,600 migrant workers. This is not the final figure on migrant workers expected to reach Bihar from outside the state, said Anupam Kumar, secretary information and public relations department (IPRD).

Over 85,500 migrants are expected to return to Bihar between Wednesday and Thursday.

We transported 34,629 passengers by 25 trains today and expect another 50,910 passengers by 34 trains tomorrow, said Kumar.

He also clarified that the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the state was not due to increased testing of samples, but because of the home-coming of migrant workers.

QUARANTINE PARAMETERS

Around 1.89 lakh people, mostly migrants, were staying for 21 days in 4,163 block quarantine centres, set up to curb the large-scale spread of the virus if they were to directly return to their respective villages.

Spelling out the different parameters set by the government for quarantining people coming from outside the state, he said students coming from outside the state, including Kota, had been allowed home quarantine, as many of them were minors and girls.

Those returning from abroad will have to stay at institutional quarantine centres on payment basis. The government has already identified hotels in Gaya and Bodh Gaya, where international passengers coming to the state will be quarantined, added Kumar.

Normal train passengers would not be quarantined as they were coming under relaxation measures after proper screening at the station of origin, he added. The government re-started limited train operations from Tuesday.
RICHMOND  Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday rejected a call by the Republican General Assembly leadership for a moratorium on the early releases of prison inmates with violent records.

The state Republican leaders made their plea for the moratorium Tuesday morning in response to the pending parole release of Vincent Martin, who murdered a Richmond police officer in 1979.

"Yesterdays announcement by Secretary [Brian] Moran that the early release of Vincent Martin has been delayed for 30 days was welcome news. In our view, the murderer of Richmond police officer Michael Connors should complete the life sentence he received upon conviction," says a statement from House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah; Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment, R-James City; and others.

"It is time for Governor Northam to demonstrate support for the victims, and the families of victims, of violent crimes," they added. "The governor should immediately impose a moratorium on the early release of those convicted of violent felonies."

Alena Yarmosky, a spokeswoman for Northam, wrote in an email Tuesday afternoon that "Governor Northam rejects this proposal. Based on our current laws, parole provides a very limited number of individuals  who have rehabilitated themselves and demonstrated that their release is compatible with public safety  the opportunity for a second chance."

"The Governor and his administration have worked tirelessly to create a fairer and more equitable criminal justice system, and safe parole is an important part of that work," she added.

Martin's parole was unrelated to an expedited effort in recent weeks by the parole board to release offenders in light of COVID-19, the boards former chair said before leaving that position.

Advocates have pressed for months for the release of as many prison and jail inmates as was safely possible as the pandemic made its way being bars. As of Monday, 719 state prison inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 and five have died, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections.

The scheduled parole of Martin, convicted and sentenced to life for the 1979 murder of Connors, ran into a buzz saw of opposition from law enforcement organizations and others and was put on hold Monday until the Office of the State Inspector General can investigate how the Virginia Parole Board reached its decision.

In a statement last month before she left to assume a juvenile and domestic relations court judgeship, Adrianne Bennett, the former parole board chair, said that "Martin has demonstrated himself to be a trusted leader, peacemaker, mediator and mentor in the correctional community."

"The decision to release Martin was not taken lightly. After much deliberation and for foregoing reasons, the Parole Board, by a super majority of four votes, granted parole to Vincent Martin," wrote Bennett.

Tonya Chapman, the former Portsmouth police chief who began work as the boards chair on April 16 after parole was granted Martin, said in a statement Monday that she believes it would be prudent to delay Martins release "for a period not to exceed 30 days, pending the conclusion of this investigation."

In another controversial recent parole board decision, Debra Scribner, 66, was granted geriatric conditional release on March 31. She, along with her daughter and grandson, was convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the killing of a man who was shot to death and his body dropped down a well in Halifax County in 2011.

Halifax County Commonwealths Attorney Tracy Q. Martin alleged that the board ignored the law in granting parole to Scribner, complaining that her office and Wynns surviving brother, Kevin Wynn, should have been notified ahead of time by the parole board and were not.

Parole ended in Virginia for crimes that happened on or after Jan. 1, 1995. Just roughly 1,900 inmates remain eligible. Geriatric conditional release is also handled by the parole board.

The GOP legislators wrote Tuesday that Moran on Monday "correctly observed that a 'cloud' had formed over the Parole Boards decision to release Mr. Martin. Regardless of the findings of the Inspector Generals investigation, that cloud will remain if Mr. Martin is freed within the next 30 days. Releasing an individual who was sentenced to life imprisonment for brutally murdering an on-duty police officer is an outrageous act and an affront to justice."

"The revelations by the Associated Press that the Parole Board has 'released dozens of violent offenders, including killers, rapists and kidnappers' over the last several weeks are shocking. It is unconscionable that victims families have not received proper notification, as required by law, of these disgraceful decisions," said the legislators' statement.

Parole boards, through this administration and several prior ones, have long cautioned that virtually all remaining parole-eligible offenders have serious criminal backgrounds. As of April 30, more than 95% of parole-eligible offenders were serving sentences for violent crimes, said the board.

Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, executive director of the ACLU of Virginia, wrote in an email that "facts, individual circumstances and objective assessments of dangerousness should guide parole decisions, not ideology or emotionally appealing 'tough on crime' rhetoric. Each person's eligibility for parole should be judged individually and objectively with the primary focus being public safety."

Gastanaga cited part of the state code that states: "No person shall be released on parole by the board until a thorough investigation has been made into the prisoner's history, physical and mental condition and character and his conduct, employment and attitude while in prison. The board shall also determine that his release on parole will not be incompatible with the interests of society or of the prisoner."

"Input from victims of crime is welcomed, as it should be, but no one factor is or should be determinative of the decision whether a person should be paroled," Gastanaga said.

In a separate early release program created in light of the pandemic, Northam proposed, and the Democrat-controlled House and Senate approved, a budget amendment allowing the Virginia Department of Corrections to release some offenders with a year or less left to serve.

Thus far, 261 have been approved for release by the department, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The department will not release the names of the inmates being released under that effort. Those release decisions are based in part on their criminal records and whether they have a suitable place to go.
(Photo : Nahel Abdul Hadi on Unsplash) 813 Creepware Used To Stalk And Harrass People Directly Were Removed By Google From Android Play Store (Photo : Elena G on Unsplash) 813 Creepware Used To Stalk And Harrass People Directly Were Removed By Google From Android Play Store

According to ZDNet's report, Google removed 813 creepware which were being used by hackers to directly or indirectly harass and stalk individuals from the Google Play Store.

A group of academics studying stalkerware-like apps reported the incident. And according to them, CreepRank was installed in more than 50 million Android devices around the world.

The Northern UK Blog explained that creepware is a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that allows hackers to access devices from a distance, controlling it. The most common scenario will be using the camera of a computer or mobile phone to listen and watch an individual from afar. It's a type of spyware that allows cybercriminals to spy on the victim or acquire a recorded material to be used for illegal purposes.

There are different versions of creepware that are used by hackers to download files, monitor online activity, steal personal files, log passwords, and make onscreen messages to threaten the computer's owner. The stolen personal information can be used for blackmail, with them saying the stolen footage of the individual will be broadcast or shared online.

813 Creepware used to stalk and harass people directly were removed by Google from the Play Store

According to ZDNet, "The Many Kinds of Creepware Used for Interpersonal Attacks," the research behind last year's report, has now been published online this month. The study analyzed the creepware apps which were led by academics from the NortonLifeLock, formerly known as Symantec and the New York University.

All though creepware don't possess the full features of a stalkerware or spyware product, it can still be used to harass, stalk, defraud, or threaten an individual indirectly or directly. The team of researchers who conducted the study developed CreepRank, an algorithm that assigns a creep score to each, identifying creepware-like behavior inside mobile apps.

CreepRank algorithm can identify apps with features that can be abused to spoof another user's identity in IM/SMS chats, extract SMS messages from a device, hide other apps, launch denial-of-service attacks (IM/SMS bombs, etc.), track location, control access to other apps, and more. After applying it on app data sets from 2017 to 2019, 1,095 creepware apps were found, accounting for more than one million installs across the real-world devices.





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Former WA treasurer Troy Buswell has maintained his innocence over allegations that he repeatedly beat up his partner, including on Valentine's Day, by pleading not guilty to assault charges in a Perth court on Wednesday morning.

Former West Australian treasurer Troy Buswell is seen arriving at Perth Magistrates Court in Perth. Credit:AAP

Mr Buswell is alleged to have been violent towards his partner on three occasions between 2015 and 2018, with one incident reportedly happening on Valentine's Day in 2016.

Mr Buswell also pleaded not guilty to charges of common assault and property damage.

The former Liberal MP was once considered a political star, but personal indiscretions including allegations of drink driving ended his colourful career in politics.
Ann Arbor, May 13, 2020 -- New research and guidance in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, focus on critical topics pertaining to community and individual health during the COVID-19 epidemic.

RESEARCHERS OUTLINE GUIDELINES TO HELP ADDRESS THE UNIQUE AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED RISKS POSED BY COVID-19 TO BOTH PRISON INMATES AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS

The correctional environment is often considered distinct or isolated from the wider society and health system, but the wellbeing of correctional workers and prisoners is inexorably linked to the health of the country as a whole. Almost 3 million people are incarcerated, or work in, state and federal prisons, local jails, and other detention facilities. Their safety is inherently a matter of public health. Researchers highlight some of the inherent risks within correctional systems that may increase COVID-19 transmission among and between inmates and staff. They outline recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO, and other organizations to help correctional professionals mitigate these risks and protect and treat anyone who lives and works in their institution. This includes collaboration between correctional systems and their local public health authorities, adherence to the principles of infectious disease control, and early release or furlough of prisoners whose release would pose fewer public safety risks than their continued incarceration.

"Both correctional employees and inmates have long been overlooked by our society, community leaders, and legislators," said lead author Andre Montoya-Barthelemy, MD, MPH, HealthPartners Occupational and Environmental Medicine, St. Paul, MN; and American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Elk Grove Village, IL. "As we researched this article, we were immediately struck by how abruptly COVID-19 has exposed our neglect of those who live and work within the prison system, and how the health of our neighbors in the correctional environment is so tightly bound to our own."

"COVID-19 and the Correctional Environment: The American Prison as a Focal Point for Public Health," by Andre Montoya-Barthelemy, MD, MPH, Charles D. Lee, MD, JD, MBA, CCHP-P, Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH, and Eric Smith, DO, MPH, CTWH (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.04.001). Journalists wishing to speak with the authors should contact monto88@umn.edu.

VULNERABLE POPULATIONS MAY PAY THE HIGHEST PRICE IN THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC, RESEARCHERS WARN

Marginalized in the best of times, people who are homeless, incarcerated, or using drugs are likely to experience a higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 because of their social circumstances. A response to these forgotten populations must be central to the COVID-19 response. Planning should incorporate dedicated efforts, funding, and guidelines specific to these populations, both because they deserve care and services and not doing so poses greater risk to the broader community.

Researchers note that homeless shelters are ideal for viral transmission. They caution that healthcare resources may be prioritized for those at least risk of death, and vulnerable populations may be further marginalized. "People who are homeless, incarcerated or living with opioid use disorder already experience significant stigma and health inequities. It is critical that public health responses to SARS-CoV-2 account for these populations so as not to exacerbate existing disparities and to hamper community transmission," explains lead author Elizabeth M. Salisbury-Afshar, MD, MPH, of the Center for Addiction Research and Effective Solutions, American Institutes for Research, Chicago IL.

"Vulnerable Populations: Weathering the Pandemic Storm," by Elizabeth M. Salisbury-Afshar, MD, MPH, Josiah D. Rich, MD, MPH, and Eli Y. Adashi, MD, MS (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.04.002). Journalists wishing to speak with the authors should contact esalisbury@air.org.

RESEARCHERS FIND CLEAR RACIAL AND INCOME DISPARITIES IN RISK FACTORS FOR SEVERE COVID-19, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND OTHER PROTECTIVE MEASURES

Identifying those at heightened risk of several illness from COVID-19 is essential for modeling disease, designing return to work criteria, allocating economic assistance, advancing health equity, and limiting morbidity and mortality. To date there has been limited analysis of the population at risk based on income, and racial and ethnic factors, but preliminary national data suggest that disparities in hospitalization are already developing. Using data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a nationally representative study of more than 400,000 adults, Matthew Raifman MPP, of the Department of Environmental Health, and Julia Raifman, ScD, of the Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, both at the Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, found clear disparities in the prevalence of risk factors for severe COVID-19. In particular, Non-Hispanic Black Americans and American Indians are disproportionately at higher risk of severe illness relative to non-Hispanic White Americans. People with lower incomes are more likely to be at risk; 25 million Americans living in households receiving less than $25,000 a year have at least one risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness.

"COVID-19 is the most recent example in the long history of structural inequalities shaping the burden of disease in America," the authors note. "Decades of inequitable policies have created conditions in which there are disparities by race and income in access to healthcare, wealth, education, and employment, each of which are associated with chronic diseases that elevate the risk of severe illness due to COVID-19. By focusing testing, case detection and treatment programs in communities most at risk of severe illness due to COVID-19, we may be able to reduce the overall toll of the disease."

"Disparities in the Population at Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19 by Race/Ethnicity and Income," by Matthew Raifman, MPP and Julia Raifman, ScD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.04.003) Journalists wishing to speak with the authors should contact mraifman@bu.edu.

MANDATORY SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES IN CLARKE COUNTY, GA SLOWED THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, COMPARED TO SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND THE REST OF THE STATE

In the state of Georgia, Clarke County was among the first to adopt a mandatory policy of sheltering in place (SIP) in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, effective March 20, 2020. Except for one neighboring county, the counties surrounding Clarke County did not implement similar measures, and statewide measures were not put into effect until April 3, 2020. Mark H. Ebell, MD and Grace Bagwell-Adams, PhD, MPA, of the College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, explain that this variation in policies at a "hyperlocal" level created a natural experiment prior to the statewide policy change and allowed them to examine the relationship between SIP policy implementation and the doubling rates of COVID-19 cases for Clarke County versus surrounding counties. Doubling time is a key metric used to evaluate whether progress is being made in containing a virus: the faster it takes the number of cases to double in an area, the faster the disease is spreading.

Dr. Ebell and Dr. Bagwell-Adams observed that doubling time in Clarke County was 11.3 days longer compared to surrounding counties and increased by an average of eight days compared with the entire state. Looking at percentage daily increases, they found a 30 percent decrease in percent increases in Clarke County compared with other counties. "Our report reinforces the fact that mandatory implementation of distancing measures is the most important way to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic," say Dr. Ebell and Dr. Bagwell-Adams. "Our mayor and commission were two weeks ahead of the rest of Georgia in mandating isolation measures, and we think the community has benefited as a result."

"Mandatory Social Distancing Associated with Increased Doubling Time: An Example Using Hyperlocal Data," by Mark H. Ebell, MD, MS, and Grace Bagwell-Adams, PhD, MPA (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2020.04.006). Journalists wishing to speak with the authors should contact ebell@uga.edu

###
With three busy locations in the Tulsa area and two more out of state, Los Cabos Mexican Grill & Cantina has been a success story in the restaurant business.

The original location on the Riverwalk in Jenks is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month.

The foundation for Los Cabos was developed at another restaurant, according to Jimmy Blacketer, food and beverage director. His father, longtime restaurateur James Blacketer Sr., started Los Cabos and its predecessor, Atomic Burrito.

Atomic Burrito was a cafeteria-style Mexican restaurant that had several locations in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

We opened Atomic Burrito in 1999 and sold it in 2003, Jimmy Blacketer said recently at the Riverwalk store. They did well, but my dad and I wanted to get back into full service. We ended up using Atomic Burrito as a test kitchen for Los Cabos.

Adela, who is still with us at our Owasso store; Ernesto, who isnt with us anymore, and I worked on recipes every day. We would make them in small batches and try them out with our customers. If we got great feedback, we would do larger batches to see if they would hold up. We developed all of the mother sauces we use at Los Cabos.
India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist

30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights under phase 2 of Vande Bharat Mission

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, May 13: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights between May 16 and 22, the duration for the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

During the first phase of the Vande Bharat mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are scheduled to operate a total 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to bring 14,800 Indians from 12 countries on a payment basis.

COVID-19: 2nd phase of Vande Bharat mission from May 16-22

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 74,200 people and killed around 2,400 people in the country till now.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.
Police officers paid tribute to Major General Debold Sinas (right) by surprising him with a mananita on his birthday.

MANILA, Philippines  National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major General Debold Sinas on Wednesday apologized for his birthday celebration, which drew flak for supposedly violating protocols on physical distancing and the ban on mass gathering amid the enhanced community quarantine due to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a statement, Sinas said he did not intend to disobey protocols related to the implementation of the ECQ to contain the spread of COVID-19.

I apologize for what transpired during my birthday that caused anxiety to the public, he said.

He also said that some of the photos circulating online were edited and grabbed from old posts.

The pictures may depict itself however it does not define the totality of what really had happened, he said.

The photos showed Sinas handing cakes and roses during an event. A photo also showed Sinas sitting at a table with guests.

The photos were said to be taken during a party held for Sinas to celebrate his birthday. Police officers gave him a mananita, a traditional early morning serenade, where they dine together.

The said event was met with criticism for allegedly breaking quarantine rules.

May 8 is the day when God aggrandize his love for me and my family for it is the day when I was born. That day, I was blessed and honored that another year has been added to my life, Sinas said.

He added that he was overjoyed as a birthday celebrant, and caught up with the mananita held by some of his officers.

He said he accommodated his guests with all cautiousness as he was aware of the measures being implemented against COVID-19.

They were told to observe social distancing and other precautionary health measures. They were also told not to linger and prepare for the simultaneous relief distribution NCR-wide that day, he said.

Philippine National Police chief General Archie Gamboa said he already ordered a probe into the incident.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano also said that Sinas, as a police official, should serve as an example in following protocols especially those related to the containment of COVID-19.

The post Metro Manila top cop apologizes over birthday get-together during ECQ appeared first on UNTV News.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Thirty-eight migrant workers from Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts, who returned from Maharashtra in a Shramik Special train, have tested positive for COVID-19. Around 930 migrants recently reached Guntakal Railway Station in Anantapur. Samples of 250 persons, of whom 38 are infected, were tested on arrival. While the infectees were shifted to COVID hospitals, the remaining were sent to quarantine centres.

Briefing the media here on Tuesday, Special Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy said the migrants had come from Kalyani in Mumbai. They are all quarantined and being tested in batches. We expect the count to increase further, he noted, adding another batch of 10 persons who returned from Varanasi have tested positive in West Godavari.

According to the official, 8,000 persons, as on date, have come back to Andhra Pradesh after inter-state transportation was allowed. Many of them came from high incidence states such as Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The official noted that the Koyambedu market in Chennai has become a coronavirus hotbed, and was a cause of worry for the state as people, especially from Nellore and Chittoor, thronged the market frequently. Around 30 who had gone to Koyambedu have tested positive.

Though the situation is not alarming, we are identifying everyone who visited Koymbedu and isolating them, he said, and asserted that the state is ready to face the new challenges. Going by the trend of the last few days, the number of active cases (949) is plateauing, he remarked. There is a downward trend in the number of cases in AP. Now the focus has shifted on people coming from outside. He stated that the strategy adopted by the state government to contain the spread of the virus is yielding good results.

Jawahar Reddy informed that 10,730 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, the highest in a single day.

A total of 1,91,735 samples were tested in the state so far. In conducting tests, Andhra Pradesh is leading the country with 3,593 tests per million people. Andhra Pradesh has conducted more tests than 27 countries. Till May 11, it has tested 1,91,087 tests, while Indonesia did 1.13 lakh (till May 10), Thailand 97,000, Qatar 1.27 lakh, and Bulgaria 57,000, he remarked, adding that the state government is also focussing on people above 60 years and others suffering from comorbidities.

We have started collecting blood for plasma therapy and two hospitals have been identified for the same. On Tuesday, blood samples from three persons were collected in SVIMS, Tirupati and three more samples will be collected tomorrow. Another hospital from where we can collect plasma is Kurnool GGH. The therapy will only be used in extreme emergency cases, he said and added that in principal permission has been accorded for plasma clinical trials in AIIMS, Mangalagiri. The positivity rate in the state is 1.07 per cent, which is better than the national average of 4.02 per cent. While APs mortality rate is 2.24 per cent, the national average is around 3.24 per cent. The recovery rate of 51.40 per cent in the state is far better than the countrys, he explained.

No need to worry, says official

Around 930 migrants recently reached Guntakal Railway Station in Anantapur. Samples of 250 persons, of whom 38 are infected, were tested on arrival. While the infectees were shifted to COVID hospitals, the rest were sent to quarantine camps. The Special Chief Secretary said there is a downward trend in the number of cases and the governments focus has shifted to people coming from other states
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown announced in a press release on Tuesday that St. Theresa Elementary School will close at the end of the school year.

The Hellertown school has seen steadily declining enrollment year over year, which has put a financial strain on the parish that operates it. While kindergarten through eighth grade will close, the schools Pre-K program will continue. Parents of the schools students were notified Tuesday in a letter.

Brooke C. Tesche, the dioceses chancellor of catholic education, said the diocese urges the students and families affected by the closure to transfer to one of the other 29 elementary schools in the system. Families will be eligible for tuition grants as an incentive.

The schools faculty, staff, students, parents and others had put forth great effort to keep the school open, said St. Theresa of the Child Jesus parishs pastor, Father Jerome Tauber, in the release. He also said the benefactors of the recent Close the Gap campaign will have their donations refunded.

According to the release, Tauber said in a February letter to parents that one more year of operation would deplete the parishs unrestricted reserve of savings.

The student body in the 2017-18 school year was 129 across the nine grade levels. Today, the number stands at 81.

Tauber, as the pastor of the operating parish, had the final recommendation for closure. According to the release, after much analysis and prayer, he determined it was the responsible thing to do for the sake of the parish. He offered his recommendation to the dioceses Bishop Alfred Schlert, who accepted the closure.

Saucon Source in March reported the school, founded in 1940, had fundraised approximately $20,000 of the $129,000 it needs to fill its tuition-subsidy gap and keep its doors open.

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Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com.
A pensioner who garnered international headlines when he fought off raiders in a bookies shop in Cork city has been laid to rest today.

Mourners who engaged in social distancing lined the route as the hearse containing the remains of Denis OConnor passed his son's pub to go to his native Kiskeam for his funeral.

In 2018, the then 83-year-old great-grandfather rushed to the assistance of staff and took on three armed men who were trying to rob a bookmakers.

Father of five, Denis OConnor, who lived in Glanmire in Co Cork was in Bar One Racing in the area on September 15, 2018 at about 6pm when three men in their teens or early 20s came in armed with hammers and a shotgun demanding money from the safe.

Two men, who were wearing balaclavas, proceeded to jump over the counter and attack the manager. A third man carrying what appeared to be a shotgun held up the customers.

Mr OConnor, who trained regularly in a Cork gym and walked and swam several times a week, immediately went to the aid of the manager, Tim Murphy.

He tackled one of the men and the raiders left empty-handed.

In an interview at the time he said he didn't think twice about assisting the manager.

I just didnt think about what I was doing. Sometimes you can just sit down and do nothing or you can stand up to people like these and thats what I did, he said.

Mr Murphy said the robbery, which was caught on CCTV footage, was quite shocking. He said the young men, who were shouting and bashing their hammers, ignored the till takings and demanding that he open the safe.

He described the situation as intimidating.

Meanwhile, Mr Murphy gave radio and print interviews where he said he was extremely grateful for the actions of Mr OConnor.

I was just being threatened by the two fellas with the hammers. Denis tackled one of them and I thought I will have to tackle this fella as well.

I tried to grab the hammer. It was a total blur. They totally backed down. I remember Denis just shouting: Ye are cowards. Ye are total cowards.

Denis is a total hero. When I saw him taking one of them on he totally inspired me. He is very fit.

Mr O'Connor, formerly of Kiskeam and London, is survived by his wife Teresa and his children Mary, John, Elaine Katrina and Clare. He will be laid to rest in Kiskeam following a 2pm funeral mass at the local church.
A Clare Island fisherman has launched High Court proceedings aimed at stopping the laying of fibre optic cable off the Mayo coast as part of a multi-million international communication project.

Fisherman James OToole has brought a legal challenge against the granting of a licence to the Irish leg of the project which will see a Trans-Atlantic subsea cable system connect Northern Europe and the US.

The Irish branch of the cable system is called America Europe Connect 2 and is owned by a consortium of IT companies including internet giants Facebook and Google. The consortium is a notice party to the proceedings against the Minister of State at the Department of Planning and Local Government which granted a foreshore licence earlier this year.

A Trans-Atlantic fibre optic cable extending from the US to Denmark with spurs to Ireland and Norway is under construction. The planned route for the Irish spur includes a landfall at Old Head on the southern side of Clew Bay, over three kms from Louisburgh.

A High Court judge today entered the case to the fast track Commercial Court where fisherman, James OToole, is challenging the granting of a foreshore licence to bring the fibre optic cable ashore at Old Head, Co Mayo.

America Europe Connect 2 Limited, which applied to have the case entered to the list, contend it is a major infrastructural project of significant importance to this country.

David Holland SC for America Europe Connect 2 told the court a technical team was already at a Mayo hotel and in self-isolation and expecting to start work next week

Mr OTooles counsel, James Devlin SC, instructed by solicitor Brian Harrington told the court the fisherman will also be applying to the High Court In the next few days for a stay on any work being carried out pending a court determination on the legal challenge.

James OToole of Ballytoughey, Clare Island, who is described in the court papers as a farmer and fisherman in his proceedings is seeking an order quashing the decision of the Minister for State for Housing, Planning and Local Government on February 6, 2020, to grant a licence under the Foreshore Act to install a subsea fibre optic cable on the foreshore of Old Head, Louisburgh, Co Mayo.

He is also seeking a declaration that the decision to grant the licence was ultra vires and contrary to the EU Habitats Directive.

He further seeks a declaration the decision to grant a licence lacked sufficient reasons and with contrary to fair procedures

America Europe Connect 2 Limited in 2018 applied for a foreshore licence to lay fibre optic cable coming ashore at Old Head Louisburgh,Co Mayo. The licence, which was granted in February 2020, related to the Irish branch of the transatlantic fibre optic cable extending from the US to Denmark with branches to Ireland And Norway.

The cable also passes through Scottish fishing waters. Mr OToole claims the shortest possible route to Irelands shore was selected even though it is through areas of very rocky seabed where the cable cannot be buried, in sensitive fishing grounds in Clew Bay and passes through the narrow channel between Achill and Clare islands.

It is claimed it also passes through the habitats of protected endangered species, including the bottle nosed dolphin and the Brent goose.

Mr OToole has said he and other fishermen are concerned about the risk to fishing gear becoming entangled on the surface-laid cable as well as fishing gear that may have to be abandoned and could entrap marine species and cause environmental pollution.

It is also his case that disturbance to the population of predators like shark, skate or ray could affect the entire ecosystem including the shellfish that is Mr OTooles livelihood.

Mr Justice David Barniville said he was satisfied to admit the case to the Commercial Court list and said there was clearly a significant commercial dimension and very significant costs involved in the development.

The hearing on whether a stay should be granted until the legal challenge is determined will be decided later this week.
I knew a singalong wasnt likely to become a neighborhood pastime. I wanted to sing anyway.

And so, one evening, I leaned out my bedroom window and started singing a rendition of New York, New York. My voice was ringing down the alley, and by the end of the song, neighbors were applauding from their windows and calling for an encore.

I sang for my neighbors every night for the rest of the week. I had been so alone in my apartment that it didnt even occur to me there were hundreds of other people, sitting alone in theirs, just a few feet away.

 Claire Manship, 28, New York

Addiction Is Just as Terrifying

I began this decade by voluntarily spending 33 days in rehab. No phones. No TV. Occasionally, staff would give us updates about the news, which is where I first heard of the coronavirus.

I relapsed an hour after being released. I moved into an Airbnb that I had booked for a month, with the intention of finding a new place to live after. The country shut down instead.

I did not have time to find an AA group. To get phone numbers, a sponsor. Meetings have moved digitally, and I dont know how to participate in a video chat of dozens of people where everyone knows everyone and I know no one. They say successful sobriety is about community, which is the very thing Covid-19 has stripped from us.
A new compromise draft resolution was circulated to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, in a possible last-ditch attempt to get the divided body to agree on a text confronting the coronavirus pandemic, diplomats told dpa.

For seven weeks, the 15-member council has been deadlocked by a feud between China and the U.S. over how to reference the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a resolution.

Beijing wants it to be mentioned, while Washington does not, even rejecting a draft with an indirect reference of the agency last week.

U.S. President Donald Trump has halted funding for the WHO, accusing it of mismanaging the crisis and putting too much faith in information from China.

Germany and Estonia, which holds the council presidency this month, on Tuesday circulated a new compromise text, which includes no mention of the WHO, diplomats told dpa.

The pared-back draft focuses on backing UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres March 23 call for a global ceasefire so that the world can concentrate on tackling the virus.

It is unclear if China will accept the text.

Germanys UN ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who has criticised the councils deafening silence on the pandemic, reiterated the importance of addressing it.

Let us concentrate on why we were sent here by our governments and why the world is looking at us.

The task that we have is to provide for those suffering in conflict, which is compounded by COVID-19.

Let us overcome differences and concentrate on achieving this goal, he told a closed-door meeting of the council, according to a tweet by the German UN mission.

(dpa/NAN)
Canadian pediatricians have been issued a Be On the Lookout advisory for an acute inflammatory disease similar to Kawasaki disease that has been observed affecting children during the coronavirus pandemic.

When police issue a BOLO, it means theyre looking for information on a suspect, but it usually also means that caution is indicated.

The Public Health Alert issued Tuesday by the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program is asking Canadian pediatricians to report any cases they come across of children whose symptoms suggest Kawasaki disease, whether or not they have tested positive for COVID-19.

But the alert also warns doctors that children with those symptoms during the current coronavirus may deteriorate quickly, and that fast treatment may be necessary. That alert comes on the heels of a similar alert released by the New York City Health Department last week, and similar observations in the U.K. two weeks ago. Three children have died in New York state.

Researchers have not identified a conclusive link between COVID-19 and this inflammatory disease. But they do know that, pre-COVID-19, viral infections  and even coronavirus infections  have been known to trigger symptoms of Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease is an acute inflammatory illness that affects small children. While doctors still arent sure exactly what causes it, they do know that  in some patients  a viral infection will trigger an overreaction by the immune system. That causes an inflammation of some of the medium-sized blood vessels in the body.

That inflammation is primarily responsible for Kawasaki symptoms: a prolonged, high fever that resists treatment; red, cracked lips; red tongue and eyes; a pink rash; swollen lymph glands. Some or all of these may present themselves.

Of particular concern is if the inflammation makes its way to the arteries around the heart. There it might cause aneurysms  enlargements of the artery caused by weakness in the arterial wall  that could prove fatal.

The newer inflammatory disease presents similarly to Kawasaki with the added danger of shocklike symptoms, where blood pressure can tumble to dangerously low levels.

Inflammation, in general, is something that occurs on a spectrum. And theres a lot of person-to-person variability, said Dr. Charlotte Moore Hepburn, the director of medical affairs for the Canadian Paediatric Society. Kawasaki disease, even though its well understood, is a clinical diagnosis that presents as a constellation of signs and symptoms. Its not like a single lab test: Youre positive Kawasaki, negative Kawasaki.

I think people would feel comfortable  drawing that line from viral illness triggering inflammatory state, (to) triggering this hyper-inflammatory state which is Kawasaki/toxic shock-like  But right now, theres still a lot left to learn in terms of teasing out just exactly how this COVID-19-triggered state may be different from what we would consider run-of-the-mill Kawasaki disease.

Moore Hepburn emphasized that the cases of the newer inflammatory disease are still very rare; one of the functions of the Public Health Alert is to gather more cases to study  nationwide and eventually globally.

Aside from establishing a causal link between COVID-19 and this acute inflammatory disease, doctors would like to know why some children are affected differently than others.

While some patients might present with all the classic symptoms of Kawasaki disease, others may only be showing a subset of those symptoms. Still others might show next to none, but still be at risk for sudden shock syndrome.

I think what we need to figure out is, is COVID-19, in healthy children, triggering a severe hyper-inflammatory state, meaning an activation of the immune system that becomes harmful to the blood vessels and the heart of the child, said Dr. Susa Benseler, pediatric rheumatologist at Alberta Childrens Hospital in Calgary.

The other pertinent question, she added, is if there are certain characteristics to children who are more affected.

Because if thats the case, then we  need to be able to recognize this super-early, because we have ways of treating this that are very effective.

We know this from classical Kawasaki: the earlier you treat, the better the childs outcome. And thats the key thing, why this awareness and all of the surveillance is of such critical importance.

Doctors would also like to know why the onset of this inflammatory disease seems to trail the course of a coronavirus infection by a few weeks.

Dr. Jeremy Friedman is the associate pediatrician-in-chief at Torontos Hospital for Sick Children. He sees about 100-150 cases of Kawasaki disease a year, pre-coronavirus, mostly in children six or younger.

It seems like the peak of these children presenting is usually around two to four weeks after the peak of the actual COVID-19 surge of cases in general, he said.

Researchers in New York and the U.K. have also discovered that while these patients usually test negative for the coronavirus on the swab test, in cases where doctors have been able to test for antibodies, most of the patients do test positive.

The implication is that the patients who were being treated for this disease often had coronavirus infections, but the infection had run its course.

The fact that Canada is still in earlier stages of its coronavirus epidemic compared to Europe and the U.K., suggests that there may be an uptick in cases of Kawasaki disease in the near future.

That worries Friedman. Hes concerned that in the midst of the pandemic, people are more reluctant to go to hospitals, and parents may delay bringing in children who are beginning to show signs of the disease.

The important point with this particular illness is that it is absolutely treatable, but it does need to be recognized and the children can get extremely sick, he said. So were hoping that parents, if they do see their child with five days of high fevers  they really should seek medical attention.

On Wednesday, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott issued a statement expanding the case definition of COVID-19 to include the Kawasaki-like illness as an atypical presentation in children.

At the same time, the statement acknowledged that the link between the illness and COVID-19 is as yet unconfirmed.

Some of the symptoms associated with this illness include persistent fever, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as rash, she said in the statement. Parents should contact their health-care providers immediately if their children are having these symptoms.
Reproducing efficiently in captivity is crucial for the survival of many wildlife species, yet reproductive success is often lower than in the wild. Currently, many zoo population management strategies prioritise the genetic diversity of captive populations. Scientists now argue that a broader perspective is required which also includes behaviour, life-history, husbandry and environmental considerations. This would improve breeding success in zoos and the maintenance of the diversity of traits, behaviours, and phenotypes of threatened species. In a paper published recently in the scientific "Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research" they compare different population management approaches and conclude that prioritizing genetic factors to the exclusion of all others may have detrimental effects: For example, in small groups of unrelated adults, conflicts are likely to be more frequent than in larger groups with relatives present who had the chance to develop differentiated socialisation and learning repertoires.

Many species of birds and mammals reproduce better in the wild than in captivity. When wild populations are threatened, it is of utmost importance to conservation that captive populations are healthy and sustainable. In a new paper, wildlife biologists Werner Kaumanns (LTM-Research and Conservation), Nilofer Begum (Freie Universitat Berlin) and Heribert Hofer (Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research) evaluate decades of scientific literature on the reproduction of captive populations and compared two well-known population management paradigms. The "small population paradigm" focuses on the genetic reservoir of the species and attempts to maximise genetic diversity within the captive populations, for example by exchanging mating partners frequently or by avoiding groups of closely related individuals. In the "declining population paradigm" on the other hand measures target the causes of population decline and thereby reproduction processes and conditions. "We argue that under the latter paradigm better management options can be developed without necessarily contradicting genetic assessments and their relevance to population management," says lead author Kaumanns.

The authors argue that, next to survival, evolution places a heavy emphasis on reproduction, the success of which profoundly affects the animal's contribution to future generations. "This means that many key traits and evolutionary adaptations are linked to reproduction," senior author Hofer explains. "It is evident that animals are designed for breeding, which means that group sizes, socialisation and learning repertoires, behaviours, spatial requirements and other traits and contexts usually contribute to reproductive success." For example, the behavioural skills and experience of a primate female in infant rearing are as relevant to reproductive success and recruitment for population management as her genetic status. "It is necessary that appropriate conditions are provided in zoos to ensure that females can acquire these skills," Hofer says. This can require the presence of aunts, mothers or other group members, an appropriate demography and group composition.

This perspective is not restricted to primates: providing the setting for mothers to gain the necessary experience would also be beneficial in elephants and other species with complex societies, such as spotted hyenas. "It is, therefore, recommended that key traits play a dominant role in management plans and husbandry guidelines," Nilofer Begum, a doctoral student at Freie Universitat Berlin, adds. If captive breeding conditions do not respect natural breeding conditions, traits can function as constraints and the diversity of traits, behaviours and phenotypes may be threatened. This may mean that in practice, zoos might sometimes concentrate on fewer animals, develop a more flexible husbandry system that better incorporates essentials of a species' niche or habitat, and ensure that social groups foster generational learning, problem solving and the resolution of conflicts.
The increasing number of daily reports of giant meat-processing plants drastically reducing production and even closing after workers tested positive for the coronavirus is among the latest threats in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chris Petersen, a northern Iowa farmer raises pigs the old-fashioned way in the individual A-frame houses that once dotted Iowas rural landscape instead of the large confinement buildings that mark the changing face of farming in the 21st century.

Petersen laments the loss of independent farmers who marketed pigs to nearby buying stations that delivered the animals to smaller packing plants closer to the farms.

Those smaller packing plants have been increasingly replaced by mega-plants that employ thousands of workers who often work side by side  an environment that makes social distancing, currently our best weapon in the fight against the pandemic, clearly difficult.

Its not that people arent trying, Dennis Burson, an animal science professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, told The Associated Press. Its just that it is very difficult to control this illness.

Iowa, the nations largest pork producer, was hit hard last Wednesday when Tyson Foods closed its huge pork-processing plant in Waterloo after numerous workers tested positive for the virus.

That followed closures of a Smithfield Foods pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; a JBS beef plant in Greeley, Colorado; and others. Some, including the Tyson pork plant in Perry and another in Columbus Junction have reopened after deep cleanings.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds readily acknowledges the likelihood of clusters of positive cases at meat-processing plants but has said repeatedly the operations must remain open.

Without them, peoples lives and our food supply will be impacted, Reynolds said.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Thursday that he doesnt foresee a scenario in which he would ask meatpacking plants to close despite soaring numbers of coronavirus cases in his states communities with such businesses.

Like Reynolds, Ricketts said that shutting down the plants would jeopardize the nations food supply, causing civil unrest.

Meat-packing companies have started checking employees temperatures, staggering breaks and altering start times. Owners said they have also done more to clean plants, added space for workers to spread out on breaks, slowed production lines so workers can spread out and added plastic shields between workstations.

We are looking for countless ways of ensuring we have good, healthy social distancing in our plants, Hector Gonzalez, Tysons senior vice president of human resources, told The AP. Its not impossible despite the number of people in our plants.

But what Gonzalez terms not impossible will require changes for an industry that slaughters 10 million to 12 million pigs a month  changes that will almost certainly trickle down to pork producers and up to consumers.

Poultry producers can slow production by not hatching baby chicks. Ranchers can keep cattle on pasture longer. But changes in production methods have seen pigs increasingly raised in confinement facilities with limited space. It takes time to stop the birthing cycle for pigs  to slow the supply of animals heading to the processing plants.

Its a very fragile system because everything has to work just right, Petersen, the northern Iowa farmer, told The AP.

Its yet another fragile system that did not anticipate a problem the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Underwater sound devices called "pingers" could be an effective, long-term way to prevent porpoises getting caught in fishing nets with no negative behavioural effects, newly published research suggests.

The study of harbour porpoises off Cornwall found they were 37% less likely to be found close to an active pinger.

Concerns have been raised about porpoises becoming used to pingers and learning to ignore them, but the eight-month study - by the University of Exeter and Cornwall Wildlife Trust - found no decrease in effectiveness.

There have also been worries that continual pinger use could affect porpoise behaviour by displacing them from feeding grounds, but when pingers were switched off the animals returned "with no delay".

The effect was found to be "very localised" - the 37% reduction in porpoise detection at the active pinger compared to a drop of 9% just 100 metres away.

Harbour porpoises are the most common cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) seen at the Cornish coast, where accidental catching by fishing boats ("bycatch") is a persistent problem.

"Cornwall Wildlife Trust have been monitoring local dolphin and porpoise deaths through our standings scheme for over 25 years, and bycatch is still the biggest threat to these animals in the South West with large numbers washing ashore every year," said Ruth Williams, of Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

"Together with other NGOs we have campaigned to try to find a solution to reduce bycatch, that will work in our inshore fisheries.

"The results of this latest research show that there is a practical solution that is both effective and does not impact or change the animals' behaviour, a positive result for both conservation and fishermen alike." Lead author Dr Lucy Omeyer, of the University of Exeter and Fishtek, said: "Based on our findings, it seems likely that pingers would reduce harbour porpoise bycatch in gill-net fisheries with no negative consequences.

"Indeed, we found no evidence that long-term and continual use decreased the effectiveness of pingers or affected harbour porpoise behaviour."

Pingers are acoustic deterrent devices which are fitted on to fishing nets.

They work by emitting a randomised sonic noise, or "ping", which can be heard by dolphins and porpoises and highlights the presence of the nets, thereby preventing accidental entanglement.

The porpoises' own click sounds can be way above 100 times louder than the pings from the pinger.

In the study, Fishtek Banana Pingers were placed in the water along with two acoustic loggers (one beside the pinger and one 100m away) to record cetacean activity.

With small-scale operations the main form of fishing in UK waters, the researchers say there is an "acute need" for cost-effective strategies to prevent bycatch, such as pingers.

The study was partly funded by Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust's marine strandings report recorded 245 cetacean strandings in Cornwall in 2019.

The paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, is entitled: "Assessing the effects of Banana Pingers as a bycatch mitigation device for harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)."

###
Afghan Funeral Bombing, Hospital Raid Kill Dozens

By Ayaz Gul May 12, 2020

The suicide bombing of a funeral in an eastern province, claimed by Islamic State, and a militant raid on a hospital in the capital, Kabul, have killed around 40 people and injured scores of others, officials in Afghanistan say.

A provincial government spokesman in Nangarhar said that scores of people were present Tuesday morning at the funeral for an influential Afghan community police commander, who died of a heart attack the night before, when a suicide bomber blew himself up there.

In a late-night statement, IS took responsibility for the bombing, saying it was the work of the Middle Eastern terror outfit's regional affiliate, Khorasan Province (ISKP). It claimed the blast inflicted heavy casualties on the gathering of "Afghan security forces and militiamen," according to Site Intelligence, which provides alerts and translations of jihadist media outlets.

Separately, a group of unknown gunmen stormed the government-run hospital in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of Kabul, killing at least 14 people and injuring 15 others. Officials said women, nurses and at least two newborn babies were among the dead and wounded.

No one claimed responsibility for the hospital attack, but the Taliban insurgency denied involvement, prompting suspicions that Islamic State terrorists might have plotted the bloodshed.

IS took credit for Monday's coordinated bomb blasts in Kabul, though the violence only caused injuries to a few people.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Aryan told reporters Tuesday that security forces quickly engaged the assailants and ended the hospital siege after an hourslong gun battle. He said more than 80 civilians, including women and children, had been rescued in the process.

Witnesses and officials reported several explosions during the siege, saying the attackers were disguised as Afghan security forces.

The 100-bed hospital largely provides maternal care services with the support of Doctors Without Borders, the France-based global humanitarian organization. The hospital is in an area of the city with a predominately minority Hazara Shi'ite population.

IS has claimed credit for almost all recent deadly attacks on Hazara rallies and worship places in Kabul.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, in a brief nationally televised speech Tuesday night, condemned the bloodshed. He also directed Afghan security forces to resume "offensive operations against Taliban and other terrorist groups."

Ghani justified the decision, saying the Taliban has ignored calls for a reduction in violence or cease-fire and instead intensified insurgent attacks.

Global reaction

Tuesday's attacks drew widespread domestic and international denunciation.

In Washington, the State Department said the dual attacks during the holy month of Ramadan and amid the threat of coronavirus pandemic are particularly appalling.

"Any attack on innocents is unforgivable, but to attack infants and women in labor in the sanctuary of a hospital is an act of sheer evil," the statement said.

Noting that the Taliban have denied any responsibility and condemned both the attacks as heinous, the U.S. statement called on the Afghan government and the Taliban to cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The United Nations office in Afghanistan expressed "shock and revulsion" at the terrorist attacks and called for those responsible to face justice.

Amnesty International denounced the violence, saying Afghan authorities must ensure protection of civilians and hold perpetrators accountable.

"The unconscionable war crimes in Afghanistan today, targeting a maternity hospital and a funeral, must awaken the world to the horrors civilians continue to face," tweeted the global watchdog.

Violence in Afghanistan

Tuesday's violence came a day after the Afghan intelligence agency announced it had captured three key Islamic State commanders during an operation in Kabul. The suspects included the terrorist outfit's leader for South and Far East Asia operations, said the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

Last week, NDS forces raided an IS cell in the capital, killing and capturing several militants. The spy agency claimed the men were responsible for plotting recent high-profile attacks in Kabul, including a gun-and-bomb raid on a place of worship for the minority Afghan Sikh community.

Afghanistan has lately experienced a spike in Taliban attacks and counterinsurgency operations by government forces, killing dozens of combatants on both sides.

The rise in battlefield violence threatens to derail a landmark peace-building agreement the United States signed with the Taliban in February.

President Ghani's orders Tuesday for his Afghan security forces to resume attacks on the Taliban is expected to intensify hostilities across the turmoil-hit nation, dealing a fresh blow to the troubled U.S.-led peace initiative.

The insurgent group insists it is honoring the deal by refraining from attacks on U.S.-led international forces and targets in Afghan urban centers.

Taliban fighters, however, have attacked local security forces and bases, maintaining that cessation of those attacks would be discussed when Afghan parties to the war begin peace talks proposed in the U.S.-Taliban agreement.

The intra-Afghan dialogue is supposed to start when a slowly moving prisoner swap between the Afghan government and the Taliban is concluded, with Kabul releasing up to 5,000 insurgent inmates in return for 1,000 Afghan security forces in Taliban custody.

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Texas attorney general Ken Paxton warned officials in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, that the cities could face lawsuits if they do not relax coronavirus measures that go further than state law allows.

Paxton said the cities may not require citizens to stay at home and wear masks, calling the local emergency orders unlawful.

We trust you will act quickly to correct these mistakes to avoid further confusion and litigation challenging these unconstitutional and unlawful restrictions, Paxton wrote in letters to the mayors of Austin and San Antonio and three county judges in Travis, Bexar, and Dallas Counties.

Governor Greg Abbott allowed his stay at home order to expire at the beginning of this month, saying he will allow the states economy to reopen in phases and encouraging Texans to continue safe distancing practices as the state continues efforts to eradicate the virus.

The first businesses that were allowed to reopen this month are restaurants as well as retail stores, malls, theaters, libraries, and museums. Businesses that engage in close contact between people, such as hair salons and gyms, are not allowed to reopen yet, Abbott said, adding that he wants them to open as soon as possible and expects that to be in mid-May.

The governor said his statewide order overrides efforts by localities to enforce stricter social distancing measures. A judge in Dallas County said law offices must remain closed, while in San Antonio, essential businesses were ordered to provide masks for their employees. Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin also all issued directives to residents to cover their faces in public. The attorney general also said stay at home orders are unenforceable at this point.

Your orders purport to strip Texans of their agency, Paxtons letter read. Although your orders require individuals to wear masks when they leave their home, they are free to choose whether to wear one or not.

The letter also pushes back against local restrictions on religious services after Governor Abbot said places of worship could open as long as their follow safety measures.

More from National Review
Supreme Court Warned Faithless Electors Could Trigger Constitutional Crisis

The Supreme Court heard two cases challenging laws in Washington and Colorado that require members of the Electoral College in every quadrennial presidential election to cast their ballots in favor of the winner of that states popular votes.

Some justices expressed concern during oral arguments on May 13 that not requiring electors to vote in accordance with the wishes of popular voters in their state could lead to political upheaval and debilitating chaos.

The hearing comes as the next presidential election approaches on Nov. 3. In the 2016 election, Republican Donald Trump won a majority of electoral votes and became president, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton, who won more popular votes.

That event appeared to give a boost to the National Popular Vote movement, an effort to create an interstate compact compelling presidential electors to cast their ballots for the candidate who wins the popular vote nationwide. The goal of the movement is to effectively mandate the direct election of the president without having to amend the U.S. Constitution, a notoriously difficult task.

Critics say the proposal is unconstitutional and subverts the will of the Founding Fathers who opposed direct democracy, which many derided in the early days of the nation as mobocracy.

While some states have laws that punish so-called faithless electors for not voting for the candidate to which they pledged support, there have long been legal questions about the enforceability of such laws.

The first case, Chiafalo v. Washington, dealt with a Washington law that fines presidential electors who go against the popular vote in that state. The petitioners are three 2016 presidential electors who were fined because they failed to vote as the law directs.

Petitioners challenge the law saying the state has no power to enforce how a presidential elector casts his or her ballot, and that penalizing an elector for exercising his or her constitutional discretion to vote violates the First Amendment. The Washington Supreme Court upheld the fines.

In the second case, Colorado Department of State v. Baca, Electoral College member Micheal Baca was part of a group called the Hamilton electors, who attempted to convince 2016 electors who were pledged to Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump to come together behind an alternative candidate to prevent a Trump victory. When the electors met to vote on Dec. 19, 2016, Baca crossed out Clintons name on his ballot and wrote in then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican who also ran for president in the 2016 cycle.

The state refused to accept the vote and removed Baca as an elector, replacing him with another elector who voted for Clinton.

Almost immediately after Trump emerged as the winner early in the morning on Nov. 9, 2016, activists such as Baca, angry about the defeat of Clinton, launched a campaign to try to pressure the 306 Electoral College members pledged to vote for Trump to vote for someone else when the electoral votes were to be cast. Trump ended up receiving 304 votes in the Electoral College, well over the threshold of 270 needed to win. Clinton received 227 votes in the Electoral College, after winning 232 in the election.

Unlike the end result in the Washington state case, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Electoral College members are free to vote for the presidential candidate they choose and cant be bound by the popular vote in their respective states.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor was recused in the Baca case.

The two sets of oral arguments were conducted telephonically and simultaneously broadcast to the public.

Colorado Attorney General Philip Weiser asked the court to not participate in a treacherous experiment that could endanger the electoral process.

We urge this court to reject this dangerous time bomb and avoid a potential constitutional crisis, he said.

Justice Samuel Alito told Jason Harrow, Bacas lawyer, that not binding Electoral College members to the state popular vote could lead to consequences [that] would be potentially chaotic.

Alito expressed concern that after an election where the apparent outcome based on the popular vote is a small margin of victory for one candidate, there would be concerted campaigns to change that result by influencing a few electors, and that could be achieved by influencing just a few electors. Thats just one of the consequences.

Alito asked him if an elector [could] be removed for bribery, absent conviction by proof beyond a reasonable doubt before the time when the electors meet to vote.

Harrow replied, No, we dont think so, Your Honor. And thats consistent with the treatment of every other elected official. Senators and representatives cannot be removed for a supposition of bribery, a mere whisper of it. They have to be removed for proof of it. And the same thing would be true here.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh as well expressed concern about chaos. He said he tried to adhere to the avoid-chaos principle of judging, which suggests that if its a close call or a tiebreaker, that we shouldnt facilitate or create chaos.

Justice Elena Kagan suggested the court should let the states decide the matter.

What would you say if I said that if I think that theres silence, the best thing to do is leave it to the states and not impose any constitutional requirement on them? she asked.
Today brought two more examples of the leftists' totalitarian approach to the Wuhan (or New York) virus. These reports, like so many others, reveal that leftists are so obsessed by the perceived dangers before them that they cannot respond to greater, as yet unseen risks.

Los Angeles County, having experienced 1,613 probable virus deaths out of a total population of around 10,000,000 people (meaning that 0.016% of the population died from the virus), has announced that it will keep the county locked down for three more months.

Meanwhile, the Colorado government snatched the license from a restaurant that violated an executive order by opening for Mother's Day.

In light of these stories, Kevin James's latest video, while played for laughs, suddenly doesn't seem so funny anymore:

Leftist governments have decided that their overriding goal is to prevent all future virus deaths. They don't care that the American people were told to "lock down" just to "flatten the curve." That was a reasonable step months ago, when hospitals in Wuhan and Italy were overwhelmed. With the curve flattened here, however, leftist mayors and governors across America are so focused on stopping any viral deaths in their jurisdictions (an impossible goal) that they are blind to the greater number of deaths their economy-killing policies will create.

This is the same thought pattern we see with the gun debate. Leftists are obsessively focused on the 33,000 or so annual gun deaths in America. Those are real, countable bodies that render leftists incapable of seeing the larger picture, which is that, as we know from a 2013 CDC study, defensive gun use saves 500,000 to 3 million lives annually.

We see this thought pattern again with abortion. Democrats' little hearts bleed when they think of women suffering from unwanted pregnancies. However, they deliberately close their eyes to the babies aborted, defining them down as fetuses (not as cute as babies) or clumps of cells.

Frederic Bastiat would have understood the progressives' intellectual blinders. He was a French economist in the early 19th century, who wrote "What is Seen and What is Unseen," the essay that introduced the parable of the broken window:

Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James Goodfellow, when his careless son has happened to break a pane of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation  "It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?" Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions. Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade  that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs  I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen. But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen." It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented. (Emphasis mine.)

Democrats "see" people dead from viruses, guns, or unwanted pregnancies, and that's all they see. This leads them to demand endless lockdowns, gun bans, and open-ended abortions. They are incapable of grasping that their allegedly "preventative" policies lead to unimaginably higher numbers of deaths.

Thanks to open-ended abortions, 62,000,000 babies have been killed in America since 1973. If progressive gun bans were to pass, between 500,000 and 3 million people might die each year. And if the Democrats' current endless lockdowns continue unabated, we can expect that in Los Angeles County alone, substantially more than 0.016% of its citizens will die from poverty-related illnesses, suicide, substance abuse, missed childhood vaccinations, increased crime, and undiagnosed cancer.

Democrats need a dose of Bastiat's wisdom: "Stop there! Your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen."
Access Healthcare associates working from home. "Contrary to what many businesses fear when considering offshoring their revenue cycle management, we experienced order, concern, dedication, and employees rising above and beyond our expectations." - Shaji Ravi, President & Managing Director, India

Dallas-based Access Healthcare Services USA LLC, specialists in healthcare revenue cycle management and IT services, with more than 12,000 employees worldwide, achieved the seemingly impossible task of mobilizing their employees in India and the Philippines to both home and remote work environments in less than 48-hours at the onset of nation-wide mandated office shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Company executives credit the swift execution of their 4-stage emergency action plan to the companys culture of strong leadership, client service conviction, employee dedication, and proprietary technology solutions.

As early as February, Shaji Ravi, Access Healthcares President and Managing Director based in India was convinced that work from home orders were imminent in both India and the Philippines. This requirement would have a significant negative impact on the economies of India and the Philippines, as these countries are home to a large number of offshore delivery centers for many global companies. In mid-March, David Tassoni, President of U.S. Operations for Access Healthcare, initiated discussions with senior management about the companys emergency action plan that would mitigate the looming client service delivery and continuity of business challenges due to the expanding COVID-19 pandemic. Management concern was two-fold: the continuing delivery of high-quality services to their healthcare clients; and, to support and maintain the companys 12,000 person workforce (in 13 delivery centers in India and 4 centers in the Philippines), both while being productive and compliant under COVID-19 restrictions.

The Access Covid-19 Action Plan prioritized frequent communication and engagement with all clients worldwide, mobilizing the workforce to new locations in less than 48 hours and deploying a virtual-office hierarchical management strategy. The work-from-home blueprint is atypical in these countries, especially in the revenue cycle management industry, due to asset security, legal concerns, HIPPA constraints, mobility of computer hardware, and availability of internet service in rural areas. Access Healthcares legal teams worked closely with clients to communicate steps being taken under the companys COVID-19 action plan, the impact on existing terms and conditions, if any, and related mitigation plans.

Heartwarming stories of perseverance and innovation emerged amidst the new remote working mandate. The populations of India and the Philippines often live in multi-generational homes consisting of 800 to 1000 square feet of living space. Some of the remote workers in rural locations would strategically locate their home workspace where they could attain best internet service, which could often times disrupt the typical household routine. Family members graciously adjusted their own schedules to accommodate the Access Healthcare security requirements. The company compensated remote employees for power and internet services at home, as well as providing data cards to those areas with limited broadband connectivity.

India and the Philippines were impacted enormously, said Ravi, A new way of conducting business was conceived and executed within 48 hours. Contrary to what many businesses fear when considering offshoring their revenue cycle management, we experienced order, concern, dedication, and employees rising above and beyond our expectations. We want our clients and prospects to know this is a reliable, safe and effective business model.

Currently 99% of the production staff is remote access capable and are operating at over 90% of normal production capacity. The next and final step to operation mobilization will be the gradual and phased return to the delivery centers in the large cities once the lockdown mandate expires.

Access Healthcares senior management sees their proprietary technology, systems and loyal workforce as their strength. Interestingly, the firm has experienced growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and has even continued their recruitment process, conducting new-hire interviews and testing via Zoom. The newest class of recruits is currently onboarding and training virtually.

Chairman Anurag Jain anticipates increased capital investment in technology and automation for many companies on the near horizon. Following this crisis, he believes the nimble companies will consider their core capabilities, and outsource many secondary functions.

There will be other crises, no doubt, says Jain. Pandemics, severe weather events, unstable governments  Im very pleased with our companys response to COVID-19, and believe we are well positioned for the future.

http://www.accesshealthcare.com

# # #
Shares of Jubilant Life Sciences on Wednesday rose 5 percent after the company said it has entered into a pact with Gilead Sciences for an investigational drug, remdesivir which is a potential therapy for COVID-19

New Delhi: Shares of Jubilant Life Sciences on Wednesday rose 5 percent after the company said it has entered into a pact with Gilead Sciences for an investigational drug, remdesivir which is a potential therapy for COVID-19.

The scrip rallied 4.99 percent to Rs 429.95 on the BSE, and 4.99 percent to Rs 428.55 on the NSE.

The non-exclusive agreement, signed between Jubilant Life Sciences' subsidiary Jubilant Generics Ltd and Gilead, will grant the former the right to register, manufacture and sell the latter's investigational drug, remdesivir - a potential therapy for COVID-19 - in 127 countries including India, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak

Under the pact, Jubilant will have the right to receive technology transfer of the Gilead manufacturing process to scale up production to enable expedited access of the medicine to COVID-19 patients upon approvals by regulatory authorities in the respective countries.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

This includes nearly all low-income and lower-middle-income countries, as well as several upper-middle and high-income countries that face significant obstacles to healthcare access, it added.

Commenting on the partnership, Jubilant Life Sciences Chairman Shyam S Bhartia and Co-Chairman and Managing Director Hari S Bhartia said that based on initial data, remdesivir shows promise to be a potential therapy for COVID-19, a pandemic creating unprecedented health and economic crisis globally.
Pubs will be allowed to open in New South Wales from Friday.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet confirmed on Wednesday that pubs would be able to open to serve food, but only 10 customers will be allowed inside at a time.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had said earlier on Wednesday that she was considering the move.

Cafes and restaurants are already allowed to let 10 customers at a time dine in from Friday, so long as people socially distance.

The New South Wales government is planning re-open pubs. Pictured: The Beresford Hotel in Surry Hills, Sydney, on May 2

'Dr Chant and I discussed that this morning. We're looking at opportunities where we might be able to do that.

'We'll be talking to industry and if the health advice supports it I would be happy to proceed on that basis,' she said.

The decision is a huge boost for regional towns where the pub is the only place locals can eat out.

Bigger pubs in Sydney and other cities may feel that opening up for 10 customers is not worth the trouble financially.

Ms Berejiklian also said that almost all students will be back to school full time after next week.

'There is a strong chance the majority of students will be back to face-to-face full-time learning but the Education Minister and I will update everybody next week,' she said.

New South Wales recorded six new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, three with unknown sources.
In a speech heavy with war metaphors, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday threatened to withhold funding from counties that reopen too early from the coronavirus shutdown, and warned that businesses could face penalties for defying statewide orders.

The governors remarks said that those who quit the fight are cowardly and choosing to desert in the face of the enemy  a tone that surprised Lehigh Valley-area legislators pushing for the region to soon reopen.

Some nearby counties had already said they will reopening as soon as Friday, with or without the governors approval.

In the Lehigh Valley and Carbon County, legislators say they would rather use data to form a convincing argument that our area is ready and able to reopen sooner rather than later.

This chart shows Gov. Tom Wolf's plan for reopening Pennsylvania, with different regions moving through three phases.

Currently, Pennsylvania is reopening piecemeal with 37 of the states 67 counties either in or soon progressing to the yellow phase, the second level of Wolfs three-step plan. The rest are still in the red phase. The change depends on a multitude of objective and subjective factors, including case rates and proximity to hotspots.

Eastern Pennsylvania generally has a higher density of population and coronavirus cases.

(Cant see the map? Click here.)

The Lehigh Valleys state senator, Lisa Boscola, a Democrat like Wolf, told lehighvalleylive.com that she was surprised at Wolfs choice of words on Monday, but understands the frustration of both businesses trying to survive and a government trying to keep people safe.

"Yeah, he used those words. He's the governor. I think there were certain counties that want to be defiant of his order. I'm not trying to be defiant here, Boscola said. She later continued: I'm politely asking for us to move to the yellow phase" because doctors here think we can and should.

Last week, she formally requested the Lehigh Valley move to the yellow phase, citing local hospital experts saying it can be done so long as residents continue safe social-distancing practices like wearing masks.

(Cant see the chart? Click here.)

To the north in Carbon County, state Rep. Doyle Heffley, a Republican, is taking the same tack. His office on Tuesday sent a letter similar to Boscolas regarding Carbons readiness, also citing experts from local hospitals.

He criticized the tone of the governors speech on Monday as inappropriate and unproductive at a time when signs of reopening could be a morale booster.

"People are being responsible, practicing social distancing. And I think it shows in our numbers, Heffley told lehighvalleylive.com.

(Cant see the table? Click here.)

Other counties are considering bucking the governors orders. Schuylkill and Lancaster, at least as of a few days ago, had said they will begin loosening restrictions even without the governors approval.

In Berks and Lebanon counties, the county DAs have advised businesses that they will not be cited criminally if they choose to defy the governors orders, but that the counties cannot protect them from civil and administrative liabilities, PennLive.com reports.

A citizens group has said it plans to protest on Friday in Harrisburg in response to Wolfs remarks.

Heffley said each county must assess the situation in their own way. And, he said, rather than harsh words, it would be more productive  and safer  if everyone could work together and provide a clear path forward with guidelines, rather than businesses throwing open their doors out of frustration or desperation.

We dont need the heavy hand of government, Heffley said, we need the helping hand of government."

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.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com.
San Francisco, May 13 : Ecommerce giant Amazon on Wednesday asked for a comprehensive federal price gouging law to ensure that there are no gaps in protection for consumers especially in COVID-19 times, and help retailers like Amazon more effectively prevent bad actors and ensure fair prices.

Brian Huseman, Amazon's vice president of public policy, said in a statement that the company is seeing a nationwide surge in complaints about price gouging in the US.

"We believe any new legislative proposal should provide the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the authority to go after scammers," he said.

This would send a warning shot to price gougers and enabling honest sellers to operate without disruption.

"To that end, we have developed a recommended framework for what would make an effective federal price gouging bill.

"Amazon recommends that pricing prohibitions be defined as 'unconscionable or grossly excessive or unconscionably excessive' compared to a reasonable and relevant reference (e.g., the 90 days before an emergency is declared)," explained Huseman.

Put simply, said Amazon, it wants to avoid the $400 bottle of Purell for sale right after an emergency goes into effect.

Furthermore, any prohibitions should apply to all levels of the supply chain so that retailers and resellers are not forced to bear price gouging increases by manufacturers and suppliers, said the company.

Amazon already has removed well over half a million offers from its stores due to coronavirus-based price gouging.

"We've also suspended nearly 4,000 selling accounts in our U.S. store alone for violating our fair-pricing policies. In addition, Amazon has turned over to federal prosecutors and state attorneys general nationwide information about sellers we suspect have engaged in egregious price gouging of products related to the COVID-19 crisis," informed the company.

Legislation should also help law enforcement target the source of the problem.

"Finally, legislation that ensures strong enforcement authority will send a clear and strong message that price gouging will not be tolerated and bad actors will be held accountable," said Amazon.

The company on Wednesday extended the increased hourly pay through May 30.

"We are also extending double overtime pay in the U.S. and Canada. These extensions increase our total investment in pay during COVID-19 to nearly $800 million for our hourly employees and partners," said the ecommerce giant.
An employee counts Vietnamese banknotes at a bank in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Vietnam cut its policy rates for a second time in two months on Wednesday as it seeks to boost growth amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The State Bank of Vietnam reduced the refinancing rate from 5 percent to 4.5 percent and the discount rate cut from 3.5 percent to 3 percent.

The dong deposit rate cap for terms of one to six months has been reduced from 4.75 percent to 4.25 percent.

It is part of the governments efforts to "help businesses overcome difficulties and ensure social security amid the Covid-19 pandemic," the central bank said.

Vietnams garment, timber and seafood exporters have reported a slump in global demand in the last two months. The aviation, travel and food industries have also struggled due to travel restrictions and social distancing.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has announced a new GDP growth target of 5 percent this year, much lower than the 6.8 percent set earlier. The International Monetary Fund has forecast growth of 2.7 percent.
Reliance Partners has added Thom Albrecht as chief financial officer and chief revenue officer.

Albrecht is a 32-year veteran of the transportation space and served most recently as chief commercial officer and chief financial officer with Celadon Group.

Prior to Celadon, Albrechts experience included transportation consulting, equity research, and M&A. He previously served as president of Sword & Sea Transport as well as managing director at BB&T Capital Markets.

During the course of his career, Albrecht has worked closely with motor carriers, freight brokers, freight forwarders, shippers and equipment companies. He is widely considered one of the leading analysts in the sector.

Reliance President Chad Eichelberger said the addition of Albrecht will allow the company to continue to grow its presence of the commercial transportation insurance space.

Thom has personally been involved with over 40 IPOs and secondary offerings during his career, added Reliance CEO, Andrew Ladebauche. His knowledge and relationships are spread throughout the industry. We are excited to welcome him to the team.

Reliance Partners is a commercial insurance agency with locations in Chattanooga, Tenn., Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Austin, Texas, Milwaukee, Wisc., Sacramento, Calif., and Tampa, Fla., with a national client base largely concentrated in the transportation and logistics space.

Topics Mergers Tennessee
Amina Elshafei was sent home on Tuesday night's episode of MasterChef: Back to Win after her mango pavlova failed to impress the judges.

And on Wednesday, the 35-year-old revealed on The Project that she's looking forward to returning to her 'amazing' day job as a nurse.

'[Every day] I come home feeling fulfilled,' Amina told the panel of hosts.

'I come home feeling fulfilled': Eliminated MasterChef star Amina Elshafei (pictured) has revealed her 'amazing' true passion on The Project ... and it's not cooking

'We are there at births, at the most vulnerable times and death,' she continued.

'To be a part of someone's journey like that, I think it's the most amazing thing about nursing.'

Amina will return to her job as a paediatric nurse in June, after she used her maternity leave to compete in the Channel 10 cooking show earlier this year.

On Tuesday, she shared a post to Instagram celebrating International Nurses Day.

Back to real life: Amina will return to her job as a paediatric nurse in June, after she used her maternity leave to compete in the Channel 10 cooking show earlier this year

'No society could be without nurses or midwives; we are always there through the best, hardest and most vulnerable times for our patients and their families. Our jobs are not easy but the feeling of helping is worth it all,' she wrote.

Before adding to nurses across Australia: 'Be proud of what you do and the phenomenal impact you have in any society.'

Amina was sent home on Tuesday night after attempting to recreate a difficult mango pavlova dish from celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

'Our jobs are not easy but the feeling of helping is worth it all': Amina shared a post to Instagram celebrating International Nurses Day on Tuesday

The spectacular dessert featured a meringue cloche which hid a mango mousse dome, tempered white chocolate, coconut dacquoise, passionfruit curd, salted caramel cream, and a vanilla panna cotta.

In a shocking twist, the complicated recipes were removed from the competitors midway through cooking, leaving Amina wiping away tears when she was unable to remember the required ingredients for the mousse.

Fellow competitor Jess Liemantara, who had already put hers together, rushed in to see if Amina needed help, giving her the crucial ingredients and quantities.

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late to save Amina who was eliminated after placing in the bottom three with Poh Ling Yeow and Hayden Quinn.
Scientists across the global are working day in and day out to find a crore for the ongoing COVID-19 global health crisis as every day we get to discover something new about this deadly virus and sadly, their efforts are in vain.



However, in a small piece of positive development, a doctor in China, whose skin colour had suddenly turned dark after he got infected with the deadly virus, saw his colour return to normal gradually.

Dr Yi Fan contracted the novel Coronavirus infection while treating patients at the Wuhan Central Hospital in January. According to reports, Dr Yi's abnormal skin tone was caused by an antibiotic he had received during the treatment.

 China (CCTV)

(Image Description: Pictures show Dr Yi Fan on May 9 (left) and on April 6 (right). The medic is seeing his skin tone slowly returning to normal)



He was allowed to leave the hospital in Wuhan eventually last week, after beating the infection. However, Dr Yi's colleague Dr Hu Weifeng, whose skin also turned dark, was still hospitalised.

As per the reports, the doctors treating Dr Yi Fan and Dr Hu Weifeng said they both had to be placed on life support during treatment.

 Beijing TV Station

(Image Description: Dr Yi (pictured on the left before falling ill) beat COVID-19 after being hooked to a life-support machine for 39 days. He is seen after being revived in a clip released by Beijing Satellite TV)



Prof Duan Jun, the deputy director of the Department of Critical Care Medicine at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said the medical team had given both of them Polymyxin B, a last-resort antibiotic, during their treatment.

He said the drug had caused hyper-pigmentation in the doctors' bodies, but the condition would slowly disappear as they recovered.

 AFP

Previously, doctors thought that their abnormal skin colour was caused by hormonal imbalances after the virus had damaged their livers.


Chandigarh: Congress leaders in Punjab on Wednesday demanded a probe against Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, piling pressure on him even after he was shorn of his additional charge as financial commissioner.

Three ruling party MLAs, including a minister, asked Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to order an inquiry, accusing the state's most senior bureaucrat for alleged loss of excise revenue.

One of them, Gidderbaha legislator Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, also asked the CM to remove the bureaucrat from the post of chief secretary.

Warring's demand for a probe was backed by Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Urmur legislator Sangat Singh Gilzian. Warring and Gilzian are advisors to the chief minister.

Karan Avtar Singh was relieved Tuesday night of his charge as financial commissioner after two ministers declared that they would not attend any meeting in which he participated.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had taken exception to the bureaucrat's 'unacceptable behavior' at a meeting last week where relief for liquor vend owners in the post-lockdown period was discussed.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Warring asked the chief minister to order an inquiry against the CS for revenue loss of 'over Rs 600 crore'.

"I request you to kindly remove him from his post of Chief Secretary so that he is unable to influence the enquiry," he tweeted.

Jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa backed the demand for an inquiry, saying it will ensure that someone is held responsible for the ?revenue loss? in the excise department over the past three years.

Sangat Singh Gilzian said he agreed with Warring and Randhawa on the inquiry into the alleged losses in the department.

After Saturday's showdown between the CS and the ministers, Warring had also alleged that the bureaucrat's son has an undeclared business interest in a Punjab distillery.

Warring on Tuesday night thanked Amarinder Singh for stripping the CS of his additional charge.

On Tuesday, Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa had also sought a probe into the functioning of the excise and taxation department while blaming an alleged government-contractor nexus behind the ?missed? revenue targets in the past three years.

The showdown between the ministers and the CS is said to have taken place after Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi opposed any relief for liquor vend owners in the excise policy under discussion.

The CS had allegedly made some ?curt remarks? after Channi spoke at Saturday's 'pre-cabinet meeting'.

Badal and Channi had then walked out, reportedly followed after some time by the other ministers.

This led to the postponement of a Cabinet meeting scheduled for that day.

The CS did not attend the reconvened Cabinet meeting Monday on the state's excise policy. Badal and Channi gave an ultimatum of sorts to the chief minister there, saying he should either call them or the CS for any meetings in the future.

The finance minister told reporters then that the "behaviour" of Karan Avtar Singh before the cabinet, his ?body language? and the manner in which he talked did not behove the chief secretary's office. He did not share details on how exactly the CS had 'misbehaved'.

The CS was on Tuesday night relieved of his additional charge of Financial Commissioner, Taxation, which has now been handed over to Principal Secretary (Water Resources) A Venu Prasad. Karan Avtar Singh is a 1984-batch IAS officer who was handpicked by Amarinder Singh in 2017 for the chief secretary's post. He is due to retire in August.
Shia LaBeouf once called her his best onscreen kiss.

But Dakota Johnson had even higher words for praise for her former Peanut Butter Falcon costar during an interview with Marie Claire.

The star, 30, referred to Shia as the 'greatest actor of my generation.'

'I think Shia might be the greatest actor of my generation': Dakota Johnson raved about her former costar Shia LaBeouf during her recent interview with Marie Claire

'I think Shia might be the greatest actor of my generation, which I wouldn't say to his face,' she told the magazine jokingly.

She also gushed about their Peanut Butter Falcon co-star Zack Gottsagen, whom she called 'one of the greatest loves of my life.'

'He totally shifted my world.'

Shia and Dakota starred together in the 2019 film The Peanut Butter Falcon, which follows a man with Down syndrome pursuing his dreams of becoming a pro wrestler with his new outlaw friend.

It's in her kiss! LaBeouf called his Peanut Butter Falcon co-star his best onscreen kiss

Dakota and Shia share a kiss on screen, which obviously left quite the impression on the actor.

The actor commended Dakota's smooching skills during an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show last year.

Shia revealed she was his best onscreen kiss after he was asked by Ellen during a game of Burning Questions.

Ready to rumble: Shia and Dakota starred together in the 2019 film The Peanut Butter Falcon, which follows a man with down syndrome following his dreams of becoming a pro wrestler with his new outlaw friend

'Dakota Johnson! She's a sweetheart,' he answered.

Dakota didn't only address her showbiz career in the June issue of Marie Claire, also opening up about her battle with depression.

'I've struggled with depression since I was youngsince I was 15 or 14,' she explained. 'That was when, with the help of professionals, I was like, Oh, this is a thing I can fall into.'

'But I've learned to find it beautiful because I feel the world. I guess I have a lot of complexities, but they don't pour out of me. I don't make it anyone else's problem.'
Technology provides more tools to fight difficult-to-treat diseases

Merck, a leading science and technology company has announced that two of its CRISPR-Cas9-assisted genome-editing patents have been allowed in the United States. These allowances provide Merck with the opportunity to support U.S. scientists and researchers in their work to advance and protect gene therapy development programs. The company is in active discussions to license its foundational technology for therapeutic and other uses and is seeking collaboration partners for research and product development.

Udit Batra, member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science said, This is important news for researchers, as CRISPR-based DNA cleavage and integration are fundamental for many genome-editing applications and can be used to develop personalized therapies. As a leading innovator of CRISPR technology, we will license this technology to ensure that the full potential of this powerful tool is realized, responsibly and ethically, throughout the scientific community. We look forward to continuing our work with academic and industrial partners to bring the best of our collective innovations to fight the toughest diseases and improve human health.

These latest allowances cover Mercks CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage and integration technology, which allows researchers to replace a disease-associated mutation with a beneficial or functional sequence, or delete such a mutation, commonly referred to as knock in and knock out, critical methods for the creation of disease models and development of gene therapy.

These grants mark the 25th and 26th CRISPR patents worldwide belonging to Merck and the third and fourth in the U.S. The company has CRISPR patents granted in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Singapore and South Korea with related patent filings in Brazil, India and Japan.

CRISPR technology is a core competency for Merck, which has 16 years experience with genome editing, spanning discovery to manufacturing. The company develops technologies in a range of genome-editing applications, including gene knockout, gene integration and CRISPR libraries for genetic screens. Merck received its first U.S. patent in February 2019 for its proxy-CRISPR technology, which makes genome editing more efficient, flexible and specific.

Merck considers that now is the time for the key CRISPR intellectual property stakeholders to come together to simplify technology access for companies conducting CRISPR-based research via patent pooling agreements. Merck and The Broad Institute announced their collaboration agreement for CRISPR patent licensing in July 2019.

The company recognizes that genome editing has resulted in major advancements in biological research and medicine. At the same time, the growing potential of genome-editing technologies has led to scientific, legal and societal concerns. Merck supports research with genome editing under careful consideration of ethical and legal standards.
A 19.6-ton (17,800 kilograms) rocket from China fell into Earth on May 11.

According to Jonathan McDowell, a Harvard astrophysicist and orbital object tracker, the sizable Long March 5B is now the weighty orbiting object to smash uncontrollably to Earth in almost 3 decades.

The rocket, launched by China roughly a week ago, is the largest part of space junk to hit our planet from the galaxy since 1991 when the 39-tonne Salyut-7 spacecraft hovered over Argentina and landed in its nearby ocean, wrote astronomer Jonathan McDowell on Twitter.

McDowell is the astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who traced the rocket as it drifted across the sky.

The Chinese rocket passed directly over Los Angeles and New York City at Central Park, prior to landing in the Atlantic Ocean.

China instigated the Long March-5B rocket with no person manning the prototype spacecraft into orbit on May 5. The rocket was set in motion from Wenchang Space Launch Center within Hainan province located in South China.

The sizable carrier rocket undertaking its first successful flight is a vital step in the country's groundwork to build a space station.

According to Wang Jue, chief director of the rocket development team at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the rocket was designed to transport modules of the space station into orbit.

The Chinese rocket's launch was triumphant and it was able to properly transport its payload. However, days after its launch, the empty core stage of the rocket fell back to our planet in an unrestrained descent.

Also Read: Debris From Chinese Rocket Crashed into Southwest China

The US Space Force's 18th Space Control Squadron remarked that the piece smashed down to Earth at approximately 16:33 BST on Tuesday, crossing to Africa's west coast.

The squadron wrote in their tweet, "#18SPCS has confirmed the reentry of the CZ-5B R/B (#45601, 2020-027C) at 08:33 PDT on 11 May, over the Atlantic Ocean. The #CZ5B launched China's test crew capsule on 5 May 2020. #spaceflightsafety."

The space junk meagerly missed dropping down on New York City Monday night and widely burning up in the Earth's atmosphere before some of the debris slammed into West Africa.

According to McDowell, it is not likely that anywhere close to that large object is what fell back to Earth, but remnants weighing up to a sizable hundred pounds may have survived returning to the atmosphere.

The Chinese Long March 5B (CZ-5B) rocket's core stage was initially launched on May 5.

The descent was immediately attested by the 18th Space Control Squadron.

Back in July 2019, the Chinese space station Tiangong-2 descended in a controlled manner throughout the Earth's atmosphere. But that 9.5-ton (8,600 kg) blast was reportedly less than half the size of this current descent, and it had been handled remotely using up its fuel to a property in a distinctive, distant piece of the sea.

That space station's precursor called the 9.3-ton (8,500 kg) Tiangong-1 fell uncontrollably but with no reported damage to the Pacific Ocean.

Related Article: 2 U.S. Soldiers, 1 Brit Die in Rocket Attack on Iraqi Base; Culprit Unknown

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Tenant Screening USA Once the economy opens and life returns to relative normal, evictions could occur quickly, and laws may be put in place to combat them. Subsequently, a best practice for landlords and property managers is to work with a professional tenant screening agency.

While the world sits through lockdowns and isolation, while incomes have shrunk or disappeared, the subsequent threat of eviction would be a looming disaster if not for eviction moratoriums across the country. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com opines: There is a potential for a second wave of economic challenge when evictions are allowed, and a best practice for landlords and property managers is to work with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency to stay current with eviction law, as well as potential law that may occur when evictions are normalized once again.

Not long after stay-at-home rules were implemented and the entire economy thrown into disarray due to COVID 19, eviction moratorium were put in place in various jurisdictions across the country, allowing relief for people that no longer are able to pay the rent.

In order to benefit from an eviction moratorium there are rules and expectations to follow and it starts with good communication with a landlord or property manager.

From SFCurbed.com (May 1, 20):fxv

It might take a bit of effort to do this, but your landlord will require a statement from your employer that the business has closed or has severely limited its operations, and you have been laid off, are [sic] receiving partial pay or no pay,  Also, it will be necessary to justify any rent deferral, and your landlord requests that you provide the most recent three months of your bank statements (checking and/or savings account) showing your accounts are insufficient to pay the rent. (1)

Following the steps to get the proper protection from eviction could prove vital to many people across the country, but these steps should be taken.

Almeida adds: Once a moratorium is in place a renter can be protected from eviction, but once the moratorium is lifted a renter may be liable for past due rent.

Again, from SFCurbed.com (May 1, 20):

Advocates for both landlords and tenants uniformly predict a flood of COVID-19 evictions will arrive as an aftershock. Absent a miraculous economic recovery, an unprecedented bailout for tenants and homeowners, or generosity from San Franciscos many billionaires, broke renters will be even more destitute when the public-health crisis ends, eviction notices resume, courts reopen, and the sheriffs department begins enforcing court orders. (2)

Almeida concludes: Once the economy opens and life returns to relative normal, evictions could occur quickly, and laws may be put in place to combat them. Subsequently, a best practice for landlords and property managers is to work with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency in order to remain fully compliant with existing law as well as the potential of new laws governing evictions.

TenantScreeningUSA.com provides full-service tenant screening for landlords and property managers of any size and can greatly assist in remaining fully compliant with all existing law governing tenant screening. With a highly trained and experienced staff, TenantScreeningUSA.com can provide help to landlords and property managers with all their tenant screening needs.

Notes:

(1) sf.curbed.com/2020/4/20/21224360/covid-19-evictions-eviction-renters-landlords-coronavirus-california

(2) ibid.
Fear and Panic has gripped the people of Apam over the identification of a young man who escaped and took refuge in the Town after testing positive for the COVID-19 at Drobo, a town located in the Jaman South Municipality of the Bono Region.



The man has since been repatriated to Jaman and more than 40 people he came into contact with have so far been traced and are currently in quarantine at a Facility in Apam.



Nana Bonsu Appiah, Apam Chief Fisherman who was instrumental in the arrest of the man told the GNA in an interview that the young man confessed having the virus and was in contact with more than 40 people including; those he met in drinking spots, taxis, food vendors and women he befriended.



According to the Chief Fisherman, information he gathered indicated that the mother of the man who is a native of the area accommodated her son on his return after family members welcomed him and customary rites were performed to symbolize his homecoming.



He said the man thereafter moved freely around with some of the family members and socialized with them in drinking spots, markets and even had affair with some ladies in the community.

Nana Appiah applauded the Chiefs, Opinion leaders and Assembly members for helping to provide a Facility to quarantine the contacts.



The leadership of the fishermen have already provided hundreds of nosemasks to people living in the fishing community and placed Veronica Buckets with soaps at vantage points in the area as their contribution in the fight against the pandemic.



They have been sensitizing the people through the local information center at the beach to ensure social distancing as well.



He appealed to the government to mount testing points in the entrances to communities to test people from other places entering other towns and communities.



Nana Appiah observed that, if the testing Guns were in place at the entrance of every town, the young man who escaped from Drobo would have been identified earlier.

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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A new $3 trillion stimulus package unveiled by House Democrats is designed to help Americans still out of work due to the economic shutdown brought about to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

The bill provides for another round of stimulus payments, aid for state and local governments, help for schools, expanded unemployment insurance benefits, and additional nutrition assistance.

The coronavirus pandemic requires a response from Congress that meets the challenge this public health crisis poses," said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., one of the bills lead sponsors.

This wont be the final legislation that reaches the presidents desk, but is the opening round of negotiations among the White House, House Democrats and Senate Republicans.

So far, both President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have been reticent to support more aid to state and local governments and more financial assistance to the unemployed.

McConnell instead said he wants to make it harder to sue businesses. Trump has pushed for a payroll tax cut.

I certainly wont condition any future legislation on a certain proposal, but I will say that the president has noted a payroll tax is something that hes looked at, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said Tuesday.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Heres whats in the proposed bill:

Another round of stimulus payments for nearly everyone. Most Americans would receive $1,200 checks ($2,400 for a married couple), plus $1,200 for each child up to a maximum of $6,000 per household. As in the first round, the payments start phasing out at $75,000 of modified adjusted gross income for individuals and $150,000 for couples filing jointly.

The payments would not be adjusted for regional cost-of-living differences.

In addition, dependents over the age of 17, including full-time students below age 24, retroactively would be eligible for $500 payments from the original stimulus bill that they previously could not get.

Expanded unemployment payments. The extra $600 a week in federal unemployment insurance, now planned to expire July 31, would continue through Jan. 31, 2021. Individuals still receiving state unemployment benefits after then would get the extra $600 through March 31.

For those whose state benefits run out but were still unemployed, the federal government would provide 13 more weeks of unemployment insurance benefits through March 31, 2021.

Income tax break on state and local taxes. The legislation would suspend for two years the $10,000 cap on deducting state and local income, property and sales taxes, which Trump and congressional Republicans put in their 2017 tax law.

State governments. There would be $500 billion to help states pay their bills since theyve shut down their economies to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The formulas for allocating the money take into account states hardest hit by the coronavirus and those with large numbers of unemployed workers. New Jersey would get $16.7 billion. Without such aid, Gov. Phil Murphy, thousands of public workers would be laid off.

For months now, we have been calling on the federal government to provide much-needed relief to state governments," said Murphy, adding that the legislation is critical to ensuring that our police officers, educators, firefighters, EMTs, first responders, and other essential government workers are able to remain on the job and continue saving lives.

The states could use the money to pay for coronavirus-related expenses, to replace lost revenues or to make up for negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic.

Local governments. Counties, cities and other municipal governments would get $375 billion, with $11.3 billion for New Jersey. Some of the funds would be distributed to more rural counties left out of the original stimulus allocations under a formula dating back to President Gerald Ford.

Small businesses. The Economic Injury Disaster Loan program would get another $10 billion to provide emergency grants to small businesses.

Nutrition assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, would receive $10 billion; the Women, Infants and Children program would get $1.1 billion; and child nutrition programs would get $3 billion. The bill also contains $150 million to help local food banks.

Fisheries. Commercial fisheries and charter operators hurt by the economic shutdown would be among those eligible for $100 million in aid.

Vote by mail. States would receive $3.6 billion to hep them prepare for the 2020 elections, including expanding the use of absentee ballots.

Public transit. With a sharp loss of revenue since riders are staying home rather than going to work, transit agencies would receive $15.8 billion.

Health providers. There would be $100 billion for health care providers.

Education grants. There is $190 billion to help states fund education, as well as for school districts, colleges and universities.

Internet access. Low-income families and those who have been laid off or furloughed would get payments of up to $50 a month to help pay for internet access. Because schools are closed and students are learning remotely, the legislation also includes $1.5 billion for schools and libraries to buy equipment and set up wifi hot spots.

Heating bills. The legislation would include $1.5 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Amtrak. All passengers and employees would be required to wear masks.

First responders. Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and other first responders who die after contracting COVID-19 will be eligible for federal death benefits without first having to prove that they were infected while on the job. Legislation to automatically provide the benefits had been introduced by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Midland ISD is planning in-person graduation events on May 30 for the Class of 2020. Graduates will have the opportunity to walk the stage and be handed their diploma. These events are in addition to previously announced virtual graduation ceremony screenings planned for the Big Sky Drive-In, according to a press release from MISD.

Graduates will be assigned a time at one of six locations where ceremonies will take place: Crestview Baptist Church, Stonegate Fellowship, First Baptist Church, True-Lite Christian Fellowship, Mid-Cities Community Church and Bowie Fine Arts Academy. (The schools can provide a request form for families who prefer not to attend an exercise at a religious institution.)
President Donald Trump during a press briefing in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 11, 2020 photo. Read more

A Republican running for Congress in Northeastern Pennsylvania is airing TV commercials titled Make China Pay.

Another GOP congressional candidate, in the Lehigh Valley, claims his rival makes millions doing business in China.

And a Republican running for state attorney general is circulating a petition with the message hold China accountable superimposed over a Chinese flag.

As President Donald Trumps reelection campaign shapes up as a referendum on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis that has followed, he has repeatedly pointed the finger at the Chinese government for letting the virus spread  never mind his own administrations well-documented slow response.

The Trump campaign and pro-Trump groups are spending millions on ads in Pennsylvania and other states portraying Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, as soft on China, where the outbreak originated. The campaign arm for Senate Republicans sent a memo advising candidates to follow a similar script, Politico reported last month: If asked whether Trump is at fault for the crisis that has led to tens of thousands of U.S. deaths and a cratering economy, candidates are advised not to dwell on defending Trump, but rather to attack China.

And ahead of Pennsylvanias June 2 primary  which was postponed from April because of the pandemic  Republicans running down-ballot in federal and state races are using similar rhetoric, staying on message with the president.

The political strategy could work for local Republicans facing an American public that has soured on China. About two-thirds of Americans say they have an unfavorable view of China, up almost 20 percentage points since the beginning of Trumps presidency, according to a Pew Research Center survey in March. And a Morning Consult poll published this month found that 73% of American adults believe the Chinese government is at least somewhat responsible for the U.S. death toll. About 60% said the Trump administration deserved some blame.

For its part, the Biden campaign has blasted Trump for praising the Chinese as the coronavirus spread across the world.

 READ MORE: Trump is coming to Allentown after he said Pennsylvanians want their freedom from coronavirus lockdowns

Trump for a time liked to refer to the coronavirus as the Chinese virus"  even as the World Health Organization and others warned against such rhetoric as Asian Americans are facing increasing xenophobia.

The Chinese government is an easy identifiable bad guy in this, said Christopher Nicholas, a veteran Pennsylvania GOP consultant. And I hope while were having this debate, we all understand its about China the country, and not people from China or Americans from Chinese descent.

Campaigns always want to try to stay on the offensive, he added, so Republicans would rather go after the bad Chinese communists than defend the Trump administrations handling of the crisis.

 READ MORE: An Asian Heritage Month unlike any other, as communities resist racism with love

In Pennsylvanias 8th Congressional District, Republican Jim Bognet has been airing TV commercials filmed from the site of his familys construction business in Hazleton, which he says was booming until the pandemic hit.

The Chinese lied to us, Bognet says in the ad. They tried to cover up coronavirus. When Im your congressman, well make China pay  for the lies they told, the jobs they stole, and the lives weve lost. Im with President Donald Trump. We will make American great again.

Bognet is running in a six-candidate GOP primary in the Northeast Pennsylvania district, which is represented by Democrat Matt Cartwright. Trump carried the district by almost 10 percentage points in 2016.

In the Lehigh Valley-based 7th Congressional District, Republican Dean Browning has paid for Facebook ads highlighting his GOP primary rivals business in China, saying Lisa Scheller makes millions there. The ads also point to a news article about Schellers 2018 testimony to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative regarding the Trump administrations proposed tariffs on Chinese imports.

Scheller  CEO of the Schuylkill County manufacturer Silberline, which makes aluminum effect pigments used in automotive paints, plastics, and other products  warned in her testimony that the tariffs would hurt her company and threaten jobs.

 READ MORE: Phillys tourism economy has already lost $1 billion because of coronavirus  and faces a long road back

Brownings ad says Scheller defended China while attacking President Trumps trade policies. Browning, the narrator says, "will put America first, stand up to China, and always support President Trump.

The Scheller campaign called Browning a failed liberal career politician who, as a Lehigh County commissioner, sided with liberal Democrats to raise taxes and increase spending.

The winner of the primary will run against Democratic Rep. Susan Wild in the general election.

Anti-China rhetoric has also emerged in state-level races.

Heather Heidelbaugh, a Republican running uncontested in the primary for attorney general, started a petition to hold China accountable for the damage it has caused the United States." It says she supports suing China for damages regarding their handling of the coronavirus. Her campaign has promoted the petition in Facebook ads, and the Pennsylvania GOP shared it on the social media platform late last month.

Missouri and Mississippi filed lawsuits against the Chinese government last month, though Congress has restricted litigation against foreign governments. The Missouri lawsuit also names the Communist Party of China as a defendant.

Heidelbaugh will face Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, in the general election.
Amber Dean had recovered from a mild bout of the coronavirus and her family of five had just ended their home quarantine when her oldest son, 9-year-old Bobby, fell ill.

At first it was nothing major, it seemed like a tummy bug, like he ate something that didnt agree with him, said Dean, who lives with her husband and three young children in the western New York town of Hornell. But by the next day, he couldnt keep anything down and his belly hurt so bad he couldnt sit up. At the local hospital emergency room, doctors suspected an appendix infection and sent him home with instructions to see his pediatrician.

It was only later, after Bobbys condition took an alarming turn for the worse, that doctors realized he was among the small but growing number of children with a mysterious inflammatory syndrome thought to be related to the virus.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that New York is now investigating about 100 cases of the syndrome, which affects blood vessels and organs and has symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock. Three children in the state have died and Cuomo advised all hospitals to prioritize Covid-19 testing for children presenting with symptoms.

In New York City, which has reported at least 52 children sick with the syndrome, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday urged parents to call their pediatricians promptly if their children show symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain and vomiting.

Thats what Bobby Deans family did, even though they live in Steuben County, which has only 239 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and is in a part of the state set to start reopening some workplaces on Friday.

The family doctor performed a coronavirus test the day after his trip to the emergency room, but the results would take 24 hours. By that night, the boys fever had spiked, his abdomen was swollen, he was severely dehydrated and his heart was racing. His father, Michael Dean, drove him to Golisano Childrens Hospital in Rochester, 90 minutes away.

At Rochester they did a rapid Covid test and it came back positive, Amber Dean said. For the next six days, she was at his hospital bedside while Bobby was hooked up to IV lines and a heart monitor. He came home on Mothers Day.

It never affected his respiratory system, it was his heart that it affected, Dean said. Inflamed lymph nodes caused the abdominal pain, she said. Theyre hoping he pulls through with 100% recovery but they said there have been children with lasting effects. Children elsewhere in the US and in Europe have also been hospitalized with the condition known as pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome.

In New York, the syndrome has been found across a wide range of young people. A 5-year-old boy, 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman have died.

About 23 percent of cases have occurred in children under age 5, about 29% between the ages of 5 and 9, about 28% between ages 10 and 14 and 16% between the ages 15 and 19.

This is a truly disturbing situation and I know parents around the state and parents around the country are very concerned about this, and they should be, Cuomo said. If we have this issue in New York its probably in other states. Dr Juan Salazar, the physician-in-chief at Connecticut Childrens Medical Center, said two patients there are believed to have the rare condition, which he said often appears to present itself two to four weeks after a child has recovered from Covid-19, often without ever being diagnosed with the infection. Yale Health has said its treating three children believed to have the syndrome.

Cuomo announced last week that New York is developing national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome at the request of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In testimony Tuesday before a Senate committee on the administrations coronavirus response, Dr Anthony Fauci said children in general do better than adults and the elderly, but he warned there is still much to learn about the virus.

For example right now, children presenting with Covid-19 who actually have a very strange inflammatory syndrome very similar to Kawasaki syndrome, Fauci said. I think we better be very careful that we are not cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects. As Bobby Deans boisterous energy and sardonic sense of humor returns, his mom is vigilant for signs of illness in her younger children, aged 7 months and 3 years.

Its a pretty scary thing, watching your child be hooked up to all these wires and IVs and theres nothing you can do, Dean said. In my opinion, right now, I would not let your child out in public.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Israel on Wednesday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his new governing partner for talks that were expected to address Israels plans to annex parts of the West Bank.

Pompeo landed in Tel Aviv early in the morning and proceeded directly to Jerusalem, receiving an exemption from Israels mandatory two-week quarantine for arrivals due to the coronavirus outbreak. His visit is the first to Israel by any foreign official since January, before the country largely shut its borders to halt the spread of the pandemic.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Netanyahu and his new coalition partner, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, postponed the swearing-in of their government until Thursday to accommodate Pompeos visit.

One of the key items on the agenda in Pompeos talks with Netanyahu and Gantz was Israels stated intention to annex parts of the West Bank  a move certain to enrage the Palestinians and much of the Arab world as well as many of Israels Western allies.

Ahead of the visit, Pompeo told the Israeli daily Israel Hayom on Tuesday that the meeting was important enough to justify flying to Israel for face-to-face talks despite the pandemic and that they would discuss efforts to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the Trump administrations Mideast plan, and efforts to combat the coronavirus.

He declined to say whether the administration supports unilateral annexation by Israel, saying he was coming to hear Netanyahu and Gantzs perspectives on the matter. US Ambassador David Friedman, an architect of the Trump administrations plan, has said Israel could begin annexing territory within weeks.

Netanyahu and Gantz struck a power-sharing deal last month after three parliamentary elections over the past year resulted in stalemate. Under the deal, Netanyahu would remain prime minister for the next 18 months, even as he goes on trial on charges of fraud, accepting bribes and breach of trust. Afterwards a year and a half, Gantz will serve as prime minister for 18 months.

The agreement also stipulates that Netanyahu can advance plans to annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank starting July 1, but that such a move must be coordinated with the US while also taking regional stability and peace agreements into consideration.

Israeli hard-liners are eager to unilaterally redraw the Mideast map before Novembers US presidential election. Annexation would also give President Donald Trump an accomplishment to shore up his pro-Israel base, particularly politically influential evangelical Christian voters. Wednesdays meeting could provide an indication of how far the administration is willing to allow Netanyahu to move.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek these territories as part of a future independent state. In the decades since, Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem that now house nearly 700,000 Israelis. Most of the international community considers these settlements a violation of international law and obstacles to peace.

In November, Pompeo stated that the administration no longer believed that Israels West Bank settlements were inconsistent with international law.

But Netanyahus plans to annex occupied West Bank territory have drawn fierce criticism from across the Arab world. Earlier this week the United Arab Emirates, which has close, covert relations with Israel, voiced deep concern about annexation plans, while the Arab League has said annexation would be a war crime.

The Trump administration has said it will support the annexation of West Bank territory claimed by the Palestinians for an eventual state  as long as Israel agrees to enter peace talks with the Palestinians.

Under the Trump plan unveiled in January, the Palestinians would have limited statehood while Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank. The Palestinians have rejected the plan.

Most of the international community opposes Israeli annexation, saying it would scuttle hopes of a two-state solution to the conflict.
Leonardo confirmed the certifcation award for the M-345 programme which it says the result of intense activities with two hundred dedicated flights logged alongside the critical support of the Italian Air Forces Flight Test Centre, 61st Wing and 10th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.



Lucio Valerio Cioffi, managing director of Leonardo Aircraft Division, said: "The achievement of the Initial Certification for the M-345  unique in its segment for acquisition and operational costs - confirms the aircraft features excellent characteristics and capabilities and makes it available for the international market. This result stems from a consolidated collaboration between the industry, the Certification Authority and the Italian Air Force under a full national effort and embodies the heritage in training excellence which is widely acknowledged to the Italian Armed Forces."



The Initial Certification of the M-345 marks the first case of enforcement of the new AER (EP) P- 21 rule for a fixed-wing aircraft. This rule adopts the European EMAR-21 - (European Military Airworthiness Requirements)  a stringent international certification requirement that will also be beneficial to the export of the aircraft.

The new aircraft, designed to meet basic and basic/advanced training needs, will complement the M-346s used for the advanced phase of pilot training and, in the framework of the "International Flight Training School" project, will support the reinforcement and internationalisation of the training offer launched by Leonardo in partnership with the Italian Air Force.

Last year South Africa's Paramount was named as one of the partner companies around the world working on weaponising the basic trainer to make it a light attack aircraft - suitable for military forces with limited budgets.

Speaking to African Aerospace, Leonardo's aircraft's product solutions and sales engineering Eduardo Munhos, said: "being a versatile machine, the 345 can be also an aeroplane that can do a dual role activity being also a light fighter aeroplane. It can deliver services for very sophisticated air forces and also very basic requirements for other air forces. So we see a big potential for markets like Africa, South America, Far East, but we also see the aircraft competing in Canada
Europeans are not looking to the US to lead during the pandemic emergency, as they might have done in the past.

Over the past four years, Europe has moved from shock at Donald Trumps election to confusion about what it means for the Atlantic alliance to increasing repudiation of American leadership. European leaders are now beginning to imagine a world order without the US at the centre.

Transatlantic relations, a symbolic linchpin of the Western-led global order, are in a parlous state. This reflects both internal crises in the US and in many European nations and a loss of faith in broader visions of supranational alliances. The coronavirus pandemic has not triggered a reinvestment in multilateral actions. It has instead brought greater rigidity to the ideologies of political elites and revealed how unprepared Western states are for crisis management.

It has also underlined the frailty of the European project and deepened anxiety about its future.

Writing in the Irish Times in mid-April, columnist Fintan OToole was forthright in his view that Donald Trump has destroyed the country he has promised to make great again:

It is hard not to feel sorry for Americans  The country Trump promised to make great again has never in its history seemed so pitiful  the idea of the US as the worlds leading nation  an idea that has shaped the past century  has all but evaporated  who is now looking to the US as the exemplar of anything other than what not to do? How many people in Dusseldorf or Dublin are wishing they lived in Detroit or Dallas?

This unsparing judgement by one of Europes leading journalists would likely not have been made even five years ago. Now, it is resonant of op-eds across Europe. The growing consensus is that Europes American dream is busted and American exceptionalism is a discredited myth. There is no expectation, or even the vaguest hope, that the US will demonstrate moral leadership or promote liberal values.

Story continues

Transatlantic tensions are of course not new. European disavowals of American power and hubris have a long history. There have been waves of anti-American sentiment across the continent in the past in response to US militarism  in Vietnam and post-9/11 in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, testing as these moments of fracture were, they invariably involved protesting particulars of US foreign policy rather than the idea of America itself.

In recent years Europeans have watched the US pull out of the Paris climate accords and withdraw from global, multilateral commitments. They have listened to Trump label NATO as obsolete and heard his many aggressive statements about Europe. In early February the American president told a gathering of US governors: Europe has been treating us very badly. European Union. It was really formed so they could treat us badly.

As the pandemic emergency grew, Europeans have observed the Trump administration impose a 30-day ban on travel from Europe to the US, without consultation with European leaders. They have read media reports on how Trump offered $1 billion to a German pharmaceutical company to secure monopoly rights to a potential Covid-19 vaccine. While the much-reported story was denied by the Trump administration, many in Europe were prepared to believe it and the EU even put up funding to ensure it wouldnt happen.

Post-America

European policymakers and intellectuals are now regularly detailing Trumps failed leadership during the pandemic crisis. Dominique Moisi, a political scientist at the Institut Montaigne in Paris, recently told the New York Times: Europes social democratic systems are not only more human, they leave us better prepared and fit to deal with a crisis like this than the more brutal capitalistic system in the United States.

But while criticism of American leadership is merited here, such views do have a whiff of schadenfreude about them. It should be noted that there is also widespread apprehension in Europe that the EU is failing the stress test caused by the pandemic.

In Italy in particular, there has been deep resentment at what is perceived to be the lacklustre response of the EU early on in the pandemic. More broadly, old fault lines between northern and southern Europe have emerged in the rancorous and now stalled discussions about calls for collective debt issuance to deal with the post-pandemic recovery.

The EU has struggled to keep internal borders open and keep alive the principles of the single market and free movement. The governor of the Veneto region in Italy has stated that Schengen no longer exists  It will be remembered only in the history books. Meanwhile, Poland and Hungary slide further towards autocracy.

The European loss of confidence in American leadership coincides with a consuming crisis in the European project.

The Covid-19 pandemic has quickened the emergence of a new world order, which is likely to be a new era of great power competition. The post-American world that is taking shape will see it and other Western nations decline while the rest, most notably China, rise.

A divided Europe will need to develop an appetite for power amid the realisation that it can no longer count on the US. If a post-American Europe is to collectively rise to the challenges of the new geopolitical realities it will need to be unified by something stronger than its distaste for the American president.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Liam Kennedy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
One of Becks colleagues, Satya P. Thallam, followed up saying the White House Principal's Committee had not yet responded. "However, I am passing along their message: they have given strict and explicit direction that these documents are not yet cleared and cannot go out as of right now  this includes related press statements or other communications that may preview content or timing of guidances.
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP)  The spreading specter of the new coronavirus is shaking Latin Americas notoriously overcrowded, unruly prisons, threatening to turn them into infernos.

The Puente Alto prison in downtown Santiago, Chile, had the largest of Latin Americas largest prison virus outbreaks so far, with more than 300 reported cases. The prisons 1,100 inmates are terrified. Social distancing is hard to practice in jail.

They are all in contact with each other, said prison nurse Ximena Graniffo.

Any efforts at reducing contact were blown away in El Salvador over the weekend when authorities crammed prisoners  albeit wearing masks  tightly together in prison yards while searching their cells. President Nayib Bukele ordered the crackdown after more than 20 people were murdered in the country Friday and intelligence suggested the orders came from imprisoned gang leaders.

Latin Americas prisons hold 1.5 million inmates, and the facilities are often quasi-ruled by prisoners themselves because of corruption, intimidation and inadequate guard staffs. Low budgets also create ideal conditions for the virus to spread: There is often little soap and water and cell blocks are crowded.

So far, national officials have reported close to 1,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among inmates and prison staff. The worst hit has been Peru, with 613 cases and at least 13 deaths, though the extent of testing to determine the full scale of infections differs from country to country. When the Dominican Republic tested more than 5,500 inmates at the La Victoria prison, which has been producing protective face masks for the public, officials reported at least 239 tested postive.

Perhaps the most complete testing appears to be taking place in Puerto Rico, where the Department of Corrections said Friday it will test all the nearly 9,000 inmates being held across the U.S. territory, as well as 6,000 employees, including prison guards.

Fear of the virus itself already has proven deadly. There have been 23 deaths in prison riots in Colombia since the pandemic started. More than 1,300 inmates have escaped prisons in Brazil after a temporary release program was cancelled due to the outbreak, and more than 1,000 have been on hunger strikes in Argentina.

Story continues

All over the region, the demands are the same: protection against contagion. With most family visits cancelled, inmates feel exposed, vulnerable, alone  and exploited.

Inmates report that prices at informal and formal prison stores have increased during the pandemic, and relatives can no longer bring them food and hygiene items from the outside.

Right now, a bag of soap powder costs 29 pesos ($1.20) , when before it was 20 (80 cents) said a prisoner in Mexico, who lives in a 12 foot by 12 foot (4 meters by 4 meters) cell with a dozen others. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was using a banned cellphone.

Human Rights Watch says conditions are even worse in countries like Haiti, Bolivia or Guatemala.

U.N. Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile, has called sanitary conditions in the region deplorable and called for releases of less dangerous inmates.

Countries like Chile and Colombia have already released about 7,500 inmates and Mexico's Senate last week approved a measure to free thousands, though Brazil has not yet acted.

Regional security analyst Lucia Dammert says releasing a few thousand inmates wont significantly reduce the threat of contagion, however, and some urge more sweeping releases.

Prisoners have been sentenced to loss of liberty, not to death, and the state has to take measures at its disposal, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director for Human Rights Watch. And in many countries, such as Bolivia, most of those behind bars have not yet been sentenced or are awaiting trial.

In Chile, the head of the prison guard system, Christian Alveal, said the prisoners' fears are totally reasonable, and he said officials are working to minimize the worries of the inmates."

Some prisons have tried to do that by allowing prisoners more calls to relatives, and Argentina, with 13,000 prisoners, has allowed videocalls. Buenos Aires has even allowed prisoners to use cellphones, which are normally banned because they are sometimes used in extortion schemes.

Inmates at the San Pedro prison in Bolivia's capital, La Paz, have taken their own measures against contagion. While inmates elsewhere have rioted over bans on family visits, the Bolivian inmates themselves decided on such a ban. And they turned what are normally punishment cells into 14-day quarantine lockups for newly arrived prisoners.

Ximena Graniffo, the nurse at Puente Alto, seemed resigned to a struggle. You do what you can with what you have, she said.

___

Maria Verza reported from Mexico City.
Doireann Garrihy has taken to Instagram to post the words her father, Eugene, wrote to thank frontline medics in Bergamo Hospital, Lombardy.

The radio DJ said he felt compelled to send his wishes to the people of Italy and could get nothing done until he put pen to paper.
(Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @BizzieBabyUK) Can Coronavirus Be Neutralise By Insect Repellent? MOD Provides Soldiers With Mosquito Spray For Additonal Protection Against COVID-19 (Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @MosiguardNat) Can Coronavirus Be Neutralise By Insect Repellent? MOD Provides Soldiers With Mosquito Spray For Additonal Protection Against COVID-19

While a coronavirus vaccine is still a long way from production, experts are continuously conducting trials in the hope of finding an effective preventive measure to stop the spread of the virus. A study has stated that insect repellent could kill other coronaviruses including SARS and also prevent the virus from infecting humans.

According to The Daily Mail's previous report, The Ministry of Defense (MOD) has been distributing mosquito spray as an additional layer of protection to soldiers on the COVID front line. Experts claim that that it could neutralize coronaviruses without causing any harm to an individual.

Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defense, said that their personnel was provided with Citriodiol-based spray since the Surgeon General advised that it wouldn't do any harm.

But, the MP clarified that insect repellent should be used as a precautionary basis as a protective layer to prevent exposure from the novel coronavirus. Last month, Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defense Select Committee, wrote a letter asking Wallace for details on the use of the spray.

Can Coronavirus be neutralized by insect repellent? MOD provides soldiers with mosquito spray for additional protection against COVID-19

According to The Daily Mail, the citriodiol found in Mosi-guard was previously proved to destroy the layer which surrounds the virus, killing other coronaviruses including SARS. However, tests are still being conducted by MOD to determine if citriodiol can also kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19.

"Weaker Citriodiol spray solutions form a barrier on the skin and have been found to provide a barrier against variants of the Sars virus similar to that causing the current pandemic," said the defense secretary.

"It is not possible to confirm the number of Armed Forces personnel who have used the product, but Defence has provided a Citriodiol-based spray to each of the 10 Joint Military Commands, which have been delegated the authority to provide to their personnel wherever required," he added.

It was reiterated in the report that if the chemical is proven to be effective against the virus, it could offer protection for several hours since it is resistant to evaporation. Official tests at the government's Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) located at Porton Down, are currently being conducted to observe the effects of insect repellent. Last month, Mosi-guard was distributed to some soldiers as part of enhanced measures to stop the further spread of COVID-19.

"Citriodiol is known to have anti-viral properties and has been used as a barrier against the SARS 1 virus. 'Its utility for protecting against COVID-19 is, therefore, being explored by the Ministry of Defence as an additional protective measure for personnel working on the response," said an MOD spokesperson.

Citrefine, a Leeds-based company and manufacturer of Mosi-guard, urged the government to consider its product earlier this week. However, a spokesperson of the company clarified that there is no data yet proving the effectiveness of the chemical against COVID-19.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis experience an either recurring or permanent inflammation of their pancreas. "In many cases, people develop this disease because they are drinking too much alcohol or they are smoking too much. Certain medication or high levels of lipids or calcium in a patient's blood can be another cause of pancreatitis," explained Heiko Witt, one of the two heads of the study and Professor for Pediatric Nutritional Medicine at the Else Kroner-Fresenius-Zentrum (EKFZ) at TUM.

The main focus of previous research was on the so-called acinus cells of the pancreas; these are responsible for creating digestive enzymes. Many patients suffering from genetically caused pancreatitis show mutations in digestive enzymes or in molecules inhibiting the enzymes' effectiveness.

Calcium channel disorder leads to pancreatitis

In the course of the current study, that was performed with European and Japanese patients suffering from pancreatitis not associated with alcohol consumption, the researchers discovered that genetic defects which were heavily limiting the functionality of calcium channel TRPV6 caused early-onset chronic pancreatitis.

"A substantial TRPV6 defect is a globally occurring and serious risk factor for developing chronic pancreatitis," said Professor Witt and added: "By identifying alterations of the calcium channel, we are now also considering duct cells as part of the concept covering the origins of this disease." Duct cells serve as coating in the channels that transport digestive enzymes from the point of origin into the intestines.

Using a mouse model, the scientists were able to show that the absence of the corresponding gene would, in most cases, lead to inflammation and the occurrence of fibrotic changes in the pancreas, which is typical for chronic inflammation.

This new discovery offers opportunities for pharmacologic therapy approaches

The discovery that a calcium channel malfunction can contribute to the development of pancreatitis offers a new course of action for therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, the research findings will become part of the standard diagnostics for genetically caused pancreatitis.

These insights also pave the way for a new area of research covering the investigation of causes of pancreatitis - no longer focused on acinus cells and digestive enzymes but rather on duct cells and channels as well as calcium metabolism.

The identification of mutations in a calcium channel as a (contributing) cause of disease leads to new factors - other calcium channels and proteins that are relevant for calcium metabolism - moving into the scientific focus. "Currently we are investigating these genes for genetic alterations and we have a European patient collective comprising 1100 people with pancreatitis to gather our data," reported Professor Witt.

He further explained: "Deciphering the genetic backgrounds of pancreatitis will substantially affect our understanding of these types of genetically caused pancreatitis, as well as our understanding of alcohol-related pancreatitis. It will enable new research approaches which may lead to new treatment possibilities in the future."

###
AUSTIN, Texas  Investigators are trying to determine how a man with apparently no security clearance ended up on a runway at a Texas airport where he was struck and killed by a landing commercial jet.

Junin Ko, 22, died Thursday night when a Southwest Airlines plane struck him as it landed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, authorities said. Pilots had reported seeing a person while landing.

The Boeing 737 aircraft was arriving from Dallas with 53 passengers and five crew members, airport spokesperson Bryce Dubee said.

The man didnt have a security badge, which would have cleared him to enter the airports secure side, Dubee told the Austin-American Statesman for a report published Monday.

Employees at the Austin Department of Aviation, airlines and concessions are required to have a badge, he said, adding that the man didnt work anywhere in the airport where a security badge is not required, such as a hotel or gas station.

This type of thing is defined as a runway incursion, Dubee said. This is the first time weve ever had a security breach of this nature.

Dubee didnt offer further comment on how the man got onto the runway.

The Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, Austin police and the airport are investigating what happened, Dubee said.

The airport declined to provide details of how or if it would change its security protocols following the incursion.
"I swear, Christopher Nolan could film a jar of mayonnaise for two hours and I would watch it."

That's a snippet of a conversation I overheard while a trailer for "Tenet" played at a preview of "Birds of Prey" in February, which turned out to be one of the last screenings I would attend before theaters closed several weeks later. As was typical of my schedule then, I was in a sardine-packed multiplex on a weekday night, having hastily consumed reheated leftovers before driving to the suburbs, hoping that the movie I was about to see was worth missing dinner with my family. (Still annoyed at 2016's unwatchable "Suicide Squad," which introduced "Birds of Prey" protagonist Harley Quinn, I wasn't optimistic.)

It turned out that the sequel was better than its predecessor, even if Mr. Mayonnaise seemed to enjoy the movie far more than I did. But if I were in that multiplex today, I would be making a far different mental calculation: Forget whether "Birds of Prey" was worth my time and inconvenience. Was it worth my physical health and well-being?

The question has become uncomfortably concrete. With movie theaters opening in Georgia and Texas, and venues such as the Alamo Drafthouse and the Venice Film Festival surveying their patrons to ascertain what it will take to get them back, critics and film fans alike are wondering when we'll feel OK about returning to the sticky-floored, dimly lit rooms that we have long considered our natural habitat.

I miss the collective ritual of moviegoing: the anticipatory bustle of the theater lobby, the smell of the popcorn, the trailers and pre-screening chitchat, the laughs and jump-scares that are no fun at all unless they're experienced with a bunch of strangers in the dark.

But I'm unable to visualize marching into a multiplex and happily forgetting the outside world for a couple of hours - having donned a mask and gloves, had my temperature taken along with my ticket, been duly informed of the theater's sanitation policies and taken an assigned seat well within the six-foot social-distancing protocols. Cue the classic Loews jingle: Sit back and relax, enjoy the show!

I will, one day - especially when testing, tracing, therapeutics and a vaccine are widely available. In the meantime, I and my fellow cinephiles are in a quandary: missing the medium we love in its fullest expression, but still able to enjoy it in relative comfort and safety on our home screens (and, let's be honest, not missing the irritations that often ruin the filmgoing experience, including pre-screening chitchat that continues once the movie starts).

Unlike theater, ballet and live music, cinema isn't fatally diminished when it migrates to smaller exhibition platforms. If the development of "virtual cinema" has taught us anything, it's that there are fabulous films to be discovered online. One of the most unexpected pleasures of quarantine-era movie-watching is being able to introduce readers to such revelatory gems as "Blow the Man Down,""Selah and the Spades,""The Half of It" and "Driveways" - streaming and VOD titles that in a pre-corona world I likely would have overlooked amid the glut of big-studio theatrical releases. The unexpected hiatus has also opened up delightful rabbit holes on such classic-movie sites as the Criterion Channel, Kino Now and Kanopy.

So far this spring, the trade-off hasn't been entirely painful. But with summer looming, followed by awards season, the compromises will become more difficult. Last week, Spike Lee announced that his new movie, "Da 5 Bloods," will drop on Netflix in June. Presumably, Lee wanted his film, which stars Chadwick Boseman as a Vietnam veteran determined to find the remains of his fallen squad leader, to be seen sooner rather than later, rather than await the uncertainties of theater reopenings and release-schedule bottlenecks. Thanks to a recent rule-change at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, "Da 5 Bloods" will still qualify for an Oscar regardless of not opening in theaters first.

It remains to be seen whether "Da 5 Bloods" suffers for not being shown on the big screen. But I know I'll never forget watching Lee's 2019 film "BlacKkKlansman" in a crowded theater, Terence Blanchard's gorgeous music swelling during the breathtaking final sequence whose cathartic power resided not just in sound and image, but the deep emotional current the audience shared in that moment. If Netflix executives view the Academy's one-time rule-change as an opening for streaming-only movies, they might want to heed the lessons of "Roma," a movie that I and many others loved when we saw it in big-screen splendor, and just as many found disappointing and overrated when they saw it shrunk down to fit their TVs.

Film as an art form may be able to adapt when it migrates to the home screen. But as a collective experience, it is in the process of morphing, if not disappearing entirely. The recent boomlet in drive-in theaters represents a bracing expression of esprit de corps, nostalgia and creative ways to be alone-together. But it also points to a future when cinema has become as bubble-fied as the rest of American life, whether we're watching them in our cars, via online viewing parties or in completely contact-free theaters like the ones currently being tried in South Korea. At their best, movies demand a form of psychological surrender. The question is how will we enter that vulnerable state while girding ourselves with individualized armamentaria and hypervigilant spatial awareness?

Prudent safety measures and sound medical guidance will get me back into the theater, but unreservedly entering the world on screen will depend on what it's always depended on: the movies themselves.

Like my "Birds of Prey" seatmate, Warner Bros. is bullish on Christopher Nolan and his obsessively loyal fan base of Imax purists and "Dark Knight" lifers. The company is expected to announce soon whether it will stick with the July 17 release date for Nolan's time-travel thriller "Tenet" in theaters.

Disney is similarly hoping that the generation of girls, young women and their moms who grew up with the animated action-adventure "Mulan" will turn out in July, when the live-action version is scheduled to open in brick-and-mortar venues. Then there's "Wonder Woman 1984" which, if it arrives as planned in August, will no doubt leverage the deep emotional connection that propelled "Wonder Woman" into a global phenomenon and Hollywood game-changer.

Some viewers are surely saving their first foray back into theaters for the scheduled early September release of "A Quiet Place Part II" (a better-with-others movie if ever there was one). Some are holding out for "The French Dispatch," a bespoke Wes Anderson jewel box that is due to arrive in theaters in October.

As momentous as those movies promise to be, when I consider my next film to watch in a theater I think about the last film I watched in a theater: "First Cow," a superbly crafted period drama, opened on the very day in March that most Washington, D.C.-area venues were forced to close (Friday the 13th, as it happens). Directed with characteristic care and sensitivity by Kelly Reichardt, "First Cow" is every bit as monumental as a Nolan-esque extravaganza or lavishly hyped franchise installment - if only because Reichardt's auteurism takes such a small-canvas, diligently understated form.

Indeed, "First Cow" is such an important cinematic event that the film's distributor, A24, declined to make it available as a streaming title, preferring to relaunch the film when audiences can fully appreciate the exquisitely detailed world that Reichardt devotes so much time, detailed imagination and single-minded intelligence to create.

In other words, Reichardt wasn't making another disposable piece of product or extending a corporate brand - the movies Hollywood has been obsessively making to avoid risk, but that now feel unworthy of what we might be risking to sit through them.

When "First Cow" opens again, I'll be first in line to see it - mask, gloves, alcohol wipes and all. Just a few short months ago, Reichardt's film exemplified movies as a life-or-death proposition - or at least a life-affirming declaration - for the people who make them. From now on, it will always remind me that the emotional stakes should feel just as high for the people who watch them.
Exercise Cygnus, held over three days in October 2016, modelled the national and local responses to a serious influenza pandemic and identified critical failings leading to the overwhelming of the National Health Service (NHS). A government report on Cygnus produced in 2017 concluded, Pandemic influenza is one of the most severe natural phenomena to affect the UK and the most severe civil emergency risk.

The Conservative government did nothing in response and refused to publish the report on Exercise Cygnus. When questioned, Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed officials had said everything recommended was done.

Anger at such brazen lies was such that Dr. Moosa Qureshi tried to bring judicial review proceedings against the governments refusal to publish the findings of the Cygnus Exercise. Last Thursday, a version of the report was leaked to the Guardian which placed it online, confirming that the Johnson government is desperate to conceal its criminal lack of preparation for the outbreak of a pandemic.

Under the heading Key Learning, the report concludes, [T]he UKs preparedness and response, in terms of its plans, policies and capability, is currently not sufficient to cope with the extreme demands of a severe pandemic that will have a nation-wide impact across all sectors.

Running to 57 pages, the report reveals the Tory government has been aware of the dangers millions in Britain would confront when faced with the outbreak of a deadly viral infection. The scenario which Exercise Cygnus imagined was based on the emergence of a virus in Thailand in June 2016, subsequently identified by the World Health Organisation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

During the exercise, participants considered their capacity and capability to operate at the peak of a pandemic affecting up to 50 percent of the UKs population and which could cause between 200-400,000 excess deaths in the UK.

This figure of excess deaths, i.e., the number of fatalities above the average for the same time of year, clearly underestimates the real level of mortality, given other assumptions made in the exercise. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 1.5 percent was adjusted from the worst-case scenario planning figure of 2.5 percent, to take account of the effect of antivirals, the report states.

However, Exercise Cygnus was based on the disease being responsive to existing treatments such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) and not on a novel virus like COVID-19, for which there is not yet any effective medication or vaccine.

One of the scenario assumptions was that most schools would remain open, envisaging that just 250 schools (1 percent) across England would decide to close. When it came to COVID-19, this supposition ran far of the reality, with most schools closed by the end of March because of public outrage over the Johnson governments herd immunity policy of letting the virus run unchecked through the population. Now, the government is pressing for schools to begin reopening as part of its back to work agenda, despite the fears of parents and teachers about an eruption of COVID-19 cases incubated among school children and passed on to staff and parents.

Another critical area identified in the report is that of prisons. While praising the excellent relationship between Public Health England (PHE) and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Exercise Cygnus did not test the tactical and operational responses to outbreaks in prisons, which should be considered as an area for development.

No plan was developed about how to deal with the threat posed by a pandemic to those incarcerated. So far, 19 prisoners have died of COVID-19, with 362 prisoners testing positive in 74 prisons in England and Wales. Over 400 prison staff, employed at 67 prisons, were confirmed as having the virus last week.

The procurement and supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) was not examined comprehensively in the exercise. But the report recommended opening up more distribution points for PPE, and that consideration be given to developing a whole system approach to the distribution of PPE to health and care staff.

Clear guidance was needed to define and communicate who will receive PPE from national stockpiles and which parts of the private and voluntary sectors are expected to make their own arrangements to safeguard their workers.

Health and Safety issues around an employers duty of care to staff in specific sectors (e.g., health care, prisons, poultry workers), needed to be examined, including provision of appropriate PPE where relevant.

What has been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic is that rather than building up supplies of such vital safety equipment, national stockpiles were run down and allowed to go out of date.

A BBC Panorama investigation showed that the government had failed to buy crucial protective equipment to cope with a pandemic, such that there were no gowns, visors, swabs or body bags in the governments pandemic stockpile when COVID-19 reached the UK.

An issue that was completely absent in Exercise Cygnus was any examination of the role of testing in containing and eliminating new infections, since the scenario assumed the emergence of an influenza strain that could respond to treatment using existing medications. The lack of adequate testing and tracing procedures in the UK, and the application of the herd immunity policy for weeks, has meant the virus has been able to run rife.

A major assumption in Exercise Cygnus was that vital health resources would rapidly become overwhelmed, and that the euphemistically entitled surge plan would call for an alternative model of care (population-based triage) to manage capacity and respond to the excessive demand for hospital places.

The use of a triage approach means doctors being forced to decide which patients will and will not receive possibly life-saving treatment, with the report recognising this might well need to be extended to services beyond critical care.

The exercise also considered how to manage public reaction to the use of body bags and mass burials. Such ethical dimensions surrounding a pandemic of this severity deserve further consideration, is the reports anodyne conclusion.

A critical area identified by Exercise Cygnus is that of social care, which the report correctly identifies as currently under significant pressure during business as usual. Additional pressure on the social care sector, especially with a 2040 percent absenteeism rate and with illness among vulnerable sections of society, could be very challenging.

Following decades of privatisation and outsourcing in the care sector, it was not possible to collate an accurate picture of social care capacity because much of that capacity lies with private providers, the report found.

It is under such circumstances that government plans proposed to implement reverse triage, whereby sick individuals are released from hospital and sent back into the social care sector. The report notes that local responders raised concerns about the expectation that the social care system would be able to provide the level of support needed were the NHS to follow such a protocol.

Much worse has happened in the present COVID-19 pandemic and to devastating effect. With COVID-19 infected patients being sent out of hospitals to care homes, the disease has run rampant.

The Office for National Statistics now admits that deaths in care homes made up 10,000 of an overall UK death toll of 40,000. But this only counts those tested for the virus when this was not standard practice. The Financial Times estimates over 60,000 deaths and the Times 61,000of which the FT says 19,900 are excess deaths in care homes.

Responding to the leak, Dr. Qureshi stated his belief that the full extent of the governments cover-up is still not known. Qureshi wrote for example, I welcome the Guardians investigation which has uncovered a version of the Cygnus Report. However, many questions remain unanswered about Exercise Cygnus. He asked, What precisely were the Reports findings with regard to PPE and ventilator capacity, and how were these acted on? Why did the Government ignore clear early warning signs about care homes? How has implementation of the reports recommendations been audited? Are there other similar classified reports for other public health threats?
For many the resumption of trains is a big boon, but some say it doesn't come without confusion and worries. Shine Jacob reports

IMAGE: People board a train after the resumption of passenger train services by the Indian Railways in a graded manner. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

If the Aarogya Setu application is faultless, we are in trouble. It shows that within 500 metres, there are four people diagnosed with Covid-19 out of the 3,068 using the app, said Sudhanshu Singh, a final year pharmacy student at IEC College in Greater Noida, standing in the New Delhi railway station.

For Singh and his friend, Amrish Kashyap, the resumption of passenger services by the Indian Railways after it shut on March 22 has come as a relief. For the past 50 days, he has been eating Maggi noodles and milk. Kashyap and Singh say they are ready to download any mobile app just to get away from such a routine. There is still confusion over whether the government app is mandatory for travellers.

The ministry of railways on Monday said all passengers were advised to download the app. However, in a tweet at 12.27 am on Tuesday it said it was mandatory for passengers to download the Aarogya Setu app in their mobile phones. Despite this, not all officials or passengers at the New Delhi railway station had downloaded the app.

There was only thermal scanning at the entry gate from the Paharganj side. Forget the app, getting tickets online was difficult, we got this ticket after paying Rs 1,000 extra to an agent, said Surya Prakash, a student, who was taking the train to Dibrugarh. On Tuesday, 3,461 passengers left the New Delhi station on three special trains -- 1,177 on the New Delhi-Bilaspur, 1,122 on New Delhi-Dibrugarh, and 1,162 on New Delhi-Bengaluru special trains.

In an effort to resume services in a graded manner, eight trains operated on Tuesday from New Delhi, Mumbai, Howrah, Ahmedabad, Patna, and Bengaluru.

Reaching the station was not an easy task for a majority of the passengers. Pramod Kumar Narain from Raxaul in Bihar, who runs a small food stall near Pochanpur in Dwarka, had to walk for five hours to reach the station, followed by a three-hour-long wait for thermal scanning. For over 50 days, I have had no business. I was able to sustain in the city only after my family sent me some money. Loss of business and rising expenses made even sustenance difficult at times, said Narain.

From May 1, the Indian Railways started operating Shramik Special trains to transport stranded migrants. Our focus is on moving stranded passengers. So far, over 6,50,000 migrants have been sent home. Now, there will be more trains to transport both normal passengers and migrants, said Vinod Kumar Yadav, chairman of the Railway Board, while addressing the media on platform number 1, before the train to Bilaspur started.

As on Tuesday, 575 Shramik Special trains were operationalised across the country. Yadav stated that the national transporter has followed social distancing and hygiene norms to run these trains. We asked people to bring their own linen and food, he added.

One major concern for a majority of passengers was the lack of onboard food. Randhir Kumar, who works at the Azadpur vegetable market and is traveling to Danapur in Bihar, said, Lack of food is an issue. We werent having a great time here for the last 50 days. Was struggling with no food and business, too. I just managed to get the ticket in a matter of a few hours. I dont know what is Aarogya Setu and nobody asked me at the station.

According to the Railways, people will be offered packaged water and ready-to-eat meals on train, but there wont be any catering onboard.

Tasleem Mohammed, a daily wager from Bihars Katihar district, said had it not been for the Delhi governments free food, he would have died. I think the government started these trains late. The damage from the lockdown would have been minimised had they started the service earlier, said Mohammed Shamsad, a textile trader, who was stuck in Delhi for over 50 days.

"A lot of people were stuck without jobs or money. For me, this is the journey of my life. My wife is nine months pregnant. I was worried for several days and this train came as a blessing," said Kundan Kumar Mishra from Dibrugarh.
The Asante-Akim South Municipal Assembly as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus among the population, has embarked on a free distribution of nose masks across the Municipality.



The first phase of the exercise seeks to provide at least a nose mask each, to 30,000 people in the Municipality with priority being given to high risk groups such as market women, drivers, barbers, hairdressers and other persons who come into contact with many people daily.



In line with its response plan to the pandemic, the Assembly also intends to facilitate easy access to nose masks by a larger portion of the citizenry by procuring more nose masks for distribution.



All the masks are being produced by local tailors and seamstresses as a deliberate policy to grow local businesses.



Mr. Alexander Frimpong, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the need to make nose masks available to the people had become very crucial considering the alarming rate of infections.



He said free distribution of the masks by the Assembly was the way to go in order to curb community spread of the disease.



We have a duty to protect the people and also contain the spread of the virus and we believe the availability of nose masks for the people will go a long way to slow the spread, the MCE stated.



He said the Assembly through the Municipal Public Health Emergency Committee, had intensified public education on the need for people to wear masks and observe all other safety protocols.



Twelve health facilities, according to him, had also received infrared thermometers and other hygiene products.



He said the Assembly was not only distributing the masks, but would also ensure strict compliance in wearing them, especially the high risk groups in order to achieve the intended purpose.



Mr. Frimpong said all the measures being implemented by government were in the interest of public health and called for the cooperation of the general public in the fight against the disease.

Source: GNA









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Praetura Ventures, a Manchester, UK-based investor that backs quality businesses in high-value sectors, has launched the Praetura EIS Growth Fund.

As an evergreen fund, the Praetura EIS Growth Fund is looking to raise up to 30m per annum. The funds raised will be deployed to support the growth ambitions of businesses in the North and across the UK. This will include early-stage businesses looking for smaller, seed-stage investments as well as capital and support for more developed businesses that are looking to scale.

Alongside capital, the investee businesses receive the strategic support and guidance of the 25-strong team at Praetura Ventures, who work closely with the business leaders and management teams.

Praetura is led by David Foreman, managing director, and Jonathan Prescott, business development director.

FinSMEs

13/05/2020
The Keyano College campus in downtown Fort McMurray on April 28, 2020, after a massive ice jam caused flooding and forced about 13,000 people out of their homes. (The Canadian Press/Greg Halinda)

Just Another Kick in the Teeth: Fort McMurray Residents Still Cleaning Up After Devastating Floods

Charity groups pitching in to help salvage flood-damaged homes

Paul Rothwells plumbing shop in Fort McMurrays Lower Townsite was one of hundreds of businesses and homes deluged after the spring thaw turned ice jams on the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers into a giant bowl of expanding water.

Ive made millions in Fort McMurray and Ive lost millions in Fort McMurray, but its home, said Rothwell, whose 25-year plumbing business sat in three feet of water at the height of the flooding.

But its not the first time Rothwell has experienced the cruel hand of nature in the Alberta oil boomtown.

Before it was the fires, millions gone.  But its not about the money, I can make it back again. Its just another kick in the teeth.

On April 28, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo issued evacuation orders for the area, and more than two weeks later many residents and business owners are still pumping out and surveying the damage, both in Fort McMurray and other flooded locales along the Athabasca River.

On May 8, when the Alberta government pledged $147 million in flood relief for the region, Premier Jason Kenney described the cause of the flood as a one-in-100-year event in Fort McMurray triggered by an ice jam that was, at one point, 23 kilometres long.

Rothwell, who now lives in Stratford, Ontario, returned on May 7 to see what was salvageable from his shopwhich had been up for sale, but thats now on holdand to do what he could to help.

I love Fort McMurray, its my friends there, its my town, he said, adding that he was worried for his community. How much more can you go through? The mental state here is precarious.

Restrictions on businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic have only added to the economic pressures facing the Alberta energy hub, which has been suffering through the worst oil prices in a century and billions in capital exodus, including Tecks decision to shelve its $20 billion Frontier mine in the region.

The flooding and the wreckage it leaves behind come less than four years after raging wildfires forced the evacuation of all 60,000 inhabitants and resulted in nearly 2,000 homes going up in smoke.

While most homes remain standing as the water recedes, its a race against time to clean and strip the interior structures before theyre rendered unliveable by contamination and the onset of mould.

It consists of taking belongings out to the street that have been affected by the floodwaters, furniture and appliances, and then you might be taking the flooring and the drywall and insulation out, is how Tammy Suitor describes a typical salvage job on a home.

Based out of a Samaritans Purse-run disaster relief mobile unita tractor-trailer rig loaded with gearSuitor has brought nearly a dozen volunteers from Calgary to help organize locals to go house-by-house, managing 120 requests to date for decontamination assistance.

Once weve vacuumed it all out, swept it all out, then we apply the shockwave of hospital grade disinfectant and it will take care of any of the bacteria, the mould, and leave it in a place where the homeowner can just rebuild.

Volunteers with Samaritans Purse move a washing machine out of a flood-damaged home in Fort McMurray. (Courtesy of Samaritans Purse)

Invited by the municipality of Wood Buffalo to help out, this is the Christian charitys second visit to Fort McMurray.

Following the 2016 wildfires, Samaritans Purse sent a similar contingent, which spent two months sifting through debris for family heirlooms and keepsakes, and removing contaminated refrigerators and freezers from homes that were spared from the flames but were without power for weeks.

Some of the people affected by the fires have also been affected by the floods, so thats been really hard, said Suitor, who predicted the groups current stay would extend into July.

As for morale in the town itself, I mean, theyre a get-er-done kind of community.

In addition to equipment and other gear, Samaritans Purse and its sister charity the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada have brought in chaplains experienced in demolition and cleanup as well as crisis management, who offer spiritual and emotional help in addition to elbow grease.

Red Cross is here and Salvation Army is here and theyve been feeding people, and so were here kind of doing the mud-out, gut-out, but we work together and try to accomplish the same thing, said Suitor.

And thats ultimately helping the homeowners that are under-insured or not insured, that dont have the means because theyve been laid off or due to health or for whatever reason, to be able to do that work themselves.

Rothwell spent the past weekend volunteering with Suitor and her crew, helping people clean up and try to save their properties.

I started working with Samaritans Purse but then I had to start on my own shop yesterday. Theres extensive damage to the building, tools, and inventory, he said.

What are you going to do? Head down, horns up and you deal with itwith a lot of help from family and friends.
This is an opinion column.

What is remarkable?

The Alabama Legislature for generations dutifully arrived in Montgomery, on foot or on horseback or carriage and finally by car, and proudly did their part-time jobs in the Alabama Capitol building, right there on Goat Hill.

Hell, it was an honor.

Legislators met there, and were happy to run for re-election more times than not, through secession and the first rewrite of the Alabama Constitution in 1861, through the Civil War and the second rewrite of the Constitution in 1865, when that whole Confederacy thing didnt work out.

They met there through Reconstruction, through five constitutional rewrites, including the one we abide by today. They met there through the Spanish-American War, through WWI and the 1918 flu pandemic and the Great Depression and Jim Crow and WWII and Korea and Vietnam and the civil rights movement.

They worked out of the Capitol for more than 130 years. It was 1985  Ronald Reagan was president and George Wallace was governor for the last time  when they moved over to the nearby Alabama State House.

But thats not the remarkable thing. Nope.

What is remarkable is how Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh was so unhappy with the current State House that he would dare to suggest using $200 million in coronavirus relief money to build a new one. Now.

Let em eat cake, I guess. Theyre sick or broke already.

What is remarkable is that he would choose this money in this time, in the middle of the biggest economic crisis this country has faced in almost a century, to suggest a new office building for politicians is what this state needs most.

Hell, man. Let him eat crow.

The State House is old, sure. It is as old as me, built in 1963 for the Highway Department and renovated to serve the Legislature. It is not fancy, or spacious or pleasantly lit, or pleasant at all, but I promise you it has served the Legislature better than the Legislature has served us.

Marsh  case in point  at first stood by the notion that building a new $200 million State House is a valid discussion for how to use $1.8 billion sent to Alabama by Congress to help mitigate the coronavirus.

He finally succumbed to pressure -- to the absurdity of the whole thing -- and dropped the idea, according to reports. But at first he insisted a new State House should at least be in the mix for coronavirus money.

Should it be at the top of the list? I cannot say that, he said last week. But I will tell you, it should be part of the discussion. And I would leave it on there to be discussed."

No. No, it should not. It shouldnt be discussed at the top of Alabamas needs even in normal times.

But now? Federal money for coronavirus relief should go specifically to help businesses and individuals genuinely harmed by the virus or its economic consequences. It should go for safety and medical equipment, for testing and economic recovery. It should go where it was meant to go, not to some shiny excuse by politicians who think they deserve more and better than all those who came before.

What is remarkable is Del Marshs audacity. What is remarkable is Del Marshs indifference.

John Archibald, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a columnist for AL.com. His column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register, Birmingham Magazine and AL.com. Write him at jarchibald@al.com.
Even as the gap has shrunk in the past few weeks, in Chicago, African Americans account for nearly more than a third of those who have tested positive and more than half of coronavirus-related fatalities, despite being less than a third of the citys residents. Latinos make up a little less than half for 40% of infections and about a quarter of COVID-19-related deaths.
In Connecticut, another group called Homodeus has also been working on a saliva test that could be done as easily as a home pregnancy test. Jonathan Rothberg, one of the lead researchers, said the test could be made for a dollar or less and scaled into the millions. The goal would be to have results in half an hour, and an iPhone app would enable patients to analyze the data themselves, and then share that data widely and quickly in the event of a breakout.
Instead of begrudgingly opening the economy slowly with a long list of prescribed goods, the government should open the economy fully and have a short list of exclusions.

This is the view of Cas Coovadia, CEO of Business for South Africa, who spoke to CNBC Africa about their suggestions on reopening the country.

Coovadia said instead of the current 5-level alert system, a mindset change is needed by the government to help the economy.

He said it is now accepted that a spike in COVID-19 infections will happen irrespective of whether South Africa remains under lockdown or not.

So instead of hurting the economy through an extended lockdown, he suggested allowing businesses to operate with a set of conditions to ensure safe operations.

We believe virtually everything should be allowed with the exception of businesses which cannot do social distancing, he said.

He said the plan to gradually open up industries like ecommerce does not make sense. Open up ecommerce now. Totally, said Coovadia.

Allowing people to do their shopping online not only helps ecommerce companies, but will also kickstart courier services and economic activity, he said.

He also bemoaned regulations which prevent certain items being sold at supermarkets and others stores which are open.

While Im at the shop there should be no reason to restrict me to buy whatever I want to buy, because it has no impact on health issues he said.

Coovadia said the government should also understand that you cannot open a factory to 30% capacity.

Manufacturing doesnt work that way. Machinery doesnt work that way. You cannot get your machines to work at 30%, he said.

It is a good idea to open up ecommerce  SARS commissioner

Coovadias views are in line with those of SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter, who said ecommerce holds great potential for South Africa and should be opened up.

Speaking to the Nielsen Network, Kieswetter said many people think of ecommerce as a virtual economy  but it opens up a full value chain of economic activity.

While the shopping experience is online, it supports upstream and downstream activities in the physical world.

This includes logistics, warehousing, packing, and transport, which provide employment to a lot of people.

To stop ecommerce loses the fact that it is real jobs and real people who can be employed, said Kieswetter.

He said ecommerce is an area where social distancing, which helps to contain the spread of the virus, can more easily be applied.

If we approach it from a risk-based perspective, we are encouraging those who make the decisions to review the ecommerce restrictions.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans daily oil production amounted 771.400 barrels in April 2020, Ministry of Energy reported on May 12.

Of these, 679.800 barrels were crude oil and 91.600 barrels were condensate.

According to the information, 640.300 barrels of crude oil, 86.000 barrels of condensate and 23.600 barrels of oil products were exported daily.

Note that OPEC countries and non-members of the cartel, including Azerbaijan, represented in OPEC+ format, were released from production limitation obligations in April.

Azerbaijan joined the Declaration on Cooperation adopted following the OPEC+ ministerial meetings on April 9 and April 12, 2020, which envisages reduction of daily crude oil production by 9.7 million barrels in May-June, by 7.7 million barrels in July-December and by 5.8 million barrels during the period January 2021 to April 2022.

Under the new agreement, Azerbaijan, which produced 718,000 bpd of crude oil in October 2018, should reduce production by 164,000 barrels in May-June. During this period, Azerbaijan must maintain daily oil production at 554,000 barrels.

Azerbaijan's commitment was set at 131,000 barrels in July-December and 98,000 barrels from January 2021 to April 2022. According to the quotas, the daily oil production in our country should not exceed 587,000 barrels from 1 July to the end of the year and 620,000 barrels in January-April 2021.

Since May 1, Azneft's joint ventures and operating companies have been carrying out the process of daily production decline at Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli fields.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  In-person classes are expected to resume this fall at Grand Valley State University, but new and returning students may find a campus made noticeably different by the coronavirus pandemic.

Plexiglass dividers could be used to ensure social distancing inside classrooms. Stickers may be placed on the floors of buildings to make sure students who are waiting in lines arent standing too close to one another.

There are financial concerns too.

Will enrollment drop, necessitating budget cuts?

There are shifting sands under our feet, President Philomena Mantella said in a virtual townhall meeting Tuesday, where she and other administrators outlined steps the university is taking as it prepares for the fall semester.

Like other universities across the state, Grand Valley closed residence halls in March because of the coronavirus pandemic and shifted to online instruction for the remainder of the school year. Moving forward, online education will continue to be a big part of the universitys strategy, administrators said.

The coronavirus pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty about fall enrollment, but administrators say theyre hopeful that students will turn out on campus for in-person and online classes in strong numbers. Because tuition payments are the universitys biggest source of revenue, a significant enrollment decline would likely necessitate budget cuts.

We understand the seriousness of this issue, and we understand the uncertainty, so were going very deep on planning scenarios that do have structural change that could impact (the universitys) workforce, Mantella said. But we will not make those decisions until its appropriate to do so.

University administrators present Grand Valleys budget to the Board of Trustees for approval in July.

Grand Valley has not issued furloughs, layoffs or pay cuts in response to the coronavirus pandemic, said university spokesperson Mary Eilleen Lyon.

Universities across the state are facing big financial challenges amid the global health emergency, which has closed campuses and shifted instruction online. Western Michigan University, for example, has laid off 240 employees, lost $45 million in revenue, and is preparing to cut 20% of general fund spending in each university division.

Meanwhile, Michigan State University is considering cutting employee wages in response to a projected $300 million loss of revenue for next fiscal year.

Grand Valley has lost an estimated $13 million in revenue during the current budget year because of refunds for housing, dining, parking and events. The university closed residence halls and cafeterias in March, and said it would reimburse students who paid for a full-year of those services. The university has used its contingency fund and institutional reserves to cover the losses.

Administrators on Tuesday made clear that the universitys financial standing for next school year is fluid and will continue to be examined as they craft the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Gregory Sanial, vice president for finance and administration, said theres a lot of uncertainty about fall enrollment, but Grand Valley has overcome challenges before.

We have held relatively steady with enrollment for a long time despite the headwinds of demographics, and we fully expect to be able to weather this COVID storm pretty well, he said.

Because of declining birth rates, the number of high school graduates is shrinking in Michigan. While some universities have seen corresponding enrollment declines, Grand Valleys student population has increased steadily over the past decade.

Enrollment peaked at 25,049 students during the 2017-18 school year, but fell to 24,033 last fall.

Officials are also confident about fall enrollment because the number of students in spring and summer classes is up slightly when compared to last year, Mantella said. That demonstrates that we have some capacity to continue to be a counter trend to many institutions, she said.

Lyon said spring enrollment is up 1% compared to last year, and that summer enrollment is still being finalized.

University officials say Grand Valleys classrooms are big enough and class sizes are small enough to safely resume in-person instruction this fall.

We are able to social distance the great majority of our courses so that students have that appropriate space within our facilities, said Chris Plouff, the universitys senior associate vice president for academic affairs.

He said the university is looking at how plexiglass dividers can be used in classrooms to ensure social distancing. Officials also plan to increase the number of times classrooms and high-contact surfaces are cleaned each day, Plouff said.

Large student gatherings and campus activities will likely be suspended until such events are deemed safe by public health experts, administrators said. The emphasis, for the time being, will remain on classroom learning, Mantella said.

Administrators are also looking at campus housing.

Much of our housing is newer and 80% of our housing consists of apartments and suites, so we are well situated to be able to house students in a safe, low-density manner, with limits on how many use a bathroom, Lyon, the university spokesperson, said in a statement.

We havent decided on our exact housing plan for the fall, and we are considering several options, but all of them are following guidelines from public health agencies.

Read more:

Military aircraft put on show in Michigan flyovers to honor front-line workers

7 indicators that show Michigans positive progress in the coronavirus crisis

Steak n Shake to permanently close 57 restaurants amid coronavirus economic slowdown
By Tom Avril

In 1846, the measles descended on a rocky cluster of islands in the North Atlantic for the first time in decades, and its path was relentless.

The virus infected more than 6,000 of the Faroe Islands 7,782 inhabitants, killing dozens of the old and the very young. Yet one hardy group of elder islanders was entirely spared: 98 people who were infected the last time the virus had hit the islands, 65 years before.

The human immune system remembers measles like a bitter family feud, remaining quick to strike back for a lifetime after the initial insult. On the other end of the spectrum is norovirus, that diarrhea-inducing bane of day-care centers and cruise ships. After recovering, people can be reinfected within a few months.

No one can say for sure yet what will happen with the coronavirus. Those scattered reports of people becoming reinfected thus far have generally proven to be false alarms. But if evidence from other types of coronaviruses is any guide, the amount of time that people remain immune will be on the shorter end of the scale.

And those immunity passports youve heard about? More on that concept below  but for a variety of reasons, putting it in practice wont be as simple as it sounds.

The immune systems response to the coronavirus will provide clues for another closely watched front: how it will react to a vaccine. More than 100 efforts are underway to produce such drugs  designed to stimulate the type of protective response that would result from an infection without making the person sick  and the makers of several forecast they can distribute doses to high-risk populations by years end.

That accelerated timetable, unheard-of in the field of drug development, has some scientists cautioning against too much optimism. Small batches of vaccines can be made in short order with todays technologies, but scaling up production to treat millions, and testing such drugs for safety and efficacy, normally takes years.

When youre doing it at warp speed, there is concern about missing things, said John P. Moore, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.

Some, perhaps many, of the vaccine candidates will turn out to provide a measure of protection. Its a tried-and-true concept, responsible for saving untold millions of lives in the last century. And with billions of people to be inoculated against the coronavirus, at least several such vaccines will be needed.

Yet predicting the strength and duration of the immune systems response, whether to a live infection or a vaccine, is anything but straightforward.

In the fall of 2016, Columbia University researchers began periodically swabbing the nasal passages of 191 volunteers, analyzing the genetic material within for a variety of respiratory viruses.

During the next year and a half, 86 people became infected with coronaviruses  milder cousins of the one now causing so much havoc. Twelve tested positive for the same one at least twice, including three people who each were infected three times with a coronavirus nicknamed OC43.

In one case, the second positive test occurred within a month of the first, so it might have been the same infection, said Jeffrey Shaman, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbias Mailman School of Public Health. But generally, it seemed the immune system couldnt recognize, and fight off, coronaviruses it had encountered just a few months before.

Why does our memory of measles, on the other hand, last a lifetime?

A key factor is the immune systems ability to make antibodies  customized, Y-shaped proteins that block viruses from penetrating human cells.

The numbers matter. For measles, the levels are high, and they do not decline much with time. Evidence suggests they would remain high enough to protect us for 200 years, if we could live that long, said E. John Wherry, director of the University of Pennsylvanias Institute for Immunology.

With the coronavirus, the durability of the response is not yet clear. But when a person is infected with SARS or MERS, the two other coronaviruses that cause severe symptoms, antibody levels wane significantly within a year or two. Eventually, the protective proteins can no longer be detected.

Thats one reason those commercial antibody tests for the new coronavirus might not be ideal for determining who can go back to life as usual.

Aside from the fact that some are not very accurate, the tests deliver a yes-no answer  were you infected?  but do not indicate the level of antibodies or, in many cases, the type. (Some antibodies are neutralizing, meaning they are directly involved in clearing an infection, while others play more of a bystander role.)

And we dont know yet what level is sufficient for protection, or how people might respond differently. Those whove had the coronavirus are likely immune for some period of time  otherwise, there would be clear evidence of repeat infection  but the science is still young.

Immune passports are premature, said Yonatan Grad, an assistant professor of immunology at Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Antibodies might not even be the most important thing to measure, said Wistar Institute researcher David B. Weiner, whose research formed the backbone for one coronavirus vaccine now being tested.

In addition to fighting infections with antibodies, the immune system responds with a second set of weapons called killer T-cells, which can destroy infected cells before the virus inside them spreads further. Weiner is betting that the vaccine he helped design, made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals in Plymouth Meeting, of which he is a board member, will stimulate the production of antibodies and T-cells.

Even more important than durability of the immune response is safety, and that, too, is not a given. One vaccine for SARS, when tested in monkeys, in some cases not only failed to prevent infections, but seemed to make them worse. Yet last month, animal studies of two vaccines against MERS showed promise. Before any such drugs for the new coronavirus can move forward, data from humans will be essential.

Viruses mutate, especially ones like the coronavirus that store their genetic information in single-stranded RNA, said Wherry, a professor at Penns Perelman School of Medicine. Every time they copy themselves, there is a chance of a mistake  and unlike with double-stranded DNA, there is no second set of instructions as a backup. They dont have proofreading capability, he said.

Some mistakes make a virus less of a threat, while the effect of others is neutral. Still others may allow a virus to evade our defenses. This is a key reason we need a different flu shot every winter  that, and the fact that so many strains are in circulation worldwide, waxing and waning from year to year.

For the coronavirus, many vaccines in development contain all or part of its spike protein  those little knobs on the surface of each virus that it uses to grab onto, and infect, cells in the lungs.

The idea is that the immune system sees the protein and learns to block it in the event of a real infection. That makes sense, so long as the spike does not mutate much. But what if it does?

That is why some researchers, such as the Mayo Clinics Gregory A. Poland, are designing vaccines that contain several kinds of proteins from the coronavirus, not just the spike. The virus might shift enough to evade antibodies that are tailored to one type of protein, but odds are against it shifting enough to avoid four or five.

Were going to isolate pieces of all the proteins that the human immune cells see, he said. Well include all of them in our vaccine.

Traditional vaccines consist of weakened or inactivated forms of the virus in question, allowing the immune system to get a safe peek at the entire microbe.

Several of the coronavirus vaccines, on the other hand, consist of DNA  instructions for the body to make just a fragment of the virus. The goal was speed, given the rapid spread of disease.

At Inovio, scientists printed a preliminary version of a DNA vaccine in a few hours, and human tests began in April, with 40 volunteers split between Penn and Kansas City.

The DNA is inserted into skin cells with a device that a series of mild electric shocks, briefly opening micropores on the membranes of skin cells. While not painful, the sensation is a bit startling, said Anthony Campisi, one of 20 volunteers getting the vaccine at Penn.

It caused my muscles to involuntarily tense, he said.

Will that stimulate the same kind of response as a whole virus? In theory, yes, though no such vaccine has yet made it to market.

A different approach is underway at Thomas Jefferson University, where Matthias J. Schnell is fusing the coronavirus spike protein onto an existing vaccine with a long track record: the one that protects against rabies.

Something about that whole virus may stimulate a more lasting immune response, both to rabies and to the coronavirus protein that is attached, said Schnell, director of the Jefferson Vaccine Center. Among other advantages, this rabies vector can be dehydrated and stored without refrigeration, making it ideal for use in developing countries.

Poland, the Mayo Clinic researcher, called the use of rabies a very plausible approach.

But without testing, we cant predict the response to any of these approaches with certainty.

There are some immunologic secrets, he said, that have yet to be discovered.



2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer
Like Oklahoma, the state of Pennsylvania began medical marijuana sales in 2018. In recent months, the Pennsylvania Legislature filed bills to legalize recreational use with projected tax revenues of $500 million in the programs first year. With Pennsylvanias proximity to densely populated areas of Ohio, New York and New Jersey, $500 million in tax revenue is certainly realistic. Approximately 40 million people live within a 90-minute drive of the state and another 13 million live within its borders. Hence, there is a market roughly on par with that of Californias, which brought in $650 million in taxes last year from marijuana sales.

While $200 million would cover only a portion of our $1.3 billion state budget shortfall, it is hard to dismiss the relevance of such additional revenue. That $200 million, added to the state budget, would save thousands of jobs, prevent vital services from being cut and help mitigate the depletion of our rainy day fund. Likewise, visitors from other states will spend their money in Oklahoma, paying for gas, food and lodging, visiting our lakes, shopping at our malls, going to the theater or ballet, as they weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma City or smaller cities and towns closer to the borders. Such spending could generate a further $100 million in taxes. That brings us to a modest estimate of $300 million, almost one quarter of our current budget shortfall. Added to that, such an increase in the Oklahoma marijuana market would lead to additional businesses and jobs.
The weather kindly blessed the funeral of John Dallat, the SDLP MLA for East Derry. In the gentle sunshine the simple family funeral of John took place in Kilrea. Hundreds of local people - properly observing the social distancing guidance - lined the road and respectfully clapped as the cortege proceeded to St Mary's Church at Drumagarner.

Earlier, as his remains were removed by his family from his home in the village an uplifting rendition of We Shall Overcome was appropriately sung. This was a musical tribute to a politician who had in his lifetime sought to overcome sectarianism and destructive political violence.

This anthem reflected his unstinting commitment to creating a new type of partnership politics and building a non-sectarian, non-violent society in this part of Ireland. He was deeply committed to reconciling our divided people and building an Agreed Ireland in which its people were united through democratic persuasion, not by bomb or bullet. This was John's ardent desire.

His commitment to partnership politics was steadfast and at times unrewarding. He was first elected to a unionist-dominated Coleraine Council in 1977 along with another veteran of the SDLP, Sean Farren. Sean recalls John's sheer determination to promote power-sharing and partnership between the two traditions within the council area.

His election and that of his colleagues was a political shockwave at the time for a council dominated by unionism for decades.

Gradually and patiently, with a lot of coaxing and pushing, the council evolved into a partnership model and eventually even saw John being elected mayor of the borough in 2001.

As mayor he stretched out the hand of friendship to all and built new bridges throughout the community. He went where other mayors did not go and created a new political dynamic.

Inspired by the suggestion of a local Presbyterian missionary, he also established a civic link between Coleraine and Zomba in Malawi. This arrangement that he initiated received widespread support, particularly among the local churches. But it was typical of John to raise his sights beyond the local to a deserving international outreach.

By 1998 he was elected for East Derry with his colleague, the late Arthur Doherty, to the new power-sharing Assembly at Stormont.

In fact, at the time of his death, he was the sole surviving SDLP member from the first Assembly.

The Assembly was, of course, a fresh opportunity to develop the new political vision that he and the SDLP shared.

After years of political trench warfare and paramilitary violence there was at last, arising out of the Good Friday Agreement, another fresh start to our politics. It was in the words of SDLP leader John Hume a chance for politicians and people: "To spill our sweat, not our blood."

John took to that task like a fish to water and diligently contributed to the new, exciting challenge of the Assembly. There he worked tirelessly on the floor of the house addressing many issues and in committee, especially the Public Accounts Committee, where he forensically scrutinised the activities of myriad public bodies and civil servants. In 2007 he became a Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and in that role demonstrated great fairness and good humour in chairing the proceedings.

Despite all the disappointments and setbacks for the Assembly and its Executive, John remained committed to the ideal of partnership in overcoming the historic division within our society. He never lost faith in the quest for reconciliation that hardwired the Good Friday Agreement.

He was also dogged in pursuing difficult issues, such as the apprehension of the murderer of Inga Maria Hauser, an 18-year-old German backpacker, who in 1988 had only arrived in Ireland when she was murdered near Ballycastle.

It was a disappointment for John that her killer still had not been brought to justice at the time his serious illness occurred.

John enjoyed life and had many pursuits outside politics. His beloved 'Noa', a 50-year-old Morris Minor Traveller which he carefully rebuilt, was truly a labour of love. Originally a teacher, he was proud of that great vocation and, in fact, throughout his political journey remained in essence a teacher. But politics for him was not a career, rather a public duty.

As Fr John Cargan in his funeral tribute rightly stated, John was "a man of light", who had a passion for rights, fairness and equality, including the defence of the unborn.

People may see the history of the SDLP as that of the big hitters like Hume and Seamus Mallon, but while they have their pre-eminent position, John Dallat, in his own committed and special way, represented the very soul of the SDLP.
The Uttarakhand government has dismissed reports that migrants returning to the state in special trains were charged for the tickets. It asserted that Rs 1 crore was paid in advance to the railway ministry.

The governments information directorate has put details of payment made by the state government to Indian Railways and its communication with the Centre on running special trains to bring back its people stranded on other states.

Meharban Singh Bisht, director general (DG) information, said, The decision to put all the aforementioned information in public domain in a transparent manner was taken after a section of media had claimed on Tuesday that the state government didnt pay for the tickets of about 1,200 migrants who returned in a special train from Surat.

The officer added that the reports were an effort to tarnish the governments image.

Such reports were deliberately circulated by the section to malign the government which is tirelessly putting in all efforts to bring all the migrants back to home amid lockdown, said Bisht.

The DG said that in future also the information department will put all such information in the public domain if any misinformation is circulated against the government.

What happened was part of a sinister campaign by a section of the media which is against the state government which we will counter effectively in the same manner, he added.

Earlier today, cabinet minister and government spokesperson Madan Kaushik said the state government had paid in advance to the railways so that the migrants need not pay for the tickets for special trains.

Kaushik said, Our government is fully committed to bring all our migrants stranded in other states in buses or special trains. Till Tuesday, we have received about 2.02 lakh registrations to return to the state. So far we have succeeded in bringing about 63,000 migrants back home while following all the necessary precautions amid the pandemic.
Bhubaneswar, May 13 : Several US companies have expressed their interest for investment in Odisha, said an official on Wednesday.

The perspective investors interacted with chief secretary Asit Tripathy and other senior officers of the state under the leadership of Dr Mukesh Aghi, president and CEO of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).

Tripathy chaired the interactive session through video conference with the members of USISPF on Tuesday, said a statement.

The investors were from various sectors like energy, agri-business, nutrition, aviation, information technology, metals and renewable energy.

The leading industries which have shown interest in the interaction included ATC, Avaada Energy, Carirn Energy, Cisco, Exxon Mobil, Herbalife, HP, Mars, Microsoft, Oracle and Paypal, the statement said.

Replying to the queries of perspective investors, the chief secretary said, "Many of our industrial estates are now in green zone. As of now, around 60% of the industries are now running by virtue of adopting the COVID preventive measures." He said the state has followed policy consistency in matters of industrial promotion and now the state is on the verge of rolling out more progressive regulations in matters of land leasing, contract farming, direct farmer-market connect that will open new avenues of investment.

Industries secretary Hemant Sharma said Odisha is a pioneer state in having a stabilised single window clearance system for investment proposals.

The state has been among top-five lead states in ease of doing business, he added.

Electronics and Information Technology secretary Manoj Mishra said, "We have well developed electronic and manufacturing sector just close to the capital city. The state is rich with skilled manpower in electronic and IT." IANS

cd/rt
The Trump administration is not planning specific financial aid to beleaguered oil producers, Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette told Axios Wednesday.

Driving the news: The administration has taken a few narrow steps. But rumors have been rampant that the government was planning a drastic move ever since President Trump tweeted on April 21 that he ordered Brouillette and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to "formulate a plan which will make funds" available to the sector.

What they're saying: For the time being, the first steps weve taken are going to be what we do. Im not anticipating any broad strokes here beyond what weve already done, Brouillette said. Were not contemplating, as I sit here today, a specific second or third step. It may come if the results of the plan arent panning out the way we had hoped.

The big picture: Nearly all facets of the economy are struggling as Americans have stayed home for weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The oil industry has been facing the one-two punch of cratering demand and an early-March price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Catch up quick: Heres what the Trump administration has done to help the industry:

The Federal Reserve changed the rules to its new lending program on April 30 in a way that allows oil companies to qualify for the aid, a move Brouillette told Bloomberg TV on Tuesday came at least partly at the behest of the administration.

The Energy Department is allowing oil companies to store excess oil in the nations strategic reserves.

Trump and other officials across his administration were pushing Saudi Arabia, other members of the oil group OPEC, and Russia to broker across-the-board cuts in mid-April to help stabilize an imploding oil market.

Where it stands: Those cuts, along with the natural balancing of supply and demand in the market, have helped stabilize oil prices. U.S. oil prices briefly went negative on April 20, but since then both U.S. and global oil prices have been hovering around $20$30 a barrel.

Flashback: Brouillettes comments confirm what Politico reported last week  that as oil prices stabilized, the administrations focus on helping the sector has waned.

What were watching: Brouillette praised comments made recently by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) that support the government buying oil to fill the strategic reserve, per Politico. This move is more significant than the Energy Department allowing companies to temporarily store oil there.

We think those are positive steps, Brouillette said of Hoyers comments. I do think there is growing support for funding purchases for oil to put in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Go deeper: Oil sector poised to bounce back from the coronavirus
In the fight against the current pandemic, researchers of the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) at the University of Luxembourg are coordinating an international collaboration to build a COVID-19 Disease Map: a comprehensive repository incorporating all current knowledge on the virus-host interaction mechanisms. This online tool will support research and improve our understanding of the disease.

In an article published this week in Nature Scientific Data, the researchers present their project and call for contributions from the R&D community worldwide.

Leveraging over a decade of expertise in disease maps and community building, the LCSB researchers are organising this project as a rapid response to the current epidemic. 162 contributors from 25 countries around the world are now participating in a collaborative effort. Extracting and assembling data from the existing literature and the fast-growing number of COVID-19 publications thanks to a rigorous and efficient organisation, they are building a reliable knowledge repository.

The disease map will provide a graphical, interactive representation of the disease mechanisms and a computational resource for analyses and disease modelling. "This platform will allow domain experts, such as clinicians, virologists, and immunologists, to collaborate with data scientists and computational biologists for a precise formulation of models and accurate data interpretation," explains Prof. Reinhard Schneider, head of the Bioinformatics Core at the LCSB.

The way the COVID-19 Disease Map is being built is unique as the researchers have to rely on a distributed, multi-tool, multi-group approach dictated by emergency time-constraints of the ongoing pandemic. Only a collaboration between several research institutions and the combination of multiple areas of expertise can allow to tackle this challenge fast enough. "The response from the research community is already impressive, but we want to gain more visibility and attract new contributors," underlines Dr Marek Ostaszewski, member of the Bioinformatics Core and one of the coordinators of the disease map. "We invite curators to join the project and help building the repository." The researchers are also seeking input from practising physicians, clinicians and domain experts. They can help to review the map - its content and its scope - and to improve quality and applicability.

Such an open collaboration between clinical researchers, life scientists, pathway curators, computational biologists and data scientists makes it possible to build a trusted, reliable, and useful resource for all projects that are looking into COVID-19 disease mechanisms. The gathered knowledge will improve our understanding of gender, age, and other susceptibility features of the host, disease progression, defence mechanisms, and response to treatment. It will facilitate the development of efficient diagnostics and treatment strategies.

"This project paves the way for long-term community-based development of high-quality models and knowledge bases that will be useful both for the current and future epidemics," concludes Prof. Schneider.

###
AUSTIN, Texas, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the number of COVID-19 cases begins to flatten across the country, many experts are speculating about a second wave of illness that will stress the health systems this fall as the country enters into the normal flu season. However, other experts are warning of a second wave of medical crisis caused by COVID-19 that is happening now and strengthening quickly: the behavioral health surge.

XFERALL , a leading mobile application that automates the process of transferring acute and behavioral patients to inpatient psychiatric facilities, and Universal Health Services, Inc., one of the most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services with approximately 200 behavioral health facilities nationwide, urges medical professionals, referral sources and outreach organizations to act now to prepare for this swell.

There is a lot of evidence that supports XFERALL's and UHS's call for action. Suicide hotlines, including the federal crisis line Disaster Distress Hotline, have reported an increase of over 800 percent in calls since the pandemic started. A new national report detailing the psychological impacts of COVID-19 released by the Well Being Trust (WBT) and the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care project an additional 75,000 Americans could die due to "diseases of despair" (suicide, alcohol and drug overdoses) due to the COVID-19 crisis. As Chuck Ingoglia, president of the National Council for Behavioral Health, has publicly stated , "This is the greatest crisis to ever hit community mental-health and addiction-treatment providers."

However, concern lies with the fact that fewer acute behavioral health patients have been seeking help at the hospitals due to COVID-19 fears. "We have seen a reduction of approximately 15 percent in patients who have transferred from hospital Emergency Rooms to inpatient behavioral health hospitalization since the start of the pandemic," states Shana Palmieri, CCO for XFERALL. "In a time of a crisis, where personal lives are being impacted you expect to see an increase in patients presenting to hospitals in distress, but the opposite is happening. It's concerning to us that as stay-at-home restrictions lift and the curve flattens, hospitals and doctors' offices will be inundated with these patients."

Experts at UHS agree. "Individuals with current mental health issues may be fearful to seek professional help in the community at this time. These individuals may already be struggling to function on a daily basis. Add in new struggles exaggerated by the current COVID-19 situation, such as a job loss, problems with loved ones, or increased anxiety and individuals in recovery from addiction may be more tempted to drink or use again, leading to relapse. As the pandemic subsides, we are ready to meet a massive pent-up demand for behavioral health services and support," says Ethan Permenter, Divisional VP, Behavioral Health Division of UHS.

Both companies encourage hospitals and health officials as well as employer- and community-based referral sources to put measures in place today that will enable them to better identify and efficiently refer individuals who need help. Hospitals, particularly small, rural, facilities with little to no mental health staff, need to take a hard look at their current patient transfer methods and relationships with nearby inpatient behavioral health facilities. XFERALL's digital solution facilitates placement of patients into behavioral health treatment in a drastically shortened amount of time, which both enables the mental health patient to get care sooner and helps frontline nurses and doctors decongest their EDs to serve critically ill medical patients in the ER. XFERALL is waiving all implementation fees for hospitals joining their network during this time.

"It's critical that hospitals prepare for the surge of incoming mental health patients and establish an effective assessment and transfer program now so that patients in need of mental health services get the help they need," said Permenter. "Our facilities are highly focused on the health and safety of both patients and staff, and the delivery of high-quality patient care. That includes preparation for the wave to come."

About XFERALL

Based in Austin, TX, XFERALL is dedicated to helping hospitals improve patient transfers through the healthcare system to access clinically indicated care. The XFERALL mobile application and web-based platform is available at no-cost to healthcare providers to coordinate outbound patient transfer requests in order to improve access and quality of care for acute patients and for patients with a behavioral health condition. To learn more contact [email protected].

About Universal Health Services

One of the nation's largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services, Universal Health Services, Inc. has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. Growing steadily since our inception into an esteemed Fortune 500 corporation, annual revenues were $11.4 billion for 2019. In 2020, UHS was again recognized as one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune; in 2019, ranked #293 on the Fortune 500; and in 2017, listed #275 in Forbes inaugural ranking of America's Top 500 Public Companies.

Our operating philosophy is as effective today as it was 40 years ago, enabling us to provide high-quality care to our patients and their loved ones. Our strategy includes building or acquiring hospitals in rapidly growing markets, investing in the people and equipment needed to allow each facility to thrive, and becoming the leading healthcare provider in each community we serve.

Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, UHS has 90,000 employees and through its subsidiaries operates 26 acute care hospitals, 328 behavioral health facilities, 42 outpatient facilities and ambulatory care access points, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services located in 37 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.

Media Contact

Kira Perdue, Carabiner Communications

404-556-0062

[email protected]

SOURCE XFERALL

Related Links

https://www.xferall.com


Queenslands iconic brewer XXXX has shouted outback Queensland several beers, ahead of a broader reopening of the state from virus lockdowns.

A truck carrying 60 kegs, about 3000 litres of beer, will soon make its way to rural parts of the state, many of which have not seen any coronavirus cases.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Agricultural Industry Development Mark Furner close the covers on a shipment of beer bound for outback Queensland. Credit:Dan Peled

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk got in on the shout on Wednesday, making the announcement at Castlemaine Perkins' XXXX brewery in Milton.

"XXXX Gold will be travelling out west over 1000 kilometres going, of course, to places like Blackall, Barcaldine, Ilfracombe and Longreach," Ms Palaszczuk said.
A Birmingham police officer wounded in a shooting last year hopes to return to full duty by 2021.

Birmingham police officials presented Officer Cullen Stafford with a framed Stay in the Fight t-shirt that was signed by co-workers. Chief Patrick Smith, Assistant Chief Allen Treadaway, Deputy Chief Darnell Davenport, and Deputy Chief Scott Praytor attended the private ceremony.

The shooting happened July 17, 2019 while Stafford and other officers responded to a robbery at the Family Supermarket on 23rd Street North.

As officers arrived, they saw a suspect leaving the store. They attempted to stop him. The suspect then pulled out a handgun and opened fire.

What happened next has been described as a running gun battle through downtown streets. The path taken by the suspect is not yet definitive, but lawmen said he made a wide circle while trying to make his getaway, with shots exchanged with police on multiple occasions.

The shootout ended on 22nd Street North between Fifth and Sixth avenues. It is believed that is where Stafford was shot. Investigators think the suspect was crouched down in a row of hedges alongside a small parking deck when Stafford passed by him on the sidewalk and the suspect opened fire. Officers then returned fire.

Stafford was shot once in the face, twice in the torso, and multiple times in one leg. His fellow officers then loaded him into a police cruiser and rushed him to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center. The suspect  35-year-old Roderick Wilson  was killed by police. He died in a row of hedges along 22nd Street North.

Stafford spent more than a month ago in the hospital and then went to UABs Spain Rehabilitation Center. He was released Aug. 31 to continue his recovery from home.
In a gesture of humanity, HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, has responded to a request from a Grade-1 student at RAK Academy Al Hamra, to allow his mother to return to the UAE after she had been stuck in the United Kingdom for 52 days due to the Coronavirus travel restrictions.

"I was pleased today to respond to a letter from Archie, the British boy whose mother was prevented from returning from the UK to Ras Al Khaimah due to the current circumstances," said Sheikh Saud bin Saqr in his response to a letter handwritten by the boy, according to a Wam news agency report.

Archie Appleyard earlier wrote an emotive letter to Sheikh Saud, appealing for his mothers return. "It has been 52 sleeps now that I have been apart from my mother," the boy said in his letter.

"I feel so sad because we have never been apart for this long and all I dream and wish for is my mummy's return," he wrote.
WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged the Afghan government and Taliban to cooperate after grisly attacks on a maternity hospital and a funeral dealt a blow to US efforts to end the war.

Pompeo called the twin assaults "appalling" but noted that the Taliban, who signed a February 29 accord with the United States in his presence, denied responsibility.

"The Taliban and the Afghan government should cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice," Pompeo said in a statement.

"As long as there is no sustained reduction in violence and insufficient progress towards a negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan will remain vulnerable to terrorism."

The Islamic State group, which has jostled with the Taliban for influence, claimed responsibility for the attack on the police officer's funeral in eastern Afghanistan that killed at least 24 people.

The extremist movement made no mention of the raid on the hospital in Kabul that killed 14 people, including nurses and newborns.

President Donald Trump has been eager to end America's longest war and began pulling troops after the Leap Year accord with the Taliban, who agreed to reduce violence and not target Western forces, although they have kept attacking Afghan troops.

Following the latest bloodbath, President Ashraf Ghani ordered security forces to resume offensive operations against the Taliban as well as other insurgents.

The forces of the internationally backed government had been observing a unilateral posture of only reacting defensively to Taliban attacks.

The US military made clear that it would not join the Kabul government and keep observing its truce with the Taliban.

"The US military will continue to conduct defensive strikes against the Taliban when they attack our (Afghan) partners," said Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Campbell, a Pentagon spokesman.

"This is going to be a windy, bumpy road, but a political agreement is the best way to end the war," he said, quoting a recent statement by Defence Secretary Mark Esper.  AFP
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 20:29:26|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the country's biggest commercial lender, promised to offer no less than 300 billion yuan (about 42.33 billion U.S. dollars) of financing support for the development of key sectors in central China's Hubei Province in the next two years.

The aid package will be used in various financing services, including loans, bonds and consulting, as an attempt to optimize the system for public health and disease prevention in Hubei and ramp up the resumption of work by companies, according to the cooperation agreement inked between the ICBC and the provincial government of Hubei Wednesday.

By the end of April, the bank financed 33.1 billion yuan for key enterprises in Hubei and issued loans worth 544.6 billion yuan for 25,800 companies, to help them tide over difficulties with a precise approach. Enditem
Agthia Group, one of the regions leading food and beverages companies, announced a partnership with the Emirates Red Crescent to provide the delivery of staple food items to community members amidst the health situation.

This Agthia Wholehearted Giving CSR initiative is part of the Groups continued efforts to contribute to society and is being driven through a campaign which calls for solidarity and involvement of the community to contribute relief during the crisis.

The campaign started on April 5, 2020, and the boxes donated will provide people with essential food products such as water, flour, oil, pasta, tomato paste, amongst other items.

Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri, Agthia Group Acting CEO, said: We are proud to launch this initiative to provide relief at a time like this through our continued partnership with the Red Crescent, reinforcing our commitment to community support. On behalf of Agthia Group, we wish everyone health and wellbeing as we face this challenge together.

Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, Deputy Secretary-General of Local Affairs of Emirates Red Crescent, said: Our continued partnership with Agthia is paramount as this initiative will provide relief to our society. We continue to work together with organisations to support humanitarian relief, and our work on Agthias Wholehearted Giving campaign is a testament to our commitment to society.

The initiative calls on other organisations to encourage their support in any capacity possible during such times. In addition, the boxes will be also be available to purchase for donation through our Agthias 1971 stores across the UAE.

This launch of the Wholehearted Giving initiative comes at a time when Agthia continues to deploy measures to secure food, water, and other household essentials in alignment with Emirates Red Crescent. -- Tradearabia News Service
It is very likely that some of the 10,000 unexplained additional deaths in care homes in April were due to coronavirus, deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries has said.

Dr Harries comment raises the prospect that the true death toll of the outbreak in the UK could be significantly higher than the official figure of 33,186.

Labour leader Keir Starmer today challenged Boris Johnson over the 26,000 fatalities in care homes recorded by the Office for National Statistics last month - a staggering three times the normal rate for April, of whom only 8,000 are officially recorded as Covid-19 deaths.

Mr Johnson acknowledged that the statistics indicated a tragedy that has been taking place in care homes but gave no explanation of the disparity between the ONS and government figures.

But speaking later at the daily Downing Street coronavirus briefing, Dr Harries said that the 8,000 figure covered only people who had been confirmed by laboratory tests as having contracted coronavirus.

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 the case of a further 10,000 additional deaths no test for Covid had taken place, she said. And she made clear that there are also likely to have been coronavirus deaths elsewhere in the community which went unrecorded because of the lack of a test.

Some of them (the 10,000) may well have had Covid, she said. Some of them may have had other issues. Thats why we look at the whole excess mortality.

It is very likely that some of these individuals had Covid and that may apply to other parts of the population as well. The important thing is whether they had appropriate care and treatment.

Dr Harries backed Mr Johnson in saying that the true death toll from coronavirus, allowing international comparisons to be made, will not be known until the total excess mortality over the period of the outbreak is calculated.

Although she said she was delighted to discuss data on the impact of the disease, Dr Harries said a fair comparison must include information on the total number of additional deaths above what would be expected for the time of year, weighted to take into account varying age profiles in different countries.

The pandemic is still moving at different times through different countries, so the time to do this on an international scale will be to look back, probably in 12 months hence still, and then do the comparison, she said.

It is always good to keep looking on the way and to see if we can learn, and we do that, but thats the time to do it and it will be all-cause mortality.

Challenging Mr Johnson over care home death rates at prime ministers questions in the House of Commons, Sir Keir said: The ONS records the average number of deaths in care homes each month. For the last five years the average for April has been just over 8,000.

This year the number of deaths in care homes for April was a staggering 26,000  thats three times the average  18,000 additional deaths this April.

Using the Governments figures only 8,000 are recorded as Covid deaths, that leaves 10,000 additional and unexplained care home deaths this April.

Now I know the Government must have looked into this so can the Prime Minister give us the Governments views on these unexplained deaths?

Mr Johnson responded: The Office of National Statistics is responsible for producing the data that they have, the government had also produced data which not only shows that there has been, as I said, a terrible epidemic in care homes but since the care homes action plan began we are seeing an appreciable and substantial reduction, not just in the number of outbreaks but also in the number of deaths.
NORWALK  The Common Council voted to approve a $153.8 million capital budget, despite concerns about the about potential financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The council voted 13-1 to approve the capital budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year that includes $100 million in school building projects. Council member Barbara Smyth recused herself from the vote as the capital budget includes $50.28 million for a new building at Norwalk High School where she is a teacher.

Council member Tom Keegan was the sole dissenting vote of the budget. Keegan pointed out neighboring municipalities are cutting their budgets given the financial impact many residents may be feeling from losing their jobs or income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These are very, very different times, nothing that any of us are prepared for, Keegan said. Everyone else is making cuts. We have people out of work, people who may not be able to pay taxes. ... I think we are being a bit aloof and were walking about with not a care in the world and I dont know why we think were different, because I dont think we are.

Council members Tom Livingston and David Heuvelman also expressed concerns about the budget and the need for future adjustments, pending financial shifts due to the pandemic.

Mayor Harry Rilling pointed out the capital budget gives the city bond authorization for these amounts, an option they dont need to take. He also said some of the projects will boost the economy.

Its not an authorization to spend, Rilling said. Nobody knows more than I do about the need to be frugal and making thorough decisions. If we dont move some of these forward, they cant move forward at all.

Norwalk Chief Financial Officer Henry Dachowitz also reassured the council, saying Norwalk was in better shape than surrounding municipalities given that most of the citys revenue comes from property taxes.

I inherited a very financially strong city, Dachowitz said. We had a discipline when it comes to what we invest in and making sure we get a good return on investment. Thats why weve weathered this storm better than neighbors.

erin.kayata@hearstmediact.com
Related Egyptian MP contracts coronavirus

At least 12 Egyptian members of parliament had come into direct contact with a parliamentarian who tested positive for the coronavirus and will undergo tests, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Soliman Wahdan said.

The infected parliamentarian, Sherine Farag, attended the last plenary session of the 596-seat assembly on 4 May, and took part in a meeting of parliament's Budget and Planning Committee, Wahdan said in TV comments on Tuesday.

Parliament is working to trace other MPs who had come into contact with Farag and will announce the results in the next two days, Wahdan said.

He added that parliament will convene on Sunday as scheduled while taking the necessary precautionary measures. He ruled out the possibility of holding the parliamentary session via video conference due to the lack of technical capabilities for that.

Parliament resumed sessions on 29 April after more than a month of suspension over coronavirus fears.

Wahdan urged all MPs to abide by health guidelines and wear face masks before attending the House of Representatives' meetings.

Farag, a member of the Houses African Affairs Committee, is quarantined at Cairo's Kasr El-Einy Hospital.

An assistant professor of medical engineering, Farah is one of 28 MPs appointed to the House by presidential decree in 2015.

Egypt has reported 10,093 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 544 deaths. The country detected its first coronavirus case in mid-February.



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A fire in a hospital treating coronavirus victims claimed the lives of five patients and forced the evacuation of 150 people in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Tuesday, further testing the Russian government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic amid a growing crisis that has reached the Kremlin's inner circle.

The St. Petersburg fire broke out on the sixth floor of an intensive care unit at the St. George Hospital, killing five coronavirus patients connected to ventilating equipment, the TASS news agency reported, citing medical personnel.

According to initial findings, the fire may have been caused by a short circuit in a ventilator or its malfunction, state news agencies said. The Investigative Committee, Russia's top law enforcement body, said a criminal investigation had been opened into the matter.

The grim news from St. Petersburg was quickly overshadowed by the disclosure that Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin's longtime spokesperson, had been hospitalized with coronavirus.

Peskov told Russian state news agency TASS that the last time he had seen the President in person was "over a month ago," but the news follows the hospitalisation of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin for coronavirus and is likely to intensify concerns about Putin's own health.

Tuesday's fire in St. Petersburg was the second fatal incident in days involving a hospital treating coronavirus patients. On Saturday, a blaze erupted in an intensive-care wing of a Moscow coronavirus hospital, killing one person and forcing the evacuation of patients, Russian state news agencies and officials stated.

While investigations are ongoing in both incidents, a law-enforcement official told TASS that officials were examining the ventilators involved in Saturday's and Tuesday's incidents, saying they were produced by the same Russian manufacturer.

Those incidents occurred as the spread of coronavirus appears to be cresting. Russia reported 10,899 more coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 232,243. The country is now ranked second in the world for confirmed cases, behind the US, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Moscow is the worst hit city in Russia, with 121,301 cases.

Putin under fire

Coronavirus has become a cascading crisis for Putin. In March, oil prices collapsed after Saudi Arabia launched a price war against Russia, its onetime ally in energy markets. The immediate trigger was Russia's refusal to sign on to an OPEC proposal to prop up oil markets by extending production cuts. Russia and Saudi Arabia subsequently struck a new production-cut deal, but oil prices -- an important source of income for the Russian government -- are still very depressed, having been battered by the slump in economic activity caused by the pandemic.

That's raised serious questions among Russia watchers about the Kremlin's ability to respond to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Putin is already under fire for refusing to tap a rainy-day fund created by previously high energy prices to revive the economy, particularly small businesses.

In televised remarks Monday, Putin said his priority was "getting the economy back on track as soon as possible."

But Putin appears distant and detached as he presides remotely over the government's response to coronavirus from his residence at Novo-Ogaryovo. Russians may be used to seeing an image of Putin that is carefully managed by the Kremlin's PR machine, but his appearances in video conferences project very little macho swagger.

And his management style has been curiously passive. On Monday, Putin said the government would begin lifting nationwide "non-working days" -- the official shorthand for paid holidays for Russian employees -- around the country.

But Putin has delegated the difficult work of easing lockdown to regional governors, who must decide when conditions are right to lift restrictive measures. And that's where the seriousness of the crisis is reflected: local leaders have already moved to prolong lockdown measures.

That's clear in the capital, where Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced that restrictions would remain in place until May 31. Moscow authorities have tightened the rules by mandating the wearing of masks and gloves in public.

The reasons for this are clear: The public-health crisis has been severe. Moscow saw a year-on-year surge in its monthly mortality rate in April, as well as compared to the April average for the past decade, according to data released by the city's civil register office.

In an interview on state news channel Rossiya-24, the Moscow mayor said screening studies found that infection rates were around three times higher than the officially confirmed number. And in St. Petersburg, scene of Tuesday's fire, cases also continue to rise -- according to Russia's coronavirus headquarters, the city now has 8,050 confirmed cases, adding 339 over the past 24 hours.
Uber's logo is pictured at its office in Bogota

By Tina Bellon

(Reuters) - Uber Technologies, Inc. <UBER.N> on Wednesday said it will require drivers, delivery workers and riders globally to wear a mask as countries around the world begin easing restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

Beginning on Monday, the company will require everyone using its ride-hailing service in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe and most Latin American and Asian countries to wear some form of face covering and ask passengers to sit in the back.

The company will also lower the number of passengers allowed on its standard Uber rides to three from four.

Uber will release updates to its driver and rider app to inform users about the changes, executives said during a call with journalists on Wednesday.

Repeated failure to comply with the requirement can lead to account deactivation for both riders and drivers, the executives said.

Before starting their work each day, the app will require drivers to take a selfie with a mask, verify that they do not exhibit any coronavirus symptoms, confirm that they have sanitized their vehicles and agree to roll down windows during rides.

Uber's Senior Director of Product Management Sachin Kansal said the company was also looking at adding selfie verifications for riders.

Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi on Wednesday said that the company has allocated more than $50 million to buy masks and sanitizers for drivers.

Uber has acquired more than 20 million face masks and distributed some five million of them to date, Kansal said on the call.

Driver advocacy groups have criticized Uber and its smaller U.S. rival Lyft, Inc. <LYFT.O> for placing the burden on drivers to buy disinfectants and ensure safety.

Lyft last week announced it would require drivers and riders to wear face coverings.

Asked whether Uber would provide financial assistance to drivers in need of cleaning supplies, Kansal did not provide a direct answer but said the company's thinking was "constantly evolving."

Kansal also said that drivers were free to pay for and install plastic division sheets in their cars.

Story continues

Didi, a Chinese ride-sharing company, is paying to install plastic barriers in cars in Beijing to protect riders and drivers.

Uber's ride-hailing service, which is available in more than 900 cities worldwide, is seeing a gradual increase in ridership in May from pandemic-induced lows in April, the company said last week.

(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
One of the world's oldest bottles of Cognac is expected to fetch an eye-watering 160,000 at auction after a mystery family kept it hidden in a cellar for years.

The 258-year old French brandy dates back to 1762, the same year Catherine the Great become empress of Russia.

It is one of just three lucrative Gautier Cognac 1762 bottles in the world to have survived since then, with experts promising that the brandy has 'maintained its character' and still tastes good.

The bottle has been 'untouched for generations' and spent the past 140 years hidden in a mystery family's cellar, complete with its original label.

The frayed and worn original label of the 1762 spirit remains in tact on the bottle, which has only been opened once and expects to fetch up to 160,000 at auction

The rare bottle is the largest of a trio held in secret for 140 years by a mystery unnamed family

The sellers' 19th century ancestors adopted a son who later went to work in the Cognac region of France.

He was forced to return in 1880 after an insect infestation wiped out vineyards and wine production across mainland Europe, and put him out of a job.

The bottle dates back to the same year that Catherine the Great (above) was crowned Empress of Russia

The man was given a 'huge cart full of bottles of Cognac' as a form of payment, which was 'quite normal' in that era, Sotheby's spirits specialist Jonny Fowle said.

The bottles were already 'very old' even back then so the family decided to keep three as heirlooms.

The 'Petite Soeur' is the smallest of the trio and is currently on display at Maison Gautier in Cognac.

The 'Petit Frere' was sold in 2014 at auction in New York for 48,000, and the up-for-grabs 'Grand Frere' is the largest of these bottles.

The auctioned spirit was first opened in 2014 and has maintained a 'really good' condition', Fowle added, with very little evaporation.

Most bottles of Cognac last just six months after they've been opened.

'We can assume the alcohol level in it is pretty high and that would have acted as a preservative for hundreds of years. The liquid in the bottle would have maintained its character', he added.

Family distillery Maison Gautier obtained a Royal Warrant to produce Cognac from King Louis XV just seven years before the bottle was produced.

The Cognac will go under the hammer at Sotheby's online sale which is open for bidding between 14 May and 28 May.

Other items up for auction include a whisky expected to fetch 100,000 and all items are expected to reach a total 1.1 million.


The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff.

Mr Ibrahim, a former minister of External Affairs between 1984 and 1985, replaces Abba Kyari who died of COVID-19 complications in April.

The retired diplomat hails from Ilorin, Kwara State. His appointment was officially announced by the Presidency on Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Mr Tinubu, in a statement on Wednesday, said Mr Gambari, a professor of political science, is a prudent choice at this crucial moment.

The appointment of Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari is a laudable one. Prof. Gambari is a renowned diplomat, statesman and scholar who has served this nation in many important positions.

His intellect, broad experience and skills in administration and diplomacy have adequately prepared and equipped him for the important job he now has. I congratulate Professor Gambari on his selection and commend President Buhari for making such a thoughtful and prudent choice at this crucial moment.

Mr Tinubu said the new aide would help President Buhari advance his policy and governance priorities just as he did in the past when he served as Minister of External Affairs in the 1980s.

The former Lagos State governor said he had known Mr Gambari for a while and he is not a stranger to the ruling party.

My personal knowledge of Chief of Staff Gambari is that he is an erudite man who knows and loves this country and who strongly believes in the Nigerian project and President Buharis change agenda. He is no stranger to our party, APC, and its progressive national vision.

Over a long and illustrious career, Prof. Gambari has proved his mettle nationally and internationally. His resume takes a back seat to none. He distinguished himself as an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and as the Secretary-Generals Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar and Special Representative in Angola.

He however noted that the recent appointment is a tough assignment for Mr Gambari, perhaps the hardest he has had.

But he is a special person with great attributes. He will meet the challenge by discharging his duties with excellence and high purpose, Mr tinubu stated.

Other reactions

Many other prominent Nigerians have also reacted to the appointment of Mr Gambari.

Those who have congratulated the new aide include former Senate President Bukola Saraki and a former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Mr Saraki said Mr Gambari is a decent man, a cerebral academic, disciplined diplomat who is coming in with the necessary pedigree that will help him to do well on the job.

I have no doubt that he will succeed on this onerous assignment. I urge all Nigerians to give him all the support that he needs to perform in office, He posted on Twitter.

Former governor, Mr Ahmed, applauded President Buhari for appointing Mr Gambari.

According to a statement he issued on Wednesday, Mr Ahmed believes that Mr Gambaris exemplary stint as Minister for Foreign Affairs Affairs during President Buharis tenure as Head of State provided the President with a first-hand insight into Mr Gambaris leadership qualities.

Given these antecedents, I know that Prof Gambari will prove a stellar and loyal anchor for the President in this new assignment.

Some state governors also expressed delight at the recent appointment.

Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong expressed confidence in Mr Gambari, saying, I have no doubt that he will bring all this to bear in assisting the President to deliver his promises to Nigerians.

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, also commended Mr Buhari for his choice of such a consummate professional as his Chief of Staff.

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- The last time Tanzania announced COVID-19 cases was on Wednesday, April 29, where the national tally stood at 480

- President John Magufuli has been downplaying the alarming health crisis in the country and urging Tanzania to continue with their work normally

- The US embassy, however, said the situation was dire and urged its citizens to take precautionary measures

The embassy of the United States (US) in Tanzania has warned its citizens of high cases of coronavirus in the country and urged them to take precautionary measures.

Tanzania has not released any data on COVID-19 cases since Wednesday, April 29, with President John Magufuli repeatedly downplaying the alarming health crisis.

READ ALSO: Tabitha Karanja: Another blow as court orders bereaved Keroche boss to pay KRA KSh 500M

President John Pombe Magufuli has downplayed health crisis in the country and urged Tanzanians to continue with their work normally. Photo: Pombe Magufuli.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Bomet: 16 family members quarantined after man dies of COVID-19

In a statement released on Wednesday, May 13, the embassy said hospitals in Dar es Salaam and other parts of Tanzania were overwhelmed with patients.

The US warned citizens that the risk of contracting COVID-19 in Dar es Salaam was "extremely high".

"Despite limited reports, all evidence points to the exponential growth of the epidemic in Dar and other locations in Tanzania.

The embassy has strongly recommended that the US government has strongly recommended that its personnel and their families remain at home except for essential activities," read the statement by the US embassy.

Magufuli has been criticised by the international community including the World Health Organisation (WHO) for failing to take drastic measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The Tanzania leader has been adamant that his country would overcome the pandemic through God's intervention and has been encouraging citizens to continue with their work normally.

Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli. Photo: Pombe Magufuli.

Source: Facebook

He recently suspended head of Tanzania Health Laboratories Nyambura Moremi for allegedly presiding over exaggerated results of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Magufuli ordered for the disciplinary action after he alleged samples from fruits such as pawpaw tested positive for coronavirus after being sneaked through the laboratories as samples from human beings.

He encouraged local herbalists to try and find drugs for COVID-19 and even recently embraced the traditional medicine from Madagascar as cure for the virus.

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.

I have to provide for my husband and seven children - Beatrice Ouma | Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Over the last two months, the Government of Canada has announced a slew of measures to help Canadians combat the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced additional financial support targeted to Canadian retirees.

The Canadian government has already invested $1.3 billion in a one-time special payment through the GST (goods and services tax) credit in April. Over 4 million seniors benefitted from this plan. On average, seniors received $375. This figure stood at $510 for senior couples.

Yesterday, Trudeau announced additional financial support of $2.5 billion for seniors. This is a one-time tax-free payment of $300 for seniors eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension. Seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will receive an additional $200. This will provide up to $500 in support to individuals who are eligible for the OAS and GIS. There are 6.7 million seniors eligible for the OAS and 2.2 million are eligible for the GIS.

The maximum OAS payout stands at $613.53

The OAS is Canadas largest pension program. Its funded from the countrys general tax revenue and is a monthly payment to people over the age of 65. The OAS payout depends on several factors including the length of your stay in Canada. The maximum monthly payment for an OAS pension holder is $613.53.

Seniors should not just rely on the above-mentioned financial support. You need to ensure another stream of recurring income to supplement these payouts. One way to support these payouts and increase wealth is by investing in dividend-paying stocks.

Invest in recession-proof utility stocks

Utility stocks are considered recession-proof, as people are likely to keep paying their gas and electricity bills. This ensures a steady stream of cash flows for utility companies that allows them to keep paying dividends even in uncertain macro-economic conditions.

Canadian Utilities (TSX:CU) is one such stock that is ideal for income investors. With $20 billion in assets and over 4,600 employees, Canadian Utilities is a diversified global energy infrastructure company.

Story continues

CU is a Dividend Aristocrat with a long history of dividend payouts. It has increased dividends for 48 consecutive years. The stock is currently trading at $31.4, which is 27% below its 52-week high.

However, the recent pullback means that Canadian Utilities has a forward yield of a tasty 5.55%. This means a $10,000 investment in the stock will result in annual dividend payments of $555. Its dividend payout is reasonably safe as the company is resilient to economic cycles.

About 95% of CUs adjusted earnings in 2019 came from its regulated utility business. The regulated nature of Canadian utilities business ensures stable earnings and cash flows. This which makes a dividend cut highly unlikely. A quality dividend stock helps generate predictable cash flows. It also provides investors with an opportunity to grow wealth via capital appreciation and is ideal to support pension payments such as the OAS.

The post Retirees: Supplement Your OAS and GIS With This New Response Plan and Dividend Stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Aditya Raghunath has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 13, 2020 18:42 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7daa4a 1 National Military-police-politics,MilitaryOperations,police,Terrorism-Law,Perpres-presidential-regulation,Jokowi,TNI,house-of-representatives,Indonesian-Military Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has proposed involving military forces to strengthen Indonesia's fight against terrorism through a presidential regulation (Perpres) that was submitted to the House of Representatives on Monday.

The Perpres is a follow up to Article 43 of Law No. 5/2018 on terrorism, stipulating the Indonesian Military (TNI) may be deployed in combating acts of terrorism, which should be regulated through a Perpres.

The move has been widely criticized, with activists warning that the TNIs involvement would contradict the 2004 TNI Law and could pose a danger to law enforcement and human rights in Indonesia.

Arsul Sani, a member of the House Commission III overseeing legal affairs, said the Indonesian paradigm of combating terrorism was based on law enforcement practices through the criminal justice system. Therefore, the existence of Article 43 was debatable when the President issued the Perpres.

"The House hopes that the Perpres only accommodates ongoing [law enforcement] efforts. We are aware that the TNI and the police have been cooperating well, for example, in the Tinombala operation," he said.

Read also: Indonesian Military expected to play greater role in counterterrorism

He added that he was not opposed to the TNIs involvement in combating terrorism, but the Perpres did not have a clear framework, which would contradicts Indonesias political paradigm for its fight against terrorism.

The TNIs involvement should be based on the scale of the threats, not by events like in the Perpres. We see that in modern democratic countries in Europe, there have been some cases of the military backing the police and vice versa, depending on the scale [of the threat], said Asrul.

Article 9 of the regulation, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post, stipulates that the TNI's functions in terrorism enforcement include attacks against the President and Vice President and their families, former presidents and vice presidents and their families, high-ranked state guests in the country, Indonesians abroad and representatives from other countries or international organizations in Indonesia.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and civil groups that focus on the issue of human rights said the Perpres had given a broad and excessive mandate to the TNI, adding that the military would not be subject to general justice.

Choirul Anam of Komnas HAM said such a mandate could endanger law enforcement practices in combating terrorism, which may result in human rights violations.

Read also: Jokowi inaugurates new antiterror agency chief despite criticism

"The involvement of the TNI in combating terrorism should only be in military operations other than war and should only assist the police, cant be permanent and must depend on the situation.

Al Araf of rights watchdog Imparsial said the Perpres should regulate a clear authority of the TNI as it is prone to be abused. He cited Article 3 of the regulation that allowing the TNI to carry out counterterrorism functions through intelligence activities and/or territorial operations, information operations and other operations.

However, the regulation does not provide a more detailed explanation related to the "other operations".

"With this provision, the TNI can be involved in handling criminal acts of terrorism both in the country and abroad. Therefore, it has the potential to endanger human rights in Indonesia," he said.
As a sophomore at West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Shravani Bagawde searched to find her place.

She knew that she wanted to be involved, but wasnt sure how or where.

She came up with a solution.

Shed sign up for nearly every club the school offered and cut out the ones she didnt like as the year went on.

The plan worked to perfection and by the time June came around, Bagawde had found her passion in the arts and social advocacy.

It didnt take her long to make her mark and as the junior took on a leadership position in Students Demand Action, a club to raise awareness about gun violence, and became heavily involved with the arts - all while keeping a 4.6 GPA.

Id rather invest all of my energy into a few clubs than spread it out to a whole bunch, Bagawde said. That allowed me to do my best work and provide as much as possible to the clubs and activities that I was the most passionate about.

And when Bagawde is passionate about something, extraordinary things follow.

Her positional in Students Demand Action prompted her to be heavily involved with the schools Gun Violence Awareness Day. She even got to show off her artistic side and designed t-shirts to help spread awareness.

Being a social advocate not only allowed Bagawde to find her voice but showed her that she could be a part of the change.

When youre part of something bigger than yourself and youre able to advocate on issues and see results come through after you and your peers put in so much hard work, its extremely powerful, she said. I really value being part of social change.

While being a social advocate took some time, the arts were always a strong part of Bagawdes life.

Her parents, Leena Thakar-Bagawde and Shekhar Bagawde, are artists so she grew up in an environment where art was extremely important. Halfway through high school, she began to enroll in art classes and made her parents passion into her own.

The more I got involved in high school, the more I felt that art is really a place where I felt at home, she said. The way that the art community welcomed me was great and helped me realize that this is a really special part of the school.

She hit the ground running in the art community, always finding ways to use her passion to give back to her community. She spent hours creating homecoming decorations and designing posters and programs for the many theater productions.

She did more than just come up with beautiful designs to promote plays and served as the head producer of West Windsor-Plainsboro Souths theater performances.

Her final musical, Guys and Dolls, was one that Bagawde will always remember fondly not just because it was her last at South, but also because of the responsibility she was given as a leader.

As a senior, you really see a lot of growth in yourself and your peers, she said. I was able to have assistants that I was in charge of and delegate work to. To grow as a leader and be involved in this community is really valuable because you learn a lot about what it takes to be part of something so much bigger than yourself.

Bagawde was a student that rarely said no.

Whether it was helping out a fellow student, putting in extra hours to make a fundraiser happen or aiding a teacher in need, she was always ready to step up to the plate.

When secretary Karen Morgan retired, guidance councilor Mary Fregosi asked for Bagawdes help to create a farewell card. She was expecting something nice and well done, but small.

Bagawde had other things in mind.

What she produced was so phenomenal, Fregosi said. She made an extra large card. The West Windsor South pirate logo was meticulously done with every detail perfect. You could tell that she put a lot of time and effort into it, and she was so honored to make it. That was something that I always admired her for.

In a school known for math and sciences, Bagawde navigated her way through the arts to inspire many students and staff members around her.

She really represents the arts side of our school that some people forget about, Principal Dennis Lepold said. We have a lot of really talented art students and shes one of the best.

Senior year for the Class of 2020 didnt go as planned due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bagawde will likely be graduating virtually before heading to the Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York to study communication design.

While the conclusion of her high school career didnt quite go as planned, Bagawde has used her new-found free time to sit back and reflect on the person that she has become.

This had made me thankful for the little things like the opportunity to go to lunch with my friends, going on drives or going to parks, she said. "I think that everyone else is feeling that. Ive realized that it is ok to appreciate the little things in life.

Nominate a Mercer County senior for our Class of 2020 profiles by emailing Richard Greco at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

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.

Richard Greco covers Mercer County news for NJ.com and may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Richard_V_Greco. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The coordinator of the response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak has hit back at the suggestion that the Trump White House was not left a game plan for dealing with a pandemic by the Obama administration.

The accusation was made by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in an interview with Lara Trump earlier this week.

Ron Klain, the Ebola czar for President Barack Obama, responded on Twitter on Tuesday. He wrote: I've had people tweet at me in the past 24 hours: Did the pandemic playbook really exist? Was it really a clearly marked "playbook"? Would it have helped?

Here's the cover, and the table of contents. You decide, Mr Klain added, attaching an image of the first two pages of the playbook.

The 69-page National Security Council document outlines a full set of strategies for dealing with a pandemic  from detecting outbreaks, to securing funding, and making use of the Defence Production Act.

Politico reported in March that the Trump Administration had even been briefed on the document in 2017. Donald Trump disbanded the White House pandemic response team the following year.

Officially called The Playbook for Early Response to High-Consequence Emerging Infectious Disease Threats and Biological Incidents, the playbook provides decision makers with step-by-step instructions regarding questions to ask, agency counterparts to consult for answers, and key decisions to be made at each stage of an outbreak.

The executive summary outlines the goal of the playbook as being to assist US government experts and leaders in coordinating a complex US government response to a high-consequence emerging disease threat anywhere in the world with potential to cause an epidemic, pandemic, or other significant public health event.

Mr Klains followers were quick to reply with links to the whole document and even a previous plan, The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan from 2006.

In addition to making spurious claims regarding the lack of an existing pandemic plan, Senator McConnell is also under fire for other comments he made in the same interview. He declined to support another sweeping coronavirus relief package, saying he hasnt yet felt the urgency of acting immediately.

Democrats reacted furiously to Mr McConnells comments. Senator Cory Booker tweeted: 83,000 people are dead. 1.4 million Americans have become infected. 30 million workers have filed for unemployment. How much more suffering could you possibly need to see to be convinced that more help is urgently needed?
US Mercenaries Went Ahead With Venezuela Invasion Despite Being Outed on TV Weeks Earlier  Video

Sputnik News

12:38 GMT 12.05.2020(updated 12:56 GMT 12.05.2020)

The fallout continues from 'Operation Gideon', the brazen May 3-4 attempt by a US security contractor to invade Venezuela, kidnap its president and take him back to the United States. The White House remains in damage control mode, denying any responsibility for the plot while seeking to bring the captured US mercenaries involved back home.

Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's Constituent Assembly and second-in-command of the United Socialist party of Venezuela, the Latin American nation's ruling party, revealed details about who was behind the botched mercenary invasion over month before it took place.

Cabello laid out the details of the plot on March 28 on Venezuelan national television. However, the presentation, which proved surprisingly prescient, detailed, and accurate, received almost no media attention at the time, and has been picked up by only one major UK outlet since.

In the programme, Cabello stands before a pair of large cork boards and a chart featuring the photos and names showing the elaborate ties between opposition figures, defectors from the military, weapons stocks in Colombia, and three 'gringo' Americans in the middle of it all, agents dubbed 'Yordan,' 'Lut' and 'Aro'.

'Agente Yordan' is revealed to be none other than Jordan Goudreau, the former US Green Beret trooper and Silvercorp USA founder. Cabello presents several photos of the soldier turned soldier of fortune, and mentions Silvercorp by name.

Diosdado Cabello discloses evidence of a mercenary plot against Venezuela, holding up an image of Jordan Goudreau, founder of Silvercorp USA.

Details of Silvercorp's ties to opposition leader Juan Guaido are also mentioned as are the opposition leader's suspected attempts to hire a mercenary force to launch an invasion from Colombia to "liberate" Venezuela.

"Without a doubt [Silvercorp] is a shell company that gives services to others, that's how they do it. It's a front for the CIA," Cabello suggests. "The reality is that Silvercorp USA is used to undertake clandestine operations in various countries in the world, especially to finance groups of mercenaries and destabilize legitimate governments," he adds.

Cabello goes on to indicate that authorities have information about the participation of two other Americans, later revealed to be former Green Berets Luke Denman and Airan Berry, in the plot. The pair of Americans were captured by Venezuelan special forces last week, and later revealed plans to kidnap President Maduro and take him back to the United States for prosecution on trumped up drug smuggling charges.

The scope of the information provided by Cabello was extensive, and included details on connections between the plot and former Venezuelan military officials and opposition politicians, as well as photos of individual actors, details on their recent interactions, and information on their vehicles and where they lived.

Cabello's Glenn Beck-style connect-the-dots presentation came just a day after former Venezuelan army Maj. General Cliver Alcala Cordones, described as the ringleader of Venezuelan army deserters, handed himself over for extradition to the US on March 27 in Colombia. Prior to his extradition, Alcala had been detained by Colombian police after a major weapons cache was found near his home.

Commenting on Alcala's extradition, Cabello indicated that the arrest appeared to indicate that "the operation suffered a serious blow," adding that if it had moved forward, "we were going to give them a surprise. The best thing that happened was that the arms were taken, because if they hadn't, we would have been waiting for them with a lesson they would never forget."

But surprisingly, the operation did go forward, and between May 3-4, between six and eight mercenaries were killed, and at least 17 others captured, including two Americans arrested by Venezuelan security forces and fishermen, with mop-up operations continuing. Authorities reported the arrest of three more men on May 10.

Jordan Goudreau claimed responsibility for the failed invasion on May 4, releasing a video from his Florida home about an "ongoing" operation. Goudreau alleges that opposition leader Juan Guaido signed a $213 million contract with Silvercorp, and signaled that the self-proclaimed 'interim president' appeared to have skimped on the deal, forcing mercenaries to collect donations from Venezuelan migrants living in Colombia.

On Monday, Guaido reportedly asked for the resignation of two senior aides over the botched invasion plot.

The US and Colombian governments continue to deny any connection to the plot. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that it was the State Department's "responsibility" to bring the two US nationals in Venezuelan custody home.

 Sputnik

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SRPINGFIELD  Baystate Childrens Hospital is asking pediatricians to be on the lookout for patients with symptoms associated with an acute inflammatory condition that has been linked to COVID-19.

The condition, Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome, or PIMS, is considered rare, but potentially fatal. Several dozen cases have been reported in New York in children who tested positive for COVID-19 or its antibodies.

We are alerting area pediatricians to be on the lookout for patients with the following symptoms  persistent fever, abdominal pain including diarrhea or vomiting, rash or changes in skin color, difficulty breathing, confusion and sleepiness, said Dr. Donna Fisher, chief of infectious diseases for Baystate Childrens Hospital.

Fisher said earlier this week that Baystate has seen only a very few children with this syndrome that was first reported in Europe and that she called a rare occurrence. She noted many of the reported cases to date in this country have been centered in New York, where it has killed three children and where the largest number of adult COVID-19 have occurred.

Fisher said PIMS is believed to be a condition associated with COVID-19.

Cases in Europe were seen in children who tested positive for COVID-19 as well as those who did not and in some children with a vascular condition called Kawasaki disease.

It has been compared to other rare childhood illnesses such as Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome, but in relation to COVID-19 it is believed to be a somewhat different and separate condition until more is known about it, said Fisher of PIMS.

While a serious illness, it is a rare occurrence, and compared to adults, most children are not affected by COVID-19 and those reporting with serious illness still remain rare. Most cases, reportedly over 100, have been centered in New York, where we have seen the greatest cases of COVID-19 in adults, with cases now being reported in Massachusetts, Connecticut and some other states.

There is no medically approved treatment for SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, and more continues to be learned about its impact on the human immune system with its spread beyond China where it was first identified earlier this year.

The respiratory illness can cause severe lung damage and inflammation in adults, but was thought to mostly spare children though Chinese scientists warned early their studies on its impact on children were limited.

Fisher is not surprised by the new inflammatory syndrome as much remains unknown about SARS-CoV-2, though efforts to test for it have increased in the United States to both identify where cases are as well as complications of the virus. The fact that it transmits easily when an infected person is in close proximity to others has led to lock downs in most countries because of widespread community transmission.

Given the unpredictability about this novel coronavirus, and an increase in testing, reports about this new complication are not entirely unexpected, Fisher said.

As many states prepare to open up, an increase in cases of PIMS remains a possibility. Up until now, children shut-in at home may have been exposed to COVID-19 and its complications from parents who are essential workers bringing the virus home with them.

Fisher said both babies and children have been hospitalized for COVID-19 at Baystate Childrens Hospital.

She added that the hospital sees very few cases of Kawasaki disease, and it appears to be more prevalent in the spring.

She described it as a fever-related illness that primarily affects children under the age of 5.

It causes inflammation of the blood vessels and can lead to heart disease if not diagnosed and treated early on, Fisher said.

It is not fully understand what causes Kawasaki disease, but some theories relate it to genetics.

She said that traditional treatment for children with Kawasaki disease who are sick enough to be in the hospital, often in intensive care, is a course of gamma globulin, an immune protein infused through the vein.

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Heart-stopping dashcam footage shows a woman high on meth speeding the wrong way down a highway before crashing into an oncoming motorcyclist and killing him.

Kylee Michelle Tiraroa Fay King, 36, was on Wednesday convicted of murdering Jordan Thorsager, 24, in a head-on collision while fleeing police in Perth last February.

Police dashcam shows officers attempt to pull King over on one of the city's busiest roads in Seville Grove.

But instead of pulling her Ford Falcon over, King took off because of an outstanding arrest warrant and stolen clothes in her car.

The New Zealand-born mother reached speeds of over 140km/h during the 40-minute-long car chase, which saw her drive on the wrong side of the Albany Highway and Leach Highway.

The crash ripped the front wheel and forks from the motorcycle, embedding them into the front of King's car, while Jordan Thorsager was flung onto the roadside

The footage taken from the police car chasing her shows oncoming cars swerve to avoid hitting King's Ford Falcon (pictured) as she speeds the wrong way down the highway

The footage taken from the police car chasing her shows oncoming cars swerve to avoid hitting King as she speeds the wrong way down the highway.

King went through stop signs and red lights, and repeatedly crossed to the wrong side of the road.

The high-speed chase ended in tragedy when King ploughed into Mr Thorsager as he rode his Kawasaki motorcycle over the crest of a bridge on the Leach Highway.

Motorcyclist Jordan Thorsager, 24, was killed after King hit him head on at speeds of up to 140km/h

The crash ripped the front wheel and forks from the motorcycle, embedding them into the front of King's car, while Mr Thorsager was flung to the side of the road.

His helmet was found 30 metres away on the other side of the highway, while his motorcycle caught fire.

King, meanwhile, abandoned her damaged car as it was still moving and fled the scene, with the vehicle coming to a stop when it hit a power pole.

In her interview with detectives, she was belligerent, persistently suggesting police were to blame because they had not stopped chasing her.

She called police 'dogs' who did not abort the pursuit because they wanted to 'f**' her up.

WA Supreme Court Justice Bruno Fianacca said during sentencing on Wednesday that police ended the chase once King drove onto the wrong side of the road.

King was initially charged with manslaughter but it was later upgraded to murder. She pleaded guilty.

In WA, a felony murder is an act in pursuit of an unlawful purpose that is likely to endanger life, and there does not need to be an intention to kill or inflict injury.

'King made a conscious and deliberate decision to drive in a manner that she thought would force police to cease their pursuit,' prosecutor Adam Ebell told the court.

'She drove with false registration plates, she drove without a valid licence and she drove having consumed methylamphetamine.'

Justice Fianacca said the crash was the 'culmination of a shocking course of reckless behaviour', describing dash-cam footage of the pursuit as frightening.

'Your deliberate, dangerous actions took the life of a young man who was using the road lawfully and had every right to believe he could do so safely,' he told King.

'The sentence that I impose could never reflect the value of Mr Thorsager's life or the loss suffered by his family.'

The court heard King's car attracted the attention of police because the stolen plates had been involved in high-speed pursuits in the previous fortnight.

King, who had been in custody since her arrest, will spend at least 13 years in behind bars before she can be considered for release.

She is then likely to be deported to her native New Zealand.
Economic managers push to accelerate construction after Philippine economy shrinks by 0.2 percent in first quarter.

Airports and roads have been emptied by the coronavirus pandemic but the Philippines will keep building them, banking on a $160-billion infrastructure plan to revive an economy slammed by the outbreak.

An economic stimulus package is being prepared that will include major funding for infrastructure, said Secretary Vince Dizon, President Rodrigo Dutertes adviser on key projects. The government is reviewing 4 trillion-pesos ($79.5 billion) worth of projects it earlier listed as priorities to include those with high and immediate economic impact, he said.

There is a greater sense of urgency in getting the economy back on track, Dizon said in a video interview. As we transition to the new normal, weve got to catch up, and infrastructure will be key.

Economic managers are pushing to accelerate the building plan after the Philippine economy shrank 0.2% in the first quarter  its first contraction since 1998  as the government imposed a lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus. Full-year gross domestic product is projected to contract by 2% to 3.4%.

The central bank has taken the lead in providing stimulus to the economy amid the virus outbreak, cutting the policy rate and lenders reserve requirement ratio. Governor Benjamin Diokno has recently signaled hes ready to pause, as these steps already provide sufficient buffers for the economy.

Lawmakers aligned with Duterte have filed a bill allocating 1.5 trillion pesos in three years to build roads, health and agriculture facilities to drive economic recovery. Infrastructure shall be the backbone of our economy, the proposed law stated.

The infrastructure push will help speed up economic rebound in 2021, but wont be enough to prevent a meaningful contraction this year, said Bank of the Philippine Islands lead economist Emilio Neri. The likelihood of returning to full capacity in the second half is quite low at this point.

[Bloomberg]

Challenges

There will be challenges, however. The Philippines infrastructure lenders such as Japan and China are also facing economic downturns from the pandemic.

The Philippines is confident these countries, as well as multilateral agencies, wont turn their backs on Dutertes building plan, Dizon said.

They believe in the stability of our economy, and our ability to pay is very strong, he said.

Big businesses, whose finances have taken a hit from the outbreak, may have to be convinced to continue projects. The government is open to offering them better terms and is still determined to start 100 key projects before Dutertes term ends in 2022, Dizon said.

Among the companies involved in the infrastructure plan are San Miguel Corp., which plans to build a 736 billion-peso airport north of Manila; Udenna Corp., which proposed a monorail in central Philippines; and a consortium of big conglomerates pitching to upgrade the capitals main airport.

Dizon said the pandemic also revealed the Philippines badly needs health and digital infrastructure, which will be included in the revised list to be released this month.

We need the private sector to step in, he said. Were all facing this crisis together anyway. Weve got to find a way to work together to make the infrastructure program work.
A large number of local business owners plan to gather on the south steps of Laredo City Hall on Wednesday morning to rally for the further reopening of Texas, which began two weeks ago under Gov. Greg Abbott.

One of the speakers slated to attend is Shelley Luther, a Dallas salon owner who has become an emblem of what some deem to be local overreach during this COVID-19 emergency.

After opening her salon in the midst of a stay at home order, she was cited, sentenced to a week in county jail and then released after Abbott modified his executive orders to eliminate jail time as a penalty for violating COVID-19 emergency orders.

Abbott named Luther and two Laredo women as examples of business owners who should not be thrown into jail due to a shutdown that is of no fault of their own.

Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia, 31, and Brenda Stephanie Mata, 20, were arrested and released on bond on April 15 for offering beauty services from their home during the stay at home order. Neither appear to be licensed cosmetologists with the state.

Luther has said that she plans to donate some of the $500,000 she has collected from a GoFundMe account to Castro-Garcia and Mata.

The rally on Wednesday is organized by a few local business owners, one of whom is Hugo Llanas, a local salon owner.

He said they are not against the city per se, but against government overreach. This will be an apolitical event, he noted.

Llanas has never considered himself an organizer, but a few weeks ago thought of holding this rally in support of local businesses such as his that were forced closed. Beauty salons may now open provided they keep a 6-foot social distance between work stations, use disposable supplies and sanitize between each customer visit.

The overreach this group is opposing is the citys 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, which Llanas believes is hurting business. Although the citys curfew does not apply to the businesses that the governor has allowed to open.

Llanas said they expect around 150 people to show up to the rally, but he is not concerned about the possible spread of the virus in what could be an atmosphere of close contact. Attendees may wear masks only if they so choose, he said.

Were responsible adults and we dont need the government telling us how to handle ourselves, Llanas said.

The main goal of the event is to show how many people were affected by the stay at home order. Not everyone can afford to stay home, Llanas said.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com
A man who allegedly broke into a great-grandmother's home and assaulted her will spend the next three weeks behind bars.

Zailn Jahson Hayward, 21, is accused of breaking into the 81-year-old's home in Balga, Northern Perth, while stark naked and assaulting her in bed on Sunday night.

He appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with four offences including aggravated indecent assault in the course of an aggravated home burglary and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Zailn Jahson Hayward (pictured above), 21, is accused of breaking into an 81-year-old great-grandmother's home in Balga, Northern Perth, and indecently assaulting her in bed

Hayward is accused of climbing into the home through a window and repeatedly punching the elderly woman when she screamed for help.

He allegedly ran out of the house after the great-grandmother chased him into the kitchen.

The accused predator did not apply for bail and will remain in custody until his court appearance next month.

Police said the elderly woman had been left emotionally traumatised by the attack.

Detective Sergeant Richard Green said the grandmother was now staying with family.

The woman's 84-year-old husband was at home during the alleged attack but was asleep in another room.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday barred a high court from releasing on bail nearly 300 terrorists convicted by the military courts.

A bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) is currently hearing appeals filed by 290 convicted terrorists and their facilitators against their sentences by the military courts set up after the Peshawar school attack in 2014.

The federal government had requested the PHC to form a larger bench on the matter but Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, who is hearing the case, rejected the plea.

The matter was taken to the apex court by the federal government where a bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Amin heard the case along with the plea to bar the PHC from releasing the convicted militants on bail.

Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed argued that any decision by the high court to grant bail to 290 convicts would cause an irreparable loss to the national security.

The bench accepted the plea against bails and also directed the PHC to proceed in the case on the merit. It also adjourned the hearing till Monday.

The Supreme Court is also hearing another appeal against PHC's earlier decision to set aside the conviction of more than 70 people by the military courts.

The PHC on October 18, 2018 overturned the military court sentences due to lack of evidence, which was challenged in the apex court, which in November 2018 directed the jail authorities not to release them.

The military courts remained operational for four years and convicted nearly 641 militants, with about 345 sentenced to death, at least 56 of whom have been hanged, and 296 were given prison sentences. Only five accused were acquitted, according to officials.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin Chris Kahn (Reuters) New York, United States  Wed, May 13, 2020 11:07 616 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd7accfc 2 World Donald-Trump,US,poll,US-presidential-election,US-presidential-race Free

More Americans have grown critical of President Donald Trump over the past month as the death toll mounts from the coronavirus pandemic and he now trails Democratic challenger Joe Biden by 8 percentage points among registered voters, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday.

The poll conducted on Monday and Tuesday showed that 41% of US adults approved of Trump's performance in office, which is down 4 points from a similar poll that ran in mid-April. Fifty-six percent disapprove of Trump, up by 5 points in the same span.

It also found that 46% of registered voters said they would back Biden in the Nov. 3 presidential election, while 38% would vote for Trump. That compared with a 2-point Biden lead in Reuters/Ipsos polling last week.

Americans also appear to be increasingly critical of the way Trump has handled the health crisis. According to the poll, those who disapprove of Trump's performance at the helm of the country's pandemic response outnumber those who approve by 13 percentage points - the highest level of net disapproval since the poll started asking the question at the beginning of March.

Trump initially downplayed the threat of the virus that has killed more than 80,000 people in the United States, the highest death toll of any country. He has sometimes contradicted disease specialists in his administration, promoted potential treatments that were not found effective and has accused Democratic governors of reopening their states slowly in order to hurt his re-election chances.

The Republican president has defended his administration's handling of the crisis and has accused China of failing to alert the world to the severity and scope of the outbreak, which has hammered the economy.

Biden has routinely led Trump among polls of registered voters this year. But his lead had been steadily eroding until this week.

The public sees Trump as the stronger candidate for job creation, while Biden is seen as better suited on healthcare issues. The poll showed that the public was split over which candidate would be better for dealing with the coronavirus response.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States. It gathered responses from 1,112 American adults, including 973 who identified as registered voters. It had a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Nicole Trunfio has rushed her three-month-old daughter, Ella Wolf, to hospital with a fever.

On Wednesday, the 34-year-old revealed the urgency of the situation on Instagram by saying she 'broke quarantine' for the first time in two months to do so.

The Australian-born model shared a series of photos of their short stay, including a photo of herself wearing a face mask while holding her baby, and little Ella being treated by a doctor.

In hospital: On Wednesday, Nicole Trunfio 'broke quarantine' and donned face mask to rush her three-month-old daughter Ella Wolf to hospital

The US-based stunner said in her caption: 'I ended up putting on a brave face and taking my brand new baby with a 102 fever (38 Celsius) to the E.R.'

'It was the first time I broke quarantine in 2 months,' she wrote, adding it was 'every mom's worst nightmare'.

The mother-of-three said she was particularly worried because going to the hospital could put her family at risk when she and Ella returned home.

Getting better: She shared a series of photos from their time in Dell Children's Hospital in Austin including Ella being treated by a doctor. Nicole said she was concerned going that to the hospital could put her family at risk of COVID-19 when she and Ella returned home

She continued: 'I was told by our GP to pack my bags because I might be there for a few days, I felt like I was going into the eye of the storm.'

But the doting mother was able to get her daughter promptly treated and return home safely.

Nicole went on to thank Dell Children's Hospital in Austin, Texas for the 'best hospital experience'.

Grateful: Luckily, the hospital had 'extreme' safety measures in place that ensured safety. Nicole thanked the hospital for their care and said, 'you made me feel safe, you took care of my baby and made her laugh, and took extreme measures to make sure I came home COVID free'

Thankful: The model also thanked hospital staff for 'risking their lives every day to make we have essential care during this crazy time'

'You made me feel safe, you took care of my baby and made her laugh, and took extreme measures to make sure I came home COVID free.

She also praised the hospital for the protocols in place that ensured patient safety.

'Thank you to all the staff that work and risk their lives every day to make we have essential care during this crazy time,' she added.

New addition: Nicole and her musician husband Gary Clark Jr. welcomed baby Ella Wolf on February 21

Nicole and her musician husband Gary Clark Jr. welcomed baby Ella Wolf on February 21.

The couple, who tied the knot back in 2016, are also parents to five-year-old son Zion, and two-year-old daughter Gia.

The family are currently in lockdown at their home on their ranch in Texas, in the US.
(Newser)  Facebook has agreed to pay $52 million to its content moderators, whose job has them viewing graphic and disturbing posts and videos on its platforms. In a 2018 lawsuit, third-party contractors for the company said that Facebook failed to properly protect them against severe psychological and other injuries that can result from repeated exposure to graphic material such as child sexual abuse, beheadings, terrorism, animal cruelty, and other disturbing images, the AP reports. Former moderator Selena Scola, who said she had developed post-traumatic stress disorder, broke a confidentiality agreement to file the lawsuit, reports the Washington Post.

story continues below

The settlement grants US moderators who were part of the class action lawsuit $1,000 each. Those who have been diagnosed with conditions related to their work will be able to get medical treatment and damages of up to $50,000, according to the preliminary settlement filed in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Mateo. In a statement, Facebook said it is grateful to the people who do this important work to make Facebook a safe environment for everyone." Steve Williams, one of the attorneys involved in the case, says he is "incredibly proud of the plaintiffs in this case, who put themselves in jeopardy in coming forward."

(Read more Facebook stories.)
Prof. Ibrahim Gambari this morning has arrived the presidential villa, Abuja in preparation to resume as the new Chief of Staff to president.

The former External Affairs Minister is expected to participate in the virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to be presided over by President Buhari today.

President Buhari will preside over a virtual FEC meeting today, the first since the lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states over the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, May 12, there was speculation that Professor Ibrahim Gambari would succeed the late Abba Kyari as CoS to President Buhari.

Already, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Mai-Martaba Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Professor Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff.

Alhaji Sulu-Gambari in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona described the appointment as a great honour to the entire people of Ilorin Emirate and Kwarans at large.

Prof Gambari was Minister for External Affairs between 1984 and 1985.

He was the first United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa.
QurAlis Corporation, a Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech company focused on developing precision therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurologic diseases, raised $42m in Series A financing.

The round, which brought total funds raised to date to $50.5m, was led by LS Polaris Innovation Fund, lead seed investor Mission BioCapital, INKEF Capital and the Dementia Discovery Fund, and co-led by Droia Ventures. Additional new investors included Mitsui Global Investment and Dolby Family Ventures, joined by investments from existing investors Amgen Ventures, MP Healthcare Venture Management, and Sanford Biosciences. In connection with the financing round, Amy Schulman, Managing Partner of the LS Polaris Innovation Fund; Roel Bulthuis, Managing Partner at INKEF Capital; Jonathan Behr, Ph.D., Partner at the Dementia Discovery Fund; and Luc Dochez, Managing Partner at DROIA Ventures, will be joining Johannes Fruehauf, M.D., Ph.D., General Partner at Mission BioCapital, on QurAlis Board.

The company intends to use the funds for the development of new therapies for ALS and genetically related frontotemporal dementia (FTD), neurodegenerative diseases for which there is currently no cure.

Led by Kasper Roet, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, QurAlis has a strategy to systematically investigate treatments targeting specific disease-causing mechanisms in patient sub-populations. The company evaluates a wide range of potential treatments through its system that utilizes lab-grown neuronal networks derived from cells of ALS patients.

FinSMEs

13/05/2020
Metropolitan News-Enterprise

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Page 9

IN MY OPINION:

Standing for Taxpayers and Direct Democracy

By JON COUPAL

The powers of direct democracyinitiative, referendum and recallhave been powerful tools to control slow-moving or corrupt politicians.

These powers are enshrined in the California constitution for reasons that are just as compelling in 2020 as they were in 1911 when Gov. Hiram Johnson, seeking to counterbalance the influence the railroads had over the state Capitol, pushed to give ordinary citizens equal footing with legislative bodies to enact or reject legislative proposals.

Direct democracy has, for more than 100 years, been used most frequently on matters of taxation and government spending.



Indeed the most iconic example of direct democracy in the Golden State is Proposition 13, approved by the voters in 1978.

It is no wonder then that taxpayer advocates have been the staunchest defenders of direct democracy.

That tradition carries on to this very day.

Last Tuesday, the California Supreme Court heard argument in a case that threatens one of these powers of direct democracythe referendum power.

At the root of the referendum power is a bedrock American principle, that all political power is inherent in the people, is delegated by the people to the government and is just only so long as it has the peoples consent.

The California constitution confers upon the Legislature the power to make laws, but reserves to the people the referendum power.

The referendum power is the right, if the people so choose, to vote on a law that was passed by the Legislature.

The constitution extends that same power to the voters of cities, counties and special districts.

With the exception of emergency statutes and tax levies, most laws and ordinances do not take effect immediately.

At the state level, for example, the effective date of most laws is delayed at least 90 days.



During that time, if there is widespread dissatisfaction with a law, opponents can gather signatures from the requisite number of voters and qualify a referendum for the ballot. When a referendum qualifies, the law is suspended until the election.

At the election, people vote to approve or reject the law.

A recent example would be the law that banned plastic grocery bags and placed a 10-cent charge on paper bags.

Opponents circulated a petition and qualified a referendum. It appeared as Proposition 67 on the November 2016 ballot. A majority of voters approved the plastic bag ban, so it became law. But, because of the peoples referendum power, it did not become law without the consent of the governed.

The case heard by the Supreme Court on Tuesday involved a controversial water rate increase in the city of Dunsmuir. Opponents gathered enough signatures on a referendum petition to place the rate increase on the ballot, but the city refused to call an election.

The city claimed that voters do not have the right to vote on water rates because the price to buy water is a tax levy that is exempt from the peoples referendum power. The opponents filed a lawsuit. They won in the Court of Appeal, but the city took it to the California Supreme Court.

If the question before the court was whether water rates are considered taxes under todays law, it would be an easy case.

Thanks to taxpayer protections like Proposition 13, the law today defines water rates as user fees, not taxes.



But in this case the court must determine what tax levies meant to the voters who originally added the referendum power to Californias constitution in 1911.

There is one thing the parties agree upon. Water is essential to life. For that reason, the city argues that voters should not be allowed to interfere with city decisions about the amount of money it needs to supply water.

The referendum proponents argue, however, that because water is essential to life, it must be kept affordable for low-income families and seniors on fixed incomes.

The people must have resort to their referendum power, they argue, to keep rates under control.

The Dunsmuir case will determine whether the people of California will retain their right to vote, via referendum, on governmental fees for everything from water, to public records, to election recounts.

If not, then the state and local governments will be able to impose those fees without the consent of the governed.

A more serious injury to our democratic principles is hard to imagine.

Copyright 2020, Metropolitan News Company
N early 500 people with coronavirus are thought to have arrived in UK airports in April, a top scientific adviser to the Government has said.

Boris Johnson announced on Sunday that Britain would impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air when the domestic infection rate had lowered.

No start or end date has been set for the measures, which exempt passengers from Ireland.

So far during the pandemic, no travellers have been required to self-isolate or take tests after landing in the UK.

But it has now emerged that up to 475 infected people are thought to have arrived in airports in April alone.

So far during the pandemic arrivals have only faced temperature checks / AFP via Getty Images

Professor John Aston told the Commons' Science and Technology Committee on Wednesday that 95,000 people arrived in the UK by plane between April 1 and 26, including 53,000 UK citizens.

Asked if there was an estimate of how many of those had Covid-19, he replied: "We believe that less than 0.5 per cent of those people arriving potentially had Covid-19."

Prof Aston told the committee that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) used "complicated modelling" to calculate the figure.

AFP via Getty Images

"It requires you to understand the prevalence (of Covid-19) within overseas countries as well as the prevalence within the UK," he said.

The Government confirmed the 14-day quarantine would be enforced after publishing its roadmap out of lockdown on Monday.

It comes as Downing Street has strongly denied reports that travellers from France would be exempt from the restrictions.

The Prime Ministers spokesman added that there was a particular issue around the movement of freight, said Number 10, but added that our plans for the rest of the world, we will set those out in due course.

Aviation chiefs have raised concern over the move and are calling for an international standard that applies to borders globally.
The BBC last night paid tribute to an NHS doctor who died of COVID-19 months after filming a hospital documentary series.

Dr Vishna Rasiah, 48, who worked as a consultant neonatologist across Birmingham Women's Hospital and Children's Hospitals, died as a result of coronavirus on 23 April.

He featured in last night's episode of Life and Birth, which was filmed in August and September 2019 across three Birmingham hospitals.

The married father-of-one is understood to have been a 'huge supporter' of the project and crew involved in the show said it was an 'honour' to work with him. Producers dedicated last night's episode to the frontline worker.

Dr Vishna Rasiah, 48, who worked as a consultant neonatologist across Birmingham Women's Hospital and Children's Hospitals, died as a result of coronavirus on 23 April. Last night's episode of BBC's Life and Birth was dedicated to the doctor and marked his death (pictured)

Viewers, colleagues and TV crew paid tribute to Dr Rasiah, describing him as 'irreplaceable'

In last night's episode, Dr Rasiah, known to his friends as Vish, was seen paying a bedside visit to a father and his newborn son, who had been born with sepsis.

Baby Beauden was placed on a ventilator and a course of antibiotics immediately after birth while his mother, Jeanette, who also had sepsis, had to wait days before she was strong enough to hold her son.

Dr Rasia, the 'clinical lead' for regional neonatal work, visited Beauden and anxious father Dean to deliver some good news.

He said: 'I'm Dr Rasiah one of the consultants working here. Congratulations with your little boy.

'Our plan today is, if he carries on improving, then hopefully he will come off the ventilator and you will just need to complete the course of the antibiotics.'

He also told Dean he could bring Jeanette into the room to hold Beauden for the first time. At the end of the episode producers paid tribute to Dr Rasiah with a photo.

Dr Rasiah featured in last night's episode of Life and Birth (pictured), which was filmed in August and September 2019 across three Birmingham hospitals

In last night's episode, Dr Rasiah was seen paying a bedside visit to a father and his newborn son, who had been born with sepsis. Pictured, father Dean speaking to Dr Rasiah

Dr Rasiah He also told Dean he could bring new mother Jeanette into the room to hold Beauden for the first time. Pictured, the emotional moment between mother and son

The poignant moment struck a chord with viewers. One tweeted: 'I'm not really one for watching 'birth' programmes but I found this weeks episode of #LifeAndBirth so special. Then the dedication at the end to Dr Vishna Rasiah just unlocked the floodgates.'

Another posted: '#LifeAndBirth totally crying the Dr Vishna Rasiah passed away with Covid19 what a hero.'

A third wrote: 'That was such an emotional episode. All those new little humans being born and then realising at the end that Dr Vishna Rasiah was one of the doctors who lost their life to Covid-19. An awfully sad ending. #LifeAndBirth.'

Colleagues praised Dr Rasiah for leaving a 'wonderful legacy' behind.

The poignant moment struck a chord with viewers, TV crew and colleagues alike

Announcing Dr Rasiah's death on April 24, Sarah-Jane Marsh, chief executive of Birmingham Women and Children's Foundation NHS Trust, said: 'Vish was an amazing doctor, leader, colleague and friend who was passionate about the care of babies and their families.

'Losing him in such a cruel and unfair way will be too much to bear for many of us, in particular anyone involved in neonatal care, and of course his beautiful wife and daughter.

'As our tears flow, we must always remember the values that Vish stood for, and hold his vision, courage and compassion in our hearts. God bless you Vish, and may you rest in peace.'

Dr Rasiah's funeral was held on 4 May. The hearse was driven Women's Hospital where horns sounded from ambulances and staff lined the street to pay tribute to the doctor.

His wife, Liza, thanked Worcestershire Royal Hospital staff for their 'kindness, compassion and care' towards her husband.

She said: 'We're devastated at losing our beloved Vish. He was such a loving husband and father to our beautiful daughter Katelyn, and much loved son and brother to our family in Malaysia and Trinidad.

'His whole family meant the world to him, and he absolutely doted on Katelyn. Vish loved his work; to him it was so much more than a job and his colleagues are part of our family too.

'He treated every patient and family he cared for as his own. I couldn't have been prouder of him.

'I would like to thank the staff at Worcestershire Royal Hospital for the kindness, compassion and the care that they have provided to us over an incredibly difficult past few weeks.'
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint alert on Wednesday warning that actors affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party are targeting U.S. institutions for data and intellectual property related to coronavirus research.

Why it matters: The FBI said it is investigating potential data breaches and warned that research theft may jeopardize "the delivery of secure, effective, and efficient treatment options" for the coronavirus.

The FBI and CISA recommended that research institutions "patch all systems for critical vulnerabilities, prioritizing timely patching for known vulnerabilities of internet-connected servers and software processing internet data."

The agencies pressed institutions to scan for unauthorized access, modification or anomalous activities and to improve internal credential requirements to gain access to research.

They also cautioned that increased media attention about virus research done by a specific organization will lead to increased "cyber activity."

The big picture: Attempts by the Chinese government to steal intellectual property are not new. Cybersecurity experts and U.S. officials said last year that Chinese hackers targeted more than two dozen universities to steal information about maritime technology developed for military use, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian claimed this week that China opposed cyberattacks of all forms, stating: "It is immoral for anyone to engage in rumor-mongering without presenting any evidence.

The bottom line: The warning from the FBI and CISA comes amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China, as Beijing has reportedly been stalling international efforts to investigate the origins of the coronavirus, according to the WSJ.

Go deeper: As the U.S. and China fight, their scientists collaborate
Krispy Kreme has announced it has something sweet for graduating high school and college seniors who, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be unable to celebrate the milestone event by walking across the stage this year.

On May 19 Krispy Kreme will offer a free Graduate Dozen to any 2020 high school or college senior who wears his or her cap and gown or other class of 2020 gear proving senior status at the graduate's local Krispy Kreme shop.

During the week of May 18-24, the 2020 Graduate Dozen is available for purchase at Krispy Kreme stores.

Krispy Kreme's website provides a list of acceptable class of 2020 gear, including the following: cap and gown with 2020 tassel, class of 2020 apparel (T-shirt, sweatshirt, etc.), 2020 letterman jacket featuring senior status, 2020 class ring, graduation announcement featuring name with matching ID, student photo ID featuring senior status, or other class of 2020 senior swag.

Krispy Kreme is not the only eatery providing freebies for graduates. Read more about other offers here.

In a news release, Dave Skena, chief marketing officer for Krispy Kreme, made this statement:

We feel for all of the high school and college seniors. We wish they had that moment of walking across the stage and getting their diploma. We cant replace that  but we thought we could help them safely have a little fun and enjoy a special Graduate Dozen on us. Moms, dads, friends and family can buy this Graduate Dozen all week long to honor their favorite graduates, but only seniors can get one for free.

What does the graduate dozen include?

According to the Krispy Kreme website, The 2020 Graduate Dozen includes an assortment of classic varieties: Chocolate Iced Kreme Filled, Strawberry Iced Kreme Filled, Cake Batter Filled, Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles, Strawberry Iced with Sprinkles, and Yellow Iced Original Glazed Doughnuts.
HOUSTON, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- NuGen Automation, a leading SCADA integration and IT solutions provider specializing in energy pipelines, has formally launched a pandemic resource hub and expanded its suite of automation offerings in response to the coronavirus health emergency.

COVID-19 Energy Resource Hub for Pipeline Operators

A pandemic support hub for all energy professionals in the US and Canada. Includes up-to-date information on a range of workplace topics that have been impacted by COVID-19.

NuGen Automation ("NuGen") first soft-launched the COVID-19 Energy Resource Hub in April to customers, partners and employees to deliver timely safety information amid the emerging health emergency from novel coronavirus COVID-19.

The Hub has since expanded considerably to include:

Pipeline Safety Regulatory Guidance

Regulator updates and pandemic guidance from The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), American Petroleum Institute (API), Canada Energy Regulator, and Control Engineering Group

Regulator updates and pandemic guidance from The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), American Petroleum Institute (API), Canada Energy Regulator, and Control Engineering Group Technology Partner Resources

Key partnership resources, including Esri (ArcGis), Microsoft (Teams and Skype), AVEVA (formerly WonderWare), and Schneider Electric

Key partnership resources, including Esri (ArcGis), Microsoft (Teams and Skype), AVEVA (formerly WonderWare), and Schneider Electric National Public Health & Safety Information

Health and safety guidance from global public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Public Health Agency of Canada

Health and safety guidance from global public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Public Health Agency of Company Pandemic Support Resources: Pandemic-response thought leadership and personal health resources guides created by NuGen Automation, including:

COVID-19 Compliance Report: PHMSA Stay of Enforcement

Working Remotely - Health & Wellness Guide: Focus & Safety

Remote Operations Go-Kits for Control Rooms

NuGen's Remote Operations Go-Kits are next-gen contingency solutions for ICS-enabled control rooms. These workstations offer portability, rapid deployment (within minutes), and secure connection (via custom encryption protocols and firewall protection) into any type of industrial control system (ICS) across industries.

Remote Operation Go-Kits feature ruggedized exteriors, fallback broadband, and enterprise access points for peak operations through any disaster scenario.

Each Go-Kit workstation is purpose-assembled at the headquarters campus in Houston by a team of hardware experts with professional experience in dedicated control room technologies.

Field Automation Services

NuGen's Field Automation Services deliver strategic and tactical oilfield automation capabilities in design, programming, documentation, and QA testing. Services include PLC programming, P&ID drawings, front-end engineering, control center upgrades, and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).

Field Automation Services can be deployed with accommodations to public safety conditions.



About NuGen Automation

NuGen Automation is an innovation leader within integrated field and pipeline services. It is also the largest provider of third-party control rooms and secured data centers in energy markets (by asset coverage).

Current automation offerings for energy pipelines include: SCADA integration, IT services, pipeline compliance and safety, leak detection, disaster recovery, GIS applications, field automation and Control Room Management data analytics.

NuGen Automation is a part of Linestar, a pipeline integrity compliance suite that includes Tucker Construction and The Compliance Group.

For latest updates, follow NuGen Automation on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Michael K. Tran

Head of Marketing & PR

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Remote Operations Go-Kits for Control Rooms

NuGen's Remote Operations Go-Kits are next-gen contingency solutions for ICS-enabled control rooms. These workstations offer portability, rapid deployment (within minutes), and secure connection (via custom encryption protocols and firewall protection) into any type of industrial control system (ICS) across industries.

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The latest case of law enforcement obstructing the work of the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba has again raised alarm about the effectiveness of civilian-led oversight of policing in the province.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/5/2020 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The latest case of law enforcement obstructing the work of the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba has again raised alarm about the effectiveness of civilian-led oversight of policing in the province.

In its latest report, the IIU  Manitobas police watchdog  concedes a number of roadblocks and breaches of legislation rendered it incapable of properly investigating a September 2019 shooting involving an off-duty RCMP officer

Ian D. Scott, a lawyer and former civilian director of Ontarios Special Investigations Unit, said its "a sad report to read" and will likely chip away at public confidence.

"There are so many things that went wrong here," Scott told the Free Press.

On Sept. 7, 2019, an off-duty RCMP officer called 911 to report hed accidently shot himself in the foot with a shotgun while goose hunting near Grunthal, about 70 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.

The Police Services Act, the legislation governing law enforcement in Manitoba, stipulates the IIU must be notified as soon as possible whenever the actions of an on- or off-duty officer lead to serious injury or death.

The RCMP failed to notify the IIU about the shooting for nearly three months.

"This investigation was fraught with difficulties and a dearth of information from the outset," IIU civilian director Zane Tessler wrote in his final report.

On top of the delayed notification, which left the IIU unable to examine the scene, the responding officers did not make any notes, identify or speak with a potential eyewitness, examine or seize their colleagues firearm, or investigate the matter in any significant way.

The subject officer refused to speak with IIU investigators and declined to turn over his medical records. As a result, the IIU was unable to verify the extent of his injures, which may have included surgery and the amputation of toes.

The matter was only reported to the IIU on Nov. 29, after it came to the attention of senior RCMP management.

Scott said there are two possibilities: either the RCMP officers were unaware of their duties to report the incident (which would speak to a lack of education) or they outright ignored that responsibility.

RCMP spokesman Robert Cyrenne says officers weren't aware of the IIU reporting requirements. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press files)

"Its pretty clear this falls within the mandate Everyone is concluding it was self-inflicted, and it very well could have been, but how can you tell on the basis of this investigation? I dont know. It doesnt give me much comfort," Scott said.

"We want to be able to facilitate public confidence that there are independent investigations and theyre thorough, but this doesnt give you that sort of warm-and-cosy feeling."

In addition, Scott said it remains unclear why the IIU would not get a summons or warrant to secure the subject officers medical records, which would tell them about the nature of the injury.

"Get a warrant and go out there and get (the medical records); theyre obviously relevant. But that step was not taken and the question I would have is: why not? I dont understand why the IIU is not using its power of summons," he said.

When asked why he did not take further steps to secure the medical records, Tessler  in a written statement  told the Free Press: "We must be cognizant of the (Personal Health Information Act) and privacy issues."

He noted he does not believe there was an intentional attempt by the RCMP to obstruct the IIU investigation.

RCMP spokesman Robert Cyrenne said the officers "were not aware of the IIU reporting requirements," but steps were taken to address the matter internally.

"Be assured that all supervisors are now very much aware of the IIU reporting requirements, and it is our strong expectation that these types of delays are not repeated," Cyrenne said in a written statement.

Scott said when reading the IIUs final report he could sense "the feeling of frustration from Mr. Zane Tessler." He added Manitoba policy makers should reflect on if changes are needed to ensure proper investigations in the future.

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"I dont think this gives the public any sense of confidence there was a thorough investigation."

It is not the first time there have been significant delays or attempts to undermine IIU investigations by police in Manitoba.

Last year, the IIU launched a lawsuit against the Winnipeg Police Service to access internal files it says are needed to investigate the July 2018 in-custody death of Matthew Richards Fosseneuve. The matter is still before the courts.

In 2018, the Free Press published an eight-month investigation into the IIU, which detailed a pattern of disappearing complaints, skirted investigations, institutional pushback, disputes over jurisdiction and interference among officers identified in criminal probes.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 14:03:02

CORNELIUS, NC, May 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Good Hemp, Inc. (OTC Markets: GHMP) has expanded distribution of its Good Hemp 2oh!, Good Hemp Fizz and Canna Hemp products into Wisconsin through Green Bay Seven-Up Bottling Company, Inc.



Green Bay Seven-Up Bottling has serviced the northeast Wisconsin territory for over 70 years. With over 1,200 accounts, Green Bay Seven-Up serves grocery chains, convenience stores, taverns, restaurants and the Resch Center.

The Hemp and CBD beverage market is on the rise and we at Green Bay Seven-Up wanted to get ahead of it with the right brand, said Randy Wissink, VP and General Manager of Green Bay Seven-Up. After vetting several other companies, Good Hemp stood out as the only hemp company we should rollout with and focus our efforts on. They are larger-scale, distributor-ready with great tasting products that are well packaged at competitive pricing. Not only has this allowed us to expand our footprint within existing clients, we have also been able to add more specialty retailers to our routes. In just a few short weeks and during these unprecedented times, we have placed Good Hemp products in over 75 retail locations, and nearly every client has already reordered. Its been a great launch, and we look forward to growing our footprint in Wisconsin with Good Hemp for years to come.

We are excited at the opportunity to partner with Green Bay Seven-Up Bottling, said Chris Chumas, Director of Sales and Operations of Good Hemp. Green Bay Seven-Up has a strong pre-sales team to ensure customers receive high-quality service; its truly a hands-on partner in the territory. We believe there is a unique opportunity partnering with regional distributors right now to focus on independent accounts and customer service. We believe many distributors have been impacted by the recent PepsiCo / Bang Energy announcement and will be looking for new partnerships in the non-alcoholic category. Our hemp seed oil energy drink and sparkling beverage line, CannaHemp and Good Hemp FIZZ can help to close that gap.

Good Hemp beverages can also be purchased from Amazon and at goodhemplivin.com.

About Good Hemp Products -

Good Hemp 2oh! is a line of naturally flavored waters infused with 10mg of THC-free hemp extract and prebiotic fiber. Available in six flavors and only 20 calories per bottle: Strawberry Kiwi, Blueberry, Coconut Lime, Cucumbermint, Lemon Twist and Mango.

Good Hemp Fizz and Canna Hemp are functional carbonated beverages infused with natural flavors, organic caffeine, prebiotic fiber and hemp seed oil. Unlike other hemp-infused beverages that contain CBD, Fizz and Canna Hemp are made with hemp seed oil which is categorized as "GRAS" (under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and therefore not subject to FDA review and approval).

Safe Harbor Statement -

This press release may contain forward-looking information that involve a number of risks and uncertainties made pursuant to Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) and the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things, the companys business plans and the company's growth strategy and operating strategy. Words such as strategy, expects, continues, plans, anticipates, believes, would, will, estimates, intends, projects, goals, targets and other words of similar meaning are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying these statements. Investors are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of numerous and varied factors. Good Hemp, Inc. does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the company or any person acting on behalf of the company are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements referenced above.

Contact:

Good Hemp, Inc.

+1 (800) 947-9197

contact@goodhemplivin.com

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The Himachal Pradesh government has reduced the subsidy on pulses, edible oil and sugar to APL families and decided that no income taxpayer will get subsidised food under public distribution scheme for one year, an official spokesperson said.

As proposed by Cabinet Sub Committee for Post COVID-19 Economic Revival, the state cabinet took these decisions in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here on Wednesday.

Parliamentary Minister Suresh Bhardwaj told media that the state government will save Rs 71 crore by excluding taxpayers from getting subsidised food and by reducing subsidy to APL families.

It also proposed to enhance the upper income ceiling limit for selection of beneficiaries of BPL/priority households to Rs 45,000 approximately, Bhardwaj said, adding that this would increase the number of National Food Security Act households by 1,50,000 thereby making them eligible for getting wheat atta and rice at the highly subsidised rate of Rs 3.30per kg and Rs 2 per kg, respectively.

The cabinet decided to make minor amendments in Industrial Disputes Act, Factory Act, Contract Labour Act and Agriculture Produce Marketing Act for providing ease of doing business for economic revival, he said adding that the amendments would be made by bringing ordinances.

The official spokesperson said that the amendment in the contract Act proposes to enhance the threshold limit for contract employment from 20 to 30 workmen. The Cabinet gave its approval to make necessary amendments in Section-1 of the Contract Labour (R&A) Act, 1970 (37 of 1970) in its application to the State of Himachal Pradesh, in Sub Section-4.

The cabinet also gave its nod for amendment in Section-2, 65 and 85 and insertion of New Section 106 (b) for compounding of offences in the Factories Act, 1948 to increase the manufacturing activities by small units by enhancing the existing threshold limits of 10 and 20 workers to 20 and 40 respectively.

Similarly, presently a worker may work overtime for maximum 75 hours in any quarter. But the amendment in clause (IV) 3 of Section 65 proposes to increase this limit to 115 hours subject to the condition that the overtime will have to be paid twice the rate of ordinary wages, so that the workers may get more opportunities to earn, he added.

It also gave its consent to make amendment in Section -22, 25 of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 to increase industrial investment, production and employment opportunities and further enhancement of ease of doing business, he said.

The cabinet also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing Rs 20 lakh crore economic package for the country to tackle the adverse affects on economy due to lockdown imposed in wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Cabinet observed that this package would go a long way in reviving the economy of the country by providing much needed relief to weaker sections, MSME, business community, workers and general public. It felt that the package would prove a milestone in making of a strong, vibrant and self-reliant India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An average of six to eight young people take their own lives in Luxembourg each year. The Grand Duchy's suicide rates hover around the European average.

In his reply to a parliamentary question by CSV MP Marco Schank, Minister of Education Claude Meisch specified that between six and eight young people commit suicide in Luxembourg each year.

The minister explained that, as of next school year, teachers will be able to hold fewer lessons if they invest time in a commission for suicide prevention.

Minister of Health Paulette Lenert said the suicide rates were shocking as they indicate an estimate of 70 to 80 suicides per year in Luxembourg. She explained that the number of suicide attempts was even more worrying as it is "10 to 20 times higher than that of completed suicides." According to Lenert, suicides account for 7.33% of all deaths in young people under 26. She added that the majority of the victims were between 20 and 24 years old.

The minister stressed that it is crucial to have strong prevention mechanisms in place to protect young people at a time of their life when they might feel like they have not yet found their purpose.

Paulette Lenert concluded that she also wants to reduce the waiting time to receive psychological care for suicide survivors, which can currently take up to three months.
Xiaomis CEO, Lei Jun, got caught using an iPhone. He shared a post on Weibo using Apples device, which is visible on that particular post. It clearly says that the information was sent from an iPhone.

Xiaomis CEO is using an iPhone, and that doesnt sit well with Xiaomi fans

Now, this is not the first, and probably not the last time, that a high-ranking executive of a company is using a product from the competition. Hes not forbidden to do so, but such practice is frowned upon.

Xiaomis fans are not happy with this fact, and they made it clear on Weibo. Lei Jun is literally the highest-ranking member of Xiaomi, hes Xiaomis CEO, and many people think he shouldnt be using an iPhone.

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iPhones are quite popular in China, so this is not all that surprising. Even though Xiaomi does make great phones, its officials are free to use any phone they want. Whats to say he doesnt use several phones at the same time, thats not a crime.

In any case, Lei Jun deleted the post since, but several members of the tech community came to his defense. Pan Jiutang, a Chinese analyst, says that pretty much every owner / product manager in the tech world tried out an iPhone at some point.

Several other CEOs got caught using an iPhone in the past, so this is not really anything new. Fans tend to overreact when something like that happens.

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Fans tend to see that as a sign that the companys products are not good enough, as even its CEO is using a product from the competitor. Things are not that black and white, though, they never are.

Lei Jun did not respond to the backlash just yet, and he probably wont do it at all

Lei Jun did not respond to the backlash from fans, and chances are he wont do it either. Theres no point in addressing such behavior, as hes free to use whatever phone he likes.

Mr. Jun tends to be quite excited when it comes to Xiaomi products, and just because he uses an iPhone as well, doesnt mean he doesnt love products from his own company.

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Speaking of which, Xiaomi has some interesting plans this year, it seems. The company already announced its flagship handsets, the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro. More is coming, though.

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 4 is expected to arrive later this year. We dont really have much information about it, but it will be a premium phone. It could become the companys first smartphone with an under-display camera, even.

A recent rumor suggested that Xiaomi is working on two handsets with curved displays, both of which will include 120Hz displays. The Mi MIX 4 could be one of them, but were not sure about the other. All in all, it will be interesting to see what else will Xiaomi announce by the end of 2020.
A man is on day 46 of a prison hunger strike in protest at his conviction for rape, the High Court has heard.

The man or the prison cannot be named by order the the court. He is protesting because he says he is innocent, the court heard.

Today, Paul Carroll SC, for the prison governor and the Irish Prison Service, said his clients were seeking declarations in relation to whether the prisoner had capacity to continue the hunger strike, whether the prison authorities were complying with the law in relation to the strike and "what should happen going forward".

The man's situation was becoming more serious, he has underlying health difficulties and has suffered a significant weight loss of some 13 kilogrammes, counsel said. He is still taking liquids.

Counsel said his side were seeking permission to serve short notice of the proceedings on his solicitors and have the case returned to court within a day because the man is in serious danger, possibly at the risk of death.

The application was made on a one-side-only represented basis.

The man has no difficulties with his conditions in the prison and is aware the authorities were making this application, he said.

His solicitors are also aware and have inquired as to whether it would be possible for him to participate or observe the hearing via video link from prison.

The man has been in regular contact with his next of kin, his wife, counsel said.

Mr Justice Tony O'Connor granted permission for short service of the proceedings on the man's solicitors and said the case could come back on Thursday afternoon.

The court noted the request for video facilities and could only at this stage express its wish that such facilities be made available if possible.


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Terrorists stormed a maternity hospital in the western part of the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, setting off an hours-long shoot-out with the police and killing 16 people, including two newborn babies, their mothers as well as an unspecified number of nurses.

Security forces cordoned off the area as they evacuated more than 80 women and infants from the hospital, where medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) runs a maternity clinic, Al Jazeera reported.

Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian was quoted as saying that three foreign nationals were also among those safely evacuated, without divulging further details.

But it was unclear why the maternity hospital in Dashti Barchi, a 100-bed facility, was targeted - an attack Arian said was an "act against humanity and a war crime".

At least three attackers wearing police uniforms entered the hospital, throwing grenades and shooting, officials said.

It should be noted that Dashti Barchi is a mostly Shia neighbourhood and home to many members of Afghanistan's Hazara community, which has been attacked by ISIL in the past, including at a Kabul ceremony commemorating the death of one of its leaders in March.

Also on Tuesday, in a suicide bombing in eastern Nangarhar province, an attacker targeted the Khewa-district funeral of Shaikh Akram, a local pro-government militia commander who had died of a heart attack on Monday night, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.

The attacks also claimed the life of Abdullah Malikzai, a member of Nangarhar's provincial council.

Dozens of people, including, politicians, provincial council members and locals had gathered for the funeral of Shaikh Akram, the militia commander.

The interior ministry said the final casualty toll included 24 killed and 68 wounded. The wounded were brought to the Nangarhar provincial hospital, said hospital spokesman Gulzada Sangar.

These two incidents bring the total death toll in two terror attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday close to 40, with more than dozens being wounded at the same time, officials said.

The Taliban have rejected involvement in both attacks, which come amid efforts to take forward the rejuvenated yet fragile Afghan peace process.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid tweeted that the Taliban was not involved in the attack which has triggered strong condemnation from the international community.

But Afghan officials appeared to connect the two attacks with rising Taliban violence in other parts of the country. Hours after the siege at the hospital ended, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered his armed forces to resume offensive operations against the Taliban, according to The Washington Post.

"This is not peace, nor its beginnings," Afghanistan's national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib said in a post on Twitter, referring to Tuesday's violence. He said that the Taliban "subcontracted their terror to other entities" and that there is "little point in continuing to engage Taliban in 'peace talks.' "

Ghani justified the decision, saying the Taliban has ignored calls for a reduction in violence or cease-fire and instead intensified insurgent attacks.

India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement to express strong condemnation of the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan.

It said, "India strongly condemns the barbaric terrorist attacks against innocent civilians, including women and children, at the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital maternity ward, funeral in Nangarhar province and the Army check post in Laghman province on 11-12 May. Such reprehensible attacks, including on mothers, newly born children, nurses, and mourning families are appalling and constitute crimes against humanity."

Some media reports also state that the attack was in retaliation to the Afghan security forces' action to arrest top ISIS Commander Zia Ul-Haq, also known as Abu Omar Khorasani, along with two other top Daesh leaders.

(ANI)

Also Read: Afghanistan: Terrorist storm maternity hospital, killed 16 people including 2 newborn babies in Kabul
TEAM VERDE LEAF Plant Life bubbled up as a natural fit into Verde Leaf's formula for success

Plant Life Company announced that it has entered into a collaborative relationship with Verde Leaf becoming a Preferred Distribution Partner for the companys line of crop specific nutrients. Verde Leaf will recommend Plant Lifes superior line of nutrient rich, and unique hemp formulations to its network of over 40 hemp farms across the Southeast.

Verde Leaf, through its tireless, passionate effort, addresses the challenges farmers face in the hemp arena, including, but not limited to, license acquisition, cultivation, processing, and a deep breadth of industry knowledge and know-how. The Verde Leaf advantage, having assembled a team of virtual Rock Stars, provides them an innate ability to cover the complete spectrum from genetics through end-user sales distribution. There is no more complete service and product offering on the market today than Team Verde Leafs. Moreover, Verde Leaf assists in ensuring that the crop is sold above fair market value. Verde Leafs integration with The Farming Network offers free access to an invaluable network of seasoned hemp farmers and specialists across the Southeast that provide solutions, resources, and in-demand insider experience. Learn more about Verde Leaf at http://www.verdeleafgroup.com.

After vetting a number of nutrient product lines for our experienced professional hemp farmers, Plant Life bubbled up as a natural fit into the Verde Leafs formula for success. Not only do their products perform as promoted, but David and team work almost as tirelessly and passionately as we doalmost, said Dr. Jackson Garth, President and CEO, Verde Leaf.

Furthermore, Robin Davis, Chief Genetics Officer, Verde Leaf mentioned, Plant Life Companys products and their ability to meet our stringent hemp protocol nutrient needs on all fronts including organic, inorganic and willingness to custom formulate, made them the most suitable choice.

We are thrilled to partner with Verde Leaf. We share a like-minded drive to provide real value and unmatched results to Verde Leafs extensive network of hemp farmers, commented David Ellerstein, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Plant Life Company. We are excited to engage in concert with Verde Leaf in collaborating with their network so that Plant Life can continue to innovate and evolve its hemp formula in this once again nascent industry. Ellerstein though added, I will not try to keep up with Jacksons frenetic pace of walking farms every waking hour.

About Verde Leaf

Verde Leaf is one of the hemp industry's first vertically integrated hemp companies, that created solutions for the farmer, business owners, and consumers. We solve some of the key challenges in the emerging hemp industry by assisting farmers with license acquisition, hemp cultivation and processing, and filling the knowledge gap with our network of seasoned hemp farmers and specialists across the Southeast. Moreover, by securing exclusive contracts with farmers, Verde Leaf ensures that hemp product sold to consumers have unprecedented clarity, consistency, and data available for products they are purchasing. By controlling our supply chain seed-to-sell, Verde Leaf gives customers assurance and confidence in the superior quality of our consumable and non-consumable product lines. Please follow us on both YouTube and LinkedIn to learn more about this amazing industry and plant. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Wcp5R8cbWY1OEqbOOMbJg https://www.linkedin.com/company/verde-leaf/

About Plant Life Company

With over 160 years of combined experience in the fertilizer industry, Plant Life Company offers the professional grower an unparalleled level of nutrient expertise. The Doggett family name (Scott Doggett, Partner and Founding Member of Plant Life) has been synonymous as the leader in fertilizers since the 1920s. The collaborative resources and breadth of practical knowledge has allowed Plant Life Company to develop an unparalleled line of nutrients targeted to the burgeoning greenhouse market and other B2B enterprises. Plant Life Company is undeniably creating a new benchmark for which all to be measured. Learn more at http://www.plantlifehemp.com
During the next session of the Normandy Four group, Ukraine's delegation will be led by Deputy Defence Minister. Andriy Yermak, the Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office said so during the telephone conversation with leaders of the group.

The sides discussed preparations for the upcoming session, the press department of the Presidential Office reported.

"I believe the extension and increase of the level of representation in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) will let us improve the ceasefire mode. This is why during the next video conference of the TCG, Ukraine will be represented by the Deputy Defence Minister", Yermak said.

During this round of negotiation, Ukraine will work within extended delegation. It will include Oleksiy Reznikov, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Re-integration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, as well as deputy ministers and MPs who chair various committees in the Ukrainian Parliament.

The next session of the Minsk group will take place on May 14.
Panaji, May 13 : Seven persons, including six members of a family who had travelled to Goa from Mumbai and a truck driver from Gujarat, have preliminarily tested positive for Covid-19 in the initial round of rapid tests, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

He said that all the seven cases were "imported" and there was no fear of community transmission in Goa.

Sawant said that a second round of confirmatory tests of samples drawn from all seven persons was underway.

"Today, six persons from a Goan family living in Mumbai, who had arrived in Goa by car, tested positive in their rapid PCR tests. They were already in our quarantine centre. We have sent samples for confirmatory test at the Goa Medical College. If the confirmatory tests are positive, we will send all six of them to the Covid hospital," Sawant said, adding the family had not contacted any person and had driven straight from the state's road border to the quarantine centre, as per mandated norms.

"A driver from Gujarat, who came to Goa today in a vehicle, felt the symptoms today and he informed us. The symptoms are visible. His rapid PCR test is also confirmed, we have sent it for confirmatory test," Sawant said. The persons who were contacted by the truck driver have already been quarantined, he also said.

"We are waiting for confirmatory tests," the Chief Minister said.

Goa has been declared as a green zone by the Central government after the state did not see a single active Covid-19 case since the first week of April.

Goa had recorded seven Covid-19 positive cases, all of which were treated and later tested negative.
M ore than 11,000 has been raised for the family of a Victoria Station ticket office worker who died of coronavirus after she was spat at while on duty.

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on the station concourse in March when a member of the public claiming to have Covid-19 spat and coughed at her and a colleague, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said.

Within days of the assault, both women fell ill with the virus and Ms Mujinga, who has an 11-year-old daughter, died in hospital in Barnet 11 days after the attack on April 5.

As of Wednesday morning, a fundraising page set up for Ms Mujingas family has raised 11,075, surpassing its initial target of 1,000.

Ms Mujingas husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, told the PA news agency how the suspect walked up to her and spat in her face on March 22.

He said: The man asked her what she was doing, why she was there, and she said they were working.

We did a WhatsApp video in hospital, but then I didnt hear from her again. I thought she might be asleep, but the doctor phoned me to tell me she had died.

Belly Mujinga, 47 (left), died of coronavirus after being spat at while on duty / PA

The attack on Ms Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, has been widely condemned, with TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes saying he was shocked and devastated at the death.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: It is despicable for a key worker to be attacked in this way while serving the travelling public.

Ms Mujinga was originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and moved to the UK in 2000.

Ms Mujinga moved to the UK in 2000 from the Democratic Republic of Congo / PA

Her husband and daughter Ingrid, 11, were two of only 10 people permitted at her funeral on April 29.

British Transport Police said it has now launched an investigation into the incident.

It has not been confirmed that the spitting incident is directly linked to Ms Mujinga contracting the virus.

The Victoria Station ticket office worker leaves behind a daughter and husband / PA

However, TSSA has reported the incident to the Railways Inspectorate, the safety arm of the Office for Road and Rail (ORR), for investigation and is taking legal advice on the situation.

Angie Doll, Managing Director, Southern Railway and Gatwick Express: We are devastated that our dedicated colleague Belly has passed away and our deepest sympathies are with her family with whom we have been in touch through this very difficult time.

Tragically, many people across the country have now been directly affected by Covid-19, including those in the rail industry who are doing the vital job of ensuring train services can continue.

The safety of our customers and staff, who are key workers themselves, continues to be front of mind at all times and we follow the latest Government advice. We urge people only to travel if it is absolutely essential.

So far, 42 Transport for London (TfL) workers have died with Covid-19, in addition to 10 Network Rail staff.

A BTP spokesman said: British Transport Police have now launched an investigation into a report of two members of rail staff being spat at while working at London Victoria station on 22nd March.

"One of the victims, a 47-year-old woman, very sadly died in hospital on April 5th. Enquiries are ongoing, they added.

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 359 of 11/05/20.
A healing church has been fined more than $150,000 for selling bleach marketed as a cure for coronavirus.

The Australian branch of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing has been fined $151,200 for the alleged unlawful advertising of a Miracle Mineral Supplement by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

The church claims their Miracle Mineral Supplement solution, which contains textile bleaching agent sodium chlorite and is sold under MMS Australia, could cure and treat diseases including coronavirus, cancer and HIV.

TGA issued twelve infringement notices to the church and released a concerned statement about the harmful effects that can be caused by the ingestion of MMS.

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A healing church has been fined more than $150,000 for selling bleach marketed as a cure for coronavirus (stock image)

'There is no clinical, scientifically-accepted evidence showing that MMS can cure or alleviate any disease,' the statement reads.

'The use of MMS presents serious health risks, and can result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and severe dehydration, which in some cases can result in hospitalisation.'

TGA officials are concerned over implications the solution is endorsed by health professionals with false claims and is still available for purchase on the MMS Australia website.

Four people were hospitalised in Victoria in 2014 after drinking the solution, which under the TGA's guidelines is considered poison.

'The TGA is monitoring non-compliance, particularly in relation to the advertising of products that claim to prevent or cure COVID-19 and will continue to take action in relation to any advertisements that do not meet the requirements,' the statement continues.

The dangerous Miracle Mineral Supplement (products labelled MMS pictured) currently for sale on the MMS Australia website and being advertised as a sacrament

An MMS Australia spokesperson told The Guardian the solution is a religious sacrament they should be free to use and share as they please.

'Our products, their descriptions and other information posted here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, and any apparent reference to same is inadvertent and purely coincidental,' they said.

'We do not believe in miracle cures, but in healthy, wholesome living and good nutrition to keep the temple of our souls, our bodies, clean and free of harmful chemicals and poisons. We also believe in the power of quiet contemplation, meditation and prayer.'
Mandra Carlson helps people get their lives back.

As a nurse on the ortho/neuro floor at MercyOne North Iowa in Mason City, Carlson cares for patients who have had total joint replacements (hips, knees, shoulders), orthopedic trauma, strokes and seizures, among others.

Her goal with each patient is to help them recover and lead the lives they envisioned before needing medical care or surgical procedures.

We get to help them get back to the things they enjoyed doing, Carlson said. Im proud to be a nurse. You have to love what you do to keep doing it.

But that isnt always an easy task, Carlson admits. The job is both mentally and physically demanding.

She said there are times you are by yourself, and a lot of the care they give is physical in nature, more than almost any of the other floors.

It is very physical work, yet very rewarding, said Carlson, who will celebrate 17 years at MercyOne this summer. Its very rare we have a patient who can be completely independent. Were required to do a little bit more than regular nursing duties.

Carlsons dedication to helping her patients recover from medical procedures to lead the lives they envisioned has made her one of the most well respected nurses in North Iowa. Because of that, she was selected as one of the Globe Gazettes Top 10 outstanding nurses.

This job is both tough and rewarding, she said. Its physical, but there is an emotional element. You have to be what they (patients) need, and we gladly do it. That is what we are there for.

Carlson comes by that naturally. Her parents were both volunteer EMTs in Thompson and were very instrumental in it for years before they retired, she said.

They inspired me to go this direction, and now Im a career health care worker and I love it, said Carlson, who worked at North Central (now Mosaic) in Forest City while in high school. I really knew then that I wanted to be in this field.

Carlson said she would recommend a career in the health care field to anyone who would listen. In fact, her sister-in-law took the leap, while one of her children is considering going into the medical field as well.

My sister-in-law absolutely loves it, she said. I would encourage anybody who wants a tough, yet rewarding job to consider this field. I have absolutely loved it.

A lot has changed in 17 years since Carlson embarked on her nursing journey. New procedures and technology has made for better outcomes, while new medicines have and more involved physical therapy has made for shorter recovery times.

But the biggest change in Carlsons career came mere weeks ago when the coronavirus infected the nation and the world.

North Iowa was not immune to the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of the spread, the ortho/neuro floor (5 West at MercyOne) Carlson has been working on for years almost overnight turned into the COVID-19 floor, forcing her to change how she cared for patients.

I work the weekend package and that calls for total patient care, she said. I am responsible for everything. Its different because when you walk in you have to update yourself each and every day. You almost have to re-learn everything when you walk in.

And while every health care worker has in one way or another been put in harms way because of the virus, Carlson is in contact with patients who have been diagnosed with the virus every day.

That has added some additional stress to her job.

It makes my family nervous, she said. Weve reduced the possibility at home, but you then have to go to work where you encounter it every day.

And the anxiety is real and present for the health care workers, patients and their families as well. Carlson said family members not being able to see their loved ones and worry about what could be coming is very hard.

I worry more about the psychological aspect for health care workers because they have to make the tough decisions about treatments and even who needs to be put on ventilators. Those are tough calls that weigh heavy on a person.

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Five prisoners, including



four facing trial for murder, escaped from a jail in Gujarat's Surendranagar district in the early hours of Wednesday, an official said.

They broke locks of the barrack where they were lodged in Dhrangadhra sub-jail and then escaped by climbing the prison wall, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dhrangadhra, Rajendra Devdha said.

Four of these prisoners - Nanji Devipujak, Santu Devipujak, Savji Devipujak, Dharam Devipujak - were facing trial for murder, while the fifth one, Prakash Kushwah, was accused in a theft case, he said.

"The five prisoners somehow managed to break locks of the barrack and then escaped after jumping off the prison wall. We have formed teams to nab them," Devdha said.

This is the second incident of jailbreak in Gujarat during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

On May 1, as many as 13 inmates escaped from a sub- jail in Dahod district. While nine of them were later nabbed, four are still at large, according to police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Michigan Air National Guard has released its flight path for todays flyover. Military planes will be soaring over Metro Detroit hospitals to honor our first responders. They flew four A-10 Thunderbolts, or Warthogs, over West Michigan on Tuesday.

The flight path takes them from Novi at 2:58 p.m. to Chesterfield Township at 3:33 p.m., hitting many communities across Southeast Michigan in between. RELATED: Stunning cockpit video of the Blue Angels flying over Downtown Detroits skyscrapers

FLIGHT PATH:

The Michigan Air National Guard, 127th Wing's flight path over Metro Detroit on May 13, 2020. (Photo courtesy of the Michigan Air National Guard)

These flights are about thanking and saluting frontline Michiganders, the Michigan Air National Guard, 127th Wing wrote on Facebook. Its about the steadfast first responders in our communities, the healthcare professionals working ceaseless hours, the grocery store workers helping us keep food on the table, and the all the other essential workers who are reporting to work every day despite the pandemic.

Thank you for keeping our children, our parents, and our grandparents healthy and safe!

Here is video of yesterdays flyover in Grand Rapids:

READ MORE:

7 indicators that show Michigans positive progress in the coronavirus crisis

Photos of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels America Strong flyover across metro Detroit
"The pyramid is a reminder that preparedness includes developing policy, putting those policies into practice, and maintaining a posture of resilience in the face of inevitable cyber attacks," says Thomas, "We're here to help you assess, refine, and maintain your cyber resilience."

SHINE Systems (SHINE), a full-service analytics and technology consulting company supporting federal customers, announces the official launch of its cybersecurity analytics and consulting service.

"For thirteen years, SHINE Systems has supported intelligence gathering missions here and abroad. Cyber threats have often been part of that work," says CEO of SHINE Systems Jeff Thomas. "I felt it was time to codify our expertise and services into a cybersecurity offering. We call this approach to cyber resilience the Pyramid of Protection."

"The pyramid is a reminder that preparedness includes developing policy, putting those policies into practice, and maintaining a posture of resilience in the face of inevitable cyber attacks," says Thomas. "We're here to help you assess, refine, and maintain your cyber resilience."

"Today, our agencies, companies, and private citizens face increasing cyber threats, both domestic and foreign. These threats are meant to compromise our commerce, safety, and even our democracy," says RADM John Acton (Ret.), SHINE Systems EVP of Operations. "This new offering is both timely and strategic as this global pandemic continues to stretch infrastructure and expose cyber vulnerabilities like never before."

"SHINE offers guidance for developing and deploying proactive prevention, detection capabilities, streamlined responses, and rapid recovery," says SHINEs Cyber Advisor and program architect Dr. Angela Orebaugh. "We help ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our customer's data."

Dr. Orebaugh, a celebrated cybersecurity technologist, educator, and researcher, will lead SHINE Systems cyber consulting efforts as well as continuing to strengthen our offering with strategic partnerships and tools.

Discover more about our approach to securing your organization with our Cybersecurity resilience whitepaper or visit our website here.

About SHINE Systems

SHINE Systems (SHINE), headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, is a four-time INC 500|5000 company, SBA-certified HUBZone, and has been ranked #3 on the Washington Technology Fast 50 fastest-growing small businesses in the Government market. SHINEs One Mission. One Team. approach supports all Federal customers, stateside and overseas, who seek expertise in multi-intelligence analysis, mission support, cybersecurity, and technology integration.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call Dr. Angela Orebaugh at 434-322-3000 Ext. 102 or email cyber@SHINESystems.com.
A top travel boss who unleashed a violent rant at TV host Tracy Grimshaw has apologised for his remarks in a bungled interview on her own program.

In a leaked recording, Jayson Westbury was heard saying the A Current Affair host needed 'a firm uppercut or a good slap across the face'.

Confronted with his words during an interview on the program on Wednesday, he blamed it on being 'cranky' during a difficult time for the travel industry.

The disgraced executive has since resigned as CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA).

In the recording, made during a disgruntled rant about how Ms Grimshaw's show was covering the industry's refund scandal, he said: 'I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut.

Jayson Westbury of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents said A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw (pictured) needed a 'firm uppercut' in a series of violent remarks

'Or a slap across the face, and I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldn't want to invoke any violence on anyone.'

Upon hearing the recording, he told reporter Brady Halls that he 'unreservedly apologised' for the remarks.

They had been made during an AFTA webinar last Friday with about 100 people listening.

'I unreservedly apologise for that statement,' he said.

'That was a bad choice of words by me, it was a heightened time there was a lot of member disgruntlement.'

Questioned about whether it was appropriate for a man to make such comments about a woman, he added: 'I don't know what to say about that.

Jayson Westbury (pictured apologising on A Current Affair) has since resigned as chief executive of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents.

TRAVEL BOSS' VIOLENT OUTBURST IN FULL Jayson Westbury was discussing ACA's ongoing coverage of the travel industry's struggles. 'Things have continued this week,' he said in an online seminar. 'I won't ever be watching [ACA] again. 'I think that Tracy Grimshaw needs to be given a firm uppercut or a good slap across the face. 'And I mean that virtually, of course, I wouldn't want to invoke any violence on anyone.' Advertisement

'The situation that we're in there's a lot of tension there's a lot of frustration.

'There is a lot of cranky travel agents out there because... well yeah... we're all cranky.'

The embattled travel industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with travel banned for all Australians.

Many have lost their jobs, while thousands of disappointed holidaymakers battle to receive refunds for their cancelled trips.

Mr Westbury's scathing comments came a week after ACA reported that an Australian family was left $11,000 of dollars out of pocket after STA Travel refused to refund a holiday to the United States.

The travel industry has been badly hit by coronavirus restrictions (pictured, a couple heading to quarantine after returning to Sydney from New Delhi on May 8)

Following his remarks, women's groups and outraged Australians took to social media to call for the executive to be fired.

'Pretty rich calling comments outrageous when in the same sentence you talk about inflicting violence on someone... only two things you can do here. Resign or be terminated,' one comment read.

According to Pew Research, over 90 percent of the world's population are now living with some form of travel restrictions.

In Australia, even regional domestic travel has been banned across most of the country to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The Age reported a Melbourne midwife was left 'crying for days' after being left out-of-pocket and losing half the money she spent to book a dream $20,000 family holiday to Europe and Disneyland.

All Australians returing home must isolate in a hotel for 14-days after arriving (pictured, a couple heading to quarantine after returning to Sydney from New Delhi on May 8

Australian Law firm Slater and Gordon has launched a class action lawsuit against major airlines, travel agents and tour companies who have refused to issue monetary refunds and instead opted for travel vouchers and credits.

'We understand that everyone is doing it tough at present, including the major airlines and travel companies, but that doesn't give them an excuse to take advantage of their customers,' Slater and Gordon Practice Group Leader Andrew Paull said.

The law firm believes major travel providers may have breached their legal obligations by putting in place travel voucher schemes that significantly disadvantage their customers.

'We believe cash refunds should be returned to customers, who almost certainly need that money right now,' Paull said.

Anyone entering Australia from overseas is required to undergo 14-days of quarantine (pictured, cruise ship crew being sent home on repatriation flights in Sydney on April 23)

Holidays are cancelled: Chief Medical Officer rules out overseas trips INDEFINITELY and says there is 'no clear roadmap' to re-opening Australia's borders

By Tita Smith

Australia's Chief Medical Officer has ruled out international travel for the foreseeable future as there is 'no clear roadmap' to reopening the nation's borders.

Professor Brendan Murphy told a Senate inquiry into the governments response to COVID-19 on Wednesday that border closures remained essential to defeating the pandemic.

'I cant see, I have no vision at the moment on the current international scene where international border measures of some very strong vigour wont be necessary,' he said.

'There is no clear roadmap out of this.'

Professor Murphy said interstate and territory borders would be reopened long before overseas travel, noting cases were still being imported weekly through returned travellers who must serve mandatory quarantine periods.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy told a senate inquiry on Wednesday (pictured) that international travel is off the cards for Australian for the foreseeable future

He said Australia's strategy was to maintain strong suppression, or elimination in parts of the country, while slowly opening up the economy.

He said the nation's good response to the outbreak and low case numbers had allowed the lifting of some restrictions just weeks after the peak of infections.

The top health adviser said further relaxations would need to be reassessed every few months, and warned more localised outbreaks are expected, like those at Cedar Meats, Melbourne, and in Burnie.

However, Professor Murphy said with the curve now flattened, the public health workforce has the capacity to quickly crush any small outbreak in cases.

He said Australia was now testing 'much more broadly' and by doing so hopes any newly emerging risk areas will be nipped in the bud.

While Australians are set to be grounded at home for months to come, they could soon be allowed to holiday across domestic borders. Qantas jets are pictured parked at Sydney airport on April 22

The number of reported cases worldwide hit 4.3 million on Wednesday, however Professor Murphy told the inquiry he believed the true number of people who had contracted the virus is five times higher.

He explained that the death rate in countries with good testing sits around one to two per cent, but it has been as high as five to ten per cent in other nations across the world.

Because of this, Professor Murphy believes many cases have not been reported and the true amount of cases could sit around 20 million.
The preface to this security guide series, Part 1, outlines the basic elements that comprise a threat model, and offers guidance on creating your own. After evaluating the asset and adversary expressions of the threat model equation, you likely will have determined the danger level of your adversary  and by extension, the caliber of its tools.

This installment begins our exploration of the core substance of the series: how to identify the adversarys means of assailing your asset, and the countermeasures you can deploy. This piece addresses what Part 1 classifies as a category 1 adversary: the operator of a service that catalogs the data users supply.

While tailored to the threats associated with category 1 foes, everything covered in this article forms a foundation for resisting higher category adversaries. With that in mind, I recommend that anyone who wants to know how to think about potential sources of compromise should read this. However, the techniques covered here will not be sufficient to defend against higher-level adversaries.

Sharp FAANGs Take a Megabyte Out of Data

More than any other factor, it is our asset that determines the kind of adversary we face. Those of us who take aim at a category 1 adversary are in this position because our asset is the corpus of sensitive personal details consequent to online transactions.

This all comes down to how much data an adversary can glean from you, and how thoroughly it can analyze it. If your data passes through some software or hardware, its developer or maintainer enjoys some measure of control. The reality of the Internets infrastructure is that we can not vet every device or code that interacts with our data, so we should assume that any nodes that can retain our data have done just that.

The ubiquitous technology services Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google, often referred to as FAANGs, are perhaps the greatest user data hoarders, though theyre not alone.

When online services affirmatively collect our data, it is generally for either or both of two purposes: First, a service genuinely may wish to improve your experience. A service that anticipates your wants and needs is more likely to retain your usership, and the only way to do that with any accuracy is to learn from your wants and needs as you actually express them.

The second and more common rationale for data mining is aggregating and selling user profiles for advertising purposes. If a platform cant derive revenue from figuring out what you like, it passes along its careful observations to a company that can. User data might get sold multiple times, with more data blended in along the way, but it usually ends up with an advertiser, which then uses that data to show you ads for products youre most likely to buy.

In theory, user profiles in mined datasets are anonymized. Ad companies dont care who you are, just what ads you want to see. Still, if the data contains enough classifiers (columns in a table in which profiles are rows), every profile will express a unique combination, making users identifiable. It is easy, then, to understand peoples reluctance to let this data accumulate.

Its not just data that category 1 defenders should worry about, though, but also metadata, which often is more revealing. A notoriously tricky concept to grasp, metadata can be thought of as information that is generated inherently as a consequence of the creation or existence of data.

Consider sending one email. The semantic content of the email would be the data, while the metadata would consist of the timestamp of when it was sent, the sender and recipient email addresses, their respective IP addresses, the emails size, and countless other details.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

One transaction that precipitates metadata is revealing enough, but metadata exposes significantly more as it is observed over time. To continue with our example, this would mean crunching all of one users sent and received emails, which an email provider easily can do. By correlating the timestamps with the users IP address, which provides a geolocation and is reassigned as the user changes networks, the email provider can infer the users spatial movement patterns and waking hours. Thus, metadata magnifies the value of data  your asset  exponentially.

Before we can begin equipping ourselves to fend off category 1 adversaries, lets get a better sense of who they are and what theyre capable of doing. Actors that fit into category 1 can range from Internet service providers (ISPs) to the online services you use, and even to others that piggyback on the ones you use. The common thread is their privileged position with respect to your communications: They serve, carry or mediate them in one way or another.

The full implications of this position are clearer after assessing a few points that a category 1 adversary might occupy. The entities below are given in order of how fundamental they are to facilitating your online communication. Furthermore, they are cumulative: When addressing any one of these, we also must handle everything listed before it.

One party that always plays a role in your communications and everything else on a computer is the developer of the devices operating system. This is because the OS is responsible for interfacing with all of your devices networking hardware, and passing data back and forth between programs and the network.

All of this data interchange is driven by low-level OS processes that most people dont look at and dont know how to interpret. Practically speaking, addressing the OS access to your data is difficult. Its also overkill for this threat model, but I cite it here for the sake of completeness, and to introduce the concept for later discussion.

The other entity that always occupies a link in the chain between your device and the network is your ISP. This is the company that assigns you an IP address on the public Internet, and permits access to the Internet backbone over its infrastructure.

Because everything you send includes the geolocatable IP address for the sender and recipient, and the ISP is responsible for delivering it between the two, the ISP knows where on the Internet (and in the real world) you are at all times.

Since all Internet packets are logged by timestamp, the ISP can align them with IP address records to divine user browsing patterns. ISPs are not only in a position to snoop on your traffic, but also have every incentive to do just that. ISPs recently were deregulated, which allows them to sell your browsing habits. All of that makes them one of the biggest category 1 players.

Since so much of our digital communication is transmitted over the Web, Web browsers figure into most threat models. Nearly every service you can think of likely is accessed through a browser, and odds are it is your single most-used piece of software.

As you would expect for proper Web navigation, a browser knows your IP address and that of each destination website. So your browser knows as much about your online habits as your ISP does, but restricted to the web (that is, only HTTP).

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Browsers also tend to gather diagnostic data  records cataloging potential page load failure conditions  and send it to the browsers developer. In itself this is useful, but there is a risk that this data traverses the sphere of influence of a particular entity that relies on data mining for its profit: Google.

Except for Mozilla Firefox, all mainstream browsers are based on Chromium, the project at the heart of Googles Chrome browser, and over which Google exerts some influence.

Browsers are responsible not only for establishing connections to websites but also, crucially, for managing cookies and other background processes. A browser cookie is a piece of code that a site you visit deposits into your browser to perform some task, like letting you stay logged into a site youve logged into already. However, by default cookies persist regardless of where you browse later, until your browser deletes it. In most cases, this is never.

Cookies simultaneously produce the Web experience that weve grown accustomed to and the data mining that underpins it. For example, tracking cookies snitch about your browsing habits  such as which tabs you have open together at what times  to the entities that installed them on your browser.

Thus, browsers end up serving as the gatekeepers to your data, and your choice of browser and configuration decides how well-locked the gate is.

Email providers also are in a uniquely lucrative position to scour your data, since email is the de facto gateway to all Web services. Youve likely seen enough account verification emails to corroborate this.

Whats more, your email provider retains all your email content, both incoming and sent, which intrinsically cuts a wide swath through your life. A scan through messages from retailers, colleagues, and friends can paint a shockingly vivid portrait of you. In other words, email providers reap the benefit of how prolific email is as a communication channel.

Social media presents another novel lens into sensitive data about you. Although social media is not as central to digital communication as email is, its intended use case allows platforms to derive a lot of information through correlation.

Beyond that, it offers operators data that you may not express over any other medium, especially if the platform promotes rich media formats like photos or includes affinity-expression features such as likes. Status updates encourage regular activity, photos are geotagged and increasingly rich fodder for image recognition AI, and a constellation of likes assemble demographic profiles.

Of course, social media platforms ability to organize users by interconnected webs of friends and followers, or through direct messages, reveals a social graph  an org chart of who fraternizes with whom.

Choose Your Weapons!

Now that you know what our adversaries are armed with, how can you defend against them? One thing that may seem rudimentary merits mention for how overlooked it is: The surest defense of your information is to not store it digitally in the first place.

Granted, this isnt an option for some records. Still, certain personal details can be withheld from digital devices and platforms. For instance, dont indicate where you live or what your birthday is. You can leave things like social media profiles coyly void of deeply personal interests or interpersonal associations.

Assuming that you have data that you cant keep off the network, end-to-end encryption is the single most effective instrument you have. Cryptography (the study of encryption) is far too complicated a discipline to dissect here, but in a nutshell, encryption is the use of mathematical codes that cant be deciphered except by the intended sender and receiver.

The trick with end-to-end encryption is ensuring that your definition of intended receiver matches your services definition. Although a service may encrypt your message from you to its servers, decrypt it, and newly encrypt your message from its server to your interlocutor (who decrypts it), that is not end-to-end. Encryption is end-to-end only if your message is encrypted so that only your correspondent can decrypt it, denying interceding servers a peek.

With this in mind, use end-to-end encryption whenever it is possible but still pragmatic. When there is an encrypted alternative that is no more (or only slightly more) difficult to use than your current option, make the switch.

There are a few places where this likely will be viable for you. To start, you should avoid using open wireless networks (i.e., not protected with a password). If implemented with discretion, a virtual private network (VPN) affords you a robust general-purpose safeguard. Even easier to configure is the HTTPS Everywhere extension, a free add-on to your browser. Its not easy to enable encryption directly with email, but you can choose a provider that promises end-to-end encryption to your messages recipient.

As for other countermeasures, its best to tackle them by specific adversary.

A VPN is the ideal tool for thwarting nosy ISPs. To understand why, envision the same browsing scenario with and without one. When you connect to a website without a VPN, your ISP sees a connection going directly from your IP address to the site. This holds for every site you visit.

If you browse through a VPN connection, your ISP will see only a connection between your IP address and the VPN server address, regardless of how many sites you go to. With a VPN, your computer establishes an encrypted channel from you to the VPN server, passes all your Internet traffic through it, and has the VPN server forward it to wherever it is headed. In other words, the VPN browses on your behalf, passing back its connections through a tunnel that observers (including your ISP) cant penetrate.

Theres a catch, though: With a VPN, youre obscuring your data from one entity by passing it through another. So, if you cant trust the latter, you havent rendered your data any more secure. Be sure to read reviews and privacy policies for VPN services carefully.

Since the lions share of online communication is Web-based, retooling your browser to lock down your data is critical. Your first choice should be an open source browser, meaning one with code that is publicly available so it can be audited independently. Only Firefox fits the bill  Chromium, the basis for Chrome, is open source, but Chrome is not. Fortunately, Firefox is an excellent browser that long has blazed trails on the Web.

You will need to change some settings. First, rig your browser to delete all cookies and caches every time it closes. This will force you to log into your accounts every time, but thats a better security posture anyway, since the cookies that keep you logged in across browser sessions can be stolen.

Next, you should trawl the settings for tracking options and turn off all of them.

Finally, tack on a few security-enhancing extensions. Believe it or not, ad blockers serve a security function, as most ads slurp up sensitive data about you and beam them to their mothership unencrypted.

You also should install the Electronic Frontier Foundations Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere extensions. The former kills tracking scripts that try to insert themselves on every page you load, while the latter encrypts some otherwise unencrypted Web connections.

Fending off eavesdropping email providers is tricky, but its possible for the dedicated among you. Along with being dedicated, you also must be willing to pay a subscription fee, so your provider can draw the revenue to maintain its service.

This isnt a sure thing, as some paid services double-dip to sell your data. However, if your email service is free, its almost certain to be monetizing the demographic profile built from your correspondence. Know that your emails are always at the mercy of the service provider, so send them judiciously.

Lastly, reconsider the apps you use. If there are apps or services you can function without, dump them. Every piece of software you use, whether installed on your device or accessed via the cloud, is another entity that has data from you.

If its not feasible to discard a tool, replace it with one that retains less data. Favor open source alternatives whenever possible, as theyre open to more scrutiny. You also should favor software that requires fewer numerous and invasive permissions. If you see no good reason why an app that does X needs permission Y, skip it.

Now for Your Assignments

Those bound to fight off category 2 and 3 threats certainly should not put too much stock in these techniques. In fact, that cautionary advice applies to category 1 defenders as well, to an extent.

This article doesnt give you everything you need to take the test, but it should supply enough instruction for you to do your homework, find future lessons, and identify your own preferred mindset for consuming the material.

The real final exam will be proctored by your adversary, but I am available for office hours.
Ever wonder what all those scientists and computer gurus really do in Alabamas Rocket City of Huntsville? That is, what are their projects beyond the well-publicized missions like getting Americans back to the Moon and defending against missiles that fly faster than sound.

NASA awarded Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research grants last week, and they show the citys character as well as anything, perhaps. These are small businesses like dozens of others in town whose typical day at the office, well, isnt that typical.

So, what are they working on now worthy of a six-figure NASA check? Among other things:

1. A way to 3-D print extremely fine meshes that can fit inside rocket engine fuel injectors. These meshes would lower the cost of a key piece of rocket engine technology, and ASRC Federal Astronautics is the company working on this.

2. A way to model the risk of landing on another world caused by the violent interaction of a rocket engines plume and the dust and debris on the alien surface. The solution starts with understanding exactly what is dust and what is exhaust in the roiling cloud, and the answer could lead to the difference in a safe or dangerous landing. CFD Research Corp. is working on this project.

3. A way to improve the electronics on fission power systems to make long missions to deep space safer and more able to survive extreme heat and radiation. This could be a so-called cross-cutting technology" that helps all American missions in space. CFD Research Corp. is also working on this project.

4. A simple, retractable solar array for use on the Moon. Solar arrays are the most popular power source for spacecraft, and improvements to their design always catch NASAs eye. This proposal seeks to develop a simple, reliable, relatively low cost and reusable array. It would also be modular so that units could be put together to meet future power needs on the Moons surface. Nexolve Holding Company is working on this project.

5. New fuel for nuclear thermal propulsion. More efficient rocket engines are a key to missions to distant Mars, and low enriched uranium is considered a key fuel option. For technical reasons, that fuel needs a metal coating, and a Huntsville company is working to produce that coating. Once developed, scientists believe it also can be used in the medical, power, electronics, aerospace and chemical industries, among others. Plasma Processes LLC is working on the project.

Thirty American states received NASA Phase II small business innovation awards, but only seven had more than Alabama. Among Alabamas neighbors, Georgia had one award, Tennessee had three and Florida had five.

(Updated to correct the name of the research company in item #3)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) on Wednesday signed the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for the Train 7 project.

The contracts were signed with the SCD JV Consortium, comprising affiliates of Saipem, Chiyoda and Daewoo.

The NNLG said the signing of the EPC contracts have now triggered the effective commencement of the detailed design and construction phase of the multi-billion dollar project.

On completion, the project is expected to raise the plants current six-train capacity by 35 per cent, from the extant 22 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 30 MTPA.

During the contract signing ceremony held online, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, said the federal government was determined to go ahead with the construction of the project despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy.

Mr Kyari said despite fears that the COVID-19 crisis could disrupt the completion of the construction of the Train 7 Project, he was optimistic the pandemic will end long before the construction of the project is completed.

The pandemic crisis is not forever. I am confident it will come to end before the construction is completed and operations begin in five years time, Mr Kyari said.

Successes, models

The NNPC GMD said the companys successes since it commenced operation in 1999 have continued to prove it is a unique business model that is profitable to all its stakeholders.

NNPC and the other shareholders  Shell, Total and Eni  are proud to be a part of this exceptional Nigerian brand that stands out in the global market, he said.

Mr Kyari said it was for that reason that President Muhammadu Buhari instructed the NNPC, through the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipreye Sylva, that the project be given all the support necessary to succeed.

The NNPC, he said, was determined to support all the other shareholders and NLNGs management to secure the much-needed public confidence from all critical stakeholders, especially federal government agencies and international investors towards the pursuit of the 7th train project.

I encourage every stakeholder involved in the execution of the Train 7 Project, especially the SCD JV Consortium, NLNG Train 7 Project Team and the companys management to leave no stone unturned in making this project a reality, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Sylva said he was happy the construction of the project was proceeding despite the current challenges in the global economy.

He commended the shareholders for the milestone achieved, assuring that the federal government will do all that was necessary to pursue it to the end on schedule and within budget.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Tony Attah, said the EPC contracts signing represents yet another milestone in NLNGs journey towards achieving its vision of being a global LNG company, helping to build a better Nigeria.

Tony Attah, MD, NLNG

With the award of the EPC Contracts to our preferred bidders (SCD JV), we are guaranteeing that our country remains significantly on the global list of LNG suppliers, he said.

This singular act clearly demonstrates our shareholders determination and resolve to sustain the economic dividends that NLNGs monetization of our vast natural gas reserves offers our great country Nigeria, he added.

Confident in SCD JV Consortiums proven competence, Mr Attah said its understanding of NLNGs business philosophy will positively influence the execution of the Project and ensure zero harm to people, environment and host communities.

The project, upon completion, will support the federal governments drive to generate more revenue from Nigerias proven gas reserves of about 200 Trillion cubic feet (TCF) and further reduce gas flaring in the countrys upstream oil and gas industry.

The construction period is expected to last approximately five years with first LNG rundown expected in 2025.

NLNG is an incorporated Joint-Venture owned by four Shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the NNPC (49%), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6%), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15%), and Eni International N.A. N.V. S.ar.l (10.4%).

Representatives of all the shareholders, along with the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Osobonye LongJohn, witnessed the ceremony.

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She has recently come under fire from fans for allegedly breaking lockdown rules with her Love Island boyfriend Tommy Fury.

And Molly-Mae Hague seemed to pine for her life before lockdown in a throwback snap she posted to her Instagram on Tuesday night.

The former Love Island star, 20, uploaded a photo of her in London holding a bouquet of roses from before coronavirus lockdown was instated.

Pining: Molly-Mae Hague seemed to pine for her life before lockdown in a throwback snap she posted to her Instagram on Tuesday night

She captioned the picture: 'Missing spontaneous nights away in London... and a tanned face.'

Molly-Mae looks radiant in the glamorous photo she posted for her 4.1million followers.

She is seen wearing an oversized black leather jacket and a cross-body Louis Vuitton bag.

The reality star recently found herself in hot water after she and Tommy, 21, appeared to dismiss a government-mandated order to only travel if essential by relocating from outer London to their shared flat in Manchester last month.

Missing normal life: The former Love Island star, 20, seemed to miss her pre-lockdown life and pined for normality

Under fire: Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury were slammed by fans after disregarding strict governmental rules and making a 170-mile journey during UK lockdown

The pair were originally self-isolating in Hitchen, at the Hertfordshire home owned by Molly-Maes mother, before making the decision to travel back to Lancashire.

A source told Sun Online: They left Molly's mum's house to head back home to Manchester, but they havent come in to contact with anyone on their travels only each other.

Molly-Mae had previously posted pictures from the quiet residential street her mother's house occupies, as well as various snaps of her bedroom, while spending time at home with Tommy during the first month of lockdown.

Don't mind me: Molly-Mae had previously posted pictures from the quiet residential street her mother's house occupies

Addressing Instagram followers, the blogger also admitted she was 'relieved' they had chosen to self-isolate with her mother and sister Zoe.

However recent updates place them back in Tommy's native Manchester, with Molly-Mae sharing a string of videos from their apartment on Tuesday night.

In one clip the blonde accuses Tommy of breaking her nose after he throws a giant teddy bear at her, while another finds her complaining after the professional boxer spends the night replaying footage of his old fights.

Sneak peek: The blogger has also shared various snaps of her bedroom while spending time in Hertfordshire with Tommy during the first month of lockdown

Fans have since hit out at the couple for choosing to travel back to Manchester while many Brits adhere to the rules.

Writing on Reddit, one unimpressed follower wrote: 'Molly and Tommy have been posting pictures and videos from quarantine at Mollys parents house, at one point I remember Molly saying 'so glad we chose to isolate here'.

'Now she has posted on Instagram and she is back in Manchester at her and Tommys flat.

Nothing to do: Molly-Mae told followers she was bored while relaxing outside the property during the first weeks of lockdown

'I appreciate this isnt the worst thing in the world but travelling between homes is deemed non essential travel and I think its a bit silly of her to change location and post showing she has.'

Another added: 'They have definitely done wrong. Unless the situation at Molly's parents has become completely untenable they should have stayed there.'

While the general public were urged to stay at home and only leave the house for essential travel during the first three weeks of lockdown, new regulations state people can move from one house to another - but only in the case of an emergency.

A representative declined to comment when approached by MailOnline.
Franziska Weser is lives 29, in Leipzig, and is just going to start with a friend in a Start-up. She says: "in the Beginning, I was with the tables, the founder of the root is always first as female and only later in the conversation, then perhaps as an entrepreneur."

Bastian Benrath

editor in the economy.

F. A. Z. Twitter

The Start-up "Heartucate", the two founders to build in just, want to project by using the new mobile Internet standard 5G virtual models of ancient cities or remote places in the classroom. So learning content for students to understand not only-but also experience  Augmented Reality (AR) is the technology in professional circles. The idea is not just for Housewives. And yet: "As a woman, I was not immediately taken seriously," says Weser. "I had to much show more always very good results, in order to be as equal conversation partner is perceived."

The experiences of the Leipzig founder, coincide strikingly with the relevant statistics: Nearly 70 percent of Start-ups in Germany are led by a all-male founding team. Women are not reasons, however, so often and if, then with the men. Just one in every ten Start-up has a purely-female founding team.

investors discriminate against female founders

The "Female Founders" Monitor, a study of the Federal Association of German Start-ups and Google, which was presented on Tuesday, and from which these Numbers come, of power, there is little hope that this will soon change: The proportion of women among the founders in Germany rose compared to the previous year, to just 0.6 percent.

Updated Date: 30 June 2020, 14:19
A Brisbane winery offering virtual experiences is tapping into the interstate market during the coronavirus pandemic, with plans to expand online services.

City Winery Brisbane co-founder Adam Penberthy said the virtual food and wine pairings, cheese and wine packages and at-home wine blending workshops would stay when restrictions lift.

City Winery co-founder Adam Penberthy. Credit:Darren England/AAP

"COVID-19 has brought so much disaster, I don't want to understate that, but for us as a business, it has been an amazing experience," he said.

"With the virtual experiences we have been offering during COVID-19, we have been selling 300 per cent more than what we did with the exact same experiences in person."
The personal details of subscribers to WA's major daily newspaper may have been compromised after the Seven West Media masthead was targeted by hackers.

In an email obtained by WAtoday sent to a number of subscribers, The West Australian said their subscription administration email had been accessed by an external party "in an unauthorised manner".

WA's only daily newspaper has been targeted by hackers. Credit:AAP

The hack occurred on March 23 but it wasn't brought to the attention of the masthead until April 21, when an investigation was launched.

According to the Kerry Stokes-controlled newspaper, the hackers impersonated the administrator of the mailbox, sent out phishing emails to several people and accessed historic conversations.
Americans will get priority for French drugmaker Sanofi's coronavirus vaccine because the US rushed to be first to give the company funding for its research back in February, chief executive officer Paul Hudson told Bloomberg.

'The US government has the right to the largest pre-order because its invested in taking the risk' by giving Sanofi $30 million toward coronavirus vaccine research, Hudson said.

Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that there are more than 100 vaccines against COVID-19 in development around the world.

In the US, at least eight are being made, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Tuesday fast-tracked the shot being made by Modern in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Dr Anthony Fauci said that the US needs 'multiple shots on goal,' and Hudson's statement suggests that a second formidable kick is in the works.

Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson (pictured) told Bloomberg that the US will be first in line for the French company's coronavirus vaccine thanks to the $30 investment the government gave the company for its research

After teaming up with another drug giant, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Sanofi has said its vaccine could be ready for human testing in the latter half of this year, while Moderna dosed its first trial participant on March 16.

Sanofi and GSK say that, together, they have the capacity to make 600 million doses of the shot a year, but Hudson told Bloomberg he wants to double that.

The US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) gave Sanofi's vaccine research initiative $30 million to fund and expedite the process.

But that figure pales in comparison to the $226 million the US gave Sanofi in December as part of a more regular investment in flu vaccine production.

Countries have entered a vaccine race and, despite international collaborations like Sanofi's (a French company) with GSK (a British firm), development has taken on an 'every man for himself' tone.

Former FDA Commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb warned last month that the US should not expect to rely on the generosity of other countries for a vaccine in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

'The first country to the finish line will be first to restore its economy and global influence,' Gottiieb wrote.

'America risks being second. While friendly nations will try to share a successful product - to a point - the US can't rely on vaccines from China or even Europe being available in America quickly.'

Experts have warned that the coronavirus pandemic won't end until there is a vaccine, and former FDA Commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb said the US can't rely on other countries for one

Sanofi is one of the companies supported by the Trump administration's 'Warp Speed' initiative to fund and expedite coronavirus vaccine research

Last month, the UK had already enrolled 6,000 participants in a trial of Oxford University's promising vaccine.

In the US, many companies are working on vaccines, but these disparate efforts mean that investments in and eventual trials for these will be relatively small.

The FDA last week approved a Phase 2 human trial for Moderna's vaccine - but it is set to involve just 45 patients.

Sanofi told Reuters it plans to start early stage human trials for its two candidate vaccines in September, and that these will enroll hundreds of participants.

Its late stage trials are expected to take place around the end of the year, and if they're as wide in scope as Sanofi's previous flu shot trials, they could involve tens of thousands of patients.

Wherever those thousands of participants may be, the US bought its way into being the first to reap the benefits.

Hudson, a Briton, has even warned Europeans that they'll lose out.

'Ive been campaigning in Europe to say the US will get vaccines first,' Hudson told Bloomberg.

'Thats how it will be because theyve invested to try and protect their population, to restart their economy.'

Public health experts and the World Health Organization (WHO) have warned that pay-to-play structures for vaccine development could leave poorer countries vulnerable to ongoing coronavirus outbreaks.

But for the time being, vaccines are priority, and whatever country can pay for the research may have an advantage, though Hudson added that the US may only get its vaccines days or weeks ahead of other nations in the end, during his interview with Bloomberg.
The refusal of Swedens Social Democrat/Green government to impose lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus has won widespread praise in international media. Publications from USA Today to Britains Daily Telegraph and Germanys Der Spiegel have hailed Swedens unique response to the crisis as an example of how to weigh economic interests against human life. Anders Tegnell, Swedens state epidemiologist, and other top health officials have been afforded extensive space to propagate what is in all essentials, their denials notwithstanding, a policy of herd immunity.

This is made especially clear in the horrific death toll recorded in Swedens elderly care homes. Of the more than 3,300 deaths reported to date, half have been care home residents; another quarter received care at home. These terrible numbers are underestimates, as Swedish official statistics only include cases where a positive coronavirus test has been confirmed by a lab.

With a population of just 10 million, Swedens death toll is more than three times the combined fatalities in Denmark, Finland, and Norway, which together have more than 16 million inhabitants.

The virus has run rampant in care homes above all due to inadequate protective equipment and the precarious nature of care-sector jobs. As a consequence of privatisation policies supported by the entire political establishment in Sweden since the 1990s, private providers have made vast sums out of elderly care, while staff lack job protection and adequate equipment. They had paper napkins attached to rubber bands, that was their face masks, a Swedish doctor told Germanys Suddeutsche Zeitung about conditions in care homes.

Reports have emerged of care workers with symptoms continuing to work for fear of losing their jobs and their income. In Sormland, a region whose care homes have seen major outbreaks, at least 20 percent of all staff in half of the homes are hourly employees or employed by a staffing agency, meaning they receive no pay if they stay at home. Authorities also failed to carry out mass testing of care workers to identify who was infected. Sweden has conducted just 14,700 tests per 1 million inhabitants, less than than Peru or Chile.

Strong evidence suggests that the authorities are refusing anyone over the age of 80 intensive care treatment in the Stockholm region, home to about half of all Swedens cases. According to German public broadcaster NDR, less than 1 percent of all coronavirus patients aged 80 or overjust 50 from over 5,200received intensive care treatment.

By contrast, the same figure for patients in that age group in Germany was 12 percent, according to an analysis based on a smaller group of patients conducted by the Robert Koch Institute. Johnny Hellgren, head of Swedens Intensive Care Register, told NDR, There may be more ethical discussions and more discussions about futility before a patient is admitted to intensive care in Sweden.

Behind euphemisms about ethical discussions, the Swedish ruling class acts with callous disregard for human life. Public criticism is mounting, including from medical experts demanding more-rigorous confinement measures and more testing and contact tracing.

The Social Democrat/Green coalition has responded by promoting Swedish nationalism and collective responsibility. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven acknowledged that his government had not sufficiently protected the elderly, while unveiling a minuscule 2 billion kronor (around 189 million) in additional support for the elderly-care sector. This is a mere fraction of the hundreds of billions made available to large companies and the banks by state bailouts.

Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren, also a Social Democrat, added, As a society, we bear joint responsibility for this sector not being better equipped. We paid too little attention to the workers, their working conditions, and the reputation of their profession.

This is a pack of lies. The Swedish people are not collectively responsible for the disastrous response to the pandemic. On the contrary, the very high fatality rate in Sweden is due to the governments refusal to impose a lockdown and carry out mass testing, as well as to policies of privatisation and attacks on workers pursued over the past two decades that have devastated health care, elderly care, and other key social services.

Unlike other European countries, Swedish authorities allowed most schools, all restaurants, bars, and clubs, and most businesses to remain open throughout the pandemic. Gatherings of up to 50 people are still permitted.

This allowed the virus to spread largely unchecked across a country whose health and social services were in no condition to deal with an upsurge in patients. From the 1994-2006 Social Democrat government, to Frederick Reinfeldts right-wing Alliance (2006-2014), and the Social Democrat Lofvens period in office (2014-present), each government intensified the destruction of health care, social services and the welfare state, which at one time was among the most comprehensive in the world.

Lofvens Social Democrats have played a crucial role in continuing to enforce austerity for working people and tax cuts and subsidies for the wealthy. After emerging as the largest party from the 2014 election, but without a parliamentary majority, the Social Democrats and Greens struck an unprecedented deal with the right-wing Alliance parties to stay in office.

The agreement with the Moderate, Centre, Liberal, and Christian Democrat parties committed the Social Democrats to implementing the Alliances 2015 budget and gave the four opposition parties a veto over subsequent spending. After the 2018 election, the Social Democrats and Greens concluded a more formal cooperative agreement with the Centre and Liberal parties to secure a parliamentary majority.

The embrace of the traditional right by Swedens Social Democrats was dressed up as a bold move to stop the rise of the far-right Sweden Democrats. In truth, however, it was part of a broader shift of social democratic parties and their trade union backers worldwide towards free-market policies and support for imperialist wars. Sweden joined in the bombardment of Libya in 2011, and integrated its armed forces into US-led NATO operations against Russia.

According to the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing US think-tank, Sweden takes first place in its global privatisation rankings. No other country privatised more public services between 1996 and 2012 than Sweden, the think-tank noted.

In addition to the elderly-care sector, privatisation initiatives led to an explosive growth in private hospitals and schools. Swedens education system increasingly funnels public funds to privately run educational institutions, a model that inspired David Camerons Tory government in Britain in its approach to privatising schools.

The brutal reality of Swedens approach to COVID-19 is that thousands of lives are being sacrificed to enrich a financial elite that has dramatically increased its wealth in recent years by destroying the very social services and workers protections now so glaringly lacking. Income inequality has risen in no other OECD country more quickly than Sweden since the 1990s.

Lisa Pelling of the Stockholm-based Arena Ide think tank wrote in 2019 of the impact of this on the top 10 percent of society: Today, the Swedish face of inequality rests on a person whose everyday life is spent on what is in many ways a different planet. It is someone who no longer has to cook, wash the dishes or carry grocerieswhose shirts are washed and ironed by paid (and tax-deductible) labour. The face of inequality is a person who can afford to take a mortgage on not just one home but a second one too, and who gets a tax rebate for having his or her often spacious dwellings cleaned and maintained. It is a person whowithout having to pay a tuition feecan send his or her kids to socially segregated schools, where well-prepared, motivated children are taught by the best-prepared teachers. It is a person who qualifies for private health insurance, which makes it possible to jump the queue for examinations and treatmentsalso at tax-funded clinics and hospitals.

As the government fails to protect human lives, this growing social divide is fuelling popular opposition to the entire political establishment. Despite efforts by media outlets to portray Sweden as united behind the governments irresponsible refusal to order a lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, the reality is very different. A recent poll found that just 51 percent of respondents approve of the governments handling of the pandemica figure that drops to 40 percent among those under 30 years of age.
Think malaria and the first name that comes to mind is Sir Ronald Ross and his Nobel Prize winning work on the parasite that causes it. For the more informed, especially Hyderabadis, his ground-breaking work in the backwaters of the Hussainsagar lake, should be familiar stuff.

Today is the 163rd birth anniversary of Ronald Ross, who is symbolically recognised, but for all practical purposes forgotten even in the cities where he did most of his work: Hyderabad and Kolkata.

Recognised because an important road from the Begumpet Airport was named after him, and a small government hospital and the Institute of Parasitology at the Osmania University were set up over a decade ago in his honour. Sadly, however, the road has virtually shrunk in length and is all but forgotten; and the hospital and institute are in a state of neglect.

The Almora-born British medical doctor became the first winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine (1902) for work done in Asia, for identifying the pathway of transmission of malaria after painstaking research on the parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Ronald Ross made his landmark discovery on August 20, 1897, in Secunderabad. He discovered the malaria parasite while cutting the tissues in the stomach of a female Anopheles mosquito that had fed on a patient.

The discovery proved the mosquito's role in transmission of the disease to humans. Later, in 1898, in Kolkata, Dr Ross worked out the life history of the malaria parasite in birds.

The last time I visited the Ronald Ross Institute of Parasitology, adjacent to the Begumpet Airport, where the reputed doctor did his pioneering work, I found it desolate. With the 102-year-old Osmania University itself starved of funds and slipping rapidly in research in the last few years, the fortunes of the Institute could only have headed south.

It is a paradox that the country where epoch-making research was done on malaria still cannot boast of developing a drug or vaccine for it and in loses about a million lives to outbreaks of the disease annually.

The market for claimed control, including a range of gadgets, coils etc is thriving, while millions of people have learnt to live with the routine bites and stings of the mosquito every night.

Interestingly, and perhaps coincidentally, as the Covid 19 pandemic spreads fast and affects millions, one of the anti-malarial formulations called hydroxychloroquine, has raised hopes of controlling the coronavirus.

It got a big boost with the US president Donald Trump rooting for it. Trump reportedly put pressure on Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to supply it to his country. For a few weeks, some of the Indian pharma majors got orders to supply the drug to a few nations.

However, the euphoria seems to have been short-lived as researchers and medical professionals are finding that the anti-malarial drug developed in the 1930s may after all not be the magic bullet to treat the virus.

With the monsoon season fast approaching and doctors warning of the associated outbreaks of viral and waterborne bacterial diseases, the usual problems of dengue, chickunguniya and malaria (all caused by mosquitos carrying parasite) loom large. How coronavirus will manifest amidst all these factors is anybodys guess.

Perhaps, Hyderabad, the city that opened the eyes of the world to malaria, should use the opportunity to strengthen healthcare facilities and research work in those named after Ross. A great chance to set an example in not just honouring a great hero of science, but also in tackling modern challenges well.

M Somasekhar is a senior journalist based in Hyderabad
More than 50 years have passed since humans first landed on the moon. But moon exploration did not stop there, as humanity is planning to return to the lunar surface soon with NASA's upcoming Artemis mission.

The space agency has repeatedly pointed out that the return on the lunar surface will be "to stay" and build a lunar base for humanity. To do that, humans need to be resourceful and creative.

A suggestion came from a group of scientists saying that astronauts can use their urine in an effort to find sustainable solutions in building future colonies on the moon. In collaboration with the European Space Agency, the team published a study in the Journal of Cleaner Production elaborating their suggestion.

This new suggestion is just one of many equally creative ideas to build colonies in space. Some other ideas also include building mushroom houses on the lunar surface and the origami-inspired habitat to reduce the amount of resources astronauts need to bring with them on their journey to the moon.

Lunar Concrete Made from Urine

Last Friday, the European Space Agency announced that the main organic compound of urine known as urea could become a useful ingredient in making concrete to build on the moon. They said that urea would make the mixture for a "lunar concrete" more malleable before it turns into its sturdy form.

Using only materials available on site for a moon base or other construction would reduce the need to launch supplies from Earth, according to the researchers.

One of the study author, Ramon Pamies, a professor at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, Murcia, said that with their research, they have seen that a waste product, such as the urine of an astronaut who occupies the bases could be used.

In making the lunar concrete, urine is mixed with lunar regolith, the layer of rocky material that covers the bedrock of the moon. Since urea has the ability to break down hydrogen bonds, it can reduce the viscosity of the regolith mixture which makes it moldable before it hardens.

Read Also: 'Impact Theory' Might be Reconsidered as Carbon Emissions are Detected on the Lunar Surface

Lesser Materials are Needed to Transport from Earth to Moon

Using urine would result in a reduced need to find other resources on the moon such as water, or the need to carry other resources from Earth to the moon. Transporting 0.45 kilograms of supplies from Earth would approximately cost $10,000, which makes transporting the entire construction material less than ideal.

The team tested this new method by using a material similar to lunar regolith and mixed it with urea to make different concrete cylinders using a 3D printer.

The researchers are not yet sure whether urea needs to be extracted from the urine or urine can be used as it is for the concrete mixture. One of its researchers, Anna-Lena Kjniksen, from the University of Norway, said that actual water from the urine could be used or the water obtained from the moon, or it can be both. Previous studies suggest that ancient deposit of ice can be found in the dark craters of the moon's southern and northern poles.

Read More: Origami-Inspired Foldable Lunar Shelter for NASA's Artemis Set to be Tested on Arctic this Fall
>>> Opportunity for face mask production

>>> Opportunities to export medical protective gear to the European-American market

Conquering the worlds market

As a major garment and textile business with export revenue reaching hundreds of millions of US dollars, the Garment 10 Corporation Joint Stock Company has also suffered from the COVID-19 economic storm. The corporation has faced difficulties not only in the interruption in the supply of raw clothing materials from China but also in seeking demand for their products.

After recognising the increasing demand for face masks amidst the epidemic outbreak, the company found a way to transform the challenges into opportunities by switching to cloth face masks.

The companys director Than Duc Viet said that Garment 10 had received an export order for 400 million medical face masks worth US$52 million, which is planned to be exported this July. The company has also received orders for more than 20 million cloth masks from US and German partners.

Face masks made by other Vietnamese garment and textile businesses have also achieved a strong position in export markets. As of April 19, Vietnam has exported over 415 million face masks.

Vietnamese businesses face mask production capacity is huge. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has stated that domestic producers have a total production capacity of 40 million face masks per day, or about 1.2 billion a month. By working at full capacity, the entire garment and textile sector can even produce 100 million face masks per day, or about 3 billion a month.

As estimated by the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), domestic garment and textile businesses are able to produce around 150 million - 200 million face masks a month, which can absolutely meet domestic demand for epidemic prevention and control besides maintaining exports.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has worked to help Vietnamese businesses connect with foreign partners. Vietnamese trade offices abroad have also shared a helping hand in seeking business partners to export these items to their host countries.

Recently, the Government promulgated Resolution No 60/NQ-CP on licences for export of medical face masks, which regulates that medical face masks can be exported without caps on export volume.

Deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Export-Import Agency Tran Thanh Hai said that the resolution has opened up the door for garment and textile businesses to seize opportunity amidst this difficult period of time.

Attention needed to meet quality standards

However, Vietnamese businesses have faced certain difficulties in meeting mask quality standards from the importing countries. Accordingly, to export masks to the EU and the US, Vietnamese firms must obtain a CE marking and FDA certification, respectively, which indicate that a product meets the appropriate safety and environmental protection standards.

In the wake of the pandemic ravaging the globe, and a large demand for face masks, the EU and US may allow the import of these products without CE marking and FDA certification. However, when the epidemic slows down, they will be mandatory for Vietnamese firms to get access into these markets, said Deputy Director Tran Thanh Hai.

Dinh Ngoc Long, an expert from the Vietnam Certification Centre (Quarcert), noted that to obtain a CE marking Vietnamese firm must thoroughly understand all relevant EU-wide requirements and make sure that their products meet all these essential requirements.

For FDA certification, Tran Anh Tuan, an expert from Quarcert, noted that products must undergo a review of safety and effectiveness by FDA experts and achieve agency approval before they can be marketed. Businesses must prepare adequate documents for FDA to perform a review anytime without prior notice.

Experts also noted that mask producers must be well-prepared right from the start of the production process in order to raise their competitiveness and promote their exports in the long term, particularly to demanding markets like the US and EU.

Vietnamese businesses will also face competitiveness issues when other countries with success in developing their textile and garment sectors, including China, India and Pakistan, have recovered after the epidemics.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday denied that he attempted during a videotaped Cabinet meeting last month to shield his relatives and friends from federal police investigations.

Hours before Bolsonaro issued the denial, the two-hour video of the meeting was reviewed by prosecutors, police investigators, lawyers and government officials.

The existence of the video emerged after former Justice Minister Srgio Moro last month accused Bolsonaro of seeking to interfere with Brazilian federal police investigations in Rio de Janeiro during that Cabinet meeting.

Bolsonaro, his family members and friends have extensive business interests in Rio.

Moro, hailed by many Brazilians as an anti-corruption hero, has told investigators that Bolsonaro threatened to fire him during the Cabinet meeting if he failed to make changes in the top ranks of Brazil's federal police and in its Rio division.

While Bolsonaro claimed the video did not prove the allegations, Moro's lawyer, Rodrigo Snchez Rios, said in a statement that he was among those invited to watch it and that the contents proved his client's allegations.

The developments are important because Bolsonaro is trying to avoid allegations of misconduct that could lead to him being suspended from office for a trial before the country's Supreme Court or impeached in Congress.

Former President Dilma Rousseff, a nemesis of Bolsonaro's, was impeached and removed from office in 2016. The far-right Bolsonaro, who has lost support in Brazil's congress in recent months, insists he will not meet a similar fate.

Speaking to reporters after the video was viewed, Bolsonaro said he never meant to imply that he planned to interfere in police investigations, but that he was concerned about family members' safety in Rio. He was stabbed during a 2018 presidential campaign appearance.

The safety of my family is one thing. I am not and I was never worried about the federal police, Bolsonaro said. The federal police never investigated anyone of my family, that does not exist in the video."



He added that the tape of the meeting should have been destroyed and accused journalists of being misinformed" about the gathering.

After Moro resigned, Bolsonaro replaced the head of the federal police and the chief of its Rio division. Supporters of the president have protested against Supreme Court justices and the former justice minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even if coal does manage to beat expectations and rebound later this year, experts say that the dramatic shift in the nations electricity system is unlikely to be just a blip.

Utilities and large technology companies, major consumers of electricity, are increasingly turning to wind and solar farms for their power, both because renewables keep getting cheaper as technology improves but also because of concerns over air pollution and climate change. Large power companies, including Duke Energy in the Southeast and Xcel Energy in the Midwest, are currently planning to retire at least four dozen large coal plants by 2025, and no utility is currently planning to build a new coal facility.

The grid is changing so much faster than anyone expected, said Daniel Cohan, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University. A decade ago, I was teaching my students that coal was the baseload source that runs all the time, and solar was something you might sprinkle in if you want to pay more. Now coals been pushed to the margins and its wind and solar that are the cheapest options.

At the same time, electric companies used to worry that using more than just a tiny fraction of wind and solar would make it difficult to keep the nations lights on, since the sun isnt always shining and the wind isnt always blowing. But since then, utilities have discovered ways to tackle this problem by using technologies like natural-gas plants that can be quickly turned on to meet spikes in demand, better weather forecasting and, increasingly, vast battery storage projects such as those planned in Nevada and California.

The Energy Information Administration expects wind and solar generation to increase this year, although the Covid-19 outbreak is likely to put many projects on hold as supply chains are disrupted. For instance, Pacificorp, a major utility in the Northwest, said it was facing challenges in completing a large 503-megawatt wind farm under construction in Wyoming, though a spokesman said the company was trying to find creative solutions in order to meet a November deadline.

Last week, the Internal Revenue Service signaled that it would provide some flexibility for wind and solar developers at risk of missing deadlines for finishing projects this year in order to qualify for a key federal tax subsidy.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:33:46|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's risk of COVID-19 cluster infections caused by sporadic cases cannot be ignored although the epidemic is in a generally stable state in the country at the moment, a health official said Wednesday.

The newly reported six confirmed domestically transmitted cases in the Chinese mainland on Tuesday were all related to previous cluster infections, said Song Shuli, a spokesperson for the National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing.

"We need to stay alert and put in place measures for regular epidemic response to resolutely prevent new outbreaks," she added. Enditem
New Delhi, May 13 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain an interim bail plea filed on medical grounds by former senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is serving life imprisonment for his involvment in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and Hrishikesh Roy, after examining Kumar's medical report, said "you do not need any medical hospitalization".

Earlier, the apex court had directed Kumar to appear before an AIIMS board, which would determine whether he needs to be hospitalized.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing Kumar, contended before the bench his client is more than 70-years-old and suffering from diabetes and other diseases. "My client has health issues...." Singh added that he could not be produced again before AIIMS due to Covid-19 crisis. "Tomorrow, if my client dies, his life sentence will automatically get converted into the death sentence," contended Singh.

The Chief Justice said: "Do not say that." The bench observed it is inclined to keep the matter pending, as the March 7 AIIMS report said "you do not need hospitalization".

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, said: "It is a case of genocide and he was leading a mob." Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for some riot victims, also opposed Kumar's bail plea.

Kumar and Balwan Khokhar, who has also sought parole in the case, are serving life imprisonment in Tihar jail in the riot case after the Delhi High Court convicted them in December 2018.

Khokhar's life sentence was upheld by the Delhi High Court in 2018, while it had reversed Kumar's acquittal by the trial court in 2013.

They were convicted in a case related to the killings of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area, Palam Colony, in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. Riots had broken out after assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.
Spains Congress of Deputies has approved a government decree adapting the justice system to the Covid-19 crisis, which has brought legal activity nearly to a standstill.

The decree introduces new working practices and procedures to keep the judiciary functioning. The need to overhaul Spains slow legal system has long been the subject of political debate, but little had been done to date. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has prompted new responses such as video hearings for labor and family court proceedings.

The way out of this is through the unity of all in order to save lives, businesses and jobs. PM Pedro Sanchez

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the Socialist Party (PSOE), who heads a minority government in coalition with junior partner Unidas Podemos, has managed to secure enough congressional support for the decree despite opposition from right-of-center groups such as the Popular Party (PP) and Ciudadanos (Citizens).

Instead, the decree passed on Wednesday with 178 votes in favor, thanks to support from two smaller regional groups, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC). This latter party did not support Sanchezs recent request for a fourth extension to the state of alarm that underpins Spains gradual deescalation measures.

The government has also successfully pushed through a second decree containing emergency measures against the effects of the coronavirus crisis on jobs and the economy. Ciudadanos backed this second initiative, which passed with 201 votes in favor, but it did not vote for the justice decree. However, Ciudadanos did support prolonging the governments emergency powers last week.

Shifting alliances

Ciudadanos lawmaker Edmundo Bal in Congress on Wednesday. Pool (Europa Press)

These shifting political alliances underscore how the Spanish executive is being forced to seek vote-by-vote arrangements to get legislation passed. The majority behind its justice decree has the same composition as the one that confirmed him as the prime minister of Spain following the general election of November 2019.

In a few days, Sanchez will have to return to Congress to seek support for a fifth extension to the state of alarm, which currently ends on May 24. But growing opposition to the governments prolonged use of emergency powers makes it uncertain whether the move will prosper.

Speaking in Congress on Wednesday, PP leader Pablo Casado criticized Sanchezs varying geometry, alluding to his different alliances, and made renewed demands for lifting confinement measures, handing face masks to all citizens, mass testing, and for replacing the emergency powers with ordinary laws. Casado said that the PP will vote against a new extension to the state of alarm.

Aitor Esteban of the PNV asked Sanchez to clarify what he means by the new normality, an expression used by the government to define life after the deescalation process is completed. The Basque politician warned about a possible loss of rights and freedoms under the current state of alarm.

Sanchez replied with a message that he reiterated throughout the session: The way out of this is through the unity of all in order to save lives, businesses and jobs.

Summer vacation

Part of the reason why Ciudadanos did not support the justice decree, said party sources, is the governments insistence on holding trials during much of the month of August, when courts are traditionally closed. You have expropriated the vacation time of lawyers and expert witnesses, said Edmundo Bal, the partys spokesperson for justice affairs, addressing Justice Minister Juan Carlos Campo at a meeting of the congressional Justice Committee last week.

The decree stipulates that legal activity may take place between August 11 and 31, in a bid to make up for two months of lockdown. Under confinement, judicial offices have only performed 20% of the work they would normally do, said the justice minister in Congress. That means that in the coming months, the system will have to deal with new matters as well as with the remaining 80% of outstanding work.

And experts warn about a rise in litigation as a result of the coronavirus crisis. According to Justice Ministry figures, bankruptcy proceedings will increase 246% this year and 619% in 2021. The collapse of the justice system could take place once the state of alarm is lifted, warned Campo ahead of the vote. Not supporting this decree could have dramatic consequences.

The minister said that the contents of the decree have been negotiated with regional governments  even those run by the PP  and with the General Council of the Judiciary watchdog, prosecutors and bar associations.

English version by Susana Urra.
Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - May 13, 2020) - Abitibi Royalties Inc. (TSXV: RZZ) (OTC: ATBYF) ("Abitibi Royalties" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the Company's 1% net smelter royalty (NSR) at the New Alger Property that is owned by Renforth Resources Inc. ("Renforth"). The New Alger Property royalty is one of the Company's near mine, early stage NSRs. New Alger is located in Cadillac, Quebec and is contiguous to Agnico Eagle's LaRonde Mine to the northwest (Fig. 1). The update includes a pit constrained gold Mineral Resource Estimate that has been calculated by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. of Brampton, Ontario, with an effective date of April 30th, 2020. Abitibi Royalties is unique among its peers due to its strong treasury, no debt, new monthly dividend, share buyback program and limited number of shares outstanding.

New Alger Mineral Resource Estimate

The open pit geometry has a maximum depth of 215 metres and a maximum length of 1,400 metres. The mineralization at New Alger reaches a maximum depth of 416 metres and is present the length of the Cadillac Break on the Property (~1.4 kilometres).

Assay composite results used, obtained between 2007 and 2019, were capped at 15 g/t Au in this model.

The Mineral Resource Estimate totals 62,600 ounces of gold in 1,035,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.88 g/t gold in the Indicated classification and 188,000 ounces of gold in 3,226,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.81 g/t gold in the Inferred classification

New Alger Mineral Resource Estimate (1-6) Area Classification Cut-off Au

(g/t) Tonnes

(k) Au

(g/t) Au

(koz) Pit Constrained Indicated 0.32 1,016 1.88 61.5 Inferred 0.32 2,322 1.65 123.3 Out-of-Pit Indicated 1.44 19 1.81 1.1 Inferred 1.44 904 2.23 64.7 Total Indicated 0.32 + 1.44 1,035 1.88 62.6 Inferred 0.32 + 1.44 3,226 1.81 188.0

Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources maybe materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. 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. 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. Historically mined areas were depleted from the Mineral Resource model. The pit constrained gold cut-off grade of 0.32 g/t gold was derived from US$1,450/oz gold price, 0.75 US$/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. The out of pit gold cut-off grade of 1.44 g/t gold was derived from US$1,450/oz gold price, 0.75 US$/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 gold 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.

New Alger 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 New Alger 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 1,300 968 1.93 60.2 0.34 1,375 988 1.91 60.7 0.32 1,450 1,016 1.88 61.5 0.30 1,525 1,040 1.86 62.0 0.29 1,600 1,058 1.84 62.5 Inferred 0.36 1,300 2,176 1.68 117.6 0.34 1,375 2,244 1.67 120.2 0.32 1,450 2,322 1.65 123.3 0.30 1,525 2,381 1.64 125.3 0.29 1,600 2,461 1.62 128.2

Sensitivity of New Alger 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 14 2.04 0.9 1.52 1,375 18 1.91 1.1 1.44 1,450 19 1.81 1.1 1.37 1,525 21 1.78 1.2 1.31 1,600 21 1.76 1.2 Inferred 1.61 1,300 744 2.43 58.1 1.52 1,375 834 2.32 62.1 1.44 1,450 904 2.23 64.7 1.37 1,525 942 2.18 66.1 1.31 1,600 961 2.15 66.4

About Abitibi Royalties

Abitibi Royalties owns various royalties at the Canadian Malartic Mine near Val-d'Or Quebec. In addition, the Company is building a portfolio of royalties on early stage properties near producing mines. The Company is unique among its peers due to its strong treasury, no debt, new monthly dividend, share buyback program and limited number of shares.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Glenn Mullan, Chairman, is the Qualified Person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) who has reviewed this news release based solely on the public disclosure provided by Renforth and without independent verification.

For additional information, please contact:

Shanda Kilborn - Director, Corporate Development

2864 chemin Sullivan

Val-d'Or, Quebec J9P 0B9

Tel.: 1-888-392-3857

Email: info@abitibiroyalties.com

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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 or realities may differ materially from those in 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 law, 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.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Figure 1. New Alger Property Location

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55791
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 21:21:39|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. national flags are blown by gusts of wind in front of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, the United States, April 13, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)



"They call it a rule-based world order, and as you know, they invent the rules themselves," Lavrov said.



MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The United States and its allies keep whipping up confrontation and are using the COVID-19 pandemic to impose their own vision of the future world order, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

"They call it a rule-based world order, and as you know, they invent the rules themselves," Lavrov said at a video meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers.

Lavrov called for unilateral sanctions to be suspended during the period of the pandemic, saying that such sanctions impede humanitarian supplies of medicines, equipment and foodstuffs.

Russia is an advocate of seeking collective solutions and is convinced that efforts should be joined on the basis of universality and multilateralism, while efforts should also reflect the interests of every state, Lavrov said.

The country also supports maintaining the system of international relations formed after World War II, the nucleus of which is the United Nations and its organizations, he added.

According to Lavrov, Russia consistently defends the role of the United Nations, an international organization which should adapt to new realities.

"Any adaptation and any reform is not a one-off action, but a constant process, which takes into account the rapidly changing situation in the world," Lavrov said. 
The Taliban on Wednesday said they were prepared to battle Afghan forces after the president told troops to resume offensive operations following grisly attacks that have further unravelled a fragile peace process. New details have emerged on Tuesday's assault on a Kabul maternity hospital, where at least 24 people including infants, mothers and nurses were killed. The daylight attack was followed by a blast at a funeral in the country's east that killed 32 mourners. According to international humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors Without Borders, which runs the maternity wing at the Barchi Hospital in west Kabul, one woman gave birth during the lengthy attack. "While pregnant women and babies were seeking health care in one of the most vulnerable states in life ... attackers stormed the maternity (unit) through a series of explosions and gunfire lasting for hours," MSF said in a statement. The group said at least one Afghan colleague appeared to have been among those killed in the "revolting" attack. President Ashraf Ghani blamed both that assault and the funeral bombing on the Taliban and the Islamic State group, ordering Afghan troops to "resume their operations against the enemy". For weeks Afghan forces had been on a "defensive" posture to ease peace talks with the Taliban. But the insurgents, who denied involvement in Tuesday's attacks, warned they were "fully prepared" to counter any strikes by Afghan forces. "From now onwards the responsibility of further escalation of violence and its ramifications shall fall squarely on the shoulders of the Kabul administration," the Taliban said in a statement. The aggressive threatens the fraying peace process just as Afghanistan grapples with a public health crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned "the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks." "Deliberately targeting infants, children, mothers and health workers as such is especially abhorrent," a Council statement read, emphasising that "any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable." - MSF tragedies - MSF has experienced several tragedies in Afghanistan, including the shooting of five staff in 2004 in Badghis province, prompting the group to pull out of the war-torn nation after 24 years. MSF returned in 2009. But in 2015, after the Taliban had seized the northern city of Kunduz, US air strikes destroyed an MSF trauma hospital, killing 42 people. MSF said it opened the 55-bed maternity unit in Kabul in 2014, and has delivered more than 5,000 babies there since January 1. Images of dead mothers and babies wrapped in blood-soaked blankets sparked international outrage. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, said he was "shocked and appalled" by the maternity hospital attack, and held a minute of silence in memory of the victims during a virtual press conference in Geneva. The Taliban have not claimed any major attacks in Kabul and other cities since signing a deal with the United States in February for foreign forces to leave Afghanistan. They have, however, regularly targeted Afghan forces. Afghanistan's intelligence agency said Wednesday that since the US-Taliban deal the insurgents have carried out 3,712 terrorist attacks that have killed almost 500 civilians. A political deadlock between Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah is also seen as a sign of weakness by the Taliban. Abdullah had previously served as Afghanistan's "chief executive" under an earlier power-sharing deal with Ghani, but lost that post after he was defeated by Ghani in a presidential election. Instead of accepting defeat, Abdullah declared himself president, holding his own swearing-in ceremony on the same day Ghani was inaugurated. - US pushes for peace - The Taliban blamed the Islamic State group and elements of the government's intelligence units for the latest attacks. IS have claimed the funeral bombing, but no group has admitted responsibility for the hospital attack. Top US officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who noted the Taliban's denial of responsibility, urged the Afghan government and the militant group to cooperate to ensure a peace process succeeds. "Failure to do so leaves Afghanistan vulnerable to terrorism, perpetual instability and economic hardship," Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy who negotiated the deal with the Taliban, said on Twitter. us-eb-jds-wat/ch/bgs
Ukraine not to resume air travel from May 22  infrastructure minister

17:40, 13.05.20 6157

Kryklii reiterated other countries had closed borders for foreign citizens.
A majority of Lebanon County Commissioners on Wednesday doubled-down on pushing forward into a less-restrictive yellow reopening status despite threats from the governor that businesses could lose licenses and the county could lose federal money.

The two Republican commissioners, Bill Ames, and Robert J. Phillips, voiced support during a virtual public workshop for defying Gov. Tom Wolfs plans to keep Lebanon County in the restrictive red phase while the Democratic Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz shared concerns that the county might have to enact a tax increase down the line because of financial losses if they go against the states emergency order.

Commissioners Ames and Phillips said they did not believe they would actually lose the discretionary federal funding from the CARES Act that Wolf threatened to withhold from counties that didnt abide by the states phased-in plan.

Phillips said they have accrued $500,000 in COVID-19-related losses so far, and that number is growing each day. He said they would be seeking reimbursement of those losses from the state and that he had received assurances from their local and federal delegation that they would not lose the money.

The commissioners agreed to hold a special meeting Friday where they could vote on the decision to make it official to move into the yellow phase on Friday. If both commissioners that voiced support Wednesday vote for supporting the resolution Friday then that would allow non life-sustaining businesses to open and for people to move around more freely starting that same day.

Although officials from eight to 10 of counties across Pa. originally said they planned to buck Wolfs orders, most of them, including Dauphin County, have since backed down in response to the governors threats about loss of funding, licenses and possibly insurance coverage.

Beaver County officials on Wednesday, however, still indicated that they would reopen on Friday against the state recommendations. Lancaster Countys path remains unclear although its chairman has said he favors an early reopening. Lebanon County has a population of about 140,000 residents.

The Lebanon County commissioners supporting a Friday reopening said only businesses that wanted to take part would need to do so, knowing that they could face some consequences from the state, including losing liquor licenses, or other state-required certifications.

The countys district attorney, Pier Hess Graf, said she would not prosecute any businesses for going against the states stay-at-home orders, but she noted businesses that open are expected to follow the states department of health guidelines for wearing masks and social-distancing.

Upon questioning, she clarified that even if businesses dont follow those safety guidelines, there will not be criminal sanctions, but instead efforts to educate the businesses to follow the guidelines.

The district attorney said residents who dont feel safe going out to reopened businesses dont have to. Anyone in that position can stay home. Graf said a move to reopen would simply be returning the individual right to choose to residents.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, outlined this three-tiered approach to reopening the state, color-coded by red for the current, most restrictive approach to yellow and, finally, green.Courtesy image | For lehighvalleylive.com

Chairman Phillips said the stay-at-home order has been going on for seven weeks, which is too long for people to be out of work.

Many people are saying they cant go on living off their credit line, skipping meals and waiting in lines for food, Phillips said.

If box stores can be open safely, Phillips said, then mom and pop shops should be given the same opportunity. Action to allow additional business to reopen would serve as a lifeline and a chance to survive, he said.

When asked by residents, both Ames and Phillips admitted they had not spoken directly to medical professionals, other than the countys elected coroner, in advance of Wednesdays meeting and during their analysis of whether to reopen early. Instead, they both relied on information from Sen. Dave Arnolds office that Bob Reilly, government affairs officer from WellSpan, reportedly said that the hospital would not raise any red flags against a plan to reopen ahead of the states schedule.

But a spokeswoman for WellSpan said Reilly did not have a discussion with Arnolds office about WellSpans position to move to yellow status. Cindy Stauffer, the spokeswoman, said Reilly did answer questions about WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospitals current and historical patient volumes related to COVID-19.

Both commissioners said Arnold had asked them last Friday to sign a letter, along with him, the district attorney and coroner, to support unilaterally moving to the yellow phase May 15.

The majority commissioners said they were comforted by declining COVID-19 case numbers from the past week that showed they were within the governors recommendations. But upon further questioning from local reporter Chris Coyle, of Lebtown.com, Phillips admitted they had not logged the recommended numbers for 14 days as recommended by the state to go to yellow status. Instead, the countys number of new cases were below 50 per 100,000 residents for half of that, or seven days.

Several residents joined the workshop on videoconference to support the majority commissioners actions and thank them for giving business owners some hope and freedom. Several other residents voice opposition, and called the early reopening reckless financially and for public safety and equated it to giving false hope to the community if infections spike.

This virus will come back if we go back to the way we were, said City Councilwoman Amy Keller, adding that she was ashamed at the countys lack of leadership.

Keller said the way the commissioners planned to reopen would put all the onus and consequences on local residents and businesses, absolving them of repercussions.

But Phillips pushed back and said if they lose federal funding or this thing goes sideways, the people who signed the resolution would be held accountable. I just want to be clear: Were not abdicating anything. In fact, were taking on more responsibility.

Editors Note: This article was updated to clarify Chris Coyles job title.

READ: Perry County not happy about being in red zone, but wont bolt for yellow
NORWALK  With people staying at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many police departments are reporting an increase in domestic violence calls.

But Norwalk hasnt seen such an increase which may not be a good thing, said Norwalk Police Chief Thomas E. Kulhawik. At a virtual Town Hall with Mayor Harry Rilling and Senator Bob Duff, DNorwalk, Kulhawik said police have seen a decrease in most calls, including domestic violence ones.

Were not sure if theres a decrease (in domestic violence) or if people just arent making the calls, he said, adding theres only been an increase in calls about people entering unlocked cars.

Officials remind residents the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence has created CT Safe Connect, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year as a resource for those in need. Visit ctsafeconnect.com for more information and resources. 

While some towns and cities are reporting COVID-19 cases in their police departments, Kulhawik also said Norwalk police havent been heavily affected by the virus, though he did not say how many cases the department has reported.

Its a testament to the officers using their personal protective equipment and social distancing, he said.

Norwalk itself reported 28 new positive cases on Wednesday, bringing the total positive reported cases to 1,868. There were also three new deaths reported. Now, a total of 109 Norwalk residents have died from coronavirus.

To further promote social distancing, Kulhawik said the police have canceled their DARE camps this summer. The Norwalk Police Department will also be holding its Annual Police Memorial in honor of National Peace Officers Memorial Week virtually on Thursday, May 14, at 11 a.m. The event will be broadcast on the NPD Facebook page.

Kulhawik said the public has been very cooperative with social distancing. There have been some calls at larger box stores with people not social distancing, but the department is leaving it up to stores to police that. However, he added certain business licenses could be revoked if owners do not comply with social distancing guidelines.

erin.kayata@hearstmediact.com
(TNS)  After one local law enforcement agency pulled out of an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Health to receive the names and addresses of residents who test positive for COVID-19 , only two local agencies remain in the agreement, according to the latest information from the state health department.Those two agencies are East Ridge and Collegedale police."Governor [Bill] Lee and the Department of Health have stated that they believe that sharing this information with the first responders will enable officers and employees to protect themselves as well as individuals in their custody from the community spread of COVID-19, among other benefits to the public health, safety and welfare," said Bridgett Raper, spokeswoman for the Small Cities Coalition of Hamilton County, which encompasses East Ridge and Collegedale.Last month, the Tennessee Department of Health, at the request of Gov. Bill Lee, sent two letters  one to police chiefs and one to sheriffs  offering to share otherwise federally protected health information with law enforcement, something that wasn't publicized at the time.Since media reports began to expose the information sharing on Friday, the practice has drawn criticism for potentially breaching privacy and discouraging people from getting tested.Elected officials for East Ridge and Collegedale did not return a request for comment Tuesday to say whether they were aware that their respective law enforcement agencies had entered into the agreement.The Chattanooga Housing Authority Police Department pulled out of its agreement . The public housing agency had previously been unaware that its police department had entered into the agreement and is no longer a part of it, agency executive director Betsy McCright told theChattanooga police chose not to enter into the agreement because "the speed with which we have to go to a call and help people is too great for us to spend time trying to figure out [if they've tested positive]," Mayor Andy Berke said during a Facebook Live question-and-answer session this week."We know that it is a concern when it comes to the privacy of residents of our community, so we have chosen not to sign the memorandum of understanding," Berke said. "We are not accessing that information ... Please go get tested. You do not have to worry about that being turned over to law enforcement in our community."The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office hasn't signed the agreement, either."We are very fortunate in Chattanooga and Hamilton County. The decision was made not to utilize or seek out that information," said Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, a member of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators, which has called on Gov. Bill Lee and the department of health to stop sharing the identities of those who tested positive for COVID-19 with law enforcement.The information is "shared so that first responders can know on the front end whether the situation or household to which they are responding involves positive patients so they can take appropriate precautions," department of health spokeswoman Shelley Walker told theby email.A person's name falls off the list after 30 days, according to the agreement. An updated version of the list will be sent each day to agencies that have signed the agreement, and they're required to shred all outdated copies as soon as they receive a new version and 30 days after the statewide state of emergency has been lifted.According to the agreement, it's up to each individual agency to determine how to handle the information, so long as it's in compliance with the agreement.But how does the state have the authority to disclose otherwise protected health information?Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, a "covered entity," such as the health department, cannot share personal health information except in certain circumstances.One of those exceptions is "when the disclosure of health information to first responders is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health and safety of a person or the public," according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That's if the health department "believes in good faith that the disclosure of the information is necessary" and the "disclosure is made to someone they believe can prevent or lessen the threat."But there are better ways to protect law enforcement, the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators said over the weekend.After hearing from many in the black and Hispanic communities, the group of lawmakers warned the practice could discourage testing in communities that are "already distrustful of the government" and who fear "other uses" of their information.Here in Hamilton County, activist group Concerned Citizens for Justice also pointed to the potential negative impact on certain communities.Providing the information to law enforcement "creates a barrier for community members that have had traumatic and harmful relations with law enforcement for generations," CCJ member Nate King said. "Undocumented people are particularly at risk of facing deportation, and this form of surveillance further isolates their ability to access care and testing."Caucus Vice-Chair Rick Staples, D-Knoxville, said, "That's why it's so important to have diverse representation at the table when these issues are being discussed so decisions aren't being made that could possibly do more harm than good and possibly set us back in terms of much needed testing"The group has said Lee's office "promised to work with the Black Caucus this week to find solutions to the issues and that [they are] 'encouraged' by the quick response from the Lee Administration."Lee's office did not return a request for comment Tuesday.
A flood-plagued Pointe Coupee Parish neighborhood that earned the nickname "Flood City" among residents due to regular deluges they'd suffered for years is a step closer to higher ground as construction began to relocate the community.

The Louisiana Office of Community Development broke ground Monday on a 22.5-acre plot north of New Roads, as crews plowed out the earth that by next year will be home to some families now living two miles down the road in the Pecan Acres subdivision.

After years of planning, some 40 homeowners there will have the opportunity to move to the new community that they've named Audubon Estates.

Many of the residents are low- to moderate-income and moved to the Pecan Acres after previously living on nearby sharecropping land. An opportunity for homeownership was enticing for buyers at the time, but they soon realized they would be left with houses they couldnt sell or build much equity.

They were robbed of an opportunity to build wealth in Pecan Acres, said Louisiana Community Development Executive Director Pat Forbes. They get that opportunity back now.

+10 Black community in flood-prone New Roads area feels pushback from white neighborhood over relocation site NEW ROADS  Residents of Pecan Acres, a predominantly black community that has flooded at least 17 times over the past two decades, are claimi

In the past 30 years, Pecan Acres has flooded 17 times, and residents there say they become scared every time it rains.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the project is moving ahead as crews began plowing the cane field that will soon be many of their new homes. The state plans to send bids to build the houses by this summer. If all goes to plan, residents could move in as early as next spring.

Still, building trust with residents has been a long process. Early efforts to approach residents with the project were met with skepticism that the project would ever come to fruition, said Pointe Coupee Parish Council Member Edward Pop Bazile.

The existing neighborhood was built in the late '60s and '70s on a parish dumpsite that previously was low-lying swampland, making it vulnerable to floods. Many in the neighborhood say they cant afford flood insurance, which is needed to obtain federal grants for flood repairs.

They were following the American dream not knowing the place was a swamp and they ended up getting stuck, Bazile said.

Project to resettle families living in flood-plagued Pointe Coupee neighborhood nearing final step Ella Armstrong has battled flood water that's poured into her New Roads home more times than she can count. She and her neighbors in Pecan Acr

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Efforts to curb flooding by installing pumps and other measures over the years also proved unsuccessful, leading to further challenges for officials who approached residents with their plan to move their community to a safer place.

Like thousands of other families in the Baton Rouge area, homes in Pecan Acres suffered significant damage during the summer of 2016 floods, followed later by another torrent later that year.

In a way, the floods pushed residents' demands for a solution forward and cleared a financial path to help them get out through state grants created since the 2016 flood.

The state earmarked about $19.4 million for the resettlement effort, which is funded through a mix of federal and state grants used for disaster and relocation initiatives.

So far, 28 homeowners chose to move to the Audubon Estates, a name they also chose because of its historical significance to Louisiana artist and ornithologist John James Audubon. Other residents chose to have their homes bought out so they can buy new ones elsewhere.

The location of Audubon Estates is also likely going to increase in value because its close to the city of New Roads as well as the bridge connecting Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana parishes over the Mississippi River.

After residents move out of Pecan Acres, the area will be reverted back to wetlands, which parish officials say will alleviate flooding in the surrounding area.

The concept of allowing residents to continue living next to their neighbors offers a glimpse at how state leaders relocate residents of flood-stricken neighbors onto drier land in the future to keep communities intact.

It absolutely is a model for us, Forbes said, adding his agency has been organizing similar relocation projects elsewhere in the state. We fully expect many local governments to want to help get communities like this out of harms way.

In recent months, the agency has met with residents and given them a say in planning the project, including everything from picking the color on their new homes, street names and even the name of the subdivision itself.

Its been a great opportunity to make sure we do everything we can  to make sure its a place that represents the people who live there and is where theyd want to live, Forbes said.
We had a very constructive discussion of Greek foreign policy issues today, in the context of the National Council on Foreign Policy.

We focused on Turkey's escalating provocations, as this is something that is happening in both the Aegean and the wider Eastern Mediterranean.

I stressed to my colleagues the composure and resolve with which we are acting. Our country is always committed to International Law and international legality.

We are using every diplomatic means and we are keeping our partners and allies apprised of the situation. But at the same time, we are making in clear in every direction that defence of our sovereignty and our sovereign rights is a non-negotiable good.

In spite of our disagreements on specific matters, all Greeks are united on the essential lines of our policy.

With regard to the Libya issue, I informed my colleagues that Greece will take part in operation Irini, taking up command staff positions. The operations duty is to ensure complete implementation of the arms embargo. We believe this operation is very important for creating the necessary conditions for resolving the Libyan crisis.

Finally, my colleagues and I had the opportunity for an in-depth discussion on issues concerning the new Statutes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We talked about the innovations we are proposing and what has to happen in order for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to finally enter the 21st century. We believe these Statutes will give Greek diplomacy the tools it needs.

Thank you.
Auden himself maintained that the one clear sign of a poetic vocation is a love for fiddling with language. No one was more a verbal Heifetz than Harry Mathews. In his Collected Poems: 1946-2016, this leading member of the French Workshop of Potential Literature  known as Oulipo  doesnt just torture syntax, as did Valery, he rips apart the words themselves. Take Presto, admittedly an extreme example. Each of the six lines of its six stanzas contains six words, and every line ends with one of the following six-letter words: spares, traces, spread, denial arrest and poster. Whats more, all the remaining words in the poem are anagrams generated from those six, except for the occasional insertion of the noun Oulipo. Thus Presto begins: Sartre rasped, Oulipo retops Aldine spares/ Repots Delian tropes, repads spared traces. 
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi asked on Wednesday as to why no questions were being asked from "activist judges" and those taking commercial arbitration post-retirement.

The statement assumes significance as the former CJI was criticised by several retired judges for accepting the Rajya Sabha nomination.

Responding to a question on post-retirement assignments by judges, the former CJI said there were three categories of them -- "activist judges", those taking up commercial arbitrations and the those accepting other kinds of assignments.

"Why only it is the third category that draws all the flak? Why are no questions asked about the other two?", Gogoi said.

He was speaking at a webinar organised by Confederation of Alumni for National Law Universities Foundation in collaboration with a legal news portal on the topic, 'Ensuring an Independent Judiciary under our Constitution: Confronting the Contemporary Challenges'.

Gogoi said that the judiciary is not averse to criticism but there should be an honest, intellectual and academic exercise.

"The system (judicial) is not averse to criticism and there is room for improvement. Let there be an honest, intellectual and academic exercise so far as judgments are concerned. Do not impute motives. It is destructive," Gogoi said.

He took exception to an "ideological group of people", activists, intellectuals for giving "identification marks" to as to "who is an independent judge" and said that according to them a judge must be necessarily anti-establishment.

"He must be anti-authoritarianism. He must be eloquent on issues like rich-poor divide, oppression of the marginalised, issues pertaining to the suppression of fundamental rights and he must advocate free speech even to the extent of touching the frontiers of defamation-These are the identification marks of an 'independent judge'," Justice Gogoi said, adding that if a judge is not found conforming to these expectations, his independence is questioned and attacked.

"If the judge doesn't do it, 'attack the judge' - not criticise the judgment. This is destructive of the independence of the judiciary," he said.

On the question as to why the Ayodhya judgement was bereft of the name of its author, Justice Gogoi said why must a judgment of Supreme Court have the name of its author? "I can show 32 cases decided by a particular bench in 2015-16 when the author wasn't named in the judgment.

But then no questions were asked.

Speaking for myself, I have myself been author of 13 judgments when author wasn't mentioned," Justice Gogoi said.

He highlighted on the need to boost the scheme for immunity to judges and said the in-house enquiry does not contemplate the participation of lawyers, witnesses, cross-examination and it does not contemplate participation of outsiders.

"There are numerous complaints being made, all of which cannot be entertained. If they are serious, they are taken up. In such cases, the In house procedure/inquiry is available online," he said.

Justice Gogoi said if any complaint against a particular judge is serious enough, it is placed before the Chief Justice of India.

"You don't drive a judge through an enquiry straightway. Judges won't be able to function," he said.

Justice Gogoi also expressed concern that young members of the bar were not keen to be judges.

"The office of the judge of a high court has been made so vulnerable that a lawyer is happy to continue as a lawyer. Don't forget the sacrifice a lawyer makes to become a judge," he said.

Justice Gogoi expressed satisfaction with the Collegium system and said that some amount of discipline may improve it further.

"The Collegium is an excellent system. It has worked well. It has stood the test of time. Some amount of discipline may make it work better. Some may not be satisfied but the idea is to be true to the law."

"The problem is with individuals running the system. The problem may not necessarily be from Collegium members, but from outside the Collegium but within the Judicial fraternity," the former CJI said.
Thiruvananthapuram, May 13 : Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Issac has termed the economic package announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday as disappointing.

"With the world trade going haywire, it appears the Centre is trying to create a 'self-reliant India'. I do not think that this package will help the country. Moreover, things are not clear on what the states can look forward to," said the economist Kerala Finance Minister.

"It's disappointing as nothing is there for the workers. Moreover, details have to come in," added Issac.

C.P. John, a former State Planning Board member and a key think tank of the Congress-led UDF, however welcomed the measures announced by the Union Finance Minister.

"It's heartening to note that a detailed analysis has been done while coming to the aid of the MSME sector and it's a very good move. What appears to have been missed out is some sort of sops to the employees as many have lost on salaries and rent," said John.
The latest controversial bill in the chronicle of the 9th National Assembly on the pretext of proffering measures to curtail the spread of infectious diseases such as the Corona virus which has killed thousands of people and crippled the economy of many nations across the globe once again shows the level at which the "power drunk disease" has eaten deep the fabric of Nigerian democratic ethos.

On 28th April, 2020, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, and two of his colleagues Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu, sponsored a bill seeking to empower the Federal Government to convert any property in the country, including private properties, to isolation centres. The bill, titled, Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020, hurriedly passed the first and second readings on the same day thereby creating great suspicion among Nigerians.

Infact, to some people the bill was covertly motivated by the foreign powers in order to use Nigeria as a testing ground for COVID-19 vaccine when finally discovered. While some see it as part of the manifestations of the "power drunk syndrome" which has being an integral part of the 9th National Assembly before the outbreak of COVID-19.

In similar manner, some opined that the bill was plagerized from the Singapore's law just like the way the anti-social media bill was imported from the same country before it silently sinked to the dustbin of history after so many criticisms.

Meanwhile, the sponsors of the bill claimed the archaic nature of the Quarantine Act and the incapacitation of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the war against COVID-19 especially, putting into consideration the numbers of patients that have absconded isolation centres across the country as the reason for the proposal.

However, looking at some of the clauses contained in the bill, the bill seems to be unfit for a democratic country like Nigeria. Part of the clauses that seems to be draconian in nature are section 15, 79, 13, among others which negates some of the fundamental human rights stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For instance, the section 15 (1) of the bill gives power to the the Minister of health to the declare any premises as an isolation centre without providing alternative for the owner in case the owner find it difficult to find a place to stay after the seizure.

Similar provision is in the subsection (4)(5)(6) which empower the Director General, Health worker and Police Officer to the extent of arresting any person who leaves or attempts to leave or is suspected to have left an isolation area in contravention of an order under subsection (3) without warrant of arrest.

Likewise, the Section 79 (3) which prescribes a N500,000 fine and six-month jail term for persons who violate the quarantine restriction or refuse to take vaccinations in case of an outbreak or a suspected outbreak of an infectious disease in Nigeria such as the ravaging COVID-19 without considering the circumstances that might have propelled the person's behavior.

Probably, this might be part of the reasons a former Senator from Kogi State, Dino Malaye while showcasing the documents of the legal action taken against the National Assembly in respect of the bill on his twitter handles described the bill as a wicked bill.

In a democratic society like Nigeria where the plight of the people ought to be the driving force behind the action and inaction of the lawmakers, this kind of bill ought not to have come to the floor of the National Assembly not to talk of escaping first and second readings.

Though, part of the responsibilities of the National Assembly is to make laws that will engender healthy living, but looking at the high level of poverty in the land the first issue that ought to be at the front burner of the national Assembly is "Anti-Poverty Bill" because most of the people that violate the government's directive did that in scrambling for daily bread.

Particularly, deducing from the comments made by some of the COVID-19 patients that left their isolation centres to protest the ill treatments received from the Gombe State Government in the recent time.

The same thing is applicable to most of the breadwinners of the family in the isolation centres who never envisage this pandemic but find themselves in the Isolation centre without any tangible palliative from the government to take care of those left at home.

Most civil servants are obeying the lockdown and stay home order by the government because they know that at the end of the month their salary will be paid. If not, the story would have been a different ball game.

Therefore, the lawmakers should replace the draconian clauses in the proposed bill with tangible palliative that will be able to sustain the family of the infected person particularly for the period in the isolation centre instead of creating an avenue for the desperate politicans to punish or arrest percieve enemy or opposition even on the eve of the election in the guise of infectious disease control.

Femi Oluwasanmi, writes from Ibafo, Ogun State.
Justin P. Liuba, the former head of Radio Free Europes office in New York, passed away on April 20.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis signed a decree posthumously awarding Liuba the "Star of Romania," a national order in the rank of Knight, as a sign of the country's "high appreciation and gratitude for the essential contribution of promoting the values of democracy and freedom of Romanians, both in Radio Free Europe and at the level of the civil society from the United States, through which he distinguished himself as one of the great personalities of the Romanian exile.

Born in 1924, Justin Liuba arrived in the United States in 1952 from Germany, where he had studied at Heidelberg University. In a dialogue with the writer and journalist Mirela Roznoveanu in 2018 Liuba recalled, General Radescu, who had escaped from the communists, had arrived in America and called on all Romanians in exile to continue the fight against communism. And when I had the opportunity, with the help of international aid organizations to emigrate...I could go to Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Canada or America. We preferred America because General Radescu was in America and he called on us to be together, to fight just like General De Gaulle, in exile against the occupiers and against those who collaborated with the Nazi regime in France. And General Radescu said, "You are welcome, come and organize and continue the fight against Bolshevism."

Liuba was employed at the New York office of Radio Free Europe in 1956 by late Romanian Service Director Noel Bernard. Years later, he became head of the New York office. He was also the president of the Iuliu Maniu Foundation, an organization created in New York in 1951 by a group of national-peasants in exile, to help support Romanians immigrating to the United States.

Liuba would have turned 96 in June.
- Ghana has been ranked high with regard to its first licensing bid for six oil blocks its gave out to investors

- The assessment was done by the Civil Society Licensing Round Monitoring Group

- The Group gave Ghana a score of 70% on the average after taking 4 key areas into consideration

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

YEN.com.gh has learned that Ghana has gained satisfactory scores in its first licensing bid for six oil blocks it gave out to investors.

Information available shows that the Civil Society Licensing Round Monitoring Group revealed Ghanas 70% mark is satisfactory.

The assessment took into consideration the manner in which the government handled the licensing bid in four thematic areas.

READ ALSO: Ghana discovers another oil reserve at Avenor - Akufo-Addo

Per a report by Ghana Web, the areas taken into consideration were procedural requirements on competitive bidding, direct negotiations, compliance with calendar of events under bidding round and public engagements.

It has been gathered that the Ghana scored 70% in procedural requirements and 80% in compliance with calendar of events under bidding round.

It also scored 55% in direct negotiation and 50% with public engagements.

The entire process cumulatively scored 70 percent, which is interpreted as satisfactory on the adopted grading scheme.

In October 2018, President Akufo-Addo launched Ghanas first oil and gas exploration licensing round.

The Ministry of Energy thereafter earmarked six oil blocks for exploration.

Three of the blocks were to go through competitive bidding process while two blocks were allotted direct negotiations.

One of the blocks was reserved for Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

In other news, fresh reports coming in show that Ghana is likely to lose an estimated GHC4,149,467,250 in the wake of falling oil prices on the world market.

YEN.com.gh understands that this represents about half of Ghanas projected oil revenue for the year 2020.

The situation would become a reality if oil prices continue to decline or stay at around $30 a barrel for the rest of the year.

READ ALSO: Oil prices plunge by another 16%; sparks fears of storage

Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Ghanaians share their thoughts on the mandatory wearing of face mask | #Yencomgh

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now!

Source: YEN.com.gh
[May 13, 2020] Scopio Labs and SYNLAB's Veterinary Pathology Group Partner to Bring First In-practice Digital Cytology Solution to the UK

TEL AVIV, Israel, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Scopio Labs , an advanced digital microscopy company and SYNLAB UK & Ireland's Veterinary Pathology Group (VPG) , today announced that they have signed an exclusive distribution partnership agreement. VPG will now offer customers in the UK and Ireland the ScopioVet Digital Cytology System, providing 24/7 access to its clinical pathologists for results within 1 hour. The collaboration with VPG signifies Scopio's continued global expansion, bringing its veterinary platform to the United Kingdom and Ireland for the first time. VPG has secured an exclusive arrangement with Scopio for the use of this technology in the UK and Ireland. ScopioVet is a powerful and intuitive Digital Cytology platform that enables veterinary hospitals to scan and send high resolution digital cytology and hematology images from the point of care to a global network of clinical pathologists who provide round-the-clock analysis. ScopioVet is powered by Scopio Labs' proprietary platform that uses computational photography techniques to automate the imaging of microscopy samples into uniquely high-resolution digital scans. The platform includes unique features designed to bring maximum efficiency to the busy veterinary hospital, such as a three-slide tray, rapid image scanning and simultaneous file streaming, and an in-app pathologist chat feature. Asher Fink, Head of the Veterinary Business at Scopio Labs, said: "We designed our Digital Cytology solution from the ground up for the unique needs of the veterinary workflow. A key aspect of the system is that our platform allows vet hospitals to connect with the pathologists they already love to work with, including third party partners. We are especially thrilled to team up with VPG - a clear leader in the field, on an exclusive basis. "This partnership combines VPG's unmatched diagnostic expertise and strong customer relationships with the best Digital Microscopy technology in the world to take an important step forward; revolutionising veterinary diagnostis at the point of care."



Andrew Torrance, Managing Director at VPG, said: "The introduction of this ground-breaking technology signals a paradigm shift for veterinary diagnostics in the UK. VPG is delighted to welcome Scopio as a strategic partner. We are now the first veterinary laboratories in the country to offer digital cytology and results within 1-hour, something unheard of until now. "Our customers have come to expect the best in diagnostic expertise from VPG. We have been evaluating digital cytology platforms for some time and are proud to be the first to offer this cutting-edge technology in the UK; enhancing the expertise and diagnostic performance we can offer to benefit our existing and future customers."

With clinical validation already complete, the first scanners are already being installed in top referral practices and are now also available to the full spectrum of veterinary practices across the UK and Ireland. We are happy to offer interviews either over the telephone or web conferencing. For more information, interviews, filming and photography opportunities please contact: About Scopio Labs Scopio Labs, co-founded by Itai Hayut and Erez Na'aman in 2015, develops breakthroughs in digital microscopy that help improve accuracy, efficiency and accessibility wherever the microscope plays a role in the diagnostic process. The Scopio microscope captures and digitizes full slide microscopy data. Using advanced computational photography techniques to reconstruct data, Scopio offers an automated digital microscopy scanning system with uniquely high resolution and quality images. The company creates end-to-end solutions that provide AI-based decision support systems and remote collaboration tools in hematology, pathology, research and veterinary medicine. Scopio supports clinical applications while also powering innovation in areas such as academic research and drug discovery. For more information visit our website, http://scopiolabs.com and follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter . About VPG Part of SYNLAB UK & Ireland, VPG offers all aspects of veterinary clinical pathology and microbiology, and includes comprehensive offerings in serology, immunology, PCR testing, and toxicology. VPG also has a strong reputation for its expertise in cytology, histopathology, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry. SYNLAB UK & Ireland At SYNLAB, we provide laboratory, diagnostic and advisory services to a diverse range of sectors, from healthcare, wellness and veterinary, to food, power and transport. We carry out more than 25 million tests every year and employ 1,300 people across the UK and Ireland. At SYNLAB, we are committed to advancing scientific and clinical practice through innovation, research and development. All our laboratories comply with industry standards and hold the accreditations relevant to their field of work. More information can be found at www.synlab.co.uk SYNLAB Group SYNLAB Group is Europe's leading medical diagnostic services provider. SYNLAB Group operates in more than 40 countries across four continents and carries out 500 million laboratory tests every year. More than 20,000 employees contribute every day to the Group's world-wide success. More information can be found at www.synlab.com Scopio Labs

Nechama Feuerstein

[email protected]

SYNLAB UK & Ireland Press Office

+44 (0)7706-624-737

[email protected]

Sarah Hewitt, SYNLAB Senior Communications and Engagement Specialist

+44 (0)7957-571-412

Niki McGrath, SYNLAB Communications and Engagement Specialist

+44 (0)7779-121-458 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scopio-labs-and-synlabs-veterinary-pathology-group-partner-to-bring-first-in-practice-digital-cytology-solution-to-the-uk-301058493.html SOURCE Scopio Labs

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 16:37:21|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday allowed companies to resume exporting white rice from next week, after banning it for more than a month to ensure local food security during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resumption was made at the request of the Cambodia Rice Federation and after the Southeast Asian country has detected no new COVID-19 cases for a month.

"At the request of the Cambodia Rice Federation, the Royal Government decided to allow the resumption of white rice exports based on purchase orders from abroad, starting from May 20, 2020 onwards," Economy and Finance Minister Aun Pornmoniroth said in a statement.

Cambodia exported a total of 300,252 tons of milled rice in the first four months of this year, up 40.5 percent over the same period last year, a government report said.

In another statement to the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, Pornmoniroth said the government encouraged factories to produce face masks, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment for local demand and export.

Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 122 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 121 patients cured, according to the Ministry of Health. Enditem
Alphabet has announced that Loon will soon provide its balloon-powered 4G internet service to several regions in Mozambique. The company has teamed with local carrier Vodacom to serve the Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces, two vast regions that currently have spotty or no internet coverage. Loon will soon have services in two African nations, as it recently launched in Kenya to improve communications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vodacom will deploy Loons technology to provide 4G service with data, voice, SMS and USSD, Alphabet said. It will work for anyone with 4G-VoLTE and a SIM card, and users will connect as if to a regular cell tower. In fact, its unlikely that a user will know that they are connected to the service provided by a high altitude balloon, except for the fact that they may have a signal in a location where it previously did not exist, the company wrote.

Loon CEO Alastair Westgarth noted that Vodacom is one of Africas largest carriers, providing service to tens of millions of people in multiple countries. We view this as the first step to a larger partnership that will allow us to serve more of those users throughout Africa, he said in a statement.

So far, Loon has landed deals to supply network to underserved regions in Puerto Rico, Kenya and Peru. The company recently created the HAPS alliance with telecoms and other firms including Deutsche Telekom, Softbank, Airbus, Nokia and Telefonica to promote the use of stratospheric balloons for internet services. The company teamed with AT&T earlier this month in a project to provide internet to crisis-hit regions.

In Mozambique, Loon and Vodacom must first install terrestrial infrastructure to connect the balloons to Vodacoms core networks. Loon will also fly test balloons to learn the local stratospheric wind patterns and ensure that the final balloons remain in the service area. With all that complete, service can start sometime in the coming months, the companies said.
She spends most of her time in the kitchen, perfecting her incredibly popular dishes.

So it came to a surprise to many of her fans that MasterChef Australia star Poh Ling Yeow made sourdough bread for the very first time this week.

The 47-year-old chef pleaded with her fans not to 'roll their eyes' at the fact she had succumbed to the lockdown trend of baking bread.

Is there anything she CAN'T do? MasterChef's Poh Ling Yeow made sourdough bread for first time this week and perfected it

Unsurprisingly, after finally learning the art of making the popular baked good, Poh nailed it, sharing a photo of her perfectly formed roll.

'I've been wanting to learn for the longest time and finally found a doll of a teacher,' Poh explained the caption of her enviable Instagram photo.

The Adelaide-based chef thanked fellow MasterChef star Reece Hignell, who was to helped guide Poh through the process.

How does she do it? Unsurprisingly, after finally learning the art of making the popular baked good, Poh nailed it, sharing a photo of her perfectly formed roll

Cross section: She also shared a photo of the cross section of the bread

'Yes, it's one of the most primal, gratifying achievements when you ace one,' she added under the post.

Poh has been making the most of her time in self-isolation, mastering her pastry recipes.

Last week, she showed off a tray of mouthwatering croissants she'd pulled out fresh from her oven.

Freshly baked: Last week, Poh showed off a tray of mouthwatering croissants she'd pulled out fresh from her oven

'There's no where [sic] to go... 'cept Chonkville,' she captioned a series of photos, capturing the baking process involved.

Poh included a series of step-by-step photos, showing her rolling out the dough and butter, shaping the croissants and then finally watching them bake in the oven.

She was first shown how to make croissants by French pastry chef Emmanuel Mollois during an episode of her cooking show, Poh's Kitchen, back in 2010.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 23:28:20|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud on Wednesday discussed the oil market situation in a phone conversation, the Russian Energy Ministry has said.

"Russia and Saudi Arabia are pleased with the signs of improved economic and market indicators, especially with rising oil demand and a weakening concern about the limited availability of oil storage facilities," the ministry said in a statement.

Following the talks, the parties noted in a joint statement that Russia and Saudi Arabia are firmly committed to achieving market stability and accelerating the restoration of balance in the oil market, the ministry said.

The parties are confident that their partners also fully support these goals and will comply with the provisions of the OPEC+ agreement, it added.

The ministers praised the efforts of responsible manufacturers around the world which have voluntarily adjusted their production out of a sense of shared responsibility for the market situation.

Novak welcomed additional voluntary substantial output cuts made by Saudi Arabia and the steps taken by the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait to support these efforts, according to the statement.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, and other crude producers, led by Russia, reached an agreement known as the OPEC+ deal last month, whose aim is to cut output in order to stop a market free-fall amid the coronavirus pandemic. Enditem
Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here or post it in the Slate Parenting Facebook group.

Dear Care and Feeding,

My friend and I are both pregnant, and we need your help with a good comeback line. As we all know, pregnant womens bodies always seem up for grabs in conversation, and no matter how rude we seem to agree this is, for whatever reason it doesnt stop people from commenting. When it gets close to time to have the actual child, the conversation seems to always get super intrusive: Are you dilated? How dilated are you? We think its bizarre and rude that people think that just because we are carrying babies, its socially acceptable to inquire about how open or closed our CERVIXES are. We are not cattle! What is a good comeback we can use when people ask this question to let them know 1) how rude this line of questioning is and 2) that womens bodies are not up for discussion just because we are pregnant!

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None of Your Business

Dear NoYB,

Coolly offer that the state of my cervix is a personal matter between my doctor and me and that youll happily announce your childs birth when the time has come to do so. Politely remind friends and family that pregnancy is an incredibly challenging experience and that youve chosen to keep certain intimate details privateas they should bein order not to increase your stress levels. Take this approach to any and all intrusive questions before and after the birth of your child. Let folks know that youre glad to share as you see fit, but that more personal aspects of this experience are shared on a need-to-know basis. If you need to lay on the guilt to sell your point, add Im sorry, I just get a bit anxious talking about some of these things and would rather just have those conversations with my doctor and my partner (if applicable). Wishing both of you a happy, smooth, and safe delivery!

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Dear Care and Feeding,

As regions and states begin to open back up, do you have advice about sending kids back to day care, school, or summer camp? We are in a fortunate position in a lot of ways: There are two of us parents in the house, were partnering well, and we can both still work from home at our full-time jobs. But taking care of a 6-year-old and a 1-year-old at the same time is stretching us thin. Were trading off half-days of work time and child care time, squeezing in work in the evenings, and generally stretching ourselves way too thin. I dont know how long we can do this without big impacts on our work, our parenting, or our sanity.

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Our region has done pretty well at flattening the curve, and it looks like child care (although not schools) may open next week. Sending the 1-year-old back to the child care center and teachers he loves would thrill him and make our day-to-day home life so much easier. The center is a great place, and I know theyll do everything they can to comply with the latest guidelines. But, at the same time, weve seen those graphs of the second wave of the 191819 pandemic, and no matter how careful we remain at everything else, this will break social distancing for our family. And then next month, the same question arises for the 6-year-old, if summer camps are allowed to open.

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We can keep going the way we are. Its just really, really hard. What kinds of data or clues would you look at to make this kind of decision? And, if you decided to send your kids off, what would you be looking for as a sign that its time to keep them at home again?

Summer in Doubt

Dear SiD,

Just yesterday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, arguably the most visible and trustworthy member of the presidents coronavirus task force, told Congress that we may face serious consequences if states open up too soon, and that it was highly unlikely that wed have a vaccine or widely available treatment options before schools would typically reopen in the fall. Unfortunately, there are politicians and constituents who are operating without regard to expert insight, and there have and will likely continue to be institutions and places that open sooner than it is safe to do so.

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Personally speaking, even if camps and schools were to open up in my state this summer (I live in California, where that is highly unlikely), I would not allow my child to go just yet. In addition to Faucis guidance, I remain concerned there is a lot that remains unknown about the virus that could make a return to group activity unsafe; furthermore, in my casual observation, there are way too many folks in my area who are failing to effectively practice social distancing habits. I do not foresee feeling confident to send my child out into the world in such a way for at least a few more months.

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I am certainly empathetic to your situation and that of all parents who are struggling to work from home while keeping kids occupiedit has been, in many ways, a nightmare for me that has put my economic stability in great flux. However, there will be an entirely different, potentially tragic, set of circumstances to contend with if the coronavirus were to strike your camp or school of choice. There are two of you, and while that doesnt make this an easy task, try and think of the many parents who are left to take care of children alone either during a partners working hours or for the entirety of their time indoors during this crisis.

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The big impacts to your work, parenting, and sanity that you fear are basically inevitabletheyve already begun, if were being honest. Alas, making it through this difficult time alive and as healthy as possible should be our collective primary goal right now. Continue to make adjustments to your schedules and routines and explore new ways of operating that may make this period easier to endure, but please continue to try and leave child care up to the two of you as long as you possibly can. Wait until the best knowers among us have established that it is safe to begin moving toward our old normal way of life. Best of luck to you and to all of us.

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 If you missed Tuesdays Care and Feeding column, read it here.

 Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group!

Dear Care and Feeding,

My 5-month-old baby girl is great! She loves to eat, and she loves to sleepyou cant ask for more than that!

My problem is that other new parents will always ask about said eating and sleeping, looking to commiserate because theyre having problems  and Ive just got nothing. Ive worked on making my answers sympathetic and commiserating without really explicitly talking about my baby. Still, very often they ask direct and demanding questions like How much did she sleep last night? (usually four to seven hours) and Did you deal with enormous pain and scabbing when you first started breastfeeding? (nope). Then, when Im honest with my responses and try to play it off with a comment about how we know how lucky we are and a joke that well probably pay for it when shes a teen, Ive gotten genuine, angry responses that quickly devolve into the questioner going into a parental guilt negative spiral. Its happened enough now that Ive started feeling awful about it, and Ive realized Im trying to avoid friendships with other new parents, just because this sort of conversation feels inevitable.

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How can I better deal with this? Is avoiding this type of friendship the answer? The absolute last thing I want to do is make other parents feel guilty, so should I refuse to answer if they ask such direct and negative questions? But how do you do that gracefully?

Smooth Sailing

Dear SS,

Its always tricky dealing with someone who needs to commiserate about XYZ when XYZ hasnt given you the same level of trouble, and few people seem to be as triggered when this happens as parents whove come across someone having an easier experience with newborns than they are having. While the Im having an easy time now, but shell probably give me a rough ride later approach seems fair and reasonable, folks who are truly struggling with a fussy, perpetually awake baby dont seem to be moved by it at all.

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Surely there is something that has caused you some grief or stress about new parenthoodperhaps the loss of certain activities or a particular sensitivity to the smell of a dirty diaper? Lean into it and complain as if its a more challenging matter than it actually is. Or just be dishonest and pretend that youve had some of the same experiences that these parents want to gripe about. Why? Because misery loves company, and thats all these friends want from you right now. Its worth the moral complications to just make them feel better. Dont go overboard and start telling tall tales; instead, try an Oh, yes, isnt that the worst? Ugh, so bad approach where you simply affirm what they are experiencing and focus on being a listening ear.

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Dear Care and Feeding,

Im in my late 30s, and I dont want children. Ive never outright discussed this with my parents, but I think they pretty much realize they arent getting grandchildren. They dont say anything to me about it, but I know it makes them sad. They always get so happy when someone we know has a baby, and they love children. My parents are wonderful people, and it does make me feel guilty that I wont be making them grandparents. How do I reconcile that?

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Sorry, No Grands

Dear SNG,

Its time for you to confirm what your parents already have suspected about your disinterest in having children in order to prevent them from clinging to any false hope that your mind will change at some point. Explain to them the reasoning behind your decision and that your choice is not a reflection of the childhood and the love that they provided to you (unless, of course, it is your own experiences with them that have led you to decide not to procreate, in which case you should disclose this if you feel safe and comfortable doing so). Let them know that you recognize how disappointing this may be for them, and that it isnt your intention to cause them any pain, but that youre clear on what you want out of life and what you feel capable achieving, and that parenthood simply isnt on the list. It doesnt sound like they have any reason to be surprised by this information, and by your being open about it, they can make their peace with the finality of your decision. Best of luck to you.

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Jamilah

More Advice From Slate

When my husband was 16, he began an affair with his aunt, his mothers brothers wife. She was 35, and I believe she took advantage of him and lured him into an affair when her marriage was falling apart. They remained in a relationship for 10 years. He ended it six years ago. We have been together for three years and have young children. He told me about this affair before we were serious, and he said it had been true love. Now he has deep guilt and regret. At times he has even wondered how he got so lucky with our family given his great sin. The problem is that because he is close with his cousins, his aunts children, she still has access to our lives. I have no reason to believe he is in contact with her. But he asked me to accept his cousins friend requests on Facebook, which I did and now regret. I am really struggling with all of this. I want to delete his cousins and asked him to delete them, but he says they are his cousins and he cant. We have fought about this several times. Am I being crazy?
Xtalks Life Science Webinars In this webinar, a workflow will be presented for the processing of 384 cell lysates with RNA-seq to generate expression data analyzed at the pathway level.

Early stages of drug discovery often depend on relatively simple reporter assays or phenotypic readouts, providing little or no information on the drugs mechanism of action (MOA). Gene expression profiling technologies like RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) enable a more comprehensive characterization of compounds by measuring the activity of molecular pathways. This information can complement phenotypic readouts and can be used to prioritize candidate compounds for further testing. RNA expression profiling also serves as a generic test that can be applied to any drug development pipeline without the need for target-dependent customization.

In this webinar, a workflow will be presented for the processing of 384 cell lysates with RNA-seq to generate expression data analyzed at the pathway level. The data show that shallow sequencing of crude cell lysates reproducibly detects over 5000 genes with at least ten reads. Subsampling of deep sequencing datasets demonstrated that differential pathway analysis is largely unaffected when reducing the number of genes to this level. Consequently, reliable pathway insights can be obtained at high throughput and relatively low cost while not being limited to a predefined set of genes or pathways.

In cell perturbation screenings (small molecules, RNAi, antisense or CRISPR), the application can provide in-depth information on the mode of action underlying the induced cellular phenotypes as well as molecular similarity scores to identify those perturbations acting similar to a reference condition or via shared molecular mechanisms. This methodology can also be applied to repurpose off-target siRNA hits from library screens to reveal novel candidate therapeutic targets for drug development.

Join Pieter Mestdagh PhD, Senior Scientist, Biogazelle in a live webinar on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 9am EDT (2pm BST/UK).

For more information or to register for this event, visit Applications of High Throughput Gene Expression Profiling in Early Drug Discovery.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/


(Newser)  Polygamy is now effectively decriminalized in Utah. Lawmakers passed the bill reducing bigamy from a felony to a minor infraction in February, the governor signed it in March, and it took effect Tuesday. While bigamy had been a third-degree felony for decades in the state, the attorney general's office had declined to prosecute it unless other crimes were also involved. The new law simply makes that policy official, CNN reports. Lawmakers say removing the penalty will make it more likely that victims of abuse will come forward, since they will no longer need to fear arrest. (More on the changes here.)
The other two dogs will potentially be released to Ursos relatives if they want them, Goering said. If they dont, the dogs would be released to a rescue group and anyone with interest in the dogs would be referred to it for a legal adoption.
Slotum Casino Review

Slotum Casino was established in 2018 as another gambling site to be added to the large network of casinos owned and operated by Direx N.V. Offering a range of interesting promotions, a great variety of gaming options, and much more, Slotum Casino is licensed by the Government of Curacao and represents a good choice for players from many different parts of the world.

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The site design is definitely one of the strongest features of this operator. Simple but nice-looking menu icons allow for quick and simple navigation with games divided into several main categories like slots, live casino, jackpots, and card games.

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As for other electronic games, there is the standard selection that includes a number of different roulette and blackjack versions, baccarat, Casino Hold'em, Caribbean Stud, Cribbage, Casino War, Pontoon, Top Card Trumps, etc.

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Slotum Casino definitely knows how to welcome new players. There are different bonus packages for regular players and high rollers, giving both groups a chance to get the kind of welcome package that suits their needs and habits. The welcome offer covers several first deposits and brings with plenty of extra cash and free spins.

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The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said the cause of the naval accident on Sunday in the Gulf of Oman that killed 19 sailors and wounded 15 will established and announced to the people.

Speaking at a meeting with cabinet ministers on Wednesday, Rouhani offered the condolences of his government to the families of the sailors who were killed by what appears to have been friendly fire. He also expressed hope that accidents of a similar nature in wargames and military exercises could be reduced to a minimum.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who is the Commander-in-Chief of Iran's Armed Forces reacted to the accident in a condolence message on Tuesday, two days after the incident. "I call on the relevant authorities to clarify the dimensions of the accident, punish those who may have been responsible for it, and take the necessary measures to prevent such damaging and bitter accidents from happening," he wrote in his message.

On Monday Heshmatollah Falahat-Pisheh, a member of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, called the accident "unacceptable" and issued a parliamentary "notice" to President Rouhani who is the Head of the Supreme National Security Council. However, Rouhani has no direct control over the armed forces.

The 19 soldiers killed in the accident who have been named "martyrs" were buried during a funeral ceremony at the Third Naval District of Konarak Port on Tuesday.

A small support vessel belonging to the regular army's Naval Force was accidentally hit by a missile fired during exercises near Jask, a port some 1,270 kilometers southeast of Tehran, the army says.

The vessel named Konarak which was reportedly hit by a missile fired from Jamaran warship and sustained heavy damages was later towed to port.

A video published by the website of the regular army of Iran on Tuesday says the vessel had been placing targets for practice but was hit by Jamaran frigate due to the malfunctioning of the missile homing device. The video also mentions that the incident could also be the result of electronic warfare by the enemy.
Ottawa, May 14 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday to provide the Canada Emergency Student Benefit for students impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

At his press conference, Trudeau said the emergency program of 9 billion Canadian dollars (about$ 6.4 billion) will be put on the Canada Revenue Agency website to ensure the application process moves as quickly as possible, Xinhua reported.

Canadian students and recent graduates who have lost income or summer jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic can apply to receive funding from an emergency benefit starting Friday.

Under the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, students will receive 1,250 Canadian dollars a month from May to August.

Canadian students caring for dependents or those with a disability will receive 2,000 Canadian dollars a month.

Canadian students collecting the emergency aid will be required to confirm they are looking for summer work and will be connected with a government job bank to help employers struggling with labour shortages.

The student aid package also includes wage subsidies for employers with Canada Summer Jobs, enhanced and extended research grants and increased weekly student loan payments.
The Westcott House Foundation, Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, and Wright sites across the nation are teaming up with PechaKucha to present a live online global event in celebration of Wright's work and legacy. The event, entitled Wright Sites x PechaKucha, will feature presentations in the highly-visual and efficient PechaKucha style, which consists of 20 image-based slides that automatically advance after 20 seconds, with each talk lasting only 400 seconds.

The free virtual event, scheduled for Monday, June 8, 2020 at 9:00 p.m. EST, will feature curators and speakers from participating Frank Lloyd Wright sites including:

Fallingwater (Mill Run, Pennsylvania)

Taliesin (Iowa County, Wisconsin)

Taliesin West (Scottsdale, Arizona)

Martin House (Buffalo, New York)

Graycliff (Derby, New York)

Unity Temple (Oak Park, Illinois)

Westcott House (Springfield, Ohio)

Tonkens House (Cincinnati, Ohio; privately-owned)

Brandes House (Sammamish, Washington; privately-owned)

Our Frank Lloyd Wright community has rallied together since day one of the pandemic, which forced the closings of Wright sites across the country, says Marta Wojcik, Executive Director & Curator of the Westcott House. This special live-stream PechaKucha event will connect and delight Frank Lloyd Wright fans, architects, and design aficionados across the globe with highly unique stories and perspectives.

Additional speakers include Mark Dytham, MBE, co-founder of PechaKucha; photographer Andrew Pielage, who will share his quest to photograph every Frank Lloyd Wright structure ever built; Bill James, an architect with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, who will share his career journey studying and designing Wright-related projects; and Karen Severns and Koichi Mori, a couple dedicated to raising awareness of Frank Lloyd Wrights architectural legacy in Japan.

Wright was at the forefront of technology and innovation, which is why his legacy continues to inspire, says Mark Dytham MBE, principal of Klein Dytham architecture and co-founder of PechaKucha. Theres no better moment to visit Wright sites than now for fresh insight as we face a new world.

Attendees can find the live-stream event online at https://www.pechakucha.com/events/wright-sites-x-pechakucha-live. Presentations will be available to view within 24 hours after the event. For additional information, visit westcotthouse.org.

About Westcott House Foundation

Westcott House Foundations mission is to preserve and interpret Frank Lloyd Wrights Westcott House and inspire creativity and innovation through architecture and design education. The house opened to the public in 2005, following a major restoration. A community-wide effort led to a rescue of this remarkable example of Wrights design from the brink of demolition. Since then, the site has served as a cultural resource, community hub & economic stimulator, attracting visitors from all over the U.S. and beyond.

About PechaKucha

PechaKucha is the fast-growing storytelling platform used by millions of people across the globe. Today, PechaKucha Nights are live events held in more than 1,200 cities in 140 countries. Schools, businesses, and government agencies worldwide license PechaKuchas 20 images x 20 seconds brand format and software, PK Create, to easily and quickly share information and present concepts. PechaKucha, which means chit chat in Japanese, is based in Chicago and Tokyo. To gain inspiration from 50,000+ PechaKucha stories, visit http://www.pechakucha.com.

For Media Use

Images of some participating sites for media use, with credit as indicated in filenames:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7g301fgu9ybfr8j/AAAkjqwSR1rUumjD0IAwMDl5a?dl=0
Frequently, promising cancer therapies fail when applied to patients in the real clinical setting. This occurs despite many of these new treatments demonstrating promising results at the preclinical stage in the lab. One explanation is that many of the tumor models used in early research phases are established cell lines that have been growing for many decades and in two-dimension (2D) culture flasks. These cancer cells might not completely resemble the features of real tumors from patients that expand into three dimensions (3D).

Very recently, it has been possible to grow "organoids" in the laboratories, cancer models respecting their 3D structure. We know very little about these cells, and if they actually mimic the conformation of the tumor within the body, particularly the chemical modifications of DNA that are "beyond genetics," epigenetics, that don't change genes but control their expression, such as DNA methylation. An article published in the Journal Epigenetics from Taylor & Francis by the group of Manel Esteller, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), ICREA Research Professor and Chairman of Genetics in the University of Barcelona, describes the first comprehensive study of the epigenetic landscape of human tumor organoids, validating the use of these samples for cancer research, that could deliver new oncology treatments.

"Our article solves an unmet biomedical need in the cancer research field: the characterization of the epigenetic fingerprint of human cancer organoids. Our study shows that these tumor models can be very useful for the biomedical research community and the pharmaceutical companies developing anti-cancer drugs". Says Manel Esteller, and explains: "First, we show that every cancer organoid retains the properties of the tissue of origin: if the samples were obtained from the surgery of a colon or pancreatic cancer, the organoid closely resembles the original primary tumor. Second, there is no contamination of normal cells; thus, the malignant pure transformed cells can be analyzed without interferences. And finally, the 3D organoid cancers are closer to the patient tumors than the commonly used 2D cell lines."

Two of the most relevant consequences is the open nature of the data obtained with these studies: a large amount of data has been generated to be analyzed with Big Data and made available to the research community. On the other hand, the exchange of samples between researchers is offered to promote more collaborative studies.

"We have deposited all the obtained results in easily accessible public databases, and, in this manner, everyone can perform further data mining to produce new cancer discoveries using different biometric approaches or focusing on particular genes. And most importantly, the characterized cancer organoids can be readily obtainable from a reliable provider (the American Type Culture Collection, ATCC), so researchers around the world can use the epigenetic information of these sharable samples to develop their investigations." Concludes the researcher.

###
The ground floor of Air India's Centaur Hotel was sealed for two days on Wednesday for sanitisation after a crew member tested at the temporary facility was found positive for COVID-19, senior airline officials said.

Amid the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, the Centaur is not functioning as a hotel and only a certain area of its ground floor is being used temporarily to test crew members who have to operate passenger flights under Vande Bharat Mission or other cargo flights, the officials noted.

Air India had sealed its headquarters in Delhi on Tuesday for two days to conduct a thorough sanitisation of the building after an employee who worked there tested positive for COVID-19.

"All hotels are currently closed and Centaur is also not functioning as a hotel. A part of the premises, which is used for conducting tests, has been demarcated for sanitisation adhering to safety protocols, and the crew test has been shifted to a different medical office for the time being," the Air India spokesperson said.

The government-run Air India was the only airline involved in the Vande Bharat Mission, under which the carrier and its subsidiary Air India Express were scheduled to operate 64 flights between May 7 and May 14 to repatriate around 15,000 stranded Indians from 12 countries on a payment basis.

"The crew member who was tested at the hotel was found COVID-positive on Wednesday. Therefore, the ground floor of the hotel has been cordoned off for 48 hours for sanitisation," the Air India officials stated.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday that 30,000 Indians will return from 31 countries on 149 flights of the national carrier between May 16-22, the duration for the second phase of the Vande Bharat Mission.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 74,200 people and killed around 2,400 people in the country till now. All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for the lockdown period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- The reality quickly set in for public school districts after Gov. Mike DeWine -- due to the economic slowdown related to COVID-19 -- announced last week that he was cutting 3.7 percent (which equates to $300.4 million) in funding to Ohios public K-12 schools through the end of the fiscal year (June 30).

For the North Olmsted City School District, the total reduction is $896,087 or an adjusted per-pupil reduction rate of $239.

We knew there was going to be some financial impact as a result of COVID-19, but I didnt expect that deep of a cut for our district, Superintendent Michael E. Zalar said. Its just disappointing. The state is sitting on a $2 billion rainy day fund theyre refusing to dip into.

If this isnt what a rainy day fund is for, then I dont know what it would be used for. That was built up on the backs of school districts," Zalar said.

"Its just the same old story -- were in a fiscal crisis, but come and take it from public education.

Due to the cuts, Zalar said the district is in the process of revising its five-year forecast, which will be reviewed with the Board of Education at a meeting set for later this month.

However, the superintendent said the problem regarding the forecast is it involves many moving parts. That includes the CARES Act, a federal program giving states COVID-related education funding.

As draconian as these cuts are, we still dont know all of the information that were going to need to know in order to get an accurate picture of where our finances are, Zalar said.

We dont know what the federal governments CARES Act funding is going to be for our district yet. We hope there will be some federal money that can offset these cuts at some point in the future, but even beyond that, we know theres going to be a long-term impact on our tax duplicate.

That includes an expected increase in property tax delinquencies, which at this point Zalar said are hard to estimate.

Its going to make it very difficult to put a long-term plan together, he said.

That notion also goes for the 2020-2021 school year, which finds many districts planning blended-learning contingencies, with instruction at buildings one or two days a week followed by remote learning.

The superintendent said he expects there to be some kind of a flexible schedule that includes a blended learning model in the fall. However, Zalar said the loss of funds makes planning for such a contingency difficult.

Were doing the best we can to plan, Zalar said. Were talking to a lot of state officials about perhaps collaborating with other districts. The details are yet to be worked out. Certainly, everything is on the table.

"Were going through our staffing process right now, but we do expect to be back on our campuses at some point next year, so were going to require the same number of teachers that we had this year for the classrooms.

There may be some areas that could reduce without having an impact on teaching and learning, as a result of being able to utilize technology better, but its really premature to get too specific on those things.

Read more news from the Sun Post Herald.
Cortland, N.Y.  A Cortland bagel shop will be closed for the next two weeks after an employee tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The Cortland County Health Department said that an employee of New York Bagel Cafe & Deli, located at 33 Main St. in Cortland, was positive for COVID-19 when they worked at the shop.

All staff, including the employee who tested positive, were wearing face masks at the time.

Anyone who visited the bagel shop on Friday, May 8, from 7:30 a.m. to noon or Saturday, May 9, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. may have been exposed to the virus and is urged to monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing.

Per health department protocol, the bagel shop will be closed for 14 days.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Central NY still short on testing required to reopen, state says

Someday restaurants in CNY will reopen. What will that look like?

How do I get a contact tracing job in NY? Work from home in coronavirus battle

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
Ten inmates of the Agra Central Jail tested positive for Covid-19 after being in close contact with another coronavirus positive prisoner, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Prisons Anand Kumar said on Wednesday.

Earlier, an inmate of the same prison had tested positive for Covid-19 on May 6. It is believed that the ten prisoners who have tested positive were in close contact with this same coronavirus positive prisoner, according to jail authorities.

At least, 98 to 102 other inmates of the barrack to which these Covid-19 positive prisoners belonged in the Agra Central Jail will also be tested for the disease.

In Maharashtra, a 54-year-old inmate of the Byculla Womens Jail had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier on Sunday.

ALSO READ | Covid-19: 40 test positive in Mumbais Arthur Road jail

According to Byculla jail authorities, the womans first test result on May 8 was negative but the second test conducted on May 9 returned positive. She is under treatment at St Georges Hospital, they added.

In Mumbais Arthur Road Jail, around 185 inmates have been found infected with the deadly coronavirus and are undergoing treatment.

The Maharashtra government has decided to give temporary parole to 17,000 inmates out of 35,000 prisoners so that they do not get infected with the virus inside jails. For the remaining prisoners, jail authorities are trying to maintain social distancing guidelines so that there is no further spread of the disease.

In April, when the Covid-19 pandemic had started spreading across the country, the Supreme Court had directed states to decongest jails in order to avoid the spread of the infection among prisoners.
A virologist, Dr Sebastian Eugene Arthur, has asked the government to consider using herbal medicine in treating coronavirus patients.



The novel Covid-19 has no known medication across the globe. Scientists and researchers say it will take up to 12 months to develop a vaccine for the virus.



But Dr Eugene Arthur told host Alfred Ocansey on 3FMs morning show, Sunrise, Wednesday, May 13 that herbal medicines are noted for effectively boosting the immune system to tackle infections, hence the need to officially endorse herbal medication for the treatment of Covid-19.



We have to do something about our herbal medicine which are very good in boosting our immune system, he said.



Touching on the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, he suggested to the government to place restrictions on movement of persons within the township.



He said this will help in slowing down the rate of infection in the area.



The Obuasi township recorded an alarming jump in Covid-19 cases with 272 new infections, the reason for the high numbers in the Ashanti Region, which has so far recorded 667 cases.



The Ghana Health Service said a team of 40 contact tracers had been deployed in Obuasi to mop up the cases and isolate persons who test positive for the coronavirus disease.



But Dr Arthur said to enable the contact tracers do effective work, Obuasi should be locked down for a week.



Lockdown Obuasi to do effective contact tracing and a quick contact tracing, he said, adding: This will slow down the spread not to stop it.

Source: 3news









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

Featured Video
- The National Bureau of Investigation summoned Mocha Uson for violating the Bayanihan Act

- NBI spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said that Uson was being investigated by the Cybercrime Division for fake news

- It was the Secretary of Justice who ordered the investigation for fake news

- Netizens called out Uson after she posted the photo and pointed out that the photo she used were donations made by a mall chain and not by the government

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The National Bureau of Investigation summoned Margaux "Mocha" Uson due to violations of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.

KAMI learned that Mocha posted a photo of PPE donation, where she said that it was from the government.

However, netizens were quick to point out that the donations were from a private entity, a chain of malls. The post of Mocha has been edited and she also apologized for it.

NBI summons Mocha Uson after she posted fake photo of PPE donation

Source: Facebook

Inquirer reported that NBI Deputy Director and Spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said, "She is being investigated by our Cybercrime Division for fake news."

Lavin mentioned that the move to investigate those who post fake news was from Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, as per Philstar.

According to CNN Philippines, the Bayanihan Act has a punitive provision wherein anybody who spread false information about the crisis will face a 2-month jail sentence or a fine of 10,000 to 1 million.

The specific section of the Bayanihan Act where charges for fake news are grounded is Section 6(f).

NBI summons Mocha Uson after she posted fake photo of PPE donation

Source: Facebook

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In a previous KAMI report, Mocha Uson defended her actions in gathering OFWs in Matabungkay Beach Resort in Batangas.

Mocha Uson is a staunch supporter of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. She was among those who supported him during his campaign. At present, she is the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Deputy Administrator.

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!

"Akala ko nun, malakas pa 'ko. Yun pala, kritikal na po ako." An OFW in Dubai narrates how he ended up bedridden in a critical condition due to COVID-19. At some point, Ruffy Niedo felt he wouldn't make it. Now he shares his story with us. Check out all of the exciting videos on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
[May 13, 2020] WiTCOM deploys ADVA's NFV hosting platform and 6WIND vRouter in open public IoT network

ADVA (News - Alert) (FSE: ADV) and 6WIND today announced that German telecommunication carrier WiTCOM is using ADVA's Ensemble Connector and 6WIND's Turbo IPsec vRouter as key components of its new edge cloud platform. The open multi-vendor solution enables WiTCOM to power its smart city initiative with network functions virtualization (NFV) and universal customer premises equipment (uCPE). Built on best-of-breed technology from five leading suppliers, the solution supports the rapid and efficient rollout of IoT, video and next-generation services across WiTCOM's IPv6 network and enables easy scalability for global deployments. Other partners in the project are Advantech (News - Alert), dacoso and Dell Technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005054/en/ ADVA's Ensemble Connector is helping WiTCOM to develop its smart city initiative (Photo: Business Wire) "We took an innovative approach for an open multi-vendor solution to power our smart city initiative working with 6WIND, ADVA, Advantech, Dell (News - Alert) Technologies and dacoso," said Volker Bodenbach, head of technology and operations, WiTCOM. "Together we designed a secure open platform that powers edge cloud for IoT, video and next-generation services across our IPv6 network that can further be deployed worldwide across many verticals." WiTCOM's new multi-vendo platform is composed of technologies optimized for edge cloud architecture. The uCPE approach brings dramatically increased efficiency and scale to the ICT service provider's business. It also ensures that its customers benefit from ultimate choice and flexibility. Now, WiTCOM can streamline multiple virtual network functions (VNFs) on a single installation deployed close to the end customer, helping cities to digitalize their infrastructure and take advantage of the latest innovation in areas such as traffic control, surveillance and IoT.



"Our Ensemble Connector is the ideal solution for hosting and managing demanding uCPE applications. It's now giving WiTCOM the power of the cloud along with several other benefits, such as zero-touch provisioning and platform security. It also provides access to the Ensemble Harmony ecosystem, which includes a wide variety of onboarded commercial VNFs," commented James Buchanan, general manager, Edge Cloud, ADVA. "With its new uCPE network, WiTCOM can respond in an instant to customer demands and empower municipal networks to test out offerings and ideas. It will help accelerate the fourth industrial revolution and be a key tool in transforming cities into safer, less wasteful and more pleasant places to live." "6WIND's vRouters provide the high-performance virtual routing foundation required for secure, scalable uCPE solutions," said Eric Carmes, founder and CEO, 6WIND. "We are proud to work with WiTCOM alongside our partners ADVA, Advantech, dacoso and Dell Technologies to create an industry-leading smart city initiative for IoT, video and additional services."

"Our task was to combine the components for this managed edge cloud solution into a finely tuned overall solution," explained Karsten Geise, head of business and development, dacoso. "IoT via IPv6 public networks will be of great interest to many companies in the future if it meets such high security and automation requirements." "WiTCOM's smart city blueprint extends the cloud infrastructure to the IoT edge, building a solid and open foundation to run innovative mobility and security services," said James Yang, VP, Cloud-IoT Group, Advantech. "Our white box uCPE solutions help service providers like WiTCOM enable this intelligent edge with optimized platforms that provide ample computing power and rich connectivity while meeting edge environmental and mechanical constraints." Further information is available in this case study: https://adva.li/witcom-case-study. About ADVA ADVA is a company founded on innovation and focused on helping our customers succeed. Our technology forms the building blocks of a shared digital future and empowers networks across the globe. We're continually developing breakthrough hardware and software that leads the networking industry and creates new business opportunities. It's these open connectivity solutions that enable our customers to deliver the cloud and mobile services that are vital to today's society and for imagining new tomorrows. Together, we're building a truly connected and sustainable future. For more information on how we can help you, please visit us at: www.adva.com. Published by:

ADVA Optical Networking (News - Alert) SE, Munich, Germany

www.adva.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200513005054/en/

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The logo of Airbus is pictured at the aircraft builder's headquarters of Airbus in Colomiers near Toulouse

By Tim Hepher and Julie Rimbert

PARIS/TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - Airbus <AIR.PA> is exploring restructuring plans involving the possibility of "deep" job cuts as it braces for a prolonged coronavirus crisis after furloughing thousands of workers, industry sources said, though no decision is imminent.

Europe's largest aerospace group has not ruled out layoffs, while signalling that no decisions will be made before the summer.

But a global airline crisis has gathered speed in recent weeks, with carriers and suppliers pleading for help.

Chief Executive Guillaume Faury is expected to update managers on Thursday after warning staff last month that the firm's survival was at stake due to a slump in demand.

Under French law, Toulouse-based Airbus cannot disclose restructuring plans internally before consulting trade unions through a formal exercise not expected before the end of May.

But people close to the company said senior staff would be attempting to read between the lines of Faury's weekly internal briefing to gauge his job plans.

"Over the last few weeks, Airbus has implemented a number of financial, operational and social measures in order to adapt to the severe health and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis," an Airbus spokesman said.

"The company will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the future of Airbus in cooperation with its social partners."

A meeting with unions is scheduled for Thursday to discuss progress on furlough schemes, French union sources said. More temporary furloughs could be announced in the coming week.

One insider said any restructuring plan would involve forced redundancies and cutbacks were expected to be deep, though others cautioned it was too early to talk of specific numbers.

SENIOR JOBS

The company has also initiated an "executive population" review, reflecting Faury's resolve even before the crisis to arrest sharp growth in Airbus's senior ranks, sources said.

That stems in part from an in-house merger between Airbus and former parent EADS in 2014 that left an overhang of top jobs and a headquarters lifestyle that is being steadily wound down.

Story continues

It has not said what sacrifices if any will be made by the company's board.

Reuters reported last month that Airbus could carry out a restructuring comparable to its 2007 Power8 shake-up which saw 10,000 job cuts split between permanent and temporary posts.

For now, Airbus is relying on government-backed furlough schemes in France, Germany and Britain to reduce staff costs after earlier asking employees to take 10 days' leave.

But it is also taking a deeper look at fixed costs after announcing plans to cut jet output by at least a third, with such costs harder to absorb when output is falling.

It also faces an ageing workforce with an estimated 37% of its 135,000 staff due to retire within a decade as a generation recruited to help launch its A320 jet approaches pension age - to be only partially replaced in a leaner, more digital age.

Research spending has been frozen across the board except for the in-demand A321XLR, a key product in its longer-term battle against rival Boeing <BA.N>.

Britain's Daily Telegraph reported earlier that Airbus could cut 10,000 jobs within days, based on a comparison with Boeing <BA.N> which is cutting 10% or about 16,000 of its workforce.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher and Julie Rimbert; Editing by Catherine Evans, Elaine Hardcastle and Hugh Lawson)
: Karnataka should explore



possibilities to cut government expenditure significantly, with State finances in a shambles following the COVID-19- induced lockdown, says a former bureaucrat.

Former Chief Secretary A Ravindra said the Government may now also consider increasing sale tax on petrol and diesel to raise resources.

Raising resources is not very easy at this stage because it should not pinch people too much, especially essential services , he told PTI.

The government, Ravindra said, has so many departments, including some with very little work, adding, the related ones can be combined to cut staff and costs.

"Cutting expenditure also means raising resources".

But he acknowledged that the state government has very little scope to raise revenues.

Earlier, commercial taxes could have been leveraged in different forms but with the GST regime in place, that leeway has gone, he said.

The Karnataka government recently announced a 11 per cent excise duty hike on liquor on top of the six per cent announced in the 2020-21 budget.

Ravindra felt that the government can still hike tax on purchase of luxury cars.

According to him, stamp duty on property registration may not be hiked as there is a view that if the charge very high, it would lead to tax evasion, and it is better to keep it reasonable or low.

On the Government's proposal to regularise unathorised constructions by imposing penalty and auction corner residential sites held by the Bengaluru Development Authority, Ravindra said doing so at one-go may not be very practical.

He wondered if there would be enough buyers for such high-priced sites in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regularisation (of unathorised constructions) is a difficult process and implementation of those rules (to carry out such a task) is not an easy thing , he said.

He noted that while regularising land encroached by poorer people, one can't levy a high charge.

In the matter of regularising big buildings, there could be legal issues and people may go to court, delaying the entire exercise.

'As of now, I don't see much scope for getting lot of revenues (from regularisation of unathorised properties and auction of BDA sites), he said.

Asked if the government would be forced to cut salaries of its employees in view of the resource crunch it is facing, Ravindra said if there is a 10 per cent slash for three months, it would be significant because a considerable part of the state's revenue only goes for salary.

But the government would have to persuade the employees to take a pay cut in view of the crisis, communicate properly and the action should not be seen as imposing straightway.

According to him, the state government should initiate the process to privatise state-owned entities, particularly loss-making ones.

At this stage, valuation would no doubt be low and there will not be buyers but the Government should at least initiate the process and take a call later as it takes time to complete the privatisation process, Ravindra added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Governor Gavin Newsom live address View Photo

Sacramento, CA  Six Northern California counties have been given the go-ahead to move further into Stage 2 openings, and Gov. Gavin Newsom outlined the guidelines for those businesses at his daily COVID-19 briefing.

The new modifications to the states stay at home order will allow more businesses to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, some of those include dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and offices. As for restaurants, those that have mostly been open for takeout can now allow customers to dine-in (with new restrictions). The state reports that breweries, brewpubs, wineries, and other bars can only reopen if they are serving sit-down meals, and alcohol can only be served as part of a meal. For now, all of this only applies to counties afforded a variance.

The eateries must take several precautions. The state suggests restaurants frequently disinfect surfaces and reconfigure their space to maximize physical distancing. But California is not setting a cap on individual restaurants maximum capacity. Restaurants should ensure workers that need to be within 6 feet of customers wear masks and wash their hands more often. They should prioritize outdoor seating if possible, and the guidelines say bar areas should remain closed. Dirty linens should be thrown away after each use by an individual party.

Workers should be screened or screen themselves for symptoms before their shift begins and stay home if they are sick.

There will be several changes for customers, with the state guidelines recommend restaurants even screen diners, though it does not give explicit rules on how. Restaurants are asked to display clear signs urging customers to use hand sanitizer and wear face masks when not eating. Guests will only get cutlery, napkins and other table settings as needed, and traditional salt, pepper or ketchup bottles likely will not be on tables. Menus may be disposable or digital. Further details can be found here.

New guidelines for shopping malls (for pickup only) can be found here.

Regarding the six counties that were given variances, they include Butte, El Dorado, Lassen, Nevada, Placer and Shasta. Tuolumne, detailed here and Calaveras county here, have submitted attestation variances along with 25 other counties asking the state for similar approval to reopen more quickly. The governor adds that more approvals are expected soon.

Moving into Phase 3 will take a while longer and Newsom notes, We are not there, Phase 3, yet, but there are parts of the state that can and are moving deeper through Phase 2. I hope that is an encouraging sign both from a health and economic perspective.
Guatemala City (AFP) - A judge on Tuesday rejected an appeal by jailed Guatemalan ex-president Otto Perez to be released into house arrest over fears of contracting the coronavirus.

The 69-year-old former general has been in custody since 2017 awaiting trial over a massive bribery scandal. He also has a heart condition.

Judge Miguel Angel Galvez threw out Perez's petition in a hearing, on the grounds that the former president is being held at an army hospital where there is none of the overcrowding present in other prison facilities.

Perez blasted the ruling, telling Guatemalan media he had not linked his request to overcrowding but to the fact that his age and heart condition made him more vulnerable to COVID-19.

"Among the vulnerable groups, they are talking about people over 60, and in addition, those with a heart condition, especially heart disease, which is exactly what I have," said Perez.

Perez has on several previous occasions tried to have his sentence commuted to house arrest.

He was charged in 2017 with racketeering, illicit enrichment and fraud as the mastermind of a multimillion-dollar scheme involving the Central American country's customs duty system. He has been in custody ever since.

The former president served from 2012 until he was forced to resign amid grassroots outrage in 2015.

Perez, who has also been implicated in other corruption cases, recently had surgery to remove gallstones.
A big-bang announcement of Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus by Prime Minister Narendra Modi lifted market sentiment on May 13 as the Sensex and the Nifty closed 2 percent higher each.

The Finance Minister announced the first tranche of the mega stimulus package on May 13 and said that the remaining details of the Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package will be disclosed in the next few days.

The Indian equity market may trade in positive territory on May 14, supported by select pockets such as PSU banks and NBFCs after the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's announcement regarding the NBFCs, MSMEs and real estate, experts said.

Experts, however, added that a clear picture will emerge only after the FM is done with all announcements and the market till then may trade in a balanced way.

We have collated 15 data points to help you spot profitable trades:

Note: The open interest (OI) and volume data of stocks given in this story are the aggregates of three-months data and not of the current month only.

According to pivot charts, the key support level for Nifty is placed at 9,294.93, followed by 9,206.32. If the index moves up, key resistance levels to watch out for are 9,528.33 and 9,673.12.

The Nifty Bank closed 4.09 percent higher at 19,634.95. The important pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 19,335.8, followed by 19,036.7. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 20,028.1 and 20,421.3.

Maximum call OI of 13.63 lakh contracts was seen at 9,500 strike, which will act as crucial resistance in the May series.

This is followed by 9,800, which holds 7.04 lakh contracts, and 9,700 strikes, which has accumulated 6.40 lakh contracts.

Significant call writing was seen at the 9,800, which added 1.33 lakh contracts, followed by 9,700 strikes that added 94,875 contracts.

Call unwinding was witnessed at 9,500, which shed 1.84 lakh contracts. It was followed by 9,200, which shed 1.4 lakh contracts and 9,300 strike which shed 85,950 contracts.

Source: MyFNO

Maximum put OI of 24.25 lakh contracts was seen at 9,000 strike, which will act as crucial support in the May series.

This is followed by 9,500, which holds 11.26 lakh contracts, and 9,200 strikes, which has accumulated nearly 7 lakh contracts.

Significant Put writing was seen at 9,400, which added 1.88 lakh contracts, followed by 9,500 strikes, which added 1.16 lakh contracts.

Put unwinding was seen at 9,000, which shed 52,425 contracts, followed by 9,700 strikes that shed 8,550 contracts.

Source: MyFNO

A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in these stocks.

Based on the OI future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which long build-up was seen.

14 stocks saw long unwinding

An increase in the OI, along with a decrease in price, mostly indicates a build-up of short positions.

A decrease in OI, along with an increase in price, mostly indicates a short-covering. Based on the OI future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which short-covering was seen.

Bulk deals

(For more bulk deals, click here)

Biocon, Escorts, Indiabulls Real Estate, Mahindra Lifespace, Manappuram Finance, Tata Consumer.

Stocks in the news

NBFCs, MFIs: Govt provided Rs 30,000 crore liquidity facility for NBFC/HCs/MFIs, Rs 45,000 crore Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 for NBFC.

Real Estate: Govt provided an extension of 6 months in registration and completion date of real estate projects under RERA.

ABB India Q1: Profit fell to Rs 66 cr versus Rs 89 cr, revenue declined to Rs 1,522 cr versus Rs 1,850 cr YoY.

Godrej Consumer Products Q4: Profit dropped to Rs 230 cr versus Rs 935 cr, revenue fell to Rs 2,154 cr versus Rs 2,453 cr YoY.

Siemens March quarter: Profit fell to Rs 176 cr versus Rs 284 cr, revenue dipped to Rs 2,838 cr versus Rs 3,578 cr YoY.

Schaeffler India March quarter: Profit fell to Rs 78.35 cr versus Rs 106.2 cr, revenue declined to Rs 928.54 cr versus Rs 1,172 cr YoY.

Future Lifestyle: CARE downgraded the credit rating for short term bank facilities to A1 from A1+.

Future Consumer: Board to consider rights issue of equity shares on May 16.

Hercules Hoists: Company partially resumed operations at Raigad plant.

Fund flow

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 283.43 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 232.65 crore in the Indian equity market on May 13, provisional data available on the NSE showed.

Vodafone Idea and BHEL are under the F&O ban for May 14. Securities in the ban period under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95 percent of the market-wide position limit.
The Minister for Justice and Laois Offaly TD is 'proud' of prison service staff and has praised prisoners in Portlaoise and elsewhere from stopping the coronavirus from getting into jails.

Minister Charlie Flanagan made the comments during a Dail speech on the response of prisons, gardai, the courts and others to the pandemic.

"I also acknowledge the wholehearted support and work of the prisoners themselves. As of Tuesday 12 May, we have not had a confirmed case among the prisoner population.

"I would like to publicly say how proud I am of the men and women of the prison service and pay tribute to the ongoing work of Director General Caron McCaffrey, her senior management team and the approximately 3,500 prison service staff - including the medical team," he said.

Statement by the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, on COVID-19 in the Justice sector

Dail Eireann, 13 May

A Ceann Comhairle, Deputies,

I welcome this opportunity to update you on measures taken to battle COVID-19 in the Justice sector.

First, I wish to express my deepest condolences to all who have lost loved ones in this horrific pandemic and wish a safe recovery to all those fighting the virus.

I would like to pay particular tribute to frontline workers throughout the sector including our Gardai and Garda staff, Prison staff, Courts officers and staff and Immigration Officers.

In managing our response, my Department has a cross-functional team in place and is also part of the series of cross-government structures. In particular, we work very closely with the HSE.

I will now turn to some key measures taken.

An Garda Siochana

The 14,700 members of An Garda Siochana  including 300 student Gardai who attested early in March  are playing a key role in protecting public health.

They have been given exceptional new and temporary powers for that purpose and therefore we have taken care to ensure effective oversight and close attention to our tradition of policing by consent and adhering to human rights obligations.

These temporary powers are necessary, provided for by law, and explicitly in the interests of protection of public health and applied in a proportionate way as part of a carefully graduated response, which ensures Gardai engage, explain and encourage the public to comply and, only as a last resort, make use of their enforcement powers.

I requested the Commissioner to compile and publish a record of the use of these powers which he is doing on a weekly basis. I also requested the Policing Authority to independently assess and report regularly on their use. I have made this information publicly available on my Departments website.

Beyond this critical role supporting public health restrictions, ordinary policing operations continue with a particular focus on cybercrime.

I also want to acknowledge and thank Gardai for their tireless work in community engagement and outreach.

This pandemic has reinforced the community role of our frontline Gardai - I am sure members will have seen the countless examples in their community and local media of Garda members checking in on those cocooning and providing practical assistance.

This deep connection to community has always been the defining feature of An Garda Siochana and never has this ethos been more acutely needed. I thank the Commissioner for his leadership and all Gardai for their commitment.

Still Here campaign

The women, men and children who perhaps feel most vulnerable and afraid at this time are victims of domestic abuse, those whose homes are tragically anything but safe.

We recognised at the earliest stage that being asked to stay at home must bring added risk and a real sense of fear for victims of domestic abuse and came together with key partners to devise a new plan. This has included:

- Establishment by Gardai of a special Operation Faoiseamh on domestic abuse; and

- Special measures by the Courts Service and Legal Aid Board to give priority to domestic abuse and childcare cases.

While not within my remit, I understand Tusla has put a range of practical supports in place in relation to refuge accommodation.

We have also launched a public awareness campaign which has delivered a hard-hitting campaign across TV, radio, social and traditional media.

I strongly urge anyone suffering domestic abuse to reach out for help. The State and frontline services in the community are standing together to support you. More information on where to find support is available at www.stillhere.ie

Irish Prison Service

I would like to draw particular attention to the work being done by the Irish Prison Service which face an exceptional challenge.

A significant range of measures have been taken by the IPS to safeguard the wellbeing of prisoners. These measures have been guided by advice from NPHET and have also been consistent with prison-specific guidance issued by the WHO and the Council of Europe.

Measures include:

- a reduction in prisoner numbers through temporary release, to facilitate greater physical distancing and infection control;

- cocooning vulnerable prisoners;

- quarantining new committals;

- isolation and testing of prisoners with symptoms;

- specially trained contact tracing teams; and

- basic health checks on all entrants, including staff and restrictions on access to prisons, including suspension of family visits.

These steps are being taken in parallel with ensuring psychological wellbeing and ongoing family contact for prisoners through video visits and other innovations, including introduction of tele-psychology services.

I also acknowledge the wholehearted support and work of the prisoners themselves. As of Tuesday 12 May, we have not had a confirmed case among the prisoner population.

I would like to publicly say how proud I am of the men and women of the prison service and pay tribute to the ongoing work of Director General Caron McCaffrey, her senior management team and the approximately 3,500 prison service staff - including the medical team.

Courts Service

Since the start of the crisis, the Judiciary and the Courts Service have shown considerable capacity to adapt and respond to ensure the administration of justice continues in an effective and safe manner. Critical business has continued and innovative measures introduced including video-link appearances from prisons for persons currently in custody; judgements issued online; avoiding the need for legal practitioners to attend Court; on-line training and e-manuals for staff; and e-meetings.

Pilot remote courts commenced in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal on the week commencing 20 April. Building upon this experience, remote courts have since been held in the High Court, Circuit Court and District Court.

Last Friday, the Chief Justice, Court Presidents and Courts Service outlined the next steps being undertaken to extend court services in a gradual and responsible way, creating a pathway to opening some courts in line with the Governments Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

Direct Provision

Turning to the more than 7,700 people we provide accommodation and supports to under Direct Provision . I want to acknowledge the support provided to my Department by the HSE, in particular the National Social Inclusion Office and the NPHET subgroup on vulnerable persons. Working collaboratively has enabled us to quickly develop policy responses for the benefit of all residents.

We carefully follow the guidelines prepared by the HSEs Health Protection Surveillance Centre for residential settings with vulnerable residents.

HSE advice has evolved over time and we have evolved our responses with it. We have been assured by both it and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer that our approach is appropriate.

From the outset, we recognised the need for offsite self-isolation facilities for individuals and identified four suitable premises in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Dundalk with capacity for 299 people.

These self-isolation facilities have non-profit (Section 39) organisations onsite providing psychosocial supports to residents and residents are being supported by HSE healthcare professionals. The Section 39 organisations have provided important care and I have proposed to Minister Harris that we make arrangements for these organisations to be part of the team in every Centre. This is a measure I hope can be implemented as quickly as possible.

Since the start of the year, over 1,550 permanent and temporary new beds have been procured in new Centres. Over 600 residents have relocated to support social and physical distancing in centres and cocooning measures. We have reduced the number of people sharing a room to a maximum of three and such shared spaces constitute households in line with HSE guidance on congregated settings.

We moved quickly to cocoon all residents over the age of 65 and those advised as having a serious medical illness.

More generally, residents have been made aware of the need to practice social and physical distancing and good hand hygiene and coughing/sneezing etiquette.

Managers have been given detailed HSE guidance on the standard and frequency of cleaning required. PPE is distributed as required and in line with HPSC guidelines on appropriate use in residential settings. In partnership with the HSE and Safetynet, my Department has put in place a national clinical telephone service to provide public health advice to support centre management and staff.

I am very conscious of the concerns of Deputies in relation to services provided to international protection applicants and, indeed, I have my own concerns. However, as Minister, I have worked closely with Minister Stanton to drive a programme of improvements across the State. At this time, approximately 20% of all residents are in own-door accommodation and more than half of residents have access to cooking facilities and that programme of upgrades was steadily rolling out when this pandemic hit.

But Minister Stanton and I were also anxious to take a longer term view and that it why we asked Dr. Catherine Day to convene an independent Expert Group to establish international best practice in the provision of services to International Protection Applicants and advise on long term planning. That report is due later this year.

Immigration Service

As the Chief Medical Officer has made clear many times, people should only travel where essential. The numbers arriving into Ireland are very small, the majority Irish citizens returning home. The Border Management Unit at Dublin Airport together with the Garda National Immigration Bureau, are collecting the Irish public health passenger locator form and the system of spot checks are being rolled out on an administrative basis on behalf of health authorities, including follow-up phone calls.

The operation of this process is currently being analysed and reviewed by officials in the Department of Health, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, in the context of potential new regulations. There remains work to be done in developing these complex regulations and further consultations are required.

I can confirm today that the 2 month automatic extension I announced in March for immigration permissions will be further extended for an additional 2 months  that is immigration permissions due to expire between 20 May and 20 July will be extended subject to the same conditions being met.

For students, this means they will be able to continue work if they so wish, but they must also re-enrol in a course of study, many of which are now available online,

Finally, I wish to sincerely thank our frontline healthcare workers, for all the work that has and which continues to be done.

Minister of State Stanton and myself are now happy to take any questions which Deputies might have. We will endeavour to deal with your concerns but if we do not have detail to hand on any matter, we will follow up immediately in writing
ALTON  While some local businesses are floundering during the Covid 18 pandemic, a Godfrey maker of plastics is having trouble keeping up with demand.

The demand is through the roof. said John Lee, vice president of sales and marketing for Cope Plastics based in Alton.

Lee said the company is hustling to meet the demand for plastic shields for other businesses  such as grocery stores, schools, slaughter houses. The firms plastics are also used in medical settings, such as temporary barriers in buildings that have been set up to handle hospital overflow and acrylic entubation boxes keep medical staff safe during patient extubation.

These are in high demand and were working hard to get these in the hands of those who need it the most, the company site states

Cope sells most of its products business-to-business. The items are made of acrylic and polycarbonate, but the firm offers a wide variety of materials from which products are made. Hardware stores, such as Lowes and Home Depot, also sell plastic sheeting, but Cope does not manufacture plastic for sale by retail outlets.

The firm will make plastic sheeting of various sizes and thickness and will manufacture to order. Lee said the company has several offices nationally and supplies to businesses across the globe. He said the company has been in business for 75 years, so it has established relationships with users, who have contacted them for sheets to be used as barriers against the virus,

Transparent partitions, face shields, signage, and other clear plastic products are helping protect people everywhere from the spread of the virus. Cope Plastics can help fulfill your needs, a notice of the company web site states.

The company employs hundreds of workers North Dakota, Arizona, Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois and other states. It is considered an essential business.

The firm was founded in 1946 by Dwight and Mozelle Cope in Godfrey. The current president is Alton native Jane Saale, a graduate of Alton High School and Eastern Illinois University who lives in the St. Louis area.
Several groups, including labors unions and the NCAA, have filed a federal lawsuit seeking expanded absentee voting.

Plaintiffs include the Memphis A. Phillip Randolph Institute, The Equity Alliance, Free Hearts, The Memphis and West Tennessee AFL-CIO Central Labor Council a/k/a the Memphis Central Labor Council and The Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP.

Other plaintiffs are Sekou Franklin and Kendra Lee against Secretary of State Tre Hargett, state Elections Coordinator Mark Goins, and Amy Weirich, district attorney general for Shelby County.

It was filed in the Middle District of Tennessee.

The suit says, "On March 5, 2020, the State of Tennessee confirmed its first official case of COVID-19. Nearly two months later, the State has now reported 11,891 cases and 204 deaths from the pandemic disease. Tragically, the number of Tennesseans diagnosed with and dying from COVID-19 continues to increase daily. Social distancing guidelines have been implemented and encouraged by federal, state, and local governments in order to slow the spread of the deadly disease, and the State, echoing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continues to advise citizens that the best way to prevent illness (from COVID-19) is to avoid being exposed to this virus.

"This is particularly true for those who are elderly or who have underlying health conditions, regardless of age, which place them at increased risk of potentially lethal complications from the disease.

"In the midst of this public health crisis, Tennesseans will twice cast ballots in exercise of their fundamental right to vote: first on August 6, 2020, in the statewide primary election, and then again on November 3, 2020, in the presidential general election."

"In prior elections, Tennesseans have typically cast their ballots in person. In the upcoming elections, however, state and local elections officials expect that, in light of the ongoing pandemic, a significantly increased number of voters will seek to vote by mail in order to avoid exposure to this potentially lethal disease. For example, in some counties, like the States second most populous Davidson County, officials expect a more than ten fold increase in the number of absentee voters in upcoming elections.

"This makes good sense. For most voters, absentee votingif available as an optionis a safe, socially-distanced method of exercising their fundamental right. Indeed, the CDCs first recommendation for election officials in the midst of this pandemic is to 'encourage mail-in methods of voting.'

"While historic, this rapid shift towards voting by mail has also revealed Tennessees election laws to be underprepared for the unprecedented task of holding an election during a pandemic in at least three ways: (1) the States strict limits on eligibility for voting absentee, which do not recognize the pandemic as a valid excuse, impose an undue burden on prospective voters who must now choose between risking their health by voting in person, or forgoing their right to vote entirely; (2) criminal prohibitions on assisting voters in obtaining absentee ballot requests will have a chilling effect on the protected speech and associational activities of individuals and groups engaged in voter turnout activities during the upcoming elections, particularly considering that many voters will be navigating the absentee voting process for the first time; and (3) the lack of opportunity to cure afforded to absentee voters whose ballots are rejected based on faulty signature match procedures stands to disenfranchise even those voters who are able to cast their ballot by mail. These restrictions severely burden Tennesseans exercise of their right to vote and Organizational Plaintiffs right to participate in voter engagement activity.

"First, in light of the ongoing public health crisis, Tennessees failure to make the already-existing mail voting system available to all voters so that they do not have to choose between their right to vote and their health imposes an undue burden on Tennesseans exercise of their right to vote.

"Under State law, eligible mail-in voters will be able to cast their ballots without waiting in line at their polling place, or interacting with fellow voters, poll workers, and voting equipment, thereby minimizing their risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19 while voting. Furthermore, by exercising their option to vote by mail, these voters can help reduce crowding, lines, and traffic through polling places, which can help minimize exposure for voters and poll workers, and reduce the risk of voting in person for those who are unable to vote by mail. This is particularly true for voters whose options for in-person voting are further limited due to polling place closures and consolidations, which Tennessees most populous counties are already anticipating as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

"But the option to vote by mail safely is not available to most Tennessee voters, because the State limits absentee voting to only those who are eligible to do so under one of the States few narrowly drawn excuses, none of which account for voting during a public health crisis. See Tenn. Code  2-6-201 (the Eligibility Criteria). Thus, for voters like Plaintiff Kendra Lee, who is at an increased risk from COVID-19 due to an underlying health condition but is not eligible to vote by mail, the only available choice will be either to vote in person at a potentially crowded in-person polling location or to not vote at all. The same will be true for Plaintiff Sekou Franklin, who is not eligible to vote by mail, but also fears voting in person in the August and November elections because he does not want to catch and then bring COVID-19 back to his elderly father, who is at an increased risk from the disease.

"Requiring voters like individual Plaintiffs, Organizational Plaintiffs members, and their families, to choose between risking their health and safety to vote in person or to not vote at all is not just unfair, it is also unconstitutional. Simply put, the Constitution does not permit the State to require voters to jeopardize their health and safety, and the health and safety of their loved ones, in order to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Tennessee voters must be permitted to cast their ballots without subjecting themselves to unnecessary exposure to a pandemic disease. Defendants must either be enjoined from enforcing, or otherwise required to expand, the Eligibility Criteria for absentee voting while pandemic conditions continue to threaten voters health.

"Second, the Constitution precludes the State from imposing criminal penalties on individuals and entities, like Organizational Plaintiffs and their members, who seek to engage in protected speech and associational activity by helping their members, their members families, and voters in their community, apply for an absentee ballot. But that is exactly what Tennessee law currently does.

"Even under the narrow eligibility criteria for absentee voting, county officials expect that thousands of votersparticularly older voterswill seek to vote by mail for the first time in this years elections. These voters will need assistance navigating an absentee ballot application system that they have never used before, including understanding that they have a right to vote absentee and actually obtaining and completing their absentee ballot request (in advance of the impending July 30 and October 27, 2020, deadlines for the August 6 and November 3, 2020, elections). As such, the Organizational Plaintiffs intend to focus more heavily on outreach to and engagement of potential absentee voters as part of their political and voter engagement work this cycle.

"Under Tennessee Code  2-6-202(c)(4), however, [a] person who is not an employee of an election commission commits a Class A misdemeanor if such person gives an unsolicited request for application for absentee ballot to any person. If convicted, they could face a sentence of up to 11 months and 29 days in prison, a fine of up to $2,500, or both.

"As a result of this law, the Organizational Plaintiffs will be severely hampered in their ability to assist their members and engaged voters with obtaining the absentee ballot request they need to exercise their right to vote by mail in the upcoming elections. The restriction on the unsolicited distribution of absentee ballot requestswhich will be a particularly necessary voter engagement tactic in light of the COVID-19 pandemicchills protected speech and associational activity, harms Tennessee voters, and unconstitutionally burdens the Organizational Plaintiffs right to engage in core political speech and activity, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments."

The plaintiffs are requesting a federal judge to:

Declare that Defendants application of  2-6-201 of the Tennessee Code in the context of the pandemic to exclude voters from casting absentee ballots in the August and November 2020 elections unless they meet the Eligibility Criteria is unconstitutional;

B. Declare that Defendants enforcement of  2-6-202(c)(4) of the Tennessee Code is unconstitutional;

C. Declare that Defendants failure to provide an opportunity for voters to cure signature-related deficiencies in absentee ballots before they are rejected is unconstitutional;

D. Declare that the combination of burdens Tennessee imposes on absentee voters before their absentee ballots can be counted is unconstitutional in the context of the pandemic;

E. Preliminarily and permanently enjoin Defendants from excluding any eligible voter from casting an absentee ballot in the August and November 2020 elections, whether or not the voter meets the Eligibility Criteria of  2-6-201 of the Tennessee Code for the duration of the pandemic;

F. Preliminarily and permanently enjoin Defendants from enforcing  2-6-202(c)(4) for the unsolicited dissemination of requests for application for absentee ballots by any person;

G. Preliminarily and permanently enjoin Defendants from rejecting absentee ballots on the basis of alleged signature-related deficiencies without first providing an opportunity to cure;

H. Preliminarily and permanently order Defendants to establish a procedure by which voters may attempt to cure deficiencies in their absentee ballots, to include providing timely notice of such deficiencies and a meaningful opportunity to cure."
A 54-YEAR-OLD man accused of killing his infant grandson, who allegedly suffered a fatal injury while he was babysitting, has been refused bail.

Baby Sean Wang, who was 10 months old, died at Temple Street Childrens Hospital in Dublin on August 15, 2019 where he had been in intensive care for two days.

His grandfather Chan Cheng Wang, a Chinese national with an address at Melville Rise, Finglas, Dublin 11, was charged last Friday with manslaughter.

He was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing today before Judge David McHugh at Cloverhill District Court.

The accused, who came to Ireland last year, had no ties to the jurisdiction, Detective Garda Siobhan Tolan said. She objected to the bail due to the seriousness of the case and fears of flight risk.

She agreed, however, that Mr Wang was co-operative when he was interviewed and he had come to the garda station voluntarily.

Pleading for bail, defence solicitor Tracy Horan said it was a very sad case but Mr Wang denies the charge.

He had come to Ireland to be with his son, who works as a chef, and his wife and grandson. He had also lived with them.

His son and daughter-in-law had come to court offering to stand bail.

Ms Horan told the court her client has said from the start the child died from a fall and his family accepted that. The defence case is it was an accident and a UK-based pathologists report has been obtained, she said.

She argued that it would be very difficult for him to leave the country. Strict conditions could be imposed, she submitted.

Judge McHugh said it was without doubt a very sad case but noted the accused had no ties to the jurisdiction. Bail was denied and Mr Wang was remanded in custody to appear again next week.

He did not address the court and listened to the proceedings with the help on an interpreter.

Detective Garda Tolan has said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed trial on indictment in the circuit court.

The deceased, Sean Wang, was 10 months old and the grandson of the accused, she said.

At Mr Wang's first hearing on Friday, Detective Garda Tolan said the baby boy was in the care of his grandfather at his home in Finglas. The babys parents were out with friends at the time.

It was alleged at 00.38 on the morning of August 13, 2019, baby Sean arrived at Temple Street Childrens Hospital in cardiac arrest.

He was accompanied by his parents. Medical staff performed CPR 40 times after which a heartbeat was detected.

He was transferred to the intensive care unit where he lost his fight for life two days later, Detective Garda Tolan had said.

Garda were notified and an investigation was led by the incident room at Finglas station.

A book of evidence has yet to be completed by the DPP for his trial.
Former Debenhams employees who were laid off last month have raised nearly 2,000 to help Bangladeshi employees who lost clothing contracts due to the companys cutbacks.

The fashion retailer fell into administration last month and put its Irish chain into liquidation after facing financial troubles related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Irish workers who are campaigning to be paid redundancy payments for their own lay-offs said they learned that workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, had also lost their jobs and would not receive state unemployment benefits.

In the middle of a pandemic, 69 Debenhams Bangladesh liaison office employees have been discarded with nothing and no hope of a new job, Sally Deighton wrote on a GoFundMe campaign page set up by the workers.

Ms Deighton said the Bangladeshi workers were under lockdown at the time of their dismissal and Debenhams had not paid their April salaries.

Our friends and colleagues are owed: April salary, redundancy pay, and most of all respect and appreciation, she added.

They were proud to work for Debenhams and prioritised their job above all else.

The GoFundMe page set up by the Irish employees has raised 1,876, as of Wednesday morning, and has an overall goal of raising 20,000 in total.

In a video attached to the page, the Bangladesh staff said their families were not afraid of the Covid-19 pandemic but were afraid instead of Debenhams injustice.

A spokesperson for the workers told The Irish Times they were thankful for the support.

Im overwhelmed while I see your initiatives and how humanity is still alive. You dont know us. None of us visited Ireland ever. But you feel our team members pain from thousands of miles away, the spokesperson said.

ITV News said last week it had seen correspondence from Debenhams administrator to Bangladeshi suppliers demanding a 90 per cent discount on garments orders which were already at UK ports.

The company has been accused of cancelling or withholding about 53m worth of payment on orders from Bangladeshi suppliers, according to The Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

A Debenhams spokesperson told The Independent that the company was sorry for the "very tough decision" it had made and insisted the retailer had worked to minimise job losses.

We are very sorry we have had to make this very tough decision. Our aim throughout has been to minimise job losses as far as possible," the spokesperson said.

"This is not a decision that has been taken lightly, and we recognise how difficult this is for our colleagues in Bangladesh, but it is unavoidable and reflects the exceptional circumstances we and all other businesses are now in."
Paul Kane/Getty ImagesLast week, President Donald Trump visited a mask manufacturing plant in Arizona, and video of the trip captured the Guns N' Roses cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live and Let Die" playing in the background as he walked through the factory. Now, we have a t-shirt to remember that moment.

GN'R is selling a t-shirt with the slogan "Live N' Let Die with COVID 45" -- 45, of course, refers to Trump, the 45th president of the United States. It costs $25, and is available now to pre-order via the Guns web store.

Frontman Axl Rose is very much not a fan of Trump, and has openly criticized him on Twitter. Last week, he exchanged social media barbs with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, calling him an "a**hole."

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Google faces a data-protection complaint from Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems amid concerns it unlawfully monitors users and passes on the tracking ID to advertisers.

Schremss campaign group Noyb on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Austrian data protection authority, accusing Google of tracking users of Android phones through a unique ID that allows Google and countless third-parties to monitor users.

The European Unions strict data protection rules, in force since May 2018, require peoples consent before being tracked, the group said in a statement. Data regulators have the powers to levy fines of as much as four per cent of a companys global annual sales for serious violations.

Google does not collect valid opt-in consent before generating the tracking ID, but seems to generate these IDs without user consent, according to the statement.

Android does not allow deleting the tracking ID. It only allows users to generate a new tracking ID to replace the existing tracking ID. This neither deletes the data that was collected before, nor stops tracking going forward.

Google declined to comment.

The complaint comes as EU regulators grapple with the privacy implications of tracing technology designed by Google and Apple Inc. to monitor the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Privacy advocates have backed their approach.

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Macy Weslin believes she has found her true calling in the health care field.

After graduating in 2017 from Northeast Iowa Community College, Weslin took a job at a nursing home in Hubbard, and for two years she was in her comfort zone there, getting to know the residents and take care of them.

But in November, the Calmar, Iowa, nurse took a leap of faith and became a behavioral health nurse (LPN) at the Community Health Center in downtown Mason City working for a psychiatric nurse practitioner and now she is home.

The nursing home was my comfort zone, but I really wanted to try something new, said Weslin about her switch to behavioral health. I was always interested in the behavioral health field and this gave me an opportunity to get into it. I really love this field.

The Community Health Center in Mason City, and two other locations in Fort Dodge and Dayton, offer behavioral health screening and counseling, crisis intervention, medication management, substance abuse screening and counseling.

Weslin describes her job as being the middle man between patient and provider. She rooms patients, takes their vitals and asks them about their medications, gets a general feel for how they are doing and generally brings the provider up to speed about the patient.

We see the same people every month and often talk on the phone, she said. You build a relationship with patients and build trust. They feel comfortable with me and that makes my job much easier.

Its that willingness to get to know her patients and a positive attitude Weslin brings to the job each and every day that has made her one of the most well respected nurses in North Iowa. Because of that, she was selected as one of the Globe Gazettes Top 10 outstanding nurses.

It blew my mind when I found out I got this, Weslin said. I was not expecting this honor.

After finding out about Weslin being honored by the Globe Gazette, her supervisor Sarah Enke said she is well deserving for a variety of reasons.

Shes pretty unique in a special way, said Enke, Community Healths Behavioral Health director and social worker. Macy has a way of creating a safe space for our patients and getting them to open up. She has a lot of grace and understanding and always has a smile on her face.

Weslin describes her job as being both tough and rewarding, and that all the small things she does and the help she is able to provide the centers patients makes it all worthwhile.

What Weslin loves most about her job is building the bond between herself and the people she sees.

I will always be an advocate for my patients, she said. Building a relationship with patients is huge. Something small can mean more to patients and help them, and that is an important part of my job.

While Weslin says there is a certain amount of stress that goes with her job and any job in the health care industry, the COVID-19 pandemic has added to that because she not only has to worry about what she could be bringing home from the Community Health Center, but also what she could bring into the health care facility.

Following strict precautions like always wearing a mask, adhering to social distancing and washing her hands all the time has helped, but the stress is always present.

It is a little more stressful because there are more precautions necessary, she said. Were all doing a good job keeping our patients safe and ourselves safe. It has been a total team effort.

That team mentality and knowing she gets to help people every day has made Weslin proud to be called a nurse. While she has only been in the health care field for about three years, Weslin said she plans to be a nurse for as long as she can.

I love what I do, she said. There are a lot of little things that make me proud to be a nurse. The simplest thing is somebody saying thank you. That is the biggest thing and keeps me going.

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This is an opinion column.

Which number is bigger  111 or 349?

As math questions go, that might seem so simple as to be silly, but in Alabama, its a deadly serious question and the answer reveals a lot about our states priorities.

Three weeks ago, Gov. Kay Ivey told Alabamians she would loosen stay-at-home orders based on expert advice from public health professionals. Governors in surrounding states might be lifting restrictions, but Alabama would put public health first, she said.

All my decisions Im going to make are based on data, not on a desired date, Ivey said.

Alabama would follow federal guidelines, waiting for two consecutive weeks of declines in new coronavirus cases before reopening further.

The day Ivey made that promise, Alabama added 111 new cases to its total of 5,342. The state, it appeared, was already making progress.

But two weeks later, Ivey moved ahead with Phase 1, even though Alabama hadnt hit the benchmark she promised. The day Ivey announced Alabama would reopen restaurants, hair salons and gyms, Alabama added 349 cases, reaching a new total of 9,046.

Some of that rise could be attributed to increased testing in recent weeks, but 7-day averages for deaths have risen, too.

Regardless, by last week, Iveys reliance on data had been replaced with a squishy metric of  vigilance.

"Because the people of Alabama are vigilant and abiding by the rules, we believe its OK to expand these orders and provide additional opportunities for people to go back to work," Ivey said this time.

Have you been out lately? How vigilant do you think everyone is being?

Gov. Iveys decision to reopen Alabamas economy was not based on data, progress or the benchmarks set by the Trump Administration. Instead, it was pressure from business.

If reopening bars, restaurants, etc. is necessary because Alabama just cant take the economic hit, thats a decision the governors office is entitled to make. But dont act like its because our numbers are getting better or pretend everyone is social distancing. Thats just not true.

Since Gov. Ivey made her decision, new cases in Alabama have continued to grow.

On Monday, the state passed 10,000 cumulative coronavirus cases, and a lot of news reports have made note for the same reason we like to watch our cars odometers roll over to 100,000 miles. But Id like to point to a more significant number well pass sometime soon, maybe by the time you read this.

10,936  thats the cumulative cases South Korea reported Monday.

Sometime in the next week, Alabama will overtake South Korea.

Alabama will overtake South Korea, despite that country having 50 million people to our five million.

Alabama will overtake South Korea, despite that country having dense urban centers where the virus could more easily spread.

Alabama will overtake South Korea, despite that country discovering its first case two months before we found ours.

Of course, Alabama already overtook South Korea in deaths a while ago. Our total Tuesday was 428 dead. Theirs was 258.

Because that countrys government got its act together. Ours didnt.

Two months of sheltering in place have been a test of endurance for individuals. Most of us have passed that test, and perhaps its unfair to expect more. Perhaps its impossible to ask more.

But those two months were also a test of competence for our state and federal governments. Sheltering in place was supposed to buy time  time to build a ubiquitous testing infrastructure and time to build an army of contact tracers  so we all could reemerge from our homes safely. Those things havent happened, and conditions outside have changed only in that theyve gotten riskier, not better.

Instead, when the federal government gave Alabama $1.8 billion to mitigate the viruss impact here, state lawmakers decided a good use for that money would be $200 million to build a new Alabama State House.

Their wish list provided half that much for testing and jack-squat-zero dollars for contact tracing.

Its pretty clear now, our public officials have decided that their duties in this crisis are just too hard. So instead of them doing their jobs, the rest of us will be asked to play the odds when we dont yet know what those odds are.

Thats not a math question. Thats a gamble.

And what Ivey is doing in Alabama  lots of other governors across the country are doing the same thing.

It might be one thing if we had a good sense of what the viruss mortality rate even is or how many cases are mild enough never to be detected. But we dont.

Instead, we are going to play Russian roulette without even knowing how many bullets are in the gun.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group.

You can follow his work on his Facebook page, The War on Dumb. And on Twitter. And on Instagram.

More columns by Kyle Whitmire

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The immutable weirdness of Troy King

Alabama Legislature, same as it ever was

Alabama AG needs something to do

As cases there lead state, Mobile mayor wants to reopen

Hey, Georgia! Our governor is better than your governor.

The John Merrill Show is on again. Somebody change the channel.

Mo Brooks spouts nonsense, Ivey finds her nerve

A love letter for the Post Office

The time to expand Medicaid is now. When will Alabama? How about never?

Finding meaning in the ruins of coronavirus and Legos

This is the most dangerous election. And the most important.

Alabamas governor went on Twitter for a coronavirus Q&A. It was a disaster.

Alabama is stuck on autopilot

What Ill take from the quarantine: My daughters first steps

Stop with the California comparisons, Kay Ivey

Lieutenant governor demands Alabama coronavirus task force do its job

If Alabama has to go back to work, so should the Legislature

In grief for normal life

The truth will tell itself
The father and son who are accused of murdering 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot dead while reportedly out jogging, are allegedly being isolated from other prisoners for their own safety.

Arbery was shot dead by Travis McMichael, 34, on February 23 while his former cop father, Gregory, 64, watched from the cargo load of their pick-up truck with his own shotgun poised.

The pair were charged with murder after the killing was caught on film, sparking outrage across the world.

Both men are now being held in a separate wing of the Glynn County Detention Center, in Brunswick, Georgia, according to TMZ.

Father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, 64 and 34, who are accused of murdering 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, are allegedly being isolated from other prisoners for their own safety

The men can reportedly eat alone and periodically leave their cells while being kept isolated from other prisoners.

TMZ also claims that there are no TVs in the section of the jail where the men are being housed, so they cannot follow the case in the news.

Glynn County Undersheriff Ron Corbett revealed the details to the outlet but refused to say whether or not the men were on suicide watch or if their lives have been threatened.

The news comes after Arbrey's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against the McMichaels.

'I would like all hands involved, that played a part in my son's murder to be prosecuted to the highest [degree],' Cooper-Jones said Tuesday.

'Coming from a mother's point of view: my son died, and so they should die as well.'

Arbery was shot dead by Travis on February 23 while his former cop father watched from the cargo load of their pick-up truck with his own shotgun poised

Both men are being held in a separate wing of the Glynn County Detention Center, in Brunswick, Georgia

Wanda Cooper-Jones (right with Arbery) told TMZ that she hopes prosecutors seek the death penalty against his killers

When pressed on whether she'd be opposed to a death penalty sentence, the grief-stricken mother reiterated she'd 'totally agree with that.'

On Monday, the Georgia attorney general appointed Joyette M. Holmes, Cobb County's first African-American district attorney, to oversee Arbery's case.

The appointment of Holmes was welcomed by Cooper-Jones, who said she has spoken to the prosecutor and has full faith in her abilities to obtain justice for her slain son.

Arbery's death has sparked nationwide outrage. A rally for the slain jogger was held Friday - the day he would have celebrated his 26th birthday

'I think with the counsel I have and also the newly assigned DA [Holmes], I think we will get justice for Ahmaud,' Cooper-Jones said.

She added that Holmes too said she was confident her son's killers would be convicted.

Following her appointment on Monday, Holmes became the fourth prosecutor to take the case, superseding Tom Durden, who reportedly requested to be replaced by a prosecutor with a larger staff citing the case's growth 'in size and magnitude.'

'District Attorney Holmes is a respected attorney with experience, both as a lawyer and a judge,' state Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, said in a statement.

'And the Cobb County District Attorney's office has the resources, personnel and experience to lead this prosecution and ensure justice is done.'

Holmes served four years a magistrate judge in suburban Cobb County before Gov. Brian Kemp appointed her to fill the vacant district attorney's position last July.

According to the Georgia Prosecuting Attorneys Council, Holmes is one of only seven black district attorneys in the state.

An attorney for Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, also applauded the appointment of a new lead prosecutor.

'In order for justice to be carried out both effectively and appropriately in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, it is imperative that the special prosecutor has no affiliation with the Southeast Georgia legal or law enforcement communities,' attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement.

He asked that Holmes 'be zealous in her search for justice.'

Arbery was hit by three shotgun blasts, according to an autopsy report released Monday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

One shot grazed his right wrist, and the other two struck him in the chest.

The 25-year-old had no drugs or alcohol in his system, and was carrying two tan bandannas which were soaked with blood.

It has taken nearly three months and several different prosecutors for Travis and Gregory McMichael to be arrested and charged with his killing.

Georgia's Attorney General is now investigating the handling of the case amid claims that prosecutors passed it off to protect 64-year-old Gregory, a former police detective who recently worked in the local district attorney's office.

The case was first assigned to Jackie Johnson in the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, who recused herself because Gregory McMichael was previously an investigator in her office.

It was then handed to George E. Barnhill, district attorney for Georgias Waycross Judicial Circuit, who recused himself under pressure from Arberys mother amid claims Barnhills son used to work with Gregory McMichael in the Brunswick district attorneys office.

Durden then took over the reins, and said last week he planned to present the investigation to a grand jury before a video of the incident leaked and the GBI was assigned to the case. The McMichaels weren't arrested until after the video became public.

An officer with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is seen leading 34-year-old Travis McMichael out of his home in handcuffs

The case has sparked outrage around the world and some say it is proof of persistent racism in the South.

Over the weekend, people ran to honor what would have been Ahmaud's 26th birthday and armed protesters took to the street.

The McMichaels' defense has been that they were making a citizen's arrest after suspecting Ahmaud of breaking into and robbing homes in their neighborhood.

They said Travis then exercised his stand your ground right by shooting Ahmaud, claiming the unarmed 25-year-old reached for his gun.

Exclusive photos show the moment Gregory McMichael (pictured) and his son Travis McMichael were arrested at their home in Brunswick, Georgia

On Monday, DoJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said: 'The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia have been supporting and will continue fully to support and participate in the state investigation.

'We are assessing all of the evidence to determine whether federal hate crimes charges are appropriate,' Kupec said in a statement.'

The McMichaels have both been charged by the state of Georgia with murder and aggravated assault which carry maximum prison sentences of life.

Georgia has no hate crimes as a state but the federal charge carries a maximum prison sentence of life when the hate crime results in death.

'A federal prosecution would supersede a state case and could negate it if the defendants were found guilty and the need for a state prosecution reduced.
Northern Irelands Nightingale hospital has been temporarily stood down, Health Minister Robin Swann has announced.

Belfast City Hospital has been used to increase critical care capacity for Covid-19, but Mr Swann said it would now remain on standby in case of a second surge.

The announcement comes as the Department of Health confirmed a further two people have died from coronavirus, bringing the total to 449.

Across the UK, the death of a further 494 people brings the total to 33,186.

In the Irish Republic, there have been 24 more deaths meaning a total of 1,488 have died.

Speaking at the daily Executive briefing, Mr Swann said the amount of Covid patients requiring critical care had been reducing gradually.

He added that care homes remained the frontline and an absolute priority and around a quarter of residents (3,346) and staff (over 3,632) in Northern Ireland had now been tested for the virus.

He said there would be "a significant expansion" of testing capacity and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service was currently providing mobile testing units.

Mr Swann also said he would soon be announcing a process to reform and investment for the social care sector in Northern Ireland.

"The social care sector has been struggling for years and as a whole is not fit for purpose," he said.

This week a five point recovery plan for Northern Ireland was announced by the Executive, but drew criticism from the business community for having no fixed dates.

Mr Swann called it a bold decision from the Executive which was intended to guard against any complacency from the public.

The Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said that standing down the Nightingale Hospital was a significant step and showed the positive impact of social distancing measures.

Asked about staff absences in health trusts due to Covid-19, Mr Swann said the figure was around 1,600.

This equated to around 2.5% of a workforce of 70,000 and included around 250 staff who had shown symptoms.

He added that many of the other absences were due to factors like shielding were staff already had underlying health conditions.
Leaving Certificate student Luke Casserly has been elected to the position of Vice President in the Irish Second-level Students Union (ISSU).

Luke was previously the secretary for the union and ran for the position of president this year, ultimately being elected to the position of Vice President.

Im absolutely delighted to have been elected Deputy President of the ISSU, Luke told the Longford Leader.

Its an organisation I have been hugely passionate about over the past few years, so to be trusted to become part of the leadership of the Union by our membership is a massive honour.

Im really looking forward to getting to work on representing the voices of students on a national level, and building on the great work that has been done over the past couple of years.

Luke previously spoke to the Leader on the importance of clarity for Leaving Cert students amid Covid-19 restrictions.

Following an announcement last week that the Leaving Certificate would not be going ahead as planned, the ISSU released a statement welcoming the clarity for students.

Definite clarity surrounding the examination intentions has come as great relief to many students, the statement read.

It is clear that students well-being, anxiety and stress levels have been at an all time high - and young people should seek the support available to them.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 13) Around 11 million families are expected to be included in the second tranche of the government's COVID-19 cash aid program, the Social Welfare Department said Wednesday.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista told CNN Philippines that "more or less" 11.1 million families from areas still placed under enhanced community quarantine will be included in the new beneficiary list for the social amelioration program.

Bautista, however, said the agency is still awaiting an executive order before officials can craft the final guidelines for the distribution of the subsidy. He added authorities will also need to validate local government units' liquidation reports prior to the implementation of the next tranche to make sure that the right beneficiaries get aid.

For now, the DSWD chief said the agency is studying other options that may help speed up the distribution of assistance to crisis-affected citizens including possibly tapping online platforms.

"Kaya nga, pinag-aaralan namin 'yung sinasabi nating using other digital platforms para mas mabilis at the same time, 'yung walang contact sa pagbibigay ng ayuda," Bautista said in an interview with The Source.

[Translation: Thats why we're looking at what we call using other digital platforms so we can fast track the distribution, at the same time, there will be no contact in the distribution of the assistance.]

Malacanang on Tuesday announced that only residents of areas under the "modified" ECQ Metro Manila, Laguna province, and Cebu City will be qualified in the next wave of subsidy, citing limited funds approved by Congress.

The first tranche of the government's SAP initially covered 18 million low-income households, who were expected to receive 5,000 to 8,000 worth of assistance. Roque later on revealed that an additional five million beneficiaries left out of the LGUs' lists would be included in the first batch of subsidy.

Roadblocks in SAP distribution?

Bautista meanwhile acknowledged criticisms on the slow rollout of cash aid in several regions, but noted there had been some roadblocks in distribution.

Citing reports from on-ground personnel, the Social Welfare Secretary said some high-risk areas succumbed to a reduced workforce, as a single COVID-19 infection will place other front-liners under quarantine.

"Kaya ang nangyayari, pag na-infect iyon, mababawasan ang workforce, magkakaroon ngayon ng sabihin nating delay," Bautista explained.

[Translation: When that happens, when someone gets infected, the workforce will be reduced, we will have what we call a delay.]

He added that security issues such as military-rebel encounters also push distribution programs to a later date.

In April, two soldiers escorting aid workers in Aurora province were killed by armed communist rebels. The report has earned a fresh series of tirades from President Rodrigo Duterte, who has since warned against rebel groups' attacks amid the current health crisis.

RELATED: Duterte offers 2-million bounty for arrest of top New People's Army leaders

Aside from these factors, Bautista added that the timeline of aid distribution has also been affected by some local governments' re-validation of beneficiary lists.

Citing DSWD's latest report, Bautista said that 16.5 million families have already received cash assistance, with 93.5 billion already released in the first tranche. He reported that 1,078 local government units have already achieved the 100 percent completion rate in the subsidy distribution.

Bautista added that the SAP distribution will remain ongoing, even as the national government's deadline has lapsed.
The rolling hills of Mars or the moon are a long way from the nearest tow truck. That's why the next generation of exploration rovers will need to be good at climbing hills covered with loose material and avoiding entrapment on soft granular surfaces.

Built with wheeled appendages that can be lifted and wheels able to "wiggle," a new robot known as the "Mini Rover" has developed and tested complex locomotion techniques robust enough to help it climb hills covered with such granular material - and avoid the risk of getting ignominiously stuck on some remote planet or moon.

Using a complex move the researchers dubbed "rear rotator pedaling," the robot can climb a slope by using its unique design to combine paddling, walking, and wheel spinning motions. The rover's behaviors were modeled using a branch of physics known as terradynamics.

"When loose materials flow, that can create problems for robots moving across it," said Dan Goldman, the Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "This rover has enough degrees of freedom that it can get out of jams pretty effectively. By avalanching materials from the front wheels, it creates a localized fluid hill for the back wheels that is not as steep as the real slope.

The rover is always self-generating and self-organizing a good hill for itself."

The research will be reported on May 13 as the cover article in the journal Science Robotics. The work was supported by the NASA National Robotics Initiative and the Army Research Office.

A robot built by NASA's Johnson Space Center pioneered the ability to spin its wheels, sweep the surface with those wheels and lift each of its wheeled appendages where necessary, creating a broad range of potential motions. Using in-house 3D printers, the Georgia Tech researchers collaborated with the Johnson Space Center to re-create those capabilities in a scaled-down vehicle with four wheeled appendages driven by 12 different motors.

"The rover was developed with a modular mechatronic architecture, commercially available components, and a minimal number of parts," said Siddharth Shrivastava, an undergraduate student in Georgia Tech's George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. "This enabled our team to use our robot as a robust laboratory tool and focus our efforts on exploring creative and interesting experiments without worrying about damaging the rover, service downtime, or hitting performance limitations."

The rover's broad range of movements gave the research team an opportunity to test many variations that were studied using granular drag force measurements and modified Resistive Force Theory. Shrivastava and School of Physics Ph.D. candidate Andras Karsai began with the gaits explored by the NASA RP15 robot, and were able to experiment with locomotion schemes that could not have been tested on a full-size rover.

The researchers also tested their experimental gaits on slopes designed to simulate planetary and lunar hills using a fluidized bed system known as SCATTER (Systematic Creation of Arbitrary Terrain and Testing of Exploratory Robots) that could be tilted to evaluate the role of controlling the granular substrate. Karsai and Shrivastava collaborated with Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin, a postdoctoral research fellow in Goldman's lab, to study the rover motion in the SCATTER test facility.

"By creating a small robot with capabilities similar to the RP15 rover, we could test the principles of locomoting with various gaits in a controlled laboratory environment," Karsai said. "In our tests, we primarily varied the gait, the locomotion medium, and the slope the robot had to climb. We quickly iterated over many gait strategies and terrain conditions to examine the phenomena that emerged."

In the paper, the authors describe a gait that allowed the rover to climb a steep slope with the front wheels stirring up the granular material - poppy seeds for the lab testing - and pushing them back toward the rear wheels. The rear wheels wiggled from side-to-side, lifting and spinning to create a motion that resembles paddling in water. The material pushed to the back wheels effectively changed the slope the rear wheels had to climb, allowing the rover to make steady progress up a hill that might have stopped a simple wheeled robot.

The experiments provided a variation on earlier robophysics work in Goldman's group that involved moving with legs or flippers, which had emphasized disturbing the granular surfaces as little as possible to avoid getting the robot stuck.

"In our previous studies of pure legged robots, modeled on animals, we had kind of figured out that the secret was to not make a mess," said Goldman. "If you end up making too much of a mess with most robots, you end up just paddling and digging into the granular material. If you want fast locomotion, we found that you should try to keep the material as solid as possible by tweaking the parameters of motion."

But simple motions had proved problematic for Mars rovers, which got stuck in granular materials. Goldman says the gait discovered by Shrivastava, Karsai and Ozkan-Aydin might be able to help future rovers avoid that fate.

"This combination of lifting and wheeling and paddling, if used properly, provides the ability to maintain some forward progress even if it is slow," Goldman said. "Through our laboratory experiments, we have shown principles that could lead to improved robustness in planetary exploration - and even in challenging surfaces on our own planet."

The researchers hope next to scale up the unusual gaits to larger robots, and to explore the idea of studying robots and their localized environments together. "We'd like to think about the locomotor and its environment as a single entity," Goldman said. "There are certainly some interesting granular and soft matter physics issues to explore."

Though the Mini Rover was designed to study lunar and planetary exploration, the lessons learned could also be applicable to terrestrial locomotion - an area of interest to the Army Research Laboratory, one of the project's sponsors.

"Basic research is revealing counter-intuitive principles and novel approaches for locomotion and granular intrusion in complex and yielding terrain," said Dr. Samuel Stanton, program manager, Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory. "This may lead to novel, terrain-aware platforms capable of intelligently transitioning between wheeled and legged modes of movement to maintain high operational tempo."

Beyond those already mentioned, the researchers worked with Robert Ambrose and William Bluethmann at NASA, and traveled to NASA JSC to study the full-size NASA rover.

###

This work was supported by the Army Research Office (W911NF-18-1-0120) and the NASA National Robotics Initiative (NNX15AR21G). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.

CITATION: Siddharth Shrivastava, Andras Karsai, Yasemin Ozkan Aydin, Ross Pettinger, William Bluethmann, Robert O. Ambrose, Daniel I. Goldman, "Material remodeling on granular terrain yields robustness benefits for a robophysical rover." (Science Robotics, May 2020)
Preston Griffin, who runs First Class Mortuary Transport, poses for a portrait inside his vehicle after delivering a body to the Alfonso Cannon Funeral Chapels. Read more

President Donald Trump is headed to Pennsylvania tomorrow to visit a Lehigh Valley medical equipment distributor after earlier this week calling for Gov. Tom Wolf to reopen the state more quickly. So far, though, stay-at-home orders like the one in Philly seem to have been saving lives, according to public health researchers at Drexel University.

 Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

When someone dies in a nursing home or a hospital or a home, Preston Griffins phone will ring. These days, a funeral director is usually telling him that the coronavirus was to blame. Then, Griffins routine begins. He dresses in a suit and tie, and drives in his Yukon Denali with a mask, gown, booties, and gloves on the passenger seat. He has two stretchers and body bags in the back. Hes off to collect another body.

Funeral directors know Griffin as their representative in lifes darkest hour. He meets families who are grieving, and they often remember him fondly. Its common for Griffin to be the face associated with the familys final goodbye.

Public health researchers at Drexel are modeling the deaths and suffering that have been  and could be  averted by coronavirus shutdown measures.

They found that, compared with having no safeguards, the first 45 days of Phillys lockdown helped avoid about 57,000 hospitalizations and 6,200 deaths. And if the city stays hunkered down until May 22, it could help save an estimated 7,100 lives.

Pennsylvania released new guidance to nursing homes suggesting that the locations with confirmed coronavirus cases should test all of their residents and staff.

Specifically, Secretary of Health Rachel Levine called the strategy universal testing and Gov. Wolf characterized it as fairly radical. But an advisory state officials said was sent to facilities notes that all residents should be considered for testing if the place had confirmed COVID-19 cases.

What you need to know today

Through your eyes | #OurPhilly

Love the birds-eye view of this street art. Great find, @kees2life.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

Thats interesting

Opinions

"It nearly killed me. Its like a computer hacker. It gets into your body and tries to find things that it can prey on to shut your body down for good.  COVID-19 survivor Brian Robinson told columnist Jenice Armstrong about his experience fighting the virus.

The budget cuts that may be headed for Pennsylvania schools could be devastating, writes Donna Cooper, executive director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth.

For the 35th anniversary of the MOVE bombing, the Inquirer Editorial Board writes about Philadelphia needing to say sorry.

What were reading

Philadelphia Magazine reports on what Philly might look like when businesses reopen.

Take a trip to Flavortown with this Buzzfeed essay about Guy Fieri, who has raised more than $20 million for a relief fund for restaurant workers.

Have you ordered anything from Amazon recently and experienced an unpredictable delivery delay? CNBC has the story on why thats happening more often.

Your Daily Dose of | Flyover pics 

In case you missed the New Jersey Air National Guards flyover yesterday, my colleagues were on the scene to capture both the sky and those watching down below. The flyover was meant to honor COVID-19 first responders.
Mahama Ayariga, the Bawku Central MP, has indicated that in the midst of the outbreak of the COVID-19, the December 7 general elections can still come on with minimum health risks.



According to him, COVID-19 has presented to the world a special challenge, Ghana as a country must take a firm decision in the midst of this challenge on who governs the country but certainly not the traditional way of crowds gathering to exercise their constitutional franchise.



Speaking on Joy News PM Express Tuesday evening, the legislator argued that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana as it stands is facing a real constitutional crisis and also it is silent on what the country should do in terms of a global pandemic.



He explained further that the constitution only gives provisions on how the country can deal with emergency situations.



He said, the assertion that the Speaker of Parliament or the Chief Justice can take over the realms of governance is neither here nor there because there is no specific provision in the constitution for that.



He explained that, The Chief Justice only takes over when the President, Vice President and Speaker are out of the country and this does not apply when a presidents tenure is over.



I think we can figure out a mechanism for taking the decisions that need to be taken even with COVID-19 which includes holding an election with minimum health risks, he said.



The intention of having a new voters register, Mr Ayariga believes will impose much health risks on Ghanaians and should be avoided.



He said there is generalized assumption that the voters register is bloated because there are a lot of names of persons from a particular ethnic group who are perceived to be NDC sympathizers in it, and therefore there should be a new one.



A serious Electoral Commission can easily collaborate with the authorities in Togo to clean the register if there is a strong belief in that assertion, a bout our electoral roll because Togo has been able to register all their citizens unto a national database like what the National Identification Authority (NIA) is trying to do, he stressed.

Source: Ghanaweb









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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Australias extended lockdown and sudden halt to migration are undermining diversified developer Stockland's strong start to the year and threatening earnings from its land estates and retail portfolio.

Stockland, the countrys largest house and land developer, is a bellwether for home buyer sentiment but its strong pre-virus home buyer-driven recovery has come unstuck in the pandemic, with its retail portfolio also hard hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.

A Stockland housing estate being built in Melbourne. Credit:Erin Jonasson

Settlements are running in line with pre-COVID levels, its been sales where weve seen the real slowdown with the restrictions on peoples movements, chief executive Mark Steinert said.

Prior to the virus outbreak, Stockland had experienced a promising start to the year. Sales on its housing estates were strong and the transformation of its retail centres was going well.
The expulsions are the latest Trump administration measure aimed at preventing the entry of migrant children.

Young migrants and asylum seekers swim across the Rio Grande and clamber into the dense brush of Texas. Many are teens who left Central America on their own; others were sent along by parents from refugee camps in Mexico. They are as young as 10.

Under United States law, they would normally be allowed to live with relatives while their cases wind through immigration courts. Instead, the administration of US President Donald Trump is quickly expelling them under an emergency declaration citing the coronavirus pandemic, with 600 minors expelled in April alone.

The expulsions are the latest administration measure aimed at preventing the entry of migrant children, following other programmes such as the since-rescinded zero tolerance policy that resulted in thousands of family separations.

Border agencies say they have to restrict asylum claims and border crossings during the pandemic to prevent the viruss spread. Migrants advocates call that a pretext to dispense with federal protections for children.

In interviews with The Associated Press news agency, two recently expelled teens said border agents told them they would not be allowed to request asylum. They were placed in cells, fingerprinted and given a medical exam. Then, after four days, they were flown back to their home country of Guatemala. The AP is withholding the teens last names to protect their privacy.

Brenda, 16, left Guatemala in hopes of reaching the US to eventually work and help her family. Her father works on a farm, but its not enough to cover the familys expenses.

We barely eat, she said.

Her family borrowed $13,000 to pay a smuggler and months later, she crossed irregulary. Authorities later took her into custody in April at a Texas stash house, she said.

I did ask to talk to my brother because he wanted to get a lawyer, because he wanted to fight for my case, Brenda said. But they told me they were not letting people talk to anyone. No matter how much I fought, they were not letting anyone stay.

She is now under quarantine at her familys home.

Similarly, Osvaldo, 17, said agents would not let him call his father. He was held with other children in a cold room and issued a foil blanket as well as a new mask and pair of gloves each of the four days he was in custody.

Someone took his temperature before he was deported, but he was not tested for the coronavirus until he was back in Guatemala. Osvaldo was given no immigration paperwork, just the medical report from his examination.

I thought they would help me or let me fight my case, Osvaldo said, but no.

A 10-year-old boy and his mother, whom the AP is not identifying because she fears retribution for speaking publicly, spent months at a squalid camp in Matamoros, Mexico, across from Brownsville, Texas, waiting for their immigration court dates under the Trump administration programme known as Remain in Mexico.

When she lost an initial decision, the mother decided her son would be better off temporarily with her brother in the US. She watched him swim across the Rio Grande.

The woman expected he would be be treated the same as before, when such children were picked up by the US Border Patrol and taken to Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) facilities for eventual placement with a sponsor, usually a relative.

But the mother heard nothing until six days later, when her family received a call from a shelter in Honduras.

They had thrown him out to Honduras, she said. We didnt know anything.

The boy now lives with a family member in the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. Another relative has agreed to take him back to the familys rural village, if the mother returns to care for him. But she fears her former partner, who abused and threatened both of them.

He doesnt want to eat. All he does is cry, the woman said. I never imagined they would send him back there.

Their case was first reported by CBS News.

Guatemalan migrants are accompanied by Guatemalan government officials after being deported from the US outside Guatemalas air force base in Guatemala City, Guatemala [Luis Echeverria/Reuters]

Amy Cohen, a psychiatrist who works with the family and leads the advocacy group Every Last One, criticised the governments treatment of the boy and other children.

This boy has gone through multiple traumas, ending with the experience of being placed on a plane by himself and flown to a country where no one knew he was coming, she said.

Under a 2008 anti-trafficking law and a federal court settlement known as the Flores agreement, children from countries other than Canada and Mexico must have access to legal counsel and cannot be immediately deported. They are also supposed to be released to family in the US or otherwise held in the least restrictive setting possible. The rules are intended to prevent children from being mistreated or falling into the hands of criminals.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began the expulsions in late March, using the coronavirus emergency as justification for disregarding the Flores rules. CBP said it processed 166 children last month as unaccompanied minors, meaning they would be taken to HHS youth holding facilities and allowed to stay in the US at least temporarily, and the remaining 600 were expelled.

But HHS says it received just 58 unaccompanied minors in April. Spokesmen for both agencies were not immediately able to address the discrepancy.

CBP says it exempts children from expulsion on a case-by-case basis, such as when return to the home country is not possible or an agent suspects trafficking or sees signs of illness. An agency spokesman declined to provide more specifics.

CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said last week that the US may keep expelling migrants and asylum seekers even as states begin to ease coronavirus restrictions.

The US has expelled more than 20,000 irregular border-crossers to Mexico since mid-March. The Washington Post, citing unpublished US Citizenship and Immigration Services data it obtained, reported on Wednesday that since March 21, only two people seeking humanitarian protection at the US-Mexico border have been allowed to stay in the US.

Meanwhile, as the virus has spread through immigration detention facilities, the US has deported at least 100 people with COVID-19 to Guatemala, including minors.

Michelle Brane, director of migrant rights at the Womens Refugee Commission, said the virus is an excuse for expelling children, and the Trump administration could admit them and still counter its spread through measures like temperature checks and quarantines.

At the very heart of it, she said, it has always been about trying to block access to protection for children and families and asylum seekers.
Los Angeles

Sean Pavone/shutterstock

Los Angeles County will most likely remain under some form of stay-at-home order for the next three months, several local outlets reported.

Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said "with all certainty" that the county will remain under the orders till the end of July.

Other health officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci have also said that reopening too early could cause more avoidable deaths.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

While the rest of California began a phased reopening last week, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said on Tuesday that "with all certainty" the county's state at home order will remain in place for three more months, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"Our hope is that by using the data, we'd be able to slowly lift restrictions over the next three months," Ferrer said during a Board of Directors meeting.

According to KABC-TV, Ferrer said the restrictions would continue unless there was a "dramatic change to the virus and tools at hand."

There has been no official order yet; current stay-at-home orders are set to end on May 15.

Adding more context Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN's Anderson Cooper, "When our county health officer Dr. Ferrer merely said that an order would stay in place for at least three more months, that doesn't mean the order stays in place exactly as it is today."

He said Angelenos should "not freak out" at the news and that there will be a gradual easing of restrictions. He stressed the need for more testing and a treatment for COVID-19.

Some retail shops are open for curbside pickup, and several beaches are opening for limited recreational activities but not sunbathing on May 14.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Ferrer's comments come after Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading infectious disease expert and member of the coronavirus task force, told Congress that states opening too quickly would trigger an outbreak.

Story continues

Fauci has stressed that states pushing to reopen with-out seeing a decline in cases, and without having the capacity to test as well as have contact tracing would cause "needless suffering and death," Business Insider previously reported.

"If we skip over the checkpoints in the guidelines to: 'Open America Again,' then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country," Fauci wrote in an email to The New York Times. "This will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal."

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON - House Democrats unveiled a sprawling coronavirus rescue bill Tuesday that would direct more than $3 trillion to state and local governments, health systems, and a range of other initiatives, setting up a huge clash with Senate Republicans and the White House over how to deal with the sputtering economy.

The bill would also send a second round of stimulus checks to millions of Americans and include more funding for the Postal Service. Not every component of the bill would include more government spending. Some parts would aim to address the coronavirus pandemic in other ways, such as by requiring passengers to wear masks on airplanes and public transit.

Republicans rejected the legislation even before they saw it, describing it as a liberal wish list that would go nowhere in the Republican-led Senate. For example, the bill would suspend a tax provision for two years that limits tax breaks for upper-income households in high-tax states, something Democrats have tried to change since for several years. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he was at work on crafting liability protections for businesses instead. "This is not a time for aspirational legislation," McConnell said.

The massive new Democratic bill was assembled by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her top lieutenants without input from Republicans or the Trump administration. It's less an opening bid in a bipartisan negotiation than an expression of House Democrats' priorities that they hope will resonate with the public as the nation suffers through the worst economic calamity since the Great Depression.

As health officials and economic advisers warn that the pandemic and economic fallout will likely drag through the summer and at least into the fall, lawmakers from both parties are eyeing how the government's response to the virus could impact the November elections.

The U.S. economy lost 20.5 million jobs in April, pushing the unemployment rate up to 14.7 percent. Many experts believe the rate will go even higher in the coming months as many Americans remain unsure about returning to work or spending money as the government continues to try to contain the pandemic.

"We must think big for the people now, because if we don't it will cost more in lives and livelihood later," Pelosi said at a news conference. "Not acting is the most expensive course."

The 1,800-page legislation, which the House is expected to vote on Friday, would devote nearly $1 trillion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments and establish a $200 billion "Heroes Fund" to extend hazard pay to essential workers. It would also send a second - and larger - round of direct payments to individual Americans, up to $6,000 per household.

Other parts of the bill would increase nutrition assistance benefits by 15 percent and provide $175 billion in housing assistance, among other things. A $600 weekly increase in unemployment insurance would be extended through January, and the bill directs another $75 billion for coronavirus testing and contact tracing.

Other provisions include $25 billion for the U.S. Postal Service - a frequent target of attacks from President Donald Trump - and a new requirement for passengers and employees on airlines, public transit systems and Amtrak trains to wear masks. Protections are included for legitimate cannabis-related businesses, and there is $3 billion to increase mental health support, and $400 million to help the Census Bureau deal with coronavirus-related delays in the 2020 census.

The Democrats' legislation also includes provisions to ensure that all voters can vote by mail in the November election and all subsequent federal elections, an idea that Trump and many Republicans have rejected because they say it invites fraud.

It would be Congress' fifth coronavirus relief bill, building on the $2 trillion Cares Act passed in late March. But while the first four bills were the result of urgent bipartisan compromise in the early days of the pandemic, now the two sides aren't even talking and are moving in radically different directions. It's unclear when they will come together to produce another bipartisan response, but some Republicans suggested it might not be anytime soon.

Asked Tuesday if the Senate needs to pass a bill before Memorial Day, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said, "Oh God no." Many Republicans argue that having spent around $3 trillion already in the laws passed thus far, they need to pause and see how those programs are working before doing anything further.

Speaking on the Senate floor on Tuesday, McConnell described the House Democratic legislation as "a big laundry list of pet priorities." He said it was "exactly the wrong approach."

McConnell said Senate Republicans would be producing legislation to offer legal liability protections to businesses, health care providers and the makers of protective gear, to prevent what he warned could be "a second epidemic of frivolous lawsuits."

Many business groups have asked for this liability protection to serve as a shield against lawsuits from employees who might become infected while at work.

Pelosi has said Democrats are not interested in offering liability shields to businesses, arguing that businesses can avoid lawsuits by following appropriate safety protocols. The Democratic bill requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a strong national standard within seven days requiring all workplaces to implement infection control plans and prevent retaliation against workers who report problems.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., lashed out at Republicans for their unwillingness to take further action. "What is it going to take for Mitch McConnell to wake up and see that the American people need help and need it now?" Schumer asked at a news conference.

Trump himself has sounded more open to additional legislation. Asked on Monday about a second round of direct payments to individuals that's part of the House Democrats' bill, Trump said, "Well, we're talking about that with a lot of different people. I want to see a payroll tax cut. I want to see various things that we want. I want the workers to be taken care of. But we are talking about that. We're negotiating with the Democrats. We'll see what happens."

Democrats say that the White House is not, in fact, negotiating with them. And the payroll tax cut that Trump has repeatedly talked about is probably a non-starter on Capitol Hill, with even Senate Republicans rejecting it.

However, there are some programs now in effect that Republicans are eyeing changes to, which could help force congressional action in June. Two-month loans issued under the small business Paycheck Protection Program, created as part of the Cares Act in late March, will begin to expire, and some Republicans would like to see their time period extended. The $600 billion program itself, which already ran out of money once, forcing Congress to step in and add more in its most recent coronavirus bill last month, could also run short of funding again.

- - -

The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis contributed to this report.
The mother of a three-year-old boy whose father inflicted several deep open wounds on him with a wire and cane for damaging his yam phone has made shocking revelations.

She the man used to bite her on the shoulder any time they had an argument, hence her decision to walk out of the relationship.

According to Barbara, she has been together with Ebenezer for seven years but the man became abusive two years ago, forcing her to call it quits.

Barbara told Benjamin Akakpo on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM that she wants her ex-lover arrested for torturing their son to near-death.

He did not beat me with a belt or wire but bit me on my shoulders whenever we quarrelled, she said.

She said upon seeing the wounds inflicted on her son by his father, I was confused; it baffled me because I never thought of that.

Madam Hagar Osei, Barbaras mother, also told Benjamin Akakpo that the family wants to see Ebenezer locked up for his excesses.

I want Ebenezer jailed with hard labour. His [Ebenezer] mother came to us to ask what we will gain if her son is imprisoned and I also asked what Ebenezer would have gained had he killed my grandson. I want him to be sentenced and I know by Gods grace we will take care of the child on our own, she stated.

Ebenezer is currently in the grips of the police in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, where the abuse happened.

Apart from his back, which is covered with deep open sores, the little boy also suffered injuries on other parts of his body from the merciless beatings at the hands of his father. He is currently at the hospital receiving treatment.

---classfmonline
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-13 08:03:03

Achilles Therapeutics announces formation of Scientific Advisory Board

- World-leading experts in oncology, immunology and R&D will advise the Company as it advances pipeline of pioneering cancer therapies -

Stevenage, UK 13 May 2020  Achilles Therapeutics (Achilles), a clinical-stage oncology company developing personalised cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens, a novel class of tumor target, today announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) with three world-renowned appointments: Dr Elizabeth M. Jaffee, Dr Scott Antonia and Dr Christopher A. Klebanoff. The SAB will work closely with Achilles senior management team and Founders to advance the Companys pipeline of solid tumor cancer therapies.

We are delighted to be working with world-renowned experts who bring deep scientific and medical expertise as we develop the next-generation of truly patient-specific clonal-neoantigen therapies that will harness the immune system to destroy cancer cells, said Dr Iraj Ali, CEO of Achilles Therapeutics. We look forward to drawing on their extensive experience as we progress our programs through the clinic and build out our pipeline of next wave immune-oncology therapies.

Dr Elizabeth M. Jaffee is an internationally recognized expert in cancer immunology and pancreatic cancer, and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Deputy Director of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, and professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Jaffee has held a series of leadership positions and is the current President of the Board of Directors of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and co-Chair of the former Blue Ribbon Panel for Vice President Joe Bidens National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Her research focuses on cancer immune therapies including novel immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines to overcome immune tolerance to cancers.

Dr Scott Antonia serves as the chair of the thoracic oncology department at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and is professor of oncologic sciences at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. His expertise lies in treating cancer patients through immunotherapeutic strategies to thwart the immunosuppressive mechanisms used by tumors to evade T cell-mediated rejection. He has designed and conducted numerous cutting-edge studies with novel immunotherapeutic agents. Dr Antonia has received many awards including Moffitt Physician of the Year, Moffitt Mentor of the Year and the W. Jackson Pledger Researcher of the Year and was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors in 2015.

Dr Christopher A. Klebanoff is a leading cellular immunologist and medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Prior to joining MSK, he was an assistant clinical investigator and an NIH-Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar at the US National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. As a member of the NCI Surgery Branchs senior staff, he participated in the early phase clinical development of numerous cell therapies which would later be licensed to commercial entities. These include the anti-CD19 28 CAR that would become Yescarta, gene-engineered TCR therapies targeting NY-ESO-1, MAGE-A3/6, and HPV E6, and neoantigen selected TIL therapies for a diverse range of solid cancers. Dr Klebanoffs laboratory investigations have contributed to the mechanistic understanding of how lymphodepletion enhances adoptive immunotherapies and how T-cell differentiation status influences cellular persistence and clinical outcomes.

Additional background on the SAB members can be found on the Achilles website.

 Ends 

About Achilles Therapeutics

Achilles Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing personalised T cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens: protein markers unique to the individual that are expressed on the surface of every cancer cell. Achilles uses DNA sequencing data from each patient, together with the proprietary PELEUS bioinformatics platform, to identify clonal neoantigens specific to that patient, and then develop personalised T cell-based therapies specifically targeting those clonal neoantigens.

Achilles was founded in 2016 by lead investor Syncona Ltd and in September 2019 the Company raised 100M in an oversubscribed Series B financing led by RA Capital, cornerstoned by Syncona and joined by new investors including Forbion, Invus, Perceptive Advisors and Redmile Group. For further information please visit the Companys website at: www.achillestx.com

Further information:

Achilles Therapeutics

Dr Iraj Ali  Chief Executive Officer

+44 (0)1438 906 906

media@achillestx.com

Julia Wilson  Head of Communications

+44 (0)7818 430877

j.wilson@achillestx.com

Consilium Strategic Communications

Mary-Jane Elliott, Sukaina Virji, Melissa Gardiner

Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5000

Email: achillestx@consilium-comms.com

US Investor Relations - Solebury Trout

Lee Stern

+1 646-378-2922

lstern@troutgroup.com
Miami-based collective focused on reimagining the wellness landscape

NEW YORK, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2019, wellness was one of the fastest growing consumer priorities in the world. In 2020, as we face a new health reality globally, this priority has become critical, as consumers are thinking more about personal and collective wellbeing than perhaps ever in their lives. Over the past few months, health and wellness products and services have seen dramatic increase in use, including mental health apps, personal workout equipment, supplements, and other traditional and non-traditional wellness tools. This prioritization is expected to continue in the future, with wellness already a major global trend and current circumstances leaving a long-lasting impact on consumer needs. Subsequently, industries across the board are experiencing one of the most profound digital migrations in history, with a tremendous need for partners with a fluency in the most innovative, contemporary and relevant ways to meet consumers.

To support the mission of wellness as well as the necessary requirement for digital fluency to thrive in the current and future states of the world, Havas Health & You (HH&Y) announces today the launch of Havas Mango. This Miami-based collective aims to reimagine wellness and build experiences that help people live their best lives. With a focus on fostering creativity in ever-changing environments, they have the capabilities of a full-service agency with niche focus on customizable and immersive platforms and just-in-time content production. Havas Mango is strategically placed in vibrant, fast-expanding Miami, with long term expansion plans and the ability to service clients globally.

"Every category has been tested in multiple ways over the last few months, and numbers of them in their fluency in alternatives types of customer engagement and the need for adaptive, new ways of serving consumers," commented Donna Murphy, Global CEO of HH&Y. "We had already established the business plan for Havas Mango well before recent circumstances, but now the importance is only amplified. We see wellness as an even greater global need as we look ahead, along with a continued evolution in virtual experiences and emerging technology. Mango is the right business with the right people to meet these needs."

Cris Morton, Group President of HH&Y states, "Havas Mango is set apart from other agencies. Our approach is to create an atmosphere of exploration with an inherent future-focus, setting out to serve the demands of tomorrow versus today. We've tapped into previously untapped talent pools and constructed a dynamic team with background in technology, digital experience creation, content production and other skills that we see being deeply important in the future."

Leading the Havas Mango team is Tristan Stevens, Associate Manager Director. In her 10+ years of agency experience, Tristan has won, managed and grown an extensive and diverse list of clients and helped to launch successful ventures with former Crispin Porter + Bogusky principals. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, in addition to serving as an advisor to Orange Umbrella, the student-run full-service agency operating out of U of M. She states, "I am thrilled to lead Havas Mango, where we're hiring for mindset plus skillset. We're looking for passionate wellness advocates and building flat team structures that encourage collaboration above all else. If there's a convention in the industry that we feel needs to be broken, we're looking to break it, and do so with a sense of mission for supporting better wellbeing and for the future of creativity as it merges with new forms of technology."

About Havas Health & You

Havas Health & You unites Havas Life, Health4Brands (H4B), Lynx, Havas Life PR and Havas Health Plus, all wholly owned health and communications networks, with the consumer health businesses and practices of Havas Creative Group. Its customer-centric approach has the talent, tenacity and technology that health-and-wellness companies, brands and people need to thrive in today's world. For more information, go to www.HavasHealthandYou.com.

About Havas Mango

Havas Mango is an exploratory space transforming how people experience wellness. A collective of fearless creators with the purpose to make lives better through unique and meaningful experiences. Living under the Havas umbrella, this niche agency has access to large global resources, but with the independence to remain nimble and create truly customizable engagement touch points. For more information, go to www.HavasMango.com

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-13 20:55:31|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent was close to 70,000 as the death toll from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic surpassed 2,400 as of Wednesday afternoon, the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Wednesday also revealed the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the continent rose from 67,957 on Tuesday to 69,578 as of Wednesday afternoon, eventually registering about 1,621 new cases during the stated period.

The continental disease control and prevention agency also disclosed that some 23,978 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered across the continent as of Wednesday afternoon.

The death toll due to the COVID-19 pandemic across the African continent also surged from 2,340 on Tuesday afternoon to 2,403 on Wednesday, according to the Africa CDC.

The continental disease and control prevention agency also noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across 53 African countries.

Figures from the Africa CDC also showed that amid the rapid spread of the virus across the continent, the highly COVID-19 affected African countries include South Africa with 11,350 confirmed cases, Egypt with 10,093 confirmed cases, Morocco with 6,418 confirmed cases as well as Algeria with 6,067 confirmed cases.

The Africa CDC also disclosed that the Northern African region is the most affected area across the continent both in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, as well as the number of deaths. Enditem
Coronavirus: Tuesday's news from Spain and around the world Coronavirus Updates on the global pandemic

1:22. That is everything for today. Make sure to check our coronavirus blog tomorrow to see the latest updates on the global pandemic. Stay safe.

00:08. Matt Hancock, the British health minister, has warned that it is unlikely that UK citizens will be able to go abroad this summer on holiday because of the coronavirus pandemic, even though Ryanair has announced that it will restore 40 percent of its routes from July.

22:28. The British government confirmed 627 new deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the provisional death toll to 32,692, which could be lower than the actual figure.

22:13. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has convened, in the midst of the crisis, a demonstration by car for May 23 in all the provincial capitals in protest against the Spanish government's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

21:00. The British and Spanish governments have been holding talks to compare their de-escalation phases, see common points and improve in those aspects where the other is being more efficient.

20:44. With 348 deaths in the last 24 hours, France has surpassed Spain in terms of deaths from COVID-19. This means that France has suffered the third most deaths from this virus in Europe, and this is the fourth most on the planet.

20:12. In France, 348 people died due to coronavirus in the last 24 hours, an increase from Monday's figure. However, the number of people admitted to intensive care continues to decline, resulting in less pressure on the health services.

19:57. As expected, the music festival MadCool 2020 has been cancelled. It is postponed to next year with the same line-up.

19:00. The Spanish government are considering the possibility that the next extension of the state of emergency will be for one month instead of 15 days. It must be taken into account that in order to carry out the last one it was difficult to obtain support and it had to wait until the day before to obtain 'in extremis' the support of Ciudadanos. According to LaSexta, Pedro Sanchez had started a round of calls to explain his proposal to the parties.

18:25. With 232,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Russia has become the second most affected country in the world. Only the United States has more cases than Russia, which, on the other hand, claims to have a very low mortality rate.

18:14. The French government has today asked its population to take extreme precautions, even though de-escalation has already begun. They have done so after seeing the first images of crowds in shops.

17:23. CSIC scientists studying COVID-19 hypothesise that there is a genetic alteration that determines the response to coronavirus by our organism. Those who have this variation would activate a much more exacerbated immune system response to the infection. This could explain the difference between the damage suffered by some patients and others, despite being young and without previous pathologies.

16:36. The figure for coronavirus deaths in New York has surpassed 20,000, reaching 20,056 at this moment in time. However, 5,128 of these deaths are not 100 percent certain to be from the coronavirus alone.

15:50. It's still not obligatory, but it is now being officially advised that people wear masks when out in Catalonia.

15:28. The UK has surpassed the 40,000 total for coronavirus deaths, according to the Office for National Statistics. This number is different to those given by the UK government, though, as they've been counting the deaths in a different way.

12:43. The extension of ERTEs has been approved until June 30.

11:51. Spain had 176 coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, which is up from the figure announced for the previous day of 123. In total, Spain has had 26,920 deaths, 228,030 cases and 138,980 recoveries.

10:55. Wuhan will carry out tests on all 11 million of its residents, following the emergence of new coronavirus cases.

09:56. Bar Jota in Seville has been fined for not complying with the rules of Spain's de-escalation.

09:10. From May 15, people travelling internationally to Spain will have to go into 14 days of quarantine.

08:36. The Spanish government will maintain controls at the borders until at least May 24.

07:50. Twitter has promised to highlight coronavirus content that is misleading.

Our goal is to make it easy for people to find credible information on Twitter. Today, were introducing new labels and warning messages on harmful misleading information - beginning with misleading discussions about #COVID19. https://t.co/dfGW5W3ffp ? Yoel Roth (@yoyoel) May 11, 2020

07:30. Guns n' Roses have suspended their European tour. They were due to play in Seville at the Estadio Benito Villamarin on May 23.

07:28. There have been 830 coronavirus deaths in the USA in the past 24 hours.

07:23. Donald Trump has come under fire for the messy and awkward end to his latest press briefing.

Trump ends news conference amid clashes with journalists, after suggesting an Asian American reporter should "ask China" pic.twitter.com/4cmksFhfYu ? The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 11, 2020

07:12. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is keeping gyms and hairdressers open in Brazil.

- Atividades essenciais:

- Academias de esporte, saloes de beleza e barbearias. pic.twitter.com/kDNgcC77os ? Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) May 11, 2020

07:00. Hello and good morning. Welcome along to this Monday's live blog on all the latest coronavirus news from Spain and beyond.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's book, "Finding Freedom," was written by two journalists and is scheduled for online release on August 11, while hard copies will be on sale on August 20.

However, the Duchess of Sussex reportedly wants the publication date to be earlier, if possible, "tomorrow," as per her friend, who told the Daily Mail.

"If Meghan had it her way, the book would be released tomorrow instead of three months from now."

According to her unnamed friend, Meghan Markle wanted to set the record straight already, and the book will show everyone why she had no other choice but to leave her royal life.

The friend added that the 38-year-old mother-of-one is so desperate to shatter her "demanding diva" image after reports surfaced that she was living a high-flying lifestyle, and was rude to her royal staff and other people she worked with in the past couple of years.

"She said the book would give her and Harry a clean slate."

The Duchess reportedly seems to think that readers of their book can finally understand the anguish and turmoil she had to endure "with a stiff upper lip."

"Meghan said people need to see her vulnerable side, something the book does in great detail."

She reportedly wants people to feel sorry for her or even have a bit of compassion for the formal royal for all she's been through was anything but a fairytale.

The source said that the former "Suits" star had a lot to say that went into the book, "much more than the public is being led to believe."

They said that the only way "Finding Freedom" was ever going to be published, is if Meghan Markle had the final say and gave her approval.

One author of the book, royal journalist Omid Scobie said that he was able to spend time with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and have spoken to people in their lives that "no stone has been left unturned."

Scobie and Carolyn Durand penned "Finding Freedom," and they claim that the book will narrate the real story of both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that not a lot of people know.

It promises to go beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details about the couple.

The book will also reportedly "dispel the many rumors and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond."

The authors describe the biography as an "honest, up-close and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided to step down as senior royal members in January, wanting to spend more time in North America to live a peaceful life and to become financially independent.

The Sussexes' shocking news followed a wild year for the British royal family.

However, it reflected the Duke and Duchess' struggle with the pressures of being in the royal family, and of course, the reported feud between the Sussexes and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the couple said, "We intend to step back as senior members of the royal family and work to become financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty the Queen."

"After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year to carve out a progressive new role within this institution."

Since April 1, they no longer represent the Queen and are currently living in their $18 million-dollar rented mansion.

READ MORE: Queen Abdication: THIS Signals Prince William Not Prince Charles Can be Prince Regent
An open letter written by an SPH editor about the article based on a fabricated interview with a COVID-19 case. (SCREENSHOT: Lianhe Zaobao website)

SINGAPORE  A senior editor at the Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) on Wednesday (13 May) apologised to a COVID-19 patient following an article published by Lianhe Wanbao about the cases experience based on a fabricated interview.

The patient, Quah Zheng Jie, was approached by a reporter following an Instagram (IG) story published by Quah, which read: "If by the end of the few stories and you still don't get it I got the covid even though I stayed home".

The reporter had contacted Quah via IG and identified his occupation. He requested for an interview with Quah and was rejected. Nonetheless, the article titled "NTU Student perplexed at how he contracted COVID virus" was published based on a supposed interview with Quah in Lianhe Wanbao. The online article was later taken down after an internal investigation.

We sincerely apologise to Mr Quah, as we should not have attributed the story we ran to an interview with him when he expressly declined the interview request, said Han Yong May, Editor at NewsHub with the SPH Chinese Media Group, in an open letter to readers published in Mandarin and English.

The reporter had used the wrong method to report on the story, by framing the article as an interview when it was actually written based on Quah's IG posts and his personal understanding of Quah. He did not inform his immediate supervisor that he had not obtained Quah's consent for the interview, Han said.

In addition, Quah's surname and family background were changed in an attempt to obscure his real identity. No permission was given to do so and the reporter also did not indicate that an alias was used to protect Quahs identity, said Han, noting that the actions also constituted a deviation from SPHs protocols.

The newsroom has in place strict protocols and procedures to ensure that our news reporting standards are upheld. In this instance, the reporter had not followed the procedures and protocols expected of all our journalists, she added.

Story continues

Quah took to social media on 7 May, accusing the reporter for behaving unethically, Han said. He also later posted on his Facebook page, and separately emailed to the SPH newsroom twice about the incident. The post published by Quah on 10 May had gone viral, with over 2,200 shares as of Wednesday evening.

Noting Quahs call for SPH to dismiss the reporter, Han said, Although the reporter has indeed made a mistake, the reporter has been truthful in admitting his mistake and expressing his remorse for misleading readers and impacting the newspaper's reputation. She also revealed that the reporter joined the newsroom two months ago.

SPH has set up an independent disciplinary committee to review the case, and will decide on the penalties to be imposed.

Han said the incident is a reminder to the staff at SPH on the importance of adhering to journalistic principles and processes.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

COVID-19: Cases in Singapore cross 25,000 mark with 675 new infections

6 Malaysians accused of stealing from foreign worker dormitory during circuit breaker

Thum Ping Tjin and New Naratif to be issued correction orders over POFMA video
Government e-services arm CSC e-Governance Services Ltd and IMS Ghaziabad on Wednesday announced partnership to offer computer through video conferencing to students in rural areas and small towns.

The courses will include certificate in computer application programme, diploma and PG in computer applications.

"The courses will be offered through video conferences at CSC centres. If students have their own laptop or device to access classes offered by IMS Ghaziabad then they can study from home as per their convenience," CSC SPV CEO Dinesh Tyagi told PTI.

The courses will be available through CSC educational platform CSC Academy.

Students will have to pay in the range of Rs 1,150 to Rs 1,500 depending on the course they opt for.

* * * * * * M&M starts contactless vehicle service facility *



Mahindra & Mahindra on Wednesday said its vehicle owners can avail "contactless" service facility as all repair information and records will now be made available through the company's mobile app 'With You Hamesha'.

Customers can now avoid coming in contact with any paper documents, cash or the payment machine while getting their vehicle serviced, the company said in a release.

Owners will be able to view their repair orders including the parts used, job operations carried out and other associated costs including providing necessary approvals and payments online, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Those sonic booms heard this morning over the Bay Area were not from the Blue Angels practicing their Fleet Week routine months early, but rather a tribute to those risking their lives during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Wednesday morning shortly before 11 am, four California National Guard F-15C fighter jets flew over the San Francisco Bay Area as part of Operation America Strong. The purpose of the flyovers was to recognize frontline personnel dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes essential personnel, healthcare workers and first responders.

"A lot of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into the planning to make sure that we not only do the planning and execution right, but that we fly over as many of those first responders and medical workers that we can so that we can show our support in an effort to get through this time, get through this pandemic," noted the California National Guard's Facebook page.

Part of the California National Guard 144th Fighter Wing based out of Fresno, the fliers were among a select few military pilots participating nationwide in Operation America Strong. The Bay Area flyover was only one of many around the United States.
Amid the interstate exodus of stranded labourers by trains following the Covid-19 lockdown, Gujarat and Maharashtra have accounted for the maximum flight of migrants to Uttar Pradesh so far.

Of the influx of more than 400,000 migrant labourers in UP, Gujarat and Maharashtra have seen the exodus of about 200,000 and 50,000 labourers to the state, respectively, by Shramik Special trains. Gujarat also accounted for the departure of maximum 156 trains carrying UP migrants, followed by Maharashtra 38; thus the two states accounted for more than 60 per cent of the 268 ...
Tanzania's opposition on Wednesday demanded the truth about the country's coronavirus infections two weeks after the last update, as the US embassy raised the alarm over "overwhelmed hospitals".

The government stopped giving daily updates after President John Magufuli complained last month they were causing panic, and went on to question data from the national laboratory.

The last total of 480 cases and 16 deaths was given on April 29.

"The government of Tanzania shouldn't keep its citizens in the dark," Zitto Kabwe, the leader of the opposition Alliance for Change and Transparency (ACT-Wazalendo), told AFP.

"Transparency is key in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic."

On Tuesday the party released a statement slamming the "radio silence" from the government.

"We need to know what the truth is and we need to know it now. We request that (Magufuli's) government issues statistics on a daily basis from this day forward."

On Wednesday, the US embassy in Tanzania issued a statement warning the risk of contracting the virus in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam was "extremely high".

"Despite limited official reports, all evidence points to exponential growth of the epidemic in Dar and other locations in Tanzania," said the embassy, urging its staff and families to remain at home.

"Many hospitals in Dar es Salaam have been overwhelmed in recent weeks. Limited hospital capacity throughout Tanzania could result in life-threatening delays for medical care, including for those with COVID-19," it added.

Last week the government said it would resume giving data when there had been improvements at the national laboratory.

Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu suspended the director and a senior official at the laboratory after Magufuli cast doubt on the credibility of laboratory equipment and technicians and questioned official data on the epidemic.

Magufuli, who has consistently downplayed the impact of the virus, said he had secretly had animals, fruits and vehicle oil tested at the laboratory.

A papaya, a quail and a goat had been found to be positive, he said.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said Tanzania's tests were working well and had been proven to be reliable.

Magufuli has urged citizens to keep attending church and the mosque and working hard, and Tanzania has not taken extensive measures to halt the spread of the virus, unlike its neighbours.
More recently, the bureau issued guidance saying it would prioritize for release those who either had served half their sentence, or just 25 percent, if they had less than 18 months remaining. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who had been expecting his own release early this month, was prevented from departing because of those criteria. He is still expecting to get out later this month when, because of his good behavior time, he will reach the lower benchmark, people familiar with the matter said.
Russias healthcare watchdog lays up lung ventilators over hospital fires

 AGN Moskva, Sergey Vedyashkin

12:56 13/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 13 (RAPSI)  Russias Federal Supervisory Agency for Healthcare (Roszdravnadzor) suspended exploitation of medical ventilators Aventa-M which had caused fires in two hospitals in Moscow and St. Petersburg on May 9 and 12, the watchdogs press service reports Wednesday.

The agencys head Alla Samoylova has ordered cessation of using lung ventilators produced since April 1 by the Urals instrument-making plant, the statement reads.

On May 9, the blaze happened in Moscows clinical hospital named after S.I. Spasokukotsky. One person died.

Several days later, on May 12, the fire blamed in the St. George hospital in St. Petersburg and resulted in the death of 5 persons. The governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov said that the fire was allegedly caused by the electrics short-circuit; one of the ventilators flamed up.
Eskom recently announced it will cut power to areas in Gauteng between 05:00 and 09:00 and 17:00 and 20:00 daily.

Eskom has not released a list of the areas which will get power cuts. Instead, the company said it has identified areas with significantly high non-technical losses mainly in residential areas.

The power utility said it continues to record a high energy demand during the peak periods of 05:00 to 09:00 and 17:00 to 20:00.

The new daily power cuts, the company said, will safeguard its assets from repeated failure and explosions.

These failures and explosions are a result of overloading caused by illegal connections, meter bypasses, and tampering with electricity infrastructure.

The implementation of the new daily power cuts will be done on a rotational basis, Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha said.

In addition to the power cuts, Eskom will continue to conduct audits, remove illegal connections, and act against meter tampering.

Not a new form of load-shedding

Mantshantsha said this is not a new form of load-shedding as Eskom has excess generation capacity to cope with demand.

These power cuts are, instead, aimed at protecting Eskoms infrastructure in high-density areas where people illegally connect to the grid.

Eskom is spending a lot of time replacing this equipment, only to come back the next day and the transformer has blown up again because of illegal connections, he said.

While many electricity users will experience the new power cuts in the same way as load-shedding, there is a technical difference as it is not implemented because of an electricity supply shortage.

He said the power cuts will affect everyone who lives in the high-density areas. This includes Soweto, informal settlements, and areas like Hillbrow.

Sikonathi Mantshantsha interview



Now read: Retired engineers will work for free to fix Eskom
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni (2nd R) and his mother former queen Monique (R) wear face masks as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus as they greet Prime Minister Hun Sen (center L) and President of the National Assembly Heng Samrin (L) upon their arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, May 11, 2020.

A group of more than five dozen civil society organizations (CSOs) and communities called Wednesday for Cambodias government to immediately undertake consultation and amend a newly enacted law authorizing a state of emergency to contain the spread of the coronavirus, citing a threat to human rights.

In a joint statement, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and 65 other signatories, said that without urgent and substantial amendment, the Law on Governing the Country in a State of Emergency grants the government powers to restrict the fundamental freedoms of the Cambodian people without limit.

The State of Emergency Law was impulsively drafted without adequate consultation to protect and promote human rights, the statement said.

We call on the [government] to undertake immediate and meaningful consultation with relevant stakeholders, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and substantially amend the State of Emergency Law to ensure its compliance with Cambodias human rights obligations.

The law was unanimously approved by Cambodias one-party legislature and signed into effect late last month, despite warnings from rights groups and a United Nations expert that it could be used to unnecessarily increase already heavy restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

A declaration of a state of public emergency is not a free-for-all on human rights, the statement said.

[In its current form] the law provides the [government] with extensive powers to implement measures restricting human rights with few limitations in place to ensure they are enforced in compliance with the law.

In particular, the groups called for an amendment to Article 5 of the law, which they said prescribes vague, sweeping and unfettered powers to the government to implement measures during states of emergency, including restrictions on movement, free speech, and business activities, closing public and private spaces, and surveilling communication, as well as monitoring and controlling social media.

They urged the government to revisit Articles 7, 8, and 9, which they said exacerbate the potential that the law be used to target human rights defenders, civil society, the media, as well as members of the public, because of vaguely worded criminal offenses that mandate severe penalties for not complying with emergency measures for both individuals and organizations.

The groups also highlighted Articles 3 and 6, which they said illegitimately transfer oversight power for terminating a state of emergency from lawmakers to the Prime Minister and fail to provide adequate accountability over how the law is implemented, respectively.

While we recognize the prioritization of protecting the right to health during the COVID-19 crisis, this must be balanced with respect for all human rights, the joint statement said, referring to the disease caused by the coronavirus.

We call on the government to undertake inclusive and legitimate consultation with stakeholders with a vision to amend the law. These amendments must include limitations on the exercise of power by the [government] to ensure the law is not susceptible to abuse and to bring the law into compliance with Cambodias human rights obligations.

Responding to Wednesdays joint statement, Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin suggested to RFAs Khmer Service that the groups dont understand the context of the law.

Do they not understand or are they pretending not to understand? he questioned.

The law doesnt give extreme power to the government without limitationsthere are checks and balances mechanisms. If they dont understand, they should ask questions or listen to our explanation.

Eang Maryna in an undated photo. Photo courtesy of Eang Maryna Attack condemned

The enactment of the Law on Governing the Country in a State of Emergency comes amidst a years-long crackdown by Prime Minister Hun Sen that has targeted voices of dissent in the political opposition, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the independent media.

The crackdown led to a Supreme Court ban on the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in November 2017 over an alleged plot to topple the government and paved the way for Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election.

Meanwhile, authorities have been using the coronavirus outbreak to legitimize what have been characterized by rights groups as arbitrary arrests of opposition supporters and government critics, with at least 40 people detained for spreading fake news and other offenses since the start of the pandemic.

At least 16 CNRP members who have spoken out against the government have also been the victims of a spate of brutal attacks since by masked assailants since mid-2019, and on Wednesday the Cambodian Human Rights Action Coalition (CHRAC) of NGOs and CSOs campaigning for rights and democracy in the country expressed grave concerns about the latest targeting activist Eang Maryna two days earlier.

Eang Maryna said a male suspect wearing a helmet with a face mask to conceal his identity beat her with a rock, leaving her unconscious with a severe head wound, after she left her home on Monday to buy food in what she described as a normally quiet neighborhood in the capital Phnom Penh.

The activist had earlier posted a video to her Facebook page in which she criticized Hun Sen for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, including pushing through the Law on Governing the Country in a State of Emergency. The video elicited comments from police and members of the military who threatened to harm her and arrest her.

Threat to freedom of expression

In its statement, CHRAC called the attack on Eang Maryna a threat to the freedom of expression in Cambodia and called on authorities to bring her justice.

The victim was a prominent Facebook activist, an outspoken critic of the ruling government, and advocate of positive social change, the group said.

To achieve justice for the victim and avoid impunity for the perpetrator, the Cambodian Human Rights Action Coalition (CHRAC) strongly condemns this attack and calls on Cambodian authorities and government to investigate the matter and do its utmost to ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice.

In August, Sam Rainsy, the acting president of the CNRP, said he would return home on Nov. 9 to lead a restoration of democracy in the country through peaceful protests, but was blocked from doing so and forced to return to Paris, where he has lived since 2015 to avoid a string of charges and convictions he says are politically motivated.

Since the announcement, CNRP activists and supporters have been targeted in the attacks that opposition officials said amount to a campaign orchestrated by the CPP to sow fear within the community. Police have yet to arrest any suspects in the cases, although National Police spokesman Chhay Kim Khoeun has said investigations are ongoing.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
- An underground rapper in Ghana by name AY Poyoo has become a great sensation within just 2 weeks of taking a shot at the limelight

- AY Poyoo who calls himself the Face of Ghana Rap has already been featured on some of the biggest media platforms in Ghana

- The new rapper attributes his early rise to the hard work and strategy of his management

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

AY Poyoo, an underground rapper who calls himself the Face of Ghana Rap has shot to fame within just two weeks of working hard to appear in the limelight.

The rapper who doubles as a comedian released a number of music videos portraying a rural setting in Ghana with rib-cracking lines that were loved by many.

As his videos started to gain traction online, the rapper was invited to popular media houses including Adom TV and GHOne TV, which have added to his fame.

READ ALSO: Cristiano Ronaldo owns 26m worth apartment in Trump Manhattan mansion tower building

See moment at Adom TV below:

On the morning of May 13, 2020, AY Poyoo became one of the top trends on Ghana's Twitter as thousands of people mentioned him on the social media platform.

Also, in a news report sighted by YEN.com.gh on myjoyonline.com, AY Poyoo says he has already started receiving sponsorship and endorsements from different people.

Speaking about how he was able to rise so quickly, the new rapper indicates that his management has been tremendous in that regard by capitalizing on anything that would catch the attention of many people.

READ ALSO: 4 Ghanaian scientists named among 29 African scientists awarded as future leaders

In another report by YEN.com.gh, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Ghanas High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, has fully recovered from COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus weeks after getting infected.

It would be recalled that YEN.com.gh reported on April 10, 2020, that the Commissioner had tested positive for COVID-19 three days earlier.

His condition was not very mild as reports indicated that he had been put on a ventilator at an intensive care unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

Enjoy reading our stories? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

President Akufo-Addo has extended the ban on public gatherings till the end of May | #Yencomgh

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Source: YEN.com.gh
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to the US House of Representatives and one of the most prominent progressive freshman Democrats in the country, is reportedly joining former Vice President Joe Bidens presidential campaign.

The presumptive Democratic nominee confirmed the news in an interview with News8 in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, saying: I'm working with Bernie and with his people. And so, and we've made some changes. We've listened to Bernie supporters and, you know, for example, we have Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, she is on one of the panels.

An unidentified source later told CNN the New York congresswoman would co-chair a climate change task force for the Biden campaign.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, a former organiser for Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign who later endorsed the Vermont senator for the Democratic nomination last year, has been one of the most vocal supporters of a Green New Deal on Capitol Hill since she was elected during the 2018 midterms.

The congresswoman has previously criticised Mr Biden on a host of issues while campaigning for Mr Sanders, and raised controversy in January when she told New York Magazine: Oh God. In any other country, Joe Biden and I would not be in the same party."

Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for Ms Ocasio-Cortez, said in a statement the congresswoman made the decision to join Mr Bidens campaign with members of the Climate Justice community and would be fully accountable to those groups while working to elect the former vice president.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez believes the movement will only be successful if we continue to apply pressure both inside and outside the system, the statement continued. This is just one element of the broader fight for just policies.

Mr Biden has unveiled a sweeping climate plan that includes a $1.7trn federal investment in the countrys clean energy future and environmental justice which would be paid fro by rolling back tax incentives passed by Donald Trump, according to the proposal.

In an apparent attempt to woo liberal voters, the former vice president has adopted more progressive policies surrounding student loans and Medicare into his platform following the suspension of Mr Sanders campaign. With the addition of Ms Ocasio-Cortez to a climate change task force, the campaign was seen as continuing in its attempts to unify the Democratic Party.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez has already said she would vote for Mr Biden in November, while noting in an interview with the New York Times that he should do more than throwing the progressive wing of the party a couple of bones.

I think people understand that there are limits to what Biden will do and that's understandable -- he didn't run as a progressive candidate, she told the newspaper last month. But, at the bare minimum, we should aspire to be better than what we have been before. And I just don't know if this message of 'We're going to go back to the way things were' is going to work for the people for who the way things were was really bad."
It seems like the regular Samsung Galaxy Note 20 will include a 60Hz display only. The Galaxy Note 20+, on the other hand, will pack in a 120Hz panel.

This information comes from Ross Young, a well-known display analyst. He shared somewhat different info a couple of days ago, suggesting that both devices will include 120Hz panels.

The Galaxy Note 20 will allegedly utilize a 60Hz LTPS display

Well, Mr. Young says that new information came his way, and that the previously shared info wasnt completely accurate. The Galaxy Note 20 will include an LTPS display which will run at 60Hz.

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The Galaxy Note 20+ will sport an LTPO display which will run at 120Hz. LTPO and LTPS are essentially backplane technologies. LTPO (Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) is a more advance tech, and a hybrid between LTPS and IGZO, pretty much.

The source says that this decision kind of makes sense, as LTPO backplane costs more, and it should be included in premium models only. Including a 60Hz panel in the Galaxy Note 20 will allow Samsung to lower its price tag.

He also notes that Samsung could have included a 120Hz LTPS display inside the Galaxy Note 20, but such a display consumes a lot of power. An LTPO 120Hz display is much more battery-friendly.

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The standard Note 20 handset will sport a 6.42-inch display

Now, according to the previous information that Ross Young shared, the Galaxy Note 20 will include a 6.42-inch display. Its resolution will be 2345 x 1084, and were looking at a 19.5:9 panel here. That part is probably unchanged.

The Galaxy Note 20+, on the other hand, will sport a 6.87-inch display. Its resolution will be 3,096 x 1444, and as you can see, that panel will be slightly larger than the one on the Galaxy Note 10+.

Both of these smartphones are expected to launch in August. They will become official alongside the Galaxy Fold 2, if rumors are to be believed.

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Both phones will include the S Pen stylus, of course, and it seems like the Galaxy Fold 2 will include one as well. Samsung is looking to bring some Note features over to the Galaxy Fold 2.

The Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20+ will probably look quite similar. The two phones havent surfaced yet, but theyll probably look like a cross between the Galaxy Note 10 and S20 series devices.

Were expecting both phones to be made out of metal and glass, and include a centered display camera hole. Android 10 will come pre-installed on both devices, along with Samsungs custom UI.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos social media handles on Sunday, 10 May 2020, was all praised and appreciation to his wife, First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo as Mothers Day celebration was observed in some parts of the world.

But that according to the National Communication Officer of the NDC was not enough from the president.

In a statement, Sammy Gyamfi suggested that the president could have shown must gratitude to his beautiful when he was live on national television to address the nation on COVID-19 issues on that same day.

He argued that President Nana Addos failure to acknowledge his wife and Ghanaians was unjust.

Friends, President Akufo-Addo came to our homes again on Sunday night, as he himself always puts it. This time, the President appeared so much in a hurry to mislead, that he even forgot to wish his beautiful Rebecca and Ghanaian mothers, in general, a Happy Mothers Day. He noted in the statement
The state governments are working on the strategy for lockdown 4.0, in which complete shutdowns are expected only in the containment zones-- ranging from a building to a localityallowing space for the resumption of almost all activities, except large social gatherings and educational institutions, official said.

Officials in several states said the guidelines defining containment zones-- a key guidance document for enforcing lockdown 4.0-- would come by Saturday and it was likely to divide a district into red, orange and green zones, unlike the existing methodology of categorizing an entire district as red, orange or green.

It appears from the viewpoint expressed by government officials that the states are likely to allow resumption of all industrial activities, offices and standalone markets from May 18 onwards. Public transport including autos and taxis would resume with certain restrictions on number of passengers along with intra-district travel, except for the containment zones. Interstate travel may also be opened up but only for those with travel passes.

Permission is also likely to be given for all types of home delivery of goods, officials said.

Multiple state government officials privy to discussions on the strategy for lockdown 4 said the educational institutions will continue to remain closed with several states expected to declare summer holidays from May end or June.

Similarly, religious and political meetings are unlikely to be allowed for some more time apart from other activities that require or encourage mass gatherings or community participation including shopping in malls and other public places.

However, marriages and funerals would be allowed with limited attendees, officials said.

Some states may have state specific relaxations, for example, the Karnataka government is in the favour of resuming inter-state travel with mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers. Even Rajasthan government favours inter-state travel. Kerala, however, wants inter-state travel only on the basis of a pass while Bihar and Jharkhand are opposed to inter-state travel of individuals and have requested the Centre for a guidance document.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

Telangana, which has extended lockdown till May 29, is likely to announce more relaxations in sectors such as information technology and real estate.

Kerala wants resumption of metro services, local trains, domestic flights, restaurants and hotels to revive the tourism sector.

Karnataka may open restaurants, hotels and gymnasiums. Andhra Pradesh has proposed resumption of all activities except in containment areas.

Both Himachal and Uttarakhand would allow hotels and resorts to open with limited capacity.

For Coronavirus Live Updates

Gujarat, which has the second highest number of Covid cases, wants to resume all economic activity in all major urban centres except Ahmedabad, which accounts for states 70% cases. Rajkot will fully open from Thursday and Surat from Monday, officials said. They added that inter-district travel, resumption of bus services and opening of all offices was on the anvil.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu, another industrial state, plans to open all places except containment areas.

Maharashtra, which has the maximum number of Covid cases and 1,289 containment zones, has opted for minimalistic approach. The state government officials said they are against the resumption of metro services and inter-district travel. The state is also not in the favour of fully opening all offices although, they favour allowing more industries to function in orange and green zones.

In cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik, lockdown 3.0 conditions are likely to continue, said officials. Newer hotspots like Aurangabad and Jalgaon have been added to the list of cities such as Mumbai and Pune. In such a scenario, the lifting of the lockdown for at least two more weeks is not possible, said a senior government officer.

Eastern states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha want to continue with stricter lockdown as their Covid cases are increasing due to the return of migrant workers. We will have no exemptions in the fourth phase as Covid cases are increasing. In fact, we are looking at stricter lockdown, a Bihar government official said.

Jharkhands rural development minister Alamgir Alam said the state will allow all standalone shops and will provide work to migrant workers, who have returned home.

State governments have formed committees to chalk out specific guidelines for lockdown 4, which would be much more state specific than all the earlier versions of the lockdown.

The Andhra Pradesh government has formed as many as six committees to work out lockdown strategies and exit plan for different sectors, said K S Jawahar Reddy, state special chief secretary (medical and health).

The Kerala government had constituted a task force which is expected to submit a report by Thursday while Rajasthan governments expert panel on the exit strategy will submit its report on Friday.

Gujarat government has formed a committee of medical experts to suggest measures to control the spread of Covid 19 once the lockdown measures are relaxed.

Several states such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan have also sought peoples suggestions on the features of lockdown 4.0.

In Madhya Pradesh, all district collectors and MLAs have been asked to collect suggestions and submit it to the state government by Thursday. Officials said most suggestions are for allowing home delivery of ration and monetary relief to the poor, full resumption of all grain markets and more works under MGNREGA.

MP home and health minister Narottam Mishra said, Lockdown restrictions will continue to be implemented strictly and relaxations during lockdown 4 will be as per prime minister Narendra Modis direction.

Maharashtra has sought inputs from district collectors by Thursday, while Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has already held consultation with all legislators on lockdown 4.

In Uttar Pradesh, a senior government official said chief minister Yogi Adityanath has asked people and experts to suggest ways to resume economic activity, measures to attract investment and jobs for migrant labourers.

Rajasthan chief minister, too, has sought response from people apart from consulting law-makers on the strategy to exit the lockdown.
Race for the 25th district is seen as a proxy vote on President Donald Trump and a possible harbinger for November.

A former Navy combat pilot claimed victory Wednesday in the fight for an open US House seat north of Los Angeles, a win that would mark the first time in over two decades that a Republican captured a Democratic-held congressional district in California.

Im ready to go to work, Republican Mike Garcia said. His Democratic rival, Christy Smith, congratulated Garcia, calling him the likely victor.

However, she said she expected to win in November, when the two meet again in a rematch for the full, two-year House term that begins in January. This is only one step in this process, she said in a statement.

Garcia, a political newcomer, had a 12-point edge over Smith in Tuesdays special election for the swing 25th District. An unknown number of ballots remained uncounted. Los Angeles County, where most of them are located, was not expected to update its tally until Friday.

All voters received mailed ballots because of the coronavirus outbreak, though a sprinkling of polling places were available for those who wanted to vote in person.

The contest took on outsized importance as the only competitive House race in the country in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. It is seen nationally as a proxy vote on President Donald Trumps leadership and a possible harbinger for November elections.

Trump, who lost the district that runs through a swath of suburbs and small ranches in 2016, urged voters to support the political newcomer Garcia, while former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other high-profile Democrats backed Smith.

Big Congressional win in California for Mike Garcia, taking back a seat from the Democrats. This is the first time in many years that a California Dem seat has flipped back to a Republican. Also, Tom Tiffany beat his Democrat rival BIG in Wisconsin. Two great Congressional WINS!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2020

Garcias win provides a jolt of encouragement for the states beleaguered GOP, which has been drifting towards obscurity in California for years.

The seat became vacant last year after the resignation of Democratic Representative Katie Hill, who stepped down after admitting to an affair with a campaign worker and the US House opened an ethics probe into an allegation that she was involved with a member of her congressional staff, which Hill denied.

Garcia appeared to benefit from enthusiasm among conservatives who saw a rare opportunity to seize a Democratic-held seat in California. The last time that happened was 1998.

With a national debate under way on mail-in voting, the race will also serve as a window into how the process works out, albeit on a small scale.





Trumps GOP candidates also fared well in a closely watched Wisconsin election on Tuesday.

Tom Tiffany, a state senator, easily won a special election in a heavily conservative, rural Wisconsin district, cheering Republicans. His win over Democrat Tricia Zunker in northern Wisconsins 7th District comes in the states second election amid the coronavirus pandemic the past five weeks.

The win is in a district that Trump will need to once again win big if he hopes to again carry Wisconsin, a state he won by less than a point in 2016. Tiffanys big victory also helps to erase the sting of a loss by a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice in last months election, a race that boosted Democrats confidence.
They are reacting based on something that has happened which we understand that what happened was bad but they should not try to change the roles and the gender because that is very important, he added.
In this image made from a video, Taiwan's Health Minister Chen Shih-chung speaks of the country's successful model in combating COVID-19 at a press conference in Taipei, Taiwan Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Taiwan. The minister, a doctor and former director of Taipei Medical University, held daily briefings, keeping the public informed and aware. With an approval rating of 91%, he has become the countrys most popular politician, even more than President Tsai ing-wen. (Photo | AP)

In the fight to halt the coronavirus, several countries have been touted as models to be emulated. Chiefly, South Korea is oft cited, justifiably so. However, no country has met with as much success in holding off and beating back the virus as Taiwan, whose geographical and cultural proximity, literally next door, to China makes the feat all the more remarkable. Contained in this narrative are valuable insights for other countries such as India that are still in the throes of this pandemic.

Situated a mere 130 km off the coast of mainland China, Taiwan has 850,000 to 1 million citizens who live or work in China. Although Beijing and Taipei are adversarial regimes, numerous daily flights link the island to multiple major cities in China. Given such proximity, Taiwan would likely be the most affected by any epidemic with origins in China. In fact, it was the hardest hit when SARS broke out in China in 2003. Taiwan then had the highest mortality rate in the world.

That did not happen this time.

Taiwan's Covid-19 numbers have been surprisingly low, for a country that has 2.7 million visitors from the mainland annually and almost 12,000 daily just before the Lunar New Year. As of May 12, Taiwan has 440 total coronavirus cases, of which 372 have already been cured. There have been only 7 deaths. With less than 100 active cases, Taiwan has halted the virus at its doorstep. It managed all this in spite of not being a member of the WHO and while organising a national election on January 11.

How was this possible?

Led by Experts

Remarkably, Taiwans strategy to combat the novel coronavirus nCoV19 was led by experts and scientists who responded with urgency to the initial outbreak in China. Taiwans vice-president, Chen Chien-jen is a Johns Hopkins University trained epidemiologist, public health expert and national hero for his role as health minister during the SARS outbreak in 2002 and the H1N1 outbreak in 2009. Similarly, vice-premier Chen Chi-mai is a physician by training and former lecturer who collaborated with Minister for health and welfare Chen Shih-chung, a doctor and former director of Taipei Medical University. According to Channel News Asia (CNA), at 8 A.M on December 31, the latter was informed of at least seven atypical cases of pneumonia in Wuhan. Within an hour an inter-ministerial meeting was held to determine the measures to be taken to tackle the virus.

This response was as agile as the response in Wuhan itself. Over the next few days, suspected-case reporting and hospital infection control measures were strengthened, a level-1 travel notice to Wuhan was announced, and by January 15 all hospitals and the public were notified about the emerging infectious disease. By January 20, Taiwan activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) to coordinate and lead the response to the virus. Daily briefings to the public conducted by health minister Chen Shih-chung, attended by nearly 100,000 people, were also important in keeping the public informed and aware. The health minister currently enjoys an approval rating of 91% in Taiwan and has become the countrys most popular politician, even more than President Tsai ing-wen.

Flight Screening and Border Controls

Allowing public health experts to direct the response to Covid-19 meant that Taiwan could make a crucial connection very very early: that air travel was the main pathway of virus transmission. So, Taipei acted quickly to restrict and monitor air travel.

On December 31, the very day China reported the outbreak to the WHO, Taiwan began sending healthcare officials into airplanes to check passengers arriving from Wuhan before they disembarked. Within a couple of days, these measures were expanded to include fever screening and full-scale medical examination of suspected cases. Within 10 days after the flareup of the mysterious new virus in Wuhan on January 21, Taiwan closed its borders to all Wuhan residents, and by 6 Feb extended the restrictions to all arrivals from China, six days before any other country did so. Taiwan also issued a ban on all port calls by international cruise ships on Feb 6, to prevent more cases like the Diamond Princess. To monitor all foreign arrivals into the country, passengers were required to sign and complete a health declaration form. As the virus began to spread outside China to places like Thailand and Singapore, travel advisories were issued to these places by February 11. By early March, all foreign arrivals without a residence permit were banned from entering the country.

By strange coincidence or premonition, nearly a fortnight before December 31,

on December 18, 2019, in fact, an awards ceremony was held in Taiwan for airlines with outstanding performance in disease surveillance and aviation safety. At the same event, Taiwan CDC, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced their joint collaboration in implementing the Program for Airlines on Disease Prevention, Preparedness and Response, and Emergency Management, the first of its kind in the world.

Central Command Coordinated Measures

Activated on January 20, the Central Epidemic Command Centre proceeded to implement a total of 124 measures so far, including but not limited to border controls and fever screenings. One of the most significant of these was, contrary to WHO advice, a ban on the export of face masks and a decision to increase the production of protective equipment. The ban came into effect on Jan 24, one month before any other country adopted the same measure. According to the Vice-President, by the end of January, Taiwan stockpiled 44 million surgical masks, 1.95 million N-95 masks and 1,100 negative pressure isolation rooms. A national mask team was set up and 92 additional production lines were installed and the government requisitioned a total of 73 manufacturing companies. The policy increased the average daily production of masks from 1.9 million in January to 16 million masks daily in April. The CECC also instituted a rationing system for masks, according to which every citizen could buy 3 masks per week, then raised to 9 every fortnight, and finally an online ordering system was instituted.

Taiwans lightning-quick reaction has undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives and prevented thousands more from becoming infected. The island managed this without ever announcing a lockdown and significantly disrupting domestic economic and social life. Taiwan is also able to avoid, to a certain extent, the economic slump that follows a lockdown. Agencies like S&P and other economists have revised Taiwans GDP for 2020, but by a smaller margin than any other industrialised country. Schools, offices, restaurants and malls have remained open through the outbreak, limiting the disruption to the economy. Additionally, the islands approach of involving the public in the fight against Covid-19 has the additional benefit of inculcating awareness in its public, making a transition to the new normal much smoother. With just 65 active cases left, Taiwan has turned its attention to other countries struggling to contain the virus, with the campaign TaiwanCanHelp, which donates masks and other resources.

Most of Taiwans measures to combat Covid-19 were announced in late January and early February, taking effect almost immediately. The credit for this accrues to experts and scientists holding political office, who lead the fight against Covid-19, calling the shots and responding to developments in China almost instantaneously. The promptness in enacting these measures has been shown by no other country. While some countries like India were busy hosting grand bilateral summits for foreign leaders and others like USA were turning the virus into a political weapon, Taiwan was preparing for the Covid-19 outbreak, which has held the country in good stead in the months following the initial stages of the outbreak.
The Board of Trustees of the Atlantic Hall has come under scathing attack from parents who describe the virtual lesson fees during the school closure as exploitative and unfair.

Atlantic Hall had imposed an initial monthly fee of N195,000 per student with effect from May, with the plan for the virtual school to run till end of July or till such a time that schools reopen after the relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions by the state.

But an immediate protest by parents resulted in a N20,000 reduction to N175,000 as contained in a letter to parents dated May 10, a copy of which was obtained by this newspaper.

According to the letter, the online lesson will run a virtual term to complement whatever amount of time is left to run the 3rd term if the term eventually resumes even though the school also recognised that the term may not happen.

At an emergency Parent-Teacher Association meeting held via Zoom conferencing facility on Tuesday evening, parents hit hard at Atlantic Hall management describing the board of trustees as too profit-oriented with no regard for the mood of the nation or the global economic agony triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Chaired by the PTA Chairman, Temilola Achakobe, the meeting became rowdy as parents took turns to hit at the Principal, Andrew Jedras, who tried hard to sell the position of the Atlantic Hall Board, claiming that the fees were reasonable and fair for the services offered.

Parents cited other top private schools such as Corona School, Greenspring School among others who charge about N60,000 per month for virtual lessons.

A parent, who simply identified himself as Ben, told our reporter that the parents were willing to pay for value and would not submit to exploitation.

The virtual lessons are deployed using the conferencing apps and with just three lessons per day with the usual connection challenges, the parent said.

When contacted via telephone on Wednesday morning, Mrs Achakobe declined comment on the matter. She terminated the call as soon as our reporter asked his question.

The schools CEO, Mr Jedras, did not answer or return calls to his mobile telephone on Wednesday morning.

Atlantic School, located in Epe area of Lagos State, is one of the highest-paying secondary schools in Nigeria with annual fees higher than what most private universities charge. The annual fees per student is N4.5million.
The owners of a bayside restaurant in Delaware are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect responsible for setting fire to the eatery last month, according to the development company.

Investigators think the April 23 fire that destroyed the Lighthouse Restaurant in Dewey Beach and damaged the nearby boardwalk was the result of arson, the state fire marshals office said Wednesday.

Nobody was injured in the blaze, but the damage was estimated at $750,000, news outlets reported, citing the fire marshals office.

The Lighthouse Cove Development Company announced its reward Wednesday and said it was devastated by the blaze. A timeline for rebuilding the property has not been set, company officials said.

An existing restaurant at the location was demolished in 2019 and had recently undergone a renovation, news outlets reported. It was set to reopen open this summer, but that date will likely be changed.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Arson
The authorities in Spain, where coronavirus cases have fallen and a gradual deescalation is underway, are now concerned that international travel could cause a new spike in infections.

In a bid to prevent a fresh Covid-19 crisis in one of the worlds hardest-hit countries, the government has instituted self-quarantine orders for international travelers and it would also like to limit airline passenger seat occupancy.

But these travel restrictions have been met with opposition from the tourism industry, which is already reeling from the effects of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Airlines are refusing to leave seats unfilled because it is not profitable, while the hotel industry has complained about the 14-day quarantine for international travelers that will go into effect on Friday, saying it will further damage tourism.

Empty-seat policy

Passengers complained on social media about a packed Iberia Express flight. EFREN HERNANDEZ

Health authorities would like to force airlines to space out passengers, which would mean operating only partially full flights. Fernando Simon, the head of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts, has recommended leaving middle seats unfilled, although he also admitted that he didnt know what kind of an impact this might have on airlines bottom line.

In recent days, several airline passengers have reported packed cabins where social distancing was impossible to maintain, including on a Sunday flight in the Canary Islands operated by Iberia Express. One woman on an Air Europa plane that flew on Monday between two destinations in the Balearic Islands has also filed a formal complaint with the Civil Guard.

But there is no legal provision forcing airlines to cap flights in either the state of alarm decreed in Spain in mid-March or in the regulations that followed. The sole exception is flights between islands in the Balearics and the Canaries, which must fly at a maximum of 50% capacity.

Sources in the executive said they are aware of this gap, and that they are waiting for the European Commission to issue common air-safety rules. Commissioners will meet on Wednesday to try to hammer out a protocol that protects passenger health while ensuring that airlines can remain financially afloat. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will later draft the rules and recommendations that emerge from the Commission.

One of the ideas under consideration is to establish air corridors between countries with a similar risk of contagion, so citizens can travel within that space without restrictions. This would eliminate the self-quarantine requirement. The EU is also considering letting airlines give travel vouchers instead of refunds to passengers whose flights were cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdowns.

Quarantine

Passengers arriving at the Madrid airport on Tuesday. KIKE PARA

Javier Gandara, president of the Airlines Association (ALA), wants to see a common EU agreement and warns about extending the quarantine orders beyond June. The state of alarm is due to end on May 24, but Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would like to push it to June 29, if he can obtain the congressional backing for it. This would in turn prolong the quarantine orders until that date.

Introducing restrictions does not help, and the risk here is for [the quarantine] to extend beyond the state of alarm. If so, the impact would be brutal, because nobody will want to travel to Spain just to be stuck in a hotel for 14 days, said Gandara.

The industry association Exceltur has also expressed concern at a measure that proves that tourism has not been taken into account in the governments agenda of strategic decisions. Its vice-president, Jose Luis Zoreda, said it is to be expected that if German or British citizens considering travel to Spain this summer read the news about the quarantine, they will book their vacation elsewhere.

Passengers only

Spanish airports operator Aena is working on a new protocol for airports, considered potential hotspots of coronavirus transmission. A draft seen by EL PAIS includes barring people without flight tickets from accessing the terminals to send off their friends or relatives. There would be exceptions for people assisting unaccompanied minors or other passengers requiring help.

The document lists around 30 measures aimed at enhancing airport safety, including social-distancing guidelines and spaced-out seating in waiting areas. Aena is hoping to have the measures ready by June, when deescalation in Spain is scheduled to be completed, ending mobility restrictions.

English version by Susana Urra.
The inner core of the Earth is rotating at about 0.05-0.1 degrees per year, according to an analysis of seismic data from repeating earthquakes published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

Geoscientists do not fully understand how the Earths magnetic field generator works, but they suspect its closely linked to dynamic processes near the inner core-outer core boundary area.

Shifts in the location of the magnetic poles, changes in field strength and anomalous seismic data have prompted them to take a closer look.

In 1996, a small but systematic change of seismic waves passing through the inner core was first detected by our group, which we interpreted as evidence for differential rotation of the inner core relative to the Earths surface, said senior author Professor Xiaodong Song, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Peking University.

However, some studies believe that what we interpret as movement is instead the result of seismic waves reflecting off an alternately enlarging and shrinking inner core boundary, like growing mountains and cutting canyons.

Professor Song and Yi Yang, a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, analyzed seismic data from a range of geographic locations and repeating earthquakes, called doublets, that occur in the same spot over time.

Having data from the same location but different times allows us to differentiate between seismic signals that change due to localized variation in relief from those that change due to movement and rotation, Yang explained.

The scientists found that some of the earthquake-generated seismic waves penetrate through the iron body below the inner core boundary and change over time, which would not happen if the inner core were stationary.

Importantly, we are seeing that these refracted waves change before the reflected waves bounce off the inner core boundary, implying that the changes are coming from inside the inner core, Professor Song said.

The basis of the debate lies in the fact the prior studies looked at a relatively small pool of somewhat ambiguous data generated from a method that is highly dependent on accurate clock time.

What makes our analysis different is our precise method for determining exactly when the changes in seismic signals occur and arrive at the various seismic stations across the globe, Yang noted.

We use a seismic wave that did not reach inner core as a reference wave in our calculations, which eliminates a lot of the ambiguity.

This work confirms that the temporal changes come mostly, if not all, from the body of the inner core, and the idea that inner core surface changes are the sole source of the signal changes can now be ruled out, Professor Song said.

_____

Yi Yang & Xiaodong Song. 2020. Origin of temporal changes of inner-core seismic waves. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 541: 116267; doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116267
'It is crucial today to realise where we have reached in this 15 year-period in order to fully and properly assess the profundity of what General Rawat has said,' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

IMAGE: India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat. Photograph: Kamal KIshore/PTI Photo

Through the past three years and more at the pinnacle of the Indian armed forces, General Bipin Rawat acquired a reputation as an outspoken general causing firestorms of controversy every now and then.

The controversies erupted largely due to his panache for making politically loaded remarks.

An impression accrued over time that General Rawat violated the purported core principles of nonpartisanship.

Indeed, he has been viciously pilloried for this reason.

However, General Rawat's exclusive interview with The Times of India (external link) last weekend falls in an entirely different category, where he addresses the chorus of angry pro-forever-war generals (and ex-faujis) in our country who are disillusioned with the Modi government's lack of enthusiasm to increase the defence budget.

The thrust of what General Rawat said in the interview can be summarised in three clusters:

The coronavirus pandemic focuses attention on the social sectors and the overall state of the country's economy where a reset of development strategies has become necessary demanding judicious resource allocation.

The country simply cannot afford the armament programme as of today, which is heavily dependent on import of prohibitively expensive arms purchases.

The country simply cannot afford the armament programme as of today, which is heavily dependent on import of prohibitively expensive arms purchases. The operational requirements of the armed forces should not be exaggerated.

India's defence strategy is strictly limited to defending the country's borders and dominating the Indian Ocean Region.

A realistic and thorough reappraisal of operational priorities is needed to reduce arms imports so as to optimally utilise the available budget.

India's defence strategy is strictly limited to defending the country's borders and dominating the Indian Ocean Region. A realistic and thorough reappraisal of operational priorities is needed to reduce arms imports so as to optimally utilise the available budget. Equally, there is imperative need to indigenise the weapon systems. But 'unrealistic GSQRs' (general staff qualitative requirements) stand in the way.

Again, GSQRs should be redefined strictly in terms of our own operational requirements rather than by way of imitating the inventories of the US or other advanced countries.

General Rawat has spoken with remarkable candour. It has a stunning effect already. Especially, since a reasonable assumption is that General Rawat has articulated official thinking with a purpose to calibrate India's defence strategy.

Indeed, what we see here is not a mere 'tweaking' of the defence strategy.

His views reflect radically new thinking. Concepts such as 'cold start', fighting two-front wars, interoperability and so on that were inherited from the UPA government (2004-2014) are being discarded.

The new emphasis is on local products and local supply chains -- self-reliance.

General Rawat's interview appeared two days before Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's address to the nation on Tuesday where he said, inter alia, 'Making India self-reliant is the only way to make the 21st century belong to India... This era of self-reliance will be our new pledge, we have to move on with new resolve.'

Suffice to say, this week becomes a truly defining moment if one were not to miss the wood for the trees.

The doctrine laid down by the PM and applied to the sphere of defence strategy by General Rawat punctuates a 15-year steady upward curve in the thinking and actions by our bureaucratic and military establishment since the signing of the landmark India-US defence agreement in 2005 by then defence minister Pranab Mukherjee and his American counterpart Donald Rumsfeld.

It is crucial today to realise where we have reached in this 15 year-period in order to fully and properly assess the profundity of what General Rawat has said in his weekend interview.

From the Indian perspective, what began as a much-needed modernisation of our armed forces, metastasized incrementally -- almost inexorably -- over this period as an obsessive drive to attain interoperability between the Indian and US militaries.

The American side has done extraordinarily well in dominating the Indian bureaucracy -- civilian and military alike -- to take us to this point today, where we no longer, as General Rawat plaintively framed it, tend to define our GSQRs not 'as per our own operational requirements", but instead in terms of "what the US or other advanced countries have'.

If the US has seven aircraft carriers, shouldn't we at least have three? Our mind no longer applies logically, rationally.

The thinking is done for us largely by the Americans.

IMAGE: The Indian Air Force's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas approaches to land at the Hindon air force station on the outskirts of New Delhi. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters

It is plain to see that, to quote General Rawat, 'Anything on the surface can be picked up by satellites and knocked off by missiles. I think the Navy needs more submarines rather than aircraft carriers, which themselves require their own individual armadas for protection.'

Look at where we started this journey under the UPA rule and where we have reached today in such slavery of the mind.

The Americans did a brilliant job in calibrating the Indian mind to suit their purposes.

They have tickled our vanities by giving us promises to make us rulers of the global commons -- and in future even the space, including outer space -- and to take us to wherever the Chinese went.

Thus, the Americans have designated India as a Major Defence Partner (MDP). Incredible, isn't it? They have never designated another country like this -- not even their closest Anglo-Saxon, NATO ally -- Britain.

We became ecstatic when we were told that their 'MDP designation is unique to India'. We lost our mental poise in that ecstacy.

The Indian and American think tankers promptly sat down to jointly outline 'actionable recommendations' (external link) for the Indian policymakers's consideration with a view to make the MDP designation optimal in its application.

We refused to see the writing on the wall -- that MDP is quintessentially a sound business strategy to promote the commercial interests of American arms vendors.

The US has applied much the same technique to make its NATO allies a captive market for American arms exports.

If they created the NATO doctrine in the Cold War era casting the former Soviet Union as their eternal 'enemy', today it is about the two revisionist powers -- Russia and China.

So they keep whispering into our ears that in China, India has an eternal enemy.

For tackling the Soviet Russian enemy, the US and its NATO partners had enshrined interoperability of the armed forces of the Western alliance as the cardinal principle of the common defence strategy of the member countries.

The result is plain to see.

The US supplies the bulk of the NATO countries's requirements of weaponry. Not only that, the US will not countenance if a member country chooses to turn to a third country for meeting its boutique requirements even in a specific situation.

Washington threatens to sanction such errant partners -- as it is today doing to Turkey, which, by the way, has the second biggest army amongst the NATO allies, next only to the US, and has specific defence needs, given its geography and the post-cold war geopolitical situation in its surrounding regions.

The Indian bureaucratic establishment -- civilian and military -- should have no illusions that Turkey's plight today can well be India's tomorrow, if push comes to shove, and New Delhi ever decides to exercise its strategic autonomy in the pursuit of its national interests that does not conform to the US' regional and global strategies.

In fact, the Americans are in such punishing mood that they are today training, arming and financing the Kurdish separatist-terrorist groups that work toward vivisecting Turkey -- the equivalent of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba combined in today's circumstances in J&K.

To cut a complex story short, on the one hand, brilliant minds like Ashton Carter -- an Oxford-trained physicist whose entire adulthood was spent in the bowels of the US defence and intelligence -- sold to us the doctrine of interoperability which has become the mantra today of the Indian defence establishment.

Carter could do it with such delectable ease since we didn't even have an interlocutor to match his intellect or vast experience -- whose career graph since 1993 was almost entirely devoted to strategic affairs.

By the way, for his unparalleled service to the US national security, Carter was on five occasions awarded the Pentagon's Distinguished Public Service Medal. Besides, he is also the recipient of the CJCS Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award and the Defense Intelligence Medal for his contributions to intelligence.

It is doubtful if India can produce someone of his calibre in the next quarter century.

Now, why did the US press him into service on India? Why should the deepening and expansion of the interoperability between the two militaries be such top priority? Why such unseemly hurry?

All that only goes to underscore the criticality of locking in India as a defence partner to meet the emergent requirements of the US's 'Indo-Pacific' strategies to contain China, the rising rival on the horizon who threatens to challenge America's century-long global hegemony.

The slavery of the Indian mind is such today that, if General Rawat is to believed, the Indian military is 'misrepresenting our operational requirements' to the political masters to hoodwink them into permitting the acquisition of fanciful weaponry from abroad that are by no stretch of imagination relevant to the country's actual defence requirements.

The shameful tragedy is that the Americans have bought us cheap.

Suffice to say, there is hardly anyone among India's elite today who doesn't have a son or daughter or son-in-law or nephew settled in the US.

Green Card has become the magical wand of the US that can open any door in Delhi today.

To my mind, therefore, the real significance of PM's address to the nation last night lies not in the combat against a medieval virus but in his determination to turn the present crisis into a window of opportunity to liberate the Indian mind and to choreograph and launch an entirely new approach for India's national strategy pivoted on principles of self-reliance.

Having said that, when it comes to the defence arena, prudence demands that one must keep fingers crossed.

To be sure, there will be institutionalised opposition from the Indian civilian and military bureaucracy and other entrenched interest groups who can be trusted to wage a war of attrition on the political leadership.

If 'Make in India' is languishing and the road to develop an indigenous defence industry for the country -- something that a much smaller country like Iran could achieve with such stunning success despite very heavy odds -- remains deserted without much traffic to speak of, the principal reason for it is that PM has to juggle a dozen balls in the air simultaneously at any given time.

Succinctly put, notwithstanding his fame for possessing a forceful will, attention span remains limited, whereas follow-up is always the all-important quotient of statecraft in the Byzantine corridors of power.

This is where, in retrospect, General Bipin Rawat's appointment as India's first Chief of Defence Staff assumes an altogether new meaning.

Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar served the Indian Foreign Service for more than 29 years. He has served as India's ambassador to Turkey and Uzbekistan and has been a contributor to Rediff.com for well over a decade.
Congressional Republicans have made liability protection for employers a nonnegotiable demand in any new coronavirus stimulus, but Senator Lindsey Graham, an ally of President Donald Trump, says that regulators have a role to play in the workplace.

The government must tell the employers what they need to do to protect the workers and hold them accountable if they dont, Graham, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said at a hearing of his panel on Tuesday afternoon.

Witnesses told the senators that federal guidelines that have been blocked by the Trump administration will be crucial to getting employees back to work and preventing their bosses from being sued.

With the nation emerging from a long lockdown that has paralyzed the economy, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups as well as prominent conservatives have advocated curbs on lawsuits from customers and workers who contract the coronavirus. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has taken up the cause and vowed that no new stimulus legislation pass Congress without liability restrictions.

Trump has warned of litigation heaven that could impede his campaign to revive business activity.

Common Goal

Many Democratic lawmakers reject any such proposal, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told MSNBC that while she supports expanded workplace regulation, there was a common goal and well have that discussion.

House Democrats on Tuesday proposed a new, $3 trillion virus relief bill.

Witnesses at the Tuesday Senate hearing, representing both labor and businesses, agreed that enforceable rules could give workers recourse while providing employers a defense in cases and certainty in reopening, although business witnesses and many of the Republicans on the panel, including Graham, argued for reforms to the liability system.

The rules would likely come through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, but the administration has already blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from issuing specific reopening guidance to daycare centers, restaurants, theaters and other businesses out of concern the recommendations were too prescriptive.

If in fact the federal government remains off the playing field in setting these kinds of standards, then inevitably the courts are going to do it, David Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University and former Federal Trade Commission official, said in his testimony.

CDC Guidance

The lack of CDC guidance, which would not be binding, has left businesses in regions of the country that are already reopening looking for pointers on safety in guidelines by a patchwork of state, local and industry groups.

It seems to me that one primary goal out of this hearing is to get the standards in place for business, said Graham, a South Carolina Republican. The big hole in the puzzle right now is the standards.

Some trade groups and executives say that litigation could bankrupt companies and may force businesses to remain closed.

It would just be so tragic if the small business owners that survived all of this, they finally make it to the other side only to get sued, Karen Harned, executive director of the Small Business Legal Center at the National Federation of Independent Business trade group, said before the hearing.

Her group and others want to protect businesses against lawsuits by those who say they contracted the virus on premises, and advocate a temporary shield for those companies that have worked to protect employees and customers.

Im asking for this committee for a very limited-time liability protection for businesses, Kevin Smartt, chief executive officer of Kwik Chek Food Stores Inc., a Texas-based chain of convenience stores. Im not looking for bad actors or people that were grossly negligent.

The Chamber and other groups have long assailed plaintiffs lawyers and liability laws as a threat to American commerce, and some Democrats and labor groups charge that the current proposals are simply another ploy to strip workers of protections  at a time when they and the public already face grave danger.

Before this pandemic, businesses had to act responsibly and follow federal safety guidelines, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the committee, said at the hearing. Its hard to see why they shouldnt have to do the same in the face of a deadly virus.

Some scholars of tort law have also said that the bar to suing is already high because of the difficulty in establishing where a victim contracted the virus, which can lie silent for days.

Photo: Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, removes his protective mask during a hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Photographer: Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Legislation Workers' Compensation Commercial Lines Business Insurance
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has disclosed that it will fund the research for COVID-19 vaccine in the country. This was made know...





The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has disclosed that it will fund the research for COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

This was made known by the Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele at the unveiling of the THISDAY Dome testing, tracing, and treatment centre on Tuesday in Abuja.

Emefiele said, Needless to state that if we are to wait for foreign countries to develop their own vaccines, we will be the last in the queue to receive curative remedies for our teeming population.

According to Emefiele, the framework will involve grants and long term facilities that will be provided to researchers, science institutions and biotechnology firms to develop the Nigerian Vaccine.

Emefiele further disclosed that the apex bank recently launched an N100bn healthcare intervention fund.

Practitioners in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors will be able to access finance at a single-digit rate through this fund, he explained.

He said that in a bid to cushion the effects of Coronavirus on the countrys economy, the apex bank has implemented several initiatives such as the provision of one trillion naira facility for firms operating in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

We are also working with financial institutions to enable the continuous flow of credit to viable businesses while putting in place provisions such as moratoriums and restructuring of existing loans under CBN intervention funds that have been provided to businesses, he added
By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: MT Arhan cargo vessel with 7,940 metric tonnes of styrene monomer of LG Polymers unit set sail for South Korea. Earlier, the styrene monomer was loaded onto the vessel berthed at OR1 berth at the port through reverse pumping from the plant via pipeline.

Earlier, LG Polymers submitted documents to Vizag Customs on Monday to export the unused styrene monomer lying at its warehouse to its parent company in South Korea. Vizag Customs completed necessary processing and accorded the necessary approvals within hours of filing the documents. Loading of the styrene monomer onto the vessel was completed by 5 pm.

Meanwhile, district collector V Vinay Chand said owing to uncontrolled reactions, gaseous vapours of styrene emanated on May 7. To control polymerisation reaction, external inhibitors were added and continuous water cooling was done as per inputs given by experts from various agencies and also as per a protocol given by South Korean experts. The temperature was now brought down to 67 degree Celsius. It was now in safe condition, he explained.

There was another 13,000 metric tonnes of styrene monomer in four more tanks. Though it was in safe condition, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wanted it to be shifted immediately. Hence, available vessels at the port were engaged. Pumping of styrene monomer began and loaded onto the vessel. Another vessel will be engaged in 48 to 72 hours to ship remaining styrene gas at the plant and at the port.

Procedures laid down by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) were followed with regard to cleaning of roads and external and internal cleaning of houses.
A former Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has expressed disappointment with the dismissal of his suit challenging Martin Amidu's eligibility to serve as Special Prosecutor.

Speaking to the press after the judgement on Wednesday, May 12, 2020, Dr. Ayine said the dismissal of his challenge would set a bad precedent.

Unfortunately, the precedent will allow for the appointments of persons who are over the age of 65 years and persons who are 70 years of age after retirement at the age of 60 [into public service] and not giving our young people the opportunity to serve the Republic in the public services of Ghana. And I think that is a foreseeable consequence of the decision today, he said.

The Supreme Court did not give reasons for the decision but indicated that the lawyers could pick it up from the court's registry.

The decision was a 5-2 majority decision.

They said we could apply for the reasons given by the judges in majority and minority so until then I am unable to say why and will get back to you when the reasons are available, Dr. Ayine explained.

He added that: I dont think we will be thinking of a review.

Dr. Ayine was contending that Mr. Amidu, being 66 years [at the time the suit was filed in 2018], was too old to hold public office, and as such could not be the Special Prosecutor.

In his writ, Dr. Ayine sought a declaration that per the interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d), 199(1), 199(4), and 295 of the 1992 Constitution, the retirement age of all holders of public offices created pursuant to Article(1)(d), is 60 years, thus Mr. Amidu is not qualified or eligible to be nominated as the Special Prosecutor.

 citinewsroom
Going Further

Option I: Understanding a Metropolitan Transportation Authority Workers Experience

In We Are Not Essential. We Are Sacrificial. Sujatha Gidla, an M.T.A. conductor and author, writes about her experience with fighting for protective equipment, coping with her colleagues deaths and then contracting the coronavirus herself:

We work at the epicenter of the epicenter, with a mortality rate substantially higher than that of first responders. Common sense tells you that subway trains and platforms are giant vectors of this virus. We breathe it in along with steel dust. As a conductor, when I stick my head out of the car to perform the required platform observation, passengers in many stations are standing 10 inches from my face. At other times, they lean into the cab to ask questions. Bus drivers, whose passengers enter right in front of them, are even worse off. My co-workers want doors locked on the two cars where the crew rides. Bus drivers want to let passengers enter through the back doors. We want hazard pay and family leave for child care.

Her Op-Ed continues:

The conditions created by the pandemic drive home the fact that we essential workers  workers in general  are the ones who keep the social order from sinking into chaos. Yet we are treated with the utmost disrespect, as though were expendable. Since March 27, at least 98 New York transit workers have died of Covid-19. My co-workers say bitterly: We are not essential. We are sacrificial. That may be true individually, but not in our numbers. Hopefully this experience will make us see clearly the crucial role we play in keeping society running so that we can stand up for our interests, for our lives. Like the Pittsburgh sanitation workers walking out to demand protective equipment. Like the G.E. workers calling on the company to repurpose plants to make ventilators instead of jet engines. I took my second test on April 30. It was negative. Tomorrow, I will go back to work.

Read the entire Op-Ed and respond:

What more did you learn about the experiences of M.T.A. workers from Ms. Gidlas Op-Ed?

How does the Op-Ed add to, or change, your understanding of the featured article?

Do you think anything more should be done to protect both workers and riders?

Option II: Understanding the Experiences of Homeless People

Nikita Stewart and Nate Schweber highlight the stories of homeless people who rely on the subway for shelter in their article, Stark Symbol of Pandemic in N.Y.: Homeless People Huddled on the Subway:

To officials, the nightly descent of police officers, transit employees and homeless services workers into the system is a concerted attempt to restore order and get the most down-and-out the help they desperately need. To homeless people and their advocates, it is an intimidating show of force that tramples individual rights and merely sweeps a problem outside without addressing its root causes. At the end of the day, we understand this is a very dangerous situation people are going through, said Donte Johnson, 47, who has lived on the A and D trains for about three years. But before this, homeless people were already going through a dangerous situation. A woman who rode into the Wakefield station on Wednesday, surrounded by trash bags that took up an entire end bench and all the floor space around it, said she resented the way authority officials and the police had treated her. She said they had thrown out some of her bags. And the shelters the city was trying to get her into, she said, were hazardous. The shelters are full of the virus, she said, a surgical mask flapping from one ear beneath a black ball cap decorated with colorful ribbons and a sleigh bell. The rest of her clothes were ragged.

Read the entire article, then answer:

What is your reaction to the article?

Based on the article, why are some people who are homeless hesitant to stay in shelters? Why do some people who are homeless prefer the train as a place to sleep?

How do you think individuals, social services and the government can responsibly and respectfully support people without housing during this time?

Option III: Poetry in Motion

Whether youre a regular rider of the M.T.A., or have only visited New York City once or twice, you may have seen poems displayed in train cars. They look like this:

Image Officials are looking for the right poems to post in coming months, but their format is likely to resemble this earlier poster, featuring Maya Angelous Awaking in New York from Shaker, Why Dont You Sing? (1983), and William Lows A Day in Parkchester (2011). Credit... via MTA Arts & Design

In the article, On Subways as Riders Return: Odes to Their Resilience, Colin Moynihan, writes about the search for the right poems for subway riders to encounter during the pandemic:

Sandra Bloodworth, the director of the M.T.A.s arts and design program, said that beginning last month, people involved with Poetry in Motion began thinking about how to make sure that the next works are thoughtful and mindful. Beyond elements of happiness, she said, the new poems should reflect the complex reality brought on by the coronavirus and the difficulties that the city has endured. What we present is more important than ever, Ms. Bloodworth said. We knew it was going to be a daunting challenge to find just the right thing to speak to, but also to comfort, people. Nothing has been chosen yet, but Mr. Brogan said they were looking for poems that might match the tone of Separation by W.S. Merwin, a three-line poem that has previously appeared in the subway. Your absence has gone through me

Like thread through a needle.

Everything I do is stitched with its color. Its a beautiful poem, he said But also really powerful at this moment because its about what happens when youre absent from others and what you take with you.

What poem would you want to see today, when taking public transportation or walking around in your community? What kind of messages do you think are important for people to see around them during the pandemic? Are there other forms of art that people have shared or displayed in your community?

You can share your response with your classmates, or in the comments section of this lesson.
The coronavirus pandemic is emerging as an existential threat to the nation's small businesses - despite Congress approving a historic $700 billion to support them - with the potential to further diminish the place of small companies in the American economy.

The White House and Congress have made saving small businesses a linchpin of the financial rescue, even passing a second stimulus for them late last month. But already, economists project that more than 100,000 small businesses have shut permanently since the pandemic escalated in March, according to a study by researchers at the University of Illinois, Harvard University and the University of Chicago. Their latest data suggests that at least 2% of small businesses are gone, according to a survey conducted Saturday to Monday.

The rate is higher in the restaurant industry, where 3% of restaurant operators have gone out of businesses, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Tearful, heartfelt announcements about small business closures are popping up on websites and Facebook pages. Analysts warn that this is only the beginning of the worst wave of small-business bankruptcies and closures since the Great Depression. It's simply not possible for small businesses to survive with no income coming in for weeks followed by reopening at half capacity, many owners say.

The result probably will shift further the balance of power - and jobs - toward big businesses that have a better chance of surviving the uncertain year ahead by borrowing money or drawing on large cash reserves. Emergency actions by the Federal Reserve, backed by the Treasury, have made borrowing money almost free for large companies.

"We are going to see a level of bankruptcy activity that nobody in business has seen in their lifetime," said James Hammond, chief executive of New Generation Research, which tracks bankruptcy trends. "This will hit everyone, but it will be harder for small businesses since they don't have a lot of spare cash."

While 4.2 million businesses have received emergency loans from the Small Business Administration, they constitute a fraction of the 30 million small firms in the nation. Many small-business owners say Congress' financial rescue is not designed well to help very small businesses, known as micro firms, that have large overhead costs such as rent.

"It wouldn't be surprising if well over 1 million of these micro firms ultimately fail," wrote Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics in a recent note to clients, referring to firms with under 10 employees.

In the 1980s and 1990s, small businesses employed more than half of American workers, but that dynamic has shifted. By 2017, 47% of private-sector employees were at small businesses, and the pandemic appears to be reducing that again.

In April, smaller firms had substantially more layoffs than larger ones, according to payroll processor ADP, an early warning sign.

Losing small businesses often creates a ripple effect in communities, especially smaller towns where little shops and restaurants remain the lifeblood of Main Street. These business owners often depend on each other, meaning as some shutter forever, it can trigger more to follow.

"This is culturally devastating for communities," said Patrice Frey, president of the National Main Street Center, which advocates for restoring downtown hubs. "Small businesses really help provide communities with a sense of identity and place. It's very difficult to imagine how these business are going to be replaced easily, especially in more rural and distressed areas."

After decades in business, places including Ricardo's Mexican Restaurant in Las Vegas; Biba Restaurant in Sacramento, California; the Great Scott music venue in Boston; and the Tony Ciccarelli barber shop in Troy, New York, are closing forever. Many made their announcements just before May 1 rent was due.

Bridget McGinty is among those who made the gut-wrenching call on May 1 to permanently close.

For 19 years, McGinty and her sister ran Tastebuds, a popular Cleveland lunch spot. The business was on "life support" last month, she said, and she did not think it could survive the summer paying rent and making virtually no money as downtown Cleveland remains largely deserted.

"There were just too many things against us," said McGinty, still choking up at having to say it aloud.

Congress approved more than $700 billion in relief for small businesses, mostly in the form of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and grants. The money comes from the Small Business Administration, though business owners apply for it through their bank.

Businesses that are closing permanently say that the process was too slow and that the money only covers about two months of expenses, if that, even though it will probably be months before restaurants, gyms and stores are full again.

Neil Bradley, chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is urging Congress to come up with a special "bridge program" to help restaurants, movie theaters, hair salons and other places that won't be able to open at full capacity for a long time. But negotiations between Congress and the White House on the next economic relief package have stalled.

Another big complaint is that small businesses have to use about 70% of the PPP money on payroll for it to become a grant that does not have to be repaid. Congress designed the PPP program this way to help save jobs, but it is causing problems when rent or other expenses represent a larger share of a company's obligations, compared to payroll.

"What we hear over and over again is the federal stimulus isn't really working for the restaurant industry," said John Barker, president of the Ohio Restaurant Association. He's urging Congress to build in "at least some flexibility" on how and when the grant money can be used.

McGinty is an example. Her decision to close means her five employees must look for new jobs. After exhausting the $15,000 in cash she had in the bank, she did apply for a PPP loan but quickly realized it wouldn't work well for her since her overhead costs are equal, if not more, than wages for her workers. On top of rent, restaurants have the added cost of replacing all their food since most of they had in their refrigerators in March has gone bad.

"It's going to take so long for restaurants to come out of debt or to just break even," McGinty said. She urged landlords to "just forgive the rent" for April and May. Otherwise it becomes an "unbearable burden in the future" that small business owners will struggle to pay later this year.

The economists who have been tracking permanent small business closures also found that 34% of small businesses said they are either paying reduced rent or delaying the payment, according to a poll conducted April 25 to 27. The researchers have been doing informal surveys of over 50,000 small business owners who subscribe to the Alignable business network. Respondents come from a variety of industries and roughly mirror government data on small-business characteristics.

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As business owners debate whether to take PPP money, some are opting to reinvent their business model instead, often by doing more online and reducing staff costs.

Dave and Stacy Dockins spent the last night in April holding hands and coming to terms with one of the hardest decisions of their marriage. The couple has run the popular Yoga Project studios in the Fort Worth, Texas, area for 15 years. But on May 1, they decided to close all three of their yoga studios.

From now on, Yoga Project will be online-only - with a fraction of the former staff.

"We were afraid it would come to this. The money is just running out," Dave Dockins said after four banks did not process his PPP loan applications. "It's still really raw for my wife and I. This is the hardest decision we've ever made."

They said closing was their only option because they could no longer afford the rent and other overhead costs. The PPP was a poor option for them because their instructors are usually contractors - 1099 workers - who are not eligible for the payroll money.

Another issue with the PPP loan is that it covers eight weeks of expenses, and the money must be used as soon as the business owner starts receiving it. That's tough for restaurants and other businesses that are still closed or operating with a skeleton crew for takeout. They do not need all of their workers.

Some business owners say the money would be more helpful later in the summer, when they can hopefully try to bring in more customers.

"If restaurants are only allowed to open at half capacity, that is a nail in the coffin right there," said Justin Barrett, the chef and owner of Piecemeal Pies in White River Junction, Vermont. "Consecutive rounds of PPP should be considered for small businesses until there is a vaccine."

Piecemeal Pies is a 25-seat restaurant that specializes in British meat pies and cider. Customers used to love sitting at the counter or communal table - attractions that have become liabilities in the era of social distancing. They created "Pie Day Friday" for customers to order takeout, but it is not bringing in much revenue and does not require all nine of his workers.

Barrett got a PPP loan, but the money will be gone by mid-June.

Dave and Stacy Dockins say they are working "the hardest we've ever worked in our lives" as they broadcast Yoga Project sessions from their home and try to build up online membership.

McGinty's Cleveland restaurant is not reopening, but she's still busy: She spent the past few days donating most of her equipment and furniture to a local Catholic parish's food pantry and community center in between calls with her landlord, bank and insurance agent.

Each business owner is trying to be nimble, but none is sleeping well at night.

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The Washington Post's Andrew Van Dam contributed to this story.